Don'Standard Disclaimer
I have some bad news people. Not only have I started my senior year of college but I now have two that right two jobs. So writing will be few and far between. I hope to be able to get something out at least twice a month.
Please bear with me and continue to read my work.
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Out of Disaster Chapter 12 - New Acquaintances
The sun was shining brightly on the dwindling metropolis of Tokyo-3. With each angel confrontation, the population fled the city to the hopefully safer outer cities. However not all people were either willing or able to leave the city. Two such people were walking at a leisurely pace towards their school. Shinji and Shinobu smiled lightly at each other as they walked side by side towards a day they prayed would be a quite one.
"Motoko-san said you were distracted in practice last night," Shinobu said to break the silence that had befallen them. Her comment was directed from an encounter at the Hinata breakfast table before she left. "Something on your mind?"
His feet suddenly stopping in their forward momentum, Shinji was caught totally off guard by Shinobu's comment. He knew why he wasn't focused the other day; he was still suffering from the backlash of the 'swim' back to shore from the day before. Needing help back wasn't that bad, the real trouble resulted in not only himself but also his assistants being nude at the time.
Not knowing exactly how to break the unfortunate news to Shinobu, Shinji opted for his failsafe, "Um.about that.you see."
Turning to face the boy that was steadily gaining more space in her heart, Shinobu squinted her eyes at him as she stared. After spending so much time with him, she could tell when he was hiding something. "Tell me what happened Shinji."
Upon gazing into Shinobu's face, Shinji lost his ability to think in coherent thoughts. Not that it wasn't a normal happenstance when it came to Shinobu, his mind also was affected as thus by Asuka and Rei. He dropped his head lightly, "This is going to sound odd, but it really happened."
Thinking it an odd way to start a story, Shinobu started walking again but kept her eyes on Shinji, "Go on, I'll believe you."
As they both continued towards the target destination, Shinji recounted his knowledge of the events that transpired two days ago. He told her of his walk across the sensor hall, he was blushing fiercely when he admitted that all three pilots were indeed not wearing anything.
Upon hearing that Shinji was with two, begrudgingly beautiful, girls, she almost fainted. When the urge to lie on the ground passed she then had a small bout of hysterics. Once totally calmed, with help from Shinji who said he was walking far ahead of them, he was allowed to continue.
Stopping at a stoplight to allow a few sparse early morning commuters the right of way, Shinji began again. He was apprehensive to continue at this point but the subtle urgings from the woman next to him forced his hand. He told her about how the test ended in an emergency evacuation of the pilots into a fairly deep lake. Then almost in a whisper he told her about the swim to shore.
A feeling of total shock surged through Shinobu after she heard him, "THEY DID WHAT?"
Looking around to see if anybody had been eavesdropping on them, Shinji quickly shushed Shinobu, "I can't swim. They had to help me get to shore so the pick up crew could escort us back to base."
Feeling compelled to grab and hold Shinji's hand, almost in a show of ownership, Shinobu questioned, "Why couldn't they have used helicopters or something to get you out?"
That had puzzled Shinji at the time as well, so he recounted what he was told, "Misato-san said that NERV didn't want to scare the public so they didn't want to use military equipment for such a small event."
What Shinji didn't know was the order had come from his father to not allow equipment use. The security breach was so great and such a shock that if knowledge leaked out about it, Seele may have reacted.
With Shinji's hand still in hers, Shinobu smiled at the now visually depressed boy. She was glad he had told her, if he hadn't and she learned later she might have jumped to conclusions, "I'm glad you told me Shinji."
Feeling the soft and smooth hand in his, Shinji offered Shinobu a smile of his own. It was hard for him to tell her about the incident. Namely because he was still harboring suspiction that Rei and she didn't get along. Shinji was still confused on what to do next in his romantic pursuits. While the comforting hand of Shinobu was a very compelling argument, he couldn't get Rei out of his mind either.
As the pair neared the school gates, silence again draped over the two. Shinobu slightly leaning on Shinji's shoulder overjoyed that he didn't take his hand away or show any signs of rejection. Looking up at him, she saw a look of utter concentration. Wondering what he was thinking about a slightly wicked idea came to her mind.
"Shinji?"
Broken from his thoughts about potential futures, Shinji turned to face Shinobu's call. The exact moment his face was mirroring hers Shinobu leaned forward and bestowed the boy a quick feather kiss on his cheek. After the act, Shinobu's momentary courage dissolved and she looked ahead with her capillaries flaring.
Shinji just looked at the usually shy girl in amazement. She had just kissed him. 'A kiss a sign of affection, that means she truly DOES like me,' he thought. Shinji had a hard time grasping his new life. Up until two months ago he figured his life would be one of solace, but now he had two girls vying for his heart. He thought back to the few televisions shows he had watched that featured such a situation, and realized that reality never did match fiction. Having two girls like you isn't a good thing as it meant hurting one of them. 'But I don't want either to be hurt.'
Still hand in hand, the pair walked into the school and towards the classroom. Both children were hoping for a future with no pain.
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From their vantage point on the second floor of the school, Touji and Kensuke viewed the pairs approach. Both were startled to see the timid girl lay one on their buddy. Touji released a triumphant howler of joy. Kensuke readjusted his glasses and smiled proudly at their shy friend.
Dancing around his desk Touji continued his celebration, "I can't believe it man! Shin-man got some action!"
Noting how the couple below them had continued on their way towards class, Kensuke turned away from them to Touji. "I don't believe it myself."
"Who would have believed it though? Shinji and Shinobu? She must have started it cause the way he started talking to her." Touji trailed off as the memory of Shinji's actions sank in. Turning back to his chair, Touji fell into his seat.
Kensuke nodded to Touji's notion, Shinji's intentions when he started talking to the girl were far from romantic. "Who would have figured that Shinji's conscious would net him a girlfriend."
"I'm happy for him though, kid really needs somebody like that in his life," Touji said in a sparse moment of maturity. Scanning the room for any potential spies, Touji leaned closer to Kensuke and whispered, "But what about Ayanami? Shinji still seems to have a thing for her too."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kensuke had no answer to that. They had both suspected that the pilots had a connection, but the depth was unclear. "Its his life. We can only hope he makes the right choice at the right time. Still can't believe his guilt over crushing that school caused this."
"Kensuke," Touji's firm voice drew forth Kensuke's full attention, he sounded so serious, "Maybe if you let Misato-san run you over in her car she'll go out with you." He then fell into a fit of laughter, as Kensuke's seemed to be pondering the viability of it.
As usual, the pair had overlooked one person that was within hearing distance. Rei was looking at the same spot that Shinji was standing a few minutes ago, but she was listening to the two stooges aptly. Her pale hand was clenched into a tight fist about her pencil. The blood flow resulted in her skin to appear more colorful than many thought possible.
The kiss replayed in her mind, 'She is trying to gain his affections still.' Trying to block the fear of losing the one source of peace that had entered her life, Rei closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She knew she wasn't acting as she normally would. In the past she wouldn't have cared what others were doing, but now she felt irritation. The source of her irritation was the girl that just now entered the room holding the hand she wished.
That in-itself caused Rei to think. Shinji had initially meant nothing to her, but after his constant attempts at conversation and friendship had earned him a special place in her mind. No other had ever tried to approach her let alone befriend her. Now that she had somebody, according to Doctor Akagi, that she loved she didn't want to lose him.
'I'll talk to him. Tell him again of my feelings. He will respond. His friends even believe he has such feelings for me, and if he relationship with Maehara is based on guilt I need only alleviate the guilt and their relationship will end.'
Reading herself to again talk to Shinji, Rei stood and began to walk towards his desk. A desk she was relieved to notice he occupied alone. Fate however was not on her side, as she closed the distance and Shinji took notice of her approach her cell-phone rang, she was needed on base.
From behind him, Shinji heard, "What do you think she wanted?"
Facing Kensuke, Shinji answered, "We haven't been able to talk in a long while. Maybe she wanted to say hi."
"She doesn't talk to anybody, why would she just want to say hi. Unless you two are more chummy than you let on," Kensuke replied as he reset his sliding spectacles.
With a note of uncertainty clearly in his voice, "I talk to her. Not often but I do. I actually was hoping to get to talk to her soon."
Kensuke chuckled, "Don't let Shinobu hear that, she may think your cheating on her."
"But we're not dating, just good friends," the words sounding painfully true in his mind. They hadn't officially committed themselves to a relationship. He wasn't happy about that, but he had to admit that they too needed to discuss that topic.
Slamming her fists on Shinji's desk, Asuka leaned over and stared him square in the eye. "BAKA! Why didn't you wait for me today, and what's this I hear about you groping Shinobu outside the building!"
Shinji looked panicked, in his rush to get the lunches made and to meet Shinobu at the train station he had neglected to wake Asuka up. Scanning the room for help, a thought entered his mind, how had Asuka heard about Shinobu and him already. Finding Touji pointing and laughing at him all he could do was yell, "WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?"
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A small and subtle knot of frustration crossed the brow of the young blue haired pilot. Having been deprived of the right to truly talk to Shinji for going on a month, Rei really didn't appreciate being called away from her chance. But she knew she had to follow orders regardless of her personal thoughts. It just meant she didn't to like it.
From her perch on an observation table, "Doctor, why is it you called me away from school? I was finally able to speak with Shinji-kun."
"Commander's orders. You were the only pilot to take physical damage from the last angel. I need to check and insure you have no lasting damage or corrupted cells," Ritsuko admitted. After hearing that she had hampered her own plan, Ritsuko wasn't truly happy either.
Nodding solemnly Rei surrendered. She wasn't going to disobey the Commander. "Will I be able to return to school before it ends?"
Hiding her own smile, Ritsuko could tell Rei was just about were she wanted her. She'd get the doll to perform how she wanted, and that just happened to be opposite the bastard love of her live. "Unfortunately no. After the physical examination we have to perform a few sync tests."
Nodding again to logic, Rei accepted her present fate. Thinking about what she saw she began to formulate a question. "Doctor. I saw her kiss him. What should I do in such a scenario?"
Being one of the few people that actually spent time with the girl, Ritsuko knew exactly who 'she' was. "She kissed him you say, on the cheek or the lips?"
Playing the scene again in her mind to get a clear picture of the act, "I believe it was the side of his face."
A gnawing frustration began to build in the doctor. She had worked hard on preparing this act, and some little girl was in the way of ruining it. She'd have to up the ante, "Rei, why don't you do the same? It seems she's trying to take him for herself. You need to act and prove that beyond anything you two belong together."
A quick image of Gendo and herself in bed passed in her mind, but she rationalized that the pilots doing that would be both highly improbably and risked other problems.
Due to her lack in the social realm, Rei asked another question, "When is it acceptable that I do such?"
She's a blind little lamb, Ritsuko thought. "When you're alone with him of coarse. Well suit up we're moving to the sync chambers."
Sliding off the table and heading towards the changing rooms, Rei thought of when and how to be alone with Shinji. "Thank you Akagi-san, I will take you advice into consideration."
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Misato was pleasantly surprised when not two but three people entered her apartment. She was never one to pass up an opportunity to tease Shinji, and whenever Shinobu came over gave her the most opportune time. "Oh Shinji, I didn't know you were bringing company over today."
In an attempt to spare herself and Shinobu the pain of listening to whatever Misato had planned, Asuka quickly dragged Shinobu to her room and shut the door after offering a quick hello.
Finding his support had left him, as usual, Shinji waved to Misato, "Shinobu has to use the phone she has errands to run today."
"I don't know Shinji, its kinda suspicious," she said as she leaned a bit closer to the boy. "Why would she come here if she had errands?"
Not buying Shinji's excuse for a second, Misato sauntered over to the young man and put her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok to have her visit Shinji. You don't have to lie about it."
Uncomfortable with how close Misato was getting Shinji began to fidget. His face grew warm as his embarrassment increased, "She.she said she had to pick somebody up at the airport and was going to take a taxi."
Moving in for the kill Misato voice perked up a notch, "If she's going to call a taxi why didn't she take the phone."
A small voice peeped out from behind the pair, who now seemed to be sharing a hug. "Miss Katsuragi where is.your phone book?"
Her eyes widening, Misato's grip on Shinji went lax and he fell to the ground, "I'll be damned your not lying." Turning to face Shinobu, Misato almost fell over, as she seemed near tears. "I was just playing with him Shinobu, and the phone book is in the second drawer by the sink." Thus said, Shinobu fled the room.
From her spot by her door, Asuka started laughing at her two flat mates, "You guys are completely useless."
In unison said roommates replied, "Shut up."
Rejoining the room, Shinobu noted a more positive air about the three. "Thank you for letting me use your phone Miss Katsuragi."
Pulling Shinji off the ground, Misato waved her hand at Shinobu, "Didn't I tell you to call me Misato, and what's this taxi business?"
Taking a seat on the couch, followed by the others, Shinobu divulged the errand she was asked to perform. "Naru-sempai asked me to meet a new resident of Hinata named Nyamo at the Tokyo-3 airport since I was going to be in the city. We figured that since I was already going to be here I might as well."
"Couldn't you have given her a ride Misato-san?" Shinji asked after Shinobu's dialogue concluded.
Her last incident at the airport drove a chill down Misato's spin. 'All those in ramps, off ramps, and the traffic.' Looking at the faces of her current companions, she knew they were expecting an answer. "I would but I have a lot of paper work to do."
A light sneer crossed Asuka's face, "I smell a lie."
Much to Misato's joy, Shinobu spoke, "It's ok, I don't know how long I'll have to wait for the plane, and then we have to go to the train station. Its ok really."
Looking out the window Shinji voiced a question that he didn't expect to have answered, "When is the taxi supposed to get here?"
Nudging Shinji's ribs, Misato laughed, "Want to spend some quality time with Shinobu eh?"
Both children looked as they were just caught with their hands in a cookie jar. "Misato-san!"
Asuka was actually enjoying this encounter. She really did like Shinobu, and Shinji well she couldn't deny the boy had become special to her too. She'd never let him know that however, "Be careful Shinobu, he maybe waiting to pounce you."
Covering her mouth as a laugh escaped her lips, "Asuka-san, you know Shinji wouldn't do that. As for the taxi, I better go down and wait for it. Take care." Tempted to kiss his cheek again, as she found it very enjoyable, her resolve leaked out her feat as she saw the other two women. Waving goodbye she walked out of the apartment to find the taxi already waiting her arrival.
"What she sees in you I'll never know," Asuka said lightly as she viewed Misato rolling her eyes and leaving her chair. "So when are you going to make it official?"
Watching Misato from the corner of his eye, Shinji waited until he couldn't see her anymore. "I don't know. Things are complicated right now."
Sliding off the couch and over to the television she responded, "Just don't wait to long," tossing a controller to Shinji, "now lets play."
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Two hours of having his digital representation bludgeoned countless times, Shinji forfeited the match. 'I never was any good at games,' he thought as he watched Asuka playing the single person mode. He smiled at his redheaded companion she never stopped amazing him. How she could get so worked up over a game he could never know.
"This is boring. Come on Shinji, play me again!" Asuka whined and offered the controller to Shinji again. The control dropped to the ground when a shrill sound erupted through the air. The emergency beacon was ringing an angel was attacking.
Erupting from her room, Misato gathered her two wards and the trio was rushing towards the Geo-front. Asuka and Shinji offered silent prayers to any listening deities that Shinobu and this Nyamo were safely in a shelter.
The drive was silent, and upon arrival Misato gave the pointless order for the pilots to suit up and to meet her in the briefing room ASAP. With ease, Shinji was able to quickly change and rush off leaving Asuka in his wake. He found his objective location was temporarily empty, save for one person.
"Rei, you're already suited up?" Shinji asked as he wondered where Misato was.
With a feeling slowly building in her chest, Rei repeated what she had heard several minutes past. "Major Katsuragi has informed me of the mission and has left for the command deck. I am to inform you and Pilot Souryu when she arrives. As for my attire, I was present on base when the Angel signal was first detected."
Having his first bout of pre-battle jitters, Shinji took a seat on the bench next to Rei. "This doesn't get any easier does it?"
Still unaccustomed to using his name Rei spoke slowly, "It doesn't. S- Shinji, may we speak?"
"Until Asuka gets here we have nothing else to do," Shinji joked to break the serious mood that was settling in.
Nodding at Shinji's logic and missing the joke entirely, Rei began. "I want to reiterate my previous statement to you after we kissed. Having seen you and Maehara together I feel it required."
"Rei, you want to talk about." Shinji's voice locked up as he looked at Rei. She looked different. Her composure wasn't the rock solid unreadable mask it always was. She looked scared.
"I don't like the feeling I have when I see you two like that. A pain within myself is apparent, one that I can't clearly identify. I believe my feelings are that of intense attachment, Akagi-san says its love." Rei's face a reflection of the confusion she was feeling.
Shinji's heart was pounding in his head. 'Rei never speaks like this. She seems so different, so fragile.' Taking her hand in his to help her anyway he could, "Go on."
A single tear formed on her face but didn't fall. "I've been alone for so long, that is until your arrival. Now I cannot return to such an existence. Shinji please.don't make me go back to being alone. Tell me your feelings are as mine."
Rei's empty life flooded Shinji's mind. The situation seemed so surreal. He had never expected such an act from Rei. But he was witnessing it. 'She's almost begging me. She's had so much pain in her life. Can I willingly force more on her? Is it not true that I like her too?'
Taking a firmer grip on Shinji's hand Rei looked deeply into his eyes and said in her same monotone voice as usual, but Shinji could feel her emotions. They were extreme sadness and extreme hope, "Please?"
From her hiding place in the hall, Asuka was as shocked as Shinji. 'I never thought wonder-girl could ever.that she and Shinji.' She shook her head, she had to help Shinobu, she knew Shinji would never willfully place harm or pain on anybody so if she let any more time pass he would commit to Rei.
Making her choice to back Shinobu, Asuka rushed into the room before Shinji could answer Rei's plea. She quickly noticed the look of irritation that flashed on Rei's face and the almost to sullen look on Shinji's.
Having her moment with Shinji broken, Rei informed to two of the mission objective and time-line. Then they all left for their respective Eva's.
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Shinji was edgy now. They saw the giant zebra ball that was the next Angel but it had yet to attack. What also had Shinji worried was how close they were to the airport. He tried to draw from his teachings from Motoko, but he could see the Angel doing something that destroyed Shinobu's shelter at the same time. "Asuka you in position yet?"
Feeling the same as Shinji, Asuka's reply was short, "Baka, you know the Eva's can't move that fast calm down."
Hearing Rei give a similar response, Shinji's nerves grew even thinner. The anticipation churned his stomach and caused his muscles to tense. Finally he snapped, rounding the corner he aimed his weapon at the ball and fired.
Shouting from her position in the command deck, Misato questioned why Shinji had disobeyed orders. She would have continued if the angel hadn't suddenly disappeared.
Stomach lurching up in his abdomen, the young pilot of Evangelion unit-01 felt himself falling. Blackness had swept the ground underneath him and was enfolding around him. "I'm sinking! I.I can't get out!" panic overriding his teachings he struggled to free himself.
Trying to get into a position to help him, Asuka found the shadow had spread across more of the city and was actually swallowing buildings. "What is this!"
Cries from Shinji shorting out her thinking process, Rei ran head long towards his location.
Calling in vain, Shinji bellowed, "Misato-san! Asuka! Rei, somebody help me!"
From her vantage point from the building she just scaled, Asuka saw the horn of Unit-01 vanish. Her blood ran cold as the boy's transmission was cut. The next message then sent her into a rage. She was ordered back to base. Before she could comment she saw the blue form of Unit-00 still rushing towards the power cable of Unit-01.
The general feed communiqué startled both Rei and Asuka, "Pilot Ayanami, you are to return to base now." It was Commander Ikari.
"But Shinji is."
The firm voice of the elder Ikari rang out again, "That is irrelevant, you are to return now."
Rei didn't know what to do. She felt compelled to listen to the commander but that meant abandoning Shinji. "Commander I want."
One final message was sent from the Commander's office, "Either return voluntarily or we'll eject the plug and drag you back."
Nobody could believe the Commander would say such a thing, to Rei no less. Her head drooping, the young girl willed her mecha to return to the hanger. Asuka felt the old revulsion for her fellow female pilot return. 'She quit.' Scanning the area again, a new fear entered her mind, Shinobu!
Rushing back to base to learn of any yet known fatalities. Asuka was informed by Misato that, indeed, the shelter nearest the airport was destroyed, but not before the inhabitants were repositioned in the civilian shelter directly adjacent the headquarters.
Asuka thought to herself, 'I have to tell Shinobu.'
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Turning off the view screen after it showed him nothing but an endless plain of white, Shinji curled into a ball. He'd lost track of how long he'd been in his entry plug. The smell of blood becoming painfully clear to his mind.
If it weren't for the teachings in meditation he'd have broken down into hysterics by now. The sensory deprivation wasn't helping though, neither was the fact that his life support was shorting out and he was growing cold.
'I guess I'm going to die here, not the way I wanted to solve my problems,' the thought with a grim sense of humor. He found he didn't really fancy the thought of dying now. He watched silently as his plug suit's internal battery light went off, signally its failure. His stomach groaned in agitation from being neglected, 'Why do I have to be hungry now?'
Again the whole irony of his current position flared past his mind and he laughed. His laughter grew into a scream, and finally he sobbed. His tears subsided when he thought he heard a noise. "That sounded like."
"Shinji."
The voice again heard by the boy resulted in his spinning around to find his plug suit was now basked in an all-encompassing light.
"Shinji," the voice called out again.
Deliria setting in, Shinji could have sworn it was, "Shinobu is that you?"
Standing in the light twenty feet away from him, Shinobu stood smiling at him wearing her school uniform. "Do you want to be one with me Shinji?"
"What do you." Shinji started before he heard another voice from behind him.
"Do you wish to be one with me Shinji?"
Fully under the sway of mental instability Shinji saw Rei staring at him in her usual manner. "Rei." Looking between each girl, Shinji's mind couldn't comprehend that they weren't really there.
In perfect unison, both girls called to him, "I love you Shinji, do you love me?"
His feelings surged in his mind; he didn't know what to do. Faltering, Shinji turned from girl to girl mumbling. Again each girl professed her love for him, and again Shinji did nothing. Slumping to the ground, Shinji shook his head fiercely, "I don't know what to do."
Looking up again, the sight before him filled him with abstract terror. The two women slowly began to age. Both girls height increased and maturity took its coarse. All the while they continued to tell him of their feelings. The ageing affect didn't end however at adulthood, it continued. From young women the two went to middle aged, and continued to elderly.
Covering his mouth his hand, Shinji witnessed the aged bodies of the two women putrify as the bodies past the human life expectancy. Their flesh yellowed and their hair went gray and fell out. He was watching them die. His inaction was casing this. As the skin began to peal he felt something else. A need to go back and make a choice.
Suddenly a warm feeling crept over his body. A warm caress, he surrendered to it.
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"Ok the emergency state has been lifted, you man all return to your homes," a nameless soldier stated to the confined masses.
Shinobu took Nyamo's hand and started for the exit. She was terribly worried. An Angel attack meant Shinji had to fight in that machine again. Every time that happened he could die. Not speaking to Nyamo, she made her way to the exit silently. 'I'd even talk to Ayanami if it meant learning Shinji was ok.'
Shinobu's wish was answered as Rei made her presence known to her. "Maehara- kun."
Dropping Nyamo's hand, Shinobu turned to face Rei, "Ayanami-san!"
Not knowing what was happening and being left behind, Nyamo watched as static seemed to fill the air between the two blue haired girls. 'Who's Shinomu's friend?"*
"You are to stop any involvement with Shinji at once. Your presence almost cost him his life," Rei said flatly to the girl before her.
Shocked and untrusting of Rei, "What do you mean? Was he hurt? Is he ok?"
"His condition is stable, Major Katsuragi and Pilot Souryu are attending him. His judgment during the last battle however was marred by you."
Not understanding the vague clues she was given, Shinobu's face contorted in confusion, "I don't understand, tell me what happened."
With almost a cold sneer, Rei admitted to what she rationalized occurred. She recounted the battle, leaving out any technical details that would constitute a break of secrecy.
Something in Shinobu burst. "You didn't help him!"
"I was ordered." Rei started but was cut short.
"Ordered! You claim to love him but you won't disobey orders for him! How can you even think you feel what I do for him then!" Shinobu screamed at Rei. Emotions were swelling in her. Shinji almost died and this girl would have let it happen because of orders!
Again confusion ran rampart in Rei's mind. 'She has a valid thought. Was it my fault?' Still Rei said one last comment before walking back to the Geo- front to see Shinji. "Would this event have even transpired if he didn't have to worry about you? You will only cause him more problems."
Watching, the now perceived as scary, girl leave, Nyamo tugged on Shinobu's arm. "Shinomu who Shinji?"
Blinding grasping onto Nyamo, Shinobu hugged the girl. The surge of emotions needed an outlet. Was she going to cause Shinji problems? Was Rei just lying to her? What happened to him? All her thoughts and worries surrounded her. Shinobu wanted nothing more now than to see Shinji safe. 'But if I'm.going to cause him.shouldn't I just go?'
Nyamo returned the girl's hug as best she could. She didn't understand what just happened, but she knew one thing. Shinobu was crying.
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Author notes
Well bit darker a chapter. Hope you liked it. Writing will be bit more lax as school is sucking up my time. Hope you bear with me
Ideas/comments/suggestions always welcome
As a note Nyamo calls Shinobu- Shinomu so its not a typo
Ja Mata
Zentrodie
Omake for next chapter by vote.
a) Motoko Vs Shinji b) Rei Vs Shinobu c) Asuka Vs Naru d) All of the above
I have some bad news people. Not only have I started my senior year of college but I now have two that right two jobs. So writing will be few and far between. I hope to be able to get something out at least twice a month.
Please bear with me and continue to read my work.
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Out of Disaster Chapter 12 - New Acquaintances
The sun was shining brightly on the dwindling metropolis of Tokyo-3. With each angel confrontation, the population fled the city to the hopefully safer outer cities. However not all people were either willing or able to leave the city. Two such people were walking at a leisurely pace towards their school. Shinji and Shinobu smiled lightly at each other as they walked side by side towards a day they prayed would be a quite one.
"Motoko-san said you were distracted in practice last night," Shinobu said to break the silence that had befallen them. Her comment was directed from an encounter at the Hinata breakfast table before she left. "Something on your mind?"
His feet suddenly stopping in their forward momentum, Shinji was caught totally off guard by Shinobu's comment. He knew why he wasn't focused the other day; he was still suffering from the backlash of the 'swim' back to shore from the day before. Needing help back wasn't that bad, the real trouble resulted in not only himself but also his assistants being nude at the time.
Not knowing exactly how to break the unfortunate news to Shinobu, Shinji opted for his failsafe, "Um.about that.you see."
Turning to face the boy that was steadily gaining more space in her heart, Shinobu squinted her eyes at him as she stared. After spending so much time with him, she could tell when he was hiding something. "Tell me what happened Shinji."
Upon gazing into Shinobu's face, Shinji lost his ability to think in coherent thoughts. Not that it wasn't a normal happenstance when it came to Shinobu, his mind also was affected as thus by Asuka and Rei. He dropped his head lightly, "This is going to sound odd, but it really happened."
Thinking it an odd way to start a story, Shinobu started walking again but kept her eyes on Shinji, "Go on, I'll believe you."
As they both continued towards the target destination, Shinji recounted his knowledge of the events that transpired two days ago. He told her of his walk across the sensor hall, he was blushing fiercely when he admitted that all three pilots were indeed not wearing anything.
Upon hearing that Shinji was with two, begrudgingly beautiful, girls, she almost fainted. When the urge to lie on the ground passed she then had a small bout of hysterics. Once totally calmed, with help from Shinji who said he was walking far ahead of them, he was allowed to continue.
Stopping at a stoplight to allow a few sparse early morning commuters the right of way, Shinji began again. He was apprehensive to continue at this point but the subtle urgings from the woman next to him forced his hand. He told her about how the test ended in an emergency evacuation of the pilots into a fairly deep lake. Then almost in a whisper he told her about the swim to shore.
A feeling of total shock surged through Shinobu after she heard him, "THEY DID WHAT?"
Looking around to see if anybody had been eavesdropping on them, Shinji quickly shushed Shinobu, "I can't swim. They had to help me get to shore so the pick up crew could escort us back to base."
Feeling compelled to grab and hold Shinji's hand, almost in a show of ownership, Shinobu questioned, "Why couldn't they have used helicopters or something to get you out?"
That had puzzled Shinji at the time as well, so he recounted what he was told, "Misato-san said that NERV didn't want to scare the public so they didn't want to use military equipment for such a small event."
What Shinji didn't know was the order had come from his father to not allow equipment use. The security breach was so great and such a shock that if knowledge leaked out about it, Seele may have reacted.
With Shinji's hand still in hers, Shinobu smiled at the now visually depressed boy. She was glad he had told her, if he hadn't and she learned later she might have jumped to conclusions, "I'm glad you told me Shinji."
Feeling the soft and smooth hand in his, Shinji offered Shinobu a smile of his own. It was hard for him to tell her about the incident. Namely because he was still harboring suspiction that Rei and she didn't get along. Shinji was still confused on what to do next in his romantic pursuits. While the comforting hand of Shinobu was a very compelling argument, he couldn't get Rei out of his mind either.
As the pair neared the school gates, silence again draped over the two. Shinobu slightly leaning on Shinji's shoulder overjoyed that he didn't take his hand away or show any signs of rejection. Looking up at him, she saw a look of utter concentration. Wondering what he was thinking about a slightly wicked idea came to her mind.
"Shinji?"
Broken from his thoughts about potential futures, Shinji turned to face Shinobu's call. The exact moment his face was mirroring hers Shinobu leaned forward and bestowed the boy a quick feather kiss on his cheek. After the act, Shinobu's momentary courage dissolved and she looked ahead with her capillaries flaring.
Shinji just looked at the usually shy girl in amazement. She had just kissed him. 'A kiss a sign of affection, that means she truly DOES like me,' he thought. Shinji had a hard time grasping his new life. Up until two months ago he figured his life would be one of solace, but now he had two girls vying for his heart. He thought back to the few televisions shows he had watched that featured such a situation, and realized that reality never did match fiction. Having two girls like you isn't a good thing as it meant hurting one of them. 'But I don't want either to be hurt.'
Still hand in hand, the pair walked into the school and towards the classroom. Both children were hoping for a future with no pain.
--------------
From their vantage point on the second floor of the school, Touji and Kensuke viewed the pairs approach. Both were startled to see the timid girl lay one on their buddy. Touji released a triumphant howler of joy. Kensuke readjusted his glasses and smiled proudly at their shy friend.
Dancing around his desk Touji continued his celebration, "I can't believe it man! Shin-man got some action!"
Noting how the couple below them had continued on their way towards class, Kensuke turned away from them to Touji. "I don't believe it myself."
"Who would have believed it though? Shinji and Shinobu? She must have started it cause the way he started talking to her." Touji trailed off as the memory of Shinji's actions sank in. Turning back to his chair, Touji fell into his seat.
Kensuke nodded to Touji's notion, Shinji's intentions when he started talking to the girl were far from romantic. "Who would have figured that Shinji's conscious would net him a girlfriend."
"I'm happy for him though, kid really needs somebody like that in his life," Touji said in a sparse moment of maturity. Scanning the room for any potential spies, Touji leaned closer to Kensuke and whispered, "But what about Ayanami? Shinji still seems to have a thing for her too."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kensuke had no answer to that. They had both suspected that the pilots had a connection, but the depth was unclear. "Its his life. We can only hope he makes the right choice at the right time. Still can't believe his guilt over crushing that school caused this."
"Kensuke," Touji's firm voice drew forth Kensuke's full attention, he sounded so serious, "Maybe if you let Misato-san run you over in her car she'll go out with you." He then fell into a fit of laughter, as Kensuke's seemed to be pondering the viability of it.
As usual, the pair had overlooked one person that was within hearing distance. Rei was looking at the same spot that Shinji was standing a few minutes ago, but she was listening to the two stooges aptly. Her pale hand was clenched into a tight fist about her pencil. The blood flow resulted in her skin to appear more colorful than many thought possible.
The kiss replayed in her mind, 'She is trying to gain his affections still.' Trying to block the fear of losing the one source of peace that had entered her life, Rei closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She knew she wasn't acting as she normally would. In the past she wouldn't have cared what others were doing, but now she felt irritation. The source of her irritation was the girl that just now entered the room holding the hand she wished.
That in-itself caused Rei to think. Shinji had initially meant nothing to her, but after his constant attempts at conversation and friendship had earned him a special place in her mind. No other had ever tried to approach her let alone befriend her. Now that she had somebody, according to Doctor Akagi, that she loved she didn't want to lose him.
'I'll talk to him. Tell him again of my feelings. He will respond. His friends even believe he has such feelings for me, and if he relationship with Maehara is based on guilt I need only alleviate the guilt and their relationship will end.'
Reading herself to again talk to Shinji, Rei stood and began to walk towards his desk. A desk she was relieved to notice he occupied alone. Fate however was not on her side, as she closed the distance and Shinji took notice of her approach her cell-phone rang, she was needed on base.
From behind him, Shinji heard, "What do you think she wanted?"
Facing Kensuke, Shinji answered, "We haven't been able to talk in a long while. Maybe she wanted to say hi."
"She doesn't talk to anybody, why would she just want to say hi. Unless you two are more chummy than you let on," Kensuke replied as he reset his sliding spectacles.
With a note of uncertainty clearly in his voice, "I talk to her. Not often but I do. I actually was hoping to get to talk to her soon."
Kensuke chuckled, "Don't let Shinobu hear that, she may think your cheating on her."
"But we're not dating, just good friends," the words sounding painfully true in his mind. They hadn't officially committed themselves to a relationship. He wasn't happy about that, but he had to admit that they too needed to discuss that topic.
Slamming her fists on Shinji's desk, Asuka leaned over and stared him square in the eye. "BAKA! Why didn't you wait for me today, and what's this I hear about you groping Shinobu outside the building!"
Shinji looked panicked, in his rush to get the lunches made and to meet Shinobu at the train station he had neglected to wake Asuka up. Scanning the room for help, a thought entered his mind, how had Asuka heard about Shinobu and him already. Finding Touji pointing and laughing at him all he could do was yell, "WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?"
-----
A small and subtle knot of frustration crossed the brow of the young blue haired pilot. Having been deprived of the right to truly talk to Shinji for going on a month, Rei really didn't appreciate being called away from her chance. But she knew she had to follow orders regardless of her personal thoughts. It just meant she didn't to like it.
From her perch on an observation table, "Doctor, why is it you called me away from school? I was finally able to speak with Shinji-kun."
"Commander's orders. You were the only pilot to take physical damage from the last angel. I need to check and insure you have no lasting damage or corrupted cells," Ritsuko admitted. After hearing that she had hampered her own plan, Ritsuko wasn't truly happy either.
Nodding solemnly Rei surrendered. She wasn't going to disobey the Commander. "Will I be able to return to school before it ends?"
Hiding her own smile, Ritsuko could tell Rei was just about were she wanted her. She'd get the doll to perform how she wanted, and that just happened to be opposite the bastard love of her live. "Unfortunately no. After the physical examination we have to perform a few sync tests."
Nodding again to logic, Rei accepted her present fate. Thinking about what she saw she began to formulate a question. "Doctor. I saw her kiss him. What should I do in such a scenario?"
Being one of the few people that actually spent time with the girl, Ritsuko knew exactly who 'she' was. "She kissed him you say, on the cheek or the lips?"
Playing the scene again in her mind to get a clear picture of the act, "I believe it was the side of his face."
A gnawing frustration began to build in the doctor. She had worked hard on preparing this act, and some little girl was in the way of ruining it. She'd have to up the ante, "Rei, why don't you do the same? It seems she's trying to take him for herself. You need to act and prove that beyond anything you two belong together."
A quick image of Gendo and herself in bed passed in her mind, but she rationalized that the pilots doing that would be both highly improbably and risked other problems.
Due to her lack in the social realm, Rei asked another question, "When is it acceptable that I do such?"
She's a blind little lamb, Ritsuko thought. "When you're alone with him of coarse. Well suit up we're moving to the sync chambers."
Sliding off the table and heading towards the changing rooms, Rei thought of when and how to be alone with Shinji. "Thank you Akagi-san, I will take you advice into consideration."
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Misato was pleasantly surprised when not two but three people entered her apartment. She was never one to pass up an opportunity to tease Shinji, and whenever Shinobu came over gave her the most opportune time. "Oh Shinji, I didn't know you were bringing company over today."
In an attempt to spare herself and Shinobu the pain of listening to whatever Misato had planned, Asuka quickly dragged Shinobu to her room and shut the door after offering a quick hello.
Finding his support had left him, as usual, Shinji waved to Misato, "Shinobu has to use the phone she has errands to run today."
"I don't know Shinji, its kinda suspicious," she said as she leaned a bit closer to the boy. "Why would she come here if she had errands?"
Not buying Shinji's excuse for a second, Misato sauntered over to the young man and put her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok to have her visit Shinji. You don't have to lie about it."
Uncomfortable with how close Misato was getting Shinji began to fidget. His face grew warm as his embarrassment increased, "She.she said she had to pick somebody up at the airport and was going to take a taxi."
Moving in for the kill Misato voice perked up a notch, "If she's going to call a taxi why didn't she take the phone."
A small voice peeped out from behind the pair, who now seemed to be sharing a hug. "Miss Katsuragi where is.your phone book?"
Her eyes widening, Misato's grip on Shinji went lax and he fell to the ground, "I'll be damned your not lying." Turning to face Shinobu, Misato almost fell over, as she seemed near tears. "I was just playing with him Shinobu, and the phone book is in the second drawer by the sink." Thus said, Shinobu fled the room.
From her spot by her door, Asuka started laughing at her two flat mates, "You guys are completely useless."
In unison said roommates replied, "Shut up."
Rejoining the room, Shinobu noted a more positive air about the three. "Thank you for letting me use your phone Miss Katsuragi."
Pulling Shinji off the ground, Misato waved her hand at Shinobu, "Didn't I tell you to call me Misato, and what's this taxi business?"
Taking a seat on the couch, followed by the others, Shinobu divulged the errand she was asked to perform. "Naru-sempai asked me to meet a new resident of Hinata named Nyamo at the Tokyo-3 airport since I was going to be in the city. We figured that since I was already going to be here I might as well."
"Couldn't you have given her a ride Misato-san?" Shinji asked after Shinobu's dialogue concluded.
Her last incident at the airport drove a chill down Misato's spin. 'All those in ramps, off ramps, and the traffic.' Looking at the faces of her current companions, she knew they were expecting an answer. "I would but I have a lot of paper work to do."
A light sneer crossed Asuka's face, "I smell a lie."
Much to Misato's joy, Shinobu spoke, "It's ok, I don't know how long I'll have to wait for the plane, and then we have to go to the train station. Its ok really."
Looking out the window Shinji voiced a question that he didn't expect to have answered, "When is the taxi supposed to get here?"
Nudging Shinji's ribs, Misato laughed, "Want to spend some quality time with Shinobu eh?"
Both children looked as they were just caught with their hands in a cookie jar. "Misato-san!"
Asuka was actually enjoying this encounter. She really did like Shinobu, and Shinji well she couldn't deny the boy had become special to her too. She'd never let him know that however, "Be careful Shinobu, he maybe waiting to pounce you."
Covering her mouth as a laugh escaped her lips, "Asuka-san, you know Shinji wouldn't do that. As for the taxi, I better go down and wait for it. Take care." Tempted to kiss his cheek again, as she found it very enjoyable, her resolve leaked out her feat as she saw the other two women. Waving goodbye she walked out of the apartment to find the taxi already waiting her arrival.
"What she sees in you I'll never know," Asuka said lightly as she viewed Misato rolling her eyes and leaving her chair. "So when are you going to make it official?"
Watching Misato from the corner of his eye, Shinji waited until he couldn't see her anymore. "I don't know. Things are complicated right now."
Sliding off the couch and over to the television she responded, "Just don't wait to long," tossing a controller to Shinji, "now lets play."
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Two hours of having his digital representation bludgeoned countless times, Shinji forfeited the match. 'I never was any good at games,' he thought as he watched Asuka playing the single person mode. He smiled at his redheaded companion she never stopped amazing him. How she could get so worked up over a game he could never know.
"This is boring. Come on Shinji, play me again!" Asuka whined and offered the controller to Shinji again. The control dropped to the ground when a shrill sound erupted through the air. The emergency beacon was ringing an angel was attacking.
Erupting from her room, Misato gathered her two wards and the trio was rushing towards the Geo-front. Asuka and Shinji offered silent prayers to any listening deities that Shinobu and this Nyamo were safely in a shelter.
The drive was silent, and upon arrival Misato gave the pointless order for the pilots to suit up and to meet her in the briefing room ASAP. With ease, Shinji was able to quickly change and rush off leaving Asuka in his wake. He found his objective location was temporarily empty, save for one person.
"Rei, you're already suited up?" Shinji asked as he wondered where Misato was.
With a feeling slowly building in her chest, Rei repeated what she had heard several minutes past. "Major Katsuragi has informed me of the mission and has left for the command deck. I am to inform you and Pilot Souryu when she arrives. As for my attire, I was present on base when the Angel signal was first detected."
Having his first bout of pre-battle jitters, Shinji took a seat on the bench next to Rei. "This doesn't get any easier does it?"
Still unaccustomed to using his name Rei spoke slowly, "It doesn't. S- Shinji, may we speak?"
"Until Asuka gets here we have nothing else to do," Shinji joked to break the serious mood that was settling in.
Nodding at Shinji's logic and missing the joke entirely, Rei began. "I want to reiterate my previous statement to you after we kissed. Having seen you and Maehara together I feel it required."
"Rei, you want to talk about." Shinji's voice locked up as he looked at Rei. She looked different. Her composure wasn't the rock solid unreadable mask it always was. She looked scared.
"I don't like the feeling I have when I see you two like that. A pain within myself is apparent, one that I can't clearly identify. I believe my feelings are that of intense attachment, Akagi-san says its love." Rei's face a reflection of the confusion she was feeling.
Shinji's heart was pounding in his head. 'Rei never speaks like this. She seems so different, so fragile.' Taking her hand in his to help her anyway he could, "Go on."
A single tear formed on her face but didn't fall. "I've been alone for so long, that is until your arrival. Now I cannot return to such an existence. Shinji please.don't make me go back to being alone. Tell me your feelings are as mine."
Rei's empty life flooded Shinji's mind. The situation seemed so surreal. He had never expected such an act from Rei. But he was witnessing it. 'She's almost begging me. She's had so much pain in her life. Can I willingly force more on her? Is it not true that I like her too?'
Taking a firmer grip on Shinji's hand Rei looked deeply into his eyes and said in her same monotone voice as usual, but Shinji could feel her emotions. They were extreme sadness and extreme hope, "Please?"
From her hiding place in the hall, Asuka was as shocked as Shinji. 'I never thought wonder-girl could ever.that she and Shinji.' She shook her head, she had to help Shinobu, she knew Shinji would never willfully place harm or pain on anybody so if she let any more time pass he would commit to Rei.
Making her choice to back Shinobu, Asuka rushed into the room before Shinji could answer Rei's plea. She quickly noticed the look of irritation that flashed on Rei's face and the almost to sullen look on Shinji's.
Having her moment with Shinji broken, Rei informed to two of the mission objective and time-line. Then they all left for their respective Eva's.
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Shinji was edgy now. They saw the giant zebra ball that was the next Angel but it had yet to attack. What also had Shinji worried was how close they were to the airport. He tried to draw from his teachings from Motoko, but he could see the Angel doing something that destroyed Shinobu's shelter at the same time. "Asuka you in position yet?"
Feeling the same as Shinji, Asuka's reply was short, "Baka, you know the Eva's can't move that fast calm down."
Hearing Rei give a similar response, Shinji's nerves grew even thinner. The anticipation churned his stomach and caused his muscles to tense. Finally he snapped, rounding the corner he aimed his weapon at the ball and fired.
Shouting from her position in the command deck, Misato questioned why Shinji had disobeyed orders. She would have continued if the angel hadn't suddenly disappeared.
Stomach lurching up in his abdomen, the young pilot of Evangelion unit-01 felt himself falling. Blackness had swept the ground underneath him and was enfolding around him. "I'm sinking! I.I can't get out!" panic overriding his teachings he struggled to free himself.
Trying to get into a position to help him, Asuka found the shadow had spread across more of the city and was actually swallowing buildings. "What is this!"
Cries from Shinji shorting out her thinking process, Rei ran head long towards his location.
Calling in vain, Shinji bellowed, "Misato-san! Asuka! Rei, somebody help me!"
From her vantage point from the building she just scaled, Asuka saw the horn of Unit-01 vanish. Her blood ran cold as the boy's transmission was cut. The next message then sent her into a rage. She was ordered back to base. Before she could comment she saw the blue form of Unit-00 still rushing towards the power cable of Unit-01.
The general feed communiqué startled both Rei and Asuka, "Pilot Ayanami, you are to return to base now." It was Commander Ikari.
"But Shinji is."
The firm voice of the elder Ikari rang out again, "That is irrelevant, you are to return now."
Rei didn't know what to do. She felt compelled to listen to the commander but that meant abandoning Shinji. "Commander I want."
One final message was sent from the Commander's office, "Either return voluntarily or we'll eject the plug and drag you back."
Nobody could believe the Commander would say such a thing, to Rei no less. Her head drooping, the young girl willed her mecha to return to the hanger. Asuka felt the old revulsion for her fellow female pilot return. 'She quit.' Scanning the area again, a new fear entered her mind, Shinobu!
Rushing back to base to learn of any yet known fatalities. Asuka was informed by Misato that, indeed, the shelter nearest the airport was destroyed, but not before the inhabitants were repositioned in the civilian shelter directly adjacent the headquarters.
Asuka thought to herself, 'I have to tell Shinobu.'
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Turning off the view screen after it showed him nothing but an endless plain of white, Shinji curled into a ball. He'd lost track of how long he'd been in his entry plug. The smell of blood becoming painfully clear to his mind.
If it weren't for the teachings in meditation he'd have broken down into hysterics by now. The sensory deprivation wasn't helping though, neither was the fact that his life support was shorting out and he was growing cold.
'I guess I'm going to die here, not the way I wanted to solve my problems,' the thought with a grim sense of humor. He found he didn't really fancy the thought of dying now. He watched silently as his plug suit's internal battery light went off, signally its failure. His stomach groaned in agitation from being neglected, 'Why do I have to be hungry now?'
Again the whole irony of his current position flared past his mind and he laughed. His laughter grew into a scream, and finally he sobbed. His tears subsided when he thought he heard a noise. "That sounded like."
"Shinji."
The voice again heard by the boy resulted in his spinning around to find his plug suit was now basked in an all-encompassing light.
"Shinji," the voice called out again.
Deliria setting in, Shinji could have sworn it was, "Shinobu is that you?"
Standing in the light twenty feet away from him, Shinobu stood smiling at him wearing her school uniform. "Do you want to be one with me Shinji?"
"What do you." Shinji started before he heard another voice from behind him.
"Do you wish to be one with me Shinji?"
Fully under the sway of mental instability Shinji saw Rei staring at him in her usual manner. "Rei." Looking between each girl, Shinji's mind couldn't comprehend that they weren't really there.
In perfect unison, both girls called to him, "I love you Shinji, do you love me?"
His feelings surged in his mind; he didn't know what to do. Faltering, Shinji turned from girl to girl mumbling. Again each girl professed her love for him, and again Shinji did nothing. Slumping to the ground, Shinji shook his head fiercely, "I don't know what to do."
Looking up again, the sight before him filled him with abstract terror. The two women slowly began to age. Both girls height increased and maturity took its coarse. All the while they continued to tell him of their feelings. The ageing affect didn't end however at adulthood, it continued. From young women the two went to middle aged, and continued to elderly.
Covering his mouth his hand, Shinji witnessed the aged bodies of the two women putrify as the bodies past the human life expectancy. Their flesh yellowed and their hair went gray and fell out. He was watching them die. His inaction was casing this. As the skin began to peal he felt something else. A need to go back and make a choice.
Suddenly a warm feeling crept over his body. A warm caress, he surrendered to it.
--------------
"Ok the emergency state has been lifted, you man all return to your homes," a nameless soldier stated to the confined masses.
Shinobu took Nyamo's hand and started for the exit. She was terribly worried. An Angel attack meant Shinji had to fight in that machine again. Every time that happened he could die. Not speaking to Nyamo, she made her way to the exit silently. 'I'd even talk to Ayanami if it meant learning Shinji was ok.'
Shinobu's wish was answered as Rei made her presence known to her. "Maehara- kun."
Dropping Nyamo's hand, Shinobu turned to face Rei, "Ayanami-san!"
Not knowing what was happening and being left behind, Nyamo watched as static seemed to fill the air between the two blue haired girls. 'Who's Shinomu's friend?"*
"You are to stop any involvement with Shinji at once. Your presence almost cost him his life," Rei said flatly to the girl before her.
Shocked and untrusting of Rei, "What do you mean? Was he hurt? Is he ok?"
"His condition is stable, Major Katsuragi and Pilot Souryu are attending him. His judgment during the last battle however was marred by you."
Not understanding the vague clues she was given, Shinobu's face contorted in confusion, "I don't understand, tell me what happened."
With almost a cold sneer, Rei admitted to what she rationalized occurred. She recounted the battle, leaving out any technical details that would constitute a break of secrecy.
Something in Shinobu burst. "You didn't help him!"
"I was ordered." Rei started but was cut short.
"Ordered! You claim to love him but you won't disobey orders for him! How can you even think you feel what I do for him then!" Shinobu screamed at Rei. Emotions were swelling in her. Shinji almost died and this girl would have let it happen because of orders!
Again confusion ran rampart in Rei's mind. 'She has a valid thought. Was it my fault?' Still Rei said one last comment before walking back to the Geo- front to see Shinji. "Would this event have even transpired if he didn't have to worry about you? You will only cause him more problems."
Watching, the now perceived as scary, girl leave, Nyamo tugged on Shinobu's arm. "Shinomu who Shinji?"
Blinding grasping onto Nyamo, Shinobu hugged the girl. The surge of emotions needed an outlet. Was she going to cause Shinji problems? Was Rei just lying to her? What happened to him? All her thoughts and worries surrounded her. Shinobu wanted nothing more now than to see Shinji safe. 'But if I'm.going to cause him.shouldn't I just go?'
Nyamo returned the girl's hug as best she could. She didn't understand what just happened, but she knew one thing. Shinobu was crying.
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Author notes
Well bit darker a chapter. Hope you liked it. Writing will be bit more lax as school is sucking up my time. Hope you bear with me
Ideas/comments/suggestions always welcome
As a note Nyamo calls Shinobu- Shinomu so its not a typo
Ja Mata
Zentrodie
Omake for next chapter by vote.
a) Motoko Vs Shinji b) Rei Vs Shinobu c) Asuka Vs Naru d) All of the above