The train car waddled along at it's own pace.

How long had I been here?

Hours? Days? Weeks?

It all seemed the same. Should I even care? Why did I even care?

The train car marched along, always. The sun always there, just barely held from the grasp of it's setting. The figures alongside me all the same.

The old man twitched, once. Something I would not have been able to tell in normal circumstance. But as it was, I'd been observing him for who knows how long just standing still as a statue, the newspaper long gone from his hands.

The train car slowed and came to a stop soon after.

The figure that entered cut a stark contrast to the one before it: a young girl, looking to be no more than 20, with fiery red hair and eyes, the former tied in two topknot buns. She was dressed in a magenta leotard and nothing else, not even shoes. Hitched to each of her hips was a whip, presumably for performances.

A long tattoo ran from the top of her thigh to right about her middle foot, coiling around it. What it was supposed to represent I had no clue. It seemed to have something chitinous on it however.

She greeted the man with a warm if reserved expression, while he himself looked happy, though melancholic. Neither of them gave a clue they had noticed either of the two strange figures that sat just next to them. The girl took a seat in front of the man.

They hadn't noticed me either. But then again, I couldn't speak. I couldn't hear what they were saying.

I could only watch.

The train started moving again soon after.

I awoke groggily, sinking my head into the pillow. I prayed that my brain would just allow me to sleep again. Evidently that wasn't the case. I was never good at going to sleep again when I'd already woken up.

So reluctantly I got up from the bed, eyes still sore. In the much celebrated traditional morning ceremony, I went to take a piss.

I checked the clock after I was done. Six in the morning. Fucking fantastic.

Four-ish hours of sleep would probably come to bite me in the ass later in the day, especially since I could still feel the soreness from working out. But I figured I may as well make myself useful in all the time it'd take for everyone to wake up.

A half hour and three plates of simple and slightly burnt omelette later, I was surprised to hear the door of the apartment sliding open. A very tired looking captain came into my view, as the door shut behind her.

There was a momentary pause of tension between us and I suddenly remembered my outburst in the command center. In hindsight, a pilot giving her crap right in front of all her other subordinates and bosses probably didn't reflect the best on her leadership, or her reputation.

She cleared her throat, and suddenly the moment was gone. The captain persona faltered, as she became the Misato that wasn't obsessed with killing the monsters that had ruined her life.

"Hey kiddo."

"Welcome home Misato."

She practically collapsed on one of the chairs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"All-nighter?"

"Yup. Freaking paperwork. Every damn time after an Angel attack..."

"No beer?" I asked, perplexed how one hadn't materialized in her hands by now.

"Too," she yawned, which caused me to yawn as well. "Tired. Bad for sleep. I'm gonna just crash if you don't need anything."

"Uh, I made breakfast," I said, pointing at the plates.

"Thanks but I think I'll pass," she said as she got up, stretching her back. "Why up so early anyway?"

"No real reason. Just woke up and couldn't sleep again I guess."

"Well don't make a habit of it, alright? Or you might end up like me," she said with a sly, if tired, grin, as she moved passed me towards her bedroom.

"Misato," I started it. I was not the best at apologies, even if they normally came relatively easy. "I'm...sorry for what I did at the command center. I stepped out of line. I know you weren't responsible for that. I don't want to give you any more crap on top of what you already deal with-"

I felt a hand placed on top of my shoulder. Misato's face was stern, but there was a hint of affection in her eyes.

"Kano, you did something good yesterday. You stood up for your friend, when no one else did. You protected him from the consequences of his own actions."

"Which are still bullshit," I quipped, without paying much attention. I needed to stop that. This was supposed to be me offering a reconciliation.

Thankfully Misato didn't seem too perturbed.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You still stuck by him. That's something friends should always do. And I see you trying to get him to open up more," Misato hand left my shoulder as she retracted herself. "You're a good person Kano. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

If it was really that easy to quell my doubts Misato. Still...

"You're a good person too Misato."

There was a pause, before her footsteps shifted away from where I was.

"Doesn't feel like it some days," was what I heard as she closed her bedroom door after herself.

I frowned. Guilt tripping was not what I had envisioned. My version involved a hug for starters. Still, at least there wasn't undue tension left between us. I hoped.

I'd have to deal with anything else Misato suffered from when I could. Now, I was could just about only sit around and kill time until Shinji got up.

"Yo."

"Morning. Um, Misato...?"

"Bedroom. All-nigher at Nerv. Omelette?"

"Sure."

"And if it tastes like crap, it's the penguin's fault."

"...Heh."

The walk towards school was largely uneventful. Shinji himself was quiet, as per usual, though there was a new air to him. He wasn't exactly at ease, but I'd like to think what I was doing was at least partially helping. The fact that he'd also been prevented from getting decked in the schnozz probably helped.

Which brought me to the next big issue that was going to play out at school. Or not. I really didn't know what to make of it.

Toji and Kensuke had still snuck out of the shelter to see the fight, which was surprising, considering a large part of the later convincing the former was dependent on guilt tripping. Then again, Kensuke was an adamantly convinced guy, and I could absolutely see him finding a way to sneak out even if they'd never met Shinji.

Either way, how they'd react to seeing us again was anyone's guess. Things had deviated enough from the original timeline for me to not be certain of anything, so I couldn't rule anything out either.

"We're sorry!"

I blinked dumbly. I couldn't see him but I was fairly certain Shinji was doing something similar.

Of all the things I could see the duo doing, deliberately avoiding us for the entirety of the school day up until break hour, and only then apologizing in perfect unison while bowing was...

Yeah it was not high up there on the list.

"It's just," Kensuke continued, as they raised themselves. "We uh, we saw what you guys have to do and stuff..."

"We're really, really sorry for acting like jackasses towards you and all," Toji finished.

A long pause was had as we all sorta stared at one-another.

"Your parents and Nerv gave you Hell yesterday, didn't they?" I commented dryly. I was not surprised to see them nodding in unison.

Seriously, how do they keep doing that? Have they practiced this?

I spared a glance at Shinji who looked somewhat uncertain.

Well, whatever, you'll learn to befriend them soon enough anyway.

"Is cool man. Right Shinji?"

"Oh. Uh, right."

"Oh and sorry about yesterday as well, y'know, threatening you with being subdued and all," I couldn't help but be a little satisfied by them cringing at the memory. "I was bluffing. Well, I could've probably done it but like, y'know, had to get Shinji out of there."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Say, why did you try to punch him anyway?"

Toji's eyes suddenly found the ground very interesting, Kensuke backed off ever so slightly, and Shinji looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. With a sigh however, Toji told his side of the story:

"My sister got hurt in that first fight you guys had. Like, really hurt. I had to go see her for weeks at the hospital. My gramps and dad work for Nerv, and they're too busy to do it. And when I came back here, I just heard how new kid...Shinji did that, and I just felt so...angry. Like I needed to give him a piece of my mind."

His face softened somewhat now, he turned to the pilot of Unit 01 proper.

"But then...I saw what you have to do. And I'm sorry man. I know you can't really afford to watch where you stop when you're doing that."

Shinji seemed torn. His inexperience with situations like this couldn't help but shine through every time.

"I forgive you," he said, expression reverting to something more neutral. I cocked an eyebrow.

Well, that's a pleasant surprise. Could I be helping a little there?

I filed away that thought for later, mostly content with knowing this whole mess was over with, as everyone's body language relaxed.

"Well I guess we'll just see you aro-"

"Sit down," I said, somewhat forcefully. "I think we all owe each-other a lunch for various shizz and whatnot."

Both boys looked somewhat perplexed, and Shinji really was no different, though that was just a Shinji thing to do. Eventually, they did sit down and we just exchanged lunches.

"Wow this is really good. Did you make this?"

"No, that would be Shinji. I just cook for myself mostly, cause I don't want to subject anyone else to my horrible meals."

"Your cooking isn't that bad," Shinji chimed in, before realizing he'd spoken it out loud, and getting flustered. I sighed internally.

Still filled with issues...but maybe...just maybe...going somewhere...

Seeing the beginning of the group again, this time with a much healthier dose of understanding, I was now brought to the one issue I hadn't yet done anything about in the weeks I'd been here.

Rei sat as she always did, looking out the window to things only she could grasp.

A few days later we were observing the full scouring of Shamshel's remains. Like most things Eva-related, it truly was much bigger up close than anyone could properly describe.

For much of the trip I was happy standing quiet and just looking around at things. Most of the exchanges went pretty much the same as in the show, with some slight changes. Sorta like a reverse butterfly effect.

Again, I was left wondering about the true nature of what the Hell Angels even were. Wave-particle matter, perpetual motion machines, extradimensional spaces, fucking soul stuff.

Why am I reminded of a sunlit train?

"What're you staring at eh, hot shot?"

I turned my head so fast my neck cramped, to see two very horny teenagers that should've stuck to ogling girls.

I'd like to think I wasn't as obvious as Shinji, but still.

"Just Rei."

"Oh, going after her naughty bits are we?" Toji said, leaning in a bit closer than I would've liked.

"Yeah, she's cute, I'll give you that much," Kensuke followed suit. "But she's kinda creepy. Still, I see how a man like you could dig that."

"First of all, personal space. Second, ew. Third, it's not that," I assured, trying to ignore that maybe a bit of that had been inappropriate staring.

God's sake man, she's 14.

Not my fault Anno gave her the body of a girl five years her senior.

"It's just, she's a pilot too you know. But I barely know anything about her. Aside from the fact that she was injured in the activation test of Unit 00."

"Is that the Eva you pilot?" Kensuke said, suddenly very interested for a different reason.

"Classified," I replied bluntly.

"Damn it," he said, retracting along with Toji, the later looking satisfied if puzzled by my answer. "Well, Rei just seems like the kind of person to not really speak to people. Like she's in her own world."

"Gee, no shit."

Our PE teacher called for us to get up and do our laps. Evidently none of my compatriots focused on their cardio, even Toji surprisingly enough.

"Dude, slow down, it's not a race," the supposed jock said, as I reached them after going a full lap ahead.

"Not my fault you're snails."

"Anyway," Kensuke piped up, intent on finishing his word from earlier. "You two are pilots. If there's anyone that can approach her, it's you."

"...Right."

"And maybe melt her frozen exterior in more than one way, if you know what I'm saying."

"Toji I swear to God-"

"Hey Shinji," I started. I really had to wait after we'd split from the other two before I could push the matter, and that just so happened to be after school.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of Rei?"

The conflicted face that followed was about what I expected.

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. Just in general," I said, acting aloof. "I mean, you stepped in for her when you first got here right?"

"Yeah, I did, but it was only because I didn't want her to get hurt more," he said, eyes downcast. "She just seemed so...helpless. I don't know why my father wanted to send her out in the Eva like that."

Because she can just be replaced, even if she failed to persuade you to get into the plug.

I contemplated commenting on how much of an asshole Gendo was, but I did not need to poke that angst bear right now.

"So, you don't actually know her?"

"Not really."

"Maybe you should try to," I said, then corrected myself. "Maybe we should try, I mean."

"Why?"

"I mean, sooner or later, we're gonna be fighting alongside her. She's almost fully recovered, which means she's gonna take over piloting Unit 00 again if the test is successful. We need a good working relationship and all. Kinda hard to do that when you haven't even spoken to one-another."

A brief few minutes of silence followed, in which Shinji seemed to be in thought.

"I guess you're right. But well, I think you should try over me."

I quirked an eyebrow.

"I mean, you've both piloted Unit 00. I think you have, um, more common ground with her than me."

Huh.

"Piloted" Unit 00 was maybe a bit of a strong word. The poor girl had gotten in it once before nearly getting fatally wounded.

He did have a point though. I was most likely going to be doing the majority of trying to interact with her. Shinji was never know for being approaching, even less so when he dealt with an individual that was as hard to break through to as him.

It was just...such a strange suggestion from him. But I guess it'd be for the best. I couldn't help but notice it could very easily fall into him running away from something that could potentially hurt him, but really that was expected at this point.

Breaking through that ball of spines was not going to be easy.

"I guess you're right. Thanks Shinji."

"Alright Kano. We're done for the day."

"Roger," I replied as the plug's lighting became dim and the world spun around me. The LCL drained not soon after, and I suddenly found myself hacking and coughing aggressively to get god juice out of my system.

It's amazing how I don't find this more creepy.

Then again, just like piloting a giant biomechanical monstrosity, adaption ran it's course. Man truly did grow through adversity. And philosophizing over it was my queue that this universe was getting to me and it was time to do something normal to offset the weird.

As I existed the Ppug however, I came face to face with the one person I should've been prepared to meet right there and then, but was not.

Red eyes. Blue hair. Pale skin. Hello Rei Aynami.

She was staring at me, blankly, like she did most things. But it was still staring. I couldn't even guess what thoughts had to be running through her mind, given that I was essentially proving to be better at her job than she was, up until then.

Regardless, I'd have to do this sooner than later, so with a deep mental sigh, I prepared for engaging in real societal human talking.

"Uh, hi."

Brilliant.