From: "Rakna" The One I Love Is... Chapter 5 - The more things change, the more they stay the same Written by Alain Gravel Based on characters created by and copyright GAINAX http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/2236/ (*) See translations notes for details ======================================================================= Chapter 5 - The more things change, the more they stay the same Part 1: Changes Project E Third Children Observation Report February 26th, 2016 [Shinji hasn't left his room for four days now, only coming out for synch and harmonic tests, never saying a word, since that night he was lost outside Tokyo-3 with Asuka. I'm beginning to worry, both as his guardian and NERV officer. He only eats at night when he thinks everyone is sleeping. His mood appears darker than usual, and his synch ratio has dropped by nearly 20%. Even with tightened surveillance around the apartment, I'm afraid he may run away again. I tried to ask Asuka what's going on, but she refused to answer. While she had seemed as perturbed as Shinji when Kaji brought them home that night, she has since then resumed a more or less normal life, although she is apparently very worried about Shinji. I have also noted that she is more aggressive than ever towards Rei. I can guess why, but without knowing what happened between her and Shinji, I can't know for sure. The medical check I had asked Ritsuko to perform didn't reveal anything unusual, except the obvious injuries to her feet, and those are healing well. She was able to go to school today. I don't know why I asked for that check. Did I really believe Shinji could have done something to hurt Asuka? I'm really ashamed of myself. I should have trusted Shinji more than that. But it's my job. I must take precautions against any potential threat to my team.] - - - I awoke that morning with a firm resolution. Time to face reality again. Since that night in the woods, I had withdrawn from the others. With all that had happened, I couldn't bear to face Asuka and Rei. I loved them both. I had kissed them both. This was insane. Was it really possible to love two girls at the same time? I didn't know. I had spent numerous hours thinking about it, without finding any answer, other then the fact that my feelings for both of them were genuine. I loved Rei. I loved Asuka. And I needed them both. But I wasn't a fool. I knew it was unfair to both of them. I needed to choose one of them. But I couldn't resolve myself to do it. Not yet, anyway. However, I knew I couldn't wait forever. Because if I did, everyone involved would end up hurt. I, the most. What I could do now was to make sure no one interfered. I had spent the last four days thinking about it. Kaji's words were still fresh in my mind. 'If you were to fall in love with Asuka, then you would lose interest in Rei. That way, your father would have complete control over her as before.' Father... No! Commander Ikari. I could accept the thought of him using me. But not Rei and Asuka. I took some clothes lying on the ground, got dressed, then exited the darkness of my room to enter the real world. * * * As I made my way to the Commander's office, I received several strange looks. For anyone to go to the Commander's office unannounced was probably quite irregular. I wasn't surprised to be looked at that way. Everyone at NERV was likely afraid of Ikari Gendo. I, most of all. But I managed to shove that fear aside. I had spent many hours preparing for what I was about to do. I wouldn't let a small detail like fear destroy all my plans. If needed, I could always behave like the man I hated the most. So, when I entered his office, my face bore the same usual expressionless mask that used to be Rei's trademark. If my visit was highly irregular, the Commander didn't seem to care, as he waited for me to reach his desk before speaking. "What are you doing here?" He had his usual icy demeanor. Because of the lack of light in the room, I could barely see his eyes through the tinted glasses. For once, it was a good thing. I tried to answer, but was almost overwhelmed by the fear I always felt when facing to him. It took a few long seconds to gather what little courage I still had and manage to put my thoughts into words. "I don't want you to interfere with our lives ever again." The Commander raised an eyebrow. Well, well, judging by this reaction, he was probably quite surprised. It was, after all, the first time I could see some expression on his face other then a smirk. This reaction chased away part of the fear that threaten to cloud my mind at any moment. "Is this a threat?" he asked. "It can become one." Again, the Commander raised an eyebrow. For some reason, I thought about a poker game. We were both keeping a neutral face, trying to hide what kind of cards we had, trying to see if the other was bluffing. I realized it wasn't that hard, I just had to avoid letting my anger and fears get the better of me. Because if it did, then he would have control. "You think you can threaten me?" "Of course I can. I am the only pilot of Unit-01. You need me to save your life. You know as well as I do that you don't have any spare pilots. And you also know that Rei and Asuka won't be able to fight alone for long. That is, if I don't convince them to stop fighting for you at all. In this whole scenario... you are the only one who is useless." The Commander blinked, obviously shocked. So was I. I had thought about saying those words for a long time, but had I never imagined I could say them with so much conviction. But then again, it was the truth. "Are you saying that you'll refuse to pilot?" "Yes." "What makes you think I'd give in to your demands?" "You have no choice, unless you wish to be reduced to a bloody pulp in the hands of an EVA." I had hoped that the Commander would have reacted to those last words. That his face would have shown surprise or even anger. It didn't. Instead, he seemed amused, as that damn smirk appeared on his face. "Do you think you can threaten to kill me?" "What can you do to stop me? You need me. But don't worry, I don't intend on becoming a bastard like you. You should be safe." I just ignored him and turned my back to him. Although quite frankly, I was starting to break down. I couldn't keep the emotionless act much too long. "If you don't pilot, you will condemn mankind to death." I expected that. "You think that matters to me?" I retorted. And it didn't. What had humanity ever done for me? "If you don't pilot, you will condemn Rei and Sohryu to death." Damn! That hurt! I'd been expecting it and realized it was something he was likely to bring up, but it still hurt to actually hear it said. I kept myself under control, except for a small twitch on my cheek. Hopefully he was too far away to have seen it. "Better we all die living our own lives rather than live and be your or anyone else's pawns," I answered. And I truly believed in those words. The Commander remained silent. Well, if he didn't know what to say, I sure did. "One more thing: the living quarters assigned to Rei-chan are despicable. I expect her to move into the apartment next to ours." "Rei will stay where she is." I turned around and looked him in the eyes, then smiled. "Either she becomes my neighbor or she'll come live with me. Of course, we are a bit short of space and beds, so she'll have to sleep with me. I know she won't mind, since she was the one who came up with the idea in the first place..." I turned away before he had time to react. "Either way, you lose. It's up to you to decide what your loss will be. But understand this: none of us are your puppets anymore, including Rei." "You should forget about this idea of having a relationship with Rei. It can never work." I froze there. "What do you know? You should know already that it's going quite well." "Is it? Did Rei tell you her secret?" Again, I turned around to face him. The Commander was smirking. "Secret?" "Then this means you don't know. I thought so..." "Know about what?" The Commander ignored my question. "Forget about Rei. This relationship is doomed to fail." "Shut up!" "You are just running away from reality again." "What reality? Yours?" "Yes." Damn old bastard! "Enough of this nonsense! I've told you what I wanted, and you know the consequences of refusing me. And that is all what matters." Having said that, I left. I almost collapsed once I had passed the door. My heart was beating at a dangerously high rate, and I had trouble breathing. I had done it. I had confronted the man who used to be my father, and won. I couldn't quite believe it, but I was sure of it. "Rei... Asuka... Thank you..." I whispered. Without them, this confrontation would not have been possible. If they thought I was worthy to be loved, then maybe I was worth more than I thought... However, I couldn't help but think back about what the Commander had said. Was Rei really trying to hide something from me? Why did Rei seem so important to him? I tried to shove those ideas aside. Those were only the results of the Commander's efforts to manipulate me again. I would not fall for it. When I finally headed home, I had a broad smile on my face. * * * It was still a few hours away from Asuka and Misato's return from school and work, so I had the apartment all to myself for a while. Well, almost. Pen-Pen was here to keep me company, I realized, as he stood before me, a hungry look in his eyes. Poor Pen-Pen. Who knew what Misato had tried to feed him? "I'm sorry, Pen-Pen." I told him as I gave him a quickly made, but edible meal. Seeing the penguin obviously pleased, I decided to take a bath. It would help me think about what to do when my roommates returned... especially Asuka. I had not really been nice to them these last few days. I needed to find a way to apologize. * * * I was startled by the sound of someone entering the apartment. I had not realized that the time had passed so fast. I exited the kitchen, still wearing an apron, to see Asuka standing at the entrance. When she saw me, she suddenly froze in place. For a long time, we looked into each other's eyes. Beside surprise, I had trouble telling what she was thinking. I smiled. "Welcome home, Asuka-chan." It felt like the thing to say. Seeing her made me feel so good. Even though I had been with her and Rei for harmonic tests, it didn't feel the same as it used to. We didn't exchange words. Lost in thoughts, I had barely acknowledged their presence. I didn't want to. But now I could. My problems were not solved, but I had understood that hiding away from them would never solve anything. It was a big step toward an answer. "Shin... Shinji... Shinji!" Her school bag fell on the floor. The next thing I knew, I was squeezed by a hard hug. "Shinji..." "Asuka..." It felt weird having her head against my shoulder. I had not really noticed that night, when she had fell asleep in my arms, because of the unusual situation we had been in. But now... being like this, in our home, on a day like any other... it actually felt good. I surprised myself by returning her hug as best as I could, since my arms were stuck against my body by her powerful hold. "For a while, I thought you didn't want to talk to me, that you wanted to avoid me..." She almost sounded like she was about to cry. I really felt bad about that. I should not have shut them out of my life as I had. "I'm sorry. I just needed some time to think. But I didn't deliberately avoid you..." "Shinji..." Then for a second time, the door opened. "I'm ho..." The words died in the Major's mouth the instant she noticed us... and the way we were holding each other. By instinct, I released the small hold I had on Asuka. The redhead seemed to have the same reflex as me. "Misato-san, it's not what you..." My excuses were cut by a slap. "You pervert! Don't you dare hug me like that ever again!" This said, Asuka stomped to her room. I stayed there, confused. One instant, she was hugging me, the other she was calling me a pervert. Why were girls so hard to understand? At least, she didn't hit me too hard. Either I was getting used to being slapped or it really didn't hurt. "So... you're back, I see." Misato said, recovering from the initial shock. "Seems so. You're back early yourself." "Well, I wanted to see if the rumors were true. Something about the pilot of Evangelion Unit-01 visiting the Commander unannounced..." "Oh..." Misato gave me a curious look. "I see. What did you two talk about?" "I told him not ever to interfere with my life, or Asuka's or Rei's." Again, Misato looked surprised. "You... you said that... to him?" I nodded. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk further about it right now." "I understand, Shinji-kun." "Good. You know, Misato-san, to make up for my rude behavior of these past few days, I've prepared dinner. No instant stuff; just a nice home cooked meal." Asuka's door suddenly opened to reveal the Second Children, a hungry look on her face. "You've cooked dinner? Gott sei Dank! (*) Food! Real food! I honesty thought I'd die of starvation if you had continued to hide in your shell." I nodded. A second later, Asuka was already in the kitchen. "Humph... If she doesn't like my food, she can cook next time you're not cooking..." I suddenly realized Misato seemed slightly upset. "She just doesn't know how to appreciate your cooking..." I said to her, trying to cheer her up. Misato's face now showed a broad smile. "Yeah, you're probably right... Now, come on! Let's eat! It's been a while since the last time this family has eaten together." I was struck by those words. Family. Yes, Asuka and Misato were my family. Rei, too... And now, we were together again... This was my family. This was my home. * * * We had barely finished dinner when a knock on the door interrupted our little private reunion. "Who could that be? Did one of you invite someone here?" asked the Major. Both Asuka and I shook our heads. Seeing that none of the female members of our group seemed intent on answering the door, I got up and went to see who had knocked. I was slightly surprised when opening the door revealed Rei. The blue haired girl seemed equally surprised. For a short time, we stood there, looking into each other's eyes, our cheeks growing redder with each passing moment. "Rei-chan..." "Shinji-kun..." I didn't really know what came over me, but I took her into my arms, like Asuka had done earlier with me. "It's so good to see you, Rei-chan..." "It is good to see you are feeling better, Shinji-kun..." Then, from the kitchen, we heard Misato's voice. "So, who is it Shinji?" Fearing that the Major, or worse, Asuka, might come and look for herself, I let go of Rei. "It's Rei-chan, Misato-san." "WHO?" Within an instant, Asuka was standing right behind me, a murderous look on her face. "What are YOU doing HERE?" Rei stayed indifferent to Asuka's obviously upset tone of voice. In fact, she seemed to barely notice Asuka at all. "I am here to see Major Katsuragi." The said Major appeared, having probably concluded that risks for property damage were likely not too high for now. But she did hold a new can of beer... most probably almost empty by now. "What can I do for you, Rei?" "I must inform you that my living quarters have been relocated." I barely managed not to look surprised. That was faster than I had expected. "How nice! About time you moved out of that dump. So, where will you live now?" "In the apartment next to this one. The Commander evaluated that it would be more convenient this way." How typical of the Commander to try and take credit for the idea. "WHAT!" shouted Asuka. "Haven't you invaded my life enough as it is already? I see you at school, I see you at work... don't tell me I'll see you here also?" Misato put her hand on one of Asuka's shoulders. "She won't be living here, Asuka. Just next door..." "I just know she'll spend her time here, trying to seduce my Shinji!" "Now, now..." This was bad. Better try to change the subject. "Care to show us around your new apartment, Rei-chan?" I asked. "Yeah! Great idea Shinji! Let's take a look!" I didn't like Misato's sudden burst of enthusiasm. She was hiding something. I could tell that her brain was working on putting together some kind of scheme. "Follow me." Rei said simply, as she invited us to go with her. * * * "This place is bigger than ours! How come?" asked a surprised Asuka. "Actually, I think it's the same size as ours," I corrected her, "except it's less crowded with people and stuff." Rei's apartment did look like ours. But this one was nearly empty, and the thick layer of dust indicated that it hadn't been occupied for a long time. Actually, as far as I could recall, nobody had ever lived here. "I think our apartment looked like this when I first got here. I remember I had to buy some extra furniture. Feels like ages ago now." explained Misato. Furniture was indeed scarce. A low table and a single sitting cushion in the living room. Two chairs and a table in the kitchen with the fridge and stove. If Rei hadn't been alone, this would have been barely enough. "It's not fair! We have to fight for the bathroom and Wonder Girl here will have a huge one all to herself!" "I could arrange to have you share this apartment with Rei, if you like," suggested Misato, with a mischievous smile on her face. So that was her plan! She wanted Asuka to come live with Rei. It was a tempting idea. After all, our own apartment was a bit small for the three of us. Four, if we counted Pen-Pen. However, I doubted Asuka would ever agree to that. Besides, even though she would be right next door, I was sure I would miss her annoying presence. "What?! No way will I share an apartment with her!" "Shinji-kun could share this apartment with me," proposed Rei. For a few seconds, a deathly silence filled the room, however, an explosion quickly followed. "WHAT?! What did you say?" "Shinji-kun could share this apartment with me." "No way! Never! Over my dead body! I'd rather live here than let him sleep under the same roof as you!" "Then it's a deal!" concluded Misato. "What?" shouted the redhead. She was obviously more surprised then I. Rei stayed indifferent. Misato had a huge grin on her face. "You're not serious, are you?" "It would be a great opportunity for you two to learn to work as a team. Like you did with Shinji." I, personally, wasn't sure this would be such a good idea. As I recalled our initial synchronization training, I could also remember how close that first week had come to being a disaster. If I considered Asuka's feelings for Rei... the odds were all against them. They could never become good roommates. "But... but... no way I'm staying with her! And don't you dare order me to live with her!" "I wouldn't do that. Too bad. That would have been such an excellent opportunity..." "For you to kick me out?! Just admit it, you don't want me living with you." "No, no, Asuka," said Misato with a reassuring smile. "You're always the one who complains about how small our apartment is. I just offered you an opportunity to live in a... roomier... place, that's all. I'd never throw you out. I care too much to do that." "Really?" asked Asuka, with a mixture of surprise and joy. "Really." The Major then turned her attention to Rei. "Say, Rei? Will you need any help moving your belongings here?" "No. Everything is already here." "Already here?" Rei pointed toward two boxes in a corner, a little white box and a bigger brown one. I could guess what was in them. The bigger surely contained her clothes: socks, panties, bras, a swimsuit, and five school uniforms, all the same. Maybe also a pair of high heels. The other box probably contained the dress I had bought her. I couldn't help but smile in realizing how much she seemed to value it, since she had kept it in a different box. "That's all you have?" "Yes." I confirmed this with a nod. "Hum... you know, Rei, you've got a salary now. Maybe you'd like to spend it a bit..." Rei looked a bit confused. "Spend it?" "You know... go shopping... buy a thing or two... maybe something else to wear than those school uniforms. I know! Tomorrow is Saturday and I'm on night shift! Let's go shopping together!" Rei looked at me. I nodded my approval to the idea. Although I found the idea a bit scary. Misato helping Rei choose what to wear... However, she had done a good job with her evening dress. "Very well then, we can go." "Great! I haven't had the opportunity for a good shopping spree in ages! Of course, I won't be the one buying..." "You never ask me to go shopping with you!" said Asuka, obviously feeling neglected. "You don't need me to." Illumination seemed to hit the redhead. "Yeah... Yeah! You're right! I am mature enough to take care of my own shopping without a babysitter!" This didn't seem to bother Rei at all. "Feel free to join us, if you wish." "Me? Go shopping with her? No way. I'll stay here with my dear Shinji." Somehow, the thought of spending an entire afternoon alone with Asuka suddenly felt scary. Besides, I had plans already. "Actually, I was supposed to go to Touji's..." "I said you'd stay here with me, Third Children! Don't you forget you still owe me that 'perfect day' you talked about." I didn't dare object. I still felt guilty about the way our date had ended. "Alright... I'll call Touji..." "That settles it then," concluded Misato. "Tomorrow, I'll pick you up after school (1). Is it fine with you, Rei? "It is fine." "Misato-san, you're... you're not going to drive... are you?" I asked, fearing the worse. "Of course. Why?" I shuddered at the thought. "Rei, maybe you should reconsider... I don't want you to get sick... or worse... You know how her driving is..." "Shut up, Shinji!" Misato gave me the Look. Quickly, I tried to find something to say that would draw her attention away. "Say, Rei. You haven't eaten yet, have you?" "No. I did not have time yet to get anything to eat." "I still have some noodles and some rice cake left." "It would be fine. Thank you, Shinji-kun." Of course, Asuka didn't miss this opportunity to again express her opinion about Rei's new situation. "See! See! I told you she'd impose herself on us! Now we have to feed her!" I gave Asuka an upset look. "I paid for that meal, remember? And I am the one who's invited her. Besides, you know I would do the same for you." "You would?" I nodded. "Then, I guess, it's ok... but after that, you go home, Wonder Girl!" "Very well." "Good!" agreed Asuka, a triumphant look on her face. * * * Like she had said, Rei returned to her apartment once her meal was finished. Having nothing better to do, I worked on some of my homework for most of the night, until I was finally too tired and went to bed. I quickly fell asleep. That night, something woke me up. My eyes went wide open and my heart was beating like crazy. Was it a nightmare? I didn't think so. Something was wrong. I could feel it. Then I realized something on my back was moving. I was about to turn around, when I was suddenly wrapped by an arm. Startled, I turned around and pushed the intruder off my bed. Then, the intruder stood up. I was surprised to realize I was looking at Rei. A very naked Rei. Who had been in my bed a few seconds earlier... "Rei... Rei-chan..." I tried not to stare, but my eyes always managed to come back to her body. Some part of my mind actually took note that Rei's hair was naturally blue, a fact I had not noticed the first time I had been in a similar position... My cheeks were probably crimson red by now. "Does this embarrass you?" I tried to answer, but seeing that my mouth didn't seem to work right, I nodded violently. She picked up a shirt that I had carelessly left on the floor, since it was destined to be washed anyway, and quickly put in on. "Is this better?" While her nice legs still showed, it did cover the most sensitive parts of her body. However, the way she had put it on, some skin still showed. I couldn't help but look at a spot right under her breasts where she had missed a button and where I could see her pale skin. "It certainly looks better on you than on me..." I was surprised to see her blush. That was strange considering she had no problem apparently going around in a boy's bedroom naked. "What... what do you want?" "I want to sleep with you." I gulped. Hard. Seeing my reaction, Rei giggled. I still wasn't used to see her have such reactions. "You are a naughty boy, Shinji-kun. I said 'sleep', not 'have sex'. Unless you want to..." "Well..." Rei silenced me with a finger. "I know..." I couldn't help but to feel quite reassured. "Why?" "I could not sleep," Rei answered simply. "You couldn't sleep?" She shook her head. "It is strange to live here. I feel out of place... and alone." I could understand how she felt. I used to feel the same way the first time I had slept under this ceiling. But now it wasn't unfamiliar anymore. It felt like home. And I now actually enjoyed its sight. And I hoped Rei would feel the same given time. "An unfamiliar ceiling. But you are wrong Rei-chan. You're not alone..." I said as I made room on one side of my bed, then invited her in. I didn't know if it was a good idea or not, but I knew I couldn't refuse her. Any fears I could have felt were washed away by the pleading look on her face. Whatever the consequences, I would deal with them later. Again, Rei laid right next to me. With the size of the bed, we had no choice but to be quite close to each other. We shared the same pillow, our faces inches from one another. It wasn't really surprising that we eventually found ourselves locked into a warm embrace, exchanging deep kisses. It didn't go further than that. I didn't even think about it. It felt so good being in Rei's arms; so warm, so comfortable. I didn't need anything more. I quickly fell into a deep and peaceful sleep... * * * "Baka! Wake up! I'm hungry!" Slowly, the pounding on my door dragged me out of my peaceful slumber. One by one, my senses came online. As seconds passed, I became aware of a few things. My right arm was completely limp and was under something heavy. My left arm was holding something. Something big. Actually, it seemed I was holding someone. Tightly. This was confirmed when I realized I could feel the tickling sensation of someone's breathing on my skin, as well as something warm and moist on my neck. >From that point, my eyes went wide open. Once I could actually focus, I realized I was looking at a blue haired girl. Rei? For a few seconds, I panicked. Then I remembered what had happened last night. Rei had slept with me. And apparently, she was still asleep. Amazing that all that noise Asuka was making didn't wake her up. But then again, her old apartment had been very noisy, so... Wait. Asuka. Pounding on my door. "Come on! I want breakfast! NOW!" Again I panicked, but this time, it was justified. Asuka was about to burst into my room, I just knew it. And if she were to find us like this... "I'm dead," I thought. My guess proved to be right, as Asuka finally got tired of waiting and opened my door. I knew it was too late, but I tried to hide Rei under a blanket. However, from the stunned expression on Asuka's face, it was clear she'd seen more than what she'd expected. Surprisingly, a few seconds passed and I was still alive. Asuka had not moved one inch. If I had been lucky enough, things might not have been too bad. That was not the case, as Rei chose that moment to finally wake up. "Good morning, Shinji." Asuka's eyes widened even more. I was surprised myself. It was the first time Rei had ever called me only Shinji... Then I was squeezed by a tight hug from the blue haired girl and before I realized it, she was giving me a very deep kiss. Had I not been frozen by fear, I would surely have enjoyed it. But my eyes were locked on Asuka who now looked ready to kill. Rei quickly sensed something was wrong. She didn't seem perturbed at all by the sight of Asuka. "You. You should leave. You are obviously disturbing Shinji." From that moment, Asuka lost any kind of control she had. "What is SHE doing HERE in your BED!" "It's... it's not what you think!" I was shocked to see Asuka lunged herself at Rei. She viciously grabbed Rei's hair and dragged her out of the bed and onto the floor, completely oblivious to Rei's screams of pain. I tried to say something, but I just couldn't talk. "Not what I think? Look at that whore! She's naked under that shirt! One of YOUR shirts!" "She couldn't sleep. She felt lost and alone... she just slept here, nothing more!" I finally managed to say as I tried to get up. Asuka answered by slapping me. Again. "Don't you dare lie to me! I'm not stupid! You damn bastard! You said..." Asuka didn't have the chance to finish what she was saying. She fell hard on the floor, the wind literally blown out of her. I stared in disbelief. Rei had just punched Asuka hard in the stomach. The blue haired girl glared at her, anger showing on her face. "You will not hurt me, or Shinji, ever again! I do not wish to fight you. But if I am forced to, you will regret it." Down on the floor, Asuka mumbled something totally incoherent. Rei didn't pay attention. Her eyes were focused on the bruise on my cheek. Very gently, she touched it. "Does it hurt?" "It's okay," I lied. My reaction to her touch convinced her otherwise. Slowly, Rei leaned toward me and kissed my hurt cheek. "It will be better soon. Let's go eat now." I couldn't help but to look at Asuka on the floor. Rei noticed. "There is no permanent damage. She will soon recover. We can leave her here." Trusting Rei, I followed her in the kitchen. Misato was waiting there, a worried look on her face that changed to a surprised one when she saw Rei. The Major scrutinized Rei from head to toe, then decided she needed another beer. "So, that's why it was so noisy a few minutes ago," she said as she took a new can from the fridge. A few seconds later, the can was empty. "Sorry," I apologized. "Can I ask, why you are dressed like that?" asked the Major. "Shinji did not feel comfortable with me sleeping nude." Misato looked even more surprised than she had been a few minutes earlier. But she regained her happy demeanor. "No wonder, if we consider that he used to complain about the way I dress in the apartment. You're definitely more indecent now than I've ever been," she said with a smile. "I see," said Rei simply and apparently unconcerned by her state of undress. Personally, I was feeling quite embarrassed and felt the need to give Misato a few more explanations. "Rei couldn't sleep in her new apartment. We only slept in the same room. Nothing more." Silently, I prayed that Rei wouldn't mention that we actually shared my bed. And with a lot of luck, Asuka wouldn't talk about that. "Umm... well, I guess then we'll have to include in our shopping list a pajama or something else you can wear when you sleep here. Although, it would be preferable that you try to get used to your new apartment. There's been enough trouble for now." "I agree." "Great! Now that this is settled... Shinji? Where's my breakfast?" Misato gave me the Look. I gulped. A few seconds later, I had my apron on and was fixing a quick meal. Eventually, Asuka showed up. She was very clearly still angry, but didn't say a word. I couldn't help but be afraid. If she kept control now, that meant she would start yelling at me the instant Rei and Misato left. What a day... and it had only barely begun.... * * * Surprisingly enough, the day had not been as bad as I expected. Asuka managed to calm down a lot once Rei had left our apartment to get ready for her day. By the time we were both ready to leave for the Saturday morning classes (1), Asuka was more or less back to her usual self, although she seemed intent on not talking to me for a while. Thankfully, Misato decided to see Rei so the two of them could have a little discussion, most likely about what had happened last night, so we walked to school without our new neighbor. We were half way to school when I finally decided to clear things up. "You know... I wasn't lying... nothing happened..." Asuka stopped. Realizing she wasn't at my side anymore, I turned around and looked at her. I had expected her to be angry again but she didn't. Actually, she looked strangely calm. "I know. I heard what you said to Misato. I guess I should have trusted you more." "Well, appearances weren't good..." "That's true. But still... I'm sorry." I couldn't help but to stare at her in disbelief. Asuka Sohryu Langley. Apologizing? "It's ok..." I only managed to say. That was enough to make her smile. She looked at her watch and realizing that we could be late, she grabbed my arm and dragged me all the way to school at high speed. * * * We ate lunch alone, since Misato had picked up Rei right after school. After lunch, Asuka dragged me in front of the tv, where she introduced me to a new video game system she had apparently bought during my secluded period. Having nothing better to do, she handed me a joystick and proceeded to virtually beat the crap out of me through some fighting game. I guessed she was probably still a bit angry about last night, because she kept killing me in very bloody and painful looking ways. Once she actually got bored of killing me, we got out a bit, taking a walk to a park nearby, having really nothing else to do. We came back around two thirty in the afternoon to realize that Misato hadn't come back yet, which wasn't that surprising, since that wouldn't have given much time for Misato and Rei to shop. After all, girls always seemed to need several hours for that kind of stuff. Out of options, we reluctantly proceeded to do some of our homework. An hour later, I was tutoring Asuka kanji. We had been working for a while when our session was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of Misato. She had that silly grin on her face. I just knew she was about to ask for my help. "Hello you two. Had a good day?" "Oh yeah! A great day!" Asuka sounded a bit too enthusiastic. She probably didn't want to admit that she would have liked to have gone with Misato on that shopping trip. She had mentioned it a few times. Well, it was her fault. Misato had asked her if she wanted to tag along. "Say Shinji, can you do Rei and me a favor? We've left some packages in the car. Can you bring them to Rei's apartment? I'll be there with her unpacking her stuff..." Even if I would have liked to say no, I wouldn't have been able to. So I just nodded and took the key to her car she was handing me. Soon, we were all out of the apartment; Misato going to Rei's and Asuka strangely following me. "Why are you following me?" "Well, to help you of course!" That was weird. Asuka, wanting to help me? She never helped around the house. She only helped me from time to time with physics and maths because she needed my tutoring with the kanji she didn't know. "Are... are you feeling alright?" "Of course! Why do you ask?" "Well, you're suddenly nice and helpful..." "What? I'll have you know I can be nice sometimes, Third Children! I'm a very nice and helpful person! But if you don't want my help..." She was about to go when I took hold of her wrist. "Thank you, Asuka." Her temper suddenly went down and she was now slightly blushing. When we got to the car, I realized it was a blessing that Asuka had decided to help me. I couldn't believe how many boxes and bags Misato had managed to put in her car. Alone, I would never have been able to carry all of this. "Mein Gott! Did they buy the whole shopping mall?" Exactly my thought. I had been afraid of this. Misato had probably spent Rei's entire pay. And our next payday wasn't even close... I would need to have a talk with Rei about money and how to use it more wisely. I tried to give what seemed to be the lighter packages to Asuka, then took the rest. It was a a very difficult task to carry everything back to Rei's apartment. Luckily, most of the stuff seemed to be clothing, so dropping one probably wouldn't be too much of a problem. At least, that was what I hoped. But I eventually managed to get everything upstairs without mishap. Upon entering Rei's apartment, I first noticed that Asuka seemed to be in a state of shock. Then I just dropped everything when I saw what had caused such a reaction. Rei was standing in the living room, an intrigued look on her face, probably wondering what was Asuka's problem. She was dressed in a simple combination of a very tight black pair of trousers and a black sweater. She also wore around her neck a long chain that went almost down her waist where laid a silver cross, most probably inspired by the cross Misato always wore. In short, we had here a stunning Rei dressed in simple casual clothes. Having already seen Rei in an even more unusual outfit, at least for her, it didn't take me long to overcome the initial shock. Besides, I was now getting used to being surprised by Rei. Asuka on the other hand, was still out of this world. "That looks good on you, Rei-chan. I like it a lot," I complimented her. Rei blushed, while Misato beamed with joy and pride. "See Rei! I told you he'd like that! You really look cute in this outfit." "Very cute," I agreed. This proved to be a mistake as it was just what Asuka needed to get back to her senses. "Cute? You find her cute?" I froze under her angry glare. I only managed to nod. "Misato! How could you? Are you trying to make my life harder?" Misato wanted to answer, but was cut by Rei's words. "Why are you jealous?" "Jealous?! I wouldn't be jealous of you!" "But you are. You are jealous of my relationship with Shinji." "No way I'm jealous! Why would I care about this stupid jerk?" I couldn't help but feeling hurt by those words. All along, Asuka had given me the impression that she did care. Was it only my imagination, some wishful thinking? "Then you have no reason to object to our relationship. There is no reason why he could not be my boyfriend." "Never! I'll be dead when he becomes your boyfriend!" "Then you care." "I don't!" Asuka looked at Rei, then at me, with a confused expression on her face. "If you cannot be honest with him or even yourself, you do not deserve more attention than he would give to a mere friend. I love him, and I have told him. Have you done the same?" "Of course not!" "Then you have no claim. I am sure Shinji will appreciate that you do not interfere with us anymore." Asuka just stood there, at a loss for words. She looked at me. Her eyes seemed tortured, as if a great battle was raging inside her. She looked about to say something, but her lips just stopped and the next thing I knew, she was storming out of Rei's place. I was still looking at the door when Rei came close to me and hugged me from behind. Her chin rested on my shoulder. "You should not worry about her. If she cannot even say that she loves you, than she cannot be more then a friend." What Rei said made sense. And it would solve my problems. But why couldn't I be happy about it? Why did I feel hurt? Weren't Rei's words of love enough for me? As if she had read my mind, Rei held me tighter in a warm and comforting embrace. Maybe it was just best not to think about it for now. "I think we should order take-out. It wouldn't be a good idea to go eat next door," I just said. "Then that means I've got to cook tonight..." complained Misato as she left the apartment. Poor Asuka. It seemed things would get even worse for her. ======================================================================= Chapter 5 - The more things change, the more they stay the same Part 2: Into the Darkness Project E Third Children Observation Report February 29th, 2016 [It's interesting to see how the recent events changed Shinji. Obviously, he now has a greater confidence in himself, most likely the result of his confrontation with the Commander and his relationship with both Asuka and Rei. While he is still the introvert type, you can feel a definite air of confidence in him. And this had impressive results on today's harmonic tests. Those literally skyrocketed, his results now being a whole 10 points higher then Asuka. I had my doubts at first. But now, I believe this situation can actually be beneficial. If only Asuka and Rei could learn to get along... Unfortunately, Asuka now seems to have switched roles with Shinji. She was obviously very shaken by the fact that Shinji has broken her record. And her war with Rei isn't helping. I'd really wish Shinji would settle his choice on one of them. And it's very selfish to say, but I almost hope it would be Asuka...] - - - "Come on, Asuka... you can't still be angry at that? I didn't beat your record on purpose..." "That's what's annoying me! You didn't even try! You just did it like it was the most natural thing in the world!" I had hoped that a good night's sleep would have calmed Asuka. Obviously, it was not the case. "That was just luck. I'll probably score lower on the next test." "I don't want you to try and cheer me up!" "Then do not act this way," Rei said suddenly. "True, you have been beaten. It is now up to you to regain what you have lost." With all the argument, both Asuka and I had forgotten about Rei. She had kept silent until now. For a while, I almost believed she wasn't even listening, that she just sat there and ate breakfast as if she was alone in the kitchen. "You know, Rei-chan is right," I said myself, realizing Rei did indeed have a point. "You were our top pilot until now. Surely, all you need is to train a bit more and you'll beat me again in no time. You are, after all, the best EVA pilot we have." I noticed a quick frown on Rei's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She just kept eating her rice and toast without a word. I knew that she didn't completely agree with what I had said, but Dr. Akagi had once told me that our synch ratio depended on our will and mind only, that it was all mental and psychological. So, if Asuka truly believed she was indeed the best and worked hard to earn back that position, she just might succeed. "Maybe you're right... I am the best after all." She didn't look very convinced. Those last words lacked the usual strength that we used to feel in them. "You should eat before it gets cold," I told her, pointing at the untouched stack of pancakes right in front of her, trying to get her mind on something else. Without much spirit, Asuka cut up a piece of pancake and put it in her mouth. Then her eyes lit up and she took another bite. "This is good! Wow, you've really outdone yourself today, Shinji! This is way better than your usual cooking!" Ravenously, the redhead started to wolf down her meal. "Actually, I didn't make them, Rei did. I taught her how to make those this morning. But you're right. They are delicious!" "Thank you," said a now slightly blushing Rei. Asuka almost choked on her last bite. "What? Wonder Girl made those? And you said you taught her how to make pancakes this morning?" I nodded. I suddenly wondered if I should have kept quiet about breakfast. "Why show her how to cook? She's not even eating her own damn pancakes!" "Well, I thought it would be nice if she knew how to cook a few things other then instant... and... well... she asked me." "Asked you?" "Yes. As his fiancee, it is only natural that I should know how to cook the meals Shinji likes." "Fiancee?" both Asuka and I shouted in perfect synchronization. "Yes. It should be a matter of time before we are engaged." This was something I had not expected. I had not even chosen yet one of them and Rei was already assuming that I'd ask her to marry me... and with the way Asuka was glaring at me... I probably looked as white as a ghost. Then, the phone rang. What perfect timing! Eagerly, I escaped this awkward situation to answer it. I almost regretted I did. Rei understood just by seeing the expression of worry on my face. "An Angel..." * * * From inside the EVA entry plug, I could hear Misato through the comm system. "Asuka, Shinji, Rei, can you hear me?" We replied in chorus. "I've sent you all data on the target. At present time, we have nothing further. Approach with caution, observe its reaction, and, if possible, try to lure it outside the urban area." "All right, Major," Asuka said happily. "But don't you think that Shinji ought to take the point position?" "Huh?" That was odd. Asuka was declining the opportunity to lead us? "Well, it's only natural that we should be lead by the number one synchro-ratio holder, don't you think? Or have you no confidence, Shinji?" This time I could feel the teasing in her voice. I thought about replying, but decided against it at the last second. No need to make her already slightly depressed mood worse. "Alright. Asuka, Rei, back me up." "What the...?" shouted Asuka. "It was your idea Asuka. Too late now." "Damn! Unit-02 will back him up." "Unit-00 will back him up as well." * * * Surely it was indeed an Angel. A weird one at that. Only a floating black and white sphere hovering above Tokyo-3. From my position I had a clear shot. No way I could miss it. "Rei, Asuka. Are you there yet?" "Not yet," was Rei's soft reply over the comm system. "Baka! You know an EVA can't move that fast!" Damn! I really didn't like this. I couldn't help thinking about the Fifth Angel. That one too had been a simple shape floating over Tokyo-3. It had nearly killed me and later Rei. Who could tell when this one would strike? "Aren't you here yet?" I asked more to myself than to the others. My finger was nervously playing with the trigger of Unit-01's weapon, something that could pass as a giant handgun. I really didn't like this. Really didn't... "Maybe I should just try and kill it myself..." Moving the EVA slightly out of its hiding place, I aimed its weapon toward it. However, I couldn't resolve myself to fire without Misato's order. "Damn..." If Asuka had been in my place, that things would probably dead by now... How did she managed to make such drastic decisions? I was about to fire when suddenly the target just... vanished. Then I heard Hyuga over the comm system. "Pattern blue. Angel detected directly beneath Unit-01." "What?" I looked down to see a black circle appear on the street just under Unit-01. "A... a shadow?" Then I was almost frozen by fear when I felt the EVA slowly sink into that thing. "Ah! What's this? What the hell is happening? My God! I'm... I'm sinking!" Panicking, I emptied the clip of my weapon into the target. With no result. The EVA kept sinking. I tried to move out of that trap, but the EVA's legs wouldn't move an inch. Whatever I was sinking into, it was just too thick to move... I could hear Misato and the girls screaming frantically over the comm. "Shinji-kun, run! Shinji-kun!" "Shinji!" "Baka! What are you doing?" I couldn't answer. I couldn't even think straight. I was just panicking, screaming for help. Now I couldn't move the EVA's arms either. Soon, the head would be swallowed as well. Then... what would happen to me? "Eject plug! Send the signal!" "No use. There's no response." "Misato-san! Misato-san!" Was this it? Would I... die? Afraid, I closed my eyes. I only opened them once I realized that I couldn't feel the EVA sinking anymore, nor hear anything but static over the comm system. Outside, the only thing I could see was a blinding white light that forced me to switch off the external cameras. None of the monitors could detect anything. It was as if I was floating in nothingness. "Am I dead?" My only answer came from the emergency battery monitor. The EVA had just lost all external power. Again, I panicked. But this time, I managed to think about my training. After losing some precious fifteen seconds of power, I switched to life-support-mode. Everything went suddenly dark and silent. There was nothing here now but me. I wasn't sure if I had done the right thing. I had a hard time fighting the urge to reactivate power. Life-support-mode implied being vulnerable, as Unit-01 wasn't protected by its AT Field anymore, not to mention that I couldn't detect any incoming adversaries. If something was out there, I was at its mercy. However, no doubt that if there was indeed something out there, it would have attacked already. "I'm really in trouble this time..." * * * Inside the EVA, I waited. That was the only thing I could do. Wait. But what was I waiting for? To be rescued, or did I wait for my inevitable death? "I never thought doing nothing could be so exhausting." I knew, of course, that no one could hear me, but I needed to hear a voice, even if it was only mine. Briefly, I activated the EVA's monitors. Nothing. Not even noise. No answer whatsoever from the radar and sonar. I was tempted to activate the external cameras, but I knew I would only see white light. It had been twelve hours since I had switched to the life-support- mode. Which meant I only had four or five hours of power left. After that... my life would end. My stomach growled. How ironic. I was about to die and all that stupid body could think of was food. Like this wasn't torture enough. "This really sucks..." * * * I woke up with a start. Maybe I just had a nightmare. In any case, I immediately panicked. The quality of the LCL was deteriorating, probably due to a decrease of the purification capacity. Breathing was harder. But the worst was the smell. Blood. The smell of blood. I almost choked at the thought of this liquid filling my lungs. "It smells in here! Blood, it smells like blood! I... I hate this place!" Scared, I tried to open the hatch of the entry plug. But to no avail, of course, since the plug was still in EVA. "Why can't I open this lock! Open! Let me out! Misato-san! Misato- san! Asuka! Rei!!" I was crying now. I just couldn't help it. I was helpless. "Ritusko-san... Father... Please, help me..." Pleading for my father's help. After all he'd done, all he'd tried to do. I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop. I was so scared, so alone... Sometimes I disgust myself. I eventually calmed down, resigned to my fate, no strength left. "I'm gonna die..." * * * I must have fallen asleep again. Surely, I must have, because, even after years to think back about that moment, this the only conclusion I can come to. I'm pretty sure this was all a dream. It must have been a dream. Either that or I came pretty close to losing my mind. I wasn't in the EVA entry plug anymore. I was sitting in a streetcar, heading toward some unknown destination. Facing me, I could see a young boy, maybe five years old. Shadows hid his face from me. "Who? Who are you?" The young boy leaned over toward me. I recognized the dark blue eyes. They were mine. But strangely, I wasn't scared. More reasons to think that this was probably just a dream. 'I am you.' "Me?" 'Yes, you. I am your hopes and dreams.' "Hopes? Dreams? I've forgotten what those words meant a long time ago." 'Because Father abandoned us? Is that reason enough to lose all hopes?' "I'm bad. He never loved me. To him, I'm only a tool to use. I'm sure he never wished that I existed! Nobody ever did!" 'Mother loved us.' "Mother is gone!" 'Still, you are wrong. There are people who care for us.' Briefly, the faces of Rei, Asuka, Misato and Kaji appeared in my mind. Then those of Touji, Kensuke, Hikari. 'Our family and friends.' "They only do because there's no one else around. They just need a pilot! Sooner or later, they'll find someone better and leave me behind like Father did!" 'You are only deceiving yourself.' Briefly, I heard words in my mind. *You've done something admirable today. You can be proud of yourself.* Misato had said that after my first battle inside EVA. *Good work, Shinji.* Father had praised me after the destruction of the Tenth Angel. *You've grown up, Ikari Shinji.* Words said by Kaji after my failed date with Asuka. 'Why would these people think we have value if we are useless like you seem to think?' I didn't know what to say. 'Would a coward have stood proudly before Father?' *Better we all die living our own lives rather than live and be your or anyone else's pawns.* "..." 'What about Rei-chan and Asuka-chan? They care for us. They desire us.' *Ikari. Do you want to become one with me?* *Would you like to have sex with me?* I didn't know what to think. "I'll just hurt them..." *LEAVE ME ALONE!* I still could picture Asuka's tears in my mind. How long before I would make Rei cry too? "I'm just using them like Father uses everybody at NERV! I'm no better then him!" *I see. So you're going to play around with both of us until you decide, is that it?* Asuka was right. I was just a jerk. 'But they care for you. They love you.' *Shinji belongs to me!* *I am still unsure of what love is. But, I believe I love Ikari- kun.* 'And we love them.' Yes. It was true. I did love them. 'They have full knowledge of our feelings. Yet, they don't seem to care whether they will be hurt or not by our decisions. Joy cannot exist without pain as light cannot exist without darkness.' *If you don't pilot, you will condemn Rei and Sohryu to death.* Images of Rei and Asuka lying lifeless in a pool of blood flashed into my mind. 'You would hurt them more by leaving than by staying at their side.' Images of Rei and Asuka, in tears. 'Do you wish them to go through the same pain we did?' Images of Father leaving me when I was a little boy. "No!" 'What's your wish then?' "I don't want to die..." I barely whispered the words. But as they escaped my lips, I grasped the full meaning of those and understood that was what I really wanted. "I don't want to die." When I first arrived at NERV, I was on a path of self-destruction. I did not care about my life. I had often thought about death, but never really sought it because I lacked the courage to. Or at least, that's what I thought at the time. I realized, it didn't take courage to die, it takes courage to live, really live. "I don't want to die!" I didn't want to die alone in this empty place. "I don't want to die!" If I could at least hold Asuka and Rei one last time in my arms... "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" "I WANT TO LIVE!" 'Then, so it shall be.' For a brief moment, I felt enveloped by a comfortable heat and a strange feeling. A sensation... like... love? Then I felt a brief presence. Familiar. I can't remember anything beyond that point. * * * I believe I woke up at the sound of the entry plug being opened. I'm not sure. My memories of those events are still blurred. When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar shape. Mother? "Shinji-kun, Shinji-kun, Shinji-kun!" When my eyes managed to focus, I realized it was Misato. She was in tears. "Shinji-kun, are you okay? Shinji-kun!" "I just wanted to... see them... one last time..." Misato hugged me tightly. I think, I must have passed out at that point. * * * When I woke up a second time, it was in a completely different place. One I was really starting to be familiar with. NERV infirmary. "I really hate that ceiling..." As I whispered those words, I noticed that my chest felt heavy. Then I realized that Rei's head was there. The girl had fallen asleep. "How long have you been there?" I asked, not expecting an answer, as I let my fingers run through the soft blue hair. This woke her up. First, she gave me a confused look, then realizing where she was, she grabbed me in a hug and kissed me fiercely. This was so unexpected I barely reacted. Then, she burst into tears. I was shocked; it was the first time I had ever seen Rei cry. I didn't know what to do. Almost instinctively, I held her tightly. "It's okay, Rei-chan. It's okay..." "Shinji! I was so worried! I thought I had lost you!" I recalled the dream, vision or whatever I experienced inside the EVA. So it was true. They did need me. Rei did truly love me. "It's okay Rei-chan. I'm here. You're in my arms now. I won't go away. I promise." This seemed to calm her, as her sobs subsided. "You do?" I nodded. As she left my arms, I couldn't help but noticed how she looked even more beautiful with a tearful expression on her lovely face. Then I noticed something strange. Her left cheek was badly bruised. Did she get hurt in the fight against the Angel? "Who... who killed the Angel?" She gave me a puzzled look. "You did." "I did?" "Yes. Your EVA went berserk again." That probably explained why I didn't remember a thing. "I will let you rest now..." She was about to leave when I spoke. "Thank you, Rei-chan, for watching over me." She smiled, then opened the door, to reveal an Asuka who had obviously been eavesdropping. Both girls exchanged a dark look for a while, until Rei was out of the room. Then Asuka looked at me and blushed. "Sorry..." The first thing I noticed was her black eye and large cut on her lower lip. This time I understood. "You two had a fight, didn't you?" Asuka's face went white. "I'll take that as a yes." "We were both worried, and I said things I shouldn't have said, and..." "It's okay." Asuka looked surprised in hearing that. "It is?" "As long as it's the last time you two fight, I guess, I can forgive you both. Now, why don't you come and hug me," I added with a broad smile. "In your dreams!" "Alright then. Leave, so that I can get to sleep right away. Don't want to miss that dream." Asuka gave me a curious look. "You sure that Angel didn't mess with your mind?" "Don't think so." "Well... I can't let the First have an advantage over me..." Awkwardly, Asuka got closer to my bed. We stared at each other for a whole minute. Then she took me in her arms. "I'm so glad you're alive!" "Believe me, I share the feeling..." * * * It took the usual twenty-four hours before I was considered ready to leave the infirmary. I was really getting sick of all those tests. When I came back home, Misato wanted to throw another one of her parties to celebrate my return and victory over the Twelfth. I politely declined. I just wanted some peace. Asuka seemed to understand, as she barely yelled at me. It was surprising how fast her minor injuries had healed in one day. I went to bed early. Like I said, it's surprising how doing nothing can drain you. For a second time in less than a week, I was awakened in the middle of the night by someone crawling into my bed. "Rei-chan?" I groaned, still half asleep. "Wrong girl, you baka." That was enough to completely wake me up. Surely enough, once my eyes adjusted to the poor luminosity of the room, I saw two blue eyes surrounded by long red hair right in front of my nose. "A... Asuka!" For a second, I panicked and almost tried to run away, but Asuka seemed to anticipate my reaction by holding me tightly in place. "Don't be scared. I won't bite. Unless you ask me to..." I wasn't sure I liked the voracious grin on her face. "What are you doing here? Don't... don't tell me you couldn't sleep..." "I don't have such a convenient excuse. I just wanted to know how it felt..." She hugged me tightly, bringing our bodies against one another. I could clearly feel her breasts against my chest and the soft skin of her legs on mine. I couldn't help but begin to feel my lower regions react to her. Asuka either didn't notice or simply didn't care. "Feels warm..." she whispered in my ear. Her lips met mine. At that point, I really couldn't help but melt into her embrace. We exchanged a very long kiss. Then she whispered something else to me. "You know, Ayanami is wrong. I... I... I like you, Shinji." I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know what to think. So Asuka liked me after all... but what did it mean really? Did she like me as a friend? Or did she actually love me? But if she didn't love me, what was she doing here? My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of light snoring coming from the girl. What do you know, she had fallen asleep. Carefully, I tried to free myself from her hug. I really didn't want to spend the whole night that close to her. Then I looked at her. She was so beautiful. Sleeping soundly and peacefully like this, you couldn't tell that this girl could be a real nuisance at times. I remembered the first time I had been in a similar position. I had almost kissed her. This time I didn't stop. Just a very light kiss, not enough to wake her up. Surprisingly, seconds later, she moaned my name. I couldn't describe how good that made me feel. I closed my eyes and tried myself to get to sleep, but to no avail. I just couldn't sleep with the knowledge that this girl was just lying in bed next to me. I may have been a clueless wimp, but I was still a boy. There was no way I couldn't have some ideas when looking at her nearly exposed breasts, not to mention feeling her body against mine. Just her smell was intoxicating. Strange that I didn't have similar thoughts with Rei a few nights ago. I sighed and looked at the ceiling. This would be a very long night... [To be continued...] Next time: The One I Love Is... Chapter 6 - Friends Omake - Scene 1 - Then, the phone rang. What perfect timing! Eagerly, I escaped this awkward situation to answer it. I almost regretted I did. Rei understood only by just seeing the expression of worry on my face. "An Angel..." I shook my head. "No. Godzilla. He's back!" Godzilla VS Evangelion Soon in a theater near you - Scene 2 - I went to bed early. Like I said, it's surprising how doing nothing can drain you. For a second time in less then a week, I was awakened in the middle of the night by someone crawling into my bed. "Rei-chan?" I groaned, still half asleep. "Not even close." That was enough to completely wake me up. Surely enough, once my eyes adjusted to the poor luminosity of the room, I saw two brown eyes complemented by shoulder length blond hair right in front of my nose. "R...Ritsuko-san!" (I'll leave the rest to your imagination) Author's notes: (1) I was informed that in Japan, students get half a day of classes on Saturday. Since in the series the Children never seemed to do anything during the day, I thought it would fit. More reasons for Asuka to actually hate the extra Sunday classes. First thing. The title of this chapter was inspired by the title of a Ranma fanfic "The more things change..." You should go read it, it's a great fic! "The more things change..." - http://www.uh.edu/~rpm/tmtc/ Next, I must thank Axel Terizaki, Darren Demaine and R. Alexander Spoerer for their help in this chapter, mainly with the Gendo/Shinji confrontation and the little omake (I was short on ideas). Actually, some small parts if this chapter and following omake written by Darren and R. Alexander. It may not seem like much, but all that help was invaluable in the building of Part 2. Finally, about the story itself. You probably did notice that Part 2 is about the Twelfth Angel attack. While the general idea stayed the same (even some dialogs and events were untouched) it is still very different then episode 16. "Why?" you may ask. It's quite simple really. You probably noticed, Shinji's life changed a lot lately and so did he. Under those circumstances, I didn't think the original events, mainly Shinji's introspection while trapped in the Dirac Sea, were consistent with the new Shinji. Therefore I had to change things a bit. Also, it avoided just copying what happened in that episode. Shinji's introspective scene was mainly influenced by episodes 25-26, EoE (mainly Asuka's awakening) and of course, the TOILI storyline (took lots of lines from my previous chapters). Some of you may think that the scene with Gendo may be a little OOC. I can't blame you, I thought so myself. But in a way, I just advanced the schedule. It's a bit like the scene after Unit-03 incident, but this time Shinji faced his father by his own free will and he had time to prepare himself for that colossal task. Gendo may seem not to react much. Maybe it's because he doesn't feel that Shinji's request threaten his plans. As long as he can manipulate Rei, there is no problem. If that means letting her have some fun with his son, then so be it. It may even give him additional ways to control her. Not to mention that Gendo surely already anticipated the possibility of an emotional awakening in Rei. --- Translations notes: Gott sei Dank! : Thank God! Alain Gravel rakna@globetrotter.qc.ca April 28th 1996 Started on March 9th 1999 First pre-reader draft finished on April 28th 1999 Second pre-reader draft finished on May 5th 1999 Third pre-reader draft finished on May 8th 1999 Final draft finished on May 20th 1999 Final revisions on March 8th 2000