Disclaimer: Eva is the property in the United States of ADV Films. I receive nothing but the pleasure of knowing you (my readers) have enjoyed taking the time to read this story.

Eva: Enjo Kosai

Description: In an AU, Asuka arrives with her Eva to Japan. Confident but not cocky, she seeks to make friends with the 1st. Rei is all too willing to be Asuka's friend… and more. A complex story dealing with adult themes and social issues, this will take us through the Angel Wars all the way up to Third Impact, but all that is just a backdrop for an intense human drama that I hope will stir your heart and make you think.' Also, should be 'It will be dark and painful, but I hope you will find it worthwhile to read.

Chapter 1: Asuka Strikes… The Start of a Complex Friendship

Asuka Langley Soryu stood at the starboard side of the aircraft carrier looking out over the deep blue sea.

"Where did you get that?" laughed Kaji as he approached the girl.

"What, you don't like it?" She turned around and smiled at him, her arms spread wide. "The deck chief said the top of an aircraft carrier is no place for a summer dress, especially not on a ship with a crew of over 500 horny guys. So he gave me a deck jumper to wear." She pulled up the sleeve on the left arm, which was already cuffed 3 times and was still too long. "Don't you think it's sexy?" She put one hand on her hip and the other behind her head.

Kaji laughed again, and this time Asuka joined him. After settling down he said, "Well, Misato and the 3rd child will be arriving within the hour. Excited?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Asuka turned back towards the sea. "I guess I should be. I mean, registering a synch ratio of 83 the first time he piloted his Eva, defeating three Angels with hardly any training. Can't help but be impressed."

"Your synch ratio is still higher than his," Kaji assured her.

"Yeah, but he's done it under real battle conditions." She paused for a moment. "I just hope when my time comes I can prove to be as competent a pilot as the 1st and the 3rd."

"Don't fake false modesty, Asuka. It doesn't suit you." Kaji gave her a sideways glance.

She grinned slightly, stealing a look his way, then went back to looking out at the ocean.

(000)

Misato, Shinji, and his two friends made their way across the deck of the aircraft carrier. Kensuke marveled at the ship, filming every part of it. Toji was thoroughly impressed as well, but his interest suddenly vanished when a strong wind kicked up and blew his new hat off his head.

"Hey! Someone, grab my hat!" He wailed, running after the black and white Chicago White Sox World Series Championship baseball cap. "My hat! My hat!"

The others trailed behind as he wove in-between the flight deck crew, desperately trying to reclaim his new priced possession. When another gust blew it towards the edge of the ship, he screamed and made a mad dash for it.

Hearing the loud cry for help, Asuka turned around. Catching a glimpse of something passing her by, she instinctively reached out for it, but it was just beyond her grasp. Failure was not something the young pilot was accustomed to, so she lunged for the hat. She caught it just before it blew overboard, but suddenly realizing that her left foot was no longer over the deck, she let out a scream.

Just as suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and pull her back to safety.

Gasping for breath, she leaned back into her rescuer. "Thank you… for saving my life." She turned around in his arms and found herself looking up into a pair of soft brown eyes. She smiled. "You must be Shinji Ikari. I've heard a lot about you."

"Uh?" The boy released her and took a step back. "Umm, sorry, Miss, no I'm not." He bowed respectively. "My name is Toji Suzuhara." He bowed again. "Sorry for touching you." His cheeks turned bright red as he held his bow.

"Hi, Asuka," Misato said, drawing near. "This is Shinji Ikari, the 3rd child."

Asuka turned and looked at the boy standing next to Misato Katsuragi. Stepping forward, she took a good look at him, invading his personal space to get a good look at his eyes. "No way! This can't be the 3rd child," she insisted. "He doesn't have the eyes of a hero."

With those words, the boy shrank into himself, which only served to confirm Asuka's assessment. "You're joking right, Misato? That boy's Shinji, isn't he?" She pointed towards Toji.

"Sorry, Asuka, that's Shinji's friend. This boy here is the Commander's son, his only son," she emphasized.

"Oh," She put her hands behind her back and grinned. "Sorry."

"That's all right," Shinji replied, not making eye contact. "I don't feel like a hero anyway."

"Yeah, well… sorry about that… the comment I mean. What are you doing?" She yelled at the boy with the camcorder who had been practically in her face filming her for the past five minutes.

"Oh, this is my friend, Kensuke Aida, and you already met Toji," the 3rd child answered.

Kensuke stopped filming the redhead long enough to bow. "It's an honor to meet you, Miss. Any Eva pilot is a hero of mine." He grinned widely.

"Umm, well… thanks." She smiled back, then whispered, "I guess."

"Umm, excuse me." Toji stepped forward to get her attention and reached out with his hand. "Thanks for saving my hat."

"Oh! Right!" She pulled her hand forward from behind her and looked at it for a moment. "Umm, here." She placed it in his hand.

"Thank you." He bowed again.

She smiled, then thought. "Oh, thank you for saving me." She bowed back, then extended her hand. "By the way, I'm Asuka, Asuka Langley Soryu."

The boy hesitated for a moment, not sure what to do. Shifting the hat to his left hand, he took her hand and shook it gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Soryu-san."

"Please, call me Asuka. All my friends do." She blushed slightly.

"Well, thank you, Asuka-san." Toji blushed as well.

"OOOOhh! Toji's in love!" Kensuke said from behind his camera.

Releasing the girl's hand he placed one on his friend's forehead and shoved him to the ground. "SHUT UP!"

(000)

Asuka pulled the tarp back and gestured for Toji to go inside, but the boy took hold of the canvas flap just over the girl's head and pulled it a bit wider, then gestured for her to enter. "Ladies first."

She smiled, then walked in. Leading the way, she ran her hand over the colossal beast that was concealed by the giant tarp. "This is the latest Eva. The first production model, Eva Unit-02." She turned and smiled proudly.

Toji stared at the behemoth. "I bet you're a great pilot." Looking down at the girl, he added, "Even better than Shinji."

"Well…" She looked away and grinned. "I do hold the record for the highest synchronization ratio, at 94" She looked up at the boy and saw the confusion in his eyes. "Synch ratio, that's how they measure a pilot's ability to bind his or her mind with the Eva's systems. They higher the ratio, the better the Eva responds to your commands."

"Oh." He chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Shinji never really talks about piloting. I don't think he really likes it at all."

"Really?" Asuka was about to ask why when a loud noise echoed within the tent.

"What the heck was that?" Toji looked up.

Without responding, the girl ran for the exit, the boy following close behind. Rushing to the guardrail she looked out and spotted it. "An Angel!"

"Are you serious?" Toji looked out and saw something racing through the water, but couldn't make out what it was.

"It must be. It's probably after my Eva."

"Your Eva?"

"Hmm, wanting to destroy it before it reaches Tokyo-3. It probably thinks it's an easy target here in the middle of the ocean." She grinned. "I'll show it who's an easy target."

She pushed off the rail and ran for the hatch to retrieve her plug suit.

"Asuka? Where are you going?" Toji ran after her.

"To put on my plug suit!"

"You're not planning to fight that thing, are you?"

"I'm not going to let it destroy my Eva without a fight." She stopped, and turned to face him. "Please stand guard here so no one sees me changing." She leaned towards him and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks." Then she darted behind the heavy metal door.

Toji ran his hand over his cheek. "Wha-?" He looked at the door, realizing what she was doing on the other side of it. I mustn't peek, I mustn't peek… After convincing himself, he turned around and folded his arms over his chest and put on his toughest, tough-guy face and announced, "Anyone looking to get through this door will have to do it over my cold, dead body!"

(000)

Toji brushed Asuka's wet, sticky hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You were incredible." He smiled.

She smiled back. "Thanks. It was a little hairy there for a while when I thought it was going to knock me into the water."

"But you diced him up like it was a fish, ready for grilling. You were awesome."

Asuka giggled. "Thanks."

"Umm, guess you want to go to your quarters and take a shower, huh?" The boy shook the goop from his hand and stuffed his hands into his back pockets.

"Yeah, I guess." She smiled at him.

"Sorry, Asuka, you don't have time for a shower," Misato said, coming up beside her, and pointed forward. "We'll be docking in less then 30 minutes." Looking down at the girl, she added, "Just towel off and you can shower once we get to NERV Headquarters."

"Okay, I'll get my things and dry myself off then. Be back in a flash." She ran to the hatch.

"Asuka! Need a hand?" the tall boy asked.

"No." She smiled. "I'm pretty sure I remember how to dry myself off." She giggled, then disappeared behind the door.

"What a woman," Toji whispered softly.

"Yeah, she's pretty amazing," Misato agreed. "Just remember, she is half." Then she walked away.

"Yeah," he sighed dejectedly, turning away for a moment, before looking back to the door. "But is that really such a bad thing?"

(To Be Continued)

AN: I know I have a couple of other Eva fics that I haven't finished, but this story has been bouncing around in my head for some time now, and I just can't wait on it any longer. This one won't be nearly as long as my other stories, so I have high hopes that I will finish it in a reasonable length of time. I have also started working on my other stories, so hopefully they will be done soon as well.

I'd like to thank my incredible beta reader, Janice, who does such a great job on all my stories.