Disclaimer: See chapter one

Chap. 15

The world slowly came back into focus for Shinji as his eyes opened to meet a clear white ceiling. 'Why is this only familiar ceiling I see most?' he thought to himself after recognizing it to be the ceiling of the medical ward in Nerv. Shinji began to look around a bit, letting his senses awaken to the world around him. Just as quickly, he sensed the presence of someone sitting nearby.

"Welcome back, Shinji."

Shinji recognized the voice as he turned his head, "Master Qui-Gon. You're here."

The Jedi master nodded slightly, "Yes. I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long. I've heard you have had your set of problems."

Shinji looked down and the sheets, "Yes." He swallowed and began speaking again. "If you don't want me to be your student anymore, I understand."

Qui-Gon's gaze never waved from him, "Why do you say that?"

"I was too weak to save my friend and I let the dark side take over." Shinji answered. He had let the dark side take over and it almost destroyed everyone else. He was too dangerous.

"Nevertheless, you overcame it." Qui-Gon countered. "You also conquered your fear of the Eva in order to save Asuka. When the time came, you let yourself go to the will of the Force." He gave Shinji a glimpse of a smile. "I would be honored to keep you as my Padawan learner.

Shinji didn't believe it. Despite what he had done, Qui-Gon still wanted him as his apprentice, "T-thank you." He then remembered another fact and his mood became sullen again.

"Qui-Gon?"

"Yes?"

"I...I told Asuka and Rei about their powers. Asuka doesn't believe me, but she had asked if I could ask you to help her learn them. Rei wants to understand it as well."

Qui-Gon tilted his head away slightly, "I see..."

"I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have told them. But I didn't show the control I needed and made a mistake."

Qui-Gon noticed his taking responsibility for his act, but he wasn't angry at the boy. He was just a little worried about the consequences, but he would have to let it go.

"That's what being a learner is about. To succeed as well as fail. And I have sensed their power. The Force is within both of them too strongly to ignore. Their abilities will manifest with or without training and it may be best if they knew what they had."

Shinji hesitated, not wanting to contradict his teacher. But he felt he had to say something else.

"I remember that you told me that it could have been dangerous training me. I didn't understand it at first, but after the battle with the Eva, I understand what you were telling me."

Qui-Gon was now a bit surprised by Shinji's understanding. 'He is learning quickly. Now there is no doubt that the Force has led me to him.'

"Yes. But you must know that it might be better if they had knowledge of the Force. If not, that in itself may prove to be just as dangerous. That's one of the reasons why I trained you Shinji."

"It is?"

"Yes. But you have turned out to be a fine Padawan, one I hope that one day would become a Knight. That reminds me." He lent his hand into his coat and pulled an object out. "The reason I left was to get the materials for this. It's a gift, but also a necessity."

Shinji took hold of the object. It was a metal cylinder, with a small button slid on the side of it.

"What is it?"

"This is a lightsaber." Qui-Gon held it upright in the boy's fingers and activated the button. A blade of violet light emerged out and glowed. Shinji was surprised by the weapon.

"This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight." Qui-Gon continued. "It's like the blade I gave you, but lighter and deadlier. Normally, a Padawan is supposed to make his or her own. But in this case, I had to make this for you. For that reason, I ask that you keep this on you at all times, but never use it." He deactivated the device and laid in on Shinji.

"In the meantime, continue using the Sakubatto. A time will come when this will become necessary."

Shinji blinked in confusion, "Master?"

"You will know when." Qui-Gon slowly stood up from his seat. "I wish I could stay, but I must leave you again."

"I...understand."

"I will stay until you're fully healed." Qui-Gon continued. "As for Asuka and Rei, I'll see what I can do for them."

Shinji's mood softened, "Thank you, master."

"Get some rest."

Qui-Gon moved to the door when he felt a sudden tremor in the Force. Reacting quickly, he sidestepped out of the door's path just as it swung open and a purple blur dashed in.

"SHINJI!!!!!!"

Misato swooped at the young man and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. Shinji, still sore from recovering as well as Misato being at such close proximity to him, was far from comfortable.

"Misato..."

The lavender-haired woman however, continued to hug the young man tighter. Shinji's face began to grow red as she began weeping.

"I was so worried about you. I missed you so much."

Shinji tried to find his inner calm, a difficult feat with Misato attached to him.

"I'm...sorry, Misato. I...didn't...mean to...make you worry." Realizing that his lungs were about to give out, "Misato....you're....crushing....me."

Misato gave him one last tight embrace before loosening her grip and moving back. Qui-Gon, who had stood back watching the escapade, mused.

'The Force truly is strong with him. I don't think even I could have gotten out of that.'

***********

Three days later...

"Arrgghhhh!"

Asuka and Rei were in seated stances, practicing their meditation. After the day in the hospital, he had visited Shinji in order to continue teaching him all the while, heaping him recover and heal. Shinji was doing quite well, but he was still needed in the hospital. Afterward, with Misato's permission, he began to teach both Asuka and Rei the secrets of the Force. As he expected, they turned out to be apt students. However, even he couldn't teach them everything they needed to know in the short time he had. He had to leave soon and it would take Shinji three more days to recover. To top it of, Asuka was having a difficult time when it came to meditation.

"Asuka, it takes time."

"This is ridiculous." She half-growled. "I'm just supposed to sit here and do nothing?"

Qui-Gon's voice remained calm, but firm. "You have to let yourself become calm and feel the Force. Once you do that, only then can you work on controlling it properly."

Asuka sulked slightly, but nevertheless returned to the mediation. Qui-Gon simply watched them in silence again. Even though he hadn't had a student as abrasive as Asuka, it wasn't anything new.

'So much anger in her, yet so much potential. Much like Obi-Wan.'

A slight pang came at the long distant memory. Obi-Wan was a angry student. Although it wasn't displayed, Qui-Gon sensed it when he first met him. He felt it when the boy fought Bruck, another learner, who had also wanted to be his Padawan. Obi-Wan was angry at him and defeated him, but Qui-Gon didn't accept him. At least, not immediately. Obi-Wan managed to help him on a mission and even aided in defeated his first student, Xanatos. It was only then that he took him as a Padawan.

Like Obi-Wan, Shinji's anger arose part in fear of being rejected. He felt that Asuka was the same way. But their methods of dealing with it were different and thus it would be difficult to teach Asuka on how to deal with it. Rei on the other hand was still a mystery to Qui-Gon. He had probed her, but was still unable to find out how she was so well in control of the Force. It was almost as if she didn't need a teacher at all. But by the same token, with no idea as to how her powers really work, she would need someone to tell her these things. At the temple, she would have made an ideal student. She was good at concealing her emotions enough that only another Jedi would notice. And she was great at her meditation exercises in connecting with the Force. But yet, he felt something...unusual about her. Something that he couldn't describe. Something that made her...different from everyone else. Like she had a secret about something.

He was still worried about what would happen to them once he left. Shinji would most likely try to fill in all the places Qui-Gon missed, but even that isn't enough as Shinji was a learner himself. But he felt that this was the right thing to do. Darkness was coming, like a storm. And they all had to be ready for it. It was one of the reasons why he was leaving to begin with. He had to investigate and discover the source. And he had to do it alone.

"Okay. Now it's time to see how well you can connect actively. Pick up your weapons."

Asuka almost jumped up for joy. It was one of her favorite exercises and Qui-Gon could see why. Her control of the Force manifested during her use with the wooden sword. Qui-Gon was a little worried about that though and decided to do something about it.

"This time, you will spar with Rei."

Asuka let out a feral grin, but quickly removed it at Qui-Gon's stern look. Rei had picked up her own weapon and simply held it in stance. Asuka followed and they crossed blades. Qui-Gon took a step back to give the girls room. He gave the signal and both began to circle. Rei's usually stoic face held a hint of concentration while Asuka seemed more relaxed. Asuka suddenly swung with a right slash, but Rei ducked underneath and circled around behind her. Asuka quickly wheeled around to face her again, all the while coming in with another swing. Rei raised the blade and blocked the strike, but it was a feint and Asuka quickly pulled bck and swung to the left. Rei swiftly rolled on the ground and jumped back up to her feet, in ready stance once more.

"What's the matter, Wondergirl? Can't handle it?"

Rei didn't respond and continued to hold her stance. Asuka grew annoyed and attacked again, this time with a high stab. Rei twisted her blade to parry, but in doing so, allowing Asuka to spin around with a low sweep. Rei jumped over the sweep and took a step back. Asuka growled softly and swung again. Again, Rei parried the attack and simply waited for the next attack.

"Fight me already!"

Asuka suddenly dashed in and went into a barrage of slashing attacks. Rei was able to keep up and managed to parry, block and deflect most of Asuka's attacks. Asuka continued the assault, wanting to defeat Rei once and for all. But soon, her attacks became exhausting and her attacks began to slow down. Rei was tired as well from defending herself against Asuka's attacks, but she still had more energy than Asuka and stuck to avoiding the attacks altogether. Finally, Qui-Gon, who had been watching carefully, strode forward.

"That is enough."

Asuka slumped down to the floor, panting heavily, "But....she didn't....even attack..." She looked up at Rei, who was panting hard as well. "Why...didn't...you fight...back....?"

Qui-Gon answered the question, "She did. She defeated her enemy. But it wasn't you, Asuka."

"What?"

"She defeated your anger. You must remember that anger has no place here, lest you fall toward the dark side. You must remember what your true enemy is."

Asuka looked down, 'She's still...No. I'm still a better Eva pilot. The best.'

As if sensing her thoughts, Qui-Gon continued, "Competition has no place either. You must learn to work together if you are to be a true Jedi."

Asuka felt like retorting, but was too spent to do anything. Qui-Gon dismissed the girls and they left him with his thoughts. 'Rei is still trying to gain a grasp of her emotions. Such a way could make it hard for her to utilize the Force any more than what she has now. Time will eventually change that. As for Asuka, she will need more help than she realized. But I feel that Shinji seems to be the key to this. I just hope...' He pushed the negative thoughts aside for a moment. There was an even bigger force coming and he feared it may destroy the entire world. He had to find out about it quickly and stop it. But he still worried about the two girls as well as his Padawan. But he had to trust him, even by himself.

'I am still a Jedi Knight. I must do this.'

***********

Gendo's office

"With the Eva equipped with its own S2 engine, the council will not tolerate you for much longer." Fuyutuki warned.

Gendo remained the same, "They can't do anything to me. As long as the remaining angels still exist, they need me." He then smirked, "The pitiful fools. But they will probably send another to watch over us from the shadows. Have some of the guards set on watch. Whoever they send will watch the Children, so that will make the spy easier to find."

***********

Unknown to Gendo Ikari, the spy in question was already on the hill overlooking the city. The shadowy figure was seated on a black motorcycle, his gloved hands clenched on the handles. His entire body was clothed in black and his head was covered in a dark hood. Silently, he revved up his bike and drove down to the unsuspecting Tokyo-3.

'I will carry out my mission.'

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