Standard Disclaimer

Life has not been very kind to me lately, hence the delay in new stories. I paused the idea of a three chapter more dark story due to mental health issues. Depression sucks, work is being overly demanding, social circle is going on fire...just a lot of bad lately. But I press on. Not my best work so far with this one, but it has potential.

X-X

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Chapter – 1

It wasn't often, but Shinji hated it when he had to ride the bus to school. Typically the result of a drunken Misato night keeping him up late or tending to her in the morning made it so his leisurely stroll to the campus had to be shunted. Some days Misato was nice enough to drive him, those days counted in the sub tens. Misato was just not a morning person. Now he wasn't opposed to motorized vehicles, his trauma in Misato's Renault aside, it was just the bus had a small problem.

"Hime-sama! Sit next to me! I had an omelet for breakfast, what did you have!?" and numerous other shrill yells filled the bus. All around him were girls, all pushing and knocking him about to get a chance to talk to the girl that sat next to him. Shinji did his best to fade into the nothing he loved. An elbow to the chin, another to the gut, they didn't even know they were hitting him. All they wanted was to be acknowledged by the school's 'princess'. Why did she always ride the bus on days when he did! Typically she walked with her menagerie ahead or behind him once he got on the street leading to the school.

Two months of this, two months of listening to the whole damn female student body gushing about this woman, while the men were left to gawk at her from outside the ring of fan club members. Shinji had hoped his first day back to school after the Fifth angel would have been quiet, but Misato's celebration of his recovery went into the night, she didn't work today, and Shinji had to drag her to her room where she clutched him and held until he had to scramble to the bus. With a sigh as another girls rear pressed his head against the bus window, "I'm tired already."

Thankfully the bus ride didn't last long, felt like ages, but it was only a few minutes. The throng of the princess's followers surrounded the woman like a cloud as she disembarked. Was he blessed or cursed to be in her class…sit next to her…ride on the bus with her like this! If they actually spoke that would be one thing, but he never exchanged words with the woman that Shinji felt the gods cursed with giving the same schedule as him!

"So you got to ride with Kagari-sama again? I swear man, I could look at her all day and not get bored. Her fan club would eat me, but if I could touch that pair. Be worth it," Touji waved at Shinji once he got off the bus. Kicking his shoe back on harder, and yanking on Kensuke's collar less the geek follow and continue snapping pictures. With a yawn and a fist bump, "So you're good to go for classes again? That big diamond thing is still sitting outside the city."

Pushing his glasses up, then examining todays Hime-sama pictures, "He'd not BE here if he wasn't ready to go back to school, man. Think he showed up to say 'hi' and then just walk off? Oh hey look. Told you man, pay up." Kensuke flinched his head to the sidewalk down from the courtyard entrance, and there was one Ayanami Rei slowly approaching.

Waving weakly at the girl that saved his life, who he lamely cried in relief when she spit up on him, and stole his breath when she smiled at him, Shinji was confused. "Is something wrong with Ayanami-san? Misato-san said she was actually released sooner than I was," he hoped the girl was fine. If she got hurt for him, if anybody did, he'd feel even worse. Wasn't his only redeeming trait being a pilot to suffer the blows for others?

"He's got it in his brain she's got the hots for you," Touji shrugged. Slapping Kensuke on the back with his satchel, the trio joined the other reluctant learners and headed into the building. Picking at his nose with his pinky, "Coincidence is all. Ayanami's been looking at your desk and doesn't show until after the bus shows, or at least that is what HE says. I bet she's just a secret fan club member. Those two have the same social graces if you ask me. At least Kagari-sama is fucking stacked, has luscious long black hair, tall as hell, beautiful, and…you get to sit next to her. Unfair."

Sneaking a peek back at the trailing Ayanami, they met eyes and Shinji blushed and turned back. Was she following him? No, they had the same class is all, right? Best not think about it, nothing good would come from that. Listening to Touji and Kensuke bicker about, well everything, Shinji enjoyed not having to talk but still being included. They were jealous of him sitting next to Kagari Ayaka, princess of the school, and due to the odd hierarchy of power the most powerful person there aside from the chairwoman…who happened to be her mother. They only saw the good, none of the bad, just like with the Evangelion. Kensuke kept going on how he wanted to pilot, would he still if he was boiled in LCL?

After the enjoyable socializing in the corner, his desk was communal property in the mornings as the fan club tried to get a word out of the stoic woman, the class rep called for everybody to sit. Getting the stink eye from those that coveted his seat to Kagari's left, he didn't make the seating chart, Shinji tried not to notice the woman. Now he wasn't very good with girls, terrible with them, and did his absolute best to just write that part of existence off…but she was very pretty. Maybe he just liked that type…Ayanami was a very close number two in his secret heart, Misato was a nebulous cloud of attraction/repelling due to the oddity that was their relationship as Child/Captain and roommates.

Over a head taller than him, hair that went down to her waist, very voluptuous, the smartest girl in…well likely the school, best in sports, heralded as the 'Princess' aka leader above all…the unapproachable Kagari-sama. She just HAD to sit next to him, Shinji hated his luck. Being close to somebody that others watched meant they watched him. After the initial rush of attention from his pilot status dried up, he had been content to fade into the mist of their minds. But sitting next to Hime-sama meant they never really forgot him.

"It'll end eventually…they'll re-do the seating eventually right?," Shinji pleaded to the gods of the school. Anybody else would much rather have his seat than him. He wasn't in the fan club, didn't see the point, and knew he was pissing them off being as close as he was. Oh well, time to focus on class, and let the fears of failing as a pilot, of getting some bully's attention, or upsetting Misato fade away as he learned as best he could. Touji and Kensuke would occasionally send him messages on the schools chat system, making sure he was alright, he assured them he was. Nobody needed to know he still felt a bit raw from the boiling, they'd worry and it wasn't like they could do anything. Fake pity was the worst.

Lunch came, and Shinji hesitated in leaving and was surrounded. Misato had texted him, more of an apology text for blacking out, and he didn't want to keep her waiting for a reply. His consideration left him in a sea of fan club members. Touji gave him a weak gesture, asking if he wanted help, Shinji waved it off. Once you were in the clubs folds, you couldn't escape the throng. So he tried to eat while all of the club members fought and pushed for even a moment of the Princess's attention. This was worse than the bus, as they knocked his desk, scattered his food, and bounced off him from all directions. Must be nice to have such a carefree life that such a simple thing was so important.

'Mama got a new job! We're moving to Tokyo-3 soon, you can move back in with us!' Shinji's phone chimed. Reading and the re-reading it, Shinji felt something he very rarely did, warmth. His life before Tokyo-3 had been pretty lame, living with a friend of his mother and her daughter. Kasumi, the daughter, was a year younger than him but she had lorded over him for his tenure at the Takamiya home. Cooking, cleaning, leveling up her characters in games, but never did she really treat him kindly, well until he got her a plush penguin, then she started to soften up. Komachi, his mother's friend, was a kind woman but flakey, didn't resist Kasumi's demands, and was quick to shut down if criticized. Odd people, but he did enjoy his time there. Stories of his mother's exploits had been nice.

Before he could respond, one of the fan club knocked the phone out of his hand, another stepped on it and broke it. Accidentally he noticed, they didn't even know they had just broke it. He'd have to tell Misato when he got home, and if anything happened he'd have to go through Ayanami…who was watching him…or the princess. Eating as best he could with the constant jabs and pokes, he was glad when lunch ended. No rest for the weary. Thinking best, he did send a message, which never was responded to, to Ayanami asking her to forward the information to Misato. "Hope she did it, or Misato will be upset," she got upset at random things after all.

With a mostly eaten lunch, Shinji did his best to focus on the afternoon classes. It was hard, his mind wandered back to the last Angel. The failure and boiling of the first encounter, the panic of watching Unit-00 fall during the second, and the relief that came after Ayanami opened her eyes. Somebody near him moved, their chair scratching across the ground, caused him to jump and spill his eraser on the ground, stupid thing just had to bounce near to his famous classmate. "Just get it before anybody notices and…" Shinji whimpered as he slowly reached for it.

Life hated him though, as Kagari either saw or heard him and picked it up, "You dropped this." She put it squarely into his palm, her hand was warm and soft, her voice flat much like Ayanami's but with just a slight hint of emotion. She looked him in the eyes, and Shinji felt his ability to swallow vanish, he couldn't talk so he just nodded, and quickly yanked himself back to his natural position. That was…ok so being that close, actually feeling her breath on his face, maybe the fan club had a little reason is fixation on her.

'Meet me behind the gym after school lets out' appeared on his screen but it didn't have a sender. Somebody wanted to talk to him? But who…why? For a brief moment he wondered if it was good news! But reality set in, his depression latched onto the idea and let it fester. Somebody saw the play with the eraser and was upset. Maybe he best escape after…they'd follow or things would escalate worse if he ran. Bully's didn't let up, they would get their pound of flesh if offered, doubly so if tried to be avoided.

With growing dread, Shinji waved off Touji and Kensuke after class eventually let out. If they followed, Kensuke suspected something Shinji thought from the way they parted, something bad could happen to them. So Shinji lied, said he forgot something and left them to head to the gym and his fate. Stomach heavy, nerves rattled, and the last lingering hope that this wasn't going to end in pain snapped when he rounded the corner. It wasn't one person, but five…it's not paranoia if you're right. Two girls and three boys were waiting, a taller blond girl was the leader it looked as they fanned out from her. "And here we thought you'd be a no show. Kamura, you owe me a soda," the girl let out a curt single laugh.

"Sorry, but he looks like a wet rat, I can't believe he's the pilot of that robot. But hey, he's got the balls to bother Hime-sama, guess he's a sneaking rat and not a wet one," the boy, Kamura apparently, joined the others in a little laugh.

A large sigh and forcing himself to walk forward, every instinct telling him to run, Shinji just hoped they didn't hurt him to much. "I didn't mean to bother he…" and the first punch to the stomach came. It wasn't the first boy, it was a smaller fatter one that did, quick as hell though! Stumbling back, Shinji felt arms grab his and hold him up.

"But you do! You are always around her, on the bus, walking to class, during lunch, all the time," the blond was incensed. Pushing Shinji's head back by the forehead, she wasn't unattractive but her anger marred what looks she had, "Stop getting between Hime-sama and her fan club, she's above little shits like you. Seriously…how can YOU be that things pilot? Kamura, teach him a lesson he won't forget alright?" she patted his cheek.

Cracking his knuckles, Kamura was more than happy to oblige. A blow to the head, followed by another made sound hard to focus on. Shinji was pretty sure the boy said something, but when the knee hit his stomach and the others let him go, Shinji stopped caring. Gravity was gone, he was floating, and then the ground graced him with its bounty. One of the five kicked grass on him, one spat at him but missed, and then they left. "Didn't even hurt that much," Shinji muttered to himself Ironic, all the pain in the Eva made this beating almost quaint. But he did lay there for a few minutes, if he got up to quick they might come back. "What can I even do, I don't control how or what Kagari-san does…try harder I guess to avoid her," he gingerly touched his chin.

Hoping it didn't bruise, bruises got attention and that would mean Misato would act. That would only exacerbate things, best to have a story planned. A fall, cliché as it was, would work if it was just the face, maybe a door opened in his face? Maybe he'd just stay here for a little bit. Let everybody go home, go to clubs, or otherwise just leave. This was his life, punished for things that weren't his fault, blamed for things he didn't do or wasn't responsible for. The little good mixed with greater bad. That was life, you don't pick the cards, you just play what you're dealt and hope for the best right…he had terrible luck it seemed. Cards dealt were never the suit he wanted or the numbers all wrong. "Just have to keep trying, keep getting up, at least until…" he trailed off not wanting to think darker. Keep getting up until he wasn't able to anymore.

X-X

Jerking awake, his laying there must have resulted in a tiny nap, Shinji sat up and saw the sun was definitely lower in the sky. No longer did he hear the voices of students around, good it was easier to go about life without people. Idle ideas went through is mind as he got up and dusted the grass off his slacks. Did Misato know about his current bout with the fan club? Section-2 did watch him most of the time, would they step in if the beating had gone much further or were they only around to make sure HE didn't do anything wrong? Checking his broken phone again, he could make out the time on it through the cracks, and saw he had no new messages or calls. Also good, no news is good news right?

"Can't stay here forever, need to go make supper," Shinji rotated his shoulder and popped a crick he had. Maybe he'd make something mellow today, more his pallet and less Misato's. Just get a drink into her before serving her and she wouldn't complain about the lack of taste as Kasumi always did back at the Takamiya home. Leaving his little hidey hole behind the gym, Shinji made his way across the empty quad, but felt a small chill. Even when 'nobody' was around there was always one or two stay people. Kids still cleaning, playing music, doing homework/studies, something. Not until they locked the gates did it ever get totally empty. That chill intensified a little, "Creepy."

As he neared the center of the quad, he heard a crinkle coming from a trash bin, and he stopped. An animal, a person, or something worse? "Maybe something got stuck in it?" Shinji just wanted to hear something to break up the silence. Inching closer to the wired trash can, he peaked over the lid and saw a stuffed rabbit? Reaching into the trash, he grabbed the fluffy thing, and pulled it out. Strange, it had a large bulbous head, long spindly arms, and had sign in its hands. Not the first time he saw a moving plus toy, it was still a little odd how it was very 'human' in its motions. Batting off the garbage off the toy, "Who would have thrown you out little guy?"

It made strange 'Uh-sa' sounds, as he unfolded the paper so Shinji could read it. 'Beware of falling buildings.' Falling buildings? What the hell did that mean? That was when the sun was blotted out, a huge shadow appearing out of nowhere. Looking up and Shinji couldn't believe his eyes, and dropped the rabbit toy. "Impossible," he muttered as he saw a huge portion of the school building was actually falling out of the sky towards him. No way to escape, even if he ran he couldn't get away from the rubble! Die, he was going to die in a freak accident! Throwing his arms up in a futile effort to block himself from harm, Shinji waited for the end!

"Ikari-kun," a deadpan voice called out to him.

A sense of vertigo washed over him, and Shinji felt wind against his face. Timidly opening his eyes, Shinji blinked hard. "Ok, I have to be dreaming or something, this can't be real," Shinji felt himself laugh a little. Now he was in Kagari's lap, her arms under his legs and supporting his back as if he were a small child. To add a cherry to the dream sundae she had a bit pointy hat and cloak on, made her look even more beautiful oddly enough. Oh and they were on a broom flying in the sky over the destroyed hunk of school building. Never really being close to a girl before, aside a drunken Misato, Shinji wasn't ready for the softness and lovely scent, "So…uh…can I wake up now?"

Flying back down into the quad, Ayaka flicked wrist and the broom vanished. Staying close to Shinji as a trio of human sized rabbits that looked like bigger versions of the one Shinji found jumped out, only clad in armor and wielding swords, Kagari pushed him behind her. "You are not dreaming. A Tower witch is after you, I am here to protect you. Stay close to me," her vocal timbre didn't change at all nor did her facial expression. Hurling balls of fire she conjured from the air, she beset the weird rabbit creatures.

"Dream, this HAS to be a dream," Shinji couldn't believe this. Funny that. He fought giant eldritch creatures, piloted a massive robot, but this still refused to be something he could believe would happen. But it was a fun dream at least, better than the odd ones he half remembered. A beautiful woman claiming she was going to protect him, a sorcerer or witch, moving in brutal efficiency as she set another of the rabbits on fire, she was poetry in motions! Nodding to his internal logic, "Guess seeing her in class really stuck in my head!"

"Ikari-kun, come over here quick!" another voice called out to him. High pitched and nasally, the voice was accompanied with a hand beckoning back towards the gym. With Kagari fighting the rabbit-things, Shinji followed the voice, maybe it was an ally or something to Kagari, or just the dream moving to the next level of stilly.

Before he rounded the corner to see the next voice, Shinji gave Kagari one last look and saw her stomping on her current target. Brutal, he would never have thought he could see the school princess so violently assault something but still appear so bored with it! "Ok, are you friends with Kagari…san? C-cat ears?" Shinji asked as he saw his summoner. Another odd cloaked woman, only this one had blondish hair but seemed to have two large cat ears and a belled collar! Man, what was he eating to have dreams like this…oh and she had a whole army of armored rabbit people.

"The Fire Witch? No, she's with the workshop, but that isn't important, killing you is!" the cat-eared woman grinned feral at him. Snapping her fingers, the rabbit soldiers advanced much like the bullies had done earlier. One kicked him behind the knee as others grabbed his arms and shoulders forcing him to his knees and bent his head over. Laughing a little, "Should have listened to her and stayed by her. But I'm happy with this. Do it." She ordered a rabbit with a huge axe to advance as the others pulled the back of Shinji's shirt back to expose more of his neck.

The red eyed white rabbit things all made odd laughing sounds as they closed in, the axe huge and gleamed with its horrid intent. "Yeah…a dream…now it's the bully's again and I'll wake up. There isn't any reason anybody would want to kill me. Unless revenge like Touji, right?" Shinji gibbered a little. Was that what this was? His feelings of guilt for getting people hurt, maybe worse, during his time piloting? Whatever, when that axe fell it would end the dream and he'd be back behind the gym and he'd go home and cook Misato a very elaborate meal! Yeah, that was it!

But what if this wasn't a dream? What if this was real and he was about to die?

Flame erupted all around him, so close and beautiful in ways he'd never seen fire act before, yet it didn't hurt HIM but the rabbits turned to ash. "Ikari-kun, I told you to stay near me. This is the witch that dropped the school and attacked you," Kagari was at his side again. Hand on his shoulder, pointing at the cat-eared woman, "She is a Tower witch, evil. Uses magic for her own ends."

"Tanpopo Kuraishi, a daughter of Medusa-sama, and I will get him from you Flame Witch, my paper army will see to that!" she drew from her white cloak a handful of paper rabbits and flung them into the air. Each became another actual rabbit soldier, replacing the downed ones in spades. Flooding the small space they were in and forcing Kagari and Shinji back out into the quad.

Real, this was real? Shinji couldn't fathom how this WAS real but the feeling of pain, the exertion of running was to much to be a dream! "Why is this happening, why are you helping me…your hair is on fire!" Shinji gasped as the flames that Kagari was using was now a crown about her head. That luxurious mane of ebony was marred with red and oranges, a travesty.

"I'll explain it all after I burn her," Kagari didn't react to her own predicament, didn't even seem to care she was on fire! That…that couldn't be allowed! Shinji had his own self issues, oft thought that maybe just maybe things would be better if he died in battle, end the constant stress and disappointment of existence. But this girl, she was beloved by many, she had all the things Shinji wanted, and she was so…negligent!

Grabbing Kagari as a stupid anger entered him, "You have to take care of YOURSELF. Why don't we run or something. You got hurt because of me, you shouldn't be! People love you, you matter to people! You…" Why was he so angry at this! But something deep inside him, unknown to even himself, hated seeing how easily Kagari threw herself into harm's way and how little she cared about the possibility of death!

Just as stunned at Shinji's outburst as he himself was, Kagari tilted her head as Shinji continued to hold her arm. "My condition doesn't matter, only yours matters, so why are you angry?" she asked. But…now wasn't really a good time for talking as the bunny army rushed them. Dozens if not hundreds of them bum rushed them, normal sized, tiny, and two that were towering almost half the size of an eva! In a flurry of motions, Ayaka grabbed Shinji, threw him to the ground, and leapt atop him forming a shield.

"W-what did you…what did you do!?" Shinji felt tears welling up in his eyes. Lances, swords, and spikes tore through the larger woman's body. Blood dripped down onto him from innumerous injuries, yet she didn't seem to bothered by it. This woman, he hardly knew her aside the idle talk about her, that always seemed to be around him lately and made his life slightly more annoying with her constant fan club, was going to die for him. This was just like Ayanami after the Fifth Angel, his fear she was going to die for him, a nobody. This shouldn't happen.

Reaching out to him, cupping his cheek and rubbed some of her blood off his face, "You're not hurt are you?" she had the audacity to ask.

Shaking his head, Shinji felt even stupider and weaker now, he was crying now, how could she ask that given her condition? "I'm f-fine, but you're…you're so hurt! And now we're trapped here! We have to, have to get you help!" he frantically begged. A dream after all, please be a dream! His mind just making up crazy things

"I'll take care of this, but I don't want you to see, close your eyes," Kagari actually sounded a bit bashful. Putting a hand over Shinji's eyes, he shut them anyway, Shinji felt the wave of heat increase tenfold. Hotter and hotter, and then a loud bang!

Eyes opening wide, Shinji was first aware that it was now much later, the sun starting to turn red and orange, he was laying on a couch, and he had a blanket on him. A dream after all? Sitting up with a lurch, his head bobbed quickly to the side to find Kagari across the room from him, a cat on her lap, as she read a book. "Oh thank the gods it was a dream! W-where am I? Did…did you find me behind the gym?" Shinji babbled as sweat relief washed over him. The insanity of witches, fire, a hurt Kagari was all just his burgeoning insanity.

"This is my personal room, and it was no dream. I bought you here after the Tower Witch escaped," Kagari shut her book and started petting the cat. Bathed in the light of the setting sun, she showed no sign of injury or even stress, everything was right with the world. The room itself was oddly cute for the stoic Kagari, the couch Shinji was on was plush and made of various colored squares. The table that separated Shinji's couch from Kagari's was laden with two cups of tea and treats, the one closest to Kagari was overloaded with sugar cubes. "Hungry? Thirsty?" she gestured to the table.

Twisting his legs off the couch, Shinji nearly threw himself off with his motion. "Not a dream? Then we need to get you…get you to," he just swallowed hard. It wasn't the same as the flames, but the sun's light did remind the tired lad of the vision of flame and beauty he saw. But everything was perfect about her now! Even the hair that burnt was pristine! Watching as the cat leapt off Kagari and approached him, Shinji's head hurt, "Kagari-san, what is going on here? What just happened?"

Taking her teacup, it was a feat of skill that the mountain of sugar didn't topple, "You didn't listen to me when I told you to stay near me." Was she accusing him or was it just his own self-abuse talking?

"I mean about this witch stuff, and why was that cat eared girl after me?" Shinji gasped as the cat jumped up on his lap. It curled up quickly so he just started petting it. Helped his mind to calm down to have something to do.

Shaking her head, Kagari just handed Shinji over his repaired phone. "Not today, tomorrow. I'll explain it all later. Just know that I will protect you, you're my princess," she sipped her tea with closed eyes. Standing up, how had she drank all that sugar so fast Shinji would never know, she held her hand out to him expectantly.

"Princess?" Shinji asked as he took her hand, she didn't clarify her statement. The cat took offense of having its perch already moved, but it found the couch just as nice. Pulled off the couch, Shinji got another whiff of Kagari and it was fruity and intoxicating. When Kagari stood closer to him, Shinji instinctually took a step back, "At least it's over right? I don't know what I'll tell Misato-san about all this, I can hardly comprehend it.

Countering Shinji's step with her own, Kagari was not about to let Shinji get to far out her range. "No, now that they have started, they will keep coming. And don't tell her anything, not yet," she gestured to the glass door and the quad. Leading Shinji outside, she didn't comment on the repaired status of the quad, nothing happened by every look. But she said it was real, she KNEW of it, so that had to count for something. "Stay at my side as we walk, I'll escort you home. And tomorrow I'll explain more," Kagari waited for her orders to be followed, and once they were the pair walked to Shinji's apartment in silence.

"I-uh…well…thanks for everything. I'll…talk to you tomorrow then," Shinji said lamely as they parted at the entrance to the apartment. With a nod, she just turned walked off just as stoic as when she walked with her club around her. What the hell just happened? Shinji had no idea, wasn't really able to think about it. Misato was already home, three cans in, and demanding food. He got right into the flow of things and let this new insanity fall away, just like his fist sortie, it would take time for it to really register in his mind. Tomorrow hopefully she DID give him some info, oh and he prayed that when Misato did hear of Kagari the teasing wasn't to bad.

X-X

Sitting at the table eating breakfast, Shinji felt strange. All of yesterday's events still lay heavily on his mind, made him distracted. A distracted Shinji however was the elusive and cunning Misato's favorite prey. "So did anything happen yesterday to make my little house husband so aloof? Not thinking of other women are you?" Misato asked as she peeked over her Yebisu.

Actually caught red handed, Kagari had been replaying on loop in his mind, Shinji inhaled the toast he had hovering near his mouth. Pounding some water to clear the blockage, "Misato-san don't say things like that, w-why would I ever…" Realizing what he was saying, Misato's grin intensifying, Shinji shut up and looked away indignantly. She wasn't playing fair this morning, doubly unfair considering how she acted last night in her drunken state. "So…you work today?" he tried to shift the topic of girls. Talk of girls would lead invariably to Ayaka, and then he'd talk about magic and Misato would have him institutionalized.

"I work this afternoon, second shift today, so you won't need to cook me supper. But before you think you can have your girlfriends over, I do need you to tell me what happened yesterday. I got a report from Section-2 that you vanished for a bit. You know you can't do that," Misato put her can down and leaned forward. It was her evil tactics again, her flimsy top hung low, gave a tantalizing glimpse if one was willing to risk getting caught. It put Shinji off his mental game, he was a teenager and she was flirty as hell, and fuddled his meager attempts at lying.

With no bruises, Shinji thought he'd have at least gotten one but his shower this morning had shown none, Shinji tried to think. If Misato knew of the bullies she'd have been more pointed, right? So maybe she didn't know as much as she was leading on, and he did agree to not 'hide' from Section-2 after the little running away event. So best to go for a heavily edited edition of the…was that a mole on her…oops he peaked and she saw…and shit. "A-a group of kids were upset with me. They are in a girl's fan club, and that girl handed me back my dropped eraser. They warned me not to bother her again," true yes but it left out the whole beating thing.

Leaning back into her chair now, arm over the side, Misato gave Shinji a profile view and ramped up the distraction. Gazing out into the apartment, "She cute? Is she the girl that made you so late yesterday? I slaved all day over the oven and my husband went out for some fast food instead." She gave him a sidelong glance and started laughing as Shinji blushed a lovely hue, "Shin-chan never change."

"That wasn't fair! You don't play fair!" Shinji flubbed as he felt he was about to burst into flames. Gathering the plates, not answering Misato's question as it would only incriminate him further, he did his tried and true evasion tactic, chores. If he was doing Misato's chores, she let him off a little, if it wasn't something pressing at least. Turning on the water, and setting the plates in the basin, he stiffened up when Misato approached him from behind, "Misato-san?"

Ruffling his hair, Misato thankfully didn't get that close, "Just being careful is all. You're my ward, kiddo, and I take the job serious. If kids are messing with you because of something stupid, tell me alright. Secrets aren't things to play with alright?" Her hands trailed from his hair to his sides and gave him a good tickling.

Glad she couldn't see his face, he'd gone from red faced to pale instantly, Shinji just nodded. He'd have to tell her something right? Once he knew more at least, right now he didn't know anything that didn't sound insane, and he had no proof so it wouldn't help! "I'll remember that. And it was just Kagari-san's fan club being protective of her. She's the Princess of the school and all that. Plus I thought my phone was broken, why I didn't text," Shinji didn't even lie at that.

"Kagari? That sounds…" Misato mumbled and walked into the living room. When the television turned on, Shinji let out his breathe. Left to his own devices, Shinji went about destroying the caked on muck and grime on his trusty implements of food preparation. Things were calming down thankfully, Misato was in her morning game show mood, but then the doorbell rang. Who would be here now? It was about time for him to leave, early enough to walk to school he was going to avoid the bus and Kagari's club today. Well, maybe Misato got a package or something. "Oh Shin-chan…could you come here please?" Misato called from the door, wait she answered it?

Drying his hands, and grabbing his school bag, he'd leave hopefully after dealing with the door. "What is it Misato-san, did you order something and for…" Shinji sucked in his breath and came to a halt. Standing at the door, in her school uniform next to a smirking Misato, was one Ayaka Kagari. Nearly dropping his satchel, "Ka-Kagari-san, I didn't expect to see you this morning."

"Ah so THIS is the Kagari-san you mentioned. The girl that made you late for supper. Though I guess I can understand why you'd be tempted to cheat on me with her. Katsuragi Misato, Shin-chan's guardian and love slave," Misato extended her hand to the teenager, proof that Misato's teasing knew no bounds. After the formalities ended, "Shinji, call the A/C repair man when you get back from school today, its way to hot in here."

Inching around Misato, Shinji was almost positive he could see heat radiating off of Kagari's hand. She just fixed her hair, and nodded at Misato, "Kagari Ayaka, pleased to meet you. I figured you'd try to avoid the bus today, so I came to get you." Casually stepped between Misato and Shinji, Kagari gave the woman a polite nod and shut the door. Was that…was that jealousy? But why? OH! She was likely worried he'd talk to Misato about what happened and wanted to insure he didn't. Then Misato's comment would have, best to clarify that.

"M-Misato-san likes to tease a lot, don't take what she says at face value," Shinji stammered out as they walked away. A text on his phone, he'd read it later and it was from Misato teasing him already, was only the first of many times Misato would comment about Ayaka. Walking in silence again for about a block, Shinji kept a step behind the towering woman, "D-did you want to talk about anything, Kagari-san. Normally wouldn't you be…" Anywhere but with him, this is not something Shinji expected, it was to normal, to much others could misconstrue.

Whenever he tried to be out of step with her, Kagari just altered her pace to keep in step flawlessly. Fixing her hair as the wind blew it, "Since you've been found, there is no reason for me to hide my presence either. Do you think it was coincidence we rode the bus or walked together, or that our seats are next to one another? I do not need mask it now." How she could just drop truth bombs like that with a straight face

Noticing ahead were more students, and they were already calling out to Kagari and he was pretty sure they were commenting about him, Shinji actually stopped. "I…all this time you were…" closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself, it made sense. It was almost impossible that after the two months of school here that every time was 'just a coincidence', but until yesterday they hadn't even spoken to one another! Now she was saying she was going to protect him, that she was a witch, and he was her princess. Why princess and not prince, a little emasculating. "Well, I best leave you for now, hate to upset your fan club," Shinji tried to step away from her and she followed suit, "K-Kagari-san?"

"Kid thinks that just because he's pilots that thing he can talk to Hime-sama? Can you believe the audacity of that little shit? Didn't we warn him yesterday? How dare he be so close to her!" the voices of the surrounding fan club members wasn't even being masked and openly terse. This, this was not good, he had to escape. But Kagari just kept following!

Oblivious to the voices of her unwanted club, Kagari picked a windblown leaf out of Shinji's hair, "You didn't bring your lunch. We'll share mine." Her comment made the whole group around them yell out oppositions and objections, but it gave Shinji a moment to snake out of the group, which quickly fell into his place to start raining down questions to Kagari about him and how he was 'abusing his power' over her.

"Dude what the hell was that? You came to school WITH Kagari-sama today? I know you two take the same route most days, but side-by-side, you dog!" Touji was waiting for Shinji just past the gate.

With the woman, and what she represented not by his side, Shinji's internal tension finally left him and he nearly collapsed. "It's confusing, but yeah we did. I wouldn't put any stock into it," Shinji knew that wasn't going to happen. His buddies make something out of EVERYTHING. If Ayanami looked at him a moment longer than usual it was 'you guys dating now' or if Misato picked him up 'did something good happen?' So this little event was going to cascade into a whole new level of pestering.

Smacking Shinji with his satchel, Touji winked at his buddy, "She invited you to lunch man. You have to get tickets to eat with her! It's about twenty to thirty people a day that fight for those. So details man, that what you were doing yesterday when you ran off?" Oh yeah, he did leave them yesterday with his lie, that bit him hard.

"Hey guys, what the hell happened this morning? I just saw Kagari-sama's fan club is up in arms about something. They haven't been this riled up since that Fukuyama guy asked her out," Kensuke dumped his own bag and fell into his seat. Even though he COULD have sat in Kagari's seat, nobody ever sat in the girl's chair, even if the teenager wasn't in the room. It was taboo.

Putting his forehead against his desk, Shinji covered his head as Touji went on to embellish the walk to school. Just poke the beehive more! Were the club members going to pick on him harder now thanks to this new development? "Can we just not talk about that right now? It's not what anybody thinks it is, I don't even really know what the point is," Shinji hoped Kagari would explain things more to him, but who knew. Maybe he WAS crazy and this was all just a big hallucination.

"I hope so for your sake man, that club gets crazy defensive of Kagari-sama. You need help say the word and we can back you up," Touji flexed his arm in a show of strength. A girl near them laughed a little and Touji bashfully sat back down with his hands on his desk.

Further talk was cut short as Kagari entered and took her seat, then upon seeing Shinji had his book out, scooted her desk over to his. Much to the dismay of the boy that wanted to avoid all attention, he was the center of it now. "Excellent, your grades are a little low, I'll assist you," Kagari's shoulder touched his and Shinji just about fainted. Girl went at her own pace, did her own thing, and didn't care what others said. So until Hikari timidly asked Ayaka if she could start class, the woman taught Shinji…well tried to. He did his best to focus but the anger hurled at him, the tantalizing scent of Kagari, and his own want to become a black hole did limit his learning.

"This is getting insane, I want to go home," Shinji moaned as several chat windows appeared on his screen. All basically said to avoid Kagari, that he was warned, and he'd be sorry for cutting ahead of everybody else. Didn't people realize Kagari was doing this of her own volition? That she chose to do this, so why was he being punished for it! Doing his best to block the angry texts out of his mind, muting the system helped, Shinji tried to focus on school as best he could. He did notice Ayanami giving him a few more glances than normal, he didn't want to venture a guess today about it.

When the break for lunch came, things only got worse. Being escorted by Kagari to the quad, it was perfect and showed no sign of the damage, Shinji found himself sitting at her side and surrounded by a legion of angry students that had actual tickets to eat with the schools biggest celebrity! Could he just run away and avoid this, would she follow? "Um, Kagari-san, maybe I shouldn't be here right now. Isn't it wrong for me to cut in front of everybody that wants to…" Shinji tried to continue his comments but found Kagari shoving an elaborately styled sausage into his mouth, it had looked like a large finned fish and had to have taken at least an hour to make!

"Who I spend my time with is my choice, I have made it. Was the sausage good?" Kagari went back to eating her own food. Her own pace, her own wants, and she was right technically. It was her choice who ate with her, she didn't tickets, didn't ask for this, and was just going with the flow of things. But man it was not going over well with the others.

Chewing the flavorful food down, Shinji had to blink a few times as he appreciated the food. "It was excellent. But I'm going to go…get something to drink. Did you want any…" Shinji was going to ask but saw the club all had cans at the ready, "I'll be back." He didn't intend to be back today at least. A tactical escape, aided by the clubs demanding of why Kagari was letting Shinji do what he wanted or how they could help free her from whatever Shinji was holding against her. Great, his status as Pilot was now being used against him in this too? Did people really think he would abuse his status as pilot to hold Kagari hostage or something?

Getting a can of tea, he just walked about wondering where Touji and Kensuke were eating today. It was to late now to find them, but he wondered. Watching Kagari from a window, she just sat there surrounded by people. And in watching her, he actually started to feel a kinship he hadn't expected. Maybe it was just a personal want for the idea, maybe it was real, but watching her eat but not talk…alone with all those people around her. Yeah he could relate to that. No matter how many people were around, feeling alone despite it all, Shinji knew that feeling well. Was it possible that this new headache wasn't such a bad thing, having somebody that understood a little? Well, after school and they talked again, maybe things would be clearer.

X-X

Something about that name stuck in Misato's brain, a needle under her mental nail. So she went into work a little early to remove it, well that was the intent anyway. Now two hours into her actual shift, she was down a rabbit hole of growing confusion. Maybe she should have looked into Shinji's actual past earlier instead of just listening to the Cliff-notes from Ritsuko. "This isn't getting me anywhere, just what the hell is going on here?" Misato rubbed her head in frustration. How can so much of this kid's past be so mish mashed or missing?

"Problem Katsuragi-san?" Maya asked as she handed the woman the requested coffee. Turning Maya into the coffee girl had been a slow and gradual process, but Misato had become spoiled by her little live-in butler and started bringing that mentality to work. Leaning in close to the monitor, Maya's face scrunched up a little, "Kagari Ayaka, w-who is that?"

Picking up a pencil, Misato started drumming it on her desk as her frustration built. "A girl that came to pick up Shinji-kun this morning. Section-Two reports about her are all over the place. She's been in his class, and reports stated she never interacted with him before…but this morning she was waiting for him. Even…" Misato trailed off. No reason to tell Maya that said girl almost seemed to get intentionally between Shinji and her.

"Sh-she did? Oh, that is nice right? Did Ikari-kun mention anything about her before?" Maya fidgeted just a bit. Girl was always a ball of anxiety, and today was a higher day than normal. Bouncing back and forth on her legs, she just couldn't stay still as she scanned Misato's screen. Timidly asking, "Nothing looks strange about her does it?"

Strange was everything about this girl. Ever student at that school had a report about them, Nerv kept close eye on potential pilots. But this girl's profile was just as bland as Ayanami's! "Nothing is strange, but that IS what is strange. Kids have SOME events that happen, but this girl hasn't done anything despite looking like a gravure model," she'd have to have Section-Two do a deeper dive on her. Catching Maya looking just a bit to intently on the screen, Misato's teasing switch had been flipped. Leaning a bit closer to the mousy girl, "What has you so interested in Shinji-kun's little friend, jealous? I could set up a day for you to stay at my place to 'watch' him if you'd like." Not happening, but Misato had to tease.

Eyes going wide, face turning just a bit purple as she opened and closed her mouth a few times, "W-what n-no! I was just curious about-about…" Maya pointed at the screen and drew her other hand over her face and eyes

"Just teasing you a bit. But if I ever DO need to take a few day trip, I guess I'll ask Ritsuko instead of you then," Misato gnashed her teeth playfully at Maya. Hearing a combination whine/moan from the girl, Misato wove her off. Well that was odd, Maya was a strange girl at times, but that wasn't what Misato was thinking about right now. Drinking her coffee, a bit to bitter for her liking, Misato went back to the confusing history that didn't make sense. Starting with this Ayaka, Misato was finding an odd and hard to follow history that seemed to be intertwined with Shinji's. "Uh…didn't that say…" Misato could have sworn the screen said Ayaka's mother was Kayou now it was saying Kazane? Must be seeing things.

Rubbing her temples, Misato went back to the start again for her roommate. The more the researched the more confusing it became. Originally Shinji was supposed to move in with some teacher, but a request by the Takamiya family superseded the original order. Something Shinji's mother setup apparently in case of…accident. While with the Takamiya family, there was practically no information gathered. Guess Shinji didn't matter to Gendo while with that family. But reports seemed fabricated, with a period of time with the only report being 'camping with Kagari?' That couldn't be the SAME Kagari right?

"And Second-Impact destroyed all the records of this Takamiya Komachi and how she relates to…" Misato didn't like mentioning Yui's name. It felt like walking on a grave, thinking of the mother that her ward lost and mentioning her name was oily. Maybe Misato would have to call that woman in for a little background information about Shinji's past. Now looking into Ayaka, Misato had to think these files were tampered with. "How can there be so little about her, wait…Kagari Kazane…" Misato heard that name before.

Rich, woman was rich and was the dean at Shinji's school? Now why would such a debutant be interesting in her little butler? Misato knew Shinji was a nice boy, but he was NOT a stand-out or out going type. So why was this rich girl with no history stopping by to pick him up? "Now what was that other name…Kayou…" Misato typed in the name and when she hit enter her desk phone rang. "Katsuragi here, what can I do you for, but know my costs are high," Misato liked her little joke answer.

"Katsuragi-kun, my office now," Gendo did not mince words and hung up immediately after. That man did not play, did not joke, and did not get riled up by Misato's little joke.

A chill working down Misato's spine, never good to make jokes around the boss, she got up and hurried off to the man's office. What was wrong, why was he summoning her directly? Was it an angel, another JSDF thing like Jet-Alone? Her mind whirling with possibilities, she pushed the door open to the gargantuan office with a heart full of dread. Both commanders were present, and they were not smiling. Saluting, even if this wasn't a true military operation she acted as if it were, "You wished to see me Sirs?"

Pulling on his collar, Kozo was just a little pale, "Yes, Katsuragi-kun, we did wish to see you. We couldn't help but notice you were trying to access restricted files. And wanted to give you a chance to explain yourself." He paced behind Gendo's chair, said commander was hiding his face behind his gloved hands, something Misato HATED.

"Wait, restricted files, but all I was doing was looking up Ikari-kun's prior history. As his guardian, I thought I had access to those files," Misato put her hand to her chest. Defending her rights as Shinji's legal guardian was important to her, she liked that kid and was not going to mess him up! Well not in the bad way at least, teasing was all in good fun and only to help him grow as a person!

Shaking his head, Gendo did push his glasses back up, stupid little orange tinted things reflected Misato's image back at her. "Not those files, Kagari Kayou, that woman's file is not open for review," Gendo's tone was flat and lacking any emotional quality. How could this man be Shinji's father? Shinji's voice was so soft and almost lyrical, and yet Gendo' was just cold fish.

"I was…wait why? I was just checking up on a girl that came to pick up Ikari-kun this morning. Files got crossed up I guess, trying to see her family is all," Misato's confusion intensified. She was being questioned about some random woman she literally JUST looked up? All that did was make Misato want to know even more about this woman. "Who is she, why is information about her restricted?" Misato had to ask, it was bad of her but she spoke before thinking.

Holding his hand up, Kozo silenced any further questions from the woman. "She was with Nerv at the start, was pivotal for several key projects, that is all you need to know. The Kagari family has close ties is all. Nothing that should impact Nerv any longer. And did you say a Kagari came to see the Third Child?" Kozo's eyebrow arched just a little, "Kagari Kazane's child?"

"Do you know her sir?" Misato did not expect that, why would some random girl be known to these men? "Is she a candidate?" Misato's guessed

Walking towards Misato, directing her towards the door, Kozo just shook his head, "Not anymore, but her mother has been approached before by Nerv in regards to city planning is all. Now we do have a few other issues to go over that don't need you. I do apologize for pulling you away from your research, just a misunderstanding it seems. Now if you'll excuse us." And before Misato had a chance for any follow-up questions she was outside the door and it was closed in her face. What the actual fuck just happened here? Maybe she's ask Shinji to bring that girl over for a few little questions, or she'd try calling that Kazane for a little 'mother to mother' talk.

Shambling back to her work, Misato tried to shake off the feeling that the commanders were hiding things from her. It didn't matter, apparently, but she would do a little more research into that name when she had the chance. Going about her typical work, the day trundled on with its boring repeated nature. Rebuild here, restock there, status reports that all said the same thing. Eating her Shinji supplied lunch at her desk, she watched the others moving about their lives. Maya and Makoto were being chummy, fuel for latter.

"So I hear you got called to the principles office, get caught smoking in the bathroom?" Ritsuko winked as she leaned against Misato's desk. Woman had that clerical smell about her today, meant she was in her lab again.

Rolling her eyes, Misato savored her food before answering, "Word travels fast around here whenever somebody gets called on, huh. It does feel like a high school with all that gossip." For an agency responsible for saving the world, they all loved to share stupid stories. Misaki and Kuramitsu were found shagging in the storage room, Urashima and Otohime were a thing, and so on and on forever. "How did you hear about it?" Misato defended her lunch as Ritsuko started eying it a bit too intently.

"Shigeru told me when he brought me some new samples of LCL to experiment with. So what did you do this time to get called in," seeing Misato's guard up Ritsuko pulled away from any potential food stealing. Peeking into Misato's coffee cup, she swiped that instead and finished the cold coffee with a grimace, "I hate cold coffee"

Snickering Misato couldn't help herself, "Why I wasn't drinking it anymore, and why you shouldn't steal my food. As for my time before the commanders…you ever hear the name Kagari Kayou?" Polishing off the food, she found the note that simply said 'have a good day', Misato felt a stupid warmth in her chest. Kid was more the parent than she was, tiny piece of paper made her feel cared for. Nice feeling to have.

"Sounds familiar, think my mother met with her ages ago," Ritsuko said after pondering a little. Dusting herself off a little, she popped her back and stretched her hands over her head. With a moan that was just a little to alluring to be fake, "Why you looking up people at random? You never took me as somebody to go playing spycraft."

Having said this story a few times already, Misato was a little miffed at how people didn't consider the fact she could be serious. "Girl came to pick up Shinji-kun this morning, so I was doing my job as his guardian and looking into her. I thought that this Kayou woman was her mother, or that I saw it on her file…must have been a glitch or something. Then they called me, Fuyutski mentioned the girl's mother by name and…it's just confusing. Spent some time looking up Shinji-kun's past and it's full of irregularities and names I wouldn't have expected. Going to try and contact that old family he was with," did people think she got her position because of her tits and not her brain?

"You thinking that girl has ill intent for your live-in caretaker?" Ritsuko spied over Misato's shoulder at some of Ayaka's files. Letting out a low whistle, "Wow, that girl is…tall." That was selling the image…short.

Covering her mouth as the image of Ayaka and Shinji this morning replayed in her mind, Misato stifled the laugh before it could escape. "She's an amazon. Her breasts and Shinji's head are on the same level! And pretty sure they're as big as his head too. If what we have on her is true as well, girl is rich. So I don't know why she'd be interested in my little wallflower, but I got the feel from her. You know the feel?" Misato had to ask Ritsuko these questions, Ritsuko was as social as Shinji was!

Quickly looking away, a sign she didn't know something, Ritsuko took a few paces away from the battlefield. Doing her best to not sound stand-offish, "I'm not an esper like you are, so no I don't know what 'the feel' is. As for that girl, maybe she likes quiet kids or something. Maybe she walked in on him in the bathroom and he's packing or something."

Growling low, Misato was tempted to ignore Ritsuko now, but forced that down. Teasing was one thing, but actually insinuating Shinji and sex was a bit too much for Misato. Ritsuko knew that and would use that cudgel from time to time to end conversations. Now a bit upset, Misato was curter than she originally planned to be, "Well most functional women can tell if another has eyes for a guy. How they look, hold themselves, body language, and the fact the reacted to my teasing him a little. But maybe you're right and she likes guys like him. I could be looking to deeply into this, but I don't think so."

"Akagi-san, can you come over here and confirm something for us," Makoto asked from across the command bridge. At the call back to work, the women said their goodbyes and went back to their own business. Misato did try to listen in on the talk, but Maya blocked line of sight so no lip reading, and they were all to soft to be heard. With nothing else fun to do, Misato went back about her day and got her actual work done. But in the back of her mind, she was still wondering just what this beauty had in store for her ward. Hopefully it was something good, Shinji could use some good in his life.

As her shift ended, a picture and bio of one Kazane Kagari on her screen, Misato had a number and a plan. Shinji's old host family and this Kazane were going to get a little call and/or visit from her soon, play it up as a Nerv thing, filling in some missing file and not a concerned 'cool older-sister' looking up on her ward, not at all.

X-X

Was this going to be his life now? Was he just going to be hated for no other reason than…why ever Kagari was protecting him? Two more days of being at her side and the hate from the fan club and those that just felt Kagari was beyond mortals rose. He didn't ask her to bring him to lunch, walk with him, or sit by him. But nobody cared about such things as truth or reality, they only cared about their wants. How human of them, disregard fact acquire anger. Plus being around Kagari was, well it was messing with Shinji's head just a little. It made his paranoia ramp up to danger levels. He had SEEN her get hurt, had SEEN actual magic, so he couldn't deny it. She was protecting him, she considered him…a…why a princess? Did that mean she had, maybe just maybe, some feelings for him beyond that task?

"Don't think like that, not until you know more," Shinji muttered but it was hard. Carrying a large stack of papers to the teachers' office, he basked in that moment of aloneness. Somebody had asked him to take the papers for them, and being him he didn't say no. Saying 'no' might get somebody angry and that never ended well. Shutting the door behind him, starting back towards homeroom, "Is it possible though? I mean…shit." All thoughts of Kagari's true intentions drained from his mind as he saw the hallway wasn't empty. The group from behind the gym were waiting for him, and they did NOT look happy.

Standing at the center of the group, the woman with the choppy blond hair stood defiant with crossed arms. At her unspoken command the six approached, "It looks like you didn't learn your lesson from last time. We warned you, tried to be gentle about it. But pilot boy needs another lesson." Flinching her head to the larger boy at her side, her smile was just on the wrong side of vicious.

Taking a step back as the boy advanced, Shinji did try to deescalate things, "Look, I'm not one to tell somebody what to do. Kagari-san herself is the one that…" He bounced off a person, they had flanked him while he was focused on the primary threat, and arms slipped under his armpits and pushed his head down. Struggling to get free, fat lot of good that was going to do against a stronger opponent, "Did you ASK her about this?"

"You bitch to much, we sure he's really that things pilot and not just lying 'bout it?" the boy asked his friends. They all snickered, typical reaction Shinji found, and that was when the knee connected with Shinji's stomach.

The air left his lungs as the pain blossomed like a beautiful rose, and the person holding him let go so Shinji slumped to his hands and knees. It hurt, yes, but it still paled to being boiled. Air was nice to have though, so he gagged on the ground and hoped this was the end of this incursion. Telling anybody would be pointless, nearly the whole school was on their side anyway.

"Ikari-kun, we're going to be late," that voice, instantly recognized for its lack of emotions echoed in the hallway. Moving between Shinji and the aggressors, Kagari helped Shinji to kneel. Dusting off his shirt, she started fixing his collar, "This has gotten ruffled, you need to take care of it. There." Her hands were warm and soft as she gently helped the lad up off the ground. Face to face, Shinji could barely see anything as Kagari leaned in close, her breath was minty this morning, "Was somebody being rough with you? If so, tell me and I'll burn them."

Actually seeing a sprout of flame erupt from her, feeling a weight on the collar she just fixed, Shinji swallowed hard. Reality, whenever he thought this magic nonsense was just some dream something like this reminded him it wasn't. "That is fine, Kagari-san, how about…going to class?" Shinji could hear the club talking frantically but didn't understand them. Kagari had a power over him, her actions were so foreign to him that he just felt like going along with her. Walking towards class, Shinji felt at his collar and his fingers connected with a cool piece of metal. She put a pin on him? Of what? Why? "H-how are you this morning, d-did I miss anything in class?" small talk was the devil.

"Nothing of interest," Kagari was a woman of little words, only when it mattered. So they walked to the classroom in silence. At the door though, Shinji heard a small grunt from the lofty woman, "I know you have questions. Come to my room after school and I'll tell you what you need to know for now." Shinji couldn't help but notice that Kagari was looking hard at Ayanami who was gazing lazily back at them.

Was Ayanami involved in any of this insanity as well? That couldn't be, Shinji reasoned, he'd have seen something right? "D-do you know Ayanami-san?" Shinji asked as Kagari started leading them again towards their seat. The crowd was there of course, and they were all clamoring for Kagari's attention, and to knock him away.

"No," a simple and straight answer, yet Shinji felt a small heat wave radiating out of her. They sat down and soon Kagari was enveloped by her fans, despite the fact class was supposed to start soon. Made talking any more a little hard, well at least with Kagari.

Keeping his laughter in check, Touji touched his own empty collar and asked loud enough to be heard, "Since when did you wear cut kitten lapel pins? Really brings out your eyes."

Feeling the outline again, Shinji still couldn't tell what it was, but there was no reason to think Touji was lying. "I-uh-yeah, a gift," he lamely added. What else could he say about a 'cute pin' he didn't see, or know why Kagari gave it to him? They chatted as best they could amid the clamor, moving was considered but Shinji suspected Kagari would follow if they stayed in the room so the idea was dropped. Television, studies, and when Touji asked what Misato was wearing when he left some papers in the room burst into flames.

That panic lasted a few seconds, ever since Shinji learned Kagari was 'the fire witch' he noticed at least once a day a random flare was lit up. Best not to speculate, but such flares typically came when either Misato or Rei were mentioned to him. Just coincidence, yup, only that!

"Everybody! Stand, bow, sit!" Hikari lead the class with Kagari's permission, "And we have an announcement today." Hush murmurs and speculation was rampant at such a comment, typically it meant they were getting a new student! Shinji didn't care, he just kept trying to imagine what his pin looked like by the outline alone. He wasn't an artist in that sense so it was just a blob to his fingers. Gasps left many of the boys upon not one but five girls walked in along with the teacher.

Blinking hard, Shinji rubbed his eyes and the image remained the same! One of the girls had cat ears, looked exactly like the girl that attacked him! Then his eye wafted over the others and they were all equally elaborately strange. Hell one girl appeared to have a large dog draped over her?! Yet nobody was commenting on the cat ears, the dog, the eye patch, or any of the bizarreness!? WHY? "K-Kagari-san?" Shinji was afraid to look away less they launch at him.

"Yes, they are all Tower Witches, I'll explain after school," Kagari said matter-of-factly. That word again, Tower, what did that mean? Well hopefully Kagari would explain it. But for now it was a small class eruption of asking them all questions about none of the things that Shinji saw as standout. Kensuke showed up a little late and had his camera out and was snapping away while Touji texted him all sorts of random comments…then Kagari texted him telling him to pay attention to class. So Shinji put his phone away and did just that.

Thankfully after lunch the new five girls had to complete some office work so class wasn't as up in arms about 'the freaking hot new girls' as Touji put it. Before the quad, girls didn't really factor into Shinji's mind aside from Misato's teasing and his confusion of Rei's smile. Post-quad was, well it was Kagari taking the lion's share of his mental processing. With fire being so prevalent in his mind, those new witches didn't really equate to anything other than 'avoid at all costs or buildings/rabbits may crush you.'

Gathering up his stuff, Touji had track and Kensuke had something to do so Shinji didn't need a lie when he left. Sneaking through the hallways, best to avoid finding any of the enforcers from the club. Some brave pilot, a hero that stands up to giant monsters, heh…hero…nobody would ever hear Shinji call himself that. He knew the truth, he was a pilot due to necessity not for want. If somebody else COULD pilot…well he'd not pilot as much. Quitting piloting did mean leaving Misato, and he remembered how that made him feel. Peeking around the corner and eying a guard at Kagari's personal room, Shinji waited.

"I told you to wait for me in the room," Kagari gently touched Shinji's shoulder. He would have jumped away but her touch was steel and kept him in place. Smelling just a little of sulfur. Brazenly walking around the corner, the guard gone the moment she was in view, she opened the door for Shinji. Shutting and locking the door behind her, "I have tea if wanted." Sitting in her customary spot, she picked up the pot of tea in one hand, conjured fire in the other, and reheated the beverage.

Yeah that was still painful on the mind to see, might always be Shinji reasoned. Waving off the offered cup, Shinji sat on the couch he had previously slept on and the cat leapt up on him. Petting it idly, "S-so, you were going to tell me about these witches and why they're after me right? Should we worry about those five attacking us now?" One witch with an army of armored rabbits was one thing, but five? Would more people be needed, or would Kagari just offer him over to them.

Putting an obscene amount of sugar cubes into her tea, the cube pyramid rose over the lip of the cup, Kagari sipped it all the same. Shaking her head, "I dealt with them for today, they will not be an issue. As for today, I will let you know what you need to understand for now. Too much information would impact your learning." Her eyes never left Shinji, even when people made loud sounds outside the door or bounced off it, her attention was unwavering.

"I-is that why you were…" Shinji was going to ask if she smelt like ash and soot but Kagari had other plans for answers.

Nodding once, "Late, yes. They took a moment to dispatch. As for who they are, they are what are known as Tower witches. Evil witches that use magic for their own ends, and they want the power that is inside you. If they get it, they could destroy the world if not more." The clink of the cup on plate was deafening.

"More than just the world? What is inside me that is so…is it related to the Evangelion? Is that why I can pilot then, is it the same for Ayanami-san?" Shinji started to hyperventilate. He had power inside him so great it could destroy the whole world? If that were true, why was he left alone to run about? Shouldn't he be in some facility and kept under constant guard or something?

Pushing her hair back over her ear, Kagari picked up a book and set it on her lap, "Kidding. I don't know truly what they want from you. But aside from Tower witches, there are Workshop witches. I am one of those. We are assigned to locations to protect the population from abuses of magic." Flipping through the book, the cat opted to change laps and moved over to Kagari's. "As for your other question, I do not know of those machines, they are strange. As for the other pilot, I have not interacted with her," her hand idly pet the cat.

Guess that made sense, Kagari and Ayanami had different social situations. Kagari was the queen of the school and Ayanami avoided any/all contact with humanity unless needed. Shinji was more in Rei's camp than Ayaka's, but time was changing that reluctantly. "So, if I have some sort of power in me that they want. C-can I use it?" what he'd use it for Shinji didn't know. But if he did HAVE some sort of power or ability, maybe he could use it.

"You likely can, but it would be best if you didn't have to," Kagari continued to drink and read.

Was that all she was going to tell him, wasn't their anything else? Shinji sat and watched Kagari read for a few moments. Checking his phone, a message from Misato was telling him to get some food for supper and not to spend to much time making out with Kagari. He shut his phone and stood up immediately, "I uh-uh guess I should leave you be then. T-thanks for telling me what you have. And…maybe you can teach me a bit about these powers another day?"

Closing the book and crossing the room to Shinji's side, "If necessary. But until then, I will be at your side so you will have no need. Your message?" She expectantly put her hand out palm up.

"Misato-san asked me to," Shinji felt her gaze bore down on him until he put the phone into her hand. The moment she had it, her hands were moving over it and thanks to her height Shinji had no idea what she was doing. They walked again in tandem, students knew better than to approach Shinji now that he was with Kagari but their comments hit still.

Handing the phone back, the background was changed and his contacts rearranged so her number was on top, "You need groceries yes. Let us go before it gets to busy." Going through his phone, the comments Touji made about the new girls were gone, some of Kensuke's pictures vanished, and Misato's contact was changed to Katsuragi. Putting it away, that sense of warmth spread in his chest again. What did any of this craziness mean, he didn't know, but this feeling of walking with somebody didn't feel bad. She wasn't lying to him, wasn't using him for popularity, didn't want anything from him, and she was going to be around…maybe just maybe.

X-X

Notes

Trying to keep it close but not identical to how Witchcraft Works started...which starts off blazing quick then slows down considerably. I know the two timelines don't match up perfectly either, but I'll try to merge it as best I can. Won't be perfect, but I aim for enjoyable.

Later

Mercaba