Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Revelations: The Power of Love ❯ In the Minds of Shinji and Asuka ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Shinji lies in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He has his buds in his ears and his SDAT player in his left hand. The player reads `Track 26.' Shinji isn't paying attention to the music because he is occupied with his own thoughts. Soon, he is fast asleep.

Shinji finds himself in a black void.

"Where am I?"

"In your mind, of course."

Shinji turns around and sees himself.

"Who are you?"

"Can't you tell? I am you."

"What do you want?"

"To help you."

"Help me?"

"Yes, I know how you feel for Asuka."

This causes Shinji to stare at the other him.

"How do you…?"

"I am you, remember?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"Oh, yes it does."

"Just leave me alone."

Shinji walks away from the other him to find that he is actually walking towards him.

"Running away again, eh, Shinji? Your solution to everything."

Shinji stops dead in his tracks.

"Oh, please. Not that `I mustn't run away' stuff again. That's getting really annoying. The redheaded demon IS right. You are a coward."

He begins to laugh.

"Don't call her that!"

Shinji charges at the other him and tries to punch him, only to have his hand pass through his face.

"What the…?"

"Oh, just for the record, you can't hurt me."

Shinji takes a step back.

"Hm, guess you DO have a spine after all. Oh, that's right. You grew it when you pushed Asuka away!"

Shinji looks at the ground, tears filling his eyes.

"I didn't mean it. It's just that…she's always so mean to me…."

"Ever thought about why she's so mean to you, Shinji?"

"Huh?"

"Looks at it this way, how many people do you know that she calls `baka' or `ecchi' all the time?"

Shinji thinks for a moment..

"NO ONE! Damn, you are a baka… Anyway, why do think she calls you those names and teases you all the time?"

"I don't know…."

"Geez! Because she LIKES you!!"

"She does?"

"Yes! She does all that stuff to you because she knows you can take it and maybe because she's trying to improve your dull personality. Do you understand now?"

"Yeah, pretty much…"

"Great! Now I suggest you use that spine of yours and tell her how ya feel."

Shinji nods and begins to run off.

"Hold on a sec!"

Shinji stops and turns around.

"Try to stop apologizing all the time! It gets REALLY annoying."

Shinji smiles and runs off.

Shinji wakes up. He looks around his room and heads towards the door.

Asuka lies in her room, fast asleep.

Asuka looks around. She is in a place of total darkness.

"Where am I?"

"In your mind."

Asuka turns around and sees a child version of herself.

"Who are…?"

"I am you."

"Whatever. Anyway, I'm getting out of this place."

"The great Asuka is running away? You sound like Shinji.."

This causes Asuka to stop and face her younger self.

"What did you say?"

"I said `You sound like Shinji.'"

"Don't compare me to that baka!"

"Or is it that you just wanna be..alone?"

The words strike Asuka like a sword.

"I..don't want to be alone…"

"Then why do you push away those that care for you? Especially the one that you love?"

"What are you talking about? I love no one!"

"Right…. I know you care for Shinji."

"Umph! That ecchi? Never! Not even if he was the last person left on this Earth!"

"You know I'm right. You're just scared that'll he'll reject you and you'll be alone."

"I am the great Asuka Langley Soryu!"

"You know you love him, it's just that you're too scared to tell him."

"I don't love him!"

"Denial."

"I don't love him! I…"

Asuka falls to her knees as tears gather in her eyes.

"I am you. I know everything about you. Tell him."

"No…."

"Remember, that the decision was yours.."

The younger Asuka disappears, leaving Asuka alone in the darkness.

Asuka wakes up and sits up.

"I don't love him..," she mumbles.

She stands up and changes into her yellow sundress. Slowly, she opens her door. Seeing nobody, she heads for the door and leaves the apartment.

Shinji slowly opened his door and looked around. He walked towards the living room and found no one.

"Guess Misato had to work…"

Shinji makes his way to the kitchen to get something to eat. As he looks through the fridge, he glances up at Asuka's door.

"It's open..," he mumbles.

As if moved by some unseen force, he walks towards her room.

"A-Asuka?" he manages to get out as he looks into the room.

The room is empty.

"Where did she go..?"

Cautiously, he steps into the room and glances around. His eyes fall onto her pillow and trashcan. Her pillow has a large wet mark in the center and her trashcan is filled with used tissue. Suddenly, it strikes him.

"She's been..crying?"