Hi guys, Calborghete here, how are you all? I hope everyone is doing well.
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So now without further ado, enjoy your reading.
"Dialogues"
- Thoughts -
"Radio Talk"
"Self talk."
Liability Note:
Evangelion, its characters and setting are the property of Hideaki Anno. Any brands, movies and series mentioned in this Fanfic are the property of their creators.
(*)
Chapter 06 - Hello Shikinami.
"Crap." Asuka growled as she adjusted herself in her seat watching briefly through the window and looking at the red earth that covered the world after the third impact, looking at the shapes of the mountains and plains, the small villages that were once full of life and bustle, now was only a dead and lifeless land.
Looking at the red earth, soon Asuka's mind brought back memories of her walk with Shinji just after his capture, how down and depressed he was, confused about everything that had happened.
Closing her eyes and giving a sigh, Asuka felt a great weight on her back, knowing that she had taken too much out on Shinji's back that day, throwing a lot of responsibility at him that was not in his control, had not been his fault.
Bringing her hand to her face, Asuka squeezed the space between her eyes and gave a long sigh, knowing that her mind was wanting to bring Shinji back into her thoughts.
"No." Asuka whispered to herself, hoping she could push those old memories away.
"Why not?" Her mind retorted.
"Because I don't want to spend my time thinking about that brat." Asuka thought annoyed.
"But that's fun, to see that you don't think so." Her mind spoke sarcastically.
Shaking her head in hopes of getting some peace, Asuka gave an annoyed snort, feeling that she couldn't escape, looking outside again in an attempt to distract herself, but only her eyes saw the color red.
"You know he's not a monster." Her conscience spoke, poking at his words.
Asuka only remained silent, looking out with a faraway look in her eyes, with memories flooding her consciousness.
(*)
FLASH BACK
Asuka was walking along holding her L-barrier analysis device, with an annoyed snort as she saw that it was still too high for her rescue to be possible and put the device away, Asuka turned her head back and watched Rei walking a few steps away, with Shinji a few feet behind, his silence was only making her anger increase even more.
His steps were heavy and slow, but unlike his internal posture, his mind was a mess, reliving everything that had happened in the last few hours, especially the death of his friend, Kaworu.
Having remained focused on his own world, Shinji did not notice Asuka walking toward him with quickened steps and closed fists.
"Damn brat!. " Asuka growled as she held Shinji by the collar of her plugsuit, looking at Shinji who had his head down, Asuka's mind was very agitated, having seen how he removed Lilith's body spears without even thinking. "Don't you think before you act?!"
Shinji only kept his head down, he didn't have the courage to bear Asuka's gaze, opening his mouth in an attempt to reply, but he couldn't, it only increased Asuka's anger.
"Why did you come back?" Asuka growled into Shinji's face, seeing tears streaming down his face. "Pathetic."
Feeling Asuka's grip loosen, Shinji felt his body stagger backwards, seeing Asuka's legs turn to leave, Shinji managed to open his mouth and whisper. "I'm sorry."
Hearing that last part, Asuka stopped her walk, closing her fists tightly, everyone could hear her knuckles crack if it wasn't windy, turning around and facing Shinji's broken form again. "What did you say?"
Shinji could feel the venom in Asuka's voice, already knowing that she heard his phrase too well, he wished he could repeat it, could explain that he didn't mean any harm, that he never meant for this to happen.
"You are pathetic." Asuka growled at Shinji, having anger overpowering all reason in her body and her thoughts, she attacked mercilessly. "You only know how to do third party shit. You see that? " Asuka stopped and gestured to the lifeless surroundings. "This is all your fault, because you wanted to play the hero."
"I ... I didn't know." Shinji whispered weakly, still not lifting his head. "I just wanted to save Rei."
"At what cost?!" Asuka shouted at Shinji who visibly cringed.
"I ... I didn't know." Shinji tried to speak, but his mind was destroyed, the only thing he could do was cry.
Seeing Shinji crying, Asuka made a face of disgust as she saw this display of weakness in his eyes, this only helped fuel her anger. "Will you never realize that your place is not here? Your place is in jail, where all monsters have an end."
Shinji closed his eyes tightly, every word Asuka said was like a dagger in his heart. "Asuka please."
"Please what?" Asuka screamed with anger on her face.
Shinji finally looked up and stared into Asuka's eyes for a few seconds, just seeing the anger she conveyed he just wanted her to stop saying those words. "Please..."
"You expect me to take pity on you?" Asuka spoke in a lower voice, but she still conveyed all her anger.
Seeing Shinji lower his gaze to the ground, Asuka spoke in an annoyed manner. "That won't happen brat, you won't get any leniency, you are a monster, a murderer!. "
Taking a step back at these words, Shinji was feeling his legs getting weak, hearing Asuka say this was destroying his heart.
Being completely overcome with anger, Asuka continued her merciless attack. "When we get back to Wunder, I hope I never have to look at that disgusting face of yours again."
Shinji took a step backwards, with one of his feet hitting the train tracks that were just behind, doing nothing to protect himself, with a medium thud on the ground, Shinji fell and was looking down at his hands, his mind being flooded with thoughts, Kaworu's death, Misato's gaze and Asuka's words.
Seeing Shinji's form on the ground, Asuka took a few breaths, but not before saying a sentence that would forever be seared into Shinji's mind, with a deadly glare and utter disdain. "Brat!" Shinji raised his gaze and faced Asuka, only waiting for the final blow.
"You are nothing, nothing but a murderer." Asuka began to speak as she bent down and faced Shinji in the eyes.
"You can die I wouldn't even care."
Shinji felt something die inside him, looking down, he didn't even notice Asuka getting up and walking again. "Get up!"
Still sitting and looking at nothing, Shinji repeated these words in his mind like a broken tape deck, he wanted to cry, but the tears would not come, he wanted to die, but death would not come, he just stared at nothing, repeating each phrase in his head.
With gentle steps, Rei slowly approached, seeing Shinji sitting on the floor with a broken look on his face, stopping in front of him and watching.
- What do I do? - Rei thought in hopes that she could somehow help Shinji, having listened to all the discussion they both had, Rei had never been a person who could take initiative, having been raised to follow orders, she never had the experiences of social interaction.
Acting on instinct, Rei did not know, but something in the back of his mind was telling him to do one thing acting on that instinct, Rei reached out her hand to Shinji who was lost, hoping to help him.
Asuka was walking, taking a deep breath to calm herself from the argument she had with Shinji, remembering the words she had had, Asuka felt the weight it must have caused, seriously regretting having said those words, knowing that even Shinji didn't deserve them. "Shit."
With a deep breath. "Listen Shinji." Asuka turned around hoping she could remedy the blunder she had made, but the sight she caught made her stand paralyzed in place.
Asuka didn't know it, but seeing Shinji holding Rei's hand and accepting her support to get up, now being calmer, she could finally see what her words did. Shinji was visibly broken, any trace of life was destroyed, he was just a piece of meat.
Feeling something break in her heart, Asuka felt a burning in her eyes, looking at her hands as if they had innocent people's blood on them, the once fiery and dangerous redhead was now feeling the consequences of her words, knowing that she had done something as serious as Shinji. "My God ... What have I done?"
End of Flash Back
(*)
Closing her eyes and returning to the present world, Asuka felt again the weight of guilt for her words that day, knowing that it must have hurt Shinji very much, remembering that the rest of their walk to Wunder was only silence, with each one locked in their own world, Shinji with his guilt, Rei trying to understand her role in the world and Asuka with her guilt for what she had done to Shinji.
"What have I done?" Asuka repeated as she felt her eyes burning, controlling her emotions as best she could, the redhead managed just enough to control her tears.
Feeling her heart breaking at the memory, Asuka finally recognized that Mari was right, she had abandoned Shinji, everyone had abandoned him. That once the proud pilot of Unit 02, the person who thought she was better than everyone else, the smartest for having completed college as a child, had made the biggest mistake of her life.
Still looking outside, Asuka remembered Mari's words, having always believed in Shinji's innocence, remembering every argument she had had with her in these fourteen years, the arguments to try to help Shinji's situation and how she always escaped by the easiest route, blaming Shinji.
Remembering her awakening, Asuka remembers being confused, a lot had changed, many things around her, the people and the organization.
Asuka remembered how relieved Misato felt to hear that she was okay, how happy she was to know that she was alive after the failed experiment to activate Unit 03.
Asuka remembered meeting Mari, her anger at knowing that she had destroyed her beautiful Unit 02 in an attempt to contain the tenth angel, how she had convinced Shinji to come back and pilot Unit 01.
"Wretched bitch." Asuka whispered with a smile as she remembered seeing the state Mari had left her EVA in after the battle.
But the worst was yet to come, knowing what had happened to Shinji, at first Asuka didn't want to believe the words that had been said, that Shinji had caused the third impact, even more so to save the wonder girl.
Asuka was confused about all of Shinji's guilt, having her mind refusing to believe it, but living all the years with people telling her and hammering it into her mind that Shinji was a monster, a murderer. They made him believe, and with each passing day, more and more part of his mind believed he was guilty, and more and more he believed less and less.
The same had happened to Misato, little by little, all the people had lost faith in Shinji's innocence, having believed in the quickest and easiest way, he was to blame for everything that had happened.
Having her mind shut down with each passing year until Shinji's return, how she was indoctrinated to hate him and how she was firmly taught to blame him.
Again Asuka found herself remembering the moment she saw Rei offer her hand to help Shinji get up off the floor, the feeling of betrayal, the feeling of jealousy and the sadness that surged in her chest hurt , knowing that the nonsense you had spoken had destroyed any possibility of happiness.
Seeing Rei helping Shinji awakened something in Asuka's mind, the redhead had realized why Shinji was always more directed to be by Rei's side, and that answer was simple, Rei had always been the person who stood by Shinji, the person who offered his hand, the person who offered the shoulder to cry on when the need came, the person who gave support when no one else would and that's what Rei did that day, gave the support that no one else did.
That was the hurt Asuka had with Rei, she was the woman she dreamed of being, she was the person Asuka knew she had to be, to be there for the people who mattered most in her world, but the reality was, her fear of letting people get close always kept her from being intimate with someone, kept her from being loved and loving someone else and when she was finally getting that feeling the world had done something that would stop her.
"Shit ... What have I done?" Asuka repeated as she rubbed her face in her hands, knowing that she had no right to question Shinji's choice to approach her, knowing that she had always been a complete bitch to him, knowing that she always saw her as an inferior being, someone who would never measure up to her.
"What have I done?" Asuka spoke again with her face buried in her hands, remembering again the words she had said to Shinji that day, as if someone had put an anvil on her back.
"You know very well what you have done. "Her mind spoke arrogantly.
"But..." Asuka tried to reason with herself.
"You used him like everyone else." Her mind screamed, burning her guilt to the highest levels.
"But..." Asuka again tried to argue, feeling her mind burning, desperate for any argument that might ease her guilt.
"Why are you thinking about him? You know very well what you've done." Her guilt soon brought images of Shinji, right after she had said those cruel words.
Gasping heavily in an unobtrusive manner, Asuka tried to clear the image of Shinji's gaze, the death look he had on his face, the lifeless look he presented, and she knew very well whose fault that was.
"I didn't want that." Asuka thought restlessly as she tried to control her breathing.
"Didn't want to? When someone says that their death would not be felt by anyone is what?" her mind retorted angrily.
"I was angry." Asuka tried to defend herself, but deep down she knew she had made one of the biggest mistakes of her life.
"No, you know very well that it wasn't that, you called him a monster, but so are you." Again shouted her agitated mind.
"No." Asuka whispered to herself.
"You only have the pretty face, but inside you are also a monster." Her guilt attacked without mercy.
"No." Asuka again tried.
"You know you are, if you were the good guy in the story, you wouldn't have done what you did, do you hate him Asuka?" Her mind attacked again with image of Shinji.
"Yes." Asuka thought arrogantly.
"Do you hate him?" Her mind repeated
"Yes." Asuka thought, feeling that reality was different.
"Do you hate him?" Her mind again asked, forcing the truth to surface.
"I..." Asuka replied feeling confused.
"Do you hate him?" Her mind asked for the last time.
A hush came over Asuka's mind, her mind stayed still as she thought about the answer, knowing that her mind had access to the deepest corners of her consciousness, knowing that the reality was just the opposite.
Memories of her trying to prepare lunch for Shinji came strongly into her head, Asuka remembered Misato's teasing when she arrived early and saw her testing the salt of her homemade food.
Her feeling of anger upon learning that Rei had prepared a dinner for Shinji and his father, how threatened she was feeling by the wonder girl, how she always got Shinji's attention with such ease.
Memories of her conversation with him at the end of the battle against the angel that fell from the sky, how comfortable she felt sharing the same bed with Shinji, when she finally allowed him to call her by her name.
Knowing that he had refused to engage in confrontation when his EVA was infected by the angel and his reaction after she destroyed it with the activation of the autopilot.
With a small laugh, Asuka remembered being told that Shinji had made a small mutiny against her father, that he had taken over Unit 01 and threatened to destroy everything he could because he was forced to.
"No, I don't hate him." Asuka answered the question that her mind longed for an answer to.
Finally her mind went silent, finally Asuka felt peace internally for having admitted to herself that she didn't hate Shinji, but that she cared about him.
Closing her eyes and giving a sigh, Asuka was finally at peace with at least one issue, but this was one of the thousands she had regarding Shinji, but one thing took her concentration away.
"What's that?" The pilot spoke up as his concentration was broken by an alert on his panel.
Looking forward, his eyes widened as a black dot approached the ground, its trajectory being revealed by a white path.
"Missile on the way! " The pilot shouted for the crew to get ready.
Pulling on its controls in the hope of swerving, but the skilled pilot knew this was a futile task, the large and heavy VTOL was not an agile and easily maneuverable combat ship, but a large lump of heavy metal.
With his eyes fixed on the fast approaching object, the copilot turned on his radio and shouted frantically. "AA04 we are under attack!"
Asuka only held on to her seat as best she could, only being able to hope that the pilots could work around the situation.
"AA04 what is your current position?" A crew member from WILLE's base in Toulouse.
"We are 120 KM away from the Toulouse base..." The copilot was making as much effort as he could to get the information out as he could, with the bird shaking and swaying it was hard to get a clear read on the instruments.
"We have you on radar, support is already..." The radio operator was speaking when the connection had been cut, not by technical failure, but by the explosion of the launched missile.
"Contact!" The pilot shouted as he realized there was nothing he could do to stop the contact.
With a large explosion, happening outside, shrapnel was thrown opening large holes in the VTOL sides.
Asuka cringed for cover as the deafening noise filled the place, seeing a large hole appearing in the side of the aircraft, her eyes widening as Wunder's crew members were being sucked out with the violent decompression that was taking place.
"Engine 02 is on fire!"shouted the copilot as he pressed the fire button.
"Put your mask on " shouted the pilot as he struggled with the controls, feeling that with each passing second, the less he had control.
"We have to land! We can't make it!" Shouted the pilot trying to keep calm among the inferno of alarms and warnings, a flurry of sounds coming from the radio asking for information, but he had no way to answer. "We're going down!"
Hearing this, soon the copilot adjusted himself in his chair, feeling a bead of sweat dripping down his face as he saw the ground rapidly approaching, knowing that only by a miracle could they survive. "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!"
"Let's go! Let's go!" The pilot growled as he adjusted what little control he had left.
"Ten thousand feet!" The copilot was narrating the information to him. "Five Thousand!"
Ground proximity alarms began to sound, flooding the cabin with sounds and words.
The pilot of the broken VTOL could not take his eyes off the view in front of him, hoping that he would be able to land the bird as safely as he could in situations like this.
"A thousand feet!" Shouted the copilot as he began to let himself be overcome by panic.
"Easy!... " Shouted the pilot as he realized that his partner was losing the battle with courage, looking at the canopy of trees rapidly approaching.
Asuka was sitting in her seat, her eyes closed in a desperate attempt to remain calm, but her thoughts only fell on her life, how she always wasted away because of her pride, how she drove everyone away because of her fear of being abandoned.
"I don't want to die." Thought Asuka as she closed her eyes tighter, trying to ignore the cries of despair from the other crew members who managed to adjust, all of them cheering and praying to make it through a situation like this.
With sounds of metal creaking, pieces of the aircraft fell off with every violent jolt the bird gave, every sound of metal breaking and screaming with stress.
"Brace for impact!. " shouted the pilot as he began to feel the base of the VTOL colliding with the treetops.
Holding on for protection, everyone began to feel as the ship destroyed everything in its path, tree branches were torn away and earth was lifted.
With a strong impact, the VTOL hit the ground opening a large crater lifting dirt and dust in all directions for still sliding through the red earth.
Asuka can only keep her eyes closed and hold on as best she can to the sound of metal being twisted.
After sliding violently across the ground, Asuka felt when the VTOL stopped moving, opening her eyes slowly, the redhead noted that she was alive, with a sigh of relief she let go and stood up as best she could.
"Let's get out." Asuka spoke as she approached one of the crew members and helped him to his feet, soon the pilot was exiting the cabin carrying his companion.
Setting the wounded gently on the ground, Asuka approached the pilot who was holding a radio in his hand trying to get in touch with any WILLE base.
"This is AA04 ... We have been shot down, we have many wounded and dead, anyone copy?" The pilot spoke with a grimace as he only received static as a response.
"Anything?" Asuka asked as she tied a bandage on her arm that was injured in the fall.
"Nothing, the region is bad for..." The pilot was speaking when he had been interrupted with a gunshot.
Asuka can only watch as the pilot's body falls lifeless in front of her, with a hole in his head.
"Contact!" Shouted the redhead as she sought shelter, soon a hail of gunfire erupted, Asuka could only draw her pistol.
Seeing a man dressed in SEELE colors approaching, Asuka raised her gun and fired two shots, seeing that both hit their target perfectly.
Walking away slowly at the sound of the screams the wounded were giving, Asuka could tell that shots were coming from all directions. "Shit this is bad."
"You think?" shouted a crewman as he returned the fire he was receiving.
Looking down at her gun and with only one more comb of ammunition, Asuka swallowed dryly as she saw that they were at a great disadvantage, knowing that things were bad, but she was an elite EVA pilot, she was not going down without a fight.
Adjusting and aiming, Asuka was making every round count, hitting and shooting down each approaching SEELE militant.
With a downcast look on her face, Asuka realized that her gun had run out of ammunition, sharing the look of defeat her partners were giving her, she knew the end was near, SEELE sympathizers used to display the bodies of WILLE soldiers as trophies.
Approaching slowly and arrogantly, the leader of the group spoke smiling as he saw the small group. "Look what we have here."
Raising their hands, everyone stood up and faced their enemy.
With a sadistic and cruel laugh, the leader soon fired a shot into the head of one of the prisoners, watching the man's body fall to the ground. Asuka realized in horror as everyone was laughing.
Controlling her breathing as best she could, Asuka was scared, but didn't want to show it.
"Who's next?" The man asked arrogantly as he showed the gun to everyone, locking his gaze on Asuka who was standing still with her eyes fixed on him.
"Look." The man spoke as he took a lock of red hair from Asuka. "If it isn't the pilot."
"Don't touch me." Asuka spoke as she slapped her attacker's hand.
With a provocative sound, all the SEELE terrorists spoke.
"I think the cat scratches." Spoke the leader as he punched Asuka hard in the face who fell to the ground struggling to stay conscious.
"It's nothing without your little robot, no?" Shouted the man as he kicked the side of Asuka's body. "It's nothing!"
Gasping to regain her breath from the hard kicks she had received, soon weakened Asuka turned and tried to get up, but was met with a hard kick to the chin that returned her to the ground unconscious.
Spitting on Asuka's motionless body, the man growled as he turned to his men. "Grab all the supplies you can. "
"What about the prisoners?" One of the soldiers asked as he stared at the look of fear on the prisoners' faces; some were holding their pose and others were crying.
With a deadly look, the man exchanged glances between his soldier and the prisoners, nodding at the idea he had.
"Kill everyone, but take the pilot."
With a final laugh, all the soldiers adjusted themselves and started shooting, killing one by one without mercy, soon the screams of the prisoners were cut off with the sounds of gunfire ending their lives.
After committing the massacre of the prisoners, the leader watched him as his men carried Asuka's unconscious body to his private vehicle, but soon his thoughts were cut short when one of his men came up, "Sir, why don't we kill her?"
With a smile on his face, he replied. "A pilot is worth a lot."
Seeing the look on his boss' face, soon the group left the crash site, only leaving the bodies as a reminder, getting into his car, the leader watched Asuka unconscious, knowing he could get many things out of her, with a sadistic smile on his face he turned to the driver.
"Let's go."
With the order given, all militants of the SEELE group started to leave the site, only the sound of nature prevailed in the place where the VTOL had crashed, nothing else was happening there, only death.
(*)
Wunder.
"What do you mean they were shot down?!" Mari shouted in the conference room, they were getting the news that the VTOL had never arrived at WILLE's Toulouse base.
"Makinami calm down." Ritsuko spoke as she approached the pilot who was clearly affected by the news.
Misato as always was keeping her posture cool, but internally she was agitated, feeling her body shaking with the possible death of Asuka, the Wunder commander brought her hand to her forehead to wipe the sweat that was dripping off.
Making a great effort to contain her emotion, Misato thanked that she was wearing her sunglasses to hide her eyes that were wanting to cry, she could not lose Asuka, she was an important asset to WILLE, but most important of all, Misato had already lost her "son", her head could not lose her "daughter".
"Easy one OVA! This is my sister we're talking about! " Mari shouted again as she pushed away Ritsuko's hand that had landed on her shoulder, approaching cautiously, Sakura who was by Rei's side at all times, placed her hand gently on her shoulder.
Feeling her eyes burning with all that was happening, Mari soon tried to put her hands on her head and breathe deeply to calm down, feeling Sakura's hand on her shoulder, gasping heavily, soon her eyes landed on Sakura's.
"Do you hear survivors?" Misato asked with her arms crossed.
"No ma'am, the survivors were killed by SEELE sympathizers." The soldier on the other end of the line spoke cautiously, seeing that everyone in the room was letting out a sigh. "Captain Shikinami's body had not been found."
Upon hearing those words, Mari let out a muffled sob, having turned around and hugged Sakura tightly as she wept on her shoulder.
"This can't be happening."
"Was she lost in the crash?" Ritsuko asked the soldier on the other end of the line, she was expecting that question to be asked by Misato.
"We don't know ma'am, but we have a theory that is being analyzed." The soldier spoke cautiously.
"Say lieutenant." Misato asked coldly, already making a great effort to keep her body and voice under control.
"The wreckage suggests that Captain Shikinami survived the crash, parts of her personal equipment was found at the site, things that could only be found with the captain herself." The soldier spoke as he showed pictures of the crash site, Misato shook her hands as she saw the carnage and part of Asuka's equipment.
"Lieutenant Suzuhara!" Ritsuko called to the young doctor. "Take the Makinami pilot outside."
Without even turning around to look, Ritsuko knew this would be too much for Mari to handle, Rei only watched as Sakura led a very shaken Mari outside, both exchanged a quick glance before Sakura disappeared.
After the girls left, Rei turned her attention to the screen in front of her, cautiously watching everything that was shown, with a downcast sigh, Rei lowered her head to the floor.
"What are you implying Lieutenant?" Misato asked coldly, having in her mind wanting to hunt down these people who did this, having imagined endless scenarios in her head, one worse than the other.
Swallowing dryly, the young lieutenant spoke up. "We believe she had been captured."
With a heavy sigh, Misato continued. "What evidence do you have?"
"We have footprints on the ground that suggest something was carried." With that the lieutenant showed the evidence. "An EVA pilot could be very valuable to their cause."
"Begin the search now." Misato ordered without giving a chance for a reply, she spoke clearly in a tone that it would do no good to argue or fight back, she only received a nod from the lieutenant before turning off the transmission.
Turning and leaving with heavy, quick steps, Misato walked out of the conference room, she didn't want to talk to anyone at this time, she was too shaken to speak or do anything.
Rei watched as Misato walked away, having listened to the whole capture hypothesis, the blue haired girl raised her head and spoke, with a feeling inside her body suggesting that she should join Sakura.
"Mistress!.. "
Ritsuko was gathering her papers when she had been called by Rei, raising her head and speaking professionally. "What is it Rei?"
"I request permission to join Sakura and the Makinami pilot." Rei asked keeping her voice thin and delicate, Rei felt she owed Mari something, having dreamed of situations she had never experienced, soon images of her fighting alongside Mari came into her mind.
Ritsuko raised her head and faced her with a confused and puzzled look on her face. "And why do you want to?"
Rei looked at her for a few seconds, having seriously thought of a reason to tell her, but the reality was that she didn't know, only that she should be there to help her right now. "I don't know, something tells me I should be there for her, the Makinami pilot has always cared about me."
Ritsuko only stared at her and gave a tired sigh. "Okay Rei, you can go."
With a final nod, Rei turned and left leaving Ritsuko alone in the room, but a thought came into her mind, with an internal laugh she went back to doing what she was doing.
Walking with gentle, soft steps, Rei was looking for Mari and Sakura, having searched for both at possible locations, but not succeeding.
Going towards the only place she hadn't looked was the living quarters, ignoring the stares she received, people still looked at her for the fact that she was an Ayanami type, but Rei ignored them completely.
Standing in front of the room, Rei didn't know but felt hesitant for a few seconds, after a few seconds of indecision and raising his fist, Rei knocked softly on the door.
After a few seconds, the door opened and Rei was facing Sakura, sobs from Mari could be heard.
"Rei?"
"Hello Lieutenant Suzuhara." Rei replied directly as he faced her in the eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked confused and curious, as it was unusual for Rei to look for Mari, it was always the other way around.
"I would like to provide support for ... Mari." Rei replied not quite knowing what he should do.
Before Sakura could answer, Mari's voice came up, "Who is it?"
Sakura turned and spoke. "It's Rei."
A sniffle could be heard, but Mari spoke anyway, her voice having been distorted by tears. "You can let her in."
"Come in Rei." Sakura moved out of the way giving Rei access to enter the room, seeing her walking to one side of the bed, Sakura returned to her seat.
Walking over to the bed where Mari was lying, Rei began to think about what she could do to help. - What should I do? -
"Pilot Makinami?" Rei called out as she sat down beside the bed, she could see that Mari was very shaken.
"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Mari? " Mari replied with her face buried in her pillow, she didn't like being called by her last name.
"Sorry." Rei whispered as he lowered his gaze to the ground.
"Don't worry Rei." Mari spoke as she adjusted herself on the bed, finally Rei can see how affected she was, her eyes were terribly red from crying so much. "Thank you Rei."
"For what?" Rei asked confused.
"For being here." Mari spoke as she looked at the base of the bed. "Thank you so much, both of you."
Sakura allowed herself a small smile, exchanging a quick glance with Rei.
Rei felt a bit confused because she didn't know what had helped, but something in her mind was satisfied that she had helped, even though she didn't know what to do, but soon a memory came up, a recent memory she had heard in the conference room.
"What is it Rei?" Mari spoke as she saw Rei's face, even though she was down, Mari could still read people, Sakura also stared back at her.
"I heard something just now and I don't know if I should speak." Rei replied as he looked down at his hands.
"Is it about Asuka?" Mari spoke as she closed her eyes.
"Yes." Rei replied monotonously.
"What is it? They found the... " Mari stopped as she couldn't pronounce the word body.
"They think she's alive." Rei replied as he raised his gaze and saw Mari's shocked face.
"What do you mean?" Mari replied quickly, adjusting herself on the bed, the same was true of Sakura.
"They think the group of SEELE sympathizers captured her." Rei replied as if in an interrogation.
With a quick movement, Mari pulled Rei into a tight hug, the news was still bad, but knowing that Asuka could still be alive was already something. "Are you sure?"
Rei watched Sakura's face, she had a shocked look on her face, slowly Rei wrapped her arms around Mari's body. "That's what they think."
(*)
Somewhere between France and Italy.
Asuka woke up in a closed room, looking around with her blurred vision, she could see that she was in a captivity, having only a view of stones on all sides, only a metal door in the background.
Looking around and feeling her body aching, Asuka soon knew that she had been taken prisoner, but her thoughts were soon cut short by the sound of the lock being opened, with three armed men entering, one of whom had been easily recognized.
"Look who's awake." The group leader spoke with a smile. "You will give what I want."
(*)
Somewhere between France and Italy - a few days later.
Shinji was looking with his binoculars at a group of sympathizers inside a small village, he was finding his way unnoticed to approach the WILLE base a few hundred KM away where Unit 01 was being stored.
Walking past the men, Shinji was doing a good job, but one word caught his eye in the conversation of the sympathizers standing next to a campfire and that word had been precisely.
"Redhead."
Stopping and adjusting to listen better, Shinji didn't know it, but something inside him didn't like the tone of the conversation.
"They broke up the VTOL, they killed everyone." One of the men spoke as he smoked his cigarette.
"Well done, so WILLE learns." The other spoke laughing as he poked at the fire.
"I heard that they picked up one of the pilots." The man who was smoking spoke up.
"Which one?" The man tending the fire asked curiously.
"I think the redhead, he just said she was hot." Smiled the man as he let out the smoke.
Feeling his hand shaking, Shinji looked down, he didn't know why he was reacting like this, he shouldn't care, but something inside him was screaming to do something.
Turning to leave, he felt paralyzed on the spot at the phrases spoken.
"But is she alive?" One of the men asked.
"As far as I know yes." The man spoke as he held the cigarette in his fingers.
Shinji at this point began to gasp, his mind being flooded with images of what they could do to Asuka.
"I shouldn't care." Shinji thought angrily.
"Why not?" His mind asked back.
"They don't care, why should I?" Shinji retorted annoyed, but soon images of injured Asuka came into his head, desperately trying to clean up.
"Are you going to let them do whatever they want with her?" Soon her mind brought up images of several naked men having 'fun' with Asuka, feeling her anger rising with each second.
"Are you a monster?" Her mind asked as she showed Asuka begging for help.
Gasping heavily, Shinji closed his eyes. "But what about our plan, Unit 01?"
"It can wait." His conscience spoke. "A few days more or less won't make a difference."
"But they don't care." Shinji tried to mentally argue.
"Even though they don't deserve it, it's the right thing to do." His conscience spoke wisely.
"Shit, shit, shit! " Shinji closed his eyes tightly along with his fists. "You know what? Fuck."
Shinji growled as he turned and headed towards the group, drawing his gun and taking heavy steps towards the group, as he got close enough he shouted. "Hey!. "
The last thing the man poking at the fire saw was the flash of Shinji's shot.
Seeing his companion's body fall into the fire, the smoking man tried to get up, but soon his body was thrown to the ground with a strong blow to the back.
Seeing the look of hatred on Shinji's face, soon the sympathizer began to tremble, seeing the barrel of his Beretta buried in his head, the man only waited, but death did not come.
"Where is the pilot?" Shinji asked sharply.
"I don't know." The man stammered in terror.
SOUND OF SOMETHING BREAKING.
With a muffled cry of pain, the SEELE sympathizer, felt one of his fingers being broken. "I can stay like this all night, it all depends on you!. "
"I've only heard rumors." The horrified man spoke as he realized he was in trouble, knowing he shouldn't reveal any information, but on the other hand, this person in front of him was willing to do anything for that information. "I think I know where she is."
"Good." Shinji spoke strongly as he faced the person with intensity. "Speak."
(*)
Interior of France.
It had been a few days since Shinji had gotten the information about Asuka's whereabouts, having been able to move easily to his destination.
Looking out over the surrounding plains, Shinji soon found himself thinking again about his motivation for doing his rescue.
"Why am I doing this?" Shinji asked himself still without taking his gaze off the dirt road, with only the headlights and the stars illuminating the path.
"Because it's the right thing." His head again answered her. "Are we going to have to get into this subject again?"
Shinji only gave a bored snort, he didn't want to admit that he was feeling genuine concern for Asuka's safety, having caught himself several times counting the days Asuka was in jail.
With his mind again flooded with images of Asuka, mainly asking him for help, Shinji closed his eyes in the hope that he could clear these images, but he was failing fiercely.
"Why didn't you come to help me?" Shinji swore he could hear Asuka herself saying this, having the mental image of her injured and about to die.
"No." Shinji whispered as he closed his eyes tightly, not bothering to look at the red dirt road, he didn't want to imagine such things, his mind and body were reacting with the possibility that she was dead.
"Help me please." Again Shinji closed his eyes as he heard Asuka's weakened voice.
Shaking his head hard, Shinji was struggling desperately to keep control of his body, feeling his hands clenching hard on the old steering wheel of his stolen truck.
"I don't want to die." Shinji huffed in annoyance, having his body seized by anger and determination, added to the thoughts of what they might be doing to Asuka right now.
"Fuck!" Shinji yelled as he sank his foot as hard as he could on the accelerator, making the old pickup truck suffer from the effort it was being ordered to make.
Punching the panel hard, Shinji felt his joints suffering from the impacts, feeling sorry for the poor material that was receiving his wrath.
Having vented his anger, Shinji soon calmed down enough to get back to his task. After a few hours of driving, Shinji noticed a small fire in the background, and tried to turn off his car's headlights and slow down.
Grabbing his GPS device, Shinji checked the coordinates received by the SEELE sympathizer, noting that he was in the right location, Shinji got out of his car and grabbed his binoculars.
Noting that the entrance was protected by a handful of sympathizers, he was thankful that it was night time, this would help in his strategy to enter this place.
"Okay, I'll do it." Shinji spoke as he lowered his binoculars, walking to the back of the vehicle, Shinji grabbed his backpack with all the supplies he had managed to gather.
Stopping to breathe, Shinji looked at his hands that were visibly shaking, closed his eyes and kept opening and closing his fist a few times to calm himself down.
Taking a deep breath, Shinji slowly opened his eyes, always performing this ritual of his own before making any onslaught. "I have been through this before, I must not run away."
Taking off his heavy coat, Shinji began to prepare himself, checking every weapon, every ammunition, the young boy put on a bulletproof vest that he had gotten he knows not how.
Taking one last look at everything, Shinji began to walk slowly to the cave entrance, with the night as his cover.
Stopping behind a rock, Shinji watched as one of the men started to move away, seeing the opportunity to finish one of them off, soon Shinji armed himself with a hunting knife and waited for the right moment.
Keeping his breathing under control with each step his target approached, clenching his knife for firm contact, Shinji waited, watching his target stop a few feet away to urinate.
Picking up a stone that was at his feet, Shinji threw it to attract this person's attention with a soft thud, soon the sympathizer was alerted by the sound of the stone's impact, drawing his weapon and starting to approach.
With a sadistic and wicked smile, Shinji only waited, seeing the clumsy form of the sympathizer, being completely at an advantage Shinji advanced with delicate and smooth steps.
Soon the sympathizer was looking anywhere in search of the invader, he did not notice Shinji approaching, raising his hand and covering his opponent's mouth, Shinji penetrated his knife into the sympathizer's back.
He felt the man move and try to get loose, but soon his movements stopped and his body went limp, gently dragging the corpse to an area out of sight of his companions.
Looking around to see if he hadn't drawn unnecessary attention, Shinji went in search of any equipment that might help in his mission.
Disguising himself with the clothes of his fallen opponent, Shinji hoped to get as close as he could.
Walking in a more casual manner, Shinji approached the group sitting by the campfire, walking around the corners and approaching the cave entrance.
All was going well, but soon one of the sympathizers realized that his colleague was walking back in, with a smile on his face the man teased. "Henri! Qu'est ce que c'est? Êtes-vous avec de la merde? (Henri! What's the matter, you got shiting yourfelf?)"
Shinji at this moment felt paralyzed in place, he knew that this man was talking to him, but he didn't know a single word of French, he only nodded in the hope that he could convince.
Frowning at his colleague's wrong posture, the man soon stood up and approached with a suspicious look, being followed by his colleagues. "Qu'est ce que c'est? (What is it?)."
Shinji at this point let out a sigh, knowing that things were getting difficult, lowering his hand gently to his faithful squire, his Beretta.
Turning his head slowly toward the group, Shinji remained calm as his eyes met the three who were staring at him.
"C'est quoi ce bordello! (What the fuck! )." Shouted one of the sympathizers upon seeing Shinji's face, widening his eyes upon seeing that it was not his colleague.
Shinji seeing that everyone was drawing their weapons, feeling the barrel of his Beretta, the world seemed to be in slow motion for Shinji, drawing his gun with incredible agility.
With a quick and precise movement he aimed at the first man, Shinji pulled the trigger three times, this was the number of shots needed to contain his enemies.
One by one, the three men fell backwards with a clean shot to their heads, watching the bodies of their opponents, Shinji gave a sigh of relief when he saw that he had managed to be faster, but his calm was soon broken when he saw the bodies on the ground.
Quickly hiding the bodies, soon Shinji ran to the cave entrance, but not before giving his rescuer Beretta a kiss. "Thank you my love."
Looking around every corner, Shinji was walking cautiously, tending to hide when he came across sympathizers, knowing he was outnumbered.
"Where the hell are you?" Shinji growled as he searched everywhere he could find, but soon a sound came, it was screams coming through the halls. "Shit!"
Having thought he was found out, Shinji quickly prepared himself, looking at his weaponry for anything that might get in his way, speeding his steps through the stone corridors, Shinji drew his gun.
"Arrête toi là! (Stop there! )". Shouted one of the guards upon noticing Shinji's movement.
Seeing the man pull out a knife, Shinji immediately shot him with his gun, without bothering to slow down, seeing that his shots had an effect and only observing the body of the fallen man.
(*)
In one of the makeshift rooms inside the cave, the leader who had captured Asuka was looking at a series of maps and schematics showing WILLE supply routes, still not having gotten any information from the pilot he had captured.
With a small jump upon hearing the sound of gunshots the man tried to grab his gun, ordering his companions to meet the enemy. "Allez, tuez la racaille de WILLE! (Go, kill the scum of WILLE! )."
Running out, soon the SEELE sympathizers ran out, getting up and walking with quickened steps to where Asuka was standing, clutching her gun tightly.
Looking back at the sound of more gunshots and shouts, the leader of this group stopped as he came upon a large iron door, turning the mechanism that unlocked the large door, entering and closing it again.
Walking over to the frail and injured form of Asuka who was sitting in the corner of the room, her face was covered with bruises, her lips were cracked and her eyes were half-open.
Grabbing Asuka's arm violently, soon the leader spoke strongly. "Come on you WILLE whore!. "
"Please, someone." Asuka whispered almost inadiably as her arm was pulled tightly.
"Move!. " The leader shouted as he let go of Asuka's frail arm and pointed the gun at her head, seeing the frail and tired look on her face, soon Asuka locked her eyes on her jailer.
Growling at Asuka's lack of movement, the man intensified his gaze, pulling the mechanism that engaged a bullet, he was determined to kill her.
Asuka just watched with her eyes half-open, feeling every part of her body screaming in pain and exhaustion at everything they had done to her these days, she just wanted it all to end, for all the pain to go away.
Ready to kill the Unit 02 pilot, the man pressed the trigger, but before he finally took Asuka's life, accelerated footsteps came through the newly opened door.
Growling in determination, Shinji ran and used his body to throw his opponent off balance.
Hearing the sound of the gunshot passing millimeters from her head, Asuka could only see a large blur colliding with her attacker, turning heads at the sound of a fight happening next to her, with her mind clouded, she was unable to see clearly.
Holding the gun away from Asuka, Shinji shouted in determination as he managed to get his opponent to drop it, causing him to crash to the ground several times.
"Bastard!" Shouted the leader of the group as he began kneeing Shinji in the ribs, managing to break free from Shinji's firm grip.
Getting up and drawing his knife, the leader growled as he saw the body stand up and stare at him with a fierce and deadly stare, he only adjusted his stance and waited for his attacker.
Running toward Shinji with the knife raised, the leader shouted as he pointed the knife toward Shinji's chest.
With one precise movement, Shinji managed to use his forearm to deflect the attack and seeing the opportunity he landed a powerful punch to the side of the sympathizers' leader's head.
Seeing that he had been hit, the man soon tried to strike a clean blow with the knife, swinging it towards Shinji's waist in the hope of getting a deep and deadly cut.
Leaping backwards, Shinji quickly managed to dodge it, turning left and then right.
Seeing that he was unable to hurt the invader, having his abilities broken by only one person, this was increasing the leader's anger to the greatest point. "Die brat!"
Shinji was only dodging, he was thinking of a strategy of how he was going to get the knife out, seeing that more and more he had to dodge the blows.
Spinning the knife in every direction he could, the leader shouted to be able to drive more force into his blows. "Coward!"
Seeing Shinji pushing her away and gaining space, the leader ran toward her with his knife raised. "Face me like a man!".
Frowning at the words he heard, Shinji tried to wait, his strategy was to get rid of the knife, seeing again the man running towards him, Shinji ran towards him while shouting.
Seeing that he was close enough, the leader began swinging the knife in any direction that might have some advantage.
Shinji was making a great effort to dodge it, but he himself knew that this couldn't last forever, but his train of thought had been broken as he felt an impact on his left cheek.
Lifting his leg and kicking the leader's abdomen, Shinji could put his hand on the hit spot, feeling the blood start to flow, he soon noticed a cut, raising his gaze and locking onto his opponent.
"Hurts, right?" The leader spoke with a smile as he saw that he had managed to wound Shinji, spinning the knife between his fingers arrogantly. "I'll make you suffer WILLE scoria."
With an arrogant smile, Shinji spoke up laughing, "I'm not from WILLE."
Soon the leader's smile disappeared, he observed Shinji's face and felt a slight pang of recognition. "I know you."
With an indignant snort, the leader finally realized who this man was, "You are he."
Bowing with his hands, soon Shinji introduced himself with false modesty. "Shinji Ikari, the one and only."
Making a disgusted face upon hearing this, the leader soon became annoyed at Shinji's lack of respect, but a sound in the background caught both of their attention.
"Shinji!" Asuka whispered almost inaudibly, her beautiful blue eyes now lifeless could only reflect some of Asuka's bruised mind. "Help me."
Feeling a strange feeling as he heard Asuka calling him, turning his head and watching Asuka's frail body stretched out on the floor, Shinji felt something inside him, he didn't like this feeling.
"You will pay for what you have done." Shinji spoke angrily, with the sight of injured Asuka as fuel.
"Come!" The leader shouted as he raised his knife.
Running towards the leader, soon Shinji was using his arms to stop himself from being hit, being overcome with rage and determination, turning his body and managing to land powerful punches in the leader's ribs.
Shinji's irritated mind smiled as he heard the groans of pain with each blow he managed to land, using the leader's body like a boxing punching bag, Shinji growled as he punched harder and harder.
With one final punch, Shinji watched as the leader tried one last thing, raising the knife upward in hopes of wounding him in the back.
Shinji realized this act, with a step back he raised his arm and held the knife aloft, with a fierce and deadly look, Shinji used his opponent's arm, twisting it and throwing the knife against the abdomen of the leader of the sympathizers.
Looking his prey in the eye, Shinji sank the knife slowly, liking what he was seeing, having his anger as fuel, he watched as the man's eyes widened with every inch the knife sank.
Bringing his mouth closer to the sympathizer leader's ear, Shinji whispered sadistically. "Hurts, right?"
The man only watched as Shinji removed the knife from his body, looking at the agonizing form of his victim on the ground, Shinji observed.
"Finish him off!". His agitated mind screamed.
Still maintaining his deadly gaze, Shinji turned and walked over to Asuka, rotating her body by her shoulders, Shinji could get a good look at how she was doing and feeling his heart breaking at the sight, soon any shred of sanity had been broken.
Rising abruptly, Shinji walked over to the dying man on the floor with a deadly, fierce look in his eyes, gripping the handle of the knife very tightly.
The leader was on the ground saw the movement, knowing he was doomed, he raised his hand and spoke. "Calm down, you don't understand."
Shinji didn't bother to listen, pulling the man by his shirt and placing the knife in his neck, Shinji looked him in the eye as he opened a mortal wound, slowly cutting his flesh.
Holding his gaze at all times, Shinji watched as the life drained from his victim, with a victorious sigh, Shinji turned back to Asuka, lifting her frail body in his arms and walking slowly out of the cave.
Asuka was still feeling tired, she was feeling a movement, she knew she was being taken to another place, but she didn't know why, plus her body was relaxing, her mind bringing up a name she had heard.
"Shinji." Asuka whispered as she rested her head on Shinji's chest, listening to his heartbeat, feeling her body calming down, soon the injured redhead was in the dream world, all the pain had passed, all the insecurity had subsided, she only felt peace.
(*)
Somewhere in France.
Opening her eyes and seeing an unfamiliar ceiling, Asuka quickly blinked to clear her vision, turning her head slowly to the side she saw that she was lying on a couch, with a tired sigh she tried to get up, but the pain in her body wouldn't let her and made her lie down again.
Looking around, Asuka realized she was getting an IV, or so she thought, lifting her free arm and starting to undo the small bandage that made the access stay in place, a voice came up in the background, a familiar voice.
"I wouldn't do that." A male voice spoke.
Soon Asuka froze in place, having recognized that voice, a voice she had heard long ago, raising her gaze and seeing its owner, soon her eyes widened, but only one demonstrated.
Asuka froze in place, feeling her breathing quicken at the person standing in the doorway, looking at the face she thought she would never see again, looking at the face that haunted her dreams.
Shinji was standing there looking at Asuka's shocked form, only staring at her with a cold look on his face, not showing any emotion, with a bored sigh he spoke.
"Hello Shikinami."
Author's Notes: Hello Calborghete folks here, how are you? Did you like it? I hope so. As always be sure to follow and save it to your favorites so you don't miss any future updates.
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