Hello Folks!

Gargoyle here. Just thought I'd drop this little ditty on you folks before
popping it over to RAAC.

As you can read, it is the fourth in the series. The first of which I posted
to the FFML in January. I tried posting the second, but my mailer spit it
back at me�And might have mailed it out anyway�Who knows? If you have a
desire to read the rest, follow the address at the bottom, or e-mail me.

At any rate, C&C to either:
gargoyle4@hotmail.com
or
gargoyle@iwaynet.net

Copyright does not belong to me, alas. It belongs to others, who are busy
making more of this lovely anime for us to fold, spindle and, in some cases,
mutilate. I do this for fun, who knows why anyone else does?

So sit back, grab your favorite longnecked friend and enjoy!

***

The Anime Bar and Grille
By
Joshua Trujillo


Episode 4; Duet

�It looks like a dive,� Asuka said, trying her damnedest to sound whiny.

She succeeded.

�It�s big,� Shinji said quietly from behind her.

Misato turned to her charges.

�Dives are smaller than this Asuka. This is a respectable place.�

�Okay, it looks like a BIG dive,� Asuka retorted, putting her hands on her
hips.

�Now Asuka, we�re here to see Rei and to have dinner, not to comment on the
architecture,� Kaji said, putting the keys in his pocket.

Misato smiled at him, ever since the series ended, he drew much closer to
her. Asuka smiled at him.

�Okay, let�s go,� Asuka said, taking Shinji�s hand.

Shinji straightened his tie and stumbled behind her. That reminded Misato of
something. She reached in front of her and grabbed Kaji�s tie. He obediently
stopped and let himself get adjusted. Misato never grew tired of doing that
to him, even though she knew well enough that the tie would be rumpled by
the end of the night. She hadn�t worn pumps in a while and they were
starting to wear on her feet. Asuka looked equally out of place in her
dress, more fitting for her would be the plug suit. Though, after the end of
the series, no angels. So it was natural that she and Shinji were having
some problems with the relationship. Newly married couples always did.
Misato and Kaji, on the other hand, were the perfect example.

Kaji opened the door and a flood of sights filled Misato with a sense of
excitement. She hadn�t done something like this in ages, and she thought she
deserved it.

Standing in the entranceway, Asuka looked around. They had quite an
impressive display of Anime memorabilia. She even saw a few things she
recognized. She had no idea what that little flaming critter in the corner
was. Perhaps she�d ask Shinji about it. She thought again, he would just get
that smirk on his face that he�d been doing lately and say that she should
already know that. He was getting insufferable. He�d been so sweet in the
beginning, but now, Asuka didn�t know. She still loved him, but they were
now even living apart. It was her idea, but it didn�t seem to be having the
intended reaction.

A hostess came up and bowed to the group. Asuka didn�t like the look of
her...too shifty. She looked toward Shinji. He was eyeing this girl with
about as much tact as a dog in heat. Asuka was just disgusted. What did she
have? She had purple hair for starters. She did have a much better body than
Asuka did, but then, she noticed that Misato was also having problems with
Kaji. Apparently he noticed her body as well. Asuka shook her head and
followed as the girl lead them to their table. She seemed as much annoyed by
the attention as Asuka. The place was nice enough.

�If you need order something, just order from Virtual Waiter,� The girl said
in broken Japanese, �Better than real waiter, it no make mistake. Have nice
meal.�

She began to bow again, but stopped as that would put her chest close to
Kaji�s head, who was doing nothing to move. Shinji watched as Misato reached
over and did something that made Kaji wince and put his head down. The young
Chinese girl smiled and bowed, leaving the table area.

Asuka and Misato smiled at this little display of pain. Kaji just rubbed
something under the table and Shinji just sat there and bigsweated. Shinji
was relieved when little portals opened in the top of the table and out
popped menus. Each taking one, Asuka looked hers over.

She might as well be civil about it. This whole evening was Shinji�s idea.
They hadn�t seen each other in almost two weeks and, much as she would never
admit to him, she missed him. She loved the fact that he used to write for
her in the beginning. Just little simple stories and poems that he would
later read to her just before they went to sleep. It was just so damned
romantic. He stopped after a while. She missed the part that seemed to go.
So they separated in hopes that perhaps living apart was better than living
together. After all, it was that way for many years between Shinji and his
father.

�So Shinji, what looks good to you?� She asked.

Shinji regarded his menu for a moment, then leaned over to her with a slight
grin on his face. Misato wondered what he was saying, though the message was
quite clear when Asuka turned as red as her plug suit.

�You have turned into a pervert,� She said.

�You made me this way,� He replied.

�You could�ve married Rei,� Asuka said, folding her arms.

Shinji thought again and smiled before answering.

�Yeah-I could�ve...�

It took a minute for this to sink in to Asuka, but she just blushed again
and tried to hide in her menu.

�Ah, youth,�  Kaji said, having recovered from his injury.

�Yeah, I remember when you used to be like that. What happened?� Misato said
to him.

Kaji put a hand to his chest in mock exacerbation. Shinji and Asuka laughed
lightly. Misato squeezed Kaji�s hand. They all turned serious attention to
the orders and put the menus back into their respective portals. The menus
disappear and glasses with drinks replace them. Two large glasses of frosty
beer appear before Misato and Kaji. A large iced tea floated into place in
front of Shinji. In front of Asuka, the menu was replaced by a tall glass of
a liquid that Shinji couldn�t quite identify. Shinji watched his wife take
something that looked like a bean out of the top of the glass and set it
aside. She then took a sip and nodded approvingly to whatever it was.

�What is that?� Shinji asked, pointing at the bean.

Asuka smiled and leaned to Shinji. Misato could see that it was Shinji�s
turn to get embarrassed. Asuka made little twirling motions with her finger
as she described something to him. He looked up as if he were going to say
something, but then got a confused look on his face.

�Is that even possible?� He asked of her.

�Yep,� Asuka said, nodding coyly.

Shinji just began to shake his head and let out a deep sigh.

�And you call ME perverse?�

Misato and Kaji chuckled as things seemed to be going fairly smoothly on
their way into dinner.

***

The last chord resounded through the stage and the surrounding bar area.
Skuld raised her hand in the classic pose that made Minmei famous. She
always loved that song, no pun intended. Of course people clapped. They
cheered for her. For they all surely knew she was a Goddess. The stage felt
so right to Skuld. The adoration of people you didn�t even know. This was
the best.

And yet, Skuld wanted more.

These mortals aged so quickly. Keiichi was already twenty-three and he and
Belldandy had settled down into a little nest that was the temple. Belldandy
was happy, so Skuld really didn�t mind Keiichi, even if he seemed like such
a waste sometimes.

Skuld bowed again and walked off the stage.

�That was perfect again Skuld,� A small man said from a table just backstage
and off to one side.

It was the stage manager, Umino Gurio. He booked and auditioned all the
acts. He insisted on doing it himself and seemed to have a knack for
theatrics. He looked up from his books and smiled as Skuld approached. Skuld
always thought he looked damned silly in that top hat and tuxedo. Especially
with that mask. She said nothing though, something Belldandy taught her
called �tact�.

�Yeah, thanks,� She said, looking backstage on the other side, �Hey
Umino-kun, have you seen my sisters tonight?�

�Well, Urd was drinking with this older guy and they were both talking to
Sakura at the bar,� Umino said, helpfully.

�Of course,� She said, rolling her eyes.

�I haven�t seen Belldandy,� He continued.

�Thanks Umino-kun,� She said.

She winked at him, raised his top hat and ruffled his hair. Walking off, she
flipped the top hat back onto his head. He just blushed and adjusted his
glasses as she walked away. She loved to do that to him.

Backstage, she turned to go through the wall and stopped. With some exercise
of mental control, she forced herself to go down the stairs. Belldandy had
been trying to ween her of the habit of phasing through things, even if that
was easier. She said that it would be better, since we�re in the world of
mortals, to act like mortals.

Skuld came into the bar area to a chorus us praise about her performance,
including a couple of older men who gave her keys. She didn�t collect keys
and she didn�t understand it very much, thinking that it must have been a
custom she didn't know about. She�d have to ask Belldandy about it when she
got home. The throng relaxed after a few autographs and she made her way to
the bar. She looked down the long, lightening shaped bar and quickly found
her sister.

Urd had begun to hang around this one particular mortal as of late. Skuld
thought it was unusual that Urd would choose now of all times to get
domestic. Just in the last month, Kintaro Oe had been the only mortal Urd
would have anything to do with, well, other than Keiichi and Megumi. There
was something else about this Kintaro person. He was a pervert in the
highest order, which seemed to suit Urd just fine. Belldandy wouldn�t have
it, but once Kintaro found out about Keiichi, he seemed the perfect
gentleman, even to Skuld. He did treat Skuld like a kid sometimes, and that
would annoy her to no end, except when he bought her sweets. They seemed to
have a magical property about them that made everything better. No, the
pervert bit didn�t really bother Skuld. Urd�s other boyfriend had been
worse, but there was something else. Something different, special, about
him.

�Hey Urd,� Skuld said, above the play of the band, some group of kids named
Neon Carrot.

�What is it, little sister?� Urd asked.

She�d been drinking heavily, Skuld sighed and shook her head.

�When are you going to give me that lesson?� Skuld asked.

Urd thought for a moment and then her brow furrowed as she remembered, even
through the alcohol.

�Now�s not a good time-�

�Ooo-That�s our order, I�ll get it,� Kintaro said, hopping off the stool.

On the way past Skuld, he patted her on the head. Skuld blinked twice. She
couldn�t believe his gall. That made her so angry-She turned to him as he
was walking away and pulled out her hammer. Pound this mother-hey, what
the...?

Urd had a steady hand on the end of her hammer, keeping her little sister
from pounding her new boyfriend through all seven levels of Hell. Skuld
turned angrily back to Urd.

�Put that thing away,� Urd hissed at her.

�You promised to teach me about human love and emotion,� Skuld hissed back.

Urd straightened in her seat.

�Why do you think I brought you here?� She asked throwing her arms wide,
�Besides, I still think you�re too young.�

�Hmph. Belldandy doesn�t seem to think so. Besides, if I wanted to learn
about necking, I would�ve stayed home,� Skuld said, trying not to pout.

�They�re doing that now?� Urd asked, taken aback.

�Can�t you feel it?�

�After several thousand centuries, you learn to block out the smaller
sensations from others,� She said, �Well...Good for them.�

Skuld folded her arms as Kintaro returned with their drinks and a plate full
of battered and deep fried things. Urd took her drink and turned back to her
sister.

�Okay, let me explain it this way. This is a gathering place. Mortals and
immortals alike come here. Some of them come out of love of one kind or
another, others come out of hatred. All come here out of emotion,� Urd
explained.

She looked over to Kintaro, who was busy scribbling something in that damned
journal of his.

�Where do I start?� Skuld said, nodding.

�I don�t know,� Urd said.

She looked across the bar at Sakura. Maybe she�d be good. Certainly not her
partner. Tokiko Mima was an android, so there�d be no emotion there, though
Key would certainly disagree. So the likely choice at hand would be Sakura
Kuriagawa. Sakura looked at Urd warily from across the bar. Tokiko noticed
her mentor�s mood and asked her something.

Urd turned back to Skuld and began to say something when the lights turned
low for the next act. On stage, Urd found the perfect foil for her plan.

�How about her?� She asked, pointing to the girl on stage.

Skuld turned and looked to the stage. It was a girl that Skuld had only
spoken with a few times because she freaked Skuld out too much. She wasn�t
sociable, but did seem to draw people to her, which Skuld couldn�t
understand. It was Rei Ayanami. Skuld thought she looked quite pretty.
Certainly someone else had planned her outfit, for Rei didn�t seem like the
one to really care what she wore.

The dress had a high neck, was form fitting and was made of crushed velvet.
Skuld suspected her arms were bare, but Rei wore a short matching jacket
that covered her arms. The whole outfit was ice blue, a color that suited
the stony expression that Rei presented to most of the world. There were
rumors that she once blew up at Umino for something, but Skuld couldn�t get
him to talk about it. Black and vibrant deep blue wavy stripes made their
way down her dress to a pair of very cute ice blue pumps. Skuld was jealous.
Those were nice shoes. The gold accents on her jacket made for an overall
look that would set many men off. Skuld looked back to Kintaro, who was
blushing. Skuld smiled, she knew that Urd would make him regret it later.
Skuld smiled again and thought that Rei would be perfect. She aimed and
teleported out.

Urd turned back to Kintaro, who had composed himself.

�Kids...�

***

Shinji looked away from the stage as a flash of light caught his attention.
Nothing was in the area, so he turned his attention back to Rei. Shinji also
swallowed hard. Rei was beautiful. Whoever helped her pick out her ensemble
really had good taste. The dress she was wearing...Well, Shinji hadn�t seen
her in something like that since they wore plug suits for the series.

The music began and Rei began to sing.

Shinji was stunned by the high, lilting quality of what he would call a
rather perfect soprano. Shinji felt his heart sink into his shoes at the
sight of her. He and Rei had been an item for most of the series, but had
some differences during the filming of the first movie. The broke up and he
began to date Asuka, but remained good friends with Rei. Much to Shinji�s
surprise, Rei ended up being one of Asuka�s bridesmaids.

Rei always had a place in his heart and probably always would. He felt quite
honored in that moment to be her friend.

***

Misato sighed lightly. The outfit worked well. She thought that something
this daring wouldn�t be suited for Rei, but Rei insisted that if Shinji were
going to see her perform, then she would look the absolute best that she
could. Misato was silently glad that Touji and Kensuke weren't there for the
performance as they would probably end up getting Rei embarrassed and she
performed better without the pressure.

Rei had a wonderful voice, she should sing more. Well, Misato could agree
with Gendou about the first part, but performing?

Misato was really quite surprised when Shinji voiced his opinion about Rei
performing. There was probably still love there. Shinji had married Asuka
and on the surface, they remained happy. Misato knew better though. Shinji
and Asuka had been having difficulty conceiving a child and Misato knew that
it was because Asuka couldn�t have children. Because of the accident during
filming near the end of the series, Asuka had been left sterile and,
according to Shinji, hollow.

He had married her anyway, Misato thought it was pity though.

If he couldn�t find love in her, then it would be a pity.

***

This sucked. Why did Rei have to get all the attention? Asuka sat back in
her chair and sipped her vanilla coke. It gave little solace to her
situation.

She looked back to Shinji. That jerk was practically slobbering on his knees
over Rei. But then, did she really blame Shinji? Or did she blame herself?
It wasn�t Shinji�s fault about the baby. They had never told Misato about
the miscarriage. It meant that Asuka wasn�t permanently sterile, but that it
would just take time. This revelation was about the only thing keeping he
and Asuka together. She hated the closeness that Rei shared with Shinij. She
knew that they had gone out a few times and had even had sex once of twice,
but they retained a kind of intimacy that tore at her. She wanted that
intimacy with Shinji. It didn�t help living separately either. Asuka had
wanted to move in after the marriage, but Shinji had made excuses for
keeping them apart. At first, Asuka thought that he might be cheating on
her, but soon found out that he just preferred solitude.

Asuka didn�t want to be alone...

***

Kaji looked around the table. Misato pitied Rei for what she perceived Rei
lost. Asuka was envious and Shinji realized that he still loves Rei.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, Kaji thought to
himself.

As for himself, he was proud that he got Rei into singing. It was good for
her confidence and she was really quite good.

Now Misato on the other hand...

***

Who are they?

Why are their feelings so much more varied than everyone else?

No answer came back to her.

Skuld turned inwardly from the visual area in Rei�s mind and jumped to her
subconscious...

...And materialized in a field of sunflowers. This startled Skuld a little.
She had seen these in Keiichi�s mind as well, from when he was a child. His
weren�t this short however. She was waist deep in the flowers. A few feet
from her, Skuld saw Rei standing facing her. The sunflowers came to the top
of her legs, as she was a little taller than Skuld. Skuld parted the flowers
and walked closer to Rei.

Rei was wearing her plug suit. Which meant that it was Rei�s business side.

�Who are you?� Rei asked.

�I�m Skuld, Goddess Third Class,� Skuld said, not really sure what else to
say.

�Why are you here?� Rei asked.

�I�m trying to find out about human emotions and you seemed to be evoking
quite a bit of emotion from that table,� Skuld explained.

�They are my friends,� Rei said lightly.

�I can�t tell whether they love you or hate you,� Skuld said, looking up.

�Our relationships are...complex,� Rei said, �Why did you choose me for your
study?�

�Well - I thought about some others, including yours friends. They boy-�
Skuld began.

�Ikari Shinji, the third child,� Rei said reflexively.

�Yes, well, he has so many problems of his own that being in him would give
ME a complex,� Skuld said, scratching her head, �What�s the girls name? The
redhead?�

�Soryuu Asuka, the second child.�

�She feels so strongly toward you,� Skuld wondered aloud, �Can�t you feel
it?�

�I�m not a Goddess.�

�Oh. That�s right,� Skuld said, taken aback.

Skuld hated it when she forgot that kind of thing. She thought about what
the next logical move would be. Nothing of any real importance came to mind.
Rei coughed slightly and got her attention.

�Excuse me, would you mind leaving? The song is almost over and I have to
concentrate on the next one,� Rei said politely.

�Really? What�s the next one?� Skuld asked.

Rei concentrated and Skuld felt a wind begin to pick up. The sunflowers
gently rustled as the song, another Italian Aria like the first, gently
breezed across the field to the waiting Goddess. Skuld listened to the whole
thing and shook her head.

�That�s no fun at all,� Skuld said to her.

Rei looked at Skuld and her brow furrowed slightly. She looked up and to her
right as another Rei materialized to Skuld�s left. This one was dressed as
she was on stage.

�What would you have me perform?� Rei Two asked.

�Well, my sister Urd once showed me a song. It was pretty good and I think
it would fit in a place like this, but I think she used it to get people
into bed, you know how my sister is,� Skuld said, ignoring the looks, �I
think you should do it.�

�Why?� Both Rei�s asked.

�Because I want to see the reaction,� Skuld said, exasperated, �Look...I can
take you over if you refuse.�

�So I have no choice?� Rei One asked.

Skuld nodded.

�I understand,� Both Rei�s respond together.

�Don�t worry about the words or anything...I�ll help.�

And with that, Skuld looked to Rei�s conscious mind and dematerialized
leaving the two Reis staring at each other questioningly.

***

Shinji was amazed. He never realized Rei could sing so well. He was
thoroughly impressed by the whole thing. Rei had ended the song and applause
rose from the crowd. Everyone seemed to really like it. Shinji swallowed
hard when he realized that Asuka had stopped clapping. Could she still be
jealous of Rei?

Rei bowed and looked offstage at something. The music began, but she ran off
stage and the music halted.

Shinji looked to Asuka.

�She was really good, ne?� He asked, cordially.

�Yeah, I guess,� She said, almost sounding disappointed, �You shouldn�t be
noticing so intently though.�

�Jealous?� Shinji prodded.

�Oh shut up!� She yelled at him, folding her arms.

�I gave her an interest in singing just after she did that version of �Fly
Me To The Moon�, but I hadn�t realized she�d progressed this far,� Kaji
said, taking a drink from his beer.

�She has to be happy with that performance,� Misato said.

Asuka just humphed.

The lights went low again and Shinji noticed some shuffling at the stage
area in the darkness. The table that they were sitting at was sufficiently
close enough to allow him to make out a piano that was being brought on
stage.

There was silence as the people got ready. Rei was supposed to have two
songs and she had only done one. Shinji hoped she was okay. His question was
answered when the lights came up slowly to reveal the piano, as he had
guessed, being played by his sempai, Mitsuru Ikeda. Shinji could tell that
Mitsuru had been grabbed from his office upstairs. He and Shinobu had taken
over in the main office at the Anime Bar and Grille. As Shinji understood
it, they worked directly under Nabiki Tendo. He was still wearing his tie
and had been given a dark jacket from someone backstage. Shinji didn�t know
he could play piano though. The backlights stayed low, but a blue spot came
up in the front on...Rei?

It was Rei...But somehow different. Rei caressed the microphone gently in
one hand, the other free to swing the jacket lightly and smoothly over her
shoulder. As she moved, Shinji could tell that the snaps, previously all
buttoned up down the length of her leg, had been unsnapped up to...OmiGod!
Was this really Rei?

Shinji was stunned. Rei was seated on the front of the stage at the outset
of the song. The song? This didn�t sound like Rei either. A cabaret act?
Maybe she liked the theater more than Shinji thought. It was exciting at
least. And Rei had great legs...He mentally slapped himself before Asuka had
the chance. Rei got up from her perch and made her way around to many of the
different men in the audience. Shinji tensed as she teased some of the guys
across the room.

Jealous?

His own words rang in his ears and Shinji felt the blood come up to his
cheeks. Rei stopped walking midway in her song and turned to face Shinji
directly. Still singing, she turned and sauntered over to him lithely. His
heart began to thump so fast, he worried slightly about a heart attack.
Reaching down, she flipped his tie back as she walked around him. Shinji
couldn�t even hear the words as she ran her hand across his shoulders.

Moving in front of him, she pushed him back with her hand. He didn�t even
realize that he�d been sitting forward. He blushed more and got
extremely...excited as Rei curled down onto his lap. The end of the song was
approaching and Rei was singing her way closer and closer to his face. He
almost closed his eyes and would have, if it wouldn�t have made him look
like he was enjoying it. Which he was. She slid a hand up around his neck
and, as the song finished, kissed him passionately.

His mind flew to somewhere else in that moment. It wasn�t real. It couldn�t
be real. They were just friends. Really good friends, but friends none the
less. Rei returned to the stage, leaving a shocked table of friends in her
wake. She bowed and blew a kiss to Shinji, who just smiled as she exited.

***

The light came on as Rei slammed the door behind her. She looked up and
stared at the Rei in the mirror. The tear stained face the confronted her
seemed alien to the one she had known, the one that had known him. She hated
this face. She couldn�t believe what she had done...She never would
have...But then that was the point, wasn�t it? That it WAS something that
she would never have done on her own. All for the reaction. And now, back in
the dressing room, Rei could see herself through her own eyes. Rei closed
her eyes.

Get out, Rei thought at the presence.

A calm seemed to reluctantly flow through her. She opened her eyes again and
saw Skuld in the mirror, standing behind her. Skuld was smiling at her. She
probably thought that this was all some kind of game that one could play if
one had enough power. Power that she never had in her life, until the day
she met him. Shinji had given her the reason to go on. Shinji had been
loving and kind and this is the way she shows her friendship? Her...love?

Rei�s eyes narrowed and in one swift move, backhanded a slap that sent Skuld
onto the couch. Skuld looks up incredulously, a hand to her cheek. Rei could
see the red beginning to appear.

�Don�t you ever DARE play with my emotions again,� Rei said flatly.

�But...But you LIKED it?!� Skuld protested.

Rei brought herself back up and turned again to the mirror. She refused to
let this juvenile Goddess find out she was right.

�That�s beside the point,� She said quietly.

�If you like someone, shouldn�t you try to make them happy?� Skuld said,
edging her way closer.

Rei sighed and began to remove the remainder of her make-up and jewelry. At
least, what hadn�t come off in the crying after she had come backstage. She
would have to apologize to Umino for the way she acted. He was only being
nice. He was nice. Kind of like...him. Rei sniffled some more.

�Yes, but that�s not the only thing,� She said, her tone uneasy, �You should
try to make yourself happy as well.�

�Can you do that?� Skuld asked.

�No, not always,� She paused, �Sometimes there are sacrifices. And sometimes
those sacrifices hurt.�

�Why?� Skuld asked, really confused now, �If they hurt, why make them?�

�Because...because...�

She had taken off the dress and, per Misato�s orders, hung it back up again.
She stopped, then put on her shirt. She never realized before that it was
one of his t-shirts. She picked up her jeans and sat down to put them on.

�Because...�

She slipped on her jeans and stood, fastening them. She stood for another
minute. Skuld couldn�t see her face, even in the mirror.

�Because?� Skuld asked.

�Maybe because you still love him!� Rei shouted, angrily turning to Skuld.

Skuld could now see that she was crying, and had been the whole time. Skuld
felt horrid. Urd had told her something like this might happen, that mortals
and even a few immortals were like this. Belldandy had bapped her upside the
head, so Skuld dismissed it, but here it was. Rei covered her face with one
hand and placed the other on the chair to steady herself. Skuld could see
her shoulders shaking. The emotion was just so raw and hard. She really
loved that boy, the neurotic one. But there were so many others to choose
from, why him? But Skuld really didn�t get a chance to study him closely
either...

Maybe there was more to him. Sacrifices. Rei had said that the sacrifices of
love hurt sometimes. When Belldandy was beginning to be pulled back home,
Keiichi was willing to give up his life, to sacrifice his life, in order to
be with her. Skuld and Urd had both stopped it with the Ultimate Formula.
Well, in a sense. Rei apparently still loved that boy...Shinji. Skuld could
feel the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She shook her head and
wiped her eyes.

She made her decision.

Calling up the power around her, she got up from the couch and put a hand on
Rei�s shoulder. Rei looked at her and noticed the red glow around her. Rei
began to be slightly afraid. Little red lights floated up around the two,
but Skuld floated in front of her, smiling. Rei felt guilty that there was a
slight handprint on the face of a Goddess, but Skuld smiled at her. Rei
watched as the power grew. The little diamond on Skuld�s forehead began to
glow and spread outwards in a slow warm light. Rei felt the warmness gather
into her center as she heard Skuld speak.

�Maybe it�s time you do something to make yourself happy...�

***

�...And then what?� Urd asked, sipping her drink again.

�And then I took her home,� Skuld said, straightening in her seat.

Urd snorted once and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. She set it
back on the bar where it was immediately scooped up by Key and replaced by
another.

�I meant, did they do it?� She asked, placing emphasis where necessary.

Skuld just sat there, blushing.

�Well?�

Embarrassed, Skuld buried her face in her hands and nodded vigorously.

�Once we got to the door, I got her inside and then I left the rest up to
her,� Skuld said, blushing more.

�What if she tried to leave?� Urd asked.

�Then I showed her what would happen if she did-�

� �Wonderful Life� thing?� Urd interrupted.

Skuld nodded.

�I tried that once...It backfired and he burned Rome anyway...� Urd said,
fading into memory.

�Well, they had a good time...I think,� Skuld said, trying to sound
innocent.

�And I bet you just let them go on autopilot, didn�t you?� Urd asked,
smirking.

�Of course I did,� Skuld answered back angrily, �I�m not a pervert like
 you!�

�But you did sneak a peak...� Urd said, prodding her.

�N-N-No. Of cour-Of course not,� Skuld stammered, blushing again.

�Right,� Urd said, smugly picking up her next drink, �So was he good?�

�Oh shut up!� Skuld shouted, then skipping a beat, �Yes he was.�

Urd sprayed her drink all over the poor Chinese waitress, who promptly
turned into a white cat. Skuld wondered aloud.

�Maybe I should ask Belldandy what to do...?�

***

Rei turned over. For the first time in living memory, she couldn�t get to
sleep.

It was the replay of the nights events. Everything that had happened. It was
good to know that Shinji really loved her deep down. She was glad she asked
the Goddess Skuld to erase his memories of the evening after he arrived back
at his apartment. Shinji�s life was screwed up and she wouldn�t be the cause
for any more difficulty between he and Asuka. She sighed.

It was good to be loved.

She rolled back over and finally went to sleep.

***

Joshua "Gargoyle" Trujillo
"Stone Cold Protector of the Righteous"
"Owner of The Anime Bar and Grille - Now Open"

The Anime Bar and Grille
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