Disclamer:   Neon Genesis Evangelion is owned by
Gainax and the various 
DCU charaters are property Time Warner.

This is a co-written fic by Fusionblaster(myself) and
Classic Cowboy.

It can also be found on FF.net at: 
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1762850


 []: Thoughts




Chapter 4: Searching
 
 
 
 
Shinji Ikari, the 'child' of Gendo and Yui Ikari, was
absolutely fascinating to watch, from his first days
as an Evangelion pilot, until the day that he cast
aside his pilot suit for his present one.  His
psychological progress was what fascinated me the
most. How could a single boy, with a guardian like
Misato no less, go from morose and uncertain, to the
man who displays the quiet, commanding confidence he
does today?
 
---Ritsuko Akagi
 
 
 
"WHAT?   He's been missing since yesterday?" Dr.
Ritsuko Akagi turned from her computer to look over at
her friend.
 
Misato sighed, "I thought he was acting strange but I
didn't think he'd run away."
 
"And you're supposed to be his guardian." She Turned
back to her desk and picked up the phone.  "We have to
report this."
 
"WHAT?!  Come on Rits..."
 
"We have to Misato. If something happens to him it'll
be too late."
 
Misato slumped against the wall "Your right. I just
wish I hadn't slapped him."
 
"You think that's what drove him off."
 
"That and it hurt like HELL!"
 
--
 
"So he's run away?" a man in the back of a dark limo
asked as it drove through the ghost town-like Tokyo-2 
 
"Yes, sir," the female driver spoke over the speaker. 
 
"They have yet to locate him?" 
 
"Yes, sir, his location is still unknown."
 
"Can our people find him?"
 
"We're already on it, sir."
 
"How long until we reach Tokyo-3?"
 
"Another hour, sir, depending on traffic."  
 
"Make it thirty minutes and I'll give you double time
for the day." 
 
--- 
 
"This is the address, isn't it, Kensuke?" Touji asked
as they approached the apartment of Misato Katsuragi. 
 
"According to the class records this is where he
lives," Kensuke double-checked the wadded paper in his
hands. 
 
"Ok, then why don't you ring the bell?" Touji nodded
toward the doorbell beside the door. 
 
"Why don't you?" 
 
"I don't feel like it, you do it."
 
"What if I don't feel like it either?" 
 
"Lets do it together," Kensuke suggested and they both
placed their finger on the button. "On the count of
three, ok? One two �"
 
"Wait! Wait, is it three then go then push, or three
then push?" Touji asked dumbly. 
 
"Just push the damn button!" with that they pushed the
button and a moment later, Misato opened the door
causing all brain activity to cease within the two
teenagers. "Um � hi �" Kensuke gulped. 
 
"Can I help you?" Misato asked, leaning with her arm
against the doorway. 
 
"Um � does a Shinji Ikari live here?" Kensuke asked
after shaking out of his stupor. 
 
"Yes, this is where he lives," Misato said, her face
growing slightly sad, "but � he's at NERV Headquarters
now for tests."
 
"Oh � ok, we have his assignments and what he's missed
in class," Kensuke said, elbowing the drooling Touji
in the stomach. The awestruck teen mechanically handed
the folder of papers to Misato. "Can you tell him his
friends Kensuke and Touji said hi?" 
 
Misato nodded, "Ok, I'll tell him, thanks for bringing
these by!" she then shut the door waving slightly. 
 
The two boys stared at the door for several moments
before turning to leave, "Well that was interesting �"

 
"You're telling me, first he's built like a freaking
bull, he has the skin of steel, gets to pilot a cool
robot, and now he lives with a babe!" Touji threw up
his hands, "why can't I get that lucky!" 
 
Touji continued raving about the fairness of it but
Kensuke had stopped listening mid sentence, "Hmmm �
skin of steel �" 
 
--- 
  
Shinji sighed as he sat at the back of the nearly
empty movie theater. There was an old man at the
bottom of the rows sleeping on the floor, a man a half
way down the rows reading a news paper, and a teenaged
couple more interested in exploring each other's
bodies then the old 1990's horror flick. 
 
Shinji smirked at the intimate actions of the couple,
and wondered what it would be like to have a life
where he could be in a situation like that. Like that
would ever happen. 
 
"Is anyone sitting here?" 
 
Shinji glanced up to see a man in a fancy three-piece
suit and a cleanly shaven bold head. He wasn't fat but
he was far from thin, and his face showed that he was
an older man, but very dignified. "Sure, no one's
sitting here." Shinji scooted over unconsciously. 
 
The man sat down and turned to the movie, "Holy God
this movie still sucks," he shook his head, "it sucked
when it first came out, and it hasn't improved with
age." He shook his head and smiled at the younger boy,
"You know, of all the things to survive Second Impact,
why is it surprising the things that suck are the ones
to survive and � the things worth looking up to and
watching had to fall." He then winked at the boy,
"Don't you agree, Shinji?"
 
"Did my father or Misato send you to bring me back?"
Shinji sighed turning back to watching the movie. 
 
"No, I'm not with NERV," the man shook his head, "Not
� exactly anyway." 
 
"Who are you?"
 
"Me?" the man glanced back to the screen, "Just an old
man, who was given a chance to live, a chance to repay
his sins." 
 
"You remind me of my father," Shinji grunted meekly. 
 
"I would assume I had a better sense of humor then the
old bastard," the man laughed in reply, "Now this part
actually is interesting, watch it closely." He said
pointing to the screen where a skinny boy, with a ball
bat was easing out of the cabin where the others were
hiding. 
 
"What about it? He's just going to die?" Shinji
shrugged. 
 
"That's not the point, the boy knows he could and
probably will die," the man explained, "That's the
mark of a hero. Do you know what a hero is Shinji?
What the term really means?"
 
Shinji looked somewhat confused at the man. 
 
"It's a person with outstanding courage and
selflessness," the man explained, "My childhood best
friend told me not long before he died, anyone can put
on a pair of tights and call themselves a hero, but it
takes someone who is willing to die or do something
they hate to save innocent lives to make a hero. You
seem like you could fit that description, or am I
mistaken?"   
 
"I'm just a wimp and a coward," Shinji sulked. 
 
"I don't agree with that," the man said watching the
film, "I believe you are destined for great things in
fact, tell me, if I pulled a gun and threatened those
two unsuspecting lovers' lives, would you sit here
like a wimp and a coward and let me shoot them, or
would you stop me?" 
 
"I don't know �" Shinji shrugged not really paying
attention. 
 
"Lets find out," the man said as he pulled a .45
pistol with a silencer on the barrel and pointed at
the two enraptured teenagers. 
 
"ARE YOU INSANE!" Shinji cried, reaching out on
instinct and grabbing the barrel of the gun, crushing
it in his grip. 
 
"No, I knew you were going to do that," the man said,
then turning to give him a grin, "Besides � it wasn't
even loaded." The man then glanced at the crushed
firearm, "That's some grip, kid."
 
"So, I stopped you from 'pretending' from killing some
stupid kids," Shinji shrugged, "Doesn't make any
difference, I still ran."
 
"So? What are you going to do now then? You can stop
the Angels from killing those two innocent kids and
the rest of the population if you go back." then man
said, watching the movie. 
 
"So you're saying you think I should go back then?"
Shinji asked, staring at the man, his headache
starting to grow. 
 
"What I think and don't think doesn't make any
difference," the man stated, sounding a lot like his
father, "What I do think you should do is what you
feel you SHOULD do." He then turned to look at the
teen, "Capt. Katsuragi has been attempting to cover
your 'escape', and could possibly get in a lot of
trouble for this, maybe even lose her job. And she
knows this, yet she still wants to help you."  
 
"Really?" 
 
"Yes, not everyone in the world looks down on you,
Shinji," the man smiled, "some people actually even
look up to you. And I have a feeling someday soon, A
LOT more will be looking up to you. Capt. Katsuragi
cares for you, despite the fact she hardly knows you
and I am certain that others feel the same. So what do
you say, kid? Want to give those idiots another shot?"

 
--- 
 
Berlin-2
 
"Why did I let you talk me into this, old man?" a man
in a darkened room asked, holding his cell phone to
his ear.
 
"How is she doing?" the voice on the other line asked.
 
 
"For an egotistical, raving lunatic, she's doing
great!" the man barked, "Wait � that is great in your
book."  
 
"Be serious,"
 
"Sorry, she's doing alright, she's a very gifted
pilot, but her modesty and humility could use some �
no � A LOT of work." 
 
"She's a fourteen year old girl, did you expect her to
be perfect?"
 
"You expected me to be perfect."
 
"That was different, you were a boy." 
 
"How about Cassie." 
 
"She was perfect, you could have learned from her." 
 
"� I loath you."
 
"I know this. I have to go. Contact me on the usual
schedule."
 
"Right, see you." 
 
--- 
 
Kaji walked dejectedly through the hallway of the NERV
headquarters in Berlin-2. He would peak around the
corners and often would look over his shoulders, as if
he was concerned about being followed. 
 
He finally made it to his quarters and let out a sigh
of relief, he made it. He opened the door, and walked
toward the bedroom, taking off his button up dress
shirt as he went. He was down to the last button when
he walked into the sleeping quarters, and turned on a
light, and half screamed when he saw what was in his
bed. 
 
"Hello, mien liebhaber," Asuka purred, kicking a bare
leg out from under the thin bed sheet, which was the
only thing covering her body. 
 
"Asuka, is this going to become a habit?" Kaji rolled
his eyes. 
 
"Me lying naked in your bed," Asuka asked fluttering
her eyes at the older man, "I hope it will."
 
"I'm talking about me having to kick you out before I
can get some sleep?" 
 
"Awe, Kaji, you're no fun!" Asuka pouted, crossing her
arms over her barely covered chest, "You don't have to
be intimidated because I'm smarter then you or because
I'm a great Eva pilot." 
 
"Out." 
 
"But Kaji!!!" Asuka whined, standing up out of bed
completely naked. 
 
"Clothed or unclothed, I don't care, out." 
 
"You don't have to be mean," Asuka whimpered, "You're
the only man I feel deserves the right to be with me
�"
 
"I feel honored, Asuka, really � now out." 
 
"You can leave now dressed, or I kick you out bare
butt naked, and your quarters are on the other side of
the base, and there are a lot of perverted guys out
there tonight." Kaji smirked. 
 
"You wouldn't �"
 
"Try me." 
 
Asuka chuckled pulling on a robe, "I understand your
tired, my Kaji, so I'll leave you to rest. You're so
cute when you play hard to get!" she giggled walked
out putting added effect in her hips movements to the
point it looked excessively silly. 
 
Kaji made sure she was gone before throwing himself
down on the bed, "Like Steph all over again �" 
 
--- 
 
Misato snorted awake on the couch almost dropping the
beer she was holding when she feel asleep. She glanced
around lazily and saw the late night talk shows were
already on the TV. "I fell asleep," she shook her
head, and rubbed her temples, already feeling the
hangover starting to form. 
 
She shook her head and stood up, straightening the
long sleep shirt she was wearing. She walked up to the
door marked Shinji's Lovely Suite, 'why do I keep
doing this?' she thought as her hand reached for the
door, 'he's never coming back � I ran him off � just
like I ran Kaji off �' 
 
She then opened the door and sighed sadly at the naked
butt of the teenager changing his undergarments before
her. 'Wait � something isn't right here �' Misato
thought, fighting through the alcoholic haze. Finally
it clicked. 
 
"SHINJI! YOU'RE BACK!!!" Misato cried happy, lunging
at the unsuspecting teenager, who barely had enough
time to turn around before his cheeks and forehead was
showered with butterfly kisses, "Oh, oh, I thought you
wouldn't come back! I thought I pushed you away! I
thought� I thought � YOU JERK YOU HAD ME WORRIED
SICK!" Misato ranted, hugging the now bright red boy
tightly. 
 
"Um � Misato �" 
 
"Yes, Shinji-kun?" Misato asked, pulling back to look
at her ward innocently. 
 
"I'm � sort of � well � throwing modesty aside, look
down." Shinji blushed purple. 
 
Misato glanced down and miraculously turned the exact
color Shinji was in a split second. "Well then � I'll
just �" Misato stuttered back stepping toward the
door, "I'll be in the kitchen � and I'll � get you
some sausage � err � I mean I'll get you something to
swallow, I mean eat I mean � I'll be in the kitchen!"
Misato then dashed out as fast as her feet could carry
her. 
 
Shinji stood there and with concentrations could hear
her muttering something about age differences and
hormones and blushed brightly with a mutter of 'how
the hell can a boy that age have one that big' before
pulling on his sleep pants and tee shirt. 
 
He then sat down on the bed and looked at his NERV ID
and began to think to himself, this place is weird �
but it's home. 
 
To Be Continued �


=====

What about reality, you ask? 
Well, as far as I'm concerned, reality can go take a flying F%&^ at a rolling dough-nut. 
-Stephen King.

"Isn't sanity really just a one trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is the one trick--rational thinking-- but when you're good and crazy, the sky is the limit!" 
-The Tick

"Put a red shit on it. It's done."    -Me


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