Round Perdition's Flames
Part III
"Who Wrote The Book Of Love, Anyway"
"Why, why did they send her over anyone else?
How should I react?
These things happen to other people
They don't happen at all, in fact."
--They Might Be Giants
"She's An Angel"
--Friday/Early Saturday--
It was a typical night over Tokyo-3. The stars shone down from above, adding a surreal
effect to the hub of the urban area. It was all very beautiful, though arguably best observed
from a hill not to far from the apartment building. The three children had been known to visit
there on more than one occasion, though one of them was absent this evening. Shinji allowed
himself a brief moment to think about Rei Ayanami as Asuka pulled him through the city. What
was she doing at this very moment? "Probably sleeping." He thought aloud. After realizing that
he had spoken, he expected Asuka to turn towards him and asking him what he was blabbering
about, but either she hadn't heard him, or she didn't care. Shinji quickly decided the latter
was more likely the case. Concerned about where he was being dragged, Shinji raised his voice
and addressed Asuka more directly. "Asuka! Where are you taking us?!"
Asuka looked back at him for a moment, then slowed her pace, bringing them to a stop. "I
don't know." She answered his question non-chalantly.
"You don't know?!" He had never really known Asuka to not have some sort of plan. He
noticed that when she did something, it usually had a purpose and meaning, a rhyme and a
reason, even if it was just to get a rise out of someone else.
"Nope. Why, does it matter? Misato gave us some cash so we don't have to spend our own,
so I figured we'd just walk around until we find something worthwhile. It's not like we're
pressed for time or anything!"
Shinji smirked. He had her on one count in this situation. "You forgot one thing."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Misato gave --me-- some money. I didn't recall her saying anything about you."
Asuka pulled Shinji closer with her left arm and made a fist with her right hand. "What
were you saying, soon to be mourned Third Child?!!"
Shinji squirmed a bit but decided not to yield to her just yet. After all, he was
probably going to get pounded anyway, so he might as well make it worth Asuka's while. "I said
I've got the money, so I think I have some say regarding where we're going."
"So, you want a say, do you?"
"Ulp! Yes'm!"
Asuka smiled wolfishly for the second time that hour. "Well, --say--, would you look at
that?!" The girl quickly released her grip on Shinji, sending him crashing down into the
pavement. "Oh dear, did I do that? I'm so sorry." The fallen boy made an attempt to calculate
exactly how much sarcasm was radiating from Asuka at that moment, but then he realized that it
was much too far off the chart for him to ever pinpoint.
Shinji coughed and pulled himself back onto his feet, then began dusting himself off.
"No problem." He rolled his eyes. What had made him do that? Why, when he was endeavoring to be
nicer to her, had he just all but begged her to do something to him? Stranger yet, had he
enjoyed that? No. He was accustomed to it. His day wasn't complete if Asuka didn't do something
cruel to him. His head hurt. He had been thinking about far too many complicated and confusing
things that evening. This was all still very new to him. Shinji cursed himself, then abruptly
laughed inwardly. Of all the girls, it just had to be this one. Someone out there had played a
very cruel joke on him at the cosmic level, and one day he vowed to pay whoever it was back,
assuming of course he found out who had put him in this predicament to begin with. The human
heart was a curious thing. This was not the first time in recorded history that one had set
itself on another that was seemingly unattainable. His mind told him that this was craziness,
but his heart told him otherwise. Just another example of the mind/heart dichotomy: What you
know versus what you --know.-- And Shinji knew in his heart that despite the uncomfortable
postions he was finding himself in, that somehow this was right.
Ikari was brought back to reality by a red-headed girl snapping her fingers and waving
her hand in front of his eyes. "This is Earth to Shinji Ikari." He heard her say. "It appears
our preliminary reports were correct, there's no sign of any intelligent life."
"Huh?" the boy asked, startled and unsure of himself.
"Grrrr! You are such an idiot! Baka-Shinji! Why are you staring off into space like
that?"
"I. . .I don't know. I was just. . .thinking."
"I told you before, you never think!" Asuka grumbled on unintelligibly for a moment,
speaking some strange combination of German and Japanese that made Misato's drunken dialect
easy to understand by comparison.
Shinji ignored her insult. Asuka couldn't get under his skin, not tonight. Not after
what Misato had said. Aggressive though she was, she also had this inner quality about her that
had sparkled, despite whatever cruel epithets might be coming from her mouth. It was this very
inner quality, one that Shinji had yet to pin down, that had drawn him to her in the first
place. She was dangerous to him, he knew. He was young, as was she. There were still many
things he had to figure out for himself before he could go on, yet he certainly couldn't go
back from here. He wasn't in any sort of position where could give Asuka his heart, she would
simply crush it and hand it back to him. No, this wasn't going to be easy. He grimaced. That
thought seemed familiar. He only had an inkling of where to start, by doing his best to be nice
to her. Still, where Asuka was concerned, being nice was not easy, she did her absolute best to
ensure that. And even when he did succeed, she tended to find some way to spoil it. Telling her
she looked nice would only succeed in being accused of perversion, for example. Still, he
decided to press onward. If God had any mercy on him, perhaps he would provide an opportunity.
"Let's head for the theater." Shinji suggested.
"Why?"
"Well, like I was saying back at the apartment, I think they're doing an all-night movie
again. I went to it once. . ." Shinji declined to finish the thought. It brought back
unpleasant memories of when he had run from Misato. He wasn't proud of that. No, no more
looking back. "I think it might be the same one."
"What's it about?"
"The Second Impact."
Asuka groaned. "Gott in Himmel! I am so sick of hearing about it! It happened a long
time ago! No one cares anymore! We should be looking forward to what we're going to do about
stopping a Third Impact!"
"I thought that's what my father's agency was all about. Isn't that. . .isn't that why
we battle the Angels?"
"I battle the Angels as a matter of pride. Those bastards think that they're going to
get rid of us? Think again!"
Shinji decided not to comment. At the moment, he really didn't care about Angels. There
was plenty of time to worry about them while he was in the bowels of NERV, or when they were
attacking. For now, he just wanted to concentrate on the evening and his companion.
"Oh, come on, Asuka. Look, it'll probably be good for a laugh. You're right, whoever
made that movie has no clue about the truth behind the Second Impact."
Asuka let out a sigh. "I suppose a chuckle or two wouldn't be so bad. But if I don't
like it, I'm walking out!"
"Deal."
Shinji took up a position beside the object of his eternal torment and took a deep
breath. It all made sense now. This was complete and total insanity. There was something
severely wrong with him, yes. Something must've happened to his brain during a battle or
something. Either that, or somewhere along the line he had died and been sent to hell. What he
wouldn't give for something, anything, that could impress this girl. Her terminal bitchiness
was going to be a bigger obstacle than he had anticipated. He needed an ally. Misato had said
that she would help, but deep inside Shinji realized that it was going to take more than that.
He needed the assistance of someone who knew all about women. He needed the support of a true
ladies' man. Shinji sighed. He needed Kaji. Shinji's hands subconsciously clenched and
unclenched. That was just cruelty! Kaji had somehow managed to get Asuka eating out of his hand
simply by existing. And he wasn't even interested! I mean, what a cheat! Shinji knew that out
of all the guys he knew, Kaji seemed to be closest to the mark regarding that universal mystery
of what it is that women want. Therefore, Kaji would certainly be able to give him some
pointers, key him into what it was that a girl like Asuka saw in him. Unfortunately, Shinji
came to the quick realization that Asuka was attracted to Kaji for the simple reason that he
was Kaji. "Damn it!" Shinji muttered under his breath. It was up to him for now. Perhaps he
could still get some advice out of Kaji. Then again, if he confessed to Kaji that he wanted to
pursue Asuka, he might never live it down. Come to think of it, Shinji suddenly understood that
this was a secret he had best keep to himself and a very select circle of accomplises. If
someone like Toji or Kensuke got wind of this, they might never forgive him for such a
betrayal. To his friends, Asuka was generally regarded as the enemy, though undeniably she was
a looker. Kensuke still hadn't spent all of the money he had made selling pictures of her when
she was new to school! Moreover, if the whole school found out, he might have to consider
fleeing Japan altogether for his own safety.
All of this still bothered him. When all was said and done, she was still Asuka, wasn't
she? A grevious doubt ran through him, and he nearly froze in place. What if he wasn't good
enough for the girl? He had been attracted to her because of the things she did to push him
away, after all. Aside from that, he really did want her to be his partner. Despite her open
hostility, she was the balance that he needed. By nature, he was a private person. He was
content to stay quiet and surf the tides of life. He remembered sitting at Misato's promotion
party, listening to everyone else carry on, whooping and hollering. Misato had been the only
one to understand. If he had been ten years older, and Misato wasn't such a heavy drinker, they
might have made a good pair. He felt sorry for Misato. She could confront most situations head
on, like the time she had just jumped onto the runaway Jet Alone, climbed inside, and attempted
to deactivate its reactor, despite the tremendous threat to her own safety. He admired that. So
why couldn't she and Kaji just have it out. Whenever the two were together, Misato always did
her best to belittle him.. Shinji had pieced together that they were old beaus whose romance
had ended badly, but it must have been a long time ago. If she really didn't like him, then why
did she avoid him so much? She wasn't quiet like him. She should just have it out with him and
stop putting it off. But instead, she was pulling a Shinji. . .had he really just thought that?
It probably wasn't a good sign when you began associating your own name with a negative action.
It really didn't matter, because it was at that moment that he felt himself falling forward
again, his hands instinctively reaching out and scraping the ground in order to break his fall.
"You really should be more careful." Asuka commented. Shinji was able to tell by her
tone of voice that he had fallen on his own this time. If Asuka was going to abuse him, which
was one of the few things in life he could consistently count on, verbal abuse was preferable
to the physical kind. Unless of course she felt like combining the two, which was often the
case. Still, he wasn't improving his case at all. Somehow, he felt that ever since they had
left Misato's apartment, he had gone out of his way to do everything he could to lessen Asuka's
already poor opinion of himself. That was enough. Competition and dignity be damned. He had to
talk to Kaji. He would never succeed in courting any girl if he couldn't get his act together.
He was just going to have to trust Kaji not to go blathering his secret to everyone on the
Geofront. What a downer! Wasn't falling for someone else supposed to bring you closer to
happiness? Moreover, why were all these questions with no readily available answers floating
his way lately?
"Y'know, Shinji, I'm sure that asphalt tastes wonderful, but are you planning on
spending all night down there? Because this sure isn't my idea of a good time!"
Damn this girl. Did she have even one kind word in his heart for him? What the hell was
wrong with him anyway? How, on any level behind the superficial physical one, could he find
this girl attractive? Had he become self-destructive? No, he wasn't that bad off. Come to think
of it, he had gotten a lot out of his system when he had run away from Misato after his battle
with the 4th Angel. He hadn't been completely sure at the time, but he was now very grateful
that he had stayed. No matter how bad things got, this was his home now. He didn't have
anywhere to go back to. He couldn't respect himself if he did go back to his previous
existence. He was in the process of finding himself now. Perhaps that was where the attraction
lay. Asuka was a representation of everything he felt that he should be, but wasn't. Well,
okay, maybe not --everything--. But she was an individual of strong will. She didn't believe
that there was something that she could not accomplish.
"Baka Shinji! Stop trying to look up my skirt and get up!" She gave him a kick, not as
strong as he had expected, more of a nudge to get moving. He complied, why shouldn't he? Asuka
did have a point, lying on the sidewalk at three in the morning could hardly be described as a
good time. Adventureous, maybe, but not a good time. The boy did his best to put a smile on and
then he pulled himself to a standing position. Inspecting his hands, he noted that he had
scraped them a bit, but it appeared as though they would be all right.
"I wasn't trying to look up your skirt." He said with some authority, suprising the both
of them. Then he resumed his walk towards the theater.
"O-Of course you were!" Asuka cursed to herself and began walking again as well. She
almost never sounded unsure of herself. It was a sign of weakness. "Why else were you just
lying down back there? You pervert!"
A wry smile crossed Shinji's lips, though he made sure his back was towards her so she
couldn't see. "You know, that only proves you don't know me at all."
Now she was getting angry. This kid was more dangerous than she had thought. A surge of
emotion ran through her. Ten years. She had trained for nearly ten years to become an Eva
pilot. And now, this kid was starting to become a direct threat to her standing. In a matter of
months, he had managed to get his syncronization rate to approximately 50% of her own, and he
didn't show any signs of leveling off just yet. If she wasn't more careful, she was going to
lose her place in the sun. And now, this dumbkopft was telling her that she didn't know him at
all? The absolute nerve! After all she had done! After the living hell they had both endured in
order to defeat 7th Angel! For a good week or two after that, she still knew when he had to
pee, for God's sake!
"How dare you! I know you! I had damn well better, for all the time we have to spend
living in close quarters! Maybe we don't get along very well, but that's your fault anyway!"
"Asuka, if you really knew me, then you would know why I wasn't looking up your skirt."
"This I've got to hear! Okay, hentai, I'm waiting for your little explanation as to why
you aren't a filthy, disgusting little pervert! And it had better be a convincing one,
especially considering those two clowns you always hang out with."
Shinji turned to face her. "I can't speak for Toji or Kensuke, Asuka. I can only speak
for myself. And I grew up the mindset that true beauty is not something that should be looked
at lewdly. It should be admired properly and purely, not degraded." Shinji once again turned
around and continued walking.
Asuka began to follow him. She had no words to say in retort. This annoyed her to no
end. Was that some round about way of complimenting her he had just used? And if so, what
should she do about it? It was far too late now to respond to it, the moment had passed. A
large part of her felt like picking Shinji up, and drop-kicking him into another block. But
what would have been the point in doing that? For starters, it would sure make her feel a lot
better. Why did he have to be so annoying all the time? Generally, it was easy for her to get
him to go along with whatever it was she wanted. This should have made him one of her favorite
people, instead, it somehow made him one of the most aggravating she had ever known. And now he
had to go and say something like that. Damn him! Where did he get off? How had he somehow ended
up in control of the situation? That responsibility was meant to rest directly with her. She
couldn't trust anyone else. She was a leader, not a follower. She didn't need this. She didn't
want it either. Why had Misato forced them out of the apartment? She wasn't really a people
person, and she usually made this information available to just about everyone who crossed her
path. There were only a few people that she associated herself with, and nearly all of them
were NERV personnel.
Looking forward, she realized that Shinji was now far ahead of her. That kid could walk
when he was in a hurry! "Hey!" she yelled after him. "You can't just leave me here! You idiot!"
Shinji stopped himself. She did have a point. Besides, Asuka was his unofficial "date"
for the evening, even if it wasn't a real date. But he was paying. So that had to count for
something. Even if it was Misato's money. He did feel a tad guilty about that. Misato wasn't
exactly rich or anything. If she was, she would probably hire professional cleaners. Shinji
shuddered as he thought about what her place looked like when he had first arrived. It had
taken a lot of hard work and elbow grease, but the place looked respectable now. Misato was a
great battle tactician, but she would never survive as a housewife. She was totally clueless.
In fact, she was the only person he knew who could make something like instant ramen and manage
to mess it up. "Asuka?! What were you doing way back there?" he inquired as she came running
up.
"Well, excuse me, but --somebody-- didn't wait up for me! You moron!"
"Oh."
"I still can't believe that Misato threw us out here at this hour!"
"Well, as the old saying goes, let's just try to make the best of it. I tell you what,
I'll make you a bet."
"What kind of a bet?"
"I'll bet you that we can make it from now until we can go back home without arguing. If
we can't, I'll do the dishes for two weeks straight."
"Hold up a second! How do I know you won't cheat?"
"Cheat? Me? I don't cheat! Even if I did, how could I?"
"No fair doing a silent treatment. We have to engage in normal conversation."
"Hah! Why not? You'll never make it! I'm going to be looking forward to the next two
weeks."
"You're on, Third Child! You're going to be eating so much crow!" As soon as she had
said it, she felt a tad bit nervous. Who was she fooling? This bet was going to be much easier
for Shinji to win than for her. Heck, she couldn't really recall a "normal" conversation that
they had had since they had first met. Silently, they grasped hands and pumped twice. Shinji
couldn't help but notice how soft her hands felt, especially for someone with such a rough
personality. Asuka, in turn, noticed how Shinji's hands felt rough and calloused from when they
had scraped across the sidewalk earlier. They didn't feel the way she thought they should. Not
that she really knew how Shinji's hands were supposed to feel anyway, but, somehow, they just
didn't feel. . .right. Shinji hated to let go of her hand, but he knew that he couldn't hold
onto it much longer without arousing suspicion. He had to be careful, now was certainly not the
time. He needed to find a reason for Asuka to go with him, something that would suit her. That
certainly wouldn't be an easy task. He couldn't just go and make something like this up, he had
to give her something valid, something concrete, something solid, something that she couldn't
refuse. Otherwise, there was not way he was ever going to pull this off. A brief scowl ran
acorss his face. All right then, he wouldn't back down, no matter how many doubts came into his
head. He had done enough waffling and second guessing. At this point, Asuka noticed Shinji's
dark look. "What's wrong, Shinji, don't you like holding my hand?" she teased seductively.
"Eh? Ah! No! I mean yes! I mean-"
"Save it! It's okay, I'll allow you escort me. Maybe it'll help keep any freaks and
weirdos out there at bay."
"Oh." Shinji silently wondered how he would be expected to repay this later.
"Hmpf! Try not to be so disappointed! What did you expect?"
*A lot less than this.* He thought to himself. "I don't know."
Asuka turned back towards their destination, now only a few blocks away, and promptly
reclaimed her appendage. "Shinji?"
"Yes?"
"We will agree that our. . .conversation this afternoon never took place." She said it
as a fact, not a question. Just as well, Misato was the only other one who had seen any of the
less than perfect moment, and even Asuka wasn't aware of that little tidbit. Shinji was
inclined to keep it that way. "Yes."
She smiled ever-so-slightly at him. "Good. Now, get a move on! I'm hungry! I want you to
buy me some popcorn! Shinji resumed his walk as well, but he couldn't help but think that
somehow, he was getting all the burdens of a relationship without any of the benefits.
************************************************************************
The Legal Lambada--I don't have anything to do with Neon Genesis Evangelion. I didn't produce
it, I didn't create it, and I don't pretend to have! This series is copyright by Gainax, A.D.V.
Films holds the rights to the English Language Version.The author makes no claim whatsoever to
any of the characters or the setting contained within this work, merely the situation in which
they have been placed. Standard disclaimers apply. No substitutions, exchanges, or refunds.
Batteries not included. Thanks you've all been a great crowd, don't forget to tip your servers
on the way out. Amen.
************************************************************************
Author's Note--Those of you still with me have probably noticed that I have an uncanny ability
for stringing a lot of words together and still having very little happening. Well, I agree.
This story is a bet "heady" as we say in my town. There's a lot of different thoughts bubbling
up to the surface, and so far that's what the majority of this story has entailed. Some of you
make think it different and enjoyable. Others may wish to tie me to a chair and kick me down
the stairs, I really don't know. This chapter was restructured somewhat, and I've decided to
break it into two parts. So yes, there is a point to all of this, and I am getting there. You
shouldn't have too much longer of a wait now for a more "normal" story with more dialogue and
the like, you know, things happening! Right now, I'm just trying to show everyone where the
main players are coming from, what's their frame of mind? I hope I've at least accomplished
that! Also, some of you may be wondering where the WAFF is. So far, we've seen inner turmoil,
unrequited. . .well, I hate to use the term love, I don't think it's quite that (at least not
at this point), a bit of the inner Asuka, and I touched just a smidgen on something with
Misato. But so far, there really hasn't been any WAFF. Sorry, but I'm a believer that the warm
and fuzzy things will have to wait. Those of you out there who are fanfic writers know how
frustrating it can be to have great scenes laid out, but first you need to write the groundwork
for them. This is usually easier said than done. But I'm working on it! This story means a lot
to me. I'm constantly working on it. There are times when I'll bet the show going on behind the
scenes as I write is more entertaining than what I've actually written. It's a strangely
satisfying feeling when you bang your head against the keyboard in frustration at 3 o'clock in
the morning, wondering why you can't get something to come out right and just how little sleep
you can get and still be attentive in class the next morning. There's still a line or two that
I just felt weren't Asuka enough, or Shinji enough, but then, the very nature of this fic is
likely to cause a little case of OOC-itis, but I'm hoping that I've designed it in such a way
that it's few and far between. At any rate, this is the end of the current installment. If
you're reading this fic when it is "new" which it is as of 4/7/00, 3:31 AM EST, and you don't
see a link taking you to Chapter 3.5 somewhere, then go outside and play, all right? If you do
see a link, it means that unfortunately for you, I've written even more of this story, and
since you've committed yourself this for, you should be heading to 3.5 right now. Or plotting
to kill me. Either way, you've got some work to do, don't you, so stop lollygagging around
here! I'm serious! This is the end of the file. The floor show is over. Yeah, I know, you got
screwed again. What, you want your money back? Life is full of disappointments! Okay, that's
it. End of file. Finis. See y'all later. Don't let the screen door hit you where Pen-pen should
have bit you!
Part III
"Who Wrote The Book Of Love, Anyway"
"Why, why did they send her over anyone else?
How should I react?
These things happen to other people
They don't happen at all, in fact."
--They Might Be Giants
"She's An Angel"
--Friday/Early Saturday--
It was a typical night over Tokyo-3. The stars shone down from above, adding a surreal
effect to the hub of the urban area. It was all very beautiful, though arguably best observed
from a hill not to far from the apartment building. The three children had been known to visit
there on more than one occasion, though one of them was absent this evening. Shinji allowed
himself a brief moment to think about Rei Ayanami as Asuka pulled him through the city. What
was she doing at this very moment? "Probably sleeping." He thought aloud. After realizing that
he had spoken, he expected Asuka to turn towards him and asking him what he was blabbering
about, but either she hadn't heard him, or she didn't care. Shinji quickly decided the latter
was more likely the case. Concerned about where he was being dragged, Shinji raised his voice
and addressed Asuka more directly. "Asuka! Where are you taking us?!"
Asuka looked back at him for a moment, then slowed her pace, bringing them to a stop. "I
don't know." She answered his question non-chalantly.
"You don't know?!" He had never really known Asuka to not have some sort of plan. He
noticed that when she did something, it usually had a purpose and meaning, a rhyme and a
reason, even if it was just to get a rise out of someone else.
"Nope. Why, does it matter? Misato gave us some cash so we don't have to spend our own,
so I figured we'd just walk around until we find something worthwhile. It's not like we're
pressed for time or anything!"
Shinji smirked. He had her on one count in this situation. "You forgot one thing."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Misato gave --me-- some money. I didn't recall her saying anything about you."
Asuka pulled Shinji closer with her left arm and made a fist with her right hand. "What
were you saying, soon to be mourned Third Child?!!"
Shinji squirmed a bit but decided not to yield to her just yet. After all, he was
probably going to get pounded anyway, so he might as well make it worth Asuka's while. "I said
I've got the money, so I think I have some say regarding where we're going."
"So, you want a say, do you?"
"Ulp! Yes'm!"
Asuka smiled wolfishly for the second time that hour. "Well, --say--, would you look at
that?!" The girl quickly released her grip on Shinji, sending him crashing down into the
pavement. "Oh dear, did I do that? I'm so sorry." The fallen boy made an attempt to calculate
exactly how much sarcasm was radiating from Asuka at that moment, but then he realized that it
was much too far off the chart for him to ever pinpoint.
Shinji coughed and pulled himself back onto his feet, then began dusting himself off.
"No problem." He rolled his eyes. What had made him do that? Why, when he was endeavoring to be
nicer to her, had he just all but begged her to do something to him? Stranger yet, had he
enjoyed that? No. He was accustomed to it. His day wasn't complete if Asuka didn't do something
cruel to him. His head hurt. He had been thinking about far too many complicated and confusing
things that evening. This was all still very new to him. Shinji cursed himself, then abruptly
laughed inwardly. Of all the girls, it just had to be this one. Someone out there had played a
very cruel joke on him at the cosmic level, and one day he vowed to pay whoever it was back,
assuming of course he found out who had put him in this predicament to begin with. The human
heart was a curious thing. This was not the first time in recorded history that one had set
itself on another that was seemingly unattainable. His mind told him that this was craziness,
but his heart told him otherwise. Just another example of the mind/heart dichotomy: What you
know versus what you --know.-- And Shinji knew in his heart that despite the uncomfortable
postions he was finding himself in, that somehow this was right.
Ikari was brought back to reality by a red-headed girl snapping her fingers and waving
her hand in front of his eyes. "This is Earth to Shinji Ikari." He heard her say. "It appears
our preliminary reports were correct, there's no sign of any intelligent life."
"Huh?" the boy asked, startled and unsure of himself.
"Grrrr! You are such an idiot! Baka-Shinji! Why are you staring off into space like
that?"
"I. . .I don't know. I was just. . .thinking."
"I told you before, you never think!" Asuka grumbled on unintelligibly for a moment,
speaking some strange combination of German and Japanese that made Misato's drunken dialect
easy to understand by comparison.
Shinji ignored her insult. Asuka couldn't get under his skin, not tonight. Not after
what Misato had said. Aggressive though she was, she also had this inner quality about her that
had sparkled, despite whatever cruel epithets might be coming from her mouth. It was this very
inner quality, one that Shinji had yet to pin down, that had drawn him to her in the first
place. She was dangerous to him, he knew. He was young, as was she. There were still many
things he had to figure out for himself before he could go on, yet he certainly couldn't go
back from here. He wasn't in any sort of position where could give Asuka his heart, she would
simply crush it and hand it back to him. No, this wasn't going to be easy. He grimaced. That
thought seemed familiar. He only had an inkling of where to start, by doing his best to be nice
to her. Still, where Asuka was concerned, being nice was not easy, she did her absolute best to
ensure that. And even when he did succeed, she tended to find some way to spoil it. Telling her
she looked nice would only succeed in being accused of perversion, for example. Still, he
decided to press onward. If God had any mercy on him, perhaps he would provide an opportunity.
"Let's head for the theater." Shinji suggested.
"Why?"
"Well, like I was saying back at the apartment, I think they're doing an all-night movie
again. I went to it once. . ." Shinji declined to finish the thought. It brought back
unpleasant memories of when he had run from Misato. He wasn't proud of that. No, no more
looking back. "I think it might be the same one."
"What's it about?"
"The Second Impact."
Asuka groaned. "Gott in Himmel! I am so sick of hearing about it! It happened a long
time ago! No one cares anymore! We should be looking forward to what we're going to do about
stopping a Third Impact!"
"I thought that's what my father's agency was all about. Isn't that. . .isn't that why
we battle the Angels?"
"I battle the Angels as a matter of pride. Those bastards think that they're going to
get rid of us? Think again!"
Shinji decided not to comment. At the moment, he really didn't care about Angels. There
was plenty of time to worry about them while he was in the bowels of NERV, or when they were
attacking. For now, he just wanted to concentrate on the evening and his companion.
"Oh, come on, Asuka. Look, it'll probably be good for a laugh. You're right, whoever
made that movie has no clue about the truth behind the Second Impact."
Asuka let out a sigh. "I suppose a chuckle or two wouldn't be so bad. But if I don't
like it, I'm walking out!"
"Deal."
Shinji took up a position beside the object of his eternal torment and took a deep
breath. It all made sense now. This was complete and total insanity. There was something
severely wrong with him, yes. Something must've happened to his brain during a battle or
something. Either that, or somewhere along the line he had died and been sent to hell. What he
wouldn't give for something, anything, that could impress this girl. Her terminal bitchiness
was going to be a bigger obstacle than he had anticipated. He needed an ally. Misato had said
that she would help, but deep inside Shinji realized that it was going to take more than that.
He needed the assistance of someone who knew all about women. He needed the support of a true
ladies' man. Shinji sighed. He needed Kaji. Shinji's hands subconsciously clenched and
unclenched. That was just cruelty! Kaji had somehow managed to get Asuka eating out of his hand
simply by existing. And he wasn't even interested! I mean, what a cheat! Shinji knew that out
of all the guys he knew, Kaji seemed to be closest to the mark regarding that universal mystery
of what it is that women want. Therefore, Kaji would certainly be able to give him some
pointers, key him into what it was that a girl like Asuka saw in him. Unfortunately, Shinji
came to the quick realization that Asuka was attracted to Kaji for the simple reason that he
was Kaji. "Damn it!" Shinji muttered under his breath. It was up to him for now. Perhaps he
could still get some advice out of Kaji. Then again, if he confessed to Kaji that he wanted to
pursue Asuka, he might never live it down. Come to think of it, Shinji suddenly understood that
this was a secret he had best keep to himself and a very select circle of accomplises. If
someone like Toji or Kensuke got wind of this, they might never forgive him for such a
betrayal. To his friends, Asuka was generally regarded as the enemy, though undeniably she was
a looker. Kensuke still hadn't spent all of the money he had made selling pictures of her when
she was new to school! Moreover, if the whole school found out, he might have to consider
fleeing Japan altogether for his own safety.
All of this still bothered him. When all was said and done, she was still Asuka, wasn't
she? A grevious doubt ran through him, and he nearly froze in place. What if he wasn't good
enough for the girl? He had been attracted to her because of the things she did to push him
away, after all. Aside from that, he really did want her to be his partner. Despite her open
hostility, she was the balance that he needed. By nature, he was a private person. He was
content to stay quiet and surf the tides of life. He remembered sitting at Misato's promotion
party, listening to everyone else carry on, whooping and hollering. Misato had been the only
one to understand. If he had been ten years older, and Misato wasn't such a heavy drinker, they
might have made a good pair. He felt sorry for Misato. She could confront most situations head
on, like the time she had just jumped onto the runaway Jet Alone, climbed inside, and attempted
to deactivate its reactor, despite the tremendous threat to her own safety. He admired that. So
why couldn't she and Kaji just have it out. Whenever the two were together, Misato always did
her best to belittle him.. Shinji had pieced together that they were old beaus whose romance
had ended badly, but it must have been a long time ago. If she really didn't like him, then why
did she avoid him so much? She wasn't quiet like him. She should just have it out with him and
stop putting it off. But instead, she was pulling a Shinji. . .had he really just thought that?
It probably wasn't a good sign when you began associating your own name with a negative action.
It really didn't matter, because it was at that moment that he felt himself falling forward
again, his hands instinctively reaching out and scraping the ground in order to break his fall.
"You really should be more careful." Asuka commented. Shinji was able to tell by her
tone of voice that he had fallen on his own this time. If Asuka was going to abuse him, which
was one of the few things in life he could consistently count on, verbal abuse was preferable
to the physical kind. Unless of course she felt like combining the two, which was often the
case. Still, he wasn't improving his case at all. Somehow, he felt that ever since they had
left Misato's apartment, he had gone out of his way to do everything he could to lessen Asuka's
already poor opinion of himself. That was enough. Competition and dignity be damned. He had to
talk to Kaji. He would never succeed in courting any girl if he couldn't get his act together.
He was just going to have to trust Kaji not to go blathering his secret to everyone on the
Geofront. What a downer! Wasn't falling for someone else supposed to bring you closer to
happiness? Moreover, why were all these questions with no readily available answers floating
his way lately?
"Y'know, Shinji, I'm sure that asphalt tastes wonderful, but are you planning on
spending all night down there? Because this sure isn't my idea of a good time!"
Damn this girl. Did she have even one kind word in his heart for him? What the hell was
wrong with him anyway? How, on any level behind the superficial physical one, could he find
this girl attractive? Had he become self-destructive? No, he wasn't that bad off. Come to think
of it, he had gotten a lot out of his system when he had run away from Misato after his battle
with the 4th Angel. He hadn't been completely sure at the time, but he was now very grateful
that he had stayed. No matter how bad things got, this was his home now. He didn't have
anywhere to go back to. He couldn't respect himself if he did go back to his previous
existence. He was in the process of finding himself now. Perhaps that was where the attraction
lay. Asuka was a representation of everything he felt that he should be, but wasn't. Well,
okay, maybe not --everything--. But she was an individual of strong will. She didn't believe
that there was something that she could not accomplish.
"Baka Shinji! Stop trying to look up my skirt and get up!" She gave him a kick, not as
strong as he had expected, more of a nudge to get moving. He complied, why shouldn't he? Asuka
did have a point, lying on the sidewalk at three in the morning could hardly be described as a
good time. Adventureous, maybe, but not a good time. The boy did his best to put a smile on and
then he pulled himself to a standing position. Inspecting his hands, he noted that he had
scraped them a bit, but it appeared as though they would be all right.
"I wasn't trying to look up your skirt." He said with some authority, suprising the both
of them. Then he resumed his walk towards the theater.
"O-Of course you were!" Asuka cursed to herself and began walking again as well. She
almost never sounded unsure of herself. It was a sign of weakness. "Why else were you just
lying down back there? You pervert!"
A wry smile crossed Shinji's lips, though he made sure his back was towards her so she
couldn't see. "You know, that only proves you don't know me at all."
Now she was getting angry. This kid was more dangerous than she had thought. A surge of
emotion ran through her. Ten years. She had trained for nearly ten years to become an Eva
pilot. And now, this kid was starting to become a direct threat to her standing. In a matter of
months, he had managed to get his syncronization rate to approximately 50% of her own, and he
didn't show any signs of leveling off just yet. If she wasn't more careful, she was going to
lose her place in the sun. And now, this dumbkopft was telling her that she didn't know him at
all? The absolute nerve! After all she had done! After the living hell they had both endured in
order to defeat 7th Angel! For a good week or two after that, she still knew when he had to
pee, for God's sake!
"How dare you! I know you! I had damn well better, for all the time we have to spend
living in close quarters! Maybe we don't get along very well, but that's your fault anyway!"
"Asuka, if you really knew me, then you would know why I wasn't looking up your skirt."
"This I've got to hear! Okay, hentai, I'm waiting for your little explanation as to why
you aren't a filthy, disgusting little pervert! And it had better be a convincing one,
especially considering those two clowns you always hang out with."
Shinji turned to face her. "I can't speak for Toji or Kensuke, Asuka. I can only speak
for myself. And I grew up the mindset that true beauty is not something that should be looked
at lewdly. It should be admired properly and purely, not degraded." Shinji once again turned
around and continued walking.
Asuka began to follow him. She had no words to say in retort. This annoyed her to no
end. Was that some round about way of complimenting her he had just used? And if so, what
should she do about it? It was far too late now to respond to it, the moment had passed. A
large part of her felt like picking Shinji up, and drop-kicking him into another block. But
what would have been the point in doing that? For starters, it would sure make her feel a lot
better. Why did he have to be so annoying all the time? Generally, it was easy for her to get
him to go along with whatever it was she wanted. This should have made him one of her favorite
people, instead, it somehow made him one of the most aggravating she had ever known. And now he
had to go and say something like that. Damn him! Where did he get off? How had he somehow ended
up in control of the situation? That responsibility was meant to rest directly with her. She
couldn't trust anyone else. She was a leader, not a follower. She didn't need this. She didn't
want it either. Why had Misato forced them out of the apartment? She wasn't really a people
person, and she usually made this information available to just about everyone who crossed her
path. There were only a few people that she associated herself with, and nearly all of them
were NERV personnel.
Looking forward, she realized that Shinji was now far ahead of her. That kid could walk
when he was in a hurry! "Hey!" she yelled after him. "You can't just leave me here! You idiot!"
Shinji stopped himself. She did have a point. Besides, Asuka was his unofficial "date"
for the evening, even if it wasn't a real date. But he was paying. So that had to count for
something. Even if it was Misato's money. He did feel a tad guilty about that. Misato wasn't
exactly rich or anything. If she was, she would probably hire professional cleaners. Shinji
shuddered as he thought about what her place looked like when he had first arrived. It had
taken a lot of hard work and elbow grease, but the place looked respectable now. Misato was a
great battle tactician, but she would never survive as a housewife. She was totally clueless.
In fact, she was the only person he knew who could make something like instant ramen and manage
to mess it up. "Asuka?! What were you doing way back there?" he inquired as she came running
up.
"Well, excuse me, but --somebody-- didn't wait up for me! You moron!"
"Oh."
"I still can't believe that Misato threw us out here at this hour!"
"Well, as the old saying goes, let's just try to make the best of it. I tell you what,
I'll make you a bet."
"What kind of a bet?"
"I'll bet you that we can make it from now until we can go back home without arguing. If
we can't, I'll do the dishes for two weeks straight."
"Hold up a second! How do I know you won't cheat?"
"Cheat? Me? I don't cheat! Even if I did, how could I?"
"No fair doing a silent treatment. We have to engage in normal conversation."
"Hah! Why not? You'll never make it! I'm going to be looking forward to the next two
weeks."
"You're on, Third Child! You're going to be eating so much crow!" As soon as she had
said it, she felt a tad bit nervous. Who was she fooling? This bet was going to be much easier
for Shinji to win than for her. Heck, she couldn't really recall a "normal" conversation that
they had had since they had first met. Silently, they grasped hands and pumped twice. Shinji
couldn't help but notice how soft her hands felt, especially for someone with such a rough
personality. Asuka, in turn, noticed how Shinji's hands felt rough and calloused from when they
had scraped across the sidewalk earlier. They didn't feel the way she thought they should. Not
that she really knew how Shinji's hands were supposed to feel anyway, but, somehow, they just
didn't feel. . .right. Shinji hated to let go of her hand, but he knew that he couldn't hold
onto it much longer without arousing suspicion. He had to be careful, now was certainly not the
time. He needed to find a reason for Asuka to go with him, something that would suit her. That
certainly wouldn't be an easy task. He couldn't just go and make something like this up, he had
to give her something valid, something concrete, something solid, something that she couldn't
refuse. Otherwise, there was not way he was ever going to pull this off. A brief scowl ran
acorss his face. All right then, he wouldn't back down, no matter how many doubts came into his
head. He had done enough waffling and second guessing. At this point, Asuka noticed Shinji's
dark look. "What's wrong, Shinji, don't you like holding my hand?" she teased seductively.
"Eh? Ah! No! I mean yes! I mean-"
"Save it! It's okay, I'll allow you escort me. Maybe it'll help keep any freaks and
weirdos out there at bay."
"Oh." Shinji silently wondered how he would be expected to repay this later.
"Hmpf! Try not to be so disappointed! What did you expect?"
*A lot less than this.* He thought to himself. "I don't know."
Asuka turned back towards their destination, now only a few blocks away, and promptly
reclaimed her appendage. "Shinji?"
"Yes?"
"We will agree that our. . .conversation this afternoon never took place." She said it
as a fact, not a question. Just as well, Misato was the only other one who had seen any of the
less than perfect moment, and even Asuka wasn't aware of that little tidbit. Shinji was
inclined to keep it that way. "Yes."
She smiled ever-so-slightly at him. "Good. Now, get a move on! I'm hungry! I want you to
buy me some popcorn! Shinji resumed his walk as well, but he couldn't help but think that
somehow, he was getting all the burdens of a relationship without any of the benefits.
************************************************************************
The Legal Lambada--I don't have anything to do with Neon Genesis Evangelion. I didn't produce
it, I didn't create it, and I don't pretend to have! This series is copyright by Gainax, A.D.V.
Films holds the rights to the English Language Version.The author makes no claim whatsoever to
any of the characters or the setting contained within this work, merely the situation in which
they have been placed. Standard disclaimers apply. No substitutions, exchanges, or refunds.
Batteries not included. Thanks you've all been a great crowd, don't forget to tip your servers
on the way out. Amen.
************************************************************************
Author's Note--Those of you still with me have probably noticed that I have an uncanny ability
for stringing a lot of words together and still having very little happening. Well, I agree.
This story is a bet "heady" as we say in my town. There's a lot of different thoughts bubbling
up to the surface, and so far that's what the majority of this story has entailed. Some of you
make think it different and enjoyable. Others may wish to tie me to a chair and kick me down
the stairs, I really don't know. This chapter was restructured somewhat, and I've decided to
break it into two parts. So yes, there is a point to all of this, and I am getting there. You
shouldn't have too much longer of a wait now for a more "normal" story with more dialogue and
the like, you know, things happening! Right now, I'm just trying to show everyone where the
main players are coming from, what's their frame of mind? I hope I've at least accomplished
that! Also, some of you may be wondering where the WAFF is. So far, we've seen inner turmoil,
unrequited. . .well, I hate to use the term love, I don't think it's quite that (at least not
at this point), a bit of the inner Asuka, and I touched just a smidgen on something with
Misato. But so far, there really hasn't been any WAFF. Sorry, but I'm a believer that the warm
and fuzzy things will have to wait. Those of you out there who are fanfic writers know how
frustrating it can be to have great scenes laid out, but first you need to write the groundwork
for them. This is usually easier said than done. But I'm working on it! This story means a lot
to me. I'm constantly working on it. There are times when I'll bet the show going on behind the
scenes as I write is more entertaining than what I've actually written. It's a strangely
satisfying feeling when you bang your head against the keyboard in frustration at 3 o'clock in
the morning, wondering why you can't get something to come out right and just how little sleep
you can get and still be attentive in class the next morning. There's still a line or two that
I just felt weren't Asuka enough, or Shinji enough, but then, the very nature of this fic is
likely to cause a little case of OOC-itis, but I'm hoping that I've designed it in such a way
that it's few and far between. At any rate, this is the end of the current installment. If
you're reading this fic when it is "new" which it is as of 4/7/00, 3:31 AM EST, and you don't
see a link taking you to Chapter 3.5 somewhere, then go outside and play, all right? If you do
see a link, it means that unfortunately for you, I've written even more of this story, and
since you've committed yourself this for, you should be heading to 3.5 right now. Or plotting
to kill me. Either way, you've got some work to do, don't you, so stop lollygagging around
here! I'm serious! This is the end of the file. The floor show is over. Yeah, I know, you got
screwed again. What, you want your money back? Life is full of disappointments! Okay, that's
it. End of file. Finis. See y'all later. Don't let the screen door hit you where Pen-pen should
have bit you!