Alright this is a very crucial chapter and will further explain the plotline. Bear with me I know it's long but it gets the job done. I want you to really think about this because it can become confusing. Anyway enjoy and review.

Shinji opened the door to the apartment and looked in. The lights were off and the air delivered no sound to his ears. He carefully proceeded in and shut the door behind him. He wasn't sure if Asuka had returned but he wouldn't be surprised if he she hadn't. He should had said something. He should have at least tried to defend her honor but instead he allowed her to suffer alone. It would have been so much easier if he was fast enough to tell Misato that it was his vision that disturbed him. That his mind had been cloudy ever since that morning and that he could not focus. It was useless now.

He went to his room and slid the door open. It was dark but he could see well enough to see someone sitting in the corner holding their legs up to their chest. He blinked to get a better look but the figure said, "Close the door, already."

Shinji recognized Asuka's voice and obeyed. He slid the door behind him and entered the darkened domain. In truth he felt relieved she was safe but he found it odd that she was sitting by herself in the dark.

"Asuka, I'm sorry about what happened." he said. Through the dimness of the room he saw the outline of her face peer up at him.

"Heh, you honestly think I expect an apology from you? Get real. If you were any man you would stand up for me but no. You being the little wimp that you are likes to sit in the background and let everyone walk all over him. I expect nothing from you." she whispered through the darkness. The words were harsh but he was accustomed to it and at this point didn't take them to heart like others might. He sat opposite her against a wall allowing the light from the moon to hit him.

"Asuka."

"What is it?"

"Do you think we were placed here to pilot the EVA's?" he asked. She scoffed as she tilted her head back against the wall.

"I don't know. I don't really care either way. I just know I'm good at it." she responded.

"You're strong."

"What?"

"You're strong. You're probably the strongest person I ever met in my life. I wish I could be like that but it seems like I'm destined to be this way for the rest of my life." he said.

She sighed.

"Shinji, I swear if I have to deal with your self pity I will kill myself."

"Sorry."

"Why can't you be a man and just have some sort of confidence or something? Why must you be a sorry excuse for man every time you speak?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

"And why must you apologize for every little thing? That's not even remotely attractive." she stated.

"I'm sor--.. you're right."

"This I know."

"I have to be more assertive."

"At least you got that through your head. In any case, I won't be here in the morning." she said. Shinji looked up as if he was about to panic.

"What? Where are you going?" he asked.

"I had a very interesting talk with some stranger. She offered me a job and I want to take it." she admitted. Shinji felt his stomach turn and his heart rise to his throat. There it was. The events that were leading up to his vision were beginning to reveal themselves. He couldn't allow her to go through with it. He had to stop it.

"Asuka, you can't go." he said. She scoffed again.

"You trying to be more assertive all of a sudden? Nice try but I'm going to do this whether you like it or not... whether NERV likes it or not." she said, "They seem legit."

She pulled out the card the woman had given her and flicked it at Shinji who fumbled to grab it from the air. His heart raced but quickly settled when he read the name of the organization. The name ROSE was nowhere to be found on the card and he let out a sigh of relief as he felt he had dodged a destiny changing event. Maybe his vision was a dream but he couldn't help but feel a sense that he had seen this card before. He tossed that idea aside, he was still being faced with a problem.

"You're gonna leave me here with Misato are you? After what happened I don't think I could live with her." he asked knowing this question was futile.

"What? So your telling me it's my fault?" she spat.

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" he quickly said.

"Then what is it? I thought you'd like to be without me? Huh? You think I'm unbearable right? You hate me don't you!" she said now screaming. She was in his face now, her blue eyes staring sharply into his own and for the first time in his life he felt something rise within him.. and it wasn't fear.

"Why does everything have to be about you?! Why?! Why must you be the goddamn center of everything?!" Shinji shot back and twice as loud. Asuka backed off, confusion written stupidly over her face. Shinji continued on and said, "I don't know why the hell I even deal with your crap! I try to be nice and you shoot it down as if I am here to please you!"

He was now standing over Asuka who had retreated back to her corner and looking at him with utter amazement. He pointed at her and finally said, "I am fed up with your crap. I really am and I don't care if you go."

Those words hit home as Asuka took a moment to digest those words. She looked up and Shinji was already towards the door about to leave. He couldn't get away with that. She wasn't going to allow him to get the last word.

"Oh yeah? Is that what you think?" she began not realizing her voice was trembling, "You're going to miss me and I swear to god you're gonna be begging for me to stay!"

Shinji was on his way to the kitchen listening to her shouting from the other room, he only mocked her as he turned into the refrigerator and aimlessly looked in it. He wasn't paying attention that he devastated her feelings. That he did something that he never thought possible. He was only relishing in his moment of glory of finally being able to tell Asuka to screw off.

"And you know what else?" she continued, her lower lip quivering, "I don't need anyone else you selfish twit! I don't give a damn about you!"

"Oh yeah, you made that clear to me ages ago and guess what? It goes both ways!"

"You're just a selfish little brat!"

"As if your the queen that can do no wrong!" he shot back.

"Of course because I try hard and get things done unlike you!" she screamed.

"And with that attitude that's why everyone HATES you!"

He peered out the kitchen doorway and he had realized the extent of what he had done. She stood there, her bangs hovering over her face. Two strands of tears running down her cheeks.

"Asuka, I'm--"

It was too late. She stormed from his line of view and from the other side of the apartment he heard a door slam sending a shock wave throughout. He slammed his fist into the fridge door in frustration. He walked out and into the hall. He passed by the bathroom door and noticed the door frame had splintered in several places. She must have been in there. He leaned forward and knocked on the door.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" he heard her bellow from the top of her lungs, "I HATE YOU!"

He sighed.

"Asuka, please, I didn't mean it. I was just upset that's all." he pleaded, however, that didn't seem to do any good for his cause.

"I SAID GO AWAY!"

"No." he replied. Suddenly the center of the door splintered sending pieces of wood outward into the hall. It took Shinji a moment to realize she had hit the door with her full strength. He buried his face into his hands and sighed. He placed his back against a nearby wall and slid to his bottom where he sat. He could hear her attempts at suppressing a sob and it only pained him the more he heard it.

"Asuka, I'm really sorry, alright?"

"Why do you hate me?" he heard her whisper though a sob.

"I don't," he replied, "I don't hate you Asuka."

"I try so damn hard... and no one gives a shit because I'm supposed to be honored for piloting that damn thing." she said, Shinji placed an ear towards the door, "And now I can't frickin' pilot in anymore because I'm a goddamn wreck!"

"But I know you can do it, Asuka. You don't need anyone to tell you that. You really don't need anyone." he said. She didn't say anything to this. She only raised her legs to her chest and sat with her back against the door. She felt weird talking to him like this. She couldn't remember a time she actually admitted to anyone she was being held down by a weakness. But as she sat there, looking up at the ceiling and feeling her tears beginning to sustain themselves she couldn't help but feel relaxed. She felt secure in sense. This was Shinji she was talking to. He wouldn't tell anyone about what she would say to him. He wasn't that kind of person.

She sat there for a moment and toyed with the idea that maybe, just maybe, she could confide in him and perhaps besides Hikari, he was something of a friend and not some rival. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times before she gathered a fistful of her own hair and began to play with it.

"Shinji?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I know this is a weird thing to ask considering the horrid things you just said to me but I have a question." she said, her voice for once soothed and calm (expect for some minor hiccups).

"I'm all ears." he responded.

She looked at her feet. She felt heat rush to her cheeks and her mind become confused.

"Can... can I trust you?" she asked, her face gaining a sour look. At first she heard silence and with that she began to curse herself about asking such a stupid question but Shinji then said, "Of course."

She stood and unlocked the door and there she stood face to face with him. They stared at each for a split second before she backed away from the door. He pointed inside and she nodded. He slid himself in but was confused when she leaned over and closed the door behind him.

"Listen, remember that stupid dream you had and you said it was about me?" she asked looking down at the floor clearly embarrassed she was admitting to whatever she was thinking. Shinji stood looking at her and he was slightly uneasy about the situation already but once she mentioned his dream his ears perked.

"You're not gonna give me lip about it are you?"

"No, I noticed that ever since last month you always mention something about your dreams to me and I thought it was nothing. But I was thinking, ever since last month both of sync ratios have gone down. Do you think that has anything to do with it?"

Shinji had totally forgotten that he indeed began having faint dreams about a month ago. Oh god. That would mean he spent a month not realizing he might have already been playing victim to his premonition. But nothing was adding up. The group that offered Asuka a job was not ROSE. They were still in Japan. The only thing that seemed to be going against them was their sync ratios. He couldn't understand. Things weren't going the way he vision had told him. He should have been happy but something was completely off.

"I'm not sure." he said, "Hey, are you sure we never argued like this?"

She looked up at him with an annoyed glare.

"You trying to say something?"

"No, forget it."

Days went by but Asuka had still not given the woman her answer and thusly her situation with her EVA along with Shinji declined even further. She was being plagued by frequent night terrors. All of them consisting of her feeling as if someone sealed her inside a room with one window and that no matter how many times she banged on the window a series of events continued to unravel before her. She didn't have the clarity of mind to see exactly what was happening but every morning felt like a movie being played at the beginning over and over. She would awake, Shinji would make something, they would talk and Misato would enter to address them. She even sucked in her pride and asked Shinji if he had wanted to go somewhere to relax, however, their plans were always cut short by either an emergency meeting within NERV or it would rain so hard that it would cause a weather alert and a mandatory curfew.

She found herself laying on the apartment floor staring aimlessly at the ceiling listening to the sound of rain. She held the card that woman had given her nearly a week ago and occasionally looked at it. She still had a chance to leave but something was holding her back. She felt as if she had already left but her body was still there. It also didn't help comfort her to know that her sync ratio was nearly zero.

"You just gonna lie there?" asked Shinji as he stood over her. She lazily turned her head and looked up at him.

"That's exactly what I plan to do."

He sat beside her.

"Misato says she's taking us somewhere." he said. She scoffed.

"I hope it's to a restaurant though I doubt it." she sighed.

"Yeah, I suppose. So when are you leaving?"

"I don't know..."

"You bored?"

"Yeah..."

He lied down beside her and looked up at the ceiling.

"This looks like fun though." he said. Asuka couldn't help but smirk.

"I suppose it can be... after you go insane." she said.

"We're lucky an Angel hasn't attacked. We would be defenseless."

"No, we have the doll remember?"

"Ayanami?"

"Yeah..."

"I don't think she's a doll." he said.

"Are you kidding me? She's a total doll. She has no life in her and I think she'll grow old and be an old hag." she said. Shinji smiled. The tone of her voice was that of sarcasm and humor and it made him laugh. He looked over and noticed she too was smiling... even laughing.

"What's going to happen when we kill all the Angels?" he asked. She shrugged.

"I guess we might go back to being regular people. Not sure maybe they'll have something else for us to do. It's hard to tell."

"You trust me right?" he asked.

"Yes I told you that already. I don't like repeating that." she answered. He nodded.

"You know I'll try my best to have your back right?"

"I hope so." she said.

He began to think of his vision of him sacrificing himself to save her life. He closed his eyes and placed his arms underneath his head and relaxed. After nearly of week of worrying and thinking all he wanted right now was to lie there with Asuka and enjoy her company. As strange as that sounds.

"Shinji?" he heard her whisper.

"Yeah..?"

She didn't respond and when he opened his eyes to see what was going on he was surprised to see her face closing in on his. His body froze and his mind was unable to comprehend what was happening until her lips came into contact with his. He stared out through the strands of her red hair and at the ceiling. Was this really happening? Was Asuka kissing him? He felt her breath coming from her nose and hitting his upper lip which sent chills down his back. Unlike last time when Asuka pinched his nose it didn't feel like anything special but now it was different. The atmosphere was different. Everything was different. He could smell her sweet scent and her soft hair that felt all around his face made him actually savor the moment that is until she withdrew an inch from his face.

"Come with me." she asked.

"Where?" he said. She lifted the card he had seen a week earlier to his face.

"It'll be fun. Plus, I need someone to bother." she admitted.

A pitfall feeling swept into his stomach. He distinctly remembering telling Asuka in his dream that she was the one who convinced him to join the ROSE organization. That she became the catalyst that brought everything together. He looked at the card. ROSE was no where on the card, just like when he had first seen it. He was just about to decline the offer when Asuka kissed him again. Whether or not Asuka was doing this because she actually liked him or was easily manipulating he could not readily identify but the moment was there and his body wanted to take advantage of it.

Asuka had no idea what she was doing. It just seemed like a good idea. Or was she doing it to verify her insecurities? Whatever. She would only make out with him just this once. Plus, he wasn't a bad kisser.

Then the door to the apartment opened causing both teens to panic and throw themselves off each other. Misato stood at the doorway to the living room in deep suspicion.

"What were you two doing?" she asked. Asuka and Shinji blinked innocently as they turned away from each other. The Major sighed before continuing.

"Get dressed. We're leaving."

"Where to?" interrupted Asuka.

"To get both of your sync ratios up we're headed to Brazil." she said.

"BRAZIL?!" cried both teens in unison.

"That's right. Get dressed, you won't need anything just get dressed."

Chapter Six

It was nearly midnight when the two teens stepped onto an old B 52 Bomber. It was torment considering Shinji had to endure Asuka's constant complaining about how it wasn't a true way to travel. He stepped into the massive cargo bay and saw several men in flight suits with what looked like giant headphones. One of them directed him to sit on the bench and another told Asuka to sit opposite him. Misato boarded the plane and was saluted by a masked person wearing a flight suit.

"Glad you could do me this favor, old friend." said Misato.

"No problem, I was a good friend of your father so I'll be a good friend to you." said a feminine voice through the mask. Shinji noticed Asuka look up as if she heard something familiar.

"Thanks, we need to head to Brazil. I plan on helping these two slackers get their act together." she said scowling over to the teens. The masked person looked over her shoulder and nodded.

"You don't plan on asking Mr. Mo to settle this do you?" asked the masked person.

"I have no choice. My job is on the line." answered Misato. The masked person nodded and motioned for the rest of the crew to get on the plane. One of the crew members went up to the masked person and said, "Mariamnè, we should start heading out now. The French government hasn't really sanctioned us to use one of their planes so we have to get this craft back to them at the end of the week." said the man. The masked person named Mariamnè nodded and said, "Don't worry love, we'll get this girl there before uncle blows a gasket." The crew member nodded and boarded the plane.

Asuka watched as several more jumpsuit clad crewmen walked into the cargo hold of the plane and sat along the long bench she and Shinji had been siting on. She could feel the summer breeze sweep into the hold and it calmed her but a sense of anxiety and fear rose into her body when she felt someone watching her.

"Ready for take off?" asked the masked crewman. Asuka found herself only nodding as the voice that had come from behind the black visor was quite feminine and eerie familiar. Suddenly she felt something being placed on her lap. She looked down to see a small booklet with the words "Learn Copoeira" written on the front. She stared at it unable to figure out what exactly what was being given to her. She picked it up and flipped through several pages which held small pictures of people in weird poses and stances. She looked up Shinji who also had a similar booklet. One of the crewmen turned to her and handed her a small ear pierce in which she promptly placed into her ear.

"Can you hear me?" asked Misato.

"Yeah, I can." said Shinji.

"And you Asuka?"

"..."

"Asuka? I asked you a question." said Misato.

"Yes..."

"Anyway here's the deal. Those books you have are basic guides to the art of Copoeira also known as the art of dance fighting."

"Dance fighting?" questioned Shinji.

"Yes, it was used back in the 16th century as a form of hidden martial art. It uses music to create a balanced tempo and in your case it will do the same thing your previous training did. Remember when you and Asuka had to sync with each others movements? This is sort of like that however this time we are not just syncing movements. We need to sync your inner self and only Mr. Mo knows how to do that." she said.

"Inner self, huh?" whispered Asuka who was nowhere near thrilled about the idea.

"I'll explain more when we get there but as of now start reading those books so you can get ahead." Misato said through the ear piece.

Three hours went by and most of the crew was slumped over in their seats asleep including Shinji who had his booklet over his eyes and a drop of drool winding down his face. Asuka was wide awake. She didn't feel like reading and she was quite bored. All she could do was sit there and listen to the hum of the plane. She adjusted herself in her seat and felt something prick her thigh. She dug her hand into her pocket and fished out a small blue rectangular card. It was the same one that woman had given her nearly a week and a half ago. She was surprised she still had in her pocket, she thought she had left it.

Then she had that feeling again. She felt someone was watching her. She looked up and there at the other end of the plane sat the same person who wore the same flight mask. The person stared right at her, leaning forward with their elbows on their knees as waiting to see if Asuka was going to do anything. Asuka looked at the masked person and then at the card. Was he waiting for her to do something? No, maybe they were asleep and she couldn't tell because of the mask? Who cares. She shouldn't complain. She was on her way to find a way to get her sync ratio up and she could pilot Unit-02 again. She took the card, crumpled it into a ball and tossed it outside the plane through a small gab between the cargo door the floor.

The masked person stood. Oh great, is he or she gonna come over here and tell me to stop? She only threw it out and it was only a piece of paper, no harm no foul right? A shadow came over her and she looked up. The person was standing in front of her.

"What do you want?" she asked. Suddenly the humming sound of the plane stopped. She could no longer hear the sound of wind whipping against the hull of the plane nor could she hear the snores of the men that sat next to her. It was like suddenly she was deaf. She looked up and saw a hand wrap itself around her collar. The next thing she knew she was thrown onto the ground hard. She quickly looked around and realized time had stopped. Nothing was moving. There was no sound, no one was moving besides her and the masked person who was now removing his mask.

"You..." Asuka whispered.

"Yes, yes, surprise, surprise." said the woman Asuka had met nearly two weeks ago. She still wore her violet lipstick and violet eye shadow.

"I knew I heard your voice." said Asuka, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Doing my job, child. And to tell you congratulations."

"Congratulations for what?" Asuka asked.

"For throwing away that card. You just helped me out a great deal."

"I don't get it."

"Sure you do. That card was a trap." she said.

"A trap?"

"Yeah, if you were to go back to our meeting place there would have been an assassin there waiting for you."

"What?! Why?"

"Because you will cause more harm than good to Seeles plan. But you tossed it out so good for you." she said.

"So you're saying if I were to go back and accept your offer I would have been killed?"

"Exactly but I'm glad you didn't. Otherwise it would be painfully boring." she said.

"Who are you really?" asked Asuka.

"That's really not important but what is important is that you changed your fate and I had a feeling you would. You also happened to change your boyfriend's destiny too." she said.

"Boyfriend, you mean that wimp Shinji?"

"Oh he's a sweet kid but I know you care for him. In any extent plans have changed. You altered the fabric of events and made a new route for you and him. I suggest you embrace it because there won't be another time where I'll be here to tell you what does or what doesn't change your future." she said.

"So you're telling me what I do from here on out will effect our destiny?"

"You are quite right."

"What was going to happen if I went to you... besides me getting killed?" Asuka asked.

"Well, you would have been killed and Shinji would go all depressed on us and out of that depression his mind would ultimately succumb to the Eva psyche causing him to initiate true Instrumentality and bring on the Third Impact. Good, quick, fast and to the point but like I said that would be painfully boring. No flare, no horns or anything." she said.

"Instrumentality? Third Impact? What's going on here? Are you also saying that our sync ratios are a result of sabotage?" she asked. The woman looked at her with surprised eyes.

"Nice, I didn't even have to explain it to you. You're quite right. All the events that are happening right now are being controlled. This plane, these people here have been pulled from their journey of life to this single point to help you and Shinji to this point. Everything is being orchestrated. You are living a lie."

"A lie?"

"Yup. It's a sad thing to hear but it's true. You are being led to these circumstances. The low sync ratios, the tension at Nerv HQ, my appearance and so forth. I mean, the last million times I've done this it always resulted in you dying first but I guess this time it might be different." said the woman.

"What the hell do you mean a million times?" Asuka couldn't help but ask.

"Don't you know? This isn't the first time this has happened. Third Impact isn't new. It had already happened. One million times and the way things are going now I think you might stop that cycle."

Alright, there you go. Hope that makes things interesting. Review.