I've always disliked canon!Shinji's meekness, the fact he was pushed around and had everyone's expectations piled on him like he was a packmule. And I don't know if I've ever read a fanfic that had Shinji having a secret identity, or was doing something that none had ever thought Shinji would be doing, all the while hiding behind a face of a wimp. I'm pretty sure I have, but I probably don't remember it, either being bad or having not gone very far. So the idea here is that Shinji is doing and has been doing something for sometime since his father abandoned him to his relatives.
The idea is Shinji doesn't just suddenly develop this secret identity/activity the week he came into Tokyo-3, but has actually been doing it for quite some time, resulting in him being a much different person than what people believe him to be, but was just hiding it behind a weak facade. Or he still has the weak facade, but has a deeper reason why he's like that.
The identity/activity could be anything: he has hidden weapon caches everywhere because he's a 'military otaku' ala Sousuke Sagara, he's the leader of a group of revolutionary penguins (to Pen2's delight), he's actually a multi-national famous chef that wears a mask, and, hell, he could even be the goddamn Batman for all I care.
This is an open idea, so you can make your own idea and people will help you either fine tune it, or criticize it to make it better.
Which actually brings me to my idea/contribution to this thread:
*****
It was a quiet time in Misato's apartment, Shinji decided. Misato and Asuka were both at NERV, Misato in a meeting that probably had to do with the [numerical value here] Angel, while Asuka shanghai'd Ritsuko and Maia into conducting more synchronization tests on her. Which left Shinji with the apartment all to himself.
Which gave Shinji a chance to do something he had not been able to do in awhile. Going into his room and then over to his closet, he pulled out the large case that contained his precious cello.
Setting himself up on the...living room, he first tuned his instrument, then began playing a simple tune, getting himself reaccustomed to the strings and the rhythm once again.
It was when he was playing a more complicated song did his hears caught a faint ringing. Stopping, he heard the ring again, before his eyes widened, and he ran back into his room, where he went to his backpack, and opening a hidden pocket, retrieved a sleek-black cellphone.
Flipping it open he saw that he had recieved a text message. He read the contents:
"To the Fourth Ranked Assassin of the UAA Asian Branch, Shinji 'The Peerless Cellist' Ikari,
You have been requested to attend and be present for a Rank battle, as the Fourth is heretofor challenged by the recongnized Fifth Ranked Assassin, named..."
As Shinji finished reading the letter, he couldn't help but give a sad sigh, an undefinable look in his face.
As he flipped the phone closed, he went back to the livingroom, where he packed his cello into its case once again. He then went on to take a quick bath a change of clothes. He then began writing a note for his two other roommates. When he was done, he left the message on the counter, retrieved his cello case, and moved to the front door.
As he finished slipping on his shoes, he muttered, "And it begins again." Then, he called out to the empty home, "I'll be going now." The tone of his voice made it sound like a final goodbye. Like Rei did during their fight against the Angel Ramiel, Shinji noted to himself.
And with a final click as the door closed, Shinji Ikari immersed himself once more into the world of blood and death.
*****
So, good, bad, so sad, or work on it a tad?
The idea is Shinji doesn't just suddenly develop this secret identity/activity the week he came into Tokyo-3, but has actually been doing it for quite some time, resulting in him being a much different person than what people believe him to be, but was just hiding it behind a weak facade. Or he still has the weak facade, but has a deeper reason why he's like that.
The identity/activity could be anything: he has hidden weapon caches everywhere because he's a 'military otaku' ala Sousuke Sagara, he's the leader of a group of revolutionary penguins (to Pen2's delight), he's actually a multi-national famous chef that wears a mask, and, hell, he could even be the goddamn Batman for all I care.
This is an open idea, so you can make your own idea and people will help you either fine tune it, or criticize it to make it better.
Which actually brings me to my idea/contribution to this thread:
*****
It was a quiet time in Misato's apartment, Shinji decided. Misato and Asuka were both at NERV, Misato in a meeting that probably had to do with the [numerical value here] Angel, while Asuka shanghai'd Ritsuko and Maia into conducting more synchronization tests on her. Which left Shinji with the apartment all to himself.
Which gave Shinji a chance to do something he had not been able to do in awhile. Going into his room and then over to his closet, he pulled out the large case that contained his precious cello.
Setting himself up on the...living room, he first tuned his instrument, then began playing a simple tune, getting himself reaccustomed to the strings and the rhythm once again.
It was when he was playing a more complicated song did his hears caught a faint ringing. Stopping, he heard the ring again, before his eyes widened, and he ran back into his room, where he went to his backpack, and opening a hidden pocket, retrieved a sleek-black cellphone.
Flipping it open he saw that he had recieved a text message. He read the contents:
"To the Fourth Ranked Assassin of the UAA Asian Branch, Shinji 'The Peerless Cellist' Ikari,
You have been requested to attend and be present for a Rank battle, as the Fourth is heretofor challenged by the recongnized Fifth Ranked Assassin, named..."
As Shinji finished reading the letter, he couldn't help but give a sad sigh, an undefinable look in his face.
As he flipped the phone closed, he went back to the livingroom, where he packed his cello into its case once again. He then went on to take a quick bath a change of clothes. He then began writing a note for his two other roommates. When he was done, he left the message on the counter, retrieved his cello case, and moved to the front door.
As he finished slipping on his shoes, he muttered, "And it begins again." Then, he called out to the empty home, "I'll be going now." The tone of his voice made it sound like a final goodbye. Like Rei did during their fight against the Angel Ramiel, Shinji noted to himself.
And with a final click as the door closed, Shinji Ikari immersed himself once more into the world of blood and death.
*****
So, good, bad, so sad, or work on it a tad?