Author's Note: Well, I finally found time and inspiration to continue
writing, and I think I have a couple more chapters in me before the fickle
mistress that is inspiration gives me a good kick to the junk and heads out
on her way. To those of you who were wondering what's taking me so long,
quit it. The longer you nag me, the less time I have for writing, capisce?
Now, on with the damn story.
(============={======================================
Worry stormed onto Shinji's face at the mention of Kaji's test. "T-test?" the Third Child queried.
Kaji lit another cigarette and nodded. "Yes, a test.just to check in on how strongly your power has manifested. Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about, no one's losing a limb." Kaji took a puff and stood to face the young Ikari. "Are you ready?"
Shinji gulped hard and slowly nodded. "What's the test?" he asked timidly.
Kaji took another puff and grinned. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to convince Misato to not drink for the entire night."
Shinji paled as the idea ran through his head. I thought he said no one would be losing a limb, he thought to himself as he had seen firsthand how much his guardian treasured her trove of Yebisu. Asuka had once hidden one of Misato's cans as a joke one night. Several shots from her service pistol and a near self-wetting from Shinji later, and Misato had it in her hand.
"K.keep Misato from drinking? Y-you're sure?" Shinji asked, beads of sweat already pouring down the young man's forehead. Kaji nodded as he took yet another puff.
I must not run away.I must not run away.I must not run away.I must not run away."
Shinji continued his mantra mentally until eventually, Misato emerged from her room, clad in her pair of cutoffs and loose-fitting tank top. Kaji grinned at the sight, until Misato threatened him with a surgical operation involving a pair of pliers. She opened her beer fridge, and was about to take one out when Shinji stepped forward.
"Um.Misato-san?"
Her hand pulled back as she turned to face her charge, her hands resting on her knees as a brilliant smile flashed across her face. "Yes, Shinji-kun? What is it?"
Shinji took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his trembling, and with a small voice said, "Um.could you.you know.not have any beer tonight?" Before she could say a word, Shinji jumped in with, "It's just.well.I just thought it would be nice." He bowed his head, anticipating Misato's fervent defense of her favorite vice.
Misato smiled and pulled him into a calming hug, not as firm as her usual fierce bearhugs. "Aw.my Shinji-kun's worried for me.That's just so sweet!"
Kaji grinned as he got up from the wall. "I'm worried for you too!"
Misato shot him a glare, not releasing Shinji from her hold. "Don't make me shoot you, Ryoji," she spat out, convincing Kaji to resume his place on the wall.
Misato released Shinji from her hug, giving him another smile. "Don't you worry about me, Shinji-kun, I'll be just fine."
Shinji's eyes widened. Disbelief struck him with the force of a twenty- pound sledge. Did he just pull off the impossible?
As he found out a few seconds later, no he did not, for just after Misato released him she had a Yebisu in her hand, opened up and half-gone. Shinji's shoulders slumped at the defeat, but looking toward Kaji, Shinji noticed that the agent's grin had not disappeared, but actually grew.
Kaji got up from his perch on the wall, taking a final puff from his cigarette and said, "I think I should go now, before the good and lovely major decides to manhandle me.in one fashion or another. Kaji dodged as a steak knife flew past his ear and embedded itself into the wall. "Care to show me out, Shinji?"
Shinji looked toward Kaji, wondering what it could be that he wanted to discuss. Probably the test, Shinji thought to himself as he trudged after Kaji toward the door. After they both made it outside and Shinji closed the door behind him, Kaji grinned as he leaned against the balcony railing and lit another cigarette.
"I'm impressed, Pilot Ikari. I knew you had potential, but I didn't know you had THAT in you."
Shinji's expression changed to that of confusion. "What do you mean? I-I failed the test."
Kaji's grin grew even more. "I wasn't expecting you to pull it off your first time out. I'm not sure anyone could convince that woman to quit beer for a night. Like I said, it was just a test to see how strong your powers are. And I'll say this: you could use some work for right now, but once you've trained properly, I definitely don't like my chances against you."
Kaji reached into a bag that had been looped over his shoulder, withdrawing a thick, heavy book, laying it into the young Ikari's hands.
"This will help you understand a few things, so tomorrow at NERV, after synch tests, we won't be wasting time with trivia. Get some sleep, read up a bit.enjoy the pictures around the back of the book, and I'll see you tomorrow."
As Kaji ambled away, Shinji took a peek at the back of the book, only to slam the cover shut as a deep blush stole across his face. He looked up to see the elevator arrive at their floor, as did Kaji, who currently had a red-headed young woman glomped to his waist.
"Kaji! If I knew you were here, I'd have gotten home sooner." Asuka smiled contentedly as she hugged the agent fiercely.
"I know, Asuka, and I'm sorry, but I have to be off," Kaji said with a half- serious saddened tone to his voice as he managed barely to pry the EVA pilot off him. He turned back to Shinji, still standing there with the book in his hands. "Hey Shinji, see you tomorrow." And with that, he entered the elevator, waving as the doors closed. Shinji waved back timidly, stopping quickly as he saw that Asuka was now upon him, arms crossed and glare trained.
"Well?! What did he have to say to a baka like you?"
Shinji's eyes widened as he bowed his head. "Um.you know.stuff."
Asuka's eyes narrowed at the boy as she walked past. "Whatever," she huffed, entering the apartment, slamming the door behind her right in the young Ikari's face. Shinji looked down at the book in his hands, then headed inside.
Omake:
Shinji continued his mantra mentally until eventually, Misato emerged from her room, clad in her pair of cutoffs and loose-fitting tank top. Kaji grinned at the sight, until Misato threatened him with a surgical operation involving a pair of pliers. She opened her beer fridge, and was about to take one out when Shinji stepped forward.
"Um.Misato-san?"
Her hand pulled back as she turned to face her charge, her hands resting on her knees as a brilliant smile flashed across her face. "Yes, Shinji-kun? What is it?"
Shinji took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his trembling, and with a small voice said, "Um.well.I've always wanted to try this," And with that, the young pilot leaned toward his guardian, planting a soft kiss on the major's lips. Misato froze for a few seconds as Shinji's hand caressed her cheek, his awkward kiss deepening as she slowly wrapped her arms around him. Kaji watched with widening eyes, his cigarette long forgotten until it burned up to his fingers. He pitched it away and headed for the door sullenly, muttering under his breath, "Damnit, it's just not fair."
(============={======================================
Worry stormed onto Shinji's face at the mention of Kaji's test. "T-test?" the Third Child queried.
Kaji lit another cigarette and nodded. "Yes, a test.just to check in on how strongly your power has manifested. Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about, no one's losing a limb." Kaji took a puff and stood to face the young Ikari. "Are you ready?"
Shinji gulped hard and slowly nodded. "What's the test?" he asked timidly.
Kaji took another puff and grinned. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to convince Misato to not drink for the entire night."
Shinji paled as the idea ran through his head. I thought he said no one would be losing a limb, he thought to himself as he had seen firsthand how much his guardian treasured her trove of Yebisu. Asuka had once hidden one of Misato's cans as a joke one night. Several shots from her service pistol and a near self-wetting from Shinji later, and Misato had it in her hand.
"K.keep Misato from drinking? Y-you're sure?" Shinji asked, beads of sweat already pouring down the young man's forehead. Kaji nodded as he took yet another puff.
I must not run away.I must not run away.I must not run away.I must not run away."
Shinji continued his mantra mentally until eventually, Misato emerged from her room, clad in her pair of cutoffs and loose-fitting tank top. Kaji grinned at the sight, until Misato threatened him with a surgical operation involving a pair of pliers. She opened her beer fridge, and was about to take one out when Shinji stepped forward.
"Um.Misato-san?"
Her hand pulled back as she turned to face her charge, her hands resting on her knees as a brilliant smile flashed across her face. "Yes, Shinji-kun? What is it?"
Shinji took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his trembling, and with a small voice said, "Um.could you.you know.not have any beer tonight?" Before she could say a word, Shinji jumped in with, "It's just.well.I just thought it would be nice." He bowed his head, anticipating Misato's fervent defense of her favorite vice.
Misato smiled and pulled him into a calming hug, not as firm as her usual fierce bearhugs. "Aw.my Shinji-kun's worried for me.That's just so sweet!"
Kaji grinned as he got up from the wall. "I'm worried for you too!"
Misato shot him a glare, not releasing Shinji from her hold. "Don't make me shoot you, Ryoji," she spat out, convincing Kaji to resume his place on the wall.
Misato released Shinji from her hug, giving him another smile. "Don't you worry about me, Shinji-kun, I'll be just fine."
Shinji's eyes widened. Disbelief struck him with the force of a twenty- pound sledge. Did he just pull off the impossible?
As he found out a few seconds later, no he did not, for just after Misato released him she had a Yebisu in her hand, opened up and half-gone. Shinji's shoulders slumped at the defeat, but looking toward Kaji, Shinji noticed that the agent's grin had not disappeared, but actually grew.
Kaji got up from his perch on the wall, taking a final puff from his cigarette and said, "I think I should go now, before the good and lovely major decides to manhandle me.in one fashion or another. Kaji dodged as a steak knife flew past his ear and embedded itself into the wall. "Care to show me out, Shinji?"
Shinji looked toward Kaji, wondering what it could be that he wanted to discuss. Probably the test, Shinji thought to himself as he trudged after Kaji toward the door. After they both made it outside and Shinji closed the door behind him, Kaji grinned as he leaned against the balcony railing and lit another cigarette.
"I'm impressed, Pilot Ikari. I knew you had potential, but I didn't know you had THAT in you."
Shinji's expression changed to that of confusion. "What do you mean? I-I failed the test."
Kaji's grin grew even more. "I wasn't expecting you to pull it off your first time out. I'm not sure anyone could convince that woman to quit beer for a night. Like I said, it was just a test to see how strong your powers are. And I'll say this: you could use some work for right now, but once you've trained properly, I definitely don't like my chances against you."
Kaji reached into a bag that had been looped over his shoulder, withdrawing a thick, heavy book, laying it into the young Ikari's hands.
"This will help you understand a few things, so tomorrow at NERV, after synch tests, we won't be wasting time with trivia. Get some sleep, read up a bit.enjoy the pictures around the back of the book, and I'll see you tomorrow."
As Kaji ambled away, Shinji took a peek at the back of the book, only to slam the cover shut as a deep blush stole across his face. He looked up to see the elevator arrive at their floor, as did Kaji, who currently had a red-headed young woman glomped to his waist.
"Kaji! If I knew you were here, I'd have gotten home sooner." Asuka smiled contentedly as she hugged the agent fiercely.
"I know, Asuka, and I'm sorry, but I have to be off," Kaji said with a half- serious saddened tone to his voice as he managed barely to pry the EVA pilot off him. He turned back to Shinji, still standing there with the book in his hands. "Hey Shinji, see you tomorrow." And with that, he entered the elevator, waving as the doors closed. Shinji waved back timidly, stopping quickly as he saw that Asuka was now upon him, arms crossed and glare trained.
"Well?! What did he have to say to a baka like you?"
Shinji's eyes widened as he bowed his head. "Um.you know.stuff."
Asuka's eyes narrowed at the boy as she walked past. "Whatever," she huffed, entering the apartment, slamming the door behind her right in the young Ikari's face. Shinji looked down at the book in his hands, then headed inside.
Omake:
Shinji continued his mantra mentally until eventually, Misato emerged from her room, clad in her pair of cutoffs and loose-fitting tank top. Kaji grinned at the sight, until Misato threatened him with a surgical operation involving a pair of pliers. She opened her beer fridge, and was about to take one out when Shinji stepped forward.
"Um.Misato-san?"
Her hand pulled back as she turned to face her charge, her hands resting on her knees as a brilliant smile flashed across her face. "Yes, Shinji-kun? What is it?"
Shinji took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his trembling, and with a small voice said, "Um.well.I've always wanted to try this," And with that, the young pilot leaned toward his guardian, planting a soft kiss on the major's lips. Misato froze for a few seconds as Shinji's hand caressed her cheek, his awkward kiss deepening as she slowly wrapped her arms around him. Kaji watched with widening eyes, his cigarette long forgotten until it burned up to his fingers. He pitched it away and headed for the door sullenly, muttering under his breath, "Damnit, it's just not fair."
