The Mighty Reiko-chan: Chapter 2
It was a pleasant walk home. Not because of the twinkling stars that lit the velvet sky; not because of the extraordinarily fresh air that felt so pleasant; not because of the eerily silent streets that oddly appeared to be so much more friendly than they used to; but because in his opinion, something good had happened today. Not just the usual good things that tend to happen once in a while. No, this time, it was something special.
'But what's so special about it?' Shinji's mind thought. He couldn't quite place it.
The boy paid no attention to his surroundings, as his mind dwelled deep in the events mere moments ago. For such a long time, he had hoped that the strange quiet girl would be more open to him, like how she acted with his father. The reason was simple, or so he thought. It would mean he had done something right if she talked to him the way she did to his father. It would prove that Shinji, in a way, resembled his father, even if just a bit. The boy acknowledged the fact that he didn't like his own father, but, in a way, he sometimes wished that he was more like his father than himself.
His wish had been partly granted today, or at least the door seemed to have been opened, and the funny thing was he hadn't even made any effort to chat her up, definitely not tonight.
'No,' Shinji thought, 'it wasn't that big. Just a small thing, that's all. A small, pleasant thing…that…that tends to happen once in a while…'
Another part of Shinji tried to convince himself that tonight had been different. He reminded himself that Rei had done something she hadn't since that memorable night months ago when she listened to Shinji and gave a kind, though somewhat awkward, smile. As that particular image of Rei smiling crept into his head, Shinji realised that tonight had in fact been different. Rei seemed truly happy, her smile coming very naturally. She even did so without him having to ask.
An odd feeling surfaced. Shinji tried to shake it away, but this peculiar sensation was beginning to bother him. Perhaps he just wasn't used to someone being so cheerful around him. The fact that this someone was Rei made it even more difficult for him to comprehend and accept, but what bothered him even more was the draining feeling he felt inside his heart when he had parted with the girl at her apartment door earlier. Was he already becoming attached to Rei? Was it just because she had acted so friendly towards him for only a couple of minutes?
His brows furrowed in annoyance and disgust.
'Shinji…' His mind spoke after going blank for a brief moment, '…you're truly pathetic…'
The instant he finished the sentence, his facial features softened again. The scene where the blue haired girl lashed her tongue at his face began to play itself over and over again inside his head. He remembered very clearly how it had felt, and surely that kind of intimate play would mean something? Shinji's hand subconsciously reached upwards and touched his hot cheeks that he was sure by then had turned a bright scarlet.
'She licked me…' His hand caressing the skin that was once wet with Rei's saliva, 'she licked me here…'
Shinji's mouth curved upwards into a small smile as he welcomed the surge of warmth in this increasingly chilly night. It didn't matter now. He had made his own conclusion. In any case, he must have done something right to deserve Rei's attention, and for that, he felt happy.
As Shinji continued his way home, scenes of him interacting with Rei earlier that night replayed themselves over and over again inside his head. At certain times, Shinji wished he had been wittier. Perhaps he could have said something different here and others there. Perhaps that would have impressed the girl even more. But overall, he was pleased with his own performance.
Shinji reached the apartment soon afterwards. As he approached the door, the bliss inside his heart was vaporised instantly by the sight that greeted him.
An apparently pissed off Asuka, with a very irritated glare on her face, was leaned against one of the walls. She was still dressed in her plug suit, with the hardened LCL fluid filthily glued to her body like a layer of dry mud. She lifted her eyes when she noticed Shinji, her foot soon started to tap impatiently while her face darkened significantly. There were also some occasional blonde streaks among her red hair.
As Shinji got closer to her, he realised that those streaks looked exactly like the cheap Chinese noodles they sold in the NERV cafeteria.
On an additional note, she also smelt rotten. Shinji had to struggle hard not to pinch his nose. He knew very well that doing something similar would result in something more painful than just inhaling the horrible scent.
"Asuka, what happened to-" Shinji asked, but the rest of the sentence was forcibly swallowed. Asuka's glare could do that sometimes. With both his hands shaking, Shinji hastily unlocked the door, quickly standing aside as she brushed past him.
The red haired girl stormed to her bedroom and slammed the door shut, which then bounced slightly off the wall, leaving a small slit in between. Any other time, Shinji would have found himself smiling and amused at how Asuka was still not accustomed to traditional architecture, but this time he simply bowed his head, put away his own stuffs in the bedroom, and then went into the kitchen.
'The storm will be over when it's over,' the boy thought as he took out some vegetables and meat from the fridge. He fed some canned tuna fish to Misato's pet penguin Pen-Pen, and then set off to prepare for tomorrow's lunch.
Shinji's skilled and seasoned hands worked at an impressive speed. Years of serving as the unofficial housemaid, both in his teacher's house and here, had made him proficient. All it took now was to decide what food to make, and then the body would do the rest of the work, almost automatically. Two plates here, three bowls there, four spoonfuls of sugar, three cups of water, half cook the meat etc…
As he worked, he could just faintly hear Asuka opening then closing the bathroom door. She was taking a shower. That was a good sign. It usually washed away her bad mood. Shinji sniffed as he silently wondered what had gotten Asuka into that mess. He also wondered if it really was a good sign at all that Asuka was taking a shower. After all, no one could have slept in that filth, certainly not him, and certainly not her.
At about ten minutes later, he heard Asuka coming out of the shower. This was followed by wet, approaching footsteps slapping on the concrete floor. Shinji turned around just in time to see a clean Asuka entering the kitchen, wrapped only in a small white towel. Her hair still appeared damp and her skin supple. The boy blushed slightly and quickly returned to washing the dishes and utensils.
It was an uncomfortable silence. With his back facing Asuka, he had no idea what she was doing at the dining table, and there was an irritating feeling in the guts telling him that Asuka was trying to dissolve him with her intense stare.
Finally, he gave in to curiosity and peeked back through the corner of his eyes. Shinji was slightly surprised to see Asuka sitting there quietly eating the sushi he had just finished making.
"A-Asuka," The boy blurted, "that's tomorrow's lunch!"
Asuka didn't bother glancing up. She kept her eyes fixed on the food and replied in an indifferent tone, "I'll buy my own tomorrow."
"N-no, it's okay…" Shinji quickly waved his hands, "I'll just make some more…"
Another silence followed, broken only occasionally by the clanking sound of Shinji's cooking utensils as the boy started to make more. He couldn't help but wonder. Asuka had told him earlier in the morning that she would be having dinner at the class rep's place, since Misato was working overtime again. That was the reason he hadn't prepared dinner tonight. Admittedly, Shinji was getting a little confused.
"I thought you would be staying at Horaki's place," Shinji spoke eventually.
"I came back."
"Oh, so how was dinner?"
"I came back from NERV."
"You ate at NERV?"
Apparently losing her patience with Shinji's questions, Asuka slowly put down her chopsticks, sat up straight, took a few deep breaths, and replied with a forced smile, "Shinji my dear, I haven't had my dinner."
Shinji forced a smile himself, although for a different reason to Asuka's. Her ominous stare looked increasingly dangerous. The boy hastily tried to calm the atmosphere, "Oh I see. I didn't know you were on a diet. That's good to know…"
As soon as he had finished the sentence, there was no doubt in Shinji's mind that his kind attempt had turned into a terrible blunder.
By then, Asuka was no longer trying to mask her annoyance. Her face twisted into a foul look. Shinji could just faintly see the angry fire behind those icy blue eyes. "Shinji, are you suggesting that I need one?"
"No-no I'm not! You're perfectly fine! I-I've never seen anyone look better, honest!"
Those words from Shinji came out almost automatically. His eyes widened; his heart pumping, in the fear that he had upset his housemate. It wasn't because he was afraid of the girl launching another verbal attack. It was because he truly meant it when he said he wanted all his friends to be happy.
Asuka did not appear to be mightily impressed, but she managed to calm down. The girl flicked her hair backwards and replied in a cynical tone. "I must warn you, Shinji. I'm susceptible to flattery."
Shinji's heart felt like it had been poked, but he was relieved to see Asuka back to her normal self. As she returned to her meal, Shinji went back to preparing more food and then cleaning the utensils. Both did each quietly, though Shinji was thankful that this silence was no longer an uncomfortable one.
Just before he finished his work, Shinji heard Asuka speak again, "What happened to your face?"
Shinji glanced back at the girl in confusion, "What happened to my face?"
"That's what I'm asking you," Both teenagers continued to stare at each other, until Asuka finally rolled her eyes at the clueless boy and pointed to his forehead, "There, on your forehead, what's up with the bump?"
Shinji immediately reached for his forehead and sure enough, there was a massive swelling there. He was then quickly reminded of how he had clumsily walked into a lamp post earlier that night. The funny thing was, he hadn't even been aware of the lump, but now that he knew, he realized it was actually throbbing painfully.
"Oh, it was nothing…I had a fall, that's all…" Shinji didn't want to tell the truth. That would have been quite embarrassing.
"Aren't you going to do anything about it?" Asuka asked as she put down her chopsticks.
"It will heal," Shinji replied.
At this, his housemate stood up and walked to the fridge. Shinji watched curiously as she took out a few cubes of ice and wrapped them in a kitchen towel. She then gave it to Shinji, "Here, take this. Press it on the lump. You'll feel better."
"Thanks," The boy did as he was told. Asuka then proceeded to walk out of the kitchen. "Aren't you going to finish your food?"
"No," She replied without glancing back, "I want to maintain my perfectly fine figure."
And then she was out of sight.
"How did you get here?"
That was the first thing Rei asked when she saw her, for she knew quite well who the girl was and where she had come from. She had been stunned silent when she first met the clone's eyes, but it was soon being replaced by curiosity, and to a smaller extent, revulsion. Rei's mind was rapidly flooded with questions, answers of which she knew the other girl would not be able to give. Fully aware of how serious the situation could be, she decided to ask the simplest and the most important thing first.
"How did you get here?" Rei repeated her question as she put aside the book and stepped onto the floor. Frankly, she wasn't even sure if the clone could understand her language.
The clone kept quiet as Rei moved in closer to her. The expression she wore told Rei that she wasn't only shocked, but confused and scared as well. She took a few steps backwards before her legs gave in and she stumbled onto the floor.
Rei made no attempt in helping her up. There were more pressing matters. She left the clone and proceeded to the front door. She then opened it and stepped outside, quickly searching left and right before gazing downwards from her apartment building. It was there she spotted him, the person that had guided the clone girl to her residence.
Rei narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure how she should feel to see that the person had been Shinji. It certainly made things a little more complicated, though she didn't quite understand why.
When Rei returned to her apartment, she noticed that the clone had already stood up, and was now fidgeting with her skirt nervously, while eyeing her surroundings with marked suspicion and disbelief.
"Can you understand me?" Rei asked as she walked to her cell phone and dialled a number. It would be better if the clone couldn't understand the conversation she was about to have with the commander. Rei waited for a response, but she received none. Instead, she was asked to leave a message on the commander's phone, which she chose not to.
She then dialled another number. At times when the commander's counsel was not available, Doctor Akagi was the person she would go to. However, Rei was once again surprised to learn that the scientist's line was also dead.
It was then she heard the other girl speak for the first time, "…Ayanami…can…understand…"
She sounded uneasy. Rei put down her phone and turned to the girl, "That is not your name."
"That is what my friends called me!" The clone raised her voice defiantly; her speech suddenly coming more easily and rapidly. Even she appeared slightly startled herself.
Rei gave no immediate reply, although she was becoming quite irritated. She simply marched over to the other girl; their eyes never left each other as she moved closer. Each step Rei took brought the tension to a higher level. However, the clone girl stood her ground firmly, seemingly not intimidated by Rei's approach.
Just as they were about to collide, Rei took the slightest turn to the side and walked past the girl, their shoulders brushing against each other as she did so.
"Who are they?" Rei asked as she tidied up her bed and put away her books. There was an exam coming up the next day, but by then she had lost all motivation to study.
A brief silence then followed. When Rei returned to the other girl, she found her standing there staring at the floor. Her brows were drawn closely together as she appeared to be struggling with an answer.
"Who are they?" Rei repeated her question, "Who are your friends?"
"Shinji…" The girl replied, "Shinji…and…and Maya…"
"Who else have you spoken to?"
The girl shook her head, but Rei was not satisfied with her answer. She grabbed the girl's jacket, "Whose shirt is this?"
"Maya's…"
Rei nodded before pressing on, "And the uniform?"
"Maya's…"
At this, Rei stared at the girl, and then at her blue skirt, and then back at the girl. The clone's facial expression showed no hints when telling the lie. Only the lack of logic gave her away because Rei knew Maya couldn't have given her the school uniform. Rei was not impressed, and even less convinced by the girl's attempt, but she was unsure if she should continue the interrogation. She could tell already that the clone did not trust her as she probably did Maya and Shinji.
It was then Rei spotted something bulging out inside the girl's pocket. She quickly seized and retrieved it, giving the girl little time to react. Rei soon found herself holding a pair of red neural clips that looked distastefully familiar.
"You've met the Second Child?"
"Why?" The girl was looking increasingly annoyed, although there was no menace in her tone when she questioned back, "Is she your friend?"
"What makes you think so?"
"Because you are both BAD people," The girl replied, making sure that she emphasized the word 'bad'. She then turned around and proceeded to the front door.
Rei was left temporarily startled. She had not expected such a response from the girl, but she quickly recovered and caught up with her.
"Where are you going?"
The girl tried to push her way out, "To find Shinji! Don't want to stay here with you!"
"It is too dangerous," Rei said as she grabbed the girl's hand to prevent her from leaving, "There are bandits lurking in the dark."
"Let me go!" The girl screamed in return. She began to struggle and Rei was having a hard time containing her, until she came up with a more convincing persuasion.
"They are already looking for you."
Oddly enough, it silenced the girl. She kept quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Who?"
"NERV agents," Rei replied. She wasn't sure how much the girl knew, but it didn't matter now.
"Why? What do they want from me?"
"I do not know, but I would stay here if I were you." As Rei finished, she went back inside and returned with a pair of clean uniform. She then offered it to the girl, "You can have this. Those clothes you are wearing do not belong to you."
The girl hesitated, apparently struggling hard with a decision. She took a glance at the streets where she could be headed, and all were hideously veiled in an absorbing black. Both girls stood still, and only the girl's hasty breaths disrupted the otherwise soundless night. Finally, she took the uniform from Rei and stepped back into the apartment without saying another word.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully. The girls did not exchange another word. They simply stared at each other, full of doubts and questions but unsure of how to ask them. Hours went by, and still nothing happened. Rei was already used to living a linear life, and it wasn't surprising that the boredom was more exhausting to the clone girl than her. Rei watched closely as the girl dozed off on the bed. She then picked a chair and sat down beside her.
There was an odd sensation inside Rei's chest. She didn't feel comfortable that she had not been honest with the clone girl. She knew very well that NERV agents were already looking for her, and they would soon be knocking on her front door. They would search her apartment whether she approved or not. Asking the clone girl to stay at her apartment would not keep her away from them. Instead, as Rei believed, it would only prevent her from falling into unknown hands. Rei was not sure if she should feel guilty, for it was her intention that the clone girl be found and returned to NERV as quickly as possible. That was the reason she had asked her to stay.
However, what bothered Rei even more was that her feelings were now clouded by uncertainties. She tried to imagine what the commander would do to the clone girl once he found her. On one hand, she wanted everything reverted back to normal; on the other, she couldn't seem to shake off a peculiar attachment to the girl. Perhaps it was the bond they shared. Rei didn't like it. She hated changes.
Rei did not know when she had fallen asleep, but when she woke up the next day, it was already morning. She briefly scanned the room, and was mildly surprised to see the clone still sitting on the bed, fully alert and gently caressing the uniform Rei had given her earlier. Rei noted that her eyes were fixed at the front of the blouse. There was no sign of any NERV agents.
Rei glanced at her watch. It read half-past six. She then stood up to get ready for school, but stopped when she heard a strange noise coming from the clone girl's stomach. It was then Rei noticed that the girl appeared quite distressed.
She seemed reluctant to ask for help, but Rei understood what she needed. The blue haired girl went to the kitchen, opened her fridge and returned with some small pieces of sandwiches and a few Chinese plums, the later of which she offered to the clone girl.
"Eat," she said.
Eagerly, the clone girl did as she was told. Rei paid no attention afterwards. She put the sandwiches in her schoolbag. Those would be her brunch for the day. Then, she went into the showers and completed her morning tasks.
Her brows furrowed when she came out from the washroom. Rei wasn't sure if she should feel annoyed or amused.
The clone girl was apparently struggling with the plums. Still young and inexperienced at her age, she didn't seem to be satisfied at just eating the flesh. Awkwardly enough, she was also trying hard to chew apart the plum's skin and swallow them. Her face was twisted in frustration as she grumbled, pulling and tearing her way through, and as a result, the juice dripped onto the bed dirtying the white linen.
Rei said nothing. She simply walked over to the clone, took the plums from her hands, and peeled off the skin patiently before giving them back to her.
The clone seemed to be having a much more pleasant meal after that. Rei then took her bag and prepared to leave. She also made sure that she brought the Second Child's uniform and neural clips with her. With the two massive holes in front of the blouse, Rei could see no reason why her colleague would want the uniform back, but she refused to rule out the possibility that the Second Child might just like the slight modification.
Rei brushed the soft fabric as she pondered with the idea of using it as a dry mat. She then decided that the uniform would serve well for that purpose if it was rejected later.
"Why is Ayanami your name and not mine?" The clone girl asked suddenly.
"Why do you think it's my name?" Rei turned to face her, "I have not told you so."
"It's written on your shirt." The clone replied, her finger pointed at the nametag on the uniform she was still wearing.
"A name is merely something that's given for our convenience," Rei explained, "It is not important."
"It is to me," The clone, still eating her plums, looked markedly dejected. She took a small bite, "…I…I wish I knew the answer…"
Rei made no reply, although for a brief moment she wondered what the clone should be named if she was to be given one. Rei didn't want to tell her that she might not even need a name. The commander was often ruthless when making decisions.
As she came to the door, she heard the clone ask again, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to school."
The clone quickly caught up with her, "School?"
"Yes."
"Can I come?"
"No."
She raised her eyebrow, "Why not?"
Rei stood still for a few short seconds, trying to contemplate how best to answer the clone. She then replied, "Do you want to see…Shinji…again?"
The clone nodded enthusiastically at the mention of Shinji's name, and her face brightened significantly.
"Then stay," Rei continued, "I will return with Shinji later."
Rei couldn't be certain if the clone believed her, but the cheerful smile on her face seemed to suggest so. Just before she left, Rei turned to the clone again, "Remember, do not leave the room."
And then she closed the door and set off for school. Still slightly perplexed at what had transpired since the previous night, Rei quietly reflected on her identity, purpose and the uncertainties that lay in the future. She had seen copies of her body before when working on the Dummy Plug system, so it shouldn't have come as an immense shock. Still, seeing her clones floating lifelessly in the LCL tank was one thing; watching one of them move, talk and think was another.
"Shinji man, like, we're buddies," Touji said, tipping his chair slightly backwards in perfect balance, "It's not cool to hide things from us."
Shinji sighed in return. He had expected this to happen at school, but that didn't mean he had to like it. His friends were trying to squeeze every last bit of information out of him, and they were threatening to show the video to his other classmates if he refused to talk.
"I've told you many, many times that I was only walking her home and nothing happened!" Shinji repeated what he had been saying over the past fifteen minutes or so. The boy had told his so called buddies everything, and still they wouldn't believe him. Admittedly, he was growing frustrated, "Now give me that video!"
Kensuke dodged Shinji's attempt when he tried to grab his camera, "Hey watch it man! This baby here is something money can't buy!" He said, stroking it lovingly.
Shinji frowned. He would have had Kensuke's camera destroyed just to make sure nobody would ever see the video's contents. Shinji could just picture everyone teasing him once they saw the licking scene. The boy wouldn't have been bothered much, but he didn't want to see Rei being laughed at.
"Look, Shinji man," Touji said as he leaned forward, "We're getting our answers regardless. Whether it's from you," He grinned and gestured to a blue haired girl sitting at the far corner, "or her, is your decision."
Shinji's eyes widened, "B-but I've already told you everything!"
"Alright then, don't hate me."
Touji was about to stand up when Shinji grabbed his hand, "N-no! Don't do this!"
"Yeah," Kensuke cut in, "Don't force him, man. The guy deserves some privacy. It's his secret to keep."
Shinji was surprised, but pleased that his bespectacled friend had decided to speak for him. Touji, however, was still not convinced. He simply sat down and gave a sly smile, "Well, then talk!"
By then, Shinji had given up all resistance. He definitely didn't want to risk Rei being confronted for something so silly. The boy took a deep breath, and then he replied, "Ok, I had fun last night. It was…refreshing…to see her so happy, but that's the thing…"
"What? What thing?" Touji asked eagerly. Even Kensuke had put down his camera and was listening carefully.
Shinji cast a curious glance at the girl in subject, "She was acting so…so different…that I don't know what it could possibly mean. I'd never seen her like that, and now look at her…"
The other two boys followed Shinji's gaze and stared at the quiet girl. As usual, she was looking outside the window, paying attention to nothing in particular. Perhaps Shinji was just being pessimistic, but the cheerful Rei he had spoken to the previous night suddenly seemed so far away. Shinji didn't like it, but he tried not to show it.
"In any case," He continued, "It doesn't matter now. Nothing has changed."
Just then, Asuka, who had spent the previous night at Hikari's after the class rep gave her a phone call expressing her concern, arrived with Hikari trailing behind. Shinji was about to greet them, but stopped when he noticed the malevolent look on Asuka's face. He watched as his housemate marched to, surprisingly, Rei.
A tense moment followed. Shinji's heart began to beat uncomfortably. Being aware of the hostile relationship between the girls, he had little reason to like where this was going. Before Shinji could do anything, however, the situation had already escalated. The whole class went silent when Asuka slammed both her fists down on the First Child's desk.
Rei turned her attention from the window to Asuka. She then casually retrieved a set of clothes from her drawer.
"Your uniform," She said with an even tone, "And neural connectors."
Still looking resentful, Asuka searched through the clothes, apparently trying hard to find something. "Where are the keys?" She asked.
"I don't have them."
"I kept them in the pocket," Asuka thrashed the uniform onto Rei's face, "How can you not have them, you foul wretched whore?"
A stark contrast to her red haired adversary, Rei maintained her composure and patience, "As I said, I don't have them."
Asuka didn't look very convinced. She kept her forceful glare on Rei, of which the blue haired girl returned with her trademark dull stare. The other students watched closely as neither girl looked likely to give in. Among them, Hikari was trying to pull Asuka away from Rei, but her friend refused to even move. The bell rang soon afterwards.
It was Asuka who finally broke the ice. "Don't you ever lay your filthy hands on my possession again, you understand?" She then took her neural clips but left the torn uniform.
"I apologise, Pilot Sohryu," Rei said, "I was not myself last night."
The Second Child responded by shaking her head in disbelief, "Words cannot describe how much I hate you."
"Just don't let it affect your work."
"My work?" Asuka raised her voice, "So is that all there is to you? NERV and piloting?"
At this, Rei returned her attention to the window and replied quietly, "Is it not the same for you?"
For a short moment, Asuka appeared hurt and seriously taken aback. Shinji could barely notice the glisters forming in her eyes, but the girl refused to let the angry tears flow.
"I'm not like you," She answered bitterly, before being urged back to her seat by Hikari, who wore a worried look on her face.
Perhaps it was fortunate that the teacher arrived immediately afterwards. Shinji was grateful that at least the lessons went on as if nothing had happened. It was no secret to him that the two female pilots didn't get along well, although he feared that their relationship had finally hit rock bottom. Shinji didn't like the idea of being torn between two friends.
He then cast a curious glance at Rei. Shinji figured Rei must have taken Asuka's clothes by mistake, and that was why her housemate had been so gloomy the previous night. Still, it didn't explain the noodles on Asuka's hair, but Shinji wasn't too concerned about that. He was more curious about Rei's sudden change in attitude. The idea of confronting Rei did reach his mind, but Shinji wasn't too keen. He wasn't very comfortable with the girl.
Nevertheless, his chance came just before school ended. The class had their exams in the final period, after which the teacher called for two volunteers to carry the papers back to his office. As usual, Hikari offered to help, but the teacher decided that the class rep had done quite enough. Instead, he asked the last two students that finished the test to assist him.
"I hope you don't mind," Shinji opened the conversation as they walked down the corridor. The boy didn't know what to make of the strange coincidence.
"About what?" Rei replied.
"Asuka…" The boy answered, "She was very upset."
"I understand."
"I'm glad you do," Shinji smiled, feeling slightly more relaxed.
"I apologise for what happened yesterday," Rei said suddenly, briefly glancing at the boy, "As I said, I was not myself."
"Oh…I see…" The smile on Shinji's face faded. "Don't worry…It's alright…" He continued, more to himself than to Rei.
The girl simply nodded in return. Both became silent for a while. Now that Shinji had his answer, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. As it turned out, yesterday was nothing more than a dream. The hopes of learning more about Rei vanished instantly.
Just like what he had said to his friends earlier, nothing had, in fact, changed.
"I wonder how I did on the test," Shinji said. Anything at all to break the uncomfortable silence, "I wasn't confident though. How do you think you did?"
"I don't know."
"I'm sure you did well. You've always been studious."
Rei cast a curious look back at Shinji, "How do you know?"
"Well…you just seem like that type of person, at least to me…"
The girl did not bother with a reply. She returned her gaze to the front. Shinji wasn't sure if he had offended her.
"Sorry…"
"For what?"
"I…I don't know…"
"You don't know?"
"Yeah…" Shinji replied, his cheeks now red with embarrassment. He recalled something Asuka had told him earlier, "I guess…I guess it's just my habit…"
It had been a long, tedious day for the girl. All she did was sit, or occasionally walk around a near-empty room with very little to satisfy her growing curiosity. She didn't find it hard initially, for she was eagerly looking forward to meeting Shinji again, as Rei had promised earlier. So, she waited, and waited, and waited until finally her patience ran out and she became restless.
She began to search the apartment, desperately hoping to find something that could spark her interest. Eventually, she managed to find a storybook kept inside one of Rei's drawers. It was called "The German Jam". The pages were crawled with tiny little words, and there were very few pictures in it. Nevertheless, the girl started reading, and she was pleased to know that she could understand a decent number of the words.
Her eyes tired out after a while, so she decided to put the book away and go back to sleep. As she lay on the bed, the girl began to feel distressed again. Her stomach was making noise, just as it had done earlier in the morning when she first woke up. The girl tried to ignore it by forcing her eyes shut, only to realise that they were wide open moments later.
In the end, she decided that she had to do something about it. The girl went into the kitchen, looking around and finally locating the medium sized fridge sitting under the sink. She sat down beside it, pulled the door open and peeked inside. Her eyes were quickly fixed on a green, funny looking thing about the size of a foot. Its skin was deeply wrinkled, but it looked pretty fleshy. The girl would later learn that it was called a bitter gourd.
Feeling delighted with herself, she grabbed it and took a huge bite. Her stomach twisted instantly, and she threw out the mouthful in disgust. Still suffocating from the bitter taste in her lips, she stared at the offending object and wondered briefly why Rei would eat such a horrible thing.
She then shrugged it off and continued her quest to find some decent food, and this time she became interested in a small jar with reddish jelly on the inside. The girl observed it carefully, realising that its appearance was quite similar to something that had been mentioned earlier in the storybook. If she wasn't mistaken, this object was called a German jam. She opened the jar and took a few sniffs. The smell was fragrant. Smiling, she digged inside and scooped out a handful of jam. She then sucked them off her fingers hungrily.
As she ate, the girl glanced at the apartment door, wondering what Shinji and Maya were doing. She hoped that she would be able to see them soon.
Suddenly, to the girl's huge surprise, the door opened, and two tall figures appeared. One had greyish white hair and narrow eyes, and was dressed in a reddish brown suit; the other looked muscular, with his fine looking face framed by a mass of black hair and beard. His eyes were obscured by an orange tinted glasses and he wore a black coat with a red shirt underneath.
The girl recalled that she had seen them before, but she could not remember when or where.
"What are you doing?" The shorter man asked with his cold, hard voice, apparently dismayed by the mess the girl was causing, "Rei?"
She gave no answer. The girl tried to stand up but her legs wouldn't listen. She simply stared back at the two men with her big, sparkling red eyes.
"So it's true then…" He continued after a short silence, "…Not all have been destroyed…"
"Unbelievable…" His companion added.
They then advanced on the girl.
It was in the evening. The city had become overshadowed by dark, heavy clouds that blocked the sunlight almost entirely. Thunder could be heard occasionally in the distant. Flashes of lightning lit the grey sky, signalling an upcoming rainstorm. Even the wind had become cold and was blowing relentlessly.
As expected, the droplets came down soon after she left school. It was a little earlier than she had anticipated, but Rei was prepared. She took out an umbrella from her bag, using it to shelter herself and a small box she was carrying in her arms.
It was a gift from Shinji, given to her after they had completed their task with the test papers. The boy told her that he had made some extra sushi the previous night, and he wanted Rei to have them. Rei could find no reason to reject them, so she accepted, without thanking him, because she understood quite well that the sushi had not been intended for her. Rei had not missed the change in Shinji's look during their conversation earlier.
'I did not thank him because I am not obliged to,' she reasoned to herself, convinced that Shinji had not been bothered by her lack of courtesy. In any case, Rei wasn't about to eat them. The sushi would probably end up in the dustbin.
However, she quickly put these thoughts away when she saw a black Mercedes parked at the foot of her residential building. Rei was aware that the car belonged to the commander, but she was still surprised that it took him so long to locate the clone girl.
Rei anxiously walked up the stairs. She had been able to keep most of herself dry from the rain, though her socks were now drenched. It felt irritating, but Rei paid little attention. She was more concerned about the commander and his decision.
The commander was outside her apartment when Rei reached him. He was alone, leaned against the wall and staring at the downpour. Between his fingers was a cigarette. He pressed it between his lips, took a deep breath, and slowly released a lungful of greyish smoke. The commander wore a blank expression, but Rei could see the grief in his eyes. It wasn't the first time she had seen him like this, and Rei knew from past experience that the commander must have been thinking about his deceased wife.
"Sir," Rei approached him.
It took a while for the commander to notice her, "What's that?" he asked, gesturing to the box Rei was carrying.
"Dinner," She replied, before adding quickly, "I bought it from a takeaway restaurant."
"For you," He asked again, "or for her?"
"Sir, I tried to contact you, but your line was dead."
A brief silence followed. They kept their eyes fixed on each other. Rei did not like being put under pressure, especially by the commander whom she had tremendous respect and even affection for. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, but Rei did not let it show.
"Very well then," The commander spoke finally; his face softened. He dropped the cigarette and stepped on it, putting out the fire. "Our project has failed. The doctor destroyed all the bodies inside, so from now onwards, you are not required to work on the Dummy System anymore. It is no longer an option to us."
Rei nodded, "Understood."
"Instead, you have a new task," He continued, "We've lost all data on cloning technology, so Reiko must be kept alive."
"Reiko?"
"Ayanami Reiko. It's her new name."
"I see," Rei lowered her eyes. She was not sure how she should feel about the new development. Admittedly, it wasn't what she had expected. The door to her apartment was closed, but she could faintly hear Reiko giggling and talking to the vice-commander on the inside. It appeared that the commander had not done anything drastic to her.
"She is to be known as your twin sister," The commander added, to Rei's mild surprise.
"My twin sister?"
"Yes. When you were young, she was taken to visit a relative as a surprise. During the trip, there was an accident and the only person to know her whereabouts died with the car. The girl was then taken to a hospital in comatose state, her memories lost until only recently," He explained, "We've arranged the documental details. You need not worry about that."
"What about her newly acquired memories?"
"What about it?"
"She must have seen Terminal Dogma, has she not?"
"Those were simply hallucinations, caused by her rejuvenated brain frequency when she woke up in the hospital," The commander replied, "Her first real memory was the encounter with the Second Child, and the events happening after that."
"Has she been convinced?"
"We've done our best. The truth must be kept between us and the vice-commander. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Do you have any further enquiries?"
"Yes sir," Rei said; her delicate brows slightly furrowed, "You mentioned about my new task."
"Of course," He replied, looking straight at her, "You are to look after Reiko and take care of her well-being."
Once again, Rei cast her gaze downwards, but this time in doubts and indecision. She did not want to reject the commander's order, but deep down she was more worried about letting him down if she failed. The commander seemed to have sensed it, so he asked, "Do you have a problem with that?"
"Sir, I'm not sure if I'm qualified for such a duty."
"There is no one else better suited. The vice-commander and I do not have sufficient time for trivial matters, and unfortunately, placing her in the care of others would make her a liability to our plans. It's a risk we cannot afford," He then put his hand firmly on Rei's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "You are the only other person I trust."
That was all the encouragement she needed, "Understood, sir. Do I still proceed with the synch test scheduled tomorrow?"
"The synch test will proceed as planned," The commander replied, quickly understanding why Rei had asked such a question, "The doctor is taking an indefinite leave, so I will be overlooking it."
Just then, the vice-commander came out from the apartment. He closed the door behind him when he saw Rei, "So, have you spoken to the commander?"
"Yes sir."
"No need to call me that," He laughed, followed by a warm smile, "She is very pleasant to talk to. I'm sure you'll get along fine."
Rei nodded in return.
"How was school today?" The vice-commander asked casually, "Are you coping well?"
"There was an exam this afternoon, and another coming next week, but I can manage."
"Must be hard on you, having to work on two fronts," He replied, showing empathy in his eyes. Apparently, the commander saw it too.
"Shall we move on, Fuyutsuki?" He interrupted.
"Yes of course," The vice commander replied, still smiling. They then started to leave, but Rei stopped them before they were out of sight.
"Sir…"
The commander turned around, "Yes? What is it?"
Rei hesitated, but decided to ask eventually, "I wish to know how she escaped."
"She has a soul. The others don't." The commander explained, "I'm afraid that's all I can tell you."
"We didn't know she was alive," The vice-commander added, "We just found out several hours ago. The doctor sabotaged the security camera."
"But not the ones outside Terminal Dogma," The commander continued, casting a glance at his older colleague, "We saw her leave with the Third Child."
"How did she acquire a soul?" Rei asked again.
"We're working on the answer," The commander replied frostily, before turning away, "Goodnight, Rei."
Rei understood that he didn't wish to continue the conversation any further, "Goodnight, sir."
She then watched as the two disappeared into the stairs.
"Welcome back!" Reiko greeted in traditional Japanese style when she saw Rei emerging from the door. The funny old man called Fuyutsuki had told her earlier that doing so would please her sister, though Rei's blank expression didn't seem to suggest so. "Where's Shinji?"
"He couldn't come today," Rei approached and gave her a small box, "But he gave you this."
Reiko opened it, "More food?" Before Rei could answer, however, the clone girl was already inhaling the sushi inside. They tasted delicious, even more so since it was from Shinji. Feeling generous, she offered some to Rei, who shook her head and stepped into the showers.
Reiko wasn't bothered much by her sister's rejection. She knew quite well that Rei was hardly a friendly person, unlike Shinji, Fuyutsuki and Maya. In any case, the girl had regained her cheerful self. She felt much better now that the mist surrounding her identity had been lifted, or so she would like to believe.
Reiko had just finished eating when Rei came out from the washroom a few minutes later. She then watched as her sister retrieved another set of uniform from the cupboard and gave it to her, "Go take a shower."
"Ok," Reiko nodded and did as she was asked.
"I have to work tomorrow morning," Rei added, "But I expect it to be done by noon. We will go shopping together after that."
"Shopping?"
"To buy groceries," She replied, "We are running out of supplies."
The rest of the night was spent rather uneventfully, but Reiko was delighted when Rei agreed to read her "The German Jam". She had grown a liking to the story. Rei had refused initially, but after much prodding and pleading by Reiko, she eventually gave in. They both ended up sitting on Reiko's new bed, of which the two commanders had provided earlier. And so with one asking questions relentlessly and the other answering them patiently, they went through the pages together until the younger of the sisters fell asleep.
When Reiko woke up, it was already early morning. Rei was nowhere to be found, but she had left some sandwiches on the study table. Reiko ate them appreciatively. She briefly recalled the bonding experience she had shared with her sister the previous night. Perhaps Rei wasn't so bad after all…
However, the young girl's patience was once again tested when she realised that she had to spend the entire morning waiting for Rei's return. It was a dreadful feeling. Reiko hated being alone. It somehow made her feel unwanted. She wished she had someone to talk to, but on the other hand, she didn't want to disobey her sister's instructions. Reiko glanced out of the window, gazing longingly at the clear, blue sky and the buzzing streets. They intrigued her, and it became increasingly tempting for her to venture outside.
And then a cunning thought flashed through her mind.
Unlike the day before, she had not been ordered to stay inside the apartment. Instead, she was simply told that she would be shopping together with Rei in the afternoon. Surely it would be alright if she sneaked out for just a few hours and returned home before Rei got back?
And that was all the planning she needed.
Smiling, she skipped through the front door and left the building.
At first, Reiko couldn't decide on a destination, but it quickly came to her that perhaps she should try going to NERV. Maybe she would be able to find her friends there. Shinji had shown her the way before, although the girl could vaguely remember it now. Her courage and resolve kept her going. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough. She missed the landmarks and soon found herself lost in the middle of the city.
It came as a relief when someone caught up with her.
"Rei!" A strange woman with purple hair called out as she parked her car beside Reiko, "You want a ride?"
The girl did not know how to reply.
"Come on! Don't be shy!" Smiling, the woman opened the door for her, "Hope inside!"
Reiko was reluctant, but she eventually accepted the woman's invitation and got in the car. She figured that it would probably be better than simply wandering around mindlessly.
"So, you have a synch test coming up, haven't you?"
The girl tilted her head and stared back in confusion, "Synch test?"
"Yeah, it's scheduled this morning, right?"
"Is it?"
"Isn't it?" It was the woman's turn to look confused. She then appeared to descend into deep thoughts, and when she finally woke up from the lengthy trance, she began to laugh nervously, "Haha silly me! You must excuse me, Rei. I can be quite forgetful sometimes."
Reiko thought the woman was acting weird, but she said nothing in return.
"Anyway, so you're going to NERV?"
At this, the girl's adventurous nature took over. She wasn't about to let this opportunity slip. Her face twisted into a mischievous grin as she replied, "No."
"Oh," The woman seemed taken aback, "Then where are you headed?"
"School."
Author's note:
Well, Gendo probably would've taken responsibility for Reiko himself and kept her in NERV, but that would kill all the fun. Maybe top writers can pull that off, but I can't so I've decided to go a little OOC to keep the drama going. Ritsuko's motives and Reiko's soul will be explained in the next chapters. Rei perhaps seemed a bit rebellious and unfriendly, and you may think she's being portrayed negatively as compared to Reiko. Don't worry it's all safe with me.
Right, so here comes the question: where have I been all this while? Well, I have a few problems, but I don't feel like discussing them here. Anyway, I also want to work hard on my chapters and not post rubbish that I might regret writing later. And I want to keep the length decent too. For me, anything less than 5000 words is not worthy of a chapter itself, not when I'm getting such enthusiastic response.
Ok I think I've talked long enough. Hopefully next update will not take this long! Yeah, Reiko at school should be fun! Special thanks to brindani and thatfan for pre-reading.