Well, you'll be glad to know that I'm back on track. You can now find this fic at the excellent site: www.evamade.com.

-Chapter 18-

---

Misato stepped in to her NERV office, hoping to finish whatever work she needed to do quickly, so she could take the rest of the day off.

"Hello."

"Kaji!" Misato was startled, as she hadn't seen him when she entered. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just like spending time with you." The man flashed her his trademark lady knockout grin.

"Well," She rudely walked past him to get to her desk. "I'm rather busy right now."

"Hey, c'mon." He gave her a cute pleading look. "Friends shouldn't act like this."

"Friends?"

Kaji beamed. "Sure!"

Misato shuddered at the thought.

Unknown to both, the action figure known as Cupid had walked in to the room whilst they were busy talking.

Suddenly, something in his tiny head clicked. 'That's the guy who was at Shinji's apartment the other week.'

Deciding to spear the man a break, he loaded one of his arrows and took aim.

'As long as there aren't any more surprises with sexual preferences, it should work this time.' He though hopefully as he let the arrow lose and it flew straight for the unsuspecting NERV major.

"Listen Kaji, the closest you'll get to being my frie-" She stopped mid sentence, as a strange feeling of warmth she hasn't felt in a long time travelled through her body.

"Misato?" Kaji didn't know what had caused her to stop.

She looked up at him with an entirely different expression from the one she wore moments ago.

Cupid smiled evilly as he sprinted out of the office. 'Damn I'm good.'

---

"Hey Shinji!"

The boy's head popped out from behind the kitchen door to see why he was being called upon. From his vantage point he could see Asuka sitting on the living room couch.

"What is it Asuka?"

"Where's Misato?" She looked at him. "I just noticed she's not here."

"She had to go to work." Asuka didn't look satisfied by the answer. "She said something popped up and she had to take care of it."

"Oh, okay then." She smiled. "Shinji?"

"Yeah?"

"GET BACK TO WORK!"

In his rush to get back to his task of cooking, Shinji tripped up and fell to the floor with a somewhat loud thud.

"Ouch."

"Are you alright?"

The brown haired boy looked up to see a concerned looking Asuka standing over him.

"Yeah." He struggled to get himself on his feet for a moment. "I'm fine."

She smiled. "Doomkphof."

"Wha-?" Shinji looked even more confused. Instead of giving him an answer though, Asuka simply pulled him in to a tight hug.

"You're such an idiot." She said quietly. "My idiot."

She smiled again as she pulled away. He couldn't help but smile as well.

---

Rei had just finished some synchronization tests with the Dummy Plug and was heading back to her apartment.

On her way through the long dark corridors, she heard some strange shuffling noises coming from one the rooms she passed by. Rei looked at the label on the door.

*Major Katsuragi*

Deciding it was none of her business what her superior officer was doing, she continued walking down the corridor. She was about to exit the building, when she felt a strange presence at the edge of her senses.

"Cupid is here."

She turned around and began to scout the area in order to find him.

---

Mister Suzahara had demanded that Kensuke should come in, and explain to him, exactly what happened to his son.

After a brief re-telling of events, Kensuke fell silent, and awaited a comment from his friend's parent.

"Let me get this straight." Touji's father said as he looked at Kensuke. "Touji got beat up by a girl?" He shot a glance at his convulsing son.

"Sort of."

"Any reason behind this attack?"

Kensuke gave out a fake cough, remembering how he had conveniently left out the parts of the story concerning the scam they pulled on her and Shinji.

"Nope." He finally said.

"Who is she anyway?" Touji's father pressed on.

"Asuka Langley Sohruy." Kensuke said with mock respect.

Touji's father looked thoughtful for a moment. "That name sounds familiar."

"Well yeah." Kensuke smiled knowingly. "She is an Evangelion pilot."

"Hold an a second." Touji's dad looked stunned. "She's really an Eva pilot?"

"Yeah." Kensuke replied.

Touji's father had nothing to say for a moment. Kensuke and the man could both hear quiet painful moans escaping from Touji himself, as well as the occasional muttering: "Devil girl."

"It doesn't mean she can just get away with anything." The man finally said.

"I agree!" Kensuke exclaimed. "I feel threatened to have her in my class."

Touji's father looked thoughtful again. "I might have to place a formal complaint to the teacher."

"Mister Suzahara!" Kensuke looked absolutely thrilled. "That would be a grand idea!"

Touji's dad was confused at the boy's reaction, but decided to shrug it off.

'Maybe I can actually get rid of her once and for all!' Kensuke though to himself, an evil grin forming on his face.

---

Rei felt the presence of Cupid grow stronger, which meant he was near. Walking through a final door, she entered in to a moderately small office room. She looked around, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary - hold on.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at an action figurine that stood on the desk in a dramatic pose.



"How much longer do you intend to pretend?" She asked him in a monotone voice.

The figure suddenly began to move, and surprisingly burst out in laughter.

"What is so funny?" Rei demanded.

"You rhymed." He said happily. "I had no idea you were so poetic." He started laughing again.

"Quiet!" She said suddenly. "Someone's coming."

Rei grabbed hold of Cupid, who had grown still, and turned to face the door. Indeed, who-ever was outside was headed this way, as it wasn't long before it opened.

"Rei?" A voice said. "Is that you?"

It was commander Ikari.

"Yes sir." She replied monotone.

Cupid felt an immense aura of cold hatred flowing within that man. If the action figure had muscled, they would have been stiff as a rock.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

Rei looked around for a moment, looking for an answer she could give him. Eventually, her gaze fell down upon the object in her hand.

"I am… playing." She finally said, the answer sounding fake, even to her.

Gendo raised an eyebrow.

"Don't let me spoil your fun." He told her as he grabbed one of the folders that was on the cabinet and exited the small office.

---

Back at Misato's place, Shinji and Asuka were enjoying a nice home cooked meal.

"This is great Shinji." Asuka said with a smile, and the crammed her mouth full of food.

"Thanks."

The phone rang and Asuka was about to go and pick it up when Shinji stood up and said: "Stay here and enjoy your meal. I'll go get it."

With that he left the table and went to pick it up.

"I wonder who it could be." Asuka mused as she continued stuffing her face with Shinji's excellent cuisine.

Moments later, Shinji returned to the kitchen. He looked ghostly pale and shocked.

"Hey Shinji."

He didn't answer.

"Shinji!" Asuka was getting worried.

"Misato." He said.

"What about her?" Asuka pressed on.

"She's… getting married."

"WHAT?!"

"To Kaji."

"WHAT?!"

-To be Continued-

---

Compared to the last chapter, this was magic. Lots of plot twists here and there. Kensuke should die.