ARCHIVES: Evangelion | A Purpose After Life - Chapter 1
A/N: I removed this fic from FFnet (originally published 8-25-2004). It has now been back-posted here for archival purposes.
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters...except maybe the junior assistant. It's all Gainax.
CHAPTER I
Why must we sleep?
Where do we go when we sleep?
.:.
Shinji opened his eyes. /When did I fall asleep?/ Groaning, he slowly sat up. /Where am I?/
The room was dark.
/This feels like déjà vu./
And cold.
/I'm freezing.../
Everything within the room was much the same. But the windows were frosted over, and from them hung gauzy sheer curtains, thin and delicate as fine strands of silvery silk. Perhaps they were silk. Shinji didn't know.
A long vertical line of darkness lay between the two edges of the curtains hanging from the windows directly across from the foot of the bed. And in that long vertical line of darkness, Shinji could just barely discern a glittering carpet of snow on the ground. From his seat on the bed, there were few trees to be seen.
/How odd.../ Standing up, again using the wall for support, Shinji moved around to the window. Upon pressing his hand against the frosty glass, he hissed and pulled back sharply.
/That's COLD!/ Rubbing his hand gingerly, he peered out into the starry night.
/It must be winter. But only yesterday it seemed like autumn...What is going on here...?/
As Shinji inched towards the armchair, the floor lamp suddenly turned on, illuminating the room with a cozy, comforting glow. Shinji passed a small collection of photos neatly arranged on the wall, and leaned forward for a closer look.
/These...these are../ Gasping, Shinji's eyes bulged, and he again collapsed in a heap, accidentally bumping up against the lamp. The light bulb smashed and shattered to pieces.
.:.
"Rei, what were those photos?"
"I am Rei IV."
"Yes, I know. But what were those photos?"
"Do you not care to discern me from other Reis? Do I not have an individual identity?"
"Well...in a sense, yes, but..."
"Please, sir, I am Rei IV."
"Yes...IV. You are Rei IV."
"I would prefer that you call me Rei IV."
"Ah...I see."
The junior officer approached.
"Sir?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, sir." Bowing, the junior officer approached Rei IV.
"Rei IV."
"Yes. I am Rei IV."
"What were those photos?"
"I am Rei IV. I do not know such things."
The junior officer backed away, looking baffled.
"Apparently, Rei IV does not know. Rei IV, who put those photos up?"
"I do no know, sir. It was not I."
"Junior officer, find out who put those photos up, and what they are."
"Yes, sir. Thank you sir."
There was a brief moment of silence as the junior officer walked away.
"Rei IV...was that really necessary?"
"Oh yes, sir. A conversation must be a good conversation. You told me so. I mustn't be like...him."
"Ah...I see."
Rei IV pointed to the large screen looming before them, which showed a massive billboard on a dark city street. "Those photos are interesting indeed, aren't they...'
"...father."
.:.
"Wow...look at that!" someone said, pointing upwards in obvious awe.
"What? It's just a billboard. You can hardly make out what it is."
"It's not in Japanese. I can't tell...the letters look Romanic?"
Another man scoffed. Quite a crowd had gathered to look at the immense monstrosity of a billboard in the middle of a city street.
"That's not English."
"Maybe it's French."
"It can't be. Maybe it's Russian?"
"Baka, minna-san! Are you all stupid? That's no written language!"
Everyone looked up. A fiery red-head had landed atop the billboard and was glaring down at the crowd!
"Oh, do be careful!" an elderly woman called, clutching her hands to her heart.
Sohryu Asuka Langley merely smirked, hands on her hips.
"You needn't worry about me. Right now, all of you need to CLEAR OUT. Do you hear me? Get OUTTA here! I've got some business to take care of!"
The crowd began protesting, pushing, and shoving to get closer... Cars whizzed by, others sat at a standstill in a huge backup of traffic, horns honking constantly. Sirens blared off in the distance.
"GO!" Asuka finally screamed. Soaring several meters into the air, the redhead neatly performed a somersault and was lost to everyone's sight as the entire billboard spontaneously erupted into flames, shooting debris everywhere and people running for their lives.
.:.
"Executed as expected, sir."
"Yes, I see. You may retire for the night."
Sohryu Asuka Langley's eyebrow twitched a bit. /That's IT? You SEE? That's not something just ANYONE can do, ya know!/ She gradually forced herself to unclench her fists, which were shaking. /AUGH! He is just so IMPOSSIBLE!/
"Yes..." she muttered, breathing heavily. "Thank you, sir. Good night."
"Good night," echoed Rei IV. Asuka ignored her as she spun on her heel and disappeared out through the shadows of the dark observation room.
"Rei IV."
She turned to look at him, gazing steadily with her unblinking red eyes.
"It is time." [a/n: I know what you're thinking...;;;;]