Doctor Who: The Evangelion Error (Book One)

E6 Part 4: Girl you just don't realize / what you do to me

Misato's apartment.
T-14 Hours, 41 Minutes

Misato strode into her apartment and almost immediately tripped on the half-disassembled stereo amplifier by the door. She caught herself on the wall, cursing, and staggered into the kitchen.

She found the room in a somewhat more chaotic state than she was used to. (Okay, not that much more chaotic, but still.) Bits and pieces of electronic junk covered every available surface. At the center of the whole mess, of course, was the Doctor with his power nerd glasses, shoving wires into a device that resembled a length of pipe topped with a satellite dish. Shinji sat in the chair next to him, completely passed out and snoring, his head face-down on the kitchen table.

Misato sighed and shook her head. First things first. "None of this junk is mine, right?"

"Right." The Doctor didn't look up. "I am capable of taking a hint every now and again, believe it or not."

"Good." She started to step towards the fridge, then changed her mind and went for the cabinet. Tonight felt like a bourbon night. "What do you have for me?"

"Yeah, just a sec. Lemme finish up the binding on these connections..." The Doctor picked up that blue-light-screwdriver thing of his.

There was a loud crash in the entryway, followed by a short burst of German profanity. "WHAT THE HELL -- WHAT IDIOT PUT THAT THERE?!"

Misato winced. "Sorry, Asuka!" she called.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Bit late for a social call, isn't it?"

"You're one to talk," Misato muttered. "I'm putting her up for the night. The hotel we had her in exploded this morning."

"'Slong as you're sure she wasn't the one doing the exploding, I suppose..." The Doctor put on a cheerful grin as the red-headed girl appeared in the doorway, sullenly dragging a wheeled suitcase behind her. "Ah, fräulein! Good evening! Didn't have too much trouble with the welcoming committee, I trust?"

"Ehh?" Asuka looked up, puzzled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, late-night student-teacher-guardian conference. Plus electronics expo," the Doctor added, glancing at the pile of components stacked on the table in front of him. Misato rolled her eyes and poured herself a triple shot.

Asuka eyed him. "Is that so..."

"S'all the rage in the Japanese educational system. Saves on classroom time. Not to mention, does wonders for the manufacturers."

"Anyway." Misato reached out and took hold of the Doctor's tie. "Asuka, make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

"Oi! Watch it! That's silk!" The Doctor said indignantly as she dragged him off into the other room.

***

Shinji was in trouble. It had all started with him being late to school because it was raining. So he'd jumped in the Eva and ran, and just managed to make it a minute or so after first bell. But now the teachers - particularly Mr. Kolke and Professor Snape - were all angry with him because the Eva didn't count as valid quidditch equipment. He was desperately trying to convince them that there wasn't any rule against giant robots (and besides, they'd let the Doctor play with the TARDIS, hadn't they?), when he suddenly realized to his horror that the headmaster was his father, and then he was falling back back back and everything was a blur of color and light and motion and...

He woke up to find himself lying on his back with his legs uncomfortably propped up on something. His head felt like someone had taken a mallet to it. He opened his eyes and found himself on the kitchen floor, his chair underneath him, its frame digging uncomfortably into his spine.