Hey guys, I'm back.
This chapter is long, and may get weird but stick with it and it will make sense.
Here's chapter 7 "Ayanami"
"Some bonds are so strong that they never fade. If that's true… does that make me a friend? Or does it make me a monster? My father was a monster, and he used his bonds with people to manipulate them… do I? My bond with Rei was special, different than the others. I think I was the first person to treat her as a person, to care about her as more than a tool. Eventually, I made her smile because I understood that she wasn't emotionless. She had a soul, something I don't think even she realized for a long time."
– the Broken Man
Night, Tokyo-03.
Geofront, Nerv HQ.
Shinji hurried into the men's locker room. He had already taken his shoes off by the time he opened his locker to grab his plugsuit. Minutes ago, an Angel had appeared, and Shinji and Rei, Eva Team Zero as they were called, had been pulled from their beds and brought to Nerv HQ.
"Freaking Angels don't let us sleep," Misato had cursed that whole way there.
Shinji didn't have the heart to mention the fact that his guardian didn't have to fight the Angel herself. Changing quickly, Shinji cursed at his injured arm; the partial cast slowed him down. The alarms blared overhead, sounding off from a distance.
The boy glanced off to the side, thinking about his fellow Eva Pilot across the hall from him. Rei would be changing into her plugsuit from within the confines of the women's locker room. He didn't want Nerv to deploy her if they didn't have to, she had had to save him last time. The adults had sent her out before she'd finished recovering from her old injuries, and she'd been hurt again.
Sending her out before her wounds had healed... that was cruel.
Shinji hoped he could finish this on his own; he didn't want Rei getting hurt again on his behalf.
"Report to the Eva Units, the Angel is getting closer," a voice called over the comm system.
"On my way," Shinji muttered to himself.
He ran out of the locker room and crossed the hallway into the hangar where Unit 01 waited. "Thank you," Shinji said hurriedly to the technician who handed him his interface helmet. Everyone was running a little off at this hour.
Unit 01's Entry Plug opened, a hiss of compressed air gushing out, and Shinji climbed in. He remembered to breathe as the LCL filled his cockpit, letting the strange liquid fill his lungs.
"Sync ratio holding steady at 49%. Looking good, Shinji," Ritsuko said into his ear via the communication system, 'comm' for short, as he breathed in.
Shinji nodded, then remembered that no one could see him nod. He answered back, saying, "okay, I'm ready."
"Listen, the Angel has some kind of long-range beam cannon. We don't know how, but it can fly, and it's been soaring over the city heading for the Geofront. Be careful," Misato called into the comm.
Unit 01's restraints were unbolted.
Further down the hangar, Rei was sitting in the Entry Plug of Unit 00. Silent to him, but most likely having reported her status to Ritsuko. Shinji glanced sideways on his display to the Eva Unit beside his own.
He opened a channel to his fellow pilot; they still had a minute or two while Unit 01 was prepped for launch.
"Rei? Uh, how are you?"
"I am in reasonable health," Rei answered after a short pause.
"I know, but… your injuries from the last attacks… I mean. Are you okay to pilot if you need to? Hopefully, it won't come to that," Shinji said awkwardly.
"… I am ready to pilot if needed. Thank you for inquiring, Shinji," Rei said.
He imagined the pale girl tilting her head from inside her Evangelion. She did that from time to time.
"Oh, uh no need to thank me," Shinji said softly.
"… and you? Are you well?" Rei called back almost awkwardly, it was hard to read emotions on Unit 00's pilot, but Shinji thought he could at times.
"I think so, arm's still a little slow. But it's not that bad anymore," Shinji said perhaps a little too quickly.
"Stop flirting you two. Prepare for launch," Misato called into both their comm units.
"What? Misato, that's not… no I… we're just talking. This is no time to tease-" Shinji stammered. He'd forgotten their comm channels were completely open.
"Understood. However, it should be noted that Pilot Ikari has been ready to deploy for over a minute now, yet command has not launched him," Rei said, cutting in completely deadpan.
Silence was Misato's answer over the comm.
Did… did Rei just defend me? Shinji thought.
…
Elsewhere in the command center, Ritsuko raised an eyebrow at Misato. The doctor shook her head at the captain, and muttered: "you were listening in longer than you needed to."
"Oh shut up," Misato mouthed back to her longtime friend. She had a little fun for like a minute, that didn't make her a bad person. Besides, the Angel hadn't bothered attacking anything since Tokyo-03's defensive measures had been activated, various city blocks sinking into underground bunkers, and defensive structures rising atop.
Ritsuko just shook her head.
"Unit 01. Launch!" Misato called.
"Unit 01. Launch!"
Shinji braced himself as Eva Unit 01 was shot out from the launch pad, sparks flew as the massive machine rose to the surface in a matter of seconds.
The Eva landed in a familiar area of the fortified city. Shinji immediately raised his rifle, ready to do his job and get in range of the metallic diamond-shaped Angel above them.
Before he could even move, a bright light slammed into Unit 01's faceplate. The shot struck the Evangelion through the eye.
"What-" Shinji flinched back, as less than a single second after he'd been deployed... he was shot. The phantom sensations of the Eva's artificial nervous system brought the sheer agony of the experience to him.
He had the wind knocked out of him, and he wheezed heavy panting breaths, unable to even speak as his eyes widened and he clenched his fists so hard his nails cut into his skin.
"… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Shinji shrieked. The boy felt the sensation of a hole being burned through his eye and deep into his brain.
Unit 01 stumbled backward in a silent scream, Shinji's pain and confusion mirrored by the massive machine as they both collapsed onto one knee.
Shinji didn't even register what happened. Next, all he knew was pain… pain and that his head was throbbing without the thing stirring inside.
Command center.
"Shinji!" Misato called into the comm frantically.
The only response that came was Shinji's scream of agony via the comm. Loud, feral, and continuous, the scream did not stop. It ran through the open comm, Misato, Ritsuko, and Rei all winced as the cry rang in their ears.
Ritsuko entered commands into her terminal, muting Shinji's comm momentarily.
The Nerv technicians were rapidly gathering the data from Unit 01 as the Magi Supercomputers began running simulations based on the ever-increasing available information.
"Shinji's vitals are dropping. He's in trouble!" Ritsuko called as she streamed the data onto the main display.
Misato stared at Shinji's heartbeat, and she watched the rapid rise in blood pressure as the boy experienced the trauma of being shot in the eye. The phantom sensations of the Evangelion sent the Third Child into shock, and she watched the vitals helplessly.
"Captain Katsuragi, requesting permission to deploy," Rei called into command's comm channel.
Shinji screamed until he ran out of breath, his head was throbbing, and his eye burned so badly that he felt tears emerge.
Then he was gone…
One moment Shinji was inside the Entry Plug, and the next he was no longer in Tokyo-03, he was in a void of pitch-black. The world around him, the Evangelion, the Angel, the city, Misato and Ritsuko, all of it had vanished.
Shinji panicked as he suddenly submerged in a water-like substance, all in the dark.
He couldn't see, and he never properly learned how to swim. Shinji trashed around in the abyss violently, he broke through the surface clumsily, flailing and heading forward.
Then he was gone again…
One moment Shinji was in the water, then the next he was on land. He coughed violently not understanding what had happened.
Where was Eva Unit 01? Where was Misato? Where was Tokyo-03?
"What?" Shinji croaked, water in his nostrils.
He stood on a lone stretch of land amid the ruins of a city. The place, whatever it was, lay surrounded by tainted water. A red sea. He felt so cold, his plugsuit was drenched and it stuck to him like a second skin.
Light... there's light here. Where is it coming from?
The boy slowly looked up and found the moon hovering above in the night sky. The moon looked wrong, there was a stretch of red across the surface. Almost like a wound, a scar upon the moon itself.
What in the world could do that?!
Shinji stumbled back on unsteady feet, breathing hard.
The thing in his head stirred violently.
What are you doing?
"Ack!"
Shinji flinched from the dual pain forth by the voice and the sensation of being shot in the eye.
Then he was gone, no longer there, one moment on a stretch of land surrounded by water, then the next he was in pitch-black again.
I'm sorry… I didn't know this would happen. How are you doing this? Stop!
Shinji clutched his head and he was gone again.
The real world
"Shinji! What's wrong!" Misato cried into the comm channel. She had unmuted the boy's mic and had opened the channel to only the two of them.
Dead silence met her on the other end.
"He's in shock. I think he's having a seizure," Ritsuko said staring at Shinji's vitals.
A seizure? He needs a hospital for christ sake! Misato thought. She bit her lips.
"Eva Unit 01 is being fired at again!" one of the Nerv staff called out.
...
Above them, on the surface of the city, Eva Unit 01 sat unmoving on one knee as the Angel fired another shot. The beam cannon struck the massive machine's torso.
Eva Unit 01 toppled over, landing with a heavy thud. The impact sent dust flying in a cloud of smoke.
"Direct hit! The boy's not even trying to defend himself!" another Nerv staff called. The Magi supercomputers predicted that Unit 01's armor would not hold up for long against the Angel's long-range attack.
"He's having a seizure!" Misato snapped back at the poor staff member.
She turned to look at Eva Unit 00, connected her comm to Rei's channel, and spoke.
"Permission to deploy granted!"
Shinji's breakdown.
The vision.
The boy gritted his teeth, his head felt like it was going to explode, he rubbed his eyes adjusting to the light as suddenly he was in a hallway. He didn't understand what was happening. He had been on the surface of Tokyo-03 inside his Eva Unit and then he'd disappeared...
"What are you, stupid?!" a girl's voice called out to him.
Shinji whirled, his head was hurting so much he wanted to scream. Then he was gone again, he was standing somewhere in the city.
Another Eva Pilot in a red plugsuit, a European looking girl around his age, was kneeling on the floor crying.
Who? Shinji thought, shuddering from the ache in his head.
"I hate her! I hate you, Shinji! I hate everything!" the girl cried out.
The anguish in her voice made his skin crawl.
Boy. You have to stop. This is too soon. You're not ready.
The raspy voice sent Shinji wobbling on unsteady feet, and he screamed. It had come loud this time.
Then he was gone again, suddenly standing on the lone stretch of land surrounded by water again. The ruins of a city visible in the distance.
"No! Not again!" Shinji cried out through the haze of confusion and sheer pain. He had eerie memories of incidents like this happening to him in his youth. It had been during the height of his madness.
But then the other Eva Pilot, the European girl, was there and… and Shinji had his hands around her throat. Why was he strangling her? Why would he hurt someone he didn't know?
Stop! The thing in his head stirred… and the other Eva Pilot was gone.
He was left panting, his hands strangling empty air.
"Gah! Ahhh! Make it stop! Please! Just stop!" Shinji wailed falling to his knees. This was unbearable, it felt like tiny blades were orbiting around the inside of his skull and cutting through his brain tissue inch by inch. If he could have cried, he would have. But it hurt too much.
Then, the pain lessened. It didn't vanish, but the sensation softened as suddenly Shinji disappeared again.
He landed somewhere else and got to his feet and breathing heavy haggard breaths.
There was another person down there with him in the void, a Woman in the Dark.
The Woman said nothing, a figure surrounded by shadows, her face barely visible. She reminded him of his mother, and she watched him through the black. She held out her hand to him and Shinji didn't know what to make of it…
Who are you? No... no... I'm not supposed to see these things anymore. I got help! I did! I take my medicine!
The Woman hummed to him, a soft melancholy tune, her hand outstretched towards him. A smile was visible even in the low-light world around the two of them.
You need to stop. This is too much for you. If you don't you will die!
I don't know how… he thought.
Images passed over Shinji as he disappeared and reappeared again in various locations. Too many to count, he saw things he couldn't explain. People he didn't know, Rei, that other pilot, the ruins of a city... and a little girl, a toddler laughing up at him.
Then the images blurred, his vision darkened, and his head throbbed.
I'm blocking them, holding the images back, but you have to help me. Stop looking!
The voice was pleading with him, concern audible.
The image of Eva Unit 01 appeared, towering over him with dark red liquid dripping down the palm of its right hand. Blood. The massive machine had crushed someone to death…
Stop it. You're going to kill yourself. You have to help me. Wake up!
He was in Misato's apartment, the lights weren't working and the power was out. The windows were all open, sunlight pouring in, the only source of light for the tiny home. He was in the kitchen… with two other girls.
Rei, one of the girls was Rei and the other… the other one was the girl he'd seen before. The Eva pilot with the red plugsuit.
Rei… he thought stunned even through the haze that was his mind.
"Do you think we're the only ones?"
Shinji didn't know who said the words. Him? Rei? The other girl?
"Maybe others will come back. We did," one of the three said.
"It's been weeks. Weeks and no one else came back. We can't stay here forever," another of the group said.
He looked down groaning in agony to see that he had cooked the three of them a meal. He closed his eyes wincing, yet the images before him did not stop. Closing his eyes never stopped the visions, for they came from inside his head.
"Ahhh! Ghhh! Stopppppp! Stop!" Shinji screamed. Just as when he was a kid, nothing he did worked. The images continued, they played for him like they were a film burned into his eyes.
He watched as his hands moved and he gave each of the girls a plate. The two girls took the food and started to eat their small meal, the meal he had cooked for them. Together, the three sat alone.
"Thank you, Shinji," Rei said softly.
Look. Away.
Shinji sank to the ground in sheer terror. He fell on his back, Misato's apartment and the two girls dissolved into ashes around him as he sank down into the void.
No! Look away! The voice shouted.
Then Shinji was somewhere else, he was running through an empty street, a... a gun in his right hand, and a bag of food was wrapped around his wrist. Rei was at his side calling for him to hold on.
Decayed, battered buildings surrounded them. Rei was holding his hand, running with him.
Rei? Why are we running? He thought.
BANG.
He didn't feel the impact, but he wobbled.
My arm... my arm is bleeding? My arm is bleeding! I... I was shot! Shinji thought as he felt himself glance at his injured arm. Someone had shot him, he almost fell but Rei pulled him onward.
Together, the two ran from some unseen force or foe.
Look. Away.
Then Shinji was gone again.
… He lay in the empty stretch of land surrounded by water with the ruins of a city visible in the distance. He panted out heavy pained breaths, his arm wasn't bleeding. He hadn't been shot... or had he?
Why did he keep ending up here on this stretch of land?
Damn it, Shinji! What do you think is going to happen! It hurts, but you don't even try to stop it! Don't just lay there! Make a choice! Look away!
Never learned... how.
I don't want to do this to you. It will hurt.
He flinched as someone appeared above him. Shinji's vision became blurry and out of focus. A grown man stood over him dressed in rags. The man grabbed Shinji by the shoulders and hauled him up to his feet. It all happened so fast that he could barely see anything.
"If you won't choose, then I will choose for you," the man said, his voice a low hoarse rasp. It was a strange sound, the words slow and sluggish as if he not had spoken aloud in years.
The man's eyes… one was brown like Shinji's, and the other was red.
Meanwhile.
The real world.
Rei ran through the city, firing rounds of Eva Unit 00's rifle into the Angel hovering above the city. None of the bullets pierced through the Angel's massive AT-Field, the strange patterns of light protected the monster from all attacks.
"Captain Katsuragi, my attacks are not effective. And the Angel will not allow me to reach Unit 01," Rei called into the comm.
Even as she spoke, she managed to glance at Shinji's Eva, the massive machine lay sprawled on the ground. After Unit 01 had been shot through the eye Shinji's scream had filled the comm channels, and Rei had wasted no time asking to be deployed.
However, she could do nothing to help her... her friend. The Angel ignored her unless she got too close to Unit 01, instead, the creature fired blast after blast of its particle beam directly at Shinji and his Eva.
The only time Rei was fired at was when she tried to rescue her fellow pilot.
She'd managed to avoid being hit by the blasts, but Shinji had taken direct hits six different times. To that end, Rei had taken it upon herself to get close, then break away, drawing the Angel's attention to her when she could. It worked to some extent, but Unit 01 had taken damage and she couldn't get near enough to actually help.
The pale girl fired another useless burst into the monster in the sky. Again, the bullets had no effect.
Rei narrowed her eyes as the Angel ignored her.
"You need to get Shinji back. 01 can't take this kind of damage. Whatever we come with up to take that thing down, we'll need both of you," Misato called back into her comm sounding frantic and uneasy.
"Captain Katsuragi, Unit 01 is on the move," Rei called suddenly. Her voice cracked as she felt emotions she could not explain at the sight.
Eva Unit 01 sprang up, scrambling to its knees as the Angel fired again.
01 rolled to the side, sending chunks of dirt and pulverized concrete into the air, the beam missed. The blast burned the ground and left a crater in its wake. Unit 01 went on the move, the massive machine rising to its feet before kneeling on all fours.
The Evangelion crawled around like it was alive and not a machine.
"Shinji isn't responding to our calls. I think he muted us or else the comm unit is damaged. Rei, try to cover him!" Misato called into her comm.
Rei fired more useless rounds at the Angel in the sky, as expected it ignored her.
Unit 01, however, sat crouched low, on all fours, silent and wary, the titan waiting for the particle beam to come before rolling off to the side and dodging it.
"Pilot Ikari... Shinji. Are you well?" Rei called switching her comm to Shinji's channel.
Utter silence was her answer.
It unnerved her, why would Shinji not use his comm? Why would he ignore her?
Are you injured? Why do you not speak?
Eva Unit 01 dodged the Angel's attack, again and again, timing it just right every time. It was amazing to watch, the Eva Unit moving with a rhythm she had not ever seen before.
Yet Rei grew uncertain at the lack of communication.
"Command, I believe Shinji is trying to make it back to the launchpad."
"Say again?" Ritsuko asked on the channel.
"I believe he is attempting to retreat back underground," Rei called into the comm.
"Good call, we're re-opening the launchpad. Try to cover him, his vitals don't look good," Ritsuko answered via the comm.
"The moment Shinji makes it back, jump down too. We're re-opening it, this isn't working and we can't risk losing any of our Evas," Misato ordered suddenly.
Rei moved Unit 00, glancing down at her useless rifle. She did not enjoy this feeling, this moment of being unable to damage her target. Unable even to help her fellow pilot. Forced to retreat.
Unit 01 rolled off to the side then broke into a run as Rei fired shot after shot into the Angel's massive AT Field, her bullets having no effect. Shinji and his Eva crawled over the launchpad doors and dropped down the way he had been deployed.
Shortly after, Unit 00 ran for its launchpad and leaped down, retreating too.
...
Misato and Ritsuko, along with the other staff, covered their ears as Eva Unit 01 landed with a harsh clang. It had returned to where it had originally been shot up to the surface. The sound rattled their ears and bounced from wall to wall of the hangar.
Moments later, Eva Unit 00 fell down landing much more gracefully into a launchpad further down from Unit 01. Once again, the sound reverberated throughout the enormous chamber.
"Pilots successfully retreated," Misato said into the comm with a sigh of relief.
Ritsuko looked over the Magi supercomputers' data, pouring over the predicted outcomes. She turned to Misato saying, "it'll take a few hours before the Angel is on top of the Geofront."
Misato nodded but kept her eyes on the display of Shinji's vitals.
"Send a medical team to extract Shinji. We can't have him losing consciousness again," she said.
"I'll go. Maya, take my post at the Magi terminals," Ritsuko said suddenly.
Maya Ibuki rose from her seat, rushing over to Ritsuko's terminal.
Misato made to follow, only for Ritsuko to grab her by the wrist saying, "I'll see to Shinji. You need to talk to the commanders. We need a plan of attack."
Their eyes met, and Misato scowled. She hated it, but she knew Ritsuko was right. She wanted to be there for Shinji, wanted to see how he was doing… but her job called her away.
"I'm sorry, Shinji. I'm sending a Ritsuko with a medical team check up on you," Misato said into the useless comm.
She didn't know if the boy could hear her or not, he had never responded to the comm, never once even attempted to contact them since being shot, but as much as it hurt she had a job to do.
Ritsuko nodded and headed for Eva Unit 01 below.
The Hangar.
By the time Ritsuko reached the hangar alongside the medical team, the Entry Plug had been released, and the ejected LCL was pooling onto the floor. Shinji Ikari himself emerged onto the hangar grounds, flailing frantically as he stumbled about.
The adults watched as he moved on uneven feet, swinging back and forth and struggling to stand.
Bright red blood ran down the boy's face, another nosebleed. A violent one. He flailed his arms wildly as he stumbled forward trying to grab onto to something but found only air. He gasped, struggling to breathe as he stumbled in shock.
His movements were frantic, wild, and clumsy in stark contrast to the smooth movements of Unit 01 just minutes prior.
"Hold," Ritsuko called to the medical staff.
The team stayed back at her orders. She carefully walked forward hands held out and called Shinji by name.
The young boy snapped to attention at the sound of her voice. He almost fell but Ritsuko caught him by the wrist and held him up.
"I… I was gone. I was gone… where… where did I go?" Shinji panted frantically.
The boy ran a hand along the chest-plate of his plugsuit, it was completely dry, he had never been in the water at all. Yet it had felt so real.
"No. Shinji, you were right here. You never left your Entry Plug," Ritsuko said, seeing the panic attack the boy seemed to be having.
"I was shot... I was shot!" the boy cried, pure panic in his young face. He clutched a spot on his arm tight.
"Yes, the Angel scored a direct hit through Unit 01's eye," Ritsuko explained, doing her best to keep him calm.
Oh god, his pupils are dilated. Ritsuko noted as Shinji nearly fell a second time, his eyes wild and uncertain. The boy's eyes moved back and forth as if he was seeing things no one else could. Like he wasn't even sure where he was at the moment.
"No... arm... my arm... my arm!" Shinji rasped, struggling to even breathe.
"Shinji, the Eva was shot in the head. You're in shock, the trauma could've made you have a seizure. Breathe. Just breathe and we'll take care of you," Ritsuko said calmly.
Shinji flinched violently as he grabbed his head, pulling harshly at his own hair as he flailed around again.
"Whoa, calm down!" Ritsuko said. She didn't fully understand what had happened, but she grabbed the flailing teenager before he nearly fell for the third time.
At this rate... the boy is going to pull the hair from his scalp...
Ritsuko tugged at Shinji's hand, trying to stop him ripping his hair out.
...
I know it hurts. I know this is confusing but listen. Just this once... take your medicine. Take your pills. Not the red, the black one. The thing in his head stirred.
Suddenly Shinji grabbed Ritsuko by the wrist so hard that she hissed in pain. He pulled her close and whispered to her.
"In shock? Maybe… no… hallucinations. Madness. Need my medicine, black pill. Only one, only for emergencies," Shinji whispered quickly. He shuddered as he spoke, his voice quivering as he tried not to break down.
Ritsuko froze momentarily, then recovered as she grabbed Shinji by the shoulders and shouted to the medical team.
"He's in shock. We need to get him stable!"
…
The medical team rushed forward with a stretcher, and though Shinji fought it he was strapped down. The adults had to pin him until he was securely held in the stretcher.
Shinji was rolled out of the hangar and Rei watched from the sidelines. She did not understand the feelings in her chest at the sight of her fellow pilot being pulled away in such a state.
...
Everything after blurred to Shinji as he struggled against the straps of the stretcher, the medical team put him in an isolated room and gave him a variety of drugs.
What's happening? Why won't it stop? Why won't it stop? My head! Shinji thought. He struggled frantically against the straps of his stretcher, thrashing wildly. He must have looked insane...
Sometime during his shock and panic, the medical team left him, and Ritsuko reappeared with her hand in her lab coat pocket. She pulled out a prescription bottle filled with black pills.
Opening the bottle, Ritsuko quickly shoved a single black pill into Shinji's mouth, and he didn't even fight it when she covered his mouth forcing him to swallow it.
You will miss the first time. Don't miss the second-
The thing inside his head had stirred before it was cut off in an abrupt haze of silence. His medicine had kicked in.
Without waiting for Shinji to respond, Ritsuko injected him with a sedative.
"Rest while you can," she said as Shinji drifted off to sleep.
Glorious dreamless sleep.
Hours later.
ICU, Hospital.
Shinji groaned, opening his eyes weakly. Slowly, he rose to a sitting position with his entire body aching.
What happened?
The last thing he remembered was being shot then... then he had suffered a breakdown for the first time in years.
Just like before, he had holes in his memory. Moments where things jumbled together and he didn't know what had happened. He couldn't say how he had gotten back to Nerv HQ or even to the hospital, only that he had. Memory gapes terrified him, missing pieces of his life, he never knew what they meant.
He shuddered at the sensation, of blank spots in his recollections.
Another white room. I always hated these white rooms, Shinji thought.
He got over his initial grogginess and tried to think of something else. His hands were shaking, so he clutched them together to steady himself.
"Hello," a voice called quietly.
Shinji jumped in surprise and turned to see Rei standing off to the side of his bed. The pale girl was watching him with almost no expression on her face.
"Rei!" he said, panting from his initial shock. He breathed a sigh of relief at her presence, he had been afraid that he was still in his breakdown and 'disappearing' again.
"Operation Yashima is being prepped. Nerv is sending a car in sixty minutes. We are required to be at the temporary base at Mount Futago. Eva Units 00 and 01 have already been moved and prepped," Rei said. The girl sounded as if she was reading instructions from a book.
Shinji didn't like it.
"Uh, Operation Yashima?" Shinji asked, running a hand across his face.
"The plan Captain Katsuragi developed to destroy the Angel. The Commanders approved it. Here, you have been issued a new plugsuit," Rei said simply.
His fellow pilot tossed him a bag. Shinji caught the bag holding his new plugsuit, eyes cast downward the whole time. He stared at the new uniform inside, and he felt Rei observing him quietly.
That's it... I had a seizure... I got lost... and I wake up to more orders and a new plugsuit?
"Do you require privacy? We must be ready to leave within the hour," Rei asked suddenly.
"No, uh I mean yes I do. It's just... I..." Shinji said. He had trouble putting his thoughts into words.
"Are you unwell?" Rei asked. She tilted her head at him, almost frowning.
"I don't think I am," Shinji said. His lips trembled and he remembered flailing in the hangar before Ritsuko and the medical team had grabbed him.
"Your body will recover in time. I believe we can request painkillers for you if needed," Rei suggested.
Shinji shook his head. He ran his fingers nervously through the new plugsuit, the fabric was smooth to the touch, then he clenched his hand into a fist straining the material.
"I don't want to pilot anymore. I'm sorry... but every time I do I just end up getting hurt. I barely woke up, and they want me to pilot already," Shinji said bitterly.
He never looked up. He couldn't bring himself to look at Rei.
If Ritsuko hadn't gotten me my medicine... what would have happened to me?
He was afraid to imagine the outcome.
"Such things are expected of us," Rei said, not knowing what else to say.
"I know that..." Shinji whined. Damn, he sounded like such a child and he hated that.
Rei said nothing.
"How do you do this? How do you keep piloting? You get hurt every time like I do, but you just keep going?" he said avoiding her gaze. He couldn't stop the hint of astonishment in his voice, he genuinely had no idea how the girl did this.
"... I do not know. It is my purpose to pilot," Rei said, her voice shaking slightly.
Shinji wrapped an arm around himself, shaking his head.
This isn't right... I don't want to go back... I don't want to get hurt... 'it' got worse again. It gets worse every time I pilot. The voice... I was doing so well... Shinji thought.
"You do not wish to pilot?" Rei asked with a frown.
Shinji froze. He knew the Angel was still out there... but piloting was so hard. It made his condition worse. He had not had a breakdown in years, hadn't had the thing in his head stir for long periods of time now. That had all changed the day he first piloted Eva Unit 01.
Rei seemed to take his shameful silence as a yes.
"Then do not pilot," Rei said suddenly.
Shinji looked back up at her with haggard eyes.
"What?" he stammered.
"Dr. Akagi has said I am compatible with both Units 00 and 01. I will inform Captain Katsuragi that you are too ill for the operation. Goodbye Shinji... I... I hope you will feel better," Rei said, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
Shinji watched eyes wide as Rei turned and headed for the door.
Just like that, she was walking away ready to pilot. Ready to continue the fight.
He looked back at his new plugsuit. His hands shook as he gripped it, Rei was going out there with or without him. The girl that had been hurt even more times than he had.
She always said that his injuries were more severe, but Rei bore hers better than he did. And she had been ready to pilot since the day he met her.
"Rei!" Shinji cried. He stumbled out of his hospital bed, the sheets falling to the floor as he did so but he didn't care.
His fellow pilot turned back to face him frowning as she did so. She had a hand on the door but did not leave.
"I... I won't let you go alone. I'll pilot..." Shinji said quickly. He took a deep breath, steeling himself up, before continuing, "I'll do it, I promise."
Rei nodded, the shadow of a smile appearing on her face. She nodded saying, "I will inform Captain Katsuragi. Get dressed."
Then without another word, Rei left him to his room.
Shinji turned to his new plugsuit... and then he realized that he was completely naked and had been for the entire conversation since getting out of bed.
When the medical team had stabilized him for the move to the hospital, they had taken his clothes off, and he had been so shaken that he hadn't noticed.
"Ah!" Shinji groaned, he felt himself blush. Rei had seen him completely naked...
Why didn't she say something?! He thought, grabbing his new plugsuit angrily.
Mount Futago.
20 minutes till midnight.
After the order had been issued to withdraw the Evangelion Units, the Angel had begun its move to siege Nerv HQ. It had flown slowly but menacingly towards the Geofront. Once it hovered over its target, it had produced a drill and began to tunnel into the ground above the compound.
The Magi Supercomputers estimated it would take 3 hours and 55.3 more minutes until the Angel successfully breached the Geofront.
Nerv had evacuated their personnel, moving the Eva pilots to a hospital, while important staff such as Dr. Akagi and Captain Katsuragi met with Nerv commanders to discuss plans for combating the Angel.
After being dropped off, Shinji and Rei passed crowds of Nerv staff having quickly set up a temporary command center of sorts, using many mobile computers that had to be linked together to perform the duties of the old center, as well as the infrastructure of this temporary base.
None spoke to them as they passed, and Shinji thought the Nerv men and women showed them a form of respect as people moved out of their way to let them pass.
"Shinji! How are you feeling?" Misato said, rushing over to him the moment he and Rei emerged atop the mountain reporting for duty.
His guardian grabbed him by the shoulders of his new plugsuit and knelt to study his face.
"I'm okay. Glad I woke up in time to help," Shinji said softly. Misato studied him, she'd remembered his frantic stumbling in the hangar.
Don't ask about it. Please, don't ask about it, he thought.
His guardian wrapped an arm around him telling him that she was glad he was okay. He could tell she had questions for him, but the operation took priority.
"He's fine. After this is over, I'll take a second look personally. But now, we have a mission to do," Ritsuko said coolly.
Misato scowled at her friend but nodded and let Shinji go.
"Are the Eva Units prepped?" Rei asked suddenly.
Misato felt a surge of guilt for not asking about her, Rei was so quiet that it was easy to forget she was there at times. Misato needed to work on that, Shinji wasn't the only pilot.
Standing tall atop Nerv's mountain base, Eva Units 00 and 01 appeared as titans of metal looming over the city and the Angel currently drilling its way into the Geofront.
I wonder if that's Rei's sense of humor. It's kinda hard to miss the Eva Units when they're right out in the open like that, Shinji thought offhandedly.
Misato nodded saying, "Operation Yashima is gonna take both Eva Units to work. Shinji, we've set up an advanced prototype positron sniper rifle for 01's use. It will channel almost the entire power generated from Japan into a single shot per round. The Magi estimates a precise hit will break through the Angel's AT Field and destroy its core. You're the gunner."
"Okay," Shinji said taking a deep breath.
Misato gave him a reassuring smile and turned to Rei saying, "Unit 00 has been equipped with a prototype heat shield. It's built from a material designed to survive re-entry into the atmosphere. You'll be covering Shinji. That shield should hold out long enough to get the kill shot."
"Yes ma'am," Rei said as Shinji looked between his fellow pilot and his guardian.
"What? Rei is a better shot than I am, why don't I cover her... and she can shoot the Angel?" Shinji said speaking a little too quickly. He didn't want Rei to get hurt protecting him.
Before Misato could calm him down, Ritusko interrupted saying, "because the Magi gives this permutation the highest possibility of success. I know you only recovered recently Shinji, but you have the highest recorded sync ratio and we need to be as precise as possible."
Highest possibility of success? Yeah right, the Magi gave us a 12.23526% chance, Misato thought bitterly, both her and Ritsuko had decided not to give the pilots or any other staff the actual numbers for success.
More specifically, Unit 01 was already damaged in the previous failed attack. With 00 covering 01, we have a sacrificial shield that can last longer than 01 can. Pure cold logic, Ritsuko thought even as she took a whiff of her cigarette.
Another thing Misato and Ritsuko had chosen to not tell the Eva pilots and other staff.
"Alright. I get it," Shinji sighed, he did not like this.
"Get going you two," Misato said, giving Shinji a reassuring pat on the arm.
Misato moved, trying to give Rei a reassuring pat too.
The enigmatic pale skinned girl only stepped back.
Rei tilted her head, glanced at Misato's hand and blinked. The girl frowned with an expression that clearly asked 'what are you doing?'
Misato awkwardly let her hand fall.
Ritsuko chuckled softly.
Without another word, Rei moved on with Shinji heading towards the Evas.
"What a strange girl? I was only trying to be supportive," Misato muttered, more embarrassed than anything.
Ritsuko only shook her head comically.
…
"Don't be scared," Shinji muttered to himself as he once again stepped inside the Entry Plug of Eva Unit 01. That was what Mari had always told him when dragging him on an adventure inside the ward. When he had had night terrors and she had comforted him.
He took a deep breath, his hands shaking as he remembered being shot through the eye and the breakdown that followed. He glanced at his arm and then forced himself to look away. The LCL filled the cockpit and disbursed, his sync ratio was active and the Eva went online.
"You have no reason to be afraid," a voice called into his ear suddenly via the comm.
Shinji jumped as he realized his comm was active, and that Rei had opened a channel for the two of them. When had she done that? He hadn't even noticed.
"I will be protecting you," Rei called to him via the comm.
Eva Unit 00 trailed after Unit 01, together the titans headed for the prepped positron sniper rifle.
"Oh. I uh, thank you," Shinji said clumsily.
He got into position, and Unit 01 grabbed the experimental gun.
Before Shinji could say anything further, Misato opened a channel into his comm.
"Listen up, that rifle is firing so much energy that the barrel can barely handle the recoil. So don't try to wing it, Shinji. Let the computers do their job and calculate the trajectory for you. The moment you get a green display, fire. With any luck, we can get a clean kill before the Angel notices anything."
"Understood," Shinji stammered, and Misato closed the channel to his comm unit.
No pressure. Just follow the instructions and fire.
Shinji moved Unit 01's hand onto the rifle trigger. Command gave the order, and the massive prototype gun began powering up for a shot.
Huh? Rei never closed her channel with me? Shinji noticed. He could hear Rei's calm controlled breathing on the comm channel as the operation started. He thought it would be rude to close the channel, but he did not exactly mind either. Maybe he was imagining things and Rei was just being extra careful, but she seemed to be paying him more attention than usual.
Why would she do that? Shinji wondered before shaking his head.
He couldn't think about that right now. People were counting on him.
Back at the temporary command station, Misato turned to the others.
"Operation Yashima is a go!"
Come on Shinji. I believe in you, she thought.
"Warning, we're getting readings that the Angel has stopped drilling into the Geofront. It's... it's powering up its particle beam!" Ritsuko called as one of her assistants showed her the display.
"What? It knew! It knew that we started charging the positron sniper rifle," Misato cursed.
…
"Misato, the Angel stopped drilling. I can see it powering up the particle beam thing," Shinji said, his voice cracking as he spoke into his comm.
"We know, Shinji. Just stay calm, stick to the plan," Misato called back.
It knows what we're doing. It knows, Shinji thought as he gripped the positron rifle tightly.
"The Angel is acting differently this time. Powering for a continuous shot instead, be careful," Ritsuko called into the comm suddenly.
Not helping, Shinji thought.
He looked at his display, watching as the computers ran their calculations for one precise shot to break through the AT Field and destroy the Angel core.
Come on. Come on. Come on! Shinji thought glancing up from the display of calculations and back to the Angel charging it's particle beam.
The Angel turned, even from this distance, miles away from Mount Futago, Shinji could see the Angel starting to aim for him again.
He remembered being shot, remembered disappearing in his madness and the pain, remembered his breakdown. Shinji shook as he glanced down at the computers running their calculations.
"Come on," Shinji hissed.
The computer display turned green. He pulled the trigger... seconds before the display turned red again.
No! Shinji thought as the computer's display stayed red even as the positron sniper rifle fired a single round. The recoil from the sheer amount of energy fired shook Eva Unit 01 backward and Shinji had to struggle to keep his footing.
The round tore through the air striking the Angel on its side, cracking the massive AT Field and actually pushing inward to graze the Angel. The creature wobbled but held strong, a hit although one that had not destroyed the core.
He had failed. The Angel was still active.
"Reloading now! Shinji, get into position! Rei, cover him!" Misato called into the Eva pilots' comm units.
I missed. I had one job and I failed! Shinji thought in disbelief. Anger and shame filled him, but all he could do was wait for the reload.
"The Angel is firing!" Misato shouted into the comm.
Shinji gasped just barely getting over his shock when the Angel fired its particle beam cannon. Eva Unit 00 stepped in front of him, the prototype shield held up. The blast struck Rei.
"Rei!" Shinji cried out.
Unit 00 stood struggling against the prototype shield.
"I will hold it back as long as I can," Rei panted into his ear via the comm system. She had never disconnected her comm from his.
Rei... Shinji thought, feeling his eyes tear up but he shook them off. He turned to the display for the positron sniper rifle.
Come on. Reload faster! Shinji thought frantically. The rifle's automated systems rapidly cooled the barrel and loaded another round, powering up for a second shot.
"I won't miss. I won't miss," Shinji told himself repeatedly.
"Reload complete. Shinji, wait for the computers to calculate the proper trajectory. Last time the Angel moved and its calculations were off. This time it won't be," Misato called.
The Angel's beam stopped its continuous stream, leaving behind a smoking Eva Unit 00 with barely any prototype shield left.
"You will not miss," Rei called to him via the comm, she sounded tired and hurt but she held her vigil.
"I won't," Shinji called back.
"Angel is firing again. Brace yourself, Rei!" Misato called into their comm.
The particle beam shot out again, heading for Shinji but striking Rei and her shield instead. Come on! Come on! Shinji thought, glaring at the positron sniper rifle display.
"Ahhh" Rei hissed as her prototype shield burned away. The Angel's continuous beam broke through her shield and bits of laser bled through striking her Eva Unit.
The rifle display turned green, Shinji waited for an extra half-second to be sure, and he pulled the trigger from over Rei's shoulder.
Don't miss! Shinji thought.
The positron round went tearing through the air for a second time, the round cut through the Angel's particle beam, as it followed its calculated path. The round struck the Angel's massive AT Field, shattering it in a roaring crack, and piercing its metallic skin, striking the Angel core.
"Confirmed! Direct hit!" Misato cried into the comm.
The Angel's attack stopped, the beam faded away into nothing, and the monstrous thing flew back several hundreds of feet before falling to the surface in an earth-shattering thud. Clouds of dirt flew into the air as the Angel died on the grounds of the Geofront.
"Angel destroyed," Shinji called into his comm with a sigh of relief.
He was about to tell Rei that they did it, but he stopped at the sight of Eva Unit 00 tipping over. Unit 00's metal plating smoked as the massive machine fell. "Rei!" Shinji cried, reaching Unit 01's hand out to grab Unit 00 before it fell.
There was no response on his comm.
Shinji set the positron sniper rifle down on the ground before guiding Eva Unit 00 into a kneeling position.
Not knowing what else to do, Shinji manually ejected Unit 00's Entry Plug, ripping it out with the Eva's hand. The plug immediately ejected LCL as Shinji placed it on the ground.
How can I do this? Shinji thought, staring at the sealed Entry Plug. The Eva's hands could tear open the plug, but Shinji didn't trust his accuracy with them. Highest sync ratio or not, he didn't feel like pushing his luck and he was afraid he'd hurt Rei even more.
He decided that he had to do it himself. Exiting the Eva out in the open was never fun, he had to kneel 01 down and eject his own Entry Plug, then climb the emergency ladder down to the ground, but he did it anyway. He tried to go fast, and almost fell for it, but he got to the ground in one piece.
"Rei!" Shinji called running for his fellow pilot's Entry Plug.
The metal capsule was smoking hot, just as Unit 00 had been, after having withstood the particle beam cannon. Without thinking, Shinji grabbed onto the hatch and turned it.
"Ah!" Shinji screamed as his hands were burned but he didn't care.
Unit 00's Entry Plug opened with a hiss of compressed air, the hatch fell with a thud. Shinji flexed his injured hands and stepped into the cockpit.
Rei groaned when Shinji found her slumped against the chair of her cockpit, hair a mess, breathing softly, and blinking in surprise at his presence.
"Hello," she said to him as she woke.
Shinji stared at her, open-mouthed, panting and not sure what to say, and he took in the sight of her.
"You… you're okay?" Shinji asked staring at her.
"I believe so," Rei said simply despite her appearance. She shifted in her seat trying to stretch her arms but took it slow.
Shinji sank to his knees inside Unit 00's cockpit. He could feel tears in his eyes as he took in the fact that she was alive.
"You are crying? Why? Are you well?" Rei asked. She tilted her head at him curiously.
"Because… because you're okay," Shinji said, clearing the tears from his eyes.
Rei blinked at him studying his face. She stayed silent as Shinji rubbed his eyes clean and slumped down to sit against the walls of the cockpit with a sigh of relief.
"I am sorry. I don't know what I should feel or do at a time like this," Rei said, unable to look at him for reasons she did not understand.
"Just be happy. We won. I'm happy because you're okay. I've never cried because I was happy before. Just be happy, just smile," Shinji said looking up at her and smiling through his teary eyes.
His words seemed to register with her, as slowly, ever so slowly, Rei smiled at him. Smiled at him with such honesty and warmth that he felt he'd known her for years instead of weeks.
"I am happy… that you are okay too," Rei said.
That's how the recovery team found the two of them, sitting against the walls of Rei's Entry Plug both smiling stupidly at each other.
Days later.
Nerv HQ.
Conference Room.
The dimly lit room was eerily silent as the projected images of twelve stone monoliths loomed over Nerv Commander Gendo Ikari.
Gendo did not speak. He let the silence drift on from the moment he stepped into the call. SEELE had grown increasingly curious at the recent events regarding the Angels, and Gendo often found himself subject to their meetings and debates as of late.
"Ikari. Report."
The voice came from the projected image of Keel Lorenz's monolith. A formality for that man was one of the only SEELE members that Gendo had met personally.
"The Fifth Angel was destroyed by the efforts of Eva Team Zero, Units 00 and 01. We had to use the prototype positron rifle. All explained in our report," Gendo said simply. He held his head low, gloved hands behind his back, with tinted glasses concealing his eyes. He gave these rich old men nothing to work with, nothing to read.
"Fifth Angel? Fifth?! Ha! He thinks he's being funny," another projected monolith bellowed.
"Arrogant," said another harshly.
"Silence," Keel called and the other SEELE members quieted. The two that had spoken had their projected monoliths darkened to the point of pitch black, choosing to remain silent for the time being.
"You are concerned about the 'supposed' inaccuracy of the Dead Sea Scrolls?" Gendo said. He had better things to do then reassure these old men, he cut to the matter at hand.
"Yes. Such a thing should not be possible, and yet... strange anomalies have emerged. We have debated since the last attack, and the matter is troubling. The number of Angels is wrong. There are too many. Yet the current incident falls in line with the Scrolls, while the previous attack does not. An anomaly," Keel said, his voice cold and stern through his holographic avatar.
There was a power there, even amongst some of the richest people in the world, Keel demanded their attention. His concern was a concern for all of SEELE.
"You refer to the previous attack when two Angels appeared simultaneously. This time, however, there was only one Angel. Not two. A small divergence but hardly noticeable. I fail to see your... concern," Gendo said coolly.
"The number of Angels is wrong! That should not be possible! And you say you cannot see our concern! Incompetence!" another of the projected monoliths cried.
"We have access to the same information. I cannot explain these anomalies anymore than you can," Gendo said sternly.
"Some members suspect your reports of fabricating details. But our footage shows that is not possible. For whatever grievances certain members of this council have for you, we believe the truth is evident. The Dead Sea Scrolls are not entirely correct," Keel said suddenly.
When the man's voice left the projected monolith, all others grew listened.
How sad, all of them are used to having the world at their fingertips. Of being in total control, to be wrong frightens them. They never learned how to adapt, Gendo mused to himself.
"The Dead Sea Scrolls cannot be wrong," another voice hissed from the conference call.
"Are you so certain? The Scrolls are open to interruption. We study not the incident, but the pattern. And that pattern has never been wrong. Five Angel attacks, all as predicted," Gendo said slowly.
"Is that how you would explain these curious circumstances? The tools that we have invested our time and money into... being inaccurate at best. Do you truly believe this not a cause for concern?" Keel said sternly.
"Tools built by men. Men make mistakes. The scrolls are something else, something beyond us, but we are human," Gendo said.
"For now. The day will come when our humanity ends," a voice far off the side called.
Gendo barely spared the projected image a glance, he was growing tired of this pointless meeting.
"Yes, the number of Angels is off. But the occurrence and the incidents are not. The Scrolls cannot be wrong, and yet even with these anomalies, they are still not entirely incorrect. There is truth there. The pattern remains. Whatever the case, our plans move forward. The Human Instrumentality Project continues," Keel said calming the other SEELE members.
"The Human Instrumentality Project continues," Gendo parroted with the others.
"We have made adjustments to the United Nations' agreement surrounding the limit of Evangelion Units permitted in a country. The announcement will appear in the media only after a small delay to give the illusion of debates between nations. Consider this, an insurance policy for any new deviations," Keel said.
Gendo nodded his understanding.
"The Second and Fourth Child will be heading to Japan soon. Their Eva Units are nearly completed, see to it that Nerv is properly prepared," another SEELE member said.
"It will be done," Gendo said, hiding his annoyance.
"Commander Ikari. What of the Third Child?" Keel called suddenly.
"What about 'it'? We have it under surveillance," Gendo said simply.
"I trust that when the time comes, you will do what needs to be done. That you will not hesitate despite your personal connection with that... thing," Keel said coolly.
"I will not hesitate," Gendo said simply. No other answer was acceptable.
"That is good to hear. This meeting is over," Keel said.
The moment the words left his projected image, all holograms disappeared fading out of existence.
Gendo straightened his glasses as the lights turned back on. Stepping outside, he found his sub-commander Kozo Fuyutsuki waiting for him. Always more work to do.
Nerv HQ.
Testing Room 01.
"Sync test is almost done. How are you feeling today?" Ritsuko asked.
Shinji thought about that before answering, "normal I guess. I don't have anything to complain about."
The teenage pilot, dressed in his plugsuit, sat in the test chambers, used only to test his sync ratio with his Unit via the use of a remote Entry Plug and a cable that ran temporarily to the Eva itself. It was impossible to operate an Eva Unit remotely via this method, there were various theories as to why a pilot needed to be present inside the Evangelion and its Entry Plug, but the truth was that it was still a mystery.
And yet Misato told me you've been acting strange lately, Ritsuko thought.
"You don't have to play the tough guy with me. I need to know if you're having any issues, it's important. How are your hands? I heard you got burned when you were playing the hero," Ritsuko said calmly.
"Uh, ha. I'm not really a tough guy. I just get lucky I think. My hands are okay, they weren't burned that badly," Shinji said awkwardly.
"Great. Then you can tell me how you're doing. You had a seizure, Shinji. Nearly gave Misato a heart attack too. It's okay if you're feeling unwell," Ritsuko said.
See Misato, I can be nice too, the doctor thought.
"Yeah, I know. But I'm fine, really. Rei had it worse than I did, check on her," the boy said, avoiding Ritsuko's gaze.
"I already did. Rei's a soldier, she pushes through everything. If I don't check up on her then she'd never say she was hurt," Ritsuko said with a shrug.
"Oh... " Shinji said frowning.
"Alright, if you're sure you're fine. Sync test is complete. You're free to go. Oh, and remember to check your locker before you head out. You don't want to forget anything," Ritsuko said, already moving her attention away from the boy.
Hmm, looks normal but a bit low. After his seizure, no... during Operation Yashima he had his lowest sync ratio yet, 37%. High enough to pilot, higher than Rei even, but still low for him, Ritsuko thought going over Shinji's test results again.
"My locker? Oh, okay," the boy said nodding.
Shinji Ikari... the Third Child... what an unusual case, the doctor thought.
The boy said his goodbyes and went on his way.
After changing into his street clothes and putting up his plugsuit, Shinji checked his locker and found a pair of prescription bottles and a handwritten note. A bottle of red pills, and a bottle of black pills.
That should last you for now. If anything serious happens again you need to let me know. Be careful - Dr. Akagi.
"Thanks, Ritsuko," Shinji muttered, taking the pills and note from his locker.
Hopefully, it won't happen again. Haven't had the voice stir ever since Operation Yashima ... maybe if I'm lucky it'll stay away forever. It won't, but I can always dream, Shinji thought. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
Heading out of the men's locker room, which he always had to himself as the only male pilot, Shinji found Rei waiting for him in the hallway just like he'd asked her to.
"Hello-" Rei began only to get interrupted by the sound of Shinji's phone ringing.
"Ah, sorry. Hold on," Shinji said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the phone that Misato had bought for him.
He'd started carrying it in his pocket set to full volume after one too many times of missing Misato's calls. His guardian was the only one who called him anyway.
"Hello Misato," Shinji called. Rei blinked at him from the background.
"Wow, you actually answered. I keep thinking you'll forget where you left your phone again," Misato said practically beaming.
"Hey, I've never had a phone before. Give me a break," Shinji said defensively. Overall, he'd like to think he'd gotten better at talking to his guardian.
"I told Ritsuko to let me know when your tests were done. I still got some work to do, but give me an hour and we can get something to eat. Celebrate your latest victory. My treat," Misato said.
She was doing that thing again, trying to be nice.
Misato was worried about him, she'd started watching him very carefully ever since his seizure. Helping him do chores, which he often did anyway because he did them better than her. Or else finding ways to spend more time with him if he wanted to talk.
Shinji glanced back at Rei, the girl only blinked at him again.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I promised Rei that I'd help her clean her apartment. Some other time?"
It wasn't that he wanted to get away from Misato, but there were some things he didn't want to talk about with anyone. He just wanted to forget about his breakdown, not re-live it.
"You're cleaning her apartment?! She blackmailing you or something? Shinji, if you're trying to get the girl you should know that cleaning is NOT a date," Misato teased.
"What? No! It's just something I thought I should do. She saved me, and she's my friend," Shinji said shaking his head.
"Oh... is this about what happened last time? When you gave her the new I.D. Card? Teehee! You're hoping to get another peek, aren't you?! You hormonal teenager!" Misato teased him. The woman actually giggled at him over the phone.
"That was an accident! Please don't bring that up again. I... I should never have told you," Shinji sighed feeling his face grow warm.
Rei tilted her head at him. To be fair, Rei had seen him naked now too.
"Wait a minute, you're being really awkward right now. Rei's there right now isn't she?! Let me talk to her!" Misato called suddenly. He could just picture her smirking at his embarrassment.
"No, I gotta go. Bye Misato, I'll see you at home," Shinji said, stammering out the words faster than he meant to.
"Ha, alright kid. For real though, take her to an arcade or something after. You two deserve some fun after the last incident," Misato said getting serious.
"I'll think about it. Bye," Shinji said. He hung up the phone thinking, she's always teasing me.
"She is a very strange woman," Rei said suddenly.
Shinji jumped at that, she was so quiet that he sometimes forgot where she was until he looked for her.
"I... you could hear that?"
"The two of you are very loud. Please inform Captain Katsuragi that I am not blackmailing you."
Why does this always happen? I only wanted to do something nice, Shinji thought with another sigh.
"She was only joking," he said.
Rei did not respond.
"Let's go. Sorry about that. It might take a while but I promised I'd help. I made us some food... I mean only if you want some. I know you don't like meat so I didn't cook any," Shinji said heading for the exit with Rei in tow.
"You apologize too much. I... thank you for helping me. I was not aware my apartment was unsuitable until you told me. You are a good friend," Rei said avoiding his gaze.
It was hard to tell with Rei, she was very emotionless at times, but Shinji could have sworn he saw a spring in her step and a small smile on her lips.
Long I know, but I didn't want to split a chapter into two again.
A lot of things happened in this chapter, but the real undercurrent is Rei and Shinji.
Thanks for Reading and please Review!