Orchestrating the Silence is a Neon Genesis Evangelion Continuation fanfic by SerialRavist
Shinji and Asuka, the only survivors of Third Impact, must learn to live by themselves in the ruined world. But what happens when the last two people on Earth cannot stand each other?
It can be read in Fanfiction.net
Compare with other Eva continuation fics like The Second Try or Ghosts of Evangelion.
Tropes found in this fanfiction:
- Adam and Eve Plot: Lampshaded when Shinji points out there is nobody in the world other than Asuka and him, and she refrains herself from chewing him out for a "lame Adam and Eve comparison".
- After the End: The story takes place after the Third Impact.
- Alien Sky: Soon after awakening, Asuka notices a ribbon of crimson streaking across the sky, a kind of planetary ring which Earth is not supposed to have.
- Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: Asuka has conflicted feelings as she and Shinji become closer; she realizes that she would actually like him to take her up on some of her teasing but is nervous at the prospect and also might still react poorly if he did. Eventually she realizes that what she really wants is for Shinji to display confidence and initiative in their budding relationship, and finally just tells him so.I made the first move tonight, but if you ever make me do that more than, say... twice in a row, I'm going to kick you in the nuts afterwards. Be a man and take what's yours.
- Armor-Piercing Question: Deconstructed. Wanting to force Asuka to face her old demons, Shinji asks why she returned from Instrumentality if she did not learn anything. Instead, Asuka mistakes his bluntness for disgust, and being unable to bear it, she runs away.
- Attention Whore: Part of the reason Asuka ends up forgiving Shinji for the infamous hospital thing is her "perverse joy" at finding out that he fantasized about her more than he did Rei. Shinji later realizes that this is just part of her character.She needs my attention. Not wants; needs . . . If she's concerned I'm not thinking of her, she has to do something to get my attention, to make sure she stays present in my thoughts somehow.
- Beautiful Dreamer: When Asuka and Shinji start sharing a tent, the former stares at the latter's sleeping face every morning.I think I stare at him every morning now. Without motion on my part, just staring, head propped up on one hand as I gaze over across the cold remains of last night's fire and at his peaceful face.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Shinji and Asuka spend several weeks stuck in a "bickering->fighting->avoiding each other->missing each other->making up->bickering" cycle until they finally get together.
- Bittersweet Ending: The story ends with both Shinji and Asuka happy with their immediate situation after working out their personal issues and making a good start at solving their interpersonal ones. However, the world is in horrible shape, they've still not seen an animal larger than a seagull, as far as they know they're the only two humans on Earth, and it's far from certain that civilization can be rebuilt even if anyone else does come back to help.
- Broken Tears: After he stops strangling Asuka, Shinji starts crying, and he does not stop for a long while.
- Conditioned to Accept Horror: After all she has gone through, Asuka does not feel particularly horrified or even surprised when she hears the red streak across the sky is made of souls which came spraying out of Rei's neck."Hey," I begin, nodding up at the sky. "What's that red thing?"
He takes another swallow of water from his bottle, following my gaze. Then he makes a sad face. "Souls," he answers quietly. "Human souls. They… uh, came spraying out of Rei's neck during Instrumentality."
I nod silently. It seems like this should shock or horrify me, but now that just kind of seems… par for the course. - Cosy Catastrophe: Shinji and Asuka spend the first few chapters raiding convenience stores in search of food, water and batteries, stealing a car, breaking into a house to pick fresh clothes…
- Handicapped Badass: Due to injuries sustained during her final battle, Asuka needed crutches after returning from Instrumentality.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All episodes are named after musical terms like "Larghetto" or "Grave Non Troppo".
- Inner Monologue: Shinji and Asuka's self-reflections take up a huge part of the story.
- Intertwined Fingers: Asuka threads her fingers through Shinji's when she asks him if he wants her to stay with him.Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm sliding a hand along his arm; my fingers find his own and thread through them, then press his hand against my stomach. "You still need me, then?" I recall softly.
"I do." He swallows. "I... don't want you to go away again."
I exhale softly. "Then I'll stay right here." - Light Is Not Good: Asuka associates the MP-Evas which slaughtered her brutally with the white color and the halo of the Sun.
- Mood-Swinger: Sometimes Shinji feels baffled by Asuka's quick changes of mood. She goes from getting mad at him to running away crying in a split-second.I find myself just staring at her, albeit out of the corners of my eyes. What the hell is this all about, anyway? This is the same girl who ran away from me? And then snuck into my bed to sleep with me? Are there like... three Asukas running around now, or what?
- Noisy Nature: Averted. When Shinji and Asuka move to the woodlands near Tokyo-3, they cannot hear any noise, and they have not spotted any large animal. Shinji finds such a stillness enervating.Shortly the breeze dies, and a thick silence returns, devoid even of animal noises. That's really starting to bother me; though I've seen insects and even some smaller animals, I've spotted nothing larger than a mouse the entire time I've been here. I'm hoping that Third Impact simply scared everything big away, and that it'll all come back eventually.
- Not a Morning Person: Asuka does not like getting up early in the morning, and Shinji sleeps in more than she does.The sun's almost up now, and he's still asleep. I can be lazy, but I bet he actually sleeps more than I do.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Shinji admits he needs Asuka's presence because he has realized the two of them are birds of a feather who simply reacted differently to similar traumatic experiences."I... really like having you around," he admits. "I was going crazy without you, you know."
I know how that is. "Yeah, but... why me? Why Asuka?"
[...]"We're the same," he explains; his voice is so soft I can barely hear it. "We just went in opposite directions."
After a moment I nod. I'll believe that. - O.O.C. Is Serious Business: In the second chapter, Asuka's eyes widen when Shinji snaps at her during an argument. She also notes he seems strangely relaxed instead of apologetic, angry or absent-minded."Prune? Seriously? You got a prune-flavored energy bar?"
"I just grabbed one of everything here", he explains mildly. "Don't blame me. Maybe you should have waited and listened before taking one."
I feel my eyes widen at this, too surprised to be angry. - Soft Glass: Averted when Asuka shatters a glass door to break into a store, and she hurts her hand when she touches the door's remnants to support herself.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: Rei's spirit appears to Shinji to say goodbye, and then she vanishes while he is blinking.
- Stress Vomit: As riding a bike out of the city, Shinji notices it is starting to rain. And the water is pink. It is raining LCL. Shinji falls off his bike, crawls away and throws up into a scrub by the roadside.
