Haibane Renmei Fan Fiction / Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Rei-Bane ❯ Chapter 2: Temple / Wall & Town / New Room & Work ( Chapter 2 )

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Chapter Version 2.0

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"I can’t believe I let Midori do this," Rakka grumbled as she walked down the path along the stream leading to the Temple with Rei and Ikari in tow.  "She even stuck me with the other halo mold."

"Sorry," said the New Feather from the Abandoned Factory.

"It’s not your fault that I let her leave you with me so she could go home.  It’s mine, Ikari."

"I can probably find my way back by myself."

"No, no.  It’s alright.  I’ll make sure you get home…  It just means I won’t be working this morning."

Rakka looked over at Ikari, who had gone back to hanging his head with a sad look on his face.  "Are you okay?" she asked.  "You seem… unhappy."

"It’s just…  It’s just that I don’t know what happened.  Why am I here? Who am I?"  He looked at her pleadingly.  "I want to go home, but I don’t even remember it!"

Rakka put a hand on his shoulder.  "That’s the way I felt when I was a newborn too.  It’s part of our lot as Haibane.  Hopefully you’ll feel better soon."

"But why me?"

"I don’t know.  I asked the same things when I arrived a year ago.  All I can tell you is that the answers are probably unique for each of us, so you’ll have to find your own.  But remember, we’re all here to help each other."

It didn’t help Rakka’s own mood that her words seemed to have little effect.

"So, tell me about your name," she asked to change the subject.  "What did you dream about?"

She noticed he now looked frightened… or haunted.

"I’d rather not talk about it.  Sorry."

"Oh.  Was is scary?"

"Yeah."

"That’s too bad."  She turned to Rei, hoping to get the girl involved in the conversation.  "Yours was scary too, right?"

"Yes.  It was."

Rakka suddenly realized that Rei had been looking at Ikari the whole time they’d been walking together.

"Rei, why are you staring at Ikari like that?"

She was surprised to see Rei actually blush a little as she turned her head away. 

"Well?" she teased when the blue-haired girl didn’t respond.  Now it was Ikari’s turn to blush.

"I thought he looked familiar," Rei finally answered.

Rakka stopped dead in her tracks.  "What do you mean he looks familiar? You just met him!"

"I am now quite certain that I have seen him before."

"Rei, that’s impossible!  Haibane don’t have memories of our lives before we came here."

"Then I cannot explain it, but I know it is the case."

Rakka looked over at Ikari.  "What about you?"

"I don’t recognize her," he answered.  "Sorry."

Rakka let out a sigh of relief.  "It’s just your imagination, Rei."

"No.  I have seen him before."

Rakka decided to let the matter drop instead of arguing, and started back down the narrow dirt road.  "Now let me tell you what to expect at the Temple," she began.  "Hikari didn’t tell me anything beforehand when she brought me there for the first time and I got really nervous.

"The first thing that scared me was the rickety old wood-and-rope bridge across the gorge."

"Gorge?" asked Ikari.

"Yeah.  There's a waterfall where the stream here comes down from the cliffs around the Temple.  It's a pretty long fall and only way across is that awful bridge right in front of it.

"And if that wasn't enough, not knowing what to do in the Temple was even worse."

She went on to explain how they were not allowed to speak at the Temple and about how they had to wear small bells on their wings and wrists so they could communicate.

"Remember - use your right wing for ‘yes’ and your left for ‘no’."

"Do you have to wear the bells and keep silent too?" Ikari asked.  "Or is it just new Haibane?"

"Um," Rakka answered shyly, "All Haibane have to wear the bells and keep silent in the Temple… except for me."

"What makes you special?"

Rakka colored.  "Oh, no, I’m not special!  I just get to speak in the Temple because I work there."

"You work there?"

"Don’t be too impressed," Rakka said with a laugh.  "My job is to clean it...  And you should see what they make me wear to do it!"

"How did you get your job?"

"I was having trouble deciding what I wanted to do for work and the Communicator finally told me what my job was going to be."  Rakka lost herself in memories for a moment.  "At first I thought I was being punished for something, but I really like it now.

"The Communicator is very wise.  He knew best for me."

Soon they had left the main road and crossed the bridge in front of the waterfall without incident.  As the trio rounded the last curve of the narrow cliff face path the tall cylindrical shape of the Temple finally came into view.

"There it is," Rakka announced.

Ikari looked down towards the water far below.  "You come this way all the time?" he asked nervously.

"Um-hmm.  Usually twice a day.  Except for the bridge I guess I got kinda used to this after a while."

"It doesn't look much like a temple," Ikari observed as he regarded the plain structure that seemed to be built right into the hillside.

"No, it doesn't on the outside.  That sort of stuff is way in the back."

Ikari saw that there were now two figures in hooded brown robes standing in front of the Temple entrance.  "Who are they?"

"Those are members of the Renmei.  Remember not to talk to them."

Upon arriving at the Temple, Rakka felt pleased with herself when the silent masked pair, who greeted them at the door and put their bells on, did not overly unnerve her two companions.  She smiled when Ikari whispered "wow" upon seeing the grove of trees just inside the huge doors.  She loved them.

They all stopped when a gruff voice came out of nowhere.  "Haibanes, what business have you here today?"

Rakka put a finger up to her lips to again remind Rei and Ikari to be quiet.

"I see one of you has come to return the two halo molds," the voice continued.  "And that she has brought the two newborns with her to meet me…  Is this correct?"

Rakka shook the bells on her right wing.

"You may proceed into the garden."

Just as on Rakka’s first visit, they entered the garden to see the hooded, masked form of the Communicator standing at the end of the path.  When they arrived in front of him the three Haibane shook the bells on their wrists once in greeting and Rakka handed him the halo molds.

"Newborns, what are your names?" the Communicator then asked.

Rakka smiled again when Ikari and Rei simply kept silent.  She decided she had prepared them well.

"You are Ikari and Rei, correct?"

Rakka felt a tinge of jealousy when both of the newborns answered with a single shake of their right wings.  She took comfort in the fact that they would not be chided for not being able to use their wings properly as she had once been.

"Feathers Rei and Ikari, you are hereby accepted as Haibanes," the Communicator then continued.  "These will serve as your proof," he added as he held out their notebooks to them.  "These guarantee your daily lives, and, in return, you must work in the town.  For yourselves, your homes and the Little Feathers you must be good Haibanes…  Remember we are here.  Come to us if you are in need."

He gave the trio a once over.  "Is there anything else?"

Rakka shook her left wing.

"The newborns may leave," said the Communicator.  "Wait outside the Temple while I speak to your sister."

Rakka watched her charges leave and then turned back questioningly to the Communicator.

"How did you end up with both molds and the New Feather from the Factory?" he asked.

"Midori…" Rakka began.

"I understand."

Rakka giggled.  "I will hurry back here once I’ve taken Ikari home."

"No, you are excused from your responsibilities here until you have discharged your duties towards the newborns."

"Thank you, Washi.  I will look after them."

"You can return to work once Rei has settled in more."

"About Rei…"

"Is there a problem?"

"She is… distant.  She hardly speaks and she shows little interest in anything...  And she looks so unusual."

"She is a New Feather.  We will see how she does over time.  And as for her appearance, don't you think being a Haibane is unusual enough?"

Rakka had to agree.

"Is there anything else?"

"Well, on the way here she…"  Rakka waved it off.  "No, it was nothing.  Just her mind playing tricks with her."

The Communicator nodded and, with that, Rakka shook the bells on her wrists again in parting and turned to leave.

"I am so proud of you two!" Rakka said in greeting when she came out through the Temple doors.  "You did very well for your first visit."

"Th-thank you," Ikari managed.  "You really helped me not be scared."

Rei just stood silently.  Her blank expression had not changed since they had arrived.

"Yeah, I think the Communicator purposely tries to unnerve new Haibane," Rakka observed.

"Why would he do that?" Ikari asked.

"I’m sure he has his reasons.  Maybe he’s testing you in some way."

Rakka started back down the path.  "Anyway, now, let’s get you two home!"

Once they were past the waterfall and again back on the main road Rei asked, "What are these notebooks for?"

"Do you know?" Rakka asked Ikari.

"They’re for us to use instead of money," he answered.

"That’s right.  You see, Rei, we’re not allowed to handle money, so we have these instead.  When you go into town you’ll see some places have little signs by the door like that symbol at the top of your notebook’s cover.  It's the one that looks a little like a stick figure with wings and a halo.  See it?"

"Yes," Rei and Ikari answered as they looked at their notebooks.

"You can use the notebook to buy things in those places.  You just write down what you received, sign your name, and give the page to the people there.  The Haibane Renmei takes care of the rest."

"So that is why we must work?" asked Rei.

"Um-hmm.  Our work is what we trade for our ability to use the notebooks."

"Money would be easier."

"Yes, Rei, it would, but the rules are the rules."

Soon they were back at the junction with the main road into town.

"Rei, I need to take Ikari back to the Factory.  Do you think you can get back to Old Home by yourself from here?  It’s just straight down the road."

"I would like to come with you."

Rakka was truly surprised.  "Really?"

"Yes.  You said I needed to see the town, and since I have already come this far it would be most efficient for me to accompany you.

"Great!"

They started across the small bridge over the stream.

"What is that?" Ikari asked pointing to something in the distance.  He turned.  "I see it over there now too."

"That’s the Wall."

"Wall?"

"Yes.  It’s the Wall that surrounds the town.  No one inside is allowed out."

Ikari was shocked.  "What’s on the other side?"

"No one knows.  There's no place inside where you can see over it.  Even the clock tower in the main square isn't as tall as the Wall."

"Then is this place some sort of p-prison?"

"It's said that the Wall is there to keep evil out.  I think that makes this place a haven instead."

"Has anyone ever tried to climb over it to see what’s out there?"

"You mustn’t think about doing things like that!"

Ikari flinched at Rakka’s outburst.

"Sorry," she apologized.  "It’s just that the Wall is very bad for Haibane.  Don’t go near it if you don’t have to.  And never, ever, touch it."

"Why not?"

"I touched it once and I nearly died."

"You nearly died?  Just from touching it?"

"Yes."

"How can that be?"

"How can we be born like this out of cocoons?  How can we have wings and halos?  This place is not like the world you came from."

"And we can’t go back."

"No, we can’t.  And, to be honest, I’m not sure I’d want to.  Like you, I missed whatever family I had before, but soon I realized I was very happy here – happier than I think I ever was back then.  For a long time I even felt guilty about being so happy.  It took a while, but I’ve come to accept and appreciate being a Haibane and living inside these Walls with my friends at Old Home…  And I hope being a Haibane here in Glie works out the same for both of you."

For the first time Rakka saw Ikari smile.  "Thanks.  I hope so too.  You make it sound like being a Haibane is a good thing to be."

"That's because I think it is."

A few minutes later they came to the top of a crest and got their first good look at the town.  Glie was laid out below them like a wheel, with roads radiating out like spokes from the central square.  They could also see the other semi-circular roads that connected the spokes together.

Directly behind it loomed the grayish-tan mass of the Wall.

"It seems so small from here," said Ikari.

"You think so?" asked Rakka.

Ikari nodded.

"What do you think Rei?"

"I agree with Brother Ikari that it seems small."

"Heh.  You both must be city folk."

"Rakka, is every Haibane's dream scary?" Ikari asked as they started down the hill into town.

"No, not everyone's is scary."

"What was your dream like?  Was it a frightening one?"

"Sort of.  I was falling from high in the sky.  That was scary.  But I had a crow with me trying to help me.  That was comforting.  So, I guess my dream was kind of in the middle between frightening and happy."

"A crow tried to help you?"

"It does seem strange, doesn’t it?  But birds are very special here.  After all, they can fly over the Wall, coming and going as they please."  Rakka smiled.  "But Kana at Old Home doesn’t see it like that.  She hates the crows because they get into our garbage."

Ikari chuckled.  "Too bad we can’t fly too."

Rakka laughed as well.  "I think all Haibane feel that way," she said after deciding it was far too soon to mention the Day of Flight to the New Feathers.

As they came to the edge of Glie the town clock started to chime.

"I can’t believe it’s already this late!" said Rakka.  "The morning is gone."  Then she had an idea.  "Hey, would you two like to get something to eat?  It'll give you a chance to use your new notebooks!"

"Yes!" said Ikari as Rei nodded in agreement.

Soon they were sitting beside a fountain with food from the nearby café.

"This is like when I arrived," said Rakka.  "The Haibane from Old Home brought me here just like this on my first visit to town.  I guess the circle is complete now."

"From what you say the Old Home Haibane seem like a real family," observed Ikari.

"Um-hmm.  We really are.  It’s very nice with the four - five - of us."

"I don’t think it’s like that at the Factory."

"Oh?  Why is that?"

"I guess it’s just the feeling I get.  The boys seem to stick with the boys and the girls with the girls."

"Well, we’re all girls at Old Home."

"Oh.  I didn’t know that.  Maybe that explains it."

"Yeah.  No one knows why only girls are born at Old Home.  The only boys there are Little Feathers.  They were all born at the Factory and when they get old enough they go back.

"Would it be okay for someone like me to visit Old Home sometime?"

"I don’t see why not, but I’d have to ask first.  There may be some sort of rule I don’t know about.  No one ever comes to visit us usually."

"Can you show us some more of the town before we head back to the Factory?"

"Sure."

For the next couple hours the trio wound their way along the narrow cobblestone streets of Glie, with Rakka pointing out places where Haibane could use their notebooks.  Along the way she made sure to show them the few shops where clothing could be obtained.  Finally, as they worked their way back towards the Factory’s side of town, they passed a music shop.

"Do you see something you like, Ikari?" Rakka asked when the boy stopped to look in the window.

"I don’t know why, but I’d like to go in here."

"Okay, but there’s no sign, so you can’t buy anything."

"I just want to look," he replied as he walked through the door.

"Welcome!" said a small, middle-aged woman from behind the counter as they entered.  "I don’t think we’ve ever had Haibane come in here before.  Please feel free to look around!"

As she walked through the store Rakka noticed Rei eyeing a display of violins.  "Do they seem familiar to you?"

"I am not sure."

"Try one and see what happens."

Rei gave her a puzzled look.

"Hikari told me that one day not long after she arrived she was in a place that had a piano.  Without really thinking about it she just sat right down and started playing."

"Really?" asked Ikari.

"Yep.  She said no one was more surprised than she was."

"How can that be?"

"Well, you remember how to talk, right?  And you remember how to do lots of other things too, so why not how to play an instrument?"

"Perhaps you are correct," Rei said as she selected a violin.  She deftly set it under her chin and positioned her left hand on the fingerboard.

"This does not feel right somehow," she concluded and put it back.

Meanwhile Ikari had picked up a cello and then found a chair.  "Can I have a bow?" he asked.

"Of course," the saleslady said and handed him one.

Moments later, the store was filled with the instrument’s rich sounds.

"Wasn’t Ikari’s playing nice?" Rakka asked Rei as they walked through the gate at Old Home.

"Yes.  It was… soothing."

"Oh, look!  The Haibane Renmei came by with your name tag," Rakka said as she pointed to the thin rectangular piece of dark wood with Rei’s name written on it now hanging on the wall with everyone else’s tags.

"What is it for?" Rei asked.

"It lets people know whether you’re here or not.  See how our names are in red now?"  Rakka turned her tag over to reveal her name written in white.  "That shows that we’re here."

Rei dutifully turned hers over as well.

"What is the next thing I am expected to do?" Rei asked as they came into the courtyard.

"Um…  I suppose moving out of the guest room and into a room of your own here would be next."

"Have I been assigned a room yet?"

"You get to choose your own, but there’s no hurry.  You’re still a newborn.  I lived in the guest room for weeks when I arrived."

"I see no point in waiting, so how should I choose?"

"That’s up to you too.  I moved into the room where my cocoon had been.  It felt comfortable somehow."

"Then I will do that as well."

"I don’t think that would be a good idea.  You were born in the Second North Wing," Rakka said, pointing.  "It’s behind that building, the First North Wing.  It’s really run down and doesn’t have electricity or heat."

"Heating a room is necessary?"

"Yes, of course.  I’ve only been through one winter here and it didn't seem so bad, but the others tell me they can be long and nasty."

"Winter…"  The concept seemed strange to Rei.

"Then you are right," she concluded.  "Living in the room I was ‘born’ in would not be very practical.  So where do each of you live?"

"Kana lives in the North Wing.  Nemu and Hikari live in the East Tower, and I live on the top floor of the West Wing in the south corner."

"Which wing has its door closest to the gate?  That would probably be the most convenient location."

"That’d be the South Wing, but that’s where the Housemother and the Little Feathers live.  I guess after that the East Tower’s door is closest."

Rei immediately strode purposefully over to the Tower with Rakka trailing behind her.  She walked through the door, turned right down the main hallway and opened the first door she came to.

"I will take this room."

"Rei, it’s a mess," Rakka observed.  "But I suppose it will be alright once you clean it and fix it up.  At least nothing came crashing down when you opened the door."

"It needs a bed."

"Hmmm…  I guess you could bring Reki’s bed across from the West Wing.  It should fit in here nicely."

"It is fortunate that Reki is no longer here."

Tears quickly welled up in Rakka’s eyes.  "That was a cruel thing to say, Rei.  I miss Reki a lot.  We all do."

Rakka sighed unhappily as Rei completely ignored her and walked into the room to begin appraising it.

"I must find work today," Rei stated flatly at breakfast the next morning.

"My, my," commented Nemu.  "I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Haibane get down to business as quickly as you.  You picked out a room on your third day and now this."

"Doesn't your back still hurt?" asked Rakka.  "You must still have scabs.  You should take it easy after all that exertion yesterday."

"The pain is of no importance."

The older Haibane all looked at each other in puzzlement over this odd statement.

"I know that Sister Rakka works at the Temple and that Sister Nemu helps care for the Little Feathers," Rei soon continued.  "What do you do?" she asked, looking at Kana and Hikari.

"I work at a bakery," answered Hikari.

"And I work at the clock tower in town," said Kana.

"And these are the jobs you have always had?" Rei then asked.

"Well, yeah," said Kana.  "Except for Nemu.  She took over Reki's job after she left.  Before last winter she worked at the town library."

"I see.  So the library is currently in need of an Haibane?"

Nemu shrugged.  "I suppose so."

"Then I will work there."

The others all chuckled.  "It’s not that simple, Rei," said Rakka.  "First you have to find out if they really need help, and then you have to see if you fit in with the people already working there."

"I’ll take you there and introduce you if you’d like," said Nemu. 

"Yes, that would be best.  Can we go as soon as we finish breakfast?

"Of course," replied Nemu.  "I just need someone to look after the Little Feathers for me," she added eyeing Rakka.

Rakka groaned.  The youngsters were such trouble.

Author’s Notes:

Again, a lot of this comes directly out of Rakka’s experience, particularly at the Temple.  The exchange between the New Feathers and the Communicator is virtually verbatim from the anime, as I thought that the first meeting would probably be the sort of thing that would be highly ritualized.

I also tried to include more background in this chapter for people not familiar with Haibane Renmei, and added more in version 2.

Also, for those of you who aren't familiar with Haibane Renmei, there will be more about the Day of Flight and where Reki went later on.  For now you'll just be in the dark like Rei and Ikari are.