Two weeks later In the case of Hikari Horoki

Asuka had been feeling quite down on her luck lately. She was definitely not what your average person would call "pleasant" to be around, but still she had her good points. She had graduated at the top of her class in a prestigious German university at the age of 14, and now she was here in Japan. Hikari admired her outgoing personality, and vice versa. Still as the representative of her class it made her feel disingenuous to constantly call Asuka her friend. They went over homework assignments, talk about various things that girls liked to talk about and even stood up for her whenever her boyfriend Toji called her a bitch. Still there was one thing that being Asuka's friend meant, and that one thing was what was making her feel sick to her stomach rite now. Whenever she saw Asuka Bullying Shinji not just teasing him, but hurting him she didn't say anything about it, not to anyone. Asuka was somewhat of a hypocrite. She bragged about how good her grades were, and about how she thought everyone was a child compared to her, but she always came up with the most juvenile of retorts. "Why did you hit Shinji Asuka?" "Because he asked for it" "Why did you hurt him why do you think he deserves to be hurt so much?" "Because he's a winning good for nothing baby who gets special treatment from every one by being a goody two shoes." "Asuka he was just trying to pay you a compliment why did you strike him?"

"Because the last thing that I want is praise from the invincible baka Shinj he and Rei are just some doll that Nerve use to test their Evangelions, I'm the true pride of Nerve my Eva is the one who will win this war, I work the hardest, I don't want some watered down praise from my subordinates, whether it be the doll or Ikari." Hikari had listened to Asuka's constant rambling and ranting for months, and it was about time she put her foot down. She always looked the other way when Shinji was hurt, and it made her feel bad as not only a class rep, but as a person. "I let her do all those horrible things because I thought she would learn to be better to him over time. I never realized that all I was doing was encouraging her abusive behavior, some role model I turned out to be. And for all the flack that I gave Suzuhara And Aida for wanting to take pictures of girls with their skirts up I let Asuka do something ten times worse. Double standards are a bitch." It's true girls are often allowed certain leeway when it comes to things like harassing someone of the opposite sex. "She's so smart but she does things that are so stupid." The picture that she took of Shinji and Misato that one night had been perhaps the most horrible thing she had done so far. She could kind of understand why Asuka felt so bad to the point where she felt justified in doing what she had done.

30 days of being ignored by the people around her all so that they could focus on getting Shinji out of that that thing they called an Evangelion. "Yeah that was something, but still she always had me to come to I could have helped her" Hikari felt somewhat responsible. During the 30 days that Shinji was Stuck inside of his Eva Asuka was crying because of how scared she was. Scared that he would never come back. Scared that there would be no one to cook for her to ask her how her day was, to lash out at whenever things went wrong. To help her get back up on her feet to make things write. She felt bad for Asuka, and angry at herself for not doing anything. Still she wasn't about to let herself doubt cloud her judgment like it did with Asuka, oh no what Asuka had done was horrible, and unlike the other times when she could simply just ignore whatever it was that Asuka had done to him and go to bed at night with a healthy conscious this time she couldn't even stand the thought of supporting her so called "friend" without feeling her stomach turn upside-down. Just two weeks ago Asuka had shown the pictures she took of Shinji lying in bed with Misato to everyone at school all the boys were drooling over a six foot tall hot chick like Misato clad in nothing but panties, but the girls found it revolting that an older woman would be sleeping like that with a thirteen year old boy. Nerve had obviously been informed, and Misato was put on probation. Shinji had pleaded with everyone and tried to explain that there was nothing sexual about it, but it was hard to convince someone of that with a picture so alluring.

For the first few days Asuka had enjoyed watching Shinji suffer trying to explain to everyone that it was a misunderstanding. Asuka was a bully, and bullies often enjoyed finding ways to torment their victims. So when she realized physical abuse wouldn't work, she did whatever she could to make Shinji suffer. "And now for better or worse he's moving in with me."Hikari just shrugged. Did she do what she did out of pity, or out of kindness. During the first week, Misato had to move everything out of her apartment as well as Shinji and Asuka. Asuka was convinced that Nerv would find her a suitable place to live, and Shinji well he just didn't care he was more concerned about what would happen to his former guardian. "If someone had told me that a boy would be moving into my house two weeks ago than I probably would have scoffed and told them it was a bad joke. I don't hate boys,

I've always tried to get along better with them, but my duties as a class rep, and the pressure always got to me. Whenever I was around a boy people kept asking me if they had tried to hit on me. One week earlier It was during recess that all the other kids who had just gotten changed for sports, that shinji was alone sitting by himself under a maple tree. He was just looking up into the sky like a mindless zombie. "Yo Shin man catch" "oof." One of his few friends Toji had tried to snap him out of his daze, by throwing a ball but he just wasn't in the mood today. The former jock who had been crippled in a battle against the 18th had come to cheer his friend up "Come on man you've been like this for days lighten up a little." "I know things have been tough for you ever since you've been forced to leave Misato's place but she'll probably feel better once she knows your alright. Speaking of which were did youze move into anyway. Shinji just stared at his friend he felt too depressed to do anything. "Toji I know you mean well but there is nothing for me. I did something wrong and now Misato has to suffer. I mean I always try to be the best that I can be, but no matter how hard I try that will never be good enough."

"Come on man look at me I've only got 1 arm and leg, but I still have my spirit." "Yeah that and the comfort of knowing that you'll never have to pilot one of those monstrosities again, or that you can go home to someone who you know loves you. Your mom, your dad, your little sister. Arm and leg missing or not Toji I'd still do anything to trade places with you." "Get the fuck otta here you'z serious" "Yes" "Well I never thought of it that way "Hey by the way I wanted to ask you, where are you living now?" Shinji hesitated. "Uh I'm living in an apartment with Asuka" Toji just stuttered " YOUZE WHAT" "Nerv thought that it would still be best for us to live together after all we are still working together. "well shit that sucks. I mean after all she puts you through they still place you together." "It's just temporary I'm hoping that I can move out soon" "well I'd love to help man honest to god I would but My dad's gotta take care of me and my younger sister. I haven't told him that it was you who crushed my arm and leg and put my sister in the hospital when you first came here. Well not technically you but still you get what I mean." "I understand Toji, I'd feel horrible asking to move in with you after what I've done to your family. Well like you said not technically me, but still I should have been able to do something." "Excuse me" came a familiar voice. "Hikari" both Shinji and Toji said in unison. "How long have you been there Hikari" asked Toji " I came here when I heard you shout "Youze What". If you don't want people to pay unneeded attention to you then try not to be so loud." "Look Hikari We know Asuka's your friend and all but you agree with us that she went overboard with that stunt she pulled last week, write?"

Hikari didn't know what to say she tried to put herself in Shinji's position and think what he was going through. "I don't know Shinji why were you sleeping with your guardian like that, it's totally inappropriate." "Because she made me feel good… not in that kind of way" He quickly added to avoid making it sound sexual. "Just that she made me feel happy to be alive, and I felt like she really cared for me like family." Hikari could kind of relate to Shinji her mother died a long time ago giving birth and she felt like a huge part of her was taken away. For Shinji it happened twice. Misato was on probation so there was still a chance for her to redeem herself. Still Shinji had lost a mom once , and this news of Misato and her custody being revoked must have really made an impact on him. "Shinji I know what it feels like to lose a mom. I'm not sure why Asuka did what she did, but I'll go talk to her about it, it wasn't rite. Still if what your saying is true and your going to be living with Asuka, then the least you can do is make the most out of it." "What do mean Hikari" said Toji "Didn't you hear he's moving in with the red devil." "Asuka can have her well" Hikari searched for the most fitting word "moments." "However if your going to be living with her then you should try your best to get along with her if nothing else than at least give it your best." "I don't know what you mean Hikari I've done my best to be good to Asuka and no matter what she always comes up with some reason to detest me."

"Look I'm not saying that you're not doing youre best, but Asuka is a very difficult person she needs to know that your going to be able to take responsibility for what happens. I know this from experience Shinji she's my friend because of how well I keep everyone in order" "That's not a very good reason to be someone's friend Hikari. It sounds like she only wants to be your friend because you can help her bully people." Hikari was dumbstruck Shinji was trying to tell her that her best friend may only be using her to bully people, to hurt people. As the class rep she felt insulted. "Shinji This is the last time that I'm going to be nice about this Asuka is a very caring individual and she just needs to know that if something bad were to ever happen to her, then there would be someone to protect her. Did you know how worried she was when you were trapped inside of your Eva."

Shinji's body nearly froze at the mention of the word. "She was crying worried about you worried that you might never return. Despite what you might think about her she's not a monster, she can be cruel sometimes but you just have to put up with it even if it hurts." The two boys just looked at her, her face was turning slightly red. She was flustered. Hikari had just defended her friend in a way that sounded similar to what an actor or actress would have said in a movie. "Please Toji can you just try to put up with Asuka's behavior, maybe not call her a bitch or "The red Devil." Toji now started to grumble at his girlfriend " Hikari you're my girl" said Toji. "And I'm telling you as much as I like you there are some things that as a guy I just can't do." "Hikari you want me to be honest with you, don't you. If I didn't care for you as much as I did then I wouldn't be saying this. But what you're asking is impossible." "She's been brutal to Shinji for the past few months even more so then when we first met. Shin man here's done everything he can for her. Asuka's the one who needs some talking to. She's been horrible to Just about everyone she's come across since the moment she got here. Everyone but you of course. That racist bitch has done nothing but humiliate Shin-man here at every opportunity she got." "Toji that's not true" interrupted Hikari. "Let me finish damn it"

"I know she's your friend but for fucks sake wake up." She forced miss Misato to quit her job at Nerv she's on probation now the girl doesn't have any sense of remorse or consequence she wouldn't think twice about doing something to hurt you if she was angry enough, she forced Shinji to move out of his apartment, now he has to live with her without anyone to be to be there for him. You're supposed to be her friend what kind of friend just lets her other friend just walk all over other people's lives you threatened to have us suspended when we were caught taking pictures of girls without their permission." "Toji I'm trying to do what's best for everyone." "No your not your not listening Asuka's your friend, your always going to side with her your opinions and views are completely biased." "I am not biased I'm trying to do what's best for everyone."

"ENOUGH" The three just stood there under the tree for a minute not making a sound. Hikari and Toji looked over to Shinji waiting for him to say something else. "I will do my best, I will let Asuka know that I will be there for her if she ever needs me. But I'm not going to lie to her, she can't keep treating people like this. I'm going to go up to her right now and confront her about this. I will tell her what you think she wants me to hear, but I will demand that she apologizes for what she did to Misato." Shinji had had enough of everything, of Eva of Asuka, of his father. He just wanted to look Asuka in the eyes and know for certain that at the very least she wouldn't do something like this again. Hell he didn't even care about getting an apology, just knowing that Asuka would be reluctant to do something like this again was good enough for him. "If she can't so much as show even the slightest bit of remorse then how the hell am I supposed to be okay with having her over my shoulder." Shinji felt like a wreck his whole body was shaking, after a few minutes he walked away and was ready to confront Asuka. Toji and Hikari just watched him off. Toji wanted to run after him, but the absence of his leg made that very difficult. Hikari had grabbed him before he fell over, and helped him limp over to the maple tree.

From a distance up on the balcony above the schools garden Rei had been watching the conversation, taking mental notes of the emotions of Shinj, and his friends. 'Pilot Soyhoru has caused this distress, I must attend to it the best I can for if Shinji cannot smile, then what purpose do I have?" She left to follow her friend and comrade.

AN Well that was my third chapter I know it took me a long time. A little over a year, but hopefully I will be able to upload regularly now and will have this story finished by July. I really wanted to get into the details of what causes Hikari to take in Shinji, and Reis relevance. But I guess I can save that for later. Oh and Happy ash Wednesday.