Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction / Those Who Hunt Elves Fan Fiction ❯ Those Who Hunt...Eva? ❯ Chapter 18

Part 18: Tripping

Over the next week and a half, things between the pilots, Hikari and Rit-chan and everyone else at school returned to normal, with Touji and Kensuke hanging out with Shinji when possible, and the girls flocking around Asuka, Hikari and Rit-chan. Rei was still a loner with the exception of interacting with Shinji. She ate lunch with him and his group, which often as not included Asuka, which by default meant that Hikari and Rit-chan were there too, and usually a couple of other girls passed through, though the boys were hesitant to come near the group; for some reason, Asuka nut-capping the hapless boy in the challenge had had a significant impact on the number of boys who would dare to speak to her. Oddly enough, sales of pictures of the girls were turning into a full-time hobby for Kensuke, making him less and less able to spend time concocting schemes to pitch to Shinji about blowing the Second up. And even with the stiff percentage he had to kick back to the top five `models' for their `fee' - Kensuke had long ago come to note it as `protection funds' in his accounting - he was becoming a somewhat wealthy boy.

"Hey, Touji, Shinji!" called the four-eyed stooge to his friends as they finished up class for the day. His tone was very excited. Shinji sighed and glanced at Touji. The jock had a sour expression on his face as well. An excited Kensuke was a Kensuke who had been doing something he shouldn't have been doing.

"No, I won't do it." Said Shinji, sure the boy was going to ask him to sell him Misato's panties, steal an N2 mine for him or tell him what Rit-chan's favorite color was. Having made the mistake of once telling the two boys of Misato's partiality to the colors black and red, they had immediately bought a lace and satin teddy with matching silk stockings (an idea that gave him chills to this day) and presented them to Misato one morning when they were meeting him at his place to walk to school together. Misato had had a field day with that one, teasing and hinting and mocking him for the next week. The worst thing was Misato's evil delight in modeling the flimsy outfit for him. Thank god Asuka wasn't there for that little fiasco. Thought the pilot.

"And neither will I, freak-boy." Seconded Touji as Shinji reflected on his past errors.

"What are you two talking about?" asked a confused Aida.

"Whatever sick, twisted, kinky or crazy scheme you cooked up in your filthy little mind, you can just forget about it; we're not gonna do it." Clarified Touji. Although, his idea about replacing the mirror in the girl's bathroom with one-way glass wasn't that bad of a plan. It might have worked, if it wasn't for that concrete wall and the fact that there's a teacher's meeting room on the other side of the wall from the mirror. Reflected Touji.

"But it's not…" began Kensuke.

"Tell it to someone who cares, Kensuke." Said Touji, heading for the door. Shinji saw a flash of red in the hall and knew that either Rit-chan or Asuka was out there, waiting. Probably both. And if they were there, then Rei should be as well. As he thought that, the First Child stepped through the doorway, easily slipping past Touji, who instinctively shrank back from her. While she accepted that Shinji was friends with them, she had no warmth for them, and they knew it. She also had no interest in them, considering them to be merely inconvenient obstacles in her quest to be with Shinji as much as she could. Having moved past both of them without even looking at them, the blue-haired Goddess of Ice stopped in front of Shinji, her red eyes fixed on his face.

"Shinji." She said simply in a voice much softer than normal, which meant that Touji, a short distance away didn't even hear her. Shinji felt himself smile a bit at her, an act for which he was rewarded with a return smile. Kensuke interrupted the moment of comfortable warmth.

"It's not a scheme or anything!" he insisted loudly. "It's about the school trip!"

"What about the school trip!?" came an aggressive voice from the door. Asuka had made her entrance. Shinji shifted his gaze from Rei's beautiful face to see Asuka in the doorway, her arms gripping the frame as if she were about to tear it down. Behind her, Rit-chan peered over the younger girl's head, and Hikari could be seen over her opposite shoulder. "What did you find out, Stooge?" ordered Asuka, moving into the room, the other two behind her. Kensuke smirked at her.

"Oh, not much." He said with achingly false modesty. "Only where we're going." He buffed his nails on his shirt. Pity the gloating was cut short by Asuka's fist grabbing his shirt and jerking him face to face with the Goddess of Fire.

"And how did you get this information, Stooge? The school hasn't released any final plans yet, and the trip's supposed to be in less than two weeks." She said, her tone level and clipped, but promising violence.

"She's right, you know." Chimed in Hikari. "What did you do, hack into the school's administration file?"

"Not exactly. They've gone to a stand-alone system since the last time I did that. No access without physically being in the Principal's office." Said Kensuke, trying unsuccessfully to loosen Asuka's grip on his shirt. Asuka growled and shook him a bit.

"So how did you find out where we're going, stupid?" she demanded nastily.

"It…it's a trick of the trade. Only someone with my experience could find out something so secret with only a computer." He hedged. Asuka tightened her grip.

"He most likely hacked into the databases of the travel services and scanned for mention of this school or for large groups of people going to single destinations." Interjected Rit-chan. Kensuke gasped.

"But…how did you know?" he asked, crushed that his `secret' was about as hard to determine as rather or not it was raining.

"It is the most logical process, given the resources." Agreed Rei calmly.

"Yeah, real good secret, dude." Snorted Touji.

"Where are we going, Stooge?" Asuka repeated her initial question.

"How much is it worth to you, Sohryu?" asked Kensuke, trying to smile cockily.

"How about your continued ability to eat solid foods and walk on your own two legs?" counter-offered Asuka with a demonic smile. Kensuke gave her a weak smile.

"D…Deal, Red. We're going to Okinawa."

"WHAT?!?" gasped Hikari, "Are you serious, Aida?"

"They already bought the tickets and made the arrangements." Confirmed Aida. "We're booked on a flight - in business class no less - to Okinawa, and we're registered to be staying at a resort inn the whole week we're there!" he elaborated excitedly.

"I always wanted to go to Okinawa." Said Hikari, her tone a bit dreamy.

"Sun, sand and surf. This sounds good to me!" agreed Rit-chan happily. Rei was silent; who cared if they went to Okinawa or hell, as long as she was with Shinji? Shinji was quiet as well.

"Hi-chan, you know what this news means, right?" asked Asuka, dropping Kensuke and turning her attention to her friend.

"Yeah!" squealed Hikari. "New swim suits!" they said together. Both talking about the suddenly urgent shopping they had to do, they headed for the door, pulling Rit-chan with them, Shinji and Rei following behind them. Touji and Kensuke were delayed for a moment as Kensuke straightened his shirt and collected his things.

"Hey, Touji." Said the young man, finished with his collecting.

"Yeah, what now?" asked the jock.

"How much do you think a picture of Asuka in a bikini would bring in open bidding?" he asked innocently. In fact, the boy had already estimated the take. Touji thought about it for bit, then began to smile like a lunatic. "And let's not forget Hikari, Rit-chan and Rei in bikinis; maybe less if we get lucky." He added. The two boys headed out, both giggling like mad.

The next morning, Asuka was up early, bathed and humming a happy tune as she stood in front of her wardrobe, considering her choices. Stifling a yawn, Rit-chan sat up in bed and stretched. "I gather that you convinced this Kaji guy to go with you?" suggested the older teen, slipping out of bed and yawning again.

"Lucky me!" agreed Asuka. "But I have to find the perfect outfit. What do you think, Rit-chan, the blue jeans and tee-shirt look or the skirt and blouse? I was thinking that I look younger in the jeans, but more sophisticated in the skirt. Which do you think Kaji would like?" asked Asuka.

Rit-chan blinked. "You need to look younger? Isn't Kaji twice you age already, jail bait?"

Asuka sniffed dismissively. "I'm not jail bait, thank you very much, miss Inoue. I turned legal months ago."

"I still say that this guy'd have to have a Lolita complex to see you that way." Muttered Rit-chan, watching as the towel-clad Asuka held up different outfits for her consideration.

"And what do you say about Misato's unnatural crush on Shin-chan?" retorted Asuka, tossing the jeans and tee-shirt to the foot of the bed and selecting a dress with conservative fashion, but showing a lot of leg and chest.

"I say she cares for him far more than she lets on, and the way she acts is her means of expressing that love. That's a bit much." Replied Rit-chan.

"Yeah, probably. It's not a surprise that she has a thing for Shinji. He's so…Shinji." Agreed Asuka, setting the dress aside and frowning at her closet. Eventually, she reached for the tried and true choice.

"Going with the sure bet, I see. She loves you too, you know." Said Rit-chan as Asuka set her yellow sundress on the back of her desk chair. Slipping her towel off, the German girl rummaged in her underwear drawer for a moment, before pulling out a pair of lace and cotton thong panties from the back. The pair of panties was a gray color with medium blue trim in the front. Asuka stepped into the panties and slid them up her legs as she answered.

"Yeah, right. Misato only cares about her precious Shinji the Hero. Have you heard the way she talks to me? It's insulting! Think this will get his attention?"

"You were planning to flash him? She treats you like she treats Shinji." Answered Rit-chan, critically examining Asuka's assembling outfit as the younger girl adjusted the panties for maximum comfort.

"If he should happen to see them, I won't mind. How do you figure that she treats me the same as him?" Asuka settled the dress over her body, adjusting it to her liking.

"Looks good on you, A-chan. Misato treats you each the way you treat her. It's kind of fair, really."

"Enjoy your bath, Rit-chan. I have to meet Kaji in an hour and half."

"Good luck, Asuka. I'm meeting Hi-chan and Rei-chan in two hours. Shinji has breakfast ready for you from the smell." Rit-chan rose from her seat, tossing her shirt to the floor and wrapping her towel around her chest as she took her basket of bath accessories and headed for the bathroom. Asuka, still humming, waltzed out the door and to the kitchen as Rit-chan closed the bathroom door behind her.

"Good morning, Asuka." Said Shinji as Asuka sat down at the table. Setting a plate in front of her, he began to dish up her breakfast. Sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, hash browns and silver-dollar pancakes made for a true breakfast; at least in Asuka's opinion.

"Good morning, Baka." She said, her tone happy and light. Shinji poured her some milk as she dug in, the jug of orange juice ready if she wanted some of that. "When did you get up?"

"When you were in the shower. I had thought you might not be feeling well, since you didn't wake me earlier." He said, being careful not to allude to her normal wakeup technique. Asuka paused, a forkful of pancake and syrup just below her mouth.

"I was so busy, I forgot." She said, looking him in the eye. Shinji showed no sign of being scared or upset.

"It's OK, Asuka. I'm glad your feeling good. Big plans today?" he asked, sitting across from her and watching her eat her meal.

"Mmm. Yeah, I'm going shopping with Kaji!" she bubbled excitedly. Shinji said nothing, just watching her eat. "What are you planning to do today, Baka? Hang out with the other Stooges? Peek up skirts? Play video games?"

"Well, I don't really have any plans, Asuka. I guess I'll do some cleaning here and then…" began Shinji.

"No, you won't, Third Child. Rit-chan is meeting up with Hikari and Wondergirl to do some shopping. You're going to go with them; to carry bags, of course." Ordered Asuka. Like I'm going to let you sit around here alone with Misato!

"I don't know, Asuka. I wasn't invited, and I don't want to interrupt them." Began Shinji.

"Well, I'm inviting you!" snapped Asuka, trying to dislodge the mental image of Misato molesting Shinji on the couch. "Besides, Hikari wanted to talk to you anyway. So go." Asuka drained the last of her milk, set her empty glass next to her empty plate and stood up. "Breakfast was good." She said, stepping over to Shinji. Leaning over, she locked her lips to his, kissing him thoroughly. "Thanks, Shinji. Gotta run." And she was out the door.

"Hey! Rit-chan! Shinji!" called Hikari, waving her arm as she and Rei stood up from the bench they had been on. "We're over here, guys!" Shinji and Rit-chan moved toward their friends. The class rep and Rei had arrived about ten minutes early and had been chatting while they waited. Some of what Rei had told Hikari had shocked the brown-haired girl. But all of it had only made her curiosity worse. While waiting for Shinji to arrive, she had formulated a plan. Shinji and Rit-chan stopped in front of their friends.

"Good morning, Hi-chan. Rei-chan." Greeted Shinji. "You both look lovely this morning."

"Thank you, Shinji." Said Hikari, blushing a bit. Dressed in shorts and a close fitting top, she wasn't exactly dolled up, but like all women, she enjoyed a sincere compliment. Next to her, Rei was wearing her black sundress. When asked if she was wearing anything under it, she had just given Hikari a small smile and said nothing. Rit-chan was wearing a mid-thigh length skirt and a wrap-top that accentuated her breasts and legs. She carried a small backpack purse, which was for her gun rather than for makeup, cash or her cell phone. Shinji knew that her NERV issued cell phone was clipped to the top ring of the purse - which was currently riding on one of her shoulders - and that her NERV card was tucked into her top.

"Well, let's get going. We have a lot of stuff to do. Where do we start?" asked the elf hunter. Hikari had some suggestions, and the four moved off, Rit-chan and Hikari leading, Rei and Shinji following, Rei's hand in his.

"What about this one?" asked Hikari, holding up a one-piece suit for the consideration of Rei and Rit-chan. The two other girls looked it over, noting the light lime coloring and the high-cut hips and low-cut top. This was the second shop they had been in, and Shinji was already holding two bags for them; previous experience told him that he would be holding more than that before it was said and done.

"The color is agreeable." Noted Rei, not much of a fashion plate; or critic for that matter.

"Yeah, it's got potential. Let's see the back." Said Rit-chan. Hikari turned the swimsuit over so the back could be seen. The cut at the rear of suit was nearly as extreme as the cut on the front, stopping short of a thong, but not by much. The top was a loop type that fastened behind the neck, leaving the entire back bare. "Workable. It'll give you a good back tan." Approved Rit-chan.

"Thanks. Are you going to try that one on?" she asked Rit-chan, seeing the older teen had a blue and black bikini in hand.

"Yeah. It's got the type of top I prefer. How about you, Rei-chan?" asked the elf hunting teen.

"I have already purchased a one-piece suit. Is another necessary?" she asked. Hikari sighed as Rit-chan laughed.

"Yes, Rei. You need at least four bathing suits for a trip to a place like Okinawa." Said the class rep.

"To what ends?" asked Rei. "Swimming does not require multiple suits. Or suits at all." Hikari felt herself blush a bit as Rit-chan snickered.

"True." Confirmed the older teen, taking over the explanation from Hikari. "However, there are more reasons for swimsuits than swimming. For example, the school mandates that the girls take one-piece suits for school activities. However, getting a tan in a one-piece is pretty much a waste of time, as the tan lines ruin the effect. So, most girls take a bikini to tan in, the better to limit their tan lines. And there is the issue of boys."

"Do the males tan in bikinis as well?" asked Rei, her tone a bit skeptical. "It seems unlikely."

"No, Rei-chan." Scolded Hikari gently. "It's not about what they wear; it's about attracting the attention of the boy you like. You know, using your gifts to snag his attention."

"Utilizing an AT field on a male seems a poor way to gain his attention." Mused Rei to herself softly.

"What was that?" asked Hikari, not having heard the pilot.

"I already have the attention of the male I desire." Said Rei, looking at the other two girls. "What is to be gained from impeding his view of my body?"

"Uh, well, it's kind of like…Rit-chan? Help?" said Hikari.

"Well, I'll take a stab at it, Hi-chan. Rei, try to follow me on this one: boys feel good when they are with a pretty girl, and they feel better when the pretty girl they are with is dressed to attract the notice of other boys, who are not with the pretty girl. The boys feel happy to know that the other boys want to be with the girl they are with, but can't be because the girl is with them. Understand?"

"It is an issue of ego?" surmised Rei. "They flaunt their mate to establish their social order?"

"Mostly, yes. Sad, isn't it?" confirmed Rei.

"It is…bizarre. Shinji, do you desire me to dress in revealing clothes to increase your social standing?" Rei wanted to know.

"No! I don't care what the other people think, Rei! I want my loved ones to be happy; that's all that matters to me." He said, his voice low at the end. Rit-chan snorted as Hikari sighed in happiness.

"Admit it, Shin-chan. You like seeing us in skimpy outfits. Or naked. Don't you?" teased Rit-chan.

"It's not like that…!" began the male pilot, but Rit-chan interrupted him.

"It's OK, Shinji. We know you're not a pervert. In fact, you're probably the closest thing to a gentleman I've ever met. Still, you like what you see when you look at us, right?"

"Well, yes." He said softly, flushing a bit. "Who wouldn't? You're all so beautiful, and your figures are excellent."

"So, you like it when we show off our figures?" pressed Rit-chan, remembering a piece of advice from Airi. Now was as good a time as any to start working on it. "I bet I know something about you that you don't know." She challenged.

"I'm sure you do." Agreed Shinji, his tone passive. Sorry, Rit-chan, but I know not to rise to bait.

"You like to see us in skimpy outfits so everyone knows how good we look, right?"

Shinji nodded.

"And you want them to acknowledge that we're hot, right?" Shinji gave her a startled look.

"I…I guess so. They shouldn't treat you like you aren't perfect. Especially if you don't look like a porn actress." He said, blushing as he realized what he had said.

"Seen many porn actresses, Shin-chan?" grinned Rit-chan.

"Not really." Shrugged Shinji. "I don't…watch that kind of movie."

"Not as good as the real thing, eh?" continued Rit-chan. "How many have you seen?"

"Rit-chan!" gasped Hikari, her face flushed with embarrassment - and more than a little excitement.

"I'd rather not say." Declined Shinji. "Would you?"

"Tell you what, Shinji-chan. If you tell us how many you saw, then we'll tell you how many we've seen." Challenged Rit-chan.

"I think I'll pass." Began Shinji, before Rei spoke.

"What is a `porn' movie, Shinji?" Hikari's jaw nearly hit the floor in shock. Rit-chan studied the pilot carefully, thoughtfully. Shinji blushed a bit.

"It's a movie that shows people having sex." Answered Shinji, struggling to keep his voice even. The shop they were in wasn't crowded, but he still felt as if the group was on a stage and everyone was watching. In truth, no one was paying them any mind.

"Are not most movies then `porn'?" asked Rei, after a moment of consideration.

"Not exactly. Pornos just have sex without story lines or plots or anything." Clarified Rit-chan. "They're the main course of boys Shinji's age. It's not that common for women to watch them; unless they are watching them with their boyfriends as a kind of foreplay."

"So that is the reason for the reactions of the clerks." Mused Rei to herself.

"What did you say, Rei-chan?" asked Shinji, but was interrupted by Rit-chan.

"Pay or play time, Shinji. You tell us, we tell you. In or out?"

"I don't know…" he began his retreat.

"Shinji, I wish to know how many porn movies you have seen." Requested Rei.

So much for a tactical retreat. Though the pilot. "Just one. Touji and Kensuke made me watch it." He murmured.

"Figures." Muttered Hikari, frowning.

"Did you enjoy the movie?" asked Rei.

"No, not really. It just didn't feel like the people cared about each other." Answered Shinji honestly.

"I see. It's true though; I've never seen a porn that was anything but sex without love. Kind of sad, really." Said Rit-chan.

"You've seen a porno?" gaped Hikari.

"Several, actually. They can give you some new ideas, but other than that, they're pretty lame." Confirmed Rit-chan casually. "It does get the boys excited though. Probably because they're visually stimulated, instead of emotionally stimulated. Our Shinji here is a fortunate exception to that tendency. How about you, Hi-chan?"

"Do health class films count?" asked Hikari, blushing.

"No. Afraid not, Hi-chan." Decreed Rit-chan. "Rei?"

"I have seen several dozen such films." She stated without embarrassment. "They are in fact good research material." Silence followed that comment. Then, it was broken. "Shinji, can you explain to me why males prefer for females to wear flimsy outfits more than to wear nothing at all?"

"I…I…guess that it's because not everyone should see all of you. Being able to see your loved ones naked should be something for just you and your loved ones. If not, then what is special about it? I mean, if everyone got to see it all, then what's the point of letting your loved ones see it all?"

Rei considered, as Rit-chan and Hikari contemplated his words. "Shinji, I wish for you to select three more swimsuits for me to wear." Said Rei, serious as ever.

"Um, me too!" agreed Hikari.

"Hey, I'm not real good at this fashion stuff, guys." Protested Shinji.

"Then we'll have to help you, Shinji-chan." Decided Rit-chan. "We'll pick out some suits and try them on, and you tell us if you like them or not. And be honest!" she admonished. The next two hours were heaven for Shinji, and hell for his dick as it spent that time trying to break free from his pants.

The school made the announcement the following school day, to the cheers of the students. Aki was particularly happy, as her photo shoot could now be done without missing the school trip; and she wouldn't have to pay for airfare twice. While talking with Rit-chan, Asuka and Hikari at lunch, she expressed her anxiety about her lack of experience. Hearing this, Rit-chan grabbed her cell phone and punched in Airi's number. After a few rings, Airi picked up the call. "Airi, it's me. I need a favor." Said Rit-chan.

"Of course, Rit-chan. What is it?" asked the actress. Five minutes later, Aki was told that she had a trainer scheduled to prepare her for the photo shoot. Jokingly asking if it was Asuka's `Kaji-sama', Rit-chan shook her head and told her it was a close personal friend of hers who had done theater, dance and movies and was an exceptionally knowledgeable trainer. Aki accepted the help, a little confused about the whole thing.

When the last bell rang, the group headed out of the school, Aki tagging along with them. As they reached the front gates, a dark sedan slid up and Airi stepped out, greeting Rit-chan and the pilots warmly. "Would you like a lift home, guys?" she asked, smiling as she motioned to her car.

"Where did you get the ride, Airi?" asked Rit-chan.

"I convinced the motor pool superintendent that I needed the use of a car, as Captain Katsuragi was often busy. He was nice enough to arrange for me to have the use of this car." Answered Airi, smiling that slightly smug smile that told her that Airi had used the `Junpei maneuver' on the hapless sucker.

"And you probably didn't want to ride with her if you could help it, right?" asked Asuka suspiciously.

"There might be some truth to that, Asuka-chan." Acknowledged the actress.

"Yeah, and the sun might rise in the east, too." Chortled Rit-chan. The actress looked over at Aki, who was watching her carefully.

"You must be my client, Aki. Correct?" she said, smiling at the tall girl.

"I guess I am. Can I ask you your name?" replied Aki politely.

"Yes. I'm Airi Komiyama. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Celsia lay on her cot, still naked and chained to the wall by her right ankle, right wrist and neck. Still, over the last couple of weeks, she had put the time to good use in establishing a rough theory about her problems with magic. Now, all she needed was for one of the group to bust her out of this hellhole, or for the guards to get careless. It had been five days since she had been dragged into the lab of the bitch doctor for more tests. It had been three days since her guards had felt her up. Still, she was getting to the point that she could ignore their presence totally. From outside the cell came the sound of movement. Sounds like there are a lot of them this time. Strange. Mused the elf priestess, turning to watch the front of her cell.

Sure enough, twice the number of goons showed up, unlocking her cage and forming a wall in front of the bars of the room. Outside in the hallway, a second group of goons settled into place with shotguns aimed at her. Celsia sniffed disdainfully and rolled over, contemptuously showing them her back. Maybe they'll get tired of this game. She thought, turning her attention inward. Her contemplation was shattered by one of the guards poking her in the ribs with his baton - hard. "On your feet!" he yelled.

Yelping with pain, Celsia jumped to her feet and lunged for the guard, who had immediately jumped back beyond her reach. Jerked to a stop by her chains, Celsia settled for glaring at him hard enough to peel paint and growled out "If you do that again, I'll shove that stick up your ass, human filth." She had growled it in Elvish, so he didn't understand her words, but her tone was clear enough.

"Yeah, same to you, pointy-eared freak." Sneered the guard. Celsia snarled angrily, but didn't bother to lunge at him. Instead, she settled back onto her cot. "Stand up, bitch!" yelled the guard, stepping toward her to poke her again. Celsia remained motionless as he jabbed her in the ribs with the baton again. One more time, sucker. She thought. Seeing no reaction, the guard stepped forward again. Moving with all her speed, Celsia twisted her body and shot out her left leg in a short, powerful kick that connected with the man's nuts. Giving a single strangled squeak, the guard slid to the floor of her cell. Behind the bars, the guards with the shotguns racked the actions, warning her not to press her luck. Celsia settled back onto her cot.

"So, you are the…elf." Came a new voice. It was a cold, arrogant voice, and Celsia took an immediate dislike to it. Turning her head, she studied the man. He was dark-haired and sported a beard, his glasses were small and round lenses, the glare from the lights obscuring his actual eyes. His uniform was dark, and he wore white gloves.

"Who are you, human peasant?" retorted the High Priestess with as much condescendence as possible.

"I am the one who caught you, elf." Replied the man.

"So you have no name, then." Smirked Celsia. "Should I just call you `hey, you'?"

"You will call me Commander Ikari, Celsia Marie Claire." He smirked. Celsia snapped her gaze to his. "Surprised?" he taunted. "I know everything about you, Celsia. Your…friends were most enlightening."

"Were they now?" replied Celsia, wondering to herself if the others had sided with the humans after all. It would be out of character for them to, if this is the human leader. Miss Airi hates this kind of person, and I know that Rit-chan would want to kick him in the nuts if this is the way he talks to people. Still, I better be careful. "So, impress me, boy. You've been positively unimpressive so far." She sneered. Seeing his face darken at her calling him `boy' she mentally gave herself a high-five.

"You are as reckless as they said you are. Tell me, is this how you lost their trial in your world?" replied the man.

Ok, test time, Celsia. He's fishing, but I have to get this right. Gods above, I wish they could have told me the plan before now! Well, here goes nothing. Thought the blonde elf, composing her answers.

"What do you mean, you can't go?!" yelled a shocked Hikari. Asuka was fuming herself as she settled into her seat.

"Misato decided that since the Angels might attack while we're away, we Pilots can't go." She grumbled darkly. "I tried to talk her out of it, but it was no good. Not that Baka was much help."

"She wouldn't have changed her mind anyway, Asuka." Defended Shinji.

"And her point about the Angel's attacking at any time is valid." Contributed Rei.

"I know, I know. It just sucks! And I had the perfect suit, too!" her tone was a bit whiny and petulant.

"I told you she was an S&M queen!" came Kensuke's excited voice from the doorway. Asuka grimaced.

"Yo, you ready for the trip, Shinji?" asked Touji, his voice a bit louder than normal.

"I'm not going." Said Shinji simply.

"What do you mean, you're not going?!" demanded Touji and Kensuke in unison, rushing his desk. Both boys slammed their palms down on his desk as the reached it.

"It's OKINAWA, for crying out loud!" yelled Kensuke.

"Sand, surf and bikinis! What's wrong with you, man?" seconded Touji.

"I'm a pilot, that's what wrong with me." He said quietly. Rei appeared next to his desk, her eyes pinning Kensuke and Touji in place like a straight pin through a bug. She didn't need to say anything; her gaze was warning enough. "Besides, I can't swim." His comment caused six sets of eyes to snap to him.

"You're kidding, right, Baka?" said Asuka, her tone a bit shocked.

"Were you never near any large bodies of water or what, man?" pitched in Touji.

"How can you grow up and not know how to swim?" wondered Kensuke.

"So, what did you do when you went to the beach or pool?" wondered Hikari.

"I never went to the beach or pool; it wasn't…an option for me." Said the pilot quietly. Just then, the warning bell sounded and everyone was getting ready for the beginning of another mind-numbing day of lectures by the desiccated old hack who taught them.

After school found the group walking toward home, Touji and Kensuke having left to pack for the trip, and Hikari had headed home to coordinate the care of her younger sister with her older sister. Misato was at NERV and Airi was out doing whatever she did to get Aki ready for her picture shoot. Rit-chan had been quiet since the announcement that the Pilots weren't able to go on the trip.

"You're quiet, Rit-chan." Noted Asuka.

"I've decided that I won't go on this trip either. I can't very well leave my friends here while I frolic in the surf, now can I?" she said.

"You don't have to do that, Rit-chan. Go on and take this time to get away from this place for a bit. Besides, they say that Okinawa is really nice." Said Shinji, giving her a smile.

"Baka's right, you know." Agreed Asuka. "It's not like this doesn't happen a lot or anything. Being a Pilot means you have to make some sacrifices now and then."

"They are correct, Rit-chan. Enjoy this break." Affirmed Rei quietly. As usual, she was close enough to Shinji to touch him without being obvious about it. Asuka was close enough to him to make it obvious that she was crowding Rei. Rit-chan walked beside Asuka.

"What do you mean, that this happens a lot? Does NERV restrict your movement?" asked Rit-chan.

"Yeah. We can't leave Tokyo-3. Technically, neither can you, as you signed the security leave forms, but Misato has a way out for you and Airi. She says that with the tests coming back from your synch attempt with our units, you can leave on approved trips. Apparently, this is an approved trip." Said Asuka.

"So, we failed?" asked Rit-chan.

"The results were classified, but you didn't achieve an activation, so there isn't much doubt." Said Asuka, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It's better that you're not a Child." Disagreed Shinji.

Rit-chan considered the new information for a bit, then asked the Pilots a question. "What happens if you try to leave Tokyo-3?" she asked.

"Well, it depends." Said Shinji. "At best, they toss you in the brig. At worse, they'll kill you."

"How do you know that?" asked Rit-chan. "It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"I am. After the fourth Angel, Misato chewed me out for not following her orders. I…ran away. Actually, I was loose in the hills and city for five days before Section 2 caught me." Rei's hand slipped into his.

"Figures. So, what happened next?" asked Asuka.

"I got chewed out by the Commander, told to follow orders or be tossed out of NERV. I told him that I would rather die than pilot EVA again, so they revoked my pass, took me to the station and told me to get on the first train outbound. Some people came to see me, and, well, I couldn't leave after all." Said Shinji.

"Why couldn't you leave?" asked Rei softly.

"I just couldn't. You were still in the hospital, healing from your injuries. And…" he trailed off.

"And what, Shinji?" asked Rit-chan, intrigued by this tale.

"It's stupid." He said dismissively.

"Please, tell us." Asked Rei softly, her hand giving his a reassuring squeeze.

"It's just…there wasn't anywhere for me to go. Misato's place felt like the closest thing I had to a home."

In the office of the Commander of NERV, Ritsuko Akagi was reporting to her boss and lover, Gendo Ikari. There were several topics to be discussed, from the status of various projects, to the latest reports on Project Myth, as the two called Celsia, to the physical and psychological status of the Pilots and Bridge personnel. And, as always, there was the topic of Rei Ayanami. Currently, Gendo was grilling her about Rei's latest physical.

"So, there is no indication that Rei is sexually active?" he asked.

"No. Remember, though, that neither her nor her…spares, have hymens. Also, they heal very fast, due to their Angel DNA augmentation. Without these two indicators, it is nearly impossible to tell if she is sexually active or not."

"Why wasn't she made with a hymen?" asked Gendo.

"Because you said it wasn't necessary for her to have one." Said Ritsuko. She was miffed, as Rei was always a sore subject with her. If he loved me as much as he loved that…golem, I wouldn't be so hateful to her. She admitted to herself.

"I see. What about the tests results on Inoue and Komiyama?" he said, moving on.

"Well, they didn't succeed in activating either unit, but there is one anomaly in the results." Reported Akagi.

"How so?" was Gendo's reply.

"When the two were in the plugs of Unit 1 and Unit 2, there was a very brief spike in the Synchro Graphs to a full 100 percent. Oddly enough, there was a direct match for both units, in time of occurrence, duration and percentage."

"The Evas completely synched with them?" asked Gendo.

"Yes. Full integration, full throughput." Confirmed Akagi.

"How long was this perfect synch maintained?" demanded Gendo.

"Data shows the Units were linked for a little less than a half second. Then, both units rejected all signals and shut down. All further attempts to synch with the units were unsuccessful."

"Unimportant." Decided Gendo.

"You realize, that at full synch, the Evas are fully inside the mind of the pilot, and vice versa. They could have…" began Akagi, only to be interrupted.

"The Units rejected them, Doctor. Even if they were contaminated, they can not use the units, so it is irrelevant." Hearing his tone, Akagi knew he had made his decision. She held her tongue.

"And what of their other tests?" asked Gendo, standing and walking toward the windows of his office.

"Their TPA and EWC were fairly standard, but there was a surprise in their IQ tests." She said, reviewing her notes.

"Oh?" asked Gendo, turning from the window and walking toward her.

"It seems that Komiyama has been underplaying her hand fairly seriously. Her IQ is firmly in the 130s. But more disturbingly, Inoue's score places her in the 210 bracket."

"Two hundred ten bracket?" asked Gendo.

"Correct. In other words, she is the second-highest intellect in NERV. At least, now that Yui and mother are gone." Gendo said nothing, choosing to begin removing her clothes instead. As her skirt fell to the floor of his office, she felt him pushing her to her knees even as he ripped her bra off. Unzipping his pants, she carefully freed his semi-hard member and sucked the tip into her mouth. As his penis hardened in her mouth, his hands settled on her head, taking her ears between thumb and forefinger and using the hold to control her oral labors. The wet slurping sounds filled the office as Gendo increased the depth and speed of his thrusts into Akagi's mouth. A few minutes later, Ritsuko was desperately swallowing as fast as she could to keep from choking as Gendo held her face to his groin, his spurting member buried in her mouth and throat. After his member had stopped firing, he pushed her head off his dick, pulling her to her feet to bend her over his desk. Even as she spread her legs, she felt his member push into her wet sheath from behind. A soft moan escaped her mouth as she felt him begin to thrust into her deeply. Maybe he does love me; if he does this with me, then he might come to love me more than his little toy.

Shinji walked along the street toward the train station, having just finished walking Rei home. As the two had walked toward her apartment, his cell phone had rung, and when he answered it, he had been surprised to find that Hikari had called him to ask if he would come to her house that night. Before he could beg off, Rei had taken the phone from him and informed the brown-haired girl that Shinji would be by to see her as soon as he finished walking her home. His actions decided, Shinji simply asked where she lived. She told him that she would meet him at the train station and walk him there. He had given her a rough time estimate, then ended the call. At Rei's door, the blue-haired Pilot had smiled at him, kissing him soundly. After several minutes of kissing and light petting, she had told him that Hikari was waiting, and to remember her suggestion. Shinji hadn't been sure how to answer, but he had found himself smiling at his first lover, and telling her that he had planned to spend some time with her that night. Rei had thanked him, promising that he would get as much time with her as he desired before reminding him that Hikari was waiting for him.

Shinji boarded the right train, finding it to be mostly empty; he and one other were the only ones in his car, and there was no one visible in the two cars connected to him. The person in his car got off one stop before the stop Hikari had told him she would be waiting at. As the empty train pulled up to her station, he saw her waiting by the stairs to the street. Stepping off the train, he saw that she was wearing a simple single-piece dress that came to her knees. Smiling, she took his arm and led him toward her house, making small talk. As the two neared her house, Shinji noticed that the only lights on were the ones by the door.

"Where are your sisters?" he asked her.

"Kodama took Nozumi to get some dinner and to see a movie. Why? Did you want to meet them?" asked Hikari, her hand tightening on his a bit.

"No, it's not that. I was just curious." Said Shinji as they stopped at her door and she fished some keys out of her purse. A moment later, they were inside the house and Hikari closed the door behind them. Taking a look around the entry hall, Shinji noticed that the house was clean and neat. "You have a nice house, Hikari." He said, turning to look at her.

"Thanks, Shinji." She smiled. Her cheeks were red, and her hands were clasped nervously in front of her.

"Are you all right, Hi-chan?" he asked, seeing the signs of nervousness.

"I'm fine, Shinji-chan. Would you…like to…see my room?" she replied, her blush getting worse.

"Uh, sure. If you want to." He said, frowning a bit. What is she nervous about? Unless…

Seizing his hand, she led him up the stairs to her room, opening the door and flipping on the light. Her room was nice, with a single bed, a desk, TV with game console, and a dresser with a mirror over it. Hearing the door close, he turned to see Hikari leaning against the door. "Since you're not going to be able to go on the trip, I want to give you this now." She said, her blush spreading to her neck. Straightening, she looked him in the eyes, smiling - if a bit unsteadily. Turning her back to him, she indicated the zipper on her dress. "Will you unzip me, Shin-chan?" she asked, her tone sweet and cute. Shinji stepped over to her and slowly unzipped the zipper, leaving her dress loose on her shoulders.

"Hikari, you don't have to do…this if you don't want to." He said.

"I want to, Shinji-chan. I…left you in a lurch last time, and I talked with Rei. I want to…please you, like you did me." She said.

"I told you, you don't owe me for anything." He said softly.

"Well, I was hoping…we could…please each other." Said Hikari softly. Her dress slipped from her shoulders and pooled at her feet, revealing a light yellow satin and lace teddy on Hikari's slender frame. Shinji gasped, his pants feeling much too tight. "Do you…like what you see, Shin-chan?" asked Hikari quietly, looking at the floor, afraid to look at him for fear that she would see his disinterest in her modest chest. Instead, she felt him grasp her shoulders, and a moment later, she found herself being kissed. Eventually, they surfaced for air.

"I told you, you're beautiful, Hi-chan." Panted Shinji. Hikari broke out in a huge, relieved smile. Pulling herself to him, she felt his raging hard on press into her belly. Pulling back a bit, she reached down to gently stroke his member. "Ah!" managed Shinji. Hikari giggled.

"Let me make you more comfortable, Shin-chan." She said, reaching for his belt. In short order, his pants were on her floor, and his shirt was on its way to the same place. Sliding her hands under his undershirt, she worked it off him as well. His boxers were another matter. Again, as she had before, she hesitated. Shinji, much surer of her desires, slipped them off for her. The girl's eyes locked on his erect member, which was pointing at her belly button. She felt his hands on her bare shoulders, his fingers slipping under the straps of her teddy.

"Can I make you more comfortable, Hi-chan?" he asked. Hikari nodded, still watching his dick. Her hands reached out and touched it's warm, soft skin. Shinji slipped the straps off her shoulders, gently pulling the teddy down her chest and toward her hips, leaving her small but shapely breasts bare. Already, her nipples were hardening and elongating. Seizing his chance, Shinji left her teddy at her waist and took a breast in each hand, gently massaging them as he took turns gently licking and sucking on her now-hard nipples. "Perfect fit." He said, getting a giggle from her. Fairly unsure of what she was doing, Hikari was carefully stoking his shaft, enjoying the feeling of warmth from it. Shinji continued to stimulate her breasts, making her moan, gasp and shudder in pleasure.

Hikari felt the radiant warmth from her groin, and knew that she was going to get her new teddy soaked if it stayed on much longer. "Shi…Shinji-chan, can we mo…ah!" she broke off as Shinji's tongue on her rock-hard nipples sent her into a small orgasm. As she panted in post-orgasmic bliss, Shinji kissed her, feeling her eagerly open her mouth to his, her tongue caressing his. Her hands, still on his rampant erection, were still as she lost herself in the kiss. Eventually they broke for air. Shinji shifted his arms so they encircled her chest, easing her into a tight hug. Hikari rested her head on his shoulder.

"Are you enjoying this, Hi-chan?" asked Shinji, his tone more serious than she had thought it would be.

"Ye…yes, I am. But, I want…more. Can we…move to the…bed soon?" she asked, still too shy to come right out with it.

"Yes we can, if you…want to." Said Shinji, slipping his hands down her back as he started to lean away from her. Hikari caught his hands as he started to turn toward the bed. Looking back at her, he wondered what she was doing. Her smile was a little uneven, but she stood her ground.

"You should finish what you started, Shinji-chan." She said in a weak imitation of her class rep voice. It took Shinji a moment to realize that she was waiting for him to remove her teddy completely. Sensing his hesitation, she sought to reassure him. "It's OK, Shinji-chan; I want you to see…me." Obeying her wishes, he reached out and slowly slipped the teddy from around her waist, down over the modest crest of her hips, and down her silky thighs. Once the garment reached her knees, it fell to the floor, revealing a completely naked Hikari Horaki to him. He drank in the sight of her slim, athletic build, her perky tits and hairless mons. While Rei had a small, neat patch of blue above her nest, and Asuka had a slightly larger patch above hers, Hikari's was completely smooth. Curious as to rather or not she shaved it, Shinji reached out and gently trailed his fingers over her mons, feeling some very fine, silky hair. "I'm not…as developed as Rei-chan or Asuka down there, either." She whispered, her tone unhappy. "I wanted to…"

"You're beautiful, Hi-chan." Said Shinji, his tone serious and his eyes looking up at her from where he had knelt to get a better view of her lips. From her vantage point, Hikari could see his dick, still hard as a rock. That reminded her of what she had been planning to do. Before she could recover her plans, Shinji leaned forward and kissed her mound, his lips just touching the beginning of her crease. Hikari gasped and seized his head, pulling him to her. The tingly sensation that spiked outward from her sensitive organs left her feeling like she was floating. It wasn't until she felt him lifting her that she realized that her knees had buckled. Shinji gently set her down on her bed. "Are you all right, Hi-chan?" he asked her.

"Better than all right, Shin-chan!" she exclaimed. "Much better than doing it myself." She mused dreamily, not realizing that she had spoken aloud.

"You mean you…play with yourself?" asked a surprised Shinji. Hikari's eyes, previously half-closed, snapped open, a strangled `eep!' coming from her lips. Her face turned crimson. "Sorry, I shouldn't pry." Apologized Shinji. "It's not really any of my business."

"It's OK, Shinji. Considering our…position, I guess it's no big deal." Assured Hikari. "Just don't go telling anyone at school or work, deal?" Shinji nodded. "And sure as fuck don't tell Asuka!" she added. Shinji blinked at her language. Seeing his surprise, Hikari giggled. "Did I surprise you, Shinji?" she asked, her tone a bit eager. Once more he nodded. "It'll be out little secret, OK? Imagine if everyone knew that `Miss Perfect' Class Representative Horaki cusses and masturbates. Can't you just imagine their shocked expressions?" Hikari had begun to laugh. Shinji, mentally picturing the faces of his friends, began to chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess it would be a shock." He agreed. Hikari, still giggling a bit, pulled his arm toward her, making him lay down beside her. For a bit, the sounds of their mirth were all that came from the room. Eventually, they were quiet, laying side-by-side on her bed. "Um , Hi-chan?" began Shinji, a bit nervously. "How often…I mean, when you do…how do…." He stopped, trying to think of a way to ask about what was on his mind. Hikari looked over at him and saw that his dick was still hard, and a bit of fluid was coming from the tip.

"You want to know about when I…masturbate?" she guessed, reaching over and touching his dick. Experience gave her a certain familiarity with it. Shinji nodded. "God! This is embarrassing! I usually feel frustrated if I go more than a couple of days without doing it. I have to be careful, as my sisters are usually around, so the best times are right before school, and when I'm in the bath. Still, Kodama caught me twice and Nozumi walked in on me once." Hikari said, blushing at the memory.

"I can't imagine how awkward that was." Mused Shinji. "What…happened?"

"I probably shouldn't tell you." Hedged Hikari. Shinji's hand had found its way to her belly, and was slowly rubbing around her bellybutton in steady circles. The stimulation was making her belly muscles contract and relax, which was adding to the tingly sensation in her vagina. Her hand marginally increased its speed on his dick. Both teen's breathing deepened. "But, since I've told you this much, why not?" decided Hikari. "Well, Nozumi is too young to know what I was doing, and just asked if I was OK. Kodama, however, well, let's just say that my older sister and Misato share some characteristics."

"Was she mad?" guessed Shinji. Not that Misato would be mad if she walked in on me jacking off; hell, she'd probably want to join in! thought the pilot. Misato was a very open minded and confident woman. Not to mention possibly nymphomaniacal. A small titter of laughter came from Hikari, breaking his thoughts.

"Not exactly." Said Hikari, her free hand sliding over to take his hand and guide it to her nest, her legs easing open as she did so, allowing him much better access than he had had before. Getting the idea, Shinji began to repeat what he had done the last time he had been with her. Hikari shivered with pleasure as she felt his fingers began to tease her sensitive sex. "She did have some criticisms of my technique, though. The first time she caught me, I was in the bathroom, getting ready for a bath; apparently, I had forgotten to lock the door. Anyway, Kodama came in and saw me fingering myself. I froze, expecting her to get mad or something, instead, she simply shut the door behind her and told me that I wasn't doing it right. She gave me some…pointers, as well as some good advice. The second time, I was in my room getting ready for school. I had my panties around my ankles and was trying to finish in time to be at school like normal. Kodama didn't react much then either, just smiling and telling me that my technique was much better." Hikari was panting as she finished the story, feeling herself beginning to crest the wave of orgasm, preparing for the wild ride. Her hand had abandoned his dick in favor of joining its opposite number at her soaked groin, her fingers guiding Shinji's as she felt the moment of release begin.

Shinji, concentrating on her pleasure, felt a painful throbbing from his abandoned dick, but ignored it as best he could, wanting her to enjoy herself as much as possible. He was on his side, leaning over her, Hikari was on her back, legs wide open, her eyes closed and breathing heavy as her hands guided his hand. The sounds of her labored breathing and the wet squishing sound of her soaked sex was the only sound. Leaning over her more, Shinji pressed his lips to her lips, which immediately sealed to his. His new position pressed him full-length to her naked side, her leg resting over his hip, the tip of his member poking her in the back of her thigh. Hikari was mostly out of her mind with pleasure, running on instinct more than anything. Feeling the pressure of his neglected dick pressing against the back of her thigh, one of her hands slipped over and caressed it, smearing it with her hot, slick juice. Her other hand never stopped guiding his hand on her sex. The hand on his penis closed over the tip and tugged him toward her soaked groin, her hips shifting as she pulled him to her with her leg, ending with him spooning her, his chest to her back. In the new position, he felt her hands on his dick, which rested against her dripping wet sex. She began to grind herself against him, her wet nether regions quickly coating him with her slick wetness. Swiftly, he matched her rhythm, her wet hands caressing his penis on one side, her vaginal lips kissing along his length on the other. Shinji moved his hand up from her groin, trailing her juices as he reached for her breasts. Finding her diamond hard nipples poking out stiffly, he began to swirl them around his slick fingers, the sensation sending her over the edge, her hips bucking wildly. Adjusting his position so the head of his member was pressing into her entrance, he slowly began to enter her tight, virgin passage.

Feeling the pressure of his hard penis splitting her tight passage, Hikari - still floating from her previous orgasms - instinctively clamped her muscles down, stopping his entrance. Shinji eased his penis back and gently pressed into her again. Feeling himself push past her clamped muscles, he gasped silently as the tip of his dick entered her. Shinji froze, however, as he became aware of another sound. Hikari had gasped as well. Feeling her tremble against him, he shifted a bit to get a better look at her. And in doing so, he felt something hard press into his side. Frowning, he determined that it was her arm; all her muscles were clenched, as was her hand, which had gathered a fist-full of sheets and was squeezing them so hard her knuckles were white. Shinji was also noticing more things. Like the fact that her entire body was rigid, her teeth gritted so hard her jaw muscles creaked and her eyes were squeezed shut, as if she anticipated something very bad happening to her soon. She's scared. Realized Shinji. She's scared of me. Of having sex with me. That realization killed his erection as swiftly as the much-touted ice-cold shower. I shouldn't have tried to do that. He thought, easing back from her, his now-soft member stealthily slipping away from her soaked groin. Even if she thinks she owes me this, she's clearly not ready. Just like Asuka-chan. Shinji paused as he considered the best way to excuse himself without making it seem like he was running away from her. Her body still trembling with tension, Hikari waited for him to claim her. After several seconds, she realized that the pressure at her groin was gone, and she couldn't feel his body against hers any more. Cracking open her eyes, she didn't see his face in front of hers. Beneath her, she felt the bed shift a bit.

"Sh…Shinji?" she asked, turning herself to look at where he had been. She saw him sitting on the edge of her bed, preparing to stand. "What's wrong, Shinji-chan?" she asked, puzzled. I was sure he would have sex with me. Rei-chan said he loved me, and we were petting each other just a moment before, so why does it look like he's about to leave? Doesn't he want me?

"No…nothing's wrong, Hi-chan." Liked Shinji, desperately trying to think of a way out of this looming trap. If I tell her the truth, she'll think I'm lying about liking her body. If I lie to her, then she'll find out eventually, and she'll be mad. Shit. What now, Casanova? "I just…ah, well, the thing is…um…." Hikari sat up in her bed, leaning over to see his face. As she did so, she saw that his erection was gone, his member now laying soft and relaxed against his thigh.

"Did you…cum already?" she asked, her cheeks heating up.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry." He said. Any port in a storm, I suppose.

"Was I go…um, did you like it? With me, I mean?" she asked, looking down at her floor.

"It was…really good." He finished lamely. "Did you…are you satisfied?" he asked timidly.

"Am I? It was so much better than playing with myself!" exclaimed Hikari, impulsively hugging her naked body to his. "Do you…want to do this more?" she asked. That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I mean, yeah, he didn't actually deflower me, but he came, and so did I, so I'm not a virgin anymore; well, theoretically. Thought Hikari happily. I hope he wants to do this with me some more. If he does, maybe we can fuck for real. Then I'd be a bona fide woman.

"Right now?" asked Shinji, his tone a bit nervous.

"Not if you're not…able to." Assured Hikari. That's right, the teacher said that men had to rest for a while before they could get it up again. "But sometime soon; maybe when I get back from the trip?" She grinned a grin that would have done Asuka proud. "Or just before maybe?" her tone was teasing. Upon hearing this, his resting manhood twitched, but behaved itself, the memory of her clenched jaw keeping it dormant.

"If you want to, I'd be happy to." Said the pilot, his tone slightly weak. I better pick up a new trick somewhere, or I'm in trouble; both with her and Asuka!

"Definitely. Now, how about…" began Hikari, only to be interrupted by the sound of keys in the lock on the front door. "Shit! They're back!" hissed the naked teen. Shinji snatched his clothes from the floor, starting to put them on hurriedly, but Hikari vaulted out of her bed, a different plan in her head. "There's no time for that, Shin-chan!" she hissed urgently. "Quick, get on the other side of the bed! Don't move or say anything until I tell you it's ok, got it?!" Shinji didn't answer verbally, opting to just jump across her bed and slip into the gap between her bed and wall. He suppressed a grunt of pain as his bare ass smacked the wood floor. Moments later, he felt a soft, warm weight cover him. It was her bed cover, he guessed. Several more soft, light items landed on him. Pillows or teddy bears? He wondered, finding that he could see a narrow field of vision from under her low bed. A flash of movement told him Hikari had just run out the door to her room and was probably headed for the bathroom.

"We're home, Hi-chan!" came a voice from downstairs. Probably her older sister, as her voice sounded more mature than Hikari's.

"Hi-chan! Hi-chan, Big sis got me a free tee shirt!" came a happy, excited squeal. For some reason, the voice brought to his mind the image of Maki, Touji's younger sister. They sound a lot alike; so optimistic and happy. He reflected.

"I'm in the bathroom!" came Hikari's slightly muffled voice. "Be out in a minute!" The sounds of feet running up the stairs preceded a swift glimpse of someone running past her open door, followed by a more sedate person. Shinji held extra still as the feet of the second person paused, seemingly scanning Hikari's room.

"Welcome home, Nozumi-chan, Kodama-chan." Came Hikari's voice, followed by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

"Yeah, we're back." Agreed the first voice, confirming it to be Hikari's older sister. "We're not interrupting anything are we?" she asked, her tone curious.

"No, of course not. Why ask?" came Hikari's immediate denial.

"No reason. Well, I've got things to do tomorrow, and you've got school, Zumi-chan. So get changed and hit the sack." Commanded Kodama.

"But big sister…" began Nozumi, her tone cutely whiny.

"No buts, squirt!" admonished the eldest Horaki girl. "Off with you."

"Yes, sister." Came Nozumi's defeated voice. Shinji saw pair of small feet fly toward Kodama, and a moment later, he heard the soft sound of two bodies hugging. "Thank you for this evening, big sister." Came Nozumi's voice. "I had a really, really good time."

"You're not the only one, kid." Said Kodama.

"What was that?" asked Hikari, her tone a bit defensive.

"I enjoyed tonight as well. Why? Were you thinking something else?" asked Kodama innocently.

"No. Of course not, sis." Dismissed Hikari. Shinji saw her feet enter her room. "Well, I've got some last minute things to do, so I'll see you tomorrow morning before we leave for the airport. Night, guys." She said.

"Wait!" yelled Nozumi, disentangling herself from her sister's hug. Jumping at Hikari, she hugged her middle sister. "There! Now you will get a good night's sleep." Said Nozumi, smiling.

"Yes, she will." Said Kodama, her tone drolly innocent. "Well, we're going to bed down. Try to sleep, ok, Hi-chan?" She and her youngest sister left before Hikari could say anything else. Closing her door, she swiftly tiptoed to her bed and slipped into it.

"Shinji?" she whispered softly, leaning her head over the edge of her bed as she pulled the comforter off him. "Are you ok down there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He whispered. His dick had an annoying burning sensation at the tip, and his balls ached a bit. I guess this is what the boys call `blue balls'.

"We'll wait for them to fall asleep, then get you home. I'd let you up here to cuddle with me, but Nozumi sometimes come in here if she has trouble sleeping, and Kodama might suspect something; she was acting a bit odd." Said the class rep, still whispering.

"It's fine, really." Assured Shinji, settling as comfortably as he could. An idea hit him. Reaching up to her bed, he fished around until he found her arm, then traced it back to her hand, which he took in his, squeezing it gently. "Is this ok with you, Hi-chan?" he asked softly. He felt Hikari shift, moving closer to his side of the bed.

"Perfect. We'll wait for about an hour. Think you can stay awake that long?" Hikari suppressed a yawn. Her sexual release had drained more energy than she thought. Ten minutes later, she was sleeping soundly, Shinji staring out her window at the bright moon.

3…2…1…now. Thought Shinji, watching Hikari's bedside clock switch from PM to AM. About an hour ago, he had shifted from laying on her wood floor to sitting at her bedside, his hand still holding hers, though she was deeply asleep. It had been a very boring two hours, and he was getting an ass cramp from the hard floor; not to mention that his legs were nearly asleep. Well, might as well get going. I hope that Asuka's asleep; Misato too, for that matter. He thought, easing himself to his feet and shifting from one leg to the other, trying to restore circulation. It was several minutes before the feeling came back entirely. Next, he carefully eased his hand out of Hikari's somewhat proprietary grasp. Seeing a small stuffed animal of indeterminate genius, the pilot carefully switched his hand for the arm of the toy. Hikari made some soft sounds, but remained deeply asleep. Dressing himself, the Third Child eased toward the door, searching the floor ahead of him with his feet, finding that Hikari had left her clothes where she had tossed them what seemed like centauries ago. Shaking his head, Shinji carefully retrieved the garments, neatly folded them, and set them on her bed before resuming his trek across her room.

Her door was thankfully well oiled and opened silently. For once, Shinji was glad that he had had as much practice sneaking as he had living with Misato and Asuka, as he paused and listened, breathing lightly and slowly. A few moments later, he distinguished the soft sounds of breathing from down the hall, deciding that both sisters were asleep. Easing himself out of the brown-haired girls room, he slipped the door closed and moved steadily - if slowly - toward the stairs. I hope they don't have an alarm system. He mused. I can see it now: caught in her house by her sisters, a klaxon going off…uh, Misato would never let me live it down. Still, I can't recall seeing one. Guess it's time to trust to my luck. At that last bit, he grimaced. If I'm trusting to my shitty luck, the door is rigged with an N2 mine! Even with that thought, he felt himself smiling; this situation was pretty exciting, after all. The name's Ikari; Shinji Ikari. He spoofed to himself as he eased down the stairs, keeping his feet pressed firmly against the wall and slowly letting his weight ease down to keep the steps from creaking. It felt like morning would break before his foot felt the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Home stretch.

Straightening from slipping his shoes on, he inspected the door and area around it for any wires, lights or strange bulges. Having been working in the dark as long as he had, his night vision had kicked in, and the area near the door was lit enough to see from the lights outside coming in through the frosted glass. Let's see: dead bolt, chain lock, handle lock. Hmm. Hinges are normal, and there aren't any visible wires. Turning to survey the area around the door, he couldn't see a control panel or interface unit. Well, I guess there isn't an alarm system. Moment of truth. Facing the door, he disengaged the locks as quietly as possible. Closing his eyes, he turned the knob and heard a soft `click' as the latch opened. He gave a relieved sigh. So relieved was he that he had only the barest of moments to realize that someone was moving rapidly toward him from behind before a hand clamped over his mouth and an arm wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms. Before he could make a sound, the person had shoved him through the door and onto the front porch. Shinji began to struggle, but the person was stronger than him.

"Oh, calm down." Came a soft voice from behind him. "I just want to talk to you for a minute." The hand over his mouth eased a bit, as if she were prepared incase he tried to scream. Shinji didn't scream.

"Kodama?" he managed.

"Who else? And keep your voice down. Nozumi is a light sleeper." Whispered Hikari's older sister, softly shutting the door. The moonlight shown down on them, illuminating them with a pale, unworldly glow. "You're Shinji, right? The pilot of that Eva thing?"

"Ye…Yeah. Shinji Ikari." He said. Kodama smiled.

"Better you than that brain-dead ape, Suzahara." She murmured.

"You wanted to…talk?" managed Shinji, his voice a bit unsteady. Kodama's smile faded a bit.

"Let's get to the point." She said, her tone very business-like. "Did you fuck my sister?" Shinji blinked. So, that's where she learned to curse. One part of his mind thought.

"No, I didn't." he said, his tone much surer than before. Kodama studied him.

"Don't misunderstand; I'm not necessarily against her getting laid, but I am both her older sister and de facto mother, so I have an obligation to her and Nozumi. Did you stick you dick in her pussy, Shinji?"

"No! We just…petted each other." He finished a bit lamely. Kodama's eyes never left his.

"I see. Not cute enough for you? Her tits too small for your liking, maybe? Or is it that she's not very well developed?"

"Stop." Commanded Shinji, his eyes glaring back at her. "Hi-chan is beautiful just the way she is. Don't say shit like that about her, you hear me?" Oddly enough, Kodama smiled a bit more at his aggressive, angry tone.

"Hi-chan, huh? So, why didn't you fuck her brains out? It's not like she wasn't expecting it." Countered Kodama. "Hell, I bet she came on to you, instead of the other way around."

"Yeah, she did. But…" Shinji trailed off, thinking.

"But what, Shinji?" prompted Kodama.

"It's…complicated." He said, sure she would have no idea why he would do what he did.

"So, simplify it." She ordered, her tone a bit like Asuka's. Shinji gathered his thoughts.

"It's just that…well, she thinks she owes me this, but she doesn't. We…did some stuff, before, and, well…it doesn't matter other than that she was wanting to have sex with me because she felt she should. We were petting each other, and then she…well, we were about to, but…" once more he trailed off.

"Come on, spit it out." Said Kodama.

Shinji looked in the eye. "She was scared, Kodama. She was laying there like she thought I'd beat her up or something. Her body was so tense, she was shaking, her teeth were clenched and her eyes were squeezed shut. I bet if you looked at her palms tomorrow morning, you'll see the marks from where she was gripping the sheets so hard. I just couldn't." he finished. Kodama considered him for a while.

"So how did you escape? Hi-chan isn't easily deterred." She asked at last.

"I…told her I came before I could enter her, and she bought it. I'd never hurt her, and I want her first time to be as good as mine was." He said sincerely.

"How many girls have you had sex with, Shinji?" asked Kodama, her tone oddly curious.

"Well, just one. But I've…petted one other girl other than Hikari." He answered. Kodama seemed mildly surprised and puzzled.

"Just one? Shinji, who are you?" she asked.

"Wha…what do you mean, who am I?" the pilot was confused. Kodama shook her head.

"Never mind." She said, stretching. Shinji noticed that she was wearing thin sweatpants and a black shirt, her mid-shoulder length hair held back by a scrunchie. "It's late, and you have things to do tomorrow. Just so you know, I'm ok with her having sex, as long as you're safe. That means a condom, got it? I won't have my kid sister turn up pregnant at her age, got it?"

"Not a problem." Muttered Shinji, thinking of Rei's bombshell about the side effects of prolonged LCL exposure.

"And she better not get a VD, either." Continued Kodama, reaching for the door.

"I…ok. Um, Kodama?" asked Shinji.

"Yeah, what?" replied Kodama easily.

"Don't tell her…about what really happened, OK? If she knew I was lying to her, she might take it the wrong way. I just don't want to hurt her." Kodama shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah. I got your back, so to speak. As far as I know, she's no longer a virgin, good enough?" Kodama stepped through the door.

"Thanks, Kodama. And good night." Said Shinji, bowing to the older sister of the girl he had nearly fucked.

"Ah, beat it before I call the cops, Shin-chan." Smiled Kodama, closing the door silently. You're OK with me, kid. She thought as she re-locked the door before heading back to her room. I think you're the right one to take her virginity. Besides, she needs to loosen up in more ways than one, anyway.

Morning found Shinji sleeping peacefully in his bed, having arrived home to find that everyone was asleep except for Airi, who had been sitting on the couch in the dark, watching the lights beyond the balcony. Shinji had quietly slipped into the apartment, and would have missed Airi if the actress hadn't spoken his name softly. When he turned to see her, she had told him that Misato had been called into NERV and the rest were asleep. Shinji thanked her, then asked if she was all right, seeing as she was sitting in a dark room in the middle of the night rather than sleeping. Airi had smiled and told him that she was fine, just doing some thinking. He had nodded and stepped into the bathroom, where he had carefully cleaned the traces of his visit to Hikari's off himself. He had shivered in dread, thinking of how Asuka would react if her morning visit betrayed the fact that he had been with another girl the night before. Thanks, but no thanks; I prefer my manhood intact, thank you very much, Miss Sohryu.

Asuka slipped into Shinji's room as she had nearly every day for the last several weeks. Seeing him sleeping peacefully, she smiled to herself, slipping her shirt off before kneeling and easing into his bed with him. The German pilot of Unit 2 slid over to him and hugged herself to him, feeling the now-familiar flutter in her belly as she felt his warm skin against her warm skin. Shinji, feeling the presence of the girl, shifted, his arm landing over her chest and his face pressed to her face. As she had so often before, Asuka started by kissing him. As he woke, she felt him slide his hands down her sides to her hips, slipping under her panties easily. She held the kiss as he teased her panties down to her thighs before bringing his finger to her wet sex. Practice had made him much better at bringing her pleasure, and she had grown accustomed to his penis, which she now held in her hands. This morning, though, she planned to try something new. Something that she had vowed she would never do for anyone but Kaji. Something that she hoped would tip the scales in her favor. Once she was sure that he was awake, she broke the kiss and smiled at him. "Good morning, Baka Shinji." She said quietly.

"Good morning, Asuka-chan." He said simply, his hands busy at her soaked groin, even as her hands were busy with his engorged member.

"Are you ready for a surprise?" she asked, teasingly.

"Mmm. If you think I am, Asuka." He agreed amicably, enjoying the sensation of her hands on his hard member. Asuka concentrated on the tip of his erection for a moment, then pulled her hands away. Shinji gave her a disappointed look, but said nothing. Asuka shivered as Shinji kept up his manipulation.

"Lay back." Directed Asuka. Shinji complied, having to remove his hands from her sex for a moment. When he was settled, Asuka nervously licked her lips, seeing his dick sticking up, long, thick and hard. Can I really do this? She wondered. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she moved so her head was at his hips, her body perpendicular to his. Shinji's manhood trembled as he felt her breath on its sensitive skin. She saw a drop of pre-cum on the tip of the shaft. Sparing one more look at him, she scowled at him. "If you tell anyone - especially your stooge friends - about this, I will tear your nuts off and feed them to you, got it, Third?" she muttered darkly. Shinji nodded. "Good. Enjoy, Shinji." She said, focusing her attention on his member, her lips contacting the soft skin of his aching dick. This isn't as bad as I thought it would be. She thought, her tongue sampling the taste of his skin. Its kind of…fun. I can feel his pulse in his dick. This has some potential. Asuka opened her mouth and slowly swallowed his head. Ugh. This is much bigger than I thought it was. Will it even fit in my mouth? A mental picture of Rei's ice-cold eyes flashed across her mind. Her eyes narrowed, and she began to methodically work his dick into her mouth. I will win, Wondergirl!

When Shinji felt her lips on his member, he was shocked; overjoyed, but shocked. Since when does Asuka give blowjobs? He boggled. Then, he dismissed the question as irrelevant, deciding in favor of just enjoying this impossible good fortune. His dick was ecstatic. Wanting to please her as well, he reached out and resumed stroking her lower lips, though the angle was awkward. Asuka went to work on swallowing as much of his member as she could. Her consistent efforts allowed her to work her way perhaps a third of the way down his shaft, but then she began to have trouble with her gag reflex. Deciding that one third was pretty good for the first attempt, she settled into a rhythm of bobbing her head on his shaft, her drool trickling down his remaining shaft as she trembled from his ministrations between her legs. Soon, she felt him tugging against her thigh, pulling her toward his head. Is he…? Wondered Asuka, obliging him. As she moved her body over toward him, she felt him push her panties down to her knees, then off her entirely. Settling her legs on either side of his head, she giggled around her mouthful as his breath tickled her soaked pussy. From her crotch to her knees, her thighs were soaked with her juice. Shinji's arms encircled her hips, and she had time for one thought before her mind went on vacation. He is going to go down on me!

Shinji studied her sex for a moment, trying to determine how to do what he was planning to do. After a moment, he mentally shrugged and buried his face in her wet pussy. Asuka's mouth went crazy on his dick as his lips met her lower lips, his tongue slipping out to sample her taste. Strong, but…pleasant. He decided, lapping at her cunt like she was a cored peach. His tongue slipped over an erect mound at the front of her love channel, driving Asuka crazy. Shinji repeated his move, and she reacted even more vigorously. The pilot concentrated on that spot, licking and sucking and occasionally blowing gently on it. In less than four minutes, he felt her entire body spasm and quiver, her love channel dripping with juice as she moaned around her prize. The sensation of her moaning on his dick and the scent of her arousal, coupled with the lack of release the night before, sent him over the edge, his dick giving a heavy twitch, preparing to release all the pent-up sperm he had been stuck with. Pulling his face from her pussy, he managed to warn her.

"Coming, Asuka." Before his first shot blasted into her mouth and throat. Caught in post-orgasmic bliss, Asuka felt the surge of his seed, and barely had time to swallow before the second, then third wave hit her, filling her mouth and spewing from her lips. Two more smaller waves flew from his dick before he was done. Asuka swallowed a time or two, before pulling her mouth off his dick and couching a bit. "Sorry about that." Panted Shinji. Asuka licked her lips as she shifted off him, resettling next to him. Her blue eyes were unfocused and she was panting a bit. "Asuka?" he asked, a bit uncertainly. Suddenly, she lunged over him and locked her lips to his, her tongue slithering into his mouth. Caught by surprise, Shinji nevertheless returned the kiss. Neither of them moved to pull away from the other for several moments. Eventually Asuka broke the kiss. Seeing his uncertain look, she smiled.

"You liked your surprise, then?" she taunted.

"Very much. Did you like my…experiment?" he countered.

"Oh, I suppose I could tolerate it." She smiled. Just then, the two heard a door open and knew that either Airi or Rit-chan was up. Asuka sighed, then stood and retrieved her panties and shirt, slipping the shirt on as she reached for the door. "Hurry up with breakfast, Baka." She said, stepping out the door. Just before she closed it, she smiled at him and winked.

A little past noon found the three of them at the airport to see their friend off. Airi had driven them there in her car, telling them that Misato has asked her watch over them as she had to go somewhere on NERV business. The group was standing in the lounge by the boarding gate, exchanging small talk. Touji and Kensuke had grabbed Shinji and dragged him off to talk about whatever it was they talked about, leaving Asuka and Rit-chan talking with Hikari - who seemed as giddy as a little girl who had just gotten every present she wanted for her birthday - and Aki, who was rechecking her notes from her instruction with Airi. Rit-chan had declined to go, citing the fact that her Pilot friends weren't going. As the PA announced that boarding would begin shortly, Airi's cell phone rang. Retrieving the phone, the actress answered it. The conversation was short, Airi hanging up a moment later. "Rit-chan." She said softly, touching the younger girl's shoulder.

"Yeah, Airi?" asked the elf hunter of her comrade.

"I need you to come with me for a moment." Said Airi, her tone casual.

"Sure." Nodded Rit-chan. Asuka watched them move off a bit before beginning to talk. Whatever Airi told the girl didn't make her happy. But, it was apparent that she accepted Airi's directions, as she shook her head and jogged off toward the place they had parked. Because of the NERV plates, the car was right in front of the main entrance. Airi walked back to the group, her face artfully calm.

"So, what did the Commander want?" came Shinji's tense voice. He and stooges had returned from their huddle.

"Who said anything about him?" asked Airi innocently.

"He called you just now, didn't he?" stated Shinji.

"How do you know that, Baka?" asked Asuka, her tone irritated and curious.

"Only he could upset Airi and Rit-chan so much with such a short call." Explained Shinji. "So, how bad is the damage, Airi?"

"Rit-chan is going to Okinawa with the class, and I'm to assume Misato's guardianship duties for you two until she finishes her current assignment." Answered Airi, watching the two carefully, judging their reactions.

"Oh, fine! The bastard king orders Rit-chan to go, but allows Misato to keep us locked up! How fucking typical of the shit-kicker!" snapped Asuka, growling and flexing her fists.

"Asuka! Watch the language!" ordered Hikari. Asuka just gave her a grunt.

"You didn't expect him to be any different, did you?" asked Shinji, sighing. He saw Rit-chan reappear from the main entrance, a pack slung over her shoulder. Beside her was a familiar blue hairdo. "What is Rei doing here?" he wondered.

"Probably came because she was ordered to." Groused Asuka. The two stopped by the group. Behind them, the first of the seniors were boarding, then the juniors, then the sophomores, and finally the freshmen. Hikari would be boarding with the last group, and Rit-chan was in no rush to board anyway.

"Good afternoon, Shinji. Asuka. Hikari." Greeted Rei in her quiet voice. She happened to end up next to Shinji.

"Hello, Rei-chan. What are you doing here?" asked Shinji. He was very glad to see her, as he always was.

"I wished to see you, Shinji. As you were not home, I determined that you would most likely be found here, seeing your friends off." Replied Rei.

"Yeah, she walked up as I was getting my pack." Confirmed Rit-chan.

"You always carry a pack with you?" asked Touji, his tone curious.

"For the last year or so, yeah. You never know when…something might come up." Rit-chan evaded the question. "But I don't remember bringing it this morning, as I had no plans to leave for Okinawa."

"I put it in the trunk last night, Rit-chan, as suspected that the Commander would try this." Volunteered Airi. "I hope you don't mind, but I added a few essential items and a little entertainment for the trip."

"Sounds good to me, Airi. Thanks!" replied Rit-chan happily. She trusted Airi to know what she was doing. That brought up a question from Kensuke.

"Oh, did they get you a ticket, Ritsuko?" he asked.

"No. Thoughts, Airi?" asked Rit-chan.

"Just show them your NERV ID, and it'll be fine. The Commander also informed me that you can use the card in Okinawa to cover any expenses you might incur." Airi winked at Rit-chan, who smiled back in a positively predatorial manner.

"Oh me, oh my!" she exclaimed happily. "Blank check!"

"Enjoy yourself." Said Airi as the attendant called the last group to board. Rit-chan saw Aki and Hikari head for the plane, so she grabbed her pack, hugged Airi and the rest quickly and jogged off to board the plane. Once they were boarded, Asuka forced their way onto the concourse observation lounge using her NERV ID, and they watched the group's plane soar into the heavens. Once it was gone, Airi turned to survey the three Pilots.

"What now?" she asked.