"You're not going out dressed like that!" she yells. Rei finally turns to face her mother, sporting a bewildered expression on her face. Yui Ikari sighs in an exasperated fashion at her daughter. "Didn't you hear me, Rei? I've had to call you five times!" Rei looks up at Yui, tilting her head to one side, her red eyes inquisitive.

"No Mama. Were you calling me?" Yui sighs again, and grits her teeth at Rei's turquoise squid costume, which she had unwittingly purchased for her two weeks ago, in a fancy dress store, as Rei couldn't keep away from it. Rei had spent months peering eagerly through the window of the store at the costume every time she had walked past, until Yui couldn't stand her constant requests to look at it. Little did she know how much it appealed to her daughter, and she had only realised about a week ago, when she discovered Rei sleeping in the bizarre outfit.

" I called you and called you! How can you not hear me?" Yui asks Rei, mystified, but in her head, she already knows why. 'She was too excited about wearing that damn costume,' Yui thinks. 'Typical. She's going to be such a handful when she starts school.'

"Rei," Yui says, and reaches down to pull of the hood of the squid outfit. Rei's blue hair is exposed from under the plush fabric, and she pouts. "Rei," Yui repeats, "I need you to take off that costume, okay?"

Rei's pout reaches epic proportions, but Yui isn't about to give up yet.

"Gendo!" Yui calls, addressing her husband, who is currently in the kitchen at the table, with the evening newspaper in his hands. "I need you to help me with something." Gendo simply grunts, and with a shake of this head, he brings the paper up, hiding his face. Only the tops of his tinted glasses can be seen from behind the day's headlines. Yui notices a brown haired head and a pair of bright blue eyes sneaking their way around the doorframe. "Ah, Shinji!" She exclaims, relief dawning on her. "Mama just got back from the lab, and Mama's quite tired," She coos. "Will you help Mama get ready for aunty Naoko's party? Your sister's not listening to me, so can you talk to her please Shinji?" Her son ponders for a few seconds, and then shakes his head. He patters out from behind the door and joins his sister. Yui stares down at her two four year old children. She then decides to take a different form of attack. "Rei," She says gently, staring straight into her daughter's red eyes. She's still pouting. "Look at what Shinji's wearing." Rei glances at her brother. He's wearing a stripy polo shirt and shorts. "Do Shinji's clothes look normal, Rei?" Rei's pout disappears, and she begins to smile teasingly.

"No Mama." Before Yui can stop her, Rei grabs her brother's hand and pulls him into the hall cupboard. Yui's hand flies out, but the door closes, and locks.

"Rei!" She snarls. She stomps into the kitchen, her lab coat flying behind her. She remembers she hasn't even started to change for the party, and she curses under her breath. "Gendo!" She stands over her husband. He lowers his paper, his eyes cool and calm behind his glasses. "You should be getting ready…" His wife's voice has taken on a soft, dangerous tone.

"Yes dear," He replies, folding his newspaper. Yu receives at brief glimpse of the headline: "Are Japanese children becoming more disobedient?" What a lovely coincidence, Yui thinks savagely. She snatches a strawberry Mochi cake from a plate on the table, and stuffs it into her mouth, sending white powdered cornflower all over the table. She reaches out and grabs another cake, just as she hears a shuffling noise behind her. She turns, and her mouth opens in an O of mute horror. The Mochi cake drops onto the floorboards with a faint thump, creating a puff of powder as it lands. Her two children stand in front of her, both wearing seemingly false, but nevertheless innocent expressions. Yui can only emit a muffled squeak of shock as she looks upon her son's orange octopus costume.

"I fixed Shin-Chan's costume Mama!"

The room is filled with a heavy, irritating silence that gnawers at the patience of all the occupants. All except for Yui. Finally she opens her mouth, her face sporting a frazzled expression of defeat. Her voice is weak.

"I forgot about that costume…."

Rei smirks.