SAME DAY
5:00 PM JST
MET: 00:00:10
UNIT 01 DEPLOYMENT ZONE
Shinji began his sprint towards the predicted drop site of the angel. He could see the air above begin the heat up as the angel broke through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds, not unlike a spacecraft reentering the atmosphere.
Each step of the mighty Evangelion dug into the earth with immense force. Roads and trees in its path of it were destroyed or damaged.
Shinji could feel his legs slightly burn as he willed the Evangelion to run faster. And it did so…
Its armor began to slightly heat up as it started to approach the sound barrier.
"Shinji, how far out are you?"
Rei asked over TacNet, her voice was strained as she too was getting exhausted from the heavy sprinting.
"I'm three kilometers out Do you have visuals on the target or even Asuka?"
He asked.
"I see the Angel and Unit 02."
"Good. Misato, are we nearing the center point?"
There was a moment of silence on the channel before someone finally spoke up.
"Yes, adjust your heading to the following, I'm sending it to your HUD now."
And as she promised, his navigational heading changed to point him to the new position. It was a few degrees from the original, but those few degrees were the difference between being disintegrated and living to see another day.
The clouds above parted as the Angel broke through, the sky a fiery red haze.
Its giant eye and branching arms truly looked like it was announcing the prophesied apocalypse from Revelations.
It was a horrifying sight.
The Evangelions got closer and closer to the Angel's predicted impact point.
The loud thuds of their footsteps shook the earth and shattered windows nearby.
Shinji huffed and puffed, his adrenaline pumping throughout his body and mind. His earlier rage dulled but was not gone. He let his anger turn into energy for him to keep fighting.
Soon he was there.
The impact point.
The Angel was right above him, staring him down.
Mocking him.
Shinji's anger grew, he let out a beastly growl as he raised his arms into the air and extended his AT field.
"AT FIELD MAXIMUM STRENGTH!"
Then he felt it break.
MATERNAL PROGRAMMING
EPISODE 22
"Why do you care?"
NOVEMBER 6TH
NERV HQ
NERV MEDICAL HOSPITAL
RECOVERY WARD
3:43 PM JST
A sharp pain rushed throughout his body.
His eyes wanted to stay close but he wanted to see. Fluttering open he immediately knew where he was despite his blurry eyes and a foggy mind.
The Hospital.
So he beat the angel…
But at what cost?
He tried to prop himself up but his arms didn't let him. He cried out in pain as he fell backward back onto the bed. Heavy footsteps tapped towards him, and he looked to see who it was.
"Father?..."
Shinji's breathing began to quicken. His heart monitor began to beep faster.
"Why are you here?..."
His ragged voice was filled with venom as he stared down at the tall man.
"I've come to take you home. You have been temporarily relieved of duty as an Evangelion Pilot."
. . .
. . .
"I have a wheelchair for you here."
. . .
. . .
"I can assist you If you would like."
. . .
. . .
A murmur.
. . .
"Hmm?
. . .
"I said. I can do it myself."
Shinji's mind was full of rage, pain, and embarrassment. He felt so much embarrassment that he showed weakness in front of this… Man…
The injured boy slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. His legs slipped out into the cold sterile air. His arms cried out in pain as he pushed himself up off the bed.
As his feet touched the floor, his feet immediately gave way to his weight and he was already on his way to falling onto the floor.
A split quick second later and he was spared from hitting the floor. A pair of rough-feeling hands grabbed onto his shoulders and held him up.
Shinji took a moment to breathe as his life flashed before his eyes. He looked up to see Gendo holding him by the shoulders. A pang of anger flashed in Shinji's eyes but quickly dulled as he was powerless in this situation.
"Just get me to the wheelchair."
Conceded Shinji, his pride in tatters and his anger simmering.
Gendo slowly led the injured boy into the old wheelchair. He was careful and gentle.
He was set down gently.
Gently.
Shinji's mind was all messed up. Thousands of thoughts ran through it, rushing through the billions of neurons, each one firing its electric signals and chemicals through the dendrites.
He was brought back to reality when he felt the wheelchair begin to head forward.
"There is a car waiting for us to take us home."
The bearded man stated, rolling Shinji out of the hospital room and down a hall. Shinji dared not look at his father's face when he asked his next question.
"...What happened?..."
The question alone made Gendo stop in his tracks.
"You and Unit 01 were injured. Do you not remember that you defeated the angel? Or… Attacking Units 00 and 02?..."
His eyes widened.
"I-I did?..."
. . .
. . .
. . .
"Let's not dwell on it now. We should head home now. Your mother will be home late today, she is dealing with the commander and the MAGI."
SAME DAY
NERV HQ
COMMANDER LEBLANC'S OFFICE
3:52 PM JST
"It seems your son is awake and being taken home. Are you sure you do not wish to head home with them?"
"No sir, I believe it's best that they… spend some time together alone."
Naoko finished her words with a heavy sigh, she never expected it to get this bad. He must've known she was in love with Gendo.
She knew Shinji was furious when Gendo moved in, he was fuming that day.
She should've known it was too sudden for the poor boy. Her poor son.
She stood there silent for a moment pondering her many thoughts.
"I see. Well, Kaworu Nagisa will be piloting Unit 03 as the US Congress has finally agreed to send it over after hearing about what happened to Unit 01… I still can't believe they watched the footage of it and some had the audacity to say it was fake and said the boy was a paid actor…"
Naoko scoffed.
"I would absolutely pummel the bitch who said that. I don't care if she is a senator or some governor or whatever. My son didn't put his life on the line, just for some bitch to claim it's fake…"
. . .
"We are getting sidetracked… Be thankful it isn't the UK parliament though. They would've thrown chairs."
Naoko narrowed her eyes, this man was very off track.
"So about Unit 03…"
Jacques snapped back to reality and cleared his throat, setting his hands down on the table.
"Yes Unit 03. The Prime Minister of Japan has approved the official transfer of the Unit over here. We shall be receiving it by air in a few days."
"Any word on Units 4, 5, and 6?"
Questioned Naoko, to which Jacques gave a tired look in response.
"Russia is currently dealing with an energy crisis, so the Unit's construction is not their top priority. China has just entered a Civil war and the facility is being blocked from anyone entering and leaving. And as for the US?... Go give the Bitch a call. I'm sure the MAGI could possibly find something on her to make her listen to you…"
Naoko's face turned into a malicious grin that Jacques was slightly perturbed by.
"A great idea…"
"For official purposes that was a joke. Please tell me you aren't going to do that…"
Audible Grin
"Please leave…"
SAME DAY
AKAGI RESIDENCE
4:43 PM JST
The door unlocked with a subtle click, allowing it to be opened by the house's occupants.
Gendo pushed the wheelchair in, wheeling the crippled boy in. Gendo didn't bother to take his shoes off and Shinji didn't even have any on.
The two headed down the entry hall past the stairs and into the living room where Gendo parked him next to the couch.
Shinji frowned and sighed.
"I could've walked after the car ride…"
Gendo stopped in his tracks.
"Then why didn't you?"
. . .
. . .
"It's… None of your concern…"
. . .
"I see. Please, do not hesitate to call me if you need something."
. . .
"Could you hand me my phone?..."
"Sure."
The man stepped away for a moment and walked to the kitchen to retrieve Shinji's phone. He returned and handed it to him.
"Thanks…"
He unlocked his phone and headed over to the contacts app.
His finger hovered over one of the contacts.
Asuka Langley Soryu
He pondered if he should even call her after what he was told what happened.
He tapped on it and held the phone up to his ear.
. . .
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hey, Its Asuka Langley Soryu! I currently can't answer your call right now but please leave a message with your number and I'll try and get back to you! Thanks!"
BEEEEP!
"H-Hey Asuka, It's me Shinji… Just.. Uh call when you can I guess… Bye."
He hung up the call. He scrolled down to the next person he wanted to talk to.
Rei Ayanami.
. . .
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hi you have reach Rei Ayanami's cell, unfortunately I'm not able to answer your call. If you can, leave your name and number and I'll get back to you soon!"
BEEEEP!
"Hey Rei… It's Shinji… Please call me back…"
He hung up again. The next person on his list is someone he didn't talk to too much, but he still considered him a friend.
Kaworu Nagisa
. . .
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hey Shinji! How can I help you? I just heard you got out of the hospital, how are you feeling?"
"I've had worse… Say, can you come over today?.. I just need a friend right now…"
There was a pause on the line.
"I'm doing a test right now and might not be able to afterwards… Sorry Shinji…"
"I-Its fine. Thanks though…"
"No problem, I'll try and come tomorrow, if ok."
"Yeah thats fine. I'll text you my address soon."
"Thanks, I'll see you later"
"Yeah, you too.."
With that, Shinji hung up the line and sighed.
Gendo sat nearby, not exactly listening but just overhearing the conversation.
"Would you like to see some TV, or read a book?
He asked, unsure of what the kids these days do in their free time besides text on their phones and eat hot chips.
"I have a console here that I can play, just hand me that controller."
Gendo nodded and bent over to hand him the white controller.
Shinji powered on the rather expensive console and signed on. He picked out a game he had downloaded and pressed a button to play it.
The logo for some Swedish game company appeared before switching to a blocky looking title screen.
"What type of game is this?"
Gendo asked, confused by all the odd pixels and blocks.
"It's building game, you mine, build, and craft stuff to survive… Why do you care?"
Gendo was internally sweating. He was just trying to make conversation with the boy, but this was terrifying to him. Shinji already hates him.
"I am just curious…"
Shinji rolled his eyes and selected his world he always played on. He spawned in what appears to be a house of sorts.
His player moved outside into a sort of pen filled with blocky animals.
Some clucked, some mooed, and some baaed.
"Is… That a Sheep?"
WOOO WEEE! THIS TOOK A WHILE TO MAKE, BUT I HOPE IT WAS WORTH IT FOR YOU GUYS! So I was sick last chapter with Covid, but now Im cleared! Thank you for your concerns!
Thank you to Darkscythe Drake for beta reading this chapter.
See you all next time!
-DerpymanMT
Deus