Relapse:∣▍
Chapter 14: "...We could be Heroes, just for one day…"
Shinji always hated this plan.
He always put its success down to luck or the will of the universe since it succeeded so much.
So now he just sat there in his pod, readying to run this race against time once again.
Sighing he flipped on his comms to Unit-02, probably not a bad time to give Asuka a pep talk.
"Asuka," There was no video, only audio, he wasn't sure if she turned it off, but he was sure that she could hear him.
"[Remember, we're a team, even if you don't want to be,]" he said reassuringly to the black box in front of him "[we look out for each other… even if you won't, I will.]"
"I'll see you one the other side." he finished, leaving the comm link open for a few seconds, before terminating it.
He breathed in LCL, and he closed his eyes.
Reaching out and into the depths of the EVA, making sure that the presence inside wouldn't retreat from him.
It didn't.
Instead, it came to him and wrapped around him, while he made sure to keep it at what could only be described as 'arm's length' so it didn't see the real him.
Comfort.
That's what he felt, comfort, this was his world, here in an EVA, in an entry plug, doing battles with unimaginable horrors.
This was where he belonged.
And that, he hated.
No matter what he said to himself, no matter how many people smiled and thanked him for saving their lives, he still hated that this place gave him comfort and purpose.
Because he had seen what his life could have been without it.
"Now go!" he heard Misato shout through his com-link, he didn't need to be told twice.
He willed himself forwards, loosing traction before getting his footing.
His EVAs feet dug into the earth; the sheer weight of the giant sunk into the dirt.
Faster.
There was no need to worry about structures or people, they had been evacuated so he could have free reign on the land before him.
In the distance he could see the orb that was supposed to be the Eighth Angel. Its black form completely alien to his eyes. In a way it almost looked like a black hole was falling from the sky, ready to decimate his world.
His world…
He hadn't thought of a life like that in so long.
Because he had to bear the thought of losing it. He had to fear not being fast enough, strong enough, he had to be reminded of the fear that he would make the same mistake in a moment of weakness again.
Watching it fall from the sky, saw the black exterior shatter like glass, leaving only a multicolored orb.
"Target's AT field has changed!"
"Its trajectory is shifting!"
Shinji knew he wouldn't make it if he had to change course, getting back up to speed would…
"Shinji, get ready!" he heard Misato call out over the comms.
To his immediate right large barriers rose from the ground, forming a curved slope.
So that's what she's thinking.
Using the barriers to change directions, Shinji watched as towers rose from the ground, creating a makeshift stair for him to climb and ultimately jump from.
Landing and crushing the earth beneath him, he pushed himself faster. The boy could see the shock cone from him reaching the sound barrier. His shockwaves rippling over the countryside, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.
Shinji watched as the Angel unraveled itself from the ball, now it actually resembled Sahaquiel, but being right below it, he knew it was much, much bigger.
Fifty-fold, one hundred-fold? It certainly felt like it.
Skidding to a halt, his Unit-01s feet plowed through the soil beneath him, leaving long tracks in their wake.
Finally stopping, Shinji allowed his AT field to expand, putting his full might behind the barrier. Around him houses were blown away like leaves, the flash from his AT field almost blinding him.
The Angel crashed into him, the weight and power shocking him, the force behind it defiantly larger than Sahaquiel.
For a moment they were locked there, both pushing against one another.
Then, the other foot dropped.
The 'eye' of the angel opened, revealing a black figure with the vaguely similar 'face' that he had seen on so many Angels.
"Oh, you've got to be shitting me!" he growled out.
The vaguely humanoid figure reached out to him, through the clashing AT fields and grabbed both his hands, crushing them with its grip.
This was going to hurt.
Its hands turned to spiraling spears, impaling his forearms, unleashing a spray of LCL.
He forced himself not to make a sound, he would not let Misato have to hear more of his screams, not anymore.
His EVAs arms bulged, only causing more of the red fluid to spray out and the ground beneath him cracked from the immense forces clashing against one another.
"I'm almost there!" the Second Child shouted, off to his left.
Hearing that voice, it was like the weight of the sky crashing down on him was easier to bare.
"Unit-02 get the core," he heard Rei say as she rushed to him.
"I know that dammit!"
"and don't you dare give me orders!"
"30 seconds left."
He saw Asuka leap and cut the AT field to his left, his attention now on her. She stabbed up at where the core must be, but he couldn't see it from his position.
"Did I miss?" she asked to no one in particular.
The entire Angel pounded against his AT field again, he was hoping that this would be similar to the first, but it looked like that wasn't going to be that easy.
The arms of his EVA tore from the strain, his arms were on fire, but that didn't matter, not right now.
"Take your time Asuka." he said as calmly as he could manage, the 30 second time window seemingly forgotten.
To his right, Unit-00 tore through the AT, shooting up to where Asuka was.
He couldn't see what was happening, just the shouting over the comms between the two, that didn't matter, at least not when he heard Asuka scream for the Angel to die, that was usually a good sign.
For a moment nothing happened, before everything in front of him suddenly turned to a red liquid and rushed down onto him.
Their EVAs were all submerged in this red liquid, it would recede in a moment, but he needed to make sure his team was alright.
Taking energy from the emergency batteries he started trying to reach them on comms.
"Rei are you alright?" he asked.
A monotone 'yes' was all he got before comms being cut on her end.
Her.
"Asuka," this time he had video.
She was there, curled up, knees to her chest.
"Mein Freund?" he asked, wanting to see her look up at him.
She refused, only curling up tighter, not even bothering to terminate the connection.
"[You were great, your second Angel, we couldn't have done it without you.]"
Somehow, reassuring her, the pain that pulsed in his arms wasn't as sharp.
She said nothing, she didn't even move.
As he looked at her thought the comm window, Gendo himself opened a comm link, a flare of annoyance washed over the boy as he cut off the connection before anything could be said. Equipment malfunction, that's what he'd tell them.
"[Do you want me to stay here until they get you out?]" he asked, he wasn't even sure if the emergency power would last that long, but she didn't object to that either.
She didn't say anything.
"[Alright, I'm here.]"
ʡʘʘʢ
It had taken the recovery crew an awful long time to get all three of them out of their EVAs. Though, having to essentially sail through the streets of Tokyo-03 meant he couldn't really blame them.
The boy wanted to get home, but now down in the GeoFront he was hauled off by the good doctor. Ritsuko hadn't even let him take a shower before wrapping up his hands.
He had to wait for the blonde to turn around before releasing his plugsuit. The boy could only hide the cross pendent under his leg while she worked away wrapping his hands.
Shinji knew she only wanted to do this so she could ask questions, any nurse could've done this.
"How have you been feeling?"
"Fine."
"Have any of your memories come back yet?" She inquired.
"I have dreams sometimes."
"About what?"
"School and some sort of target practice."
"Do you remember training in the simulator?"
"Only a few bits, are we all going to be able to do that at the same time?"
"Hmm, team exercises… I'll have to talk to Misato about that."
She finished wrapping his hands, to which he took his leave, holding up the lower half of his plugsuit with his hand, the pendent hiding in his grip.
He didn't need that woman touching him more than was necessary.
Making his way to the locker-room and the showers he just stripped off the rest of his plugsuit and stood there underneath the hot water.
Of course, she was there too, she wouldn't leave him in peace. Might as well ask her what had been in the back of his mind since the Angel was defeated.
"Did you curl up like that, after Sahaquiel?" he asked.
"Hmph, going to use me to woo your new toy?"
"It's not like that and you know it."
"If I recall, you were the one who curled up next to me first, and how would you have felt if I kissed you that night?" he asked.
"You know exactly what I was thinking, or did you forget how you ended the world and got to find out?" She glared at him with that blue eye. that was cruel, but fair.
"I'm pretty sure you would have beaten me to death if I did anything that night." He said with a small smile, thinking back on their childish argument after Israfel.
"Probably… but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have liked it."
Finishing, he got dressed, with the pendent once again hanging around his neck.
The Third Children made his way out of the locker-room, only to find Misato there just like the last time, only now he wasn't running into her.
Shinji smiled at the woman "I came back, didn't I?"
She just nodded and brought him into a hug, as if just to make sure.
Pulling back, she gave him a weak smile "I'll be home late tonight, Section 2 will make sure you get home with Asuka."
Shinji nodded.
ʡʘʘʢ
The ride home was quiet, neither of them said anything to one another, nor to the Section 2 agent who was driving them.
Misato's apartment was clear of the flooded areas, so it didn't take much time to reach it.
Saying thanks to the agent as Asuka went straight for the apartment, the car peeled away while he just took his time walking up.
As he walked in the girl was nowhere to be found, her door was shut, and even a knock on her door was met with silence.
He frowned; you'd think she would be happy about killing another Angel…
Going about making dinner for them, he brought his books out to the kitchen table to finish up the last bits of homework he had, while he boiled rice behind him.
It wasn't like it mattered, but why bring suspicion when he could already breeze through it with no problems. The time really was only in writing the answers, how many times had he been taught this or equivalent material?
With bits of food cooking behind him, twenty minutes later he was closing his books when a pile more slammed down next to him, causing him to jump.
He blinked only to look at redhead with closed eyes and chin up.
He couldn't help the small smile on his face "Mannschaft?"
She said nothing and just opened the first book.
I always thought it was sad we only got to see the pilots work together against one Angel in the Rebuild series, hence the chapter title.
Shoutouts!
UltraSpink of Da USA- Dread it, Run From it... Honestly, it's like you want me to spoil the story for you.
Su Exodus – Thanks, hopefully I can keep up this pace, maybe 3 chapters a week is good.
Akomis- Thanks, happy to point people in the direction of good music. BTW digging the Dwarf Fortress profile pic, pardon the pun.
EvaPilotFair- Digging? Yes. Dark. Yes? Mysterious? Double Yes. Wise? Meh.
A Guy- Oh yeah, bring on some of that criticism, I live for that, and totally agree with what you're saying and that's the point. Here's my thought process for Kaji…
Kaji hasn't even met Shinji once throughout this story, (no interaction when Shinji is leaving the GeoFront due to timing), he's only heard about him and found out he 'died'. So, one excuse for Kaji is the fact the boy was actually dead and/or Shinji could count his 14 years before piloting an EVA as his 'previous life' considering how much of a change it is. More importantly, I wanted Misato, Ritsuko, and Kaji to each have their own way of… handling… Shinij, each of which may have their share of consequences *Stomp Stomp*.
Misato, is willfully ignorant to any discrepancies. Based off her reactions to not getting him back after he was stuck in an EVA for a month in NGE, imagine what she'd be like if she knew in her heart it was her who got him legitimately killed, then only to get him back. She doesn't want to see the differences even if they are glaringly obvious, hence why doesn't question much as the two of them mostly get back to their 'normal' after the Sixth Angel. Even the sleepwalking she just accepts.
Ritsuko instead is suspicious about him coming back, and she can't comprehend it, using science to justify what happened, almost hysterically, but she doesn't know him and isn't around him enough to really know how different he truly is.
Kaji has no previous interactions with the boy, only his file and (being a spy) probably a little more information than the average NERV employee. This is just their first time talking and he should at least think that EVA pilots are a bit strange judging by Rei and Asuka's behaviors. Still, the man is known to dig for info, that conversation is the catalyst for his interest in Shinji, so what happens when he tries to look into the story Shinji told him and finds nothing…
But… I've said too much.
Until Next Time