A continuation of the last chapter. Just like last time. You don't get it, either do some research or give up. Anyway, please read on.

Don't own anything except the concept of the story.

CHAPTER FOURTY-FOUR: WHY DOES ASUKA HATE DOLLS?

The sun started to rise above all of the buildings early in the morning. It was always like that after an Angel attack. After sleeping in a nearby park, Xavier and Genis sat on the bench, deciding on what to do next.

"What do we do now?" asked Genis.

"Let's explore," suggested Xavier.

"What? We don't know anything about this place and you want to explore?"

"And what's the harm if we did? We'd have valuable information about this place. We can activate the Crown of Heaven anywhere. We'd still end up home. Besides, I'm hungry."

"Uh, Xavier, I don't think they except gald in this world."

"Really? Oh, man, I could really use some grub."

Just then, an alarm started to ring from a nearby bank. Xavier and Genis looked at the other side of a street. A man with a face mask was running away with a sack.

"We have to stop him!" exclaimed Genis.

"We? What if he's some sort of superhuman?"

"I have magic, remember?"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's take him down!"

Genis and Xavier ran to the other side of the street and stopped in front of a robber.

"Back off, villain!" exclaimed Xavier in his defiant voice. "And return the goods you have stolen from…that…building…hey, what did you steal, anyway?"

The robber took out a gun. "You think you're some kinda hero, do you? Get outta the way, NOW!"

"What's that?" asked Genis.

"Dunno," replied Xavier. "Hey, buddy, what is that thing?"

"What are ya, senile?" asked the robber. "It's a gun! A fully loaded gun!"

"What's a gun?"

"What's a--what are ya, some kinda nut?"

Xavier sighed. "This is getting annoying. Genis, fire it up."

"You got it," replied Genis, casting a fireball spell, "Fireball!"
The robber yelled and fell on the ground, smouldering. The owner of the bank and two police officers apprehended the robbers.

"Oh, you've stopped him!" exclaimed the owner. "Thank you! Please, accept this small token of appreciation!"

Xavier and Genis were handed over $200.00 US or ¥22,665.34.

"What's this?" asked Genis.

"Looks like the currency of this city," replied Xavier. "Thank you very much."

"No, thank you, thank you!" replied the owner. "Guards, take this ill-fated man in."

The robber was dragged away. Genis and Xavier examined the cash they had with them. "All we need now is a place that sells food," said Xavier.

A man with a cart on the other side of the street started to yelled, "Miso soup! Miso soup! Get your fresh Miso soup here!"

"Good timing too," replied Genis. After the two bought their soup, they sat down and exclaimed gleefully, "Let's eat!"

Unknown to them, two people in black suits were watching them.

"Did you see the kid firing fireballs?" asked one man.

"Yeah," replied the other. "Should we report them in?"

"Probably…but I doubt anyone would believe us. We need proof."

The other agreed, taking out his camera. When Xavier and Genis started to move, so did the other two.

"Now what do we do?" asked Genis.

"Let's go shopping!" exclaimed Xavier. "I look about normal but Genis, you look like…like…weird."

"Fine, we'll go over there." Genis was referring to a large shopping center. As Xavier and Genis entered, they saw a shop that read, "Baby Gap."

"What's a Baby Gap?" asked Genis.

"Let's go in and fine out," replied Xavier.

Five minutes later, Genis' face was of a colour of red while Xavier was hugging himself, laughing.

"Where you going, Genis?" asked Xavier laughing. "Those...those clothes fitted you like a glove!"

"Shut up," mumbled Genis.

"Oh, man, I wish I had a pictograph (there, I made the correction. Thank you)."

"I hate shopping, let's do something else."

"………"

"Did you hear me? I said--"

"Genis look over there," said Xavier, pointing to an object.

"What? Why?"

"Just look over there!"

Genis saw but did not believe. It was Rei standing in front of the store. But how did she get to this world?

"Irving sent a spy," said Xavier.

"Wait!" exclaimed Genis. "There's got to be a logical--"

"I'm taking her down," taking out his dagger.

"What? Don't! We can--"

Too late. Xavier was already charging towards Rei, "Haveth thee, villain!"

Suddenly, two men in black blocked his path, took his hand and made him drop the dagger. Then, he was thrown back to Genis' position.

"Ow," was the reply.

"Are you okay?" asked Genis.

"Oh, I'm fine," he said sarcastically, picking up his dagger. "I was just thrown across and landed on my ass!"

"The First Child is in danger," said one of the men, speaking into an earpiece. "Repeat, the First Child is in danger."

"First Child?" asked Genis.

"That's can't be good," replied Xavier. "Hey Rei! Irving's given you a nickname, huh?"

"………"

Suddenly, guards appeared everywhere, surrounding Xavier and Genis.

"More guards," said Xavier, "Oh, yeah, Rei, just send back-up when you can't defeat us yourself."

"………"

"What the hell? I mean, isn't this the part where you say Lord Irving can't be defeated or something?"

"………"

"Alright, Genis, your girlfriend is getting weird. Genis, do something."

"She's not my girlfriend!" exclaimed Genis. "There's too many of them! I can't take all of these guys myself!"

"Then there's only one thing we can do."

"And what's that?"

"RUN LIKE HELL!" Xavier took Genis' hand and leaped over the guard and took his own advice: Running like hell. Everyone was after him. Finally, they bolted into what appears to be a schooling facility.

"Quickly, in here," said Xavier, "We can hide out in here."

The men passed the school without noticing the two. Then, there was a tapping on Genis' shoulder. Now it was Shinji who was carrying a mop asking, "What are you doing?"

"Shinji, thank Martel," said Xavier. "You gotta help us. Rei sent the men in black after us."

"What? Rei? She wasn't in school today. Where did you see her?"

"It doesn't matter. You got to help us."

"How can I help when I don't know what the situation is?"

"………"

"What?"

"HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS?" yelled Xavier. "You're on our side, remember!"

"Sides…is this a game?"

Xavier turned his attention to Genis. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

Someone was trying to break through the door.

"Crap, it's them! We got to split up."

The men broke through the door. While, Xavier ran down the hallway, Genis ran to the rooftop. It seems that no one was following him. After all the commotion was done, Shinji thought to himself, "man that was weird."

Genis reached the top of the facility and bolted the door shut with a fireball spell. Then, he noticed someone was with him: Asuka. Now, Genis is a pretty smart kid, he can figure everything out. When Rei and Shinji didn't respond to Xavier's questions, it wasn't because they were either too high or mighty to do so or too stupid to answer. It was because they were ignorant to what he was asking. This was another world and it was probably the same situation that the ones from the Great Sea had to face: Clones of each other.

"Asuka," said Genis.

"Who are you?" she asked gloomily.

This would be a good time to answer that question that is the title of this chapter. "Why do you hate dolls?"

She was taken back. No one ever asked her that before. She decided to answer. "My mother thought I was a doll and disregarded me completely because my father was too busy to care about me or my mama. Then, she hanged herself and the doll she thought that was me."

"So…you hate dolls because…"

"In a way, they represent me…and the person that I never want to see again. And the person that I never want to see again…the person I hate utmost is…me."

"How can you say that? You can't hate yourself!"

"And why not?"

"There's no meaning in dying! There's only meaning in living!"

"And what meaning do I have? Rei and Shinji can take care of everything. I don't need to pilot an Eva. When an Angel comes, the invincible Shinji will defeat it. Nothing I must do. They just need only Shinji! If Shinji is there, everything is OK! (For some people, this scene wouldn't make too much sense)"

"Asuka…are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just fine!" She started to sob. "All we need is Shinji…"

"You're important. Life wouldn't be the same without you."

"……why the hell am I talking to you anyway?"

Suddenly, someone broke down the door. Xavier was running away.

"The men in black?" asked Genis.

"No, much worse," replied Xavier, "Darknuts."

Darknuts started to poor out of the small entrance.

"Wha--what are those things?" asked Asuka.

"Oh, what the hell? You commanded a bunch of them for a while and you don't know what they are?"

"What does it usually mean when these things are here?"

"They only appear when an angelic being is with them."

Rei appeared out of a portal and floated down in front of them.

"Wondergirl?" asked Asuka.

"Asuka," said Genis, "Meet Rei, the angel of ice."

"Put down your weapons," said Rei, "I only wish to talk."

Talk about what? What is this cooky world anyway? Fine out next time! So, please R&R and no flames.