Synopsis:
The story takes place in an alternate reality where the three main characters (Shinji, Rei and Asuka) are no longer needed to battle the Angels and are instead simply teenagers in a distant high school. Misato is one of the favourite teachers of the school with many rumours floating around about her dating co-eds. Gendo Ikari is the much-feared principal who seems to have a secret agenda of his own. Spy-Fi flick with many twists and reveals contained therein. All major characters will be introduced within the first ten chapters.
Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion and all characters are the property of Gainax. Rating: PG-13.
Morning Has Indeed Broken
"Get up you idiot, we're going to be late," the girl shouted, standing at the foot of Shinji's bed and gazing down at the practically lifeless body below her. How lazy could one boy be?
He jumped out of bed and stumbled about the place, not realising that his duvet had dropped to the floor.
"Ew, you stupid pervert! I didn't mean that you should get that up." Before he knew it, she had slapped him straight across the chops.
"What the hell was that for, Asuka? It's not like I can help it. I am a man, you know. Maybe you should knock first," he said, cupping his cheek in consolation.
But she was off on a tangent already. She had completely ignored what he had said and had turned away. Shinji had been forced out of a world of dreaming – a Neverland of infinite pleasure – by a fiery wench with an attention span of a two-month-old.
"This room is a complete pigsty!" She used a nearby pencil to pick up some of the clothes and inspect them curiously. "How are you ever going to get a girlfriend with a room like this?"
Shinji ignored her question. He was, by now, very red in the face.
"Honestly Shinji, sometimes I don't know what you would do without me," she said under her breath, spinning round in hope of gaining praise or adulation. Either would do.
"Be free from your constant torment."
"What did you say, you baka? Honestly, you-you ungrateful pig. If it wasn't for me you'd never get out of bed in the morning. I am gonna make you regret that." Asuka motioned towards Shinji with her right arm drawn up into the air. "Don't forget who defeated the legendary Angels all by herself, Mr. Ikari. You would not like to get on my bad side."
"There's a good side?"
He was waiting for another slap when she suddenly twisted and sped out of the room in a rage.
'What a head case.'
Shinji tucked his shirt into his jeans. Although he was amused that he had somehow managed to get into a fight with Asuka right at the start of the day, he questioned why she hadn't slapped him. A humiliating public beating now seemed more than likely. He looked around his room and pondered at the clothes that furnished his bedroom floor. Some piles were beginning to emit an odour not unlike one of his mother's cats.
"Mom," Shinji yelled, looking around to see which room his mother was hiding in.
"I'm in here, son."
Shinji spun around and headed towards the kitchen.
"Mom, I'm going to be late tonight home tonight, okay?" He looked around cautiously to see if there were any more cats around. Why did she keep bringing in strays when she knew he had allergies? Another woman who's trying to kill me.
"Ok dear, you go on now. You don't want to be late again. I can't keep pretending that pile of late slips under your bed doesn't exist!"
It was official: mothers knew everything. "Umm, Mom?" Shinji queried.
"Yes, dear?" She tilted her head and admired the hand imprint on the young boy's face.
"Could you somehow try and get rid of some of the cats. They're really sweet an' all but umm we've got more than twenty cats and everybody thinks that you're some crazy cat lady who never leaves the house!"
"Oh son, don't make me laugh. Now scoot and have a good day at school." She turned back and he could tell she was already off in a different Neverland, one filled with unlimited feline companions. Shinji loved his mother but she had gotten more and more unstable after the divorce.
"Shinji," a voice boomed through the house and footsteps approached the kitchen. There was no trace of the earlier anger in her face. That was the thing with Asuka: she changed mood more than money changed hands.
She dragged him out of the kitchen by his ear. "Leave your poor mother alone. Bye Mrs Ikari."
"Another ordinary day," he muttered to himself.
After a series of episodes - one involving running down a shortcut with a set of rabid pit bulls in pursuit and another involving Asuka's hair extensions getting caught in a shop door – the accident prone duo arrived at school. Walking into their usual hangout room, Asuka and Shinji could not believe their eyes: the room was not full to the brim as per usual but devoid of life. They both looked at each other and Asuka glanced down at her Pucca watch.
"What?" she bellowed as she caught sight of the time. They were half an hour early. Shinji stared at Asuka and Asuka stared at Shinji. Neither really knew whose fault it was. Asuka couldn't bear missing out on an opportunity to shout at Shinji and he guessed from the expression on her face that either she was going to implode and cause one hell of a mess or that another argument would ensue. The more probable event occurred.
"I just cannot believe that one boy can be so ignorant!"
Shinji tried to look doe-eyed but failed miserably.
"Taking a shortcut where I nearly got maimed for life so that you wouldn't miss a minute of catch-up with your friends and we wind up getting here so early that all I have for company is a sorry meatbag lifeform like you!"
Shinji tried to withdraw a little, like a spider tries to flee when it thinks its predator is no longer looking, but Asuka mirrored his every step, a superior player in the game of cat and mouse. The passionate red-head was just getting started.
"Firstly, you are asleep when I come round for our usual morning rendezvous today, which wouldn't make me so angry if it wasn't for your complete disregard for my effort every morning. Do you know how I strive to arrive on time every weekday morning, Shinji? Huh? Do you?" She stretched out her index finger and prodded him up against a nearby radiator. "I get no thanks for-"
"But Asuka, I do realise. Honest I-"
"Do you know how rude that is? Interrupting people is another one of your many, many faults. And-"
The door swung open and in poured the usual gang. Asuka scuttled away, not wanting to be seen investing this much time in Shinji Ikari. Their fight would have to be put on hiatus until later.
Asuka and Shinji had a varied set of friends. She firmly belonged with the popular girls and had no qualms about being placed in that category despite those who may presume she was a pretty husk with no substance. She liked meeting new people and expanding her large circle of friends; Shinji, on the other hand, preferred to know as few people as possible and did his best to repel those who sought his company. Avoiding human conversation came as a gift to him and he liked having a more select group of friends. All of this notwithstanding, he could put up a facade from time to time, though this usually took effort and Shinji generally despised doing anything that required effort; he was the epitome of laziness.
Banter between friends meant that nobody had noticed the door had opened once again. A petite girl with short blue hair caught Shinji's eye. Unusual red eyes, searching yet weary, stared back at him and did not look away, so much so that he found he had to break the mutual gaze first. Deciding to go against his personality and talk to her, an all too familiar shriek froze his feet to the floor.
"Oh hi!" Asuka said in transit to the unflinching, blue-haired girl. Must be a strange one, ja?
'So Asuka's awoken from her daydream to realise that someone besides herself exists,' he thought. Her shrillness echoed in Shinji's mind and he wondered if she had a different type of scream for every occasion. Happy scream, sad scream, the infamous angry scream. More banshee wail than scream, really.
"My name is Asuka Langley Sohryu. Charmed, huh? I'll be escorting you round our lovely school. I'm sure you'll find yourself right at home here. Do you know anyone?"
The girl blinked at Asuka. "I'm new here," she said.
Asuka thought that she might be a little insane. Oh well, she didn't really care. She was fresh meat to mould. How rude not to give her name in return. Hmm, will have to teach manners to poor, uncivilised girl. And those shoes are an abomination on all things Mary Jane. "And your name would be?"
"Rei," she replied and then walked out of the room. She lingered for a moment and looked back at Shinji, her eyes examining his body with a doctor's precision.
Asuka wanted to rip off one of Rei's ugly shoes and beat her to death with it then and there but then what would the girls think?
Rei smiled and walked towards what she believed to be the science block, judging from the gas taps that were visible from a downstairs window.
'What kind of a name is Rei anyway?' Asuka thought.
'I wonder if she's in any of my classes,' Shinji thought.
"He'll do just nicely," Rei said aloud.
