A Fury's Passage To Death
Chapter 6
Misato ran into the command center. Shinji had returned home only a few hours ago. Asuka was now in a better mood, since Asuka and Misato's episode last night. They only had a few hours of sleep that night before the were called to Nerv.
It was in a frenzy there. Panic was every where. Shegiru and Aoba were constantly running traces through the Magi while Maya and Ritsuko were performing checks to see if the Magi was running correctly. Only the commander and sub-commander were not in a panic. Sleep filled her eyes as she screamed for a status report.
It was Aoba who gave her the report. "Approximately two hours ago the Magi picked up a pattern blue signal from inside Tokyo-3."
"Blue pattern. You mean an angel?" Misato asked.
"It looks that way." Ritsuko answered her question. "Magi have confirmed the blue pattern belonged to an angel."
"Well were is it now?" Panic was creeping up in Misato's voice. The three years since the fifth child had been pretty laid back, but today was just like the old days of the angel war.
"We don't know. The pattern disappeared minutes after it first came." Ritsuko then turned on one of the main monitors. "As you know the orange pattern represents every living thing other then the angels." On the screen displayed Tokyo-3 covered with an orange glow. "We don't even know were it went or were it even was."
"It was right in the city, under our noses and we could not see it coming? How is that possible?" a scared and irritated voice now came from Misato.
"The signal was small, so the angel has to be around the size of a human. Maybe bigger. We don't know, it disappeared before the Magi could run a trace on it." Aoba answered her, not retreating his glance from the computer monitor.
"Major." the commanders voice came in. His hands were folded and placed in front of his face, in his usual manner. "You and the pilots will take temporary residence here in the geofront. You're are to remain on standby in case of any emergency. You will not leave the geofront until the angel is neutralized." The sub-commander nodded his head with agreement.
"Yes sir. I'll go explain the situation to the children." Misato not getting a response from the commander; who remained motionless, continued, "I'll also set them up in their rooms." She then walked out. It's as hectic as the old days.
Asuka, Shinji, and Rei all sat in the waiting room. Shinji and Asuka's eyes were red from lack of sleep. It was three-thirty in the morning; they only got roughly an hour of sleep so far that night. Shinji sat with his head in his hands trying to block out as much light from his eyes as he could. Asuka sat next to him, her head leaned back and her eyes closed. Rei stood in the back staring off into space.
"This is stupid. We sit here for and hour, wondering what is going on, and they don't even send anybody to check on us." Asuka voice revealed a bit of tiredness. "I mean a girl like me needs her beauty sleep." At this Shinji laughed. "What's so funny Third?"
"Nothing." He took his head out from his hands and rubbed his face in an attempt to wake up. Knowing Asuka would not be satisfied with his answer he continued. "It's just you've been acting all weird and depressed lately. It's good to have the old Asuka back."
"Well I am not the only one acting weird lately." She forced a look from Shinji.
"What do you mean?"
"You Shinji. The way you defended yourself and me against Kensuke, earlier. When did you decide to grow a back bone?"
Shinji broke eye contact with her. He then looked off as at something no-existent. Asuka thinking the conversation was over let out a "Hmphh" and stopped looking at him. Silence filled the room before Shinji decided to speak.
"It's that car." Asuka returned her gaze toward him. Even Rei looked over at him. "I don't know, but something about that car is wrong. Every time I see the car I get this feeling, like I am in danger or something." He paused. "What do you think of his car?"
Asuka once again looked away from Shinji. Her expression returned to the one she had all day yesterday.
"Sorry Asuka. I wasn't thinking."Again Silence filled the room.
"You know what. I was actually looking forward to trashing the car. Ever since he got the car, I hated it." Her cocky tone resurfaced. "It doesn't scare me, like you. But I do get this weird, familiar feeling." It was quiet in the room once again. "I may seem crazy, but every time I see the car I think of this girl. I don't remember meeting the girl, but I some how know her."
Shinji's eyes widened. He grabbed Asuka's hand; his exhausted face no longer evident. An expression of surprise and fear was shown. "Red hair, red dress, and white eyes?"
Asuka's expression became one similar to Shinji. "With a golden V necklace?" Shinji nodded. "How do you know her."
"I know of the same person as well." Rei's silent voice joined in their conversation.
Misato then came in, ending the kids revelation. "Okay kids, here is the deal." She gained the kids attention. She then told them about the angel. "So you are to remain in the geofront till told otherwise."
"We are not to leave Headquarters?" Rei asked.
"No, just the geofront. You will be allowed to run around the geofront, even hang out with your friends in the public area. No school, which I know you're happy for, but other then that you can go about your normal routine, just inside the geofront." She then turned to Asuka. "I will be very busy and won't be able to be around you guy's all the time, so your punishment is on hold, till this is over okay."
Asuka smiled and nodded her head vociferously. "Now if you will come with me, I'll take you to your quarters to sleep tonight." She waved her hand, and the children followed her out of the room. "Tomorrow we will take a quick trip home to get your clothes and personal belongings. So sleep well."
Not really sleeping well that night Shinji lay awake thinking about the red-headed girl. Not the red-headed girl currently occupying the room next to him, but the red-headed girl in his dreams. He didn't know how he knew the girl, he just knew her. He didn't have his trusty old Walkman with him to drown out his thought, so tonight Shinji spent it staying up thinking. He was tired, but couldn't sleep.
So that night he stared at the ceiling which he referred to as an 'unfamiliar ceiling'. The room was tiny. It was the size of a large closet, with a tiny bed being the only type of furniture in the room. A small TV was embedded in the wall. To the left of the bed was enough room on the floor for a single person to lay down. The bed was small and provided no comfort. To Shinji comfort and familiar meant the same thing. Unfamiliar room; unfamiliar ceiling.
A light knock was herd at the door. His watch displayed four forty-five in the morning. He grunted as he got up from the bed. Moving slowly he covered his bare chest and headed for the door. Rubbing his eyes he unlocked the door to revel Asuka.
"Asuka? Is something wrong?"
"I need to talk to you." Asuka like Shinji was wearing the same clothes she was wearing when she came in earlier. And also like Shinji, she looked dead tired. "Well let me in!"
She pushed Shinji aside and walked into his tiny room. He locked the door, followed her, and sat next to her on his bed.
"You know they probably have camera's watching our rooms."
"I don't care." She sat down next to Shinji, then rubbed her face, grunting. "Tell me about that girl."
"I really don't want to talk about this Asuka." Shinji said with very little enthusiasm.
"Shinji I can't sleep. When you and Rei said you both know that girl I kept trying to remember, but I can't. It's keeping me up." Then looking at Shinji, "Tell me what you know now." She threw that last line in trying to keep up the tough girl act.
Shinji remained quiet. He made no attempt to look at the girl. Asuka's voice came back in. "What is it you are not telling me." A hint of anger in her voice now. She was about to use her 'ways of persuasion' ,but Shinji granted her request.
"Don't think I am crazy Asuka." Shinji wondered if he should continue. "When I sit in the car I have this dream. I don't think it has anything to do with the car, but it does have that girl in it."
"What is the dream?" Asuka asked.
Shinji hesitated a little. "I am on a beach. The girl is staring at me, asking something that I can't remember. But it is the place that bother me." He pauses and Asuka forces him to continue. "The sky is orange and the sea is red. But the sea is not filled with water, but LCL." Shinji's voice began to break up. It was hard for the boy, but he continued. "In the sea is Rei's head. It's giant and split down the middle, in two half's." Tears could be seen, beginning to form under his eyes. He wiped them away. He did not ant Asuka to see him cry. Not that she would get mad at him; she find something to get made at him about, but because he was crying over her. "Then I see you. You're laying on the ground next to me, unconscious with your hand covered with bloody bandages, and one of your eyes is also bandaged up." He finished the last sentence a bit quicker then the others.
Again silence was all that was heard in the room. Asuka looked away, trying to hide her expression. She did not know what to think of the dream. Was he telling the truth or was it a lie. It was too bizarre to be real, but he has never lied to the girl before. Yet again it was a dream, so it could not have been real. But why do I get this feeling like it is, was, or will be real.
Asuka looked back at the boy. Shinji was trying real hard to not shed any tears or make it look like he was crying. Other thoughts of Asuka's were of the boy's relationship to her. At time's she has admitted to herself that she likes him, but other time's she is convinced she hates him. Believing she has yet to truly ascertain her feeling for the boy, Asuka decided to let time tell and treat him like any normal day. But today was not a normal day, and she decided to try to understand her feeling better.
"Does it hurt you seeing me hurt like that?" Her voice was quiet and serious. She left the tough girl Asuka out of the conversation.
Shinji nodded his head. He suspected she knew that he liker's her, but you never know with Asuka.
"Were you crying over me hurt, or the head of Ayanami?" Shinji was shocked. What kind of question was that? He looked at her with a face asking if he heard right.
"Don't take it seriously. It was just a dream." She said that, but even she did not believe it was just a dream. "I know you care for both of us. Heck, you even care for your father. So do you care more for me or more for her?"
It wasn't unusual for Asuka to ask these kinds of questions, yet it always got Shinji off guard. Even if she did know he liked her he was determined to prove it. He would not back down this time. He worded out, almost a wiper. "You."
Asuka let out a smile, not seen by Shinji, who was once again avoiding eye contact. Again she questioned him. "Do you like me?" Her playfulness voice returning; confident in what he would say.
"Yes." Again quiet, even closer to a whisper.
"Do you love me?"
He didn't give her an answer. Asuka not happy grabbed him,and forced him to look her face to face. Again she asked the question. His face burned red. He began to shake. He looked like he was about to faint. He tried to mouth something, but his voice would not come. Shinji had to settle with nodding.
Asuka's heart seemed to skip a beat. He finally said he loved her. "Shinji. I am going to kiss you now." This time Shinji's heart skipped a beat. "A real kiss, because I love you too."
After nearly four years they finally kiss each other again. Like Asuka said, a real kiss. A real kiss, that lasted a life time. After they stared smiling at each other. Shinji felt happier then ever before in his life.
Asuka got up from off the bed. "We will have a good long talk tomorrow, okay. I have a feeling that I will have to teach you how to act with a girlfriend around." She then walked to the door. "Have a good night sleep, MY idiot Shinji." She said playfully as she closed the door and headed to her room.
Shinji laid back down on his bed. Was it a dream? That night, Shinji's thoughts did not let him sleep. Not thinking of the red-head in his dreams, but the red-head 'of' his dreams occupying the room right next to him.
Touji arrived at school early that morning. Like every morning he would get to school about half an hour to a full hour before it started. It all depended on the assignment the day before. He would sit down and pull out his homework, do a rush job of getting it done, or use the 'please help me' routine and copy Shinji's.
Unfortunately the assignment was a big one. Instead of doing it he choose the latter and would wait for Shinji. Bored, he decided to walk around. So now instead of being bored in the classroom, he would be bored somewhere else on campus.
He walked out to the soccer field, where the school soccer team was practicing. Usually practice is after school, but for reasons of the teams suckiness they have been up at the school practicing for hours before the bell would ring. The coach has been pretty hard on the team for not winning a single game yet. He has not been letting the kids back in time for class, making all of the team late.
Knowing a lot of the players on the team as friends he decided to stay and watch. It took him years to get over not being able to play again. He never blamed Shinji, but it always hurt to watch. Touji had a hard enough time at the game a few days ago with Shinji and the two girls. Hikari was the one who made him go.
Because of the accident he was removed from active duty at Nerv, and was granted an 'early retirement' due to his physical condition not allowing him to pilot again. Or maybe it was he did not have an Eva. He didn't know or care.
Even though he no longer works at Nerv, he and his family, still get the medical treatment they offered. Due to the destruction and deaths that the sixteenth angel caused a 'downer leg' was 'found' and grafted to replace his old leg. The skin tone was colored by ways similar to tattooing, but the features of the leg did not mirror his other. Plus he got 'phantom' pains in it, and it never works like it should, forcing him to not compete in sport's requiring running as one of the main activities.
Next to the field was the school parking lot. In Tokyo-3 the driving age was seventeen, unlike the rest of Japan. Probably because the town was run by Nerv, not Japan. Since the age was so high, and the school size, the parking lot was respectively small. Not many kids could afford a car anyways.
In the lot he could see a group hanging around a certain trey GTR. Buddy and his right hand man Rye were sitting in the car, doing drugs, no doubt. Souskye, who was eighteen by failing tenth grade, was sent to military school after his father found out about Kensuke's car. Touji could care less about where Kira was.
Touji never really talked about his interest in cars. He didn't know anything, but which one he liked, and it was never number one thing on his mind; that was Hikari. And he couldn't afford one anyways. He always felt the angry that Buddy had such a car. Buddy, the most worthless person in the world drove around in the pride of Japan. What did that girl see in him anyways?
"Hey Touji. It's been a while." He turns to see a smiling Kensuke approach. Kensuke looked like he walked strait out of the nineteen-fifties. His hair was slicked back now. He wore a black leather jacket with a white T-shirt and jeans. His glasses were no where to be found.
"Kensuke." He hid how he was feeling about talking to his once friend. They were not friends anymore; Touji and Shinji decided that the night before. Kensuke was no longer Kensuke anymore. "What are you doing here this early?" He avoided the friendly butting fist's they used to do so long ago. Kensuke did not seem to notice.
"Same thing you are, watching team Suck-u-lense practice. I swear if we don't win one game this year the team will be disbanded." The team did not just have a poor record this year, but every year.
"Well Tokyo-3 is not a big town, anymore anyways. They just don't get enough kids who know how to play." The only thing that supported the town was Nerv. It no worth outside of the angel defense team. Plus a lot of people where paranoid that an angel attack will happen, so not many people moved to Tokyo-3.
"You're too easy on them. If I was the couch I'd spit on their sorry faces and leave this sorry town." A smirk arouse on Kensuke's face. "I bet even you with your gimpy leg could beat the living crap out of all of them."
Touji did not like that comment. It was an unspoken rule between Touji, Shinji, and Kensuke (the old Kensuke) not to joke around about his leg. Touji did not mind so much, but Shinji was very sensitive about it. He felt like when he made fun of his leg he was making fun of Shinji; that's why he hated it.
"Look at those doushbags over there." Kensuke's attention now drawn to Buddy.
"Why did you not press charges against them?" Touji had wanted to ask that question for a while now.
Kensuke's grim grew. "They left their finger prints all over Christine. The cops knew within hours who it was. But what fun would revenge be if it was so easy."
Touji's was a little hesitant when asked , "And what revenge will you have?"
Kensuke didn't answer. He just smiled and moved his gaze of to some unknown object. "Besides Christine was not hurt as bad as they said she was."
"Really?" Touji questioned. He knew Kensuke was lying about the car again; he and Hikari saw the car when Kensuke was out at the police station. But he would not let Kensuke know this. "I heard that it was totaled. How bad is Christine?" Did I just call the car 'Christine'?
"Oh, she's cherry. I've spent a butt load of money on her and she will be back better then before in no time." He paused, "Nobody messes with me and Christine." Touji decided to not respond to that comment, but to change the subject. "Nobody."
"I was at Hikari's last night, but had to leave earlier then intended because she had to go comfort Leigh. Did something happen to her last night?"
"We broke up." Kensuke's smile faded. His new expression was of anger. Touji who was watching the team instead of Kensuke, did not notice, so he continued.
"It was pretty hard on the girl. You must have left an impression then." Touji joked a little.
"Word of advise." Kensuke's voice was serious now. "Screw her and get rid of her. You don't need the tramp."
Touji looked at Kensuke, "You better not be talking about Hikari." He could not believe what Kensuke said.
"If that's what you call that whore of yours."
Anger was taking control of Touji. He had done a good job of controlling his once terrible temper, but Hikari was his girl and he loved her very much. And he was not going to take anyone insulting her. "Hikari is not a whore."
Kensuke could sense the hostility in Touji. His body tensed ready to fight. "They all are whores. So take my advise and let them perform their duties."
Touji threw a punch at Kensuke. Any other time and the punch would have beaten the older Kensuke. But this was the new Kensuke. Kensuke took the punch, right in the face, and moved quickly, with unknown strength, and grabbed Touji's neck. He then squeezed it chocking Hikari's boyfriend. Touji struggled, but could not stop Kensuke.
Kensuke released his grasp on Touji's neck. Still holding Touji's head, he let him breath in heavy breathes. Kensuke then playfully slapped Touji's check, like lovers do when they play around. "I'm leaving. See you later." Kensuke let go of Touji and walk off. Touji stared at him leave with fear in his eyes.
