Gamer4 in. You know what, maybe I should just stop making declarative statements about my stories' futures in general. Every time I do, something happens to prove me wrong- I say a chapter will be coming out soon, a hiatus ensues. I say I'll be going on hiatus, I get five chapters out in two weeks. I say that a story will be going on for a long time, it ends two or three chapters later. I say a story only has three chapters left to live, then realize that the story can't really be wrapped up that quickly, and may have at least seven, but I won't come out and say that, because who knows what would happen then? Bottom line- this story will go on as long as it needs to in order to come to a satisfying conclusion. Not longer, not shorter, and I will not go into detail on when those chapters might be coming out, because regardless of what I say, it'll inevitably be wrong! Hooh, boy. Anyways, got some talking and drama in this chapter, so let's dive right in!
Disclaimer: Anyone like Kansas? Carry on, my wayward son... there'll be peace when you are done... lay your weary head to rest... don't you cry no more...
Chapter IV
The Night Before
For a long while, everyone stood there, staring at the spot where their antagonist had so abruptly disappeared. Finally, Shinji spoke up- without the immediate threat of Raven to get his adrenaline pumping, he was back to stuttering. "So... what... what now?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Akane asked, jumping up with fury in her eyes. "We're going to track that... that witch down and threaten to beat her into a bloody pulp if she doesn't send us back home- and then do it anyways!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ness called out, holding up his hands. "Easy there! Calm down, buddy!"
"Calm down?! Calm down?! Calm down?! Don't tell me to calm down, you baka! That friend of mine- the one that turns into a girl when he gets splashed with water- he is in the hospital right now, and she's the one who put him there! You do not get to tell me to calm down!"
Shinji, trembling at making his view heard, nonetheless spoke up. "I... I think I'm with her, Ness. I have a friend in the hospital because of her, too." As he spoke, a faint note of anger entered his voice, and he began speaking more clearly. "That... that Raven... she did... things to her mind... she's not alright, and it's her fault..."
"In addition," KOS-MOS chipped in, looking more animated than anyone had yet seen her, "she placed the life of my creator, Shion, in great peril, and caused her great distress through her actions aboard the Starship Tasha. Such crimes shall not be easily forgiven."
"And I'm not saying we should!" Ness objected. "I'm just saying-"
"Saying what, exactly?" Akane hissed. "Why can I just picture you being one of those idiots you see all the time in anime- they have the villain beaten down, but instead of just finishing them off, you try to give them a chance to redeem themself- and then they just run away and do even more damage!"
Ness opened and closed his mouth, before turning to the rest of the group, seemingly for support. "Come on- Harry, Link, Fireheart, somebody!"
Harry shook his head. "That woman killed three of my classmates," he said, his voice steady, but a note of pure fury lurking just below the surface. "She- she's the worst kind of... creature I've ever met. I've met evil people- killing people is evil, but when she's doing it in the name of... of trying to twist people around, break them, until they're no better than she is... no, I can't forgive her."
A dark cloud seemed to hover over the table at this ominous pronouncement. Finally, Ness spoke, nervously clearing his throat as he did so.
"Anyways... like I was saying, I'm not saying we shouldn't stop her- I mean, she even invited us right to her lair- who are we to turn her down? I'm just thinking we should... you know... take five first. Spend the night here, catch some Z's, bit of R&R. I just think that would be the better course- clear our heads, have a better idea of what we should do."
"Oh, really?" Akane asked. "Well, you can have fun with that. As for me, I'm going right there, I'll take her on myself. Anyone who wants to come with me, feel free, anyone staying behind, too bad."
With this, she slammed her hands on the table and rose from it. Ness opened and closed his mouth helplessly as Harry, Shinji, and KOS-MOS all followed suit, though in somewhat more calm manners, standing up and starting towards the door.
Abruptly, a member of the group that had yet to voice their opinion spoke up. "Hold up, you four." Just at the door's threshold, they turned to see Link raising a single hand, eyes closed. "Ness is right. To set out for our enemy's fortress, tired, angry, without any thought or plan... that's the worst thing we can do right now."
"I agree," Fireheart put in, standing up on the table and throwing a piercing gaze at those at the door. "One of the most important things warriors learn as apprentices is strategy. Attacking a rival clan, on their territory, while tired, at that clan's bidding... it would be more than a little mouse-brained."
"'At that clan's bidding?'" Shinji asked, question marks appearing in his eyes.
Fireheart blinked. "Whoever that... Raven twoleg is, she brought us here, to her territory. She issued the challenge- at the moment, she has all the advantage. I agree that a fight will likely be inevitable, but an assault like the one you're describing... even the most insane leader wouldn't try something like this."
"Alright, you listen here," Akane growled, pointing at him. "We all have friends who are hurt and possibly dying back home- are you saying we should just forget them?!"
A cold front passed over the room. Link was the next to speak, and when he did, the chill in his voice was matched only by the chill in his eyes, which had suddenly become like chips of ice. "Nobody here has said anything of the kind. I understand your desire to bring Raven to justice, and I will stand with you, when the time is right... but do not suggest I don't understand the pain of losing those dear to me."
Fireheart nodded. "We warriors are trained to stand together through thick and thin, from the most bountiful greenleaf to the harshest leafbare. Believe me, I will do everything I can to return to them- but this is not the way to do it."
A long silence ensued, with even Ness on tenterhooks, looking from face to face. Finally, KOS-MOS spoke. "You are... correct." Slowly, she stepped away from the others and took her seat once more.
"KOS-MOS!" Akane objected.
"They are correct," the robot repeated. "For a brief moment, I allowed my emotion to cloud my judgement- the course of action we were pursuing would more likely lead to death than to our desired return. And if I am killed, it would be of no good to Shion."
A moment later, Shinji stepped away from the door as well, muttering a quick, "Sorry," to Akane as his only explanation. He returned to the table and bent over, staring at his shoes.
This left Akane and Harry as the only ones standing at the door. For a moment, they looked at each other. Harry shrugged. "My friends- Ron and Hermione- they always did say I have kind of a... 'saving-people-thing,' as they said. I don't want to let them down, of course- and that's why..."
Without another word, he, too, resumed his seat.
This left Akane alone at the door, glaring daggers at them. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, huh?" she grimaced. "Well... alright then." And, looking like it was causing her physical pain, she crossed the room once more and sat down. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Another long silence, as everyone glanced around, a look of relief crossing Ness's face. Finally, Akane spoke. "Well, I hope you're all happy- here we are, a bunch of morons, sitting around a table."
"Right- let's get to planning," Link spoke up, changing the conversation again. "To begin with... what are our assets?"
"Well, you're a swordsman, I know some martial arts, he knows magic, he has psychic powers, and in a pinch, Fireheart here can catch us some mice," Akane noted scathingly, earning her a hiss from said feline.
"But then again!" Ness interjected, glancing around quickly. "Any of you play video games?"
"Video games?" Link and Fireheart asked.
"No," Akane said bluntly. "Why would we-"
"Indeed," KOS-MOS interrupted, seeming particularly animated.
"Oh, you do?" Ness grinned. "Sweet. You ever play Team Fortress 2?"
"I have not encountered this particular title," KOS-MOS shook her head.
"Too bad- you'll have to try it out sometime. I mean, assuming they still have it all that time in the future... anyways, I think that Fireheart could be our scout!"
"Scout?" Harry repeated.
"Yeah, you know, he scouts ahead and reports back! I mean, he's lighter and more stealthy than any of us are! I mean, back home, I was the scout of our team- I even had my baseball bat to prove it- but for this situation, I gladly yield the position!"
"Well, thanks," Fireheart noted, looking as though he didn't know exactly what else to say.
"That still leaves two of us," Link continued. "KOS-MOS, Shinji, anything you bring to the table?"
"I have been equipped with rudimentary weapons systems, and the knowledge to utilize them," KOS-MOS answered. "In addition, I have been given access to a database of all the knowledge aboard the S. S. Tasha."
"Sounds good," Harry nodded. "And... you, Shinji?"
Silence. "...Shinji?" Ness asked, turning to look at said boy.
Shinji was retaining his position of head down, hands clenched together, eyes closed.
"Shinji?" Link prompted.
Ness blinked, and, quietly, allowed a bit of Shinji's mind to cross over with his. Nothing too heavy, nothing as concrete as actual thoughts or memories, just a few fragments of emotion. What he felt... disturbed him. The despair, anger, and fear he was sensing from that boy- a year or two younger than he himself was- was more than he'd felt on his journey from people much, much older than him.
Shaking his head, he quickly put on his customary smile and said, "I'm sure Shinji's got a lot of awesome stuff up his sleeve! Just give him time, and I'm sure he'll wow us!"
"Right..." Link said, looking uncertain. Shinji, meanwhile, far from seeming relieved, winced at Ness's encouraging words, and became even more fixated on his shoelaces.
Harry stood and crossed the room, gazing out of the window. "It still looks exactly the same out there," he noted, looking up at the sky. "It doesn't seem any earlier or later..."
Slowly, the others stood as well and joined him in his vigil. "I can't even see the sun..." Shinji agreed forlornly.
Even Ness seemed more somber than usual as he gazed at the city's skeletal, desolate remains. "Guys... if this is... Raven's home... what happened to it?"
Silence set in once more as this question weighed down on them. They were all starting to get a grasp of what, exactly, Raven was like, of the open contempt she'd treated each of their homes with... what would the place she'd come from herself have been forced to suffer?
Finally, Ness spoke again. "Maybe we should get some rest for the night."
"How can you tell if it is night?" KOS-MOS asked.
"I can't," Ness acknowledged, "but I've been up for a whole day at this point, it was about night-time when I got shazamed here..."
A quick poll revealed that the others all had similar stories, leading the group to begin making sleeping arrangements.
"KOS-MOS and I will take one room, and the rest of you can take another," Akane said immediately.
"Are you certain?" Link asked, scrutinizing her through his blue eyes. "Under the circumstances, it may be best for everyone to share a room."
"Hey, you think being in a place like this excuses you from being a pervert?" Akane glared at him. "No, boys and girls separate, just like usual. Any objections?"
Harry shrugged. "Sounds fair to me."
"You okay with that, KOS-MOS?" Ness asked, glancing at the android.
"As long as this course of action does not place Shion in immediate danger, I will raise no arguments," KOS-MOS affirmed.
"You really like that Shion woman, don't you?" Ness noted.
"Her safety is my number 1 priority," KOS-MOS agreed.
"Come on," Akane muttered, grabbing the robot's wrist and guiding her out, leaving the boys to stare after them.
"Are you okay... Shinji?" Fireheart asked, noticing that said Japanese boy seemed transfixed by the two girls who had just left.
"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just... they really remind me of a couple people... back home," Shinji stuttered out.
XXXX
The hotel seemed to have been one of the ritzier buildings in the city at one point, before whatever cataclysm that had struck it... had struck it. In the interim, it had fallen into disrepair, but there were, nonetheless, a few rooms left intact, and it didn't take Akane overly long to find one to lodge in with the robot for the night.
As they were beginning to settle in, Akane was distracted by something brushing past her legs. "What was that?!" she asked, jumping up and lashing out with her foot.
"Hey, take it easy!" came an indignant voice from ground level. Looking, she found Fireheart, who seemed to have leapt out of the way of her kick, with his back arched. "It's just me!"
"What are you doing here?" Akane asked.
"Ness thought it would balance things out if I slept with you two," the cat explained. "This way, there are three of us in this room, and four in the other. Unless you don't want it that way?"
"No... no, it's fine," Akane decided, leaning back in her bed as KOS-MOS watched with a quiet interest. "If it were one of the others- especially Ness- they'd be going out the window by now, but... well, since you're a cat, I guess it's okay."
"I don't know whether to be offended by that," Fireheart noted, leaping up into a chair nearby, where he began circling. "But, I suppose you're showing me some trust, so I'll take it as a compliment."
"Go ahead," Akane muttered, gazing at him. "This... is bizarre."
"Believe me, it's out of my experience, too," Fireheart agreed. "I don't generally like mingling with twolegs..."
Turning to face Akane, Fireheart asked, "So, out of curiosity, do you always respond to your problems with violence like this?"
"Huh?" Akane asked, somewhat taken aback at being addressed thusly- much less by a cat.
"Well, I've begun to notice that in you- threatening to throw your companions out of the window if they came into the room, and such."
"Well, don't boy and girl cats stay in different... rooms?" Akane asked, not sure exactly what terminology the cat might be familiar with.
"Toms and she-cats?" Fireheart asked. "No, all warriors sleep together, the same for apprentices and elders. Should they not?"
"Well, it's not that common... for twolegs," Akane explained, feeling very odd at referring to herself as such.
"I see," Fireheart mused. "Anyways... it's not just that. It was your reaction to finding out about this... Raven. I mean, I know that she has done terrible things, but the anger I saw in you... it's not natural for a twoleg who seems to be apprentice-age. So eager to rush into battle..."
"You say you're a warrior," Akane countered. "Then shouldn't you be used to fighting?"
"Well, naturally, we're trained to fight," Fireheart agreed. "The clans are known for their skill on the battlefield. We fight rogues, other creatures that invade our territory, we fight each other... and there are plenty of warriors who doubtlessly consider a day wasted if there hasn't been a good fight involved. But... I'm not one of them. I'll gladly stand up and fight for my clan... but the truth is, if there's a peaceful solution, I'd like to try and find that first."
"Really?" Akane asked, raising an eyebrow.
"One of my mentors said that the greatest battle is one where everyone's claws remain sheathed throughout," Fireheart nodded. "Again, if it comes to bloodshed, I'd be proud to stand up for my clan... but if the dispute can be solved through talking, all the better."
Akane leaned back, the words ringing in her mind. Now that she thought about it, it seemed like there were many problems in the past that could have been averted, had she simply talked things over with Ranma, rather than reaching for that mallet...
"And what is the history of these 'clans?'" came another voice, drawing both Akane and Fireheart's attention to KOS-MOS.
"Our... history?" Fireheart asked.
"My database details much of twoleg history," KOS-MOS agreed. "However, my knowledge of feline history is unfortunately lacking. My database, as is, contains no details of any feline clans living in the forests of Lost Jerusalem. I wish to take this opportunity to... expand my knowledge."
"Well..." Fireheart muttered, glancing around the room. "I don't know if I'm the one best suited to telling stories from my clan's history..."
"Oh, come on," Akane put in, a small smirk crossing her face. "You don't have to be shy about it- I'm sure you'd be a great story-teller."
"I'm no elder yet," Fireheart objected. "But... if you insist."
Akane and KOS-MOS watched as Fireheart stood and circled into what any cat owner will recognize as the 'classic cat position': he sat down on his hind legs, with his front legs straight as columns, his tail wrapped around him. And he began to speak- "Once, long ago, the forests were wild, untamed by code or law. Cats lived in eternal fear, and battles were constantly being waged over the best hunting grounds, sleeping spots- anything that could be fought over constantly was. Then, one night..."
XXXX
Elsewhere in the hotel, Harry, Link, Ness, and Shinji had managed to find another room of decent quality, and were just setting up some sleeping arrangements. With two beds available to them, Link volunteered to sleep on the floor and Ness in a nearby reclining chair. Harry and Shinji had offered different sleeping arrangements, but both Hyrule's defender and the psychic psycho had insisted.
It took Harry a while to fall asleep, and when he did, it didn't take long for him to awaken again. When he awoke, he sat up and rubbed his eyes irritably. On top of everything else that was going on, even in this strange world he'd suddenly been plunged into, his nightmares still wouldn't leave him alone. That long, black corridor, ending in a locked door...
Looking around, he saw Ness snoring loudly in the chair, and Shinji laying motionless in his bed. He briefly wondered how he'd slept through the noise Ness was making, but then recalled that Ron wasn't exactly a silent sleeper either. The thought brought a small smile to his face, but it faded quickly- Ron. Hermione. Hogwarts. Would he even be able to see them again?
He shook his head as he glanced out of the window. Red sky. Dark clouds. He looked up in the room itself. Unfamiliar ceiling. Looking down, he noticed that the man in green, Link, seemed to have disappeared. Curious, and feeling as though he had no chance of getting back to sleep despite the weariness he was most certainly feeling, he rose to his feet and entered the hallway outside his room.
Eventually, he located the swordsman on the building's roof, gazing off into the distance. "Can't sleep?" he asked, announcing his presence.
Link shook his head as he glanced behind him. "The truth is... I sleep pretty light at the best of times. And this... isn't."
Harry followed Link's gaze, out over the city's skyline. "So... this is all pretty new to you?"
Link gave a small chuckle. "Are you telling me you're used to situations like this?"
"No, not the situation!" Harry backpedaled. "The city. Apparently, you're from the distant past..."
"Indeed. I haven't seen anything like this in my time."
"Exactly how far back do you think you are?"
"Well... at the very least, wizards and witches have yet to go into hiding," Link mused.
"That's... pretty far," Harry acknowledged. "I don't know exactly how far- now I wish I paid attention in History of Magic."
Link gave a chuckle, earning him a stare from Harry. "Something funny?"
"The whole situation, in a way. Your history is my future. The world is so much stranger than I knew before..."
"And it sounds like it was pretty strange to begin with," Harry commented.
"You understand, then?"
"Of course," Harry nodded. "I knew that there were strange things in the world before, but I didn't know about... about springs in China that transform whoever falls into them, or... or psychics that fight aliens, or cats living in clans... and the idea that robots could exist, let alone as advanced as that... this is a whole new world for me."
"And at the center of it all... Raven," Link muttered.
Harry blinked, detecting a note of bitterness in the swordsman's voice. "I'm guessing you have a personal history with her?"
"Because of her interference, someone very dear to me is dead," Link muttered darkly.
"Sorry to hear it," Harry responded, eyes downcast. "Who were they?"
"Her name was Impa. She was... she was something like a mother to me," Link explained. "I never knew my true mother- she died in a war when I was very young. Her last act was to deliver me to sanctuary. As for my father, I have no idea what happened to him."
Harry blinked. Even as he considered a response, he couldn't help but notice the familiarity he had with that backstory.
Link, however, continued. "I was first called to save Hyrule at a young age, and it was on that journey that I met Impa, and Princess Zelda. When all was said and done, they were grateful enough to take me in- they were like the family I'd never had. Zelda is... like a sister to me, and... well, like I said, Impa was like our mother."
"And she's dead now?"
"Yes. To draw me in, Raven revived one of my old enemies... and he killed her." Link's eyes, once again, were growing cold as ice.
Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry. If it's any consolation, I sort of know how it feels- both of my parents were killed trying to protect me from a dark wizard."
"Really?" Link asked, turning his gaze away from the city and towards Harry.
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Apparently, he was actually after me, but they stood between him and me, so..."
"When was this?"
"I was only a baby at the time," Harry acknowledged. "Since then, I've been living with my aunt and uncle."
"And what are they like?"
"Horrible," Harry had no hesitation in saying. "I always look forward to getting out of that house, getting to go back to Hogwarts..."
"And there is no one else to take you in?"
"Well... there is one person... my godfather, Sirius Black. But that's... kind of a problem."
"How so?"
"Well, it's a long story, but to make it short, a lot of people think he's the one to told that dark wizard where my parents were... then killed thirteen people."
"And did he?"
"No- it was a set-up," Harry explained with no small trace of bitterness in his voice. "Not that anyone believes it. He's still a fugitive."
"I'm sorry to hear it," Link sympathized.
Harry gave a brief nod and continued his narrative. "A year ago, the same dark wizard who killed my parents came back. So, Sirius is part of an organization trying to find him and stop him before he can do anymore damage. And... honestly, I'm hoping that when everything dies down, I will be able to go live with him."
"He sounds like a great man," Link smiled. "Unfortunately, I'm not KOS-MOS- I'm not from the future, so I can't tell you how that will work out. But I hope that things work out for you- you're a good person too, Harry."
"Thanks- you're not half bad yourself," Harry smiled back.
XXXX
Ness watched carefully through a half-opened eye as Harry rose from his bed and followed Link out the door. As with said swordsman, he allowed a fragment of Harry's thoughts to enter his own head. Nah, just looking for Link...
Assured of this, Ness returned to feigning sleep. Harry and Link could go off and have their heart-to-heart- the closer the team was, the better chance they stood against Raven, he figured. Besides, it wasn't either of them he was worried about...
His worries proved to not be especially unfounded a few minutes later, as Shinji steadily rose from his bed and began looking around, prompting Ness to continue his false slumber, once again opening his mind. Just as he'd suspected, it didn't seem like Shinji planned on coming back.
As the door shut, Ness rose up from the chair and began following.
At first, he followed distantly behind Shinji, allowing the boy to forge his own path, curious about what direction he was heading in. However, it didn't seem like the boy from Japan was following any real path- just wandering around the city.
Finally, down one street, Shinji looked up at the sky, gave a sigh, and turned to see the street empty behind him. Undeterred, he called out, "Come on out, Ness, I know you're there."
Ness fell, anime-style, out from behind the wall he'd just been hiding behind. "How did you know?!" he asked.
"Sorry to say it," Shinji muttered, "but you're really not as stealthy as you think you are." As was common when he was directly addressing someone, he kept his gaze fixed on his shoes. "For example, if I were tailing somebody, I wouldn't hum the 'Mission Impossible' theme song the whole time."
"Ow..." Ness mumbled, rubbing his chest as though Shinji's words were a bullet that had just pierced it. Straightening up, he put on a grin, pointed dramatically, and called out, "Ha! But you've fallen for my trap, Shinji! I actually wanted you to realize that I was following you, because that way... um... because..."
"You didn't?"
"Just give me a second, alright?" Ness shook him off, waving his hands.
Shinji sighed again. "Ness... why did you follow me?"
"Because I wanted to see where you were going, obviously," Ness shrugged.
"And you knew that I'd be leaving? I thought you promised Akane you wouldn't read our minds anymore!"
"I didn't need to read your mind," Ness shook his head. "You just had... that look around you."
"What look?"
"Like you'd already given up."
Shinji looked up for a moment, staring at Ness, then returned his gaze to the concrete. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I have given up."
"Why, though?" Ness asked. "I mean, don't you trust us?"
"Of course I do!" Shinji nodded. "I mean, I don't really have much choice, do I? The only other person to trust is Raven, and..."
"And," Ness agreed. "But still-"
"I don't want to get in the way, alright!" Shinji broke. "You asked me earlier, what could I contribute? And the fact is- I can't! Everyone else in this group has something they can do for it, except for me! A martial artist, a swordsman, a psychic, a wizard, a robot, and even the cat can act as a scout, but me? All I can do is pilot my Evangelion, and that's back home in Japan! There is literally nothing I can do for this group, I'd just slow you down, so I'm just getting out of your way!"
Ness froze, seeming taken aback for a moment, but then, slowly, he began to smile. "Well, you're just a little ray of sunshine, aren't you?"
Shinji, unaccustomed to such a response, was taken aback. "Huh?"
"You're really quick to count yourself out, you know that?" Ness pointed out. "In fact, you sound kind of like Jeff when I first met him!"
"Jeff?" Shinji asked, staring at him.
"My best friend," Ness explained. "He came all the way from Winters to help me and Paula when we were in a tight situation. When he realized that he was the only one in our group who didn't have any psychic powers, he was pretty down on himself, too. He thought he wasn't worth the time it took to get over to us, thought there was no way he could help us stop Giygas. And you know what?"
"I can guess," Shinji muttered.
"You bet you can!" Ness nodded happily. "He was one of the most valuable members of the team! No powers or anything, and he pulled our butts out of the fire more times than I can count!"
"So... he could fight?"
"I suppose," Ness agreed, "but more than that- he was the smart guy of the group! He put together strategies, figured out the best way to get to where we needed to go- we would never have gotten anywhere without him!"
"Well, that's no use to me, then," Shinji contended, his eyes downcast. "I'm not your smart guy, either."
"Of course not!" Ness agreed. "You're not Jeff! I'm sure KOS-MOS could me the smart person in the group, but you're not her, either! But you know who you are?"
"Shinji Ikari," Shinji muttered hopelessly.
"Dang straight!" Ness said cheerfully. "And you know what? I think Shinji Ikari has the potential to be pretty dang awesome!"
"You're just saying that to try and make me feel better."
"No, I know for a fact," Ness objected. "You wouldn't even be here otherwise!"
"How do you mean?" Shinji asked, eyes widening.
"Well, think about it! Everyone who's here is here because they did something that annoyed Raven- or was about to. In their own time, their own world, they stood for something, they were a symbol of hope to the world- or something. If you were just some schmuck who happened to pilot an Evangelion- which, I'll go ahead and point out, is pretty awesome in itself- you wouldn't have come up on her radar! You have to have done something to catch her attention!"
"But... but I'm just... just..."
"Just Shinji Ikari?" Ness guessed ahead of time. "Maybe so- but guess what? Because you're Shinji Ikari, you get to decide what kind of person Shinji Ikari is going to be! You get to decide if people are going to be saying-" here, Ness put on a sneer and adopted an incredibly derisive tone, "-'Oh, here comes Shinji Ikari. What an idiot, he wears his underwear backwards,' or if they're going to say-" here, he adopted a wild grin and excited voice- "'Oh, awesome, here comes Shinji freaking Ikari, he's the man!"
"But what can I do?"
"I don't know," Ness shrugged. "I'm Ness Locke, so I'm only an expert in what Ness Locke can do. I can't tell Shinji what Shinji can do- but I will say this- maybe you aren't physically strong, like Link, or skilled in martial arts, like Akane, or even all that smart, like KOS-MOS or Jeff- but I'm sure you've got something up your sleeve. When you find out what it is, you'll have to let me know so I can finish that metaphor. Promise me, alright?"
For a moment, Shinji remained silent, gazing at the sidewalk.
"Come on, please?" Ness begged. "I don't like leaving metaphors unfinished- and if you run out on us, I'll never be able to finish that one!"
Finally, Shinji gave a small smile. "Alright. If it'll make you that happy, I'll... try to find out what I'm useful for."
"Awesome!" Ness grinned. "So, how about we get back to the hotel and get some shut-eye?"
Shinji slowly approached. "Sounds good to me." And the two of them turned and set off back to the hotel.
"You know, Shinji," Ness commented as they set off, "there was a very wise man once who said something very profound- 'I am what I am.'"
"Oh, really? Who was that?" Shinji asked.
"I think his name was Pop-Eye or something," Ness shrugged.
For a moment, he seemed like he was about to say something, but then he got distracted by a nearby garbage can. "Oh, hey, look!" he cheered as he rushed over to it and began to forage around in it.
"Are you alright?" Shinji asked as he approached, uncertain whether or not to laugh.
"Hey, it's not too strange!" Ness called as he reached deep into the receptacle's depths. "People throw all kinds of stuff away, you wouldn't believe-"
"Wouldn't believe?" Shinji prompted when Ness abruptly fell silent.
"I don't believe it!" Ness chuckled as he straightened up. "I really don't believe it!"
"Believe what?"
"All this time fumbling around in the dark, and we didn't even bother with the obvious solution!" Ness chortled, producing a newspaper. "How do people in movies always find out where and when they are?"
"You mean like in Back to the Future?" Shinji asked, approaching.
"Yup, just like that," Ness nodded. "So, let's see what we've got here... hey, Shinji, buddy, you ever heard of a place called Jump City?"
Shinji froze. "J-Jump City?" he asked, looking down at the paper.
"Yep, that's where this paper says we are. I was hoping that would answer a few questions, but nope, I'm just as confused as before. Never heard of a place like that. But I'm guessing you have?" he added, seeing the look on Shinji's face.
"Yeah... about fifty times a day," Shinji muttered. "Come on, we have to get back, now!"
"Look at you being all assertive all of a sudden!" Ness exclaimed, a proud expression crossing his face. "You're just grabbing life by the horns and shaking it until it moos!"
"Not the time!" Shinji said frantically. "We have to get back, now!"
"Well, okay, but why?" Ness asked, but Shinji simply responded with a quick, "No time to explain!" before rushing down the street, leaving the psychic boy to run after him into the twilight.
XXXX
Running kind of late with this chapter- got some family commitments going on. A few notes about the chapter itself- this chapter was originally going to be much longer, detailing Ness and Shinji going through Shinji's dungeon and getting his ultimate weapon, (those who have played the original game will understand,) but I ultimately decided that would break up the flow a little much for my tastes, so the chapter as is focuses more on developing the relationships between characters a bit, because don't you just hate it when crossovers are just, 'hey, we have a couple characters from different franchises that are onscreen together,' but they never really interact? Anyways, yeah, I'm planning on having them go through the bonus dungeons. Hard saying if that means a full seven chapters, or if some of the dungeons will share chapters, which might end up happening, if you guys don't think it would cheapen them too much. Anyways, it's getting pretty late, and it looks like my cat's caught another snake yet failed to kill it, so I'm going to go save that little guy. In the meantime, please R&R, constructive criticism embraced, flames, not so much, Gamer4 out.