Author's Notes: Hello everyone! Thank you all once again for your support and reviews! It means a lot to me!
This chapter took a bit longer to write because I had a bit of a writer's block. Hopefully, the scenes and this chapter weren't affected too much by it haha.
Well, as always, apologies for the spelling and grammatical errors that stand out throughout the chapter. Hope you all still enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion.
Asuka followed the group as Mari and Kaji led them deeper into the forest with their flashlights that were lighting the way forward. She hated how their destination was known to all but her.
With a small grunt, she looked up to the sky that was now slowly becoming filled with the night light of the stars. She tried to recount what happened.
Kaji… It was safe to say that the supposed "fourteen years" were kind to him. Outside of the white streaks in his hair, everything else seemed more or less the same with him. Though he was now wearing a darker navy blue button down with rolled up sleeves and black jeans.
When Asuka first saw him, she noticed that the clothes were oddly new. Some folds found when taking out the clothes from the package could be seen throughout Kaji's outfit.
The first thing he did was give the strange girl a pink jersey similar to what Shinji wore back at Wunder. It was related to something about, "The Village people would appreciate it if you covered up a bit more."
"Mari was Four Eye's name if I heard correctly."
Mari gave a pout but said nothing as she zipped up.
They said their farewells to Sakura as she left to go back to Wunder for her 'duties', "Whatever that meant." But not before giving an angry glare to the Idiot, which didn't go unnoticed by Asuka.
During their walk, her main focus went back to Shinji. Her eyes never left him once they found him again beside the occasional furious glares at Mari, feeling the unpleasant hot emotion within her to see how close the two were earlier. She also noticed that this Mari girl seemed to be oddly silent after that small moment of hyper personality she saw of her.
Ever since they started their 'journey' to wherever this 'sanctuary' was, not one of them said a word to each other.
That was until Asuka finally broke the silence. She had enough of this awkward silence. She said, "So, you're just going to keep on ignoring me?"
She received no response from Shinji, who was looking away from her with his hood still up. Asuka then tried to grab onto his sleeve. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"
But he managed to walk ahead, barely managing to slip away from her.
"Why are you avoiding me this much? I just want to talk, is that too much to ask?"
But Shinji kept looking away from her while giving an angry glare at Mari for putting him in this situation. Shinji managed to anticipate Asuka's next move and dodge her once more. He could feel her furious glare trying to burn a hole through his coat before she tried again.
He now glanced at Kaji after escaping from her once more. "Why did Ms. Horaki send you?" He shook his head. "No. It makes sense because of me… Or are you using her request as an excuse? Were you trying to see-?"
Shinji barely dodged Asuka once more, but she finally managed to graze at least him this time, making him feel- "No… stop."
Kaji gave a small glance behind him to see the one sided banter continue. He noticed how much Asuka was getting closer to catching Shinji with each attempt. But he was still able to barely get out of each of her attempts, no matter how close she got.
Kaji said, "It seems he's avoiding her. Surprising, all things considered."
Mari turned her head away from him and kept silent as well.
He quietly said, "Still trying to pay me no mind as much as possible I see. Well," he coughed in a failed attempt to try to catch her attention. Then, in a louder voice, Kaji said, "How is everything in Wunder? Is Katsuragi doing well?"
She nodded and said, "Well enough."
"Ah-ha, a response." Kaji pushed forward, "Is she treating you and everyone well?"
"She is."
"I thought she would finally visit with our little red Pilot finally returning. But did she still decide to stay on the ship?"
"Yup."
"Did something happen to Wunder?"
"Yea."
"Is Katsuragi thinking about coming to visit this time?"
"Dunno."
Mari was keeping the conversation to a minimum, causing Kaji to sigh in annoyance despite the small progress. "Can't you at least give me something more than one line answers? We used to be partners."
She still didn't turn to face him as she said, "We used to be more than that. Much more. Especially back in our hay day after you and the Commander first broke-" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I still don't know why you didn't tell her about us by the time we got Puppy back and found out about little Junior coming."
"And because you told her about our past together, Katsuragi is-… Why did you tell her?"
Mari quietly said, "Because there shouldn't be any secrets between you two, especially at the stage you two were at."
She now looked to the floor, she needed to change the subject, fast. She did not like this topic one bit. Besides, he deserved more than this, after all, they were once… close.
"But…" Mari paused. "How is everything in the Village? I see that you're more than well for a man your age. And um… Is little Junior doing well?"
Kaji blinked at how uncharacteristically Mari delivered her lines.
COUGH
The two turned to see Shinji looking away with his hand over his mouth as if he was trying to hold something in. Mari's eyes filled with worry, as if something may be wrong for him to cough like that. However, the worry was soon filled with surprise when she noticed his shoulders shaking as if he was trying to hold in something, which she knew all too well.
With a smirk, Mari jumped back and wrapped her arms around his head. "Well, you want to say something, little Puppy? Don't hold it in, let it out. We're all dying to know what you find so funny."
Shinji tried to push her off but her strength was something he could never overcome if she really tried. He said, "C-Can you please get off?"
"There he is!" She said, "Not a chance!" Mari brought him down further into the hold, "I tried to get a reaction out of you for fourteen years and NOW you decide to show something other than your hardass Three Dash side? Why is the little cute Puppy coming out now?"
Despite how she was acting, this was still strange to her. In the past fourteen years, even with similar situations like this, he never broke this mask. So what was different about-
She noticed that Shinji was staring away from her. He was giving a side glance to someone close. Her eyes followed the trail to land on the angry Princess who was wearing a jealous frown.
"Ohhhh…"
Kaji crossed his arms and teasingly said, "Well, I didn't think you moved on already. And with our little star Pilot, no less."
Mari immediately let go of Shinji and the two hastily responded at the same time with Shinji now responding at a similar loud tone as the other, "You got it wrong!"
Asuka took a sharp breath and froze when she saw how in sync they were, very reminiscent of that time... The time in the classroom when the jock teased them after Shinji forgot to make their lunch.
"What's this? Married couples quarreling again?"
She remembered blushing as both she and Shinji turned to him and said at the same time, "Don't say that!"
"We did that- WE… had that." Asuka's hands clenched and shook in anger at what she witnessed. The hot unpleasant anger swelled up within her. "Why are you talking to her and not me? And why are you so close to her?!"
It should've been with her, not with Four Eyes. They were once close like that.
"Why her?"
Everyone froze when the dark forest was filled with a small yet bright blue light. The group turned to the source to see the origin of the light that came from behind Shinji's eyepatch. Shinji, realizing the light was coming through the gaps from the eyepatch to his skin, quickly covered it using both his hands.
Asuka tried to say something. Trying to ask what that was, but was afraid to. Because… "Is that... my fault?" She took a step forward but stopped at his next actions.
Shinji leaned down as he increased pressure against the eyepatch. "Please stop. Not like this. Please no. I…I don't want her to…"
He turned to Asuka.
She took a sharp breath at what she saw. She never thought that she would ever see this expression from Shinji. The face of a scared child filled with the horror of the skeletons in his closets being discovered.
Asuka took another step forward only for Shinji to take a step backward, away from her. "Idiot Shinji-"
"S-Stay back!" He took another step back while holding one hand out to her. From what little light was still coming through, it was noticed by everyone in the group that it was starting to dim ever so slightly. "Please… just… Don't come any closer."
Asuka shook her head, "No. Not until you explain to me what that is about - HEY!" She noticed him running away deeper into the woods. "Where the hell do you think you're running? Get back over here!"
Both Mari and Kaji watched as Asuka ran after him. Kaji looked at her, "Shouldn't we be going after-" He didn't finish as Mari broke into a run after them.
"Hey! Kiddos! You're going the wrong way!"
He, in turn, followed her. "Ignoring me again…"
"Damn it, Idiot, stop!" Asuka tried to catch up to him. But no matter how hard she tried to push forward, she wasn't gaining any ground. If it wasn't for the small glimmer of blue light coming out of him, she wouldn't have a hard time seeing him through the nightlight in the woods.
"Hey Princess, you gotta watch your step here!" Asuka heard the strange girl call to her. "These parts aren't as stable as the rest! And you're really close to the edge there!"
"Oh, so you're allowed to chase him and be all over him while I'm not?" Asuka thought to herself.
"Just give it up Princess. Like a good little puppy, he will come following us once he calms down!"
"Shut up! I don't care!" Asuka tried to rush forward, but the light was starting to dim more, causing her to have a harder time seeing him. "Get over here, Idiot!"
She tried to push her legs forward faster.
But, after a few more steps, the next step she took was to a soft, wet ground at the corner of a hill. Her weight caused the soft ground to collapse beneath her, forcing her to lose her balance. Asuka let out a scream as she slipped and rolled down the muddy hill.
Her scream caused Shinji to immediately stop and turn.
Mari called out, "Princess!" She stopped at the place where Asuka had slipped and flashed her light downward. "Damn it, Princess! Can you hear me?"
Her eyes widened when she felt a slight wind push past her as a figure went down after the fallen girl, his hood being pushed back by the wind.
Kaji came up next to her, "What happened?"
She scratched her head in annoyance, "Damn it. The two stubborn children are down there!" She pointed to the dark depths.
"Are they okay?"
She looked down and squinted while fixing her glasses. After a while, she barely noticed a dim blue light staring back at them. The light was able to tell her that the hill wasn't as deep as she thought. Also…
"Considering that we're not hearing the Puppy howling by now, they're fine."
Kaji let out a sigh of relief. "That's good, but still…" He really wanted a smoke right about now. "Ms. Horaki won't be happy that her gift is going to come a bit scratched. But now what?" He turned to look at her.
Mari kept her attention to the ground beneath them. After a few seconds had passed, she nodded to an idea she just came up with. She started pat around herself and sighed when she took out a small radio instead of the item she was looking for.
So, seeing no other choice, she held out her hand to him.
"Give me your backup phone."
Asuka grunted as she landed on a soft dusty ground after her roll down the hill.
"Gah… Damn it." She grunted. Her body ached all over. She tried to get back up only for an agonizing pain to rush over her left leg.
"Oh great."
Asuka gave out another grunt as she managed to painfully sit up. She tried to get back up but the pain in her right leg, specifically her ankle, prevented her from doing so. She took one more look at herself and noticed that she was covered in dirt with cuts across her exposed forearm and legs as well.
"Just great, Asuka. Just great." She groaned, "You're a mess, hurt, and lost the Idiot all in one go… Way to go… But the Idiot just wouldn't stop and kept running. And that look he had."
She brought her knees close to her chest, "Did I end up doing that to the Idiot?"
And now she's stuck here until help arrives, and god knows when that will-
"Asuka!" Shinji said. He came sliding down the hill before landing on his feet, "Are you okay?"
Her eyes widened as he came rushing to her, "Idiot Shinji?"
Shinji knelt down next to her and started examining her from head to toe. He said, "You're hurt."
"Yea, not shit, Idiot." Asuka's eyes never left him, wondering why he came for her after running away before.
Not only that, he was finally talking to her. He was finally looking her way. Her hand couldn't stop shaking when she heard his voice.
"Can you stand?"
She shook her head and rubbed her ankle, "Do you think I would be sitting here if I could?"
Her face became flustered when Shinji immediately reached out and took off both her shoe and sock, revealing her barefoot, still clean from the dirt. Her blush deepened even more at the warmth of his touch.
Asuka said, "H-Hey! What do you think you're doing, Idiot?"
"It does look like a mild sprain," he said. He started to examine closer, gently twisting the ankle to see her reactions, putting care not to turn too fast.
She hissed in pain, "Watch it, Idiot!"
"Sorry," Shinji mumbled. "Luckily, it doesn't look too severe. But you should avoid putting pressure on it for a bit." He examined the rest of her leg, "There are bruises too. When we get to the Village, we'll have Mrs. Suzahara take a look at you. But for now…"
Shinji released her leg, much to her disappointment. He took off his coat and ripped off a portion of the back bottom flap of the coat. He grabbed her ankle again, making her feel a jolt of warmth to be felt by the touch. Asuka failed to force herself not to flinch at the touch as Shinji started to tie the ripped fabric around the injured area, securing it in place.
As he worked on her injury, her attention focused even more on him.
She couldn't help but feel allured by his warmth. The way he was gentle with her injury, it made her remember a familiar atmosphere back in the apartment… even to the dream she had-
Asuka shook her head.
"No." None of it mattered.
The Idiot was finally here. Within her grasp. He wasn't giving her any sass or ignoring her like before.
This was her chance.
With a determined face, she reached forward, grabbing onto a chunk of his hair.
Shinji froze when he felt a tug on his hair, "Can you let go?"
"No, not when I finally have you within my grasp." Asuka noticed the glow in the eyes now shining ever so brighter through the eyepatch. She swallowed, trying to form the courage to ask. Because if that's her fault…
"Ahhh! Screw it!"
She held his head up but his attention was still focused on working on her injury. She asked, "Are you going to tell me about what's going on with that eye?"
Shinji flinched, having forgotten about the situation with his eye from before.
"Well? Aren't you going to answer me, Idiot?"
He clenched his jaw and continued to work on tying the ripped fabric around her leg at a faster pace, leaving her question unanswered. Asuka yanked harder to get his attention but his focus never left his current objective.
"Again with the cold shoulder. Just-!"
"Done," Shinji said as he finished tying the knot on top of Asuka's foot, putting pressure and securing her ankle in place. He eyed the floor next to her, unable to see her in the eye as he said, "Can you let go now?"
"Oh no, if you think I'm going to let you go now, you've got another thing coming!"
"Just let go."
"Answer my question then!"
"Please-"
"Fine, don't want to answer that?" Asuka yanked on his hair once more and said, "Then what's your relationship with Four Eyes? Are you two close?"
"Asuka, please… let go."
"Why are you avoiding me but not Four Eyes? What's so special about her and not me? Is she more special than me?"
"LET GO!"
Shinji swatted her hand away with enough force to pry her off with one swing. Asuka didn't wince, not because she couldn't feel the pain but because she was too shocked at Shinji's sudden action to feel anything.
Shinji's one eye widened at what he had done. "I… hurt her." His eyes went to Asuka's wrist, seeing a bruise starting to form, "I… I hurt her. I-...I'm..." He got up and turned his back to her as he wore his now damaged coat.
He pulled the hood over his head and looked up to the top of the cliff where Mari and Kaji should be. Shinji said, "Sorry."
Asuka looked at her wrist, "You… Idiot, did you just-… You never did this."
"It's best if you forget everything you know about Shinji Ikari. In fact, it's best to think that he died fourteen years ago. This… Three Dash isn't him."
She remembered what Sakura had said to her back on that ship. "This Idiot isn't him? But then why would Misato even allow him to be on the ship?"
Asuka shook her head and said, "Idiot Shinji-"
"Yoohoo!" Mari called to them as she slid down the hill and touched the ground. She skipped a bit as she landed to keep herself from falling. "Woah, that was close."
Shinji turned his head to her, "What about Mr. Kaji?"
Asuka's eyes twitched. He was back to talking casually to Four Eyes but not to her.
Mari shrugged and said, "He'll be fine. He may be a man child, but he's still the Senior of the two. Besides…" She took out a small handgun from her pocket and twirled it around her finger. "Someone has to keep an eye on you per the Commander's orders."
"Why do you have a gun?" Asuka asked.
Mari turned to her, "Oh this?" She then aimed the gun at Shinji.
Her eyes widened and reached out, "What are you-?" Asuka could feel her blood being drained as the trigger was pulled. "NO! NOT AGAIN!"
She froze when the regular ear breaking shot didn't echo around them, instead, a clicking noise was heard with a small plastic ball bouncing off of Shinji's coat.
Mari laughed, "I was just joking, Princess! Why would I shoot the little Puppy right here with a real gun?" She continued to laugh.
Shinji shook his head, "Ms. Mari…"
"What? That was funny!"
Asuka's face reddened in embarrassment and anger. She said, "That. Was. Not. Funny!"
Mari took a deep breath to stop herself. "Geeze, you two need to learn when to take a joke." She placed the gun back in her pocket. She said, "All jokes aside, how are you feeling Princess?"
"You're just going to change the mood just like that?"
"Yes, just like that," she said. Mari walked over and squatted down next to her to see the extent of her injuries. "Just bruises and a couple of cuts here and there. But if you can't get up… We should have the Missus take a look at you."
Asuka tried to back away the best she could, "Get away from me, Four Eyes."
"Four Eyes? Haven't heard that from you in a while." Her eyes landed on the small treatment on Asuka's leg. Her smirk widened. "Oh? Did Puppy do this?"
"What's it to you? And what do you mean 'a while'? I have never met you before."
"Oh, so you don't remember either." Mari gave out a disappointing sigh. "Well, whatever. Can you walk, Princess?"
Asuka said, "What do you think?"
"Okay then." Mari turned her head to Shinji, "How do you want to do this, Puppy?"
He turned to her and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Do you want to carry her or should I?"
Shinji turned his back to them in response and placed his hands in his pocket.
"Okay, sure," Mari said, "Leave the heavy lifting to the lady." She turned her back to Asuka.
Asuka asked, "What are you-"
"Get on Princess."
She blinked in confusion. "You want me to get on your back?"
"How else are we going to get you treated? Come on, the longer we stay here, the later we'll get there."
"No."
Mari turned her head to her with a smile, "Oh nyo~?"
Asuka did not like that look one bit. And she cringed at how Four Eyes said "no". She said, "No. I refuse to be carried by you. Especially not after the stunt you just pulled."
Mari's smirk widened as she said, "Then you want the Puppy to carry you?"
"I did not say that!"
"Well, given the situation, it's either me or the Puppy. And if it's not me..." Mari got up and walked over to Shinji before giving him a hard pat on his back. She said, "Guess you're up then!"
Shinji had to take a couple of steps forward from the force but just stood there, unmoving.
"Well? What are you waiting for? The Princess is waiting for you." She noticed Shinji giving her a cold glare. "Oh, don't look at me with that angry puppy dog eye. She doesn't want me to be the one to carry her, so it has to be you."
Mari walked past him with her hands in her pocket. Then, with a playful tone, she said, "Unless you're okay with leaving her untreated." She stopped and turned to him.
After a bit of contemplation, especially with the alternative that Mari gave, Shinji sighed in defeat. Without another word, he turned and walked towards Asuka.
"What do you want?" she asked. "I don't want to be carried by you either."
Shinji ignored her and knelt down with his back turned towards her.
Asuka blushed at his calm demeanor and what this would mean. "Why are you so damn calm about this?"
"Yea, Puppy!" Mari called out with her hands next to her mouth to amplify her voice, "The Princess wants to be carried like one! Not like some middle school girl!"
"Shut up!" Asuka said. She looked at Shinji's back and then at Mari before finally going back to his back. She quietly said, "If you do something perverted, I'm going to hit you."
He stayed still, waiting for her to get on his back.
Asuka slowly managed to push herself onto Shinji's back, her body was pushing on his back as she managed to wrap her arms around him. As she tried to bring her legs around, she gave a slight hiss at the pain that stung her.
"Damn it," she said as she rubbed her injuries. "Give me a second. Let me just- HEY WAIT!"
Shinji brought his hands around and grabbed her thighs, ignoring the small surprised flinch made by Asuka on his back. He brought the legs around and pushed her up, forcing her arms to wrap around him over his shoulders once more.
"H-Hey!" Asuka said with a heavy blush, "You can't just do that! And where do you think you're touching?"
He ignored her as he got up.
"Don't ignore me!" She unwrapped her arms and started to pound at his back, "Let me down now!"
There was a small flash of light.
The two turned to see that Mari had taken a picture of them on a phone she took out from her pocket.
"Aww, it's so cute!" Mari said, "Still, it would've been a much better picture if you were carrying her bridal style, don't you think?"
"Damn it Four Eyes!" Asuka started to reach forward to Mari from Shinji's back. "Delete that right now!"
"Sorry, Princess. But I ain't going to do that. It's too cute to delete."
"Asuka," Shinji finally said to her, "Can you stop moving?"
"Oh, so I'm good enough to talk to now?" Asuka punched the back of Shinji's head.
He gave a small sigh, "Let's just… get going."
"Hey wait, put me down! I don't want to be carried by you anymore. Hey, Idiot, did you not hear me? PUT ME DOWN!"
Mari put her hand over her smile as Shinji walked past her with Asuka squirming on his back.
She thought to herself, "Well, well, well. Just when I thought we lost the little Puppy again, he came back out when the Princess got hurt, even more now that she's on his back. Let's see how long that'll last. But at least this small plan was a success, and I got myself a little souvenir out of it."
Her eyes went to the things that were still left behind. She skipped over and picked them up, "Hey, you two forgot about her shoe and sock!" she waived them to the two, one on each hand.
Asuka stopped flailing on Shinji's back after quite some time. Right now, she was grabbing onto the coat with one hand while having her shoe and sock on the other.
She stayed silent as she took in the warmth of his back. Her head nuzzled on his back with as little movement as possible. "It feels warm. Warmer than his bed."
Shinji remained unresponsive, trying his best to ignore her action. He was leading them through the dark woods with a small flashlight lighting the way from behind them.
"Asuka… You shouldn't be this close to me. Because I'm…" If he could, he would've touched his eyepatch that still had a very faint light shining through it. In fact, it seemed brighter than before but not as much as when it first resurfaced.
Mari took a deep breath, annoyed at the silence between the two. She quickly ran up to catch up with the two and said, "What's with you two? Why so quiet now?"
"Shut up Four Eyes." Asuka turned her head away from her. "You just had to ruin this for me, didn't you?"
Mari hummed, deciding to change the subject. "You know, I never really introduced myself, did I?" She placed her hand on her chest and said, "Mari Makinami Illustrious. A pleasure to finally meet you again, Princess."
Asuka stayed unresponsive to her.
"Still going to ignore me, Princess? I'm hurt, even after working so hard together to fight against that toughie Angel. I'm the one who gave you that code, remember?"
That's when something clicked inside her mind.
Asuka immediately turned her head to her. "Princess, the fight with the Angel, her voice, the code…" Her eyes widened in realization, "Thief?"
Mari almost lost her balance. She fixed her glasses and said, "I forgot you called me that during that fight. But that's on me for forgetting. It's been fourteen years after all."
"Fourteen years…" Asuka grasped Shinji's jacket tighter.
Mari noticed this reaction from the corner of her eye. "Is it that hard to believe? You've seen the little Nurse all grown up and how old that secretive man child has gotten."
"Then why do both you and the Idiot look so young? Unless you were a child when you piloted the Idiot's EVA."
"Oh, that's easy." Mari pinched the side of Shinji's cheek, who gave an annoyed look to her. She said, "Little Puppy here calls it the Curse of EVA, a result of prolonged exposure to LCL, longer than the recommended daily, anyways. Though, Puppy may have more than just the Curse of EVA to thank for his cute age."
Asuka slapped Mari's hand away on instinct, not having realized that her hand moved on its own.
"Oh, my," Mari said as she put her hand over her mouth and gave her a teasing look. "Getting feisty that I touched the little Puppy? How forward of you, Princess."
Asuka's face blushed, "Shut up Thief. And stop calling me 'Princess'."
"That was mainly for him laughing at my current situation with Senior manchild. No need to get jealous over it."
"I am not-!"
Shinji stopped, "We're here."
The two girls turned to see their destination filled with distant lights brightening up an area in the mountains. It looked to be a small town with houses made out of metal sheets, scraps, and unused train cars. Some cargo crates, shipping containers, and metal bars could be seen nearby as well.
But as they took in the sight, the lights from the houses could be seen slowly going out one by one. They were soon replaced by a dim light produced by the lit candles behind the curtains.
Shinji tilted his head slightly to Mari, "What time is it, Ms. Mari?"
Mari took out the phone from before, "Assuming that man child's backup phone is up to date, close to midnight." She placed the phone back in her pocket before giving an overly exaggerated sigh, "Why do we have this early curfew anyway? It's too early."
Shinji opened his mouth to answer but stopped when Mari held her finger out to him.
"Yea I know. Midnight's not early and it's to save energy. It was a rhetorical question." She fixed her glasses and said, "Whatever, let's get going before we miss our window of opportunity to see the Missus."
Mari led the way down closer to the Village before she finished with, "Come on Puppy."
Shinji seemed hesitant, unsure if he should go any further. But his train of thought was interrupted when Asuka leaned over and pulled his cheek at the same spot as Mari did.
She said, "What are you doing, Idiot? Let's get going."
He gave a small nod and followed Mari.
"And you're ignoring me again?" She pulled harder but didn't seem to get a physical response from him. "What the hell? Either ignore me or don't! Make up your mind!"
Kaji was walking down the lightless streets of the village, having arrived earlier than the others. He wasn't too worried about the group since both Shinji and Mari were experienced at managing through the woods, especially during the night.
And he originally planned to meet up with them at the entrance, but he got a rare text message from Mari stating to go on ahead and that they'll deliver the 'Princess' to the Missus' house to treat her injuries…
He sighed.
He was given a job and this was probably the rare few occasions where he failed to follow through on it.
"Now…" he scratched the back of his head as stopped his nightly patrol around the village. "How to explain to her the situation with our little red."
"Explain what, Mr. Kaji? Where is she?"
Kaji turned to the voice, "Oh, hello there beautiful Horaki. What are you doing being out this late in the night?" He could feel the cold glare from her. He nodded, knowing full well why. "So about our little red…"
There was a big sigh as the grown brunette started to walk back to her home. She had freckles under her eyes still visible from her middle school days with her hair tied to a low ponytail. She wore a light colored tunic with a grey shaded coat over her.
She looked at her watch. "It's late. I hope daddy put her to sleep. He has a habit of playing with her way past her bedtime if I'm not home by then."
As she got closer to her home, she noticed three figures with one having another on his back.
"Here it is! The Missus' home!" she heard the lone figure say.
"Visitors?" The grown woman said, "Who would come to visit at this time of the night?"
Her eyes widened when she walked closer, recognizing that luxurious rich red hair through the night light. It was a bit dirty but she recognized that hair anywhere.
"So?" the redheaded figure on the other's back said, "This is it?"
"It can't be…"
The lone figure answered, "It ain't much, but this is probably one of the more luxurious places you'll find in Village 3,"
"I doubt it. Hey Idiot, put me down, I think I can walk for a bit."
"A-Asuka?" The brunette took a step forward with her shaking leg, unable to believe that the figure on the back was her… "Asuka!"
She saw the hooded figure kneel down, letting Asuka off of his back. But as Asuka did, she accidentally pulled off his hood as she tried to regain her balance.
The brunette's eyes widened in anger when she saw the third figure's face. "You… YOU! HOW DARE YOU?!" She sprinted forward.
The three didn't have the time to react when the woman came dashing toward them and grabbed Asuka's arm. She pulled the girl behind her, coming in between both Asuka and Shinji.
"Asuka, get behind me!"
"Ow!" Asuka winced at the pain in her leg. Just who the hell did she think she was-...?
Asuka's eyes widened as the voice finally registered in her head. She recognized that voice anywhere. It was deeper than she remembered, but it was her. And that hair…
"Hikari?"
Hearing her reaction in pain, Hikari quickly turned to Asuka and noticed how roughed up she was. Hikari quickly started to examine her from the head down as she said, "Asuka, are you okay? You're a mess." Then her tone got cold, "Did he hurt you?"
"Who?" Asuka asked, unintimidated by that tone if she even felt it.
"Did that monster hurt you?"
Shinji quickly pulled his hood over him and looked away from the two.
Mari placed her hands behind her head, "Huh, didn't know you were out tonight."
Hikari ignored her while glaring at him. "Did you hurt her?" she said.
"Wait, Hikari," Asuka limped forward ahead of Hikari. "What's going on? Why are you yelling at the Idiot? He didn't-"
"You don't have to cover for him, Asuka," Hikari said. She got in between the two once more, "He's not the Shinji we know. Stay behind me. I won't let this monster hurt you too."
Shinji pulled on his hood even further down. "We're done here, aren't we, Captain? Can we go now?"
Mari sighed, "Yea, I guess." She looked at Hikari and said, "Can we leave her here with you tonight? She fell from a hill and injured her leg-"
"I KNEW IT!" Hikari released Asuka's arm and stomped over to force Shinji to turn to her. She grabbed him by the collar and yelled, "You hurt her! How dare you?!"
"Wait, Hikari-" Asuka tried to limp forward but almost lost her footing and had to be supported up by Four Eyes of all people, who came up running to catch her just in time. "I was fine."
"Sure you were, Princess," Mari said.
"Mrs. Suzahara-" Shinji tried to say but Hikari shook him before he could give her a clear response.
"How dare you show your face here? I thought I told you to never come back here ever again! After all that you did, you have the guts to come back here?" She slapped him across the face, the sound echoing through the night. "And not only that, you hurt her too?"
Hikari pushed him away, but Shinji managed to find his footing to catch himself from falling down. He continued to avoid her eyes.
"Get out of here. I don't want Asuka to see what I would do to you if you stayed any longer. Count yourself lucky you're only getting off with a slap."
Shinji gave a small nod and turned. He quietly said just enough for Hikari to hear, "Please take care of Asuka-"
"I don't need you of all people telling me that." She turned to Mari and said, "Go on, take your blue eye glowing rabid dog away from here."
"Geeze," she said as she gently held Asuka up and released her once Mari knew she could stand on her own. "Calling him 'rabid' is a bit much, don't you think?"
"I don't care, just get that monster away from here as far as possible. What was the Commander thinking, allowing this monster back into the village? He should be locked up like the wild animal he is."
"Okay, okay. We're going." Mari walked over and patted Shinji's back, "Come on Puppy. The Princess is going to be fine here, hopefully."
"Hey wait!" Asuka called out. She tried to walk forward, only to completely lose her footing this time with Hikari unable to get to her in time.
"Asuka, are you okay?"
But she ignored her friend as she watched the two walk away. He was walking away from her again. "Idiot Shinji, I told you to wait! Don't you walk away from me again! Idiot, wait! I'm not through with you!"
But the two didn't stop. Only Mari gave a quick glance back at her before whispering to Shinji, "You sure you want to leave her like that?"
"...It's fine," he said as he placed his hand over his eyepatch, the glow dimming even more. "If she's with Hikari, she'll be okay."
"That's true. She's basically the Village's clinical doctor. And not to mention, she won't be able to treat the Princess with you here."
Mari sighed. "You people are the reason why he's still hung up on this like a child, never able to move on. It wasn't all his fault."
Shinji gave a nod and continued to try to drown out Asuka calling out to him. He could only mumble and say the words once more as he did before at Wunder, "I'm sorry."
Once the two were out of her vision, Asuka turned to her grown friend, "What the hell, Hikari? Just what was that for? Help me get back up and take me to the Idiot-"
She didn't get to finish as Hikari brought her in for a bear hug, "I'm glad. I'm so glad you're alive and safe, Asuka."
Asuka blinked, unsure at what to make of this sudden shift in personality.
"I was afraid I would never see you again. I was afraid that he might've gotten to you too." Hikari's tears dripped down onto Asuka's shoulder. "I promise I won't let him hurt you. He won't ever touch you again."
"Hold up, back up for a moment," Asuka tried to push her off, only to fail. "Was she always this strong?" She said, "What do you mean by that? What did the Idiot-?"
The door to the house opened and a rough voice said to them, "What was that commotion?"
Asuka couldn't see who said it due to Hikari covering her view.
A sound of a wheelchair pulling up behind the rough voice was heard. Followed by a familiar voice but weaker than Asuka remembered. He said, "Hikari, what's wrong-... Wait… Is that… Red?"
Hikari turned with tears streaming down her face, "Oh father, Toji… It's her. It's Asuka, she's come home!" Her eyes widened in realization, "And Toji, what are you doing out of your bed? You should be resting!"
A baby's cry could be heard from within the house, awakened by her mother's screaming.
Asuka could only think of one thing as she was lost for words, "What the hell is going on?"
Shinji stopped and turned to look back at the Suzahara house from a nearby hill that still had a view to the building.
Candle lights could be seen through the closed curtains with figures moving about. He stood still as he closely watched the house. He could see a figure, who he easily recognized as Asuka, being treated by another figure closely resembling Hikari.
Mari wrapped her arms around him and said, "What's wrong Puppy? Regretting your actions already?"
"It's…" He bit his lips. "It's nothing."
She didn't believe those words, not for a second. But she let it go as she released him. Mari said, "Well, at least that glow is gone now."
Shinji placed his hand over the eye patch once more.
Mari said, "Just be sure not to have any regrets about what you do. We both have enough of that, don't we?"
He turned and continued to walk up the hill with confidence knowing that this was for the best. He said, "I know, Captain."
She followed him with her hands clasped behind her. By that tone, she knew that the Puppy was pissed, to say the least.
Mari said, "Are you angry that I changed the plan to have you escort our Princess instead of one of those two? Or are you angry with me that you had to encounter the Missus? But you know the latter is not my fault, the Princess needed treatment and you were the only one who she was willing to be carried by."
She smirked and continued with a teasing tone, "And besides, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy having her on your back. Or are you regretting that you didn't use that chance to carry her bridal style like the Princess she is?"
Shinji didn't answer her. He kept quiet on the entire way to their next location.
Asuka was forced into the bath with Hikari to wash up. She couldn't escape if she wanted to, not with her leg hurting whenever she put pressure and Hikari getting in the bath with her. Asuka was practically cleaned by Hikari like some child. She tried to complain, but Hikari was having none of it.
After that whole ordeal, Asuka was forced to sit on a guest bed. She was now wearing a red sweatshirt with jean shorts. Asuka sat still staring at the curtained window as Hikari worked to treat the wounds on her leg.
Asuka was unsure as to why she was doing this, staring at that specific window curtain. She just felt the need to look at the curtain covering the window to the outside.
She oddly felt so drawn to it.
"Idiot Shinji-"
Her attention was broken as she winced in pain when Hikari finished treating her wounds. "And done," Hikari said. "I've applied the special ointment we use for Toji, so you should be able to walk normally by tomorrow if there's nothing else wrong."
Asuka rubbed her ankle, feeling the pain from earlier ceasing. She saw the bandages around her arms and legs, making them look worse than it was. She said, "Thanks. But don't you think it's a bit too much? I don't need this many bandages, other than the small makeshift cast you got me for this ankle. It makes my injuries look worse than it actually is."
"Don't worry about it, Asuka." Hikari gave her a warm smile and said, "You can never be too careful from any injuries around here." Then with a cold tone, she added, "Especially the ones involving him."
Asuka rubbed her bandaged wrist covering the bruise she received from Shinji earlier. "Hikari, just what happened-"
She didn't finish as the door to the guest room she was staying in opened. She saw a glasses wearing elderly man, wearing a white shirt and brown pants with a blue robe over him, come into the spare room.
"I've put little Tsubame back to sleep and got Toji back to his bed," he said.
"Thanks, daddy," Hikari said.
Hikari's father scratched the back of his head. "He also said he wanted to talk with that little red one over there." He pointed to Asuka.
She blinked, "Me? What would that Jock want with me? And I have a name, it's Asuka."
Hikari smiled and interrupted her as she said, "Of course. I was thinking about taking her to see him just now."
"Well then, I'm going to bed. Staying up this late is bad for these old bones," he placed his hand on his back and yawned. "Good night my baby girl, and little Azuka."
Asuka quickly tried to correct him, "It's Asuka!"
But he just gave the two a small wave and went down the hallway into his room.
"Sorry about daddy," Hikari said. "He's a bit grumpy right now, especially since he had to put little Tsubame back to sleep and get that stubborn husband of mine back to bed."
Asuka looked at her with shocked eyes, not believing what she had just heard. She then noticed the ring on her friend's finger. And what the Idiot called her earlier. She said, "Wait, you and the Jock are married?!"
"Shh!" she held her finger over her nose. "Lower your voice. I don't want Tsubame to wake back up again. And yes, we're married." Hikari brought the ring up closer for Asuka to see better.
"Why him of all-…" She stopped when she noticed a small glare from Hikari. "Nevermind… Who's Tsubame?"
"Our little baby," Hikari answered with a wide smile. "It took a while, but we finally were able to-"
"Okay, I don't need to know that far," Asuka said.
It really was Hikari, her friend. She was more forward than before, but now that Asuka had a good chance to look at her, she finally understood. It really has been fourteen years. Her friend was all grown up with a family and a child of her own.
"Meanwhile… I stayed the same. The fourteen years that I was asleep, what happened?"
"Can you stand?" Hikari asked. "Or are you still in pain?"
Asuka nodded. "Yea, I can get up."
"Knowing you, you probably have a lot of questions right now and probably don't want to wait until tomorrow to have them answered." Hikari got up and held out her hand to Asuka. She said, "And it could be best if we talk this out with Toji present. It could be hard to believe in some things without him around."
Asuka grabbed her friend's hand and stood up, having found that the pain had greatly subsided when she put pressure on the ankle. But she still felt a bit uncomfortable putting too much pressure on it.
"Yea, I want some answers for once. That Idiot and Thief refused to answer me anything. While Misato just ditched me after a few minutes. Just what happened?"
"Ah, I wouldn't take what Commander Katsuragi did too personally. She has a lot to deal with being the Commander of WILLE and all." Hikari guided her out of the spare room.
"So I've been told," Asuka said as she was guided to Toji's room. From what she gathered, she knew that the Jock was in a wheelchair but didn't have a good chance to look at him with Hikari all over her.
So she was not expecting to see Toji in bed with medical machines attached to his body. The beeping of the machines could be heard as Hikari opened the door, revealing a room filled with candle lit lanterns brightening up the place.
"Yo, Red! It's so good to finally see you again!" Toji said, putting up his right arm, the only arm that was still with him.
Asuka's eyes widened at the sight of him.
Toji's left arm was missing from the hospital gown he was wearing, and from the blanket covering the bottom portion of the body, his left leg seemed to be missing as well. His left eye had a white shade at the center.
He also looked so malnourished when compared to the last time she saw him. His cheekbones could be seen poking out with his previously muscular arm now thin to the point where Asuka could swear she could break them like chopsticks.
He looked older than his age due to how weak he physically looked.
"Jock? What the hell happened to you? You look awful," Asuka said without thinking.
Hikari was about to reprimand Asuka but froze when her husband beat her with his response.
Toji laughed and said, "Well, you don't look any different than you did fourteen years ago. And good to see that you still say the first thing that comes to mind like the little Red Devil you are."
Hikari sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, Asuka, can you be any more insensitive?"
Asuka said, "Well, if I knew even less, sure."
"How did you return?" Toji said. He sat up into a more comfortable position. "The last I heard, you were still in space after I saw NERV blast you out there. Or was WILLE finally able to go through with the rescue mission?"
Asuka blinked in confusion. "How did you know all that?" She walked up to him and said, "Did your sister tell you?"
He titled his head, "Wait, did no one tell you? I was once part of WILLE."
"Wait, what?"
"I became a T-Pilot to rescue both you and Ikari a few months after that Angel. Just what did they tell you? Or are those details classified now?"
Hikari walked in and closed the door behind her. "It shouldn't matter if they're classified or not. She deserves to know the truth."
Toji frowned and said, "Does it have to be right now? She just got back. I just wanted a little chat with her, not get into the specifics. If she doesn't know it by now, then there has to be a reason for that. Let her rest a little before-"
"Dear," she said. "She was with that monster. She was hurt because of him."
Asuka instinctively placed the treated wrist behind her, covering it from Hikari. "No, he didn't hurt me. I just fell-"
"Stop covering for him, Asuka," Hikari said. Her hand shook in anger. "Don't make excuses and lies for that monster. He's not worth it."
"I'm not lying," Asuka said, her teeth gritting in anger.
"Asuka, he's a monster who will hurt everyone, and if you're not careful, he'll kill you too."
Asuka's muscles all tensed up at the shock of that statement. "What?"
"Hikari, it's still too soon. She just got back," Toji said. "She doesn't seem to know anything about what happened with him. We should ease her into it."
"If not now, then when?" Hikari shook her head, "It's better for her to know now so that she lets him go sooner."
"Hikari-"
She looked to her long lost friend and held her shoulders. "Asuka, do you know where I was coming back from? I was coming back from my baby sister's grave whom he killed."
"The Idiot…" Asuka's eyes widened at the revelation. "No way that he-"
Toji tried once more to stop her. "Hikari, please-"
"And you know what was the worst thing? He killed my sister in front of me. I had her by her hand when it all happened." Hikari looked at her left hand, remembering that day, screaming echoing in her ears.
Asuka shook her head, "There's no way that was the Idiot-... there's no way that happened. You must be confused with someone else-"
"I know what I saw. It happened in front of me, Asuka," Hikari said. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "You want more proof? See my husband before you. That monster did that to him."
Toji shook his head, disapproving of her method. He said, "Hikari, that's enough."
"Why are you trying to stop me? You lost both your parents that day too. Only a few of us managed to survive that day because of both you and Rei. Asuka needs to know the truth, if not she'll continue to chase lies with false hope."
The last statement got Toji to grasp at his chest.
"Wait, First? She was there too?" Asuka asked. She could feel her mind having trouble processing all the information at once, but she had to push forward. "First should be alive… Wait, where is she anyway?"
Before Hikari could respond, Toji spoke, "Yea. She was. We managed to stop Ikari that day, but not without sacrifice."
"Dear," Hikari walked over to him and held his hand. "You don't have to. I can tell Asuka, I just need your help to make sure she understands."
He shook his head, "No, you're right. She needs to learn the truth so she doesn't cling to false hope." He held her hand back tighter, "You told her about your family and mine, now let me tell her what happened when we tried to stop it all."
She looked at her husband's soft yet determined eyes before giving him a nod.
"Red," Toji said as he turned to face Asuka, "This can be hard to believe, but Ayanami… Rei is no longer with us."
Asuka took a small step back at what she heard. "Wait, you can't mean-?"
"She's dead. I tried to help. I really did, but I couldn't stop Ikari." Seeing her frozen response, he sighed. "I'm sorry this is how you're finding out."
"But your sister… she said that First was…" Asuka took another step back.
Sakura never said anything about her. Just that First was not with NERV and that she should confirm with the Commander when she saw her. But this… Asuka did not expect this.
"Wait… something doesn't make sense here. That girl said that First was with..."
Hikari stood up and walked over to Asuka. She held her shoulder once more and said, "This is a lot to take in. I know. But this is why I wanted you away from him as far as possible. He's a monster, he'll hurt you as he did with my husband… no, I'm sure he'll kill you as he did to my sister and Rei."
"The Idiot… no way that the Idiot would do this. They must have mistaken him with someone else." Asuka clenched her hand. "I don't believe you. I have to hear it all from him."
Hikari said, "Asuka-"
She pulled her hand off, "I'm seeing the Idiot." Asuka ran and slammed the door open before Hikari could stop her.
"Asuka wait!" Hikari called out to her but Asuka ignored both her and the pain that was resurfacing in her ankle.
She was going to see him. She had to hear those words from him, that he killed their family and put his own friend in that state. Not from anyone else.
Asuka grabbed a spare pair of sneakers she saw next to the front door, not bothering to tie them as she put them on. She unlocked the door and rushed out-
"GAH!"
She was bounced back by something soft, forcing her to the ground.
"Damn it! What now?"
"You know," said the figure in the door who was blocking Asuka's only exit. There was a small laugh as she said, "Normally people would say 'excuse me' or 'sorry' after they slam into someone's chest. Well, at least I know Mr. Kaji wasn't lying when he said you would be here."
Asuka looked up to see a woman who looked older than Hikari. She had long hair that was spread to her side to reveal her forehead. She wore big circular glasses while having a white button down blouse and long brown skirt.
Asuka asked, "Who-"
"Kodama?" Hikari came up to them, "Why are you here, sis?"
Kyoko was kneeling down as she was playing with the sand beneath her feet with her finger. Trying to pass the time. Things have been quiet for a while now. Normally she would sometimes see within Asuka's dreams to help pass the time and see how much her daughter has grown, and what made her happy.
She would watch the dreams on loop over and over.
But now, she doesn't even have that. Without Asuka dreaming, Kyoko was left alone once more.
That is until…
Kyoko stopped playing with the sand as she got up. She dusted the dirt off of her as the sands around her disappeared.
She said, "Good, so you've actually come. I was afraid that Yui's clone was not going to be able to fulfill her end of the deal when I told her how to wake my Asuka."
Kaworu walked closer to her with an apologetic smile on his face. He said, "Kyoko Zeppelin Shikinami, it has been far too long."
Author's Note: Thank you all if you all made it this far! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
And tremendous thank you once again for your reviews! MooseTracks101, KaiserDreamCancel, Greg242, AsteroidOdin, Alfredo12StarLegionaire, gary2000, LetsPilot, engel17white, YourBlandestNightmare, tomdj1701, calborghete, James Birdsong, Metalora, Detmer, deathbringer374, 7thManiac, shinman45, and other guest reviewers and those who sent a separate review in the discord call.
Happy to hear that "Snowball" nickname was well received! And sorry to all that I didn't get the change to respond separately in the DM's. Life also has been busy for me.
Thank you for sticking around this long! Hope you all stick around till the end.
Take care!