Disclaimer: You guys already know I don't own this. So why even ask?

Chap. 7

Nerv HQ

"A synch test? I wasn't told of this."

Misato and Ritsuko were in the laboratory. Ritsuko was preparing the equipment for the harmonics synch test when Misato came in after hearing about it.

"It just came up. Orders from the Commander." Ritsuko answered.

Misato sighed grumpily, "It figures. Just before things could get back to normal..."

"Misato, what are you talking about?" Ritsuko cut her off. "This is normal."

"You know what I mean." Misato shot back. "Shinji just came back yesterday and now he has to have a test."

Ritsuko sighed to herself. Misato could be so irrational sometimes when it came to the Children, particularly the Third Child. "Do remember that the purpose of his trip was to train him to better handle the Eva." She then hesitated, "Although I don't know what kind of training he received, it must be something for the Commander to send him off. In any case, Shinji is an Eva pilot. This is his job."

Misato groaned out loud. She knew she was right, but damn it, does she always have to be?

"You can be heartless sometimes, you know that?"

"Comes with the job."

--------

Shinji shifted around as he put on his plugsuit. He felt a little nervous just as he always was before he enters the Eva, but beyond that, he was still calm. His training in the Force allowed him to take things as they are without being so over anxious about them. That in itself was a huge leap for the quiet boy. Most of his training was based on being calm and controlling his fear which he managed...to a point. The memories of the berserker Eva rampaging out of control was still fresh in his mind, along with other painful experiences within the purple beast. Shinji closed his eyes. 'No. I mustn't look back on that. I have to let that go. Let it flow through me.' He began to breathe slowly until he found his calm center. He then stepped out of the locker just in time to meet up with Asuka, clad in her own red plugsuit.

"Took you long enough. Were you planning on taking your test in the locker, Third Child?"

Shinji simply shrugged and moved on, which surprised Asuka. That was the second time Shinji hadn't spluttered apologies all over the place because of her and she still wasn't sure what to think of it. She decided to probe further.

"I can see why. After all, who would want to be beaten by the best Eva pilot repeatedly?"

Shinji still didn't react the way she wanted him to and that was beginning to irritate her.

"Scheisse, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was talking to Wondergirl. But then again, you are just as pathetic as her."

When he didn't respond the third time, Asuka's very limited patience ended abruptly. She moved in front of Shinji and blocked his path to the hanger.

"You think you can just ignore me, baka?" she growled. "Well, do you?"

Shinji's eyes locked with hers, "I just want to do my best, Asuka. It may not compare with you, but I want to try."

Asuka was totally stunned. Not only had Shinji not whimper away behind a horde of apologies and excuses, but he gave an answer she couldn't disagree with...while keeping eye contact! And even more so because he actually...wanted to get in the Eva. She wanted to say something, anything to him. Whether it be in disagreement or anger or even a dismissal. It was certainly better than her being muted like that. Reacting out of pure habit, her hand arched back and flew straight...

...into a sudden blur that rematerialized as Shinji's hand. He held it for a few moments while keeping his gaze on her.

"Please don't." he whispered softly.

Shinji then slowly released her hand and continued toward the hanger, leaving a totally shocked Asuka behind.

'How did he..?'

-------

"Just relax guys." Misato called in from the command booth.

"I know what I'm doing." Asuka called back over the comm. "But you may want to tell the worthless baka over there."

Shinji's gaze sifted to her image on the screen. It seemed that she had gotten over their little encounter and was back to her old self. For Asuka, that was true. Inside the Eva, she was the master. She was in control. Her Eva never went berserker and that only proved her superiority and control. She was the best and no one could deny it.

"Actually Asuka, his ratio is tied with yours."

Reality crashed, "W-what?!"

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed slightly, "Yeah. Dead even. Hmm."

"Isn't that a little strange?" Maya suggested.

Ritsuko replies, "It's more than strange." Her thoughts went into motion. "Check the feedback and display it on the monitor."

Maya nodded and swiftly went to work. Ritsuko came over to her just as she displayed it on the monitor. Both women were stunned.

"I don't believe it."

Misato came over to them, "What? What is it?"

"According to this, all three Children are emitting the same type brain waves."

Misato took a step back to look up at them. "Are they...synched?"

"I think so. But I've never seen it like this. They're all on the same wavelength."

"But sempai...isn't that virtually impossible?" Maya asked. She may not be as knowledgeable as the doctor, but she knew more than enough about what belongs in a harmonics test. "Three people with the same synch?"

Ritsuko looked back at the monitor, "Not exactly the same. Asuka's feedback is showing higher resistance, so she's not totally synched. Nevertheless..."

Ritsuko didn't know what to think at this point. While it was true that Asuka and Shinji had trained once before to synch together, it was never on this level. And Rei linking along with them was incredible in itself. 'This will take some time.'

"Record all the data on this as you can." Ritsuko said finally.

"Hai, sempai."

---------------

Shinji had just now exited the locker room. He quietly yawned. Ritsuko had them in there for almost three hours, studying something that had come up. Shinji gathered that it had something to do with the even synch ratio he had with Asuka. That was when Ritsuko began to work them longer. He didn't expect that to happen though. He merely reached out to the Force to calm him and keep him focused. He didn't think that he would somehow link to both Asuka and Rei. He should have though. 'The Force binds all things together' he remembered. As he walked through the corridor, he stopped. He felt it. The tremor. And it wasn't Asuka.

"Hi, Ayanami."

Rei silently moved up to him from the side, "I felt you. In the Eva"

"Me too."

"I felt Sohryu as well. But I do not understand."

Shinji turned to face her, almost regretting it after gazing at her crimson eyes, "Well, you see..." He didn't know how to explain it to her. 'How do you explain about the Force?' In the end, he decided just to be truthful and answer the question simply.

"I simply reached out with my feelings and felt you and Asuka."

Rei took this into thought and finally answered, "I see. This has to do with your previous experiences."

"Experiences?"

Her eyes narrowed very slightly, "Your training with Qui Gon Jinn."

"Oh, yeah." He mentally slapped himself for his slowness. "Well, you're right. It does have something to do with that."

"I understand."

With that, Rei walked pasted him to the other end, but Shinji continued speaking, "Are you going to tell my fat...the Commander?"

Rei stopped, but didn't turn, "If he orders me to."

"Okay. But could you keep this between us for now. I…will to inform him myself."

Would he? Shinji wasn't certain he wanted to reveal his newfound powers so soon. And the last person he wanted to tell was his father. But, he would have to in the long stream of things. Such abilities couldn't be kept secret for long, especially in NERV.

"Then you should do so immediately."

Shinji shook his head briefly, "No, it's not the right time. But please. Promise me that you won't tell him."

Rei turned her head to the side to look at him, "If he does not ask, then I will not inform him of your change."

Shinji smiled, "Thanks, Ayanami."

Shinji then began to move but this time, Rei called to him.

"Ikari-kun."

"Yes?"

Both pilots were now facing each other a good distance from one another, but their eyes and powers made it feel closer.

"It...felt...warm."

AN: Okay, I know what you are thinking. No, this is not a Shinji/Rei fic (At least I don't think so). But I just wanted another person to voice out the calming connection within the Force. The only other person is Asuka and there's no way she would or that if she understands it at all. But don't worry. She will, heh.