Disclaimer: See prologue

Ok so here's the first chapter. Took me some time to write it, which is harder than I first thought it'd be. But hey! You're all not here to hear me bitching, you're here to read my story… well I'd hope so anyway.

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SHATTERED: Chapter 1

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The beam shifted in an instant, leaving Rei no time to react. She released the controls, her hands grabbing her head as her unit dropped the spear and mimicked her movements.

The Angel re-used it's, up until now, successful tactic of applying 'gentle' pressure, making the target's mind more susceptible to momentary relief. This was the moment it would strike, in that small moment of peace the target would drop it's guard and allow easy penetration to the psyche.

Images started pouring into her mind as a sharp pain, like a very thin blade slipping deeper and deeper, pierced her mind. 'No…' Rei whimpered under the Angels unrelenting probing.

She was suffocating.

'This is familiar… isn't it?' The Angel seemed to whisper into her mind.

Her vision was blurred. As she tried to focus she saw Naoko Akagi, arms outstretched towards her. She was the one choking her, Rei now understood. Suddenly Naoko turned into Ritsuko, the hands that were choking her replaced by a rubber tube wrapped around her throat.

Commander Ikari stood over her, informing her of her purpose. "Hapiness, emotion, friendship. These are all not for you, first." He told her. "You are my creation, and will fulfil my orders." These words were so unkind, yet so often he had expressed concern. Did he really care about her, or was his concern for someone else?

The scene shifted. She was sitting in the classroom, looking out the window. Nothing seemed wrong about this. But in the background, whispers… rumours…. about her. None of the words kind. She didn't care what people felt or said about her… did she?

"Just!?" Shinji yelled, the scene changing once again. "Put cold water on it!" He almost yelled as he yanked her arm towards the sink.

'I do care about what people say… I was happy when he showed concern.' She said to herself.

'This boy… occupies much in your mind.' The Angel said, sounding almost benign. As it delved deeper, however, that illusion faded as pain overwhelmed Rei once more.

Tears flowed from his eyes. "You're… crying again. You we're crying yesterday… in your sleep." She heard herself say. "Why are you so sad?"

"Dummy… that's not it! I'm crying because I'm happy… happy that you're alive."

That was the first time, she recalled, that she had truly felt something in her life. When Shinji decided to leave after the fight with the 8th Angel, after Suzuhara died, she had felt a void. Like the only small light in the darkness had gone out.

When she'd woken up in the hospital after the battle with the 9th, and found that he had returned she had been happy. However he had been absorbed by unit-01, and a fear had overcome her. She had prayed to the evangelion and it had answered, it had given him back to her. Again, she had been happy… happy that she could see him again. And he was glad as well to have seen her again, he'd told her.

The last time she had seen him had been in the park in the Geofront. He had let her hold his hand.

Her eyes widened in shock. She couldn't resist this angel, it had her in a vice and she couldn't get out. That time in the park would have been the last time she'd seen him. Realization hit her. She didn't want to die, not anymore. It had been her wish for a long time, but since his arrival, since Shinji's arrival she had had purpose other than to follow orders. She had felt, she had lived, and she had a friend.

When she looked up she was in the entryplug again. Something wet made it's way down her face. It hung from her chin momentarily before gravity took it, and pulled it down. As the drop of salty fluid impacted with her legs Rei looked down, seeing more tears fall in the process.

"Is this me?..." She said aloud. "Am I the one who's crying?"

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Shinji saw the scene unfold. Like Asuka, Rei was now being attacked by the Angel. He didn't even hear the chatter in the command room as he looked at the screen in shock. The screams he'd heard from Asuka sent chills down his spine. What had the Angel shown her? What had been so terrible that Asuka, maybe the strongest person he knew, had not been able to face.

And now, over the radio he could hear Rei, she was in pain as well, and all he could do was stand around and watch. 'No!' He realized. 'I can help them! I'm a pilot, and I'm the only option left for father.' He turned around on his heels immediately, a determined look on his face directed towards his father. "FATHER! LET ME GO! LET ME HELP THEM!" He yelled.

Gendo looked down on his son from up high, not a trace of emotion on his face as he said: "Alright, Shinji. Get to unit-01 immediately, leave your plugsuit, we have no time to spare." He remained unmoving, only his eyes directing towards Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi, prepare unit-01 for launch."

Shinji bolted away from the bridge and to the cage immediately, quickly boarding his plug, already standing by for entry.

"Shinji!" Misato barked through the radio. "Once you reach the surface, you'll have to act fast. Go for the Spear immediately, don't hesitate!"

"Got it!" He yelled back. "Just get me up there!"

'Shinji, you're our only hope now… please come back safe.' Misato thought. "Eva unit-01 Launch!"

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Any description of onlookers about the Eva-lift's speed would've undoubtedly been dubbed as 'pretty damn fast', but this wasn't the case for Shinji. With 2 of the 3 most important women in his life in danger, the travel to the surface appeared to be agonizingly slow.

Misato's voice crackled over the radio: "Alright Shinji, when you reach the surface don't raise you're AT field, we don't want to attract the Angel's attention." He just nodded in reply.

A moment later a loud clank adjoined by a firm jolt throughout his body told him that he'd reached the surface. Light rushed in as the side of the building the Eva lift was housed in fell away.

Without raising his AT field, like Misato told him, he exited the lift and took cover by a large building. He took a moment to get his bearings, looking around for Rei and the Spear. As the position of the Spear was uploaded, an indicator popped up on his view screen.

"Shinji, use the buildings as cover as you approach the Spear, but be quick about it. We've all seen what happens when this thing gets you in it's sights. Alright, get going!"

Shinji peaked around the corner of his cover in the Angel's direction. Pushing his fear aside he leapt towards the next building, and then another in quick succession. His heart was racing, over the radio he could hear Rei gasping as if she was being strangled. He hoped Asuka was alright, he hadn't heard a sound from her since Rei was attacked. He had to be fast, Asuka might already be dead, he couldn't loose both her, and Rei all at once.

He looked at the indicator, finding he'd have another 663 meters to cross. 'Am I even fooling the Angel? It must've seen me by now, even without my AT-field raised.' He thought, leaping to the next building, 515 meters left. He could see unit-00 now, and the Spear not far from it. He crossed another hundred meters, and held there for a moment.

"Misato…" He whispered, as if talking aloud would betray his position. "…I see the Spear, but there's not much cover for me. I'm afraid… that the Angel will attack me if I try to grab it…"

There was a moment of silence before Misato replied. "Alright just grab it and get ready to throw the Spear as fast as you can. The computer will calculate everything for you. It should take no longer than ten seconds."

Shinji didn't even reply, he just swallowed loudly, remembering that the Angel hadn't needed ten seconds when it attacked Rei. He closed his eyes, summoning all his courage to run the final distance between him and the Spear to pick it up. "Alright, I'm going!"

Just as he finished his sentence he got his Eva up, and moving. He could feel his own muscles strain as if he was running at top speed. 400 meters, 300, 200, 100… he was there, so far so good. He picked up the Spear immediately, giving unit-00 a short glance before raising the Spear over his head. His heart pounded so hard he would have been afraid it would leap out his chest had he had the time to actually think about it.

The target reticules slowly started to converge, and he could feel the Spear of Longinus twist and deform in his hands.

5 seconds.

4…

The Spear finally finished it's metamorphoses, from Spear with two pointed protrusions to a thin lance.

3…

He braced his feet on the pavement as he stretched his arms, ready to hurl the Spear at the Angel.

2…

Using all the force he could find in himself he brought the Spear forward, directed at the Angel, and hurled it forward.

1…

The Spear had left his hands, only visible for a mere second before it tore through the clouds, dispersing them for miles, leaving a clear sky.

"Is this me?... Am I the one who's crying?" A soft voice spoke over the radio. Shinji's eyes widened. 'That was Rei… crying?'

"Target destroyed! The Spear has left earth's atmosphere and gravitational force!"

"Recover the pilots, and return unit-02 and 00 to their cages!"

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Author's notes: Well there you have it, the first chapter. It took me quite some time to write this even though it's not that much. I was planning to add more to this chapter but I ultimately felt that it'd be better if I released this piece separately. I'll try to keep the updates frequent, and add some length to the following chapters. Again, this chapter has not been proofread. See you next time and review please!