Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Comfort and Kindness ❯ Darkest before The Dawn! ( Chapter 12 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimers:
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are
Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine.
Please try to be good to me; this is my first stab at an Evangelion "Only" Fic.
If you have read this whole fic, I do state now this is a Waffy fic,
with a bit of action as well!
Thanks to Jon Cook for pre reading this chapter!

Comfort and Kindness

( ) = Thoughts by characters

" " = Dialogue by characters

Chapter 12: Darkest before the Dawn

As the alarm sounded at the arrival of the 15th angel, Touji and Asuka kissed passionately
as they headed for the pilot's dressing rooms not knowing that their new found love will be sorely tested.
_______________________________________________________________ ___________________________

Asuka's Sacrifice, The Pilot's Response!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! GET IT OUT OF MY MIND, PLEASE GET OOOOOUUUTTTT!"
Asuka's screams were deafening. Not only bringing a chill to everyone in the Geofront who could hear her, but to her fellow pilot's who could not get to her to stop her suffering. Most of all Touji and Shinji were yelling to be allowed out of the lockdown
enforced by Gendo Ikari. If he wanted the scenario to be followed properly then the Second will be made to suffer as prescribed by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
But six people did not share that sentiment.

Unit -03 had been rebuilt and an S2 engine was installed. It had worked during testing, but had not been used in combat.
That was the excuse given not to sortie Touji in Unit-03. Shinji's problem was the incident with the 14th angel and his subsequent loss for a month inside the Eva.

A signal on Shinji's and Touji's holo-board on their Evas told them great news.
The bakelite was dissolving and they would be free in fifteen seconds to help Asuka.
"Who ordered the Bakelite sealant dissolved?" demanded a now angry Commander Ikari.
No one responded. "Dr. Akagi, reverse the and lock down process on Units 01 and 03."

Now they were going to be locked down again and hear the anguished cries of their friend (Shinji) and love (Touji)?

"NO DAMN WAY!" thought the pilots to themselves !

Before Dr. Akagi could even answer the commander's demand,
both Units were making their way via catapult to the surface,
desperately wanting to help the stricken Second Child. Rei Ayanami in Unit-00 was also anxious, and though her emotionless mask was on tight,
she felt helpless as she had to keep her caring for her friend in check less the Commander suspects her true feelings.
She knew she would be replaced with another of her sisters, plus her sister Ritsuko would be put in danger
because she knew she would refuse to help him, which likely would cause her death as well.
So, it wasn't any inkling of her wanting to follow the orders from the Commander.
It was the certainty that her sister would sacrifice herself so Rei would live.
So it was a strong effort in itself for her not to join Shinji and Touji in trying to help her frightened and suffering friend.

As Units 01 and 03 broke the surface after the Commander rescinded the order to intensify the pressure in the entry plugs thereby knocking the pilots out.
He needed both units in combat now, he'd deal with the insubordination afterwards.
Both headed towards a collapsed Unit-02 and Asuka's screaming for help.
As they neared Asuka, Shinji, then Touji were similarly hit by the light that had been on Asuka. With her cries dying down. Two new ones joined in to fill that void.
Now Touji and Shinji were being assailed by the 15th angel.
They minds being pried open for the angel to see. Though it understood that one of the Evangelion pilots was to be probed the circumstance of probing two more pilots
was too tempting for it to pass up. It had not learned that much from the first one it had encountered, but it was enough for it to want to probe the new pilots now.

As Asuka sobbed and slowed down her crying she heard her roommate and her love now in the throes of the agony she had just been through.
For a brief moment she was happy to be rid of the painful and devastating mind probe. But now she heard the boy she considered her annoying and pain in the butt brother,
as well as the boy she was falling in love with going through the same torment she had been through.
She tried to calm down and clear her mind of the fogginess that was one of the after affects of the 15th's mind probe.
She realized the situation, and remembered the plan Shinji, and his mother had planned out. As she was doing that the Commander of Nerv was in a similar state of agony.
His son's bold attempt to rescue the Second and ignore his commands now had him, and
his wife's spirit in agony as only he knew that not only was the pilot being probed,
but the soul within the Evas was having the same attack inflicted it as well.
"Shinji, why endanger you mother that way, I will make you pay for that my son!" While not giving any outward appearance save for his standard emotionless mask he had on all the time.
Remembered Yui's spirit was also suffering. "Oh Yui, my love. I'm sorry you had to go through this," he thought to
himself. Then he made a decision to end this now! "Rei, go get the Lance."

The Sub Commander was surprised. "Ikari, is it wise to do this?
The old men won't approve of this."

"It is within acceptable parameters, and it doesn't negate their scenario ...nor mine," replied a stoic Commander.

"Aren't you worried they could take away your position here at Nerv?" said a flustered Fuyutski.

"They know I'm the only one that can accomplish their plans. They will not dispose me. Not now," Gendo replied.

"Are you sure Ikari?"

Gendo looked at his old friend with a determined look sufficing an answer in that way.

The Girl's Reactions!

In what was record time for her Rei made it to Terminal Dogma and removed the Lance from the hanging Second angel.
She stole a glance and had a brief connection with Lillith.

"Please help me, that which has birthed my soul, I have to extinguish another of your brethren," Rei sighed,
"But your children must be protected." A slight almost imperceptible head shake answered Rei's telepathic plea.
"Thank you mother of all." She then ran at top speed for the nearest catapult and was launched into the air. She landed with a loud thud , creating a mini-earthquake in the city. She then looked at the two Evas that were now in fetal positions as she saw
Unit-02 getting slowly up and look at her. Asuka's vid-link appeared in front of her.
In ragged breaths Asuka said, "Rei. Hurry, they can't take much more!"
Rei gave her an affirmative nod and started her run to launch the Lance.
Within thirty seconds that Lance was headed into a lunar orbit as the 15th angels remains dissipated in the high atmosphere of earth.

Aftermath

As the three Evas were being sent down to their cages, the three pilots affected by the 15th angel's attack were in a quarantined
zone just in front of the final catapult lowering down Unit-02.
Two of the three pilots were hugging each other as if their very lives depended on it.
Both were sobbing and shaking while holding on to each other.
Asuka and Touji were those two. As they continued to hug and sob into each other's shoulders, a bit farther away sat Shinji by himself.

He was staring out into space with a flat expressionless look on his face.
All three had to relive not only their own worst memories, but also each others.
When Shinji and Touji had gotten to the surface of Tokyo-3, the 15th angel then focused it's brain sifting ray on them. But, when it read Touji's memories, it simply found that there wasn't enough traumatic memories for it to use against the pilot.
So, it took what it found first from Asuka's memories and fed them back to Touji and Shinji. So, Shinji, and Touji had a ringside seat to her worse and most secret memories and agonies she desperately wanted to hide from everyone, especially Shinji and Touji.

Then at the tail end of the attack, Asuka tried to stand her Eva between the angels' ray and the boy's Eva.That is when her agony was the worst.
She starting reliving Touji's memories of his father telling him of his mother's death at
thehands of a berzerk Unit-00. Then she saw through Shinji's eyes Yui Ikari dissappear within the Unit-01's entry plug.
Then a realization came to her, if she saw their memories,... then they saw ... hers!
She tried to pull away from Touji who had an iron grip on her, with two intents.
One, to comfort her as she was comforting him. Second, he knew that she would eventually realize what she just had.
He was going to be there for her whether she likes it or not.

"Let me go you Dumkoph, I SAID LET ME GO!" Asuka then slapped the boy several times. Blows that would have knocked down a lesser man. But, Touji Suzahara was determined to make Asuka face her demons just as he was facing his.
Finally after several more slaps punches and elbows, she collapsed into his bruised arms sobbing hysterically.
He had stopped crying simply because he could focus on her and held her tightly.
"Listen to me my little German Demon, I will not let you go until you realize that you aren't the only one with a lousy childhood.
Hikari's, and Kensuke's mom's also died in that accident." Asuka quieted down and looked up at his face with cloudy eyes.
"Hikari's mom was in a comm link station on the side of the area where Unit-00 was and died when the Eva's hand smashed into her station box.
Ken's Mom was one of the ground crew stamped on, and my Mom was a Tech,
on the catwalk that was in front of the Eva." Silent tears began again to flow down his face.
"She never had a chance." Asuka then wiped his tears with her fingers and slowly hugged him while both were still sitting.
"Before you say anything, I want you to know that I love you for what I think love is." She tried to say something, but Touji put a finger to her already wet lips made that way by the torrent to tears she cried that day. "I don't mean sex, I mean this!"
He put her hand on his heart, as he looked lovingly at her. She smiled for the first time that long horrendous day.
"You will be MY little Dumkoph, won't you Touji-chan." She said still with her now lighter and brighter smile.
Touji had by then stopped crying and as smiles seem contagious, he had one too.
Then they hugged and kissed not passionately, but in more of a loving way,
as a husband does to a wife.
Their good feelings though were interuupted by a single word, ... "SHINJI!"

Rei had called out at the edge of the quarantine area.
She was looking at the expressionless and forlorned face of her love.
She didn't know what to do. She had never been in this situation before.
She wanted to comfort him like he had her so before, but she couldn't read his thoughts as he tended to normally show them with his facial expressions. His blank face hid from her what he was feeling.
This anguish she was feeling was much worse than even the time he had been absorbed in Unit-01.
She then made a decision. She stepped over the tape and slowly made her way to the pilot of Unit-01 sitting on the floor.
Asuka and Touji watched and nodded to Rei, she returned the gesture.
As she sat down on her knees in front of the dazed pilot, she reached up with both hands and moved his face from the sky where he was looking to her face.
She met those deep blue and vacant eyes with her crimson red ones.
She took a breath to steady herself, seeing all life seemingly drained from Shinji's eyes, then asked,

"Shinji-kun, I am here for you. Please tell me what I can do for you, ... please," Rei empasized.
It was about thirty seconds before he responded, bringing back a memory in Rei.
She had done the same to him up to the 5th angel's attack, making him wait for her answer.
Now he was doing the same. He finally answered.

"Why?"

"Why what Shinji-kun?"

"Why didn't the angel attack ... you?"

"Shinj-kun, I don't understand?" Rei was perplexed. Even she wasn't this vague in her answers.

"Asuka, Touji, and I were assailed and attacked by the Angel's ray, the minute we hit the surface.
Yet, you targeted the angel while on the surface. Shot at it, and even when you got that Lance from Terminal Dogma, you still weren't targeted. Why?"
Shinji was now holding Rei by her shoulders a bit more forcefully than Rei wanted.
But she knew the answer Shinji had wanted. She now had another decision to make.
Should she tell him of her other parent? Could his fragile psyche handle it?

But, before she could decide her sister Ritsuko came and said,
"Rei, you and Shinji will come and stay with me tonight. Asuka Touji,
Misato will be here in a few minutes to take you home."

"But, why do the wonder-duo go with you instead of going home with us?" asked Asuka getting her normal tone back in her voice.

"Because I need to observe Shinji in his current state, so he'll stay in my guest room tonight," Ritsuko replied.

"Why can't you do that at our apartment?" asked Touji, concerned now for his friend.

"Yeah, and why does Rei get to go with him?" asked Asuka now more concered for them as well. She still had some reservations on Ritsuko's motives.

"Rei is coming with me so she can help Shinji recover. This way they won't do something that they and we will regret."

"Look, they are our friends, so we are concerned with their well being,"
said Asuka now getting louder and angrier at the blond scientist.

"Asuka-chan, It is all right. I will keep an eye on Shinji, and I trust Ritsu-chan, so please go with Misato-san and I will call you tomorrow.
I think you and Touji-kun need to talk about today's events, as I will try with Shinji-kun."

"Ok Rei, just remember to call us, ok?" said Asuka with a little concern in her voice.

"I will," replied Rei, who with Ritsuko's help had picked up Shinji off the ground and guided him to the nearest elevator to the parking areas.
Just as they left Misato arrived and was informed of the locations of Shinji, and Rei.
After contacting Ritsuko by phone, and after a rather animated conversation, Misato accepted the situation ... for now.

"Did you scramble the phone line?" asked an annoyed Misato

"Yes, now what do you want Misato?" Ritsuko said in an annoyed manner.

"This wasn't in our plan Ritsu, why do you want Shinji at your place tonight?"

"Because we have to get him back to as normal as possible. If we don't, then the plan will fall apart. Remember the keys here are the children, ALL the children," Ritsu had said strongly.

"Ok, ok, just keep me informed, and take care of him. He and Asuka are all I have," Misato replied equally as strong.

Tea and Conversation

After Shinji was given a sedative to sleep, Rei and Ritsuko sat down to have tea and discuss the curent situation.
Rei informed Ritsu of Shinji's questions and asked her advice about how much should he know about her ... origins.

"Rei, how did he ask you those questions?" Ritsuko asked.

"He seemed to have surmised that I was not attacked by the angel even though there were several times that the angel's ray could have been used on me. It is obvious he suspects me of being untruthful to him, … of not being honest to him.
It has hurt him, I can see that." Rei's voice lowered in volume as she said this.

"I think I know how we can answer him, but I won't have that ready until the end of this week. So, we should concentrate on getting him back to as normal as he can be." She put her hand on her sister's.
"Rei, you need to inspire him, ... as he did you.
I can see how his influence has opened you up to new experiences and your heart.
Now I wish I could have what you two have, but I don't know if I'll ever find it."
Ritsuko became vary quiet.

"I ... understand sister. I will be there for him, and inform him that his answers will be waiting for him at the end of the week."
Rei then bid her sister good night and made for the room where Shinji slept.

"Rei, remember, sleep only! Don't let me doubt you," Ritsuko called out to Rei as she made it to the room's door.

Rei tilted her head to the right as she asked, "When have I ever doubted you since you became my sister?"

"Ok, good night Rei," Ritsuko said smiling at Rei's statement.

Rei then remembered something Misato said to them when they went to sleep.

"Don't do anything I would do." Rei then disappeared into the room and shut the door.

Ritsuko made a mental note to talk to Misato about her comments to the children.

The Geo-front

Commander Ikari's office finds Gendo Ikari staring at the expanse of the Geofront.

"The scenario is coming together and SEELE'S plans will be for nought.
Dear Dr.Ritsuko Agaki, you are playing your role well, as well as your sister, dear Rei."
He sighed
"Yui, I will make sure that either I will come to you, ... or you will come to me!
And hopefully our son will realize this and relieve himself of this unproductive infatuation.
He will join us at the end, … without his precious Rei."
Gendo's mental comments finished he reflected on his future with his wife.

__________________________________________________________________ __________________

Well, it seems that we're getting towards the end with 2 or 3 more chapters to go.
Hopefully everyone will be here at the end ... I hope!

Next, Chapter 13: Terminal Visions