Ayanami's Lesson : Soul Searching by DJ Lesser Website: Rei does a little soul searching, with the help of a 'friend'. Will she regain her humanity? Ayanami Rei's character is from the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, owned by GAINAX. Sohryu/Ikari Teri's character is owned by Axel Terizaki and has been used with his permission. This is a "The Child Of Love" side-story, occuring during the Ninth Month of Asuka's pregnancy. Please ask my permission before archiving my fanfic anywhere. C&C are welcome! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rei walked along a beautiful garden path. Flowers of every colour and variety imaginable adorned each side of the path. Jumping streams of water graced the sides of the path, jumping in a beautiful arc, as if keeping time with Ayanami Rei. Even the wind was kind and gently, occasionally ruffling her short, blue hair. She was dressed like she always does, in her school uniform. But Rei was not alone. A young girl with stunning fiery red hair walked alongside her. The child grasped one of Rei's long, slender fingers with her little hand. She took small steps, but nevertheless kept the pace as Rei also walked in little steps. Side by side, they walked on the path, almost as if like mother and daughter, in tranquil silence. The child, however, is no other than Sohryu Teri. Teri. Asuka's daughter. All seemed well in this perfect world. Suddenly, Rei heard a quiet sniff. She led Teri by the hand, to a nearby bench. She placed her on the bench, and crouched down herself, so that she may be face-to-face with her. Teri hung her head low. Gently, Rei lifted up Teri's chin. She saw tears stream down the little girl's cheeks. "Why are you crying?" Rei asked, a hint of concern in her voice. It was highly unusual of her. "I cry because I'm sad..." Teri said. She sniffled some more but they are subsiding. Rei carefully brushed away the tears with the back of her fingers. Teri appeared to feel comforted. "Sad?" Rei appeared puzzled. "Yes, it's a way to let people know that I am unhappy inside. That I am hurt inside. Then, they can help me to feel better," Teri explained in a most innocent voice. Her tears were no longer flowing, instead, she watched Rei curiously and with gentle intensity. Rei was silent in her thoughts, repeating in her mind what Teri had just said. 'Unhappy? Hurting inside? Can they help me feel better?' Rei mused. Teri gave her a minute of silent thinking before she spoke up again. "Aunt Rei, have you ever cried?" Teri asked. This question startled Rei for a minute. ' Have I ever.....? ' "I....I don't know, Teri-chan.....I...don't remember...." Rei was confused. 'How come I don't remember?' 'Did I never feel hurt? Did I never feel unhappy? Did I never feel at all....?' Rei gazed at the green grass that grew beneath them. She gently touched them with the tip of her fingers. 'Am I a doll....?' "You are not a doll. You are not anyone's doll..." "Am I human?" Rei whispered, not noticing that the words escaped her lips. Teri watched Rei, their roles reversed. Now she was the child, and Teri was the mentor. "Yes, you are," Teri replied softly. "You are human. But you have forgotten." Rei looked up to Teri. "What made me forget?" She looked in the young girl's eyes and sensed wisdom in that five years old eyes. "Can I remember?" "NERV made you forget. Love can make you remember." "What is love?" "Love is the feeling which I am made of," Teri said. "Love is a feeling of caring for others. Love is wanting others to be happy. To protect the ones you love from harm. Love is giving trust to others, and taking care of the trust given to you. Accepting others unconditionally, so that others may accept you." "Why are there so many conditions to love?" Rei asked. The child smiled. "Love is indescribable. Indefinable. People attach conditions to it so that they may describe it in terms they can understand. But it all comes down to one thing : a feeling. A feeling that only you can feel in your heart. No one can touch your love. No one can take your love away. It is up to you, to love." Teri paused. "I love you, Aunt Rei." The young girl placed her arms around Rei and hugged her tightly. She buried her head in Rei's shoulder. Rei was stunned. She felt something...she felt...accepted... 'What is this warm feeling I feel flowing through me? Is this...Is this love...?' Rei hugged Teri back. "I...I love you too, Teri-chan..." Rei felt something she had never felt before. She was not sure if this was love, but she liked the feeling. She felt...human... "Thank you for making me remember..." "Ugh..." A soft moan escaped from Teri's lips. She released the hug and stared into the distance. "Okasan..." "Teri?" "Aunt Rei....Mama is....Aaaaaaahh!" Teri began to cry. Rei held Teri by her shoulders and tried to look in her eyes. "Teri, what's wrong?" "Aunt Rei....help....mama is....in danger....Grandpa...." "Grandpa?" Rei thought about it for a moment. Teri was crying louder. "Ikari Gendo?" she guessed. "He wants to kill mama! No! Mama! Don't die! Father!" Teri was in hysterics now. "Teri, what did you see?" Rei tried to ask. "NO! Mama! Wait for me!" Rei could not hold Teri any longer. Teri jumped free and ran down the path, leaving Rei alone. Rei chased after her. "Teri, wait!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rei woke up. Slowly, she sat up from her bed. She rubbed her eyes with her arm and looked at the sunrise outside. "Ikari-kun's... daughter..." She got up and slipped on her school uniform. "I have to go." End ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Notes: This is my first Eva fanfic ever. And imagine, this fanfic was written before I have seen a single episode of Eva! I would like to thank Axel Terizaki for all his help and wonderful support. Thanks to Greg Thomas for putting up my fic on his page!