Disclaimer: See prologue
Chapter 9: Routine

Class 2-A was bored and uninterested at the afternoon lecture, and two particular students entertained themselves by tormenting a third about a...coworker, for lack of a better term.

3pointshot
Tell us, already, are you two going out?

Ikari01
No, okay. Just, no. We spend 16 hours a day together between school and piloting; by the end of the day, I just want to go home and she would act totally indifferent if I asked her on a date.

3pointshot
See, it's perfect! That way you can keep her away from any other guy that gets in your territory.

Ikari01
Look, Touji, Rei isn't really like you or me. She isn't interested in me or any 'other guy that gets in my territory'.
-Ikari01 Signout-

RailGun
Wow, that was adamant. Was that denial or hate?

3pointshot
I don't know Sukes, but those two are so passive that neither of them would do a thing if they walked in on one another in the shower. Somebody has to do something...I have an idea.

-2ARep Invited to chat-
Yes, Touji, what is it? I'm trying to focus.

3pointshot
Easy! I just wanted to know what tomorrow's maintenance assignment is.

2ARep
I haven't issued it yet. Do you want it?

3pointshot
No, put Rei and Shinji on it.

2ARep
And why would I follow your suggestion? What scheme are you up to now, Touji?

3pointshot
No scheme, I'm just doing a favor for a friend.

2ARep
Well, I guess you saved me from the decision...I'll write down that Shinji and Rei were volunteered, and since you're so interested, I'll give it to you next time.

3pointshot
You're too kind, Hikari.

-2ARep Signout-

A digital representation of the Fourth Angel appeared in the simulator screens.

"All right Shinji, Rei, because of your good coordination during the last attack, the two of you are going to focus on teamwork and support for these next drills. For the first round, Shinji is going to move in and overpower the Angel's AT Field. After the fields are down, Rei is going to take over and destroy the Angel at long range with her sniper rifle. You two will trade roles after the drill is over."

Shinji focused and moved the Virtual Unit 01 up to the Angel and grappled with it as the fields interfered and vanished.

"The field is down Rei, but its still got me!."

She prepared to fire as the Angel held tight to the Virtual Unit 01, the two wrestling in place with Shinji trying to tear himself away.

= I have no time for him to resort to pugilism. = She thought to herself. Firing her weapon, it over-penetrated Unit 01 and detonated the Angel's core. Shinji's pain simulator gave him a series of harmless but very raucous electrical shocks.

Ristuko was almost enjoying herself as she answered sarcastically. "Congratulations, First Lieutenant Ayanami, you just killed both the Angel and Shinji. After you rotate, maybe he won't return the favor."

"Our roles were to overpower the Angel and destroy it. Pilot Ikari only completed half of his objective."

"And in the real world you will have to explain why you shot your fellow Evangelion Unit with a 240 millimeter sabot rifle to internal affairs."

Shinji groaned to himself, the next six hours were going to be a long night.

"Okay fellow students, today is grounds-keeping day and that means two of you get to stay behind and clean up the class. Let's see, Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami please stay behind and take care of the classroom."

As she was leaving, Shinji stopped Hikari to ask her about the strange coincidence. "Hikari, please tell me who talked you into pairing me and Rei up today."

"I wasn't talked into it, I just needed two people and thought about the time you two spend together. I figured you work well with each other."

"So you weren't egged on by a certain basketball player who feels the need to stick his nose into me and Rei?"

Hikari knew Shinji figured it out. "Okay, fine, it was Touji's idea, he told me to pair you two up as a favor for a friend. I'm guessing he meant you, right?"

"Hikari, I'm not mad or really even bothered by it, but in the future, don't listen to Touji, okay."

As Hikari left, he returned to Rei, still sitting at her desk and contemplating the blue sky outside the window.

"We may as well finish this sooner than later." After he retrieved cleaning supplies from the janitor's closet, Shinji organized desks, took trash away and returned to see Rei somehow half-finished dusting the room.

"Rei, I was gone for roughly five minutes, how in the world are you already half-done?"

"It was a task that needed completion, I see no reason to provide a poor effort."

"...You can dust and polish a room in 10 minutes. You'd make the perfect housewife."

Rei hid her face and blushed, a concept she was not familiar with. = He thinks I am...feminine? =

Due to Rei's single-minded determination, they were finished quickly. They made their way to NERV's ground-level entrance for their close-combat training.

"You know, we've both spent more time in the hospital than training."

"Yes, but that does not change the standards we are held to. If anything, it makes them more rigorous."

They were changed into fatigued exercise clothing and carrying plastic practice knives. The two young pilots were amongst large and strong NERV security and infantry, and Shinji was intimidated. = I'm supposed to train against these guys!? = He looked over at Rei, and once again, her face had the expression of complete disinterested calm. = How the hell does she do it? = The Eskrima trainers in the front of the room began lecturing on speed and offense.

"Don't allow your opponent the opportunity to attack you, finish your knife blow in one motion."..."Your Live Hand is used to disrupt your opponent's weapon at the wrist or forearm."..."A proper strike will slip between the ribs or connect behind your opponent's jaw, do not stab the chin or solar plexus, bone and cartilage will foul up the knife. The Eva pilots need to aim directly for the Angel's core."

= Just like going up against the Fifth Angel. = Shinji thought to himself.

When the lecture was over, the students were lined up on training mats and paired to spar. Rei and Shinji found themselves facing one another; = I guess this is how to keep it fair, those security cops look like they could step on us. =

They bowed, and Rei struck forward with a speed and flexibility that Shinji had never expected, his years of Aikido took over his abilities and he found himself in a cycle blocking and defending her swift knife strikes. The trainer yelled to him "Ikari! You have to answer her strikes! Stop passively blocking and strike back!" = I know that...slap her wrist...How can she move like this?...step right...she's striking high, bend back...she's moving, stab now! = He struck forward and found his plastic knife on the floor and his hand held by Rei's strong grip, her knife hovering millimeters from the side of his throat.

"Ikari! You are now dead. In the future, be aggressive and maybe you won't lose to a girl half your size."

As the two left the session, Shinji started asking her about the fight.

"Rei...where did all that come from?"

"Commander Ikari directed me to train from an age where I could safely fight."

"Well, yeah, I've been practicing Aikido since I was nine, but you were faster and more brutal than some of the soldiers in there!"

"Aggression is necessary when fighting an opponent, you were not aggressive, and you fell to my knife. If I was not, I would have fallen."

"I understand that, but I've never seen you that aggressive before, anywhere."

"If I allow an opponent to be aware of my skill, I lose my advantages when fighting them. I am aware of your skill-I have witnessed you fighting Suzuhara, and you reacted quickly when I struck you."

"Then you could have easily fought me when you slapped me, why'd you let me stop you?"

"I had no intention of fighting you. I slapped you because you disparaged your father. You then explained your beliefs about him to me, and your reasons for distrusting him were not unfounded."

= I don't get her...she talks like a philosophy professor. =

Rei had already started on her way home as Shinji was following her. "Hey, Rei...you're just going back to your apartment, right?"

"Yes."

"Um...can...may I walk you home?" He stammered out.

"Why? You don't need to be concerned for my safety."

"I-I just like listening to you. You're a lot smarter than I am."

"Commander Ikari ordered Commander Fuyutsuki to personally educate me until I officially entered the school system. I have already completed all courses for graduation."

"So when you're studying...you already know everything we cover in class?"

"Yes. Commander Ikari ordered me to continue school because the highshcool property we are on is well-defended. He wants me there to ensure my safety. Because I am already familiar with the content, I complete my assignments well ahead of schedule."

He was awestruck. = She's beautiful, she can fight better than I ever will, and she's a genius. =

By the time they had finished their conversation, Rei had walked to her building with Shinji absentmindedly following her, amazed at the way she thinks and speaks.

"You did ask to walk me home, Pilot Ikari." She said, waking him from his daze.

"Umm, yeah, thanks for talking to me Rei...wait a minute, you cleaned the classroom in minutes today, why is your apartment so messed up?"

"Keeping my apartment in the state you describe is not necessary for my purpose."

= Purpose? I guess she means Eva piloting... =

"You're right, but wouldn't you like to be more comfortable here?"

"I am not allowed to request unnecessary comforts."

= My dad probably put that idea in her head. = He thought with a touch of disgust.

"Rei, let me do something for you, just as a gift because you're my friend."

= He considers me a 'friend'...nobody has referred to me as such before...even the Commander. = "Umm...Alright, Shinji." She answered, confused by his intentions and unconsciously using his first name.

"At the end of the day, gentlemen, the Sixth's excessive plasma damage to Unit 00 is placing it out of active service until the budget for more extensive repairs can be approved."

SEELE-02 SOUND ONLY: "Unit 00 is a prototype. We can not make special concessions for it as it would divert resources away from the True Evangelion. Despite Unit 01's recent successes, it is still a far cry from the fruition of our objective."

"Unit 00 may be a prototype, but its pilot certainly isn't. As for your thoughts on the 'True Evangelion', if an Angel overpowers our defenses while even one Unit is down, then NERV will have failed in it's official purpose, and Instrumentality will never complete. Instead we will have raw chaotic destruction. We cannot allow this long term goal to be the undoing of all we have prepared."

SEELE-01 SOUND ONLY: "You may not have your complete budget, Ikari, but some repairs to Unit 00 will be allowed. However, in light of the increasing aggression from the Angels, we will be transferring Unit 02, its pilot, and some needed support from Germany. Three active Units may be the limit of the Vatican Treaty, but we will pressure the United Nations into relaxing the prohibitions to compensate the concentrated Angel threat at your headquarters."

"Gentlemen, your consideration is greatly appreciated."

Shinji returned home sometime around zero dark-thirty, his shirt stained and his hair full of dust.

"Shinji, what in the world happened to you?" Misato asked as she looked up from the television and saw his current state of being.

"I, uh, was cleaning with Rei after we finished training today."

"It shouldn't take you until midnight to clean a classroom."

"No...I was cleaning Rei's apartment-"

"Awww, a date to clean your girlfriend's apartment! Wow, Shinji, she's got you good and whipped already!"

"Misato! She's not my girlfriend and it wasn't a date!"

"Yes it was, Shinji, and the sooner you realize that the better off you'll be."

A/N: Yay Filler! I have the next chapter (Asuka) Started and I'll be uploading it soon.