Weekend At Ayanami's

[thatseanguy]

WHO: Alicia, Asuka Langley, Rei Ayanami, Shinji Ikari, various radio dudes.
WHAT: Asuka, abruptly feeling the urge to be a good samaritan, invites Halloween candy buddy Alicia to spend a night or two over at Casa Katsuragi. Somehow, this turns into Rei offering a shy Alicia use of her apartment.
WHEN: Radio Stuff is two days before the dragon attack, the actual scene is the day before.
WHERE: Tokyo-03, Japan
WATCH FOR: Asuka logic, Shinji versus mechanical devices, and, in the words of M. Knight Shamalan, what a twist! Apologies if I spelled Mr. Shamalan's name incorrectly, I'll edit to fix it ASAP if that's so.



[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Hey!"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Hey Alicia!"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "DID YOU GET A LOT OF CANDY, ALICIA?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "At Halloween, did you get a lot of candy?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari sounds sleepy. "Asuka, what are you doinkh..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...ah? Huh? Me?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Yes you!--This is important, Shinji!"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "That would depend, wouldn't it?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari meekly, "Hi, Alicia. Sorry about this. -it couldn't wait untill, like, normal people time, Asuka?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "On if she participated, and perhaps even... donned a costume."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Oh, it's not that late where I am. Um...was I supposed to?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "And hello, Shinji. How are you?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "You didn't? But I could think of such a wonderful costume for you to wear."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Yes, getting lots of candy is the purpose of halloween--she was in costume!"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Really? What was she wearing?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I was?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "It was some sort of sword princess thing."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Yes, you were."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "That... Is actually her normal garb."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari politely, "Um, Mister Valeth, you're being kind of terrifingly creepy. It can kind of happen by accadent so I, um, thought you'd, uh, want to know...sorry.."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "I'm...back to normal, Alicia. S-sorry if I said anything, um, rude while I was all...perky."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Anyway Alicia! Did you get a lot of candy?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Her answer's not going to change just because you keep asking..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I normally wear that. I'm wearing almost the same thing right now... And I didn't, no. I didn't think to ask for any."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "And you didn't, Shinji. Um...we barely spoke, actually."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "You didn't? And you had so much potential! You could have dressed in something far more suitable, Alicia... Or perhaps should I say, Lady Silmeria Valkyrie?"
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Um, what the hell is Mister Valeth talking about?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Oh! Okay, sorry. ...n-not sorry that I didn't say anything...um..that is to say..." sigh. "nevermind." Pause. "I think its, um, her maiden name or something, Nergal Junior. Or maybe 'Alicia''s her middle name...some people like to go by that, you know."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...I...he's...unusual."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Come now... Isn't it a little hypocritical to be berating me for what I did? Ah, but suit yourself."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Oh. And... yeah."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "I didn't hear her give an answer. So...huh... *a beat* Her name is Alicia, freako. Who would go around with a silly name of Silmeria Valkyrie anyway? That's like a battleship name."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Or a goddess'."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Anyway, I don't believe her--aggh, I don't want to convert to your religion man--because her costume was awesome. If you failed to get candy, then it's probably because we dragged you to the haunted house, huh? Well then I guess I owe you some! Do you like coconut?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "My name is Alicia, yes... Coconut?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I don't think I've ever had any."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "I don't like coconut, so I'll give you all the coconut, okay? Then we'll worry about variety."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "It wasn't a costume...it was my travelling clothes."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "You mean... like roleplay?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "--not that I know anything about that, Shinji dragged me into it."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth laughs. "So be it, Alicia. It's not like anyone perceptive couldn't deduce it eventually anyway. Denial won't help when Valhalla comes knocking."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be any goddess called Silmeria Valkyrie. That name's just weird."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Is this a Norse thing? Yeah. That's definitely not a Norse goddess. Valhalla's pretty cool, though, from what I hear."
[Citizen's Band] Yuna says, "Goddess?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Actually, there is a goddess named Silmeria... and I've already spoken with Lenneth. And no, I mean, clothes for travelling in."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Oh I get it. For candy. Right! That's basically how it works."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Uh, hold on a sec."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior, off-mic: "DAD!! Is there any goddess called Silmeria?" "No, son!" Back on-mic: "It must be a dimensional thing."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "No, for walking. Instead of a fancy dress..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley computing, computing, computing... "Oh, like, you're from that kind of place?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Which kind of a place? I'm from Midgard."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "One of the storybookland type of deals, I don't actually visit those places a lot but in that case I have to give you more than candy. Like a walkman or something."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I don't need a walking man."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Uh. I mean. A musicplayer."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley clarifies again, "A portable. Musicplayer."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "A magic box with a microscopic orchestra inside."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Microscopic means 'really small.'"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari hiding his SDAT noises.
[Citizen's Band] Yuna says, "That sounds very interesting."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Shinji, get your SDAT over here."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Oh. I don't think I need one either...but it's very kind of you."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Nobody /needs/ one. But they're great to have."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "wait a minute, what are you doing Shinji? You're... Oh no you're not! *running noises* Don't be so stingy!"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "This is going to end in violence."
[Citizen's Band] Yuna says, "It sounds like it."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Are you like one of those crazy bishops who claims to be a goddess worshipper but is really working for a robot devil or something? I've heard those Gates pop up a lot lately."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Who, me?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Hey you're the one trying to convert me to Valkyrism!"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "I don't really care if you believe or not. The Gods are a simple fact of life in Midgard, and I do not advocate their worship."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "In fact, I more advocate the opposite."
[Citizen's Band] Toushirou Hitsugaya says, "So, what do you have against them?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "They're probably just giants or people with superpowerful weapons or something. You should get a giant robot."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari wak! "/I'm/ stingy!"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...they're tyrants. He has that right, at least."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "They are cruel and tyrranical, crushing the lives of the people of Midgard under their heels and destroying those who resist."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "It's true, I mean, gods are all over the place. My dad's a god. But, I uh, I advocate worship. We'll give you stuff! Please?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Even entire countries are not protected from their wrath... Isn't that /right/, Princess Alicia?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "You could at least ask...and wait, Asuka, Misato told you about joining weird cults."
[Citizen's Band] Toushirou Hitsugaya says, "From my ...conversation with you before, I don't think you're that different from your gods."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Gods aren't that bad. Not all of them... all the time."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "To make an omelette, you must break a few eggs, Master Hitsugaya."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "I'm not joining! I said specifically I wasn't! And yes, you are. Alicia has never had a proper musicplayer before, that's basically all you do, you should let her have it!"
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "I mean, sometimes a land just needs a good plague, right?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Plagues /are/ interesting sometimes..."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Where would modern medicine be without the plague gods?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Why can't /you/ lend her /yours/? ...and t-that's not all I do!"
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Still bleeding people. See?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Ah, Asuka, I don't need his music machine."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Cultural exchange is important."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Anyway, its more enriching than your video games. ...maybe I could lend her a few tapes..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Okay, my player, your tapes. Deal?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I can't really take it. I go into volcanos and things. They'd break, wouldn't they? Are they fragile? Music boxes are..."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari dryly, "You and Asuka have a lot in common, then..."
[Citizen's Band] Toushirou Hitsugaya says, "They're not something that you can take into a volcano."
[Citizen's Band] Toushirou Hitsugaya says, "They can be pretty sturdy, but...not that much."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "You go into volcanos? That's pretty awesome. But you don't have to take the musicplayer into the volcano, you can just leave it where you're staying."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Anyway, SDATs are heat resistant. Its why they went back to cassettes, after Second Impact people wanted durable stuff."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "I mean, um, err, if you want, I d-don't want to force it on you, but its sort of my, um, hobby so it wouldn't be any trouble to m-make you a few tapes..."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "There's this special brand I've been shopping from, actually."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "No, no, it's all right, I don't need one...if I want one I can buy it. I think. If the stores take Oth..."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Helltronics something-or-other. I dropped it in molten lava a couple of times and that left a couple marks on it, but it still works fine."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "It's too late, Shinji and I already made a deal. Right, Shinji?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Asuka, if she, um, doesn't want it..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley possibly pulling at Shinji's face because she's trying to mimic Shinji and say, "Yeesss weee haave a deeeaaaaal."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "...Man, almost reminds me of Aelia."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari goes mmph mmph mmmph, as if some crazy chick was pulling on his face.
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Hey Shinji, does she tend to beat you upside the head with a book?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Don't be stupid! I'd never do anything like that! ... that's what feet are for."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "...Noted."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari rubbing his cheeks, "She hasn't graduated to tool use yet...oww.."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley throws a boot.
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari waugh, trip, couch crashing noises.
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Ahh.. the memories."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "See? Violence."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari mutter grumble, "Congradulations, we should throw you a part...oh man the radio picks up my muttering, doesn't it..."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Mmhmm!"
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "...Might want to duck!"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...um..."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "...um, that's okay. If its this long, she either didn't hear, or is going for 'ridiclously overcomplicated revenge'."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley while planning R.O.R, "So anyway Alicia, I know you don't need it, but would you mind entertaining our gift?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "-oh, Alicia, I'll be honest. I fear Asuka way more than I respect your right not to want some cheap homemade mix tapes. ...sorry."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I'm sorry to have been a bother."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Um, its not your f-fault! Sorry, I didn't mean to imply..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says distantly, "You know what I need, I need that toy pincer Claw thing..."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari scribbling noises.
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Can you get those in a store?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "...yeah, it's a toy."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "No, no, it's all right, I'm used to it..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Used to what? Getting mixed tape offers?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari too quickly, "Oh, well, um..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "No, um...never mind."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "They don't let you buy BB guns anymore so I was, ah, wondering if it was like that! Yeah. Heh. Just...that. Heh."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, ".............okay then, Shinji. So where do you live, Alicia?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari phew.
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I, ah, mostly I travel..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I don't stay anywhere in particular anymore."
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "I guess it's probably the same plane as Mister Valeth. I've never been there."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Cool, another traveler!"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Um, Asuka?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Really..?"
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Yeah Shinji?"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "If she really is one of those, err, Valkerie guys...like, um, remember that Zeon guy? The one with the hair?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "Ah, well...it's either the same or very close..."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "...Nope, not really. It seems like she doesn't have anywhere to stay, maybe we should invite her over for a couple nights. And you're the guy, so..."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "That we think Char killed at Mars?"
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Can I have a last name or something?"
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Zabi. Gren Zabi, I, uh, think."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Uh...."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "...Sorry, hey. But you should invite her over.--wait, what're you getting at?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Okay, okay, hold on a minute."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari sigh. "When I broke the TV? ...anyway, the important thing is this /other/ Valkerie woman brought him /back from the dead/ and he tried to kill Amuro."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "All right."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "And, like, /I'm/ not in trouble but what if she decides you or Misato'd make a great ghost soldier guy?"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "She can use my apartment."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Ha! I won't lose to some Valkyrie!"
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "And neither will Misato. She'd probably just drive her over or something."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Okay good, Rei! I'll let her know."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari delicately, "I, um, think you count as a 'warrior', Ayanami..." Cough. "anyway...I don't know, if you guys want to do it, I...guess..but.."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Okay, do you know where Tokyo III is, Alicia?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "I mean, you remember?"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "If it is a difficulty, I will sleep somewhere else. The frog cage is automatic."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "...Frog cage?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari helpfully, "Big city, the buildings move up and down..."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari stubbornly, "I'll still be, um, worried. So there."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I think so..."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "...Anyway it's being a good samaratin."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "...I'm guessing for, um, Asukero?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Rei wants to share her apartment with you, and it isn't a bother--there's plenty of space."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Yeah, I mean, what's an automatic frog cage?"
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "The lights, water filter, and food dispenser are on timers."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...that's even more kind of you, but I don't think I should accept right now. But thank you..."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari sigh. "And you're right, Asuka, I'm sorry. I just..." Pause. "...I worry about you guys. Someone has to. s-sorry. Its not like I..." Another pause. "I'll, um, make her a nice housewarming meal?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "uh, are you sure?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "...I guess there's a reason you're on the road..."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Um, well, if you need a warm, dry place to sleep, offer's standing."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "And if you need a giant robot to grind your enemies to a pulp, you should contact The Black Sheep Squadron!"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth chuckles.
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "Wait, are you guys giving out giant robots now?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "...Thank you. It's appreciated. - A giant what? Maybe it would be all right..."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Really, now?"
[Citizen's Band] Nergal Junior says, "/I WANT A GIANT ROBOT/."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "..."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Alicia, do you believe they have any concept of who your enemies are? Perhaps they would not volunteer so readily."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Um, n-no, I don't...think that's what she ment...(what did you mean? We're not mercinaries...)"
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Lovely. More DeathMechs."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Wait. Are they alive on their own and shoot anything in their sight?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari if you've got visual, Shinji winces like he's been socked in the face.
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "A giant robot is like... well... Can you receive pictures? I suppose not. Anyway, imagine a giant. Made out of metal. Except it's piloted."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "A large golem that a man can sit inside and control."
[Citizen's Band] Reize Seatlan says, "Oh."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "I know about golems. All right. It might be safe...for a night or two, at least...but I don't want to put anyone out of their place. Although it is very kind of you, since you don't even know me very well..."
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "They never accept when I offer, Shinji, but it's our job to punch out tyrants isn't it? I mean the unpopular ones."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Think of it as getting your strength back up! Do you like frogs?"
[Citizen's Band] Alicia says, "The little hopping creatures that live in swamps? They're kind of..."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Well, we've g-got a lot of jobs...but, um, yeah, rogue governments and all."
[Fac-IPA] Rei Ayanami says, "If they ask us to defeat the tyrant, the tyrant can hear them."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "...we don't k-kill../everyone/ in sight, do we?"
[Fac-IPA] Asuka Langley says, "Just bad guys."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Well, it's not a giant frog, it's a small friendly nice frog."
[Fac-IPA] Shinji Ikari says, "Well, we, um, try to arrest them, too...I mean, I've arrested that Pixy Misa girl, like, twice..."
[Citizen's Band] Alicia admits, after a much longer pause, "They're sort of disgusting. Why?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari snicker.
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "...Well, there's this frog in the apartment, but APPARENTLY it's in a cage. ...It's named Asukero. ..."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "...did you expect her to let it hop around the apartment?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "You never know."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Some pets... Aren't suited for the cage."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Um...okay?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Why just the other day, I found my pet rabbit had escaped again. He was sitting on one of my tomes, just nibbling away."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "...you have a pet rabbit?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "You don't?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "We have a penguin, sir."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "An excellent choice."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Um...s-sorry, you just...don't sound like the rabbit type, I guess.."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Well, I had to give it a good scolding and return it to its cage."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "That works?"
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari |Pen-Pen warks, threateningly.
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Oh, how cute."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Well we let Pen Pen go as he pleases."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "...I wasn't g-getting any ideas! Jeze, you're getting as bad as the other two..."
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "I know that's partially because we're not very good at catching him but..."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Am I? Well, perhaps."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Oh, no, sir, I ment Pen-Pen...um.."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth laughs. "It's quite all right. An honest mistake."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari heh! "S-sorry, bad habit I picked up from Misato...I'm not, um, crazy or anything." Pen-Pen starts warking in a LOLish manner, Shinji's eye twitches.
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Pen Pen: Powerful Penguin Person."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Right, angry ghosts, a couch to the head, and the penguin's laughing at me. Going back to bed. There's leftovers if Alicia gets here and she's hungry, I'll c-cook in the morning."

Rei Ayanami's NORMAL apartment broke, but Asuka fell asleep in HER (and Shinji's) room last night instead of remembering to stay up to see if Alicia made it. Then she woke up, played video games for like five hours, then remembered Alicia. Oh no! Did Alicia starve in front of the apartment complex!? Asuka darts out of the building, stuffing a pizza bagel down her throat as she heads down flights of stairs for the street.

Shinji Ikari has been more depressed than usual, lately, but he's been trying to be subtle about it.

What this means is that instead of, say, cooking or trying to tackle the nasty stain by Pen-Pen's fridge, or even attempt halted, awkward conversation with one of his roomates, Shinji is sitting on the couch, staring at the ceiling, listening to his SDAT.

"Ghost Song", by Mister Jim Morrison and the Doors, for the record.

The largely instrumental piece makes it easy for Shinji to see Asuka run out the door. Huh, she usually plays a little longer. Maybe she was getting sick of being...oh, right, Alicia. Shinji frowns a little. Its none of his busniess. She doesn't want his worry. She hates him. Alicia didn't even like him, why should he...

...remembering Amuro's strange story about the youngest Zabi, and his own frightening encounter with the afterlife last week, Shinji sighs, gets up, lamley grabbing a coat off of the rack and heading after the redhead.

Fortunately, she did not.

This is because Alicia didn't show up for most of that time, since she'd actually gotten tied up trying to make it back to the Gate in Midgard; a disadvantage of living somewhere where cars haven't been invented is that it's usually a long walk to get anywhere interesting, and there are probably going to be things trying to kill you on the way. She'd napped at the little town of Coriander instead.

Then, when Alicia found the Gate to Tokyo-03 (which took a couple tries), she got distracted. She has not been to many cities this large, or this industrialized, and it takes her a long time to find the proper place and stop trying to play tourist. Even a skyscraper is something worth staring at for a few moments when the tallest thing you've seen before is a ten-story tower, and there are lots of them around.

In fact, she's just coming up the street now, although she still looks vaguely lost - but in this case it is because Alicia /always/ looks vaguely lost and not because she actually is. She has already mastered being a pedestrian in a city with cars, specifically 'stay out of the way because they don't always stop', but still tends to meander around the sidewalk, especially when she checks a scrap of paper she carries to see where she's going.

And just to prove to Asuka that this is actually what she normally wears, she's in the same outfit she was wearing at Halloween, complete with sword.

Asuka doesn't think Alicia is going to kill her and use her soul for war, but then again she had a hard time believing she wasn't wearing a Halloween Costume either. Man, Asuka thinks as she comes onto the street. She wasn't turned into a zombie, was she? Or perhaps a magical elf fairy? Sometimes you glance over your shoulder, glance back, and all of a sudden the rules of the universe has changed. Eventually, she spots Alicia--luckily--and blinks, as if surprised to see her.

"Oh, hey there! Perfect timing!" She has missed Shinji following her, for the moment.

The Third Child didn't believe in ghosts either, until...

Shaking his head, Shinji settles on walking, trying to shake off the weird funk he's felt since his run in with the Sorrow. Not that Shinji isn't normally prone to funks, but, this is a seperate thing. Biting his lip, Shinji finds himself closing in on the Second...and there's Alicia. Um.

"Leave." Housebroken Shinji reccomends, "They don't want you, you'll just cause them problems. Really, following the girl, what kind of a man are you?"

"Just give her the coat," Action! Shinji says, "Its kind of chilly today anyway!"

"Use a strand of her hair to clone an army of crazed warrior-women, with which you will conquer the world!" Lil'Shinji says. Wait, what? In the back, Professor R is in his room, a 'Gone Fishin' sign hanging on his head. Lil'Shinji's awkwardly wearing Professor R's goggles, and looking up at the others to see if he did it right.

Shinji stands still, locked in indecision.

Alicia liked Shinji - he was more understandable than the others, to her - she just didn't say a lot. He probably would understand totally if she ever managed to actually say it.

She also has no intentions of using anyone's soul for war, really, we /promise/.

Alicia looks up at Asuka, being shorter than the other girl, and then to Shinji behind her. People she recognizes! She smiles. "I wasn't really sure I was in the right district," she says, apologetically, as she shoves the scrap of paper with the directions back into her pocket. "I'm glad I found you two, though. I wasn't going to just keep trying random buildings...why do they build them so tall?"

"So more people have a place to live, I guess?" Asuka shrugs. "To look cool?" Another shrug, "More durable to alien attack?" She looks to Shinji, he seems to pay attention to stuff that doesn't matter to her! "Anyway, it's just how it is. But this building has a lot of space in it right now, so it's not like it'll be crowded. Anyway, we actually live pretty close to Rei's apartment, we'll show you where it is!" Asuka nudges Shinji. By 'we' she means 'he'.

Shinji blinks. Asuka knew he was there after all, and nudges him. He looks clueless for a second.

"Oh! Um, you f-forgot your coat, Asuka." Shinji says, thrusting said coat Asukawards. Why did they build the buildings so tall? "Well, um, some of them have, like, launch pads or weapons for our EVAs. So I guess that m-might have something to do with it..." Shinji shrugs, a little. He sort of thinks his Father just likes large, ominous stuff.

"Um, Ayanami's at a synch test right now..." Shinji says awkwardly, not really meeting anyone's eyes and, for fear of being called a pervert, finding the ground the only safe place to look. "We can set you up, t-though, or I could get you something to eat if you're, um, hungry. Or I could leave...s-sorry, I guess you and Asuka would want to hang out..." Shinji's already stepping back a little bit.

In Alicia's case, it would probably be just as easy to look over her head; she's under five feet, even with her boots. This is why she's ending up with her neck craned up all the time, like right now.

Having only a vague idea what an EVA is (giant golem you can sit in and give orders), the concept of a synch test is far beyond Alicia's grasp at the moment. She does not press and try to find out everything at once, though, because that is probably just asking to be confused. "Do you, um, have alien attacks often...?" Realizing this might be a touchy subject, she also flushes a little once she's asked. Bad question! "And, ah, no, I don't want to put anyone out. I'd rather that you stayed," she says to Shinji afterwards.

Honestly, Asuka is a little frightening, especially if you don't know her very well. Which Alicia doesn't.

"Every so often, it's not a daily thing, we spend more time training for alien attacks than fighting aliens. They call them Angels." Asuka babbles. She's about as terrifying as a tornado, her personality is basically like that anyway. "Shinji's a good chef, you will like what he makes. How about something meaty, Shinji? Like burgers? Or hot dogs? I'm up for either myself, really." She points upward vaguely, "The room's upstairs though."

"Sometimes other aliens attack too." Shinji says, glumly. "The Zentraedi invaded once...that was Toji's first sorte, remember?...and they're human, but Haman Karn's Neo-Zeon guys attacked...twice, I think."

Shinji stops talking, his right hand squeezing in and out of a fist methodicly. He may not be consciously aware of it happening.

"Sure, Asuka, whatever you want." Shinji mutters, starting up the stairs. "Anything you, um, can't eat, Alicia?"

Alicia follows behind as if she was used to such a position. Probably she is. "Angels?" she asks, not being religious - at least not with a religious that has angels. The closest they get in Midgard are valkyries. "I haven't heard of the others, either, but I know that someone mentioned, ah, Galaxy Angels once...is that a shorter name for the same thing?"

Asuka is pretending Shinji isn't depressed again. It's angst angst angst angst and Asuka, at times, is determined for the opposite. ZANY ANTICS. "Oh, no, the Galaxy Angels are good. The Angels here are more like...uh.... they're ..." She wrinkles her nose, "You can tell they're Angels because they're gigantic and want to kill all humans. But they aren't the Galaxy Angels. They're just cute space warriors...or something." Asuka shrugs her shoulders again, "Cheeseburgers. With onions!"

With onions. Oi.

Shinji is actualy knocked out of his little gloom cloud, blinking at Asuka. "Cute?" He hopes she means the Galaxy Angels. He looks at Alicia. "They're like, um, demons, or giants, or something. There's...a picture, from when I fought the Third Angel, Asuka can show you while I make lunch, if you want." They're at the apartment, so Shinji unlocks the door and heads in. He resists smirking a little at voulinteering Asuka for something, for a change. Showing Alicia one of /his/ fights, no less.

The Third hops into his domain, the kitchenette, and twitches a little at the condition of the toaster oven. Cracking the stovetop on, Shinji says alloud, "Sorry if its, um, messy!" And mutters, "One of these days, the two geniuses in this house'll figure out how to clean up after themselves..."

Alicia generally does not know how to deal with 'depressed', except perhaps her own. She deals with it by also ignoring it - mostly. She dose try to keep Shinji involved in the conversation, at least.

"Oh," Alicia says, understandingly. Angels are monsters. She knows about monsters; they attack people. Thus, the fact that other places also have monsters makes total sense to her, even if they do have a silly name for them that doesn't mean anything.

Then again, did 'monster' mean anything before someone pointed at the first kobold and yelled it? Alicia spends a moment thinking about that before undistracting herself. "Ah? Oh. Um...I don't have any problem with a mess, actually; my house used to be very messy too. And you don't have to show me the picture," she adds. "You're already doing so much for me."

Asuka DOES mean the Galaxy Angels. And Sachiel. What a hotty

Asuka takes a moment to check her watch. This is to indicate the start of Shinji's countersass. Once this is marked, Asuka merely has to wait and see how long Shinji can last. "Well, I was hoping to show her Asukero first." She notes, "Asukero must be lonely."

Meanwhile...
"...Rrriiibbit. :("

"He must mean his two best friends," Asuka asides to Alicia, "Really? You serious?"

Shinji Ikari has plopped down four burgers(In case Misato pops in) and is letting them cook through. Its not /hard/ to make burgers, though Shinji can't resist sprinkling a few funny herbs and spices in the meat to make it a little less dull. How Asuka can think a slab of nothing but meat is interesting, he'll never know...

"No." Shinji notes, since Alicia seems to want him to continue talking, for some reason, "I'm pretty sure Toji and Kensuke never managed to make a pizza bagel explode..." Shinji pokes the ruins of the toaster oven, lamely.

He then pauses, and shrugs. Why not? "...why /did/ you get so upset about Asukero living in a cage, anyway?"

Alicia will eat pretty much anything that happens to make an appearance, and doesn't comment one way or the other on Shinji's attempts at cooking. Not that it would matter even if she did care what she was about to eat; she's such a bad cook that she probably can't tell if people are doing the right thing to meat, or something to make it totally inedible.

"I just don't like frogs very much," Alicia admits, although she has never seen a normal-sized one up close. Maybe it will be pleasant and not try to eat her face. She is also looking around the apartment because she has not been inside a modern one before, and several of the things in it are new to her. Like the toaster.

Asuka licks her fingers, "They just don't share the stories." She peers at the toaster oven. It's not her fault the toaster oven is so weak, after all. She can hardly be held responsible. Asuka wrinkles her nose, "And because she named the frog after me and then set it up so she doesn't have to do anything with it." She looks over to Alicia. "Asukero is very nice and cuddly. That's why I picked it out."

"I thought she was trying to give it a nice home." Shinji offers, feebly. He can't always tell if Ayanami's being sincere or subtly sassing Asuka himself, honestly. He pauses to flip the burgers and sprikle some sliced onions on top of them...Shinji personally dislikes onions, but they add flavor to the meat, so he'll just push his off for when he puts the cheese on.

"...and I thought your taste'd be more about something...shaggy." Shinji says/mutters dryly, rolling his eyes a little. Yes, this is referencing exactly who you're thinking it does.

Alicia picks up the toaster to look at it. Broken or not, it's a precision (well, somewhat precision) piece of machinery and new, although Sha-Kon is babbling loudly in the back of her head about the glory of clockwork and it's a little hard to shut her out to just /look/.

She sets it back down after a few moments, because it wasn't telling her much and maybe it will get the voices in her head to go away or at least shut up. "Do you have clean water?" she asks, politely. "If you don't, um...anything's fine." Although she's a little tired of watery beer, so she hopes it isn't that. "Are frogs normally cuddly? They live in swamps..."

The door opens without much noise as Rei walks in. She lets it hang open as she makes an immediate detour to the left, towards the bathroom.

She is wearing loose casual clothing, presumably having come back from the synch testing slightly early. She doesn't remark on the people inside. Maybe she was expecting them (or hasn't noticed.)

She turns on the sink to wash her hands. Perhaps the railings were dusty on the way up the escalator.

Asuka assumed it was COUNTERSASSING, perhaps? Regardless, Asuka takes this moment to ignore Shinji's own sassery--though she does take a look at her watch. Hoo boy, he's making good time!--and says, "Frogs are awesome creatures. You just need to get used to 'em, like coffee." she glances over to Rei as she steps inside, "Oh look, there's Rei!"

Oops. Shinji flushes a little as he realizes he forgot to unlock the door. Still, there are only two...

Ah. Thanks, Asuka. "Hey, Ayanami." Shinji drones, grabbing another pan and a block of fryable potatoes. "Staying for lunch?" They might like the sorta-fries as a side anyway, so Shinji pours in the oil and gets-a frying.

Clean water? "Sure." Shinji says, subdued. He figures he's crossed the line if Asuka's being quiet. Or she's just stopped finding him an interesting verbal sparring partner, which is the more likely solution. Shinji gets to the fridge, grabs some ice, and a few seconds later, he's handing Alica a tall, cool glass of ice water. "Here you go. Anyone else?"

"Thank you," Alicia says automatically, making sure not to spill it. /Clean/ water, out of a tap. A brilliant idea! She usually has to deal with wells and you can never be sure how clean that water is. "I'll look at the frog, then, I suppose..."

She looks around at the opened door, because it makes noise, and actually heads over to close it because that's what she was taught to do. Click. "Hello, Rei," she says, politely. "I wasn't, um... thank you for inviting me," she corrects herself as she dips into a bow. Without spilling water. It's practice.

Rei steps out of the bathroom with wet hands. She looks around, blinking several times, before folding her arms loosely in front of her, tucking them inwards. "Hello," she says, before looking towards the frog cage for a moment. Perhaps she doesn't trust Asuka's rana-wranglin'.

She then sniffs the air, very faintly, before giving Shinji an inquisitive look.

"Rriiibbit." Says the frog.

"Yeah, I'd like some soda." Asuka tells Shinji.

Shinji Ikari stumbles over himself, blinking.

"Huh." Oh, right, they were at Ayanami's. Shinji's face flushes a little. "Um, s-sorry, they were...hungry. I, um, made you something too..." Shinji says meekly, rubbing the back of his head and pointing, weakly, at the burgers and 'taters. Which are almost done! One more round. "...your favorite, right? Um, unless it changed. Or I messed up. sorry."

Shinji blinks, coughs, and goes to get Asuka a soda. If Ayanami doesn't have any soda, he'll just go to the vending machine down the hall. ...Shinji quietly hopes Ayanami's out of soda.

Alicia comes over to look.

Yes, that is a frog. It is also, totally unlike most of the other frogs she has ever seen, not trying to attack her in any way; it's also quite a bit smaller than the ones she's used to, which tend to range from 'large toad' to 'monstrous' in size. Alicia does not seem terribly disgusted by it after all, but neither does she really have any sort of feelings for it; it's just a frog.

She straightens up again to her full (lack of) height. "It was, um, very nice of you to invite me here and make me food and such. Is there anything I can do for you people?" ALicia hasn't /really/ asked that yet, so she'll at least make the offer. She's a sucker for sidequests.

Rei doesn't seem to have any soda in her refrigerator. Fortunately, there IS that machine just down the dank, mass-produced hallway - which does sell soft drinks!

"Be careful," Rei says. "He bites." Rei assumes it's a boy frog, anyway.

She smells the potatoes, looks towards them, looks back towards Shinji, and then, finally, to Alicia. "..."

She doesn't seem to have any sidequests. Such is the danger of a simple life!

"It's a Pac Man frog." Asuka informs Alicia, "But it only eats ghosts, not people." She laughs heartily, "Just kidding. Also pellets." She laughs heartily again. "...It bites? Really?" Asuka sounds surprised, but not exactly doubtful.

"Guess you two have something in common." Shinji mutters Asukawards. He's basicly always muttering, though.

He then looks ashamed of himself when Rei gives him a look, sighs, and turns off the heat. Shinji expertly flips two burgers onto buns, and a wedge of the potatoes onto a plate, grabbing Rei a fork if she wants one. "Be right back." Shinji says, still looking shamefaced as he heads down the hall.

"They're glad to be rid of you." Housebroken Shinji mutters, "Stinking up her kitchen like that, like the girl doesn't have enough..."

"Ayanami." Brserker Shinji notes, "/Rocks/ the 'just finished working out' look. Damn! And, hey, leather! Man, I hope Langley picks more friends up off the street!"

"Sick..." Lil'Shinji icks.

Upon hearing 'he bites', Alicia takes one large step back, just in case. It's never too early to avoid a monster attack.

Alicia watches Shinji go with a little bit of a confused look on her face. It wasn't anything she said, was it? She evidently accepts that it isn't, and seems to untense again. "Does it really eat ghosts?" she asks. "We have, um, a lot of undead in Midgard, so if it does...maybe I should see about bringing some back with me. Um...I didn't feel any ghosts here, though; did he eat them all?"

She looks over at the food, then back. She's not going to take any yet.
And the leather is for protection!

"Oh!" Shinji remembers his manners. "Alicia, can I get you something to drink?"

Alicia, while walking, still manages to look around. Cities are interesting, apparently. "Can't eat? Um...no, not that I know of. I can eat pretty much anything. Sometimes I have to, if I'm travelling."

"They're named after a video game," Rei says, not really aware that the frog may predate the game - and may have even inspired it. "You can see how large its mouth is. It will eat almost anything it can." Perhaps she's not so sure of the frog's gender, after all.

Her arms stay folded as she steps towards the plates, although she does pick the one of potatoes up and take a thoughtful bite.

Her HP dial starts spinning upwards, although she doesn't really notice.

Asuka assumes the Pac Man name came after Pac Man. There WERE other names for the Pac Man frog before. "What? I can't eat ghosts. Don't be silly, Shinji." She waggles a finger at Shinji. Of course, she may be misunderstanding what he meant on purpose. Sometimes she does that. Sometimes, unfortunately, she actually misunderstands entirely honestly. Which one is it?! Honestly or dishonestly? How can one expect to know the answer with no clear obvious clues?! Well, you can't. Unless you're tang.

Tang, it's tangtastic.

Asuka glances to Alicia, "The Pac Man frog doesn't, but there's this game called Pac Man where Pac Man eats ghosts. They don't go away forever though, but they are chased away. I don't know how that works. I guess their eyes are inedible or something."

Shinji Ikari usually assumes Asuka is misunderstanding on purpose, because she graduated college at age eleven. He also assumes she'll usually bluntly tell him how she feels, and we all know how that assumption worked out.

On the plus side, astronauts love the refreshing taste of Tang!

Shinji blinks, dully, at the vending machine. He slips a few yen couns in, and presses a button. It churns, rumbles, shakes...

And nothing. Shinji frowns, a little, and presses the 'return change' button. The machine churns, rumbles, shakes...

And nothing. Shinji slumps forward, lightly banging his head against the vending machine. The machine churns, rumbles, shakes...to predictable results. "Man..."
Everybody enjoys Tang. Even Alicia would have to love those artificial flavours!

"Video game?" Alicia asks, clueless. She's from the past, you'll have to forgive her. Speaking of, she's finally realized that she is still carrying around the swordbelt, something it is rude to do inside another person's home; she unbuckles it and leans the sword against a wall, hoping nobody trips over it. "I...guess that makes sense." It doesn't.

Then: "Where did Shinji go? I thought he just stepped outside for a moment..."

"He did, I guess--" Asuka blinks. Was that a dull thud? She shakes her head. Surely not. The thuds around here tend to not be dull. "We have some video games here if you'd like to see 'em, it's easier for me to show it than explain it, but it's a game. On the television!"

"One day." Shinji says, "Something electronic will like me. And then I will die of shock. Which, admittedly, is better than dad feeding me to Unit-10 or something. 'Symmetry, boy. Get in.', 's what he'll say..."

Shinji is comfortable saying this because he is on the ground, fishing his hand up the vending machine, trying to knock Asuka's soda down. He can't just...give up. Well, he could. Easily. But that would be running away, right? He's not supposed to run away, right? Well, okay, its a situational thing.

"So why am I..." Shinji mutters, sticking his face in the slot to try and see the soda. Which is when it decides to drop down, smashing him right in the face. "mmmrrrggghh..."

Alicia seems more interested in seeing where the heck Shinji went. She heads over toward the door he left by. "If you'd like to, I wouldn't mind seeing it," she accepts. "It seems interesting. I'm sorry for my silly questions. Things are very different here from Midgard."

That said, she opens the door and sticks her head out, looking around for Shinji down the hall. "...Shinji?"

Rei turns her head to look at Asuka as Alicia sticks her head out the door. She is still chewing a bite of potato, and swallows it before saying, "I do not have any. Do you keep them at the apartment?" She has, at least, seen the mysteriously SNES-styled machines around.

"I do." Asuka agrees before glancing over to Alicia. Surely Shinji can't be in TROUBLE now. It's just getting sodas. It's a simple task unless the machine hates you!-- .... uh oh.

Shinji Ikari sits up, covering his nose with a tissue. He holds a can of pineapple-flavored soda up in the air, serving as an explination and a bloody war trophy all at once. Well, no, Shinji didn't get any blood on it, being a courteous young man.

He stands up, trods back to the apartment, and mutters, "technbical dibbiculbies." through the nose-covering tissue. The Third hands Asuka her soda, and says, "Ayanabi, bo bou minb ib I usbe your bathroob?"

[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth, randomly, "Does anyone know where one could purchase or gather a number of small woodland creatures?"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "what kind of woodland creatures?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Oh, the usual. Birds, squirrels, the usual. I'll need a large number of them."
[Citizen's Band] Life says, "..."
[Citizen's Band] Life says, "Why?"

"I'll come see it in a minute," Alicia says, before she catches sight of Shinji and the soda machine.

Alicia assumes that the machine over there is a monster of some sort, or at least some sort of aggressive interactive scenery, and eyes it worriedly. What if it tries to attack someone else?

Her expression changes to concern when she sees Shinji. "No - no, come here, please, I know some healing magic," she says, totally honestly and very quickly. "I should at least be able to get it to stop bleeding. It shouldn't hurt more." Pause. "Much."

[Citizen's Band] Monkey D. Luffy says, "Probably to cook and eat them!"
[Citizen's Band] Asuka Langley says, "Are you going to eat them alive or some--"
[Citizen's Band] Life says, "Oh. It is that human who creates weird crystals in alleys and unleashes giant walking skeleton-like creatures."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "Whatever are you talking about?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "And I do /not/ intend to eat them."
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "I will eat a dead, properly cooked cow like a normal person."
[Citizen's Band] Life says, "Then what do you intend to do?"
[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "I'm not obligated to answer that question."
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari muffled, "Ub, sir, we sort ob knw yourba mevib Syndicate nebromander.
[Citizen's Band] Life grunts indifferently.

"Go ahead," Rei says, gesturing slightly. She moves to sit on her bed, then, with the plate of potatoes.

The bathroom, of course, has plenty of gauze.

[Citizen's Band] Lezard Valeth says, "So, no answers?"
[Citizen's Band] Life eyes.
[Citizen's Band] Shinji Ikari says, "Onb bunubt."

Asuka takes the soda and blinks at Shinji. "Well gosh, you worked hard to get this. Did you beat up a kid for it or something?" She then thinks about how to properly thank him and decides the way he wants it is probably the basic way, "Thanks." She adds. "Are you okay?"

More pain. Either short term, or long term. His life, in miniture.

Screw it, he was used to the feeling by now.

"Manks." Shinji mutters, flushing a little as he holds his head back and waits for the familiar, sickening sensation of his body(shouldn't it be purple and green?) regenerating itself.

It does, in fact, hurt, but not for long.

There isn't a long chant or anything; Alicia's magic is more from-the-heart than memorized. It just sort of happens. There /is/ a shower of spectral feathers around Shinji, though, and greenish sparkles of light interspersed in the feathers.

"Is that better?" Alicia asks, still sounding concerned, as she looks somewhat anxiously at Shinji. "I, um, don't always get practice on other humans..."

Rei's fork skips briefly in the plate - she's not entirely used to magic, especially not in her home. She does not speak up about it, however.

She does reach over for one of the packets of pills at her bedside and pops one out into her palm, dry-swallowing it and eating another forkful of potato.

Shinji Ikari's eyes contract, as if the feathers set off some terrible lizard-brain memory. The effect with the green light is strange, causing the shaggy-haired boy's face to look almost feral for a second, as the nose fixes itself. He breathes short, ragged breaths, and is he bearing his teeth?

No, just a scowl at the pain. "Mm...oh, hey, it is." The light fades, and Shinji's shy and awkward again, smiling softly. "Thanks, Alicia. And you're welcome, Asuka. It was just an accadent."

Shinji frowns a little, but if Rei doesn't want a drink, she doesn't want a drink. His nose hurts too much to avoid the elephant in the room. "Ugh...Alicia, you know that Lezard guy's Syndicate, right? He's some kind of...necromancer guy. We've got half a dozen reports on him."

"I know," Alicia agrees after a moment, heading the rest of the way back in; she wants to actually get ahold of that burger now. The lighter parts of her skirt flare out as she walks. "I know someone named Lezard Valeth, but...it's not him, even though they sound close. We spoke, and he was lying to me to get him to tell me things...the Lezard I know wouldn't do such a thing."

Seriously.

"The reason I didn't accept in public - or part of it - is because I didn't want him to know where I was," Alicia adds. "I told Asuka that. I think he still wants me to answer those questions. I don't want you to get hurt on my account."

"S'fine," Asuka says, "Actually, I'm feeling kind of tired, I'm going to take a nap after I finish this. Thanks for agreeing to this, Shinji. And I totally understand, Alicia. I have lots of stalkers like that too."

Not really, but if it's a chance to 'brag' and support Alicia at the same time, that's like win win win. Asuka slides out the door, quickly though.

Shinji Ikari decides then and there that, as long as she isn't scheming to turn anyone in his sort-of-family into her eternal ghost viking warrior slave, he's okay with Alicia. "Makes sense. ...thank you. We'll probably run into him anyway, t-though." Shinji shrugs. He is reasonably okay with fighting things that are allready dead, oddly enough.

Or maybe I'm just used to it, Shinji thinks, and sees the time. Crap. "Argh. I've got, um, homework. Excuse me." Shinji frowns. "Um, Ayanami, that housewarming basket I got you...has some scented candles. S-sorry about cooking meat in the house, they should cover the smell up." Shinji pauses. "And the /Syndicate/ thinks I'm a crazy freak so I need to go be depressed, now. Later."

Shinji then diggity-dashes out the door, heading home. To work. Homework. LOL!

Rei says, "Goodbye," to the departing people - possibly even Asuka?! - before eating another forkful of potato.

She looks at Alicia then and asks in her rather toneless voice, "Do you know where everything is?"

Shinji Ikari decides then and there that, as long as she isn't scheming to turn anyone in his sort-of-family into her eternal ghost viking warrior slave, he's okay with Alicia. "Makes sense. ...thank you. We'll probably run into him anyway, t-though." Shinji shrugs. He is reasonably okay with fighting things that are allready dead, oddly enough.

Or maybe I'm just used to it, Shinji thinks, and sees the time. Crap. "Argh. I've got, um, homework. Excuse me." Shinji frowns. "Um, Ayanami, that housewarming basket I got you...has some scented candles. S-sorry about cooking meat in the house, they should cover the smell up." Shinji pauses. "And the /Syndicate/ thinks I'm a crazy freak so I need to go be depressed, now. Later."

Shinji then diggity-dashes out the door, heading home. To work. Homework. LOL!

Rei says, "Goodbye," to the departing people - possibly even Asuka?! - before eating another forkful of potato.

She looks at Alicia then and asks in her rather toneless voice, "Do you know where everything is?"

It's OK to kill things that are already dead, because if the universe had wanted them to keep moving, they wouldn't have died.

"He's not a stalker - um, of me," Alicia says to Asuka as she heads out. Hopefully she heard it! She starts to say something to Shinji, too, but she is notoriously slow at figuring out what she wants to say in a situation like that, and by the time she makes up her mind to say anything at all, he's gone. Oh well. She'll tell him tomorrow, or whenever.

So she's left with Rei, who is the quietest. Well, she understands quiet to an extent. "Um, mostly." The things that she can identify, anyway. She knows not to touch things she doesn't!

"Do you need anything else?" Rei asks as she eats the last of her potato plate.

It smells like a crematorium in here, part of her thinks. Another part of her, which is the real reason why she doesn't eat meat (along with not being able to handle much thanks to medication) thinks it smells VERY good indeed.

She stands, then, and moves to start putting a few things into a plastic bag.

Alicia thinks it smells much better than her attempts at sticking beef on a stick and then holding it over a fire until it's edible, and nobody dropped it in the fire, which is always a plus.

Tastes better, too. She'll have to get Shinji something.

"Ah, no. But thank you," Alicia says. Again. She never stops thanking people. (Or apologizing, when appropriate, but right now she has nothing to apologize for.) "Do you want me to help clean up?"

"Clean up?" Rei says, sounding vaguely puzzled as she looks at Alicia.

It may not be immediately obvious. Shinji may have neatened the place up a little, but there is very little left around.

Rei takes a roll of bandages, then, and wraps up what look like some old, cracked glasses in them. "Please dispose of any garbage you produce, and inform me if the frog cage breaks," she says, turning her back, for now, on Alicia.

If nothing else, where Shinji cooked needs to be cleaned. Alicia is willing to do so; she might be a princess (not that she says that on a regular basis) but she's used to hard work.

She also, despite curiosity, does not pry into what Rei is doing. "It seemed pretty sturdy," she says, doubtfully, but rest assured that if she sees it break it will be dealt with! Probably only by telling Rei, but that counts. "Um, should I put my sword anywhere? Do you have a sword-rack? I don't think I should leave it on the floor."

"I don't have any swords," Rei says, putting a small box that looks like it might hold a piece of jewelry into the bag. She turns around then to step towards a rack of hung-up dresses, leafing through them with one thin hand. "I don't mind where you put it. There are empty shelves."

She picks one out and folds it neatly up, before sliding it into the bag. "You can eat anything in here," she says a moment later, crouching down to fish socks and underwear out of a cardboard box.

Alicia has some difficulty with its length; Alicia uses a long, narrow sword, and unfortunately it takes a fair bit of room to set down on a shelf. Eventually she manages to do it, tucking the straps of the belt part underneath so that they don't hang down.

She gets the feeling, somehow, that she is intruding. Rei doesn't have a lot. Everything in here is probably personal. She feels awkward (although she almost always does). "No...I don't need it, but thank you. I can just, um, rest anywhere. And thank you again, very much!"

"You're welcome," Rei says, as she finishes loading the bag.

She digs in a pocket, bringing out a small keychain. The fob on it is a small plastic cat; it looks worn and battered, as if it is second hand. She seperates one of the keys from it, puts it on the counter, and then walks out the door.

[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "Are any of the Angel Brigade listening?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "I am here."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "Do you have a spare bed?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "One could be arranged if necassary."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "It is."

Alicia was not expecting that. She was expecting, perhaps, to be allowed to stay in a corner (which is plenty for her; it beats a rocky field) while Rei stayed in the same place she normally stayed.

This is, therefore, a bit of a surprise, and once again Alicia has no words until Rei is already out and, therefore, she mentally marks it all down to say next time instead. "Um," she says, mostly to herself.

[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "Is this for you or someone you know?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "Myself."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "If you like, you could use my bed tonight. My room is still somewhat a mess from what I did under the influence of that virus, however."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "Is it dangerous?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "It poses no threat. It is merely...decorated awkwardly."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "How is it awkard?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Asuka Langley says, "Huh? You aren't staying in your place?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "No."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Asuka Langley says, "Why not?"
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "It is decorated as if I were some manner of high school freshman. There is a great deal of pink. And I, for some reason, apparently bought 19 posters of famous Transbaal pop idols Super Love Love Kiss."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "I will manage."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Rei Ayanami says, "The room is in use."
[Y-Black Sheep Squadron] Vanilla H says, "Then I shall prepare it for your arrival."