Disclaimer: See previous chapter.

Author's Notes: I feel that I must apologise for my extended absence. It's been like six months since the last update, but in my defence I have been very busy with job hunting and whatnot. But I'm back and ready to work baby!!

After this chapter you are either going to love me or hate me, but that's just the way it goes. Anyway, on with the show!! And as always, Italics are the lyrics of the song.

The Swedish Royal House proudly presents:

The Talent Hunt                                                                                                                                                            

Chapter 5: Asuka's Performance/ Opening Up.

D-Day

19:50 PM

Tokyo-3 Municipal High School, Parking Lot.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Misato had been sitting on the hood of her car for the last fifteen minutes trying to calm down, hence the half empty six-pack in her lap, when Asuka joined her.

"This evening sure got interesting." She remarked as she collapsed beside the woman on the hood.

"No kidding, it took me half a pack just to stop twitching." Her guardian answered as she downed the rest of the can and deposited it on the ground.

"You're next right?" she asked as she popped her fourth brew of the evening.

"Yeah, but I don't have to get ready for another ten minutes." The girl answered absentmindedly.

"Are you going to bring it up or should I?" Misato asked with a small smile.

"I don't know anyone nearly as well as I thought!" Asuka suddenly exclaimed, "I mean, Hikari in leather pants, HIKARI for Christ's sake!"

"Amen to that." Misato saluted and chugged down half her beer, "She's being awfully chatty tonight, she must be really off balance." She thought while glancing at the raving girl.

"And did you see Shinji!? He was like a friggin' madman up there!"

"I thought he was pretty good." Misato answered a little defensively, but the girl was to caught up in her rant to notice.

"And Rei! It was like a…you know, a damn…ehh, you know."  Misato watched in amusement as the girl tried to find words strong enough to describe Rei's little act.

"I understand completely." She interrupted and emptied her beer with a satisfied little sigh, "Anyways, are you still going to do…what's-her-face, you know, that blonde who became a porn star a couple of years ago?"

" Britney? Nope, I figured she wasn't really my style so I found me a better one." Asuka answered, "I got to go now, I still have to steal the show and crush the competition before I can go home." She added with an evil smirk and jumped of the hood.

"You go girl!" Misato added with a small smile.

Suddenly they were interrupted by the sound of a car horn being honked repeatedly.

"For the love of God, let me park! My daughter will murder me if I miss her performance!" a man, that Asuka identified as Hikari's father, shouted as he desperately tried to manoeuvre into a parking slot that had been vacated, together with about three other desperate fathers. 

"You and me both pal! Wait for your turn dammit!" another man shouted back.

Asuka just shrugged and continued toward the entrance.

***

Shinji took great pride in the fact that he didn't stare. For the last ten minutes he had been blushing furiously as Hikari sat next to him on a bleacher talking with Touji, but at least he didn't stare. Touji on the other hand looked traumatized. His eyes were glazed over and he only spoke in single syllables when she asked him something. After a while she turned over to Shinji.

"Shinji could you take Touji outside for some air? At first I thought it was cute but now I'm really starting to worry about him."

"Uhm, sure." He answered and rose to his feat, still refusing to look directly at her.

"Come on Touji, let's take a walk." He said and started to pull the dazed boy towards the exit.

"Walk." Touji murmured and followed automatically.

As he opened the door he spotted Asuka walking toward them across the parking lot.

"Where are you two going?" she asked as Shinji stepped aside to let her enter, "And what's wrong with jock-boy over there?"

"Well, Hikari asked me to take him for a walk, he got a bit overwhelmed back there and could use some air." He answered and leaned his friend against the wall.

"Air." Touji agreed a bit groggily.

"I don't know, he looks normal to me." Asuka observed, "Don't take to long, if you miss my act I will kick your ass into next week." She threatened and entered the building without giving Shinji a chance to retort.

Shinji shrugged and turned back to his friend, "Ok walk it off Touji, that's the spirit." He encouraged the boy as he led him around in wide circles. As he started on the third lap he noticed that Misato had left her seat on the hood and was coming their way. For a second she just observed the boys with a wide smile on her face; then she took Touji's other arm and helped Shinji to haul him around the parking lot.

"Let me guess." She asked, "Hikari's pants?"

"Pants!" Touji groaned loudly.

Shinji merely nodded, "He seems better now, shall we go inside?"

"Yeah probably, just keep him away from Hikari or we'll have to do this all over again." She answered as they started to drag Touji, who still hadn't regained full control of his legs towards the door.  

***

Hikari watched as Shinji dragged the zombie-like Touji towards the exit and sighed, this had not turned out the way she had expected. Her plan had been very simple, sweep Touji off his feet with her performance, win the contest and return from the weekend as boyfriend and girlfriend, and get rid of her goody two shoes label in the process. The first part of the plan had perhaps worked a little too well; Touji had been so shocked he more or less slipped into a vegetative state. I mean, how the hell do you hold a conversation with a radish? She sighed again and buried her head in her hands; she would have to rethink her entire strategy.

She was so caught up in her personal misery that she didn't notice Rei walking up to her with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Is something the matter Miss Horaki?" she asked, startling Hikari out of her reverie.

"Oh hi Rei." She answered, "I'm ok, something just kinda backfired on me."

"Are you referring to your plan to seduce Mr. Suzuhara?" she asked unemotionally.

Hikari blushed furiously, "I was NOT!" she exclaimed, but a few stubborn images of herself, Touji and a bowl of whipped cream kept flashing through her head no matter how hard she tried to repress them.

"But you are trying to initiate a relationship with him are you not?"

"That is a completely different matter." Hikari answered sullenly, "How did you know?"

"It was obvious." The girl answered.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about Rei?" Hikari hurried to change the subject before Rei could come with another embarrassing question.

"Yes, would you like to resume our earlier conversation?"

"Back to the trenches."  Hikari thought with a smile, "Ok Rei but on one condition, from now on you have to call me Hikari, ok?"

"Agreed…Hikari." Rei answered and sat down beside Hikari, who could have sworn she saw a small smile grazing the pale girls lips.

***

Asuka had also been forced to change her plans. Initially she were going to show off her curves to distract the horny little judges from her singing, but her stupid pride wouldn't allow it so she scrapped that idea. Then there was this song she had stumbled upon that just wouldn't get out of her head, so she decided to do that instead. It wasn't that difficult a song and after a few rehearsals she had discovered that she didn't sound quite as terrible as she had first thought. She had always taken great pains to make sure her feelings stayed private, so she didn't exactly know why she had decided to use this particular song, for some reason it just seemed fitting. Now she was sitting here before a mirror trying to adjust her makeup and fussing over the fact that she had to dye her hair brown  

"Ohhhh, I hate this stupid hair dye, it better wash out or I'm going to strangle that woman at L'Oreal with my bare hands." She grumbled while staring disapprovingly at her reflection.   

"Oh calm down, I think you look great, but I have always been a bit partial to brunettes." Mr. Yoshida commented from his seat, he had finally gotten out of that terrible costume and was feeling like his old self again.

  "I have no problem with brunettes, I just think that dyeing a hair as beautiful as mine is a complete abomination before the god of fashion." She replied with her usual snooty tone.

"Anyway, she's almost eight, I should go announce you now." He rose and headed for the stage door, "Good luck."

 "Hah, Asuka Langley Sohryu doesn't need any luck!" she exclaimed with a finger pointing skyward in a declamatory fashion.

"Forget I said anything." Yoshida sighed and entered the stage.

***

"I'm serious Shinji, you really look good in dreads." Hikari told the blushing Shinji.

"Ehh, you think so?" he asked while he fidgeted with his wig.

"Yeah, you look cool, and a bit…dangerous." She added with a wicked smirk that just made Shinji blush harder. Suddenly she became serious again, "Anyway, how is Touji doing?" she asked a bit concerned and glanced over to were the boy in question was talking with Kensuke.

"He's coping, he was just a bit shocked.  I think you overdid it." Shinji answered with a small smile. Hikari just stared at him for a moment.

"Does EVERYONE know what I'm trying to do!!" she exclaimed.

"Well it was pretty obvious, with the hand thing and all." Shinji said with a small shrug.

"Touji didn't seem to notice." She added with a sad sigh.

"Touji isn't as dense as people think Hikari. Trust me, he knows." Before she could ask him how he could be so sure Mr. Yoshida walked onto the stage.

"Ok folks, it's time for our next performance." He smiled at the crowd with a glint of mischief in his eyes, "Please give it up for Asuka Langley Sohryu as…Avril Lavigne."

"That sounds familiar." Hikari mused as soft sound of a guitar flowed from the speakers.

The stage lit up and a spotlight focused on Asuka. Her hair had been dyed brown and she had removed the A-10 connectors she normally wore, letting the hair flow freely down her shoulders. She was wearing a white tank top, black baggy pants and a green and red striped tie around her neck. She calmly grabbed the mike and started to sing.

"Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh myself to sleep
It's my lullaby"

Shinji was astonished. She wasn't half bad; for once she was actually hitting notes instead of sounding like a Moose in heat.


"Sometimes I drive so fast
Just to feel the danger
I wanna scream
It makes me feel alive"

Asuka closed her eyes as she threw herself into the chorus.


"Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please"

"I know this song." Rei thought to herself, "It is a interesting choice for pilot Sohryu."


"To walk within the lines
Would make my life so boring
I want to know that I
Have been to the extreme
So knock me off my feet
Come on now give it to me
Anything to make me feel alive"

Hikari gently nodded in time with the music, feeling very pleased with herself. Finally the pieces were falling into place in the great puzzle that was Asuka, she had obviously chosen this song to send a specific message to anyone who would understand. Hikari smiled as she watched her best friend pour her heart out, without anyone knowing it. 

"Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please."

"Let down your defences
Use no common sense
If you look you will see
that this world is a beautiful
accident turbulent succulent
opulent permanent, no way
I wanna taste it
Don't wanna waste it away"

Shinji wasn't as attentive as Hikari, but he still suspected that there was something a lot more to this performance than met the eye. First of all this wasn't really Asuka's kind of music, and then there was that nagging feeling that he was missing something. He just did his best to shake it of and enjoy the show.


"Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh my self to sleep
It's my lullaby"

"Is it enough?
Is it enough?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please"

"Is it enough?
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please."

As the last chords faded out Asuka took a bow as the crowd showered her with applause, and then she quietly left the stage.

***

Asuka felt …thoughtful. This was so unlike her, and yet she felt oddly relived. She would definitely have to think about this later when she got home, but as it was now she had other things to focus on. She gave herself a mental shrug and headed out of the room to find her friends.

Next: Touji and Kensuke's Performance/ Counterstrike.

*********************

The song was, of course, "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne, Taken from the album "Let Go". I must once again apologise for the time it took to get this chapter out, and I must admit that this was without a doubt the hardest work of fiction I have written to date. Asuka's reasons for using this song are pretty much identical to mine. I have gotten tons of great suggestions on songs to use but alas, I had to refuse most of them. Then one day I was standing in the shower (some of my best ideas have come to me in the shower) and had my recently purchased copy of "Let Go" playing in the background, when this song came on and bang, it just fitted. Everything just fell into place (love it when that happens), and two days later I had whipped this chapter together.

Some of you may hate this decision, but you have to admit that it fit in quite nicely.

/Shade