Disclaimer: I don't own anything NGE-related. I own the Rebuilds, but that's it. Like I physically own them, but I don't own the franchise

Notes: I'm not gonna follow chronological order for a lot of the interactions. Angel fights will of course be in the order, but certain character interactions and dialogue will be placed wherever I want! Also, updates are going to be sporadic because as a college student, I have work, friends, and crap. So bear with me, I try my best to write everyday!


Chapter 2: The Good Stuff

By Dorian Express


"How are you feeling, Shinji?" Ritsuko asked over the intercom.

"I feel fine…" I muttered, lost in my own thoughts. Sync test were a weekly thing at NERV, but the first sync test was special. This wasn't my first one though, there was no anxiety. It felt nice to be submerged in LCL, even if it was Lilith's blood. I enjoyed bathing in the liquid, it was soothing and warm.

"Shinji, you're doing great. You're at 81% right now, which is optimal for your first time" Ritsuko complimented. 81%? I was slacking.

"Are there other pilots besides me and Ayanami?" I asked over the intercom.

"There is one that is currently residing in Germany" Misato replied over the intercom.

"What's the pilot's name?" was my following question. I already knew the answer, but I wanted to hear her name.

"Asuka Langely Soryu" Misato answered. Her name provided me with the fix I needed. Each syllable of her name was like a shot of cocaine, providing me with euphoria.

"Why are you asking?" Misato asked after a couple seconds.

"Just curious" I lied.

"We're done with the test. You averaged 80.3% sync ratio, which is great. Good job, Shinji" Ritsuko complimented.

"After you shower and change, we're going to begin the regimen" Misato said over the intercom.


"Your instructor's name is Mark. Mark is a Japanese-born American who has trained with the Marines from before 2nd Impact and is incredibly proficient in MMA. He will be your trainer" Misato introduced. Before me stood a graying man who was built like a fighting machine. Mark wasn't overly big nor was he small. His figure was compact and perfectly built for combat.

"Hello, I'm Mark. Pleased to meet you, Ikari Shinji" Mark greeted, stretching out his hand.

"Hey, nice to meet you. Take care of me…" I responded meekly, taking Mark's outstretched hand and tried giving him a firm handshake. But, Mark showed me what a firm handshake was. His hands were full of callouses and were rough to the touch. A veteran's hand.

"How do you know Mark, Misato?" I asked my guardian.

"He's the head chef of NERV" Misato responded, much to my surprise.

"Head chef?" I asked, incredulously.

"Cooking has always been my passion. I do MMA and weightlifting on the side." Mark explained, "NERV has an amazing faculty, so I am going to thoroughly train you to be a skilled marksmen, fighter, and help you obtain a stronger body" It was hard to explain Mark's expression, it was reserved but also contained a lot of happiness and joy. Someone who was content with their lot in life. I couldn't help but feel envious.

"I'll leave Shinji to you, Mark." Misato said, turning to the exit, "Train his ass to the ground".

"Yes, Ma'am!" Mark exclaimed as Misato left. He turned to me after Misato had made her exit.

"So, how about we start by doing basic fitness?" Mark suggested.

"Sure, let's do that" I confirmed before following Mark to the treadmills.

"We're going to begin by doing 10 minutes to warm-up" Mark explained as he hopped on one of the many treadmills. I got on one next to him and hit begin.

"We're going to walk at 2 mph at first, and then we're going to jog at 4 mph for 2 minutes, and then we're going to run at 8 mph for 6 minutes, and cool down on 2 mph." Mark said. I nodded.

"So, Shinji-kun, tell me about piloting the Eva" Mark asked as we took a brisk walk on the treadmill. His question was a difficult one to say the least, since I didn't really know the mechanics behind the Eva.

"It's like moving your own body, but every thought translates into the Eva moving" I tried to explain, but the look on Mark's face told me that I was unable to convey what I meant.

"It's hard to explain, sorry…" I apologized.

"No, it's fine, don't apologize. Let's move onto 4 mph" Mark said before hitting the 4 mph button on the treadmill. I followed suit and the treadmill began moving faster, forcing me to begin a brisk jog. My heart began pumping faster and faster, and my lungs began expanding and contracting faster as well. I felt like my breath couldn't keep up with me, a taste of iron coating the back of my throat as I jogged. My body struggled to keep up with itself, unable to circulate oxygen to my agonizing muscles. My heart pumped like mad, forcing my lungs to breathe and breathe and breathe rapidly. Fast. Fast. Fast. My mind went blank as I allocated every. single. one. of my resources in order to run and be able to propel my weary legs forward. Every second was like fighting a war, like an Angel hit the self-destruct button burning my entire body. Every second felt like that.

My eyes maneuvered to view how long I've been dying and it read...3 minutes. My body's fatigue had started to apprehend the usage of my legs. With the last of my strength, I hit the 2 mph button on the machine, slowing down, possibly saving my life. Each breath was labor-intensive, it felt like my lungs were crying out in pain as each individual air sac popped in an effort to provide me with the ability to take a breath.

"Shinji-kun, we need to work on your endurance...Come on, let's try weight lifting" Mark laughed as he got off his treadmill, completely unfazed. I wearily followed the muscular older gentleman to the weight racks. Even though the gym was almost empty, it was very well stocked containing a sparring rink, a couple sandbags, cardio equipment, and a ton of weights and machines. Mark got me to do a couple bench presses and more "testing" exercises to access my overall physique. From the look on his face, I could tell that I needed to work harder on this body in order to achieve what I once had.

"We're going to start off with some MMA training" Mark said, a soft smile on his face as he got himself inside the boxing rink. Inside the rink lied a pair of gloves and hitting mitts. Mark tossed me the pair of gloves, prompting me to put them on before he put on his hitting mitts.

"First, we're gotta learn the proper stance. Are you a righty or lefty?" Mark asked.

"Righty" I answered.

"So, basically keep your feet shoulder width apart. Tilt your body so a little bit so that the front of your body is facing your right, and keep your left fist a tad above your shoulder. Keep your elbows in, and try to maintain a lower sense of gravity. Now snap your left fist forward and retract quickly." Mark instructed. I followed them to the dot and proceeded to punch the wind.

"Good now, hit this mitt" Mark complimented before taking up a position for me to hit the mitt. It was a firm mitt, that's for sure. The pain from the torn muscle fibers echoed through my brain as I forcibly made contact with the mitt. Mark nodded and gave me "come on"'s as I continued a dedicated, but weak assault on the mitt, but I kept at it with Mark's encouragement. My tank-top was beyond soaked with my sweat at this point, the sweat had seeped through to my boxers, and was already penetrating the fabric of my shorts.

"That's enough for now" Mark said, taking off the mitts. I glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was 3 o'clock already. In a split second, my weary body crumpled onto the mat of the boxing rink. I was going to be so sore tomorrow. I was going to be unable to move my body tomorrow.

I was right. It hurt to move. It hurt so much that I couldn't even hit the alarm clock to stop its incessant beeping. I raised my arm, only to be met with the immediate pain of torn muscle fibers in my arms, chest, and back. Mark was going to run me into the ground alright, Misato got her wish granted. I took in a deep breath and tried to marginalize the pain erupting from the entirety of my body. In a last ditch attempt to save my eardrums and sanity, I flailed my arm at the alarm clock. I missed. Fucking hell, I missed. I missed by literally a mile.


"SHUT THE ALARM CLOCK OFF! DAMMIT, SHINJI" Misato yelled from her room. I felt bad for my guardian, she got home really late last night. Now she was woken up at the ripe time of 6 fucking 30 in the morning because a sore teenager couldn't move his body.

"STOP MASTURBATING AND TURN OFF THE ALARM, SHINJI!" Misato screamed again, much to my embarrassment.

"I CAN'T MOVE. IT HURTS TOO MUCH!" I screamed back. God, it hurt so much. The lactic acid burned every single pain receptor in my muscular system as I made a second attempt to shut the beeping alarm. Even the first time I had worked out, I didn't feel this pain. Mark drilled the pain into each and every single muscle of my body. Every time a muscle twitched, it was immediately pierced by a searing knife.

"SHINJIII. DAMMITTT" Misato yelled in frustration as she burst into my room only to see a contorted teenager unable to move because of the pain. Instead of helping me up or shutting off the alarm, she began laughing...hysterically in the face of my pain. I tried groaning, but the rumbling offset a series of muscle spasms in my core causing me to wither in pain. It was a horrible chain reaction of muscle pain.

"Help...me…" I muttered in duress as my sides squealed in pain.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do" Misato responded after her outrageous fit of laughter. She walked over to the alarm and tapped it off, before rolling me onto my back. I got a clear glimpse of Misato's face since it was like 2 feet away from mine. Her glistening brown eyes flushed with tears from her laughter and the crow's feet emerging from the corners of her eyes due to her beautiful, white smile.

"I'll see if I can get you some aspirin, okay? Can you get up?" Misato asked. I shook my head in response, the mere act causing my traps to shudder in pain.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Mark really did a number on you?" She inquired. I nodded softly. Misato walked out of my room, leaving me to my torn body. I took a deep breath in and began propping up my body on my elbows, utilizing all my strength in my core to give me enough lateral movement to sit up. Every movement shot daggers into my nervous system. My brain kept yelling at me to lie down, stop moving for like 3 days. But after what seemed like eternity, I finally sat up.

"Here are some painkillers,but I don't know if they'll help." Misato said, handing me two advils and a glass of water. I quickly nabbed it from her and swallowed it, praying for the sweet relief of pain killers.

"Do you think you can go to school today? It looks like you're in a ton of pain…" Misato said, her eyes wearily scanning my body.

"I don't think so...Mark really ran me through the gutter yesterday" I complained as I fell back down my my futon, my body too fatigued to move a second longer. Sweet, sweet relief.

"I'll call them and say that you can't make it. Sleep tight, buddy" Misato replied, turning around. My eyelids drooped down, giving me the sweet release of sleep. As I passed on, I heard the faint sound of Misato dialing the school and telling them that their new transfer student couldn't make it today due to fatigue, of all things. There was a part of me that regretted not being able to go to school for the first time in a while, but I could feel a new strength surging through my body.

"Rest up, I have to go back to NERV later. I'll get someone over to check on you later" Misato yawned. I nodded sleepily, before curling back into the loose blankets. But sleep offered me no dreams, just a blank slate for recovery. It was peaceful though, not having a plan or having anything to do, just lying down and sleeping. That was my favorite thing to do, quite frankly. Lie there, without a care in the world. No one to save, no one to help, no one to tell me what to do. Just...lie there, without a care in the world. As a teenager should.

Hours passed, the sun shifted from east to west, and I didn't move an inch. Not because I didn't want to move, but rather because I couldn't. In economics, I learned to weigh opportunity costs. Basically, what you would sacrifice in order to pick one alternative over another. Right now, I was weighing whether or not to get up and make food and be in pain or lie in bed and feel hungry and be in less pain. Decisions. Decisions.

As I was contemplating which choice would leave me in the least amount of pain, I heard Misato come home. It was still pretty early, but maybe she took off early to take care of me.

"Misato! I'm in here!" I screamed. I relaxed back into my futon as I heard her whimsical steps approach my door.

"Misato...I'm hungry, can you make me something?" I asked.

"Okay, Ikari-kun. I shall make you something to eat." A familiar voice responded. My eyes were met with Rei Ayanami. She was injured, like when I first met her. Her eyes peered down on my helpless figure as she stood above me, her skirt flowing in the breeze. Her short blue hair danced as her eyes met mine for the very first time. Red. A beautiful ruby red.

"Uhhh, what are you doing here?" I asked the stoic figure in my doorway.

"Misato commanded me to come here and check to see if you were alive" Rei reported, her tone monotonous and unsettling. I sat up, this time with less pain surging throughout my body.

"I take it school just ended?"

"Yes, Ikari-kun. So what would you like me to do?" Rei asked, as if she was a robot sent to do my bidding.

"Nothing, relax. I wanna chat" I said, motioning for her to take a seat in my room. My hunger could wait.

"Okay." Rei said as she took a seat across from me. I could see a slight wince in her face as she sat down. To some degree, I felt her pain.

"What do you want to talk about?" Rei asked, her eyes trained on mine. Her face was like porcelain, white and precious. Even the slightest touch would break her.

"How are you feeling? I hope you're feeling better than before"

"Thank you for your concern, Ikari-kun. I am doing better than before" she responded.

"Don't call me Ikari-kun or Ikari for that matter. I'm not my father. Call me Shinji, please." I requested of the blue-haired girl.

"Sh-Shinji. I shall call you Shinji-kun from now on." Rei said, her voice shaking a little bit.

"Hey, we're pilot in arms right. I'll call you Rei, you'll call me Shinji. I got your back, you got mine. What do you say?" I asked, giving her a slight wink.

"That would be advantageous for the both of us. Thank you" Rei responded, a slight hue of red coloring her otherwise pale face. There was always something about how Rei blushed as opposed to Asuka's. Rei's was a lot more precious, more delicate. It could melt hearts, even my father's.

"So, tell me about yourself, Rei" I proposed. I already knew that there was nothing for her to tell me, but I wanted to ingrain that seed into her mind. The one that meant, you are your own damn person.

"There is nothing to tell, Ika...Shinji-kun" Rei answered after a second. I chuckled at her response.

"Yeah, there is. I know that piloting an Eva is hard and working for my father is hard, but there has to be something about yourself that you can tell me." I responded, before thinking of a little something, "Fine, let's play a game. You tell me something, I tell you something. Sound good?"

"I don't see how this is a game." Rei responded, her voice still monotonous.

"Just play along, okay?" I laughed. The pain in my sides had subsided considerably as I talked to my old comrade.

"If you wish" was her confirmation.

"I'll start then. I...uhh...play cello"

"Okay. I...I...I'm vegetarian" Rei struggled.

"Wow, really? Maybe that's why you're so pale" I said. I, of course, knew why she was pale. Well, I didn't know, but I knew that her vegetarianism wasn't the reason why. I missed this. Despite what Rei could become, I still missed our regular bouts of talk and laughter. It was...for lack of a better word, interesting.

"Are you hungry, Rei? I can make something for us to eat. I got some udon" I asked, slowly standing up, my legs ratcheting due to the lack of muscular support. Rei got up slowly in response.

"It is okay, Ika...Shinji-kun. Misato told me that you shouldn't stress your body" Rei complained, her good arm extending to steady me.

"It's fine, you're my guest. I should serve you" I chuckled as I wobbled to my door, using it as support to exit the room.

"I assure you, Shinji-kun. I do not need such services." Rei protested softly as I struggled to put a pot of tea on the boil.

"Have a seat. I wanna keep talking. I want to get to know my fellow pilot" I said, giving the pale-skinned girl a soft smile before gesturing her to take a seat at the table.

"So, I guess it's my turn, right? I'm 14. Your turn" I said as I sat down across from the bandaged girl.

"I, too, am 14." Rei replied.

"I, uhhhh, don't like my father" I revealed. Rei's eyes opened up at my revelation.

"Please elaborate." Her voice was soft, but strong.

"Those weren't the rules, Rei" I joked, only to see the girl across from me slightly red from anger.

"Please elaborate, Shinji-kun" Rei repeated, her intent all too clear.

"It's nothing really. I don't like him. Our ideals clash, we don't see eye to eye. Why? Do you like my father? Do you think it's okay for him to send teenagers off to battle while he watches?" I replied.

"Your father is a good man." Rei countered, her voice faltering.

"You don't know my father like I do." This time my tone was harsher and...well, it reminded me of my father's tone. "Now it's your turn"

"I do not want to play anymore." Rei conceded. I nodded, and soon after the tea boiled. I slowly got up to turn it off and pour it into those nice ceramic teacups. I placed it in front of the girl, who thanked me.

"You know, it's cool if you enjoy hanging out with father. I don't have to like him" I finally said after a couple minutes of awkward silence.

"He does a lot for NERV" Rei counter argued. Her naivety was beginning to get on my nerves. My father...my father wasn't even human. She was just a means for his end.

"He does a lot for himself, Rei. One day, you'll understand." I replied gravely. Her expression didn't change as she sipped the tea.

"This tea tastes horrible"

"Yeah, I can't afford the good stuff"


"Hello class, starting from today, this young man will be in homeroom 1-A with all of you!" My homeroom teacher said introducing me. I looked around the room, scanning the faces of people that I had met already once. Rei sat near the back, next to the window. She took a second to acknowledge my presence before continuing her studious perusing of the beautiful sky outside.

"Hi, my name is Shinji Ikari. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me later." I said introducing myself before the teacher directed me to a seat in the middle column, towards the back. It was next to Toji and Kensuke.

"Hey, I'm Shinji. Nice to meet you guys" I said, introducing myself to my neighbors after i had taken my seat.

"Hi, I'm Kensuke and this is Toji" the bespectacled teen in front of me said, introducing himself and his neighbor to me.

"Hey, nice to meet you guys" I said, giving the two of them a soft smile.

"Hey, you wanna hang out during lunch?" Kensuke proposed after a minute, "Toji wants to say something to you."

"Sure, no problem" I replied. Class was boring as usual, nothing new. Instead my mind drifted off to wonderland. I was still sore, but at least, I was capable of moving my body today. If I remembered correctly, the next angel was going to attack in a matter of days. Moreover, it was suppose to have electric tentacles that wrapped itself around me and would proceed to give me electroshock therapy. The class proceeded without a hitch, a lot of it focused on pre-2nd Impact history. The teacher was adamant on drilling it into our heads, but for children who haven't even experienced the simple concept of wearing jacket out on a cold day, it was hard for them to understand.

"Wait, so are you the pilot of that Purple Robot thingy? I saw you on the news" a random female classmate questioned, enthusiasm far too prominent in her eyes.

"Uhhh, yeah I am." I responded, relatively meekly to her overzealous attitude, "I kind of have to meet up with someone"

"A girlfriend?" My classmate asked immediately. Her eyes were hoping for the answer no.

"Uhhh, no. But I'll talk to you later, I guess" I said, slowly backing away from the group of students forming around my desk.

"I'll hold you to that promise!" The girl yelled as I quickly shuffled off to the exit where Toji and Kensuke were waiting.

"Please don't!" I yelled back before quickly exiting the classroom. Toji and Kensuke were waiting outside for me.

"You're kind of popular, aren't you?" Kensuke joked.

"I don't want to be, it's kind of annoying" I responded, "Where are we going to eat?"

"I was thinking rooftop? It's kind of a nice day today, what do you think, Toji?" Kensuke asked, facing the silent boy at his side.

"Whatever, I don't care…" Toji muttered under his breath, facing away from me.

"He's just shy" Kensuke laughed as we walked to the rooftop.

"Really now? I never thought Toji would be the shy type" I said, poking fun at the taller boy. His tanned face turned a shade of brick red as he hid his embarrassment.

It really was a beautiful day today, the sky was lit with fleeing clouds and the wind that barely gave chase. Majestic, really. The sun wasn't blazing too hot this time around, only bathing us in an adequate amount of warmth. It was a quaint spot, far away from society, but close enough to hear echoes of laughter from the naive mass below.

"So, Mr. Toji, what do you have to tell Shinji here?" Kensuke asked jokingly.

"Hey, uh...Shinji?" Toji began, his voice struggling to get across to me.

"Yeah, what's up?" I responded, trying my best to give him an encouraging smile.

"Uhhh...I...just wanna…" Toji stuttered, the red hue spreading intensely across his cheek.

"Come on, man! Just tell him, it's not that hard!" Kensuke laughed, egging on the embarrassed young man. Toji took a deep inhale before telling me.

"I just want to say thank you a lot for helping my family!" Toji exclaimed in one quick breath. A smile broke out on my face, one that was the definition of uncontained happiness.

"It's...uh...my pleasure" I stuttered, trying to muffle the sobs that were soon to erupt from my soul, "Don't worry, I'll always...protect you guys"

"Jesus, that's really sappy!" Kensuke joked, before patting me on the shoulder, "Don't cry, man. This is suppose to be a happy thing!" As I stood amongst my first friends, the word that came to my mind was: cherish. Cherish this, Shinji. The laughs, the smiles, the jokes. Everything. Enjoy all of it. Kaworu, what if I can't? No, you have to. Because one day, even if you save everybody, they'll leave you. So, right now? Smile, laugh, and just do it.

"Anyways, lunch is over! Let's head back" Toji said, pouncing to his feet. He was back to his energetic self. I slowly got up, the pain registering throughout my body, albeit to a lesser effect.

"How come you didn't come to school yesterday?" Kensuke asked as we walked down the stairs.

"I was really sore from a workout at NERV" I replied.

"Really? What did they make you do?" Toji asked. And I told him, in detail, the extent to which Mark pushed my lame excuse of a body. I watched as Toji and Kensuke's face contorted in response to the gruesome details. The regimen itself was full-body, destroying every single muscle, which is a terrible regimen since you will be unable to move the next day and you will need a substantial amount of protein in order to recover. But it meant fast improvement if I stuck to it.

"I'm sorry for your loss" was the only thing the two could mutter as I concluded my explanation of hell, as done to me by Mark.

"It's no big deal, really" I chuckled as we entered the classroom 1-A. It was bustling inside and noisy as students ran to clean up their bentos or throw out their sandwich wrappings. I glanced over at Rei whose eyes were absentmindedly aimed out the window.


"Confirmed Angel! Prepare to launch Unit 01!" I heard Misato command over the intercom, "You got that, Shinji?"

"Yeah, got it…" I muttered under my breath.

"We're launching in 1 minute. Prepare yourself"

I was already prepared for the most part. I was still a little bit sore from yesterday's workout with Mark, but most of the pain had subsided. Sitting inside the cockpit, surrounded by LCL, was...how should I put it...like a warm massage all over the body. My body gently rocked as Unit 01 was docked into the launch pad. 30 seconds. Hmmmm. 30 seconds. I could finish this in 30 seconds. I could be killed in 30 seconds. Mankind could be reduced to jelly in less than 30 seconds.

"LAUNCHING IN 5...4...3...2...1!" I've been launched in this godforsaken abomination countless times and each launch is just as unsettling as the first. It was such a nice, bright day outside.

"Confirmed Angel in sight. Preparing to engage" I declared.

"Assault Rifle coming your way. Prepare to intercept!" Hyuuga called over.

"Roger!" I complied as a rifle shot up from the ground to my right. It was a standard assault rifle except gigantic. Mark taught me how to shoot an assault rifle, properly. The steel felt cool in the hands of the EVA.

"Angel in sight. Unit-01 Engage!" Misato commanded over the intercom.

"Unit-01 Engaging!" I confirmed before aiming down the sights of the rifle. The angel reminded me of a snowshoe crab, with it's bony fingered underbelly and it's head. It was absolutely disgusting. I carefully aimed for the bright red orb on the underside of its crustacean-like head. First to test it's AT field, nothing too rash. Think.

I pulled the trigger once, firing a singular bullet. Despite the speed at which it cut through the air, it was instantly rejected by the AT field which the Angel projected. What do? Do I switch to close combat or should I keep testing it? I quickly took cover behind a tall building, making sure to crouch. I glanced over my shoulder to ascertain the angel's position, its disgusting pink body nonchalantly waving itself in the air.

"Unit-01, please take the utmost precaution. We have not yet identified the danger the Angel poses" Ritsuko cautioned over the intercom.

"$30 bucks says it has tentacles." I chuckled, garnering no chuckles from the command station.

"Please refrain from joking, Unit-01. Focus on destroying the Angel" Misato yelled irritated. I took another glance over my shoulder at the calm angel. It was nonchalantly mulling around the city. I stepped around my cover and took another couple shots to draw the attention of the gigantic Angel, only for it to block the bullets with its automatic AT field. Almost instantaneously, I felt a painful feeling, akin to a slap, across my face as the Angel's tentacle-like whip extended and struck me across the face. It left an electrifying feeling across my cheek.

"Fuck, that burnt" I cursed as I ducked back behind the cover of the building. Its whip stung like hell.

"Be careful, Unit-01. The target is approaching you. Be cautious!" Misato warned. I glanced behind my shoulder, noting the shadow of the Angel as it approached my location. Yesterday, Mark taught me proper combat knife techniques, including grip and how to swiftly attack. Obviously, the same motions don't exactly translate well into Eva combat, but right now, the gun wasn't going to work. Looking back, the guns never really worked. We had to do everything in close combat...or through visceral eating.

The Angel inched closer as my heart thumped against my chest, pumping blood, inciting adrenaline to course through my veins. The muscular soreness had all but alleviated, and the cheek burn was simply a cool reminder. It disgusting underbelly was slyly hidden away from the sun, but condescending enough to show it to the puny humans below, believing that we wouldn't be able to strike it down anyways.

In one swift motion, I threw the assault rifle into the air, before quickly dashing at the core from below. I had one chance to take it out with the combat knife. I watched as the Angel quickly destroyed the defenseless assault rifle with both of its tentacles. It all happened in the link of the eye, its tentacles retracted in a split second, positioning itself for an assault on the next target. I quickly unsheathed the combat knife stored in the right binder and leapt.

My chest tightened as the pain...I don't even know where it came from. My chest? Oh god. It burns. What do I do? Run? Should I run? But I can't run. This searing pain. Emanating from the right side of my chest. It...it was nothing. It had to be nothing.

"Shittt!" I screamed as the pain made a second trip around my body.

"I'll fucking kill you" I muttered under my breath, my body recoiling from the pain. I focused all my intent on the bulging red core it was so proudly displaying. I swiftly planted my knife through the rock-like membranes. The virtual reality monitors were stained red with its blood as the damn thing exploded, leaving a hole in my chest. Oh god, it burns. So this is what a stab wound feels like!

"Shinji, shinji!" Misato yelled frantically. Her voice went to the wayside as I shut out all outside stimuli. It helped with the pain. No sight, no hearing, no taste, no smells. Just concentrating on the paradoxical wound in the chest.

"Shinji, please respond if you are injured" Ritsuko commanded over the intercom, her voice reminiscent of a calm ocean.

"I'm fine. Just get me out of this thing" I grunted as the pain dissipated from my body as Unit-01 shut down. It was just dark now. The plug was now a dark entity as the offspring of Lilith went to sleep. It was still warm and it was still comfortable. It was like...waking up in a warm bed after a good night's sleep. That's how I would describe this sensation. A mother's warm touch even. It felt soothing. Drifting off to sleep was.

A warm breeze caressed my face. Or was it cool? I can't really tell. Flowers everywhere. Just a field of flowers, the scent being lifted and carried by the breeze. The sky was a brilliant blue, shimmering in the warm sunlight. The soft pillow-like clouds were dancing nonchalantly in the sky, flaunting themselves. The ground beneath me was supple with nutrients and life. It wasn't barren and cold like I always perceived the earth to be.

"Hey, Shinji…" the girl next to me said. Her voice was Asuka's voice. Obviously. Who else would be in my delusions of grandeur?

"Hey, Asuka…" I responded, my voice trailing as I studied the bright blue sky.


"Fuck." It was a new morning. It was the 5th time I've had that dream in 5 nights. It was suppose to be a warm dream. I was suppose to enjoy it, relish in her presence. But it was a dream, a dream that probably would never happen in real life. I could almost smell her in the air. Strawberries. Hmm, I always thought she would smell like strawberries. Red hair with a red fruit? Apples are red as well, but strawberries seemed more like Asuka. Strawberries were light small bites packed full of juicy, sweet flavor.

"Shinji! Wake up, I need to go to Rei's apartment to give something to her!" Misato yelled from her room, sleepiness far too present in her voice.

"Sure." I replied. If I remembered correctly, this was the start of the romantic comedy between me and Rei. The stereotypical romantic anime troupe where the male protagonist accidently walks in on his love interest naked and then they end up in a very compromising position. But this was different. The Rei at the moment, wasn't human. She was, but at the same time she wasn't. Her icy and nonchalant demeanor meant nothing because she didn't know what it was like to interact. She lived for NERV and I didn't want that. She was practically my sister before she became Instrumentality and basically mind raped me into submission.

"Give her her ID! They're on the table!" Misato commanded, "There's a sync test at 1 pm, so get there on time!" It was 7:30 right now. It felt way too comfortable to move. The sunlight lightly toasted my skin as I lie there, simply relaxing.

"Rei?" I yelled, knocking on the door of the dilapidated apartment.

"It's unlocked…" I noted as I turned the knob to her apartment. I was greeted with a familiar sight. It was a shabby hallway, speckled with dust and matted with sunlight. To say that I didn't like being in this room was an understatement. I could smell the rust and the earth, their characteristics only accentuated with the malicious dry air that occupied the entire building. Rather distasteful, if you ask me.

"Rei, I'm here." I yelled as I walked into her dusty one bedroom apartment. It was efficient. Small, unencumbered by mortal things. The door opened behind me as I carefully examined Rei's personal effects on her desk. A photo of my father and a pair of broken lenses. There was a moment of silence as my back faced the probably naked girl.

"Hello, Shinji-kun" Rei greeted, her voice eerily quiet, cracking the silence of the solemn room.

"I'm here to drop off your ID. You wanna put something on?" I asked, turning my head slightly. Her nude body was honestly quite...angelic, for lack of a better word. The sunlight only sought to accentuate her pale skin, giving her an inhuman glow. Her soft, light blue hair wetly matted against her pale skin, her white towel draped around her neck, just enough to cover the majority of her breasts. Her red eyes peering through the stillness of her room.

"Why, Shinji?" she asked me as if being naked in the presence of company was okay.

"It's common practice to do so" I replied turning back to examine her room. I didn't like it. It felt stuffy and dead.

"Why do you have my father's glasses anyway?" I asked, casually picking up his spectacles. They were mangled and cracked, much like him.

"Please put that down, Shinji" Rei asked, her clothes shuffling over her body behind me. I gently placed the pair of glasses back in their rightful place. I turned around to see that Rei was dressed in her standard school uniform.

"Yeah, we should go shopping some day. You can't wear your damn uniform everywhere" I chuckled as I handed her the ID, "We're expected at NERV for at test at like 1pm"

"Okay, what time is it now?" Rei asked, accepting her NERV card.

"11:30" I answered, glancing at my watch.

"You wanna head to NERV?" I asked, making my way to the door.

"Yes, Shinji"

The walk to NERV Headquarters was silent for the most part. Rei chose to allow her eyes to stray, nonchalantly studying the passing cars or the fleeting people. As we entered NERV HQ, I noticed her skin was slightly damp with sweat from the rays of the sun, no doubt her uniform held some fault. In contrast to the bright lighting outside, NERV's dimmer light allowed me to make out her features a little better. It's not that I didn't know what Rei looked liked, but it was still surreal that she was here.

"Shinji, why are you here?" Rei asked as we descended the escalator into the bowels of NERV.

"I'm here because...I don't know." I responded after a moment of thought. Rei's back was facing me.

"Do you like it here?" Rei asked subsequently, her voice inquisitive.

"Here? As in Tokyo-3 or NERV?" I asked in response to her question. She turned to face when with her wide red eyes, probing me for answers.

"No, on this planet." Rei answered, much to my surprise.

"Quite honestly, not really. I don't really like being in a world where everything is on the brink of destruction, where everyone has a fuck it attitude because we could all be dead in a day. I hate a place where I'm abandoned by someone who was suppose to care for me. I hate living in this shitty world devoid of love, compassion, and empathy. It sucks, Rei" I answered, my voice matching my heightened emotions.

"So...why are you here, then?" Rei asked me. This time her eyes told me a different story. They reminded me of a child's eye when he didn't understand something. A wide-eyed child yearned for knowledge of the world and its fucked up processes, to which the adult responds with a misguiding, condescending lie or half-truth that beckons the question "why?". Her eyes were those eyes, yearning for a deeper knowledge, something that my Father had abstained from providing her.

"Because, Rei...I'm here because I'm the only one who can take all this bullshit and come out the other end. Because I'm scared, scarred, and emotional screwed, I can pilot the Eva and still retain a shred of sanity. Whatever shreds of it are left, anyways" I said, my eyes unable to meet her child-like innocence.

"So...why am I here?" Her question struck me, struck me to the damn core. It was a brutal question to ask someone. Her eyes studied me for an answer, striking down my cynical reserves quickly. I think she saw the weakness in me, something I was ashamed of, that sense of guilt. That I survived.

"Rei, I don't know. But you're here for a reason" I responded hesitantly, "Let's change the subject" Rei nodded, seemingly understanding. I could see the ounce of disappointment in her eyes.

"I see. I shall change the subject then. How is school?" Rei asked.

"...I don't wanna talk about school." I responded flatly, "Why don't you come over for dinner later. Misato would love that" Rei turned around to face me once again, her red eyes hopeful in their own solemn way.

"I accept your offer, Shinji-kun" Rei responded.

"Yeah, after I have training, we could go buy some ingredients and I'll make some food," I said, "You're vegetarian if I remember correctly"

"Yes, I am a vegetarian" Rei responded as we reached the bottom of the long escalator. I don't know if it was my imagination overreacting, but I could have heard a hint of happiness in her voice.

"I'll think of something good for all of us," I chuckled as we scanned our ID's, "Besides, Misato needs to go on a diet anyways". I could heard a faint chuckle from my companion and just a glimmer of her sweet, but secretive smile. Too bad she was a clone of my mother, right? Now that I think about it, even if Rei weren't a clone of my mother, I'd still prefer the fiery temperament of Asuka.

"Shinji, you're synched at 81% today," Dr. Akagi explained into the intercom, "Rei, you are at a meager 50%. Try to bump it up"

"Understood" Rei simply stated whereas I remained silent. What could I make that was vegetarian today, I didn't really know many recipes. Maybe something with mushrooms? I wonder if Rei liked mushrooms.

"Rei, do you like mushrooms?" I asked, glancing at the image to my left showing Rei's features.

"I am quite fond of them, yes" Rei responded, her body not moving.

"Great, I got something in mind." I chuckled.

"I look forward to it, Shinji" Rei responded, her voice still flat.

"Our dinner plans are going to have to wait, Shinji and Rei. We got an Angel incoming" Misato commanded, her voice stern and rigid, "Prepare to launch Shinji"

"How about Rei? I don't mind going solo" I responded urgently.

"Unit 00 is still being evaluated and we cannot send it off yet. You'll have to go solo for this one as well. Don't worry, we're behind you 100%" Ritsuko explained. I glanced over at the aloof Rei, her eyes finally open, showing their ruby brilliance.

"The Angel is arriving in T minus five minutes. All hands on battlestations!" Misato exclaimed, before cutting off the communication between us. A minute passed as I collected myself, readied myself, and hardened myself. Ramiel was its name, and it, it was a strong Angel. I'd even go as far as to say it was a scary angel. It cauterised in me the burning sensation all over my body as it seared the Eva.

"Shinji, prepare to launch in 3 minutes. We have no info on the Angel except that it has an exceptional strong AT field. Be careful, understood?" I knew what was going to happen, I knew that I was going to get boiled alive in a vat of LCL. But, I couldn't warn Misato about the ramifications of this plan.

"Got it. I'm ready." I replied. But...I'll show Ramiel, you don't screw with the EVA pilots.

"Prepare to launch in 3...2…1!" Misato commanded, followed by an immediate burst of speed as the EVA was thrust through the launching shaft into the landscape above. The bright blue sky awaited me, it was a warm day, the sunlight being reflected off the purple and green coating of the EVA.

"WITHDRA-" Misato screamed as I watched my vision get covered by Ramiel's beam of utter destruction. The strength that it hit me with was...indescribable. It burnt all over, renewing every single memory I had of the experience. It burnt. It burnt a lot. Just millions of little needles pricking my body all over without so much a thought for me.

"Get...get me out. No..NOW" I grunted against my gritted teeth. My eyes shut closed as I bore the pain and felt my body twist in unnatural ways as the unnatural spasms of pain shot through my spinal cord, erupted through every single pain receptor on my body, forcing my heart to pump blood and adrenaline faster...faster...faster faster fasterfasterfaster. My mind screamed for me to run, run away quickly, run as far as I could, just run. But I didn't have to run, because the scenery, the pain, the screams, the agony faded into black.


"Shinji is waking up, Major" I heard a voice say as my sense slowly, but gradually returned to me. The rhythmic beat of the heart monitor was the second thing that came to mind. The cloth draped over my battered body was oddly scratchy, probably of a low thread count. The air was cool on the skin, the hum of the central ac evident to me next. Slowly, the bland white ceiling made itself visible to my fresh eyes.

"How are you feeling, Shinji?" Misato asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?" Her voice was dripping with concern as she leaned over my disoriented body.

"I don't know. I feel really sleepy and tired" I responded groggily, "How's the angel thing going?"

"The Angel is drilling its way into the Geofront. The EVA-01 is undergoing emergency repairs due to a slight oversight" Misato said upset.

"It's okay, Misato. I'm not that angry at you." I chuckled, "Just a little bit. Don't worry"

"Shinji, Ms. Misato was very worried about you prior to you waking up. Don't joke around, please." Rei demanded, a sharp cut in her otherwise flat tone.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry" I muttered unapologetically, "So what's the plan from here on out? I'm ready to get burned again"

"Ha ha, you're hilarious," Misato sarcastically laughed, "We need you two to rest for a bit while we maintain your EVA's. There's roughly 8 hours before the Angel breaks through to the Geofront. You're on standby, but return to NERV soon. We need to do some emergency calibrations"

"Rei, please attend to Shinji's evaluation and his discharge. I've asked the medical staff to discharge you in roughly 1 hour. Come to NERV, get some food, and we will discuss our plans." Misato continued before leaving the room in a hurry.

"So, you ready to get outta here?" I asked the quiet blue-haired angel to my left. I slowly got up to face her. Luckily for me, there was no pain coursing throughout my body as if it was a quick parasite to attack me and leave immediately.

"I wish to rest a few minutes before leaving" Rei responded.

"Sure, I don't mind." I said, "Are you tired?"

"Not really, but it is not often that I get to enjoy such serenity" Rei replied, "It's really nice outside. The setting sun is always so beautiful" I watched the serene girl as she studied the changing airscape outside, her eyes transfixed on the slow moving sun, almost envying it's warmth in contrast to her own cool skin and cold personality. As I looked on, I could only feel captivated and speechless as her eyes slowly shifted watching the distant clouds. She was honestly beautiful, in every sense of the word.

"I'm ready to go," Rei said after a couple minutes of quiet peace, "Shall we go?" Her voice was like a battering ram, thrashing me out of my trance.

"Uh...yeah, let's get out of here" I stuttered, regaining my mental faculties. Rei slowly got up as did I. I looked down and noticed that I was dressed in the clothing that I went to NERV in.

"Why am I dressed?" I asked puzzled.

"Because the nurses dressed you, so you could leave as soon as you woke up" Rei responded nonchalantly. Her responses were always so flat, that they came off as sarcastic and condescending at times. Even though she didn't mean them that way.

"Okay, then...I guess that tracks" I said, my sentence trailing off as we left the room. The checking out process was swift and easy, a couple signatures here and there and we were out the door. There was a car waiting for us, a black SUV, neat and polished unlike Misato's glorified rust bucket. Outside the car were two soldiers fitted with a SWAT uniform, except with the NERV logo. Off in the distance was Ramiel, except there was a thin drill rotating away at its stomach.

"Mr. Shinji and Miss Rei, please get in the vehicle. We have to get to NERV as soon as possible. The situation is dire" one of the guards stated, before opening the door to the back seats.

"Yeah, let's get in Rei" I complied before motioning for Rei to get in the SUV before getting in, myself. The SUV was quite spacious and had tinted black windows. Rei leaned against the door and watched the sunset as we departed the hospital. It was moderately cool inside the SUV, something that irritated me because I was hoping for a reprieve from the cool AC of the hospital.

"Can I open some windows? It's kind of cool in here" I asked the driver and his fellow soldier.

"No can do, sir. Strict policies" the uniform in the passenger seat replied, "I can turn down the AC if you would like"

"Thanks" I half-thanked and the man turned up the thermostat a little, offering me a slight haven from the coolness that had accumulated on my skin.

"Shinji, I like your clothes. Will you take me shopping some day?" Rei asked abruptly. Her statement and question were equally shocking and came out of the left field.

"Thanks. And sure, I'll take you some day," I responded before asking, "Wouldn't you rather have a girl take you?" Rei faced me with her silent expression, save for the slightly red cheeks.

"I do not have many friends," Rei responded, "In fact, I only have one." Her eyes reflected her statement and it was a sentiment I knew all too well. But I didn't know that Rei had these complications, I always thought she was void of such inane emotions and insecurities. The concept of friends and relationships was suppose to be foreign to the angelic figure to my left, but at this moment in time, in many respects, she was just as human as I was.

"It's okay, Rei. It won't be that way for long" I chuckled, "I'm sure you'll have more friends." I looked into her big red eyes and gave her a soft smile. A genuine smile, something that shouldn't exist in this world. But here it was. I gave her a soft pat on her hand before leaning back into the seat.

The ride to NERV was uninterrupted and peaceful. The quiet before the storm as one would say. It was an uninterrupted silence as we sped through a deserted Tokyo-3 and calmly made our way into the Geofront. Inside the Geofront was a different story altogether, it was humbling and bustling. Ritsuko instructed us to go get a bite to eat first before we would meet up at the rendezvous point and sortie in our EVA's.

In the cafeteria was Mark and his girlfriend, both laidback amidst the chaos that is the Geofront. The cafeteria was completely empty save for a few maintenance workers.

"Hey, Mark. How's it going?" I greeted as I walked up to the counter. Mark's face was reassuring, to say the least. It gave some solace to my weary soul.

"Oh, hey, Shinji. It's going better than expected" Mark responded with his trademark jubilant smile, "So what will you have?" I scanned the menu for a minute before deciding on the katsudon.

"I'll have the katsudon"

"Hey, honey! 1 Katsudon!" Mark yelled before facing Rei, "And what will the young lady have?" Rei's eyes were directed at the menu before her. It was traditional japanese food, but there were some American classic sprinkled here and there.

"Salad" Rei said.

"What type of Salad, honey?" Mark asked, entertaining the puzzled girl.

"What salad would you recommend, chef?" Rei asked, staring at the ex-militant. Mark laughed heartily at her question. His laugh was loud and bellowed across the empty cafeteria.

"How about I hand make you a simple Arugula salad" Mark replied, "Just arugula, some cherry tomatoes, and some light dressing. It's easy and good for you." Mark laughed once again before walking out of sight to prepare the food. The food was handed to us in roughly 10 minutes, the katsudon steaming hot and Rei's salad looking fresh and crisp.

"Thanks, Mark!" I said before heading off to one of the many empty tables available to us.

"Good luck out there, buddy!" Mark bellowed back before returning to his kitchen.

The meal was hearty and delicious, filling every single spot that needed filling inside me. Katsudon was always so good, a crispy pork cutlet and the eggy, salty, sweet sauce that adorned it soaked into the simple white rice creating an aromatic bomb that was only matched by the flavor. The soy sauce and the mirin, a staple in Japanese cuisine, permeated the dish and it was infused with the smoky pork flavor created this myriad of tastes, soothing each craving that I had. Admittedly, it was terrible after a workout seeing as it was mostly fats and starches, but seeing as I had to pilot a gigantic robot in order to save the world, I think I'm allowed a little bit of a cheat day.

"How's your food, Rei?" I asked as I hungrily slurped the sauce coated pebbles of white rice. Rei's salad was gone when I asked her as she casually dabbed at her face with a tissue.

"It was good. Better than I expected" Rei answered.

"That's good to hear" I replied before taking her tray and mine and carrying it over to the disposal site.

"So where did Misato say to meet her?" I asked the girl who got up.

"She said to change into our suits first before heading to the briefing room" Rei explained before making her way to the female changing room 2 floors above the cafeteria. I admired my body a little in the empty dressing room. Over the last week or so, I've really seen an improvement in my body's condition, finally seeing some muscular lines. Not too many, but at least I could make a muscle in the dressing room without looking like an idiot. Well, I still looked like an idiot. The suit clung to my body and adapted itself to my contour. The cool feel of the plugsuit always sent unwanted shivers down my spine.

"So the plan to take out the angel is simple" Misato began, "We're going to use this high-powered positron cannon and Unit-01 is going to snipe it. The sniper is being positioned and readied as we speak. Unit-00 will provide back-up and will be on standby just in case"

"This plan is fucking crazy, Misato." I complained, "But it just might work"

"Quit dicking around, Shinji. We're going to deploy the units soon, so get in position. The angel has already drilled through the 15th layer. We have to get a move on, now!" Misato commanded before whisking us away to our units. Rei and I walked in silence to our Units. The tension was suffocating as it forced itself down my throat. I had already faced this peril before, but this was a renewed sense of determination that I haven't felt in...I've never felt it before. This was honestly a first time for me. It wasn't a sporadic burst of heroism that was bolstered by my own inane stupidity and delusion of grandeur, but rather this was a true heartfelt desire to finally do something to help the people that I've come to love. Even if they didn't love me, I felt the need to just do it.

I looked at my EVA for a minute. As much as it has helped me grow, it has cut me down several notches. Must be Stockholm syndrome. I don't understand why I enjoy getting inside the EVA so much. It's dangerous and its plagued with destruction and war, but there's just this indescribable sensation that emanates through my body whenever I step inside. I would go as far as to call the experience magical in every sense of the word. The power at your disposal, the rage, the bolstered emotions, the unhindered ambitions, everything just comes from within that EVA and I loved it.

"Climb in the EVA now, we're going to begin the transport soon" Misato commanded from her station above. Even from this distance, I could make out her eyes that were fogged with doubt and caution.

"Got it, Major" I replied unshaken by Misato's doubt. I climbed into the cockpit of the Eva and was spiraled into the EVA.

Inside the EVA was a completely different world. It was almost nonsensical in its pursuit of loneliness and imprisonment. A dark void where there was only you. I loved it. I loved that I was alone in my own mind. It was different concept that what everyone in this shitty world was used to. In the EVA, despite the pain, there was no fear, no angst, no pity. Even if I was emotionally damaged and self-deprecating to a pathetic degree, the EVA didn't care and honestly, when I was in this cockpit, I didn't care. The world outside didn't matter to me, my desires didn't matter. There was no right or wrong, no constriction, no regulation. Just me.

I felt the rumbling from the outside world as the EVA was being transported. But, right now, I was content with this darkness. Open or closed, my eyes didn't matter. Touch, smells, taste, hearing. Non-existent in this insidious contraption. Just alone with my thoughts, my warm cheeks touching my knees as I curled up into a ball. Unexpectedly, my thoughts didn't immediately fly to Asuka nor did it to any particular person. It drifted to that previous dream. The one I wanted so badly to happen. Just lying there, in peace, surrounded by life and the blue sky. Warmth. Serenity.

When I emerged from my EVA after it was docked in position, it was night time. Across from me sat Rei as she stared into the night sky, glistening with beautiful stars.

"Are you worried about the mission, Shinji?" Rei asked without facing me.

"Maybe a little. I don't know yet. The adrenaline hasn't really pumped through me yet" I responded, unable to break away from her face.

"I'll protect you with my life, Shinji" Rei stated after a minute of silence.

"Don't do that" I muttered under my breath, "Your life is far more important"

"Shinji, my task is to be your shield" Rei said, "It is my duty to protect you, even at the cost of my life"

"Shut up, Rei. You shouldn't protect me," I said, this time a little louder, "I'm not worth it. You're better off protecting yourself."

"Why?" That question caught me offguard.

"I don't know. I'm just not worth saving" I chuckled wryly, "Trust me."

"Shinji, I believe that you are, indeed, worth saving." Rei responded, this time turning to face me.

"Rei, you don't know me like I do. I'm a horrible person" I said before emitting a particularly self-deprecating laugh. I looked at my feet as they dangled on off the platform. It was a cool summer night, a gentle breeze that lovingly caressed my face.

"Shinji, I will protect you with all my might. Do not give up on yourself" Rei stated firmly before getting up, "I'll see you soon". I remember last time she said bye like she was going away forever.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon, Rei" I responded before getting up myself and heading to get inside my EVA. I glanced back at Rei for a second to see her look at her EVA-00. The look on her face wasn't her usual silent expression nor was an expression I had particularly noticed before. The way she looked at her EVA could only be described as a young child who was waiting for their mother at the side of the road. The type of look that made you want to hug her and just say everything was going to be okay. It was that look of a child who didn't want to go to the doctor's but was putting on a brave face so her parents didn't have to worry. That look of sheer bravery muddled with antagonistic fear.

"Rei, I promise you. We'll be perfectly fine" I called out, "So when this is over, try and smile for me" And with that, I climbed into my EVA to carry out the mission. It was a daunting mission and quite frankly, I wasn't enthusiastic about trusting everything to the span of 1 bullet and having that bullet come down to the wire.

"The rifle is completely charged. Shinji, you have to use the rifle to shoot the core of the Angel. We have one shot. Rei will be the vanguard in the operation, should the angel choose to retaliate," Ritsuko explained, "Moreover, you will have to manually aim, so please take the utmost precaution when dealing with the threat. Got it?"

"Got it" I responded. Connected to the sniper rifle were tons of energy all wired from every single powerplant in a huge radius, I don't even have an exact number. I watched as the octahedral behemoth slowly rotated its drill as it continued its slow, but steady siege into the confines that protected humanity.

"Operation...begin" Misato commanded from her portable station. Soon enough, the gentle hum of the EVA subtly withdrew themselves from my brain, the warmth of the LCL flushing out of my system, leaving me only the satisfaction of steading the reticle that was being conveniently aimed at the gigantic phenomenon that threatened Mankind.

"I'm ready." I muttered under my breath, careful not to move my body while speaking. Mark taught me the basics of sniping in an hour demo. Granted, he skimmed roughly months worth of training into one hour, but Mark made sure to note the patience required as well as the body control required. Although I was situated in an EVA, any movements I made were reflected in the EVA.

"Take the shot when you're ready" Misato commanded.

"Taking shot now" I muttered again before pulling the trigger. I could almost feel the joules and joules of energy rumble through the channels and connectors as it traveled from the hundreds of energy stations into the sniper rifle. Granted this process was almost instantaneous, but I could feel it in that second, followed by the massive recoil as the sniper rifle fired. The motion rocked the EVA and myself in a way that could only be described as being hit by a train. I watched as the positron beam traveled the kilometers of distance between us and the Angel. The beam cut through the Angel, but as I remembered, there was no explosion nor anything that would suggest that the Angel had been destroyed.

"Misato, brace for impact" I muttered defeated as I watched the Angel prepare it's particle cannon. I should have felt scared or angry, but instead, I felt a guilty calmness spread all throughout my body for I knew that Rei would step in between me and the beam and allow me to get another shot off, one that would definitely finish off the Angel.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT" Misato screamed as the laser made impact with its intended target. In a blur, I watched as Rei placed herself between me and the beam, her shield quickly become deformed. I quickly repositioned myself from another shot, as right now, Ramiel was unprepared and unguarded as it continued its assault on us. I carefully aimed the reticle.

"Firing" I muttered before pulling the trigger once again. This time, the recoil wasn't as substantial as before, but I could feel the brunt of the sniper rifle's recoil as it mashed against the EVA's shoulders. I watched as the thinner beam traveled across the vast distance and pierced the Angel in it's core. The explosion, as usual, was beautiful as it collapsed within itself. I watched it for a second as it illuminated the night sky before jumping out of the cockpit.

"Shit," I muttered as I leapt onto the scorched ground, the heat lightly toasting my feet through the plugsuit. I ran over to the cockpit of Unit 00 that had been ejected prior to Unit 00's breakdown. The capsule was red hot and was steaming, never a good sign. I grabbed onto the manual override and twisted with all my might. The metal was hot, extremely hot. The strain from having to pilot and the fatigue from the 12 hours prior had began to take its toll on my strength, but I pushed. Oh god, I pushed. I brought forth all the oxygen I could muster, all the strength that I had gained, and I pushed. The latch finally gave way and I quickly climbed in the cockpit.

"Rei, are you okay?" I yelled into the darkness. The LCL that I had jumped into reminded me of the onsen. I looked over at the weary Rei whose eyes were closed and whose body was relaxed. Her chest expanded and deflated slowly.

"What did you ask of me again, Shinji?" Rei asked as she opened her red eyes.

"Just smile for me, Rei" I chuckled as parts of my vision grew blurry, "I've never seen you smile" I quickly wiped away the accumulating tears with the back of my burnt hands. As the vision cleared, I could only see the dazzling smile of Rei's. It wasn't dazzling in its grandeur nor did it have a promiscuous edge, rather it was dazzling in its purity. It delighted me in a way that no one could ever replicate and although this was the second time I had seen this smile, in many ways, this time surpassed the first. The meaning behind it was pure and unadulterated.

"Thanks for saving me, Rei" I thanked after a moment before returning a smile of my own. I reached out to the tired girl and she took gently held it before I hoisted her out of the fuming wreckage.

"You owe me dinner, Shinji" Rei smiled.

"Yeah, I don't think I can cook tonight"