2010-04-17 - Negative Three

SOME TIME AGO

Misato Katsuragi is reading the bulletins on her phone -- one of those snazzy little NERV things that plays 'Fly Me to the Moon' as its ringtone. "Oh, hey," she says, looking up at her two charges.

Shinji and Asuka are currently engaged in a prolonged argument over whether or not the fact that a pair of Asuka's panties got mixed into Shinji's laundry constitutes 'almost legally rape.' Misato frowns, then addresses the situation as best she knows how: "HEY!"

Shinji and Asuka look over, the latter clutching the former's collar and waving her fist around. "Rei's coming home from the Minerva for a day or two. You two need to take her out to lunch."

Misato then throws some money at them to smooth over any complaints from either.

NOW

Rei Ayanami stands at the train depot, having just been deposited from the spaceport. She has no baggage -- she travels so light that it's ill-advised, to say the least. She just has the clothes on her back -- her teal and grey A-LAWS uniform, with full duster jacket, and the optional beret planted on top of her head.

Rei's hair has grown into a shaggy mop that blocks her eyes somewhat; she seems too detached to ever brush it clear. Her face is a blank mask as she stands in the central nexus of the station, waiting for someone to collect her. She's obstructing traffic. As usual, Rei doesn't seem to care.

Asuka's not going to miss the opportunity to pick up some extra cash--especially since she blew this week's pay on clothes and CDs. Still, just about the last thing she wants to do on Earth is go out to eat with that braindead doll, Rei.

But keeping the cash wouldn't be an option if she couldn't convince Shinji.

"We should just split the money and do whatever we want with it," Asuka says as they approach the depot where Rei is standing. "It's not like we WANT to hang out with one another."

Asuka quickly maneuvers in front of Shinji, bringing a stop to his approach, and leans over. The cut of her shirt allows Shinji ample view of the curve of her breasts--just as Asuka intended.

"/Right/?" she asks sweetly.

SOME TIME AGO

Shinji just stares at the red panties in his load of white laundry. He sputters as he just stares at the panties and his now pink wardrobe. There was no amount of bleach that would save his favorite shirt from it's pinkish hue. This prompts another sigh for him, too sore to really do much more than stare at the panties with scorn.

And then there is a shriek from behind Shinji, prompting him to turn his bandaged heard to look at the source. He is no pleased, still holding the panties.

NOW

Shinji sighs as he wanders to the station, wearing a pink dress shirt and black dress pants. Unlike the last time Rei saw Shinji, he actually cut his hair this time. What is probably worrying is the amount of bandages around Shinji. There is a set wrapped around his skull and several along his arms. Through the gaps, one can see the bruises all over him. He stares around with a dull look, darting his eyes around with a slight hint of paranoia. Also he is looking slightly less wormy than usual. It looks like Shinji and his imaginary buddy Kaworu started a Fight Club or something. His eyes stop and freeze on Asuka's chest, just staring. Despite the new bite in his Shinji's overall appearance, he noticibly just buckets under Asuka's look, turning red.

"Well...I...I mean. We really should hang out with Rei...I mean she's my...friend." Shinji coughs awkwardly.

When Rei spies Asuka and Shinji -- it's not hard -- she finally begins walking. Part of this is pure logistics. She knows that she doesn't really stand out in a crowd, aside from how weird and distinctive it is that she never stands out. So the five-foot-nothing sixteen-year-old begins marching forward -- well, not marching, really, but there's a definite one-two rhythm to her step, even if her arms hang at her sides and her gaze is glum and listless.

Approaching the pair, Rei stops on a dime. She doesn't say anything for a long moment, letting the silence ring out louder than any greeting, with the din of the busy station around the trio. She glances at Asuka, and then focuses her thousand-yard stare on Shinji -- her head tilts downward, apparently taking stock of every last visible bandage. Then, Rei finally speaks:

"I thought I told you to take better care of yourself, Ikari-kun."

Anyone who knew Shinji and what he did might have assumed that the boy had gotten roughed up piloting his EVa, but Asuka Langley Sohryu knows better. The second Shinji returned from a mission injured, Asuka took the time to gloat about how SHE was the best Eva pilot that NERV had, and how SHE managed to get through virtually every battle just FINE.

But Asuka has her own theories as to where the cuts and bruises came from--and it's the assumption anyone who didn't know about Shinji's part-time job would make. Shinji IS the biggest loser in all of Tokyo-03 high, so it'd only be natural to presume that he had gotten his face smashed in by one of the upperclassmen.

And since he didn't want to just want to AGREE with her, he deserved every punch and kick he got

Asuka spins on heel at Shinji's response, her thick red mane swinging behind her. It's definitely not the reply she was looking for.

"What does it matter what SHE thinks, anyway?!" she snaps. "She's not even a REAL member of NERV, anyway!" Is there a tinge of jealousy in Asuka's voice?

But before she can guilt Shinji into submitting the appropriate response, the blue-haired girl makes her approach.

"Oh great, it's the amazing WONDERGIRL!" Asuka snaps. "Back from saving the day in outer space!"

Shinji looks over at Rei, looking off to the side. "I am, Rei...I just...fell down some stairs?" Shinji knows this is a bad lie but he really can't mention Ryouma to Rei. Chances are Rei might know Ryouma and not approve of him tossing boulders at Shinji. Nor how Ryouma made Shinji run up a mountain and stopped him from walking for an entire day after. Shinji just puts on a forced smile. "I mean I've been working out at the NERV gym." Another lie Asuka might know the answer to.

SOME TIME AGO

Shinji arrives at the apartment in the late evening, clutching his body as he slums in. He is bleeding from several small cuts but he doesn't seem to mind it by the look of that smile.

Misato, who is standing there watching the door, does mind it however. The look on her face just kind of says it all. Worry mixed with some anger that Shinji is making her job harder. "Shinji...Where were you?"

"I..." Shinji freezes, looking up at the adult as he slides himself upward, leaving a small trail from the blood on his arm. "I was out...playing war with Kensuke in the woods." Shinji doesn't skip a beat, meeting eyes with Misato. It was clear Shinji knew she knew that he was lying but it didn't matter. He wanted to get stronger. He says nothing more as he limps past Misato and into his room. He looks back at her once, shutting the door.

NOW

Shinji looks back at Asuka, sighing to himself. Why couldn't he get along with this girl? He turns his head toward Rei mainly to get away from Asuka. "So what would you like for lunch?" He looks at Rei and with some hesistation at Asuka.

Rei gives Shinji a bit of a weird look -- that is, weird for Rei, because she actually moves her face a bit. Her lips very slowly curve into a frown so minimal that it barely counts as such, except by standards as low as... well, Rei's. She is silent, though, and doesn't press the issue. Then, the frown lessens as she turns to face Asuka.

"My callsign is 'Lance-3,' not 'Wondergirl,'" Rei replies evenly, without even a hint of sarcasm. "And I have not, to my knowledge, saved the day." Strangely, she seems to have less of a negative reaction to Asuka insulting her than she does to Shinji lying to her and then changing his story to another lie. Or -- maybe that's not so strange, after all.

"Lunch? ...I have no preference," Rei says. "Coach says that I need to eat more, though, so preferably somewhere with portions that she would deem acceptable." A pause, a glance at Shinji, a realization of the need to explain. "Coach Noriko Takaya of the Top Squadron has begun physically training me," Rei notes, as dispassionately as if she were describing the color of her boots (black).

Why was he listening to MISATO?! He didn't even consider her suggestion! All hung up on Rei like some love-struck puppy! What was so great about her anyway?! Why did everyone fawn all over her? How come she was in the A-Laws even though she was an even worse pilot than Shinji? Why did Rei get her own apartment while she was stuck living with an alcoholic and a pervert? And why did she get a boyfriend AND get to lose her virginity before SHE did?!

"Well, that's good, then, because I already decided!" Asuka, it seems, has already decided that if she can't have her way, she's going to make sure that everyone is every bit as miserable as she is.

And then, before either pilot can protest, she leads the way to the local Korean BBQ place. Rei is a vegetarian and Shinji has trouble handling spicy foods, so a place that specializes in spicy pork bulgogi is the one place she is sure that neither Rei or Shinji can find anything on the menu to enjoy.

Shinji feels his weak smile just drop when Rei gives him that look. He wanted to be truthful but...she'd worry. No, the path to what he wanted meant sacrefices like this. If he had to lie a few times, he would just have to deal with it because otherwise they'd force him to go easier on himself.

Shinji sighs once again, sticking his hands into his pockets. "No preferance? I mean I guess we could go for Tofu or something." Shinji is clearly trying to be the diplomat, looking over at Asuka. "How does Tofu sound?...What?" Shinji just stares at the place Asuka just led them to. "Um Asuka. I don't think this will work. I mean I don't think I can handle this and Rei..." He already can see this going into a fight.

Rei wishes she was a stranger to lying to Shinji. The two might bond over it, if they could be honest enough. But then, they'd stop having deceit to bond over.

"If this is what Asuka wishes," Rei says boredly, scanning the menu and perhaps pointedly not looking at her companions, "then I will find something here."

Rei looks over the counter. "If there are no vegetarian options, I can just ask for one of the sides of bread." That narration is as much for Shinji's benefit as anything.

One of the cooks taps a sign informing customers 'NOTICE: Our Homemade Bread Contains Meat.'

Rei pauses for a long few moments. "Perhaps I will just have a bottle of water, then," she says, too neutral to sound disappointed.

"Why do you always have to disagree with me?!" Asuka screeches, in the pitch of voice that occasionally breaks wine glasses. Asuka's irritation, which had beem rising exponentially since the moment Misato gave them money with this stupid stipulation involved. "I didn't even want to go out to eat with you guys in the first place!"

Fortunately, the blue-haired doll seems to have bent to the red-head's will; Asuka follows behind her and sits down at the table, satisfied now that she has gotten her way.

"I'll have the spicy pork bulgogi," she says to the waiter. She turns her gaze menacingly to Shinji--a warning that the boy pilot would find it best not to protest. "And he'll have the extra spicy pork bulgogi. With jalapenos."

The waiter, in turn, scribbles down their orders and rushes off to the back.

Shinji frowns when Rei settles. He knows she won't be happy in this place when even the bread has meat in it. He wants to talk back to Asuka but he just can't. Maybe it was the part of him that still liked Asuka....or maybe it was because he didn't need anymore trauma.

And then Asuka orders the food and he just stares. He wasn't going to be able to handle that...I mean he did have the money in his pocket. He could just ditch with Rei and leave Asuka to whatever she wanted. At the same time, that wouldn't be fair to Asuka. So like he always does, he just sighs and lets it just happen. Maybe he'd survive this...Maybe.

SOME TIME AGO

Misato stops Shinji at the door, giving the boy a look. "Shinji, I gave you the money for a reason."

Shinji just stares at her with a weird expression. "Yeah because Asuka will take it and go shopping."

"Right. But Shinji...I don't want you to buy anymore drugs." Misato looks him in the eyes, holding him by the shoulders. She is trying to have a moment as best as she can. "I know you have been changing but I want you to stop shooting up dope. I mean that's why you are getting into fight now, right?"

"W,what?!"

"It's okay Shinji. I'm a young woman too. I'm cool. I won't turn you in. But I need you to stop shooting heroine into your body or junk or whatever you do. That's not cool. I mean if you just want me to score you some we--"

Shinji stares with widening eyes. "N,no! I'm fine!" Shinji just leaves as quickly as possible.

Misato watches, taking a long drag from her cigarette. She was going to have to figure out who Shinji's dealer was and have a talk with him.

NOW

Shinji sighs and looks over at Rei. "Rei...you sure about this?" Shinji can already feel his stomach burning.

When Shinji looks over to Rei, she's no longer there.

Rei has gotten up, wandered over to the counter, and made sure that lunch would be put on her credit card. That's right -- her official A-LAWS credit card. Well, it's really more of a debit card. It just subtracts money from the account her pay gets deposited into (since joining A-LAWS, Rei has actually started to collect money for her services, albeit not any more than the average grunt). Still, how badass does that look -- being able to wander around in uniform, pay for things with plastic, and get a rather nice military discount on top of everything else.

Rei doesn't even think to consider what Asuka might feel when faced with this.

Wandering back over with a bottle of water in hand, Rei stares blankly at her comrades: "I have put the cost of the meal on my account." Then, her red gaze turns and fixes on Asuka. It's like she's staring /through/ the redhead. Rei doesn't sit down, and this silent moment stretches on longer than it really should.

Rei then looks at Shinji, again for far too long a moment. "Ikari-kun, please forgive me. I wish to discuss something with Asuka. It would be embarassing to have the conversation in front of you." Which probably means -- oh, god, could it mean one of /those/ conversations?

Rei continues to stand apart from the table. "Asuka, may we speak in private?"

Though no one else would have even so much as given a second look at Rei using her special A-Laws Platinum MasterCard, Asuka takes in every moment of it as if it were being filmed in slow-motion. And all that time, Asuka finds herself growing angrier and angrier with every moment. An anger that manifests itself in the form of a glare directed at the young Rei Ayanami.

She wants her own credit card! Why does Rei get everything she wants?!

"Hmph!" Asuka folds her arms over her chest as Rei returns to the table, being sure to make as big of a spectacle of it as possible. "As if any of us care that you have your own credit card!" she snaps.

But before Asuka can turn to Shinji and ask him why he hasn't even STARTED on the meal just recently deposited in front of them, Rei interrupts.

"W-what?!" Asuka is taken aback by this sudden request; what could Rei possibly want to discuss with just her?! Hopefully not... --Asuka gulps-- ...that!

The confident facade is quickly revived, however, and Asuka is every bit as indigiant as she was before the unit-00 pilot issued her request. "What could you possibly want to talk to ME about?!"

The irony, of course, is that Rei doesn't get everything she wants, because that implies she wants any of what she has. Or anything, for that matter.

The A-LAWS soldier suddenly has Asuka by the arm and is tugging her away from the table. It's true -- Rei /has/ been training. She's surprisingly strong, for someone so little. Or maybe it's just sheer force of will, combined with the advantage of surprise. Once she's pulled Asuka a safe distance away, Rei lets go.

"I apologize," Rei says, sounding so hollow and dead that whether she means it is anyone's guess. "But it's important."

Rei looks at Shinji over Asuka's shouler, squinting gently. Then her flat gaze returns to Asuka, looking right into the blue eyes of her opposite number. "Is Ikari-kun abusing drugs? He was... very emotionally distressed when last we spoke. And now, his physical condition..." Rei lets the thought trail off, apparently uncomfortable -- that /Rei/ seems /uncomfortable/ is something in and of itself.

Shinji blinks when Rei leaves with Asuka. What could this be about? Shinji just sighs, looking at the dish in front of him. The broth was thick and red from the amount of spice they used. Shinji turns green from even the strong smell, prompting him to gag slightly. "Ugh...i guess I better just dig in." Shinji reaches for his chopsticks and does the traditional Japanese predining ritual that his gaijin player doesn't get. He then reaches for the tiniest piece of meat and slowly brings it to his mouth...AND...

Shinji begins coughing violently as the burning surges through his tounge. "ARGH!"

In Asuka's mind, anyone who has ANYTHING she wants that she doesn't have is someone who gets everything they want--regardless of whether or not they even want what they have or not.

Asuka is surprised at the firmness of the smallest girl's grip, and it's not until Rei stops that she's finally able to pull herself free of her grasp.

Asuka rubs her tender arm, only half-listening to what it is Rei has to say--until she utters the words 'drugs'. "What?!"

She doesn't know what's worse--the fact that Rei Ayanami of all people suspects that Shinji's doing drugs, or the possibility that that wimp Shinji might actually be doing them without her!

"Those bruises? He probably just gets them from school. He's not popular, you know," she says, with a nonchalant hair-flip over the shoulder. "Besides, have you seen the pension they give us NORMAL Eva pilots? I can barely afford clothes, let alone drugs!"

Rei frowns minutely, looking over Asuka's shoulder again as Shinji burns his mouth. She seems to consider the other child's words in silence -- and then signifies the conversation has run its course by stepping around Asuka and beginning to walk back toward the table. Whether or not Asuka is going to take this as license to convince Hikari that to become Mature and Classy Ladies they need to try cocaine isn't really entering into her thoughts at all. She's mostly just worried about Shinji.

And if Asuka knew /that/, who knows, it'd probably be enough to /drive/ her to get high.

Rei sits back down at the table and sets down her bottle of water, staring at Shinji's food vacantly. She doesn't look at Shinji while she speaks to him. "You should eat more slowly, Ikari-kun, and give your food time to cool." Yeah, she heard the 'ARGH!'

Shinji back stiffens as he hears Rei's sudden reappearance at the table. He looks up at her with tears in his eyes as his nostrils starts to drip. He looks about as pathetic as usual, dripping from his eyes as keeps trying to drink water and wincing when it makes the sensation worse. "eet's twoo hawtt." Shinji says with his tounge extended from his mouth. He doesn't look comfortable. "Twoo spy-cee." Shinji wishes this place had milk or something to cool off this burning sensation going down his throat and starting to upset his stomach. Finally Shinji takes a deep breath of air and looks at Rei, sniffling. "I'm fine...But what were you two talking about?"

Asuka stomps after Rei. The thought of Shinji doing drugs without her is enough to make Asuka RAGE even more than being forced to go out to eat with Shinji and Rei like normal high school students when she COULD be spending the money on more CDs and clothes.

Rei has a credit card.

Shinji has drugs.

But what does SHE have to show for it?!

"It's none of your business!" she snaps, flicking a finger at his bandaged forehead. "And I want the money left over from our dinner! There's no telling WHAT -YOU'LL- spend it on."

Rei's eyes roll sideways to spare Asuka a look as she Asukas out on Shinji. Between the exclamation (with accompanying finger-flick) and the demand for cash, Rei simply notes, in her quiet monotone: "Girl things."

Rei quietly hopes that's enough to make Shinji blush and drop the topic. Although, he's already turning all kinds of colors, so maybe...

"Here," Rei says, unscrewing her previously unopened bottle of water. She holds it out to Shinji, expectantly. "Before you do anything, drink this." Rei doesn't really do spicy food too much. Her favorite food is garlic ramen, but that's about the extent of it -- the number of times she's had jalapeno anything can be counted on zero fingers. But if Shinji's mouth is hot, water should help.

Right?

Shinji just stares Asuka when she storms over. He sinks back in his chair, wincing when she gets into flicking distance. Apparrently she just struck a tender area since Shinji reacts a lot more animated that usual. He holds the offended area, wincing more. "Asuka...Misato told me to hold onto the money...And what do you mean what I would spend it on? HAVE YOU BEEN IN MY ROOM?!" Shinji squeeks out horrorfied. Oh god. His Doujinshi date sims have been compromised! Damnit, he was going to look like a total loser now! "I, I Don't know what you're talking about. I'm just spending the money on lunch. Ugh...This stuff is hurting my stomach...Thanks Rei."

Despite having tried water before, Shinji tries again, almost squeeling as the water makes the heat come back in a sudden fiery burst. "ARGH!!!"

Shinji coughs violently, doubling over.

As a note: It looks like he's going through Withdrawl. He looks up at the pair with watery eyes and a dazed expression.

"I know what you've been spending your money on, -Shinji-," Asuka says, hands planted firmly on her waist. "And that's exactly why I need that money!"

A beat.

"I need it so I can buy some too!" Without any concern for her coughing classmate, she thrusts her hand in front of him expectantly, impatiently waiting for him to cover from his drug-addled state so he can hand over the goods.

Rei sits there, staring from Shinji, to Asuka, to Shinji, to Asuka.

Rei's eyes aren't wide -- and with her bangs as in need of a trim as they are, it wouldn't really have the same effect. Still, her face conveys something akin to shock, as her lips part just enough that her white, straight bottom teeth can be seen. After staring from one to the other wordlessly, Rei averts her gaze downward, staring at the salt and pepper on the table. She can't believe what she's seeing.

Is NERV really falling apart this badly? And with her plans...

...should Rei feel horrified, or glad?

Shinji coughs some more, finally looking up at Asuka's hand. "What do you mean you want some? You said you hated those things! And you tossed out my rare stuff when I changed the channel that one time! What makes you think I believe you! You are just gonna buy clothes or something." Shinji coughs again, looking over at Rei with a frown. "I'm sorry we ruined today Rei...."

After one too many naggy, angry Asukaisms, Shinji finally caves, angrily digging into his pocket. "FINE! Go buy all you want! Buy a big pile and rub them in my face! See if I care!" Shinji would care of Asuka bought a big pile of dating sims. That's what this is about...right? Right?

"When did I do that?!" Asuka asks accusingly. W-wait?! Was he hiding his stash in the inside of his dating sim cases?! Hiding his drugs in the one place no one would ever think to look... that idiot Shinji was smarter than he looked! "And I don't remember ever saying that I hated it! I never said anything about them at all!"

Asuka snatches the money from Shinji's hands and shoves it into her purse. "I'm glad that we've come to an agreement!" she says snidely. Then spinning on heel for the second time that day, makes her way to the restaurant exit, leaving most of her food uneaten.

Now, to just figure out what a drug dealer looked like...

Rei sits there, the expression on her face creeping from 'stunned deer in headlights' to 'actually a little pained.' She gulps, hard, and forces herself to retreat behind her veneer of neutrality -- and right now, that's all it is. Standing, Rei gingerly moves to help lift Shinji. She /does/ seem stronger than she should be. Shinji's not the only one manning up.

"Ikari-kun," Rei says, quietly, a bit despondently, as if he were a million miles away and she was hoping the wind would carry her whisper to him. Using her slim, small form as a crutch, she moves to help him walk out. "We'll take you home, Ikari-kun. So you can..."

Shinji is a little surprised by Rei helping him along for what looks like a tummy ache...at least to him. He watches Asuka leave, frowning to himself. He just will never be anything more to her than what he already is. She didn't care about him the way he thought he cared about her...It is always like this and will never change. He wants to just forget about her and stop...but something always stopped him.

Shinji looks to Rei, frowning further. Despite all he did, Rei always ended up carrying him. Carrying him from fights. Carrying him through depression. He never could walk on his two feet....Something inside Shinji was changing and he could feel it....His eyes start to burn as he stares down at the table with a gaze not his own. He brings his hand down, forcing his fist not to buckle. He was in control of his body. Even as the pain surges through his hand, he ignores it and pushes it on.

The result: the table literally crumbles in to several pieces, leaving Shinji's fist bloodied with splinters. He looks at it and then toward where Asuka was..."Tch....Here." Shinji hands the chef money for the food and at least two tables. "I don't care anymore."

He limps back to Rei and reaches for her with his uninjured hand. "I don't want to come back here."

All Rei has to say to that before they depart, in a strained, quiet voice: "As you wish, Ikari-kun."

Rei wonders if she can force herself not to care. But knowing that she's going to be leaving Shinji like /this/ -- knowing that what she's planning to let happen to herself... Well. If he's like this /now/, who knows what he'll devolve into once she's gone completely? It won't be Rei's problem then, but...

The guilt quietly eats at Rei the entire trip. She doesn't say anything, because she's focusing too hard on trying not to cry.