Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Unbreakable Bond ❯ One Weird Day Part 1 ( Chapter 3 )

Unbreakable Bond

Chapter III One Weird Day Part 1

 

Holy cow, this is incredible. I swear I've never seen so many reviews for one of my story. I can't make any promises on the rate of production, as it depends on my rate of ideas, but this I can promise you, I will make every chapter I produce, will be of excellent quality. That much, I can promise you.

 

I've read your reviews concerning the preview, and I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the read. And now time for the real thing. I hope that you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the preview.

 

“I need a beer,” groaned a highly exasperated Misato. She had already gone through 3 cans that morning, and already she needed a fresh dose of beer.

 

When Ritsuko had opened the door, Misato's mind nearly screeched to a halt. The two had been staring out the window, minding their own business simply `enjoying' the view. From anyone else's perspective they seemed to be doing such. However even in that position they had continued to contemplate their thoughts. Regardless the moment Ritsuko had opened the door it had drawn their attention. Their reaction was that they turned to the right in perfect time, and greeted the Major in synchronised fashion, despite the difference in pitch, which only served to resonate against one another. In a different setting it would've been considered a pleasant tune.

 

Misato did not like this one bit. It was bad enough they had experienced some sort of trauma during the accident, but this was just too much. Two of her pilots speaking and moving almost like one being? What's next, feeling and thinking like one being? This was going to be one weird day, especially since she had to gain the Commander's permission to have Rei move. There was no way she was going to allow Shinji to move in with Rei as she has heard stories of her living arrangements already, and she was none too pleased.

 

“So…uh…how are you guys?” Misato gently asked, and braced for a unison answer.

 

“We're fine, Misato-san,” they replied in unison. Now Misato was starting to get annoyed, and prayed she could get them to talk one a time. This was getting too freaky for her, and she really wanted this to somehow end, or at the very least, take a rest.

 

“Rei,” she called out, resulting in a sign of acknowledgement just from her. “Oh good, you guys can still be independent.”

 

“Not exactly.”

 

“Oh god no,” Misato whined as she slumped forward and hung her head.

 

“Although yes, they are capable of independent movements and speech, their thoughts to a certain degree are not. For one you will most likely get a mixture of their speech styles,” Ritsuko explained.

 

“Great, just great,” Misato mumbled under her breath, and then looked up. “Rei, I'm here to inform you, that I'll be asking the Commander to let you move to our place.”

 

“May I ask why, Katsuragi-san?”

 

Misato blinked a few times, as she tried to process what she just heard, “Did you just call me Katsuragi-san?” Rei simply nodded. “What happened to the formalities?”

 

Rei paused for some time as thought about what had just transpired, “I am unsure, Katsuragi-san. It felt more appropriate to call you that, rather than Major Katsuragi.”

 

“See what I mean?” the doctor commented as she wrote on her clipboard. “They can move and speak independently if need be, but their brain and thought patterns are mixed. You can easily tell that Shinji's speech pattern is mixed in.”

 

“What?” the addled Major groaned in confusion.

 

“What I mean,” she growled as she gritted her teeth, “is that Rei who keeps her sentences short and simple, are a bit longer now, despite the simplicity. GET IT?”

 

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” Misato stated in understanding.

 

Ritsuko let out an annoyed sigh and faced Shinji, “Shinji-kun, tell me this, are you capable of your own thoughts?”

 

“I don't understand, Akagi-san,” Shinji replied.

 

“What I mean is, are you two thinking together, or are your thoughts separate?”

 

Shinji simply looked at her weirdly, “My thoughts are my own Akagi-san. Why would I have anyone else's thoughts?” Ritsuko raised an eyebrow, and merely shrugged and made more observations.

 

“One last question, what is the current state of your mind? What is going on through your head?”

 

“Complete chaos,” they replied as one. Both women shuddered to the sound of their synchronised speech, but let it pass as Ritsuko proceeded to give his arm a quick once over before she left the room, and returned to her office.

 

Misato let out a heavy sigh as she stared at the two of them, muttering aloud, “What am I going to do with you two?” She shook her head and motioned for them to follow her out. They simply nodded and proceeded to leave the room, without realizing their monitors were still attached. Upon reaching the door they stopped momentarily, where Shinji held his arm out indicating to Rei she should go first. She simply nodded and exited first, quickly followed by Shinji who soon realigned himself next to Rei as they began to walk in time again.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Misato had noted that Shinji was acting rather kind to Rei, using the traditional ladies first rule and such. That brought a small wave of relief that his habits of being kind to people are still the same, despite the accident. However, she was also worried. She wondered if they were becoming one being with two bodies, much like the 7th Angel. If so, that would prove to be something she couldn't bear to live with. As far as she was concerned, synchronised speech, and movement, she can handle. However if their minds were to become completely one and no longer independent, she was sure she would have a breakdown.

 

Then there was the issue of Asuka. She had run out the other day just moments after entering their room. She was sure that she saw something really disturbing to have caused her to do such a thing. She could most like have to have the three of them to some how talk it out, in a civilized, calm, and hopefully non-disturbing fashion. However with Asuka … the likelihood of such a civilised situation was low, very low. However one can hope, right?

 

As Shinji and Rei walked down the hallowed halls of NERV, they continued to contemplate their existence, or to be precise the knowledge of each other's lives now imbedded in their minds until death, or some other freak accident occurs. They've spent the past couple of days trying to understand and make sense of what they've experienced. This was what they had learnt thus far.

 

For Shinji the strongest memory of Rei that came to mind was her purpose, and her origins. Despite her lack of knowledge of how her body was created, her memories still contained a vast library of information. Throughout his stay in the hospital, he learned of her true purpose, her link to the Evangelion project, and whatever she knew of her origins. Albeit it greatly disturbed him that her purpose was to fight off against the angels until all 17 were to be defeated, and then to be the key to initiate Third Impact, it didn't surprised him when he dug deeper to find that it was his father that indoctrinated her into this madness they were now stuck in.

 

He had always hated his father with a passion to the point that he had wanted to kill him at times, but lacked the courage and the strength to commit such an act. He was weak minded, lacked faith in himself, feared contact from people, and never stood up for what he believed in because of his fears. In short he was a weak, spineless coward, as many people have accused him of. And yet through this accident, he had gained much more than memories. He had gained Rei's experiences, or lack thereof in life, and also her steel-like discipline; her iron grip upon her emotions and her unending, enduring, always faithful belief in his father, and the Evangelion Project. Now that had passed on to him. Despite the new found strength and courage, he was still insecure about some things about himself, but at least he was now willing to live through his life, and see this madness to the end. If people thought he hated his father when he first arrived, it was now easily considered as a mere distaste towards his father. For now he hated his father with a new found passion that if it were not for his new found power grip upon his emotions, one would be overshadowed by the dark hate he felt towards his father, that man that called himself Gendo Ikari.

 

The Dummy Plug system was one of the other things that fuelled his hate. His father pretty much violated Rei. He created clones of her. Not just one or two, millions of them. He had created clones upon clones, all of them simple husks, empty shells that were to be filled with his teachings and his beliefs whenever the active Rei failed to meet his standards. This was unacceptable and at the same time mind numbing for many reasons. For one, Rei would always have to strip down naked before his father and then stand in a tube where her body was in plain sight and at the mercy of his gaze. Granted she was never taught about modesty, but he hoped that some of his habits were to be passed on. Then there was the fact every time she floated in that tube, her memories would be transferred to her sisters and then from there her experiences and state of mind would govern the way they would fight should they ever be employed. It was sickening that his father became such a man.

 

Her past however was clouded in mystery. All that Rei knew was that her form was based on his mother. He was surprised, even freaked that his mother's DNA was used. He often wondered if that would make them siblings. However Rei knew enough that the DNA used only provided for her appearance. Everything else that made her who she was had been provided by something or someone else. However despite the fact only a very small portion of her DNA was related to his mother, it left him feeling highly uncomfortable. He had known he had feelings towards the enigmatic girl, as she towards him on a different level at this point, and with this information, he wondered if his feelings were misplaced. Although it was him who told her that she was her own person and not his sister, he still had his doubts. Were his feelings towards her of brotherly protection? Or were they of an average teenage attraction? He knew that he would have to sort out his feelings, along with the rest of the memories that were given to him soon.

 

Rei on the other hand, who had once unequivocally followed Gendo without question, now had her doubts. She had seen Shinji's life, his experiences, his memories, his pains, and his hatred towards his father. At first when he had expressed such hatred towards the man, the idea was unacceptable. It had to be removed and replaced with unending and absolute loyalty and faith towards the man. Hence she slapped him that day when he had insulted the Commander. However, now seeing his life through his eyes, and not just his words nor his personal profile, she learnt of his hatred; the very source, the reason behind his hatred and how it shaped his personality.

 

He was left alone at such a young age after his mother disappeared. His father left him with no words; nothing to encourage him to live on, no goodbyes, not even a simple, “Take care of yourself,” farewell. He was simply taken to his teacher's home, and left there without a second glance. And then for 10 years he simply existed, much like she had; passing the days, not ever truly taking a good look at the world around one self. It was a dreary existence filled with nothing that it left him weak minded, immature, unable to fend for himself, if ever be in danger. He truly had nothing to go on much like her, except she had Gendo to turn to. He had no one.

 

Seeing his life with such misery, such hate, such sadness and sorrow, joint with her new understanding of emotions and ability to express them to a degree, it had changed her thoughts and feelings towards the man called Gendo Ikari. No longer would she smile for him. No longer would she follow his every order with out question. No longer was she First Child or Pilot Ayanami. She was Rei Ayanami. As Shinji had told her on the day of the accident, she was her own person. She was not the clone of Yui Ikari nor was she her daughter. She was one, unique, and she would fight with the same passion and vigour she once had for the Commander. She would ensure she stayed unique.

 

As the two continued to walk down the halls, Misato began to brace herself for the upcoming questions and barrages she was going to receive from the Commander and Sub-Commander, and then there was the issue of Asuka. Asuka had been okay but for her to see Shinji and Rei needing to be so close together in order to function properly would most likely set off alarms in the red-head and have her go on a tantrum. However she still continued to pray that it would be a calm and civilized conversation.

 

Soon enough the trio reached the door that would lead to the cold, dark, empty office of Gendo Ikari. Misato stared at the door as the familiar tight and constricting of her heart feeling plagued her. She was nervous. Sure she had spoken to the Commander before, but never had she ever had to speak to him concerning Rei. And on top of that, he valued Rei like his own daughter, which made her situation even worse. Shinji stared at the door in apprehension. It would be the first time he's seen his father after the accident, and he wondered how things would be now. He wondered if the man that he called father would still treat him the same, or would he see him in a different light. For now it was all uncertainties, but now was the moment of truth. He knew that had the accident never occurred, he would never dare walk into that office could he help it. He would've waited outside, or even at home. But this was different. He was different. And ultimately things would be different.

 

Misato took a deep breath and opened the door as she allowed the two to enter first. As they entered the air around them suddenly chilled as they looked across the great yet empty office of the leadership of NERV to see Gendo Ikari, Commander of NERV in his desk with Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki sitting in front of his desk, as the two of them were going over paperwork. Shinji felt his heart nearly stopping at the very sight of his father. Granted he was different from before but it did not mean that he no longer feared his father. Across the office they could seemingly see a dark aura surrounding the Commander.

 

As Rei looked at the Commander who was once the man she believed in and respected, she suddenly felt a new sensation within her. She tried not to show it, but she suddenly found herself having difficulty to breathe as well as a sudden constriction of her heart. She searched within her new self to find the answer, to momentarily discover she was nervous. How could that be? Perhaps it was due to the fact that her new perspective of the Commander and the feelings Shinji felt towards him were affecting the way she felt? She would have to look into this later.

 

Moments after the door opened, Gendo and Kouzo looked up from the desk to see the Misato, Rei and Shinji approach the two. As the three of them neared the leaders of NERV, the air became increasingly colder; so cold that Misato zipped up her tunic and then seemed to fix her hair as if to look proper before she spoke with the two. Shinji and Rei however did not have that excuse and thus bore the coldness, as they fought not to show signs of weakness. The Commander stared at the trio with his satin covered hands bridged across his face. As the three of them waited under the scrutiny of the dark and foreboding gaze, he examined the results from the accident.

 

As he looked into the two children's eyes he could see that they had changed. Rei for one, normally showed signs of contentment, or at least great respect and admiration towards him, whereas Shinji wouldn't even dare look at him if he could help it. Now he was staring right at him, albeit the nervousness was ever present, but it had a confidence he had never seen before not that it mattered to him. All that mattered was the scenario and what the results were. As he looked back at Rei, he could see the same look upon her face. Except that instead of fear it more of minor disgust and what appeared to be nervousness. That was unexpected. That was not part of the scenario. He would have the matter dealt with accordingly but for now he had more pressing matters.

 

“Major I do not have time for interruptions. Whatever it may be, it can wait.” Misato flinched under his cold glare and voice momentarily before she found her voice.

 

“My apologies,” she began, “but this cannot wait. It concerns Pilots Ikari and Ayanami.” Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow in concern. Gendo who may have had his attention drawn, showed no physical signs.

 

“Continue,” was the only indication of his interest.

 

Misato nervously gulped, sucked it up and, “Based on the tests Dr. Akagi conducted, she has concluded the pilots are indeed linked in some way,” she began.

 

“I am aware from the report Dr. Akagi has given me moments prior Major,” the Commander interjected. “Get to your point.” The statement left Misato momentarily stunned but quickly recovered herself as she prepared to speak again.

 

“I request that Pilot Ayanami is to be relocated.”

 

“May I ask where Major Katsuragi,” Kouzo asked in a calm and patient manner, relieving some tension for Misato.

 

“I request she'd be relocated to my residence sir.”

 

“Request denied.”

 

“But sir it's-”

 

“Request denied Major.”

 

“They're lives depend on it,” Misato snapped in a manner that wouldn't seem disrespectful.

 

“I could have you penalized for that Major,” the Commander retorted. “Now elaborate.”

 

Misato let out a breath that she had unwittingly held after she snapped, “Dr. Akagi discovered that the pilots are dependant on one another's presence.”

 

That intrigued and surprised both men, with Fuyutsuki voicing their surprise, “In what manner Major?”

 

“Dr. Akagi discovered should they be separated, by her approximation, 12 feet, they begin to show signs of one who is suffering from withdrawal.” If her last few statements didn't draw their attention this did, especially for the esteemed and all-powerful Commander of NERV. This was news to him. This was not part of the report Dr. Akagi had compiled containing all the data pertaining to the observations made during their stay. This was completely unexpected. This was not to occur in the scenario. This was completely and utterly unacceptable.

 

“So are you saying that the pilots are required to be near each other to function properly?” the Sub-Commander inquired. Misato nodded in affirmation. Gendo clenched his teeth behind his bridged hands and lips. This was definitely not in the scenario. This was the last thing he needed. Now that Rei needed Shinji it only served to bring up complications; extreme complications to be more accurate. There was the fact that Rei preformed various `tasks' behind the scene that only two other knew of their dealings. Now that this had arisen, he would have to have both children replaced immediately to prevent anything from happening.

 

“Major, you will wait outside until I recall you.” Misato looked at the Commander stunned. Every fibre in her body told her not to do such a thing as walk away, but under the mighty stare of the Commander, she was no match for him. It would be crazy, possibly suicide to do such a thing. She did the only thing she could; nod and gave the two one last look before she turned around. As she walked towards the door, her footsteps echoed through the room. The further and further she got, the deeper the echo became from the children's perspective. Each step was a step away from possible freedom and salvation and a step closer to the blackness that was the command center of NERV. Soon the door closed with an almighty bang, bringing the two to the brink of the black aura that means to consume them.

 

For the few moments that Gendo stared down the two, time increasingly slowed down. Moments became minutes as minutes became hours. Under the powerful scrutiny of what some may call the Dark Lord of NERV, the two felt the life drained out of them slowly, bit by bit as he consumed their every being, almost seemingly enjoying administering pain towards the two.

 

“How much is known?” This immediately snapped the two out of their state as they were suddenly jolted back to reality with no warning. In the moments it took for them to recover, Gendo already began to feel extremely displeased over the situation. Shinji would normally jump and then cower in fear whereas Rei would've given him his answer. However, they were stunned, surprised, merely shocked. That was not what he desired. This was by far one of the most disruptive interruptions of his scenario.

 

“He knows everything sir,” was Rei's reply, but it too brought displeasure. She would normally say, “Everything sir,” however this was not the case. She spoke a phrase. She shouldn't have said a phrase. She should've only said what was required. He had explicitly ordered her to do so and now she seemed to have disobeyed that order.

 

“You are aware of the repercussions of this incident, correct?” Both children looked at him in fear as the meaning behind his words came into understanding. Even the steadfast Kouzo turned around in bewilderment that he was willing to take such an action.

 

“Ikari, is that wise? Activating the third is one thing, but to completely remove the Third Child? That will arouse suspicion along with SEELE investigating.

 

“Regardless, I will not allow the Third Child's presence to hinder Rei. The second and the Third Child will be removed and replaced.” Kouzo could only watch helplessly as Gendo's hand reached up to a panel on his desk where his left index hovered over a specific key. Kouzo could only hold his breath as he watched Gendo's hand lower to seal their fate.

 

“She'll never forgive you,” a low voice growled. As his hand hovered over the panel, he took a long hard look at the person, before looking over his glasses to take a full look into the person.

 

“What was that, Third Child?” he hissed.

 

“I may not know everything; however it involves ka-san. I know that she would never forgive you for killing me.” He looked up back at Gendo and stared at him in the eye. What he bore on his face even made the brick face Commander, raise an eyebrow. As Shinji stared, his eyes burned of great hatred, of great anger towards the man that was sadly his father. As they stared Gendo studied the boy before him. Straight back, shoulders squared, he looked like a man at the moment. Where this sudden burst of courage came from, he could only surmise came from his bond. This further proved to only set back his plans for the scenario. He has become an unstable element of the scenario, and he had to be removed. However he had to weigh his options.

 

Already SEELE had begun to ask questions concerning this accident, demanding answers concerning the results of it. Then there was the issue that should the Third Child mysteriously died it would only served to further build upon SEELE's already growing curiosity along with Major Katsuragi. However it was SEELE that worried him the most. They knew of his proposal; however what they didn't know was how he had intended to proceed when all the angels were to be defeated. That alone he had worked long and hard to keep away from SEELE and he was not going to reveal it. Such a discovery would most likely lead to Rei being taken away for either examination or separation. He could not allow that. He required Rei, with him and alive, soul and all to complete his plans. Rei's problem was easy to handle. Just eliminate the current one and transfer the soul into a new shell with new memories. That was simple, perhaps too simple.

 

Gendo's finger immediately shifted to another key as he pressed it, “Dr. Akagi, report to my office, with ALL data pertaining to the First and Third Child. Insure all data concerning the bond is brought up.” Gendo waited for moment before a hesitant reply came, after which Gendo bridged his hands and continued staring at the two children before him.

 

It was not long until the doctor arrived, and by the scowl on her face she was not a happy woman. In her hand was a clipboard with a complete report of her research. Well the research that everyone knew about. She was going over the date that were still being sent by the transmitters on their heads which they had yet to notice when she had received the order to bring up all data. This proved to be of an extreme inconvenience as if he were to become suspicious of her he may order for her office to be searched. Doing so would result in catastrophe. That was the last thing that she needed at this point, and by god would she let her data get into his hands. However as she approached the desk, she took a few deep breathes to calm herself down.

 

By the time she had reached his desk she had thoroughly calmed down, “You wanted to see me Commander?”

 

“I want all the data pertaining to the bond.” Ritsuko was taken aback momentarily by his bluntness, but after she begrudgingly pulled all the relevant information and handed it him.

 

He took the papers as he growled, “Make sure this does not happen again.” Ritsuko nodded reluctantly as she stared down at him.

 

“Dismissed.”

 

Ritsuko slightly huffed as she turned around on her hells and as best she could calmly left the office. As she walked out the door she passed a rather antsy Misato as she waited for any word concerning the two. As she made her way towards the doctor, Ritsuko threw her an angry look which immediately scared the anxious Major.

 

Inside, the two of them watched silently as Gendo thoroughly read the data Ritsuko complied. Silently Gendo read the data, sentence by sentence, note by note, word by word meticulously picking up every last piece of information concerning their condition and their affects upon the scenario. As he read in absolute silence, said silence slowly began to creep up upon them. The two of them swore they could see their own breaths as they waited painfully in silence. Around them the air chilled even further bringing upon them an impending doom. Each breath taken was a struggle due to the seemingly freezing temperature of the room. No matter where you were, wherever the Commander was, no one was ever comfortable. Around him was his dark aura that always brought death to those who crossed his path.

 

“Follow me to Terminal Dogma,” he snapped. Both children froze at the look upon his face. He was smirking. They knew all to well what he was going to do. Their combined knowledge of the man told them that he had come to a decision. He would end their lives and eliminate his variable. Like how one who attempt to cancel or remove variables in a math equation, he was doing such a thing by means of exterminating his variable. They watched as he proceeded to the left wall from their stance, and opened a hidden door. He turned around and motioned with his hand for them to follow. Unfortunately they had no choice. The Sub-Commander stood behind them, with a solemn face. He knew his place. He could do nothing at this juncture. Shinji and Rei quietly followed Gendo into the elevator soon after by Fuyutsuki.

 

As they descended the DNA strand elevator shafted, behind them they could see a vast field; a graveyard of failed and incomplete Evangelions, or to be more precise, Evangelion Unit 00. Before them was many of man's vane attempts to recreate god. For Gendo, it was all behind him. Now there was only the scenario.

 

Soon enough they got off the elevator, where they proceeded to the Chamber of Gauf. Moments upon entering, they heard the door his behind them followed by a clicking. Both children gasped and turned around to see Gendo had pulled out a pistol from his coat as he trained his sights upon the two of them. Both watched in horror as he tilted his pistol towards Shinji.

 

Time immediately began to slow as he pulled the trigger. In an act of desperation, Rei moves to shove Shinji out of the way.

 

“Shinji, get out of the way!”

 

Bang