For some reason, that night, Kira dreamed of the past. She didn't know why, but, for some reason, she had a dream of Narikage, something that hadn't happened in years.
"You forgot this." He suddenly plopped a bag into her hand. She blinked at it in confusion for a few minutes before finally realizing what it was: a bento box.
His pale face had gone even paler and his eyes were squeezed shut in pain. He'd dropped his things when the ache had hit and a hand was clamped over his shoulder blade.
She didn't know why, but she was a little frightened of him at that moment. She felt that there was something kneeling in front of her, something that was not Narikage. Despite it all, she still wanted to help him somehow. He wouldn't let her stay with him...but she was close to school. Maybe she could run and get Shinji or Asuka.
They must have seen the panic in her eyes because they followed her without further protest. But when they got to where Narikage had been left...he was gone.
"Shinji-kun," Rei said in a quiet voice, gesturing to something on the pavement. Shinji furrowed his brow, crouching down. "Oh...wow..." he said. They all leaned closer and, at the same time realized what he was looking at. There were long, deep groves in the cement. And set deep into one of the groves was a glint of silver.
She trouched the edge just slightly and cried out when it bit into her skin. "What the hell?!" Asuka grabbed her hand, quickly pressing a handkerchief over the deep wound.
"Here." Rei dug a sweater out of her bag, handing it to Shinji. He took it and, after wrapping it around his hand, carefully dug out the silver object. It was a feather.
Asuka reached into her bag, pulling out a metal pencil box. After dumping out the contents, she very carefully picked up the feather, putting it into the object and sealing it. "There. Now we can transfer it safely.
Asuka stuffed the box back into her pack and the four set out for NERV. ******* "Kids! What are you four doing out of school? Did something happen?" Misato quickly stood from her desk with the children entered.
"What? What happened?" Asuka reached into her school satchel, pulling out the pencil tin and feather. When Misato saw it, her face went very white. She sat down hard in her chair, staring at the feather. "Misato-san?" Shinji asked. "Damn that boy," the woman said, closing her eyes for a moment. "Katsuragi-san...you know what this is?" Rei asked in her soft voice. Misato opened her eyes. "Kids...there's something you should know. We didn't tell you earlier because he begged us not to." "Tell us what?" "Narikage...is an angel."
The other three children were staring at Misato as if she'd just sprouted another head. "He's...an...angel?" Shinji repeated slowly. Misato nodded smally. "Yes. He wasn't born that way. He was born a human, just like the four of you. But, when he was just a young boy...horrible experiments were done to him. That's what turned him into an angel."
She didn't know how long she sat there and cried. Maybe hours. Maybe only a few minutes. As she was quieting, she heard footsteps approaching and someone slid to a sitting position next to her. "Misato-san told you, didn't she?" Narikage asked in a quiet voice.
He had his forearms resting on his knees, his head tipped back so it touched the wall. "Misato-san said that if you wanted to find new living arangements, it's fine. They opened up a new company building not too far from NERV."
He paused for a long time, staring at his folded hands. "You may remain with me for the time being," he finally said. "But when the time comes and I tell you to leave...you'll go without protest."
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«Oldest ‹Older 401 – 474 of 474Narikage followed her out the door, his bag slung over his shoulder.
She was quiet as they walked, not sure what to say.
"You forgot this." He suddenly plopped a bag into her hand. She blinked at it in confusion for a few minutes before finally realizing what it was: a bento box.
"Oh! Arigatou."
"You need to stop leaving your things--" Narikage broke off suddenly, doubling over.
"Narikage-kun?"
His pale face had gone even paler and his eyes were squeezed shut in pain. He'd dropped his things when the ache had hit and a hand was clamped over his shoulder blade.
"Narikage-kun?" She dropped to her knees beside him.
When she reached out to him, he recoiled as if she'd burned him.
"Don't touch me!" His voice was high and filled with panic.
"Are you alright?"
He bowed his head, gasping
That's when she noticed the blood staining the back of his shoulder.
"Narikage-kun!" She rushed forward and gripped his arm.
"Don't!" He tried to yank his arm away but it was too late. She felt a rush of power surge over her, stunning her.
She gasped in shock.
He yanked himself away, scuttling back a few steps. She could see the blood staining his back, dark and red, but with a slight tinge of silver to it.
"A-are you alright?"
"Stay away," he ordered in a strained voice.
"Demo..."
"I mean it!" There was something strange in his voice, a tone she'd never heard before.
She hesitated for a moment. "But...you need help!"
He made a strangled noise, hunching over more.
"Go..." the order was whispered and harsh. "Run...if you don't...I odn't know...what they'll do..."
"I can't leave you alone! You're hurt!"
"Kira...please..." He looked up at her.
His eyes...were the color of blood.
She gasped.
She didn't know why, but she was a little frightened of him at that moment. She felt that there was something kneeling in front of her, something that was not Narikage. Despite it all, she still wanted to help him somehow. He wouldn't let her stay with him...but she was close to school. Maybe she could run and get Shinji or Asuka.
"Just...wait right here..." She ran towards the school. "I'll come back with help!"
She was in luck.
Shinji, Rei, and Asuka were just arriving at the school gate, Asuka and Shinji engrossed in an argument as usual.
"Shinji! Asuka! Rei! Hurry! Something's wrong with Narikage!"
They stopped, blinking at her.
"Narikage-san? What's wrong?" Rei asked in her quiet way.
"I dont' know...please!"
They must have seen the panic in her eyes because they followed her without further protest.
But when they got to where Narikage had been left...he was gone.
"He was just here! Where did he go?"
"Shinji-kun," Rei said in a quiet voice, gesturing to something on the pavement. Shinji furrowed his brow, crouching down.
"Oh...wow..." he said. They all leaned closer and, at the same time realized what he was looking at.
There were long, deep groves in the cement. And set deep into one of the groves was a glint of silver.
Kira reached out to pick it up.
She trouched the edge just slightly and cried out when it bit into her skin.
"What the hell?!" Asuka grabbed her hand, quickly pressing a handkerchief over the deep wound.
She pressed on the wound. "What on earth?"
"Here." Rei dug a sweater out of her bag, handing it to Shinji. He took it and, after wrapping it around his hand, carefully dug out the silver object.
It was a feather.
Kira's eyes were wide. "What on earth?"
"A feather?" Asuka said, blinking her dark blue eyes.
"I think we should take this to Misato-san," Rei said quietly.
"H-hai. I just wish I knew where Narikage-san was."
Rei touched her shoulder.
"I'm sure he's alright."
"I hope so..." Her voice was full of concern.
Asuka reached into her bag, pulling out a metal pencil box. After dumping out the contents, she very carefully picked up the feather, putting it into the object and sealing it.
"There. Now we can transfer it safely.
"Good idea, Asuka." Shinji nodded to her.
Asuka stuffed the box back into her pack and the four set out for NERV.
*******
"Kids! What are you four doing out of school? Did something happen?" Misato quickly stood from her desk with the children entered.
"Katsuragai-san, Something happened with Narikage-kun."
"What? What happened?" Asuka reached into her school satchel, pulling out the pencil tin and feather. When Misato saw it, her face went very white. She sat down hard in her chair, staring at the feather.
"Misato-san?" Shinji asked.
"Damn that boy," the woman said, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Katsuragi-san...you know what this is?" Rei asked in her soft voice. Misato opened her eyes.
"Kids...there's something you should know. We didn't tell you earlier because he begged us not to."
"Tell us what?"
"Narikage...is an angel."
Kira gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
The other three children were staring at Misato as if she'd just sprouted another head.
"He's...an...angel?" Shinji repeated slowly. Misato nodded smally.
"Yes. He wasn't born that way. He was born a human, just like the four of you. But, when he was just a young boy...horrible experiments were done to him. That's what turned him into an angel."
Kira fled the room, crying.
She heard Shinji call after her but she didn't stop. She didn't want to listen to such horrible things.
She didn't pay attention to where she was going. She just ran until she found someplace quiet. She sat down and began to sob
How could it be? How could Narikage be an angel?
It just couldn't be true. He-he'd helped her...the angels wanted to kill humans, not help them.
She didn't know how long she sat there and cried. Maybe hours. Maybe only a few minutes.
As she was quieting, she heard footsteps approaching and someone slid to a sitting position next to her.
"Misato-san told you, didn't she?" Narikage asked in a quiet voice.
She gasped and stared at him. "Narikage-san!"
He had his forearms resting on his knees, his head tipped back so it touched the wall.
"Misato-san said that if you wanted to find new living arangements, it's fine. They opened up a new company building not too far from NERV."
"I-I don't know that I want to..."
He glanced over at her then, his eyes boring into her.
"You still want to live with me knowing what you do?"
"Narikage-kun is still Narikage-kun..."
"I am Narikage right now," he corrected quietly. "But...I almost hurt you this morning because the thing inside me took over."
"But you didn't. I trust you."
He paused for a long time, staring at his folded hands.
"You may remain with me for the time being," he finally said. "But when the time comes and I tell you to leave...you'll go without protest."
"But I--" she stopped. "Alright."
Narikage nodded curtly and, using the wall to push off of, stood.
She looked up at him for a moment, then stood up.
"There are going to be some other conditions as well," he said after a moment of pause. "Otherwise...I might end up hurting you."
"Oh?" She sounded a little tired.
"Yes. I'll discuss them with you later," he said in his usual efficent tone.
"Alright..."
He held his hand out to her to help her to her feet.
She stood up the rest of the way.
"I'll meet you outside the gate. I'm going to tell Misato-san that you're alright."
She nodded slowly and began to walk. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going.
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