Sanctuary for a Reluctant Angel

Rei

"I'll talk with you while . . . Sigin talks with Tabris," she begins. "My name's Inquirer and . . .we've got a few things to discuss. . ."

"You're named Inquirer?" I ask blankly, blinking a bit.

Granted, this is a rather . . . odd group and an odd situation (to put it MILDLY), but still . . .

What kind of name is . . . Inquirer?

"Well, the full name is technically Inquirer Deschaine," she shrugs. "And before you ask, no . . .the Doctor's last name is NOT that . . .by any chance are you familiar with some TV show . . . Well, we'll get to that . . ."

The story she tells is . . . rather . . .hard to believe but . . .

I don't really see a choice in it. They're . . .rather convincing proof of their arguments in and of themselves, I shall wager.

There is . . . I can sense it now . . .

They're NOT from . . .here.

There . . .actual . . .aliens, in the truest sense of the word. There is a fundamental difference that . . .would be hard to describe except for saying . . . they're put together differently than ANYONE I've met, I feel.

But it's . . .somehow familiar. I mean like I've . . .sensed it in someone before.

. . .

This is VERY strange. But when I tell them about myself and get to the part about one certain decision I've made (no matter what else comes) . . .

I sense a lessening of tension within them.

They actually believe me when I, an Angel, say that I do NOT wish to initiate Third Impact.

I don't want to be used and I while I wish to share . . . myself with others, cannot I not share with those I chose to share with?

Cannot do that with the results of Third Impact, I fear.

In part, I . . .sense that Inquirer is somehow . . .measuring ME. Not as I would do it now, but . . .

There is something decidely OFF about her, here.

She . . .somehow kind of reminds me of . . . me.

Was she actually . . . .created? For a purpose by others? And I do not mean by the normal means that humans do it.

Me? I know that I . . . basically came from a test tube (and splice DNA). A clone, modified.

What is it with . . .

. . .

Still too new to this and.

Well . . .hey, that's okay though.

I'm going to live.

But the person who's having trouble here about my decisions . . .after actually seeing the truth.

"You have GOT to be kidding me," Tabris whispers. "What's . . .happened in you? What changed you?"

What indeed? But whatever the answer to that question I am NOT bothering to answer.

From what I overheard with HIS discussion (rather heated one) with Sigin (who somehow managed to top whatever quips the Angel made . . .quiet creative ones, those) . . . he's still DEAD set on Third Impact.

"Too new and arrogant to the world," Elrondir mutters, shaking his head. "Charming but having not learned enough about humanity to spare it, like in the Anime. No redeeming qualities like that Tabris. A monster..."

A gesture and a bolt.

Tabris didn't even know it was coming.

Almost cold blooded, in the end but when you have the whole of humanity's existence at stake and the monster shall not yield?

Yes, yes. Those who hunt monsters should be careful as to not become monsters themselves. I know this but . . .the thing is that it isn't exactly something to take lightly (or politely)! So do not chastise me for not shedding tears.

. . .

Uh . . .

. . .

What? What anime? When did they make (and GET permission) to make an anime of the project?

!

Okay, that was stupid. Isn't like I didn't run into stuff like this in roleplaying so OF COURSE when magic and elves show up then things like what's fact in one reality is fiction in another happens.

Throw into the mix that where they come from is now a mix of high science and high sorcery only ADDS to the possibility of something strange like THAT being possible.

I guess, anyway...

Inquirer DID mention something about that with some of her members of her adventuring party, right?

. . .

So I'm an anime character . . . from a story in their reality.

Wonder how I look in it...

. . .

Man, this is weird.

I then give a quick glance over my shoulders.

Yeah, this from a girl with glowing angel wings: Weird. Right.

I cannot cause them to . . . vanish and that's kind of a worry if I'm going to try to live somewhere . . . somehow . . .

"Uh . . .don't suppose you could pick up . . . a hitchhiker?" I ask nervously, making a quick decision. "It may be a bad idea for . . .er . . . me to stick around, all given."

Okay, they're not going to kill me (and they can do that, even without an Eva unit).

Magic...

Hm...

I might have things to work out still. Might have to somehow make a way in the world. A purpose for myself, even (my own determine purpose, not someone else's).

But I sure cannot do it here, whatever I do, in Tokyo 3. See, it's too near . . .the very things that other Angels are trying to get at and I do NOT believe for a minute that NERV would believe me when I tell them I'm not going to cause Third Impact.

Let us just say that too much blood has spilled and a lot of people are a bit . . . too paranoid (for good reason) to trust the word of the "First Child" who's turned out to be of the VERY thing they'd dedicated themselves to FIGHT.

I so VERY much do not want to get near those Angels down there to "join" with them for . . .Instrumentality. So away I must go. It's not running away from my problems, really.

It's just that I do not feel . . . suicidal. But that said . . .one must ask oneself . . .

And where in the world can one blend in with glowing wings coming from one's back?

You get the idea. You can't without going into dark and remote places that NOBODY ever visits. . . I do not feel like living the life of a hermit, thanks. Oh, there MIGHT be one person out here who'd . . . try to help me and intercede on my behalf: Fred. That is IF I could convince him that I was not an Enemy (who'd duped him).

He . . .amongst other things really WANTED to do the job I did as an Eva pilot, defend humankind from the Angels. Really he did. Somehow I feel that in a way through helping me he was fulfilling that role . . .initially and only in PART. He wasn't trying to use me . . . .just . . . was trying to help me be . . .

Myself and a better pilot. Indeed, the only reason why

Commander Ikari did not give into envy when my friendship with a total stranger (he's had enough problems with the relationship I'd struck up with his estranged son, Shingi).

Somehow and in some way I do not understand (even with access to Yui's memories, who'd been pretty much an expert on Evas amongst other things) the interaction between me. . . our talks. The actual roleplaying sessions. . .

Me actually (FINALLY) diving into trying to learn some social skills in ORDER to be able to successfully "roleplay" a character believably (which also had the added benefit)

. . .

He's . . . noble.

. . .

But I fear how hurt (or worse) he'd get in the crossfire. SOME in NERVE I fear are . . rather trigger happy . . .or whatever.

I . . .rather find I've . . .grown to like interacting with others. And I can still do things like that if I . . .go where . . . .they live.

And they do as well...

On another world like theirs, I'm NOT quiet as . . . a target for death, shall we say. That and I'd kind of like seeing a world where the rules are . . .so different.

They never had even a First Impact? How did their dinosaurs vanish then?

. . .

Yes, I'd like to go someplace where . . . Angels need not be feared as they tread.

The Doctor

"My dear," I say softly, taking her hand in mine. "We'd be remiss in not lending aid to a young woman in distress.

"By all means come with us," I finish up. "We'd be MOST happy to . . . give you a lift. And provide sanctuary."

She wants sanctuary and we shall provide it, and may Rasilon and Omega himself have PITY on anyone who attempts to harm this young girl!!

She may be an Angel from this-this Japanese cartoon that Elrondir fancies, but she is a most reluctant Angel.

Oh, by all means do NOT think that I and the others had just out of the blue decide to turn a blind eye to how dangerous an Angel can be. How incredibly dangerous, if she'd been trying to trick us into helping her in some kind of dark scheme to bring about this Third Impact business.

She had known we'd come here in order to stop disaster from striking, true. To stop HER if we must (however we must . . . as . . . distasteful as it sounds). That said, she could have tried deceiving us in order to save her life (to later attempt ending things).

We are not stupid or blind to that possibility, you know. What do you think Inquirer was doing when she'd been talking with Rei?

Oh, not to say we were exactly united on just HOW to proceed . . . or rather should I say we KNEW what we should have to do if Rei was trying deception (to attempt Third Impact with US about)....but objections had been lodged and noted. Some of them MINE.

As an aside which I MUST put in here for the record . . .

I did not wish to have the blood of a young girl on my hands if I could avoid it. Did not want to be forced into such a vile situation (thank the Matrix it hadn't come to pass)!

Elrondir had . . . .been rather subdued when he'd dropped the bomb on us why Third Impact was needed in order for mankind (in SOME form) to continue on. We've already informed you why (or provided links as to why) it is needed for long term survival for this planet's humanity.

But if WE should be here when it happens I doubt that things would be good. Disasterous would be the more likely result. I might be half human (mother's side), but I doubt that Instrumentality could take well to having a Timelord thrown into the mix (along with dragons, centaurs, and various other non-humans). The magical ceremony (if you will . . .since I cannot see this as being either a "religious" ceremony or a "scientific" ceremony . . . .Instrumentality) would most likely go disastrously wrong, leaving only dead bodies (and no group mind). Extinction. It would be like throwing arsenic instead of sugar into a cookie recipe and expecting things to turn out right!

Besides, I do not think that the Agents and Rules would ALLOW us Champions to be sucked up into Instrumentality and I shudder to think how they'd go about to prevent it. See, in part we Champions were inducted into the ranks because we allow for a more . . . subtle approach to solving a problem than what they (as Celestrials) can manage easily on the mortal planes, somehow.

But that's all by the by. As was Sigin's and the others of my group with Christian backgrounds being horrified about this business with Angels in the first place . . .

Quiet a relief to see that it's not exactly like Armeggedon, with us Arrayed against the forces of Heaven . . .I mean the solution to this problem of the NEED for Third Impact is so bloody simple . . . if you have the know how and access to the data needed to make a . . .

No, we'll get to that one in a moment . . . our parting gift to this troubled world in need.

That said and by the by . . .

Inquirer can be a most effective "lie detector", you know and unless one knows just HOW Inquirer's sensor systems works in doing the lie detections . . .little chance of fooling her. Rei's not human now, but her reactions are still rather . . . human (and thus would give her away if she'd tried to lie).

That and she'd asked to go with us immediately back to Terra Prime. We had mentioned we had planned on heading back (by teleportation). After she'd gotten over the strangeness of THAT idea (resilient girl here, this Rei) she'd gone and asked us to come along!

We hadn't gotten to the part where we tell her about getting out of the area were prior battles with Angels left some sort of mystical (for want of a better term) fallout that interferes with teleportation OUT of here and back home.

. . .

Now this is an irony, that last. We'd teleported INTO an area free from the fallout. We kill an Angel and get ourselves into quiet a pickle, needing to WALK a bit before using the transmat home!

"Okay," Rei blinks, digesting that factum, sounding disappointed somehow. "I . . .see."

Oh yes, I see. She thinks that we'd tested her, not trusting her sincerity.

While her questions had proven her sincerity, it hadn't been a test. We'd already established her sincerity already...

"We hadn't gotten to that part yet before you . . . asked right in the middle of things, my dear." I smile slightly, mockingly in reproof.

"Oh . . .OH!" she blinks, coloring slightly. "I'm . . sorry."

Well, no need for any more of this. She's had enough of an emotional roll-a-coaster ride as it stands and I shall not needle her more over misunderstandings.

1. No to appologize, my dear. I send to her (showing a level of trust we have in her now). Mistakes happen, that's all.

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