Every Angel Has A Shadow
By StraightedgeEpyon
Shadow The Hedgehog leaves his world behind crosses through time and space all the way to the EVA verse merging his soul with Shinji Ikari as an infant. Now Shinji battles the angels struggles to control his powers piece together his dreams and try to discover who and what he really is
I own nothing
Beta Read by Popkov
Chapter 15
Shinji just stared at the intruder, with a raised eyebrow at the woman's sudden statement. She breaks into his apartment, then suddenly claims that he, she and the red robot, were a team in some past life. Although he had to admit, the three of them in the same room at the same time felt like total Deja Vu.
"We can be a team again!"
Silence reigned for a few moments., before Shinji simply raised his hand and clicked his fingers.
"When you're ready, you know where to find me!" Ruju called from behind the now-slammed-in-her-face-by-an-indifferent-robot door.
As Ruju's retreating steps grew more distant, Shinji allowed himself a relaxed sigh. Glancing at his watch, he saw that noon was fast approaching. He let his eyes fall back on Omega.
"Now what to do with you?"
Omega's square head swiveled to face him.
"Clarify"
"Err… How do I get you out of here without, you know, drawing too much attention to you?" - Shinji replied hesitantly, raising an eyebrow as Omega's body turned around as well.
"Active Camouflage Mode recommended"
"… What? Something like invisibility?" - Shinji asked dubiously
"Negative. Would you like a demonstration?"
"… Sure"
Shinji felt anything but sure at this point. He was even less so when, without making another sound, Omega's form started to shimmer.
"Whoa"
In front of him stood a solidly built kid of around his height. Stocky rather than fat, with basic nondescript features. A pair of seemingly unobtrusive round, slightly thick-framed glasses were perched on the boy's nose.
"Not bad. Not bad at all" - Shinji made a spin motion with his finger, growing more and more impressed as Omega obliged - "That'll do"
Exiting the door to his apartment with the now invisible robot in tow, walking out they were both greeted by the sight of Ami.
"Hey, Shinji!" - Ami was waiting for him outside his door by the time he got out with Omega - "Who's your new friend?"
"It's Omega in disguise " - Shinji waved his hand between them as he locked the door behind him - "Pretty cool, huh?"
Ami replied with an impressed whistle and a thumbs-up.
"So where're you off to now?" - she asked, falling into step beside Shinji, with Omega on the opposite side.
"To grab something to eat, and after that, we'll see." he answered
The trio found themselves a little café not far from Masion Izumo, and sat outside.
"Ruju, broke into my apartment earlier, " - he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her - "And you don't seem the least bit surprised."
"Don't look at me that way, it's very rude" - Ami reprimanded him good humouredly - "And yes, she came by to see me first" - she handed Shinji a scrap of paper - "Told me to give this to you" - as he took it, she added - "Said something about it being 'no time to be stubborn" - she held up her hands - "Her words, not mine"
Shinji simply grunted as he checked out the note. It was simply a name and an address.
"And before you ask" - Ami said as he looked at her inquiringly - "He's supposed to be some teacher."
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Later on)This is the place" - Shinji announced, looking up at the miserable looking apartment block - "Apparently" - 'Then again' - he mused - 'every apartment block looks miserable in this city'
Things did not improve inside.
"Out of order?!" - Ami fumed at the sign, as if to scare it into saying something different - "We've got to get to the top floor! I am not walking!"
Shinji, meanwhile simply looked at Omega and cocked his head. Wordlessly, Omega passed Ami – who was still trying to intimidate the sign into obeying her – and reached for the elevator door.
"Thanks!" - Ami said happily as Omega closed the top floor elevator door behind them.
"You're welcome" - he replied.
Before they reached their destination, an apartment door opened up not far ahead of them and a man in glasses stepped out. His gaze nonchalantly swept across the corridor and the three youths. He did not spare them a second look as he passed. Almost imperceptibly, Shinji cocked his head.
At the same moment Ami, who has been quietly, but audibly counting, rushed off ahead.
"This is it!" - she exclaimed and immediately filled the empty corridor with the sound of her knuckles rapping on the door's surface. When she didn't get an immediate answer, she raised her hand again, only to be pre-empted by a grouchy voice from inside.
"Go away!"
"Friendly one, isn't he?" - Ami whispered, exchanging a glance with Shinji, who simply shrugged and raised his own hand.
"What part of 'go away' did you not understand?" - grouchiness was replaced with suspicion - "Who sent you, pup?"
Shinji exchanged another glance with Ami.
"A… friend of yours?" - Ami hazarded
"I don't have any friends!" - suspicion was mingling with barely contained anger - "You better come up with something better!"
"If he starts barking at you, I'm out of here!" - Ami whispered, making Shinji roll his eyes.
"By all means, go!"
Deciding not to waste his breath anymore on Ami, Shinji hunkered down and half slipped his note under the door. He barely straightened up before the paper slipped out of sight. After a brief pause there was the sound of multiple locks being unlatched and the door flew open to reveal a short gray-haired elderly man in a blue shirt and dark blue overalls with piercing purple eyes. His round, lined face was framed by a short spiked grey hair, sideburns and a small goatee.
"Why would that woman send you kids to me?" - he asked, his voice betraying only a hint of the suspicion from before, replaced mostly with curiosity.
"You tell us" - Shinji replied levelly.
The old man sized him up before simply turning around and heading inside, leaving the door open behind him. Taking up the silent invitation, Shinji marched in afterwards, followed closely by Ami and a bit more steadily by Omega, who made sure to re-latch all the locks before joining the group in the somewhat cluttered living room.
"Living room, study, sometimes the actual bedroom" - the old man said, eyeing him, actually chuckling. Obviously, their association with Ruju put them in good graces. He sat down on a foldable chair proffered by Ami, who was already seated on one of her own. Omega opted to stand. He seemed uninterested in the conversation about to unfold, preferring to stare blankly at a nearby wall.
Clearing up an obviously favorite lounge chair, the old man settled himself contentedly into it, before addressing the group.
"So, young lads and lass, how can old Professor Sugoroku Mutou help you all? I haven't taught so much as maths and history in quite a few years" - he chortled. When no-one joined in, he cleared his throat -
"Although the first step to helping me help you should probably telling me what you call your fine young selves?"
"Well, my name is Ami. Hi" - Ami gave the professor a bright smile, which he unconsciously returned with a half-grin - "This one's Shinji. The uninterested one is..." - she paused briefly, darting a glance at Shinji, who, again, simply shrugged - "… Omega"
At the mention of his name, Omega turned his head towards the professor.
"Clarification required"
"Ye-es? - Sugoroku answered unsurely, blinking in surprise at the boy's speech pattern.
"Are you aware of being surveilled by various equipment from the adjacent apartment?"
"Wait! Wait! Sit down, sit down!" - Sugoroku waved the alarmed teens back down into their chairs. Shinji and Ami shared a glance and Ami shrugged and sat down with a smirk that said 'beat you to it!'. Shinji rolled his eyes and followed suit. Sugoroku leaned forward, elbows on knees, chin perched on the back of his overlapping hands, eyeing Omega thoughtfully -
"The government lapdogs has been on my tail for quite some time" - his voice became wistful, and his eyes grew sad and unfocused - "Since I've moved on from my partnership with Hirota" - bringing himself back to the present with a sigh, he momentarily closed his eyes and drew a breath to continue.
"Mount Ontake, is where we found the place." - Shinji interrupted, his voice neutral, but his eyes betrayed a hint of his suspicions.
Sugoroku fixed him with a gaze that bespoke irritation at the interruption, but as their eyes met, he understood the underlying question. 'So, fancy yourself a nice little probe, eh, youngster?'. It was all he could do to keep a straight face.
"I know you youngsters nowadays have no patience" - he said, making sure to sound somewhat ruffled - "But it's still rude to interrupt" - his own eyes narrowed a tinge - "Unless you have a point to make"
Mirroring the old man's poker face, Shinji glanced at the third occupant the room and nodded.
"Show him." Shinji said simply
Poor Sugoroku was obviously unprepared to see the bespectacled boy to shimmer and turn into a fully fledged bipedal bulky robotic automation in front of his eyes. Within the same motion, his eyes widened to the point of popping, his body went rigid with shock and he plopped heavily back into his seat, with his mouth gaping.
"I think that covers my point old man." - Shinji remarked, smirking.
Sugoroku remained in the position long enough for Shinji and Ami to exchange a worried glance. Was the shock to much for the poor old man?
"… Professor?" - Ami hazarded. Her voice seemed to snap Sugoroku out of his stupor. His mouth closed and his body lost some of its rigidity, but still he remained where he was, staring at Omega with unblinking eyes.
"We were right?" - Sugoroku's voice was a barely audible whisper. This seemed to get his eyelids back into motion, as he blinked rapidly a few times. His face swivelled ever so slowly towards Shnji, who merely arched an eyebrow -
"We were right" - Sugoroku repeated, his voice obviously gaining back its strength. Then his eyes cleared, and practically burst into a blaze of excitement. He sat fast enough to almost fly off the seat -
"We were right! Oh!" - he turned his gaze upwards - "Oh, Hirota, you slick old codger! We. Were. Right!" - the last word was shouted alongside a motion that could only be described as an unrestrained fist pump. As his jubilation subsided, he let his gaze fall back on the youths in front of him. Ami looked openly shocked, while Shinji merely had both of his eyebrows raised.
"Do go on" - Shinji prompted, forcing his tone to remain neutral.
"Oh no" - Sugoroku actually waggled his finger at Shinji, his eyes shining - "It's my turn to ask." - without waiting for a response, he resumed his initial position - "When?"
'Fair enough' Shinji thought. "Last night, actually" - he replied.
"Big place?"
"Huge"
"Active?"
"Abandoned"
"Now" - more intent than he was before, Sugoroku leaned forward slightly - "Were there any discernible markings? Anything that could reveal its designation and/or purpose?"
"Well" - Shinji cast his mind back - "The designation, I suppose, would be 'Project Omega', and" - he tilted his head towards Omega - "The 'purpose' is standing right in front of you"
"… Omega" - Sugoroku stroked his goatee - "'The end', or, even" - the corners of his mouth twitched upwards - "'The ultimate', if that is what you prefer?" - he addressed the robot.
"I am the ultimate robotic creation" - Omega replied simply
"Are you now? Who made you, I wonder?"
"… Data not found"
"You don't know?" - Sugoroku asked, surprised. Even Shinji was not expecting this answer.
"Affirmative"
"Hum..." - Sugoroku mulled over what to ask next - "Then what is the purpose of 'Project Omega'?"
"… Data not found"
"Where do you come from?" - Sugoroku asked, shock and desperation evident in his voice
"… Data not found"
The silence that followed felt heavy with the ramifications. Many a glance have been exchanged in the moments that followed. Sugoroku ran his palms up across his face.
"Best guess, his… err… memory has been wiped clean" - his voice sounded unsure. Tentatively, he asked: "Do you know who you are?"
"Designation: E123 Omega, the ultimate robotic creation" - Omega replied.
"So you have said" - Sugoroku sounded exasperated. He nodded at Shinji and Ami - "Who are they to you"
"The teenage male's" - Shinji actually gave an amused grunt at Omega's description of him -
" current designation: Shinji Ikari. Master. The teenage female's" - Ami let out a "Hey!" at hers - "current designation: Ami. Companion" - Omega finished, ignoring Ami's scandalized
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Ikari?" - Sugoroku mulled the name over - "Yui and Gendo's son?"
"What of it?" - Shinji challenged.
"Ah don't fret too much over it, son" - Sugoroku waved at him - "Just a reference point, is all"
"Whatever" - Shinji replied sullenly.
"Anyways-" - Sugoroku was interrupted by a firm knock on the door. Waiting a few moments, he gave a satisfied nod - "So where-" - the knock came back, much firmer this time - "Who in the blazes?" - he grumbled, reluctantly getting up and shuffling over to the door. Strangely perturbed, Shinji followed him into the corridor, with Ami in tow. Omega stayed put. Sugoroku pulled back a small section of the door's surface, revealing a hidden peephole, which he leaned into, only to jump back almost immediately -
"Blast it all !" - he turned urgently to Shinji -
"You bunch must be something special, to perk their interest this much!" - there was amusement in his voice, but worry in his eyes - "Here" - he grabbed a pen and a small notepad, scribbling furiously before ripping out the page and shoving it into Shinji's hand - "Go on! Get out of here! I don't think I can buy you much time, but I'll try!" - his words, which came in a urgent whisper, were almost drowned out by another set of firm knocks on the door.
Shinji immediately turned and hurried back into the flat. Ami spared just a moment for a quick
"thank you" before following him. She saw him open the window that very obviously led to a fire escape, before immediately heading off to the bedroom. Omega dutifully followed. Before she could ask what he was doing, he passed her, grabbing her hand while doing so and led her into the bedroom. As they came in, he closed the door behind them and headed straight for the surprisingly large window in there. Already, they could hear the beginnings of a commotion from the front door. Shinji opened the window and motioned for Omega with a nod up. Omega climbed through and out, dropping out of sight. Immediately after, Shinji climbed through as well, pausing only to briefly beckon Ami. With a resigned sigh, she did the same.
When they were a few blocks away from Sugoroku and sure they were not followed. Shinji unwrapped the note he had squashed in his fist. It was an address for a storage facility down-town.
"Of course it is" - Shinji grumbled.
The place in question was in a quiet part of town and did not have much of security in place. Not even a guard. 'Nothing worth guarding? Or stealing?' - thought Shinji. They went through rows of identical garage-looking units, before reaching the correct one. It looked identical to the others around it, looking just as dejected and neglected. A single flimsy padlock secured the roll-up door, which was briefly dispatched by Omega.
"Look at all this junk!" - Ami exclaimed as they closed and locked the door behind them.
The place was the size of a double garage. Three of the walls were covered with shelves, stacked to the brim with arrays of boxes, books, various papers, tube-shaped containers and electronic components. In the middle was a large sturdy looking desk, likewise cluttered. On the ceiling above it, a projector hang, pointing at the blank fourth wall in front of them. A dusty, blocky, dated-looking desktop rested directly below it, the two connected by an assortment of wires. A small stack of DVDs was haphazardly stacked next to it, spilling over the equally dusty keyboard.
"Well, there's no labels" - Shinji observed, picking up a couple of the DVDs. Ami opted to roam around. But he was strangely drawn to the table - "Omega?"
Obligingly, Omega walked over and booted up the pc, which made a bit of a racket as it came to life.
"There is a DVD already in the tray" - he reported - "Would you like to view it?"
"Ooh! A movie?" - Ami piped up, turning around and in her haste knocking over a couple of boxes - "Oopsie!"
As the boxes fell, a small cylindrical container rolled out towards Shinji, who stopped it with his foot. Curious, he picked it up.
"Feels heavy" - he remarked. He tossed it up a couple of times before putting it on the table - "Alright, play it"
The projector whirred as it spewed light onto the wall. The footage was grainy and as dated as anything else in the garage, but the man in it was clearly recognizable as a much younger Mutou. He looked as bright and excited as his current older self. He was standing in front of a whiteboard, marker and eraser at the ready, and a few moments later another man joined him.
"Well, now we know where Marika got her good looks" - Ami commented. Shinji nodded. The resemblance between father and daughter was almost uncanny.
["Is this thing on?" - asked Professor Hirota - "Good. Mutou? Ready?"
"As ready as anyone can be for something like this" - Mutou replied
"Alright, then. So, without wasting anyone's time, let's talk about the 'Collision of Worlds'"
"Sounds a bit over-dramatic, don't you think?" - Mutou joked good naturedly - "It's more of a spill, really"
"So, what, you want to call it 'The spilling of worlds'?" - scoffed Hirota
"No, not- Never mind that's not the point" - he drew a circle - "This is the world, see? Now" - he drew a few circles randomly around on the board
"Other worlds" - Hirota nodded along
"Worlds, dimensions, universes, whatever flies your fancy"
"Yes and some event-"
"-Some big event-"
"-Huge-"
"-Cosmic proportions really" - Hirota put a black dot at the top of the board - "With enough force" - he slashed down a line from the circle straight to the first circle - "to rip straight through space and time"
"That's right" - Mutou chipped in - "And where there's a hole, there is going to be spillage"
"There you go with that word again" - Hirota reprimanded
"And in this case" - Mutou ignored his colleague, opting to instead circle small parts of the other 'worlds' - "Were pieces of space and time"
"Indeed" - Hirota took up the speech, connecting the 'pieces' to the original line - "And for whatever reason" - he continued, drawing a large arrow at the bottom of the line - "The phenomenon, and the pieces-"
"-all wound up right here, in our world" - Mutou finished
"As to why-"
"-Or how-"
"-We'll never know-"
"-But we have definite proof that this is more than a theory" - Mutou declared, pulling out the very cylinder Shinji has just put on the table. He opened it up to reveal the contents, but as soon as he did, the screen went dazzlingly bright, as if the camera has been pointed at the sun. Shinji blinked away stars as Mutou replaced the lid.
"You would not be able to see much on film" - Hirota explained
"We found this out the hard way." he put his hand on top of the cylinder "But inside this humble container is a power source unlike anything ever seen in this world. Which draws the only logical conclusion: that it is not of this world. We-Brrrzzttt#####" The image petered out into static
"The rest of the data is too corrupted for retrieval" - Omega reported
"Aw that's a shame." - Ami replied
Shinji meanwhile, was gazing at the cylinder with new eyes. Not only because of information he just received but also because of the insignia from the top of the lid. It was faded, but Shinji clearly made it out to be the letter: G
'How did I not notice that before?' - he wondered incredulously. After a moment's hesitation, he opened it, unveiling a large green gem, cut diamond style, pulsing with warm light. It mesmerized him, practically begging to be taken out of its confinement. He upended the container, rolling the gem out onto his palm, fingers instinctively closing around it.
"Whoa! Pretty!" - Ami exclaimed, peering in closer.
Shinji himself was more focused on the feeling that spread from his hand, up his arm and through his whole body, his skin positively tingling with the raw power he felt pouring in. Maybe too much power. Before he could be completely overwhelmed by the sensation, he smashed the gem back in, slamming the lid shut on top of it. As severe as the surge was, the drain was even worse, leaving him unsteady on his feet.
"Whoa indeed"
Shinji took a gander at the stacks of paper which turned out to be a map, of Japan with several distinct places marked, some where forests outside the cities of Tokyo, Aokigahara near Mt. Fuji and Kyoto, and others were centered around the abandoned power plants of Fukushima.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Elsewhere )
Mount Ontake, that night
A person wearing a pair of worn jeans and a dull green hoodie was walking up to the previously unearthed entrance to Project Omega. Though since then it was very thoroughly re-earthed, obviously to prevent anyone accidentally stumbling onto it.
The person in question was not stumbling, nor was their presence there an accident. As they ran their torch light across the packed earth, they seemed to sigh before pulling down the hood, revealing a green eyed girl with short auburn hair.
The girl looked to be around 18 and a cursory observation would reveal her to be of average height. A closer observation would reveal her not holding a torch, rather having the light coming out of the palm of her very clearly mechanical left hand. She pulled up her sleeve, unveiling a clearly mechanical left arm. After a few more moments of observation under her palm light, she curled her fingers into a fist and pulled back her arm, her intent clear, when a glow from inside her pocket made her pause. Reaching in, she pulled out a small clear cylinder, inside of which a large diamond resided. The diamond in question seemed to pulsate with bright white light. The phenomenon went on for several moments before it stopped suddenly, leaving her back in the dark again.
'Another one? And this close?' - she thought excitedly, turning her gaze towards the distant lights of Tokyo-3.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
End Notes: 117 reviews 117, when I took this story back in 2012 and made it my own because of the ideas and the potential I saw in it. Among all my other stories I never thought this would be the one story to reach the mile stone of 100. And I want to thank each and everyone of you for it, it really shows me I've come along way as an author, and I wanna send a big shout out to my man popkov for agreeing to be my beta his unorthodox style really helped a lot to bring this to life. Let's keep it going, ya'll wanna see the Chaos Emeralds? you all wanna see the Master Emerald? Angel island? Green Hill Zone? Team Sonic Team Dark? Right now I'm split on making Rei like Sonic in some form so we'll see. Again thank you all I promise I'm gonna do my best to give you what you want. Before I forget to the reader who asked me about Shinji's conversation: The Team Dark formation scene was a dream/ memory fragment, Shinji's conversation with Ruju was present day when she broke into his place. I hope that clears that up. Also my man insist on the trio of Shinji, Ami and Omega, Team black Rose, do you all want to see that or the Team Dark full reformation, I'll put it to a vote. Read and review and be cool and again thank you all