EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 51: Is the relationship with your father not good? [First update! Please read! Please vote!]

I had a good sleep in the medical department... I can only say that NERV's medical level is still high enough. While I was lying in the medical cabin and taking a nap... I had done everything I needed to do.

However, since there is no sunlight in the medical cabin, I have to wake up much later than usual...it's almost afternoon.

"Shinji-kun~~"

As soon as he walked out of the door, he saw Misato Katsuragi wearing a sexy red leather jacket that showed off her mature curves... She was leaning on her beautiful sports car, which required 33 installments to pay for, and waving her white arms towards Shinji Ikari.

"Ms. Misato? Why are you here?"

"Why? Of course I'm here to take you home!"

"It's not far, I can just walk back."

"No way! You were just admitted to the hospital for a checkup due to poor health. How could we possibly let you walk home by yourself?"

As she spoke, Katsuragi Misato jumped lightly... without even opening the car door... she directly held the car door and hurdled into the driver's seat of the convertible sports car, then patted the passenger seat cushion, motioning Shinji Ikari to sit in.

As he got into the car, Shinji Ikari sighed...What an energetic aunt.

"Shinji-kun, why do I feel like you're thinking about something unpleasant? Hmm?"

"It's just an illusion. A depressing place like a hospital can easily give people bad illusions, right?"

Seeing that Shinji Ikari had enough energy to joke with her, Katsuragi Misato felt a little relieved...

"Shinji-kun, I didn't tell you yesterday because you had a physical. Now I'm telling you officially. The Seventh Angel was defeated by an unknown life form...so the battle is over."

While driving, Misato Katsuragi did not forget to peek at the expression on Shinji Ikari's face when he heard this.

"Ah."

Shinji Ikari simply nodded calmly as usual.

"Don't you find it strange?"

"Didn't he defeat the Fourth and Sixth Apostles? Why would it be surprising if he defeated one more..."

“…That’s true.”

Katsuragi Misato smiled wryly and agreed with Ikari Shinji's opinion... but, that was indeed hurtful. NERV was an organization that existed to fight against the Angels, but so far... only the Fifth Angel could be considered defeated by the EVA.

The remaining three apostles... were all defeated by the giant of light named Tiga.

If this continues forever...will NERV still have any meaning in existence...

"Oh, yes, yesterday evening... Commander Ikari and his crew landed safely at Matsushiro Airport. Although the Seventh Angel's electromagnetic interference caused the plane to lose direction and spin in the air for a long time... but fortunately, before the fuel ran out... the Giant of Light defeated the Seventh Angel, restoring the electromagnetic waves to normal, and we were able to escape unscathed."

"Is it…"

As a result, after hearing that her father had finally escaped danger... Shinji Ikari's attitude was still so indifferent... This gave Misato Katsuragi the opportunity to ask the questions she had always been unable to ask.

"Shinji-kun, you... don't have a good relationship with your father?"

Because whether facing Asuka's initial willfulness or Ayanami Rei's initial indifference... Ikari Shinji was able to be tolerant of their flaws. He even tried his best to be understanding of his own unreasonable orders...

But, such a gentle person is filled with deep-seated disgust and aversion towards his own father... This is really...

"Relationship...Misato-san, do you mean...superior-subordinate relationship...or, father-son relationship?"

Shinji Ikari retorted with a sneer on his face.

"Of course it's father and son—"

"If it was a superior-subordinate relationship... as long as he was still the commander-in-chief of NERV and I was still the pilot... I would have obeyed his orders. But—as a father... he abandoned me, a young child, to my cousin's house and never paid any attention to me. And when he needed me to drive the EVA, he casually called me back... is he really just calling me here and sending me away at will?"

Of course, Shinji Ikari would not harbor any resentment towards Gendō Ikari because of this... After all, without his living expenses, he would not be able to grow up safely... If it were not for the existence of Gendō Ikari, a high-ranking government official, who made his heartless uncle panic and fearful... Who knows how the timid and indecisive Shinji Ikari would have been bullied as a child.

But that's all. It's indisputable that Ikari Gendō failed to fulfill his duties as a father... plus the fact that he sent Ikari Shinji to Tokyo to drive the EVA and fight the Angels...

If he were not Shinji Ikari who had returned from Tiga, he would not only possess the will and fighting power that a normal fourteen-year-old boy does not have... but he could also transform into Tiga to provide a backup.

Shinji Ikari couldn't even imagine what would happen to him if he was just an ordinary boy who grew up in the countryside without the love of his parents...

...Ah, it seems like there's no need to think about it... It should be the autistic look in the dream with headphones on...

Shinji Ikari like that... can't do anything. Even if EVA Unit-01 truly holds the power to change fate... if Shinji Ikari himself lacks the awareness and willpower to seize fate by its throat... then nothing can be changed.

All I can do is... watch the disaster unfold in sorrow and vain... and then, belatedly, become angry because I've lost someone I cherish, and finally, let my emotions run wild - such a powerful force is meaningless.

Thinking of this, Shinji Ikari couldn't help but clench his fists.

I won't do that... I won't cry like a cannon after everything is done. I will use my own hands to prevent all tragedies from happening before anything happens!

"Shinji-kun...?"

Misato Katsuragi grinned... She had no idea what kind of fire her casual conversation had ignited in the boy's heart.

But... it was visible to the naked eye... that previously somewhat cold expression due to dissatisfaction with Ikari Gendou had transformed into a firm determination to know what he wanted to do as he analyzed his self-awareness.

"Shinji-kun. My relationship with my father is not good either."

"...!"

A trace of surprise flashed across Shinji Ikari's face, because Shinji Ikari had briefly learned about it before - Misato Katsuragi's father... died in order to protect Misato Katsuragi during the second impact.

After that, the topic of Katsuragi Misato's father became a minefield that Shinji Ikari consciously avoided... and naturally he would not take the initiative to touch this scar.

Not to mention Shinji Ikari...even Misato Katsuragi herself didn't expect that the topic about her father...could be blurted out so easily.

But - I don't know if it was because the atmosphere had reached this point... or because of Shinji Ikari's cold attitude towards his living father... but Katsuragi Misato spoke as if possessed by a ghost.

"My father is a childish man—living in his own ideals every day... He has neither fulfilled his responsibilities as a husband nor as a father. But such a bastard father..."

As she spoke, Misato Katsuragi involuntarily grasped the cross-shaped pendant around her neck with one hand - it was a relic left to her by her father.

"...A father like this, in the Second Impact... to protect me......"

"Ms. Misato, stop talking... I know. I understand what you're trying to say... Please drive safely."

Misato Katsuragi's voice was slightly choked and trembling... and Shinji Ikari took the initiative to interrupt the topic.

There was no need to dig deep into Misato Katsuragi's inner wounds... nor was there any need to increase the risk of a car accident on the way home.

"I know what you mean... no matter what misunderstandings or prejudices there are, at least my father is still alive... I still have a chance to talk it all out, clear up the misunderstandings... and reconcile, right?"

"Really, you kid... you're so unlovable."

Katsuragi Misato gave a wry smile, and it was indeed so.

When her father was alive, Misato Katsuragi's attitude towards her father...can only be said to be worse than Shinji Ikari's.

When her father used his life as a price to prove his love for Misato Katsuragi, Misato Katsuragi no longer had the chance to have a good talk with her father.

So... Misato Katsuragi specifically said this to Shinji Ikari - in order to prevent her own tragedy... from happening to Shinji Ikari.

"Don't worry...Misato-san. I...am not blaming my father for not being with me, or rebelling against him by seeking his attention...I'm no longer that childish."

Misato Katsuragi grinned. She was in a cold war with her father when she was in college... Are you targeting me?

"The reason I'm so cold towards my father is simply because his current behavior... is unacceptable to me. If, in the future, I accept his behavior, I'll naturally reconcile with him for the sake of him being my father—and that would make my mother happy too."

Faced with Shinji Ikari's frank response, Misato Katsuragi didn't know what to say and could only force a smile and nod.

Why do I say it's reluctant? Because Shinji Ikari's words have an obvious hidden meaning.

If I accept it—

Then, what if Ikari Gendō's actions are something that Ikari Shinji can never understand, accept, or approve of...

There is no doubt that Shinji Ikari will not hesitate at all because of this blood relationship.

These fists, clenched with the light of will, would strike Ikari Gendō's face without hesitation.

Author's Note: Another 2800-word chapter heading towards 3000. I feel like I'm losing out (annoyed).
Well, today is still three chapters because I have no more drafts in reserve, so I am writing now. The next chapter is expected to be at 12 o'clock.
Then, with the help of all the readers, this book also rushed to the 20th or 30th place on the new book list. Thank you.

A new month has begun. This book has 13 words and it will probably be on the shelves later this month.
I'm asking for a wave of monthly tickets here. I saw that last month's performance was not good and there were still hundreds of monthly tickets. I set a flag.
If there are 1000 monthly tickets when the product is put on the shelves, the price will be 10,000 on the day of listing. If there are 2000 monthly tickets, the price will be 20,000 on the day of listing.
I guess my level is only 2000, 3000 is unlikely, so I won't consider it for now.

Well, I'll just keep writing. I hope readers enjoy reading it.]

(End of this chapter)