Well, good to see at least some reviews…It means people are enjoying this fanfic and aren't hating it too badly…
Heh…
But anyway, not much to say, just that these chapters may vary greatly in length, although a lot of them will be really short like the last chapter.
Usually I try not to make short chapters in my other fanfics, but this is an exception, where the chapters have to be a certain length for sake of flow and continuity, so just bare with me….
Anyway…
Let's start the show…
Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or its characters. Gainax does, and they rock. Who else could create both Evangelion and FLCL! I also don't own anything that happens to be crossed over in this story.
Tokyo 3, Japan
Tokyo 3 Motel
Shinji Ikari groaned, slowly standing up and staring at the photograph of Touji Suzahara.
He quickly flipped it over, staring at the messages on the back.
"DON'T BELIEVE HIS LIES."
"HE IS THE ONE."
Shinji Ikari paused, staring at the messages, then clenched his fist tightly, picking up a pen and writing a third message under the other two already there.
"KILL HIM."
He slowly put the picture of Touji Suzahara between his teeth, bending over and pulling a handgun from under the motel bed, holding it carefully with two hands.
His hands flitted over the firearm, carefully and methodically checking if all its parts were in order and everything was fine, as well as checking if the weapon was fully loaded.
He sticks the handgun slowly into the back of his waistband while putting the photograph in his pocket.
The camera sitting down peacefully on the bed he swings over his shoulder, then he makes his way out of the door.
He paused as he was halfway out the door and simply stood there, staring at the ground and taking in deep breathes for what seems like an hour, clenching and unclenching his fists.
Finally he leaves, his face calm with a hint of horrendous determination.
Tokyo 3, Japan
Tokyo 3 Motel, Office
Shinji Ikari strolled into the quiet office, a confident and determined smile dancing across his unshaven countenance.
Standing behind the desk is a bespectacled young man with brown hairs and freckles, smiling back surreptitiously at him.
"Hiya."
"I'm Mr. Ikari from Room 333"
Kensuke Aida simply nodded.
"What can I do for you, Shinji? "
"I'm sorry…um?"
"Kazou."
Shinji nodded sheepishly.
"Kazou, I'm not sure, but I may have asked you to hold my calls-"
Kensuke cocked his head to the side.
"You don't know?"
"I…think I may have…I'm not good with the phone."
Kensuke nodded, staring Shinji in the eyes.
"You said you like to look people in the eye when you talk to them. Don't you remember?"
Shinji paused, looking at Kensuke nervously.
"That's the thing…I have this condition…"
"Condition?"
"I have no memory"
Kensuke stared at Shinji curiously, although the look seemed oddly disingenuous for some reason.
"Amnesia"
Shinji took a painful pause and then looked at Kensuke, as if deliberating the exact words to use. Then he spoke, and it flowed out, as if he had said it countless times before, almost a mantra of sorts.
No. It's different. I have no short-term memory. I know who I am and all about myself, but since my injury I can't make any new memories. Everything fades. If we talk for too long, I'll forget how we started. I don't know if we've ever met before, and the next time I see you I won't remember this conversation. So if I seem strange or rude, that's probably..."
Shinji faded off at the end, noticing that "Kazou" was staring at him like one would look at an exotic insect.
"I've…told you this before, haven't I?"
Kensuke nodded earnestly.
"I don't mean to mess with you. It's just so weird. You don't remember me at all, and we talked a bunch of times."
Shinji simply sighed and nodded.
"You don't remember…anything about me?"
Kensuke stared at Shinji, a genuine look of curiosity beaming on his face.
Shinji Ikari simply shrugged.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
Shinji stiffened slightly, and then stared at Kensuke, eventually almost staring straight through him and into the wall behind the young man.
"I remember a friend of mine…"
Kawuro simply grinned and turned to his side, locking eyes with the Third Child, causing Shinji to blush slightly, although very imperceptivity.
Then the Fifth Child did the unexpected, reaching out and touching Shinji's hand, softly, making him blush even more and then violently jerk back his hand.
"You try to avoid personal contact of people even in touching. Why are you scared? Is it because that if you don't get to know the other person, that person wont be able to betray you or harm you in anyway? But if you don't interact, that feeling of sadness won't pass away. Humans, no matter how they try, they will never completely drive sadness away. But you know, you can forget sadness for a while if you interact and that makes life worth living."
Kensuke arched an eyebrow and leaned in closer, fascinated as Shinji seemed to space out.
"What's it like?"
Shinji looked up listlessly.
"Huh? Oh… It's like…like waking. Like you're constantly just waking up from a dream…"
"That must suck. All…backwards."
Shinji raised an eyebrow, staring at Kensuke inquisitively.
Well, like…you've got a pretty good idea of what you're going to do next, but no idea of what you just did recently."
He chuckled hollowly and then continued.
"I'm the exact opposite you know…"
Shinji suddenly focused on Kensuke, looking serious as if he were collecting his thoughts, ignoring the other young man's banter.
"How long have I been here?"
"Um…couple days."
"So you're holding my calls?"
Kensuke nodded.
"As requested."
Shinji reached into his pocket and gingerly brought out a stack of photographs, leafing quickly through them.
"Alright, this guy is an exception."
Shinji placed the photograph of Touji onto the counter and Kensuke stared at it, smirking for a second, and then nodding at Shinji.
"Do you know this guy?"
Kensuke looked rattled unexplainably for a few seconds, and then he simply replied listlessly.
"Um…your friend, right?"
Shinji eyed Kensuke curiously, his face hinting at a deep intensity within.
"What…makes you think he's my friend?"
Kensuke chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Um…just see you guys together a lot, that's all."
Shinji stared firmly at Kensuke and pointed his left index finger at him.
Remember, he's not my friend, Kazou. But if he calls, or if he turns up here, then you give me a call in my room, okay? Room 333."
Kensuke quickly nodded.
"Sure, but no one else, right?"
Shinji nodded and tapped the photograph of Touji once more.
"Yeah, just this guy."
Kensuke gave a Mona Lisa smile and then simply nodded while Shinji slowly continued, his voice calm.
"I hope my condition won't be a problem for you…Kazou."
Kazou chuckled.
"Not if you pay your bill, Mr. Ikari."
Shinji nodded, smiling wryly and pulling out his wallet.
Shinji Ikari sighed as he ruffled through the bundle of bills in his wallet, handing a few to a young bespectacled, freckled motel clerk with gray eyes and brownish hair.
The young man takes the money, and then pauses, his eyes apparently spotting something over Shinji's shoulder.
"That guy's already here."
The motel clerk spoke with a straining voice, tapping a picture of Touji Suzahara which is sitting on the counter.
Shinji nodded, and picked up the picture, turning his head to see a young men dressed in a slick black suit, with soft dark brown eyes and a shock of ebony hair atop his head.
Shinji simply stood there, watching carefully as the young man ambled closer to the glass door and then finally opened it wide, an unseen bell chiming as he entered and broke into a broad grin while Shinji discreetly slid the photograph into his pocket.
"Shin-man!"
Heh, well hope you enjoyed it…
Like I said, I usually hate writing any chapters less than 5 pages, but for this story to really be readable and understandable with its unique format, there are certain places where I have to break off it.
It may seem to be moving slow and mysteriously, but don't worry, you'll get the answers to whatever questions you have eventually, just be patient.
Well, anyway, see you next chapter.