"A girl's night out," Ritsuko echoed her, sounding quite dubious about the whole idea. She had turned from her analysis desk to listen to the dark hared Major standing there before her, a little smile teasig her lips. Things around Nerv were a bit quieter after the latest of the Angel's attack, but everyone felt that it was only a momentary calm before another storm. "That's right," Misato said with a firm nod of her head, "things seem to have quieted down a little bit, so we should take the chance to go out and have some fun." She laughed softly, "Consider it a bonding experience." She smiled endearingly at the scientist, before nervously putting her hands in her jacket pockets. "And who will be going along on this mad errand?" Ritsuko asked her with a great deal of amusement in her voice. "You and I, of course," Misato answered her thoughtfully, "Rei Ayanami, Asuka Langley, and I was thinking that you could ask Maya along, too." A faint but visible blush touched the cheeks of the pretty blonde scientist as she sat right up in her chair. Ritsuko quickly asked her "Why Maya?" And with a faint frown she added, "Do you really think the Commander would approve?" "Maya could use a break, and if you make it an order, I'm sure she'll agree to go," Misato said to her cheerfully. As she was walking out, she cheerfully said over her shoulder "And we'll just not tell the commander about it." "A girl's night out?" Rei echoed her words softly, gazing calmly over at Misato with those unusual scarlet eyes of hers. Misato had flagged down the young looking Eva pilot in the base hallway, the girl still dressed in her school uniform and carrying her book bag. She occasionally wondered if Rei intentionally ran around the base in her school uniform, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Suddenly struck by a sense of deja-vu, Misato commented to her, "Yeah. It'll be fun." Rei just continued to look over at her levely, leaving Misato more than a bit stumped. Struck by an sudden inspiration she added, "As your superior officer, I'm ordering you to come along." Rei nodded to her calmly before saying emotionlessly, "All right." As Misato was walking away she was a little surprised to hear Rei softly say, "Thank you." "A girl's night out, Sempai?" a surprised Maya squeaked out. The computer specialist's cheeks showed a faint flush that she seemed to be fighting to bring under control. "Misato's pretty determined," Ritsuko said with a rueful smile on her face, "so I think we're probably stuck. I'd really appreciate it if you'd agree to come along to keep me company." She adjusted her lab coat slightly, the only sign of her nervousness that she let show. "I'd be glad too," a smiling Maya said, executing a quick bow then almost fleeing the room. 'I can't believe I'm going out with her, even if it is with other people along,' she thought to herself happily, almost running back to her station. Ritsuko watched her walk off in her form fitted technician's outfit, a little smile on her face. 'Maya really is kind of cute when she blushes like that,' she thought to herself, then she shook her head and went back to work. Struck yet again by a sense of deja-vu, Misato listened to a scowling Asuka bark at her "Girl's night out? Who's fool idea was that?" "Mine," Misato answered her, making Asuka shut up quite quickly. "We could all use a break considering how hard we've all been working," she tried using reason, "and this way you can get to know some of the others better." "Not interested," Asuka answered, keeping her scowl firmly in place. "Fine," Misato said with a shrug, "then I'm making it an order. Be ready by seven p.m." "You can't do that!" Asuka quickly protested. Misato smiled at her evily, drawling out "Wanna bet?" Before Misato could get away from her, Asuka suddenly asked her, "Is Rei coming along?" Misato just replied with a nod of her head. The old army jeep really wasn't Misato's style of vehicle, she would have much preferred to be out driving a deluxe sports car or some other stylish car. She winced slightly, remembering back when she had demolished her last one retrieving poor Shinji for Nerv. Under the circumstances, sticking with a jeep might just be safer. Ritsuko quickly claimed the more comfortable shotgun seat, while Maya quite cheerfully agreed to sit in the back seat. 'Bet she'll regret that later," she though, watching Rei and Asuka step out into the garage pointedly ignoring each other. Rei and Asuka made an interesting looking pair. Rei dressed in a plain dress, pale blue, with a white blouse. Asuka had picked out a red blouse, and dark colored slacks with her dress boots. They almost looked like they had decided together on what to wear. Struck by a moment of pure genius, she stuck Maya in between the two of them, in the hopes she could keep them from killing each other before they finally reached their destination. The seating arrangements made, she climbed into the driver's seat, started up the engine, and they were off. Misato drove them into the city of Tokyo-3 the way she drove anywhere else: completely recklessly and with an utter disregard for anyone else. Many of the cars decided on the better part of valor and actually pulled over to get out of their way. Ritsuko held on to the battered dashboard in a white knuckled grip, and after taking just a moment to look behind her she noticed that Maya and Asuka were in a similar state. Of course, Rei just sat there looking purely calm, utterly unruffled by the speed and reckless driving that was filling the rest of them with pure terror. "So where are we actually going?" Ritsuko managed to shout at Misato over the sound of the wind rushing by them. Misato quite calmly turned in her seat, and completely away from her view of the road ahead! Ritsuko went even paler, even as Misato cheerfully explained to her "I heard about a new club that just opened, and I though it'd be a fun place to go." Asuka squeaked softly, watching wide eyed as the vehicle beared down on them. She finally managed to get out, "Truck!" Misato turned back to the road and with a twist of the wheel got them out of danger. Asuka slumped back in her seat in relief. She blinked a bit in surprise when she noticed the normally deadpan Rei giving her a sympathetic glance. A shaking Ritsuko turned back to Maya, whom she noticed was slumped back in her seat, sweatdropping. 'I'm sorry,' she mouthed to her, and Maya managed to weakly smile back at her. The jeep suddenly jerked to a stop, causing Ritsuko to blurt out "Did we hit something?" Misato gave a soft scoffing noise, "No, we're here. And I've never had an accident." Rei calmly asked her, "What about your sports car?" Asuka grinned, and had to fight the urge to laugh at the irritated look on Misato's face. "Way to go, Wondergirl," she said under her breath to Rei. "That wasn't my fault!" Misato quickly protested. "I was being shot at by the military at the time," she grumbled softly. Maya looked up at the older building, an odd expression on her face. "Arisugawa's Locket?" she said softly. She frowned a bit, "What kind of club is this?" "I dunno," a smiling Misato admitted, "but it sure looks interesting." She grabbed Asuka's and Maya's arms, "Lets go in and check it out." Ritsuko and Rei followed, Ritsuko sighing softly as she said, "Let's just hope we can keep her out of trouble." "I rather doubt it," was Rei's quiet reply. The young woman at the door looked them over a moment before nodding and opening the inner doorway. "Have a good time, ladies," she said quite cheerfully. They walked down a short, dark hallway to emerge into a brightly lit larger room. A long bar stretched along one wall, a nice sized dance floor was nearby and a set of tables was on the other side of it. A small library wasn't very far past the dance floor, and the light above the closed door of the karaoke room indicated it was occupied. Misato made a beeline to the bar, while Ritsuko and the others followed a bit more slowly behind her. "Is it me," Maya asked Ritsuko quite nervously, "or are there no men in here?" "It's not just you," Asuka said grimly, having overheard the question. They quickly reached Misato's side, where she was singing the rhapsodies of the well stocked bar. "I can't believe you have so many varieties of beer!" Misato explained to the oddly dressed, blue-gray hared lady bartender. "I prefer drinking sake myself," Ryouko admitted to her, "but the boss likes to keep the place well stocked." She smiled over at the other four, "What can I get you?" Ritsuko quickly took charge, "Sake for me, pop for these two," she said, gesturing to Rei and Asuka, and she looked over at Maya, "what would you like?" "Sake for me, too," was Maya's shy reply. "You do realize," Ritsuko said to Misato once they had settled down at a table, "that there's no one but women in here?" Misato looked around her thoughtfully before finally admitting, "No, I hadn't noticed. I guess I was concentrating on all the beers." Ritsuko, Maya, and Asuka faceplanted at that, while Rei just sat there calmly drinking her glass of pop. Misato smiled, "Good, at least we don't have to worry about guys picking us up while drunk." "We just have to worry about girl's picking us up, instead," Rei calmly observed. She didn't sound very bothered by the idea, just stating a fact. "If you're really worried about it," Misato said, rolling her eyes, "you four can just pretend to be couples. Maya, you're here with Ritsuko so Rei, you be with Asuka." The newly formed couples reacted quite differently; strangely, both Ritsuko and Maya blushed fiercely, while Asuka looked at Rei with obvious hostility. Rei returned the gaze coolly, but a little smile seemed to tug at her lips. "I suppose it could work," a sullen Asuka finally admitted. Rei picked up her chair and shifted it over to sit at Asuka's side. "What are you doing?" Asuka whispered. "A couple would sit together," was Rei's deadpan answer. She sat beside Asuka at the table, her body turned slightly to more easily hear anything Asuka said. From the outside, she seemed the perfect, attentive girlfriend. "She's got a point," Maya admitted, and she and Ritsuko shuffled around a bit to sit nearer to each other. She bumped Ritsuko's arm, and smiled up at her shyly even as a flash seemed to snake up her body. 'This is going to be a long night,' Maya thought. Misato looked at Rei and Asuka's drinks with a fierce frown, "Who ordered those for you?" Before Ritsuko could try and speak up, Misato flagged down a passing barmaid. The tall girl wore a maids outfit, a discreetly placed nametag identifying her as May. "What can I get you folks?" she asked cheerfully. "A round of beer, please," Misato said to May with a grin. She watched the girl walk off, her hips gently swaying, and noticed the looks she was getting from the other four. "What?" she asked, adding "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." The beers were delivered, and Misato planted one can of beer each right in from of Asuka and Rei. "But I don't drink," Rei protested calmly. She received a fierce look from Misato, so she picked it up and delicately took a sip. Asuka took a larger gulp, and made a face at the taste. "I think I prefer the pop," Asuka admitted with a little shudder. "I'm surrounded by wimps," Misato complained bitterly. She eyes lit up when she saw a out of the way sign, "Hey, they've got karaoke!" "Oh god, kill me now," Ritsuko groaned, knowing the horror that was awaiting them. Rei took another drink of her beer, burping slightly. At everyone's somewhat startled looks she actually blushed a bit, "Sorry." Misato all but dragged them into the karaoke room, shut the door behind them, and then she took the stage. Quickly demonstrating a complete inability to carry a tune, the group patiently sat through two of her songs before pulling Misato off stage by force. Maya's turn was next, and the blushingly took her place behind the microphone. 'This is for you, Sempai,' Maya thought, and picked out a sweet, romantic tune. The music began, and she softly sang, "This rose is our destiny..." Ritsuko found herself leaning forward, her eyes closed as she listened to her sing. 'So beautiful,' she thought, 'I didn't know she had it in her.' She looked at the shy young woman singing up on the stage, and felt proud of her bravery, as well as her voice. "She's really good," Asuka admitted to Rei thoughtfully. "Are you going to take a turn next?" she asked her thoughtfully. In a much more cheery tone of voice than Asuka had ever heard her use, Rei happily answered, "Sure, why not!" Asuka turned to look at her quickly. Rei's cheeks were flushed, a empty can sitting neatly at her feet and a open one in her hand. She was actually smiling, her red eyes sparkling as she watched Maya sing. As soon as Maya finished, Rei hopped to her feet, swaying slightly. "My turn," Rei said cheerfully, and with a bit of guidance made it to the stage. She smiled widely picking out her song before starting it up. "I'm surprised only two beers would do that to her," Ritsuko said to Misato quietly, so that the girls couldn't hear them. "Maybe she's never drank before?" Misato answered her with a shrug, before taking another long drink of her own can of beer. Asuka squirmed a bit uncomfortably in her seat as Rei looked at her intensely from the stage. She'd been doing it to her all through the song, but now she seemed to put it up a notch as she was working to the song's conclusion. "You are all I long for, all I worship, and adore," Rei sweetly sang, smiling warmly at Asuka, who only sweatdropped a bit in reply. Deciding they'd all had quite enough karaoke after that, they headed back out into the bar itself. Asuka carefully guided Rei over to the couches by the library, noticing how much Rei was swaying with some concern. 'God, she really can't hold her liquor,' she thought wryly. She sat down, and Rei flopped down beside her, laying her head on Asuka's shoulder. As soon as she felt Rei lean against her, Asuka stiffened, before finally hissing to her, "What do you think you're doing?" There was no answer, and she looked over to see why. Rei's eyes were closed, her body limp, and Asuka heard what almost sounded like a little snore coming from her fellow Eva pilot. 'Out like a light,' an astonished Asuka thought, a little smile on her face. She eased an arm up, gently putting it over Rei's shoulders. Misato had disappeared somewhere out on the dance floor, leaving Maya and Ritsuko sitting together at one of the dining tables, watching the goings on around them wide-eyed. Maya watched two young women dancing together, their bodies nearly melded into one, and for a moment wished she was out there. Ritsuko saw the blush on Maya's cheeks and wondered what she was thinking about. She looked at the boyish young woman and wished she was out dancing with her, not sitting at this table watching the party go by. Finally having drunk enough Dutch courage, Maya stood up and offered Ritsuko her hand. "Would you like to dance?" she asked, her voice only cracking a little with nervousness. A smile lit up Ritsuko's face, before she let Maya gently pull her to her feet. "I'd love to," she sighed happily, relaxing into Maya's arms. Misato stumbled off the dance floor, smiling broadly. She'd been groped out there twice, by different ladies! She was about to track down Ritsuko to gloat to her about it when she noticed her out on the dance floor swaying with Maya to a slow song. "About time they did something," she remarked to nobody in particular. Misato looked around, noticed Asuka and Rei sitting together on the couch, and almost had to sigh at how cute they looked together. 'Odd, but cute,' she thought. Deciding to return to her first love, Misato returned to the bar for more beer. As she was ordering, a quiet voice commented, "I didn't think I'd ever meet a woman who could keep up with me drinking beer," Misato turned, the woman grinned at her before adding, "I guess I was wrong." "And who might you be?" Misato asked the brown hared woman curiously. "Priss," the rocker said with a sexy smile. "Misato," she answered, and gently tapped her can up against Priss' own. Author's Notes: Well, this is my first major excursion into Rei/Asuka and Maya/Ritsuko shoujo-ai. Hopefully, it didn't totally suck. Started out as a little scene in my Arisugawa's Locket series, and I wanted to explain how, exactly, they got there. Let me know what you think!
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