Thanks to Deathwish199 and Genisis D. Roses for beta reading this chapter.
Ritsuko is in her office examining the sample given to her by Misato three weeks ago. She is having trouble trying to figure it out. She knows what the substance is but not why Rei happened to expel it. The substance, for the most part, is just blood but the chunks of flesh that is in it is a different thing altogether. To the untrained eye it just looks like large amounts of clotted blood but not to Ritsuko. When put under the microscope the substance had traces of Rei inactive Core, it also had traces of Rei's intestines, liver, lungs, fat cells, pancreas, kidneys, heart and other organs and cells. It seams like Rei's body had a complete internal remodelling but the only question on Ritsuko's mind is why?
Ritsuko would not be very bothered with it if Commander Souryu did not get wind of what happened to Rei. The Commander quickly ordered Ritsuko to make a full analysis on the sample and Rei. He is obviously worried that the same will happen to Asuka and how it might affect getting his beloved wife back.
Rei is schedule to come in for a check up this very day so it was not long before Rei arrives, exactly on time to the second, so Ritsuko can do an analysis on her.
"Morning Dr. Akagi." Rei greets Ritsuko as she enters the room that once held her clones but now Asuka's. Now that the room held Asuka's clones, the room felt cold and empty to Rei. The feeling of familiarity now gone and left a void of foreboding and plans that circled around someone else. The feeling that Rei felt so long ago that threatened to tear her apart came swarming back but not as strong as it did back then.
"Punctual as always I see. Enter the tank as we can get this over and done with as quickly as possible." Rei does as she is told, but takes her cloths off first. Entering the LCL, the feeling of unfamiliarity becomes stronger as fourteen unknown voices try all speaking to her at once. The same thing happened every time Rei entered when her clones were in the holding tank but they were voices she knew and drew comfort from. These voices were as cold and empty as the room itself now felt. None of the voices had anything nice to say to Rei. They wonted her gone and Asuka in her place. As Ritsuko continued typing into the computer terminal, getting readings, the Asuka clones became very irate with Rei ignoring them. They started shrieking and shouting which caught Ritsuko's attention.
Rei observed Ritsuko's reaction; it was one of repeated occurrence. The clones must be as boisterous Asuka herself. Ritsuko puts her hand on a remote on the table, the clones quickly became placid. Rei knows exactly what the remote is for, but how the clones would know remained a mystery. If Ritsuko ever used it there would not be any clones to remember its use. One of the clones though is not as placid as the others. It swims up to tank and hits it with her hand. Ritsuko sighs, grabs the remote and pushes the button. An electoral surge passes through the tank. The clones scream and promptly faint and sink to the bottom of the tank.
"Rei, at least your clones were well behaved." Ritsuko mutters herself. Ritsuko turns back to the screen and checks Rei's new anatomy. Rei internal body looks almost like that of a normal person now. The only difference Ritsuko could see is that Rei's right Kidney is not there. In its place is Rei's new Core. Though smaller, this core gave off the same power reading as the bigger one that has disappeared and been replaced with a uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. All in fully functional order but there is one main difference between that of a normal girl and Rei. According to the scans Rei can only get pregnant twice a year. The computer deduced this because Rei only had about two tenth the amount of eggs that a normal person has.
Only one thing disturbed Ritsuko more then anything else though and it was that Rei's genetic structure had also changed. Rei used to have three tenths of Shinji's mothers DNA; the other seven belonged to Lilith. Now Rei only has one tenth and that another one tenth is that all humans share. Somewhere along the line Rei lost two tenths of Shinji's mother and gained one tenth that all humans shared.
Externally there are only two differences to Rei's appearance; her hair is a darker shade of blue, under some light you could say it looked almost black and Rei's skin is a more healthy shade if pink, her skin tone almost resembled Asuka's only without the instant light tan cream Asuka uses for her complexion.
"When did these changes start to occur Rei?" Ritsuko asks
"What changes Dr. Akagi?"
"Well your hair colour and skin tone for one." Ritsuko says annoyed with Rei's ignorance to her own changes to her body.
"Those became noticeable seven days ago."
"And what about having a reproductive system?" Ritsuko asks Rei.
"I was unaware that I was equipped with them."
"You're not supposed to have them. You were designed that why to prevent you from having any sexual feelings." Ritsuko explains to Rei. Rei just stairs blankly at her, Ritsuko cannot tell if the looks is one of anger of not caring. Ritsuko knows that Rei is now more expressive but whenever she around her, Rei becomes a lifeless statue again. It's like Rei chooses who she will express herself to, too people that have earned her trust and friendship, it's not even like she wanted Rei's friendship but not being liked by someone, even someone you secretly hate and want to kill, it's not a nice feeling.
"What happened the night you bled?"
"I woke up with pains in my lower body. I had a lot of pressure there and tried to get to the bathroom. I fainted just before I got there. I woke up a few minutes later in Shinji's arms and blood all over the floor."
"Is that all?"
"I had a bath."
"No. Did anything happen with you and Shinji?"
"No." Rei lied a little quickly which made Ritsuko curious.
"I hope you're not lying to me Rei. I cannot tell from the scans if you have done anything with Shinji. For all I know Shinji is the reason that these changes in you have occurred." Ritsuko say to Rei to make her see reason. Unknown to Ritsuko; Rei likes the changes that have happened to her. Rei liked her new appearance and the thought that Shinji has something to do with only help to make her feelings for him stronger.
"Nothing has transpired between Ikari and I." Rei lies again but this time with a commanding tone in her voice which told Ritsuko to drop the subject. Ritsuko does but only because the way Rei defended the subject makes it clear that something had happened between her and Shinji.
"That's enough questions I think. You may go home now Rei." The LCL is drained from the tube and the glass is lifted off. Rei enters a nearby room that has a shower and cleans of as much LCL from herself as possible. When Rei re-enters, she finds Ritsuko gone. All the clones and now awake and pressed up against the class and looks at her. Rei finally understands why people who are given permission to know Rei's secret, and later killed for security purposes, comment on how eerie it is to see such a thing. Rei quickly gets dressed and leaves the room, not wanting to spend another minuet in there with Asuka's clones.
Rei enters to a quiet apartment and the faint smell of a salad dressing. In the kitchen on the table is a messy looking salad, no doubt in Rei's mind that it's edible and being made by Shinji made it look more delicious. Asuka though would have complained but she complains about everything Shinji does anyway.
Shinji steeps out the bathroom and stops when the smell of LCL hits his nose. Asuka is not scheduled for a sync test and is supposed to be out with Hikari so the only other choice is Rei, unless they somehow got an Eva to work with Misato but that's highly doubtful.
Rei quickly walks into Shinji and wraps her arms around his wet body and Shinji returns the favour. Rei leans back a little and gently gets a hold of Shinji's head. Shinji knows by now that Rei is not very subtle when she wants something from him. He gives her what she wants and kisses her. Rei kisses back like she has done many times before but only when Asuka is not around. Misato told them both to keep it a secret from everybody so Asuka doesn't find out. Rei doesn't know why they have to keep it a secret but does so anyway. They finish the kiss and Rei sits down to eat her meal. Shinji goes to get dressed.
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