Shinji Ikari had been sitting by the monorail station for the past hour and he was not happy. He was told, on the phone, that he was going to be picked up an hour ago. This woman, this Misato Katsuragi, is supposed to pick him up. Already Shinji had a great disliking of the woman. His tutor had described to him her looks from the postcard he received. He said that she was beautiful, has long purple hair, a ten billion yen smile and was pointing to her rack that you could stair at for hours. This meant very little to Shinji, being blind from an early age, he only had a very vague idea of what was being described to him. Shinji knew from the description that this woman was a tease and a flirt and had no idea that he was blind, and being late meant she had bad time keeping and was unreliable.

Shinji would have to fend for him self, again. That meant being alone and he hated being alone. His music is a poor substitute from having friends and loved ones but that's all he had. His tutor was the only adult he had constant contact with but he was distant to the boy and rarely acknowledged his existence, except when giving him his weekly allowance, which was five percent of what Shinji's farther sent him to look after the boy, and telling Shinji to do the chores. He didn't bother to teach Shinji, he had no idea on how to teach a blind boy so he did the next best thing; he bought lots of Braille books and left Shinji to his own devices.

This worked better for Shinji, having no teacher looking over his back meant he could study whatever he wanted and he did just that. He concentrated on Math's, Geography, literacy and science. Shinji became quite versed in these subjects and received University Master degrees in them. Despite the way his life is, he had managed to achieve something That he could be proud of. With whatever allowance he was given, he spent it all on self defence lessons, Shinji found that without eyes his other senses became sharper, his balance became greater to the point he could walk on a rope without having to try balancing. Shinji could almost sense if someone was about to make a strike at him and counter before his attacker could even fathom how a blind kid just did a back flipped and kicked his attackers chin with the heel of his shoe.

Shinji had waited long enough; he got up and went over to where he could hear the sound of a phone which was off its hook. He found the phone and felt around for the phone card slot, once found, he inserted his card and waited for the operator to answer. All he got is a message that said there was an emergency and that his phone call could not be redirected. Shinji's mood darkensed somewhat, this whole situation was ridicules, he felt like he was being taken for a ride, as they say.

Shinji was about to walk back toward the station when an explosion shook him and the surrounding areas, Shinji could smell the burning rubble and debris that fell all around. Shinji scaned the area as best he could, which was near impossible for a blind person. Shinji would have seen a light blue haired girl in a school uniform appear and disappear had he not been blind. Shinji picked up the sound of screeching tyres that were coming toward him, Shinji jumped backwards just as a car stoped where he was standing but moments ago. He heared a car door open and a feminine voice shout:

"What are you waiting for, get in!"

Shinji quickly complies and jumps towards the voice, he landed on a seat and quickly adjusted himself as the car drove off. Shinji knew they were moving too fast, even without eye sight to view the blurry surroundings. This woman he hoped was Misato interrupted Shinji's thoughts and asked him for his papers that were sent with the postcard. He rummaged through his backpack and handed over the only papers in there. He heared her shuffle the papers than proceeds to drive for a few more minuets before speaking:

"In the glove compartment you will find your temporary pass to Nerv, keep that until I give you your permanent one, ok."

Shinji shuffled around in the glove compartment for the card until his hand fell on something cold and hard. He took it out and examined it with his hands, he knew what it was when he griped the handle and thumb slides over the trigger. Shinji rarely had the good fortune to be in the presence of a gun that was not pointed at him, so he had to ask:

"Misato, why do you have a gun?"

Misato looked over at Shinji, expecting to see him looking at the gun in the glove compartment. What she saw instead is Shinji holding the gun and pointing it at himself! Misato slammed down on the brakes and heard the gun go off! Expecting the worst, Misato looked over at Shinji with a worried expression on her face and was relieved to see Shinji alive and holding the gun away from himself, his right ear bleeding. Scolding herself for taking the safety off the gun, she pulled the gun from Shinji's grasp and put the safety on. She then fished out Shinji's card and handed it to him but he didn't take it from her. Pushing it into his left hand, she put a tissue on his ear which he quickly covered with his right hand. Misato thought that Shinji was in a daze because he did not respond to her visually; she put her foot down and sped down the motorway towards Nerv.

(HHHHHHHHHH)

"Shinji must be awe stricken not to say anything about the Geo-front!" Misato thought to herself as she watches Shinji look out the window of the car elevator as it descendrd into the Geo-front.

(HHHHHHHHHH)

Shinji and Misato have been walking around Nerv for about forty minuets, Shinji knew that they were lost but he didn't voice it, he wanted as little to do with this woman as possible, it's her fault he nearly had his ear shot off! What person in their right mind would step on the brakes when their passenger has a gun pointed at their own head! Shinji thought to himself. This woman is trouble with a capital TROUB, and bound to cause him more pain.

Shinji stoped walking as he hears a door swish open, he could smell chlorine in the recycled air and wondered if there was a pool through the open door. Shinji heared footsteps come towards him and stops about a foot away from him. A new female voice speaks to him.

"You must be Shinji Ikari? ... My name is Ritsuko, I see Misato got lost and lost you at the same time. What is wrong with that woman, she's been at Nerv long enough to know the layout of this place and she still get's lost!"

Shinji would have answered but he heared Misato's familiar voice behind him.

"Shinji! There you are! You should know better than to wonder off like that! ... Oh! Hey Ritsuko."

Shinji could feel the angry vibes coming off this Ritsuko lady, she must have been really angry at Misato for shouting at Shinji for what wasn't his fault. Ritsuko took Shinji's hand and started leading him somewhere. Misato court up and started a conversation with Ritsuko.

"Rits, I'm sorry for getting lost but you know this place changes like every two weeks. Please don't be angry with me."

"That's not why I'm angry Misato!" Ritsuko sade in an angry tone of voice.

"Then why are you angry?" Misato asked in a confused manor.

"I'm angry at how dense you can be!" Having got no reply, Ritsuko looked at Misato and saw her trying to think about when she was missing. Ritsuko siged and said:

"Shinji is blind Misato."

Misato stoped dead in her tracks as a shocked expression is plastered to her face, she looked over to Shinji and Ritsuko and saw Ritsuko leading Shinji by his hand. Everything that had happened up to this point started to make sense to her. Shinji's distant manner, the way he was always staring ahead or tilting his head as if trying to listen to something. Misato felt really bad about the why she treated him, or not being more observant, she started cursing herself for not reading his medical or personal reports like she was told. She had better start picking up the slack if she doesn't want to get fired! Misato ran up to Shinji and and took hold of his other hand and gave him an apologetic smile, then slaped her forehead for smiling at a blind kid. Shinji has no idea why Misato just slapped herself and didn't care; Shinji only wanted his hands out of these women's grasps and back in his pockets.