EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 34 My mom turned into Unit-01? Why did I have such a dream?
"Ok! Very good! Keep it up like this...! Shinji-kun! Well, as expected, Shinji-kun is still the tallest. Asuka, you have to keep working hard."

"Hey! Misato-san, don't say those things that deliberately stir things up. Not everyone's personality can be aroused by provocation... Or rather, things like synchronization rate... can't be improved by just working hard."

After school...day after day of synchronization training at NERV headquarters.

Soaking in this LCL solution that burns like boiling water every day...it's inevitable that the girl named Makiba will smell the smell soon...it's all marinated.

However, only Shinji Ikari and Asuka came to the training today... It seems that Rei Ayanami hasn't finished her physical examination yet, so she didn't come to participate - should we go to see her at Professor Akagi's place...?
"Oh! Asuka! Good job! The synchronization rate is starting to improve! This is something that can be achieved with a little effort!"

Following Misato Katsuragi's words, Shinji Ikari glanced at the monitor. Asuka's synchronization rate has increased to over 70%, while it was only over 60% in the past... Could it be that she was really stimulated by Misato Katsuragi?

When Shinji Ikari thought of Asuka's hysterical and desperate look, as if the meaning of her existence itself was denied, he felt overwhelmed... He couldn't expect himself to give her talk therapy every day.

"Hey! Shinji-kun! What's going on?! The data is starting to drop! Stop thinking about random things! Merge your mind with the EVA!"

EVA is a mirror of the soul - this is absolutely true... Shinji Ikari just slightly separated his consciousness from EVA and returned to his ordinary daily life, and the synchronization rate of Unit-01 immediately dropped from 80% to 70%... The data was on par with Asuka's.

"Okay, that's all for today. Thank you for your hard work, Shinji-kun. Asuka, come out."

Ritsuko Akagi's voice came, announcing the end of this training.

Through the window, Shinji Ikari saw that Asuka's insertion plug had left the body, and the window used to monitor the synchronization rate seemed to be closed... Now is a good time to verify the authenticity of the fragment found deep in the soul.

Although NERV will find out later... it's better than sharpening your weapons before the actual battle with the apostles.

——Try to talk to EVA and see... if you can really establish a connection.

In the previous dream, he saw the weak side of his heart, and in the dream, the one who appeared like a mother to protect Shinji Ikari's cowardice and fragility was EVA Unit-01.

At that time, I began to doubt the relationship between Unit-01 and my mother...

The incredibly smooth ride of Unit-01 when I first rode it, and the rejection reaction that only I would experience when I was soaked in the LCL solution.

Furthermore, what that paratrooper girl with glasses said to him this afternoon...his mother is definitely not just an ordinary researcher as Ikari Gendō said.

If... the reflection in the dream was correct - my mother might be...

"...Mom...?"

Before ejecting the insertion bolt, he gripped the control lever once more, connecting his full consciousness to Unit-01 through the A10 nerve.

But when I thought about the possibility that my mother had some connection with Unit-01... and realized that I could truly communicate with my mother through Unit-01...

Shinji Ikari found himself at a loss for words - this was an existence he had longed for countless times before, but when it came time to test whether he could communicate with his mother through the core circuit of Unit-01, he didn't know where to begin.

What exactly do I want to convey to my mother?

"Mom, are you there? ...Fuck, what language is that text message?"

For a moment, even Shinji Ikari himself was amused by this boring message.

"Well, I know it's stupid... I just wanted to give it a try. Um... If you could really hear me... How should I put it? I just wanted to tell you... I'm doing fine. Haha... How should I put it?"

I don't know why... even though it was just a few random words, Shinji Ikari's nose twitched involuntarily. A certain bitterness, flowing from his heart to the back of his throat, made Shinji's nose twitch violently.

"Hey! Shinji-kun? The experiment is over, why aren't you coming out yet?"

Because the communication had been cut off in advance, the operator could not hear Shinji Ikari mumbling while inserting the plug.

"Oh, right away—I'll practice a little more. Two minutes."

After replying to the communication, Shinji Ikari also noticed that Unit-01 had no reaction and shook his head in self-mockery.

As expected, my mother's soul is inside Unit-01. This is too unbelievable... How could I have such a dream?

…But, I don’t know why—since I’m already dumbfounded…why not be dumber for a while longer…right?

"Nothing, nothing, just... just a report to you? Um... I'm living with some friends and my boss now... Every day is pretty good... And, I believe the future will definitely be even better. So... um... It's pretty good... But sometimes..."

It was clearly just an ordinary greeting... but Shinji Ikari felt as if every word was stuck in his throat and difficult to utter... Even as the words came out, the strong sour taste deep in his nose had almost turned into liquid and condensed in the corners of his eyes. If he hadn't forced himself to restrain it, it would have flowed out at any time.

Why...it turns out that I have such a fragile side?

No, no, no, this won’t do—

Whether he liked it or not... he was now the spiritual leader of Asuka, Suzuhara Touji, and even Ayanami Rei... human emotions were contagious. Furthermore, the influence of a team leader on the entire team was immense. Previously, he had inspired them with his unwavering, unyielding spirit... but if they could sense his own sorrow for the deceased, that bitterness would spread to each of them.

Those porcupines who like to keep their hearts closed aren't that strong, and can't adjust their emotions quickly... So, let's just leave it at that... Anyway, I tried talking to Unit-01, but there was no reaction. I'll just call it a foolish mistake.

Closing the A10 nerve circuit, the plug was ejected step by step according to the prescribed steps... As the nerve impulse circuit was disconnected, the plug fell into deep darkness.

The instantaneous switch from light to darkness will infinitely amplify a person's inner emotions...longing is no exception.

Therefore, without even Shinji Ikari noticing... the unfinished sentence slipped out in a whisper.

“… Sometimes… Sometimes… I miss you, Mom…”

As the LCL solution drained away, the hatch opened and Shinji Ikari nimbly climbed out to the ground.

Misato Katsuragi and Asuka did not leave and were waiting for him. At this moment, on Shinji Ikari's face... the slight sadness that had just arisen from missing his mother had disappeared, and he once again returned to being the same as before... a warrior who was so strong that it seemed fake, and who was enough for others to rely on.

"Humph! See?! This is my true strength! Idiot... Hey, what's wrong? What happened?"

When Asuka saw Shinji Ikari's face, she came over without saying a word to show off that her stats had finally caught up with Shinji Ikari... But after the two of them got close, the arrogance and defiance on Asuka's face disappeared in an instant.

"Hmm? What happened?"

Shinji Ikari asked calmly, the expression on his face should be perfect - but... why was Asuka looking at him with a worried look?

"What's wrong? Aren't Asuka and Shinji-kun the same as usual?"

Fortunately, Misato Katsuragi didn't notice anything and saved herself from the situation.

"No...nothing, never mind...I must have seen it wrong."

Asuka frowned and shook her head, passing over the subject.

"Ms. Akagi, how is Ayanami? The medical examination is not over yet?"

Hearing the call, Ritsuko Akagi, who was sorting out the experimental data, raised her head.

"Rei's medical checkup should be over by now. It's only because of Unit-00's restart experiment that she wasn't allowed to attend the regular synchronization training... She should be preparing in the Third Internment Camp now. Commander Ikari is there too. Do you want to go over? I'll take you there..."

Just as Ritsuko Akagi was about to lead Shinji Ikari and others to go together, she was stopped by Maya Ibuki with a serious expression, who had been tapping on the screen.

"Ms. Akagi, I'm sorry! The data here seems to be a little wrong. Please take a look..."

Seeing this, Misato Katsuragi led Shinji Ikari and Asuka to the third shelter, while Ritsuko Akagi walked to Maya Ibuki.

"What's going on? Is there a problem with the synchronization rate in the experiment just now, or... what?!? T-this...how is this possible!?"

Ritsuko Akagi just glanced at the screen, then rudely pushed Maya aside and started operating it herself.

The originally calm and indifferent temperament of the intellectual beauty was gone, leaving only jaw-dropping surprise.

What's on the screen is... the synchronization rate test data of Shinji Ikari's Unit-01 just now. It basically remained at around 85% throughout the entire process, and only at the end did it drop to 72% due to interference from Misato Katsuragi... This is all normal.

However, after everything was over, the data line had an incredible upward trend, almost vertically, which directly increased the synchronization rate to over 200%!

Furthermore, this was at a time when Shinji Ikari had already severed the neural circuits and the plugs had begun draining water... Logically, the EVA should have been shut down by then, so there shouldn't have been any data at all...

"Ms. Akagi, what should I do..."

"Have MAGI recheck every detail of the synchronization rate sensor to see if there's any sensor failure... Call the maintenance team and have them immediately transfer EVA Unit-01 to the third containment unit and use the new calculator in the third containment unit to recalculate all of Unit-01's related circuits..."

Akagi Ritsuko gave orders calmly and this command ability made the uneasy Ibuki Maya feel much more at ease.

But—this calmness is just the same as Shinji Ikari's… a disguise to prevent his own anxiety from spreading to others…

Ritsuko Akagi silently raised her head and looked up at the EVA Unit-01, which seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

"Is it you... Wei..."

I don't know if it's an illusion... I seem to be able to vaguely see some crystals in the corner of Unit-01's eyes.

(End of this chapter)