Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ So Happy Together ❯ chapter 28 ( Chapter 27 )

Hikari stared at her best friend as they walked toward the meeting spot. They were late because Asuka kept demanding to go on more rides. It wasn't until the class rep put her foot down and told the pilot that *she* was going to meet up with everyone, even if she had to go alone, did the second child decide that it was time to meet up with everyone else. However, by the look in Asuka's eyes, the class rep wasn't sure if it was a good idea that the girl tagged along today.

In a meek voice, Hikari asked her friend. "Are you sure you're going to be able to be around them *all* day?"

In an agitated sigh, the pilot replied. "For the umpteenth time, yes!"

The class rep reluctantly took her answer as truth, then questioned her resolution when Asuka asked

"What do you think would happen if something were to happen to the *doll* today?"

Hikari felt like ice slid down her spine.

The red haired girl tilted her head to the side and continued. "I mean.... do you think Shinji would *really* be sad...?"

The rep swallowed hard and asked "Why would you say that, Asuka?"

The second child shrugged her shoulders and continued walking towards the meeting spot as if her comment wasn't in the least bit disturbing.

Hikari looked at her best friend and wondered <Asuka, what have you done?>

~~~~~~~~~~

By the time they actually met up with everybody, a lot of people had already entered the fair grounds.

"Where were you guys?" Kensuke asked as calmly as he could. He was pissed off, but he was holding back his true anger because it was Shinji's birthday. "We've been waiting for you two for over twenty minutes!"

"We were on a ride, Baka!" Asuka shot back indignantly.

Everyone glanced at Hikari to see if the second child was telling the truth. The girl shrugged and nodded.

Kensuke was about to say something else, but was interrupted by Shinji. "Well since we're all here, what should we ride first?"

Only to continue the peace that Shinji started, Touji suggested "The roller coaster should be a lot more fun with more people on it."

Everyone agreed, except Asuka. She was already pissed.

When the teens walked over toward the ride, they noticed that the line was extremely long.

Aida looked at his friend. "Ok Shin-man, what are we supposed to do? Just walked to the front of the line and cut?"

Shinji looked at Aida, then he looked at his wife. He wasn't sure.

Rei, who had been to an amusement park before and had a VIP pass at the time, explained to her husband in a low voice. "You enter the ride through the exit. You board immediately after the people get off, thus ensuring that you get whichever seat you want."

"Ohhhh" everyone, except Asuka, said in unison.

"That makes sense." Kimiko commented to herself.

With the rules of the VIP status explained, the teens walked over to the ride. However, they weren't expecting such a violent reaction from the crowd when they waltzed in through the exit and took the best seats. (Go figure) ^_~

As the first child observed Shinji and his friends get yelled at, cursed at, and threatened with bodily harm when they chose their seats and strapped themselves in the roller coaster, Rei gave no outward reaction. However, inwardly she was laughing her @$$ off. Even Asuka looked scared.

The ride was over quickly, but not quick enough for her husband and his friends.

Shinji was the first off the exit ramp, and he yelled with a shocked distress. "Did you see what just happened, kioshii!!" He was gesturing to the irate people in the line.

Rei nodded and smiled slightly.

Shinji playfully narrowed his eyes at his wife; he could tell by her subtle response that "You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?"

She pointed at herself with mock hurt because of the accusation.

"Yes you!" He quickly closed the distance between them, and put a tight embrace around her, pinning her arms to her side. He pressed his forehead against hers and growled playfully "You knew that would happen, didn't you?"

She shook her head. "I did *not* know that was going to happen. I assure you." she said matter-of-factly, then giggled "However, it was a possible scenario."

He shook his head at her. "Why didn't you warn us? Do you know how *scary* that was?"

She choked as she tried to hold back her giggles. "It was scary, koi?"

"Hell yeah, it was scary!" Touji yelled as he took Hikari's hand and tried to make as much distance between them and those angry people.

Kensuke did the same with Kimiko.

Asuka stayed behind and used this opportunity to curse out some of the people who threatened her earlier. When one of the men got out of the line to (and I quote) "teach her some respect" Rei broke out of Shinji's embrace and walked over to back her fellow pilot up if she got into a fight.

"And what the f*ck do you think you're going to do?" the man spat out to Rei. He didn't know who she was. He only knew that she was the smallest person in their little crew, so what could she possibly do to him.

"Try me and see" was Rei's cool response, as she position herself in a fighting stance.

Not even a second later, Shinji was standing in front of his kioshii-tsuma ready to fight to the death. Nobody messed with Rei.

Asuka spun on her heals, and growled at the first and third child. "I don't need your help! I can handle this @$$hole myself!"

"We know, Souyru. We're just here to make sure he doesn't hit you back." Rei never let her gaze leave the man as she spoke. She narrowed her eyes and gave the man one of her 3rd commander pissed off glares.

Whether it was the way the first child looked at him, the color of her crimson eyes, or the confidence in which she spoke, whatever it was, the man backed down completely and apologized to Asuka.

Kimiko was completely amazed that Rei was able to intimidate the man with a subtle gaze and soft spoken threat, that wasn't really a threat.

Kensuke stood on his tippy toes and whispered into his loves ear. "You wondered why she's 3rd commander" He pointed at Rei, who still glared at the man who was now apologizing profusely to the second child. "That's why she's 3rd commander."

In pure disgust, the second child told the man "You can keep your f*cking apology!!" Then spun on her heals, stomped away, and purposely bumped into the first child as she told her in a sadistic whisper "I told you, I don't need your help!"

Rei barely budged an inch from Asuka's not so gentle assault and allowed the girl to walk away without a retort from her.

The third child glared at Asuka then turned his gaze to his beloved wife. "Rei-chan," Shinji said in a reprimanding tone, "don't do that anymore."

"Don't do what?" she asked with calm innocence.

"Don't jump in a fight for, Asuka." He gave her a stern look then glared at the second child. "She can handle herself."

Rei tilted her head to the side and asked "I though you said that we pilots have to stick together?"

The third looked back at his wife. "When?!" He furrowed his brow skeptically. "When did I say that?"

Rei gave him a look that said I can't believe you don't remember. "When you were 15. We were all in the elevator and Asuka was insulting the both of us and..."

"Rei" the boy interrupted seriously. "That was over two years ago."

She tilted her head to the side. "So that declaration no longer applies?"

He shook his head no. He felt guilty, but he didn't want her fighting to protect Asuka. He also felt bad because he knew she was defending his *ex* to please him.. "A lot of things have changed since then, kioshii.... At that time in my life, I still had the fantasy that you two would one day be friends."

"Oh." Rei tilted her head back in understanding. <that's never going to happen... she's too crazy>

"Asuka doesn't want your help." He caressed her face. "And I don't want you to help her. If you get into a fight.... then I'm going to have to jump in and fight too..."

"I see." she said with a new understanding. <I guess I will no longer be protecting the second child>

"I hope so..." He gave her a skeptical expression. "Because it's my birthday, and I really don't want to get in a fight today."

"Is that another birthday wish?" she asked playfully.

"Yes, kioshii" He kissed the tip of her nose. "I don't want you getting into any fights today."

She nodded almost royally.

Unfortunately for the third child, the one thing he wanted to avoid was the very thing he was going to get in. It all started when...... ^_~

~~~~~

It now was about 4 pm. It had turned out to be a gorgeous day. The sky was a beautiful light blue. Shinji commented, about four times, on how it was almost the exact shade of his wife's hair. There were big white fluffy clouds, and the afternoon sun was BLAZING above them. It must have been the hottest day ever recorded in Japan! But did the heat deter anyone from going to or staying at the fair? Nooooo! The people came in droves, and packed in condensed herds. Herds of very angry, very hot, and very irritable people, who did *not* appreciate being cut in line by 6 punk kids that happened to have the only set of VIP passes. No, they did NOT like being cut in line after they had to stand in line, unsheltered by the suns extreme UV rays, for over an hour.

The second, third, and fourth child, plus Kensuke, his girlfriend and the class rep walked through the exit of the roller coaster *again* They had grown used to the complaints, and learned to ignore them, for this was about their 20 th time riding the most popular ride in the whole fair. And they couldn't care less that the actual patrons of the fair had at *least* a two hour wait before they got the chance to ride.

Ignoring the usual confusion, Asuka and Hikari grabbed the seat in the front. Kensuke and Kimiko sat in the middle; they believed it was a smoother ride. Shinji and Touji went straight to the back of the ride. They believed that they got more of the whip action through the turns.

~~~~

In a relaxed pace, Rei walked towards one of the many benches. In her hand, she carried a huge bag of cotton candy. Pink and blue were the colors, but in her opinion, the two tasted the same. This was actually her sixth bag of the spun sugar. The whole day, she had been stuffing herself with junk food. She loved the stuff; it was the first time she had such treats. Sugar... she rarely ate it. For a reason she could not remember, the commander didn't want her having too much of it. He even made sure that there were snack vendors that sold only fruit, so she could have something naturally sweet as a snack. However, today was a special occasion, so she decided to partake in the sweeten delicacies she never had. She could eat fruit any day.

She sat down, and watched the medics carry a woman out of roller coaster exit. Rei tore off a large piece of the fluffy sugar and stuffed it into her mouth. She watched with curiosity as the two medic's rolled the woman away, and another set of medics stood vigil for the next person who had a heart attack on the ride. Injuries on this ride was becoming a common occurrence. She stuffed another piece of cotton candy in her mouth and reread the disclaimer posted at the entrance of the ride. She wasn't afraid of being sued. The commander had thought of a very extensive disclaimer of fault.

~~~~

"With all the people having heart attacks..." Shinji watched the woman who was rolled away in a hospital gurney, "you would think that the line would get shorter."

"Tell me about it" Touji laughed not really caring about the injured woman. He was more worried about getting to his seat.

When the two pilots got to their desired seat, a kid was stepping into their roller coaster car.

"Sorry kid, but that's our seat!" Shinji yelled haughtily.

"I was here first!" the kid yelled in a whiny voice.

Shinji cringed when he recognized the boy. It was the same boy he cursed out in the park.

"Well to bad, kid, because we get first dibs on all the rides!" Touji spat out arrogantly as he pointed to his golden wrist band.

The kid looked at the pilots wrist band and then at his own white wrist band.

"So step back..." Suzuhara roughly tapped the boy on the sternum, pushing him back, then whipped his hand back and pointed with his thumb as he continued with his arrogance "And get back in line!"

Unlike Suzuhara, Shinji stopped in his tracks and started searching the lines for the kids really big father. His eyes widened when he saw how his friend bullied the kid, then they tripled their size when a giant emerged from the crowd. Apparently, Touji didn't remember the kid's face.

That was so very unfortunate, because out of no where, the giant grabbed the fourth child by the shirt collar and lifted him off the ground.

"What did you just say to my son?" the man roared.

With his eyes wide with worry, Shinji stood fast and felt sorry for his friend.

"I-I-I said... I said... stand back....?" the fourth child reluctantly admitted as he grabbed at the man's hands and desperately tried to pry them from his shirt, so he could get away.

The man scowled and brought his hand back to pummel the boy.

Shinji eyes widened even more as he stood fast and felt sorry for his friend.

Everyone turned and looked toward the front of the roller coaster when they heard Asuka screaming at the top of her lungs. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!!!"

About the same time, the class rep screamed "SHINJI, HELP HIM!!!" .

The third child shifted his gaze away from both girls, and looked back to his friend and the REALLY HUGE man. For about a millisecond, he thought about her request then came up with a decision. He shook his head no like a coward.

Asuka was pissed. "I can't believe you, Shinji no BAKA!"

Touji narrowed his eyes at his *friend* but couldn't really blame him. He would have done the same thing. This guy was HUGE.

The man was about to knock the hell out the fourth child when Touji started screaming.

"Wait wait wait!!!" The fourth child put his hands and arms up to protect if face, and lied out his @$$. "I was just telling him to stand back while.... I cleaned off the seat for him!!!"

The man narrowed his eyes for he knew the pilot was lying, but pulled back his fist anyway, and roughly threw the pilot to the ground.

"Owwww" Touji rubbed his now sore rear.

Shinji and Hikari took a relieved breath.

Asuka fumed and turned around. She was disgusted by both of their cowardliness.

"Well.." the man growled and gestured to the car. "What are you waiting for?"

Suzuhara scrambled to his feet and looked at Shinji for help. The third child was about to refuse, but changed his mind when he man glared at him.

The second child turned in her seat to see if the two actually did go and clean the seats. "ARGH!! GAWD YOU GUYS ARE SUCH COWARDS!!" She plopped back in her seat, embarrassed that she even knew the two of them. She also wondered what she ever saw in Shinji in the first place. He was still as wimpy as he was when he was fourteen.

Shinji narrowed his eyes at his friend as he used the bottom of his shirt to wipe off the seat. Touji just held his head low in embarrassment as he did the same with his shirt. When they were finished and walked toward the exit, to leave, they turned to see why Kensuke didn't even try to help them.

The boy hacker was so busy kissing his girlfriend that a N2 bomb could have exploded right beside them and he wouldn't noticed.

"They need to get a room" Touji growled under his breath

Shinji nodded and looked away from them. He saw his wife give him quizzical expression. He could tell that she was not expecting him to be off the ride so soon. Before he was completely off the exit ramp, he heard Asuka call him a coward and a couple of other degrading names.

~~~~~

Rei walked to her husband, who's head was held dejectedly low. "What happened, koi?"

He was embarrassed to admit what happened. He was worried that she would think he was a coward like Asuka did.

Touji answered in grumble "Nothing"

Rei looked from the fourth child back to her husband. "Then why aren't you riding?"

The way his wife was looking at him, he felt like she could see his soul, and Shinji admitted "Some guy got upset and took our seats."

She narrowed her eyes angrily, then her eyes shifted to a look of worry and she asked "Are you ok? Did he harm you?"

The third child caressed her cheek and shook his head. "No.. but he would of."

"Then you did the right thing by walking away." she assured sweetly.

Shinji gave his wife a warm smile. She was so understanding. He looooooved that about her. He loved her because she loved *him*, the hole package; the coward and the hero. She loved them both equally. She accepted him *and* all his faults. The pilot wrapped his arms around her slender waist and gave her a peck on the lips. "Have I told you today how lucky I am that you allowed me to be your husband?"

Her eyes made a rainbow shape as she smiled and shook her head no.

He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered lovingly "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

She blushed. "You embarrass me, koi."

"It's true" he assured right before he captured her mouth with his. Before he completely pulled back, he gently sucked on her lips. "Yummm."

She giggled and pulled back.

Touji rolled his eyes and looked away from his fellow pilots. He didn't know who was worse, Shinji and Rei or Kensuke and Kimiko. However, inwardly he was wishing that < my Hikari-chan were here with me instead of with... Asuka > so he could act the same way with her.

When Suzuhara looked back at his friends, Shinji was sitting on the bench with Rei on his lap. He had just tore off a piece of her cotton candy and was feeding it to her. As Shinji fed her, he made sure to get it all over her lips, so he could lick off the excess. Touji could tell by the way they looked into each others eyes, as Shinji licked her pink delicate lips, that they wanted to be some place else. Preferably their apartment with their assortment of *toys*.

Again Touji turned away from them, and gagged. They were definitely worse than Kensuke and Kimiko.

Shinji and Rei had been acting like that all day. After each ride, they would act like the rest of the world didn't exist and make out or act all cutesy around each other . Their affections towards each other were always so sickeningly sweet with their kioshii this, and koibito that. It was starting to make the fourth child look bad in the eyes of his own beloved Hikari-chan! She *actually* asked him why *he* wasn't as kawaii as Shinji!! But what was even more sickening was *Kensuke*. It was like he saw Shinji's and Rei's relationship as his role model, and now he and Kimiko were acting just as lovey dovey as the newlyweds!

Suzuhara glanced back at his friends and saw Shinji slowly caress Rei's outer thigh, inching his way under the leg openings of her shorts. Rei was making no action to stop him. Actually, she encouraged him by slightly raising her leg, so he could have better access to his goal. She giggled with seductive innocence as she tilted her head back, and allowed him to kiss on her neck. The fourth child sighed, and looked away as he once again wished that Hikari was with him. <damn you Asuka! damn you to hell!>

If the roller coaster ride was any longer, the first and third child would have left and went home. But since the ride was not even two minutes, and the rest of their friends, plus Asuka, came out, they decided to stay. Reluctantly decided to stay.

The second child stomped off the exit ramp, and pointed to the large man behind her. "Baka Shinji, I can't believe you allowed that man to make a punk out of you!"

Shinji cringed. Rei's understanding statements made him forget that in everyone else's eyes, he was a coward.

Rei narrowed her eyes angrily at the man. <Itachi-san> She knew the man, not personally, but his wife worked for NERV, and she was required to know all of NERV's employees as well as the members of their dependence. She made a mental note to make sure that Itachi-san understood that *no one* messed with her husband, the son of commander, and savior of the world. She was also going to make sure he knew that if Shinji told him to jump he better say how high? She was just about to get up and walk over to him and inform him, but was stopped when Shinji unconsciously put a tighter grip on her thigh and said meekly

"It wasn't worth fighting over."

Rei looked over at her husband and decided that she would not inform Itachi-san today; her lesson can be taught later. <I promised Shinji no confrontations today>

Asuka spat out with bitter disgust. "Why can't you ever fight back?"

Kensuke shot in defensively. "He does!"

Asuka pressed her lips skeptically. "When?" She placed her hands on her hips. "When does Loser-boy ever take up for himself?"

"When it matters." Rei said knowing, defending her husband.

The second child's gaze whipped to the first. "Who asked you Wonder girl?!"

"Don't talk to her like that, Asuka!" Shinji growled accompanied with the infamous Ikari frown.

Rei made a gentle gesture with her hand, toward her husband. "Happy now, Souyru. He's fighting back."

On the contrary, Asuka's anger soared through the roof. "So the *wimp* only has a backbone when his doll is involved!"

"Asuka, chill!" Kensuke yelled. "For gawd sake, it's Shinji's birthday!"

The pilot of unit 02 was about to tell Aida off, but her words died in her mouth when she noticed everyone staring angrily at her. Her response was an innocent "What?"

"What?!!" Kensuke couldn't believe she had to ask.

Kimiko could hear the rage in her boyfriend's voice, and tried to calm him down with a comforting touch on his shoulder.

"Yeah what?!" Asuka spat out with angry disgust. "Why the hell are all of you looking at me like that?"

Kimiko sighed when she felt her Ken-chan flinch with anger.

"Because you've been acting like a pain in the @$$ all f*cking day!!" Aida growled before anyone else could answer.

The second child shifted her gaze to everyone else, hoping that someone would refute his statement. No one did. Not even Hikari.

Like always, Kensuke continued. "Why did you even come today, if you were just going to act like a spoiled b*tch?"

"I'm acting no different than I usually...."

"Exactly." Touji interrupted, then immediately regretted it when Hikari hit his arm.

For a brief second, hurt and betrayal graced the second child's face. She couldn't believe that was what they thought of her? Did they not really like her? <of course they liked her!!> She glared at Rei. <it's all your fault you f*cking doll!!.. you turned them against me!> The looked at Shinji and hoped her next comment would make him regret not taking up for her. "If that's how you feel.. then maybe I'll just leave!"

"Please do." The third child spat out in pure anger. He agreed with Aida, she had been ruining his birthday all day.

Rei twisted in his lap and looked at her husband in shock. She was surprised he said that.

So was Asuka. She was *not* expecting for him to say that. Shinji's words hit her like a bullet through the heart. <why.. how could you say that..?> She held back her tears, gave him one of her most vicious death glares, and lied. "Well.. I didn't want to hang around you losers anyway!" She spun on her heals and ran toward the fairs exit.

Hikari watched her take off and started to chase her , only to be stopped when Touji grabbed her wrist.

"No, let her go!"

The class rep turned around and gave her boyfriend a pleading look, then returned her gaze toward Asuka's fleeting form. "Please Touji-chan .. let me go. I want to make sure she doesn't do any thing stupid!" She turned and gave her boyfriend another pleading look. She wasn't worried that the second child might harm herself, she was worried what Asuka might do to harm Rei. More than once today, the pilot gave hints that a plan to kill Ayanami was already in the works. Hikari wanted to find out exactly what that plan was, so she could keep it from happening.

Suzuhara was about to say no, but changed his mind because his beloved looked so worried. He pulled her close to him, gave her a gentle kiss on the lips, and reluctantly let her go. "Just be careful."

She nodded and whispered a melancholic "Thank you" right before she sprinted off to catch up with her best friend.

An uncomfortable silence ensued for about three minutes before Rei sighed out.

"I would really like some more cotton candy."

Her unexpected comment and her sweet voice forced everyone back into a good mood. It surprised them. She actually spoke loud enough for everyone to hear her clearly, and because her comment wasn't directed to Shinji. Which was unusual. When Rei spoke, she spoke to Shinji and the rest of the crew had to strain their ears to listen.

With gentle lovingness Shinji cooed "I'll get you some, kioshii."

"Thank you, koibito" She quickly got off of his lap and grabbed his hand, so he could hurry up. She really wanted some more cotton candy.

Touji looked around after the first and third child left and asked Kensuke "Let's play some of the games"

~~~

Shinji walked with Rei to get her another bag of cotton candy.

"Kioshii"

She smiled happily. "Hmmm?"

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat?"

"I'll eat cotton candy" she answered in a tone as sweet as honey.

"No. I mean food" He pointed to the veggie food stand. "Do you want me to get you some real food?"

She frowned slightly, at the thought of eating anything other than candy, and shook her head no. "I want sugar."

The pilot laughed. She sounded so adamant. He thought it was so cute. It almost sounded like she was addicted to it, or something. <addicted to sugar!!> He laughed at the thought.

When they got to the candy vender, Rei picked up a big striped plastic tube and asked. "What are these?"

"Pixy Stix's" the man replied.

She looked at the tube again, then back at the man. "I do not understand."

"It's flavored sugar." the man elaborated.

Her eyes widened happily. "Oh" then she looked back at all the tubes. There must have been at least twenty of them. Some with blue stripes, orange, green, red, purple and yellow; each coordinating the flavor. "I'll take them all."

The man clapped his hands together and rubbed them happily. Those sugar sticks were very expensive.

Shinji was dumbfounded. Each stick had to be at least a yard long and completely filled with sugar. "Rei-chan, you can't be serious."

"Koi,..." She gathered all of them in her arms and narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I'm as serious as death." Once she had all of them in her possession she walked away. Shinji shook his head in disbelief and followed closely.

"Hey Miss!" the man called out. "You forgot to pay for those!"

Rei ignored the man, and but remembered "Don't forget my cotton candy, Koibito."

Shinji stopped in his tracks. He couldn't believe she *still* wanted more cotton candy, but he turned around to retrieve her pleasure.

"Are you going to pay for the little Miss?"

Shinji shook his head no as he looked at the man, and said proudly. "It's Mrs... Mrs. Ikari..." He picked out a large bag of cotton candy making sure his gold arm band was seen. "And she didn't forget to pay."

The vender's eyes widened fearfully when he heard the name of the girl and then saw the boys golden band. "Oh.. I should have known. I'm sorry."

"No need to be." Shinji assured warmly right before running off to catch up with his wife.

~~~~~~~

Hikari was hot on Asuka's trail, but the girl pilot was fast, real fast, and cut through some trees.

"Dammit!!!"

The class rep didn't want to go into the woods. She knew she wouldn't be able find her in the there; too many places to hide. Hikari also knew it would be a bad idea to go in there; also it wouldn't be safe for her to be alone in woods. She wasn't a trained assassin like the pilots were. She was just a normal girl. A normal girl, with a crazy friend, who was a trained assassin.

In an exasperated breath the class rep screamed "Dammit Asuka, where did you go!"

~~~~~~

The five remaining teens decided to lay off rides until later and until the weather cooled down. Thus ensuring that the other people's dispositions would be more willing to accommodate their VIP status. So instead of riding, they decided to play the game at the many different game booths.

Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke were in engrossed in in their machismo desire to win as many prizes as possible, for their girlfriends. However, Rei and Kimiko were certain that they weren't truly being chivalrous and that they only wanted to out do each other. The prizes were only a way to show off their victory.

Rei sat indian style on a bench and watched her husband shoot water out of a water pistol into a hole, and fill up a water balloon. From what she could see, he was winning and he wasn't even trying.

"RIIIIINNGGG"

"And we have a winner!" yelled the woman vendor, as she pointed to the third child.

"Was there any doubt?" Shinji laughed arrogantly.

"It's not fair!" Kensuke yelled. "You practice shooting all the time!"

"So" Shinji laughed as he picked out a purple hippo. "*You* play war games with Kimiko. What's the difference?"

"There's a big difference!" Touji laughed.

When Shinji lugged the huge prize to his wife, Kensuke challenge Touji. He was certain he could beat the fourth child.

The third child knew his wife was going to give this prize away to the next person who walked past her. That's what she had been doing with all the prizes. She didn't like the cheapy gifts that were the prizes. She didn't like stuff animals, for she saw no purpose in them except to take up space. He didn't mind though. They had established their own set of prizes. A libidinous twinkle shimmered in his dark blue eyes when he thought about some of the things he had already won.

Rei smiled at her husband and held out a Pixy Stix to him with one hand and pointed at a little kid with the other.

Shinji nodded in understanding and gave the hippo to the little girl.

"Thanks mister!" the child squealed and ran off to show her mother.

The pilot then took the sugar tube, tore it open between his teeth, and handed it back to his wife. He understood that she wasn't offering him some of her *sugar* she was having difficulty opening it.

Touji walked to his friends. The game was over, and he had a big pink hippo in his arms. He glanced at the first child and shook his head. "I can't believe she didn't share!" Touji had asked Rei for one of her sugar sticks, but she told him go get his own. He was dumbfounded that she was able to eat all of them without getting sick. He watched Ayanami down the last of the Pixy Stix's and shook his head again.

Rei hummed happily as tilted her head way back and filled her mouth with sugar. She held onto the plastic tube with one hand and tapped on it with the other, to ensure not one sugar grain escaped her mouth. When she had a mouth full of the sweet substance, she leaned her head back and slowly started to swallow. All the while she giggled.

Kimiko who sat beside her giggled too. Rei had been acting really silly for the past half hour. She couldn't understand why Kensuke thought Ayanami was a stoic. In her opinion, Rei was the most laid back person she had ever met.

When the first child swallowed what was in her mouth she sighed happily and blinked really really slowly. Then resumed consuming the rest of the sugar in the tube.

Shinji was entranced as he watched his wife stick her tongue into the tube, then lap her precious tongue around her perfect lips and lick the corners of her mouth. He was a newlywed, who got easily turned on by his beautiful wife, and now he was turned on by her moist, pink tongue; the same tongue that made him see stars when it gave him mind numbing orgasm only a few hours ago. If he wasn't so consumed with lust, he would have noticed the drastic change in her behavior. However, others noticed.

"What's up with Ayanami?" Kensuke asked quizzically.

Suzuhara noticed the difference too and shrugged. "I have no idea. Are you ok, Rei?"

She nodded, threw the empty tube on the ground, and giggled. "I've never felt better in my entire life!"

Ok now *that* got Shinji's attention. Rei didn't laugh for anyone other than him <or my dad> He mentally grumbled, and he was *not* liking that fact that she just giggled when she spoke to Touji. The pilot watched her tear open the cotton candy bag and begin eating it. He walked in front of her, purposely blocking her view of Touji and asked "Are you sure, kioshii?"

She quickly stood up and cooed "Yep!" right before she wrapped her arms around his neck. Shinji was about to comment, but she interrupted him with a kiss and giggled. "Let's go on some rides!"

He arched a brow. She wanted to go on a ride? <something's not right>

"Come on, koibito!!" she sighed and grabbed his hand and ran toward the front of the fair. Fast. Very fast.

Shinji immediately realized that she was using some of her divine powers as she ran. She was running so fast, he could no longer ponder on the reason for the change in her behavior. He also realized that he couldn't slow her pace. She was just too strong as she dragged him. He was literally flying through the air behind her. Then to make matters worse, she stopped on a dime. Literally.

"Looky what I found!!" She bent down, picked it up, and showed it to him. "There must be someone here from North America!" She looked around for someone who looked foreign.

Shinji groaned as he picked himself off the ground and wondered how she even saw it in the plush grass. "Koi.."

She looked at down at him "Hmm?"

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Never felt better, koibito" she replied giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Let's go on the roller coaster!"

His brow furrowed skeptically but answered "Uh.. okay." He used his thumb and pointed over his shoulder behind him. "But it's back that way". <please don't drag me! please don't drag me! please don't drag me!>

She shook her head vigorously. "No the other one! I want to go on the Dragon!"

In a confused manner, Shinji looked away from his wife and thought about the layout of the fair. He knew that he had ridden every ride at least 10 times, and he was certain that there wasn't another roller coaster called the Dragon.

Rei sighed, grabbed his hand, and led him to the ride.

"Oh the Draaaagon" Shinji laughed. In his opinion this 'roller coaster' should have been called the lizard, not the dragon. It was a baby ride! He had seen speed bumps with steeper slopes than the ones on this ride.

"Come on!" Rei squealed excitedly and ran up the exit ramp. "I want to be in the front!"

Shinji followed closely and laughed. However, his laughter ceased when Rei patted the seat next to hers. The third child stared at the seat and the really tiny roller coaster car. He knew without-a-doubt that he was too big to fit in there. Even though he was Japanese, he was like his dad. He was tall. Rei on the other hand, was petite. She was almost the same exact height she was at fourteen. She fit right into that car with no problem.

She looked up quizzically at him. "What's wrong, koi?"

"I won't be able to fit in there, kioshii?" He gestured to the car. "I'll just stay out here and watch you ride ok?"

She poke out her bottom and pouted cutely.

A dagger in the heart, Shinji quickly stepped in the car. When he tried to sit down, he realized that it was an impossible feat. His legs were too long. He looked over at his wife to inform her once again that he would not fit, but the words died in his mouth when a she gave him another puppy dog face. It was like another dagger in the heart. He took a deep breath, sat down and accomplished the impossible. He drew his knees to his chest and squeezed himself into the car. He took another deep breath as he tried to ignore the surge of pain in his shins. The front of the dragon car was cutting into his legs.

<oww>

Then, to make a bad situation worse.

The ride operator informed "You have to put down the safety bar, sir"

Shinji looked up at the man, and gave him a facial expression that screamed ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! DO YOU SEE ANY POSSIBLE WAY TO PUT THAT BAR DOWN WITHOUT INFLICTING PAIN ON ME!!!

~nope~

Rei giggled excitedly, and complied with the man's command by slamming the bar down with a divine touch.

Shinji suppressed a scream when his knees got trapped in between the bar and the front of the cart.

"This is going to be sooo fun!" Rei giggled, completely oblivious to her true love's plight.

The third child forced a smile at his extremely cheerful wife, then groaned in pain when the ride jerked to a start.

Rei raised her arms over her head and yelled "WHOOOOAAAAA!!"

~~~~

Hikari had been searching the park a little over 30 minutes for Asuka, before she made a wild guess to go the Shinji and Rei's apartment. She had a bad feeling that the second child would be there. She just hoped the girl didn't trash the place.

The class rep had just made it to the fourth floor. She was tired; she bent at the waist and rested her hands on her knees as she tried to take a deep breath to soothe her burning lungs. She ran the whole way. Absently, she glanced down the hall; her insides turned to ice when she saw the Ikari's apartment door open. Hikari raked her hand through her hair, and walked quietly to the door; she noticed the lock was completely busted. She took a deep breath, poked her head in, and peered inside. She couldn't see Asuka from where she was hiding, but she could hear her. She was crying. Slowly the class rep walked in. <not too fast girl... you know how violent she gets when she's startled.>

"Asuka..?" Hikari found the pilot laying on her stomach on Shinji's new bed.

Immediately the pilot stiffened, wiped her tears away and growled "What he hell do *you* want!"

Hikari bit her lip, and thought about how to answer correctly. She smirked when her answer came to her. "I was looking for you... because I didn't want to hang out with those losers either."

The red haired girl sat up, wiped away the last few stray tears, and turned to face her friend. "They can be so annoying!"

The rep smiled warmly. "Tell me about it." Slowly, very slowly, she walked toward her friend and sat at the corner of the platform bed.

"I mean... I *had* to leave. I couldn't bare to look at the doll and loser boy any longer." She sniffed. "I thought I was going to vomit, the way they were all over each other!"

"Perverts" Hikari agreed. <sorry you guys>

"I know!" Asuka agreed with a new zest. "Wonder girl is such a slut! She doesn't even care that they were in public!"

"I know" Hikari agreed <I am soooo sorry, Rei>

"That must be what the dork sees in her!"

Hikari just listened. She knew that Shinji loved Rei more than life itself. She also knew that to agree with that statement would give the second child false hope and a bad idea.

Asuka continued. "I mean, what else could he see in her? She's a total freak!" She gestured to her own hair and eyes. "Talk about ugly!"

Hikari reluctantly nodded. She hated this part of cheering up her best friend, especially now that she was friends with Rei.

Asuka continued. "The only reason she likes Shinji, is because she wants the commander. Shinji is the just next best thing..."

"I don't know about that, Asuka" Hikari interrupted, turning her nose up at that thought. "That's pretty nasty!"

"She's nasty!" The second child spat out. "You saw how she was all over Shinji today!"

<more like he was all over her> "Yeah, but the commander? Yuck!"

Asuka snorted and crossed her arms, then said "The only reason she can stand the little piss-ant is because she's an emotionless doll!"

The rep smiled. That was the opening she had been waiting for for months now. "Are you telling me that *you* can't stand Shinji?"

Asuka gave her dumbfounded expression. "Are you kidding me! He's the most annoying Baka I've ever met in my life! You have no idea all the little irritating things he does!"

Hikari gave a knowing smile and asked "Like what?"

"Like what?!!!" She raked her hand through her hair. "Well for one he's a coward! He still says gomen all the time, he's an obsessive compulsive when it comes to cleaning and keeping things in their proper order...." She made wild hand gestures. "I really don't see how Wonder girl can live with him in such a small apartment!" Asuka got up off the bed and stomped to the kitchen.

Hikari followed.

The second child opened the pantry cabinet. "Just look at this!" She pointed. "It's alphabetized, arranged by height AND weight as well as labeled with the date it was bought!"

"That's..." The class rep blinked hard and shook her head. "...Crazy"

"Tell me about it! But you haven't seen nuttin yet!" Asuka agreed then stomped out of the kitchen, over the furniture, went into their bathroom, and opened the dirty clothes hamper.

Hikari followed but kicked off her shoes before she crawled over the furniture.

Asuka growled in a disgusted tone and pointed. "Just look in here!"

Hikari looked inside the hamper and was surprised to see a folded set of bed sheets, and many sets of folded clothes. She blinked hard.

Asuka smirked at her friends reaction. "That's right. The little weirdo folds his *dirty* clothes!" She slammed the top down "And they say *I'm* crazy!"

Hikari chose not to comment on the girl's last comment, instead she asked. "If he does so many things that piss you off, what do you like about, Shinji?"

That question took the pilot by surprise. "What do you mean what do I like about Shinji? I like everything about him!" She snorted indignantly and tried to brush past her friend to get out of the bathroom.

Hikari blocked her way. "Name ten things." the rep commanded seriously.

"What?" She was shocked then spat out angrily. "Why should I?!"

"Because I don't think you can!" the rep shot back knowingly.

"Of course I can!"

"Ok then" The rep leaned against the right side of the door and put her foot against the left side. "If you can name ten things that makes you attracted to Shinji, I'll let you out of here."

"I don't need you to *let* me out of anywhere." Asuka got into her face "I'll just make you--"

Hikari interrupted. "I think you're just afraid because you know you can't."

The pilot backed off and spat out "I like his smile!"

Hikari held up one finger. "Next."

Asuka continued. "I like his.... laugh."

Hikari pressed her lips together skeptically. "Since when?"

"Since .." Asuka looked confused. "Umm.. always?"

The class rep tilted her head to the side and asked knowingly "I thought you said it sounded like a pig with hiccups?"

"Ohhh yeah" Asuka laughed at the memory of her insult. "I did say that!"

"Try again. What's the second thing that makes you attracted to Shinji." Hikari commanded warmly. She knew that they would be in this bathroom for a while.

~~~~~

Rei was having a ball on the rides, the kiddie rides. Shinji... well he wasn't haven't as much fun as she was. To him, they were extremely boring an *long*. He had come to the conclusion that kiddie rides were twice, if not three times as long as adult rides.

His friends had arrived soon after they started riding the Dragon, but had long since gone back to the land of adults. They would have rode some of the rides with them, but Touji was taller than Shinji and Kimiko was taller than both of them. So they all decided to meet at the Gravitron at 6 pm.

"Koibito!"

Shinji looked at his wife and smiled warmly. She was acting in public, how she only acted around him when they are alone, but with *a lot* more energy. She was hyper. Very hyper. "Yes, Kioshii?"

She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Can we go on the Merry-go-Round again?"

<Nooooo!> They had already rode that ride 5 times already, and in his opinion, that was the most boring ride in the world! Especially since Rei only liked riding in the carriage. Unlike the horses, the thing didn't even move!! She could be sitting on a bench out here, and she wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It would feel exactly the same!

"Por favor mi amor?" She blinked and pouted cutely.

He loved when she spoke different languages. It turned him on, and she knew it. Asuka used her trilingual ability often, but German and English, in his opinion were harsh on the ears. Rei used the languages of love, Spanish, Italian, and Latin.

"Of course, kioshii." He was a sucker for her.

She smiled triumphantly and asked "Will you carry me?" She blinked her crimson eyes innocently.

He smile warmly and nodded. Not even a second later she jumped on his back.

As he piggybacked her to the dreaded Merry-go-Round, he couldn't help but feel happy. He wasn't sure why Rei was being so expressive today, actually he didn't care. He was loving it. Now his friends believed him when he said that Rei was really fun person, and seeing his wife so happy was more than worth the tortures of the kiddie rides.

Rei turned her gaze away from the ride and toward the left. A big smile graced her lips. "Koibito"

"hmmm?" Shinji answered happily.

"Can I get some cotton candy first?" She pointed to the vendor.

Shinji laughed. "Anything for you, kioshii." He thought her love for the spun sugar was so cute.

~~~~~~~

"You've already said that one, Asuka!" Hikari sighed in a tired fashion. They had been at this for over a half an hour. "Come on, you have five left."

"Oh.... oh yeah" Asuka sat down on the toilet and raked her hands through her hair "He's brave."

"Since when?" Hikari yelled, disgusted with her friend's delusions about the third child.

Asuka looked confused and was about to answer but was interrupted.

"You and I both know that the last thing in the world Shinji wants to be in is a confrontation!" The rep put her hand up in a stop position when the second child tried to cut in. "An Eva pilot he may be, but we both in know that they only time he stands up for himself or fights back is when he's been pushed into a corner, and the only way he'll survive is if he goes through whatever it is that's scaring the hell out him! He's only brave as a last resort!"

Asuka yelled with bitter resentment "He stands up for that f*cking doll!!"

"That's because he loves her" Hikari slapped her hands over her mouth after she said those words.

The second child dangerously narrowed her eyes and screamed "Why cant he love me?!!"

"He does."

She shook her head. "I bet he'd die for her, if he thought it would save her life! He never would do that for me!"

"Excuse me," the rep shot in, "but didn't he jump in a volcano to save your @$$!"

Asuka smiled at the memory then shook it off. "Yeah, but that doesn't count. He didn't even really know me then!"

"He knew you well enough to risk his life to save you!" Hikari took a deep breath and said "Asuka please listen to me, and try not to take this the wrong way.... Shinji does love you; he told me so... but not in the way you *think* you want." She put her hand up when her friend tried to interrupt. "He told me that he loves you as a friend, and a sister..." <step sister>

Despite herself, that bit of info pleased the second child. "When did he tell you this?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. A while back."

She forced herself not to smile. "A sister?" She felt good that he still cared for her, and even more so because he thought of her as family.

"If you think about it... that's how you guys act." Hikari nodded at her statement. "I mean, you treat Shinji like Touji treats *his* little sister. You know, like the annoying nuisance that you wish would go away, but you really don't want to go away. And the rivalry you have with him, reminds me of the sibling rivalry me and my sisters have. Face it Asuka, the way you guys fought, <you fought> mirrored a sibling's relationship not a boyfriend/girlfriend."

The second child wanted to dismiss the girls words, but she knew it rang true. She had felt that way many times during her relationship, but didn't want to admit it to herself. Especially when she would catch him staring longingly at Rei. When she caught him doing that she would brush her platonic feeling for him aside. She didn't want the doll to have him. She wanted to "Keep him."

"What?"

Asuka looked at her friend as if she were in a daze, but answered anyway "I wanted to keep him."

Hikari nodded and finally put her foot down.

"He's not even what I *want* in a man..." she finally admitted. "I was.... trying to make him into what I wanted....... because I didn't want Wonder girl to have him."

The class rep nodded. <damn I'm good, I should be a therapist>

Asuka blinked and instantly collected herself. She felt like a giant weight had been lifted off her heart. Then she remembered what she did. <sh*t!!!> She got up, and walked out of the bathroom.

"Where are you going Asuka?"

The pilot didn't turn around as she walked over the furniture. "I... did something."

Hikari's blood turned to ice.

The second child was about to confess her crime when she saw it.

"I HATE HIM!!!"

"What... what's wrong, Asuka?'

The second child ran over to the bed and picked up the silver brush. She could see a few blue strands of hairs mixed in the bristles. "How could he use this on her!" She knew who's it was. She had snuck into Shinji's box a couple of years ago. She knew how precious this one particular item was to him. He told her about brushing his mom's hair, but he never showed her the brush. She hated the fact that not only did he show it to the *doll* he actually used it on her hair. "I hate you, Shinji Ikari!!" She raised the brush above her head and was about the throw it against the wall when she saw IT!!!

Hikari wondered why her friend turned paler than Ayanami, so she followed her gaze. Her jaw hit the ground when she saw the matted wedding certificate. "Oh_MY_ GAWD!!! They got married!!"

Asuka spun on her heals, glared at her friend and yelled "Oh, like you didn't know!!!"

In complete shock the class rep shook her head no "I didn't. I swear!" <Touji-chan how could you keep this a secret from me!!>

Asuka looked down at the brush then back at the certificate. Everything in her told her to throw it and break the glass that protected that accursed piece of paper. She knew by doing that it would damage the brush as well as the certificate. This way, she could hurt both Shinji and Rei. She smirked at the thought. Then her other half told her not do it. It made no sense to get so upset over a boy who in her opinion, did not exhibit the qualities she wanted in a man. After a minute of deliberation, she decided.... to throw the brush, on the bed. She shrugged her shoulder and mumbled "What's the point."

Hikari smiled.

Asuka tuned to her friend and asked "How sad do you think Shinji would be if something happened to Rei?.. Do you think he would get over her.. if she happened to... I dunno... die?"

"Are we back on this again!!" The girl frowned. "No! I don't think he would ever get over it! EVER!! He would probably kill himself if Rei ever died!"

The pilot nodded knowingly and looked at her friend. "You know I really hate, Rei..."

That was the first time the class rep ever heard Asuka say Rei's name. She nodded even though she was still frowning. "I know, but I swear Asuka if you--"

She gave her best friend a repentant look of sorrow and interrupted. "I don't want her dead, you know..." She shook her head slowly and whispered solemnly "Not anymore..."

The rep paled. <I'm too late!!>

The second child picked up Shinji's phone off the dresser and dialed a number. She looked at the class rep and said to her friend "I just made a mistake..... I was.. confused...."

Hikari felt sick. <Oh gawd... I really am too late to save Rei!!>

Asuka began speaking to the person on the phone. "Misato... (listen) ...I did something bad."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I still don't own anything that deals with Evangelion.

Sorry it took me so long to get this out. *sigh* ^_~ Its just that Asuka is sooooo hard for me to write. I've read that people have a hard time writing Rei.. well for me it's just the opposite. Asuka is the thorn in my side that holds up my fics . She gets on my last nerve... And she's just so gosh darn mean! To help me out I even read a S/A fic. =@_0= (eww) Trust me my stomach is still trying to recover. =_=

Love ya lots I really really do

Kimberly