Alright, love the reviews by the way. In any case sorry for the grammer mistakes.

Chapter Ten

Today was their last day of training and both Asuka and Shinji had nearly mastered the art. The only obstacle was the last test and that wasn't until the next day. That morning Asuka didn't say a word to him and he thought it must have been that day on the beach. He hadn't done anything wrong and he found it odd even for her to act so distant to him. As the morning progressed he retreated to the camp Thiago and him were training. He entered the camp and there he saw several men chatting while holding their instruments and waiting for him to arrive. He greeted them and Thiago appeared from one of the huts and begged a good morning. Shinji then went to the water and stood at the center awaiting for instructions. The music began as well as the singing. He began to move to the music and as though he had done this for years he began to dance like many of the villagers surprising many of the skeptical natives who at first weren't keen on the idea of an outsider working with them. After the practice session Thiago came up to him and said,

"You have done extremely well and I'm pleased to have been your instructor."

"Thanks, tomorrow is the test right?"

"Yes, there's nothing else I can do for you but it is wise that you go and find your friend so you may have time to be in each other's presence."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Well, you are to conduct this ceremony together. The point of spending some ample amount of time because you have to know what she is thinking and vice versa. This way tomorrow your actions will not only mirror each other, your movements will be harmonious and swift and in order to clear all the water from the pool you will need adequate momentum, concentration and trust between you two. You should take this time and just be in each other's presence. This will suffice." said Thiago.

"If you only knew her." responded Shinji.

Asuka roamed the beach, her training had finished and it had been the most awkward session she had to endure. For one she had still had not given Yara an answer. She wasn't sure how to go about it and what was worse she really had no answer. There she was, someone who completely understood her was offering to be her mother, to guide her, to believe in her and to love her. After years of trying to understand if her own mother indeed did have affection for her would be void considering she would no longer have to worry about anything like that again. She sighed as she crossed nearly half a mile of beach to a location she couldn't readily identify. She looked around and spotted a small cave just off the shore. Curious she went to it and inspected it. That familiar feeling she had back at Yara's cavern sounded within her again. This cave was oddly familiar and it was if she remembered being here. The cave wasn't deep. She went in and sat at the back placing her back against the cave wall and listening to the echo of the ocean resonate.

She knew she couldn't leave the country until she had given her an answer. But it was all too complicated. She wanted it but another part thought it wouldn't be a good idea. It was truly a life changing decision but to whether or not she wanted to accept that was another story entirely. She looked at her side and noticed a gleaming rock sitting next to her. She took it between her fingers and faced the cave wall. If anything or anyone came in here they would know she was there too. She took the rock and was about to engrave something onto the wall but to her confusion there was writing already on the wall. She couldn't make out the letters at first but then upon closer examination it was not letters.. it was Japanese.

Don't forget...

That's it? Don't forget? Don't forget about what? Who had ever written that must have liked to write cryptic messages. Oh well. That wasn't going to stop her from writing something else. She wrote her name.

"So, it would seem as if you have encountered yet another fork in the road." said a voice. Asuka turned and could see a woman sitting casually on a boulder behind him. Her violet eyeshadow and violet lipstick being the dominant traits on her face.

"You, I remember you." said Asuka trying to figure out where she had seen her before.

"Figures, your mind tends to forget things that never happened."

Asuka immediately felt her mind encounter a memory.

"You were on the plane and you were the one who wanted me to join that new organization." she said.

"Oh, believe me, that organization is indeed real." the woman said.

"Whatever, who are you really?"

"I told you already, I'm someone whose tired of doing dirty work for the people who don't belong in power."

"I meant your name." hissed Asuka.

"I guess it wouldn't do much harm to tell you... it's Mariamnè." she said.

"Alright, why do you keep popping up? I know you told me something about time but there has to be another reason you're here."

"You are quite right. I am here for another reason. I am here to tell you of another phenomenon that you have just encountered."

"What do you mean I just encountered?"

"You saw those words 'Don't forget', right?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Do you not understand who wrote those words?"

"No, what for?"

"You don't recognize your own hand writing?" the woman asked. Asuka looked behind her and back at the words she failed to recognize. She looked at the words and then looked at where she had written her name. The penmanship were identical.

"How's that possible? I have never been here before. How could I possibly write something if I wasn't here to write it?" asked Asuka.

"I'm going to tell you. I told you several days before how your situation works. I told you how since I made an appearance and told you that your events will change due to what you pick I effectively caused a disturbance in the time continuum. Since that happens and you have knowledge that you can change your destiny your past attempts will begin to show. Meaning if you come to an event that you have encountered before the results of that event from your previous attempts will have remained. It's like giving yourself clues. You have done the same in this situation." Mariamnè described.

"So your saying I have done this already and that the last time I came here, in my past life, I wrote this because I knew I was going to forget something?"

"More of less."

"I guess I can understand that."

"Oh and more more thing. I said I wasn't going to help you again but things have changed. Be careful tomorrow. Make your decision wisely and really remember who are your true friends."

Asuka looked down to acknowledge these words but upon looking up the woman had vanished and a new pair of footsteps could be heard from the entrance of the cave.

"Hey, you there?" asked Shinji as he stepped into the cave.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here."

"I was told we were supposed to spend the rest of the day together... you know to make sure we got ourselves together for tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know already. I was told the same thing." she urged not wanting to hear it again, "I just want to go home and pilot my Eva."

She walked out of the cave and passed the boy and out into the water. She stood looking out to the blue horizon and then down at her feet where she mentally measured the water.

"Hey, Shinji." she said.

"What?"

"Fight me."

"What?"

"I said... fight... me." she repeated.

"You mean with the Copoeira?" he asked.

"What else you dummy?"

She turned to him as she felt the water rush past her ankles. She needed to take out her aggression.

"Don't we need some instruments and singing?" he asked.

"No, just fight me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes dammit, just come on and fight me!" she spat. She watched him give her a look of insecurity as he reluctantly raised his arms in a fighting stance. Asuka did the same but the moment her hands were far enough into the air she darted towards him, her feet kicking up water from behind her. She saw an opening and went in for the strike but she had underestimated his speed and he quickly blocked her attempt. Remembering what he was taught he drove his hand into the water below him and shifted his weight onto his arm where he lifted his legs and made an attempt to side kick her. Asuka recognized automatically his attack and caught his leg, using the momentum from his kick she jumped over it and landed back on her feet where she twisted his leg hoping it would cause him to go unbalanced. It did not. Instead he using the torque from it to shift his weight to his other hand and bring his other leg towards her head.

They continued on and on for nearly fifteen minutes, countering and parrying each others attacks. Both teens were determined to land a blow but none could find a good opening to strike. Shinji was trying his best to keep up but if he didn't know better he could have sworn she was smiling. Could it be she was having fun? That they were having fun? They finally reached a stalemate as they stood, exhausted, looking at one another, both sweating and panting.

"You're good." she admitted.

"Likewise." he answered.

"Bet you can't beat me in a race." she declared.

"Bet I can."

"You're on."

"Where we running to?"

"Our hut."

"From here?"

"Obviously brainiac."

"When?"

"Right now."

"Now?"

"Go!" she yelled. She darted up the coast, her dull red hair fluttering behind her. Shinji rushed after hoping he still had a chance to catch up.

Gendo Ikari sat in silence. The hovering monoliths beside him not shedding a word. He was waiting for an answer and the longer the silence drew out the shorter his patience seemed to get. He was about to say something before one of the monoliths seemed to regain itself.

"How did you find out about ROSE? Ikari?" asked one of the monoliths. Gendo couldn't help but feel a smirk rise to his lips.

"What's more interesting is why you were trying to keep it a secret from me?" he said. The monolith on his right had to speak.

"Ikari you are head of Nerv for a reason, don't make us take that away." the right monolith threatened. Gendo only made light news of this comment.

"You can do whatever you wish but that fact still remains I have someone working for me that already has been through this situation already. I heard she used to work for you." he said.

"You have no proof that she has aligned herself with you. For all we know she could be working for personal goals." said one of the monoliths.

"Oh on the contrary I have many items that could prove my claims but which one is truly the question you should be asking." said Gendo. The monoliths went quiet for a moment.

"You do know what she is, don't you?" asked one of the voices. Gendo only scoffed.

"You really think I wouldn't know?" he said.

"We know what you're trying to do, Ikari. We know you have your sights on taking advantage of the Instrumentality project. If you were smarter you will see that not only is your plan meaningless but it will be sabotaged by her." a voice said.

"I don't think so. She may be an angel but that doesn't necessarily make her an Angel that will try and disrupt Third Impact. If anything I think she wants to induce it. So I wouldn't worry much about it if I were you." he said.

"That still doesn't explain how you know of ROSE. She told you didn't she?" a monolith said.

"Well I will not deny she had some part in it. I was surprised an Angel was actually letting me know our backers had another organization that they planned to use in order to get rid of us. I guess you should have treated her with more kindness and this whole mess could have been avoided." said Gendo.

"Ikari, you are asking for trouble. You have no idea the force you have, you will not live long enough to see what you truly possess."

Gendo stood and smiled.

"In any case I know of Rose and I have an Angel alley at my disposal that is willing to induce Third Impact. I can see now I have the upper hand in the situation. I will promise you Third Impact will happen but under my terms, not yours. I suggest you re-read the Dead Sea Scrolls."

The monoliths stood quiet and then said,

"You will not get away with this."

Gendo turned to the monoliths and said,

"On the contrary, I believe I already have."

The morning sun had begun to rise. The first few rays of its shine stretched over the ocean. Asuka and Shinji sat within the sand having been awake since midnight, both tired but focused. Today was the test and they had swallowed the tablets Misato had given them the night before. They were ordered not to speak with one another and both had made good claims to that. They remained in silence until Misato appeared behind them sporting a bikini top and shorts.

"Ready you two?" she asked them.

Both of them nodded. They stood and followed the Major to another location. A location neither of them had been to and the probable location for their testing. They walked through the jungle for twenty minutes until they reached a large rectangular pool that was much larger than the ones they had been practicing in. Asuka looked at Misato and gave her a nasty look.

As they entered the clearing men and women appeared from the either side holding numerous drums, rods, tambourines and other assorted instruments. One of them was Yara and her husband. Asuka didn't dare look their way. Another set of women came from behind them and began to place the blindfolds over their eyes. The setting was slightly intimidating but one of the women went to Shinji's ear and whispered, "You will do well."

As they stood there blind someone took both of them by the hands and lead them to the enlarged pool. Asuka was placed at one end and Shinji at the other. Asuka could feel her heart beating, this was somewhat nerve wrecking.

"My friends, these two children come from a distant land in order to learn our art!" said a very deep voice, "They claim to have mastered it in a week and will use it to benefit mankind. Let's see if they can demonstrate to us how well they know about the ancient voices."

The drums behind them began to play. How would they know when to start? They were usually allowed to start at their own time but how would each one know if the other started?

Misato sat nearby, her laptop on her lap and a screen with two names appearing on it. She looked at it as two double digit numbers appeared below the names. They only needed to be fifty percent in focus in order to pass and as of know the numbers showed her a big zero for each.

"Don't fail me now." she whispered. In truth, Misato was nervous. If Gendo found out that neither of them passed this test then she would be fired right on the spot. This was her last chance. It was do or die. There we no second chances.

The drums became louder and louder and still neither of them moved. Shinji stared off into darkness. He was afraid to move. He wasn't sure Asuka would know he had started. Wait a minute. The water... he could use the water. He concentrated his thoughts on his foot. He couldn't hit the water with his foot at full force or else he would attract the attention of whoever else was watching. He needed to be subtle. He needed Asuka to feel it.

Concentrate with me Asuka...

He moved his toe in the water and sent a ripple through the water. Not enough to visually see it but enough to feel it. He waited to see if she felt it and then suddenly he felt a shift in the water coming from her side. She had felt it and she was responding. He did it again but twice in a row to signal the number two and she did the same. Alright, he was gonna signal three. He would move on three and hopefully she will move at the same time. Let's pray, he thought.

He wiggled his foot three times in succession and jumped forward.

Misato looked up and was instantly surprised that both of them managed to lean forward at the same time. She watched the two of them run up to each other and looked down at her screen.

"Not bad." she whispered as the number ten blinked across the screen signifying they were at least getting some focus in, "Ten percent isn't bad."

The drums heightened the tempo as several other instruments came in. Asuka felt her instincts kick in. She threw her fist forward actually hoping it did not connect. Shinji could feel the wind from something approaching and quickly tilted his head to avoid it, as he did, he suppressed the blow with his own hands and guided it away in attempts to strike back. Asuka knew this maneuver and could feel his fist sliding across her arm to strike her but she knew better and instead of taking the blow she leaned back. He missed and she broke away from his grasp. She rolled through the water in a swift manner and onto her feet.

Misato watched patiently silently praying that the number on her screen would jump up to fifty but it stood the same. Only ten percent. Her stomach felt heavy. She needed this. She needed them to succeed.

Concentrate, feel his movements, feel where his energy is going...

They went in for another bout. Each others strikes were meant with counters and each move they made were accompanied by a rhythmic motion to compensate for the music.

I can see you... Shinji...

I can see you too... Asuka...

Blow by blow and with each step both could feel a connection beginning to form. The flow off the music, the flow of their movements. The orchestra began to sing, their song loud and fast as though telling them to fight and dance faster. They did so.

Misato looked down at the screen. Her brows lifted. It was forty percent.

They continued on, they movements began to compensate each other. Their movements graceful and full of life. They could feel the energy beginning to take shape. They could feel energy raging at their fingertips as they exchanged parries and counters. Energy being transferred through one another with each encounter. The music became louder and the drums could be felt through the ground. Both teens could feel adrenaline pour into their blood. This is what they trained for. This is what they worked for.

"My god..." Misato whispered. She couldn't believe what she was seeing on the screen, "They are truly remarkable."

They were moving as if they were one being. The women of the orchestra began to sing by themselves and it was more like a chant than anything. Time felt as if it was slowing for the both of them. They continued to parry, they continued to attack, they continued to meet. They both could feel when each other breathed and it acted as a timing for their attacks. When Asuka inhaled Shinji would attack. When Shinji inhale she would attack and so forth. They felt each other move and it was the most intimate thing either of them could feel.

Then suddenly neither Asuka or Shinji could hear the music. The music began to fade away and the darkness that both were facing from the blindfolds were no longer an obstacle. He could see her and she could see him. Their surroundings faded into nothing and all that they could see was pure white. What was happening? They found themselves looking around for a solution but it was like someone had placed them in a white room with no doorways or windows.

They just stood there.

"What the hell is going on?" spat Asuka.

"My, you sound like a grown woman." said a voice. Asuka froze. It couldn't be... it couldn't be... her...

Who do you think it is? Hmmmmmm??