Hi,
This little bit takes place between chapters 3 and 4. It was originally
supposed to be in the story, but I concentrated on other stuff at the
time. Now, I'm trying to compensate for that.  :)

Disclaimer time:
Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty and Viz Communications own Ranma
1/2. Hideaki Anno, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Gainax and ADV Films own Neon
Genesis Evangelion.

I'd like to thank my pre-readers and the nice people at the Ranma
Fanfics forum (http://www.delphi.com/ranma_fanfics/start/) for their
help with this.

Corwin (ely7@inter.net.il or corwin@virtuallyjeannie.com)
http://lavender.fortunecity.com/friday/573/ranma.html

* Previous chapters can also be found at:
http://members.xoom.com/phu_lam/index.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~tannim/rfics.html
http://ranmaxovers.tripod.com



A Couple of Angels

Chapter 3b

"Rei?" Ranma said, interrupting the silence that reigned between the two
pilots as they walked to school together.

"Yes?" Rei replied, looking in the red-head's direction.

"How was it... you know... being in the hospital and all?" Ranma asked,
studying the ground in front of him intently.

"Lonely," the blue-haired girl replied, averting her eyes.

Sighing, Ranma continued walking in silence, contemplating on his next
words carefully.

"I... I'm sorry. I'd come and visit, but Shinji wouldn't tell me where
you were."

When the other girl didn't say anything for some time, Ranma added, "I'm
sorry I was too slow, Rei."

"Too slow?" Rei asked, blinking.

"I should've intervened sooner, or done something about that Angel... I
don't know..." Ranma replied, struggling with the words.

"The positron rifle was the only device capable of penetrating the
Angel's AT field. The only way you could help was by joining Nerv and
achieving a high sync ratio," Rei explained levelly.

"If that's what the Commander told you, then he's either wrong or lying,
Rei. There's always more than one way to do things."

The couple of pilots walked side by side after Ranma's statement for a
few moments, neither saying a word. Periodically glancing in Rei's
direction, Ranma noticed that she kept on walking with her head lowered.
With each passing moment, the sight was harder for him to take in.

"I'm sorry if I offended you or something. I didn't mean to."

"The Commander is... everything to me," Rei said slowly, raising her
head and staring off into the distance.

"Is he your father or something?" Ranma queried, furrowing his brow. 'If
that's true, I'm gonna take that bastard apart for treating his kids
like that!'

"He is more than that... Commander Ikari is..." Rei tried to say, her
voice wavering.

"Your God?" Ranma asked, turning his head towards her.

Rei continued walking ahead in silence, when Ranma's arm shot out and
caught her shoulder, holding the other girl in place.

"He's just a human, and from what I've seen not a good example of one."

"That is not true!" Rei exclaimed, whirling towards Ranma.

The blue-haired girl's eyes bore into Ranma, but the pigtailed martial
artist wasn't easily scared.

Instead of accepting the challenge presented by those eyes, the look in
Ranma's eyes softened and she whispered, "He destroys lives, Rei..."

"My life is his to command. I am replaceable..." Rei replied, her gaze
losing its intensity.

"No, you're not! Not to me!" Ranma shouted, grabbing Rei by her
shoulders.

Time passed around the two, neither moving nor saying a thing, choosing
to look in each other's eyes instead.

"Am I... important to you?" Rei finally got out, breaking the spell they
were both under.

Ranma looked away, and stammered, "Y-Yes."

Smiling, Rei said, "Thank you, Ranma-kun."

"Just Ranma, remember?" the pigtailed girl reminded her friend.

"Yes... Ranma."

Another silence descended on the pilots, as they continued their walk to
school.

"Why have you joined Nerv?" Rei wondered after a few minutes.

"To fight the Angels and protect humankind," Ranma replied, shrugging.
"You know, the usual."

"Is that the only reason?" Rei asked, causing Ranma to stop in her
tracks.

Looking back at the red-head, Rei called out to her, "Ranma?"

"Actually, I couldn't care less about any human on the face of the
planet. They could all burn in hell for all I care," Ranma said in a
voice devoid of emotion.

"You told me friends care for each other. Don't you care for your
friends?" Rei asked, puzzled.

"You're my only friend, Rei... the only one I have left. I... I don't
think anyone else survived. Before I met you... if I hadn't thought the
bastards that did it died along with my... along with my friends, I
would've gone after them."

She whispered, "To kill them."

"Yes."

Ranma paused, before continuing.

"There was once a time when I wouldn't even think about it. But not
anymore. I've grown up or, rather, have been forced to grow up fast,"
Ranma replied, clenching her fists.

"I understand," Rei said simply.

"You know... I think you're the only one who can..." Ranma agreed,
sighing.

Neither Rei nor Ranma said anything for a couple of minutes, standing in
the middle of a road silently.

"Are you sure all of your friends died?" Rei eventually asked.

"After... after my fiancees were killed... my mother tried to defend
Kasumi and Nabiki. Mom wasn't no sword master, but she tried to do
somethin'... Anything! Anythin' but lying down and accepting the
slaughter like a lamb," Ranma said dejectedly.

"She was killed. They blew a melon sized hole in her chest! And pop...
the looser got shot through the back, trying to escape. That damn
coward!"

The ice in Ranma's voice was cracking, and white-hot anger was getting
through. A tear born of frustration was slowly making its way down her
right cheek. Rei could only stare as her friend suffered helplessly, not
knowing what she could do help with the pain.

"I... I couldn't take it anymore. And then... then everything went
white," Ranma finished, her voice almost a whisper at the end of her
last sentence.

"When did this happen?" Rei asked, trying to learn more about her
friend.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. Please..." Ranma asked in a
pained voice, covering her eyes with a hand.

After waiting a few moments for Ranma to react, Rei said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," the red-head said sharply, raising her head to look Rei in
the eyes. "You saved me."

Rei didn't know what to say to that. Feeling both embarrassed and
exhilarated at the same time, she studied her feet, trying to control
her errant emotions.

"Promise me you'll never go away!" Ranma exclaimed suddenly.

Rei was silent for a minute, before replying softly, "I will. If you do
the same."

"It's a deal," Ranma agreed eagerly, offering her hand.

Rei smiled at her friend, and received a wide smile from Ranma in
return. Taking the red-head's hand in her own, she continued the walk to
school.


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