Copyright Notice: I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion or any related characters, GAINAX does.

Quick Notes: If you're reading, I really hope you review, because the story is just getting good. I really don't want to ruin anything for this Chapter, so just read. And if you've forgotten, I've given the Eva pilots ranks, so keep that in mind. And by the way, like most fics, I don't have Asuka going mad, wild and crazy . . . I'm just making Asuka . . . a little more interesting. And if you're wondering, yes, this is Shinji/Rei all the way.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion: Between Day and Night

Chapter V: For the Reaper

Evangelion Units 01, 02, and 04 all shot up their shafts thousands of feet onto ground level. They were all used to the sudden rush. Inside Unit 01, Shinji spoke with his mother. "No, the rush doesn't hurt me anymore. I'm used to it, mother. I'm good at this, of all people, you should know that."

The three Evas now stood on ground level. Asuka looked at the ground and saw people were still in the area. "Why are people down there?!"

"We've allowed them to," Misato answered. This is an escort mission, which will be done from the air. So they're safe."

Asuka stared down on the people on the ground and saw they were gazing at the Evas in wonder and awe. 'They don't have a right to look at my Eva.'

"Listen, three large floating platforms will arrive in a few seconds. On each is a Positron Rifle. You should pick up the weapon and then have your Evas step onto the platforms. Your Evas will automatically be latched onto the platforms. It will then guide you to the cruiser where Unit 03 is being transferred in. From there on, you'll be able to control the flying platforms as if they were part of your Unit. Lieutenant Rei and Asuka must plug the Umbilical Cable and plug them in to their Units. You'll then escort the cruiser to Nerv."

Each pilot agreed to his or her orders. Soon, the three silver platforms arrived. Each Eva picked up its Positron Rifle and stepped onto the platform. When they were ready, the platforms automatically took them to where the cruiser was.

"I've never been this high before in my Eva," Shinji said to myself. "I'm not scared, mother, you're with me." The three Evas traveled at high speeds through the sky. They were soon able to decipher the large cruiser through the clouds.

"Lieutenant Ayanami Rei, this is Captain Solomon here. Do you copy?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent, Lieutenant. This mission will be over in no time."

* * * * *



"Unit 03 is currently making its way toward Nerv."

"It is a threat if Nerv has three Evangelion Units."

"What do you plan to do about this, Bardiel?"

Bardiel folded his hands. He had a sadistic smile on his face. The members of Seele saw this. "Sachiel should be on his way."



* * * * *



"We'll be entering Neo Tokyo-3 air space in about seven minute, Lieutenant Ayanami."

"Affirmative," she answered.

Aboard the cruiser, one of the crewmembers suddenly began to panic. "S-Sir! Sir, something's coming!"

"What is it? Slow down."

"Something large is coming this way! It's as large as those Units!"

Captain Solomon quickly walked over to the terminal to contact Rei again. "Lieutenant Ayanami, were you expecting another ally?"

"No, sir. We are the only three."

"Damnit. Then what's on the radar?"

The crewmember then began to freak out. "It's coming closer. It's coming closer!"

An Angel resembling the Third shot past the three Evangelion Units. It's humanoid shape made it look like one of the Evas. It did a flip in the air and blasted back toward the Evas. It now extended its beam weapons on its arms.

'I remember this,' Shinji thought to himself. 'It's the same, it has to be. But . . . it couldn't fly before . . . and it only had one beam weapon.'

Both Rei and Asuka locked their crosshairs onto the Angel. They both fired their Positron Rifles. The Angel immediately shifted to its left, avoiding the attacks. Rei aimed again, and fired. The Angel let out a snarl and swatted the laser away as if it was nothing. The Angel dashed through the sky and hid in a large cloud.

"Where did it go?!" Asuka screamed. She aimed her Rifle into the cloud and blindly fired. An explosion came from the cloud. "Just shows whose the best pilot."

After the smoke had cleared, the Angel shot like a missile out of the cloud with its beam weapons extended. It came from behind Unit 02 and cut off its umbilical cable. Unit 01 aimed its Positron Rifle and fired. The beam barely missed the Angel. It now dashed behind Unit 04 and cut its umbilical cable.

"Both of the umbilical cables of Unit 02 and Unit 04's platforms have been severed!" Maya screamed.

"Asuka, Rei, get out of there and return to headquarters! You only have four minutes of internal power left!"

The Evas and cargo cruiser floated over Tokyo-3. "Where is it? Where is that thing?!" the pilot asked frantically.

"We can't find it on the radar!"

"Oh my God!" The Angel now appeared in front of the cruiser. It took its beam weapon and struck the bridge with it, destroying everything. The cruiser now lit up in flames and began to lost altitiude. Whatever remained of the cargo cruiser crashed into the middle of Tokyo-3. People panicked an ran for their lives. Touji and Hikari ran out of the theatre along with everyone else. Touji looked around as Units 02 and 03 glided across the sky. "What in the World is going on?"

"I-I don't know! I thought it was safe to stay out today!"

"Come on! Let's try to get to a shelter!" As Touji spoke, the Angel landed on the building behind them. As the building crumbled, Touji and Hikari scattered in different directions. "Hikari!" He wasn't able to see if she was all right. "Hikari!" he screamed again.

On the other side of the rubble, Hikari couldn't hear her name being called. "Touji! Touji!" she cried out. When she looked up and saw the Angel. Unit 01 landed in front of it and locked arms with it. She had no choice but to run.

Touji kept on running and saw no way to get to any of the shelters. He closed his eyes and kept on running without any sense of a place to go. It was just all over for him. He hated these robots. He lost an arm and a leg because of them and had to replace them with artificial body parts. He kept on running blindly and soon ran into it. He opened his eyes as the remains of the burning cruiser stopped him in his tracks. And it was then that he saw it - Unit 03. "You! It's you again! How is it you're still here!" Touji turned around and saw Unit 01, now hanging in the air. The Angel wrapped its hands around Unit 01, held it in the air, and began squeezing its throat while at the same time smashing its head with its beam weapon. From within, Shinji could hardly breath. "H-He's got Shinji!" Touji looked at the scene, then back at Unit 03, then at the scene again, and then placed his eyes on the black Eva one last time before boarding it.

"Unit 03 has been activated on the battlefield!" Maya cried out. "Synch ratio 29 percent!"

Misato turned to her. "Who's the pilot?"

"You'll never believe this. It's the Fourth Child, Touji Suzuhara!"

"It's Touji? Oh no . . ."

Unit 03 began to rush toward the Angel. "I hope I can do this as well as the others." Unit 03 punched the Angel hard, and then landed a well-placed kick in its stomach. "I can't believe I actually remember how to this." Unit 03 punched the Angel again, and it dropped Unit 01 to the ground. "Come on!"

The Angel now turned its attention to Unit 03. The Angel now saw the color of Unit 03 - black - this was its destined target.

In Unit 01, Shinji gasped for air. "I'm alright mother, what about you? Thank goodness. Misato! Who's piloting Unit 03?"

"It's Touji!"

"Touji? Touji is piloting it? Why would he? He probably did it to help me."

Touji had Unit 03 move back every time the Angel added a to its barrage of kicks and beam weapon attacks. 'I wonder how much longer I can keep this up,' Touji thought to himself. Unit 03 continued to avoid the Angel's attacks, but soon, tripped and fell backwards. "Damnit!" Touji tried to get Unit 03 up. "Come on. Get up, get up, get up, get up! Get up already!" As Unit 03 rose back up, the Angel jumped onto it and pinned it to the ground. Unit 03 ejected its Prog-Knife. It quickly took the knife and stabbed the Angel, barely missing its core. The Angel fell back. But slowly tried to rise back to its feet. A warning now showed up on Unit 03. "Only 10 seconds of internal energy left?!"

Once the Angel had fully risen back up, Unit 03 shut down. The Angel looked at its target and prepared to take advantage of the moment. The Angel placed its hands on the head of Unit 03 and began to squeeze hard. Soon, it crushed the head of Unit 03 and pulled it off.

"Touji!" Shinji screamed. Unit 01 ejected its Prog-Knife and began to run toward the Angel. "Don't hurt Touji!" As Unit 01 approached the Angel it drove its Prog-Knife forward. The Angel swiftly turned around with Unit 03 in its hands. Unit 01 then inadvertently stabbed Unit 03 in its core! "Oh no. What have I done. No, please no! No! What have I done?!" The Angel, with all of its might, threw Unit 03 high into the air like a rag doll. It exploded it in the sky. The bright explosion lit up the sky brighter than it already was and the force given off by the explosion began to push everything away. "No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO, NO NO!!! How could you?! How could you kill Touji?! How could you!!!"

The Angel merely stared at Unit 01. Shinji could now hear the Angel's roar, as if it were telling him that he was the one who killed Touji. Its mission was complete - destroy the black Eva Unit, Unit 03. And with that completed, the Angel self-destructed.

* * * * *

Shinji was dressed in a black suit, with Kensuke next to him. Everyone was dressed in black. Even Rei attended. Though she felt a little out of place, she stood right there. It was now raining hard. Hikari stood next to Touji's sister. Touji's sister really didn't know much about what was going on. Hikari was crying. Her eyes were flooded with tears. She knelt down at Touji's grave and continued to weep. Touji's sister then asked innocently, "Where's my brother?"

"He . . . He's gone to be in a better place . . . so we a can . . . stay together."

"Will I be able to see him soon?"

Hiakri began to cry a little louder but then attempted to stay strong for Touji's sister. Touji's sister was one of the most important things to Touji. "We'll . . . one day we'll all be together . . .and happy. Alright?"

"Alright," she said innocently. Hikari continued to cry.

After the service ended, Hikari began to slowly walk away. Shinji felt as if he owed an apology to her. "Hikari. I-I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Hikari, I'm so sorry. I couldn't save him. He got into that Unit to save me and I killed him! I killed him . . . it was my fault. It was my fault. You don't even have to forgive me if you don't want to."

She didn't know exactly how to respond to Shinji. She really didn't know how Touji died. Whether it was an accident or if it was a brutal death. "It's not your fault," was her response.

"T-Thank you. There was no one like Touji."

"I know. I know that." She then looked around. "Where's Asuka?"

"I don't know. She didn't come here with me and Misato."

"Oh . . ." said an already depressed Hikari. "Maybe I'll see her later." Questions now ran through Hikari's head on why Asuka wouldn't be there.

* * * * *



The next day, at school, things were getting back to normal. For most people, anyway. Hikari stood outside the school and waited for Asuka. She stared in the direction she usually comes from and sighed. After some waiting, Asuka finally came. "Asuka!"

"Hello, Hikari."

"Why didn't you come to the service?"

Asuka remained silent. It was only then Hikari noticed. After the third loss in a row, Asuka transformed. Hikari noticed every aspect. Asuka had the look of an iron gladiator. Her nerves were like cold steel. She held her books tightly as if she were preparing to fight.

'What's wrong with her,' Hikari thought to herself.

Asuka finally gave an answer. A very simple answer. A very simple answer that anyone could understand. "He was weak." That was it. "He was destroyed in battle. That's all."

"N-No! That can't be true! That can't be your reason! Asuka, what's happened to you!"

"Nothing. Nothing has happened."

"What are you talking about? You're just not you anymore, Asuka. Look at yourself. You're like a soldier. You don't even care. He told me that he loved me. Whether it was "sort of" or "kind of", he said it. You're my best friend, Asuka. Why can't you be there for me?"

No answer came from Asuka.

"Well? Even Rei was there to pay her respects."

"I already gave you an answer, Hikari."

Hikari was already depressed from the loss of Touji. But now, because of Asuka, she was filled with anger. The deep sorrow now turned into hatred. "How could you. Asuka, you're my best friend. Why can't you be there for me?!"

"It's just one boy."

"And what if it was Kaji?"

"That's different. Kaji is a man."

"That makes no difference, he's someone you love! Asuka, I hate you! I hate you for not being there!"

"You know you really don't mean that."

"I do! Am I too weak, Asuka? I hate you, Asuka. Those robots did this to you. This is why you're like this. I hate you!" And with that said, Hikari stepped forward and looked as if she was going to slap Asuka across the face. But no. She didn't. She punched Asuka across the face instead!

"Whoa!" Kensuke screamed, watching the beginning of a catfight.

Hikari punched Asuka again. In seconds all of the anger, sorrow, and pain just turned into power. Hikari released another jab to Asuka's nose. Blood could be seen dripping down Asuka's face and onto her skirt. Hikari threw another punch, but Asuka evaded it, and kicked Hikari hard in the stomach. Hikari stopped and dropped to her knees, holding her stomach. The pain made her feel like she wanted to vomit. But, she gathered all of her will and rose back up, only to intercept an uppercut to the chin. Hikari flew back and hit the ground hard. Asuka merely turned around and entered the school. Hikari lay there in pain.

"Are you okay?" Kensuke asked.

"I'm . . . I'm just fine." Hikari shot up, even with the lingering pain, ran off.

* * * * *

After school had ended, everyone rushed out of school. No one had to stay behind and work because the class representative was absent.

Shinji threw the basketball. It hit the rim of the basket and bounced right off. Shinji sighed and picked up the ball. He threw the ball again, and missed. Nothing, not his SDAT, his friends, or even this outdated game could help him. He threw the basketball a third time, and missed. "What's the use," he said to himself. The ball bounced against the ground and continuously bounced until someone picked it up. Rei picked up the ball and held it in her hands.

"Hello, Ikari-kun."

"Ayanami! I didn't see you there."

"I only recently arrived."

Shinji was silent. He was still very depressed.

"It is not your fault, Ikari."

"Yes it is. I stabbed my own best friend. I stabbed Unit 03 and killed him. I killed him, Ayanami, I killed him!"

"Then, if it is your fault for stabbing him, it is my fault as well for not being able to assist you in defeating the Angel, and is everyone else's fault for not being able to properly take Suzuhara-kun to a shelter."

"I guess you're right."

Rei threw the basketball and made it in the basket.

"Nice shot, Ayanami."

"Thank you."

The ball bounced against the ground. Ayanami walked over and picked it up. She held it tightly in her hands.

"Ayanami, do you ever remember being told anything about my mother?"

"Explain."

"Like, do you ever remember being told you were expendable."

"Of course. We all are."

"No, not by another pilot. But I mean, expendable as in, there is, well, another you."

Rei dropped the basketball.

(Flashback)

The Year 2010:

Chibi Rei Ayanami sat down in a chair. Doctor Naoko Akagi watched the little girl and informed her of a few of her major "purposes".

"Rei, in a few years you'll be piloting what is known as Evangelion Unit 00, the first bio-human robot. You'll be undertaking quite a large responsibility."

"I understand."

'She acts so much like an adult.' Naoko thought to herself. "And another thing Rei, Commander Ikari thought I should tell you this. I'm only telling you this once, and you'll never here it again. You are expendable. You are merely a clone. You contain DNA of Yui Ikari, the Angel, Lilith, and many other unnamed "donors". There are in fact, many Rei Ayanamis. You are just one of many. If you die, you will be replaced and be given a shot to blank out a few memories of your "previous life" for precautionary reasons. Over time, however, you'll most likely recall many of your memories as if you were reforming bonds with the people you had known. Is this understood?"

Rei merely nodded. (End Flashback)

"When I was the first, I was informed of the extent of my expendability. I am aware there are clones of myself."

"So you know. What did you mean when you said, 'when you were the first', Ayanami."

"When I was the first. When I was the first Rei Ayanami. My soul continues on into the next Rei Ayanami. I am the third, brainwashed upon awakening. I have recovered a number of my memories, however."

"S-So you mean you're really the same person?"

"Correct."

This was a real shock to Shinji. But, he wanted to continue with his "clone investigation" that he had only begun minutes ago. "Ayanami, what about my mother? Were you ever told that you were partially my mother."

"Only my skin, with major gene alterations. I think the Commander has an obsession with your mother, so he made me to appear in her image. I am slightly more Angel than human, Ikari. This lilum form is only an appearance. You appear to be lilum, but I have explained to you that you contain Angel "contamination". All in all, I am a person whose soul is derived from Lilith."

"Lilith? The Angel in Terminal Dogma? Kaworu said something about it."

"I watched Nagisa-kun. He found that all souls, human and Angel alike, are derived from it."

"So we're all the same?"

"I suppose."

"This is just all one big mystery unraveling in front of me. I wish I could see Kaworu and Touji again. I'm going to go Ayanami. I'll see you later."

"Pilot Ikari, wait."

"What is it?"

"Let us form a pact."

"A-A pact?"

"I shall call you Shinji, and you shall call me Rei."

"Okay, that sounds good. It sounds much more friendly."

"Thank you, Shinji."

"Thank me?"

"You treat me as an individual. As a unique being. Not even the Commander acknowledges that."

"Your welcome, Aya . . . Rei. See you later."

Shinji walked away. Rei turned around and picked up the basketball. She threw it and made another basket. As Shinji walked, he smiled. He was glad he was able to get a little closer with Rei, even though it was only a little. But she was one person he really could talk to and trust. She was the only person in Tokyo-3 he NEVER EVER had to impress. Then again, nothing ever impressed her. But there was no point to do so, anyway. For Shinji, the bottom line was that Rei was someone he really could talk to.

* * * * *

"I hate what Bardiel is plotting," Kaworu said to Arael, which he had been telling himself for over a thousand times.

"He's very idealistic. He is trying to initiate Third Impact by going back in the form of a lilum."

"I hope Shinji can stop him before he can complete his mission."

"So far, him, and three others have gone back. The other Angels keep telling me that they don't know how Bardiel is brining them back in new forms. Nagisa, I'm going to keep my promise. You will be able to see those two you love so much again."

"Thank you, Arael. You are my only friend here."

"I'm your friend?"

"Of course you are."

"Thank you. Nagisa, I have a question."

"What is it, Arael?"

"Why is it that sometimes you do not stare at me?"

"Well, how do I explain this. The image of your soul is in the form of a female lilum. And you are naked. It is a lilum hormone."

"I see. That must explain why I suddenly do not look at you Nagisa. You are in the image of a male lilum. Is this out of respect?"

Kaworu was surprised. Arael was becoming much more lilum like every day. She was changing bit by bit. Now she was getting hormones. "Yes, Arael, it is out of respect."

* * * * *

"Shinji must feel horrible," Misato said to herself. She paced around the house with absolutely nothing to do. "Where's Kaji when you need him."

"Right here." Kaji enigmatically appeared.

"Shinji is really going through a rough time. Do you think you can appear to him and help him out?"

"Nope. I can only appear to you. - The one and only Katsuragi Misato."

"This isn't the time for jokes. I'm being serious."

"I am, too. I can only appear to you."

"Then you're pretty much useless right now."

"Am I? Don't you need some consoling? You've got to be hurting, too."

"W-What are you talking about?"

Kaji vanished and reappeared and began to walk on the ceiling. "You're afraid that . . ." He vanished again and reappeared behind Misato. "Afraid that he'll begin to act distant again. He'll slam the door on you when you talk to him and he won't even pay attention to what you have to say."

"T-That's not true! That's not going to happen! Shinji is Shinji, he's a nice boy!"

"Really? Didn't you want him to act a little more like a man?"

"Shut up! I never wanted that!"

"You've just gained one degree of trust a few days back, but now, you're going to lose ten degrees of trust just for the reason he's lost another friend. He killed someone that he called a friend. And because of that, you have the pleasure of being able to witness his grief and pain flying out of control."

"Leave me alone."

Kaji vanished and reappeared on a chair in front of the kitchen table. "Didn't you want me here?"

"Leave me alone!" She walked over to the table and flipped it over onto Kaji. Kaji disappeared. His voice then began to ring throughout Misato's head. "But you know I'm right . . ."

* * * * *



Shinji slowly walked the streets of Tokyo-3 with no real destination.

"Hi, Shinji-chan!" came from a familiar playful childish voice."

"Hello, Schala."

"How are you today?"

Shinji and the seven-year-old girl were now walking together. "Not so good."

"I saw what happened. That isn't your fault. That big meanie tricked you."

"You saw the battle?"

"Mmhmm."

"You shouldn't stay out there and watch from there. It's very dangerous. You could've gotten hurt!"

"You care about me?"

"I care about a lot of people. Listen, promise me that you'll never ever do that again."

"Okay, I promise, daddy."

Shinji was startled by what Schala called him. "Why did you call me . . . "daddy"? I'm not your father."

"But you're the only man that cared about me. So you're like a daddy to me."

"Don't you have a father?"

"Yes. You are."

"I'm not even old enough to be a father. I don't think you should call me your "daddy"."

"I don't have a real father. But you actually care about me. So can't I call you my daddy?"

He now looked into Schala's innocent face. Shinji finally gave in. And actually, liked that idea that someone called him something out of respect. "Okay, you can call me "daddy"."

"Thank you, daddy! Uh oh, it's getting late. My mommy might be worried." She began to run off. "Goodbye, daddy!"

"Her . . . mother? Would have I turned out so cheerful if I was a girl?" Shinji continued walking. It was about time to go "home".

* * * * *

The monoliths of Seele appeared. "You have done well, Bardiel."

"We were told Unit 03 has been completely destroyed."

"Soon will be the time to initiate the Instrumentality of Man."

Bardiel looked left and right. "Of course I succeeded. If necessary, I can bring back more Angels."

"How is it possible that you can?"

"Did you not open the Sea of Dirac?"

All members of Seele were still. This was their way of saying "no".

"In the Nevada region of the United States, the Sea of Dirac opened twice. The first time swallowing an area, the second time, releasing Evangelion Unit 04. When this had occurred, I learned I had the ability to send Angel's back in various forms."

"Leliel, the shadow."

"Ramiel, the form."

"Sachiel, the humanoid."

Bardiel nodded, these guys at Seele knew their stuff.

Keel then called out to Bardiel. "Now we will need another Angel for our purposes - Ireul."

* * * * *

Hikari sat on top of a building. Her blood was dried up all over her skirt and face. People were probably looking for her now. The physical pain was gone, but all of the mental pain lingered. Her tears were fresh. Her lover died and her best friend stabbed her in the back. She couldn't believe it. It was like there was no longer a point to life anymore. Everything was nothing. Nothing was everything. Hikari now stood on top of the building. "There is nothing left for me in this World. Nothing. Nothing!" Hikari closed her eyes and tried to trap the new tears. The wind no rushed through her hair. She held her head tightly as she heard her own terrifying screams in her mind. "Nothing!" she screamed one last time before throwing herself backward off the building. In less than a second she hit the ground hard and ended up like a pancake. Hikari landed right in front of a person walking by. Hikari's blood splattered all over the sidewalk. Her eyes were wide open and her head titled to the right. Blood flooded out of her mouth. Her arms and legs were limp, it looked almost every bone in the body was broken. Blood had exploded all over the legs of the person walking by. So much blood that it even was able to reach her arm. Asuka looked down at Hikari with no expression on her face. She was pale. Not because her "best friend" lay there dead but because of the disgusting way she died. Asuka merely stepped over the body and continued her path home . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Please review! I hope you like what I'm doing with Asuka, Shinji, and Rei, plus with our deceased Angels. If you haven't noticed, the story has gotten a little darker. Yes, this is still going to be a Shinji-Rei, which is gradually working. We'll get into the relationship say, somewhere at the end of next chapter. But, I don't want to give away spoilers for the next Chapter, which is really good, too. but for a "preview", Ireul, if you remember, was the Angel that infiltrated the MAGI.