Last photograph
From: "JOYCE K WAKABAYASHI" <MOBIUSKLEIN@prodigy.net>
Subject: [Eva/Xover][FanFic] Last Photograph
There is now a new website: www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Gulf/7463 that has all my #FanFiction
Last photograph
What am I going to do, he thought. Someone torched all my work. It's all gone. What bothered him more than losing all his work was that something precious and irreplaceable had been lost. There had been a picture on his desk, a picture of him as a toddler sleeping while his mother carried him on her back. It was a bad picture as the glare of the sun had obscured most of her face, but it was the only picture he had. His father had burned everything else. A friend of his father, Fuyutsuki-sensei, had given it to him.
His cell phone rang. He picked it up reluctantly, figuring it was Asuka scolding him to get the hell up. "Hello," he said.
"Hisashiburi, neh, Shinji-kun?"
Shinji sat up in his bed and said, "Rally Cheyenne? It has been a long time."
"I heard what happened to your files. I'm sorry they got burned."
"Did Asuka tell you?"
"No, I heard about the news through my sources."
"What's going on your side of the ocean?"
"I'm not just a squadron leader anymore. Attacked Mystification Police is now firmly established. I've gotten really high up."
"That's really great for you. But I assume this call isn't just to commiserate with me over what's happened."
"No, I'd like you to meet me at the airport. I'm coming over to the United States for a special international assignment. It's very important so I can't tell you until we're face to face. I was asked who I would like my American liaison to be and I chose you. You'll probably get official notification within the hour. I hope that this is not a problem."
"It is a great honor," he said and it was. "Oh, I should call Asuka."
There was a pause. "Actually, I'm not sure if that's a good idea."
Shinji thought for a second then said, "I know that you two didn't get along last time, but trust me on this one. It's better to bring her along knowing she's coming then not knowing when she's going to come and have her arrive."
There was a knock on the apartment door.
"Baka-Shinji, wake up." yelled a familiar voice.
"See what I mean," Shinji said.
He could hear Rally sigh, then she said, "I'll tell them to add Asuka to the assignment. Pack a briefcase, there'll be some traveling."
"Thank you, Rally." he switched his cell phone off, pulled a pair of slacks on and opened the door.
Shinji was about to say Dozo when Asuka walked in. She looked around. "I always wondered where you slept. I can't believe you sleep on a couch bed."
"Well, the only person who sleeps on it is me and I like it." he said, folding it back into a couch.
Asuka gave him a sharp look, then widened her eyes slightly. Shinji didn't have an undershirt on. Even grown up, he wasn't what you call hunky. He looked more like an endurance runner, someone who could go the distance.
She looked away as he put a shirt and tie on.
"Anyway," he said. "I got a call from Rally Cheyenne?"
"That blue haired witch, is it?"
"Don't call her that."
"Well, she does cast spells. What did she want from you?"
"She heard that my files have been destroyed. She has an assignment for me, er, us."
"What kind of assignment?"
"She wants to tell us face to face. But I could always go alone. I know how you hate traveling. . . If you want to stay here. . ."
"Oh, hell no. I'm going. I'll be back within the hour.' she said. She went to the door, turned around and said, "Leave me behind and you're dead." Then she slammed the door.
* * *
Rally Cheyenne was standing at the airport, looking more beautiful than ever. She was wearing her light blue hair in the same style and the same two long earrings. She was flashing one of her rare smiles with her light gray-blue eyes warmer than usual. Her air of cool authority was even stronger. Of course, it helped that she was five foot nine and almost 6 fee t tall in heels and dressed in a tailored business suit that matched her eyes.
"Rally!" said Shinji, waving at her.
"Shinji, Asuka, glad to see you," said Rally. They started to walk out of the terminal. "You have been briefed about the situation?"
"They were terribly vague. They said that you would be more informative."
"Do you have an office that's secure and has a good computer system?" Shinji nodded.
An hour later, they were in the lair of the three stooges. Rally took a look at the three guys who made the group: Touji, Kensuke and Fuyutsuki, then turned to Shinji. "Can they be trusted?"
"Yes." Shinji said. He watched as Touji and Kensuke pinched their noses to prevent a nosebleed. Even Fuyutsuki seemed extra gracious, though much more mature about it as well as less physical. "We need use of your computer system."
"Sure." said Kensuke, scrambling to set up the system for use. Man, where does Shinji find these women and to think he's partners with Asuka, he thought. .
Rally put in her disk and said, "This is a mission that is of the highest importance." Several display screens circled around Rally like a halo. "There has been a series of quakes in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. Scientists could find no fault activity in the region. When a satellite flew over the area, trying to pin point the area, there was a picture of a cruise ship."
"Maybe some people were dancing too hard." said Asuka.
Rally frowned, then said, "Using satellite technology, we were able to figure out that it was a ship from the 1980s. I looked up the name, Queen Anne. It was supposed to have sunk in the area. Yet, a minute after it appeared, it disappeared again. There was a high amount of chronoton particles. It seems that the quakes are not typical, but are instead the result of an alternative future trying to assert itself into this timeline. So far, the time stream has healed up, but if the rift keeps getting bigger; it could be disastrous."
"What is it that you want me to do?" said Shinji.
"We need you to be part of the team who gets on that boat to find out why these things are happening. Yuki from AMP had a vision that your presence would somehow make sure the mission is a success."
"She's a psychic?" said Asuka. "I wouldn't put my trust in that."
"I assure you that Yuki has been enormously helpful when it comes to her visions. She has never been wrong. I believe in them. Besides, I found something that Shinji might be interested in." A display screen showed a magnification of a satellite photo of the ship. "This is one of the photos from the satellite scan."
It was grainy and somewhat out of focus, but Shinji recognized the person. "She looks a lot like Rei."
"It's not, but it is someone I think you will find just as important. It's your mother."
Shinji stared at her. "What?"
"I checked the registry. There is one Yui Ikari on that ship's registry."
"You've got to get me on that ship."
"Of course."
"Will you being going with him?" asked Asuka.
"No.:"
Asuka accidentally let out a sigh of relief to the amusement of Touji and Kensuke. Rally continued, however. "I have to stay behind and create an anchor spell so Shinji can return back to this time otherwise he'd become part of the past. However, I can only anchor one person at a time; otherwise the spell becomes unstable."
"What?" yelled Asuka. "You mean the baka's going into that dangerous situation without me to protect him? I'm his partner for God's sake."
Rally frowned, looking obviously irritated. Another display screen showed a woman with long dark blue hair and matching eyes in the AMP police uniform holding a gigantic sword. Something about her reminded Asuka of Misato, much to her irritation. "I would've sent Katsumi Liqueur on this mission as well. She would a good back up for him, as she's a brilliant magician. She could also create her own anchor spell; however there's been a huge increase in Lucifer Hawk activities and the earthquakes in the Bermuda triangles are causing resonant earthquakes there as well. She is managing to suppress the effects; but she can't leave Tokyo. I'm sorry, Shinji."
"I will do my best," he said.
Asuka was making growling noises. Great, now he's risking his life while this blue-haired onna is going to sit on her ass, making him do all the work. "I think we've heard enough, Shinji. This is just too weird and dangerous." She grabbed his arm.
"Asuka, I'm going."
"But. . ."
"I think what that what you can do for me is to protect Rally while she's doing the anchoring spell so I can come back home. If I don't go back, I might disappear. You might disappear. It might change everything."
Asuka opened her mouth to argue, then clamped her lips tightly. "Well, don't dawdle there and flirt with anyone on the ship. You don't have time for that kind of crap. What are you snickering about?" she screamed at Touji and Kensuke, who were shaking slightly, repressing their laughter to avoid being beaten.
* * *
"Is this the right place," said Asuka. They looked all around and saw nothing but blue water.
"These are the coordinates given by Donald," said Rally.
"Donald who?" said Shinji.
"Oh, that's the name Lebia Maverick gave her satellite. She's originally from Los Angeles, a major fan of Walt Disney stuff."
"Oh, I don't care for him," said Asuka.
Shinji sighed. "Are we going to do the anchor spell?"
"I've already painted a waterproof six-pointed star on the deck with all the correct symbols. Once we see the boat, you're supposed to get into the center and I'll transport you onto the deck. As long as the star is intact, you'll be able to get back. And no matter how much you want to, don't talk to your mother." Then she reached into her suitcase and took out a camera. "You'll need this to look like a true tourist." She also gave him a backpack. "There's a graviton handgun in there, just in case. You know the regulations on its use ."
"Thank you."
"You better come back, baka-Shinji."
Rally checked her hand held sensor. "I sense a sudden surge in chronoton particles." She put it down when a cruise ship seemed to ripple into view fifty feet away. Shinji stepped inside the star. Rally frowned and put out her arms and he disappeared.
* * *
He looked around to see everyone lying around the pool getting a tan. He decided to walk around the deck to see what else was on this ship. Then he saw her.
"Asuka? You're here?"
The red-haired woman with the barrettes that reminded him of Lum's horns in Urusei Yatsura simply stared at him. "I'm not Asuka. My name is Kyoko Zeppelin."
He looked at her eyes and realized that they were a clear green rather than that luminescent blue that he knew was her eye color. But the resemblance was uncanny and she was especially pretty in a yellow dress with spaghetti straps. "I'm sorry." he said. "You remind me of someone."
The girl smiled. "Your girlfriend?"
"Uh, no."
She laughed. "You're blushing. Yui, come over here. I think I've found your dream man."
"What is it?" Shinji heard someone say. He saw a young woman with short brown hair and eyes walk up in black jeans and a red shirt with no sleeves. The resemblance to Rei shocked him. Then she saw him and smiled. "I'm Yui Ikari, what's your name?"
"I'm Shinji. Nice to meet you."
She turned to the redhead and scolded her gently by saying, "You're so bad." Then she turned to Shinji and said, "Please ignore her."
"You always said you wanted a sensitive and gentle guy."
"Dameyo." said Yui. She closed her eyes and smiled with embarrassment, reminding him of the lost photograph. "I'm not interested in a cruise ship romance."
He remembered his camera and said, "Can I take a photo of you two?"
Yui hid her face while her friend put one hand on her hips while preening with the other. "Yui, show your face. He's trying to be nice." Yui put down her hands and put her hands in her pocket. Shinji pushed the auto-focus and pressed the button. He pressed it again to make sure he got the photo. He put the camera back in its case.
"Thank you very much," he said, then he heard his cellular phone ring. He frowned. Nobody should be able to call him. "Please excuse me for one minute," he said to them, then he walked a short distance away from them. He flipped it on. "Hello, Shinji-kun," said a familiar voice.
"Kaoru?" Shinji looked around, but saw no one. "What is it that you want? And what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to investigate the time quakes, the same as you."
"How did you know my phone number? And that I'd be here?"
"I had a fellow Angel hack into a few databases. I see your lovely partner isn't with you."
"No, she's not. So, this isn't some experiment that Seele screwed up?"
"No, but they want to take advantage of it and make sure nobody else does."
"It's hard just talking on the phone without knowing where you are."
"Meet me in Rm. 999, if you want to know the truth."
"All right."
Shinji signed off. Why would an Angel be on board? he thought. He couldn't very well avoid him not when these time quakes were happening. "Excuse me, someone just called me about business."
"I'll see you around." Kyoko said. Shinji nodded and went inside the ship.
Kyoko frowned and turned to Yui. "Mataku (damn it), why didn't you flirt with him?"
"I think you were already doing a great job of that."
"Hmph."
* * *
"How long do we have to wait for the baka," said Asuka.
"It depends on how long he takes. Are you worried about him?"
"Well, it would really suck, telling the FBI I lost my partner in the middle of the ocean."
"You don't like it when I talk to him."
"I don't like it when people send him on a suicide mission. He gets enough crazy assignments like it is from people who've got it in for him. He doesn't need another one." she said. "He's so damn trusting that he gets led by the nose, then he finds out that . . ." She stopped. She couldn't say anymore with the lump in her throat.
"Ah, I see."
The sun had set and it was dark. A chemical lamp shone on the deck, illuminating the six-pointed star.
Asuka said, "Shinji said you had a sister."
"Yes."
"How is she?"
"Shortly after you left for Washington, she moved out. I haven't seen her since." Rally stood up and stretched. "I should go to sleep. All the jet lag is getting to me."
"But suppose Shinji. . ." said Asuka.
"It'll be OK, the star will bring him home. Worried about Shinji?"
"I'm worried he'll screw things up and erase us the face of the earth. That's what I'm worried about. What is it that you like about that bakatare?"
"Shinji-kun is a very thoughtful man. It's nice talking to someone who takes what you say seriously after months of talking to superiors who think that you're being hysterical or mad. I think he feels the same way when he talks to me."
Asuka thought over that for a second, wondering if she'd been just a little too hard when it came to bashing his theories. Then she got mad and thought, What the hell am I thinking? "Is that it?"
"Are you asking me if I think of Shinji in romantic terms?"
"Well, do you?" Asuka narrowed her eyes.
I could really mess with her head, thought Rally, but that would be really unfair to Shinji. However, she let a smile hover on her lips for a second. "No. I don't think of him in that way at all. I've been too busy with my work to think in those terms and the men I meet find me a bit intimidating." Besides, I'm concentrating on getting Rosa to come home, she thought. "Even though Shinji and I have similar interests, we have different priorities. Are you afraid he'll join AMP now that the Eva files have been closed down?"
Asuka said, "Well, where else is he going to go? He doesn't want to do anything else like busting domestic terrorism or anything normal. He's been really depressed since it was shut down. Now he feels so whipped. I don't know what to do. I wish. . ."
"What do you wish?"
"I wish that the Eva files could be reopened. You could help, couldn't you?" Rally bit her lip. "Most of my influence is in Japan and tends to be behind the scenes. But I'll do what I can. It'll take some time, though. I'll see if I can mobilize a few friends to put some weight behind it. However, I have to be careful lest it looks like one country meddling with another's affairs. But I'll try."
"Thank you very much for helping Shinji."
Rally was surprised to hear that tone of voice from Asuka. It was low, quiet and very sincere. Perhaps, she thought, that is Shinji's talent, to make things that you can't see into things that you can.
* * *
He was about to knock on the door when Kaoru opened it. He was still the same red-eyed, white-haired man whose appearance hid his rather. . . disturbing. . . talents. "I'm glad we meet again."
"Yes, I'm sure you are." Shinji said with some irony.
Kaoru simply smiled. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. But lets talk about more important things."
"Yes, lets." Shinji walked into the room.
There was nothing in the room except a bed. Kaoru sat on top of it, his legs crossed. Shinji just leaned against a wall. Kaoru looked at him, saying, "Seele told me that the one of the most important things in the world would be found here, something that could either destroy or save the human race. He told me that it would hidden with one of those two women you were talking to earlier."
"Yui and Kyoko?"
"Yes, but I've searched their rooms and found nothing. I don't get a sense that they're hiding something on their persons. It is most puzzling."
"I don't think they know anything. Seele must've been mistaken."
"No, I sense a very diffuse AT power field on this ship, but it's so finely dispersed that I can't get a reading."
"That's impossible. Everything I've seen tells me that the research on the Eva project had not reached the level yet. Katsuragi's S2 theory had not even been expounded yet."
"There are many things that you do not know," Kaoru said. "There was already the Lilith Project. There was a sphere deep within the earth beneath Tokyo that when excavated, revealed an enormous lance and an enormous being lying besides it. The best scientists were hired throughout Japan to see what it could possibly be. The sleeping giant was named Lilith and the lance was called "the lance of Longinus" or "the spear of destiny." This was done several decades ago, shortly after WWII. Some of the scientists involved had been the same scientists who had done horrible experiments in Prison Camp 731."
Kaoru continued, "Your mother and your partner's mother were interns at the project. As interns, they were told nothing and simply did the grunt work. Seele had done a search of every one of their facilities. The spear of destiny had disappeared. Yui and Kyoko had been working as interns at the facilities connected with the Lilith Project at the time of the disappearance. They had nowhere near the security access to even see it; but everybody else has been accounted for. The reason Seele suspects them now is that it disappeared the day they left for this cruise. We had previously dismissed them as suspects until the time quakes. Only something as powerful as the spear of destiny could produce a field like that."
"What does the spear look like?"
"It may be hidden or in a different form than usual. But its mass can be measured in the hundreds of tons."
"There's no way my mother would steal or hide it."
"Your mother, huh?" Kaoru seemed pensive about that. "I'm not saying she's the one, but I have a feeling that she's the key to this mystery."
"What is it that you want me to do?"
"Keep Yui and Kyoko distracted. I know that you want to spend time with your mother. I keep getting a feeling that it's on this ship."
"Tell me more about what my mother and Kyoko are tangled up in. And why is that spear important?"
Kaoru smiled gently and said, "That spear is a power source. If it's not handled correctly, it can cause mass destruction. You may hate Seele, but know this. It has the only facilities that can handle it."
Shinji thought really hard, there was no way he could find the spear on his own. But there was no way he was going to simply hand it over. "All right. But I think this is just a dead end."
"Shinji . . ."
"Yes." He said as he was about to leave.
"It really was good seeing you. I . . .never mind."
Shinji left. Kaoru thought to himself, I'm just like his father. He's never going to forgive me.
* * *
Yui and Kyoko were hanging out. Kyoko began rating the guys who went by. "Ugh." "Scary." "Barely normal." "Not bad." "Neanderthal." were the nicer things she said.
"Kyoko, don't you have anything nice to say?" chided Yui.
"I'll say something nice when there's something nice to say." Then she went back to rating. "Scary, bizarro. . ." Then as she saw Shinji walk towards them, she was about to say something when Yui hit her in the ribs.
"Ah, Shinji-kun." said Yui. "How are you?"
"I'm fine." Seeing Kyoko was rubbing her ribs, he said, "Are you OK?"
"Hai, hai. No thanks to Yui."
Yui smiled and said, "Shinji, do you mind walking with me for a minute?" Kyoko's expression was of total shock.
"Uh, no."
"Shinji?" Yui said as they walked.
"What?"
"I don't know why, but I keep getting this feeling I've seen you before."
"I really don't think so."
"Even if we've never seen each other before, I feel so at ease with you. You must think I'm being so forward. But it's truly how I feel."
"Kyoko doesn't seem to share your opinion."
"Well, Kyoko and I don't share the same tastes in guys."
"How did you meet Kyoko?" It was a strange sensation talking to one's mother in such a casual manner, but something about her open personality really put him in a serene frame of mind. No wonder I miss her, he thought. I've never felt this much at ease with anybody else. Then he thought mournfully, the closest I ever felt this way was when Kaoru tricked me into thinking he was Asuka.
"We started out as pen pals. My father had known her father through their businesses. We saw each other a couple times over the years, then my family moved there for a year. She kept me from being homesick. Germany is so different from Japan. I find it hard to make friends."
"Really? I would think you would have tons of friends. You're so. . ." Then Shinji stopped. "Gomen."
Yui giggled in embarrassment. "You're really sweet, Shinji, but I'm not the type who makes tons of friends. Kyoko says I'm too shy. She's the type who has tons of friends. I'm the type who gets lost in books and dream of a quiet life in the country or perhaps near a beach. I enjoy looking at the waves come and go. I find it relaxing. It must sound boring to you."
"No, it sounds peaceful."
"Kyoko says it sounds boring. I bet your life is interesting."
That isn't the half of it, Shinji thought. "I suppose it is. I'm never bored, but I think I would happy just to live with someone who understands me."
"Then why don't you?"
"Mostly, it's because I have to find someone first."
* * *
Rally woke up, hearing something in the distance. Helicopters, she thought. She ran up to the deck. Asuka was looking through a paid of binoculars, searching for the source of the sound. Rally said, "This area was supposed to be off limits to aircraft for the duration of this operation."
Asuka gasps, "Shit, three black unmarked helicopters. They look like they came from Seele."
"Seele, what do they want?"
The helicopters were now hovering several hundred feet from them. "Attention, this is a restricted area, please move your craft away. This has been placed under military jurisdiction."
"Under whose authority? I'm Rally Cheyenne, here under a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigations of the United States and Attacked Mystification Police. I have been given security clearance for this area. I had also been told that this area was off limits to all type of aircraft for the duration of this operation. I suggest that your three helicopters move off unless you want to make this an international incident." While she was saying this, she slipped a handgun to Asuka, who carefully stowed it in her belt.
Then suddenly, the helicopters began flying erratically as if the pilots had lost control of their helicopters. "What's going on?" said Asuka, as all three helicopters rose suddenly, then plummeted into the ocean.
"Well, it could be that," said Rally. "Certain areas around the Bermuda triangle can cause instrumentation to read incorrectly and electrical systems to go haywire."
Asuka narrowed her eyes. "Or is it simply a master magician pulling a few tricks out of her hat."
"I never wear hats." said Rally. She saw the men holding unto the wreckage of their helicopters. "Lets move a couple miles away. We'll still be in range to pick up Shinji. I hope they don't have any spare helicopters."
* * *
Shinji, Yui and Kyoko were in the women's cabin. Yui was unfolding the Tarot before her, reading Shinji's future. "Hmmmm," she said.
"What does hmmmm mean?"
"I see as the main card in your present, The Fool."
"The Fool?"
"No, it's a good card. It's a very powerful card. It means the unexpected, the person who lets go and takes a wild leap into the unknown. There's also the High Priestess, which I think has to do with wisdom and knowledge." She laid down a few more cards then laughed a little. Kyoko looked over her shoulder and laughed too.
"What's so funny?"
"I see the Lovers and the Hanged Man as part of the formation of your love life." chuckled Yui. "The Lovers are obvious, but Hanged Man means suffering and torment."
"Yeah, that's really funny. . ." said Shinji with a tone that said just the opposite.
"I'm sorry, it's just that when I dealt those cards for a friend of mine, she got married soon after."
Shinji finally laughed at that. Yui wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Well, it's just Tarot, nothing serious."
There was a knock on the door. "Ah, room service," said Kyoko. She opened the door and Kaoru was standing there.
He ignored Kyoko and said, "Shinji, step outside."
"Why?"
Kyoko pointed at the open door and said, "How rude! Get out!"
The door slammed shut. Kyoko tried to open it, but it was firmly sealed. Then she walked over to where Yui and Shinji were. "Tell this creep to leave!"
Shinji said, "What was your real purpose here? I thought you were just looking for the spear of destiny."
"The spear?" Yui said. "What?"
"It's disappeared. Everybody else has been cleared. You're the only two left."
"Perhaps it disappeared by itself," said Shinji.
"Yui and I were never even allowed to see it. Why don't you just make another one?"
"A copy is a copy. The original has properties that a copy will never have. Now hand it over."
"I told you we don't have it. We don't even know what it is, you damn baka." said Kyoko.
"I see." said Kaoru. "I'm afraid that I'll have to . . ." He caused the mirror and the windows to break. Kyoko and Yui screamed in terror.
Shinji pulled out the graviton handgun Rally had given him from his backpack and pointed it at Kaoru.
"Shinji." said Yui.
"I'm sorry, Shinji. I was told that if I couldn't find the spear, I was to kill these two."
"That's your order from Seele?"
"No, I only take orders from a much higher level. Shinji move aside."
"If you kill them, I'll be dead anyway."
"I have enough authority with my superior to make sure that you are not affected by the change of timeline. You will still exist."
"Why would you do that for me?"
"Because in the business I'm in, you're the closest thing I have to a friend. And as a friend, I should tell you the truth about the woman standing next to you. I know more about her than you do. Yui's work and theory was the backbone of Seele's project, a project that is destined to destroy the world."
"Shut up!"
"Yui wasn't an innocent victim. She's even more involved than your father. You said you hated Seele and anything connected to it. I'm giving you an opportunity to strike back at it."
"By letting you kill my mother? You're talking about a world without Asuka, without Rei. You're talking about a world where I do not belong." Shinji shook his head. "What would I live for? I wouldn't be any better than the people I hate, people who kill because they think they're doing what's right. I would've destroyed my world for a world that wouldn't be much better. Seele would've found someone else. That project was composed of thousands of people. You're going to have to kill me to get to them." With that, he stepped in front of his mother and fired the graviton at
Kaoru.
When the graviton hit the AT field, there was a massive explosion. Shinji held on to Yui and Kyoko as they fell. I've failed, he thought. Asuka, I won't be able to see you again, gomen!
Shinji woke up to see Kyoko sprawled next to him on the floor. Yui was kneeling over him. "I'm so glad you're awake," she said. Something's wrong with my vision, thought Shinji, she's glowing.
"What happened to Kaoru?"
"I eroded a small hole in the AT field, just large enough for the effect of the graviton to hit him. You won't be seeing him anymore."
"Yui?"
"Shinji. I'm sorry, but I need to explain something to you. The woman you know as Yui is a part of me. She's the mother you remember; but there's another part of me as well."
There was a shadow on the floor. She pulled a spear that had two points from within the shadow. "This is the reason Kaoru couldn't find the spear. I had hidden it in a sea of Dirac, an inverted AT field. Only an Angel could even suspect me of hiding the spear. It was only because of the time quake caused by the interaction of the weakened AT field and the graviton that caused the spear to leave a faint trail for Kaoru to sense."
"But why hide it?"
"Because Seele was going to destroy the human race in their mad scheme to create something new and more powerful. The one who can wield this spear can change the world. I had to get involved with Seele to try to subvert their plans."
"When I shrank the spear and sealed it up within my sea, it took so much energy to keep it hidden, that it sealed off that part of me, leaving only Yui, the girl you know, the mother you barely remember, the part of me that is human. It's only because of this massive release of energy I can talk to you now. I'm sorry that you were put into such danger."
"What about Kyoko?"
"She really doesn't know anything."
"Mom, don't marry. . . my father. Even if I disappear, I know that you'll be much happier if you never met him. I'm sure you could've found someone so much better."
Yui put her hand on Shinji's face. "Shinji, I won't remember what you said once I seal the spear back up. Even if I did, knowing that I have such a great son, I would still marry your father. I've seen your memories and I think what little time I have left as a human was happy. Besides, because of who and what I am, I am going to get tangled up in this anyway."
"I have so many things to ask you. What are you? What about what Kaoru said?"
"I know. I wish we had more time, but I can only tell you this one thing. All the parts that make up Yui, the parts you see and the parts you can't see, love you very much. It's time for you to go home. Someone is waiting for you. If I keep it out any longer, Lucifer Hawks and even more Angels will converge on this ship. As it is, we'll just make it look like a cruise ship accident that fortunately had no casualties. Do you forgive me for not being there, Shinji?"
Shinji nods, weeping. "Will I ever see you again?"
Yui says, "I don't know."
The spear sinks back into the shadow and Yui stumbles as she loses her glow. "What happened?" she said. "There was a guy here. Why are we here?"
Shinji said, "The minute I pulled my gun on him, he ran off. Kyoko and you had fainted. A few seconds later, I heard an explosion. He must've been on a mission to kidnap you two, knowing that he was caught, he decided to use the bomb to create confusion and get away. You see I'm part of the FBI and I'd been tracking him for weeks. But I thought he would snatch you once you got off at a port. I didn't think he'd be so bold as to kidnap you right here. The bomb must've collapsed the floor below us and knocked us unconscious."
"He seems to have known you."
"Well, he's one of those cat and mouse types, who taunt the guy going after him. He also has this crazy belief that God talks to him. I can't say any more about the case. The ship is about to sink. I have to get you and Kyoko to the life boats."
Kyoko groggily wakes up. "What happened?" Shinji helps her to her feet.
Yui, Kyoko, and Shinji run to the lifeboats. Kyoko and Yui get in. Yui turns to Shinji, "Quick, step in." as the lifeboat fills up with passengers.
"I can't. I have to make sure that he doesn't escape, and try to come after you again." Shinji said, "I'll be just fine." With that, he lowers the boat.
"Shinji! Shinji!" screams Yui. "Never mind him! Shinji, come back!"
Kyoko yelled, "Yui, calm down."
Shinji watched as the little lifeboat was paddled away by a couple of the passengers. Suddenly, the area around him seemed out of focus.
In the distance, Yui watched as the ship began to list to one side and smoke. "Shinji!" she whispered.
Shinji landed in the middle of the star. He fell to his knees. Asuka ran over to him and helped him stand up. "Are you OK?"
To her surprise, he held her tight and she feels something wet on her cheek. The baka, he's crying, she thought, her eyes widening.
"Asuka, I'm so glad to see you're still here. You mean the world to me." he says.
"Well, of course I'm still here. You didn't think. . ." she scolded before he planted a kiss on her mouth. Wow, the Bermuda triangle's really strange, she thought before closing her eyes.
Rally went into the ship's kitchen and started making some green tea. They were hours from shore and she wanted to get there as soon as possible. She turned on her mp3 player and began listening to a collection of classical music songs. The first song was Jesus, bleibet meine Freude. She turned on the engine and looked at the horizon and imagined she was the only person in the world.
THE END
One more final
Dear Shinji:
Congratulations on the reopening of the EVA files. As an office-warming present I've sent you a framed picture of the two girls on that cruise boat. The picture was on the digital camera I lent you. I hope Asuka doesn't mind my sending this.
Sincerely, Rally Cheyenne
