Shinji stumbled under the onslaught of sound. Bert’s new Band, Astral Dreams, was playing at a school dance, which he and Kameko had gone to. Bert, Ernie, and Sam were all part of it, along with a couple of guys from 9-A who Shinji didn’t know, and Margerie, a brunette from 9-B. They were jamming pretty hard but it was so loud and Shinji didn’t like his music to feel like a wall of sound.
Kameko was vibrating as well and they moved across the dance floor to where they could sway together without being killed by the entertainment. Asuka (dancing with Kevin) and Hikari (dancing with Touji) had joined them in getting back some, but most of the crowd was going wild and enjoying themselves. They could see Kensuke spinning Evelyn around in the front of the crowd.
The school gym was decorated with pictures of crops; the theme was harvest time. Though by now all the crops were actually long harvested; it was cold but not wintery yet, here in late October.
Things had been quiet in terms of the war. The three pilots continued to train, along with their friends. Rosalinda was dating an English guy, Albert, from 9-E. The Treekeeper’s men’s team had ended a ten game victory streak at soccer by being annihilated 8-1 in a game generally considered by the school’s students to be the work of the devil, so Lars, Kevin, Leon, and other team members were rather depressed. Unit-03 was still on schedule to be completed in late December, and the general scuttlebutt was that Jet Alone would soon be complete and was being tested in France.
“Mari will destroy it in ten seconds,” Asuka said.
“You really hate this woman,” Kevin said, amused. “Did she steal your sandwich?”
“Yes,” Asuka said darkly as Kevin spun her and Kevin stared in surprise.
Hikari laughed loudly, as did Touji. “Death to the sandwich-thief!” Hikari said, laughing.
“Shut up!” Asuka shouted and everyone laughed more.
Hedda, up front with Conrad, began gesturing at them to come forward. Conrad, looking overwhelmed, stood behind her and gestured for them to stay back, then mimed deafness.
“Wasn’t she after Kaji?” Shinji said hesitantly.
“Yes, and she can *have him*,” Asuka said. “There could be no better revenge,” she said darkly.
They could see Karla Fassbinder dancing with Makoto Hyuuga. They looked a bit odd in their fancy formal clothing among the sea of casually (but warmly) dressed teenagers.
Asuka smiled at them. “They’re so cute.”
Shinji wasn’t sure you could call people twice your age ‘cute’. Not in the sense Asuka clearly meant.
“Well, let’s hope this goes on,” Kevin said, dipping Asuka low. Asuka smiled and came up and he spun her and then he spun himself.
Shinji said, “What goes on?”
“Peace and quiet,” he said. “No monster attacks, none of me having to worry about you all.”
Hikari smiled at him. “You’re so sweet, Kevin.” Touji dipped her low now and brought her up. He’d become a lot better dancer since the first time they danced. “And you too, Touji.”
Shinji rubbed his forehead. Some things, he just didn’t understand.
Hedda gestured more urgently at them, and then Sam said, “Hey, Asuka, come on up!”
“Wish me luck, for I may never hear again,” Asuka said, then kissed Kevin’s hand and ran up to the front.
“The difficulty of second-hand dates,” Kevin said with mock-sadness. “I go to refresh myself!”
He soon rejoined them with Gretchen as Asuka began to sing with the band.
Shinji smiled as he and Kameko whirled about the dance floor. He felt young and it was good to be alive.
*****************
Rebuild of Neon Genesis Silmarillion
A Tolkien Legendarium / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
By John Biles
Book 2: The Battle Under the Stars
Chapter 3: The Family Ties That Bind You Up
*****************
“Louder?” Kensuke said. “I can make them louder but you may go deaf,” he said to Bert. They’d eventually reconciled more or less but he was definitely going to charge him extra for this.
They were at Bert’s the next day. Bert had his band assembled. “We need more power for Rising Star,” Bert said to him.
The rest of the band nodded.
It’s your eardrums, Kensuke thought.
****************
Hikari grabbed her Dad’s wrists as he came at her and threw him. He’d been giving her fighting lessons, and she’d been training at NERV and with Touji. The result was that she could, at this point, handle her Dad as long as he didn’t bring his strength to bear; if he got a good grip on her, she usually was defeated. Otherwise, she could handle him.
“I think you’ve learned everything I can teach,” he said ruefully. They’d been working off and on since Christmas.
“Well, I can teach you a few things,” she said, smiling
He felt kind of embarrassed; having to learn fighting methods from a girl. He’d been raised with fairly traditional attitudes and life had yet to beat them all out of him.
At the same time, new tricks never hurt and this let him actually spend time with Hikari without her criticizing his lifestyle or them just not having anything much to do with each other. Though they both liked to make fun of some stuff on TV. Sunday evening was family time when he was home and it tended to be a long mock fest with beer and Ryoko’s good biscuits and sausage.
Kevin often came over for that; he liked Kevin. And Touji too. He feared it would blow up on Hikari but they were good boys and she was responsible.
It also reduced her ability to mock Ryoko for not being as fancy as her.
Part of him wanted Hikari to follow her dreams and part of him feared her descendants would make fun of people like him. He worked hard, dammit.
“I should take you trucking some time,” he said. “When you have a break.”
“We should have done that in the summer,” she said ruefully. “Okay, let me show you the move I just used on you.”
Soon he was throwing her; she never complained; Hikari looked soft but was tough inside like Ryoko. Her mother would be proud of her, he thought as Hikari landed in the corner and rose to come back.
Hiroko had been killed by a mugger on the way home from work. He had been so angry he could hardly breathe. Hikari had to grow up faster after that. It had been a mess and he hadn’t really fully pulled together until he came here.
But now he was pretty happy; he just wished he could be home more for Ryoko and Hikari.
The absences, though, made the time he had more precious. And now they spent more of it together and that pleased him.
*****************
Hikari enjoyed the singing at Kevin’s church; she sometimes came to church with them and she still didn’t quite understand it. But the singing was fun. She’d tried reading the Bible Kevin’s mother had given her but it was huge and confusing and she didn’t have time to really go over it.
Further, the early parts she’d read involved a lot of behavior that didn’t strike her as moral or as reflecting how Kevin and his family actually lived.
She had the feeling understanding this thing took a lot of effort, time she just didn’t have with her study, studying with Kevin and exercise with Touji and class rep things and some socializing and NERV and everything else.
Kevin also usually couldn’t explain anything too well.
“Why did the man offer his daughters to the mob?” Hikari said.
Kevin stared at the passage; they were at his place on a Sunday afternoon, studying after she’d gone to Church with them and had lunch. “The hell? They’re not even looking for a woman, let alone… damned if I know.”
“The thing is, due to the laws of hospitality, he can’t hand over his guests,” Melinda said, coming in from the hallway. “The story is about the violation of hospitality customs. Lot tries to defend his guests, by offering up his daughters.” She frowned. “Which reflects him being a bastard.” She grimaced. “Not much of a father, but then his daughters later get him drunk and have sex with him and get pregnant.” She grimaced. “I don’t like Genesis much. A lot of the Old Testament doesn’t matter so much as the New for Christians. You should start with the Gospels,” Melinda said.
Kevin let Melinda take over; she knew all this better than him. He was not much of a Biblical scholar; he just tried to be good to his friends and neighbors like the Gospel said.
Hikari rather liked Melinda; she was smart and hard working and reminded her of, well, herself. A little younger and more naïve and religious but they were kindred spirits, though she didn’t rag on Kevin like Melinda did.
Melinda left to go see her friends and Hikari and Kevin turned back to studying. She enjoyed helping him, and he was alternately funny and charming. And worked hard. At least if she held his nose to it every so often.
He also liked kissing, an activity she favored. She wished she had more time to spend with him. And Touji. And really more time for everything.
But especially them.
“I wish we could go swim,” Kevin said.
“It’s too cold unless we use the NERV pool,” Hikari said. She had a pass and could bring a guest.
He looked very tempted. “Too far,” he said, sighing. “We should do something fun after studying, though.”
“You have me until nearly dinner, then it’s family night time,” she said.
“Mom wants me to do something or another,” he said, sighing, then began studying harder.
*****************
They ended up playing Monopoly with his parents; Andrew won as usual. Then she went to go do family night with her father and Ryoko. Ryoko, though, took her back to her room after a while. “Have you and your boyfriends done anything beyond kissing?”
“No,” Hikari said.
“Well, best I give you the talk now,” Ryoko said.
By the end, Hikari was well-educated and well-embarrassed.
*****************
“Once I am fourteen in a week, I can date, right?” Ingrid asked her Dad at Sunday dinner; it was hamburgers and coleslaw, made by Ingrid. She mixed onions into the meat which they all liked.
“Yes, if he’s no older than one year ahead of you,” her father said. He looked at her curiously. “Do you have someone in mind?”
“This really cool guy named Frank,” she said, eyes glowing. “He’s the same age as me.”
“I want to meet him but it’s a tentative yes,” Jiro said. “Since he does fall within the rules. After your birthday, you may do it.”
“Frank,” Touji said. “Is he really named Frank, or did you name him Frank?” he asked Ingrid, wondering what the guy was like.
“Let her date who she wants,” Jiro said to Touji. “Which reminds me, we should do something with Hikari’s family some time.”
Touji had a feeling that would go badly but he couldn’t say no without his Dad thinking he was hiding something. He liked Hikaru and Ryoko but he *knew* his Dad wouldn’t approve of them.
His father very much tried to make them be as high toned as possible. And Hikaru and Ryoko were not high toned.
He could see why Hikari, who wanted to be high toned, had tended to hide them.
But Hikari was a good organizer. She could make this work, right?
Right?
*************
“So who are you going with?” Shinobu asked Ingrid at lunch the Monday after Ingrid had turned fourteen (with a big birthday party with her friends, organized for her by Hikari).
“I’m going to ask Frank. He’s been flirting with me,” Ingrid said. “And he’s really cool.” He would say the dreamiest things to her!
“He looks like he’s part horse,” Cuifen said, looking across the cafeteria and frowning at Frank.
“That’s too cruel,” Helma said to Cuifen. “He’s no Alphonse, but he’s not ugly.”
“Who?” Melinda asked Helma.
“My brother’s boyfriend, who is very hunky but well, too old and too gay,” Helma said, sighing. “Helmut can only see him at school because of the whole thing. You know.” She squirmed uncomfortably.
Her family was still torn ever since her brother had come out, which her father strongly opposed. She spent all her time with her friends whenever she could, to avoid going crazy. Her brother Ernie was the same, but more so as he wasn’t able to accept or challenge their father.
“Anyway, I’m going in,” Ingrid said. “Dad gave thumbs up.”
She walked over to Frank, who was busy talking to his friends. “Yeah, I think she’s gay,” one of his friends said to Frank; Ingrid didn’t know him. He sounded pretty condemning.
Ingrid paused, just before she was going to speak, then turned to said friend. “You think I’m gay?” she said in confusion.
“No, not you, the Chinese bitch,” the guy said. He was short and middling in build, wearing an Angel Attacks t-shirt. “I have no idea who you are.” He was a lot more apologetic to Ingrid than his earlier harshness.
“Lawrence, this is Ingrid Suzuhara. Ingrid, this is Lawrence. He plays guitar,” Frank said. He was moderately strong, average in height and build with short black hair.
“I meant Cuifen Wang, the bitch,” Lawrence said. “Utterly butch.”
“I think lesbians are hot myself,” a third guy said. He was a short brunet.
“Cuifen is my friend. She is very cool, not gay and not a bitch,” Ingrid said angrily.
“Just look at her, she dresses like a guy. She might as well strap on the fake dick and go by George,” Lawrence said, frowning at Ingrid. “You her girlfriend?” he said, frowning more.
“Lawrence, there’s nothing wrong with that,” the third guy said, clearly imagining things which made Ingrid’s brain melt.
“She punched me in the face,” Frank’s fourth friend grumbled; he was tall and dark haired and rather tanned. He looked Greek to Ingrid. “If you’re her friend, fuck off.”
Frank squirmed, clearly unwilling to tell them to shut up but not happy with what they were saying, either. Ingrid felt intensely disappointed.
“Frank, you want to go to the dance with me, Friday?” Ingrid said, trying to get him to make a stand.
“Pushy lesbian,” Lawrence said, frowning. The fourth guy frowned at her. The third guy said, “She can’t be a lesbian if she asked a guy out, you idiot!” He sounded disappointed.
Frank looked at her, then at them, then said, “I’m busy, Friday. Sorry, Ingrid.”
Now Ingrid was angry. With herself for being attracted to him and with his shitty friends for being shitty.
She gave Lawrence the finger and the other guy too, then said to Frank, “Fine. Go get a spine.” Then she stalked off, pissed off and now wondering what she was going to do for the dance. Everyone but her and Cuifen had a date and Cuifen had a crush on Touji, yet would NEVER EVER do anything about it, as far as Ingrid could tell.
And Touji seemed satisfied being part of Hikari’s harem, assuming he even realized he was, which she wasn’t so sure.
Dammit, Ingrid thought. This sucks ass.
***************
“Still no date,” Ingrid grumbled as she and Cuifen prepared to walk to her place after school, then beat up Touji and Hikari. Well, train with them, anyway.
“It’s fine. It’s not like we have to get married by fifteen,” Cuifen said. “Only guy I know who interests me is taken.” She sighed.
Ingrid was annoyed that Hikari was two-timing her brother, but so long as they insisted while kissing that they weren’t dating, what could she do? Her father didn’t even seem to CARE.
“Hey, Ingrid, wait up!” Bert shouted as they headed out the door of the school.
They waited inside the grounds but outside the doors, though it was cold, as they didn’t want to clog the exit. Snow hadn’t happened yet but it was very late October, very much jacket weather, and it was rather dismal.
“Hey, Bert,” Ingrid said. “What’s up?
“Do you have a date for the dance? My band was going to play but Alfred managed to fall on his keyboard and break it.” Bert grimaced. “So I will be dancing, not performing.”
“Sure, I’d love to go,” Ingrid said. She was a big fan of his music. “Do you have someone for Cuifen to go with?”
“I don’t need a date,” Cuifen insisted.
“You know Ernie, right?” Bert said. “He needs a date.”
“That works. He’s cute,” Ingrid said.
“Hey! I don’t need a date!” Cuifen protested.