A/N: Sorry for the late update.

Sad but true I still don't have an Prereader (broad hint) .. so.. be gentle :-)

Everybody thank you for your reviews!

"Where am I?", asked Shinji with tears in his eyes.

Naru wanted to answer the question but Tsuruko was faster.

"As I already told you", she started with an soft but firm voice, "you are in Kyoto. I think the best would be if you tell us", she stopped shortly when she heard a deep breath from Shinji but proceeded after noticing his eyes on her, "what happened before you arrived here."

"I don't think you will believe my story", said Shinji with an low voice.

"Ikari-san, let me tell you one thing. A few years ago I wouldn't have believed anything whats now happening to me... to us on a daily base. So don't hesitate to tell us your story. We will be as open as possible.", tried Keitaro to assure him using his trademark grin.

"Thank you Urashima-san", said Shinji with a small but sad smile.

"It's Keitaro", requested Keitaro and Shinji replied with a nod,

"Okay, Keitaro-san.". Shinji took a deep breath and started to tell them his story.

"Well, I think I should start what happened 15 years... 1 month... didn't happen here at all. At September 2000 the first Angel Adam caused what is known as Second Impact. It was an immense explosion which caused tsunamis all over the world and shifted the Earth's axis which changed the seasons. 15 Years later - after wars and other problems - I was called by my father to Tokyo 3 - Tokyo was destroyed in Second Impact - to fight the Angels in an purple robot called Evangelion Unit 01.", with this he pointed on the numbers '0' and '1' on his plugsuit, "You have to know that only a few persons on the world are able to pilot it - at least that was what Dr. Akagi told me.", he stopped to see if anyone has a question.

"Angel?", Naru asked.

"Yes Angel.", Shinji proceeded, "I don't know who came up with that name but they are called Angel. They are as tall as an skyscraper and everyone of them looks and attacks different. Their sole purpose seem to destroy humankind.

"After fighting 9 of them together with my 2 fellows the next Angel - the 12th - came. To make it short he created... some type of shadow below me and my Eva sunk into it. The next thing I knew was that I woke up here."

Naru was the first to say something, "So you came from 15 years in the future?", she asked with noticeable disbelieve in her words.

Motoko and Tsuruko turned their heads to Naru with a clear look of anger on their faces.

"Yes... No...", started Shinji, "I mean... If you want to say that I come from a future it's not your future."

"Why?", Keitaro and Naru asked in unison.

"As I told you. In my past September 2000 happened Second Impact and it seemes it didn't happened here at all?"

Keitaro turned his face to Naru, "He has a point."

"I told you you wouldn't believe me.", said Shinji a bit sad but immediately afterwards Motoko and Tsuruko said in unison,

"I believe you."

Naru was taken aback by this and thought, 'How can they believe this crap?', and said aloud, "How come?"

Tsuruko was the one to answer her, "Naru, you know that we received training in many aspects while being trained to be a warrior. One of them was to discern if someone tells you the truth and I didn't sence any falsehood in him.", mentally she added, 'but he didn't tell us everything.'

"Oh.", was the only answer Naru could give.

Tsuruko turned her head to Keitaro, "Keitaro?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have some spare clothes you could give Shinji?"

Without thinking he nodded and wanted to go to get them but was stopped by Tsuruko.

"Keitaro, the best would be if you take Shinji with you and show Shinji the bath. I think he would be quite happy to get one."

And indeed Shinji was happy to hear that - he hated the smell of LCL and the long time he had slept had let it dry and that didn't have a positive influence on the smell.

"I think you are right. He reeks of blood.", said Naru and flinched when she saw what her words did to Shinji. He got a downcast expression on his face and said in his typical meek voice, "I am sorry".

"No need to be sorry.", tried Tsuruko immediately to cheer him up.

"Yes Shinji, no need to be.", Naru assured him. If she did it because she wanted to make him happy or because she got the feeling if she didn't do it she would regret it later in the form of a 'talk' with Tsuruko she didn't know. But nevertheless she made a mental note to be careful with him.

"Well, follow me Shinji. I will show you the bath.", said Keitaro and got together with Shinji out of the building in the direction of the bathing area.

After Naru was sure that Shinji and Keitaro were out of hearing range she asked Tsuruko, "What will happen now?"

"Honestly I don't know. I don't know a way to bring him back and if there is any I don't know if he would want back.", answered Tsuruko.

Motoko nodded and said more to herself than anyone else, "That's true."

Naru was a bit puzzled, "How come?"

Tsuruko sighed and tried to explain it to her, "Well, he didn't tell us everything. I think what he told us was a... lighthearted version of what really happened to him in the past. A past which is the reason for his definitively lack of self confidence."

Naru recalled what happened before and nodded, "True. But what should we do with him? Shall we call the police?"

"And tell them what Naru, 'A boy of 14 years appeared out of nowhere and he is the pilot of a robot to defeat beings called Angel'. They won't believe us and even if they do what do you think would happen do him?", interjected Motoko and added a bit lower, "I don't want to even think about what they probably would do to him."

"Motoko is right Naru", Tsuruko supported and added, "The best course of action will be to ask Haruka. I am sure she knows a way to help him."

Motoko and Naru looked at her a bit puzzled and asked in unison, "Haruka?"

"Yes, don't you know that she has many connections in... every part of society?", replied Tsuruko as if it was a well known fact.

Motoko and Naru shook their head.

"Well, if you want to know more about it you should ask herself. I will phone her tomorrow and we will see if she can think of something."

15 Minutes later Keitaro and a fresh looking Shinji came back. Tsuruko and Naru couldn't help but chuckle about Shinjis appearance. Shinji was a bit smaller than Keitaro and so the black trousers and the white shirt he got from him were a bit too big. Even Motoko couldn't help herself and after a few seconds even she chuckled a bit.

After hearing the chuckles from the three of them Shinji got beet red and sunk his head.

Tsuruko was the first to notice this and calmed herself down. She came up to him and put an arm on one of his shoulders. She noticed that he winced but ignored it in favor of trying to calm him down but she made a mental note that he wasn't used to human or female touches.

"Sorry Shinji. But you have to admit this clothes look funny on you."

Keitaro tried to help Tsuruko and added with his typical grin, "Well I am sorry Shinji but I don't have anything else here. We should try to get something for you tomorrow."

"O... Okay", said Shinji in a low voice, "Thank you, Keitaro-san. I am glad that I got out of my plugsuit."

"Are you hungry?", asked Tsuruko and before Shinji could answer his stomache did for him.

"I think that means yes.", and with this Tsuruko pointed at a chair and mentioned him to sit down, "I will get something for you."

"Thank you, Aoyama-san."

After Tsuruko came back with something for Shinji they all sat around the table and started to eat their respective meals in silence. Everyone except Shinji wanted to say something but didn't know anything to. Tsuruko and Motoko feared to hurt Shinji in some way - they knew to less about his problems to be able to avert them in a conversation. Keitaro wanted to talk to him but his thoughts were along the same line as Motokos and Tsurukos. Naru on the other hand noticed the expressions Tsuruko and Motoko had on their faces and decided not to speak for her own safety.

Shinji did notice the tension in the room but was glad nobody said anything. He still wasn't sure if this world - this people - was real or not and if it was real what had happened with the angel and his EVA. He really hoped the angel or better the angels were all destroyed and that he wouldn't see an EVA or an Angel again. 'I can dream, can't I?', he said mentally to himself.

After everyone had finished Shinji got up and wanted to collect the dishes when Tsuruko stopped him.

"No need to Shinji"

"But...", started Shinji but Tsuruko immediately interrupted him.

"No but. You are our guest."

"O.. Okay.."

"I think Shinji and I should go early to bed.", suggested Keitaro, "The both of us have to get early to the mall to get some clothing for him."

Shinji turned his head and wanted to decline the implicit offer but before he could open his mouth to say something Keitaro already had an answer.

"Yes Shinji. It is needed. Or do you want to go around with your plugsuit", at the mentioning of this Shinji gulped, "or with some of my oversized wear?".

"You are right, thank you.", stammered Shinji. Shinji didn't want to trouble this persons which were nice to him but Keitaro was right - he can't go around with his plugsuit.

With this Keitaro and Shinji wished the girls a good night and got on their way to the sleeping area. Soon afterwards Naru, Motoko and Tsuruko did the same.

It was in the middle of the night and everybody was sound asleep when Tsuruko and Motoko felt something.. disturbing. They both woke up and got immediately out of their rooms to look into each others eyes and acknowledged that they both felt the same with a simple nod.

Tsuruko took the lead and Motoko followed. Both of them had their swords - Tsuruko here original sword and Motoko one she got from Tsuruko earlier in the evening - in the hands - ready to strike if necessary. As they closed the distance Tsuruko got a bad feeling that she already knew what or better who the source was. When they arrived the door to Keitaro and Shinjis room the bad feeling turned into knowledge.

With a wink of her hand Tsuruko commanded Motoko to stand besides the door. She opened it slowly and both of them saw Shinji standing on his futon glowing brightly. Tsuruko was a bit puzzled because his glow didn't seem to illuminate anything in the room but she shoved that thought into the back of here mind to concentrate on the situation.

Shinji turned around and looked Tsuruko in her eyes and started to speak in a low and strong voice, "You may come in. You don't have to fear me because I don't wish to hurt one of you, Tsuruko Aoyama and Motoko Aoyama."

Tsuruko didn't know why but she believed him. She looked at her sister and nodded.

The two of them went into the room - swords were still drawn - under the gaze of Shinji or better under the gaze of Shinjis body. It was clear that something had possesed him.

"Who are you?", asked Motoko with a strong and confidend voice which made Tsuruko proud of her little sister.

Shinji turned his head to look at Motoko and answered, "I am Leliel - the 12th of the 17 to test the 18th - destined to be destroyed by the Third of 3."

Tsuruko remembered the story which Shinji had told them and was able to understand his introduction - at least part of it.

"So you are the 12th Angel?"

Shinji/Leliel turned his head slowly to Tsuruko and nodded.

"You are right. I am the 12th Angel as the Lilim call us. I was send to test them as part of the holy ritual but it was sullied and so my destiny changed to stall the ritual."

"Why did you send Shinji to our world?", asked Motoko.

Shinji/Leliel turned his head back to Motoko and looked into her eyes.

"The reason for this is simple. The only way for him to get back to where he belongs would be by destroying me which would trigger the continuation of the sullied holy ritual. This would most likely mean the end of everything in his world. So I choose to send him to your world so that he may live in peace. And this is the reason I am here - to ask you to take care of him."

Tsuruko and Motoko didn't understand what was happening. Shinji told them about the 'Angels' and they couldn't believe that one of them has an consciousness and tries to rescue him and humankind.

"I am aware that this must sound weird for you.", started Leliel, "but you don't know the real truth about us and his world - and so the Third of 3 doesn't."

"Third? Do you mean Shinji?", asked Tsuruko.

"Yes. He is the destined one for me and I will try to protect him but I can't stay in your world for long.", suddenly a pained expression started to show on Leliel/Shinjis face, "I ask you to not tell him about me or anything we have talked about. It is of utmost importance. I have to go now, my time here has run out - if I stay any longer it would be dangerous.".

Before Motoko or Tsuruko could say anything Shinji stopped to glow and collapsed onto the futon.

- Meanwhile' in Tokyo 3 -

"The Angel... it disappeared!", said Maya with clear disbelieve in her voice.

"What?", Misato and Ritsuko cried out in unison. "What happened Maya?"

"The Angel - it simply disappeared. The AT-Field.. the Sea of Dirac.. the Shadow.. from one second to the next they simply disappeared from the sensors.", answered Maya clearly shaken.

If anyone had looked at Gendo at that moment they would have seen something nobody believed the commander was able to show - a clear look of complete and utter shock on his face.

'This isn't right. The scenario.. Yui!', was the only thought he was able to think in that moment.