EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 88: Reliable Adult Male [First Update 250010000]

“…You’re back, idiot.”

When Suzuhara Touji opened his eyes... what he saw was Shinji Ikari's confident smile and Kaworu Nagisa standing behind him with an expression of disbelief written all over his face.

"It's incredible... Although it's just a lingering memory... Bardiel was actually suppressed by Li Lin..."

"How does it feel?"

Shinji Ikari tapped his right eye with his hand...indicating that Suzuhara Touji should feel it for himself.

"Eyes... Ouch!"

It's fine if I don't realize it, but when I follow Shinji Ikari's advice and focus my attention on my eyes... I feel an unpleasant sensation like something is wriggling inside my eye sockets, bringing a nauseating pain.

"I don't have time to act cute with you anymore—I'm ready to go..."

I casually used a light yellow sunflower patterned cloth strip at hand as an eye mask... and wrapped it around Suzuhara Touji's right eye... Let's use this thing to overcome it first.

"This is…"

"This is the tablecloth the monitor used to wrap the lunch box."

"Is... huh... is it, just her..."

I don't know if it's psychological... just feeling the lingering longing my good lover has poured into this tablecloth... can clearly heal the abnormal throbbing deep in my right eye.

"How's your stamina? Can you run?"

Shinji Ikari held out his hand, asking if he needed help.

"It's okay, Shinji-san... I can't give you any more trouble of this magnitude... Eh... Shinji-san? Isn't he leaving?"

After barely running, Suzuhara Touji realized that Nagisa Kaworu did not leave with him and Ikari Shinji... but stood there, watching them leave with a smile.

"..."

Shinji Ikari turned his head and met Nagisa Kaworu's beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry, Shinji-kun, I can't..."

"——Who asked you?"

Seeing a hint of bitterness flashing in the depths of Nagisa Kaworu's eyes, not knowing how to find a reason or excuse, Ikari Shinji interrupted with a smile.

"You are free to do whatever you want wherever you want—you don't need to explain anything to me... I just want to remind you, don't use that thing anymore."

Shinji Ikari pointed at EVA Unit 4, which was knocked out by the aftermath of the battle between Tiga and Destrodos... and half of its body was stuck in the base building and could not move.

Of course... Shinji Ikari wasn't referring to Unit-4... but rather the overly fiery weapon bestowed upon humanity by Cerebro... the D4.

"You should also be able to feel... that thing, will only bring disaster and misfortune."

"Is that so... Ah, I get it - if I use that thing again... you'll really hate me."

"If you keep talking nonsense, I won't hate you, but... I will destroy you."

That’s all I have to say… Shinji Ikari and Touji Suzuhara quickly escaped from the Matsushiro base, which had been completely abandoned.

Gazing at Shinji Ikari's increasingly smaller figure... Kaworu Nagisa muttered to himself...

"How gentle... you are, Shinji-kun. You clearly know... that I would rather be hated by you than be destroyed by you... and yet you go out of your way to tell me this. Aren't you... tempting me?"

With a cheerful tone, Kaworu Nagisa walked towards the Matsushiro base. NERV, which was in disarray... really needed a leader. Although I didn't know what the arrangements of the old people in SEELE were... but, Commander Nagisa - it sounded pretty good.

Looking at the D4 mechanism lying quietly next to Unit 04... Nagisa Kaworu vaguely...had already realized his end this time.

"If I were to be destroyed by you——perhaps, it would also be a good story..."

…………

… “Shin! Shin… Mr. Tsugumi, where are we going…!?”

Following the deserted field, closely following Shinji Ikari... Suzuhara Touji jogged breathlessly.

No... using the word "jogging" to describe him doesn't quite fit the literal meaning... Shinji Ikari was literally speeding through this uneven and rugged wilderness at a speed exceeding 25 kilometers per hour!
After following for only about an hour, Suzuhara Touji was already out of breath... Before, he was quite proud of being an athlete with plenty of energy... But now, he was almost exhausted... Shinji Ikari's breathing was not even disordered!
Shinji Ikari looks so weak...how come his physical strength is so...!
Shinji Ikari slowed down, turned around, and looked at Touji Suzuhara with a puzzled look... as if he had asked something that couldn't be more stupid.

"Huh? Where to? Back to Tokyo-3?"

“………………Run, run, run back?!?”

This, this... This place is at least 250 kilometers away from the Third New Tokyo City!
"It can't be helped. After all, the situation was still unclear... I had Kaji-san drive the girls away first. There are no other means of transportation, no other means of transport... The nearby towns have been cleared out due to the construction of the Matsushiro base test site, and the remaining cities are all occupied by NERV personnel..."

Shinji Ikari tapped his right eye, signaling Suzuhara Touji... to have the most basic self-awareness.

"I'm afraid that if you come into contact with employees from other NERV branches, they might instantly suppress you, a human fused with an Angel... and use you as a test animal. Therefore, until you return to headquarters... and return to Miss Katsuragi's command, you must avoid any contact with NERV personnel."

"...I see. I'm so sorry... Mr. Shinji, I didn't think of anything..."

Suzuhara Touji suddenly realized with a guilty look on his face... Yes... He was no longer a pure human being, so it was not surprising that he was dragged to the dissection table and processed in the next second.

It was to avoid this kind of thing from happening that Ikari Shinji had accompanied me on this discreet walk back home... But I had no self-awareness at all and actually complained about being too tired from running! Really, terrible!
"Alright, alright, come on... you keep apologizing all day. I promised Sakura that I would let her talk to you again... so that the things you feared wouldn't happen. A simple-minded idiot like you just needs to trust me—"

The voice stopped abruptly, and Shinji Ikari narrowed his eyes in a rather alert manner... He bent down and gestured with his hands to Suzuhara Touji to be quiet, and together they hid among the rice ears in the field that were almost taller than a person.

…and heard the sound of a car—

The sound of an off-road vehicle with plenty of horsepower and the ability to rip through the mountains!
In this desolate mountainous area... there's not even a flat road, only a rugged and winding path... I deliberately chose a road far away from the city and away from the crowds...

…How come a car appeared?

"Mr. Shinji...!"

Suzuhara Touji, who was lying next to Shinji Ikari, had a voice full of anxiety... but he was also prepared. If NERV's armed forces really came to capture him, he must not cause any more trouble for Shinji Ikari.

"Shh!"

Shinji Ikari just squatted in the grass, signaling Suzuhara Touji not to make a sound... and looked warily at the black SUV coming from the distance... and getting closer and closer.

Red license plates, maple leaf logo...it's a NERV vehicle!
…Why…I should have been careful enough to avoid exposing my whereabouts…I didn't even go to the town to restock on food and water. I didn't see a single living person along the way, so why was I still discovered…

Reconnaissance drones...? Surveillance satellites...? Or...

Just as Shinji Ikari was listing one possibility after another... a black SUV stopped right in front of the two of them!
There were endless ears of rice all around us, a golden ocean... The two of us were lying there, invisible from the outside... How did our location get exposed?! Could it be that we... had a GPS...!?

Just as he was wondering, the car door opened... Seeing the man getting out of the car, Shinji Ikari breathed a sigh of relief.

Black suit, black leather shoes, black goggles... a capable agent who looks like he walked out of the movie Men in Black... Kyoya Kenzaki, Chief of Intelligence Section 1 at NERV headquarters.

"...?"

After getting off the bus, Kenzaki looked around suspiciously at the sea of ​​wheat in front of him, scratching his head in distress... Could he have come to the wrong place?

This is so timely...reliable adult male!
To be honest... compared to anthropomorphic adults like Kaji Ryoji, Katsuragi Misato, Akagi Ritsuko, and Ikari Gendo... Kenzaki Kyoya really seems out of place in NERV because he is too reliable.

"Are you here to pick us up? Not bad for you to find this place!"

"Mr. Shinji?!?!"

Shinji Ikari took the initiative to speak and crawled out of the field. This action scared Suzuhara Touji who was standing next to him.

"Don't worry, Touji... Mr. Kenzaki is one of us."

"Well… Potter reported the situation to me as soon as communication was restored. I felt like you might need a vehicle, Shinji-kun, so I came here."

"Thank you so much, it's a great help—"

(End of this chapter)