After the war Shinji went into self induced isolation. He carelessly wandered, not caring where his feet took him, just trying to escape from his thoughts; his memories. Dreams of his fallen friends plagued his sleep, and when sweet insomnia no longer allowed sleep he could’ve sworn that he heard their whispers in the wind; their footsteps right behind him. Of course, when he looked, they were never there. It was some sick trick his guilt ridden mind played on him. That they had followed him to their deaths.
It took time, days upon weeks of sleepless nights for him to finally start thinking again. For what felt like an eternity his mind had been projecting the war, the things that could have been done differently and possibly provide a different outcome. He’d actually made himself sick with it all, not eating or sleeping for days as he wracked his brain, coming up with over 100 different things he had done wrong. Then it hit him.
The past was the past, he couldn’t undone what had happened, but if he got his act together…he might be able to help the future.