Listen if I own something I will tell you about it but don't hold your breath.

Shinji walked down the streets of the ancient city. He was ill at ease, he felt like he was about to be attacked. He looked around waiting for it. He felt like a pack of wolves were ready to tear him apart. The old buildings around him were in good condition despite the fact that they were hundreds of years old. He shifted his blue eyes from building to building, as he walked, slowly examining the features of each as if he was absorbing the history of them. However, Shinji wasn't the only one who was nervous. A pair of eyes settled over the young pilot, the owner of this particular set of eyes was also on edge but not for fear of an attack but because Shinji was nervous. The deep crimson eyes, however, betrayed no hint on emotion. The only person who could see this emotion in her was focused on the surroundings as if waiting for an attack at any second. Shinji suddenly blinked and fell backwards as he ran into Touji' back who was walking in front of him.

"Hay Shinji! Pay attention!"

"Sorry"

"You've been out of it ever sense we arrived in Kyoto."

"It's almost like your expecting an attack or something." Kensuke piped up waving his hand.

Shinji looked at the ground and slowly got up brushing the dust off his school uniform. Still he felt like he should be on guard. However, his thoughts were interrupted by Sensei.

"Now you have the rest of the day to your selves we will meet back at the hotel at 7:00pm for dinner. That gives you plenty of time to wonder around. Nobody better be late!"

Touji and Kensuke walked up to Shinji who was still nervous.

"So Shinji, man, what do you want to do?"

"You guys go on without me I feel like I need to be alone right now." He gave them a weak smile. "I hope you understand."

Touji and Kensuke just looked at each other in utter confusion but when they returned their gazes to where Shinji was standing, he had disappeared. Also unnoticed by everyone else Rei had also disappeared. Shinji's friends looked around baffled and then went on with their business of wandering around Kyoto. Shinji saw this from the shadows and was happy they were enjoying themselves. He turned back and started to head down an alley and he stared to think out loud.

"I feel bad about leaving them alone but...." he trailed off.

"But what?" Came a cool calm voice from behind him.

"I don't want them getting hurt. I also don't want you hurt ether. You should go back with the group."

"I do not wish to go back to the group. I also do not wish to see you injured."

He was taken back by her relatively open concern for his safety. Unfortunately, she also made it clear that she was going with him whether he wanted her to or not. Still he had convinced her to do a few things that she normally wouldn't. Once he even convinced her to watch TV with him, which turned out to be a disaster when Asuka got home. This time he knew she wouldn't let it go so he just sighed and continued down the ally with Rei silently following behind him. Some how he made his way down to a small knife stand next to a big tree. He was a little surprised when a little kid popped his head out from behind the counter but still he gave the small child a warm smile.

"May I speak with your parents, little one?"

The young child turned his head to a door that lead to a back room in the shop and yelled.

"Mommy, Daddy there is a nice man and a blue haired statue hear to see you."

Rei raised an eyebrow at the kid's reference to her. Shinji couldn't help but smile at both Rei and the young one. In a short amount of time, a kindly looking man appeared at the door and smiled down at his son.

"May I help you?" The man said with a warm smile.

"I am interested in trying out a kitchen knife."

Shinji lightly picked up a medium sized blade with one hand and with the other accepted a large vegetable from the young man. Shinji bowed his head so his hair covered his eyes. With one swift motion, he cut the white root in half and caught the other half with the hand with the knife in it. Rei' eyes almost betrayed shock she had never seen somebody move so fast. What happened next both shocked her and intrigued her at the same time, Shinji put the root back together and the seem where he had cut it disappeared. Shinji looked up to see Rei with one eyebrow raised, the young one clapping, and the shop owner with a small grin on his face.

"Well I have been waiting for you."

It was Shinji's turn to be surprised. "What?"

"Do you know what you just did?"

"No I don't." He answered honestly.

"You cut that vegetable with such skill and precision you didn't damage any of the cells and therefore could be put back together as if nothing happened!"

Shinji was utterly confused and Rei still had her eyebrow up.

"Listen if you follow me there is something I must give you," he called to the back of the shop, "Honey I am going to the shrine for a while can you watch the shop while I am gone?"

"Sure." The simple one word reply came back with enough love to fill a novel with words. Shinji smiled at the two of them.

"You love your wife very much." It was a simple statement that made the storeowner smile greatly.

"And she loves me back." Shinji sighed as the four of them made their way down to a very old looking shrine.

"Wait right hear and I will get the item."

Shinji sat down on the steps and looked at Rei who was still standing he motioned for her to next to him. As she did so, the little one sat between the two.

"Do your funny knife trick again!" the little one said as he clapped and smiled.

"Maybe later." Shinji smiled at the kid and ruffled his hair.

Rei was astonished by the way Shinji was acting. He was so gentle and caring, the last time she had seen him like this was when he rescued her from the entry plug after the fifth angel. This was different though he was calmer not concerned with emanate death, he was happy, at ease. She felt a warmth inside of her seeing him like that. Seeing him at ease made her feel at ease, though she would not let her face show it. Shinji looked up from playing with the young one and into Rei' eyes and saw she was calm. He gave her a very warm smile witch made her relax the tiniest bit, just enough so Shinji could see and no one else. Just then, the storeowner came down the stairs with a long cardboard box.

"Inside this box lies two gifts from you predecessor: his cloths and his sword." Shinji raised his eyebrow at the later. "My family was entrusted to guard these until his return. The legend says that he would use the same technique you did earlier today." Shinji was still in shock.

"But I didn't do it on purpose."

"That is unimportant. What is important is the trial of the 7. Seven powerful warriors will come after your life. You must take the sword and defend yourself and..." a large smirk covered his face, "You must defend her." The friendly man motioned to Rei.

Shinji looked at Rei and then at the man. Shinji gingerly took the box from him, set it on the step in front of him, and opened it. Inside was a red gi top and katana, the cloths were in great condition but the sword looked a little warn. Shinji grasped the hilt of the sword with one hand and the sheath with the other. After a moment of feeling the power from the sword emanate through his body he flicked his thumb, a click came from the sword, and he drew the blade. Both Shinji and Rei looked at the blade strangely.

"Oh that," said the storeowner nonchalantly, "I forgot to tell you the sword is a Sakabato, A reverse blade sword, designed not to kill." Shinji let out a sigh of relief he really didn't want to kill anybody. "And don't think that you were left out of the legend." The man looks at Rei, "You are part of this also. Your predecessor left you a single gift though." The man reaches into his pocket, grabs a smaller box and hands it to Rei. "This was her favorite blue ribbon."

Rei opened the box and stared at the beautiful blue ribbon. It is almost the color of Shinji's eyes. She thought for a long time about it, and the more it reminded her of his eyes the more she liked it. As she was looking at the fabric, she remembered something.

"Shinji, what time is it?"

Shinji looked down at his watch, "6:45..." his voice trailed off.

Both pilots quickly closed the boxes, stood up and gave the man a bow of respect.

"We are sorry but we must head off to dinner."

"I understand I should probably go home as well. I have told you all you need to know for now the rest you must find on your own."

And with that the man took is son bye the hand and led him back to the shop while the two teens made their way to the hotel where dinner was being served. The pair arrived five minuets late witch upset sensei. The fact that they arrived together sparked roomers from everyone else. Shinji went to go sit next to Touji and Kensuke and Rei went to go sit alone but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at the culprit and found Shinji looking at the ground blushing. She nodded, went, and took a seat next to Shinji but away from Touji and Kensuke.

Touji decided to try to strike up a conversation. "So tell me agene why Asuka isn't hear."

"She didn't want to come she said `Kyoto is a stupid and dirty town'"

Kensuke tried his hand at conversation, "So Shinji what is in the box?"

"Nothing. Listen the two of you need to be careful when you are around me if I tell you to leave I mean it, run like your nuts are on fire."

The two of them would have laughed at that last comment if it weren't for the look in Shinji's eyes he was serous, dead serous. The four young teens ate the meal in silence. Shinji and Rei stole looks from each other when the other wasn't looking. The greatly amused Touji and Kensuke they would have to torment him about it later. Finally, the meal was over and the four of them stood up prepared to disperse when Shinji turned to Rei and started to blush.

"Rei... um... would like to go for a walk later?"

Shinji caught the slightest hint of glee in here eyes and if there weren't so many people around, she might have had a small smile on her face.

"That would be... acceptable."

Shinji was ecstatic. "Great can we leave as soon as I change?"

"Yes."

Ten minuets later Shinji knocked on Rei' door dressed in the cloths that were in the box. With those clothes on and the Sakabato at his side, he felt less nervous than before. He still felt like there could be an attack at any second but he felt like he could handle almost anything that threatened him or Rei. Slid open her door, Shinji was shocked that she was not wearing her school uniform but a light blue kimono and in her hand was the deep blue ribbon she had received from earlier in the day.

"Are... are... you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am"

Rei and Shinji walked side by side out of the hotel ignoring the stairs from their classmates. The pair made their was down the streets of Kyoto bathed in the glow of a full moon. There was silence as the pair walked down the poorly lit streets enjoying the night air and each other's company. About half an hour into their walk, a shadow crossed the street behind them Shinji barely noticed it but his eye caught the three that followed the first. Shinji placed his hand on Rei' shoulder to warn her of the danger. As soon as the pair stopped walking, six more shadows appeared. One of them spoke.

"Hand over your valuables," he looked at Rei, "and you woman."

Shinji didn't mind handing over his valuables because he didn't have anything of value, except his sword, but he would never let anybody lay a finger on Rei. His response to the threat was to place his hands on the sword at his belt. He felt the power of the sword as he clicked it open ready to draw.

"If you think you can defend ageist ten of us with one sword then you are sadly mistaken my friend!"

"You may take my valuables if you wish, I have none. However, if you even dare to touch Rei me and my one sword will be plenty to worry about."

"I don't like you attitude kid!"

"And I don't like a band of peaty thieves that try to steal from a kid walking at night with a beautiful woman!"

Rei was surprised at Shinji's comment about her being beautiful. She was also instilled with a sense of security from Shinji's newfound battle readiness. She also knew that they had no chance of winning. I believe Asuka has a term for their situation `Royally screwed' was it? Yes, I believe that is the phrase. Rei thought to herself with confidence.

One of the dark figures drew a butterfly knife and lunged at Shinji. None of the assailants saw the strike just a flash of light but their comrade was lying on the ground unconscious and Shinji's sword was now drawn. The thieves looked at the blade of the sword and started to laugh.

"You couldn't kill a fly with that thing!"

"Just because I can't kill you doesn't mean I can't make you WISH you WERE dead."

"Big talk from a small man. Well I'll have you know I was pretty handy with a sword in my day."

The obvious leader of the group drew his sword and prepared to attack. The man in black charged at Shinji who just stood there. The leader swung his sword at Shinji to the surprise of all of the thieves Shinji was not there instead he was behind their boss and there was a large impression on the boss' chest where Shinji's sword struck him.

"If the rest of you do not want to end up like your boss or him I suggest you leave now."

Shinji's voice was calm but firm. The other men scattered afraid of his wrath. After the last of them disappeared, Shinji's face softened and his demeanor changed as he sheathed his sword.

"Did you mean what you said?" came Rei' quiet voice.

Shinji stiffened and a blush came to his face as he remembered what he said during the battle.

"Y...ye...yes." he finally stammered out.

Rei did not know how to react; in fact, the only thing she knew was his words made her feel warm inside. She took a chance and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was the correct move because Shinji turned around and gave her a warm smile.

"Would you like to return to the hotel?"

Rei looked into his eyes with a look that he took a yes she wished to return. The pair walked silently made their way back to the hotel. He slid the door to her room open and she motioned for him to enter. He slid door closed and walked to where she was standing.

"I may need some help sleeping tonight. Those men may give me nightmares."

He raised his eyebrow skeptically.

"Please?"

He smiled as he placed the Sakabato next to the nightstand. Then he did something they both didn't expect, he drew her into a warm embrace. Rei stiffened, as she was unfamiliar with this. Soon, however, she relaxed and mimicked him placing her arms around him. This made him happy, very happy. He moved her over to the bed and released her so she could lie down. He would have left then if he had a choice but Rei grabbed his arm and pulled him down next to her. She wrapped her arms around him and used his chest as a pillow. He let out a small laugh, which caused her head to bounce. She glared at him, she wanted some sleep. He took the hint and stopped laughing so she could sleep. He watched her rhythmic breathing and slowly fell into a deep slumber.

Please review! The more you review the faster the chapters will come out.

Oh yes as for Eva on Stage I am still working on that but it may be a while before I update it, sorry.