I stepped into the apartment that was now my home, feeling exhausted despite having spent most of the day sitting on my ass. Still, I found that presented it's own chore, along with being stressed out with the sync tests.

Considering how two out of four initial tests in the show had ended in disaster for their pilots though, even if Toji's was by external factors. Well, I counted myself extremely lucky.

I walked into Misato bending over very deliberately to pet Pen Pen, and Shinji just sorta staring at her bum from the kitchen counter.

Right, I was certain I'd forgotten something: gratuitous fan service.

Deeper philosophical meaning about sexuality and growing up and whatnot, it didn't change the fact that this stuff would probably become my reality now. Which was both a blessing and a curse. I wouldn't lie about staring a bit longer than I ought've. I just hoped Misato didn't try and put the moves on me like she did Shinji.

...Ew

"Uh, am I walking into something here or...?"

Shinji was stunned for a few seconds, before his cheeks proceeded to look as if they'd been placed inside a pressure cooker. Misato for her part got up, regarding me with a smile.

"Welcome home."

"Glad to be back," I practically crashed onto my chair, hearing it groan under my weight.

"Long day huh?"

"Yeah. Still, at least I got both of those tests done," I turned to face Shinji. "You're getting your backup early it seems."

"What?"

Ah...right. So he didn't know.

"Nobody tells me anything."

Thankfully, Misato chimed in before I did.

"You remember Rei, right Shinji?"

His mood instantly dropped, but then again I couldn't blame him. I don't know how I'd feel being forced into piloting a biomechanical monstrosity due to my father threatening to send another person to their death. But it probably wouldn't be sunshine and rainbows.

"Yes."

"Well, unfortunately she's still injured. Thankfully, Kano passed the Unit 00 activation test today with flying colors, meaning he's the current pilot of Unit 00 until Rei recovers."

"Which means I'll be there next time there's a fight."

"That's right. Oh and I just remembered. Kano is also joining you in school!"

A pause.

"Oh..."

"That's neat I guess," I said, although my facial expression very much screamed "I want to die".

I knew it was coming. But going through high school again might just break my mind before the Angels did.

"Please welcome your new classmate, Kano Akashi."

Just as a thought that had popped into my head, I bowed, hoping that was enough to placate the class in front of me. This was still weeks before Shinji let slip that he was the pilot of Unit 01, so I was likely going to be the subject of attention as well during that time.

I took a spot in the back of the class, sitting right in front Shinji. The laptops were cool if nothing else.

35 minutes and an eternity of trying to ignore the teacher droning about Second Impact, I finally got bored enough to message Shinji about something I'd thought about for some time.

:Yo

:Hello

:Wanna hang after school?

I could almost see Shinji's confusion as he shifted behind me.

:Why?

:Bored. Also I wanna see the city a bit. I think you should too.

It was at this point that I contemplated how we were likely the only two nerds in the entire school to bother with proper punctuation. It was also at this point that I realized how stupid it was to just let everyone have their own private conversations all day long on their respective laptops.

Then again, maybe that's just a problem cause this teacher isn't the most technically inclined.

I almost forgot to even check Shinji's message again, which was very simple thing, but still filled me with some hope.

:Alright.

:Cool.

The first day of school could essentially be described as boredom incarnate. Even the admittedly adorably punctual and fiery class rep couldn't keep anyone's attention for long. That seemed rather obvious even to her.

I'd spoken a bit with her, though only sharing rudimentary things. There'd maybe come a time when I'd converse more. But that would probably be after Asuka got here. Right now I was preoccupied with protagonist shenanigans.

Shinji walked alongside me silently. He seemed a slight bit on-edge, but really considering his upbringing, this absolute 180 shift in living situations was bound to have a profound effect on him. It was a wonder he was even taking it as well as he was.

The silence was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, with both of us seemingly busy with our own thoughts. In truth, I was trying and failing to find something to say. I never was a good conversation starter, or at the very least found it awkward to start one even if I had a topic, even with my friends.

Surprisingly enough it was Shinji to break the silence:

"So...where are we going?"

"Dunno," was my automatic response as I stretched my arms.

"You...don't know?"

"I know less about this city than you do. I just wanna explore a bit. If we find a café we can sit down."

"Oh. Okay."

And that was how the next hour or so was spent, just wandering the streets of Tokyo-3. Beyond just wanting to help Shinji, even taking into account the fortress foundations, the city truly was a stunning sight to behold. I'd never quite seen anything like it.

Finally however, we did settle into a nice little place that as far as I could tell was trying to emulate an European coffee house, which was fine by me, as that was what I'd grown up with.

I didn't bother to remember the name of it, though it at least had some very comfy couches. The waiter, a rather buxom blonde, was also a neat add-on, I guess? How did blondes end up in the Japanese population beside anime logic?

I tried not to think of amorous relationships. Doing that just reminded me of what I'd left behind, and beyond that all, my family as well. I'd spared precious little thought to them in the last weeks, if only to not end up crying. Now, I needed to take my mind off of it again.

We ended up ordering just a can of Pepsi and a bottle of water. I'd have panicked for a little there if I hadn't asked Misato for some cash in the morning. I seriously needed to check on my Nerv credit.

"So," I began, trying to make this as natural as possible. "The city is something else, right."

Shinji was roused from his staring contest with the window, though looked less uncomfortable that I would've imagined. Maybe being so upfront with it had helped with that.

"Yeah. It is. Misato took me to see it rising out of the ground from the Angel attack the first time."

"I bet that must've looked incredible."

"Uh-huh."

"Say Shinji," I was desperately trying to articulate a way to drop the juicy question without making it too brazen. "What was it like, fighting the Angel?"

At that he took a long, hard look at me, before dropping his eyes to the floor. I wasn't going to let him just shut off, and I also needed to explain myself better.

"I'm just curious because, well, I'm going to be doing that soon. And there's no one better to learn from that someone who's actually done it and all."

"I fell down. I couldn't even last a minute. I barely even walked," Shinji's expression now was as bitter as his voice. "I only survived because the Eva went berserk. But, after it was over, the pain was still there."

I sat back a bit on the couch to process the information. For one thing, he was being far more open than I'd imagine. Maybe this was what he'd always felt like in the original timeline, but never felt he had a peer to express it to?

I was also reminded of exactly what awaited me in the near future. The countdown to Shamshel had already begun, and I would almost certainly have to get involved. But that wasn't important now.

"Shinji," I said, waiting for his eyes to rise up to meet mine again, which eventually they did. "You did something important. You got in that thing when no else could. While you were fighting for humanity's future, I was in a post-nuclear wreck and Rei was in a hospital bed."

"Everyone keeps saying that..."

"Because it's true. People appreciate a good act Shinji."

"I guess."

I sighed. That was probably all I was going to get off of him this early on. Still, baby steps were steps nonetheless.

I finally turned my attention to the cold fizzy drink on the table, and cracked open.

"Hey, you never congratulated me on my successful tests."

"I'm sorr-"

"Just kidding. Still c'mon, a toast, because why not?"

At that, I swear if I squinted I could see a small smile.

"Sure."

A hearty k-chink followed.

The next few weeks were spent in relative mundaneness. I discovered Nerv had a weight training facility to go along with their pool, and the inside of the GeoFront served as a good enough track for running long distance. I was a far cry from my old body's capabilities, but the few hours I'd spend doing these things were nonetheless good to kill time.

I found myself at a loss in regards to that. Homework, however lazy I was in doing it, was relatively simple, as I'd already passed the education level. Math could still suck my dick, but that was really a refreshing bit of normality.

The internet was nowhere near as advanced as in my own timeline, likely a by-product of Second Impact, and the setting now stuck some five years before the current day. Which really, just served to turn me slightly off an addiction. I now had time to read, write, and even doodle a bit.

I'd also discovered some nearby vendors that I now regularly went to, to get stuff for my own meals. I was still a complete greenhorn, but Shinji thankfully dealt in more than just Japanese cooking, and was more than happy to accommodate helping me.

The one word I'd use for the dynamic of House Katsuragi was "calm". For those few weeks, barring the occasional getting into the giant war machine, and the very much habitual by now battle simulations, I could almost pretend I was a completely normal student living with his meek buddy and alcoholic, but fun guardian.

Misato was...well, Misato. Cold and efficient when she needed to be, though almost strictly tied to her captain part while in Nerv HQ. Warm and inviting during the rest of the time. She remained the slightest bit distant, but still stuck out as the glue that held us together.

Shinji was harder to pin down, but I was expecting that. I made a habit of walking around with him, just to get him out of the apartment a bit, and simultaneously help him develop some sort of bond to the city, and me. He'd definitely need it, and so would I.

Of course, this wouldn't last forever. By my calculations, Shamshel was almost upon us, something that was only confirmed when Toji showed up in class. Everything went at the same basic routine I'd remembered from the show after that:

Shinji spilling the beans. The class gathering around him. Lesson ruined. Kensuke's suspicions confirmed. Toji furious.

All culminating in what I knew was going to happen after class. If I didn't stop it that is.

I didn't know how I lost track of Shinji, but when I finally found him, he was already being grabbed by Toji. The taller boy was about ready to hit him.

Not this time.

"Hey!"

All three of them turned their heads, Shinji looking confused, Kensuke worried and Toji just peeved.

"What do you want?"

"Drop him. Now."

"Or what?"

I could easily have ran into it full meathead, and gotten in a fist fight with Toji. I hadn't been to many fights, but in my previous life I wasn't going to back down from one against a kid several inches shorter, especially with a friend on the line.

Still, that'd risk me getting sent to the hospital right before an Angel fight, and Shinji possibly being harmed even more by the experience that what he was originally. So ultimately, I opted out of it.

"Or I'm going to call Nerv security and have both of you subdued or tasered in twenty seconds flat," I said, holding out my phone for emphasis.

Kensuke grimaced, while some of Toji's hard edge melted despite himself. Poor Shinji seemed absolutely dumbstruck despite the situation.

"How do I know you're not bluffing?"

"You're planning to hit the irreplaceable pilot of the most advanced weapon system in existence, built and maintained by one of the most powerful organizations in the world. You tell me how well that'll go for you," I for one, attempted to keep my face stone cold and not miss a beat. It helped that I was saying was technically true, even if Nerv was strangely hands off with pilot safety.

Though, they could probably kill both of the boys whenever and no one would bat an eye.

My maybe-bluffing seemed to have worked at least, as Toji's hand slumped and he let Shinji get away.

"Who the Hell even are you man?"

"Kano Akashi, Fourth Child. That right there is Shinji Ikari, Third Child, and the only reason any of us are alive right now."

At that, both Kensuke and Toji were dumbstruck.

"What?"

Guilt trip speech incoming.

"Shinji got into the Evangelion and battled the Angel without ever having stepped foot in one. He protected the city even though he didn't have to. The only reason any of us are still alive is because of his bravery. So apologize and scram. Your sorry ass owes it to him."

I was maybe being more aggressive than I should've, but really it was all bravado for the sake of the moment. Both kids looked at their now exposed savior dumbly, with Shinji himself looking like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him.

Yet I hoped it'd at least end up better than him literally abandoning everything to try and run away. Even if he ultimately stuck around after a lot of pissing about. Before the spell of revelation could be broken however, another presence that had been duly ignored by me in the last few weeks made herself apparent.

Rei Ayanami of all people appeared in the school yard, looking and acting very much like she didn't care at all about what was happening, which was par for course.

"There's been an emergency at Nerv. An Angel is attacking," she said simply as she turned around, ready to run away. "Section 2 vans are awaiting us outside the school grounds. Let's go."

And with that she was off, leaving behind three extremely confused teenagers and a very conflicted me.

Damn it Shamshel. Couldn't have waited a few more minutes?

"Shinji."

The boy seemed to rouse out of his stunned state, and nodded, as we both ran off after her too.

Whatever implications my actions would have on the Three Stooges' relationship would have to wait. The Angel of the Morning had arrived.