She wrapped the towel around her head, twisted it and tucked it underneath itself. Then she opened the cabinet to put the shampoo up, when an ear-splitting beeping noise startled her. She dropped the shampoo on her foot, said a few choice words, and bolted to the kitchen. Smoke poured from the oven. She instinctively grabbed the handle to the oven door. She swore as she pulled her hand away from the hot metal. She checked her hand quickly for any damage. Only a small red stripe. She turned the oven off with her other hand and grabbed a hand towel to pull the door open. After nearly choking on the smoke, she rushed to the living room and threw a window open. She hurried back to the kitchen, grabbed a pot holder and pulled the oven rack out. And there it was: a whole chicken. Or, rather, a smoking lump of charcoal vaguely shaped like a chicken. She picked up the pan and dropped it in the sink. She turned the cold water on full, trying to stop the smoking. The pan twisted and crumpled until it looked like it had been beaten with a hammer a few thousand times. She backed up against the wall and slumped down to the floor. "You've gotta be kidding me," She sighed, exasperated. She glanced around the room, checking to see if anything was on fire. 'It's darker in here than usual,' she thought to herself. She reluctantly looked up to the light. It was black. So was the ceiling around it. "Of course," She muttered. "This is great. I'm really gonna get it from Ritsuko, now." She heard another beeping noise. Her heart leaped into her throat. She looked all around for the fire. Then she realized it. "He he... the doorbell," she chuckled. She then remembered that she was still only wearing a towel. "Just a minute!" She called cheerfully.
She darted to another room, dropping the towel on her way. Seconds later she came running out, wearing shorts and buttoning her shirt. The towel was gone from her head. She opened the door. Shinji's and Asuka's jaws dropped. Standing before them was Misato, with her shirt half-buttoned, no bra, shoulder-length hair that looked as if she had just kissed a light switch, and a big, inviting grin on her face. Upon looking over her shoulder they also noticed smoke making its way from the open oven to the far window, large black marks on the ceiling, and a black lump in a twisted metal pan sitting in the sink.
"You know, we can come back later." Shinji offered as he turned around.
"Nonsense, everything's under control," Misato assured him. "Come on in, you two." Shinji and Asuka looked at each other nervously. They each swallowed hard as they carefully stepped inside. They slipped their shoes off and looked around the kitchen and living room.
"This is Misato's apartment?" Asuka whispered to Shinji. "It's so... clean."
"Hey, I heard that!" Misato cried indignantly. "I'll have you two know, I've turned over a new leaf. I'm not living like a teenager anymore. I appreciate what I have, and I take care if it."
"It's only because she's living with Dr. Akagi," Asuka chuckled. Shinji smiled, trying to stifle his laughter. Misato opened her mouth to say something, but instead closed it and looked away.
"At least she still cooks like Misato," Shinji smiled. Asuka stepped to the side as Misato's fist connected with the top of his head. He moaned as he checked for a lump.
"You asked for that one," Asuka said flatly.
"Now then, what can I do for you?" Misato grinned. The smiles washed away from Shinji's and Asuka's faces. They glanced at each other, then looked back at Misato.
"Well, uh..." Shinji started. He wasn't quite sure how to say what he wanted to say.
"We need to ask you something." Asuka finished. She paused as she turned her eyes to the floor. "It's about Eva." Her tone was quieter now. Misato's smile left her face.
"I thought we agreed to never bring this up again," Misato stammered. Her fists clenched and trembled at her sides.
"I know, but this might be important." Shinji pleaded.
"I don't care what it is, it can't be important if it has to do with that thing." Misato's voice was rough.
"I'm hearing voices in my head!" Shinji cried. Misato turned her gaze from the floor to him. He was fixed on the floor now. Her eyes were wide open in a blank stare. "They tell me things. I don't understand what they're talking about. They won't stop, they keep repeating themselves over and over. I'm afraid I'm going crazy, Misato." A tear ran down his face and dripped onto the carpet. "But if that's not important to you, then I'll just leave." He turned around to walk away, still looking at the ground.
"Shinji..." Misato said quietly. "Don't go. I'm sorry, Shinji. Come in, Ritsuko should be home soon. She'll be more help than I can be." He hesitated in the doorway for a moment, then turned around and walked by her. He dropped himself on the couch and leaned his head back. Asuka sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He glanced at her briefly, then returned his gaze to another unfamiliar ceiling.
Everyone turned their attention to the door at the sound of an electronic lock clicking open. Ritsuko slid the door open and stepped inside. "I'm home, Misato!" She called as she slipped her shoes off. She looked up to see everyone sitting in the living room only a few meters in front of her. "Oh, I wasn't expecting company. I guess we'll have to order out tonight," she sighed as she noticed the charred remains of a very unfortunate bird in the sink. "I swear, Misato, couldn't you follow a recipe correctly just once?" No one even looked at her. The faint smile left her face. "Is something wrong?" Shinji cringed at the words.
"Sit down, Ritsuko." Misato said flatly. Her tone sent a shiver up the scientist's spine. Without a word, she sat down in the chair next to Misato, across from Shinji and Asuka. Asuka's head still rested on his shoulder, while he continued to stare at the ceiling. No one had moved since Ritsuko had come in.
"What's the matter?" Dr. Akagi's tone was nervous. She looked at all three of them sitting around her. Still, no one moved.
"Tell her what you told me, Shinji." Misato tried her best to sound comforting. He still stared at the ceiling. Asuka turned her head to look up at him, hoping he would say something. Anything. "He said that he was hearing voices in his head," Misato spoke for him. "He said he doesn't understand what they mean, and that they won't stop." Ritsuko stared at the floor in front of her. She seemed unsurprised by what Misato had just said. "Do you have any idea what could be causing..."
"Do you hear them as well, Asuka?" She interrupted. Asuka turned toward her, her head still on Shinji's shoulder. She mumbled something faintly. Her response was inaudible. Ritsuko knew what she had said only by the way she looked at her. "I see..." Ritsuko trailed off. She continued staring at the floor.
"You know what it is, don't you?" Misato said nervously. "You even knew it would happen." Ritsuko was still fixed on the floor. "Why didn't you tell us?!" She screamed as a tear ran down her cheek. "If you knew, why did you..."
"I wasn't sure," she interrupted again. "I wasn't sure if it would actually manifest itself or not."
"If what would?" Misato demanded.
"It was theorized that prolonged exposure to Eva in the entry plug could cause mild schizophrenia. It was only a theory, however. Rei showed no signs of it when we tested her prior to Shinji's arrival, so we all discounted the idea."
"You keep saying 'we,' but I never heard anything about this!" Misato was becoming more and more angry.
"Commander Ikari, Fuyutsuki and I feared that, if the children heard that there was a possibility of mental contamination from only regular operation, they would refuse to pilot the Eva. Now, I wish I HAD told you... and the children." She heard faint sobs coming from the couch in front of her. She finally raised her eyes. Asuka's face was buried in Shinji's neck, with her arm stretched across his chest. Shinji's arm was curled around her, his hand gently stroking the top of her head. His eyes were fixed on the table next to Dr. Akagi now.
"How could you?" Misato growled through clenched teeth. "How could you not tell them? They had a right to know!"
"There's nothing I can do to change what I did back then - or failed to do. If there was something I could do to make it right, I would do anything. All I can do now is say that I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry." Her tone was as steady as it had been the whole time. It was almost impossible to tell if she was sincere or not.
"'Sorry' isn't going to take the voices out of my head!" Asuka's voice was muffled. Her face was still pressed against Shinji.
"I know that, Asuka, but an apology is all that I can offer you." Ritsuko still spoke in the same calm voice.
'Is she even capable of crying?' Asuka wondered.
"Let's go, Asuka." Shinji said quietly. It was the first thing he had said since Ritsuko arrived.
"B-But..." she stammered.
"We got what came here for. Like she said, she can't do anything for us," he said flatly. "There's no reason to stay here." He stood up, then pulled Asuka to her feet.
"No, stay. We'll go out for dinner, my treat," Misato pleaded. "You don't have to leave now."
"No thanks, Misato. My mom will be upset if I miss her special shark's fin soup tonight." He tried to sound convincing. His mother always worked late on Saturday. Tonight he and Asuka would fix instant ramen and watch television, like every Saturday.
"Well, thanks for coming by," Misato was trying to lighten the mood before they left. "Come visit again soon." Shinji and Asuka only nodded as they slipped their shoes on. They paused before walking out when they heard Ritsuko say something to Misato.
"Why am I such a terrible person?" Her voice was weak. They turned to see Ritsuko with her head buried in her hands.
"Come on, Asuka." Shinji took her by the hand as they walked out the door.
She darted to another room, dropping the towel on her way. Seconds later she came running out, wearing shorts and buttoning her shirt. The towel was gone from her head. She opened the door. Shinji's and Asuka's jaws dropped. Standing before them was Misato, with her shirt half-buttoned, no bra, shoulder-length hair that looked as if she had just kissed a light switch, and a big, inviting grin on her face. Upon looking over her shoulder they also noticed smoke making its way from the open oven to the far window, large black marks on the ceiling, and a black lump in a twisted metal pan sitting in the sink.
"You know, we can come back later." Shinji offered as he turned around.
"Nonsense, everything's under control," Misato assured him. "Come on in, you two." Shinji and Asuka looked at each other nervously. They each swallowed hard as they carefully stepped inside. They slipped their shoes off and looked around the kitchen and living room.
"This is Misato's apartment?" Asuka whispered to Shinji. "It's so... clean."
"Hey, I heard that!" Misato cried indignantly. "I'll have you two know, I've turned over a new leaf. I'm not living like a teenager anymore. I appreciate what I have, and I take care if it."
"It's only because she's living with Dr. Akagi," Asuka chuckled. Shinji smiled, trying to stifle his laughter. Misato opened her mouth to say something, but instead closed it and looked away.
"At least she still cooks like Misato," Shinji smiled. Asuka stepped to the side as Misato's fist connected with the top of his head. He moaned as he checked for a lump.
"You asked for that one," Asuka said flatly.
"Now then, what can I do for you?" Misato grinned. The smiles washed away from Shinji's and Asuka's faces. They glanced at each other, then looked back at Misato.
"Well, uh..." Shinji started. He wasn't quite sure how to say what he wanted to say.
"We need to ask you something." Asuka finished. She paused as she turned her eyes to the floor. "It's about Eva." Her tone was quieter now. Misato's smile left her face.
"I thought we agreed to never bring this up again," Misato stammered. Her fists clenched and trembled at her sides.
"I know, but this might be important." Shinji pleaded.
"I don't care what it is, it can't be important if it has to do with that thing." Misato's voice was rough.
"I'm hearing voices in my head!" Shinji cried. Misato turned her gaze from the floor to him. He was fixed on the floor now. Her eyes were wide open in a blank stare. "They tell me things. I don't understand what they're talking about. They won't stop, they keep repeating themselves over and over. I'm afraid I'm going crazy, Misato." A tear ran down his face and dripped onto the carpet. "But if that's not important to you, then I'll just leave." He turned around to walk away, still looking at the ground.
"Shinji..." Misato said quietly. "Don't go. I'm sorry, Shinji. Come in, Ritsuko should be home soon. She'll be more help than I can be." He hesitated in the doorway for a moment, then turned around and walked by her. He dropped himself on the couch and leaned his head back. Asuka sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He glanced at her briefly, then returned his gaze to another unfamiliar ceiling.
Everyone turned their attention to the door at the sound of an electronic lock clicking open. Ritsuko slid the door open and stepped inside. "I'm home, Misato!" She called as she slipped her shoes off. She looked up to see everyone sitting in the living room only a few meters in front of her. "Oh, I wasn't expecting company. I guess we'll have to order out tonight," she sighed as she noticed the charred remains of a very unfortunate bird in the sink. "I swear, Misato, couldn't you follow a recipe correctly just once?" No one even looked at her. The faint smile left her face. "Is something wrong?" Shinji cringed at the words.
"Sit down, Ritsuko." Misato said flatly. Her tone sent a shiver up the scientist's spine. Without a word, she sat down in the chair next to Misato, across from Shinji and Asuka. Asuka's head still rested on his shoulder, while he continued to stare at the ceiling. No one had moved since Ritsuko had come in.
"What's the matter?" Dr. Akagi's tone was nervous. She looked at all three of them sitting around her. Still, no one moved.
"Tell her what you told me, Shinji." Misato tried her best to sound comforting. He still stared at the ceiling. Asuka turned her head to look up at him, hoping he would say something. Anything. "He said that he was hearing voices in his head," Misato spoke for him. "He said he doesn't understand what they mean, and that they won't stop." Ritsuko stared at the floor in front of her. She seemed unsurprised by what Misato had just said. "Do you have any idea what could be causing..."
"Do you hear them as well, Asuka?" She interrupted. Asuka turned toward her, her head still on Shinji's shoulder. She mumbled something faintly. Her response was inaudible. Ritsuko knew what she had said only by the way she looked at her. "I see..." Ritsuko trailed off. She continued staring at the floor.
"You know what it is, don't you?" Misato said nervously. "You even knew it would happen." Ritsuko was still fixed on the floor. "Why didn't you tell us?!" She screamed as a tear ran down her cheek. "If you knew, why did you..."
"I wasn't sure," she interrupted again. "I wasn't sure if it would actually manifest itself or not."
"If what would?" Misato demanded.
"It was theorized that prolonged exposure to Eva in the entry plug could cause mild schizophrenia. It was only a theory, however. Rei showed no signs of it when we tested her prior to Shinji's arrival, so we all discounted the idea."
"You keep saying 'we,' but I never heard anything about this!" Misato was becoming more and more angry.
"Commander Ikari, Fuyutsuki and I feared that, if the children heard that there was a possibility of mental contamination from only regular operation, they would refuse to pilot the Eva. Now, I wish I HAD told you... and the children." She heard faint sobs coming from the couch in front of her. She finally raised her eyes. Asuka's face was buried in Shinji's neck, with her arm stretched across his chest. Shinji's arm was curled around her, his hand gently stroking the top of her head. His eyes were fixed on the table next to Dr. Akagi now.
"How could you?" Misato growled through clenched teeth. "How could you not tell them? They had a right to know!"
"There's nothing I can do to change what I did back then - or failed to do. If there was something I could do to make it right, I would do anything. All I can do now is say that I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry." Her tone was as steady as it had been the whole time. It was almost impossible to tell if she was sincere or not.
"'Sorry' isn't going to take the voices out of my head!" Asuka's voice was muffled. Her face was still pressed against Shinji.
"I know that, Asuka, but an apology is all that I can offer you." Ritsuko still spoke in the same calm voice.
'Is she even capable of crying?' Asuka wondered.
"Let's go, Asuka." Shinji said quietly. It was the first thing he had said since Ritsuko arrived.
"B-But..." she stammered.
"We got what came here for. Like she said, she can't do anything for us," he said flatly. "There's no reason to stay here." He stood up, then pulled Asuka to her feet.
"No, stay. We'll go out for dinner, my treat," Misato pleaded. "You don't have to leave now."
"No thanks, Misato. My mom will be upset if I miss her special shark's fin soup tonight." He tried to sound convincing. His mother always worked late on Saturday. Tonight he and Asuka would fix instant ramen and watch television, like every Saturday.
"Well, thanks for coming by," Misato was trying to lighten the mood before they left. "Come visit again soon." Shinji and Asuka only nodded as they slipped their shoes on. They paused before walking out when they heard Ritsuko say something to Misato.
"Why am I such a terrible person?" Her voice was weak. They turned to see Ritsuko with her head buried in her hands.
"Come on, Asuka." Shinji took her by the hand as they walked out the door.