Hello again everyone! You know I don't own anything by Akira Toriyama (dammit) so there's my disclaimer; refer back to that if I ever forget it again. Gryffyn, however, is all mine and I intend to keep him- but I'll loan him out for hugs! Yes, I have spelled the name of that particular brand of creature at least three different ways during this story. That's quite intentional. Both 'griffin' and 'gryphon' are acceptable spellings, and the word 'gryffyn' is a mis-spelling on Rei's behalf which this particular specimen is then happy to take on as his name.

Yes, I also know that these gryphons are not the traditional gryphon of folklore, having feline forelegs instead of birdlike ones, but that's my writer's licence! And that Japanese people would probably not know about them, that's true, but I tend to Americanise (or Australianise as the case may be) things, cos I can write better about what I understand better. And I have tried to keep the characters- at least in the opening few chapters- as in character as possible! I tried! Really, I did!

So, please read on-





Rei returned to school some ten days later, three sandwiches in her bag and a thin cast remaining on her
leg. She had not seen any of the other children whilst in hospital; Shinji had been the only one who
visited her, and he only once. She trusted, though, that he had fed Gryffyn- he was not the sort of
person who could say he would do something, and then not do it. She only hoped that Gryffyn had not
frightened him too much. She had a feeling he would not like strangers.

Oddly, she found a strange feeling in herself- she was impatient for the day to end, so she could see
Gryffyn again. She missed the little animal- the ways he had of creeling at her, of rubbing against her
leg and tickling her skin with his half-grown feathers, of looking at her with his warm and intelligent
eyes.

As she was walking to school, she met Shinji and Asuka. Both were obviously surprised to see her.
Asuka reacted first. The girl walked up to her and peered into her face, making the simple act
aggressive and almost invasive. Rei did not react.

"So, the doll's been patched up again, huh? All stitched up."

Rei felt irrational, quivering rage build up in her, but kept a tight rein on it. Instead, she answered
calmly and without facetiousness, "I am well, Asuka, thank you for your concern."

The girl stared at her, shocked by her reply, then shrieked a few imprecations in German and spun on
her heel, storming quickly off towards the school.

Rei closed her eyes for a moment- even the shortest confrontations with the 2nd child made her feel
exhausted- and then looked at Shinji, who was quietly chuckling. For some reason he seemed to have
found that exchange very humorous. "How is Gryffyn?" she asked softly.

Still chuckling, Shinji said, "That was great, Rei. It's been a while since anyone got her one like that."

"I grow weary of her speaking to me in that fashion. It is not something I enjoy, or need to tolerate."

Shinji sobered abruptly. "Yeah. Well, um, your pet's fine. I fed him every day- I told Asuka you were
keeping a cat, and I needed to feed it for you, otherwise she might've found him and done something
nasty to him. You shouldn't really give him sandwiches, though, they're not really what an animal like
that needs to eat." He was aware that he was beginning to babble, but couldn't seem to stop. "I've been
making him a mix of, uh, grains and fruits and meat. It's a lot better for him, and he likes it, especially
with some honey and sunflower seeds in it. And he needs to eat a lot more, too- he's growing really
quickly."

Rei watched him curiously, studied the way his nerves frittered just from being in her presence. She
had to understand this. "Ikari, I would think it a kindness if you would tell me what it is about me that
you so dislike."

He stopped dead in his tracks. "What do you mean?"

"You are uneasy in my presence, and have been ever since..." She considered. "The last few Angels. I
would like to know why."

Shinji tried to maintain his pretence of misunderstanding her, but faltered in moments. His shoulders
slumped a little. He allowed himself to sit on the tall garden wall behind him, and let out a deep sigh.
Rei waited patiently for his answer, and in a minute, it arrived.

"I... I found out some stuff about you that I didn't want to know."

Rei's curiousity was peaked, but she let him continue uninterrupted.

As he spoke, Shinji's eyes closed tightly, and his body tensed. "I saw you die. You sacrificed yourself
to save me, Rei, and then you were alive again, and you didn't remember it. I tried to understand that,
but I couldn't, so I let it lie. The fact that you weren't dead wasn't as important as the fact that you
were alive, do you understand?"

Rei didn't, but she nodded mutely nonetheless.

"And something you said, too- you said that you could be replaced. I never understood that either. That
seemed a terrible thing to say, like you didn't care whether you lived or died as long as another pilot
could be found. That's what I thought you meant. I hated to hear that. I care about you; I don't want
you to be replaced!" His face was turned away, and his voice shook with emotion. Then, suddenly, his
voice dropped again. "What I found out- you meant that. You meant it literally. That... the..."

"The dummy system," she completed quietly, stunned. "You found out about the dummy system."

Shinji was silent, his slight frame shaking. She thought he may have been weeping, but couldn't tell for
sure. Finally he spoke again. "It made me realise just how different you are from everybody else I've
ever known. I- I don't think you're human, Rei."

She gasped softly. "Then what am I?" she demanded.

"I don't know. I don't know what else- I don't understand enough to even guess. Some of it could be
Angel, I suppose- I don't think - oh, I don't know. I know that there's enough human in you that that's
how you look- I don't know any more than that."

She was deeply shaken by his comments, but there was at least one answer to make. "Could I pilot an
Eva if there was no Angel in me? That's what makes a pilot, you know- the distinguishing factor."

She had succeeded in shaking him in return. He looked up at her, his face tear-streaked. "You're saying
that- that I? Me? I'm no Angel!"

"That is why all pilots are our age- every conception that occurred during Second Impact had a chance
of being affected- that the child would take into itself some of the essence of the destroyed Angel.
Evangelion is a combination of human and Angel; we must be the same to be able to communicate
with it." Of course, she was a special case- but that did not need to be mentioned.

Shinji, shocked, was breathing in short ragged gasps. She said nothing for some moments, allowing
him to regain his composure.

"I did not mean to upset you," she murmured. "I gather you did not wish to know this, either."

"No. But thank you. I didn't want to know it, but I'm glad I do." He dragged his hands over his face.
"Thank you for being honest with me."

Folding her hands, she chose not to reply.

Shinji drew breath to speak, then caught sight of his watch. "Oh, crap! We're gonna be so late."
Without thinking about it, he grabbed her wrist and began to run. Rei followed suit- it was either that or
be dragged along the ground.

But outside the gate to school, he pulled up short, both of them panting hard from the exertion. Once
he'd got his wind back, he gasped, "I wasn't finished. There's more stuff I need to tell you, Rei, but I
can't just yet. Please, can I come with you to feed Gryffyn this afternoon? We can talk then."

"If you wish," she panted. Her newly healed leg was pulsing with dull pain from this much exercise so
soon.



Of course, when the two children entered the classroom- late, out of breath, disshevelled- the usual
response was forthcoming.

Touji was the first to see them: he pursued his lips and let out a loud, generous wolf-whistle. "Hey,
Asuka!" he shouted. "Looks like Rei's having an affair with your husband."

Asuka looked up from her conversation with Hikari, and both girls drew breath sharply. It did look
rather incriminating. The redhead levelled the flattest of flat stares at the two new arrivals, and then
disdainfully turned back to Hikari, pointedly ignoring them.

Red-faced, Shinji slipped into his normal chair while Rei calmly made her way to hers.

"Hey, Ikari," hissed Kensuke, nudging him, "Got two girls all to yourself! What's the deal with that,
huh?"

Touji joined in, muttering out of the corner of his mouth. "A bit on the side. I think we're gonna have
to call Ayanami the Salad from now on. What d'ya think, Ikari?"

The teacher's voice cut through their ragging. "Ikari, Ayanami- you're late. Is NERV the reason for
this, or do you have some explaining to do?"

To everybody's surprise, Rei spoke. "Sir, my leg isn't fully healed yet. Shinji was helping me get to
school. He's late because he had to half-carry me here."

"Oh." The teacher took some notes down on his desk, and nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, that will do."
He returned to his lesson, and the class to ignoring him. Rei took her normal pose of staring out of the
window, apparently oblivious to the stir she had just caused.

Shinji, again, was stunned. Rei had just lied! Actively lied to an authority figure! In his defence! Then,
he felt abashed, remembering that her leg probably was still painful, and he had just made her run all
the way in.

Naturally, the class did not realise she was lying. Touji muttered, voice pitched for just the three of
them, "Carrying Rei in, huh? Did you get a good feelup while you were doing that?"

In the same pitch, Shinji replied, "Is that all you can really think about, you baka? How do you expect
Hikari to ever like you if you don't learn the meaning of gallantry?"

Kensuke snickered at Touji's response- a guilty stiffening, and a quick glance to make sure that Hikari
hadn't heard that. Then the taller boy replied, "How do you expect Rei to ever like you if you don't
learn to feel her up?"

Predictably, Shinji choked. No, that didn't work, he thought, remembering the time- so long ago, it
seemed- that he had interrupted her during her shower. The memory brought the blood to his cheeks
again. Then, giving in to his boyish need to brag, he muttered in the lowest possible tone that his
friends could hear, "Doesn't work."

Both of them drew back, staring at him in shock, then leaned in closer to whisper accusingly at him.
"What are you talking about, Ikari!" both hissed in disbelieving jealousy.

A small grin hiding around the corner of his mouth, he let them ask all the questions they wanted- but
didn't answer any of them.



The day seemed unbearably long to Rei- especially the part where Asuka had snuck up to her at lunch
to deliver an ultimatim ("Stay away from Shinji, wondergirl, or else!")- but finally it ended.

As she left the school, Shinji came up, followed by a mocking shout from Touji which they both
ignored. "Do you need a hand getting back home, Rei?" he asked loudly enough for everyone else there
to hear.

"I might," she answered truthfully. Her leg had been hurt by the run, and had been aching all day. She
barely trusted it with her weight.

Shinji, as if sensing this, moved over to her left side- it was her left leg that had been broken- and bit
his lip nervously, then as gently as he could, slipped his arm around her waist, easing some of her
weight onto it. "Put your arm around my shoulder," he hinted quietly.

Rei regarded him uncertainly. Her body trembled, small but reassuringly real, in his arm. Then, trusting
him, she lifted her left arm and draped it across his shoulders, allowing him to take more of her weight.
It was, truly, a relief- her leg felt better already.

"I have Gryffyn's mix in my bag," he prompted.

"Yes- thank you, Ikari."

"What the hell is going on!" Asuka's strident screech cut through Rei's gentler comment. The redhead
strode angrily up. "You two are up to something, I swear! Take your friggin hands off him, bitch!" She
moved swiftly in front of them, snarling aggressively.

What right had she to act that way, for mere suspicion of a romantic development between her and
Shinji? Rei, despite herself, said sweetly, "And what concern of yours is it?"

Shinji's arm tightened around her in shock. He hadn't expected that! Rei realised suddenly that she was
enjoying surprising people. She leaned a little closer to Shinji, letting her side meet his, then resting
against him.

The expression on Asuka's face was highly satisfying. Her mouth opened wide, her eyes showing
deepest shock, and then she began to shout. "Flirtchen! WHORE! How dare you! Where do you get the
fucking NERVE to- you..." She lunged at Rei, a hand raised to slap-

Shinji pulled Rei aside, not believing how worked up Asuka was letting herself become.

Deciding that she had gone too far after all, Rei pulled a little away from Shinji and spoke calmly. "2nd
Child, compose yourself."

Asuka snarled wordlessly, hands crooked into claws.

"My leg is paining me. Shinji is helping me to get home, as it is extremely uncomfortable to walk
unassisted. That is all, Asuka."

The redhead managed to regain a little of her composure, straightening and tossing her hair back
arrogantly. "Then what the hell were you trying to do just then, wondergirl!"

"You spend such large amounts of effort trying to arouse some sort of a response from me, with your
taunts and childishness. Does it not please you that you have just made me sink to the same?"

Asuka paused to think that over. "You mean you were just trying to get me riled?"

"As you will."

"You're gonna pay for that, bitch. I'm gonna get you good." She turned to Shinji. "See you when you
get home, pack-mule." She stalked away.

Shinji smiled as he helped Rei to walk away, heading toward Itaikon Road. "Rei, you know, I think
you just made Asuka's day. No, her whole month."

"What do you mean?"

He laughed again. "Nothing makes Asuka happier than having an enemy. She needs to be fighting to be
at peace, no matter how weird that sounds. I think half of the reason why she's always hated you so
much was that you wouldn't let her get you mad, so you took away the target she liked the best!"

She looked at him oddly. "Do you mean to say that she will like me more if I fight with her? Some
people are strange."

"Yep," he chuckled. Then, a moment later; "I think I've heard you talk more today than you have any
other day I've known you."

"I feel disposed to conversation. Is that not acceptable?"

"Rei, I swear you'll never change a bit!" he laughed. "Yes, that's acceptable. I'm glad you want to talk,
I do, too."

Rei closed her eyes, secretly enjoying the way that Shinji was holding her. He was warm and real, solid
enough to bear half her weight. "I remember," she said abruptly.

"Huh? Remember what?"

"You said, this morning, that I didn't remember what happened before- then. I do. I didn't then- I do
now. When that happens, I don't remember anything for a time; a few weeks, maybe. Then it comes
back, slowly. It is always me, Shinji. When I come back- that way. It is always me."

He digested this slowly. He sighed. "It is- what I thought, isn't it? That- when you died, they woke up
one of those 'spares' to replace you."

"That could be said. When my body is destroyed, a new one is wakened, and because people treat it as
me, my soul returns to that new body. It is me. Do not fear, Shinji- should I die again, I will return. Not
some imposter who looks like me and has no soul."

"No!" he shouted, horrified. "No, Rei! You can't die again. You've got to be careful. You've got to.
Please. Promise me you'll be careful."

"It does not matter that much," she said, reassuringly. "It would be me, still."

"Rei, you don't understand! Please be careful! You don't have any chances left!"

"What?"

"I mean it. That's the other thing I needed to tell you. When I saw the dummy system, it wasn't for
very long! How could they not tell you? Ritsuko destroyed them!"

Rei sagged at the knees, all the strength flowing from her.

"It was horrible!" His face twisted in memory. "They all- they all just broke apart and melted away. I
saw you die a hundred times, Rei. I've never seen anything so hideous. Not even- not even when the
dummy system was activated in Unit 1. That was terrible, awful, but this was beyond words!"

Rei huddled against him, terrified. "I- I- all of them? Every one?" A low moan escaped her. "It must be
true. It feels true. Oh God. Oh God, God, God!"

Shinji put his other arm around her and tightened his grip. He could not feel what she felt, but he knew
this was terrible news for her to receive. Her whole view of the world around her had to be changed by
this- by the fact that now, if she died, it was for real.

Rei drew in as tight to herself and to Shinji as she could. She felt as though she was fading, as though
she was as fragile as thin glass and could shatter with a breath. The world twisted and spun about her,
falling away and leaving her chilled and alone amid an endless sea of emptiness. Never before in her
entire life had she been this afraid.

Except...

Arms tightened around her. Shinji cared for her; he'd said so, had he not? He wanted her to live. And...
there was a thin creeling on the wind. Gryffyn needed her. These were good things.





Some OOC- sorry, couldn't help it. Definitely necessary. Please review- I love reviews. Make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Chapter 3 out within a week, no end in sight.