+++++ Usagi Tsukino's home, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Monday + 2)

"It's like he carries a gloom with him wherever he goes." Speaking to her feline confidant, Usagi worked on an unrelated problem to not weep like a toddler before her parents were in bed for the night. Sitting in her room, her schoolwork untouched, she focused her energy on something she could actually grab hold of. "It's not even intentional. It's not like he looks at the world and says, 'I'm going to make this situation worse by simply doing the right thing!' He does what's right, and somehow it destroys everything he's trying to do! It's this…this…."

Luna flicked her tail in annoyance, tired of her good friend avoiding what was hurting her. "Aura?"

"Yes!" Sitting upright on her bed, she scowled off towards where the now Kino-Ikari apartment resided. "Like he has this aura of…dread. Terror. Just this…like that one monster we fought, the one that spewed a poison gas? It's completely like that. It suffocates you…while…." Her face trembled, tears threatening her eyes. Shinji's description of Mamoru's death resurfacing.

"Sweetie…." Sighing, the black cat bounced off the nightstand to land up on the bed. "Fixing him is not going to bring Mamoru back. You need to-"

Her eyes showing that her temper was something to truly be feared, Usagi growled out in a whisper, "I need to what?! Accept that the man I loved is dead? 'Move on'? For all we know his spirit is stuck in whatever limbo Shin-Shin fell out of! I may eventually reincarnate, or as you say I might live forever, but now I'll forever be alone because the man I loved pushed me out of the way at the last second."

"Would you have rather died in his place?" She couldn't allow the venom in the Princess' veins to remain. Survivor's guilt was a terrible burden, and it could crush the strongest spirit. "Would you have been fine dooming the entire universe, for one man?"

Slapping the mattress, she shouted her retort far too loudly, "HE WAS MY MAN!"

"He was a man." Luna could not afford to have her liege collapse. The future was already crippled, she would not allow it to be euthanized. "A man like few other, I agree…but he was nothing like you." Slapping her tail firmly against the blanket, she bored her gaze into the woman's soul. "You have a destiny, one that goes far beyond romance and all the trappings that entails. Are you going to be the Queen of a dying galaxy, or are you going to admit that everything you've said to 'Shin-Shin' is actually what you're trying to convince yourself of?"

"…Go away." Curling in on herself and rolling onto her side, she closed her body off to further conversation.

Luna would not, but she did move back off the bed to the nearby chair. She wouldn't leave someone she loved alone to suffer. "I love you."

Silence was her only reply.

+++++ Kino-Ikari Apartment, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Monday + 2)

"Ok. I'm going to disagree, but I'm not going to make demands." Makoto was in all-out peacekeeping mode. Shinji had managed to stay unarmored since their friends had left, and she wanted to keep him that way overnight. "The couch is really uncomfortable. I know, because I've fallen asleep on it more than once, and seeing as I'm about fifteen centimeters shorter than you, I think you're going to have it worse."

Shinji, however, was worried about very practical concerns. Including the fact that his host had slept frequently upon the spare futon she was offering him. "What…uhm, what if I…." Embarrassment climbed his spine, silencing him effectively as he fought to keep Unit-01 at bay.

Thinking through likely reasons for his concern, she discarded the more outlandish ones quickly. A flash of inspiration came in the form of him clenching one of his fists in a repeating sequence. "Do you have nightmares?" His blush deepening was a good enough answer. "So do I." Catching his eyes flicking up to her, she gave him a lop-sided smile. "Living alone for so long, lots of noises in the neighborhood, there was even a shooting down the street a year ago. It's hard being strong, when you're all alone." As she'd spoken, she'd crept slowly closer until she could grip his elbows to bestow her confidence upon him. "But we're not alone anymore, right?" An exciting idea crossed her mind, and her smile turned victorious. "Perfect plan. I'll drag my futon out here, and we'll camp out together."

There was no chance of him restraining Unit-01 at this point. Suddenly adorned in a purple god of death, he froze so as not to risk harming his roommate. I-I-I…. Memories of synchronization training. Of the 'Impenetrable Wall of Jerko'. Of Asuka going to the bathroom then flopping down to press against him. Of a far too young voice in a far too mature body, 'Mama'.

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Great. Nice job, Makoto. "This isn't something perverted. I'll even keep at least a meter between us!" How is it that I, as the woman, am now trying to convince a man that nothing perverted is going to happen? "I mean, if you're ok being closer, I'll lay so you can reach out and grab my hand if you wake up from a bad dream. I'm serious!" Crouching down to get in his line of sight, she pushed out as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "It'll be like a sleepover! I've never had one here, the others always have me over to their houses. You and I can start our own little tradition. Talk about our troubles, cheer each other on, stuff like that. Friends do that kind of stuff, I promise." I need to break the chain here. Get him thinking about anything else. "So…ok. You stand right here, let me set everything up. You can see how it'll be positioned, and we'll talk through it as we go. Like…like learning how to swim!" His violent shudder at the topic nearly caused a burst of unladylike language to erupt. He can't swim?! What animals were taking care of him?

The order to stand fast had been given, and like the soldier he was, Shinji obeyed the order. His mind was now bouncing from random topic to random topic, all related to the situation he was in but none of them consistent with the previous issue. He was a pervert. He was going to be slapped. He was going to hurt her. He was going to get hurt. He was going to destroy her futon. He was going to embarrass himself.

"Ok." Makoto tossed her futon down, then shifted on a wide arc to avoid setting off the man in her apartment any further and deposited the futon for him where it would be…close enough. It won't hurt to reach over and touch his hand. Friends do that. Totally. Hurrying back into her room and retrieving blankets for the both of them, as well as both of her pillows, she gave him the one she usually slept on. Maybe…maybe he'll be calmer smelling my shampoo. It was lavender and lilac, one of the few things she splurged on. They're calming scents…. Dropping these last burdens on the futons, she danced back before him and clapped her hands to draw his gaze. "Ok. Now, let's each sit down beside our futon, and I'll tell you about my day. Once you're calm, you should be able to release your armor and then maybe you can tell me about yours."

Once more obeying orders to the letter, he sat in seiza and listened attentively to her narrative. How when she'd woken up to find both the breakfast and the lunch he'd made for her it made her super happy. How she'd had to fight off the others at lunch, declaring that he'd made it for her and that it was all she had to eat. Commenting on how the subtle mixture of flavors he'd managed without the world's best ingredients made her want to go on a shopping trip with him for ingredients. Hikari. Grief replaced anxiety quickly, and he sagged into himself.

Misreading the motion as relaxing, she pressed in on the topic. "There's this really nice lady who runs a grocer's down the way, she gives me great deals on produce that's close to expiration. It means I have to make more trips, because the food is close to expiring, like I said, but it's worth it because I can make my disbursements last longer." Quirking her lip in thought, she pondered aloud, "I wonder how much you're going to end up making. If it's enough, maybe we can buy better food so that we don't have to waste as much time making daily trips."

Does she really want to live with me? There was an annoying spark of light that refused to allow him to dictate the direction of the whole of his emotions. Insisting on taking the band in a different direction, it keyed in on specific words she was using.

"I mean, I don't want to decree how you spend your money. I'll gladly show you my books!" Hopping up and moving into her room, she came back out a second later with three college-ruled register books. "I keep a record of everything I spend, so that I know exactly where the money's gone in case I run out and need to scramble. Helps me stop from making the same mistake again, you know?" Sitting down beside him, instead of beside her futon, she opened the oldest book. "I'm showing you this to show you how seriously I take these things. I made so many mistakes. Goof after goof. Like, right here." Stabbing an entry marked 'Very Bad' she groaned and bumped him with her shoulder. "I spent money on an item that I had received a flier for that morning, that was telling me it would go on sale the next day! For some reason, I didn't remember that I could have saved myself three hundred Yen. That money," she flipped several pages, "almost cost me my apartment here." Stabbing the ledger, she grunted in irritation at herself. "I had to borrow from someone that tried to 'insist' I go on a date with him to pay him back. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." Closing that book, she pulled out the most recent. "Here, though, you can see I've gotten a world better." When she looked back up at him, she noted he wasn't in his armor anymore. Instead of mentioning it, she kept on as she was. "I'm actually running a surplus each two weeks of almost two thousand Yen. In about six months, I think I'll have enough saved up to buy a small television. They make older models still, and you can usually find one at a flea market for less than fifteen thousand Yen."

He could see a similar system to the one he'd used in her writing. Small comments annotating her thoughts on an expense. Different colors for different types of purchases. He'd kept just such a book for Misato, so that she could trust him when he gave her the receipts. Tapping one entry that was written in a golden pen, a color he hadn't seen on any of the pages, he himself missed that he wasn't in his armor anymore and asked, "What's this one?"

"Music tape." She sighed and closed the books slowly. "It means my TV is pushed back, but I hadn't had a new tape to listen to in a year at that point. One came on sale, and well…I let myself be weak."

"…What kind of music?"

I win again. "Pop-classical. It's the Tokyo Philharmonic performing more up-tempo versions of the classics alongside more modern instruments like guitars and snare drums." Don't make a big deal out of it, and it won't be a big deal.

"Sounds…interesting." He frowned as he considered the potential. "I heard Misato-san, my legal guardian, play a CD of an American band that did something similar. Except they turned their songs from Heavy Rock back into a classical composition and played alongside a Philharmonic from San Francisco." He shook his head, "Well, what used to be San Francisco in the United States. Second Impact flooded it. Three quarters of that group died in the flooding, she said. Which was a shame, because while I didn't really like the…almost angry sound of the songs, I liked how they experimented with strings and horns to create a meld of the two genres. I think it would have been nice to hear more, maybe I'd even come to like their normal music."

"That does sound interesting." Patting his knee, she scooped up her books and moved over to her own futon. She'd won enough for one evening and didn't want to push her roommate too far too fast. "Now, let's get some sleep. You've got work, and I've got school." Pulling out her own pen, she winked, "I'm going to misuse this for tonight to put on some pajamas. You can do the same, just focus on going to bed, and the pen will understand what you're doing."

Realizing that he hadn't recognized he was 'normal' again, he blushed at the thought of her changing before him and quickly turned his back. "I-I'll…uhm…I'll wait for you to change."

He's nowhere near the same ballpark as perverted. "Thank you." She wanted to hug him. To encourage him. But she restrained herself. "I am glad that I continue to be proven right about your status as a gentleman." Changing in a bright flash, she made certain that the clothes she'd chosen were…properly enticing without being slutty. "Ok, you can look." When he cautiously turned and took note of the emerald green wide-shouldered tank top and loose black capris, she hitched one leg out to the side to show off what she thought was one of her best features. "I love this kind of shorts, but nobody makes them for taller ladies. Most end up being above my knee, or just actual pants."

"It…uhm," Shinji blushed, looking down at his lap, "it looks really nice on you, Makoto-san. Though, with how feminine you are, you probably make anything look nice."

There is no stopping my victories. "Why thank you, sir." Flipping her hand, she encouraged him to prepare for bed too, "Go ahead, get changed." I'll just watch him sleep for a bit. Make sure if he panics…that he knows I'll be there.

+++++ Every/Any/Nowhere.

The Presence was…intrigued. Where before certain influences in the universe seemed nigh indestructible, it had of late begun to change. The omnipresent song of the cosmos was trending towards a discordance, a melody that suited it just fine. There were, however, multiple sources of this…infestation. The discord was not of the Presence. It was its own entity, or entities. Untethered. Unfocused. Perhaps, in failure, the creature the Presence had just killed for returning as such had somehow brought it the seeds of future success. After all, the light of the White Moon was changing, somehow.

+++++ Kino-Ikari Apartment, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

Shinji woke up in a uniquely confusing manner. He had, apparently, at some point in the night laid his hand out towards his new roommate. When his eyes opened, well before it was time to, he found that Makoto had bridged the rest of the gap and laid her hand in his. There had been no nightmares. No bad memories. No dark thoughts. He awoke, for the first time he could remember, calm. His clothes weren't drenched in sweat, his blankets weren't tangled and damp, his mattress wasn't soggy and clammy. I don't know what powers these ladies…but I know I'm terrified of ruining it. Reluctantly parting from the comfort she'd provided, he moved to take a quick shower before making breakfast and a meal for Makoto to take in. I should make a lunch for the others too. I have enough, probably. I can spend some money to buy more food. The prices are way lower than I thought they'd be. I should ask Maria-san if she'd meant to give me that much.

His mind began the natural processes that defined his mornings. Planning out his schedule, determining shopping needs, gilding himself in the components of his emotional armor that gave him a small measure of resilience against the world's constant attempts to cause him death via anxiety. With a silence born out of fears of upsetting Asuka, he crafted his message of thanks for the efforts of the women who'd adopted him into their group of friends via the food he prepared. It was a language all its own, in his mind. It said so much that he never had the capacity to. Thank you for caring enough to give me somewhere to stay. Thank you for protecting me in battle. Thank you for reminding me of my flaws. Thank you for never allowing me to have a quiet…. "Stop." The hushed utterance, too quiet to be heard beyond his own ears, came as he paused all of his motions towards preparing the food in question. "Anger won't help."

"Awww," Makoto's sleep-laden voice announced her presence in the kitchen doorframe, "I wanted to cooperate with you this morning to make food." Her pout, which lay somewhere between a sad smile and a happy frown, was accentuated by a mussy beauty that was not impacted negatively by her disordered hair and rumpled top. When she looked at the series of containers he'd been filling, she tilted her head. "Those aren't mine."

"I-I…uhm…." Stop thinking about how beautiful she is! "I p-purchased th-them."

"Good thinking!" Her cheer washed over him as she moved into the kitchen proper. "Honestly, the ones I have are starting to get worn anyway. Where'd you find these?" Picking up one that he'd recently added materials to, she admired the sturdy workmanship. "They look nice and durable. Should last a long time."

"M-Maria-san's s-store." STOP THINKING ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS!

Setting the meal down and snapping her fingers, she shifted to one of the drawers and dug through it. "Right. I need her address, so that I know where you're going to be during the day. If something happens, and we need to get a hold of you, I'd rather not have to scour the city looking for you." Pulling out a pad of paper and a felt marker, she stood ready to help. "Go ahead and describe how you got there, and I'll draw a map. When you come home today, bring back the store address, because I doubt you noted it when-"

"298-1145, Azabu-Mamianachō, Minato-ku, Tokyo." Rattling off the answer, as he would have been expected to provide it to Section Two, he kept his eyes on the meal he was making. Of course, I don't stammer over an address. That's automatic. Why am I so stupid?!

Makoto's ready smile turned towards a frown, "298-1145? Azabu-Mamianachō isn't that large. Are you sure?"

"It's w-what was on the outside of the b-building." It had seemed strange to him as well, the surrounding buildings all had markings that were much smaller in number. That it was strange didn't mean much to him, though. Everything was strange to him at the moment.

Scribbling down a note beside the address, she tore off the page and nodded. Slipping closer to him, her hand patted his back with reassuring kindness. "Then it should be easy to find. Would you mind if I asked you to double-check when you go today? It's not that I think you're wrong, I just…yesterday was probably a really stressful day. I know stress messes with my memory."

"I w-will." I'd take a picture with my smartphone. If, of course, I had it on me when I went through a hole in spacetime. Or could charge it without my charger. How did people survive without these things?!

"Awesome, thanks!" Moving with confident ease out of the room, she leaned back into his line of sight after a second, her tank top drooping open to reveal just a hint of her pleasant topography. "Also, please get the phone number. We'll keep the lie up about you being mute, but it might be faster to just call you from a payphone if we need to engage in combat."

"R-r-right." Stop. Thinking. About. Her. Beauty.

+++++ Kino-Ikari Apartment, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

It was a much darker mood that hung over her spirit as Makoto went into her bath to start her day. He is clearly nervous around me. Who could even possibly begin to think he was a pervert?! He's awkward, sure. But it's the adorable kind of awkward. Like…like a puppy that's been abused but opens up when you encourage it with pets and treats. Using her disguise pen to dismiss her clothes, she began her daily cleaning ritual. I swear, I find whoever did this and I'm pummeling them.

With water blinding her eyes, her fingers brushed a bottle that wasn't where she'd left it, and her first instinct was to giggle that Shinji had placed some of his own things in the common area which must have displaced her own. She was fine with that. Fine with him claiming parts of the apartment. Of deepening his ties to her…friends. That instinct was stifled when her vision cleared and she noted that he'd purchased duplicates of her own items, in addition to those things he would need. He…replaced things he used. He gave me a full bottle when he only used a little of what was available to be publicly decent. Honest anger found fertile ground in her heart. He's spending all of his money on being inoffensive. On being accommodating. On me.

Without much in the way of experience dealing with romance or even simply demonstrating interest in the Yang to her Yin, she began to muddle through possible 'opening statements' that would express her concern that he was falling into bad habits without making it seem that she was ungrateful. Communication hadn't ever been her strong suit, her tendency to simply speak from the heart often confused others when they assumed she was engaging in deceit.

"I can push off the TV for a bit longer." She had to help him. "Tonight, he and I are going to go have some fun."

+++++ Kino-Ikari Apartment, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

Shinji had carefully packed six lunches. He'd included portions of the rest of the cookie-cake he'd made last night that had remained uneaten. With Makoto still in the shower, which was something he definitely was not lingering over mentally, he took the chance to clean up the apartment again. Folding the futons so that they didn't dominate the common room, setting the sheets and blankets so they could air out, washing dishes, windows, and walls. By the time, twenty minutes later, his housemate had stepped out of the washroom looking even more beautiful than he remembered her looking the day before, he was wound up too tight to not be wrapped in Unit-01.

Offering five of the six lunches to Makoto, he included a written note declaring that he was not interested in carrying any animus towards Rei Hino, and that he hoped she would accept the meal as a form of peace offering. I have to try and get along. It's just like Asuka. I don't have to enjoy her presence, but I wouldn't be here if she wasn't there during our battles.

"Oh. Uhm," Makoto was clearly caught off-guard, "Hino-san goes to a different school. A private religious academy." Her mouth shifted to one side, her tone changing towards apologetic, "I'm really sorry, I didn't think to tell you."

Maybe…maybe Maria-san would want it? Nodding to the idea, he took the extra out of the bag he'd placed them in and wrote on a small pad of paper, 'I'll give it to Maria-san. Won't hurt to earn goodwill from my employer, right?'

"Fantastic plan." Her approval was both for the recovery from a setback and the fact that he refused to allow food to go to waste. Setting down what he'd handed her, she tucked into a warm, friendly, hug. "It's ok. You made it through the night without panicking. I can only guess that you're nervous about going to work. It will be fine. If anything happens, run back here and hide. When I come home, we'll figure out what to do."

Incapable of determining what to do with his hands, Shinji fought to stop them from flapping like a bird's wings. I really wish this would stop happening. I wish I could just admit to her that she's too pretty. That I'm terrified I'll look at her wrong. That I'll ruin another life. That-

Emerald green eyes gazed up at him, a hint of frustration in her jaw. Makoto took a short breath in and blew it out, before stating simply, "It's ok for you to hug me back. I give you permission, any time you need one, to come to me for a hug. Blank check."

She's angry with me. Haltingly nodding his understanding, he gestured towards the clock on the wall. Chances were good that the start time of her school was near enough to the start time of his, and he didn't want to be the reason she was late.

"I know." Patting his chest with both hands in an alternating tattoo, she put on her winningest smile. "Do good today. It makes me happy to know that you want to become a part of my life, and even happier to know that you're going to put your shoulder into it. Tonight, me and you are going to go have some fun," she shook her finger with mock severity, "so don't stay out too late!"

Fun? He would never understand women. Nodding, once again, that he understood her, he carefully handed her the meals and her bag, then opened the door and bowed a farewell. The smile she gave him, intended to show that she was overjoyed to be the object of such devoted attention, instead struck him as a warning against getting too close. He watched her walk away for a moment, observing the sway of her ponytail as it danced with her natural grace. I'm going to kill them all…and my own life won't be enough to repay that crime.

+++++ Juban High School, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

Makoto walked into her classroom ready to crack the skies with lightning. She had felt, hugging him, every ounce of dread and terror that she'd mentioned clung to him. She had also never felt safer. Sleeping as she had, with her hand atop his, made all of her own anxieties shut up long enough for her to rediscover peace. For the first time in years, she believed that there was a chance her life could turn out better than scraping by every two weeks. Storming into the room and dropping the food on her desk, she sat down heavily and looked at a confused Minako, "I want to find whoever hurt him, and I want to know the word we'd use for practicing origami with a human being."

Not comfortable at all with anger, Ami shrank in her seat. "I think we'd just call it assault."

"I'm fine with that." Huffing out irritation, she began to hand over the meals he'd labelled for each of her classmates, "Shinji-kun sends his regards. The note he gave me said that if you didn't like anything, or you would want more of something, to let him know." There was a mild pang of jealousy as she thought about him having made everyone a meal, but it was his money and he had the right to try and give to his friends. Besides, she thought, we're not dating. Yet. "I'm planning on taking him somewhere tonight, try and help him relax and let loose."

"Awww," Minako's cry was one of amused joy, "he drew a little red ribbon under my name."

"Oh, wow," Ami was the next to comment, "he drew a fractal snowflake!"

Makoto hadn't actually looked at her tag, and felt embarrassed to have not noticed the little thing that he did. "He drew a key on mine." Because I gave him a home. She was already attracted to him, physically. She knew she was veering closer and closer to falling for him emotionally.

Usagi's face was blank, as it had been throughout the conversation and those moments prior. It was clear that she hadn't slept well, if at all, and whatever emotions were hiding beneath the thin veneer of calm they were not ones of pleasure or joy. Her words were agreeable, even if her tone was dead, "That was nice of him." Without sharing what she herself had been given, she tucked the meal inside of her desk and resumed her contemplation of the blackboard.

Minako caught Makoto's eye, shaking her head slightly. They'd thought that with the initial outburst of tears, perhaps their leader had been able to purge enough of the pain to allow for her to muddle through. They were realizing that they were incredibly wrong.

+++++ Maria's Market, Azabu-Mamianachō, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

Maria greeted Shinji with a happy clap and a rush over towards him, "Shinji-kun!" Jumping up into a hug, forcing him to catch her or let her bounce off and hurt herself, she clung to him with a warmth and openness that he was not ready for. "Oh, I'm so glad you came back." Sitting back, incidentally placing most of her posterior in his hand, she pouted cutely. "Most men never call me back, let alone show up for a second date." Kissing her fingertip and then pressing it to his lips, she winked, "I'm glad your mother raised you better."

His passenger hopped down out of his grasp, leaving him blushing and flummoxed. He had less than no inkling of an idea of how to respond to any of that. This was different than Misato's style of play, his 'boss' seemingly viewing him as a peer rather than a surrogate son or subordinate. Setting his small plastic sack on the counter, he took out the lunch he'd made for Rei Hino, and offered it to the woman before him instead. The repurposed lunch now bore a tag with her name in hiragana and a little storefront scribbled in the corner.

Taking the offering with one hand, and covering over her cleavage with the other, she practically beamed her smile at him, "For me? Oh, thank you." Eyeing the attempt at art, she gave a light-hearted laugh. "Very nice. Not only are you punctual and responsive, you're also talented and eager. I got lucky yesterday I believe. Not many people would think that after being almost robbed, but it brought me you, and I think that's going to be a good bit of karmic repayment for me."

Moving his own lunch down the counter where it would be out of the way of any business, he picked up the chalkboard she'd set aside for his use and wrote out, 'What should I do to start?'

"I need you to take a look at that," she pointed to a television that had the rear cover removed. "There's an electronics repair manual by it, but I'll be damned if I know how to read the thing. Ask me to fieldstrip a Kalashnikov? No trouble. Fix the timing belt on a Toyota? Done. Amend a garden to allow healthier crops? Simple. Explain how a light switch works? Not the foggiest. Just not my field, I guess."

I'm not exactly an expert either. But…if I want to keep this job, I need to try. Moving around the counter to the table she'd been working at, he started with the simple. The circuits were all labelled, and the book before him had breakouts of what the characters meant. He wouldn't complain about being asked to learn a new skill, not when she would be paying him to do so.

The door opened again, and he heard Maria greet the customer with a much different tone than the one she'd used on him, "Welcome to my store. What can I help you with today?"

A deep, gravelly, bass replied, "I can wait until you're done with him."

Don't turn around. It's not your business. Shinji kept up with his studying of the components inside the television, checking connections against the logical diagrams.

While her words were polite, her intonation had strains of thinly restrained violence, "He's my new assistant. Don't worry, I trust him."

"Hmph." The heavy thump of canvas on hardwood indicated the deposit of something of note, "I assume you have what you were offering?"

"Most of it." A sudden sweetness to her voice caused the hairs on Shinji's neck to stand on edge, "As it turns out, the last item your matron asked me for cost far more than you intimated it would." There was a pause, "I wouldn't."

Whatever it was that was about to happen, Shinji was not going to risk losing the job he had. No job, no money. No money, no apartment. No food. No…whatever that feeling is when one of them touches me. Turning around as if nothing were the matter, he took note of the gun the man had pointed directly at Maria's head. Two steps placed him in the line of fire. Misato's was bigger. There's no chance that beats an A.T. Field. Anger began to lovingly stroke his heart. I just found a job. What is it with people wanting to make my life harder?! Why can't you just leave me the fuck alone?!

"Gotta know, kid." The hammer was pulled back by his thumb, both dramatic and unnecessary in Shinji's opinion. He knew that style of weapon didn't require that action to fire. The man sneered as he finished, "Was the worn-out ass you got worth me shooting you for?"

Snorting a laugh, Shinji was suddenly reminded of the movie where the guy had pulled that quote from. A horrible movie that Misato claimed was a 'cult classic', and he felt was just plain terrible. Raising his eyebrow, he crossed his arms beneath his chest. His entire demeanor screaming, Anytime you want to. He was not going to let some two-bit thug hurt someone else. Not while he could prevent it. The creak of the trigger depressing failed to change his stance. He was clad in Unit-01. He had his A.T. Field active. At most, the ricochet would hit the ceiling or the wall. Then, he'd feed the man his own weapon. Anally. What he wasn't ready for, however, was a sudden chill washing over him from behind. The sensation nullified his growing rage, causing him to relax.

The thug's eyes grew wide. The hand holding the pistol trembled, and eventually lowered. "S-sorry, sir. I…uhm, I apologize for my rudeness. Please…accept this as my apology." Levering the hammer forward without setting off the weapon, he engaged the safety and handed it over to Shinji the same way he'd seen the range officers hand over loaded weapons. Bowing deeply after he was relieved of the weapon, the man apologized three more times on his way out the door.

"Idiot," Maria's voice was dripping with contempt.

The reminder of Asuka restarted his brain with a panicked jolt. Ejecting the magazine from the pistol and then disengaging the safety to work the slide to remove the round in the chamber, Shinji set firearm, magazine, and bullet on the counter. He then bowed in apology, presuming that the comment was directed at him. He didn't know what changed the man's mind, or why he apologized, but he knew that what he'd chosen to do would earn him that comment from most anyone.

"Not you, my pet." A gentle touch and tender fingers lifted his face back up. "You may have been…overconfident, but I would not call you an idiot. It takes bravery to stare down a man with a drawn weapon. Stupidity often travels with bravery, but in your case, I get the feeling that you're hiding something from me, and that something is not stupid."

Her skin was pale. Paler than he remembered it being. Her lips a luscious red, her eyes a vibrant blue. Her hair, the only thing that remained the same, was its typical lustrous black. Why…do I feel like I know her? Like she's familiar, somehow.

Maria drew her nail along his cheek, ending with her fingertip once more across his lips. "Thank you." The smile she gave him could have warmed the sun. "It would have been rather gruesome to clean up after killing him, and I am grateful that whatever kami brought you to my door did so." With a sigh, she flicked her finger against his chin and waved him over to the broken television. "Let's hope that when his boss shows up, she's at least more reasonable than that goon. This is why I never deal with middlemen."

Taking the hint and returning to his duty as his boss removed the bag the thug had left behind from sight, Shinji couldn't shake the feeling that he'd somehow met someone that was capable of violence worse than even Unit-01 itself. What confused him more, though, was that he wasn't afraid at all.

+++++ Juban High School, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

After several hours of lessons, three out of four Sailors present determined that lunchtime required an intervention. As alone as they could be, outside the school in the sun, they tried to urge something out of Usagi. Tears, cheers, insults, or laments, whatever it was that she gave them had to be better than watching her blankly stare at nothing. She'd ignored the teachers' attempts at engagement, ignored tones of reprimand, just sat and watched the blackboard with cold dispassion.

"Usagi-chan," Makoto kept her hand on her friend's knee, "you should eat. Nothing good is going to come from starving yourself."

Minako had already taken several bites of what had been made for her. "Shinji is a great cook. I bet you'd feel a little better after just a few bites. He can really work some magic in the kitchen."

"He even included part of the cookie!" Ami was terrible at forcing cheer and was nearly in tears herself watching someone she admired self-destruct. "You love cookies…."

They all saw that her eyes never left the lid of her meal. Never moved away from the note atop it. Drawn next to her name, was a crescent moon cradling several higanbana blossoms. Whatever it was that she was thinking, whatever it was that she was feeling, the spiritual center of the Sailors appeared either unable or unwilling to do more than simply exist. What none of them could see, or more appropriately would not see, was that changes were approaching rapidly.

+++++ Maria's Market, Azabu-Mamianachō, Japan.

"It warms my heart to know that you used your first paycheck to make decent food." Maria had been relishing her lunch with Shinji, insisting he stop what he was doing to eat by her side. "It also is quite flattering that you'd think to bring me some as well." Her eyes looked off to a past that he couldn't know, and her voice grew soft. "It's been some time since a man has thought more of me than what lay beneath my bra, or between my legs." Bumping him with her shoulder, she giggled. "Thank you, for making an old woman feel young again."

Old? Shinji frowned in confusion, then pulled the blackboard over and wrote down, 'You can't be that old. I shouldn't guess at your age, but I wouldn't put you at even old enough to be my mother.'

Tittering, she batted at his elbow. "Flirt."

Whatever it was she was doing, whether it was bonding with him or simply passing the time, he couldn't help but feel as if it wasn't hostile. That he, of anyone on Earth, would forever be safe from whatever it was that she might be or do. That didn't prevent the blushing, nor his reply of, 'I'm not one to flirt. Women don't like broken men.'

"We're all broken, Pet." She wiped away the sentences from the board as if she could will them out of his mind the same way. "The important thing is to look for someone whose fractures fit nicely with your own. Complimentary puzzle pieces, if you will."

The door opening again interrupted the life lesson, an elderly woman walking in with the support of a cane and a sharply dressed manservant clearly requiring Maria's attention. He felt his boss' hand alight on his thigh, the slight clench clearly asking him to remain silent and seated.

"Welcome to my store. What can I help you with today?" The statement seemed to carry a much different meaning than the words implied.

"I was hoping, Honored One," the woman's voice was as aged as her body, and wasn't much louder than the air conditioner, "that you might include forgiveness in with the purchase I intend to complete." Urging her manservant forward, she allowed him to set an ornate leather briefcase down on the counter before continuing. "I have made certain to add an extra offering for your young companion." Turning her gaze on Shinji, she gave a genuine smile of contrition, "It seems my nephew was a bit exuberant. I certainly hope you can forgive him, Honorable Sir. I have made certain that his father will include appropriate lessons in business etiquette at tonight's dinner."

Before he could make any motions, Maria spoke for him again. "I'm afraid he's mute, and so cannot speak the words needed to forgive you. I, however, have been empowered to speak in his stead by his own agreement. He thanks you for your generous gift and wishes no harm to you or your family. It is his solemn hope that peace and prosperity can reach all who live in our little community, and that all come to see each other as equals."

Another pair of squeezes on his thigh prompted him to nod twice. He couldn't disagree, he wanted peace. He wanted people to succeed. He certainly didn't want to involve himself with people who pull guns on store owners, or elderly relatives who it appeared could order them beaten at dinner.

"That is very kind of you, Silent One. Very kind indeed." Relief radiated from tired old bones as she stood a little taller. "Honored One, might we conclude the business my family began?"

Maria's smile was that of a hunter granting prey another day on the planet. "Of course. Pet, would you be a dear and step into the back? There's a heavy blue book with a green ribbon, and a small dagger in an ebon sheath. I expect our guest will be pleased with their purchase."

I don't know why she calls me that, but it really does feel like it's honoring me somehow. Carefully moving so that he didn't collide with Maria or the nearby cash register, he went through the saloon-style doors and immediately saw what she'd mentioned. Neither were terribly notable, other than matching the description given. The dagger was small, the book was big. Picking both up cautiously, not wanting to damage someone else's belongings, he moved with sufficient haste to stop his elders from waiting on him. As he shifted his bulk around the counter, he saw the manservant step clear to allow the elderly patron room to move. Ok, I give it to her, I guess. Bowing politely, he offered both items on open palms.

"Manners as well." Wrinkled hands retrieved their possessions and left in their place a small jade coin. "Thank you again, Silent One. I am satisfied with what I have received, and I appreciate the extra gift of compassion and forgiveness."

Shinji moved back to his base, not looking at the coin. It seemed rude to gawp at a gift, even one that wasn't expected.

Maria dismissed their customers with another sentence that carried multiple meanings, "Go in peace, and please…come again."

The manservant was quick to open the door, and the elderly woman wasted no time in leaving the store. In all, after her dismissal of them it took them no more than three seconds to leave. The store was quiet again, the hum of the air conditioner the only sound he could hear. Extending his hand, he dropped the jade coin onto the counter, and then pointed at it and looked to Maria for answers.

"A token of her esteem." Maria delicately picked it up and twirled it between her fingers in a display of alluring dexterity. "She recognizes in you the same thing I do, and she is eager to ensure that you understand that she has no ill-will. My guess would be that you'll find several new…acquaintances offering you their own good will. Which would be a very good thing. After all," she set the coin back down and pushed it over to him, "one can never have too many friends."

I know I'm not the smartest man around. But there is a subtext here that I am just flat missing. It has to be blindingly obvious to everyone else. Scooping the coin up, he pocketed it and nodded. With chalk in hand, he commented, 'I've never really had friends, so I feel fortunate to have any at all.'

"And I feel fortunate to have you, as well." The matter finished, she groaned as the next began. Hefting the canvas bag up onto the counter and shifting the briefcase to the side, she smiled winningly and begged, "I'd love you dearly if you'd help me count this. If she shorted us, I'm going to have to have a word with her." Grinning at the look of confusion, she clicked her tongue, "Trust, my dear Shinji-kun, but always verify."

+++++ Juban High School, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

His bag felt heavy. He doubted anyone would ever ask to see inside of it, but he was wracking his brain to try and come up with a way to explain what he had within it. Standing near the only gate he could see that led into or out of the High School he presumed his roommate attended, Shinji studiously did not look at any of the students exiting. The last thing he wanted was an officer being called on him with an accusation of perversion.

"Excuse me," a small voice sounded from behind him, and he turned to come face to face with a dappled fox.

Blinking, uncertain if he had just imagined everything, he was struck dumb when yet another animal spoke to him.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I have to ask you to be careful tonight. There are dark clouds gathering, but we can't see where." The vixen worked her back paws a few times to steady her stance. "Thank you for being so kind to Mother today, by the by."

Clad in Unit-01, unable to speak, and wearing an illusion of human normality, Shinji was still taken aback by a talking fox. I'm losing my mind.

"No." The fox tittered. "You're seeing things clearly. Words have power, Silent One, you must remember to take care in their use." Spying something, she ducked back into the bushes atop the low wall, "Your associates are coming. Please, caution." Scampering away and disappearing quickly, the vixen was gone before he could reply.

"Shinji-kun!" Minako waved happily as the four Sailors caught sight of him. "What brings you out this way? Did you…." Pausing at a hip-check from Makoto, she edited whatever it was she had been about to say, "Did you have to work very hard to make us lunch?" Smiling clumsily, it was clear that she had intended something far more playful than the question she had proffered to him.

Walking with her friends, yet still alone, Usagi was the first to approach him physically. With her voice lowered, she asked bluntly, "What do you want from me?"

The illusion that was his face blinked, and he hoped it transferred the confusion appropriately. Fishing in the front pouch of his new backpack, he pulled out a hand-sized chalkboard and red stick of chalk. His scrawl was unsteady as he wrote, 'I don't understand.' Hesitating for a second, he added below that, 'I want you to be safe. Happy.'

"And if I can never help you get home?" She ignored the trio behind her looking at each other in growing fear. "If you're stuck here forever?"

This time, he could understand the subtext. If she fails me like she feels she failed Mamoru. I'm a man, with black hair, and blue eyes. She knows I'm not him, but she can't help but see him when she sees me because I killed him. I wish I could explain that I doubt I'm ever going to go home again. But I just don't think she'd hear me. Wiping off the words, he quickly replied, 'I am sorry.'

"I've told you it wasn't your fault." Turning on her heel, she moved off. Whatever it was she'd needed, she'd either received or decided she couldn't get.

Minako and Ami looked at Makoto, nodding at some unspoken signal. It was Mercury who spoke first to Shinji, "Please keep trying to help, Shinji-san. I know it looks bad, but you're doing the right thing." Smiling with awkward hope, she ducked a quick bow and hurried after Usagi.

Minako lingered long enough to pat his chest, "I'm claiming Thursday afternoon, unless Usagi needs us to help her with this. We're not forgetting about you. We can help both of you, especially since you want to help us help her." Dashing off, she too disappeared around the corner to catch up with her allies.

Shinji looked to Makoto, worry hanging off of him. 'Is this my fault? She seemed ok last night.'

"It took me four months to cry after my parents died, Shinji-kun." Makoto slipped her arm around his and started them off towards home. "She's going to have days where she looks fine, and isn't. Days where she looks awful, but is actually fine. And days where her inner world matches her outer world. Ladies are complex creatures, and I know that nobody has bothered to help you learn the basics." Sharing a sad, but confident, smile she squeezed his arm. "Let's get home and change. You and I have places to be."

+++++ Hikawa Shrine, Azabu-Juban, Japan. (Tuesday + 3)

Rei Hino was not having the best time of her life. She was fully aware that her hatred of men was far too absolute. She was also, however, fully aware that most men in the world seemed to exist for one thing only. Her decision to judge first, question later, meant that she had to deal with fewer people believing that the Shrine Maiden only existed to be groped or leered at. She had hoped her friends would understand her position, especially considering that mechanical abominations were responsible for far more deaths than any single person could account for. It wasn't her fault that this man showed up trapped inside of a machine. She certainly didn't cause the spirits to recoil in horror at the mere thought of his presence.

The book she was skimming through, attempting to find some historical precedent to gain wisdom from so that she could better speak with those spirits, quickly joined the growing pile behind her in the 'useless' category. She'd sped through her homework, plowed through her chores, and informed her grandfather to stay out of her room. This last act inspired her response to the door opening of, "I said, 'stay out', and I meant it."

"And I told you when we had more information, we'd be in contact." Dropping her bag by the door, Usagi walked in without any of the typical friendliness that had become her trademark. "His name is Shinji Ikari. He has come to our time from either the future, or another dimension. Where he would call 'home', he was subjected to abuse from the time he was three years old. He was accused of things that he could not possibly be guilty of, and the first thing that you do is further that abuse!"

Ami had her arms wrapped around her own torso, looking down in clear discomfort. Minako was leaning against the door, frowning at the entire situation. It was evident to Rei that unanimity was not what had brought them to visit her, and apparent that she was being called to account for something that was not her fault. "Each time I have tried asking the spirits for any information about either Tuxedo Mask's whereabouts, or Ikari-san's presence, I have been met with only gibbering insanity as a response. Benign and helpful spirits typically don't recoil in terror from a good person, Tsukino. Whatever he is, or whatever he's come from, I have no evidence to support him being a positive presence."

"Mamoru is dead." The cold, blunt, finality of those words caused pain to all who heard them. "Wherever his corpse is, wherever his spirit is, it is far beyond our reach. If your spirits can't speak to you about his location, then I doubt even more than before that we can replicate what happened." Scowling down at the floor, Usagi was clearly growing angrier. "You are saying you haven't learned anything through your séances?"

"As I said," Rei met anger with anger, "the spirits are not responding to my questions. I was studying ways to coax them into helping me when you stormed in like a toddler." It had never happened, that she was aware of, that one of her fellow Princesses had caused her to feel genuine fear. When Usagi lifted her eyes from the ground to glare at her, that streak ended. "I can't demand anything of them! What do you want from me?!"

Usagi's eyes tightened momentarily, the echo of her own query to Shinji reminding her of who she was speaking to. "I want you to find a way to help us get him home. He wants to go back, even as terrible a place as it was, because he had finally found a reason to fight. Because those people need his strength. Because…there is a young woman there who…who finally reached out to him."

"And?" Minako's statement surprised everyone, causing all three to turn and look at her with visible confusion. "I'm sorry, but if his life sucked there, and it sucks less here, then here is a better place than there. Last I checked, we made it our mission to do good. Not to help bad guys do bad things to good people." Standing up tall, she set her hands on her hips and leaned forward to drive the point home. "When did you become his guardian? Have you actually asked him if he wants to go back? I think you're comparing apples and carrots here."

"Apples and oranges," Ami murmured quietly. "At least it kind of makes sense this time."

"Whatever! Whoever this young woman was she's not here now. If she was so special, don't you think she would have taken a more active hand in stopping whatever caused Shinji-kun to recoil in horror at the mere thought that someone on the other side of Kyoto might have a mild hunch of a feeling that he was thinking of perhaps looking lower than our noses?" Extending her hand towards Rei, she continued despite having Usagi's glare now on her, "Unless she happens to know spirits who understand time travel, we're kind of stuck with keeping him here. Maybe we should focus on finding out more about whatever it is we just beat with his help instead of sending the only reason we beat whatever it is to a place he, again, might not want to go!"

Rei, suddenly finding herself on the same side of an argument as Usagi, wasn't steady enough to use her more polished wit. "Did he find some sort of modeling contract, or are you just deciding to slum it from your usual high expectations? If he has battles to fight in the future, then that's where we should send him."

"Cute." The Sailor of Venus smirked, quite comfortable in taking this fight towards cattiness. "I'm sorry that you're upset at how beautiful you are, and that it bothers you so much that you can't stand to have men appreciate that, but some of us actually like it when a handsome young man makes us a wonderful meal, a wonderful desert, and then listens to us as we tell him about our day. It's called being 'emotionally available', which we both know is something you wouldn't understand."

"Stop it!" Ami stamped her foot, shifting all of the attention in the room to her. "Usagi-chan is hurting right now because Mamoru is dead. The last thing any of us should be thinking about doing right now is dating a great guy right in front of her!"

"Great guy?" Rei had finally had enough from her 'friends'. "If he's such a 'great guy' then why was he so eager to move into Kino-san's apartment? Why isn't he doing something about his own problems? Why is he hiding behind a mechanical abomination? How do you know he didn't jump into whatever portal opened on his side to escape responsibility?"

What had begun as anger had now become wrath. Usagi placed herself directly before the Shrine Maiden and spoke in a deathly quiet voice, "In order. He wasn't, we had to convince him that it was for the best so that he didn't sleep in the streets. He's found a job that fits with the fact that he isn't actually a legal person, and so he's working on being able to feed himself and pay Makoto back for everything he's using. He 'hides' inside the armor because life has overwhelmed him with pain and suffering, and he can't control when it shows up nearly as well as we can our own transformations. And lastly, because each of the many times he has apologized to my face for what has happened I have seen nothing but guilt hanging off of him. He's punishing himself for the actions of that animal, and he is all but getting on his knees to plead for forgiveness from me. A truly guilty man doesn't do this. Only someone with a good heart, who recognizes that while he may not have had control over his life, he still owns responsibility for what that life accomplishes."

Not one to back down, even when she believed that death might be glowing before her, Sailor Mars retorted hotly, "Already replacing him?"

Minako and Ami were transformed and standing between the two women before Rei's mouth closed. Though she'd just jumped on Usagi for trying to ship Shinji off, Minako understood that grief and pain were capable of doing terrible things to a woman and had moved to block her from doing something she'd regret. As strong as Usagi was, what she needed was understanding and the occasional kick in the ass, not low blows. Ami, on the balance, was now just as angered as Usagi, though she had far greater control of it. The diminutive bluenette chose to face off against the only Sailor she had no doubts as to her capacity to dismantle if necessary.

Glowing with her azure aura, the Sailor for Mercury declared firmly, "You will apologize to our friend."

Where she'd felt fear facing Usagi, Rei now felt regret facing Ami. She'd acted like the child she'd accused Usagi of being when the twin-tailed blonde stomped into her room. She was to set an example for people, for her friends. Looking away, she complied grudgingly, "I'm sorry."

Minako, unlike Ami, was very much uncertain as to the result of a fight between her and the woman she bore a resemblance to. "Why don't we walk you home, hmm?" Her heart was in her throat, but she'd do whatever it took to end any fight that began between them. "You don't have to say you accept her apology yet. We're all a little wound. Give things time to settle. I'm sure Hino-san will be very busy trying to find information on the new enemy."

Glaring still at the current target of her ire, Usagi fought her own silent battle before uttering, "Thank you for your apology." Turning about and grabbing her bag, she left as suddenly as she'd arrived.

"Go." Ami still hadn't moved and wouldn't move until she'd said her own piece. "Don't let her walk alone right now."

"You sure?" Like the others, Minako underestimated the brains of the group.

"Go." After the door shut behind the other blonde, Ami let her transformation fade. While the others weren't great at detective work, and usually relied on their intuition and their hearts, she was from a world where data and verifiability were paramount. "Something is terribly wrong."

+++++ Author's Notes:

tacitblue1973: RE: Hedgehog Mode.

It fits well with my preference of heroes that have frailties that humanize them. Shinji's the locus of phenomenal power, but his inability to control that power is part of his journey. Eventually by overcoming his emotional and mental hang-ups, his life improves. Or not. Sometimes life doesn't work out.

Guest:

RE: Yakuza.

As much as I would love to, I'll probably pass on adding Kazuma Kiryu et al into the story. It's going to be crowded enough (because when aren't my stories crowded?) that more characters will bog it down too much.

RE: YA(N)C.

I'm going to have to be careful with that cut content. It's slowing this story down with my working on that. I really do miss writing those characters, telling their stories. I know a lot about how their future goes, but getting them there and doing it justice just weren't what I wanted. I'm glad people are enjoying it though, the cut content will hopefully bridge those moments where the muse for TI(N)H leaves me.

JaceSterne:

RE: YA(N)C.

I tried not to leave everyone with only dust and echoes. I'm glad it worked out for at least some people.

RE: Maria.

Yeah…not saying, like you said: future plot points.

RE: Shinji in therapy.

"No seriously, I piloted a gigantic death god against Angels that defied the laws of physics!"

"Uh huh. Ok, and what medications did you say you were taking?"

Timingchameleon:

RE: YA(N)C.

Take your time writing the review. I certainly dawdled over getting the story finished.

RE: SM v NGE.

One begins to wonder what manner of happenstance would allow this to occur, that these worlds cross at a key moment for each. Are there plans within plans, or is everything just chaos?

RE: Rei Hino.

Man that's an interaction I'm hoping I don't boof. The love they shared in YA(N)C was clearly built on a series of comical missteps, and comedy can very easily be translated into tragedy.

DJexe:

RE: YA(N)C.

I try to tune out the noise, when looking at reviews and PMs and whatnot. There are always going to be people who thought I should have gone in a different direction. Probably what really chives my spuds is the pedantry brigade that misunderstand the difference between a plot hole and intentional ambiguity in service of symbolism and motif. If everything I introduce has a purpose, sometimes that purpose is to obfuscate other things. Sometimes it's to misdirect for a later setup. Sometimes it's a long bomb to a receiver for a touchdown. It's hard, on me, to stay upbeat enough to not have my stories suck when I'm bombarded with that, which is honestly why I've turned away from my PMs for now. Recharge my batteries, not force myself to read the negativity.

RE: Maria and the store.

Sometimes life steers you where you need to be, when you need to be there. Other times, life kicks you down a flight of stairs and lets you figure it out along the way. We'll see which one this is eventually.

SK:

RE: YA(N)C.

Hopefully the cut content fills a need for you. The multiverse I'm building might find its way back there eventually, though.

RE: Usagi.

Ha, ha…. Oh, things are a changin'.

ChronoX:

RE: Characterization.

Thank you. I'm sure I've said it elsewhere, but I prefer my characters to not be caricatures, and that requires proper characterization. Dynamic characters that aren't "Strong Man" or "Smart Woman" provide better fodder for a deeper story.

RE: YA(N)C-Shinji.

I'm glad. That really was my goal, after a while. Trying to show people that nobody is too far gone to find a purpose in life, or to find a way to do even something small to help others. Helping Shinji find the strength to be the change the world needed was a form of catharsis for me too, ironically.