Sic caecus mos ostendo via

(so the blind will show the way)

Intro

As I look across the ocean, and see a magnificent sight before me, I feel their arms hold me tighter. I always knew that if our plan worked that this would be my fate. How sad is that? Its funny though, I always imagined death or more to the point my death, a little differently. Instead of feeling cold and numb to the world around me, surrounded in a everlasting blackness, i felt warm and cozy. Like I was snuggling into a warm bed. The feel of their arms around me fills me with a feeling of happiness.

Shinji holds me tighter, begging me not to leave him. Asuka runs her fingers though my hair, whispering a soft lullaby. I think its to both me and Shinji.

My vision starts to go as the darkness I have known for so long returns and I start to wonder, 'if I have succeeded, they will be on their own'. I turn to look at the two of them, 'no,' I think, they aren't alone anymore. I finally let my heavy eyes close and off in the distance I can hear them calling me, and I answer them, “Mama Papa, I'm home.”

Chapter 1, My name is...

Shinji Ikari opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling above him. Turning over he looked at his alarm clock. The bright green numbers flashed 6:46am.'Weird I don't normally get up early.' Sighing Shinji rose out of his oh so comfy bed and turned off the alarm of his clock, that was set for seven. He made his way to the kitchen to get every bodies meal ready. Opening the fridge Shinji took out some eggs, cheese and ham cold cuts. He felt like omelets that morning. Placing all the contents on the counter he looked down to see Pen Pen staring up at him, his head cocked to the side.

“Yes I know I'm up early, so sue me.”

Pen Pen waddled over to the fridge with Shinji right behind him, “ok I'll fix your sardines.”

Grumbling Shinji grabbed a can and peeled off the top and handed the can down to Pen Pen who gave a happy “Wuaaag!” and scurried off to enjoy his meal.

Getting back to the task at hand Shinji heard the shower start, signaling that Asuka, his ever abusive but beautiful house mate, had just woken up. Shinji smiled, he was ahead of schedule today, maybe if Asuka got her breakfast before asking for it, she wouldn't yell at him till lunch.

“And maybe an Angel will try and build up the city and not blow it up.”

Shinji placed the three plates down just as Asuka walked in yelling toward his room, “HEY SHINJI MAKE ME-! Oh.” Asuka blink taken a little off guard at seeing Shinji already up, with breakfast made.

“Good morning Asuka, your just in time for breakfast.”

Asuka leveled her gaze at him and was about to make a remark about him finally getting up in time to make her breakfast before she asked but the aroma of the fresh eggs, cheese and ham finally reached her and food took priority over anything else, besides she could always yell at him at lunch for something later.

The two sat silently and ate. Both enjoying the chance at a quiet meal, till of course the living dead, I mean Misato, walked into the room, with all her higher brain functions on stand by. Shinji sighed as he got up and handed Misato her morning beer, which she downed in one large gulp.

“YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” Houston all systems are go.

Asuka sighed in disgust, “Misato you keep drinking in the morning, and your figure will go to hell. I don't think men find beer guts a turn on.”

Shinji couldn't help it, he snickered. Oh pity the young and stupid. Misato crushed the can, on his head, and turned to look at Asuka, “I'll tell you what Asuka, you get a figure and then maybe, just maybe I'll listen to you about my morning drink.”

One point Misato, thought Shinji.

Misato after drinking two more beers and grabbing a few more, sat down at the table to eat. After breakfast Shinji took his shower and got dressed, Making his way with Asuka to the door Misato called out after them, “hey I made you two lunch! Its by the door!” Both pilots looked at each other in horror. Taking the 'lunch' the two headed out.

Asuka hummed as she and Shinji made their way to school. Unlike so many other times, they were not running late. Which made the walk a little more enjoyable.

“Hey baka maybe you should start getting up earlier from now on. I delicate flower such as myself should be able to walk to school like this more often. Running doesn't become a young woman like myself.”

What possessed Shinji to comment back he would never know but, “since when are you considered delicate?”

Asuka stopped in her tracks, a little taken aback from Shinji's remark, though that only lasted for a second, “BAKA!”

WACK

“Ow damn it Asuka.” Shinji rubbed the back of his head.

“Well it serves you right. You should feel honored that I let you walk with me.”

“Oh yes the pleasure is all mine,” Shinji mumbled under his breath. Asuka did hear him but decided not to retaliate just yet. She found it nice change of pace that Shinji was showing a little back bone this morning. The two continued to walk in silence, till they passed an alley way across the street.

“Please sir! Let me go!”

Shinji was the first to hear the call for help. Turning toward it, he saw a young girl, who looked around the same age as him. She had on the uniform that his school wore except instead of the red ribbon, she wore a black one. She wore small orange tinted sunglasses but her most out of place feature was her hair. It was a bright strawberry pink, tied back in pigtails.

The girl was being held against a wall by two rather large men while a third smaller man held a knife pointed at her throat. “Quiet bitch! Now you need to pay the toll for walking in our alley.”

“Please help!”

SMACK

“I said QUIET!”

Shinji without thinking rushed across the street. Asuka hearing him, turned around to see what was up. “Shinji?”

“Now how about we take our payment guys.”

“Sounds good boss.”

The man brought the tip of the knife so it rested on the uniforms cloth, just under the first visible button. He smiled and open his mouth to say something else but never got the chance. Shinji punched him square in the jaw, and the momentum added with the surprise of the punch knocked the man back onto his back, leaving everyone in utter shock.

“Son of a-! Kid you just made a stupid mistake!”

Shinji, who could pilot a Eva like no other, who has fought Angels the size of sky scrappers, knew nothing about picking fights. So he was not ready when the other two thugs blind sided him. A hard punch to his gut and Shinji hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. The largest of the three grabbed him by his collar and lifted him up, “You're going to regret mess'n with us kid.”

Gasp is this the end of Shinji Ikari!? Will he fall to a bunch of thugs before an Angel. Will the world have to wait for Rei to save the world!? What do you think?

“HEY STECKFASSUNG ESEL!!!”

The largest thug turned just in time for Asuka's foot to connect with his face. He hit the ground hard. The two others turned to look at the crazy girl. Thats about all they got to do, Asuka, showing off her military combat training moved to the side of the other big man and a swift kick to the side of his knee dropped him to the ground. A round house heel to the back of his head kept him there. The one with the knife moved to try and stab Asuka but the girl he had been about to hurt wrapped her arms around his legs.

“YOU LITTLE-!!”

A quick kick to his jaw sent him and his teeth falling to the cold hard ground. Asuka looked around at the fallen men, “disgusting.”

Shinji couldn't help but stare at her. He never knew she could do that. He knew she was the better pilot, but never in his wildest dreams did he ever think she could do this. Asuka looked down toward Shinji and for the briefest moment looked into each others eyes. A small cough snapped them out of their trance.

Shinji turned to see the girl sitting against the wall rubbing her wrists. “Oh are you ok?”

The girl smiled, “yes,” she answered. Shinji bent down and took her by the hand, and helped her up. Now that Shinji saw her up close, he was taken aback by how beautiful she was. When he realized he was staring and still holding her hand, quickly removed them, blushing as he did. This didn't go unnoticed by Asuka.

“So um,” Shinji started, “do you think your hurt?”

“No, no I think I'm fine now, thanks to you two. Um do you happen to see where my purse is?”

Asuka frowned, it was right by her feet, and she was looking at it, “um its right there?”

The girl blushed slightly, “I don't know where there is.”

Shinji blinked, while Asuka suddenly got the hint, “oh my God, you're blind.” She turned to the nearest thug on the ground and delivered a swift kick to his gut, “what kind of man attacks a blind girl!?”

Shinji bent down to pick it up when he saw what looked like the handle to a walking stick, “um you didn't happen to have a walking stick with you?”

The girl slumped, “they broke it.”

Asuka kicked him again, “you broke her stick!”

Shinji gave her his arm, which she took, “do you go to Tokyo 3 high school?”

“Yes, I just transferred a few days ago, this was my first day. Are you all students?”

“yeah class A-3”

The girl's face brightened up immediately after Asuka's answer, “thats my class!”

Shinji helped her around the thugs, “well it would be my pleasure and honor to walk you to our class.”

Asuka's jaw dropped and mouthed 'pleasure, honor?”

The girl wrapped her arms around Shinji's, a look of pure joy spread across her face, “thank you thank you so much Mr...oh I don't know who you are.”

“My name his Shinji and this is-,” Asuka cut him off, “Asuka Langley Soryu.”

“Oh my God are you two the famous pilots!?”

Asuka smirked, while Shinji just blushed, “You bet we are! Hey we don't know your name yet.”

“Ai Yusor Hikari.”

“Well Ai welcome to Tokyo 3.”

Walking down the hallways Asuka took Ai to the ladies room so she could clean up, So Shinji walked into the class and was greeted by his two friends Toji and Kensuke, who were both sitting at his desk, looking a bit peeved.

“ Um hi guys?”

“Don't you 'hi guys' us pal! You have a lot of nerve!”

“Yeah how could you man?”

“Huh?”

“Don't huh us, we want details now!”

Shinji looked at Toji, “details of what?”

“Details of how you got some major babe to walk with you to school, hanging off your arm!”

'Should have know,' Shinji thought.

“yeah,” Kensuke added, “there is no way a hot girl like that would be seen with you.”

“yeah thanks for that, real confidence boosters, thats what you guys are.”

Shinji pushed them out of his chair and sat down, thats when Toji noticed Shinji's cheek, “dude what happened to you?”

“Huh?”

“Look at his face, the Red Devil finally snap?”

“or did the fun get a little out of hand.”

Shinji shot Kensuke a glare, very similar to one his father uses. Kensuke shut up immediately. Toji frowned, “this have something to do with you being a pilot?”

“No, the girl you saw me with, Ai is her name by the way, was getting mugged. I sorta stepped in. Got my ass handed to me though. Asuka had to save us both. You know she can fight like Bruce Lee?”

Kensuke paled, then ran to Asuka's desk and picked up something from the chair. And tossed it into the nearest trash. Toji slapped Shinji on the shoulder, “didn't take you for the chivalry type.”

Shinji nodded, “I can't explain it but when I saw her in trouble I just reacted.”

Kensuke, who was checking his camera out, looked back at him, “you saw a person in trouble and helped out, sounds like you to me. You do it everyday you step into the Eva and fight an Angel.”

“T-thanks”

Toji smirked as he took his seat behind Shinji, “so whats she like. You get a good look anywhere as a reward?”

“TOJI!”

It was at the moment the Hikari stepped in front of the class, “Everyone rise, bow, sit down!”

“Thank you Hikari, students, today we will be getting a new student-” it was then the door opened.

5 minutes earlier

Asuka leaned against the wall of the restroom as she watched Ai wash her face. She was a pretty strong girl Asuka decided. Most girls after getting mugged would be in pieces but Ai, she didn't seemed fazed. Ai reached over and felt for her purse.

“Here you go Ai.”

“Oh thank you Asuka. You know you don't have to wait on me. I don't want you to be late.”

Asuka shrugged, "its no problem, besides I still need to get you to our class room. Um are you putting on your own make up?”

Ai who had a stick of light pink lipstick in her hands just smiled, “yes, I am a big girl you know. I have my face memorized to a 'T.' Watch.” And with a quick pass over both lips the lipstick was on, perfectly.

“My mom taught me how to do a lot of this stuff. Though I have to admit I don't see the reason for it all.”

Asuka looked at her, “what do you mean?”

“I never really concerned my self with how I looked, or how others looked. I've learned to find beauty in other ways.”

“Oh?”

“Music was one of those ways. My daddy would play the cello for me, every night before I would fall asleep.”

“Sounds nice.”

“It was.”

Ai let that sit there for a moment, and Asuka didn't feel the need to make a remark about it. It was obviously a touchy subject. She had a private past and that was something Asuka could understand. Ai placed the lipstick into her purse and offered her hand out, which Asuka took.

“So is Shinji your boyfriend?”

Asuka's eyes snapped open and her face turned bright red, “w-what do you mean!? You think that hentai baka is my boyfriend!?”

“Oh you two aren't dating? Huh, the way you two talked on the way here, you two sounded like you were dating. Sorry.”

Asuka took a deep breath, trying to compose her self, and try to get the images of her and Shinji dating out of her head. But for the an instant, she had to admit, some of the images weren't all bad. The ringing of the school bell finally brought her out of it.

“Don't apologize, you only have gotten to meet the rare, brave and honorable Shinji. The other 99 percent of the time, he's a hentai and a baka.”

Ai winced at that, “thats a little cruel, don't you think?” The two exited the restroom and headed to class. Asuka finally stopped at the door and turned to look at Ai. “let me fix that bow for you. You may not think outward appearances are a top priority,” she smiled when she was done, “but they don't hurt when making a first impression.”

Ai nodded, “ who am I to argue with an Eva pilot.”

School came and went, and as night fell on Tokyo 3, the mind of one individual raced. Walking around her small but comfy apartment, Ai came up to a window, and placed her hand to the glass. Her pale white eyes seemed to glow as the neon lights outside her window turned on. Her peaceful face soon turned sour, and her fingernail racked the glass. So many souls lived here. So many people.

“Humanity, how disgusting.”

Hi there! This is your author here! So what do you think? Just to give you a time line its been a few days after the 11th angel. I hope i did ok considering this is my attempt at an Evangelion fan fiction. I'll try to keep Ai from being a major Mary Sue but she is a very important character in this story. Please r/r. Flames will be ignored and used to keep me warm or to heat my chemical experiments. I do like helpful criticism, that is more than welcome.