Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or any of the songs included in this fic or anything else that has copyright laws on it so please don't sue me.
3 weeks later
It was Saturday, Shinji had left early saying he had to do something, though Asuka wasn't really paying attention, she had turned to ignoring him constantly and not even getting into argument with him.
Misato had been gone for about a week now, she had been called up to Tokyo 2 to receive new training on using new equipment; this also went unnoticed by Asuka because she barely saw her anyway with her new job.
BEEP
The doorbell rang, Asuka looked over at the door from her position on the couch she was watching TV with a blanket wrapped around her.
BEEP
Came another ring from the doorbell, Asuka decided to ignore it and turned back to the TV pulling the blanket in tighter to her.
BEEEEP
The person outside must have been getting annoyed from the sound of holding down the buzzer longer, go away, was Asuka's only thought as she put the blanket over her head to try and block everything out.
Click
That sound of the door being unlocked echoed in Asuka's head, they have a key, she thought to herself, she heard voices, two female voices.
"I wonder if she's still asleep" one asked, Asuka couldn't place the voice it sounded familiar but the tone was strange to how she remembered it, Asuka pulled her head out from under the covers to look at the door and see who it was.
There at the door stood Rei and Hikari, Rei wore a white blouse with a pair of tight denim jeans and a denim jacket, over her shoulder was a white purse with a long strap, Hikari wore a blue knee length skirt with no tights, she also was sporting a white blouse and a denim jacket, though were Rei's was just a straight forward women jacket, Hikari had little pink stitching on the pockets and along some of the seams, both had there hair let free.
Hikari spotted Asuka on the couch and replied to Rei's inquiry "seems to be awake to me" she said with a smile, as she made her way over to her old friend taking her jacket off showing her long sleeve blouse, Rei followed suit taking her jacket off but showing her short sleeved one, both of the girls took a seat next to Asuka either side of her and both laid there jackets over the back of the couch.
This made Asuka look even more of a mess, like a weed between two flowers
"How you feelin Asuka" Rei asked with a smile, Asuka just looked at her still not being able to take in the changes that had come over the young women.
"Fine" she replied quietly, Rei seemed to take that as face value and lent over and picked up the remote and began to watch TV, Asuka was about to protest but was cut off when Hikari spoke to her.
"So Asuka do you want to go and take a shower and get changed so we can go to the mall?" Hikari asked cheerily, though it was more of an order than a request.
"I don't feel like leaving the house today Hikari" Asuka replied while bringing the covers around her, Hikari got up and just grabbed the covers and threw them of Asuka.
"No. we are not going to have any of that now go and take a shower," She said in sugary tone with an eerie smile.
"But…" Asuka stuttered out before being cut off by Hikari.
"No Asuka you have been cooped up in this house for to long, now me and Rei are going to take you out for a nice day at the mall" she said with a tone said there was going to be no way out of the situation.
Begrudgingly Asuka obeyed Hikari and went to take a shower, Hikari listened until she heard running water, and she then turned to Rei.
"Come on lets go pick out something for her to wear," She said to her friend, who turned off the TV and followed Hikari to the bedroom.
In the shower Asuka was cleaning her hair, she had felt really disgusted with her self on how bad she had let it get, probably I should just let go off him and just get on with my life, she thought to herself while applying conditioner.
When she was done she left the bathroom and went to her bedroom with a towel around her, she was shocked to see both Rei and Hikari in there talking while lying on her bed at one end, while at the other end some clothes had been laid out for her to wear.
"I can dress myself you know" Asuka said crossing her arms.
"That is very questionable with what you were wearing a second ago" Rei replied, Hikari looked up in a slight bit of shock, is it smart to tease her, she thought to herself.
Asuka just stood there, her face neutral as if she was thinking until she smiled and replied "True".
Rei's laughed and Asuka did to, Hikari just smiled at her two friends.
They all left shortly afterwards, Rei and Hikari had picked out a pair of jeans and a red short-sleeved blouse with a denim jacket that resembled Hikari's more than Rei's, they boarded a train that took them to the middle of the city, all three seemed to talked together about simple things, like the weather, school and other people on the train.
When they arrived Asuka had noted that the place hadn't changed at all, which did make her a little happier, Hikari said she had an errand to run and that she would meet them at her and Rei's favourite café. Rei and Asuka first went to some clothes shops and looked at the various items of clothing and accessories.
"What do you think to this Asuka?" Rei asked, Asuka looked over at the blue haired girl, she held a pink top to her torso and a white shin length skirt to her legs as if she was wearing them, Asuka looked at the combination and something wasn't right about it.
"Well to be honest I would say pink isn't your colour at all" Asuka answered.
"You really think so?" Rei said while looking in a mirror.
"It doesn't go with your hair colour at all," she said, while looking through the rack for something different.
"Yeah your right what do you suggest?" Rei said while putting the top back.
"What's the occasion?" Asuka asked, picking some shirts of the same design but blue that matched Rei's hair and some other colours that she thought would work.
"I'm going on a date next week," Rei said looking at the tops and smiling, Asuka looked slightly shocked.
"A date?" she asked, the idea of Rei doing anything like that was still foreign to her.
"Yeah" Rei replied not seeing Asuka's face of slight shock "you know, you go out to the movies, have a nice meal together, he walks you home and then if it goes well you might kiss him, you know a date" Rei said while going to the changing booth with the blue top and skirt.
"Who is it? Asuka asked, still in slight shock, but more at what Rei had just said.
"His name is Keitaro, he is really sweet and cute" Rei said while going behind the curtain "this is our second date."
"Have you kissed him yet?" Asuka's interest was now peeking, the shock from a second ago passing by.
"No not yet, but I am hopping for next week" she replied with a slight giggle "I hope he is much better than the last one" she said while walking out in the top and skirt. Asuka's brain went into overdrive.
"Last one?" she asked, Rei was looking at her self in the mirror and saw Asuka's face and began to giggle.
"Yeah if I kiss Keitaro he will be the third boy I have ever kissed" she said with a smile "does that shock you?" Rei asked.
"Well yeah, I mean wow Rei that's great" Asuka replied with a smile "I'm happy for you."
"Don't be, the first guy I kissed turned out to be a complete asshole and I still believe that the second one was only bad because he saw his reflection in a puddle and got to busy checking himself out to actually put any effort into the kiss" said Rei in a very frustrated manner, Asuka looked at Rei's reflection in the mirror and said.
"That bad huh?" with smile.
"And I'm giving you the universal version" Rei said and began laughing, Asuka laughed with her and Rei continued "now that I look back I could see that I only liked those guys because of their looks and for the fact that they asked me out, especially the first one because it was like new to me" she stopped and sighed and a distant look came over her, then she smiled a small and delicate smile "Keitaro seems different though, he's cute true, but he is also funny, sweet and a bit of an idiot, but in the way that Shinji is you know like tripping over himself all the time."
Asuka nodded her head and smiled, then something crossed her mind "was one of the guys you kissed Shinji?" she asked, Rei looked back and laughed.
"No of course not me and Shinji are like brother and sister," She said shacking her head, Asuka smiled and just was able to stop herself from saying 'good' out loud, Rei turned back to the mirror and looked at what she was wearing.
"Hmm I like it but it is missing something" Rei said while returning her line of thought back to the clothes, Asuka sprang back out of her train of thought and Stood by Rei looking at her reflection.
"I have a nice blue purse you can have, it would go perfect with your outfit" Asuka said, Rei smiled.
"Really thanks, now that that is out of the way what are you going to get?" Rei asked, while returning to the booth to change her clothes.
"For what?" Asuka asked.
"For the school party tonight" Rei replied from inside the booth, Asuka was about to protest when Rei cut across her "and don't say your not going because I don't want to get Hikari to have to force you" she said as she left the booth with the clothes over her arm, Asuka bowed her head in defeat and replied with a smile.
"What did you have in mind?" which Rei just smiled at.
After many arguments, a lot of messing around and giggling from both, the girls had decided on a red spaghetti dress that was just above the knee and a pair matching high heels for Asuka to wear, while Rei got her self a black skirt, that was the same height as Asuka's, a matching black sleeveless top, with matching high heels and a black purse they had found.
When they arrived at the café, with a collection of bags in their hands, they saw that Hikari was already there, with her own collection. They all ordered a milkshake; Asuka strawberry, Hikari Banana and Rei Chocolate and they each also had a blueberry muffin each. Then they swapped bags and looked at what they had got, Hikari had also got a new Spaghetti dress, but in orange and just below the knee, after they were done they just talked.
"So you are coming tonight, I'm glad" Hikari said on hearing that Asuka was coming to the party.
"Who else is going?" she asked.
"We all are" Hikari replied.
"So are we all going together?" Asuka further asked, Rei was the one who answered her.
"No we are meeting the boys down there. We are going back to your place after this ordering some takeout, clean ourselves up and get ready for the night," she said with a smile.
"What about clothes?" Asuka asked, Rei just lifted one of the bags of clothes that they had just bought and shook it in front of her.
"Point taken, ok what about make up and other stuff?" she asked, Hikari answered this question.
"I asked Toji to drop Rei and my things at your place"
"Convenient having an obedient male" Rei put in casually, Asuka laughed and Hikari glared at her.
"He isn't my slave, he just doesn't mind doing things that I ask him to do for me" she shot back at Rei.
"And what kind of things are we on about now?" Rei asked putting emphasis on the word 'things', Asuka Laughed and so did Rei, Hikari smiled and simply said.
"To tell you the truth I don't even have to ask him to do that most of the time" She shot back and began laughing, Rei along with her, Asuka just stared at her in complete shock.
"You and Toji have…have…" Hikari finished her sentence for her.
"Slept together, yes we have" She said with a smile, if it was possible Asuka's eyes got wider.
"For how long?" she asked, Hikari blushed.
"Well the first time was not very long because we were both virgins, but his stami…" Asuka cut across her, her face almost matched the dress she just bought.
"No not that, how long have you two been doing it?" she asked, Rei was holding her hands over her face to stifle the laughter that was bursting from her.
"Ow we have only been doing it for a about three months now" Hikari said in a matter of fact tone, with that Rei just started laughing, after a while both of the other girls saw the funny side of what had just happened and began to laugh as well.
The waiter came up to the table with their orders, he looked at the three girls laughing and having a good time, it warmed his heart to see young children being able to enjoy life, especially now that the angels were gone, though what would he have thought if he new what the three young girls were actually talking about.
They ate their muffins and drank their milkshakes, they went off and wandered the mall a bit more, Asuka pointed out a new music shop she hadn't seen before and asked if they could go there, her and Hikari did but Rei said she would meet them later.
"Hey Hikari have any new bands come about while I have been away?" Asuka asked, Hikari seemed to have to think about this question.
"Not anything spectacular, but then again I don't keep up with popular Music" Hikari said in a rushed tone, Asuka was about to push the matter until she heard something that caught her attention.
Just a few racks down three girls were having a heated discussion.
"EVA?" one said in a confused tone, EVA, Asuka thought to her self.
"Yeah EVA, its this cool band that came about only six months ago, they released an album called 'UNIT 00' and it is awesome, they are like really politically minded and are all against government scandals and stuff" the second said in an exited tone.
"Yeah the lead singer slash lead guitarist is amazing and the album has a picture of him and the rest of the band in booklet that comes with it and he is really cute" the third said with a sigh of contentment at the thought of the lead singer/lead guitarist.
"Nah I think the drummer is the hottest one, he has a great body" the second said again, before Asuka could hear anymore Hikari jumped in and said, in what sounded like an annoyed voice that they had to go, Asuka didn't pick up on the tone because she was still listening.
"Hey did you hear about that school party they are apparently playing at tonight, it's like their first live performance?" the third said.
"Cool we have to get there" the second replied jumping up and down.
"We cant its members of the school only and that place will be guarded like a fortress if they are there" the third said with her head slumped over.
"Aww this sucks" the second said also slumping over, then both girls looked around and saw that there other friend had gone "Where's Sakaki gone?" the second asked.
"She got bored of you two chatting shit and left," a random old man told them who was standing close by at the time.
As Asuka and Hikari were meeting up with Rei, Asuka asked the both of them "What is this new band called EVA all about?" Rei looked taken back at first but she composed herself and answered.
"There a band that found a load of information about NERV and everything else that had been leaked onto the Internet, so they came up with that name and they reference it in their song lyrics. Before anybody could stop them their first album was released and it was a big hit making them untouchable" Rei said, though the tone she said it made Asuka think there was more to it than that.
"Is it true they are playing tonight at the party?" she asked, Hikari jumped in then.
"Yes they are, they are from our school, so the lead singer said that they would have their first live show there" Asuka nodded her head then smiled.
"Do we know them?" Asuka asked, Rei answered.
"I don't really know, I think they are older than us so we probably never met" Asuka could tell from the tone that she wasn't being completely truthful again, but Asuka decided to let it go for now.
"Should be cool," she said with a smile, Rei let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, though Asuka made out she hadn't noticed.
Back on the train they all talked happily between each other. Up until this point Asuka had hated all of the new changes in the world and in the people around her, but now she was learning to love one, Rei, since she had first set out with them they both had talked and laughed together like they were sisters. Asuka especially laughed at some of the ironies of Rei's new personality in contrast to her old one, like how she was more fashion concise and more emotionally and socially aware, Asuka felt bad for what she had done in the past to the girl.
Asuka went all quite when that thought came across her mind, Rei looked concerned when the smile on Asuka's face dropped and the look of pain and sorrow from the apartment was there again.
"Asuka what's wrong?" she asked with concern.
"I'm so sorry Rei" Asuka said with a slight sob.
"For what?" Rei asked seeming confused at the sudden change, the day had been fine so Rei and Hikari were both confused on the sudden change in mood.
"For all that I did and said to you when we were younger…" Asuka sobbed again but continued through a shaky voice "yo…u're nn…ot a d…d…doll" then she broke down in tears, Rei looked shocked at first then smiled and put her arms around Asuka, Asuka lent into her embrace cried quietly on her shoulder.
"Shh its ok" Rei cooed to Asuka, Hikari just sat back knowing that this was something she had to let happen between the two girls without her getting involved.
"No its not, cos I was evil to you, I treated you like you wasn't even human" Asuka said in a rushed tone through various sobs.
"To be honest Asuka I wasn't really human at the time" Rei said calmly, Asuka looked up at her quizzically her eyes were red, which cause Rei to say "Thank god you didn't wear mascara"
Asuka couldn't help but laugh at that but still looked at Rei with a questioning look, Rei took a breath and began to tell Asuka all about herself, the fact that she was a clone of Shinji's mother and how she had been constantly drugged to keep her submissive, so Gendo and NERV could do what they wanted with her, when she finished Asuka just blinked.
"Ow Rei I am so sorry" she said with.
"Don't be, the past is in the past and that is were it is going to stay, the same goes for what happened between us back then" Rei replied with a smile, Asuka just hugged her tighter, Hikari smiled and lent over and hugged her two friends, Rei put her right arm around Hikari and held her too.
Asuka felt a slight twinge, she had friends, good friends and she wasn't as alone as she thought.