************************************************************************************** Neon Genesis Evangelion: Crimson Resurrection Written over the course of a few weeks by Daryl lurgee@cyberway.com.sg Edited by: Irene Mar ************************************************************************************** Author's note: Hey! Where's the !@#$ author's rant? What I figure is, if you're reading this, you've already read the normal edition. Anyhow, this is al ot better than the non director's cut edition. Why? It's simple. It's been EDITED! Thank you, Irene!!!!! But, so, asks the reader, "What's in it for me?" Well. Some plot holes have been filled and it develops in slightly greater detail what goes on in Shinji's head and adds a bit more intimacy in their meetings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Crimson Resurrection Chapter 3: Advancement - Director's Cut +/+ Opening Theme Song: Radiohead: Nice Dream +/+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {[- Track 5: Ash: Girl From Mars -]} A flash of blue hair swam into view. Shinji ran after her. "Rei! Rei!" He called out to her. He was running but she seemed to be getting farther away. Shinji finally gave up chasing and threw himself to the floor. He buried his face in his hands uttering 'hopeless' over and over. A part of him was screaming it was a dream. Somehow, his 'physical' dream form didn't move. "GET UP!" "I can't. it's pointless." "I don't CARE! GET UP!!!!!!" "So, what _are_ your desires?" A disembodied voice asked him. The voice sounded vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. It was smooth and soothing. He never wanted to wake up. "GET UP BAKA!!!!! Time to get your sorry butt to school!" Shinji snapped awake. {[- Track 6: Evangelion OST 2: Waking Up in the Morning -]} A familiar girl was holding him by the shoulders, shaking him roughly. He tried to focus his vision on the face screaming into his. He couldn't hear the words. Only loud, incomprehensible sounds. The hot breath from the voice rustled the hair flopping over his ears gently, tickling them. He smiled involuntarily. "What??!! What are you smiling at, you moron?!!" Shinji, still in a stupor from his sleep, let himself be held by her. His body was limp in her hands. "Ummm....." It felt so good. Like being in the womb. Comforting, protected, free from pain. "What the?! Stop that RIGHT NOW!" *SLAP* Asuka. Shinji's mind engaged at last. Bewildered by the blow, he looked at her with a mixture of pain and wide-eyed innocence. "Huh..." Asuka's eyes softened for a moment. She felt a tingle of regret for slapping him. He's harmless, after all. Asuka's other half rallied. NO! He's dull, stupid and perverted. It's up to _us_ to teach him. Asuka's eyes narrowed and her mouth contorted itself into a growl. "UGH! I don't know why I even bother with you." She let go of him and pushed him back on the bed. She proceeded to storm out of the room, slamming the sliding door on her way out. She's gone, Shinji thought. Shinji moved as if possessed. Slowly and mechanically, with absolutely no hint of emotion. He picked up his uniform from the pile of clothes on his chair and got dressed. When he stepped out of his room, Asuka was already gone. Misato had left for NERV HQ. Before he left the apartment, he glanced briefly at the fridge and considered breakfast. He realized that he wasn't all that hungry and walked out the door. He reached street level a little later and started walking for school. When he was walking, he realized that there was no more school. The teachers had been evacuated too. He chuckled to himself. Asuka made a wasted effort to wake him up. Suddenly, he was at a loss. He didn't know what to do. The hospital, his mind suggested. He started for the hospital without even realizing it. He didn't know what to say when he saw her. What if, what if, she wasn't there? What if she pushed him off? He wanted to turn back and head back towards the apartment but his feet carried on in the direction of the hospital. His mind was now screaming in fear. Despite a nagging feeling of insecurity, he walked on towards the hospital. Have to see her sooner or later, he reasoned to himself. ********************* A hospital in Tokyo-3 ********************* Not long after, he was at the hospital's entrance. He opened the double doors and stepped inside. The sparse, cavernous atrium greeted him. He smelled disinfectant and even his rubber-soled shoes made hollow echoes on the linoleum. He felt alone, save or the occasional passing nurse. He felt a chill. Or was it just nervousness? He walked up to the elevator button and pushed it. The doors slid open soundlessly and he stepped inside. He pushed the button for Rei's ward and waited. Just before the door opened, he took several deep breaths and stepped out. He stepped out and strode off for Rei's room. He was looking out the hospital's window and marveling at the destruction caused as a result of the last battle. Half of Tokyo-3 had been flattened and EVA-00 sustained heavy damage. It was currently being rebuilt. Its pilot, Rei, had escaped mostly unhurt. He looked straight ahead to see Rei walking towards him. It took his mind a few moments to realize it was _her_. Then he panicked. There was nowhere to turn so he had to walk on. Avoid eye contact! He told himself and quickly fixed his gaze on the lino floor. But as she passed, he couldn't resist stealing a quick glance. He found himself looking straight into her ruby-red eyes. His eyes followed her until she broke eye contact and continued down the hall, the soles of her shoes masking the sounds of her footsteps. Shinji continued staring. Then his brain engaged again. It told him to say 'hello' to her. He turned around but she was gone. How does she _do_ that? He asked himself. *WHAP!* He felt a palm smack the back of his head. "Ooh, Romeo's staring." "Oh, man....." Shinji whispered the last sentence under his breath. He began to speak in a cheery, nervous voice. "Oh! Asuka, what are you doing here?" "Anta baka? I'm here to see Wonder Girl." "Oh...How did you get here so fast? I figured you were on your way to school." "Ughhh! Idiot! After I woke you up, I walked halfway to school ands realized that the schools were closed. That's when I decided to come here. I've been wandering around for the past 15 minutes looking for Wonder Girl's ward." "I see....." "Yeah. But let me stress that I don't understand what people see in Wonder Girl. She's smug, boring and a perfect idiot. Much like yourself. I'm here to make sure that YOU TWO don't get into some mischief!" "You're just jealous of her." "JEALOUS? ME?!" "Yes. You just can't stand the fact she's getting more attention than you." Asuka was taken aback. She began to sputter. "I knew it, you're jealous. Just leave her alone, Asuka." Asuka continued to sputter. "B, BUT!" Shinji paid no attention to her and began to walk away. He headed towards Ward 1511. It was just a short walk down the corridor. He reached the ward a few moments later. He peered through the open doorway. He called for her. "Ayanami. It's me, Ikari Shinji. Can I come in?" No response. He took a tentative step in. He was feeling some deja vu at this point. Like when he stepped into her apartment and had that...incident. "Ayanami?" He reached her bed to find her not there. He felt an impending feeling of dread. He shook it off and spotted a folder on the bedside table. Out of curiosity, he reached for it. Huh? A portfolio? Of himself? Why? He heard a rustle behind him and the feeling of dread grew. Caught red-handed, again. "Hello." That was definitely Ayanami's voice. He wanted to turn around, but stopped. What if she was dressed in nothing but a towel again? "Why, are you afraid to turn around?" "M,Me? No, I'm not afraid....." Shinji cursed himself, he got himself into another mess. Faced with no other choice, he turned around. He half expected to see her in that towel. "Is there something wrong?" She asked the question in a flat tone and her face betraying no emotions. "What? No, it's nothing..." He heaved a sigh of relief. She was in a long black dress. Funny, he thought to himself, he'd never seen her in anything other than a plug suit, or her school uniform. "S, So, are you being discharged?" "Yes." "I thought the doctor said at least 2 days....." "I'm all right now." She replied simply. Her expression still neutral, but her red eyes were fixed on Shinji's It was at that point that Shinji noticed he was keeping a very large distance between the both of them, but he dared not move. "What is it?" "Heh, heh." He smiled nervously and shuffled closer to her. Strangely enough, he found he couldn't utter a word. "You are not afraid of me, are you?" "Ah, heh.....'course not." "Is there something wrong?" At this, Shinji began grinning inanely. "Don't worry. There's nothing wrong. (whispered) It's just that you're _so_ beautiful." "I can't hear you when you whisper." "Err...ahh...I didn't say anything!" "I don't understand." She tilted her head to one side and gave him a concerned look. This didn't make Shinji's 'condition' any better. "You're not...feeling...unwell, are you?" "Me? Ha Ha Ha." Shinji made a poor attempt to act jovial. What to say? What to say? His mind raced. As he stood there, her soft voice broke his concentration. "I'm leaving now." Opportunity beat Shinji on the head. Walk her home, stupid! "Er... that bag looks heavy... let me...er.. could I...eh...wal..walk you home?" Shinji was clearly struggling. He was half expecting her to ignore him and walk out without answering. To his immense relief, he saw her gaze soften and noticed her hesitate a moment before answering. "If you like." "Really? Great!" He quickly stepped forward to take her overnight bag from her still bandaged hand. By accident, he touched her hand. The palm was smooth and warm to the touch. A tingle traveled up his palm to his head. He wondered if she felt it as well. She reacted to the touch and looked up to face him. Their gazes were fixed for a few seconds before she turned and headed for the door, leaving him standing there blushing furiously. He was conscious of Rei starting for the door but he was still rooted. His brain made a supreme effort of will to coordinate with his legs and they started moving for the door. "Wait for me!" ******************* Streets of Tokyo-3 <--- sounds like a song doesn't it? Hint: Streets of Philadelphia ******************* {[- Track 7: The Cure: Close to Me -]} Rei walked ahead of Shinji and he was trying his best to act manly. Quite a task for him. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly. He realized he had nothing to say. He began to rack his brains for something to say. "So, when will you be going back to piloting?" Rei remained silent. Shinji wondered if he asked the wrong question. He recalled the last time he made that remark about his father. He tried to stay off sensitive topics and asked her another question "How are you feeling, Ayanami?" "Rei." "Er, what?" "Rei.....Ikari-kun..." She said this but didn't turn her head to face him. "Yarg....." Shinji's mind was in panic mode, 'Ikari-kun', 'Rei'???!!! He craned his neck to see her expression, but she was ever so slightly too far ahead. He decided that he had to break the ice. "No need for the Ikari-kun. Shinji will do." This time, Rei stopped. She turned around to face him. Mild puzzlement registered on Rei's face. Her eyebrows arched ever so slightly. "Shinji....." She mouthed his name. Her lips forming around the somewhat unfamiliar syllables. Shinji merely nodded in response. He was feeling uncomfortable, he fidgeted slightly. Then he saw something that completely caught him off his guard. Rei smiling at him. He'd never seen her smile like that before. He was sure. He was used to seeing mocking smiles, holier-than-thou smiles, but never before that sort of smile. Wait. He'd seen it, after Ramiel. Her smile, fresh faced and full of innocence. Shinji grew a huge sweatdrop. What's going on... Somehow, he tried to convince himself it was a dream. No such luck. They walked on in silence until Rei's voice derailed his train of thought. "We're here." She turned round to face him and he thought he could see the slight upturn at the edges of her lips, indicating a smile. It was gone the almost instantly after it appeared. Or was it merely a trick of the light? Why? Why does it seem that just when she comes out of her shell, she retreats back in again? "Shinji? You're drifting off." "Uh? Oh, yeah...sorry. Shall we go up?" "Yes. Let's go." Shinji heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad to be rid of the silence. They rode the lift in silence. Shinji didn't know whether he should just run away or stay to see what happens. "It's nice of you to carry my bag for me." She reached out her hand to take her overnight bag from Shinji. "Oh, no problem. It was my pleasure." He quickly passed the bag to her. Try. Shinji told himself. Try not to say anything stupid. Keep smiling, he told himself. His body took the opportunity to smile inanely at her. He hoped she wouldn't notice. So far so good, he told himself. ******************* 402: Ayanami ******************* She depressed the handle and it opened with a hatch-like thunk. Shinji noticed the hinges needed some serious oiling. The door opened with a very large squeak. Rei stepped into the apartment. Shinji followed a few steps behind. They stood there in silence for a moment. Shinji decided to break it. "If it's OK with you, I'll be leaving now." "Yes. I'm fine now. Goodbye." She turned around to face him and looked him straight in the eye. Shinji was frozen, like a deer caught in the headlights. "Bye....." Shinji forced himself to turn and headed for the door. "Don't turn around, Don't turn around....." His voice came out in a strange strangled whisper. "Shinji-kun." No escaping fate. In spite of himself, Shinji turned around. "Th...Thank you. For Everything." Shinji was blushing. He didn't know why, but he was blushing. Luckily, Rei was looking at the floor. He could _almost_ see the blush on her cheeks. "Oh...The pleasure is all mine." She looked up from the floor. Shinji mentally ran away. Her red eyes expressed her emotions better than words. A mixture of wonder and happiness. "..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To be continued... End of Chapter Three +/+ Closing Theme Song: Stone Temple Pilots: Interstate Love Song +/+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------