Chapter 04: 7, 8, 9
KingVessel: #07 carries over directly from #06.
07: Go on a date with a pretty girl that I like.
Shinji Ikari frowned as he looked at the Seventh Task. Naturally, he was going to ask Rei but, the problem was how others would react.
In the end, he realized that he'd just have to flat out ask her away from others (i.e. Asuka).
"Ayanami!" Rei Ayanami turned to face Shinji after he had surreptitiously called her to the roof. Once there, Shinji had squirmed a bit before shooting out his request.
"Do you want to... go on a date with me?" Shinji nervously asked, bowing his head a bit which prevented him from seeing Rei's pensive expression.
"Will this 'date' bring you happiness, Ikari-kun?" Rei's question came out as a surprise even to herself. She quickly rationalized it as a chance to make up for being unable to help out with his nightmare the previous night like Major Katsuragi and Pilot Sohryu had.
"Um yes, but you don't have to do this if you're trying to make me happy." Shinji amended only to be refused.
"Ikari-kun, I have no prior experience but I would love to go on this 'date' with you." Rei said, with her smile tearing down Shinji's defenses.
Asuka Langley Sohryu sighed as she exited the school with Hikari Horaki in tow. Earlier, she'd seen Shinji rush out, dragging Rei with him a whole period before school ended. She would have kept on uncaring if not for a message that hit her phone as soon as she crossed.
Pilot Shinji Ikari and Pilot Rei Ayanami are currently on a Date!
"WHAT?!" As Asuka yelled out, she was dimly aware of Hikari Horaki and Toji Suzuhara looking at their own phones. Judging by Hikari's blush and Toji's cheering, they had most likely gotten the same message as well.
"I can't believe Ikari-san and Ayanami-san are... are... are..."
"That's my boy! Frankly, even though she's weird as fuck, Ayanami was the best choice for #07 regardless!"
Shinji nervously waited in front of a fountain, dressed in different clothes than normal. When he asked Ryoji for tips regarding his date, the man had yelled 'Finally!' and dragged him to the nearest clothing store.
Now, he was dressed in jeans and a black NERV jacket which displayed EVA 01 in white and red highlights.
He actually kinda liked it.
"Ikari-kun."
Shinji turned and immediately blushed at the sight.
Rei was dressed in a blue top which hugged her form snugly, a white flowery skirt that ended a bit above her knees with a blue flower pattern and a crimson choker which matched her eyes. She walked to him and smiled a greeting. "Hello, Ikari-kun. You look lovely."
"Y-Y-Y-Y-You look great as well, Ayanami-san!" Shinji stuttered. "S-Shall we go?"
Rei nodded and took his arm, causing him to blush madly and lead the way. A small distance from them, Kozo Fuyutsuki and Ryoji Kaji put down their face concealing newspapers.
"I'm surprised to see you invested in this, Deputy Commander." Ryoji commented as they watched the duo walk away. "Considering the Commander's shitty parenting skills, I thought I was the closest thing Shinji had to a father figure."
"I had free time. Plus, if this goes well, Shinji-kun might put more effort and sincerity into being a better pilot since he'd be protecting a girl he likes rather than being forced into the duty. You probably know about this already but if not Rei's injuries, Shinji would have never substituted for her and undergone his first sortie." Kozo answered before pulling out a comms. "Alright, you all know your parts. If this date goes well, all of you are expecting a double payment on your salaries."
"No problem, sir." Shigeru Aoba. "Forgetting the bonus, we all know Shinji and Rei deserve some happiness in their lives."
He was disguised as a shopkeeper when the two walked into his hat shop. He was surprised at the sight of Rei dressed in something conservative. Especially as Maya had told him that Misato had been the one to buy that dress for her.
While Shinji left to buy a cap, Rei faced him directly. "Good evening, Aoba-san. Why have we been followed all afternoon by non-members of Section Two?"
'SHIIIIIIT!' "I think you're mistaking me for someone else." Shigeru managed to control his panic. Realizing that Rei had noticed everyone from the start rendered a lot of their plans useless.
Rei silently stared him down before turning to join Shinji as he suggested a sunhat for her.
After they left , Shigeru slid down a nearby wall and alerted the others. "The First Child has figured it out. Luckily, the Third Child remains unaware. Awaiting plan adjustment."
"She found out!" Misato Katsuragi wailed as she and Ritsuko Akagi observed the duo from an empty building.
"Of course, she did." Ritsuko said calmly as she lit a fresh cigarette. "Rei was always the most observant of the three. But still, if she isn't alerting Shinji, what does she plan..."
The women startled when despite there being two kilometers between them, Rei turned around to lock eyes directly. After a beat, Rei turned back to listen to whatever Shinji was telling her.
"...I wish nothing but the best for Shinji-kun and Rei but fuck this shit. I'm off to go get drunk." Misato declared with a 'I'm so done' expression.
"Bitch, I'm joining you."
Shinji hummed as he carried the picnic basket he'd dropped earlier with this nice grocer he knew.
Good thing he ditched last period to go and prepare it. As they climbed up the hill, Shinji led Rei to a giant Sakura tree he had seen when he nearly squished Toji and Kensuke...
He tried not to think on that.
Shinji and Rei sat down to eat in peace, with the rest of the Date Peepers staying away to grant this bit of privacy to them (Toji had to drag Kensuke away).
After eating their meal and making small talk, Rei dropped a bomb. "Ikari-kun, there's something I do not understand."
Shinji blinked. "What is it?"
"What is that thing done during kissing?"
Shinji was fortunate not to have any liquid in his mouth at the moment but he did still have the water bottle in hand so that got squished.
"Y-You don't understand kissing?" Shinji choked as he wiped off his wet hand.
Rei shook her head minutely. "That I understand," she said succinctly, "it is an expression of mutual physical attraction."
"When I researched it, I noticed that more often than not, one's hands are raised to touch the other's face." Shinji could only think that it sounded rather boring when she described it, but listened attentively as she clarified. "What I do not understand is why they touch their love interest's face like that."
"Hasn't… hasn't anyone touched you before?" Shinji frowned slightly as he asked uncertainly.
"I do not understand your question." Rei replied, "Doctor Akagi touched me when she taught me how to put a plugsuit on. Commander Ikari touched me when I still needed help dressing. You touched me when you fell on me in my apartment, do you not remember? Your hand landed on my brea-"
"Yes, yes." Shinji cut in hurriedly, blushing at the memory. "Those were all accidents, but hasn't anyone touched you just because they like you?"
Rei's brow furrowed slightly as she tried to recall any instance where that happened. After a minute of silence, she looked Shinji in the eyes and gave her flat reply.
"No."
"...Not even my father? Or Misato-san?"
"Unless I count earlier when Major Katsuragi ruffled my hair as we shopped for my dress, never."
Shinji averted his gaze, finding himself unable to look her in the eye as he nervously whispered, "M-may I touch you, Ayanami?"
Rei considered the idea for a moment, intrigued by the offer. "Yes, you may."
Shinji turned so he was facing her straight on. Slowly, he reached out and gently caressed her cheek, sighing softly with released tension.
Rei felt a slight tingle at his touch, as if his hand was conducting electricity. She closed her eyes, trying to isolate the sensation.
'This is an odd… feeling.' She thought. 'It is merely his hand, touching my face… nothing more.'
But somehow it was. Just that simple, deliberate human contact – so foreign to her – felt so proper… as if it was something she had been seeking, but never quite realized.
There was a brief instant of two hands wringing her neck, in scorned vengeance.
Rapidly shaking her head to be rid of that... unpleasant memory, she opened her eyes and raised her hand. Shinji, who had lived with two temperamental women for some time, flinched and closed his eyes. He opened them with a soft gasp as, a moment later, he felt Rei's light touch on his cheek.
"Does this hurt you, Ikari-kun?" Rei asked, watching his face intently as she slowly ran her hand over it.
"N-no, I was just… surprised," Shinji cast his eyes towards Rei's pale legs. "I thought you were going to hit me."
Rei tilted her head to the side.
"Why would I do that?" She wondered, slowly bringing her other hand up and gently exploring both sides of his face, a look of supreme concentration on her features.
"W-Well… I don't know," Shinji admitted, "but Asuka's hit me a couple times – not, like, a lot, but when she thought I was being a pervert. And you hit me once, too."
Rei shook her head slightly. "I struck you because of your lack of respect for our superior, not out of anger."
She examined his face carefully, slowly sliding her hands down to his neck and noting with some interest his rise in body temperature and change in skin hue. After a moment she said, "Do you enjoy being struck by the Second Child?"
Shinji looked confused and offended. "No, of course not!"
"Then why do you allow it?"
'His skin is very warm…' Rei thought. 'Hmmm… mine is as well… this is most enjoyable.'
"I don't let her." Shinji protested, finding it rather difficult to concentrate on the conversation at that moment. "She just does it… and it's only sometimes – it's not like she spends all… all day… hitting m-me…"
The feel of the girl's hands on his neck and face was making it very difficult to form complete sentences.
Rei stopped suddenly. "Ikari-kun, why do you not use your other hand as well? This is most… pleasant."
Shinji tried not to let his surprise show, though he was positive that he was unsuccessful. "Umm… sure."
After a few minutes more, Rei slid her right hand down his chin and began slipping it under his t-shirt.
"W-what are you doing?" Shinji stuttered, his hands freezing.
Rei was intent on slowly raising her hand upwards as she said, "I am touching more of your skin."
The thought that he might be able to stop her never entered into his frazzled mind as he replied. "Y-yes… I can see that… b-but… why?"
Rei's brow furrowed as she reminded him. "You offered to touch me, should I not touch you in return? Is that not proper?"
"That's…" Shinji took a deep breath as Rei's left hand joined her right hand in rubbing his chest in avid curiosity. "That's not it… it's just that… just that."
"Just what?" Rei asked, slowly reaching around to touch his back.
Shinji's voice came out as a high-pitched squeak, his thought train derailing with an abrupt mental crash.
Rei considered his face for a moment. "Is it because you aren't touching me as much?"
"Eh?"
A rustling sound caused him to open his eyes. When he did, they just kept opening and opening until he was wide-eyed and staring – because the only time he could remember seeing that much of the girl was when he had fallen on her in her former home, and even then he had looked away as quickly as he could.
"Is this better, Ikari-kun?" Rei asked quietly, with her top removed to expose her top half, clad in a simple white bra.
Shinji could only stare, his mouth hanging open. 'She's bigger than I thought...'
Taking his silence as a yes, Rei leaned forward once more and after taking off his jacket and t-shirt, pressed her skin against his.
'This is much better.' She thought with a trace of happiness. 'Why was I not informed of this before?'
As she continued to caress his skin, his clarifying question came back to her. '"Hasn't anyone touched you just because they like you?"'
'This must be something that is only done between people that like each other.' Rei reasoned.
'He must like me, because he asked to touch me.' She went on mentally, not noticing the fact that Shinji was now sitting rigid as a fence post as she straddled him, unminding of the bulge against her crotch. 'I must like him, because I enjoyed his touch so much…'
Satisfied with her slightly flawed reasoning, she spoke quietly. "I like you as well, Shinji."
Hearing his name drew his attention partially away from the fact that he had never felt this much skin before in his life – including his own – and he asked, eloquently. "W-What?"
"I said I like you as well. Since this is the case, I can no longer call you 'Ikari', as that would be too formal." She leaned back a bit, causing him to stare down and drool slightly.
"Also," Rei said calmly, doing nothing to hinder his fascination with her upper body, "I would like to be your girlfriend, if that is acceptable to you."
Unsticking his eyes from their glued-on position on her chest, Shinji replied with some force. "Uh… O-Ok…"
Rei gently placed a hand on his forehead. "Are you unwell, Shinji? Your temperature has elevated considerably more than mine, and you seem to be having trouble formulating thoughts."
Shinji blinked as he tried to gain some insight on how to survive this strange conversation he was having.
"Shinji?" Rei finally asked, coming to another inescapable conclusion of hers. "Would you like to kiss me?"
Shinji grimaced unconsciously, remembering the last time he had heard those words. "Umm… are you sure you want to? I mean, most people wait until they've known each other for a few weeks, and…"
He trailed off. "What? Why are you shaking your head?"
"Your logic is flawed." Rei pointed out. "I have known you for 7 months, Shinji-kun."
"Well…" 'Why am I trying to fight this?!' Shinji thought suddenly. 'Maybe because… Asuka was right and I'm the stupidest man alive?!'
"Do you find me… unattractive?" Rei asked, looking him directly in the eye.
Rei closed her eyes as Shinji suddenly leaned slowly forward and gently grabbed her chin, tilting his head to the side. Their lips met slowly… delicately… awkwardly, neither daring to do more than sit in rigid silence.
After only a moment, Rei broke away, her cheeks graced with the palest blush Shinji had ever seen.
"It's getting late..." Rei whispered.
Shinji reluctantly took a look at his watch before releasing her from his hug. He still kissed her neck a bit before doing so, being pleased that Rei made no move to reject him and actually held his head there for a while.
"This is Hyuga." Makoto Hyuga reported as he saw the duo come down from the hill. "The Children are back... and they're holding hands!"
Mission Accomplished! Shinji had a good date and Makoto could finally buy that cool bike he'd been eyeing for a while now!
"Aren't you a proud little doll, stealing another Ikari."
"I have not stolen Shinji-kun." Rei gazed stoically at the ghostly visage of Naoko Akagi as she replied. "Our... attraction is mutual. So please, go back to sleep in the depths of my soul."
Phantasmal liquid rushed out of nowhere to completely encase the screaming woman, forming an orb which shrunk and shrunk until it reached palm size.
Rei didn't blink as the orb slowly hovered towards her face and then went down easily as she opened up and swallowed it whole.
Rei smiled blissfully as she slept in bed. The same couldn't be said for Shinji who was being used as a body pillow by the First Child in his room.
He never complained though.
08: Go to an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet.
Shinji blinked at the situation he had fallen into in dull surprise. After congratulating him on his successful date, Toji had called him here the next day for the Eighth Task.
"Welcome to the Eating Contest of the newly opened theme park!" The Announcer's voice screamed over from the speakers. "The rules are simple! Participants must scoff down plate after plate of various foods brought out! The last remaining Participant will be crowned the winner!"
"Toji! This isn't what I meant when I said 'All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet'!" Shinji yelled at Toji and Kensuke in the crowd, who simply sent back a thumbs up. Shinji sent a hidden shadow tendril to trip him down to his ass in annoyance.
"To the winner, we present this solid gold lion statue trophy!"
"Solid gold?!" Misato yelled at the sight of the trophy, which was admittedly palm sized but still.
Ritsuko simply shrugged her shoulders next to Misato, as she surveyed the participants. When she looked next to Shinji's left-
"GURK!"
Misato blinked as she took a sip of her beer can while Ritsuko accidentally inhaled her cigarette. "What's wrong?"
Still choking, Ritsuko pointed at Shinji's left which caused Misato to spew alcohol onto the unfortunate man in front of her.
"Participant A: (?)! Participant B: (?)! Participant C: (?)! Participant D: (?)! Participant E: (?)! Participant F: (?)! Participant G: Pilot Shinji Ikari of the Purple Evangelion! Participant H: Commander Gendo Ikari of NERV!"
Shinji whipped his head so fast that something cricked in his neck but he paid that no attention. "Father?! What are you doing here?!"
Gendo Ikari turned to acknowledge his son. "I am here because Fuyutsuki claims that I am unapproachable by civilians and need to do some personal PR by myself."
"He's absolutely right about that." A while ago, Shinji might have wilted under the glare that was sent his way but now he had no problem glaring back.
"Looks like we've got a Father-Son Rivalry up in here! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat until one grasps victory!"
"Go, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka yelled. "I've got money riding on you!"
"Asuka-chan!" Hikari Horaki chided at her side. "We're too young to bet!"
"Now then, the first item on the menu is... RAMEN! Five enormous bowls of Ramen to each participant!"
Shinji took a tentative bite only to gasp at the deliciousness. 'I could eat bowls and bowls of this!'
""Seconds!"" Shinji and Gendo roared at the same time, surprising each other after finishing their bowls.
"What crazy speed from the Ikari family! Second item on the menu is 10 sets of Takoyaki each!"
Again, Shinji and Gendo ate at top speed but tied again, with Shinji being a bit faster. ""NEXT!""
"Woah! Participants A, C and F have given up! The third item is 5 servings of Meat Buns!"
"Wow, I feel full just watching those two." Maya Ibuki muttered.
"Yeah, they really haven't slowed down in the slightest." Kaede Agano replied.
"What incredible appetites from the Ikari family! Now Participants B, D and E have given up! The fourth and final items will be... 5 super-sized Hamburgers!"
"You demon..." Hikari whispered, already sick at just the sight of it.
"After all they've eaten," Asuka paled even beyond her normally pale skin. "they're bringing out five of those heavy meals for each person?!"
Shinji flinched at the sight before steeling himself. Beside him, Gendo didn't waste time flinching and started to chomp down at a much faster rate than Shinji.
Shinji gritted his teeth and then started to stack the burgers up. Loud gasps resounded through the crowd as the Third Child squeezed them down to size and started to eat the five-in-one burger rapidly.
"OH MY GOD! IT'S THE LEGENDARY STACKING TECHNIQUE! AN EXCELLENT COMEBACK FROM PILOT IKARI!"
The Ikari duo sped on and on until...
"IT'S A TIE! WE HAVE NO MORE FOOD AS THESE MONSTERS GOBBLED THEM ALL! THEY'VE CONQUERED THE MENU!"
"Keep the trophy, Shinji." Gendo was already leaving. "I have no need for materialistic reminders."
"Shinji, ya did it!" Toji put a congratulatory arm around his neck. "How do you feel?"
Shinji clasped a hand around his mouth. "Sick. Please get me away from the cameras."
09: Go Sky Diving.
Thirty thousand feet up in the air, a NERV plane rode in the air, with Misato and the pilot in the cockpit.
"Okay kids, we're nice and high!" Misato's voice crackled over the comms. Shinji stood in full parachuting gear with Rei and Asuka next to him. As the door opened, Asuka stepped forward.
"Stay back, dummkopf." Asuka haughtily said. "I'll show you how a real pilot parachutes!"
"Why did you come anyway?" Shinji complained. "I thought you wouldn't be intruding into my 'lame' List anyway. The Ninth Task was only supposed to be for me to achieve. It's literally personal."
"Hah! I'll admit that there are some cool things in that List of yours, but they only exist for me to outshine you! Wundergirl being here's a bonus for me to beat her too!"
"Well, that's gonna be difficult."
"What'd you say to me?! You don't think I can do it?!"
"What I mean is that Rei's already jumped."
Asuka turned to see where Rei had been standing, only to see an imaginary outline of her and the open door. There was a beat in which Asuka gawked in the carriage filled with the plane's engine noise and Misato's cackling before she growled and jumped out herself.
Shinji sighed and jumped out last. As he descended, he sighted Rei's form several meters away from him and Asuka.
As he fell towards the earth, he was instantly struck with how astronauts and (aircraft) pilots must have felt being this up high.
The golden light of the Sun struck wildly on the aqua ocean's surface, bouncing back and creating a golden-green lightshow that merged with the silvery glare that was the metallic city of Tokyo-3.
Shinji didn't know how nature and technology worked together perfectly in this case to create something this beautiful, but he was glad to at least witness it.
20, 000ft
Then Asuka spoke and ruined the moment.
"Where do you think you're going Wundergirl?!"
"Skydiving towards the beach."
"Is it just us three that our comms are connected to?"
"Yes, Shinji-kun. However, our suits still possess trackers that Major Katsuragi will be able to track us with afterwards."
"'Shinji-kun'?! You two sure have stepped up huh?!"
"Asuka, why did you have to be mocking when you said that?"
"Screw you, Baka-Shinji! I can do whatever the fuck I want!"
"We are getting close to the target. Deploying parachute."
Shinji blinked as Rei's form shot upwards, her parachute unfurling rapidly to slow her descent. Then blinked again as Asuka didn't.
"Asuka!" Shinji yelled in his comms.
18, 000ft
Shinji pushed into a headlong dive, uncaring as he actually moved faster than he was capable of falling, just in time to reach and grab her.
"My gear's jammed!" It showed how panicked Asuka was that she immediately highlighted the problem rather than bicker about Shinji hugging her as they freefell.
10, 000ft
"Grab on!" Shinji yelled as he attached their hooks together. 'Thank goodness for all those parachuting lessons Misato-san took us to!'
"What?!" And normal Asuka made a return, kicking him away. "Like hell!"
6, 000ft
"Dammit!" Shinji thrust his arm out, shooting out shadow tendrils that latched around the Second Child's form. She didn't even get a chance to scream before a shadow closed over her mouth.
1, 000ft
Once the Shadow attached them back together and held stronger than their hooks could have, Shinji pulled his parachute open as they came dangerously low to the ocean.
400ft
Once they landed in the sea and had waded safely to the beach where Rei waited for them, Asuka took a moment to catch her breath and wring her hair dry. Then she punched Shinji.
Shinji, to his credit, already expected it and took it in stride as the punch didn't even seem to make him budge or flinch.
"What the hell was that?!" Asuka yelled, pulling back her throbbing fist. Was Shinji always that durable?
"That... was a secret of mine." Shinji sighed before beckoning Rei over. Once all three were close, Shinji continued. "This is a power I got after surviving Leliel. So far, I haven't felt the urge to kill anyone or destroy the world so I'm pretty sure they aren't mentally affecting me."
"If you say so, I will believe you, Shinji-kun. Thank you for prioritizing Pilot Sohryu's life over your secret." Rei said. Shinji could have hugged her on the spot if not for Asuka's disbelieving glare.
"I want this to be an Eva Pilots Only secret. That means Misato-san, Toji or Kensuke can't know. Horaki-san or Kaji-san can't know. Ritsuko-san, Fuyutsuki-san or any NERV member can't know. Above all, my father absolutely mustn't know."
"Hah?! Who are you to give me order-?!"
Time seemed to completely stop.
The air felt heavy, so heavy it could probably be mistaken for waves of a raging torrent crashing down on them.
It weighed down on Asuka immensely. The Second Child's instincts seemed to be screaming some form of get away, run away, get as far as you can.
All the while Asuka's body couldn't move. It was terrifying.
Shinji hadn't changed per say. However, shadows clung a bit too darkly on him. A cold breeze which penetrated right down to Asuka's bones blew outwards from him, ruffling all their clothes and causing his hair to defy gravity. His grey blue irises had become a glowing red, all rounding up to give him an eldritch appearance as he glared at Asuka.
"̵̧̡̜̻̗̦̭̂͌̚͘͝D̴̲̜͍̟͑̈̋̌̓̏̕i̴̧̻̹̹̹̠̣̇̒̊̀ͅḑ̵̡͙̣̖͓̫̙̄̂̒̽̒̓̊͠͝͝ ̸̢̘͙̲̤̘͈̞̰̂̏̀͘ͅy̶̠̞͇͈̖̪͓͒̽̾̂̓͝ͅó̸̡̡̡͓̱͉̫͕̠̈́͛͌͌̍̕͠͠ṷ̵̢̨̨̟̗̬̮͇̀̈́͋̄͌̄̕̕ ̶̺͖̻̐̋̇͊̉̇̓͑̂͠ͅh̶͔͉̍͐͋̒͐̎͘ȅ̴͇̫͉̯͙͖̩̣̻̗̉͆̋͒̍̉̾̈͝a̸̱͓̙̼̼̺̍͐̑͑̋̚ȑ̵̘̪ ̶͔̿͑̕ṁ̵̻͇͉̺̭͌̀̒̿̒͗̚é̷͎̓̚,̷̮̟̋̒́ ̷̛̝̖̤̘͕̱͚̻̳̻͂̂̾̉A̸̛̘̤̫͒͋̄́̕͝s̸̺̙̤͍̪̖͍͇̼͂ų̷̦̗͍͎̺̠͈̀̃͑̓̈́͗̾̃͝͝ķ̴͚̫̻̺͒͋͘̕̚ą̶̡̳̮͎̣̭̥̍?̷̧͔̲͚̞̰͉̋̈́ ̴͉͎͑̀͂̎̀̕͠Y̸̲̯̔o̵̞͖̘̦̘̩͇̟̫͐̅̃͑̈̈̉̃͒ͅų̷͍͑̂͛͛'̴̧̝̣̖̖̻̝̆̓̋͜r̴̨̠͔͓̝̈̑͆̑̐̿̑͑̂ẻ̸̦̟̈́͑́͌̒̚͝ ̴̨̰͇̫͔͕̭͇̦̣̽̓͒͌̐n̷͕̪̲̱̰̥̹̥̊̽̊̕ͅo̸̧̙̼̪̹̳̠͂̕t̸̢̛̙̝͑̆̈́͒́͠ ̷̣̠͔͎͇̺̖̙̠̜͋̈́̃̾̀͠͠t̵̤̲̙̖̃͌̍̐̂̎̇͘͝o̵̼͈̰͒̔͐̉͑͝ ̶̝̻͚͎̫̤̹̩̀̐s̴͙͔͋̔̎̐̀͂p̸̛̣͛̏̇́̽̉̊̕͘e̶̢̨̺̫̻͓̓̂͛́͐͘ã̴̡̤ķ̴̢̰̝̫͖̺̙̫̉͆̓ ̴̻͑̇̉́͘͠͝ẗ̷͓̮̯̹ȯ̵͇̭͎̩̝̀̔̾͜͜͝ͅ ̴̛̝̎̀͗͐̾͝͝͝a̷̡̧͙̼̥̾͐̾͜͜ͅň̵̠͚͕͐̄̋͆̆̕͘y̷͖̖̒̓̀͠o̷̡͓̊̃̾̏͒̈́̃́͠ñ̷̠͉͓̮̻͍̯̹̠̩͌̚̚͝e̵̹͇̭̺͖͑̽͋͒̎̒ ̵̜̗͌̑̿̐̽̓͌̑a̵̜͉͕͓̰̮̪͚̿̊͜b̴͖̘͖̱͕̘͎̤͚̀̊̊̆ó̶̲̊̌̏́͘͝ṵ̵̮̄̃͒͗̏̾̒͝t̴̝̺͔͗̄̍͐͑͘͠ ̶͔̼̰̥̰̣̇̊̉͆͆͐̔̏͘͝t̴͍̼̜͉̙̀́̂h̷̨̤͉̜͙̺̳̟̓̑í̷̢̛̮̠͇̩̲̼̺͌͜͜ṡ̸̼̤̪̮̅͊̉̓̕͜.̷̨̧͍̥̠̬̣̌̈́̍͋̈́"̸̨̧͕͓̜̥̰̠͔̲͂̇͐̚
Tendrils of purple electricity sparked off Shinji and grazed across a nearby Rei's skin as she leaned into it's trails. "Shinji-kun, calm down. Pilot Sohryu can't breathe."
The pressure disappears and Asuka released a long breath she didn't know she held. As she fell down to her knees, Asuka flinched as Shinji's fingers slowly took her chin and faced her towards him.
It went against every currently awake survival instinct in her but Asuka glared back at Shinji as he seemed to look through her soul. Apparently, he approved of what he saw as he smiled back at her.
Shinji stood then turned to walk back, only to trip on a stone and faceplant the beach sand.
It was like a spell was broken. Asuka smiled at this... then giggled... then burst out laughing in clear amusement. while Shinji chuckled as he pulled himself up. After a while of Asuka just trying to exhaust all of her mirth, she calmed down to speak again.
"The 12th Angel really fucked you up, huh?"
"It's fine. She and I had a very long debate. She did win but Eva 01 didn't care and tore her up anyway. Besides, I've probably been able to do this since I stepped into an Evangelion."
"Really?"
"A while after I met Toji, I punched him. Even though he had more muscles and was larger than me and the fact that I had never thrown a punch in my life before, I still knocked him down."
"...ignoring that the stooge got punched by you of all people, what the hell have we been piloting?"
Rei shuddered.
When Shinji had released his Killing Intent, rather than be terrified or unsettled, Rei's two halves had felt differently.
Rei the Human had felt admiration for Shinji as she specifically knew that being able to wield Angelic matter without any genetic manipulation to prevent breakdown was an amazing and impressive trait.
Rei the Angel had felt admiration as well but for different reasons. To wield an Angel's powers required an immense amount of willpower that Shinji rarely displayed. The fact that Shinji had never shown any problem with control easily meant that he had subsumed Leliel's Will ages ago.
The Lilin had grown well to have produced someone like Shinji. The consensus she had reached never changed even when she witnessed a bawling Misato bowl over Asuka in worried relief.
Later on, in the darkness of the Commander of NERV's office, an interrogation occurred.
"Did anything strange happen with Shinji up there?" Gendo asked.
Rei the Human felt conflicted between her loyalty to Gendo and her attraction to Shinji. Rei the Angel had nothing but admiration for Shinji and gladly tilted the scales in the boy's favor.
"The Third Child was unusually proactive in saving the Second Child from danger. Beyond that, nothing unusual."
"I see. Remember the Scenario and carry on as usual, Rei."
Rei was stunned at the ease in which the lie flowed forth from her. As soon as she saw Shinji waving at her and Asuka rolling her eyes next to him, she got over it.