SLOWLY PEALING AWAY THE LAYERS

Misato eyed the training fields holographic screen all of the pilots were present accept Toji and they'd brought up a second screen to keep an eye on his progress. He was getting it through the specialists who had spent the night ironing out the kinks, it was the normal stuff bad fitting on the fingers which needed changing and the jaw jamming, it happened every damn time with a new Evangelion.

She eyed Asuka who was trying to balance her unit on the pillar on all fours walking on it like a cat back and forth ,she eyed Maya. "Hey can you bring up Asuka's screen?" Maya typed bringing up her hologram image she leaned closer seeing a thick silver chain hanging down outside her plug suite on it was dark green weaving pattern which was all interlocking. "That's new, since when does she wear a pendent like Shinji?" She pressed the speaker. "Hey where did you get that interesting looking pendent Asuka?"

Asuka eyed her. "It's none of your business so leave me alone, I'm trying to concentrate." Mari's image suddenly appeared on screen. "Oh I bet princess's little girlfriend Rei gave it to her." Asuka looked at her but said nothing as she switched off her screen going back to what she was doing as the other carried on practising with there weapons. Kaji breathed in putting his feet on the panel as Mari scowled in annoyance disappearing from the screen. "Bet it came from Rei."

Misato breathed in deeply. "What is it anyway?" Shigeru looked up. "It's called the Endless knot, it represents many things but one is death and rebirth, it's completely the opposite of Shinji's cross which you told me represents strength and sacrifice." Misato eyed the screen. "Could Rei give her anything more ironic?" Maya began to type. "I know Rei went home with Asuka last night as she was very upset, I didn't get the whole story only that she got really angry down in the bay and started crying and Rei stepped in to make her feel better. It was kind of shock for the workers because Asuka's normally solid as a rock around them, it took them all by surprise I guess it never occurred to some of them that she has a heart and feel pain just like everyone else."

Shinji grabbed his unit's gun moving over to where Asuka was balancing. "Hey Asuka, are you okay?" He paused hoping she wouldn't get cagey over his next words. "I heard you cried yesterday." Asuka looked at his face on screen she wasn't mad she had no reason to be, crying didn't make her weak she realized that now. "Yeah I'm okay Shinji I just felt rotten about a few things that's all." Rei moved her unit eyeing her brother on the hologram screen. "She just needed some comfort that's all and we had a good time together back at her home." Mari's face appeared a leering smile forming. "And I'm sure you were all so compensating with your pity sex."

Rei eyed her as she spoke evenly. "You know you're three years older than Asuka how do you get off acting so immature?" Asuka eyed Mari's pink unit as she spoke calmly. "It's the alcohol right Mari? It makes you edgy because you drink too much and it becomes like a fix." Mari's face shot up on her holographic screen. "Please don't you have a track record for getting blind drunk?"

Asuka lifted her units head. "Apart from the recent sync test and a few house warming parties over the last three years no I don't." She eyed Mari. "Go speak to Maya she'll help you or at least find the root cause." Mari eyed her in disgust. "I don't need fucking therapy and I don't have a drinking problem!" Asuka breathed in deeply. "You know what I see when I look at you Mari?"

Mari narrowed her gaze pushing up her glasses her tone filled with sarcasm. "No do tell me." Asuka looked up staring directly in to her turquoise eyes on the screen. "Myself back when I was eighteen years old through and through. I get what your going through the world sucks and nothing is fair and you just want to take it out on anyone and it's just easier to blame others for the things you don't like about yourself or the cards you were given but believe me it won't help you in the long run, you have to change not them." Mari smirked as she eyed her. "You know pretending to be self righteous and noble doesn't suit you Asuka, you're just not that good a person, you're dirty and broken inside and have you ever thought that, that was the reason Bardiel picked you and not us?"

Rei's face came up on her screen filled with anger. "How dare you say that to her!" Shinji's followed. "That's just out of order Asuka is not a bad person." Asuka eyed Mari's face on her screen that comment hurt but she wasn't going to go down to her level not this time. "Think what you will of me I know I am a good person and you'll never take that away from me." She breathed in deeply before speaking calmly. "As for being dirty, name one person in your whole life who hasn't faulted or fallen? You're also right I do have cracks gapping ones but I'm okay with the cracks so long as they don't rule my life."

Kaworu's face appeared on her screen. "Interesting analogy I see Rei is rubbing off on you." Asuka smirked at him. "Yeah maybe." Mari sneered as she eyed the others on her screen. "I can't wait till Toji gets his damn Evangelion above ground then I won't have to talk to you four fucking idiots." She turned hearing a sonic boom high above. "What the hell?"

Misato's voice hit the air on the loud speaker. "You are not authorized to enter this air space turn around now!" She looked up seeing a vertical wing appear high above though it was painted completely black and two thirds the size of normal one Misato's voice came again filled with rage as the two vertical wings on both sides of the training ground started moving to intercept. "If you continue on your projected course we will be forced to fire on you!"

A young teenage female voice came back. "Whatever, we know you can't shoot us once we get up close to the Evangelion's!" A male voice hit the air which was just as young. "Yeah I mean your slow ass vertical wings couldn't shoot this custom down even if they tried." Shinji turned as the small vertical wing moved downwards at lightning speed so it was in front of his units face as both voices spoke together. "Oh look it's the whiny, cowardly Japanese man who has a small dick, you know you'd look better in red."

A rocket flew out blasting part spraying red colour all over his units shoulder. It flew away from him at lightning speed towards Mari firing another rocket which blasted yellow paint all over her unit's chest as they both spoke again through there laughter. "God save the queen right you yellow bellied British prick?" Mari eyed them in disgust as she made a grab for them only for them to get clear away. "Fucking little shits!"

They moved over to Rei's unit speaking together once more. "Look at the frightened little Japanese doll who hides in corners bet you miss your mommy right?" Asuka leapt of the central wall slowly moving her unit on all fours so it was opposite Rei's seeing that they weren't taking any notice of her. "I'm only going to say this once, leave." The small vertical wing turned so it was hovering near her units face as she slowly stood it on its hind legs as they both spoke together once more. "Oh look it's the ugly German bitch in her ugly Evangelion what's wrong one eye, you still crippled after your accident?"

Asuka eyed them as she heard their laughter she felt her teeth grind together as she punctuated her next words. "You know the reason they say don't enter the field? It's because of me!" Her unit's jaws shot out at lightning speed opening full stretch before the vertical wing could even shift. She knew even from above that it was half way in her unit's mouth so that only the rudder was sticking out. She felt a sly smile form as the screaming started as she moved her unit casually down onto all fours as she began walking around. "Oh I'm sorry is this not verfickte pleasant for you little brats? You know I don't take kindly to people coming here and insulting my friends."

She paused before speaking. "Wow you should really hope that I don't make my ugly Evangelion swallow you by mistake, I mean that would be quite a ride for you both, I've heard they're fitted with living guts along with a real internal stomach and the acid in it is so caustic it could burn you to crisp." She felt her unit's teeth press down hard hearing the metal buckle. "Plus I hope you have insurance on your scheisse little custom vertical wing."

Kaji put his hands behind his head watching 02 on the screen which was now prancing around comically as the screaming carried on. "This is better than pay for view." Misato raised her hands. "She just fucking ate a plane!" Maya looked up smirking. "Technically it's not eaten, its half sticking out of her unit's mouth."

Shigeru looked up trying not to laugh. "I've got to get a personal recording off this." Makoto put a hand on his face in annoyance as he spoke through gritted teeth. "She's going to cause a press outrage the press helicopters are recording this, get her to drop that miniature vertical wing right now!" Misato eyed him hating that he was right she turned to the screen. "Asuka put them down now!" Asuka carried on prancing around. "Oh but we are having so much fun you should hear the screaming." She turned as a dark voice hit the air. "Eat them."

She felt her smile fade as she stopped her unit. "Was wondering when you'd show up." She looked up Bardiel appeared on her screen. "I was watching it's been a most fascinating these past few days." Asuka felt a cold smile form. "How's the shoulder? Do hope you have a nice scar to remember me by."

Kaji sat up. "Wait look she's talking to Bardiel." Misato brought up Asuka hologram image noticing that her whole pose had changed and her voice had hardened and she was looking offside at something they couldn't see. "Rei would you kindly distract Asuka and leaver the pint sized vertical wing out of her units mouth then give it to Mari? Bardiel seems to have picked this moment to return and I really don't want her to forget that she's got a plane wedged between her unit's teeth."

Rei moved slowly over to Asuka bringing her up on her screen watching as Shinji did the same on his. "Hey Asuka would you like to give me that vertical wing now?" Asuka eyed Bardiel's image as he sneered at her. "You know next time we meet face to face Bardiel and I can touch you I won't just tear up your shoulder!" Bardiel eyed her. "I doubt they'll be a next time Asuka but enjoy the rest your day I won't bother again today, after all I'm finding your sexual relations with Rei most curious and fascinating."

Asuka felt a cold snarl form along with the feeling of her back molars lengthening. "Oh I'm so happy you're curious, Bardiel but believe me if you interferer in that part of my life and her in any way, well lets just say that is no line that I won't cross to reach you!" Misato watched the screen they couldn't hear what Bardiel was saying only Asuka's responses. "This guy really knows how to piss her off." Kaji looked up eyeing the sync patterns which looked strange as the odd wave that represented Bardiel was spiking. "What and you wouldn't be pissed off if someone said things about someone you love?" Bardiel eyed Asuka. "You're full of empty threats, you're not stronger than me Asuka, I own you."

Asuka pulled her face patch off feeling her eye blaze out intense light. "No you're not stronger than me! You weren't stronger then when we fought on the ice planes, you just used tricks and you brought up my mother to distract me, it won't ever happen again!" Maya looked up sharply seeing the glowing left eye which was completely a light with white and piecing neon blue streaks. "Didn't know her eye could do that…." Asuka watched as Bardiel's image vanished. "Asuka please give me that vertical wing!"

She turned sharply realizing that Rei was standing over her, her unit's arms outstretched towards the vertical wing she was also in her screen along with Shinji both were watching her though she hadn't noticed it until now. She leaned back closing her eyes taking in slow deep breathes as she lowering her hands before moving her right hand to the pendent clutching it. She slowly took hold of her controls with the other hand feeling the unit's whole mouth slowly open. "Sorry."

Rei moved her unit slowly closer as she took hold of the rudder pulling the whole vertical wing out the people were alive but both were whimpering and crying. "Its okay Asuka we understand." Shinji eyed her. "Don't worry about it Asuka." Kaworu's face appeared. "That was a very noble effort on your part." Mari took the plane from Rei's unit's hands but kept it held up by the rudder as the thick salvia dripped off it. "Oh this is so disgusting why do I have to do this?"

Misato eyed her. "Oh I don't know I thought you might want to punch them personally when they get out for mocking your country of origin and since Asuka's had her fun I thought that you might want yours. You know before they get arrested and their vertical wing confiscated and then shipped back to there own country." Mari eyed the vertical wing. "Yes you know I think I'm going to enjoy this." Misato watched as she vanished from sight those two idiots would probably both leave with black eyes.

She eyed Asuka who was laid back with her eyes half closed and was still breathing in deeply her hand still clutching the pendent her teeth had returned to normal as had her eye. "Is she going to be okay?" Maya eyed her hologram screen. "This explains a lot whenever she fights him, its stresses her out both physically and emotionally to the point of exhaustion. It must take so much effort every time she does it, no wonder when she was ill it messed her up so much to start with." Misato raised a hand. "Who is stronger though him or her?"

Maya looked up. "I just don't know but if I read in to there conversation he seems more weary now and I think the drawings explain it better since she sent in more this morning and they might explain the eye as well." She shook her head. "I just wish we could see him, I mean he must have a weakness he's a version of humanity just like us he must have a tipping point."

8

Misato eyed the many digitally drawn images which were now up on screen all in lines all telling a story and all in sets of seven. She could see Kaji and Maya looking at them also. "You know some of these are really not like the others." She eased up her hand pulling the image set with the paintings of the weird lycanthrope tiger which also had a close up in the face though the right eye looked human. "Is this her, I mean did she turn herself into this?" Maya looked up. "This took place in her subconscious so technically she can do whatever she wants there." She raised her hand. "Her appearance reminds me of Nekomata." Misato turned sharply. "What?"

Maya breathed in as she leaned against her office chair. "You know the demon cat they named her unit after." Misato turned back sharply. "Wait a second." She eyed the screen pulling up the image which was just of the lycanthrope tiger like form in a standing pose with a white background as she spoke to the screen. "Bring up the most recent 02 image standing." She watched as the screen brought up one so she could see them side by side. "You've got to be kidding!?" Kaji stood up. "So she wasn't trying to turn it to some kind of demented depressed version of a monster she was recreating it as the living embodiment of Nekomata, Bardiel just helped her accomplish it."

Maya eyed the images. "She really likes cats always has, that is how her unit got that name because in an interview once she said that she found them nice and liked that thought for themselves, the public picked up on it hence the name was added." Misato slowly brought up an image of Bardiel putting it next to the lycanthrope tiger and unit 02. "Is it just me or is Bardiel mimicking? I mean the way his body looks is more like some lycanthrope panther?"

Maya breathed in as she eyed all three images. "Now that you mention it I see that as well but in a way that makes sense, he's a parasite so he is mimicking the host on every level, which would also explain why when he took over Asuka's body he was also imitating her behaviour." Kaji breathed in eyeing Bardiel's picture. "Normally I'd say that imitation is the best form of flattery but in this case it feels more like an insult on his part since he's such a creepy bastard." Misato breathed in deeply as she eyed the screen throwing the images back watching as they returned to their sets. "His cheap imitation aside I've noticed that there's an image missing from this set."

Kaji looked at her. "You mean the one of Rei you told me about the goddess image that you tried to copy before her AI demon kicked you out?" Maya shook her head. "You know you really need to stop going through her things, she already has trust issues. If you ever want to build bridges with her you need to be honest and ask her for things not take them as you please." Misato eyed her. "Look it wasn't like that Shinji and Kaworu both wanted to see her art and this image came up its so beautiful you have to get her to give it up it should be in the visitor centre for the world to see."

She paused pulling up the close up of the lycanthrope tiger's face and the other image of it in a standing pose. "Along with these two and another image from one of the sets just to balance it out." Kaji put a hand on his beard. "Would I be wrong in thinking that if one image is missing there's a chance others could be?" Misato folded her arms. "Great so she's holding out on us." Maya took a sip of her latte looking around her office. "No maybe the images are more personal and she's afraid of how they might be viewed, maybe there's something in them that shows fear or sadness on a very personal level."

She eyed the artwork. "Art is a window into the soul and unlike Shinji she may not have gotten to that stage in her art where she's happy for everyone to see what's inside." Misato eyed the images. "People need to see these images it would do so much good for her." She put her hands together. "Please just get her to give you the one of Rei she won't give it to me but she'll give it to you along with the missing ones and then send these up to the visitor centre its just Nekomata so she won't be so any resistance."

She turned as Rei appeared opening the door coming in side speaking softly. "Sorry I'm late." Maya eyed her. "Where's Asuka?" Rei looked up. "She just went to get a drink from the Arcade she said she'd be up in a few minutes." She walked forward looking at the screen with all of its art feeling a smile form. "Look at it all, it's so passionate." Kaji pulled up a rather dark image which showed Bardiel's face close up towering over the viewer in a sitting position tongue hanging out. "The really dark disturbing ones don't bother you?" Rei leaned against the table. "No I mean don't get me wrong I hate Bardiel but I love her drawings regardless and I enjoy watching her draw because she's always so focused." Kaji felt a smile form. "So I heard you stayed at her house last night again."

Rei looked up slightly. "Yes." Misato smirked. "Have a good time?" Rei breathed in she wasn't stupid she could see where this was going but right now she wasn't going to tell them anything regarding there new relationship not until Asuka wanted them to know and she'd said on the train trip up that she wasn't at this point. She could understand and respect where she was coming from because she knew once it got out there would be a tidal wave of talk all over Nerv and right now she didn't want to deal with it ether. "Yes we talked."

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Misato raised an eyebrow okay that was new Rei was fobbing her off normally she was quite open about her time with Asuka. "So you wouldn't happen to know where that pendent came from then the one around her neck over her plug suite?" Rei looked at her for a long moment. "I gave it to her, it was a gift she's had a hard time I thought it would make her feel better." Misato felt a sly smile form. "Did you get anything in return?" Rei eyed her. "Yes her gratitude and thanks." Misato narrowed her gaze. "Tell me something Rei, what's she like?" She raised her hand. "You know when there's no temper and she's relaxed because I've never seen that side of her?" Rei pushed her hair back. "She's very kind, caring and gentle and she cares about others and puts them before herself."

She looked down feeling the need to say something which needed to be said. "Three years ago I don't believe she hurt that woman Hikari and I don't think it was fair that she wasn't allowed to defend herself over the issue." Misato looked at her for a long moment. "Look lets be clear here we know how she was with Shinji she just had a slip in behaviour it's fine, it happens to us all I would know I have moments where I still drink too much."

Rei rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry but is it only myself and Shinji who ever noticed that she made an effort to change? I guess for some people it's just easier to cling to her egotistic unkind image then they get to justify there actions against her." She looked down sadly. "Did you not see how drunk she got that day and how miserable she was?" She breathed in deeply. "I mean wouldn't the old Asuka have just laughed off the whole thing and seen that woman's suffering as a joke?" Misato folded her arms. "Well you didn't stand up for her either and neither did Shinji." Rei narrowed her gaze. "A moment I regret deeply in hindsight."

Misato shrugged casually. "Look I can't change the past." Rei shook her head. "No but you could at least give her a chance in the here and now. You said that you thought she might have a good heart like her mother, did you just say that to be nice because you felt guilty because she was having it so hard or did you really mean it?" She raised her hand. "If it's the first one, she deserves so much better."

Maya gave Kaji a knowing look before folding her arms she already knew something had seriously changed they had to be in a relationship Rei's sudden defence said it all. Rei shook her head. "You know that she thinks that everyone thinks that she's a screw up it's why she never visits the visitor centre. She believes that there's nothing good written about her not to mention her banner in the visitor centre is awful, she even said that in her talent box there's only a gun in it."

Misato breathed in putting a hand on her face knowing she had no excuse. "Her depressed banner appearing in the visitor centre is my fault and I'm going to fix that and I've had the gun removed." Rei eyed her. "Well they haven't removed it, its still there I went there after training to have a look at her area using the hidden see through tunnel's which we can use to see the pilot displays and museum but the visitors can't see us. Its actuality fine there are some real good things written about her the problem is the banner and gun overshadow it all. I could hear visitors asking questions about that banner like that it wasn't right and why was hers is so different from the others some are questioning if she's okay because she's had no public appearances in three years and she's not been at the press conferences with the rest of us."

She looked down. "If I remember right after the incident with Hikari she stopped going because the presenter basically told her openly that she was a violent, crazy, narcissist and her past reputation spoke for itself. Granted you tried to manage the situation and myself and Shinji spoke up in her defence but I think the damage was already done because none of us had defended her on the home front and on the day when it really mattered."

Misato looked down she could remember that moment clearly as Asuka had not said anything she hadn't had a childish tantrum but she hadn't spoken for the rest of the interview and had just looked down at the floor. "I'm going to fix this all Rei you have to believe me and so help me I will get that gun removed and her banner changed." She turned seeing Asuka appear as ran up to the room skidding playfully on her shoes past the door stopping herself she had two drinks under her arm. Maya felt a wide smile form. "Well someones happy this afternoon." Asuka pushed open the door walking inside closing it behind her. "Sorry I'm late I was just really thirsty."

She paused pulling a drink out giving Rei her best smile. "This is for you, didn't you say once that you liked honeydew bubble tea with real milk no synthetic? I would have gotten here sooner but I had trouble finding drinks stall that sells these since I don't buy from them often." Rei looked up ignoring the look of surprise from Misato it wasn't a surprise to her Asuka did pay very close attention to there conversations she knew that had included the ones in the hospital back when she'd been recovering. She slowly took it from her hand feeling a smile form. "Thank you Asuka." She eyed the drink. "Yes I did say real milk no synthetic."

Asuka slowly eased up her caramel milk shake taking a sip as she turned to the others. "Did you ship those two idiots who interfered on the training ground back home?" Kaji looked up. "There called the Acardi twins their brother and sister and they are notorious for pulling stunts for social media and recording them live and normally they get away with it. Safe to say half the world saw them live in the back of your unit's throat before their camera cut out because you crushed part of the hull though the sound feed carried on but they never heard your conversation with Bardiel."

He put his hands in his pockets. "Their rich parents are coming to pick them up and their not happy they also stated that they didn't want their custom vertical wing back not after where it's been." Asuka smirked. "What can I say they were being insulting?" Maya leaned against her chair. "The media is mostly on your side Asuka some of them found it very amusing though the media building is very annoyed at you because they've been in undated with questions about what Evangelion's can and can't eat and if the other units can do what you did since all of them have open jaws."

Asuka shrugged. "Don't see why not but trust me I didn't want to eat them I just wanted to scare the scheisse out of them." Kaji laughed. "Well you did manage that they both pissed themselves in the literal sense there properly going to have nightmares and need therapy since they got a taste of what it's like to not be at the top of the food chain and after they got pulled out Mari punched them both." He raised a hand. "No one here is blaming you though and we have had quite a few military bases call us from around the world saying thank you as they have interfered with them during live weapons testing and they almost caused a death up in Nevada by splattering paint all over the jet fighter pilot's cockpit windscreen while he was in mid flight and he had to do an emergency landing.

He looked up slightly. "They've also fired that awful paint all over tanks and other military vehicles obscuring there aim to make it hard for the soldiers to fire. They only got away with it because they couldn't catch that little custom virtual wing which we are going to strip down to bones because we want to know where that technology came from as it can break the sound barrier and travel at jet fighter speed and our vertical wings just couldn't keep up with it. The twins said they brought the vertical wing through a private sale but didn't know the creator and that technology is very advanced and looks military which tells us that someone is trying to go out of there way to advance vertical wing technology with out us knowing, we are hoping it's just a one of prototype."

Maya stood up pushing the images on screen back into their lines as she brought up an image from the lower set which showed the lycanthrope tiger taking on Bardiel on the ice planes in a stand out wide shot. "I think we understand now what you meant by trying to eat Bardiel, this is also very interesting as we had no idea people could change forms in their subconscious. It's always deemed as theoretical but this proves otherwise and it brings up questions about what's going on in the mind when a person is in a coma."

Asuka eyed the image. "I was able to rip part of his shoulder apart but since he won't show his full form again I can't see it I scared him up." She looked at her hand. "When he came to talk to me out on the ice planes I was myself."

Maya switched the image to an image which again was side on where Asuka had drawn herself in her plug suite with loose hair sitting out on the ice alone surrounded by the red sea as the snow fell around her. "I saw that one you looked really lonely." Asuka looked down sadly. "I did want to be alone I was just so done with everything, like I said before I thought I was dead." She looked up slightly. "I just thought I'd been sent to purgatory or something because I'd done so many bad things in my life and when he showed up I thought he was my eternal punishment. It was one of the reasons I changed and attacked him because I just couldn't stomach the thought of him being around for eternity with me I felt that I'd much rather be alone."

Rei moved putting a hand on her arm. "That's an awful thing to think Asuka that you weren't worthy of some form of heaven." She met her good eye. "You've never believed in the idea of god or gods have you?" Asuka eyed her. "No because I believe if a god or gods exist then why are they so cruel, why do they do horrible things to people and take away their loved ones? Also if they really exist they stole my mother from me and I hate them for that."

Maya eyed her for a long moment. "You said Bardiel put you off using your mother, what did he say?" Asuka narrowed her gaze. "He keeps talking about cycles and other versions of me, I have absolutely no idea what he talking about and he keeps on bringing up that my mother isn't gone he's done it twice now. He talks about some existence on a higher plane and that she's closer than I think like right under my nose, he's lying my mother is dead I walked in on her dead body she's gone, she's not coming back."

Kaji breathed in deeply it was time to come clean about this now before Asuka heard about it in a way that would make her mad. "We believe that Bardiel tampered with your Evangelion, because when you went into the machine it sprung to life and tried to come to your rescue. He called it your keeper Rei saved us all because it wouldn't shut down until you were safe and it tore up half of the room to get to you. We are only telling you this now, because when you woke up you had too much stress on your shoulders and we wanted you to settle down first." Asuka eyed Rei in surprise. "You talked to 02?" Rei gave her a smile. "Yeah it seemed to understand what I was saying it was strange." Misato raised her hand. "I hired two new people recently and I have them looking into this and other things as we speak."

Asuka took in a deep breath fiddling with her pendent which was on top of her t-shirt. "I understand why you didn't tell me this and I wouldn't have put it past Bardiel to have played with 02 coding somehow, after all he changed it in the first place and he told me he would do anything to protect my body and his existence." Misato pulled up the image of the standing tiger form again. "Are you sure that wasn't you rather than him? I mean you know when you compare that form you turned yourself in to its not that different from unit 02's over all body." Asuka took a sip of her milkshake. "That's stupid I'm not that creative."

Kaji eyed her. "You are joking right?" He put his hand up to the images. "This is just a mass of creativity and imagination, who's to say that Bardiel didn't use this side of your artistic nature to recreate 02 how you wanted?" Rei moved her hand to Asuka's shoulder. "Your unit looks like Nekomata Asuka it even has two tails." Asuka looked at her for a long moment. "But I wasn't thinking that at the time." Misato eyed the image. "Subconscious thought maybe you know like wanting to be different and special." Asuka felt a cold sneer form. "Don't call me special ever again! I'm not special."

Rei turned to her in surprise she wasn't the only one the others looked just as surprised by her sudden mood change. "You shouldn't say that about yourself Asuka, everyone has something about them that different and unique." Asuka breathed in deeply. "I don't want to stand out that's the point, I was happier when I just faded into the background and no one noticed me and I hate that Bardiel just keeps doing things to me that forces others to look at me and I know he has some endgame in mind I just can't work out what it is. It's driving me verfickte crazy and I want to know what it is because then I can stop him."

Rei moved closer running her hand gently through the taller woman's hair hoping that it would calm her down. "Asuka maybe he's doing this to you, because like me he sees something wonderful in you that he thinks others should see." She watched as Asuka's anger faded away turning to sadness as she looked at her. "I mean we wouldn't have become as good friends as we have if not for his interferences."

Misato looked at Asuka who now looked sad. "Why did you pilot the UN Alpha test unit Asuka?" Asuka looked up slightly. "Because you asked me to…." Misato paused as a truly dark question entered her mind. "Yes I did but were you hoping for an accident, did you want it to go wrong? Because I went over the calculated risks with you and you didn't seem to care and at the time I though it was just you being cagey" She folded her arms. "Did you think if you died no one would notice?" Maya eyed Asuka realizing how dangerous this question was and she hoped to the gods that Rei could just keep her calm if she hit off.

Asuka felt Rei's hand as it moved through her hair. "It wasn't a death wish I've been a killing machine for years I've killed so many people, they could repaint my unit in the gallons of blood I've spilt and it would still look the same. I have no major accomplishments to my name, I'm just a big angry gun just like in my talent box up in the visitor centre says I stepped into the UN Alpha unit because I was desperate to just have something other than Asuka kills on that wall." She felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "But it amounted to nothing anyway and now the world properly thinks the same thing as those two brats." She breathed in sadly. "That I'm an ugly one eyed cripple with an ugly unit even though the ugly unit and cripple part isn't even true."

Maya eyed her as something hit her, which hadn't occurred to her before now that the accident could have affected Asuka's own view of her body and face. "Asuka do you think you're attractive?" Misato laughed. "Oh come on that's a stupid question weren't you the most popular and attractive girl in school I mean the boys and girls always chased you." Asuka looked down she really didn't want to answer part of this and she wasn't going to because if she did they'd all just tell the opposite even though it wouldn't be true.

"Firstly they didn't pursue me I went after them because I though I was entitled to them and I used my being an Evangelion pilots to get what I wanted. I was only popular because I was an arrogant little brat and I liked to stand out because I liked the attention and I didn't care what kind it was so long as it was on me." Rei turned looking at Asuka who was looking down still as something hit her hard when they'd woken up early and she had told her she was keeper she had replied even though she was scared up and had a neon glowing eye, had self hatred and low self esteem also effected her self image?

She was stunningly beautiful despite the eye patch and scars did she only see herself as a scared up hideous human being? Wait now that she thought about it she didn't see Asuka look in mirrors that often and at home she had no dressing table, she used to have all manner of beauty products as a teen like lip balms and skin screams. She had, had that many that Misato would try to borrow them but now there was nothing. Her bathroom medicine cupboard was filled with general things like pain killers, plasters as well as things for colds and coughs and the bath only had body wash and shampoos for her hair but there were no luxuries not bath bombs or even special soaps it was all generic even in her home she had these little pampering items.

Come to think of it Asuka never ever visited the Spa in the gym she went there every now and again and her brother and Kaworu loved the place, she'd even seen Mari there with Toji and his sister. Since the accident she hadn't even visited the gym other than to shoot on the gun range level and she wasn't even practicing with Kyo on the combat floor anymore though that part made sense to her as she probably felt bad about what had happened when he'd been sent to bring her in.

Maya looked up realizing that they weren't going to get anymore out of Asuka today and it would be wrong to push her any harder but what she'd said had been very revealing and saddening she wanted to ask her about her left eye and emotions but it could wait another day. "Okay we should wrap it up today." She breathed in deeply. "Could you guys just give me a minute alone with Asuka?" She looked up. "That includes you Rei." She watched as Rei gave her a slight look of uncertainty.

Kaji moved towards the door easing up his hand. "Come on Rei I'll get you a bite to eat at the vending machine." He eyed Misato who looked outright frustrated that she was being asked to leave. "Come on Misato." Maya watched as they left and the door was closed behind them as they vanished from sight she turned to Asuka was still looking down sadly. She pulled up a chair in front of her taking hold of her free hand as she sat down in it. "Are you and Rei together now?" Asuka looked up slightly she wasn't going to lie to Maya had never lied to her about who she had been with even if the relationship had not worked out. "Yes we are." Maya left a smile form. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that Asuka." She met her good eye. "I know you've always loved her, I know you never said it but I always knew."

Asuka breathed in deeply. "We kissed last night, it was crazy and she told me that she loved me." Maya looked at her. "You deserved to be loved Asuka." Asuka eyed her. "That's what she said." Maya raised an eyebrow. "She's right." Asuka looked around her nervously. "Please don't tell the others I'm not ready for them to know neither is Rei." Maya felt her smile widen. "I won't say anything you don't have to worry."

She turned to look at the images. "We've been looking at your images and we think there might be gaps did you leave anything out Asuka?" Asuka breathed in sharply pulling out her digital scroll as she put her milkshake down. "I missed some yes…they just don't make any sense it's why I left them out." Maya looked at her. "We need them all Asuka every single one we are not going to judge you no matter how bad they are." Asuka watched as Anneberg appeared flaring his teeth. "Anneberg please copy all missing images to Nerv's cloud drive and reorder as I drew them." Anneberg's eyes blinked. "Including the special image?" Asuka eyed him. "Yes." Anneberg blinked as a question mark appeared over his head. "You said you wanted no one to see, you said it was too personal." Asuka eyed him. "She'll probably never see it anyway and they can always just hide it during our talks."

Anneberg teeth flared again. "Uploading at your request Asuka." Maya looked up as all the images suddenly appeared in all the sets and were reshuffled at lightning speed the added images making each set ten images per set rather than seven. Asuka eyed Anneberg. "Thank you." Anneberg blinked again. "Please introduce me to Rei if she stays over again tonight." Asuka eyed him. "Yes I will Anneberg you go and play now."

She watched as his animation laughed before fading to black she put the digital scroll back in side her inner leather jacket pocket. "It's all there no gaps." Maya eyed her as she stood up. "Thank you Asuka." She moved her hand to her shoulder. "I know this is hard for you and I really appreciate that you're trying your hardest, you go and enjoy the rest of your day okay?" Asuka breathed in picking up her drink. "Yeah I will." Maya watched as she left closing the door behind her vanishing from sight only for Misato to literally come bolting back through the door followed by Kaji who closed it behind him.

Maya eyed Kaji. "Is she back with Rei?" Kaji nodded. "Rei wasn't interested in the vending machine she was happy to just wait out of sight till she came out." Misato eyed Maya. "Please tell me oh mighty one that you got that image?" Maya stood up eyeing the images flipping through them. "Yes I got all of the images I really don't see what the…" She froze seeing the one that was causing so much uproar pulling it out so it fitted half the screen staring at it. "Now that is really beautiful and it's completely the opposite in tone to everything else she's drawn."

Misato grabbed Kaji arm dragging him over. "You see that's the one myself Shinji and Kaworu saw before Anneberg kicked me out when I tried to copy it." Kaji eyed it. "Okay I stand corrected I thought you were exaggerating but that really is something else." Misato raised her hand. "You have to get this one and the tiger form ones I pointed out up to the visitor centre today have them throw that gun and case away and have theses framed glassed and mounted on the wall just like Shinji's art and make this one the central focus."

Maya folded her arms. "She doesn't want Rei to see this." Misato moved towards her. "Any other time I would agree with you but please just this once see my side Maya, this image and the two others will change how the world sees her this might be the tipping point that brings them together, Rei will die and go to heaven if she sees this." She raised her hand. "If there was ever such a declaration of love then this is it." Maya breathed in deeply. "Okay I'll have this done and I'll make sure that they personally throw away the gun and glass case but I have to say I did it, not you, she'll be less inclined to chew me out and we'll get past it you on the other hand she'll never forgive and you both have work to do in terms of building bridges."

She eyed the image. "Looking at this though does make me think something else that this is not the first time she's drawn her, it's just way too precise and every stroke is so confident." Misato eyed her. "Shinji said he saw her drawing Rei in school." She felt her smile widen. "So there could way more of these floating around?" Maya put a hand on her chin. "It's been years since she left school and she's probably drawn a lot in that time."

Misato eyed the image. "If we could just get her to show us some of her other recent works not related to Bardiel we could have them make a book of art for her just like we've done with the others and they could sell it in the gift shop of the visitor centre."

End of part 35

Silvermoonlight