[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Stacy Rowe, Evangelion Pilot

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Introduction

It is with great pleasure that I present this crossover Fan Fiction. This fanfic crosses over my two favorite animated series: MTV's Daria and Neon Genesis: Evangelion. Both are great shows with excellent animation and interesting characters.

Neon Genesis: Evangelion is one of the most popular Japanese Animes in America today. The story takes place in the year 2015. In the year 2000, a being known as the First Angel, or Adam, attacks the continent of Antarctica and causes it to melt in an event known as Second Impact. The rising water levels bury most of everything south of the equator beneath the sea. Then in the year 2015, the Third Angel attacks (don't ask me where the second one went to, I don't know) the city of Tokyo-3 in Japan. Tokyo-3 is the home of NERV, an organization dedicated to defeating the beings known as the Angels and preventing a probable Third Impact from happening.

Enter fourteen year old Shinji Ikari. Shinji's estranged father is the C-in-C of NERV and has called Shinji to Tokyo-3 for a job opportunity. But before he can get there, the Third Angel attacks. It is only through the rescue of Misato Katsuragi, NERV's Director of Operations, that Shinji survives and is transported to NERV. (Episode 1: "Angel Attack")

At NERV HQ, Shinji finds out exactly why his father summoned him, as he stares a gigantic robot (or at least, that's what it seems to be) known as Evangelion, or Eva, in the face. He is to pilot the Eva and use it to defeat the Angel in hand to hand combat. After a terrible battle, Shinji defeats the Angel. (Episode 2: "Unfamiliar Ceiling")

Soon afterward, Shinji is joined by two fourteen year old girls with their Evas: the mysterious and introverted Rei Ayanami (who reminds me of Andrea; Episode 5: "Rei I: Beyond her Heart"), and the loud-mouthed, whiney, and competitive Asuka Langley Soryu. (Episode 8: "Asuka Strikes." Hey Daria fans! Who does that remind you of?)

MTV's Daria is a critically acclaimed animated series about a brainy teenage girl who uses her wit and cynicism to keep idiot teenagers away. Unlike most girls, Daria believes in intelligence over looks, and blunt honesty over phoniness. She's sort of a female Holden Caufield for the new millennium. However, this story will not feature her.

The Daria character that this story is centered upon is a girl named Stacy Rowe. Stacy is a member of Lawndale High's Fashion Club, the club that Daria's sister is in. She is dreadfully insecure, neurotic, and conformist. She is best known for her panic attacks, which often lead to hyperventilating. Her most memorable episodes are 111 "The Road Worrier", 208 "Gifted", 210 "Fair Enough", and 305 "Daria Dance Party". While Stacy is technically one of Daria's antagonists, she has developed a cult following with Daria fans. I personally think that she has more to offer than the show gives her credit for, and I've tried to show that in previous fanfics, along with many other Daria fanfic authors. As a result, we now have TV Stacy and Fanfic Stacy. Fanfic Stacy is a lot like Manga Shinji in that she tends to have more brains and backbone than her TV counterpart. However, I'm going to be using TV Stacy as my character template… at least at first.

In this crossover fic, Stacy is the Fourth Child that can pilot an Eva, and the designated pilot of Evangelion Unit 03. This story also deviates from the storylines of both shows, as Daria isn't set in 2015, Stacy's fourteen, and nothing goes wrong with Unit 03. This story also is more of a "sitcom/soap opera" rather than an action story, which means the Angel arc will take a back seat to the characters.

One last thing. A personal message to John Berry: I stole some of your dialogue from My Quinn's Delayed Reaction again. I'm sorry, but I was reading a draft and it just popped into my head, and I had to use it. Think of it as a reference or an in-joke, if you want.

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Chapter 1:

The Fourth Child

"I wish it wasn't black," sighed Stacy Rowe, Fourth Child of the Marduke Institute and designated pilot of Evangelion Unit 03. She was at the airport, watching the plane-her plane-land with the hundred fifty foot robot attached to the underbelly of the jet. Of all the colors you could paint an Eva, she would have preferred aqua, or maybe lavender, but black? Gross!

Beside her, Sandi Griffin, her friend since elementary school and President of The Fashion Club, squinted critically at Unit 03. "Actually, I don't think it's black. It looks more like onyx. And onyx is so in these days."

Stacy's face lit up. "Really?"

Sandi nodded confidently. "So how long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I don't know. Until this whole Angel invasion thing is over with, I guess. Maybe longer, I don't know."

"I hope you come back soon. I don't know who we're going to get as interim secretary for The Fashion Club."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find somebody."

A voice came over the PA. "Stacy Rowe: please report to gate 12."

Stacy picked up her bag. "Well, that's my flight."

"Uh-huh. Call me when you get there, okay?"

Stacy tittered. It was halfway around the world! "Okay. Bye, Sandi." Impulsively, she hugged her friend. Sandi, uncomfortable with this display of affection, stiffened and then slowly patted her friend on the back.

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Major Misato Katsuragi gazed at the sky from the edge of the runway. The jet carrying the Fourth Child-and Eva Unit 03-was due to land any minute, now. For herself, Misato couldn't wait to acquire the Eva. The Philadelphia class Evangelion was the most advanced ever, and Misato was looking forward to watching it in action. With this Eva assigned to her detachment, the Angels wouldn't stand a chance.

Beside her Shinji Ikari, designated pilot of Eva Unit 01 and the Third Child, sighed. Misato looked at him. "Nervous, Shinji?" she asked.

"No. Well, actually… yes… a little," replied Shinji.

Misato smiled at him. "There's nothing to worry about. Stacy's a very nice girl. I met her about six months ago. She's very easy to talk to. I'm sure you'll get along."

Behind Misato and Shinji, the rest of the entourage-NERV's director of Technology and Development, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi; the other two pilots, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu; Shinji's friends, Touji Suzahara and Kensuke Aida; and Asuka's best friend, Hikari Horaki-also awaited the arrival of the Fourth Child. "Looking forward to meeting your new roommate, Rei?" asked Ritsuko.

"Yes, ma'am," deadpanned Rei.

"You sound thrilled," said Asuka sarcastically. "I'm sure you and she will be great friends, assuming she's had a lobotomy."

"If I'm ordered to be friends with her, then I will do it," replied Rei.

"Don't be like that, Rei!" said Hikari. "It's your duty to at least try to get to know her. You'll be living with her, after all."

Touji frowned. "You make it sound so easy, don't you, class rep? Like Rei can just warm to anybody! For all you know, the new pilot could be as shy and introverted as Rei is!"

"Then they ought to get along just fine," retorted Hikari. She and Asuka smiled at each other. "Ja!" they cried.

"What he's trying to say," said Kensuke, "is just because people are roommates doesn't mean they like each other. Look at Asuka and Shinji."

"What?" Asuka shrilled. "Leave me out of this, you pre-pubescent piglet!"

Ritsuko covered her ears as the verbal battle royal escalated.

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On the plane, Stacy adjusted her A-10 Interface Head Set nesting at the roots of her pigtails. The Interface Head Set was designed specifically for connecting her A-10 nerves-the nerves that produced pleasure sensations throughout the body-directly to her Evangelion. With this type of connection, Stacy could send orders directly and efficiently to the robot with a mere thought. However, the side effect was that she always felt the robot's pain as if it were her own, making her vulnerable to whatever damages the Eva sustained. But there was one thing that they hadn't thought of when they designed the head sets, but everyone in The Fashion Club had immediately noticed.

The A-10 Interfaces made great barrettes.

She was also wearing her plug suit, which again was designed to be worn while piloting, and did all sorts of scientific stuff. But the most important of all of the gizmos on the aqua colored plug suit was the button on her left wrist. The button, when pressed, would compress all of the air out between the suit and her body, improving her bust. The bigger the better/the tighter the sweater! There might be boys waiting to meet her, and Stacy did not plan to disappoint.

As the plane landed, Stacy looked out the window and gasped. There were boys out there! Three of them. And two of them actually looked cute. Quickly, the pigtailed brunette leafed through her Waif magazine for the perfect glamour pose. Then she got up from her seat, and went forth to break some hearts.

As she moved down the escalating stairwell, Stacy watched her success unfold as the tall jock and mousy geek drooled all over her. At least it was going well, until the brunette that was about her age smacked the jock across the back of her head. There must be something going on with those two, she realized. So the tall one was definitely out. Stacy's personal policy was not to interfere with couples.

Stacy looked at the cute-looking brown haired boy. It was all she could do to keep her glamour pose up. Not a single reaction! It was almost as if she were ordinary looking on her best day! Was she ordinary looking on her best day, to him? The idea that a guy wasn't drooling over her was sort of frightening in a way.

Her best reaction, however, came from the sandy-haired boy. The kid with the glasses' tongue was practically hanging out as he drank in her image. Oh well, thought Stacy. One out of three. That was par for her. Briefly she eyed the competition.

To the left of the brown-haired boy was a tall redhead. Not a strawberry blonde like Quinn, but a long haired auburn beauty, with bright blue eyes. The expression she wore on her cheeky face was one of defiance, as if she were issuing some kind of challenge toward her. Not that Stacy ever accepted challenges if she could help it.

To the right of the boy was a girl who was the redhead's exact opposite, yet no less pretty. Her hair was short-cropped and dyed blue, which framed a narrow face with well-defined features. She held herself with quiet dignity, and her red eyes (presumably from contact lenses) were serious and cool. It was from this exotic beauty that Stacy expected the most competition. After all, she could make even the Goth fad look good!

Stacy spied the familiar purple-black haired woman at the front at the front of the group and waved. "Hi Misato!" she greeted the Director of Operations.

"Hi, Stacy," Misato greeted her. "You've grown some, haven't you?"

Stacy's stomach gave a violent jump. She swallowed. "You don't think I look…awkward, do you?"

Misato laughed. "Of course not! You look just fine, really!"

Stacy looked past her at the cute boy and nearly wilted on the spot as his frown deepened. What if Misato's lying? What if I am really awkward?

As Stacy reached the landing, Misato grasped her arm in a firm handshake. "Let me introduce you to your fellow pilots." Stacy's heart began to pound as she took her directly before the cute one. Please, don't let me hyperventilate! Not now! Anytime but now!

"Stacy, meet Shinji Ikari, the pilot of Unit 01," Misato introduced him.

This was Shinji Ikari? The Shinji Ikari? In spite of herself, Stacy's breath began to come out in short, labored gasps. Get a hold of yourself, Stacy! She hastily stuck out her hand.

"Wow! I mean… wow! You're Shinji Ikari? I mean… can I have your autograph?" she blurted. Good one, Stacy. Why don't you just puke on him, while you're at it?

Shinji's eyes softened, and he slowly began to blush as he took her hand. It was warm and moist with sweat. "Well… I was sort of g-going to ask f-for yours," he stammered.

Stacy's jaw dropped. "Huh?"

"Oh, don't be so modest!" exclaimed Misato cheerfully. "Everyone knows you only took three months to synch with Eva Unit 03! That's half the time it usually takes!"

"Yeah," said Stacy. "B-but, Shinji synched with his the first time he ever got into it."

"Well he's…a special case," Misato explained hastily. "Come on, let me introduce you to the rest." She gestured to the redhead. "This is Asuka Langley Soryu, pilot of Unit 02."

The first thing that Stacy noticed about Asuka was the A-10 nerve interfaces holding her hair back. Stacy's face lit up. She had great fashion sense! They were going to get along just fine.

However, when Stacy extended her hand, Asuka broke into laughter. "Oh please! Why are you using the interfaces as barrettes? And what's with the pigtails? You look like a sailor scout! What an idiot!"

Oh no! She doesn't like me! Without even thinking, she yanked the nerve connectors out of her hair and began undoing her pigtails, trying to put her hair down. "Yeah, I look like a sailor scout," she tittered nervously, flipping her hair. Shinji's friends promptly went into another spasm of drooling and rushed up to her.

"Hello, Pilot Rowe!" said the one with the glasses. "I'm Kensuke Aida! I'm Shinji's best friend!"

The jock shoved Kensuke out of the way. "Don't listen to him! I'm Touji Suzahara, and I'm Shinji's best friend. I'm also captain of the basketball team!"

"You're Shinji's best friend? You beat him up after school the first day he arrived!" cried Kensuke.

"Well you almost got him killed when you made me sneak out of the shelter with you to watch Shinji fight!"

"Stacy, please give me your phone number!" cried Kensuke.

"No, give it to me!" begged Touji.

In front of her, Asuka's eyes widened, and then narrowed as she bared her teeth. Abruptly, she turned on her and began to stalk away, all the while yelling, "Two of them! Now I have to put up with two of them! I don't believe this!"

Touji and Kensuke ceased fighting and stared along with Stacy at Asuka's retreating form as she began to swear in German.

"Don't pay any attention to Asuka," said Misato. "She's just like that, sometimes."

"Sometimes?" repeated Touji incredulously. "How about all the time!"

Misato continued down the line. "Stacy, this will be your class representative, Hikari Horaki."

Stacy shook hands with the brunette. "Welcome to Tokyo-3," said Hikari simply.

"Thanks," Stacy smiled. "It… it's good to be here. I think."

In spite of herself, Hikari laughed. Stacy felt a warmth spreading across her cheeks. God! Three for three! This has to be the most embarrassing day of my life!

Misato gestured to the blue haired girl. Stacy shuddered. If Asuka had been bad, how would this one react? "This will be your new roommate. Meet Rei Ayanami, the pilot of Unit 00."

As Stacy took the girls hand, she looked her directly in the eye. The red contact lenses made it a bit uncomfortable, but she was determined not to show fear this time, as she knew that this would be the Sandi to her Quinn.

However, Stacy was pleasantly surprised when the girl simply returned her gaze and followed it up with a warm smile that didn't reveal her teeth. Without even realizing what was happening, Stacy returned her smile. She suddenly felt a sense that she had never felt in her fourteen years. It was a feeling of welcome, a feeling of belonging, and a feeling of unconditional acceptance. More than anything, though, she felt confident. She felt that Tokyo-3 was her home, had always been her home, and would always be her home, and while at home, there was nothing-Angel or otherwise-that could stop her. Then, suddenly, wordlessly, Rei and Stacy broke their handclasp, and she was just plain old insecure Stacy Rowe again. Meanwhile, Misato looked on, her eyes wide in astonishment.

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Stacy sat on the passenger's side of the car in the back seat. To her right and in the middle was Rei, as well as Touji on the driver's side. In the front seat was Kensuke, and driving them all was Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.

Kensuke twisted around in the front seat to focus his camera in on her. "Wow, Stacy! Your Eva is the coolest I've ever seen! I bet you can't wait to get inside and start blowing up those Angels!"

Stacy's stomach gave a violent jump. "Angels?" she repeated weakly. Of all the things she had on her mind, combat was the last thing that she wanted to think about. She didn't like to fight. Couldn't they all see that?

"Actually, I'm sure Stacy would much rather get to her quarters and rest," said Ritsuko. "I imagine she's tired out from that long flight from the United States. Right, Stacy?"

"Uh-huh," agreed Stacy. "Yeah… really tired."

"You're going to love our school, Stacy!" said Touji. "You'll be the prettiest girl there!"

Stacy began to blush. "Um… thanks."

Kensuke scowled at Touji. "Yeah, Stacy. And with a personality like yours, you'll be the most popular girl in school before you know it! I can just picture Asuka eating her heart out over you!"

"Kensuke's right," added Ritsuko. "Being an Eva pilot means instant popularity, from what I've heard. It'll be just like Lawndale."

"Umm… yeah… just like Lawndale," fidgeted Stacy.

"You don't like being the center of attention, do you?" The voice was soft, feathery. It was a gentle tone, one of polite inquisitiveness. Rei had spoken at last. And she had spoken to her.

Old memories flooded Stacy's conscious. She was five years old. She was standing in the kitchen, staring out into the living room and watching her mother talk with Mrs. Blum-Deckler, Tiffany's mom. She felt an overwhelming urge to go be with Mommy. She calmly and deliberately walked into the living room toward her mother. She climbed up onto her lap, turned her cheek into her breast, and promptly went to sleep, content with the knowledge that all was well.

"Goodness! She does enjoy being the center of attention, doesn't she?" said Mrs. Blum-Deckler.

"No, that's not it at all. She just enjoys being with me. I don't think she even knew we were talking about her."

"You're so lucky, Ellen. I wish my daughter had been chosen to be an Eva pilot…"

Stacy regarded Rei. "How do you… I mean, what makes you think…"

"You seemed uncomfortable," stated Rei. "Was I wrong?"

"Well no, actually, now that you mention it, but…" she trailed off as she looked at the blue haired girl, her face lined with earnest. Stacy definitely was going to have to reevaluate her. It seemed less and less likely that she was going to be that competitor that she had thought. It was almost a relief, though. Curiously, she wondered what kind of place she lived in. It was probably really bright, with pastel colored walls…

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This place is a dump! thought Stacy as she surveyed Rei's-and her-apartment. The noise from the construction gangs was barely muffled through the paper-thin, grimy walls. Over on an antiquated ice-box sat an upside-down glass and pitcher of water with algae floating in it and who knew just what else. Trash littered the floor. But the worst, the sickest part of the whole room, was the gauze with caked dried blood sitting in boxes. Ew! I've seen bachelor pads better kept than this!

Rei went into the closet and got out a sleeping bag. "I will take this. You may use the bed."

"Well, you d-don't have to u-use the sleeping bag, Rei. I mean, it's your place, you know."

"This is your home, as well. I'm used to sleeping on the floor. But I think you are more accustomed to beds."

Stacy giggled nervously. "Yeah. Thanks. Do you mind if I use your phone? I'd like to make a call."

"Phone?" Rei repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, you know, phone, you use it to call pee…pull…" she trailed off as Rei stared at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. "Ooo-kay. No phone." First Item on the agenda: Look for phone sockets; get a phone.

"We should go to sleep now," Rei decided. "We will have to go to school tomorrow."

"School?" repeated Stacy. Talking to Rei was making her brain exhausted. Then, the statement managed to process itself. "Oh right! Yeah, school," she tittered. Then her stomach gave a violent jump. "Being an Eva pilot means instant popularity, from what I've heard. It'll be just like Lawndale," said Ritsuko.

God help me, thought Stacy as she got into bed. She turned her cheek into her pillow as Rei turned out the lights.

Stacy promptly started screaming.

Rei turned the light back on to see Stacy's quaking form curled up into a fetal position. "What?" asked Rei.

Stacy bolted upward. "Nightmares…Sandi…chasing me…chainsaw…going to kill me!"

Rei once again moved toward the lamp. "No, Rei!" screamed Stacy. "Don't turn out the light!" Rei looked at Stacy. Her glistening eyes were wide with horror, and she was visibly trembling as she clutched the bed sheets with an iron grip.

Rei walked over to her and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You fear the monsters of the dark, but the truth is that they are merely creations of your own psyche, and they will only control you for as long as you allow them to."

"Huh?" said Stacy. What is she talking about?

Seeing that she needed further reassurance, Rei continued. "You won't die, Stacy. I'll be here to protect you." She once again moved toward the lamp. "Good night, Stacy."

The darkness once again came toward her, trying to smother her, but Stacy realized that if she cried out again, Rei would get angry, and she didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with her. But the nightmares always find me… in the dark…

Hastily, she pulled her thoughts away from that direction. Instead she began to focus on the blue-haired girl who was now her roommate. Rei Ayanami. She's not a bad person.

"You won't die, Stacy."

In fact, she reminds me of my mother, before… it was at that moment that she fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.

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Rei glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Two in the morning. Only four more hours until school. As she gazed at the sleeping form of Pilot Rowe, she couldn't help but wonder why she had been so concerned with her well-being.

"You won't die. I'll be here to protect you." I've only used those words one other time in my life. Only for Shinji. Until now. But what am I protecting her from? Am I protecting her from herself? And how would I do that?

Rei contemplated these questions long into the night.

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Commercial Hell

Coming Soon whereever Daria-fics are posted: Otherwise Known as Quinn the Great
Quinn Morgendorffer is Daria's sister; a whiny, snotty brat who has been a thorn in Daria's side since the day she was born. But is that the whole story? Maybe not! What about her growing friendship with Jane Lane, Daria's best friend? And what about that guy Matthew?

Coming Soon: The Evangelion Original Fan Fiction Series # 4, Shinji's Girlfriend
With Eva Unit 03 nearing completion, NERV is hard pressed to find qualified pilots. One such candidate is Katty O'Malley. However, it becomes painfully apparent to Asuka and Rei that she's after more than an Evangelion...

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Chapter 2