Ok, I managed to get this chapter out really soon, just for you all! It's kinda long... but I hope you all enjoy it! Also, I know that there's some OOC, but I hope that I've developed the story enough to make the character personality changes reasonable... Please tell me if I did a good job! So, without further ado, here's the chapter!
Chapter #9
"What!?" Misato had been right. She had been prepared to face something since last night when she heard of Shinji and Rei's relationship, but she hadn't been prepared for something like what Ritsuko was telling her now.
"Calm down. I don't know why you're so upset."
"Well, I was expecting something strange, but not like this."
"Is NERV such a strange place that you come to work every day and expect the world to end or to find the mother of mankind?"
"Well, you know the Angel's could very well fit the 'destruction of the world' scenario, and we don't know when they are going to attack. But ever since last night, I've just been expecting something weird to happen. But, this isn't anything like what I was thinking. I thought I might find out that Commander Ikari was doing something like engineering the destruction of mankind, or that some weird love triangle would be discovered between the bridge crew. But nothing like this even crossed my mind."
"Well, that's just the way it is. I hope you tell the Children as soon as possible so you can gauge their reactions."
"You know just as well as I do that they have a Sync test in fifteen minutes. How do you think telling them this will effect their ratio's?"
"Okay, you got me there. But after the test, please tell them. The sooner they know, the sooner they will be able to adjust."
Misato nodded and left for the testing room with Ritsuko following behind her.
"What!?" Asuka asked.
This scenario seemed oddly familiar to Misato. Misato had waited for all the children to assemble after the Sync test. Shinji was standing next to Rei and Asuka was adjacent to Shinji. If Rei was like a normal girl, Misato would be sure that she was trying to ignore Shinji, but the periodic glances from Rei to Shinji and the fact that Rei didn't act like a normal girl shattered that theory. Asuka had acted a little disgusted by the way Shinji was constantly hovering around Rei like a satellite, but now she was just shocked.
"Wow," Shinji said, "I wonder how Hikari is taking this. Hey, Asuka, has Hikari ever said anything to you concerning her feelings towards Touji? I saw him at the mall a while ago with her, and it looked like they were on a date. I know you are friends with her, and you go over to her house a lot, so has she?"
"Well, when I first got here, she acted like she just put up with Touji. Then she stopped talking about him for a while, and now whenever she talks about him it's always something good. I've suspected something, but I didn't know about your encounter at the mall. You should've told me before."
"Well, it happened before you got here."
"Ahem," Misato interrupted, "Anyway, I wanted to tell all of you so you wouldn't be surprised when he comes in for the next Sync test."
"Thanks, Misato." Shinji said.
"I can't believe he actually made it. Well, I guess if Shinji can pilot the EVA that well, then Touji can at least turn it on. Just don't expect him to pull any miraculous stunts, Misato. We can use him as a decoy and that's about it." Asuka said smugly.
"Well, we'll see, Asuka. For now, I'd better take you guys home. I still have some paperwork to take care of here."
The ride home was silent. Shinji looked longingly at Rei, who was sitting in the front seat, again. Asuka was looking out the window at nothing in particular, but it was evident that she was none to happy with the recent development. Rei was just looking straight ahead, emotionless as always. The rides to and from NERV were always this way. Even when Rei was sitting in the back. Shinji knew that Misato and Asuka referred to Rei as his girlfriend, but he still wasn't quite sure if he was ready. He had always thought of their relationship to be just a little more than friends, but he didn't think they were that far along. He still wasn't really sure if he really loved Rei. He knew he liked being around her and doing anything with her, it was probably one of the only reasons he still piloted the EVA. But, he had never told Rei he loved her. He still wasn't sure if it was just young love, and would pass just as suddenly as it had come, or if he truly loved her. She had never said that she loved him, but he doubted that that would come for a very long time, if ever. She just didn't express her emotions. Shinji would have to at least try to change that.
"Hey, Misato."
"Yea, what is it Shinji?"
"I was wondering, could Rei come over later? I mean, she plays the viola, and I was thinking that we might be able to play a trio, if Asuka wants to."
Asuka picked her head up and turned around at the mention of her name.
"Huh? What do I want to do, Shinji?"
"Oh, I was wondering, would you like to play in a trio with Rei and me? She plays the viola, and I know you play the violin, and I play the cello, so…"
"Sure, I haven't played in an ensemble for a while, so I'm sure it'll be fun, even with you in it, Shinji."
"That's not very nice," Shinji said, "So, can she, Misato?"
"I suppose, but she'll have to go to her apartment first."
"That's fine. Rei, are you okay with this?"
"Yes, Shinji. I also have not played in an ensemble for a long time. What pieces will we be playing?"
"Oh, um, I think I have a few pieces with my cello, do either of you have any?"
"I may have a few lying around." Asuka replied.
"I think I have one or two." Rei said.
"Well, you guys can discuss this when we get home, but now we're here."
They were in front of Rei's apartment complex and Misato looked impatient. Rei got out and Shinji shifted in his seat.
"I'd better go help her; she might need help sifting through her music. The last time I was there she had a lot of pieces, so…"
Shinji unbuckled and got out, following after Rei.
"Misato, you think that was as lame of an excuse as I do, right?"
"Yep."
Asuka and Misato sat in silence for a few minutes when Asuka broke it by unbuckling herself and sitting in the front passenger seat. She began fiddling with the radio as they waited for Shinji and Rei to 'finish sorting Rei's music'.
"Damn it! Are there any good stations here?"
"Most of the radio stations moved away from Tokyo-3 when the Angels began attacking."
"Why isn't there any good German bands playing here? Now that's music."
"I think it might have something to do with the position of Japan to the position of Germany on the world. I think it also has to do with the fact that we are in Japan."
"Is that all? Oh, well, I think I have some CD's with me."
Several minutes later, Asuka was no longer worried with Japanese music.
"Where are they?! Damn it! Where are they?! Now my CD's are missing. Where are Shinji and Rei? They should've been back by now. I'm going to check to see if they died." Asuka said angrily as she opened the door.
"Wait!" But Misato's warnings were not heard; Asuka had already closed the door and was walking towards the building. Misato sighed and started her stopwatch; she wanted to see how long it took Asuka.
Asuka got up the stairs and saw that the door to Rei's apartment was open. She walked as quietly as she could to the door and looked in. Rei was facing the door with her viola case in her right hand. Her other hand was being held by Shinji's right. His free hand was holding the back of Rei's head. He had her leaned back a little and was kissing her lips softly. Asuka wondered how long they had been like that, but figured it had been a while since the music sheets were still laying on the floor around them. This was actually the first time Asuka had been to Rei's apartment, and she was shocked. The walls were bare; they didn't even really have paint on them. Her room was equally as bare, only her bed and dresser decorated it. And in the center were Shinji and Rei. Shinji was oblivious to Asuka's arrival, and Rei's face was being covered with Shinji's. Asuka took a step in when Rei dropped her case. She leaned back a bit more in Shinji's grasp and began to bring her arm up. Then, her hand dropped to her side lifelessly and she broke contact with Shinji. Shinji wrapped his arm around Rei and held her in a close embrace.
"Um, Shinji? Rei?"
Shinji turned around and let go of Rei's hand, although his arm was left arm was still around her.
"Asuka! Um, oh yea." Shinji said with a noticeable blush.
"Oh, yea is right. I've been waiting all this time and I come in to find you two doing this. It's shameful."
"Um, I can explain, um, okay, so I can't explain."
"Let's just go, I think Rei may have some problems tuning, however. I know that instruments don't take very well to being dropped."
"Okay, Rei, you just pick up your viola, I'll get the music. Asuka, you can head back now."
"Oh no, the last time you said 'I'll get the music' I ended up waiting forever and finding you two kissing. I'm not leaving without you."
"Okay, okay. Look, it didn't take anytime at all. I already had the music sorted."
Shinji picked up the music and led Rei to her door, which she closed and locked. They walked down the stairs in silence and stayed that way until they entered the car.
"So! Did you find everything alright? Asuka, I expected you down sooner. I guess you're slipping." Misato said as she held her stopwatch up.
"Well, it would have taken less time if those two had done what they were supposed to."
"What are you talking about?" Misato asked.
"Well, I walked in to find them kissing right in the middle of Rei's room. I tell you, 'finding music', sure. I'm sure that Shinji had to search for traces of the ink on the music with his mouth, and that Rei normally keeps her music in her mouth." Asuka said sarcastically.
Misato stared past Asuka and at Shinji and Rei. Shinji was blushing and rubbing the back of his head and Rei was busy putting her viola case in the car before sliding in. Asuka had made sure she was ahead of Shinji and Rei, partially because she really didn't want to see what they could be doing, but mostly because she wanted to make sure she got the front passenger seat. She succeeded. Shinji followed Rei and soon they were underway.
"Well, um, Shinji I, um, never expected you to do something like that. Unless Rei forced it on you. But I really doubt that."
Shinji just blushed and looked at Rei.
"I hope you aren't thinking of replicating that incident in my car. If you want to do anything like that, or more than that, you're just going to have to get your own car."
"Hey, Shinji, do us all a favor and not do anything like that. At least not while I'm still around. I've personally seen too much."
"Hey! That's not a very nice thing to say. Besides, I wouldn't do anything like that."
"And I think I remember you telling me that you'd never be able to kiss Rei, but you seem to have proven that wrong."
The rest of the ride, which was quite short, was held in silence, something Rei enjoyed more than most things. Asuka was itching to say something, but she couldn't come up with anything. Shinji was just about as happy as Rei, but for an entirely differently reason. Silence meant that Asuka and Misato weren't teasing him. And that was good for Shinji. Misato pulled up to the apartment and they all got out. Shinji and Rei went into Shinji's room while Asuka went into hers to retrieve her violin. Asuka was holding her breath, but was relieved when she heard the sound of instruments being tuned.
'At least they can't do anything but look at each other while they play, unless Rei and Shinji are very flexible.' Asuka tried to get that image out of her head and walked into Shinji's room. She sat down on a chair opposite Rei and Shinji and began tuning herself.
"So, what are we going to play?"
"Well, I was thinking of starting with Corelli's LA FOLIA."
"But, that's transcribed for a full string orchestra. How are we going to play it?"
"It's okay, we don't need the bass." Rei startled Shinji and Asuka by speaking.
"Okay, if you insist."
Asuka placed her copy on the stand and began playing. The sound of the violin hung in the air. She played it so sadly, bringing out the full voice of every note of her solo. Then, the same style was matched when Rei came in; they both played the notes like each note was singing, with so much vibrancy, yet still so sadly. Finally Shinji came in and the piece came fully to life.
"Well, I don't think there are any more pieces left to play."
"Your right, I guess we'll just put up now."
"Okay."
The children put their instruments into their cases and Asuka went into her room. Shinji walked Rei to the door when Misato stopped him.
"Just where do you two think you're going?"
"I was going to take Rei home."
"Oh no you don't, I need to make sure that you come home. After what you pulled today, I just don't know if you'll come back if I let you go alone."
"Hey! I would come back home tonight."
"Yea, but how long would you stay there before coming back?"
"I would stay there only long enough to make sure she went inside her apartment, I would leave after that."
"Sure, sure, Shinji. But the fact is, it's dark and I don't think you could fend off an assailant. So, I'm going to be taking her home."
Shinji gave up the fight, knowing it was hopeless. "Okay."
Shinji watched longingly after Rei as she was led by Misato down to her car. Shinji let out a sigh once he saw the car doors closing and went back into his room. Tonight had been fun, but Shinji would have rather spent the rest of it with Rei like last night. Unfortunatly, Shinji's good luck was about to wear off, or so he was sure, as Asuka walked into his room.
"Well, Shinji, I didn't know you played so…poorly. For someone who's played for so long, I kind of expected a little more."
"You didn't play perfect either."
"I did a lot better than you or Rei!"
"I don't remember Rei messing up!"
"She had all the easy parts!"
"Even so, she can still play her part!"
"And I can play mine!"
"You messed up as much as I did!"
"I did not! Besides, my part was the hardest and this is the first time I've ever played it!"
"This is the first time I've played that too!"
"So, stop acting like I did so poorly!"
"You started it!"
"No I didn't!"
"Look, let's just agree that we both didn't play as well as we wished we had, and that Rei played better than us."
"You're just going to say that because she's your girlfriend!"
"I am not!"
"That and the fact that she's probably memorized her part. It's so easy, and she's had all this time with them."
"Well, I guess that's possible. But, either way, we should both agree that we didn't play very well tonight."
"Only because we've never seen it before!"
"Okay! But still, we didn't play as good as we could have."
"You're right." Asuka said angrily.
"Asuka, did you keep your copy?"
"Well I didn't see you give yours back to Rei, so I kept mine."
"Good, then we can practice it and when Rei comes back, we'll be able to play it as well as we should be able to."
"Okay."
"Asuka, I…I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so upset."
"Well, goodnight." Asuka said as she walked to the door, then just before leaving said softly, "I'm sorry, Shinji."
Shinji smiled a little, 'Well, at least she's gotten a little nicer. If I didn't have Rei, then maybe…No, I'm happy with Rei. I just don't know about her though. Is she really my girlfriend? It doesn't feel like it to me. She's just too reclusive. She rarely shows any emotion. Even to me, she still seems so distant. She has gotten closer, though. I don't know about kissing her so much. I should probably stop. She never seems to care either way. And whenever I ask her about it, she just launches into her speech about how couples do that often, and that she doesn't understand why I have such a problem. Just because we've done certain things together makes us a couple now? I wish she would stop hiding behind words and tell me how she really feels. I guess, maybe if I do, then she might. Okay then, the next time we're alone at her apartment, I'll try to tell her, and try to get more info out of her.'
Shinji nodded to himself before going to sleep, wondering about Rei. He didn't even notice when Rei opened the door. Shinji had his head turned to the wall and Rei was so quiet by nature, that Shinji didn't even realize she was there. Rei set her bag on the floor and changed into the pajamas that Shinji had bought for her. He said that not only did she look good in it, but it would be very comfortable for her. She finished, but Shinji was still oblivious. His thoughts had turned from Rei to piloting the EVA, which he did not like other than the fact that he knew that Rei was there. Of course, piloting the EVA meant dealing with NERV, and dealing with NERV meant dealing with his father. Why had his father abandoned him? He still doesn't show any remorse for doing that. Maybe he isn't sorry. So then why did he call for Shinji? It didn't make any sense to him. Rei was oblivious to these thoughts and walked over to the bed. Shinji rolled farther to the wall, hoping the darkness would take his father away. It did the opposite and wherever he looked, his father was there waiting to criticize and condemn him. He could not remember a single happy memory with his father, and that knowledge did not help him. He wanted to ask his father why he was so cold to him, why he was so distant. Why he forced Shinji to pilot the EVA. Why couldn't he just get someone else? He called upon Shinji so easily, so why not another child? Shinji realized that he knew so little about NERV and the EVAs. Shinji had exhausted himself with his thoughts and yawned, stretching his arms out before letting them fall behind him. His arm landed on something soft, much softer than anything he could remember being placed on his bed. For a second he thought Asuka might be trying to pull a joke on him, but when he turned his head, he saw a pile of blue on the pillow next to him. Shinji moved his hand up to Rei's shoulder from its previous location and turned her around so her face was facing Shinji's. Her red eyes came open slowly and looked straight at Shinji.
"Yes, Shinji?" Rei asked innocently.
"Um…what are you doing in my bed?" Shinji had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the blanket being lifted by Rei before.
"I could not find my key and Misato said that I could sleep over again. I did not want to wake you and I do not know where you keep your sleeping mats, so I though that I would just sleep over here."
"Well, I was awake anyway, so I'll get the sleeping mat. I…um…see you're wearing those pajamas I bought you." Shinji said as he pulled the blanket off of himself. Rei blushed a little. Shinji tried to figure out how he was going to get off his bed with Rei laying on the side next to the open floor. He began to stand up, when he tripped over the blanket, fell off the side of the bed, and landed on the floor. He got up and started for his door when he saw a silhouetted figure in the doorway holding the sleeping mat. He knew instantly who it was. He turned on the light and saw Asuka with a huge smile on her face. She winked at Shinji and took off for her room. Shinji gave chase, but Asuka was already in her room and Shinji knew better than to try and fend off Asuka in her lair. Shinji sighed, defeated, and turned to return to his room. He saw Rei standing in the hall trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Shinji saw that he had forgotten to tell Rei to put a bra on underneath the pajamas and he wondered if Rei had enough sense to wear panties. He hoped so. Rei saw that Shinji was walking towards his room and she entered before him.
"Well," Shinji said after closing his door, "I guess we'll just have to share the bed. Asuka has the sleeping mat, and I don't know what else to do."
"Okay." Rei said as she slid under the blanket and over to the wall. Shinji followed her, but made sure there was space between them. He watched her slowly drift off to sleep. Shinji realized just how innocent and venerable she looked when she went to sleep. Almost instinctively, Shinji put his arm around her, trying to protect her from the night. Rei stirred and smiled at Shinji. Shinji smiled back and rubbed her back with his hand. For only the second time did Shinji think he saw Rei, the Rei on the inside. Rei raised her arm then dropped it on Shinji's shoulder as if she had just used a tremendous amount of force to move it. She tried to bring her arm around Shinji's shoulders and Shinji realized what Rei was trying to do for the first time, at least the first time with him. She was trying to hug him. Shinji held her closer and she began crying softly.
"Shinji, I…I'm scared."
Shinji was startled by this. Rei was scared? By what?
"Rei? Rei, what are you scared of?"
"The darkness, I…I remember the darkness. It used to bring me comfort, back then. But now, it scares me, I don't feel…human in it."
"You are plenty human. You aren't any less of a human than I am, Rei."
Rei answered by hugging Shinji harder. She had never felt this way before. She didn't want to go back to the darkness now. Before, it was different. It reminded her of her beginnings. She could imagine anything while she was in the dark, she could create her own world. But it was all just an illusion. Through Shinji she began to want to be a part of the real world, not just an illusion. Now the darkness reminded her of all the fake illusions she had made as a substitute. She found herself no longer wanting to return to her world of delusion. She wanted to be with Shinji and the rest of the world. She didn't want to embrace her past; it held nothing but bad memories. It didn't make her feel human. She had been treated as a thing, an object. Only Gendo regarded her as something other than an object to be used in tests. Now she wasn't so sure that Gendo always did that. With the way he treated his own son, she wasn't so sure that he cared as much as she had thought. Maybe that was just part of the illusion she had created. Maybe Gendo didn't care and Rei had just been imagining it. Shinji was different. Shinji thought of her as a person. He did care. She was sure she wasn't imagining it. Shinji had made her more human; he had given her a reason to leave her imaginary world. Shinji cared more than anyone else.
"I don't want to go back there." Rei said, the tears beginning to subside. Shinji didn't know what she was talking about, but he had to do something.
"Where, Rei?"
"To the darkness; I want to be with the world."
"I won't let you go back there, Rei. I want you to be with the world too. I want you to be with me."
"Shinji, it scares me. I could go back. But I don't want to, I want to be human. I don't want an illusion."
"It'll be okay, Rei. I'll be here for you."
Rei's tears finally stopped and she hugged Shinji as hard as she could. Shinji could tell this, but her grip wasn't very impressive. Shinji placed his head next to hers and tightened his grip a little. Rei hung her head a little and stayed like that for several minutes.
"Thank you, Shinji." Rei said quietly.
Shinji picked her head up with his hand and looked straight into her eyes.
"Rei, I want you to feel safe with me. I…I…I guess…I…love you."
"I do feel safe with you, Shinji. When we fight the Angels, I know that I will be alright. I didn't know why before, but now I know it's because of you."
"You or Asuka always seem to save me, I don't know how I've ever protected you."
Rei let go of Shinji and pushed back a little.
"Shinji, I…ll…love…", But it looked like Rei had fallen asleep. Shinji watched her for a few minutes.
"Rei? W…what do you love?"
Rei was seemingly asleep, Shinji could see by the way her chest raised and lowered the only way the lungs would when a person sleeps that she was asleep, but then she began to say something.
"I………love……" Shinji held his breath, "………pie."
Shinji stared at her before laughing to himself, 'well, now I know what to get her for a present. Maybe I'll buy her one tomorrow.' Shinji turned the other way and drifted off to sleep, trying to forget the fact that Rei was sleeping only a few centimeters away from him.
"Shinji, Rei! Get up!" Misato yelled through the opened door. Her hair was uncombed and Asuka was scrambling to comb her own hair. Shinji opened his eyes and saw Rei's eyes staring right at him. He screamed and jumped out of his bed as Rei sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Good, you're awake. Hurry up you two, we've got to report to the Geofront A.S.A.P."
"Okay, but…" Misato had already left before Shinji could even start. He turned around and saw that Rei had already fixed his bed and was getting clothes out of her bag. Shinji watched as she pulled her school uniform out and her apartment key fell out of the pocket. She quickly grabbed it and put it back in the pocket.
"Um, I guess I'll just leave, come out into the kitchen when you're finished."
"Okay, Shinji."
Shinji walked into the kitchen and began to prepare some green tea. Although he was wide awake a few moments ago, now he was sure that if he didn't keep doing something, he would fall asleep. He watched as Asuka and Misato sprinted between their rooms and the bathroom. He would never understand women. Rei still wasn't out by the time Shinji was finished making the tea and Shinji almost opened the door to check on her. Shinji stopped before he did, however. He figured that he could get his revenge on Rei at a later time. So, he just sat at the table and observed what was becoming quite hilarious while sipping his tea; Asuka and Misato rushing to get ready. Rei came out wearing the school uniform Shinji had seen her take out of the bag and sat down at the table.
"Here." Shinji said as he passed Rei a cup of green tea, "It's a little hot, so don't burn yourself."
Shinji stood up and went into his room now to get ready, or at least as ready as he could with Asuka and Misato tying up the bathroom. Shinji came back a few minutes later and sat at the table next to Rei while they waited, periodically sipping their tea. Finally, after a brief argument between Asuka and Misato over who should use the brush first, Misato came out wearing her jacket and tying her hair up with a band.
"Okay, you ready Shinji?"
"Well, I've been ready for a while now."
"And I see Rei is ready, Asuka! Are you ready yet?!" Misato yelled.
"Ya! I'm ready, just a second."
"You know," Shinji said, "I think it's funny how Asuka always says she's ready, but we still have to wait a few more seconds."
"I would not know." Rei said.
"Oh, it's okay Rei. It's just that Asuka always acts that way."
"Okay, I'm ready guys, let's go." Asuka said as she straightened her shirt. Misato nodded and led the trio out the door and to her car. Rei got to the car before Misato did, which surprised everyone, especially Misato. Asuka grunted a little and sat in one of the back seats once Misato opened the door and Shinji went to the other side, not wanting to start a confrontation with Asuka. He still didn't know why they were going to NERV and it looked like Rei was equally ignorant, which was probably a first for her when it came to operations going on at NERV. Misato started up the car and the ride was once again conducted in silence, at least for the beginning. As Misato took a corner a little to fast for Shinji, Asuka decided to begin harping on Shinji over the events of last night.
"So, Shinji, did you sleep on the floor? I've never had the pleasure. Is it comfortable?" Asuka said sarcastically.
"No, I didn't sleep on the floor." Shinji didn't like where this was going.
"So you made Rei sleep on the floor? Boy, you're pretty mean to your girlfriend."
"Rei didn't sleep on the floor."
"You have an extra bed roll that I don't know about?"
"No."
"You have somehow mastered levitation and can do it in your sleep, literally?!"
"NO! That's absurd."
"Well, that leaves only one more possibility. Did Rei sleep in your bed with you?"
Shinji blushed a deep red, "Why do you need to know?"
"I knew it! Boy Shinji, I really didn't think you'd do it. I guess I owe Pen-Pen now."
"What?! You bet Pen-Pen that I wouldn't sleep in the same bed with Rei?!"
Misato nearly swerved off the road, "What did you do?! Shinji, I don't know if I should feel ashamed for you, or for myself."
"Hey! We didn't do anything! Besides, don't tell me that you've never shared a bed with someone at a sleepover."
"Nope." Asuka answered.
"Never." Misato replied.
"Well, we didn't do anything." Shinji said as he began to pout in his corner.
"We believe you Shinji, just like you weren't doing anything when you went to help Rei with her music."
"Okay, okay you two, stop your bickering, we're here."
Misato was right; they were pulling into the Geofront and were getting ready for the long wait as the car descended on the tracks into the depths of the Geofront. Ritsuko was waiting for them when the car reached its final destination.
"What's wrong, Ritsuko?" Shinji asked.
"You mean Misato hasn't told you?" Ritsuko asked rhetorically as she glared at Misato.
"We were sleeping when Misato came in and told us that we had to get ready, she never told us why."
"Just get into your plug suits and get into your EVAs, it'll all be explained then."
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei nodded and headed towards the dressing rooms.
"Do you think this is a Sync test?" Shinji asked
"Why would Misato be in such a hurry over a Sync test? Besides, we had a Sync test yesterday." Asuka said.
"I guess you're right. Hey, look who it is."
Shinji was talking about Touji. He was standing with his foot against the wall next to the dressing rooms already in his plug suit.
"It's about time you guys showed up."
"It wasn't our fault; Misato didn't know what she was doing." Asuka said, not willing to let Touji get the better of her.
"Just hurry up, I've been waiting long enough."
Asuka stuck her tongue out at Touji and disappeared into the girls' dressing room with Rei following after her. Shinji shook his head.
"So, Touji, how's it feel to be an EVA pilot?"
"It's okay, I guess. I really haven't done anything much, though."
"Well, just don't think it's as fun as the TV makes it look."
"Okay, I'll take your wise words Shinji. Let's see, oh yea, Shinji say- Being EVA pilot is like being slave labor: unhealthy, mentally distressing, and no payoff." Touji laughed.
"Ha, ha. I'm going to change now." Shinji said as he went into the boy's dressing room leaving Touji alone once more.
"Asuka! Rei! I could use some help here!" Shinji screamed over the comm. System.
"Easy for you to say!" Asuka screamed back.
/"You need to regroup! Disengage and retreat to the mountain!" Misato yelled.
Shinji had discovered why they had been summonsed to the Geofront when his EVA had launched. Even though now they had four pilots and EVAs, fighting the Angels would no longer be an easy task, at least these Angels wouldn't. Touji and Shinji were engaging an Angel that looked very similar to an EVA, but completely jet black with dark blood red markings on its arms. Asuka and Rei were engaging an Angel that looked like a floating jellyfish. Neither team was succeeding. Whenever Asuka or Rei got close enough to attack, they got attacked by the tentacles and were knocked back. Shinji and Touji never got close enough when they were attacking. Their Angel didn't give them a chance to recover once it started attacking.
/"Asuka, Rei, disengage the Angel and help Shinji and Touji. Once the second Angel is knocked down or back, disengage and retreat. From there you can take on the Angels individually."
"But, how are we going to beat them if we don't know where their cores are?"
/"Figure it out!"
"Alright, Shinji, we're coming, just don't die long enough for us to get there."
"I'll work on that, Asuka." Shinji said sarcastically.
The Angel kept up its barrage of fists on Shinji and Touji until Asuka leapt on it from behind and attacked with her progressive knife. Rei came up behind Asuka and attacked the Angel's side. The Angel got distracted enough for Shinji and Touji to open fire on it with their rifles.
"Asuka, Rei, attack its front! If we all attack it at the same time, we should be able to knock it down. Rei sidestepped a blow and stood in front of the Angel. Asuka propelled herself off the Angel's shoulders and landed next to Rei.
"Attack!" Asuka yelled as Touji and Shinji began opening fire and Asuka and Rei hit the Angel with their progressive knifes. It fell backwards and knocked several buildings down as its huge body slid across the ground.
/"Good, now retreat while you still can!"
"Misato, if we attack it now then we can beat it!" Asuka said
/"No, the only way you can beat them is by forcing them to come to you!"
"Sorry, Misato, but if we attack it while it's on the ground, it can't attack us." Asuka said as Unit two ran over to the Angel trying to recover.
/"Damn it! Shinji, Touji, give Asuka some covering fire. Rei, help Asuka find the core, then destroy it."
Rei nodded and Unit zero followed Unit two's path. Unit one and three opened fire on the Angel to keep it on the ground until Units two and zero could get to it. Once Unit two began tearing at it with its progressive knife, Unit one and three dropped their rifles and ran towards the Angel, progressive knifes drawn. Unit zero was the next to make contact and pinned one of the Angel's arms to the ground with its progressive knife. Asuka saw this and followed suit. Once Unit two had stuck its progressive knife through the other arm, it began pounding the Angel's chest with its fists. Slowly, Asuka could see the layers of Angel flesh peel off under the force of her blows. Unit two raised its fist and plunged it through the Angel's chest, causing a geyser of blue blood to erupt from the hole; dying Unit two's red arm blue. Maya turned her head away from the screen, holding her mouth with her hand at the sight of the eruption. Unit two pulled its hand out of the Angel and raised it again. Touji and Shinji got to the Angel in time to have some of the Angel's blood rain down on them in a slight blue mist. Shinji saw one of the Angel's legs tense to get ready to kick Unit zero which was waiting for its chance to attack the Angel. Unit one pinned the leg down the same way the arms had been pinned and Touji did the same to the remaining leg. Unit two's hand shot down again, but was grabbed by a tentacle. The other Angel had made its way over to the four EVAs and sought to help its fallen brethren. With its tentacle wrapped around Unit two's arm, it pulled it up, holding it high in the air, and then ripped it off. Asuka screamed in her entry plug while she held her arm. Shinji stared in horror as the Angel brought another tentacle up and ripped the arm to shreds. It threw the mangled arm to the ground and began working on taking the progressive knifes out of the other Angel. Just as it began to pull one of them out, a beam of energy passed through that and several other tentacles, incinerating them instantly. Shinji and Touji looked in the direction the beam had come from and saw Unit zero holding the positron rifle aiming for another attack. The jellyfish Angel turned to face Unit zero and held up its tentacles while letting out an alien war cry. Rei didn't even flinch as she pulled the trigger and incinerated half of the Angel's body.
/"Asuka, get to a lift, it's too dangerous for you to be up there without an arm."
"No, I won't give up." Asuka choked out.
/"If you stay out there, you could die!"
"That's better than surrendering to them!"
Shinji watched the flailing Angel slowly fall onto its comrade. It raised a tentacle and swung it at Unit two in a final attempt to cause damage before it died. Shinji saw this and ran for Unit two.
"Asuka! Watch out!"
But Asuka was still reeling from the pain to notice Shinji or the Angel. Unit one leapt for Unit two and took the force of the blow on its side. Shinji screamed out in pain as Rei finished the Angel off with one more blast, completely destroying its core.
"Are…are you okay, Asuka?" Shinji managed to cough out as he held his side.
"Aside from the arm you mean?"
Shinji choked out a laugh when Misato came over the comm. System again.
/"If you haven't noticed yet, there still is an Angel to defeat!"
Asuka looked back at the Angel. Now the other Angel was lying dead across the remaining Angel. Asuka glared at both with all of her anger and ran over to the last Angel. Unit two raised its arm now stained blue and plunged it through the Angel's head, causing another fountain of blood to erupt from the Angel and stain more of the red EVA. Unit three walked over and began pummeling the Angel where Unit two had started. Unit zero had discarded the positron rifle and had retrieved two progressive knifes. One she kept, but the other she gave to Shinji. Then they joined the other two EVAs and tore open the Angel, revealing its core. Unit one and zero raised their progressive knifes in unison and drove them into the core causing an upsurge of sparks around the knifes until the light in the core died and it became dark red and inactive. The EVAs waited for a minute, making sure that both Angels were dead, and then stood. Unit two held where its left arm had been and looked at the mangled pile on the ground that used to be its arm. It was stained almost completely blue, but the EVAs blood brought back some of the red color. Unit one was holding its side and it had some blood stains of its own. Touji was still in shock. This was his first true engagement and they had almost been defeated. Unit two had lost its arm. Unit one had its own blood smeared over itself because of several holes caused by the Angel and the blow from the other one. His own EVA had much of its armor destroyed and he had almost lost his arm. Rei seemed to be the one to come out of it with the least amount of damage. Even so, Unit zero still had cracks in its armor and some of its blood had been smeared. They all walked to the EVA lifts and finally let out a sigh of relief.
"That was too close. We suspected that they might work together, but we never really thought that they would. What would we have done if they had been defeated? SEELE hasn't finished their EVAs, thankfully, but then we would not have had any defense."
"We would have been killed. They can not and will not fail. If they do, not only will they die, but all of humanity will die with them. Of course, that is always one of the paths that may be taken."
"I fear that when we come to that fork, that we may not realize that we have, and that we may not have a say in which path we take."
"Hopefully you are wrong; if not then we will be doomed."
End Chapter #9