This was actually posted back in October I believe. However, with recent
requests from FFML members for V1, here it comes again. Think I'll write a
summary this time too. ^_^
James Grabowski
- http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~sephirius
- sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net
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__________________________________________________________________________
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: VARIATIONS ON A THEME
- Volume 1 - The Irony of Life / But We Happen To Know...
Written By: James Grabowski & Geoff Upchurch
<Scheduled Scenario Productions:
"Midnight Limited" & "Solbination Limited" Subsidiaries>
Revision: 1.00 - Official Release
Date: October 16, 1998 (Started: September 20, 1998)
Time: 4:35:30 PM - EDT
__________________________________________________________________________
LEGAL INFORMATION:
All characters contained in this fanfiction are copyright GAINAX,
Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision
holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis
Evangelion. At this time, they are used WITHOUT the permission of the
aforementioned institutions.
This fanfic is a production of the above mentioned authors, and may not
be used in any way, shape, or form without prior permission of the
authors. Distribution is subject to prior approval by the authors.
__________________________________________________________________________
AUTHORS' NOTES:
Authors' notes... so different from author's notes. Why? Because
it means there is more than one author.
Co-authoring is few and far between these days among Eva
fanfiction, and writing in general. Often co-authoring entails
working with someone who you know well, or in such a case, someone who
you can meet with in person to discuss what is being written.
This entails a problem, as one of us lives in Canada, and the
other in the United States. That and a one time zone difference kind
of makes it hard to actually physically _meet_ the other. <g>
Well, we pretty much broke the rules and boundaries of
co-authoring. Despite the large distance between us, we are producing
this series of Eva fanfiction, entitled "Neon Genesis Evangelion:
Variations on a Theme".
To be honest, this entire thing came out of the blue. What
started as a little fooling around during an ICQ Chat session developed
into a full-blown fic! (no lemon jokes please) We're looking at about
a week after Shinji returns from Unit One, between episodes 20 & 21 in
continuity. Some of the stuff that happens won't make a whole lot of
sense if the reader, you, hasn't seen that far.
This was during a discussion about Eva fics. Here's how it started:
<Sephirius Endymion> Yes, both Shinji and Rei would be getting REAL
close... and that has more than one meaning. <g>
<Shinji Ayanami> Too bad I offed Gendo ... that could be a _damn_ funny
reaction.
<Sephirius Endymion> Well, I'll see what I can do. =)
<Shinji Ayanami> Still, I can just see Ritsu going off on Misato for not
preforming her duties. <laughs>
<Shinji Ayanami> "Major Katsuragi! Just what the HELL have you been
doing?!"
<Sephirius Endymion> "Me? Should you be asking THEM that?"
Yes, if you read this whole thing, we started with the last third
of the story. We didn't realize until afterward that we had left out a
lot. Best way to describe the genre of this fic is Action, Drama,
Humour, Romance, Darkness, and even some WAFF. Yes, this spans many
platforms. Pure Evangelion. <g>
Some advanced warning, please keep an open mind when you read.
Some scenes may be unsettling to you. Why? I don't know, just thought
you should get a warning. <g> To be honest, we're already anticipating
some interesting feedback on this fic. This should get some people
thinking, and if not, then... we don't know why.
Volume 2 will be out in a couple of weeks, so be sure to watch
for it. It's already in progress, and turning into quite the
interesting continuation... rather spine-chilling.
Well, enjoy! Let us know what you think of it! And to answer
those questions in your minds, _yes_ we are insane, and _yes_ we _do_
know just what the hell we're doing. <g>
__________________________________________________________________________
"Hey! Why don't we make off-hand comments and turn it into a
script for an Evafic, James?"
`Are you smoking weed?' James thinks.
`He must think I'm smoking weed,' Geoff thinks.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Variations on a Theme
- Volume 1 - The Irony of Life / But We Happen To Know...
It was dawn. Bright light which begins a new day, yet can be
shrouded with but a simple gesture.
Rei stood in front of her mirror and looked back at herself. She
was already clothed in her school uniform, green dress hanging near her
knees, white shirt buttoned up, a small red bow at her neck. She stared
blankly at her reflection in the mirror.
"I am still here."
She sat down on her bed and looked at the ground.
"There was no death then, because he returned."
Rei blinked, and looked at the ceiling.
"Over a month, he was one with the Eva. And yet, it was
different. He is like Soryuu, Katsuragi, Akagi... he is a life, and
he affects others."
She leaned over and picked up the case she used to carry materials
to and from school, as well as NERV documentation.
"It was different. The way others perceive me and how I perceive
them is what creates me. And without him... it was a different
perception."
"I do not like seeing him hurt. Why?"
She remembered the words that Touji had said to her little more
than a month earlier.
'You care about Shinji, don't you?'
'Maybe that's true,'
'Yep!'
"That's true, but I don't understand."
Rei reached out to a small gray container on her box, and opened
it gently. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested easily in it, the lenses
cracked, the frames partially bent. She closed it and placed it gently
in the bag.
"What did Suzuhara-kun fully intend by his statement?"
Rei gently drew a curtain to the side with her arm and looked out
of it, still carrying her case with her.
"It is early."
She drew the curtain back to its original position. With a heavy
breath, she shuffled down the hallway of her small apartment, slipped off
her sandals, and replaced them with a pair of white shoes.
"Time to go."
With those words, she drew her door open and stepped out, and
closed it once more, leaving it unlocked as she always did.
------------------------------------
"Good morning Shinji-kun!" Misato called cheerfully.
"Misato-san! You're up early today!" Shinji said mildly surprised
as he walked into the kitchen, already dressed in school attire.
'And she's dressed in her NERV uniform... or what she wears to
NERV anyway... is she feeling well?'
"Just cooking breakfast," Misato said as the toaster popped.
'She has been nicer to me... since I came back,' Shinji thought to
himself. He took in a deep breath, and nearly choked on the smell that
entered him.
"Don't worry about that. I burnt some toast before, so..."
"How much?"
"About a loaf. Don't worry, it's fine now."
Shinji smiled nervously. 'She means well.'
He walked over to the table and sat down.
"You don't have to go in today?"
"Well, yes... but only for about an hour or two this morning.
I'll be home all afternoon, and Ritsuko's going to be here later this
evening too," Misato replied with her cheerful luster.
"Ritsuko-san is coming over?"
"Yes. She wants to see how you're doing. It's been a week
since..." Misato trailed off, a voice hinting of disturbance.
"Misato-san?" Shinji asked worriedly.
"She just wants to ask you a couple of questions. That, and she
wants to talk to me about something..."
"Is she coming for dinner?"
"Hmmm? Oh, yes..."
"I see."
"Here's your breakfast!"
Misato walked over to him and set a plate down in front of him.
It's contents were two pieces of slightly burnt toast. On the table was
a glass of... something orange. This meant it could be juice or whatever
she had managed to scavenge from the burnt toast. Whether any of this
was actually edible was something else entirely.
'Well, here's to my health... or what's left of it.'
"Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu!" Misato replied as she sat down with the same
thing.
Shinji braved the danger and bit into the toast.
'This tastes like... toast. Wow.'
Misato was happily swallowing down her breakfast... with a side of
beer of course. He attempted to taste his beverage, praying it was
edible like the toast.
'This tastes like... juice. Wow. Since when could Misato make...
anything?'
"Misato-san?"
"Mmhmm?" she asked muffled.
"This tastes good."
"I've been practicing."
Shinji nodded and kept eating.
"Where's Asuka?"
"I heard her before. She went to take a bath. I guess she's
still in there."
The both of them heard a loud female scream. The next thing
either of them knew, Pen-Pen was flying across the kitchen floor, a
towel hanging from his neck.
"EVEN BIRDS ARE PERVERTED!" Asuka screamed as she flew into the
kitchen with a red towel wrapped around her body, dripping water across
the floor as her hair remained straight and flat against her head and
the portion of the towel which was covering her back.
"Good, morning, Asuka," Shinji ventured.
"Hmmph! Oh, good morning Shinji," she said, relatively calmly.
"Nice to see SOMEONE has the decency to show a little respect around
here," she stated, eyeing Misato warily.
'What's she talking about?' Shinji wondered as he watched Misato's
visage begin to redden.
"Well, I'm going back to my bath. Don't walk in if you like
living," she declared as she marched back to the bathroom.
Pen-Pen quickly waddled to his freezer and jumped in, letting the
door shut behind him.
'Poor thing,' Misato thought.
"What was all that about?" Shinji asked.
"It was nothing. Don't worry about it."
"I understand."
"Are you happy to be going back to school today?" Misato asked,
changing the subject.
"I... guess... I've seen everyone already. Except..."
"Aida-kun has been talking to him."
"How is he?"
"You're better to ask him."
"..."
A vision of Unit One's hand crushing the entry plug of Unit Three
flashed through his mind. Another of Unit One eating the 14th Angel
followed. He finished his breakfast in disturbed silence.
"He'll be by shortly, so you can ask him."
"..."
"Don't worry."
"Hmmm?" he asked, looking up startled.
"Don't worry," Misato said, smiling.
Shinji blinked, and then nodded. The doorbell broke any further
concentration on conversation.
"Would you get that?" Misato asked as she began to chug down
more of her beer. "It must be Aida-kun."
"Sure."
He brought his dishes to the sink and then walked over to the
door, letting it slide open.
"Good morning Ikari!"
The always cheerful Kensuke Aida stood with his bag over his
shoulder and his camera in hand, turned off and resting at his side.
"Morning."
"...Hello Ikari-kun."
Shinji nearly jumped, the second voice surprising him. Standing
next to Kensuke was Rei, bag clasped in both hands, looking at him in
her usual manner.
"Hello Ayanami," he said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Are you ready to go?" Kensuke asked him.
"Uh... sure," he replied. He began to slide his shoes on.
"Misato-san! I'm going now."
"See you later! Did I hear another voice?"
"Yes. It's Ayanami."
"Oh. All right, take care!"
The sound of another can of beer popping open could be heard
faintly.
Shinji took his bag and walked out the door, letting it close
behind him.
"How are you feeling?" Kensuke asked him as the three walked side
by side down the hallway.
"Fine, I guess. I'm not in pain... but at the time..."
"How did it feel?" Rei asked quietly as they stepped into the
elevator and it began its descent.
"It felt... comfortable..." he said, reminiscing. "I found it
painful... but..."
"You found comfort?"
"For a moment... yes."
"Only for a moment?"
"A few moments."
Rei nodded.
Kensuke looked on thoughtfully.
The elevator came to a halt. The three walked out of the
building and out onto the street, and continued their walk to school.
"How's... how's Touji?" Shinji asked.
"He's... okay," Kensuke said. "He gets to see his sister more
often, which makes them both happy. Hikari visits him every other day."
"Hikari visits him?"
"Of course. She cares about him pretty strongly."
Shinji nodded. "I just hope he's all right... but... what do you
mean exactly?"
Kensuke chuckled. "She doesn't hide it as well as she tries too.
At school maybe, but in the hospital... Touji just isn't very perceptive.
At first I thought she just kind of looked out for him in a sense, even
though it meant batting him around the classroom. But, she has more than
just his welfare on her mind."
"I never knew that..."
"Don't worry about him. Actually, he asked me to give you a
message."
"Really?"
"Yep. He said to get down there when you get the chance or he'll
knock you out again."
Shinji chuckled lightly.
"He also said that he was right."
"Right? Right about what?"
"He wouldn't say. He just said that he was right."
Shinji looked at Kensuke completely mystified. Kensuke shrugged
and turned to look in front of him, scrambling to avoid walking into a
mailbox. The three walked on quietly down the road, no disturbances
except for Tokyo-3 itself. Shinji glanced at both of his friends, and
then focussed his eyes on the blue-haired girl.
"Ayanami? Why did you come?"
"I wanted to see you," she replied softly.
"See me?"
"Yes."
"How come?"
"I don't know."
"You... don't know?"
"Because I wanted to."
"You... ummm... thank you."
Kensuke listened to the conversation come to a close, his glasses
glinting in the sunlight.
'He's lucky to have people who care about him, even if he
doesn't completely realize it,' he thought as he looked at Shinji. His
gaze shifted over to Rei.
'Even if they don't completely realize it.'
"Well, you haven't missed anything over the past month," Kensuke
offered.
"You mean..."
"Second Impact," Rei interjected quietly.
"Big surprise," Shinji sighed. "Did anything interesting happen?"
"Well... Asuka drop-kicked a boy who she overheard giving reasons
for your absence."
"Oh boy..." Shinji said as he rubbed his head. "What were those
reasons?"
"Well, it was about five days after... you were... well... it was
five days after, and Rei had been absent for that amount of time as well,
so..."
Shinji blushed slightly. "You mean..."
"He was out for the rest of the day. Never knew someone could
bounce off the ground like that."
"Oh geez..."
"Then she practically threw someone off the platform outside the
school."
"For what?"
"Same type of thing. Except this time it involved you and her..."
"Well, that's Asuka for you..." Shinji mumbled.
"There's more," Rei spoke quietly.
"More?"
"I've got a few cassettes I'll have to show you," Kensuke laughed.
------------------------------------
"Hey, where's Shinji?" Asuka asked as she walked out of her room,
dressed in uniform.
"He left about ten minutes ago Asuka," Misato replied as she
washed some dishes. The 'broken' pile was empty this day.
"He left without waiting for me?! Baka Shinji!"
"You're running late actually. Look at the time."
Asuka glanced at the clock up on the wall. Ten minutes before
the school day was scheduled to begin.
"Plenty of time. Sensei always arrives late," she said as she
rushed to her room to grab her bag. "Why didn't you tell me I was
running late, or that he was leaving?" she shouted from the other end
of the house.
"You seemed to be comfortable in your bath. You were in there
long enough."
Asuka walked into the room holding her bag over her shoulder.
"Are you insinuating anything?"
"No. Just wondering."
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
'About what idiots I'm going to have to teach a lesson to
today...'
"Nothing important."
"Anyway, you'd better go. Want some toast?"
"Is it edible?"
"YES, IT'S EDIBLE!" Misato shouted in a frustrated tone.
"Okay, okay..."
Asuka grabbed the two pieces of toast in Misato's outstretched
hand and walked to the door.
"Have a good day Asuka!"
"Ymmm Trm," she replied, mouth filled with toast as the door slid
closed behind her.
Misato looked up at the clock.
"I feel lonely."
------------------------------------
"Ikari Shinji-kun, here are your printouts."
Shinji groaned as Hikari set a stack of papers an inch thick on
his desk.
"Aren't you glad you came back?" Kensuke asked absently as he
filmed his friend.
"Ecstatic," Shinji sighed as he slouched over his desk and glanced
at the printout on the top of the pile.
"Don't worry Shinji. You have about two weeks to do them. That
should be more than enough time," Hikari offered.
"Hmmm."
"So Shinji, how does it..." She trailed off as she saw Kensuke
give her a 'bad idea - don't go there if you don't have to' look.
"All right," he answered absently.
Hikari nodded. "Hey, where's Asuka today? She's going to be
late."
"She was bathing when I left. She could still be there for
all I know..."
"I wouldn't be surprised. She's been holding buckets almost every
day for the past week."
"What for?"
"She just seems to be losing her temper more easily these days.
It's getting to be a problem..."
"I have it all caught on tape!" Kensuke exclaimed.
"You really want to show those to me, don't you?" Shinji asked
him.
"How come you can even bring that camera into school?" Hikari
asked him with a frown spreading across her pretty face.
"I'm not causing any trouble Hikari. I just have a taste for the
interesting."
"So long as it's violent," she replied sarcastically.
"Well, guns help... but flying students are a close second!"
Hikari sighed. "You are such an idiot."
"Hey, don't call me that!"
"But you are!"
"Then why do you keep hanging around me, huh?"
Hikari blushed lightly and started to stutter. "Well, I... that
is..."
"Does it have to do with Touji?"
"Oh be quiet!"
"You sound like you're breaking up," Shinji interjected.
"And what do you mean by that?!" Kensuke and Hikari asked him at
the same time.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Kensuke and Hikari went on with their argument as Shinji pushed
his red laptop aside, slumped to his desk and gazed around the
sensei-less room...
'Perhaps senseless room.'
His gaze fell to Asuka's seat.
'I wonder where she is. It's not like her to be this late... I
wonder if she's really as angry as everyone says. I wonder... how she
is. I'm happy to see her again, even if she is... Asuka.'
He chuckled aloud. His gaze continued to wander, resting on
Touji's chair.
'Eva. I'm the pilot of Evangelion, Unit One. He was the pilot
of Evangelion, Unit Three. Eva against Eva... I hate it... I didn't want
to do it... I didn't, but it was my hands... mine. But Misato and
Touji... they say it's not my fault. Are they right? I hope I can see
him soon.'
Once more his gaze wandered, falling on the young blue-haired Eva
pilot who stared out the window in passive interest.
'Ayanami. Why did she come to see me this morning? Because she
wanted to. I've never heard those words from her before. It was...
nice, to hear them. But, why did she want to?'
His concentration in thought was lost as he realized he had been
noticed. Rei's face still rested on her hands, but it was no longer
facing the window. Rather, it was directed in his direction, orbs of
red focussed on him. It stayed like that for a few seconds. In the
end, he blushed deeply and looked away.
'How embarrassing.'
He felt his cheeks returning to their original colour, but he
still felt the gaze on him. About a minute later he looked back again,
and sure enough, Rei was still staring at him. For a minute their gazes
remained locked.
'Why is she looking... at me?'
Still he held the gaze. Then something happened which surprised
him.
Rei smiled at him.
Just a small, soft smile.
But it was there.
'She's smiling at me?'
His eyes widened slightly as he looked back at the smiling girl.
'A smile... suits her.'
His eyes returned to their normal size. He smiled back at her.
A few moments later, she turned to the window again.
'That was nice.'
"Earth to Ikari, are you there Ikari, over."
"Hmmm---!"
Shinji was snapped out of his smiling trance as Kensuke poked him
from behind.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah... everything's fine. I was just thinking."
"About Rei?"
"What?"
Kensuke grinned. "Oh come on! I saw you looking at her for over
a minute!"
"I was not!"
"Ah Shinji, if only Touji were here to see you now..." he said as
his glasses began to glint strangely. "And I saw you smiling too. And
just what exactly about her were you thinking about, hmmm?" he asked
innocently as he prodded Shinji with his camera.
Shinji sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I tell
you I want to sleep with her, are you?"
"Maybe."
"It isn't like that."
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know... I was just wondering, why she came to see me
today..."
Kensuke raised an eyebrow, then set down his camera and looked at
Shinji with a normal expression.
"All joking aside, you're pretty dense."
"What?"
"She's your friend, and she's worried about you. That's why I
came to see you, what's to stop her from doing the same?"
"You think... that's what it is?"
"Why not? To be honest, she was standing outside your door when I
got there. I don't know how long she had been there mind you. Face it,
you're one of the few people that she talks to, even if it isn't often."
Shinji blinked.
"You're a lucky guy Ikari. You have more friends than you
realize."
"Thanks... Kensuke."
Kensuke smiled.
"No problem."
He picked up his camera and pointed it at Shinji.
"So, when are you going to make your move on her?"
Shinji's head fell to his desk with a clunk, Kensuke snickering
the entire time.
"BAKA SHINJI-KUN!"
Kensuke face-faulted as Shinji slowly sat up.
"A... A... hello, Asuka," Shinji ventured.
"Don't 'hello' me!" Asuka yelled as she walked up to Shinji's desk
and dropped her bag at her feet. She slammed her hands on his desk and
stuck her face right up to his until they were nose to nose.
"What did I do?" he asked meekly.
"You didn't even wait for me! Why not, huh? You should be
grateful that I'd grace the presence of someone like yourself!"
"I was just letting you enjoy your bath. I thought you'd prefer
it that way."
Asuka's eyes softened somewhat. "Well, I guess I can forgive an
idiot like you once in a while."
"You're so kind," he responded.
She backed up. Shinji glanced around the room. No one was really
paying attention to them, except for Hikari who had returned to Kensuke's
desk, Kensuke who was filming the ordeal, and Rei. He studied her for
a moment.
'Is she... frowning?'
"Wake up Shinji!"
"Hmmm? Yes!" he said as he turned back toward her.
"Well, you don't have to worry about after school. I'm going to
visit Hikari for a few hours, so you won't see me until later. That's
your punishment for THIS time."
'She's pretty confident of herself,' Kensuke thought to himself as
he zoomed in on Asuka's face.
"You'll just have to live with it. Don't worry, I'll see you
later, baka Shinji," she said as she walked to her desk, a smirk
plastered across her face. Hikari followed after her.
"She's awfully direct, isn't she baka Shinji?" Kensuke asked as he
set the camera down on the desk, turning off the power.
"Yes, very direct," he thought as he reminisced on several
instances where her controlling behavior came in to effect.
"How can you stand living with... with... her?"
"I never really thought about that. I just do, I guess."
"Well, you must get along with her _somewhat_ to have been around
her for this long. You're one of a kind in that respect."
"Perhaps," he said as he glanced at Asuka laughing with Hikari.
"Hey, I have something else to ask you..."
"What's that?"
"What were you doing watching Asuka take a bath?"
"I! I was not---"
"You live with Asuka, she's a babe, even if her personality is
lousy, and you get to watch her bathe? Does she ask you to help?"
"What?!"
"God that must be scary. I mean... she's Asuka." He shuddered
fiercely. "Gives me the jitters just thinking about it."
"Your own lies are getting to you now."
"You're right. I think I'll stop," he said as he set his camera
down on the floor.
"Good."
Shinji turned to face the front of the classroom. He felt Kensuke
poking him on the shoulder.
"What is it?"
"You have at least seen her in a towel, right?"
Shinji set his head on his desk and started to cry.
Luckily, the teacher chose that moment to walk into the class.
------------------------------------
"And so on September 20, 2000, just one week after the very peak
of the disaster, Tokyo was annihilated by the newly developed N2 bomb..."
The teacher droned on with his explanations. The majority of
students paid scant attention to what he was saying, some in quiet
contemplation, others asleep on their desks, and others typing quietly
on their laptops. This was a common scene; the majority of discussions
in class left the teacher reminiscing about Second Impact.
Shinji was no different from his classmates. He sat staring at
his open laptop. Behind him was the quiet yet frantic clacking of
Kensuke's keyboard. Shinji yawned and stared at the blank screen of his
miniature computer.
'Second Impact... the truth about it is covered up. No one here
knows what really happened except for myself, Rei, Asuka... and probably
Kensuke. Controlled information... is it really necessary?
Shinji rested with the thought as he listened to the keystrokes of
the maniacal Kensuke.
'I wonder what he's up to?'
Shinji's thoughts were shattered as he heard a slight beep come
from the laptop. A glance revealed a small telephone signal in the upper
corner of the screen.
'A message?'
He glanced around the classroom looking for a sign from anyone,
but to his dismay, nothing. With a glance at his teacher who was still
rambling away, he accepted the call.
<Ikari.>
Shinji stared at his screen with a semi-mystified expression.
He glanced around to Kensuke who had stopped typing. Shinji inputted
his suspicions.
<Kensuke?>
The fierce typing continued.
<No.>
Shinji kept his eyes glued to the console.
<Who is this?>
<I.>
<I don't understand.>
<You will.>
Shinji stared dumbly at his screen.
<Turn around.>
Shinji looked up from his keyboard and looked behind him. Aside
from the frantic Kensuke, only one other thing caught his attention.
Rei's hands rested on the keyboard of her laptop. Unusual in
itself, but in addition, her gaze rested on the young Ikari. He watched
as she looked down at her keyboard to type something, and then looked
back up at him. He turned around to look at his screen.
<Do you understand Ikari-kun?>
Shinji looked back at Rei. He nodded silently. She responded
with a mouthed 'Good' and returned to typing on the keyboard.
<Is this a disturbance?>
<No. I just find it... different.>
<How do you feel?>
<About what?>
<Being one with Eva.>
Shinji blinked at the topic.
<It was... frightening.>
<Frightening?>
<Yes. I was alone, but I wasn't.>
<Alone.>
<With myself, but in a way, with others. It was scary. And yet,
I found others being nice to me, but was it myself? Maybe what I want?>
'And... did I find... her? I felt... mother.'
<You perceive yourself by the way others perceive you.
Reflections of your reality.>
'My reality?'
<Ayanami, may I ask you something?>
<What?>
<This morning when I asked you why you came, you said it was
because you wanted to. But, why did you want to?>
<I don't know.>
<What do you mean?>
<I don't know.>
There was a long pause. The ramblings in the background
continued.
<Are you hurt?>
<You mean from Eva?>
<Yes.>
<No.>
<Are you hurt?>
<I don't understand.>
<You.>
Shinji's eyes widened. There was a pause as he stared at the
screen.
<I don't know.>
<Then, good.>
<Good?>
<I know. That is why I wanted to see you.>
<I don't--->
<You don't like pain.>
<No.>
<It bothers me. To see your pain.>
<It... bothers you?>
<It's odd. Suzuhara-kun was right. I do worry about you.>
Shinji blushed lightly.
<Why are you blushing?>
'She can see me...'
<I guess, it's just nice to here words like that.>
<Suzuhara-kun had said that to me before Unit Three.>
Shinji didn't respond.
<He also asked me if I care about you.>
Shinji blushed lightly.
<That was my reaction, and surprise.>
Shinji glanced at Rei who gave him a longer look, and then typed
on her keyboard again.
<He was right.>
Shinji's eyes widened as the message came across the screen. He
gasped lightly as he pulled back to a normal sitting position. He turned
his head to face Rei.
She was looking at him, a slight blush in her cheeks.
Shinji's lips rested slightly parted as he looked at her. He
soon found himself blushing as well.
Kensuke fell out of his chair.
"Mister Aida! Do you have something you'd like to share with the
rest of the class?!"
"N... n-n... no, sensei."
"Then stay in your seat and don't interrupt!"
"Yes sensei."
Asuka began snickering loudly.
Both Shinji and Rei terminated the call.
------------------------------------
The Major leaned back against a wall, clutching at the towel
wrapped around herself shabbily due to the sudden need to attempt to get
the phone. Shinji and Asuka were off at school, so no sense in worrying
about wandering around half-covered.
'And what's so important that Ritsuko would take a day off work
to come bum around with me?'
Mulling that over, Misato tossed her towel on the pile of used
ones lying on the bathroom floor 'Shinji still hasn't done the wash'
and 'Oh yeah - Shinji - that's it. I almost forget about the accident
sometimes' moved to her room to get dressed. Here there was only more
evidence of the fact that they were far into the school week. Clothes
lay strewn about, and her dresser drawers were all but empty 'Maybe I
should get him a day off every week.' of anything that Misato would
actually _wear_. She started rooting through the almost bare drawers
in a vain attempt to find something worth wearing. Finally managing to
drag out a few halfway-decent-looking pieces of clothing 'God, I haven't
worn _this_ in ages' she threw them on haphazardly. After looking
herself over in the mirror 'I don't know why I haven't worn this, `cept
it's a bit revealing' the Major wandered out into the living room and
tossed herself down on the couch.
------------------------------------
"Come on Ikari!"
"I'm going, I'm going!"
Taking his only chance, Shinji let the ball fly from his fingers
to come into contact with the backboard of the basketball net. Albeit
uncertainly, it rolled its way around the rim of the hoop and sunk in.
"Good shot!"
"Thanks Kensuke."
"Line change!" came the call of the gym teacher.
The team Shinji and Kensuke played on walked slowly off to the
wall as the other took their place on the court. As they all came into
contact with the cement wall, the first reaction of the majority was to
stare up at the swimming pool on the floor above. More specifically, all
of the girls who were standing near the pool, and any who came out of it.
Shinji settled into thought as the muttering of the adolescents began.
'She cares about me?'
Holding Rei's writhing form in Unit One's docking bay.
'How can she?'
Rei slapping him.
'Why would she?'
Rei looking over him after his encounter with the 5th Angel.
'Why would she?'
Rei smiling in Unit Zero's entry plug.
'Why would she?'
Rei watching over him after his encounter with the 12th Angel.
'Why does she?'
Rei at his doorway with Kensuke.
'Why does she?'
Rei smiling at him.
'Why does she?'
<He was right.> written across his computer terminal.
'I...'
Rei blushing.
'She cares about me. Those words are... new.'
Shinji felt his head turning, looking up at the swimming pool that
was the girl's gym class. Sure enough, his reason for looking came to
his attention.
Rei sat in her black gym bathing suit, back to the fence. Her
legs were held up to her chest, arms clasped around them. Though she
faced the pool, her eyes were directed at the cement ground which
surrounded it.
'Ikari-kun.'
Shinji blushing, looking at her in surprise.
'Caring. He knows that I care about him. This feeling is new.
This is something I have never known... why do I want to?'
Herself.
'I am unsure. I want to see him. Why?'
She looked down at the courtyard below her, but her gaze quickly
trailed to the wall as she spotted Shinji sitting next to Kensuke.
He was looking up at her. His mouth opened slightly as he
realized she had seen him.
'He looks at me.'
Rei held his gaze, her red eyes locking him in place. She
took a heavier breath as she closed her eyes and stood up. She turned
around to face him though the distance was large, one hand gripped around
the wiring of the fence, the other resting by her side.
'This is something... enjoyable?'
For half a minute, neither moved. Each looked into the eyes of
the other. An unblinking and unwavering gaze was exchanged between the
two, both oblivious to their surroundings.
'I will talk with him.'
She smiled softly at him.
Shinji smiled back.
Rei slid back down the side of the fence and returned to her
former position, eyes fixated on the cement surrounding the pool, her
common visage expressed across her face.
Within the pool, Hikari turned to Asuka who had frozen in posture.
"Is something wrong Asuka?"
"Hmmm? No, no, I don't think so."
Hikari nodded and continued the laps she had been swimming,
surrounded by the laughter and relaxation of the others.
Asuka's gaze lingered on Rei a while longer.
'Except... I could have sworn... Wonder Girl was smiling. What
was she looking at?'
Asuka continued her swim, letting the thought store itself in the
recesses of her mind.
Below the pool, Shinji's smiling expression was replaced by his
normal, calm yet subdued visage, yet his gaze still lingered in Rei's
direction.
"What are you staring at?"
"Hmmm? Oh, nothing..." Shinji said as his face directed itself at
the ground.
"Only Rei..." Kensuke said as he pushed his face up into Shinji's,
a huge grin plastered across it.
"Not this again!" Shinji complained.
"Ah, is it her cute face, the soft blue hair and deep red eyes
pulling you in?" Kensuke said as he put an arm around Shinji's shoulder
and pulled him closer, his glasses glazed over in light. "Or maybe it's
her shapely thighs and calves, legs which entice you toward her? Or
maybe, it's her round, firm, perfectly-shaped breasts which you find
yourself in need of feeling gently as you hold each other tightly,
slipping off her---"
"Would you shut up you pervert?!" Shinji exclaimed, catching a
glance or two from the other students resting against the wall. He
lowered his voice.
"Give it a rest."
"You know, I would have, but then this delightful little message
came across my screen."
"What are you talking about?" Shinji asked nervously.
"Let's see now, how did it go? Ah yes... 'He also asked me if I
care about you', and then 'He was right'."
"But, you said..."
"Yeah, I know what I said. Of course, I never would have thought
about it in a sense like that. Then of course, there was you blushing
in class, and then her blushing. That was the first time I've seen that
actually..."
"Wait a minute, you were--- how did you know what...?"
"I am a master hacker my dear Ikari-kun," he said, putting
purposeful emphasis on 'Ikari-kun'.
"You..."
"Read the whole thing? Yep."
"Why?"
"Never seen you get a message on your computer before."
"That's none of your business."
"Perhaps."
Shinji sighed.
"You know things like that don't matter to me."
'Not yet anyway,' Kensuke thought to himself.
"I know. But until you tell me why you were looking at her, I'll
be assuming that."
"I said it was nothing..."
"I wonder how Rei will feel when she knows you want to take her to
bed," Kensuke commented. "Just think, feeling her tremble gently under
your hands as you run them across---"
Shinji smacked him across the back of the head.
Kensuke chuckled. "Okay, okay... you are so sensitive."
"I can see why Asuka thinks you're an idiot, and a pervert. She's
right! Just what the hell do you do on that computer anyway?!"
Kensuke smiled. "Give me more credit than that. You know I'm
just bugging you."
Shinji shook his head in defeat.
"So, when are you going to answer my question? Face, legs,
breasts, or something else?"
"Something else."
"What then?"
"Her."
Kensuke raised an eyebrow in question.
"No one has ever said they... cared about me. Worry maybe, but
caring... it's a comfortable feeling."
"Now you have to ask yourself another question."
"What's that?"
"How do you feel about her?"
Shinji looked up at the question, greeted by the dead serious
expression of Kensuke Aida.
"I... didn't think about that."
"It's all right. I'd probably be in your position if this
happened to me. I still envy you."
"What do you mean?"
"Like I said. You have more friends than you realize. Maybe,
even more than friends."
Shinji looked at him. He smiled.
"Like I said... thanks."
"Not a problem."
The two remained in silence for a few moments, the moment
of peace the first either had truly experienced in some time. But,
it was not meant to last.
"Hey Kensuke..."
"Hmmm?"
"What were you doing before, aside from intruding on... my
conversation."
Kensuke turned red. "It was nothing."
Shinji raised an eyebrow. "You're lying..."
Kensuke sighed. "All right, I'll tell you... but you have to
promise to keep it quiet."
"Only if you promise to quit joking."
"Who said I was joking?"
Shinji looked at him surprisedly. "What?!"
"Relax, relax... Okay, I was doing two things..."
There was a brief pause as Kensuke beckoned Shinji to bring his
head closer to his own.
"First off, I was looking up information on Misato..."
"You mean... her past?"
"Partially, but not exactly..."
"What then?"
"Well, Touji and I had a bet..."
"About what?"
"Her measurements."
Shinji groaned as he smacked his head against the wall.
"You're not kidding are you?" he said as he looked at Kensuke's
mildly red face.
"No."
"Let's just skip to the second... provided it isn't about the
measurements of female officers..."
"No, it wasn't. Something a little more interesting actually."
Shinji groaned again. "Coming from you, that can only be one
thing..."
"N2 devices."
"N2 WHAT?!" Shinji whispered hoarsely. "What exactly were you
looking for."
"Technical specifications."
"Tech... tech... why are you looking that up?"
"Well... I was thinking maybe I could build a scaled-down version
of an N2 bomb..."
"Please tell me you're joking."
"I'm joking."
Shinji sighed.
"Actually, I want to know how these things work. They're so
interesting..."
"Still..."
"There was something else I was looking up too, technical
specifications on the Evangelion..."
"The Eva?"
"There's something wrong there... I knew all of the files would
be classified and top secret... but..."
"But what?"
"When I finally got them open... they were empty."
"Empty?"
"Yeah. It's strange. It's as if they don't want ANYONE to know
about the Eva, even themselves. There's something wrong with this
picture, and I'm going to find out what it is..."
'I... think I know part of it...'
"Maybe you could help me."
"Me?" Shinji asked stunned.
"Yeah!" Kensuke started excitedly. "You've had tons of experience
piloting an Eva. Maybe you could tell me some of its secrets! It would
really help in learning more about it!"
"..."
"Listen, I know you have trouble with it. Hell, if I could I
would take your place gladly, you know it, but you were chosen, and
that's how it is. I respect you a lot Shinji. And maybe, this would
answer some of the doubts you have. There's an answer behind
everything you know."
"I... I don't know..."
'Maybe it would be a good idea...'
"Would you at least think about it?"
"..."
"Please?"
"...Sure."
"Thanks!"
"Yeah..."
Shinji's mind began to wander into the depths of the conversation
he had just had, something disturbing his thoughts. He soon came up with
what he was searching.
"Kensuke, just... where did you find ANY of this? Was it from
your dad?"
"No."
"Then, where?"
"The JSSDF archives."
"The-the-the-the-what?"
"And the MAGI in NERV."
"How did you even know about... never mind, don't answer. Are you
insane?"
"Didn't you already ask me that?"
"Yes, and for good reason! Do you know what you're messing with?
These are big, large, _powerful_ organizations that could wipe out
anything they wanted to with as much as the press of a button on a
computer! What if you get caught?!"
"I won't get caught. Like I said, I'm a master hacker my dear
Ikari-kun," he stated chuckling. "It won't get traced to me. I used
the school network to distribute my signal throughout the whole building,
so even if they DO manage to trace me, they'll have every computer
terminal in that school as the source! I'm invincible!"
Kensuke began to laugh maniacally as Shinji stared at him with an
extremely nervous expression.
'He is nuts,' Shinji thought to himself.
Kensuke recovered and looked at his friend with a smile.
"So, have you decided yet?"
"Decided what?"
"About Rei. How do you feel?"
"I don't know..."
Shinji stared at the ground as images of his life in Tokyo-3
flashed through his eyes.
'She's been nice to me. I don't see that her very often, from
others...'
His time in the hospital room after the 12th Angel replayed in
his mind. Rei's visit remained with him.
'She came to see me, though she didn't have to. It was nice to
see her that time...'
He recalled pulling open the searing hatch of Unit Zero's entry
plug after the battle with the 5th Angel and looking at Rei in pain.
'Rei... she was hurt. It had been maybe a month, a little more
when I first saw her in pain... I don't like pain. But... I didn't want
to see her hurt. I didn't want her to be hurt. I don't want anyone to
be hurt, but... why was it I was so concerned when I saw her like that...
why did I like to see her smile?'
The images flashed through his mind, a scrapbook of memories, both
painful and pleasant, together as one.
"Ikari?"
"I think... I care about her, too."
Kensuke smiled.
"It's nice to have someone to care about."
"What is it like?"
"It differs. There are different types of relationships to
experience in life. Mother-son, father-son, friend, pleasure, love...
all are different, but... they're all part of life," he stated quietly.
"It's something you have to experience for yourself."
"Oh."
The teacher sounded the whistle. Class was over. The two boys
got up and started jogging back toward the locker room.
"So, what are you going to do about it?"
"I guess... I'll find out."
"Enjoying your day?"
"It's... different."
Kensuke laughed.
------------------------------------
As the final bell of the day rang, Shinji said his goodbyes to
Kensuke and walked out of the front door of the school. His bag held
with both hands, he began to traverse the pathway which led to his home.
The young man remained lost in thought, nearly oblivious to his
surroundings.
'Rei. I do not understand what it is I'm going through. Perhaps
she feels the same?'
'I think, I would like to see her again.'
Shinji nearly jumped as he felt something touch his shoulder,
dropping his bag at his feet.
"Ikari-kun."
The voice.
"Ayanami?"
Shinji turned around to come face to face with Rei Ayanami, pilot
of Evangelion Unit Zero. She remained in her school uniform, bag held in
one hand, the other on his shoulder. Her face remained as subdued as
usual, yet her eyes shone weakly with something other than passive
interest.
"I wasn't expecting... to see you here," he mentioned awkwardly.
"May I walk with you?" she asked quietly.
"Ummm... sure, Ayanami..." he answered as he picked up his bag and
started walking in the direction of his home, the blue-haired enigma
along beside him.
"May I speak with you?" she inquired.
"Of course..."
"You were watching me today?"
"Yes... because of... what you said."
"I never said anything."
Shinji looked at her for a moment, then at the ground.
"Although it was what was intended. I do care about you,
Ikari-kun."
Shinji blushed lightly. Rei did the same, yet the expression
remained unchanged.
"Is it that knowledge that made you watch me today?"
"I think so... I mean... partially."
"What is it?"
"I... wanted to see you."
"Because you are uncertain."
"Yes."
"I do not understand why I have these emotions. I never have
before."
'Never... have?'
"I wanted to see you today. It's you I wanted to see. It is
because I care about you, but I don't understand," she stated quietly.
Shinji continued to blush.
"Ayanami?"
"Yes?"
"I wasn't sure, but... I think... well... I care about you... as
well."
Rei stopped walking. Shinji was left with no alternative but to
stop and face her. Rei's cheeks were somewhat crimson.
"You... feel the same about me?"
"Yes."
"Maybe... no... that is truth."
"Truth?"
"It's what is. It is an odd feeling..."
She outstretched her arm and took one of Shinji's hands in her
own. She raised it to her face and pressed it against her cheek.
"I would like to understand."
Shinji nodded as she drew his hand away and released it. They
continued walking.
"Ayanami?"
"Yes?"
"Those words, that you said to me... they are new to me."
"You have not experienced them before?"
"Not that I can remember... my father, he doesn't... say them.
Others are my friends, but it's not like this. The only person I ever
knew to say words like that to me was... was... mother," he finished,
his voice beginning to grow soft.
"..."
"I... to hear them said to me, makes me... I..."
"Happy?"
"...Yes."
"What is happiness?"
Shinji's eyes opened slightly as he heard the question.
"I... can't really explain it. It's a feeling that's likable.
Hearing those words brings me happiness. How come you asked me that?"
"Because I want to understand."
"You..."
"I would like to talk with you Ikari-kun."
Shinji looked at the girl next to him, her face lightly tinted
with the blush of her cheeks.
'Why are we both so confused? I... would like to talk with her.'
"I am... comfortable around you, Ayanami."
"Comfortable?"
'He is... happy, to be near me? Is that what I feel? I... don't
understand...'
Shinji continued to look at the girl who appeared to be lost in
thought, yet attentive to his words.
'I... need to think. Perhaps we can... later?'
"Ayanami?"
"Yes?"
"Would you like to come over... later?"
Rei looked at him, face to face as they walked. Both were
blushing faintly, a fairly awkward moment, yet neither seeming to have
any wish to end it.
"Just so we can... talk, later," he finished awkwardly, gulping
as he finished his words.
"You would like to see me Ikari-kun?"
"Yes... I would like to."
"I... I would like to, later."
Shinji's expression grew hopeful.
"Really? Maybe, around eight tonight?"
"Yes. I... thank you," she replied, smiling gently.
"Thank you. You... a smile looks nice on you," he said.
Rei turned deep red. "I... have to go Ikari-kun," she said, voice
as calm as ever, yet hinting lightly of other emotions.
'Why do I smile?'
"I'll... see you later then, Ayanami."
Rei nodded and then turned left at a small intersection.
"Later... Ikari-kun," she said as she walked away.
Shinji watched her walk away until she was out of sight. He
slowly resumed his walk home.
"I... enjoyed that."
------------------------------------
Time blurred together as she lay on the couch, half listening to
the television, half thinking to herself. The shadows moved perceptibly
across the floor of the apartment as she lay there 'What in God's Name
are we fighting for quietly, restlessly and why do _we_ have to be the
ones to save _all_ of humanity?' until finally Shinji came in the door
quietly and went about his usual after-school business.
"Good afternoon, Misato-san," Shinji said brightly.
"Afternoon, Shin-kun," Misato replied absentmindedly. 'A little
help every once in a while _would_ be nice...'
Shinji wandered through the apartment, catching whatever pieces of
stray clothing he could find and tossing them into laundry baskets about
as long as he was tall, and as wide as he was as well. 'I wish someone
in this house except me had the sense to do the laundry once in a while.
It would be nice if I didn't have to do _all_ the work every time
company was supposed to drop by.' He started separating the clothes into
different baskets - one for Misato's darks, another for colours, and a
third for her... unmentionables; a second set for the same divisions of
Asuka's clothing; and finally one for his own plain clothes - hoping to
at least maintain a semblance of cleanliness for the coming guests.
'Then I'll just have to take out the trash, clean the kitchen... amounts
to the same thing, really... and find Misato something respectable to
wear so she doesn't embarrass me _too_ much.' Shinji dragged the baskets
into an out-of-the-way room and slid the door shut, leaving the actual
doing 'I hope Ritsuko doesn't intend to spend the night' of the laundry
until later if he actually had the time.
He moved on to the kitchen with a trash bag in hand and a ready
supply of extras within easy reach. Shinji started with the instant
boxes, breaking them down with a practiced ease, tossing them
nonchalantly into his bag and moving on. 'I don't think there's a
non-disposable piece of silverware or china in this house.' Throwing
out paper plates, microwave-ready boxed, and plastic utensils quickly
and deftly, he tried his best to deal with the spilled ramen noodles as
best he could, but met with limited success. Next came the empty beer
cans, which not even Shinji could control. Even though he attempted
to remove them at least two or three times a week, they still built up
like nothing else, and with his recent absence it had become a virtual
sea of cans. After crushing them in his hands, Shinji dropped them into
a separate bag for recycling 'I wonder if having these recycled
perpetuates her habit' which was then deposited near the door for future
removal to the pick-up site.
'It's only been... what?... a little over a month since I had
my "accident" with Unit One... and I guess nothing's really changed.
Asuka's still as stuck on herself as ever, Misato's still sloppy, but a
good... friend... Touji's still in the hospital, and Kensuke's... insane,
intelligent... he's Kensuke. And Rei... okay... something has changed...
but I'm still... confused. She's just as much of an enigma as ever.'
He sat in one of the kitchen chairs quietly and pondered for a
while.
'It must have been... two months between Angels... maybe they're
gone for good... but if that's true, why hasn't NERV disbanded? I guess
I'm just at a loss to explain it.'
"Shinji-kun, is something the matter?" Misato asked, interrupting
his thoughts. "You've been quiet all day."
"Oh, it's nothing Misato. Just been thinking... about a lot of
things," Shinji replied.
"Care to talk about it?"
"Nah... it's not that important," Shinji lied. "You should get
something a bit more respectable and a bit less revealing on if Ritsuko-
san is going to be coming over, eh, Misato-san?"
"You're right, Shin-kun... and I will, just as soon as a certain
someone does the laundry," she giggled in a schoolgirl-esque manner.
"What? Has Asuka been neglecting her chores again?"
"Doesn't she always?" Misato asked with a hearty laugh.
"Yep. I guess she should get to work, huh?" he joked.
"Unless she wants to endure the combined wrath of Ikari and
Katsuragi," Misato doubled over laughing.
"Well, she'll just be getting a move on, then," Shinji said,
walking purposefully to the room he had left the laundry in and
selecting the basket of Misato's coloured clothes. "By the way,"
he called from the corridor, "I invited someone over later tonight, is
that all right?"
"Sure! What time?"
"Around eight."
"We'll eat late then, sound good?"
"I... guess."
Shinji picked up the basket and headed back through the kitchen to
the door. Misato stopped him momentarily with a wisecrack and a laugh,
but he was quickly on his way. He threaded his way to the local
Laundromat, making good time, and set the load to wash as quickly as
possible. Usually the quick wash was not an option, but today he just
wanted and needed to be in, out, and done as quickly as possible 'Because
if I don't, the others will be there before I get back and catch Misato
like _that_' so he had to live with it. Shinji watched the walls and the
people for a while, then leafed through a couple of non-descript
magazines while waiting for the wash and dry to run it's course. He was
halfway through an article on Personality Implant Seventh Generational
computers when the timer was up and the signal blared in his ears.
Shinji drug the still partially damp clothes from the machine into the
basket and started back out towards the shared apartment where he and
Misato resided with Asuka.
To his relief, when he returned, no one was there except for
himself and Misato. He carried the basket into the living room where
the Major was sitting and watching television. He pulled out a couple
of different outfits he knew that she wore often and tossed them to her.
'Hopefully she at least remembers to have the decency to dress in
private.' Shinji wandered back into his room and hooked up his
headphones and SDAT. Soothing music called to him softly, melody and
counterpoint playing, toying with each other within his mind as he
listened, sitting on his bed. 'I can't believe this. At least the place
is halfway clean for once. Now, the chances of it staying that way...
well, that's probably about the same as the chances of Asuka not making
snide comments for a day.'
Lost in his music, Shinji almost missed the door chimes ringing.
He slowly rose to his feet 'Is it Ritsuko or Rei, I wonder' and wandered
out of his room, SDAT clenched in his right hand, music still playing.
'Seven o'clock... it's early still.' He made his way through the
recently-cleaned apartment to the door, which opened with a slight hiss
of air. On the other side of the threshold stood a lab-coated Doctor
Ritsuko Akagi.
"H-hello, Rit-suko," Shinji stuttered.
"Good evening, Shinji," the doctor said, tone something that could
pass for friendly.
'Yeah, friendly for Rei.' Shinji trailed as Ritsuko wandered
slowly through the front hall and the kitchen to the living room where
Misato lounged once again on the couch. Doctor Akagi leisurely draped
herself across an easily-accessible chair facing Misato while Shinji
simply took his customary seat on the floor. 'It wouldn't be this
quiet if Asuka were here.' Shinji rolled his head in a complete
circle, stretching his neck out, and popping several of the conjoining
vertebrae in the process.
"So, Misato... how's he been?" Ritsuko asked softly.
"Oh, not so bad if you can discount the normal introvertism and
silence that follows him everywhere he goes," Misato joked.
"Seriously, Misato, how's he been doing?"
"Holding up pretty well, actually. 'Why in the world am I talking
about him like he's not here?' And his cooking hasn't suffered a bit
thank the Lord." Misato replied.
"What about Asuka?" Ritsuko asked, shifting positions on the
chair.
"Asuka's... well... Asuka. What can I say? I don't think
anything short of an N.D.E. could change that girl..."
"Oh, I can think of a few things. A real man in her life might
help..." Ritsuko shot back.
Shinji, thinking that the comment was a sideswipe at him, promptly
turned bright red. Misato and Ritsuko took one look and took to
hysterical laughter.
"Rit-su! I... think ya... gottim!" Misato managed through gales
of laughter.
"Now... _that_ ...embarrassed him!" Ritsu returned through
equivalently hard chortling.
"I'll take it as a compliment," Shinji threw in, killing the
laughter in a second.
"She'd take you about as seriously as her schoolwork, Shin-kun,"
Misato followed up.
"Point for her side," Ritsuko interjected.
"Huh?" Shinji and Misato asked simultaneously.
"Sorry... old quote from a book," Ritsuko replied, blushing
slightly.
Misato and Shinji exchanged a look that said all of "What the
Hell?" and several other things momentarily, then went right back to
laughing. Thoroughly defeated Ritsuko had no choice but to join in.
"What about Rei?" Misato asked when the laughter finally quieted
down.
"Physically, she's fine. I just can't tell psychologically,
though... something isn't quite the same, but I just can't tell. She
hides her feelings so well," Ritsuko responded.
"I don't think that's it."
A stunned silence hit the room like a semi ramming a Volkswagon.
"You... you what?" Ritsuko asked.
"I don't think you're right," Shinji asserted.
"How so?" Ritsuko and Misato asked concurrently.
"She doesn't really hide anything, not like that. It's more like
she doesn't _know_ how to express... if that makes _any_ sense at all."
"Actually, I think it does. I wish _I'd_ thought of it," Ritsuko
replied, shaking her head. "How'd you come up with that, Shinji?"
"Erm..."
"Maybe he speaks to her more often," Misato said, a smile creeping
up on her lips.
"Well... that is..."
"It would be a logical explanation," Ritsuko asserted. 'Perhaps
I should speak to the pilots more often...'
"Of course it is. What do you expect when he has such a huge
crush on her?"
"I--- what do you mean by that?" Shinji asked in shock.
"Oh come on. You could play around me like that when you first
got here, but those days are over my dear 15-year-old Shinji-kun!"
'She hasn't had anything to drink yet...' echoed through the minds
of the other two humans.
"You see Ritsuko, they've known each other for so long now, it's
only natural that she'd open up to people her own age."
'That almost made sense,' Ritsuko thought to herself. 'But...'
"And Shinji is a boy... who's to say there isn't a secret
relationship between the two?" she said, grinning at the two in her
presence.
Ritsuko smiled and started to chuckle lightly as Shinji turned
bright red. "That isn't true!" he called.
"Ah, that could explain all the days you're late from school.
Visiting Rei at her apartment I wonder?"
'Where the hell does she get this stuff?' was the simultaneous
thought.
"And it's been more than a month since you last saw each other...
what were you doing off at school today? Maybe a little kissing?"
Ritsuko was laughing loudly as Shinji continued to shrink to the
ground under Misato's insinuations.
"Why would I do anything like that?" he squirmed.
"Oh, you see Ritsuko? Now we know why he can talk about Rei.
Because they're so deeply in love, probably making out when no one's
around."
Shinji hung his head and walked out of the room in utter defeat.
Ritsuko gave her friend a look of amusement as he traversed into the
corridor.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because it's so much fun to bug him."
"You haven't changed at all, have you?"
"Don't want to," Misato said grinning as she stretched leisurely.
"And tell me, what do you really think?"
"About what?"
"Don't tiptoe around it."
"What do I think about his perceptions of Rei? I think... that
he probably does speak to Rei a little more than the rest of us. I
think they're friends. There's no reason they wouldn't talk to each
other, right?"
"And all of that other jargon?"
"That? I don't know. I can't read them that well. The same with
Asuka. But, I wouldn't be surprised if he did like her a little. He is
around her enough, he has to feel something, right?"
"Hmmm... I guess..." 'Still...'
"Well, it's time for supper," Misato said as she stood up and
walked to the kitchen.
"It's ready?" Ritsuko asked from the chair.
"No."
"You... mean..."
"I'm cooking tonight."
Ritsuko twitched.
------------------------------------
"Come on, Asuka. I know you better than that. Something's
bugging you," Hikari said.
"I said... it's nothing," Asuka replied.
"You don't _really_ expect me to believe that," Hikari stated
coolly.
"No... I guess I don't," Asuka agreed.
"So what is it? Work... life... a man... or all of the above?"
Hikari giggled.
"All of it," Asuka confided.
"Wait, let me guess. Shinji, right?" Hikari asked, grinning.
"That idiot? You _have_ to be kidding me," Asuka retorted, though
lacking her usual vigour.
"No, I really don't think I am," Hikari replied.
"And what would give you _that_ idea anyway?"
"Well, for one thing, you've only been _living_ with him for...
gee, I think it has to have been over a year now... and you haven't taken
his head off yet, which is more than I could say for a few other
people... say, everyone in the class. For another, I know you're not as
hateful of him as you make it appear. Then, there's the fact that he
really isn't that bad, and there _was_ that kid you punted for
insinuating stuff about him and Rei... umm... you know. Getting the
idea?" Hikari asked.
"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Asuka said resignedly. "It
doesn't mean I have to _like_ it."
"No, it doesn't mean you have to like it. Just means you have to
like _him_," Hikari answered with a laugh. "But then... you're scared
that kid may have been right, aren't you?" 'This _has_ to be a
stretch...'
"What was that?!"
"Just that you're worried that there's something between Shinji
and Rei," Hikari replied.
"Impossible! What could he possibly see in that _doll_?!"
"Well... you think he sees something... or you wouldn't be so
worried about something as simple as a smile," Hikari answered.
"Oh, now _that_ isn't fair," Asuka exclaimed.
"Maybe not, but it's obviously true." Hikari slumped back on her
bed.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound breaking
into the room was their even breathing. Asuka leaned back against the
side of the bed, resting her head on the mattress, while Hikari lay
silently against her pillow. Finally, Asuka broke the silence.
"Okay, hypothetical situation. Assume for a second that
you're right. What the _hell_ do _I_ do?"
"Well... you could try talking to him instead of insulting him all
the time..." Hikari offered.
"I'm not that bad, am I?" Asuka asked.
Hikari nodded softly, sitting up.
"Schei�," Asuka whispered.
"You're going to miss supper if you don't start heading home,"
Hikari suggested.
"Yeah, I do need to get going," Asuka agreed. "And we'll see,
hypothetically, if your hypothetical advice has any bearing on said
hypothetical situation."
Asuka and Hikari shared a grin.
'I hope this works out for her. Someone to actually care about
might do her some good,' Hikari thought as Asuka made her way to the
door and headed for home. 'She's really not all that bad, either, as
long as she can keep her hot head out of the way.'
------------------------------------
Shinji lay in his room, SDAT in hand, music gently wafting through
his ears. His door remained closed, alone with his music and his
thoughts.
'Misato-san... she's a lot like Kensuke, isn't she? She's young
at heart I guess. But why does she have to say things like that? Why
does Kensuke have to say things worse than that?' Shinji groaned. 'What
is Misato going to do when Ayanami arrives?'
Shinji watched the track number on his SDAT change from 25 to 26.
'What am I going to do when Ayanami arrives?'
He glanced at the clock at his bedside. It read 7:59.
'Misato seems to know, yet she exaggerates it all... but she's
only joking. Is she?' He shifted his position. 'What have I gotten
into? This is not how I imagined my day. And yet... I think... I'm glad
it happened.' He looked at the clock again. 'I wonder how Kensuke,
Touji, and Asuka are...'
The time read 8:00.
The bell rang with deafening impact, yet it's tone was as always.
Shinji turned off the SDAT and set it down on his bed. Slowly he
rose to his feet, still dressed in his school uniform, and walked to the
front door, and initiating the mechanism to let it slide open.
Rei stood in the doorway, hands clasped together in front of her,
school uniform adorned on her body in regular fashion. She looked up at
him with her calm visage.
"Hello Ikari-kun," she said to him softly.
"H-hello, Rei," replied.
The two stood on opposite sides of the doorway for about half a
minute, a simple gaze the only exchange. Shinji finally realized that
she wasn't going to make any motion to move until he asked her.
"Please, come in," he said, moving aside.
Rei nodded and walked forward into the apartment, letting the
door close behind her.
"Supper will be ready soon. Would you like to eat with us...?"
"Yes," Rei said, just as cooly as before.
Shinji shifted uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry, I do not know what to do or say right now. I have
never done this before," Rei said in a tone that could have passed for
sadness, eyes wandering to the floor.
Rei looked at her again.
"Well, I guess, you aren't alone," Shinji responded.
Rei turned her head to face Shinji. "I see."
"Hey Shinji, I heard the bell ring," Misato started as she walked
into the hall. "Was it Asuka or your friend? Kaji maybe? You never
told me who it was you invited over and..." She stopped short as her
eyes rested on the visitor.
"Good evening Major Katsuragi," Rei said, facing Misato.
Misato arched an eyebrow, but her expression was soon replaced
with good humour. "Hello Rei! I didn't know you were coming tonight!
We're just about to sit down to dinner. We're eating in the living room
tonight. Please, come in!"
'Instant ramen night. Convenient,' Shinji thought to himself.
Rei nodded to the Major as she slipped off her shoes, and walked
by Misato into the living room. Misato turned to look at Shinji who was
doing his best to keep from sweating under Misato's curious gaze. The
sweat increased as she turned a vicious grin on him.
"So, you invited Rei over?" she said, playfulness in her voice.
"Yes."
"Any particular reason?"
"Yes."
"Will you tell me what it is?"
"No. You'll just twist it up."
Misato started laughing. She walked over to Shinji and placed a
hand on his shoulder.
"And what do you think I'd say?"
"I don't know. I don't want to think about it. Probably not as
bad as Kensuke."
"I still find it strange that you'd invite her over, considering
you just got back to school today."
Shinji started to blush lightly.
"I knew it! You do like her!"
"Err... that is..."
"Probably not how I'm thinking of course," she said grinning.
"Who's initiative?"
"But... but..."
Misato's eyes widened slightly. "Her initiative? Wow, now I'm
surprised!"
'How does she know these things?'
"At any rate, that's a nice thing to do, no matter what way you
look at it."
Shinji's eyes widened. 'Misato's being serious?'
"Come on Shin-kun, it's time to eat."
Shinji nodded and followed Misato into the kitchen, met by both
Rei and Ritsuko who stood above the table and looked down at what was
deemed "dinner".
"Okay, let's see. I already fed Pen-Pen in the kitchen..."
In the kitchen, Pen-Pen sweated as he stared at his food, which
almost looked edible.
"Ritsuko, you can take a seat right there on that side of
the table, and you might want to take off your lab coat. Why did you
come in uniform?"
"My regular clothes are all at the cleaner's. I didn't really
have a choice for wardrobe," she explained as she folded the lab coat
and sat down on the floor, legs crossed and skirt pulled down as far as
possible.
"All of them?"
"That, or they don't fit anymore," she said, blushing lightly.
"You don't look fat."
"I'm not."
Misato caught on.
"Okay, Shinji, you can sit where you normally do. Hmmm... Rei,
since Asuka isn't here, you can sit down next to Shinji over there,
on Ritsuko's side."
Rei nodded and sat down on the floor, legs crossed, dress pulled
over her legs and looked at the table with "food". Shinji caught
Misato's wink as they both sat down across from each other. He blushed
lightly, and unnoticeably.
"Well, let's eat!" Misato said.
"We're not going to wait for Asuka?" Shinji asked.
"No, she said she might be a little late, so we'll start without
her," Misato stated as she began to scoop some ramen onto a plate in
front of her.
Both Ritsuko and Shinji eyed each other warily. One thought was
exchanged between the two. 'I hope you live through the meal.' The
remaining three souls at the table moved to fill their plates in silence.
Misato was the first to try her food. She swallowed down a mouthful of
ramen happily as she opened the can of beer set down in front of her.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Misato asked. "Dig in!"
Shinji and Ritsuko looked at her reluctantly. "Ummm..."
Rei picked up her chopsticks and brought them down to the ramen,
wrapping it around them. She raised it to her mouth and took it in,
sipping in a stray noodle and chewing it quietly, yet attentively. Both
Shinji and Ritsuko stared at her intently. She swallowed and looked up
at the two staring at her.
"Is something wrong?"
"Err... no, nothing's wrong," Ritsuko said as she popped open the
beer can in front of her. 'If she's still alive, then it can't be
poisonous...'
"Nothing," he said as he turned to his plate. 'Well... food was
decent this morning...'
Shinji and Ritsuko followed Rei's lead and wrapped the ramen
around the chopsticks, bringing it to their mouths and biting down at the
same time.
Both gave it a few seconds, and then swallowed.
"It's edible!" they cried in unison. 'Not great, but it's
actually edible!'
"Have you been practicing Misato?" Ritsuko asked as she took a
sip of beer.
"A bit. You sound like Shinji now," she replied as she happily
swallowed down more ramen.
The two began a small conversation with each other as Shinji ate
in silent thought. 'Why was Misato... nice?' he thought. He darted his
eyes to the left as he chewed another mouthful of his dinner to glance
at Rei. She was idly eating her dinner in silence. 'I wonder what she's
thinking about?'
Her eyes fell on his own. He noticed. 'Me?' For a few moments
they ate, watching each other discreetly, then returned to their own
thoughts.
Misato set down her half-empty can of beer and looked at the
couple in front of her.
"So Rei, how is school?"
"It is going... well," she replied.
"Mmhmm! That's good. So, if I may ask, how come you came over
tonight?"
"Ikari-kun asked me to."
Both Ritsuko and Misato raised an eyebrow.
"Shinji did? That was nice of him," Ritsuko said, a smile
threatening to move across her face.
"Yes, very nice," Misato continued. "Isn't that sweet of our
Shin-kun?"
Shinji turned red. Rei looked on somewhat puzzled.
"Really Shin-kun, why didn't you ever do this before? Perhaps
you were too shy?" she teased.
Ritsuko rolled her eyes as a small grin came across her face.
"I don't understand," Rei stated.
"It's all right," Misato said as she watched Shinji squirm.
The sound of the entrance sliding open and closed could be heard.
"I'm home! Am I late?" Asuka called from her end of the
apartment.
"Yes, you are!" Misato responded. "Where were you?"
"I got involved in conversation with Hikari, and..." She stopped
as she walked into the room, and saw Rei sitting next to Shinji. "Hello
Rei," she said politely. "What are you doing here?"
"Ikari-kun invited me over," she answered as she returned to her
meal.
"Isn't that... nice," she said simply, taking a seat at the free
end of the table and beginning to serve herself.
"How are you Asuka?" Shinji asked, hoping to save some face in
this evening.
"I'm fine, thank you. How are you feeling?" she asked him gently.
Shinji's eyes widened slightly in shock of not being yelled at.
"Ummm... fine... thank you."
Misato slugged back the rest of her beer.
"Well, now everyone's here! Time to have some real fun!"
Shinji, Asuka, and Ritsuko groaned in unison. In Misato's case,
'Fun' could mean anything from making fun of Shinji to making fun of
Asuka to making fun of Ritsuko.
Rei calmly ate another mouthful of ramen. 'I've never done this
before. It is... different.'
"So Asuka, what were you up to today?"
Shinji and Ritsuko silently felt pity for the red-headed girl.
Rei ate quietly and listened as Misato's general rambling began.
------------------------------------
Asuka slipped off to her room as soon as the meal was over, her
skin a shade of red equivalent to that of her hair. Ritsuko politely
declined a second beer through lips clamping a lit cigarette as Misato
opened her fifth, the two walking into the kitchen carrying the meal's
dishes and packaging, Ritsuko doing her best to keep the remains from
slopping over her lab coat, now re-adorned on her figure. The two
remaining quietly made their way to Shinji's room, leaving the door
wide open on their entrance.
"That was a nice meal," Shinji said as he walked over to his bed
and sat down, wrapping the headphones around his SDAT.
"I have never eaten with other people before," Rei stated as she
stood against the wall near the head of Shinji's bed, hands resting at
her sides.
"Never?"
"I have eaten with Commander Ikari-san before, but not often."
Shinji nodded silently. 'Father...'
"Ikari-kun?"
"Yes?" he answered, directing his attention toward Rei.
"You wanted to talk?"
"Yes."
"Then, let's talk," she replied.
Shinji nodded and rose to the door of his room, closing it gently.
He returned to the bed and sat down, motioning for Rei to sit as well.
"How come you closed the door?" she asked as she sat down next to
him.
"I am... nervous... around others..." he replied slowly.
"Are you nervous around me?"
"I... I am unsure. A little, perhaps."
"Why?"
"I guess... because this is new to me... but it is... little."
Rei nodded.
"Ikari-kun, you had said you were comfortable around me. What
did you mean?"
"Well..."
Rei placed a hand over one of his resting on the bed. He trembled
slightly, but soon relaxed under her touch.
"Is this comfortable?" she asked with a voice that could have
passed for concern.
"Yes," he replied.
"Why?"
"It... I don't know."
"What do you feel?"
"I guess... being near you makes me... happy."
"Happiness. Why?"
"I don't know."
"Then... I will stay near you, until you know," she replied.
Shinji stiffened as Rei moved onto the bed and sat right behind
him, placing one leg around each side of his torso, her arms encircling
themselves around his stomach. His rate of breathing increased as he
felt her body press gently into his back, her breathing on the back of
his neck.
"Ikari-kun... relax," she whispered to him.
Slowly, he let himself melt away into her hold. He sighed as he
felt the breathing against his neck continue at a slow pace, muscles
becoming loosened as they melted. They rested that way for a few minutes,
breathing quietly.
"How does this feel?"
"Comfortable."
"You like being near me?"
"Yes..." he replied softly, closing his eyes.
"Do you understand why?"
"Because it makes me happy."
"Is that it?"
"No."
"What else?"
"Because it makes you happy," he replied, his eyes still closed in
ease.
Rei's eyes widened at his comment. 'Happy? Am I happy? Is
that what I feel?'
Rei took his right wrist in hers and placed his hand at the base
of her right calf. Shinji's eyes didn't open.
"What are you doing?" he asked her softly.
"Understanding," she replied. "Will you let me?"
"...Yes..."
She gently pulled his hand across her calf, letting it rest on
her knee. Slowly she drew it upward, pushing her skirt away as his hand
was slowly pulled up her thigh, his hand trembling lightly. At last she
stopped, letting it rest just below her hip.
"Ikari-kun?"
"Yes?".
"Does this make you happy?"
His eyes opened as he began to blush, his eyes unconsciously
falling on her exposed leg. "Yes... but..." 'This I don't understand...
why am I enjoying this? Touching her feels... comfortable... like being
near her...'
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes."
She moved his hand away as she moved out of her position to sit
beside him once more.
"Is that it?" she asked him.
"No."
"What else then?"
"I... I don't know... I don't... I don't understand."
"Why do you care about me?"
"I... it's that..."
"Ikari-kun," she whispered.
"I like to see you unhurt... safe... alive. Seeing you happy
is what I want..."
"Why?"
"I... don't know..."
"I'm like you. I feel the same."
He nodded, blushing.
"But being together... is something you believe?" she asked him.
"Yes... yes, it's something I believe..."
"In what ways?"
"Any."
"Good."
Rei smiled softly at him. 'Why do I smile?'
Shinji looked at her and took one of her hands in his. "I like
seeing you..."
"You like talking to me?"
"Yes."
"You like watching me?"
"Yes."
"You like being close to me?"
"Yes."
"So do I, for you."
Shinji smiled at her. She blushed lightly once more.
"All of these you like?"
"Yes."
"I think... I do... as well..."
Rei pulled Shinji up off the bed as she stood up, facing him.
"So, can we have these?"
"O... of course."
"Good."
Rei brought her hands to his cheeks and cupped them gently. He
relaxed under her touch, letting her trace her hands gently across them.
She placed her hands on her shoulders and slid the straps off of
her dress, letting them slide off of her arms.
Shinji's eyes widened as he stepped back. "Wh... wh-what are you
doing?" he managed to stutter.
"Allowing you to see me," she replied gently as she undid the
fastening on the back of her dress, letting it drop to her feet, leaving
her standing in her white shirt.
Shinji turned red as a beat and began stammering. "Th-th-th-th-
th-th-th-that wasn't what I meant!"
"Does it bother you?"
"I... I... I..." His eyes took in the view of the dress at the
ground, and slowly worked their way upward to her face.
"I'm... that is... ummm..." 'What do I want? This is... do
I want...'
Sounds of shouting, yelling, and general cursing began to fill the
small bedroom, though their origins were outside.
"H-Hold on a sec..." Shinji said as he rushed from the room,
extremely red and sweating profusely.
Rei watched as the door shut behind him. 'He is... interested,
yet frightened. But, that is... what is.'
------------------------------------
"Thanks for helping me clear the dishes Ritsu-chan."
"No problem Misa-chan," Ritsuko grinned as she put out her
cigarette. "What time is it?"
"Ummm... 9:00. That was a long supper..."
"Certainly was," Ritsuko agreed as she flopped back down on the
chair in the living room.
"You know, I was kind of surprised that you wanted to see me
today..." Misato mentioned as she sat down in another chair.
"Well, I don't speak to you as much these days, and with what's
been happening lately... it's nice to try to reestablish some bonds.
Sometimes, I really hate the position I'm in..."
"Well, I'm in a good mood, so it's okay," Misato teased as she
stretched.
"So what now?"
"I don't know... wait..." An evil grin spread across her face.
"I have a great idea."
"What would that be?" Ritsuko asked as she placed her arms behind
her head.
"Why don't we see what Shinji and Rei are up to?"
"You're not going to leave them alone until you're convinced
they're some kind of item, are you?"
Misato snickered in response.
"They are entitled to privacy you know. You're probably reading
too much into this."
"And what's your analysis Doctor Akagi?"
"My analysis is that they're friends, and there might be
something there, but it can't be much more. I could believe that they
care for each other somewhat, but your disgusting fantasies definitely
aren't included."
"What fantasies? I just said kissing!"
"And it better stay at that. Quite frankly, you scare me."
"So, why don't we look? What's wrong? Afraid?"
"Oh, all right, if it'll get you to leave them alone," Ritsuko
conceded, walking down the hallway to the door of Shinji's room, Misato
trailing right behind her. They stopped in front of the door.
"Well, come on."
"This is ridiculous."
Misato edged the door ajar slightly, and peeked in, Ritsuko
resting her head over Misato's, one of each of their eyes staring in.
"Aww... isn't that sweet," Misato whispered as he saw Rei place
her hand on top of Shinji's.
"Hmmm. It's... kind of cute, I guess," Ritsuko said quietly,
a grin edging on her face.
"They make a cute couple."
"Yeah, I gue--- hold on." Ritsuko's voice dropped like a rock
as she watched Rei stand up.
"What?"
Rei shifted around the bed until she was behind Shinji and placed
a leg around each side of him, placing her arms around his waist and
pulling him gently to her.
"Oh... my..." Misato got out.
"That... is a bit of a stretch."
The two Children remained in the same position for a few minutes,
neither saying a word.
"It's... nothing. They're just staying close to each other,"
Misato whispered, subdued.
"It's... a stretch," Ritsuko whispered.
At that moment, Rei took Shinji's hand and placed it on her calf.
She slowly began to draw it up the length of her leg, drawing her dress
away from that leg, allowing his hand to have full access to its very
end, just below her hip.
"That's all I care to see," Ritsuko said as she pushed the door
closed, nearly snapping Misato's nose in the process. She marched back
to the living room and stood still, facing the glass balcony door.
Misato followed her and stopped a few paces away from Ritsuko. The
two remained silent, faced away from each other. After the passage of
a few minutes, Misato chanced to speak.
"Ri... Ritsuko?"
Her long-time friend turned to face her.
"Do you realize what they're doing?" she asked calmly.
"Y... yes..."
"Why?"
"I... don't..."
"Major Katsuragi! Just what the _HELL_ have you been doing?!"
Ritsuko shouted, glaring at Misato.
"Me? Shouldn't you be asking _them_ that?"
"If you weren't setting such an excellent example with Kaji-kun,
this _never_ would be happening!" Ritsuko yelled a total non-sequitur.
"Oh, now who's talking? Don't bitch at me just because you're
stuck with Gendou!" Misato rifled back.
"What was that?!?!" Ritsuko turned bright red. "How did you even
know about that?"
Misato looked stunned. "Wh-what?! I was just kidding! You're
having a relationship with him?! That's disgusting!!! And then you
have the nerve to say something about this?!"
"What's your point?!"
Shinji rushed into the room, sweating lightly and extremely
nervous.
"Umm... Misato..." Shinji began.
"You heard me! Does it bother you that while I'm with a great
hunk of a man, you're stuck with some old pervert who's almost 20 years
older than you?" Misato continued, oblivious to the interruption.
"At least he has something bigger than Kaji's little _twig_!"
Ritsuko insulted.
"At least Kaji knows how to _use_ it!"
"Erm... Ayanami's... umm..." Shinji began again, blushing
furiously. "I need some advice..."
"You think I don't know that?... WHAT?!" Ritsuko hurled back at
Misato, and then at Shinji.
"What is it, Shinji?" Misato practically yelled at him, then
turned back on Ritsuko. "And just what the hell are you insinuating?"
"You know _exactly_ what. Remember that date he was a few _hours_
late for in 2009?" the doctor asked with an evil grin.
"You bitch!!!" Misato screamed, lunging at Ritsuko.
"Konban wa," a soft voice said, entering the fray.
Everything in the room stopped instantaneously. The fight came to
an abrupt halt, Misato with a fistful of Ritsuko's lab coat, jaw hanging
down far enough to seem unnatural, sobering up on the spot. Ritsuko
simply stood, looking stunned. Shinji produced twin sweatdrops, hardly
concealing his spreading blush which he had been failing to do earlier,
any hope of rectifying his situation now lost. Apparently, Rei had
finished achieving her goal.
"Wh... what are you doing, Rei?!" Misato nearly screamed.
"Allowing Ikari-kun to see me..." Rei said softly.
"What?! Ikari! Shinji!!" Ritsuko hollered at the boy.
"Oh Shinji?" Misato said sweetly, proceeding to grab him by the
ear. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HAVING _NAKED_ WOMEN OVER HERE?!
And you haven't even asked me!"
"AND WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH YOU AND REI?!" Ritsuko queried,
Shinji's other ear in hand. 'I'm not so bad myself.'
"Well... erm... that is..." Shinji attempted a response.
"Come this way, Ikari-kun," Rei said after a successful attempt to
remove the iron-grips of the two women.
Three jaws dropped simultaneously, as Shinji, Misato, and Ritsuko
all took the statement the wrong way. A slight black and white blur
could be seen momentarily before the door to its freezer slid quietly
shut. Pen-Pen had made good its escape. Meanwhile, Asuka had left her
room and was softly making her way through the living room when she
caught a look at the scene and fainted dead away.
'I wish I'd done that,' Misato thought.
"Ummm..." Shinji stammered.
'I wish Misato'd done that... and myself for that matter,' Ritsuko
thought.
"...I don't think Asuka looks too well," Shinji said. 'Like
that's the most important thing right now...'
"Does the line 'serve and protect' mean nothing to you, Major?"
Ritsuko asked, regaining some control over herself.
Rei, meanwhile, stood by, right hand clasped onto Shinji's wrist,
completely oblivious to the fact that she was the one causing the
argument and fainting.
"Don't even get into the protection bit. I don't want to know
what they do during sex!" Misato threw back at Ritsuko.
"Here, Ayanami. You'll want this," Shinji said, producing
something from his pocket.
Rei silently accepted the package of earplugs and resumed watching
the scene unfold.
"Of _course_ you don't. I bet you still have _that_collection_ in
your closet, don't you?" Ritsuko returned to the fray.
"I knew he was sleeping with you! I was just checking," Misato
said, adding a cough for emphasis. "Now that you mention it... it seems
that _you're_ the one who wants to know what they're doing... last I
recall, your _collection_ was larger than mine... you probably have your
video camera ready and waiting, don't you?"
Asuka, rising to her feet, added her own weight to the battle.
"Like that time when she wanted us all to strip naked and walk to the
entry plugs... the bitch turned the cameras on!"
"That was _MAYA_!!!" Ritsuko retorted.
Rei and Shinji watched the unfolding argument, almost oblivious to
the insult-heavy air.
"Oh... we all know what's going on between the two of you now,
don't we!" Misato grinned daggers.
"Lies! Lies! All LIES!!!" Ritsuko complained.
"Probably getting it on when no one's in the room, working late
nights..." Asuka jabbed.
"What's going on between them, Misato-san?" Shinji asked, almost
simultaneous to Asuka's verbal barb.
"Errr... think of... something you _may_ or _may_not_ be doing
with Rei... then substitute yourself out and put in Asuka." Misato
attempted to be as indescript as possible.
"They love each other," Rei stated quietly.
Everything came to a screeching halt, every eye available pointing
itself at Rei.
"W... what... what d-did you just... say, Rei?" Misato stumbled
over the sentence.
The other reactions varied. Asuka fainted away again, while
Shinji kept a perfectly straight and solemn face. Doctor Akagi began
turning various shades of light red.
"They care for each other," Rei replied.
Ritsuko growled ominously and changed shades of red again, coming
to a point where her face was a brighter and deeper red than Asuka's
hair.
"W-why did you say that?" Misato asked.
"It is... truth," Rei replied.
"Truth?... but... why would you say that is truth?" Misato
continued, obviously not comprehending.
"Because... it is. Ikari-kun and I are truth. Doctor Akagi and
Lieutenant Ibuki are truth. Kaji-san and Major Katsuragi are truth,"
Rei answered.
Slowly lifting her head, Asuka managed to catch everything from
"Ikari-kun and I". Ritsuko, also hearing clearly, looked for all the
world like she was about to bang her head against the nearest brick
wall, rather violently.
"Y-you... and Shinji..." Asuka stammered.
"Truth... as in... caring, or love? Me and Kaji... Ritsuko...
you and Shinji? I..." Misato tripped over the words.
"Truth."
"It's... what's right," Shinji added.
"There's nothing right _about_it_!" Ritsuko complained loudly.
Almost as if in response, Rei walked behind Shinji and clasped her
arms around him.
"Which one?" Misato asked of Ritsuko.
"You know which one!" Ritsuko responded angrily.
"Rei and Shinji," Misato said, deadpan.
'She'll outwit Section 2 yet,' Asuka thought.
"Why does truth bother you?" Rei asked.
{A Terop: Because even in this world, the truth is no more or
less than what you perceive it to be.}
"Look at this! It's completely indecent!" Ritsuko said.
Concurrently, Rei pressed herself tighter against Shinji's back,
an impressive blush visible on his face.
"I... don't understand. This is... what is natural," Rei said.
"Erm... th... th... that's right..." Shinji added, making a
spur of the moment decision.
"Not for fifteen-year-olds it isn't," Ritsuko replied.
"Actually, Ritsu... before we met..." Misato started.
"You _didn't_!" Ritsuko exclaimed in an almost girlish-gossip
tone.
"Well... don't tell Kaji, but..."
"Then you _weren't_ Kaji's first! Or was that the other way
around..." Ritsuko said, managing to confuse herself in the process.
"Both, probably..." Misato replied.
'Both _actually_ is more like it,' Shinji thought to himself,
sweating at having a naked body pressed against his back. 'And a
decently-endowed one for a fifteen year old, too... I... don't think
I want to run away now.'
Meanwhile, Ritsuko sprouted an impressive sweatdrop, then
proceeded to break down and smack her head against the nearest wall,
making a nice `thunk' sound in the process. "This is hopeless."
"How do you expect to keep your position at NERV if you get a big
crack in your head?" Misato asked her.
"My mother did it, and look where it got _her_! She's immortal,
twice over!"
"I think you just lost it, Ritsu..."
"Doctor Akagi..." Rei said worriedly, or what passed for
worriedly.
"Rit-suko?" Shinji asked.
"What?" Ritsuko asked, sobbing.
"Come on, Ritsuko..." Misato walked slowly over to the sobbing
doctor, talking in a soothing voice. "Let it out... what's wrong...?"
"Ev... everything..." Ritsuko choked out between sobs and tears.
"Come on, Ritsuko... we need to talk... but this won't work..."
Misato said, glancing up at Rei, who was still firmly pressed into
Shinji's back, and Shinji, who was making no attempt to alleviate the
situation, and no sign of attempting to do so.
'Maybe if she was "decent"...' Misato thought.
"Ritsuko, dear, you need to relax a bit," Misato said gently,
leading her over to her former chair. "And take off that heavy lab
coat..."
Ritsuko obeyed and shrugged the coat into Misato's arms, then
slipped herself into the waiting chair.
"Asuka, try to keep Ritsuko comfortable for a minute..." Misato
said.
"But I---" Asuka tried to argue.
"Just do it, _damn_it_!" Misato ordered.
Asuka flinched, and moved to do as she was told. Meanwhile,
Misato walked purposefully over to Shinji and Rei, holding out the coat.
"Put this on," Misato said to Rei.
"Why?" Rei asked.
"That's an order," Misato insisted.
"...Why do you deny the truth?"
"Just put on the bloody lab coat!"
Shinji backed up slightly, taking Rei with him. Quickly, however,
Rei took the coat and put it on as told, then resumed her previous
position attached to Shinji. Ritsuko, on the chair, shivered slightly,
eyes staring blankly ahead into the wall.
"The two of you stay there and... and... just stay there," Misato
told the two, turning back to Ritsuko.
"Ritsuko?" she said timidly.
Out from under the authoritative gaze of Major Katsuragi, Asuka
began turning an impressive shade of red while observing Shinji and Rei.
"I... I..." Ritsuko began, still crying.
"Ritsuko..." Misato said, gently shaking the doctor by the
shoulders.
"He... used..." she sobbed softly.
"Used...? Ritsuko, come on..." Misato prodded.
"Every... one," Ritsuko finished.
"How... how is it... you're being..." Misato cut herself off.
Asuka, not wanting to deal with two situations at once, started
herding Shinji and Rei out of the immediate area, making sure _not_ to
be gentle about it. Thus herded, the couple left the room. The
redhead, meanwhile, stood in indecision.
"Asuka, stay here," Misato ordered.
"Like hell I will!" Asuka replied.
"I need you here Asuka," Misato stated.
"You... I! Schei�!"
Misato wheeled on the girl, looking for all the world like an
impressively large, flaming demon straight from the pits of Hell. "This
_isn't_ the time, Asuka!"
Sweatdropping, Asuka returned to the living room. "Okay, okay!"
'What the hell does she need _me_ for anyway?'
'What the hell do I need her for anyway?... Because she's the only
_partially_sane_ person that I can completely count on right now...' She
returned her attention back to Ritsuko. "Ritsuko... tell me... tell me
what you mean..."
The doctor looked Misato dead in the face, looking like the cold,
calculating scientist she had always seemed to be. "Look around you,
Misato. Look at what we've been doing for the past year. The man
almost killed you over Jet Alone, for God's Sake!"
"W... what do you mean..." Misato asked, surprised.
"Everything was going perfectly, but you botched the plan with
that fool sense of honor of yours. You _had_ to go lollygagging in
there trying to save the day when we had already carefully engineered
the whole thing. If we hadn't still been in control, you would've been
killed then! Way back in Episode 7!"
Asuka tried her hardest to betray nothing on her face. 'She's
lost it. What the hell does she think this is, a television program?'
Misato stared blankly at the doctor with a combined look of
horror and disgust plastered all over her face. "Asuka... leave the
room... go to your room... now."
"No, Misato. She's in it as well. For all we know, _Commander_
Ikari has already _scheduled_ her death," Ritsuko said, making sure to
put as much sarcasm into her voice on the word 'Commander' as she
possibly could.
Asuka's head shot up at the statement by Ritsuko, eyes showing a
mixture of surprise and horror. "Scheduled... my _what_?"
"Death, of course. We're all on the schedule. And we'll all die.
It's just a matter of how, and _when_," Ritsuko replied.
"Even Rei? And... his own son?" Misato asked.
"Without a doubt... Oh, I forgot. You don't know about Rei, do
you? Or Shinji and Unit One, for that matter. Yes, it's _all_
scheduled. Every last event."
"Rei? Unit One? What... what are you talking about, Ritsuko?"
"Oh, everything's planned. He probably has all of our exact
schedules pinned up somewhere in that little cubbyhole he calls an
office. The _Commander_ probably even had this little scenario
predicted," the Doctor said, crying once again.
"Why is... why's he playing God?" Asuka asked aloud. "Or has
Ritsuko just lost it?"
"Oh, I still have it together, little one. I'm not like my
mother, no, not yet. And I doubt that it was even his plan, though he
made it his own... I suppose. No, not at all. Not like my mother at
all..."
"...You should get some rest, Ritsuko. It may help soothe
you... you can stay here tonight if you want..."
"...I will..."
"Come on... we'll make you a place in my room tonight," Misato
said, trying to manage a warm smile for the moment.
Ritsuko stood, wiping the tears away from her eyes with her left
hand. Misato took her right hand in her own and gently lead the still-
crying doctor from the room. Asuka was left standing in the room, alone
with nothing but her thoughts. 'Rei? Unit One... and Shinji? Me...
what... what's going to happen? What's my life? A play? I... I
don't... don't like this.' She sighed long and hard, then straightened.
"I guess... I shouldn't think about it tonight... I'm going to sleep...
I hope."
With that in mind, she walked to her room silently, something
still nagging at her mind. 'But _everyone_ has a part. Rei... Ritsuko
said there was something about her. Shinji... Unit One... something
there as well. What does that leave _me_?' Asuka threw herself down on
her bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling. 'Do I want to know?... There's
something else as well... what is it...?'
"Schei�! Damn those two!" Asuka practically yelled, flying out
of bed and managing to be through the door before her sheets hit the
ground.
------------------------------------
"I don't understand why you barricaded the door, Rei..."
"You don't understand? So we will not be... interrupted."
"Int... inter --- rupted?" Shinji asked, sweatdropping.
"That's right," Rei replied, unbuttoning the lab coat, her back to
Shinji. "What is it you think I'm referring to? We were interrupted
once."
Shinji's sweatdrops multiplied by a factor of ten, a blush also
spreading across his face. "I..."
Rei allowed the lab coat to drop at her feet, accomplishing the
goal she had at first set out to attain, and then proceeded to walk over
to the stuttering Shinji and sat beside him. "Didn't you want to be
able to speak to me?" she asked.
"You... that is I... I mean, I..." Shinji said, the sweatdrops
increasing at an exponential rate.
"Didn't you agree with me... that being together is right? This
is what is... do you believe that?" Rei asked softly.
"What is... is. Yes."
"That is what I believe," Rei said, putting her hands on his
shoulder and pulling him closer, gently kissing him on the lips.
At that second, a muffled banging was heard through the door as
Asuka wailed away on it with a fist, though to no avail.
"Mm_m_!" Shinji murmured into the kiss, startled at first.
"Mmmm..."
"A kiss... a symbol of... affection. I want... to understand
this... do you?" Rei asked softly, gently pulling her lips away. "Do
you want to experience and understand... a kiss?"
"Open up, God damn it!" Asuka yelled through the door.
"I... don't understand it... but I want to."
The door cracked loudly several more times as Asuka continued
banging on it futilely.
"And... how does that make you... feel?"
"I don't know what it is, but I... like it," Shinji responded.
Rei looked coolly at Shinji, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Why... why do I smile?" She reflected on herself. 'Is this...
_happiness_?'
"You smile... because you want to... because you feel... happy?"
As the two spoke, splinters and smaller bits of the makeshift
barricade flew into the room as Asuka continued her relentless pounding
on the door outside. "If you two dare do anything in there, I swear
I'll kill you _both_!"
"I... I feel... happy, Ikari-kun."
"Rei... _happy_?"
"Are you two even _listening_ to me?" Asuka screamed through the
door.
The two looked at each other for a few moments, oblivious to the
nutball of an Eva pilot continuing her rant outside the door.
"You'd better as hell open this door within the next ten seconds,
or I'm gonna... OOH!... I don't know what I'm going to do, but you
_won't_like_it_!!!" Asuka yelled.
Shinji, startled by the yelling itself much more than the unveiled
threat, cringed, as chance would have it, against Rei.
"Ikari-kun... that feels... nice," Rei commented as she placed
her hands against the bed.
"I... that is, I...," Shinji stammered, springing from the bed,
blushing furiously.
"What is wrong? Are you... uncomfortable?"
Shinji, off-balance from his leap, tottered into the barricade,
and promptly tripped and fell into the pile of stuff.
"Oww... I am now..."
"What the _hell_ is going on in there?!" Asuka yelled through the
door.
"I wish _I_ knew!" Shinji yelled back.
"What is it you feel?" Rei asked, kneeling down next to Shinji.
"A sharp, stinging pain all over my back," Shinji replied, holding
up an old sneaker which had previously been jutting into the small of
his back.
Rei moved closer to Shinji until she was sitting right next to
him. Softly, she placed a hand on the small of his back. "Do you feel
pain when you are near me?"
"Shinji, if that last comment was in regards to what I think it
was, you'd have more luck diving out of the window right now than you
would spending another night in this household!"
"My own pain, not from you," Shinji replied, ignoring Asuka's
comment.
"What is it you feel...?" Rei asked, pulling Shinji into a sitting
position.
Silence gripped the room for a few moments as neither spoke nor
moved.
"It's something... different. Something I... can't name," Shinji
finally replied.
"Is it... happiness?"
"That's part of it."
"Happiness... is part of what you feel. You do not understand it
all?" Rei asked, holding Shinji to her, speaking into his ear. "This is
comfortable. Do you feel comfort?"
"This is... comfort. Different comfort. It is not like the
comfort I knew, like a safe place... or perhaps all comfort is the same
in the end... a familiar ceiling."
"Perhaps. Humans find comfort in different ways. What is this
comfort to you... that you find... that we find? What do you think it
is?" Rei asked.
"...A caring, I think. Something that I did not know... before."
"A comfort in having someone to care about. This is... the
absence of loneliness. I... don't feel... lonely," Rei said. 'What is
this? I... I do not want to be... alone?'
"You... lonely?" Shinji said, holding Rei in his arms.
'What is it... I... I don't... I hate loneliness. It's all I've
known... I don't want it.' She looked up at Shinji, her eyes beginning to
water.
"I understand," she whispered.
Tears began to fall, splashing onto Shinji. "I am... crying. Why
am I crying?"
"Because you... feel... that it's what you should do," Shinji
replied, laying her head gently to his shoulder.
"I don't care what she feels! Open this God damn door!" Asuka
said hotly, banging on the door again.
'Why...' She opened and closed her eyes, the liquid still flowing
from them. "I don't want to be alone."
"Then why be alone?" Shinji asked in response.
"Do you know what loneliness is?"
"Yes... I have carried it since... since..." Shinji cut himself
off, tears welling up in his eyes. "Since mother died."
"Do you hate loneliness?"
Through tears, Shinji replied, "Yes..."
"Why do you hate it?"
"Because... it reminds me of... the... the day she..." he started,
breaking off, wracked with sobs.
"You hate loneliness," Rei said softly, stroking his cheek gently,
tears still falling from her own.
"Yes, I do..." Shinji nodded, still sobbing.
"Do you find comfort with another?"
"With..."
"Do you find comfort with me?"
Shinji simply nodded in response, unable to vocalize what he
wanted to. 'Comfort... in the touch of another... caring.'
"Do you... let me find comfort... with you?"
The makeshift 'doorstop' creaked under the strain of Asuka's
relentless assault, now a rain of kicks and punches, nothing being
pulled.
"If you find comfort... I know I do." Shinji said.
"You want comfort? You'll find it when this door comes down on
your head! You won't feel a thing in unconsciousness!" Asuka yelled,
grinning evilly.
"...Shinji, I think we should... move back," Rei said, pulling
Shinji back a few meters. "Humans can't exist alone. Even with others
around them, they are lonely. It's the sorrow and the sadness of the
soul that is loneliness. My soul... that's all it is... or was... but,
I find something else. A part of my soul... myself... wishes to unite
with you."
"Man lacks something basic. That's what my old sensei said. So,
we find something to fill that lack. Our souls... become... one."
"That is what it is that we seek. To become one, to unite... this
is... completeness. I... it's you... who I seek..."
Shinji, just having caught onto that fact, was stunned into
silence.
"I hate loneliness..."
"That we have in common," Shinji agreed.
"We don't want to be alone..."
"We don't want to be... separate... from one another?"
"No, we don't. That is what you feel?"
"Yes," Shinji answered simply.
Rei looked up at Shinji, the flow of tears having come to a halt.
"We won't. We won't be alone."
"We won't be alone."
"I am happy, Ikari... Shinji-kun."
"So am I... Rei...-chan. So am I."
Rei's eyes widened slightly, holding Shinji slightly tighter. "I
like this comfort. It feels... nice."
"It does... and... you do," Shinji said, watching Rei blush
slightly at the compliment.
Moments later, the makeshift barrier imploded, the door atop the
pile of items which had composed the barricade. Asuka, face a darker
shade of red than her hair stood seething in the doorway. "Ashamed,
Rei? How _unlike_ you..." she said with a dark growl. "And you!" she
continued, indicating Shinji. "Chan?!"
The other two Children rose to their feet.
"Miss Soryuu... I believe you owe Shin-kun a new door... and his
rightful privacy," Rei said matter-of-factly.
"What was THAT?!" Asuka raged.
"This doesn't look good..." Shinji murmured, cringing behind, but
not into, Rei.
Asuka changed shades of red, obviously too enraged to even _care_
that Rei was undressed. "I heard that, _Shin-chan_!" she continued
ranting, a measure of disdain in her voice thickening at the reference
to Shinji.
"Don't call me Shin-chan," Shinji said, getting mad himself.
"Why not, Shin-chan?" Asuka asked mockingly. "Is that only for
her to say?" 'The little bitch...'
"I... will say it... because it's right. Why don't you respect
him?" Rei asked.
"Respect _him_?! Ha! The only person I respect less than him is
_you_, Honor Student!"
"Damn it Asuka!" Shinji yelled.
"Then why do you care what happens to him?" Rei asked calmly,
causing everyone in the room to flinch simultaneously.
"That's none of your damn business, Wonder Child."
"And this isn't yours," Rei asserted. "You do not care for him,
to know this."
"Ooooo...! Don't twist what I say," Asuka said, closing the gap
between herself and Rei.
"Asuka, stop it!" Shinji cried.
"What reason would I have to do that?" Asuka asked, instilling a
few seconds of silence upon the room. "...Well?"
"You're... you're just... just hurting us!"
"And why not? Why should you... you! Damn you and your little
doll!" Asuka screamed, pulling her arm back and letting it fly, smacking
Rei across the face. "This is all your fault, Shinji Ikari! YOUR
FAULT!"
"...You..." Shinji growled.
"...I am not a doll. I... I am... Shin-chan's..." Rei said,
looking at Asuka with a cool glare that would've been daggers from anyone
else.
Asuka spun and backhanded Rei across the other side of her face.
"Shut up!"
"...Stop!" Shinji commanded.
"...I am not a doll... I am... I am Shin-chan's... to be..."
"Shut up!" Asuka yelled at Rei. "Pathetic little doll!"
The next slap sent Rei spinning to her knees. "Shin-chan..." she
called weakly.
"I hate you!" Asuka yelled, bringing her arm back to slap Rei
again, looking into the red eyes that were piercing even in pain.
'Rei... no. No! Stop!' "NO!" Shinji cried, catching Asuka's
arm by the wrist before her hand could come into contact with Rei's face
for a fourth time. "Asuka!"
"I hate you! You and your doll!" she yelled at him.
"Asuka, stop! Shut up!" Shinji yelled, throwing Asuka's arm
roughly aside, then bringing his own arm back and slapping Asuka with
excessive force across the face, sending Asuka back a few steps.
"I..." Asuka started, tears, both of pain and anguish, welling up
in her eyes.
"Go... just get out. Get away from me. Get away from her. Just
go away!" Shinji ordered, anger and sadness in his voice.
"I..." Asuka sniffed, trying to hold back the tears.
Unsuccessful, her knees gave way and she fell to the floor sobbing
loudly.
Shinji stood between Rei and Asuka, hands clenched at his sides, a
cold gaze fixed on Asuka. Finally he turned to Rei, still standing
behind him.
"She... does not deserve... to be hurt."
"Neither do you," Shinji seethed, face red in anger.
"It hurts... in more ways than one... but she doesn't deserve
it," Rei said, tears in her eyes. "Please... Asuka... please go..."
"You aren't... you aren't the center of..."
"What in the name of---JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH!" Misato screamed
from the doorway. "Would someone here like to tell me just what the
_hell_ has been going on here? And what have you done to my
apartment?!" Misato immediately sprouted a sweatdrop the size of
Connecticut, as well as a vein the size of Montana.
---
MST3K Shinji Ayanami
====================
Now, class... as you can see, Connecticut is small, but would still fill
over half of Japan. Montana, meanwhile, would be stretching into China.
This is a physical impossibility in the real world. However, the Anime
laws of physics will allow the size of the rooms and the house, as well
as the occupants, to expand to fit the size of the protrusions, then
shrink again once they have left.
---
"I hate this. I hate this! I HATE THIS!" Asuka screamed.
"Rei, maybe you could---OH MY GOD! Damn it! Shinji, what the
hell happened to that lab coat?" Misato demanded of Shinji, who wisely
looked the other way.
"It is... uncomfortable," Rei replied.
"That isn't the _point_! Shinji! Okay, everyone, stop
_right_now_. Now, Shinji dear, please _calmly_ and _slowly_ tell me...
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE!!!"
"I am not alone. And... someone wants... loneliness..." Shinji
replied unsteadily, choosing that time to wrap Rei up in his bed sheet,
catching, en passant, something which he shouldn't have in front of the
others.
"Wha...?" Misato managed, thoroughly confused.
"I want to be with Rei-chan," Shinji clarified.
"I want to be with Shin-chan," Rei added, arms clasped around
Shinji.
"Ooooohhhhh NO!" Asuka moaned.
Misato, taking in the scene, could manage no more for the moment
than a tinge of blush.
"She hates..." Shinji began. "She hurts... us..."
"Everything! And especially you, you heathen, moral-less,
hypocritical..." Asuka ranted, breaking off into an unintelligible
string of German and Japanese insults.
"Oh geez..." Misato groaned.
"WhaddidImith?" Ritsuko asked from the doorway.
Four sets of eyes and three mouths widened and dropped open
respectively at the sight of Ritsuko. Her lab coat on Shinji's floor,
she was dressed only in her short black skirt, dark nylons, and
sleeveless blue blouse. This would have been fine except that the
zipper was undone down to her stomach, and she had a look of pure
playfulness in her eyes, as well as a seductive yet wavy smile on her
face.
'She hit the liquor after I left, didn't she...' Misato muttered
mentally about the morality of drinking.
"Oh... not again..." Ritsuko complained.
"Not exactly..." Misato told her.
"Why'mI onda flour... an whas're ewe dewing weeth Ka-gee,
Mee-sato?" Ritsuko pointed the question at Rei.
"_She's_ smashed," Shinji declared firmly. "How can that happen
in less then 15 minutes?"
"Low tolerance to alcohol," came Misato's reply. "Oh boy..."
Misato muttered, twitching slightly. "Of all the times, of all the
people..." 'And this is coming from me?' "Ritsu-chan, have you been
near Shigeru... er... Aoba-kun recently?" Misato asked.
"Aoba-kun? Why, I thaw heem... wheredidItheeheem?"
Snickering almost uncontrollably, Asuka turned to Shinji and
whispered, "This is what they call `mind-expanding drugs' in college...
or the results, anyway."
"It has expanded her... personality..." Shinji agreed.
"And relaxed her... tongue restraint," Rei added.
"And her sense of clothing," Asuka snickered.
"Sinth when are yuanKajjji so calm? Oh, Mithato... were the too
of yu ine middle of thomething?" Ritsuko asked, snickering. "An I's inn
purrfeekt kun-troll..."
"Actually, yes," Misato replied.
"Weel, unleth you want to inviiiiiiite me to join in... I'll jush
beon my wayyy..."
"I'll be right back," Misato said to the three children. "Anyone
who moves is in _serious_ trouble. Come on, Ritsuko." The Major calmly
lead Ritsuko by the arm out of the room and into a nearby bedroom.
"Bye, Mithato! By Ka-gee! Wherre are we going, Mishato? Hey,
shere are too of shou!"
As soon as Ritsuko was safely out of earshot, Asuka simply burst
out laughing.
Once in the bedroom, Misato calmly clubbed Ritsuko over the back
of the head, knocking her out. "At least Kaji taught me something that
keeps me clean..." Misato muttered, walking back to Shinji's room. When
she returned, the room was actually, for the record, calm and in
control. "Now, let's try this again. Shinji, please, begin from where
you were when we were... interrupted."
"Rei and I... came here." Misato nodded. "The door was
barricaded."
"And Asuka started trying to break it down, right?"
"She _did_ break it down! That's why my room is such a mess!"
"Okay, now back up. How did Rei end up... unclothed... _again_?!"
Misato twitched.
"She took off the lab coat."
"No kidding," Misato growled.
"Well, you _did_ ask how she got undressed..."
"God only knows what they were doing in here," Asuka put in.
Misato ignored the comment except for an overt roll of her eyes.
"We talked," Shinji continued.
"I'll be you did," Asuka and Misato shot back concurrently.
"That is the truth," Rei replied.
"I'm not interested in lying to you," Shinji said hotly.
"So you two came in here... you disrobed, you talked to
Shin-kun... Asuka broke the door down... then what?" Misato asked,
almost curiously.
"She... Asuka slapped Rei... hit her... three times..." Shinji
said spitefully, simply throwing the words out of his mouth.
"Then dropped to the ground in penance for her crime, I suppose,"
Misato said dryly.
"I slapped her. She hurt Rei, she wouldn't stop! She was going
to hit her again! She hurt..." Shinji said, just as spitefully.
"And that gives *you* the right to hurt _her_ in return?"
"She wouldn't have stopped," Shinji replied curtly. "And it's all
right for her? You never have anything to say about Asuka. Why?"
"I'm getting to *her* in a minute."
"Do... do you think, it was just for today?! Since she arrived,
she never respected anyone but herself... no one... always hurt..."
"And what about _you_, Asuka? What in the world were you doing
slapping _anyone_?" Misato whirled on the redhead. "And Rei, make sure
_he's_ quiet for a minute. I don't care how."
Rei wrapped her arms about Shinji's waist and pulled him to her,
smiling lightly. "I'm doing this for us, not for Katsuragi-san," she
whispered, acquiring a nod from Shinji in response.
"I... that is... what I mean is..." Asuka stammered.
"Out with it, Asuka."
"Shin-chan," Rei whispered.
"It's just plain indecent! It's so damned indecent that it's
_really_ pissing me off!" Asuka yelled.
"Rei-chan?" Shinji asked.
"Can we continue... when this is over?" she asked.
"Yes. We can, and we _will_. Promise made."
Rei leaned forward and lightly kissed Shinji on the lips, then
drew back.
"I don't think that gives free reign for you to go around smacking
people..." Misato started. 'Actually, I know it doesn't.'
"A... kiss?"
"It felt... nice. Nicer than before... because... I know this
time... it's you," Rei replied.
Asuka glared daggers at the young couple, seething, bright red,
and angry to the point where she could probably have scared off a baron
of Hell.
---
MST3K Sho Gouki / Unit One
==========================
<running in terror from it's vantage point behind the window>
---
"Being with you is... nice..." Shinji said.
"Do you like a kiss?" Rei asked. "I mean... do you enjoy it?"
Upon hearing the immediate exchange, Asuka began sprouting veins
in places where they should not have existed visibly.
"Yes, I like a kiss. It is.. pleasant," Shinji replied, holding
Rei more tightly to him, and feeling that she was doing the same.
"Thank you," the two mouthed to each other.
Asuka, now burning a brighter red than Evangelion Unit Two, was
quite visibly fighting an almost overwhelming urge to personally march
across the room and throttle the young couple.
'Put myself between Asuka and them... or stay alive to tell about
what happened?'
"Idn't that _sweet_," Asuka said, disdain heavy in her voice.
'Then again, if I don't step in, they won't stay alive to tell
what happened...' Misato thought. "Asuka, I think you'd better leave...
now."
"Leave?" Asuka asked, anger rising. "Why should _I_ leave?!"
"Asuka, haven't you done enough damage for one night?" Misato
asked pointedly.
"W... what did..."
"You know quite well what you did, young lady... now leave before
_I_ get violent."
"I... I HATE THIS!" Asuka screamed, kicking the door on her way
out of the room, then proceeding to slam the sliding door to her room
open and closed. From behind it, the faint sound of yelling could be
heard.
Shinji, seizing the moment, sweatdropped profusely.
"Now, as for the two of you. Shinji, it's late, and you're going
to bed because you have school tomorrow. Rei..." the Major rolled her
eyes. "...I have no clue what I'm going to do with you."
"...I would like... to stay... Major Katsuragi-san."
"Oi vey..." Misato groaned.
"Misato-san..." Shinji began.
"Yes, Shinji?" Misato asked wearily.
"I... I know you find... this... but... please, Misato-san."
"Okay... that's one less thing to deal with tonight... but if you
two do _anything_ that I... wait, let me rephrase that. If you two
get... involved... I'll see to it that you keep the entire city between
you until you both reach 21."
"Please, then, put the cameras in this room," Rei said.
'Is she serious?' Misato wondered, sweatdropping.
"Why... what is it that bothers you, Major?" Rei asked.
"Nothing," Misato replied, shaking her head. "Please, try to get
_some_ sleep." She headed heavily for the remains of the door. 'And if
you betray my trust, I'll make sure you, Shinji, spend the rest of your
days as a eunuch, and you, Rei, in a convent full of the sternest
sisters I can find.
"Good night... Misato-san," Shinji called after her.
"Good night... Shin-chan," Misato called back, yawning, then
proceeding out of the rubble of the door and barricade, and down the
hall.
'Chan? Does that mean...'
"We should put the door back up," Rei said, interrupting his
thoughts.
Shinji simply nodded absentmindedly. The two moved to prop the
door back up against the wall and fit it into the fixture as best as
possible. The result was a sliding door, yet one that did not slide
smoothly.
'Shin-chan... from Asuka, a term of... disdain. From Rei, a
term of affection. From Misato?'
"Are you all right, Shin-chan?" Rei asked.
"Em?" Shinji asked, his attention finally focusing on Rei. "Oh,
yes."
She nodded, placing a hand on her cheek and rubbing it softly.
"You aren't... hurt... are you?" Shinji asked.
"I feel... a little pain... it stings. It's nothing... but..."
Rei replied.
Shinji looked Rei straight in the face. "It's not _fair_," he
said, leading her quietly to sit on his bed.
"Why... why does she hate me?" Rei asked.
"I... I think it's because... she sees you as... competition. For
me..." Shinji replied.
"Competition?" Rei queried, confused.
"Everything to Asuka is... and she wants to be the best... at
everything. The thought that someone has something to hold over her...
something she wanted..."
"She... she can't be. No one can be." Rei replied.
"Apparently... that thought does not... enter into her mind."
"She doesn't want to understand life. She closes her mind and
soul to everyone."
"It is... a defense. She was... hurt... before. We all
were..." Shinji answered.
"A defense... it is only perceived to be one... when you close
yourself off, you close your world, and you cannot be hurt. But without
others you cannot exist. You are what you make yourself and what
others make you. She must accept others..." Rei said, almost as if
quoting.
'It's hard for her...' Shinji thought.
"It is not easy to do... but you must learn... or life... is
hard. Is... alone."
"Must we... worry about her?" Shinji asked.
"You are angry?"
"About many things... concerning many things... but I... I just
want... you," Shinji answered.
Rei looked softly at Shinji, reaching out with her left hand, and
clasping it around his right, she raised it and placed it just above her
left breast, holding it there.
"You... are warm, Shin-chan."
"I am?"
"You are warm. What do you feel, Shin-chan?" Rei asked, holding
his hand a little more tightly.
"Warmth... caring... and... excitement..." Shinji replied.
"Do you feel... the beating... of my heart?" she asked.
"Your heart..."
"My heart... is beating faster. Do you feel it?"
Shinji nodded mutely, staring silently at Rei, who brought her own
right hand up to the left side of his chest.
"Do you feel... your own heart?"
"My heart..." Shinji murmured, enfolding Rei in his arms.
"I can hear it... it beats with my own... listen."
"I... hear them..." he replied, tears slowly streaking his face.
"Tears... Shin-chan... you are crying..."
"Of joy, Rei-chan... tears... once a symbol of sadness... now a
symbol of joy."
"This is what I have." Rei began crying as well. "I am happy."
"It is what we have... it is who we are," Shinji replied.
"You are understanding now. That is something I like... that we
like. Shin-chan?"
"Rei-chan?" Shinji asked, still crying.
Rei placed a hand on his cheek, caressing it softly, and leaning
forward. "I want you... to be happy. I want to show you happiness,"
she said softly. "I make you happy?"
"Shinji leaned forward, pressing his face against her, just below
the neck, stifling his tears against her body. "Yes... yes, you do..."
"I'm... You make me happy," Rei said, lifting his head until it
was level with her own. "Before, I kissed you... a kiss, a symbol of
affection, of caring... a bond with another." She leaned closer. "I
want to kiss you. Do you want to experience a kiss with me?"
"Two... who are one. I want... this kiss," Shinji replied simply.
"With you," Rei stated, closing her eyes and pressing her lips to
his.
'I am... warm,' Shinji thought, holding her against himself.
'I'm warm... he is... warmth is comfortable,' Rei thought, putting
her arms around Shinji.
'This is caring,' he added in his mind, feeling the kiss deepen
imperceptibly.
'This is... nice. Why do I enjoy it? Because of what I feel...
I want to do this for Shin-chan... for myself. Only for us.'
"You... your lips are soft, Rei-chan," Shinji said once the kiss
had broken.
"Thank you," Rei replied, blushing slightly. "Yours feel...
gentle. Do you like... a kiss?"
"Yes," Shinji answered, crying softly. "Yes, I do."
Rei wiped the tears from his eyes, then spoke softly. "You will
make me cry again." Then with a soft smile, she added, "This is nice."
"I cannot... help it. It is so warm, so... pleasant."
"Then... cry," Rei said, bringing her hands behind her back to
the fastening of the bed sheet.
"You are too... kind, Rei-chan," Shinji replied, smiling through
the tears.
"Th... thank you," she answered, tears flowing from watering eyes.
"I'm crying, but... this is a pleasant experience... joy," Rei continued,
unclasping the bed sheet and pulling it away.
"This is... truth?" Shinji asked quietly.
"We are truth. I would just like to feel warmth... for now..."
Rei answered in her usual, soft voice.
"Whenever you would... I am here."
"Tonight... Major Katsuragi... said not to tonight... tonight...
so..."
"And we wouldn't _dream_ of defying her, now would we?" Shinji
asked, a light-hearted laugh breaking through the teary exteriour.
"Shall we to sleep, then?"
"...Shin-chan?"
"Yes, Rei?"
"I would like to feel warmth tonight... will you allow me?"
"If you want it... it is... yours," Shinji asserted.
"Closeness... for tonight. Please, stay close to me," she said,
unbuttoning his wrinkled white school shirt and slipping it off of him.
"I will... I promise," Shinji replied, laying down on the bed.
Rei knelt beside the bed for a moment, to remove Shinji's white T-
shirt, then slipped into bed herself and turned him to face her.
"You taught... I learned as well. Arigato, Rei-chan."
Again she removed herself, this time to turn off the light, then
lay down facing him again, wrapping her arms around him. "You..."
"I..." Shinji lead on.
"Do you like this feeling of closeness?"
"I do," he said.
Rei took one of his hands in her own and slowly drew it across her
breast. "Before... you did this... it felt nice... pleasurable..."
"Rei...-chan... please... we can't... you..." 'If she keeps this
up, I'm gonna lose control... Not that I was ever _in_ control... So
it doesn't matter...' he thought, along with a mental note to add an
eye-roll later.
"I know. It's only this... allowing this one experience... no
more... for now."
"So soft... warm," Shinji sighed quietly.
"That feels... pleasurable..." Rei stated, blushing. "I feel...
warm. You... feel nice."
Shinji took the initiative and pulled her against himself softly.
"Sleep now, Rei-chan."
"Thank you... Shin-chan," Rei said, placing her arms around him
once again and resting her head next to his. "Did I make you... happy?"
"Mmm?" Shinji mumbled, nodding sleepily.
"Good. Then sleep, Shinji Ikari. Tonight, we will keep each
other warm... and complete," she stated, a single tear falling from her
eyes. "Good night... Shinji."
"Good night, Rei," Shinji replied.
------------------------------------
"What in God's Name did I do to deserve _this_!" Asuka ranted,
prying at an already-ripped pillow. "And what the hell is Misato's
problem?!" Under the onslaught, the pillow was pried apart and stuffing
filled the room.
"And _those_ two... If I never see them together again, it'll be
_too_ soon."
"Just... why is he so damned protective of that... doll? I could
have given... anything! Even _care_! But what do I get? That damned-
insensitive prick chooses that _doll_ over _ME_!" Asuka screamed into
the night, flinging the remains of the pillow at her door.
"Asuka, hold it down! I'm trying to _sleep_!" Misato called
through the wall.
"Hmph!" she said in that definitive Asuka manner. "And why is she
always on _his_ side?!"
"Why would I want him _anyway_?! He's spineless! He's a wimp!
He's an idiot! A loser! I HATE HIM!"
"And that doll! Who does she think she is?!" Asuka asked, rather
too loudly as she began systematically shredding another pillow.
"Always so good, always so perfect, always follows orders... why the hell
does she want to be near that idiot!?"
She slammed the pillow as hard as she could manage into her
dresser, setting it to rocking slightly, as well as causing her alarm
clock to fall off and crack. "Oooooo, I'll have their _heads_ for
this!"
"Pipe down in there!" Misato yelled.
"Ishat you, Mama?" came faintly from Ritsuko, followed by a sharp
cracking sound.
"If it isn't one thing, it's another... I'm goin' to sleep."
She began stripping off her school uniform as though it were
another pillow, taking no care when she got to seams, allowing them to
simply give way or rip as they would.
"And now I have to go out and get myself new pillows and sew my
uniform tomorrow. All because of them!"
------------------------------------
[crackly] Rei: Tonight, we will keep each other warm... and complete.
Good night, Shinji.
[crackly] Shinji: Good night, Rei.
"Hmm... no cameras, but we didn't talk about microphones," Misato
said with a darkly-humourous grin. "And it even looks like they're
going to abide by my little ultimatum. For now, anyway..."
She reached over and switched the microphone off. "But, to be
honest... I think I'm happy for them. I am." 'Okay, one problem solved,
then. That only leaves Ritsuko, and an overly-jealous Asuka to deal
with... though I'm not sure which frightens me more,' she thought,
shuddering. Soon, muffled shouting was audible through the wall from
Asuka's room.
"I could have given... anything! Even _care_! But what do I get?
That damned-insensitive prick chooses that _doll_ over _ME_!"
"Asuka, hold it down! I'm trying to _sleep_!" Misato yelled at
the wall. 'So, that's a lie. It doesn't matter... I think it might be
Asuka... then again, God only knows what Ritsu has known. Tomorrow...
will be an interesting day, I guess. I'd better make breakfast... or
try to. We'll be six tomorrow... can't forget Pen-Pen... wish _I'd_ hid
in the freezer...'
Again, Asuka's ranting cut through the wall.
"Always so good, always so perfect, always follows orders... why
the hell does she want to be near that idiot?!" More rambling ensued.
"Pipe down in there!" Misato called at the wall.
"Ishat you, Mama?" Ritsuko mumbled, starting to wake up.
"Not tonight," Misato replied, bringing her fist down on the back
of Ritsuko's head, promptly causing the drunken doctor to fall back into
her bed.
"I'm sorry, Ritsuko... it's for your own good. You'll feel better
tomorrow," Misato continued, more to herself than anyone else. 'For the
first time... I hate alcohol.'
"Rei and Shinji... no problem. Ritsuko... under control, for now.
Asuka... I don't know." Misato sighed. "Well, better get to sleep.
Something tells me that tomorrow's going to be a looooong day."
Misato practically threw herself onto her bed next to a slumbering
Ritsuko and closed her eyes.
"I wish Kaji were here right now... I _need_ to speak to
somebody... tomorrow..."
TO BE CONTINUED...
__________________________________________________________________________
CREDITS
-------
-> Scheduled Scenario Productions
---------------------------------
- "Midnight Limited" & "Solbination Limited" Subsidiaries
Design and Planning:
--------------------
James Grabowski - Sephirius Endymion, Rei Ikari
- sephirius@japan.crosswinds.net
Geoff Upchurch - Mien Diem, Shinji Ayanami
- miendiem@hotmail.com / miendiem@netscape.net
Writing:
--------
Authors
- James Grabowski
- Geoff Upchurch
Revising / Editing
- James Grabowski
- Geoff Upchurch
Pre-Readers:
-------------
Kemjin - khyronx@aol.com
Ryo - ryoganeko5@aol.com
Ryo-sama - iryosamaL@aol.com
Phaedrine - phaedrine@hotmail.com
Mark Eymer - saotome@micron.net
__________________________________________________________________________
Scheduled Scenario Productions [UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION]
- http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~sephirius/SSP
James Grabowski's Site [Endymion's Portal (Home of S.S.P.)]
- http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~sephirius
Geoff Upchurch's Site [Mien Diem's Anime Warehouse]
- http://members.tripod.com/~Mien_Diem
__________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1998 - James Grabowski & Geoff Upchurch
Scheduled Scenario Productions
__________________________________________________________________________