Haibane Renmei Fan Fiction / Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifice and Redemption ❯ Haibane... or not? ( Chapter 2 )

Haibane Renmei Story

Sacrifice and Redemption

By dennisud

Disclaimers:

Haibane Renmei and all related characters, concepts, etc., is property of Geneon® Entertainment.

This is a "what if" story so keep that in mind as you read, plus a bit of knowledge of the anime series would definitely be helpful. The story happens approximately at the end when Rika's accent, and when the twin cocoons are found.

Chapter 2: Haibane…or not? (Rakka's POV)

At first most of us seemed to be glued in place, not wanting to go near them, yet knowing they would need our help. Finally I heard a sigh beside me as Nemu took the initiative and started to walk towards them. She took the towels we had and started to clean off the unconscious yet shivering pair of unusual Haibane on the floor. I quickly follow her with more towels and blankets though we both took a moment to cast a glare at the rest. That seemed to bring them out of their stupor as they joined us to help the newcomers.

Within a few minutes, we had the two new Haibane out of the cocoon room and into the room that we had prepared before.

When we got there, we realized that the only real problem was the fact that one of them was a male, so we could only dress him in a girl's nightshirt and kept our eyes averted as much as possible. As I looked at Nemu, I saw the blush creeping onto her cheeks; I myself felt mine heat up as well. It seemed even Haibane have some of the same primal thoughts as regular humans do. Hikari went off to make the metal halos as Kana went to town on his bike to get a quick set of boys' clothes after we had carefully measured him for shirt size and… pants and underwear size. We were all left a bit red faced with that operation.

After we put them in their beds on their sides facing each other, we decided that one of us would be with them until they woke up. Usually a Haibane takes only one day to awaken, but given the unusual circumstances with these two, we made a three-day schedule. We five senior Haibane then took our turns in four hours intervals as we awaited their awakenings and the questions they… and we would surely have.

As the time came for my shift, I set off to relieve Nemu as her time was almost up. I greeted her and saw her off to her bed for a few hours sleep since she was now in charge at the 'old home' after she quit her library position because Reki left.

It seemed to me that Hikari and Kima were a little leery of our newest feather members. Though it's quite obvious that they're cautious not just because of the black wings of the male twin, but also the fact that the only older male Haibane lived at the abandoned factory and not with us at the 'old home'. I see now that Reki might not be the only one who might get involved with the other Haibane.

I also have some reservations about these two newcomers. They are already disrupting the 'Wa' of the home and I'm sure they will do more when they awaken and interact with the others here as well as in town. Then there is the mysterious Toga whom I have a feeling we'll be hearing from quite soon. They seem to know what happens here even before we do. And not just at the 'old home', but in all of Glie even knowing where I was in that dried up old well I ended up in not so long ago.

Smiling, I laugh knowing that they must already know of these two and I wouldn't be surprised… my thoughts stop as Kana comes in with an envelope with elaborate decorations. Those types of envelopes come from only one place.

"Rakka, I brought this up as soon as the messenger had dropped it at 'old home's gate." I nodded, took the package from her and asked Kana to gather the others as we usually share all correspondence from the Toga. Then Hikari came in and informed me that their halos would be ready by tomorrow.

As I wait for the others to come for the reading of the envelope, I wonder what would be so different now with these two new Haibane. I smile as the rest of them arrive.

-I announced, "The Toga sends a message to the Haibane about the 'new ones'."

We all awaited Nemu who as usual was the last to arrive. I look around as they chat about the day's events while discreetly avoiding the new arrivals and our views on them. Finally, a yawning Nemu arrives rubbing her eyes. "What?" she says as we all laugh at her seemingly constant state of sleepiness. Then Kana opens the envelope and reads the parchment letter within. She clears her throat and starts to read aloud.

"The Toga sends their greetings to the Haibane of 'old home' and are pleased at the arrival of the 'Elan'- Haibane as is prophesized in the old Togan scrolls of Lore. Please help the Elan to assimilate to their Haibane responsibilities and to their roles here in Glie." We all nod silently as to acknowledge that they were Haibane and we were entrusted with their care and upbringing. Then I spot a problem. I point it out to Kana, and with a nod, I took the letter from her and I cleared my throat and said the following.

"A word of warning, they will remember their previous lives unlike you, and will need your friendship and council to help them through their memories and why they are now here. At a later time we will send for them to reveal their true destinies. Thank you for your patience and a final word, even though their wings are a pure white and black, together they will be a slate gray, the same as all Haibane. All of you are of the Charcoal Feather Federation, all Haibane.

The Toga"

We all fall into a time of silence as the words sink in. So much so, that we only stir when we hear a gasp and then a softer sigh. We all turn to the twin beds and see both of the Elan- Haibane, as the Toga call the twins sitting up in their beds. Their eyes are now wide open and both seem to be a bit disoriented. I slowly stand from my seat around the table and cautiously approach them. They follow me with their eyes; it's then I notice that the girl has bright green eyes and seems to have little emotional expression showing on her face. I turn to the boy who has an almost identical set of deep blue eyes. But, his expression shows concern and a little fear. He instinctively reaches for the girl's hand, which she takes without hesitation. Then they seem to see our small gray wings flutter slightly.

Suddenly they both jump up and get into some sort of defensive stance, though the boy seems very nervous as he is shaking and sweating.

Then another bizarre thing happens. They look at each other and finally see their own wings and both seem to yell almost in sync together, "NOOOOOOO!"

Almost in fright, they both seem to shrink away from each other and us eventually ending up in the corners on the far side of the room. I look around to the others and confirm that they are as confused as I am. The two are now crying and shaking their eyes nervously darting around the room looking at us, and themselves. We cautiously make our way to them, their shivering wings seemingly covering them as a way of protection. Both seem to be mumbling; he is repeatedly saying, "Not again", while she is quietly uttering, "I cannot have become… that, not that!"

It took us a few more minutes to calm them down showing them we meant them no harm. They finally stopped shaking and crying enough to accept some water and bread. After accepting these, we guided them back to their beds. For a while, we just waited allowing them to eat. Afterwards, they explained that where they came from, there were beings named Angels that destroyed anything that got in their way. The accepted forms of an angel was a being with wings and a halo, but these 'Angels' took on menacing forms that drove fear into the populace.

I interrupted and told them that were not angels of any kind but Haibane, and that unlike them, we could not remember where we had come from before we were reborn here. They seemed to catch most of what I said then they looked at each other and nodded. They then started to explain that in their previous world, they were pilots of some sort of bio-mechanoid known as Evangelions sent out to fight these Angels they had mentioned before. After that, we now understood why they reacted the way they did.

"But it seems that we failed." The girl said in a slight melancholy tone. As she said this, the boy nodded a sad look now on his face.

"We have been told that we are here as Haibane to cleanse the darkness and strife of our previous lives." I said, "Maybe you are here to do the same." The both seem to take this in and look at each other, something seemed to pass between them and the girl reached out to him. He took her hand, smiled and nodded. A small smile appeared on her face.

I started to explain our tradition of how we named ourselves and before I could finish the girl raised her free hand to stop me. "We know who we are so renaming us is not necessary." She said with a bit more life in her voice. She then looked at the boy who nodded and they both turned to us.

"We thank you for your care and help in our… reawakening, in a world much more alive than from where we left." She gestured to herself, "I am Rei Ayanami," She bowed as much as she could while sitting on her bed.

"And I'm Shinji Ikari, glad to know you all." We all returned the greeting to these Elan- Haibane and I wondered how they would fair here in our little world, and whether the wall will be as much of a danger, and goal to them as it was to us.

Just then, I saw a crow, and a dove sitting on the balcony railing outside the room we were in, a black crow and a white dove. Then I looked back at Rei and Shinji and wondered. I looked back through the window of the balcony… the birds were gone flying into a gray sky. Then I saw them flying away from 'Old Home' and towards the encircling wall in the distance.

I thought, 'are they destined to fly over the wall?'

Next Chapter 3: Memories and acceptance