AN AMNESIC ANGEL...

by Axel Terizaki <aterizak@club-internet.fr> ICQ # 34301980
ASUKA's Notebook First Gateway <http://perso.club-internet.fr/aterizak>
                Second Gateway <http://perso.wanadoo.fr/borisd)

Okay, this is my second work in English. I know I had been better with the
last chapters of "Child Of Love" but everything's not perfect, and this
fic, like any of my creations, doesn't escape this rule.

Now, let's begin the show!

-=WARNING: ANY SIMILARITIES OR LIKENESSES WITH AN OTHER FANFIC FROM THE
SAME=-
-=         AUTHOR ARE PURE COINCIDENCE AND TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. Well, sort
of=-

-=FIRST MEMORY=-

CAPTION: THE FIRST MEMORY
CAPTION 2: The accident

Shinji : "Asuka! Move back!"

Too late, Shinji's shouting didn't make the Second Child react in time. She
had been hit by the Angel's energy beam.

Asuka : "NNNNNNNNNNNGG............"

---
Central Command.

Misato : "Asuka!"

Makoto : "Pilot readings instable!"

Shigeru : "A-10 System not responding!"

Ritsuko : "What's going on!?"

Maya : "Sempai, all the displays are beginning to race!"

Misato : "Ritsuko!"

Ritsuko : "Disable all the neural connections between EVA-02 and its
pilot!"

Maya : "We can't! The signal is refused from inside the plug!"

Misato : "Cut the ombilical cable."

The ombilical cable of the EVA-02 was now cut, as ordered.
But that didn't keep Unit 02 from rushing towards the Angel with its
progressive knife...

Ritsuko : "...Berserk?!"

Makoto : "Unit-02, 1 minute of power left!"

---

Shinji, on his side, was horrified by what he was seeing, while Rei was in
her natural emotionless state in her Unit 00, looking at what was happening
right in front of her eyes.

Shinji : "What...what the...?"

The Angel tried to attack Unit 02 before it could do the same to him, but
that was unsucessful. Unit 02 reached the Angel at an incredible speed and
cut it in pieces with the Progressive Knife, disabling its AT Field almost
instanteously, and starting by hitting its Koa repeatedly.

Everyone was amazed by Unit 02's behaviour.

Finally, after one minute of pure fury, Asuka's Unit 02 shut down and peace
and silence returned to the

Misato : "Send a recovery team, now!"

Shigeru : "Right away, ma'am."

Maya : "Ejection signal accepted by the Plug. Ejecting now."

The back of Unit 02's neck moved and revealed the Entry Plug. It ejected
from the EVA seconds later.

---
Later... Two young girl's eyes opened slowly in an hospital room.

Asuka, whispering : "What...My head..."

She looked at her right and saw Shinji, on a chair, by her bedside.
Shinji gasped when he saw Asuka's head turn towards him. He feared the
worse coming from the usually unpredictable Second Child.

Shinji, standing up : "Hum...err..sorry...I'm leaving now...I was
just...just
keeping an eye on you..err...Misato's orders...nothing else, okay? Sorry..."

Asuka : "Hey, what are you apologizing for, young boy?"

These last two words stroke Shinji's mind like a big hammer.

Shinji : "Y...oung boy? Why are you calling me like that, Asuka?"

Asuka : "Asuka? Who's it? I see no one else here."

Shinji was horrified in shock.

Asuka : "Hey, answer me. Baka! It's your name, right? I know you... Baka is
your name, right?"

Shinji's feelings were mixed between laughing heavily and running away.
However, none of these feelings won the fight in his mind.

Shinji : "Asuka... Are you...are you...?"

Asuka : "Are you *WHAT*? And who is that *Asuka* you're talking about?"

Shinji, to himself : "She must be making fun of me again... Well, I'll get
her
into her own game!" <To Asuka> : "Okay, what's your name, young girl?"

Asuka : "What? You think I'm stupid? My name's...is....oh mein gott..."

Shinji : "Then what's your name?"

She sat up from her bed, curled up into a ball, and began to cry.

Shinji : "Sorry, Asuka... I didn't mean making you cry, okay? I was just..."

Asuka : "Damn! I can't remember a thing! Even my name!!! That can't be!
My head! It hurts so bad! Where am I?"

Shinji was now really puzzled...

Shinji : "You...you can't remember a thing?!"

Asuka, still crying : "Just as I said, Baka. Now get out of my room!"

Shinji : "You sure? I mean..."

Asuka : "Get out..."

Shinji then proceeded to the door and opened it. Before he could shut the
door, however...

Asuka : "What's your name?"

Shinji, ironically : "You said it yourself, I'm Baka."

Asuka : "No, it's not your name, I'm sure of that. Baka was just the first
word that came into my mind when I saw you. What I want to know is your REAL
name!"

Shinji : "Shinji. Ikari Shinji."

Asuka : "Shinji...Baka Shinji...Damn! That hurts!!!"

Shinji didn't move from the hospital hallway. He was going to shut the door
for good when he heard almost a whisper coming from the redheaded
EVA Pilot.

Asuka : "Please... tell...me. What's my name...?"

Shinji approached her hesitantly, leaned over her, and said something softly
into her left ear. He had an almost reassuring and comforting voice to
her...

Shinji : "Your name is Asuka. Sohryu Asuka Langley, okay? Try not to forget
it again."

Asuka : "...Thank you, Baka...err...I mean, Ikari-kun. Sorry."

Shinji was well used at being called 'Ikari-kun' by Rei, but surely not by
Asuka.

Shinji : "'Shinji' or 'Baka' will be alright, 'Sohryu-san'."

Asuka : "Then, call me Asuka, if you want me to call you Shinji. And since
Asuka is my name, I should get used to it right now..."

Shinji : "Well, I'm coming back with Misato-san, okay?"

Asuka : "Mi...Misato...that sounds familliar... But I can't place any face
on that name! What's going on!? My head hurts!"

Shinji : "I just hope we'll find out... Get some rest, please. I'm coming
back soon."

Asuka : "Shinji... I don't know who you are and I kinda wish I could find
out by myself, but... thank you."

Shinji smiled and disappeared in the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

---
Major Katsuragi's Office.

Misato : "She's *WHAT*?"

Shinji : "Yes, Misato-san... I really don't think she's making fun of me
like
she usually does. Well, that's what I think."

Misato : "Asuka? Amnesic? Our Asuka?"

Shinji : "And that seems very serious. She even didn't recall my name when
she saw me. First, she thought that my name was 'Baka'..."

Misato had a wide smile on her face and had to keep herself from laughing.

Misato : "Hmm, it could be a mental contamination with the Eva... I'll
ask Ritsuko about this."

Shinji : "It's serious?"

Misato : "In fact, she may NOT be able to climb back into her Unit 02."

Shinji just looked away a little...

Misato : "Okay, we'll go visit her. I'm gonna call Ritsuko."

---
Back in the hospital room.

Asuka was looking at herself in a mirror when Shinji and Misato entered.

Asuka : "This is... me?"

She put a hand on her cheek.

Asuka : "Yes. This is me..."

Shinji : "...Asuka?"

Asuka : "Y-yes?"

She turned back and saw Shinji and Misato. Asuka gasped when she saw her and
tried to move back.

Shinji, smiling : "Don't fear anything, she's a friend."

At those words, Asuka instantaneously calmed down.

Misato : "Asuka... Can you remember something?"

Asuka : "Who are you?"

Misato : "Well, I suppose the answer is 'no'..."

Asuka : "I don't know you, Miss...?"

Misato, smiling : "I'm Katsuragi Misato, Major of Tactical Operations and
your
guardian."

Asuka : "My... guardian? Haven't I parents? Family? I am... I am..."

Shinji looked down.

Asuka, trembling : "I'm... alone?"

Misato, trying to find something coherent to say : "Asuka, you belong to a
military organization. All your data has been erased. You have no parents,
no past, nothing left. Only you, me, Shinji, and Rei."

Asuka : "I see... I'm some sort of soldier. A secret agent perhaps?"

Misato giggled : "No, not exactly. Can you stand up? I want to show you
something."

Asuka : "Well, I think I have no choice."

Misato : "Good. Come on."

---
A few moments later, Asuka was following Misato and Shinji throughout the
Central Dogma's hallways. They were heading towards EVA-02 cage.

---
EVA-02 Cage.

Asuka, looking up at her Unit 02 : "Wh...what is *this*?!"

Misato : "This is your Evangelion Unit 02, Asuka."

Asuka : "My... E-vange-what?!"

Misato : "In other words, I'd say you're the designated pilot of this
robot."

Asuka : "Me? Piloting this *thing*? You're crazy, Major Katsuragi!"

Misato, smiling : "Call me Misato, Pilot Sohryu."

Asuka : "I can't pilot THIS thing! You must be joking!"

Misato : "But there are the threat of Angels... You have to pilot, or we
will all die from these invaders..."

Asuka : "So, let me sum up the whole thing : I'm a pilot, who has to  pilot
a giant robot, against giant extraterrestrials, with giant weapons, in a
giant city, and WITH A GIANT HEADACHE IN MY HEAD!!!?"

Misato, cheerfully : "Brilliant analysis!"

Asuka : "YOU *ARE* JOKING!!! I'm not gonna do it!"

Misato, softly : "Shinji too, is an Eva Pilot, you know."

Asuka, turning her head towards Shinji : "You... we do the same job?"

Shinji : "Y-yes. My Unit-01 is here too."

Asuka : "You can do it? Isn't it hard? Difficult? Are there many things to
learn?"

On one hand, Shinji wanted to tell her how painful and hard it was to pilot
an Eva, from his point of view, of course. But, on the other hand, he had
to help Misato to encourage Asuka to climb back into her own Eva.

Shinji, smiling : "Well, not really. You just have to think at what you
want to do, and the Eva will obey... It's as simple as that!"

Asuka : "Really?"

Shinji : "Yes."

Pause.

Asuka : "You are sincere. I can believe you."

She turned back towards Misato.

Asuka, now determinated : "Okay. I'll do it. I'll pilot this robot!"

Misato, smiling warmly : "Welcome back on active duty, Asuka!"

Ritsuko just arrived by another door.

Ritsuko : "So... Here's our amnesic pilot."

Asuka, looking at Ritsuko : "Don't tell me anything! Let me guess! You're
a doctor, right?"

Ritsuko : "Nice deduction."

Asuka : "And how may I call you, ma'am?"

Ritsuko : "Ritsuko. Ritsuko Akagi. So you're really amnesic... I guess you
wouldn't lie to a scientist like me."

Misato <to Shinji> : "You were right..."

Shinji (to Misato> : "Well, I first thought it was a joke."

Misato <to Shinji> : "But it's really worse than a joke, you know..."

Shinji : "I understand."

---
Misato's car.

Misato was driving Shinji and Asuka home. They were on the back seats.

Asuka : "What is this city? Why are there buildings above us?"

Shinji : "We're in the Geofront, and this is Tokyo-3 you see here."

Asuka : "Why are we living underground? Is there something scary on the
surface?"

Shinji : "Well, Tokyo-3's a fortress city designed to intercept Angels."

Asuka, puzzled : "Angels? Major Katsuragi said something about them a few
minutes ago but I can't remember well."

Shinji : "We're fighting against them with the help of the Evangelions."

Asuka : "Evangelion... The giant robots I just saw?"

Shinji : "Yes. And *we*, you, Rei and I are protecting this city, and
mankind."

Asuka : "Whoooaa! A real science fiction story! I am someone special, if
I understand correctly, right?"

Shinji : "Yeah, sort of..."

Asuka : "Tell me, Shinji..."

Shinji : "Y-yes?"

Asuka : "Are we safe in the Evangelion? How it works? Tell me. I'm dying
to know!"

Shinji : "Well, as far as I know, EVAs communicate with your mind and you
feel what they feel. If... hum... I mean you imagine yourself walking, then
the Eva walks. The scary part is, that when the Eva feels pain, you feel the
same thing but your body isn't wounded." <softly to her> "Once I thought my
arm had been cut, but that wasn't real... I only THOUGHT it because my Eva
had lost his arm too. But my arm was still there... You see?"

Asuka : "It's like a double-edged sword, then..."

Shinji : "In other words, yes."

Asuka : "Shinji..."

Shinji : "You want me to tell you something else?"

Asuka : "...No, that was nothing... We'll see that later."

---
Arrival at the apartment.

Misato opened the door, and Asuka stepped in.

Asuka : "A familliar place. I can tell that I lived there before."

Misato : "Actually, it's your home, Asuka. It's our home."

Asuka : "Our? I live with you? Oh, that's right. You're my guardian. I
understand..."

She lowered her head as if she was disappointed.

Asuka : "And... what about you, Shinji?"

Shinji : "What about what?"

Asuka : "Where do you live?" <to herself> "Not too far, I hope."

Shinji : "Well, this is my home too, you know. We live together like
a family."

Asuka's face suddenly (and at Shinji and Misato's big surprise) lit up with
joy when she heard that.

Asuka : "Together? Really?"

Pause.

Asuka, happily : "Well, Shinji, will you show me the way to my room?"

Misato, taking a can of beer in hand : "Come on Shinji! Show her round the
premises!"

Shinji, looking at Misato : "Okay."

Shinji showed Asuka the way to the bathroom, the kitchen, and finally ended
to her own room, obviously labelled "Asuka's Room"

Asuka : "So... *MY* room..."

She put a hand on the doorknob and slowly began to open it. But, when she
began to turn the doorknob, she decided not to open the door to her room.

Shinji : "What's going on?"

Asuka : "Damn... My head hurts... No... I can't enter this room. Not now..."

Shinji : "Why?"

Asuka : "I sense... something. I just can't tell. I have a bad feeling about
that room. That's all."

Shinji : "You want me to go with you inside?"

Asuka : "You would do that? I know I'm afraid but... Well, I have to
overcome
my fears! You're right, I'm no coward! And this headache is not too hard to
live with, for the moment! Okay, I'm coming in, now!"

She finally opened the door and stepped in.

Asuka : "My room..."

She looked at her bed.

Asuka : "My bed..."

She looked at her desk.

Asuka : "My desk..."

She opened her cupboard.

Asuka : "Here are my clothes... Hmmm... I have good taste!"

Shinji : "I should leave now. This is your privacy."

Asuka : "No... Please stay a little more... I feel better when you're near
me."

Shinji <to himself> : "What?"

She looked on the ground and saw that many of her belongings were lying
there.

Asuka : "Boy, what a mess..."

Suddenly, Misato called from the kitchen

Misato : "Asuka, Shinji! Dinner is ready!"

Shinji : "Oh gosh... I forgot that it was Misato's turn to cook!"

Asuka : "Why are you giving me that horrified look? Is there something to
fear? Is Ma... hum, Misato not cooking very well?"

Shinji continued to stare at her with the same disgusted look.

Asuka : "Oh... It is *so* bad? And I bet I haven't eaten anything since some
hours now..."

---
Dinner. (Well, *Misato's* dinner.)

Asuka didn't really eat anything. First because Misato's cooking wasn't very
attractive, and second because all things considered, she wasn't that
hungry.
(note that, according to the circumstances, the second cause may be the
consequence of the first...) She then retreated to her room just after that.

Shinji : "...This definitely isn't the Asuka we used to know..."

Misato : "You mean, because she's nice with you?"

Shinji : "Y-yes... in particular for that..."

Misato : "You know, I think it's because she forgot what happened to her
when she was small..."

Shinji : "No I won't ask. I bet it's another painful story."

Misato : "You're guessing right..."

Pause.

Misato : "A few minutes ago she seemed happy to have you in this apartment."

Shinji : "I noticed this too... And I made her change her mind about the
Eva."

Misato : "You are the first person she saw after her awakening... Please
understand her, Shinji-kun. She must feel like a stranger in a strange
world,
and she knows no one around here... It must be horrible for her."

Shinji : "I think I see what you mean."

Misato : "You must be here for her, Shinji-kun..."

Shinji gave her a puzzled look.

Misato : "No, I didn't mean by 'love'! Let's say, as a friend... We must do
anything we can to help her recover her memory, okay?"

Shinji : "Okay..."

Misato : "Tomorrow, you should have had harmonics tests... I'll talk with
Ritsuko and she'll cancel them. Thus you'll have plenty of time to show her
Tokyo-3, the school, etc, etc. Try to show her photographs we took, too.
That may help her..."

Shinji : "I noticed that each time she tried to remember something, she said
that her head hurt."

Misato : "Well, forget about the photographs then..."

Shinji : "But I can try."

Misato : "Besides, we don't have much time to train pilots, you know...
If she could recover her full memory, it would be better for us all."

Shinji : "Okay."

---
Later that night...

Shinji wasn't really sleeping well. In fact, he was more thinking than
sleeping...

He just sat up from his bed when he heard some strange footsteps in his own
room.

Shinji : "Who's there?"

Asuka : "Humm... Damn, I knew it wasn't the right thing to do... Sorry, I'm
leaving now... Have a good night."

Asuka was in a nightdress, at Shinji's door.
Shinji noticed that her last words had a bit of a disappointed tone.

Shinji : "No... Stay... I wasn't really sleeping you know. You want to
talk?"

Asuka : "Well... y-yes..."

Shinji wasn't really used at the mighty Asuka having problems with words.

Shinji : "Sit down beside me, then."

Asuka : "If you don't mind..."

She then sat down at his side, on the bed.

Shinji : "So what do you want to talk about?"

Asuka : "I don't know where to start..."

Shinji, trying to put her at her ease : "Come on, I'm your friend, aren't
I?"

Asuka, smiling : "Shinji... I... I want to ask you a favor."

The girl was visibly nervous.

Shinji : "Hey, don't be so nervous you know... What do you want from me,
then?"

Asuka, giving him her best Kawaii look (you know, that one no male on earth
can resist to?) : "Can I... can I sleep with you tonight?"

Shinji : "W-what?! Sl-sleep with m-me?!"

Now he was the one getting nervous.

Asuka : "Please... I want to be with someone... Not alone. I-I just had a
nightmare... Please..."

Shinji <to himself> : "She's like a child seeking for his parent's
protection
in the night." <to Asuka> "A... nightmare? Care to tell me more about it?"

Asuka : "Well... I was small, and then, I was running and telling everybody
around me that I was someone special. That I was choosen to pilot an Eva
and... I opened a door... and saw someone hanged to the ceiling... Gosh It
was horrible..." <beginning to cry> "I don't know who was that person, but I
felt so sad, I wanted to cry and I..."

Seeing that she was on the verge of crying, Shinji stopped her.

Shinji : "That's ok, you're awake now, I'm here, and you're alive... Nothing
like that happened, okay?"

Asuka, with a tearful voice : "Thank you, Shinji... You're so sweet with me.
And I called you a baka a few hours ago. I feel so shameful..."

Shinji : "There's no problem... I'm used to be called like that you know..."

Asuka : "Really? Who used to scorn you like that!? I'm gonna slap him!"

Shinji hesitated during a second or two to answer.

Shinji : "Actually... It's you who used to call me 'baka' before your...hum,
accident."

Asuka, almost horrified : "I did *that* to you? Was I mean to you? Why did
I... I must have been crazy to treat you like... like shit! I'll never
forgive myself!"

Tears were coming back...

Shinji : "No problem, really. Now, calm down... And come with me, here."

He showed her a place under the sheets.

Asuka, happily : "So, you accept? Oh thank you, Shinji!"

She then rushed up to the place he showed her and put the sheets over her.

Although Shinji felt really uneasy like that with a girl in his bed, he
did this for her good, without any other second thoughts... (well, he
tried.)

Asuka : "I know that it's not very right for a girl and a boy to sleep in
the same bed, but... I just need it, sorry."

Shinji : "There's nothing to apologize for, I understand how you feel."

Shinji turned away from Asuka in order not to face her directly. She wrapped
her arms around his waist and pressed her body against his back.

Asuka : "Like that... I feel much better... You're warm."

Shinji : "You too."

Asuka : "Tell me, Shinji. Have you...errr...well... I know it isn't
really...
well...have you a girlfriend?"

Shinji, stunned : "A... girlfriend...?"

Asuka : "I mean... It must be the Rei you were talking about a few hours
ago?
She must be a great girl, from the way you're talking about her. I'd like to
meet her!"

Shinji : "Well, actually..."

Asuka : "She must be your girlfriend, sorry for asking... I knew I shouldn't
have. How embarassing..."

Shinji : "...she isn't my girlfriend."

Asuka, grinning : "Another one then? A cute boy like you MUST have one!
Or... is it me, by any chance?"

Shinji : "I have *no* girlfriend for the moment."

Asuka, happily : "Really!? Then... will you let me be yours?"

Shinji, stunned (again) : "What!?"

Asuka : "Shhh... I just want to. I can't help it. I feel safe when I'm with
you. And... I know I can trust you, and only you... in this strange world."

Shinji : "What gave you that idea?"

Asuka : "You're so nice with me... And, you were there, when I awakened.
It's a proof of care. It's the proof that you care for me. I'm sorry if this
is too much for you to handle. If you can't offer me your support... I'll
just leave, don't worry."

Shinji : "No... That's not what I wanted to say..."

Pause.

Shinji : "If you were to recover your memory, I really don't know how'd you
react..."

Asuka : "Why? Why are you saying this?"

Shinji : "The Asuka I knew wasn't so lovely and desirable... when she was
with me."

Asuka, chuckling : "Baka... Oops, I said it one more time."

Shinji : "Don't worry for that."

Asuka : "Anta baka... I like to call you like that, but it's not very nice
for you."

Shinji : "As I said, if you were to regain your memories... You wouldn't
want to be my girlfriend anymore..."

Asuka : "Then I don't want to remember."

Shinji : "What are you saying?"

Asuka : "Too much pain..."

Shinji : "What?"

Asuka : "I feel that my old behaviour was too much pain. And If remembering
everything... were to mean that I couldn't be with you anymore, I don't want
to remember, never."

Shinji : "Don't say this, Asuka. You will remember, sooner or later."

Shinji could hear Asuka's soft breathing behind him. He then knew she fell
asleep.

Shinji <to himself> : "At least, I now know how is the real Asuka... A cute
and kind normal young girl... Don't fear anything Asuka, I'll be there."

---
TO BE CONTINUED.

Don't miss the next episode : Familiarization

Author's notes:

Well, I was asking myself what could I write after "The Child Of Love"...
Now, I know! :-)

I hope you like this new fic!

I don't know where it'll take me, but I know one thing : It will be shorter
than "The Child Of Love"...

Anyways, thanks to all my pre-readers:
Alain Gravel (author of "The One I Love Is...", damn good!), Al-l-Bus
(author
of "Imagine Normality?"), Borderline Case (author of "Reflections In Red"),
EBJ, Eva_Pilot00, Greg Thomas, Kaoru Nagisa (author of "EvaLeSs"), Jon Byram
(author of "Holy Knights"), Readiosys Fisher (author of "Unfamilliar
Fearings"), Shinji The 10 O'clock Assassin (author of "Many Fanfics" :-) ),
Sudhoya'da, Sushi Boy, and Sammy Sy.

Thanks to you all, and thanks to all the people who read my fics!

See ya soon,
Axel Terizaki
Well, I was asking myself what could I write after "The Child Of Love"...
Now, I know! :-)

I hope you like this new fic!

I don't know where it'll take me, but I know one thing : It will be shorter
than "The Child Of Love"...

Anyways, thanks to all my pre-readers:
Alain Gravel (author of "The One I Love Is...", damn good!), Al-l-Bus
(author
of "Imagine Normality?"), Borderline Case (author of "Reflections In Red"),
EBJ, Eva_Pilot00, Greg Thomas, Kaoru Nagisa (author of "EvaLeSs"), Jon Byram
(author of "Holy Knights"), Readiosys Fisher (author of "Unfamilliar
Fearings"), Shinji The 10 O'clock Assassin (author of "Many Fanfics" :-) ),
Sudhoya'da, Sushi Boy, and Sammy Sy.

Thanks to you all, and thanks to all the people who read my fics!

See ya soon,
Axel Terizaki