Shinji's Redemption
Chapter 14
Shinji awoke. The familiar hospital ceiling was as dull as ever.
'This is getting old,' Shinji thought. He slowly sat up in his hospital bed. He looked around his body. IV tubes feed blood into his arm and bandages covered his right forearm. He tried to raise it, only to find that it was completely numb.
"Shinji?" Asuka said, eyes wide. Shinji looked to his left to see Asuka sitting down next to his hospital bed. Her eyes looked red and inflamed. She jumped out of her chair and hugged Shinji. Slowly Asuka pulled back. Shinji couldn't remember much. The last thing he remembers was making a make-shift bed in the living room.
"Why are you crying?" Shinji asked. Asuka wiped her tears away.
"You've been unconscious for over two weeks. I was starting to believe you weren't going to wake up." Asuka said. Shinji looked down and tightened his left fist I frustration.
The door opened with a swish. A woman with bunned black hair walked through.
"I see your awake," The doctor said. Shinji looked at her. She wore an unbuttoned doctor's coat, underneath she wore a brown skirt with a black blouse. Shinji looked back at his arm.
"What happened to my arm?" Shinji asked.
"Your synch rate went above a hundred in your fight with the Angel. Whatever injuries the Eva sustained, you also sustained. You're lucky that it was just your arm. You nearly bleed out on the way to the hospital," The doctor said.
"Am I going to be okay?" Shinji asked, worried that he wasn't going to be able to pilot Unit 01.
"You waking up is a good sign. Your arm should recover, in time that is." The doctor said. She slowly sighed. "You really shouldn't push yourself kid, you got lucky. Feeling will come back to your arm over time, don't push it," The doctor said sternly. She turned around and walked out the door.
Shinji walked down through the silent cemetery. Cherry blossoms flew with the wind, creating a sense of ease. Shinji stood just a couple meters behind the Grave he was looking for. He slowly walked up to it and pulled out the Necklace Misato gave him. He let it dangle from his good hand.
"Toji, I know I have no right to be here, but if I didn't do this then I wouldn't be able to move on," Shinji said out loud. Shinji just sat there for a couple of moments just looking at Toji's gravestone. It was a simple gravestone, just a square carved out of gray granite with some polish painted on. On the front of the grave, it read "Here rests Toji Suzuhara, 2001-2015," Shinji slowly breathed out.
"When I made the decision to come back, I never would have thought It would be at the cost of your life, or your sisters," Shinji said. Shinji laid Misato's necklace down near the bottom of the grave. "Toji, I promise I'll stop the third impact, I owe you and your sister that much," Shinji said. His words echoed throughout the empty cemetery. A single tear rolled down Shinji's cheek and landed on Misato's necklace. Shinji slowly stood up and walked away.
"Angel spotted in upper Thermosphere," Hyuga reported.
"Pull up the N.A.S's images," Misato ordered. A picture of a bright blue angel appeared.
"How big is that Angel?" Aoba asked.
"At least a thousand Kilometers," Hyuga said in awe.
"What's its rate of descent?" Misato asked. Hyuga typed on his computer.
"It's not descending at all, it's just orbiting around the earth," Hyuga said. Misato narrowed her eyes.
'We just can't let it float around out there,' Misato thought. "Have Units 00 and 02 stationed with Positron Sniper Rifles," Misato ordered.
"Yes, Major," Hyuga answered.
"C'mon where are you?" Asuka said, aiming her Rifle at the sky. She watched the automatic sights slowly lock into place. Right as she was about to pull the trigger, a ray of light shown down through the clouds. Asuka could feel her head slowly split open. She quickly grabbed and held her head in place, not wanting the memories to come seeping out.
"Mother, Mother! They finally let me pilot the Eva!" Asuka said bursting into her mother's room. All Asuka could see was her mother hanging from the ceiling by what seemed to be a rope. "Mother?" Asuka said, terrified. Kyoko dangled limply, the only support she had was from the rope tied around her neck. In her hand was a small doll in a princess's dress. She slowly spun around, her lifeless face stared at Asuka.
"Oh honey, Your such a strong girl, but it's okay to cry." Asuka's grandmother said.
"I don't need to cry. I'll be strong by myself!" Asuka yelled.
"What's the matter Asuka? That was a present from your new mommy." Langley said. A small Asuka crossed her arms.
"I don't want it!" She screamed.
"Shinji, don't leave me!" The silhouette of Shinji slowly moved down the hall of Asuka's old home. Asuka laid down on the floor unable to move. "You're the only one who can understand me! If you leave, then I'll have no one. I'll be all alone again." Asuka said in tears.
"Stop! Just stop!" Asuka screamed. She reached up towards the controls for the Eva, but the pain was too much for her to handle.
"Her psychographs are spiking downward!" Maya yelled.
"Where's Rei!" Misato yelled.
"Her attempts were futile! The Angel's AT field is too strong! We don't have enough firepower from down here!" Aoba reported.
Shinji ran through the halls of Nerv. His sling swung with each step he took. He stumbled into the Eva's cage room.
"Misato!" Shinji yelled, almost out of breath. Misato looked down onto Maya's monitor.
"Shinji?!" Misato said, her eyes wide. Shinji stood at the front of Unit 01.
"Let me go help her!" Shinji yelled.
"Help her? You're in no condition to pilot Unit 01!" Misato yelled.
"Rei, go down and get the spear of Longinus," Gendo ordered.
"Ikari, That'll…" Fuyutsuki spoke.
"Commander! That's too dangerous, what if Adam and the Eva contact each other? That could cause the third impact!" Misato yelled.
"Do it," Gendo ordered, his face never changing from his cold expression.
"Father! Let me pilot Unit 01!" Shinji yelled. For a second Gendo's eyes flashed red with frustration.
"No, we can't risk damage to Unit 01," Gendo said. Shinji clenched his fist in rage.
"Fuck you," Shinji said through gritted teeth. Shinji ran up to the entry plug of Unit 01 and opened the hatch.
"Shut down Unit 01 completely," Gendo ordered, a tiny bit of anger in his voice could be heard.
"No signal! Unit 01 is activating on its own!" Maya reported.
"Shut down all exit routes to the surface, He won't be able to pilot the Eva injured as he is," Gendo ordered. The launch shutters completely shut, leaving no way out. Unit 01 came to life, breaking through the restraints like they were nothing. With his one good arm, Shinji piloted Unit 01 to his best abilities. Unit 01 tore the shutters of the launch tunnel like it was made out of aluminum cans. It slowly climbed up the launch shaft up to the surface.
"There's no stopping him, is there?" Fuyutsuki said. He looked towards Gendo, who for the first time in a while, looked as if he could kill someone. Unit 01 burst through the launch shaft. Shinji looked around for Unit 02 and saw it just ahead.
"Asuka!" Shinji yelled. He ran forward and knocked Unit 02 out of the Angel's beam.
Asuka could feel the pain suddenly stop. She slowly lifted her head out of her hands to see Unit 01 wriggling in pain.
"Shinji?" Asuka said slowly, realizing what was happening. Shinji could feel every part of his brain be ripped open. He felt as if his brain was being torn apart cell by cell. Memories of his past came flooding back.
Shinji stood at the end of the sidewalk crying. A bag filled with all of Shinji's stuff laid beside him.
"Shinji, This will be the last time I see you for a while," Gendo said, no emotion in his voice. Shinji wiped away his tears, only for new ones to fill their place. Shinji grabbed the bottom of Gendo's pants.
"Please don't go, daddy!" Shinji begged. Gendo looked down at Shinji. He turned around and walked towards the train. Shinji's weak grip on his father's pants soon gave way. Shinji was left on the ground, forced to watch his father slowly fade from him.
"Has wandering around for the last few days made you feel any better?" Misato asked.
"No," Shinji plainly answers.
"Will you pilot the Eva? Misato asked.
"Yes," Shinji answered.
"Why?" Misato asked.
"Because I have to, don't I?" Shinji answered.
"You don't want to pilot the Eva?" Misato asked.
"No, but if I don't-" Shinji said.
"Will you quit it already! If you don't want to pilot the Eva then leave! Go back to wherever you came from!" Misato yelled.
"Oh look it's the almighty Shinji!" Asuka shouted. Shinji turned around from the rice he was cooking. Asuka wore her usual angry face, at least when Shinji was in the same room as her. She walked right up to his face. "What? Not even going to answer?" Asuka asked. Shinji just looked down in shame.
"Please Asuka, I need to finish this," Shinji pleaded. Asuka gritted her teeth.
"You make me sick!" Asuka said, slapping Shinji across the face. Shinji fell to the ground. Shinji clutched his knee. "I hate you," Asuka said coldly. She spat on his face and left him.
"You let my sister die, you bastard!" Toji yelled. He punched Shinji in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground. Shinji received multiple kicks to the head and torso. "That's what you get you bastard," Toji said, out of breath.
"Why did you let him die, Shinji?" the voice said.
"I tried to save Him!" Shinji yelled.
"No you didn't," Toji said. Shinji looked up to see Toji. He reached down and wrapped his hands around Shinji's throat. "You killed me Shinji," Toji said.
"Why father? Why did you do this?" Shinji asked. Shinji sat in Unit 01 and Gendo stood at the foot of the Eva. It was dark and the floor was wet with centimeter deep water.
Gendo said nothing. Shinji tightened both of his hands and gritted his teeth.
"Answer me!" Shinji screamed. Unit 01 picked up Gendo and lifted him high above the water. Unit 01 placed his thumb on the head of Gendo. "Die you bastard," Shinji growled. With a quick tense of Unit 01's muscles, Gendo Ikari was reduced to nothing more than a pile of red flesh.
"Shinji's psychograph is going off the charts!" Maya reported. All Misato could do was look at Shinji suffer.
"Shinji," Misato whispered, on the verge of crying.
"Unit 00 is in throwing position. Target acquired, calculations complete!" Aoba reported.
"Throw it now," Gendo ordered. Unit 00 tightened its grip on the spear. It ran forward and threw the spear. It soured through the clouds, causing them to part, revealing a bright blue sky. The spear flew out of the earth's orbit and hit the Angel's AT field. It pierced the AT filed, causing it to bend to the shape of the spear. It broke through hitting the angel in its core. The angel completely disintegrated once the spear came into contact with the angel.
"Target has been neutralized!" Aoba reported.
"And the spear?" Fuyutsuki asked.
"Headed for lunar orbit, sir. It's out of our reach." Hyuga said.
"Readings from Unit 01!" Maya reported. "Pilot has passed out!" Maya yelled.
"What? Has it gone Berserk?" Ritsuko asked. Unit 01's eyes glowed white. It stood up from it's crouched position and roared towards the sky. Unit 01 went on all fours and looked around.
"What's it after?" Misato said. Unit 01 looked over to see the Launch shaft. It crawled its way to the shaft, destroying buildings and streets.
"Unit 01 is going down the launch shafts!" Maya reported. Misato went wide-eyed.
"Don't tell me it's coming here!" Misato yelled. Just then, violent shaking shook the entire bridge, causing everyone to fall over. Unit 01 burst through the giant screen, causing the room to go dark. Some fled and some were too shocked to move. Unit 01 climbed up to the top of the bridge. It reached out towards Gendo.
"Ikari!" Fuyutsuki shouted. But he was too late. Unit 01 grabbed Gendo and placed its thumb on his head. The bridge crew could only watch in complete helplessness. Unit 01, with one quick squeeze of its hand, completely crushed Gendo. Blood splattered all over the bridge floors. Red liquid slowly dripped down Unit 01's hand. Everyone stood in shock. Unit 01 opened its hand, organs and limbs fell and spattered against the ground. What was once Gendo Ikari, was now nothing more than a pile of human flesh. Ritsuko fell to her knees and just started at the sight in front of her. Misato couldn't believe what just happened. Unit 01 just stood above the bridge and breathed silently before shutting down.
"Shinji, what have you done?" Misato said.