The school day began pretty much as Ro expected. Taking a seat, it was stiff plastic, just like back home. She had had to change schools after her parents death, the Catholic school she attended not responding well to a 'moral deviant', but regardless, the schools were all the same, stiff, simple plastic with a metal frame. She was a bit slow on the greeting procedure, but quickly picked it up, once again a habit drilled from years of discipline. She heard the crack across the room and looked up, Qiuyi standing at the centre of the attention. Ro frowned slightly, feeling somewhat sorry for her fellow pilot.

The classes were difficult, Ro's only passing ability with Japanese proving a hindrance to her note taking and leaving her lagging behind.

As lunch rolled around, the Irish pilot straggled behind the others yet again, making her way to the canteen last out of any of her classmates. She collected her lunch, consisting of the only things she could pronounce on the menu, it didn't look good. Looking for an open seat, she couldn't find one where she could sit alone, meaning her only option was to find the least uncomfortable position to be in. Spotting the other pilots, she approached hesitantly, taking a seat opposite Qiuyu and Frederik, but still a seat away from Leon, she muttered a quiet "Hello" before mumbling "How's your head?" in Qiuyi's direction.

"So!" Qiuyi shouted, "what do you think of the school so far?"
"It's alright," Frederik said, sighing, hoping she would just be quiet. He wished that he could have just been straight to her...
"Boring," Leon, unexpectedly joining them, said, and Frederik took the opening for truth, saying, "yes."
Then he saw that Ro had sat down with them. He nodded at her, sighing. Again.

"It's alright" said Frederik, sounding as though it was anything but.

"Boring" agreed Leon.

Qiuyi suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. Though he was attempting to disguise it, Frederik's voice was dripping with irritation. Perhaps, she thought, she had been talking too much.

Fortunately, Ro sat beside her and changed the conversation for her.

"How's your head?" she asked.

Qiuyi prodded the patch on her head she had smacked on the table. "It's still a little sore...but I think I'll live" she chuckled.

Then, she remembered her sister's last words before climbing into the entry plug of that abominable machine; "It's alright, I think I'll live"

She had been laughing then. Such cruel irony. Just thinking about it made her feel sick.

She stopped laughing, just about holding in her tears.

"...Are you alright?" asked one of the other students on the adjacent table.

Qiuyi simply nodded. Almost subconsciously, she slid closer to Ro-much closer than anyone would judge socially acceptable, but she didn't care-it was all she could do not to burst into tears right there.

Leon continued to sit quietly and eat, allowing the other’s to speak freely if they wished. He felt a little uncomfortable around the other pilots still, but he figured he would need to get to know them a little.

Ro quietly sat down next to Qiuyi, muttering a quiet “Hello” Before asking Qiuyi how her head was. Qiuyi poked at her head “It’s still a little sore… but I think I’ll live” She said with a chuckle. She suddenly stopped laughing and a look of pure sadness enveloped her face which caused one of the other nearby student’s to ask her if she was ok. She slid close to Ro while nodding. Leon knew that she was lying. Something was causing her great emotional distress.

Despite his nervousness screaming at him to not do it, Leon spoke. “Hey Qiuyi… If something’s bothering you, I am sure we can help you.”

Damn it you idiot! Why would say such a thing to someone you know nothing about except their name! He chastised himself.

Ro had sat quietly listening to the words going back and forth, but when her question had caused Qiuyi to get very quiet, she began to worry. Without warning the other girl slid her chair right next to Ro's. The Irish Pilot wasn't comfortable with invasions of space at the best of times, never mind from a virtual stranger. As Leon spoke, she made a motion to move away, but unlike Qiuyi didn't think to take the chair with her. Ro shuffled across her seat just a bit too far and lost her balance, falling sideways out of her seat and onto the floor.

A collective laugh went up around the cafeteria as Ro gathered her bearings, quickly smoothing out her skirt to make sure no one saw up it before standing up quickly and bowing.

"Sorry, I, um, sorry." she spouted, having lost all idea of what proper etiquette in this country was. Looking up hesitantly, she saw many students staring at her. Blushing madly, she slotted back into her seat and stared intently at her lunch, trying desperately to fade into the background like a chameleon.

Unfortunately wishful thinking was unlikely to help in this situation, so she instead focused her thoughts on the others. Something had caused Qiuyi to react that way, but Ro couldn't even begin to guess with how little she knew about the other girl. On the other hand, Leon seemed fairly straight forward. School was boring because he had been stationed here already, and he didn't seem like a bad guy, just not the most tactful. Finally, there was Frederik, there was something weird about him, something not quite normal. The trait that made him different from most people, but Ro was hardly one to comment. She was just as weird, and not half as useful probably, though from what the Commander said, his Eva was not geared towards combat. This was understandable compared to her Unit-03. Brionac was the ultimate Angel killing tool, even if it had no shield, it was undoubtedly the strongest spear, but Qiuyi's Eva didn't seem that special, it just seemed like a standard Eva, so what must this Ophelia be like if not a combat type? Weren't all Evas built to kill angels?

Frederik felt a pang of disgust, it slapped him to the side like it was made of wood.
So this really "is Norway," he quietly raised his thoughts to voice without being aware of it. "I thought that the Japanese were known for politeness!"
But when he had seen Ro on the floor, the way that her skirt had draped itself creaselessly on her rear... that was beautiful.
He sighed, and after many seconds of silence, inauthentically asked, "Leon, how do you manage to understand your classes? I mean, how did you, when you first got here, not knowing any Japanese?"

"Hey Qiuyi… If something’s bothering you, I am sure we can help you” said Leon. He was obviously just trying to be helpful, but it was no use. Qiuyi could only nod, trying not to cry.

Suddenly, she heard a tremendous crash, and snapped out of her cocoon. She turned round to see Ro sprawled out on the ground.

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry! Are you alright?" she gasped, feeling utterly flustered. More or less everybody was laughing, some light-heartedly, others less so. Only Leon, Frederik, herself and the boy next to them had not began chuckling.

Fortunately, Ro did not seem do be hurt, and simply got up and returned to her seat. Qiuyi breathed a sigh of relief.

Eventually the mirth died down, and everyone returned to their lunches. Frederik and Leon started talking to each other, and Ro was focused heavily on her meal.

"...Sorry..." whispered Qiuyi to Ro, trying to redeem herself a little. "It's just...The emptiness...I can't explain..."

After Leon asked Qiuyi what was bothering her, Ro suddenly fell off the seat at the table and hit the floor. The lunchroom erupted in laughter. She quickly collected herself and sat back down. She was clearly embarrassed by the entire ordeal.

That was kind of harsh for them to laugh at her like that. Leon thought to himself.

Frederik faced him after several seconds of silence. "Leon, how do you manage to understand your classes? I mean, how did you, when you first got here, not knowing any Japanese?"

“I didn’t understand them at all actually.” Leon explained. “Nerv eventually began to give me lessons. I’m still not a fluent speaker but, I can understand quite a bit of it.” He let out a friendly smile which is to say, unusual for him. “I can tutor you if you would like.” He turned to Qiuyi and Ro. “I will tutor you guys also if you need help learning some Japanese.”

"...Sorry..." Ro glanced sideways at Qiuyi, who had whispered to her, clearly feeling responsible. "It's just...The emptiness...I can't explain..." Ro's eyebrow arched slightly at this, the Irish pilot quickly trying to digest what it was the Taiwanese Child was saying.

"Um ,it's okay, really..." Ro mumbled, trying to go back to her food, but the effort was for naught as another voice drew Ro's eye across the table.

“I will tutor you guys also if you need help learning some Japanese.” Leon offered helpfully.

"No, it's okay, I'm fine." Ro answered automatically, burying her attention into her plate once more. It took her a second to realise that she had probably answered a bit too hastily, a small blush beginning to rise in her cheeks as she hoped Leon didn't think she was being rude. Glancing up through the curtain of her fringe, she quickly tried to assess his reaction. To her horror, their eyes met, the other pilot meeting her gaze head on. Ro's eye line took a nose dive, right back to the plate, but at this point she was hoping for an air raid, an earthquake, anything that might let her just curl up under the table and hide.

"Thank you," said Frederik, praying that the topic of these lessons would never come up again. He knew of nothing worse than obligatory social contact, of more irritating vapid emptiness. From what he could tell, Ro felt the same way, perhaps even worse. Would it be good to talk to her? He would like to... but to approach her would upset her, he knew, and as much as he quietly wanted to he had the understanding not to.
---
Walking to his classroom, a girl waved at him.
"Hi Firederiku-san!" she giggled. She was not the first. He walked by silently. She continued cheerily, "I'm Aiko-chan, I'm in your classroom."
"Hi," he quietly said, avoiding eye contact.
This Aiko smiled. "So you're German? I've always wanted to go to Germany!"
"I'm Danish," he answered.
"But they said you came from Berlin-"
"Would you please leave me alone?" he snapped.
The girl was distraught. "I was just trying to be nice..." she flitted away, the smile gone from her face.
In Norway they had said the same thing.
Frederik swore under his breath and tried to move on.

The school day ground by slowly. Try as she might, Qiuyi could not extract herself from the well of sadness she had entered. Thoughts were buzzing in her head-about her sister, about Frederik, about Ro, about the Evas...it was all too much. She needed to clear her mind.

As they walked to their classroom, a girl introduced herself to Frederik. Aiko, she had said her name was. She seemed friendly, but Frederik ignored her completely. The girl continued to try and approach him, undeterred by his icy demeanour.

Qiuyi payed attention to their brief exchange, catching a few stray words, but little else.

"I'm Danish" she heard Frederik say, with just a hint of irritation.

"But they said you came from Berlin-"

"Would you please just leave me alone?"

Qiuyi was taken aback by the sudden change in tone from the boy, flinching a little. Whereas before he had been a little distant and rather serious, but generally friendly, now his voice was laden with anger and impatience. She had never seen him like this, and she was a little frightened.

The girl said something-she didn't hear what exactly-and walked off, mournfully. Qiuyi considered talking to her, but decided not to. There were plenty of opportunities to speak to her, after all-no need to just leap in after her.

---

The school day was finally over. The music lesson had not been as enjoyable as she had hoped-she had discovered that the flute was harder to play than she had first thought. She felt that she had made herself look a bit stupid, blowing helplessly on the end of the instrument in a vain effort to make some sort of tuneful noise.

She stood outside the school gate with the other Children. Her mind drifting, Qiuyi thought about her companions. Leon seemed friendly enough. He hadn't said a lot to her, but he didn't appear hostile.

Frederik, she was wary of. There was something slightly scary about him, a hidden, rarely seen side that she had caught a glimpse of when Aiko had tried to talk to him. It might be best to be on her guard around him.

Ro, on the other hand...there was something enchanting about her. She was quiet, but she was so non-threatening, Qiuyi felt safe around her. She wanted to properly apologize when they got back to the apartment.

She quietly approached Ro, her head hung slightly low.

"Ro...I just wanted to say...I'm sorry for earlier..." she mumbled.

She bit her lip, and managed to find the courage to continue.

"It's just...I...Look, when we get back to the apartment, I'll explain..."

"No, it’s okay, I'm fine." Ro answered as soon as Leon finished speaking before she placed all her attention on her plate of food. He noticed that she blushed slightly.

“Thank you” Frederik said which prompted Leon to turn his attention to him for a moment to flash an un-easy smile before looking back at Ro. His gaze met hers. He took a moment and studied her face before she looked back down at her plate. He blushed and looked away.

I hope I didn’t upset her or anything… he thought to himself. She’s so shy, but she is kind of… cute He rubbed the back of his head nervously. Soon afterwards, lunch ended and it was time to go back to class.


________


After the rest of the school day drug on for what felt like hours, it was time to head back to the apartment. Leon gathered his things and headed out. He noticed Qiuyi approaching Ro, probably to talk to her. He thought it best to let leave them be and continued on although, smiling at them as he walked past.

As he walked he reflected on his interactions with the others during the school day. Frederik seemed friendly, but he did not seem to like talking a whole lot. Qiuyi could be a bit of a klutz, but she seemed to be a genuinely good person. She was good looking as well. Ro was different. She was extremely quiet and detached to the point that she tried to avoid and interactions with others. Not to mention that she was pretty cute. Ro reminded him a lot of how he usually is. The fact that he even interacted with the others at all was nothing short of a miracle.

I think I’m going to like being around these guy’s He thought as he walked alone.

The rest of the school day passed pretty much as Ro expected. She occasionally caught other students glancing at her, making her more than a little nervous. After the music lesson ended, she began to put away her things. She had borrowed a recorder for the duration, but it would take some time for the rest of her things, including her own instrument to be shipped over. Making sure she had gathered up her things, she headed for the door.

Passing the school gates, Ro took note of the other pilots making their way back to the apartments. Qiuyi caught up and started to keep pace with her.

"Ro...I just wanted to say...I'm sorry for earlier..." the other girl mumbled. Ro was too taken aback to respond before the Taiwanese Pilot continued.

"It's just...I...Look, when we get back to the apartment, I'll explain..." Ro swallowed. She wasn't comfortable around people she was familiar with never mind this sudden advance from a beautiful girl she had only just met.

"I, um, o, okay." Ro spluttered in response. She glanced back at the others. Both Frederik and Leon were walking on their own, it was clearly too early to expect a close relationship between those two.

The sky grew dark as Frederik went home, walking far asunder from the others.
---
The lights were on in the hallway of the apartment, though Frederik knew that before they entered there was absolutely no one in the building. He fell into the lovely cool darkness of his room, and lay on his bed.
He thought of calling his uncle. He wished to call his uncle, but remembered that it was now the earliest morning in Denmark.
He opened up his book in a bout of bibliomancy, finding to his half-or-third-amusement that "Denmark's a prison."
Nay, Norway and Germany and Japan are the prison, and the rest of the earth of men; and Denmark is the only place that isn't.
---
In boredom and desperation he wandered out of his room, and stood before Ro's room. His other hand in his pocket, he knocked on the door and waited.

The children finally arrived back at the apartment. It had been a long, tiring day, and Qiuyi just wanted to go to bed. However, there was something she had to do first.

She followed Ro back to her room and entered with her, closing the door behind her.

She sat down and turned to face the Irish girl.

"Look...about earlier today. I think I should explain..." she said, her voice heavy with sadness.

She swallowed hard and began.

"Just a few years ago, my sister Fei was going to be a pilot instead of me. I was so happy for her, and she was overjoyed to be selected" She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure.

She continued. "Anyway, the time came for her to perform a synch test with this new Evangelion unit...Unit n. I was worries about it, but she assured me it would all be fine. She was...so cheerful, never let anything make her sad or anxious..."

"So when the time came, she got into that...monster...that...abomination...and they started the test. I was watching from the observation booth. It was all going well, and then..."

She stopped, just about holding back tears.

"Then...it happened" she sighed.

"The Evangelion began to malfunction. The whole unit started twitching, oozing this weird green stuff, and the entry plug system started to overheat. Fei started screaming, but...the plug wouldn't eject...She..."

It was no good. Qiuyi couldn't hold it in anymore. She began to sob, holding her head in her hands.

"...She was boiled alive..."

Then she broke into a full flood of tears.

"The last...the last thing she ever said to me was..."It's alright, I think I'll live"...And now, I just...I can't...Oh god, I miss her so much!" she cried, tears running down her face.

She looked Ro in the face, her eyes bleary.

"When you asked me how my head was...I remembered her...That's why I tried to move closer to you at lunchtime...I just...I get so lonely without her...I'm so sorry, Please forgive me!"

She slumped over, uttterly exhausted by the memory. She cried into her lap, her face flushed red.

"I...I'm sorry..." she whimpered "I just...I need someone I can be close with..."

Leon and the others arrived back at the apartment. It had been a long day for Leon. First getting out of the hospital and then meeting all of the other’s along with a normal school day. He walked into his room and quietly shut the door behind him. Setting down his things, he sat on his bed and let out a long, drawn out yawn. Putting his hands behind his head, he laid down and stared at the ceiling.

“It’s good to have things be back to being somewhat normal I guess” He said quietly.

He didn’t know just what to make of the others just yet. On one hand he enjoyed being around them during the school day but on the other he was still quite a bit apprehensive in getting to know them better.

Ro had made quite the impression on him though. One could say that he was quite smitten with her.

“I really should get to know Ro more.” He said as a smile crept on his face. “Only thing is, is that I don’t know how…”

His thoughts were then suddenly interrupted by his growling stomach.

He laughed a bit “I guess I’m kind of hungry… I wonder when dinner is going to be ready.”

(OOC: Sorry for delays, so much goin' on, kinda depressed)

Ro listened quietly as Qiuyi explained her situation. She swallowed hard as the other girl began breaking down. It was a truly horrific story and Ro couldn't blame her for thinking of the Evas as monsters. They were, plain and simple, the man made monsters built to fight others and they were expected to control them. It was so unfair. Reaching up hesitantly, she placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"I, it's okay, I'm here." she said quietly, taking a firm hold of Qiuyi's shoulder and pulling her up into a seated position again. Ro stared the other girl in the eyes. "It's okay." she said firmly. It was surprisingly easy for Ro to say such things. Despite her own discomfort at the situation, the other girl's vulnerability made it shockingly easy for her. The door knocked and Ro jumped.

"Um, excuse me." she pardoned herself, rising from the couch and heading for the door. Staring through the peep hole, she could see Frederik standing on the other side. Panic shot through the Irish pilot. What was he doing here? Looking at the bolt on her door, Ro made a quick decision to at least attempt communications. After all, it's not like she could pretend to be out. Sliding the chain onto the door, she opened it a crack, one dark eye staring out at Frederik through the gap. "H, hello, can I help you?" she asked, still aware of Qiuyi in the room behind her.

(OOC: Oh I'm just happy you've finally posted! I hope you don't mind if I have Ro answer a small question)

"Oh! A-are you getting dressed or something?" Frederik worried.
"N-no," she replied hesitantly.
"Alright, er, can I, um... I don't know. I was just feeling lonely, and I like quiet too, so I thought..." he muttered, "sorry."

Qiuyi flinched a little as Ro put her hand on her shoulder. However, the surprise soon faded away to gratitude and warmth. She began to feel a companionship with Ro, the Irish girl being so gentle and understanding. She had been worried that she would have simply ignored her story, or scoffed at her, but no, she had shown genuine sympathy.

"T-thank you.." she sniffed as Ro helped her to sit up.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Qiuyi was startled a little, jumping a little in her seat.

"Um, excuse me." said Ro, before getting up from the sofa and going to the door. She slid it open as little, and Qiuyi recognized Frederik through the crack.

She wasn't sure what he wanted, but she was worried. The boy frightened her a little, and she did not want him bursting in on her in her current condition.

"I suppose," sighed Qiuyi, "I should leave you alone now." She stood up slowly, before making her way to the door and sliding it open again.

"Oh, and Ro..." she said, her voice sad, but with a tone of happiness.

"I just wanted you to know...I really appreciate your support...I mean...What I mean to say is..." She trailed off.

She swallowed, her throat dry from her weeping.

"...I like you, Ro. I want to be your friend. Thank you for being there for me."

Then she left, closing the door behind her.

She wandered back to her room, carefully avoiding Frederik, before slumping onto the bed.

"Stupid Qiuyi...you made yourself look like an idiot in front of Ro...What were you thinking?" she chided herself. She really hoped she hadn't freaked Ro out. She seemed so shy, she was worried she had given the wrong impression.

"Ah well, hopefully dinner will be nice..."

"Um, I, uh, just give me a minute." Ro squeaked at Frederik, closing the door on him rather abruptly. Turning back to Qiuyi, the other pilot had gotten up to leave. After hearing her out, Ro didn't know what to say. What could she say, she stood there dumbstruck. Watching the other girl leave, she looked out into the entryway. Frederik was standing there, clearly still confused at the situation. "uh, yeah, you want to come in?" she offered nervously, stepping back to allow him access to her room. Watching him enter, she directed him to the couch.

Shutting the door, she leaned back against it, thinking to herself. Watching Qiuyi break down, explaining what had happened to her sister pulled at Ro's heart strings, remember the fates of her parents at the hands of the Evangelions. Sighing heavily, she stared at the ceiling, trying to process all that had happened today. Maybe she'd skip dinner. Composing herself quickly, Ro stepped away from the door, going to join Frederik, but still with the inherent nervousness that was pretty much average for the girl.