In the days Osiris was under confinement at NERV Headquarters, Shinji Ikari's life felt incomplete.
The person who always smiled at him in the repair bay, the one who would point to the new coral and say, "Life always finds a way," was now locked away deep within the HQ.
This realization made the boy constantly drift off while gripping the control stick and often stare blankly at his plate during meals.
Finally, one evening after training, he stood outside his father's office door. His finger hovered over the metal panel for a long time before he gently knocked.
Inside, Gendo Ikari sat in his unmoving posture, the orange lenses of his glasses reflecting the cold light in the dim room. The massive desk stretched between father and son like a deep chasm.
"What is it?" Gendo's voice was as steady as a machine.
"I—I want to visit Dr. Osiris," Shinji whispered, his voice shrinking. "May I?"
The air solidified for a few seconds.
"You may."
Gendo didn't ask for a reason, show concern for Shinji's state, or even glance at him. When Shinji backed out of the office, his back was drenched in cold sweat. Every conversation with his father made him feel like a child who had done something wrong.
When a staff member escorted him to Osiris's room, the atmosphere was completely different.
Osiris was sitting at the desk by the window, the setting sun casting a warm glow over his white researcher's coat. Hearing the gentle click of the door, he turned and, upon seeing Shinji, immediately flashed the familiar, reassuringly warm smile the boy knew so well.
"Shinji," his voice held a natural warmth, as if they had merely run into each other in the lab after work. "Come in. I figured you'd be along soon."
Shinji stood at the doorway, his hands and feet unsure where to go. He quickly scanned the room before shyly focusing on Osiris. "Doctor—are you alright? Have they—have they done anything to you?"
Osiris smiled and shook his head, reaching over to pull up a nearby chair, gesturing for Shinji to sit.
"I'm perfectly fine. Look, I have food, drink, and a quiet place to get some research done." His tone was light. He then naturally shifted the topic to Shinji. "Don't worry about me. How about you? How's school lately? Keeping up with your courses? You look a bit thinner again. Is training too tough?"
This series of mundane, caring questions eased some of Shinji's tension. He carefully took a seat, hands placed neatly on his knees, and replied in a low voice: "It's—it's okay. School—it's just school."
He hesitated, then finally voiced his biggest worry: "I'm really concerned about you. I feel like—you're being held here because you helped me during the last battle."
"No, Shinji-kun, this is on me." Osiris's tone became more serious, yet still gentle. He explained patiently, like an older brother reasoning with a confused sibling. "My actions did, in fact, violate NERV's strict regulations. On the battlefield, failing to follow protocol can cause a chain of accidents and endanger others. So, undergoing review now is a necessary and reasonable process."
As he spoke, his gaze was candid, without a hint of resentment.
Then, he changed tack, lowering his voice, making it clearer, and looking at the boy with gentle yet firm eyes: "But, Shinji, you must remember that rules are there to protect the majority and maintain order, but they should never become iron shackles that bind your hands and choke off every possibility."
"When you are absolutely sure that something is worth doing, and something must be protected—like the people you want to save, or the conviction you hold deep inside—then, in that crucial moment, you must have the courage to weigh the consequences, or even challenge the established rules."
Seeing the puzzled look in Shinji's eyes, he offered a more concrete example: "Just like when you pilot the EVA, aren't you breaking the seemingly established rule that 'humanity cannot defeat the Angels' in your own way?"
"That takes immense courage. Remember, the power you possess, and the things you feel are 'worth protecting' in your heart, are the foundation that gives you the right to break those limits."
While some parts of this speech were difficult for Shinji to fully process, the words "protection," "courage," and "internal conviction," combined with Osiris' encouraging, brotherly gaze, were deeply imprinted on his mind. He nodded forcefully.
When the visitation time ended, Shinji's steps seemed firmer than when he arrived. Osiris stood by the door, smiling as he watched him leave until the door closed.
The gentle smile on his face slowly faded, returning to his customary composure. The conversation had been a carefully orchestrated moment of irrigation; the seed he had planted was quietly growing in the intended soil.
Shortly after Shinji's visit, the review of Osiris seemed to conclude. He was officially notified that he could leave the "guest room" and that his movement restrictions were lifted, allowing him to return to the Ninth Institute.
When he stepped through the institute doors again, Tanaka and Miyuki Suzuki immediately rushed to greet him. Tanaka's face was etched with undisguised worry, and the usually composed Suzuki also showed a rare look of concern.
"Doctor! You're finally back!" Tanaka's voice was emotional. "We were so worried about you!"
"Welcome back, Doctor." Miyuki Suzuki offered a slight bow, her tone as restrained as ever, but her tightly clasped hands betrayed her tension. "We did our best to keep the institute running during this time."
Osiris looked at his two loyal subordinates, a familiar, warm smile—like winter sunlight—on his face.
"Thank you for your concern, and thank you for your hard work," he said calmly, his voice soothing. "I'm perfectly fine; it was just a necessary procedural review. Now that it's over, we'll resume our work as normal. The ocean restoration project cannot stop."
He lightly brushed aside the details of his confinement and immediately inquired about the institute's recent progress, steering the conversation back to work. Under his lead, the Ninth Institute quickly returned to its normal rhythm, as if the interlude had never happened.
However, in the deeper echelons of NERV Headquarters, the discussions about Osiris and his technology were far from over.
In the Tactical Operations Department, Misato Katsuragi stood before a massive strategic map, her arms crossed, her voice resolute: "We must acquire this technology, or at least enter into a deep collaboration with Dr. Chen. You all saw the damage that 'purification bomb' inflicted on the Angel—it was unprecedented! If we can weaponize it, even as a supplement to conventional arms, it will vastly improve combat efficiency and reduce the risk and pressure on Unit-01 operating alone!"
Her eyes shone with a desire for practical combat effectiveness; in her view, any means capable of effectively neutralizing an Angel was worth fighting for.
Meanwhile, at an even more secretive level of the decision-making body, the atmosphere was completely different.