Author's Note: Well, I'm finally back. After an insane computer deciding to
die on me and erase all my data, I'm ready to go at it again. I appreciate
your patience in terms of getting updates, since its been nearly a month.
However, now that my computer is up, chapters should be forthcoming in a
fairly steady fashion. And in response to Ayanami-chan's comment on the
name issue: They've known each other for a good while now, and keep in mind
that by 2015 kids would probably be a bit more liberal in practice than
today. However, like most social etiquette rules, this one is a gray area
with no 'hard and fast' rules (excluding extreme cases). But thanks for
picking up on it. Hope you all enjoy Chapter 2. Ja! -Kazuki.
Never Look Back: Chapter 2 - Run Silent, Run Deep
Murashima Inn Okinawa, Japan
Getting his stuff unpacked for the week-long stay in Okinawa was no great trouble, so Ikari Shinji had ample time to contemplate the blank uniformity and mind-numbing featurelessness of the ceiling of his old-fashioned accommodations. The Murashima Inn was a throwback to Old Japan, with its shoji screens, teahouse, Zen garden and shrine. However, despite its anachronistic appearance, it was quite pleasing. And it looked expensive. Little did the younger Ikari know that this stay was possible not only because the Post-Second Impact economy had killed tourism, but second commander Fuyutsuki had pulled some strings as well.
Alone, he lay back in the futon. Kensuke and Touji were already out enjoying what was left of the afternoon, the somewhat late arrival of the flight putting a jam on all pre-arranged plans, and were most likely seeking out members of the opposite sex. And probably failing miserably, no doubt. Now Shinji, unsettled, and restless for once, faced two options: stay in the mollifying boredom of this solitude, or, Kami-sama forbid, seek out someone to socialize with. Needless to say this second option scared the living daylights out of the designated pilot of Unit 01, but the former didn't seem palatable either. So with a forced sigh of resignation, he began to stretch to get up.
Grabbing his satchel and SDAT, Shinji meandered his way across the polished and waxed wooden floors of tweak that made up the hotel and found himself promptly in the sunlight of mid-afternoon. Covering his eyes momentarily, he cast about looking for somewhere to get some shade and perhaps, a comfortable seat to enjoy the day's perfect weather.
Above him was a cerulean sky painted with chalk-white clouds, a gentle, yet quite present wind fluttering through the green ferns and trees, stirring one and all. In the distance, over the wall of the inn's grounds, the street bustled with daily activities as cars sped by on their way to the various attractions and destinations of Okinawa Island. The air was slightly salty as the winds swept up the ocean air and blew it at the hillside, giving the place something of a surreal sensation. The trees scattered across the well-manicured courtyard offered only limited shade, prompting Shinji to walk along the path to the garden. He passed the traditional painted wood archway of the shrine and garden and, after a bit of searching, found a quiet corner overlooking the hillside towards the sea where he could sit.
Kicking back slightly, he turned on his SDAT player and let the breeze caress his face and the warm sun envelope him in its rays, caring not for the outside world anymore. This was exactly what he wanted-a pristine, unobtrusive place to simply.let go.
His mind began to draw a complete blank as he allowed himself his reprieve from reality, this escapism of his. But gradually, in increments almost unnoticeable to him, Shinji began to form ideas in his mindscape, which coalesced into tangible concepts, then words, then amalgamations of the previous called sentences. His mind toiled at his affairs with a detached fascination and curiosity, mixed with a fair amount of dread.
He really could not decide on what to do about his father aside from following his orders and his lead. He couldn't even make up his mind as to whether he loved, or liked, disliked, or hated the man known as Ikari Gendou. He was simply too far removed from Shinji's mind to make any kind of lasting impression as a father except as an abandoner and a commander of men. Cold.calculating.efficient..
Cruel.
Mentally shaking his head, Shinji directed his attention to his latest issue of contention: Ayanami Rei. The conversation in the airliner had raised several intriguing questions about the albino-like young woman, of whom he'd felt something of an endearing feeling for over the last several months. He couldn't call it anything else aside for a slight affinity. He wasn't even sure if it constituted friendship or not. Despite what Ayanami had about their being friends, he wasn't easily swayed. After all, Ayanami wasn't known for having the best understanding of social dynamics.
Wearily, almost snidely he reminded himself he was little better.
And her request, a request to drop formalities grated on him somewhat. He was perfectly fine with calling Captain Katsuragi by her first name, he lived with her, so that was alright. But he hardly knew Ayanami.Rei. Yet Shinji recognized that this was not only her fault for being so distant but also his for not taking his interest in who she was any further than asking vague character questions to the NERV staff he saw on a day to day basis. He vividly recalled Dr. Akagi's brief synopsis.
"She's not got at it." said the blond from across the low kotatsu table, looking away almost sheepishly.
Shinji glanced up from Ayanami's photo ID, piqued. "at what?"
The doctor gave him a half-smile crossing her arms. "Living."
That had been nearly seven months ago, right before the encounter with Ramiael, the Fifth Angel. It was when he first realized that there was some kinship, some kind of connection between them. She'd sworn to protect him, and he knew he would have done the same for her. In fact, he would have been only too eager to throw himself in harm's way to spare her if need be. But he didn't even know why. He was only beginning to understand. He suddenly shivered.
He would have given his life for a person he hardly even knew. The thought that he could be so spontaneous, so illogical frightened him a little. It forced him to admit that he cared about Ayanami more than he was willing to let on.
And now he could grasp why: She would have done the same, given the circumstances. And she did, too. When the moment came, Ayanami jumped right in the line of fire, disregarding her own personal safety to protect Shinji, as she'd promised. The words of her promise still ringed in his heart, reminding him of the haunting memory. Not only was she a good person, beneath her frigid and unyielding exterior, but she deserved his friendship. He decided that he should make a good effort at becoming more than just a co-worker and be a friend. The fact that he'd decided on it didn't make the task any less daunting or fear-inspiring.
At that moment, a soft voice carried along the trade winds and into his ear, a melodic whisper, regardless of its monotone. "Ika---Shinji-kun?"
Shinji's eyes snapped open. Not only had he not been expecting company, he could hardly suppress the shudder that the eerie timing of the call possessed. Standing in front of him, back dropped by the sloping hill and sea, was the First Child, Ayanami Rei. She was still clad in her seifuku , a small bag slung over her left shoulder idly. She fixed her crimson eyes on him as her ice blue hair got tousled in a gust of wind. She seemed to want something.
Well obviously.he thought to himself with a bit of sarcasm. He knew he could be so dull sometimes. He took off his SDAT's small ear jacks and forced a smile to cover his growing apprehension. While he was now sure he wanted to gain her friendship-in her heart and not just nominally-he had no concept of how to act around her.
"What can I do for you, Aya." he paused, catching his error and reminding himself sternly of the need to be sincere in fulfilling Rei's request. "Rei- san?"
For a moment it seemed as if Rei's cheeks gains a shade of cherry that hadn't been there before, causing Shinji to blink. Blushing? No.He watched as she hesitated for half a moment and commenced her statements. He really wasn't expecting what she said next, not in the least.
Her timbre quiet and cautious, she explained to Shinji her motives. "I asked one of the employees of the Murashima Inn as to what one does while on vacations and class trips. She told me that people usually prefer spending them with friends when possible." there was a pause as she averted her eyes slightly in embarrassment, something completely new to Shinji's experience, and most likely, hers as well, "and I recall that you are my only friend, so therefore.I wish to spend my time with you, Shinji-kun, if it would be acceptable."
Shinji knew that to laugh at this juncture would be not only rude but quite malicious. However, he had an infinitely difficult time stifling the resulting chuckle that threatened to escape. He was taken aback, of course, at her bluntness, but that was to be expected from one the likes of Ayanami Rei. What he didn't expect was her request though. Another request. And I can't.don't want to refuse.
Smiling widely, attempting to radiate as much warmth as he dared, he nodded his head very slightly, cobalt eyes meeting her blood-red hues, he replied, "Sure, Rei-san. I appreciate it that you remembered that we're friends."
Shinji had the mental urge to smack himself, and very hard. That didn't sound quite right at all. Messed up. Botched was a better word. Taking a steadying breath, he continued. "Please, sit with me Rei-san. There's room on this bench."
As Shinji scooted over a notch to accommodate Rei, he watched as she sat herself easily on the wooden bench, gracefully lowering herself and folding her hands on her lap, pale fingers interlaced. As he stole that look at her, observing her profile, he was reminded of how beautiful she was. She had classic features, feminine, yet understated, augmented by her exotic hair color and rouge eyes and alabaster skin. Shinji felt himself blushing and instantly looked away as to not draw attention to the fact that he was basically checking her out.
An awkward silence ensued as both contemplated what to say to the other. Shinji, nerve-wracked as on how to proceed, Again, Rei was the first to initiate the exchange.
"What would you like to do, Shinji-kun?" Inside, she was quietly nodding to herself at her accomplishment of not fouling up her addressing of her companion. There were still many things she needed to learn, and though cautious, she was eager.
Shinji looked pensive as he set his eyes on the horizon, where the deep blue sea met the azure sky, which was yellowing in hue due to the ending day. He was now acutely aware that his last meal had been in Tokyo-3, and this spurned him onto his next thought. He considered it, nodded and then turned to Rei with trepidation and a determined look on his face, voice full of enthusiasm.
"Rei-san, have you ever been on a picnic?" he asked, smiling.
Blankly, Rei stared back at him, blinking a few times. ".No."
Sometime later
"Ah! Finished!" said Shinji from the inside of Murashima Inn's kitchen, having gained the permission of the rather kindly staff to prepare some food for the picnic inside their facilities. He found himself well-equipped and equally well-stocked, a culinary expert's delight. It didn't take long to procure the food needed for the little foray on the hill and Shinji, being adept at his trade, was quick in getting things put together. There had been one slight detraction: as Rei had expressed she was vegetarian, it took a little doing for him to come up with an interesting and tasty dish without asking the staff for advice. In reality, he didn't have much experience with picky eaters. Then of course, there was Asuka. cooking for her kept him on his toes, in pain, or in tip-top cooking order, usually a mixture of all of the above.
He finished placing the food containers and drinks in a basket (also on loan, it turns out the staff at Murashima didn't have anything better to do with all of their customers out touring the island), and turned to Rei, who was sitting on a bench adjacent the kitchen doors. He gave her an encouraging nod and smile, and they set off for the Zen garden, which afforded them the best of views.
Across from Murashima Inn Okinawa Japan.
In the docks not far from the Murashima Inn, a boat had pulled up and unloaded a bit of cargo and manpower. Afterwards, a nondescript white moving van had shown up punctually, picked up the equipment, along with six individuals. All of them looked hardy and were probably, in the layperson's estimation, fisherman, or perhaps visiting farmers. Once inside the relative secrecy of the rental van, however, all such pretense was dropped.
Inside the van the six men sat upon boxes of equipment, all carrying personal satchels and bags of their own, with, presumably, their tools of trade. Nearest the driver's seat, however, not driving, sat the leader of the group. He wore a pair of sleek Ray Ban sunglasses and sported a spotty goatee that was in need of trimming. From his facial features he was obviously Japanese, but the same could not be said for the others. There were at least two foreigners, one blond, the other with a dark flaxen hair color.
"Alright gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, we have a job to do today, you all know what it is. Half of your payment and fees have already been given to you before departure, and the other half will be given all of us after the job is done." Operations Chief Date Hiromatsu spoke gruffly and curtly. He was an old hand in this line of work and took pride in it. He didn't like screwing up, and was among the elite in his field. He intended to stay that way, though retirement for him was likely-he was getting tired- and the market just wasn't buying. Maybe he should buy a sake factory or something the like and live in a place like this. After all, after getting shot at perhaps a few hundred times on at least a dozen occasions, he felt he deserved the break.
There were nods of assent among his compatriots, all of whom indeed knew what they were doing. This would be relatively straightforward. The only thing they needed to worry about would be the NERV Section 2 pukes near the prime engagement zone and that's it.
Discreetly, as the sun began to set, the van let out a couple of its passengers, now dressed in delivery outfits and carrying a Nihon Shipping Industries package. They walked down the fairly uncluttered avenue towards the Inn that was designated as Zero Point and went about their 'civilian business'.
As Date and the rest of his crew drove by he spotted the black car with U.N. plates that was obviously, to the trained eye, the security. They did have it nice, those security snots. All they had to do to protect their targets here was watch the gate. Nor much else. Unfortunately for them they were about to encounter unorthodox methods.
There was a small office building half a block down from the entrance of the Murashima that offered a nice view of the street, the section 2 car, the gate and most of the complex except the shrine. The shrine, however, wasn't a problem. It was that out-of-place hotel. Ah yes, the executives would be quite satisfied.
After exiting the van himself, Date went with his large suitcase to the office building to set up his post. Maybe he'd have time after this to grab some ramen. He hated working on an empty stomach.
Murashima Shrine (Inn)
By the time they finally made it to the spot Shinji had picked for the picnic with Rei, the sun was already touching the water. The sky was a blazing orange, and it cast spectacular reflections against the crests of crashing waves, hundreds of meters away. Shinji was much more relaxed now, working around Rei had served to calm his nerves. Now their silences were slightly less awkward, and more of a reassuring silence, if such could be said.
Rei sat with her back to the main bulk of the Inn's grounds, her paper- white face highlighted on one side by golden streaks of light that filtered through some of the upper foliage of the trees that drooped down along the hillside like an umbrella. She was sitting on the tablecloth Shinji laid out for them to eat. Once her companion was seated, she gave him an appraising stare, and the faintest of smiles appeared on her face. "I think I may enjoy this, Shinji-kun. Arigato."
Having only seen Rei smile once before, he believed that he would have attributed the 'smile' to hallucination had it not been accompanied by her verbal statement. She looked very angelic when she gave that soft, tender smile. She appeared to be almost another person entirely, but still definitively unique.
Stuttering slightly, Shinji tried to respond, a smile creeping across his face nonetheless. "Do itashimashite, Rei-san." He drifted into a silence as he gave her some of the salad and vegetarian sub he prepared, and then sat on his haunches, looking out across the Inn, then down towards the sea pensively. He felt a chill go down his spine as he recalled the day they'd sat like this on the overhead loading gantries of their Eva Units, a full moon lazily moving across a dark sky above them, and the very morbid tone Rei had used then, in explaining why she piloted EVA.
"I guess it all is because of ties," he said aloud absently, eyes half closed as he took another bite of sandwich. He heard a stirring from beside him, and then heard Rei speak up, putting down her food.
"What do you mean, 'our ties', Shinji-kun?" her tone was inquisitive, despite how much she may have wanted to dampen it. Shinji may have been something of an ignoramus in reading other people, but try as she might, there were things Rei knew she could not hide from his scrutiny. She generally ascribed that to a hyper focus on her, as one who studies something can pick up details an inexperienced person unfamiliar with the object would not. For some reason she found it disturbing, reminiscent of how he would have seen things.
Shinji hadn't realized he'd actually said something, sputtered, and nearly choked on his food. After washing it down with a can of soda, he replied to her, throwing her a sideways glance. "That day you said you pilot Eva because of your ties. I guess we all do some things because of our ties. We go on picnics because of our ties, we do our jobs because of our ties to our superiors.and so on. Seems you were right."
Rei considered this, and tilted her head slightly. "I did not expect you to look at it that way."
As if to say, 'neither did I', Shinji shrugged emphatically and sighed heavily. It was such a nice day, he adored it, but his jumbled thoughts kept getting in the way of fully appreciating it. He wondered idly what it must be like for Rei. Did she have concepts of the beauty of a sunset? Appreciation for a turn of phrase? He didn't know. But he found that the more questions he had, the more he wanted to know about her. It was a vicious cycle.
Then, in an uncharacteristically blasé move on his part, inspired by the flame red tongues of light racing along the horizon, Shinji looked at Rei fondly, smiling. "I'm glad, Rei-san, that you didn't die that day I piloted so you wouldn't have to. Thinking back on it, it wasn't a hard decision when I was holding you. I don't know why, but I knew I had to do something. I'm glad I did."
Rei's eyes widened noticeably, and her cheeks flushed into much to ruddy a shade for her norm, but then, she eased and a slow, knowing smile appeared, and in a very quiet voice she said, "I am also glad, that I did the same for you against our opponent, Ramiael."
Shinji nodded, his heart warmed by her display of human emotion. Intellectually he'd been aware she was capable of such emotions but as a gut sense he really didn't think she was able to ever express them, or simply got in too deep a habit of hiding them. So they sat in a tranquil quiet for a while as the sun finally disappeared beneath the waves and night began to settle on the island chain. He was indeed satisfied that Rei was with him. Things had turned out better than expected, however his mind, for the moment, was back in his first day at NERV, standing on the cage, holding a battered Ayanami Rei in his arms, trembling with fear himself.
I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away.I mustn't run away.
Those thoughts ran through his head then and now, for he knew he could easily say the wrong thing to her by accident and hurt her feelings, or worse, be hurt himself. He did not want that, not anymore. And it was all because of his father, the bastard. It was he who'd called Rei out of the medical ward, and blackmailed Shinji to get in the Eva. Otosan. Somehow he'd known Shinji would feel pity and protectiveness for Rei and get inside Unit 01. But just how much of it was actual planning as opposed to opportunism? The ramifications were large if that had been planned from the beginning. But would he have been cruel enough, his father? Even for that? He found it hard to believe, but then again, this was the leader of the world's most powerful paramilitary operation. He was not beyond such suspicion.
His eyes were on the Inn when he noticed that there seemed to be some people scurrying about on the north face of the complex, but he ignored it momentarily. Then, a couple of minutes later there were more shadows darting about the courtyard. Unit O1's pilot squinted in the twilight and strained to see better. He heard vaguely Rei calling his name, in a vain attempt to gain his attention when suddenly, an explosive flash erupted inside the paper and bamboo walls of the Inn.
Faster than he could have thought possible, he lunged forward and sideways, pushing Rei to the ground out of sheer battle instincts developed fighting the Angels. Later he would suspect that she'd been slower in reacting because her back was to the Inn. As they hit the dirt a sound like a sonic boom roared around them as the sound of the explosion reached them a split second later, like a thunderclap at obscenely close range.
As he fell, shrapnel flew, and one especially jagged piece sizzled through the air and caught him across the back as he dropped himself and Rei, right where her spine had been a moment before. He groaned with pain as the debris cut lengthwise along his back but after a second, he found himself in stunned silence as the fireball rose into the air and dissipated, leaving behind a large crater and much burning wood and smoking ash. Overkill.
Beneath him, Rei grunted and got out from under him, still a bit bewildered at how fast Ikari moved to shield her. There had been no hesitation whatsoever. It had been second nature. She threw him a cursory look and saw his ripped T shirt and the bloody cut running along from behind his right shoulder to the small of his back. It looked.painful. He was ding a good job of hiding it as he pushed himself off the ground.
"Rei, Daijobu desu ka?" Are you alright? He demanded quietly, looking at her, pale with concern and blood loss.
Rei, stunned sat up straight and took a second to get her bearings, then nodded solemnly. "Hai." Then, she turned to the burning Inn and shrine entrance and said, for his ears alone, "The target was us. They knew we were staying at this establishment. We should flee."
"What about the section 2 officers.they must have---" Shinji began, shocked that someone had subverted the elite security forces of NERV. They were supposed to have been the very best, but obviously an incident like this went beyond failure to gross negligence.
"Most likely dead already. We must flee this location if we are to survive. They will think us dead if they do not find us." Rei pointed out, already collecting her back and tossing the picnic materials into the basket, not wanting to leave behind proof of their escape for their would-be-assassins.
"Alright."
So they made their move for safety, hugging the backwoods-style trails that led to other plots of the tightly packed land. Fortunately, it looked as if the hit team was focusing its efforts on canvassing the Inn proper before leaving, so they made quick, unimpeded progress down the hill. With impunity, they passed through private property, jumped two gates (one of which was achieved by getting atop a station wagon), and walked towards the street through an alley. Shinji was not fairing particularly, well, dizzy and lightheaded, and in pain. The wound was not life-threatening, provided they could stop to take care of it, but he would not be able to keep this running pace up. Shinji produced a jacket from his bag and put it on to hide the cut and they strode onto the sidewalk casually, evading attention. Once they were a good six hundred or so meters from the entrance of the Murashima, they began to speak again.
"So, right now they think we're dead, on the grounds that nothing could have survived that. Oh God, the students." Shinji said suddenly, stopping in his tracks and almost choking. Kensuke, Touji, the Class Rep.
"Shinji-kun, almost all the students were still out when the attack happened." Rei reminded him that virtually everyone had made plans to eat out and thus, were not subject to the violence. Though still weary, Shinji was boosted by this and seemed to gain some strength. But it was obvious he was losing his energy. Rei slipped an arm around his back to support him, to which he looked away slightly, but was thankful for anyways.
Together they walked aimlessly for a while before Shinji suddenly remembered something that only now clicked in his head. "Rei-san, you said that they probably think we're dead, right? What about NERV, would they think so too, once they found out and we didn't get in touch with them?"
"If we did not, yes, they would, but why is that important to our situation, Shinji-kun?" she turned to face him fully, raising her powder blue eyebrows in question. Sometimes Shinji didn't really make much sense at all.
Shinji was deep in thought. He'd been considering this for a few minutes already, and was also deeply mired in internal conflict. If NERV considered them dead, they'd be free, free of the horror of Eva and of the Angels. They would be able to live the lives they wanted, without the pain of their previous lives. However, this, in Shinji's opinion, was another form of running away, but with purpose. They could always find new pilots and Sohryu looked very enthusiastic, and probably could handle most of the angels on her own. After all, she was trained to fight them, he was not. He knew he should have left the fighting to those who knew how to do it. It wasn't his job. He wanted to help, but more often than not, he would probably mess up.
He faced Rei with his ocean blue orbs steady and resolved as he came to a decision: he had a right to live the way he wanted. He didn't need Eva to define him. "Rei-san, I've been thinking. If NERV and the hit squad think we're dead, it means that right now, as far as anyone is concerned, we don't exist. We can do whatever we want." There was a silence in the air between them as he let her consider that, raising a hand, he continued. His voice cracked for a moment with emotion, his eyes tearing slightly. He fought hard against it, unwilling to show Rei weakness, not now at least. He was tired of his role, his personal hell. And he didn't want Rei to be NERV's pawn either. "Haven't you ever wanted something more than Eva? I know I don't ever want to get into an Entry Plug so long as I live."
Rei watched him in awe. She had never seen Shinji so.firm about anything. Especially considering that just a moment ago he looked as if he didn't know left from right. But something was now different, as if arriving at a crossroads and making a decision. A life-changing one. She realized it herself that he was offering her the same opportunity to do the one thing she feared most in doing, and that was taking responsibility for her own life, instead of depending on someone telling her how to life, what to do, what to think. It hadn't occurred to her that her life consisted of so many orders and commands. Deep within her, she felt an anger stir in her heart, a heart only now beginning to comprehend what the word 'injustice' meant. Shinji's words forced her to look at her past and see that she wasn't living for herself, she was living for a man who she wasn't sure even cared about her. He certainly wasn't afraid to throw her in harms' way.
In the back of her mind, images of her past since meeting Ikari-kun flashed abruptly. When she was injured, he had been the one to hold her and comfort her in pain, who got in Eva Unit 01 and risked everything. He was the one who ran to get her out of the still smoldering Entry Plug. While Commander Ikari committed a similar action before, under close scrutiny it appeared that while Shinji had nothing to gain, his father did, making his pretense false. That was not so with Shinji.
Somehow Rei knew that this was coming down to a decision between who she could trust more: Eva 00, Shinji, or the commander. She would not dare trust Unit-00 for anything. She was fairly sure the soul inside it wished to kill her or imprison her within the confines of its core. Ayanami Rei did not yet fully understand why she still piloted the biomechanoid behemoth. All she could say about it was her ties to the commander kept her there. Now those ties, those bonds, formerly of trust, were being broken even as she stared into the hurt eyes of the Third Child. Time was running out. She needed to make a choice. Now.
Perhaps more soberly and with greater poignancy than ever before in her life, Ayanami Rei nodded in the affirmative, her expression determined, features blank, hiding her inner turmoil. Steeling herself, she addressed him in as a reassuring tone as she could muster. "Then we must hurry and leave Okinawa. Soon NERV will be here and there will be no escape, Shinji- kun."
Throwing aside some of his childishness, Shinji, despite his rejection of Eva, looked ever-more the talented, battle-proven pilot of Evangelion. Shinji may have been indecisive, shy and obtuse at times, but beneath him lay the core of a hard, relentless individual. When he set himself to something, he did it, no matter the cost. In that way he was very similar to his father, disturbingly so. They were both kind to those they cared for but could be a maelstrom of fury against those who wronged them.
At Rei's urging, they purchased some bandages at a convenience store with a card that Rei was given a long time ago by the commander. He said that should she need funds in an emergency situation, she could use this account, tied directly to a Swiss bank independent of NERV and under an assumed name. Not even section 2 was aware of that assumed name. It was not only untraceable, but only the commander knew it existed but due to the Swiss government, he could not monitor it. There was roughly enough money to secure passage off Okinawa and transport to a third city if need be, as well as enough to get around a month's worth of food and pay cheap rent. They would need that money dearly were they to carry out this ill-planned, and probably ill-advised disappearing act.
After gaining bandages, as well as a wig and a pair of color contact lenses to hid her eye color, Rei helped her fellow escapee patch up his wounded back. Rei donned her makeshift disguise, hoping it would suffice. They were sure to canvass the area afterwards, looking for anyone who'd seen someone with an 'odd' appearance. It was prudent to prevent the likelihood of their retrieval by means of subversion. She figured they had roughly five hours before things would begin to get dicey on the island.
Not stopping for rest, they went to the airport and bought tickets in economy class for the next flight to mainland Japan, which happened to be Osaka. From there they would get a connection to Kagoshima, where they would seek out shelter. It was risky, using a connecting flight, however, it would put more distance between them and Okinawa and Osaka quicker than a train would. Getting the tickets was surprisingly easy, and identification hadn't even been needed. Both youths looked several years older than their actual age with the tension on their faces. Rei could tell Shinji was almost trembling with uneasiness.
The flight left not even twenty minutes after their arrival at the airport, and once in the air, both were able to take a pause to rest and reflect on their situation. Shinji was thoroughly worn out, having lost blood and a good part of his sanity arriving at his current course of action.
Rei, for her part, was still in the midst of churning thoughts as she considered her relationships with the people she knew and worked with, especially Shinji and the commander. She knew now that there would be no going back to the commander for her. Once he found out of this treachery, he would not forgive her.
Rei felt a slight pressure against her left side and found that Shinji was asleep, passed out from exertion, his head resting on her shoulder heavily. Rei smiled inwardly and decided that some things were too precious to give up, despite the circumstances. Not even the threat of a very painful death dampened that thought.
-Alright, that's it, hoped you enjoyed Chapter two. Chapter three should be up in a couple of days. I can write pretty freely now. I'm writing the chapters themselves shorter than planned because I think the fluency is better served this way. In the next chapter, NERV finds out just who is behind the nefarious act of violence at Okinawa, and Misato grieves over the loss of Shinji. Ikari Gendou gets called to speak to a very upset SEELE council, and the first appearance of Kaji in our story. Don't miss Chapter Three: New Lies, Old Secrets. Please read on!
Kazuhiko Kazuki.
Never Look Back: Chapter 2 - Run Silent, Run Deep
Murashima Inn Okinawa, Japan
Getting his stuff unpacked for the week-long stay in Okinawa was no great trouble, so Ikari Shinji had ample time to contemplate the blank uniformity and mind-numbing featurelessness of the ceiling of his old-fashioned accommodations. The Murashima Inn was a throwback to Old Japan, with its shoji screens, teahouse, Zen garden and shrine. However, despite its anachronistic appearance, it was quite pleasing. And it looked expensive. Little did the younger Ikari know that this stay was possible not only because the Post-Second Impact economy had killed tourism, but second commander Fuyutsuki had pulled some strings as well.
Alone, he lay back in the futon. Kensuke and Touji were already out enjoying what was left of the afternoon, the somewhat late arrival of the flight putting a jam on all pre-arranged plans, and were most likely seeking out members of the opposite sex. And probably failing miserably, no doubt. Now Shinji, unsettled, and restless for once, faced two options: stay in the mollifying boredom of this solitude, or, Kami-sama forbid, seek out someone to socialize with. Needless to say this second option scared the living daylights out of the designated pilot of Unit 01, but the former didn't seem palatable either. So with a forced sigh of resignation, he began to stretch to get up.
Grabbing his satchel and SDAT, Shinji meandered his way across the polished and waxed wooden floors of tweak that made up the hotel and found himself promptly in the sunlight of mid-afternoon. Covering his eyes momentarily, he cast about looking for somewhere to get some shade and perhaps, a comfortable seat to enjoy the day's perfect weather.
Above him was a cerulean sky painted with chalk-white clouds, a gentle, yet quite present wind fluttering through the green ferns and trees, stirring one and all. In the distance, over the wall of the inn's grounds, the street bustled with daily activities as cars sped by on their way to the various attractions and destinations of Okinawa Island. The air was slightly salty as the winds swept up the ocean air and blew it at the hillside, giving the place something of a surreal sensation. The trees scattered across the well-manicured courtyard offered only limited shade, prompting Shinji to walk along the path to the garden. He passed the traditional painted wood archway of the shrine and garden and, after a bit of searching, found a quiet corner overlooking the hillside towards the sea where he could sit.
Kicking back slightly, he turned on his SDAT player and let the breeze caress his face and the warm sun envelope him in its rays, caring not for the outside world anymore. This was exactly what he wanted-a pristine, unobtrusive place to simply.let go.
His mind began to draw a complete blank as he allowed himself his reprieve from reality, this escapism of his. But gradually, in increments almost unnoticeable to him, Shinji began to form ideas in his mindscape, which coalesced into tangible concepts, then words, then amalgamations of the previous called sentences. His mind toiled at his affairs with a detached fascination and curiosity, mixed with a fair amount of dread.
He really could not decide on what to do about his father aside from following his orders and his lead. He couldn't even make up his mind as to whether he loved, or liked, disliked, or hated the man known as Ikari Gendou. He was simply too far removed from Shinji's mind to make any kind of lasting impression as a father except as an abandoner and a commander of men. Cold.calculating.efficient..
Cruel.
Mentally shaking his head, Shinji directed his attention to his latest issue of contention: Ayanami Rei. The conversation in the airliner had raised several intriguing questions about the albino-like young woman, of whom he'd felt something of an endearing feeling for over the last several months. He couldn't call it anything else aside for a slight affinity. He wasn't even sure if it constituted friendship or not. Despite what Ayanami had about their being friends, he wasn't easily swayed. After all, Ayanami wasn't known for having the best understanding of social dynamics.
Wearily, almost snidely he reminded himself he was little better.
And her request, a request to drop formalities grated on him somewhat. He was perfectly fine with calling Captain Katsuragi by her first name, he lived with her, so that was alright. But he hardly knew Ayanami.Rei. Yet Shinji recognized that this was not only her fault for being so distant but also his for not taking his interest in who she was any further than asking vague character questions to the NERV staff he saw on a day to day basis. He vividly recalled Dr. Akagi's brief synopsis.
"She's not got at it." said the blond from across the low kotatsu table, looking away almost sheepishly.
Shinji glanced up from Ayanami's photo ID, piqued. "at what?"
The doctor gave him a half-smile crossing her arms. "Living."
That had been nearly seven months ago, right before the encounter with Ramiael, the Fifth Angel. It was when he first realized that there was some kinship, some kind of connection between them. She'd sworn to protect him, and he knew he would have done the same for her. In fact, he would have been only too eager to throw himself in harm's way to spare her if need be. But he didn't even know why. He was only beginning to understand. He suddenly shivered.
He would have given his life for a person he hardly even knew. The thought that he could be so spontaneous, so illogical frightened him a little. It forced him to admit that he cared about Ayanami more than he was willing to let on.
And now he could grasp why: She would have done the same, given the circumstances. And she did, too. When the moment came, Ayanami jumped right in the line of fire, disregarding her own personal safety to protect Shinji, as she'd promised. The words of her promise still ringed in his heart, reminding him of the haunting memory. Not only was she a good person, beneath her frigid and unyielding exterior, but she deserved his friendship. He decided that he should make a good effort at becoming more than just a co-worker and be a friend. The fact that he'd decided on it didn't make the task any less daunting or fear-inspiring.
At that moment, a soft voice carried along the trade winds and into his ear, a melodic whisper, regardless of its monotone. "Ika---Shinji-kun?"
Shinji's eyes snapped open. Not only had he not been expecting company, he could hardly suppress the shudder that the eerie timing of the call possessed. Standing in front of him, back dropped by the sloping hill and sea, was the First Child, Ayanami Rei. She was still clad in her seifuku , a small bag slung over her left shoulder idly. She fixed her crimson eyes on him as her ice blue hair got tousled in a gust of wind. She seemed to want something.
Well obviously.he thought to himself with a bit of sarcasm. He knew he could be so dull sometimes. He took off his SDAT's small ear jacks and forced a smile to cover his growing apprehension. While he was now sure he wanted to gain her friendship-in her heart and not just nominally-he had no concept of how to act around her.
"What can I do for you, Aya." he paused, catching his error and reminding himself sternly of the need to be sincere in fulfilling Rei's request. "Rei- san?"
For a moment it seemed as if Rei's cheeks gains a shade of cherry that hadn't been there before, causing Shinji to blink. Blushing? No.He watched as she hesitated for half a moment and commenced her statements. He really wasn't expecting what she said next, not in the least.
Her timbre quiet and cautious, she explained to Shinji her motives. "I asked one of the employees of the Murashima Inn as to what one does while on vacations and class trips. She told me that people usually prefer spending them with friends when possible." there was a pause as she averted her eyes slightly in embarrassment, something completely new to Shinji's experience, and most likely, hers as well, "and I recall that you are my only friend, so therefore.I wish to spend my time with you, Shinji-kun, if it would be acceptable."
Shinji knew that to laugh at this juncture would be not only rude but quite malicious. However, he had an infinitely difficult time stifling the resulting chuckle that threatened to escape. He was taken aback, of course, at her bluntness, but that was to be expected from one the likes of Ayanami Rei. What he didn't expect was her request though. Another request. And I can't.don't want to refuse.
Smiling widely, attempting to radiate as much warmth as he dared, he nodded his head very slightly, cobalt eyes meeting her blood-red hues, he replied, "Sure, Rei-san. I appreciate it that you remembered that we're friends."
Shinji had the mental urge to smack himself, and very hard. That didn't sound quite right at all. Messed up. Botched was a better word. Taking a steadying breath, he continued. "Please, sit with me Rei-san. There's room on this bench."
As Shinji scooted over a notch to accommodate Rei, he watched as she sat herself easily on the wooden bench, gracefully lowering herself and folding her hands on her lap, pale fingers interlaced. As he stole that look at her, observing her profile, he was reminded of how beautiful she was. She had classic features, feminine, yet understated, augmented by her exotic hair color and rouge eyes and alabaster skin. Shinji felt himself blushing and instantly looked away as to not draw attention to the fact that he was basically checking her out.
An awkward silence ensued as both contemplated what to say to the other. Shinji, nerve-wracked as on how to proceed, Again, Rei was the first to initiate the exchange.
"What would you like to do, Shinji-kun?" Inside, she was quietly nodding to herself at her accomplishment of not fouling up her addressing of her companion. There were still many things she needed to learn, and though cautious, she was eager.
Shinji looked pensive as he set his eyes on the horizon, where the deep blue sea met the azure sky, which was yellowing in hue due to the ending day. He was now acutely aware that his last meal had been in Tokyo-3, and this spurned him onto his next thought. He considered it, nodded and then turned to Rei with trepidation and a determined look on his face, voice full of enthusiasm.
"Rei-san, have you ever been on a picnic?" he asked, smiling.
Blankly, Rei stared back at him, blinking a few times. ".No."
Sometime later
"Ah! Finished!" said Shinji from the inside of Murashima Inn's kitchen, having gained the permission of the rather kindly staff to prepare some food for the picnic inside their facilities. He found himself well-equipped and equally well-stocked, a culinary expert's delight. It didn't take long to procure the food needed for the little foray on the hill and Shinji, being adept at his trade, was quick in getting things put together. There had been one slight detraction: as Rei had expressed she was vegetarian, it took a little doing for him to come up with an interesting and tasty dish without asking the staff for advice. In reality, he didn't have much experience with picky eaters. Then of course, there was Asuka. cooking for her kept him on his toes, in pain, or in tip-top cooking order, usually a mixture of all of the above.
He finished placing the food containers and drinks in a basket (also on loan, it turns out the staff at Murashima didn't have anything better to do with all of their customers out touring the island), and turned to Rei, who was sitting on a bench adjacent the kitchen doors. He gave her an encouraging nod and smile, and they set off for the Zen garden, which afforded them the best of views.
Across from Murashima Inn Okinawa Japan.
In the docks not far from the Murashima Inn, a boat had pulled up and unloaded a bit of cargo and manpower. Afterwards, a nondescript white moving van had shown up punctually, picked up the equipment, along with six individuals. All of them looked hardy and were probably, in the layperson's estimation, fisherman, or perhaps visiting farmers. Once inside the relative secrecy of the rental van, however, all such pretense was dropped.
Inside the van the six men sat upon boxes of equipment, all carrying personal satchels and bags of their own, with, presumably, their tools of trade. Nearest the driver's seat, however, not driving, sat the leader of the group. He wore a pair of sleek Ray Ban sunglasses and sported a spotty goatee that was in need of trimming. From his facial features he was obviously Japanese, but the same could not be said for the others. There were at least two foreigners, one blond, the other with a dark flaxen hair color.
"Alright gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, we have a job to do today, you all know what it is. Half of your payment and fees have already been given to you before departure, and the other half will be given all of us after the job is done." Operations Chief Date Hiromatsu spoke gruffly and curtly. He was an old hand in this line of work and took pride in it. He didn't like screwing up, and was among the elite in his field. He intended to stay that way, though retirement for him was likely-he was getting tired- and the market just wasn't buying. Maybe he should buy a sake factory or something the like and live in a place like this. After all, after getting shot at perhaps a few hundred times on at least a dozen occasions, he felt he deserved the break.
There were nods of assent among his compatriots, all of whom indeed knew what they were doing. This would be relatively straightforward. The only thing they needed to worry about would be the NERV Section 2 pukes near the prime engagement zone and that's it.
Discreetly, as the sun began to set, the van let out a couple of its passengers, now dressed in delivery outfits and carrying a Nihon Shipping Industries package. They walked down the fairly uncluttered avenue towards the Inn that was designated as Zero Point and went about their 'civilian business'.
As Date and the rest of his crew drove by he spotted the black car with U.N. plates that was obviously, to the trained eye, the security. They did have it nice, those security snots. All they had to do to protect their targets here was watch the gate. Nor much else. Unfortunately for them they were about to encounter unorthodox methods.
There was a small office building half a block down from the entrance of the Murashima that offered a nice view of the street, the section 2 car, the gate and most of the complex except the shrine. The shrine, however, wasn't a problem. It was that out-of-place hotel. Ah yes, the executives would be quite satisfied.
After exiting the van himself, Date went with his large suitcase to the office building to set up his post. Maybe he'd have time after this to grab some ramen. He hated working on an empty stomach.
Murashima Shrine (Inn)
By the time they finally made it to the spot Shinji had picked for the picnic with Rei, the sun was already touching the water. The sky was a blazing orange, and it cast spectacular reflections against the crests of crashing waves, hundreds of meters away. Shinji was much more relaxed now, working around Rei had served to calm his nerves. Now their silences were slightly less awkward, and more of a reassuring silence, if such could be said.
Rei sat with her back to the main bulk of the Inn's grounds, her paper- white face highlighted on one side by golden streaks of light that filtered through some of the upper foliage of the trees that drooped down along the hillside like an umbrella. She was sitting on the tablecloth Shinji laid out for them to eat. Once her companion was seated, she gave him an appraising stare, and the faintest of smiles appeared on her face. "I think I may enjoy this, Shinji-kun. Arigato."
Having only seen Rei smile once before, he believed that he would have attributed the 'smile' to hallucination had it not been accompanied by her verbal statement. She looked very angelic when she gave that soft, tender smile. She appeared to be almost another person entirely, but still definitively unique.
Stuttering slightly, Shinji tried to respond, a smile creeping across his face nonetheless. "Do itashimashite, Rei-san." He drifted into a silence as he gave her some of the salad and vegetarian sub he prepared, and then sat on his haunches, looking out across the Inn, then down towards the sea pensively. He felt a chill go down his spine as he recalled the day they'd sat like this on the overhead loading gantries of their Eva Units, a full moon lazily moving across a dark sky above them, and the very morbid tone Rei had used then, in explaining why she piloted EVA.
"I guess it all is because of ties," he said aloud absently, eyes half closed as he took another bite of sandwich. He heard a stirring from beside him, and then heard Rei speak up, putting down her food.
"What do you mean, 'our ties', Shinji-kun?" her tone was inquisitive, despite how much she may have wanted to dampen it. Shinji may have been something of an ignoramus in reading other people, but try as she might, there were things Rei knew she could not hide from his scrutiny. She generally ascribed that to a hyper focus on her, as one who studies something can pick up details an inexperienced person unfamiliar with the object would not. For some reason she found it disturbing, reminiscent of how he would have seen things.
Shinji hadn't realized he'd actually said something, sputtered, and nearly choked on his food. After washing it down with a can of soda, he replied to her, throwing her a sideways glance. "That day you said you pilot Eva because of your ties. I guess we all do some things because of our ties. We go on picnics because of our ties, we do our jobs because of our ties to our superiors.and so on. Seems you were right."
Rei considered this, and tilted her head slightly. "I did not expect you to look at it that way."
As if to say, 'neither did I', Shinji shrugged emphatically and sighed heavily. It was such a nice day, he adored it, but his jumbled thoughts kept getting in the way of fully appreciating it. He wondered idly what it must be like for Rei. Did she have concepts of the beauty of a sunset? Appreciation for a turn of phrase? He didn't know. But he found that the more questions he had, the more he wanted to know about her. It was a vicious cycle.
Then, in an uncharacteristically blasé move on his part, inspired by the flame red tongues of light racing along the horizon, Shinji looked at Rei fondly, smiling. "I'm glad, Rei-san, that you didn't die that day I piloted so you wouldn't have to. Thinking back on it, it wasn't a hard decision when I was holding you. I don't know why, but I knew I had to do something. I'm glad I did."
Rei's eyes widened noticeably, and her cheeks flushed into much to ruddy a shade for her norm, but then, she eased and a slow, knowing smile appeared, and in a very quiet voice she said, "I am also glad, that I did the same for you against our opponent, Ramiael."
Shinji nodded, his heart warmed by her display of human emotion. Intellectually he'd been aware she was capable of such emotions but as a gut sense he really didn't think she was able to ever express them, or simply got in too deep a habit of hiding them. So they sat in a tranquil quiet for a while as the sun finally disappeared beneath the waves and night began to settle on the island chain. He was indeed satisfied that Rei was with him. Things had turned out better than expected, however his mind, for the moment, was back in his first day at NERV, standing on the cage, holding a battered Ayanami Rei in his arms, trembling with fear himself.
I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away.I mustn't run away.
Those thoughts ran through his head then and now, for he knew he could easily say the wrong thing to her by accident and hurt her feelings, or worse, be hurt himself. He did not want that, not anymore. And it was all because of his father, the bastard. It was he who'd called Rei out of the medical ward, and blackmailed Shinji to get in the Eva. Otosan. Somehow he'd known Shinji would feel pity and protectiveness for Rei and get inside Unit 01. But just how much of it was actual planning as opposed to opportunism? The ramifications were large if that had been planned from the beginning. But would he have been cruel enough, his father? Even for that? He found it hard to believe, but then again, this was the leader of the world's most powerful paramilitary operation. He was not beyond such suspicion.
His eyes were on the Inn when he noticed that there seemed to be some people scurrying about on the north face of the complex, but he ignored it momentarily. Then, a couple of minutes later there were more shadows darting about the courtyard. Unit O1's pilot squinted in the twilight and strained to see better. He heard vaguely Rei calling his name, in a vain attempt to gain his attention when suddenly, an explosive flash erupted inside the paper and bamboo walls of the Inn.
Faster than he could have thought possible, he lunged forward and sideways, pushing Rei to the ground out of sheer battle instincts developed fighting the Angels. Later he would suspect that she'd been slower in reacting because her back was to the Inn. As they hit the dirt a sound like a sonic boom roared around them as the sound of the explosion reached them a split second later, like a thunderclap at obscenely close range.
As he fell, shrapnel flew, and one especially jagged piece sizzled through the air and caught him across the back as he dropped himself and Rei, right where her spine had been a moment before. He groaned with pain as the debris cut lengthwise along his back but after a second, he found himself in stunned silence as the fireball rose into the air and dissipated, leaving behind a large crater and much burning wood and smoking ash. Overkill.
Beneath him, Rei grunted and got out from under him, still a bit bewildered at how fast Ikari moved to shield her. There had been no hesitation whatsoever. It had been second nature. She threw him a cursory look and saw his ripped T shirt and the bloody cut running along from behind his right shoulder to the small of his back. It looked.painful. He was ding a good job of hiding it as he pushed himself off the ground.
"Rei, Daijobu desu ka?" Are you alright? He demanded quietly, looking at her, pale with concern and blood loss.
Rei, stunned sat up straight and took a second to get her bearings, then nodded solemnly. "Hai." Then, she turned to the burning Inn and shrine entrance and said, for his ears alone, "The target was us. They knew we were staying at this establishment. We should flee."
"What about the section 2 officers.they must have---" Shinji began, shocked that someone had subverted the elite security forces of NERV. They were supposed to have been the very best, but obviously an incident like this went beyond failure to gross negligence.
"Most likely dead already. We must flee this location if we are to survive. They will think us dead if they do not find us." Rei pointed out, already collecting her back and tossing the picnic materials into the basket, not wanting to leave behind proof of their escape for their would-be-assassins.
"Alright."
So they made their move for safety, hugging the backwoods-style trails that led to other plots of the tightly packed land. Fortunately, it looked as if the hit team was focusing its efforts on canvassing the Inn proper before leaving, so they made quick, unimpeded progress down the hill. With impunity, they passed through private property, jumped two gates (one of which was achieved by getting atop a station wagon), and walked towards the street through an alley. Shinji was not fairing particularly, well, dizzy and lightheaded, and in pain. The wound was not life-threatening, provided they could stop to take care of it, but he would not be able to keep this running pace up. Shinji produced a jacket from his bag and put it on to hide the cut and they strode onto the sidewalk casually, evading attention. Once they were a good six hundred or so meters from the entrance of the Murashima, they began to speak again.
"So, right now they think we're dead, on the grounds that nothing could have survived that. Oh God, the students." Shinji said suddenly, stopping in his tracks and almost choking. Kensuke, Touji, the Class Rep.
"Shinji-kun, almost all the students were still out when the attack happened." Rei reminded him that virtually everyone had made plans to eat out and thus, were not subject to the violence. Though still weary, Shinji was boosted by this and seemed to gain some strength. But it was obvious he was losing his energy. Rei slipped an arm around his back to support him, to which he looked away slightly, but was thankful for anyways.
Together they walked aimlessly for a while before Shinji suddenly remembered something that only now clicked in his head. "Rei-san, you said that they probably think we're dead, right? What about NERV, would they think so too, once they found out and we didn't get in touch with them?"
"If we did not, yes, they would, but why is that important to our situation, Shinji-kun?" she turned to face him fully, raising her powder blue eyebrows in question. Sometimes Shinji didn't really make much sense at all.
Shinji was deep in thought. He'd been considering this for a few minutes already, and was also deeply mired in internal conflict. If NERV considered them dead, they'd be free, free of the horror of Eva and of the Angels. They would be able to live the lives they wanted, without the pain of their previous lives. However, this, in Shinji's opinion, was another form of running away, but with purpose. They could always find new pilots and Sohryu looked very enthusiastic, and probably could handle most of the angels on her own. After all, she was trained to fight them, he was not. He knew he should have left the fighting to those who knew how to do it. It wasn't his job. He wanted to help, but more often than not, he would probably mess up.
He faced Rei with his ocean blue orbs steady and resolved as he came to a decision: he had a right to live the way he wanted. He didn't need Eva to define him. "Rei-san, I've been thinking. If NERV and the hit squad think we're dead, it means that right now, as far as anyone is concerned, we don't exist. We can do whatever we want." There was a silence in the air between them as he let her consider that, raising a hand, he continued. His voice cracked for a moment with emotion, his eyes tearing slightly. He fought hard against it, unwilling to show Rei weakness, not now at least. He was tired of his role, his personal hell. And he didn't want Rei to be NERV's pawn either. "Haven't you ever wanted something more than Eva? I know I don't ever want to get into an Entry Plug so long as I live."
Rei watched him in awe. She had never seen Shinji so.firm about anything. Especially considering that just a moment ago he looked as if he didn't know left from right. But something was now different, as if arriving at a crossroads and making a decision. A life-changing one. She realized it herself that he was offering her the same opportunity to do the one thing she feared most in doing, and that was taking responsibility for her own life, instead of depending on someone telling her how to life, what to do, what to think. It hadn't occurred to her that her life consisted of so many orders and commands. Deep within her, she felt an anger stir in her heart, a heart only now beginning to comprehend what the word 'injustice' meant. Shinji's words forced her to look at her past and see that she wasn't living for herself, she was living for a man who she wasn't sure even cared about her. He certainly wasn't afraid to throw her in harms' way.
In the back of her mind, images of her past since meeting Ikari-kun flashed abruptly. When she was injured, he had been the one to hold her and comfort her in pain, who got in Eva Unit 01 and risked everything. He was the one who ran to get her out of the still smoldering Entry Plug. While Commander Ikari committed a similar action before, under close scrutiny it appeared that while Shinji had nothing to gain, his father did, making his pretense false. That was not so with Shinji.
Somehow Rei knew that this was coming down to a decision between who she could trust more: Eva 00, Shinji, or the commander. She would not dare trust Unit-00 for anything. She was fairly sure the soul inside it wished to kill her or imprison her within the confines of its core. Ayanami Rei did not yet fully understand why she still piloted the biomechanoid behemoth. All she could say about it was her ties to the commander kept her there. Now those ties, those bonds, formerly of trust, were being broken even as she stared into the hurt eyes of the Third Child. Time was running out. She needed to make a choice. Now.
Perhaps more soberly and with greater poignancy than ever before in her life, Ayanami Rei nodded in the affirmative, her expression determined, features blank, hiding her inner turmoil. Steeling herself, she addressed him in as a reassuring tone as she could muster. "Then we must hurry and leave Okinawa. Soon NERV will be here and there will be no escape, Shinji- kun."
Throwing aside some of his childishness, Shinji, despite his rejection of Eva, looked ever-more the talented, battle-proven pilot of Evangelion. Shinji may have been indecisive, shy and obtuse at times, but beneath him lay the core of a hard, relentless individual. When he set himself to something, he did it, no matter the cost. In that way he was very similar to his father, disturbingly so. They were both kind to those they cared for but could be a maelstrom of fury against those who wronged them.
At Rei's urging, they purchased some bandages at a convenience store with a card that Rei was given a long time ago by the commander. He said that should she need funds in an emergency situation, she could use this account, tied directly to a Swiss bank independent of NERV and under an assumed name. Not even section 2 was aware of that assumed name. It was not only untraceable, but only the commander knew it existed but due to the Swiss government, he could not monitor it. There was roughly enough money to secure passage off Okinawa and transport to a third city if need be, as well as enough to get around a month's worth of food and pay cheap rent. They would need that money dearly were they to carry out this ill-planned, and probably ill-advised disappearing act.
After gaining bandages, as well as a wig and a pair of color contact lenses to hid her eye color, Rei helped her fellow escapee patch up his wounded back. Rei donned her makeshift disguise, hoping it would suffice. They were sure to canvass the area afterwards, looking for anyone who'd seen someone with an 'odd' appearance. It was prudent to prevent the likelihood of their retrieval by means of subversion. She figured they had roughly five hours before things would begin to get dicey on the island.
Not stopping for rest, they went to the airport and bought tickets in economy class for the next flight to mainland Japan, which happened to be Osaka. From there they would get a connection to Kagoshima, where they would seek out shelter. It was risky, using a connecting flight, however, it would put more distance between them and Okinawa and Osaka quicker than a train would. Getting the tickets was surprisingly easy, and identification hadn't even been needed. Both youths looked several years older than their actual age with the tension on their faces. Rei could tell Shinji was almost trembling with uneasiness.
The flight left not even twenty minutes after their arrival at the airport, and once in the air, both were able to take a pause to rest and reflect on their situation. Shinji was thoroughly worn out, having lost blood and a good part of his sanity arriving at his current course of action.
Rei, for her part, was still in the midst of churning thoughts as she considered her relationships with the people she knew and worked with, especially Shinji and the commander. She knew now that there would be no going back to the commander for her. Once he found out of this treachery, he would not forgive her.
Rei felt a slight pressure against her left side and found that Shinji was asleep, passed out from exertion, his head resting on her shoulder heavily. Rei smiled inwardly and decided that some things were too precious to give up, despite the circumstances. Not even the threat of a very painful death dampened that thought.
-Alright, that's it, hoped you enjoyed Chapter two. Chapter three should be up in a couple of days. I can write pretty freely now. I'm writing the chapters themselves shorter than planned because I think the fluency is better served this way. In the next chapter, NERV finds out just who is behind the nefarious act of violence at Okinawa, and Misato grieves over the loss of Shinji. Ikari Gendou gets called to speak to a very upset SEELE council, and the first appearance of Kaji in our story. Don't miss Chapter Three: New Lies, Old Secrets. Please read on!
Kazuhiko Kazuki.