The evil duo stood together on the snow with evil smiles on their faces. One of the twins had crystal armor covering his legs, left arm and half of his torso, it went from his left shoulder diagonally to his right hip. The others covered his legs stopping at his waist. He wore a haori jacket to cover his body but he left it untied.
"Who are you?" asked Rei.
"We are your executioners." said the twin with the jacket.
"That's not what she meant, she wants your names." said Asuka.
"Why of course how rude of us." replied the same twin. "I am Go and this is Roku. We are fellow servants of Shinigami. Are job is simply to kill you and nothing else."
"So you were the ones sending all those demons after us today." said Shinji.
"Very good." said Roku.
"How did you figure that out?" asked Go.
"I didn't, you just told me."
"This one is very clever." said Go.
"Maybe we should play a game with him." said Roku.
"Good suggestion." replied Go.
"Ok these two are annoying." said Asuka.
"Mildly." agreed Rei.
"And that's why you two wont be apart of this game." said Go.
"So what is this game?" asked Shinji. "You have peeked my interest."
"It's a very simple game." replied Roku. "All you have to do is solve a few puzzles. If you loose your teammates die."
"And if you loose?" asked Shinji.
"Then we die." said Go.
"Sounds good, lets begin."
Go and Roku looked at each other and laughed. They put their hands together curling in their last two fingers and left their first two extended, they then began to chant.
"Shinji are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Rei.
"No, but you are to tired to fight right now. It should be fine, I'm observant enough not to be tricked and can solve almost any puzzle. But, incase I mess up, if you or Asuka see an opening to strike take it, forget about honor here, ok."
"Shinji. I know these two are stronger than Nana, but I have faith in you. I wont need to undercut you. I trust you with are lives."
"Thank you Rei."
Go and Roku finished their chant and they and Shinji were engulfed in a dome of darkness. Inside this space Shinji could see only a short distance in front of him. He could not tell if he was in a very large or very small space. A smile grew across his face.
"Most people don't smile when they end up in here." said Go.
"Most people don't find it interesting." replied Shinji.
"You find this interesting?" asked Roku.
"Well of course. I think all things I don't understand are interesting. That's why you two are boring."
"What did you say?" asked Go.
"You two aren't interesting." replied Shinji. "Annoying twins who uses their wit to try and mess with peoples minds. The switch talking must really help with that. There are other things I've learned about you two already, but lets save that for later."
"You think yourself a genius don't you?" asked Roku.
"Could be."
"Well then, lets play are first game." said Go.
Go and Roku appeared in front of Shinji and sat down. Shinji followed suit and took a seat. Roku lifted his left hand and a shogi board appeared before him. Go lifted his right and the pieces appeared on the board.
"Today we shall start off with a simple game of Shogi." said Go. " If you loose we shall take one thing from you as a handicap for the next challenge."
"May I inquire as to what you will take?"
Go and Roku looked at each other and smiled. "We will take your sight." said Roku."
"Sounds fair."
Shinji sat perfectly still waiting for the game to begin. Go and Roku operated as one team but did not speak. It was if they could converse mentally. Shinji kept his perfect posture and only moved his right hand to move a piece on the bored. His face never changed from a smile during the whole game. The game was quite long as both teams were skilled at the game. Each took good time to think before each move calculating the results. Eventually Shinji was put into checkmate and defeated by the twins.
"Oh too bad." said Go.
"Your sight is ours." said Roku.
"What a shame." Shinji said with his usual smile, his form had still not changed from the start of the game.
Shinji magically lost his sight and still he maintained his smile. He calmly closed his eyes since thy had no purpose being open. And his smile grew by a small fraction.
"There is good news." said Go.
"If you win the game as a whole you will get back what you lost. It is only permanent if you loose." said Roku
"Good to know."
"Shall we move on?" asked Go.
"Lets." replied Shinji.
"Your next challenge, I'm afraid, will be impossible without your sight." said Roku.
"Is that so?"
"Yes." replied Go. "Here you must be able to navigate a simple path, but the clue on how to do it is written down, you have to solve the riddle to pass."
"Interesting." said Shinji.
Shinji walked toward the path that Go gestured to. He walked calmly as if he could see and began to step in odd locations of the path. He jumped from spot to spot as if avoiding a hole, the whole time his hands behind his back. After only two minutes he reached the end of the path and turned around to Go and Roku.
"Your game was there were only a select few places I could walk, but the path look entirely solid. Not a bad trick, the riddle must have been nice. Since I solved this game what do you loose?"
Go and Roku were slightly annoyed by Shinji's smugness. "What do you think we should loose?" they asked.
"I'd be happy if you lost your left arms." said Shinji.
"Very well." said Go and their arms were bound to their sides.
"The next game will also be of considerable challenged." said Roku. "We shall bring your friends into this world. Two of each shall appear one real and one fake. You must kill one before the time expires."
"Amazing that is fun. I could end up killing my friends here."
Go thought to himself. "Little does he know that there shall be a small physical difference between them. Since he can't see he shall never solve it."
"Oh I have a question." said Shinji.
"Yes?" asked Go.
"What are the terns of this game? What do I loose besides my friends here?"
"Well first you might not loose your friends. If you let the clock expire you will only loose something of yours. Let's see, how about your arms? That seems fair." said Roku.
"The arms I still hold behind my back?" asked Shinji.
Go and Roku cringed slightly. "Yes." said Go.
"Is there a limit to what I can take? Does it have to be physical?"
"No the only limit is your imagination." replied Roku.
"Excellent." said Shinji. "Then if I win you loose you bond. You must stand no less than twenty feet apart."
Roku and Go eyes widened in shock. "If you are sure that is what you want." said Go. He snapped his fingers and a set of Rei and Asuka appeared in front of Shinji. "Now pick which one you will kill. You have two minutes."
All the Asuka's and Rei's looked around surprised at where they were. "What the hell? Where are we?" called one of the Rei's.
"I don't know." said and Asuka. "We must be where they brought Shinji."
"I'm over here." Shinji said calmly.
"Oh good." said a Rei.
"Shinji what is going on here?" asked an Asuka.
"Oh nothing. I just have to decide which one of each of you is the real one and kill the other. Hope I don't mess up."
"Shinji you idiot you better not kill me!" yelled an Asuka.
"I trust you Shinji." said the other Asuka.
"Shinji." said a Rei. "Do you have a plan here?"
"Of course. I actually already have it figured out."
"That's impossible." said Roku. "There is no way without your sight."
"Really?" asked Shinji. "You mean I was not supposed to notice the difference in their physical appearance?"
Go and Roku both stood in shock.
"What it wasn't that hard." said Shinji. "Rei has a necklace and her copy doesn't. I noticed that when they looked around to see where they were. Asuka you gave arm guards, small ones yes, but noticeable. That's not actually how I figured it out though."
"What do you mean?" asked Go trying to stay calm.
"Are you serious?" Shinji asked in amazement. "When they showed up the fake Rei was shocked. That wouldn't happen. The fake Asuka was calm, also not happening."
"How then did you notice the other changes?" asked Roku
"When Rei moved the necklace made a small sound, it was absent on her copy. Asuka's copy has slightly different muscle contractions when she moved due to the added weight of the armor."
Roku and Go almost gasped at this information.
"And you two are also having fun reactions." Shinji said as he walked toward his friends. He silently killed the fake Rei and Asuka. The real ones disappeared back to the real world. "Increased heart hate, elevated breathing, and a sense of panic at what will happen to you."
"Yeas you win, we shall now separate." said Go. Go and Roku walked away from each other and stood on opposite sides of Shinji, with twenty feet in between them.
Shinji smiled more. "Perfect now I have this game won."
"What do you mean?" asked Roku with a hint of anger.
"You think I didn't figure it out? A majority of your power is bound by your birth connection. When you two stand close together your power is greater, when you are apart it lessens."
"You think you can beat us by pulling us apart? It wont work." said Go.
"Ah see, you just lied there. What you don't know about me is how well my ears work. Small differences in speech pattern, heart beat, breathing, and even muscle contractions are all heard by my ears. It works the best when my eyes are closed and I focus on it. Since here I have no sight, it is amplified to its highest ability."
"So loosing that game was advantageous to you?" said Roku, his anger rising.
"Not only advantageous but preferred. I could have won that game at several points most specifically at turn nineteen and move forty-five, I lost that game as to gain my true power here. Since these games cam be easily won by sight you thought you had me, too bad."
"Fine," said Go, "the next game shall be are last. If you loose we take your hearing."
"Oh no I don't think that will happen." said Shinji with a bigger smile.
"What did you say?" asked Roku, now very angry.
"I'm going to kill you, your game has lost it's interest."
"What?" exclaimed Go.
"Its simple really. You two cannot come with twenty feet of each other. That means I only have to kill one of you at a time, much easier."
"How pathetic!" screamed Roku. "Have you no pride as a warrior?"
"None what's so ever." said Shinji calmly. "I am a soldier of the shadows, we kill in the easiest way possible. The idea," Shinji said as he started to walk towards Roku, "is to sneak up behind your target," Shinji said and then vanished. Go and Roku looked around for him. Shinji then appeared behind Roku, "and stab him in the heart." Shinji thrust the blade in his left hand threw Roku's back puncturing his heat. His right blade cut his throat from right to left in a thrusting fashion. Both happened at the same time and Roku made no sound, Shinji kept his smile.
The dimension that Shinji had been transported to faded away as Roku fell to the ground an his blood sprayed out of his neck. Go leaped at Roku and Shinji, the distancing effect of the realm being nullified as it disappeared. Shinji jumped away and he noticed Rei and Asuka standing exactly where they were when he went into the darkness.
"Shinji what happened?" asked Rei.
"I killed the weaker one, sorry but I thought Go there could have stopped me."
Asuka and Rei looked at Roku who was dead on the ground. Go was standing over him staring at the dead body. Roku's human body started to fade away into dust and the demon armor collapsed in on itself. Go lifted his head and look at the team, his eyes narrowed with hate.
"You will all die here." he said with anger. "Roku and I will kill you."
"Did I miss something here?" asked Shinji. "Did I not just kill him?"
"Hahaha, you think we can die so easily?" Go bent down and grabbed a small piece of Roku's demon armor. It glowed in his hand and then he ate the piece. Go's body glowed red and his back hunched. When he straightened up his head faced the sky and he laughed again. "No we shall kill you."
"What the hell is happening?" asked Asuka scared.
"No idea." responded Rei.
"It's interesting though." said Shinji.
"I'm glad you think so." replied Asuka.
"To satisfy your curiosity human I will tell you what is going on here. Roku and I are the same person, only are minds are different and eve those were connected with these demons. That which I ate was Roku's heart combined with that of the demons. We became one being on every level, are powers merged."
"That sounds bad." said Asuka.
"Damn." said Rei. "Nana was bad enough in a fight and both of them were stronger. Now them in one body, will we be able to win?"
"This combination is very dangerous." interjected Go. "Unfortunately I will reject it shortly so I have to kill you before I do."
"So we just have to live for a while longer." said Shinji.
"I can live with that." said Rei.
"Rei," said Asuka, "try that move that you used to kill Hachi."
"Oh that sounds fun." said Shinji.
"Sure." Rei drew her sword and held it level in front of her. She then began her movement and made a circle of images around Go.
"Ah this move." Go responded. "You think this will work on me like it did on Hachi? Your wrong I'll stop it."
"We'll see." said Rei as she expanded the circle to fully surround Go in a dome shape.
"Wow that is amazing." said Shinji.
Rei kept up her dance and Go stood calmly in the center. Rei chose her time of attack and made her move. She struck on his left side at his neck. Go had raised his hand and blocked it. Asuka was in shock when she saw Rei in mid air stopped by Go. Shinji's smile lessened slightly.
"Your attack involves going from a purely defensive stance to an offensive one. In that time that you switch there is a laps, I can see it and raise my defense. Don't put me on the same level as Hachi."
Rei landed and jumped back. Shinji and Asuka ran over to assist her.
"Now this isn't fair," said Go jokingly, "three on one is mean. How about we even things up." Go held up his right hand and summoned a large demon from the earth. It was a four armed demon like before only it was much bigger, about twice the size of a human. "My demon, I again offer myself to you. Take this body and grant it your power." The demon picked up Go and pushed him into its chest. The demon glowed and transformed into Go, he was now as large as two people.
"Oh shit." said Asuka.
"This is different." said Shinji. "Had no idea he could do that."
"I will kill you all with this next attack." bellowed Go.
He took all four of his swords and put them together. The formed into one blade and he swung it across his body to his outside. Rei, Shinji and Asuka were barley able to avoid it. Shinji jumped up and Asuka jumped back. Rei disappeared and could not be accounted for.
"What?" bellowed Go. "Where is that girl?"
"Here." Rei said.
Go looked to where heard the sound and saw Rei standing, sword in sheath, on the end of his sword that he was still holding out to the side. He tried to stop her by dropping his sword, but as he did Rei leapt at Go. She drew her sword out, cutting his neck in the same motion. She continued passed the target and avoided the blood spray from his neck. Rei was on the ground and Go fell. Unfortunately Go was not dead. He reverted back to his original size and was completely unscathed.
"Damn it!" yelled Asuka.
"Did you really think I would die so easily?" asked Go.
"I was hoping." said Rei.
Go looked at Rei and then jumped in a different direction at Asuka. Asuka avoided the attack and swung with her spear. Go grabbed it and pulled hard bringing Asuka in at him. He held up his hand, finger pointed as if to stab her. Asuka, using the spear, flipped over and avoided the attack. She continued to flip over and kicked Go in the back of the head. He let go of the spear and fell forward. Asuka immediately took her spear back and lunged at Go trying to skewer him when he was off balance. He countered the attack with a kick to the stomach.
"Asuka!" yelled Rei as she landed several feet back after the kick.
Go lunged at Rei next and she blocked using her sword. From the ground Asuka called, "I'm fine." and she stood up, slightly labored. Rei threw Go back.
"Damn you." said Rei.
Rei took a stance holding her sword parallel at her side with both hands. Go stood with both hands level with the ground, fingers pointed straight, his arms pulled back. They stood still for only a moment and the ran at each other. As Rei and Go were about to strike each other Go was stabbed in the side, below the ribs. Rei stopped in her tracks and saw Asuka standing there with her spear in Go. Go's arms went limp and he growled in pain. Still holding onto the spear Asuka walked up to Go and kicked him in the head pushing him off the spear.
"That's for kicking me you bastard."
Go stood back up holding his side and store angrily at Asuka. He disappeared and Asuka calmly turned her spear around and held the point up at an angle behind her. Go landed on the point impaling himself just underneath the ribs in the front of his chest. He coughed up blood and it covered Asuka's shoulder. Go died on the spear and his body disintegrated causing his armor to fall to the ground.
Shinji and Rei ran over to Asuka who was still standing motionless.
"Asuka that was amazing." said Rei full of joy. "Are you ok, how did you do that?"
"I'm in pain from that kick and I'm finally used to seeing you people move like that. I can't do it but I can sure as hell see it."
"That's amazing." said Shinji.
"Don't you mean interesting?" asked Asuka.
"Good point." he said with a laugh.
"Well that's three of them down." said Rei. "Now we have to deal with the rest of them."
"The bad part is I think that Nana guy will still be challenging." said Shinji.
"Huh, why?" asked Asuka.
"Go was pissed over me killing his brother so he wasn't thinking straight. I did I good job of making that so when they were playing with me. If Nana doesn't fight like an idiot than he might be more challenging."
"No way, Rei almost had him without using her sword, he won't be a problem." responded Asuka and then dropped to one knee.
"Asuka!"
I'm fine." she said. "That just really hurt. We are sleeping somewhere close, I'll be fine by tomorrow."
"Alright." said Shinji. "Lets go sleep somewhere that isn't coated in blood."
Shinji turned and walked away from the bloody scene toward a place to sleep. Rei helped Asuka walk so she wouldn't have to strain herself. They didn't walk very far, only about one hundred meters, and then they set up to sleep again. All three fell asleep instantly.
The next morning Rei was the first one awake, she had regained her strength that she had lost the day before. Asuka and Shinji were still sleeping soundly, she knew that she could wake Shinji up, but Asuka might be more of an issue. She wanted to make sure Asuka slept off the injury from the night before. As Rei started to gather her things Shinji appeared in front of her with the happy smile of his.
"Do we really have to go already? We had a great victory last night, we should sleep in."
"Even if you say that it doesn't carry much weight since your awake."
"You know I can sleep anytime."
"Yeah."
Shinji looked over at Asuka who was still sleeping. "She fought amazingly last night. I've never seen someone who can see that much faster than they can move."
"Yeah, Asuka sure is something." Rei said with a smile. "Shinji, how did you kill Roku so easily last night?"
"I wonder?" he said looking up in the air as if confused.
"Com on Shinji don't mess with me tell me."
"Ok sure." Shinji told the entire story of what happened inside the alternate dimension. He was very descriptive, making sure every detail was clear. Even when he described his attack on Roku he was specific, saying exactly what organs and arteries he cut. The whole while with his smile.
"Wow that's quite impressive."
"Thank you."
Both chuckled. They enjoyed talking with each other and Rei liked it when Asuka was not there, or awake in the case, to be upset by it. Just then Asuka did wake up ending the happy moment between the two.
"I didn't sleep to late did I?"
"No your fine Asuka." replied Rei.
"Good, I don't want to hold us up."
"How do you feel after that kick yesterday?" asked Shinji
"My rib is a little sore, but other than that I'm fine. We'll be able to go today without me slowing you down."
"Good because otherwise we'd have to leave you behind." said Rei joyfully.
"Hey that's not nice."
Rei and Shinji were laughing together at the mornings joke.
"That's not nice you guys. Let's just get going."
"Ok Asuka, sure."
The next several days went without major incident. There were the occasional demon attacks, but no encounters with the evil group who had been attacking them. Even though the fighting was pretty regular Rei, Asuka and Shinji preferred it over fighting really strong opponents and getting injured. After a few days they finally arrived at their destination, the town that apparently had no name. When they entered the village they noticed something strange.
"This is odd," said Shinji, "it doesn't look like anyone has been here for ages. I don't sense the slightest amount of life here."
"Yeah, it's kind of creepy." said Asuka. "Are we sure people actually live here?"
Rei stood silent as if in a trance. Her eyes were blank and she looked off into the town.
"Rei, are you ok?" asked Shinji.
No response.
"Rei?" Asuka asked slightly worried.
Again, no response.
"This could be bad. Asuka do you have any idea what is going on?"
"None, I've never seen her like this."
Rei started to walk forward without making a sound and without a change in her facial expression. Asuka moved to stop her, but was stopped by Shinji. He simply shook his head in disapproval. Asuka and Shinji calmly followed Rei to wherever she was going. Rei walked to the center of the deserted town and into a small building. Inside the building she opened a small door in the floor and started down the stairs.
"She's in a trance and it's leading her somewhere." said Shinji.
"Don't think that's good!" exclaimed Asuka. "It's either a trap or something to do with Shinpishugisha, we should be careful."
"Why? If it's the latter we have nothing to worry about."
"You calmness is getting on my nerves, let's just follow her."
"Well yeah."
Shinji and Asuka ran after Rei following her into the hidden staircase. The staircase had to have gone three stories down under the ground. When they reached the bottom they realized that the underground room was a large library full of shelves completely full of book Rei had stopped in front of one bookcase, frozen.
Shinji and Asuka ran over to her and Asuka grabber her by the shoulders. "Rei are you ok? Snap out of it."
Rei blinked and regained control of herself. "Where am I?" she said confused.
"Really Asuka? This obviously wasn't a trap, you couldn't let her go so we could find out exactly what she was being led to?"
"I'm glad you wee so concerned about her. Try this, next time instead of being so interested in what you can learn, be concerned about your friend!" Asuka Barked back.
"I was, it's just hard to tell because to don't react like you."
"Enough." said Rei. "What the hell happened and where the hell am I? Please explain as best you can."
"You wee I a trance and it led you down, underneath a building to a hidden library."
"Ok, thank you. So, why do you think?"
Shinji walked toward the bookcase. "If we were right it has something to do with you being a Shinpishugisha." Shinji took one of the books off the shelf and opened it. "Asuka and I are correct. This is I library of Shinpishugisha text." Shinji turned the book out so they could see it.
"Your right." said Rei. "That's the same writing as that tablet in your fathers' lab."
"Hence my deduction."
"Can you read this stuff Rei?" asked Asuka.
"No unfortunately. But Shinji can right?"
"Well yes, but this is not easily translated. It would take me a couple of days to translate this book alone." Shinji pointed at the library. "As you can see I'd need a team to get anywhere close to all this translated within the next year."
"Well there must be a reason I was brought to this bookcase since I was brought her like that. If we could figure out which book I was looking at then we would have less work to do."
"That right." replied Asuka. "Lets see, she was standing here, looking like this." Asuka tried to stand as Rei was when they found her. "I have no idea where she was looking, I can see half the bookcase here."
"Rei you stand back how you were when we found you." said Shinji.
"Ok." Rei stood about where she was.
Shinji walked over and repositioned Reis' head to be pointing the exact way it was. "No look forward."
"Ok."
Shinji studied Reis' posture and eyes. He looked at the angle of here head and the focus of the eyes and calculated where she was looking. He reached up on the bookcase and grabbed three books off the shelf. "It's one of these I think."
"Well at least we have something to go on." said Rei. "What do you think, should we rest here a few days and let Shinji get started on the translation?"
"I couple days rest seems great." said Asuka. "Plus it's really warm down here."
"I'm good with the warmth." agreed Shinji.
"Ok, we'll stay here two days and then we'll move on. Does that work for everyone?"
"Yeah, I'm good with that." replied Asuka happily.
"It's not a lot of time, but I can get a good start." said Shinji.
"Ok you get on that I'm going to look around." Rei said and turned to explore the library.
"Wait Rei I'll come too." Asuka said and ran after her.
That night Rei, Asuka and Shinji were eating dinner and Shinji was still reading the book and translating it. He ate with his left hand while writing with his right. His gaze never left the book while he ate.
"Shinji, it's ok to stop working you know." said Rei. "I wont mind if not all of it is translated."
"I know, but it is all so interesting so I don't want to stop."
"And you didn't like our father that much? Your so much like him." said Rei
"I know we are the same. We only do things that we are interested in. What he was and is interested in I don't find so great, this I like."
"So if something isn't interesting than it's not important?" asked Asuka.
"Unfortunately yes." responded Shinji. "That's my character flaw."
"So than you really find what we are doing interesting?"
"I wouldn't be here otherwise."
"Are you sure Shinji?" asked Rei. "You really aren't here just because you can help the world? You don't think since it is possible and that you have power you should use it for good?"
"No. I feel no obligation as a man of strength to do any such thing. I find you two and the whole business with your Shinpishugisha power interesting. If you weren't than I would have stayed."
"I think your lying Shinji." said Rei. "What about you not liking your father and all that?"
"Good incentive, but still not enough of a reason. If it was I would have left years ago."
"Your so weird." said Asuka.
"Thank you."
The next day Asuka slept in, enjoying the fact that she could and that it was safe. Shinji stayed up the whole night working on the translation. Rei slept, but woke up at the same time as if she had to travel that day. When she awoke she walked over to talk with Shinji.
"You didn't sleep huh?"
"Nope, not at all."
"Maybe you should."
"No, a few all nighters wont kill me. I'm a soldier of the shadows remember? I'm used to this. What about you, why are you up so early?"
"Habit, I never slept much later than this most of my life so it is normal to me. It'd feel odd to sleep like Asuka."
"Makes sense to me."
Rei and Shinji sat in an awkward silence. Rei looked down at the floor as to avoid the situation. She looked at Asuka to make sure she was still sleeping and then looked back at Shinji. Shinji did not look up from the book and he still had his signature smile.
"Shinji.."
"It's ok." he interrupted. "Your still not sure so you don't have to say anything."
"But, I think….I think I want to."
"I'm not saying don't express your feeling, but you looked at Asuka first. I know you can't run your life off others, but if you think your decision will upset her that much than make sure she will be able to deal with it first."
"What are you saying?" Rei said slightly yelling. "You said I should tell you how a feel, but now you tell me to think about Asuka. I care for Asuka and I don't want to hurt her, but it's not like I'm going to live with her forever. She needs to understand that."
"Asuka grew up without a family, or at least, she spent most of her life without one. Then she met you, a person her age that could understand her. She has less experience with feelings than you do. It is only natural that a feeling of love would form between her and you. And she probably took the we'll live in the same town comment as something more than what it was."
"I know, but I don't want to loose Asuka. I want to live in the same place as her."
"But not live with her."
Rei gasped. She looked down at her feet again. "Yes. I want to clear up this mist from the world and one day have children of my own. That can't happen with Asuka."
"You see her as your best friend, she see's you as someone she loves. You don't want to shatter that and have her distance herself from you. Before we say anything more to each other you may want to clear things up with her." Shinji paused and his smile weaned for a brief moment. "Then we can both say how we feel."
"Ok, I'll wait until then. For now we are just friends." Rei turned to walk away. "Oh and Shinji. Make sure that you have a way to carry all of our work we leave tomorrow."
"Oh I thought I got a full two days to do this."
"No, we can't afford to spend more time here. We have to go tomorrow morning."
"Ok Rei."
Rei walked quite a ways away and sat up against a bookcase. She tilted her head back to look at the ceiling. She let her shoulders go limp and let out a sigh.
"Shinji that idiot." she said quietly. "I wonder if he heard that." Rei continued to look at the ceiling doing nothing, she was sad about what just happened, but she did not cry. She saw no reason in crying since she only had to wait, not forget outright.
Asuka woke up and looked around to see where everyone was. She saw Shinji in the same spot he was the night before. "Wow, has he even moved since yesterday?" she said out loud.
"Nope." said Shinji from where he was sitting.
Asuka was slightly shocked by the response. She had forgotten how well he could hear. Asuka then looked for Rei but did not immediately see her. She stood up and looked again, this time seeing a small part of her clothing sticking out from behind a bookcase. Asuka walked over and noticed Rei staring up at the ceiling. "Is something wrong Rei?"
Rei looked up at Asuka and corrected her facial expression. "No nothing. I was just wondering how there is light down here. There are no torches or anything just a glowing ceiling, almost like the sun."
"Yeah it is pretty cool." Asuka said having no clue that Rei was lying.
"Oh Asuka, we are leaving tomorrow morning. Make sure you are ready ok."
"Yeah ok." Asuka replied and walked away.
Several hours later, around noon, Rei brought some food to Shinji, who had still not moved from his spot on the ground.
"You know, it's not good for your body to just sit there all day."
"It will be fine." he said. "Unless sitting there for more than one day will really be bad."
"Just don't be too stiff when we go to leave tomorrow." Rei said and handed him the food. "Today we'll finish the food that Hikari made for us and it will be back to finding it again."
"Well that'll suck."
"At least now I wont feel so bad about killing something like a deer."
"You used to?"
"Well it would be pointless to kill one just for me, most of it would be wasted."
"Good point."
"Have you seen Asuka anywhere I have to giver her lunch as well?"
"Nope, haven't seen her. Looked a lot though." Shinji said sarcastically.
"Your right, that was a dumb question. I'll just go find her."
Rei walked through the library looking for Asuka. It wasn't until now that she realized just how big this place really was. She had no idea how it could have been built and kept hidden from anyone. After a few minutes of searching she saw Asuka off in the distance standing on her hands.
"Hey Asuka!" she called. "Lunch time!"
"Great bring it over!" Asuka called back still in a handstand.
"What's with the hand stand?" asked Rei.
"Just bored is all." Asuka responded falling back to her feet and turning towards Rei. "We can't have much food left can we?"
"No after today we have to find are own again."
"Is that why we are leaving tomorrow?"
"That's one of the reasons."
"Well anyway, thanks for the food Rei."
"Your welcome."
The rest of the day past and night came. Rei and Asuka slept soundly while Shinji continued to work on the translations. His drive to get information out of them was very strong. It was amazing that, even though he did nothing but read and write, he never yawned or showed any sings of boredom or fatigue.
The next morning when Rei awoke she turned and saw Shinji packing up the books. She woke up Asuka by shaking her shoulder and stood up to go talk with Shinji.
"I really thought you would be working until we left." she said.
"You said we would leave first thing in the morning, I don't want to hold anything up."
"Good." called Asuka from behind Rei. "Since we don't have to wait on you let's get going, we've got places to go and people to save."
"Alright." said Rei full of energy. "I can't argue with that logic. We're off."
In the dark room with the table and chairs there were two more empty spots. Now only five chairs were filled with Shinigami at the head. There was some slight mumbling among the members at the table.
"Those morons." boomed Nana. "I can't believe that they went and got themselves killed by those three."
"Would you have done much better?" asked the woman. "You are lower than them and the girl did do a number on you."
"Shut up! If I had been serious than there is no way she would have been able to harm me."
"Yes, but you weren't serious." said a soft voice. "You would have died if Shi wasn't there. Next time you might not have a chance like that. Don't mess up."
"Damn you San! How dare you.."
"ENOUGH." said Shinigami. "Your bickering is becoming annoying."
"Sorry master." said Nana. "I did not mean to insult you."
"Shinigami-sama, if I may ask, why did you not send me to stop Go from fighting?" asked Shi.
"ARE YOU UPSET ABOUT HIS DEMISSE, OR DO YOU ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE?"
"Neither." said Shi flatly. "It was my understanding that I was to be in charge of the others while they were fighting so that you may have all your forces available for you plan. With three of them dead I don't see how I fulfilled that task."
"SO SINCE YOU WERE UNABLE TO SAVE THEM YOU FEEL USELESS?"
"No I just wonder why I have not served the purpose you appointed me. Roku was a fool, Go was skilled but blinded by emotion. Is that why you let them die?"
"YES."
"You are far too concerned Shi." said a bored voice. "If Shinigami doesn't care that they're dead than it's all fine."
"Do not belittle my job Ichi."
"I'm not, but worrying about the past is pointless." Ichi yawned. "This meeting is boring, I'm leaving." Ichi said getting up from the table and leaving the room.
"Why does Shinigami let Ichi get away with everything?" Nana asked angrily in his mind. "If I did that I would almost certainly be killed for my impudence. Damn him."
"I THINK THIS IS FINE FOR THE DAY. YOU MAY ALL RETURN TO YOUR QUARTERS. I HAVE YET TO DECIDE ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE TROUBLESOME THREE."
"Yes sir." the remaining four said in unison and vanished from the room.