Shinji! you stupid brat! Pull yourself together and hold on to that horse! We're nearly there and you're slowing us up!
He heard her, but he didn't hear her. It was like a dream, but it was not a dream. It had become apparent to him that he was no longer human, not a part of this world any more.
I saved Rei, but she was not saved;
I destroyed the angel, but the world was also destroyed;
I set out to repair what had been done, but it was made worse;
I AM BECOME DEATH, THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
He had trusted Misato, who had restored to him a kind of family life which his parents had left him without; but she had broken his trust, and lied to him. He had trusted Kaworu, who had patiently shown him that even after all that had happened there was hope; but he had been deceived and they had both paid the cost, and now he was left alone with the burden. He would never trust again; how could he, why would he even want to?
The horse moved on steadily; its warmth and motion were reassuring, or could have been. But he was not comforted by them. He would never be comforted; there was no way in which he could ever find consolation in a world which he - yes, he - had twice destroyed. The dead couldn't console him; and why should the living, whose lives he had made a misery?
He could hear talking. They had reached the point where it was safe for the rescue craft to pick them up. Asuka was speaking to someone about their journey, telling of how she had brought him only so that they knew where he was, how difficult the journey had been with him, how she would give them a detailed update. She told them to release the horses, because the settlers had probably followed secretly in the hope of recovering them.
Shinji!
A strange man's voice addressed him. He ignored it. As he knew he was no longer of this world, why should he react to it?
Shinji!
The voice was compelling, and somehow stirred him to glance towards it. The face seemed familiar, though changed by the years. He reluctantly allowed his mind to search back through memories of his past life, until he found the answer.
T..T..Touji?
I won't punch yer face again while y're all screwed up. But when y've come to yourself enough, however long that takes, y'll have just one chance to persuade me not to do it right then like I did before!
He collapsed on the ground in tears. They could do nothing with him.