THE RAILWAYS END—CHAPTER FIVE
In which Shinji dresses up
We meet the family
Finally see a wedding
And hear a compliment from the All-Mighty
Shinji awoke two days after meeting Death to find a black tuxedo hanging on his closet. He climbed out of bed and walked toward the closet…
…about twenty minutes later, dressed in the tuxedo, Shinji was standing before two massive alabaster doors. He reached up timidly and knocked gently.
"Enter…"
Shinji opened the doors and entered the luxurious private apartments of the King of Dreams. He walked up a flight of marble stairs toward the ruffling sound of clothing being moved.
"What do you think of this, Matthew?"
"I dunno, Danny; it looks a bit wide,"
Shinji turned around a column to see his lord and master standing in a white tail-suit before a large mirror rimmed with silver. The boy was surprised to see a sizeable black bird perched on top of the mirror. Beside the mirror was a marble-topped table covered with a variety of ties.
Dream frowned and turned to the approaching Shinji.
"Tell me, Shinji: do you think this tie is too wide?"
The boy looked at the subject of the question. It expanded to about three inches.
"Y-yeah, I think so…"
He half expected to be struck down by some dream-lightning for daring to question the King of Dreams, but Daniel looked at himself in the mirror again, frowned, and pulled off the tie. He then picked up a smaller one, held it up against his neck, and then tossed it away.
"Hey, so you're Shinji Ikari? Nice to meet ya,"
The startled boy looked around until seeing the bird on the mirror.
"E-e-excuse me?!"
"I said, 'nice to meet you'; you hard of hearing or something?" the bird replied.
Shinji's mouth hung open again and his gaze fell to Dream again. The being was currently examining another bow-tie before looking up again.
"Ah, I apologize; Shinji Ikari, this is my raven: Matthew."
"Uh, hello…"
The raven stepped along the mirror's rim to get closer to Shinji.
"Weren't you alive once?"
The Third Child looked away and replied softly, "Yeah…"
Matthew had been a raven for almost thirty years, but he still recognized a difficult topic when he saw it. The raven decided to drop it immediately.
"So, uh, Danny, that one looks good," said Matthew, pointing with his beak.
Dream reached down and picked up the bowtie in question and, apparently satisfied, secured it around his neck. Matthew nodded his approval as did Shinji.
"Excellent; come, Matthew," he nodded to Shinji, "you as well, Shinji,"
The raven alighted and landed on Dream's shoulder as the immortal being walked over to another table. On the table was a rectangular box wrapped up with silver-patterned paper and a gold bow and ribbon. Dream picked it up and handed it to Shinji.
"This is my gift to Belldandy of the Three Norns; we are attending her wedding to Keiichi Morisato,"
Matthew tilted his head jerkily in the manner that all birds have.
"Sort of big, isn't it?"
"It is suitable enough; she is my god-daughter after all,"
Both Shinji and Matthew didn't quite know what to say at this…
For the walk down to the Gallery, Matthew had flapped over to Shinji's shoulder and spent the time talking about various things that the two had seen around the Palace. Dream, leading the two, walked in brooding silence.
"You know I thought at first all these guys would be sorta snooty, you know with me not being an original dream, but they're okay. Well, except for Cain and Abel…"
Shinji turned to the bird, a somewhat uncomfortable maneuver as he had to adjust his head so that he didn't hit the bird with his face.
"Who are they?"
"You know, Cain and Abel?"
Shinji's face remained confused.
"Well, they're from the First Story. You know, the Bible. Anyway, Cain is the…"
"Enough, Matthew; we are here…"
Dream opened the doors into his Gallery and stepped gracefully within. Shinji was astonished that such a vast room was being used for so few things. There was an elegant couch, some chairs, but other than that the only other decorations were a series of paintings.
Well, he thought they were paintings at first. When he was close enough he could see that they were actually objects hung within picture frames. They seemed to be in an order of some sort.
The first had a book that was wrapped with chains, and was labeled "Destiny".
The second held a silver ankh and bore the word "Death".
The third was a black space, labeled "Destruction".
The fourth contained a silver heart and was called "Desire".
The fifth had a ring with a hook on it; it was labeled "Despair".
The last was strange, as it held no single item but instead was a cauldron of colors (which seemed to be slowly moving and rippling). It bore the label "Delirium".
"Come, Shinji, through here,"
He turned to the white-clad Dream, who touched the first item. The book and chains warped into the frame, becoming an empty black space.
He looked into the frame and saw a white opening at the end of a long dark tunnel. The frame was fairly small, too small for Shinji to go through, even if he wasn't carrying a box.
"How do we…"
Dream placed his hand on Shinji's shoulder and then they were in an entirely different place.
In contrast to the alabaster white of Dream's palace, with its massive windows, towering columns, and strange things around every corner, the place they were in was deathly quiet. Though the Gallery they were now in was elegantly built, with marble floors and massive rugs that depicted some historical event, it was darker than Dream's home. A smell of great age and dust filled the room like a barely seeable mist. When Shinji had finished looking around his new surroundings, his eyes caught sight of a group standing in the middle of the room, a gathering of some of the most bizarre and/or frightening people he had ever met.
The tallest of the group was covered almost completely with a brown robe and hood. His face was almost completely hidden within the shadows of the hood, only his nose and small parts of his face were visible. His arms were the only other part of his body that emerged from the robe. Strangest of the man's appearance was a massive book, bound in what appeared to be ancient leather, clutched in the man's arms like a child. A ring protruded on a short stem, from which a chain extended to a shackle on the man's wrist.
Next to the man, apparently in conversation with him before Shinji arrived, was a…well; frankly, Shinji had no idea what it was. But it was beautiful, and he had the strangest impulse to rip off his clothes right then and there and beg it to take him, that is if it had female parts. Its golden eyes hung over those perfect lips, in which a cigarette was planted and being lit with a silver lighter that was shaped like a heart. It was dressed in a black three-piece suit and vest, with a red ascot tucked into the vest.
Behind it were the most bizarre of the group. A dwarfed, obese older woman with messy black hair stuck into a bun stood beside a younger girl, who looked maybe around Shinji's age.
The woman was naked, that was the first thing he noticed about her. He turned his gaze, embarrassed, but not before he could take in the details of this strange woman. Her skin was pasty white, and sharp teeth emerged from her lower lip. On her left hand she bore a ring. Extending from the ring was a barbed hook, sharp but apparently frequently used.
The girl was dressed in a leather coat, with a black mini skirt extending from beneath a shirt that said Have a Nice Day under a yellow smiley face. Her hair was purple…no, it was yellow…green…and long enough to touch her ankles…no, as short as a Marine crew-cut…
Her eyes were different colors, blue with silver specks in one and green in the other. She had extensive piercing on her ears, consisting of gold, silver, iron, and some element he could not identify. She noticed him staring at her, and she gave a short giggle, like a child's.
As if to complete the bizarreness of the scene, a medium sized dog was licking itself behind the girl.
Death was dressed in a formal black dress, with gloves, earrings, and a gold chain hanging from her waist that led to a pocket-watch.
The robed man spoke, "Well met, my brother; we are all here, then,"
"Indeed," Dream laid a white hand on Shinji's shoulder, and the boy immediately froze up, "Shinji, this is my family:
"Destiny, the eldest," Destiny nodded toward the boy gravely.
"Desire, twin sibling of Despair, beside her," Desire smirked and ran her eyes over the boy, as if measuring him for something. Despair merely gazed at the boy.
"And my youngest sister, Delirium, and her companion Barnabas," the girl waved shyly.
"Where's Barnabas?"
"RiGHt BEHInd Me, SILly SHinJI MaN," replied Delirium. The dog stepped forward, cleared its throat and said, in a voice that grammar teachers all over the world dream of,
"Pleased to meet you; Nice to see a new face around here,"
"Uh…charmed,"
"Shinji is here to handle our wedding gifts; I assume that…"
Suddenly, Shinji was blinded as the gifts of the Endless popped into existence right there on top of Dream's gift. The piled presents threatened to fall over and Shinji hopped over a few feet to steady the load. After some more frantic footwork the pile was steadied and Shinji breathed a sigh of relief. He looked to the side to see Destiny staring at him, apparently somewhat bemused by this boy's recent physical efforts.
A voice that sounded like a mixture of a man and a woman's voices laughed out loud.
"Well, Dream, your new lackey is skilled as well as cute! I wonder how much of a…talent he has…"
Shinji blushed furiously.
"The time nears, my siblings; come…"
Shinji heard the sound of reality moving all around him, reorganizing itself according to Destiny's wishes. The light became much brighter; birds were singing, and when he glanced down he saw grass.
"Matthew, guide Shinji inside,"
"You got it, kid,"
A flapping sound ended with the tap-tap of the raven landing on top of the tower of gifts.
"Okay, forward,"
Shinji stepped forward toward the building. Suddenly, he felt a hand pinch his butt. Shocked, he turned and saw Desire wink at him before waving for him to continue moving.
He continued walking, listening to Matthew's instructions until the bird said:
"Okay, here we are, set it down,"
Finally, Shinji was able to get a better look around. He was in a large room decorated with white cloth and balloons. A stage with microphones was set up facing a field of circular tables, with one large table set up before a set of cathedral windows that looked out upon a peaceful lake scene.
"C'mon," said Matthew, landing on the boy's shoulder, "Let's join the Family again. They're waiting…"
Indeed they were. Apparently, the banquet hall had been set up in a separate building from where the ceremony was actually taking place. The Endless were waiting by the doors, some of whom looked uncomfortable standing out in the open. Along the way, Despair had suddenly sprouted a black dress, probably to make others feel more comfortable than to preserve her own dignity.
Acknowledging the boy with a nod, Destiny led the group inside.
Suddenly, in front of them was a man. A massive man. A man who could easily be mistaken—at a certain distance—for a Bigfoot; only less hairy.
"HI! ARE YOUSE WITH DA BRIDE OR DA GROOM?"
"The Bride,"
"I THOUGHT SO; Y'KNOW, WITH DA ROBE AN' DA BOOK AN' ALL…ER, ARE YOUSE ALL TOGETHA'?"
"Yes; we are friends and godparents,"
"OKAY. C'MON IN,"
The group walked in and took up a pew. Shinji found himself sitting between Dream and Desire, with Matthew perched on his shoulder. Dream stared up at the front of the room with those dark eyes of his.
A short young man in a black tux stood nervously near the front. Beside him was a massive grinning blonde guy with a tomahawk haircut and sunglasses.
Finally the music started, because the bride had arrived, assumed Shinji.
The congregation stood as the bride entered with someone on her arm, presumably the Father…
Shinji shivered. He felt a wave of energy left in the wake of the bride and the man who proceeded down the aisle.
The groom pulled up the bride's veil. She was beautiful, but—strangely—she had a blue diamond stretched out on her forehead and blue triangles on her cheeks.
Shinji then noticed the other girls standing at the front; one was sexy, with bronze skin, white hair, and a blue upside-down triangle on her forehead. The other had long black hair, with a blue circle on the forehead.
The beginning of the ceremony startled Shinji out of his thoughts…
Shinji sat with the Endless at their table in the banquet hall.
While eating with the equivalent of the royal family of the universe was an honor in its own fashion, Shinji was uncomfortable.
But then, the Endless were uncomfortable as well.
It wasn't surprising, from what Shinji had seen so far of their natures. Dream had not said anything about a family to the boy, and the small talk he would expect from brothers and sisters was practically non-existent that moment. Shinji once again sat between Dream and Desire, and he could feel some tension between the two siblings; he was probably seated there to keep the two apart.
The silence at the table was interrupted by an understandably nervous waiter, who laid down plates of steak and fruit before the immortal beings. Death smiled and said her thanks; Dream said thanks as well but otherwise the Endless did not respond to the waiter.
Shinji gulped and drank some water. He had begun to wonder whether his lord's family was as dysfunctional as his own when Destiny spoke.
"Come now; surely one of us has something to say, it has been twenty years since all of us were together…"
More silence, until Despair began to talk.
"Tell us, Shinji; how goes life in Tokyo-3?"
He was stunned, to say the least.
"How did you…"
"We are the Endless, Shinji; between us, we know everything,"
"Oh…well, I guess its okay. With all the Angel attacks, I guess they're doing fine,"
"Humanity is constantly restructuring itself," said Destiny, "It is how they survive,"
Just then, there was a tinkling sound as forks were tapped against glasses across the room. Belldandy and Keiichi rose and kissed, much to the apparent joy of the guests.
"YEAH! FINALLY!!"
Shinji turned in his seat to see the white haired woman approaching the table; she had stopped to cheer on the bride and groom before continuing the journey.
"Hey you guys!" she declared cheerfully as she enveloped Death and Dream in a quick hug from behind.
"A good day to you, Urd of the Three Norns," Dream said.
"Nice to see you too, Dreamy," she smirked, tracing a finger along the point of Dream's chin. She finally noticed Shinji and smiled, her feline eyes dancing with mischief.
"Who's the new guy?"
"Shinji Ikari, my new servant, formerly of Tokyo-3,"
The mischief vanished, but she kept up the smile, even though it looked a little forced now.
"Really, how…interesting," she was silent for a moment before saying, "Excuse me," and rushing off in a flash of white and bronze.
They watched her leave and then turned back toward their dinner.
Shinji sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't have come,"
"Nonsense," said Death, "You're fine,"
"I gO TO LotS oF PLaceS WhERE I SHOUldn't HAVe CoME," chirped Delirium, "Or mAYbE I DON't Go TO LOtS Of PLaCes WHERe I ShouLd HaVE COMe; I dOn't KNoW: YoU KNoW…"
"Yes, my sister," sighed Dream.
The hours passed, and the Endless slowly ate their food. Shinji had finished his rather quickly, and Matthew dug his beak into grapes that had been suddenly shrunk when Dream had glanced at them.
Finally, Shinji rose, a little unsure of himself in this company.
"I-I'm going to the restroom."
"Very well; do not take long, Shinji, we're leaving soon,"
"Uh, okay,"
He left for the boy's room.
As he approached the door, he became aware of someone watching him. He turned around quickly, but the feeling wore off. Slightly confused, he turned and entered the bathroom.
After he was done, he left the room to find a tall young man leaning against the wall. The man was dressed in a tuxedo and had long white hair that was tied into a ponytail.
"Hello," he said, smiling at the boy.
"Uh, hi,"
Still smiling, the man turned and looked at the banquet.
"So, you're from Tokyo-3…"
Shinji's mouth opened to answer but the man cut him off.
"Many terrible things going on there…" he mused, "They need someone with a good heart to help them."
The man turned back to Shinji and smiled…
That smile. Shinji had seen larger ones, forced ones…but this…this smile was brilliant, as if light was shining from it. It sounds ridiculous to one who has not seen it, but when Shinji saw it, he felt a great warmth and sudden happiness. The sheer pleasure of seeing that smile was the greatest thing he had ever felt…
And then a voice; greater, more magnificent, more glorious than the birth of a galaxy…
"You did well, Shinji Ikari…"
And the man was gone.
He was still a little dazed as he joined up with the Endless, who were saying their goodbyes to the bride and groom. Destiny remained silent, while Death chattered on about how nice it was to get away from work.
Shinji, with Matthew once again perched on his shoulder, nodded to the couple and left with Dream into the darkness…and the Dreaming…
"Uh, sir?"
Dream turned from the doors to his apartment.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but who got married today?"
Dream smiled a little.
"Ah, yes…Keiichi and Belldandy have been…living together for some time. They were developing a romantic relationship that was a source of great…frustration for her sister Urd and Desire,"
"Desire? Why did she…he…it get involved?"
Dream shrugged, "Love is one of Desire's provinces, but in this case it's interference was forbidden,"
"Forbidden? By who?"
"The Creator,"
"Oh…well, goodnight…"
Author's Note: This chapter didn't go as well as I thought it would. Anybody who reviews this chapter will probably have a lot of questions…but right now I don't feel like trying to rewrite this thing and I promise that the next chapter will be better.