OK well, against me better judgement I am posting chapter 3. This is....I don't know how to phrase it other than I'm amazed at how this chapter ended up. Lets just say that I hit off some of the more psychological aspects with this one and it in turn developed into the story which I intend on writing now. Funny how that works with me. I never find out how the story is going until I write the first few chapters. Anyway enough of my rambling...
Gendo Ikari was looking down at the manila envelope on his desk. "Is this the data that you received from the first fight between the third angel and the pilot of Eva Unit 01?"
"Hai," replied Ritsuko who was standing in front of the commanders desk.
"And," asked Gendo in a evened voice? "What have you found."
"Are you asking to give me a summary of that report."
Gendo nodded his head and waited for a reply.
Taking a deep breath Ritsuko started talking. "It seems that at first Eva Unit 01 rejected Shinji's synchronization. Though for some reason the Eva allowed him to pilot it after Shinji became upset about something."
"Does this pertain to Pilot 02."
"Hai, I believe so. Shinji was screaming something about Asuka and from what I have determined the Eva saw how much willpower Shinji possessed and allowed him to pilot it."
"Is he still usable as a pilot?"
"I can't confirm that without sync tests, commander."
Gendo continued to look at her evenly waiting for her to continue.
"Now, about Eva Unit 01's reaction. It seems that something happened inside of the entry plug between Shinji and the Eva. This is confirmed by Misato Katsuragi's testimony of what she discovered when the entry plug was removed and the LCL fluid was removed."
"Meaning?"
"What were originally thought to be metallic wires are the Eva's nerves. Apparently they connected directly with Shinji's nervous system so as to sync with him better. According to analysis when they synced the ratio was well above Asuka's highest ratio. It also seems that Eva Unit 01 will reject anybody that enters the entry plug and is not Shinji. We had a scientist exam the inside of the entry plug while it was inserted into the Eva. Apparently he suffered from a high level of contamination."
"Is that all?"
"One last thing, sir. I don't know why but when Shinji's blood mixed with the LCL fluid it omitted a reaction similar to the same pattern that an angel gives off."
"Pattern blue?"
"Hai sir. Whatever changed with the LCL fluid made the AT field of the Eva stronger for a brief period."
Gendo leaned back in his chair now with his hands in his lap.
"Very well then Ritsuko. If that is all you may go."
"Hai, commander Ikari."
When Ritsuko left Gendo picked up the manila file and leafed through it before pausing on a picture of his son. "Maybe I should have never brought him to Tokyo-3 in the first place."
"And yet thanks to him we now are able to use Eva Unit 01 to its full potential," said Kozo as he stepped out of the shadows. "Though having him around still proves to be a risk."
"He was always a risk but we took it and see what happened."
"Yes but Ritsako's data didn't give you anything that you didn't know already."
Gendo frowned and looked down at the envelope. "Maybe, but the information about Shinji and Pilot 02 could prove to be useful."
"Meaning," asked Kozo with a raised eyebrow.
Gendo smirked, "He's got a reason to pilot Eva Unit 01 as long as Pilot 02 is still working with Nerv."
Shinji was released from the hospital two days later in a full recovery. Misato threw a party for him in his return. Though it consisted of Misato, Ritsuko, and a rather reluctant Asuka.
"Ah why do I have to celebrate this. Its so stupid. Its the baka's own fault for ending up like that in the first place."
Misato paused in the middle of chugging a can of beer. "Asuka the least you could be is somewhat relieved he's at least alive."
Shinji sighed and said, "Really Misato I don't care that much whether she's glad I'm here or not."
Asuka threw Shinji a scowl and stood up and walked toward her door and slammed it shut.
Ritsuko sighed and turned to Misato, "I heard that Kaji has been reassigned here."
Misato responded by spitting out her beer spraying Shinji in the face. "WHAT, THAT JERK IS STATIONED HERE."
"Hai," said Ritsuko calmly.
"Who's Kaji," asked Shinji.
Misato was about to open her mouth and say he was a stuck up jerk and a pervert when Ritsuko answered for her, "He's Misato's ex boyfriend."
Shinji was rather shocked at that and looked to see Misato steadily turning red in the face. "As if I need reminding that a dated that damn jerk." Misato turned her gaze to Shinji, "How is school going for you now?"
Shinji shrugged and said, "Little different then normal. Except all the guys in the class hate me."
"Why's that?"
"Because I live with Asuka, their jealous. Heh I'd like to see them try living with her for a day and survive."
"I heard that you asshole," came a voice through a closed door.
Shinji sighed and looked at his watch. "Uh I just got back and its time for school already."
"Well, here then," said Misato as she tossed Shinji a lunch.
Shinji tried not to look disgusted and gave her a weak smile, "Uh thanks Misato."
"No problem, theirs one for Asuka too."
Shinji could hardly suppress a groan.
"Oh and Shinji I promised you that I would take you shopping for new clothes but I won't be back till late tonight. So I want Asuka to take you instead."
"WHAT THE FUCK," came a loud yell from another room.
Asuka immediately stormed out of her room and planted both hands on the table. "What the fuck do you mean I'm supposed to take this baka out shopping," she said this while pointing at Shinji. "Thats something that a mother should do."
"Think of this as a time to get to know each other a little better so you wont be arguing all the time because to tell you the truth I'm getting annoyed with it."
"If this baka wasn't such an idiot and a sociopath maybe I could get along with him. But he's had about as much social interaction between two humans beings as the teachers pet, First Child."
Misato sighed, "This is exactly what I mean. Your constant bickering is enough to drive anyone crazy."
"Hell no I'm not doing this," said Asuka while folding her arm.
"Then how bout this. I'm ordering you to take Shinji shopping."
"And if I refuse."
"Then we take you off Unit 02."
Asuka flinched at that. "Ah damn you Misato. Fine I'll take the damn baka downtown later."
Asuka grabbed Shinji by the collar then and dragged him off to school.
"Will those to ever get along," mused Ritsuko?
"Not in this lifetime," said Misato.
School had become something of a hell for Shinji. All the guys in the class still hated him and were still jealous that he and Asuka walked to school together every morning. Though he wasn't sure why all the girls hated him also. Maybe it had something to do with them being jealous of Asuka.
"Hey," said Asuka as they walked into class. "You did pack our own lunches and not the ones that Misato gave you."
"Hai," said Shinji as he handed her hers.
She took it without another look at him and sat down at her desk. Shinji sighed and followed her and sat in his desk behind her.
"Look how smug that bastard is about sitting close to Asuka."
Shinji heard this and moved his eyes slightly to the left to see the boys who's names he didn't know were talking about him.
Immediately a rush of images hit him pertaining to the boy. Shinji found himself watching the boy walking into some magazine store and browsing some of the more explicit ones. Next second he was watching the person showering. What disgusted Shinji the most he was masturbating and screaming Asuka's name at the same time. 'What the fuck is this,' thought Shinji. 'Why am I thinking this....or I'm I somehow seeing what this guy does.'
Reality came back and Shinji found himself starring at the blackboard which the teacher had started scribbling on.
'C'mon to think of it,' thought Shinji. 'It seems....familiar somehow.' Then he thought of the corpse like Asuka in his mind, her right eyeball running free of its socket. How the ends of her fingers looked like they had been chewed off, leaving the bone.
'NOOOO THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.'
'But it will unless you stop it,' said Asuka.
'GOD DAMNIT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS IS.'
"Hey baka." Shinji felt something rather hard slap him across the side of his face. He was pulled out of the nightmare to see Asuka frowning at him. "What," he said rather snappishly. Asuka simply pointed to the front of the room.
"Shinji Ikari are you here."
"Ha-hai," Shinji felt his voice working overtime just to get the words out.
The teacher frowned at him and went back to his lecture.
During lunch Shinji was leaning against the railing on the school roof thinking of what had happened to him during the morning. It seemed so realistic, whatever it was, and disturbing. The thing about Asuka still scared him though. He had thought that he had prevented it from happening but it looked like she could still die.
'Damn it, what is happening to me. Am I some kind of psychic.' Really he wouldn't have put it past his own father to experiment on his newborn body.
Suddenly he heard the door slamming open and saw that Asuka was striding over to him with a look of pure fury on her face. 'Great,' thought Shinji. 'What did I do this time?'
As she got closer he closed his eyes waiting for the hit to come, but it never did. Instead Asuka leaned up against the railing and threw her arms over the side. With that done she opened her mouth and screamed at the top of her voice. The sound echoed all across the academy grounds and Shinji had to cover his ears since she was next to him.
"What the hell was that about," asked Shinji?
Asuka threw him a scowl before saying, "This school is a pain in the ass. I can think of a hundred things I could be doing right now. Plus all these perverted guys are starting to get on my nerves. A few actually tried to grope me."
Shinji had to suppress a laugh, "So what happened to them?"
"One of them has his fingers shoved up the drinking fountain faucet. While the other one actually tried to ambush me in the girls bathroom. He's got his head stuck half way down a toilet now."
Shinji did laugh this time. It was a relief to have her anger directed at someone else for a change.
"So what was wrong with you earlier this morning?"
Shinji's smile dropped when he heard her question. "Nothing," he said simply.
"Don't give my that crap. You were starring off into nothing. What are you some kind psychopath."
Shinji didn't want to have to listen to her bitching at a time like this and ignored her
Then the two of them heard voices coming up the stairs.
"So you got the pictures right?"
"Yeah she was getting a drink at the fountain and I stuck my camera under her skirt a little and got a shot of it."
"And...what color."
"White unfortunately."
"Even so half the guys in the school will want a copy of it. We should sell it for five dollars a picture....what do you think."
"Sounds fair enough, though we'll want to keep this low. If she finds out what were doing she'll kill us. I've heard she messed some guys up pretty bad for trying to grope her."
"But its not like we'll be walking down the hallways with signs saying, COME GET A PICTURE OF ASUKA'S UNDERWEAR FIVE DOLLARS A PICTURE."
"No I guess not."
The two of them continued laughing as they walked up the stairs to the roof. When they got over the last landing they froze when they saw Asuka and Shinji starring back at them. Shinji seemed somewhat amused, knowing what was gonna happen. Asuka however was starring back at Kensuke and Touji with a death grin on her face.
Kensuke realized only to late that any hope of making money was just destroyed.
"Oh boys," said Asuka sweetly. "I think you have something that I need to look at."
Kensuke and Touji turned around to make a run for it but Asuka grabbed the back of their shirts and held onto them tight.
"So were is it," she asked again in that sweet honey voice. It sent a chill down Shinji's spine. He hoped to never piss her off enough to make her use that voice.
Kensuke whimpered and held up the camera.
Asuka took it without question, and took out the tape. She tossed it at Shinji who caught it rather surprised that she would let him hold it. Trying not to think about what was on it Shinji pocketed it for now.
Asuka now looked at the two of them nastily. "Right you two know what you've done and your reward is this."
She kicked both of them in the balls sending them to their knees. Shinji had to turn away so as not to here the low grunting. It was something he would rather not experience. Just watching it was bad enough.
Asuka now walked over to Shinji and held out her hand. He obediently took the tape out of his pocket and handed it to her. She put it back in and walked over to the railing of the school and dropped the camera off the school roof where it fell five stories and shattered upon contact with the ground. Shinji looked over and saw that the tape had broken apart and tape reel was strewn over the ground.
He suddenly felt Asuka grab his arm and said, "Fuck this. I'm done with school for today. Lets go home."
Shinji wasn't able to do anything but nod.
Being back home though was boring. Asuka immediately grabbed a soda and a bag of chips and sat down to watch T.V. for the rest of the day. Shinji sat with her for a while but eventually got annoyed with trying to understand what she was watching, it was in German.
So Shinji went to his room and flopped down on his futon and tried to take a nap, but every time he closed his eyes that unbidden image of a rotting Asuka floated into his mind again. It was starting to get on his nerves now. How was he supposed to know when to stop her from dying? Its not like he could follow her everywhere she went, and she certainly wouldn't allow it anyway
In his feigned sleep he heard somebody open the door. Knowing it was Asuka he pretended to ignore her but was unable to when she kicked him in the side.
"Get up baka, were going out."
Shinji rolled over and was surprised to see Asuka standing their fully dressed. She was wearing a tight, red, sleeveless shirt that failed to hide a slight cleavage, and a dark tight blue pair of jeans. Shinji also saw that she had sun glasses on her head and that she was also wearing sandals.
"C'mon baka, Misato wanted me to take you shopping so thats what I'm gonna do. Anything is better then just sitting on the couch and getting fat. Besides I need some new clothes too so thats the only reason that I'm doing this," she added.
Shinji was surprised but nodded and turned to the bathroom to start changing.
Several minutes later Shinji came out wearing blue jeans with a white short sleeve shirt, his favorite.
Asuka looked him up and down, sighed and said, 'You really have no sense of fashion do you."
Shinji raised and eyebrow and walked past her to put his shoes on.
'Coward,' thought Asuka before she followed him out the door.
They were in a part of Tokyo-3 which Shinji had hardly ever walked in. Asuka seemed to know her way around though fairly well.
Soon though Shinji was wishing he hadn't let her drag him out there. The first store she dragged him into was nothing women's undergarments. Shinji had a feeling that Asuka was making him nervous on purpose. While she browsed around Shinji tried not to focus on one thing to long. He was starting to sweat and he saw that several other girls were looking at him and giggling rather loudly. Either Asuka saw this or not she didn't say.
Asuka turned around then and held up a red bra. Showing it to Shinji who was determinedly looking the other way she said, "Well, what do you think baka. I think it would go rather well with my hair, and of course I'll have to buy matching underwear to go with it."
"Do you want my honest opinion," said Shinji who now had his back to her.
"That is why I'm asking you, baka."
Shinji took a deep breath hoping that he wouldn't regret his words and said, "That looks like something that a stripper would wear."
Asuka was rather shocked that he had the nerve to say that. Though she was also glad that for once he had spoken his mind. In truth she had showed him it just to see what he would say. She hadn't really considered buying it in the first place. Smirking at his back she said, "Yeah I guess your right."
Shinji was surprised that she actually valued his opinion. "So are we done here?"
"Course not. I've got something that I seriously want to look at."
Asuka now grabbed Shinji's arm and steered him over to the swimsuit part of the store. For the next half an hour Asuka sorted through many different choices asking Shinji's opinion on some of them. Shinji who thought of how she would look every time she held a pair up simply shrugged and shook his head.
"A lot of help your being," said Asuka.
"Is this something that most guys are supposed to know about?"
Asuka ignored him and went to the changing room to try on what she just picked out.
Shinji was leaning against the wall when Asuka step up to him and said, "Well, what do you think."
Shinji had to control his hormones correctly for this one. She had just put on a two piece red bathing suit that had a white strip going along the middle of the top. Shinji blinked and turned away so that he wouldn't be starring so much.
"Ah fuck you Shinji, your no help." Asuka turned around to go back in and change out of it when Shinji spoke up, "I think you should get that."
Asuka turned around to see him determinedly looking the other way. "Your just saying that so we can leave, aren't you."
Shinji didn't want to let up on how good he thought it looked on her. He was unwilling starting to get stiff and didn't want her to notice. "No, I think...that the red goes well with your hair."
Asuka raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Hmph whether you think it looks good or not I was planning on buying it anyway." Asuka walked past him but paused and smirked, "By the way try not to be so noticeable next time. I can tell you were starring at my chest."
She walked past him to change into her normal clothes leaving him to gape back at her. 'Damn her,' he thought. 'She just loves to aggravate me.'
Predictably Shinji was stuck carrying the stuff that she had picked out. Now Asuka was looking around at the shops trying to decide what place would be best to get Shinji some new clothes.
Shinji was getting bored though and didn't particularly care whether he got new clothes or not. It's not like anyone was going to notice a change if he did dress a little differently.
"Hey, Asuka."
"Hmm."
"Lets skip this. I don't care whether I get new clothes or not."
"Misato ordered me to get you some, so I don't have a choice."
"But I'm saying that I don't care. It was bad enough being stuck in that...last store."
Asuka turned to him now and a grin appeared on her face. "Good because I wasn't taking this seriously anyway. I just wanted you with me so that I didn't have to carry my bags. Though make sure you tell Misato that I took you but you changed your mind. I don't want to get chewed out by her."
"Hai, I will."
"Good, then lets go home. My feet are getting sore from all this walking anyway."
Soon the sun had started to set and rush hour was just starting. Shinji was walking a few paces behind Asuka and for some reason couldn't shake a worried feeling that he had all the sudden. 'What is this,' he thought as he looked around at the traffic rushing by him. 'Why do I have a sickening feeling as though something is going to happ-'
Shinji felt reality slip away from him. He was now above the street that he had just been walking on and looking down at the cars and pedestrians walking along. 'Why does this seem so...familiar? I don't think I've ever been to this side of Tokyo-3 before. Yet I can't shake this feeling that something is going to happen.'
At his thoughts he saw somebody stumble into the road. Next second the person was hit in the side from an oncoming truck and was dragged under. Even though Shinji couldn't see what was happening from his vantage point he could see that it was a gruesome scene. The person had been spit back out from under the truck and was now lying helpless in the road. Blood was seeping out onto the road where the person laid and Shinji could see unmistakable signs of body tissue. Even though he told himself it was all a dream he still felt like puking.
"Do you see what has happened," said a quite voice behind him.
He turned around in mid air to see the Asuka from his dreams. Even though she was still missing half her face she was at least standing up now and not laying in a pool of her own blood.
"What are you doing here," Shinji asked?
"Simple, watching what just occurred."
"What do you mea-"
Next second Shinji found himself next to the body of the person who had just been dragged under the car. Shinji now felt his lungs collapse inside of him. Asuka was lying face up on the pavement with a blank, dead look in her eyes. Just like the one standing next to him this one had the side of her face torn off and an eye ball was hanging loosely over the side. Shinji now guessed what had happened to her fingers and saw that the skin had been shredded off thanks to the tires of the car.
Shinji continued to stare back into the eyes of the now dead Asuka. It was amazing how red her hair was now with half her skull missing. Shinji now saw that his physical self had rushed over, horror struck and was now weeping over her lifeless body.
"Is this what you want," asked the Asuka next to him.
Shinji turned with a saddened look on his face. Looking back down at the corpse before him and said, "This is what will happen if I don't save her."
The Asuka next to him nodded.
Shinji felt like he was about to break down from the sheer stress of what was happening to him. "What are these...these, visions? Why is this happening to me of all people?"
"I can't answer that," said Asuka. "I'm merely here to help you along in the beginning. What you decide to do afterward is your decision. Though I will say this. Your decision affects the lives of people around you. Whether this is a gift or a curse is entirely up to you. You can simply ignore what can happen, or what will happen."
"Are you suggesting that I'm able to see the future."
"That seems to be the case. I don't know much about it myself. Though it seems that you are able to see the future of people who are close to you. You can't look into any random person's future and alter it to your desire."
Shinji was silent for a while before he sat down on the curb. Putting his hand up to his face he touched it gently and then lowered it to the now dead Asuka. "Is this what can happen or what will happen if I don't stop it."
"Altering the future can be both dangerous for the person altering it and the person that is being altered by it. It is entirely up to you whether you do it or not."
"What is your suggestion?"
"It doesn't matter to me either way. I have already died thanks to you. But it was planned that way also. This is simply an alternate reality that in which you chose to ignore the visions and continue on with your life. I'll admit that the end result wasn't pretty. You blamed yourself for killing me and in turn killed yourself. Humans can be rather pathetic."
Shinji now looked up at the Asuka before him and frowned, "Who are you really."
"Hmm well your not as dumb as you look. No I'm not Asuka. I'm simply taking her form so its easier to speak with you. She will have gone on by now."
Shinji frowned. He had so many things that he wanted to ask this pseudo Asuka but thought it was time to return to his own place.
"How do I get back."
The fake Asuka smirked and said, "However you want to."
All this happened in the span of seconds and Shinji continued to walk behind Asuka. 'That was interesting, though I'll save my worries later I need to decide what I want to do.' Though did he really have to think about that. Sure Asuka could be a complete pain to be around when she was in a bitchy mood. But Shinji still liked to be around her. 'I feel so stupid about having second thoughts about this, fuck I'm a coward.'
"Hey Shinji come on lets cross here."
Shinji looked around at where she was pointing. She was pointing to the other side of the street.
"C'mon baka Shinji if we cross here we can skip the next intersection. Besides," she said looking up and down the road, "their aren't any cars coming so this is the perfect chance."
"Asuka, wait we shouldn't jaywalk."
"Oh calm yourself. Your acting like the First Child." Asuka took a step off the curve and down onto the pavement. However the top of her sandal caught the edge of the curve and she stumbled forward before falling down to her knees. She was now in the lane of traffic closest to the curve.
"FUCK, NO ASUKA," Shinji screamed.
To Shinji's right he heard the roar of an engine. Turning around for a split second he saw a bright blue truck come skidding around the corner of the side street and pull onto the main street.
'GOD FUCKING DAMNIT,' screamed Shinji in his head.
Darting off the sidewalk with the eyes of every bystander on him he dove to Asuka as the truck was getting closer.
"ASUKA GOD DAMNIT GET UP," yelled Shinji at her as he grabbed her arm. Asuka however had frozen when she saw the truck, engine blaring, coming to great her.
"FUCK IT," yelled Shinji. Grabbing her arm he pulled her as hard as he could and practically picked her up, holding onto one of her arms. Summoning strength that he didn't know he had he jumped from the middle of the lane and landed haphazardly onto the edge of the curve. He heard the truck whiz by but knew that if he fell backwards with him holding her the way he was she could likely suffer a serious concussion, or worse.
Instead he forced himself to lean forward and felt his foot slip off the edge of the side walk and crashed down hard on the side of his face. Almost immediately he heard a low thump as Asuka fell on top of him also.
Shinji felt blood building up inside of his mouth but ignored it. He had something else he had to worry about. Pushing himself up he found Asuka shaking uncontrollably on his chest.
"Asuka are you-"
But then he was lost for words as she broke down crying on his chest. Mouth wide open in surprise Shinji didn't know what to say in a situation like this. "Asuka," he swallowed, "its okay, everything is fine."
She shook her head and continued to cry even harder. Shinji now looked up and saw many worried faces looking back at him and her.
"Good God that was a fright, are you okay kid," said an elderly gentlemen.
Shinji nodded and looked back at Asuka who he realized now had pushed herself off his chest and was starring wide eyed at everyone gathered their.
"No....no...," she whispered.
Shinji was worried, "Asuka what are you?" But then he froze when she screamed out loud.
"ASUKA!"
She had stood up quickly and had taken off down the sidewalk.
"ASUKA WAIT."
Asuka however continued to sprint as fast as she could. 'No...No...NO! I've been poisoned. I let people see my weakness. I can't let them know how weak I truly am. Least of all Shinji. How could I have used him as a sponge to cry my eyes out. I feel dirty. WHY AM I STILL ALIVE.'
'Because he saved you,' said a small voice in her head.
'I didn't ask him to,' she retorted.
'Yet he did anyway.'
'NO I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. I DON'T NEED ANYBODY ELSE.'
'Could you have saved yourself if you weren't so afraid.'
'I would rather die then rely on anybody. Least of all that coward.'
'Yet he wasn't a coward. He risked his own life to save you.'
'STOP IT. GET OUT OF MY MIND.'
Soon Shinji had lost sight of Asuka and was leaning against a light post breath heavily. While he had ran he discovered that several teeth had been knocked loose and that they were hanging by little more than his gums. The blood was still flowing freely in his mouth and he had to spit every few seconds to keeping the saltiness out of his mouth.
'Damn it Asuka. Why were you so afraid all the sudden?'
Shinji soon willed himself to move off of the light post and continued running back to Misato's apartment where he was sure Asuka had gone.
When Shinji opened the door he was glad to notice that her shoes were at least laying there. Though it looked as though she had thrown them across the floor when she had come in.
He took his own shoes off and walked slowly inside. "Asuka," he said quietly.
He didn't get a response back and walked inside a little further. Turning toward her door he knocked softly. "Asuka...are you there."
Again he didn't get an answer. Feeling a little worried he opened the door a little and peeked his head in. "Asuka?"
He was greeted with something being thrown at him. Though it missed his head it shattered close to it and Shinji felt something sharp scrape the side of his face. He pulled back his head quickly and shut the door as something else shattered against it. 'Damn, why the fuck is she acting like this. I just saved her life didn't I. She could at least show a little gratitude.'
Shinji now walked away but stop dead in his tracks when a fleeting image of Asuka choking herself with some twine appeared in his mind.
"Its your fault Shinji, I can't let anyone know how weak I am. Least of all you."
Without thinking he turned around and flung open the door to her room. Ignoring the fact that something else was aimed at his head he darted toward where she was, curled up in a corner with something that looked like a stuffed bear in her hands.
"NO DON'T COME NEAR ME," she shrieked as she tried to push herself farther back into the corner
Shinji ignored her and looked at her carefully, then swore in his mind. He remembered what the fake Asuka had said about not relying to much on the visions. Sometimes they were only things that could happen, not things that would happen. Relaxing slightly he let out a deep breath and looked at her more closely. It seemed that she had gotten back slightly ahead of him. Her hair was a greasy mess from her sweat and it hung in great bunches around her face. She still had the red shirt and dark blue jeans on, though he saw that certain parts had stains on them.
She still seemed nervous and had an afraid look in her eyes. Shinji wanted to calm her down, to prevent himself from seeing any more horrendous images appearing in his mind. Instead he sat down a few feet in front of her. This was the first time that he had been in her room and he looked around now at it. It was much cleaner than his and he saw that many of the things that she had came from Germany. She had hung several posters on her walls depicting famous artists. Shinji didn't recognized any of them though, he was more into the classics.
Turning his gaze back to her he saw that she had calmed down slightly but was now giving him a death glare. Truthfully Shinji preferred the hard ass Asuka instead of the frightened one. It didn't suit her.
Feeling that she was doing better he said quietly, "Asuka...are you okay?"
She inhaled deeply and grabbed the nearest pillow and flung it at Shinji's face. Shinji didn't even care. The fact that she had reacted was all that he cared for. "Asuk-"
But now she tackled him to the floor and was now beating her fists repeatedly on his chest. "Damn you Shinji. Damn you, damn you damn you."
Shinji continued to look up at her ceiling while she continued to pound his chest. Soon the punches became less frequent and with less power. Then she had seised hitting him and had pushed herself off of him and moved back to the corner.
Shinji continue to stare at the wall waiting for her to reply. "Why did you do that?"
Shinji thought this was the stupidest question in the world. What was he supposed to, just stand there in shock as she died? He didn't think he could take seeing her die for a second time.
"Do you honestly think that I could have watched that happen."
"But...I always seem to get on your nerves. Why would you risk yourself to protect someone like me?"
Shinji wasn't about to tell her about his visions. He didn't need her thinking that he was some sort of freak. "Do I need a reason. If I was to stand their and watch it would have been the same as killing you myself. I was able to save you and I took that."
"But I didn't want you to," she almost yelled. "I feel so disgusting....like vomiting. I was held by you GOD DAMNIT. I CRIED INTO YOUR CHEST. I WAS WEAK!"
"Is that what this is about? You felt weak. Asuka your one of the strongest people I know. Being able to pilot something like the Eva's is an inhuman task. When I piloted it...for that time, I felt like I was losing my mind. It was so disgusting floating in that damn liquid that smells so much like blood. I kept willing myself not to vomit every time I felt the bile coming up my throat. And you've been doing this full time, how could you call yourself weak. If anything I'm the weak one."
Asuka was silent. Shinji hadn't talked about his experience inside the Eva since he had been released from the hospital. It was always something that she and Misato knew that he would never talk about freely. "Shinji...do you plan on ever piloting Eva again."
Shinji didn't even have to think of that. "No, I can't, not for anything. I don't want to put myself in something as...demonic I guess, ever again."
"But the Eva's are supposed to be used to save mankind from the Angels."
"Yet what are the Angels. Why do they attack us? What have we done wrong."
Asuka was silent. It was something she never worried about. Though now that he brought it up she wondered also what the purpose of them could be. She knew about the possibilities of Third Impact and that the Angels were trying to initiate it.
Now though she saw that Shinji had moved closer to her and was bending over her legs. Immediately she became defensive and said, "What the fuck are you doing. You better not being try to take a peek up my pant legs, because if you are I'l-"
"Oh shut it Asuka," said Shinji forcefully.
Asuka did, though it was because of her surprise. She had hardly heard Shinji snap back at her. Now though she asked in a more polite voice, "What are you doing then baka?"
"You probably never realized it, but when you fell you scraped your knees." Shinji was looking at her pant legs now and saw that where the knees were was a little damp.
"Asuka can I have you roll up your pant legs to your knees?"
She threw him a scowl but complied. "You better not try anything suspicious are you'll be on your stomach gasping for air."
Shinji ignored her comment and looked down at her knees. The blood had dried in certain areas but was still flowing slightly. "We'll have to staunch this and wrap it up with something."
"Don't you mean I," said Asuka standing up. "I'm not letting you touch me anymore than you have to hentai."
Shinji scowled at her but sighed and stood up. "Fine do what ever you want. But clean that soon or it could get infected. Misato might not be coming back for a while so I'm gonna start dinner now."
"Fine do whatever you want."
Asuka turned and walked out into the hallway and turned into the bathroom. Poking her head back out she said with a slight grin on her face, "And don't you dare try to catch anything."
"As if I would," said Shinji.
Shinji was standing over the stove now with the pot that was sending steam out. He didn't care what Asuka said, he wanted something Japanese for once instead of constant German food. 'As long as she doesn't have to cook she doesn't care anyway. But really, through all the talking we just did she never thanked me once. Maybe she doesn't have a heart maybe its just a black hole of some sorts.'
Shinji now turned off the stove and took the pot with the cooked rice in it. Putting the rice in together with the beef and vegetables he tossed the food together so that the peanut oil he had used mixed with the rice so that it gave it a little more flavor. Stir fry's were some of Shinji's favorite meals.
"Smells like something that isn't Japanese food," said a voice behind.
'Wonder who the hell that could be,' thought Shinji in mock irritation.
"Sorry Asuka, I wanted Japanese food today."
"Whatever, since it smells good enough I don't care."
'Figures, she didn't cook it so she doesn't care. Sometimes I wonder how the hell she survived without me there to cook for her.'
Turning around Shinji put the pot with everything in it on the table and put two plates on the table.
"Itadakimasu," said Shinji.
Asuka simply dug right in to the food without saying any form of thank you. Shinji sighed and figured he should have been expecting this attitude.
"What is this," said Asuka speaking up?
"Its a stir fry," said Shinji.
"Hmm, its not half bad baka."
"Err, thanks Asuka."
Asuka now looked up from her plate and put down her chopsticks.
"Um Shinji...."
"What?"
"I guess....well....thank you..."
Shinji continued to look down at his plate. "....Don't mention it."
"You...wont mention...that to Misato will you?"
Shinji looked up and saw that she was really worried. 'Why would she be so worried about something so trivial as that. Even me who practically shunned all human contact eventually came to realize that being around people is enjoyable and thats its okay to rely on people to help. But if she doesn't want help thats her choice. I'm not gonna force her to acknowledge anything.'
"Yeah, don't worry about it."
Asuka nodded and went back to eating
Later that night Shinji lay awake in bed. Everything had happened to him today was spinning around in his head. "Why do I have this....power I guess you could call it, to see the future of people I know. Is their a reason that I've been given this. What am I supposed to do with this."
"You've got to find that out for yourself baka."
Shinji sat bolt upright and almost screamed out. The fake Asuka was sitting on the edge of his bed smirking at him. Though Shinji was glad that she seemed to have her face back to the way it was.
"Err I don't mean to be rude but what are you doing here....do I still call you Asuka or what."
"You can, though...nah you can wait a little longer. I see that you decided to save her."
"I don't think I couldn't have. I....hmm....it wouldn't have been right."
"Thats a rather lame excuse."
"Maybe but I can't think of a better one. Just knowing that it would have been my fault would have been enough to drive me mad."
"You've still got a long way's to go," said the fake Asuka standing up.
Shinji smirked and said, "You may look like her, and I hate to say it but right down to her chest, but Asuka never would sound so philosophical."
"Maybe not, but I only know what she looks like. I haven't been around her enough to know what kind of personality she has. Though I can certainly examine your mind to find out. Would like me to?"
Shinji smiled, "No thats okay. Having one Asuka is enough."
"Thats rather rude."
"No I mean....she's unique, I guess thats the best way I can phrase that."
"Hmph I guess, I can understand that. Well, I'm done here. Time to see what other misfortunate humans I can torture. Though I must say your decision is rather interesting."
"How so?"
She simply smirked and said, "Oh you'll find out soon enough."
He blinked and she was gone which left him to wonder if it was nothing more than a dream or if he had really just talked to...whoever she was.