After invaluable input from a new friend I have started to do some reworking of this fiction. Hopefully, it will increase the value of the fiction as well as some of its popularity. I've really been trying to make a mark with this fiction, and so I'm now pulling out all the stops. Detail and characterization are going up a notch so I hope it shows! Anyway, try to enjoy the chapter everyone.

~Naso/Episode

"I am NOT a kid! Nyhhaaaa!!" -Skuld/Oh! My Goddess!-



Chapter 1- Angel Dust

Misato stood in Nerv headquarters as the news of the approaching angel had come in. It was the fourteenth angel Zeraul, the angel of might. For the next estimated three minutes the UN would still have command of the situation, and then it was predicted to enter Tokyo-3's limits.

That was when Nerv would gain control of operations. Asuka and Rei were getting prepped and put into their entry plugs, but no one could find Shinji. He was really going to leave this time it seemed. Misato continued to be distracted over her charge when Maya offered some 'interesting' information to the commanders and the major.

"Sirs, the UN is trying a chemical attack on the angel!" Maya reported. In the upper area where the two commanders were Gendo gave no indication to having heard this.

"Are you sure an angel wouldn't be susceptible to such an attack if it did not raise its AT field?" Fuyutski asked.

"I am not certain in the least, but it would be amusing to see what effects this attack could have." Gendo said as his trademark smirk appeared beneath his gloves, "You never know how things will turn out." The other man kept his gaze on Ikari to see if he would elaborate, but he should have known better. He returned his gaze to the large up-front monitor the command center used, and he saw Zeraul slowing floating towards Tokyo-3 airspace.

Just when it seemed it would reach their area of control though, a large cruise missile smashed into its head. Being as its head was practically planted into its wide shoulders the missile released its contents out onto its target. The chemicals within the missile sprayed onto Zeraul in a chalky torrent.

"Looks like a positive hit to me." Misato said smiling, "Is it having any notable affect though Maya?" Maya returned her attention to the data she was receiving momentarily.

After making certain of her information Maya replied. "Magi are still uncertain, but I have just received new information. What?! The UN got the missile mixed up! That thing was full of, Angel Dust?" There was a brief snicker from one of the techs, but he quickly shut up as he felt the ice cold gaze of the commanders upon him. Gendo, who had lost the smirk a little while ago, had already returned it to his face.

"Interesting how that man works." He said, and somewhere in the vicinity Kaji sneezed as he went about watering his melons. People back at Nerv must still be talking about him.

"Magi report a change in the targets pattern!" Maya shouted suddenly, "Target pattern is changing to. orange, now green, blue, and pink?" As her confused voice carried the notice to all the personnel Zeraul started to visibly shake on the monitor. Everyone stood now, peeled to the screen, and a few seconds later the angel of might fell into the ocean like a lead brick.

Water was tossed up in a gigantic spout the sprayed the camera observing the event. "Target has disappeared from scopes!" Maya reported. There was a brief pause in activity before Gendo spoke up.

"Keep everyone on standing alert." Gendo voiced calmly, "Keep the pilots ready for combat." He then left with Fuyutski. "Most interesting." Gendo noted as he left.

Asuka fumed in her entry plug, and she silently prayed her synch score didn't fall during the wait. Rei only seemed completely calm. No one ever knew what she was thinking. Still what was happening to the angel, and what was Shinji doing?

Shinji had actually found Kaji at his melon patch after sneaking out of one of the shelters. He approached the spy as his curiosity got the better of him. After all why would Kaji water melons? Hopefully not some sick obsession the man had.

"Kaji what are you doing here?" The young Ikari asked the man, and Kaji turned to regard Shinji with a grin.

"I had a second job that Nerv didn't actually approve of." Kaji explained as he watered some of the less mature plants, "So I'm doing what I can do at the moment, just watering my melon patch. I find it very relaxing to grow these simple little plants."

Shinji thought about this, and figured Kaji had his reasons even if it seemed strange to be out during an angel assault. Then something occured to him. "Kaji you got fired for watering melons?" Shinji asked, and Kaji became the first person in Evangelion to have a face-fault.

**I hate how authors redo this scene and NOT stray from the lines AT ALL!**

Kaji got up and frowned at the young teen. "The question is Shinji what are YOU doing here? Unlike me you can do something, you can pilot Eva." Shinji lowered his head and scowled.

"I am not going to pilot Eva anymore." He stated calmly, "It is too painful." Kaji laughed at the young man.

"Shinji don't try and convince me of that." Kaji said as he still was chuckling, and while Shinji didn't appear to pay any attention to what he said. Kaji knew otherwise. "Honestly Shinji, the time you have spent here has most likely been the best time of your life."

That remark caught Shinji by surprise, and he stammered as he tried to deny it. "I found out my father hates me, I found out that I am no good at making friends. I only use people like my father."

Kaji frowned when he heard that. "Come on for one thing you didn't find out your father hated you. You already thought that. What you found out is that he is a prick, and you don't have to be sad about that."

He almost laughed when Shinji smiled at that. "You just like feeling hurt so you don't get over it, and as far as not making friends I have seen you make some very good friends while you are here."

Shinji's scowl returned with friends. "Yeah like Touji?"

Kaji stopped smirking as Shinji's depressive nature started to grate on his nerves. "That wasn't your fault, and he has most likely told you this if you have asked him. Shinji, there's something you should know about the world. People always use one another for comfort, and unlike a lot of people you have given back as well. There is nothing wrong with that. Have I ever told you how helpful you are to Misato?"

Shinji thought about that one for a second. "She has always been worried about me, but I have never been worried about her."

Kaji growled in frustration. "Honestly I can't see why she cares with the way you are acting now, but then again saving her from getting nuked might be part of it. Misato needs to care for someone, because it makes her feel less guilty. You should talk to her about that."

Shinji considered this for a moment. "I will, think about that Kaji. Thank you." Shinji said as he started to walk off.

Kaji smiled again as Shinji disappeared from his sight. Returning to his watering the man soon thought of another problem that concerned him rather than Shinji. "I might live long enough to see these harvested." Kaji noted happily as he continued his watering. As Shinji headed to see Misato, the angel of might was having his mind toyed with by a wondrous drug of the UN's courtesy to it.

It was cracking apart its armor slowly, as the pollution in its mind changed the shape of its body. Blue veins were growing and pulsing from Zeraul's body as its dillusion took form. It was feeling depressed by it's mission suddenly, and in it's warped mind it decided to somewhat alter the test it would give to the lillims.

Shinji entered Nerv and managed to get a total of two yards inside before he was stopped, handcuffed, and dragged to the command room where Misato was. He wasn't really surprised at the rough treatment. Nerv was a military organization, but god damnit he was an Eva pilot wasn't he?

She seemed more than a little surprised to see her young charge. "Shinji did you get caught?" She unlike other members of Nerv didn't feel forcing the boy to do this was right, and she sympasized with him completely. He was able to read her concern, and he felt good when he realized he hadn't needed to check her face to see if it was there.

"No, I decided I wanted to pilot again." Shinji said, and that announcement surprised everyone somewhat. "I know I'm not needed at the moment, but I have come to realize that I might actually be best suited staying here."

Misato knew there was still something that must be bothering him however. "What about your father Shinji?"

Shinji had to frown at her question. Then, after a minute the frown left his face and he gave Misato a minuscule smile. "What about him Misato?" the boy asked.

Misato didn't know just what to say at that moment. Shinji had finally realized that there were people who cared for him. People who cared more than anyone ever had, and he had actually felt he deserved that. Maybe even that he wasn't hurting them. He might finally be over the hedgehog's dilemma!

Despite what her mind told her to do she hugged the boy warmly. Shinji painfully noticed that most of the staff was staring at him. "Come on Misato everyone's staring." Shinji told her as he fidgeted. Well, maybe he still was getting over the dilemma?

She released her charge, and personally removed his handcuffs with a key she had in her jacket. Considering that she owned no handcuffs herself Shinji wondered where it had come from. He looked at her curiously and she blushed. He came to the conclusion Kaji had given it to her. Misato gave him a warning look.

"Go get into your plug suit and we will talk about this at home!" She scolded and he did so as he smiled. He was changed a few minutes later and as his entry plug filled with LCL he heard a familiar annoyed voice.

Asuka's image joined her voice on the communication screen, and she didn't look pleased to see him. "I told Misato not to worry. It's not like we need you here anyway. Don't get in my way when we're out there you hear me? I'm not in the mood to baby-sit you like everyone else." Shinji smiled, and this didn't go unnoticed by Asuka.

She seemed to take his smile the wrong way however, as she started to berate him all over again.

Then Rei's voice somehow cut quietly through Asuka's curses as her own face appeared to Shinji. "It's good to see you again Ikari." Rei seemed almost glad to see him! Shinji felt somewhat at peace in that moment, even though Asuka was still cursing him, and despite the fact he would most likely soon be facing an angel.

From his office Gendo smiled over his laptops image. "It seems my son has gotten over himself." He then amazed Fuyutski by laughing out loud. Something must have seemed very funny to Ikari Gendo as he had said that.

Just then the mild reverie was cut off by alarm klaxons going off accompanied by an Update from Maya. "Angel has surfaced at the city limits to Tokyo-3, pattern is blue. I repeat angel has reemerged, Magi confirmation of angel attack!" Shinji and Asuka both snapped to strict attention in their plugs when they heard that.

"Launch Evas!" Misato shouted.

Fin~

While I deleted a lot of the conversation in this chapter, I did keep Rei's remark to Shinji in for personal reasons. It might make more sense to everyone later. For the record I am not stating if this is a S&A or S&R fiction. It is both and at the same time it is neither. You will just have to wait and see. Once I get this back from my beta readers I will work on chapter two. Well, after finishing this chapter of course.

I think Karina would be happy to note the MASSIVE overhaul I gave the speech in the chapter. I really feel as if I've done a lot, and at the same time done nothing. This is only the first chapter though.

I await the comments of those I am sending this to, and hopefully they'll be good comments. I hope you enjoy working with me on this as well. I really want to thank you ahead of time for agreeing to help me with this. You are all great people!

~Naso/Episode