-AN-

If the multiverse is real, its really shitty that we get the one with no superheroes but a ton of useless billionaires.

-Story Start-

Tokyo-3 High school, class 1-A had a electric vibration that seemed to transmit through everyone present. One could almost taste the excitement through the class, all centered around the latest event coming up. Their school trip was upon them, and while everyone was making plans and building groups, three EVA pilots were relaxed and sitting it all out. They didn't need to be informed by Misato that they would be staying home, having been through this enough times before. Instead they were messaging back and forth making their own plans for what they would be doing while everyone else was away. Shinji wanted to sneak into Gendo's office and desecrate his desk, while Rei was all for it and Asuka voted for Ritsuko's office instead. Shinji could only shake his head, as while on their free period he was interrupted by a grinning Toji and Kensuke.

"So what about you Shin man? Ready to see some cute girl's in swimsuits?"

Shinji however shook his head, ready to drop the bad news on them, "Pilots have to stay, just in case an Angel attacks."

Kensuke was quick to fill the space, "Well don't you worry, we'll take lots of pictures for you to enjoy while you're stuck here."

Shinji was leering at Toji instead, ignoring Kensuke for the moment, "You know, that also means Asuka and Rei are stuck here too. Free's up Hikari for you. Gonna make a move under the sun while you're away?"

"W-w-wwhat? Why would I do that?"

Shinji rolled his eyes, "You can't hide your feelings from me. I see all."

Kensuke nodded sagely, "The man of steel himself has spoken, he knows all."

Toji blushed but shook his head, "Shinji's wrong, wrong I say."

Shinji pointed behind the pair, "I'm pretty sure you can see down Hikari's shirt from here." That the jock took the bait and looked said enough. That Hikari was sitting happily chatting away with Asuka and Rei had Shinji himself itching and worried about what their conversation was about. His pervert senses were tingling and not in a good way. Not much he could do however, not without making a scene.

Toji however turned back to Shinji and Kensuke slowly, "That means nothing."

Kensuke patted him on the back, "Sure thing big guy. I'll help you pick out rings later." Ducking a swing, Shinji chuckles at their antics.

Toji turns in an attempt to turn things around on Shinji, "With everyone gone that gives you lots of free time yourself." Toji leans closer, voice dropping to a whisper, "Maybe you could help us get a few pictures of Misato?"

Shinji shakes his head, "And why would I do that?"

"Aw c'mon, be a pal."

"What do I get out of it?"

Toji paused as he mock thought about it, just happy to have the conversation far away from him and Hikari. "The happiness of knowing you've done a great service to your best friends?"

Shinji leveled a bored stare at the other boy, "By helping you be perverts?"

"It's a once in a lifetime view! Help a man out."

"It's called the internet, go look up Hitomi Tanaka if you want boobs so bad."

Kensuke clapped his hands together in prayer, "So sayeth the boob lord, we give thanks to the legendary K-cup herself. Amen."

Shinji leaned away a bit, "I shouldn't be surprised you know who that is."

Toji pointed a finger at the pilot, "Says the guy who uttered her name first." Here he leaned in again, "Now what is this about K-cups?"

At the front of the room and interrupting all of the various conversations, their afternoon teacher returns, "I sure hope you've all been productive, because we have much to cover before the trip." Getting groans along with children returning to their seats, Shinji happens to glace back towards Asuka and Rei. That both are smiling at him while Hikari returns to her seat doesn't help his mindset at all. Toji better get his act together, soon. Maybe he could find a way to lock the two teens in a broom closet somewhere. Yeah. That would work. Below him, his laptop pinged.

Asuka: Whatever you're thinking, pervert, it won't work.

Rei: I've made sure to remind Hikari to stay far away from closets.

Shinji frowned and closed his computer. His face shouldn't be that easy to read by those two. Really took the fun out of things. He settles in however for the rest of afternoon classes, ready for the school day to end while the teacher droned on about history. Not that much of it did any of them any good, that old world long gone. But it was a decent distraction to pass the time and time did pass, eventually allowing school to end and release the high schooler's upon the city.

Shinji quickly found himself cornered by his fellow pilots. "I've done nothing wrong."

Asuka rolls her eyes as Rei grabs one of his arms and starts dragging him, "We're going swimsuit shopping."

Shinji raises an eyebrow as they weave through the crowd of students leaving the school with them. "We're stuck here, what do we need swimsuits for?"

Rei looked up towards him quietly, "Are you really passing up seeing us both in swimsuits?"

Shinji allowed himself to be dragged as he thought about that. Shinji wouldn't publicly call himself a pervert, more of a healthy teenage boy with a love of the female form. It was healthy and natural. That Shinji was closer to a few hundred years old mentally meant nothing, as the women with him were in the same boat. So would Shinji pass up this chance? Shinji would not. Shinji would also not worry to hard about speaking in the third person. Shinji was not a narcissist. "You're right, I'll shut up now."

Asuka smirked, "Good boy. You get a treat later." It didn't take them long to separate from the writhing mass of children to make their way towards the busy metropolitan mall, the day breezy and not so hot. The walk gave them time to chat and tease each other as a way to pass the time.

Rei was explaining in great detail how much she wanted to beat Gendo to death with jumper cables while he was stripped naked and forcing Ritsuko to watch. Shinji was pretty sure car batteries weren't meant for whatever it was Rei planned on using one for, but the visual was firmly seated in his mind thanks to her. Just what he needed. "Can we talk about anything other than my naked father being pegged by Ritsuko or Unit 1? Please."

Rei nodded, "I shall explain in great detail how you, me, and Asuka shall spend a week alone in a villa fornicating and conceiving children then. First-"

Shinji was already tuning her out by turning to Asuka, "Again, you corrupted her."

Asuka shook her head, "I did no such thing." She was listening to Rei however, some of these ideas were really good.

Before long the three teens found themselves at the mall. Quick navigation and determined strides found them in a summer clothing store that offered a wide variety of swimwear to choose from. Shinji makes for the men's section before both girls sit him down on one of the many offered chairs in a more closed off changing area away from the front of the store and tell him to sit and wait. Refusing to argue over it, he does just that, waiting in place much to the amusement of the female staff as Asuka and Rei fluttered about the store. Asuka is the first in a changing room, winking at him with a grin as she disappeared behind a curtain. Rei is a bit slower, but has several options much as Asuka did.

Shinji leans back with a content sigh, "I'm going to enjoy every second of this, and remember that Toji and Kensuke would kill to be here right now."

Asuka giggles from behind the curtain, "Damn straight they would!" Voice muffled from behind the curtain, Shinji can only hear the ruffling of clothing, "So enjoy your good fortune and praise us appropriately.

"Yes ma'am." Shinji relaxes and waits, wondering just what they would go along with this time.

Asuka was the first to surface, arms held behind her back as she strode forward in a red one piece, grinning all the while as she had pulled her hair into a high ponytail, "Hmm, what do ya think? Sporty mode Asuka?" Here she twisted this way and that in front of a mirror, while Shinji firmly kept his mouth shut. Asuka however just continued to smile, "Hmm, I'm gonna give this one a 7, it's a little plain." So saying, she was soon back behind her curtain, changing while Shinji tried his best to control his heart rate.

Rei made that impossible, coming out in a black and white two piece that had a small opening in the shape of a circle at the chest. More sports bra than bikini, but it captured Shinji's attention all the same. Rei didn't bother with the mirror, staring at Shinji much as he did her. She eventually smirked, turned away from him but looking at him over her shoulder, "How does the rear look?"

"Firm." It left his mouth before he could even think about it, and Rei nodded all the same.

"This one is a buy then." Strutting away with a bounce in her step, Shinji was left praising and cursing the gods all at once. He would not blow a gasket here, not where pretty store staff could see him.

Asuka is once again back out, a rather tame by her standards blue bikini skirt and matching thick tube top. She twirled in place once, showing that the skirt had hidden shorts underneath. "Hmm, You can be pretty active in this one." She turned around and leaned over, looking at her rear in the mirror, "Nothing to expose at least." That she was leaning over towards Shinji and giving him a good view was not lost on her, or him. "Though I suppose blue isn't normally my color, that's more Rei's thing." Standing up straight she eventually shakes a hand back and forth, "It's cute, but not cute enough." Within a breath she's back behind the curtain and leaving Shinji alone.

"I'm trying to be patient here, really really trying."

Rei's voice calls out from behind her own curtain, "Then don't be. You know we can take it." She opens her curtain just as Shinji opens his mouth to answer her. He's unable to speak however, lost in the expanse, or rather the lack of material of her next swimsuit. There was string, and a bit of fabric covering the important bits…Where did she get the cosplay horns from? "Yes, I think I'll get this one as well for, later."

Asuka poked her head out and looked, "I thought you were going to leave that one?"

"I thought the push might be needed." Both girls turned to the very red and visibly shaking Shinji. "I say I was correct."

Asuka sighed and pulled back inside, "Let's call it and head home, before we really do give him a heart attack."

Rei closed her own curtain, "Oh poo."

Shinji however just sighed tiredly and leaned against the chair, staring up at the ceiling, "I'm to young for a heart attack, probably." Unless they kept teasing him that was. Damn teenage hormones. The staff does their best not to laugh at the boy as the girls bring their purchases to the front counter and Shinji pays for them happily. Not that he needed to, with all of them having sizeable bank accounts by now. The woman at the counter smiles and winks at him all the same, and the three teens leave the shop. Shinji a blushing mess while Asuka and Rei giggle and pull him along. "I'm going to get you back. Not sure how yet, but I will."

Rei snuggled into his side again, "You may try anata."

Asuka nudged him in the shoulder, "Do we need to make a stop at the store or can we head straight home?"

"Home, I did the shopping yesterday." Plans set the group heads for the apartment. Weaving through the mid afternoon crowd is pretty easy, and even though he had said they didn't need to stop for anything, the girls decide to stop at the corner store regardless for after dinner snacks.

Soon back in their apartment complex and upstairs, they are setting about making dinner. A dressed and frantic Misato delivers what she thinks is bad news, "So you all know you'll be staying behind correct?"

Asuka nods while relaxing on the couch and playing some handheld game, "Makes sense, what if an Angel attacked while we were away. Quick way to end humanity."

Rei agreed from where she relaxed on the floor with a book, "We can make do with the Nerv aquatic facilities at the least."

Misato raises her eyebrows as the children take the news easily enough, "Well, I was all geared up for a fight." Putting on her shoes and addressing all of them together, she grins and tosses them a thumbs up, "I've got a night shift so I'll be back in the morning. Also, I wanted to say, good job on the grades. Happy to see Nerv isn't hampering you at all."

Asuka waves a hand, "Like I'd let a high school ruin my perfect record."

Shinji leans out from the kitchen, "Did you grab your lunch Misato?"

Misato raises a bento in the air, "Sure did Shinji! You're such a sweetheart!"

Shinji blushes but nods and waves her off as she turns and leaves the apartment. Left alone, he has a feeling dinner is no longer a priority. There's an ominous presence behind him, "I should be turning off the burner, shouldn't I?"

Asuka's voice was like silk in his ears, "Absolutely."

Doing as he was told, he could only submit himself to his fate, "I don't have to guess what it was you really bought in the corner store, do I?"

Rei called out from the living room, "Get in here and practice making me a mommy!"

Asuka finally sighed as they both were left in silence after that. Shinji finally turned to the bashful girl, "Told you she was corrupted."

"I, may be a little responsible." Asuka squeaked as Shinji snaked his arms around her waist, "H-hey." She didn't fight him pulling her into him and she easily accepting the steamy kiss all the same. With a delighted moan, several seconds later Asuka was coming up for air with a happy look on her face.

Shinji shook his head, "Hush, it's payback time." Wasn't payback always just so sweet? Shinji sure thought so.

-b-

Having seen their friends off for the school trip, the three EVA pilots found themselves poolside deep within Nerv. They would never question why Nerv had an Olympic sized pool included with its facilities, chalking it up to literal world saving spending budgets. All it meant for them was that Shinji could sit poolside while Rei and Asuka swam to their heart's content, Rei showing off a bit in the black and white two piece she had decided on while Asuka had instead picked up the same red and white striped two piece she always bought. That it was Shinji's favorite probably had a role in that decision.

Asuka comes up for air, waving to the lazy boy, "Come on in Shinji, I know you can swim." She watched idly as Rei made her way towards him.

Shinji however had his eyes closed as he relaxed with his hands behind his head, "I could, or I could enjoy some relaxation in the company of beautify women." He opened his eyes however as he felt water dripping on his chest. "Oh, hey Rei."

Rei wasted no time in grabbing him by an arm and physically tossing him into the water, no change of emotion on her face, "Swim with us." Watching the boy sail through the air to splash into the water, she returned to the water herself as said boy eventually surfaced and laid back to float peacefully.

"If humans were meant to be in the water god would have given us gills."

Asuka giggled, "And yet here you are floating along with us."

Shinji wanted to shrug but knew he'd sink like a rock if he did, "I'm not entirely human by this point I don't think. Maybe none of us are."

Asuka considered that one as she floated towards him, "Never considered that one. As many loops as we've been through, it's bound to have changed us even a little bit."

Rei rejoins them in the water, "I think at the least I would know if either of you have changed that much."

Shinji nods slowly, "That's true."

Asuka however was upon him, "Less talking, more fun!" Pouncing on him and dragging him underwater to make out, the pair left Rei alone for a moment to swim towards them. Smiling calmly, she watches as the pair resurface with heavy gasps for air. "That hit the spot!"

Chuckling and treading water, Shinji let's himself be pulled into Rei's embrace, "If there's nothing else, that still feels pretty human."

Wiggling her eyebrows at the boy, Asuka grins, "We can prove it again, c'mon, back under the water baka."

Rei utilizes her minor AT field to float herself and Shinji through the water and away from Asuka, "My turn."

"No fair! I call shenanigans!"

Rei shrugs as she sets about turning the boy she loved to face her, "Life isn't fair." Setting about getting her own canoodling session with the boy, the group finally settles down and relaxes near the shallow end to sit on the pool's steps.

Shinji however is thinking about the next Angel coming up, "Think we can talk our way out of the next one?"

Shaking her head, Asuka spun a finger near her temple, "You know how miss Angel vendetta is going to get. There's no getting out of this one. Just grin and bare it."

Rei nods, "Embrace the suck."

"I'd rather not. It's such a bad idea." Rei is agreeing with him while Asuka just holds her hands up in a surrendering shrug.

"I just wish they could make a cuter equipment suit for Unit 2. At least paint it red ya know?"

Playing with the water a bit, creating a small vortex within her hand, Rei's monotone voice cuts through the air, "Tell Ritsuko it'll piss off Shinji if it's red and she just might authorize it."

That Asuka seemed to be considering it had Shinji shaking his head, "You're really going to throw me to the wolves so you can get a red dive suit?"

"I never said that." She hadn't. Asuka also hadn't said she wouldn't do that.

Pulling Rei into his side much to her enjoyment, Shinji pointed at the red head, "You could at least let me do the mission, keep you out of danger." He feels Rei shudder next to him and the water shows that Asuka did the same. "What?"

"You must not remember the one time you gave that a shot." Asuka pointed out to the geofront that they could see through the massive windows. "It ran away from you in fear."

Rei nodded along, "It destroyed a good portion of Tokyo-3 before we could stop it. Really messed things up for later on."

"Oh, yeah, forgot that." Why had that one ran away from him? I vaguely remember being really pissed off that run, but he couldn't remember why.

Asuka however left to swim towards the deep end, "Well I'm going to dive in water and not think about being in an active volcano." Going under, Rei and Shinji enjoy their closeness. Rei idly tracing fingers along his side.

"Think we can get away with just killing it right off the bat and claim we didn't hear Misato's orders?" Shinji would continue to try and be hopeful for as long as possible, even if he knew the battle was long over.

Rei confirmed that, "You know what Misato will do to her if she tries it." The brig, followed by grounding and potentially putting Asuka in the Nerv barracks for a while. That was a fate Rei wasn't willing to accept.

Shinji could only shake his head, "You're thinking something wrong again." That the girl snuggled deeper into him without a word confirmed his thoughts. Maybe he should invest in some stocks with energy drink companies.

-b-

Sure enough, within two days the teens all found themselves atop Mt. Asama. Well, Shinji and Asuka did, Rei was held behind in reserve at Nerv itself. Just in case they said.

Sitting in Unit 1's plug, Shinji is rolling his eyes as he just knew Misato is getting annoyed with him. "This is absolutely bad idea." Asuka's face comes up on his screen, grinning and flashing him a thumbs up.

"I'll be just fine baka, don't worry so much."

"Oh yes, don't worry about you being lowered down into an active volcano, with boiling magma, to capture an Angel that apparently is happy to stay down there in the face of the fact that it is literally in the one place on Earth that won't support life. Because. You know. It's 1200 Celsius and roughly 2900psi or more down there. And a baby angel is happy to live there while us fleshy humans want to send down an Eva with a barely tested dive suit into liquid, boiling, magma. Yes yes. Great plan. I am applauding you enthusiastically."

If Asuka could roll her eyes any harder they might get stuck. Sighing as the crane picked her Eva and rolled her over the volcano's open vent, she voice her opinion of the boy. "You're so dramatic."

Misato chimed in as well, steadfastly ignoring Ritsuko stifling her giggles, "When you say it like that, it makes it sound worse."

"I honestly don't know how anyone could describe diving into a volcano as, I don't know, good."

"The knowledge we could gain by capturing a live Angel early is literally immeasurable. We have to give this a shot." Misato tried her best to be convincing, but she had learned. If Shinji was speaking up against or for something, it was probably lacking some common sense. "I would never put Asuka in danger."

Asuka however had other thoughts, "Oh c'mon, I'm a big girl here! Put me in some danger. Guys dig scars don't they?" As her Eva was lowered, she forced her machine to do the splits, "Look Shinji, split dive!" Laughing as she sunk into the lava by her cooling cables, Shinji was left shaking his head.

"You're mental, also no, most guys do not in fact dig scars." Shinji finally let it go. Though he would be rubbing it in Misato's face later.

Ritsuko finally get's her giggles under control, happy to not be the center of attention. "You know, maybe Shinji is just jealous he's not the front runner on this mission."

"I'm more worried about my friend being lowered into an active volcano. Human life is precious after all."

"Aw don't worry, I'm sure your girlfriend can take care of herself."

Asuka sighed as she knew Ritsuko just stepped in it. Shinji however felt his eyebrow twitch, "My fellow pilot doesn't really have many options in a pool of lava."

"Well we have all the confidence that nothing will go wrong."

Misato rolls her eyes, not wanting to let this get out of hand, "If you two old ladies are done?" Hearing both of them scoff and sputter, she turns as Asuka is watching the feed from outside. Honestly, maybe she needed to lock Shinji and Ritsuko in a closet somewhere to figure things out. The two argued like an old couple.

"Those are uh. A lot of bombers up there Misato." While the girl knew what they were for, she never liked it. All it would take is one asshole to slip on the trigger to end them all within moments. She had lived through one of those loops. Dying by N2 mine was no fun.

Misato nods, rather having hoped that the children hadn't noticed that. "They are there as plan B."

"I don't want to know what plan B is, do I?"

Shinji's voice calls out, "No one ever wants to know what plan B is."

Misato agrees with that, "That's why plan A will go off without a hitch." Next to her Makoto calls out current depth of the Eva and she focuses a bit on the cameras with the others.

Asuka however can't help but start to warm up, and complain about it, "Mein gott it's hot down here."

Deadpan Shinji levels a bored look at her through the camera, "Well, ya know, it is a volcano."

"You just can't let that go can you? Wish I could strip down in here." She did mime opening her specialized pressure suit, the pseudo fat suit not helping her mood in the least.

Shinji wiggled his eyebrows, "Oh don't let me being here stop you. Please, go right ahead."

"Yeah, there are adults present you little pervert." Shaking her head with a smirk they both knew she would do so gladly anytime the other asked. Hell, he had explored quiet a bit of it every night Misato had been gone. Mmm, thoroughly at that.

"Asuka, we're coming down to target depth, see anything?" Misato's voice range out and Asuka focused on the task at hand. She attempted to search through the murk, switching her cameras through several modes.

"No dice Misato, nothing but lava and rocks."

"Diving deeper then, recalculating location."

Ritsuko leans over, "This is coming dangerously close to the suit's operating depth." She's loath to admit it, but the scientist voices her opinion all the same, "It might be smart to cut our losses here."

Misato shook her head, "We have one shot at this, we can make it."

"Personal vendettas aren't a good look Misato." Valuable data or not, losing an Eva and a pilot was unacceptable. Nor did she want to be the one to tell Gendo why they had lost an operational Eva and pilot. He was irritable enough as it was, and she didn't want to give him more fuel for that.

Misato shrugged her off, "If we don't find it at the new location we'll pull back, promise."

Asuka couldn't help but flinch as the structure around her groaned and creaked, "I wonder if this is how tuna eventually feels."

Within moments and quiet from everyone, no one willing to even breath too loud on the chance it might swing things one way or another, eventually Makoto calls out the new Angel location, though he also mentions that they are past the Eva's operational depth. Misato sighs and keys the radio for Asuka one last time, "Anything Asuka?" It was time to pull back, her conscious was screaming at her finally.

Peering out into the gloom again, Asuka is ready to say no. "Wait, I got something! Target sighted!" There within a dozen meters was the baby form of the Angel. If only it would stay that way. "Activating capture cage now." At least this would be done and over soon. She was over this heat and feeling like a balloon.

Misato sighed with some relief, "Good, let's grab it and bring you back home." Everyone watched as the cage set itself up slowly, experimental barriers coming to life and surrounding the Angel embryo. "Target acquired, pull Asuka up, double time."

Makoto nodded, "Crane retracting."

Ritsuko as well released a breath, "I nice easy mission for once." Didn't she know better by now? You didn't sass the universe.

"Warning, pressure increase in the cage!"

"Waveform pattern changing! Pattern blue confirmed!"

"It's awakening!"

Misato leveled a look at Ritsuko, "Just had to jinx it huh? Asuka drop the cage and prepare for combat!"

Asuke sighed, reaching and knowing her knife was long gone, "Prog knife is missing!"

Shinji was already moving, activating his and pulling it from his shoulder pylon as he came to the edge of the vent, "Dropping Unit 1's now!" with a heavy toss, his own knife was sent flying into the lava and headed for Asuka.

Asuka herself had dropped the capture cage, watching as the massive form of the Angel shredded the cage and grew to swim literal circles around her. "Oh this is just great. No combat ability and on the Angel's home turf." Reaching up and shaking a fist at the camera Asuka smirked, "If I die I'm haunting all of you for this!"

Shinji shook his head while trying his best not to worry, "Not me, I said this was a bad idea. Like, a really bad idea."

"Then you get karma points Shinji! Time to prog knife arrival?" Misato spat out as she worried over Asuka's predicament.

"Fifteen seconds!"

"Asuka, watch for it!"

Asuka nodded as her Eva was battered by the Angel ramming into her repeatedly. "Can't do much else!" It felt like an eternity to count down the seconds, but the precious progressive knife did eventually enter her range of view. Reaching out with the suit's manipulators she grabbed it, "And I'm armed!" Just in time as well as the Angel was coming around for another pass. Not that this would do more than piss it off. Thrusting out as the Angel came in range, she let out her frustration in a yell as her replacement knife slid and sparked off of the Angel's outer shell. "Man that things hard!"

It took everything in Shinji not to make a joke in that moment.

Misato however watched the monitors as the Angel retreated quickly, "Where's it going?"

Makoto called out information, "Seismic sensors show the Angel diving deep into the Volcano. Well past out deepest diving ability."

Misato sighed, "That's it, get Asuka out of there and we'll plan a counter attack soon." Hopefully that didn't include bombing the hell out of a volcano.

"Whaaat? I finally get to fight back and the thing runs? Fuck that, drop me back in! I'll carve that little bastard to pieces." Asuka had no control of the crane, but she was almost willing to sever her cables to drop herself back down.

Shinji chuckled, "Now who's being dramatic."

"I want my solo kill!"

Misato shook her head as Makoto continued to read sensors deeper and deeper under the surface. Little bastard was running for it quickly. "Don't worry Asuka, I have a bit of a consolation prize for you."

"Oh oh, is it food? Because I'm starving!" Asuka was quick to change her tune, though she was upset she didn't get her solo kill. She would have to knock Shinji out for the next one or something.

Tuning out the children while they recover Asuka and Shinji returns Unit 1 to its holding rack, Misato watches the monitor from over Makoto's shoulder with Ritsuko. "How deep did that thing dive?"

Ritsuko was watching the data with a critical eye, "Probably deeper than it wanted, look here." She pointed towards a sizeable spike that had just surfaced on the monitor. "That looks like an implosion."

"Really think the Angel dove so far down it killed itself?"

"It's possible." Ritsuko shrugged as she stood up straight, "They aren't exactly the smartest things in the world, operating more in instinct by the looks of things. Would it know when to turn back if it dropped below its ability to resurface? It did just wake up."

"Ugh, so an Angel committed suicide. Lovely." Asuka of course overhead them.

"Wait! Does that count as my kill then? C'mon, it wouldn't have run away if I hadn't scared it." She wanted her solo kill! Her pride demanded it.

"Sorry Asuka, no solo kill for you. But how about a hot spring trip?" Misato smirked as the girl cheered and cut the video feed before sagging into a chair, "This was screwed up from the get go."

Ritsuko grinned, "Shinji was very vocal about that. I'm sure we have it recorded."

Shinji's voice piped in over the radio, "If not, I'm happy to give a full lecture about how bad of an idea this was. Because dropping anything into an active volcano beyond several hundred meters is just asking for trouble really."

Misato finally had enough, "No teasing me buster or I'll sic Asuka on you later!" She wasn't sure how much of a threat that was, but it was enough of one to shut him up for now. It was a good plan. She always had good plans. She wasn't Ritsuko.

-b-

Hours later, the Eva pilots along with Misato were escorted into a hot spring resort at the base of Mt. Asama. Happy and relaxed, Shinji is lowering himself into the waters while the stow away Penpen is living his best life swimming along in the hot water. Now this was a proper vacation. Sure they missed the school trip, but this wasn't a bad substitute. From over the divider wall he can here the girls getting rowdy and chatting away, and he was happy that Nerv had reserved the complete space just for them. Though it was a little lonely for him.

Asuka's voice almost seemed to read his thoughts, "If you're lonely over there Shinji you can always try to peep on us, I promise I'll only knock you around a little bit." She wouldn't of course, but they were keeping up some pretense around Misato for now.

Shinji however was smirking, not needing to peep to know exactly what all three of the women on that side of the bath looked like naked, "If it was just Misato I absolutely would." Met with Misato's laughter, he considers the day a job well done.

Misato can't help but level some teasing towards Asuka, the girl obviously having some type of crush on the boy, "Ooooh Shinji, nice to know my charms work on you. Maybe we can ditch the girls later?"

Asuka was standing and pointing an accusing finger at the older woman, "Don't you have some other geriatric men to fawn after?"

"I can't help that younger guys find me hot Asuka."

"You cradle robber!"

As the others begin to riot, Rei floats calmly in the waters and enjoys the peaceful moment. The moon and the stars were so bright this far away from the city. She could get used to this.

Shinji himself was much the same, watching the stars and just plain happy that no one got injured or hurt and the Angel was dead. If only they all could be this easy. Now that he had some time however, maybe he would plan something horrible for Fuyutsuki. He had plenty of time. As a bottle of shampoo came flying over the divider towards him, he caught it easily. "Why am I getting stuff tossed at me?"

"Cause you're a pervert!"

"But wait." Shinji raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "In order to hit me, wouldn't you need to be able to see me?"

Misato cackling rose over the divider, "Ooooh, he caught you Asuka!"

"N-n-n-no he didn't!" He had, she knew he had, and she knew that he knew that she knew.

Shinji placed the bottle on the floor behind him, "Well I'm keeping it, if ya want it you'll just have to come get it!"

"Well maybe I will!" Splashing could be heard and Shinji really did believe Asuka would do just that.

Misato however was a voice of reason, "Oh calm down, you can get it later." That Asuka really did look determined to go over there had Misato pausing for a moment. Maybe she should keep a closer eye on these kids from now on. Didn't want any happy accidents after all.

Rei had closed her eyes and just relaxed. She would just sneak into his room later after everyone else fell asleep. She needed her cuddles.

-AN-

Not going to lie, I had this outlined for about a week but just couldn't get back to it for one reason or another. But with my other story finished I hopefully will be making more time with this fic. Hopefully, maybe.