"I got this for you," he says, "I was going to give it to you, but…well, then the Angel showed up and you kicked its ass."
She stares at him as he continues.
"I…that was incredible," he says, "It really was. I'd be surprised if that thing wasn't afraid of you from now on."
She smiles, genuinely smiles at him. And then, she hugs him, laughing, Shinji hugging her back. They stand like that for a while, as the moon shines in the sky and the smoking remains of the festival smolder in the distance.
And on a hill out of sight, watching through binoculars, Sakura Hoshi grins.
"About damn time," she says.
She looks at the small, bone white ball in her hand and glares at it.
"Don't you complain to me," she says, walking back towards her apartment building, "You started it."