Chapter One:Forgetting the time to reflect
"Did he have anything else upon his person?" Gendou Ikari asked of the person over his right shoulder.
"Nothing but that scrap of paper, written totally in English and with his own blood and he was naked" commander Fuyutsuki said pausing slightly for emphasis.
"Can he speak Japanese?" Gendou didn't care for the commander's attempt at humour merely the facts so he could recall the events to the committee.
Placing his glasses more firmly upon the bridge of his nose he was silently cursing exactly why this anomaly had stumbled into public view and not died from the elements beforehand.
"No but if he can he's hiding all signs of being able to"
"Could he be a spy?" Gendou asked the obvious question
"I doubt it, he shows no espionage training or skills"
"Still we cannot let him roam free"
"What could he achieve? Other then the layout of the Geofront?"
A small smile crept into the corner of Gendou's mouth, Fuyutsuki would be the only person who dared to question his judgement. Gendou vaguely remembered meeting the commander outside the emergency ward of a hospital that no longer existed.
"A man can hide more then just what is behind him"
Another philosophical discussion on humanity and ethics, an almost constant past time that the pair shared.
"But a shadow can hide many other shadows" Fuyutsuki replied.
"One light can vanquish all shadows and blind the man" a plan was already formulating within Gendou's mind.
"You intend to use him as a double agent?"
"Precisely, show him the poorest of secrets to satisfy him and keep our real secrets hidden within the shadows" Gendou's lips parting slightly as he spoke, his eyes never leaving the surface of his desk to look at the man behind them.
"Gain his trust before exploiting it, with what secrets?"
"The Evangelion's of course, they are public knowledge after all and many people know the identity of the pilots" Gendou knew the only risk this stranger could hold would be his ability to influence the pilots.
And Shinji would be the only pilot that could actually be influenced…little could be lost as Shinji was so easily controlled by Major Katsuragi and so fearful of his own father.
"And the human instrumentality project shall be kept secret whilst his mind is preoccupied with petty secrets, I understand" Fuyutsuki smiled a plan certainly was coming together.
"We shall question him further then release him and keep him under surveillance" Gendou Ikari offered to the human sounding board behind him.
"Perhaps we should let him scratch deeper then just the surface and let him into NERV itself"
"Yes give him a position as a member of staff and keep him under constant supervision to unravel his secrets"
A plan was set in concrete as deep as the foundations of Tokyo 3 itself.
"We're excluding the fact he may be innocent of all guilt"
"And not have any memory of his past until the point he washed up on that beach?"
"Yes after all it use to be innocent until proven guilty"
"That notion was pre-second impact and has no weight within this world; if he is innocent then he shall be under our wing with his amnesia"
"Being manipulated so that his trust belongs with us and not his half forgotten past"
"As intended" Gendou licking his lips in delight, within the shadows of Gendou's office the gesture was not witnessed.
"Whom shall he work for? NERV? Or us?"
"NERV but if we can truly trust him then we shall employ him"
"The language barrier shall be quite a problem…just translating his small note from English took two hours"
"Then put a roof over his head with someone who can speak both English and Japanese, low overheads to maintain our budget"
"There are many people that fit that requirement" Kouzou Fuyutsuki said suppressing a small chuckle.
"Then let the Magi decide, shall we need to spend any more of the budget on this investment? Gendou asked, his small beard swaying with the movement of his strong jaw.
Gendou knew the answer was yes but didn't want the answer to issue forth from his lips.
"Some clothing unless you want him walking round naked and a minimal wage if he is to be in our employ"
"And the cost of keeping him under surveillance" Gendou added not doubting for a second this person is a spy. The only question was who sent him… SEELE presumably to keep watch on himself and Fuyutsuki.
"I'll run the possible English-Japanese speaking staff through the Magi" Kouzou said breaking Gendou's train of thought.
"Good" Gendou's reply echoing within the cavernous space of his office. The sermetus sepeturum painted to the roof of the large mostly featureless room giving it instant character despite that void of space.
I'd lost count of the time I'd been waiting.
Sat upon the same metal chair across the same table.
Red bloodshot eyes stared defiantly at what I assumed was a two way mirror.
I could imagine the person on the other side frantically taking notes as I refused to blink at my reflection. Unbeknown to the person on the other side of that glass I wasn't showing defiance merely staring at that alien reflection and questioning who it was.
Behind the mirror a door a single women sat watching the naked figure.
The pad of paper she held in her hand was blank and untouched which was starting to annoy her.
"This should be Ritsuko's Job" she muttered angrily to herself knowing full well that the CCTV camera over her head didn't record audio.
Misato Katsuragi knew this was her punishment:
"Watch him and write down all his actions" vice-commander Fuyutsuki had angrily yelled down the phone at her.
"So far all he's done is stare right at me" Misato spoke aloud to herself to alleviate the silence that filled the small cramped observation room.
Through pure boredom she began dismantling the pen she'd been given before reassembling it easily within the time of a few seconds.
"Come on do something" she muttered
He blinked
Finally after what seemed like an eternity of constant staring he'd actually shown some kind of normality and blinked, the pupils of his bloody eyes dilating before returning back to normal as he continued his visual.
"Ritsuko's still got to give him a medical before we know if that bloodshot look is from the contaminated seawater or something more serious"
"Like a genetic disease?..." a new voice asked starting the major for a second before regaining her composure.
"…it's a possibility along with countless possibilities" Ritsuko stated seating herself upon table edge that the major sat behind.
"Doesn't it unnerve you?" Misato asked turning to look at her friend
"Not particularly, his personality seems very similar to Rei"
"I mean the stare, it's so unnerving"
Major Katsuragi could feel the trickle of sweat running down her side until her bra impeded its movement.
"Yes if he could see us but maybe you should have a look at this" Ritsuko said producing a print out from the deep pockets of her lab coat.
It took a second of reading before Major Katsuragi understood the pieces of paper she'd been handed.
"It's the translation of what he's been saying?"
"Yes it seems he's got total amnesia apparently he can't remember anything from over…"
The scientist looked at her watch for a second before continuing.
"…three hours ago, just before you hit him with you're car"
"SHUT UP!" she cursed turning on her friend.
"You're lucky he dived out of the way I doubt that old Honda would have survived his weight"
"I couldn't just leave him in the middle of the road like that"
She remembered the total lack of resistance he'd put up as she'd grabbed his by the chest and dragged him into the passenger seat of the car, shame she couldn't understand what he'd been saying but the second he'd spotted the gun in her holster he'd remain silent the entire trip to the Geofront and only began speaking English again once he'd been dragged into the interrogation room.
"Do you think much of fate? If you never nearly killed him he might have slipped through the net"
"Because there a re so many naked teenagers running around Tokyo 3 this one wouldn't have been noticed?" Misato sarcastically added.
Misato ignored Ritsuko's stare.
Both participants of the small room glanced at the phone fixed to the wall as it started ringing before Misato answered it.
She instinctively stood up straighter as she recognised the voice on the other end of the line: Gendou Ikari
Twenty three seconds later she hung up.
Her spirit crushed, she glanced through the glass at the seated teen, his bloodshot eyes peaking out from under the shoulder length black hair.
"I've got to make a phone call"
"You didn't tell Shinji you'd be late did you?" Ritsuko asked knowing full well that she'd forgotten.
Misato hadn't forgotten she'd kept checking her watch knowing she should call her two room mates but also faced the conundrum of not being able to let the "subject" out her eyes.
"You'd best hurry…" Ritsuko said bring Misato back from her thoughts
The Major glanced at her friend knowing she'd get an explanation.
"…I've been ordered to give him a medical then he's all yours"
"Great" Misato muttered under her breath.
Minutes Later On The Outskirts Of Tokyo 3
"Are you getting that Shinji?"
"I'm sorry"
Shinji clambered from upon his bed and walked to the kitchen, ignoring Asuka and Pen Pen who were watching something on TV.
"Erm Hello" Shinji said after raising the receiver to his ear and halting the ringing.
"Shinji it's me" came the reply down the secure phone connection.
"Oh hi Misato you going to be late?"
Shinji turned to look at the TV; Asuka was sprawled out in front of it stuffing Cheesy potato chips into her mouth, on the screen a samurai surrounded by flames and gold advanced towards the camera.
Shinji wondered for the briefest of seconds why Asuka Langley Sohryu couldn't have picked up the phone with her being closest and all.
"Yes Shinji but there's something else"
He'll be ok but what will Asuka's reaction be? Misato was questioning on the other end of the phone line.
"Erm ok what is it?"
"We're going to be having a new visitor"
At least I'll have a warning this time, unlike when Asuka turned up unannounced.
"Erm, ok who is it"
Misato paused, not knowing the answer to the simplest of questions.
"We don't actually know his name"
"OoookK" Shinji interrupted
"It's a long story Shinji I'll tell you when I get there"
"Ok Misato is there anything I can do?"
His eyes scanning the sideboards and table littered with empty beer cans and other alcohol related paraphernalia.
Like cleaning
"Yes set up the extra futon in you're room and don't tell Asuka"
"Oh ok Misato"
Shinji look down at the phone in his hand knowing Misato had already hung up.
"Was that Misato?" Asuka asked, momentarily asked taking her attention from the movie.
"She's going to be late again"
"So you're going to be cooking then?"
"Well I hadn't intended to…"
Shinji looked away from Asuka who had begun to stare at him.
"…it's just that with you already eating and I've got homework…"
Shinji inhaled deeply before continuing:
"…I'm sorry"
"There you go again! Stop apologising do you really think it's you're fault Misato is going to be late?"
"Well no it…"
"Males!..." the rest of Asuka's insult being silenced by the sliding door that marked the boundary of her territory.
Eventually someone came to retrieve me. I didn't understand what she was saying to me but I followed nonetheless whilst trying to ignore the guys wearing suits that followed me, from the glance at ones jacket whilst he stretched I knew each one was toting a pistol.
I let the suspicions about the identity of my captors rest, if they'd wanted to kill me they had ample opportunity earlier.
I noticed whatever corridor myself, the women in the lab coat and the four guys in suits walked everyone's attention was immediately drawn to me.
The men in orange jumpsuits, the men and women who walked around in grey uniforms.
Some paused as I passed, their eyes looking into mine before they continued on their way.
I couldn't place the badge that was stitched into all their clothing.
From my minimal glances I could see only a couple of letters of red against the black background but nothing more.
After over seven minutes of following this great white lab coat I eventually emerged in a room full of what was obviously medical equipment, I didn't need to speak Japanese's to understand what she was saying when she tossed me a gown.
I donned it instantaneously…only in that moment realising that many many people had seen me walking naked from the interrogation room to this lab.
I could feel my cheeks redden at the notion.
She smiled noticing the colour upon my face; I recoiled as she laid her hand upon mine.
For that brief second she stopped her constant monotone.
I couldn't tell what was running through her head, what unknown emotions I'd never experienced were playing behind her eyes.
She pointed at herself:
"Ritsuko Akagi"
I understood the introduction and didn't need the extra when she handed her identification badge to me, however the brief glance at the numerical figures and I at least knew that I could understand numbers in Japan even if I couldn't understand Japanese.
She was pointing at me.
"I cannot remember my name" I instinctively said.
I knew she couldn't understand me; the look of puzzlement upon her face as she knew what I'd said was too long to be a name.
"So he's perfectly normal?" Major Katsuragi asked.
The constant clicking of the elevator as it changed floors giving a regular background noise to the convocation.
"Physically yes, I can't determine his mental health until we've got a translator but he does seem to understand the most basic of Japanese and shows no mental handicap" Ritsuko answered.
Both females glanced at the unknown male in front of them, happy to discuss such information knowing full well he hadn't the slightest idea what they were talking about.
"So we've ruled out retardation?"
"Yes, he passed all the required tests but I'm still waiting for his DNA, urine and bloods to come back"
"Is he's all mine then?" Katsuragi asked, her face half hidden behind her hand as she suppressed a yawn.
"Once you've signed the paperwork of course"
"Of course" Katsuragi said glancing down at her watch.
6.38am
"Has he slept yet?" The Major asked
He was drooping forward slightly but other then that showed no signs of tiredness.
"I haven't seen him sleep, but I suspect he fell asleep with his eyes open during interrogation"
"Speaking of those eyes…"
"Perfectly normal hereditary colour" Ritsuko answered cutting her friend off
"You certain? I don't want him having a fit driving home"
"The swab tests concluded it, the Magi backed up the results"
"So I sign the paperwork then what?"
"He's got a few papers to sign, about being under you're guardianship and setting up a bank account"
"That's a little unfair isn't it? If he can't read the papers"
"That's where the magic comes in, The Magi had the papers translated whilst I was running the medical examination"
So this women, was going to legally adopt me, to live under her roof, be given a job and instruction on the Japanese language.
"What's the catch?" I asked my masculine voice sounding rough from the little amount of speech I'd done in the past few hours.
I had a right to be suspicious right? I'd been alive for merely a few hours and was now being adopted by the women who had nearly killed me.
I was still seeing spots in the corner of my eyes from the blinding glare of her headlights; the instinct of self preservation was the only thing that saved me…my body compulsively leaping out of the way of the danger.
Nobody answered me, the three people in the cavernous office just stared at the document in my hand as if to reinforce that I should sign it.
The corner of my mouth twisted into a small grin as I glanced down at the document, the only thing I could actually understand in this place. I knew they'd had it translated especially to help minimise my confusion so maybe this place wasn't as foreboding as I'd like to think of it as:
A woman nearly kills me then to make up for it she adopts me…a strange form of crime and punishment, almost the reversal of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
The two men behind the desk disturbed me most, the one with glasses seemed to radiate authority whilst the one behind him was obviously his subordinate.
"There's no catch…" a newcomer announced in English.
"…you get to live with beautiful Misato here"
I watched as he approached, his steps were unlike everyone else's…casual.
His appearance made me doubt if this translator actually worked here:
The loose tie that hung upon a dark blue shirt combined with formal trouser and shoes made a difficult character to analyse.
"Kaji Ryoji" he said shaking my hand.
"You speak English?" I asked, then silently cursed myself for asking such an obvious question.
"A little but enough that I've been assigned as you're Japanese tutor"
"Lucky you"
He glanced at the women wearing the red jacket
"Lucky for both of us" he whispered.
The women was growing uneasy, unable to understand what was being said but able just as I was to understand the body language and casual gestures to give a good guess.
"So you gonna sign or do I have to take all morning convincing you?" Kaji asked, his hand gesturing to the legal document clenched in my hand.
I put it down on the desk, the eyes of the desk's owner boring into mine as if he could read my mind…or wanted to.
And yes I signed that document, and what name does a teenager with no memory of his past (whilst dressed in a medical gown and lab coat) sign?
Signature Here…X...