************************************************************************************** Neon Genesis Evangelion: Crimson Resurrection Written over the course of a few weeks by Daryl lurgee@cyberway.com.sg ************************************************************************************** Author's note: Here we go with the second chapter. Ugh, I never knew how tough writing these stupid things were. BUT! It's fun and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. And I like to write stuff based on my experiences, so there may be some stuff in there that may seem out of place. You should know where that comes from. Anyway, Rei's hospital room is my birthdate: November 15th. And I wish I could rename this thing! I'm hopeless with naming my stories. Before you all e-mail me about the gaping plot hole that Asuka still hasn't gone fully insane: I wrote it so that she's still normal (well, normal for her anyway). So in that respect, the timeline is a bit screwed up. The Angel that nearly killed Rei has come, but the Angel that nearly killed Asuka hasn't. You'll just have to wait and see how I develop the story throughout the later chapters. Plus, the soundtrack suggestions are some of my fave tracks, so you may or may not like them. But I chose them because they were appropriate for the fic. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Crimson Resurrection Chapter 2: Risen +/+ Opening Theme Song: Radiohead: Nice Dream +/+ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- {[- Track 2: Pearl Jam: Wishlist -]} Ikari Shinji was plugged into DAT walkman as usual. An unusually excited Misato could be heard outside his room. Funny, he thought, Misato wasn't usually in such good spirits s early in the morning. Shinji dismissed it from his mind. She must have drunk another early morning can of beer. "Really?! I'll be sure to tell him! Yes, thank you, bye!" "Shinji-kun?" Misato knocked on his room door. "Shinji-kun, I'm coming in now." Shinji gave no response other than to turn on his side, away from the door. "Shinji-kun! Rei's okay! She's at the hospital now!" Shinji mind snapped to attention and he sat up. "W,w,what?!" "I said Rei's okay! She's at the hospital now! Shinji jumped up and dodged the stunned Misato at the door. Misato only could smile at him as he dashed out the door. ********************* A hospital in Tokyo-3 ********************* {[- Track 2: Rei II -]} Shinji frantically searched for Rei's room. 1511 the nurse told him. He sprinted down the corridor looking for the room. -- 1511: Ayanami Rei -- "Ayanami!", Shinji threw the door open. A nurse glared at him. "She's not fully recovered and it's not recommended you disturb her." "Sorry...I just wanted to see how she was, that's all." "She's fine. She just needs rest." "But can't I see her for awhile?" "I guess you could, but try not to make so much noise." He glanced down at her unconscious form and noticed the wounds from the battle with the Angel were not there. The bulk of her injuries seemed to come from the explosion. She was just as he first saw her. In bandages. Vulnerable...He felt a twinge in his stomach. The beginning of a teardrop formed in his eye. He swallowed it and began to ask the nurse a few questions to distract himself from crying, again. "When do you expect she'll be awake?" "Not for the next two days at least." Rei groaned from the bed. "Ikari..." "Ulk.....A,Ayanami." The twinge in his stomach began again.She began to stir and she tried to sit up only to collapse back onto the bed. "Rei! I mean, Ayanami! Are you ok?" She fell back on her pillow and turned her head to Shinji. "Ikari-kun..." "Ayanami, I,I want to thank you. For what you did. I don't know how to repay you." A faint smile, like the one she smiled for him so long ago, came back to her lips. "It was nothing. Remember, I made a promise to protect you." Shinji noticed the smile and his stomach nearly did a backflip. "You look beautiful when you smile.", he whispered. "Did you say something? You said it so softly." "Uh, ulp, nothing. Nothing!" "I'm afraid the patient is very weak. She needs her rest." Shinji reluctantly turned and began walking out of the room, to the relief of the nurse. "Goodbye..." Shinji's feelings were in a mess. Why did he feel that way? He wasn't supposed to! They were more like colleagues at work more than anything else. He couldn't deny he never felt that way before. Somehow, he was always fascinated by Rei. Ever since the day he arrived at NERV. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but he didn't know how. And with the latest incident, he wanted to get to know her even better. A part of him cursed himself for feeling that way. What would Misato think? Asuka? She would probably have a fit. His father? But another part of him welcomed those thoughts. "Shinji-kun." A voice shook him out of his reverie. "Misato-san!" "Did you see Rei?" "Yes. She's ok, but they said it'll be at least two days before she can walk about again." "That's good to know." "I'm sorry..." "What?" "I mean, for pushing you off yesterday, I'm sorry..." "Don't worry 'bout it. I understand how you feel. I felt that way once too, a long time ago....." Shinji nodded and walked on down the hallway with Misato. "Where's Asuka?" "Back at home." Both of them got into the car and they rode home in silence. Shinji sensed some tension, like something was about to happen but he couldn't place the feeling. Nagging doubt gnawed at him. A short time later, they reached the apartment. Misato dropped Shinji off and she went ahead to NERV headquarters. The pilots could relax, for the moment. After that last Angel, it had been relatively quiet. Misato, however, had a small mountain of paperwork piling up on her desk. "Tadaima!" "Uh? Where's Asuka? Ne, Asuka, Asuka!" "What? What's the matter with all the yelling?" The redhead turned the corner and put her hands on her hips. She cast an icy gaze at Shinji. Shinji mentally shrank back under Asuka's stare. "And where have _you_ been?" "Visiting Ayanami in hospital." "Hmph. Her again? That's all I hear about these days. Ayanami this, Ayanami that." "But she's injured..." "SO? It's as if she's some kind of precious child or something. Stupid wonder girl." Shinji couldn't hold back any longer. In a rare show of spine, he fired back. "She risked her life to save me! Don't EVER say that about her!" Asuka was stunned for a moment. She soon recovered from the shock and cocked her head to one side. A knowing smile began forming itself on her face. "I knew it. You perverted boy, you. You _like_ her, don't you?" Shinji sputtered. "W, What??! Me? Like her? You're joking!" Don't deny yourself, his soul urged. That part of him wanted to say: "Yes. I _do_ like her! So what?" "Shinji and wonder girl in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G....." "I DON'T like her, alright?!" Shinji turned to walk away, only hearing the echo of Asuka's words and her mocking laugh. He opened the door to his room and lay down on his bed. He set himself down and put his hands behind his head. He needed to think. Did he really like her? He wasn't sure. Another part of his mind dismissed it as a childish crush. He heard the door slide open. "Ne, baka hentai...thinking about wonder girl, eh?" "Could you stop talking about that? For the last time,I don't like her alright?" "Your lips say that but your mind may be saying something completely different." Shinji was stuck for a reply. Only a small 'ulk' escaped his lips. Thankfully, Asuka didn't hear it. "You go back to pining over wonder girl, loverboy. I've got places to be." Shinji didn't even bother to ask where those places were. He felt drained. Mentally and physically. he felt weary, a tired that extended to the depths of his soul. His thoughts drifted to Rei. He caught himself. Ayanami, she's Ayanami. His mind told him not to get familiar with her. That could prove bad. He knew. The 'incident' with Asuka a few minutes earlier was more than enough. {[- Track 4: Eels: Susan's House -]} His mind began to wander as he jacked himself into his DAT walkman. Heaven. He wanted to hold her. Like he did the first time they met. She seemed so vulnerable. It was her that made him overcome his initial fear to pilot the EVA. The purple monster and the darkness following his first battle. Her red eyes seeming to see through him. He saw those red eyes soften only twice. After she saved him from Ramiel and when she was in the hospital earlier. She _is_ beautiful isn't she?, the irrational part of him asked. His rational side answered back, She looks even more beautiful when she smiles. Shinji sat up with a start in his bed. What the hell was he thinking? He pulled the earphones out and just sat there, breathing hard. He liked her. No use denying that now. How could he tell her? It was too sudden. Too obvious. "Tomorrow. I have to see her tomorrow." He turned on his side and fell asleep. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To be continued... End of Chapter Two +/+ Closing Theme Song: Stone Temple Pilots: Interstate Love Song +/+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------