Shinji's Redemption
Chapter 8
Shinji lied in his bed staring up at the ceiling.
"The third impact." Shinji thought. He pulled out Misato's necklace and dangled it above him. He looked at the cross piece slowly spin around. Shinji thought about when Misao gave him her necklace. He closed his eyes and the memory came flooding back to him.
"Shinji, listen to me." Misato sterned. Shinji leaned against the protective cage of the transport elevator, staring at the ground in total hopelessness. "What you do next, nobody but you can decide." She spoke.
"I can't," Shinji said with an empty voice. "I can't pilot the Eva without hurting others. I thought that if I could just pilot the Eva well then people would come to care about me. But all I did was make things worse. So I shouldn't do anything!" Shinji admitted.
"If you want to avoid pain, just go walk into that elevator and never come out!" Misato yelled. Shinji started crying. His body shivered with fear and disappointment. "Crying now won't help anyone!" Misato yelled impatiently. Her face eased. "Shinji, no matter what happens, it happened because of you. That means something Shinji! You, mean something!" Misato encouraged. She slowly breathed out. "Don't sell yourself short, focus on what Shinji can do, and you will become a better person," Misato advised. Shinji tightened his fist.
"You don't know anything about me! You're just a stranger! You haven't done the things I've done!" Shinji exploded. Misato grabbed Shinji by his collar and pushed him against the protective cage.
"So what?! You don't have the right to just give up! If you don't do anything, I will never forgive you as long as I live!" She screamed. She slowly put him down and eased her temper. "Shinji, you won't always be who you are now. You'll make mistakes and come to regret them, that doesn't make you a bad person, that just means your human." Misato eased. She put a small smile on her face. "Shinji, when you go to pilot your Eva again, think about why you piloted it, think about why you came here. Figure out who Shinji is. And when you do, make sure you come back." She urged. She took off her cross necklace and put it into Shinji's hand. "Promise me you'll do that." She asked. Shinji looked down at her necklace.
"I'll try," He said. Misato smiled.
"Good." She said. He leaned down to Shinji level, picked up his chin and kissed him. It was a passionate and sincere kiss. One Shinji will never forget. He opened his eyes and looked up at his bedroom ceiling.
"I think I finally get what you meant Misato," he whispered. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.
"Why can't we go on the school trip?!" Asuka shouted. Misato took a sip of her beer.
"You have to be on standby if an angel attacks," Misato explained. That didn't satisfy Asuka.
"Who made that decision?" Asuka complained. Misato smiled.
"Me." Misato plainly said. Asuka folded her arms.
"This isn't fair!" Asuka pouted. Misato sighed.
"Sorry Asuka, but as your Operations Director, it's my job to make sure that you two are accounted for." Misato reasoned. Asuka Humphed and looked at Shinji who was sipping tea.
"Stop sipping that tea and stand up for us!" Asuka shouted. Shinji looked over at her and smiled.
"Misato makes a good point, Asuka. What would Nerv do without their best pilot?" Shinji said. Shinji had gotten pretty good at defusing Asuka's tempers. All he had to do was compliment her in some way and she would do a complete one-eighty mood-wise. Besides, at the end of the day, Shinji would rather deal with a cocky Asuka is better than an angry one. Asuka put her hands on her hips and wore a smug.
"You're absolutely right Shinji, but even I need a breather every now and then." Asuka boasted. Misato pulled out two floppy disks.
"Besides, you two could use this time to catch up on your studies," Misato said, holding up the two disks. Asuka shrugged.
"School is stupid, Grades don't matter. A system that penalizes errors instead of rewarding brains is outdated and unenlightened." Asuka rebutted. Misato smiled.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," Misato said.
"Screw that mess!" Asuka shouted.
Misato left to go to work, leaving Shinji and Asuka by themselves. Shinji was working on his Science homework while Asuka sat in the living room reading a magazine. Asuka got up to and walked over to the refrigerator to get a soda and noticed Shinji was on a laptop.
"What's that? She asked. Shinji kept staring at the screen. He was working on balancing chemical equations, something he couldn't begin to understand. In his mind, all the numbers and letters just blended together, it gave him headaches just thinking about them.
"Chemical equations," Shinji said.
"Really? I had that figured out by the time I was eight." Asuka boasted. She sat in the chair beside Shinji and explained it to him. "The key to this is the law of conversation of mass, basically matter can't be created or destroyed," Asuka explained. It took a while for Shinji to understand, but eventually, he started to get it. Mind you, it still gave him headaches. Asuka looked over at her shopping bag. "Hey Shinji, let's go to the pool," Asuka said. Shinji looked at the clock in the kitchen.
"I don't know Asuka, I have to have this done by tomorrow," Shinji said. Asuka sighed.
"Come on you can just bring that laptop with you." Asuka pressured. Shinji rolled his highs and softly sighed. He closed the laptop and went to his room to change from his morning clothes. They headed off to the school pool, which was mostly empty except for a certain Rei Ayanami. Asuka humphed and ignored her. Shinji walked over to the nearby table to finish his science homework. He got close to finishing when Asuka came over.
"You're still working on that?" She complained.
"I'm almost done," Shinji said in a tired tone. He looked up to see Asuka in her bathing suit. He blushed and quickly looked back down.
"You like my new swimsuit?" Asuka asked. Shinji slowly looked up. He quickly glanced over at her. The swimsuit accented her body well. He would have looked back down if he didn't notice something. The swimsuit had red and white color palate.
"It's the same colors as your Eva." Shinji pointed out. Asuka' looked down. Admittedly, Asuka didn't notice that when she bought it, but she wasn't going to tell Shinji that.
"Of course it is, that's why I picked it out. Anyway, after you Finnish that why don't you come swim?" Asuka invited. Shinji looked at the water. He never liked going to the beach or going near deep water at all. He could barely tread water, much less swim across an entire pool.
"I'm really not that good of a swimmer, besides I don't have any swim trunks," Shinji said. Asuka looked disappointed.
"Your no fun." She said. She walked off towards the end of the pool.
"This is an angel," Ritsuko said. An picture of a fetus with a silhouette popped up. "Right now it's in a pupil stage, the goal of this operation is to not kill it, but to capture it," Ritsuko informed.
"What happens if the thing wakes up before then?" Asuka asked.
"Whatever is necessary to its destruction, is that understood?" Ritsuko ordered.
"Yes, ma'am." The three children said in unison.
"Now the question is who will pilot it?" Ritsuko asked. Shinji was about to raise his hand, but Asuka beat him to the punch.
"I'll do it!" Asuka shouted. She looked over at Shinji with her tongue sticking out.
"Now that's settled, go suit up Asuka," Ritsuko ordered.
Asuka put on her Special plug suit, but nothing different happened when she pressed her left cuff.
"Isn't this supposed to heat resistant?" Asuka asked.
"Press the right cuff," Ritsuko said not bothering to look up from her clipboard. Asuka pressed the button on her right cuff. The suit then proceeded to bulge up like a balloon.
"What the hell?!" Asuka yelled.
"Unit 02 is ready when you are Asuka," Ritsuko informed. She and Ritsuko walked into the Auxilary Launch Bay, where Unit 02 was suited up in a similar suit.
"What have you done to my Unit 02?!" Asuka screamed.
"You'll be going into magma that is over a thousand degrees celsius. While the Evas can take the heat, they can't take the pressure. This is the only way." Ritsuko informed. Asuka put her hands on her hips.
"No way! I'm out! There's no way I'm going to be seen in public like this!" She pointed to Shinji. "Have Shinji and his stupid Unit 01 go instead!" Asuka pouted.
"That will not be acceptable." A deep voice echoed throwout the launch bay. Everybody looked up to see Gendo standing on the second-floor railing. Shinji gritted his teeth at the sight of his father.
"Why can't I go? Shinji asked in a bitter tone.
"You can, but Unit 01 can't," Gendo said. Shinji clenched his fist.
"Why not!" Shinji yelled. Everyone looked at Shinji with his sudden outburst. Even Gendo was surprised, not that he showed it.
"That is none of your concern, if you're going, you're going in Unit 02," Gendo spoke.
"No way I'm letting Shinji pilot my Unit 02! Asuka shouted. Rei raised her hand.
"I'll do it." She spoke. Asuka slapped Rei's hand down.
"I'm not gonna let Shinji pilot it, much less you wonder girl!" Asuka yelled. "I'll do it, even if I look like this," Asuka said.
"Good. Shinji, You and Unit 01 will stand outside of the volcano in case if something happens to Unit 02." Gendo ordered. Shinji looked down at his scarred hand, clenched his fist and stormed out. Asuka looked at Shinji storm out.
"What's gotten into him?" She asked herself.
Units 01 and 02 were flown out to the volcano whee the angel was discovered. After Unit 02 was geared to dive, Asuka noticed fighter jets zooming above them.
"Why are there fighter jets above us?" Asuka asked.
"The UN Air Force is here in case we fail the operation," Ritsuko answered.
"So they're here to help?" Asuka asked.
"Not exactly. They're here to clean up the mess," Ritsuko said.
"What do you mean?" Asuka asked confused.
"They will use N2 mines to incinerate the angel and the surrounding area." Ritsuko clarified.
"And us along with it?! Who would order such a thing?!" Asuka asked, bewildered.
"My father," Shinji coldly said. Asuka was about to say something before Misato interrupted her.
"Asuka are you ready?" Misato asked.
"Whenever you are," Asuka responded. Misato smiled.
"Launch!" Misato ordered. Unit 02 lowered into the Magma. Asuka could feel the heat even inside her plug suit. Unit 02 splashed into the magma, Asuka could feel a whole new wave of heat.
"Depth, one hundred seventy meters. Rate of descent twenty meters. All systems are green." Asuka reported.
"Depth four hundred meters, four hundred fifty, five hundred, five hundred fifty, six hundred, six hundred fifty," Maya reported. Ritsuko heard a soft beep. She looked over to Unit 02's analytics. Shinji's heartbeat and blood pressure were rising.
"Shinji is everything alright?" Ritsuko asked.
"Yeah everything's fine," Shinji answered. Everything wasn't fine. He was s nervous wreck. He knew that the operation was going to go south quick, but all he could do was wait.
"Nine hundred, nine hundred fifty, one thousand, one thousand fifty. Now exceeding design depth. Reaching the target depth of thirteen hundred ." Maya reported.
"Asuka how are things down there?" Misato asked.
"I don't see the target, nor am I reading anything," Asuka reported.
"It must be the convection current," Ritsuko concluded.
"There's a deviation in the target's movement speed," Hyuga reported.
"Recalculate it," Misato ordered. "Continue decent until further notice," Misato ordered.
Hyuga looked up nervously. He looked like he wanted to say something, but kept it to himself.
"Depth thirteen hundred fifty, fourteen hundred, targe has reached operating depth," Maya reported. Asuka could hear a loud crackle from behind the Eva. "Cracks appearing in second conduit pipe," Maya reported.
"We still haven't made contact with the target, keep going," Misato said impatiently. Asuka felt another wave of heat hit her. A loud crunch could be heard. Asuka looked down to see hear prog knife came loose and was now sinking far from her reach.
"Unit 02 has lost its prog knife," Maya reported.
"Captain, we can't keep this up! This isn't just an unmanned probe!" Hyuga warned.
"I know that. I'm in command here, keep going." Misato sternly said. Asuka smiled.
"Misato's right. I can handle it. I'm still good to go!" Asuka said confidently.
"Depth is at eighteen hundred, now reaching estimated target depth," Maya reported.
Asuka looked around in the entry plug waiting for any sign of the angel. A large egg shape popped into view.
"Located target!" Asuka reported.
"Prepare for capture," Misato ordered.
"You're both being affected by convection currents, so you only have one shot at this," Ritsuko warned.
"I know," Asuka informed. Unit 02 was slowly lowered above the angel. She activated the photon cage, imprisoning the angel.
"Capture is complete," Maya reported. Everyone in the screening room released a breath of relief.
"Starting ascension," Hyuga reported.
Shinji started to tremble. His hands became very sweaty. Another beep could be heard.
Ritsuko looked at it. Unit 01's synch levels were rapidly increasing. Ritsuko looked wide-eyed.
"What?" Misato asked.
"It's Shinji! His synch rates are-" She was interrupted by Asuka's voice over the intercom.
"The angel is moving!" Asuka yelled.
"It's hatching sooner than we estimated!" Ritsuko said.
"Asuka, drop the plasma cage!" Misato ordered. Asuka released the cage. The angel soon burst through it like it was nothing. She reached down to get her prog knife, only to realize it wasn't there.
"Shit!" Asuka yelled.
"Shinji, send your-" Misato fell to the ground. A loud crash shook the entire screening room. Unit 01 had fallen flat on its face.
"Unit 01, has stopped functioning!" Aoba reported.
"What!" Ritsuko exclaimed getting back up from the floor.
"Unit 01 has reactivated!" Aoba reported. The eyes of Unit 01 glowed white with energy.
"How's Shinji?" Misato asked worriedly.
"He's unconscious," Maya reported. Misato looked confused. Ritsuko looked like she saw a ghost.
"It hasn't reactivated. It's gone berserk!" Ritsuko shook with fear. Unit 01 stood and roared. Everyone in the surrounding area covered their ears. Asuka looked up in response to the roar.
"What was that?" She asked. Just then, the angel started to charge at her.
"No! Stay away!" Asuka yelled. The angel was just about to get her until a large object from above came and hit the angel. Asuka looked down and saw Unit 01.
"Shinji! What the hell are you doing!" Asuka asked confused as at how he was even alive.
"Asuka!" Misato yelled. She slowly stood up after her hearing came back to her. She clutched her left ear. Blood leaked from the side of her head. "That's not Shinji!" Misato warned.
"What do you mean that's not Shinji?!" Asuka said, bewildered. Just then Asuka saw Unit 01 eyes and mouth. It was wrestling the angel for dominance, eventually, Unit 01 gave up using its hands, it bit the angel right in its throat. The angel squealed in pain as Unit 01 tore out its jugular. Angel blood spewed all around Unit 01.
"Asuka! Grab Unit 01!" Misato ordered. Asuka quickly grabbed Unit 01 by its leg. "Start accenting!" Misato ordered. The Units slowly started to make their way back up. Unit 01 sat up and looked at Unit 02. Its White-eyes pierced Asuka's soul. Its mouth hung open with angel blood dripping out of it, filling Asuka with the knowledge, that if it wanted to it could tear Unit 02 to shreds and her along with it. For once in a long time, Asuka was paralyzed with fear.
"Asuka, whatever you do, don't agitate Unit 01!" Misato warned. All Asuka could do was watch as it climbed up Unit 02 and then hung onto the coolant pipes. The Units broke the surface of the magma. Unit 01 jumped from the coolant cables. Onto the cliff of the ravine. Unit 01 slowly made it's way up the ravine, and when it got to the top, it collapsed. "Shinji!" Misato yelled. She quickly made her way towards the exit of the screening room, but Ritsuko stopped her.
"Unit 01 just came out of magma! You would be burned just going near it!" Ritsuko warned. After the rescue team cooled down the angel by releasing the rest of the coolant fluid onto the angel. Misato rushed to open the hatch of the entry plug. Eventually, she muscled it open to find Shinji unconscious, with blood all over his mouth and dripping out of his nose.
After the rescue team sent Shinji to Nerv HQ for medical analysis, Asuka, Misato, and Ritsuko stood outside the screening room. Asuka had taken off her special plug suit and was now wearing a coolant suit.
"What the hell was that?" Asuka shouted. Misato just looked at the ground while a nurse tended to her bleeding ear. There was silence for a while before Ritsuko finally spoke up.
"Unit 01 isn't like the other Units. It has a failsafe." Ritsuko explained. Asuka looked even more confused.
"You call that a failsafe?!" Asuka yelled in confusion. Ritsuko just kept squeezing her temples.
"This has happened before," Misato said. Ritsuko and Asuka turned to look at Misato.
"When Shinji first entered Unit 01, his synch rate all of the sudden spiked and he lost consciousness," Misato explained.
"Just like now," Ritsuko said. Asuka looked at the now dysfunctioning Eva. She remembered just how quickly it tore threw that angel. Ritsuko looked at Misato. She looked like she was thinking about something.
"What's wrong?" Ritsuko asked. Misato kept staring at the ground
"Something's not right," Misato said. Asuka and Ritsuko looked at her, waiting to see where she was getting at. "The first time Unit 01 went Berserk was when an angel was attacking it. But this time Unit 01 had nothing to do with the angel below, meaning it willingly went out of its way to attack it." Misato reasoned. Ritsuko went wide-eyed.
"What?" Misato asked. She looked up to Misato. Ritsuko shook her head.
"Nothing." She said. If Asuka wasn't confused before, she definitely was now. Asuka looked towards Unit 02.
"Just what are we piloting?" Asuka thought to herself.
Shinji felt like shit. His entire body hurt, and his head felt like it had been crushed in a vice. He woke up not remembering what happened. The last thing he remembered was going to the pool with Asuka. His thoughts were interrupted by a nurse walking in. She placed a set of clothes at the end of the bed.
"Captain Katsuragi is waiting for you in the lobby." She politely said. She then bowed and walked out. He changed out of his hospital gown and into the clothes he nurse bought him. He exited his room and left for the lobby.
When Shinji walked into the lobby he found Misato talking to a doctor. The Doctor noticed Shinji and walked away. Shinji walked up to Misato, only for her to crush him in a hug. Shinji was surprised at first, but then returned the hug.
"Come on, let's get you home," Misato said.