Alrighty then, it's Wednesday so that means an update!

Also, we have a new debut POV :)

4:28 PM

Everyone, even Toji, is quiet for the first two blocks we put between us and the incident that just took place. Indeed, I think I can still feel the rage simmering off of Shinji in waves...and I don't think any of us are keen to have that anger turned against one of us.

But, as I expected, Toji is the first to crack and risk unleashing the 'Ikari Beast Mode' as we've taken to secretly calling our friend's apparent repressed anger problems.

"So, uh...Shin-man?" Toji speaks up, at least having the good sense to sound nervous.

Shinji turns to look at him, the deep frown quickly melting into polite curiosity.

"Uh...yeah, Toji?" He asks, mercifully sounding more like himself again.

I quietly breathe a sigh of relief, as Toji continues, "Well...uh...are you, erm..." It takes a minute for Toji to marshal his thoughts into a proper question. "Are you gonna tell us what the hell THAT was all about?!"

Shinji turns away, his frown returning; though he seems less angry and more pensive now.

"She was going to attack Rei," he says after a short silence. "And I could see...she wasn't sorry."

His expression darkens noticeably, and his voice twists deeper into a snarl with every word. "She wasn't sorry for any of it!"

His fists seem to be clenching and unclenching at his sides, just as they were when he was facing Asuka.

"She's treated Rei and me like shit from the beginning. And she wasn't much better to Misato either. And when I saw her just...standing there...no emotion, no remorse for any of it...I just..."

He takes a deep breath, and seems to calm himself down once more. "I just had to tell her what I thought of her. I had to...no matter what happened."

"Oh," Toji replies, sounding bemused, "I see." Then he grins and claps Shinji on the shoulder. "Well Shin-man I gotta say, you're a braver man than me. Even I wouldn't've had the balls to do something like telling off the Red Demon herself TO HER FACE. Good for you, man!"

Shinji smiles back...but it doesn't look entirely genuine.

At this point, I decide it's safe to contribute to the discussion. "I'm kind of surprised that she just stood there...and didn't say or do anything."

I look from Shinji to Toji, and briefly...over at Ayanami, who despite her silence, is clearly listening with rapt attention. Turning to look directly at Shinji, I add, "She sure has been acting weird lately, huh Shinji?"

Shinji tilts his head thoughtfully. "Well...now that you mention it..."

He seems to be pondering something...but after a few minutes, he simply shrugs...and offers no further comment on my observation.

'I know he's withholding something' I think to myself. 'But I'm sure if it something important, he'll tell us eventually.'

I repeat that back to myself, and think it over for a moment.

...

'Ugh, who am I kidding? He won't.'

Still...I'm not sure I want to go digging through that possible mine field, and judging by Toji's silence right now, he seems to be feeling the same.

But soon enough, a quiet voice breaks the silence once more.

"Ikari," Ayanami says softly. All our eyes promptly lock onto the blue-haired girl.

"I am...sorry," she continues, bowing her head contritely towards Shinji. "I did not intend to cause you anymore trouble with Sohryu."

Shinji looks slightly taken aback. "B-but Rei...i-it wasn't your fault Asuka was-"

"Yes," she cuts across him gently, "It was."

She fixes him with an intense look, red eyes displaying concern. "I wished to know how she had hurt you. And I deliberately provoked her out of frustration when she refused to answer. And because I did so, she lashed out physically at me, and you felt obligated to intervene on my behalf."

Shinji blinks...then blushes a deep red. "Rei...you didn't..." he mumbles, "You shouldn't have-...I-I mean y-you didn't have to-..."

"I know," Rei interrupts softly, "I may have acted out of concern for your wellbeing, but I also did so knowing that you would most likely prefer that I did not. And now..." she lowers her head, averting her eyes slightly, "...I have caused further conflict between you and Pilot Sohryu."

"Rei, I-..." Shinji begins to say, still sounding bemused, "I mean...I-I-I'm not m-mad at you or anything."

He looks away, staring down at the ground as he walks. "But I don't know why...why you'd go to so much trouble. I was more worried about you being hurt than I was about having to face Asuka."

He looks up and starts to turn his head back towards Rei. "Really, you shouldn't have taken such a risk for my sake. She really could have hurt you a-" He stops mid-sentence, staring at Rei.

Curious, I flick my gaze over to the blue-haired girl...and find myself stopping dead and nearly tripping over my feet in shock.

'Is she...she can actually...my god...'

I have NEVER...not even once in the time I've known her...seen Rei Ayanami smile.

'And yet...'

My face suddenly feels unusually warm...and I also feel a certain mixture of emptiness...and of slight envy.

'Touji's right,' I find myself thinking bitterly, 'It really always is Shinji who-'

I shake my head, suddenly rather ashamed of myself, and walking at double pace to catch up with my friends.

'What was that all about?' I wonder as I catch up with the others, ignoring their curious looks.

Heh, replies another voice, much further back in my mind, surely you don't REALLY need to ask that question of yourself, do you?

I spend a few minutes in silence pondering that thought, tuning out the voices of my three companions, none of whom are currently addressing me anyway.

'I mean...I've always thought she was attractive. But, there was something...off...about her too; and not just the blue hair and red eyes. Something almost...inhuman...not evil or dangerous necessarily, but...inhuman about her.'

But there's been a slight, yet noticeable change in her ever since Shinji came to school. Given that they're both Eva pilots, it's no wonder that he'd know her better than any of us, and even with his reticent nature, maybe have an easier time getting past her initial oddities than the rest of us.

And since they've grown closer, Ayanami has been a lot less...well...she's still odd, but not so...inhuman...anymore. If not friendlier...at least somewhat approachable.

'But, to be honest...I didn't even notice...or at least, I didn't think about it until...'

I think back to the moment...only a few minutes past, that I saw her smile for the first time. And then...

I shake my head again. 'Easy Ken...start thinking like that, and your ass is back on the road of eternal disappointment for about the millionth time in your life.'

After all, I'm just happy that she's one of a handful of people that doesn't seem to find my mere existence revolting.

'Wouldn't want to change that by getting any funny ideas.'