Spirit within 3
Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Part 6: Rei beyond her heart.
Rei Ayanami sat in her home silently. A book lay spread out across her
lap, the bandages she wore were spread out across the bed. To say that
she was board would be untrue; she simply existed outside such terms. She
was 'relaxing'. She paused and cocked her head as a strange sound filled
the room; it was alien to her, almost wrong. "What is it?" she said out
loud as the strange sound repeated again.
She stood and walked towards it finally stopping in front of the door.
"Oh, I have a doorbell." She opened it and simply stared at the boy
standing in front of her with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. He was
dressed in a nice black three-piece suit, with a gray shirt and black
tie. He grinned dumbly at her for a moment before speaking.
"Hiya sis!" exclaimed Shinji cheerfully. He thrust the plants towards
her knowing that it was a pretty much wasted gesture towards the girl. "I
heard you're finally feeling better and decided to pay a visit."
"Yes," replied the girl.
"You and I are going out tonight," said the boy with a strange smile.
"If I am ordered to..." said Rei as she suddenly became uncomfortable
with this strange boy. Was he asking her out on a date?
"I'm ordering you to," replied the boy as he pulled out an ID card with
his rank printed clearly across the top.
"Yes sir," replied the girl as she walked outside the door. She was
still wearing her school uniform.
"Oh no you don't, no sister of mine is going out like that. Here." He
shoved a box into her hands and she blinked and stared at it. "Don't just
stare at it, get dressed."
She nodded and started to remove her clothes in front of him with the
door wide open. "Oh boy," muttered the boy as he placed his hand across
his forehead. "I can see this is going to take some work."
About a half an hour later Shinji sat in a small street side caf� with
the now beautifully dressed Rei Ayanami. She was wearing a simple black
dress with thin straps holding it on her shoulders. She looked at him
blankly and spoke up. "Is this a date?"
Shinji looked at her blankly and smiled. "No, you're my sister. If it
was a date it would be gross."
She blinked and looked back at the menu, "Oh." The waiter moved over to
them and smiled. Rei had a salad and Shinji did the same.
After the meal they sat for a short time with the boy trying to carry on
a conversation. "You know, you're not much of a speaker are you?" It was
a joke, but Rei seemed to take it seriously.
"Why am I here?"
Shinji suddenly became very serious. "Rei, I'm not trying to get
romantically involved with you. I want you to get out more though."
She looked at him questioningly. "Why?"
The boy looked up at her and smiled again. "We pilot Evangelion to
protect the people here, to preserve the lives of everyone on the planet.
Whatever it is that father is planing is merely secondary. We are the
first line of defense. I've heard about you and watched you a lot lately.
You just seem to exist, I want you to live Ayanami, really live. Enjoy
your life while you still have it."
Rei simply stared back blankly. "Why?"
Shinji smiled again, this had not been unexpected. "Because you need to
know what it is you're protecting, otherwise you're useless to me. Live a
little, get a hobby, go out and enjoy your life some. Then you'll realize
that not only are you unexpendable, but so are the lives of everyone
else. I'm not asking you to push your duties aside Ayanami, only that you
do something you enjoy with your free time."
She nodded her head slowly. "Understood."
"That's an order Rei," replied the boy as he stood up and grabbed his
jacket. He paused by the waiter and smiled back at her. "Make sure she
gets a cab home." With that he stuffed a large mark bill into his pocket.
"Yes sir."
Rei stood silently from the table and watched him walk away from her.
"Live? How is that different from existing? Existing is living, is it
not?"
A large outline of Eva unit one lay across the cleared portion of a
mountain just outside Tokyo 3. Just below that a large covered tent
housed the scientific teams and researchers of Nerv. Misato Katsuragi
stood patiently as Ritsuko worked above her.
"Wow, it's really something isn't it?" she said calmly.
"So this is what the enemy looks like up close?" Shinji ran his hand
along the length of the angel and smiled. "I almost want to get my
picture taken with it."
"Quite an accomplishment," agreed Misato.
Ritsuko looked down at them and smiled. "This is great! It's almost a
completely intact specimen! Thanks!"
"No problem," replied the boy calmly as he nodded his head towards her.
"So what did we find out?" he said to Misato cheerfully. "Any
weaknesses?"
"That's classified information," she replied.
"Not to me it isn't," countered Shinji.
They all moved down to a computer and Ritsuko began to type information
down about the angel. A few moments later a number flashed across the
screen.
"What's that mean?" asked Misato.
"That's our systems code number for cannot be analyzed," replied
Ritsuko.
"You mean we don't know what it is?"
"More or less, what we do know is that it's composed of matter
categorized by both particular and..." she was cut off by Shinji.
"The power source is the core correct?" he nodded towards the shattered
sphere.
"Um, yes. As far as we can tell that is where the angel generates its
life energy. We also discovered something interesting. This is the
angel's inherent wave form pattern." She pressed a few keys and moved
aside so they could see the screen.
"Hey, this is the same as a human," commented Shinji with his eyebrow
cocked slightly. Both women looked at him in shock.
"How do you know that?" asked Ritsuko angrily.
"I studied medicine while I was in the monastery. It's easier to kill
someone if you know a lot about how the human body works." He glared at
both of them and smiled darkly.
Ritsuko froze and stared at him. "Kill someone?"
"Let it go Ritsuko," whispered Misato calmly.
The blonde woman nodded and brushed it aside for the moment. She would
have captain Katsuragi brief her on the situation later.
Shinji turned back to the screen and frowned slightly. "Maybe we can use
this information to our advantage later?"
"That's the point," muttered Ritsuko angrily.
"I had something specific in mind," replied the boy with a dark look in
his eyes. "I'll be back." He turned away from the group and moved to
where his father was standing while talking to several men.
He paused and noted the burn scars on the man's hands. "Rei, I remember
now..." He shook off the thought and stepped in front of the man. "Sir,
may I have a word with you?"
"What is it lieutenant?" snorted the man indifferently.
"I have come across some interesting information. I'm sure you'll get
the report soon, but I'd like to assemble a small team of scientist with
a few samples from this thing for some test that may prove invaluable."
He smirked at his father darkly and noticed a few of the men shrink away
from the almost visible tension between them.
"What sort of project?" said Ikari coolly.
"Poisoning the angels," replied Shinji calmly.
"I'll assemble a team, but I'll have Akagi handle it. She has more
experience in matters of scientific research." He turned away.
"And more experience administering poison than a trained ninja?" This
caught the old man off guard. He paused and turned around to face his
son.
"I see..." he faced away again. "I will have her get together with you
after a satisfactory poison has been found. I'm sure your input will be
valuable in finding a way to administer the poison in a practical combat
situation."
"Thank you sir. That is exactly what I was asking," the boy walked away
and everyone went back about their business.
Gendo Ikari frowned deeply. He had never considered that a chemical
might be able to destroy the angels. If the Eva's were capable of
administering such a weapon, then damages could be kept down. The only
problem was finding something they could use as a poison. Once the angels
were out of his way, his real plans could begin. He smiled darkly, "I
guess he is my son after all."
Gendo had played right into his hands. Shinji smirked to himself and
turned to face the women. Even if a poison wasn't found he had just
gained more credibility with the man. Once Gendo trusted him, he would
allow him to become closer. He would never allow an emotional connection
with his son, but a useful and business like relationship could occur.
When that happened, Shinji could destroy him. "It seems I've learned a
little from you after all father."
The high school physical education program was nothing to someone like
Shinji Ikari. He sat on the sidelines while half the class played
basketball. Beside him Toji and Kensuke watched the girls class up at the
swimming pool with the rest of the boys.
"Hey Ikari! What are you looking at?" asked Kensuke after a few moments.
"My sister," said the boy calmly.
"Is Rei really your sister?" said Suzahara with a slightly disgusted
look on his face.
"Yeah," said Shinji quietly as he turned his attention back on the
field.
"No way, she doesn't have the same last name as you or anything," said
Toji a little too loudly.
"My mother died when I was very young. She's my half sister," replied
the boy simply. It wasn't a lie, just a slight perversion of the truth.
"Oh," said the boys in unison. "What's she like? She's a little hard to
talk too. I mean, she's been going here since the seventh grade and she's
never had any friends."
Shinji smiled at them. "She's a sweet girl, but she doesn't understand
what living is. I didn't live with my father until a short time ago. I
just met her really."
"Oh. That explains why we've never seen you before," said Kensuke as he
nodded his head.
"Or your sister," commented Toji with a strange smile on his face.
Shinji looked at him and blinked. He turned towards Kensuke and the boy
leaned closer to him. "I couldn't tell him. I just couldn't bring myself
to crush him that way."
Shinji sighed and looked at his new friend with a slightly disgusted
frown. "I guess this falls in my lap then?" He turned away and noticed
the coach move out on the field. "I'll deal with it later." The man
walked up and called the class together. There was a collective groan as
he instructed them to start running.
That night Shinji served out a meal in his female form as Ritsuko and
Misato sat around the table lazily.
"You're still eating that instant junk?" commented Ritsuko in disgust.
"Hey! You're a guest! You have no right to complain!" snapped the woman
in reply.
"Aren't you going to have any?" said Shinji as she noticed she didn't
have a plate of rice in front of her.
"Sure! Just slop some of that in here!" cried the woman as she held up a
cup of instant Ramen.
The girl shrugged her shoulders and complied. Misato started eating and
explained the particulars of how good it was. Ritsuko looked sick, and
Shinji merely started eating.
"S'not too bad tonight Misato," said the red head as she ate.
"Really? Thanks!" chimed the older woman happily.
Ritsuko merely looked at her plate. "Not to bad? Only Misato can make
instant food taste this bad!" she thought to herself.
"Just make sure it's Shinji's turn to cook next time you invite me over,"
she muttered.
"S'good idea! Shinji's an excellent cook," said Misato almost proudly, it
almost looked as if she thought she taught him herself.
"You two seem to be getting along better," noted Ritsuko calmly.
Misato looked at her and blinked. "Well, Shinji spends most of his time
as a girl around the house. I guess we get along well because it's kind
of like living with a younger sister."
"You spend more time in your girl form?" Ritsuko looked shocked. The boy
was an avid flirter and almost notorious for his testosterone induced
attitude.
"It's just easier this way," she shrugged her shoulders and continued to
eat. After a moment she chugged down half of a beer and smiled. "I don't
mind being a girl that much. The only time it would ever hold me down
would be if I was having sex or my period."
Ritsuko blinked and looked at him again. "You mean..."
"It is a curse after all," commented Misato.
"That bad huh?" noted Ritsuko.
Shinji blinked when Misato shook her head up and down vigorously in
response. "You're no better."
"Well, I'm glad you two girls are getting along better," commented
Ritsuko. "Shinji shouldn't let you drag her down anyway Misato."
The girl in question finished her beer and cleared the table off quietly.
Ritsuko seemed to notice something and blinked. "Hey! You're not old
enough to drink!"
Shinji looked at her and smiled. "Take a look at your friend and tell me
which one of us isn't old enough to drink." Misato was almost sloppily
drunk.
"She's fine Ritsu, she c'n handle it," slurred the woman.
The blonde woman shook her head and let it go. "I've been meaning to talk
with you about something Shinji. I hear you're taking Rei out?"
The girl in question walked into the room with an apron tied around her
waist. "Taking her out? Sure, I've been out with her a few times before."
"The commander is starting to take notice of this and..." the woman had a
worried tone.
"Tell him blow it out his ass. I'll go out to dinner with my sister
anytime I feel like it," snapped the girl. "I'm not romantically involved
with her." She asserted when she realized exactly what she was getting at
a few moments ago.
"Sister?" Ritsuko looked surprised.
"Don't try to lie your way out of this Ritsuko. Her aura doesn't lie, she
has my mother in her, I can tell." She smiled at the woman as she said
this.
Misato and Ritsuko both looked at each other. It took a moment for the
alcohol to clear up in Misato's head. "You knew?"
"Yes," replied Ritsuko calmly. "I had no reason to speak to anyone about
it, but I knew."
Shinji smiled and looked at the adults and her watch. "Oops, I'm gonna be
late! I promised her I'd come over tonight!"
"Shinji wait!" said Ritsuko as she pulled a card out of her pocket. "Take
this to her will you? I keep forgetting." She handed her a small ID card
with Rei's picture on the front. "You know I have to report this don't
you?"
"Go ahead," replied the young girl as she rushed out the door.
A few minutes later, Rei stood at the door staring at a young red haired
woman. "Who are you?"
Shinji smiled at her and seemed to remember something. "Uh oh."
"Where is Ikari?" the girl in front of Rei started to sweat a little.
"Uh, I kind of forgot you didn't know about this, sorry Rei," said the
girl nervously.
Rei looked down and noticed the books in her arms. "Shinji sent you?"
"Sort of, just get me some hot water and I'll explain things," said the
strange red haired girl as she pushed past her into the apartment.
"Very well," replied Rei.
Shinji sat grinning in front of Rei and smiled at her as she watched him
change. "I suppose I should explain things huh?"
Rei stared back at him calmly. "Oh my."
"Surprised?" said the boy with a small nervous laugh.
"It is most interesting," noted the girl as she picked up one of the
books and walked over to her bed to sit down and read.
"Rei, the point of coming over to help with your homework is that we do
it together," snorted Shinji as he moved next to her.
"Oh," said the girl simply.
The boy collected his thoughts and sighed again. "At least she took a
shower before I came over this time..."
Shinji stared into the chamber where Unit Zero was being reactivated. He
smiled as the people worked around him. He did know that it would be
successful this time and everything went beautifully. His father stood
overseeing the operation with him standing nearby just behind him.
"Rei will be joining my unit after this test?" said the boy calmly as
his father watched the operation proceed.
"Yes, she will be under your command. I expect you to act accordingly,"
replied the man coldly.
"Of course. I will treat her as I would any other soldier while on
duty," replied the boy.
Ikari understood the implications of his adding 'on duty' to the
sentence. He was telling him formally that he had no intention of
distancing himself from his younger sister. It had not resulted in a
problem so far, and he was far away from a romantic relationship
according to the reports he had received from intelligence.
Within a few minutes the test was over. Rei had successfully activated
Unit Zero.
Almost immediately an alarm sounded. "An unidentified object has
appeared in the air! The pattern is blue!"
"So, the next angel is here," said Shinji calmly. He noticed his father
turn his head slightly. "Rei isn't ready for combat yet. Evangelion Unit
One will be ready in three hundred seconds sir."
"Make it so," replied the man as he turned his full attention back
towards the screen.
A great reflective cube floated in the air above the ground over Tokyo
3. It simply moved silently through the air.
"This one doesn't have an easily identifiable core, and it's airborne.
"What's the highest powered weapon that's close enough to intercept the
target with quickly?" asked Shinji from her place in the cockpit of Unit
One.
"Just the automatic, it should be enough," commented Maya.
"Send me up, I've got it covered," replied the girl simply as she closed
her eyes and started to concentrate.
Eva Unit One shot up the shaft that would send it to the surface. The
angel floated over the city as silent as it had always been, but a
strange shimmer started to form along it's axis.
"Energy build up! From the target!" cried one of the techs.
Shinji frowned as she felt the energy pulsating above her. The angel
waited patiently as the ground opened up and thrusted the Eva onto the
surface.
"Shijni! Duck!" cried Misato over the comm.
The girl grit her teeth and the Eva thrust its hands forward as an
energy beam blasted through a building. "Moukou Takabishi!" A golden
light formed and blasted into the energy burst. Shinji ground her teeth
as she was pushed back from the sheer force of the two connected beams.
The resulting explosion, as the beams slammed into one another, shattered
any remaining glass in the city. Phone booths seemed to disintegrate and
shop windows sent glass flying into the streets.
"Damn! It's not enough!" growled Shinji as her beam failed. She was
caught in the chest as Unit one received a small jolt as the tail end of
the energy beam caught it. The damage was minimal and it appeared that
the angel had also spent its energy. The problem was that the angel was
charging quickly while Shinji would have several minutes before he could
produce another chi blast that size. Even with the Eva's help.
"Damn! Pull me back down! I can't get close to it!" she screamed into
the comm.
"What?" cried the voice on the other side in shock.
"We can't fight this one up close, it has some sort of proximity sense,"
growled the girl as a platform opened up underneath her.
Unit one vanished beneath the ground just as another beam slammed into
the ground above her. It cut deep into the ground and stopped seconds
later after its target was far underground.
"Why did you fall back?" snapped Misato.
"Because staying would have been suicide," replied Shinji calmly as he
climbed out of the plug. "My energy blast was barely able to hold back
that beam. I only caught the tail end of it and look what it did to Unit
One!" He pointed to the large melted area in the chest.
Misato glared at him for a moment and nodded. "I'll trust your
judgement. What do you suggest we do?"
Shinji smirked. "I was hoping you'd ask that. I want your help me out
with this. Remember that project you were telling me about?"
Misatio raised her eyebrow slightly as she saw the girl's grin.
TBC...
Next time: Shinji steals Misato's idea. Is it really stealing when she
really hasn't thought of it yet? Hmm, moral dilemma...
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com
URL: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/