Fruity Loops
Disclaimer: I don't really think these things matter, if someone wants to sue you, they're going to be a tit and do it. Still, I don't own Evangelion, or anything -else- I reference in this fanwankery. So suck my fat d-
Synopsis: Another cliche Impact makes a loop trip. It's awful and you shouldn't read it, but you're going to anyway. And you'll like it. 'cause I said so. Harems, insanity, yaoi, yuri, snowballing, motorboating, golfcarting, just put all the labels on this bitch. You've been warned.
Prologue: I...
Shinji wasn't sure what had transpired. One moment he was looking up at a naked Rei trying to talk him out of destroying the human race, and having a subsequent epiphany. And then he was sitting on a train (for once not in the overcast shadows of evening) in the middle of the afternoon with the letter that had started it all in his hands.
Shinji was not often puzzled. Flummoxed, bamboozled, shanghai'd, and confused perhaps; but never puzzled. So it was with a sour face he read the letter once again. ... Was it all a dream? He asked himself, turning the picture of Misato that was so familiar over and reading the note on the back. It... it can't be. Am I insane? He paused, Don't answer that, me.
Oh, this loop was off to a good start.
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And so, Shinji had put off the thoughts until things had happened exactly as he remembered, with the only minor details being that he'd been more prepared for when Sachiel stomped down near him, he'd swear up and down Rei's image had -smiled- at him, and Misato inexplicably showed up at the last minute to save his ass. By the time Misato had spoken, verbatim, what he vaguely remembered he was ready to scream.
Thankfully when he did, it was easily masked as his reaction to the N2 mine dropping. And so, Shinji realized, without realizing, that he was going to have to live through Hell -again-... Unless he changed some things.
Misato wasn't sure how to take the kid's suddenly grim expression while she sped down to the elevator into the Geofront.
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"Correct." Shinji looked up from Eva 01's quiet stare, unsure of how to even react to his father now. Shinji knew what was driving his father, but he still didn't understand -why- the man had done things the way he had. So here he was at a crossroads, unable to play the simpering and shocked child because he -wasn't- yet he had the vaguest inkling that fighting now would only get him killed. And Shinji wasn't quite ready to test if this was all some freak fluke or dream with his life, he still had -some- sanity left... Maybe.
"Why should I pilot it?" Yeah, that's a good way to start. The youth mused, Small changes. When Misato finished gawking at Ritsuko and the faux-blonde scientist started gawking at him, he tried to hold his expression on his errant father. "What reason should I do this for?" He pleaded, hoping for a glimpse past that stoic mask.
"Because if you don't, everyone will die." Well, damn, there went that hope.
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So, inevitably, he'd found himself sitting at the controls of Unit 01, with that same comforting sensation at his back even though now he understood what it was. Mother... Shinji lamented, What should I do? He asked, almost praying for an answer from the soul within the machine. When he got no answer, he wasn't surprised. He was surprised, however, that his sync ratio was bafflingly higher than when he'd last tested, before the end had come.
Fresh from Kaworu's death, Shinji remembered barely being able to climb above 40%, yet here he was sitting pretty at 62%.Is... that what my first numbers were like? Shinji couldn't remember, he couldn't remember -any- of that first battle. He could already feel panic rising in his chest when the launch initiated. Can I win?
And then the faces of all those whom he'd fought for, that had died and suffered because of him and his father. I will win... He thought to himself, as determination shot through his veins like a wildfire in a dry forest.
So when he did win, struggling with all of his heartache fueling his might, a smile broke out unto his face that was mirrored by many down in the NERV base.
Even Gendo, though no one else would know it.
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So things had changed, just with a little application of will and a dose of anger. Shinji wasn't sure anymore if what he had seen was a dream or if it had been real, but he wasn't going to allow that horrible ending to occur.
Some things didn't seem able to change, though, when even though it was days earlier than before, Misato wouldn't allow him to live alone. He couldn't help it when he started crying, seeing her standing outside those elevator doors with blood all over her torso and his lips warming from just the very -ghost- of that moment. It'd been the most awkward boner of his life.
But he still hugged the black-haired woman and sobbed into her chest when she told him "This is your new home now." And he felt almost shamefully happy when she hugged him back.
Even if it was the most awkward boner of his life.
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Since he had the week to do whatever he pleased with while his school records processed and his things came to Misato's apartment, Shinji had decided to sit down and make a somewhat quizzical timetable the first day. After all, his memory wouldn't last forever and having some notes to look over when things became muddled would probably save his hide. He'd ended up rambling a bit in his writings but had gotten what he felt were the important things down by the time he'd started on lunch for himself. With Misato busy at NERV, Pen-Pen was the only one around to judge his (admittedly crazy) mutterings.
The rest of that night was spent being teased by Misato and trying to explain why he'd spent the day cooped up in the apartment. "Misato?" He asked after dinner, settling his dark blue eyes on his guardian's lazing form in front of the television. When she sat up, he desperately tried to ignore the way her body -bounced- due to her preference in casual clothing.
"Yeah, Shinji? What's up?" The dark-haired woman asked in return, turning down the volume on her show. Shinji couldn't help the fondness in his chest for the beautiful woman who was so many things to him that it was positively freudian.
"Can I go see Rei tommorrow?"
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He'd immediately regretted using Rei's given name when Misato had lit him up with teasing and proclaimations that he'd best have honorable intentions after the bluenette. He'd gone to bed flushed and embarrassed, but also glad to have the woman in the good mood he'd known before... Kaji had died. He mentally finished, frowning deeply.
Still, now wasn't the time to think about it, sitting outside Rei's hospital room waiting for Doctor Akagi to clear her for visiting. Shinji had a plan, and everything would go according to the [p]Plan[/b]. This was the first step, taking more time with Ayanami and trying to prevent losing her in the gambit to kill that ring of light angel.
When Ritsuko came out and nodded to Shinji, ushering him inside with a "She can see you now." He was overjoyed, half expecting to have been blocked off by either the doctor or his father's will. This was a huge step, in his opinion, letting him have time with Rei before they'd met in the embarrassing way the dream... other world... thing had. After all, Shinji didn't want to get slapped by the girl again, let alone molest her the way he had.
The hospital room was typical for NERV, sedate and (in his opinion) lifeless. Just four walls, and the medical necessities to keep a patient alive if not well. And there in the bed was Rei, sitting up just enough where he could see that her hands, one bandaged, were in her lap. Those red eyes of her's glowed even in the unnatural lighting of the hospital room, let alone when they bored into his own blue and he almost paused in the doorway.
Because she was smiling, that same, soft little smile he'd seen only a few times, the first being when they'd beaten the fifth angel together.
"Ikari-kun."
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"Why let Rei see the Third Child, Gendo?" Fuyutsuki asked, moving a pawn forward to threaten the younger man's Queen while Gendo uncrossed his arms, surveying his elder's move.
"Because, a pawn cannot take the Queen." Gendo replied, throwing in just enough of that latent smarm to feel pleased with himself when Fuyutsuki balked at Gendo taking the pawn with his Queen.
Only for the older man to threaten his King with a Knight, which the Queen could have prevented. "Dumb bastard." Fuyutsuki grinned.
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"Ayana-" He was surprised by her finger touching his lips, silencing him effectively before she gestured for him to sit upon the bed near her. When he did, and she leaned in quietly and engulfed him in a hug, Shinji felt his heart begin to race. Wh-what? He thought quietly to himself, trying to understand what was going on when the bluenette released him from her sudden affection and began to speak in that soft voice he could pick out of a panicking crowd.
"I am glad to see you," Rei's voice lilted in the stillness of the hospital room, "I had feared you would not remember." Nothing is going right. Shinji lamented, I thought I was the one who was supposed to be glad to see her and trying to convince her that bad things would happen, here she is giving me a hug and making me -speechless-. And he was, too. What could he say to the girl? This blue-haired, red-eyed girl whom was some kind of amalgam of Science and Angel, who shared genes with him, and yet made him feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.
"You're surprised." She stated the obvious, and Shinji felt suitably chastised by it even though he -knew- it was just how Rei acted when she was comfortable enough with someone. This was -Rei-, and not -Asuka-... Though just thinking of the redhead's name put him in a dour mood. Rei was here, but Asuka was still in Germany. He wouldn't see her for at least a month and a half without trying to get in contact with her. Focus on the girl in front of you, Shinji, you pervert! His conscious reminded him, making him blush with shame.
"I-yeah, I am. I kind of... came in here thinking I'd have to get to know you. And yet, you know me. So I must know you." That doesn't sound crazy at all! Augh, am I sure I'm not insane? From the way he was mentally berating -himself-, he wasn't sure the question wasn't valid. But then a soft sound caught his attention, and his gaze fell on Rei again. Was she... giggling?
"Forgive me," She was back to that soft lilt, where anyone else would have mistaken it for bald faced indifference, he saw the amusement in her eyes, the so slight a quirk of the lips that changed a thin line to a nearly unnoticeable curve. "You must have been in deep anguish over it."
Okay, it's official, I'm crazy. Rei just made fun of me. He thought to himself, absolutely flabbergasted.
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"Rei?"
"Yes, Ikari-kun?"
"Why are we wearing these suits?"
"Just go with it, Shinji."
"Man, am I ever going to get straight answers from someone?"
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There was something to be said of the kind of person who could see a group of Men In Black wannabes strut past with purpose and not bat an eye at it. When Misato led Shinji and Rei past the requisitions officer into the armory, Shinji mused to himself that the word for that kind of person might be Idiot.
Still, Misato had clearance to enter, as did the Pilots under emergency protocols, so he wasn't even sure why they'd dressed up like the Section-2 agents. Thinking about it, he was sure that Misato had just used Rei's request as an excuse to act out. Shinji wasn't sure if that was endearing or just plain silly. He had to give credit where credit was due, though, if those pants were any tighter on Rei or the Captain's bodies he was pretty sure they'd break countless decency laws.
He wasn't mindful of the fact that Misato had shared a giggle with Rei at shoving Shinji into a proverbial monkey suit, though he was aware that "Agent Ikari" would be quite a popular PR face from Misato's teasing words before they'd left the apartment.
He also wasn't aware that Rei had simply held a glint in her ruby red eyes that had promised untold amounts of shenanigans. Or the fact that the bluenette's own shades had held a tiny camera which she'd used to take several picturesque moments for later editing.
After all, Rei was a teenage Goddess who had newly discovered that screwing around with people was hellaciously fun. And she had an idea where she could ship a few choice images. Shinji should've been glad that he moved to be second in line behind Misato, because otherwise he might've seen the girl's blank face erupt into the largest sanity sabotaging slasher smile -ever-.
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"Ah, Asuka, you have an e-mail from NERV-Japan, it seems." Asuka Langely Sohryu, Second Child of Evangelion, looked up from her video game towards her dream man- Guardian. It was hard to think about Kaji lately, because while she still held a soft spot in her heart for the man, everything was fuzzy and there were... moments, where she felt sad for the man instead of desiring of him. Everything was foggy lately.
Musing in German to herself as to who could have sent such an email, she picked up her laptop and opened it, activating the program designed for use of encrypted channels amongst the NERV force. "R-0AR2? Who's designation is that?" The redhead thought to herself, opening the electronic letter while Kaji mulled about, interested as well.
Asuka was perhaps the easiest person to spy on simply because you could be in a different -country- and hear her when something happened. Thankfully, the message was in plain English, if a bit wonky in wording, Asuka having expected it to be in Japanese, which she couldn't read very well.
Miss Sohryu,
I have a proposal for you, enclosed are pictures of the Third Child, Shinji Ikari. Consider this a down payment towards a collaborative relationship. I know that you will be shipping out to Tokyo-3 within the next month. We will meet soon.
- A. Rei
Asuka, utterly confused as to the nature of the letter, opened the attached folder more out of curiosity than anything else. Contained within it were several pictures of Shinji posing, in mild undress, and some of him smiling shyly. By the time she got through with the pictures, she was blushing hotly. Still, the fog had cleared from her mind somewhat and she started to put -ideas- as well as places and faces together. That's when the whammy came in an additional text file, with only a few words contained within.
Dibs on first.
"THAT WHORE!!!!!"
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"Rei?"
"Yes, Ikari-kun?" Rei glanced towards Shinji, standing in the next shooting lane. The boy had been fiddling with learning the ins and outs of the handgun issued to the military and, thus, most of NERV. Misato had explained a bunch about how to use them properly and safety in regards to firearms, but had really only been able to explain that throughout the world it was called a "Sig Sauer P220."
"Why do I feel like my balls just dropped, then receded?" Rei couldn't help her smile.
"Do not worry about it, Ikari-kun. I will protect you." With that, the bluenette put three rounds through the paper target's chest with her own handgun. Shinji glanced towards her just in time to see her soft, but utterly bemused smile. The sad thing was, he did feel better, even if he -still- hadn't gotten a straight answer out of anyone.
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After the (mis)adventure to the armory and the shooting lanes, Misato had insisted on Shinji and Rei keeping their newly issued handguns firmly locked away unless an emergency arose. While the dark-haired woman was content with teaching them both how to securely keep, maintain, and shoot a gun, she also didn't trust them to run around with them more than was necessary. Rei had made a good point about self protection, even if the christmas cake wasn't quite sure about the bluenette's -other- proposal yet.
She was sure by the time she was a few beers in and had hit the hard liquor that night she'd think it was an awesome idea. Still, at that point what's done would be done and she'd have no part of it. Well, besides getting inappropriately fuckfaced and making poor management decisions.
Still, she doubted Ritsuko or the Commander would be able to countermand her. Dress her down, maybe, but Misato had the vaguest inkling that Rei hadn't -just- sent a proposal to Misato. After all, the Commander was supposed to be the girl's guardian and thus almost everything that involved her went through Him.
The woman had no clue -what- she was getting into, and she hadn't even put a foot in the dark yet.
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"Rei requested to be moved into the apartment complex with Captain Katsuragi and the Third Child." Fuyutsuki intoned, lightly reading through the report in regards to the First Child. Gendo seemed as impassive as ever, which really only served to irritate the former Professor. He's just being a sore loser. The man can't play chess for shit. He mused.
"I was aware. She also talked the Captain into procuring firearms for herself and the Third Child." The older Ikari returned, moving from his "thinking" position into a more casual slump. Between paperwork and meetings, the older Ikari -hated- this damn office. "Her logic has been sound, and while it is out of the ordinary, I have seen no reason to deny her so far." Gendo admitted, crossing a leg and digging around in one of the many drawers on his desk, pulling out a glass and a bottle of amber liquid. Fuyutsuki rolled his eyes, but struck a pen through the report and signed for Gendo.
You'll help me decide, won't you, Whiskey-kun? You help make all the hard decisions so easy. The Commander thought with a wry grin. After all, when had he ever been steered wrong by alcohol? Well, if he ignored when drinking himself nearly to death in grief for his wife had led him into Naoko Akagi's bed. Or how they'd led him into accepting Ritsuko's overt advances... You know what, nevermind. Gendo thought to himself, putting them both back in the drawer.
Fuyutsuki nodded to himself, Maybe they can learn.
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Rei was pleased when she received the notice that she'd be allowed to move into the residential block with Misato and Shinji. Being closer meant that the two could spend more time together, and that was her current M.O. After all, Ikari-kun seems to have learned from his experience in the Gestalt, even if he's cutely inept at dealing with this extra chance. Still, I would be remiss if I did not assist in making this world one he can live within happily. The bluenette thought to herself, rearranging the meager furnishings that came with her new apartment.
The Captain had insisted on throwing a house warming party for her, but Rei had talked her down to letting her come over for dinner, under request that Shinji cook. Misato had been perfectly willing to put up with that, since it basically just meant having the quiet girl join them for a normal night at home anyway. Rei smiled to herself, as she carefully hid her new gunsafe in the drawer of her desk. Everything is going according to Plan. Rei thought to herself, checking her appearance in a mirror before moving next door.
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To say that things hadn't gone well at the party would've been a lie on the level of a capital offense. Misato had made the mistake of teasing Rei and Shinji about their perceived relationship, which had led to Rei "responding in the manner in which I would derive the most amusement."
Which meant that Rei had mildly defended Shinji and requested that Misato "not dress like a skank in front of her man." When Shinji was right next to her, while Misato had been drinking a beer. The subsequent spit take had only heightened the fires of Rei's particularly spiteful (Shinji was starting to note) sense of humor.
The rest of the night started to blur from that point. Sure, Shinji remembered something about Pen-Pen, a deck of cards, a bottle of single cask whiskey, and a katana; Shinji wasn't sure when the katana had gotten involved, but he distinctly remembered Rei waving it around after the whiskey was half gone. Plus, the cut in the table was still there.
Thankfully, everyone seemed to still have all their extremities when they showed up for breakfast that morning, and the teenager was only mildly confused when Rei came out of his bedroom wearing one of his school shirts. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't miss Misato coming out of his room too, except earlier as he was waking up on the couch. Okay, maybe I'm getting a bit out of control too. He admitted privately, enjoying having watched his guardian sneak out of his room with a bright blush. I don't care whether she thinks something happened or not, seeing Misato embarrassed is funny.
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Of course, the fun had to end at some point, with Shinji returning to class mindful of the fact Touji wouldn't be there until tommorrow, when he'd discovered if he'd still managed to hurt his sister. Still, hearing the droning of the teacher and having some relative anonymity at least gave him and Rei time to talk during the lunch periods. There'd been rumors flying that the two of them were going out and with Rei giving most everyone else the cold shoulder, it fell on Shinji to try to field questions. Though it seems kind of pointless. He mused to himself, watching some of the girls gossip, No matter how much I say we're just friends no one believes me. I mean, who could be -this- focused on something as stupid as a relationship?
Shinji had the vaguest inkling that he'd just insulted himself.
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"Hey, Shinji, you've got mail on your NERV account." Shinji looked up from preparing dinner, with a shrug from Misato he moved to grab his laptop out of his bedroom.
Just next door, Rei received a similar alert, though it was because she was already on her laptop. Opening the mail program and getting through it's security measures, she raised a brow. Is Asuka not listed as R-02AS?
Shinji's face was bright red, staring at the folder of pictures that had been sent by Asuka. The second to last one was of the nude redhead with two pieces of placard "strategically positioned." The one over her breasts had "I'm sorry" while the one in more intimate regions said "To your mom too." Now, this confused Shinji, melting his arousal away in a moment of utter confusion until he opened the last picture, when it grew to frustration.
"Misato!"
"Yeah, Shinji?"
"Can you translate this Deutsche?"
"THAT WHORE!" Shinji blinked, turning his gaze to the next door apartment. Had that been Rei?
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Shinji learned something new the day Shamshel came. Apparently, one could not fuck with causality without causality fucking back. Touji returned that next day, but he did so with crutches. As Shinji had been briefed (once again with a fist, something that rather upset the blue eyed teen,) Touji had managed to rescue Sakura before the shelter they retreated to had managed to cave in partially on the jock's lower half.
Touji had apparently been lucky in that he'd walk again, but he'd probably have reoccurrences of pain while everything knit itself back together with the help of medicine and surgeries, paid for by NERV's dime.
Shinji had time to think (after his jaw had stopped swelling) that maybe it'd also prevent the boy from getting chosen to pilot the angel-corrupted Unit, but he wasn't quite yet ready to hold out -that- particular hope. Plus, better the devil you know compared to something even worse happening.
That was as far as he got before Rei found him and informed him that they'd been called, with the bluenette giving Touji a look that only Shinji recognized as "You done goofed."
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"Unit-01 has deployed Progressive Knife!"
"Shinji! What're you doing, use the rifle like we trained you for!"
"Misato. Just trust me. That rifle isn't gonna do anything to that thing."
Even if it was way faster and less dangerous than the first time he'd fought the stupid freudian angel, he still felt emotionally drained by the end of it. The guilt of failing compounded with the guilt of having -directly- hurt Touji this time was more than he could bare to deal with at this point. Even with Rei's somewhat... odd way of supporting him and Asuka sending an email here and there, it was just too much...
It took him halfway to Kensuke's mountain tent to realize he'd just -run away at the same damn point in time as the last go through.- The subsequent swear word was loud enough that it spooked the animals nearby.
The less that was said of how irritated the blue-eyed boy was by the time he got back to Misato's the better. Needless to say, the katana made reappearance. Shinji wasn't sure where the katana had come from, but he had a feeling he'd better keep it.
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"Hey, Kaji."
"Yeah, Asuka?"
"What's the ETA on Unit-02 being finished anyway? I thought they just had to finish mounting the armor plates on the thing." The redhead looked up from her laptop, past the pictures of Shinji threatening Misato with a katana while the Major cowered with a dart gun of some kind in hand. At first she'd thought Rei had been the one taking the pictures, but later pictures of the Third Child menacing the bluenette as well implied Pen-Pen had been the one to take the pictures.
"It should be done here within the next week, and after final checks, we'll be on our way to Japan by the end of the month." The spy remarked, waving a dismissive hand as he flipped through a channel. The germanic girl shook her head, wondering why the man would be remotely interested in sitting about on a beautiful day like this. Taking a glance and seeing the last picture in the folder, one of Shinji aiming a slash at the camera, she shrugged and shut the device.
"I'm going out for a jog."
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Things change, that's really all I can figure out about this new world. Shinji mused to himself, tapping a pencil against the desk while the teacher went off topic about the applications of standard physics. Of all the examples that filtered through his mind, Rei and Asuka's newfound... -weirdness- were at the forefront. After all, his memories of his past life were -completely- different in comparison to their new personalities. Or at least, that's what Shinji thought of it all as. After all, just because we live through a horrible situation doesn't make them go -this- crazy, does it? Ignoring his own rather prolonged lapse with reality, more out of courtesy in regards to the fact he was -still- somewhat insane from the ordeal.
The katana fiasco had kind of proven that, though thankfully Misato had been willing to believe he'd just had a lapse of reality from rapidly developing (or more truthfully, long-standing) PTSD. Glancing over to Rei, whom affected a dutiful student because she was pausing every so often in her typing to glance up at the teacher. It'd work better if I couldn't see that she's sending an email to someone, though. Shinji thought to himself.
Shinji should've just been glad he couldn't read what she was typing about.
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The next few days had passed in relative silence; thankfully, in Shinji's opinion. Between testing at NERV and spending off time with Rei and Misato, he'd decided to try and squeeze in a meeting with his father. After all, of all the things that he could try and change, having even a minute amount of knowledge of his father could change the very world itself. So here he was, standing outside Gendo Ikari's office inside the Geofront while trying desperately to thrash down the feelings of rage and betrayal that filled him just standing near that unhallowed place.
But he had to try, if nothing else. For Rei, Asuka, Misato... for everyone, really. Still, of all the things Shinji could be accused of, he wouldn't accept being called a coward anymore. So he put one foot in front of the other and entered.
Gendo's office was as he'd remembered it. Dark and foreboding, a place of arcane power in defiance of whatever God still drifted near this world. He was probably being a little melodramatic, but Shinji felt he'd earned that particular right.
"I'm busy, so this cannot take long," Okay, maybe Shinji'd have to tone down the melodrama before he became his father, then, "What is it?" Gendo glanced up from a fistful of papers he'd been going over, his eyes just visible over the edge of his amber shades. Shinji sighed, taking a deep breath in before plunging into the abyss.
"If you have an opening in your schedule," He started, trying to keep his voice level and his demeanor hopeful, "I'd like for you to join us for dinner someday soon. I understand if you cannot make an opening." Be mature, he can deny a child, but if you put it forth like an adult he's liable to at least listen, right? Shinji thought to himself For a moment there was silence as his eyes remained carefully on his father's face across the desk, with the older male breaking the contest by glancing up at the ceiling in thought.
"I do not know if that will be possible," Gendo stated, with the blue-eyed teen slumping, "However, if possible, I will make arrangements and inform you." He idly watched Shinji's shoulders straighten back up and a stricken look cross his face before his son seemed to grab hold of himself and nod with a slight smile. "If that is all, I must return to my work."
"Thank you, father. I'll see you later." Shinji left with a bow and a sharp turn, pleased beyond measure with himself despite his internal conflict mere minutes before. He'd hardly gotten outside the office before Fuyutsuki merged free of the shadows, turning a raised brow to the Commander. When he received a shrug, his lips curled slightly into a smile.
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The issue with things changing is that no matter how much you might have thought you had a handle on a situation, what you know may not come true. Time is malleable, just as fate and destiny are by proxy.
Shinji learned that, the day Ramiel came. Deploying faster didn't help; the beam still slammed into Unit-01's chest and sent him screaming in agony. And the problem was this time he wasn't conveniently on the platform to be retrieved.
The heat cooked his brain before his nerves shut down from feedback, and he was aware enough before his heart exploded to remember that pain when he awoke on the train bound for Tokyo-3. And that pain consumed him and sent him spiraling off the edge.
Shinji spent the next few loops trying to take all of his hatred, pain, and tears out on everyone around him. They were short loops, but they grew longer each time.
This is where things got fruity.
Disclaimer: I don't really think these things matter, if someone wants to sue you, they're going to be a tit and do it. Still, I don't own Evangelion, or anything -else- I reference in this fanwankery. So suck my fat d-
Synopsis: Another cliche Impact makes a loop trip. It's awful and you shouldn't read it, but you're going to anyway. And you'll like it. 'cause I said so. Harems, insanity, yaoi, yuri, snowballing, motorboating, golfcarting, just put all the labels on this bitch. You've been warned.
Prologue: I...
Shinji wasn't sure what had transpired. One moment he was looking up at a naked Rei trying to talk him out of destroying the human race, and having a subsequent epiphany. And then he was sitting on a train (for once not in the overcast shadows of evening) in the middle of the afternoon with the letter that had started it all in his hands.
Shinji was not often puzzled. Flummoxed, bamboozled, shanghai'd, and confused perhaps; but never puzzled. So it was with a sour face he read the letter once again. ... Was it all a dream? He asked himself, turning the picture of Misato that was so familiar over and reading the note on the back. It... it can't be. Am I insane? He paused, Don't answer that, me.
Oh, this loop was off to a good start.
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And so, Shinji had put off the thoughts until things had happened exactly as he remembered, with the only minor details being that he'd been more prepared for when Sachiel stomped down near him, he'd swear up and down Rei's image had -smiled- at him, and Misato inexplicably showed up at the last minute to save his ass. By the time Misato had spoken, verbatim, what he vaguely remembered he was ready to scream.
Thankfully when he did, it was easily masked as his reaction to the N2 mine dropping. And so, Shinji realized, without realizing, that he was going to have to live through Hell -again-... Unless he changed some things.
Misato wasn't sure how to take the kid's suddenly grim expression while she sped down to the elevator into the Geofront.
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"Correct." Shinji looked up from Eva 01's quiet stare, unsure of how to even react to his father now. Shinji knew what was driving his father, but he still didn't understand -why- the man had done things the way he had. So here he was at a crossroads, unable to play the simpering and shocked child because he -wasn't- yet he had the vaguest inkling that fighting now would only get him killed. And Shinji wasn't quite ready to test if this was all some freak fluke or dream with his life, he still had -some- sanity left... Maybe.
"Why should I pilot it?" Yeah, that's a good way to start. The youth mused, Small changes. When Misato finished gawking at Ritsuko and the faux-blonde scientist started gawking at him, he tried to hold his expression on his errant father. "What reason should I do this for?" He pleaded, hoping for a glimpse past that stoic mask.
"Because if you don't, everyone will die." Well, damn, there went that hope.
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So, inevitably, he'd found himself sitting at the controls of Unit 01, with that same comforting sensation at his back even though now he understood what it was. Mother... Shinji lamented, What should I do? He asked, almost praying for an answer from the soul within the machine. When he got no answer, he wasn't surprised. He was surprised, however, that his sync ratio was bafflingly higher than when he'd last tested, before the end had come.
Fresh from Kaworu's death, Shinji remembered barely being able to climb above 40%, yet here he was sitting pretty at 62%.Is... that what my first numbers were like? Shinji couldn't remember, he couldn't remember -any- of that first battle. He could already feel panic rising in his chest when the launch initiated. Can I win?
And then the faces of all those whom he'd fought for, that had died and suffered because of him and his father. I will win... He thought to himself, as determination shot through his veins like a wildfire in a dry forest.
So when he did win, struggling with all of his heartache fueling his might, a smile broke out unto his face that was mirrored by many down in the NERV base.
Even Gendo, though no one else would know it.
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So things had changed, just with a little application of will and a dose of anger. Shinji wasn't sure anymore if what he had seen was a dream or if it had been real, but he wasn't going to allow that horrible ending to occur.
Some things didn't seem able to change, though, when even though it was days earlier than before, Misato wouldn't allow him to live alone. He couldn't help it when he started crying, seeing her standing outside those elevator doors with blood all over her torso and his lips warming from just the very -ghost- of that moment. It'd been the most awkward boner of his life.
But he still hugged the black-haired woman and sobbed into her chest when she told him "This is your new home now." And he felt almost shamefully happy when she hugged him back.
Even if it was the most awkward boner of his life.
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Since he had the week to do whatever he pleased with while his school records processed and his things came to Misato's apartment, Shinji had decided to sit down and make a somewhat quizzical timetable the first day. After all, his memory wouldn't last forever and having some notes to look over when things became muddled would probably save his hide. He'd ended up rambling a bit in his writings but had gotten what he felt were the important things down by the time he'd started on lunch for himself. With Misato busy at NERV, Pen-Pen was the only one around to judge his (admittedly crazy) mutterings.
The rest of that night was spent being teased by Misato and trying to explain why he'd spent the day cooped up in the apartment. "Misato?" He asked after dinner, settling his dark blue eyes on his guardian's lazing form in front of the television. When she sat up, he desperately tried to ignore the way her body -bounced- due to her preference in casual clothing.
"Yeah, Shinji? What's up?" The dark-haired woman asked in return, turning down the volume on her show. Shinji couldn't help the fondness in his chest for the beautiful woman who was so many things to him that it was positively freudian.
"Can I go see Rei tommorrow?"
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He'd immediately regretted using Rei's given name when Misato had lit him up with teasing and proclaimations that he'd best have honorable intentions after the bluenette. He'd gone to bed flushed and embarrassed, but also glad to have the woman in the good mood he'd known before... Kaji had died. He mentally finished, frowning deeply.
Still, now wasn't the time to think about it, sitting outside Rei's hospital room waiting for Doctor Akagi to clear her for visiting. Shinji had a plan, and everything would go according to the [p]Plan[/b]. This was the first step, taking more time with Ayanami and trying to prevent losing her in the gambit to kill that ring of light angel.
When Ritsuko came out and nodded to Shinji, ushering him inside with a "She can see you now." He was overjoyed, half expecting to have been blocked off by either the doctor or his father's will. This was a huge step, in his opinion, letting him have time with Rei before they'd met in the embarrassing way the dream... other world... thing had. After all, Shinji didn't want to get slapped by the girl again, let alone molest her the way he had.
The hospital room was typical for NERV, sedate and (in his opinion) lifeless. Just four walls, and the medical necessities to keep a patient alive if not well. And there in the bed was Rei, sitting up just enough where he could see that her hands, one bandaged, were in her lap. Those red eyes of her's glowed even in the unnatural lighting of the hospital room, let alone when they bored into his own blue and he almost paused in the doorway.
Because she was smiling, that same, soft little smile he'd seen only a few times, the first being when they'd beaten the fifth angel together.
"Ikari-kun."
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"Why let Rei see the Third Child, Gendo?" Fuyutsuki asked, moving a pawn forward to threaten the younger man's Queen while Gendo uncrossed his arms, surveying his elder's move.
"Because, a pawn cannot take the Queen." Gendo replied, throwing in just enough of that latent smarm to feel pleased with himself when Fuyutsuki balked at Gendo taking the pawn with his Queen.
Only for the older man to threaten his King with a Knight, which the Queen could have prevented. "Dumb bastard." Fuyutsuki grinned.
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"Ayana-" He was surprised by her finger touching his lips, silencing him effectively before she gestured for him to sit upon the bed near her. When he did, and she leaned in quietly and engulfed him in a hug, Shinji felt his heart begin to race. Wh-what? He thought quietly to himself, trying to understand what was going on when the bluenette released him from her sudden affection and began to speak in that soft voice he could pick out of a panicking crowd.
"I am glad to see you," Rei's voice lilted in the stillness of the hospital room, "I had feared you would not remember." Nothing is going right. Shinji lamented, I thought I was the one who was supposed to be glad to see her and trying to convince her that bad things would happen, here she is giving me a hug and making me -speechless-. And he was, too. What could he say to the girl? This blue-haired, red-eyed girl whom was some kind of amalgam of Science and Angel, who shared genes with him, and yet made him feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.
"You're surprised." She stated the obvious, and Shinji felt suitably chastised by it even though he -knew- it was just how Rei acted when she was comfortable enough with someone. This was -Rei-, and not -Asuka-... Though just thinking of the redhead's name put him in a dour mood. Rei was here, but Asuka was still in Germany. He wouldn't see her for at least a month and a half without trying to get in contact with her. Focus on the girl in front of you, Shinji, you pervert! His conscious reminded him, making him blush with shame.
"I-yeah, I am. I kind of... came in here thinking I'd have to get to know you. And yet, you know me. So I must know you." That doesn't sound crazy at all! Augh, am I sure I'm not insane? From the way he was mentally berating -himself-, he wasn't sure the question wasn't valid. But then a soft sound caught his attention, and his gaze fell on Rei again. Was she... giggling?
"Forgive me," She was back to that soft lilt, where anyone else would have mistaken it for bald faced indifference, he saw the amusement in her eyes, the so slight a quirk of the lips that changed a thin line to a nearly unnoticeable curve. "You must have been in deep anguish over it."
Okay, it's official, I'm crazy. Rei just made fun of me. He thought to himself, absolutely flabbergasted.
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"Rei?"
"Yes, Ikari-kun?"
"Why are we wearing these suits?"
"Just go with it, Shinji."
"Man, am I ever going to get straight answers from someone?"
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There was something to be said of the kind of person who could see a group of Men In Black wannabes strut past with purpose and not bat an eye at it. When Misato led Shinji and Rei past the requisitions officer into the armory, Shinji mused to himself that the word for that kind of person might be Idiot.
Still, Misato had clearance to enter, as did the Pilots under emergency protocols, so he wasn't even sure why they'd dressed up like the Section-2 agents. Thinking about it, he was sure that Misato had just used Rei's request as an excuse to act out. Shinji wasn't sure if that was endearing or just plain silly. He had to give credit where credit was due, though, if those pants were any tighter on Rei or the Captain's bodies he was pretty sure they'd break countless decency laws.
He wasn't mindful of the fact that Misato had shared a giggle with Rei at shoving Shinji into a proverbial monkey suit, though he was aware that "Agent Ikari" would be quite a popular PR face from Misato's teasing words before they'd left the apartment.
He also wasn't aware that Rei had simply held a glint in her ruby red eyes that had promised untold amounts of shenanigans. Or the fact that the bluenette's own shades had held a tiny camera which she'd used to take several picturesque moments for later editing.
After all, Rei was a teenage Goddess who had newly discovered that screwing around with people was hellaciously fun. And she had an idea where she could ship a few choice images. Shinji should've been glad that he moved to be second in line behind Misato, because otherwise he might've seen the girl's blank face erupt into the largest sanity sabotaging slasher smile -ever-.
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"Ah, Asuka, you have an e-mail from NERV-Japan, it seems." Asuka Langely Sohryu, Second Child of Evangelion, looked up from her video game towards her dream man- Guardian. It was hard to think about Kaji lately, because while she still held a soft spot in her heart for the man, everything was fuzzy and there were... moments, where she felt sad for the man instead of desiring of him. Everything was foggy lately.
Musing in German to herself as to who could have sent such an email, she picked up her laptop and opened it, activating the program designed for use of encrypted channels amongst the NERV force. "R-0AR2? Who's designation is that?" The redhead thought to herself, opening the electronic letter while Kaji mulled about, interested as well.
Asuka was perhaps the easiest person to spy on simply because you could be in a different -country- and hear her when something happened. Thankfully, the message was in plain English, if a bit wonky in wording, Asuka having expected it to be in Japanese, which she couldn't read very well.
Miss Sohryu,
I have a proposal for you, enclosed are pictures of the Third Child, Shinji Ikari. Consider this a down payment towards a collaborative relationship. I know that you will be shipping out to Tokyo-3 within the next month. We will meet soon.
- A. Rei
Asuka, utterly confused as to the nature of the letter, opened the attached folder more out of curiosity than anything else. Contained within it were several pictures of Shinji posing, in mild undress, and some of him smiling shyly. By the time she got through with the pictures, she was blushing hotly. Still, the fog had cleared from her mind somewhat and she started to put -ideas- as well as places and faces together. That's when the whammy came in an additional text file, with only a few words contained within.
Dibs on first.
"THAT WHORE!!!!!"
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"Rei?"
"Yes, Ikari-kun?" Rei glanced towards Shinji, standing in the next shooting lane. The boy had been fiddling with learning the ins and outs of the handgun issued to the military and, thus, most of NERV. Misato had explained a bunch about how to use them properly and safety in regards to firearms, but had really only been able to explain that throughout the world it was called a "Sig Sauer P220."
"Why do I feel like my balls just dropped, then receded?" Rei couldn't help her smile.
"Do not worry about it, Ikari-kun. I will protect you." With that, the bluenette put three rounds through the paper target's chest with her own handgun. Shinji glanced towards her just in time to see her soft, but utterly bemused smile. The sad thing was, he did feel better, even if he -still- hadn't gotten a straight answer out of anyone.
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After the (mis)adventure to the armory and the shooting lanes, Misato had insisted on Shinji and Rei keeping their newly issued handguns firmly locked away unless an emergency arose. While the dark-haired woman was content with teaching them both how to securely keep, maintain, and shoot a gun, she also didn't trust them to run around with them more than was necessary. Rei had made a good point about self protection, even if the christmas cake wasn't quite sure about the bluenette's -other- proposal yet.
She was sure by the time she was a few beers in and had hit the hard liquor that night she'd think it was an awesome idea. Still, at that point what's done would be done and she'd have no part of it. Well, besides getting inappropriately fuckfaced and making poor management decisions.
Still, she doubted Ritsuko or the Commander would be able to countermand her. Dress her down, maybe, but Misato had the vaguest inkling that Rei hadn't -just- sent a proposal to Misato. After all, the Commander was supposed to be the girl's guardian and thus almost everything that involved her went through Him.
The woman had no clue -what- she was getting into, and she hadn't even put a foot in the dark yet.
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"Rei requested to be moved into the apartment complex with Captain Katsuragi and the Third Child." Fuyutsuki intoned, lightly reading through the report in regards to the First Child. Gendo seemed as impassive as ever, which really only served to irritate the former Professor. He's just being a sore loser. The man can't play chess for shit. He mused.
"I was aware. She also talked the Captain into procuring firearms for herself and the Third Child." The older Ikari returned, moving from his "thinking" position into a more casual slump. Between paperwork and meetings, the older Ikari -hated- this damn office. "Her logic has been sound, and while it is out of the ordinary, I have seen no reason to deny her so far." Gendo admitted, crossing a leg and digging around in one of the many drawers on his desk, pulling out a glass and a bottle of amber liquid. Fuyutsuki rolled his eyes, but struck a pen through the report and signed for Gendo.
You'll help me decide, won't you, Whiskey-kun? You help make all the hard decisions so easy. The Commander thought with a wry grin. After all, when had he ever been steered wrong by alcohol? Well, if he ignored when drinking himself nearly to death in grief for his wife had led him into Naoko Akagi's bed. Or how they'd led him into accepting Ritsuko's overt advances... You know what, nevermind. Gendo thought to himself, putting them both back in the drawer.
Fuyutsuki nodded to himself, Maybe they can learn.
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Rei was pleased when she received the notice that she'd be allowed to move into the residential block with Misato and Shinji. Being closer meant that the two could spend more time together, and that was her current M.O. After all, Ikari-kun seems to have learned from his experience in the Gestalt, even if he's cutely inept at dealing with this extra chance. Still, I would be remiss if I did not assist in making this world one he can live within happily. The bluenette thought to herself, rearranging the meager furnishings that came with her new apartment.
The Captain had insisted on throwing a house warming party for her, but Rei had talked her down to letting her come over for dinner, under request that Shinji cook. Misato had been perfectly willing to put up with that, since it basically just meant having the quiet girl join them for a normal night at home anyway. Rei smiled to herself, as she carefully hid her new gunsafe in the drawer of her desk. Everything is going according to Plan. Rei thought to herself, checking her appearance in a mirror before moving next door.
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To say that things hadn't gone well at the party would've been a lie on the level of a capital offense. Misato had made the mistake of teasing Rei and Shinji about their perceived relationship, which had led to Rei "responding in the manner in which I would derive the most amusement."
Which meant that Rei had mildly defended Shinji and requested that Misato "not dress like a skank in front of her man." When Shinji was right next to her, while Misato had been drinking a beer. The subsequent spit take had only heightened the fires of Rei's particularly spiteful (Shinji was starting to note) sense of humor.
The rest of the night started to blur from that point. Sure, Shinji remembered something about Pen-Pen, a deck of cards, a bottle of single cask whiskey, and a katana; Shinji wasn't sure when the katana had gotten involved, but he distinctly remembered Rei waving it around after the whiskey was half gone. Plus, the cut in the table was still there.
Thankfully, everyone seemed to still have all their extremities when they showed up for breakfast that morning, and the teenager was only mildly confused when Rei came out of his bedroom wearing one of his school shirts. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't miss Misato coming out of his room too, except earlier as he was waking up on the couch. Okay, maybe I'm getting a bit out of control too. He admitted privately, enjoying having watched his guardian sneak out of his room with a bright blush. I don't care whether she thinks something happened or not, seeing Misato embarrassed is funny.
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Of course, the fun had to end at some point, with Shinji returning to class mindful of the fact Touji wouldn't be there until tommorrow, when he'd discovered if he'd still managed to hurt his sister. Still, hearing the droning of the teacher and having some relative anonymity at least gave him and Rei time to talk during the lunch periods. There'd been rumors flying that the two of them were going out and with Rei giving most everyone else the cold shoulder, it fell on Shinji to try to field questions. Though it seems kind of pointless. He mused to himself, watching some of the girls gossip, No matter how much I say we're just friends no one believes me. I mean, who could be -this- focused on something as stupid as a relationship?
Shinji had the vaguest inkling that he'd just insulted himself.
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"Hey, Shinji, you've got mail on your NERV account." Shinji looked up from preparing dinner, with a shrug from Misato he moved to grab his laptop out of his bedroom.
Just next door, Rei received a similar alert, though it was because she was already on her laptop. Opening the mail program and getting through it's security measures, she raised a brow. Is Asuka not listed as R-02AS?
Shinji's face was bright red, staring at the folder of pictures that had been sent by Asuka. The second to last one was of the nude redhead with two pieces of placard "strategically positioned." The one over her breasts had "I'm sorry" while the one in more intimate regions said "To your mom too." Now, this confused Shinji, melting his arousal away in a moment of utter confusion until he opened the last picture, when it grew to frustration.
"Misato!"
"Yeah, Shinji?"
"Can you translate this Deutsche?"
"THAT WHORE!" Shinji blinked, turning his gaze to the next door apartment. Had that been Rei?
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Shinji learned something new the day Shamshel came. Apparently, one could not fuck with causality without causality fucking back. Touji returned that next day, but he did so with crutches. As Shinji had been briefed (once again with a fist, something that rather upset the blue eyed teen,) Touji had managed to rescue Sakura before the shelter they retreated to had managed to cave in partially on the jock's lower half.
Touji had apparently been lucky in that he'd walk again, but he'd probably have reoccurrences of pain while everything knit itself back together with the help of medicine and surgeries, paid for by NERV's dime.
Shinji had time to think (after his jaw had stopped swelling) that maybe it'd also prevent the boy from getting chosen to pilot the angel-corrupted Unit, but he wasn't quite yet ready to hold out -that- particular hope. Plus, better the devil you know compared to something even worse happening.
That was as far as he got before Rei found him and informed him that they'd been called, with the bluenette giving Touji a look that only Shinji recognized as "You done goofed."
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"Unit-01 has deployed Progressive Knife!"
"Shinji! What're you doing, use the rifle like we trained you for!"
"Misato. Just trust me. That rifle isn't gonna do anything to that thing."
Even if it was way faster and less dangerous than the first time he'd fought the stupid freudian angel, he still felt emotionally drained by the end of it. The guilt of failing compounded with the guilt of having -directly- hurt Touji this time was more than he could bare to deal with at this point. Even with Rei's somewhat... odd way of supporting him and Asuka sending an email here and there, it was just too much...
It took him halfway to Kensuke's mountain tent to realize he'd just -run away at the same damn point in time as the last go through.- The subsequent swear word was loud enough that it spooked the animals nearby.
The less that was said of how irritated the blue-eyed boy was by the time he got back to Misato's the better. Needless to say, the katana made reappearance. Shinji wasn't sure where the katana had come from, but he had a feeling he'd better keep it.
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"Hey, Kaji."
"Yeah, Asuka?"
"What's the ETA on Unit-02 being finished anyway? I thought they just had to finish mounting the armor plates on the thing." The redhead looked up from her laptop, past the pictures of Shinji threatening Misato with a katana while the Major cowered with a dart gun of some kind in hand. At first she'd thought Rei had been the one taking the pictures, but later pictures of the Third Child menacing the bluenette as well implied Pen-Pen had been the one to take the pictures.
"It should be done here within the next week, and after final checks, we'll be on our way to Japan by the end of the month." The spy remarked, waving a dismissive hand as he flipped through a channel. The germanic girl shook her head, wondering why the man would be remotely interested in sitting about on a beautiful day like this. Taking a glance and seeing the last picture in the folder, one of Shinji aiming a slash at the camera, she shrugged and shut the device.
"I'm going out for a jog."
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Things change, that's really all I can figure out about this new world. Shinji mused to himself, tapping a pencil against the desk while the teacher went off topic about the applications of standard physics. Of all the examples that filtered through his mind, Rei and Asuka's newfound... -weirdness- were at the forefront. After all, his memories of his past life were -completely- different in comparison to their new personalities. Or at least, that's what Shinji thought of it all as. After all, just because we live through a horrible situation doesn't make them go -this- crazy, does it? Ignoring his own rather prolonged lapse with reality, more out of courtesy in regards to the fact he was -still- somewhat insane from the ordeal.
The katana fiasco had kind of proven that, though thankfully Misato had been willing to believe he'd just had a lapse of reality from rapidly developing (or more truthfully, long-standing) PTSD. Glancing over to Rei, whom affected a dutiful student because she was pausing every so often in her typing to glance up at the teacher. It'd work better if I couldn't see that she's sending an email to someone, though. Shinji thought to himself.
Shinji should've just been glad he couldn't read what she was typing about.
___________________________
The next few days had passed in relative silence; thankfully, in Shinji's opinion. Between testing at NERV and spending off time with Rei and Misato, he'd decided to try and squeeze in a meeting with his father. After all, of all the things that he could try and change, having even a minute amount of knowledge of his father could change the very world itself. So here he was, standing outside Gendo Ikari's office inside the Geofront while trying desperately to thrash down the feelings of rage and betrayal that filled him just standing near that unhallowed place.
But he had to try, if nothing else. For Rei, Asuka, Misato... for everyone, really. Still, of all the things Shinji could be accused of, he wouldn't accept being called a coward anymore. So he put one foot in front of the other and entered.
Gendo's office was as he'd remembered it. Dark and foreboding, a place of arcane power in defiance of whatever God still drifted near this world. He was probably being a little melodramatic, but Shinji felt he'd earned that particular right.
"I'm busy, so this cannot take long," Okay, maybe Shinji'd have to tone down the melodrama before he became his father, then, "What is it?" Gendo glanced up from a fistful of papers he'd been going over, his eyes just visible over the edge of his amber shades. Shinji sighed, taking a deep breath in before plunging into the abyss.
"If you have an opening in your schedule," He started, trying to keep his voice level and his demeanor hopeful, "I'd like for you to join us for dinner someday soon. I understand if you cannot make an opening." Be mature, he can deny a child, but if you put it forth like an adult he's liable to at least listen, right? Shinji thought to himself For a moment there was silence as his eyes remained carefully on his father's face across the desk, with the older male breaking the contest by glancing up at the ceiling in thought.
"I do not know if that will be possible," Gendo stated, with the blue-eyed teen slumping, "However, if possible, I will make arrangements and inform you." He idly watched Shinji's shoulders straighten back up and a stricken look cross his face before his son seemed to grab hold of himself and nod with a slight smile. "If that is all, I must return to my work."
"Thank you, father. I'll see you later." Shinji left with a bow and a sharp turn, pleased beyond measure with himself despite his internal conflict mere minutes before. He'd hardly gotten outside the office before Fuyutsuki merged free of the shadows, turning a raised brow to the Commander. When he received a shrug, his lips curled slightly into a smile.
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The issue with things changing is that no matter how much you might have thought you had a handle on a situation, what you know may not come true. Time is malleable, just as fate and destiny are by proxy.
Shinji learned that, the day Ramiel came. Deploying faster didn't help; the beam still slammed into Unit-01's chest and sent him screaming in agony. And the problem was this time he wasn't conveniently on the platform to be retrieved.
The heat cooked his brain before his nerves shut down from feedback, and he was aware enough before his heart exploded to remember that pain when he awoke on the train bound for Tokyo-3. And that pain consumed him and sent him spiraling off the edge.
Shinji spent the next few loops trying to take all of his hatred, pain, and tears out on everyone around him. They were short loops, but they grew longer each time.
This is where things got fruity.