Chapter 5

A/N: There has been mention of Shinji from Universe B's story in Universe A. Originally I never planned on writing his own distinct story; I thought maybe I'd add him some how into this one. But now I don't feel like it. Maybe I'll write about him after this story is done. Even though I'm writing as it comes, I've got a general direction and plot that I'm going to follow.

I also still don't own Evangelion. Enjoy!

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Shinji looked towards the voice of the person who'd addressed him as an "SOB." Looking at him with a grin was none other than the class representative, Hokari Hikari. Shinji collapsed in fright. After all he'd been through in the past 24 hours: falling a quarter mile in his Eva, nearly having a heart attack due to Rei's hug, and seeing Asuka naked, nothing prepared him for the absolute 180 in character of the class rep.

"Oi! Are you all right over there Shinji?" Hikari ran over to Shinji and grabbed his arm. As she helped to pull him up, Shinji glanced over her uniform. Her sleeves were ripped, she was wearing aviator sun-glasses, and her skirt looked several inches too short. Her signature pig tails were gelled into spikes, dangerously close to poking Shinji as she helped him to his feet. "What's wrong with you, you're acting like Aida on an aircraft carrier, the acting like a little pansy and fainting that is."

Shinji's frail psyche still hadn't recovered yet and all he managed to say was "Ughhh?"

"Come on Shinji, people will think you're not only a jerk, but a weird one as well. Hurry up and move!" And with a force not imagined from the petite girl, Hikari dragged Shinji across the yard and into the school building.

When they reached the interior of the building, the questioning statement, "A jerk?" was all Shinji could muster.

"Well yeah, everyone around here knows not to mess with us, ISN"T THAT RIGHT YOSHI!!!" A rather large boy a couple of grades above Shinji who happened to be walking by flinched when called by Hikari. "Yeah that's right fatty! I'm talking to you big boy!

The "fatty" wasn't really that fat according to Shinji, more like bulky due to large muscles. Shinji, now absolutely terrified said, "No, please don't, he might come over here."

"That would be a good thing. It means I won't have to chase him down later." As a bead of sweat appeared on Shinji's forehead, Hikari shouted at Yoshi (who was now walking very rapidly away), "That's right, walk away; you're lucky I'm busy! But don't think I haven't forgotten about the money you owe me. I swear I'll kick your ass if I don't have it by the end of the week!"

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Shinji was still reeling that apparently his only friend was Hikari the Mace, muscle in the duo that terrorized the school. After questioning her, he discovered that he was the brains of the operation; coming up with schematics of chaos that earned them both the title of "little terrors." He decided to play dumb, blaming the recent battle with the angel for his loss of memory. Shinji, while emotionally slow, wasn't stupid. He knew this was the better option, rather than explaining to Hikari that she was acting strangely and she was supposed to be the class rep, goody miss two shoed example of all things good and cute.

They were still walking to class, close to their homeroom. "So Hikari, remind me again, how did you become to be known as 'The Mace?'" Hikari just smiled.

They both walked in class 2-A just as the bells rang. Shinji's face was green, with him wishing he'd never known how Hikari earned her nickname. He could never look at the game of cricket and the male reproductive anatomy in the same way again. Hikari pointed out his desk, which coincidently was the same desk he remembered he sat at. The ancient mummy of a teacher walked in and Shinji noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Toji Suzahara had stood up.

"Alright class! Stand up! Bow! Be seated!" said Toji quietly. After the last student had taken their seat again, the teacher immediately began his lecture on…surprise! Second Impact!

"I guess there a some things that haven't changed," Shinji thought to himself. "But some things have, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, even though I am, that Toji is the class rep." Suddenly he felt a blow to his head; it was a balled up piece of paper thrown by Hikari. Then Shinji noticed a pool of drool on his desk. She mouthed the words "stop spacing out." He wiped his mouth and returned to his thoughts, "With everyone else acting strange, I shouldn't be surprised at anything. In fact if my father and Rei hadn't been different, I'd be sure that this was a huge practical joke set up by Misato (she always likes to tease me) or Asuka (she always likes to see me squirm)." Shinji lowered his head into his arms. He was suddenly hit by fatigue; he remembered how horrible the previous night had been. He shut his eyes and surrendered to the blissful feeling of relaxation as he fell asleep.

In what seemed like a moment later Shinji was awoken to the shout, "Ikari!" Shinji looked up with a dazed expression on his face into the eyes of his teacher. Immediately he stood up at attention. "That's better Ikari, now can you tell me the answer to the question I asked you just a moment ago?"

"Shinji's mind raced, "What had he been talking about before I fell asleep? Second Impact!" Shinji determined it was better to make a guess than not answer at all. "An asteroid?" Shinji said with doubt.

The entire class erupted in laughter. "Mr. Ikari, I asked you to solve the problem on the board." Shinji looked at the chalk board in horror as his face went red with embarrassment. On it were multiplication problems, not a question about Second Impact. "I've had just about enough of you're shenanigans, I've let this unacceptable behavior go on for far too long. Detention for you young man!

Shinji reeled and absorbed the reality, he was getting a detention! Shinji the meek rule following boy never got into trouble. But now he was going to be spending an afternoon in a room full of juvenile delinquents. He let out a whiny moan at the thought of this horrible idea. Shinji's wallowing in self-pity was cut short by a voice.

"But sir, it isn't Shinji's fault he fell asleep." Shinji's stomach clawed half way up his throat when he realized who had spoken in his defense. Asuka had risen from her seat. "He was in an accident and wasn't able to get much sleep last night."

The teacher looked taken aback for a second at Asuka's outburst, but quickly regained his composure. "That's beside the point; and any way, I won't allow his "special circumstances" to distract my class."

"It doesn't take much to distract us, considering how boring you are," Asuka whispered, although too loudly because the teacher looked like an angry goose ruffling his feathers after the snide remark.

"What was that Soryu?! You think I didn't hear that smart ass comment! If you're so keen on defending Ikari, then spend a detention with him!" Shinji, who had been observing keenly, watched Asuka's face transform from a look of silent defiance to silent terror. She briefly looked in Shinji's direction, but even more quickly looked away, as if the meeting of theirs eyes would bring about the end of the world. Just then the bells signifying lunch rang.

"Don't think math is over, when we get back we'll start learning algebra," the teacher said angrily, "Class dismissed!" Toji again stood up and gave the usual commands the class rep usually gave. Shinji just sat at his seat, not sure what to do. Toji and Kensuke usually ate lunch with him, and he didn't feel right asking Hikari to eat with him. The solution to his dilemma appeared as an aggressive and slightly angry girl.

"Come on and get up or we'll have to chase some losers away from our lunch spot," said Hikari anxiously. "I get really tired of having to run off everyone from the roof. I guess it says we have good taste in spots though."

Shinji didn't have the time to make his lunch in the morning, so he had to stop by the school lunch shop on the way to the roof. So by the time they had made it to the roof, Shinji wasn't really surprised to see two figures sitting by the railing. But when Shinji got closer he recognized the two boys, who he could hear arguing about something.

"I agree, the Eva's are great, but because of them, no new military hardware has been produced in the last ten years. So you realize how much funding the Eva project requires. Most countries GDP's aren't close to coming to half of what it took to build Unit 01 alone." Kensuke Aida stopped speaking when the shadow of Hikari loomed over him menacingly.

"So boys, how many times does it take for you to learn, this is our spot!" said Hikari as she cracked her knuckles. "I swear, you two are as dense as lead."

Toji, who was trembling, spoke up, "Everyone has the right to sit up here not just you Hikari."

"Yeah you're right Suzahara, everyone has the right to sit up here, everyone who likes a black eye that is." Hikari snapped back with confidence.

"Well I talked with the Sensei, and he said Kensuke and I could sit up here no questions asked." Toji retorted unconvincingly.

"That's right; you're a brown-nosing little ass-kisser. I overheard Sensei talking about his car malfunctioning, something about his headlights." Toji who had been trembling with fear suddenly shifted to eagerness as he heard his chance to gain a few more points with his teacher. "Yeah, so Toji you should go to the store and pick up some headlight fluid for him. While you're at it, you should pick up some elbow grease for him, I noticed he was low. About two quarts should do it."

Shinji looked at Hikari with the thought "What's she thinking? Toji can't possibly fall for this," on his mind. He was proven wrong; however, when he heard Toji say, "We've got to go. Come on Kensuke get up." Shinji watched with amazement that Toji was still as dense as lead. "Who does she think she is? Elbow grease? Does she think I'm stupid Kensuke? Let's just get to the store and get some headlight fluid for Sensei."

"Headlight fluid? Elbow grease?" Shinji repeated, still shocked that Hikari used them, and even more shocked that Toji fell for them.

"You like that, huh? I got the idea from some old pre second impact video, it was pretty funny. Come and sit down, or you won't have time to eat that crap they sell here before we have to get back."

Shinji sat down, letting the awkwardness take affect. He had no idea what to say to Hikari, he took a shot in the dark using the recent subject of Toji, "That Toji, he's pretty dense isn't he."

"Yeah, he is, that makes it even weirder that I like him, doesn't it." Hikari must have noticed the look of utter astonishment on Shinji's face because she quickly continued, "Oh I forgot, you've lost some of your memories. Yeah, I told you a couple of weeks back. You were more shocked back then, more than you are now."

Shinji flabbergasted asked, "What do you see in him?"

"Like I said before, even I think it's kinda weird. I don't know I guess it's his compassionate side." Shinji fell over with a crash. "I've gathered he's nice and a loyal guy. What about you, eh?" Hikari elbowed Shinji, who was in the process of swallowing a sandwich, which caused him to choke on said sandwich. "Who do you like? I couldn't get it out of you last time."

Shinji half coughing, half sputtering answered simply "I don't know, no one I guess."

"Funny, that's what you said last time. And that's all I got from you, so I know it's not worth pursuing. I know you're hiding something though, your face is red as Eva Unit 02. Anyways to change the subject, I figured it was about time you got a detention from the old man." Shinji let Hikari do most of the talking at lunch, occasionally inserting a sound of agreement or a clarifying question. They got back to class and Shinji was called to the teacher's desk along with Asuka.

"I'm busy today, so your detentions will be tomorrow after school. That will be all."

Shinji sat down in his seat, his mind on what Hikari had asked him at lunch: Who does Shinji like? Shinji never really thought about it in those terms before. He, being the naïve boy he had always been, never thought about "liking" a girl in the way Hikari had been inquiring. His mind focused on Rei. He looked over to Rei, who was chatting with some people next to her. He stared at her for a second, until she noticed his gaze and gave a cheery smile and a wave. Shinji gave a half hearted smile and waved back. He definitely found Rei physically attractive. He also liked how she was quiet and meek (at least that's how she was before his accident). He didn't like her personality change though, he liked how she acted before. At the same time, her coldness put him off. The way she acted, like she was born two weeks ago, not knowing anything about being a social human being bothered him. Lately she had been warming up to him, which improved his view of her. But he got a feeling about Rei, a familiarity he couldn't put his finger on, almost as if he knew her from a long time ago. This feeling didn't necessarily bother him, but it shifted his feelings for her from romantic to something else.

Then there was Asuka. Shinji was even more confused about her than Rei. Like Rei, he found Asuka physically attractive, especially seeing her naked for the first time the previous night. It seemed he had feelings for her too. But whenever he tried to get closer to her, she lashed out him, which made him withdraw, which made Asuka even angrier with him, which in turn made him withdraw even more.

There were times that Shinji spent with Asuka where he hated her guts so much he wished he could throttle her neck. Those times he absolutely despised her, because of the way she made him feel; like a pathetic worm, not worthy enough to even live let alone get close to her. Those were the times that Shinji felt the worse, like he didn't want to see Asuka ever again.

Then there were the rare occasions that Asuka showed Shinji kindness. This is what drew Shinji to Asuka, the extraordinary event when Shinji was treated like a decent human being by a normal girl. Shinji had never taken crack cocaine, but he knew what it was like to be addicted to something just as strong. No matter how horrible Asuka treated him, the times when she was nice to him made it all worth it. When she was nice to him he could almost forget about the pain the Eva and its surrounding circumstances caused him; it was refreshing.

Shinji thought the weirdest thing though was that deep down he actually liked her personality, and he wouldn't have her any other way. So like Rei, he didn't like her personality shift either. He wasn't sure if he wanted to give up on Asuka, sometimes he didn't think getting closer to her was worth the pain she caused him. Shinji felt truly weary after contemplating his "love life" and thought it was best to leave it be, and not decide on anything. He sighed and focused on the teacher's lecture on algebraic theory.

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The rest of the school day for Shinji was uneventful, besides a few interesting points. First was Toji and Kensuke's late arrival to class. They both entered the class puffing and heaving, like they had sprinted a mile to get there. The teacher yelled at them, especially Toji (being the class rep) as they took there seats. Toji gave Shinji and Hikari a dirty look that possibly could have killed. Shinji felt guilty, but at the same time was a little amused. He could have never imagined Hikari causing Toji to be late for class. The other interesting event in the day was during gym class. They were doing soccer drills, and Rei had been insisting on being Shinji's partner so much, that she didn't notice the soccer ball that was under her foot. When she fell flat on her back, the view of her panties was nearly perfect, so much that Shinji's resulting nosebleed nearly caused him to faint.

Shinji was now walking home alone; normally he would walk with Toji and Kensuke or Asuka. Toji and Kensuke had been scolded for something they thought was his fault and the two weren't keen on fraternizing with him (there was also the fact that they believed him to be the nastiest kid at their school). Asuka was nowhere to be found. He wasn't necessarily avoiding Asuka, but he wasn't seeking her out either. On the other hand, she seemed to be avoiding him. And his new best friend Hikari didn't even live in the same direction that he did. So now he walked alone, looking forward to the upcoming examination with Ritsuko. "I can't believe I'm looking forward to an appointment with Ritsuko," Shinji thought to himself. But he was f&ing tired of all the differences in his life and he wanted to know what was going on.

A/N: So I decided to end this chapter on a more somber note, with what I believe Shinji truly felt in the series. It isn't exactly 100, but I think it's true to the characters.

And remember, any suggestions I receive will be seriously considered (I'm not going to promise I'll use every piece of advice/story suggestion I receive) Thanks for reading, and Peace!