Neon Genesis Evangelion
                          Higher Learning
                          ===============

                         Teacher's Edition
                       Lessons 01 through 10



                         Strike Fiss, 2000











Someone's crying.

I'm not sure why, but I think I'm glad it's not Asuka.  Or Misato.  I 
know Rei won't cry.  Not over me.  Not unless she knew the whole truth.  
But, to know that, I suppose you'd have to be someone else.  Rei, for 
all her perfection, probably doesn't consider the truth before her.  
It's too far-fetched.  

It takes me a moment to remember who else is there at my side.  The 
grass is cold under my back, and it's slippery from the backwash of 
LCL, but I don't mind.  It feels good.  I know that, in a few moments, 
the cold will take me, and I will be at rest.  Once more.  Finally.

The young boy...no...young man...who is crying on my chest, is Shinji 
Ikari.  I can just make out his telltale blue and white plug-suit as he 
asks me not to leave him and the others.  He keeps telling me that he 
wants to learn so much more.  That I'm the only one that can teach him.  
That Asuka and Misato need me.  That he needs me.  That Tokyo 3 needs 
me.

My eyes are barely able to focus now.  Blood has crept it's way from my 
head to cover them but I try to stay awake as long as possible.  

I'm glad it's Shinji who will send me off to the next world.  He's why 
I came here in the first place.  It saddens me to leave like 
this...without knowing if all this was worth it.  However, maybe this 
is what he needs to remember everything I tried to teach.  

I manage to look over to Asuka.  Her eyes are wet, from what I can 
tell.  But she is not looking at me.  I think it's because I've scared 
her.  I've scared both of us.  Still, I have to give her one last 
glance before I pass on.  My vision is foggy, now.  She seems 
surrounded by a kind of golden halo.  God, she is beautiful.

Misato is crying too.  She's holding my hand, I finally realize, though 
I cannot feel it.  The same halo surrounds her in my mind, and I drink 
in the sight of the two most amazing women I've ever known.  She's 
pleading for me to hold on, though she can tell by the way my blood is 
slowing that it's already too late.  Strange, I can remember a time 
when it was her blood.  I can still remember the taste...

I turn back to Shinji.  Mustering whatever strength I can, I hold out 
my hand for him to take.

He accepts it without thinking twice, ignoring the blood.  I'm not 
sure, but I think I manage to smile as well, because he suddenly smiles 
back as he grips my hand with both of his.  

I would have moved the universe to see that smile.

It is at that moment, where I know there is a chance.  A chance that I 
may have done my job.  Just maybe I did it right.  And just maybe, 
Shinji Ikari will not have to do the same thing I just did.

And as everything goes quiet, and my mind falls down into the 
cold...lit now only by the two halos and a smile that were my last 
visions...I take one last breath, and I dream of the past few months.











First Lesson:  The Family Unit







Being only a foot and a half high, Pen-Pen never did get the hang of 
door-knobs.  This was one of the facts of many that made the penguin 
one of the only people in the apartment that never took advantage of 
Shinji.  When he gently scraped his beak up against the door to 
Shinji's room, a moment was all it took for the young man to wake up 
and emerge with a smile.

"Good morning, Pen-Pen." Shinji whispered as he opened the door.

"Wuaaagh!" Pen-Pen replied gratefully.  

They walked or waddled over to the kitchen, and Shinji fixed up a quick 
meal of sardines that he had left out on the table overnight to thaw.  
A moment later, he emerged from the front door with the newspaper, 
reading any interesting headlines before he handed it over to Pen-Pen.  
"I think your stock went up another point." Shinji said.  
"Congratulations!"

Pen-Pen watched as Shinji put on his cooking apron and began to fix 
breakfast for the three humans.  Today was a very special day for the 
young Ikari.  Pen-Pen wasn't too sure why he was doing all the work, 
but figured everything went smoother when Shinji did the chores anyway.  

The sound of the shower running hinted at Asuka being awake and 
prepping herself for the morning routine.  Misato wouldn't be awake for 
another ten minutes at least and would let herself be known by asking 
for her morning beer.  Shinji re-doubled his efforts to get breakfast 
on the table and succeeded with time to spare.

Both of them enjoyed their quiet mornings together.  Shinji sat and ate
his toast and coffee while looking over some notes for class.  Pen-Pen 
read the daily entertainment section and quietly licked the remaining 
sardine salt from his beak.

It is June 6th.  Shinji Ikari's sixteenth birthday.  Oddly enough, it 
is also the first day that the school had been open in nearly three 
weeks, due to the last angel attack.  Shinji looked a lot happier than 
usual.  Probably because of those two facts.  School was a nice routine 
for him, and a birthday is always nice...even if nobody remembers it.  

Pen-Pen remembered, though, and reminds himself to order the dancing-
girls for the party tonight.  Or, at the very least, to get the 
presents wrapped.

Asuka Langley makes herself known.  Of course, that usually involved 
some kind of anguish on Shinji's part.  Today is no exception, and he 
almost swallows his own tongue as she smacks him on the back of his 
head.

"Morning, Baka." She says with a big yawn.  "You better not have had 
any dirty dreams about me."

Pen-Pen was still torn up over if he finds Asuka's presence to be a good 
thing or bad thing.  After all, she is loud, annoying, always watching 
soap-operas on TV, and is constantly pestering his friend Shinji, who 
is the only human who can get his sardines to taste juuuuust right.  
However, she looks very nice in the shower, as Pen-Pen has observed no 
less than three times, and that almost makes up for all of it.  The 
fact that, for all his complaining, Shinji would probably not want her 
to leave makes up for the rest.  Asuka can stay...for now.

"Morning, Asuka." Shinji grumbles, rubbing his head as she settled down 
on the seat next to him and began to shovel food into her mouth.  "Sleep 
well?"

She shot him a dirty look.  "No!" she stated loudly, making little bits 
of egg fly out over the table.  "And it's not polite to talk to someone 
who's eating!"

Shinji sighed and turned back to his homework.  "Sorry, Asuka-chan."

Asuka deems eating as more important than mentioning how he ALWAYS says 
'sorry', and is quiet for the remainder of the meal.

One thing is missing from the cozy little picture, however.  
"Uuuuuuuuuugh..." Misato groans as she walks out of her room and heads 
towards them.  Her eyes are half-dead and she looks like she recovering 
from cryogenic storage with the way her skin looks so pale.  Pen-Pen sill 
likes her, however.  Though this woman has a lot of personal demons that 
need slaying, she's always put him, and the others, ahead of herself.  

Of course, that does not count in the morning when she has a hangover.  
Nobody gets in the way of her first beer.  
"YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" she whoops as 
the tab is cracked and the first third of the can is poured into her 
lips.  Pen-Pen smiles to himself.  Yup.  Same old Misato.

Shinji and Asuka are used to the outburst and let her join the 
breakfast table without even looking up in disgust.  "Morning, Misato-
chan." Shinji says warmly.

"Looking forward to this morning?" Misato smiles as she takes a bite of 
Shinji's cooking and deems it scarf-able.  "I hear summer vacation has 
been cancelled."

"WHAT?" Asuka yells.  "Just because of that last angel??  Shiest!  Next 
time I'll destroy the school myself!"

Misato regards the younger woman with a frown.  "Didn't get all your 
homework done, did you?"

Asuka blushed and shook her head.  "I couldn't read the questions.  
I'll have to ask Sensei Taisho when we get to school."

"You had THREE WEEKS to ask us!" Misato yelled back.  "Are you saying 
you didn't even STUDY?" she pointed to Shinji.  "You could have at 
LEAST asked Shinji to help you!"

"Shinji's a pervert." Asuka explained calmly, talking like Shinji wasn't
even there.  "If I asked him to be my study-partner, he'd get a nosebleed 
and think we were going to make out all night!"

Shinji just ignored the comment and took a sip of his tea.

Misato gave up, instead focusing on her breakfast.  "Very well...but I 
want a signed letter from Sensei Taisho by the end of the day." She 
smiled as Asuka begins to squirm.  "And he's going to let me know how 
much homework you need to catch up on, so I know how much TV you're going
to miss."

"AAARGH!  YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING!" Asuka yelled back.

Shinji and Pen-Pen share a sigh.  Yup.  Another normal morning.  They 
both stand, not bothering to interrupt the emerging argument, and move 
to the kitchen where Shinji uses the few-minutes head start he's gained 
on the day to fix his and Asuka's lunches.  Pen-Pen goes to his fridge 
and opens the door.  "Wuaaagh!" he tells Shinji.

Shinji nods.  "Later, Pen-Pen."










Asuka follows Shinji on the way to school, a step or two behind.  She 
keeps telling him is so he can't look at her butt.  Of course, she 
fails to tell him that it's also so she can look at his.  This would be 
because she herself doesn't really know she's looking.

"Can you believe Misato?" Asuka grumbled as they walked.  "How did she 
know I didn't do that homework??  Was she searching through my things 
again?!"

Shinji said nothing, reading a book as he walked.  He was rather good 
at it from his practice at NERV.  "Mmm." He hums in a tone that could 
be seen as either positive or negative to her comment.  That particular 
talent seemed to get a lot of practice lately.
 
Asuka frowned.  "Well?  What about you, Third Child?  Do YOU know how 
she knows?  I bet you helped her look through my things, hoping you'd 
get a glimpse of my underpants!"

"I do your laundry." Shinji mumbled to himself.  "I see more of your 
underwear than YOU do.  Why would I want to go looking through your 
room?"

"HENTAI!" she smacked him across the back of his head.  "That does it!  
I'm doing my own laundry!"

"Good." Shinji smiled happily.  "It's about time."

Asuka blinked as she realized she has been tricked.  "AARHG!  Never mind." 
She pouted.  "I still don't see how Misato knew, though."

"Everyone knows you didn't do homework." Shinji commented quietly.

"Mmph.  Well, we can't ALL be Invincible Shinji's, now, can we?"

"Don't you like anything about School?" Shinji frowned.  A small bit of 
attitude finally chipping free from his iceberg of untouched reserves.  
"You went to college for four years, didn't you?  You had to have liked 
some of it."

"There is a big difference." Asuka explained.  "College and High-school 
are nothing alike." She sighed.  "This place is so boring.  I already 
know more than the sensei, and it all seems useless."

Shinji nodded.  "Yeah...I guess you're right."

Asuka smiled at Shinji's comment.  "Of course I am!" she patted him on 
the shoulder.  "See?  You're getting smarter just by being in my 
presence!"

Shinji, very wisely, chose not to comment on that.






Elsewhere...a few blocks away...






The Principal of the school was a stout man in his late fifties.  Went 
by the family name Yamamoto.  Thin grey hair covered his head, and gave 
him the look that he was about to be blown away by the wind.  Still, he 
had penetrating eyes that bore straight through the glasses he wore on 
the bridge of his nose.

Those eyes were glancing down to a piece of paper in front of him on 
his desk, and then up to the young man who was seated before him, 
waiting patiently.  "I'm curious about something, Mr. Miyazaki?"

"Please." The younger man smiled.  "You can call me Kaoru."

"Very well.  It seems that this is your first teaching assignment in 
Japan?" the Principal frowned.  "I'm not sure you'll enjoy this job.  
Are you aware of what this School is?"

"If you're worried about the Angels, I know all about them." Kaoru 
nodded, his jaw set in a more serious expression.  "In fact, that's one 
of the reasons I requested this job."

The principal's eyes were wide.  "Really?"

"I know that must sound a little crazy." He smiled, prompting a smile 
from the older man.  "However, I consider it an honour to help teach 
these students.  After all, they may be the ones who will rebuild human 
kind."

Yamamoto nodded respectfully.  "Even if it means putting yourself in 
danger?"

Kaoru nodded back.  "I consider it worth the risk, so long as they 
learn something I can teach."

A final look at the young man's credentials almost sealed the interview 
right there.  Yamamoto nodded to himself.  "I understand you were all 
but promised this position?  The three Magi must really think you're 
qualified."

"I'd like to think so." He nodded.

"And you are ready to start today?" Yamamoto asked hopefully.  "Sensei 
Taisho hasn't been released from the hospital yet, unfortunately." He 
sighed.  "A good man.  A little long winded, but we were hoping he'd be 
able to teach until the end of the semester."

"I actually knew him." Kaoru smiled sadly.  "I hope he is able to 
return to class.  I would love to talk to him again."

There was a short pause, then Yamamoto filed the papers away.  "Well, 
class is starting in ten minutes." He smiled.  "I expect to see you 
there."

With bright eyes, Kaoru blinked, then stood and took Yamamoto's hand in 
a vigorous shake.  "Thank you, sir.  You won't be disappointed!"

Principal Yamamoto laughed.  "I think the students may appreciate your 
enthusiasm." He cleared his throat.  "I'll have payroll set you up by 
noon, and tomorrow, you'll have a fresh desk and the lesson plans ready 
for your approval.  The children should be caught up due to the 
vacation they've had, so you'll have a few days to test the water." He 
raised an eyebrow.  "But I want you full steam by the end of the week."

They bowed deeply, ending the interview.  Miyazaki Kaoru smiled one 
last time, nodded, then gathered his briefcase and laptop before 
walking out the door...closing it quietly behind himself.

"There goes one crazy sonofabitch." Yamamoto smiled to himself as he 
filed away Kaoru's resume.  "He'll fit in perfect in this place."









The children were already assembled in class, milling around and 
clustering in their usual groups before the day started.  Toji and 
Kensuke were explaining to Shinji how that the construction to the 
school was just a cover-up to place more bugs and hidden cameras.  

"Did you hear about Sensei?" Kensuke asked as Shinji yawned away the 
rest of his morning sleepiness.  

"No?" Ikari blinked.  "Why?  I thought he just broke his wrist when the 
school got hit?"

Kensuke grinned, edging his glasses up on his nose.  "Oooh no.  You 
see, that's what everyone THOUGHT." His face got more serious.  "I 
hacked into the local hospital just last week, and found his name on 
next month's nurses chores."

"No way!" Toji blinked.  "So the old fart is still in the hospital?"

"Yup.  The nurses regiment didn't say much about his treatment, but it 
looks like he's still on some pain-killers, and has to get a sponge 
bath once in a while.  He probably broke a hip or something else that 
always happens to old people."

"I hope he's not in any serious trouble." Shinji said.

"Well, all I know is that we're getting a substitute for a while." 
Kensuke continued.  "Weird thing is that they haven't even been hired 
yet."

"Maybe they'll just forget about us." Toji smiled happily.  "And we'll 
get the next month off!"

The school bell rang, signalling the start of the day.  Everyone looked 
around and was surprised to see the Sensei hadn't already walked into 
the room.  Normally, he was right on time.  

Asuka's hopes were high that maybe the old man got hit by a car on the 
way to school, and all her homework would be moot.  The door opened a 
moment later, and the Three Stooges rushed to their seats, along with 
most of the class.  Asuka took her time, of course, not willing to 
hurry for anything.  "Shiest..." she sighed.

Everyone wondered who this younger man was walking over to the sensei's 
desk.  He dropped his case on the desk, then reached into his long, 
green tweed jacket, pulling out a pair of glasses.  He had messy black 
hair, but it seemed to fit his face.  A strong, shaven jaw line with a 
curious soft smile.  His eyes, now hidden behind his glasses, looked 
over the class.    

Hikari stood, blinking nervously.  "Konnichiwa..." she announced.  "I'm 
the class representative.  May I help you?"

The young man jumped.  "Oooh!  I'm sorry!  Please, forgive my manners!" 
he smiled.  "You are Miss Horaki, are you not?"  His voice was 
familiar, and very soothing.  

The female population of the class began to melt like snow on a summer 
day.  

"H...Hai..." she replied with a blush.

"Very well." The young man nodded.  "You may skip your duties for today 
until we are all introduced." He walked over to the chalk board and 
began to write on it.  "My name is Miyazaki Kaoru, and I'm your new 
Sensei."

Everyone relaxed noticeably as they realized he wasn't just some crazy 
man who had found his way in their class.  The ladies all began to 
smile.  After all, he wasn't exactly an ugly man.  Toji noticed this 
too, and crossed his arms.  "Who is this joker?"

"A man with very good hearing, Mister Suzuhara." Kaoru smiled as he 
wrote his name on the board.  The class laughed in response, angering 
Toji even more.

Shinji couldn't help but grin as well.  "He seems like a nice guy."

"Shut up." Toji frowned.

Kaoru turned around to face the class, who were all waiting for him to 
finish.  "Sensei Taisho hasn't been able to leave the hospital, so I 
will probably be teaching this class for the remainder of the 
semester."

That prompted sighs of relief from most of the class.  Mostly because 
there was a chance that this new teacher wouldn't ramble on about the 
Second Impact for hours on end.  

"Excuse me." Kensuke raised his arm suddenly. 

"Yes, Mister..." he looked at his class names list.  "Aida?"

"How do we know you're not part of some government plot to heard us all 
into slavery?" Kensuke asked proudly.  "If you really ARE a teacher, 
you'll tell us what your credentials are."

"Retard." Asuka grumbled from the other side of the class.

Kaoru smiled.  "I'm sorry, young man.  But if I tell you why I'm here, 
I'd have to kill you moments after."

That prompted another round of chuckles.  Kensuke sat back in his seat, 
arms crossed.  "Ooh, I see...hiding in plain view.  Brilliant 
strategy." He whispered to himself. 

"I understand that you've all had a nice, long vacation." Kaoru said 
with a stern look on his face.  

Everyone sighed, and opened their laptops, ready to copy the impending 
avalanche of notes.  

"However, I'm afraid that you'll have to bare without homework for one 
more day." The new Sensei smiled as he saw everyone's surprised looks.  
"I don't have the lesson plan yet, and so, today is going to be more of 
a get-to-know-you class."

The young ladies all began to giggle.  

"Now," he sighed, opening his briefcase and looking over some notes.  
"I know most of your names already.  I can see that Ayanami isn't 
present?"

Shinji cleared his throat. 

"Yes, Mister Ikari?"

Shinji stood, timidly.  "Uh, well, she's sometimes...not..."

Asuka's eye began to twitch.  

"Don't worry, Shinji." Kaoru nodded.  "I'm aware of her status with the 
Evangelion project.  As well as yours and Miss Langley's.  Your 
absences won't count toward your final report."

Shinji blinked, then sat down with a smile.  "Hai."

"Okay." He put away the class roll-call. "To put Mister Aida's 
suspicions to rest, I am indeed qualified to teach your happy young 
minds." He stood and then sat on the corner of his new desk.  "I major 
in history, though I can tell by your faces that you've already heard 
about the Second Impact."

"HAI!" everyone almost screamed.

"Good.  Then we can focus on the interesting stuff that NERV won't 
classify to death." Kaoru adjusted his wire-frames.  "Also, I majored 
in philosophy, so I intend to give your minds a healthy workout.  Most 
of my class will not require a lot of homework, but I will need your 
attention in class.  I promise you will have lots of time to chat with 
your friends, but I will also expect you to know what we have 
discussed."

The class nodded collectively.  The males almost forgave this new man 
for stealing their girlfriend's eyes...so long as he promised minimal 
homework.

"I'll hand out a brief test at the end or beginning of each week to see 
how you're all coming along in your studies." He continued with a 
ridged smirk.  "Each of you will give me your best effort.  If you do 
not?  You will find my punishments are equally strange as my hair." He 
smiled as the comment prompted another chuckle around the class.  
"Otherwise, we should all get along quite nicely." He stood.  "Are 
there any questions?"

A young woman named Keiko raised her hand.  Many of the men in the 
class considered her to be the most beautiful woman they had ever set 
their eyes on.  

"Yes?"

She smiled.  "Are you single, Mister Miyazaki?" then sat down, giggling 
as three of her blushing friends joined her.

He rolled his eyes back into his head.  "Yes I am.  All that means to 
you is that any time you start misbehaving, I will have time to come up 
with more work for you." He smiled evilly.  "Next question."

"What happens if an Angel attacks at the end of the week and you can't 
give us our tests?" Toji asked.

Kaoru nodded.  "Good question.  In such a case, I will grab the Angel 
by it's neck and put him in detention, where he will have to write your 
tests for you."

Everyone laughed and nodded.  

"If an Angel attacks, don't worry about school." He continued.  
"However, I will not accept 'an Angel ate my homework' as a valid 
excuse."

Asuka had a large smile on her face.  "I'm going to like this class."

The Sensei cracked his knuckles.  "Now.  Lets get this show on the 
road.  I want each of you to introduce yourselves, starting in the 
right hand corner of the class and moving back in the row, then up the 
next one.  Nothing too dramatic, though if you want to act out your 
favourite opera, I'm all ears." He smiled.  










The final bell rang, closing the day.  Five hours seemed to fly by in 
five minutes, and many of the students were almost sorry they had to 
leave.  

"Miss Langley?  Mister Ikari?" Kaoru announced just before the class 
shuffled out of the door.  "May I have a word with you two?"

The two Children walked up to the front of the desk where their new 
Sensei was filing away his papers.  Asuka grinned to herself.  "So, you 
wanted to meet the world-famous Evangelion pilots, did you?"

"Yes, actually." He smiled warmly, looking up past his glasses at 
Asuka.  Suddenly, though, his smile was gone...replaced with something 
else.  For the briefest of moments, he found himself staring at Asuka's 
eyes.

Shinji was the only person on earth that would have noticed, and he 
coughed, not sure what was going on.  Asuka just waited, arms crossed, 
oblivious to the situation.

"Uh..." Kaoru shook his head slightly.  "Anyway, I just wanted you two 
to know that I'm going to make sure you both get every chance to keep 
up with your studies."

Asuka sighed.  "Is that all?" she flipped her red hair away from her 
shoulder with her hand.  "I thought you might want my autograph!"

"I'm a pilot too." Shinji said quietly.

"Yeah, but who would want YOUR autograph?" Asuka retorted. 

Kaoru smiled and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.  "Mister Ikari?  
Would you?  I'm your biggest fan!  I love EVA-01!  The way you ripped 
apart the Third Angel was amazing!"

Asuka watched, dumbstruck as Shinji blushed, then grinned, and began to 
scribble his name on the paper for Miyazaki.  "I've never had anyone 
ask for my autograph before..." 

"Well, it's a shame." Kaoru nodded.  "You're quite a famous young man.  
It must be NERV security that stops all your fans from getting too 
close."

Asuka just grumbled something under her breath as Shinji finished and 
handed the pen back to Mr. Miyazaki.  

"From now on," Kaoru continued "if there's anything you two..." he 
cleared his throat "three...sorry...need, I'm at your disposal.  From 
what I've seen of your records, and what I know of the Angels, you two 
will probably appreciate a more adaptive environment.  Think of me as 
your tutor."

"I'm a college graduate." Asuka yawned.  "Why would I need a tutor?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Miss Langley, you are also not very good at 
reading your text questions." He stated simply. 

She face-faulted.  "H...How did you know??"

"I know everything, Miss Langley." Kaoru smiled.  "Your school 
transcripts are quite in depth."

She blushed and gasped.  "Really?  What do they say about me??"

Shinji was enjoying the exchange immensely.  

"Nothing much." Kaoru coughed.  "But enough to warrant me to worry 
about your education.  I'll be moving into Tokyo 3 over the next day or 
two...but once I'm settled, I'll give you both a number to contact 
should you need any help with your homework."

Both Children nodded.  

"Now, get out of here." He sighed happily.  "Enjoy your afternoons."

They both bowed respectively and turned to leave.  Just before they got 
to the door, though:

"Oh, and Children?"

"Hai?" they both replied, turning back around.  

Miyazaki Kaoru smiled and bowed his head.  "It was a real pleasure to 
meet you both."  He said warmly.  "See you both tomorrow."

Shinji and Asuka smiled, then turned around, letting the classroom door 
close on their way out.

There was a long, tired sigh in the lonely classroom.  Kaoru slumped 
over slightly, taking a deep breath before looking up.  "A real 
pleasure." He said, shaking slightly as he pocketed Shinji's autograph, 
then grabbed his briefcase before he left the class himself. 










Shinji found himself almost unable to think clearly as they walked home 
that day.  Sensei Kaoru.  An amazing guy!  He finally sounded like 
someone that would make class interesting!  Philosophy?  That sounded 
like a lot of fun.  He wondered what kind of history they would study, 
and what amazing discussions would rise.  

Asuka found herself dwelling on what the new Sensei thought about her.  
"He's seen my transcript?  Oh no!  Wait!  But it can't be all bad..." 
she figured.  "But...still!" she looked over to Shinji, walking a step 
in front of her.  "And why is he so happy?" she shrugged.  Oh well...at 
least the new teacher did say less homework.  Even Baka Shinji could 
appreciate that.   

As they got home, greeted by Misato and Pen-Pen having a shot-contest, 
they both were in high spirits.  

"Hey you two!" Misato hiccupped as they walked in.  "Asuka?  Did you 
bring me my note??"

"Couldn't." Asuka smiled.  "We have a new Sensei."

She raised her eyebrow.  "Really?"

Shinji nodded happily.  "He's a really nice guy, too.  Even asked me 
for my autograph!"

Misato smiled as Asuka developed a small thundercloud over her head.  
"Aww, that's nice."

"One fan, and his ego gets as big as EVA-01's butt." Asuka grumbled.

"My butt's just as big as your butt." Shinji replied quickly.  

"Your butt's huge!  What are you talking about!"

Misato, having being slightly drunk, began to laugh at the comment as 
the two Children developed large sweat drops on their foreheads.  Pen-
Pen just wobbled back and forth, trying to keep down his alcohol.

"Anyway." Asuka said, changing the subject before Misato couldn't stop 
laughing.  "He said that there won't be much more homework, just so you 
know I'm not slacking off."

"Okay." Misato ignored her.  "I fixed dinner, by the way.  Pen-Pen 
helped too.  I think he left something in your room, Shinji, so you may 
want to check it out."

"Hai." He nodded.  "I will."

Asuka, upon hearing that Misato had cooked, lost most of her appetite.  
"I'm going to my room."

Both Children walked off down the hall.  Shinji stopped at his door, 
Asuka stopped at hers.  He was about to go in when he noticed Asuka 
wasn't moving.  

"Asuka?"

She turned to him with a sigh.  "You know, just because it's your 
birthday doesn't mean I don't think you're still a baka." She stated.  
"So don't think I'm going to go easy on you today." She frowned.  "And 
don't think that means you can undress me with your eyes, either."

Shinji was smiling.  "Thanks, Asuka-chan."

She glared at him for a moment.  "Happy birthday, Baka-kun." She said, 
letting a small smile slip before she closed her bedroom door behind 
herself.  

The young Ikari stood there for a moment, enjoying the after-image of 
her smile.  He had learned to treasure such instances, as they were so 
few.  Asuka often smiled, but it was a special occasion when she would 
smile at him like that.  His own special smile.  The one she only 
seemed to give to him. 

Opening his door, he found a box, gift wrapped, on his bed.  The card 
had tiny scribbles that seemed to make a word...but he wasn't too sure 
what it said.  "Pen-Pen." He smiled, opening the box.

Inside was a bottle of sake...a very expensive one by the looks of the 
label...and a shrink-wrapped herring.    

Shinji Ikari smiled and laid down on his bed next to Pen-Pen's present.  
"This was a nice birthday." He whispered, looking up at the ceiling.  








 

That night, on the other side of Tokyo 3, a young man also laid on his 
bed, looking up at the ceiling.  Boxes of his belongings were scattered 
across the modest, but not uncomfortable bedroom.

There was a muffled grunt as he cringed slightly.  Fantasy images still 
flooding through his head.  Unconsciously, he wiped the mess in his 
hand off on the blankets next to him.

His breathing was returning to normal as he focused on the unfamiliar 
ceiling above his head...reliving the memories of the day.  His first 
day seeing them again.  Seeing her again.

Miyazaki Kaoru sighed, rolling over on his bed, away from his 
embarrassing trophy.  His voice was tiny, yet angry.  Angry at himself.

"I'm hopeless." 










Second Lesson: Falling Evangelions










Principal Yamamoto had been good with his word, and the classroom had 
been cleared out of the old sensei's belongings and replaced with a new 
desk.  Kaoru had gotten to school early and was reading over the lesson 
plan.  

Most of it was standard issue.  About ninety percent of the year had 
already been covered already, actually.  NERV had the foresight to 
count on the Angel attacks as school interruptions.  He smiled.  No 
wonder Taisho was always talking about his past.  

It also meant Kaoru could focus on what HE wanted to teach.  

"Good morning, Miss Ayanami." He said out loud, startling Rei, who 
hadn't even shut the door behind herself yet.

The young First Child gave the new sensei a strange look, then walked 
over to her desk, unfazed.  "Good...morning." She replied before 
sitting down to look out her window.

Kaoru blinked.  "I suppose you're wondering where your old sensei is." 
He smiled, extending his arm for a handshake.  "I'm..."

"Miyazaki Kaoru." Rei replied flatly, not bothering to turn away from 
her view.  "I assume you are to replace Sensei Taisho.  There is no 
need for further introductions."

He paused, wondering how she knew his name.  A smile crossed his lips 
as he realized his name had already been put on a tiny plaque on his 
desk.  "Very well, Miss Ayanami.  It was a pleasure to meet you."

The cobalt-haired girl slowly turned her head towards him as he sat 
back down and began to look over papers.  "A pleasure to meet me?" she 
asked quietly.

He looked up.  "Yes.  I've been looking forward to meeting the three 
Evangelion pilots." He smiled warmly, then got a more serious look on 
his face.  "Actually, I would like to talk to you."

"You may." Rei replied.

Another smile.  "Thank you." He stood, then walked over to the front of 
his desk so he could sit on the corner.  "I understand your unique 
position as pilots, and I wanted you to know I'm willing to work around 
any Angel attacks that may occur.  If you three are interested in 
furthering your studies..."

"That will not be necessary." Rei said in a quiet voice.  "I am only 
here because Commander Ikari orders it so.  I already know what I will 
need."

Kaoru paused, considering this.  Rei turned back to her window. 

"However, if you wish to participate in class discussions, that will be 
the bulk of my course." He said.

Rei blinked, turning back to him.  

"I understand Taisho was a bit long-winded." Kaoru nodded.  "I suppose 
I am too, but I will also be getting the class into the discussion.  I 
know you don't need to be here, but you may find our discussions 
interesting."

Rei turned back, once more, to the window.  "Perhaps."

"Good." He smiled.  "Good enough." He walked back around his desk to 
sit down as they bell rang for morning classes.  "I look forward to 
talking with you, Rei."

Further conversation was cut short by the other students all piling 
into class.  Noticing that the sensei was still looking through some 
papers, everyone assumed he wasn't ready, and began to chat with their 
desk-mates.  

Taking a deep breath, Kaoru stood.  "Miss Ayanami?"

She blinked.  "Hai?"

Everyone immediately shut up, amazed that Rei was talking.

Excited that he had managed to get the ball rolling, he didn't let Rei 
have time to reconsider being silent.  "Please give me the name of a 
remote location."

Rei faulted for a moment, but quickly regained her composure.  "The 
surface of the moon?"

He smiled.  "Very good." Then turned to Kensuke.  "And, I need the name 
of a very large object, Mister Aida." 

Kensuke smiled, adjusting his glasses.  "How about Evangelion Unit-01!"

"Excellent." Kaoru nodded, then turned back to the class as Kensuke was 
patting himself on the back.  "Here's the situation." He walked over to 
the blackboard and began to draw on it with the chalk.

Everyone waited patiently, interested to see what was to come of it.  

Soon, there was the moon, orbiting over Earth, with a rather cute 
Super-Deformed EVA-01 drawn on it's surface.  The class began to laugh.  
"Now, if an EVA falls on the surface of the moon, and there's nobody 
around to hear it, does it make a sound?" he smiled.

Asuka laughed.  "What a simple question!  Of course it doesn't make a 
sound!  There's no air on the Moon!"

Everyone nodded, agreeing.

"Mm, okay then." He quickly drew a haze around the EVA.  "Suddenly, a 
gas pocket beneath the EVA erupts and the Moon grows a thin 
atmosphere." He grinned, turning back to class.  "For argument's sake, 
it DOES transmit sound."

"Well." Asuka shrugged.  "Then it would make a sound."

"Yeah.  Like this:  MWARRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHH!" Kensuke 
offered, doing his best EVA roar. 

"That's very impressive, Mister Aida, however, who is around to hear 
that mighty roar?  After all, we are just a classroom on Earth.  That 
sound cannot reach us through all that space, can it?"

"It is the..." Rei stopped herself, blushing.

Everyone in the class looked at Rei.

Sensei Miyazaki smiled.  "It's okay, Rei.  You may continue."

Rei nodded.  "The Eva does not exist in our minds." She said, carefully 
picking her words.  "Therefore, there is no sound."

Jaws dropped.  

"Very good, Rei." He turned to the class.  "Now, who would dare to 
dispute that insightful comment?"

Everyone looked towards Asuka.  She smiled, leaning back in her seat.  
"Ahh, but you asked if it makes a sound.  Because we know that the EVA 
fell down...thanks to Baka Shinji's bad piloting..."

That prompted a giggling fit from most of the class, while Shinji 
frowned.  

Asuka smirked and continued.  "We also know that it's going to make the 
noise.  Therefore, it makes the sound." She looked over to Rei.  "Not 
that it wasn't a good try, Wondergirl."

"Now now." Kaoru chuckled.  "Let's keep the philosophy civil as 
possible.  What exactly is a sound?"

Asuka crossed her arms.  "What do you mean, 'what is a sound'?"

Shinji raised his arm timidly.  "Uh, I think what he means is what do 
we think a sound means to our minds?"

Everyone looked from Rei to Shinji, equally surprised. He blushed 
terribly, but didn't cower.

"That's right, Shinji." Kaoru nodded.  "In fact, does anything exist in 
our minds, unless we know about it?  Rei just said that because this 
EVA does not exist in our minds, neither should the sound it makes." He 
moved to the front of his desk and leaned against it.  "Asuka is also 
right, however." That got a smile from the redhead.  "After all, 
science shows us that just because we cannot sense something with out 
own minds, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Like Atoms." Hikari offered nervously.  "We can't see atoms, but we 
know they exist."

"Right on, Miss Horaki." He smiled, prompting a blush from the younger 
girl.  "Now, even though we can't hear Shinji's poor EVA trip over a 
rock and fall, we DO know it exists, or at least, we can assume it 
exists.  We know the EVA exists, and that it falls.  Through the study 
of other examples of such an occurrence, we can assume a sound will be 
made."

The class nodded collectively.

"But, because the question is based on sound specifically, something we 
can only hear, and not really imagine, we have to think of it on two 
levels.  Reality, and our Mind." He began to erase the blackboard.  
"Reality is the universe around us.  What we know, and what makes up 
what we know.  Our minds are a little different, however.  Sometimes, 
they can become our own versions of reality.  It will be the focus of 
this class until the end of the year to teach you all how to recognize 
what is inside your heads.  How to improve it.  How to think better.  
How to find out who we are." He smiled over at Rei, who was watching 
him with rapt fascination.  "Or, at least, try to."








The bell rang, signalling gym class.  Everyone stood reluctantly, as the 
debate had gotten quite lively.  Asuka had even started drawing little 
sound waves on the board, trying to illustrate their use.  

Asuka glared at the class.  "Ugh.  I hate philosophy."

Shinji smiled, patted her on the shoulder, then left with the others.  

Rei walked up to Kaoru's desk and got his attention by clearing her 
throat.  "Yes, Miss Ayanami?" he smiled, adjusting his wire-frames. 

She had a small smile on her face.  "I will discuss things in class."

"Excellent, Miss Ayanami.  I look forward to it." He smiled.

She walked off, out the door, past Asuka who was angrily cleaning off 
the chalk board.  "Shiest."

"Miss Sohryu?"

She spun on her heels.  "YES?"

He nodded.  "I agree with you."

The redhead almost fell over.  "W...what?"

Kaoru was grinning.  "I know the sound exists, just as you do.  
However, I also know you are the only person in the class who had 
enough backbone to keep up with the discussion." He bowed his head.  "I 
thank you."

She raised an eyebrow.  "You...but you were agreeing with Ayanami?"

"No.  I was simply adding to the debate.  If it wasn't for you, the 
class would simply grasp the first idea that came into their heads.  
You helped them foster that little questioning voice, so they could 
make a decision for themselves."

Asuka shrugged.  "It...it was nothing."

"Go on.  I'll clean up here." Kaoru nodded.  "You'll be late for gym."

She smiled brightly, bowed, then ran off.  He smiled, then walked over 
to the board, setting up the next lesson.  "I should have been a 
teacher long ago."









Shinji, Kensuke and Toji were all sitting down against the wall of the 
baseball complex, as usual, though their thoughts did not focus on the 
swim-suit-wearing girls a few meters above past the fence.  Each hadn't 
said a word since they left class.

"Wow." Toji finally blinked.  "I just figured something out..."

Shinji and Kensuke looked over to him.  "Oh?"

"What if the EVA was a tree in a forest somewhere!" he gasped.  "It 
would be the SAME THING!"

Kensuke laughed.  "That's where that question comes from!"

"Oh." Toji smiled sheepishly.  

"The new sensei is awesome!" Shinji stated proudly.  "He hasn't even 
said a WORD about the Second Impact yet!"

"And he hasn't assigned any homework, so he's good in my books." Toji 
grinned, stretching out against the brick.

"What about the Class Rep?" Kensuke smiled.  "She looked to be enjoying 
class a little TOOOOO much."

Shinji laughed.  "Yeah.  Watch out!  The Sensei isn't an old geezer 
now.  You'll have to keep an eye on your woman!"

Toji coughed, almost choking on his own breath.  "Mmph." He grumbled.  
"Well what about Asuka?"

"W...what do you mean?" Shinji said, trying not to blush.

Kensuke nodded.  "He's right.  I mean, you just said the new Sensei 
isn't an old geezer, Shinji.  And you know how Asuka is always falling 
over that Kaji guy."

Shinji crossed his arms.  "Asuka-chan isn't like that.  She 
just...just...uh..."

"Likes older men?" Toji offered.

"Hates us 'boys'?" Kensuke added with a bit of spite in his voice.

"Is the Devil?" Toji continued.

"I like 'Beelzebub' better." Kensuke smiled happily.  

"NO!" Shinji yelled, flustered.  "She just isn't...too...romantic." He 
nodded.  "Yeah, that's it.  So, obviously, she's not about to go around 
acting all gaga over a new Sensei.  Even if he ISN'T ninety years old."

"Not that you'd care, anyway." Toji smiled.

"Yeah, not that I'd care anyway." Shinji replied sternly. 

"And that's why you always say 'Asuka-chan'?"

Shinji blinked.  "I do not!"

"Yes you do!" Kensuke smiled, holding up his camera.  

"If you don't care, why don't you call her Devil-Girl?" Toji pressed.

"Yeah.  Like us." Kensuke leaned closer.  "Don't you LOVE us, Shin-
kun?" he laughed.

"Fine." Shinji shook it off.  "I'll call Asuka-chan Devil-Girl.  
Happy?"

"He did it again!"

"I did NOT!"

The whistle blew, forcing the boys to break up and get ready to play 
some baseball.  Shinji gave one more glance up to the girls, wondering 
if Asuka was around, but didn't see her.  "I did not." He said again.

"Sure you didn't." Toji patted him roughly on the shoulder. 

"Hey!" Kensuke smiled as they walked over to get their equipment.  "If 
Shinji says 'Asuka-chan' in the forest, but she's not there to hear 
him, will she still call him a Hentai?"







A few meters above the playground sat the swimming pool, where most of 
the female physical activities went on.  Whoever wasn't gossiping, that 
was.  With no boys around, the hen-talk could reach amazing levels 
during PE.

"He's SOOOOOOOOOOOO smart!" Hikari gasped.  "And did you see the way he 
sat on his desk?"

The girls around her began to blush and giggle.  Keiko nodded happily.  
"I bet he has quite a package."

They all laughed.  "Ooh, I wish he would take off his glasses...I want 
to see what colour his eyes are..."

"Blue." Asuka said casually, sighing.  "You're all a bunch of hentai, 
you know?"

The entire female population of her class gasped, then crowded around 
her.  "You saw his eyes??!?!"  "Ooh!  What shade of blue?"  "How did 
you see them?"  "Oh you're so lucky, Asuka!"

She shrugged, examining her fingernails.  "Kind of a dark blue.  But I 
don't see what the deal is.  I've seen cute professors in college 
before." She sighed, as if remembering something.  "They're all 
business, though."  She laughed suddenly.  "No fun at all.  All they 
care about are grades and research grants."

"I suppose."  One girl shrugged.  "But, he does have a nice butt." She 
giggled as her friends joined her.  

Asuka looked up at the smiling faces.  "Well, can't argue there. 
Shiest...what I wouldn't give for some private lessons from him!" they 
all laughed.  

Hikari smiled.  "Didn't he give you pilots his phone number?"

Asuka's eyes opened wide.  "Y...yes..."

Keiko shoved two girls out of the way.  "I'll do your cleanup duties 
for a MONTH if you give that number to me."

Asuka grinned a little grin.  Some would say it was an exact copy of 
the Grinch as he grinned, looking out over Hoozeville after stealing 
all their Christmas presents.  

"Bidding will start at one Month." She said happily. 

The girls all groaned, but huddled around eagerly.

Suddenly, Rei stepped up between two of the girls.  "That is not 
right."

Everyone looked up to Rei, who was calmly glaring at Asuka.

"What do YOU want, Wondergirl?" Asuka grumbled.

"You should not be giving out Sensei Miyazaki's phone number without 
his permission." She stated flatly.  "If he is harassed, I will inform 
him of the source."

The girls all began to blush, then looked extremely guilty.  "Maybe 
she's right." Keiko said sheepishly, turning away.

Hikari nodded.  "You're right...sorry, Ayanami." She bowed.

As the crowd dispersed, Asuka had to hold back from throttling her 
fellow pilot.  "BAKA!  I could have gotten out of a month of chores 
around class!  It's not like we won't be able to look in the phonebook 
for his number in a month anyway!" she raised an eyebrow.  "Or are you 
jealous?"

Rei began to blush.  "You are mistaken, Second Child.  I want only his 
privacy." She lowered her eyes.  "Like mine."

Asuka sighed, then turned.  "You're no fun, Wonder Girl." She turned 
around and headed for the showers.  "I wasn't even going to give it to 
anyone anyway."








Third Lesson: Enjoy the Weekend!







With no Angel attacks, the week went by very smoothly.  Hardly even 
realizing it, the students had gotten about the same amount of work 
done that they usually did...however...they did it without looking like 
they were sitting in the dentist's chair, waiting for a root-canal.  In 
fact, there were often days where the class would stare at the front of 
the class with one-hundred-percent attention for the full five hours.  
With only half an hour left in the afternoon, the weekend jitters were 
showing.  This was it.  Would the new Sensei be like every other Sensei 
and assign a shit-load of homework for the weekend?

Looking up at the clock, Kaoru smiled.  "I see there is only a few more 
minutes before the end of the day."

Everyone cheered.

"Ooh no." he laughed, reaching into his desk to pull out a stack of 
papers.  "You're not getting away THAT easily."

Everyone groaned.  Even the girls who had been trying to determine 
exactly what shade of blue his eyes were.

He frowned.  "Oh?  Do I take it that you children want to write a page 
of notes before you leave?  And do not care that I had reached into my 
own pocket to photocopy notes FOR you?"

Everyone blinked, not believing it...then cheered again.  

"That's better." He laughed, passing out a pile to the front desk of 
each row.  "On Monday there will be a report due." 

Everyone groaned.

"Relax." Kaoru chuckled.  "Now, it's basically an oral report.  I want 
you all to take notes on what you do on your free time.  Be honest.  I 
won't report you to the authorities if you are partying without your 
parent's permission or stealing N2 mines." He glanced over to Kensuke.  
"Right, Mister Aida?"

Kensuke smiled.  "You can't prove anything."

"Exactly." Kaoru turned back to the class.  "I want each and every one 
of you to be honest...or...at the very least, lie and come up with a 
great story to tell."

"I love this class." Kensuke gasped up at the heavens above.  "Thank 
you!"

"There is..." continued Sensei "one catch." He raised his fingers for 
emphasis.  "I want each of you to do something with another class mate 
this weekend.  Hang out with each other.  Go on camping trips.  Go to 
the arcade.  Do everything you normally do, but make sure it's doing it 
with others."

The confused looks on the class' faces prompted more. 

"Then, on Monday, you will tell me great and amazing stories about your 
weekends with your fellow young gentlemen and young ladies." He 
explained.  "And we will see how each story fits with the other 
stories."

Shinji raised his hand.  "So you're going to see if our minds match up 
with the events in other people's minds!"

"Exactly, Mister Ikari!  I'm glad someone has been paying attention." 
He nodded.  "We will see, as Rei had pointed out, if the 'Friends in 
your Mind' match with 'You in your Friend's Minds" he laughed "or 
something like that."

Realization sunk in and everyone nodded happily.  Asuka raised her 
hand.  "So, the only homework we have to do is hang out with each 
other?"

Miyazaki nodded. 

"That's easy!" Asuka said proudly.  "All I gotta do is force Shinji to 
do my chores and I'm done my homework!"

The class chuckled.  Shinji sighed to himself.  

Kaoru grinned back.  "Now, if you want to write a written report of the 
whole weekend, you may, but you will still have to say a word or two 
with whatever people you were around." He turned to Shinji again.  
"Even you."

Ikari nodded nervously.  

"Yosh!" he clapped his hands just as the bell rang.  "I expect you all 
to get out there, enjoy your weekends, and have lots of fun.  
Remember!" he pointed out.  "If you each have lots of fun, that means 
the longer we can listen to your reports, and the less REAL school work 
you'll have to do."

Keiko raised her hand.  "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Will we get to hear about YOUR weekend?" she smiled sweetly.  The 
girls of the class all leaned forward eagerly.  

Kaoru blinked, not expecting the question.  "Well, I suppose, if I see 
any of you over the weekend, I'll be forced to come up and tell the 
class about it." He nodded.  "Though, I'm afraid I'll have to give 
myself an A+, as always." He turned to the clock.  "Now, get outta 
here!  Ya bother me!" 

Gasping collectively, the entire class realized they just stayed EXTRA 
on a Friday!  Everyone rushed out and into freedom.  Rei was left 
behind, though.  

Kaoru sighed, regarding Rei with a sad look.  "Rei?  Are you okay?"

She nodded, stiffly.  "Hai." Her hands were fidgeting, though, showing 
she was anything but okay.  

"Do you not get along with the others?" he asked, sitting down in the 
desk besides her.  

She shook her head.  "No...but...I do not...try...to get along with 
others." She sighed.  "My weekend will not be with anyone else."

He nodded carefully, sensing there was something more to her story.  
"It's okay, Rei.  If you don't want to, or can't be around anyone in 
the class this weekend, you won't have to give a report."

Rei nodded sadly.  "I am sorry.  I do wish to be part of the 
discussion." Her eyes brightened.  "Perhaps we shall have to go into a 
Sync Test.  That is with Pilot Ikari and Pilot Sohryu!  Or an Angel 
will attack!" she beamed. 

Laughing, he shook his head.  "I think we'd better hope for one of your 
sync tests.  An Angel will not be good for homework."

She nodded.  "Hai.  I suppose not."

"I'll tell you what." He said.  "If you're unable to do anything this 
weekend, I'll invite you over for dinner, and you can tell me more 
about your philosophies on life."

Rei's mouth opened in surprise.  "You...you would want to hear more?"

He nodded.  "Of course.  Not only that, but you can help me raise more 
interesting questions to ask the class." He smiled.  "How does that 
sound?"

"But..." Rei paused.  "If you are not busy, that is..."

"How does tomorrow sound?" Kaoru offered, giving her a card from inside 
his coat.  "I'm afraid I don't have a car..."

"It is not far from my home." Rei said quickly, looking up from the 
card with bright eyes.  "I will walk."

"Seven P.M. sound okay?" he bowed.

  


"I will be there." Rei bowed back.  "Thank you, Sensei Miyazaki." She 
smiled, then stood, walking for the door.  

"Rei?" he called after.

"Hai?"

"If you can hang out with the others, I won't mind if you miss dinner." 
He smiled.  "Enjoy your weekend, Miss Ayanami."

She bowed deeply, then left.  



 







Shinji and Asuka came home to find Misato rushing about, putting on 
makeup and her earrings.  Asuka's bright smile dropped as she smelt 
lavender perfume in the air.  "Konnichiwa." She grumbled, kicking off 
her shoes.

Oblivious to what was happening, Shinji just smiled and did the same.  
"Misato-chan?  You going somewhere tonight?"

Asuka shot him a dry, angry look.

"Oh, hi kids!" Misato finally noticed them and stopped zipping around.  
"What do you think?" she spun, showing them her nice, deep violet 
evening dress.  It was modestly low cut, but had a high slit on the 
leg, compensating for the ratio of flesh to fabric.

Shinji nodded, trying not to stare.  Dresses like that had a universal 
effect on the Male gender...even if their spines were a little wobbly.  
"It's very nice."

"Yeah." Asuka sighed, storming off to the kitchen.  "Did you make us 
food?  God I hope not."

"Don't worry, I didn't." Misato laughed to herself.  "I'm going to meet 
Kaji over at that new restaurant that's opening up.  I've heard they 
have the BEST steaks and salad bar.  Not to mention drinks are free 
with the meal tonight!" she whooped.  "They'll be broke by the end of 
the night!"

Both Children developed large sweat-drops on their foreheads. 

"So, anyway, I'm leaving the car here.  Don't wait up!" Misato bounded 
off, looking at the clock.  "Oooh, almost six...I'd better call a cab 
from downstairs." She waved.  "Make sure you feed Pen-Pen!"

The door closed, leaving the two alone.

Asuka walked over to the kitchen table and slumped down in it.  
"Shinji?"

He walked over and began to look for food in the cupboards and fridge.  
"Hai?"

"Am I attractive?"

Shinji blinked, then turned to her to see if she was just teasing him.  
She sat with her head on the table, though, and was looking very 
vulnerable.  He nodded, mostly to himself.  "Of course you are, Asuka-
chan!" he replied after a moment.  "Everyone knows you're one of the 
prettiest girls in Tokyo 3."  He nodded to himself.  That the ticket.  
Make sure you mention 'everyone' so she can't call you a Hentai, 
Shinji.  He broke open a package of instant-veggie-noodle-mix into a 
pot on the stove.

Asuka hadn't shifted her gaze from Shinji.  "What do you think?"

He blinked.  Warning signals were coursing through his head.

She frowned lightly.  "Shinji?  What do you think?" she closed her 
eyes.  "I promise not to get mad."

"I..." he paused.  "I think you're very attractive." He finally said.  
His voice was tiny, but confident. 

If he had the courage to be looking at her at that moment, he would 
have seen something flash through her eyes.  Almost like a pleasant 
surprised look.  However, it faded quickly, and she nodded to herself, 
still downcast.  "Then again, you're Shinji."

He frowned, turning his attention back to cooking dinner.  "Yeah.  I'm 
just Shinji." He poured the water in at full-speed, making a little 
more noise than was required.  "Just little, Baka Shinji."

Asuka heard him and instantly felt bad...not that she would say 
anything about it, though.  "Mm." She sighed.  "You're not Kaji."

"I most certainly am not." He grumbled, then let a wicked thought cross 
past all his walls of defence.  "After all, I'd never spend night after 
night with Misato.  That just doesn't appeal to me."

Asuka's jaw opened, but she could say nothing.  The tears began to well 
up in her eyes ever so slightly.  She really didn't know what to say, 
that comment had a lot of bite to it. Especially coming from Shinji.

He turned around, then saw her face.  She was trembling.  "Oh..." he 
swallowed hard.  "A...Asuka...I didn't mean it like that..." he backed 
away, waiting for a slap.

It never came, though.  She closed her mouth, turned back to the table, 
and began to cry.  Loudly.  

Shinji never wanted to smack himself so hard in his life.  "Asuka!  
Please don't cry..." he knelt down next to her as her chest hitched in 
sobs.  "I...I didn't know he meant that much to you..."  It was a lie, 
but the only one he could come up with.

The crying redhead began to laugh under her sobs.  "N...no...it's 
okay..." she sniffed.  "You...you're right.  You..." she looked up at 
him with wet eyes.  "At least I still have you." She sniffed.  

Shinji smiled softly.  "Even if I'm just Baka Shinji?"

She nodded, then let out another good sniff.  Shinji walked over to the 
counter and returned with some tissues.  "Sorry..." she sighed, blowing 
her nose.

"For what?" Shinji shrugged.

"For crying." She shuddered.  "I...I normally don't."

"I don't mind." Shinji replied, gently putting his hand on her 
shoulder.  "I won't tell anyone."

"Not even in our report for class?"

"I'll make something up." Shinji nodded.

"Shinji?"

"Mmm?"

"GET BACK TO WORK!" Asuka yelled, throwing him back with her voice 
alone.  "The water's boiling!"

He sighed, then turned around, missing her throw a small smile his way.  












Ritsuko sighed as the nicotine flooded her veins, easing out the ragged 
nerves she could almost count by memory.  It was like applying a warm, 
smooth cream to sore blisters that would only get worse as she worried 
about them.  

Maya gave her that worried look, but she didn't care.  "This is the 
lounge, Maya.  I'm allowed to smoke here."

The younger operations officer nodded, turning away slightly.  "Hai, 
Sempai."

"You've been on edge lately." Ritsuko frowned as she took another deep 
puff from her cigarette.  "Maybe you'd like to join me for a smoke?" 
she teased.

Maya blushed considerably.  "N...no thank you, Sempai.  It's just the 
Magi..."

"I thought I told you." Ritsuko hissed, looking around quickly.  "That 
does NOT get said out loud."

"Hai..." she nodded quickly.

A long pause.

"D...do you know..."

Ritsuko sighed and nodded it was okay.

Maya continued.  "...who might have known enough to do it?"

Ritsuko smirked.  "You might have been able to."

"Sempai!" Maya's blush made her look like she was trying to hide in a 
tomato patch.

"Maybe SEELE sent someone." Ritsuko sighed, lowering her voice.  
"Whoever did it was good.  I can't even figure out what they changed.  
There's simply too many operations that the Magi do every day.  It's 
impossible to look over each choice and decision."

Maya nodded, slumping over slightly.

"No matter." Ritsuko sighed as she finished off what little smoke she 
had left.  "Nothing happened.  There are no new Angels.  Ikari will 
never notice, let alone care someone was tampering with Magi."

Maya's eyes darkened at the mention of the Commander's name.  "I hope 
not, Sempai."

The two sat in the employee lounge, watching the sun as it faded into 
the tree-covered hills.  Not another word about the Magi was spoken. 
Tomorrow, it would be like it never happened.  











Being a Friday night, the restaurant was packed.  The fact that Kaji 
hadn't shown up yet was beginning to worry Misato.  They had 
reservations, but the staff could only hold their table for so long.  
"Uh...Waiter?" she walked up to the reservations man and tapped him on 
the shoulder to get his attention.  

"Yes, madam?" he smiled politely.

"H...have there been any messages left for me?" she paused, hoping not.  

"Your name?" the man asked, checking a list.

"Katsuragi Misato." She replied, looking around at the angry patrons 
who had yet to receive a table.  Each looked like they were willing to 
kill her for her reservation.  

The waiter whispered something to another man in a similar jacket and 
then nodded.  "Yes, actually." He smiled the same, polite smile.  "From 
a man named Kaji?"

She nodded.  "That's him."

"He said that some kind of business came up, and he regrets to inform 
you that he can't join you for dinner." The man said.  "I'm sorry 
ma'am."

She sighed, slumping her head.  "Can I still get in?"

The waiter looked at her name on the list.  "If you can find someone 
else who's her alone, I'll let it slide."

She turned around quickly.  "Anyone here without a date?"

Most of the couples began to grumble.  One man shrugged, though, and 
nodded.  "Yup." He walked past all the others to the front of the line, 
then almost jumped backwards as he saw who it was. 

Misato smiled warmly, not noticing his reaction.  "Come on!  You can 
buy me a free drink."

Kaoru Miyazaki nodded nervously and put on his best smile.  "Sure.  
Yeah." He gestured past the waiter.  "Shall we?"

"That's a good boy." She winked as they were escorted to their seats.  
She had to admit, the guy was cute.  Not in a Kaji kind of way, but 
something else that seemed familiar.  Maybe it was the glasses.  
Hanging around with Gendo must have been rubbing off on her after all 
these years. 

They were seated and given menus as the waiter began to recite the 
night's specials.  "Stop it, short-stuff." Misato interrupted.  "I'll 
have a nice, big margarita, a steak with all the trimmings, medium 
done, and point me in the direction of the salad bar."

Both the waiter and Kaoru laughed.  "A woman who knows what she wants."  
The waiter smiled.

Misato grinned.  "Oh, and make his a margarita too.  I'm feeling 
festive." She said the last word with a little bounce in her voice.

Kaoru held up his hand.  "Uh...no thanks.  I'm not a big drinker."

Misato gasped.  "WHAT!?" she turned to the waiter.  "Get this man a 
margarita before it's too late!" she coughed into her hand.  "I mean, 
jeez!  I'm not about to drink alone, am I?  And NORMAL beverages aren't 
free tonight!"

The waiter nodded with a smile on his face.  "The madam is correct, 
sir."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense...and I'm not driving..." Kaoru 
shifted uneasily in his seat, but then smiled.  "Make sure I get two 
umbrellas."

The waiter bowed.  "Very good sir.  Would you like some time to decide 
on your meal?"

"Chicken curry sounds wonderful." He said, quickly inspecting the first 
two pages of the menu.  "No dressing on the salad."

"Excellent choice." He took their menus.  "If you need anything at all, 
just ask." He smiled and went off to the kitchen.

"Wow." Kaoru grinned.  "I forgot how nice it is to have someone else 
cook for you."

"Really?" Misato smiled.  "You cook too?  Wow, and here I thought all 
the cute ones were just interested in us ladies."

Kaoru blushed slightly, but grinned.  "You'd be surprised." He held out 
his hand.  "Miyazaki Kaoru.  A pleasure to meet you, Miss Katsuragi."

She took his hand after a pause.  "How do you know my name?"

"You told it to the waiter up front." He replied.

"Wow, he pays attention too." She smiled sadly.  "Unlike the date that 
never showed up."

"I'm sure it was something important." Kaoru offered.  "I'm sorry."

"No, no..." she nodded.  "It's okay.  After all, I got to meet you, 
didn't I?"  Misato flashed him a rather cute smile.

He laughed.  "In that case, I hope he works late."







Fourth Lesson:  Shaken, not stirred.







Shinji and Pen-Pen relaxed as the warm meal in their bellies coupled 
with the pleasant mind-numbing effects of the TV took over.  "Pen-Pen.  
Change the channel." Shinji complained.  He looked extremely relaxed.  
Almost as if he was one with the couch.

Pen-Pen looked over at his roommate and sighed with equal laziness and 
couch-camouflage.  "Wuaaagh."

"Oh, yeah." Shinji remembered he had the remote control in his hand, 
and changed the channel to something more interesting.  

They continued to watch the Discovery Channel, who had been showing a 
documentary on the rising numbers of cicadas around Tokyo 3 and how the 
N2 mines kept making more lakes and marshes for them to find food 
around.  

"Shinjiiiiiii?" someone called out from over by the kitchen.  Though it 
wasn't as harsh as usual, both males recognized it as Asuka.  Shinji, 
though he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise up at her call, 
found something strangely appealing about the way she said his name 
like that.

"Hai?" he called back, never looking away from the television. 

"What goes good with sake?" she asked, poking her head around the 
corner.

Shinji paused, searching and coaxing his lazy brain to answer.  "Well, 
it's rice wine, so I suppose rice would go good with it.  I know this 
one recipe..."

"No, baka!" Asuka laughed.  "I meant, what do you mix it with?  It 
smells a little strong."

"It's not usually mixed with..." Shinji blinked, realizing Misato had 
no sake in her stock right now.  Pen-Pen realized this at the same time 
and scowled.  "HEY!  Where did you get that?" he stood and walked over 
to the kitchen.

Asuka backed up, hiding the bottle of sake she had found in Shinji's 
room.  "Uh...what?  Nothing!"

He frowned.  "Pen-Pen gave me a bottle of sake for my birthday last 
week.  Did you find it?"

Asuka looked very guilty.  "Oh...I didn't know it was a present." She 
held out the bottle.  The top was already opened once, by the look of 
the foil seal.  "I...I'm sorry..."

Shinji sighed.  "Damn.  I was going to save that for a few years and 
maybe celebrate when we killed all the angels..."

Asuka bowed her head slightly.  "I didn't know." She smiled.  "I 
thought you were just sneaking around with it in your room so you could 
get drunk without Misato knowing."

Shinji smiled back.  "Oh, I suppose it's okay." He paused.  "What were 
you doing in my room???????"

She blushed furiously.  "Oh, come on..." she tried to act on the 
offensive.  "You mean you haven't been in mine?"

He shook his head.  "NO!  Not even to do your laundry!"

"Oh.  Sorry." she shrugged it off in her typical arrogance. 

Pen-Pen walked over to Asuka with a frown.  "WUAAAGH!" he scolded her, 
then smacked her across the leg with his flipper.  "Wuaaagh..." he 
waddled off, disgusted. 

"I think he's mad I ruined your wine." Asuka smiled shyly.  "Care to 
join me?"

Shinji blinked.  "Asuka!  We're..."

She shook her head angrily.  "Stop it RIGHT there!  I KNOW we're too 
young.  I don't care.  I want to see what all the fuss is about." She 
grumbled.  "I want to see what makes all this so damn attractive to 
Kaji-san." She looked up at Shinji, smiling nervously.  In reality, she 
didn't want her first time getting drunk to be alone, and it wasn't 
like Shinji was a big pervert, so he'd probably be the safest drinking 
partner. "Unless...you're scared to."

Shinji blinked, then raised an eyebrow.  That was exactly what she said 
before they kissed last time.  "If I don't have to hold my nose, I'll 
be fine." He said proudly, walking over to the counter to get two 
glasses.  "Besides, it's not like sake is TOO strong.  We probably 
won't feel anything."

Famous last words, Shinji reminded himself, but ignored his inner 
warnings.  












Misato was a hard woman to keep up to when it came to drinks.  Not only 
was she faster, but she could also hold her alcohol better.  Kaoru 
found himself slightly buzzed after his third margarita, while Misato 
had already gone into the shots of Jack Daniel's.

"So, what do YOU do for a living?" Misato asked, cringing as she 
slammed back the shooter. 

"I'm a teacher." Kaoru smiled, fiddling with the umbrella on his 
almost-finished drink.  "Philosophy and history."

"History?" Misato frowned.  "I never got into history myself.  Too 
boring."

"It depends." Kaoru said, eyeing the Rye-and-Coke that had been placed 
before him a little earlier on.  "You see, if you just read about it, 
it's very boring.  Just facts and figures and dates and numbers."

She smiled, watching him talk.  He had a very nice voice.  Very safe 
and familiar.  "Really?"

He nodded.  "However, if you think of it in terms of people, it can be 
quite amazing." He smiled, taking the pause to finish his last 
margarita.  "For example, how did a person live his or her life, and 
not just when they were born and died."

Misato nodded, gently circling the rim of her glass with her finger 
before licking it dry.  "Mmm, like where they worked.  Who they loved.  
What they accomplished."

"Exactly." Kaoru said.  "Most specifically, who they loved, and what 
they accomplished with that love." He smiled warmly.  "Great moments in 
history have been made out of love."

"Mmm, I can imagine." Misato whispered.  "But...why do you find it all 
so fascinating?" she cocked her head to the side slightly.  "I mean, 
what good does it do to spy on dead people's love lives." She laughed.  
"Unless you just like being a voyeur."    

He paused, thinking of an answer.  Misato could tell the question hit 
close to home.  "I think, it's so I can learn from other's mistakes 
when it comes to love." He shrugged.  "Maybe even help stop history 
from repeating itself in bad ways."

Misato smiled.  "I never thought of it like that." She looked up.  "Oh, 
uh...I think the line-up is getting bigger."  She sighed.  "Maybe we 
should call it an evening."

He nodded, looking down at his drink.

She frowned, then smiled.  "No!"

He looked up.  "Pardon?"

"Let's move to the bar." She motioned to the bar-head.  Most of the 
stools were still empty.  "That would be the most honourable thing to 
do.  Let someone else eat."

Kaoru grinned, picked up his glass, and carefully stood.  "A lovely 
suggestion, Miss Katsuragi."

"Please don't call me that." She laughed as she took his arm.  "I get 
called that enough where I work."

"No problem, Misato-chan." Kaoru corrected himself as they moved to the 
bar, prompting a very cute smile on her part.  










Both Shinji and Asuka were eyeing their glasses very carefully.  Each 
had only downed a small section of their liquids.  "I don't feel 
anything." Asuka sighed.

"Same." Shinji shrugged.  "Just a second..." he put the glass to his 
lips and tilted his head back, downing the entire contents.

Asuka's eyes were wide.  "Wow..."

Shinji swallowed hard, feeling fire race up around his throat.  
"AAAAAAAARGH!" he coughed.  "That was...was..." he shook his head. "Not 
so bad...?" he shrugged with a smile.  "Maybe this stuff really is 
weaker than what Misato drinks."

Asuka did the same with her glass, cringing as similar sensations raced 
up into her mouth, then back down her throat when she swallowed them 
back.  "BAKA!" she laughed.  "You call that not so bad!!?"

They sat on the floor in the living room, in front of the muted TV as 
it showed unattended gibberish.  Between them was the white, glass 
bottle of sake and their glasses.  "Don't tell me the mighty Asuka 
Langley Sohryu is wimping out!" he laughed with mock drama.  "I'm 
ashamed to know you!"

She grabbed the bottle angrily and pressed the mouth of it to her lips.  
Shinji watched, completely stunned, as Asuka suckled the bottle and 
swallowed.  What was even more stunning were the tiny trails of liquid 
that had begun to escape her lips.  Shinji felt the sudden urge to wipe 
them off of her...

*

Asuka stopped after a few gulps and gasped out for air, slamming the 
bottle down on the floor.  "HA!" she said with a raspy voice.  "Beat 
that, Third Child!"

Shinji laughed as Asuka tipped over on her ass and fell flat on her 
back.  "I'm very impressed that you're not puking."

She sat back up...dizzy, but smiling.  "It was nothing.  Tell Pen-Pen 
that when it's MY birthday, he better get me the STRONG stuff!"

Not able to hold back any more, Shinji reached over the bottle and 
gently wiped a glistening fat drop of sake off her chin with his thumb.  
She blinked, but did not resist.  In fact, it was slightly enjoyable 
the way his hand left a trail of heat down the side of her face.  
Something she couldn't quite remember feeling before.

"Sorry." Shinji smiled shyly as he poured himself another glass.  There 
was still a lot left in the bottle, and they didn't need to worry about 
running out any time soon.

Asuka smiled back, wiping her mouth.  "It's okay.  Sake probably is 
hell to get out of the carpet.  Thanks for getting it."

"Feel anything?" Shinji coughed as he downed another glass in only a 
few sips.  

She nodded.  "Yeah." Her hand came up and rubbed the tip of her nose.  
"I feel warm." She laughed.  "And a bit dizzy."

"Ugh...same." Shinji agreed.  "I think we're buzzed."

"How do you know?"

"Well, Misato is always talking about it." Shinji laughed, snorting out 
a little bit of sake as he did. 

That, of course, prompted a hilarious fit of laughing from the redhead.  
"THAT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!"

Shinji wobbled slightly, but laughed himself.  "You think we should 
include this on our report?"

"Why not?" Asuka laughed, laying back for a moment to watch the room 
slowly rotate around her mind.  "I am the Asuka in you mind, Baka!"

"And I am the Baka inside your mind!" Shinji laughed, falling over.  
"Ooh, that was funny!"


Pen-Pen had been watching the exchange for a moment.  "Wuaaagh. *"

< * Translation:  "Ha!  Lightweights..." >


He waddled off to his fridge to get some sleep.  

"Night, Pen-Pen!" Asuka called out after.  "Thanks for the sake!"  
Shinji was caught staring this time.  She frowned.  "What?"

He grinned.  "You look cute when you're drunk."

"Yeah?"  She blinked...then began to blush as the words sloshed through 
her head.  "I bet you talk like that to ALL the Asukas in your mind." 
She giggled.

"Yeah." Shinji nodded, a little more than was necessary, but it was 
still a nod.  "I mean, your eyes look so bright...and your hair looks 
all messy, but it's still nice..."

Asuka fiddled with her hair for a moment.  "Is this better?" she took 
out her sync-headset and tossed it away.  Her long, red hair gently 
fell out and down, across her shoulders.

Shinji began to drool.  Luckily, he caught himself before it was too 
late and she noticed.  "Oh yeah..." he nodded again.  "A...a lot 
better."

Asuka smiled brightly.  "Shinji, you are drunk."

"I am not!" he replied quickly.  "The room still hasn't spun all the 
way around." He laughed, prompting more laughter from Asuka.

"Let's see something." She grinned, then grabbed her headset once more.  
Leaning over the bottle, she reached up to Shinji's head.
 
Shinji found himself unable to turn away from her leaning over.  Her 
shirt was actually fairly loose, and a white, cotton bra had grabbed 
his attention and was refusing to let go. "Uh..." had all the blood in 
his body not been rushing elsewhere, he would have developed a nose-
bleed.  "A-Asuka?"

"Don't worry, Baka-kun." She whispered sweetly.  Her other hand came up 
and they began to fix the red headset into his hair.  "You'll look 
beautiful!" she laughed.

Shinji was too busy trying not to be aroused from both the sight of 
Asuka's skin, and the soft, warm hands on his head.  He really didn't 
notice the bottle had been tipped over until it was already glugging 
it's contents all over the carpet.

Asuka noticed a wet sensation on her knee, however, and gasped when she 
realized what it was.  "OH NO!  THE BOTTLE!" she pushed Shinji away, 
who fell onto his back, useless.  She grabbed the bottle before any 
more sake could pour out.  

Sadly, she held up the bottle and swished it around.  "Oh no!" she 
gasped.  "Shinji...I'm so..."

Asuka blinked as she realized she had pushed him away, and he was still 
lying on the floor, breathing shallowly.  She almost threw the bottle 
away in panic, even after she just saved it.  "Shin-kun!" she rushed 
over on her knees to lean over him.  "Are you alright?"

Shinji shook off the haze in his head, but she still looked to be 
surrounded by a kind of glowing, white light.  His smile said more than 
any words ever could.  "A...are you my angel?" he whispered, looking up 
into her shimmering blue eyes. 

Asuka couldn't find words for a long time.  Shinji gazed up at her with 
such purity and...?  "Baka..." she whispered.  "I'd never try to hurt 
you...not like they do..."

He smiled.  "Not that kind of angel..." his hand came up and gently 
brushed up against her face.

"S...Shinji..." she closed her eyes as his warm hand held her cheek.  
"I'm not your angel..." she sat back down with a sigh.

There was a long, uncomfortable pause.  This moment had to 
end...now...but it wasn't.  Not for a long time.  Shinji sat back up, 
slowly but still without much difficulty.  "Sorry." He smiled.

She looked up at him and saw his smile, instantly producing one on her 
lips as well.  "Baka...now I KNOW you're drunk."

He looked over to the bottle.  "ARGH!  How much is left?" he crawled 
over to it and swished it around.  

"Maybe enough for a quarter glass each." Asuka guessed.

He quickly poured the rest into their glasses.  "Well then, let's have 
a toast." He said with a hiccup.

Asuka nodded.  "YES!  A toast!" she frowned.  "What should we toast 
to?"

"Uh, world peace?" Shinji suggested.

"NO!" Asuka giggled back.  "I'm not wasting my first toast on world 
peace!"

"How noble of you." Shinji smirked.

"Shut up!" she replied with a stern look.  "I want this to be special." 
She took a deep breath and concentrated.  "How 'bout to us." She raised 
her glass.

Shinji blushed slightly.  

She coughed.  "Uh...to us kicking the asses of all those unholy butt-
fucking Angels!" she laughed.

Shinji had never heard her swear quite like that before, and promptly 
laughed until he almost threw up.  She waited with a smile for him to 
calm down.  "Okay.  To us." He raised his glass.  "To us, Unit-01 and 
Unit-02.  And may all them Angels die really quick and easily."

"Yeah!" they clacked glasses and downed their respectful drinks in one 
swoop.  

"Uh... Mazel Tov!" Shinji laughed, standing up.

"What are you doing now, Baka?" Asuka smiled.  "You have to go puke?"

"Hell no!" he nodded.  "I'm going to get something stronger."

Asuka raised an eyebrow as she watched Shinji walk to the kitchen.  
"Wow!  Maybe you're not such a weakling after all." She stood and 
followed him on shaky feet.  "Whoa, that stuff sure hits when you 
stand..."







Fifth Lesson: In wine, there is truth.









"So, what do you do?" Kaoru asked casually, working on his second rye.  

"Top secret." Misato winked.  Her smile was looking very inviting, and 
she knew it.  

She was already almost leaning into him on the bar stools, so Kaoru 
decided that it was a good thing, since she might fall off if she 
wasn't.  Plus, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant feeling.

"Let me guess then." He grinned, closing his eyes.  "You work in an 
underground lab where you and your fellow mad scientists build weapons 
of mass destruction to destroy all your foes!"

Misato blinked, sitting straight up.  

"I was kidding." He laughed.  

A large sweat drop appeared on her slightly dishevelled hair, and she 
laughed too.  "You had me for a second there." She smiled.  "I thought 
for a moment I'd have to kill you."

"Aww, but where would the fun in that be?" he offered. 

"Am I to assume you are offering something that is more fun?" Misato 
asked casually.  "After all, killing you might be kinda fun." She 
flashed her teeth at him.

Kaoru grinned, then sighed.  "Well, all I can really do right now is 
offer a drinking partner.  How does that sound?"

"Good start." Misato raised her glass, and they clanged their drinks 
together.  After a sip, though, her smile had returned to super-kawaii.  
"But, in this day in age, you have to keep up with a lady's demands, 
you know."

The light from the bar flickered off his glasses as he blinked.  
"Uh..."

She put down her glass and raised her hand up to his face, gently 
taking his chin between her finger and thumb.  "You could start by 
kissing me." She whispered, leaning over his body.

Their lips brushed up against one another, prompting a slight gasp from 
Kaoru.  It was nice...very nice...soft...hot...

She leaned back slightly.  "I...I'm sorry." She whispered, still 
smiling.  "I...you remind me of someone.  I don't know...I can't 
explain it."

He shook his head.  "No...it's okay." He smiled back.  "I'd be lying if 
I said I didn't like that..."

"Would you like another?" she asked sweetly.

Any thoughts in his head to the contrary could not make it past the 
alcohol.  "Yes..." he leaned closer.

She held up her hand, gently plucking off the glasses from his nose.  
"There..." she smiled, then met him half-way in another kiss, this one 
a little deeper.  

Halfway through the kiss, though, Misato looked into his eyes.

Something within her sparked.

It was not the spark she was expecting.

The spark was the LAST thing she had been expecting.

Suddenly, she backed away.  Kaoru saw her eyes.  "Oh...I...I'm 
sorry..." he whispered.

She nodded slowly.  "No...it's my fault..." she shook her head quickly.  
"I think you remind me too much of someone." She swivelled her seat 
around to face the front.  "Sorry..."

He shook his head.  "No...it's really okay." He smiled, taking her 
hand.  To her surprise, he planted a soft kiss on the back of it.  "It 
was a pleasure to meet you, Misato." He took his glasses and put them 
back on.  

"You're leaving?" she asked...still disappointed, even though the kiss 
did end on an awkward note.  

"I have some work to do tomorrow." He nodded.  "Have to tutor a few of 
my students." He bowed slightly.  "Perhaps I'll see you around?"

She smiled warmly and nodded.  "I hope so."

He reached into his pocket and left some money for the bar tender.  
"For her bill too." He smiled.

Misato shook her head and smiled.  "Who says Chivalry is dead." She 
leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  "Thank you."

"Who knows.  Maybe I can teach a Chivalry Class." He winked, then 
turned.  "Good night, Misato."

"Good night." She sighed, watching him leave.

As soon as he was gone, she gasped.  "What am I DOING?!!" a whimper.  
"He was...so..." she sighed happily.  "Nice..."

The bartender noticed her distress and poured her a double.  

"Ugh..." she sighed, downing it.  "I must be as big an idiot as Asuka 
to pass up a guy like that..."








"Did you just say 'fucking'?" Asuka laughed.

"I did NOT just say 'fucking'!" Shinji replied in a wobbly voice that 
sounded like it was trying to be serious, but it failed. 

Asuka grinned and put her head on his shoulder.  "Shinji, you're fun."

"Thanks." He smiled, ignoring the tickling her hair was doing against 
his neck.  "I've never been called 'fun' before." He sighed, leaning 
his head on top of Asuka's head.  

"Have you ever been called cute before?" Asuka asked quietly.

"No." Shinji frowned.  "That too."

"Well, I think you're cute." Asuka said.

"Thank you." Shinji smiled.  "You're very cute."

She blushed, but took the challenge.  "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well then, you're very VERY cute!" she giggled, unintentionally 
nuzzling against his neck.  

Shinji thought for a moment, trying to top that.  "Oh...oh YEAH?"

"Yeah!" Asuka laughed.

"Well, I think Kaji is an idiot." He stated proudly. "Because you are 
the most beautiful woman in Tokyo 3."

She sighed.  "No I'm not."

Shinji would have stood up and laughed, but all he could manage was a 
laugh.  "Impossible!"

Asuka leaned away from him and frowned, finally able to hold her head 
still.  "You're just trying to be nice." She sighed.  "You are a sweet 
baka, but you are still a baka."

"No I am not.  Kaji is the baka!" Shinji defended.

Suddenly, Asuka sat up, grabbed the collar of his shirt and looked 
right into his eyes.  Tears were forming in hers.  "No."

He swallowed hard.  "Asuka...?"

"YOU are my Baka." She said softly.  A tear finally did escape the 
corner of her eye, and she sniffed.  "Not Kaji.  YOU are..." she smiled 
slightly, letting his collar go.  "My Baka Shinji."  She forgot all 
about her hands still pressing up against his chest, though.

Shinji's mind was whirling around itself as he began to breathe a 
little deeper.  "Oh...okay..."

She gently wiped away her tears.  "This is the second time I've cried 
today..." she said sadly.  "All because of that playboy Kaji." She 
lowered her head slightly.  

"At least...you are my Baka...even Wondergirl can't take that away from 
me." 

She said those words almost too softly for him to hear.  What was left 
unsaid was 'at least I hope not.'

Shinji was at a lost for words.  His whisper was almost below her level 
of hearing.  "A...Asuka..."

She felt his heart beating, and for a moment, forgot who she was.  
"Oh..." she blinked, looking into his dark blue eyes.  "Uh...do...you 
want me to move?" she asked.

"Only..." he took a deep breath.  "Only if you want to..."

She nodded...and didn't move for several heartbeats.  More than a 
several, actually.  "Feel up to another drink?" Asuka whispered.









Probably the only Child that wasn't thirsty for one thing or the other 
that night was Rei Ayanami.  It wasn't because of her surroundings.  In 
fact, Shinji had once told her how the taste of LCL made him need to 
drink something like water right afterwards to get rid of the smell.  

Rei was used to it, though.  She didn't mind it.

Not even the calming eyes of Commander Ikari as he watched Rei's body 
float in the LCL.  Her limbs and hair were floating slightly, feeling 
less of the gravity than they were used to.  

He stood like that, watching her.  Not in a lecherous way as one may 
think a man would watch a perfectly beautiful young woman.  Rather 
almost protectively.  

If one didn't know better, they looked to almost be having a staring 
contest.  Neither had lost yet.  Only the hum of the Dummy Plug system 
around them gave any indication that time was indeed moving.

Suddenly, almost to Gendo's surprise, Rei blinked. 

"Commander." she whispered.

Rei rarely spoke during these times, and Gendo felt himself frown.  
"What is it, Rei?"

"How much longer will I be required to stay here?" she asked softly.  
Her voice distorted slightly by the liquid around her.

"Until the project is finished, Rei." Gendo stated.  Something wasn't 
right.  She should have known this.

"Understood." Rei whispered.  "But how much longer tonight?"

"Tonight?" Gendo found himself asking.

"I would like to sleep soon." Rei whispered.

The echo of her words rebounded off the wall for some time.  Perplexed, 
Gendo was neither mad, nor worried.  "Why do you ask, Rei-chan?"

She paused for a long time.  THAT made him worry.  

"I have plans tomorrow."

"Plans?" Gendo returned almost immediately.

"I will require sleep to prepare." she stated simply.  

Gendo sighed.  "Rei, whatever plans you have are nothing of..."

"They are school related." Rei explained, hopefully.  "Is it not your 
wish I participate in school?"

Gendo really had no reply for that.  He really didn't care either way.  
But having her in school usually satisfied her occasional urge to live 
a life outside of NERV with the others.  

"It is Saturday, tomorrow." Gendo stated.

Rei nodded.  Her eyes never blinked.  "Homework is to be done away from 
school, hai?"

"Hai." Gendo blinked.

"Then I must leave soon.  I have homework tomorrow." Rei said.  Her 
voice was unwavering and her eyes deadly bright.  

A long minute of silence between them now.  Only the hum.

Finally, Gendo nodded, and his gloved thumb hit a remote control in his 
pocket.  "Then we will finish for today, Rei." he said with a small 
sigh.

Rei nodded, neither smiling or frowning at his unenthusiastic response.  
"Hai." she whispered as the LCL began to drain in the tube.  

"You will bring me your report card this semester." Gendo said.  He had 
never really cared before, but a tingle at the back of his brain said 
he should start...

just in case.

Rei simply nodded.  "Hai."










Somehow during the night, Shinji and Asuka had managed to wobble their 
way outside onto the balcony to enjoy the night air.  
Remembering...somehow...that this was all part of the homework 
assignment, they had passed from the 'woozy' stage of being drunk to 
'philosophical.'  

"I think I know what everyone was talking about." She said, resting her 
head on the cool metal railing for support.  

"What's that?" Shinji asked, looking out at the stars.

"Right now, my head is buzzing." She laughed.  "But I know it's not 
sound...but at the same time, it is."

Shinji giggled.  

"Shinji?" she said suddenly.

"Mmm?"

"What do you think of the Asuka in your mind?"

He blinked, looking over to her.  She was looking back at him with a 
soft, caring expression on her face that he had only seen once or twice 
before.  Each time he did, he wasn't sure if he should run, or go with 
it.

"I think she's too drunk right now." He smiled.  "Or she wouldn't be 
asking me that." He swallowed hard.  "Or looking at me like that."

Stunned, Asuka looked away, back over the balcony.   Shinji tried to 
act casual, but was just as nervous.  Finally, though, she turned back 
and smiled.  "Now I know why Misato gets drunk all the time."

"Oh?"

"So she can say what's on her mind." Asuka hiccupped.  "Like I'm about 
to do right now." 

Yep.  This was one of those times Shinji should have ran.  He looked to 
the door quickly.  It was just far enough away that he wasn't sure if 
he could make it in time.  "Uh...you don't have to if you don't want 
to..."

"I want to kiss you, Shinji." 

Shinji literally fell down.  His arm gave way on the balcony, and he 
fell back against the hard wooden deck with a loud THUMP!  Pain didn't 
even register on his backside, though.  His heart was beating too fast 
for him to notice.  "A...Asuka-chan?"

Her eyes were wide from watching him fall, but their corners began to 
curl as she smiled again.  "Don't you want to kiss me?"

"Yes..." he whispered before he could change his mind.  How could he 
not say yes?  He had been thinking about it all night.  In one way, 
shape or form, his thoughts had been focusing on how very inviting her 
lips were.  "Very much..."

She blinked.  Perhaps, not quite expecting him to say yes.  However, 
she was already edging towards him.  Finally, she knelt down just in 
front of his feet, and began to crawl over to him, oblivious to the 
view she was offering Shinji what was behind her shirt.  "Really?" she 
asked, crawling over his body.

He nodded, then let out a gasp as she sat down on his waist.  Asuka had 
still been wearing her skirt from school, and he could feel her bare 
legs pressed up against his sides.  She was smiling at him, looking 
right into his eyes as she lowered herself down.  "Asuka?" he gasped.  
"A...are you sure you want to...?"

Asuka brushed her long hair out of the way and nodded.  "Hai..." she 
whispered against his lips.

There was a new sensation as Shinji felt her kiss him.  A soft, pebbly 
warm texture at his lips.  Before he could question it, her tongue 
gently slid across his.  As it retreated, his tongue followed, offering 
the same.  Shinji tried to ignore how badly he was shivering, and 
kissed back with all his conviction, knowing that this might be his 
only chance.  

Asuka accepted all of it, however, and did the same.  Her eyes lidded 
heavily as she gently suckled on his mouth.  It wasn't long until she 
pressed her full weight against him, no longer shy to accept his body 
warmth.  A small moan escaped her lips as she felt his hands come up 
around her.  "Shin-kun..." she whispered.

He had to swallow the taste of her mouth in order to regain speaking 
abilities.  "H...Hai?"  

She was looking into his eyes now.  They were heavy with desire.  If he 
hadn't been drinking, he probably would have been able to get drunk 
just on the way she was gazing at him.  

"Why didn't you kiss like that before?" there was a smile teasing her 
lips.

"No air." He replied, swallowing hard.  

With a content sigh, she gently lowered her head onto his chest, 
listening to his heart beating.  "Thank you, sweet baka."

"For what?" Shinji asked, but didn't get a reply.

His arms were still around her, protecting her.  She felt safe.  Like 
nothing could hurt her ever again.  So long as it was just her and 
Shinji.  Asuka couldn't help but think what this night meant to her.  
Or to him.  It was scary, but she didn't worry about the changes now.  
There would be time for that later.  For now, she was just content to 
listen to him breathe.

Shinji was in heaven.  Asuka cuddled up on top of him, in a position 
that was actually comfortable for once.  His mind was whirling, but all 
that didn't matter.  Not tonight anyway.  He realized, sadly, that in 
the morning, there would be repercussions.  However, he tried to enjoy 
it as it lasted. 

"I am the baka Shinji in your mind." He whispered, looking up and out 
at the stars.

"And I am the baka Asuka in your mind..." she whispered back, very 
sleepily.  

Minutes passed of blessed silence.  Something that, admittedly, was 
very rare between the two.  Then, there was an unpleasant sensation 
filling her head as Shinji moved and picked her up, and she grumbled in 
protest.  "Mmm, don't wanna move...baka..."

He really didn't want the night to end, but the repercussions would be 
bad enough without Misato finding them snuggling on the balcony with 
booze on their breath.  "Misato will be back soon." He whispered, then 
grunted as he struggled to pick her up and keep steady.  

It was quite a feat.  While Asuka wasn't any heavier than he was, she 
was also a bit taller than Shinji, and was very lazy at the moment.  
Her arms wrapped around his neck for support as he carried her into the 
apartment.  "Mmmph." She mumbled against his cheek, giving him a small 
kiss as they walked.  "You want to get drunk again on my birthday?" she 
whispered into his ear.

"Okay." He replied, making his way down the hall, ignoring the damp 
area on the carpet where the sake was already drying up.  So long as 
Misato didn't decide to walk on it before morning, she probably 
wouldn't notice.  

Asuka smiled and nuzzled her face against his shoulder.  "Hentai...are 
you going to make out with me?"

Shinji almost dropped her in surprise.  "W...uh...no!"

"Oh." She pouted.  "Okay."

He finally stumbled over to her bedroom and deftly opened the door with 
his hand reaching under Asuka's skirt, prompting a giggle as she felt 
his cheeks blush.  "Sorry..."

"It's okay..."

For once, her room was fairly clean, and he managed to lower her onto 
her bed without tripping over anything in the dark.  As he tried to 
pull away, though, her arms didn't want to move, and he fell onto her, 
not expecting the resistance.  "Wah!" he gasped.

Asuka opened her eyes and looked down.  He was looking up at her from 
her chest, right in between her breasts, who were right against his 
hands.  Both of them blushed furiously.  Asuka could feel something 
warm inside of her stir in her stomach.  It was not the alcohol.  
"Sh..." she whispered...not even able to finish his name.  

Though surprised, Shinji didn't mistake the tone of voice.  Or how her 
stomach tensed up under him.  Or how he could feel her pulse quicken 
once more.  Or how uncomfortable his pants seemed.  "Asuka..."

He was expecting a slap.  Hell, he was almost hoping for it.  It never 
came, though.  They just looked at each other.  For a very...very long 
time.  Neither was sure what to do.  "I'd..." he finally slid off her, 
kneeling down besides her bed.  "I better go..."

Asuka nodded slowly, but there was clearly regret in her eyes.  
"Okay..."

Shinji stood quickly, but regretted it immediately as his pants bound 
up against his front.  "EEGH!"

A gentle laugh came from Asuka as she realized what the problem was.  
"Baka..."

He looked very embarrassed.  "M...ah..." he looked down.  
"It...expanded..."

"Goodnight, Baka Shinji." She whispered as he pulled the covers on top 
of her.  "Thank you..."

"Goodnight, Asuka-chan." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

She smiled and watched him go, gently shutting the door behind himself.  
Any further thoughts, though, were cut off as she drifted off to sleep 
moments later.  








Sixth Lesson:  Dinner Plans.








7:00 P.M.

One of Rei's guilty little pleasures was being EXACTLY on time.  

Strange to think of that as something fun to do, but she loved to see 
people's reactions when their doorbell rang at EXACTLY when it should 
have.  

"BING BONG!"

Miyazaki Kaoru cringed at the loud sound, still nursing the remnants of 
his hangover from last night.  "Coooommmingg!" he called out, rushing 
to the door. 

Standing out there, still in her school uniform, was Ayanami Rei.  A 
small smile was on her face.  "I am here for the homework assignment." 
She said.  "May I be admitted into your home?"

He laughed warmly and nodded.  "Of course.  Come on in.  Dinner's 
almost ready."

"I..." she paused.  "I do not like meat."

Kaoru nodded.  "Don't worry, it's just soup and some home-made bread.  
Also, if you don't mind my salad, there's plenty to go around." He 
smiled at her obviously pleased reaction.  "Everyone eats non-meat, so 
I try to keep that in mind if I'm not sure about my guests."

Rei took off her shoes and followed the sensei into the dining area.  
It was small, being a bachelor's apartment, however, it was more than 
adequate.  Dinner was already almost set up, so Rei decided to look 
around.  

"It will just be a second!" he called out from the kitchen.

"Hai." She replied, surveying the area.  A few boxes were still in the 
corner, indicating that he had just moved in.  However, considering it 
couldn't have been more than a few days, and considering his teaching 
schedule, it was amazingly clean and presentable.  Not many single men 
would have been able to copy the task.  

Kaoru walked out of the kitchen with a steaming pot of soup in his 
hands, wrapped around the handles with dish cloth.  He noticed Rei 
looking at a painting on the wall.  

It was an amazing view, looking up at EVA-01 as it charged towards the 
Third Angel.  In the foreground was the stone bust of Saint Michael, 
cracked from the resulting tremors of battle.  "Do you like it?" he 
asked.

She nodded.  "Hai.  It looks very realistic.  The colours are very 
nice." Her eyes came down and found a signature.  Most of it was 
smudged, though...but something about it looked familiar.  

"I painted it." Kaoru said as he set the table.  "I've been studying 
the Evangelions for a long time now.  Ever since I saw EVA-01 in 
action."

"Is that why you teach here?" Rei asked, walking over to the table.

"Hai." He nodded.  "Mostly."

"What is the other reason?" Rei pressed, kneeling down on her side of 
the table.

He blinked, then smiled.  "I have some old friends living here.  I 
wanted to say hello."

"That is not a reason to move into a dangerous city." Rei decided as he 
sat down, passing her a piece of bread.  

"It depends on the friends." He countered.  "What about you, Rei?  Do 
you have any friends like that?"

She blinked, not getting the question.

"Would you put yourself in harm's way for anyone?" he re-stated.  "Even 
if nobody ordered it?"

Rei considered this for a moment and then nodded.  "For Pilot Ikari and 
Pilot Sohryu I would."

Kaoru raised an eyebrow.  "What about someone else?  Do you have any 
other friends?"

"No."

He nodded at her quick answer, knowing it wasn't going to get any 
better.  "Well, let's eat, shall we?" he smiled.  

Rei nodded and broke her chopsticks apart so she could dunk a piece of 
bread into the soup.  "Why do you teach?" she asked.

A long pause.

"To help the future be better than the past."

Rei frowned.  "Then why do you ask philosophy questions and never talk 
about the past?"

He thought about this for a moment.  "Rei?  Can I ask you something?"

She nodded.

"How often would you speak in class...say...two months ago?"

"I would not speak in class." She shrugged slightly, taking in a 
mouthful of soup.

"And how often do you speak now?" Kaoru continued. 

"Every day." Rei replied.

"And is that better?" he asked.

"It is not important." Rei said.  "Me talking or not talking has no 
consequence on the future."

"So then you do not believe in Sound." He smiled.  "Even though there 
are people to hear you, you believe that your voice means nothing to 
their minds."

Rei's eyes were locked on her sensei.  

"What people think of you is not important." He continued, taking a 
bite of his bread.  "However, it is sometimes beneficial to have people 
interact with you.  The people in your mind will influence the way you 
think, and the way you look at the world."  

She swallowed another helping of soup before talking again.  "But this 
is not always better."

"True." Kaoru nodded sadly.  "Some people that connect to you will hurt 
you.  Some will try to control you and influence you in bad ways.  
However, if you can try to avoid those people, most of those 
interactions will not happen, and the overall effect on your mind will 
be beneficial."

"How does one..." she blinked, then looked down at her food.  "Protect 
against those bad things?"

"Practice." Kaoru nodded.  "Lots and lots of practice." He smiled.  
"Or, hopefully, a good teacher."

She looked up and regarded him with a tiny...tiny...smile.  "That is 
why you teach?"

He nodded.  "Your young minds...especially you pilots...are horribly 
unmatched for the world around you.  It takes most of your schooling 
years just to catch up with the whole world." He motioned over to the 
painting.  "Because of the Angels, you are forced to do so at an even 
greater pace.  That is why I am teaching now, and not when you are in 
college." He paused.  "I hope it helps all of you gain that little 
extra you need."

Rei nodded, understanding.  "Hai."

"You may know how to pilot.  You know how to survive and how to kill.  
You know how to talk, read and write." Kaoru sighed.  "But there are 
things much deeper than that.  Things that most of us adults are still 
getting the hang of." He tipped the rest of his soup into his mouth, 
then let out a long sigh.  "Even I do not have all the answers.  Nobody 
does." He smiled.  "And that is why I'm forced to teach you with 
riddles and questions, so you can find the answers for yourselves."

Rei tilted back her bowl of soup and hiccupped, blushing slightly, but 
smiling.  "Hai."

"How is the soup?"

"Very good." She nodded.  "May I have some more?"

He smiled.  "Of course."








Shinji...somehow...managed to get out of bed that afternoon.  His eyes 
refused to open for a good half-an-hour, though, and he spent the time 
sitting on the edge of his bed, hoping he knew which way was up.  

Forgetting to change his clothes, he stumbled out into the hall, 
finding the bathroom by feeling his way on the walls.  Thankfully, 
Misato kept a bulk supply of pain-relievers in the medicine cabinet, 
and he was able to keep them down long enough to remember his head was 
not in twenty thousand pieces like it felt.  

He shuddered, wondering what would have happened if an Angel attacked 
that morning.

The shower had already been used, so at least someone else was up.  He 
took a quick shower, letting the razor-sharp water droplets wake him up 
and restore some humanity to his alien-like appearance.  

By the time 7 rolled around, he was revived, in the kitchen and working 
on supper.  Misato suddenly came through the front door, looking very 
tired.  "Hey, Shinji."

He smiled weakly and noticed she too looked a little hung over.  "How 
did your date with Kaji go last night?" he asked.

"Bad." She sighed.  "He didn't show up." She shrugged, moving past him 
to the fridge.  "Met another guy, though.  Really cute.  Smart.  Very 
hot kisser." She grinned to herself, then frowned. 

"So?  What happened?" Shinji pressed, sensing there was something else.

"I flipped out." She grumbled, opening a can of beer.  "I don't know.  
Must be all the stress lately.  I almost wish an Angel would attack.  
This waiting game is horrible."

"Oh." Shinji nodded.  "So where were you just now?"

She raised a little bag from the grocery store downstairs.  "Carpet 
cleaner." She blushed.  "I think I spilled something by the couch last 
night.  I came home pretty loaded."

"I'll take care of it." Shinji smiled to himself.  "Don't worry."

"You're a sweetie." Misato smiled back.  "Oh, and I also got some 
medicine for Asuka.  I think she might have a cold."

Shinji blinked.

"She's been in her bed all day, groaning.  Must be a sinus flu." She 
giggled.  "If I didn't know better, I'd say she was suffering a grade-B 
Misato Hangover."

Shinji jumped, but shook it off before she could notice.  "I'll make 
sure she gets it with her dinner." He nodded.  "I'm making some 
chicken-ramen."

Misato sat down at the table and leaned back.  "You're really nice to 
her, you know?"

"Nani?" 

The raven-haired woman looked up at him and nodded.  "Most men would 
have tried to strangle her by now.  I'm impressed, Shinji.  You really 
care for her, don't you?"  She wasn't even using her teasing tone of 
voice.  

"I guess so." He shrugged, blushing quite noticeably.

"Either that, or you're waiting till she's asleep to strangle her." 
Misato joked.

He laughed.  "Maybe I am."

She blinked, not quite expecting that, but laughed as well.  Suddenly, 
she looked concerned.  "You look a little rough too, Shin-kun.  Are you 
feeling okay?"

He nodded.  

"Okay, I don't want you getting Asuka's cold.  Maybe take some of that 
medicine too."

"Hai." He nodded.  "I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning."













Shinji knocked on Asuka's door.  From inside, he heard a muffled moan  
"It's me." He announced.  "I have food."

Another moan.  "It's open..."

He nudged open the door and found Asuka on the bed, almost exactly 
where she had been last night.  Their eyes caught in the soft light of 
the sunset outside, and a blush followed.  Even though she looked pale, 
and lost the fuzzy perfection caused by alcohol, she still caught 
Shinji's eye for a little longer than most would.  

"You okay?" he whispered, resting the tray of soup on her nightstand.  

She nodded, but looked away, still red in the face.  "Thanks."

He nodded, hesitating for a second.  

"I'm sorry." She said suddenly.

"For what?"  He cringed, waiting for her to say 'for that horrible 
kiss' or something like that.  'For making you think I liked you' was 
also on his nightmare-list.

"For spilling your present." She said quietly.  A blush was still 
evident on her face.  "I'll make it up to you."

He smiled.  "Don't worry about it." 

A pause.

"I left you some pills for the headache." He said.  "The soup should 
help too.  Misato thinks we caught a bit of the flu so everything's 
okay."

Asuka sighed in relief.

"I'll let you get some rest." He whispered, turning to leave.  "Have a 
good night, Asuka."

She turned, just before he left.  "Shin-kun?"

He stopped, looking back.  "Hai?"

A small smile was on her face.  "Be patient with me?"

He blinked.  A confused look on his face.

"I...I'm still learning." She whispered.  "Just be patient."

Shinji Ikari wouldn't have looked happier if he tried.  He nodded one 
last time, then softly closed the door behind himself.

Asuka took a deep, shuddering breath, then looked over to her meal with 
a smile.  "Thank you, Baka."








Seventh Lesson: Classroom Behaviour







Everyone was still lock-jawed from the last presentation.  Kensuke and 
Toji and their amazing weekend.  Kensuke had gotten it all on film.  
All of it.  Three days of their own 'special' brand of humour condensed 
into half an hour of tape.  The presentation had ended with a rather 
interesting scene of the two of them in the boy's washroom, using the 
urinals and talking about trees falling in the woods.

Of course, the camera was behind them and didn't show anything too bad, 
but Toji did accidentally let his butt-crack show for a few frames, 
causing the entire class' jaws to drop.  Hikari was blushing furiously, 
and couldn't bring herself to look at either of them.  

Sensei Kaoru just sat at his desk with a similar expression on his 
face.  "Uh...thank you for that insightful look into your weekend, 
boys."

Kensuke and Toji...who had done a lot worse in public anyway...were 
both smiling proudly.  

"See?  The camera never lies!" Kensuke announced.  "I control reality 
in my hands!" he began to cackle.  

"Among other things." Keiko commented, prompting a giggling fit from 
most of the girls. 

"Mm, they're just jealous of our fantastic, multi-media presentation!" 
Toji replied with a mighty laugh.

Kaoru shook his head.  "Uh, if anyone else has any questions?"

Nobody said anything.

"Okay, lets move on." He continued.  "Quickly.  I'll give you both a B 
for effort.  The voice-over and soundtrack was well done, but I really 
did want an oral report since we're trying to see how different both of 
your views on the events were."

"I'll tell you right now, I had a different view than his in the last 
scene!" Toji laughed.

"ANYWAY..." Kaoru laughed, then turned to his list of names.  "Mmm, 
let's see.  Shinji.  Why don't you come up with your weekend's partners 
and tell us about it?"

Not surprisingly, Asuka stood with him and they walked nervously to the 
front.  

"The married couple will now tell about their fantastic arguments over 
the last three days." Toji narrated into the mic of Kensuke's camera.

Everyone laughed, turning to the front.  He was right.  They would 
never agree on events, and would probably start fighting.  It would be 
a lot of fun to watch.  

Kaoru edged his glasses up on his nose and nodded.  "You may proceed, 
Mister Ikari."  The class hushed to listen and watch Asuka's reactions. 

Shinji looked over to Asuka, who looked back at him nervously.  He 
turned to the class.  "Uh, well, Asuka caught a sinus cold."

Asuka's eyes widened and she nodded quickly.  "Yes.  It was bad too."

The class was so quiet, they could almost count the number of cicadas 
outside.  

"Uh...so I cooked some soup, and she felt better." Shinji said.

"It was good soup." She agreed.  "Chicken ramen."

The Sensei looked at them with a raised eyebrow.  "That's what you did 
all weekend?  For three days?"

Asuka and Shinji both looked at each other at the same time.  It was 
eerie.  A sync-training flashback.  Then, they both turned to Kaoru and 
nodded.  "Hai." They said in unison. 

Rei raised her hand.  Everyone turned to her.  "We also had a Sync-
Test." she informed the class.

Asuka and Shinji both nodded quickly, cursing themselves for forgetting 
it.  "Uh yeah!"  Shinji beamed.

"And Baka here got a higher score because I had the flu." Asuka 
smirked.  Shinji turned and glared at her.  It wasn't cause she had the 
flu...It was probably because of her hang-over.  He said nothing, 
though.  "He looked so proud he beat me by a point!"

Kaoru blinked and shrugged, turning to the class.  "Does anyone have 
any questions for them?"

Kensuke nodded.  "You mean, you guys didn't fight?"

They both nodded, blushing slightly.

"Not even ONCE?" Toji gasped. 

Hikari even joined in.  "You both got along for THREE days?"

"Hey!  It was only two and a half!" Asuka defended.  Shinji nodded.  

Another long pause.  Shinji began to fidget, letting his hand clench 
and straighten out a few times.  

"Very well." Kaoru shrugged.  "You both can sit down now."

They did so without even exchanging words.

"I'll give you both an A for actually getting along for such an 
impressive period of time." He laughed.  The class all nodded; nobody 
disputed the high mark.  "Uh, let's see.  Who's next?"







Shinji relaxed back in his seat, not daring to look at Asuka.  
Honestly, he had been terrified that she'd start telling the class 
about the whole thing;  making sure to leave out the parts embarrassing 
to her while knowing he'd be too embarrassed to try to correct her.

Sure...she had lied a bit about the sync-test, but that was okay.  
After all, she felt bad enough knowing he had beaten her anyway.    

A small 'mail' icon flashed on his computer screen.  A moment later, it 
opened.

[Thanks, Shinji.  I owe you one.]

He blinked, and glanced over to Asuka out of the corner of his eye.  
She was smiling...just enough to let him see.  Suddenly, though, she 
frowned and began typing quickly.

[Don't think that means you can sleep with me, Hentai.]

Shinji frowned and began typing back.  

[Why would I want to even if I could?]

There was an audible gasp from Asuka.  Everyone in the class turned to 
her in surprise.  

Kaoru peered over his glasses.  "Are you okay, Miss Sohryu?"

She nodded quickly, trying not to glare at Shinji, who had a peaceful, 
innocent grin on his face.  "I...I'm fine.  Can I get a drink of 
water?"

Everyone was giggling as she ran out of the classroom with a barely 
audible 'baka!'.  

Actually, she said it quite loudly...it was just interrupted by a loud, 
long wailing siren.  

Kaoru sighed and closed his books as the students all packed up 
quickly.  "Okay ladies and gentlemen.  We all know the drill.  Let's 
go."  He smiled and nodded to Rei and Shinji, wishing them luck.

They ran off, catching up to Asuka, who was already out the front door.







Evacuations had been going well.  They were only five minutes away from 
being ready to go into full battle mode.  Ritsuko watched the readouts 
on the main monitor as each shelter reported the number of people 
secure.  Hands in her pocket, she smiled to herself, feeling the air 
outside of the command room door shift slightly.  "You're late." She 
said.

Misato rushed in.  "I'm sorry..." she turned to the main screen, sizing 
up the situation with a practiced air.  "Did the Fuji Observation 
Centre...?"

"Didn't detect it!" Shigeru reported.  "It just suddenly appeared 
directly over us!"

Makoto hadn't even turned around from his computer as he tried to make 
heads or tales of the information coming into it.  "Pattern Orange 
detected!  No AT Field, though...?"

"What is this?" Misato blinked.  Orange?  They had never had an 
attacker with that kind of wave-pattern...

"A new kind of Angel?" Ritsuko offered, getting worried.

Maya turned around in her chair.  "The MAGI are withholding a final 
judgment."

Taking her first good look at the visual outside, Misato sighed to 
herself.  The 'Angel' looked to be a large, black-and-white striped 
sphere.  Moving at only a walking pace, it was almost peaceful.  
"Damn." She whispered.  "A situation like this and Commander Ikari's 
not here..."






The glowing white eyes of EVA-01 watched from between two buildings as 
the Angel crept across the sky, moving ever-closer to the top of the 
Geofront where it would probably start it's attack.  Shinji smiled to 
himself.  "I really got her with that one." 

"Can all of you hear me?" Misato's voice interrupted his thoughts of 
Asuka.  "I've sent you all the target's data." She continued, forcing 
him to focus. 

"This is all we know right now." She said.  "Approach it carefully and 
observe it's reactions.  If possible, lure it outside of the city 
limits." She paused.  "Two of you will back up the other.  Got that?"

It was a standard 'I have no idea what to do, so give it your best 
shot' plan.  Every other Angel they had faced up until now had at least 
tried to attack right away.  This one was behaving strangely.

Asuka smiled from the plug of her EVA-02.  "All right, ma'am!" she 
replied happily.  "But I think Shinji should be the point-man on this 
one."

Shinji blinked.  "Uh?"  Normally, Asuka was clamouring for a chance to 
whip some ass in combat.  

Asuka's face appeared on a com-link besides him.  She was grinning 
fiercely.  "Well, this is a job for the highest rated, bravest, number-
one sync rate pilot, right?"

He smiled back at her mocking face.  

"Or don't you feel UP to it, Shinji?" she edged.

Challenge accepted!  "No, I can do it." He grinned right back.  "I'll 
show you how it ought to be done!"

Asuka cocked her head slightly.  "What was that??" 

Misato had enough of the playful teasing. "Okay you two.  Knock it 
off."

Asuka smiled smugly at him in the 'she's on MY side' look.  

He turned to the monitor.  "Isn't that what you said, Misato?  'You're 
number ONE!'" 

"Well...uh...that was..." 

Shinji looked into Asuka's eyes and grinned evilly.  "And combat is a 
MAN's job after all!"

Asuka gasped, not believing he was going so far to goat her.  "Talk 
about a social dinosaur!" she stuck out her tongue at him.  "Unit-02 
will back you up." She grinned.  "And save your ass when you fall on 
it..."

Rei's com sputtered to life.  "Unit-00 will back him up as well."

Misato sighed.  "I can't believe those kids.  I haven't even ordered 
anything yet."

"Mmm...Shinji's getting more manly, isn't he?" Ritsuko teased.

"No." Misato snapped back, trying to remain serious.  "I'm going to 
have to have a talk with him when he gets back."







Eighth Lesson: Separation Anxiety








"You two in position?" Shinji whispered, looking past the corner of the 
nearest building to see the edge of the giant, ball-shaped Angel.  For 
the first time, he could feel his heart pumping in excitement instead 
of terror.  While his mind was usually wracked with self-doubt and 
questioning, he knew that he had the highest sync-ratio, that Tokyo 3 
was at full operational capacity to back him up, and he had the chance 
to prove his courage to Asuka.    

Asuka, however, was having a problem with her power-cord pulling on her 
back.  "No!  An EVA can't move that fast, you know." She mumbled, 
ejecting her current umbilical cord to replace it with a new one 
stationed on a closer power-building.  "Ahh...that's better." She 
sighed, feeling the movement return in her feet.  

With daydreams of a victory kiss in his mind, Shinji decided to get 
this over with.  "Not there yet?" he whispered.

"Not yet." Rei replied, sneaking around a building, trying to stay out 
of the Angel's line of sight.  

Shinji began to fidget.  His hand balled up and released a couple of 
times, testing the plastic and rubber of his plug suit's glove.  He 
liked how it felt like his fist was flexing.  It felt even better with 
his mind synced up so his fist was a few hundred pounds of Angel-
Crushing, armoured Evangelion fist.  

"I'll just have to stop it myself." He gritted his teeth, unable to 
hold back any more.  

Everyone watched in surprise as EVA-01 jutted it's arm around the 
corner of the building and shot three lightning fast rounds of weapon 
fire at the giant zebra-colour sphere above their heads.

Of course...that was when it disappeared.







Ritsuko gasped.  "It..."

The entire room lit up in red as a giant warning sign flashed over the 
walls.  <PATTERN BLUE DETECTED!>  Misato looked around, not believing 
the sudden change.  "WHAT?!"

"Pattern Blue!  Angel CONFIRMED!  Directly beneath Unit-01!!"






Shinji looked down in horror as he felt himself sinking.  "A...a 
shadow!?"  Training took over and his aim dropped, emptying round after 
round into the black goo that seemed to be sucking his body into 
itself.  "What is this stuff!  This can't be happening!"

Misato watched hopelessly from the command room.  "Shin-kun!  GET OUT 
OF THERE!  SHINJI!" she yelled at the screen to no avail.

A gasping Ayanami could be heard on the com.  "Ikari-kun!"





Asuka watched in horror as Shinji was sinking already past his waist.  
"Baka!  What are you doing!??!" she yelled.

Shinji's screams could be heard on the com, filling her heart with ice-
cold horror.  "AAAAAAARGH!  Misato!  What's going on!?  MISATO!?!" his 
voice became more desperate as only the upper portions of EVA-01's 
chest were visible now.  "ASUKA!" he begged.  "Ayanami!  Help me!"

Both EVA-00 and 02 were frozen, unable to move as they listened to 
Shinji cry out.  "Misato!  Can you hear me!!?!  MISATO!?!?"





"Eject the plug!" Misato yelled.  "Send the signal!"

Maya turned around.  Her eyes showed an equal level of horror as 
Shinji's voice.  "No response!  It's not working!"

"MISATO!  MISATO-SAN!!"

She watched as the last tip of purple and green armour disappeared into 
the black muck below.  "SHNIJI!" she forced herself to think.  "Asuka!  
Rei!  Get Unit-01!  HURRY!!!"





Asuka was already running towards the Angel.  Her mind was whirling.  
Anger was taking over...and she welcomed it.  Each bone-jarring step 
her EVA made brought her closer.  "That BAKA!  He gets A's on all his 
tests...but the moment he steps out into the real world..."

Rei was already firing into the Angel...who had reverted back to a 
sphere-shape...with a long-range, massively powerful rifle, but the 
shots were just flickering off it somehow.  They passed right through 
and impacted into Tokyo 3 buildings behind it.  

The moment it did disappear again, Asuka felt her feet grow colder.  
"A...a SHADOW!" she gasped, leaping into the air as Ritsuko said 
something.  No time for orders, just MOVE!

The street below her began to sink into the shadow's umbra.  Luckily, 
she had managed to scramble onto a sky-scraper in time not to share 
Shinji's predicament.

It didn't end that easily, though, as the buildings around her, and 
underneath her began to sink.  "AAAGH!" she gasped, quickly jabbing her 
Progressive Axe into the side of the building, followed by her knife to 
allow climbing holds to get to the top.  "The..." she gasped, watching 
the sight in front of her eyes.  "The city...is sinking!"

Buildings for a block around her began to slowly sink and tilt like 
they were built on quicksand.  Asuka held tight, hoping her perch would 
last at least long enough for Shinji to reach out for help.

But the giant, purple hand never came.  Asuka's scanners and eyes 
waited, but saw nothing but the mockingly simple blackness that was the 
Angel.  

"Units!  Pull out of there!" Misato's order came finally.

"WAIT!" Asuka cried out.  

"Shinji and Unit-01." Rei said suddenly.  "They're still in there."  





Misato was shaking.  "This is an order..." she said with her teeth 
clenched.  "Retreat."

I'm not about to loose all three of you today, she thought to herself.

Asuka watched, helpless, as meter after meter of Shinji's umbilical 
cable slid into the night-black shadow. 




Not far away, just far enough to be safe from the Angel's shadow, 
Sensei Kaoru stood, leaning up against a lamp-post.  He had watched as 
the final feet of cable stopped coming, and broke off somewhere in the 
black abyss.

Shinji would only have about sixteen hours of reserve power left.  

This fact was classified, as were most of the Evangelions statistics.  
However, Kaoru knew those sixteen hours.  He knew that Asuka and Rei 
would be recalled back to NERV, and at the end of those Sixteen Hours, 
the mighty, vengeful wrath of Misato would be unleashed.  Whatever 
resources she could muster would be employed as revenge in knowing that 
Angel had killed Shinji Ikari.

It was quite probable to assume this Angel would destroy the entire 
city.  

Kaoru turned away from the edge of the shadow with his left hand in his 
pocket.  His right lifted up and edged the wire-framed spectacles to a 
more comfortable point on his nose.  His lips hesitated for a long 
moment...

but finally came to rest in an eerie smile.  







NAVADA DESERT:
NERV SECOND BRANCH---






If given his day in court, Dr. Modrou Walken would have had an easy 
defence.  This tall, skinny man was well liked by his co-workers at 
NERV Second Branch, and he was accepted as the resident genius of the 
project.  

Hand picked years ago by Dr. Akagi and Commander Ikari to further their 
interests in the states, Walken had been the key figure in reproducing 
the Evangelion test data in the new location.  Also, he had been in 
charge of handling the S2 Engine project.  

Yes.  If put on trial for his actions, most people would be supportive.  
Mentioning how he was one of the most trustworthy persons they've ever 
known.  How he would always put his duty before personal goals.  

As he gazed over the expanse of coolant, into Unit 04's cage, a small 
twinge of regret flickered through his mind.  After all, there would be 
no trial.  Not if this worked.  There would be no witnesses.  No 
complications, and the world would soon have one less of these accursed 
golems on it's surface.

"How do the connections look?" he asked his support staff.  All of 
which trusted him completely.

Evangelion Unit 04 was currently running on what was called "dry power" 
mode.  The umbilical cable was attached to it's back, keeping it's pre-
borderline systems running as they ran diagnostics.  However, they had 
not yet engaged and powered up any of the nerve connections or organic 
components.  That would require a pilot anyway.  The plan was to have 
everything in top condition for when the S2 organ came online.  Thus, 
making the transfer as smooth as possible and leaving less to chance in 
what was the first run of such a device.    
 
He noted the reports of his staff as they recited numbers and 
statistics from their scans and computer screens.  All the while, his 
eyes were on Unit 04.  The giant, crooked grin that it bore was almost 
comical...but the sheer power underneath it's silver and black bindings 
was nothing to laugh at.  It's core was now, also, not simply a dead, 
black-red orb at the centre of it's power.  Months of computer time and 
'spare parts' from the Angels already destroyed had given this beast 
the ability to power itself.  Even in it's most docile state, it's Core 
now glowed a dull red colour due to the S2 organ now implanted 
inside...visible only by the internal cameras set up to monitor the 
activation.

"Are we holding stable?" Dr. Walken asked, already knowing the answer.

"Affirmative, sir!" replied his second-in-command.  "We have the 
bakelite standing by, personnel are clear, and the cage restraints show 
all green."

Good.  The Magi would relay to Tokyo-3 that the test would be 
successful...right up until the end...

"How is the S2 system looking?" Walken asked.

"Everything's green, sir." came the hopeful reply. 

"Excellent." he smiled.  It was an odd smile.  Almost sad.  He knew he 
was doing this for the good of Humanity.  That it was to accelerate 
SEELE's plans.  

Still, it would mean his death.  The deaths of everyone here.  

Commander Ikari would wake up tomorrow morning in his fool's bed with 
the news that the Second Branch had been wiped off the face of the 
Earth. 

And he would never know it was part of the grand scheme of things.  

"Activate the S2." he said simply.

Wait...

....

Something was wrong.

The blackness stopped all of a sudden, forcing a silence out of the 
screams and yells around him as everyone realized the results of the 
test. 

But Walken saw something he had not been expecting.  

Just before he, his bridge crew, and the entire facility of NERV Second 
Branch was swallowed up by a black pit of reverse-light...

Unit 04's eyes glowed.

It's jaw snapped open.

It bellowed an ungodly roar.

Then, it began to punch through the black.




The last thing he saw were the massive, unrestrained claw-like fingers 
rip through the wall, climbing up to the surface.

SEELE would not be pleased...he mused as reality collapsed around him.  
Then, he died.







Ninth Lesson: Cram School








Asuka listened in horror as Misato and Ritsuko organized the UN troops 
around the Angel, hoping to put some kind of pressure on it to release 
Shinji.  Her only companion was Rei, who watched the whole situation 
with her usual, unnerving cool stare.  

Rei could see right through her.  This was one of the things that she 
had learned from Sensei Kaoru.  In order to protect herself, Asuka 
lashed out in any way she could.  It was that thought, and only that 
thought, that kept Rei from slapping her across the face as she had 
laughed at Shinji's misjudgements in the battle.  After all, she 
mused...even I have my limits.

"What a dummkopf." Asuka laughed nervously.

Rei walked right up to her on the deck of the NERV mobile HQ platform.  
Her eyes narrowed slightly, yet never passing into an angry stare.  

"What?" Asuka demanded.  "Are my comments about Shinji pissing you 
off?"

"Do you pilot Evangelion just for the praise of others?" Rei asked 
softly.

"NO!" she growled.  "I don't need ANYBODY'S approval but my OWN!"

"CUT IT OUT!" Misato demanded.  "BOTH of you!" 

Asuka's eyes flickered, threatening to shed tears.  Had she not been 
under the gaze of Ayanami she would not have been able to hold them 
back.  

"Yes." The Major whispered.  "He defied my orders.  He acted too 
quickly." She glared out over the city of Tokyo 3.  "So, I'll have to 
punish him when he comes back."

Both remaining Pilots were silent. 

She turned to them with sad eyes.  "Asuka.  Rei.  We're still setting 
up the operation.  So long as you keep your cell phones, you're welcome 
to get back to the city for a few hours sleep."

"But...what if Shinji ne..."

"He's not coming out yet." Misato interrupted Asuka.  "The Angel has 
what it wanted, and it's not giving it up without a fight." She looked 
like the one who needed sleep.  "Until we know how to do that, I'd feel 
better knowing you two are as far away from this thing as possible."

Rei bowed her head.  "Hai." She turned to Asuka.  "I will be at the 
pool."

Asuka gasped.  "You...y..." she watched as Rei turned and left for the 
change rooms.  

Misato turned to Asuka.  "I can make it an order."

Her hands were trembling.  "But...!"

"It's an order." She said in the strongest voice she could muster.  
"Keep close by.  You have eight hours at least.  Try to rest.  
Everything will be fine."

The redheaded young woman stormed past Misato, not meeting her glare.  
Mach es dir selber!!!" she screamed, storming down the ramp. 

Misato watched her leave, then wiped her cheek free of tears.  "I hate 
this job."







Cold, blue green light bathed Shinji's eyes when they finally opened 
again.  Like Misato was arguing on the outside, sleep seemed to be the 
best plan at the moment. 

"I never thought sleeping could be this exhausting..." he whispered 
into the LCL.

Clutching the control handle of his pilot's seat, Shinji watched as the 
plug's walls flickered into a rainbow of colours, then the various 
static patterns and nerve interface designs as it began to sync with 
his mind, showing him the outside world.

Unfortunately, the outside world was still just a wall of white.  
Though the shadow had been black, it was such a strange phenomenon that 
the scanners outside couldn't even pick up the lack of light.  

The walls of the plug faded back to blue white steel as Shinji switched 
the Evangelion back to minimal power mode.  So long as he stayed calm, 
another four or five hours would tick away before he died.  A tiny, 
orange digital clock on his left plug-suit glove was a constant 
reminder of his mortality. 

"My life will end in four or five hours." He whispered, leaning back in 
his seat.  The smell and taste of blood was the only sensation his body 
registered.  That, and his stomach.

"I'm hungry."

Slowly, he drifted off, hoping that if he was to die, it would be in 
his sleep.  








Kaoru walked over to the door, puzzled.  Not many people knew his 
address in the first place.  Those who did were probably in shelters by 
now.  Or...

Even though he hadn't been expecting it, somehow, Kaoru wasn't 
completely shocked when Asuka Langley looked up at him from the other 
side of his front door.  

"Asuka-chan?" he gasped.

She was shaking.  Actually shaking.  Her hair still smelled of LCL, 
even though she had thrown on pants and a shirt before coming over.  
"M...may I come in?" she whispered.

He nodded, leading her to the living room.  "Sit down.  I'll get you 
some tea."

She nodded weakly, leaning over on the soft sofa.  Her back was ridged 
and she looked almost like she was going to throw up.  Kaoru finished 
making a simple herbal tea that would hopefully calm her down enough so 
she could relax.  

He had no idea what she was going through.  The look on her face made 
him worried.  Returning only moments later with a tray, he set it down 
in front of her and poured her a cup.  "Please, drink." He said.  "It 
will calm you down."

Asuka did as she was told, though her hand was shaking so badly he had 
to help steady it with his own.  "Domo..." she whispered, looking 
vacantly in front of herself.

"I..." he poured her another half cup.  "I thought you would be in EVA-
02?"

She laughed softly.  "No...not yet." Her normally defiant voice was 
struggling not to crack.  "The...Angel isn't like the others." She 
whispered.  "There's no way to fight it."

"Rei?  Shinji?"

"Shinji..." she whispered softly.  "Shinji's inside it..."

He nodded slowly.  

"Baka..." a tear escaped her eye, rolling down her cheek and onto her 
chin.  "I shouldn't have pushed him..."

Kaoru sat quietly.  His heart ached to see her like this, but he could 
say nothing.  Do even less.  "I...am sorry..."

To his surprise, she broke out with a long sob and fell against his 
shoulder, grabbing on tight.  He couldn't move, completely stunned by 
the action.  She cried.  She was crying.  Honest, truthful tears.  They 
were the most heart-breaking thing he had ever heard in his life.

"He left me!" she cried into his shirt.  "He left me!  Everyone leaves 
me..." she sobbed, barely able to form words as the emotions took over.  
Everything she had bottled up for so long came rushing out in those 
tears, threatening to overwhelm her.  "Mama...Kaji...Shinji..." she 
cried.  "Everyone..."

Kaoru gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.  
"Asuka...please...it's all right.  Everything will be fine..."

She shook her head.  "NO!  IT WILL NEVER BE ALL RIGHT!" she screamed, 
looking him directly in the eyes.  "Everyone I know leaves me!!" her 
fists were balled up and buried in his shirt.  "Even you..."

He closed his eyes, shaking his head.  "I could never."

"Yes you will..." she sobbed.  Her eyes were puffy from her tears, but 
looked to be calming down.  "At the end of the year, you'll move on to 
another school.  Nobody will remember you.  Nobody will remember 
Shinji..." her voice was barely a whisper.  "Nobody will remember 
me..."

They sat like that for a long time.  Arms wrapped around each other.  
Asuka sobbing into his shoulder with weaker and weaker breath until she 
finally stopped crying.  Kaoru wondered if it was the tea, or her 
running out of tears to shed.

"Asuka..." he said softly.  "I will always remember you."

Her eyes closed gently as she drifted towards sleep.  "Please..." she 
whispered.  "Let me stay here..."

"Hai..." he replied, gently holding her.  An unnoticed tear fell off 
his face and onto her shoulder.  









It had been hours since Shinji's last cries for help.

With life support power dripping away with each breath, system after 
system in the plug had been forced to slow and stop.  Already, the LCL-
cleaners were off, and the horrible smell of blood had risen ten-fold.  
Murky debris hovered in the water with him, un-cleansed from the 
liquids so long as the power continued to drop.

His frantic attempt to open the plug was stopped by the fact that it 
was still sealed inside of the Evangelion's armour and body.  

That had been almost an hour ago.

An hour since he had begged for help.  Asuka.  Rei.  Misato.  Ritsuko.  

Father.

"F...father..."

Nobody came. 

So, it was somewhat of a shock when he heard another voice.

It wasn't so much of another voice, rather the feeling that one was 
dreaming, and could still hear the voices from their dreams though they 
were on the verge of waking up.

"Who's that?" he asked quietly, hoping not to break the spell.  "Who?"

"Ikari Shinji." A voice answered.

"That's me!" Shinji replied.

His mind seemed to close down on itself.  The only things in existence 
were his two voices.    

"I am you.  This self incorporates another self." The voice continued.  
"The self has always been composed of two selves."

"Two?" 

"Yes.  The self which is observed and the self which observes itself.  
To expound:  the Shinji Ikari that exists in your mind is only one 
Shinji Ikari."

Shinji blinked, and his world seemed replaced by red light.  He was 
looking at a window somewhere.  Someone's head was blocking the light, 
though.  

"There's also the Shinji Ikari in Misato Katsuragi's mind...the Shinji 
Ikari in Asuka Sohryu's mind...the Shinji Ikari in Rei Ayanami's 
mind...and the Shinji Ikari in Gendo Ikari's mind...are all different 
Shinji Ikari's." his own voice continued.  "But each of them is a 
separate Shinji Ikari."

Shinji listened intently. 

"What you fear are the Shinji Ikari's who exist in the minds of 
others."

"I'm just afraid of being hated..." Shinji told himself quietly.  

"You're afraid of being hurt." Countered the voice.  

There was a long pause.  "Are you the Shinji Ikari in my own mind?"

Another long pause. 

"You sound like my new Sensei." Shinji explained to himself.

An image of Kaoru appeared in his mind, replacing the red sunlight 
around him.  "Very good, Shinji." He smiled warmly.  "You'll be 
teaching yourself in no time at all!"

"Sorry..." Shinji replied.  "I...didn't mean to..."

Asuka was now in the scene.  "You're always apologizing!  Do you always 
think you're the one at fault?"

Shinji turned to her and shook his head.  "But, if everyone has a 
Shinji Ikari in their minds, that's my fault." He sighed.  "I don't 
want to hurt anyone else, because then I get hurt too."

Rei was now standing next to him.  "That is unavoidable.  Pain is the 
other side of Happiness.  We learn to accept the pain and enjoy the 
happiness."

"But how can I learn?" Shinji begged.  "It's all happening so fast!"

Asuka was there again, leaning towards him as he was on his back, 
looking at her with a haze of light in his mind.  "Was this happening 
too fast?" she asked softly.  "Do you regret events in your life if 
they happen too fast?"

He shook his head.  "No...I did not regret that..."

Instead of a kiss, he was met with a punch.  Toji and Kensuke stood 
over him, like the first day the class had found out he was the pilot 
of EVA-01.  Toji was rubbing his fist and glaring down at him.  "Then 
you regret the pain coming too fast!"

"Yes." Shinji mumbled, rubbing his face.  "I do not want pain to come 
at all."

"Good work...Shinji..." his father said quietly as he walked away.

Shinji gasped as he relived those words.  Those precious words. 

"But you enjoy the happiness that comes after pain." Rei said softly, 
placing a warm, human hand on his shoulder.  

"Don't you trust your father?" she asked on the escalator.  Then, a 
slap came.  

Rei was at his side again.  "And yet, when you hide from pain, pain 
comes anyway.  And sometimes faster."

Shinji nodded weakly.  "Yes.  It does."

Kaoru looked at him from his desk.  The class around them was empty.  
"Then why do you run away, Shinji?"  He sat there like Gendo, with his 
glasses glinting in the afternoon light.  

"I mustn't run away! I mustn't run away! I mustn't run away! I mustn't 
run away!!" he heard himself saying...but was not saying it himself.

"You know what you need to do, but you fail to do it." Kaoru explained.  
"The Shinji Ikari's in other people's minds will exist for a long time 
without you."

Asuka again.  She was smiling at him from her bed as he set the tray of 
food down next to her.  "Others will miss the Shinji Ikari in their 
minds.  They have grown to like his presence."

Misato set down a beer across from Shinji as she smiled.  "They have 
learned to care for him.  If you run away, you will bring pain to their 
minds as well."

"But I AM NOT HAPPY!" Shinji yelled out, causing all the images to go 
black.

Nothing.

"Wait..." he gasped.  "No...I didn't mean that..."

"Did you?" Kaoru said suddenly, spinning Shinji around by the 
shoulders.  "When are you Happy, Shinji Ikari?"

He thought for a moment, all the while, Kaoru stared at him through his 
glasses.  "I...am happy when I..." Shinji swallowed hard.  "When others 
are happy."

Gendo was now sitting across from him.  His hands were on his shoulders 
like Kaoru's had been.  "Then why do you run from others?  Why do you 
run from happiness?"

Asuka tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned around to see her and 
Kaji looking at him with curious eyes.  "Do you enjoy Pain that much?"

"No!" Shinji cried.  "I hate pain!  I hate causing it!"

"But surviving pain brings forth happiness." Kaji said quietly, rubbing 
his chin.  "Is it not, therefore, acceptable to assume that you should 
not fear the pain?  That...once it is over...you will be happy?"
Again, with Asuka.  She was in his arms as he walked them to her room.  
"You find happiness in others.  You enjoy finding out you are not 
hated." She whispered into his ear.  "You find happiness when the 
Shinji Ikari in Asuka Sohryu's mind is accepted."

"You find happiness when the Shinji Ikari in Rei Ayanami's mind is 
accepted." Rei smiled up at him from her plug-seat, just after the 
battle with the Fifth Angel.  "You find happiness when she finds 
happiness."

Again, everything went black.  A spotlight seemed to shine on Shinji.  
The first voice came again.  Shinji's eyes were wide.  

"There is still one other who wishes to accept you, Shinji Ikari."

Blank.

Shinji.

Blank.

Kaoru appeared besides him, replacing Gendo at his mother's grave.  The 
wind was stark...howling like a demon.  "If you had run away, you would 
have found new pain." He continued.  "Pain does not run away.  It is 
always with you." He smiled slightly.  "Happiness is not so easy.  You 
must work for it."

The red light came again.  He watched out the window as the clouds and 
sun rolled by.  

"You can not spend you life enjoying these few pleasant memories." 
Kaoru was now sitting across from him.  "In time, they will bring a new 
pain.  You will see you could have had many more."

"I don't care." Shinji whispered.

"You can have more."

"I don't care."

"You will have more."

"I will not..."

Asuka was leaning her head against his shoulder.  "The Asuka Langley in 
your mind does not want you to give up and run away."

Rei was standing in front of him, smiling softly in her special, rare 
way.  "The Rei Ayanami in your mind does not want you to give up and 
run away."

Misato gently rubbed him on the head, ruffling his hair.  "The Misato 
Katsuragi in your mind does not want you to give up and run away."

They all disappeared, leaving only Kaoru.  "The Shinji Ikari in Shinji 
Ikari's mind does not want him to give up and run away."

Now, there was only black.








Asuka Langley felt the slight vibration in her side and woke suddenly.  

A quiet beeping was coming from her pants pocket.  Her Cellular.  Not 
quite remembering where she was, she ignored the arms around her and 
opened it.  "Hai...?" she whispered.

"Asuka." Misato's voice seemed tired and sad.  "W...we're ready to try 
something.  It might get EVA-01 out of the Angel, but we need both of 
you to help with your AT fields."

She nodded with a yawn.  "I'll be there in ten minutes.  How long does 
Shinji have?"

"Less than an hour." Misato replied.

"I'll be there." She said, closing her cell. 

That's when she remembered where she was.  Curled up on the chest of 
Kaoru Miyazaki as he slept soundly.  A soft smile crossed her lips.  
"Thank you..." she leaned over and kissed him softly.

His eyes jutted open and he blinked as Asuka stood up.  "Asuka??"

She smiled.  "Thank you, Kaoru-kun..."

He sat up and looked around sleepily.  "Oh...oh yeah...no problem." He 
yawned.  

Asuka grinned to herself, tempted to go in for another kiss, but...

Kaoru saw the look on her face.  Something familiar about that look.  
Suddenly...she leaned into him again and kissed him on the lips.  Kaoru 
was terrified.  He had no idea what to do.

There was a soft, wet sound as they parted, and Asuka suddenly looked 
terrified.  Her hand came up to her mouth, covering it. 

Kaoru just sat there, his glasses actually fell off his face.  

Asuka turned and ran for the door.  "Gomen..." she whispered, opening 
it and running outside. 

Kaoru blinked...frozen in place.







Asuka ran.

She ran faster than she had ever done so in her life.  She couldn't 
cry...she had cried enough already.  

When she finally did stop running, she found herself in the halls of 
NERV mobile HQ, rushing to the change room.  Ayanami was already 
changed, and so was not there when Asuka locked the door behind 
herself.

Completely out of breath, she collapsed against one of the empty 
lockers with a quiet bang.  Her hand still touched her lips.

"No..." she whispered.  "This can't be..."

There was a long silence as she lay down on the cold floor, feeling her 
racing heart.











"Am I unwanted?" Shinji asked himself.  His mind was showing the image 
of his father walking away.  A personal nightmare he would often bare 
witness to.  "Mother...was smiling?" he gasped as he remembered the 
accusations. 

Father bore them all.  He was called a killer.  A murderer.  How his 
mother disappeared.  How it was all so coincidental.  How she had been 
used like a guinea pig in an experiment they knew nothing about.

Still, his mother had been smiling that day.  Smiling at Shinji as he 
waved back through the thick, protective glass.  Smiling as she entered 
what he know knew to be an Entry Plug.

"Father...he left me..." Shinji cried...but then stopped.  "To protect 
me?"

Misato was standing in the doorway, wearing only towels from her 
shower.  "You did a very brave thing today..."

Gendo again.  "Shinji...you must NOT run away."

Was there regret in that voice?  At first, only cold.  Only death.

"Wake Rei." A long pause as the communication channel switched.  "Rei?"

"Hai?" came her voice.  So soft it could have been a whisper.  

"You will do it again, Rei." Gendo said.

A long pause.  "Hai." Rei replied, cutting the connection.

He had left.  He had left him.  Left Shinji to join this universe of 
Pain.  He had chose not to take him with him.  Not unless it was 
completely necessary.

"A spare has just been delivered." Gendo mocked.

Kaoru was there now.  "He does not now how to live, Shinji Ikari.  He 
does not understand the Shinji Ikari in his mind."

"Just as I do not." Shinji whispered.

Black.

"I hate this place..." he whispered.  "I am alone." 







Back in the LCL. 

It was cold.  His eyes could barely operate in the low light.  

"The heating and the oxygen circulation are already out." He whispered.  
"I'm cold.  And this useless suit is giving out too..."

Even the tiny LCD display on his left hand was out.  The suit had 
cannibalized it's last morsel of battery power in a futile attempt to 
keep it's host warm.  

Gently curled up in the Entry Plug, Shinji looked like a fetus inside a 
womb.  Cold.  Alone.  Dying.  Slowly dying.  The LCL would probably 
start degenerating soon.  He would pass out, then die a few minutes 
later.  

At least there would be no pain.  

"This is the end..." he whispered, eyes closed.  "I'm tired.  Tired 
of...everything."







Nothing.






Then, a light.





Shinji could feel a touch on his cheek.  Warm.  Like when Asuka had 
touched him like that...but this was not Asuka.  

This was...

His eyes opened as he felt himself falling, but gently held by someone.  

"Mother??"











Asuka could still taste the kiss on her lips as EVA-02 stood at the 
edge of the shadow, looking down into it.  She forced herself to focus, 
though.  Now was not the time to sort out feelings of the heart.  

Not when there was a chance Shinji was still alive.

"Evas are in position and standing by." She said into the intercom.  

This plan was anything but.  It was just like their initial attack 
strategy.  "God I hope this works...Plan Two"

Flying overhead were literally hundreds of UN bombers, each carrying 
one or more N2 mines that would be dropped at the exact same time into 
the Angel.  The resulting explosion would be large enough to make 
certain nothing on Japan's island would survive if something went 
wrong.  The two Evas, who were standing right on the edge, would 
survive...as was the hope of Shinji's Unit-01.  However, the pilot 
might already be dead.

Still, Ritsuko had been determined to pull this plan through.  If 
everything worked, the Angel MIGHT be destroyed.  IF everything worked.  
If AT Fields and N2 bombs were focused just right.

That was a lot of 'ifs'.

Misato hadn't been able to come up with anything better, though, and it 
looked to be the only option. 

"You're not leaving me, Shinji Ikari." Asuka whispered into the LCL 
around her.  "If I have to, I'll jump in there and get you out myself."

"T-Minus 60 seconds." Ritsuko's voice cut through her thoughts.  

Asuka closed her eyes.  "Fight, damn you..." she said.  "Don't run 
away, baka...you still owe me a drink on my birthday."






The thundering of the bombers engines overhead was suddenly shattered 
by another thundering. 

A horrible, bone-shattering sound.  Wet and sticky as it ripped through 
the air.

Collectively, everyone looked down at the shadow, shocked to see the 
black, perfect circle begin to shudder and crack like an egg.  Paths of 
red began to ooze out of it's wounds as chunks began to slide up and 
down in front of Unit-02's feet.  

"What's going on?!" Asuka asked quickly, concern evident on her brow 
despite her best attempts to stay calm.

She head the com traffic pick up from HQ.  "Is it Shinji?" Misato asked 
hopeful.

"Impossible!" Ritsuko replied.  "Unit-01's power level has to be at 
zero by now!"
  
Asuka knew, though.  Even before the massive fist punched it's way 
through the side of the sphere up in the sky.  It's colours flickered 
off, turning completely black as it's side began to bulge.  

SPLAT!

Everyone watched with wide eyes as blood began to pour out from the 
Angel's wound.  Inside, two glowing white eyes peered out into the air.  
A mighty roar sounded and the Evangelion Test Type's head ripped 
through the opening in some gory parody of a childbirth. 

It seemed to howl like a wolf, then stand suddenly.  Angel flesh was 
ripped apart under the stress, and the upper half of the sphere was now 
destroyed, falling to earth in a shower of red and solid black skin.  

Asuka watched as EVA-01 growled up at the moon like the monster it 
truly was.  Her eyes refused to close.  Shinji was alright...he had to 
be alright...but...at the same time...

"I...am I piloting a thing like that?" she asked herself, suddenly 
feeling very cold.  

The ground erupted from blood and the Evangelion landed in a crouch, 
standing back to it's full height.







Ritsuko watched in horror as the Evangelion stood over the glorious 
destruction it had caused.  

"My God...what kind of monster have we copied from?" she whispered.

Misato turned with narrowed eyes, glaring at her.  

EVA-01 glared out over the city of Tokyo 3 with glowing eyes.  It's 
armour was no longer purple and green.  It was blood.  Soaking wet with 
blood.






When the Entry Plug was opened, Shinji could hear his name being 
called.  "Misato-chan?" he wondered.  "What's she doing inside my 
head?"

"SHINJI!" she ripped open the hatch, not believing her eyes as he sat 
there, looking up at her like he had just gone to sleep and woke up. 
"Shinji?!  Are you alright!?!" she asked, crying in fear he might not 
be okay.

He blinked under the sudden light, and Misato took that to be a 'yes'.  
She collapsed on top of him, crying.

"I..." Shinji whispered.  "just wanted to see everyone again." He 
smiled slightly.  "You make me happy."

Misato sobbed against him, thanking the heavens.  She had been awake 
for over thirty hours at that point.  Over half of them had been the 
closest to hell she had experienced in a long time.

Asuka was outside the plug.  Her eyes half lowered as she watched 
Misato cry over her Shinji.  "Didn't you say you were going to PUNISH 
him?"

Shinji looked up and found her gaze.  She smiled softly, though her 
eyes betrayed much more than just a smile.    










Tenth Lesson:  The end of the day








	The door opened quietly.  Slowly and with finite momentum, 
echoing the mood and physical state of the imparter of that energy.  As 
Kaji stepped into the dark room, he let a long, tired sigh escape his 
lips.
	"Sleep." he whispered to himself.
	However, he knew sleep would not come yet.  Nothing ever came 
that easily to him.  Be it information or personal comfort.  Usually, 
one of these possibilities came at the expense of the other.  Kaji had 
been losing a lot of sleep lately.  Ever since Commander Ikari had 
given him this mission.  
	Kaji cursed himself for agreeing to take it.  What seemed like a 
simple job was now turning out to be quite an interesting little 
puzzle.  Normally, such a puzzle would be a good thing...but it had 
become so in depth that it was distracting him from other 'puzzles'.  

	Maybe the old bastard made this new one up to keep him busy.  
Kaji wouldn't have been surprised.  

	Still...he doubt even the all-knowing Commander would have 
sacrificed the Second Branch just to keep little old Kaji out of 
his hair.  It would be much easier to put a bullet in his head.  Less 
to cover up, too.
	A smile came across his lips as he upholstered his gun and popped 
out the clip.  "It's safe to come out now."
	It was a little known fact that the Commander was very rarely 
unarmed.  Tonight was no exception, as Kaji saw the dark, polished 
metal of a semi-automatic rested in Gendo's lap as he turned on the 
light.  
	"Agent Ryouji." he said simply.  His voice was somewhere between 
condescending and boredom.  "You are late."
	"Turbulence." Kaji yawned, walking over to his fridge.  "Can I 
get you a drink, Commander?"
	"No."
	"Ahh.  Suit yourself." the younger man smirked.  He never did 
trust a man who never drank.  His only comfort came from knowing Gendo 
still found him useful.  Until that changed, at least he could relax a 
bit.
	He returned with a bottle of beer and half of a sandwich he had 
been saving for a snack.  Gendo betrayed no emotion, but Kaji could 
tell his patience was wearing.  "I assume you know about the Second 
Branch." 
	Gendo nodded.  "The MAGI reported the event as soon as it 
happened." his glasses shimmered in the dim light.  "I was curious to 
see if you got out in time."
	"Barely." Kaji nodded, taking a large bite out of his snack 
before tossing over a small folder of photographs on the bed next to 
Gendo.  "But I did find out some rather...interesting...little tidbits 
the MAGI may have missed."
	"Go on." Gendo nodded, opening up the folder.  
	Kaji let out a long sigh.  "Well, you were right.  One of SEELE's 
people had corrupted the data.  Probably knew exactly how to trigger 
the Sea of Dirac too."
	"I expected this from the old men." Gendo let a small sigh past 
his normally impervious mood.
	"Still...it's a shame to lose all that data." Kaji grinned as he 
watched Gendo leaf through the reports.  "It would have been nice to 
get rid of those annoying extension cords.  One almost crushed me last 
time Asuka ejected her plug."
	A smile.  "The Second Child is a bit reckless."
	"Anyway...as you'll notice on the next few pictures the crater 
that the Second Branch was kind enough to leave for us."
	"I did not send you to Nevada to take pictures." Gendo stated 
flatly.  
	Kaji took a long drink of his beer before answering.  "Look at 
the fifth photo from the top."
	Gendo blinked slowly, taking in the image.  "Mmm..."

	It was of a footprint.  

	Not unusual in itself...until one considered the size.  A NERV 
SUV had been half-crushed by whatever made the footprint, indicating 
the mass to be quite extraordinaire as well.  Finally, as Gendo 
observed the next two photographs, there were more of these giant 
footprints leading off to the horizon.  
	"Evangelion Unit-04." Gendo hummed.
	"The strange thing is that nobody saw it leave, and the US has no 
sensor records of it due to most of the computer power in the area 
being at NERV." he took another sip of his beer.  "They're already 
stating that the Eva was lost with the explosion."
	"Good." Gendo nodded.  "It will give us time to find out if SEELE 
has completed their Dummy system."
	"It would seem interesting they would test it in such a way." 
Kaji shrugged.  "I saw no indication of a Dummy Plug while I was in the 
facility.  They may have found the Fourth Children."
	Gendo frowned.  "That would be very...interesting."
	"My thoughts exactly." Kaji paused to eat the rest of his 
sandwich.  "About that other matter."
	"What did you find?" Gendo looked up from the photos and held up 
a small data disk that had been added into the folder.
	"Nothing." Kaji admitted.  "At least not while I was there.  
Whatever they did was completely erased by the time I got there." he 
smiled.  "The Second Branch MAGI were not nearly as...sentimental...as 
ours seem to be.  A memory flense had just been finished.  Routine of 
course."
	"Of course." Gendo smirked. "But then what is on this disk?"
	"Personnel records for the last two months." Kaji explained.  
"Anyone who remotely had access to the MAGI, and more importantly, time 
enough to find the emergency Inter-MAGI links."
	"Do we know what was changed?" Gendo asked.
	"Still no way to find out." Kaji shrugged.  "For all we know, the 
event has already happened.  It could be as simple as someone at the 
other Branch wanting to move funds around before the accident.  Maybe 
they were just checking the system.  Maybe they changed traffic 
patterns in Berlin so they could get to work without running into red 
lights." he smiled.  "God knows I would.
	"Either way...that disk will have the names in question." he 
yawned.  "Of course, it's still a big list.  But I'm sure you and the 
Doctor can narrow it down.  I've done what I can to help, but I still 
gave you the complete list."
	Gendo nodded, pausing to collect the images and data.  "Once 
again, you've proved useful, Agent Ryouji." he stood, walking past Kaji 
as he finished off his beer.  "I trust you will keep on this case for 
the time being?"
	With a small smile, Kaji nodded.  "It seems to be an interesting 
puzzle, sir.  I'll see what else I can dig up."
	"Good." Gendo nodded, opening the apartment door.  "Have a good 
night."

	Kaji nodded as the door shut.  As he rolled his beer along his 
fingers, his other hand reached into his coat pocket and produced an 
identical optical disk.  He eyed it as he drank. 
	"Oops." he whispered.  "I forgot to give him the addendum."
	
	He sighed, finishing off the rest of his beer quickly.  Then, 
Kaji walked over his dresser drawer, opening it slowly...stopping to 
reach inside and press a switch on a hidden panel just above the seam.  
The sound of something metal scraped briefly along the sides, then the 
drawer opened by itself.  
	Inside was a small book in a lead-lined case.  Kaji lifted it up 
out of it's place and opened it to a blank page.  A small pen was in 
the crook of the spine, and he pulled it free to write the date at the 
beginning of the first page.  
	
	"Where to begin?" he whispered to himself and his book.  






	
	"Mother." 

	Shinji's voice was distant as he stared at the ceiling over his 
bed.  The feeling of bloody LCL around him was replaced with a soft 
afterthought of a familiar memory.
	He felt almost as if Rei was by his side.  That same kind of 
curious contentment.  Where he could just close his eyes and feel 
safe...even after the horrors of the day.  
	But this feeling now was so much stronger.  So undeniably true.  
How could he be feeling this now?  As he lay in messy covers, still 
smelling of blood and chemical waste...even after the many baths he 
had.  After he had been probed and tested at the hospital for hours, 
leaving him exhausted, but restless at the same time. 
	Such maddening thoughts were completely erased from his mind, 
however...replaced instead by a slow motion replay of those final few 
seconds.  

	"Mother..."

	And he had wanted to see everyone again.  Why did he choose that?  
When he had admitted he was sick of it all?  All the pain...all the 
memories that he had been fooling himself into thinking gave him 
pleasure.  
	But...when a simple shout of 'baka' made his day...?

	Shinji closed his eyes.  He wanted it all to go away.  He didn't 
want to think anymore...

	But...

	He had to.  His mind refused to stop.  He began to question 
himself.  Wondering what he had been talking to.  The Shinji inside his 
mind.  Was that himself, or his 'true self'?  

	And...

	Why was his teacher there?  Sensei Kaoru?  How did he fit into 
next to his father, Misato, Asuka, Rei and everyone else?  

	Asuka.

	Poor Shinji almost fell out of bed as he heard the knock on his 
door.  "AHHHH!"
	Asuka poked her head in suddenly, frowning up a storm.  "Well 
FINE!" she whispered.  "If you're going to be like that, I'll go!"
	"No!" Shinji recovered quickly, taking a deep breath.  "You...you 
just startled me..." he whispered back. 
	She looked him over.  "You weren't spanking the monkey or 
anything, were you?"
	"NO!  I WAS NOT!" he almost yelled.  
	"Good." she smiled, her frown turning upside down as she walked 
into the room and shut the door behind herself.  
	It was only then that Shinji realized she was in a pair of very 
silky, pink p.j.'s, and not her normal evening clothes.  However, that 
fact was overran by the harder-to-ignore fact that she only had a few 
of the buttons along the front of it fastened.  
	"A...a...a..." 
	"The name's Asuka." she smirked as she sat down on the bed next 
to him.  "Well?"
	"W...w...w..."  
	"Aren't you going to invite me in?"
	Shinji's brain finally caught ground long enough for him to say 
"please...?"
	"Mmm." she winked.  "With an invitation like that, who could 
resist?"
	Shinji shivered uncontrollably as Asuka lifted up the sheets a 
quarter and began to slide her legs into the covers.  "A...Asuka...what 
are you doing?"
	"Sleeping with you, baka!" she frowned.  "What does it look 
like?"
	
	Shinji's nose almost exploded in blood as she said that.

	Asuka frowned at his startled reaction...then smiled, rolling 
over on top of him and sitting on his stomach as he gasped, completely 
terrified.  "Mein GOTT!  Shinji, you DO know the difference between 
sleeping with someone and having sex, don't you?"
	"Ahh...yeah...but..." his mind registered what she was saying and 
he turned beet red.  "Oh...yeah...I guess so..." he swallowed hard, 
looking up at her...and trying not to react too noticeably to the warm 
weight on his stomach.  "Sorry..."
	She nodded stiffly, then grew a sly smile on her lips.  "I could 
show you the difference..." she drew her mouth closer to his.  "That is 
if you want me to."
	Shinji couldn't move.

	All of a sudden, thoughts of his mother were the furthest thing 
from his mind.  

	"Asuka!  Please don't tease me!" he squirmed under her.
	She was still grinning, though.  "Who says I'm teasing you?"
	"Eep!"
	"Poor Shinji..." she whispered with a grin.  "You look so 
helpless." she sighed and got off from on top of him.  
	She settled back into the covers next to him.  He blinked.  
"Asuka?  Why are you here?"
	"Do I need a reason?" she tried to fane being angry.
	He nodded. "Well...yes..."
	Asuka glanced away from his gaze.  "I was just making sure you 
were okay, baka."  she turned back to him.  "Everyone was going so 
crazy over what happened today...and I thought I might just see if you 
were REALLY okay." she turned her back to him.  "Those doctors didn't 
say anything.  I...well...I was worried about you."
	Shinji blinked.  That was the only response he could muster.
	"But, you seem to be okay.  If you want...I'll go..."

	"I saw you." Shinji whispered.

	Asuka turned around.  "What?"
	"I saw you..." he blushed quickly.  "I mean...in the 
angel...I...I started to see things."
	Her cheeks were turning red slightly.  "What did you see?"
	"N...nothing much...but..." he swallowed hard.  "...well, I saw 
the night that you...k...kissed me..."
	Asuka's eyes lit back up.  "Really?"
	He nodded.  The next thing he knew, her arms were wrapped around 
his torso, and he was being pulled into a rather nice embrace with 
their lips meeting somewhere in the process.  
	This time, Shinji wasn't so completely caught off guard, and 
began to use a little of his knowledge gained from last time for this 
kiss.  Asuka seemed to approve as she melted into him...on top, of 
course...but still at his mercy.  Shinji was a little surprised when he 
tasted something salty at the corner of his mouth.
	Before he could ask what was wrong, Asuka broke from the kiss and 
was sobbing softly against his shoulder.  "I'm sorry, Shinji..." she 
whimpered.  
	"What for?" he asked, not sure what to say or do.  
	There was a long pause as Asuka recomposed herself.  Her sobbing 
stopped finally, and her tears were brushed away by a sleeve of her 
nightwear.
	"I..." she sighed.  "I was just scared." she whispered...not sure 
what exactly she had been scared about.  
	Shinji smiled weakly.  "Me too."
	
	They lay there for a long time, looking at each other from across 
the distance of a single pillow.  After the first few minutes, it 
became rather comfortable.
	So comfortable that Shinji didn't protest as Asuka wrapped her 
arms around him again, and he did the same.  Their eyes never strayed 
so long as they were open...and it was only after an hour of their 
blinking becoming slower and slower Shinji fell asleep like that.

	Asuka stayed awake just a little longer.

	"I saw you too." she whispered against Shinji's mouth.  Then, she 
joined him in sleep.   

	







End of part 1









=======================================================================


Whoo hoo!  10 weeks!  Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?
I know it has for me!  And hopefully, I'll be able to keep up the pace
for Higher Learning's release.  I'm a little busy in real life, but
that might be changing, and I should have some free time coming up soon.
Even if that doesn't last, I'll at least be able to write a bit of 
Higher Learning in reserve for a rainy day.  

Thanks, of course, to all the readers out there who take time from their
surfing activities to read this, and indeed, all fan fiction in general.
One could not hope for a better audience! 

Special thanks to Alian Gravel, and congrads to him on TOILI, once more.
Also, to Tozetre, who's still waiting for me to write some WAFFy Rei
scenes.  ^_^  I'll try my best!  

Stay tuned.  There's a lot more to come. 

e-mail:  strikef@bigfoot.com
homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110


Strike Fiss, Ninja Crowbotics 2000.  Khattam-Shud, EOF.