Disclaimer: See Prologue
Chapter 16: Space
A/N: Open youtube in a new tab. /watch?v=jeqPannSteI
Shinji thought back to the previous day when he convinced Ritsuko to do him a small favor.
"Shinji, personnel data is confidential. I can't give you any records regarding Rei. You two get along, why not just talk to her?"
"Because whenever I ask about any hobbies or interests she has outside of NERV, she just says that 'What I do is unimportant.' When I try to press the matter, she just drifts off to nowhere and starts sounding like she hates herself..."
"And hating yourself is your area of expertise, right?"
"Exactly!...Hey Wait! That's not funny!"
Ritsuko smirked and then contemplated for a moment. = ...If I can get Rei to start spending all her time with Shinji, then I have exclusive access to Gendo...This could work out for both of us... =
"Alright, Shinji, here's what I'll do for you." She got out a notepad and started writing. "I'll note down information about Rei that you might need to work with. It's off the record and completely unofficial. Don't you ever tell anybody that I won't help you out."
"Yes, Doctor, thank you." He took the note and left as he noticed a photograph on Ritsuko's desk. It was a brown curly-haired adult holding a young blue-haired girl.
"Dr. Akagi, did you use to be a brunette?"
"I dyed it blonde in college, but that picture is my Mother, Naoko. She...died before NERV was official. She knew your mother. I don't remember if she was around when you were born."
"Oh...Then I guess we both know what it's like to lose our mom...Evening, Doctor."
= If only you knew...Shinji = Ritsuko thought as she watched him leave.
Now he was spending the majority of the night reading the custom notes for Rei Ayanami. He learned that she was suspected, but never officially diagnosed with Schizoid personality disorder, and as such, her lack of enthusiasm for anything related to people was just a character trait.
= So when she avoids people and talks like a computer, it's just because that's who she is, not because she hates anybody...
Touji and Kensuke would just make passes at her...she and Hikari could be friends, but Asuka would put a stop to that. I just put up with Asuka's abuse, how does Rei handle it? Are Misato and I really the only people who are ever nice to her? =
He knew she was an orphan, but this listed her as having no extended next of kin or contact of any kind outside of Gendo Ikari. It listed no real hobbies or interests other than reading, studying- he was amazed to read that her IQ was 184 -and occasional classical music.
= Wait...Classical Music. =
Frankly, Shinji hated playing; he could be something of a classical prodigy- he was fluent with anything with a bow and string. Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass, in fact, he could handle the entire string section -but his Junior High school orchestra back in Edo was lousy.
= I never thought of music as a chore before playing for school, still, if Rei enjoys it, it'll be worth it. =
He dialed his cell phone..."Good Evening, Sensei...Yes, I know I never call. Dad actually has me working for him, and he keeps me busy...Well, we're getting along better than before I moved out here, at least...Yeah, my new school is alright and my grades are doing better...I have made a few friends, yes, actually that's why I called. Could you airmail my cello out? Don't worry about the price, I get paid really well for my age...Well, I wanted to play some for a friend...What do you mean 'Is it for a girl'?!...Okay, fine. Yes, she is really pretty...I found out that she enjoys classical music...Thank you, Sensei, I'll try to talk more."
He paid the shipping fee over the Internet and woke up to a large crate at his door the next morning. = He sent it at overnight speed. Thanks, Sensei, always the best for young Shinji, right? =
"Hey, Shinji, what is that thing?" Misato walked up behind him as she was groggily trudging through the morning
"It's a cello, I played it back home in Edo. I had it shipped here."
"Well, get it into your room, there's no way we can fit it in the living room. Play something pretty for us later, okay." She walked to the kitchen for her morning beer.
= I know a few pieces, Misato... = Shinji thought as he dismantled the box and moved the stately instrument and its case...until he nearly collapsed on it when a bloody scream came from the bathroom. Asuka barrelled through the hallway into the kitchen.
"THE SHOWER! IT'S TOO HOT!"
"Sorry, Asuka." Shinji finally said as he and Misato blankly stared at her.
"Sorry? SORRY?! Do you ever do anything other than apologize for things that aren't your fault?!
"...Sorry?"
"AGAIN? Are you even capable of having a normal conversation?! GROW A BACKBONE, SHINJI!"
"Not now, Asuka, unlike you, Shinji is just polite to people by default. You could learn a few things from him."
"Oh like you'd know how to act around people? You slimed your way back into an inappropriate relationship with MY Kaji!"
"Nobody is in an inappropriate relationshi-" She shot back as Kaji left her a voicemail asking to go out for drinks later that day.
"Neither of you say anything. Go get dressed, next round of sync tests are today." she ordered while red-faced.
The three Children were well into the latest sync when Misato asked Maya for the up-to-date scores.
"See for yourself...They've all improved, Rei's holding at 75, Asuka at 90, but just look at Shinji, 125 and stable with no contamination! He's operating normally above the 100 percent maximum! It's really like he was born to pilot Unit-01!"
= You have no idea, dear. = Ritsuko thought as she heard Maya's praise.
"I say we give Shinji the good news." Misato called him on the radio.
"Shinji! I have a surprise for you!"
"Uh...yes ma'am, go ahead."
"You're number One! You just busted the sync rate record!"
Shinji was too stunned to speak while Asuka felt like she was being tortured.
"Well that's just GREAT!" Asuka loudly complained to Rei in the locker rooms. "So what if I'm pissed off! Nobody ever listens to Asuka! It's always good Shinji, Great Shinji, PERFECT SHINJI!"
"Good bye." Asuka was half dressed and incoherently raving as Rei walked out of the room. She was stopped just outside the door by a gently smiling boy.
"Rei-"
"Third Child, I would advise you to avoid this area. If you wish to talk, let us move to another area. The Second is...distraught. At best." Rei began walking away.
"Oh...um...Asuka? Is she okay?"
"She is uninjured, but I believe she is violently envious of your test results."
"...The sync tests...again?"
"Pilot Soryu sees her performance in the Eva as a measure of her value as a person. By outperforming her, she sees you as an adversary."
"But-but-but I'm not her adversary! Hell, unlike you guys, I don't even know what I'm doing when we sync!"
"Pilot Soryu does not understand that. She is at a similar stage in her development as you were when you had significant problems with fear and the desire to run away."
"Kaji helped me get over that fear. Maybe he can help her...Not likely, right?
"Pilot Soryu is not an individual who would want help."
He started chuckling under his breath. "Yeah that's Asuka alright." He tensed up and tried standing straight and tall.
= Okay, Ikari, just ask and get it over with. = "Rei, what are you doing this afternoon?"
"Returning to my apartment."
"Would y-you like to come over to-to Misato's and listen to some music? A-Asuka's going shopping with Hikari and you know Misato loves having you over..."
"You are a music aficionado, Pilot Ikari?"
"Well, I'm-m a fan..." = God I sound like an idiot = "I found out, uh, from Dr. Akagi, actually, that you really like classical."
= I do enjoy Mozart and Bach... = "Very well."
Shinji felt like he was hit by lightning. = Wait...she didn't say no...I didn't think any farther ahead of that! =
Shinji was the closest he had ever been to heaven in this moment. He somehow convinced Rei to spend the afternoon with him, Misato was working late and Asuka was out spending money, and now Rei's eyes looked visibly enamored as he drew out he melody for Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire in a private concert for her. He had brought her in and she expected him to turn on a stereo or other system, but instead he brought a well cared-for stringed instrument from his room and began playing in front of her.
= I did not expect...this...He is...talented...more than talented... =
= I can't believe it! All I had to do was find something she could relate to! =
He had moved to Bach's First Cello Suite and was playing confidently with pride until Shinji and Rei both jumped at the sound of applause coming from the doorway.
"Beautiful music, Shinji. I didn't know you had the talen-...What The Hell Is She Doing Here?!"
"She's a guest, Asuka."
"Yeah, no surprise there, only a Doll as boring as her could enjoy music that's 400 years old!"
Shinji looked at Rei who responded.
"You were applauding him, and you do not look at yourself as a doll."
"Shut up, First, you are nobody to guess how I look at anyone!"
= That's it. I don't get why Asuka sees everything as a competition, but Rei isn't going to be the victim of it. =
"Allow me to educate you, Asuka."
He started picking out the strings one note at a time.
"SAIL. This is an American song. Hard Rock. And it is (NOT) boring."
He looked up as Asuka. His face looked as rough and angry as the music. Asuka felt- = No way! I'm not afraid of him! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not...=
He turned back to see Rei's red eyes, smiling again as he continued playing the raw sound.
Misato ran into the room as Shinji was punishing his instrument. He ended the music when she started giving orders.
"We've got the report. The Eleventh Angel is here now! Asuka, Unit 02 is still tainted by the acid, so you're taking third position. Shinji and Rei are one and two."
"WHAT?! I'm not going to let some acid burns slow me down!"
"No, but I am! Now get in the car, all of you!"
Fortunately, none of them were sick by the time Misato stopped the car.
"Get plugged and get ready to launch! You'll be briefed en route!"
"Rei, Asuka, are you in support positions?" Shinji had his Evangelion-sized Desert Eagle handgun and progressive knife drawn.
"I am nearly there, Pilot Ikari." Rei had her weapon of choice, Unit 00's precision rifle.
"Of course I'm not! I'm in a partially disabled Unit, dammit!" Asuka somehow got ahold of a skyscraper-sized battleaxe.
"What are we looking at, Misato?"
"We're not completely sure. The sphere is only moving at 2.5 kilometres per hour and it isn't deploying an AT field. Approach with extreme caution!"
"Hey, Shinji, since you're number one, why don't you go take it out in one shot? You're the number one sync holder and bravest pilot ever to live, aren't you?" Asuka antagonized.
"You know what, Asuka, fine! Then maybe you'll shut up!" Shinji raised his weapon and stepped from behind the building he was covering.
"Don't listen to her, Shinji, stick to the plan!" Misato warned him.
"You said it yourself, Misato. We don't really have a plan." He fired into the sphere only to have it vanish before their eyes.
"What the hell? Is it a bubble or something?"
"BLUE MATCH! AT FIELD DETECTED! It's directly below Unit 01!" Hyuga shouted from the MAGI's bridge terminal.
"What do you mean 'Under Unit-01?!' MOVE SHINJI!" Misato demanded.
"The sphere is just an Illusion! The real Angel is the black shadow under Unit-01!" Unit-01 tried to jump away, but its feet started sinking into the ground.
"What's going on? Rei, Asuka, HELP ME!" Shinji screamed in terror as his 50-foot tall robot sunk into what he thought was the solid concrete city streets.
"Misato! What's happening?!"
"Rei, Asuka, get him out of there!"
Rei's rifle fire only made the sphere disappear again, but she did succeed in knocking down an office building. Asuka ran to Unit 01 only to have her feet to begin to sink.
"The Shadow! It's spreading!" She jumped out of the way before she could be swallowed. "The entire city is sinking!"
"All right...Scrub the mission! Rei and Asuka, get back here now!"
Rei spoke up. "Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi, Shinji is still in danger!"
"...It doesn't matter. Get back to base. That's an order."
Misato had all hands at the forward operating base gathered for a briefing.
"Based on our observations, Unit-01 was swallowed whole without any damage to it's actual frame or components. After the power cable severed, battery backup should sustain the system of as long as Shinji can keep life support active. Best-case scenario is that he has 16 hours of breathable LCL vapor. After that, suffocation becomes inevitable." Ritsuko concluded.
"Let's see, he defied the operation, took matters into his own hands, rushed headlong into a confrontation...He really got what he deserved!" Asuka stated to everyone who can hear her. She turned around to find Rei standing right behind her and glaring into her eyes. "What? Are my comments about Shinji pissing you off?!"
"I wonder, do you only pilot the Eva so you can act superior to others?"
"That's enough you two, Asuka's right. Shinji acted out of emotion without consulting anyone. He'll be reprimanded when- if...we get him back..." Misato stated, only to have Rei come to Shinji's defense.
"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi, is it not true that we were ordered to confront this opponent without even the most broad and basic of intelligence?"
"Yes, Rei, that's all we could do."
"Was our objective not to eliminate the opponent after making visual contact and confirming a safe shooting solution?"
"Yes, Rei..." Misato saw where she was taking this.
"As our target only appeared to be a static sphere, would you have agreed that Shinji's position was an advantageous shooting position?"
"No, Rei! He was too close!"
"That is untrue, Lt. Colonel, he was several kilometres from the airborne portion of the sphere. The physical shadow spread to his location in order to attack him."
"Get to the point, Wondergirl!" Rei ignored the German redhead.
"The point that I am attempting to reinforce is that Pilot Ikari acted within the realm of his training and experience, and, though he was overaggressive and undercautious, there was no alternate action that he could have taken, based on the intelligence we were given."
"God, Wondergirl could you be anymore obvious? Why not just go find him in that shadow and suck him off right now?"
"Asuka, that's completely uncalled for! I'm a hair's width away from giving you an NJP for your behaviour out here!" Misato growled. "Rei, that observation is...thorough, but it does not excuse him from his actions."
"I am well aware of that, Lt. Colonel. I was ensuring that it also does not excuse Pilot Soryu from her actions. Her treatment of Pilot Ikari borders on the abusive."
"Abusive?! Misato, are you listening to her?!"
"As a matter of fact, I am. Rei, I'm impressed, I've never seen you so, well, protective before."
"I do not agree with these attacks on Shinji's character; none of us could have predicted the behaviour of this opponent. It does not seem to abide by normal human physics."
= ...Normal human physics...God, I'm an Idiot! = She pulled out her portable radio. "Ritsuko, when will the MAGI's latest analysis be ready?"
"As soon as you can assemble an audience, Katsuragi."
Shinji reopened Unit-01 view monitors. = More white space...I've heard that boredom kills, but I never actually thought I'd be the one to die from it. Radar and sonar have no reflection...8 hours and counting...It's cold, unbelievably cold...The LCL is getting thick, it smells like blood...waitaminute what am I saying? It always smells like blood...Carbon Dioxide scrubbers are getting full...dammit...Dammit!...No. I won't be afraid. If I'm going to die in here, I'm going to go out with some dignity. Sensei and Kaji would be pissed if I didn't...I may never see Rei again, and I was so close. I may never see Misato...or Asuka...I haven't talked to Touji or Kensuke since before these back-to back attacks. I wonder if Touji ever asked Hikari out like he said he would. I wonder what Rei would say if I do...=
Shinji tried filling his head with silent one-sided conversation to remain alert, but found himself drifting off to sleep.
"So this Angel is actually the flat shadow?"
"Correct. The AT field is somehow being used as a portal to a self-contained universe, known to theoretical physicists as a Sea of Durac. Our best guess is that the shadow sends whatever it swallows into the levitating sphere, which acts like a miniature Dyson Sphere."
"Dyson Sphere?"
"A hollow ball that catches and collects all of the output energy of a light-creating device. Researchers have created designs of a solar-system sized ball that completely surrounds a star. This Angel appears to use the same function as a trap for the objects it swallows in the shadow."
"What do we do about it."
"I thought you'd never ask. The MAGI determined that if our entire N2 Inventory were pinpoint-bombed into the shadow, the explosion would pop the sphere like a baloon, destroying both objects. The cost includes the destruction of everything inside the sphere."
"DR. AKAGI! According to your own research, Unit-01 and First Lieutenant Ikari just happen to be 'inside the sphere'! If this is your best plan, the Operations Director has just decided to veto it!"
"Recovery of Unit 01, even recovery of a destroyed Unit, takes priority. Under these conditions, the pilot's life is irrelevan-" Ritsuko's glasses flew away as Misato's slap nearly knocked the doctor to the ground.
"This was your operation, Misato! If Shinji's death is anybody's fault, it's yours!"
"That's bullshit! Why would the Commander want Unit 01 back without a pilot?!" = I hope Kaji finds whatever he's investigating...He's the only one who can get me answers here...Even Ritsuko is the enemy now... =
Misato was snapped out of her thoughts. "Misato, I'm taking command...Now. The attack is going forward...If I can get Shinji back, I'll try, trust me."
Shinji awoke. = Where am I? I'm supposed to be inside Unit-01! =
His current surroundings certainly wasn't the familiar yet alien environment of the interior of Unit-01's entry plug. Instead, he was seated alone in one of the cross seats of Tokyo-3's subway trains, traveling across the countryside at dusk, the dyling light of the sun streaming into the cabin and blocking his sight.
"Wh-Who's there?" He asked to the empty space.
"Who? Shinji Ikari."
"That's me."
"I am you. I am the Shinji Ikari that is observed."
"'The Shinji Ikari that is observed?' What does that mean? I'm the Shinji Ikari that is observed!"
"No, you are the Shinji Ikari that you observe. The Shinji Ikari that is observed by Misato Katsuragi, Asuka Soryu, Rei Ayanami, and Gendo Ikari are all different Shinji Ikari's, but they are all equally real. You are afraid of the Shinji Ikari that is observed. You are afraid of being hurt. You are afraid of Father who abandoned you."
"I abandoned him just the same! Now, it's different! He praises me, he understands me!"
"Do you want to be praised by the man who abandoned you?"
"I want a chance to change things between me and him!"
"Do you want that chance if you are the only one who changes? Gendo Ikari has a closed mind, he will not change for you. You are certain of this. You are deceiving yourself by believing otherwise."
"I'm not deceiving myself! If I can change, I know for a fact that he can! He is capable of being a father, I see it every time Rei looks at him!"
"Rei Ayanami. Do you not realize that she is the child that he wanted? He is capable of treating you as well as he has treated her. He chooses not to. If he did, he would have done so by now."
"No. I have to show him that I've changed before he will change for me. I can't want him to change without first changing myself."
"Are you certain that Gendo Ikari is the one that you wish to change for? Why would you not change for Misato Katsuragi?"
"I don't need to change for Misato! She is happy with the way I am! I'm happy with the way she is!"
"Why would you not change for Asuka Soryu?"
"Because I already treat her with all the respect and friendship she deserves, and then some! She treats me- and Rei -with nothing but contempt!
"Rei Ayanami."
"What about her?"
"Would you change for her?"
"Of course I would; I already am! And she's changing for me!"
"You cannot change for both Rei Ayanami and Gendo Ikari. The Shinji Ikari they desire is not the same Shinji Ikari. You can only choose one change to make."
"That's not true!"
"You fear Rei Ayanami, why?"
"Because I'm afraid of anybody who could reject me, but that doesn't mean I'm going to run away from her! In the past- my past, you would be right, I guess, but I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not afraid of being liked or hated. I understand that my actions and my relationships can lead to pain. Ryouji Kaji taught me that. I musn't run away from pain. I musn't run away from them. I musn't run away from You! I'm not afraid of you, I'm getting angry at you! I'm getting angry at this place!"
Unit-01 roared within its infinite prison and clawed its way to life.
"Ma'am, bombers are 60 seconds out-"
Cracks appeared on the sphere and the surface of the shadow.
"Dr. Akagi, we've got movement inside of the Angel!"
Ritsuko froze and began blankly staring at the video feed. Misato saw her hesitation and spoke up.
"Don't wait for an invitation! What's the analysis!"
"Sorry, ma'am but we've got no idea!"
"Then Shinji must be doing it!" Misato exclaimed.
"That's impossible! The battery power in Unit-01 would have expired by now, there's no energy to power the core!" Ritsuko finally stated.
"Unless it's going berserk!" Misato answered her.
"It can't go berserk again! I've fixed that! There are too many restrictions in place now-" She was struck dumb as a purple fist punched a hole out from inside the sphere.
Misato snatched Ritsuko's radio from her hand. "SCRUB THE MISSION! Repeat, Scrub the mission! All bombers and fighter escorts bug out! Again, bug out 10 minutes ago!"
Cracks continued to split and spread on the surface as LCL flooded out of the sphere, the Angel's lifeblood draining from it. Unit-01, bloodied and bathed in the primordial liquid, clawed its way out of the Angel, jumping and landing on its feet 200 feet below.
The bridge crew, Ritsuko and Misato included, were all terrified. Ritsuko spoke while Misato thought silently.
"We haven't been building weapons...we've been creating monsters!"
= There is no one on this Earth qualified to wield the Eva's destructive power...Just what is NERV's real plan with them? What happens to the Eva Units when the Angels are all dead? I hope Kaji gets answers soon... =
= Delerium...that means that I'm losing oxygen...= Shinji thought as he awoke in the Eva's cockpit, his senses barely returning to him. = I feel so...dull. =
"SHINJI...SHINJI!" He opened his eyes to see Misato above him shouting his name. She broke down crying and hugged him as he barely came to.
"So what happened to reprimanding him, Misato?" Asuka prodded from outside the entry plug.
"Asuka. NOT. NOW."
"M-Mis-ato?"
"Shh, Shinji, don't speak, save what strength you have."
"Are...they safe?"
Misato looked up and smiled "They're fine. Asuka's...Asuka, but Rei-"
Shinji looked terrified at that interjection. "No, Shinji...Shinji, stay with me...Rei's fine too, she just..." Misato repeated everything Rei said about him.
"Commander, I believe Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi is growing critical of the Evangelion program."
"Leave her be, Doctor. We need her until the destruction of the final Angel, possibly longer."
"The Evas are living, thinking beings. What happens if one of the Units decides to rebel against the pain and injuries we put them through?"
"Once their purpose has been served, that will not be a danger."
"And what of the Children? What of their purpose? If Shinji or Rei ever really learn of the role they play, they'll spark a rebellion."
"The First Child is controllable, and the Third is too weak to present any danger. You will be accompanying me tonight, Ritsuko?"
"Of course, Commander." = But you are wrong about both of them...=
Shinji awoke looking at that ceiling in NERV's hospital recovery, again. He looked up at Rei sitting at his bedside, again.
"Just rest today. The Angel is gone. We have taken care of the cleanup."
"...I feel fine, actually. I'm kind of used to this place by now."
"Well, then, that's good for you." She began to leave.
= That's all you can say?! Okay, my turn. =
He grabbed her hand as she was walking out and pulled her into a close hug. He felt her begin to fight him; he let go and started to explain before she could leave.
"Listen, Rei, remember when I said that I was talking to Dr. Akagi about you? She told me that you don't like associating with people and that you hate that kind of contact."
"Then why did you do it?"
"Misato told me everything you said to Asuka. It was really kind of you to do that for me."
"She was spreading false statements about you. It was wrong."
"And I hugged you because I believe the way you were raised was wrong. You were conditioned to reject people...I wasn't conditioned, I just naturally pushed people away. I was afraid of...everybody. For you, my dad made it so that you were isolated. Neither of those are ways to live, trust me."
"Commander Ikari has never abused me."
"No, but he has neglected you. The methods are different but the end result is exactly the same."
"Why is my way wrong? I do not fear people, I simply do not rely on them." She was actually getting frustrated with his prodding.
"Remember when me and Asuka refused to work together? We lost, badly-"
"We work together well, that is not a problem."
"We had to learn to trust one another first, think about it...You considered it a personal attack when I told you I didn't trust my father. We grew past that point, and now you're my friend. Learning about you made me want to get to know you better, so I started reading up on you. I learned that your IQ is past 'Genius' level. I learned that you like Bach- It's why I had my cello shipped out here, so I could play it for you. -and I learned that you don't really like people...That last part's fine by me, I don't really like people either."
"Then why do you like me?"
"Because you aren't just 'people'. You're Rei, and I want to try to be 'Shinji', not just 'Pilot Ikari' or 'Commander Ikari's son'."
"I am not capable of building social relationships-"
"That's not true. My dad's never let you try."
"And you believe I can?"
"Rei, this time last month I would have been too scared to talk to you about this. You...and Kaji, frankly...helped me grow past that. I want to try growing with you now."
Rei felt her face grow warm. Shinji was once again offering his unconditional kindness, only asking for her company in return. = I cannot describe my reaction to him...Am I flattered? Embarrassed? Confused? ...Maybe 'trying' with Shinji will help solve my confusion. =
"I will try, then, Shinji...What should I do?"
"...Let me hug you again, but this time, try not to feel afraid."
He lightly wrapped his arms around her waist and slightly rested his head against her soft hair.
"How do you feel now?"
= It is still unnerving, but it is not hostile. = "Confused, Shinji. I will not lie to you, it is a strange, alien sensation, but it is not painful or unpleasant."
= Well, that's an improvement I guess. = "It'll feel more natural if you spend more time with people. Start coming over to Misato's more often, and we'll find something to do together after school and on weekends"
"We already-"
"I mean other than training at NERV..."
Asuka was just outside the room. = I...I...That wimp! He just starts spilling his guts to Wondergirl and she's all over him! They really are perfect for each other! = She thought with nothing but contempt. She takes off running away from the hospital wing, telling herself not to cry over a loser like Shinji.
A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, It let me dive down into my well of philosophical one liners.
A/N 2: Listening to Hard Rock played on orchestral pieces is enlightening, isn't it? Vitamin String Quartet is incredible.
A/N 3: Sorry if Rei is out of character at the end. I had a hard time balancing emotionless/reluctant and curiousity. On the other hand, Asuka being a pain in the ass is never out of character...