Disclaimer: I am a rich millionaire. I also own Evangelion. This message is a complete lie. (It will also self-destruct.)
Eye of Angels
Chapter One: Out of Character
"Come on Baka-Shinji! We're going to be late!" Asuka shouted as they ran.
School was as annoying as it ever was for Shinji. Asuka was perfectly fine with it of course but for some reason Shinji was beginning to abhor it.
"Hmm… beats piloting Eva." He thought. The damned machine was beginning to be his driving point. As long as he wasn't in Eva, things weren't as bad as they could be.
Fortunately, it had been long… very long since he had been needed to actually pilot Eva. Two months since the tenth angel. The one which had been the least damaging. Holding his Eva's AT field out to block it while Asuka destroyed it had been no problem compared to… say… the eighth.
When he had dived into that sea of lava, during the eight angel's discovery, with no protective armor for his Eva, synchronizing with it, he felt the thousand and higher degree temperatures of the hot lava scald his skin, burning him to a cinder, boiling him to his very core.
All to save Asuka, whom he barely received a begrudging thank you from, if even that.
"Agh, why do I put up with her?" He thought to himself as he sat down into his desk just as the bell rang. He had gotten lucky today. Tardiness wasn't permitted of course, and he had been just on time.
Class was it's usual boring. Shinji put up with it to the best of his abilities but somehow it felt… beneath him. As if he should be doing something more… productive.
Considering how this conflicted with his almost permanent, humble attitude, he himself was surprised. Maybe it was just that the class was so incredibly boring.
Suddenly, a message bleeped in on his laptop. "Huh?" He said aloud, though quietly. "Who would be messaging me?"
He viewed the contents and found a text message greeting him.
"Shinji… something's wrong with me." It said plainly.
"Wrong?… Who?" Shinji thought, wondering who the anonymous message could possibly be from.
"I… My… I can't express it to you when we talk but… I love you." Said the next message.
Shinji's eyes widened. He glanced around the room, left to right, trying desperately to find who was sending these messages.
Ayanami Rei stared at her laptop. Sohryu Asuka stared at her laptop. Meraine Kinya stared at her laptop. Hikari or "Class Rep" as his friends referred to her stared at her laptop. Any of them… hell all of them could have been the one to send the message. All of them appeared to be typing, with the exception of Ayanami whose eyes were transfixed on the screen, hands holding up her head.
Shinji Ikari decided that he would not be confused. Not caring whether the entire class save for one was confused by his action, he sent a message to the local area network of computers, in other words the entire class, with three words saying simply, "Who are you?"
This message had his name attached so everyone knew who sent it, unlike his… secret admirer.
A few heads turned. Asuka and Ayanami, the most likely candidates as they were the only people, girls anyway, in the class that he even remotely knew, were among them.
They turned back quickly. Three messages appeared on his screen simultaneously. The first was from Touji.
"What do you mean, man? That was a little random." It said.
Another was from Ayanami. "I do not understand why you ask. I am Rei Ayanami. You know this."
And the last was anonymous. "Shinji Ikari. Something is wrong with me. I feel… when I feel angry… I feel… too strong… invincible. When it happens… and it will happen today… remember… I love you… please. Stop me. Only you or Rei could… and I won't let myself be stopped by one I don't love."
Shinji again glanced around. Unfortunately, his eyes met no ones. Asuka was patiently staring at the lecturing teacher in obvious boredom. Rei was no different. Hikari stared at her keyboard and was typing. Though her random glances towards Soren, a girl two seats to the right of him, told him that she was most likely typing to her.
"I'll just try again I guess." he thought.
"Ok but who are you?" he sent the message again.
A few more messages replied this time. The first four were annoyance from people who didn't know him. The next was Hikari, "Stop this Ikari-kun or I will be forced to remove your privileges to the laptop."
The next came from Rei. "My answer is still the same. I am Ayanami, Rei. Do you not believe me?"
Touji's was also one of annoyance. "Your… kinda freakin' me out man. I'm pretty sure you know who I am."
This time it appeared that Kensuke had decided to send a message as well. "Kensuke, Eva pilot wannabe extraordinaire!" It said with a winking smiley face after it.
The final message was the one he sought. It seemed, hesitant. Coming in after all the others… and even then a little later. "I… I'm sorry I had to tell you anonymously but… I can't tell you to your face. I… I guess I'm still to stubborn to admit it… but I'll tell you someday. I had to tell you today… I'll today… I'll lose it.. Today… years ago… my mother she… I saw her… die… and my… I'm losing my control. Promise that you'll stop me… I beg you…. If you do… put your hand on your desk and cross your index and middle finger."
Shinji, not knowing what else to do, and deciding that, whatever his admirer was begging for must be truly important, placed his hand on his desk and crossed his fingers.
Moments later he heard a sound. His laptop showed another single anonymous message.
"Thank you… so much."
His laptop remained silent for the rest of the class and the rest of the day. Shinji saved the messages, copying them into a word document, and left for lunch at the end of the class.
"I wonder what that was all about." He thought.
"Yo, Shinji! Why were you sendin' those weird messages?" Touji asked suddenly. Noticing that other people apparently were walking toward Shinji to ask the same question, Touji asked, "Did you send those messages to everyone?" "Yeah… someone sent me an anonymous message." Shinji replied.
"Oh? What did it say?" Touji asked.
Deciding he'd rather not tell Touji, Shinji simply decided that he would change the subject.
"Don't worry about it. Probably just a joke anyways. So… I heard about your sister. She's being let out of the hospital today!" Shinji said.
"YEAH! I'm so happy for her! You have no idea how glad I was at her sudden recovery. But… Hey! Your trying to change the subject!" he shouted merrily.
"Well yeah, I guess I am. It is good that she's finally out though, isn't it?" He asked.
"Yeah… heh… before she recovered her condition was just going… downhill. The doctors thought she was gonna die. Heh… then I brought you to visit her with me. She just… got better after that. Weird don't ya think?" Touji asked, not realizing that Shinji had successfully changed the subject.
"Yeah… it is a little." Shinji said thoughtfully.
"You know… I think she likes you." Touji joked.
Shinji smirked, "Come on! Your kidding right? It was my fault she was in there in the first place!"
"Well it's possible. After all, she didn't recover till you visited her. The doc said he'd never seen bones regenerate so quickly. As if… something was forcing them to heal!" Touji told him.
"Well… I guess it COULD be.. But I doubt it. And she's a cute little girl. I hope she doesn't grow up to be like…" Shinji trailed off, his glance moving towards the person walking his way.
"Misato!" Touji exclaimed, in unison with Kensuke as he had been walking towards them.
"Hi boys!" Misato said in her joyful sort of way, using that odd wink that had always annoyed Shinji.
"Oh brother…" He sighed at his two love-struck friends.
Suddenly Misato became all business. "Shinji. Something came up. Can you come with me? I need to speak to you alone for a moment."
"I… oh?" He asked.
She led him away from the boys to stand beneath a nearby tree, out of earshot of anyone noticeable.
"Shinji… something odd is happening. I need you to keep… keep a close watch on Asuka and if she does anything… dangerous… stop her, ok?" Misato said.
"I… ok… but is that all you came here for?" Shinji asked, perplexed.
"Believe it or not, yes. I was asked by Ritsuko to come here and tell you that, and only that. Watch her, Shinji." Misato said quietly.
"I will." Shinji replied sternly.
Misato nodded. "Well I'm going back to H Q then. See you!"
She walked quickly around a building and turned towards her car. With that she was gone.
"Watch… Asuka huh?" Shinji thought aloud.
The next three hours of Shinji's day went as normal. Nothing odd occurring, nor were their any angel attacks at the moment and that was always a plus.
"Hmm… odd how well this day is going." Shinji thought. He had even thought he had caught Asuka staring at him for a moment. She had turned away faster than lightning… but her face had been as red as Rei Ayanami's eyes.
"Maybe… she sent the message… she… well she was the only one who DIDN'T send one back when I sent the letters throughout the class..." Shinji thought to himself.
The final bell signaling school's end for the day rang. Shinji walked out into the open court yard when suddenly he heard something.
"Damnit!… DAMNIT! I… I… SHUT UP!" Came the screech that Shinji only recognized as Asuka.
Shinji ran to see what was going on and, upon turning the corner he found one of the most odd sights he'd ever seen.
"Asuka I really didn't mean it.. I…" Hikari stuttered. "Oh my god Asuka… your eyes"
"I'll… I'll kill you!" Asuka cried. She pounced forward and latched her arms around the Class Representative's neck.
"AH-GUL… AS… Asuka.. Pl..please… kidding… jo..ke" Hikari stuttered as Asuka clenched her fingers around Hikari's throat, cutting off her air-flow.
"Never! I couldn't EVER… I… Damn you! I'm self dependent! I don't need BAKA-SHINJI! Not now! Not EVER! You'll regret ever saying that!" Asuka screamed.
"ASUKA!" Shinji shouted as he ran towards the two.
And suddenly, Asuka's madness seeped away.
She flew away from Hikari, landing sprawled on the ground, staring at her hands as if they were cursed… "I.. Hikari… I'm sorry… Please… I.. I don't know what…"
As Asuka let go, Hikari's hands clutched her throat. She coughed a few times and then stared at Asuka. "Asuka… what's happening to you?" Hikari asked, frightened.
Shinji arrived falling down next to Hikari. "Are you ok? Asuka! What were you thinking? Isn't she your best friend! Asuka?"
"I'm.. I… I tried… to stop it… I couldn't… I asked her to stay away from me… but… she kept teasing… and it… they took over…" Asuka said in decreasing tone. Her last words sounded lower than a whisper.
"Asuka… what… what took over?" Shinji asked, trying to help Hikari to her feet.
"Shinji… I'm… I'm sorry. I… Hikari…" Asuka muttered.
Suddenly, she stood and moved over to Hikari.
As she moved closer, Hikari suddenly backed away, frightened. "Stay back!" She stated.
Falling to her knees she bowed her head and muttered. "Hikari-chan… please… please forgive me for letting it… take me over. I've held it off for so long but… today… my mom died… and I… I'm sorry!" She finished quickly.
She stood and ran leaving a noticeable trail of tears in her wake.
Fortunately there were none present to witness the event.
"Shinji… what… what happened to her? She's not the Asuka I know… Did you see her eyes?" Hikari asked tentatively.
"No… what… what about them?" He asked.
"They had changed to an evil looking pointed yellow… she… she looked like a demon…" Hikari stuttered.
Shinji looked toward where the girl was only just running out of sight and sighed. "Asuka."
"ASUKA!" Shinji cried for the umpteen billionth time. "ASUKA! WHERE ARE YOU?" He shouted again.
It was midnight and Asuka had not returned to Misato's homestead.
Shinji, worried as he was, exited the house at ten to go looking for her.
It was midnight and he had been shouting for her for over two hours now. After simply searching all of the most likely places, he found himself in a small park, with only a bench and a water fountain that, due to recent angel attacks, no longer functioned. It also had a very beautiful looking garden with hedge bushes and trees all around it, though it was rather small.
He sat on the bench and rocked for a moment, pondering what he should do, when suddenly he heard something.
"Shin… "Sniff"… Shinji…" It whispered.
"Asuka!" Shinji exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
"I… can… I need help." She begged.
"Where are you!" Shinji asked. He looked around trying desperately to find where her voice was coming from. Suddenly a nearby bush quivered.
"I'm.. under… the…" She trailed off.
Shinji squatted down next to the bush her voice was coming from and found that there was a large crevice beneath it.
And in that crevice he found Asuka.
"As… Oh my god…" Shinji muttered. "What are you doing down there!"
"Please help me..." Asuka begged. "Don't let anyone see me… He shot… he shot at me… they're gonna kill me…"
She lay beneath the bush completely naked, one arm covering her breasts and the other, hiding her lower regions. Between her breasts, on her chest just below her neck was a large red gem, glowing dimly.
"What… what happened to your clothes?" Shinji asked, avoiding the obvious thing.
"They… they disintegrated." She said plainly.
"Disintegrated!" Shinji exclaimed. "How?"
"Please be quiet… I don't want anyone to see… I'm becoming.. I'm turning into… I… I couldn't trust anyone to see me like this except you… I… thank you for coming." She stuttered in utter relief.
Shinji was angry. Why
wouldn't she answer his question? "How did they disintegrate?" He
demanded quietly. "Did someone… who shot you… you weren't… were you rap"
"NO!"
She shouted, then, much more calmly said, "I… no… it was my… AT field.
I've been trying to keep it under control but it… this happened right
after I ran… I ran away. I'd been feeling a weird pain in my chest all
day and then… right after I "gulp" choked Hikari this… I… this thing…
showed up on my chest! Then my clothes just disintegrated! Someone saw
it… and he just… right there in the middle of the street he pulled out
a gun, and fired at me! I… thanks for finding me." .
"I… well of course. I couldn't just leave you, and Hikari's out looking for you too. She's really sorry for teasing you and she can forgive what you did, since she thinks you were possessed or something. What's really going on here?" Shinji asked.
"Shinji… I've known for a while
now. Us pilots… those who can synch with Eva? We… well, the more we
synch, the more… traits… we get from the Eva. Shinji… Shinji as we
pilot… we slowly become…" She trailed off, again afraid to speak.
"Become
what!" he asked. "Angels…" She whispered. "It's happening to you too. I
saw your eyes flash when you shouted to make me stop choking
Hikari-chan… I… you looked like Unit 01."
"To… to me?" He thought. He stared down at his seemingly normal hands. Then looked to Asuka. The gem was perfectly circular, just like an angel's core. Red but fortunately, not bulging forth from her. She could easily disguise it with a shirt. But getting her home without anyone seeing was the trick.
"I'll worry about this later. For now, I'm getting you home." He said plainly.
He crawled under the bush and took off his jacked, placing it over her stomach, breasts, and lower private parts, covering as much of the gem as he could as well.
"I… thank you Baka-Shinji." She said, placing her arms over the article of clothing. It was rather cold outside and apparently, if Asuka actually had an AT field, it was not being used either to keep her warm, or to make clothing disintegrate at this time. It was mid-September. Quite cold, especially when one was Naked at 12:30 at night.
Shinji smiled. It had been a long wait to get to hear those words from the Great and Arrogant Asuka Langley Sohryu. "Your welcome."
Asuka had known she had to wait for Shinji to find her. Anyone else would fear her…
And when he did find and help her, Asuka was surprised beyond all reason. She expected pity, or mirth at her plight. Inwardly she knew Shinji wasn't capable of that. But still, all her cruelty and anger that she always let out on him for no reason. Now she needed help desperately, and once again, he gave aid without second thought. Without the slightest hint of arrogance.
This was what she loved and hated about Shinji. He willingly helped and saved others with no respect whatsoever towards his own life. Taking pain where others deserved it. Still staying by her side even though she constantly insulted him.
When she was at school she called him a pervert but when she needed him, whether she knew it or not, she waited, knowing he would save her like he always did. Be it from gunshot or Angels… he was always there to save her. No matter how much she acted like she resented that…
"I love you, Shinji." She whispered.
"What was that Asuka?" Shinji asked as he picked up the surprisingly light girl.
"Nothing." Asuka said, a smile on her face.
Even if he hadn't heard, she had told him to his face. She was happy…
They walked home in silence. After she had stood up, Shinji had removed his lower shirt to cover her backside. Fortunately, today he had worn a rather long one, so upon putting it on, it covered all her vital parts, making his jacket somewhat, obsolete.
They arrived home quickly, as their pace was not exactly a slow one. "Shinji… tomorrow, I'll apologize to Hikari-chan first thing." Asuka stuttered, still lightly afraid.
"Asuka… what are you so afraid of?" Shinji asked, still perplexed at her unnatural… scared-ness? Where did the fiery red-head who was never scared of anything go to? What had happened to THAT Asuka?
"I… He shot me. The second my clothes disappeared, someone wearing a Nerv uniform just backed up, afraid, and pulled out a gun and shot me! Right there in the street! I… what happens if I can't control it during the Synch tests? What'll… what if… I… Shinji what if your father ordered you or wonder girl to KILL me! I… I'm… an angel… after all." "That won't happen! Asuka I don't know why you seem to be so scared but snap out of it!" Shinji demanded. "But…" She stuttered.
Shinji was fed up! He was the timid and shy one! Not her! Something had to be done. So, Shinji, in a display of true boldness, reached for her, grabbed her left breast, and squeezed.
For a moment, Asuka was surprised, staring down at the hand that was cupping her left breast in mute amazement at his boldness.
The next moment, She was Asuka again.
"BAKA-SHINJI!"
She cried as she slammed her open palm across his face. "You sick
pervert! And to think I TRUSTED you! You damn little"
"THERE'S the Asuka I know!" Shinji smiled as he interrupted her tirade.
He smirked, and with that, walked off into the kitchen for a late night snack, his face, burning from what was quite possibly the most painful slap she had ever given him.
Asuka's heart raced, trying to come up with a viable reason to HATE the little pervert in front of her but, seeing as how he had some how snapped her out of her own fear, finding none.
"You… you, you, YOU, YOU, YOU, BAKA!" Asuka cried angrily after his retreating form. "You can't just DO that! You… You can't! It's… it's not ethical!"
"I'm glad your ok, Asuka!" He cried.
"DAMNIT when did that boy grow enough backbone to do something like that?" Asuka thought frantically.
Suddenly, she felt the angel within her stirring. "Damn… I don't love that Baka. I… I didn't until you started messing with me! Started messing with my mind! This HAS to be your fault!"
And again she felt that she was lying to herself.
"… DAMN!" She shouted.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Shinji smiled. Asuka was back to normal.
"Commander you MUST listen to me. Please! The second pilot is an angel! I SAW her core!" Colonel Jineku exclaimed.
"Have
I once said that I didn't believe you? Your actions however, are a
result of not knowing all the facts. Pilot Sohryu, while exhibiting
Angel-like qualities, is still Pilot Sohryu. You will be detained until
further notice.
"But Sir! What if she causes Third Impact! Please! This is a mistake!" The colonel shouted.
"Shooting an innocent child, is the mistake, Colonel. It's not her fault and we've been monitoring things quite closely." Dr. Akagi said coldly.
"But… but Dr. Akagi"
"Good day… citizen." Gendo finished, as he reached through the prison bars and stripped the man of his rank.
"DAMN! No!" He cried as the doctor and commander left the prison cells.
Ritsuko glanced at the clock as she entered the room frantically. 12:00. "Perfect" She thought. She walked over to the bed were Rei Ayanami lay.
"What is happening to me?" Rei thought.
She lay in a small bed in her room, though it was not in the apartment complex. It was the room she grew up in, within Central Dogma.
"Are you alright, Rei? I'm sorry you have to endure this." Said Ritsuko, appearing suddenly at Rei's side.
Rei stared at her for a moment, confused.
"There is no pain, Doctor." She said plainly. "What is it that you believe I am enduring?"
Ritsuko pointed directly at the red gem appearing between her breasts and a little below her neck.
"You are becoming the very thing you seek to destroy. Does that mean nothing to you?" Ritsuko asked sadly.
"I… do not… care. I already was. I'm just now aloud to exhibit it more openly. Am I not the product of the second angel?" Rei asked plainly.
Ritsuko gasped. "How… how did you know that?"
Rei placed a palm on the gem in her chest.
"She speaks with me. She is… lonely. The lance pains her." Rei said sadly.
"Re… Rei… you aren't… you aren't going to be…" Ritsuko stuttered, backing away from her subject.
"I will not bring about humanities evolution, Doctor. Lilith has served her purpose. That destiny belongs to another." Rei said glaring.
For a moment, Her eyes altered till they were, pointed, much light a lightning bolt. They flashed back quickly but Ritsuko was now afraid.
"Rei"
"What trouble's you doctor? Is something wrong with me?" Rei asked.
Suddenly, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi felt, light headed. A little dizzy in fact.
"Are you alright?" Rei asked plainly.
Ritsuko shook her head. "Yes. Yes I'm fine Rei. And you appear to be just fine as well"
Ritsuko
glanced at the clock. "12:05." "Sorry I'm a little late, Rei." Ritsuko
said suddenly as she wondered where the minutes between 12:00 and 12:05
had gone.
"It is fine." Rei replied.
"That's odd… I forget why I called you here." Ritsuko thought. She looked at Rei. Nothing was wrong with her. No oddities whatsoever, about her physically or mentally based on the scanners.
"I… the test is done. You may go Rei." Ritsuko said plainly.
"Thank you, doctor." Rei replied.
Rei got up, dressed quickly, and left, leaving a confused Ritsuko, to ponder why in the world she had thought it was necessary to test Rei…
"Is what I did right?" Rei thought sadly.
"Yes… she was in your way… she was in your way so you had to remove her memory." The voice of Lilith sounded in her head.
"I… alright. But what about Commander Ikari? Is he also, in my way? I do not wish to harm him." Rei said.
"I will tell you, and show you how to deal with him, my child. Trust me… I'm am the mother. I will be gentle to my children."
"Yes… I trust you… mother." Rei muttered quietly.
End Chapter
WHEW! Was that Out of Character or WHAT? AHAHAH! So tell me tell me whadja think! (By the way I dunno why but this was kinda hard to do. I had to keep characters out of character but not TOO out of character you know?" Also, not quite as long as my usual chapters in the Ranma section. Don't really know if I'll take this story anywhere or not. On the re-read I thought it was pretty good. All things considered. It feels odd coming out with such a short chapter. Oh well. Hope you enjoy!