Well, the previous chapter certainly was a first for me. I've written plenty of sad, angsty stuff, but never anything so bittersweet. Or at least, I think it was bittersweet.

Anyway, to make up for the mood of the previous chapter, this chapter's going to be a bit of fun.

Disclaimer: When I say so, I want you to close your eyes and imagine a big legal document with the word Disclaimer at the top. The document will be a detailed outlining of all the parts of this story that I do and do not own, with reasons, excuses, and citations. It will give such a complete and in depth description of the legal situation that I will not have to write another disclaimer for the next several chapters.

Now close your eyes…your eyes aren't closed…I said CLOSE YOU EYES! Good.

Fourth Impact

Chapter 34: Esserach

Misato woke up, feeling groggy but strangely content. She looked around. Everything was still pitch-black. She blinked. She was still wearing her clothes. Not good. She stripped down to her underwear, tossing her clothes over the side of the bed. She reached out, feeling around until she found a shirt on the side of the bed. Slipping it on she fell back against the pillow, quickly asleep.

A while later Adamu woke and got up. He stumbled downstairs and got a drink of water, then stumbled back to his room. Still half-asleep, his semi-conscious mind directed him to his bed, onto which he settled, not noticing the other presence.

(AN: this won't end well. Ah, the joy of habits.)

Misato returned to consciousness to find herself snuggled into a pair of familiar arms. Her legs were intertwined with someone else's, and that same someone was nuzzling her hair. She opened her eyes to stare into Adamu's bare chest.

"PERVERT!" Adamu suddenly felt himself get knocked from his bed and slapped several times. "Why the hell am I in your room? And why am I wearing your shirt?"

He blinked. She was wearing his shirt…and not much else. She glared at him.

"I can't believe that you tried to take advantage of me like this." She fumed. "I'm not even really your girlfriend!"

"Misa-chan, what if—" She slapped him.

"Don't call me that! I don't care about the stupid façade anymore." She grabbed her clothes and stormed out of the room toward the bathroom.

She left the bathroom fully dressed just as Lilliko stuck her head out of her own room. "Morning, Misa-chan. Have a nice night with your boyfriend?"

Misato shot her a glare. "He's not my boyfriend, and never was. We were just faking it to make you two upset." Lilliko's eyes widened.

Misato stormed down the stairs, greeted Rei and Kaoru, and stomped out the door. She made her way back to her house. Her parents met her at the door.

"So, did you have a nice night?" asked her mother knowingly.

"The stupid pervert tried to take advantage of me." she told them, going up to her room and locking the door.

Adamu looked up as his sister stepped into his room. "Well, brother, I hope that you're happy with what you wrought. I can't believe that you would be so underhanded in tricking me and Takoru-chan."

"It was her idea." He said flatly.

"That is no excuse. You tried to take advantage of her, and look where that got you." She was now standing over his still prone form, hands on her hips, looking down at him with contempt. It was a familiar scene.

"I don't know what happened last night. I wasn't exactly wide awake."

"I hope you are now." She smirked. "In the meantime, she hates you."

Adamu closed his eyes. Suddenly he shot to his feet so fast that his sister was knocked off balance. She fell with a shriek, landing on the futon and cursing him.

Takoru stood at the door, looking in. He grinned as his girlfriend fell. She glared at him. "Why are you just standing there? He tricked us!"

Takoru only smiled at her. "And I congratulate him for the job. I was truly upset at the thought of you two hiding something that big from us. Not that I don't appreciate the irony of her leaving you, but I still must congratulate you on a job very well done."

Adamu gave him a curt nod and pushed them both out of his room so he could get dressed. He went down to the table to see his father cleaning up. "So, was it really just a ruse?" he asked his son. Adamu nodded. "And you looked so good together too." He shook his head. "Well, it looks like you've learned the lesson it took me so long to learn."

"And that would be?" asked Adamu, flatly. His father merely grinned.

"I can't tell you now. Not in front of your mother." He replied. Adamu turned to see Rei smiling at him.

"Good morning mother." He said flatly. She simply gave him a knowing smile and left.

Even after fifteen years his mother still scared him.

(AN: Good boy.)

"Welcome." He looked around at the GeoFront with wide eyes. "I take it that you are the representative's ward?"

He turned to look at the Commander. "Yes. My name is Esserach Talkenoh. It is a pleasure to meet you, sir." He smiled, a warm, gentle smile.

His guardian Tolben Deransh was less than warm. He only gave her a stiff glare of disapproval. He wasn't the only one who could smell the alcohol beneath the woman's perfume. "Commander Katsuragi, if you would introduce us to your subordinates,"

Misato grinned at him. "I haven't heard them called that since Third Impact." She turned and led them inside.

They met Ritsuko first, the scientist poring over some sample of something. She greeted them both briefly before resuming her work. Misato gave the representative a smirk.

"She's a workaholic. Don't mind her."

They met Maya soon after, when the lieutenant came to deliver a report to Ritsuko. She smiled at Tolben and Esserach, a smile that only Esserach returned.

"Thirty-nine, and still so innocent." Misato mused. Then they met the Children.

Asuka peered skeptically at the representative, who peered skeptically back at her. "How much does he know?" she asked.

"I know enough to see that you aren't telling us everything, Ms. Soryu." Tolben replied coldly. She smirked.

"I've dealt with Rokubungi Gendo, former Commander of NERV. Don't think to scare me with that attitude."

Esserach stepped forward. "Please forgive my guardian, Lady Soryu." He said in smooth German. "He usually deals with soldiers, and is unused to finer speech." 

Asuka's eyes lit up at the sound of her native tongue, but she said nothing.

Rei only stared blankly at them, as she was wont to do. Shinji nervously greeted the two, shifting from foot to foot. Kaoru started chatting amiably with Esserach, drawing him aside and telling Misato to continue introducing Tolben to the staff.

He led the boy out to the center of the GeoFront, where his son, daughter, and Takoru were lounging. Or at least, Lilliko and Adamu were lounging. Takoru was searching through Kaji's melon patch. Suddenly one of the melons exploded, showering him with juice and seeds. He stood, blinking in shock as his girlfriend burst into silvery laughter. He wiped off what he could and went back to searching.

"Well, well, well." Lilliko said when she spotted Esserach. She lazily rose to her feet, sauntering over to him. "What do we have here?" She leaned forward, hands on her hips, looking him up and down.

"Only your humble servant Talkenoh Esserach, fair lady." He bowed low. She smirked evilly.

"My, aren't you courteous." She said with a wicked smile. "So polished, so finely mannered." She grinned, baring her fangs. She placed a finger beneath his chin and made him look into her eyes. "You know what we do to humans like you?"

He smiled innocently. "Pray tell, fair one." He said gallantly.

"We eat them."  She said sharply, swiping her finger across his throat. She ran her tongue over her lips. "And you look absolutely delicious."

"Thank you, my lady. Shall I be boiled? Or roasted? Or do you Angels eat your humans raw?"

"Raw, of course." She backed away, examining him as a cat examines a cornered mouse.

"Well, then, shall I see you at dinner?" he asked with an impudent smile.

She laughed. "Sorry, but I'm taken for tonight. My Takoru-chan would never let me be seen eating with another man."

Esserach turned to face Takoru, who was red and confused. "Ah, my apologies, sir. I never meant to be so forward. Your lady is a beautiful one, and I fear I may have lost my sense of place." He turned back to Lilliko. "Yet, you have not eaten this one. Why, pray tell?"

Lilliko burst out into helpless laughter. "Two reasons. One, he holds the Loginus Sword, both of them, and two, he tastes awful uncooked!" She suddenly smirked again, and leaned close to Esserach. "That, and he's good in bed." Takoru turned bright red while Adamu spun to glare daggers at him.

Esserach grinned. "Noble reasons, all.  Say, where is the fourth of your group?"

Lilliko stopped laughing to glare at her brother. "She went home because my brother tried something stupid." Adamu rolled his eyes. "She is single, currently."

Esserach nodded, grateful. "Thank you, my lady. I shall have to pay a call to the aggrieved maiden." He smirked. "After all, I shall need someone to guide me about the city, and someone to inflict my chivalry on." Lilliko only nodded, while Adamu turned away sharply.

As Esserach was guided away by his guardian, Ritsuko shook her head. "He reminds me too much of Kaji and Kaoru." She told Misato.

She raised an eyebrow. "Deransh?" Ritsuko shot her an exasperated glare.

"No, the boy." Misato shrugged.

"I don't know, I like him well enough. And so he's a flirt, what of it?" she asked. "I've gotten over Kaji."

"That's not what I'm talking about. He's too smooth, too polished. My experience tells me not to trust him."

Misato peered at her co-commander. "If he really was up to something, don't you think Kaoru-san would have noticed? He was the original smooth talker, you know."

Ritsuko shook her head again. "I don't even try to understand Kaoru-san. I swear, he keeps secrets simply so that he can wear that blasted smile all the time."

AN: Esserach Talkenoh…Don't know where the name comes from, don't know where the boy comes from. Brain hurts.