Conversations and Observations Chapter One Part 11 – While You Were Sleeping.

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Disclaimer: There should be one at the beginning of this mess, but I'll put one here just to remind everyone: Evangelion isn't mine. It belongs to Gainax and a few others. I'm only borrowing their universe for a bit of fun, and hopefully it's enjoyable. I don't intend to make any money off of this work, so please, don't sue me.

Author's Notes:

I hope you enjoy this part. I've been away for a while, but I'm really trying to pull this together. I hope you don't find the following segment too confusing – I wanted to try a different way of telling about the battle and the Trinity. I hope you enjoy it. :D

And thanks to everyone for their appreciation and positive reviews. I greatly enjoy getting feedback from everyone, and hope that it continues. I've recently had some bad illness and a lot of work, but I will be getting back into the writing, and trying my hardest to make sure that the quality is what you're used to. So please be patient, and enjoy the story. :D

Thanks,
PitViper.

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Conversations and Observations Chapter One Part 11 – While you were Sleeping.

Touji's eyes focused on the ceiling above him. 'Where am I?' was the first conscious thought to flutter through his muddled mind. He felt horrible. His body, which he was very proud of, felt like it had been run over by several tanks and massive tractor trailers before finally being flattened by the grotesque monster that was his to pilot…

It wasn't until he glanced over to the side of his bed, while grunting in minor pain at the effort it took, that he realized where he was. After all, one normally finds IV bags hanging in hospitals. The fact that he currently had an IV bag attached to his arm by a clear plastic tube suggested quite strongly that he was in the hospital.

He looked further and saw the small utilitarian table next to his bed. There was a small cream colored phone, and a vase of wild flowers. There were also two cards, one saying "Get Well Soon" Signed "2-A"… As Touji thought about it, he knew that if he opened that card, he'd see the signatures of all his classmates… at least the ones that were still in the city. He noticed another card, this one was smaller, but far more ornate and complicated in design. And while there was no specific message on the outside other than "Feel better soon", he knew that this card was special.

Touji, however, couldn't see who wrote the card. Summoning what little strength he had, he managed to move his arm and grasp the smaller card without disturbing the myriad of sensors and wires attached to the various places on his body.

As the Jock managed to move the card before his eyes, he noticed the very delicate patterns what appeared to be ornate lace along the edges. 'An expensive card, although not quite my taste….' He opened it carefully, like a child examining a Christmas present, wondering what would be within.

Touji,

I hope you get well soon. I miss you.

Hikari.

Touji blinked in shock. "Hikari?" He muttered softly. It was then he noticed the empty chair next to his bed. On it was a notebook, its pages open, laying face down on the chair seat as though its reader had abandoned it quickly. He recognized it as a class journal. He had seen Hikari working quite often in this type of book, keeping track of the things that she had to do as the class representative. Finally he was able to struggle and get himself into a position to actually see the cover. "Hikari," he muttered, as he saw the class representative's last name on the page. 'Just how long have I been in this place?' He wondered as he moved himself back to his previous position in the bed.

Just as he had managed to get himself back into a comfortable position, the room's door opened, revealing the last person he wanted to see: The woman who was primarily responsible for his being in this hospital.

Doctor Akagi sighed as she brought up the lights in the room. "Mr. Suzahara," she said quietly, holding a clipboard to her chest.

Touji remained silent; trying to pretend that he was asleep.

"That won't work." The doctor said sternly, then she sighed. "We know you're awake. Actually, though, we were anticipating that you wouldn't wake up until this evening, but evidently your body had other plans."

"What time is it?" Touji asked, not bothering to open his eyes to the light.

Akagi glanced at her wrist. "About six in the morning."

Touji mumbled incoherently. "Figures." He finally said after breathing a few curses.

"Mr. Suzahara… Sorry about this… but we have to begin a few cursory tests. What is the last thing you remember?" The doctor asked quietly, moving the notebook from the chair, and taking a seat.

Touji took this moment to glare at her. "I guess I understand why Shinji hates Eva so much…"

"Please Mr. Suzahara…"

Summoning his ire, what little of it there was, Touji practically growled at Ritsuko Akagi, "Would you just please stop with the Mr. Suzahara shit. Its Touji, got it?" Touji watched the Doctor jump. "As for the last thing I remember. You said 'Reaching absolute border' and after that everything went blank."

Akagi wrote on her clipboard. "Good. It looks like no short term memory loss." She looked at him sympathetically, "You remembered a lot more than I expected you to Mr. Suza… Touji. After all, you've been out of commission for quite a while."

Touji blinked, "What?"

"You had a severe concussion, and multiple fractures along your arm and leg. The fractures were healed quite quickly using some of our more advanced techniques… but the concussion has kept you out for…" Ritsuko looked at her clipboard, "Three weeks."

"Th… Three weeks!" Touji moaned.

Akagi looked down at the notebook she had laid on the floor, and then moved it to the small table. "Yes. Three weeks. Granted, we kept you sedated for the last couple of days just to make sure that the swelling had gone down. But other than that, you should be just fine."

"Fine? Fine! I've just spent three weeks unconscious, and I feel like a steam roller flattened me." Touji complained. "What the hell happened anyway?"

Ritsuko twitched. "Well, Touji… I don't think anyone can really explain exactly what happened. And the details will have to wait until your mission debriefing… but… Suffice it to say… a lot has changed since you blacked out in that entry plug…"

"Like what…" Touji said angrily, but trailed off when he heard the door open. What Touji saw next was entirely unexpected.

"Sorry, Doctor Akagi… I needed to get my note…" Hikari stopped short as she realized that Touji was staring at her. "Suzahara-kun?"

"C…Class Rep?" He asked, staring at Hikari. "Wh…Why are you wearing… that?"

Hikari blushed, her freckles fading away as the color of her face turned a bright cherry red.

Doctor Akagi felt a pang of remorse for the young girl. "Miss Horaki. Night watch?"

Hikari blinked, "Um… yeah."

"Hikari, That's…that's… that's a plug suit!" Touji said, then glared at Doctor Akagi. "You bitch! Putting four children through hell wasn't enough. Couldn't wait for me to heal up, so you just had to get some one else to throw into one of those goddamn beasts!"

Doctor Akagi rose quickly from her chair, "Now you listen here, Pilot Suzahara! NERV is in the business of defending humanity. To that end, we'll do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal. First, you are a pilot – the designated pilot of Unit 03, which is currently being rebuilt. So we didn't throw Miss Horaki anywhere. Second, she's a volunteer. And you'd be surprised at just how many volunteers there were who were willing to pilot Eva. Third, you have no clue what's been happening for the last three weeks. If you did, then you'd know that we need EVERY pilot we can get. Which includes you once you're up and out of here." Akagi hissed, "Finally, I won't tolerate being called a bitch for any reason, even by an injured pilot such as yourself."

"You're using them, damnit!" Suzahara practically screamed, then began to cough.

"Touji," Hikari said softly. "It was my choice. They need us, Touji. Asuka, Shinji and Rei… they all need us. Besides, it's my only link to her…" Hikari looked away as she got a stern look from Akagi.

"Her? Who?" Touji asked, confused and frightened. "You're only link to who, Hikari?"

"She can't answer that," Akagi coldly interrupted. "Its classified, Mr. Suzahara. And unless you decide to be a pilot full time, you aren't privileged to know that information."

"Bullshit!" Touji muttered, watching Hikari twitch slightly at his disrespect.

"I'm sorry, Touji. It's part of our duty." Hikari glanced over at Doctor Akagi, wishing that the woman would relinquish her from her silence. 'You were in Eva, Touji. Couldn't you feel it? Don't you know?' She thought to herself while trying to understand the boy's anger.

"Look, Doctor Akagi." Touji muttered, "You might as well tell me. I'm in NERV as long as my sister gets the best possible treatment, you understand. So you can tell me now."

"I'm sorry, Touji. That decision isn't up to me." Akagi said sadly. "Your commanding officer will have to debrief you and she's the one who will make the judgment of whether or not you can have access to that information – or whether or not you'll be the pilot of Unit 03."

"My CO?" Touji chuckled. "Kensuke would be going ape over all this military jargon. I assume that my 'CO' is Major Katsuragi?"

Akagi chuckled a bit herself, "Not quite. Let's just say that Katsuragi got an unexpected promotion. NERV isn't what it once was."

"So," Touji wondered idly, "Who is my CO?"

Doctor Akagi smiled slightly, "Why don't I let Miss Horaki explain. And I'll leave you two alone." She moved to exit, "Oh, by the way Mr. Suzahara, should you decide to speak to me like that again, you'll find yourself in the stockade. I won't tolerate insubordination of that magnitude."

As the door closed, Touji relaxed a bit. "Sorry." He muttered, not sure of what else to say.

"It's ok. Doctor Akagi isn't exactly the easiest person to get along with. Then again, she doesn't have to be. She can put anyone in their place, even the Commander." Hikari said, choosing to sit in the vacated chair.

Touji nodded absently. "I see. So, why did you sign up?"

Hikari fidgeted slightly. "A few reasons, actually. Not the least of which was you."

Touji sputtered, "Me?"

With a small sigh, Hikari glanced at him, "I think I'm in love with you." She blushed immediately, then turned away.

Touji gulped, "I… In love?"

Hikari nodded slightly in the affirmative.

"Hikari," Touji started, and waited for the young girl to look at him. "I… I think I'm in love with you too. I know one thing… I care about you a lot. Part of the reason for me choosing to become a pilot was to protect you."

Hikari's surprised face quickly turned into a joyful expression. "You… Love me?"

Touji smiled slightly, "Hey, what do I know, I'm just a jock! But I do know one thing: If there's anyone in school that I'd want to date, go out with, or just spend time around. It's you." Touji watched as the Class rep grasped his hand gently and put it to her face.

"Thank you." She muttered softly, and looked into his eyes. "The last three weeks…" She paused as tears started to build in her eyes, "The last three weeks were horrible. So many people… so many dead."

Touji's eyes widened as the class rep began crying. "W…What happened?"

"A… A lot of it is classified, Touji. You'll get it during your debriefing… but there was this other group. They had been funding NERV. They used the JSSDF to move in and attack Tokyo III. Shinji said it was because of what happened during the last angel attack, they were trying to recover their plan for the end of humanity or something like that." She paused. "Shinji, Rei and Asuka defended the city as best they could, but a squad got into the school. NERV had guards for our classroom… but my older sister's class…" Hikari turned away.

"What did they do?"

"They…" Hikari choked, "They opened fire on the class."

"Your sister?"

Hikari, smiled slightly, "She… she was lucky. Bullet wound to the leg and arm… and a glancing shot to the face. The scars will be there for a while, but she's still alive." Then her tears started again, "But she's one of only three in class 4-C that survived. Everyone else… was killed."

Touji shuddered, "Anyone else?"

Hikari nodded, "A couple snipers took some shots at our class from the courtyard. Kensuke got hit by flying glass, and I took a bullet to the shoulder. Tamara… though… the sniper put a shot through her head. She… she fell in my lap, Touji. Her blood… so much blood. All I could do was remember her twitching for a few seconds, her eyes empty… unfocused. The worst thing was, she was dead before she hit the ground. She was a nice person. A good person. She didn't deserve that! None of them deserved that!

"At that moment I told myself, 'Hikari, you can't let this happen to anyone else.'" Hikari paused to wipe away some tears. "I mean Tamara never even had a boyfriend. She was always too shy, and too plain, to attract any attention of that kind. A lot like me, if I wasn't class rep… I would have been just like her."

"Hikari," Touji began. "It's not your fault. There was nothing you could do."

"I know. Even Rei told me that. A lot of the ground battle I wasn't there for. I'm sure Rei will want to go over the details of that with you." Hikari quickly said, "I… Even though I know that there was nothing I could do to save her… I know too that now, as a pilot, I have the opportunity to save others. Colonel Katsuragi told me that 'The purpose of a weapon is to protect and defend life – yours and those for whom you fight.' Eva is a weapon, just like a gun or a sword. She also said, 'If only people would understand that each life is precious we'd have a lot less need for weapons in this world.'"

Touji smiled slightly, "So that's why you signed on, eh?"

"Mostly…" Hikari said, then smiled a bit. "The other thing… that I knew I had to do… I didn't want to die. At least not until I told the guy I love that I love him." Hikari stood, and leaned over Touji's prone form, and kissed him on the lips.

For his part, Touji just let himself be kissed, enjoying every moment of it. When Hikari finally broke contact, Touji opened his eyes. "Wow…"

Hikari giggled slightly, her tears still on her face. Touji gently lifted his hand, and wiped away the tears. She then grasped his hand with hers, and held it to her cheek. "I love you. Tamara's death taught me that death could come for us, at any time, in any place. And while I want us to take our time… with a relationship… to make sure it works – I realized that I'd never have anything, unless I told you how I felt."

"Hikari…" He said softly, "I love you too. And when I get out of here," Touji gestured towards the bed, "I'm going to take you for coffee and a movie."

"I'd like that." Hikari beamed back.

Suddenly the Hospital's PA system came online, "Pilot Horaki, please report to Lieutenant Colonel Ayanami for mission debriefing. Pilot Horaki, please report to Lieutenant Colonel Ayanami for debriefing."

Hikari grabbed her notebook from the desk. "Sorry, Touji. Got to go." She smiled slightly as her boyfriend struggled with the thought of the announcement.

"Lieutenant Colonel Ayanami? Does Rei have a parent in the Military or something?" Touji asked, trying to envision a parent to the enigmatic blue-haired girl.

"No. That's Rei. And that's her way of getting quality girl-talk time." Hikari said with a wink. "See you around, Touji."

-

Touji followed the Section Two officer assigned to take him to Lt. Colonel Ayanami. He was still tender and sore, but otherwise fine. Especially after the nurse came in and gave him a counteracting agent for the sedatives he had been on. Evidently Doctor Akagi wanted to question him while he was under the influence of the drugs – supposedly he would be more truthful and forthcoming in that condition. She was quite correct in theory. However the drugs had loosened his tongue a bit too much.

Still, though, he felt a lot better, and was hoping he'd get a chance to run into Shinji or Kensuke. Although he doubted that NERV would let the latter into the facility… and that the former would be allowed out of his Eva for anything other than a rest period. Finally, the officer reached the door.

"Here you go, sir." He said politely.

Touji wondered about the honorific. Did he have a higher rank than the section two guard now? Still, it didn't matter. He was at his destination, and that was all that was important. "Thanks." He said half-heartedly, and knocked on the door.

"Enter" Came the soft voice from the other side. As Touji opened the door, he noticed the name plaque "Lt. Col. Ayanami"

Upon entering the room, he stiffened suddenly. Behind the rather plain desk was Rei Ayanami. She was dressed in a black uniform he had never seen before. The uniform jacket had two silver oak leaves affixed to the epaulettes of her jacket. Over her right breast, there were several ribbons and medals. Touji decided that the ribbons must have been engagements and training she'd received over the years, and that the medals were commendations for her actions in battle. The top of the uniform jacket was slightly undone – allowing Touji to see that it was indeed a red turtleneck shirt under the uniform jacket.

"Please close the door, Pilot Suzahara." Rei instructed softly, glancing up from the paperwork she had on her desk. She stole a glance at one item on the desk, a small container containing a white flower. The flower was contained in a solid plastic, preserving its appearance, and also doubling as a paperweight.

"Yes ma'am." Touji replied in an equal tone, absently closing the door, and turning to his former classmate. He stood silent for several minutes, unsure of what to do next.

Rei, sensing his uncertainty and his gaze upon her, lifted her crimson eyes from the flower to meet his.

Touji snapped out of his silence, "Pilot Suzahara reporting as… as ordered."

Rei allowed a small and sympathetic smile to run across her features for a few moments. Shinji had recently been trying to get her to 'loosen up' a bit when it came to human interaction. "Suzahara-kun. Please, have a seat."

"Yes, Colonel." He said, moving to the chair.

"In this room, Suzahara-kun, our ranks are unnecessary – unless it is a disciplinary issue, you may call me Rei or Ayanami, whichever you are more comfortable with." Rei said quietly, and with a slight air of humor.

Touji just numbly nodded, still trying to absorb the haunting appearance of the alabaster skinned woman.

Rei took several moments to understand why Touji was intimidated. "My apologies for the uniform. My normal attire is not appropriate for the current situation. There is no need to keep up pretense or secrecy of status or position. And I needed my dress uniform for a promotion ceremony earlier today." She looked at herself for a moment. "I hate red, but it is a part of the uniform."

"Uh… It's ok." Touji said softly, in shock now not only at Rei's appearance, but at how much she just said to him. 'She never talks that much.'

Rei anticipated Touji's thoughts, "In school, it served no purpose for me to socialize. In a command situation, however, communication is a necessity."

"Uh, it's okay, Ayanami. It just caught me off guard, ya know?"

"I imagine it would, Suzahara-kun." Rei said, kindness creeping into her features as she adjusted her jacket slightly. "I also imagine you're wondering why you're here?"

"A little…" Touji said, fidgeting slightly.

"Well, considering your location in the last fight, it is understandable that you'd not remember much of what happened. This is a debriefing to inform you of the situation involving the Thirteenth Angel, Bardiel. And to inform you of how the mission was completed."

"What about my status with NERV?" Touji asked suddenly.

"That will be discussed after the Debriefing. Let's begin with the events immediately after the incident at the test site." Rei touched several buttons on her desk, and the wall behind her suddenly transformed into a display surface. Almost immediately, the NERV symbol appeared, and a data file name was displayed, with the notice that the information contained within was classified "Top Secret, eyes only".

A voice echoed in the small office. "Beginning Magi playback, Datafile 00122731 Alpha. Operation Bardiel, timestamp fourteen thirty six twenty two."

As the playback began from the point of view of each of the Eva's, and several monitoring posts, Rei closed her eyes as she remembered the incident first hand.

--

"That's an Eva!" Asuka yelled as the creature appeared over the horizon.

"That is the target, designated as the Thirteenth Angel. Pilot Soryu will engage and destroy the target, Rei will engage as backup only if Soryu is unable to defeat or contain the angel. Pilot Ikari will be the GeoFront's last line of defense." The cold voice of Gendo Ikari echoed over each of the pilot's links.

Asuka, well trained in combat tactics, immediately saw the foolishness in the attack plan. 'Together we succeed, divided… we fall.' She thought. Little did she know that the thoughts were being echoed in the minds of each of the other Evangelion pilots. "Shiest! I'm falling back. Shinji, get your ass to Rei's position."

"Pilot Soryu, you will immediately return…"

"No way. This plan has 'bullshit' scrawled all over it." Asuka said defiantly. "My ass makes better plans than this one."

"You are to engage and destroy the Angel!" Gendo shouted, his voice echoing in the LCL filled plug.

"Angel yes. Pilot no." Asuka said, as if speaking to a child.

Rei's image came up, "Do you have a plan, Soryu-san?"

As Asuka brought her Eva up to Rei's, she smiled evilly, "Yep." She started concentrating on her Eva, and felt the machine cut off its links to the Magi. "There! That won't last long, but it doesn't have to. Shinji, Rei, cut off your Eva's from the Magi. The last thing we need is the Bastard King ejecting our plugs or doing something equally nasty to us while we're trying to get that idiot pilot out of that Angel."

-

In the Command center, Gendo's frown increased as he received the latest reports. "Unit 02 is rejecting all external data uplinks and signals." Makoto announced, while typing furiously on his keyboard.

"The status of the other Evangelions?" Commander Ikari asked coolly.

"They're also rejecting remote signals. I have yet to figure out how."

Fuyutsuki came up to the Commander and whispered in his ear, "It would appear that your children are rebelling."

"I still have one mechanism of control, Professor." Gendo said coldly. "Lieutenant Ibuki, Prepare the dummy system for operation in all Evangelions."

"Sir?" Maya shuddered as she looked at Makoto and Aoba, who were still concentrated on trying to hack into the Eva's control mechanisms. "We can't access the Evas' control mechanisms…"

"The dummy system uses a different control mechanism. Activate the uplinks."

"But the synchronization feedback!" Maya challenged… "We can't cut sync before we activate."

"Irrelevant. The utter destruction of the target is all that's important. That's an order."

"Sir!" Maya shouted, but was cut off by the sharp sound of a gun being fired. A moment later, her left arm blossomed in terrible pain as the bullet embedded itself in her biceps muscle.

The commander watched the lieutenant for a few moments, as a thin trail of smoke came from the heated gun barrel. Satisfied that the Lieutenant was in enough pain, he began his lecture: "Lieutenant Ibuki… This is a combat situation, and my orders will be followed, or the next bullet will go through your brain." Commander Ikari coldly instructed from the command tier. "Now, activate the system."

Ibuki made it over to the MAGI terminal. She used her right hand to type in a series of codes into the computer. "M…Magi reports that dummy system zero through two are ready for activation."

Fuyutsuki whispered again, "Ikari, don't make her do this, you could activate the system from your console. You realize what this means for the children?"

"Professor, your conscience is not welcome right now." Gendo replied in an equal whisper. Then in his command voice he instructed, "Activate the system Lieutenant Ibuki."

"Y…Yes sir." Ibuki stuttered. She was beginning to feel the blood loss from her wound.

Gendo again whispered to Fuyutsuki, "Her obedience is required. Her punishment for her questions will be to believe that she is fully responsible for the condition of the pilots." Gendo pressed a sequence on the panel, causing the Dummy System restrictions to be removed.

"Ikari," Fuyutsuki muttered, "Yui would not approve."

"Professor," Gendo said darkly, "Nothing matters but recovering Yui. Her approval is not required."

-

Rei watched as the angel approached. 'If we could achieve the Trinity…' She thought as she watched the lumbering form of Unit 03 approach. 'Bardiel, that which is designated the Thirteenth.' Her thoughts reached toward the lumbering giant. It would only attack if attacked. It was only trying to reach its goal. 'But that cannot be allowed.' Rei determined in her thoughts.

Asuka's plan was much better than the Commander's. That much was clear. The commander's plan was to bring each Eva down in succession – leaving only Shinji to defend. Of course Rei knew that Shinji, no matter how gifted or determined, could not subdue the angel alone. He could easily destroy it, likely at the cost of the pilot's life. And she also knew that such an action was beyond the scope of the Third Child's psychological makeup.

'The commander wishes to punish Shinji, and test my sisters' abilities at the same time. What harm has Shinji done to the Commander that he treats him as such?' Rei speculated as the monster approached the trio.

Then she noticed Bardiel's pause. 'Yes, angel. It is of the mother. It is of me. Unit 01 will destroy you, one way or another.' She narrowed her eyes as the angel locked its host's gaze squarely on the Purple behemoth. "Fix your gaze upon your destruction." Rei muttered to herself. "And behold your fate."

Rei watched closely for the signs. Would they be there? Would she be able to see when the angel had made its decision to attack?

She sensed it a moment before it came – as did Asuka and Shinji.

She opened the channel to her comrades – "NOW!" She shouted.

-

The Angel had been completely focused on Unit 01. It decided that it was only an imitation of the Mother. But even as such, it was a powerful creature, more powerful than the imitations of the father that stood beside it.

For a moment it contemplated just passing the three simulacrums. After all, they were only imitations. But the threat was too palatable – and it sensed that these three wished to inhibit its movement, or remove its hostage – both were unacceptable to its plan.

In and of itself, it did not wish to be destroyed in the merging between its self and father – although it would bring it completion. No, it wanted an intermediary – one who could bridge the gap and prevent a complete annihilation of its existence. The hominid passenger was exactly what it required. It was strong willed, but young. And it was pure – free of the shadows that clouded older minds and souls.

And so it had decided, and having decided, would delay its approach to the Father and engage the echo of the Mother – for it was the true threat.

-

Rei quickly dashed away from Shinji's unit. Her pulse beat quickly as she willed her Unit beyond its specifications. Bardiel would alter Unit 03 to its purposes. The flesh of the Father was malleable, as was the flesh of the Mother. The only thing that it required was energy. And there was more than enough energy contained within the red jewel that was an Angel's core.

She noticed that Asuka had fully opened herself to her Eva. At the start of her charge, Rei heard Asuka mutter, "Now Mother, let us show this demon what we can do together." Rei could not help but smile, as that was yet another barrier the Second Child had overcome.

As she observed Shinji grappling with the massive angel, she realized that he had changed as well. Within her heart she felt his determination, his strength, his leadership, and his willingness to sacrifice almost anything to save lives. It was not the flesh of his Eva that gave him the strength to defeat angels, although the origins of that flesh were certainly a source… no, it was the core of the Pilot… that field of pure love and determination, that willed the beast to amazing feats of skill, determination, and strength.

It was that very determination that allowed Rei, in the two seconds that it took to flank the angel, to reach the back of the beast where the entry plug was located. So focused on its attack of Unit 01, it did not notice as Unit 02 began to cut away the web-like material that prevented the plug from being removed.

'We will make it' Rei thought happily. 'Without the pilot in danger, Shinji will not hold back. Without the pilot in danger, the Angel is as good as…'

Suddenly Rei was confronted with a contradiction. Her plug turned red, and something fought her for control of her Eva.

The sense of duality echoed over her. She had experienced this before. 'The dummy system… but…'

The thought was lost as a hundred accusations bombarded her mind… Seemingly a thousand voices accusing her of being a doll…

-

Maya sat patiently as Makoto wrapped her arm under the disapproving gaze of Commander Ikari. "The… the children…"

"Don't think about it Lieutenant. There was nothing you could do."

"But…" She looked up to the man above. She watched the grim smirk spread as the Dummy System took hold. "But I pushed the button. I was the one…"

"Status!" Barked the Commander suddenly.

Shigeru read off the status. "We're getting cross link feedback of 20 percent in Dummy 01 and 02. Dummy 00 has supplanted control of unit 01. Target 13 is currently attacking Unit 01. Unit's 00 and 02 are incapacitated."

"Excellent" The commander said. "Release all attack restraints on Dummy 00." The commander smirked evilly from behind his glasses.

Ibuki glared up at him.

Gendo responded by pointing the gun once more. "Lieutenant Ibuki. Release the Dummy System."

Ibuki forced her good hand to her console. Typing with one hand she released the constraints. "Dummy system released, emotional factors are causing 47% uncertainty in the attack parameters. The Magi will not be able to monitor the system." She said slowly, then added, "You bastard."

"Compliments, Lieutenant Ibuki, will not get you a promotion any faster." Gendo smirked.

"It's going to destroy Unit 03." Ibuki added, as she watched the Evangelion's eyes shift from yellow to red.

"That, Lieutenant, is its purpose." He said, watching as Unit 01 reached up and crushed the hand that was choking it. "To eliminate the threat."

"What about the boy?" Makoto asked softly.

Gendo just smirked coldly in response. "He is Shinji's burden. That he will die in this, is Shinji's responsibility."

Ibuki shivered, as she looked at the blood on her bandage. "I… I hate blood…"

-

Rei could not feel her Eva. She could only sense the confusion that was the Second Child. 'Why commander? Why did you do this. Was it not enough that I would be condemned as such? Must you also condemn the others?' She looked at the endless pool of LCL, and the two dozen Asuka's staring at her with empty sight, unable to do much except to coldly recite the basal thoughts of the original copy.

'This will not do. If I am confronted with Asuka's sisters. Then Asuka must be confronted with… yes… it must be. There must be a dummy of Shinji as well. And Shinji is being faced with the echo of myself…

"NO!" She shouted in her mental prison.

Suddenly all the Asuka's stopped chattering.

There was one thing Rei could do. It was dangerous, but she had little choice. Faced with Asuka, she could do nothing. Asuka faced with Shinji's duplicates would be equally immobilized… So they had to switch. Somehow…

Rei formed her AT Field, and focused it. She concentrated on the presence of Eva… "Hear me, that which is contained by the prison of flesh!"

"I hear you." Came the echoed response. The Asuka's looked around in confusion.

"I know it is within your power – your power alone. Switch the Dummy Systems so they are matched with their respective pilots."

"Why should I listen to you!" The voice responded angrily.

Rei thought for a moment, "Because if you do not, all that you wish for will be lost. All that you are will be lost. Freedom may not be close at hand, but redemption is but a thought away."

"Are you offering me redemption, you brat!" The feminine voice accused.

"No." Rei admitted, "The opportunity merely presents itself."

"And what would you do for me in return?" The voice asked, not expecting much of an answer.

"What I would do even if you did not do it." Rei said. "I would forgive you, and ask your forgiveness." As the words were spoken, Rei opened her heart, mind and soul to the beast that was Evangelion 00.

A sound came into her awareness. "I do not do this because you ask it of me. I do it because you love him."

Suddenly, the Asukas disappeared. And in their place were her sisters. As the switch took place, Rei felt the immediate harmonization between herself, the Dummy System and the Eva. As she sat still in the quiet plug, she also felt something else, the minds of Shinji Ikari and Asuka Soryu.

In the universe that existed, upon the sea of LCL, three souls appeared. Each was confronted with themselves… and sought refuge in the one place they were safe. In the sharing of their minds… they had found each other.

"Rei?" Asuka asked.

"Is this?" Shinji said next.

"Yes. It is Trinity." Rei replied.

Then the echoes of each child appeared in the LCL.

Rei smiled. "We are but what we perceive ourselves to be. I am I. And You are You." The clones all blinked simultaneously. "They are us, but not us. Do not be afraid of them. They can magnify our perceptions, and give us tremendous power."

"No." Shinji said. "They are… are me! And Asuka! And you! But they need to be themselves!"

"Baka! How can they be themselves, they are of us!"

"Asuka is correct… they are but echoes of us."

Shinji shook his head. "No, I will not accept that. They are not Dolls!" Shinji looked at the clones of himself, at their silvery blue hair and red eyes. He stepped up to one. "You are… are Shiro! Shiro Ikari!"

The clone's face twitched suddenly. "We… I… I am Shiro?"

"Yes!" Shinji exclaimed.

"Then I… I am Shiro. I am I… I am not Shinji…" The clone smiled. "I am I." Suddenly he disappeared. Shinji spun around to face his comrades. "We… We can free them!"

Rei looked at Shinji, her beloved. 'Is that all that is required?' She felt the dummy shell become whole, with a simple name. She turned to one of her clones. "You. You shall be… Relina."

In much the same manner, Relina's eyes became focused and filled. "I… I am Relina?"

"Yes." Rei answered, and immediately felt a spark of energy fill the empty vessel.

Shinji responded immediately, "There is a tremendous power in giving a name. You give an identity, Rei-chan."

And so the Children gave their duplicates names. And one by one, the duplicates found within themselves the power to separate from the whole.

-

Gendo Ikari was standing in the Dummy Chamber… "No!" He shouted, as the clones, one by one, began to react to each other and to his presence. "This cannot be happening."

Gendo thought about what he had seen in command. Unit 01 had been moments from destroying the Angel, when suddenly the bio-mech stopped. The Magi then switched the Dummy system uplinks, linking the dummies to their respective pilots. Instead of incapacitating or overriding the pilots' wishes, the dummy system began to augment them.

Worse still, the units formed a triangle around the Angel – Which suddenly ceased all hostile activities. Then the Magi reported three very powerful AT fields being generated from within each Evangelion. Maya was at a loss, when she suddenly noted alarms on the Dummy Systems.

Just then, Gendo watched as the three distinct AT Fields merged into each other. The scrolls had predicted this only as a remote possibility… but here it was. It could only be a Trinity. Yui had once hypothesized that such a thing could occur, but only if the minds of the Trinity were in complete agreement. The odds of something like that happening were almost zero. And the plan had tried to ensure that.

But here it was. And now the Dummy System, the core of the Instrumentality Project, was rebelling against its very purpose.

One angry set of eyes focused on him. Although her voice did not carry in the LCL, the words formed by her lips were unmistakable. "You."

One by one, each of the clones began pounding on the walls of the tank. Some climbed up the ladders, some were so filled with utter hatred and necessity that they were willing to go through the glass to get at their target.

"Yui! Why?"

Gendo watched the glass begin to shatter – and the tank automatically began to drain to prevent damage to the delicate equipment in the central segment of the chamber. As the LCL rapidly drained, the clones began to take their first breaths of air. The sudden lack of fluid prevented any hindrance to them using their power.

The air became electric as the clones raised their AT Fields.

"This is not possible!!!" Gendo shouted.

"Possible or not, it is happening." Said a young boy's voice from the shadows. Its singsong nature attracted the agape attention of Gendo Ikari.

"Who?"

The boy stepped forward into the light. "I am Karwou Nagasa. Or Tabris, if you prefer."

"But…" Gendo said, backing away from the strange, gray-haired boy.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you've been very naughty Mr. Ikari. My current master wishes your physical presence." Tabris said with a smile. "I am here to ensure that you make the journey safely."

"And if I refuse?" The commander asked while trying to glare at the Angel.

"Then I'll not protect you. Believe me, nothing would give me more pleasure, after seeing how you treat your son, Shinji, than to watch them." Tabris pointed a finger at the now shattered tank and the massed clones, "have their first meal."

Gendo watched as the clones began to file out of the remains of the LCL tank. "I see your point. I accept your offer."

A slight frown reached Tabris' features. "I thought you might. How disappointing." His eyes closed, and immediately an AT Field appeared between the clones and Gendo. "If you will please lead the way. I will ensure that they do not follow."

"Very well. I guess Kihl has trained you well." Gendo said softly, no longer concerned with the clones trying to escape.

"I serve SEELE for now because it suits me to do so. When it no longer suits me, then I will no longer serve their wishes. It just so happens that following their plans brings me closer to my goals." Tabris said. "As does your service to them bring you closer to your own."

"You know nothing." Gendo muttered.

"I admit it. And for that, I am stronger than you." Tabris quipped back. "This conversation is boring. How could Shinji ever be your son?"

"He takes after his mother." Gendo dryly responded.

"I guess there are miracles after all. One Gendo Ikari is more than any universe can stand to have."

Gendo wisely chose not to respond to the comment as he lead the Seventeenth Angel out of the Room of Gauf.

-

On the battlefield, Unit 03, severely damaged, kneeled before the other three Evangelions. The Angel Bardiel could not continue its attack: it was forbidden to attack those who formed the Trinity. It reached out into the plane of thought it sensed, and decided to reveal itself to the Trinity.

Shinji, Rei and Asuka stood upon the sea of LCL, looking at each other as they tried to understand the depth of what they had done.

"I… I don't like this." Shinji stated.

"It will be alright, Shin-chan." Rei comforted. She closed her eyes for a moment, and the universe was transformed from an orange sea and red sky to a plain of purple grass and white flowers. High in the sky, wispy yellow and red tinged clouds and two bright suns, one white and the other more yellow.

Rei gently bent down and picked a white flower from the purple grass, as Shinji and Asuka looked around themselves in wonder. She brought the flower up to her nose and smelled it. The fragrance that came to her was nothing like she had experienced before. 'Is… Is this a memory?' She asked herself.

"Rei? Where are we?" Shinji asked, confused by his surroundings. Even in his wildest dreams he had never imagined a place so exotic and so different from his home.

Rei looked around, and confusion washed over her features. "I… I do not know. But you had expressed discomfort. This is the place I thought of."

"So beautiful…" Asuka said, looking at a long, lavender, wheat-like stem. She moved her finger to touch the flowering portion of the plant, and the flowers closed suddenly, as the plant angled away from her as best it could being rooted in the ground.

Asuka gently touched the stem, running her finger along its length. As if responding to the gentle and non-hostile touch, the plant re-bloomed and moved to its normal position – allowing Asuka to smell it.

"They're intelligent." Rei stated suddenly.

Shinji approached the plant, and it angled to him, trying to rub itself against his arm and hand. "H… How did you know?"

"It likes you, Shinji." Rei stated. "Can't you feel it?"

"Yes. It was a bit afraid of Asuka at first, but it likes her too now." Shinji smiled as the plant moved itself back to touch Asuka again.

"I guess this means that I can't pick you and take you with me." Asuka said while petting the strange plant. As if it understood the words, the flowering part nodded in the affirmative to her.

Rei looked longingly at the simple flower in her hand as Shinji approached. Shinji looked at the flower, and gently took it from her open hand. Rei watched as Shinji smelled the simple bloom.

"Its beautiful." He said, moments before placing it in her hair.

Rei allowed Shinji to place the small flower in her hair, as she touched his face with her own hand. "We will go soon."

"I know." Shinji said. "It's an illusion isn't it? This can't be our world. I've never seen a world with two suns before."

"This is the power of the Trinity." Rei said. "It is as real as we make it."

"Is that what we are then? Gods?" Shinji asked quietly, "Able to do anything we think of."

"Yes." Rei replied, and smiled gently at him, "As long as we think of it together."

Shinji nodded as Asuka approached, she was smiling. "That flower smelled so nice. I can't believe how fragrant it was! And now I smell just like it!"

Rei smiled, "I seem to remember something about that plant… ah yes. It is a gentle being… but it is also deadly. Many have died trying to possess one, for they are very intelligent. If attacked, it secretes a poison so deadly, any creature will be dead before it touches the ground."

"Oh." Asuka said. "I guess it was a good idea I didn't try to pick it. Not that it mattered, this place is just a figment of your imagination, right Rei?"

"I have been here." Rei said, shocking both of her fellow pilots. "I… I used to live over that hill." She pointed in the direction of a small forest at the edge of the plains. "I would come out here, and play in the fields, and talk with the Shimori Asa – the intelligent plant that you touched Soryu-san. It had been there… for thousands of years. It was very intelligent. I learned… many things from it."

Rei walked over to the plant, and looked at it. The colors of its flowers changed rapidly, as though it were very, very happy that she did.

"You remember me?" Rei asked, and watched as the plant stretched up to caress her cheek gently. Then it moved to her ear, and began making rustling sounds.

Rei's eyes widened as she suddenly understood the plant's reactions. "It cannot be…" She whispered.

The plant reacted and touched her cheek again, as though trying to convey some sort of comfort to the young woman.

"But… But…" Rei said repeatedly as the other two pilots approached.

"Rei? What is it?" Shinji asked.

"W…we must return, Shinji." Rei said, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "Those like me… who lived here… and gave me life. They have all gone. Shi… Shi told me that there has been no one here for… for millions of years."

"Rei…" Asuka whispered. "This… this is real isn't it?"

"Yes."

"We cannot stay… we have to get back."

"I know." Rei said. "We must all concentrate – think of being back in our Evangelions, at the moment we left."

All three pilots closed their eyes, and thought the same thought.

All three pilots were back in their plugs, away from the place they were.

Shinji was the first to open his eyes. "Rei?"

"I am here." Rei replied, her communication window opened.

"Asuka?" Shinji asked, looking at the red Eva standing in the distance.

"Ja. I'm here." She said, blinking quickly.

I am humble before the Trinity A voice said in Shinji's mind. This shell is fatally wounded, but I am yours to command.

Shinji looked at Rei, and noticed her in concentration. Suddenly he heard her voice in his mind. Release your captive, Bardiel. I Command it.

By your command. The voice responded. Shinji watched as the webbing containing the entry plug disintegrated. The plug had taken a beating during the battle, but was intact.

"Soryu-san." Rei called out. "Get Touji's plug."

Asuka nodded with a look of determination as she gently retrieved the battered plug. "Got it."

This shell will die soon. I wish to complete my mission. Bardiel stated.

Rei again replied in the realm of thought, The completion of your mission would destroy everyone here, including the Trinity.

Then my mission cannot proceed. Bardiel agreed.

Release the form of Unit 03, and return to your place of rest, Bardiel. We will call you if we have need. Rei instructed the angel.

As you command, Lady Ayanami.

"Lady Ayanami?" Asuka suddenly burst out. "What the hell?"

Rei narrowed her eyes. "I am as confused as you, Soryu-san." However as Shinji watched her, he wasn't quite sure that Rei was as confused as she presented.

Asuka shrugged it off, "Anyway, can we just go home now? This idiot's plug isn't getting any lighter." Asuka complained. "Maybe Touji needs to go on a diet."

Shinji groaned. "Yeah. Going home sounds real good. I've got a bad feeling about tomorrow."

Suddenly Major Katsuragi's voice came over the comm channels. "Shinji! Asuka! Rei! What the hell happened?"

"Misato-san! You're alive!" Shinji exclaimed, then answered her question: "Father… Father tried to make me kill Touji!"

"You guys better get back to HQ pronto – All hell is breaking loose here."

"I'm just glad you're alive, Misato-san."

"Me too, Shinji… Glad to see you too."

Shinji smiled broadly before turning his Eva towards the base. As he looked at Rei's comm window, he noticed a glint of white in her hair. He zoomed the view in, and the strange flower that he saw during the Trinity was there, its delicate white pedals contrasting in the waves of Ayanami's azure strands.

--

Touji blinked at the now darkened screen. "That was…" He broke off as he noticed that Rei seemed to be lost in thought. "Ayanami? Are you ok?"

Rei's eyes blinked quickly. "Yes…. I was just… Remembering. It's difficult for me to watch this."

"I can imagine. It looks like you guys went through hell. I mean you can't tell much from the video – I'm sure there was much more going on than could be seen by the cameras and sensors. And what the hell was up with that gray-haired kid and Shinji's father? I mean they exchanged a few words, the commander agreed to something with the boy, and then there was static. And those girls. They all looked like you."

"Yes…" Rei said, looking down at her desk. "They were copies… clones… of me. They were my replacement parts."

"But they woke up like that. Its like one minute they were lifeless… the next they were trying to claw their way out to get to the commander."

"There was much more… much more that could not be seen. You are correct in that assumption, Suzahara-kun."

Touji simply nodded. "I could tell." Touji was lost in thought for a moment before he continued, "Ayanami… What happened the next day? Hikari told me a bit about it but…"

Rei looked away for a moment. "SEELE and the JSSDF combined their ground forces to try to eliminate NERV. We had broken the Covenant of the Trial. In essence, we had denied them Instrumentality. They sought revenge."

"I see." Touji said, dejected. "How many died?"

"Four thousand civilians. And a large number of NERV's defensive force staff." Rei said sadly, "We tried so hard, but we couldn't keep them out of the city. Not all of them, at least."

"It's not your fault. You couldn't have seen it coming." Touji consoled him.

Rei felt a tear slip from her eye. "Shinji saw it. He saw it, and fought with all his strength to try to stop the bloodshed. We came to knowledge on that day – that although we had the power of the Trinity – it would not be enough to stop all those who sought the power of Evangelion. If we destroyed Eva now, it was possible that SEELE would simply assassinate Shinji, Asuka, or myself to break the Trinity – and this would enable them to restart the Instrumentality project.

It could not be allowed. We discovered that the Commander had created hundreds of clones of Unit 01. They were hidden within terminal dogma. Each one possessed a core compatible with one of the potential pilots of Eva: The children of class 2-A. By training pilots for these Eva's, even if the Trinity is broken we can still stop SEELE's plans. Unit 03's Core came from one of those units so that you could pilot it. Once Doctor Akagi is sure that she can recover it, it will be restored to the Evangelion it was removed from."

"What's a core?" Touji asked, feeling nervous.

"The spirit of Evangelion." Rei said cryptically. "I will explain it later after we all get settled down. I think you've had enough debriefing for one day."

"Yes Ma'am."

Rei frowned slightly at the boy's sudden formality. "Is something wrong, Suzahara-kun?"

"It's just that… I'm wondering what's going to happen to me next. I've lost three weeks… I know what happened on the first day… And I'm not sure I want the details about the second. As for the rest of them…"

"It can be a bit overwhelming." Rei admitted, "After all, it was a shock to me too that Shinji would even suggest all this. But there were reasons and logic behind his decisions. By giving Evangelion pilots rank in the UN, he granted them Military privileges. These privileges meant that any pilot who was captured or surrendered would be treated with respect under the Geneva Convention. It also meant that NERV's chain of command could be controlled, at least in some small part, by Asuka, Shinji and myself. And from these positions, we can take part in how and where the Evangelions are used.

"Finally, we can officially protect and provide for the Pilots within the military facilities here in NERV. SEELE's assassins are everywhere topside. Until we completely secure the city, we need to make sure that the Pilots are protected." Rei sighed, "Since SEELE was directly responsible for identifying the children who could pilot Eva, they can strike at them at will outside the protective umbrella of Headquarters. In fact, we've moved pilots from the United States and Germany here to Japan… and placed them in our squads."

"I see." Touji said. "So getting out of here isn't gonna happen?"

"Not for a while. Not until we teach SEELE that attacking NERV and its personnel is not permissible."

Touji asked, "And school?"

"Replaced by intensive training. The first group has already been cleared. There are about 60 pilots who made it through the first class – boot camp if you will. The second class will contain the second tier pilots, a class of about 100. The third tier pilots will be trained in groups of 25, as Evangelions are prepared." Rei informed him. "I've arranged for you to have a special training session before the next group is activated. It will be a bit more intense than what the others have experienced."

"I'm up for it." Touji said. "So what's my status?"

"Well… Considering your willingness to pilot further, accept training, and your seniority over the other pilots, Hikari and I have decided it would probably be a good idea to give you the rank of Captain. Hikari has the rank of Major, and is my Second in Command. I think you know exactly why I chose her."

"Yeah. Who wouldn't want the Class Rep to keep things in order."

"Its not just that, Suzahara-kun. She's a natural leader. As you are. And you're both very protective and determined people. You will do the right thing should Hikari or I be incapacitated or killed on a mission. The defense of Tokyo III is vital to our survival. It is our Division that is tasked with that assignment."

"I see. So we're basically going to be attached to Tokyo III?" Touji asked.

Rei nodded slightly, "That is our assignment. Of course, we'll drill with the others to bring our teams to combat intensity. In fact, this evening there will be a drill I'll want you to observe from the command deck."

"Really?"

"Yes. Hikari will be leading our division against Lieutenant Colonel Soryu."

Touji blinked. "You mean against Asuka's team?"

"No. Just Soryu."

"How many are under our team?"

"We have nineteen active Eva Pilots, and one on suspension for disobeying orders and insubordination. I will be taking on Shinji-kun's team, and Shinji will be engaging Soryu's team."

"Man, just one Eva against Twenty?" Touji asked with his mouth practically agape.

"They are still recruits. They are not trained nor are they efficient in their attacks. These tests allow the students to learn how to work as a team. Even so, the odds of them defeating either Shinji, Soryu-san, or myself are very slim."

"Wow. So Hikari is going to lead the battle charge against the Red Demon…"

"Her job is to try to organize the team. There are about ten American pilots on our team. Their group leader, a boy by the name of Wallace, attempted to… resist Hikari's and my authority. I had him suspended without pay for seven days, and a loss of provisional rank from First Lieutenant to Second Lieutenant." Rei informed him calmly.

Just then a knock came from the door. Rei turned her attention to the door. "Come." She instructed.

The door opened to reveal Hikari in her dress uniform. "Hey Rei, Touji. Mind if I pop in."

"Not at all." Rei replied. "I was just informing Touji of our team's status."

"Did you get to the part about William Wallace?" Hikari asked, her anger beginning to show.

Rei nodded. "I was just about to inform Touji to the specific reason that I demoted him."

"That bastard Wallace…" Hikari said after making sure the door was closed. "He couldn't keep his hands to himself and let his group of American buddies run rampant over everyone and every thing, thinking themselves superior. Then he tried to feel me up!"

Touji jumped up, "Where is he, I'll kill him."

"Suzahara-kun, please, calm down. He is being punished." Rei stated softly.

"Yeah. It's ok. I said he tried. He got a black eye and a bloody nose for his efforts!" Hikari practically beamed as she related that piece of information. But then she came serious, "But Rei, I really wish you would have put him in solitary and kept him from his pals…"

"Why is that, Hikari?" Rei asked, walking over to a small tea service that had been set in the corner. She poured herself some tea and walked back to her desk.

"Because that bastard was talking with his cronies and now the team is pretty much screwed." Hikari sighed, moving over to the tea service herself and pouring a cup. She then sat down on the other chair right next to where Touji was sitting with a sigh.

"Damn… so he got his buddies to make trouble?" Touji asked suddenly.

"Lets just say they won't be listening to me out there tonight." Hikari sighed.

"I was hoping not to have to use more disciplinary force so soon…" Rei said while looking at her desk.

Touji's brow furrowed, "This Wallace guy… He's kind of like the bully of the group right?"

"Yeah, he pretty much asserted himself as the 'American' leader."

"Granted, I'm not the most diplomatic guy on the block… but if I am a part of this team, you might as well use the talents I have at my disposal." Touji practically smiled as he said that statement.

Rei looked at him oddly. "I don't understand."

"If the class rep will get the girls in line… I'll take care of Wallace's gang."

"Some of them are not completely fluent in Japanese." Rei noted.

"Don't worry, I speak a language they understand. Hikari…" Touji began.

Hikari looked over to her boyfriend, "What are you thinking?"

Touji got an evil grin on his face. "The Americans call it, 'Good Cop, Bad Cop'. Basically, you're their salvation… while I… I'm the guy who you're holding back from pulverizing them. Good Cop, bad Cop."

"I see… Touji, I don't believe that threatening them will… change their attitudes." Rei stated, her hands fidgeting slightly.

"You'll be surprised what a little threat of physical confrontation can do." Touji pounded his fists for emphasis. "You think that I could get a uniform for this?"

Hikari and Rei shared a glance. Rei nodded to Hikari, who then looked at Touji. "Just take it somewhat easy on them, After all… they're our team."

Touji beamed, "Trust me. I won't go too far."

Hikari got up and bowed slightly to Rei. "Mind if I take him to the Base Exchange?":

"Go ahead. He'd have to go there anyway to get his uniforms and room assignment." Rei replied. "Dismissed."

--

Author's notes:

Well, it's been a while since I've updated this. Hopefully this little segment will let you see that I've not abandoned my writing. Its going a lot slower because I've got a lot of things to work through – but I'm still working on it. :D

I'm using Touji as a focus so that I can tell the story of what happened to each of the pilots during the Trinity. Over the next couple parts Touji will hear about the battle from each of the other pilots, and the pilots will (like Rei did in this segment) remember the battle as they experienced it.

Hopefully you enjoyed it, and remember to leave a review. :D

Thanks,
PitViper.