I've decided to put in a couple extra chapters before I have to put this story on pause for a month. But please, look at CH. 11 and please evaluate my story ideas and give input.
Perhaps, shaming Asuka into submission was not one of Shinji's brightest ideas.
The fiery redhead launched herself at him, grabbng his head and slamming it into the apple tree Shinji and Co. had been lying under just a few minutes ago. She slammed his head into the tree with such force that the tree actually shook. A sharp "OOOHHH" came from the crowd assembled a safe distance away. Rei had to be forcibly dragged away by Hikari and Toji. Kensuke had decided to tape the whole thing. "For posterity," he said, but everyone whew he would make copies of the video and sell them to anyone who would buy it.
Shinji got back up on shaky feet, the world spinning and ringing in his ears. he spun around, several afterimages of a smirking Asuka in his vision. He blindly struck out, Asuka ducking and weaving between Shinji's punch-drunk hits. A spin kick reopened his lip and slammed him against the tree again.
"600 yen she knocks him out in the next five minutes." Hikari said. "Any bets?!" A loud chorus of confirming bets sounded, as nearly every student assembled bet on Asuka.
Rei reached into her pocket and pulled out a portion of her personal money. She tapped Hikari and slapped the money into her hand. "I will bet on Ikari. 1000 yen."
"You sure about that, Rei? Asuka's kicking his ass all sorts of new, undiscovered colors right now. AND HE DESERVES IT!!!" Hikari screamed at Shinji, who was on the defensive against Asuka's furious kicks.
"I am...confident that Ikari will make a turnaround."
Toji tapped Kensuke, and they both pulled out money. Kensuke gave all of the money he made selling pictures of Asuka, 9800 yen, and Toji gave 800 yen to Hikari. "We're also betting on Shinji."
"Butt buddies stuck together, eh?" Hikari smirked. "Whatever. Your funeral." Everyone turned back to the fight.
Shinji finally regained his focus after the sixth kick to the head by Asuka. He caught her foot as she was trying a straight strike and pulled her off balance, hitting her with an elbow to the stomach, driving the wind out of her. She flew back, tumbling about ten feet down the hill before springing back to her feet.
Shinji assumed a stance, evening out his breathing and regaining control. to win this fight, he would have to cut her apart. He knew that ever since his encounter in the EVA during the battle with the Fifth Angel, he was faster, stronger, more focused. But activating that...something extra required an extrordinary level of concentration and adrenaline. Although he was in a fight, he was in no real danger, so he was unable to push himself beyond his limits.
Asuka assumed a kickboxing stance and leaped up, delivering a high strike that cracked Shinji's jaw and sent him back. He touched his jaw. It definitely felt out of sorts after that last strike. Shinji kicked out, catching Asuka in the kneecap, severely hampering her speed. In a one-on-one fight, Shinji was stronger, but Asuka had speed, and quite a right roundhouse.
Taking the offensive, Shinji darted foward, batting aside Asuka's hasty defense and catching her with a right hook to the eye, followed by a kick to the chest that sent her to the ground. Hikari picked her bloodied friend up.
"Motherfucker is actually giving me a run for my money. He's good. Maybe as good as I am."
"As...good as you are? You sure you want to continue this, Asuka? You have a nasty shiner, and what looks like a broken nose."
"Damn right! He hasn't won yet."
With that, Asuka and Shinji ran at one another, delivering one rapid-fire strike after another. They both seemed to have plenty of juice, although Asuka seemed to be panting just a little bit harder.
Reaching up and grabbing Shinji's hair, she pulled him into a knee strike, knocking him back, followed by a quick leg sweep. She then circled around him and stomped on his hand. Something could distinctly be heard popping.
"YOU BITCH!" Toji yelled. "That's dirty fighting!"
"You don't like the game," Asuka panted, puctuating her words with a kick to Shinji's ribs. "DON'T play it with me!" Asuka then reached down and pulled off one of her shoes and hit Shinji in the head with it. Hard. Shinji reached up and belted Asuka in the mouth, knocking her on her ass.
"Shoes, Asuka?" Shinji got back up, blood coming out from a cut on his head.
Shinji kicked Asuka again in the same knee he struck before. A popping sound could be heard, and Asuka's right knee became red and inflamed.
There was a short pause. Both fighters were bloodied, and hurting from several well-placed wounds. The look in their eyes wavered between "keep going" and "shut down". Shinji had a raging headache, and there was a sharp pain in his side. Asuka had to struggle to stand up, and was losing, as her knee was buckling under her. Her chest and eye also felt out of sorts. Both of them wanted nothing more than to lie in a bed and forget their newfound pains.
Suddenly there was movement in the surrounding crowd. Men in black suits and sunglasses barreled through. Section 2 agents. The forced their way to the Second and Third chilsren and dragged them bodily away, all the while Asuka and Shinji were struggling to get back at one another. Before the agents left, one of them grabbed Kensuke's camera and took the memory card, taking all video evidence of the fight. The commotion eventually died down, as the agents bundled Asuka and Shinji into nondescript black SUVs and drove away.
"So what was it?" Toji asked. "Who won?"
"It was a tie." Kensuke yelled. 'A TIE!" Everyone assembled groaned. A tie meant no one got rich off of this, as there was no ascertained winner. With a sigh, Hikari began handing everyone back their money. The crowd quickly broke up. Rei stayed behind a moment. A tie. Shinji was at least evenly matched with that...redheaded harpie. That satisfied her for now. Shinji was a man of action, similar to the Commander, yet different...Her feelings toward him were different than what she felt towards the Commander. Shinji was...emotional, not burned out and distant and controlling like the Coommander. She picked up Shinji's school bag and took it back with her to class.
Later that night, after several hours of much needed medical attention, Shinji and Asuka were seated in Misato's living room, bandaged and stiched up. Asuka was on crutches, and had a cast on her leg that would remain for at least a week. She also had her nose fixed and set to heal. Shinji's ribs were taped up, and a cast was on his left hand, setting his broken fingers. Both pilots would be fully healed in about two weeks. Playing on the television was Kensuke's film of their fight. They both had to admit, they both had unleashed some brutal moves on one another. The tape was quite violent.
Tapping her remote control, Misato paused the playback. She then got up and got her service holster with her pistol. Sitting back down across from them, she pulled out her pistol and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. Misato then took a long swig of beer and then looked at them.
"You two want to kill each other, one of you, pick up that gun. I know both of you have extensive experience with firearms. After all, NERV trained the both of you. What, no takers? The two of you prefer hand to hand? Oh, I forgot. The two of you fucked each other up quite royally. You're out of school for the next two weeks recuperating, and neither of you can train in your condition. Or fight each other."
"He started it-"
"I never met a bigger and more deserving bitch in my-"
Their arguing was cut short by Misato slamming an empty beer can on the table. "Enough. I've talked it over with the Commander, and we came up with a solution. The two of you are pilots. Your own personal issues are irrelevant. If you can't get along in school, how the hell can you watch out for each other on the battlefield, against the Angels?!"
Silence.
"Effective immediately, Asuka Langely Soryu, you have become my responsibility. You will live here, in the second guest room, for the remainder of your posting here in Tokyo-3. Your belongings will arrive here in the morning."
"You can't possibly expect me to live with this baka, Misato-"
"I have to see that fucking face every morning, Misato, I can guarantee you something will happen-"
"The decision is final. The two of you are locked into it. Those are your orders. Live together. When this is all over, no Angels, no extinction of mankind, you still want to kill one another, be my guest. I'll even referee. Until then, live with it. Now go to bed. i'm tired of looking at your smashed up faces." Misato chuckled at her joke and stumbled off to her room and shut the door. Shinji and Asuka got up, glaring at one another, before hobbling off to their respective rooms.
Around midnight, Shinji got up, awakened by the sound of crying. Struggling to his feet, Shinji slid open his door to see Asuka, lying on the floor outside of the bathroom, crying. She had fallen off her crutches. She seemed to have just given up and was crying softly. Shinji stomped over and roughly dragged Asuka to her feet and slipped her crutches under her arms. He then turned to go back to his room.
"Wait." Shinji turned around.
"I'm having problems getting in the bathroom with these crutches. Can you help me?" Her request sounded forced.
Shinji gently moved her into the bathroom and set her on the toilet. He turned around as she relieved herself, and then helped her back to her feet and she washed her hands and flushed. Shinji then walked her back to her room, but drew a sharp breath when Asuka brushed his taped ribs, which were tender.
"You alright?"
"Do I look alright?"
"All right. Bad question." Shinji set Asuka down on her bed in her room. They turned and looked at one another. Asuka motioned for Shinji to sit next to her. Against his better judgement, he did, with some difficulty.
"I-"
"I-"
They both said 'I'm not sorry' at the same time.
"You neither, huh?" Asuka asked.
"What's there to be sorry about? To say I am sorry implies I regret what I did. And that means I did'nt mean to do it. I did. All of it."
"At least you're honest. But I still think you're an asshole."
"I still think you're a bitch. But we can't fight like that again. That...was extreme, to say the least."
"Do you think that could ever change? You an asshole and me a bitch?"
"I don't know. I suppose anything's possible."
In the heat of the moment, Asuka kissed Shinji, and he quickly fell into it and returned her attention. After several minutes the pulled away and looked at one another.
"Your moves are'nt half bad. You don't hold back. I like that."
"I don't approve of hitting people with shoes, but you can back yourself up. I can respect that."
"So what now?"
Shinji got up and moved to the door. "Nothing's changed. Like she said, when all this is over, we settle this once and for all. Until then, we're the closest of comrades in battle."
"Then it's settled. Round Two, whenever this...is over. Be ready."
"I can hardly wait." Shinji stepped out, closing the door behind him.