They left the hospital quietly, all five considering what they
had learned up in Shinji's room. Misato sighed softly, noting the sun
beginning to fall behind the buildings, "I could use a beer."
"How did I know you were going to say that," Ritsuko smirked.
"You do know me pretty well," Misato admitted with a slight
smile. She noticed a neon sign advertising a bar and blinked,
wondering how come she hadn't seen it before. "Well, isn't that
interesting," she murmured, pointing it out to the others.
Almost as soon as Maya saw the glowing neon sign reading
'Arisugawa's Locket' she went oddly pale, something Ritsuko quickly
noticed. She gently put her hand on the girl's arm and asked, "Are you
all right?"
"I'm fine," Maya blushed, looking down.
"Let's get a drink in there," a grinning Misato suggested.
"No!" Maya blurted out. Everyone looked at her curiously, and
the fiercely blushing woman said, "It's a lesbian club. Some friends
brought me here, right after I moved back to Tokyo."
"I don't mind," Misato shrugged. She looked over at Asuka and
Rei, "Any problems?"
"I guess not," Asuka said tentatively, while Rei shrugged.
"Ritsuko?" Misato asked, a little smile on her face.
Ritsuko felt Maya's eyes on her, and turned slightly to see
Maya looking up at her hopefully. "All right," she smiled.
"Let's go," Misato lead the way.
The dark haired door woman and bouncer gave them an quickly
assessing glance before waving them on inside. They went down a dark
hallway into a far larger room, probably converted from a warehouse. A
bustling dance floor, dining tables, a busy bar, karaeoke stage and
even a library were contained in the massive room.
"Hello," the brown haired woman who was oddly dressed in a
school girl's uniform smiled up at them, "welcome to Arisugawa's
Locket."
Misato took charge, "Hi, this is our first time here."
Hitomi noticed Maya standing in the background and smiled
slightly, "I think you've visited before, haven't you?"
"Yes, once," a blushing Maya blinked, a bit surprised at the
girl's memory.
"Too bad you didn't come by again," Hitomi said teasingly,
"there were several young ladies asking about you the night after your
visit."
Maya, if it was possible, went an even brighter shade of red.
"We'd better move on before she faints," Misato said with a
laugh, leading the others deeper into the bar itself. 'Maya sure looks
cute when she blushes like that,' Misato thought, wondering if Ritsuko
had noticed it too.
'God, Maya's cute,' Ritsuko thought. It was strange, she had
just thought that Maya's crush on her was a younger woman's
idolization of her superior. But if Maya really was a lesbian, it shed
a whole different light on the situation.
"Interesting," Rei noted, watching the women dancing together.
She looked up at Asuka and softly asked her, "Could we try that
later?"
Asuka flushed. 'She doesn't understand quite what she's
saying,' she mused, watching two of the girls nearly making out there
on the dance floor. Her voice just a bit strangled Asuka managed to
get out, "Sure."
Misato watched the two of them together, and wondered if they
were aware of the unconscious cues they were sending out. Even their
clothes sent a strong message, Rei's more feminine dress and blouse
along side Asuka's boyish long shirt and slacks.
Pushing their way through the crowd at the bar, one of the two
bartenders quickly made her way over. Both women were nearly alike,
sexy blue haired young women, the only really differences being their
clothing and the scars that one girl carried on each cheek.
"Hi, I'm Ryouko. What can I get you folks?" the unscarred
woman asked coolly.
"Beer in a can," Misato smiled.
"Sake," Ritsuko ordered, quickly echoed by Maya.
Asuka looked over at Rei thoughtfully, "Two ginger ales,
please."
"Here or at a table?" Ryouko asked, and Ritsuko tentatively
said table. With both speed and real grace Ryouko prepared a tray, two
bottles of sake with cups, the can of beer, and two ginger ales in
shining glasses. "Hey, May! Help these folks get to a table!"
The tall, busty brown haired woman took up the tray and
swiftly broke through the crowd, leaving a trail for them to follow.
She brought them to a table and set the drinks down, never spilling a
drop. "If you want something to eat later," May beamed, "just ask."
"Thank you," Maya smiled as the woman rushed off to serve
someone else.
Misato pulled out a seat and flopped down, popping her can of
beer smoothly. She raised it to her lips and chugged before sighing,
"The nectar of life!"
Maya stepped up to one of the seats and pulled it out before
smiling at Ritsuko, "Would you care to sit down?"
Ritsuko hesitated a moment before smiling, "I'd be glad to."
Maya pushed the seat in behind Ritsuko gently before taking her own
right beside her.
Asuka watched them with a slight smile before murmuring, "When
in Rome." She held a seat out for Rei, and the young woman sat down
gracefully.
"Thank you," Rei gave Asuka another one of those gentle
smiles.
"You're welcome," Asuka smiled back before sitting down beside
her.
Misato gave them some time for the pouring of sake and sipping
of drinks before saying, "I hate to bring up business, but what's the
status of the EVAs?"
"EVA 00 is fully operational," Ritsuko said, "and EVA 02 will
be ready in a few days."
"That fast?" Misato blinked in surprise.
"The crews have been getting their acts together," Ritsuko
smiled slightly, "and my assistant has been a great help getting the
technical skills we needed."
Maya blushed, "It wasn't that much, sempai."
"Oh yes it was," Ritsuko exchanged a sly smile with Misato,
"that's why you're going to be getting promoted."
"What?" Maya squeaked.
"Congratulations," Asuka reached across to slap Maya on the
back.
Somewhat more hesitantly Rei did the same to her before
quietly asking Asuka, "Was that the right thing to do?"
"Pretty much," Asuka agreed.
Misato stood up and waved, quickly catching the attention of
what initially looked like a young man dressed in a suit. It was only
until she got nearer that the swell of breasts and a face too pretty
to be a boy's became obvious. "A round for the table on me," Misato
grinned at her, "in celebration of our friend's promotion!"
Keiko smiled, "Coming right up!" She was back in moments,
carrying a tray of fresh drinks for them all and a cupcake with a
candle in it. At their questioning looks she shrugged, "Sasami sent it
out, for the celebration."
"Thank you," Ritsuko smiled, setting the cupcake in front of
Maya.
As Ritsuko encouraged Maya to blow the candle out in the
background Misato asked Rei and Asuka, "How are things going on the
simulators?"
"I'm wining," was Rei's deadpan answer.
"When we've practiced together we work remarkably well," Asuka
elaborated, "I think our coordination may even beat what I achieved
with Shinji."
"Good to know," Misato sat back with a sigh, "I don't think
we'll need to mobilize the EVAs any time soon, but we should be
ready."
"We will be," Asuka vowed softly.
A slower song had come on, and Rei gently tugged on Asuka's
shirt before nodding to the dance floor, "Do you think we could try?"
Asuka gulped softly, "All right."
The two young women slid out of their chairs and stepped out
onto the dance floor together. They danced awkwardly to start with,
but they quickly found their rhythm. Rei was cradled close in Asuka's
arms, her stance both protective and romantic, somehow.
Misato watched Maya and Ritsuko watching the two of them
enviously, hoping they might take a hint. "Why don't you to take a
turn out there?" Misato finally had to suggest quietly, "In honor of
Maya's promotion, maybe."
Maya rose from her seat, "May I have this dance?"
"Please," Ritsuko took the hand, letting herself be pulled out
into the dance.
Once they were gone Misato had to shake her head at the
general denseness of all concerned before muttering, "Baka.".
Author's Note: Arisugawa's Locket is my x-over bar series, and is part
of the same continuity as this series. The characters from the Locket
are: Hitomi from Escaflowne the Movie, Ryouko, Minagi and Sasami from
Tenchi Muyo, May from Hand Maid May, and Keiko from Revolutionary Girl
Utena.
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