Short chapter but you'll know why...

Chapter Nine

Shinji stumbled into the small hut he had woken from that morning. His arms and legs were sore from all the movement he had to mimic from the locals. How it tired him but that was alright. He knew the next day wouldn't be as vigorous as today. He got to the doorway and was taken back by what he saw. Asuka sat on her cot staring aimlessly at the sand at her feet. Her red hair was picked up by a pick and fastened to the side of her head. Instead of the standard t-shirt and jeans she wore when she came here was now replaced with a thin brown shirt with the shoulders and back cut out along with a long brown skirt. She looked feminine for a change and that was something Shinji wasn't used to. He continued to stand at the doorway unable to work out a sentence to say to her but it didn't seem like she had noticed him.

"Asuka?" he called in an almost whisper. She looked up like a puppy hearing its name for the first time. This was the first time he called her name when it wasn't followed by a scowl.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice calm and her tone almost unrecognizable. She looked at him with her blue eyes and those blue eyes seemed as if they had new life in them. It was like someone rewired her and it was somewhat haunting, "Are you just going to stand there?"

He blinked. She wasn't totally different.

"Er, how was your day? I know I'm beat." he said with a nervous grin. She only nodded as if he had stated something worth acknowledgeable instead of a question. He sat down at his cot and looked over to her. She continued to stare at the sand. It was if she was lost in thought.

"What time did you get back?" he asked her. She turned to him and shrugged her shoulders. He thought for a moment and asked her, "Are you tired?"

"No."

"You wanna go do something? Explore the coast or something?"

"I thought you said you were tired."

"Not that tired."

She eyed him for a moment and then she looked back at her feet and shrugged her shoulders.

"Alright, I guess I can spare a walk." she said. That was easier than he thought. The two teens headed toward the beach. Night was coming and the sun that was falling from the horizon sprayed a golden color along the ocean. Long strips of clouds hovered above and the sand beneath them was warm and relaxing. Asuka sat in the sand letting the ocean cast a layer of water upward and onto her bare feet. She liked the scenery and she found it calming enough to forget about the day's events. She still felt embarrassed about letting her emotions spill like that. She felt like her own mind betrayed her and reveal her true colors. It was difficult to swallow at first but then she remembered how Yara wrapped her arms around her and comforted her like that. For the first time since her own mother died she felt someone here on this godforsaken Earth was also here for her.

"Shinji?" she whispered. The boy looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember your mother?" she asked. That was a hard question to answer. In truth he could remember a few things about her but not enough to actually give a good description. He looked over on the ocean and said, "A little. I knew she was nice." Although the answer was extremely vague it seemed like Asuka had no trouble accepting it. She lied on the sand feeling its warmth hit her bare back and warming the muscles underneath. She stared up at the sky and thought that maybe she was staring face to face with her mother. She closed her eyes and listened to the waves of the ocean. Then suddenly the sun that was washing over her faded and she opened an eye to see what was blocking it. It was Shinji. She had an impulse to yell at him but that impulse never got to her lips because his lips were on them. He was kissing her. She had NEVER expected something from him but then again this was similar to the time back at the apartment when she done the same.

They kissed for what seemed like an eternity until he pulled away, his eyes staring into hers. He was actually preparing for her to hit him but that never came. However her eyes narrowed and a frown found its way to her lips.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"I don't know."

Her feelings were mixed to say the least. She didn't mind that he was kissing her but for some reason they felt empty. Like her. Actually that wasn't true at all. Maybe she was forcing herself to think that way. This boy that no matter how many times she degraded him always found a place next to her. He was always ... there. And here he was kissing her.

"Don't kiss me unless you mean it." she said.

"I wouldn't do it for no reason." he assured her.

"You know if you kiss me you have to stay with me."

"Haven't I been doing that for the longest?"

She didn't say a word. She only looked at him. She placed both her hands on the sides of his face and pulled him in. She kissed him and enjoyed it.

"Do you really like me?" she asked as she drew a breath.

"Do you like me?" he asked her clearly evading her question.

"I asked you first."

"I asked you second."

"Idiot." she whispered.

The next four days went smoothly. Both Yara and Thiago were amazed how well both teens could learn the art so quickly. And during this time Yara and Asuka grew to a liking of one another. Asuka's jealously vanished and she felt a close bond with Yara. The two talked a lot and Yara taught her how to cook some and make clothes which Asuka found to be interesting and learned rather quickly. Yara's husband, Aldo, began to tell her stories of when he was child growing up before Second Impact. His childhood had been filled with small adventures and Asuka always found herself wanting to know about the world before Second Impact. These past four days had been the best in her life and she made no attempt to decline it. After the fifth day of training, Asuka and Shinji had nearly mastered the skill but there was still a lot they had to go through the final two days.

One night Yara invited Asuka to her small settlement where most of the people in her community lived. Asuka now wore the clothing many of the women in the village and she felt proud of it... and it was comfortable. She entered the small hut Yara and Aldo lived in and greeted them both.

"Hey, Yara. Thiago told me to come see you?" she said. Yara was sitting beside Aldo and pouring a drink into a small cup.

"Yes, I was wondering if you would like to help me look for something." she said. Asuka agreed and Yara bid her husband a farewell as they left.

Moments later they found themselves deep within the jungle, Asuka followed but her vision began to blur somewhat and eerie feeling of this happening once before entered her stomach. She didn't like that feeling. She wasn't a believer of déjà vu. They walked for what seemed like an hour until they came upon a cave. Yara turned to the girl and said, "This is an old cave my mother took me to when I was a child. This was a place she said I should come to whenever I felt afraid. I know it sounds a little contradictory but it believe it or not it served its purpose."

"So what do you have to look for?" asked Asuka.

"Come with me."

Asuka followed into the cave. She wasn't sure how she was going to navigate until Yara offered her hand. She looked at it and took it. Yara led her deep into the cave. After turn after turn and up an incline Asuka was beginning to wonder if Yara knew where she was going. She was about to ask when they approached a lighted section. They entered a to what seemed like a dead end except that there was a hole on the ceiling allowing light to shine through and reflecting over a giant hole filled with water. Asuka saw Yara kneel at the waters edge and look in.

"Come on." she said. Asuka looked at the hole of water and remained skeptical.

"How deep is it?"

"Not much. Come on." she said holding out her hand again. Asuka looked at her hand and then at her. She took it. Asuka wasn't ready for what would happen next as her friend dove into the water pulling her with her. She was just about to panic until she could feel Yara's hand pulling her through the path of water. A second or two later she was being pulled to the surface. She breathed in only to let it go again as her eyes caught sight of the paintings and drawings that surrounded her. The secret cavern was round and the entrance from which she came out from was at the center but that didn't stop her from looking at the beautiful waves that were being reflected onto the walls.

"This is my secret place. It's been in my family since the beginning of time. All of these drawings were done by my mother, her mother, her mother's mother and so on." she said.

"Why are you showing me this?" asked Asuka.

"I have already drawn my piece on the wall but I can feel something in the wind. I can feel that many people will die soon. A battle is growing and I'm afraid I won't have a child of my own to experience this with me and if I did the wouldn't be as strong as you."

Before Asuka could say anything Yara handed her a stone.

"Here, I want you to draw something. Leave your name to history so the Earth may know you are now part of my family."

Asuka looked at her with astonishment, words couldn't find their way to her lips.

"Asuka, I wish to adopt you. I wish to be your mother."

Now here's where you the reader will decide. You already know this event has happened but whether or not she agrees is left to you. Will she accept or will she decline? Which path will bring her goal and which will bring her to her downfall? Remember pick the right sequence and the events of End of Evangelion will not happen... and another ending will appear.

Should she accept the proposal or should she refuse? VOTE NOW!