Disclaimer: I make no claim to owning any of the fictional characters referred to within this document.
Initial Peturbation (MkII)
Yet another 'What-If' series, based on a subtle change in a character's attitude rather than a wholesale change in events. 'What if' Asuka's initial meeting with Shinji was less confrontational? Perhaps a synergy between the two could grow, with ever-expanding consequences...
WAFF/drama/humour (in that order, more or less)
CHAPTER 1 - Dolphin/Dauphin
Asuka leant moodily against one of the still-sturdy bulkheads of the pride of the United Nation's fleet, the 'Over the Rainbow'. The sortie against the Angel of Fish had long since concluded, the rescue and cleanup efforts now in their final stages and the Second Child had managed to avoid any and all Nerv personnel for the last fourty-eight hours.
Which was fortunate, as the young pilot was brooding. It was something she was very good at.
'That dumbkopff Third Child. How does a rookie Japanese pilot manage to synchronise with my German-built Unit 02 after magically getting that test-type to 34?! It's got to be a bug in the A10 link, those stupid fools at Gehirn must've left a loophole in there. Gott, my first sortie, and he steals MY rightful glory - MY triumphant solo, RUINED by his noisy BRAIN! Idiote!!'
Steam had to be blown off somewhere, after all. When she had received Nerv Germany's communique, having just scrubbed off the LCL and changed into a clean and dry skirt-and-T-shirt combination, she wasn't expecting quite the word combination she had seen. The words 'honor', 'skills', 'discipline' and 'brat' appeared in a less than flattering order. Apparently, the pride of Germany was not to be 'whored between two pilots'. Asuka Langley Sorhyu, designated Second Child and pilot of Evangelion Unit 02, was not entirely certain what that meant, but got the gist of it.
'Swinehundt Colonel Kaputz!' glowered the slightly hunched body of fury.
Asuka opened her furrowed brow to cast a gaze at the wide ocean, daring it to disturb her. To her surprise, it took up her challenge. A speckle on the horizon caused her to lean out to scan the ocean surface.
"Is that...no, they're extinct aren't they? Wait, it's close...not a whale...maybe a dolphin? A mythical dolphin!"
Her knotted brow relaxed, Asuka's frown melted into a look of surprise, then joy as she watched the grey sea creature's merry antics, breaking the calm sea to leave a trail of sun-lit sparkles in the wake of it's dance. Entranced, the girl could only stare. But the pocket of joy on the ocean's surface receded to a speck all to soon, and Asuka felt vaugely discontent. Was it enough to witness a minor miracle of nature's resiliance? Something was missing. Why did she have no-one to share the spectacle with?
Still, it was a memory to cherish. Taking note of her somewhat empty belly, the Second Child decided to abandon her self-imposed exile and find some food. The rythm of the dolphin's dance went with her.
The fleet's remaining aircraft carrier had resumed the course to Tokyo 3, albeit at a cautious pace given the untold stresses the vessel had absorbed during Unit 02's impromptue acrobatics routine. The Unit now slumped in a marginally more diginified pose on the deck, and Asuka gave it a fond glance as she went to find the ship's canteen. 'Be good, mein leibling.'
There weren't too many leering American seamen in the canteen at that hour, but enough to make the girl wary when selecting her position. She spotted a fairly vacant corner and made her way over with a tray of uncertainty. The American diet, like many others, had changed somewhat to adapt to the post 2nd-impact climate. Japan was one of the few not to be forced to make many concessions since the fish population had not suffered unduly, though many species were no longer available.
Studying a quieter corner of the eating hall, Asuka's trained eyes spotted an all-too familiar face. 'Mein gott, what a loser. No wonder there's no one in that part of the haus.
A moment of indecision was defeated by her better-than-normal mood. 'Well...it's just good tactics to be friendly with an ally, even if he's not an important one. Alright Asuka, the reconnaisance of Nerv Japan restarts here.'
"So, Third Child. What's good to eat here?"
Shinji looked up from his plate of noodles nervously, startled, to see the girl he couldn't quite decided if he disliked or not leaning over his shoulder. "Sohryu-san! Uhm, etto...hi?"
"Yeah yeah, ko-nichi-wah and all that, so have you discovered something edible on this lump of American pig-iron or do my eyes deceive me?"
"Well, uh..."
"I mean, I've been on this boat for weeks now, and I've never seen anything like that stir-fry you've got there, and I've certainly never smelled it. Don't tell me you've been trading on your status as a Pilot to get special treatment from the cook?"
"Uh, That is..."
"No fair! He just told me to get a 'burger'...what an insult! So are you going to ask me to join you or what?"
"W-well sure...sit down...I mean, if you want to..."
Asuka sat across from the boy and blew her fringe up with an exaggerated sigh. "So...could I have some?"
Shinji tried not to let his frown show. With Misato off doing paperwork and Touji and Kensuke having been shipped back to Tokyo 3, airfreight-style, he was feeling a bit more lonely than usual. Now this brash and forceful gaijin was imposing herself on his quiet routine.
Still, Shinji was nothing if not polite. "Well...sure I guess." he sighed.
"Dunker! I mean, 'arigato', of course." Asuka grabbed his chopsticks and eagerly attacked Shinji's plate, somewhat to the boy's chagrin. "Wow, this is good!! For Japanese food, I mean."
Shinji cocked his head sideways, curious. "You don't like Japanese food?"
Between mouthfulls, she responded. "Well...this isn't bad I suppose. Actually this is quite good. I am half Japanese of course, so I guess it's only natural."
"S-sure..." Shinji said doubtfully.
Shinji watched glumly as the last noodle was skillfully pinched between the chopsticks and eaten with smacking lips. 'She's eating my food...' thought his forebrain. But then, 'She's eating my food!' the hormonally-active his primitive brain noted.
"That was good! How'd you get it anyway?" Asuka asked as she daintily wiped her mouth with Shinji's unused napkin.
"Well, I asked if I could, uh, cook my own. Since I've got an alergy to something they put in that food, some preservative or something."
"Hah! So it is special treatment for the famous Third Child huh?"
"Well...Misato said I looked like a tomato that had been stepped on, so maybe they felt compelled..."
"HAH! Scheisser, I woulda liked to have seen that!"
Shinji scowled slightly. "Well, you would've if you'd been at dinner with us."
The redhead waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, I've been busy. Anyway, I've been meaning to talk to you about your behaviour during the sortie in my Unit. You were supposed to just observe, but instead you compromised the whole mission by synching with my liebling!"
"Your wha...? I...I'm sorry. But...it all worked out in the end, right?"
"I suppose I do have to thank you for not being a total prick, though. You could have claimed the victory as your own, making ME out to be the rookie and taking the win as your own, but you didn't. I don't appreciate idiot savants taking my glory, Third Child, so remember your place."
"Uh, well, okay!" Shinji sweated.
"AND my spare plugsuit is all stretched and warped." Asuka glared.
"I...couldn't help that..." said Shinji, looking away but with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"HENTAI! You're thinking perverted thoughts!!"
He tried to hide his grin with a frown. "Well, you made me wear it..."
Asuka folded her arms crossly and pouted before a thought occurred to her. With a sly grin, she looked back at the Third Child. "You know, you're much more interesting when you stand up for yourself."
Shinji gulped. "Is that so..."
"Well anyway, we're going to be working together from now. And of course, you've had no training, with you obviously lacking my inborn talents. Perhaps I should help you to improve, since we'll be fighting together and all."
The boy looked at her, genuinely surprised at her generosity. "R-really? Uhhh...sounds good, I guess."
"Good, that's settled then. As my tuition fee, I expect a tour of all the Tokyo 3 hot spots and your undying loyalty and gratitude. Plus you will cook for me until we get to Tokyo. Fair price, ne?"
"Well, I suppose. I don't have to wear your plugsuit again do I?"
"NEIN!! Never again, Third Child!!"
Shinji sighed in relief.
"Although...tomato-red might suit you..."
Shinji rolled his eyes while the red-head giggled at her little joke. "Oh, man..."
Asuka's demeaner changed as she looked at him gravely. "Now...cook something else for me? Something with meat! I'm starving!"
"Whaddya mean, 'this is where all the kids hang out'?! This is a SCHOOL, what are you, retarded?"
Having returned late on a Saturday, Shinji had fulfilled Asuka's request (read: demand) to see some of Tokyo 3 on the Sunday by taking her to one of the few places he knew well. "Well, the city is just a city after all, and the Geofront is still off-limits to civilians except for special events."
Asuka planted a hand on her hip in annoyance. "We're hardly 'civilians'. What you really mean is, you don't really hang out with anyone at all do you?"
Shinji looked away. "Well, when I go with Touji and Kensuke usually go to the arcade at the local mall, that's all. I didn't think you'd be interested in going there."
Asuka stepped toward the boy and tapped his head with her clenched fist. "Baka! I'm a girl; of COURSE I need to know where the local mall is! Still, that can wait. Is that all there is here?!"
"Uh, well...I guess I haven't seen that much of Tokyo 3 myself."
"What! Just how many months have you been here already?"
"But, I do know this, uh, realy nice place where you can look at the whole city. It's nice at sunset..." he said, pointed up at a nearby range.
Supporting her head with her hands, Asuka kicked her legs out lazily. "Humph, I bet you think you're pretty smooth. Too bad for you, I've met a real man."
Shinji looked at her sharply. "You have a boyfriend?"
The girl coyly thre her long hair back. "A romance foretold by fate! It's just a matter of time before Kaji realises I'm not a little girl anymore, whereupon he shall sweep my off my feet and take me in the sunset..."
"Oh..." Shinji wasn't sure if he should try to hide his disappointment or the cynicism in his voice more.
"You could take pointers from a real man like him, Third."
"Could you stop calling me 'Third'?"
"Something wrong with that? That's your designation, isn't it?"
"I don't call you 'Second'...call me Shinji alright?"
"Ooh, growing a spine are we? Fine, baka-Shinji it is."
Shinji let out a sigh as he led the girl along a winding park path.
"You don't have to call me 'Sohryu-san' either, you know. Just 'Asuka' will do."
"Uhm, right. Asuka-san."
"No, stupid! Just 'Asuka'. My name isn't 'asukasann'..." she laboured the honorific.
"Uh, fine. You can call me just 'Shinji' then."
"Hell no! I far prefer 'baka-Shinji' to 'Just-Shinji'."
Shinji just shook his head.
Asuka clenched her fists in frustration and growled. "So show me these famous Japanese mountains or something already."
The boy sweatdropped. "Uh, it would take hours to get somewhere like that, and we'd have to take the train..."
"Oh come on, what about that 'romantic location' you mentioned before?" the girl asked, pointing up at the horizon.
"...uhm, sure. I guess that's a mountain...sorta. I'll call Misato to drive us up there."
"WHAT?! That motoren-sadist?! I refuse. Isn't there some public transport or something?"
Shinji scratched his head. "Well, we could take the bus I guess."
"Well, Schnell!" she commanded, taking his wrist and heading in a random direction until Shinji grudgingly lead to the correct one. "Hey, have you heard anything about Dolphins?"
"Dolphins? They're the bad-guys in 'Animal Farm: 3rd Impact' aren't they?"
"No dumbkopff! I mean the real ones, that swim in the ocean and fight sharks and things."
"Uhm...aren't they mythical?"
"Yeah well, I saw one on 'Over the Rainbow'...don't look at me like that! I really did see it!"
"Wait a minute...a REAL dolphin? Like, a live one? Why was it there?"
"I don't know, maybe it was eating the Angel's corpse or something. What's wrong, you look pale..."
Kensuke looked up from his editing at his school desk, his glasses glinting as the morning sun imposed itself on his camera's LCD screen. "Hey Shinj-AAUUUUUUGH!!" he shreiked, falling backwards from his chair.
Touji looked down at his fallen comrade. "Dude...OH MY GOD!! SHINJI YOU BETRAYED US!!"
Kensuke rushed to the pilot, holding his hands out to grab Shinji's shoulders but too distraught to touch the boy. "You brought her here?! Why would you do that?! Did she force you to sell your soul to win that last battle?! Your sacrifice was too great!"
The jock closed his eyes manfully and patted Shinji on the back. "I didn't know you had it in you. You're one of them now, but we will remember the Shinji who first came here before he fell to temptation."
Kensuke grabbed his camera and held it up. "Give me a sec, I'll see if she's got a reflection...She does appear in digital! Could it be that the demon is incarnate?"
"Are you thinking of vampires or something?" Shinji asked, incredulous.
Asuka rolled her eyes and swung her backpack down to the floor. "Acch, once more, the moronic duo. It's a good thing for humanity that I'm here at last to rescue you from them."
Touji stood and faced Asuka solemnly, hand on Shinji's shoulder. "I would never hurt Shinji. Never again. He doesn't need rescuing. Not from me!"
Asuka raised a cynical eyebrow. "Never again?"
The jock cringed. "I swear I will never hit him again! It was an honest mistake!!" He fell to his knees. "Shinji, tell her! Tell her you've forgiven me! PLEASE!!"
Shinji recoiled. "Uh...Touji..."
"TOUJI SUZAHARA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SHINJI-SAN?!" The Horaki Hikari walked over and grabbed the boy by the ear.
Asuka grinned evilly and walked over to her. "Are you the class rep? I'm Asuka Langley. It looks like that boy was trying to make his relationship with Shinji, err, clear huh?"
Hikari blushed bright red as she got Asuka's meaning. "Oh my god..." she whispered. "Su-za-Ha-RA!" she growled and dragged the poor boy out to the corridor.
Kensuke adjusted his glasses in astonishment. "Whoa, she's good. Touji the Jock, taken out with a whisper."
"AIDA!" Hikari pointed a finger through the doorway to the fledgling otaku. "Come and assist Mister Suzahara please."
"Uh, sure. What's wrong with him?"
"He needs, uh...some help..."
The boy frowned and rushed out to help his fallen comrade.
Hikari came back into the room. "I'm sorry, Ikari-chan. I suppose he's been lonely since his sister's been in the hospital, but..."
Shinji closed his eyes in exasperation. "I don't think that there was any real problem..."
Asuka frowned. "Just what did you do to put his sister in hospital?" She raised as eyebrow and looked at him speculatively. 'Just what with...?'
The class representative shook her head to recompose herself."I'm sorry, miss, but I forgot your name. Are you visiting your boyfriend? You should probably head to your classroom now."
"EEHHH?! No way, you've got nothing in this room worth my time. Baka-Shinji here is my fellow Eva Pilot, so I'm getting him to show me around. Looks like he needed to be rescued from his insane friends...but they kinda self-destructed with only a little prodding." she smiled conspiratorily.
"So you're the new pilot? Welcome, I'm Hikari Horaki. Nice to meet you."
"Charmed! Asuka Langley Sohryu, designated Second Child and Evangelion Pilot Extraordinaire! My Nerv ranking in Lieutenant, but 'Asuka' will be just fine."
"Right...uhm, well...will you be joining the school?"
The Second Child looked confused for a moment. "Schule?" she said to herself, vacantly.
Author's Rant:
Remake! Rehash! Reconquor, Retire! Why? Because the old version made me cringe when I revisited it. 'Nuff said.
Omake #1.1 - Third Child
"Get your ass in here, THIRD CHILD!"
-BEEP-
"Ah...dammnit."
Shinji knew he was in trouble, because whenever his wife called him that he recieved an email from his life insurance company demanding a higher premium. The phrase had also taken on an eerie new meaning after their second baby was born.
"Hey, Asuka-chan..." he said weakly, closing the front door behind him.
Frypan-wielding Asuka stepped into the hallway. "Don't 'Asuka-chan' me! WHO THE HELL IS THIS FLOOZY WHO'S BEEN CALLING YOU?"
Shinji was taken aback. "What?"
Asuka fixed him with a steely stare and pointed a steely finger. "Don't play dumb." she growled in a steely voice. "This 'Ami' character who's on your speed-dial! And don't try to tell me it's your new insurance representative!"
The man scratched his forehead uneasily. "Well...that's our neice, Asuka-chan."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Shinji sighed, knowing that being right wasn't going to save him. Still, Asuka's pouting was better than the punishment she would mete out on the 'floozy' charge...giant killing machine piloting day-job or no, he could hardly call himself a man without his...
He flipped out his phone. "Call Kensuke. It's his kid. She's boarding at a local university, so we swapped contact details in case of emergencies."
Asuka tapped her foot on the floor loudly, hands on hips. "So why is she inviting you out for dinner?"
"Huh? She is?"
"Email message came in a few minutes ago." Asuka growled.
Shinji grinned and scratched behind his shoulder. "That so, hmm? She's what, seventeen? Well now, I suppose we can't blame her for wanting to meet the famous pilot?"
'I'm dead anyway.' he figured. "Maybe have his babies?"
Asuka pounced on him, knocking him to the floor with her on top. "Well, she's too late. I'll only allow you to have my babies." she growled seductively, staring to unbutton the top of his shirt.
-BEEP- (advert for viagra)
Shinji sat up slightly and kissed her nose before settling back again. "No wonder people wonder which one of us wears the trousers..." he said whistfully.
"Trouser? Us? Nein! We have no need of trousers..." she said, fiddling with his belt.
"The kids..."
"Are out. Now, Unit One Activate...!"
Copyright 2007...if it could possibly apply.
-fin-
