Record That Chapter 9, an evangelion fanfic

Record That

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN EVANGELION, NOR ANY OF THE SONGS! DON'T SUE ME!

Chapter 9: Hallelujah

Imagine if you couldn't sleep anymore, as if you were physically incapable of doing it. All you could do was simply close your eyes, and meditate. Taking in the subtle sounds that people take for granted. Even if you did this whenever there was a time of respite. It would only be a matter of time before you begin to go insane.

Now try living with this for years upon years.

Eventually, you would appreciate not being able to sleep, and constantly watching every one's subtle actions. Observing them day in and day out, obsessing over the tiniest details. It would help you see things you never saw before, and it would drive you insane again. As you can now tell what the person is going to do before they do it.

You try to influence them, try to push them in the right direction. Except, nothing works, nothing besides direct intervention, and even then. The outcome you want is never guaranteed, but what else can you do? The only thing you can do is just keep watching, and watching, and watching. Until it's all you ever do.

It's what it was doing right now, as it laid next to the reflection of Lilith. Her astral projection form laid next to it, breathing, stirring, sleeping. Glowing in the light of what they had just done together. Phasing in and out of her real body, as they laid on the hospital bed. For her, it was like sleeping in heaven, letting time slip away. For it, all this was, is a conquest, another means to torture the boy it was a reflection of.

Watching her sleep was a fascinating thing, how could one so alien look and act so human? Smiling and being seemingly exhausted, when she never really needed to be. It stroked her hair, taking in her beauty that it never got to fully appreciate. The reflection could do some more with her, but she was too inexperienced. It didn't want to break her, not yet at least.

It got up and stretched its arms. As it did this, the clothes it wore returned to its body instantly. Doing this caused the wind to blow over the Lilith clone, waking her. She opened her red eyes, to see the reflection walking away. Leaving the projection of herself laying there, naked on the bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked, weakly, trying to regain some strength. She spent it all trying to keep up with what it was doing with her.

"Back to the front, but don't worry, I'll be back." It said, turning towards her and winking. The voice, no longer whispering, returned to its normal cocky tone.

As the Lilith clone watched it fade through the wall, she felt a new feeling fill up within her. One she hated a feeling that forced her to say.

"You….bastard."

"Why?" The reflection asked. Appearing right next to her bed, leaning up against the wall. Looking her body up and down, not even making it subtle what it was doing.

"You….you used me. This was….." The girl said, anger and shame in her tone.

"Fun?" It suggested.

She wanted to slap the reflection when it said that, but she knew it wouldn't do anything.

"...yes, but what was the point? You're….a God, why bother with me to begin with?"

"Because I've set the standard." The reflection said, standing up and putting its hands in its pockets. "Now, you truly will be a 'doll'. Unphased by others miscalculated and hollow love. Only satisfied when someone fits these seemingly impossible standards."

"But….but…" Rei stumbled on her words. "That wasn't love."

"It's working, but good luck trying to find someone to satisfy you physically." The reflection said, with a sly smile as it walked through the wall. Yet again leaving her alone, naked and angry.

"God damn it, then you've ruined me! What are you!? Are you really even the boy you impersonate!"

At first, there was no response. The quiet air was ominous and threatening, the girl felt cold. Her body was already missing the presence of another. She wished for something to keep her company. That's when she crossed her arms around herself and looked around the room. Only to see herself, standing there, just as naked as her. Looking at her with a blank stare.

She was terrified, why was she terrified? There were hundreds of her, this clone must have walked in. Only, it wasn't just one, from behind that clone came another, and another. Until the room was full of clones. The girl on the bed looked around in a panic, red eyes piercing her soul. Only for those eyes to suddenly turn into all sorts of colors. The bodies started to change into so many different kinds of people, with their own distinct features.

Then, out of nowhere, they were turned into LCL. The liquid staining the walls, bedding, and the girl. She went wide eyed, and before she could say anything. The echoing voice of the reflection rang out.

"I was once everything that ever was….."

The reflection slowly appeared behind her.

"...and I still am." It whispered in her ear. "It all….returns….to nothing." It briefly sang before turning the girl into a withering, barely even alive puddle of LCL. She screamed, but nothing came out.

Rei woke up screaming, though she quickly calmed down once she realized that she was back in her normal body. With the plug suit covering her up, because of that, she sighed in relief. She sighed, she never sighed, what happened to her? In fact, she felt better than ever, she could even open her left eye. The one that was bruised and scratched heavily when Unit-0 went berserk.

She ripped the eye patch off right as Doctor Hanako and the security guards came in.

"Are you alright, Rei?" The doctor asked.

Rei turned to her, revealing her fully healed eye. The three adults were taken aback a bit.

"What happened?" Hanako asked, though she could already tell who did this.

"Unwrap my arm." Rei responded, gesturing to her cast.

"No, it would be in the best interest of not only us, but Commander Gendo as well that you remain in your bandages."

"Then, I'll do it myself." Rei said, pulling her right arm out of the harness wrapped around her.

Before the adults could shout to tell her to stop. They were yet again surprised, when Rei showed to have complete control over it. Along with no visible pain or damage. The girl focused on her arm; a strange distortion seemed to start happening around it. Suddenly, the cast split in two, revealing Rei's fully healed arm.

The girl analyzed it for a second, before jumping down to the floor.

"I must now report to Commander Gendo. For I have come into contact with the reflection, and it seems to have shown mercy upon me." Rei explained.

She tried to walk past the adults, but the two security men grabbed both of her arms. Rei protested, but they didn't release her until Doctor Hanako told them to 'let her go.' The two ladies had a look between each other of understanding, then Rei took off down the hall. She had made her way out of the hospital, when she noticed a massive life presence above the Geofront.

It was standing across from the Angel, it was without a doubt the Evangelion, and Shinji was piloting. Rei then felt a sense of dread mixed with experience, as well as a new feeling of self-determination. She had the ability to monitor the fight from a safe distance. Along with being there to properly respond to the reflection's interference.

This would be going against what Gendo would want her to do, but for once in her life. Rei felt as if this was the best way forward. So, she took to one of the nearby lifts. Once there, she realized that she would need a higher up's approval to use one. So, she took the initiative, and used her AT powers, to fly up the tunnel to the surface.

The g-force that Shinji felt was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Putting the likes of bullet trains and car rides to shame. He grunted and struggled to keep himself conscious, as the launch only seemed to become faster and faster. Until eventually, it came to an abrupt halt. If it wasn't for the safety strap, Shinji might have gone flying and hit the wall of the entry plug.

As the boy opened his eyes, he looked out onto the city of Tokyo-3. Along with the massive Angel standing across from him. The creature's looks and proportions made Shinji sick, but he refused through sheer will not to throw up. For he knew that if he did, the vomit would only flow through the LCL surrounding him.

Instead, he tried to focus, he'd soon be piloting this thing. He knew in his heart that he was going to hit the ground, but he'd have to at least try to make it work. Over the coms, he heard Ritsuko command someone to 'release the final restraints.' With that, the EVA started to slump over, and now Shinji was in complete control.

The Angel meanwhile stood there, waiting for its opponent to make its first move. Almost as if it knew just how weak Shinji was.

"Alright, Shinji, try walking forward." Misato told him.

The boy did as she said, and slowly began to move the EVA forward. He managed to put one foot in front of the other. Everyone in the central dogma semi-celebrated, but Shinji was dead silent. For he knew that he had gotten lucky, not only was the EVA wobbling, but he was also too. If he tried to take another step, this robot would go down.

And he couldn't afford that, the visions of the future that were shown to him by the reflection, showed of him slowly being tortured and beaten by Angel. Shinji didn't want that, so he stabilized himself as best he could, put the EVA's fists up and waited for the Angel to make its next move. He did this, despite everyone practically yelling at him to close the distance between them.

The Angel took up this challenge and closed in on Shinji, the boy was shivering, but still managed to keep still and standing. Eventually, the Angel was close enough that it took its first swing at him. It was a sideways open claw left hook; Shinji could see it coming so he blocked it. Though the Angel expected him to do that, it brought its free hand up to slash at Shinji's face.

Except, Shinji also had a free hand and grabbed the Angel's arm. He quickly pushed away the left arm that he was blocking and brought it down on the Angel's right. A loud cracking sound, followed by a shriek from the Angel. Indicated that he had managed to break its arm, but he couldn't stop there.

Shinji then wrapped both his hands around the broken arm. Then leaned into the Angel and threw it over his shoulder. The Angel flew down the road, crashing into buildings and shrieking in pain. The Central Dogma exploded into cheers as they began to believe in Shinji. Gendo was about to command them to calm down, when they all noticed the EVA beginning to wobble.

"Shinji, are you alright?" Misato asked.

"I…..can't…..feel my legs." Shinji responded.

Ritsuko then gasped. "No, the adrenaline is wearing off!"

Shinji didn't even really hear what she had to say. All he could focus on was the Angel which had moved itself to face the EVA. Its eyes glowed and blasted a laser at the robot, it was a direct hit. This time, Shinji went flying, crashing on the outskirts of town. Everyone watched as Shinji's body whipped around the entry plug. Eventually, coming to a stop with him becoming limp.

As Shinji's arms and body dangled to the side. The Angel slowly rose and snapped its arm back into place. Everyone screamed at Shinji to wake up, they were all debating on what to do next. While Gendo simply watched on, unemotive, but feeling sorry for his only child. He knew what was going to happen next. Though now with the reflection interfering with things, it wasn't a question of if or even when, but how?

A FEW MINUTES EARLIER

Tubular Bells had been playing for the past twenty minutes, filling everyone in the bunker with a strange sensation of dread and solace. Though not for Toji, his two friends Hikari and Kensuke, as well as his sister. For them, they were happy enough that Sakura had made it to shelter safely. Along with the help from a boy with superpowers, who had taught her how to play the guitar strangely enough.

Of course, none of the adults believed her story, even when she played along to the song on her new instrument. That only convinced them that she must be talented, but crazy, or who knows. Maybe she even stole the thing from a store on the way here. Though, nobody was really going to do anything about it. They were all too busy thinking about saving their own skins.

Her brother believed her, partially, he could wrap his head around the idea of someone coming to save her. Though, the whole floating through the air while dancing to the Talking Heads. That might have taken the cake for the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard to come out of her mouth. Hikari was right alongside him on that, though she was more impressed by how quickly she had picked up playing the guitar.

Granted, it did seem to come out of nowhere, but for Toji it wasn't too surprising. Sakura loved pop music so the idea of her secretly playing guitar at school. Then picking up one along the way to keep herself calm wasn't entirely far-fetched. Though that didn't explain how she was slowly learning how to play along to Tubular Bells.

It was incredibly difficult for her, especially with the 15/8-time signature. Though she was slowly getting the hang of it. Something that Kensuke was making sure to document with his camera.

"How are you doing that?" He asked her.

"Well…." Sakura struggled to answer. "It's kind of just coming to me. See, this is easy, because it was incredibly fun to dance too."

She then played This Must Be the Place flawlessly, with the sound seeming to come from somewhere on the guitar. It didn't sound like it had a built-in speaker, though what else would be able to produce an electric guitar ring so clearly?

"But this is much more complicated, but still….interesting." She went back to Tubular Bells. "It's all just too….."

She tried to focus, but only continued to mess up.

"Tricky?" Kensuke said. "Oh, could you play that song? It's Tricky."

"Ummmm." Sakura said, nervously.

"Don't worry." Hikari said to her. "Keep at it, you're certainly better at it than anyone else at your age."

"Th-Thanks." Sakura responded.

"Yeah, just keep at-HEY!" Kensuke was interrupted when Toji took his camera out of his hand.

"What she doesn't need is cameras being pointed in her face. Wouldn't you say, Hikari?" Toji asked.

"Agreed." Hikari said, rather quickly than expected. Though Kensuke and Sakura looked at her awkwardly, Toji smiled at her.

The awkward silence was broken by Sakura continuing away at Tubular Bells. Along with Kensuke trying to get his camera back. Which Toji kept away from him out of what felt like necessity. Though, even that came to a halt when some overly grumpy adult told them to:

"Shut that shit off!"

The kids looked at the man, who was trying to sleep. Kensuke managed to steal his camera back, and after another long silence. Sakura went back to playing.

"I SAID SHUT THAT SHIT OFF!"

The man yelled, this time gaining a lot more attention. Though he didn't seem to care, as he truly scared Sakura from playing. Even making sure to look the girl in the eyes. This pissed off Toji.

"You know you could just ask her to stop!" He spoke.

This caused the man to stand up, he was tall and big. It was as if his gut reached Toji before he did when he walked over to the boy.

"What did you say punk!?"

The man was red in the face, and alcohol could be smelt on him. It was clear that he wasn't taking the situation well. He was counting on his size compared to the boy to intimidate him. Though Toji didn't falter, Kensuke backed up, Hikari and Sakura watched on with fear. Toji didn't break a sweat, there were too many adults around. If this drunk asshole tried something, he'd be in more trouble than the boy.

"I said, you should be more polite." Toji responded.

"I could crush your skull, kid." The man said, not noticing the multiple men creeping up behind him. Just in case he tried something.

"So what? You'd go to jail." Toji said.

The boy could hear his friends gasping in awe of his roasts. Which made him smirk, he was doing this for them. To make sure that they felt like they were safe, especially his sister. Because of this, he was too focused on the man, and didn't notice someone standing behind him. Leaning on the wall, arms crossed, and maniacally grinning.

Sakura saw them though, it waved at her casually as it watched the man. Before she could say anything, she noticed the big man bringing his hand up. He was about to bring it down on Toji's head. Hikari and Kensuke were about to try and pull Toji away. The adults were about to tackle the man.

Only for the man to go flying and hit the wall. Everyone was surprised, except for Sakura, who looked back at the reflection. It then gestured for her to go outside, then it faded through the wall. As many of the adults rushed over to see if the man was okay, another announcement came over the speakers.

"Hello everyone, sorry about the delay, as well as that little interruption. Don't worry about the drunk asshole over there. He'll be okay, he's not usually like that. Though he deserved to get a little punishment for trying to hit a child. Anyway, the show is about to start. Please make your way outside and take your seats."

Everyone was now on edge, and they didn't know what to do. The announcer was watching them, and just flung a full-grown man into a wall. Now, it was telling them to go outside into a war zone. What would it do to them if they didn't comply? If it wasn't for the drunk man sitting up, rubbing his bleeding head, confused at what just happened. They might have all panicked and started running out of there.

It seemed that this thing was true to its word about not killing anyone. Everyone was so focused on something else, that they didn't notice the little girl with a guitar. Making her way towards the exit. Sakura found the shelter door opened once again. She emerged onto the familiar hillside, where she saw in the distance the fight between the Angel and the EVA taking place.

As she watched on in awe and horror, a familiar face appeared by her side.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The reflection said, in a relaxed manner.

Sakura looked at the reflection with anger.

"Go help him!" She practically shouted.

"I will, don't worry." It said, as the explosion sent the EVA flying.

"Now would be a good time." Sakura kind of laughed nervously, as the EVA hit the ground, causing it to shake.

Soon, the Angel began to get up, healing its arm. The reflection watched on, calm as can be. As if it had seen this before.

"You know, I thought about having you sing. I messed up my throat earlier, and I thought I might need a substitute. Though that's nothing that a little rest and relaxation can't fix." It said with a smile.

The reflection began walking towards the city. Sakura watched it with confusion, but somewhat understanding.

"You can stop being this way." She said, softly.

The reflection stopped and turned around.

"What do you mean?" It asked.

"You're like my brother, calm, but….scared. Though, you don't have to be scared. You've got this." She said, giving a thumbs up with a nice smile.

It was corny, but wholesome. Something the reflection hadn't seen in a long while. The sight caused it to laugh, which caused Sakura to start laughing too. Only for her to stop abruptly when the Angel screeched. It didn't faze the reflection though, instead, the reflection looked at Sakura with sympathetic eyes.

"I'm sorry, a girl as young as you. Shouldn't have to try and be as mature as you, but that's what this story is. One…."

The reflection turned around.

"...giant…."

It began to walk away again.

"...tragedy."

Then it disappeared, and Sakura stood there for a while. Until someone called out her name.

"Sakura!" Her brother called.

"Hey! Over here!" She turned around and waved.

Toji was accompanied by Kensuke and Hikari.

"What are you doing out here? Let's get back inside." Toji urged her.

"No, it's fine. We're safe." Sakura responded.

"What do you mean? That creature could blow us out of…." Toji stopped talking, he thought he heard something. His friends and sister soon joined him.

"Do you hear that?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah, it's….it's coming from the city!" Kensuke said and pointed.

Everyone soon began to hear it. The adults who were emerging from the bunker. Rei who had just arrived on the surface. Ritsuko, Misato, Kozo, the Bridge Bunnies and Gendo, all down in the Geofront. They all heard something soft, and string based. It sounded like a guitar, and it was playing a familiar tune.

Sachiel, Angel of the Water, snapped its arm back into place. It had been broken in multiple places, but a quick appliance of its healing factor made easy work of it. The pain was still there though, pain it wouldn't forget, pain that it intended for the machine to pay for in kind. Sachiel shouted a call of intimidation and challenge. One that the machine didn't respond to, meaning that it had most likely been killed, or wounded.

(Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley)

(0:00 to 0:59)

In that case, Sachiel would finish it off, as a mercy. It began walking towards the machine, though, it was about halfway there that it began to hear something. A faint ringing, a collection of notes, produced by a human made instrument. It sounded….beautiful. Like a piece of Sachiel's life that it never knew that it lost. And it needed to be taken back. It turned away from the machine and walked towards the direction of the song.

(0:59 to 1:45)

I heard there was a secret chord.

That David played and it pleased the Lord.

But you don't really care for music, do you?

Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth.

The minor fall and the major lift.

The baffled king composing Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.

(1:46 to 1:49)

Though, right as it seemed to have found the source, it changed locations. Sachiel ended up walking around the city for minutes. So close, yet so far away. It began to stumble and look around frantically. Where was this song coming from?

(1:50 to 2:36)

Well your faith was strong but you needed proof.

You saw her bathing on the roof.

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.

She tied you to her kitchen chair.

She broke your throne and she cut your hair.

And from your lips, she drew the Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.

(2:36 to 2:39)

Sachiel considered shooting a beam into the center of the city. Perhaps it would cause a disturbance and confuse the source. Though, that might stop the song. And the song was too beautiful to let it be stopped.

(2:39 to 3:28)

Baby, I've been here before.

I've seen this room and I've walked this floor.

You know, I used to live alone before I knew you.

And I've seen your flag on the marble arch.

And Love is not a victory march.

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.

So, lighthearted yet minor, the epitome of everything that the Angel was. All it wanted was to find the source, and rest beside it. Listen to it for a little while and take in the moment. Yet it was denied this for no explained reason. Driving Sachiel mad, causing it to rush around more and more. Making it look oddly human to the observers that the Angel didn't see.

(3:29 to 4:12)

Well, there was a time when you let me know.

What's really going on below.

But now you never show that to me, do you?

But remember, when I moved in you.

And the holy dove was moving too.

And every breath, we drew was Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.

(4:13 to 4:59)

Then, it saw it, the source was tiny, but the correct one. It took the form of a small young human playing on its instrument. As Sachiel grew closer, it could make out the slight sound of the human's fingers gliding across the strings. Once there, the Angel stood in front of the tiny human. Its large silhouette shaded the boy from the moon's light. Though the human didn't look up at it, the boy simply continued its song. Focusing more on the instrument than on the massive creature standing right in front of it.

(5:00 to 6:54)

Maybe there's a God above.

But, all I've ever learned from love.

Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you?

And it's not a cry, that you hear at night.

It's not somebody, who's seen the light.

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah!

Hallelu…jah.

Hallelu….jah.

The lyrics, Sachiel couldn't properly understand them, but the voice singing them. It was unlike anything it had ever heard.

(End)

Then, it stopped, the song's notes faded, and the Angel could think clearly again.

It began to notice a few things, like how similar this human's presence was to its own. Though it was certainly not one of its own kind. In fact, this felt like the same presence that sent it flying a few hours ago. This thing was a threat, it would now be crushed under a strike from its massive hands.

"Sit down!" The presence commanded.

The Angel did as it was told, unwillingly, almost as if it had no control. The presence didn't even look at Sachiel, it instead looked towards the machine.

"He's still not awake? What a loser. I prepared this massive arena for him, and he can't even handle one explosion without passing out."

Sachiel could understand what the presence was saying, and because of that. It noticed that something was surrounding the city. It looked up from where it was sitting, but it didn't see anything. Though the Angel could sense that something was there, looming over it. The massive creature tried to stand up, but then it felt threatened.

It then noticed that the presence was now looking right at it. Staring with eyes that could pierce its skin. Thus, keeping the creature in place.

"I could kill with a single glance, but that would be boring. I've decided to let my stupid reflection deal with you, but until he awakens. Stay in your place."

The presence then put its hands back around its guitar.

"How about another song?" It said, with a wicked smile.

Hey everyone, sorry for the weekly updates and then nothing. My life is a living mundane hell, but writing this is at least fun. I don't have anything really to say, I'm just tired and I have other things I need to do right now. So, yeah, I hope you enjoyed it.

Hopefully, this made your day a little brighter.