Chapter 2 - Old Faces

In his cell Shinji contemplated to himself. Thinking about every action and decision that led him to this moment, he wondered where he went wrong, what he could have done different? As he was lost into his thoughts a Willie guard him brought his food and told him that well be arriving to our destination soon. As he was leaving his cell room he turned around and looked at him with scornful eyes and said, "what a waste of food, we should let you starve". Shinji not responding to them just look down.

(Restricted area)

In a private room in Wunder. Ritsuko looked at Misato with a shocked look and said, "You can be serious, why would you accept lieutenant Sakura request!" Misato said, "Is that a problem?"

Ritsuko said "Of course it is, we've almost arrived at the site of where the trial is being held at. What's even the point of allowing this request? It's not like it's going to change his predicament, even if he talks to them it won't change a thing." Misato said, "Your right it won't change anything, but we owe Shinji Ikari that much." Ritsuko said with a concerned look "Even so, you shouldn't have allowed this."

Misato said in an angry voice, "I am the Captain and what I say goes! Do you understand XO."

Ritsuko said "...Yes". With a concerned look on her face, gave her friend words of advice "remember as captain you have to make the hard choices and lead by example. If we can't depend on you than who will we look at to lead us in our war."

Misato listening to what her friend said and taking it into heart to further strengthen her resolve. But she couldn't help but think about what her and Saukra talked about.

As Misato was deep into her own thoughts the loud speaker said "all personal we are getting ready to land in 10 minutes, get to your stations. I repeat all personal we are landing in 10 minutes, get to your stations."

With a concerned look on her face Ritsuko looked at Misato and said "I'll get security ready to escort Ikari to the people at the United Federation for the trail."

Misato eyes turn black and said "Yes", as she walked towards the door to leave the room.

In his cell, Shinji sat on his bed staring at the wall in silence, till 5 Willie soldiers entered his cell with load guns pointed to him. "Stand up! "We're going to be transporting you to a different location to await your trail. Get up slowly." Said one of the Willie guards, who was pointing his gun at the boy with such intensity and hatred in his eyes. Not having the will to speak Shinji obliged his request. As he got out of his bed and walked slowly to them one of the soldiers approached him and punched him in the face causing him to fall on the floor.

One of the Willie solider yelled at him saying "Hey! what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Are job is to escort him safely to the guys at the base unharmed, not beat him to a bloody pulp."

"The Captain will have our heads if anything goes wrong." said another solider.

The soldier that punched Shinji said,

"Yeah, yeah I know, just needed to let out some steam. After all he's the reason we're in this situation in the first place." Said the solider who punched him in the face. Walking towards the boy to lifting him up and dragging him to his comrade to place cuffs on him.

As Shinji was getting dragged to a new location he didn't questioned it, all he did was walk with his head down. As he continued walking to he noticed a few familiar faces. Some of them were former Nerv agents and a Willie agents. He saw Makoto Hyuga who turned away as he passed by him. He also saw Shigeru Aoba who looked at him with anger and contempt. While Maya Ibuki looked at him with contempt and pity. As Shinji continued walking he saw the pink haired girl, he remembered seeing her when first enter looked at him with pure hate in her eyes. When he left the room he continued walking till the soilder told him to stop in front of a door.

As they stopped another soilder pressed a button to open the door, when it opened light illuminated from it revealing the outside world. As he exited the Wunder airship everything looked about the same. Same red skies. As he looked around he noticed a large military base. He though to himself "This must be their base." Shinji continued looking till he saw a large black car, he was told by one of the soldiers to get in.

As they drove, he looked out the window and saw that they were entering a city. He saw men in construction uniforms fixing up a city. They continued driving for 2 until the car stopped at a building. The soldier driving the car said, "we made it to our destination." As the soldiers got out of the car, they all pointed their guns at Shinji. A soldier yelled "get out". As Shinji got out of the car, he got a better look at the building, he realized it was a tower. As Shinji stared at the tower in amazement, a new soldier came out of the tower. Shinji thought to himself "Are they also with Willie, no this guy is different." As the new soldier got closer, he was able to get a better look at him. He was wearing a black helmet. The helmet's forehead it had a grey symbol on it. It had a letter G with olive branches inside of it, above the G were three stars. Along with a navy-blue long sleeve jacket and combat pants with a bullet proof vest on top of his jacket and shin and knee guards.

As the strange new soldier approached them, he said with a strong and serious tone "At ease men, I take it from here". As the Willie soldiers looked at him with a serious look, they gave him a salute and said "Yes!"

The mysterious soldier gave them a salute as well. It lasted for a few seconds before the Willie soldier broke salute and walked back to their car to return to base but not before giving him the keys to his handcuffs.

The soldier looked at shinji and said in a monotone voice "This way kid." Shinji did as he was told and followed him in the building. As they entered the building the soilder saluted a fellow on guard duty. The further they walked to more soldiers shinji saw wearing the same clothes as the mysterious soldier. They continued walking till they arrived to a new room. Not to his shock it was another cell. The soldier told him to "You'll have to wait here till your trial starts."

Shinji walked into the cell. When he got into the cell the soldier locked closed the door. When he finished he proceeded to leave the room. As shinji was alone in his cell, he went to his bed laying down looking at his ceiling

(A Few hours later)

Shinji continued looking at the ceiling. He didn't know how long he's been in here because there was no clock. As he continued looking at the ceiling, his door open a new revealing another soilder dressed in the same clothes as the previous soilder he meant before. The new soilder said "Shinji Ikari, you have visitors here to see you." Shinji though to himself "who would possibly want to see me"

The soilder said "Okay, you can come in lieutenant." As he said that the person who entered the room was young woman wearing a black beret along with a white scarf and a white and grey dress.

"Thank you", said the woman as she enters the room. The woman called out Shinji's name. She said, "it's me." Looking up at the woman. He realized that it was Sakura Suzuhara.

Shinji said it a meek tone "Sakura... Sakura Suzuhara, what are you doing here? I'm here because there's a few people who'd like to see. Okay, you can come in now." As she said two men came into the room.

The first was a tall man with tan skin with short black hair. He was wearing a white button down shirt with a light brown blazer along with blue pants and black shoes.

The second man was wearing glasses, he had a lighter complexion with freckles on his face with brown messy hair. He wore a long sleeve black shirt with a green vest over it with black pants and boots.

The man in the brown blazer said to you "Wow sis you were right, he looks exactly the same. The man with glasses said "Crazy it's like he stopped aging. The man with the brown blazer said "Don't you remember us Shinji?

Shinji looked at them with curiosity. In seconds Shinji face turned from confused to shocked. He uttered the words, "Its you two." The man in with glasses said "finally realize who we are". Shinji looked at them with shame and uttered a voice of sadness, all he said was "... Toji, Kensuke?"

Toji looked at him with sadness in his eyes while smiling. Kensuke did the same.

Shinji looked away at them. All he said was

"Why are you two here." With a dumbfound look on his face he said, "To see you of course." Man, you haven't changed one bit, but you seem more mopier though." As Toji was about say something else Sakura interrupted him saying "I'll give you three sometime catch up." She walked with the soilder out the room. As she was walking, she thought about the request she ask to Captain Katsuragi."

(Flashback)

Commander, "I'd like to make a request. Please allow my brother and Kensuke see Shinji."

With a shocked look on her Ritsuko said "Why would you make a request like that?"

Sakura said "To be honest, I don't know why. He's the reason we're all in this mess. But he also saved us more times than we can count. He atleast deserve some peace before the trial.

Ritsuko said in a serious tone said "Even so, we're almost arriving at are destination. We simple just don't have the time."

Misato watched there discussion. She decided to chime in and say "l'll allow it, litenenuent. Your dimmised".

Sakura said "Yes!" With much conviction in her voice. As she left the room.

(Flashback ends)

(In Shinji's cell)

"Hey Toji remember that time we snuck out of school to see the eva and angel in action for the first time." said Kensuke. Toji replied with deadpan expression on his face said "How could I forget. You practically begged me to go with to see it."

Toji touching the left side of his chest and said "I thought we were going to die."

"Yeah you were totally scared." Said Kensuke laughed at his friend's expense. Toji with an annoyed looked said "You were totally scared too, right Shinji." Shinji facing his down said in a meek tone "Why are you two here?" Toji said "Huh", in a confused tone. "Like we said before we came to see you". Shinji screamed at them don't you know what I've done! All the suffering I caused, the countless deaths.

As Toji freezes in shock after seeing shinji outburst.

Kensuke watches as his glasses glares light. He said "Where here because we're your friends."

With rage his voice all Shinji could say was "Friends you say?" "Don't you know what I've done!"

With a dark shade covering Toji eyes all he said was "Yes, we know you caused Third Impact and recently another one, sis told us."

Shinji said "So you know everything that's happen up to this point, Can you honestly say that I'm your friend, after everything I've done." As he said that he saw glimpses Kaworu.

This caused him to fall to his knees and put both hands on his head as he said the name "Kaworu" in a sorrowful tone.

Toji was at a lost for words. The man let out a heavy sigh and got on one knee bending down to Shinji's level, all Toji said was "Look Shinji I'm going to be honest with you."

"Life after third impact was hard, I'm not going to sugar coat it, a lot of people got hurt, a lot of people died. "But that not on you pal."

"In all honesty you shouldn't even be in this cell at."

Kensuke sneakily joined the two conversation and said "He's right, so no matter what happens we're with you through thick and thin pal."

As Shinji heard these words, he let out a faith smile. As Shinji was about to say something Sakura and the Soldier return to Shinji's cell.

Sakura said "That's all the time I can give you all, ."

As Sakura said does words Toji and Kensuke looked at Shinji with a sad look on their faces, but gave the boy hopeful smile.

Kensuke said "It really was good seeing you, Shinji. No matter what happens we'll always be friends, don't you ever forget that." Toji nodded his head to acknowledge that he agreed with what his friend said.

As the duo walked to the cell's exit Shinji got up from the floor. With a dark shade covering his eyes, he looked at the two men and said

"Toji..."

"Kensuke..."

"It was good to see you two."

Toji and Kensuke were taken aback by Shinji display of emotion. Before they could response Shinji looked at Sakura and said, "Thank you Sakura."

Sakura gave a slight brush and said "No problem."

Sakura looked at her watch and said we should go guys. Toji said "Okay, sis."

As all three were about to leave the room, Shinji called out Sakura name again to her surprise. She turned around to hear what he had to say.

Shinji said "Sakura..."

You can just call me Shinji."

Taken aback by Shinji's words. All the lieutenant could say was "Oh okay Mr. Ikar... I mean Shinji."

As Shinji heard this he walked back to his bed and sat on silence as he awaits his trail.