Problem Twenty-Eight: Who's fault is it... Why is she saying good-bye?

-

-Edited by Tiberus


The peace and quiet in Tokyo 3 has been disrupted once again, but not by an Angel. Not even a terrorist bombing has ruined there day. In the Shopping District however, one might think a bomb went off. Although you would be hard pressed to find the target of the bomb considering what blew up. For in a food court in one of the many malls stands the smoldering ruins of an Ice cream parlor. Most people ran for the shelters thinking it was a Angel attack. However, five brave young souls three of which happen to be Rei, Asuka, and Shinji, with the others being well known to them, Leiko and Mana. The most notable problem facing these kids is the fact that they're all covered in Ice cream. Rei does have some sherbet on her right cheek and Asuka is sporting some sprinkles in her hair, but for the most part, they are soaked head to toe in Ice cream. The second thing one who is normal would be the Halo around Leiko's head. Now this isn't your typical giant flying ring, the likes of which you would see on Dragon dull Z... wait... Dragon null Z... Ah it was a stupid show to begin with. Anyhow, this Halo is one more befitting of a member of the Heavenly host. Even if the girl is from the second to last chores, her halo is blinding to anyone who looks right into it.

Now the mood among our friends is less then cheerful, all look as if the flavors of ice cream that covers their cloths is the least of their problems. Now what led up to this mess is what these poor kids are trying to find out. Standing firm and the one venting the most fumes is Shinji he stares down Asuka with hate. "It's because of you there's a Angel in our midst, and Yukari is missing!"

Even if Asuka has no social status in school she refuses to be blamed for what happened. "But it isn't my fault, that you stole Rei away from me! You took my only friend away forcing me to! And without you kissing Rei I wouldn't of set her up in the first place!"

With the blame swung at Shinji everyone looks at him to explain himself, and not being good in this type of problem Shinji points at Asuka. "Wait a minute, stole Rei away! You betrayed us for such a thing as that such a low purpose. That you had to tell
a lie and cheat us, which you did!" He then points to Rei trying to get his point across. "Was is worth betraying us for Rei, are we that worthless to you. Oh, and tell us who persuaded you to sell her out."

Leiko jumps into the middle of the two, she points to Asuka easy to blame her for the loss of her mentor Yukari. "See, it's your fault."

Taking blame isn't Asuka's forte, so she is quick to deny. "No!"

"So it's your fault..." Shinji pushes the young Leiko away so he can look at Asuka, her halo is now put in front of Mana who stumbles back blinded.

Still unwilling to agree with Shinji is Asuka. "No!"

Once more, it is Leiko jumping in between the two blinding them both. "Yes, it is!

"It's not!" Asuka pushes her out of the way so she can see once more. "You overgrown light bulb!"

Shinji goes and stands in front of Leiko to defend her from Asuka and to see again. "It's true."

"Wait a minute." Feeling out numbered Asuka begins to shout in hopes of showing some intimidation. "But I only sold her out to get my Rei back from you back for kissing Her!"

Only two pick up on Asuka's wording, Mana and Rei, but neither can speak as Leiko jumps in front of Shinji pointing at him. "So it's your fault!"

Unable to see Shinji but agreeing with Leiko Asuka shouts out. "Yes!"

"No, it isn't!" Shinji might have low self-esteem but he is unwilling to take any blame in the loss of Yukari. "I'd wouldn't have been with Rei, but Mana told me. She told me to take her out because she kissed me in the first place!"

Mana might love Shinji but she is not willing to take a dive for him. "It's you father's fault that Asuka got tricked. So the trick got played on all of us in the first place!"

Before Leiko can jump in front of Mana, the strong red head puts her at arm length so not to be blinded. Leiko speaks her mind even if restrained. "Then it's his fault!"

Being the most calm out of everyone Mana nods her head knowing it is pointless to fight. "So."

With an ever so soft whisper, Rei even responds. "It was his fault..."

Wanting more to blame Shinji, Asuka disagrees. "No."

"Yes, it is," One the most willing to blame him is Shinji. "It's his."

Rei begins to think over the idea of Shinji's father being at fault but it doesn't add up. "I guess..."

"Wait a minute," Asuka newfound loyalties prevent her from blaming Gendo, even if she doesn't know way. "Though I was tricked, Right? That's clear. But I didn't drug Zero's Ice cream so, then what's queer. Is how did she get drugged in the first place?" Asuka points to Shinji but is confused on which point they are on. "Second place..."

Rei knew something was amiss so she is quick to take a side. "Yes!"

Even more enthusiastic is Leiko who runs in front of Mana once more blinding her. "How?"

"Hmmm." Shinji begins to ponder that thought as if he was Sherlock Homes.

Asuka looks to Shinji as if he's an idiot for his posture. "Well, who had the time to drug the ice cream?"

"The Ice cream..." Still pondering he doesn't expect Rei to point at him

With a flash of memory, Rei calls out in the direction of Shinji's voice at Shinji. "I left you alone?

"You had the chance." Asuka yells out as she looks at Shinji.

"I didn't!" Looking back on what happened Shinji cannot lie because he did have a chance. "Yes I did..."

Leiko pops her head out in the middle of the crowed blinding everyone but Rei. "So it's your..."

Not able to finishes Shinji takes a chunk of Ice cream from the ground and puts in on Leiko's head to hide her halo. "No, it isn't, cause I was with you!

Asuka throws a handful of Vanilla ice cream at Leiko. "So it's her..."

"No, it isn't! Shinji interrupts Asuka by throwing a handful of mint chocolate chip at Asuka.

Rei crosses her arms not understanding why Leiko bothers everyone. "Then whose is it?"

"Wait a minute!" Shinji points to Rei. "She exchanged that ice cream to obtain your candy, so the one who knows what happened to that Ice cream is you!

"You mean that Ice cream..." Rei tries to think on what happened but being blind doesn't help her problem. "That my sister... Oh, dear but I never knew, and I'm blind... So, don't look here!"

Leiko turns to Rei. "So it's your fault!"

"But"

Even Asuka sees an escape rout and takes it. "See, it's her fault..."

Rei begins to feel corned and steps back. "But..."

Now pointing to her self Asuka relives herself of blame. "And it isn't mine at all!

Shinji looks to Rei concerned that she is being ganged up on. "But what?"

Frozen Rei tries to make logic out of what is going on but cannot; she does however get Asuka back. "Well, if you hadn't gone and betrayed me..."

"Betrayed you..." Asuka steps to Rei with open arms. "I needed..."

"You were greedy! Rei yells out as she begins to cry. "Did you really?"

Asuka continues to walk to Rei holding out her arms. "But I drugged the Ice cream for us!"

"So it's her fault then!" Leiko points to Asuka.

Rei agrees and reaffirms her confidence. "Yes, and what about the drugged Ice cream
in the third place?"

With the truth out and Asuka's lie, revealed Shinji looks to Asuka with disappointment. "The Ice cream!"

Caught, Asuka turns to Shinji upset she doesn't no what to do, guilt and the her heart races as she looks to Leiko. "She's the Angel she's started glowing when she ate the Ice cream so she the one who drugged her!"

"I Drugged her?" Leiko points to herself, astonished of the claim.

"You drugged me!" Asuka throws a handful of Tofu and the girl. "She tricked me or did something to me to make me drug the ice cream.

"Me?"

Before Asuka can speak she is hit in the face by Banana sherbet thrown by Leiko. Wiping her face clean Asuka yells out at the Angel. "She's the Angel she did it!"

Leiko spits ice cream out of her mouth. "No, I didn't!"

Shinji, Rei, and Asuka all point and yell out to the girl. "So it's your fault!"

"Wait a minute..." Leiko pouts as she is out numbered.

Still mad at Asuka, Rei shakes her head seeing Asuka's attempt to frame Leiko. "It was you not her, why blame..."

Shinji steps in front of Asuka also siding with Rei. "And you had left me and Rei alone,
we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!"

Now in front of the only person who isn't blinded by her, Leiko points at Rei. "Well, you're the one who didn't stop her in the first place!"

With a blind throw, Rei strikes Leiko in the chest with sprinkled covered chocolate chip cookie dough. "Well, if Asuka hadn't drugged it in the first place-!"

Leiko chucks some caramel vanilla at Rei knocking her to the ground. "It was your fault!"

With an all out food fight in progress, Shinji chucks some Strawberry at Asuka hitting her square in the chin. "Yes, if you hadn't drugged her in the first place-!"

Struck in the back of the head by Asuka with some Neapolitan, Leiko returns fire with a handful of Rocky road hitting Asuka in the chest. "Right! It's you that drugged the ice cream in the first place-!"

"You betrayed my sister in the first place!"

Mana the only one not covered in ice cream points to Asuka. "It's your fault!"

Rei, Mana, Shinji, Leiko stand at point at Asuka all yelling the same thing. "You're responsible! You're the one to blame! It's your fault!"

-

-


-

-

The fault is finally given to Asuka, she stands alone with everyone she was even friends with blaming her for the loss of Yukari. She is unable to move as a crack of thunder is heard from above. It is almost surreal to see them standing around her, as rain begins to pour onto them. The Rain cleansing properties begin to wash away the ice cream and it reveals the tears forming in Asuka's eyes. With no one to turn to Asuka runs off in tears, for she doesn't understand why she betrayed her friends. The strangest thing in her mind is that the first person that comes to her mind to run to is Gendo Ikari. She races to the entrance to NERV, pulling out her ID card and swiping it only to have it read error.

"What the hell!"

Before she can figure out what's going on a shadow is cast over her, she turns to see Gendo standing behind her. She collapses into his arms in tears and unable to stay on her feet.

"You have nothing left..." The statement was asked in a form of a question. "Its okay my child the pain will be all over soon.

Gendo slowly pets the back of her head as Asuka tries to talk. "I... Why did I do it..." The sound of the door opening that Asuka's card failed in opening before grabs the girls attention. Gendo steps to the side forcing Asuka to stand on her feet. "I don't want to be hurt anymore."

The presence of someone behind her has her turn to see the unthinkable, dressed in her Uniform wearing her hair the same way as her is a mirror image of her self. Everything is identical even the clones posture. However, her eyes are filled with the color of the ocean. She uses them to pierce into Asuka's soul.

"Von Gottes Gnaden..." The Asuka smiles as she holds up a berretta 9mm shooting the shocked girl dropping her to the ground. "Asuka..."

"Asuka..." Gendo steps over Asuka smiling at the girl that stands before him. "I told you I want her alive."

The girl spits on to the ground and picks up her spent casing. "She will live."

NERV section two agents rush past her, pick up the fallen Asuka, and drag her off. As they work, Gendo places his hands on the girls shoulder. "There is one more problem to take care of."

"Please..." With the whip of her hair, Asuka walks past the blood on the ground that was made by the other Asuka. "You will have your scenario back on track by tomorrows end. Your son will be in despair, Rei will be yours and her sister will be powerless to stop the end."

"Seele has plans of their own..." Gendo watches as the girl walks away. "Remember Pandemonium is a place we don't want to go..."

"The Capital of Hell it self..." Asuka stops and grins with her back to Gendo. "I give your enemies credit for think of such a crazy idea up."

"Bring me back my destiny."

-

-


-

-

After wasting nearly twelve hours of searching, debriefing by NERV section two and long showers the pilots return home empty handed. Yukari has seemingly disappeared off the map and each seem up set for the loss and the fact that they blamed Asuka for it. Rei may feel bad but is still mad at Asuka and has asked Misato to stay with her and Shinji. Therefore, the three pilots go home and as for Leiko, when section two showed up they took her away not to be seen again this worries Shinji.

"Misato..." Shinji stutters in his speaking worried about the answer he might get. "What's going to happen to Leiko? The Angel..."

"She's a prisoner of war." Misato doesn't look to Shinji as she answers. "She will be treated accordingly."

The words aren't very comforting for Shinji who would hate to think what his father has planned for her. When they reach the door with Rei holding Shinji's hand and Misato in the lead, she opens it with the surprise of her life. PenPen sprints to Misato jumping into Misato's arms just in time as Servo turns the corner and slams in to Misato's feet. At first she thinks Servo is chasing PenPen but then the cat leaps into Shinji's arm scared out of its mind. The two roommates look to each other then to the door as Yukari slides past the door and into the wall on the side crashing into it and knocking over a the coat rack.

"YUKARI!"

The shout by Shinji and Misato lights up Rei's face, but it is not until she hears Yukari's signature meow that she bursts out with joy and blindly runs passed Misato and collapses onto Yukari grabbing her face unable to speak.

For the first time in Yukari's short existence she sees the love a sister should give in Rei's eyes. "Rei..."

"What are you doing here?" Misato begins to point in all directions trying to figure out what happened.

Shinji on the other hand breathes a sigh of relief seeing his good friend is okay. "You sure know how to make a entrance."

Full of smiles, Yukari helps her sister up and gives a small bow to Shinji. "I try!"

"I cant believe Asuka drugged you..."

"Ahh..." Yukari puts her finger to her sister's mouth to calm her. 'Well how can I fix what that pervert did to my friends...'

With some thought Yukari breaths a small sigh and walks into the kitchen followed by everyone else. Once sitting down Yukari begin to tell her story. "I wasn't missing and it wasn't Asuka's fault."

"But I thought..."

Shaking her head at Shinji in disagreement is Yukari who points behind her to the city. "First place it was your fathers fault he did something to Asuka."

The most displeased by this is Misato. "He did what!"

"I don't know..." Yukari gives a small shrug to show she doesn't know. "Who ever all I did was strategically deployed myself behind enemy lines." Question marks appear over everyone's head. "I got captured by NERV super secret bosses... with a name no secret no one dares speak it."

Confused is Shinji as he thought it was his father was the one in charge. "What's it name..."

With a sarcastic shy Yukari looks away. "I dare not speak it.

"That means she doesn't now what it is." Rei crosses her arms to see her sister can still annoy her. The conversation brings massive guilt to Rei, she blamed Asuka for what happened and it was really Gendo who betrayed her. With her mind made up, Rei stands taking her cane and heading for the exit and to her apartment.

Unsure on were Rei is going, and not really wanting her to leave, Shinji stands in question of her action. "Rei... aren't you staying..."

Rei stops and stares to the ground, with her back turned to her friends and family. "Shinji... I would like to but tonight, I must confront Asuka, I accused her of a crime she did not commit..." Unable to think of a way to stop her Shinji sits back down still wanting Rei to stay. "Yukari..." Rei whispers in a sweat tone. "I'm glad that you are alright."

"Thank you..."

The three roommates watch as Rei leaves, with a difficult task ahead, and unknown to them, to a unknown fate.

-

-


-

-

Rei arrives to her apartment a bit slower then most people, Rei has come accustom to being slow and unable to run, or even walk fast. She opens up her door and slowly walks in to the kitchen and senses a presence. That presence is Asuka, the latest in evil created from the minds of Ritsuko and Gendo. For Rei she is unaware of what sits at the kitchen table in front of her.

"Asuka..." Rei whispers to the girl in front of her and awaits her response.

"Ayanami..." The tone almost sounds uncaring, and for Asuka she sits bored out her mind in front of Rei. 'Get on with it...'

"I am sorry..." Doing her best Rei maneuvers herself to be next to Asuka. "I accused you of something you did not do."

"I did what I was ordered to do..." The voice seems cold and painful to Rei's ears as she has said that before and in the same way.

Feeling an anger from Asuka, Rei reaches out taking the girls hand. It is cold and almost painful to the touch, a flash of memory strikes Rei and Asuka the two are knocked back from the touch. Rei grabs her thought in pain as Asuka stares at her mother hanging from ceiling.

"Your..."

Asuka falls out of her seat and crawls into a corner. "I don't want to die!"

Trying to catch her breath Rei crawls to Asuka as she begins to hear the girl cry out in pain. "Asuka... you're!"

"Momma!" Asuka fights off Rei's touch as the vision of the smiling Kyoko swings back and forth. "I don't want to die!"

"What has he done to you!" Rei lays next to Asuka just out of arm reach rubbing her neck. "He will pay..."

The vision finally fades and Asuka begins to calm down. The two girls sit on the ground next to each other unable to move. "Ayanami... I have to go..."

"What's going on..."

"I have to finish my orders..." Finally calm Asuka stands up weak in the knees. "You shouldn't of betrayed him."

"What are you talking about?" Rei tries to find Asuka but with no sight, she is unable. "Asuka where are you! I need you!"

"I'm sorry..." Asuka pulls out a hypodermic needle and comes up behind Rei injecting it in her neck. "I have to go... Good Bye..."

With the drug quickly taking effect Rei tries to stay awake. "Ordered... would you do anything if ordered..."

"I will die if ordered." These are the last words heard by Rei as she falls to the ground with Asuka at her side. Asuka rolls her onto her back and places her hand on Rei's heart. "Remember that I will always love you... and that if I could I would be with you for ever..."

Stepping out of the shadows of the hallway is Gendo Ikari who looks down to Asuka with disgust. "Asuka, you are done here."

Asuka squints as if fighting off a headache when she is finished she can barely breath. "Yes sir..."

She watches as he leaves the room and to the exit, with tears in her eyes she looks to Rei and runs her hands thought the girls hair. "Good bye..."

With one final smile, Asuka bends over and kisses Rei on the lips before standing and quickly rushing out the door to catch up with Gendo. The lights go out and Rei lays motionless but with what light there is a small tear is seen escaping Rei's closed eyes and rolling down her cheek.

-

-


Next Problem... Can Shinji kill... Can we begin again...