Quick Notes: This is probably the best chapter yet, and I think you'll agree. It's got some darkness, mecha (not exactly a battle), and character development. A lot of people usually portray Asuka in three ways. 1) Exactly how she was in the show. 2) Slowly changing for the 'better'. 3) Going crazy for no specific reason. (And I read one my reviews, Asuka WON'T go crazy) But, from what you've seen from the last chapter, it looks like she is, but she won't. Some people are just missing the point.

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

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Between Day and Night

Chapter VI: Confusion in Tokyo-3

"We've been receiving reports that the Second Child has been acting odd." Keel Lorenz and all of the other members of Seele's colors lit up.

"Is this your doing, Bardiel?"

"What are you trying to do contaminating one of the Eva pilots?"

Bardiel slammed his fist down. A black, electrical discharge came from beneath his fist. "Do you dare question my motives?"

"We find it quite odd that you are working with gradual steps against Nerv."

"Do you forget what I have done? I virused the first Unit 03! Nerv will destroy themselves from within, I have succeeded in bringing out a piece of her and mutating it."

"We are placing our trust in you, Bardiel. Do not make the same mistake Ikari has made."

"Do not worry. After all, Ireul will be arriving soon."

* * * * *

"Hikari's dead, I don't believe it." Shinji said to himself after another long day of school "Her and Touji were going to hit it off well . . . at least they're together now." Tokyo-3 was going through hell the past few days. People were dying and everything in site was being destroyed. Surviving only delayed what was inevitable.

"Shinji," a voice called out.

"Aya . . . Rei?"

"Hello, Shinji."

"Rei, did you need something?"

"No. You looked depressed during class."

"I . . . just can't believe Hikari is dead. She threw herself off a building.

Rei really didn't know how to help comfort Ikari. She hadn't done this or wanted to this before, but for someone reason, she wanted to right now. She wanted to help him.

"I'm going to go, Rei. I really don't feel well."

"Goodbye, Shinji."

"See you later, Rei."

"Shinji."

"Yes, Rei?"

"I . . . I am frequently clumsy expressing my true feelings. But I wish to assist you, Shinji."

"Thanks. It's nice to know someone really cares about me."

* * * * *

Asuka walked alone. She had walked home unaccompanied for some time now. This was her choice to do this. Nothing else really mattered anymore. Everyone would expect Asuka to be the one crying the most, mourning the most, and to be the one talking about how great a person Hikari really was.

'No way.'

It's not that she didn't care, it was just that it wasn't any. She was Asuka's friend. However, there was one small problem - she was too much a nobody. Asuka was meant to be a "somebody". Asuka's goal from the beginning until death was to be the best. Nothing else mattered. When she had been chosen for Eva, she was so happy. Ever since she's begun to pilot Eva, she's felt like a somebody. She was important.

'Of course I'm important. I'm Asuka Soryu Langley.'

Asuka Soryu Langley - best of the best of the best. But was she? Was she still the best?

'Damn those two.'

There was Shinji. The spineless wimp/baka/jerk known as the Third Child, respective pilot of Evangelion Unit 01. Asuka thought everything through. He was in her way. He was always in her way. He had to step in and show that he was the best. He defeated a lot more Angels than her and his synch was a lot higher. And now Rei, the emotionless wonder bitch, ex-pilot of Unit 00 now pilot of Unit 04, has become a bigger threat then ever with her "psychic hotline" powers.

'They're in my way.'

At first glance, Asuka looked like a hot girl who was like any other free lady walking the streets. At a second glance, it was the same. But when you get to know her it's an entirely different story. Why?

'Simple.'

You CAN'T know her. No one, absolutely, positively nobody knew the real Asuka Soryu Langley. Every being had an AT Field, Asuka had only recently figured this. The AT Field of a human was what closed off the mind of every human. And Asuka also figured an AT Field given off by a human is a weapon. Not in the sense of a weapon like an Eva Unit of Angel has, but in the sense of psychological and philosophical weapon given off by words and feelings spawned off by the ego, self-image, and impressions. Knowing Asuka is impossible.

'Impossible.'

The ego, self-image, impressions, blah, blah, blah . . . every other little piece of the human mind that forms the inner images of person given off by Asuka are too great for anyone to comprehend. Asuka's AT Field was too great for anyone to handle. Any feeling or thoughts are nothing compared to Asuka's. The impression given off by Asuka can't be handled by anyone. Why? It's too scary to even imagine what it's like. She seemed nice to begin with. She wanted to be friends with the emotionless bitch . . . if she wasn't an emotionless bitch . . . and maybe she'd even be the lover of a spineless baka . . . if he wasn't a spineless baka. But on the inside, it's too ugly and horrific to imagine. The impression she would give off if she expressed her feelings would scare the hell out of a person. Why was she like this? Well, maybe God made some people hunters and others the hunted.

Asuka laughed.

Asuka was once a friendly person with an ugly inside. Now she was a person who thought being friendly would just hold her back from achieving victory with an even more ugly inside. Asuka was walking hell-on-Earth that looked like a heavenly Angel. Everything else was pathetic compared to Asuka. Nothing was worthy of being around her. No one respected Asuka. Why? No one was good enough to have the right to respect her. No one.

"Hi!"

Asuka turned around and saw a little girl with gleaming green eyes and purple hair.

"Whoa . . ."

"What's wrong?"

"You're hair is on fire!"

"My hair is red! Are you stupid or something?!"

Schala stepped back, turned around, and ran off. "That's not a nice person."

Asuka continued her trek home. That little girl wasn't worthy enough to be around Asuka. She was little, pathetic, weak, and vulnerable. She shouldn't fell bad, because everyone else was exactly the same. If Asuka had hundreds of millions of fans, not one of them could truly understand her. They would sometimes probably portray her as a lover, a nice person on the inside, or maybe just a normal, everyday teen.

'Bakas.'

If they did that, they weren't Asuka fans in the first place. Asuka Soryu Langley was formed from the shaping of nobody. She formed herself through bonds made with her Eva and her enemies. Her ultimate goal is to win every battle in order to live at her fullest. Why? Because if she didn't, she wouldn't actually be Asuka Soryu Langley. Asuka is Asuka, and no matter how you put it, she is a winner. She wasn't meant to be a winner or had to strive to be a winner, she was born a winner. And defeating Angels is what she did. By beating Angels merely represents she's a winner. And that's what winners do - win. Another reason was that it was fun. Asuka didn't want to do anything that wasn't And what if her enemy had feelings? What if they Angels had feelings?

'Too bad. Better luck next Angel.'

Asuka now approached her apartment building. As she did, her deceiving eyes stared straight in that direction. And the expression on her face would be bewildering if anyone saw it. No one would be able to tell if that was a smile or grin on her face . . . or maybe both.

A car now pulled up beside Asuka. It was Misato. "Asuka, we've detected an Angel, let's go!"

Another chance to show she's a winner.

And it looked like Bardiel could really work his magic.

* * * * *

"Where is it?" Shigeru screamed.

"I don't know. It just disappeared a minute ago!" Hyuga desperately searched for where the Angel may have gone.

"Nothing's been detected for the last minute!" Maya worked hard as well.

Misato entered Central and came up next to Hyuga. "Where's the Angel?"

"I don't know. We've lost it. We can't get any clear readings."

Maya's eyes now opened widely. "Oh my God! AT Field detected in front of Heaven's Door!"

"What?!" Misato screamed.

"She's right! Oh God, Heaven's Door is opening!"

"How? How did it get down to Terminal Dogma?!"

"We don't know! Nothing can get down there in time, none of the Units would be quick enough!"

"Another AT Field!" Maya shouted. "Another AT Field located in the city!"

Misato was puzzled; she didn't know how to handle this much confusion. "What's the pattern?"

"We're not getting anything!" Hyuga was doing as much as he could but was confused just as much as everyone else. "We're not sure if it's an Angel."

Ritsuko stepped up to Commander Ikari's desk. "Commander, 'you-know-what' has this ability."

"It's in town?"

"Yes. But I'm not sure she would do something like this."

"We can't take any risks. Deploy Units 01 and 02 immediately!"

"It's probably powerful enough to beat the two if it played its cards right."

"I'm well aware of that."

"And that's why you decided not to let your doll go?"

"No, send Rei to Terminal Dogma. If the Angel is located there, we must stop it, even if it may be too late.

Shinji, Asuka, and Rei awaited orders from their Units, only to now be informed that only Shinji and Asuka would be deployed. Units 01 and 02 shot up the elevators at high speeds. Rei was then informed she was traveling to Terminal Dogma.

Misato was hoping some sort of straight answer would arrive from all of this. "Why can't we detect anything other than its AT Field?"

"I don't know." Hyuga said. "I'm really not sure. Damnit, there are 27 AT Fields coming from Tokyo-3! As if it's surrounded Nerv!"

"No way! That can't be possible! How can there be 27 Angels, plus one in Terminal Dogma!"

Everyone know felt the ground shake and all of the computer consoles began to fade.

Misato frantically looked around. "What's going on?"

"There's an AT Field shutting out everything. Almost all scanning devices have been destroyed!"

"Subatomic particles, visuals, everything's just been shut out!"

Maya looked at Misato. "Another AT Field detected!"

"She's right," Hyuga added. "It's location is . . . right here! That's how it's shutting everything out! God, the AT Field located here is larger than anyone we've encountered before!"

Maya was now calmed. It wasn't the calmness where something was pleasurable; it was the odd calmness when something was really wrong. "I've found the Angel."

Misato turned her attention to her. "Well, where is it?"

"You remember how the twelfth Angel infiltrated the MAGI?"

"I remember."

"We've got a dozen of them in the MAGI."

"What?!"

"S-She's right! They're all over the place!"

"Get Doctor Akagi to a console NOW! We need to get these Angels out!"

Maya now became frantic again. "M-Missiles!"

"What did you say?"

"Missiles have been launched all over the World! There's an N2 reaction in Moscow, a missile must've crashed into an N2 Mine."

Misato looked on in horror. This was getting seriously out of control. She now turned to the screamed Hyuga. "Missiles are heading here!"

"Here? Nerv?!"

"The coordinates are set for all over Tokyo-3! The other MAGI in the World are being taken over from here!"

"Is there any way we can stop them?"

"I think the Evas can try."

* * * * *



Above ground, Evangelion Units 01 and 02 walked around the city. There was nothing. No Angels anywhere.

"Shinji! Asuka!"

"What is it, Misato?"

"There are missiles coming toward Tokyo-3. Do you think you can pull something off with your AT Fields?"

Asuka smiled, now delighted she gets to show off some of her skills. "We can do it."

"The missiles will be coming in fast, so get ready."

"You can count on me."

Shinji was silent the entire time. He can tell something was wrong. "Mother, I can feel you, you're feeling very tense. What's wrong? Mother? Mother? What's wrong? Why won't you answer me, mother? Mother? Mother!?"

After Shinji let out his last scream, Unit 01 began to act on its own. Shinji tried his best to handle the controls and keep everything in order, but could hardly do so. "Mother! Stop! Please! Just tell me what's wrong!" The Unit 01 looked as if it was going to go berserk. But, Shinji wouldn't let this happen. He didn't want to go out of control, not now. Soon, he was able to settle down the Unit. "Mother? I can hear you now? What's wrong? Something has control over you? Just settle down, fight whatever is trying to take control of you." Shinji now made an attempt to sense the Angels. Nothing. Nothing was there.

"Missiles!" Asuka screamed. She could see them coming down now. Shinji could see them as well. Asuka now tried to activate her AT Field. "It's not working! I can't project my AT Field!"

Shinji tried to project his AT Field. "My AT Field isn't working, either!"

At the same time, all of Nerv was alive, all trying to take control of the MAGI. Maya was doing as much as she could from her console. She now noticed 14 Angels were crawling around within the MAGI. "How can they multiply inside in machine? It's not logical that something organic can reproduce in an inorganic machine." Then, it hit her.

"The MAGI are trying to self-destruct!" Hyuga shouted.

Ritsuko was working just as hard. This was harder then before since she was now dealing with many Angels. "Mother, you protect yourself or else we're all going to go up in flames."

"Who are you talking to?" asked that nuisance voice within Ritsuko.

"Just shut up, Tsuroki. This isn't the time."

"Something must've uploaded the Angels into the MAGI," Maya said to herself. "But who? Who would do that? Why would they do that? Who? Why? What was their purpose? Who could it be? No, it couldn't be

Ritsuko-san. It has to be one of the other techs, but who?"

* * * * *



Deep within Nerv, Unit 04 slowly moved down past the tenth layer down to Terminal Dogma to see if an enemy Angel was really located down there. Rei waited patiently within her Unit. Soon she passed the last layer and came up to an open Heaven's Door. Rei looked back and forth and saw no enemy Angel. She summoned her senses in an attempt to sense if an enemy Angel was concealing itself here. She sensed no Angel, no Angel that was a threat, anyway.

"There is an Angel here."

Unit 04 slowly moved forward. Rei realized she'd been her before. She slowly recalled her memory of when she was the second. She retrieved a specific item from here. Rei quickly recollected what the image of the weapon. It was a double helix spear - the Lance of Longinus. Rei could now even feel the weapon moving around in space. She had Unit 04 keep moving. She moved into the open Heaven's Door and saw no enemy Angel. She looked straightforward and now saw Lilith. "Angel. This one is the mother of all life, human and Angel alike." She continued to look at it. This large white, humanoid hanging against the wall of Terminal Dogma. Rei was in a trance. She slowly began to realize the entire point of it being kept here . . .

* * * * *

Above ground, Kensuke was outside the shelters. He wanted to find a way to watch a battle between the Evas and the Angels at all costs. Now, he was able to see it. He was overexcited and filled with joy. He pulled out his video camera and began to videotape Unit 02. "This is great." He now looked around and saw that there was no Angel or anything. He was hoping for a battle.

"The missiles are coming in fast," Asuka said. "I still can't project my AT Field!"

"Mine won't project either! What's going on!"

The missiles now came in. When Asuka first saw them, there were hardly any, now she saw large groups of them. The missiles came down and began to pummel both Units.

"Damnit . . . I'm being bombarded here and I can't do a thing. At least me Eva can stand up to the missiles."

Kensuke stared up. "Whoa . . . I hope Shinji's alright." Kensuke turned around and saw even more missiles. But these ones weren't aimed for the Evas. The barrage of missiles came down and began to destroy anything that could be destroyed. Explosions were surrounding Kensuke. He began to run for his life. He looked up and saw a missile pointing down as if it were aimed at him. He continued to run. He felt the explosion not too far behind him. He was thrown forward as he felt the intense fiery heat. He looked into the sky once again and saw there were even more missiles coming in. He tried to get up, but the bottom of his pants was stuck under some debris. "Come on . . . get . . . out!" he said as he tried to pull it out. He struggled with it and soon pulled it out. He got up and began to run. He felt the extreme heat given off by the missile explosions. He covered his head with his hands as he ran. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't trained for this. Even more missiles were coming down now. Cars were now exploding. The intense outbursts threw Kensuke down to the ground. As he tried to get back up, he scraped his knee badly. He began to run again, hoping to get back to the shelters. Kensuke took off his glasses and threw them to the ground, as they were now cracked.

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

"What? Who said that?" he asked as he continued to run from the scrambling missiles.

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Who is this?"

"Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you wanted? ISN'T THIS WHAT YOU WANTED?!"

"Yes, b-but take me out! I-I'm not ready for this!"

"ISN'T THIS WHAT YOU WANTED?!?!?!"

"I hate this!"

"DO YOU? DO YOU? DO YOU!? THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED!"

Kensuke covered his ears hoping the voices would go away. The extreme heat was everywhere around him. Debris was raining everywhere. As he ran, he saw Unit 01 trying to defend against the missiles. Another missile came towards Unit 01, but this time, it carried an N2 Mine. The missile with the N2 Mine crashed into the Eva and caused a large explosion. Kensuke felt the large- scale explosion and was thrown to the ground. His entire left arm was on fire. He was in too much shock and filled with too much fear to realize he was on fire. When he finally felt the heat he looked at his left arm and screamed in horror. To make things worse, more missiles were raining down. He tried to run but fell to the ground again. He got back up and tried to continue running, but his right foot was badly injured. He couldn't feel the pain. That would be impossible - the fear was the only feeling that could be felt.

Kensuke now felt an odd feeling. Something was trying to take over his mind. He grabbed onto his head with his right hand. He couldn't feel the fire crawling into his shoulder but was too occupied with the thing that was trying to take over his mind. "Stop this, please. Leave me alone. Let me live. Please. I'm at my knees. Just please, let me get out of here."

"IN BATTLE, YOU CAN'T ASK THE ENEMY TO LOSE!"

"But I'm not a soldier. I'm just a poor kid with a pathetic dream." He now witnessed many missiles come down hard. The missiles penetrated one of the deep shelters. A missile now ventured in and exploded, violently throwing people all over the place. It was a bloody mess. Fire, blood, debris, skin, and a middle finger or two dispersed throughout the area. Kensuke now saw it. The fire was now up to his shoulder but was dying down. He dragged his limp body over to what he saw - his mother. It was her body. He upped body at least. Her legs her completely gone. Another missile now came crashing down and exploded, incinerating the body and all of the bodies around it. Kensuke cried out loud. He had no strength to pull through . . ."

* * * * *

In Nerv . . .

"Even more missiles coming in from all sides!" Hyuga screamed.

"Even more? How is that possible? Where are they coming from?"

"We're not even sure! Eva Unit 01 was been damaged from an N2 Mine but can continue defending!"

Maya continued working from her console but was slower than ever. "Who? Who would upload Angels into the MAGI?"

(Flashback) "Nothing really. Just tinkering with a few things. Uploads and downloads, it's amazing how fast things can be done today. Some people don't even realize it." (End Flashback)

Maya shot back. She realized who. She looked under her console and saw a shotgun. No. She would never handle a weapon in her life. If her life were on the line she would never touch a gun. She could be paid a million dollars and she still would never pick up a gun. Not even touch it with a stick from meters away. But, now the lives of her colleagues were on the line. Everyone she knew. Everyone she loved. Everyone that was in her real life. 'What to do? What to do? What to do?!' She had a choice, take the gun or leave the gun. She tried to think of an alternative. But now she remembered not even Ritsuko could stop the Angels at this moment. There was no alternative. 'I'm going to regret this for the rest of my life.'

Maya took the rifle underneath her console and ran up to where Misato was. "Maya, what are you doing with a gun?"

Maya quickly took aim. Her hands were shaking but the aim was good enough. She shot Shigeru in the back of the head. His corpse was thrown over his console by the force of the rifle. Misato ripped the gun away from Maya. "Why did you that?!"

"H-He was uploading Angels into the MAGI! She quickly took a seat at Shigeru's bloody console and began to work. Misato watched her. Maya was easily able to filter out all of the fake Angels and soon found one Angel slowly moving throughout the MAGI. Maya, with her computer skills, was able to lock the Angel down in one area as if it were computer data and quickly deleted it as if it were just a program. All of the interference, AT Fields, and fake Angels disappeared.

Misato smiled. "Good job, Maya."

Maya looked at Shigeru's body in total disgust. "Get the medics here - NOW!"

* * * * *

Shinji sat by Kensuke's bed in the Nerv hospital. His entire left arm had 90% burns and a few bones in his right leg were broken. Behind Shinji was a silent Rei, who decided to come of her own will. Shinji stared at his friend. He looked very shaken up. "How did this happen? Why did this happen? Why?"

"Shinji."

Shinji didn't even realize Kensuke was awake, or even conscious. "Kensuke? Kensuke!"

"Hey, Shinji, glad to see you're okay." Kensuke was shivering. His left arm and right leg were totally limp.

"Kensuke, what happened to you? Are you alright?"

"I'm a little shaken, but I'm okay."

"You don't look too okay.."

"I know. I'm just shaken a little. Everything's just spinning in the wrong direction."

"You should not speak much," said Rei.

"I'll b-be okay. You know Shinji, I had such a stupid dream. I can't be a soldier or an Eva pilot. I can't even handle it."

"You really shouldn't say that."

"But I-It's the truth. It's really scary out there. I was so stupid. I really never realized what it was like. Shinji, I want you to burn my files. Every Nerv file I've ever hacked. Just burn them. They're not important anymore."

Rei checked the time, it was time for her to go. "Shinji, I must go know. Goodbye, Aida-kun."

"Goodbye, Rei." Rei left. She slowly made her way to her destination - Gendou's office.

Kensuke stared straight up at the ceiling. "You should go, too."

"No, Kensuke. I can't."

"You shouldn't spend too much time worrying about me, they say I'll be out in two or three months . . . even though my burns are permanent."

". . ."

"Listen, Shinji, I may not be a love expert but I'm good enough to know it would either be a relationship between you and Asuka where everyone else knew expect you two . . . or a relationship where you and Ayanami would open up to each other. You really should see Rei, spending time with her is a good thing."

"I know. My mother told me that - " Shinji stopped in mid-sentence.

"Your . . . mother?"

"It's . . . a long story."

"I don't even think I want to hear it. But, you should see Rei. It looked like she was going somewhere, so you really should see her later."

"I think I will."

"See you later, Shinji. And don't do anything naughty tonight."

Shinji blushed. "Goodbye, Kensuke."

With all of that said, Shinji left Kensuke's hospital room. He ran to his apartment room. He was in tears. People were coming and going as if there wasn't a tomorrow. Darkness and hatred surrounded Shinji. He really didn't know what to do other then look for Rei's help. Rei . . . he probably asked for her help before in dreams. He was so pathetic, yet Rei helped him.

'Sometimes I even forget she's a girl.'

Shinji sat in his room and put on his SDAT. He closed his eyes as he began to listen. It was about 5:00 PM, and he had time to take a short rest.

Shinji was now lying on a bed. He looked around. This wasn't Misato's apartment. He got up from the bed, which was all white. There was no window. All there was here was a dressed with clothes, a white bed, an antique chair, some painting materials, and pictures people all over the wall. He felt as if he had been here for days, weeks even. Shinji looked at the door. It was made of steel. He walked up to it and knocked on it. A voice came from the outside. "Stupid psychotic idiots! Can't you stay quiet during our lunch break!"

Shinji shot back and sat on the bed. He was in a psych ward. He looked up at the pictures on the wall: Asuka, Misato, Touji, Kensuke, Gendou, Fuyutsuki, Maya, Shigeru, Hyuga, Kaji, and Hikari. 'Isn't something missing?' He looked at them again and again. 'Why is my father up there?' It was too bad he wasn't tall enough to reach the picture on the wall. 'Something is missing, no, wait, maybe two things are missing.' Shinji lied down. He had too much off a headache to think. He began to sleep. Sleep in his dream. It was as if you were watching yourself sleep. He woke up, and it was as if many days had passed. He was completely bored. So, he set up the paint set. He sat down and held the paints as if he were an artist. 'What to draw . . . hmm . . .' His mind was blank. He really wasn't sure what to draw. Then, he saw his chair. And so, he painted that, along with the things surrounding it.

'A chair.'

He painted another one.

'It was another chair.'

And so, he decided to paint another chair.

'It's another chair.'

And again and again and again.

'Chairs, I think I might be getting good at this.'

For the next few "days" he drew chairs. Why? He didn't know himself. But for some odd reason, he enjoyed painting the chairs. He tried to think why he would enjoy drawing something as dull as a chair. Then, Shinji heard a heavy knock against the door. He turned his attention to it. He heavy knock came again. "You have a visitor!"

"A visitor? Umm, okay, can you send my visitor in?"

The heavy door swung open and Rei entered. The door closed behind her as she stepped in. "Hello, Shinji."

"Rei! What a surprise! You should take a seat."

Rei sat down in the chair. "How are they treating you here?"

"Okay, I guess."

"I thought you might have wanted to know the status of everyone else in Nerv." It sounded like she was debriefing him.

"Not really. But, how are you?"

"I am well."

Shinji stared at Rei, who was sitting in the chair he'd been drawing the past few days. Then, a sudden urge overtook him. He needed to ask her a question. "Rei?"

"Yes?"

"Can I paint you? I mean, a picture."

"If it pleases you."

"Just stay still." Shinji began painting right away. He drew the features and everything that needed to be added. Soon, he was finished. "Done!" he said with delight. Rei stood up and walked behind him to look at the painting. It was Rei. He smiled, but then a sudden frown over took his face. "I think I messed up drawing the hair."

"No, it is excellent. You have a talent."

"Y-You really think so?"

She nodded.

"Thanks, Rei . . . for coming to visit me and letting me use you as a model."

"You are welcome." She left.

Shinji looked at his painting of Rei. It was good. Very good. Better than his pictures of the chair. Then, hit him. He knew why he drew so many chairs. He counted how many pictures of chairs he painted. There were exactly eleven pictured. Shinji looked up at the pictured on the wall. There were eleven people. There were eleven chairs for eleven people who didn't visit him. But that didn't bother him. The paint on the Rei picture was now dry, so he decided he hold it close to himself. His little monument showing someone actually cared if he went crazy.

Shinji woke up from his dream. He saw it was now 6:15 PM. He rose up and decided that he should go visit Rei.

* * * * *

Shinji slowly opened Rei's door. He slowly made his way into the house. On the couch, someone slept. Shinji took a closer look, and found it was Schala! There was a smile on her face, Shinji found this cute. He walked passed the sleeping girl and into Rei's bedroom. "Rei?"

Rei was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. "Hello, Shinji."

Shini now noticed that his father's glasses that Rei always kept were gone. He turned his attention back to Rei and saw half of a smile was on her face.

"Thank you . . . for coming. I am unaware how, but I knew you would come."

"You're the only person I can talk to, Rei. I don't know anyone else I can express my feelings to."

Rei was silent for a few seconds, but finally spoke. "I do not express my feelings well. But -"

"Yes you do."

Rei was surprised. Even though Shinji was becoming close to her, she knew that they both knew that she didn't express her feelings well.

"You just don't realize it. You express it in your own way. You do a much better job than I ever could do."

"Untrue, Shinji. No one has ever truly paid attention to you. No one has ever attempted to see the real you."

"I knew it."

". . . ?"

"Rei, I care about you."

"I . . . do not fully understand these feelings. Yet, I care about you as well."

"I know that. I should've realized how much a long time before this."

"But Shinji, what if I could never grasp the concept. What if I am not able to . . ."

"Don't say anything like that. We're both different from everyone else."

"You at least are able to fit in society. I do not adept to such."

"And not one person in society can help me like you can."

". . ."

". . ."

"I wish I knew how to reply to your words. You should withdraw them."

"If I were you, I probably wouldn't know, either. I'm not taking them back because this is how I feel."

"Is this because . . . we were born to meet?"

Shinji didn't stutter. His reply was straight, he was sure he was right. "Yes." He saw that rare smile on Rei's face again.

Rei got off the bed and knelt down on the ground. Shinji knelt down next to her. "Ikari, close your eyes."

"Umm . . . okay . . ." He did just that. Rei slowly moved his body back. His head was in Rei's lap. 'A warm feeling, must be good sign.'

"Shinji."

"Yes, Rei?"

"Do you mind if I . . . touch you?"

Shinji really didn't know how to reply to that. But before he could do anything, he felt Rei's hand stroking his cheek. He like this. This was meant to happen - one wimp and one incredibly odd girl. This is where he belonged in Tokyo-3. Enjoying every second with Rei . . .

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

I don't have to say much after this Chapter other than To Be Continued.