And Contemplations was only going to be a one off... Oh well...
Assume all usual legal disclaimers etc...
Cheers
Alex
E-mail - mailto:hitomi@ndirect.co.uk
WWW home - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/
============================================
Contemplations II
"Clack... Clack... Clack..."
The sound of the tracks as the train passed over them was
almost hypnotic.
"Clack... Clack... Clack..."
At odd occasions the power to the lights would dim and
fade as the train passed over a junction causing a power spike to
occur now and then. The carriage's single occupant did not pay any
attention to the fitful lights, or to the gently swelling motion
of the train as it pulled into the brightly lit but silent
station.
"Shoku-ku station. This is Shoku-du station. Please
change for..."
The seated figure automatically filtered out the recorded
voice and waited for the train to move off. Three sets of warning
chimes sounded briefly before the doors hissed shut and the train
moved off again on its worn path. As the carriage passed out of
the range of the station's bright lighting it became once more
condemned to its own uncertain illumination.
"Clack... Clack... Clack..."
Five more stations, the figure noted in passing. Five
more stops until it would be necessary to get off and start the
fifteen minute walk back to the apartment. A shower, some food
and then bed - another day finished. Wake up at 6:00am... The
same schedule day in and day out. The same schedule, the same
routine, waiting until yet another Angel attack called the figure
back into the grim reality of battle. School, tests, training...
Nothing changed, nothing ever changed. Life was like clockwork,
ordered, routine, static.
"Dull, boring, and a complete waste of time," a soft
voice commented with a melodramatic sigh. "You really do need to
get a life Rei-chan, don't you?"
The sound of the voice echoing in the dead silence of the
carriage surprised the figure. She turned her colorless face around
to try and identify the source of the voice that should have not been
there.
"Hello again Rei-chan," a gaijin girl sitting halfway
down the carriage said with an amused expression dancing on her
face.
A slight frown passed over Rei's white face as she
recognized the girl from that odd incident at the beach over 3
weeks ago. A puzzled expression flicked in her eyes as the
gaijin crossed over and sat down on the seat next to her.
"It's you," Rei stated as she looked up at the slightly
taller figure sitting beside her. "The girl from the beach."
"That's right," the gaijin congratulated her. "How have
you been doing?"
Rei did not answer. She was still puzzled as to how the
red haired girl had gotten here.
"I got on at the last station," the girl replied. "In
fact, I came specifically looking for you."
"Why?" Rei asked as her puzzlement increased.
"To see if you had an answer to my question," the girl
replied crossing her legs and leaning back. "That's all."
"What question?" Rei was confused. Why would someone
come just especially to see her?
"Regarding Him of course," the girl replied as if that
explained everything.
"Oh," Rei said as she finally remembered. "That
question."
"Yes," the girl sighed as if she were having to explain
something obvious to a little child. "_That_ question."
"No," Rei shook her head. "I have not thought about it."
"That's a pity," the girl commented. "But somehow I don't
feel surprised."
"Why?" Rei asked. "Does it matter?"
"It may do Rei-chan," the girl shrugged. "But the question is
yours to answer not mine. If you do not wish to answer it then I won't
force you, anymore than I would have forced Yui..."
Rei frowned, "Yui?" The name sounded strangely familiar to
her.
"Mmmm..." the girl replied. "Yui..."
"Who..." Rei's frowned increased. She was beginning to feel a
bit uncomfortable about where this conversation was heading.
"Ah, you don't remember do you Rei-chan?" the girl's dark
green eyes held Rei's red ones. Rei could see herself reflected in
those emerald depths... or was it her? The reflection was older, more
mature, more... Rei's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward to see
better.
"Rei..." the girl whispered the word as if the name was a
careless caress shared between lovers and with a hand gently pushed
Rei back. "That would not be a very good idea. You are not yet ready
for that. Soon perhaps, but not yet."
"Your eyes..." Rei mumbled completely losing all her
usual dispassionate reserve. "I saw... I mean..."
The girl just smiled, genuinely amused at Rei's lost look.
"Nothing Rei-chan - you saw nothing."
"Who are you?" Rei asked. She was beginning to get
agitated... and slightly afraid at the expression that was beginning
to be born on the stranger's face.
"Why?" the girl grinned maliciously. "Does it matter?"
"Tell me," Rei almost begged. "Please, I... I... need to
know..."
"Tell you what?" the girl said still grinning.
"The answer to my question," Rei replied with a flinch as
she saw the cruel enjoyment that the other girl was getting out
of this.
"What question?" the girl giggled and Rei pulled back
startled.
"You're mocking me," she bravely said.
The girl's face suddenly became vicious and a pale hand
suddenly held Rei's slim neck in a vise like grip. "I never mock
anyone Ayanami - no one." The girl's voice was cold and an insane
darkness lurked in her cruel eyes. "Never."
Rei's normally stoic expression flickered as she felt an
irrational fear pass through her. This girl was... Rei quivered
as an unknowable feeling overwhelmed her.
The girl noticed the reaction and smiled ironically. She let
Rei's neck go and gently caressed it.
"I'm sorry child," she said as if nothing had happened.
"Sometimes I tend to... forget myself. My apologies, I did not mean to
do that."
Rei gulped as she took a moment to recover herself. She
knew what this girl was now.
"You're an Angel aren't you..." Her voice quivered
slightly as she felt the fear and rush of adrenaline begin to
stir something deep within her. A strength flooded her body as
_something_ began to rouse itself in reaction to the perceived
threat.
The girl looked at the hardening expression on Rei's face
and sighed. "Oh child... I did not come here to fight..." Rei's
red eyes were darkening as a palatable strength began to fill
them. The girl just shook her head slightly and then blinked. The
green eyes met the red and Rei gasped as the rush of strength was
suddenly gone, almost as if it had been ripped from her soul.
"No Rei-chan," the girl said with an expression of
inhuman delight glittering in her eyes. "I am most definitely
NOT an Angel. I have never worked for any other being other than
myself. Besides, my nature is not really suited to something like
that." She leaned forward and her rich dark eyes trapped Rei's,
"completely the opposite in fact."
"Then what are you?" Rei was still more than a little
frightened both by the hedonistic rush of power that she had just
felt and the ease by which this... gaijin had so carelessly dismissed
it.
"Simply a minor Player in the Great Game of life," the
girl answered with a dismissive shrug.
Player? The term did not make any sense, but Rei knew
that the girl had said it almost like a title.
"Hashimoto Station," the recorded voice suddenly
announced. "The next station is Hashimoto."
"Well," the girl said getting to her feet. "This is my
stop. I am sorry you have not thought about my question Rei-chan.
You really should you know - I did not ask it for my own
amusement. You may find that the answer is very important to you
one day. And perhaps sooner than you think." She got up and
walked over to stand by one of the doors as the train drew into
the brightly lit station.
"It's up to you Rei-chan," the girl said looking back.
"It always has been."
"I don't understand," Rei said as the train pulled to a
halt.
"And you never will unless you ask yourself about the
question," the girl said pushing the button to open the door.
"Wait!" Rei said getting to her feet. "I really do want
to understand..."
"Then answer my question," the girl replied holding the
door open. "Why is He so important to you?"
"I... I..." Rei felt a surge of uncertainty rush through
her. Something...
The girl watched with a faintly malicious humor on her
face as she observed the inner struggle reflected on Rei's white
face. Her question was designed to make Rei look at those dark
places of her memory that she never consciously went - the dark
places that were the pale girl's domain. With a final amused
laugh the girl stepped out of the carriage and wandered off.
"Wait!" Rei shouted rushing to the door just as it hissed
shut. "Please!" She stabbed wildly at the button but the train
shuddered and began to pull away.
"Please..."
The girl watched as the train and its single occupant
slowly vanished into the darkness of the night. She smiled, this
was beginning to get fun!
"Don't worry Rei-chan," she whispered in the bright light
of the station. "We'll be meeting again.. someday..." She turned and
whistling slowly walked towards the exit. She still had much to
do.
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