Requiem: Chapter 4
(UN)Settling In.
********** *************** Authors note: If you have an aversion to bad jokes, RUN AWAY!!! Was in a very strange mood when I started this, probably stress. My apologies to those I might have confused by posting chapter 3, then ripping it out and putting up a new version in short order. Will try not to do that anymore. .Also, any suggestions on getting rid of this "chunky" text problem I've had in uploading let me know. Minor formatting problems fixed. Disclaimer added.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

The knock on my Hotel room shook me out of my woolgathering. Just as well, dwelling on the past makes me feel a bit sheepish. This knock was not the polite maid service knock, or the slightly more assertive room service knock. This was a door shaking, section 2 type knock, the kind that says, let me in..NOW!!! As soon as I opened the door, my ribcage was being crushed in a hug that would've made Misato look like a rank amateur.

"Shinji, you shrimp! Been too long, man! How ya been?"

"I'd be a lot better if you'd let me breathe a bit! And I'm not a shrimp!" Although I'm about 6 foot and considered fairly muscular, this man could make almost anyone look small. He seemed to be as wide as he was tall, with virtually no waist, fairly little neck, and tree trunk arms and legs. Blonde hair exploded outwards in an unruly mop, with bushy brows overhanging a startling pair of leaf-green eyes. Add craggy features, with a short- cropped beard framing a widely grinning mouth, and you have a good picture of my old college roommate and near brother, Conrad Von Mannheim. After releasing me, he continued our verbal sparring.

"Yah, you're right.you're a Jumbo Shrimp!

"That's an oxymoron."

"I'm no moron, oxy or otherwise! You trying to say I'm stupid?"

"I didn't say a thing. You did"

"Good point!"

We retreated back inside, laughing like the fine pair of idiots we were. I'd really missed this sort of banter. Although the casual listener would have been hard put to figure out what was being said, considering we were continually switching between German, Japanese, and very idiomatic American English. It was a little game we started playing after he found out I spoke German, and I found that he spoke Japanese. It helped polish our language skills, and readily discouraged eavesdroppers.
**Past**

It's funny how things look so serene from above, but when you land, Yeesh! New Manhattan Roared! It screamed, whispered, purred, laughed and growled. I'm accustomed to crowds, coming from Japan, but New Manhattan was possessed of a life and vitality that could intimidate, even terrify a newcomer unless one was willing to embrace it with open arms. People everywhere, of every description possible. Very in your face, too! No bowing here. Of course, in every crowd, there are oddities. While I was waiting for an express tube line, I heard the sound of a drum, followed by a sonorous, almost hypnotic chant. A line of blank eyed people with empty smiles trooped past. A fellow bystander "tskd". "Cult of the purple dinosaur and his divine offspring, Bop. Poor guys won't make a move without the say so of their spiritual leader, or "Barney". He turned back to the paper he was reading. I shook my head sadly as they disappeared down the corner, their chant lingering in the air.
"I love you, you love me..." A solemn testament to the rise of fringe groups in the wake of the shakeup and near death of organized religion.
I finally took the express Pneumatic coach, or "pneum" and was shot towards the University sector. I proceeded to check in with the local GEHIRN branch. I had never been released by the organization, so even though it was unlikely I still had to ensure my availability if needed. GEHIRN, as stated previously, was now primarily devoted to research, and gained a number of eager recruits from the near-by campuses. I was greeted warmly, and shown the way to the

Visiting Officers Quarters, where I settled in for the night. I was also fitted with a sub dermal transceiver which would notify me of any summons. Check-In at the U was the next day.

I was up with the sun, anxious to get my dorm assignment and dining plan out of the way. The amount of paperwork that I had to go through gave me an inkling of what Katsuragi had had to deal with. My sympathies. I received my dorm assignment and meal ID, and went to find my room. I was staying in Kenyon hall, west wing. I thought then, and still do, that the architect and contractor who designed and built the place must have been on drugs, or just crazy. Here you had a co-ed dorm with suites and bathrooms, but guess what? NO HALLWAYS!! To get from point a to point b, you had to amble through suite, then bathroom, then suite and, well you get the picture. Knocking was not just a social skill, but also a necessity. Although some people conveniently forgot, although that's for later telling. I found my room, plopped my duffels and Instrument cases off, and then decided to catch some lunch. Some people complain about dining hall food, but having had the."pleasure" of sampling the toxic waste Misato served, I actually found it fairly palatable. My meal plan also allowed me to eat at several sites off campus, but I decided to try them another day. I walked around to familiarize myself with the campus, which was so enormous that it was practically a world within itself. The place sprawled over a wide area; it even had its own shuttle system! Still early, and I was feeling restless, so when I happened on some guys playing American football (2 hand touch), I decided to give it a try. I had never played myself, but I had watched some games on T.V., and it didn't seem that complicated. I was used as an "offensive lineman", whatever the hell that was. I was supposed to block the other guy in order to advance downfield.

I dropped down and waited for the snap. My opposite number was. Big!! Since when did rock slabs learn to walk? When we collided, it felt like I slammed into a granite wall as well. After a few seconds, I found myself landing rather indelicately on my posterior. After he helped me up, he wore a very contented look. "Finally, someone I can hit who won't crumple and blow away". His accent was thick, definitely German.

"You call that a hit? I had a roommate 14 years old, and she could hit me harder than that" I retorted in his own language.

His eyes widened slightly, and a grin spread over his face. He replied in very good Japanese, much to my surprise. "Sounds like my kind of girl! Best stick to English, your accent is atrocious!" We both laughed at that, and then got back to the game. According to some of our teammates, we went at it like 2 rutting mountain goats butting heads. Some of them stopped playing momentarily just to watch! Finally, tired and bruised, the game wound down. We shook hands.

"Nice game. What's your handle?" I asked.

"Conrad von Mannheim"

"As in The Mannheim Group?" It was the name of a huge multinational.

"Yah. My old man expects me to take up the reigns. Probably will, but in the meantime, I wanna explore things a bit. Not to mention do some serious Partying!" He smiled and rubbed his hands together, seemingly in anticipation. Then it was his turn.

"Ok, I've spilled, now how about you?"

I almost gave him an alias, but something about him said not to bullshit

"Nobody special. Name's Shinji Ikari."

He looked at me in shock for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Nobody special my ass!" He surprised me by saying this in a low voice. "The guy who saves the whole freakin' world..." He continued to shake his head, chuckling. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. nobody special" He then commented "I don't think you have to worry so much about the hero and lunatic fringe. You're not that well known in the States. I know of you since we did a lot of business with NERV. So where are you staying?"

"Kenyon West."

"The place with no hallways?"

"Same."

"God, I don't know whether to pity you or envy you. That zoo is famed for some interesting close encounters". He thought for a moment, then said, "Tell you what, how about after dinner, we hike on over to the Pub at the student union, and split a few brews?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!"

We both got pleasantly buzzed that night, but not too much. After all, the torture called registration was the next day. This was my first meeting with "Manny" as he liked to be called. Later on, at swap week, we became roommates.

**Present**

"So where's the Missus?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes. "Putting on the war paint and feathers. Like she really needs to. "A sound of running feet came. Manny looked out into the hall, and then grinned.

"Incoming!!" A moment later, I was practically bowled over by a laughing, and absolutely stunning redhead. Asuka Sorhyu Von Mannheim was in the house, lord help us all!

"Shinji, you baka! Where the hell have you been hiding lately? You had us worried!" Followed by a knock on the noggin. Some things never change!

"Oh, here and there. And that reminds me, how did you guys know where I was?"

I was then pinned by 2 pairs of piercing eyes.

"Let's just say that a mutual friend asked us to keep tabs on you."

"Still running away, Shinji?" Asuka gibed gently, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

I grimaced. "No, just having a few issues with myself..."

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Right. Solve 'em Shinji. This is the best thing that could happen to you", Manny glowered at me.

"Don't wait too long, Shinji. She loves you very much."

"I know. I feel the same." Silence reigned for a few moments, then...

"Shinji, I have a favor to ask of you" said Manny. "Seems that we're in a family way..."

".And we want you to be the godfather!" Asuka finished.

I was stunned, and then bowed deeply. "It would be my honor!" I looked at Asuka. Not too many changes, but still, something funny here. Then I "heard" it..Oh my!

"Manny, you a baseball fan?"

"Yeah, Why?"

Because it looks like you and Asuka are going to have a double-header!"

The crash of Manny feinting rocked the Hotel to its foundations.

**Author's note** Yes, a dorm like I described actually does exist, in Buffalo, NY. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope to have more coming up soon.