A/N: Yes, I will answer your inevitable doubts now: This fic is slightly screwed (or VERY screwed, depending on what the word 'screwed' means to you) concerning the setting and, sometimes, the characters. That's why it's only a fanfic, baka! If all the characters did what they're supposed to do, then this would be the actual anime/manga itself! But please, feel free to email me if there is something seriously wrong that you think you can help me with.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas. They don't belong to me. Me, these do not belong. Get it? No? Yes? Me crazy? Yes. But no, belong me these characters not.

Chapter 1

"Again?" A voice whined from the darkness of the dusty cellar.

"Yes, please," came the cheerful reply.

"Mistress Langley, you –"

The cheerful voice cleared her throat. "Oh, you must mean, Asuka."

Someone standing in the cellar rolled her eyes. "Asuka," she said in a sarcastic tone, "your father will be looking for you. Have you forgotten that in one week's time, it will be your 18th birthday?"

Asuka shot her servant, Shizuku, a mischievous look. "Exactly why I must go and see Hatori," she said firmly. She placed her hands on her hips, and looked down her nose at the tiny door in the wall that led to the cellar for effect.

Her servant sighed. "Yes, Asuka. I'll go get Mina. I think she's made a new design for you." She winked at Asuka. "I'm sure that Hatori will be very impressed by it."

Asuka blushed, and, waving her servant's comment away, climbed into the cellar.

Asuka, though seemingly normal on the outside, was fairly different from other daughters. Besides the fact that she was easily the most beautiful girl in most of Germany, and that she was one of the three in the entire world who piloted an Evangelion, Asuka had a forbidden best friend. Hatori was her secret peasant friend; she, Asuka Sohryu Langley, was the daughter of one of the richest men in Germany, but ever since she met Hatori by the orphanage, they had been the best of friends. In order to sneak out of the heavily guarded mansion, Asuka's closest servants lent her some of their own filth-covered, labour-worn dresses for her to wear. Of course, as Asuka grew, Mina, her seamstress, had to make new dresses in order to match Asuka's growing body.

Not long after Asuka ducked her head to get through the cellar door, her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, and spotted a sooty, darkened dress lying on the wooden table next to her. To any other rich daughter in Germany, the dress would be a disgusting piece of trash. To Asuka, though, it was her precious ticket to see Hatori.

"Thank you so much, Mina!" Asuka gushed, immediately stripping off her silky home gown and changing into the peasant outfit.

"It's our duty as your servants, Mistress Langley," Mina said smoothly. "We have to follow your orders..."

"No matter how strange and original they are," Shizuku added.

Asuka scowled at her servants, but then the three of them burst into giggles. "Well, I best be off, then," she said, playing with a strand of her luscious crimson hair.

"Wait!" Mina said, before Asuka opened the secret door under the table. "There's a ribbon that goes with this dress. You should tie up your hair with it, and don't forget to add a little soot in your hair, as well."

Asuka frowned mockingly. "Oh Mina! You're sounding like a housewife!"

"Isn't she one?" Shizuku remarked dryly.

Asuka smiled as her two servants started a pointless argument as usual. "Well, I'm going now." She put her hair up in a loose ponytail, and sprinkled it with a handful of dust. "You two better get back to your stations, or Father will suspect something."

"Yes, Mistress Langley," they chorused, saluting Asuka. "Or should we say, Nakuru?"

Asuka let out a final laugh, and closed the tiny door behind her.

Meanwhile, inside the mansion...

"Yes...er, no... No! I don't want...well...fine. But – ah...I said that I don't...alright, but there are no guarantees, you hear? Alright. I'll see to this s-son of yours, tomorrow. Yes, I'll speak to her. Good day."

CLICK

"Ah..." the man sighs, rubbing his temples. He looks pitifully at the phone. "Another suitor. This time, it sounds like a good respectable young man, and his background isn't bad at all. Not bad at all..." he trails off thoughtfully. "Except that with Asuka, you never know," he adds sadly.

"Well, Master Langley, perhaps this one will work," the butler said kindly.

"I don't suppose Asuka is awake by now?" Mr. Langley asks hopefully.

"I do believe that she is, sir," the butler answers, glancing at the clock on the wall. "She should be well past breakfast."

"I should go and share the good news," Mr. Langley says, getting up from his arm chair.

"Right," the butler agreed.

An olive-skinned brunette stood patiently under the arch of the doorway, her eyes scanning the thin crowd of the early morning. She sighs softly, shaking her head.

"I was thinking she'd be here by now..." she muttered, "It is, after all, a week before her birthday. I was sure it'd be somewhat special to her..."

Suddenly, a slender girl with soot in her hair ran up to the brunette, and, reaching the balcony, held on to the railing to catch her breath. "Sorry...Hikari," the figure said, still gasping for air. "...Servants were...arguing again...is he here yet?"

Hikari smiled at her friend. She didn't have to ask who 'he' was. "Well, hello Asuka."

Asuka looked up. "I guess he's not here then, if you're still calling me that."

Hikari's smile grew. "Even if he was, I would be eager to tell him who Nakuru really is," she said slyly.

"You wouldn't dare!" Asuka said, though she let out a giggle. "Anyways, where is that baka? He's never late..."

"Well, he did say that his father took him somewhere far for the past few months. I wonder if he's still not home. Maybe he's busy tending the pigs on the border or something," Hikari suggested. The two of them burst into laughter. Hikari knew Asuka wasn't a real peasant, and talking about Hatori's life was always fun, because Asuka didn't live one like his at all. Or so they thought.

Meanwhile, somewhere over Germany...

Shinji looked cautiously at the man whose sleeping head was dropping closer and closer. The man looked like he hadn't shaved for a week, and his dark hair was held back in a short ponytail. 'Eug...' he thought to himself. 'Stay still. It wouldn't do me good if I told her that I spent the airplane trip with you sleeping on my shoulder...'

The man grunted, and Shinji took his chance to tip the man's head to the other side. The lady sitting on that side protested, but didn't want to touch the sleeping man, so Shinji finally had his space.

He couldn't enjoy it for long, though. Soon, the flight attendant's monotone voice announced that they were landing. As Shinji buckled himself up (he helped the man as well, since the lady didn't want to, and the man was still fast asleep), he thought of home, and the things he had planned for that day. 'I hope I'm not too late,' he thought to himself. 'Nakuru would kill me...'

The sudden bump and the sound of gigantic wheels awoke the man sitting beside Shinji, and he grunted when he noticed that his seat belt was on. "You –?" he asked Shinji, gesturing to the seat belt.

Shinji nodded.

"Thanks," the man said. "I was so tired from this morning's work...I can't believe my boss had me come so soon. It's hard, when you have so many part time jobs." The man winked at Shinji. "Don't ever grow up to be like me, kid. It's not a good life."

Shinji nodded again. 'Some people are just so talkative,' he thought to himself.

"Have you ever been in Germany?" the man asked, after the plane had landed.

"Yes," Shinji answered. "I live here."

"Really? You look Japanese to me. You speak German, then?"

Shinji nodded, changed his mind, then shook his head. "I'm Japanese, but...my father..."

"He sent you a guardian to live with you here?" the man guessed.

"Uh...yeah."

They didn't say anything after, and then they entered the airport. The man helped Shinji get his luggage, and then Shinji found his guardian. He waved goodbye to the man, who gave him a last smile. Shinji's guardian frowned, and asked him who the man was.

"He sat next to me on the airplane," Shinji answered vaguely. His guardian shook his head and steered Shinji into the shiny black Nerv vehicles that his dad, Gendo Ikari, had ordered to pick them up.

On the way home, Shinji thought about what the man had said. 'Part time jobs? I wonder what he does...'

But as soon as the car drove up to the mansion, all thoughts about the man were gone. Shinji opened the car door, and was quickly embraced by his two friends, Touji Suzahara and Kensuke Aida.

"We missed you man! How did you manage to live in Japan for so long?" Touji shouted into Shinji's shoulder. "Three months, man! Three! I was gonna pee my pants soon if I didn't hear, 'Nakuru, Nakuru' again!"

"That trip was worth every second, though," Kensuke added excitedly. "You're awesome! We watched every single battle on the top secret video tape that that hot babe gave us."

"Hot babe?" Shinji repeated. "You mean Misato-san?"

"Duh," Touji said, slapping Shinji hard on the back, making Shinji wince. "Who else would we mean, your peasant girl?"

A light bulb suddenly lit in Shinji's head. "Nakuru! Her birthday's in a week!"

"So?" Touji asked, frowning. "It shouldn't be hard to get something she likes. She's a peasant! Anything will do."

"Besides, you've got a whole week," Kensuke added.

"No, it's not that," Shinji said frantically. "I told her that I'd meet her today. If I don't go, she might suspect something!"

"I'm not that worried," Kensuke said, surprising both Touji and Shinji. "Nakuru's only a peasant. She won't connect the fact that you're late to the fact that Shinji Ikari, the greatest Eva pilot of all time, just returned to Germany from slaying Angels!"

Touji looked thoughtful. "He's right."

Shinji sighed. "Fine. But I still need you two to get me to the orphanage in my disguise."

"Fine, fine, fine. Have it your way," Touji said, sulking. He led Kensuke and Shinji to the backyard, and opened the door to the storage shed. "You two love birds ought to get together some day anyway. Why not do it now?"

Shinji flushed, picking up his peasant outfit. "You know that that's not true. We're just friends."

"Right," Touji and Kensuke chorused. They left the shed so that Shinji could change, and sneak off before the guards got to their stations.

"Nakuru?" a voice asked timidly.

Asuka grunted.

"Would you like a slice of bread?" Hikari said, offering a tray with a single plate on it. "It's a little bland compared to your usual breakfast at home, I know, but it's all the orphanage has to offer."

Asuka shoved the tray away, much to the surprise of Hikari. She knew Asuka was a fiery girl, and was bursting with money, but the redhead had never disrespected the poor in such a way. It was mostly because of Hatori, but Asuka wasn't a bad girl at heart either.

"Asuka?" she asked.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Asuka snapped. "That baka could come any time now!" In softer tones she added sadly, "I can't believe he'd forget about our meeting today."

"Now, now," Hikari said worriedly. "I'm sure Hatori hasn't forgotten. He cares too much about you to forget about your 18th birthday. Have you forgotten that he's your best friend? He's probably being scolded right now, for not feeding the chickens or something, and he can't escape just yet. Yes, that must be it. Why wouldn't that be it? Yes. That must be it. No need to worry, then. Hehe..."

Asuka snorted. "You're ranting again. You always rant when you're worried. The fact that you're worried is making me feeling so much better," she drawled. "Besides, he's a peasant. He doesn't have to sneak off like I do..."

Hikari sighed. "Yeah...I know." She left Asuka, and called over her shoulder that she'd be watching the children if Asuka needed her.

Asuka shifted uncomfortably. The straw mat she was sitting on wasn't as comfortable as the silk-covered pillow that she had at home. Briefly she wondered if Hatori really was acting, like she was, and was actually a rich boy...

"Nakuru! Nakuru!" called a familiar voice in the window. "Open up! It's me!"

"Hatori?" Asuka got up from the mat and opened the window. "Hatori!" She grinned when she saw his face. "Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry I'm late. I didn't forget your birthday, Nakuru," Shinji said. "I just got home late, that's all."

"Hikari and I were starting to get worried," Asuka said, still grinning.

Shinji grinned back at her. She hadn't changed one bit...except for her new dress. He commented on nice it looked.

"Thanks," Asuka said, beaming. "Mina made it for me."

"Mina?"

"My sea – " Asuka caught herself, when she remembered that peasants didn't have personal seamstresses.

"Your what?"

"My s-sister," Asuka quickly said.

"You never told me you had a sister," Shinji said, confused.

"I didn't?" Asuka looked quickly into the orphanage, wondering if Hikari could help her.

"No," Shinji said. Then he dropped his serious manner. "Hey! Nakuru!" he said, shaking an accusing finger. "I thought we said no secrets!"

Asuka put on a fake grin. "Well, I thought you already knew! I guess you are a baka! The worst kind of them all!"

"Baka? You're learning Japanese?" Shinji asked, curious.

Asuka laughed and nodded, and they went back to joking around and being best friends, without a care in the world. Being with Nakuru was the best thing in Shinji's life.

"Asuka!" a voice squawked, when her grimy arm appeared under the table in her cellar. "You didn't tell us that you were going to be gone for so long!"

Asuka looked up to see Shizuku. So it was Shizuku who sounded like an angry chicken...

"Spill, Asuka," Mina demanded. "Have you 'done it' with Hatori yet?"

Asuka flushed, and tried to look angry. "Mina!"

"Well, you were gone for a while, and you told us that you'd be back three hours ago," Shizuku explained, still laughing at the look on her mistress's face. "Besides...it's almost your 18th birthday!" she sang. "It would be an expected birthday present. Hatori wouldn't mind getting in bed, either, with a beauty like you!"

"Shizuku!" Asuka glared at her other servant. "Shut up, or else I'll come over there and make you shut up."

Shizuku and Mina became silent immediately, though they were both still smiling maliciously.

"You two aren't any better off than those perverted suitors that Father keeps on inviting. Wipe those smiles off your faces and get the bath ready. You don't want my father suspecting anything, do you?" Asuka said.

"Alright, Mistress," the two girls chorused.

When Asuka was dressed in a beautiful crimson gown, she headed for the tiny cellar door.

"Oh, Mistress Langley," Mina cooed, before Asuka closed the door. "I hope you thinking about telling your father soon, because the baby will be easily hid, but your stomach won't be."

"MINA! I. Am. Not. Pregnant!" Asuka yelled into her servant's face.

"I certainly hope not, because there's another suitor anxiously waiting to meet you tomorrow," said a deep voice from behind her.

Asuka turned around to see her father's kind face staring back at her. "Not another one?" she whined. "It has to be, like, the gazillionth one or something!"

Mr. Langley sighed. "I know how much you loathe these meetings, but I'm sure that if you just got to meet one of them, and gave them a chance – "

"Yeah right!" Asuka said sarcastically. "All they need is a chance – a chance to get into my pants, that is! They're all stupid perverts..."

Mr. Langley sighed again. "Anyways, I'm not sure why your servant was wondering if you were pregnant, but I'm sure that anyone who tried to get you that way wouldn't get very far before they learned a lesson from the Great Asuka Sohryu Langley."

"Right you are," Asuka said determinedly.

"Anyone except Hatori the peasant," came a whisper from the cellar.

"Anyone but who?" Mr. Langley asked. "Have you already chosen someone that I should know of?"

"Of course not," Asuka said hastily. "Who would want to chain themselves to a brainless git with incontrollable hormonal desires?"

Mr. Langley let out a booming laugh. "Chain yourself? I never asked you to chain yourself to anybody!"

"Marry, chain. Chain, marry. It's the same thing," Asuka said smoothly.

"And Asuka, I would never put my own dear daughter together with a brainless git, I'll have you know," he continued, seemingly ignoring Asuka's comment. "You are much too good for that."

"Well, about fifty of those have come by here, and you never took notice of them," Asuka pointed out.

Her father sighed yet again. "The hour is late; let us seek rest before your next suitor arrives. Mind you, he is a very punctual man. He won't be late!"

"When's the appointment?" Asuka asked reluctantly.

"Nine fifteen, sharp," he answered. Then he laughed; Asuka had an expression of utmost horror on her features.

"Nine fifteen!" Asuka wailed to her maid, Chi, in the morning, as she dressed. "I won't have any time to see Hatori! He just came back from a three month long trip yesterday!"

"But you already got to see him yesterday!" Chi softly reminded her mistress, passing Asuka's clothes to her. "For the whole day, too, if Mina was telling the truth."

"What? Mina was talking about that yesterday?" Asuka demanded.

"Only with those of us who know about Hatori," Chi reassured her.

Asuka breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh good... You know that if my father finds out, he'll get the wrong ideas as soon as he hears the word 'peasant'..."

"Asuka!" came a shout from outside her room. Asuka and Chi recognized it as Mina's voice. "The victim's arrived!"

Asuka snickered. "Well, Chi, you've got the pot of hot sauce?"

Chi rolled her eyes at her mistress's demon-like smile. Asuka always had the strangest ways to scare suitors away. Asuka used to hate seeing suitors. But now, it had turned from a dreaded event to a fun hobby that Asuka enjoyed immensely.

"Yes, Asuka," Chi said, using Asuka's first name since they were alone. "When I left it, the sauce was at 175 degrees, and it's still rising."

"Prefect. I'll leave it all to you, then," Asuka said, leaving her room, and joining Mina down the stairs.

Shinji fidgeted uncomfortably, wondering who this girl would be. Her father seemed very kind...but also quite stressed and tired...

Shinji also didn't know what he would do if the meeting turned into a wedding. How would he be able to sneak off to Nakuru? He couldn't keep saying that he was busy; peasants didn't have that much work. Briefly, he remembered the conversation he had with his friends that morning.

flashback

Shinji paced his room nervously. His father had called, and he was coming because of some important arrangement.

'It will benefit you greatly,' the deep voice had said maliciously.

Shinji shuddered at the thought of his father's voice. He didn't know his own father that well; only that Gendo was the commander of Nerv, the secret organization that Shinji had fought for in the last few months. He had battled against threatening creatures called Angels inside a huge robot called Evangelion Unit 01, alongside his fellow pilot, Rei Ayanami. It was a lot to keep from Nakuru, but Shinji wasn't that talkative anyway, and Nakuru had a way with convincing people to do things that she wanted to do, so he had been busy having fun the day before. So busy that he hadn't mentioned a thing about where he had been for the last few months.

'Nakuru...' Shinji thought longingly. 'If only you weren't a peasant...' He looked at the card in his hand that indicated that he was a member of the Nerv branch in Japan. "Or if only I was a peasant..." he added out loud.

"If you were peasant, what?" Kensuke asked, suddenly appearing behind Shinji.

"He'd marry Nakuru, silly!" Touji said, smacking Kensuke on the head. "Ain't it obvious?"

"Would you actually do that, Shinji?" Kensuke asked, rubbing the spot where Touji had hit him.

"Er..."

"Marry Nakuru, you know. Spend the rest of your life by her side."

Shinji's face brightened. "I guess I would. That would be great...but it could never happen..."

"Nope," Touji put in. Kensuke and Shinji frowned at his comment, but then he continued, "cuz guess what? Your dad's here, and he told me that you're going to be courting a pretty girl today!"

"WHAT?"

end of flashback

Shinji looked around him anxiously. Gendo was standing coldly behind him, talking with the girl's father. The girl herself was said to be a beauty, and was the pilot of Unit-02 for Nerv's branch in Germany.

Shinji thought of her name when he saw a sudden movement from behind the stairs on the upper floor. But all he could catch was a gleam of red silk, before whatever it was disappeared again.

"Ah," said the girl's father, Mr. Langley, obviously seeing it as well. "That would be Asuka."

"A shy one, isn't she?" Gendo grunted in his low voice.

"Well...not exactly," Mr. Langley said, suddenly looking very worried. "You'll find out soon enough, I suppose."

The three of them watched the staircase eagerly, but they all had their own reasons for wanting to see Asuka.

They didn't have to wait for long.

----------------------

A/N: How's that for the first chapter? I think the cliffie's rather dumb, but I like dumb things. EEEK. Yeah, I know. Me is thinking that you must be looking like this now O.o. Oh well. Most people who get to know me soon get that permanent expression.

Lina ) or, if you want just me )

Oy! Something important before the second chapter can come up: Someone please tell me the names of Hikari's two sisters! I know the names are out there... And if no one can tell me, then I'll have to make some names up...that could become an international disaster...so plz...