Disclaimer: I don't own NGE, if I did, it would be AIRing AROUND THE GLOB, and there would be NEW EPOSODES for it too. HINT, HINT for any Gainax staff that could be out there.

Chapter Five:
The Kid, and the Strange Chat

"So, Shinji, is it true?" asked Kensuke at school.
"Is what true?" replied Shinji blankly.
"Is NERV really working with ALIENS to apprehend a interstellar criminal?"
"You been hacking your dad's computer files again?"
"Just answer the question! Yes or No!"
"I don't know."
"You're hopeless Ikari."
"Hey," commented Toji, "What's up with Ayanami?"
"What do you mean Toji? Rei always acts like that, just staring out the window, lost in her own little world," replied Kensuke.
"No, I think Toji's right. She's........shaking," commented Shinji as he walked towards her.

"Rei? What are you looking at?" asked Shinji.

Shinji looked out the window. Outside was the usual cityscape. Just as the bell rang to dismiss them from class, a boy of about his same age and build, who had been limping along the sidewalk, suddenly collapsed and no one around seemed to care.

Shinji ran out the door.

"Hey! Ikari! Where are you going!" called Toji.

Asuka, Hikari, Toji, and Kensuke walked out of the building to see Shinji examining a boy, who had apparently passed out.

"Oh my god!" cried Hikari, "Suzahara, give Ikari a hand!"

Together, Shinji, and Toji carried the kid up to Misato's apartment, were, Hikari and Kensuke each took turns attending to the kids injuries, while Asuka talked to Misato on the phone about what happened.

"God, this kid must have been in a house fire," gasped Hikari, once they were done bandaging the kid up, "His arms are pretty burned up."
"Ya, but you didn't see is left leg. I must have pulled like 20 stones out of it. I'm surprised he could even walk," stated Kensuke.
"Hey, check this out," said Toji, pointing to the kids right shoulder, "He's got a tattoo. It's the number zero, but, underneath it are some symbols I've never seen before."

The door opened, and in walked Misato.

"Hi there Misato!" shouted Toji and Kensuke gleefully.
"Hello Misato," Hikari said quietly while giving Toji the 'evil eye'.
"Hello everybody. So? How's this kid Shinji found?" asked Misato.
"He's pretty beaten up, but, ok," Asuka said off handedly.
"Well, you guys look after him, I'll just wipe up a quick dinner. You're all welcome to stay."
"Oh.........look at the time.......we should really be heading home......good bye...." Hikari said aquardly, while standing up.

Hikari, Toji, and Kensuke quickly exited the apartment, leaving Shinji and Asuka to face the terror that is Misato's home cooking. A.K.A. nearly in eatable instant noodles.

Coughing was soon heard from the kitchen, where Misato ALMOST burned some instant noodles.

"Um...........Misato.....shouldn't I be the one cooking? I am the only one who can cook with out causing a fire," Shinji said hesitantly.
"No, no. You just make sure that kids ok. I gave Ritsuko a call, so, she should be over in a while," replied Misato, waving Shinji away.

Soon, more coughing was heard, only this time, from the living room floor, where the kid was lying on a blanket.

"Hey, kid? You ok? Can you remember any thing about what happened to you?" asked Asuka, "Any thing at all?"
"I am satisfactory," said the kid in a monotone voice, that sounded just like Rei's only deeper, and more masculine.
"Hey everyone! Dinner's ready!" called Misato.
"Dinner?" asked the kid in the same monotone voice.

Asuka and Shinji walked to the table where Misato was laying out their bowls. After staring at them momentarily, the kid got up and calmly walked to the table, with no sign of a limp at all.

"Here you go," Misato said warmly handing the kid a bowl, "say, what's your name any way?"
"I am called Zero," replied the kid in his monotone voice.

Zero looked at the bowl, then watched as Shinji and Asuka just stared at theirs, while Misato began scarffing down the contents of her bowl. After what seemed like a short period of deliberation, Zero down the contents of his bowl in several large gulps, just as Misato was doing.

All three stared at him when they heard Zero put down his, now empty bowl.

"I think I like this kid," laughed Misato, "he doesn't complain about my cooking."
".........are you...........feeling alright Zero?" asked Shinji hesitantly, reaching for the first aid kit once more.
"I am satisfactory," replied Zero.
"Ok, is it just me, or, does this weirdo act A LOT like Wonder Girl?" Asuka said, in an almost rude tone of voice.
"Asuka, what do you have against Rei?" asked Shinji.
"She's a stupid doll, and she's just plane creepy."

While Shinji was cleaning up, Asuka was watching TV, while Misato was keeping an eye on Zero, who was staring out the window, and out into space. The reason why she was watching him was simple. When dinner was over, Zero had tried to leave, if he hadn't tripped over some junk, he would have made it out the door.

There was a knock at the door.

Shinji opened the door, and greeted Ritsuko, before leading her inside.

"So, where's this kid I have to look at Misato?" asked Ritsuko.
"There, by the window," replied Misato, pointing at Zero.

Ritsuko walked over, put down her bag, and began to examine him.

Rei was walking along the streets. She had no planed destination; she was merely following the erg to walk. Eventually, she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and looked up. Up several levels, was a boy, who, almost immediately after she had seen him, he had turned his head, so he looked directly into her eyes.

Both remained in place, staring at the other, with the same blank, emotionless expression.

The following is a telepathic conversation between Rei and Zero. Just visualize a black room, with black walls and a black ceiling, where the only light seems to be coming from the simmering images of the speakers.

"Who are you?"
"Who are, you?"
"I asked you first."
"I am called Zero."
"I am referred to as Rei."
"Why am I connected to you? How is it that we are connected?"
"I do not know."
"I have sensed you before, I believe I have seen you before as well."
"The same is true for me as well."
"You where inside that thing. Were you not? What is it?"
"Yes I was. It is called Evangelion unit zero, how were you able to stop it?"
"It is easy to stop something when you know what it will do."
"Explain."
"I sensed what it was thinking, by reading it's, as well as your emotions, and thoughts. Normally, I would not be able to read your thoughts or emotions. Yours are so faint. But, the voice is gone now. It no longer clutters my mind with un-necessary ideas."
"What voice?"
"I believe the voice is my true self, the one who was not conditioned to be what I am now. But, I am looking into it. It is a matter that does not concern you."
"That is a logical conclusion. And, it does concern me. You are a threat to the sanctuary of my mind. You have the ability to cross the barrier that no one should be aloud to cross."
"What would imply, I am a person. That fact is debatable."
"Elaborate."

Before Zero could respond, the link between them was severed by what sounded like Dr Akaji saying,

"Please, turn your head and stare directly into this light."

A/N:

Ok, I tried some review advice, I combined two chapters. I just would like to say, although this DOES make for longer chapters, in makes for MORE work. And I, well, to put it simply, I am lazy, so, don't expect to many of these chapter hybrids.