Chapter 5New Pupil Fears

Joan Milligan – Give Me Some Credit With What I'm Doing Will Ya? I'm Purposely Keeping Distant From The Characters And Give The Story Time To Develop Before You Trash It, I'm Trying To Keep To The Original Plot Adding this New Guy In The Background So I Doubt He'll Become A Pilot And You Missed My Time Paradox (By This Time In The Series Major Katsuragi Is Still A Captain) And I Normally Write 1st Person So I'm Struggling To Make It 3rd Person, Gimmie Some Credit, Sit Back Down And Be Quite.

Ahven – (Happy Now?) I Was Taking Inspiration From Resident Evil For The Name And He Knows Ninjitsu Because I'm Learning Ninjitsu So Its Easier To Keep Writing What I Know

"One way to make an impression on my first day" I muttered to myself.

My heart pounding and chest straining to draw breath but still I kept running till my limbs felt full of battery acid…then I ran some more.

My first day of school and I was late, not really my fault.

Misato had overslept and failed to wake me, while Shinji and Asuka left like they normally would for a school day.

If only they'd have known that I was a new student at their school they could have woke me.

Running across a busy intersection I smiled to myself at the image of Shinji tip toeing around his own room getting ready for school without waking me.

The rain wasn't helping nor was the clothing I wore.

This school uniform hated me and the feeling was mutual, I hated this get-up, instantly defining me as a middle school student when I was so much more then that.

Tossing a wet bang of black hair from my eye I made a sudden detour into a clothes shop for some accessories before emerging a few minutes later and ran without glancing down at Misato's hand drawn map with directions to the school.

The satchel over my shoulder slapped irritatingly into my thigh but despite the many difficulties I faced I still ran through the gates a mere ten minutes late: quite an accomplishment considering the distance I'd ran.

I almost slipped down a set of stairs as the rubber sole of my shoes last traction but I compulsively leaped to the bottom landing in a crouch before quickly finding my feet and running to the nearest male toilet..."got to make a good impression"

"You sent him to school late!"

"I overslept Ritsuko!"

"You shouldn't have been drinking all night with Kaji then should you? Now he's going to suffer for your actions"

"He's not going to suffer!"

"Misato Katsuragi you're his legal guardian it's your responsibility to look….wait a minute"

"What's up?"

"What name is he enrolled under?"

"Shit! I knew I forgot something"

"You enrolled him in school without a name! Misato you dunce!"

I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my neatly combed hair pulled back into a low ponytail and held in place by my recently purchased clips and hair bands…thankfully part of my adoption included a credit card and although I'd yet to do any work in my new job it had some money on it.

I knew I resembled Ranmaru Mori but that was the image I was going for; the ambidextrous appeal to both sexes that I could easily change when I uncovered more of my personality.

2-A

Deeply inhaling I opened the door.

Class was already in session directly in front of me was the elderly man who was quite obviously the tutor and for a split second it seemed as if I were invisible until all eyes turned to look in my direction, I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and regained my composure:

"Forgive my late arrival I'm a new student, who's been assigned to your class" I said bowing low as Japanese equity demands; showing my respect to the teacher.

"I was told to expect you…" he said turning to me, all the tension escaped from my body briefly as my sins were forgiven until he added:

"…I expect you'll be on time in future Mr ?"

SHIT! He wants to know my name? I don't know my name.

I could feel the fresh tears begin to drip down my cheeks as well as the thin layer of sweat beads appearing on my forehead.

Say something you idiot!

I saw the tears forming in his eyes and without realising it I was already on my feet addressing the class with the first thing that came into mind:

"He's Roji Kantabua"

Both teacher and Him turned to look at me, I could feel everyone look at me as if they demanded even more of an explanation for why I knew him.

"Have you already met Ms Sohryu?" teacher asked of him.

I watched helplessly as he nodded, surely he'd give some absurd reason for knowing me like claiming to be my boyfriend or something equally unthinkable.

"Yes we met briefly in Germany when I was visiting my parents…"

He lied so easily, a perfect lie that he could fill with as much false truth as he needed without anyone ever suspecting a thing.

"…How are you Asuka?" before I knew it he was taking a seat next to me, his red eyes looking at me and saying "thank you" without words.

"Roji Kanatabua?" I whispered taking a free seat near Asuka, my eyes catching the faintest image of Shinji from the corner of my eye.

"Ex-Boyfriend" she whispered back in response.

Tossing my black ponytail over my right shoulder I picked up on the whispers regarding me:

"Wow he's so cute"

"Who does he think he is?"

"Roji? What a cool name"

I can honestly say that I tried to pay attention to the lessons for the first few hours but soon the alluring view of the outside world was quickly draining my interests for world history along with my attention span.

The perpetual grey sky cleared away in magnificent slowness leaving behind a legacy of shallow puddles upon the grey tarmac.

A deep shudder ran up my spine as I remembered my initial moments upon this world.

Risking a sideways glance I noticed Asuka was just as interested in the view as me.

Her blue eyes seemed to look right through me, such a beautiful colour that made mine seem all the more demonic and alien.

I'd paid a lot of attention to the inhabitants of this city and nobody I saw had eyes like mine…deep down I was getting depressed while in comparison the class was getting more and more excited, even Asuka was catching the infection; reluctantly I decided to turn my attention back to the teacher stood at the front of the room and away from the world within my own head.

"Other then a few of you you've all paid for the field trip"

"Field trip?" I found myself questioning.

The teacher seemed to positively have the class in rapture; from the small wooden platform in front of the black board he reminded me of an ancient dictator whom I knew I had never met but still knew something about.

The more I listened to the schedule the more I felt myself becoming excited, just being given the opportunity to go somewhere other then this city was positively exciting then he said a single activity I knew I couldn't participate in:

"Scuba diving"

Instantly I imagined being surrounded by nothing but water, my own limbs flashing out in all directions but failing to keep me afloat as the sea quickly claims me, exhaustion dragging me down and in those final moments before the current sweeps me away I see the rest of the class above me laughing and enjoying the experience while I'm screaming.

"Scuba diving?" I questioned aloud.

The class seemed to grow even more silent as everyone looked at me, apparently it wasn't right to interrupt.

I knew I was sweating, could feel my underarms growing rapid damp patches along with the trickle of sweat that dripped down my spine.

"I don't think I can swim"

"Mr Kanatabua?" the teacher addressed me, I must have said my thoughts out loud.

"I don't think I can swim" I repeated again.

My teary eyes turning to Asuka, pleading for some kind of assistance.

"I don't think I can swim" I repeated solely for her.

Undisguised salty tears running down my face, my eyes stinging.

The room laughed with my pain.

Each individual's voice adding to the crescendo that was engulfing me.

The light bright walls echoing the sound that repeated over and over again.

"Mr Kanatabua?" the teacher practically yelled over the noise.

Pushing my fists tightly against my temples I stood.

The clatter of my chair hitting the floor momentarily adding a new noise to the laughter.

I ran; my footfalls strong and determined.

The only thought in my mind being that I had to escape.

Within seconds I was leaned outside against the wall of the corridor, slowly I sunk to my knees hugging them close to my chest.

"Asuka please find him" the teacher said, his deep voice breaking the sudden silence that hadn't existed a mere door away.

"Don't have to go far" he muttered

I'd barely stepped out into the corridor and there he was curled up tight and defensive with tears streaming down his face.

"Are you ok?"

I watched as he shook his head from left to right before looking up at me.

"People were laughing" talk about pointing out the obvious.

The dampness of the floor penetrated my skirt as I kneeled down to his height.

"You made quite a scene"

The corner of his mouth twisted up into a smile.

"Not the best first impression"

The reflection from his bloody eyes and I knew that I too was smiling, the fresh heat in my cheeks being further evidence of the fact I was getting feelings for him.

"I guess, you're new here I know what that feels like so what if can't swim"

"It's not that, I think I'm afraid of water" wiping the tears from his eyes he suddenly seemed more masculine, with his hair in such a feminine style he seemed to be full of contradictions.

"You'll never be an Eva pilot then"

"Eva?"

"You mean Misato hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

He didn't have the slightest clue what an Evangelion was, he knew nothing of the second impact or the angels, sat in a small corridor I told him it all, all the things neither that idiot Shinji or Misato had told him.

For a few seconds once I'd explained he was silent, his gaze looking at my shoes (and hopefully not my legs) before he finally spoke:

"I've been given a job in NERV"

Great! As if I didn't have enough problems now I could have to contend with Shinji, Wonder girl and now Wonder boy.

"Figures…" I muttered

His confused look showed he really didn't understand.

"…Are you coming back into class?"

"I don't think I can" fresh tears threatening his eyes again.

"Idiot!"

I didn't give him a chance to resist as I dragged him in with a firm grip upon his shirt.