The Lone Apostle

by Anti601

Darkness. How long has it been...? No light, no sound. Just the eerie silence. A boy makes his way into manhood as best he can, so he can pave the light for those he loves.

A.N.: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or the Rebuilds of it. Or anything related to it. The story though is somewhat original. Hope you don't like updates that take forever.

Darkness. Slithering, darkness. That is all he sees, if he can anymore. How long has he been here in this darkness? Days? Months? Years? For all he knows it could have been an eternity. Wisps of a fragmented soul occur to the boy.

…Come back…. PLEASE…

Sweet whispers of desperation cry to the unwavering boy. He is adamant to ignore them, for the voice that speaks deserves nothing. Especially not his attention. Memories speed through his mind. Memories of the truth. Truth that set him free from… a false love. A false sense of familial love. Sh- it only wants companionship to the infinite abyss of the machine it is trapped within. In the past, maybe the boy would have attached himself to its seduction. And for a short time he did. He was there with his loving mother. Like a son should be. Like a mother should act.

Then- then the memories of what caused him to be where he was, what he was, who he was- came. Not through the boy- but through the mother. Memories of manipulation: of a delusional organization, a caring if obsessed husband, and a loving child. Abandonment to what was perceived a better future for a child that had no choice. Hope misplaced in an devastated father. And no obstruction to a maniacal group of monsters, besides a naïve hope that she could control that which she created enough to pave her own heaven.

The boy did not know what to think… so he felt for her true emotions. Love was not what drove a woman trapped in a machine for twelve years. It was the want for something… more. If love was originally there, it was gone now. Replaced with loneliness, desperate for human contact. It was no longer for a brighter future, but for the escape from the machine. It no longer loved him. It just wanted that familiar contact. The feeling of being alone can suffocate even the best of people.

The boy was… afraid. Afraid of being trapped. Trapped with the one who could have stopped this. Who could have saved the world. Who could have raised him with love. Instead that fear turned to anger. Anger that she no longer wanted to love, but to be drowned in… something darker. Anger that he was stuck here because of her. Anger that was quickly led to a rash decision. Rash, but understandable.

He had family and friends outside this machine. Three friends from school. Someone who he could sometimes understand as a fellow pilot. A mother-sister figure who he was sure loved him as he did her. And perhaps the girl that is the reason he gave his self to bring back from the brink.

So it was understandable that the boy formed himself back to an actual body. The disgust of his mother, and the hope to see his friends again spurned him on. The woman clutched and scraped and screamed and pleaded. But the boy did not look back. Like how she did to him. Hate towards the father, this… SEELE…, his mother, and… himself. He would right their wrongs. He would. Even if it cost him his humanity and whatever shred of sanity the boy had, that is what he wanted. Forcing his soul, his AT-Field, away from the clutches of both his mother and the… alien construct changed him. Made him more. Only somewhat. A small beat next to his heart explained that at least to him. But what took his breath away though, was… the absolute darkness.

Unfortunately, that was some time ago. How much the boy did not know. Just a long time of the silence of darkness. The cold blood-like liquid that bound him with oxygen and nutrients. Which confusingly enough was all that was keeping him alive… from what he was lead to believe from so long ago he should be by all rights dead. He knew it had to be because of that extra beating next to his heart. He stopped thinking of the strangeness ages ago. Now he sat in silence. Waiting. Waiting…

WAITING…

WAITING…

LIGHT!

Light so sudden and unexpected that the boy yelped, or would have if his vocal cords would have allowed it. Instead it was a gruff moan that then degenerated into coughing. After the surprise he slowly pulled his eyelids apart. One thing is for sure, his eyes were extremely sensitive.

The edge of a boy's vision was constantly flickering. Which was confusing… because he no longer remembers what the light means.

TYPE BLUE DETECTED! AT-FIELD DETECTED! The screen in front displayed in bold font on his screen. The boy was surprised. There should have been no power left… unless the beast was saving it. Through his time in this… hell, he caught glances of the beast. It was a creature that was solely focused on fighting. On being a berserker. It lived to fight and kill. It was not interested in him or the other. It scared him at the beginning, but since it left him alone, he left it alone.

It must have been waiting as well…

Hmmmm…

Pulling up the surveillance function in EVA-01 the boy took a look outside. The Eva showed a dark steel wall. What is this? The boy thought. REDIRECT TO OUTSIDE RECIEVERS? CONFIRM YES/NO? We must be inside some type of container… the boy realized.

Struggling to speak the boy manages to wheeze" … Ye- Yesss…" DIRECTIVES CONFIRMED. The sound of cameras whirring came through the EVA's speakers. What he saw amazed him. The earth in all its scarred splendor. It sat in front of him. Its red oceans and damaged landscapes.

The boy was in wonderment… until he noticed new landscape damages… What happened? The Earth could not have changed so drastically after second impact again,… could it? The geography… that he could remember… should not have changed so?

Movement. In front of his imprisonment caught his attention. It was a dish on a folded mirror-like surface. He knew it was an angel immediately, but it was different to what he expected. As he watched he noticed it was fighting something. Something familiar. Something red.

…Baka-Shinji…

Asuka… the girl he crushed in his hands. The girl he killed. The girl so similar to himself… His father might have activated the Dummy-Plug, but the boy would always blame himself for her death. It was his faul- no no no No NO NO NO! He would no longer fall into depression's clutches and do nothing. While EVA UNIT 02 might not have the same pilot it would not stop him from trying to help this fellow pilot fight against this enemy of mankind. I can regret later… I'm sorry Asuka…

Synchronizing with Unit 01 he could feel the beast's cruel smirk. While the beast and he did not necessarily… agree?... they both understood the need for the other. COMM LINK ESTABLISHED TO UNIT 02! "-let go of the target object, even if it means sacrificing the unit."

Mis..Misato..? Misato! The boy was in a state of euphoria just hearing his… his family speak! He must ac- "I already know that!" screeched a voice thought gone. The boy froze. ASUKA! ASukA! AsuKA! ALIVE! MUSt HelP! FRIEND!

"DO SOMETHING, BAKA-SHIN-" Asuka never got to finish that sentence for a roar sounded through the COMM's link. "ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!" Everyone froze. Everyone. Unit 02's screen, and therefore the WUNDER's screen also, showed a video feed of Unit 01's cockpit. It was not what they were expecting. A boy covered in scar-tissue from face to neck. A boy with grey-blue eyes surrounded by orange rings. A boy whose damaged suit emphasized his rib-caged stomach and all-around starved body. A boy with brown hair, striped with silver locks, that floated down to his feet. A BOY WITH AN ORANGE CROWN OF THORNS ABOVE HIS HEAD.

"DIEEEEEEE!" the boy screamed. The container surrounding UNIT 01 exploded. The angel paused and took in its new contender. Unit 01 was in a form not dissimilar to a certain event 14 years ago. It's halo glowed an unearthly orange red aura. Unit 01's/the boy's eyes changed to a malevolent red. A powerful beam of deathly red pierced through the abyss of space and absolutely DISINTGRATED their target. The mechanical angel did not even have time to screech. It was gone and everyone was slack-jawed, except for the boy whose eyes changed back to grey-blue with orange circles surrounding them. His crown of thorns disappeared. The boy's dead but powerful eyes curiously roamed the inside of UNIT 02 meeting with an eye full of different conflicting emotions. She looked different, than he remembered. Her red suit looked different but still familiar. Her auburn hair still long and pretty he thought. But her eyes, her eyes scared him. It seemed she had only one, if that was the eyepatches true intentions. One beautiful blue eye that dazzled him now as it did then. His throat constricted. Somehow… I know that's my fault… Then the boy spoke.

"…Asu- Asuka… alive?... " the boy's eyes watered. " …so long…. Alone… thought… dead…" his slurred speech still gave meaning to a transforming horrified face on a certain auburn head girl. "I'm… so…. Happy… you… alive…" The boy reached up as if to wipe his eyes, though seemed to remember half-way that it would be a useless gesture. Instead he started to rub his sore throat.

Asuka was confused on how to act. She wanted to hate the boy for all the havoc that she believed he caused. But she could not seem to form the words that she wanted to rip into the boy. Sadness replaced whatever anger she had. Before she could say anything, another voice made its presence known.

"…Third Child…. Allow pilot Shikinami to connect the Orbital Drop Shock Re-entry to UNIT 01 to resurface the Earth's atmosphere." A stern voice commanded from someone he least expected. "…Misato-sannn…?" the boy questioned… her voice sounded like someone else he knew. Someone he knew he would try to murder should he have the chance. Within seconds the boy knew. Knew that these people weren't the ones he left. His eyes widened and he croaked "How…Long…?" When no one answered he studied Asuka's reactions and asked again. "…How LONG…?" Asuka's lips twitched. When no one answered again his hearts' beats increased. "…You didn't come for me…" he realized. Asuka flinched as though struck. The silence was damning. The boy stopped all movement. He felt the walls closing in. squeezing at his lungs and heart. He did not hyperventilate. Ages ago he would question why no one had arrived to rescue him. Why he was stuck in UNIT 01. He would delusion a problem so as to not face what he deeply knew to be the truth. After a while as his hope for rescue dwindled until he was low enough to try to… escape from UNIT 01. It was one of the few things that both the beast and his mother would not allow to happen. Both for selfish reasons, of course. The beast wanted to fight, while his mother…. Wanted contact. He gave up on… escape after the fifth time bore no fruit. The boy's bangs covered his eyes as he lowered his head.

"…Fine…" the boy mumbled. They may not be what I left but… The boy looked up. His eyes shined with determination. I'll show them… The boy's soul howled. That I still care!

"Alright" he looked towards UNIT 02. Asuka could not look at the boy. So he cut video feed. What little power UNIT 01 was running on was enough to pull up the screen to Misato's command deck. The faces of the new and old personnel was not what the boy focused on. No, his attention was towards the center top deck. She was older, he was positive, but her face was stern and controlled. The visor was certainly new as was the red cap and red military suit. "Time… was… not kind… to either of us… huh?" Uncharacteristically against his original nature was his response, but deep down he knew he was different too. Being alone for extended amounts of time does that, especially absolute solitude. While his mother would try to contact him, he ignored her like a monk ignored worldly pleasures. He had a lot of time to introspect…. But even that lost his interest as well. He was trying to see whether or not Misato would take the bait. She definitely used to be a somewhat vain woman. Honestly, the boy thought that it might spark some personality. He hoped she didn't go Gendo.

"…Be quiet…" She clinched her fists on the railing of the command deck. Great, she went Gendo… sighed the boy. "Correct me… if I'm wrong… but I somehow… damaged the world further… didn't I? Memories are fuzzy… after Rei… died?" The glares he received from the command deck answered that. Sighing again, the boy watched as the hatred washed over him. "Oh I'm not well… liked am I? Nothing new… there huh…? How long… has it been… since I almost ended the… world then… hmmm?" Pissed stares met his…. Good, information through their anger will be fine too, he felt sick acting nonchalant like his father's assholetry. Someone was going to sna- " 14 YEARS! YOU PIECE OF SH-" "Quiet Tama-kun… he's purposely agitating us for information… isn't that right Shinji-kun?" A familiar short-haired blonde female replied. "Akagi-san…" Shinji replied. He was quite surprised to see her here. She looked different for sure. Her shorter hair and olive-drabbed fur-trenched coat did not change how attractive she was.

"So… hate for the one who… accidently caused… an apocalypse… meets the one who helped… plan for one…" Akagi's mouth dropped as did most of the crew. So Shinji continued. "… All for my… Father's love… that you knew didn't exist… huh wanna-be step-mom…" Akagi was shaking in humiliation and tearing up. "HOW-" "So… my mother's memories.. are correct…" The crew was stunned. Misato was actually growling. "Ah… must… have revealed something interesting…. To the crew… hmmm…" His dead eyes roved over Ritsuko's appearance. "Must have pleaded… for amnesty… so as to not… be put to the stake…" Akagi averted her head from the stares. "So I was used… as a scapegoat hmmm…? To force eyes away from… more productive members… It's fine I still deserve the hate… I mean I'm positive I deserve it…" Shinji admitted. The crew did not know what to think. A secret kept to use Akagi and keep attention away from her. A boy not completely at blame. They were stunned. Idiots the lot of them.

"ENOUGH!" Shouted Captain Misato. "SHINJI! DO NOT SPEAK UNLES-" "Yeah… that's a no from me…" A defiant Ikari spoke to a flabbergasted Katsuragi. "I'm not… your enemy… even if I am that man's… spawn… You helped raise me… through our short but enjoyable time… together… You should know… that I am not totally at blame… but I would understand your hate… and accept it… You should know what I want more than ever… I don't know if I can get it anymore so I will accept your punishment when I am brought to you… just don't treat me like him and you will get your obedient prisoner…" His dead eyes reached into her soul. Misato looked down and did not stare into his eyes. Shinji gazed towards the rest of the crew. They were confused, and needed a target. If he did not say something they would target someone… more useful than him. "Akagi-san was blinded by adoration, power, and love. Before I took the dive for… Ayanami-san… she tried to stop me…. I did not listen and wrought the world almost to immolation… If anything she has shown her true colors to stay with…. Your side… 14 years is a lot of time to help humanity fight for survival, I have not, and she deserves her respect. I am just a boy who was ignorant of the world. I deserve your attention. Your hate. If you think otherwise then you don't deserve whatever intelligence brought you here." The crew focused back onto him, though not completely successful he had their dislike more than the doctor.

Akagi's shoulders stopped shaking, but she did not raise her head. Misato could not look at him. The crew glared but with curiosity over anger. "…We will talk more when I arrive." Abruptly his appearance disappeared from the command deck.

Upon looking outside his EVA's surveillance cameras he saw that Asuka was almost completed with the ODSR. He knew she would be… hesitant towards him after his… patronization of the… adults. He knew she was listening… so was another pilot as provided by a chat indication on his hud, designated UNIT -08. He was quite different than what she was expecting after all. So in order for her to feel more comfortable around him he decided to speak to the other pilot. It seems his mother's memories were quite useful, but it put quite the awful taste in his mouth to use her experience and knowledge. He could feel the smug satisfaction from the disembodied soul for the talk he had.

"… Who are you… pilot of UNIT-08?" A surprised yelp-no mewl?- from the mysterious pilot. A video feed popped-up from said UNIT. "Nyaa~ weeeeell hello there handsome~" spoke the pony-tailed meganekko. She wore a pink plugsuit that emphasized… her womanly features. He did admit to her being quite attractive, but she felt familiar to him. A memory of a parachute and a face full of breasts. Ah. "I remember you… Mari-san correct?" An approving mewl? came forth. "Ah~ so Puppy-kun does remember whittle ole me?" Her character was somewhat… lacking in depth, but he felt she had her own skeletons within her closet. There was no way this was all she had for character. A memory burst within his mind. Assistant Professor Mari Illustrious of the LCL Development Center within Nerv, Nevada. Hmmm. She was apparently almost twice his age. His mother's memories showed a young woman, quite smitten with his mother, discussing uses for LCL such as life longevity and cures for diseases. It seems her research was somewhat effective. Although it developed into an addiction with the soup of life. She either found a way to bypass having a soul she knew within the EVA to pilot, unlikely, or she was in cahoots with Professor Soryu, more likely, given her research before her split. Mari-san used to be flirtatious back then as well, but the inflection is higher than before, and more…catty. " Assistant Professor Illustrious, your work was of great interest to my mother… she looked forward to your research and was proud to call you friend… even I admit that I am impressed of you through her memories…" Mari perked her head up as her eyes went wide. A blush adorned her cheeks as she poked her fingers together. It seems her crush had not disappeared. She opened up her mouth to speak, but he interrupted. "… I am sorry to say that I am not on speaking terms with her, but she should hear you should you need to say something in private… I better not become the EVA whisperer…" he spoke, then mumbled. Her semi-red face nodded in acceptance and she decided to instead ask of him her other question.

"How are you able to even communicate, or share her memories? Nyaaa~" she asked curiously. It seems like the million dollar question for he knew everyone was listening in on this question. So he answered bluntly. "…That will be spoken of between me, Misato-san, and Akagi-san…not for everyone to know." All of Willie's organization listening immediately understood the message. And so did the eavesdroppers. "Activate all anti-spyware now!" shouted a recovered captain. "… There is no need Misato-san… it is all over and inside of Evangelion Unit 01. You're going to have to scrape the insides out for that." Replied a disenchanted Shinji. "Mind you it activated when UNIT 01 did." "How do you know… Ikari-kun?" spoke Misato through the COMM. "Besides the obvious, call it… intuition." She then started to bark orders to the crew of the AAA Wunder. He tuned them out and turned his attention back towards Mari, instead coming across a determined deep blue eye.

"…." "…." "…Well?" " I think I hate you." "Better than to know." The blue eye blinked at that and she glared dangerously at him. "…I blame you for my eye and the contamination from the 9th angel…"she gritted her teeth. " As you should." He replied, but then gained a somewhat of a solemn smirk. She noticed immediately. "… I'm sorry Asuka…" She glared harder and grinded her teeth, eye-patch glowing an ominous blue. "… for not being the person you needed…" she stopped and blinked. " for not saving you, for not fighting the dummy-plug harder, for not being here to help, for not reaching out to you… I could go on, but my faults would be excuses. I am sorry for not being sorry for the past anymore. I can only look forward now and move on… with or without you is up to you honestly. But I will not fail those I care about anymore, even if they no longer care of me…" Asuka gained a perspective look. "… Asuka… you are still one of the ones I care about…." Asuka gaped and immediately left the video feed. Mari looked like a cat ate the canary… how appropriate… "BbbakKka!" screamed the red head as she also left the COMM's log. A critical hit! It's super effective! Thought Shinji. Sigh. He returned his attention to the LCL lover. "So~ Shinji-kun~ should I call you Wolfy-kun instead~?" Another sigh. "… As long as I can call you my Little Clam Lover…" Mari instantly left the log as well. It seems his mother was into experimenting, the memory was probably what would keep her teasing to a minimal from her. It also showed that Gendo was not the only womanizer. Also explained Mari's crush on his Mother. So many things he wished he could scrub from his now, not so ignorant mind. Somewhat. He's starting to feel like Kaji now… One more sigh…

And so it was with great reluctance that Asuka finished attaching the ODSR to EVA UNIT 01… correctly. Maybe she could have just misplaced a part of it. No one would tell from the wreckage. Let it be known now (if it was not clear) that an embarrassed Asuka creates a grouchy Asuka. She had grown from being an outright bitc- bitter person when embarrassed or angry… or petty….or- nevermind no need for that line of thought. Oh well. Shinji was proud of how she mellowed though. Must be from constant fighting. War can both scar and harden you, or it can scar and open you. He would know. Before the Impact he almost caused, he knew he was slowly opening up to his fellow pilots. A war fought between 3 teens and aliens bent on humankind genocide had the pressure to bake or break planets instead of eggs. He was surprised when none of them dated… no his mother was surprised. This could be a problem. What is 28 years of memories to 55. Fuck. I'm 28. And I might be losing my mind to my mother's memories. How quaint. Most definitely need to sort this out later; it seems social interaction has shown me how affected I am from our temporary contact. The boy leaned back and rubbed his sore throat. Talking after so long really is painful. Might as well look around space while here. Does this make me an astronaut?

It was beautiful. The stars, the blood-stained moon, and the damaged Earth. It would recover; with or without humanity. Its atmosphere was quite pretty indeed. He had never felt so small before. Staring at the Earth though made him question. Do we even deserve this? Seele, Gendo, and my mother wanted to destroy this just to achieve the next "evolutionary chain" for humanity… personally I think it was already on its way towards that. The old men just wanted immortality. Gendo's recent plans were to reunite with mother. Mother no longer desires for her original idea, just human contact. Greed… is a dangerous sin indeed. Shinji hummed to himself, wiping hair from out of his face. The LCL would be a bitch to clean from. He would probably smell like blood for the rest of his life. Who knows how it affected him. Akagi-san and Mari-san might be knowledgeable on the subject though. His small S2 engine would definitely be a subject matter. The first pure human to develop such. Rei-san might have one; it was never brought up when Gendo would speak to UNIT 01. He did wonder though if she survived. She better have or else this all would have been for nothing. Considering his father is still "evil", she is probably being hidden away. It would not surprise him. She was most likely as affected as he was from his bringing of the apocalypse.

His thoughts were interrupted by the pull of gravity upon EVA UNIT 01. Achieving more than 100% and becoming one with the EVA in synchronization really allowed one to know every cell in the EVA like it was an in-depth best friend. Re-Entry would not be pleasant. He could not block the fiery re-entrance like the others. …Would an AT-Field protect him from such? Not that his EVA had the power for it. It seems the beast would not be as hurt as he would. It was content to watch what he was sure to be a painful time for himself. Damn thing could shrug off anything thrown at it.

Re-establishing contact with Asuka he asked "… how far is the landing point…" instead of answering him a beacon appeared on his display. About thirty minutes away if he straight plummeted the entire way. Most likely 45 minutes with the ODSR. He noticed that the equipment would only protect him from turning completely to ash, before highly advanced metal plates would slow him down, until his wind resistant parachute deployed. He would still be on fire. He would be a burning man for 45 minutes. Fucking Fan-Freaking-Tastic… "Asuka-san…" "…" "I'm going to have to ask for medical assistance when I reach the waypoint" "What are you talking about Baka?" "… I have no limiter to my EVA's synchronization rate. I am one at all times, even when powered down…" Asuka flinched as did the rest listening in. " I will COMM log out until destination." He left all COMM logs. It was mostly for them than him. Usually when he was hurt in battle he had adrenaline and a lower sync rate. The only times he felt complete pain was the angels Sachiel, Ramiel, and Zeruel. He was still running on adrenaline then as well. He was not now though.

It started as a slow burn. Like an itch covering his body. It rapidly turned up in intensity after hitting terminal velocity. Surprisingly, his screams were non-existent. He sat as his body thought it was turning to ash. He knew if he were to move a single muscle he would scream. Quietly, he watched the timer. Only a minute had passed. Flames encircled the UNIT, but ODSR protected the UNIT as it should. It did not protect it from the heat or the feel of flames burning the nerves. If Shinji had to compare this pain it would not reach to Ramiel's or Zeruel's level. Honestly, while extremely painful he could still function if he sat still. He waited.

25 minutes passed. He was at ODSR standard to deploy. It deployed immediately. The fires still licked across the EVA. And still Shinji did not scream. Nor move. Nor twitch. Instead he focused on his destination. His EVA, like all EVAs, were advanced bio-mechanical weapons of mass destruction. The applications within their systems were numerous. Using a telescopic application, Shinji saw his destination and the ship that Misato's crew commandeered. It was a strange design for a ship if he ever saw one. It looked more capable of flight than floating in the ocean…. And it felt like angels did. It was also surrounded by battleships aplenty. It seems after 14 years the U.N. still existed as painted across multiple ship hulls. Made him wonder if the U.N. depicted him as an enemy along with Seele and Gendo.

Only 5 minutes away from splashing next to the main command ship and his fires had all but extinguished by now…. Maybe being somewhat inhuman gave him a better pain-tolerance than most humans for he could now start to twitch his hands. He moved his hand to see if he could bare it. "FUUUUUUUCUCCCK!" he was wrong. Very, very, wrong. He stopped moving his hand. His body had heated to uncomfortable amounts of degrees. The LCL being the only thing that kept him from blacking out the entire time. While his body was apparently more durable and pain-resistant than a normal humans, it still affected him.

EVA 01 hit the waves of the blood red ocean, instantly taking care of what remaining fires had lasted. The cold ocean was like silk running over the exhausted pain-receptors of the younger Ikari. He would definitely still need to be checked upon by medics. Most likely Misato had already planned for medics in case UNIT 01 had him absorbed within it before they even knew he had escaped within it.

The ODSR released its floatation device, allowing the EVA to bob on the surface. Cranes from nearby battleships picked up the EVA to a transport ship, located next to the main command boat. As the EVA was placed upon the ship Shinji could see a small group of people awaiting next to what he could only assume was a plug receptor. It would be the first time in 14 years that Shinji Ikari stepped foot out of EVA UNIT 01. He honestly did not know what to think. He hoped his muscles would support him… lifting his arm proved that his muscles had indeed suffered muscle atrophy. He would not be able to walk out of the EVA. Shit. Well it's not like he could have moved anyways. His body was still stressed from the re-entry of the planet.

As Shinji turned to regard the strangers on the cam, he was immediately bombarded. Shinji….please don't leave me…. Stay….please…

Shinji felt he was not necessarily a bad person. Sure, he ignored her for… a long time. Technically, he didn't know when he aborted from the LCL. He felt he was still in his right to ignore her… but now he really would be leaving her alone… with only a beast as a companion. At least when he was in the EVA his mother could still feel his presence and talk to him. But… it didn't seem like the right thing to do now. So, he did something rash.

He comforted her.

… You know… I really dislike how everything turned out… Yui Ikari was surprised. But not so surprised as to not latch on to his entire being. Soul, and all. Shinji squirmed in his seat. It was uncomfortable, and intruding. Not to mention wrong. But he soldiered on. Even with how it turned out I never hated you mom. But what you have become has… disappointed me. I… I.. I can't leave you like this though. Alone with only the beast. So I will stay in… contact with you… He felt his mother's joy and ecstatic , other feelings came through as well. Internally, Shinji prayed this wasn't a bad idea. I will talk to you later though. His S2 core. He didn't really know much about it. But there was one thing he knew it could do besides bring AT-Fields around. It could keep contact with other beings that held S2 cores as well. Most likely only up to a certain distance. He'd find out for sure soon enough though he felt.

Yui Ikari found herself a small place in Shinji's heart and curled up like a sushi roll. While somewhat disgruntled Shinji didn't say anything. Just sighed and moved on. Or waited on, more like it.

Now with his attention back to the screen he could focus on his arrival committee. Guns. Guns were the first idea to enter their heads. WHAT THE FUCK WAS HE GOING TO DO TO THEM, THAT THEY WOULD BRING WEAPONS UPON HIM! … fuck that pissed him off. Calming himself he looked passed the soldiers and noticed medic officers, a young woman behind them, Misato-san, Akagi-san, and … a certain pissed of half-german girl. Great. The pod extractor activated and pulled the plug out towards a holding bay with stairs attached to it. No one made a move. Seems he had to instead. He pulled up the speaker function on the EVA. "… I can't exactly move here… My muscles suffered from re-entry and from over-extended time in space…" The medics moved forward without having to be told to from Misato. Upon reaching the door, the medics quickly unlocked the hatch, stepping back as LCL flooded out. They could hear coughing ahead along with vomiting sounds being produced. The LCL smelled putrid and looked… less than appealing. Darker, muddy, and slime-like. They immediately rushed forward and procured a long-haired emaciated child. Upon checking that he coughed the last of the gunk, they pulled him along… roughly. He glared at them. He stepped his first foot out with the medics aid. Then tumbled down the flight of stairs from a shove the medic on his right gave. When he reached the bottom, he face-planted on the hard floor. "Fucking great." He thought. "First time out and I get a mouth full of metal boat" "CONGRATULATIONS" his mother clapping echoed from the EVA to within his soul. His eye twitched and he felt aggravated towards something that he could not explain.

Struggling to his feet, he wiped a little blood from his lip away. Looking up he was met with a red gloved hand to help him up. He took it. Asuka had watched the fall with a wince….Seems that Asuka wasn't exactly pissed at him… although if her glare was of any question she was not happy either. God give him strength to survive the ordeals he was sure were coming his way, he prayed. "… Thank you…" The redhead averted her gaze. Seeing that he was being ignored he turned his head to Misato. Misato regarded him coolly, then proceeded to speak cordially. "… Ikari follow me to the med-bay. There the medics will check on your condition…" She pointed to the two officers with weapons. "You two! You are to guard Ikari as he is a high priority target for both WILLIE and SEELE… But should he prove hostile you have permission to fire." "Yes sir!" "Yes, Captain!" Misatio then turned her attention to the medics. " I will not have harm come to Ikari without permission. You are to monitor his well-being as if he were one of our own! ARE WE UNDERSTOOD?" she questioned. "Yes sir!" they both proclaimed. The one on the right grimaced like he ate something bitter. Then he noticed both his commanding officer's glare and the young woman with a blue bandana glare at him, and he straightened up. Misato then pointed to the girl with the bandana and said, "This is Second Lieutenant Suzuhara, Sakura. She will be your personal medic and help you acclimate around the base."

When Shinji heard her name she had his full attention.

Her military hat covered the top of long brown hair. She had a blue bandana around her neck and appeared to give off a peaceful aura. At least to all, except him, around her anyway. It felt somewhat brittle but with a slight sense of hope. He really needed to speak to Akagi and Mari now. It seems in close perception to others he could feel there emotions. Like the somewhat embarrassed Unit 02 pilot he was currently leaning on. Eh still can't hold myself… let her squirm for a while… It was definitely different from the past when he could barely understand himself. Give a man a decade of solitude and see if he can't figure himself out…

Returning attention to the medic in front of him, he noticed that he must have looked a little too long at Sakura. She was squirming with a slight blush at the uncomfortable stare. His dead eyes focused on her own.

Rubbing his throat he asked " did Toji make it to see you grow into a beautiful young lady?" Fucking shit. Your influence is a little disturbing… Not sorry~ ;) . Shinji felt more than saw the fist aiming for the side of his head from his right. Dodging he kept his attention on the brunette whose emotions shifted rapidly before stopping on a blushed grimace. I'm making roller coaters out of everyone's emotions today…

The growling almost subsided from his right when he did the unthinkable. Or rather she. (S)He squeezed something with his right hand. His right arm had been draped over Asuka's shoulder down towards her… backside… What did I do to deserve this torment from you mother… Like SHE or YOU would have made the first move… This is just bad timing for any of THIS….

Everyone froze. Sakura stuck in a blushed grimace, but now with widened eyes. The medics and soldiers took a massive step back. Misato face-palmed. Shinji sweat dropped. And Asuka blushed so red one could swear she was her own suit.

Embarrassment, Rage, Lust, and finally a hint of foreboding death upon the one who caused this rose from beside Shinji. Shinji would've made a run for it if it weren't for the death grip attached to him. Instead he swallowed and said, " Would you believe me if I told you it wasn't me who was in control of that arm…?" The silence was his answer. Then pain. Then the blackout.