Chapter 2:Irritating the man in the mirror
As I watched I was amazed by this person, watched as he quickly sized up the entire clothes store with one scan before dumping a pile of clothes on the cash register.
I smiled as he turned to me knowing full well that I was to pay.
As he began packing up the clothing I noticed what he'd chosen:
Four pairs of blue jeans, one black.
Seven t-shirts of various colours with slogans he couldn't understand…like the one that said "Womanly"
He tried not to blush as the boxers were thrown into the bag.
A multi-pack of socks.
He growled softly in disagreement as I added a school uniform to the pile, I merely smiled to myself.
"Thought you could get away with that one didn't ya?"
He glared at me.
For a few seconds the atmosphere in that store was one of pure tension as I held the glare…then he looked away.
His hands grabbing at the bags, his eyes downcast.
"Adopted?" the girl working the cash register asked.
"Yeah, normal power struggle"
She laughed:
"Show him who the boss is" She advised
"Thanks" I said as she handed me back my credit card, for the first time in months it wasn't being rejected thanks to the recent cash injection from the commander.
"See that wasn't so difficult…"
I turned to look upon the empty store
…SHIT!"
I dashed out the store, my hand reaching for the pistol concealed in my handbag.
He's gone! I turned my back for one second and he bolts it for freedom.
I almost crashed into him; he'd lingered outside the store whilst I paid.
"Thank you" he said bringing the bags into view.
I grabbed him and embraced him in a tight hug, my arm coiled about his waist. At first he tried to push me away before realising I wasn't attacking him and his arm tightened upon my shoulder.
He'd said it in Japanese, basic Japanese but Japanese all the same.
"You're welcome" I said
Once again he didn't understand…I'd change that at some point.
I might not understand English but I could easily speak Japanese.
He bumped into him as I suddenly halted on the walk back to the car.
"Wait" I gestured glancing at the store
As I stepped forward he did too.
"Wait" I repeated, gesturing for him to stay still.
After seven attempts he did as I requested whilst I went in the book store.
When I exited a half an hour later he was staring at his reflection in the window, half hidden within the doorway I watched as his hand rubbed across his features as if his hand were encountering them for the first time.
Its not just the language barrier that's the problem, I keep on forgetting about his amnesia…total amnesia, not being able to remember his entire life…I've got no idea what he's going through.
Putting my fingers in my mouth I whistled a short toot at him to get his attention.
"Anything else you need?"
I laughed as he didn't respond, and then laughed a whole lot harder when he joined along.
Misato's driving was going to kill me eventually. Outside her car she almost hit me and inside I was constantly ricocheted from side to side, my head and torso striking the window painfully.
I pulled down the sunshield and looked at my reflection.
The picture of Misato and her two children was next to the mirror.
"Misato?"
Driving one handed she turned to me at the sound of her name.
My extended index finger pointed to the photo.
"Children?" I asked
I didn't get an answer…she hadn't understood.
I pointed at the two children, from the redheaded girl to the brown haired boy then to Misato.
"Shinji": she pointed at the brown haired male in the photography
"Asuka": she pointed at the red haired girl
"Shinji, Asuka" I said then pointed at Misato's groin.
Her eyes seemed to bulge out her head as she got my drift before her cheeks reddened.
My guardian Major Misato Katsuragi shook her head in a negative reply.
Then it was my turn for my cheeks to redden.
"WHAAATTT!..."
The sound echoed through the apartment block.
"…Another Dum'koh male living under this roof…"
"…Shinji you knew about this?..."
"…He cannot even speak Japanese?"
I cannot claim to have many frosty receptions in my short time alive but the second I walked through that apartment I was greeted with the mother of all frosty receptions.
"Hi" I said as I raised a hand in gesture.
I understood when Shinji said Hello in reply.
I also knew that Asuka wasn't speaking Japanese when she replied and from the tone it was said in it certainly wasn't polite.
However I knew this was the start of a new story
In the threshold of the doorway he stood his eyes downcast as if he knew he was the intruder here. His mind was like a puzzle box, he could understand all the emotions that engulfed him and the other occupants of the apartment but knew nothing of Japanese edacity as he still stood in the recently purchased shoes.
Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Sohryu looked at this new person, at the clothing so new it was obviously just came off the rail, the white trainers, blue jeans, red t-shirt topped off by the brown leather jacket.
Misato certainly preferred this new attire over no clothing whatsoever, her face grim as she remembered her own life at that time, her hand clutching at the cross about her neck.
"You don't speak a word of Japanese?" Asuka asked, sweeping back her red hair with a gesture before fixing her blue eyes on him.
He wasn't intimidated by the glare, Asuka gasped in shock as his eyelids rolled upward revealing his bloody red eyes.
"Now now lets all play nice" Misato interjected, and while the new male didn't understand the language he recognised the calming tone of her voice.
"He doesn't speak any Japanese?" Shinji asked Misato just to clarify what he already knew.
"He's said thank you but other then that… nothing"
"Thank you? Even a one year old can say that"
"ASUKA!" Misato scolded
"Sure whatever" she swatted away the comment with a gesture.
"This is serious! We have no idea who he is and neither does he, imagine being in that situation"
He'd taken to leaning against the doorway, the rucksack that held his clothing sat next to his feet.
"Shinji show him where he can put his things and get him settled will you?"
"Bu..But you said he doesn't speak any…"
"He doesn't but that doesn't mean he's an idiot not all human communication is verbal ya know"
"Well ok"
"You follow Shinji ok?" Misato said turning to the new male, her finger pointing to him then to Shinji and he got the idea and followed scooping up the rucksack onto his back.
Naturally the room he entered was stereotypically minimalist as is the style in Japan, instinctively planting his bag upon the bare desk he turned to the other male. Inside he knew he was the newcomer, a foreign trespasser in another's territory.
"We'll you'll be sharing with me so everything that's mine is yours" Shinji began before deeply sighing.
"You can't understand me can you?" Shinji asked
The newcomer smiled before lying upon the plain futon that dominated much of the floor in the small room.
"You going to sleep?" Shinji asked his head resting in his palms to add some form of translation he'd understand.
He responded by mimicking the gesture and giving a shrug of his shoulders before sweeping back a bang of black hair from his right eye.
"I know you can't understand me Shinji but if I remain silent for much longer I shall not be able to speak at all.."
The English language saturating the walls for the first time since the buildings construction.
"...and as I stare up at this unfamiliar ceiling I'm trying not to think of the events that led me here, trying not to think of who I am or what my past consists of…"
Taking in a sharp inhale of breath he silences Shinji with an upheld hand before continuing with an ancient proverb:
"Good things come to those who wait" he muttered to himself, his tongue slipping between his cracked and dry lips adding additional moisture.
His throat croaked slightly, almost as if it knew it was being forced into continued silence.
"Guys can I come in a minute?" Misato's voice asked through the thin barrier of wood and dyed paper.
The stranger resting upon his elbows glanced at Shinji hearing the voice before relaxing and maintaining his composure…the event wasn't missed by Shinji.
"Yes Misato"
"Phone call for ya" She tossed the phone to the newcomer.
In a split second he was seated upon the edge of the bed and snatching the flying telephone from the air.
Misato and Shinji were both amazed by his speed, he looked down at the phone in his hand muttering "cool" to himself before answering in the only language he knew:
"Hello?"
"Good morning Mr X"
"Oh Hello Mr Ryoji"
"I prefer Kaji, so how you settling in kid?"
"Good I guess, Shinji and Misato are trying…its still awkward but that's understandable"
"And Asuka?" asked Kaji his tone light and full of amusement.
The only answer being a deep vibration emanating from the youngster throat before the vibration became a growl.
Kaji chuckled in response.
"Anyhow she'll be preoccupied later, I'm coming round for your first Japanese lesson tonight anything else you want? Because now is the time to ask"
Thinking on his feet the stranger answered:
"Can you get me into a gym? I need a work out…" his secret agenda being to test his body.
"Check I'll get it arranged.. anything else?"
"Any chance of avoiding going to school?"
Kaji laughed before answering "Not if Katsuragi has anything to say about it but I doubt she'll send you until you can read, write and speak passable Japanese"
"Cool didn't think of that"
"Right according to your schedule.." Kaji paused whilst he consulted the clipboard within his hand.
"..You're on free time until tonight then tomorrow you're scheduled for a tour around headquarters"
Misato glanced at her watch.
She wondered how long the pair were going to be talking; she dreaded thinking what Kaji would teach him later tonight…hopefully not Kaji's brand of seduction & unique outlook upon the world.
As Kaji hung up he couldn't repress the smile. He liked this kid, although he wasn't deserving of such an ominous title as "Mr X" perhaps someday he would be.
"Hmm"
Kaji stood and despite the small issue that now puzzled him walked from his temporary office to the small phone fixed to the wall outside.
As he raised it to his ear he pushed a single button upon its surface that would put him through to the main reception computer system.
"Dr Ritsuko could you please contact Kaji Ryoji" he spoke into the receiver turning his back to the phone terminal he viewed his temporary office.
Little more then a converted store room actually, towers of obsolete paper files stacked three deep against two of the walls, broken cleaning equipment taking up the rest of the room that wasn't dominated by his desk and chair.
He'd been in Tokyo-3 for barely three weeks and had already read all of the files and learned a few interesting secrets that hadn't survived the transfer onto computer.
"Kaji" Ritsuko said in way of greeting.
Kaji had been drumming his fingers upon his desk awaiting the call, two minutes after he gave the message into the phone the computer had processed it and announced it in a new feminine voice throughout the entire central dogma.
"Ritsuko my darling is there a reason why you've called me so unexpectantly?"
"Kaji drop it" Ritsuko said her tone firm and authoritative…a tone that worked remarkably well at keeping Kaji in line.
"Alas it was not to be" Kaji remarked
"What's up?" She asked
"The new kid wants a fitness test. Any chance you can arrange it for me?"
"It'll be difficult as he'll need level two security clearance just to access the gym it's another jump in clearance level to actually use the equipment"
"I'm sure a polite word in the right ear…"
"Like vice-commander Fuyutsuki?" Ritsuko interrupted
"Precisely"
"I can't promise anything"
"Ritsuko you can do psychoanalytical analysis right?" Kaji asked suddenly, himself fearing that Ritsuko would simply hang up as she'd done so numerous times in the past.
"Yes why?" She asked at the unusual question
"Just something that's puzzling me, he never asked for a name"
Ritsuko took a deep inhale of breath, silent frustration streaming down the telephone line.
"Kaji there are hundreds of reasons why he didn't ask or perhaps you didn't think that he's too embarrassed to ask?"
"Like what?" Kaji asked, his curiosity needing to be sated.
To Ritsuko Akagi's credit she named them all…it took around forty minutes.
"So he's been released for less then three hours and already wants to see more of the complex?" Gendou enquired
"Exactly, the case for him being a spy is indeed mounting"
"Indeed it appears so"
"Shall I give him the necessary clearance?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"Make it so, have the security camera's follow and record him at all times"
"Mr X" rolled onto his side before flicking a section of hair from his eyes, he hadn't been aware of falling asleep but a quick glance at Shinji's clock confirmed the suspicion, he didn't remember any dreams, no brief glimpses into his past nor any other new information that could help him.
Rubbing his eyes he emerged from the bedroom, Asuka tried boring a hole into his forehead as he emerged into the kitchen.
"Don't you have school?" he sarcastically remarked in English.
Not knowing what he'd said Asuka gave her own sarcastic comment:
"Enjoy you're sleep?" He knew recognised the tone and responded accordingly.
"What the hell are those things in you're hair anyway? They're far from attractive"
A few minutes later the pair were almost throttling each other.
The chairs that normally scattered around the kitchen table were strewn around like rubble in a battlefield.
Asuka swearing in both Japanese and German while the male swore primarily in English.
Asuka pushing him against the wall, his back bouncing off the surface.
Growling he pushed back, she collided with the table before retaliation her hands wrapping around his throat.
His hand lashed out grabbing her throat and as both squeezed the oxygen from the other Misato finally intervened.
"Both of you stop it!" she yelled, her hands dragging the pair apart.
Dragging Asuka by the wrist and the male by the shirt Misato Katsuragi pushed the pair into their separate bedrooms.
Leaning against the wall she exhaled deeply as she look upward towards the heavens, "what have I let myself in for?" she questioned of no one in particular.
Setting her face firm she stormed into Asuka's room.
"Asuka what the hell did you think you were doing?" she yelled, outraged at the second child's behaviour.
"He started it!" she defended herself, wiping away the moisture of fresh tears with the back of her hand.
"Look he's been here only a few hours! I want you to resolve this clash of personalities…"
"How? He's such an idiot!" Asuka interrupted
Misato ignored the comment, and turned her back on Asuka to hide the sudden smile that came to her lips.
Maybe they should get to know each other better, she thought…then the term "a date" sprung to mind.
"Asuka you're grounded until further notice" she said closing the door behind her and silencing any further argument.
"One down" Misato muttered to herself.
She opened the door to Shinji's room, her eyes instantly drawn to the vague flapping outline of clothing outside the window before it plummeted downward.
"SHIT!" she yelled running to the window, each running step feeling as if she was running in slow motion.
"I turn my back on him for one second and he gets abducted by batman?" she silenced the inappropriate sarcasm.
Leaning out the window she watched the male hit the floor five stories bellow.
His muscles tensing to absorb the impact, he grunted as the pain ran up his limbs but knew instantly that he hadn't broken any bones or suffered major damage…quite a feat considering the fall.
"Just as I thought" he muttered to himself, he had no doubt that he wouldn't survive the fall…actually felt compelled to see if he could.
Seconds earlier perched upon the windowsill he's felt no fear, no small voice warning him that the drop would kill him, not even the slightest whisper of an internal instinct for survival.
"HEY! Hold it right there!" he heard a female voice yell in the language he couldn't understand and looked upward to see Misato peering out the window far above.
"Should I stay or should I go?" he muttered to himself as he weighed up his choices.
Ignoring Misato's protests he walked away from the grassy area he'd landed upon until his sense of direction and common sense took him onto the street.
Then he turned, having second thoughts he walked back to the building he was suppose to call home and leaned against the wall opposite the elevator.
As the doors emerged Misato threw herself through the narrowly opened doors…car keys already in hand.
When she spotted him she stopped.
"I hope that proves I can escape at any time if I wish it and I stay merely because I want to" he said, in the best cool and resolute voice he could muster.
Misato didn't know what he'd said but she understood precisely what the action declared.
"Sassy bastard" she swore at the youth.
Grabbing his shirt front she dragged him into the elevator to which he offered no resistance, the small smile across his face showing that he'd already had his victory.
"Now I'm not going to put this in my report…" Misato began as the small confined space rose
"…but you'd better start showing me some respect young man"
"WHAT!... he survived a fall like that?" Asuka ignored the way Shinji flinched.
"Yeah Misato stormed right out like her ass was on fire or something" Shinji confirmed.
"That stupid idiot is agile enough to manage a fall like that?"
"I guess so, I know he doesn't look unfit but to manage something like that he's got to be special right?"
"I suppose maybe he's not such an idiot after all….Shhinji?"
Shinji didn't like the way she'd said his name, it normally implied she was about to ask a favour that he'd rather not do.
Asuka threw him a digital camera from her desk, Shinji awkwardly caught it.
"No Asuka I cann…won't do it!" he said adamantly crossing his hands upon his chest.
"So you'd prefer I degraded myself Shinji?" Crocodile tears streaming down her cheeks.
At the sight of Asuka crying Shinji Ikari's defences crumbled and nodding slightly he agreed to do as she wished.
Clearing his throat he announced his presence.
Both Asuka and Shinji turned to see him leaning against the door frame.
"I've come to apologise" he said before walking in front Asuka and getting down upon his knees touching his forehead against the floor.
Asuka fought the temptation to introduce her foot to his shoulder and accepted the apology with a small smile.
Misato smiled to herself as she watched the trio from the doorway.