Chapter 7: Day
Shinji crawled out of bed in the early morning, aware that this was the first time in two weeks that he'd woken before Asuka. He'd actually won. Without a doubt, she'd be angry. But he had to prove that he could win at least some of the time.
As usual, Misato had forced them into it.
"It's a competition," she said. "Whoever wakes up earlier to play the guitar gets to play with Pen-pen in the afternoon. The other person gets to sit in front of the TV watching TLJKDFSNBV News." Knowing that whoever got the privilege of watching TLJKDFSNBV News for an entire afternoon would be screwed inside and out in every way imaginable, Shinji and Asuka vied desperately for the role of Misato's morning alarm clock. Pen-pen, who was half-nocturnal, kept a watch on them and poked them to make sure they fell asleep, but Shinji had the uneasy feeling that Asuka was either slipping "Penji" (as she called it) fresh midnight meat, or that she'd surgically installed an alarm clock in her body.
But at the moment, he had other things on his mind. Bodily safety was his primary concern. He'd have to find and break that huge baseball bat she kept in her hidden stash.
Aha. Asuka's room. Nearing the room, he shot a casual glance inside and found Asuka snoring and mumbling, as usual. Perhaps he could search for the bat. Then again…feeling along his face, he came upon a mark that reminded him of the sometimes dire consequences of intruding on a red-head's space.
Well, at least I'm safe for now. I think I'll go contemplate the meaning of life before I lose it permanently.
He shuffled downstairs and plopped himself on the couch. In his mind, he went over yesterday's conversation.
"Make me my eggs!" Asuka shrieked.
"Dangit! I burned it again!" Shinji yelled desperately.
"That's your problem, not mine!"
Monster transformation: 45% complete.
Synchronization: 99.033%
"Why can't they make eggs sturdier nowadays?" Shinji grumbled as he turned the fire from medium to maximum. "And easier to cook? It's taking me months to make this thing!"
Waddle waddle.
"What the?"'
Waddle waddle.
"Ah, Pen-pen, how are you doing this morning?
"Eeeeeek!"
"I take it that's a 'very well, thank you," Shinji said. Both of them laughed.
Monster transformation: delayed.
Interrupting the cheerful scene, Rei came in.
"Umm…Shinji, isn't it my turn to cook?" she said courteously.
Shinji turned around, startled.
"Oh, great. I'm so sorry."
"Oh no, keep making those eggs. They'll go well with the Korean barbeque," Rei said pleasantly.
Shinji fell to the floor. "K-Korean…bar-"
"WHAAAAAA?? Here? In Japan???" Asuka hadn't drooled in the Katsuragi residence since she had first walked in on Shinji in the process of renewing his boxers.
"How did you do that?" Asuka demanded.
"I…know how to cook. And I stole the neighbor's cow."
"Wow," Shinji muttered. "Super-cook."
"Wow…….Who are you, anyway?" Asuka pressed further, jabbing her index finger into Rei's stomach.
"I….am I."
Asuka whistled.
"Wow. We should make that into a song."
Shinji nodded his head enthusiastically. Things were really coming together for the band. He and Asuka were jelling, and although he would have preferred it in the literal sense, he had to settle for the figurative–at least for now. And Rei-she was a frickin' genius.
"WHOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Misato and her beer. Spotting her favorite pet, she leaned down and petted Pen-pen.
"How's my little Penny-pen doing this morning. AWWW aren't you cute…make that face again. No, not that one, the other one. No, no, the…never mind."
She set the beer down on the table and turned to face the children.
"What's for breakfast, my fair-faced slaves?"
Shinji looked at her in shock. What did she call them?
Asuka suddenly became indignant. "Just because you can make us wake up at four in the morning and serve you food does not make us your slaves. It makes us your machines!"
Misato froze in her spot.
"Hey, if you feel raw about anything, you can challenge me on guitar anytime. But then again, you might not want to engage in anything frustrating today, because today is…guess what-your birthday!!!"
Asuka stumbled two full meters back. She couldn't believe it.
"You….you…. Remembered??"
"Yes. Penny Pen here had to whack me on the head and drag me to the calendar, but technically, I remembered. Which means you can forgive me now."
Asuka sighed. "Fine. I…forgive you. FOR NOW."
"What?"
Asuka smiled. "You said…forgive me now?"
"Crap. Stupid technicalities."
Shinji and Rei observed the whole scene with amusement. Asuka and Misato often chafed over little issues, but the observers couldn't help noting how cute they looked arguing. Somehow it was hard to believe that either was sincerely angry. Perhaps Asuka was beginning to assume the daughter role, and Misato, the Mother's. Only in a relationship this intimate could two people argue constantly without any real feelings of resentment.
"Umm…" Misato began. "What's for breakfast again?"
"Korean Barbeque," Shinji answered quickly.
"And what are we drinking?"
"Well, I hope it's not your dirty beer, because-"
"Coffee, then!!!" Misato yelled, cutting off Asuka. "I'm actually tired of-"
"Because we wouldn't want to end up like the dirty kind of freak you are-"
"Oh, so you resent me, is that it? Do you wanna fight, huh?"
Asuka looked down at the table. "I'm too tired to."
Misato yawned. "Actually, me too. Let's make this up sometime."
"Agreed," Asuka said.
After breakfast, the members went to separate rooms and practiced their instruments. Shinji was about to plug in his bass when Misato came in his room.
"Uh…what is it?"
"Well, Shinji, we need to talk."
She beckoned for him to follow her out into the corridor.
"Of course you know Asuka's birthday is today. The thing is, you won this morning. I don't want her to be watching the stupid news all afternoon, so you're going to give her this."
Misato flicked her hand, and instantly there appeared two tickets to a concert by the asgdljkdfbvn band. Practically the most intense band of the decade. They played in perfect unison. Their bass/guitar melodies were seamless. Shinji started drooling. Hyperventilating.
Misato slapped him.
"Stop that, or you'll give our surprise away. Now, when Asuka comes down to watch the TV, you'll have to intercept her with our little surprise. Okay?"
Shiinji nodded.
He waited in the living room, plucking his bass and falling into an occasional bored doze.
Asuka surprised him when she walked in. She grabbed his bass and inspected it.
Running her hands over the varnished fret-board, she sighed deeply.
"So, Shinji, what do think about this G&L bass? It's a jazz bass. Real low action, two pickups with built-in pedals, maple neck. You could play it in your sleep. Just smooth and easy."
She turned to him.
"Don't you wish all women were that way?"
"Huh? I-never really thought about that.
An uneasy silence followed.
Shinji suddenly spoke up.
"Asuka, can you turn around?"
She giggled.
"Sorry. I'm not your toy."
"No, I mean…can you-I-"
"This better be good."
Turning around, she watched the report, feigning interest and mimicking the aging reporter.
A few minutes passed.
"Shinji?"
"Hold on…"
"Hey, there's no music practice today. Want to go shopping, Shinji?"
"Wait…"
"Whadda you wanna get?"
He faltered. "I wish…"
"Wish?"
"I wish…uh, that we had enough money to live free."
"Forget money. I think we'd be happier without it. Can I turn around?"
"No."
Whistle, whistle.
"Shinji?"
"I'm still not done."
….
"Okay, now!"
"Oh lord, Shinji."
She was red in the face.
"Happy birthday, Asuka!"
The car ride to the concert was unusually pleasant. And peaceful.
A blur. Motion and poetry. They returned flustered and joyful. Misato had actually waited for them in the parking lot.
"It was a decent concert," she said. "I heard the bass player was hot."
"Not really," Asuka said. "It was a she."
This was their first concert.
Now, how THEY could ever play that way, they didn't dare contemplate.
Rei greeted them at the door. She stood there simply with a complacent smile.
"Congratulations on your first concert," she said.
They all smiled.
Shinji and Asuka began the passage upstairs, but suddenly Misato yelled out: "Hold on a minute!"
They paused.
"You naughty children…you guys forgot to practice, didn't you?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Uh, the concert?"
"Well, well...fine. I'm willing to forgive your oversight because you've all had a tiring night. So, no practice tonight!
"Okay, let's go to sleep," Shinji said with relief.
"But luckily for you, you're just in time for early morning practice!"
Asuka reeled.
Shinji fell down the stairs.
He'd better have nice dreams after this one.
Shinji crawled out of bed in the early morning, aware that this was the first time in two weeks that he'd woken before Asuka. He'd actually won. Without a doubt, she'd be angry. But he had to prove that he could win at least some of the time.
As usual, Misato had forced them into it.
"It's a competition," she said. "Whoever wakes up earlier to play the guitar gets to play with Pen-pen in the afternoon. The other person gets to sit in front of the TV watching TLJKDFSNBV News." Knowing that whoever got the privilege of watching TLJKDFSNBV News for an entire afternoon would be screwed inside and out in every way imaginable, Shinji and Asuka vied desperately for the role of Misato's morning alarm clock. Pen-pen, who was half-nocturnal, kept a watch on them and poked them to make sure they fell asleep, but Shinji had the uneasy feeling that Asuka was either slipping "Penji" (as she called it) fresh midnight meat, or that she'd surgically installed an alarm clock in her body.
But at the moment, he had other things on his mind. Bodily safety was his primary concern. He'd have to find and break that huge baseball bat she kept in her hidden stash.
Aha. Asuka's room. Nearing the room, he shot a casual glance inside and found Asuka snoring and mumbling, as usual. Perhaps he could search for the bat. Then again…feeling along his face, he came upon a mark that reminded him of the sometimes dire consequences of intruding on a red-head's space.
Well, at least I'm safe for now. I think I'll go contemplate the meaning of life before I lose it permanently.
He shuffled downstairs and plopped himself on the couch. In his mind, he went over yesterday's conversation.
"Make me my eggs!" Asuka shrieked.
"Dangit! I burned it again!" Shinji yelled desperately.
"That's your problem, not mine!"
Monster transformation: 45% complete.
Synchronization: 99.033%
"Why can't they make eggs sturdier nowadays?" Shinji grumbled as he turned the fire from medium to maximum. "And easier to cook? It's taking me months to make this thing!"
Waddle waddle.
"What the?"'
Waddle waddle.
"Ah, Pen-pen, how are you doing this morning?
"Eeeeeek!"
"I take it that's a 'very well, thank you," Shinji said. Both of them laughed.
Monster transformation: delayed.
Interrupting the cheerful scene, Rei came in.
"Umm…Shinji, isn't it my turn to cook?" she said courteously.
Shinji turned around, startled.
"Oh, great. I'm so sorry."
"Oh no, keep making those eggs. They'll go well with the Korean barbeque," Rei said pleasantly.
Shinji fell to the floor. "K-Korean…bar-"
"WHAAAAAA?? Here? In Japan???" Asuka hadn't drooled in the Katsuragi residence since she had first walked in on Shinji in the process of renewing his boxers.
"How did you do that?" Asuka demanded.
"I…know how to cook. And I stole the neighbor's cow."
"Wow," Shinji muttered. "Super-cook."
"Wow…….Who are you, anyway?" Asuka pressed further, jabbing her index finger into Rei's stomach.
"I….am I."
Asuka whistled.
"Wow. We should make that into a song."
Shinji nodded his head enthusiastically. Things were really coming together for the band. He and Asuka were jelling, and although he would have preferred it in the literal sense, he had to settle for the figurative–at least for now. And Rei-she was a frickin' genius.
"WHOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Misato and her beer. Spotting her favorite pet, she leaned down and petted Pen-pen.
"How's my little Penny-pen doing this morning. AWWW aren't you cute…make that face again. No, not that one, the other one. No, no, the…never mind."
She set the beer down on the table and turned to face the children.
"What's for breakfast, my fair-faced slaves?"
Shinji looked at her in shock. What did she call them?
Asuka suddenly became indignant. "Just because you can make us wake up at four in the morning and serve you food does not make us your slaves. It makes us your machines!"
Misato froze in her spot.
"Hey, if you feel raw about anything, you can challenge me on guitar anytime. But then again, you might not want to engage in anything frustrating today, because today is…guess what-your birthday!!!"
Asuka stumbled two full meters back. She couldn't believe it.
"You….you…. Remembered??"
"Yes. Penny Pen here had to whack me on the head and drag me to the calendar, but technically, I remembered. Which means you can forgive me now."
Asuka sighed. "Fine. I…forgive you. FOR NOW."
"What?"
Asuka smiled. "You said…forgive me now?"
"Crap. Stupid technicalities."
Shinji and Rei observed the whole scene with amusement. Asuka and Misato often chafed over little issues, but the observers couldn't help noting how cute they looked arguing. Somehow it was hard to believe that either was sincerely angry. Perhaps Asuka was beginning to assume the daughter role, and Misato, the Mother's. Only in a relationship this intimate could two people argue constantly without any real feelings of resentment.
"Umm…" Misato began. "What's for breakfast again?"
"Korean Barbeque," Shinji answered quickly.
"And what are we drinking?"
"Well, I hope it's not your dirty beer, because-"
"Coffee, then!!!" Misato yelled, cutting off Asuka. "I'm actually tired of-"
"Because we wouldn't want to end up like the dirty kind of freak you are-"
"Oh, so you resent me, is that it? Do you wanna fight, huh?"
Asuka looked down at the table. "I'm too tired to."
Misato yawned. "Actually, me too. Let's make this up sometime."
"Agreed," Asuka said.
After breakfast, the members went to separate rooms and practiced their instruments. Shinji was about to plug in his bass when Misato came in his room.
"Uh…what is it?"
"Well, Shinji, we need to talk."
She beckoned for him to follow her out into the corridor.
"Of course you know Asuka's birthday is today. The thing is, you won this morning. I don't want her to be watching the stupid news all afternoon, so you're going to give her this."
Misato flicked her hand, and instantly there appeared two tickets to a concert by the asgdljkdfbvn band. Practically the most intense band of the decade. They played in perfect unison. Their bass/guitar melodies were seamless. Shinji started drooling. Hyperventilating.
Misato slapped him.
"Stop that, or you'll give our surprise away. Now, when Asuka comes down to watch the TV, you'll have to intercept her with our little surprise. Okay?"
Shiinji nodded.
He waited in the living room, plucking his bass and falling into an occasional bored doze.
Asuka surprised him when she walked in. She grabbed his bass and inspected it.
Running her hands over the varnished fret-board, she sighed deeply.
"So, Shinji, what do think about this G&L bass? It's a jazz bass. Real low action, two pickups with built-in pedals, maple neck. You could play it in your sleep. Just smooth and easy."
She turned to him.
"Don't you wish all women were that way?"
"Huh? I-never really thought about that.
An uneasy silence followed.
Shinji suddenly spoke up.
"Asuka, can you turn around?"
She giggled.
"Sorry. I'm not your toy."
"No, I mean…can you-I-"
"This better be good."
Turning around, she watched the report, feigning interest and mimicking the aging reporter.
A few minutes passed.
"Shinji?"
"Hold on…"
"Hey, there's no music practice today. Want to go shopping, Shinji?"
"Wait…"
"Whadda you wanna get?"
He faltered. "I wish…"
"Wish?"
"I wish…uh, that we had enough money to live free."
"Forget money. I think we'd be happier without it. Can I turn around?"
"No."
Whistle, whistle.
"Shinji?"
"I'm still not done."
….
"Okay, now!"
"Oh lord, Shinji."
She was red in the face.
"Happy birthday, Asuka!"
The car ride to the concert was unusually pleasant. And peaceful.
A blur. Motion and poetry. They returned flustered and joyful. Misato had actually waited for them in the parking lot.
"It was a decent concert," she said. "I heard the bass player was hot."
"Not really," Asuka said. "It was a she."
This was their first concert.
Now, how THEY could ever play that way, they didn't dare contemplate.
Rei greeted them at the door. She stood there simply with a complacent smile.
"Congratulations on your first concert," she said.
They all smiled.
Shinji and Asuka began the passage upstairs, but suddenly Misato yelled out: "Hold on a minute!"
They paused.
"You naughty children…you guys forgot to practice, didn't you?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Uh, the concert?"
"Well, well...fine. I'm willing to forgive your oversight because you've all had a tiring night. So, no practice tonight!
"Okay, let's go to sleep," Shinji said with relief.
"But luckily for you, you're just in time for early morning practice!"
Asuka reeled.
Shinji fell down the stairs.
He'd better have nice dreams after this one.