Disclaimer: Don't own nothing, especially NGE.
The earliest memories Rei ever had of her father was when she was about three. She'd woken up from a nightmare about a monster and a great frightening mask with seven eyes. Ezekiel carried her all that night, comforting her. "There there, don't be afraid. You're my little angel, and daddy won't let anything ever happen to his seraph. My little angel..." his voice said in the most soothing tone Rei had ever heard. It almost seemed ironic now that daddy's little angel was all grown up, killing other angels for herself and for mankind. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could almost feel those warm hands again, embracing her. All she had to do for that embrace where nothing could go wrong was to close her eyes, and she could hear that voice again. "My little angel..."
Unfortunately, even she had to open her eyes every now and then, and the cold harsh world always came rushing back in. More tests in that cold monster they called Evangelion, into that thing named after the holy word Gospel. More pain every time another demon called Angel appeared. But she would do it a hundred times over. Anything to be back with her father. Only a few people knew about Rei's fanaticism with that man. True, the only person to feel anything in the same level as her was Commander Ikari with his wife. Maybe that's why she and the Commander always related with each other. Maybe that was why they gave each other those understanding gestures. In any case, the only thing that brought any relief to her life was the warm glow of the tank. Almost as warm as that embrace.
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Right now, Rei wasn't feeling very warm or comforted. In fact, she was inside that very beast that caused so much coldness in her life. Or at least a simulation of one. "Rei, behind you!" Shinji's voice said from the com link, as a tentacle lashed from behind her. The simulation Angel's tentacle ripped through her arm, causing the appendage pain. "Shiest, Wündergirl, for once could you focus on the subject at hand? Mein Gott, I'm just happy that you don't act like this in the field or we'd all be doomed!" Asuka reprimanded through the link, as she drove a progressive axe into the simulation's core, ending the test. Dr. Akagi's voice came through the screen. "Good job, kids, you did that in record time. Just be sure to stay on your feet a little better, Rei." the _good_ doctor implied. "Yes, Doctor Akagi." Rei's monotone said, completely void if it was disappointed. "Well, just try harder, Rei, I'm sure you will improve." she replied. "All right, group, hit the showers."
In the girls locker room, Rei and Asuka were just dressing up back into civvies. As usual, they both only had their school uniforms at hand, giving them a repressive feel. "Geez, doll, you might try to do harder. If I didn't know any better, I'd be thinking you're fantasizing about the Commander again." Asuka said harshly. "I am not a doll, Pilot Souryu, and no, I do not fantasize over Commander Ikari." Rei said flatly. "Yeah, whatever." Asuka shrugged, dismissing the kind of threatening edge Rei gave off. As Rei put on her skirt, a small slip of paper fell from the pocket. 'Hmm, what's this?' Asuka thought as the paper floated on to her shoe. She picked it up and glanced at it. In it was a handsome looking young man. His hair was rather strange because of it's white color, and his eyes were gold, but other than that, he was nothing short of gorgeous. He was holding some sort of bundle to his chest, and Asuka noticed that he held it very protectively. She could have sworn that some sort of blue hair was poking out of the cloth.
"Heh, looks like the only reason you're not having any ecchi dreams about the Commander is cuz' you've already got someone else to ogle at." she said, dangling the picture over Rei's face. Rei stopped in her tracks immediately. "Wh-where did you get that?" Rei stammered, something that really caught the redhead's attention. "Ah, so you are holding something to this man, eh, Wündergirl?" she taunted, holding it out of the other girl's reach. "Give it back, Pilot Souryu." Rei said menacingly, which only fueled Asuka's own resolve to seeing who this man was. "No, I think I'll keep it." the redhead replied smugly, making as if she would pocket the photo, amused that she was annoying the impassive pilot. "YOU *ITCH!" Rei screamed and charged. Asuka was taken aback by this and didn't react in time. Soon she was on the ground. "What the hell are you doing!" she yelled at the enraged albino, noting the fact that her normally docile red eyes were replaced with the same shining gold she saw in the picture.
Now, normally, Shinji Ikari was the sort of guy that would ignore Asuka's ranting. Of course, this only came after months of experience of his own accusations. Sure, at first he was kind of mad that Asuka so openly insulted Rei, but since she did this almost every day, and seeing as Rei really didn't care what other people thought of her, he let it slide. But this was the first time that he actually heard Rei retaliate with such force. That and the fact that Rei had tackled Asuka over the curtain, and that Shinji was only wearing his tidy-whities. "Hey, Oh my God! Rei let go of her!" he said, trying to tear the now-seething girl off of Asuka. "Give it back, Souryu, give it back!" she repeated, completely oblivious to the fact that a Shinji was trying to calm her down. "What in the name of Yebisu is going on here?!" a familiar voice shouted over the screaming children. Misato looked as if she was going to kill someone. She walked over and tried to help Shinji to get Rei off-of Asuka, but the blue haired girl still overpowered them. "Get me a team out here, pronto! The First Child's gone berserk!" Misato said into a radio. Instantly, about two or three NERV staff were in the locker room, finally prying Rei from the German. "Major Katsuragi and all pilots, see me in my office this instant." the voice of Gendou Ikari boomed over the PA system.
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Tic, Tock, Tic, Tock. This was about all that was felt in the Commander's room as Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and the Major stood, rather cluttered. Shinji tried not to shiver as he only had his pants and a rather thin, sleeveless undershirt on. Misato was just as bad, her uniform looking scrunched and her hair in a mess. The same went for Asuka, only her eyes were kind of red, almost as if she was holding in some tears. Even Rei had a few stray hairs going this way and that, not to mention that her overskirt looked...stretched. "Now..." the elder Ikari spoke, breaking the silence "...tell me exactly how this all started." "Sir, it seemed as if Pilot Ayana-" Misato was cut off with Gendou's hand, signaling silence. "I was talking to Rei." he said bluntly. Misato looked offended, but complied.
Rei's voice was much more timid than before, with no trace of the rage she held a few minutes ago. "Sir. It was all my doing, Commander Ikari. I was the one who first attacked Souryu. Sir." Everyone was surprised that Rei had openly confessed that she was the one at fault, but more so that Rei had dropped the pilot, and was now addressing the redhead like any other person. "Mm, I see. Now what provoked this act, Pilot Souryu?" the Commander said, eyeing Asuka with venom, as if she had been the one at fault instead of Rei. "Sir, Pilot Ayanami attacked after I picked up a picture of hers off the floor, Sir." she replied, almost as emotionless as Rei, the shock of the attack still perceivable in her eyes. "And what picture might this be, Pilot Souryu?" he asked, with genuine curiosity. Asuka wordlessly slipped the photo towards the desk. Gendou took one look at it and immediately saw the reason why Ayanami attacked Asuka. "Very well. Major Katsuragi, this incident never happened, understood?" The major nodded. "Understood, sir." she replied. "Good, all of you are dismissed, except for Miss Ayanami."
The earliest memories Rei ever had of her father was when she was about three. She'd woken up from a nightmare about a monster and a great frightening mask with seven eyes. Ezekiel carried her all that night, comforting her. "There there, don't be afraid. You're my little angel, and daddy won't let anything ever happen to his seraph. My little angel..." his voice said in the most soothing tone Rei had ever heard. It almost seemed ironic now that daddy's little angel was all grown up, killing other angels for herself and for mankind. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could almost feel those warm hands again, embracing her. All she had to do for that embrace where nothing could go wrong was to close her eyes, and she could hear that voice again. "My little angel..."
Unfortunately, even she had to open her eyes every now and then, and the cold harsh world always came rushing back in. More tests in that cold monster they called Evangelion, into that thing named after the holy word Gospel. More pain every time another demon called Angel appeared. But she would do it a hundred times over. Anything to be back with her father. Only a few people knew about Rei's fanaticism with that man. True, the only person to feel anything in the same level as her was Commander Ikari with his wife. Maybe that's why she and the Commander always related with each other. Maybe that was why they gave each other those understanding gestures. In any case, the only thing that brought any relief to her life was the warm glow of the tank. Almost as warm as that embrace.
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Right now, Rei wasn't feeling very warm or comforted. In fact, she was inside that very beast that caused so much coldness in her life. Or at least a simulation of one. "Rei, behind you!" Shinji's voice said from the com link, as a tentacle lashed from behind her. The simulation Angel's tentacle ripped through her arm, causing the appendage pain. "Shiest, Wündergirl, for once could you focus on the subject at hand? Mein Gott, I'm just happy that you don't act like this in the field or we'd all be doomed!" Asuka reprimanded through the link, as she drove a progressive axe into the simulation's core, ending the test. Dr. Akagi's voice came through the screen. "Good job, kids, you did that in record time. Just be sure to stay on your feet a little better, Rei." the _good_ doctor implied. "Yes, Doctor Akagi." Rei's monotone said, completely void if it was disappointed. "Well, just try harder, Rei, I'm sure you will improve." she replied. "All right, group, hit the showers."
In the girls locker room, Rei and Asuka were just dressing up back into civvies. As usual, they both only had their school uniforms at hand, giving them a repressive feel. "Geez, doll, you might try to do harder. If I didn't know any better, I'd be thinking you're fantasizing about the Commander again." Asuka said harshly. "I am not a doll, Pilot Souryu, and no, I do not fantasize over Commander Ikari." Rei said flatly. "Yeah, whatever." Asuka shrugged, dismissing the kind of threatening edge Rei gave off. As Rei put on her skirt, a small slip of paper fell from the pocket. 'Hmm, what's this?' Asuka thought as the paper floated on to her shoe. She picked it up and glanced at it. In it was a handsome looking young man. His hair was rather strange because of it's white color, and his eyes were gold, but other than that, he was nothing short of gorgeous. He was holding some sort of bundle to his chest, and Asuka noticed that he held it very protectively. She could have sworn that some sort of blue hair was poking out of the cloth.
"Heh, looks like the only reason you're not having any ecchi dreams about the Commander is cuz' you've already got someone else to ogle at." she said, dangling the picture over Rei's face. Rei stopped in her tracks immediately. "Wh-where did you get that?" Rei stammered, something that really caught the redhead's attention. "Ah, so you are holding something to this man, eh, Wündergirl?" she taunted, holding it out of the other girl's reach. "Give it back, Pilot Souryu." Rei said menacingly, which only fueled Asuka's own resolve to seeing who this man was. "No, I think I'll keep it." the redhead replied smugly, making as if she would pocket the photo, amused that she was annoying the impassive pilot. "YOU *ITCH!" Rei screamed and charged. Asuka was taken aback by this and didn't react in time. Soon she was on the ground. "What the hell are you doing!" she yelled at the enraged albino, noting the fact that her normally docile red eyes were replaced with the same shining gold she saw in the picture.
Now, normally, Shinji Ikari was the sort of guy that would ignore Asuka's ranting. Of course, this only came after months of experience of his own accusations. Sure, at first he was kind of mad that Asuka so openly insulted Rei, but since she did this almost every day, and seeing as Rei really didn't care what other people thought of her, he let it slide. But this was the first time that he actually heard Rei retaliate with such force. That and the fact that Rei had tackled Asuka over the curtain, and that Shinji was only wearing his tidy-whities. "Hey, Oh my God! Rei let go of her!" he said, trying to tear the now-seething girl off of Asuka. "Give it back, Souryu, give it back!" she repeated, completely oblivious to the fact that a Shinji was trying to calm her down. "What in the name of Yebisu is going on here?!" a familiar voice shouted over the screaming children. Misato looked as if she was going to kill someone. She walked over and tried to help Shinji to get Rei off-of Asuka, but the blue haired girl still overpowered them. "Get me a team out here, pronto! The First Child's gone berserk!" Misato said into a radio. Instantly, about two or three NERV staff were in the locker room, finally prying Rei from the German. "Major Katsuragi and all pilots, see me in my office this instant." the voice of Gendou Ikari boomed over the PA system.
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Tic, Tock, Tic, Tock. This was about all that was felt in the Commander's room as Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and the Major stood, rather cluttered. Shinji tried not to shiver as he only had his pants and a rather thin, sleeveless undershirt on. Misato was just as bad, her uniform looking scrunched and her hair in a mess. The same went for Asuka, only her eyes were kind of red, almost as if she was holding in some tears. Even Rei had a few stray hairs going this way and that, not to mention that her overskirt looked...stretched. "Now..." the elder Ikari spoke, breaking the silence "...tell me exactly how this all started." "Sir, it seemed as if Pilot Ayana-" Misato was cut off with Gendou's hand, signaling silence. "I was talking to Rei." he said bluntly. Misato looked offended, but complied.
Rei's voice was much more timid than before, with no trace of the rage she held a few minutes ago. "Sir. It was all my doing, Commander Ikari. I was the one who first attacked Souryu. Sir." Everyone was surprised that Rei had openly confessed that she was the one at fault, but more so that Rei had dropped the pilot, and was now addressing the redhead like any other person. "Mm, I see. Now what provoked this act, Pilot Souryu?" the Commander said, eyeing Asuka with venom, as if she had been the one at fault instead of Rei. "Sir, Pilot Ayanami attacked after I picked up a picture of hers off the floor, Sir." she replied, almost as emotionless as Rei, the shock of the attack still perceivable in her eyes. "And what picture might this be, Pilot Souryu?" he asked, with genuine curiosity. Asuka wordlessly slipped the photo towards the desk. Gendou took one look at it and immediately saw the reason why Ayanami attacked Asuka. "Very well. Major Katsuragi, this incident never happened, understood?" The major nodded. "Understood, sir." she replied. "Good, all of you are dismissed, except for Miss Ayanami."