Title: Happenstances
Supervisor: Silpelit7
Final Genesis Committee
Disclaimer: I don't own EVA or anything else. I even stole all the words from the dictionary. The storylines are based off the manga alterations, of which I also have no ownership.
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1947. Wadi Qumran.
A wizened old man shielded his eyes from the intense sunlight of the desolation which surrounded him. He pulled the rim of his hat down again, trying to find some relief. His escort chatted away with the native men of the area which had found the documents only a few days ago. Not even the governments of the world knew of these discoveries as of yet. The area was devoid of life, even indiginous plant life seemed to have abandoned the vicinity long ago.
He peered over the cliffs towards the Dead Sea. This was the day he had been expecting for so long. The documents inside the caves would shape the destiny of Mankind. Soon, the first being could be found and the contact experiment would become feasible. Instrumentality was mere footsteps away. All the thousands of years of SEELE's waiting would not be in vain. More importantly, all of his own hard work would be validated.
The escort approached him finally, an ancient-looking pot in his hands; a wide smile on his face. "Here it is. He says this is the one which holds the documents you seek."
"How does he know, if these were just recently found?" the old man asked suspiciously.
"That isn't true," he escort sneered. "They have been guarded in secrecy for two thousand years. The establishment of the Israeli state has disillusioned many younger men. The families who have watched over these documents so diligently in the past have gone away. With the small sum of money you offered, it was easy to convince one of the men to sell us the scrolls you wished for," the Arabic explained.
"And how do we know that these scrolls are the genuine article?" The escort waved his hand nonchalantly in the acrid air.
"You're a very powerful man; we know this. Please have faith in my men's intelligence reports. Believe me, we don't wish to upset you."
Kihl Lorenz smiled, and his eyes widened ever so slightly behind his thick glasses. The secret Dead Sea Scrolls which told man's past, present and future were now in his possession. Now the only key left to opening Heaven's Gate was the location of Adam Kadmon, the first being. It was only a matter of time, and he could afford to wait just a bit more.
---
Subcaption 1:
The Final Steps Before...
---
2015. Neo-Tokyo-3.
As Unit 01 deactivated, the shock and horror slowly died out of the Announcement Room. The silence was replaced by busy noises as the activity flowed back into the staff's bodies. "Dispatching retrieval teams and emergency crews!"
"Recall EVA-01 to the Geofront as soon as possible," Misato ordered sternly. The Captain quickly walked over to Lieutenant Hyuga's console. "What are the pilot's life signs?"
"He's unconscious, but there seems to be no brain damage. He'll make a full recovery in a couple days," the younger man responded.
On the Command level, Fuyutsuki turned his back on the others. His face was hard as he looked down on Ikari. "So this is what you had planned all along, why you forced your own child into the EVA," the professor coldly stated. "You knew she would go out of control if Shinji was placed in danger."
"We programmed the EVAs to never go berserk, therefore I had no plans which used this as a means. However, it was a convenient occurrance, and the pilot was unharmed," Ikari responded calmly from behind steepled hands. "Get the PR team prepped."
Fuyutsuki Kouzou gazed down at Ikari with contempt before leaving.
The holoscreens of EVA-01 were slowly replaced with images of the damage done to Tokyo-3 and the Geofront. The bridge staff were all drawn into their own facets of the cleanup process, and it was more than fifteen minutes before Dr. Akagi noticed a small holowindow left open at an abandoned station. She recoiled in shock and decided to inform the Commander of the situation, since Misato had already left to check on the Third Children's status.
Ikari stood as Ritsuko approached him. "What's going on?" he asked quietly, recognizing the sense of urgency the doctor carried with her. She typed a few instructions into his console and stood back as the image appeared. Akagi watched as he surveyed the screen, trying to discern some kind... any kind, of reaction.
But no, his face remained stone. "I don't see any concern with this. He will recover."
"Yes, but the psychological impression may severely harm his synchronization! He may even refuse to pilot because of this!" she exclaimed. Her tone was a bit more angry than she had wished for. "This child was brought here under your own orders, without any word from the Marduk Organization. He is your responsibility." As she spoke Ritsuko realized the irony. Ikari had just watched his own son go into a battle against an unknown enemy, without any prior training. He even tried to use Ayanami Rei as a pilot, even though she was still recovering from serious injury.
So why would he make a special exception for a total stranger? Ikari pressed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "I'll take care of it personally. It will not be an issue in the future."
Akagi was left speechless as Gendo turned and disappeared into an elevator. She turned and looked one more time at the screen. There was no change whatsoever. MitamuraKunihiko, the Fourth Children, had not moved a millimeter. He remained prone, eyes and mouth frozen wide open in terror. His fingers were locked tightly around the control levers. The LCL in EVA-00's entry plug was absolutely still.
This child, who had struck Akagi as uncaring only a day before, was stricken with cold fear. He had witnessed the true nature of the beast which he sat inside. Anyone in such a position would be frightened.
---
Happenstances
Chapter 01: The Children
---
Three days later.
Ikari Shinji walked through the white hallways of the quiet hospital. The images which had awoken him were already gone, leaving him with a mere impression of a dream. A TV reported an explosion in New Tokyo-3, which had occurred without explanation from the government.
'They didn't say anything about EVA or Angels... Was it all just a dream? Did I get into the EVA? That battle... was it just a dream?'
He looked down at his right hand, trying to clear his head. After a while he was startled by the sudden turning of wheels and hustle of feet. He turned around slowly, still feeling a bit disoriented. There were two nurses and a doctor pushing a stretcher and IV bag. Ikari winced as he recognized the bandaged patient. It was the girl from before, the other pilot... In the white hospital, her oddly colored hair and eyes were toned down. He couldn't respond when she returned his gaze with her one unbandaged eye.
'How was she so severely injured? I also piloted the EVA, but I'm OK, even though I was beaten.'
He followed her progress in silence as she was pushed down the corridor, until an oddly dark figure stole his concentration. It was... his father! Shinji gawked as the man who had called him to Tokyo-3 leaned down and spoke to that girl for just a moment. Shinji only then noticed the boy who had been standing behind his father. He was tall, nearly as tall as the Commander and very thin. His hair was black and cut short, and he seemed to be wearing glasses. The boy was dressed in the local school uniform, his arms crossed and eyes closed.
Soon, the doctors, the pilot, the Commander and the odd boy disappeared down the hallway. Ikari Shinji was growing angrier by the minute. His father... had ignored him completely! Plus he was with some strange guy!
"Oh my, such a cold man," said a woman's voice from behind Shinji. "Surely his tired son deserves some appreciation, huh?" Shinji recognized the voice finally.
"M-misato..." She waved at him as he turned to meet her cheerful smile.
"I came to pick you up," she happily responded. "I heard you woke up so... I'm glad you're OK, Shinji-kun." But he had turned away from her, looking back down the hallway where his father had gone.
"Yea, sort of..."
"I'll take you to your place, if you're ready. HQ is providing some private quarters for you in the city." Misato's smile disappeared as the boy lowered his head and slumped his shoulders.
"Oh, OK." There wasn't much emotion in his voice; he sounded empty to Misato.
"Are you sure that's OK? I could submit a petition to get some room with your father..."
"No, that's alright. I'd feel more at ease living alone. And besides... He doesn't want me around," he sullenly added.
"Parents and children naturally live together! I'm sure it will be OK like this! If you need so say something just-"
"Misato-san, please just leave me alone! Don't worry about it!" he yelled with balled fists, much to Misato's surprise.
"What do you mean? I'm just worried about you," she confessed.
"Don't you have other things to worry about?" he asked, swinging around to face her again. But she was making a scary face...
"You're so gloomy... It's a personality disorder I'll have to fix," the Captain eerily stated as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket. "Hey, Ritsuko, it's me... About Shinji, he's going to be living with me at my condo for a while..."
"What! What are you saying?" Shinji asked warily.
"You think I'm desperate enough to jump a kid? Don't worry! Just get me the approval from upstairs, bye!"
"Y-you... How can you just make these kinds of abritrary decisions? It's crazy; I can't live with you!" the younger boy protested.
"Will you be quiet!" She put her phone away, making that scary face again... "I'm your commanding officer, do you understand?" Her voice was deadly enough to match that face, paralyzing Shinji as she dragged him away.
Meanwhile, the other group had reached Ayanami Rei's room at the hospital. "The incident which took place in the cage didn't cause too much damage, but we had to reset the cast on her left arm," the head doctor explained to Ikari as he flipped through her chart. "I recommend keeping her out of the pilot's chair for at least two weeks more."
Ikari nodded stiffly. "Agreed, thank you." The doctor and nurses excused themselves, leaving Ikari and the tall young boy behind with Ayanami. "Mitamura, is there a problem?" The younger man was pressed against the wall, arms still crossed and an uncomfortable look on his face.
"I don't like hospitals," he responded simply.
"I see," Ikari said, turning to the prone girl. "Rei, this is Mitamura Kunihiko, the Fourth Children. He'll be your replacement until you are healed."
"R-... replacement?" the girl asked weakly.
"Don't worry, it is just temporary. He's actually the designated pilot of Unit 03." The worry in her eye seemed to disappear again.
"I see. It's nice to meet you."
"We've met before," he said with a hint of anger in his voice, mainly over Ikari's statement. "But I don't clearly remember it, so it's nice to meet you again. I'll do my best to serve as your replacement for the time being." The anger was gone again, but hadn't gone unnoticed by the Commander.
"Is there anything else you need?" the Commander asked her. She shook her head a little. "OK. We'll be back tomorrow."
They left, Mitamura falling into step behind Ikari. "You told me I had met her before, but she didn't look familiar at all." The commander continued to walk in silence. "There are a lot of things I don't remember because of my accident, but I'm usually quite good with faces."
"In any case I'd like to go ahead with your re-activation with Unit 00."
"Understood." The way the two men walked, their body language... Any passer-by would think that Ikari was training some kind of replacement. A protege.
---
A week passed.
Shinji sat in school, already bored out of his mind. The old teacher had lectured on nothing but the Second Impact all week. Apparently it was all he taught. He looked around the room, unconsciously looking for Ayanami. He found her in the row closest to the window. She was still in bandages.
'She looks bored, too; she's just looking out the window.'
As the bell rang signalling a five minute break period, two girls approached Shinji's desk, much to his surprise. "Ikari-kun, do you have a minute?"
"Uh, well..."
"How come you transferred here when most people are evacuating? Are the rumors about you true?" a blond girl asked curiously.
"Rumors?" he asked quizically.
"Don't play dumb! Isn't it true that you pilot that robot?" they asked in unison. He swallowed deeply as they gazed down at him.
"Well, yea, I am..."
Suddenly the entire classroom erupted. Many students approached Shinji's desk, probing him with a barrage of questions, most of which he had no answers for. Ayanami Rei and Mitamura Kunihiko were the only two students who didn't get up from their desks. Rei continued looking outside, and Kunihiko's head never moved from his desktop.
Only the class rep noticed as an angry-looking student stood near the door. "Suzuhara-kun, there you are! You've missed seven days without any kind of excuse!" she accused over the noise of the others.
"None of your business!" the boy shouted as he made his way towards the center of attention. "Yo, transfer student!" He slammed a hand down on Ikari's desk, who innocently look up.
"What?"
"Outside. Now."
Shinji followed the other boy out to the schoolyard. "Listen up, new guy," the other boy harshly demanded, cracking his knuckles. "My little sister was hurt really badly because of your robot. She's still in the hospital! And my dad and gramps work in YOUR lab, so I'm the only one who visits her. I don't mind it at all, but what if she's scarred for life? She'll never be able to live normally!
"Who's fault is that, huh!"
Shinji was surprised. According to Misato, no one had been seriously injured.
"It's YOUR FAULT!" he yelled, pointing a finger at Shinji. "She was pinned under a lot of rubble because of your crashin' around! Don't think it makes a difference that the class idolizes you now!"
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Shinji didn't know what else to say.
"You jerk, do you think that cuts it!" Shinji frowned. After all, he hadn't had any training or anything... And everyone would dead if he hadn't done anything...
"So, do you want me to get on my knees and beg, or what?" The boy suddenly stepped back, then swung his fist at Shinji's face. Shinji hit the ground hard, causing dust to rise up into the air. He slowly looked up, finding one of his other classmates holding the violent one back.
"Hey, don't go around hitting our important pilots!" the other one yelled. Shinji wiped the small dribble of blood from the corner of his chin, much to the outrage of the one named Suzuhara.
"So what, do you want a piece of me? Come on!"
"Just a question," Shinji said calmly. "Doesn't it get tiring... being angry all the time?" Once again Suzuhara was held back by the other kid, and this time the rest of the class poured out of the school in Shinji's defense.
"Just remember to watch where you step next time you get in a fight!" Suzuhara screamed as he was dragged away. Once the rest of the class had disappeared into the building, another boy stepped outside and approached Shinji.
"Why didn't you dodge?" he asked. Shinji looked up at him, but his face was obscured by the early afternoon sun.
"Maybe I deserved it," Shinji responded quietly. "It have just made him angrier if I dodged."
"Probably. Here." The tall boy extended an open hand.
"Thanks," he grunted as he was pulled up. "Oh, by the way, I didn't get your name," he realized as he brushed some of the dust off his uniform, but the boy was already walking away. Seeing that image... A tall boy with short hair... Shinji was too shocked to pursue the boy, even after he realized that he was the same one who had been with his father at the NERV hospital.
---
Later than evening...
Inside the entry plug of EVA-00, Mitamura felt uneasy. Ikari's son... Just what kind of person was he?
"Don't think of unneccesary things, it only lowers your scores," Akagi's voice cut through the plug.
"Oh, sorry." He closed his eyes again, concentrating on the EVA. In the observation lab, Akagi sighed just a bit.
'He's a troublesome kid. Brought here directly by Ikari as a backup... There must be some kind of ulterior motive on Ikari's mind.' She turned and found Ikari standing over Aoba, looking at some of the readouts. Rei stood in the corner of the room, emotionless as always.
"Rei, it's odd to see someone else in Unit-00, huh?" she asked lightly.
"Somewhat." Akagi's memory traced back to Rei's first activation test with 00, when it had gone out of control with no explanation. Fortunately, it had been unfrozen the day of the third Angel's attack, just in case Shinji failed. Also, by some odd circumstance, the Fourth Children had been brought to NERV HQ only a week earlier from the German base.
'It's all too damn convenient,' Akagi thought. 'I need a cigarette.'
-
End of Chapter 01.
