+++++ Ikari Manor. Friday, +17.

"He jumped. Into. A volcano." Sitting in a cool bath with Shinji and Funaho, Misaki was bragging about what she'd seen him do. "No hesitation. His teammate was soon to be lost to flame and death, and he ordered that the line be given slack so it didn't snap and jumped in." Enjoying the feel of Shinji's chest and torso beneath her hands, with him laying back against her between her legs, she thrilled at the memory. "Five Wings, curled into a boring tool…it was a sight to behold, my love."

Shinji might have felt crowded, were it not for the way Funaho was massaging his lower body. He had listened to a retelling of the conflict from start to finish, all dwelling upon how he had held his nerve while cooperating with and challenging his leaders. No detail was missed, no thought ignored. The length and breadth of it too accurate to what he was thinking and feeling for him to deny the truth of the words. The part of him that was aware of Ritsuko's presence elsewhere in the house alongside Maya was told to shut up and deal while the part of him that was being treated to a victory celebration reveled in the affection provided.

Unfortunately, Funaho had other plans to deal with what she knew was happening. "His bravery has never been in doubt, only his decision making." She caught Shinji's frown developing, and patted his knee. "Not the decision to save your teammate, dear. You were at war, your only ally was in danger, you cast your fate into the crucible to ensure that victory would not come at a terrible cost. I am concerned about your reaction at school today. Verðandy was not justified in her initial action, and she rightly said as much. It was right that you allayed her fear, as you should for any that you hold love for, but it was not right that you should collapse under the weight of that love because you fear what others might think. They are not in our relationship, they do not have a vote one way or another."

It wasn't really possible for him to become angry, because she was simply saying what he'd realized earlier in the day. "I…was feeling overwhelmed and confused. I don't like saying anything to anyone about our relationship because I don't know what is 'too much', or what might cause problems. In two weeks of school, I've seen men be ostracized for cheating, I've seen women lose friends over boyfriends…."

Misaki held him close. "Are you worried that you will lose us?"

"Yes. But not over something like that," he admitted openly. "Everyone who has joined, except for Ðandy, did so knowing that there were other women either already with me or would be joining…."

"And you worry over what the limit is?"

Funaho added onto the question, "Why do you embrace others, then?"

"I don't." Shinji had been trying to put his fears into words, and the support he had in the tub with him was giving him a voice he couldn't find on his own. "I arrived here, and according to Maya, Ibuki not Amano, she developed an attraction to me right away. Ritsuko developed a type of attraction to me too. At school, Hikari and Sasami…." He paused. "Is she ok?"

"She is receiving help, but Tsunami has subsumed much of what was once my daughter." Misaki was still angry over the situation, but was not so angry as to blame Shinji for anything. "Please, continue." She did not want to linger on the topic.

"Well, I know for certain that Hikari was already interested when she saw me. She told me as much. Then Sakura, she apparently really enjoyed the feeling she had when I tackled her to try and protect her from the Section Two goons. Washu was interested from that first day too. Nanako, Minaho, all of these…these talented, amazing, women all at once!"

The truth was crawling closer, Funaho helping it along. "Would you, if the situation had been different, have chosen any one in particular?"

"No." He shook his head, the idea terrifying to him. "I would have just been friends, if that were the case. If people couldn't just be friends, then…then I wouldn't have as many friends. Each of you has something about you that makes me feel…you're all irreplaceable. That's the problem, I would happily be friends with Amano but you pushed for her to live here. Now I'm in a relationship with her and I have no idea why she would accept this situation!"

"Her presence is necessary." Misaki sighed, understanding his perspective easily. "She has not yet awakened to a specific trait that will shape her entire destiny, but the one who will grant her that awakening already knows that she will need support. In exchange for supporting her, you will gain not only a fiercely loyal companion but access to a portion of your own being that otherwise would have remained forever out of your reach."

"We chose this path for you," Funaho agreed. "But we did so as your sworn sovereign, with you as our sworn servant."

A flash of anger, then a slow cooling off. "…I see." He had sworn. He had chosen to be their Knight. "I will do my best to support her." His choices had consequences. "Should I assume that she may not be the last?"

"The bridle chafes us all when we first wear it. You wear it well, with no need for the bit."

Laughing ruefully, Misaki expanded on the statement, "A bridle is used to attach the reins and other such means of steering to an animal that you will ride. She is referring to the duty we all share, and how each of us is forced into our duty by such bondage. Some, such as my eldest daughter, do not wear the bridle very well at all. Others, such as you, scarcely have need for it. You would walk into a star if we asked it of you, whether you liked it or not."

"We are not enthusiastic about doing this," Funaho continued. "We do understand the pressure this places on you."

"But you need me to, because I'm important enough for entire empires to fight over." Freeing himself and standing, he climbed out of the tub. "Because for some reason an uneducated, uncultured, inexperienced man with one strong talent for piloting a death machine is worthy of being the focus of so many people." Grabbing a towel as he walked, he left the room to stop himself from making his situation worse. It was his fault, but what made it so terrible in his mind was that other people were impacted by this insanity.

Drying off and putting on loose clothing, he walked out of his room with the intent of going on a walk along the shores of Ashi. He was valuable, even Ritsuko had said as much the first time they met. He was a limited resource, there were only three people in all the world that could do what he did. He had support, he had love, but he was coming to see more and more that he'd traded one type of slavery for another. His life wasn't his own, it never had been.

"Heya!" Amano's cheerful greeting grabbed his attention from her room as he walked by, "You're lookin' down, what's up?"

Stopping, because manners required that he do so, Shinji took in the room at a glance. She was decorating it, moving things to where they'd fit best, and otherwise making a home out of a place she seemed perfectly happy to be in. At least she's not angry. "Just…a lot on my mind."

"Well, duh." Setting down what she'd been working on, she came over and took his hand. "Need to talk? Just need company? I probably can't fix whatever's got you down right now, but I sure as shootin' can listen and empathize."

"I was going to take a walk along Ashi."

"Want me to come along?" Her warm smile and cheery attitude somehow avoided being grating. "If you don't, that's ok too. I know sometimes I just want to be alone so I can be childish for a little while to get it out."

They were going to be together for a long time, and starting off any relationship by being petulant about something beyond anyone's control would make him the very hypocrite Asuka told him she feared. "Sure. We should probably get to know each other better if we hope to be happy."

"That's my guy!" Popping up onto the toes of one foot, she kissed him on the cheek before turning around and ducking back into her room. "Let me grab a hat, and I'll meet you downstairs."

The kiss was…pleasant. There was no 'push', nothing that made it feel forced. She was, it seemed, just a very cheerful woman. Moving down the stairs, he heard the discussion between Maya Ibuki, Ritsuko, Verðandy, Hild, Washu, and Minaho. The knowledge that at least three women in that room were able to completely change Ritsuko's memories if she reacted poorly was balanced by the fact that he was becoming opposed to such methods. Reaching the door, he kicked on his shoes and stepped outside to add separation from everything inside.

A moment later, Maya Amano came hopping out with a huge smile on her face. "Ok, I would like to make you aware that this is the first time I've ever taken a walk with a boyfriend…mostly because you're my first boyfriend but you know, still."

He was, regardless of his feelings, her boyfriend. He had a responsibility, and he would not fail in his responsibilities. Offering her his hand silently, his face neutral, he allowed her the freedom to choose how they would walk. If he couldn't have those freedoms, he was going to make damn sure the women with him would.

"Why thank you," she giggled, taking his hand and the first step on the path towards the lake and Jishin. "That really is such a beautiful tree. It's so big, and vibrant. And you say she's a she?"

"Jishin is…very slender, with very broad hips. She looks a bit odd at first, but when you realize she's not human it starts to process easier." It wasn't a topic he would have chosen, but he wasn't the one with social experience. "She's very pretty, and her hair color matches the tree's different colors."

"Could I meet her?"

He had no idea. "Jishin?"

"Hello!" Sitting on the shoulder closest to Amano, Jishin made an appearance in her miniaturized form. With a quick look, she saw that Shinji was holding her hand and made the logical assumption, "Oh, you're bonding with someone, that's great! Here," walking down his arm as if gravity meant nothing, she began creating bracelets that were intended to attach to one another on their wrists, "I'll help…." After a few seconds, she was content that the bracelets would serve their purpose. "Ok. Now, when they're close to each other like this, you'll understand what the other person means without silly things like word confusion." Walking up Amano's arm, she took a seat on her shoulder instead. "You have really nice eyes. Please be nice to my Shinji, ok? He's had a rough couple of days." Without waiting for a response, she vanished back to wherever she existed when not speaking with someone.

Blinking a few times, Amano giggled again. "Ok, that was cute and wild. Is she usually such a whirlwind?"

"I've only spoken with her twice." Lifting their hands up to examine the bracelets, he tried to visually trace the interlocking design and found it well beyond simple observations. "I'm sorry that she acted without asking."

"Huh? Oh, no, no." She closed one eye and stuck her tongue out. "I'm going to love showing off what you just gave me at school. I'm the only girl in class that never had a boyfriend, mostly because nobody was really…interesting? I guess? Anyway, you come bursting onto the scene and exist as the most adorable guy I've ever seen, and now I get to say that adorable guy is both my boyfriend and best friend."

If he were to be stuck with someone, much in the way he feared Verðandy felt she might be, he knew that he could do far worse than the woman at his side. "Jishin was right, you have really nice eyes."

"I like them, myself, but they kind of stick out. My skin isn't anything special, my hair's the same black as most other girls, but somehow I got these violet eyes." She fluttered her lashes at him, grinning mischievously. "If you like them, that makes the oddity all the more worth it."

With a light chuckle, Shinji lowered their hands back down and enjoyed the walk. "Odd is being able to summon a form of energy that should be scientifically impossible. Your eyes aren't odd, they're…precious."

"Yeah, well it's pretty precious that you were able to summon that 'form of energy' to protect me from that demon." She held a finger up and waggled it at him. "If I don't get to badger myself with words like 'odd', neither do you mister."

"Fair point," he conceded. "Careful, there's a step up here." A pathway had been created out of wood along the shore of Lake Ashi so that Washu could 'tinker' without flooding the surrounding area. Changing his grip to support Amano, he let her take the step up first before joining her. His reward for his effort was a clean view of her posterior as it was framed in a knee-length denim tube skirt. His eyes lingered a second too long, earning him another soft giggle.

"Like what you see?"

With a blush, Shinji returned his eyes to the step and joined Amano on the pathway. "S-sorry."

"Don't be, silly." Giving him another kiss, she enthused, "I like that my boyfriend looks at me and likes how I look. It's validating and encouraging. If you were looking at me with a frown, like you just didn't like how I look, that'd hurt."

"You…want me to look?"

"Yes?"

Slowly nodding, Shinji compared that to the other information he'd gained from the women in his life. Many of them seemed to prefer not commenting on appearances, feeling that they weren't overly important so long as you weren't bloated, diseased, or took no care of yourself. Verðandy had, however, commented much the same way that Amano just had. Verðandy enjoyed knowing that she turned Shinji's crank. She didn't mind at all how her presence roused him. That was at it should be, in her world. "I think you're beautiful. Your arms are nicely shaped, your hips and…well, are very nice too."

With a glowing smile, she happily started walking forward with him. "Anything else you like?"

"Your smile, your eyes, your…well, you." Consciously looking through her features, he was quickly understanding that everything fit together well to make her attractive. "I honestly can't see anything I would dream of changing."

Sticking her chest out a bit, she frowned in surprise. "They're not too small? Almost every other lady here has, like," she held her free hand out an exaggerated distance from her chest, "boing!" With a quick pause, she realized something else interesting, "It's only the Mayas that are not all boing. Neat."

"I…I actually like the variety." If she was going to be so blunt, perhaps he could as well. "Nanako's are kind of sneaky. You don't think they're as big as they are until she's not wearing her uniform and bra. Minaho's are actually a lot rounder than they appear with clothes on. Maya, the other Maya, is actually really…petite. She doesn't wear a bra, per se, just a…uhm, undershirt?"

"Bit lacy, comes down to her ribs, thin strings keeping it on her shoulders?"

"Yes."

"Camisole." Giving him a new word made her happy, causing her to wiggle a bit. "I bet she looks adorable in that. She has a kind of boyish face, but when you look at her body it's pretty clear she's a lady. She's cute, I'm happy she's a part of our team."

It was a fair description, and clearly not given with the intent of disparaging a woman he loved. "We…didn't actually spend a lot of time with her wearing it. Once I saw that, she was ripping our clothes off as fast as she could."

"Oh my," she blushed, placing her hand over her grin, "really?"

"Y-yeah." He blushed at the memory as well. "She uhm…she has a healthy appetite."

"Oh my." Dancing as she walked, she thought for a moment, then asked, "So you're ok with doing 'this and that' with someone in this relationship-tangle?"

"I…yeah." He would never regret what he had been given. "Once the mood is right, and it's clear I can be serious about them." He glanced at her and shrugged. "I'm not interested in just sleeping with people to sleep with them. If I can't expect a serious commitment…I have walked away from offers."

"Good," she stated firmly with a nod. "Value yourself the way you would want to be valued. It doesn't bother me that you have experience in that, since I probably know the ladies you've done it with and they're all good people." She bit the corner of her mouth. "Have you and the Class Rep?"

"No. We've been dealing with separate issues, which hasn't allowed us to build up that kind of momentum."

"Huh, ok." Her mouth quirked off to one side. "She's never really been my biggest fan. I'm lazy, she's not. I have low blood pressure, which means I wake up a lot slower and by the time I'm ready to go it's already halfway through school. The way she kissed you the other day, I'd figured you'd have already at least started being physical."

"No, that's just how Hikari is when not in class." He remembered how physically affectionate his favorite freckle-faced friend was, with a small grin. "Whenever she sees me, she always makes sure that I know she's happy to be part of my crew in the way she feels best."

"Aww, that's so cute!"

The two walked for several hours, discussing whatever random topic happened to flow naturally from the last. While it did not manage to resolve the outstanding issues lingering in his mind, it did serve the purpose Amano had proposed: calming him down. When they parted for the evening, he held her in a lingering hug that she returned with gusto. She had proven her determination to him, and shown that she could stop him from spiraling into depression effortlessly. Things would be as they must…but they didn't have to be miserable.

+++++ Ikari Manor. Friday, +17.

Dinner, that evening, was lightly populated by the residents of the home. Shinji sat at the head of the table, with Sakura on his right, Verðandy on her right after serving everyone, Ritsuko on his left, and Maya Ibuki to her left. As had often been the case, the food Verðandy offered was of the highest quality in both ingredients and presentation. "This tastes great, Ðandy, thank you for volunteering to make dinner."

"Indeed," Sakura supported the statement, "thank you very much."

"I wanted to make up for this morning," Verðandy offered, her bearing chastened. "I know that we both are working through things, but I was the one who started your frustration and I am sorry that I did."

"No, no," Shinji waved off the idea, "it's been lurking under the surface for days now. We're all dealing with changes, like you just said, and I don't feel you owe me anything for speaking your mind. If we don't communicate, we can't succeed."

"Perfectly said," Maya applauded softly. "Any relationship takes communication, but what we're trying to build here is going to take a lot more." Gesturing to her plate, she added, "But if this is what we get in return, I'd say it's completely worth it."

"I am happy you enjoy it," Verðandy replied with gratitude. "I hope it's not too forward to say that I am thrilled you have caught Shinji's eye. When he thinks of you, he feels safety and courage."

With a happy grin, Maya glanced over to Shinji and winked. "Well, when I think of him, I feel love and acceptance."

"So what do you do, Suzuhara-san?" Ritsuko looked across the table at the wheelchair-bound beauty. "Someone mentioned you were checking out a renovation?"

"I deal in real estate," Sakura explained, well aware of what was bothering Ritsuko. "Some few of my properties receive a more…personal touch. I was most invested in this property, and was actually thinking of moving in myself before Shinji dropped in my lap and gave me a better use for it."

"Real estate?" The answer had surprised her. "How many properties do you own?"

"A little over six thousand, if you count my joint ownership of this one." Taking a small sip of her drink, she amended the response, "I am sorry, a little over six thousand three hundred. One of my deals went through this morning, and I acquired ownership of the nearby shopping district's main walk."

Not terribly knowledgeable on the topic, Shinji nevertheless wanted to participate to learn how to. "What were you renovating?"

"I hired a crew to renovate some apartments in the tenth district. The insulation is close to two decades old, and with the weather starting to shift I wanted to make sure our tenants were taken care of."

He frowned. "Our?"

"You're my captain, dear, part of my wealth belongs to you so that you have funding to care for our crew." Counting on her fingers, she listed the main properties, "Hakone General, the Third Industrial District, Kagome Memorial Park, Mitsubishi Stadium, several streets in the tenth residential district, among others." With a winsome smile, she shrugged. "I have the paperwork around here somewhere; we can go over it later if you want to."

Before Shinji could stammer out anything, Maya put forward how 'in' she was on the entire plan, "Oh, how much should I be giving?"

"Usually it's up to the Captain," Verðandy spoke up. "In the case of a crewmember being wealthier than the Captain, it is not uncommon for the Captain to defer the decision to the wealthiest crewmember. If someone is dedicated enough to serve a Captain with less material wealth, then the wealthiest is expected to provide the most for the crew as a show of deference. It is a balance, much like any relationship as you said."

Sakura nodded approvingly. "Very good. I'm happy to see that you're open to understanding our culture."

"I feel it should be 'our' culture, now." The blue-blonde Norn was clearly pushing herself to remain calm. "It would be horrible of me to force everyone to accept those things dear to me if I didn't extend the same courtesy."

"So who's the wealthiest?" Maya could see Ritsuko struggling to make sense of things and wanted her to be pushed to think and not just react. "Sakura-chan sounds pretty wealthy."

"Minaho, actually. While I do have a great deal of wealth on this world, Minaho owns entire worlds. The mineral value alone dwarfs what I bring to the table," Sakura replied modestly.

"Material wealth isn't something I'm worried about," Shinji asserted. "You bring far more than just money, Sakura. All of you do."

"As you say, my captain." Her smile mixed both fondness and approval.

"It may not be my place to speak, but I believe that may be the crux of Doctor Akagi's concerns." Verðandy's voice held a strain of pity in it, "The culture she grew up in is far different than the one I was raised in, and how she views what we accept so easily might very well be incompatible."

Ritsuko set down her utensils and sat back with a long sigh. "I wasn't going to bring it up during dinner, but you aren't wrong. There has been an awful lot of talk regarding supporting Shinji, but not a great amount regarding your own accomplishments. I'll admit I wasn't aware of how accomplished Suzuhara-san is, and now to hear that Masaki-san owns entire planets does help explain a bit more. But what of Horaki-chan? Amano-chan?"

"What of you?" Sakura placed her chin atop her folded hands, her elbows propped on the table. "It might come across, at first, as if all of our attention is focused on the Captain, but I assure you we encourage independence. Each member of the crew is expected to be useful in some regard, each according to their capabilities. To be honest, Amano-chan would never be useful on a traditional crew. Her value comes from her drive, her willingness to reach outside of her comfort zone to seize opportunities. She may not aid in commerce, as I will, or in battle, as Minaho will, but she'll find her niche. You have an exceptional mind, an eagerness to learn and study, and are a qualified physician. Do you fear that your growth would be stifled by having a seat aboard a vessel capable of traversing entire galaxies in hours?"

"Are you worried that you'll be second place again?" Maya looked to Ritsuko without guile. "That people will ascribe your success to proximity to him, and not to your own hard work?"

"That is hardly fair," Ritsuko scoffed.

"It is, however, accurate," Verðandy responded softly. "You have worked your entire life to be seen for what you have accomplished, and not as a shadow of your mother. You have sacrificed your social life, your personal health, your own joy, all to make sure that people don't say 'the other Akagi'. None of us here even know your mother, all we see is the woman before us. But that cannot make you be happy…only you can do that."

It was not something Shinji had considered at all. His view of Ritsuko was clearly vastly different, and he needed to let her know that. "I wouldn't be where I am without you, Rits. You got me in the Eva when nobody else could overcome my anger. You pulled Misato up short, and now she and I get along great! You're so much more intelligent than I can ever hope to be, and you figure things out way faster too. If you could pilot, you'd easily be much better than I am just based on how rapidly you process what's in front of you. I react, I trust my instincts like Misato tells me to…you analyze and adapt before I can put a simple plan in place. I don't know your mother, I definitely can't judge you against her, but if anyone tried to tell me that I got you where you are they're a lunatic and an idiot. You took my hand and pulled me higher, not the reverse."

Watching him closely, Ritsuko took a moment to process what he'd just freely admitted. "That is nice to hear, even if I disagree with some of it…but the worry about compromising my own motivations is not the main reason I'm hesitating."

"If you are worried about us discovering those secrets you've kept regarding the construction of the 'Evangelions', or the truth of Rei Ayanami, I assure you…worse has been done in service of avoiding extinction." Sakura sat back, lowering her hands into her lap. The sound of Shinji slumping in his seat, unconscious, accentuated her ridged eyebrow rising. "We have kept the truth from him out of deference to both her privacy and the awareness that knowledge of his mother's fate would radically undermine his ability to pilot."

"I don't think that the fact that Ayanami-chan was created using Yui Ikari's DNA is something to be so worried about, senpai." Maya had been informed earlier, before the dinner discussion had begun, and had overcome her shock following much theory crafting. "Especially since she's sterile. According to Horaki-chan and Habuki-sensei, she is genuinely interested in Shinji because of how he's treated her, not because of some latent Jocasta Complex."

"She is part Angel," Ritsuko stressed. "We do not know how that's going to impact her, or us, long term."

"Less than you'd think," Sakura disagreed. "If it does become an issue, there are ways of giving her a choice between remaining as she is or accepting assistance from our more advanced sciences. If she is willing to find her place among our crew, the specific circumstances of her birth matter very little to the Juraians aboard."

Verðandy blew out a low whistle. "I would not see an ethical issue being made of it, there is ample precedent for two who are more closely related than is typical being granted union." She smiled apologetically to Sakura. "I could feel how deeply her feelings were buried when I walked in on her…demonstration."

"She is on a heavy course of lithium, lamotrigine, quetiapine, and tranylcypromine." Ritsuko had to sit back and reset her thinking. "The medications she is taking should be making the most enthusiastic porn star choose a life of celibacy. What 'demonstration' are we talking about?"

"She requested that Shinji 'claim her'," Sakura admitted without any real concern. "Her kiss was, if a touch inexperienced, aggressively enthusiastic. Were our beloved awake, I am certain he could be convinced to admit that his desire was appropriately stoked."

Maya rapped a knuckle on the table. "I've read touching romance novels start with far worse, senpai. Shinji isn't going to care where she came from, and he's not going to care that you didn't say anything about it. He respects people's privacy, which is what you were doing."

"What you know, right now, will get you killed." Ritsuko had received several 'reminders' about the matter over the years. "You need to forget you know it."

"Who is threatening my dear friend?" The question was asked in a tone that chilled bone and blood. Verðandy had the normal kind, gentle, smile on her lips as she stared directly through Ritsuko's soul. "I would very much like to speak with them regarding appropriate manners."

Sakura reached over and patted Verðandy's hand gently. "We already have unblinking watch over them, and every other person of interest. Do not worry."

The blue-blonde Norn nodded slowly, her gaze not shifting from the now worried Ritsuko's face. "Do not threaten my family, or my friends, please. I find it rather impolite."

"You cannot protect everyone every second of every day. I am being realistic, and I am not threatening anyone." Tearing her eyes from Verðandy, Ritsuko looked to Maya. "I am warning you because I care, Maya. The secrets of the Evangelions alone are enough for them to silence you. If Gendo finds you know about Rei…."

"Then he will discover just how dearly his son loves me," Maya stated evenly. "I cannot make your decisions for you, senpai…but I am encouraging you with every ounce of my being I have available, let go of NERV. I work there for Shinji, now. For Rei, and even for Soryu-chan. I don't work for the commander, I don't work for the UN, I don't even work for you. Shinji wants to save the world, I want to save the world…do you want to save the world, or would you rather be remembered in electronic records that no one will ever read again as a great scientist that couldn't turn her vast intelligence into something that would have saved the world?"

+++++ Author's Note:

ManMadeOfLasers: RE: Overload.

It was one of my hopes for this series that I manage to make it so that Shinji wasn't 'in charge'. That he wasn't reeling from crisis to crisis and having to steer himself through them as much. One of the greatest challenges for people when they are given command is knowing when to let go and let other people show how adept they are at things, and the greatest commanders served under someone who balanced mission and vision perfectly. Having the two Juraian Empresses there to make certain decisions for him allowed me the freedom to have Shinji learn what true service means, while reaping the rewards of service to those who would be true to him. It's comfy, which is not what I typically write.

Guest: RE: Mary Sue.

I guess it's time for the traditional story reminder of what a Mary Sue is and is not.

A Mary Sue is inexplicably competent across the board in all facets of their existence. This Shinji can't do division. He can barely manage multiplication. He doesn't know most of his own language, to say nothing of the other languages the people around him speak. He is insightful, yes. He is talented in piloting. He can't cook, he can't play an instrument, he doesn't understand art. Strike one against being a Mary Sue.

A Mary Sue is unrealistically free of weaknesses. See above for most of Shinji's weaknesses, and then add on the fact that this Shinji doesn't understand socialization well enough to not come across as awkward. He has been burned, battered, and spent more than one evening over the time he's been in Tokyo-3 unconscious as a result of combat. He has had to be pushed in a wheelchair, placed in a bed, and given magical healing from the women around him. His talent for the Light Hawk Wings (stemming from Tenchi Muyo) is limited to combat, as opposed to the Empresses who are able to construct clothing, armor, weapons, furniture, pocket dimensions, and a lovely quiche out of them. He's not as smart as Hikari, by a long shot. He's not as adept at managing social situations as Sakura. He's not as well trained in combat as Misaki. He's not as adept at leadership as Funaho. He doesn't have the vision of Nanako, the patience of Minaho, the good cheer of Maya Amano. The list goes on and on. He's not the best at anything except being a pilot, and in canon he was the best of the three main pilots. Strike two against being a Mary Sue.

A Mary Sue is extremely attractive. When Shinji first showed up, people were afraid that he was being abused for how skeletal and scarred he was. They rushed out to contact the teacher specifically because his disfigurement was so overwhelming. Even now, with his Washu-improved musculature filling out his body better, he still bears those scars from a childhood full of trauma that hasn't left him. He has been called to account for several personality traits he possesses as well, by Rei, by Hikari, by Minaho, by every woman he's spoken with regarding how he views himself as inferior to everyone else. Why has he attracted these women, then? Because he makes up for his flaws and shows a willingness to work on them. Because he has wonderful blue eyes in a society where that's not very common. Because he gives his all in whatever he does, and is grateful for every bit of help he receives on the way. He's not a 'heart throb', he's an earnest young man whose story inspires others to try harder themselves. That's attractive and more importantly can be explained by being shown in the story that people who throw this 'critique' around haven't bothered to read. Strike three against being a Mary Sue. First batter down.

A Mary Sue is innately virtuous. See above. Also, this Shinji has serious anger issues that threaten to overwhelm him and are starting to become so unmanageable that he's having to physically remove himself from situations to not snap and lose control. His threat to throw Asuka over the railing didn't come out of nowhere, and it wasn't an idle threat. He would protect Rei from Asuka, even if it meant losing an ally. That's not a virtue, and it is actively detrimental to camaraderie. Strike four against being a Mary Sue.

A Mary Sue lacks character flaws. Shinji's anger issues, his lack of education, his myopia regarding the intent of others, his inability to spit out key information because he doesn't know how to say it, his reliance on authority to maintain control over his surroundings, his single-minded drive to protect his fellow pilots despite putting the entire world in danger by risking his life needlessly, his naivete, the list does go on. Strike five against being a Mary Sue.

A Mary Sue is liked/respected by most other characters. Toji took an instant dislike to him, as did Kaji. Asuka doesn't see him as human, only as a means to an end. His own father has one use for him, and it isn't as a bridge to a future he'll never see. Why did his schoolmates stick up for him? Because the class he's in is filled with people that have been 'raised' by Hikari. He has a lot of support, and he feeds back into that support by being affable and grateful. Strike six against being a Mary Sue. Second batter down.

A Mary Sue is generally a self-insert. No. Just...no. I hated High School with a passion because the American education system is not set up to handle people who are twice exceptional. Thing is, I don't want to go back and relitigate my experiences. I don't want to be in High School. I left it behind, joined the military, learned a whole host of new skills and talents, made new friends, new enemies, new mistakes, new successes. I have a life that is well beyond the hormonal disease-ridden nonsense of semi-adult daycare, and I'd like to think that it would actually cause me to opt out if I woke up one day back there. Do I want to have a bunch of women hanging off of me? No. Not even a little. Having one woman love me is more than I can handle, specifically because I know that I have to do everything I can to prove worthy of that love every moment of every day. I can't 'let' another woman start being intimate with me because that would directly hurt the first woman through my infidelity. I write these polyamorous trainwrecks specifically to show how horrible it can be to be the fulcrum in one. Strike seven against being a Mary Sue.

A Mary Sue generally carries with it a large degree of sexism by removing autonomy of tertiary characters. Every single woman in Shinji's life has their own life they are living. None of them are, or will, be written as pining for him to just call and give them a reason to exist. Hikari is managing her duties as the Class Representative, and enjoying her days with Sakura. Sakura is managing her real estate empire, and enjoying her days with Hikari. Funaho and Misaki are ruling an Empire. Minaho and Nanako are engaged in their duty as bodyguards and liaison officers. Washu, Hild, and Dandy are goddesses, happily doing goddess things when off camera. Are any or all of them happy to spend time with Shinji? Of course. That's what people in relationships do, they enjoy the time they have around the other person/people. If anything, it's Shinji who has zero autonomy now because of the promises he has made to himself and others. Strike eight against being a Mary Sue.

If the argument is that any, or all, of the women in my stories are Mary Sues, then you run flat into the wall of their flaws being front and center to their character growth. Hikari in YA(N)C pushed Shinji into being something he didn't want to be, and despite being incredibly competent in many ways failed completely to manage a gift that had been given to her in him. Misato in SI(N)W views everything through a sexual transaction lens, she simply cannot see friendly interest from anyone with a penis. Asuka is written by my personal experiences with a woman suffering from bi-polar, and often self-sabotages despite having the capability to outshine them all. I write my characters to have flaws because I know, deep down in my frigid heart, that flaws are what makes characters interesting. Flaws create challenges, create drama, create story. A flawless character, like a Mary Sue, is about as interesting as a rainbow projected on a blank wall. It's colorful, bright, and ultimately meaningless. Strike nine, down goes the side.

RE: Women falling for him.

Yeah, if you've read YA(N)C, TI(N)H, and WA(N)C, you'd know that I can also write long, drawn out, romances where people take their time and feel one another out before committing to each other. I'm abbreviating the hell out of this story because it is not, and was never, intended to be that type of story. Sometimes people just fall for one another because they hit that unf deep in the monkey brain.