Chapter 2: Shit Shinji…don't stop now

Shinji placed incense on his mother's burial mound…it wasn't as splendid as the others but it emitted this aura of holiness and refinement. Asuka and Misato sat beside him bowing unknowingly to the mound.

"Mother these are my traveling companions Misato and Asuka…I have been living with them for quite sometime." He said bowing himself, "I hope that you will one day come to accepted them as your children."

"Shinji's mother I hope you give me your blessing and allow me and your son to start a family of our own." Asuka said looking at the mound with reverence and respect. Misato looked at her and tugged her red hair back quite hard.

"If Shinji is going to start a family with anyone it is going to me. Not some pissant who think she is a princess." Misato whispered into her ear.

"What did you say?" Asuka turned around and jumped on to Misato. The two females tussled about the burial chamber, Shinji remained focus…and prayed silently.

"I am sorry I used the sword technique you taught me to kill. I wanted to protect my new friends and Simon from harm but amiss the fighting I was distracted save someone and Simon was hurt." he prayed, "I will visited you again…this time I want be gone for so long." Shinji exited the chambers leaving Misato and Asuka to realize that he was gone and chase after him. They remained outside the Monastery for they had switched back into their regular cloth…both had little blood splatters on them. Shinji had stood in the presence of Simon and some young looking woman…she was pale skin, red eyed, and blue haired. He found this features on her interesting. He had walked in on the end of their conversation as Simon greeted him kind as ever.

"Lord Simon I was about to go." he offered up warmly.

"Shinji may I ask a favor of?" Simon said holding his side as he stood from his chair.

"Sure."
"I would like you to escort Miss Ayanami here to the Cardinal Draclau's estate in Lionel Castle." he said giving him a pleasant look and his smile reassured Shinji of his health. Shinji was all to glad to accept the charge. Shinji owed Simon so much he could never really repay him but he thought this was a great way of trying to.

"I hope my request isn't trouble and feel free to say no." the old cleric revealed.

"Me and my companions have nothing else better to do for the moment. So helping you out would not be a problem."

"I thank you…Shinji I want you to know the Miss Ayanami is sorceress. Combined with your skills and the skills of your companion she should be a valuable help should any monsters spring up on your trip." Shinji looked at Miss Ayanami and bowed his head respectfully.

"I am Shinji Ikari…please to make your acquaintance." giving her a respectable bow.

"I am Rei Ayanami…Sorceress will suffice." she said in an monotone manner, her eyes lacked emotions he could decipher. She walked out head of him. After giving Simon one last bow he took his leave. Rei was waiting for him staring at his companions. They got into another fight this time Misato had escaped injury Asuka walked with a slight limp. Shinji explained the situation to them, Misato could care less. Asuka wasn't as accepting. The thought of a new female moving in her baka was not as acceptable. Misato found it easy to calmer her down then dissuade Shinji from this.

The group had headed to the waterfall of Zirekile, Rei had urgent business there. Shinji was deep in thought, Misato was off in her own world thinking about Shinji Jr. and Misato III and all the rough sweaty mind blowing sex that they were going to have creating them, Asuka stared no glared…a glare that could pierce flesh and with Rei's fragile frame that isn't that an odd assumption.

'Why does Rei seem so familiar to me?' Shinji pondered gripping the reins of his mount tighter. Rei turned to Asuka who was riding beside her. She had finally had it with the staring and hope to put a stop to.

"I can turn you into a frog you know?" Rei commented emotionlessly focusing on the road ahead.

"What was that wonder girl?" Asuka cried looking at her.

"I said that I can cause your body to warp and reconfigure into that of a frog." Shinji snapped back from his own world as did Misato. Both of glanced at each other then Rei. Misato was the first to speak up, "Why are you being mean to our guest?"

"For two reason…we aren't getting paid for dealing with her and I don't like her…I have to deal with you after my beautiful Shinji." Shinji nearly fell from his chocobo after hearing her spout that. Misato so wanted to leap from hers and bash her skull in with the hilt of her axe but she didn't want to harm Rei.

"Listen if it is money you want I can give you something when we reach Lionel Castle. As for Shinji…I do find him interesting…but that is nothing more then curious about the son of the legendary Sword Saint."

"Sword Saint?" Asuka and Misato questioned.

Shinji rode ahead a bit leaving the bickering woman to bicker. They set out for the falls two days ago, Shinji set and broke camp for the woman before the sun and broke camp in morning…he hunted and prepared food for the trio almost zombie-like. Rei's was special made by her magic and though she had wanted to talk to Shinji during those nights but she could never find him, Misato still pondered the increasing freak things she wanted to do with him in her mind they were already up to creating tenth child in the six years as husband and wife…'Damn Orbonne Spirits is some great shit.' Asuka stood guard outside the wonder girl's tent…she would be damned if she got her hooks into Shinji. As for Shinji, a swift cut of the sword, he found on the ground, brought the goblin to it's knees. Shinji then thrust the short sword into his throat, ending the foul creature's life. He heard clapping…

"Good job Shinji…remember the sword is an extension of a limb."

"Yes ma'am."

"The sword is a…."

"An ally against evil."

"Evil is…"

"Those who disrupt happiness."

"Good…"

The clapping ceased as Shinji turned around to Rei leaning against a tree. Shinji scratched the back of his head…then walked away.

'So they are Sword Skills. He maybe be a powerful allies."

Shinji didn't sleep well that night. He wasn't really sure what to make of Rei anymore…she was quiet and mysterious. It bothered him that a delicacy flower such as her was a sorceress. He had seen all manner of magic user in his travels with his mother and sorceress and sorcerers were the most powerful. The fact that she snuck up on him made things worst…no one snuck on him, well at least when was fighting. Shinji curled up closer to the fire and Misato in a mixture drunk haze and sleeping walking; plopped down on top of him. As if an alert had went off Asuka jumped up into the air, alert awake and forced Misato off of him then returned to her sleep. This was normal for Shinji so he slept right through this little episode. Shinji expected almost anything to take place in the city of Dorter…barfights, fires, the occasional parade to the royals and blue bloods but an all out battle in the middle of city. A band of thieves had seemed to be holding up a group of travelers. It really none of their business and Shinji had more pressing matters to tend to. So he didn't even dismount as he strolled through the city. Both he and Rei seemed to into whatever had consumed their minds, Misato and Asuka however, were antsy…extremely antsy. They had pent up energy and with no release mechanism they were forced to rely heavily on combat…most of their fighting was over anything serious but that fact alone. It wasn't until Shinji heard Ramza screaming in pain as his side was tore up slightly and Agrias' panting as she raced to his side. Shinji drew his sword and pressed forward on his chocobo, Rei remained trapped in her own world uncaring about anything else, Misato darted off behind Shinji as Asuka made mount leap to an adjacent rooftop for a better vantage point.

Ramza fought bravely, clutched the gapping gash at his side tightly. He wasn't type to give up hope so soon…he believed that a higher power favored those who do give in so easily. He fought on…the swords just kept coming however. He got rid of one two more to it's place. He smiled to himself though…he had always on some level wanted to die in this fashion…on the battlefield. He wanted to die like a Beoulve, however no one would ever know that. That wasn't thing that frightened him about dying though. For the first time in his life he found himself thinking about a family…how he wanted to settled down with a woman who was strong and loving. She would have to known her way around a sword too. His mind pushed in faceless images of him and that ideal woman being married and then on their first night as husband and wife, their kids, then their kid's kids. He pushed one sword as he caught the other with his free hand. A quick slash to the abdomen ended his first opponent and jab just underneath the throat end the second. His next opponents came with booms…or bolts of lighting that struck him hard. They came straight from two wizards hands and tossed him around the ground. The another volley came at him tearing the sky apart, he knew that in his current state those blast would kill him but somehow some way he made it to his feet. 'If I am to die then let it be on my feet not of my knees.' the sense of warrior's pride rung out in his head. His eye trailed the blast, only closing his eyes before they struck him. His eyes jerked open when the last sensations he felt were a warm body colliding with his and his back feel the rough impact of the ground instead sheering electrical current. He looked around to find a sea of blonde hair and two blue eyes staring into his. This simple action spoke volumes in this short time. She held him closer…

"If I am to become a crystal then left me become one in your arms." Agrias whispered in his ear…trying to drown out the crackling of the wizard's casting their spells. They closed their eyes and their lips were drawn to each others. They touched and they expected to here the rush of crackling lighting … that was replaced by the screams of death as Shinji's sword cleaved it's way into a lung then a heart. Both opened their eyes and broke apart neither expected the warm face of Shinji. They were honestly a bit shocked to see that he had come to their rescue, but somewhere deep inside he had a feeling that they were destined to fight on the same side. Shinji treated the burn wounds with his magic, slightly out of practice he was unsure of the effects.

"Cure!" he yelled as a glistening white glow consumed them both…helping their broken flesh. Ramza and Agrias could feel their strength returning. Suddenly two arrows ran the sky for Shinji's head but a ruffle of yellow feathers got in the way… "Lord of Dragon here my pleas. Bahmaut." Suddenly the city was engulfed in flames as the king of all great dragons appeared… Shinji looked around as the city all the remaining enemies writhe an agony. He looked over at the caster. Rei rode proudly in her mount looking straight that the city…Misato strolled over covered in a mixture of blood dust. Asuka strolled up still attached to her chocobo followed by Gafgarion. Shinji noticed an usually lump on her mount. A thief barely alive, she ran to Shinji.

Ramza emerged from the tent first then Gafgarion and Agrias. Shinji was the last to emerge. He and Shinji looked at the other before walking toward a clearing in the woods. Araguay Woods had some of the largest trees and were able to easily to hide monsters. The duo had come across a small brigade of goblins assaulting a chocobo. Ramza hated goblins and he wanted to inflict some serious damage on them. Shinji and him took to it. They come against exactly six goblins. And six were the number of corpses lay before them, bleeding. Ramza sat down and wiped his sword of some moss.

"Shinji…I been meaning to ask were you once a noble?"

"That is an odd question to ask."

"I was thinking but it…you seemed to have known how to conduct yourself in the presence of the princess, then when we were talking you and Agrias had the same composure."

"Is that so? I didn't notice." he said trying to change the subject subtle.

"Yeah it was kind of scary."

"Oh…my family has held before within the imperial courts of Kyoto."

"I see you aren't from Ivalice…"

"No I am from the imperial capital. My mother was an imperial knight for the emperor. And because an affair within the court she was exiled to Ivalice."

"I see…so you lost your rank? What about your father?"

"I don't wish to talk about him."

"Not a great man eh. I was just curious. You cared yourself in such a manner that I had to ask."

"How else should an Imperial Knight act?"

"You are an Imperial Knight but why are you here? The rumors say that they are blood thirsty warriors that only leave the palace to kill and conquer but you seem quite the opposite."

"They are…but I had my mother as a teacher. Her words were 'never forget the sword is only an object with no purpose other than to kill. But when combined with a hand of righteous person it is the instrument that can expel all evil from world. Or with the hand of the wicked it will cause great suffering.' My father allowed the court to be overrun with evil and the people suffer…I am but one knight against an army of knights. It was a matter of time before my hand become soiled in the blood of the defenseless." He said looking at the trees.

"I am too left my family's glories from fear of harming the defenseless but I think I do more harm by running instead of stopping it. Shinji there is an evil rising in the land…it is something inside me saying that this is so. I will need your help to stop it. Have no right to involve you in the troubles of my land when yours is already in peril."