Third chapter.

Enjoy

Chapter Sixty Eight

A new Development

"Why do I have to go to school?"

Hikari had a thick upon her head, with her arms crossed. She was dressed into a similar outfit to Asuka and was seating in the back of Misato`s car along with Asuka.

"So you can protect Asuka within the school," Misato told her, "SEELE could attack at anywhere and anytime. We`re not going to waste time with pretext. You look around Asuka`s age so it might work for you."

Hikari grumbled under her breath.

"I don't like it."

"I`ll be surprised if you did," Asuka told her, chuckling, "I don`t think there is any teens that like to go to school."

Hikari gave her a glare.

"You`re enjoying this aren`t you?"

Asuka smirked at her, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Get that smirk off your face," Hikari growled at her.

The car came to a stop in front of the familiar school building and Asuka stepped out.

"What are you going to be doing while I`m at school?" Hikari asked Misato.

"Me, i`m going to work," the older Hunter told her, "Someone got to take care of our living expenses. Now get out of here."

Hikari growled before stepping out of the car, finding Asuka waiting for her. Seeing her scowl Asuka simply shrugged her shoulders and walked into the school.

"Asuka."

It was Shinji.

"Hey," Asuka said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "You`ve been waiting long?"

"Nah, just arrived," Shinji told her, and turned toward the other girl, "Hikari?"

"Shinji," Hikari told him, giving a nod.

"Didn`t think I`ll see you here…in uniform," he said.

"That makes two of us," Hikari told him, "Any sign of the blood…I mean, Rei."

Shinji shook his head. Asuka gave a glance toward the parking lot. Whatever she had seen had pleased her for she smiled slightly.

"I know a place you might have missed," she said.

The redhead led them straight toward a large old tree that was on campus and sure enough, Rei Ayanami was seating there a book in her hand seemingly reading.

"Asuka," she said, without looking up, "I see you brought friends this time."

"Hey Rei," Asuka answered her, with a soft smile, "You don't mind if we seat by you?"

Rei looked up, her red eyes taking them in.

"Be my guest."

Asuka plopped down beside the vampire, giving her a grin which Rei returned, as if sharing a private joke. Hikari frowned a little wondering what was going on with them but seated as well. Shinji, himself, seated parallel to Rei.

"Hikari," Rei said, looking straight at her, "Did you already plan out the training we`re going to undergo?"

Hikari nodded.

"Yes," she said, "I have a plan in mind…but first there is something I want to say first."

"Let`s hear it," Rei said.

"SEELE have some formidable fighters," she said, "Something that neither Hunter nor Vampires have faced before. They`re pretty much more powerful than you are and each of them probably have their own unique abilities…like the one Asuka, Misato and I faced."

"You mean, that possession thing that Bardiel could do?" Asuka said.

"Exactly," Hikari agreed.

Rei frowned.

"Lilly told me there was one who can control lightning," she said, "They called him Ramiel...and also, his speed is also incredible. Lilly was almost killed, if I hadn`t gotten there in time."

"What can be done then?" Shinji asked, "From what I`ve heard so far, no one of you could face them alone."

Hikari nodded.

"That`s because we can`t face them alone," she said, "At our current level, facing them in a fight means certain death. The only way to fight them is in teams."

"Teams?"

"Yes," Hikari said, pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen, "It`s by luck that we were able to defeat Bardiel. But we were in a disadvantage considering our lack of magic. The way to fight against SEELE is by using a Non Magic User and a Magic User."

Rei was a little confused.

"How will that help?"

Hikari drew a MU and a NM side by side and drew an S below.

"Say that MU is Magic User and MN is Non Magic," she said, "S is SEELE of course. Both Magic Users and Non Magic can fight against SEELE without magic. If S started to use magic, then NM can stand aside and let MU fight this battle, but if S is occupied by MU and NM can launch a sneak attack upon S, evening the playing field in case MU is getting overpowered. Working together, MU and NM have a greater chance in winning the fight against S."

A small smirk worked its way upon Rei`s lips.

"You`ve thought up of a good plan," she said, "Not bad."

"I usually plan attacks for Hunters," Hikari said, "and I had a lot of time to think since the fight against Bardiel."

"There is one major flaw with your plan," Rei said seriously.

Hikari blinked a little, but she didn`t say anything.

"Each members of SEELE have a unique ability," Rei said, "You didn`t plan for that."

Hikari frowned to herself.

"We don`t really know much about SEELE other than they`re gathering the Angel Tear`s," she said, "The only time we probably going to face their ability is during direct confrontation."

"That`s risky," Shinji said, shocked.

"Well if we don't face them, the whole world is going to burn," Rei said, "I think that`s worth the risk."

Shinji looked down, frowning to himself.

"If we`re going to train," Hikari said, "We`re going to need a place with a lot of open space."

"I have Lilly looking up places," Rei said, "we might find one, so I`ll let you know."

Then she suddenly looked up, a strange look settling in her eyes. Asuka must have noticed for she put a hand upon the vampire`s shoulder in concern.

"Rei, is everything alright?"

She gave the redhead a glance.

"It`s fine," she said, "Just thought i`ve heard something."

The school bell had started to ring then, causing the group to stand up from their location.

The two others following Shinji back toward the builidng, but Rei stayed behind, narrowing her red eyes toward the school roof. She was sure she had heard something coming from there…

It won`t hurt to check, she thought.

She teleported to the roof, glancing around herself, searching for what had caused the disturbance, but she couldn`t find anything in sight.

Then what did I feel? She thought.

Rei`s senses suddenly picked up movement from the side. Quickly summoning her sword, she faced where she had felt the movement.

"Come out now," she said, "I know you`re here."

There was a soft chuckle in the air as a figure stepped out from behind a container on the roof. Rei instantly recognized who it was.

"Kaworu," she said.

"Yo," Kaworu greeted.

Rei can see blood upon his face and his clothes were ripped in some places. He was even holding one of his arms which were dropping with blood.

"In Drakul`s name…," Rei said quickly taking hold of him, "What happened to you?"

"Vamperium was attacked," Kaworu told her as he leaned against a wall, "We`ve lost a great number of purebloods…the line is dying out."

Rei looked at him.

"Attacked?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Kaworu said, "and that`s not the worst part."

"What could be worst?"

"Vlad Drakul had been revived," Kaworu told her.

Hope you enjoy.

R&R