*\/Read This\/*

I hope you guys have been paying close attention to the snippets of Gendo dialogue that appear now and then… the story's true course will soon be unveiled.

Anyway, I'm getting the overall impression that everyone wants to see Sakuya get cremated by Asuka's wrath. That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be a waste to get rid if Sakuya just when the action is heating up so much? An A/S relationship is great, but they have to be facing constant obstacles to make it interesting.

Now, before you start reading this new chapter, I want to ask you people something: Do you prefer gooey, mushy, love, romance stuff, or should I go for a more humorous approach to everything? I've had a god mix of both so far, but I just want to know which one you'd like to see more of.

I want to assure you all that the A/S relationship in this story is built on foundations that will last… um, magic arrows… lol. Also I haven't forgotten about the big wedding that's meant to be coming up, but it will wait until a later chapter so that I can keep a constant inflow of new and interesting events.

Finally, this goes out to ST Pika, who was kind enough to review my story, so I decided to include him in it. I did say a while back that I'd use random people as characters. This also means that I'm introducing someone new.

-Chapter 24-

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*Katsuragi Apartment*

"You have a pet penguin?"

"Yeah, he doesn't really act like a normal pet though." Shinji mused. "He's more like a roommate then anything else."

"Oh." Sakuya was still finding it hard to grasp the concept. "I didn't know there existed such a thing as a warm water penguin."

"Neither did I… until I came here." Shinji blushed as he recalled his first encounter with the household critter. "Gave me quite a shock."

Unknown to both people currently occupying the apartment, Shinji's red headed girlfriend was making her way up in the elevator, and it wouldn't be long before she got home.

"I hope there aren't any more nasty surprises in store for me, Shinji." Sakuya grins.

"Um…I don't think so."

"Oh, okay then." Suddenly Sakuya trips and conveniently falls on to Shinji, who catches her in his arms. "Silly me… who put that shoe there?"

The boy doesn't get fooled quite so easily though. "Isn't it yours?"

The girl looks down at her feet. "It seems so." Despite this, her smile widens. "I'm so lucky to have you here to catch me in my time of need!"

"What?"

"Oh Shinji… you saved me!"

"What are you talking about?" He tried to disengage himself from Sakuya, but found her arms holding him in place. "Let me go!"

Just then…

Front door opens.

Asuka walks in.

Asuka spots Shinji down the hallway and smiles.

Asuka then notices that someone is hugging Shinji and frowns.

Asuka finally realizes who that someone is.

"YOU BITCH!"

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*NERV Cell Block*

Kensuke was rudely shoved in to a dark cell, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Hey, let me out!" He yelled. "I haven't done anything!"

No reply.

"This sucks."

As his eyes gradually got used to the darkness in the cell, he became aware that he wasn't the only occupant.

There was a man standing across from him. Six foot three, muscular build, a tattoo of a wolf on his shoulder, a shaved head and a scar below his left eye.

As the guy gazed down at the boy, Kensuke shrank in to the far corner in fear.

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Finding herself with no work to do, Misato headed back to her apartment. Thanks to her driving, the journey didn't take all that long, and she found herself at her apartment block in almost no time.

On the way in to the building, Misato almost bumped in to a girl around the same age as Shinji and Asuka who ran by. The Major noted that she was missing patches of hair in several places. She wasn't sure, but it looked like it had been ripped out.

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*NERV Cell block*

As the large scary looking man began to approach Kensuke, the poor boy began to fear for his life.

"S-Stay back!" He whimpered. "Please!"

"Relax kid, I'm not going to hurt you or anything."

Kensuke looked up to see that the strange man had sat down on one of the two benches.

"So, are you going to sit down or are you going to cower in that corner like a sissy?"

Somewhat offended by that comment, Kensuke stood up and sat on the bench opposite the guy.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Jason Emery." The man answered.

"It doesn't sound Japanese." Kensuke commented.

"That's because I'm not." He said. "I'm American… although I doubt that means anything to anyone anymore…"

Kensuke just shrugged. "What are you here for?" He asked.

The man sighed. "Sorry little man, I can't tell you." He stretched his arms above his head for a few moments. "What about you?"

Kensuke rested his back against the wall as he replied. "I was set up."

The man actually laughed at this. "Set up? Man… that's harsh."

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*Katsuragi Apartment*

"Hey guys, I'm home!" Misato walks in to the apartment and goes straight in to the kitchen to get a beer.

When she enters she sees Asuka and Shinji hugging. After observing them for a few minutes she finally decides to break the silence.

"What are you guys doing?"

Asuka answers but doesn't break the hug. "I just love being close to my Shin-chan!"

Misato sweat drops as she opens her beer can.

"How was your day Misato?" This time it was Shinji that spoke.

"It was pretty boring so I came home" She answered. Glancing at her two charges again, she snapped. "Will you stop doing that?!"

"Fine, Fine." Asuka and Shinji let go of one another. "Happy now?"

Misato looked down. "Not really."

Shinji and Asuka sat at the table and looked up at Misato. "How come?" They both asked.

"I'm starting to miss Kaji." She answered, as she took her own at the table.

"Where is he?" Shinji queered. "I haven't seen him in a while."

Misato sighed as she drank a bit of her can. "He's in Kyoto…" Suddenly she remembered something. "Hey, do you guys know something about a girl your age who ran out of the complex before?"

Asuka rolled her eyes innocently as she answered. "No idea."

"Shinji?" Misato prompted him.

"Um… well… you s-" He couldn't answer as Asuka began dragging him out of the kitchen, saying something about never getting any peace.

-To be Continued-

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Kaji's trip to Kyoto must give you a fair idea of where in the show this is taking place. The man sharing a cell with Kensuke will receive further attention later on in the story, and he's in fact there for the plot. Anyway, for better or for worse, I've decided to stick some action in this story of mine… to keep things fresh. You'll have to wait and see…

Till Laterz.