Chapter 3: Attack pt 1

Disclaimer: Once again, I must say that I do not own NGE, I own all original characters. Also, any resemblance to other characters or real live people is purely accidental

Now on with the show...

Katsuragi Residence

Later in the evening, Shinji was lying in his room listening to his SDAT. Asuka had already gone to sleep right after dinner. He could tell that she was in a bad mood and decided to not bother her. While listening to his music, his thoughts went back to that of the conversation he had with the hooded man.

That was really weird, weirder than usual.

This was something, since he has seen many strange things as a pilot of an Eva.

He got up, deciding to talk with his guardian about what had happened. Leaving his room, he found Misato in the living room drinking beer with her penguin Pen-Pen. Going up to Misato, he cleared his throat to get her attention.

Looking up, Misato asked, "Yeah Shinji-kun, what's up?"

Shinji took a deep breath and launched into the tale of his encounter on the bus. After recounting, Shinji waited nervously for Misato to say something.

After a moment of quiet, Misato asked, "Did you see this person's face?"

"No, he was wearing a hood"

"And he said an angel would attack tomorrow?"

"Hai"

Misato leaned back as she thought over this new information with a half empty can of beer in her hand.

"Well", she began, "we can't take the risk, I'm going to tell Ritsuko about this. You are going to go to bed and try to not to think too much about this, okay?"

"Hai"

At this, Shinji left to his room, leaving Misato while she picked up her phone to call the doctor.

After a few moments Ritsuko answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Rits, its Misato"

In an annoyed voice Ritsuko answered, "What's this about, I'm very busy"

Misato then recounted the strange tale that Shinji told her.

After finishing, Ritsuko said, "Interesting, the agents following Shinji did report that he spoke with such a person"

"Did they find out who he is?" Misato asked.

"No, there is something strange though. They all reported that no person of that physical description neither entered nor left that bus by the normal way."

Misato frowned at this revelation while chugging the rest of her beer, "What if he changed clothes while on the bus? He was disguised, so they may not have been able to identify him."

"No, you misunderstood; only children were on that bus. None of them could have been that person"

Taking in this new information, Misato began pacing while Pen-Pen watched her, "So where did he go then?"

"To that, even I don't know"

Misato decided to ask the question that was front most on her mind.

"Do you think he was telling the truth about an angel attacking tomorrow?"

Ritsuko sighed, "I don't know, no one has ever been able to predict when and where an angel will attack. We're just going to have to wait and see."

After saying good night, Misato hung up and sat down heavily on the couch. Picking up a new beer and opening it, she let out a sigh. Reaching down to stroke Pen-Pen's head she asked, "Since when had my life become so messed up?"

"Wark?"

Meanwhile, up on the rooftop over looking the Katsuragi apartment, two people were having a conversation like Misato and Ritsuko were.

The cold monotone voice of the leader asked, "Has all been prepared?", while reading a report that was given to him.

The person next to him replied, "Hai". He then turned to face the leader and said, "Also, I have gotten the papers for a transfer to the children's school", and held out the said documents.

Nodding, the leader replied, "Have Sai Batu and Keevan Markan transferred to their school as soon as possible."

"At once, sir", the other replied with a slight bow. With that, he faded from sight, leaving the leader to keep watch over the apartment.

The Next Day

It was early morning and Shinji was cooking breakfast as usual, but wasn't actually all that focused on his task.

"HEY, BAKA"

Startled, Shinji turned to find Asuka staring at him.

"W-what is it?" he asked in a small voice.

"You're letting breakfast burn you lazy idiot!" she retorted angrily.

Turning sharply, Shinji realized this and set to try to save it. After a somewhat burned breakfast the pilots left for school, Misato having already left earlier for Nerv. On the walk to school, Shinji let his thoughts drift back to the conversation on the bus from last night. He was so distracted, that he failed to notice Asuka trying to get his attention, and only noticed after she crushed his foot.

Holding in a scream of pain, he turned to the redhead, "What is it, Asuka?"

"You were ignoring me, dummkopf"

"Sorry"

Sighing in exasperation, Asuka then asked, "What the hell you thinking about?"

Turning away from Asuka, Shinji began to ask himself whether or not to tell her what he told Misato. He knew that either she would laugh in his face, or she would berate him for believing a complete stranger.

While Shinji was debating with himself, Asuka looked at him with an annoyed look on her face, Shiest what is with this idiot, can't he answer a simple question?

Her thoughts were then interrupted by Shinji, who tapped gingerly on her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Um, we're going to be late for school"

Asuka quickly glanced at her watch, "Shiest, come on baka-Shinji, move your lazy ass!"

Grabbing his left arm, she proceeded to drag her coworker across the pavement to school. Upon arrival at the school gates, she released her death grip and set off to look for her friend Hikari Horaki, leaving Shinji leaning against a wall trying to catch his breath.

"Yo Shinji-kun, what's up?"

Shinji looked up to see his two friends, Touji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida. Giving a weary smile, he replied, "Not much, how are you guys?"

Kensuke was holding the camera he carried everywhere and was recording everything in sight when he noticed Shinji's disheveled state.

"Let me guess, the devil's being a pain in the-"

"A pain in the WHAT, stooge?"

Kensuke quickly turned to find a fist slammed into his face. Touji and Shinji helped their friend to his feet while backing away from Asuka, who had overheard Kensuke talking, and looked ready to pound all three of them.

"A-Asuka", Shinji stammered, "um, we were just…"

He was saved from having to give an explanation by the bell signaling the start of school, and, in the stooges' case, a place of salvation from the temper of the fiery headed girl.

In the classroom, the teacher was making an announcement to the class, "Well, class, it looks like we are going to have two new students joining our class by the end of week"

Everyone looked up in slight surprise. New students were rare since people left more often than they came. While the teacher resumed his lecture on the Second Impact, everyone was having discussions about the news.

A/N-Um, for all IM chats I made the following screen names:

Shinji-Lost1

Touji-SportStar

Kensuke-1Ltfreak

Asuka-RedChamp1

Rei-Rei

Hikari-Rep

1Ltfreak- New students? That's new.

SportStar- Yeah, I hope that they'll be cute girls

Lost1- Better not hope too much, they might be boys

SportStar- Aww don't ruin our hopes

1Ltfreak- Yeah, you may live and work with beautiful women, but some of us need female companionship

Lost1- It's not all it's cracked out to be

RedChamp1 has entered the chat room

Rep has entered the chat room

SportStar- Oh no, the devil incarnate appears

RedChamp1- Shut your face stooge or I'll do it for you

Rep- Why can't you guys get along?

1Ltfreak- No way am I being friendly with the devil-incarnate

SportStar- Me neither

Lost1- …

SportStar- Hey Shinji, you're on our side aren't you?

1Ltfreak- Unless the devil's already taken his soul!

Lost1- Can't you guys stop making fun of Asuka?

At this everyone's eyes bulged slightly.

1Ltfreak- what?

SportStar- Heh, didn't know you two were like that

RedChamp1- Watch your toungue stooge, or else you lose it!

Inwardly, however, Asuka was slightly surprised. She has never remembered a time when Shinji defended her like that. At that moment however, the lunch bell rang and everyone left to find someplace to eat.

Outside on the roof of the school, the three boys were having a talk

"What was that all about?" Kensuke asked.

"Yeah, since when did you stick up for devil girl?"

Shinji flushed slightly as he answered, "I was just getting tired of have you guys making fun of her. She's not that bad once you get to know her better."

"So, as I thought, you like her, huh?" Touji asked bluntly

Blushing fiercely, Shinji retorted, "It isn't like that!"

In his head he was having some difficulty collecting his thought. He did have a crush on Asuka, but would never admit it to his friends let alone Asuka. If she knew, all that would remain after she was through with him would be a smear on the wall.

The three were interrupted by a commotion that was going on by the front gate. Going over to look, Shinji was surprised to see someone apparently fighting Asuka. Even more surprising, was that the person fighting her was wearing a hooded coat just like the man on the bus did.

Earlier

Asuka and Hikari were at their usual spot under a tree having lunch and gossiping.

Hikari decided to broach a subject she'd been meaning to with Asuka, "Hey Asuka-chan?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I was wondering, what do you think of Shinji-kun?"

Choking on her lunch, Asuka was greatly shocked at the question asked of her, "What do you mean?"

Holding up a hand to ward her anger, Hikari said, "Do you like Shinji or what?"

"Or what! No way could I ever like him!"

"You would let your pride blind you to the reality within your heart?"

Startled, the two girls jumped up to see a man in a hooded black coat appearing form behind their tree. When he spoke, it was the same as the one who spoke before, a young man's voice, "You wouldkeep denying the truth that is before your eyes?"

Stepping forward, Asuka demanded, "Who the hell are you and what are you talking about?"

Holding his hands up, the man replied, "Introductions are irrelevant at this time, Asuka-chan. And besides,you'll find out more later on."

Shocked Asuka asked, "How'd you know my name?"

The man turned to leave without answering.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

He continued to walk, ignoring her shouts. Angry, Asuka ran right up to the hooded man, intent on ripping him apart. Reaching out, she was about to grab hold of him when he grabbed her wrist. Attempting to break free, Asuka twisted her arm out of his grip and kicked out at the same time. She was again blocked, and flipped onto her back. By then, a small crowd had formed around the two of them, including a worried Hikari.

Sighing, the man asked, "I'm leaving, can you not try making such a fuss?"

Angrily, Asuka replied, "Like hell I am!" jumping back to her feet.

She then threw a few punches, which were in turn blocked or dodged by the person in black. Frustrated, Asuka attempted to grab and throw him. What happened next greatlyshocked everyone. The man somersaulted over her head and grabbed her in a headlock with no realintent on letting her go.

Sighing, the young man said, "You really are a hot-headed, temperamental kid, huh?"

Shinji, who was looking from the roof, was worried for Asuka. He rushed down the stairs to give assistance to Asuka, leaving his friends watching the action below. When he got outside, he saw his worries were for naught, as Asuka was currently beating on the hooded man, who was now laying on the ground.

"That'll teach you to challenge the Great Asuka Langley Sohryu!" she proclaimed.

Groaning, the man slowly picked himself up, "Ow, ow. That is going to leave a monster mark." Waving his hand, he began to limp to the school gates, "Well, I guess I'll be leaving now…"

"Hey!" Asuka cried out, "Get back here!"

As she was about to grab him, the man faded from sight. When this happened all the students gasped and backed away, except Asuka. The rest of the day, all anyone could talk about was the mysterious man. There were quite a few stories flying around the school, with the school being haunted topping the list.

As school ended for the day, everyone was too scared of leaving by the front entrance. That is, everyone except Asuka and Shinji, whom had been dragged through the gates. The walk home was quiet. Shinji kept glancing towards Asuka, wondering how she was doing.

I should ask her, but she might tell me to buzz off. Oh, what should I do?

Drawing up his courage, Shinji took a deep breathe and asked, "Um, Asuka? A-are you o-ok?"

Asuka stopped and turned sharply to look at the frightened boy. Shinji noticed that she had a strange look in her eyes, different from what he normally saw.

"It's nothing" she replied, "I'm not used to people disappearing like that"

Shinji gave a faint smile remembering the look that was on her face when that happened. "It's just that I was worried that you were hurt in that fight"

Continuing to give Shinji a strange look, Asuka was opening her mouth to reply, probably with a sharp retort. At that moment however, the alarms went off. Both glanced at each other before running off towards Nerv, both thinking the same thing.

Angel attack!

Lovely, another chapter down. As promised, I'm making the chapters longer, so be happy. Please send in reviews andI'll get back as soon as possible,thank you!