Chapter three: Salvage
Disclaimer:
Remember about salvage operation that Ritsuko made to save Shinji?
It's easier to understand this chapter after you read the Evangelion comic number 7 and 8
But, if you don't have the books, I'll give you a short explanation
Salvage operation is a mission to save someone trapped in Eva by sending his/her relations images in Eva
The images will tried to save him, especially the trapped guy's mental
The images will point him/her to back to the real world, but it all depends on the trapped guy's self
So, with other words, we can enter the Eva and the world inside Eva
I walked steadily to the Evangelion units cooling place.
It was almost midnight and I was called by someone to go to this place.
I stopped when I found the right place to wait that fellow, and sat on the cold floor.
It's not long until the food steps echoed everywhere in that quiet place.
I awoke from my sleepiness and tried to see who it was
The image got clear and clearer as it was walking towards me.
Then, the fellow stopped in front of me and I stood up
"Hi, Rei,"
It was Ritsuko, not in her lab coat, but on a sort of formal working blouse.
"Hi," I responded her greet.
"So…I won't be long. Listen Rei, I've seen many terrible things as I live my life, and this incident shocked me well,"
She was quiet for a while, seemed like thinking something.
"And I just want to know that…if you want to discover about it too. I'm not forcing, just a kind of….a kind of…sharing,"
"What will I discover?"
She took a glimpse at me, and smirked painfully.
"Well, I think it's the truth. Gendou's past. The true one, showed by Yui in Eva,"
"What do you mean is….you want me to see Gendou's past in Eva? Am I right?"
She nodded. "Yes, with Salvage,"
"Salvage?"
"It's the way we saved Shinji when he was swallowed by Eva, by her mother the safest way,"
"I see…You've seen Gendou's past, right?"
"I'm not just seeing. But…you'll find out there….So, will you come?"
I nodded and follow her to the research room until she told me to sit on a couch.
"You sit here, I'm gonna operate the Salvage. Just relax,"
I nodded, and before she walked away from me, I asked her something.
"Dr. Akagi," I muttered
She turned her head and glanced at me
"What is it?"
"Why do you want to share this with me?"
Silence…..
"Because I think we are the women of one destiny,"
Then she left me. And she told me from the speaker "Ready?"
I nodded and it happened so fast like a flashlight.
Suddenly, I found my self standing on a beach.
I wanted to know where I was
Then, I saw a shadow of fellow, I ran to that shadow and met a little girl
A little girl about 3 years old, with light blue hair and red eyes
It was me….
The little Ayanami from the past
Our eyes met and we kept looking each other.
'Is she me? The Rei first? My past? Why I can't remember anything about this?'
The little girl, brought me a weird feeling.
You'll have that weird feeling to if you met your self in the past
"Hi," I greeted her
"Hi," she replied.
Silence…..I couldn't help anything besides stood in front of her
"So, what's your name?" I asked that girl
"Rei. Ayanami Rei," she answered with innocent eyes
'So, this is me when I was three years old. Still innocent and happy. Still hadn't known the suffer'
"Then who are you?" she inquired
"Me? Well, I think we've the same name. I'm Rei,"
"Really, we are very lucky to meet each other. It's rare to meet another person similar to you, and got the same name too," she looked happy.
I smiled at her
"Would you come with me? I'll show you my friends," she took my hand and pulled me.
Wanted me to follow her.
Her friends? My friends? So I had at least a friend out there? But who?
"Your friends? You mean Shinji?" I asked her again
She shook her head
"Shinji? Who's Shinji? I mean Gendou and Yui,"
I choked. Yui and I were….friends?
"So, they are your friends? I see, but aren't they too old to be your mates?"
"Ya…they don't' have much time to play with me. But they are still my friends, come on, follow me,"
Was I this cheerful when still a little girl?
Then I followed her to the NERV base. The NERV base wasn't as great as now
Then, I saw Gendou. 11 years ago Gendou.
"A…that's my friend. Uncle Gendou!" little Rei yelled at him.
That guy smiled a little, and came over us.
Oh gosh! Was he a happy man too 11 years ago? What happened until me and Gendou were changed into these cold guys?
"Rei, what are you doing here?" he asked
"Playing with Rei," she answered
For a while, Gendou was shocked to see me. He kept looking both of us. Me and the little girl, me and her, me and her, me and her
"You both look so similar," he mused confusedly.
"I'm sorry, but Rei said that your name is Rei too, am I right?" he continued
I nodded.
"How could it be…." I heard he whispered to himself.
"Rei, come in to the base, play in your room there. I need to talk with this girl," I heard he said
Little Rei nodded and ran to the building.
And there's just only me and him.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked Gendou, with fast heartbeat.
"Nothing….just wondering…what a good surprise, you and Rei. You look like her twin sister. But you're older then her,"
I nodded.
Suddenly, a woman walked to us. With brown hair, and slim body, and laboratory coat
Yui…
"Hello, honey," she came to Gendou, and kissed him, as he responded her
My heart was hit that time.
"Oh, hi! My name is Yui. Oh my God, Gendou. She looks so similar with Rei,"
She gave her hand, so did I and we shook hand each other
"Nice to meet you," she said, but now carefully, with suspicious eyes
Oh, you won't say that when you know our future
"Nice to meet you too," I responded calmly.
"Well, I have to go, there are many things to be done. Bubye, see you later, Gendou,"
Then, she left us both.
"Her name is Ikari Yui, right?" I murmured.
Gendou nodded. "Yes, she is Yui. She is my wife,"
Yeah…I almost forgot the truth
I smiled. "She looks nice,"
"Yes, she is a very nice person. You know what, I love her so much. She has the first rank place in my heart,"
It's hurt….
"So, do you have any kid?"
"Yes, a son. His name is Shinji,"
"Shinji, what a good name,"
"She chose it,"
"Good,"
It was quiet
Oh, shit! I couldn't find anything to talk with him
"Tomorrow will be a special day for us,"
"Why?"
"Because Yui will have an important experiment. She will pilot the Eva for the first time. I do wanna show our son about the bright future,"
"She will pilot the Eva?"
He nodded.
Wasn't that the reason of her death? Should I prevent it? Or just let it be?
"Isn't that too dangerous?" I spluttered.
"It's a little bit dangerous. But I can't refuse her spirit to do that, so I let her. Henceforth, she is good in her subject,"
"Oh, I see. Just be careful,"
"Oh my God, I forgot. We just met, so you don't know the Eva. It's a kind of robot. O, I told you my company's secret. Promise me you won't tell anyone,"
"I keep my words,"
"Good. So, can you come too to saw our future?"
'Do I have enough time from Ritsuko? I don't even know about that,'
"I don't know. I can't make it sure,"
"Really? But we're still hoping you come. If you come, say that I invite you. My name is Ikari Gendou,"
"Thanks,"
And suddenly, the time went so fast.
Maybe Ritsuko made it fast so I could see the climax faster
It was the next day.
I still stood in front of NERV base but no one's there but me.
I walked to the NERV base, and when I got in, a security asked for my business.
"I'm invited by Commander Ikari,"
The guard seemed doubtful and he called Gendou.
But there's no answer from him
"Well ma'am, I think you better wait. I'm sure Commander now is watching his wife experiment,"
'Am I late?'
"I come for the experiment,"
"Sorry ma'am, nothing could I do,"
I didn't believe it. I did really want to see the cause of Yui's death
Suddenly, a woman came
She had a black-short hair, wearing the laboratory coat, and bringing some books.
Naoko Akagi, the one who killed little Rei in the past
The one who killed me…
"What's going on?" she asked the guard
"Ah, nothing," he replied
"This young lady said that Commander Ikari invited her"
"Adam," I suddenly said to her.
She was surprised for a while, knowing that I told her the NERV secret
"Pardon?"
"Adam and Eva,"
This time, she controlled herself better.
"Come with me," then I followed her until we went to a quiet place
"Who are you?"
"I'm Rei,"
"You mean Ayanami Rei?"
"Yes"
"Don't be kidding"
"Don't you think we both look so similar?"
She was shocked again, and thought something for a while.
"However, I still don't understand. But, it's fine. Why do you come here?"
"Gendou invited me to see Yui's experiment."
"I see…Are you….the kids of…Adam? Like Rei? That little girl?"
I was silent, thinking about the answer I ought to tell
"None of your business,"
"I see…By the way, I have to prepare the experiment, go there by yourself. You know the experiment place, right?"
"May be,"
"Okay, see you," then she walked and left me alone.
After she had vanished, I got out from that room, and walked to the place, guided by the sign 'Evangelion Experiment'
And, I saw there's Gendou there, sitting on his desk.
And there's a little boy too, Shinji…
Shinji was still very young, smiled while seeing her mother in Eva
"Shinji," I called him while his father were talking with Fuyutsuki.
The boy glanced at me, and came over me
"You called me?"
I nodded.
Shinji….you're still happy in your childhood…
And suddenly, I heard some noises, the climax was: Yui is dead
And, before I dared to think about that, I felt my self was moved by Ritsuko again.
Until I see the dreadful moment…after Yui's death….my death….
Little Rei's death….by Naoko Akagi
For a moment I was shocked and surprised
I thought I would lose my mind after this vision
But……sarcastically, my self was taken from that scary past
The first thing I saw in my real world is Ritsuko's eyes
"So…." She snapped.
I still short breathed, got up from the couch.
"We would lose our mind if being there too long,"
I nodded.
"You have discover the fact by Salvage now,"
"Thank you,"
I was still confused, And I couldn't remember anything about my past. First, I thought it was so sad. But, now I've decided that I didn't have good enough courage to accept the whole truth.
tO be ConTiNuEd