Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction / Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Bonds of Love and Survival ❯ Nightmares! ( Chapter 5 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimers:
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc., are
property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine.
This is a Re-write of my first stab at an Evangelion Fic. Let me tell you that up to chapter 24,
I loved this anime, then as so many others it turned dark and
painful, Though I didn't disagree with who Shinji ended up with, I still didn't like how the others were treated.
So, this and my other Eva stories to come will focus on giving those characters a fair chance at a happy ending.
So this is fair warning to a good amount of Waff, romance, and character development!
So I am writing this story to show what I thought would be an alternate ending to the series
where Rei and Asuka lived!
Hopefully the creator of the series will make more movies and hopefully
they will give us a more hopeful ending. Thanks to Andre Laval, ForbiddenExodia,
and Ryan Xavier for prereading this revision!

Bonds of Love and Survival

Chapter 5: Nightmares!

Author's Note: Due to my Pre-readers being unavailable, this chapter will be the Beta version until I can get it
pre-read. If you want to help me with pre-reading my chapters, e-mail me! <dennis_d@popmail.firn.edu>

" "=Dialogue
( )= Character's thoughts!

Cold Memories

Asuka's POV:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD IT HURTS SO MUCH!
THE LANCES!
THEIR CLAWS ARE TEARING ME APAAAART!!!
I CAN'T TAKE THE PAINNNN!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Oh God what happened?" I bolted up off the bed I was in!
I was confused, scared for a few moments before a pair of warm and loving hands drew me back down towards an embrace.
I had another nightmare, the same dream I have had nightly since we left Tokyo-3.
Being in his arms comforted me so much, though I didn't always tell him that much, damn my fool pride!
I was trying not to cry, and not suceeding very well.
It now had become a nightly occurrence as he held me rocking me back and forth,not saying a word, while soothing my frazzled nerves. Then another hand rested itself on my shoulder.
I lifted up my tear stained face to see my former rival, and now friend also trying to alleviate my fear.
I smiled at the sympathetic look on her face as she squeezed my shoulder.
How could I keep having these nightmares knowing that I was with those who cared so much about me?
I just couldn't understand it!
I had finally started to calm down when Rei went to the one of the trailers and came back with some water.
I took it, drank it, and thanked her.
We laid back down on the makeshift bed in the tent we were in to try to get some more sleep.
But, as I was afflicted by these terrible dreams, so were my companions.
our newfound closeness and caring have helped us all through these sleep deprived nights.
I finally laid back down and fell back to sleep in the arms of my love and the comfort of my friend.

I tired not to think of the images, and frightening memories that bonbarded my mind as I had dreamt earlier, then the realization that I was inhis arma allieviated those thoughts again. I alo knew that that comfort would be recipricated, as I knew that like a clock, I would be there for them.

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Rei's POV:

The Angel was infecting Unit-00, and my body proper, now up through my abdomen.
I was screaming with pain afflicted by the Angel's effort in attempting to merge with me, and take control of Unit-00
... and myself.
In my final desperate attempt, to save my love, and the rest of humanity, I hit the auto-destruct button,
and murmured my final words to my love; I love you!!
Within one hour since Asuka's nightmare, was in tears and confusively crying.
Ever since I was brought back by Shinji, I was acting much more like a human than I ever did before third impact.
One of those all too human traits was having these horrible nightmares of my death play over again and again,
every night since we left Tokyo-3. I didn't have the same self control I had before.
Having all my memories restored as not help me cope withi this nightly torment, if not for him ... and her.
Shinji and Asuka have been there for me to comfort me in their own ways, to explain things I do not understand, and to simply be there for me since we came back. They were here now.
Especially in the nights when we all suffer through our own nightmares about how we died.
Even though I merged with Lillith and helped Shinji in his decision to return. And though I was one an angel, I am human now, so open to human frailties, one being the ability to dream.
To have pleasant and kind dreams, to have also the opposite as I am having now, ... is quite disheartening.
I have not been able to stop these dreams, but I am fortunate to have them here.
Shinji is my one reason to have returned, and the one I carish above all others.
Asuka has made such a change, from the belligerant and violent person she was, to a caring and confident person she was becoming,
I have also changed though not as obvious. I have begun to, how does Asuka put it, oh yes,
"I have begun to open up!" my personality. But I can't seehow I have changed that much. I have to take the word of Shinji and Asuka on that. What had significantly changed is that we simply, ... have started to become ... friends
though it is difficult for me to understand the concept.
I have had Asuka's help in other areas of my emotional development. I am grateful for her help.
If that is so, why do we still dream about our deaths? I am trying to ascertain this now.
There may be some outside influence, maybe connected to the reappearence, and dissappearence of the Evas.
I will try to find out more about these strange events when we come close to a community with a working computer network. But, until I have an answer, it is comforting to have both of them here. They give me a sense of ...hope.
Hope that we can start our new lives, without such matters as the Evas, and those who have taken them. I know Shinji is worried of how they will be used, and After he briefed us of his concerns, Asuka and I affirmed our support for his efforts to find out their intentions.
I would like to stay with Shinji, and Asuka for what I hope will be for my lifetime. Whether we are friends, or more, I want to stay with them. I hope this will never change.

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Shinji's POV:

Oh no not again! I can't keep going like this. Like clockwork, Asuka has her nightmare.
Then after calming her down, an hour later Rei has hers. Then after calming her down, I get mine as well.
It is so hard to get through the next day with this nightly grind. But, then I think of all that's happened,
and all those who haven't come back. I didn't startle the two girls I chaerish, when I awoke from my disturbing dream,
still having them here in my arms asleep helped me to live through this nightly sacrifice.

I then pray to myself, hoping that whomever is influencing our subconscious to end these nightmares.
"To whomever is taunting us with these nightmares,I plead that you stop and leave us to live out our lives,
or if you are trying to manipulate us towards a goal, then be up front and reveal it to us!
We can't take much more of this."
I then remember seeing the tired eyes of my two angels as we try to get through the day following those sleepless nights.
I hope that this will end soon, as it will eventually brake us whereever we end up.
"So, please at least tell to us what you want. Because I can't take much more and neither can the girls."
I know what I have decided, and the girls have agreed to living on, but why do these dreams haunt us?
Maybe when we get to meet the people who live on the outskirts of Okoyama, These dreams will end.
Maybe they might have a doctor to help us.I hope they do! I am going to make a new life for me and the girls,
so no bloody nightmares are going to stop me from our chance at happiness, NOTHING!"

Author's Notes:
(I put this as an addendum to chapter 4, simply because it did happen the night they slept in the tent
outside of Kyoto-2. But it was separate from chapter 4's main story line.
So here it is as a separate chapter, I will add a chapter to compensate.)

Now Back to Kyoto-2 and Our tired Trio!
_________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________

Hot Springs Layover! (Shinji's POV)

After breaking camp, I observed Rei and Asuka looking very tired and weary just as I was feeling.
The Nightmares were darining our energies, and we had slowed down considerably Since we left Kyoto-2.
I decided we needed a breather, a place to stay and rest. I then remembered when I had last been to a place
where all I did was relax. Then it hit me, of course where else but there!
I then look at the map and scanned it for a place to allow us to relax.
We all needed a place to just chill for a day or two. I finally spotted the Awara Onsen outside of Kyoto-2.

Now it was not on the way to Okoyama, but with the way I felt,and the girls looked, we needed it.
So I suggested my idea to back track a bit and head by Gifu (We had passed it by 2 days ago),
and see if the Awara Onsen was still viable.
Asuka almost rammed me with a hug with glee, which landed us on the ground as Rei simply smiled
and shook her head slightly enough to approve of my idea. She then helped us to our feet.

We headed back by Gifu, and got to the hot springs (onsen) by night fall.
We of course cased the compound and secured the area around the main pools and
set up a room to put our supplies and also one for us to sleep in.
We then just stood there, taking in the sight of the pools and spa. It was seemingly untouched as if no one had been there st all. but we knew that Third Impact had reached even this isolated spot.
With a sqeeze of our hands we then bagan to unpack.
We found a fireplace and had a good dinner of canned vegetables, with some ramen, and some hot tea.
We had located enough supplies to keep us for a few weeks, and we decided to sat a few more days hopefully to allieviate the nightmares with using the hotsprings in the day.
We finally decided on a week's stay and then we'd double our efforts to get to Okayama.
Then we located the nearest pool to the room we were sleeping in.
We decided that I would have a towel on my more private parts, while the girls used larger towels to cover theirs.
I also located a smaller pool out of eye sight, where I would go when the girls wanted to wash themselves.
Now even though we had pledged friendship to ourselves to each other, we where fifteen years old, so modesty,
and my chance for a huge blood loss had to be accommodated.

As we finally stepped into the heated and pure water, we had to get used to the temperature.
We had brought with us some sake we had found in the hot springs hotel kitchen.
Though lukewarm, it still gave us a warm feeling and though we got friendly,
Rei stayed sober enough to keep us ... decent. (Sorry you hentais!)
We did kiss and cuddle some, but eventually, the girls and I separated
and used the soap available to wash ourselves.
Since they had started to work together due to the injuries they woke up with a month back,
they washed each other as they had done before we left Tokyo-3.
I stayed in the other pool and washed myself.
But within 5 minutes the girls asked me back and wanted to wash my back.
So, keeping the towel in front of me and sitting on a stool, the girls washed my back
and sides as this seem to satisfy their washing of me. What took longer and had me lose a little blood,
as they asked me to wash their backs. I was hesitant to answer until they said that all they wanted was a massage.
So as Rei took to soak back in the pool, I rubbed the kinks out of Asuka's back and shoulders.

My aunt whom I had stayed with before I piloted Eva, had shown me how to massage someone
because my uncle had wrenched his back in an accident and needed daily massages.
I was used as a back-up for my aunt to help my uncle through most of his painful recovery.
Now I was using those skills to help the girls I cared for.
Within 10 minutes Asuka had fallen asleep with a smile on her face.
It felt really good that I could give her some comfort without having to have the threat of a slap as a reward.
I had Rei help me get her to the bedroom we shared, and I went back to the pool area as Rei helped a groggy Asuka to bed.
I repeated the process again wmassaging Rei and though she never fell asleep there on the pool's deck,
like Asuka, Rei also became tired and sleepy.
I felt a great deal of satisfaction as I then led Rei to our bedroom.
Asuka was fast asleep, and didn't seem to be having her nightly nightmare.
That alone made this trip worthwhile.

As Rei dressed in the bedroom, I secured the onsen building, putting up a Laser security net we procured From Nerv
to give us at least a 20 second warning, enough time to grab our weapons and be ready for anything, or anyone!
When I got back, I had a wonderful sight in front of me. Now normally I usually when we slept,
and At Asuka's insistance, I occupied the middle, between the girls when we slept,
more for the girls being able to both be next to me,and having the advantage of them getting to the bathroom easier.
I had no real problem with this as I noted both seem to do a once a night bathroom run.

But tonight, it seemed that Asuka will be in the center, because when Rei had fallen asleep,
Asuka had turned around and slept behind Rei in a spooning position.
Since Asuka took up the middle of the futon we where using, I laid down and spooned in behind Asuka,
and felt that for at least tonight, we could have a good night's sleep.

We did!

But ... it would be the last for awhile. Even after we arrived in Okoyama,
and had our new neighbors, the nightmares continued, until a fateful day in our near future,
When they became Real!

__________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________

A Mad Scientist's Lab

She was perplexed, confused and somewhat ticked off.
The diminutive scientist that had taken the Evas, and had anticipated the pilots arrival that morning
was thwarted by the fact that the pilots had back tracked to an Onsen between Gifu and Kyoto-2.
"Why did they go there? What would be there that they would need?"
She questioned herself as she then had a spark of realization.
"Of course, They need to relax, especially with what they had gone through."
You see Washu had not only procured the three Evas, she had down loaded the whole contents of
the Magi computers into her computer core.
She had read what she could about NERV, The "E" project, and the Human Instrumentality project,
as well as the psychological profiles of all three pilots.
But, there was a gaping hole in the data when it came to the first and second angels that she knew to have been there.
Plus the lack of background on the first child, Pilot Rei Ayanami.
She decided that she'd do a battery of tests and question them when they arrived.

She then decided to go and continue her work with her three new toys.
Then an alarm went off. She had designated this particular alarm for when all the MP Evas
... were activated!

"Damn it's too soon, even if they are moving as slow as molasses."
Then, the scientist made a decision. She would have to go and meet the pilots
who were now at an onsen between Gifu, and Kyoto-2.
As she brought up her holopad, then typed in the coordinates for the Awara onsen,
a sub-space portal appeared and she stepped in and disappeared into it.

____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________

Well what we have here is a meeting of the ex-Eva pilots, and a diminutive red headed scientist.
But that is in the next chapter: A New Family

A.N.- Some will argue that the pilots, especially Asuka is a bit OOC. Well I see the events of the Third Impact as a change.
Not only the obvious changes on earth, but the views of the pilots in their trek to a new and better life.
Now I can say you'll see more of the "Old" Asuka in the future chapters, but her feelings for Shinji, as well as Rei's will become very apparent and open! Why, Well All I'll say i that they will have an excellent example.
Nuff said!