Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ True Angel ❯ Self Reliance ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5

Self Reliance

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

 

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Shinji stared as the removed the Bakelite casing from Unit 00, the orange painted EVA still in the throws of its berserk fury, frozen in time.

 

Rei had told him very little about the sync test that had resulted in her injuries, and the best he could get from the NERV staff was that pilot error was looking to be the issue that had caused the problem in the first place.

 

Shinji knew it was something else.

 

Staring at Unit 00, he could feel a presence similar to what he felt in Unit 01, what he felt that told him Reika was real, and not some delusion. To what mindset this presence was in, was unclear, and would be so until Unit 00 was fully charged, or had a power cable inserted.

 

But the echo, even after all this time, was still as strong as it must have been when Unit 00 was berserk.

 

He felt...anger...hatred...love...betrayal.

 

Was all these the emotions of the pilot...or of the EVA itself? If they were of Rei, would she tell him why she felt that way?

 

If they were of the EVA...then what? Would the EVA talk to him as Reika had done? Would the EVA even accept him as a pilot? It wasn't like Reika could put in a good word for him. Unit 01 was still recovering from the purging of the S2 organ, as was Shinji, his wings still unable to be retreated inside himself.

 

They were both in bad shape...well, bad shape for him. He was still feeling listless, as though his own energy was barely enough for him to function; another possible result of the link he shared with the huge purple mecha.

 

He felt the reason was more personal. For over a week, all he had been dreaming about was seven eyes that seemed to pierce his soul, judging him and looking ready to strike him down. He never told anyone of the dreams, but he knew Rei had a suspicion that his sleep was disturbed, the albino girl always found with her arms wrapped around him when the dream would wake him, her face pensive.

 

Shaking away such images, Shinji turned and left, wanting to meet Misato and the others at the temporary station where the Fourth Angel was being studied. He would have his test with Unit 00 after Rei tried to sync once again. For now, he wanted to see what he was facing.

 

And maybe...find out why they were facing it.

 

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“Does it look at all familiar, Shinji?” asked Ritsuko, the display showing what they had been able to determine of the Angel's power source.

 

He shook his head. “Not really, I'm sorry. All I know is that was where the Angel was getting his power.” He blinked. “You mean we didn't learn anything from the S2 Unit 01 took from the Third Angel?”

 

She shook her head. “We're still not clear on the principles behind them, but we gained a lot of understanding from what we learned from that one. But as you saw, it'll take a lot of work to get an S2 constructed that will work for an EVA. They seem to be...individualized.”

 

“What about the tests on the Angel itself?” asked Misato. “Any news from that?”

 

“See for yourself,” Ritsuko said as she brought up a new display.

 

“So,” said Shinji, his eyes wide with amazement, “we are that close to Angels?”

 

“Yes,” said Dr. Akagi, the graphs of the few conclusive tests on the screen. “The Angels are 99.89 percent the same as us.”

 

Shinji blinked. “Oh, so they're meta-morphs.”

 

Seeing the confused looks of the other two, he continued. “Well, you said they seemed to be composed of both particulate and wave patterns, which would fall under most sci-fi beliefs that they can interchange energy and matter and allow for regeneration as well as the improvements they seem capable of creating.”

 

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed. “This is no fiction, Shinji.”

 

“I'm not saying it is, but these readings and observations would go with a shape shifter principle.”

 

Misato smiled. “Wow, Shinji, maybe we should have you in charge.”

 

Ignoring the fight that was breaking out between the two, Shinji stepped out of the small office in time to see them lower the remains of the Angel's core lowered to the ground, his Father before it, and the rage to attack the man once again climbing.

 

It was then his Father removed the gloves, and Shinji caught sight of the scars.

 

Turning back to the girls who seemed to have stopped arguing about whether or not sci-fi played anywhere in with the possibilities of the Angels, he spoke. “Any of you guys know how the old man burned his hands?”

 

“Burns?” asked Misato. She turned towards Ritsuko. “You know anything about them?”

 

Ritsuko nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “Yes. It was before you arrived, Shinji. During the activation experiments for Unit 00, it went berserk. The pilot was trapped inside. It was Commander Ikari who rescued them, opening the entry plug hatch with his bare hands, a hatch that was super-heated.”

 

Shinji nodded. I doubt it was out of the goodness of his heart. So, while I know a little more of the story of how Rei got injured, I still have no idea why my Father acted so. It's not like him to care for others, so what exactly is his connection to Rei?

 

What exactly are you hiding, Father? And does it have anything to do with why I can't sense anything inside the Geo-front?

 

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During PE class, the girls were in the pool, enjoying the cold waters on a hot day, as the boys were at the basketball court, a game in progress.

 

Shinji, however, was off to the side, staring up at the quiet and alone form of his roommate. Why do you keep yourself alone, Rei?

 

“Hey, Shinji, what are you looking at so intently?”

 

He turned, seeing the playfully accusing face of Toji. “Huh?”

 

“Oh, I think he's looking at Ayanami, right?” said Kensuke, pushing Toji down to get some words in.

 

“So?” asked Shinji, not quite getting what they were hinting at.

 

“So,” said Kensuke, his face taking on a more perverted stare. “You're looking at Ayanami's boobs, Ayanami's thighs,...Ayanami's calves!” The last item mentioned with Toji.

 

Shinji blinked. Are all boys supposed to be this perverted, or just the ones I seem to make friends with? “Those are all nice, but that's not what I'm looking at.”

 

Kensuke kept smiling. “Oh, so you're planning to go after the Class Rep?”

 

“What?” was the nearly screamed reply of Toji.

 

Shinji shook his head. “I'm not after anyone,” said Shinji. “All I wanted to know is why Rei's always alone.”

 

The two sat back, with Kensuke answering. “Hmm...come to think of it, I don't think she's had any friends since she started here in the seventh grade.”

 

“There's just something that makes it so hard to talk to her,” said Toji.

 

Shinji nodded, recalling his own difficulties getting Rei to open up to him, let alone to Misato. The girl was a deep introvert, beyond anything Shinji himself had been like when he started attending public schools when he had his wings hidden. I know why I had to stay calm and aloof, but why does she?

 

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Shinji sat inside Unit 01, talking to Reika. You have any idea why she's so quiet?

 

None. And her memories won't help, because she's never tried to sync with me.

 

Memories?

 

Yes, when you pilot me, I can talk to you in your mind, and thus, I have access to some of your memories. Don't worry, though, I will not share them if you ask me not to.

 

Thanks, I'd appreciate if you didn't. I also don't want you to do anything that will block her from piloting you.

 

Why?

 

Because you never know when I might be of better use outside of you then inside; and I still haven't figured out what's wrong with Unit 00. I can't get any good readings from it unless I sync, and I won't be doing that until after Rei's activation test.

 

He heard no response from Reika as the monitors zoomed in on Rei and his Father talking. She...she's smiling.

 

So? Why is that a problem? Shouldn't she be happy?

 

I can't see a reason for her to be happy talking to him. Odds are that he is the main reason she is unhappy the way she is.

 

Jealous?

 

No. More like concerned. She leads a lonely life, knows little to nothing on socialization, and looks up to that bastard.

 

All this tells me is that he is using her like he wants to use me.

 

Reika stayed silent, not offering her opinion, but also wondering exactly what game the Commander of NERV was playing.

 

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Ritsuko paled as she sat her meal back on the table, looking around at her dinner companions.

 

Misato was diving into the mixture of curry and ramen noodles, and after tasting it herself; she knew Misato really didn't have any working taste buds left.

 

What really surprised her were both Shinji and Rei quietly eating the meal. “And you two are enjoying this?”

 

Rei simply spoke as she gathered more food. “It is edible.”

 

Shinji just smiled. “Not the worst stuff I've ever had.”

 

“WHAT?” screamed Misato. “There is nothing wrong with my cooking!”

 

No one moved when a thud was heard from the kitchen, thus leaving PenPen to enjoy his impromptu nap.

 

Shinji just continued to eat. “No offense Misato, but this stuff would kill lesser people, or at least do serious damage to their digestive tracts.”

 

“Then why are you enjoying it, Shinji?” she asked with a playful, yet dangerous, tone.

 

Shinji just smiled. “Well, it's better than tree bark and bats.” Seeing her blink, he continued to smile. “Spent a week in the forest trying to “obtain oneness with nature”, didn't work, but did teach me a lot about what not to eat. Cicadas are crunchy though, but they do not taste like chicken.”

 

“How is this compared to those cicadas, Shinji?” asked Ritsuko.

 

“I miss them now,” said Shinji.

 

And thus, they got to hear Misato screaming about her cooking for a few more minutes, before Shinji reminded her she could also take up other chores as well.

 

And throughout the meal, PenPen stayed in the kitchen, on the floor, and having dreams that would make most drug trips seem tame by comparison.

 

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Shinji sat inside Unit 01, waiting for the launch command. Another Angel had arrived, and from what he could see on the view screen, it was a tough one. The form was certainly unique, and he found little to make fun of it. But he still had no idea what it could do, even as they loaded the shoulder blades onto Unit 01 containing his progressive knife, as well as a new weapon asked for; a progressive katana. Well, looks like things will get more interesting.

 

As he was reaching the surface, he felt Reika scream out in worry, as Misato's warning hit his ears. But unfortunately, the EVA was still locked to the sled.

 

He had enough time to see the blast tear through a support building and head straight for him.

 

On instinct, he did the only thing he could do, and prayed it worked. If not, he didn't know if he'd have the energy to survive it.

 

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“SHINJI!” screamed Misato as the blast struck Unit 01, stopping mere meters before impacting the EVA.

 

“Sync rate now at 125 percent!” scream Aoba.

 

“Get him back, now!” screamed Misato, before she turned to the scream, expecting to see the EVA pierced by the energy weapon.

 

Instead, she saw two large white wings protruding from the EVA's back, folded before it, blocking the ray, and slowly fading from sight.

 

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Shinji awoke to find himself in a hospital room again. “I seem to be seeing a lot of these ceilings lately.”

 

“Yes, you are,” came the quiet reply to his left.

 

He turned, facing Rei. “What happened, the last thing I remember was...a warning...”

 

Rei nodded. “Misato-san ordered you to dodge, but the staff was unable to disengage the sled locks in time. You generated wings like you currently sport, which shielded you from a majority of the effect from the Angel's attack. However, the wings quickly fell apart as you were brought in.”

 

He turned back to face the ceiling. “Then Unit 01 wasn't damaged?”

 

“The front chest armor received some heat damage from the intensity of the blast, as well as some damage from where the blast was able to start pushing through the defensive field you emitted. Dr. Akagi would also like to talk with you about it, because it coincided with your increased sync rate.”

 

He nodded. “Anything else?”

 

“Yes,” she said, standing and pulling out a book, proceeding to go over the plan Misato had contrived.

 

He forced his tired body to sit up, even feeling large amounts of pain from his wings. “And this will work?”

 

She nodded. “You should have faith in Misato-san's plan.”

 

He could only chuckle. “Maybe we should just drop her curry ramen from last night on it.”

 

Rei blinked as she got up to leave. “That would be in direct violation of UN Directive 405-F against the use of biologic and chemical warfare.”

 

He blinked as Rei shut the door. “Did she just end on a joke?”

 

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He looked on at the scene before him, with Unit 00 perched before him with the shuttle shield, as he aimed at the Angel with the weapon. Reika, we gotta nail him on the first shot, or the recharge time will get Rei killed.

 

But he only received silence. As with him, Reika had been injured as well deflecting the initial blast, her own energies being used to keep the wings deployed as long as they had been.

 

Even if only slightly better off than Unit 01; Shinji was still feeling the effects of that trick, and was barely functioning as is.

 

Still his sync score was the highest, and thus he was delegated to firing instead of Rei.

 

He found his breath coming in deeper pants, as if he was expending more energy than he could afford. If he had been at full power, he could have even infused some of it into the weapon and gave it a punch that would have even gone through the Angel's blast.

 

But he would make do with what he had, and win.

 

He could do no less for those he cared for.

 

His only regret: not being able to hide his Father on the shield.

 

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“Increase power to the life support systems, give him a heart massage!” called out Ritsuko.

 

The first shot had missed, intercepting the Angel's shot, and throwing off the trajectories of both.

 

When the Angel had fired a second time in less time than its expected recharge cycle, Rei had taken position to protect Shinji. But the blast was tearing apart the shield.

 

Shinji had screamed, and once again, the white feathery wings had appeared, deflecting the energy away from Unit 00, and sparring the unit and thus Rei any damage.

 

Shinji had just enough time to pull off the final shot, before his cardiac activity stopped.

 

“No change!” screamed Aoba.

 

“Maximum charges, now!” screamed Ritsuko; as Misato had already fled the trainer to get medical attention to Unit 01.

 

Rei, for her part, quickly discarded the remainder of the shield, her communications line still active. Shooting to the side of Unit 01, she supported the EVA as the entry plug ejected. She removed it, laying it down, and using her EVA to remove the superheated casing, so that medical help could get to Shinji. Shinji-kun, please be okay. You didn't have to protect me, but thank you. Now survive so I may inform you of this personally.

 

Misato and the support team ran to the plug, the smell of evaporated LCL hanging in the air, leaving a putrid stench. When she arrived at the plug, she noticed Shinji sitting still, his wings gone, and feathers floating inside the LCL. “Wake up, Shinji!” she screamed as she helped the staff get him from his seat, so that the medical support could work on him.

 

“SHINJI!”