Neon Genesis: Evangelion

Neon Genesis: Evangelion

Genesis: 0:15: Allies United

[A/N: I like this! Asuka is jealous!]

[Disclaimer: Don't own.]

Asuka stomped behind the three other pilots as they walked towards their locker rooms. "That was an impressive move you did!" Shinji laughed weakly, rubbing the back of his head. Kasumi remained silent, her eyes glued to the floor. Shinji blinked a few times, and then asked, "Hey, are you all right?" Kasumi remained silent.

"Oh, first time piloting jitters?" the Third Child lay his hand on Kasumi's shoulder. The Sixth Child finally responded, but without words. Her face flushed with embarrassment at the subtle contact that meant to comfort. "I got that too." Shinji said with a smile, "But don't worry. Destroying Angels gets easier as you go." He smiled and jogged off into the other room, or the other half of the locker room.

Asuka raised an eyebrow in question as Kasumi stared after Shinji, frozen to the spot. Her face was a bright red now, and Asuka walked over. "Hey, are you hot or something?" she asked, "Because you look like you just dunked your face in red paint." Kasumi unfroze, and shook her head in embarrassment. "No, I'm fine…" she muttered half-heartedly, walking into the girls' side of the locker room.

Asuka glanced over her shoulder discreetly, staring at the Sixth Child. There was a hauntingly cold air that seemed to hang around her, and Asuka intended to figure out why. Her blue eyes widened in question as she saw a small pendant-like thing nestled in between Kasumi's collarbones. It looked like half of a ying-yang, but it was the same maroon color of an Angel's core.

The Second Child was so entranced with the pretty necklace that she nearly leapt out of her skin when Kasumi looked at her. "Baka hentai." Kasumi said teasingly. Asuka's eyes widened and she whirled around angrily. "I was just looking at it because it's pretty!" she snapped, her famed sarcasm coming into play. Kasumi laughed slightly at Asuka's embarrassment before turning back around.

Asuka's slight blush vanished as soon as she turned around, but the fourteen-year-old pilot still wondered. Just a few minutes ago, she had been enraged that this upstart girl had saved her life and taken the glory of beating the Angel with a single blow…

But now, she was confused, and wanted to just talk with her new ally, without any threats. What did this girl evoke in other people's hearts that made them change so drastically?

Asuka turned to look over her shoulder and jerked when Kasumi was no longer in the room. The red-haired girl whirled around to look at the door, only to see nothing. Throwing on her clothes as quickly as possible, Asuka slammed her locker shut and rushed after the brown-haired pilot, hoping to find her.

Kasumi emerged from the underground fort that was NERV, gently stroking the strange necklace. Her eyes were soft and sad. "I spend one day somewhere, and I make an enemy already." she thought pitifully, "As if the Angels weren't bad enough."

"HEY, SIXTH CHILD!" a familiar voice shouted. Kasumi stopped and turned around to see Asuka running up from the exit of the Geofront. "Um, Asuka?" she asked in shock as the Second Child rushed up to her.

"Trying to run away?" Asuka panted, "How dare you! We still have a fight to finish!" The blue-eyed pilot panted to catch her breath, but still stared at Kasumi with a grin. Kasumi looked confused for a moment, but then nodded. "But first…" Asuka swung up and grabbed Kasumi's shoulder, "Let's walk and talk."

The two walked for a while, but they didn't talk. "Look…" Kasumi said, somewhat shyly, "I think that I should just back off. I didn't mean to give you guys any trouble."

Asuka held her hands behind her head and sighed, "You know, this is why I backed out of the fight." "Huh?" Kasumi blinked. "I didn't want to fight you because of two reasons." Asuka explained, "Number one, I didn't want to hurt you. Number two, you already looked like a wounded puppy." Kasumi looked at Asuka strangely, and the Second Child sighed.

"This is what I mean!" she said, "You are JUST like Shinji! You pretend to be fine, but you always back down so fast! And you're actually pretty strong! We all saw that great move you kicked the Angel's butt with! And my wrist still hurts from this afternoon!"

"I'm not." Kasumi said softly. Asuka murmured a confused sound. "I'm not…strong at all." Kasumi explained, "The attack I used on the Angel was completely speed and calculated data. And I only hurt you because I know where most pressure points are. Your wrist is an example." Asuka sighed. "Listen." she ordered, "Don't go all angsty on me, I hate that. I get it enough with Shinji. Now let's try this again." "Try what?" Kasumi wondered.

"Our introduction, stupid!" Asuka stamped her foot, "Sheesh! You ARE just like Shinji!" She held out her hand and said, "Now, I'm Asuka. Asuka Langley Sorhyu." "Kasumi." the Sixth Child said, "Kasumi Shiro." The two shook hands, and smiled at each other. "I had better get moving." Kasumi said, "I'll see you tomorrow." She turned from Asuka and started to walk away, when Asuka grabbed her shoulder.

"Say, would you…like to spend the weekend at my place?" the Second Child offered, "I'm sure that Misato would let you, and I can kick Shinji out for just one-" "S-Shinji?" Kasumi turned a light red, "Y-you l-live w-with S-Shinji?" Asuka raised an eyebrow and blinked as Kasumi laughed weakly. "Not that it matters!" she said, "I was just…shocked to hear that pilots live together! Especially with one of the high-ranking officers!" Asuka stared blankly at the nervous teen, and then sighed. "I'm gonna call Misato." she muttered, walking towards a payphone.

Kasumi bit her thumbnail nervously, staring down at the sidewalk. She leaned against a wall as Asuka spoke with a cheery tone on the payphone. "Oh man…" she thought, "Why didn't anyone tell me that those two live together? They probably have a strong relationship going…"

"So, I was wondering if you could possibly kick Shinji out of the apartment for the weekend." Asuka smiled, "Yeah, just throw him out and tell him to go to one of his friend's house for the weekend. What? Why? I told you- Are you drinking? I told you already that Kasumi is coming over for the night and staying for the weekend! Why? Misato! Put down the beer and try to remember what I said two seconds ago! OK, we'll be there in maybe about half an hour or so. Now don't forget or you'll have to suffer with my divine German fist!" She slowly put down the phone on the receiver and sighed. She had forgotten about Misato, and Kasumi would probably find her drinking 'problem' a bit strange.

Asuka looked over to her fellow pilot and raised an eyebrow in question. Kasumi looked so worried, and she didn't notice that Asuka was off the phone. "Hey, Kasumi!" Asuka called. The Sixth Child jumped and turned to Asuka. "Come ON!" the Second Child urged. Kasumi nodded nervously and started off with Asuka.

Shinji heard a soft thud and looked up from his magazine. He stood up and went to investigate, only to find Misato, asleep on the floor. Her face was flushed, and her breath was rancid. "Too many beers again." the Third Child sighed, lifting Misato and dragging her to her room.

The sun was slowly beginning sink below the horizon as Kasumi and Asuka walked towards the apartment complex where Asuka lived. "I can't believe that you live by yourself." Asuka muttered sideways, "I don't think that I could. I'd die of starvation." "If you couldn't cook, wouldn't you just buy fast-food?" Kasumi asked. "I'd run out of money, and die of starvation!" Asuka laughed. The two laughed at the joke.

"Asuka, you…you seem to change your mind faster than I can think." Kasumi muttered, "Just this morning, you tried to trip me and I smacked you in the back of the head. Now, we're getting on to be good friends." "Yeah, pretty weird, huh?" Asuka replied.

Asuka paused in front of the door, and it automatically opened. "Hey, Misato, we're here!" the red-haired pilot called, stepping into the apartment. But when no answer came, Asuka went to investigate. But before she could leave the room, she heard a meek voice say, "S-Shinji?"

Shinji looked down from the ceiling when he heard the door slid open. He sat up slowly, unwillingly to move quickly from his comfortable spot. His black-blue eyes caught Asuka's foot vanishing from sight, but his eyes mainly stayed on one spot. Kasumi. What was she doing here, in his home? Her purple eyes were wide, and she muttered, "S-Shinji?" The two were frozen, and then Asuka came rushing back into the room.

"Shinji?!" she shouted, "What the hell are you doing here?!" "Why shouldn't I be here?" Shinji asked, confused, "I live here." "I called a little while ago to tell Misato to kick you out of the apartment for the night!" Asuka snapped, "I told her to not forget and tell you!" "Misato's been conked out for the last few hours." Shinji said, "She never said anything."

"GET OUT!" Asuka ordered, "Go to one of your friend's apartments!" "Asuka, look outside." Shinji gestured, "It's dark out. No one will let me stay over on such short notice!" "Uh, Asuka, I…" Kasumi spoke up softly, "I…it doesn't matter if Shinji stays here or not." Asuka blinked. "OK, baka Shinji." she said, "You get off easy because Kasumi says it's OK."

The night flowed on into the time where each of the Children fell to sleep. Past midnight, nothing was stirring, and no one was on the road. The night was cold, and clear, the stars and moon shining bright. In the darkness, in a place that was unknown, a demonic, or perhaps in an ironic way, a holy force was stirring. The crimson glow of an Angel's core broke through the dark, and the creature began to lumber towards its final destination.

Kasumi lay sleeping, dreaming of nothing. But the blackness that blanketed her mind was pulled away, to reveal a strange gleaming figure. It had a human shape, but it didn't feel like it was human at all. "Time to go, dear sister." it said in a soothing voice, "Our enemy, and yet, our blood-siblings, are coming to destroy you and those you care about." Thousands of images flashed through Kasumi's mind. Asuka, Shinji, Rei, Misato, Ritsuko, Kensuke, Touji, and all the others she knew and cared about. The figure floated closer, holding up a piece of red stone, the other half of Kasumi's pendant. The figure put the stone to Kasumi's necklace, and the dream faded into a pure white.

Kasumi opened her eyes, as if still dreaming. Her eyes had turned to an non-shining, tiny size. Standing from the mat that Asuka had let her borrow, Kasumi walked from the room silently, the completed pendant gleaming in the darkness.