Disclaimer: See Prologue
"abc" - Spoken
"abc" - Thought
abc - Sound Effects
Author's Note: I would like to express my sincerest apologizes for the unavoidable delay between chapters. And, to express my overwhelming gratitude to those who continue to have and express an interest in TTCS, your reviews and e-mails are wholeheartedly appreciated.
Thanks For Your Patience - DsirinWsdn
Chapter Seven: Action~ReAction
Part One
6:45pm ~ Tokyo-3 Countryside
Lugs pumping, palms sweating, breathing labored, sight blurred by tears... Shinji runs with no destination in mind, only a feeling of shame and the desire to hide leading him. He continues on at an incredible pace putting as much distance between himself and the cause of his drastic reaction.
Action and reaction, it's said that for every action there is an equal or greater reaction. With this being true one can only wonder what must have happened to draw such a reaction from one who has seen and dealt with as much as the pilot of Evangelion Unit01.
Suddenly, he hits the ground, his plug suit offering little to help cushion the fall. Laying there he continues his futile struggling to fight back the tears but as with all futile things his attempt ends in vain. As, he tries to rise to his feet his legs give out on him and he drops to a hunched over position. Kneeling there the dame finally burst as the tears and sobs are set loose and the feelings of sorrow, regret, shame, and loneliness that he's kept bottled up for so long are free to be expressed.
"Damn it! Damn it!! Damn it!!! Damn it!!!! Damn it!!!!! Damn it!!!!!! Damn it!!!!!!!"
He repeats this over and over as his voice gets louder and louder, till all he can do is let out a soul-renching yell. As, he quiets down all that can be heard throughout the surrounding countryside is the sound of his sobs, as he kneels there a memory from long ago comes to mind... it's the memory of the last time he let his tears flow freely.
It was years ago, a few short months before he first set out with Ranma and Genma on their journey of discovery. They were sparring under the watchful eyes of his newly adoptive parents, as they would often do in preparation for their upcoming trip. They where in the middle of their match when he failed to dodge one of Ranma's kicks which catches him in the shin.
Not nearly a mortal wound, but for a child of that age it might of well been. With the sudden pain coursing through his leg, he lets out a cry that could topple any "Angel", as he drops to the ground holding his bruised leg.
"Shinji!" Genma says sternly, "Stop that this instant!"
"Bu... B... But, it hu... hurts!" the small boy replies between sobs.
"That maybe true, but there's no crying during a fight. No matter how much pain you maybe in. In a fight, all that matters is the outcome and that it is in your favor." he advises the boy with a less stern tone.
"But.... it still hurts!"
"No, buts... Now, rise up and continue."
Seeing that his Uncle didn't seem to care for his plight he turned to his cousin. Surely, he'd help him, but alas Ranma was to busy stretching and trying to stay loose while his cousin went through the paces. With only one hope remaining in his search for sympathy, Shinji turns to his devoted and caring Aunt. If anyone would side with him surely she would.
"Auntie..."
"Now, Shinji, what have I told you about crying?" she asks, her tone as gentle as an autumn breeze.
"It's not manly." he answers, sounding quite disappointed either in himself or the lack of sympathy his new family is showing.
"Right. But, just this once I'll let it slide if you continue the match. Then, when it's over, you may cry all you want... if you wish."
"Really... you not be disappointed in me?"
"No, hunny. Now, will you get up? Ranma's waiting." she sweetly answers, smiling at how happy he looks at hearing she won't be upset with him.
Shinji gets up with a little struggle and a slight limp, thanks to his still sore shin, makes his way over to Ranma.
"Done crying?!" Ranma happily asks, lacking the cruelty of someone older and filled with the innocence only a child can process.
Shinji nods and Genma takes this as his cue.
"Ready... Fight!"
And with that the match begins anew as the two boys charge and collide in a flurry of punches and kicks. The many kicks coming from Ranma as Shinji tries to avoid their furry while getting in close enough to land a blow. But, after a few more failed attempts at getting past Ranma's defense, Shinji ducks under a high kick, rolls under and behind Ranma, who seeing this quickly turns to counter whatever attack might be coming.
But, it seems they both had the same instinct as they simultaneously duck to avoid others incoming attack. Only, there's no attack to avoid as they both duck causing them to collide heads. Which sends them both sprawling into a seated position grabbing their throbbing heads. They both sit there laughing which might seem odd, but upon closer inspection one can see they're turning to laugh through the pain as Genma decides to declare the match a draw.
Hearing this Shinji jumps to his feet, all but forgetting his supposedly battered and bruised shin as he runs to Nodaka bawling. Genma watches as Ranma sits there watching the scene before them fighting to conceal his own tears. He smiles as he walks over to his son and quietly says...
"Go to her."
Hearing this Ranma quickly follows Shinji's example and runs into his mother's arms. Nodaka smiles warmly at her husband, who merely nods as he enters the house. She then goes about consoling her boys as they act upon one of a child's most basic of needs... that of a mother's love.
It's at this moment, as he sheds his tears freely for the first time since that day, that Shinji remembers Nodaka's from that day.
"Now, now... it's all right, the pain is only temporary. So, there's no need to shed so many tears."
"I'm sorry." Shinji is quick to apologize.
"There's no need to be sorry, Shinji. I want you two to remember that there's nothing wrong with crying. It's a natural reaction to things that have a negative affect upon us, one of which is physical pain. But, one must also remember that they need not react that way every time. For ones as strong as my boys there are only certain situations that should draw this many tears from them."
"What situation?" Ranma asks, wiping away his tears.
"Well, for example, when you feel sad for someone you care about."
"Oh... and what other reasons?" Shinji asks, trying to fully understand.
"Well, lets just say that you'll grow to know when reacting as such is appropriate or not."
"Yeah, like crying like a baby during a fight." Ranma playfully adds.
"I'm not a baby!" Shinji yells, clearly taking offense to his cousin's suggestion.
"Baby! Baby!" Ranma shouts, as he jumps out of his mother's lap.
"No, I'm not!" Shinji yells, as he follows suit and proceeds to chase Ranma into the house.
Nodaka yells, "No running in the house."
But, when they continue to no avail she simply smiles and sighs, "Boys?! Don't make me come in there."
The boys come running back to the doorway and laugh as they shout, "You can't catch us!"
"Really?" she replies, as she quickly dashes forward before either boy can react pulling both boys into a massive hug and proceeds to tickle them into submission.
Smiling despite his tears, Shinji begins to laugh between sobs. Despite his best effort, he can't seem to stop the tears. He laughs harder as he realizes that that has been the only time in his whole life that he's seen his cousin cry.
"Is he made of stone... or am I simply that weak?!"
As, the sobs take hold again he remembers Nodaka's words once more...
"...you'll grow to know when reacting as such is appropriate or not."
Laughing bitterly, he says, "Well, I'd say it's the appropriate time." as his composure slowly returns.
Thinking over what just happened, he can't help but laugh at how appropriate it is for today to end in such a painful way.
"And, I thought it couldn't get any worse..."
Shinji sighs as he wipes away his tears and rises to his feet. Dusting himself off, he realizes how far he actually ran. He holds himself tightly as a cool breeze blows through the field he's standing in causing a shiver to run down his spine.
"I better head back and face what's coming to me. Misato's probably going to chew me out for running. Better yet, I think I'll head back to the apartment... I'll deal with her and NERV later."
As, he begins his trek back he can see Tokyo-3 off in the distance. He smiles slightly at the still standing metropolises and realizes that everything is not at a loss. But, as quickly as it appeared it fades as a frown covers his face. Looking down at his plug suit and then focusing in on his hands, Shinji remembers how this day truly started...
" I never realized how small they become... that dream started all of this?"
7:00 am ~ Katsuragi Apartment
"What a weird dream?"
Says Shinji as he shivers slightly holding the shower head over himself and letting the chilled water run over his now transformed body. She shivers not just from the water's chilled touch but also at remembering last night's less than ordinary dream.
Shutting off the water, Shinji rises to her feet and walks over to the bathroom mirror. She stands there looking herself over and frowns.
"That was definitely her... I mean me, right?!"
Shaking her head, she makes her way over to the bath and sinks into the warmth as she becomes a he once more.
"Yeah, that's much better. I better not let that dream get to me... I mean that's all it was a dream."
But, as he settles into the bath he can't help but let his mind wander back to that dark place and the odd conversation that took place.
Darkness surrounds me on all sides as a feeling of continuous movement courses through me, yet I'm clearly standing still amidst this darkness. The only break in the darkness comes from columns of light linked in an endless chain before and behind me. I look around to notice a pair of benches on either side of me, looking as if their floating within my surroundings.
I decide to try walking but in the end no matter which direction I walk, be it left, right, forward or reverse... the benches and columns of light never left their positions at my side and before and behind me. Surrendering to the absurdity of the situation, I sit on one of the benches and await whatever is to come and that's when things got weird... er!
"All of humanity will perish..."
A voice is suddenly heard from within the void, shattering the silence and drawing Shinji's undivided attention.
"Who's there... show yourself?!" Shinji yells, looking in all directions for a source only to find more darkness.
"So what... I have no ambition."
Another voice is heard, this one sounding familiar to Shinji as he yells out again.
"Where are you? I know there's two of you... what's going on?"
"The existence of the human race is on your shoulders..." Shinji identifies this voice as female and the other as male.
"Who cares... I have nothing... I need nothing."
Shinji freezes in his seat as he recognizes the male voice and suddenly hears footsteps approaching from both sides.
"But, you do... you're on the brink of gaining everything we've ever wanted." says a teal-haired female, who steps into the light. Shinji can only stare at her in disbelief, as there before him stands his female-half.
Shinji steps forward to face his other half...
"Step forward... when did I get off the bench?!"
Shinji looks at the bench to find it empty, no proof that he was ever seated there. Looking forward, he stares into the eyes of his other self, a visage he's used to only seeing in the mirror or reflecting in a pool of water.
"We have family in..." Girl-type Shinji begins.
"Ranma and Mother..." Boy-type Shinji ends.
"We have friends in..." she says.
"Akane and Kuno..." he finishes.
"We have a partner in..."
"Ayanami."
"And, we have a purpose in..."
"Evangelion Unit01."
They stand there before each other a smile on their faces, as girl-type approaches her male counterpart coming to a stop right in front of him.
"What's wrong?!" Shinji asks, noticing the frown on her male half's face.
"But, I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask for any of these burdens... I didn't ask for you."
Shinji shocked by what she's hearing steps back, she can't believe he said such a thing. She tries hard to control her emotions but can not, as she throws herself at him grabbing him as her emotions are let loose.
"Please, don't hate me!!! I don't want to be a burden... Please, don't leave me... I... I... Please!!!
But, despite her pleads he simply shrugs her off and turns his back on her and walks away without saying a word.
From his position sitting on the bench, Shinji can't be helped but be moved by her tears as she drops to her knees. But, suddenly realization dawns on him as he rises to his feet...
"When did I sit back down?! Why would he... I say such things?"
Shinji walks over to his other self, as he tries to find the words for consoling her. But, before he can she turns around and hugs him tightly.
"I don't want to be a burden... I don't want to be alone... please!" she cries into his shoulder.
He struggles at first but finally finds the words, as he begins to speak...
"It's all right, you're not a burden and you're not alone. I'm here for you."
Hearing this she lets go of him, her tears stopped, as she looks him in the eyes.
"But, you are me and I am you?" she asks, as he holds her gently with her head against his shoulder.
"Exactly." he replies.
"Wait... I don't understand?" she says, as she pulls away to find herself alone once more.
Shinji looks around to find herself in the exact same spot where she stood when this all started. She looks around but finds nothing as the lights around her begin to dim one by one, and as the final light is about to dim yet another voice is heard...
Their fate rests with you...
"What?!" Shinji yells.
"Shinji, you all right?!" Misato asks, the worry in her voice clearly heard.
"Huh, oh yeah, sorry... I must have fallen asleep."
"Oh, all right, well, hurry up or your not going to have time to eat before you leave."
"Yeah, sure."
Shinji rises out of the bath noticing his reflection in the mirror and frowns.
"The same dream from last night... Their fate rests with you... like I need to be reminded."
Shinji quickly dries off as thoughts of that bizarre dream and it's possible meaning floods his thoughts.
7:23am ~ Tendo Dojo
"HAI-YAAAA!"
Splash
"Ahhhh! You, stupid old man?!"
The sounds of yet another morning scrimmage echoes through the halls of the Tendo Dojo for all to hear, including the middle daughter Nabiki, as she quietly attempts to make her escape from the madness that has become her home of late.
"Oh, Nabiki?! Are you leaving... what about breakfast?" Kasumi asks, catching Nabiki at her failed escape attempt.
"I'll grab something on the way... thanks anyway."
Kasumi watches as Nabiki quickly exits and vanishes from sight, the worry she carries for her sister etched clearly on her face.
"Oh, Nabiki... when will you learn you don't have to face everything all by yourself?"
As, her home vanishes in the distance behind her, Nabiki lets her thoughts wander to the conversation she had with her sister, Akane, last night...
"We've promised not to tell him, but don't you think it's about time you did?"
Nabiki, who was on her way to her room, runs into Akane in the hall and instantly knows who "him" is as she frowns slightly at his mentioning.
"I will when the time is right and not a moment sooner." she coolly replies.
"So... can you tell me when this moment's going to be or do I have to continue deceiving my friend?!"
"Your friend?! Since when is he your friend... and what difference does it make when I tell him?"
"Well, since he's... HE just is all right! And, it matters because he's a nice guy and the longer you wait the more likely it is that something can go wrong!" Akane manages to stammer out.
"Like what?"
"Well, for one thing there's all those boy-crazed idiots at school, they're already talking about what a catch he is..." Akane states.
"And, Ranma for that matter..." Nabiki fires back.
"They can have him for I care! What can they possibly see in that pervert?!" Akane yells, her feelings all but clear.
"Yeah, I could say the same thing about his cousin." Nabiki snidely remarks.
"Well, for one thing... he's kind and sweet and... smart... and, most importantly he actually seems to care about those around him... unlike some people I know!" Akane states, rather factually.
"Hey, if you got something to say, just say it!" Nabiki says, not at all liking what her sister's implying.
"Fine, just remember that you're not the only one this engagement effects... he needs to know. And, I may not have the best judgment on these type of things, but trust me when I say that you'll really like him once you get to him."
Nabiki is quiet for a moment, but then smiles as she lets herself realize what her sister is trying to do.
"All right, I'll talk to him tomorrow... maybe. But, he must truly be something if he has you this worked up... maybe, Daddy would have an easier time of things if he'd paired you up with Shinji instead of our favorite pervert?"
Nabiki is surprised to actually see Akane blush at the idea, she thinks of inquiring more on this topic, but Akane quickly heads on her way mumbling something along the lines of... "I... he'd... maybe... Just talk to him, all right." leaving a baffled Nabiki behind.
Smiling as she remembers Akane's reaction, Nabiki continues on her way to Furikan. Her mind finally made up on a course of action...
"I'll catch up with him after school and tell him everything... I mean, maybe it won't be all that bad? Akane really seems to like him..."
7:31am ~ Furinkan High
It's only minutes till yet another wondrous day of learning begins within the halls of Furikan, with students beginning to fill it's halls as they go about their ever-changing routines. But, as for Kensuke Aide, his routine far from normal, it's business as usual. Standing in front of his laptop from his usual spot on the third floor balcony, he looks out over the schoolyard and smiles.
"If today's slaughter is anything like last week's we should definitely make a killing." he says aloud to himself in reference to the DVD sales of Akane's peculiar morning routine. Which has only garnered more attention and acclaim since the arrival of Ranma and Shinji.
"Speaking of Ikari... I wonder if it'll prove true?" he wonders, thinking of the newest rumor surrounding the transfer student.
"If what'll prove true?" a male voice asks suddenly from behind the bespectacled student.
"If Ikari is really the pilot of that thing from the other week."
"Well, we could always ask him." the voice replies.
"Yeah, we could always... Toji?!" Kensuke yells, as he turns to face his longtime and recently missing friend.
"Longtime." Toji simply replies.
7:33am ~ Streets of Nerima
"She's actually a very sweet girl. You'll understand soon enough."
These words spoken by Dr. Tofu last night are still ringing in the ears of Ranma Saotome. Despite Akane's act of kindness following the Doctor's self-appointed intervention on behalf of their blossoming relationship, he's still weary of the youngest Tendo sister.
Ranma wonders, "We thinking of the same girl here? Why is she so heated all the sudden? I merely suggested that she would love to see that Doctor Tofu again... man, she's confusing. Sweet?! Yeah, right!" ,as he resigns to being dragged all the way to school by that very sweet girl.
7:39am ~ Nerima Rooftops
Shinji is quickly making his way across the various rooftops that make up Nerima, as he makes his way to school. So accustomed has he come to this route in such a short period of time, that he can run it without actually paying attention to where he's going. As, he's currently doing while lost in thought over this morning's blow up with Misato.
"I shouldn't have yelled at her. But, she did kind of deserve it... I mean, she just doesn't get it. How can she be so friendly, so indifferent, when she clearly only cares about my piloting of that thing."
He skillfully and absentmindedly launches himself to the next rooftop landing with little more than a slight thud as he continues still lost in thought.
"But, if she didn't care why would she go through the trouble of being there for me yesterday?"
And, as quickly as he asks that question does the words "Damage Control" come to mind.
"Yeah, that's right... I'm just a tool for insuring the survival of mankind. Well, if that's the case all I have to do is beat the bad guys till there's none left or I'm dead. Whichever comes first... I don't care."
Picking up momentum and confidence as he comes to this conclusion, his conclusion, he suddenly stops as he hears a familiar voice.
"Yow! Akane! Hold it... Hey, wait a second, will ya?!"
Shinji looks down to the street below to see a dripping wet female Ranma being dragged by a furious looking Akane. He sighs as he jumps down to the street and begins to give chase.
"So.. what you do this time?" he asks, pulling up along side his slightly panicked cousin.
"Shinji?! What... nothing!" Ranma answers.
"Yeah, right. Just hold still..."
Shinji begins to free Ranma from Akane's ironclad grip, when she yells, "Ranma, stop struggling or we're going to be late!", as she tightens her grip. Only it's not Ranma's pigtail she's got, but Shinji's arm as she's too infuriated to even notice. Shinji just sighs and lets himself be taken, as Ranma stays behind wondering...
"Man, that was a close one?! Is that what we look like?!"
But, instead of worrying about it Ranma simply shrugs his shoulders and follows as one more thought crosses his mind...
"Poor Shinji."
7:40am ~ Furinkan High
"All right, I'll do it. But, why do you care if he's the one?" Kensuke asks, confused by his friend's sudden and odd request.
"It doesn't matter. Just find out for sure if he's the one."
"Fine. But, how do you know about all this?!"
"Does anybody talk about anything other than the strange shit that goes on at this place?" Toji answers, rather sarcastically.
"Well, not really."
"Good... then, see you later." Toji says, as he begins to walk away with a nod, ignoring Kensuke's questions as to where he's going.
"Man, what's up with him?" he wonders, as Toji vanishes down the hall.
"What's up with who?!" another voice from behind asks.
"Oh, Boss?! What's up?"
"That's what I want to know?" she replies, eyebrow raised slightly at Kensuke's odd behavior.
"Oh, well, you see... Toji was..." he mumbles, shrinking in under Nabiki's intense scrutiny
"Toji... Toji's back? Then where is the knucklehead?"
"Well, he left right before you showed up. He was asking me about Ikari."
"Shinji?! Why..." she says, the slight trace of worry in her voice.
"Well, he was asking me about the rumor."
"What... which rumor?!" Nabiki asks, not at all liking how this is sounding as she wonders how out of it she must be for there to be a rumor spreading the halls of her school that she don't know about.
"Well, the one about... Akane and Ikari?!"
"What about them?!
"Um... they're here." he answers, as he pulls out his camera and hits record.
7:43am ~ The Gates of Furinkan High
Akane comes barreling through the gates and quickly throws her prey up against the schoolyard wall.
"Listen, Ranma! Why don't you... Shinji?!"
"Hey?!" he shakily replies.
"Wait, where's Ranma?"
"Well, you see, I..." he begins, but before he can explain he suddenly realizes that they're surrounded.
Quickly pushing Akane behind him, Shinji drops into a fighting stance as a smirk spreads across his face.
"Perfect. This is just what I need, especially today. All right, whose first to get their ass handed to them?!" Shinji yells, shocking all present none more then himself.
But, if Shinji's all-out readiness for a fight wasn't surprising enough, what happened next was downright weird.
"We're sorry! Please forgive us!"
The sudden and unanimous outcry from Akane's usual tormentors throws Shinji of his game.
"Um... Akane?" he says, dropping his stance and stepping aside so she can face the mass of apologetic boys.
"Akane, we're so sorry. Please, forgive us for our outrageous and hurtful behavior." a Tennis Club member says, stepping forward from the crowd.
"Yeah, we've all agreed to stop pursuing you and to wish you and Ranma the best." another boy adds.
"Akane, I love you!!!" a boy from the middle of the crowd suddenly yells.
"Hey, shut him up!" the first boy yells, as a group of them grab the offending student and drag him off.
"Well, most of us have agreed. Anyway, Ikari..." the second says, turning to face Shinji.
"Huh... I mean, Yes?!"
"We also want to thank you for knocking some sense into us... literally."
"Uh... sure, your welcome?!" he replies, a little unsure of how to react to this turn of events.
"Oh! And, please give your cousin our congratulations. He's a lucky guy."
"Of course, I will. And your right, even if he doesn't realize it yet."
The mass of boys departs as Shinji looks on, he can only laugh slightly at the sight. He turns around to find himself face to face with a blushing Akane.
"Oh, um, Akane. You didn't..."
"Huh?! What... no, nothing! I didn't hear a thing!"
"Oh... good."
They both start to laugh uneasily till...
"Didn't hear what?"
"Ahhhh!!! they yell, jumping back as Ranma drops off the school wall still in his girl form.
"What... oh, nothing. Just talk among us guys." Shinji uneasily responds.
"Yeah, well, what was it?" Ranma asks.
"Nothing really and besides I can't tell you anyway!"
"What?! Why not?!" Ranma shouts.
"Well, for one thing I'm currently the only guy around."
"What you mean by that?!" Ranma says, looking ready to fight his beloved cousin.
"You're still transformed, you idiot! Why the hell did I jump in for if you where still going to show up looking like that?!" Shinji says, trying not to yell despite being obviously upset.
"Hey?! I tried but the windows near the cafeteria where closed and the nurse was in her office. Besides, there where to many people around, anyway!"
"All right, fine. I'll get the water." Shinji says, turning to leave when Ranma speaks. "What?! You want that water or where you planning to go to class as... Miss Saotome?!"
Shinji's outburst causes Akane to start laughing, which brings a smile to his face while Ranma finds offense with what was said.
"Hey, all I want to know what was said?!"
Sighing, Shinji explains what was said, "And, they also said for me to congratulate you on your engagement to Akane and that you are a lucky guy."
"Yeah, we'll I don't feel all that lucky." Ranma replies.
Shinji instantly prepares to put Ranma in his place upon noticing the barely contained hurtful expression on Akane's face. But, before he can a gust of wind signals the arrival of his newest ally and friend.
"Hey, Kuno." Shinji says, turning around to face the odd swordsman.
"Ah, Ikari. Greetings."
"Yeah, likewise." he replies, as Kuno comes to a stop in front of him. But, before more can be said he notices the odd look on Kuno's face upon noticing the sight of heavenly beauty behind him.
"Oh my pigtailed goddess and the fair Akane Tendo... together! Ah, what a blessed day this is."
Kuno quickly pushes past Shinji, as he switches into full-on idiot mode. Shinji laughs as he prepares to follow thinking...
"This isn't going to be pretty."
But, before he can he stops suddenly as hears a yell come from the school...
"Was that... I thought I heard, Nabiki was her name... right?"
Shrugging it off, he turns around in time to see Ranma kick Kuno in the face as he temps to pull the redhead into a massive hug.
"Their both idiots." Akane says, as Shinji walks over.
"Yep." is Shinji's simple response.
Little does Shinji know, but his hearing was on the money. As, they watched the odd scene between Akane and her former pursuers, Kensuke informed Nabiki of the rumor concerning Shinji and his piloting of a certain purple behemoth. Hearing this strange rumor and Toji's apparent interest in it, she responds the only way she could... with complete and utter disbelief.
"What?! Shinji... a solider?!"
"Well, yeah or something along those lines. I guess in this case calling him a pilot would be more appropriate."
"Pilot! Solider! What difference does it make?"
"Well, you see..." Kensuke begins, but is quickly cut off by Nabiki.
"Finish that thought and I'll throw you over." she says, gesturing to the balcony.
"But, I was only..."
"Body... Air... Ground. Understand?"
"Completely." he says, shrinking in on himself. As, Nabiki's threats have proven to be anything but idle in the past.
"Now... Why would anyone suspect Shinji of being that thing's pilot? I mean, he's so... meek and definitely not the type."
"Yeah, well, while I wouldn't go so far as to call him meek. I mean, did you not see him down there? He was so ready to take them all on, and besides he does fit the profile." Kensuke adds.
"What profile?" she asks in disbelief.
"Well, that of the reluctant hero." he answers with all sorts of certainty in his voice.
"And, where does such an idiotic profile come from..."
"Anime. You know... Gundam and the like. For example, in the original Gundam, Armaro was... Owww!!!"
"Once more, body... air... ground." Nabiki sternly says.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry. Anyway, we already know of his connection to NERV, his obvious training in the art of fighting, and his spotty past. Most importantly, you told me that he was summoned here by his Father or at least that's what Ranma told you?"
"Yeah, well..." Nabiki begins, but can't think of anything to disprove his theory other than age and that won't persuade him. "All right, but what does this have to do with Toji? I mean where the hell has he been?!"
"Now, that I don't know. But, Boss, I haven't seen Toji like this... ever."
"Like what... What do you mean?"
"He was serious. I mean really serious, scary serious."
"All right, so what do you think he wants with Shinji.... I mean the pilot?" she says, correcting herself as she still doesn't believe or want to believe that Shinji is this pilot.
"Who knows, but one things for sure."
"What's that?" Nabiki asks, a little uneasy.
"My camera will definitely be rolling when he finds whoever he is. Because if there's one thing that will never change it's how Toji solves a problem."
"Yeah, with his fists." she says to herself as Kensuke packs up his stuff, noticing that Ranma knocked out Kuno and that he and Akane are on their way into the building.
"Later, Boss. I don't want to be late for class again or Hikari gonna have my ass."
"Yeah, all right, see ya."
Nabiki watches as Kensuke leaves, disappearing into the sea of students, but quickly goes back to looking down into the schoolyard. There she watches as Shinji helps Kuno to his feet, as their probably on their way to the nurse's office. She smiles slightly at the sight, as she says to herself...
"He's seems like he's back to normal... or as normal as a sex-changing, might-be robot-piloting martial artist gets?! But, what's with him... he seems so angry. Well, maybe not angry but definitely tense about something? Did something happen to him last night? Yeah, that must be why he called, but he sounded so sad not anger. So, what happened after he called that would make him act like that?!"
But, the answers to her question would have to wait as the first bell had just sounded and she had no intentions of being late.
"Well, at least, now we have something to talk about... well, other than the obvious."
Little does Nabiki know but that conversation will never take place as a certain action would be leading to some drastic reactions...
1:07pm ~ Furinkan High, Class 1-A
As the teacher of Class 1-A goes about his usual curriculum, consisting of tales of a time long gone... a time before Second Impact changed the world as we knew it, his students pay him no mind as they go about their usual activities. Some draw, some sleep, some gossip, and yet others wonder whether or not to partake of more important courses of action. Such is the dilemma that Shinji currently faces as he stares at the message written across his computer screen...
~Is it true that you're the pilot? Y/N~
After staring at the screen for what felt like an eternity, Shinji decides on a course of action that would lead to a greater reaction than he could ever imagine...
~YES~
To Be Continued...