Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ 10 things I hate about Eva ❯ The Pledge ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

How do I loath thee..? Let me count the ways... Eva X 10 things I hate about you crossover, AU. The story of the relationship between a shy whiny wimp, a loud obnoxious narcissistic and their friends, guardians, teachers and perverts caught up in between.

Anime/Manga: Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 12.31.2006 | Pages: 22 | Words: 18.3K | Visits: 503 | Status: Work In Progress

I shall use this space to cover my own ass: I do not own any of the intellectual property I use on this site (or story, in this case NGE and 10 things I hate about you/the taming of the shrew).

If you stumble across an original character of mine, feel free to pilfer it for your own amusement, as it would it be pretty hypocritical of me to tell you not to.

If you happen to own something that I have played around with here, please do not sue me.

Disclaimer taken from Agent Orange's own disclaimer, with minor differences.

The Pledge.

12 months ago.

“It's in their best interest to pursue a higher education in a better suited environment.”

“And you think that's me…Uncle..?”

“Indeed.”

Misato Kasturagi was not a happy woman. She had to be at work in 10 minutes, and she still had registration to take care of. She looked to her right at the shy, quiet kid, and noticed his right hand clenching and unclenching. She thought once more how she had ended up in this job, being the legal guardian to a couple of kids after their only living relative had decided that.

“The thing about new school years is that it's always like a blank slate…new beginnings and all, y'know..?” Misato began, attempting to be cheerful.

“By order of the foregoing Superior Court, Misato Katsuragi is authorized to act, according to law, as the Guardian of Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami.”

“Please hold up your hand and repeat after me…”

“I, Misato Katsuragi solemnly swear to take care of the children entrusted to my care…”

“There is something that you should know about your charges…”

Shinji decided to not say anything, instead grunting a response not committing to anything. He was never one to stand up and face his problems, it was always easier to just run away, hide behind his music, and believe that if one pretended hard enough, the problem would eventually go away.

“Cluster C; Generalized social phobia consistent with developing Avoidant Personality Disorder.”

Misato sighed and looked at her other passenger in her rearview mirror, who had yet to say a word. Rei simply kept looking out the window, not even bothering to pay attention, not even committing to a reaction.

“Cluster B; Withdrawn and unemotional response consistent with developing Antisocial Personality Disorder.”

The resemblance was there, even if they didn't share the same last name; Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami were brother and sister; or at least half brother and sister.

And now, Misato had been charged with being their guardian; she had received a note from their father, an old acquaintance and former research assistance turned godfather by her own father, requesting her to take care of the both of them, since he had enrolled both of them at the school were she was a teacher.

“Great, this means I'm gonna have to start cleaning up and buying healthy food…”

Of course both of them had told her that they didn't wish to be a bother, but that since they had enrolled on the last week there was no way to get a dorm, and that this situation would be only temporary.

“Just as soon as we find an apartment for us.” Shinji had said, while Rei kept the same neutral and quiet expression she seemed to have. This was the clincher; Misato could see herself in both of them, their fear, their longing to belong somewhere, with someone.

It was during the initial hearings in court when she was appointed as their guardian and in a subsequent conversation with both Gendo and her father that she found out the truth.

Their story was a really confusing one. Shinji Ikari was Gendo Rokobungi's and Yui Ikari's first natural son; his birth had been tragic, Yui Ikari had died during conception. Several years after, Gendo had received the young Rei Ayanami in their front steps. Rei had been conceived as a test tube baby when her birth mother Lilith Ayanami had herself impregnated from a donated ovum, an ovum whose donor was none other than Yui Ikari, making her Gendo's biological step-daughter and Shinji's biological step-sister.

She knew what her friends thought about her, that she was a slob, an alcoholic, and perhaps a bit of a slut (even though she preferred the term morally challenged).

But when they finally reached her apartment building and got to her front door, and as soon as she opened her door, she turned to both of them and cleared her throat, before beginning with her prepared speech.

She had been open and honest, and upfront with them (So maybe she had left out that she had a minor degree in psychology, and that she tended to win yan-kon-po by intimidating her opponents) but she still made it pretty clear for them.

They were family now, and as such she was willing to give it a try to make it work.

Both Shinji and Rei looked at her for a long time, before turning to one another and nodding. Finally, the entered the small apartment with shaking feet and uneasy smiles, relaxing when they saw her warm smile and let out a shuddering sigh.

And then in unison, both of them uttered the words they had longed to say but were afraid to ask.

“Tadaima…”

------------------

10 months ago

“I'm sure you're gonna love it back here…” Ryoji Kaji said with an easy smile, looking at the pouting redhead to his right. She had changed; had grown into a beautiful young lady that could drive more than one man crazy.

He still wasn't sure if it was mainly due to her looks or her personality.

Asuka Langley Soryu had changed in those 5 years she had been studying abroad in Germany; she had become more obstinate and stubborn, with an ego the size of a Zeppelin; but on her better days she was still the same little girl who he had loved taking care of whenever her mother or father weren't around.

“I still don't understand why I had to come back from Germany Kaji…this place is so…so…mittelalterlich…” Asuka fumed, reverting back to mixing German with her mother tongue. She kept gazing straight ahead, Kaji sighed and said nothing, knowing that in her current state of mind it would do no good to remind Asuka that She had returned because She had been expelled from her former school.

“We regret to inform you that the student Langley Soryu, Asuka has been expelled from this school by the school board in accordance to its bylaws.”

He just wanted to know what had caused her to break the other girls jaw, fracture her wrist and arm and pull a patch of hair from her head while in the principal's office.

In front of said principal.

Kaji turned to her once more and saw her electric blue eyes once vibrant and full of life now full of anger and resentment.

“I guess I should be thankful that at least you remembered me; I can see that Papa and his Herrin couldn't be bothered about me…again…”

Kaji sighed “Here we go again…” He braced himself for another rant on how she had been all but dumped after her mother's death by his father in that catholic school, how she had to endure the hardships and bouts of depression by self-reliance alone, and how she had endured, coming out stronger, better and more beautiful than ever.

And his psychology trained mind as student counselor made the immediate prognosis.

“Cluster B; Dramatic and emotional erratic actions consistent with developing Narcissistic Personality Disorder with a passive-aggressive behavior with bouts of physical and psychological violence.”

Kaji decided to drown out her incessant rambling, until he picked the notions of her stepmother an exhaust pipe a bear trap and a gimp in a less than flattering way.

“Asuka…” Kaji said as he stopped in a rest area, turning off the car and turning over to look at her, taking off a handkerchief from within his pocket and handing it over to her so she could clean her tears.

“I understand you are angry at your dad, angry at your mom and at your stepmother, and maybe a little angry at yourself, but you have to move on…you have to…”

“What..?” She asked, her voice quivering and with tears in her eyes. “Pass to the third stage and bargain with god for the return of my mom..? And then what..? Get depressed..? Acceptance..?”

“You need closure…Asuka, plain and simple.” Kaji said, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag before letting the smoke go. “You have so much pent up anger and repressed feelings within you that you are lashing out to everyone…”

“That' not true…”

“And now you're getting into fights, getting expelled out of school…”

“A school where my father all but banned me; He abandoned me, Kaji just like Mama, just like you…”

“ENOUGH!!!”

Asuka stopped arguing, scared by the change in Kaji's demeanor. He was always so laid back and agreeable, never got angry, never shouted.

It infuriated her more.

“You are the same as them…you see..? You're no better than them…”

She turned around ready to walk away when Kaji grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him; without saying anything else he hugged her tightly and stroked her red hair lovingly, almost fatherly.

“Let it go Asuka, let it go…”

And as Asuka Langley Soryu let her pent up rage, her frustration and anger melt away with the salty tears in her eyes, she promised herself she would never ever cry again.

Because crying was for cowards, wimps, and children.

Because crying was a sign of weakness, the same as caring for someone.

Because Asuka Langley Soryu was not weak.

------------------

Present day.

“The thing about new school years is that it's always like a blank slate…new beginnings and all, y'know..?” Misato began, attempting to be cheerful.

“I'm sure you're gonna love it back here…” Rouji Kaji said with an easy smile.

Kaworu Nagisa was scared.

Rather, he was intimidated.

He had just enrolled in school, ready to start a new year, and had already made the acquaintance of the 2 school counselors assigned to his class. They were good people as far as he could tell; although the purple haired teacher had a liking to irreverent and inappropriate comments, and would sometimes get angry at her peer, and the pony tailed man seemed more preoccupied to leer at her than pay attention to him.

“Well…let's not take more time away from you Kaworu, you have your schedule, your books, your locker and your combination, now all you need to do is get this forms signed by Principal Fuyutsuki and you're on your way to higher education here.”

And with that, Kaworu was launched into the sea of individuals that compromised this school. He sighed dejectedly, hitched his back pack, checked his schedule and school grounds map and began to make his way towards the principal's office.

He hadn't taken a couple of steps before Misato and Kaji were at his side.

“Oh, Kaworu, I forgot to tell you, a student t has been assigned to give you a tour of our facilities. You are to meet her at the school quad in 20 minutes; more than enough time to go to principal Fuyutsuki's…” She ended saying the principal's name in a sing-song, before turning over to Kaji and pointing at him derisively.

“This loser will take you there as his student is once again there…”

Kaji simply smiled good-naturedly and shrugged “Well…you have to admit that she's been getting better with those anger management classes.”

“Yeah, Toji got only hit in the g'nads once instead of thrice…” Misato deadpanned. The trio did not notice a blonde in a lab coat falling into step with them.

“Actually, according to Asuka's statement, she still maintains that he kicked himself in the balls…”

Both teachers turned to the new comer and smiled at her.

“Hey Ritsu…allow me to introduce you to our newest addition to the student body; Kaworu Nagisa…”

“Please to meet you Mr. Nagisa; I am Ritsuko Akagi, the school nurse. Misato, you should be heading to homeroom, those kids in 2-A are quite unruly.”

“Yeah, yeah; I'm going…see you Kaoru…bye Ritsu…”

“No goodbye for me `Sato..?”

Misato simply stuck out her tongue at him, then winked, before continuing down the hall.

------------------

“Asuka Langley Soryu…I see we're making our visits a weekly ritual….” KÅzÅ Fuyutsuki began in an amicable manner, not glancing up from his morning paper.

“Only so we can have these moments together.” Was the playful remark from one Asuka Langley Soryu. “Should I, uh, hit the lights..?” Fuyutsuki laughed tiredly at this.

“Asuka, you are my best friend's only daughter, not to mention that I'm old enough to be your grandfather…”

“Yeah…you're right…besides, why go for you when I could set my sights on Kaji..?”

“Oh, very clever, Miss Soryu…let's see…says here you exposed young Mr. Ikari in the cafeteria…” Fuyutsuki finished before clasping his hands in front of his mouth, resting his chin between them. “Is this accurate..?”

Asuka smiled brazenly at this. “I was joking with the wonder twins….besides; it was a bratwurst…”

“A Bratwurst..? Aren't you the optimist..? Next time, keep it in your bento box, okay..?”

“Ahh…” Asuka pouted at this. “But it's so much fun to watch the little twerp sputter and get embarrassed. We should make it a school activity…”

“I see…” Fuyutsuki chuckled dryly at this. “So, Asuka…have you made anybody else cry today..?”

Asuka simply smiled at that a lazy smile, similar to a cat that had just woken up.

“Sadly no, Principal Fuyutsuki, but I still have 5 more hours to go…”

KÅzÅ Fuyutsuki sighed tiredly at this.

“I heard that, besides the cafeteria stunt, you've been terrorizing Miss Ibuki's computer class again…”

“Expressing my opinion is not a terrorist act.” Asuka deadpanned, still smiling that smile of hers.

“It is when it involves use of the school property, in this case the school electronic black board and bulletin board to threaten to cause bodily damage…” Fuyutsuki said, leaning back on his chair. “You might be glad to know that we were able to jumpstart Kensuke's hard drive without a problem. Those microchips he had to eat after you “convinced” him they were edible weren't any critical components…he has also regained the ability to eat solid food once more…”

“Good for him, I'll make sure to bake a cake in Home Ec. to send it to him…” Asuka snorted, clearly not interested in such an activity.

“And while were talking about school property, I expect a full refund for that glass door you “assisted” Suzuhara in breaking…”

“I told him not to run around the aisles, you see…accidents DO tend to happen…” She shrugged absentmindedly.

“He was running away from you…” Fuyutsuki stated.

“We were playing a game…” Asuka countered.

“You were threatening to break the broom stick on his skull…” A vein was now visible in the principal's forehead, and his right eye appeared to be twitching.

“I was joking…” Asuka tried a last resort defense.

“Same way you joked with Krutta..? By the way he has finally been able to turn around his waist without the aid of the circular hip…” Kaji interrupted in the nick of time, entering into the office, Fuyutsuki was able to see the mop of ashen hair of the new student as he sat down and waited for him.

“Great, he can come and help me with my twirling for the school dance…”

“That is enough!!” Both Fuyutsuki and Kaji exclaimed at the same time.

Asuka simply glared at them both without saying a word.

“Asuka, we need to talk…” Kaji began before turning towards the elder adult in the room.

“I knew your mother very well, which was the reason why I made an exception about the…unusual guardianship situation between you and Mr. Kaji…”

He got up and walked towards her, sitting on the ledge of his desk. “However I will not condone such activities as the one's you have done to these boys…”

Before Asuka could protest, Kaji quietly spoke.

“We know about the underground picture ring Toji and Kensuke have been leading, as well as Krutta's attempt to…persuade you…to go out with him…”

“But you have reached a breaking point, Asuka. If there happens to be another bout of violence with you as the direct assailant I will be forced to expel you, and the school WILL press charges…”

Asuka sat silently, stunned at hearing this. Quietly, without looking up she asked in a small voice.

“So I will go to jail..?”

At this, Kaji placed an arm around her in a comforting manner, while Fuyutsuki patted her hair in a gentle way.

“Not unless you stop doing that…”

After pausing for a moment to think, Fuyutsuki amended that.

“Unless as with the cases of Kensuke, Toji and Krutta and Meguro, you have probable cause…”

“Wunderbar…”

“You do, however have got to stop picking on Shinji…”

“Awww man…”

------------------

“Well…that was uneventful…”

Asuka began as she made her way out of Fuyutsuki's office; a low vibration distracted her for a second, and she opened her cell phone to check the message being sent to her.

She was so engrossed in it that she was unable to watch where she was going until it was too late.

“ACKKK!!!”

“Oh…I'm sorry Miss, can I help you…”

Asuka looked up from the floor, where she was sprawled in a rather unlady like posture to see the preoccupied face of a new student.

She typically reacted as everyone who knew her knew how she would react.

“PERVERT!!!!!!”

SLAP!!!

------------------

“You're late Mr. Nagisa…”

Kaoru could only look down in embarrassment and mumble an apology at the irate girl in front of him.

“I do not like being dragged out of my classes to assist you in guiding you thru the campus premises…”

Kaoru simply held his head low without looking up, catching his breath.

“I…I'm sorry…”

He heard the lady in font of him sigh tiredly. Finally he decided to look up to be awarded with a sight that left him openmouthed.

“Uhh..uh..m…I'm…sorry..?”

Rei Ayanami looked at him strangely, a reddish tint appearing briefly on her cheeks before pointedly looking away.

“You…said that already, there is no need to repeat ones' self…”

Kaworu couldn't help but continue to look at her as if she were nothing short of a work of art. He dumbly nodded without saying anything else. Rei turned around with an exasperated sigh, but also to hide her blushing cheeks from the boy in front of him.

Kaworu silently snapped himself out of his daze, still looking at the retreating form of Rei Ayanami wondering if the slap from the angry red head was making him see things.

“It is considered rude to stay behind and leave your appointed guide to wander of by herself Mr. Nagisa; I would hope that you were brought up differently.”

Kaworu realized what Rei meant by this, he smiled dumbly at her back and quoted quietly.

“I burn, I pine, I perish…”

------------------

In a different place. Hikari made her way quietly to the supply room, across the empty school hall. She was about to open the door to the supply closet when she heard a rumble, followed by a high pitched scream and a slap. Eyebrow twitching, Hikari sighed tiredly.

“Probably one of those two idiots playing a wrestling match…” The pigtailed representative muttered under her breath.

“Kensuke…” She muttered, making her way towards the sounds “Toji…” She said in a slightly higher tone of voice, finally behind the door of the classroom where the entire ruckus was coming out from.

“ASUKA!!!! LEAVE THE STOOGES ALONE…”

From the center of the room, Asuka simply turned towards Hikari, not bothering on letting up from the punishment given to the 2 stooges.

Kensuke was currently heads down on the floor, Asuka Standing in one foot on top of him. Toji being on his knees with his right arm wrenched behind him.

“AHH…AHHH!!! CLASS REP…THE CRAZY BITCH IS KILLING US!!! HELP US…”

“A..ahhh…h..el..p…m..e..”

Hikari stood open mouthed by the scene in front of her, not even bothering to hear neither Toji's wail nor Kensuke's struggled cries for help.

“Hikari…what are you doing here..? I thought you were going to be giving the new kid the tour…”

“I...was going to but then I remembered that you were sent to Principal Fuyutsuki's office and since you couldn't go I decided to send Rei instead and came here to see you once you were out and…Asuka…”

“Ack…class rep…help…”

“Hmm..?” The red head never took her eyes from Toji who was turning an interesting shade of purple.

“Would you mind letting Mr. Suzuhara get some air..?”

Asuka relented with a grunt, but kept Toji in a headlock. “You are too soft on the stooge Hikari…”

“AHHH!!!” Toji attempted to wriggle free from Asuka's grasp, as she simply leaned back to make him lose his balance, a look of pain crossing his face. “LET ME GO YA CRAZY BI-OWWW!!“ Before he could finish a solid cuff to his head silenced him effectively.

“Shut up stooge…I know it was you who went crying to Dr. Akagi's office about me hitting you in the pompon's when I told you not to…”

“YOU KICKED SUZUHARA IN THE PRIVATE'S..? WHAT WERE YOU…WHAT…ARE YOU AN IDIOT..?” A shocked Hikari yelled with wide eyes at Asuka, who simply turned to look at her with a shrug and an apologetic smile, prompting the pigtailed girl to take some action and make her friend aware just why she had been chosen from several other girls in the class room and appointed as with the position of Class Representative, her persona of member of the student council taking full charge.

“ASUKA…YOU WILL LET THOSE TWO NUMBNUTS GO AND YOU WILL FOLLOW ME…” She screamed at the top of her lungs making all three people stop their grunting and attempts to get free and turned at her; for a moment Kensuke, Toji and Asuka could swear Hikari had an impressive and angry blood red aura emanating from her.

In retrospect, they were sure it must have been an optical illusion from the light; otherwise, the possibility was just too scary.

“YOU TWO…” She continued looking at Suzuhara's prone form on top of Kensuke's. “YOU TWO WILL PICK YOURSELF UP AND LIMP TOWARDS DR. AKAGI'S OFFICE…” She let out a deep sigh. “AGAIN..!”

Hikari didn't wait, choosing instead to manhandle Asuka towards the nearest girls' bathroom, leaving Toji and Kensuke to fend for themselves. As soon as they were both gone a pair of feet shuffled towards them, letting an exasperated sigh.

“You made her angry again, didn't you..?”

They simply nodded at that without looking up. Looking down angrily at Toji and Kensuke (although it was more of disappointment to the former) Mayumi simply shook her head. Kensuke looked up at her and saw her normally arm and cheerful eyes now minimized to slits behind her round glasses.

“She's right…you really are a couple of stooges…” Mayumi said dejectedly, exiting the classroom and closing the door quietly, but still making it sound that much more imposing in both Toji's and Kensuke's mind.

Before any of them could do anything though, a shrill shriek erupted from within the bathroom doors.

“I AM GOING TO KILL THOSE STOOGES!!!”

This was followed by Hikari's shouting attempts to calm the volatile redhead.

“ASUKA…WAIT…”

Both teen looked at each to her and shuddered, watching the pounding steps march their way towards them.

Asuka's face darkened, like an oncoming storm, her eyebrows knitting into a tight frown, her lips curled into a familiar snarl, almost like a feline ready to pounce on her victim.

"Kensuke..! Run..! She's going berserk..!" Toji yelled from the floor, just as Asuka opened the doors violently with a flourish. In the back ground, Kensuke could see Mayumi flattened, whimpering in fear against a wall.

“MAYUMI STOP HER..!” Hikari yelled running after the red head, but Mayumi could only stay rooted there, eyes wide open in fear and if one could concentrate and hear very carefully they could hear only one sound coming from within her.

“Squeeee….”

The rest happened almost in a lyrical manner, one could swear this was a choreographed sequence filmed in slow motion on an action movie.

Mayumi could almost swear it was like watching an episode of National Geographic.

Toji had dived to a side, making a path for Kensuke to escape, delaying him for some vital seconds in the process as he tried to turn the corner and run down the corridor; Kensuke himself had bolted at the notice like a frightened rabbit, but Asuka leapt forward, almost as if her legs had powerful springs in them; one minute she was crouching to gain momentum, the other she had her elbow firmly planted on Kensuke's back.

"ACK..!" He yelled as they both went down, Kensuke holding his camera over his head so he wouldn't fall on it.

"Help..!"

"Ich habe Sie jetzt..." Asuka grunted as she wrenched Kensuke's right arm sharply across his back. "Sie sind tot…" Asuka screeched, pinning him to the ground with a forearm across the back of his neck. "Give me that..!"

"Crap..!" Toji yelled as he dove out the door to beat Asuka's climb to steal the device from Kensuke's wildly waving hand. He barely got there in time, snatching it like a great basketball steal.

The only problem was Asuka; she clearly wasn't playing by those rules; she planted a foot in the center of Kensuke's back and lunged again, driving the breath from the helpless boy with a barely heard 'oof', and grabbing Toji by the waist.

"Damn you stooges, give me that..!"

Toji laughed, staggering away and keeping his prize held out of reach. "Hah, you should have seen the-“ A sharp twang of pain emerged from his leg as Asuka bit deeply into Toji's calf, her teeth leaving a pair of half moon marks on it, deciding to fight dirtier than always.

“OWW..! She's biting me...no biting...!"

Desperation sinking into the jock, he threw it to the closes person available.

Who just happened to be Shinji, entering the library, determination clearly written on his eyes, which turned into blue saucers as he saw a camera flying his way followed by Toji's scream.

"Shinji...! Catch...!"

Shinji, standing just outside the door, watching the scene, reflexively caught the tossed camera, earning himself a glare from Asuka, who, spitting out a mouthful of Toji, pushed the jock forcefully to one side. "Shinji! I will kill you!"

"Wait, Asuka..!" Shinji cried as she leapt for him. Panicked, he threw the camera back to the only other person still standing.

The camera sailed just over her head as Asuka hit him high, flipping him nearly onto his head.

"Oof..!"

Luckily, the device fell into Toji's arms as he grabbed at the painful impact on his chest. Surprised at suddenly having it again, he froze.

Asuka rolled off of Shinji.

Toji bolted for the open door to the classroom, darting in behind Kensuke and closing it just in time for the latch to click before Asuka reached it, and the snick of the lock was a second following.

Asuka pounded angrily on the door. "Verdammen sie es! Open up stooges...!"

"Don't let her have my camera..!" Kensuke added, staggering painfully to his feet. "That thing was expensive..."

"You..!" Asuka yelled, lunging for Kensuke. "You made this..." She cried as she kicked the boy in front of her, making Kensuke fall on his but. She followed with an axe kick to his midsection.

"Oww!"

"And you..." Her glare turned towards Shinji as she leapt over to him, landing on top of him again, straddling him and pinning his lower body between her thighs. "You...you pervertsohn eines weibchens..." She punctuated each German word with a punch to his arm. "You, you suck!"

"Oww! Asuka, it wasn't my idea..!" Shinji protested, clutching her arms, bucking his hips trying to reverse his position on her, attempting to roll her to the ground.

"And you..!" she cried, yelling at the door. "I can break your arm in three places! If you don't open the damned door I'm going to call the hall monitor..!"

Who just happened to show by at that precise moment.

“Would any of you care to explain to me what is going on..?”

Shiro Tokita, could only be described as a stereotypical middle aged man; As the appointed caretaker and self appointed hall monitor for school grounds he was generally regarded as a short and ill tempered man; Tokita's attempts to enforce the letter of rules against activities such as being outside the dorms late made life very inconvenient for many of the students at school and generally made him rather unpopular view the student body. Besides that, he had a penchant for using any situation he could come up with to issue his favorite punishment, without waiting for an explanation or possible cause, always summing it with one word.

“You and you…” He said, sporting a tight smile, pointing at Asuka and Shinji.

“Detention.”

------------------

Elsewhere, Misato Katsuragi hummed cheerfully, making her way to the snack machines on the teacher's lounge. She had just served time, and gotten relatively safe from the unruly kids of class 2-A.

She deserved a little pick me up, diet be damned.

“Ryoji Kaji, please report to the Detention room immediately.” The P.A. announced thru the school grounds. Relishing in Kaji's unlucky situation, for being called to detention could only mean that Asuka had done something in the general vicinity of Tokita's impressive seeing and hearing radio.

“Score one for Katsuragi.” She pumped her fist in the air, more happy when she saw that the machine still had her favorite candy bar; even better, it was the last one.

“Misato Katsuragi, please report to the Detention room immediately.”

Something in the back of her brain made her turn to the P.A., and in loosing those precious seconds attempting to understand why she would be required to show at Tokita's domain, she never saw as an anonymous student came next to her, placed his spare change inside the machine, punched the code and got a treat.

It was the familiar sound of a wrapper being torn and the smell of her candy bar what drove her of the haze she was in, as she noticed the student walking away, stuffing his face with the candy bar. In shock, Misato turned towards the machine, noticing the vacant space where her treat used to sit.

Putting two and two together, Misato realized with a tactical prowess worthy of a poodle that some one had taken her treat.

“Misato Katsuragi, please report to the Detention room…NOW...”

And the day began to grow grayer and darker.

------------------

“Thank you for picking me up from detention Misato…”

“Don't mention it kid…although I'm telling you that red-headed demon is a danger to this school, as well as to the whole community….”

“No, you got it all wrong, she is just misunderstood…” Shinji tried desperately to defuse the bomb.

“Lizzie Borden was misunderstood. She was also a psychotic lunatic who murdered her parents in her sleep…” Misato thought it was more helpful to douse the flame with the red canister marked simply as “gasoline”.

“Well Kaji and Fuyutsuki talked to her and they said that it was going to be different this time around…” Ritsuko added helpfully, winking at Shinji and making him utter a quiet “Eep…” and blush, looking away.

Misato, of course had already began her daily routine of let's bash the Kaji.

“Yeah… I bet that good for nothing bum gave her the 411…” Misato began before changing her voice to sound deeper. “Listen…Asuka since I'm a bit of a wuss and Fuyutsuki clearly is afraid of you, let us crawl out of here alive and you can go back to doing whatever it is you do in between torturing the students here...'kay..?”

“Still with your panties in a bunch…” Ritsuko said absentmindedly.

“Don't think for one minute that loser has any kind of effect whatsoever on my panties.” Misato growled, while unconsciously scratching the highest part of her back thigh.

Both women continued their conversation, not realizing that Shinji was still with them. He blushed but remained otherwise silent while they kept airing their dirty laundry without a second thought.

“Yeah…you don't sound like a jilted lover at all. Besides, taking it out on Fuyutsuki is so unfair…he did support you on that crazy school trip to the Yebisu brewery even though he knew YOU were gonna ditch the class to hang around the guest's lounge and enjoy the complementary beer. ”

Misato had the decency to blush at that comment before continuing her attack. “Yeah, well I seem to remember you being there as well, equally drunk and one hundred percent sure that the fox-tails should really be called Kitty-tails…”

Ritsuko never missed a beat at that. “My point exactly…if it weren't for Kaji, both our asses would have been fired…especially after we hijacked that golf cart and took it for a spin around the brewery…”

Misato fumed at that before throwing up her hands in defeat. “Oh…all right he might be a bit reliable…but he is still a chauvinistic pig…” She ended nodding at her statement, crossing her arms in front of her.

“And you still have feelings for him…” Ritsuko decided to add, pausing in front of a coffee machine and grabbing a cup for herself.

“I feel for him nothing more than contempt. I hate him with the fire of a thousand suns…” Misato decided to counter with a flourish.

“Well I don't know…I do think the lady doth protest a bit much…” Ritsuko continued, deciding Shakespeare was a good choice for quotes.

“OF COURSE I DOTH PROTEST…” Misato exploded at last. “IT'S KAJI FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE…” Ritsuko was about to add something before Misato began her irate tirade again.

I WOULD NOT GO OUT WITH HIM EVEN IF I WAS FACED BY A SQUAD OF SELF DEFENSE FORCE ASSAULT TEAMS, OR IF HIS LIFE WAS THREATHENED AND DEPENDED ON IT…”

“Please stop…” Shinji spoke in a small voice, his face as red as the jacket Misato was wearing.

Misato looked up in surprise, almost breaking off a trance.

“Huh…Wha..?”

“Well, I for one think you need to just go with him, screw him senseless and get it over with…And Shinji could run some interception with Asuka…again…” The sarcastic tone in Ritsuko's voice was not lost to anyone.

“WHAT..?!” Both the teacher and the student yelled aghast.

“Miss Akagi, pleased…I-it's not like that…” Shinji tried to explain.

Ritsuko smiled, readjusting her glasses. “Well Shinji, we heard from an esteemed and traumatized colleague how a particular Red-head groped you in front of the lunch lady…”

Misato stood shaking with anger, breathing deeply in and out. “Just look at what she did to poor Shinji here…”

It was at this moment that Shinji decided it was in his best interest to escape in any way possible before Misato could…

“She opened his fly in front of the lunch lady and shoved a sausage into it…”

Shinji got even redder, if possible and attempted to hide his face with his hands. Maya decided to chime in.

“She even went so far as to recount in a very specific way how you shrieked like a girl in the middle of the cafeteria, flashing everyone in the process…”

“Mi-Miss Akagi…”

“Well it is a rather hopeful euphemism for Shinji's rather…Limited…physique…” At this point Ritsuko gave Shinji a pointed look, raking him over and stopping for a full 5 second on his groin.

Shinji felt the light trickle of blood form his nose. That was before he heard Misato chuckle.

Then he became as pale as a ghost.

“Well...that one time when he met Pen-pen…I have to admit the hiding behind a pack of toothpicks doesn't do wonders for one's own self esteem, right Shinji baby..?”

“Kill me now…” Shinji groaned as he walked away dejectedly.

Ritsuko kept looking at the boy's retreating form. “I still think he and Asuka could hit it off…”

Misato snorted at that. “What makes you think that..?”

“The fact that I knew both you and Kaji back in college, and the similarities are eerily familiar…” Ritsuko said rather innocently.

“Yeah right…Kaji is nothing like Asuka…” Misato said, not noticing the trap.

“I was leaning towards him being more like Shinji…” Ritusko said to Misato's back, already smiling.

Misato stood thinking at that. “Yeah, that makes sense, he wasn't so shy but I can totally see some Shinji in…” Misato paused as she began to understand where this was leading.

“HEY..! I'M NOTHING LIKE ASUKA…”

Ritsuko simply laughed at that.

------------------

“So you're saying that this school has it's own terrarium..?” Kaworu asked amazed while he and Rei walked thru the botanical section of the school.

“That is correct it was primarily constructed as a sample of a Geo-Dome, but when the student council found out it was supposed to be underground, they decided to build a terrarium, or a Grotto if you will, instead.”

Kaworu kneeled next to the river running peacefully and dipped his hand into the pure water. “Amazing…”

He saw Rei's own slender hand go inside almost touching him, and then felt her body kneeling opposite next to him. “You really think so..?”

“Yes…”

“The school installation are also among the securest ones;.” She extracted her school Id badge and flashed it at Kaworu. “Your ID card is also a pass card to go inside student facilities like dorm rooms, cafeteria library and such. If you need to report to a section you do not have access to, an appointed teacher will have to give you that clearance.”

“How so..”

“”I…” Rei blushed, paused for a second and continued. “I play the violin at Mister Aoba's class. If you…felt like you…wanted to…” With each passing word, Rei's blushed became deeper and more pronounced. “Come and see me…he would have to give you access…”

“Or I could sneak in with you…”

Rei gulped, but nodded when she saw Kaworu's smiling face.

“Uhmmm…Regarding the security system…” Rei fell for words, attempting to recollect her thoughts. “The security system is one of the best for the school facilities in the suburban area. The locks only give you access with your school ID, and they engage at precisely seven o'clock.”

“So you can't leave without your Id..?”

Rei nodded before continuing. “Precisely. At eight, the entire system Goes on-line, and engages. No one can leave when that happens, regardless of clearance, rank or status."

------------------

“But why Wonder Girl..?” Asuka kept pouting after being forced to face down Hikari the Class Rep's “I'm very disappointed at you” speech version 2.7; now with additional guilt trip software included. It was bad that she also had to show up every Saturday at the school library for the next 3 months, but the worst of it was Kaji.

He could come with some interesting punishments; last time it had been to clean Katsuragi's apartment.

Asuka shuddered as she recalled exactly what she had encountered when she entered that purple haired slob's cave she called a bedroom.

“Why not..? I was gonna…give you support and we couldn't have him wandering out aimlessly…Besides, if I had asked you, you would have said no, citing perverted reasons or something so Asuka-like.”

“Why not Mayumi..?” Asuka asked, referring to their other glasses wearing friend.

Hikari balked at that, scrambling for an answer. “Be-because…she had to…go to the library…” She ended in a rush.

“Yeah…no big surprise there…after all she is a bookworm…”

“And since it was only Rei or…Mana…”

“You chose apathy personified over that idiot…Nice call…” Asuka said sarcastically.

“Asuka!!” Hikari shouted, not really shocked but just for the sake of appearances. “Rei is not a goth, and she may be…distant…but she is not apathic…”

“Oh…puh-lezzee…the tiles at my feet have more personality that the lower half of the wonder duo.” Asuka mumbled under her breath before stopping short and turning to face Hikari who was still picking out her books for the next set of classes.

“Wait a minute why didn't you stood up for Kirishima..?”

“Because I know which battles to fight, and I'm not a big fan of already lost causes…” she sighed. “You should really patch things up with her…she's been trying to-“

“Hikari…Don't” Asuka said softly but firmly. Hikari sighed but nodded, and resumed walking with the red head towards next class.

A blur of movement caught Asuka's attention, making her turn to her right.

“Hikari you go ahead, I need to go to the bathroom…” she said, taking of running down the hall way, not giving Hikari time to answer back.

It wasn't until Hikari had walked into the class room that she realized the girl's bathroom on that area were the opposite way Asuka had run into.

------------------

Shinji made his way towards his next class; Kaji's Creative Writing. On the plus sign, Kaji was a heck of a teacher, never judging or anything.

On the minus it did have Asuka in it.

Thinking back to the early hours in the cafeteria, and the yelp of surprise he had uttered when she had opened his fly and stuffed he hand deep into it, he felt the familiar heat around his cheeks, as well as a faint tickle at the base of his nose.

This was quickly followed by the feeling of her thighs around his lower stomach, the soft firmness of her body pushing against his, the feeling of her bre-

Shinji paused when he saw a dark crimson drop fall at his feet, feeling the trickle flowing from his nose. Without saying anything, and thankful for the fact that the hallways were somewhat deserted, Shinji wiped his nose clean.

“Oh, well…at least Kaji will be there to gather her attention…and maybe Mana will kneel down in front of me again to pick her pencil case…”

Quickly wiping his nose again, Shinji made his way towards the class room.

------------------

“This was an excellent tour, Miss Ayanami; I really enjoyed your company…”

“Like wise…”

Both were making their way towards the main atrium, gradually slowing down until all that was left was for them to go inside the quad again.

Rei walked towards the stone arches, turned around sharply and extended her hand, her eyes never blinking, nor leaving Kaworu's face.

“I had a great time Mr. Nagi-”

“Kaworu…” He said softly, while taking her hand. “Please…call me Kaworu…”

“Very well…Kaworu…” Rei said in an equally soft voice.

They stood like that for a couple of minutes holding hands in an awkward handshake.

“I must be getting to class now…” Rei began, not making a move.

“As do I…” Kaworu said as well, never letting go of her hand.

“That would require for you to let go of me…” Rei said in a whisper, blushing pointedly at this. Kaworu withdrew his hand from hers as if she was hot (which she was but not in that way).

“I…uh…please forgive me…”

Rei said nothing, simply turning around and walking towards the arch again. Before crossing over, thought she said in a crisp voice. “I will be taking my lunch tomorrow at one o'clock in the afternoon. by the eastern quad…and I practice the violin every Thursday and Friday from four-thirty to eight in the evening…” She turned and looked directly into his dark eyes, smiling faintly.

“I wouldn't mind if you showed at either of these events.”

Kaworu looked up at her and said nothing, still surprised. Rei straightened her back and began to walk inside again, before stopping for a third time and saying one last word.

“You should apologize only when you are at fault…it is…annoying…otherwise…”

And with that she left.

------------------

Shinji sat in his usual place and waited for Kaji to begin his class, one by one everyone else made their way inside.

First, Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida; both sporting bruises on their faces. They made their way towards Shinji, nodded once and sat to his sides Shinji looked first at one, then at the other before letting out a single word.

“Asuka..?”

“Asuka…” confirmed his two friends. Shinji shook his head and muttered under his breath. “Stooges…”

Immediately after Toji and Kensuke Hikari Horaki and Mayumi Yamagishi made their respective entrance. Both glared at Toji and Kensuke and sat a couple of desk behind them, one desk in the middle waiting for the third member of their small club.

Asuka Langley Soryu.

She entered as always, opening the door, glaring at his friends and himself, as well as the rest of the class; the only exceptions were Hikari and Mayumi, her friends; Rei as she wasn't here yet and…

Mana Kirishima.

In Shinji's world the perfect woman; slender and lithe, with short reddish hair and emerald green eyes, as well as a shy, yet playful personality.

The very definition of tease.

The last one to enter was Rei, and she made her way quietly towards her usual place near the window.

Finally Ryoji Kaji made his way to class, scrawny looks, stubble chin and hastily-made tie, hair shaggy and brown tied into a messy ponytail.

“Rise…bow…sit…” Hikari's voice rang inside the classroom.

Just another regular day.

“Class I would like for you to meet a new student in this class…”

The sound of shuffling feet, the quiet steps of a child trying to sound confident, but scared more that he would care to admit. He stood in front of them all, head a little low, drawing a deep breath before looking straight ahead a smiling a nervous smile.

“Hello, my name is Kaworu Nagisa…please take care of me…”

------------------

Dinner at the Katsuragi/Ikari/Ayanami household always had two constants.

Rei disliked eat, therefore there had to be some kind of vegetarian food in the mix.

Misato had the rare skill of making anything related to food inedible if she attempted to cook it; even the instant pizza she had once brought home had ended up a charred mess and made Shinji grumbled as he cleaned the oven.

Therefore Shinji cocked. Always.

The only exceptions were on Wednesdays and Fridays, when he had cello practice with Shigeru's Aoba music class. However after a close call of all the members of the household on one such occasion, when Misato has somehow managed to turn instant ramen into a class A environmental hazard sludge, or something more akin to a N2 bomb.

Shinji had ever since made and overnight casserole for Wednesday, since Friday had unofficially become “home delivery” Day.

However the cause for today's friendly banter between Misato and Rei was a different reason.

“C'mon Rei…fess up…”

“I fail to see the cause for disappointment; after all it was only a lunch date…” Rei said casually

Rei got up and made her way towards the sink with her dinner cup and utensils.

“C'mon, It's not everyday I pick you up from class and someone is with you, reading from the same book…”

“Hikari and Mayumi had done so…”

“We don't count…Wer'e girls…” Hikari smirked from the other side of the kitchen, and giggled as Misato continued with her attempts to help Rei, while Rei swatted her hand away from the condiment rack and kept stirring the pots in front of her.

“C'mon…tell us…you like the new kid…right..?” Mana Kirishima asked as she came back from the bathroom, toweling her hair dry.

Rei blushed and attempted to hide her face by turning the opposite direction from where Misato was.

“'Aha!” Misato shouted in triumph. “I knew it…you think Kaworu's hot…”

“No I do not.”

“But you told us you invited Kaworu to lunch and to watch you practice at Mister Shigeru's class…” Mayumi added smiling softly as she tasted from a pot.

Rei turned to look at Mayumi, frowning at her. “I seem to remember I also told you, specifically that was supposed to be a secret.”

“U-uhh…squeee!!” Mayumi yelped, her glasses sliding down her nose as she trembled at Rei's glare.

“Busted!!” Mana, Hikari and Misato chanted together.

“I believe that I acted accordingly to how anyone would have behaved in a situation such as mine, so I see no point in you trying to grasp at situations that are not the case, since they could be easily misunderstood.”

Everyone else in the room turned to look at Rei as she kept stirring the pots.

“Rei if you're scared of how to act with a boy I can always tell you how to get them to be at your beck and calling…” Misato giggled. “It worked wonders with Makoto before he began going out with Satsuki.”

Shouldn't you be more concerned in getting Kaji..?” Rei retorted before shrugging. “Besides, it's only a lunch date…”

“That's how it start's…” Misato said a she took a long gulp from her beer. “First, it's lunch dates…” she began pacing across the hall, mumbling and swearing in sotto, before turning and launching into a full on rant.

“Then, it's going out to coffee, then it's beers…”

“And then suddenly before you know it you are spending a whole week out of school, naked in bed, screwing like bunnies, not bothering to get out of bed, just drinking and fuc…”

“No thank you…” Rei continued completely unaffected as she continued preparing dinner. “I fail to see how you will provide me with a suitable role model; If your little Freudian slip is to be believed, then I can only assume that it was you and Mr. Kaji who spent that whole week drinking and fuc…”

“AHH SHADDUP!!”

Misato slammed her beer on the table Making all of the girls look at her. She held an intense look in her eyes, shifting her line of sight ever so often.

“Besides, I'm pretty sure lover boy won't be able to get within 5 feet from you…”

Rei blinked at that, turning to look at the other girls, confusion clearly drawn on her face, before turning to their guardian once again.

“I don't get it…” Rei said slowly, confusion evident in her voice.

Misato smiled evilly at that.

“Well, you know how Shinji gets whenever some one from the male persuasion other than his friends get near you…”

Rei frowned at that; it was true Shinji was a bit…over protective of her…but she always thought that was mainly a side effect of his intense dislike to Mogudan, but now…

“What should I do..?”

“Well the easiest way to get you some alone time with Kaworu the Casanova would be for some one to engage Shinji so that his mind is elsewhere.”

Misato smirked, expecting a reaction from any of the girls, closing her eyes, envisioning the squeals and shouts and…

Silence.

Misato opened her eyes to see the girls in front of her watching her closely, as a group of novice monks would an enlightened being.

“What are you implying..?”

Misato's face fell at the question, but quickly came with the answer.

“Shinji needs to get a date…”

Rei and the rest of the girls blinked at this.

"It's fairly plain and simple...If Shinji doesn't date, you don't date..."

"But you know that Shinji doesn't date..."

“What do you mean..?” Mana asked from her side.

"Shinji doesn't like to date..."

"I-is he…” Mayumi stammered, gesturing and nodding. The rest of the girls simply saw her, not understanding what she was trying to say. “Y-you know…I-is he…gay..?"

"O-of course he's not gay..." Mana and Rei said at the same time.

"Then there something wrong with the software because it's encoded in his genes...Boys date. Period." Misato said firmly, not noticing the strange blush from both Rei and Mana.

Both then heard Rei mutter something under her breath.

“What was that..?”

Rei got up and left for her room. “Then, it seems that I'm doomed to be die a lonely spinster…”

Misato smiled at that. “Yeah, you'll wind up like Ritsuko living along cats…”

Rei turned then towards the rest of the girls. “You know, it would be in our best interest to get him a date with any girl as soon as possible…” She finished throwing a side long glance at Mana who blushed and looked away.

“But he…” Hikari began

“You can't pimp Shinji like that Rei that is so…so…Asuka-like…” Misato exclaimed laughing at the look on the blue haired girl.

“And yet you seem to have no problem exploiting him to clean your room, cook your food and get you your beers…”

“Well he does that out of his own free will…”

“You conned him at yan-kon-po” Rei stated flatly.

“Yeah…you're right…” Misato said. “Ohh…all right…” She pouted. “I'll help you set Shinji up, but you owe me…”

“I'll make sure to remember that next time The ramen bar calls ro inform Shinji and myself we need to go get you out of there since they're past closing time…”

------------------

Author's Ramble:

Ok first off…yeah; the relationship between Rei and Kaworu might seem a little rushed but I'll pledge the “Love at first sight” card on this one, although there is a side story about several activities waiting to be told, but only if your reviews fill my need that is ;)

Asuka might come of as a hard ass, but I hope it is consistent with her psyche profile, I decided to try and flesh out the characters in this ep, leaving Shinji for next ep., so…

Yes, lordkingtom: this will definitely be continued,

Yes, September Nobara,: I made a mistake on the “K” gomen nasai, <bowing>

And yes, Zephyr892: this story won't be abandoned; while I won't make it a 20+ opus, I am looking at leat at 5 or 6 chappies, so…hang in there.

Special thanks to each and every one of my current six reviewers for taking the time to review. Special notions to two of them;

Hououza: thanks for the words I would consider it an honor, especially after some of your stories if you could beta this little project, Thanks.

Zephyr892: thanks for the encouragement as well as for everything else. Check your inbox man, and drop me a line.

Peace, Yo!

Author's Addendum:

This story was updated on 12-31-2006. Mainly because I had rushed into it, and felt it was a bit disconnected from the rest of the story, hope you like the update.