Chapter 7: When Mari was there.
Shinji found the brown-haired newbie of NERV sitting patiently for him outside the Subway.
The wind played with her long brown hair making it fly around in a very attractive fashion as she turned to face him with a friendly smile.
His shaking shyness in contrast with her elegant confidence would have fooled anyone into thinking she was his senior pilot and not the other way around.
"You came." She remarked joyfully. "Thank you so much for coming."
"Erm, you're welcome" Shinji nervously replied confused as to how anyone could be so happy to see an awkward introvert such as himself.
It had been a long time since anyone had been this overjoyed to greet him. Even when he had single-handedly prevented the second impact, he had gotten little more than a sarcastic sneer from his superiors in NERV as if he was the one who nearly caused the impact. And that was the battle he considered his greatest victory.
"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about, err sorry what was your name again?" Every word from his mouth was stuttered. He had not had a formal conversation for a long time and his voice had atrophied as a result.
"Mari." The girl patiently answered, seemingly finding his stutters endearing rather than annoying to his great relief. "Mari Makinami Illustrious. Fourth pilot and fourth child of NERV. It's an honour to finally meet you, Shinji Ikari."
"Erm. How do you… know my name." Although he was indeed a senior pilot of NERV, no one really brought him into conversation very much except to chide him for his cowardice and softness.
He had long since given up any hope of fame or recognition for his deeds.
"Everyone knows about the famous Shinji Ikari and his heroism. And as a pilot, it is of course my duty to recognize my fellow pilots and my superiors."
These simple words of praise warmed his empty heart like a lovely fire. He begun to feel warm inside with every word she spoke as if he was finally re-entering heaven after being locked out for too long.
He very nearly pinched himself. This couldn't be real. This was too good to be true.
"So, shall we get going. There's a lot I wanted to talk to you about and its very important information that no one else can know but you. I can tell you more back at my house if that's alright with you." She stared at him with hopeful eyes as she finished her request. It was as if she would break in half if he refused. And despite her jovial and light-hearted tone, Shinji could tell from her expression how very important what she was intended to tell him would be.
His very life would depend on it.
Normally Shinji would have been shaken up at the prospect of going to a stranger's house that was not the abode of his drunk and lazy major.
But the earnest and completely respectful mannerisms of Mari gave him courage. This was not another Asuka.
He had a feeling this meeting would turn out this way anyway.
"Well, alright. That would be fine with me. Lead the way, Mari."
"Thank you so much for your time. I promise you won't regret this Shinji." The brunette reassured him as she led him to the barriers leading to the train platforms.
"We need to take a train to get to my house." She explained as they approached the ticket barrier.
Before Shinji could interject further, Mari smoothly dipped her hand into her skirt pocket and in the style of a stage magician produced two shiny first-class tickets, one of which she kept for herself and one she gave to Shinji who shyly but gratefully took it.
An unusual feeling of great bliss and satisfaction washed over the usually sullen and weary boy as he followed Mari down the stairs to the platform after they had checked their tickets.
It felt good to finally be treated like a human being worthy of respect and politeness for a change after untold years spent suffering at the hands of one jerk after another one of whom was his own father.
It felt good to not be called the idiot or the brat but by his name for a change.
What was the world coming to when a boy couldn't trust his father?
A train came not too much later, a sleek and stylish rail bound vehicle whose sparkling turquoise carriages were squeaky clean with no signs of wear or tear.
A sharply dressed man in an expensive suit bowed lightly as Mari and Shinji along with a few other extravagantly outfitted passengers one of whom had a monocle with a golden chain and a top hat, boarded the train. The two young NERV pilots took their seats next to each other in plush seats which had to have been obsessively tweaked and adjusted to achieve the level of comfort Shinji now felt as he sank his body into the unusually comfortable imperial leather.
The carriage he was now sitting inside was a feast for the senses to say the least.
Spotless velvet gold tablecloths and a velvet red carpet masterfully painted to have a beautiful pattern of flowers along with matching dark red silk curtains were just some of the things that tore his breath away as he saw them. How any room in the post-apocalyptic setting the survivors of two impacts could have so much luxury and pizzazz he would never know.
But he didn't care. In this moment he would relax his jangled nerves to enjoy this terrific ride while pretending the world was safe from Angels and had returned to its former glory.
Taking one last contented look at the first-class carriage of the luxury train which rivalled the bespoke Titanic in style and beauty, he closed his eyes with a peaceful smile as the train begun to make its way across Tokyo 3. This leather seat was so comfortable.
The question of how Mari gathered the funds to afford such a sweet ride like it was no big deal could also wait. He was just relieved that someone somewhere still cared enough for him to consider him worthy of inclusion in such aristocratic experiences. An act of kindness was an act of kindness no matter who it came from.
The ride did not disappoint. Every motion of the train felt like a pleasant massage to the now contentedly asleep Shinji Ikari whose light smile in his sleep reflected none of the horrific abuse he had endured at the hands of his unappreciative bosses and co-workers at his life-threatening dead-end job.
Fighting angels and piloting the unpredictable and failure prone abominations known as EVA's was so hard. He'd forgotten the pleasure in simple experiences such as this. To be able to rest comfortably during a pleasant train ride without needing to worry about rubbing his tormentors the wrong way. Where he could be his own person without the need to do or say anything to suck up to anyone.
Mari would spend the journey looking over her travelling companion with great admiration. Her superior pilot and the chief of NERV's son had been through so much to get here. Even when everyone had done nothing but spit on his heroic actions and disown him, he was still nothing like his greedy and selfish father.
Shinji was nothing but polite, selfless and honest.
Three qualities that very few still had in these dark times where Angels were attacking but everyone was selling their souls to the devil in a perverted sort of irony. Where Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for thirty silver pieces was seen as the true prophet that all should aspire to be like.
It had taken her a long time to find him again. But now that she had, Mari promised she would never let him out of her sight again. She would gladly rip apart as many Angels as she had to with her bare hands if it meant seeing his smile.
Asuka could go screw herself for all Mari cared. It was that red-haired brat who was actively ruining Shinji's chance at a normal life and being a bigger problem to the world than the Angel's ever were.
And from this day on Mari silently vowed that if she ever saw that German redhead bully harm so much as one hair on Shinji's head, that Asuka would be served a delicious steaming pile of knuckle sandwiches, Makinami style on the house.
She did not to ask poor Shinji to show her the many wounds he probably still had under his clothes to know that he had been a victim of horrific domestic abuse for far too long now. His friendly but paranoid mannerisms and constant breaks in his voice and inability to make eye contact when he spoke said more than enough. Even if she did need glasses, she was not nearly as blind as her fellow NERV operatives to the horrible abuse that their premiere agent was forced to receive on a day to day basis despite his above average performance that no one bothered to praise him for.
It was a well-documented fact that Shinji Ikari's roommate was known for her violence and quick temper. It was the reason Asuka was able to Synch with the EVA's despite her less than noble intentions.
It made her a great pilot for the world's deadliest killing machine. It made her a very toxic friend that no one in their right mind would choose to stay with.
"Today I set things right for your son, Yui" Mari whispered sincerely taking care not to wake her still sleeping friend. "Today I liberate him from your evil husband Gendo's grasp and get him far away from that mean girl Asuka (Who you never approved of but were too scared to tell your husband lest you provoke his fearsome wrath). He'll never have to live like this ever again. Things will be better for him now from now on."
The train had gone for another half hour before Shinji lazily stirred himself back to awakening.
That was one of the best afternoon naps he had for a while.
A waiter had come to the seats where Shinji and Mari sat, asking if they wanted anything to drink as part of their first-class journey.
Mari ordered a chocolate Ice Frappe while the very grateful Shinji shyly ordered an iced lemon tea. It was his favourite beverage but his tiny budget which he had to spend tending to Asuka and Misato's every whim left him no room for any such trivialities in his miserable life.
"Coming right up for you Madam and Sir" the uniformed man gracefully bowed as he left to serve another passenger.
As the train continued to chug pleasantly forward to its destination, Shinji took the moment now that he was well rested to take another brief look at his new unexpected friend and fellow pilot.
One of the things he loved to do was study everyone he met so he might best determine how he might please them if they turned out to be friendly and not get on their wrong side if they weren't which was very, very often.
Hard to believe that someone he'd only met now twice, once without exchanging any formal conversation had become closer to him than virtually everyone he had known since the start of his career in NERV.
And attractive too as much ashamed as he was to admit this to himself. It was her cool and sincere crystal teal eyes that sold her appearance to him more than any other part of her.
Honest and caring eyes complimented by a soft smile which made no attempt to hide that she too had gone through a lot of hardships in her life like the other pilots but had managed somehow not to lose the hope and optimism which very few survivors of the impacts even outside of NERV still held.
The one nit-pick that Shinji could find if any in the uncannily wonderful brunette upon closer inspection was a slight grimace in her otherwise pleasant smile which she continued to regard him with even as he took in these little details in her appearance.
The tell-tale sign of rapidly waning sanity.
It was a simple thing to miss and even a devoted empath such as Shinji could have easily missed it.
But better this smile than the constant sneers and scowls Shinji had all but gotten fed up with having to put up with every day. Perhaps it was better to live a little crazy if it meant not becoming the uncaring jerk of a father he'd given up trying to get along with.
Shinji realized as his drink arrived and he begun to sip it savouring in the heavenly taste he'd all but forgotten, that Mari needed him as much as he needed her.
He would make sure Mari was never left alone with her own struggles again as long as he was around. He wasn't a psychologist, but he'd do what he could so that one day, the grimace in her smile went away and she could feel the true happiness she deserved for being such a good person.
There were still great struggles ahead for both of them, but he was sure they could face them together.
He had found his true teammate as Romeo had found his Juliet.
She was his Juvia Lockhart and her heart had locked with his own. And he was her Gray Fullbuster, fully welcoming her attention and sympathies with open arms without hesitation.
She understood him as no one else did. And that meant a lot to him.
"Thank you for being so nice to me, Mari" Shinji managed to utter. It was an awkward choice of words, but he felt it had to be said.
"Don't mention it Shinji."