Well, same as always. I don't own Evangelion or any of the character's names from X/1999 or the names of Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. This is just my happy little land where I guest star random anime characters. (I do this a lot during reading class and I have to visualize the characters ^_^;) But here is chapter 9 of "Sixteen and In Love."

Would you like to Dance?

11:30 A.M. Earlier that day...

"You got to be kidding us!!!" Toji, Kensukei, and Kowaru's mouth's hanged from their jaw's in utter shock when Shinji explained to them how he managed to get tickets to see Priss Asagiri, one of the biggest up and coming artists to date, in concert live.

"I'm telling you. Shigiru and I just met in the grocery store and he just happened to have four tickets on him. It's just a coincident." Kaworu shook his head, turned his desk to face him, and explained in detail. "Shinji, my friend, you have to believe me when I say that there is no such thing as a coincident. I have a strong belief that everything happens for a reason. One man looses a thousand yen so that another can find it. It's all a part in the natural order of things."

"Yeah, that's real interesting, class heart-throb. Now the question is... who are you taking with you?" Toji eyed Shinji with extreme curiosity, wanting no more than to sponge the answer out of him. "C'mon. You and the foreign girl seem to be hitting it off real great. Why not ask her out?" His answer was an excruciating pain from the tip of his ear.

Hikari held her death grip on the poor sap as she gave him one of her school-famous thrashings. "A kick in you're... sensitive part, food poisoning... just what will it take to get it through you're thick skull? Stay out of Shinji's personal affairs!" Kaworu chuckled at Toji as he was dragged off to his certain doom. "Well, now that he's out of the way... I though that you could hand me those tickets... for me and Ayanami."

"...The same goes for you as well, Mr. Nagisa!" She snatched his ear faster than anyone could even see, let alone react to. Kensukei received a rather dirty look from her as she was ripping into the two young guys. "Ok, I get the message! I'm going! I'm going!" At the moment he left, The bell for lunch range across the campus. His stomach still full from the hearty breakfast made by Kaji, Shinji headed towards the roof of the school alone.

He opened the door and set foot outside. With only his shadow at his side, he played his Mp3 and sat himself down on the roof. He was still trying to make a decision on who to take. Of course, the obvious choice would be Crystle. She's the nicest person he has known for a long time, she listens to all kinds of music, and she was just so pleasant to be around with.

On the other hand, however, was Asuka.

"..."

Asuka's hand. All he could focus on was her delicate hand and how soft it was in his. The last thing he thought about then and there at the store was to let go. He didn't know how to explain it. It was almost like...

"Ikari?"

Shinji shot up from his lying position at the lightest voice. He looked behind his and met with Rei standing above him. "Rei!?!? Don't scare me like that!" She took a seat next to him, staring into the city view and the blue sky above them. "I'm sorry if i interrupted anything." He shook his head. "No, not at all. I was just trying to decide something."

"Hey, Rei? I have these tickets from Aoba and I was wondering..." Before he could finish, however, she cut him off. "I'm sorry, Ikari. I Already made plans with Mr. Nagisa." Wide-eyed, Shinji was truly in disbelief. "What?!?!?" She lied down to get a full view of the cloud free sky. "That is right. Mr. Nagisa had asked me to see a movie with him."

"But, you never accept a date with anyone. I can understand two years ago, but now of all times? Why?" She didn't have to say but five words. "Because Misato suggested I should." She stood up and was already headed for the door. "Shinji...?" He sat there, looking at her before she left. "I think you know who you should take with you. You know it in you're heart. Good bye."

Asuka just finished serving party of eight and it was barely noon when she was able to rest her feet for a mere two minutes. "Hey, Asuka! Party of ten! You take them!" Malcolm, her new assistant manager, was driving her harder than usual today, and all she wanted was to finish her day and get her paycheck for the week. "Lord, please help me." She was almost on the verge of crying out loud those words. She lifted her spirits as high enough for her to swear more words than would be normally welcomed in a diner as she headed back to work.

Kaji's office was quite more cheerful than Asuka's workplace. Everyone in his department popped a bottle of wine to honor his big news he broke to them just recently. "A toast," one of his co-workers announced. "To the new father-to-be and one of the greatest, luckiest S.o.B's we have ever had the pleasure to know." Everyone rose their glass and drank to Kaji. "Well, I have to say I'm honored," he said. "So, who planned all this? Was it you, Karen?"

"Nope, It was me. 'Course we all chipped in to hold this little fiesta." Everyone turned to the tall, blond man and smiled towards him. "Oh, I should have guessed that you where behind this, Yuto." They gave each other a toast and drank to good times. "So, Mr. Kaji. Are you and the soon to be little Mrs. going to celebrate this news together?" He poured another glass as he answered. "Actually, Shinji managed to get some tickets from an old friend of ours to a concert tonight. Of course, Misato and I are going, but I'm more interested in seeing who he's going to invite along..."

Clinic

"Well, there is no mistake about it, captain-" said Ritsuko. "Please, don't call me that anymore. I'm sure it's a hard habit to break, but that's all in the past." Misato was sitting on the exam table all morning, waiting for her results. "So, Doctor, What are the results?"

...

"I still can't believe you really are going to be a mother."

She smiled as those words escaped her lips. The news was too much of a joy for Misato to keep suppressed. She immediately leapt off the table and hugged her best friend, crying into her shoulder. "Oh, thank you. Thank you so much." Ritsuko could only return the hug, seeing her friend reduced to tears to express her overwhelming joy. Misato dug her face deep into her shoulder, and Ritsuko was still smiling, knowing her friend was going to have her family.

"Hey," the doctor said. "Don't you have a date you need to catch tonight?" Finally collecting herself, Misato wiped away her tears and grabbed her coat and headed for the door. "That's right. I'll see you soon. And thank you, once again, for everything."

Rei was walking home, alone as usual, when she noted some cherry blossoms falling from a tree above her. "..." She was rather confused, for most of them had already fallen weeks ago. She looked up high and noted Kaworu hanging from a limb with his knees, holding a basket of sakura petals, sprinkling them for her as if it was a gift from heaven. She of coursed, didn't smile, but was blushing the same pink as the petals that decorated her hair and clothes. "Mr. Nagisa? Why are you up there? And why would you be sprinkling these over me?"

"Well, I truly love it when you smile, so I thought I could drop by and lighten you're day." He jumped from the branch, landing on his feet with another flower at hand as blue as her hair. "Well, shall we? And after we're done, maybe we can grab a bite to eat." She simply nodded and continued to walk, only with Kaworu walking right at her side.

"Shinji, I'm home!" Misato just walked in through the door, carrying her poor excuses for 'meals' in a paper sack. "Shinji? You here? I thought we could make a quick snack before we left..." She peered into his room, seeing it empty and lifeless. "Where did he go this time?"

"Oh, just over to a certain American-exchange-student's home to ask her a little question." Kaji wrapped his arms around her from behind and gently kissed her neck. "So, how was your check up with Ritsuko?" She was already to cried out from earlier that afternoon, but her reserves where already starting to kick in. "I'll... I'll tell you tonight, at the concert."

"Well, you damn well better tell all of us!" Asuka just stormed in the room, dragging her feet across the floor with her shoes in her hand. "I have never had a harder day than I had today. I had to deal with some new Americans that a co-worker smashed a coffee pot. Nanasawa can be a real klutz sometimes." She made her way to the bathroom, ready to take a long, hot bath to try and forget her miserable day.

"Well, I expect Shinji will be coming in any minute with his date..." As if by clock-work, The door opened with Shinji walking in, and just him. This caused a little confusion among his roommates. "Hi Shinji. I though you where going over to Crystle's place," Kaji said. Shinji simply smiled when he answered. "Oh, I went over there, but it turns out she went out with her friends to the mall and I don't know when she'll be back." He walked off to his room with the extra ticket in his back pocket. Misato was kind of freaked the way he seemed so...

"Well, I think we know who he's going to go after now, don't you?" He still had his arms wrapped around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder and gently talked into her ear. "I think tonight's going to be one hell of a night." She gripped his hands with hers as they went to their room to get ready for the concert.

Asuka was soaking and enjoying her bubblebath after her hellish work day. She was sure she was going fall right asleep in the tub when a knock on the door startled her back awake. "Wha-!? What the? Who is it!?!?"

"Asuka... it's me." That voice. That voice that lacked so much self confidence could only belong to that idiot room mate of hers. "What!?!? Can't you see I'm trying to relax in here?"

"Sorry." Shinji was on the other side of the door, wearing his new leather jacket with the necklace given to him by Asuka. "I was just wondering..." This was hard. He knew her all to well to just come out and ask her. "I... well, remember the other day when we met Shigiru the other day?"

"Yeah, what about it?" She had just gotten out of the bath and already wrapped herself in a towel as she opened the door. "Well, you see..."

...

A towel. That's all that was covering her. She was standing in from of him wearing only a towel. With out even him knowing, he simply froze and pretty much totally and utterly spazzed out. Asuka was getting frustrated when she gave him a light smack on the head. "Will you snap out of it!?!? God, not even to the point and already I feel like you need another smack!" She passed him and went to her room to get dressed. As she shut the door, Shinji was able to speak again without such a large distraction drawing his attention from his words.

"Well, you see, it's like this. Aoba gave me some tickets and well, I was wondering, well...." He was so close all he had to do was ask. But was it really that simple? "I want to know if you would go with-"

"I know what you're going to say." She slid open the door to reveal herself in a red blouse, black jeans, and a small coat to keep her arms warm. Shinji was, for lack of a better term, astonished with her radiant beauty and was, yet again, dumb-struck. "Hmph, you see something you like?" She was merely taunting him, knowing he was still an innocent kid at heart "Shinji, are you trying to ask me if I want to go with you, Misato and Kaji to the concert?"

"What?!?! How did you-" She rolled her eyes and cut him off. "You really think I didn't know about Aoba and the tickets? Hikari called me at work and told me about it. From what she told me, it's a sold out concert and the band is really popular. It would be rude of me not to see him after such a long time..." He stood there, waiting her to finish her sentence.

...

...

"So... That means you're coming?"

"WOW!!! And it only took you seven whole seconds to figure out that I'd accept! You're making progress, Ikari, I'll give you that." Her sarcasm was layed on pretty thick, but she did it. She actually accepted his invitation. "Ah... you...mean it?" Asuka swung her hair back. "Of course I mean it! It's not like I have anything better to do. Plus, I deserve a break after my day."

The lights dimmed and the crowd started to scream their heads off as the 1st notes reverb through the club. The band was the only thing in the light, and then a red light came from above and shun on a woman in red leather. The crowd was chanting her name

Priss! Priss! Priss! Priss!

hirogaru daichi ni afureru ibuki nagareru kumo ma ni sasayaku hikari

(A breath of air that floods the broad earth light that whispers between the flowing clouds)

ikusen no toki o koete kite mo GARASU no you na sono minamoto ha hakanaku

( Even if it surpasses a thousand years, This glassy birthplace is neverending.)

sora no risei o kaze no yuuki o suna no yokubou motto kanjite watashi ha dare? anata ha dare? kizutsuke ai doko he yuku no

The reason of the sky... The courage of the wind... The desire of the sand... I feel them more. Who am I? Who are you? Where does wounded love go?

sono me ni miru no ha kioku no IDEA karada o kankari koko ni umareta

What I see in these eyes is an idea of memory. Presented with this body, I was born here.

eien no sekai de ha naikeredo tabidatsu toki made ha kono basho ni iru kara

There is no such thing as an eternal world, but... So I'll be right here until I travel again...

toki no chisei o hito no kiseki o yume no kanjou o motto shinjite watashi ha anata anata ha watashi akai deja vu omoide shite

The wisdom of time... The miracles of people... The feelings of dreams... I believe in them more. I am you. You are me. I remember red deja vu.

The guitarist played his solo portion and the crowd grew estatic. Shinji, Asuka, Kaji, and Misato where among the screaming fans. "IKAIRI!?!?" Asuka yelled as hard as she could to get over the cheering. "THANK'S FOR INVITING ME!!! I REALLY NEEDED THIS!!!"

eien no sekai de ha naikeredo tabidatsu toki made ha kono basho ni iru kara There is no such thing as an eternal world, but... So I'll be right here until I travel again...

sora no risei o kaze no yuuki o suna no yokubou motto kanjite watashi ha dare? anata ha dare? kizutsuke ai doko he yuku no

The reason of the sky... The courage of the wind... The desire of the sand... I feel them more. Who am I? Who are you? Where does wounded love go?

As the symbols faded, the guitar wrapped it all with it's last notes. The crowd's wild with screams and cheers. The concert went on like this for over three hours. On stage, Aoba walked over to Priss, whispering something into her ear. She gave him a smerk and a nod. "So, how's everyone here doing?" The crowd was screaming in response. "Well, the guys and I are going to slow things down right now. This is something we've been working on, and my bassist want's to dedicate it to his friends here tonight. Congratulations to the soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs. Ryoji Kaji."

The guitar player started a very, slow melancholy tempo and the lights all dimmed to a deep, passionate blue. Kaji looked at Misato and extended his hand to hers.

"Misato, would you like to dance?" She couldn't ask for anymore when she accepted his hand with hers.

"Anata ga inai hitori no asa o jouzu ni sugoshiteru. mote amasu. Hodo aru omoide mo ima de ha togireta eiga no you. kioku no sougen o kakenuketa kako no keshiki o toozakeru tame ni."

("I get through the mornings when I'm alone and you're not here just fine. But now even the memories I can't even handle are like an interrupted movie.I ran through the savannah of memory to keep the scenery of the past away")

"Furidasu ame ga subete o nurashite aishita anata ga hodoketeku iro aseta ame ni utarete mo kasa ha iranai hitori dakara ichibyou saki ni okiru koto demo nagare o tadotteru futoshita toki ni kawasu kotoba de futari no yukuhou mo kawatte yuku

(The pouring rain soaks everything. You, who I loved, fade away. Even though I'm pounded by the dull rain, I don't need an umbrella, because I'm alone. It happens in an instant, but I only continue wandering. With words that turn aside the times when we were casual with each other, we keep changing where we are.)

nemuri no naka de miru omokage ha tooi kisetsu no maboroshi to kawaru furidasu ame ga subete o nurashite koi shita futari ga hodoketeku kono hoho o nagareru shizuku ni kasa ha iranai hitori dakara

(The face that I see in the midst of sleep turns into a vision of a distant season. The pouring rain soaks everything We, who were in love, fade away... With tears running down my cheek, I don't need an umbrella, because I'm alone.)

kawaita kokoro sono naka de ikite yuku kara setsunasa mo kodoku mo namida mo soko ni ha sorezai shinai kono ame ga subete o nurashite hashaida kisetsu o hodo iteku me o tojite nagareru namida ni kasa ha iranai saigo no ame hitori dakara

(Since I live on in my withered heart heartbreak, loneliness, and tears don't exist there. This rain soaks everything The season when we were in good spirits comes undone Closing my eyes as the tears flow, I don't need an umbrella in this last rain, because I'm alone.)

The music began to fade, but it didn't matter to either one of them. The two, young at heart, lovers danced to their own love for one another. Kaji didn't care about anything else there. Misato's hair, dimmed in the blue lights, covered her face, which was in tears. "what's wrong?" he asked out of concern. She looked up to his eyes as he gazed into hers.

"I can just picture you, me, and our child dancing like this." Kaji smiles liked he never smiled before. He held her tightly as they danced on the floor, for soon, they would be a family. Shinji and Asuka, among the entire audience, watched on as they passionately kissed one another.

In the car, Asuka was driving rather cautiously, while Misato and Kaji fell asleep in each other's arms in the back. "I think it's great." Shinji, in the midsts of falling asleep himself, shook his head when she talked to him. "What's that," he asked. "Misato and Kaji are going to have a baby. And I was thinking, they are going to need more space..."

Now Shinji, by now, was totally lost on the subject. "Asuka, what are you saying?" She sighed as she stopped at a red light.

"I think you and I should move out."

To be continued...


Well, I said three weeks, and I guess I kept my word. I truely hoped you enjoyed this little shpeal I posted, for I had a real fun time writing it. it will be awhile before you hear from me again. I wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween tomorrow night, and take care. And I'm sure you all heard of Nanasawa-san. (DON'T SUE FRED!!! LONG LIVE MEGATOKYO!!!) I just added her in for laughs. Untill the next time I post something up, here is you're quote of "wisdom."

"I feel something warm on my lap. Th... This smell...!!! HE DIDN'T!! UURRGGHHH!!!"~*~*~ A weird butler guy from the Yu-Gi-Oh Manga (Honda's, or Tristan's, baby bro left him a NASTY little prize on his lap)