Tokyo National Institute of Mental Services
Nervous Ward
"Let's go see Captain Katsuragi, Shinji."
Yui Ikari held her son's hand in her's as they walked down the sterile hallways of the hospital. Yui held a large duffle bag in the other hand. He anxiously looked around, as if he was on high alert.
"Mom, are there any Angels here?..."
He was meek in his question, as he cautiously walked. Yui gave her best smile and shook her head.
"No Shinji, The Angel's can't get you here… This is a safe place."
Shinji looked up to her with a look of utmost concern.
"A-Are you sure?"
He sounded scared. He held onto his mother's hand tighter.
"I'm sure… Today we are going to do a synch test with Captain Katsuragi and Dr Akagi."
She said in her most sincere voice. There was a hint of worry in her voice. She had been coming here for the past year or so, ever since he turned 14.
The past year was very hard, he had been let out of school, almost all his friends left him, and he hasn't gone out that much.
He was in his own world of sorts.
All because his father and sister were killed in a car accident on the day after his 14th birthday. The best day ever, just to be ruined by the next.
The two made their way down the hall past patients and doctors. They soon walked up to a set of double doors that had an orderly let them in.
A sign above the doors read:
Adolescent Residential Ward
After passing through the airlock-like section, they walked past a few patients playing some board games and watching TV. One particular patient caught his eye.
A red headed girl with a red scrunchy sat on a chair next to a few other patients.
She had an eyepatch on her right eye. She took notice of him and simply stared blankly at him.
Shinji stopped for a moment to stare at her as she stared back. Yui took notice and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Come on dear, you can say hi to her later. Right now we need to see the Captain and Doctor."
She gently tugged on Shinji's hand and led him into an office.
Standing inside were two women in uniforms, One was wearing red scrubs and the other had a lab coat and blue blouse. One had purple hair, and the other had blonde hair.
"Captain Katsuragi! Dr Akagi!"
He excitedly said, walking up to them and giving them a hug. The ID cards they wore had their full names.
Dr Ritsuko Akagi
Misato Katsuragi RN
Misato returned the boy's hug with a warm embrace.
"Its good to see you again Shinji!"
She said with a warm smile. Ritsuko also gave the boy a small hug.
"Now Shinji, I want you to remember to remember you are safe here. There are no Angels here. You don't need to pilot the Evangelion here."
Ritsuko said, eyeing him up and down.
"Ms Yui, did you bring his belongings?"
Misato asked, eyeing the duffle bag in her hand. Yui handed the rather heavy bag over to Misato who almost dropped the bag.
"Good god thats heavy…"
"Yeah I brought his favorite stuff… He loves his little robot toys. And his book."
Yui softly said. She gave a look to Shinji who excitedly took out the robot toy.
"So Doctor Akagi… How long will the stay be?..."
. . .
Ritsuko sighed and picked up a clipboard, going over what's on it.
"Well… It's hard to explain but… It'll be a… A long stay…"
Outside the office
The redheaded girl stood near the door of the office. She was eavesdropping on their conversation.
They were getting a newbie. Maybe someone who would actually talk to her, and not some spineless wimp.
The door suddenly opens to reveal a crying boy and a saddened mother.
"I'm sorry Shinji… But you need to be here for your own safety…"
Yui's eyes were full of pain. She didn't want to do this for her only surviving child.
"Mom, please don't leave me!"
Shinji cried, his eyes were full of tears.
Ritsuko and Misato had to go and restrain Shinji who was trying to go after Yui.
"I'm sorry Shinji!"
By that time Yui had left through the double doors separating the ward from the rest of the hospital.
He slowly stopped struggling and fell to his knees.
. . .
Misato kneeled down beside him and rubbed his shoulder. She knew he was very upset, so she tried to think of something to cheer him up. She noticed the redhead next to them.
"Hey Asuka, why don't you introduce yourself to Shinji?"
Misato said in an attempt to calm him down. Asuka looked him up and down before nodding.
"Im Asuka Langley Soryu… There is a monster living in my eye…"
Asuka softly said. This seemed to catch Shinji's attention. He turned to her and looked at her eyepatch.
"W-What type of monster?..."
He cautiously asked…
"I-If it's an Angel… I have to use my Evangelion to fight it…"
She looked at him for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. Her jacket rubbing against the patient gown made a rubbing noise.
"I dunno… Are Angels monsters?"
Shinji nodded his head slowly.
"They are giant monsters that want to destroy humanity… They want us to all vanish so they can live…"
. . .
"I guess I have an Angel in my eye… But we're safe as long as we don't mess with my eye…"
Shinji slowly nodded and turned to face Misato.
"Captain Misato… How long will I be here?"
He innocently asked.
Misato sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"It's hard to say… You'll stay until you get better or until we defeat all the Angels!"
She gave him a smile that meant well. He smiled back too. He wanted to defeat the Angels, because then his father and sister could come back.
They could come back and be proud of him.
Mom would be proud of him.
Dad would be proud of him.
Sister could be proud of him.
They'll all be happy together.
"Do… You want to come watch TV with me?... They have Ultraman on…"
Asuka asked blankly.
"S-Sure…"
"I knew you two would get along! Now go watch some TV while we go through your stuff."
"W-Why do you have to go through my stuff?..."
Shinji asked. He didn't want any of his stuff taken away.
"We are just making sure there is nothing in there that can hurt anyone or you."
She sounded sincere in her answer. And It was the truth to him and her.
"O-Ok… Can I at least have all three of my robots?..."
. . .
"Sure, let me go get them from Dr Akagi. I'll be right back."
And with that, Misato got up and walked off to the nurse's station.
. . .
"Let's go watch some TV."
"S-Sure."
This is something I've been wanting to write for a long time. Something that deals with mental health directly. A topic very important to me. Part of this fic comes from experience and some from research and testimony. Also, in today's world Japan has one of the highest number of open beds for mental health?
It's a very tough place to be. From what I gathered mental health there and disorders are a taboo topic, Something similar here in the states..
In other news, I'm going to turn on review guest comments for this fic, due to a tsundere troll in the comments.
And as for the Tsundere…
Go touch grass. Now.
And to another guy…
I'm not your mommy, now go to your room.
Until next time!
-DerpymanMT
Deus