Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Mst: Children of an Elder God ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Standard Disclaimer!

As I have no job I haven't been able to swindle the rights of Evangelion way from Gianax. Stupid economic slump. And thanks to lots of projects I've been negligent in my msts and original stories…gomen. But I stand before you in text. I don't want ya pitty… I just want ya understanding!

I'll keep trying and please…review. It really does help motivate me to write more.

ENOUGH! I've whined enough time to mst.

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Kensuke: So what did you hear?

Hikari: The only thing I heard was Asuka yelling over the phone about Shinji being sold off.

Kensuke: Touji said…well he wrote as his mouth is wired shut, that Misato lost him in a poker game.

Mana: I can't believe they'd watch such a long movie without us!

Hikari: No offense Mana, but we're afraid of you.

Mana smiles: You just know that Shinji likes me more than the rest of you.

Kensuke: BUT IT'S LOVECRAFT!!!

Misato bursts out of apartment door and nearly topples the three: I'm going already! Calm down.

Asuka: And don't come back without him!

Rei: Your beer supply will be returned when he is.

Misato: Fine you ungrateful little heathens! `I'll show them, Shinji and I'll hit the town tonight, screw those two.' Hi kids.

Kensuke: MISATO-SAN!

Misato: What's with the boxes?

Kensuke: I've heard the movie is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft so I've brought the RPG and an ougie board!

Asuka: Kensuke…what the hell are you doing here?

Mana: Don't I get a hello?

Rei: No.

Mana: Fine, be that way `enters.'

Asuka: Sure you can come in, `if it wasn't for Shinji…'

Hikari: What's this movie about, and who's this Lovecraft guy you keep talking about?

Kensuke explains Lovecraft, and Asuka explains the movie to date.

Mana: Creepy.

Kensuke: Atlach-nacha sweet!

Hikari: Why doesn't it surprise me that you know about such creepy things.

Rei: He lacks normal taste in reading materials.

Asuka: You only read the Nerv brochure over and over again so who are you to talk?

Mana: And yourself Miss Penny-Dreadful-Novel?

Asuka: "Melodies Pirate Passion" isn't a dreadful novel!

Rei: I suggest we watch more of the film to pass the time until the Major's return.

Kensuke: I'm game. I can explain the Lovecraft references since you're all so lost.

Girls: Great.

They all take seats…Kensuke getting a chair as nobody really wanted to sit by him. Not that he cared.

Kensuke: Once Shinji gets back we can play the game!

Rei: Another of your fictional world constructs?

Mana: Say wha?

Asuka/Hikari: Lame RPG's.

Kensuke: They are NOT lame!

Rei hits the power button and the screen comes to life.

Asuka: By the way what happened to um…Rei's sister?

Hikari: Odd thing tell you about it later.

(Look fo my snazzy new >>>, wait it's the same, damn)

John Biles & Rod M. Present

A Neon Genesis Evangelion Elseworlds

Children of an Elder God

Part 4

"Asuka Strikes"

>>>Kensuke: Can pilots go on strike?

>>>Mana: What is she striking for? More stupid outfits I bet.

>>>Asuka: They promised me more than just one red plug-suit dammit!

-*-

Wheels groaned and wood creaked as a dozen workers

heaved and pushed to move a massive display from the museum

and into a fairly large wooden crate. Their work echoed

through the mostly empty museum, combining with the many

dark shadows to give them all a case of high nerves.

>>>Rei: Grown men afraid of shadows. The term is wuss is it not?

>>>Asuka: Actually it's coward, but wuss is still nice, you >>>are learning.

"You mean someone actually bought this thing?" one

of them asked, thumbing at the hideous wax figure in the

crate.

"Paid a hundred million freakin' dollars for the

ugly son of a bitch," said another. "Can ya believe it?"

>>>Hikari: That thing looks like a pincushion.

>>>Mana: Or Asuka if you pulled her hair out to the four winds.

"They can sell it for a warm coke and a bag-o-chips

for all I care, as long as they get rid of it," added

another. "Damn thing's always given me the creeps."

>>>Rei: What is the monetary value of warm cola and snack food?

>>>Kensuke: Depends on who you're talking too. Hackers >>>would cut off an arm for such bounty.

The work crew took a brief lunch break, then took

hammers to the crate as they nailed it shut. With every

hammer strike, the workers winced, as if fearing they'd wake the monstrosity up.

At last, after several nerve-wracking minutes of

hammering, the job was done. The men all walked away

eagerly, glad to be away from that... thing. Even if it was only a wax figure, it was disturbing beyond words.

>>>Hikari: If its wax why isn't it kept in a cool place?

>>>Asuka: Teamsters lack grade school educations.

As the doors of the massive museum creaked shut,

they weren't sure, but they thought they heard a groan.

>>>Hikari: That would be me. This is the cheesiest horror >>>movie I've ever seen.

-*-

Gendo sat at his desk, carefully examining a map of

the Pacific Basin on the monitor of his MAGI terminal. The

map showed few physical features except land and water,

although it did have a weather overlay, and several cities

were marked. A dozen locations in the northern Pacific we recircled despite the fact that none of the locations had a single inch of land as far as could be seen at this scale.

>>>Rei: The Commander should get a larger map than that >>>postage stamp of the Earth.

>>>Mana: Nerv running out of funding?

Four blizzards in eastern Siberia, Alaska, and northern

Canada were also circled. A swarm of dots very close

together was making its way north along the coast of Mexico, and a blinking dot was flashing somewhere near the

US-Canadian border in the vicinity of Montana.

>>>Kensuke: What are those heathen American's doing to Canada!

>>>Asuka: Trying to bankrupt another culture no doubt, poor Canada.

Fuyutsuki walked in. "I still think this is a mistake."

Gendo didn't have to ask what;

>>>Mana: Gendo's wearing a dress…good thing Shinji isn't here.

they'd gone round this mulberry bush several times in the last day. "It is done. There is simply no point in waiting for him to wake p when we can bring him here, instead of having to haul our EVA's all the way to Canada and then pray he decides to settle down near a handy power supply.

>>>Asuka: Why don't they just make an extension cord?

>>>Rei: Dr. Akagi is sadistic and enjoys increasing drama.

And for once, Keele agreed with me completely. And they arranged for additional funding so we won't be having any shortages."

>>>Mana: Good, get a bigger map.

Fuyutsuki sat down at the chair in front of Gendo's desk. "We're still cleaning up the mess from the first one. We're going to have to send them to Canada soon, anyway. I received an intelligence report from V-5.

>>>Hikari: A vitamin drink sent information?

>>>Rei: That is V-8 `receives a bunch of looks.' Miss Ibuki drinks it.

Three travelers who went missing in Alaska a week ago were found frozen in a snowbank in northern Quebec yesterday. Which means that..."

>>>Asuka: It's cold in Canada?

>>>Kensuke: A howling horror landed?

>>>Mana: Rei spoke politely to somebody, meaning hell froze over?

Gendo shook his head. "Until we're sure that the

mobile power supplies can function under Arctic conditions,

we can't deal with him. The American base should finish the tests in a few days. Unlike our soon to be guest, he will likely give them a real fight. Also, I want a chance to see how well the Second Child performs before sending all three of them on that mission."

>>>Asuka: Bout time I had my debut!

>>>Mana/Hikari: What a nice place for us to start watching.

"And how do you propose to do that? We haven't

located any of the others, and if we wait too long to deal

with the Wind-Walker, some of the others will likely rouse

themselves as well."

>>>Kensuke: The stars are right! Dead Cthulhu lies sleeping!

>>>Rei: Silence or we will have you committed.

"I doubt this one will sleep through us killing him, after we finish studying him. And if he does, we can stage a wargame, I suppose. They will need to increase their fighting skills, regardless."

>>>Asuka: Speak for those other two wimps, I'm a killing machine!

>>>Rei/Mana: Not according to your track record "Miss losses her head."

Gendo shrugged. "Now come take a look at this and tell me if any of these locations have a significance I've missed."

>>>Kensuke: Is he pulling his pants down?

>>>Girls: FADE TO BLACK FADE TO BLACK, FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI-SAMA.

-*-

"Hey Kaji, what'cha looking at?"

>>>Kensuke: Photos of under-aged girls.

>>>Mana: He is your type Asuka, a big pervert.

>>>Asuka: Kaji-san!!

Asuka popped up behind Kaji suddenly, wrapping her

arms around his neck in a rather amorous (though Kaji would

say 'octopus-like') way.

>>>Rei: It is a shame that Shinji could not witness this.

>>>Mana: The true form of Asuka.

She peered at the photograph and

was shocked to see Kaji, a younger Kaji, grinning and with

his arms around two other girls.

"Who are _those_ two?" she asked.

Kaji grinned. "Jealous?"

>>>Hikari: He's your guardian and he doesn't know about your crush on him?

>>>Rei: Perhaps Nerv was overly concerned with him. He is a poor spy.

Asuka pouted, a cute sort of puppy-dog-eyes sort of

pout, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Of course! I'm jealous of any woman that gets close to my Kaji!"

Kaji laughed and ruffled her hair. "I forget who I'm talk to, my lady.

>>>Asuka: Damn straight I'm you…

>>>Rei: Say that again so I may get it on tape.

These two ladies are old friends of mine.

The drunk one's Misato. The sober one is Ritsuko."

Misato... the name rang a bell somewhere in Asuka's

memory, but her current snuggling with Kaji put all other

thoughts on the back burner.

>>>Hikari: Hope he showered, or you're in for a nasty surprise.

>>>Mana: So how does armpit hair taste?

"And while they both desperately longed for you, you kept yourself chaste and told those two women you were

awaiting the day you met your true love?" asked Asuka.

>>>Kensuke: Who's stupid now?

>>>Rei: It is obvious that Ryouji has had many `partners.'

>>>Asuka: LIES! LIES!

>>>Mana: If it bothers you so much, go talk to him about >>>it, leave Shinji to me.

Kaji laughed. "Actually, I dated the drunk one."

Had he been able to see it, Kaji would've seen

Asuka's face slip into a worried and anxious frown. "Y-you

did?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, we did for a while. But, as with all

things in youth, it ended.

>>>Hikari: Hope he isn't using foreshadow.

>>>Rei: What would that be hinting towards?

>>>Mana: Your young lives.

She and I had different career ideas, I guess, so we went our different ways."

"Oh. I see." Asuka's hold of his neck loosened

slightly and she sighed. "Do you... still... you know."

>>>Mana: Cry yourself to sleep?

>>>Kensuke: Date girls under the age of 16.

"Love her?"

Asuka cringed.

>>>Mana: This is good. We'll have to show this part to Shinji.

Kaji shrugged. "It ended kinda badly, so I guess I

oughta hate her."

Asuka brightened immediately.

>>>Hikari: Asuka, you're a sadist.

"But," continued Kaji, "I'd like to think that we're still friends. Sort of. Kind of."

"She didn't appreciate you like I appreciate you,"

said Asuka, trying to sound seductive. Coming from a

14-year-old, however, it didn't quite work its magic on

Kaji.

>>>Kensuke: It sounds like you were torturing a cat.

>>>Rei: I could have made a more believable voice than that.

>>>Asuka: So I suck at seducing people. So what!

>>>Mana: Luckily I don't. `She smiles wickedly'

"You say the sweetest things, Asuka," Kaji said

casually.

Asuka blushed furiously and tightened her embrace

just a little bit.

>>>Rei: His face is turning blue.

>>>Hikari: The neck isn't the best place to hold like that.

"The other girl, Ritsuko, was our friend. Well, shewas Misato's friend first, but we got along okay too. Realambitious, but kind of shy too."

Asuka eyed the image of Ritsuko suspiciously. "You

don't have a thing for Ritsuko, do you?"

"And in case you're wondering why I'm looking at

this relic of my glory years... these two ladies will be

joining us in a few days."

"What?!"

"We're picking up some hazardous cargo for NERV.

They'll be flying in to make sure everything goes well."

>>>Rei: Why, what can two humans do if an angel attacks the ship?

>>>Mana: Be offered up as a sacrifice to stop it?

>>>Kensuke: That would probably help more than hinder.

Kaji sighed. "No, Asuka, I do not have a 'thing'

for Ritsuko."

>>>Kensuke: He just slept with her.

>>>Asuka: WHAT! `slaps Kensuke' how dare you say that!

>>>Rei: Didn't you know about it?

"Good," she purred, making herself comfortable on

Kaji's shoulder.

"You mean they're with NERV?!"

"Oh, I didn't mention that?" asked Kaji, sounding

suspiciously not like he was surprised. "Ritsuko is the

head technician for NERV, and Misato will be your commanding

officer."

Asuka's eyes widened. "Wait. She's _that_ Misato?

Captain Misato Katsuragi?"

>>>Kensuke: You're sharp as a tack today.

>>>Asuka: Shut up, I bet a lot of Misatos' work for Nerv.

>>>Rei: No, only the Major. Your depiction is very dense in this movie.

Kaji grinned a humorous little grin. "Yep. Small

world, isn't it?"

"Yeah, small world," replied Asuka, though not at

all in an enthusiastic way.

>>>Mana singing: It's a small world after all.

>>>Hikari: SHE'S BEEN CONTAMINATED BY THE VILE MOUSE!!

This, thought Asuka, was not good.

-*-

The aroma of fresh food grilling filled the kitchen

of the Katsuragi apartment, a sure sign that Miss Katsuragi

herself was not cooking.

>>>Asuka: Could be she just didn't have time to burn it yet.

>>>Hikari: Or it's actually vegetables.

It was, in fact, Shinji's turn to cook, which meant

no undescribably bad flavors were to haunt him on this day.

>>>Rei: No sync tests?

>>>Asuka: They're giving him a break from his creepy fellow pilot.

He ate alone at the table, something that seemed to

be a regular thing now. Misato always woke up late, and as

a result always had a mad-dash scramble to work. Despite

the regularity of those events, he still couldn't help but

feel annoyed by it.

>>>Kensuke: He lives with a major BABE and he complains…

>>>Mana: Just until Dad let's him move in with me.

>>>Rei: Or he moves in with me.

With the last of breakfast done, he took a seat at

the table, took a sip of water, unfolded the morning paper,

then nearly spat his drink out.

>>>Hikari: That's one way to ruin a newspaper.

>>>Asuka: Paper and water don't mix well together.

On the lower half of the front page was a picture of him and Ayanami together. The caption underneath the

picture read:

YOUNG HEROES IN LOVE? Ayanami Rei (left) and Ikari

Shinji (right), the two pilots of the EVA robots,

are rumored to be dating. More in section A10.

>>>Rei: It is not a rumor; he belongs to me.

>>>Asuka: Just until I make the scene, then he'll have a REAL woman.

>>>Kensuke: That comment from a 15 year old.

"Ah-hah! I knew you liked her!"

"Yaaah!"

>>>Rei: Shinji agrees with me.

>>>Mana: No, that's a scream of terror.

Shinji nearly fell over, shocked by Misato's sudden

appearance. As he wobbled in his chair, she easily grabbed

the paper from him and flipped over to page A10.

"My my, Shinji-kun, I didn't know but I guess I

should've expected," teased Misato.

>>>Rei: Will my request for a move be accepted now?

>>>Hikari: Not if she's smart.

"W-we're not like that! R-really!"

"Riiiight, Shinji-kun." Misato patted him rather

condescendingly on the head, then went into her blazing fast breakfast routine.

Grab beer. Guzzle beer. Shovel rice. Impale fish. Devour fish. Skewer seaweed. Shovel seaweed.

Get another beer. Guzzle.

>>>Asuka: Repeat ad-infint-item.

>>>Kensuke/Hikari: She's an alcohol powered machine.

>>>Rei: Can the human jaw unhinge like that?

"Aaaaah."

Done.

"Great breakfast as usual, Shinji-kun. Thanks."

She hesitated at the door, then turned around. "Oh, forgot

to mention. I'm gonna be out of town for a couple of days.

Can you take care of yourself?"

>>>Kensuke: He did it for about 14 years, what difference will a few days?

>>>Asuka: But now he has a stalker named Ayanami to worry about.

>>>Rei's lips up curled: He need not fear. He will enjoy his time with me.

I always have before, thought Shinji bitterly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Ah, good. I'm gonna be escorting the Second Child

over from the Pacific."

"The Pacific?" asked Shinji, puzzled.

"Yeah, she and Eva Unit 02 are being brought over

via fleet. We oughta be back in about a week, maybe less.

If you need to reach me, my number's on my desk. And if you need anything, just ask Maya. Okay?"

>>>Girls: I don't trust her.

>>>Kensuke: Shinji has a way with older women doesn't he?

>>>Mana: All he needs is right here `points to herself.'

"Um, yeah."

"Be good now. Seeya!" Misato took Shinji by

surprise and gave him a quick, motherly kiss on the

forehead, and then she was gone. Shinji blinked at the now

shut door, still not sure what to make of the situation.

The kiss was unexpectedly nice of Misato... but...

>>>Kensuke: He wanted more! His Mega-playboy urges demand it!

>>>Rei: That would not be a problem.

>>>Mana: Not from you!

He was apparently home alone.

Was this a bad thing?

Well... no. But it didn't seem incredibly good

either. He realized he was actually missing her already...

sort of.

>>>Asuka: That WAS a motherly kiss right…right?

>>>Rei/Hikari: Hopefully.

>>>Kensuke: GET THE FUNK ON SHIN-MAN.

Finally, he shrugged off the entire line of thought

and headed for school. Shinji hoped no other great

surprises would be there waiting for him.

>>>Hikari: Nothing good will come from him thinking about that.

-*-

"Shinji you SLY DOG!" roared Touji.

"I knew there was _something_ going on," added

Kensuke.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Shinji.

>>>Rei: His relationship with me.

>>>Mana: Nobody knows what those idiots are talking about.

"THIS!" yelled Kensuke triumphantly, pulling out the morning paper. Shinji immediately went pale.

>>>Rei: He just pulled that paper out of…

>>>Asuka: YOU STORE PAPER IN YOUR BUTT?

>>>Hikari: I'm going to have nightmares about that scene.

"I-it's not like that!" protested Shinji. This

stirring appeal utterly failed to persuade his classmates

otherwise, and they continued cheerfully egging him on.

>>>Asuka: Why don't people listen when he tells the truth, >>>what could he see in her anyway?

>>>Kensuke/Rei: You just don't like the facts.

"So tell me, buddy," asked Touji. "Exactly how far

didja... y'know... melt the ice queen, if ya know what I

mean?"

>>>Mana: Ice is to warm, I'd say absolute zero.

>>>Hikari: That's still a stretch.

"Huh? Wha-"

"First base?" asked Kensuke.

"N-no!"

"Second?" added Touji.

"But we-"

"Third?" asked Kensuke.

"Wait a-"

"HOME RUN?!" they both yelled cheerfully.

>>>Rei: What does that mean?

>>>Kensuke: You…you don't know?

>>>Mana: Why am I not surprised.

"NO WAY!"

"Stop it."

All three boys froze in place, nearly turning as

pale as the girl who spoke the words. As if the voice

wasn't chilly enough, the stare she was giving them was

absolutely Arctic.

>>>Kensuke: Heart…giving…out…

>>>Hikari/Mana: She's creepier than usual!

Had they looked up, they would have seen

a passing fly suddenly explode into black dust in mid-air.

>>>Asuka: Ayanami pest eliminator, just hang her from a tree.

"A-Ayanami!" stuttered Shinji. "Um, hi!"

"W-we were just going," stuttered Kensuke.

>>>Asuka/Mana: How yellow is your stomach?

>>>Rei: That is a racist comment about us Japanese, we are not yellow.

>>>Hikari: That means he's a coward. Mana is Japanese too.

"Yeah, um, seeya in class!" added Touji quickly,

then the pair beat a hasty retreat into the building.

Meanwhile, Rei saw the newspaper drifting to the

ground and picked it up.

"That's me," she said simply, looking at the front

page story.

>>>Kensuke: If I didn't know you, what little I do, I'd laugh at that.

"Y-yes."

"That's you," she added a moment later.

>>>Asuka: Yes Sherlock, another brilliant deduction.

"Um, yeah." As Rei flipped to A10, Shinji quickly

regained his color and zoomed to a reddish blush. "Er...

about that story..."

>>>Asuka: It's total b.s.

>>>Mana: I'm going to have you sued for slander.

She merely blinked and looked at him with a plain,

emotionless gaze.

"I mean... er..." Shinji managed to stumble. "I

hope you aren't bothered by that... um... I mean... well..."

>>>Mana: He's so cute when he stutters.

>>>Hikari: That usually means he's embarrassed too…kawaii.

She finished reading the article, folding the paper

neatly back into place, and tossed it aside.

"I'm not bothered."

And with those few words, she walked to class,

leaving an extremely confused Shinji Ikari in her wake.

>>>Asuka: Would we have him any other way?

>>>Mana: I would.

>>>Hikari: What?

>>>Mana smiles: Have him another way.

>>>Kensuke: `She's almost as bad as I am!'

-*-

Asuka awoke feeling... it was hard to say exactly

what, but the closest equivalent would be the words "mild

discomfort". Even those words, however, weren't quite

accurate.

>>>Mana: Just think about those other people, they have to put up with you.

>>>Asuka: Stow it spy.

Peering out from her porthole, Asuka saw that the

ship was, at last, docked once more. That was good. She

might be able to pick up a few nifty souvenirs.

>>>Hikari pales: NO! You'll buy out the whole store!

>>>Asuka: I'm not that bad.

>>>Rei: The Nerv gift store is still out of stock.

>>>Mana: THAT'S WHY I CAN'T GET MY SHINJI DOLL!

She strode merrily out of her cabin and out to the

upper deck, where she ran into Kaji.

>>>Kensuke: Literally. Do you think that fall killed him?

>>>Rei: If not the fall, than undertow.

"Heya, Kaji!" she chirped merrily, taking a hold of

his arm.

"G'morning, kid."

"Where're we docked at?"

>>>Mana: They won't let you back on the boat if you get off.

>>>Kensuke: `Damn she stole my line.'

"Nuevo Los Angeles. We're supposed to pick up some

old relic for NERV, safeguard it and such."

>>>Rei: Worse than Hell, it's America.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Old statue, or something like that. It's supposed

to have a clue about the nature of the Angels, or something

like that."

>>>Hikari: An old statue has clues about giant alien things?

>>>Mana: Stranger things have happened. Rei helped Shinji.

"Think we'll be docked long enough for me to get

some souvenirs?"

"Hm.... probably."

"Yay!" She walked eagerly to the docks, pulling

Kaji along as well.

>>>Mana: His shoulder look dislocated to anybody?

>>>Kensuke: Either that or it's shattered.

>>>Asuka: Nobody stands between me and shopping.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he said. "Why am I being

dragged into this?"

"Are you gonna let me wander out there all by

myself?" asked Asuka with a pout. "I need you to protect

me!"

Kaji laughed. "Okay, okay, but we're gonna keep

this short. Got it?"

"Okaaaay!"

The day was looking better already, but Asuka still

couldn't shake that feeling of... something akin to mild

discomfort.

>>>Kensuke: That time of th…'slumps to the ground.'

>>>Asuka retracts her foot from his crotch: He never learns.

-*-

Four hours later, Asuka returned to her cabin

triumphantly with several shopping bags of souvenirs. She

wanted to model the t-shirts for Kaji, but he insisted that

he _really_ was needed somewhere else at the moment.

>>>Mana: I'd be afraid if he wanted to see her do that.

>>>Hikari: A grown man watching a 14 year old change…scary.

Fooey.

That little disappointment didn't damper Asuka's

spirits too much. She still had the digital camera, and

hoped to send some pictures back home to Frau Himmelfarb.

>>>Asuka: My speech therapist, why would I do that?

>>>Rei: You forgot this is an alternate dimension.

>>>Hikari: You had a speech therapist?

She immediately began unloading her purchases:

postcards, statuettes, odd trinkets, t-shirts....

With a concerned frown, she held up her baseball

t-shirt. "Nuevo Los Angeles Angels" was printed in large

letters along the back. Kaji had told him that, all things

considered, the shirt might be in bad taste.

>>>Rei/Hikari: It is, shows either no or bad taste.

>>>Asuka: It's not the same type of Angel!

>>>Mana: Does that matter?

Naaah.

The shirt was too cute. If only as sleepwear, she'd use it. Definitely a keeper.

>>>Asuka: I'll have to model that for Chibi-hentai.

>>>Mana: How about not, Mega-hentai.

A chill suddenly ran through her spine. That

earlier feeling... that unidentifiable disturbing feeling...

came back stronger than before.

>>>Hikari: Kaji is peeping on her?

>>>Mana: Rei thinking about her?

>>>Asuka/Rei: You two are sick.

Cautiously, she stepped out to the upper decks and

looked around. The sun had set minutes ago, leaving the

city and the sea to be swallowed in darkness. All seemed

quiet, except for several bright lights surrounding one of

the other ships from the fleet docked next to hers. A

massive crate was slowly being lifted unto the ship's cargo

hold.

>>>Kensuke coughing: Don't…cities…have lights?

>>>Asuka: Small detail.

She stared at the men, scurrying to put it in place, just a moment longer, then went back to her cabin.

Hopefully, a few romance novels would shake this bad

feeling.

>>>Asuka: They always do, well they used too.

>>>Mana: We really need to work that fear out of him.

>>>Kensuke: Leave Shinji alone you witch's! He's not a toy!

-*-

After three and a half romance novels, two of which

had details which would've made Kaji blush, Asuka still

wasn't feeling quite right.

>>>Rei: I fear for Shinji's chastity.

>>>Hikari: Asuka you read…read pornography?

>>>Asuka: WHAT!?

>>>Mana: Only thing that would make that guy blush…pervert.

She'd go to Kaji, but then she wondered what she'd

say.

>>>Mana: "If you're a pedophile take me now."

>>>Rei: Explain you're desire to practice the things you've >>>read about.

>>>Kensuke: I'm not hearing this…'Wait till I tell Shinji this stuff!'

There didn't seem to be words to properly summarize

what was bothering her.

Perhaps taking a walk would calm her nerves? That

didn't seem too bad, no. A moonlit walk along a ship, that

did seem romantic... she'd look positively beautiful, she

was sure,

>>>Mana: It appears your ego is as gigantic as ever.

>>>Hikari: Must you flaunt yourself constantly?

>>>Asuka/Rei: If you have it, flaunt it.

if she happened to cross Kaji's path.

Asuka grinned.

Why yes, a moonlit walk was a great idea.

>>>Kensuke: Yeah, nobody could see you if you fell overboard.

>>>Mana: Nice thinking. Go for that walk. Black ice is hard to see right?

-*-

A moonlit walk was a bad idea.

>>>Mana: So did you fall in?

>>>Rei: We would not be so lucky.

Not only was Kaji not there, but the seas were a

little turbulent and the winds were chilly. She stood at

the stern of the Frederick The Great, idly watching the

waves ripple away into the endless dark waters.

Something underwater caught her eye.

>>>Hikari: Voices telling you to kill yourself again?

>>>Asuka: No, turns out it was just Wondergirl. She hid a speaker in my pillow.

A few meters away, she saw a faint glow, something

spherical and green. As it moved by, she could see it was a pair of glowing, green, spherical things. They stopped for a moment, then turned towards Asuka.

And then the lights flickered.

No... it wasn't a flicker, thought Asuka.

It was a blink. Those were eyes.

>>>Kensuke: SWEET! A real Elder God!

>>>Hikari: Kensuke, you're scaring us. Seriously, stop it.

Frozen in fear and fascination, she gazed right back at those eyes.

And suddenly dozens of glowing eyes emerged from the deep, all staring at her. She wanted to scream, to scramble away, but found herself unexplicably frozen to the spot.

>>>Rei: Her need for attention has finally caused her downfall.

>>>Asuka: But…but they're admiring my beauty I can't deny them!

She could, however, talk.

"Gott in Himmel," she whispered.

Almost as one, the eyes turned away from her and

moved to the other ship, the one carrying the cargo that had been picked up in Nuevo Los Angeles. They circled it once, then sank to the endless depths.

Asuka got very little sleep that night.

>>>Kensuke: So what did you do to pass the tim…sorry.

>>>Asuka lowering her hand: Smart.

-*-

The next morning was an improvement for Asuka, at

the start.

The seas were calm, the skies were clear, and she'd

managed to find Kaji lounging leisurely on the starboard bow and humming a song to himself.

"Guten morgen!" she yelled, cheerfully glomping onto him from behind.

>>>Rei: That is lower than his waist.

>>>Mana: Asuka you ARE a pervert.

>>>Hikari/Kensuke: Shinji would be upset to see THAT.

"Ah, Asuka, good morning."

"It is now," she purred, moving to his side, taking

hold of his arm.

>>>Mana: Again, that `purr' sounds like sandpaper on glass!

"You look a little tired, kid. Something wrong?"

>>>Kensuke: Didn't he mean you look like a tired little kid?

>>>Asuka: I AM NOT A LITTLE KID.

Asuka opened her mouth, then hesitated. "You're

gonna think I'm crazy."

>>>Mana: I already do.

Kaji raised an eyebrow. "Try me."

"Well... I was wandering around the deck last night, and I thought I saw something in the water?"

"What sort of something?"

>>>Rei: Fish.

>>>Mana: Dolphin.

>>>Kensuke: AN AVATAR OF THE CRAWLING CHAOS!

"Um, well... eyes. These green, glowing eyes. Lots of them. I didn't see what they were attached to, but they were there, really!"

"Calm down, Asuka. I believe you." Kaji put an arm around the girl, soothing her far more than he would ever know.

>>>Hikari: I hope it's just to calm her.

>>>Mana: Sicko's probably helping himself to a feel.

"Now, when did you see this?"

"Around midnight, I think," she said. "They swam

around the fleet. I think they circled the boat that has

the thing we picked up in Nuevo Los Angeles."

"Hm. Figures."

"What? What figures?" she asked.

"Nothing for you to worry about," he replied.

>>>Rei: That comment so thin, it is obviously a lie.

>>>Kensuke: It's only a monster that wants to eat your soul, don't worry.

"Aww." She was willing to let it slide, though,

since his arm was still around her. "So, what'cha doing out here?"

"Oh, just waiting for our guests."

"Our guests?"

>>>Kensuke: Nyarlanthrotep?

>>>Asuka: If you don't stop talking about that freaky stuff >>>we're not going let you watch anymore.

Suddenly, from the other side of the ship, the sound of a jet's engine roared, descending from above.

Kaji frowned. "Well. Aren't I embarrassed."

"Hm?"

>>>Rei: He was caught attempting to seduce a minor.

>>>Mana/Kensuke: Short trip if you ask me.

"I was looking the wrong way. C'mon, Asuka, let's

go."

The two walked to the landing pad, where a VTOL

transport jet had just finished descending. Descending from the small side stairway was a blond woman, about Kaji's age, with short blond hair and a figure that Asuka envied slightly.

>>>Mana: Aw, feeling inadequate?

>>>Asuka: I have you beat by a few, inches `smirks.'

Wait a minute.

Asuka tugged at Kaji's arm. "Hey, is that... what's her name..."

"Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, head technician and researcher

for NERV." Kaji lifted the arm around Asuka and used it to

wave at Ritsuko. "Hey! Over here!"

Oh no, thought Asuka. If Akagi was here, that would mean _she_ was here.

>>>Kensuke: You're mother…'slumps to the ground.'

>>>Hikari: Asuka, wasn't that a bit much? You trashed the lamp!

>>>Asuka: I won't tolerate mother jokes.

Ritsuko smiled, though Asuka wondered if that was a

warm smile or a sly one. She reached back into the plane

and dragged another person out by the arm.

"And that would be Misato," hissed Asuka.

"Hey! Rits-chan! Misato-chan!"

Asuka's left eye twitched. Rits-CHAN? Misato-CHAN?

>>>Asuka's left eye twitched: Never get used to that.

>>>Hikari: To bad Shin-chan can't hear you being so sad over Kaji.

Misato stomped down the ramp, seething with every

step. Kaji merrily strolled up to greet them, with a

not-so-merry Asuka in tow.

"Rits-chan, Misato-chan! Good to see you again!"

said Kaji cheerfully.

Misato grumbled something they couldn't hear.

Ritsuko frowned and quickly elbowed her colleague.

>>>Rei: Why did Akagi just knock the wind out of the Major?

>>>Kensuke getting up: Just felt like hitting somebody?

"What are _you_ doing here?" she finally said to

him.

"Me? I'm the NERV Special Inspector."

>>>All but Asuka and Rei fake cough: A-a-a-spy-a-a-a-a-spy-choo.

"Ah, just my luck," grumbled Misato.

"It's been a while, Kaji-san," said Ritsuko

pleasantly. Asuka definitely didn't like the smile on that

woman.

"Ah, Ritsuko, as beautiful as ever," said Kaji

smoothly. He took her hand in his and kissed it. Both

Misato's and Asuka's left eyes twitched, and their mouths

curled up in slight snarls.

>>>Asuka: That hussy is making a play at Kaji!

>>>Kensuke: Shinj's not that sappy, he's WAY out of touch.

Ritsuko laughed and pulled her hand away. "Enough

of that, flatterer." Sue looked down at Asuka, light smile

still in place. "My, Asuka, how you've grown."

Asuka blinked, clearly thrown off track. "Have we

met?" she asked.

>>>Rei: Video recon.

>>>Girls have a collective shiver.

"No, but we've been receiving pictures of you as

you've grown up. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like I

know you already."

Asuka's opinion of Ritsuko became a bit less

negative. Almost positive, actually.

>>>Mana: And all it took was for her to kiss your ass.

>>>Hikari: Compliment her, and she'll follow you anywhere.

>>>Kensuke: Is that how you two became friends?

Kaji noted Misato's scowl. He knew he shouldn't say it, but he had a reputation to uphold. "And I see you're as cheerful as ever, Misato."

"Just tell me where my room is," grumbled Misato.

She grabbed her bags and stalked off to the decks below.

>>>Kensuke: Somebody wants to hit the sack quick.

>>>Asuka: Hikari, remind me to put ants in Misato's bed.

-*-

For once, Shinji had exactly what he wanted.

>>>Mana: Me, in his room, with nobody else around?

>>>Rei: Only if his intent is murder.

He was

alone with no one to bother him or make demands, no one to

add to the pile of pain he had accumulated over the years.

No one to force him to do anything.

>>>Kensuke: Nobody to talk to.

>>>Hikari: Yell at him or ask odd questions.

>>>Asuka/Rei: HEY!

Many people like ice cream. Many people like lots of

ice cream.

>>>Rei: Ice…cream?

>>>Asuka/Mana drooling: Hot fudge Sunday.

Nobody likes having it pumped into their mouth twenty four hours a day until they get so sick they want to die.

Shinji could feel himself starting to go out of his mind. He couldn't understand why;

>>>Asuka: Wondergirl's presence is stealing his sanity.

>>>Kensuke: Wonder what the die role would be for seeing Ayanami.

>>>(its from the Call of the Cthulu RPG if you didn't know)

he'd always enjoyed, and usually prefered solitude before. The first day had been wonderful; no distractions, he could actually play his music on the stereo without Misato getting bored of it, no beer belching, no one suddenly demanding to play frisbee when he was trying to practice the cello.

>>>Kensuke: Frisbee?

>>>Asuka: Yeah, she makes him play it at least three times a week.

>>>Mana: I don't want to know why.

By the evening of the third day, he was starting to

wish for the sound of a beer can opening, loud music blaring on the stereo, something, anything...he was approaching the point of ultimate boredom.

>>>Hikari: What is it like Ayanami?

>>>Rei: Why are you asking me?

>>>Girls: You're the most boring person we know.

It scared him; he had been able

to go weeks with minimal human interaction at one time. But now...well, he'd reached the point of playing chess with Pen-pen.

>>>Rei: I will need to make a visit his sanity has dropped to low.

>>>Asuka: Going to push him over the edge?

He never would have thought of challenging a penguin

to a chess game, except that while he had been practicing

his cello, he had seen Pen-pen playing around with a chess

set that he hadn't even realized Misato had.

>>>Asuka: Bet she stole it from some nerd in college.

>>>Mana: Maybe she held it hostage for a term paper?

While Shinji had never been a chess buff, he did enjoy the game. So he was now on a three game losing streak as they started game four.

>>>All: He's losing to a bird…

He twitched quietly as his inevitable doom approached; Pen-Pen's white pieces were 'swarming across the border' and his carefully constructed defense was collapsing. When his queen died, it was simply too much for him. Shinji wasn't made for fighting to the death. "Alright, I resign." He got up, sighed, and decided to go for a walk.

>>>Asuka: Quitter!

>>>Mana: Even in defeat he takes it in stride, YOU DA MAN!

>>>Kensuke: `These girls are NUTS! I need to get Shinji a NORMAL girl.'

-*-

A nice long walk through the park was relaxing; he

was actually looking forward to school tomorrow, simply to

have something to do. After a while, he started to get

tired and sat down on a park bench. A few seconds later, a

guy he vaguely recognized from Nerv...Makoto something or

another...came jogging up the winding path. "Hi, Shinji!"

>>>Asuka: The dork with the glasses?

>>>Rei: The man who was manipulated by sex for info.

>>>Kensuke: Hey, and here I didn't like him before.

"Hi," Shinji said back.

Makoto came over and sat down. "Don't know what to do

with Misato gone?"

>>>Kensuke: He's just feeling the itch, with his lady gone he…he…

>>>Mana: Suggest that again and I'll shove that camera someplace unpleasant.

"Yeah." Shinji blinked. "How'd you guess?"

"I suppose Misato should be glad you're not the type

to have a wild party while she's gone like most kids your

age would,"

>>>Hikari: Who'd he invite?

>>>Kensuke: Touji and me.

>>>Asuka: Like she said, who would invite.

Makoto said, leaning back against the bench and

breathing heavily. "Then again, knowing her, she'd probably

be happy to throw a wild party if you asked her."

Shinji smiled. "Every night is a wild party if only

for one person with Misato, I think."

>>>Hikari: Is it?

>>>Asuka: In her mind it is, I'm afraid of what goes on in there.

"Is she..." Makoto started to ask something then

stopped. Usually this is a cue they want you to probe

further.

Shinji wasn't too good at taking cues, however.

>>>Asuka: Wish he was.

>>>Mana: I'm thinking we just have to down right TELL him.

>>>Hikari/Kensuke: What the hell are you babbling about?

"Yeah, she likes to party. How she became the tactical

commander of NERV...she doesn't even seem like the kind of

person who would want the job, let alone be able to do it."

"There's more to Misato than you can see at one

glance, Shinji," Makoto said quietly. "You know what she's

like when it's time to be serious."

>>>Rei: Overly emotional.

>>>Asuka: Needed the jaws of life to get her to let go of Shinji.

"I know...I just...Which one is the real Misato?"

"Both, I guess. One is for play time, and one is for

work. A lot of people are like that." He got up.

"Speaking of playtime, I have a card game to go to."

"Card game?"

>>>Hikari: Crazy 8's?

>>>Asuka: To hard for him, old maid.

"Weekly card game with the bridge techs.

>>>Rei: The cannon fodder?

Misato comes sometimes, but she usually gets skunked pretty hard.

You wanna come? You look bored to me."

"I'm not bored," Shinji lied. "But I'll come watch.

I'm not very good at cards."

Much later, Shinji went home about three thousand yen

richer.

>>>Mana: That's it?

>>>Rei: Tech's make small salaries, 3,000 yen ($30.00) is a lot to them.

-*-

Maya frowned. Before her was a 3D image of Rei's

body, cycling through images of her nervous, circulatory,

and respiratory systems, as well as close-up representations

of the sections of her brain.

>>>Rei: Aida, eyes.

>>>All with eyes shut: That's just wrong! The hell we need to see INSIDE you.

With Dr. Akagi gone, the duty of checking up on the

children had fallen on her. And on this day, much to her

surprise, Rei Ayanami had come to her with a complaint.

"No, Rei, I just don't see anything wrong."

>>>Mana: She blind, the skin tone, eyes, hair don't ring a bell?

>>>Kensuke: It's not a mental exam is it?

Rei seemed puzzled by this answer. "Nothing?"

"Not a thing," replied Maya. She really wished Dr.

Akagi were here, since the doctor knew Rei more than anyone

else with the possible exception of Commander Ikari. And

Maya was not eager to intrude on Commander Ikari's time.

>>>Rei: That results in death.

>>>Hikari/Kensuke: What is he doing that takes so much time?

>>>Rei: Playing with action figures. (Think space balls :))

Maya looked at the scans one more time, wondering if

she was missing something. "Tell me again why you feel

something is wrong?"

>>>Asuka: She stares at the wall for hours, won't leave Shinji alone, and burns insects mentally when pissed.

>>>Rei: She wasn't asking you.

Rei seemed at a loss for words, staring thoughtfully

at the floor. Finally, she spoke. "I had... a moment."

She frowned and looked away, to one of the walls. "I was at

Commander Katsuragi's apartment. I did not know why."

"Are you saying you had a memory lapse?"

"I do not know."

>>>Kensuke: That's a pun isn't it? If you had a memory lapse COULD you remember?

>>>Mana smiles: Lets find out, hold out your hand and let me inject you.

"Hrm. Tell me... what happened while you were at

Commander Katsuragi's?" Rei gave her a questioning look.

"What did you do, I mean," added Maya.

"I helped Ikari-kun with his math homework."

"Ikari-kun? You mean Shinji Ikari?"

>>>Kensuke: I hope so, Shinji'd die if his dad visited.

>>>Asuka: If it was his father…that would be so odd!

Rei nodded.

"And then...?"

>>>Mana: She tried to suck his soul with a straw.

"I helped Ikari-kun with his history homework."

Maya blinked. "Uh huh. And then?"

"I helped Ikari-kun with his chemistry."

Maya suppressed a giggle. "And then?"

"I had a snack with Ikari-kun."

>>>Hikari: Had a snack OF Ikari-kun?

>>>Kensuke: What part he he he.

>>>Rei: I do not eat meat, so I cannot have eaten him.

Maya laughed, a light, warm laugh. She didn't think

it was possible. Not with Rei.

>>>Kensuke: Hit puberty?

>>>Hikari: Wore a different set of cloths?

But if it was true, well,

that would be great. She always felt saddened at Rei's

perpetual loneliness, despite the fact that Rei made Maya

feel somewhat nervous. After years of working with her,

however, Maya had become accustomed to the girl.

>>>Rei: Odd how it isn't reciprocated, I don't trust Ibuki.

>>>Mana: She's your legal guardian though!

And now, it seemed someone else might have to get

used to Rei being close too.

>>>Kensuke: Like it or not.

>>>Asuka: I'm betting on not.

"Rei," said May, with that somewhat motherly smile

on her lips. "There's nothing wrong with you."

>>>Mana: That's still debatable.

Rei looked at her doubtfully, but let her continue.

"I think, Rei, that you've got a crush on young Mr.

Ikari."

Rei looked at Maya, more puzzled than before. "A

crush?" she asked.

>>>Rei: Why would I wish to crush Shinji, I care for him.

>>>A collective groan.

Maya nodded happily. "You just might be in love."

Rei frowned, slightly. "Is this... a good thing?"

>>>Rei: I am not that idiotic.

>>>Asuka: Not anymore at least.

Maya laughed again, taking a hold of Rei's hand.

"Rei, it's a wonderful thing."

Rei looked doubtfully at Maya. "I don't like it."

"I know these feelings are new to you, but don't

worry, they're just natural."

"Not to me."

>>>Kensuke: OK, that scared me.

>>>Mana: Hands for those who thinks Ayanami's a monster in this.

>>>All hands but Rei's are lifted.

-*-

*riiiiiing*riiiiing*

Shinji blinked, his morning ritual of breakfast and

newspaper broken by the unexpected phone call. Who, he

wondered, would want to call here, especially this early in

the morning?

>>>Rei: What?

>>>Asuka: You called at 4 a.m. before! It has to be you!

>>>Rei: It's wrong to call that early?

*riii-

"Um, hello?"

A familiar voice came through the phone line.

"Heya, Shinji! Miss me?"

>>>Kensuke: If he doesn't, need to check his hormones.

"Ah! Misato-san!"

"Everything okay over there?"

>>>Asuka: No, Wondergirl is after my man!

>>>Hikari: YOU DON'T KNOW HIM YET!

Shinji nodded.

"Good. Listen, can you do me a favor?"

"Favor?"

"Me and the Second Child will be arriving in

Tokyo-2's JSD naval port. The details should be arriving in

my fax machine now. Could you bring Rei and meet us there?"

>>>Mana: Why and how is he to do that?

>>>Rei: I will carry him, like I did before.

"I guess," he replied. "Why do you need us there?"

"Just wanna give the Second Child a good welcome,

y'know?"

"Oh. Okay."

"So you can make it?"

"I'll be there."

"Okay then, seey- oh, one more thing."

"Hm?"

>>>Hikari: She's going to ask him to do laundry or something?

"If you wanna bring any of your friends along, feel

free. The more the merrier, ne?"

>>>Asuka: Ah, I'm going to kill Touji and you with my beauty.

>>>Kensuke: Sure…sure.

-*-

Shinji had no intention of inviting anyone else to

go meet the Second Child. Who would he invite? He didn't

have any close friends, anyway, so...

>>>Kensuke: Why does he think so little of us?

>>>Mana: He's smart.

"Daydreaming about Ayanami again?" asked Kensuke.

"Hey!"

>>>Rei: He would be blushing if he were.

>>>Asuka: Don't go there, I don't want to know what your thinking.

"Just kidding! Just kidding!" Kensuke laughed,

arms up in mock surrender. "Hey Shinji, what'cha doing

after school today? They've got Gekiganger X down at the

movie theatre today."

>>>Kensuke: SWEET MERCIFUL HEAVENS YES!!

>>>Mana: Gekiganger…I only saw up to 3.

"Can't go," said Shinji. "I've gotta go meet my

guardian and the new pilot today."

Kensuke's eyes immediately widened. "The what?"

"New pilot."

"Where? Who is he? CAN I GO WITH YOU!?"

>>>Asuka: Boat, She, and NO!

"Er... I guess you can come..."

"YEAH!" Kensuke sprang up with glee, then yelled,

"HEY! TOUJI! GET OVER HERE! WE'RE PICKING UP THE THIRD

PI-"

A cold hand immediately came down on his mouth, and

Kensuke found himself eye to eye with Rei Ayanami.

>>>Rei: I…touched his mouth? I'll need disinfect my hand.

>>>Mana: Wonder what type of germs she'll get from that.

"Shh," was all she said. He'd never been more

scared in his life.

>>>Asuka: And someplace a dog melted.

-*-

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" Kensuke said,

zooming his video camera everywhere wildly. "ThankyouShinji

theMAN!"

>>>Kensuke: The beaten, manipulated man.

"It's okay, really," replied Shinji nervously.

Touji smirked. "Tolja he was a big military nut."

Rei just stared at the boy.

>>>Rei: Only one quick twist and all are pain would end.

>>>Asuka: 100 yen Kensuke has a heart attack.

They stood at the pier, watching workers fasten

anchors to the many warships that were docking. The one

they were supposed to be looking for was the "Frederick The

Great", a German battleship.

"Does anyone see it?" asked Shinji.

>>>Asuka: My entrance has to be more dramatic than that.

>>>Mana: What do you want, attacks and explosions?

Touji shook his head. Rei kept on looking. Kensuke

was still springing around from ship to ship like a child on

Christmas morning in the middle of all the gifts.

>>>Hikari: How is he getting on those ships?

>>>Asuka: Don't they usually kill intruders?

Their search was interrupted with a jolt, as an

explosion rocked one of the cargo ships, sending flames and

smoke into the air.

Suddenly, the sirens came to life, shouting, "RED

ALERT! RED ALERT!"

Kensuke pumped his fist in that macho sort of way

that only men could do. "Woohoo! Battle sequence!"

>>>Rei: Happy now Second?

>>>Asuka blushing: Um…yeah?

-*-

"I told you so," Fuyutsuki said. It would have been

petulant if he hadn't been so much older than Gendo. Well,

more petulant. "The primitive natives who worshiped him

may have been crazy enough to live near him, but that didn't

mean we needed to bring him to live with us. This will be

difficult to cover up."

>>>Kensuke: If they can cover up the Eva's they can cover that.

>>>Mana: They covered up the Triton project really well.

"This will provide us a good chance to see the Second

Child in action," Gendo said as they both strode towards

the Bridge. "And luckily, both of the other Children are

there as well. We'll simply kill him sooner than was

planned."

>>>Hikari: What are Ayanami and Shinji going to do, wish it to death?

>>>Mana: I bet Ayanami could, she's creepy enough in this to do it.

"That may not be wise," Fuyutsuki said. "The

Revelations of Hali, the fifth volume of the Seven Cryptical

Books of Hsan, and the Eltdown Shards

>>>Asuka: Readers Digest.

>>>Rei: Angel Weekly.

>>>Kensuke: Necronomicon.

all contain versions

of the Great Prophecy which assert that his survival is

crucial to the Great Return. In fact, all but the Eltdown

Shards go so far as to say that if he is destroyed, the

ancient masters of the Earth may never return.

>>>Hikari: Dinosaurs?

>>>Kensuke: Them or monkeys.

Now, many of

the other sources of the Prophecy, such as the Revelations

of Glaaki or the R'lyeh text make no reference to such a

requirement, but..."

Gendo blinked. "You never mentioned this before."

"I had forgotten them, but I was doing research in

preparation for our guest's arrival when I discovered this.

>>>Rei: Fuyutsuki is getting senile in his old age.

There are so many variants of the prophecy and some of them

contradict each other. And of course, many use veiled

language, and..."

>>>Asuka: Many were used that time NERV ran out of toilet paper.

>>>Rei: That left an unfavorable impression.

He was cut off. "I am well aware of the

difficulties of interpreting prophecies. Very well. I'll

order him to be captured."

"Which will likely be easier said than done."

>>>Asuka: Well, unlike Shinji, I won't hit somebody in the head trying.

>>>Rei: You'll simply ignore the order.

>>>Hikari: Point Ayanami.

"Make up your mind." They passed through a door and

entered the bridge.

>>>Rei: That means fall in line or be jailed in Gendoese.

-*-

When the sirens began wailing, Asuka didn't panic.

She didn't look around in terror, fearing for her life.

She grinned like the devil.

"SHOWTIME!"

>>>Hikari: Why do you love proving yourself?

>>>Asuka: Because I'm so…damn…good at it.

In the blink of an eye, she was in her red plugsuit

and sprinting across the docks to the cargo ship that held

her EVA-02. An angel was attacking! Perfect timing! Asuka

Soryuu Langley was going to make her perfect debut!

>>>Rei: Like your real debut. Head buried under water?

>>>Asuka: That was Shinji's fault.

>>>Kensuke: Looked more like yours, jumping the gun and all.

She breezed past crewmen and guards, jumping into

her entry plug with glee.

>>>Mana: And if anybody was manning the controls that would mean something.

The plug sank in, sealing Asuka in darkness. A

moment later, LCL fluid smothered her. She focused her

concentration on her surroundings, and slowly began

synchronizing with her Eva.

"Erst Erfuellung, Anfang der Bewegung, Anfang des

Nervenanschlusses, Also loese sie es von links kleidung,

Synchro start!"

>>>Asuka: SWEET! I even get to pilot in my native language!

>>>All save Rei: That sounds like a dying cow.

Her world briefly became a dazzling rainbow of

colors, then snapped into focus. She and Eva-02 were one.

"EVA-02, come in immediately. This is Commander

Ikari Gendo of NERV command."

"This is Unit-02."

>>>Kensuke: No shit? Thought Shinji was there in Unit-01.

>>>Asuka: THAT'S HOW COM WORKS!

"There is an angel in your vicinity of unknown

power levels."

"No problem. That thing will be dead faster than

you can say Okinaw-"

>>>Rei: How fast CAN you say Okinawa.

>>>Asuka blushes while the others laugh softly.

"You will not kill it."

"-wa... WHAT?!"

"You are to capture the target, designated

'Amaliel,' and bring it back to NERV headquarters."

"Are you people mad?!"

>>>Asuka: Need I ask that question?

>>>Mana: For a genius you sure are dense at times.

"You will follow orders."

"Scheiss egal. Fine. Orders received."

-*-

Majestically, Eva-02 emerged from the tanker, rising

and towering above everything.

>>>Hikari: Did it just trip over a plane?

>>>Rei/Mana: Very graceful.

"OHYEAAAAAAAH!" roared Kensuke. "WOOHOO!"

"Lemme guess," said Touji dryly. "The new pilot?"

Shinji shrugged. "Er, I guess."

"The pilot's got a cool color," observed Touji.

"Red. Sporty. How'd you get stuck with purple?"

"I, um, don't know."

>>>Rei: His mother loved purple.

>>>Kensuke: What's that have to do with anything?

>>>Rei:…

-*-

"Eva-02, this is Commander Katsuragi."

"This is Eva-02. What's up?"

>>>Hikari: Nothing much, just a rampaging monster.

>>>Mana: That all? I'll pass have to keep my hair clean. `Asuka just glares.'

"I'll be tac-com for this mission, so listen

carefully. Got it?"

"Right."

"Amaliel is to your north, last seen on the cargo

ship Zephyr. Approach with caution."

>>>Kensuke: What's with the stupid names these ships get?

>>>Asuka: STUPID! It's a wonderful German name!

"Can you send me description of my target?"

>>>Rei: Big.

>>>Hikari: Evil.

>>>Kensuke: Sanity stealing.

"Sorry, Eva-02, we have no information."

"Great. Send me in blind, thank you."

Eva-02 stalked across the piers cautiously,

wondering if her enemy was lurking underneath the waters

like a massive crocodile.

Suddenly, Asuka felt a stinging sensation on her

lower left toe, like an ant bite. Reflexively, she ground

her foot into the ground, scraping something off in the

process.

>>>Rei: That scrape killed twenty people.

>>>Asuka: Shouldn't have been standing there.

"Ow!"

The Eva leaned down, looking for whatever it was

that had just stung its foot.

"Come on out, you bastard..."

Something emerged from the rubble.

Something dark.

>>>Kensuke: What a vivid description.

With claws.

And tentacles.

>>>Girls have collective shudder: Vile tentacles.

>>>Mana: So it has claws `on' the tentacles?

-*-

"...an almost globular torso, with six long sinuous

limbs terminating in crab-like claws. From the

upper end a subsidiary globe bulged forward

bubble-like; its triangle of three staring,

fishy eyes, its foot-long and evidently flexible

proboscis, and a distended lateral system

analogous to gills, suggested that it was a

head."

- From the journal of Stephen Jones

>>>Kensuke: SWEET! A real Elder God!

>>>Mana: I'm going to puke, that's…that's…just wrong!

-*-

Asuka stared at it.

"It's a.... a koosh ball."

"What was that?" asked Misato.

>>>Asuka: A koosh ball? What's that?

>>>Rei: A rubber ball with hundreds of tiny extentions.

>>>Hikari: How did you know that?

"THIS is what I've been hunting after?!" asked

Asuka, sounding mortally offended.

>>>Mana: Next time we'll get you something more hideous.

>>>Rei: That will surely kill you.

>>>Asuka: Gee, with friends like you who needs enemies?

>>>Kensuke: `They call themselves friends? They HATE each other.'

She was expecting, no,

HOPING for an epic struggle, a test of her skills that would

reaffirm her ability as the best Eva pilot in all of NERV.

The creature growled at her, waving its claws and

many tentacles menacingly. For Asuka, it only seemed to

enhance the koosh-ball-esque nature of the creature.

>>>Asuka: It's kinda cute if you think about it.

>>>Hikari still trembling: I never want to see a koosh ball in my life.

Unit-02 bent down, thwapping the beast with a

backhand slap, sending it tumbling backwards head over

heels. "Feh, this is lame."

"Hey, don't get cocky," warned Misato.

"How can I not get cocky against this... this...

this slimy little koosh ball?" She thwapped it again,

sending the monster crashing into a warehouse wall.

>>>Kensuke: Causing unfixable damage to the structure.

>>>Mana: Leaving hundreds jobless. OUR HERO.

"Asuka, stop playing around and capture it."

"Capture it? You wouldn't happen to have a big net

handy, would you?"

"Um... no."

"Then how am I supposed to capture it?

>>>Hikari: Do they have to do all the thinking for you?

>>>Mana: Try surrounding it with positive thinking.

>>>Kensuke: Talk to it until it passes out of boredom.

I'm not

HOLDING that slimy thing! I wonder if it squeaks when you

squeeze it."

Eva-02 reached out with a palm, then suddenly

flattened Amaliel into the pavement. It did, actually,

seem to squeak.

"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!"

>>>Kensuke: That what they call playing with your food?

>>>Asuka: I'm NOT eating that thing.

Like a balloon filling with air, Amaliel rose again,

and this time seemed to be extremely agitated. It growled

and snarled at the Eva, but due to the disparity in size,

Asuka heard it all as pitiful squeaks and barks.

"Oh, this is pathetic."

>>>Rei: Agreed, your sense of enjoyment leaves much to be desired.

>>>Asuka: Cat's like to play with mice don't they? Same thing.

She reached down to squish it again.

And then a most surprising thing happened.

It ripped the Eva's hand off.

"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

>>>Kensuke: AHAHAHAHA serves you right!

>>>Mana: The great Asuka loses a hand to a giant toy.

>>>Asuka: It was a surprise attack!

"Asuka! Asuka! Are you okay?!" yelled Misato

frantically.

"ICH WILL DIESEN KLEINEN SCHEISSKOPF TOTEN!!!"

>>>Rei: They set your character quickly.

>>>Asuka: So what if I want to kill it?

Amaliel seemed smugly satisfied with itself, its

tentacles piercing the severed hand in a feeding frenzy.

Meanwhile, Asuka looked for something large and heavy.

>>>Mana: Um…aren't you in a giant heavy robot?

>>>Hikari: Must you bludgeon EVERYTHING?

-*-

"OHYEAAAH! BATTLE FOOTAGE!" yelled Kensuke.

The giant red Eva, in a surprisingly swift movement,

heaved an empty tugboat out of the water and repeatedly

smashed Amaliel with it.

"You call this a battle?" asked Touji.

>>>Kensuke: Look at how those sailors fly out of that boat.

>>>Mana: Is the human body supposed to bounce like that?

>>>Asuka: A boat, I'd use part of the warehouse but still good.

Unit-02 grabbed a fistfull of tentacles, then ripped

them savagely off of Amaliel's body. A horrific shriek of

pain ensued.

"Looks more like a savage beating to me," observed

Touji. "So, Shinji, how d'ya like the new pilot so far?"

>>>Asuka: He'd be in awe of my piloting skills.

>>>Rei: Or fear for his life.

The children paused a moment to watch Asuka perform

three elbow drops in a row, flattening Amaliel and burying

him in a concrete crater.

Shinji shrugged. "Well... um.. violent."

>>>Mana: Shin-chan with an eloquent summations.

>>>Hikari: This is a wrestling match now?

Rei merely watched in silence.

Asuka: Wouldn't be her if she made a sound.

-*-

Gendo frowned at the viewscreens. The Second

Child's fighting skills were reassuring. Her failure to

obey orders was not. "Second child, you are to capture the

Angel, not slay it. We want to study it."

>>>Hikari: Can't they study the…remains?

>>>Rei: Live subjects are better. They let Akagi torture non-human >>>beings for a change.

The reply was the sight of yet another claw flying

into the air and arcing down into the water, then sinking

out of sight.

"Are the First and Third Child ready to go out to

intercept the Second Child and cease her rampage?" asked

Gendo.

>>>Kensuke: With what?

>>>Mana: Good intentions and hope filled ideals?

>>>Asuka: Ayanami wouldn't fit into either category.

Another claw landed on the roof of one of the

buildings by the dock.

"At this rate, she'll have it ready to be sold at

a supermarket by the time they even get into their plug

suits," Maya said. "We can study the corpse."

"Five hundred yen says there won't be one in twenty

minutes," Makoto observed. "Maybe only ten minutes."

>>>Asuka: Gutted, carved, and bagged in 10 min or you money back.

>>>Mana: The Asuka auto-scaling system.

Gendo looked over at Fuyutsuki, who said, "I'm

impressed she's still functional after her EVA's hand was

ripped off."

"She'll be lucky to still be functional when I

finish with her," Gendo said.

>>>Asuka: What he going to do, can't kill me cause I'm a pilot!

>>>Rei: There are worse things than death, and he excels at them.

-*-

Flashing lights and sirens filled the air as the

NERV crews scrambled to gather the chunks, bits, and

pieces of Amaliel.

Looming over them all was the hunched form of

Eva-02, like a lion hunched over its kill. The children had

gatherered near it, waiting for the second child to emerge

from within.

>>>Rei: And kill her for insubordination.

>>>Hikari: Wonder how dramatic her entrance will be.

"Wonder why she's not out yet," said Kensuke.

"Maybe she's talking with NERV headquarters?"

guessed Touji.

Shinji shrugged.

A large panel in the back of the Eva hissed, then

opened, and the entry plug came sliding out. The door to

the entry plug popped open, and from within emerged a figure

covered from head to toe in some sort of black sludge.

>>>Rei: It suits a killer.

>>>Asuka: Ew…that's me?

"Hat jemand ein Handtuch?"

The three boys stared at the apparition. Rei shook

her head. As the black sludge peeled off of the figure's

body, the boys couldn't help but notice that figure was very

much female and very much healthy.

>>>Kensuke: We did say `she' so we already knew it was a girl.

The girl tried again, this time in Japanese. "Does

anyone have a towel?"

>>>Mana: I'm sure everybody carries a towel with them for no reason.

>>>Hikari: Nice hello too.

Kensuke searched his pockets. "Nope, sorry."

"Nuh-uh," said Touji.

Shinji fished around in his pockets. "Um... I've

got a handkerchief."

Through the black sludge, a pearly white smile

became visible. "Heh, no, that's too small. Nevermind, the

water looks clean enough for the job." She slid down from

the side of the Eva, leaving a trail of black goo, walked

gracefully a short distance to the water's edge by the pier,

leaving black goo footprints, then dove into the bay waters.

>>>Rei: She climbed down Unit-02?

>>>Asuka: It's only a few stories tall, I'm sure I could do it.

>>>Mana/Rei: Try it.

>>>Asuka: `I'd fall and die.' Maybe later.

"What the hell was that black goo?" asked Touji.

"LCL," said Shinji with a large measure of disgust.

"It's some liquid they have to fill the Eva with before we

can pilot it."

"Eeeew."

Kensuke winced. "You have my sympathies, Shinji."

A moment later, a red hand emerged from the water,

gripping the pier's edge. It was joined by another red

hand, and then they served to pull up a shapely young

redhead in a skintight suit of sorts.

>>>Asuka: Kami-sama I'm beautiful.

>>>Mana: I'm glad the Tritons didn't require skintight cloths.

"Aah, nothing like a swim after battle," she sighed.

The three boys stared at her in awe. She wasn't what they

were expecting, though definitely far more attractive.

>>>Asuka: And so only after one minute I depose you as Shinji's love

>>> interest.

>>>Mana: Until she kills you.

>>>Asuka pails as Rei smiles lightly.

After shaking her arms dry and wringing her hair, she

realized they were still looking at her. "Oh. Forgot to

introduce myself. Asuka Soryuu Langley, Eva pilot for

NERV. Nice to meet you!"

>>>Hikari: So by that introduction, are we to believe there are other

>>> agencies with Eva's?

>>>Mana: Bet she was reading it off a card or something.

"Ah, nice to meet ya," fumbled Touji.

"You're the new pilot?" asked Kensuke. "That's

cool! Don'cha think, Shinji?"

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah."

"Shinji?" asked Asuka. "Shinji Ikari?"

"Um, yeah, that's me," said Shinji. "Third Child,

whatever that means. Piloting Eva-01."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Not

quite what I expected, but that's okay. I wasn't what you

guys expected either, huh?"

>>>Kensuke: She…she didn't yell us for looking at her?

>>>Mana: She's not a bitch…she's nice?

>>>Asuka: Of course I'm nice. `He he take that girls!'

>>>Rei seems to pout a bit.

A cold breeze seemed to ripple through the four,

even though no wind had actually blown. Kensuke and Touji

shuddered. Asuka furrowed her brow. Shinji turned around

and saw Rei.

"Oh, Asuka," said Shinji. "This is Rei Ayanami,

First Child."

Asuka waved. "Hey, nice to meet you."

Rei merely nodded.

>>>Kensuke: She so wants to kill you already.

>>>Asuka: Jealous already, well it's to be expected.

"Ah, good to see all three of you here," said a new

voice. It sounded slightly sarcastic.

"Misato-san!" greeted Shinji.

As if one stunning girl wasn't enough for the lads,

a second one appeared before them.

>>>Kensuke: No comparison, Misato is a goddess, you two…

>>>Asuka/Rei: What about us?

>>>Mana: Are fairly lower on the attractive scale.

"Heya, Shinji. Missed

me?" Misato ruffled Shinji's hair in passing, then looked

sternly at Asuka. "Asuka, weren't you listening? You were

supposed to _capture_ Amaliel! CAPTURE!"

"Okay, so I lost my temper!"

>>>Hikari: That's an understatement. Tore it to shreds.

>>>Asuka: What's wrong, you Japanese love sushi so who cares?

"And ano-"

It seemed to be a stream for introductions at this

point, when another figure stepped in, this one a rogue of a

man with a ponytail and a smug expression.

>>>Kensuke: "Rogue" of a man, what's that mean?

>>>Mana: He's the guy that foolish girls go after.

"Now now,

Misato-chan, this was her first time out. You can't blame

her for being a bit battle-crazy."

>>>Rei: Why not?

Misato's fury index rose a full meter as she turned

to face Kaji. "YOU butt out of this."

"C'mon," said Kaji soothingly. "Let's iron this all

out back at headquarters, okay?"

"Get your arm off, sleezebag."

"Can I put the other one on, then?"

>>>Mana: He's that stupid and you still like him?

>>>Asuka: He's usually better than that, honestly.

"You just don't know when to stop, do you?"

Asuka looked at the two, grinding her teeth as she

saw Kaji flirting shamelessly with Misato.

>>>Kensuke: Neat, never saw teeth actually shatter before.

>>>Hikari: Did she just bite part of her tongue off?

And then she had an idea.

>>>Mana: Jump back into the bay?

>>>Rei: Move back to Germany?

Asuka quickly stepped up to Shinji's side, taking

his arm in hers, and strolled along with Kaji and Misato.

"So, Shinji, I've heard that you've already fought some

Angels. Tell me all about it?"

>>>Asuka: Answer, I drop Kaji like a bad habit and take the real thing.

>>>Kensuke: More like commit suicide, Ayanami already made her claim.

Shinji Ikari was not a people person. He lacked

severely in people skills.

>>>Mana: He's getting better.

>>>Asuka/Rei: But why can't he just grow a spine.

This went doubly so for girls

that showed signs that they liked him.

>>>Hikari: That why he hardly talks around us?

>>>Kensuke: Wow, never saw Shinji get THAT red before.

With Asuka's arm

entwined with his and her warm tone of voice, his mind

turned to mush. "Um, well, you see..."

>>>Asuka: He's mine, and it was just that easy.

Asuka took a moment to check if Kaji was noticing.

He wasn't. This only encouraged her to try harder.

Left behind in the aftermath, Touji and Kensuke just

stood there gaping.

"For such a dweeb, that Ikari's got chicks all

around him, huh?" asked Touji.

Kensuke nodded, still videotaping.

>>>Kensuke recording screen: Shinji'll die when he watches this.

>>>Hikari: Is that camera glued to your hand?

Suddenly, his camera died.

They heard a growl.

>>>Mana/Asuka: That doesn't sound good.

It wasn't just your ordinary growl, from a dog or a

wolf. This was a deep growl, the sort of growl that

suggested monstrous origins, dark and shadowy nights, and

the promise of endless hours of pain.

>>>Rei just smiles softly.

>>>All others: Did it just get colder in here?

It was accompanied by

a blast of cold running down their spines. The two turned

around, slowly.

>>>Hikari covers her eyes: I can't watch!

Rei was staring at Asuka, intensely, her face

twisted in anger.

>>>Asuka starts coughing: SHIT! You can look scary when mad.

>>>Kensuke: "Hail Mary Mother…"

Her fists were clenched, shaking

slightly. It was hard to tell in the sunlight, but they

thought they saw her blood red eyes glow brightly for a

moment.

"Ohshit," whispered Touji. "She's mad."

>>>Mana: And back in Tokyo-3 a dog burst into flames.

>>>Asuka: Remind me never to piss you off.

>>>Rei: I can accommodate that.

-*-

Deep beneath the more commonly traveled areas of

NERV HQ lay the restricted zones, the security areas where

the most classified materials were kept.

>>>Asuka: The merchandise?

>>>Rei: The Commanders hentai collection.

One such area was

studded with large stone, metal, and ceramic containers,

several of which were now full of slowly dissolving body

parts from the now defunct Second Angel.

>>>Kensuke: How…so fast…is that possible?

>>>Rei/Hikari: Don't ask, the answer would kill you.

Gendo and Fuyutsuki stood on an elevated walkway

which ringed the room at an elevation of twenty feet,

looking down on the open container which held the remains of

the Angel's head.

>>>Asuka: It had an actual head?

>>>Hikari: Well maybe the main ball was the head.

"The American base reports that the field

test of the remote generator packs are a success.

>>>Rei: American's actually did something right?

>>>Mana: Hope they fair better than the Unit-04 people.

And the

transport planes were a success as well. We'll need to do a

field run, but we should be able to deploy them from planes

and then they'll have a half hour instead of five minutes to

operate with being plugged in. Until they get rid of the

final bugs in the S2 engines, it will have to do."

Fuyutsuki looked down at the head. "Hard to believe that

even primitives worshiped this ludicrous thing."

>>>Hikari: The American's worship S2 engines?

>>>Kensuke: Are American's even primitive?

>>>Asuka: I'd say sub-human.

"Certainly I would never make such a mistake,"

Gendo said.

>>>All: Of course not, not you oh Holy Commander.

"Which explains why his cult became extinct.

What I want to know is why he woke up when he did. I don't

believe in coincidences."

"The stars were right. Perhaps it could be some

side effect of the Three Children assembling themselves.

Although I would think the Fourth would be needed as well

for such a thing."

Gendo continued staring down at it. "Maybe this

wasn't the real one."

"What?"

>>>Kensuke: I second that `What.'

>>>Asuka: Giant, repulsive, and evil what else is missing?

>>>Rei: Pilot didn't receive any mental anguish.

"Surely the real one couldn't have been so

pathetic."

"Perhaps it's identification as a power of the

first rank was a mistake by some ancient scribe, but you

should remember the battle would have been QUITE different

if it had been a matter of conventional technology versus

our fallen friend."

>>>Hikari: Use a pin and pop it.

>>>Mana: I'd keep it as a pet, it WAS kinda cute.

"I suppose you're right," Gendo said. "If the

Second Child goes on another rampage when they face their

next target, they will likely lose."

"Perhaps. You have to admit she was impressive."

>>>Asuka: All this talent and no place to use it.

>>>Hikari: All that pent up rage to.

"This isn't a Greek epic. They're not supposed to

fight heroic single combats against the enemy. Their last

few opponents will wield enough power that if they don't

work as a team, they will die. And if they die too early,

all our efforts will have been for naught.

>>>Rei: Their lack of concern about said deaths is concerning.

>>>Mana: Well if you die it's not a total loss.

>>>Rei: I am myself, if I die it will NOT be the same.

We must find the

Fourth Child. We will need them all for the Great Rite. I

have not worked this hard to let a petulant child wreck

everything."

"If the Revelations of Hali are right about our

deceased friend, it will all be for naught, anyway. Would

it not be ironic if this was how it all ended?"

>>>Asuka: Not ironic, stupid.

>>>Hikari: Why don't these mystic `Revelations' get an actual description?

>>>Kensuke: You'd go mad reading it.

"I'm not interested in irony. I am interested in

achieving the plan we have been working towards for years

now.

>>>Hikari: Making up to Shinji for the sucky life?

>>>Asuka: If that was all they should have just shipped him off to Germany.

And what possible need could the Great Old Ones have

for this pitiful creature, anyway?" He looked down at the

mangled bits of flesh. "I need to relax. I will be in

sector 13. Make sure I am not disturbed."

>>>All: That doesn't sound good.

>>>Rei: I feel very disturbed by the look on his face.

"I will make sure." Fuyutsuki watched Gendo go,

waiting until he departed to shudder. There were places

Gendo would go that he would not, although he could

understand the temptation Gendo faced. He had his own ways

of coping with the stress, but it was Gendo who most

frequently had to place his head in the lion's mouth. And

if SEELE ever found out their true objectives, the lion's

mouth would most likely bite down on Gendo first. The

potential reward, however, was worth it if all went well.

He was not so optimistic as Gendo that all would go well.

He turned and departed. It was time to once again

walk the tightrope over the abyss that sought to claim them

all.

>>>Hikari: Not much hope here is there?

>>>Mana: If you like constantly living near death than maybe.

- end part 4 -

>>>(end MST part 4)

Asuka: Well that was a let down.

Rei: Agreed, you have officially entered the movie now.

Asuka: Not that, but I got chewed out for winning! How fair is that?

Kensuke: You WERE told to capture it.

Mana: I thought you pilots were fired for not following orders.

Asuka/Rei: No, if so Shinji would've been fired LONG ago.

Kensuke: Speaking of him, when they going to get back?

Misato opening door: We're back.

Shinji: Was it right to do that Misato?

Misato: I told you already, Maya's working so you don't HAVE to stay there.

Shinji smiles: If you're sure, what about this? `points to his neck.'

Asuka runs up to them: Bout time you…you YOUR NECK!!

Hikari follows: Welcome…is that hicky!

Kensuke: SHINJI THE MAN!!

Shinji: I…I can explain!

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

Mst author notes!

Sorry this wasn't my best work :( I tried my best but I just don't feel to good about it.

I'm going to try to develop the characters a tad bit more, hope you like it. And about the end here…I'll get into it but don't jump to any `odd' conclusions. A hicky IS a bruise after all. May not even be one. Leave that one to you to think bout right now.

As for how the girls acted. This was based off of knowledge I actually have. I've been in Kensuke's position in a sense. Women can be really evil when they think another girl has something against them. Unlike men its not resolved with physical violence it's a mental game…Women are scary :).

Hope you liked it dispite the flaws in the story. Hope you didn't get pissed at the overly bitchy ness of the girls but then again they are in a sense rivals for Shinji's affection.

Well I'm off for now. Oh btw I've just turned 21 he he, to bad I don't drink so it really doesn't mean anything. Hope you keep reading this and my original fics.

Oh and due to a virus problem sorry about the font and some of script was messed up, Thank Chewy for finding this before my computer was fully infected, THANKS MAN

Ja Mata

Zentrodie (zentrodie@secondimpact.com www.geocities.com/zentrodie.geo)