Hello everyone, is everything okay? I hope so, this is the second chapter of my story, I will try to darken it in the course, be prepared for what I intend to do, if there are many grammatical errors, let me know and I will revise, now without further ado.

Don't forget to like the page on Facebook, the direct link can be found on my Fanfiction profile page, or if you prefer search for "Calborghete" and locate an image of Shinji and Asuka. On this page I will post updates and it will also be easier for you to contact me.

Corrected by YourBlandestNightmre


"Dialogues"

- Thoughts -

Disclaimer:

Evangelion, its characters and setting are the property of Hideaki Anno. Any brands, movies and series mentioned in this Fanfic are the property of their creators.


(*)


Chapter 02 - Worries

Wunder

Misato Katsuragi was in her room inside the battleship Wunder. It was bigger than the others due to her position. It had a big TV on the wall and a mini fridge next to the refrigerator, decorated in Japanese style, but with a bit of European style.

As the day went on, the search for Shinji and Asuka continued. Misato was already feeling frustrated that she still hadn't found her former wards. She was feeling helpless and worried as she herself was wondering what WILLE was going to do with Shinji when she captured him and took him to the UN, as per their orders.

"Shinji," Misato pronounced in a low voice. She didn't have to worry about the crew, not in the privacy of her cabin.

Misato was trying to sleep, but every time she tried, she had the image of a certain boy crying for help. This was making her very frustrated, because she wasn't supposed to still think that way about Shinji. It had been so many years of bitterness and hatred directed at him that she didn't even know for sure the real reason she was trying to hate Shinji.

- Could it be because he ended the world? - Misato thought

- But, we know that's not how it happened. - She huffed in frustration and got up from the bed.

Misato walked over to the closet that was relatively large and let out a small growl of frustration as she opened it. "What a waste of space. What's the point of having a big closet if I only have the same boring uniform?" Misato was reminiscing of the Pre-Third Impact moments; but before she could think anything else, she heard a knock on her door.

As she put on her uniform, she walked to the door to see who was disturbing one of her few and rare moments of relaxation.

"Ouch... shit, damn table," Misato cursed when she banged her foot on the coffee table.

On the other side of the door, Ritsuko was holding two glasses and a bottle of tea. She somehow knew that her friend needed a shoulder to lean on. She knew that, underneath that stiff and strong looking posture, was her old friend from college and that she was suffering because of the whole situation, especially because it involved her old ward.

- This can't be easy for her, - Ritsuko thought. She couldn't help but smile when she heard a small thud and then swearing coming from inside Misato's room.

The door opened and revealed Misato, with heavy dark rings around her eyes.

"Ritsuko, what are you doing so late at my door? Did something happen?" the colonel asked, fear beginning to rise inside her.

"No, actually I came to see if you wanted some company," Ritsuko shook the glasses and bottle in front of Misato, who just stared at her with a confused look on his face.

- Damn, why does everyone think I can't be nice? - Ritsuko thought as she waited for an answer from her friend.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Misato broke it and invited her in.

"I had a feeling you would like some company," Ritsuko said as she sat down on the couch and started filling the glasses with tea.

- Wow, she could be more organized - she thought as she looked around Misato's room.

"I'll fix it," Misato spoke as if she could read thoughts.

"How do you know I was thinking about the mess?" Ritsuko retorted as she handed the other glass to Misato.

"Why do you have the same look he had?" Misato replied, looking down with sadness in her eyes.

"Who?" Ritsuko knew who, but she wanted her friend to speak so she could try to help in some way.

"Fucking Shinji, who else would it be?" Misato replied with frustration. "Sorry," she said shortly after, and took a sip of her tea.

"The tea is fine, how did you get it?" she asked, as it was rare in that day and age to get anything of quality, and even more so when they were still in the air. It had been a few weeks since they had stopped at a port for replenishment of supplies.

"I'll let you in on a little secret: do you know the rooms that are not used on deck D?" Ritsuko asked with a small smile on her face as she blew her tea.

"Yes," answered a confused Misato.

Ritsuko laughed and explained: "I set up a small vegetable garden in room 75."

"Hahaha," Misato laughed low, wondering what else her old friend had hidden in her ship.

"What else do you have hidden here, Rits?" she asked.

- Well, she used my nickname, my strategy must be working - Ritsuko thought. "I have a few things hidden, but nothing to worry about," she revealed, sipping more of her tea.

- I guess I should start pulling conversation - Ritsuko thought. "So Misato, how are you doing?"

"Fine" was Misato's simple answer, but she knew she couldn't hide much from Ritsuko, who just stared at her with the same look she used to give her in their college days.

"It could be better," Misato continued, with a weary sigh.

"What do you mean?" Ritsuko rebutted.

"'What do you mean?' you still ask,'' Misato said, looking at the ground, and then she spoke in a whisper: "Shinji".

"You're worried about him aren't you?" asked a Ritsuko who already knew the answer. "I am too."

"You?" replied a confused Misato. "The person who advised me to kill him, as you said 'for his sake and the world's'?" Misato gestured with her hands as he emphasized Ritsuko's line.

"Yeah, it wasn't my best, but I like him too, somehow," Ritsuko replied.

"But if you like him somehow, why did you suggest something like that to me? I expected it from some bridge member, but not from you," Misato said.

"Mostly for his sake, because a thought came into my head: will the UN, or whoever is it, believe that he somehow accidentally made an impact? Not to mention the last one," Ritsuko replied as her head was far away, but continued: "I wonder what they will do with him... Sentence him to death, perpetuity in Kolobanov prison in Siberia? Or will they torture him because they think he may know more than he appears to?"

"Misato, I... I have nothing against Shinji," Ritsuko continued, "I wouldn't want him to suffer any more than he has already been forced to suffer."

Misato was in shock at her oldest friend's revelation, even more so at her suggesting that WILLE or the UN could torture her former ward. That thought had already crossed her mind and it was making her disgusted.

"I doubt they will do something like that, we are not NERV," Misato replied, trying to clear the images in his head. - Just thinking about Shinji in an "interrogation" like that makes me sick, and if something like that happens I will do my best to help him. - Misato thought while drinking tea.

- I hope you are right. - Ritsuko thought somberly.


Wunder - Accommodation

Sakura was in her room, with the company of Mari. Sakura liked Mari; she was one of her first friends when she went on board the Wunder. - She may be a little strange, but she is nice - Sakura thought while she watched Mari tie her hair into two braids.

"Well, are you looking forward to the return of the Puppy and the Princess?" Mari asked, smiling like a cat in front of a mirror as she analyzed the work in her head.

"A little bit", Sakura lied. In fact, she was very excited about Shinji's return. She believed that he was not to blame for any situation he got himself into.

"Come on, I know you're excited. I can see it because your nipples are almost piercing your shirt," Mari spoke while pointing at Sakura's breasts.

The nurse immediately let out a muffled scream and covered her chest with her hands.

"Stop it Mari, it's not like that, it's cold in here," Sakura tried to defend herself as she blushed. "Besides, he already has Asuka."

"Hahaha," Mari laughed out loud at Sakura's words. "No need to get so serious, Sakura. I'm just teasing you. I can imagine the princess' face if she caught you and the cub making out."

Sakura again blushed furiously and said: "Stop Mari, I don't think of Shinji like that. I see him more as an inspiration, as someone I respect".

"Inspiration?" Mari asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Sakura replied. "He fought for us every time, even though he didn't want to. Even though he was afraid, he didn't back down. He always tried to protect those who couldn't protect themselves."

Mari was watching Sakura, and although she didn't show it, she was agreeing with everything. Still, she wanted to know how far Sakura was willing to protect Shinji in her convictions.

"So tell me, Sakura; what about the third and fourth impact?" Mari asked with a mischievous smile.

Sakura was uncomfortable with the question, for these were delicate matters to be discussed on board the Wunder; but she answered anyway, for she was in the privacy of her room. Furthermore, she trusted Mari.

"I believe he didn't know the consequences of pushing the EVA to its limit. No one had warned him that such an event could happen. Regarding the fourth impact, just imagine what must have been going through his head. He wakes up and finds himself surrounded by armed men with a bomb collar around his neck," Sakura paused for breath and continued: "And right afterwards, everyone he knew and believed to be his friends are turned against him. It's not hard to imagine that he would run away at the first opportunity. We should have explained the situation first."

Mari at this moment couldn't be feeling more proud of her friend. She not only had expressed her opinion in a place hostile to certain subjects; but she had spoken with conviction. However, Mari wasn't satisfied and wanted to push Sakura further to see how far her courage would go.

"But still, Sakura… he shouldn't have run away. You warned him not to enter an EVA and yet he did," Mari was now lying down, looking at the ceiling of the room with a small smile on her face. - Let's see if she takes the bait. -

"Yes, but..." Sakura began to speak.

- Bingo – Mari thought, smiling at the ceiling.

"We don't know what nonsense they told him. They may have said that he could fix the world, reverse the third impact. If you were in Shinji's position, wouldn't you have done the same thing?" Sakura asked Mari.

- Well, well; Sakura knows how to attack - Mari thought. "Maybe," was all she replied as she looked up at the ceiling of the room.


Wunder Bridge

Midori Kitakami was sitting at her control panel next to her colleagues Koji Takau and Hideki Tama. She was bored of the night shifts. Those were the most exhausting, because the flights were long and only moved by instruments. Because of this, nothing happened.

"Gee, this is boring," Midori muttered as she laid her head on her arms at her post.

"Would you rather have the Nemesis series attack?" Hideki Tama rebutted, without taking his eyes off his panel. He didn't look the least bit tired.

"No idiot, but at least we could have found Captain Shikinami and that brat," Midori rebutted.

"Okay," Tama said dismissively

"What do you mean 'okay'?" retorted Midori.

At this moment Koji Takau intervened with an irritated snort. "Can you guys shut the fuck up? I'm not old enough for that anymore!"

"It's not my problem that you are old, grumpy and without an opinion of your own!" Midori shouted.

- Oh my God, it's going to be a long night. – Tama thought.

"What do you mean, 'no opinion?'" Koji shouted, getting up from his panel. "You young people have to learn the time to shut up."

"Then tell us your fucking opinion of that fucking brat," Midori demanded. "You're not going to tell me that you're also feeling sorry for him, are you? Like the wannabe rockstar on the bridge and the old four-eyed nerd who's in love with Colonel Katsuragi."

"Watch your mouth girl! I was in this war before you even learned to walk!" Kouji shouted back. "But answering your question, I do have some empathy for him. No one knew for sure what those infernal machines could do, much less a 14 year old kid. Can you say you know how an EVA works or reacts?"

A silence reigned on the bridge. No one dared to answer Koji's final question, because they knew he was right on this point; but they still wondered why then Shinji had left Wunder shortly after awakening inside unit 1.

"No," Midori replied, much calmer. "But he'll have a lot to explain when he gets back."

"If he comes back," Tama replied somberly. "You older guys may feel sorry for him, but I don't. If I run into this kid in the halls, the beating I'm going to give him will be colossal. After that, then I'll see if I give him a chance to explain something," Tama added.

- Young people, they think they are so cool, they don't know anything - thought Koji as he returned to his duties on the bridge.

"I don't know," said Midori.

"Let's get back to work everyone. Let's deal with the kid when he comes back on board," Koji ended the conversation with authority, to give no room for further argument.


Somewhere in Tokyo 3

The fire was still burning; Shinji was still having trouble sleeping.

- How could I be so dumb? How could I pull the spears when everyone was telling me not to, especially Kaworu? - Shinji was thinking while admiring the night sky.

He sat down and looked again at the fire in front of him. - Kaworu, Rei, Asuka, Misato and everyone, I'm sorry - Shinji repeated these words in his head and felt tears running down his cheeks.

Rei woke up. Seeing Shinji crying quietly, she thought - Why is he crying? I feel that I must help him in some way, but I don't know how. - At this moment Rei sat up and began to stare at Shinji with her monotonous gaze.

"Ikari," she said, her soft voice breaking the silence of the night and blending with the sound of the burning fire.

Shinji was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that Rei was talking to him.

"Ikari," Rei repeated. She reached out and touched his shoulder, at which Shinji reacted and jumped a little when he noticed Rei looking at him.

- When did she get there? I hope I didn't wake her up. - "What is it, Rei?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice under control so as not to wake Asuka.

"Why were you crying?" Rei asked naively.

"Because I messed up Rei, that's why," Shinji replied sadly, bowing his head and trying not to cry. - How could I let everyone down? - Shinji thought, rubbing his head.

"I understand," Rei replied. "Sorry, I don't know how I should proceed," she added, keeping his gaze on Shinji the whole time.

"It's okay Rei, you don't have to worry about that," Shinji replied, raising his head and looking into Rei's eyes again. - How is that possible? She is just like her. - Shinji thought as he looked at her face.

"Let's go back to sleep, Rei. We have a long day tomorrow," Shinji said, but he himself knew he would not sleep tonight.

"I see," spoke Rei who went back to bed, but before falling asleep she thought - Who am I? -

Shinji was with his eyes closed and thinking how his return would be, how he would look into Misato's eyes again, how he would talk to Sakura again after all he had done.


NERV

Gendo Ikari was sitting in his office, thinking about his cause, with Kozo Fuyutsuki to his left playing Shogi.

"Tell me, Gendo: are we doing the right thing? Kozo asked without taking his eyes off the board.

"Yes," was Gendo's dry reply.

"All the suffering we are inflicting on your son… will it work?" Kozo continued talking and moved a piece on the board.

"He will understand when the scenario comes," Gendo replied, in the same tone. "Are you thinking of abandoning me, teacher?"

"No," Kozo answered. - I wonder, what would Yui think? Will she forgive me for all the suffering her son has received? - –

With that, the conversation between Kozo and Gendo ended and they went back to business as usual. Silence once again reigned inside Gendo's partially destroyed office at NERV.

- Yui, we will meet again. - he thought as he got up from his desk.

- Yui, am I on the right side of this fight? What should I do? Please send me some sign of your will. - Kozo thought as he put Shoji's pieces away and picked up his book again to read.


Somewhere in Tokyo 3

Day began to dawn again on the horizon. Asuka was the first to wake up, not that she had slept much. Her thoughts were on a certain boy who was standing next to her.

"Wake up, brat," Asuka spoke as she kicked Shinji's butt. "Get your lazy ass up and let's go."

Shinji was already awake and had no trouble getting up. He drank some water as he heard Asuka waking Rei up with a kick as well.

"Asuk... er... Captain Shikinami, I know she is an enemy, but could you treat her with a little respect, please?" Shinji asked in a low voice, but enough for Asuka to hear.

She felt surprised by Shinji's request, but held her pose. "And why should I, brat?" she asked.

"Because she didn't know what she was doing, she was ordered to." - Unlike me - Shinji spoke looking down, but didn't realize that they were both looking at him right now.

Asuka was staring at him angrily. - So you only care about the clone here, huh? Brat. - She thought.

Rei was staring in surprise. - Why is he defending me? I am disposable. -

"Come on, I don't want to waste any time," Asuka ordered the group to move forward.

- Stupid brat, how can he defend that clone? - Asuka thought, angered, as she walked through the red earth.

"Brat!" she shouted. "Brat!"

Shinji was walking with his head down, with a downcast look at the red earth, lost in his own world.

Asuka stopped walking abruptly and turned to face Shinji with an annoyed look on her face. She let out a growl at being ignored. "Idiot, what did I say about you ignoring me while I'm talking?"

Shinji kept walking and ended up bumping into Asuka.

"Idiot!" she shouted, grabbing Shinji by the collar of his suit. "You're really out to get me aren't you?" Asuka growled.

"Sorry," Spoke Shinji, with his head bowed.

"Pathetic." Asuka murmued as she let go of Shinji, who almost lost his balance with the movement.

- I bet he's thinking about the clone, as usual. - Asuka thought angrily as she walked.

"Brat, walk faster, I don't want to waste time with your lazy ass," she spoke without looking back. "The more time we waste with your depression, the more time we give NERV to find us."

"Captain Shikinami?" Rei asked.

- What does the clone want? But thinking about it, this Ayanami type is much more talkative than the others. Why is she following us anyway? Doesn't she know she's the enemy? - Asuka was thinking without turning around to bother answering Rei.

"Captain Shikinami?" Rei asked again.

"What do you want, clone?" Asuka replied with an irritated snort.

"What was she like?" Rei asked in his monotone tone.

Asuka stared at her with curiosity in her eyes. - This clone really is different. - Asuka thought.

"Why do you want to know?" Asuka asked as she walked.

"Because I want to know who I am," Rei replied, staring at Asuka's back.

"Who are you? Who are you? You're a doll, created to serve Gendo and for whatever his plan is to screw us all," Asuka answered, without taking her eyes off the front.

"She's not a doll," Asuka heard a whisper behind her back. She knew who it was from, but still responded.

"What was that, brat?" Asuka stopped her walk and faced Shinji again with a dangerous look in her eyes.

"Please don't call her a doll," Shinji spoke again, a little above a whisper.

"And why not? That's what she is!" Asuka shouted.

"Asuk... Captain Shikinami, please?" Shinji was whispering, but Asuka could see that his words were pleading.

- How dare this brat? How dare he still defend this thing, this clone is not the Rei he knew? - Asuka just thought as she stared at Shinji's shrunken form.

At this point Asuka simply turned around and walked back. - How dare that brat, you son of a bitch bastard. -

Shinji was walking with his head down and holding back tears. - How could I be so stupid? I'm really useless. I'm no good, Misato really should have killed me when I was going with Rei, when I was on the ship. -

- Why did he defend me? Who was this other Rei to him? And why do I feel that I must protect him? What is this feeling inside me? - Rei thought as she walked behind Shinji.

"Ikari," Rei called.

Shinji shrugged as he heard Rei calling out to him, but he responds weakly: "What is it, Rei?"

"Why did you defend me?" she asked with a hint of curiosity.

"I don't know," Shinji answered, in a whisper.

"I see," a disappointed Rei replied, weakly. She decided to ask Shinji another question, hoping that his answer might be more enlightening.

"What was she like?"

Shinji was clearly uncomfortable with her question, but he was thinking about how he would answer it, because Rei had always been a mystery to him. She didn't talk much in class, and when they were both at NERV she would stand still and look like a statue. - How am I going to answer this question? -

"You... Rei was a complex person... She had a unique personality... She liked English literature, you never saw her without carrying a book in her hand," Shinji replied as he remembered his friend. "She was always shunned by others at school, but I always had a need to get closer to her, although I didn't know why."

At the front, Asuka was listening to everything. -This brat -, she was thinking about the conversation of the two behind her, and she didn't know why she was feeling uncomfortable about it.

- Why doesn't he talk to me like he talks to the clone? - Asuka thought angrily.

"You know very well why, Asuka." A voice inside her head spoke.

- What do you mean? – Asuka answered.

"Simple, where do we start... " The voice was about to speak but was cut off by Asuka.

- No, I know where this conversation is going; I'm not going to think about it. - Asuka mentally scolded herself for giving fuel to her thoughts, ones that had been repressed for many years.

"There is no use in running away from me, Asuka. I am you. I am your head. " the voice in her head replied, calmly and softly.

- I know you are me, but I don't want to hear you. - Asuka scolded herself again

"But why?" the voice asked. "You are running away from reality and you know it, you are just like him, Asuka." It concluded.

Asuka knew the voice was right, but her pride didn't want to admit it. It didn't want to admit that she and Shinji were alike, that they had similar pasts and, in almost everything they went through in their lives, they were alike.

"Captain Shikinami," Shinji called, breaking Asuka's reflection.

"What do you want brat? What I said about getting in my way with your useless stuff?" Asuka snapped at him, still walking forward.

She didn't want to look back, afraid of the consequences of this act. She was afraid to look at Shinji's face and show her discomfort at seeing him and the clone talking. She knew that since his return she was in conflict with her feelings and she didn't know how to deal with them.

- Four-Eyes would love that moment, she loves to get on my nerves. - Asuka thought as she scratched her nose. - Why didn't he call me by my first name again? - –

Shinji at this point fell silent once more as he felt the venom in Asuka's voice, and looked down.

"Talk at once, brat!" Asuka spoke in an irritated tone, making Shinji wince. - Coward, where is that courage I saw yesterday in the battle we had? -

"Nothing," Shinji replied, looking down. - Why am I such a coward? -

"Pathetic," Asuka answered.

A silence prevailed for a long time until the group decided to stop for lunch. Again, Asuka asked Shinji to light a fire while she looked for food in the emergency backpacks.

"Captain," Rei called.

"What is it, clone?" Asuka answered without taking her eyes off her backpack.

"We have no firewood," Rei simply replied, not looking away.

At this moment Asuka stopped what she was doing and turned to Rei, who still had an expressionless look on her face.

"Then go look for some," Asuka ordered.

"Should I take Ikari with me?" Rei asked

"Take the brat, but if you guys try to run away, I swear, clone; you will seriously regret it. Understand?" Asuka asked in a tone if voice that indicated that she was not joking.

"Yes," was Rei's simple answer, which irritated Asuka. She let out a low growl and went back to fiddling with her backpack.

At this point, Shinji was watching the situation in the background. He could have sworn he saw a blue glow under Asuka's eye patch; but he thought it must've been his imagination and started to go after Rei, to find wood for the fire.

While searching through the ruins of surrounding houses, Shinji found something that could be used for firewood; but he would have to break it into several pieces so that he and Rei could carry it more easily.

"Rei, do you think this table will be good?" Shinji asked without lifting his eyes from the table in front of him.

"I believe it will be appropriate," was Rei's reply. "How are we going to move it?"

"If we can break it into a few pieces we can carry it," answered Shinji, a little above a whisper. He wanted to interact as little as possible with everyone around him.

At this point, Shinji began searching through the old apartment, for something to break the table; but found nothing that could be useful.

"I'm going outside for a second to find a rock. Could you try to find something to try to break the table until I get back?" Shinji asked Rei, who simply nodded.

Outside what was left of the apartment complex, he looked at the landscape he had "created." Shinji was wondering what they would do to him, since he had destroyed everyone's world.

- I shouldn't run away - Shinji thought as he dismissed the idea fleeing. - It would only prove that I am a 'brat,' as Asuka says. -

Shinji found a stone he could carry, and went back to the apartment. He found Rei sitting on the sofa looking at a wall, where a family picture was hung. Rei seemed to be reflecting about it.

- Family. What does it mean to have a family?... Why am I thinking about this? What is so special about this picture that made me think about family? -

"Rei, are you okay?" Shinji asked with a little concern.

Rei's thoughts were cut off by question.

"I'm fine, Ikari," was her simple reply, in her monotone tone. "I see you've found something."

"Yes, I think we should be able to break the table into a few pieces with this stone," Shinji replied.

Rei could feel the sadness in his voice. She wanted to help him somehow, but she didn't know how. - Would my original know what to do? - Rei asked himself.

"Well, let's get started. I don't want Asuka to be worried," Shinji spoke as he threw the stone on the table, in hopes of at least getting a crack.

- Hahah, Shinji… it's easier for her to kill you for being late to camp than to worry." Shinji mentally scolded himself.

To Shinji and Rei's misfortune, the table proved to be very sturdy. After a few tries, Shinji began to get frustrated that it would not break.

"Oh, damn! Break the damn table!" Shinji shouted.

This was the first time that Shinji had raised his voice since he had been taken by Asuka from the entry plug of unit 13.

Rei at this point suggested throwing the table from the third floor, to which Shinji did not respond. He tried to break one of the legs of the table by bending it until it snapped, without even listening to Rei's idea.

CRACK!

At this moment, the table leg broke, but with Shinji pulling with all his strength, the piece that broke off escaped his hand and hit him on the side of the head.

"Ouch, shit..." Shinji cursed as he put his hand on the side of his head and realized that he had opened a wound on his left eyebrow, which started to bleed.

"Are you all right?" Rei asked with concern, but since she did not know how to express her emotions, many would've thought that she was simply speaking in her normal way of talking.

"Yes, Rei, I'm fine!" Shinji shouted as he pressed the wound on his head and looked at the blood in the palm of his hand.

At this moment, Shinji seemed to freeze in place as he looked at his red hands. Blood began to run down his face, but he wasn't worried about that. The only thing he could do was remember the choker exploding Kaworu's neck.


Flashback

Evangelion unit 13 was climbing toward the gates of Guf. Shinji was beginning to despair at not knowing what was happening, but he knew it was not a good thing.

"I... I ... I did that?" he asked to no one, but Kaworu answered his question.

"No, it was me," Kaworu replied in a sad and defeated voice, for he had been betrayed by Gendo.

At this moment Shinji turned to look at Kaworu, who had the bomb necklace around his neck. He saw that it was activated with what looked like ruby crystals spinning clockwise.

Shinji knew what was going on, even though he didn't know the technology of the bomb collar. He knew something was about to happen and it was not a good thing. At this point he started to cry and tried to reach Kaworu, but he was stopped by the wall of the entry plug.

"Kaworu, tell me how to help, please?" Shinji plead to his friend, who could only stare at him with a look of pity on his face.

Kaworu knew it wasn't the end for him, but he knew what was about to happen and it would affect Shinji in a way that no one could imagine. The only thing he could do was try to console his friend and help him in some way.

"Sorry Shinji-kun, that was not the happiness you deserved," Kaworu spoke in his calmest possible voice. He wasn't afraid, he was just sad that he had failed Shinji.

"Kaworu," Shinji cried into his plug, his tears dissolving into the LCL.

"Don't worry dear Shinji, I will close the gates of Guf," Kaworu spoke, knowing he didn't have much time.

As Kaworu gave the orders, the EVA 13 began to pierce his chest with the Longinus spears. With each spear that passed through the EVA, Shinji let out a muffled cry, for he felt everything that the EVA was feeling. However, the pain he was experiencing couldn't compare to losing the only friend who had showed him affection.

"I want you to promise me one thing, Shinji-kun. I want you to be strong for what is to come. Don't worry, fate will make you stronger," Kaworu spoke. "Don't worry, we will see each other again... Ikari Shinji-kun."

"Kaworu, no!" Shinji shouted into his plug.

At this moment the crystals began to accelerate until they let out a flash of light and met at Kaworu's neck, exploding him and sending blood in all directions.

Shinji could only watch in horror at what was happening in front of him. Losing his friend with such a cruel weapon… he could only pray that Kaworu had died quickly.

"Kaworu-kun," Shinji spoke as he cried inside his entry plug.

End of flashback


"I... am fine Rei," Shinji spoke again to Rei in a much calmer tone. He knew that she was not to blame for him being a freak. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Okay," was Rei's only response.

With this, the duo managed to break the rest of the table and took the pieces back to the small camp.

- I only hope I didn't take too long - Shinji thought sadly as he remembered that Asuka was waiting in the camp. He knew that she didn't like to wait.


Camping

Asuka was waiting, and she was getting annoyed by the delay of the two.

- Fuck, it's not that hard to find some fucking wood to burn, there must be something old in the apartments that could be used. - Asuka thought angrily. She would have screamed, but what good would screaming do if there was no one around to hear her?

She began to think that the Brat and the clone had escaped, and this thought began to make her terrified. She had sent the two 'prisoners' alone to get firewood.

- Don't be silly, Asuka. The brat wouldn't run away, where would he go? - she thought.

"You know he has the Ayanami type with him, don't you?" The voice again spoke to her.

- So what? She's a doll. What things could she do in such a world? She was created to pilot an Eva and that's it. - Asuka was grumbling.

"How do you know they're not doing anything kinky now?" The voice spoke again in a teasing tone.

- As if the brat could do anything in the state he's in. I bet his cane won't even go up now. - Asuka scolded herself for thinking things like that, but didn't stop worrying about the idea - Why am I worried about this? So many things they could do and I worry if they have sex. So what? - Asuka continued, with a small feeling of jealousy.

Before the voice began to speak again, Asuka heard movement coming from behind and turned to see Shinji and Rei. They were returning with some pieces of wood.

"Hallelujah, I thought I would have to go after you guys," Asuka spoke in an irritated tone as she faced Shinji. - Is he bleeding? - –

"Hey brat, what happened?" Asuka asked

"Nothing," Shinji replied weakly as he began to light the fire.

"What do you mean, 'nothing,' brat? There's blood dripping down your face!" Asuka yelled at Shinji as she pointed to the dried blood on his face.

"It's nothing you should worry about," Shinji replied as he watched the fire begin to burn. - I deserve it. -

Asuka huffed in irritation and turned to Rei with a look that told her not to lie, and that she had better answer.

"Clone, what happened?" Asuka asked.

"Ikari was injured while trying to break a table to get wood," Rei replied, coldly.

- Useless brat, he can't break a simple table without killing himself, but he can easily destroy the world. - Asuka thought angrily. - I have to clean that, it might get infected. After we eat something, I'll make a simple bandage. When we get to Wunder we'll fix it the right way. -

"Let's get something to eat and then we'll take a look at this, is that clear?" Asuka asked Shinji, who didn't answer. At this point, Asuka got angry, stood up and walked over to Shinji, grabbing him by the collar of his costume and looking straight into his eyes.

But she didn't like what she saw. His eyes were lifeless; his dark blue eyes no longer had the same color as before. She understood that, when he had mentioned that he wanted to die before, it hadn't been just a childish tantrum, but a real desire of a broken person.

"I asked if it's clear," Asuka said with authority.

"Yes ma'am," Shinji replied weakly, returning to staring at the ground

"Good" Asuka let go of Shinji and realized that Rei had already put the cans of food on the fire to heat up. She sat back in her seat and stared into the fire while thinking about Shinji's eyes. She had only seen eyes like that once in her life, and it had been her mother's eyes, before she killed herself. It made her worried.


Author's notes.

Please review, your criticism (good or bad) is very important to me, you know that I take what is said into consideration and it also gives me strength to continue this translation project.

Don't forget to also like the Facebook page, search for "Calborghete" and locate a picture of Shinji and Asuka, on this page I will post updates and it will also be easier for you to contact me.

Corrected by YourBlandestNightmre

Well, see you next time.