Disclaimer: See Prologue.
"abc" - Spoken
"abc" - Thought
Chapter Two: Reflection
As the sun slowly rises in the horizon, the citizens of Tokyo-3 peacefully slumber in their beds. All, enjoying the blissful slumber that comes with ignorance. As they remain completely unaware of the true significance of the amazing events that took place only a few days prior.
Events that remain the top subject of conversation within NERV. The battle had been an amazing sight for all who witnessed it, ending with Evangelion Unit01 walking away victorious as it's Berserker onslaught lead to the self-imposed defeat of the Angel in a final act of desperation. Many would say the fact that it's young pilot managed to survive at all was amazing, but for those who know better his victory was nothing short of miraculous.
As the sun fully emerges on the horizon and life slowly returns to the city, the one charged with the task of protecting it is currently making his way across the rooftops as the sounds of a new day begin to fill his ears.
"Life sucks!!!" Shinji declares loudly in mid-leap as he sails between rooftops.
With great ease he lands safely on the next rooftop breaking into a run before launching himself into the air once again. Repeating this process several times, he finally reaches the edge of downtown Tokyo-3 where he stops to catch his breath.
"Can it get any worse? Not only am I responsible for the lives of everyone in this city... No, make that the whole planer or what's left of it. But, I'm also engaged to a girl my own Father doesn't deem me worthy of. I mean, why else would he be so against it? Yet, in the end, he did agree to it? Then again, he probably did it just to keep Moth... Aunt Nodoka, of his case. While Uncle isn't helping matters... How could he just had me over to NERV, making them my temporary guardians no less. Doesn't he give a crap about my feelings? No, he just hands me over to the man who abandoned me in the first place!"
Stopping at the building's edge, he takes a deep breath and yells...
"What the HELL have I done to deserve this!!!"
Trying to calm himself following his outburst, he takes several long and calming breaths as he looks into the horizon at the rising sun.
"Well, at least, the city's nice. I guess, I could like living here." he says, taking a seat at the roof's edge.
Shinji stretches as he looks out over the suburbs surrounding the massive city before laughing as he glances back in the direction of where he started his morning run.
"I'm making great time. I'll have to get use to sleeping in, now that I don't have to worry about Uncle ambushing me first thing in the morning. But, than again this view is definitely worth waking up early for. Maybe, I'll bring Misato up here, she might like it? Than again..."
A slight smile crosses his lips as he remembers the sight that greeted him this morning. He had stopped by Misato's room to inform her that he was leaving only to receive various grunts and moans as her response. It was then and there that he realized that she wasn't a morning person.
"That maybe true, but she is kind." he tells himself as remembers her kind words from the other day. He then focuses his gaze upon the large building in the distance.
"So this is Nerima and that must be my school? I wonder where the Training Hall is? This only proves that their excuse is full of it! I can't live here because it's to far from base but I can attend school here. I bet Father's behind it! He probably did this just to spite me, not that I can blame him. I didn't exactly leave things on the best of terms with him."
Shinji leans back, laying against the rooftop, staring into the morning sky.
"Man, it's all so confusing. Things have gotten so complicated since I piloted that thing!"
A Few Days Ago...
NERV Infirmary
"AAAAH!"
Shinji lets lose a startled cry as he quickly scans his surroundings. He finds himself sitting in a bed, in what seems to be the middle of a hospital room. He steadies his nerves after frantically checking his right arm and left eye.
"I'm fine... but how... the Angel?! I fought it... I fought it for... Father? No... Rei!"
He slowly slides out of the bed, his body still sore from battle. He looks his surroundings over once more, fixing his gaze out the open window.
"But, didn't I lose?"
With dozens of questions, Shinji emerges from his room and begins to wander the hospital. He has no clear destination in mind, as the TV news reports nothing of the battle. Making him momentarily question if any of it even happened, but those thoughts are only momentary. As the sights and sounds are still with him, and the smell... the smell of her blood. He comes to a stop in a long hallway as the thought of Rei's injuries and the feeling of her blood upon his hands makes him pause as he rubs his figures together. The sensation still very vivid in his mind, a sensation he never wants to feel again.
"Rei?"
He's brought out of his thoughts as the sounds of an approaching stretcher captures his attention, he turns to find himself face to face with the girl his father announced as his fiancée. He becomes so lost in the thoughts brought upon by the sight of her dark-red eyes that he nearly forgets to follow, but quickly rectifies that.
"Rei?! Rei, are you all right?" Shinji asks, his voice dripping with concern.
His gaze again locks with that of the pale young woman, but she doesn't answer. He stares a few moments more before giving up on her responding. He turns to the doctor and nurse pushing the stretcher, hoping they'll be more forth coming.
"Doctor, is she all right?" the pleading tone of his voice clearly heard.
"Sorry, but we're in a hurry and I can only give that information to the immediate family and NERV staff." The doctor quickly answers, not really paying the boy any mind.
"I'm both! So tell me how is she!" he yells, before quickly catching himself. "Sorry, I didn't no mean to yell. What I meant was that I'm going to be. She's my fiancée!"
"That's all right. Well, then, your Fiancée is..." the doctor begins before being interrupted.
"Doctor."
Everyone around the stretcher freezes as they look upon the interruption's source: Gendo Ikari.
"Father?" Gendo's gaze focuses upon his son, as he notices him standing there. Shinji begins to slightly fidget under his gaze.
"Come on! You stood up to him once - do it again! Speak, dammit! Speak!"
Shinji continues to reprimand himself, as he looks up to meet his father's gaze. An awkward silence fills the hall until the nurse speaks up. "Um... Sir?", she asks pulling upon the Doctor's sleeve.
"What? I mean... right. Sir?" The Doctor replies looking at Gendo.
"Continue on your way. I'll there momentarily." Gendo states.
Shinji, finally, starts to speak but freezes up as his gaze meets Rei's once more. He watches as she's wheeled away before turning to face his father.
"Father, I - how is she? I mean, what happened to her?"
"Do not worry, it is not your concern." he coldly states, before turning and walking away.
So caught of by this response is he, that at first he can only watch as Gendo walks away before yelling out... "Not my concern... what the hell?! Of course, it concerns me. I piloted that damn robot because of her. I..."
Shinji stops mid-sentence as it suddenly all comes together. His sudden silence succeeds where his yelling had failed as Gendo comes to a halt.
"Is she even my fiancée?! Or, was that just a lie to get me into your damn robot?!" Shinji yells, causing his father to turn around and face him.
"No, that was no lie. She is your Fiancée." is Gendo's brief reply, as he begins to observe his son.
"Then, how does her well-being, not concern me?" Shinji calmly states, his resolve from the other day returning in full force as Gendo walks right up to him. The awkward silence returns as Gendo looks him over before nodding.
"You are correct. She will be fine."
Shinji can only nod in response as he's continually thrown off by his Father's odd behavior and attitude.
"You are to wait for Captain Katsuragi. She will be here shortly to update you on your status as pilot, then you will be taken to your private quarters." Gendo continues, despite Shinji's oblivious gaze.
"Private quarters?" the phrase catching Shinji's full attention.
"Yes, you will be living in the Geofront."
"No! Wait, I told Uncle I'd be living with him at..."
"I have already meet with Genma. He's been told of your current status as pilot and has agreed to release you into NERV's care."
"He what?! Wait, don't I get... Then you know? You know about everything... about the curse, I mean."
"Yes, he told me of you and your cousin's condition. It's truly unfortunate. Now, excess me, I have business to attend to."
"Right... good day, Father."
Shinji watches as his father departs once more, his gaze locks upon his back as he goes, instantly bring back memories of that day.
"So... Uncle's seen Father? I wonder, if he knows about Rei? Rei?!"
"Wait!" Shinji yells, as he dashes after his father. He reaches him as Gendo turns to face him, his displeasure to being stopped is quite evident.
"What?!"
Shinji flinches at the harshness of his voice, but steels himself and continues with what's on his mind.
"Father, how... I mean, how did we... Me and Rei... You know... Did you arrange it?"
Gendo fixes his gaze directly upon his son, staring into his eyes. He's quiet for a moment before looking away and turning his back to the boy. Shinji can sense during this that he's probably made a big mistake in asking that question.
"No. You have Nodoka to thank for this situation." he states, the disgust in his voice completely blind siding Shinji.
"Situation?! Mother did thi..." Shinji catches himself, as he instantly notices the look upon his father's face.
"What did you call that woman?!"
Shinji shrinks in under Gendo's intense and hateful glare. "I - I... I didn't..."
"Don't your ever refer to that damn woman as your mother! Yui Ikari is your..."
"Don't you dare talk about her that way!" Shinji yells before he's even realized that the words have left his mouth.
"What?!" Gendo replies, his shock quit evident.
"Don't you talk about her that way. She's been more of a mother, than you'll ever be a father!"
They stand there almost nose to nose, neither backing down. Shinji sighs as he realizes what he's done, if he ever hopes to have any type of relationship with his father in the future. He must fix this and fix it now.
"I'm sorry. It's just that... I - I owe her much and I'd appreciate it if you never spoke of her that way again. I know fully well who my mother - my birth mother is! Her name was Yui Ikari and..."
Silence abruptly returns as they appraise each other, neither knowing what to do now that what's been said has been said. But, Shinji refusing to give up continues.
"Father, so you say that Aunt Nodoka is behind our engagement?"
Silence descends upon them once more, as Shinji hopes his father gets what he's trying to do.
"Maybe if I pretend it never happened..."
Silence remains a moment longer till Gendo clears his throat as he finally responds to Shinji's desperate attempt to make amends.
"Yes. She meet Rei two years ago when she came to inform me of your leaving for China. She thought that you where suited for each other. I merely agreed to it."
From his continuingly harsh tone, Shinji can tell that something about this arrangement doesn't agree with his father.
"Do you not approve? What do you disapprove of? Is it... me?!"
"What I do and do not approve of, doesn't matter. As your guardian, Nodoka has every right to arrange for you a fiancée. She and Genma have full custody... I care very little what they do with that power."
Shinji looks upon his Father with complete and utter disgust, it takes every once of self-control he has not to drop him where he stands. "I try to make peace, and he goes throws this in my face?!" Shinji exhales deeply, calming himself before he speaks.
"And... Rei? Does she approve? Did she want this?"
"What Rei wants, is not my concern. She knows her role and does as she's told. As such, she's accepted it. I suggest you do as well. Now, if you don't mind - Pilot. I have things to attend to."
"Yes, Fa - Commander. Good day."
And with that they part, Shinji watches as his "Commander" disappears down the hall. He takes in several deep breaths, as he goes over everything that was said. He releases a loud grunt, as he rams his fist into the wall - it goes through easily.
"I hope you plan to pay for that?" a female voice questions from behind, as he pulls back his fist from the now demolished wall.
"Huh? Misato?" he turns to see her standing behind him, a nervous grin gracing her lips.
"Hiya, I came to pick you up. Um, are you all right? You where staring at the... um, missing wall for..."
"How long have you been there?" Shinji asks, still an edge to his voice.
"Um... since "approval" was mentioned. I wasn't spying or anything! I just - hey, where you going?"
Shinji walks away without saying a word, Misato quickly follows.
"I shouldn't have mentioned that. God, he's fast."
"Um, I can take you to your place, now? If you're ready to leave?"
"Yeah, fine." Shinji replies, still walking away with Misato closely behind.
"Are you okay living alone? I mean, if you submit a petition you could probably arrange to live with your father or uncle..."
"I said it's fine, and he's not my father! I mean, we only happen to share the same DNA, but as far as he's concerned I'm nothing more than that damn robot's pilot. Besides, he's the one who wants me to live in the Geofront, and Uncle got rid of me at the first opportune moment. So, I guess, neither wants me around. Not that it matters, I could use some space. Actually, I feel more at ease alone."
"Aw, come on! Don't be SILLY! That's a pretty big connection and, anyway, family naturally live together. So, if you have anything to say, just let it out and we can..."
Shinji stops walking and quickly turns around coming face to face with the lavender-haired woman.
"Leave me alone! PLEASE! It's none of your business, Miss Katsuragi!"
"Hey, what's with that tone of voice? I'm just worried about you and it's Misato! Miss Katsuragi makes me sound like some old school teacher or something."
"Well, you sure nag like one and don't you have enough to worry about?!"
"What?!" Misato quietly exclaims, her surprise written all over her face. Seeing the hurtful look on her face Shinji instantly regrets what he said, "She's only trying to help, why am I being like this?" He tries to apologize, but it's to late the damage has been done.
"So gloomy... like some kind of mood disorder! Don't worry, I'll fix that personality of yours!"
"What?! Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't..."
But, he doesn't get a chance to finish as Misato whips out her cell and hits her speed-dial.
"Ritsuko? Yeah, it's me. Listen, it's about Shinji... yeah, he's going to be living with me for a while, so I need you to..."
"Misato! What the hell are you doing?" Shinji yells, but he's ignored as Misato continues.
"Oh, don't worry! I'm not so desperate that I'd jump him. Even if he looks quit capable of..."
"What?! Misato, how can you even think..." Ritsuko yells, so loud that Shinji can hear her from where he stands.
"I'm just kidding. God, don't you have any sense of humor. All I need from you is to get me the proper approval from the guys upstairs, all right? See Ya!"
"What... what... Y-You..." Shinji just seems to stutter, as the realization of what's happened slowly sinks in.
"There! That should do it. Shall we get going?" Misato cheerfully asks.
"Are you out of your mind? You've got to be kidding! Who are you to be making such arbitrary decisions?! Besides, why do I have to live with you? If you want to help... arrange it so I can live with my cousin, not with you! Are you crazy? This is completely nuts! I mean, what type of lame-brain..."
"Will you SHUT UP already?! What part of "Commanding Officer" don't you understand?" she yells, as she fixes Shinji with one of the iciest glares he's ever seen. She proceeds to grab him by the arm and drag him away.
"H-her EYE'S - PARALYZING ME..."
And with that his fate was sealed, a short time later he would get to see another side of Misato Katsuragi. The reflective, caring side of the woman who is now his Commanding Officer, Roommate, and Friend. Atop the lookout that over looks all of Tokyo-3, Misato directs Shinji's attention to a sight that will forever remain engraved in his memory.
As the sun sets in the distance, the city becomes alive with activity. Gates, lining the pavement, through out the city suddenly open and from within them dozens of buildings and skyscrapers come pouring out. Rocketing into the sky as the setting sun's beams reflect off their shiny surface, creating a rainbow of colors for all to see.
"Whoa! The buildings... they're rising from the ground?"
"Not just any buildings - Tokyo-3! This is the "Anti-Angel Siege Fortress" - this is OUR city! And more importantly it's the city YOU defended!"
"But it wasn't as heroic as you make it sound. Sure, I piloted Eva... But, it wasn't to save humanity or this city - nothing as selfless or honorable as that! I piloted..."
"I know, Shinji. But, no matter what your motives were - you did well. What you did was noble and honorable, and you saved many lives in the process. It doesn't matter if it was for a girl you just meet or to impress the father you where just reunited with or any other reason you may have. All that matters is that you did it. You need to have more confidence in yourself and your actions."
They continue to stare out over the city - their city. Until Misato hears quiet sobs coming from the young man, who has been so surprisingly stoic since they've meet.
"Shinji? Oh, dear... Hey, did I say something wrong?!"
"No, it isn't that... Misato... I - I just... I just wanted to hear those words from him..."
Misato pulls him into a light embrace as Shinji lets lose all the pain, the confusion, and the sorrow that's been building up within him since receiving that unmarked package from the one person who's approval and acceptance he'd do just about anything for.
"She is a kind person, but her housekeeping skills are the pits. And that penguin of hers is weird, he definitely ain't your normal animal. And is it just me or did she wait a little to long to inform me that I wasn't wearing a towel? Nah, I'm imagining things. Well, I better hurry or I'll be late for my first day!"
With his reflection at an end, Shinji sits up, rises to his feet and stretches letting out a long yawn.
"Well, no need to worry. Things can't possibly get any worse. I mean, I am the only pilot they got other than Rei. So, Father has no choice but to eventually forgive and accept me. Yeah, that's it! I'll just wait till then, he has to accept me. Doesn't he?!"
And with that slightly comforting thought, he's off again dropping to the street blow before breaking into a run. As he quickly makes his way threw the town, he suddenly comes to a stop.
"Wait, I'm making good time. Why am I rushing? It's been awhile since I've just - walked - somewhere."
He then continues on his way, walking at a leisurely pace as he takes in the sights of this seemingly quiet, little suburb.
"I shouldn't worry, Eva's only my job. I'll have a life and part of that life is going to school with Rei and Ranma. Yeah, they'll both be there. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to talk..."
Shinji comes to a stop, as he notices that his new school is now within walking distance. He smiles and continues on - his pacing quickening more and more.
"So, that's Furinkan High. I guess it looks normal enough. I better hurry, if I want to talk to them before class."
Shinji breaks into a run, quickly covering the rest of the distance to the school. As he approaches the school gates, he notices what looks to be a giant melee, full of students, filling the school yard. He breaks into a full-on sprint upon a shocking discovery...
"They're all guys?! And... they're attacking that - GIRL?!"
Within a few strides, he leaps onto the school yard wall and with a big leap drives head long into the melee. Unnoticed by Shinji, sitting atop the opposite wall is the exact young man he was hoping to run into.
"Shinji?!" Ranma declares, as he watches a white and black blur dive into the midst of Akane's free-for-all.
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes:
Well, that concludes Chapter Two. I'd like to once again apologize for the delay in it's release and to thank everyone who has reviewed. Hopefully, this chapter and the prologue has shed some light onto the exact nature of the family situation Shinji and Ranma find themselves in.
I got the idea for Genma and Nodoka getting full custody of Shinji from my family's experience with Foster Care and Adoption. We were a foster family that took in kids who's parents where unfit to raise them for various reasons. And in doing so my parents for all intents and purposes became their parents with all the responsibilities that entails.
While in our care some of the kids would come to see my family as their "real" family, even if they had family members for them to meet with and hopefully connect with. As we where the ones raising them, nurturing them, caring for them, and who had daily contact with them.
So, with all this in mind I started developing Shinji's relationship with Nodoka and Genma. Shinji's mother has passed away, but his father still lives. Which explains why he can accept Nodoka as his mother - something of a stepmother, while Genma remains only his Uncle. I also saw Nodoka as someone who would do anything to keep Shinji away from someone she deemed unfit to care for him, which lead to her applying for full custody. This all may not make perfect sense, but I've seen things similar to it happen.
I hope this has helped explain some of my logic in the way that this story is going and that you've enjoyed the story thus far. Please continue to read and review as criticism, praise, and advice is always welcomed.