Creation began on 08-04-16
Creation ended on 08-22-16
Neon Genesis Evangelion
To Connect across Space and Time
A/N: Because time and space are oftentimes viewed differently due to alternate dimensions, there is no answer to the passage of time between one dimension and another.
Until further notice of the Unit-03 incident, any testing involving Unit-04 was suspended until the Eva was checked thoroughly by the technicians. This left Kensuke temporarily on standby with plenty of free time between synchronization tests. But it didn't ease his troubled conscious on account of the fact that he had been unable to try and get in touch with Shinji in the other dimension ever since his brief coma. It had been a month since the incident, but no matter how many times he fell asleep at night, the Fourth Child couldn't return to that strange world.
There must be a way, he thought, looking on his school PC for methods to reconnect to an alternate universe, but finding no luck.
"Hey, Kensuke," went Toji to him that afternoon, sitting in the desk beside the otaku's. "How you been at NERV?"
"I don't do much of anything there right now," he explained, still trying to find a solution to his objective. "You believe me when I say that I saw Shinji in that other world, right? I mean, I saw him, spoke with him, was introduced to the animals he had with him?"
"At times like this, I don't think I can afford not to believe you," the jock responded. "He actually nicknamed a dinosaur-like creature after the Red Devil?"
"Naming his creatures after people he's met here helps him to stay sane."
-x-
Nearly two months after that time Kensuke just appeared briefly in this world, Shinji, who had ventured into the Safari Zone a week after winning his sixth badge from Koga, the leader of the Fuchsia Gym, had managed to catch some more Pokemon to escape from the depression he felt from feeling like a stranger in a strange place with strangers. While he got by with his Pokemon, it was still hard to imagine how something like this could even happen. How someone he knew could just show up…and then leave as quickly as they arrived.
Now…before it can get away, he thought, throwing a Safari Ball at the wild Chansey he encountered after feeding it a berry as bait to lower its guard.
"Chansey?" It reacted, seeing the ball and was unable to evade or flee.
Tap. The Safari Ball made contact with it and its body became light, transferring into the ball.
Shinji watched as the ball shook on the grass as the Chansey tried to break free. He waited for it to cease.
Ping! It ceased shaking, and he picked it up.
"That makes forty-five now," he told himself, referring to the number of individual Pokemon he had caught within the Safari Zone. "I'll look for two more Pokemon I don't have, and then return to the Warden's house."
He had managed to catch ten Tauros, eight Ponyta, three Rhyhorn, a Dratini, two Kangaskhan, three Venomoth, three Shellder, five Growlithe, a Duduo, two Weepinbell, three Pinsir, three Scyther, and a Chansey.
"I hope Misato and Asuka are doing alright at the Warden's house," he said, still mildly resentful of the rule that he and other trainers couldn't use their own Pokemon for the duration of their time in the Safari Zone.
Zap. The Safari Ball disappeared from his hand, in accordance to the six-Pokemon limitation.
"Abra…" He heard something in the trees nearby. "Abra…"
"Hmm?" He reacted to the sound. "It sounds like something sleeping."
-x-
"…He looks less interested in what he does," Misato told Antonio as they monitored the current recording of Shinji in the strange wilderness where he had caught a large, pink creature with an egg in a pouch.
"It's not disinterest, Ms. Katsuragi," he responded, recognizing the boy's behavior. "It's loneliness and depression."
"Really?"
"Wouldn't you feel depressed if you met a familiar face for just a short while and then see them leave? It happens."
"I honestly wouldn't know. All my relatives are dead and most of my friends are distant or have left to other parts of the country."
"So, there's nobody that you would experience a sense of loneliness and depression if they just showed up and disappeared?"
"I already miss Shinji. Does that count?"
"Just barely. What of the boy's father? Gendo Ikari, is it?"
"He's, uh… He's indifferent to his son's displacement."
Antonio then looked away from the screens and at her.
"He's indifferent?" He questioned. "No offense, but it sounds more like he's a black-hearted asshole that never should've had any children if he cares nothing for them."
"You have no idea how much I agree with you on that," she told him.
-x-
He had caught two more Pokemon…and then an unexpected bonus Pokemon. Two Abra and a Mankey; when he had seen two Psi Pokemon asleep and caught them, he was attacked by an out-of-control Mankey that just wouldn't stop until Shinji stopped it.
"I think I've had enough of the Safari Zone around here," he sighed as he reached the Warden's house. "I can work with catching wild Pokemon in the wild when aided by my Pokemon, but catching them without my Pokemon is just crazy."
"How was your time in the Safari Zone, young man?" The Warden asked him as he stepped inside and collapsed into a chair.
"Not…what I had expected, sir," he answered him.
"Eevo!" He heard Misato as she ran over to him and hopped onto his lap.
"Me…" Asuka expressed as she stood in front of him.
"I think I'll stink to catching Pokemon the way I know best."
"Maybe, but there aren't that many Pokemon you'll find anywhere but in places like the Safari Zone," the Warden informed him.
Once he was rested, Shinji, Misato and Asuka had left to reach their next destination: Cinnabar Island, where the next gym was located.
"Asuka," he spoke to his Charmeleon. "It's said in my guidebook that Cinnabar Island's gym specializes in Fire-Type Pokemon. How would you feel at facing strong spitfires if there's no Badge Guardian in place of a Gym Leader?"
"Charmeleon!" Asuka responded, slamming her claws together as she smirked.
"Eee!" Misato cheered for her.
"Although…we need to find a boat because we have no other mode of transportation to get across the ocean," he told them; the last time he and Misato had ever been on a boat was when they had to get to their Saffron City destination by getting to a place called Maiden's Peak, where they witnessed a festival celebrated at the end of every summer.
It was also the first time he had encountered the mysterious Ghost Pokemon that existed in this world. It left him somewhat nervous to know that there are Pokemon affiliated with the aspects of the darkness, of fear and the afterlife, that Pokemon that die could return as Ghost Pokemon if something left them unable to move on in peace.
And just like living Pokemon, they can be caught and trained, he sighed, and looked at the water in front of him on the docks. "Come out, Rei!"
He threw Rei's Poke Ball and released her out in the water.
"Karp! Karp!" Rei splashed happily; unlike his other Pokemon so far, his Magikarp had experienced a recent growth spurt in the last few weeks, as she was now almost the size of a car, which made keeping her safe from anyone that could want her because she was a Shiny Pokemon more difficult.
He took off his backpack and removed a can of vitamin tablets for Rei to take.
"Karp!" Rei's face glowed bright pink as she expressed her happiness.
"Heh-heh-heh," Shinji chuckled, and then turned away from her and took notice of a nearby boat beached on the sand. "Huh?"
It was a large rowboat that appeared to be made of plastic, camouflaged in military colors, and looked as though it could seat at least five people. If it was sturdy enough and was just abandoned, maybe it could be used to make it to Cinnabar Island from here. All anyone needed was enough food to last them the duration of their time at sea, a reliable map…and a strong Pokemon of so that can handle the water.
Shinji checked his map again, and found that this expanse of ocean did lead straight to Cinnabar Island…and the weather seemed fine.
"Do you guys think we could make it to Cinnabar Island with that little boat?" He asked Misato, Asuka and Rei.
"Eevo," went Misato, nodding her head.
"Karp," Rei added in.
"Meleon," said Asuka.
"I better do some shopping to stay prepared, then," he sighed.
-x-
"…Oh?" Kensuke went, looking away from his computer and at the classroom windows.
"What's with you?" Toji asked him.
"For a moment, I… I thought I saw Shinji…at a beach, about to get in a boat with his Pokemon," he explained.
"But…he can't swim. Why would he want to take a boat out into the water?"
Kensuke then took out a blank piece of paper and drew on it. Ever since he was with Shinji in that brief amount of time, the displaced boy had shown him a map of where they were in the world of Pokemon, and Kensuke was fortunate enough to have complete recall of the map.
"Based on what Shinji knew when he showed me a map he had, the world he's in is divided into separate regions. This is the one he's in, the Kanto Region. If he's by water, then he's likely by this location, Fuchsia City…and that's where he would have to leave to get to this location, Cinnabar Island."
Toji looked at the drawing and wondered, Why would Shinji want to go to an island?
"Because of this profession he's taken that many others before and after him have taken, it's a requirement that he travel to places like this that have a gym in order to compete in this…Pokemon League. You compete in the league…and you're pretty much one of the best trainers within the region…maybe even the world."
"So…you catch these creatures…you train them to face other creatures, to get stronger…and you're among the greatest of men and women that train these creatures?"
"Yeah… More or less."
"Attention, please," went a female voice on the loudspeakers. "Will Kensuke Aida please report to the principal's office? That is all."
"What the heck did you do this time?" Toji asked him.
"I haven't done anything," he responded, and got up and left the classroom.
-x-
He might as well have bought the whole set of bungee cords at the store, but Shinji didn't want to overdo what he was planning. While present-day Magikarp weren't as incredible as they may have been in the ancient past, he was confident that Rei, being as big as she was right now, would be able to help them all make the journey from Fuchsia City to Cinnabar Island.
"…So you're actually going to try to get to Cinnabar Island on that dingy boat?" The clerk asked him as he paid for the cords and about a week's worth of food; Shinji was unsure about how long it would take them to get to Cinnabar Island, so he got a week's worth just to be sure.
"I've done crazier things," he told the man.
"Most people would try to fly there or take an ocean liner on account of it being safer due to the ocean being full of Water Pokemon that aren't very friendly with anyone. I mean, there are Tentacool and Tentacruel, Gyarados, Seadra, Kingler and Cloyster among other Pokemon that are not so friendly. Unless you have a type advantage to defend yourself, you're asking for trouble. Flying, Grass or Electric Pokemon are your best best."
"Unfortunately, all I have right now are my Pidgeotto and Pikachu. I'm hoping, however, that we don't have any trouble while out at sea trying to get to Cinnabar Island."
"Good luck. All I hear about that place is that it's a tourist resort."
"So long as there's a gym there or even a Badge Guardian, it'll be a journey well spent."
Soon enough, Shinji stepped out of the store and ran back to the beach where the boat was still, watched by Misato and Asuka.
"Okay, let's get ready to head out to Cinnabar Island!" He told them.
"Eevo!" Misato cheered.
"Char," added Asuka.
-x-
Gendo didn't like this, and he didn't like that he was the last person to know about this. The Giovanni Corporation had requested the participation of the Fourth Child in another experiment of theirs, under the delusion that because he claimed to be wherever the Third Child was, albeit temporarily, that it was possible that he could try to help them establish contact with him again. The worst part of this was that this was only because the Fourth Child wasn't piloting Unit-04 for the time being, making him useless at the moment, which gave the company trying to crack inter-dimensional travel an excuse to request the boy's aid.
"…Unfortunately, they approached him at the school, same as NERV did," said Ritsuko to him in his office. "This was during school hours and on school grounds. Apparently, Major Katsuragi was also present when a representative from the Giovanni Corporation came and asked the Fourth Child about his sojourn experience wherever the Third Child currently is."
"And who authorized this with the Fourth Child?" Gendo demanded.
"I did, sir," answered Fuyutsuki, who was also there. "Major Katsuragi contacted me, requesting permission to have the Fourth Child questioned by the Giovanni Corporation due to his personal experience…and I authorized it."
Gendo felt crossed. As the commander, he had the final say in any decision, but Fuyutsuki had usurped this authority and made a decision without his approval.
"And where are they now?" He questioned.
"At the facility that houses that creature they have being studied," Ritsuko answered.
-x-
"…My God!" Kensuke gasped, standing in front of Palkia. "Is this…what I think it is?!"
"We call it Palkia," a woman said to him as she was monitoring an EKG system that showed the creature's heart rate.
"This is one of them," Kensuke expressed, confusing Misato and Antonio.
"What do you mean, Mr. Aida?" Antonio asked him.
"This is a Pokemon, just like the ones I saw Shinji with," he revealed. "I've never seen one this big. He didn't say that they could get so massive."
"I don't think Shinji's encountered one as big as the ones he's already seen," Misato told him.
Palkia, despite being secured within the tank, pressed its claws and head against the glass and looked down at the boy, actually staring at him, right in the eyes.
"Whoa," Kensuke shuddered.
As Antonio quickly ran over to the console to begin recording this, as it was a first ever from Palkia beyond what it usually did in front of them, something unexpected happened that wasn't being anticipated by any of them was a man in a black suit with orange-tinted glasses barging into the chamber, despite a woman insisting that he didn't have any right to be here.
It was Gendo Ikari, looking irritated and like he deserved an explanation.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Giovanni," the woman expressed. "He just barged right in without any explanation to why he was here."
"Gendo Ikari, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Antonio requested of the man. "Your presence may interfere with the recordings."
"Oh, spare me your irrelevant research," Gendo retorted. "I didn't authorize any joint projects that require the use of NERV's pilots and demand that you cease your activities."
Suddenly, Palkia turned to face Gendo, as if facing a person that had every right to be disliked.
"Grr…" It growled, pointing its right claw at him. "Here is the foolish mortal that would dare to move Heaven and Earth, just so that he can be a god."
GASP! Everyone present reacted to the deniability of the creature, this…Pokemon…actually speaking for the first time.
Even Gendo was left appalled by this!
"You…will…fail," it continued.
"It…it's never done this before, right?" Misato asked Antonio.
"No," he answered her.
"What are you?" Gendo demanded.
"I am the guardian of space, opposing the guardian of time. One of two forces that can't exist without the other. And one of the many secrets of existence…that mortals were never meant to understand if they seek to misuse such knowledge for wrongful purposes."
"Uh, does that include finding a way to get to someone who ended up in another dimension or trying to open new dimensions with resources to help this one?" Kensuke asked Palkia.
"To take from places that have no trace of life…does not go against any restrictions," it responded, "neither does attempting to reaching out to rescue a misplaced soul. However, to perform feats that endanger all living things are acts that are punishable by severe extremes. Any that dare to perform as such will only suffer worse than what can be suffered."
"So," went Antonio, slowly approaching Palkia, "just so we understand perfectly… What we, the Giovanni Corporation is only seeking to do, just to help people, to help the world we live in… That…doesn't go against any laws or restrictions?"
Palkia looked at him and expressed, "To perform without so much as a desire to be worshiped or reign over a realm like a lord…does not violate any universal restrictions. However, what this mortal (points its right claw to Gendo) has a desire to do…places everyone in danger, regardless of the danger you already find yourselves in. He…is not to be followed or trusted. He…is one of few that would dare to undo what already is."
And this was the first time a creature that wasn't an Angel or followed any evolutionary line known to human beings demonstrated something that human beings had thought was unlikely. This creature, this Pokemon…demonstrated intelligence as it was able to understand them.
-x-
At least two hours out in the water, Shinji felt like they were making good progress on the way to Cinnabar Island. With Rei pulling the boat at a steady pace and he using the rowing paddles that were present.
"It looks like we're going to be alright," he expressed to Misato and Asuka.
"Eevo," his Eevee cheered.
"Char…" Asuka sighed, looking uncomfortable with being surrounded by water; this likely stemmed from being a Fire-Type and having a vulnerability to water.
Shinji looked at her tail and saw as it wagged around; the lack of a flame, while somewhat depressing, it did open up some possibilities for her to work around her weaknesses.
"Hey, Asuka," he spoke to her. "I'm sure that as time goes on, you'll probably be able to enjoy water like I'm certain that other Fire-Types might around the world."
"Char," she responded; she admired that her trainer was encouraging her to be able to work around her current disability. "Charmeleon."
"Shinji…" He turned his head around and thought he heard someone call his name, but he saw no one there.
"Huh?"
"Eee?" Misato noticed his confusion.
"Misato, did…did you hear anyone just now? Calling my name?" He asked her.
"Eee," she answered him, nodding in the negative.
"But I… I thought I heard someone. Must be wishful thinking."
-x-
Once Gendo was made to leave (not that he had a choice in the matter, that is), Kensuke, once it was known that even if Palkia were able to escape the confines of where it was, it would've been next to impossible for it to travel very far in its current condition, was informed by Antonio of trying to return to the realm that Shinji was in by being in a controlled coma. The aim of this project was to try and reestablish contact with Shinji for as long as possible.
Misato was present as the boy was injected with a barbiturate agent that would keep him out of it for up to five hours while they monitored his brain waves and see if he appeared anywhere near Shinji in the other universe.
"You really think he'll get back there without having an identical reaction like Shinji?" She asked Antonio as they sat at the console.
"After being witness to a creature that could speak like us and reveal some things that seem insane," he responded, "I can only pray that Mr. Aida has luck on his side to reach his friend, wherever he is in that other dimension."
"We'll be able to begin momentarily, sir," a woman informed Antonio.
"That's good. Thank you."
-x-
Deciding to use the camcorder he purchased, Shinji taped the ocean view and the clear skies. It felt soothing to be doing something like this out at sea where there was barely anything to do but wait until you made landfall at an island or continent.
"Hey, Misato, Asuka," he uttered to his Eevee and Charmeleon. "Introduce yourselves to the camera for all to see."
"Eevo!" Misato greeted.
"Char," Asuka added.
"Karp! Karp!" Rei gasped, splashing wildly.
"Rei, what's wrong?" Shinji asked, but saw something emerging from the water in front of his Magikarp. "Aaahh!"
It was a Tentacruel, followed by eight more Tentacruel…and a bunch of Tentacool.
"Oh, no!" He gasped, and took out Kenji and Kensuke's Poke Balls. "You Jellyfish Pokemon just messed with the wrong trainer!"
He let out his Pikachu and Pidgeotto.
"Thunderbolt, Kenji! Gust, Kensuke!" He ordered, making sure that he had some unused Poke Balls in handy; whatever the reason they just showed up, he was going to catch as many of them as he could.
-x-
Kensuke Aida found himself in a strange place. It felt like he was a confined dwelling, but it felt like there was a lot of space available for him. His eyes were open, but all he could see were bubbles and silt.
"Where…am I?" He questioned.
"…Aida…" A female voice called out to him. "Kensuke Aida, can you hear me?"
"Yes," he answered her.
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere…underwater."
"Underwater? Do you see anyone there with you? Do you see your friend?"
As the bubbles and silt cleared away, Kensuke looked up at the undersea world around himself, and was amazed by the sight. Coral, trenches, canyons, fish and eels as far as the eye could see.. But when he looked further ahead, he found he would've preferred a more pleasant sight.
"I see Shinji," he revealed.
"Is he alright?" The woman's voice asked him.
"No, he isn't. He…and his Pokemon…are underwater. Drowning."
Shinji, looking as though he had been unable to hold his breath, released his Eevee as he and his Charmeleon were sinking further down.
"Shinji," Kensuke called out to him. "Shinji, don't give up!"
-x-
They weren't as powerful as he had feared them to be, but Shinji, with the great aid of his Pikachu and Pidgeotto, had managed to capture the nine Tentacruel that attacked them all and at least ten of the Tentacool that were present, sending them back to Prof. Oak in the process. But what he didn't expect to encounter, however, was another Tentacruel that was, lack of a better word, massive. It had to be as big as a skyscraper…and neither his Flying or Electric-Type Pokemon available had the advantage or the strength to continue battling.
"Aaaahh…aaah…" He panicked, recalling Kensuke and Kenji back into the safety of their Poke Balls, and was about to put Misato and Asuka into their Poke Balls, too…until…
Smash! The giant Tentacruel struck the boat with one of its tentacles and shattered it into oblivion, sending Shinji, Misato, Asuka and Rei flying several feet into the air.
"Aaaahh/Eee/Char/Karp!" They all screamed, and crashed into the water.
Shinji, because he still couldn't swim, sank into the water.
"Shinji," he heard someone calling out to him. "Shinji, don't give up!"
But his lungs were already filling with water, so there was no way he could get away.
"Karp! Karp!" He heard and saw Rei swimming towards him. "Karp!"
He tried to reach out to her, but was unable to as he sank further.
Misato… Asuka… Rei… I'm sorry… I wasn't expecting trouble like this…and I put you in danger because of my foolishness. He thought, feeling like he was fading away now.
-x-
"…No," went Misato, seeing Shinji in the other world, sinking underwater. "Someone do something, please!"
Antonio wanted to turn the monitors off, but found himself unable to make any moves that would spare them all any further misfortune of seeing someone die.
Flash! Something in the screens flared.
Misato shielded her eyes and saw something unlike anything she had seen before.
The big fish that Shinji had been using to steer the boat he had been using, the one she was certain was the one Kensuke mentioned was nicknamed after Rei, was glowing brightly, just as the giant jellyfish that attacked them was seen approaching. When the glow faded, the big fish was no longer there, replaced by a large, red sea serpent that looked as though it was bad to the bone all the time.
"My God," went Antonio.
-x-
SPLASH! The water burst like an explosion, and the Tentacruel was sent flying into the air, falling back into the water.
SPLASH! The water burst again and the giant sea serpent emerged, carrying Shinji, Misato and Asuka on its back and carrying them to the nearest patch of land.
"Grraurgh!" It snarled.
-x-
"…Rei…evolved to save Shinji," went Kensuke, having saw this and tried to follow the serpent to wherever she was taking Shinji.
-x-
Gendo was certain that when he informed SEELE of the revelation of the creature the Giovanni Corporation had in their possession being capable of speech and was remarkably intelligent, they would want it dealt with. This…and because he despised the way he was made to leave the Giovanni Corporation's facility after the creature just up and spoke out how he was someone foolish that would move Heaven and Earth just to become a god. Even if there was a chance that nobody that heard this was willing to believe the words of a creature that claimed to be a guardian of space, Gendo was unwilling to risk that possibility that anyone would take the creature seriously.
If this were to get out of hand, it will make things difficult, he thought, wanting this matter (because he viewed this creature AND the Giovanni Corporation as a problem) taken care of as soon as possible. Even if this creature brings untold possibilities, my agenda's loss isn't worth the risks involved.
-x-
"…Ah," groaned Shinji as he came to and found himself in a hospital room. "What?"
A female nurse came inside and greeted him.
"You're finally awake," she expressed, helping him up in the bed. "How do you feel?"
"Terrible," he answered her.
"Well, better than the previous day, I suppose. Still, you're getting some admiration from the tourists here."
"Tourists? Where am I?"
"Cinnabar Island Memorial Hospital."
"Cinnabar Island?"
"That's right."
"I…I had three Pokemon with me outside of their Poke Balls. We were attacked by a giant Tentacruel. I caught most of the smaller Tentacruel and Tentacool that attacked us, but our boat was destroyed. Was there an Eevee, Charmeleon and big Magikarp seen with me?"
"There was an Eevee and Charmeleon with no flame on its tail, but there was no big Magikarp. However, you must've had a Magikarp because you were all brought here by a Gyarados that caught everyone's attention."
"A…a Gyarados? Then that means…she evolved."
The nurse walked over to a window and opened it to let it the fresh air.
"You must've did something good to it when it was a Magikarp," she told him, helping him up on his feet and to the window, showing him the therapeutic pool outside the hospital, occupied by the red Gyarados. "She waited around for three days for you to wake up."
The Gyarados was sleeping, watched over by an Eevee, Pikachu, Larvitar, Pidgeotto and Charmeleon. In addition, there were several tourists taking pictures of the Gyarados.
Shinji was surprised by how big Rei had gotten upon her evolution…but even more surprised by how she evolved to save him and the others from a watery grave.
"Thank you, Rei," he praised his red Gyarados.
-x-
"…So far, Mr. Aida's vitals are holding steadily, sir," a man updated Antonio on the boy's medical status in the project.
"That's good," he responded; it had been two days since the experiment, and he had to make sure the boy was kept in stable condition. "Tomorrow, we'll end his induced coma so as to ensure he's not overdoing it."
"Yes, sir."
He left the small room and returned to the chamber where Palkia resided, seeing Ms. Katsuragi looking at the monitors.
"How goes the monitoring of young Ikari?" He asked her.
She looked up at him and answered, "I never realized how much I took small fish from ancient stories for granted until I saw Shinji get saved by one that became a sea serpent."
"I take it he has come to after being taken to that island he was likely heading to?"
"That's right."
He came over and looked at the screen, seeing the young man whose life was saved by a serpent he nicknamed after an albino girl he barely knew standing in front of said serpent.
"You saved us that day, Rei," they heard Shinji say to the serpent, raising his left hand to touch its head, surprising and frightening them with how close he was able to get to it without getting harmed by it when it looked like it could devour him and everyone else present. "Thank you."
What shocked them next was the expression the serpent made in response to such praise and gratitude being given to it. It made a face that, despite its ferocity, seemed like a smile.
"Eh-heh-heh!" Shinji laughed.
"Shinji Ikari," a male nurse called to him as he ran out onto the grounds around the pool. "Do you know anyone named Kensuke Aida?"
"Yes, sir, I know a person by that name. Why?" Shinji questioned.
"He's in the lobby waiting for you."
"It looks like Mr. Aida finally found a way to appear back there," went Antonio.
"This connecting across space and time is so tricky?" Misato expressed.
"That's why it's people that go down this route that try to understand it as best as possible to help people in the unwritten and foreseeable future."
-x-
Kensuke Aida, finally able to just appear on the beach of Cinnabar Island, looked for a hospital (as he was convinced that Shinji needed medical aid since he couldn't swim). He managed to find the only hospital on the entire island and saw the giant, red sea serpent that belonged to Shinji.
Waiting in the lobby, he was greeted by his friend.
"Kensuke, you're actually here?" Shinji asked him.
"For the time being," he answered him.
"You wouldn't believe the time I've spent traveling around ever since you showed up and disappeared. I even bought a camcorder."
"I'd believe whatever you say. I saw your Magikarp evolve and save you from drowning."
"As I've been told, you stay true to a Magikarp and train it, it'll become one of your most dependable Pokemon. I believe that now."
"So…what now for you?"
"My seventh badge of the Kanto League. There's supposed to be a gym here on the island…and I'm not leaving here until I get my badge."
"I'm hoping to see you in a gym battle. I want to see how far you've progressed since I last saw you and just left unexpectedly."
"If you're lucky, you'll see a gym match worth recording."
Kensuke knew that he would have to inform Shinji of the experiment he was participating that enabled him to traveled here with just his consciousness. But for now, he just found out that he recovered from a near-death experience and was still on the rehab and needed to prep his Pokemon for his next gym match, and he wasn't going to ruin his chances of doing something with his life while he was here in this strange world.
"How many Pokemon have you caught since we last met?" He asked him.
"Oh, over a dozen or so," Shinji answered him. "The last Pokemon I caught were some Tentacool and Tentacruel, Jellyfish Pokemon. Water/Poison-Types."
"They have jellyfish?"
"With faces."
"You have your camcorder?"
To be continued…
A/N: Well, I finally got Shinji's Magikarp to evolve into Gyarados and save his life from a watery grave. This just goes to show that Shinji (and maybe Kensuke at some point in the future of his brief moments) is in a world where even the creatures he catch can be his saviors. Peace!