Neon Genesis Evangelion
   Higher Learning

  Strike Fiss, 2000










Nineteenth Lesson:  "All the World's a Stage"







Miyazaki Kaoru stood at the window, looking out over the buildings of 
Tokyo 3.  The sun was just beginning to rise, casting the incredible 
oranges and yellows across the white cityscape that were the norm for 
the season.  Even in this endless summer, one could see the 
differences.  Cicadas and color were the only change, yet it was still 
change.  

Earth was fighting back against this war.  Trying to regain it's 
climate and it's stability.  Heaven and Earth were not meant to battle.  
It was only the stupidity of mankind that had brought this war to such 
a level.  

"Father..."  he took a deep breath and sighed.  "You taught me so 
much..."

Hid fist began to clench.  

"And now is my chance to repay you." he gritted his teeth, turning away 
from the window.  "Time to get this show going."









Across the city, Shinji Ikari lay in bed, gazing up at the ceiling as 
his SDAT played music for his ears.  They were the songs they were to 
play at the concert in just a few short hours.  

As he listened to them, his mind raced.  So much more than usual...this 
was odd.  Almost as if he was listening intently to the music, but at 
the same time, had his entire brain free to ponder other things. 

He wondered if Misato would enjoy the performance.  If Asuka would 
congratulate him afterwards.  If maybe...his father would be there...

Would he make everyone proud?  Would he show them that he could do 
this?  Just this one thing besides Eva?  Something he had prayed would 
give his life direction and purpose since he was but a small boy 
playing in sand boxes and running from cicadas.  

What if he failed?  He knew he had no choice but to succeed.  

Asuka would help him.  She would lend him strength.  She always 
did...even without her knowing it.  Her angry frowns...and sometimes 
scary smiles...were more encouragement for him to do his best than he 
could ever thank her for.

Misato was his friend...his father was so out of reach...but Asuka?  
Even if she wasn't always friendly, she was always his partner.  

A blush crept up on his face as that thought passed over his brain.  

Maybe...if he didn't screw up, she'd kiss him.  That...that alone would 
be worth the days of practicing they've done.  Not that they were very 
unpleasant.  It was always great to spend time with Asuka, but she had 
insisted (for the most part) that they do everything perfectly.  

No wonder Kaoru thought she was such a great teaching aid.  

He glanced over to his clock and smiled.  

"Time to get up..." he sighed.  "Yosh..."






 

It was just a small garden salad and some whole wheat toast and 
water...as she usually ate.  Rei wondered if she should pick up some 
kitchen utensils besides the microwave, small fridge, and the toaster 
she currently owned.  After all, the soup Sensei had made that one day 
was excellent.  She was sure she could emulate it with practice.  

As she was busy mentally listing the ingredients she would need, the 
door opened, startling her out of her toast-munching trance.  She 
wasn't expecting anyone...but since only NERV personnel knew she lived 
here, she wasn't concerned.  

When Gendo Ikari walked into the small room, she smiled.  He returned 
the smile in his own curious way, then sat down across from her, 
opposite to the small end-table she always ate off of.  

"Hello, Rei." he said simply. 

"Good morning, Commander." she stated after chewing and swallowing her 
toast.  Even with the delay, though, their conversations were fairly 
common to start out like this. 

"Are you going to school today, Rei?" he asked, looking around the 
musty apartment.

"Hai." she nodded.  "There is a concert today.  I will be expected to 
play."

Gendo nodded simply.  "I will come to watch."

Rei's eyes lit up, and her mouth dared a small smile.  She only nodded 
crisply as a reply, though.  

"Are you finished with breakfast, Rei?"

She paused, looking at the toast, not sure what to reply with.

"Take your time, Rei.  We have transportation." Gendo offered.

Rei nodded again, and returned to her food.  Gendo watched her behind 
his glasses as he always did...but his mind was already boiling with 
questions about the concert.  He would find out, soon enough, though.  

Unit 03.  

The Marduk reports had still not found the Fourth Child...but this 
'Toji' was part of Rei's class.  Gendo had already instructed Doctor 
Akagi to set up testing for him. 

Gendo hated being toyed with. 

A dangerous smile crossed his lips, however.  This would be 
interesting, regardless.









After the month of somewhat 'relaxed' classes, Hikari was starving for 
this.  She needed it like some men needed water...craved it like some 
kind of drug.  

"OKAY PEOPLE!  LET'S MOVE IT!" she demanded, rolling up her sleeves.  

Toji and Shinji both groaned as they were forced to push one of the 
speakers into the corner.  "We're moving as fast as we can!" Toji 
gasped.  "Give us a break!"

"You'll have a break when we're DONE!" the Class Rep said in a gruff 
tone.  Before the two could say anything else, she whipped around and 
pointed at a group of girls who were gossiping in the corner.  "GET TO 
WORK!!!"

They all jumped and scrambled back up to the seats, getting them ready 
for the concert.  "Yes, ma'am!" they said collectively. 

Shinji shook his head and patted Toji on the back.  "She needs this, 
man.  Let her have her fun."

"Shinji!  Hurry up with that mop!"

"Ahh!  Yes, ma'am!" 

Toji sighed as he watched everyone scurrying around at Hikari's orders.  
"Well, at least she's not as loud as Asuka."

"SILENCE!" Asuka promptly slammed her water-bucket into Toji's side, 
knocking him over.  "Stooges like you will never know the honor of 
being in MY presence!"

"I never knew honor and pain were synonyms." Toji groaned as he 
twitched on the floor.  

"Smart ass." Asuka grumbled before returning to cleaning the stage 
lights.  

Sensei Kaoru watched with a smile as he helped Kensuke set up the 
multimedia equipment.  "If she wasn't so good at being class rep, I'd 
say she enjoyed being a sadist."

"Asuka or Hikari?" Kensuke smiled.  "I'd say that's why they're both 
friends." he looked around for eavesdroppers.  "You don't suppose 
they..."

"Don't even start, ecchi." Kaoru chuckled.

Kensuke looked around again.  "Oh, come on, like you haven't 
noticed..."

"I happen to be on good authority that Hikari would sooner cook for 
Toji than want to sleep with Asuka." Kaoru said with a chuckle.  

"Beh!" Kensuke sighed.  "Food over sex.  I'll never understand women."

"NO man understands women." Kaoru said, shaking a wise finger into the 
air.  "But, conversely, I doubt they understand us men all the time 
either, so it's a fair trade."

"You are a wise man, Sensei." Kensuke grinned. 

"That's what my resume says." he grinned right back, then frowned as he 
looked at his watch.  "Well, we better get this finished.  Only two 
hours left."

"Don't worry, sir!  We'll get this done in time!" Kensuke said proudly.

Kaoru smiled.  "Good man." he looked around.  "Though I do hope Miss 
Ayanami shows up soon..."








Gendo studied Rei as the city slid past them outside of the limo's 
windows.  She had been acting oddly ever since he arrived.  It was 
strange to see her like this.  In her arms she held her violin case, as 
well as a small media disk in a case.  

"Rei."

"Hai?"

"What is that disk?" he asked, curious.

Rei blinked, looking down to it.  "It is homework."

Gendo considered letting it slide, but that was not the first time he 
had heard her say 'homework', and it was standing out in his mind.  "Of 
what?"

"Music." Rei stated flatly.  "It is difficult to explain..."

"Will I be able to see it later?"

"At the concert." she nodded with a brief smile.  

Gendo nodded.  "How is school, Rei?"

Her eyes brightened.  "Good.  We have been learning about Socrates."

"Ancient nonsense." Gendo commented idly. 

Rei blinked, then thought for a moment.  "Also, more recently, Timothy 
Leary."

"Mmm.  I have not heard that name for a long time." Gendo thought to 
himself.  He had only heard Yui and Ritsuko refer to that particular 
philosopher.

"We have a very good Sensei." Rei said with a nod. 

"I'm sure you do." Gendo nodded.  

The car slowed and turned, finally coming to a stop outside of the 
school.  Already, a few of the eager parents who had not been busy 
working were milling around the front area as he and Rei exited the 
vehicle and made their way inside.  

Not surprisingly, they found Misato already raiding the complimentary 
food table that had been set out for the concert/parent-teacher-
interviews.  

The Major looked up from her plate to see the Commander and Rei walking 
in...

and almost had a heart attack.  

"Sir?" she gasped over a mouthful of rice-crispy-square.  

"Major." he replied crisply, walking past. 

She almost fainted.  "I must be dreaming...it's all a dream..."

"What a strange woman." Gendo thought to himself as they walked down 
the hall.  

Even in the short time it took them to cross the school, the crowd had 
increased.  This being the first real event in Tokyo 3 besides an Angel 
attack, parents were excited, and many brought their friends.  It was a 
very heart-warming sight to see Tokyo-3 so alive and...dare 
say...normal.  

Gendo ignored it completely.

"Sir." Rei said suddenly.  "I must go prepare for the concert." 

"Very well." he nodded.  "You may go."

She nodded.  "It will start in half an hour.  The Major should be able 
to tell you anything you need to know."

"Thank you, Rei." he allowed a small smile.  "I'll see you then."

She smiled and walked off trough the backstage entrance. 

Gendo looked around with a sigh.  He hadn't been in a school in years.  
Since just before Yui's...accident.  Back then, they would often visit 
Shinji's Godparents.  One had been a professor in the local community 
school then.  Sensei had been the one that offered to take Shinji in 
when NERV had needed his attention.

Last time he had been in a school was for Shinji's first recital.  

It was horrible.  The boy and his class...just children back 
then...even compared to now...made the most horrible, squeaky racket 
with their instruments.  

But he remembered watching Shinji.  How the boy wouldn't give up.  He 
just gripped the bow tighter and held onto the cello with all his 
might.  At the end of it all, he played one entire verse without making 
a mistake.

Even as his class continued to screech around him.  

But Gendo had noticed.  He had picked out the sounds and stood, as the 
other parents did.  But, when they clapped in humouring gasps and 
chuckles over how bad the music was, he had stood there, clapped for 
only a moment, and then smiled.

And Shinji saw this, and smiled back brightly.

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, and he turned to his wife.  Yui 
smiled.  "I told you he'd do fine."



Brought back to the present by the sight of the Major approaching, 
Gendo sighed and buried the memories once more.  "I didn't expect to 
see you here, Commander." she said, not bothering to mask the surprise 
in her voice. 

"Is it not a parent-teacher interview?" he said simply.

"Yes...but..."

"Shinji is still my child, is he not?"

Misato conceded with a sigh.  "Yes, sir." 

The doors to the auditorium opened finally, and people began to file 
into it excitedly.  "Shall we, Major?"

She nodded and followed.  They found seats in the middle of the rows, 
blending in with the crowd nicely.  Misato wondered if maybe Gendo 
didn't want Shinji to know he was there.  It wouldn't surprise her.  
A few minutes later, the lights dimmed, and the small stage that the 
seats were arranged around lit up by a spotlight.  The crowd, now 
completely filling the seats, hushed quickly.

A very nervous, but smiling class rep walked onto the stage and bowed.  

"Welcome, everyone, to Class A-2's concert." Hikari announced.  "For 
your enjoyment this evening, we have composed a short selection of 
music, as well as a multi-media presentation to compliment it." she 
turned and pointed to the projector-screen.  "These images reflect our 
classes ideas about the songs and the feelings they represent.  We 
encourage you all to make note of each song, and talk with your 
children about them." she smiled brightly.  "It's been a lot of fun to 
do.  So, without any further delay..." she bowed and walked off the 
stage after a short round of applause.  

The lights dimmed again...until the screen lit up with projector light.  

A slow fade in revealed a peaceful sky.  

And then Ride of the Valkyries began to play.  The Aida family all 
began to laugh as the screen started to show bomber aircraft begin to 
fly around.  

Gendo watched in amusement as, to the soaring, humming strings and 
horns, several WWII sequences were displayed on the screen in a 
glorious fashion.  

Next, (again, to the music) there were several buildings being 
demolished and exploding.  Parents and spectators alike loved it, and 
many began to laugh out loud.  

And now, as the song was just nearing it's climax, BEES!  Swarms of 
bees began to fly around on the screen.  Then, marching ants.  During 
the last major orchestra hits, scenes of mushroom clouds and N2 mines 
again dominated the visual.  Misato groaned as she realized most of the 
song was probably Kensuke's idea.  Still, she had to admit it, it was a 
great combination.  

A surprising final image, as the song drummed and clashed to an end, 
was the scene of Evangelion Unit 00 and 01 rising out of the mountain 
on their elevator to battle the Fifth Angel.  

Everyone 'oohed' and 'awed'.  Gendo just smirked and pushed his glasses 
up on his nose.  

As the lights came back on half-power, the assembled crowd all stood 
and clapped.  Kensuke, though he was back stage, now had an ego the 
size of the moon.

The clapping continued as people walked out onto the stage in the dim 
light.  Gendo could see Shinji, Rei, and Asuka, as well as three of 
their classmates, all lining up along the edge of the hardwood stage.  
Each brought sheet-music and their instruments.  Two other students 
quickly scurried back and forth to get their chairs and music stands 
ready.  

Finally, as the movement died down, there was one last figure to walk 
up onto stage.  Gendo assumed it was the Sensei, but did not get a good 
look in the light.  "Mmm."

He raised his hands as the lights dimmed, showing to have a conductor's 
wand.  Tiobie, one of the students, was stationed at the drums, and 
with a quick wave of the Sensei's wand, the song began in a glorious 
combination of drums and a thick trumpet from Kenada and the speakers 
nearby, filling in the background instruments that were unavailable to 
the small orchestra.  

Beethoven's Symphony Number 9 Choral, Forth Movement, An Ode To Joy.

The crowd listened in amazement as the six began to play...very 
well...into the first half of the song, slowly winding their way up to 
the main chorus.  As they did, Shinji's cello, and the two violins were 
crisp and distinct.  Every note was right on the mark, flowing 
perfectly with the background tones, and with each other.  The only 
other noise in the room was the occasional whisper by an astonished 
parent or friend.  

The screen showed patterns and art along with the music, but most of it 
blended into the sound.  And finally...the chorus.  

Together, the Children played.  The familiar tune that so many knew, 
but often, never appreciated, took on a whole new light to the ears of 
the audience.  The music soared!  As it did, the images began to get 
more distinct.  Scenes of thunderclouds and volcanoes.  Oceans and 
leaping dolphins.  Such a wide variety, yet, they all seemed to fit.  

Misato was completely taken by the experience, not being used to such a 
moving scene when she was sober.  Gendo watched silently, but it was 
easy to tell he was leaning forward in his seat, enjoying the 
experience as well. 

The final chorus!  The Sensei's wand moved with power to the music, and 
the players played in sync.  

And the final scene shown on the screen was something few would be able 
to recognize, yet was amazing in any respect.  Gendo knew it to be from 
inside the Geofront, in a small swimming pool Rei would often go to.

The scene itself was simply looking up at the artificial sky, and the 
inverted city of Tokyo-3...and yet...it was breathtaking.  Stories of 
the Geofront could never show how truly massive and amazing it was, and 
the entire crowd...including the people who worked down in the Front, 
were awed.  



The standing ovation came before the last note rang out from the 
strings, and the ecstatic smiles of the six children showed how proud 
they were.  

The lights came back on, and Sensei Kaoru turned around, a huge smile 
on his face.


Misato almost swallowed her tongue. 


Gendo blinked once.



Sensei Kaoru clapped along with the audience, allowing the students an 
extra bow before talking.  "Thank you again for coming!" he said above 
the lingering applause.  

He zeroed in on Gendo Ikari and smiled...but not before pushing his 
glasses up on his nose in such a way that made the Commander's mood 
darken considerably.  

"And now..." Kaoru continued, addressing the crowd once again.  "On 
behalf of the class and I, sit back and enjoy." he tuned to Gendo, 
right in the middle, and raised his chin slightly.  Their eyes 
connected across the crowd with such ease that Gendo, all at once, knew 
this man had been expecting him.

"Mmm." he hummed to himself.

Kaoru smiled and nodded.  "The show is just starting."







To be continued...








-----------------------------------------------------------------------


WHEEEEE!  Okay, first of all, I'm not too late this time, but I would 
like to apologize for the last Lesson.  BIIIIG mistake on the version 
posted to RAAC, where the letter said Toji would pilot Unit 04...when 
it should have been Unit 03, of course.  Oy.  That completely screwed 
up the plot, and I got a lot of people asking me if he would pilot the 
Missing Unit 04.  No no no.  He'll still be in Unit 03...no matter what 
happens afterwards. ^_^

I'd also like to mention another mistake that will be fixed in the 
Teacher's Edition for Lessons 11-20, where I mentioned the Children 
were 14.  While that is true, it is NOT true for Higher Learning...as 
Shinji celebrated his 16th birthday in Lesson 1.  Man, you'd think I'd 
keep track of these things!  

Anyway, a few side notes.  Most of the songs that will be played in the 
"Concert" are already on my website for any curious people who don't 
know them and wish to download them.  

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110/media.html

I'll probably be posting any missing ones soon.  MP3's rule.  ^_^  And 
another good thing is that Beethoven is General Public Licence now, so 
you can download it anytime you want.  (or so I've been told)

Anyone who was wondering who Timothy Leary was (mentioned by Rei), 
he's a philosopher who studied the so called "Eight Circuts of 
Conciousness" You can read more here:

http://deoxy.org/8circuit.htm

Ah, and a few extra notes:  Shinji the Casanova will NOT be succeeded 
by a Part 2.  Quite frankly, I'm not sure how you could make a sequel 
about it.  ^_^  Of course, the moment I typed that, I got an idea, so 
you never know...just don't expect one anytime soon, okay?

And as for Holding Hands 2?  I wouldn't hold your breath either.  ^_^  
I'm a busy man!  

Well, till next week!  Enjoy!



e-mail:  strikef@bigfoot.com
homepage:  http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110





Strike Fiss, Ninja Crowbotics 2000.  Khattam-Shud, EOF.