Bucky Presents

An 'Other Side' production

Old Friends, New Enemies: Chapter: 12: Guardian Angels, Yeah right!

As usual Shinji had found it hard to sleep the night before. His dreams were haunted by deeply suppressed memories, ones he'd rather forget. True, they were less frequent now, but when they did appear they were terrible. The problem with them was that every morning when he woke up, he remembered everything, in complete detail.

This morning was no exception.

After he and Asuka got home from school he had decided to retire early, really early, to try and catch up on some sleep; big mistake on his part. He had planned on telling Misato about Asuka and himself that night, but he was too tired. He lied awake for three hours, listening to his SDAT, leaving his room only to eat and say goodnight to his roommates. Asuka wasn't the only one to shoot him a worried glance as he quietly slipped back into his room.

He dreamt of her again last night, unknown to him, exactly who 'she' was. A girl, his size and age roughly, long grey hair that shined with a milky glow in the moonlight. This didn't seem too strange. He had seen many Anime shows with girls who had grey hair; it was the eyes, however, that drew in his attention. Those eyes seemed to bypass the barriers of his mind and look directly into his soul, those dark, red eyes.

Shinji sighed loudly as his eyes finally adjusted to the early morning light in his room. He hadn't realised he had awoken, but knew that he had been stuck somewhere between sleep and consciousness. In that instant, a fragment of his dream emerged.

Shinji stood on the shores of a lake, surrounded by rubble. The girl with her noticeably silver locks stood before him. Her slender feet rested serenely above the water, without so much as causing a ripple. Then she spoke, "Have you ever had a dream Shinji? One that was so real that you could swear you were awake? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you tell the difference between the dream and the real world?"

A soft whimper brought the brown haired boy back from his thoughts. He halfway sat up, but soon found it to be impossible due to the two arms wrapped around his waist; the more he tried to sit up the harder the arms squeezed. He looked to his left to see the familiar face of Asuka Langley Soryhu, his best friend-turned-girlfriend.

She was still asleep with the most content smile on her lips; one that Shinji hadn't seen in all the years he knew her. When did she sneak into his room? Better yet, when did he fall asleep? No answers came, and all that he could remember was his SDAT clicking over to the final song on the tape and indicating that it was almost out of power.

Shinji lay his head back down on his pillow, which was half occupied by Asuka. The scarlet haired girl let out another soft whimper and her peaceful smile slipped away; her face contorted into that of agony.

This time the young Ikari was awake to see a single tear slide down Asuka's cheek and wet the cloth, covering the pillow. Very slowly, he shifted closer to her and leaned his head in.

"Are your dreams as troubled as mine?" he whispered softly before he brought his hand up to wipe the tear away. "I hope not." Shinji released a long breath and kissed Asuka on the forehead before settling back into the pillow for some additional sleep.

Any chances of that, however were washed out as the boy heard the all-too-familiar 'whoop' from his other roommate.

It was confirmed. Misato was up and already chugging down her first beer of many. He sighed loudly as the redhead next snuggled against him began to stir, awakened by the loudest morning person in the entire world.

The first thing Asuka was aware of was warmth; the second would have been the feeling of another's skin on her arms. She would have liked for that to have been the element that had woken her, unfortunately that was not the case. She turned her head slightly so she was looking at the door and gave her 'graceful-as-usual' response to such annoyances.

 "QUIET!!!!"

"AWWW, sounds like Asuka woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!!" Misato teased from the kitchen while throwing back her head to accept half the contents from another can.

Asuka growled, spun her head round and buried it deep into the pillow trying to block out the noise Misato was causing. After about three seconds, however, the girl realised that the bed's other occupant was indeed awake. She lifted her head from the pillow and looked at the boy next to her. He was sitting up slightly, resting his head against the wall behind his bed. The redhead noted that he was staring straight ahead, not paying any attention to the commotion outside, not even blinking.

"I see you're awake," Shinji said softly, while continuing to stare over the girl beside him.

"Um, yeah…morning," Asuka sat up a little, still holding her arms around Shinji's chest. "How long have you been awake?" she asked, settling herself up against the wall also.

"About five minutes," the brown haired boy answered finally shifting his gaze to his companion. He smiled slightly at her, "and when did you sneak in?"

Asuka couldn't help but turn a light shade of crimson, though she had slept in his bed before. "Well, about four o'clock, maybe a little earlier, but only by a few minutes." Asuka looked up at Shinji, smiled, and put on the innocent look, "I had a nightmare."

Shinji laughed softly and Asuka joined in, "yeah right."

"Really."

"Yeah I believe you (cough) not."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Who, me? No, I'd be to scared to tease the devil."

"Oh now you're going to get it Shinji!" Asuka proclaimed while giving the brown haired boy a light slap over his head, "I wonder if you're still…TICKLISH!!"

"Oh shit!"

Shinji tried to squirm away but Asuka still had one arm effectively pinning him to the wall. She smiled like a cat that had just found the entrance to a canary cage wide open. With her free hand the feisty German female began to mercilessly tickle the boy's chest causing him to chuckle.

"Okay! Okay! Stop! Stop!"

"Do you surrender?"

"Never!" Shinji guffawed, trying another failure-of-an-escape-tactic to save his pride from further humiliation.

"Ok then," Asuka shrugged and repositioned her hands under Shinji's armpits to continue her 'torture', "still wanna resist?"

"No! No! Okay, you win!"

"HAHA, Asuka Langley Soryhu always wins!" the redhead released her grip on the boy and sat up a bit.

Shinji smiled warily at Asuka, as she retreated somewhat, and then took the situation into his own hands. With one skilful leap he grabbed Asuka's arms with one of his own, linking them so that it would be impossible to escape.

"My turn," he smiled devilishly, "Now I just have to remember where you were ticklish the most."

He started with a light tickle under her arm, causing her to giggle slightly "You're not even close Shinji."

"I remember where it was," he smiled and moved his hand to her back. He slid it down softly until he found the spot that he was looking for. "There it is." Slowly, he started to tickle her weak spot, found many years ago during their pillow fights that had ended in tickle wars. It was on her back below the fifth lumbar down.

Asuka found herself holding in the laughter as best she could, so well in fact her face was beginning to turn a bright red. Shinji smiled and just tickled faster until the redhead could no longer stand it. She burst out laughing and began squirming about trying to free herself, "You're a meanie Shinji Ikari."

"SHINJI! ASUKA! Get up or you'll be late for school!" Misato yelled as she opened Shinjis door, but thankfully didn't bother looking in. The violet haired woman just mechanically opened it, ignorantly shouted inside, and continued down the hall to her room for the same dressing routine.

The two teens exchanged amused looks and then got out of the bed Asuka was a little reluctant to stand too close to Shinji in case he tried to get her again. Shinji decided to use Asukas fear against her to get to the bathroom first; he looked at her as if he'd resume his attack. Seeing the look in Shinji's eye, Asuka backed away; unfortunately the only place to go was the corner of his room.

"You're not going to get me again Shinji," she warned him with a mock-glare in her eyes.

The young Ikari smiled and then looked behind him to his door, "You're right, but I'll get to the bathroom first." With that he took off into the hallway, Asuka following behind waving her fist menacingly in the air.

****

After finishing a much-hastened shower, Shinji immediately went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and the usual lunches for him and Asuka. He did this every morning for two reasons: the first was he hated the school cafeteria food, and the second was that he hated Misato's cooking even more. You could say all the nice things about Misato in the world, but the one thing you can't add to her list of compliments would be a good cook.

The early morning drunkard's cooking could make anyone see instant food as a gourmet meal with all the fancy trimmings. If just burning an instant meal were pathetic, Misato would have to study the culinary arts for three years to earn such a prestigious label.

The brown haired boy, pilot to Evangelion Unit-01, was good at everything he tried to cook. He had made friends with Pen-Pen when he first moved in because the poor bird was glad someone was there to cook food that wouldn't poison him, and Ritsuko Akagi, who visited often before Asuka came, insisted that it be Shinji's turn to cook when she came over.

His German girlfriend could handle cooking instant food, a few simple German dishes, as well as a couple of American ones. It wasn't what anyone would call perfect or restaurant material, but it wouldn't kill any who consumed it.

What he was making now was nothing special, just the typical Miso soup, toast, and fresh fish for his Penguin friend who would emerge from his fridge shortly. For their lunches he had prepared something that was a little more tasty than usual, he had decided on some Sautéed Chicken with a side of fried rice, good for a hot or cold meal.

"Morning Shinji," Misato chirped happily as she strolled into the kitchen, satisfied that she had completed her morning ritual. She was now dressed in her black dress and that red jacket she always liked wearing along with her military hat to complete the outfit. The raven haired woman sat down at the table and smiled when Shinji handed her a bowl of soup and a plate of toast, "so who was it last night?"

Shinji looked at Misato with confusion, "Who? What?"

Misato waited until she had swallowed the piece of toast she was chewing before answering, "Who had the nightmare? Asuka was in your bed so, was it you or her that had the nightmare?"

"Umm…Asuka," the brown haired boy turned around as he concealed a slight blush. He opted to continue stirring the soup on the stove.

Misato smiled at the boy devilishly and switched into teasing mode, remembering what Asuka had told her and Ritsuko the day before. "So Shinji, what do you think your girlfriend will say about you sleeping in the same bed as another woman?"

There was a splash as Shinji promptly dropped the spoon into the pot of soup, "h-how did you know I had a girlfriend?"

"Asuka told me," Misato giggled to herself knowing she had the boy cornered, "so what would she think?"

"She's…she's okay with it," he stammered while trying to retrieve the spoon without scalding his fingers.

Asuka chose that moment to make her entrance and sit down at the table, "Morning, what are you two going on about?"

"Shinji's girlfriend."

"Oh, Shinji's girlfriend."

"Yup, so Shinji, who is she?" Misato leaned forward and gave him that crafty grin that she always held when finding out personal info.

"Yeah Shinji, WHO is she?" Asuka inquired also leaning forward slightly, wanting to see what he would do.

The brown haired Eva pilot turned around to see Misato with her teasing grin on and Asuka with the biggest smirk he had seen. He shook his head and sighed loudly.

"Wait!" Misato shouted holding her hands up, "let me guess, is it…a girl from school?"

Shinji just nodded, after all Asuka did go to his school.

"Is she beautiful?"

"Exquisite," Shinji answered glancing slightly at Asuka, who in return turned a nice shade of scarlet.

"Do I know her?"

Shinji nodded.

"Is it…Rei?" Misato asked with a sly smirk, "I bet it is Rei. I knew you had a thing for her the moment you…"

"WONDERGIRL!!!! No way in hell!" Asuka yelled as she stood up from her seat and slammed her fist into the table.

"Why couldn't it be Rei?" the playful roommate queried a little shocked from the sudden outburst.

"There's no way I'd let her dig her filthy claws into Shinji," she stormed around the table and up to Shinji who had also cowered a little from her shouting. Asuka turned to Misato who still looked a little confused, "AND this is WHY!" With that the redhead grabbed Shinji by the collar with both hands and drew him into a deep passionate kiss.

Shinji was a little stunned at first but soon relaxed and kissed her back. His arm found its way around her waist while his other hand came up to cup her face. They stayed like that for at least two minutes just kissing each other and embracing gently, not wanting the moment to end, but like all good things it did end. When it did the two teens were both short on breath and needed a few seconds to recover.

Once the two drew their eyes off of the other they were greeted by the sight of a fully-grown woman passed out on the floor, with her mouth hanging wide open.

"Bad idea?" Asuka looked back at Shinji and they both stared at each other.

Shinji just nodded and rested his forehead against hers, "Not the best way to tell her, but, better than not I suppose."

"Are you sure? Because you do know that she'll be watching us all the time now," Asuka sighed and closed her eyes. "We'll never be alone, and I won't be allowed to sleep in your room."

Shinji smirked slightly, "What she doesn't know…"

Asuka completed the sentence, "Won't hurt her."

"You got it," Shinji smiled again more widely, "that kiss was incredible you know."

"Well if you are nice and say please I'll be happy to repeat it."

****

Rei Ayanami awoke to the very same solitude that she had fallen to sleep with, no sound but the constant echo of silence. She sighed loudly and arose from her small metallic bed. She often wondered what it would be like to wake and hear sounds other than ones own breathing or heartbeat; to hear people living life in the many ways that the human race did. She wondered what it would be like for Ikari, to wake up and hear another person making breakfast or bathing in the room across from his.

The tranquil girl made her way across the cold hard floor, not minding that she was naked, or that her feet were cold from the touch of the tiles beneath. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts; she had spent so much time contemplating just what the meaning of her life was. Her life. Not the one of the Rei before her, or the one who could replace her, but hers.

She knew her purpose in life: to defeat the angels, to save the human race by becoming one with all. That was her purpose, but what was her meaning. Why did she exist, if not to be the carrier of mankind's salvation, then what? If this task were not required, then would she also not be needed? Would she exist if such a threat didn't?

"Why do you fight?"

"Because I am bonded."

"To Eva?"

"To all humans."

"You're very strong Rei."

'Is this what it is to be strong? To take orders willingly without a sense of fear or pain or loss of life? Or is strength the ability to fight for something right?'

Rei cleared her head of thoughts and began dressing herself in her school uniform. After she had finished dressing in the typical school uniform she stopped and stared at the small mirror in front of her.

"I can be replaced as easily as I see myself here."

"Yes, your body can be replaced as easily as the last, but what is held in your heart can never be taken from you. Your soul carries with it the ability to do great harm, or great good. It is how you use the power that makes you what you are."

"Who are you? You speak to me as if you were here."

"I am like you. We were once one and will again be the same." 

"There is only one me. I am…myself."

"Yes."

****

"Shinji has got to be joking!"

 Toji Suzuhara, self-proclaimed lord of the running track, designated stooge number one. The black haired jock was sitting, leaning back, in his chair at the same desk he had sat at since the start of the year. He had seen many come and go in this school yet his, Kensukes and Hikaris seats were the only to remain the same.

The class had once again been dropped to a minimal number; people who lived in the city took time off frequently to attend funerals for those that died in Angel attacks or to visit friends or family members who were injured. Though the 8th Angel wasn't anywhere near the city there were still casualties, financial casualties. An A-17 order was not just an order to attack an Angel. It also brought the bustling business of Tokyo-III and the potential profits that followed to a standstill.

"No, I don't think he is," Kensuke Aida, self proclaimed Intelligence Expert, designated stooge number two. Kensuke was never to far away from his trusty camcorder or his stooge buddy Toji. They both sat in the back row on the far side of the classroom next to the windows. The two would spend their mornings just talking to each other about trivial things: what they did on the weekend, what new Anime was out, how the last Angel battle went. This morning's discussion was a little more complicated as it concerned on of their own.

"Seriously man, Shinji isn't thinking straight," Toji waved his hand at his friend. He had been spending the better part of the morning trying to convince the spectacled boy that Shinji was…loopy. "I tell ya he has been in the Eva too many times and it's fried his brain or somethin," he sighed and shook his head, "like I told him, I know he and that…devil have history but…she's a BITCH!"

"Mega bitch I think is the correct term Toji," Kensuke corrected adjusting his glasses "I'm with you there pal, but Shinji is his own man. He obviously likes her a lot otherwise he wouldn't have said anything to us."

"What ya mean by that?"

"I mean he could have not told us and just went out with Asuka behind our backs."

"So!!"

"So, that means that she means so much that he doesn't want to have to sneak around about it. He wants us to be happy for him."

"I'll be happy when she dies in an Angel battle, or when Rei comes and snatches Shinji away from her." Toji crossed both his arms over his chest and leaned his head back, "She's a bitch and she's completely wrong for Shinji, he should be going out with someone like Rei…or that girl from the next class, you know the one with the cute ass."

"You mean Myoki Katsumi, yeah she does seem more like Shinji's type. She's quiet, smart, fun to be around and she has a great body to boot," Kensuke grinned as Toji began to smile triumphantly, "BUT she hasn't been through what Ikari has, doesn't know the horrors he's seen, and she doesn't love him."

"ARGH, you are gonna fight me all the way aren't you?" the all-star jock leaned forward and landed the front two legs of the seat onto the floor. "Kensuke I don't like her and I know that she will hurt my best buddy. I don't want that. Do you?"

Kensuke thought for a moment then sighed loudly, "It would hurt him more if his friends betrayed his trust. Don't do anything Toji or you'll be the one to hurt him."

"We'll see."

****

Doctor Akagi wasn't usually one to pry into other people's personal lives, but when Misato Katsuragi found out a certain piece of information she just had to know what it was. The time was approaching nine o'clock in the morning and the good doctor had been at NERV since four AM, the previous day, conducting routine Magi scans. She was just about to leave to get a little rest when Misato rang her and told her they were to meet in a bar around the corner for a drink and a 'chat'.

Ritsuko entered the small establishment that was just a block away from the Matsu street entrance to NERV HQ. It was a simple bar that the two friends had used many times for 'lunch breaks' and such. Misato, as one would expect, became the bars best customer within the first few visits.

A quick survey of the room and the blond haired woman located her best friend and comrade. She was sitting on a bar stool at the bar slugging back what looked to be an expensive German beer, 'must be really bad news.'

"Don't you think it's a bit early to get plastered Misato?" Ritsuko inquired as she pulled up a stool next to her pal.

The progressively tipsy operations director looked up from her half consumed beer to see the scientific head of E-project, "you know me Ritsu I have no… hic…shame." Misato looked over to the bar tender, a pudgy little fellow with brown hair, "she'll have a scotch on the rocks."

Ritsuko glared at the violet haired woman "that's a little presumptuous Misato. How do you know that I want that? I might want a beer." Doctor Akagi hated one thing in this world, people who thought she was 'Predictable.'

"Oh yeah…then what do you want Ritsu?" Misato asked in her sly teasing voice that was usually reserved for Shinji.

"Well…uh…" Ritsuko glanced at Misato then over to the bartender then back to Misato, "ARGH, scotch on the rocks, make it a double." She turned to her suddenly puffed chest companion, "happy?"

Misato just nodded twice then gulped down the remainder of her drink. She hadn't had many yet, though add the four she had just then and the seven or eight she had before coming then you get one slightly drunk woman. "So why were you…still at NERV?"

"Oh, just some routine Magi checks, nothing serious" the blond answered tiredly, rubbing her eyes as the bartender approached. The pudgy man set a glass of scotch with ice in it and a bottle in front of Ritsuko, "so Misato, what did you call me down here for? Something interesting I hope?"

The violet haired woman composed herself while she waited for the bartender to move away, she let out a deep breath and began "Well, you remember…the other day when Asuka said something about Shinji…having a girlfriend?"

Ritsuko nodded and smiled slightly, 'ah ha so the mystery has been solved! Wonder who it is…could be Rei, most likely IS Rei.' The blond was a little worried that it was Rei, there was no way the commander would let such an 'attachment' deviate her from her purpose. "It's Rei isn't it?" she asked a little concern and anxiety in her voice.

Misato took one look at her long time friend and shook her head, "Nope and I wouldn't let Asuka here you say that if I were you."

"Oh and why not?" Ritsuko asked a little relieved that it was not the blue haired enigma known as Rei Ayanami but also a little shocked at the same time.

"Because she hates Rei", Misato chuckled lightly, "Asuka would rather die than let Shinji go out with her, you can bet on that."

Ritsuko scratched her chin for a second, her mind trying to guess the mystery girlfriend, "so Asuka has to like who Shinji dates, therefore it's someone Asuka likes?"

"Yep you got that right…Asuka LOVES this girl," Misato said with a crafty smirk.

"Well that's a first I'd think that Asuka would HATE any girl who dated her best friend, so…hmm…" the deducing scientist thought some more. It was not Rei; it was someone that Shinji would have feelings for, someone that Asuka would approve of. "Ah ha, I think I got it! Is it that girl that Asuka knows from school, you know that Horaki girl?"

"Nope," the cloak and dagger operations director was enjoying teasing her friend, making the best out of a dismal situation was always a little fun. "I'll give you a hint…she's from another country."

"Oh great that helps," Ritsuko remarked sarcastically, "Do you know how many transfer students are in Shinji's year level? Or…don't tell me he's dating someone younger than him! Or older for that matter!"

The blond sighed as Misato shook her head and started chuckling again, "Oh god, I give up why don't you just TELL ME!!"

"HAHA! the GREAT Ritsuko Akagi can master Bio-Mechanics and super AI computers but can't figure out who Shinji is dating!" the violet haired woman was closing in on hysteria; her laugh was only subdued by the urge to actually be allowed back to the bar. "Okay…Okay. I'll tell you. Asuka likes this girl because…she is Asuka. Asuka is Shinji's girlfriend."

Ritsuko looked at her friend as if she had just told the most pathetic joke in the world, "You must be drunk Misato cause you just said that the Second and Third children were dating."

Misato stopped chuckling and turned serious, "I did, and they are."

"WHAT?! You're kidding me! Shinji and…her! Oh god," the blond took a quick moment to roll her tongue up, pull her jaw off the floor, and clamp it shut. This news was more than shocking it was pure heart failure material, "Shinji, Asuka, s-since when? How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know, almost a week I think. I can't be sure," Misato turned to face her friend on the stool, "what am I to do Ritsu? I don't know what I can do about this. I can't break them up but I can't really allow this. I mean if it interferes with their piloting I'll be the one to cop it from Commander Ikari. Also they live together, and you know what two dating teens living together is like."

"This is a tough one," Ritsuko considered, taking a swig of her previously untouched scotch, "maybe you can allow it. We can ask the commander and see what he says?" She suggested before placing her glass back down and pouring another from the bottle.

"You think so? But is it a good idea?"

"Well…yeah. Shinji has been much happier the last week and he's improving in piloting skills and synch rates." Ritsuko could see the benefits in this relationship and felt that it would be a good idea to let them continue it, with the Commanders permission of course.

"So as long as he keeps his scores and piloting skills up they should be allowed to go out?" Misato sighed as her friend nodded, she didn't completely approve of the relationship on two accounts. The first was that the two lived together. This would create tension if they argued, which was inevitable. And the second was that she didn't want either of them hurt. One would eventually break the others heart and she was afraid it would be Shinji's that was broken.

"Correct, I'm sure the commander will agree I'll take care of that half you can just tell the children."

"Hold on why are you okay with this? Is it because Shinji has a higher synch ratio?" Misato questioned pointing her finger menacingly at Ritsuko.

"No Misato, you may think that's all I care about but…Shinji is a good boy, he's been through a lot. I just want him to be happy for a while and so should you." The blond stood up a little shakily due to a lack of sleep, "now if you'll excuse me I'm off to bed for a few hours. Just watch over them and help them when they need it and everything will be fine."

Misato sighed loudly as her friend of many years left the building and headed for home, "I hope so, for both their sakes."

****

     Rei Ayanami walked calmly into the classroom as she had done every morning since she started attending school in the seventh grade. One of her more desirable traits was the ability to arrive exactly on time for everything. If someone said they were having a party around seven Rei would arrive at seven not a second early or late, exactly on seven (not that she was invited to parties, it's just an example).

The class wasn't very large considering the size of the city they lived in. There were only four and a half rows, each with five or so single seat desks. The blue haired girl had noted the student body declining as the Angel attacks became more frequent and dangerous.

As usual she moved through the chairs and desks to the far window overlooking the grass field and a large Sakura tree. She enjoyed looking out over the field of green with the occasional spot of white from small flowers that had managed to escape the grounds keepers' lawnmower blades. The view was that of pure tranquillity in the morning, however once the students arrived for their various track events it became clustered and noisy.

The silent pilot sat in her seat, placed her elbows on the desk, and then rested her head in her hands, set to face the view of course. She admired nature; it was something that she fought for. Though her main reason would always remain she had found other things to fight for.

Something he had taught her, something he had shown her when they were first paired together. He had enlightened her mind to more than one thing and one thing alone. "Ikari," the soft whisper barley audible escaped her lips; if anyone else were actually looking they would have seen a once in a million show. She smiled a soft, simple smile that could be topped by no other.

"Hey Ayanami," Rei's smile dropped and was replaced by the same lifeless façade she had always carried. She inclined her head to see who had summoned her and for what reason. She did not actually know anyone apart from Shinji and Asuka, but they were not there.

A second later and the blue hired girl traced the voice to its owner, Toji Suzuhara. "Yes mister Suzuhara?" Her voice was monotonous and she wore a blank expression on her face.

Toji came up from his spot in the back of the classroom and set himself down on a desk next to the First Child's, "So what's up Ayanami?"

Rei regarded the track-suited boy for a minute before coming to the most logical conclusion, "the sky. Is that all you wish to talk about?"

The jock was shocked and confused, 'Gee I knew she was thick but not THIS thick.'

He scratched the back of his head and sighed, "Listen I wanna talk to ya about Shinji, it's rather important."

"If it is about Ikari, I will listen" the girl of logic answered. Her interest immediately perked up, "What is it about Ikari you wish to discuss?"

"Ya, well ya see Shinji is sorta going out with the Devil…uh I mean Asuka," Toji stammered trying to remember he wasn't talking to one of his friends and that Ayanami wouldn't refer to her as 'The Devil.'

Rei looked forward towards the board and answered, her lips twitching into a slight frown, "Yes, I am aware of the Seconds advancements on Ikari."

"Well it's not just her, he's doing it too. Anyway I don't like it, I don't agree with Shinji on this one and I think he's with the wrong girl. He's too good for that bitch and I don't want to see him hurt when she finally gets bored with him."

"Pilot Soryu and pilot Ikari have been together before, am I not correct?" Rei asked still staring straight ahead not looking at anything in particular.

Toji scratched his head and thought for a moment, "That's different they were only friends back then, now…"

"I see…" the subtle girl finally shifted her head to take in the boy that sat next to her, "How does this concern me?"

"Well," the jock started, placing his hand under his chin to make him look 'intelligent', "I would like you to talk some sense into him. He's gone whacko and needs someone calm and intelligent like you to bring him back from the loony bin."

"I am unaware that Ikari has been admitted to a psychiatric facility," Rei frowned at Toji.

The black haired jock slapped his forehead with the palms of his hands, "He's not, I mean that was a…you know…uh…whatcha-ma-call-it…uh…FIGURE OF SPEECH."

"I see," The blue haired Eva pilot said still frowning at the boy in front of her, "so you wish for me to talk to Ikari and tell him that he should discontinue his relationship with the second?"

"Yes, either that or talk to the devil yourself, I mean Sorhyu," Toji once again hit himself for the slip up. After all Shinji had asked him to be 'nicer' to the Redheaded Devil, not to mention Rei only knew her as pilot Sorhyu or Asuka.

Rei studied the boy for a moment she found her answer in his eyes, "Yes, I will help you." Toji smiled at her nodded, stood and walked off. Rei remained staring at the spot the jock had left vacant, a voice came to her it was familiar.

"Why did you agree to help him?"

"Because he wishes to help Ikari, I saw it in his eyes."

"What did you see?"

"Concern for Ikari, for his happiness."

"Are you sure this will lead him to happiness?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps it will lead YOU to happiness?"

****

The students of class 2-A would have killed for an Angel to attack at this point of time. They were completely unaware of the true concept of the word boring up until now. The Sensei had of course chosen to review his 'life story,' well not really. It was more like a class on Second Impact that trailed off into what the old guy was doing before and after it.

Their Sensei was a short man, he looked old and the wrinkles on his face could each tell their own story. He had slightly grey hair and a beard that covered half of his chin and jaw bone.

Since moving to Tokyo-3 Asuka had pretty much memorized how everyone in the class looked, she was constantly bored with what everyone else was learning. She had heard it all before, Math, Basic Physics, Literature and especially Second Impact. The only thing that was different was that she knew the truth behind Second Impact. The fact that it was really an Angel, known only as Adam, that selfdestructed and melted the continent of Antarctica, not a meteor.

No one would ever know though, the truth had been carefully covered up by NERV and the U.N. The only reason Asuka knew was that she could be trusted and had to know because of her pilot status. The girl sighed and lowered her head onto her desk it would be hours before school ended, or at least a half hour until lunch.

Asuka smiled as she lifted her head to glance at Shinji Ikari from across the room. Today he sat with his two friends Toji and Kensuke, mostly out of guilt for neglecting them the other day. The three sat in the corner quietly chatting their voices too low for her or the Sensei to hear. Her smile faded as Toji glanced her way and gave her the stooge equivalent of her look of death. She was unimpressed and just shot daggers at him with a glare of her own.

A soft beeping sound drew the redhead's attention to the laptop computer on her desk, she opened it up and a message appeared. She pressed the accept button and read the screen carefully.

SORHYU, PLEASE ACOMPANY ME TO THE CAFETERIA AT LUNCH FOR A 'CHAT'

              -AYANAMI-

"Wondergirl!?" Asuka slapped her hand over her mouth as she said that a bit too loudly and drew the attention of a few students. They looked at her for a moment until she glared at them with the 'look of death' then they all promptly spun around to the front.

"What the hell does Wondergirl want?" she asked herself making sure to keep it at a whisper so know one would hear. Asuka knew there was only one way to find out, well there were other ways but it would be just easier to ask. She began typing and soon her message was ready to send, with a quick glance she noted its perfect spelling and grammar and pressed send.

Rei was totally unused to using the computer network system that the school utilized, so when a beep indicated a message she almost fell out of her chair. Recovering quickly and without drawing any attention she clicked on the message to open it.

WHAT DO YOU WANT WONDERGIRL? I HAVE PLANS WITH SHINJI AND HIKARI.

                  -SORHYU-

The blue haired Eva pilot frowned at her computer screen as If it were the Second Child itself. Her eyes flew over the message twice more before she began to write a reply, a second later it was sent.

Asuka received another message and she opened it, curious to see what had caused the 'Ice Queen' to want to talk to her.

IT IS IKARI I WISH TO DISCUSS WITH YOU, PILOT SORHYU. PLEASE MEET WITH ME AT LUNCH.

                    -AYANAMI-  

The carbon copy reply confused the redhead even more. Why would Rei want to talk to her about Shinji? She sent her reply of a simple okay, but she had an uneasy feeling that refused to dissipate, not even when the bell finally rang and the masses began their exodus.

Asuka stood and turned to Shinji who was approaching from the back of the room; she smiled sweetly at the boy then scowled at the two stooges that followed. "Hey Shinji, I forgot I have some things to take care of. Do you wanna eat with your…" the redhead trailed off as she gave a quick look at the two, "FRIENDS?"

The brown haired boy gave her a confused look then glanced back at his two buddies, "actually I was going to ask if you minded me spending lunch with the guys."

"Hmmm…were you really?" Asuka said with a sarcastic smirk, "oh well if you'd wanna spend time with them instead of me…I suppose I'll allow it this one time. BUT, remember you are mine for the rest of the week."

"Ahhh…" Shinji grimaced a little as his redheaded girlfriend gave him a scowl that told him there was no way out of it. "Well, you see…ah…its Toji's birthday on Saturday, and well, I'm going to stay at his place tonight. Then we're all going to the beach tomorrow."

Asuka turned from Shinji and glared at the two stooges, mainly the Jock and self proclaimed track god. "Shinji, what happens if an Angel attacks, hmm? Did you ask Misato about this?"

"I just called her; she said it's ok as long as I keep my cell-phone on me," Shinji replied with a forced smile.

"I thought you couldn't swim?"

"I can't but what's to stop me from GOING and having a bit of fun?" Shinji shrugged still forcing a smile as he convinced the redhead to let him go. Asuka was not impressed, she wouldn't see him tonight, and then tomorrow either. She opened her mouth to start more protesting but was cut off by another voice.

"Toji!" the attention of the group collectively turned to the new admittance to the conversation. Behind them the unmistakable brown hair and pigtails of Hikari Horaki were noticed, she approached and smiled sweetly.

Toji flushed a bright red as the girl looked directly at him with a smile that could melt butter. Hikari herself turned a slightly crimson as she spoke, "I…I got your message during class, I'd love to come to your party."

The black haired jock stopped blushing and looked confusedly at the girl, "Sorry did you just say ya got a message from me?"

Hikari looked at him suspiciously and then smiled, "Yes I did, and I will come tomorrow so I'll meet you at 10:00, so don't be late." With that the shy class rep turned, nodded a quick hello to Asuka then walked off to punish some line jumpers at the cafeteria.

Toji just stared on with confusion, he hadn't sent any messages, and the only ones that knew about his birthday were Shinji and Kensuke. Toji being head stooge failed to put two and two together to get four. The other stooges in question shared a knowing smile.

Asuka no longer the centre of attention decided to clear her throat loudly, as the boys shifted their glances back to the redhead she rested both hands on her hip and arched an eyebrow. "So you invited HIKARI but not ME?! I thought I would be first considering who I AM, not only am I the BEST Eva pilot but I'm also your friends GIRLFRIEND!!"

All three males stepped back at Asukas outburst, she had yelled loud enough for the entire student population who hadn't left the room to cringe. Toji was the first to recover, "It's MY birthday and I will invite WHO I want, not someone who makes my skin crawl!!"

Unit-02s pilots eyes widened for a second then drew down into dangerous slits, her lips curled slightly into a frown and her eyebrows began to twitch. Shinji finally recovered from the shock of his girlfriends' actions, he had known her for years and knew she had a temper but he had never seen it.

He stepped forward carefully and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Asuka, calm down, please."

The touch of his hand was enough to subdue the girls rising anger, her eyes stopped twitching and her frown disappeared, though she didn't smile either. Her glance inched away from the stooge and she found herself staring into Shinjis blue orbs.

Immediately Asukas eyes softened and she forced a smile to her face, "Okay, I'm fine." At that instant the redhead remembered why she had come to tell Shinji, and that Wondergirl was waiting somewhere. She turned her head and found the blue haired girl sitting in her chair observing them with the same emotionless face as always.

"Shinji I have to go and talk to…someone so go have lunch okay? I want to see you before you go to…" she pointed to Toji with a disgusted facial expression "…his house though."

"Ok, remember we have Doctor Akagi's experiment tonight, so I'll see you then ok?" Shinji smiled at the redhead, this time no longer forced. She returned his smile with her own and walked off calmly to the other side of the room.

Toji and Kensuke took this moment to tease their friend, "Damn that girlfriend of yours is a real demon!"

Shinji sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead in his palm, "This is going to be a long day."

****

The clear air smelled fresh from the vantage point of the roof. The school grounds were a buzz with activity as students ate their lunches and chatted amongst themselves. Rei Ayanami leaned against the railing and looked over, she watched as a certain group of teenagers made their way to a bench.

Her lips curled up into the faintest smile as she eyed the three boys who sat and began eating while engaged in the most common of human communications. She had not paid much attention to the way that humans acted around each other, it wasn't important to her. She had wanted to remain in the shadows, until the time had come for her to fulfil her purpose.

That was before 'he' came.

"So?" The blue haired girl turned her head slowly to eye the Second child. Rei had forgotten that she was there. Asuka stepped up to the railing and leaned her back against it, "so what did you want to talk about?"

Rei looked at the second for a while longer trying to remember herself what she had asked the redhead to come for. She found her answer when she glanced back at the group of three in the courtyard below. She once again looked to Asuka and spoke quietly, "Ikari."

"Yeah I know THAT!!" Asuka shot back sarcastically, she sighed loudly remembering that this WAS Rei Ayanami the First Child, "WHAT is it about Shinji that you want to talk about?"

"You and pilot Ikari are…dating, are you not?" Unit-00s pilot inquired.

"YES, what's it to you?" was the sharp reply.

"I do not know," Rei said quietly, she had heard the question as 'What is it to you?' Her mind was thrown into a state of chaos unlike any she had ever experienced, what was the significance of this girl dating Shinji? "I have been informed that certain parties are unhappy with this…situation," the girl finally answered, avoiding the previous question.

Asuka glared at the first Child indignantly at the comment; of course she knew that there were some who didn't approve of her. "Yeah so what?!" she remarked angrily "Is there a point to this or am I wasting my time?"

"I…think that I am also unhappy, I think…" the girl stopped and tried to interpret her thoughts and feelings into words that would be appropriate. She looked over the Second Child who had now left the railing and was glaring at her with a clenched fist, "I…like Ikari, and I do not wish to see him…hurt."

"WHAT?!" Asuka's fist clenched down even more almost digging her nails into her own palm. The redhead scowled at the girl that was standing in front of her who just told her that she liked her boyfriend. Asuka saw a number of images flash through her mind, mainly involving her, Rei, and a forty-four calibre sawed-off shotgun, or at least a baseball bat, preferably a metal one.

"YOU WHAT?!!!" The redheads' eyes had narrowed and almost turned blood red in rage. After all what is she to do when another girl claims that she likes her Shinji, possibly in that special way? The answer was clear to Asuka, she could see it in Reis eyes she knew that it wasn't just like it was LIKE! The thing that scared her most was that she knew Shinji liked the First Child back, in his own way.

"I like Ikari," Rei repeated calmly, seriously unaware of how close she was to dismemberment or at least a brutal bashing that would leave her in hospital for months. "I do not wish to see him hurt, I'm sure that you do not either?"

The redhead snapped back, "Of course I don't!! But how would he be hurt anyway?" Asuka took a moment before she came to the answer of her own question. The answer was her. This blue haired bitch was telling Asuka that she would hurt Shinji. Of all the people she would be the one to hurt him. Her fist clenched even more, if possible "Are you implying that I'm going to hurt Shinji?"

"Possibly, perhaps he will hurt himself, but it would be logical to assume that your relationship with Ikari will not last." Rei analysed the situation, thinking out the best way for her to achieve her goal, but what was her goal? Was it to protect the Third Child from emotional harm, or was it something more personal to her?

"WHY THE HELL NOT?!!!"

"Ikari is soft, kind…he gives without thought of return. He is quiet and fragile. You are loud, arrogant and from what I have herd of others you are Lucifer's daughter." The blue haired pilot stared back down at the table in which the Third Child and his friends ate. She then turned back to the Second, "If you truly care for Ikari you will let him be, it is better to live in loneliness than to live with the pain of a broken heart."

Asuka watched, barely able to move, as the First Child walked off calmly towards the rooftop door. Her anger was beginning to elevate into overdrive. She looked over to the door and then over the railing to the ground below. She saw him sitting there; she knew know what Ayanami kept looking at.

At that moment her anger subsided, because she knew the truth, Wondergirl was jealous, and she was trying to break them up. The redhead moved away from the railing as the bell rang signalling the return to class. She walked back to class all while thinking of how Rei would look without a head, though she could not get one thing she had said out of her mind, 'it is better to live in loneliness than live with the pain of a broken heart.'

Would it be like that? Would she hurt the one person who she cared about? Or did the words apply to her?

Only time would tell…

Suddenly, the power went out…and Tokyo-3 stood still.

A/N: Okay another chap, a BIG chapter, thanks to Autophage ^_^, done. Well this was nice and big cause I wanted to show Misatos reaction to the new relationship between Asuka and Shinji. Also I wanted to start up with the Rei/Asuka rivalry, and also delve into Reis feelings towards the young Ikari.

Big thanx to Autophage who keeps my vocabulary to a good standard and to Eva_pilot23 for his pre-readin and also yet another welcome to orangetastesgood, don't know his ff.net name that might be it ^_^

Next chap, we have a showdown with the ninth Angel HAHAHAHAHA YES MORE ACTION!!!! ^_^ Look out, NERV has no power thanks to a team of commandos, so where do the Evas stand, it will be up to Rei, Shinji, and Asuka to negotiate the deep underbelly of the Geo-front and work out their own…personal differences? See what I'm going on about in the next chap: I hate spiders!

Oh and to Shinji The good Sharer, if u want me to be a pre-reader for your fic "A gift with Blue hair" than I need an email address for u, I'd like to do it I love pre-readin for people but I kinda need an email address to talk to u personally! So if ya drop me an email then we'll talk cookies ^_^

Also to those who have put reviews/emailed me to hurry up and post this chap I have but one thing to say: ahem……DON'T RUSH GENIUS!!!!! If I rush then u get a crappy job so DON'T RUSH ME!!!!!! There I said it, and u can blame a goverment institute called SCHOOL for the lateness of this chapter -_- damn school.

Seya on d other side………………….