Sokila sighed, nibbling from her Pyro Jack-flavored rice bowl.

"I don't understand..."

Theo blinked, stirring the rice in the cooker all the while. Both were pointedly ignoring the cries of the Pyro Jacks burning (paradoxically?) in the rice cooker.

"What's the matter, little one?"

Sokila looked with a plaintive gaze at her elder, chewing methodically all the while.

"Well...my Guest keeps having...tough talks with other people. That girl with pigtails, the Misato lady...he wants to help, but he's tryin' to find the best way..."

Theodore smiled gently.

"I've come to understand that people are quite complicated. That will be true no matter who you are, or who you're talking to."

Sokila frowned, cheeks puffing up with irritation.

"I guess...I just wanna help. And I think I know how!"

"Er...you do?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna use some of Elizabeth-senpai's lessons!"

"I...see..."

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-

xxxx

/Wednesday: August 26, 2015/

/Courtyards, Hakone Academy/

Shinji Ikari couldn't help but feel that the grounds of the Academy were a fair bit...strange, when school wasn't in session. It feels like there should be more people here, he mused, quietly adjusting the grip on his bookbag. As it was, there were some scattered students in plainclothes, enjoying the last days before the term started back up; a couple were reading in isolation, standing out by virtue of scarcity. I suppose most everyone else is trying to stay away as long as possible...

("I propose we spend today trying to get ahead on our summer homework!" said Kensuke Aida as he dried his hair with a towel, fresh from the dorm shower. "As for how...well, I figure we'd each do our own thing. Especially since Toji has to meet with his sensei today anyhow.")

Although his old 'schedule' from before the old summer break was largely forgotten, staggering out his missions and 'extracurricular' work as the Third Child seemed to be paying dividends. They had gotten a lot accomplished the previous morning, thus freeing up his afternoon; to similar effect, he would spend the morning catching up with his academics, leaving the afternoon to perform more missions. I wonder I'll do more stuff for the Task Force...or if I'll work with Ayanami-san or Kirishima-san on Ghost or Acolyte subjugation...

It was strange, but the sheer volume of activity and events that had occurred over the course of the road trip made even things he had struggled to juggle before seem rather...well, mundane.

His Other closed a book decisively.

"It's only natural, as you grow, correct?"

He reached for another, opening it up to the first page.

"Tasks which seemed like such trials before are reduced to mere playthings, given enough experience..."

That wasn't an excuse to rest on his laurels, however; that sneaking monster known as 'self-doubt' ever lingered, threatening to make him second-guess himself at a moment's notice. "I can't afford to think like that," he murmured, reflexively clinching his right hand. "I can't..." Take a stand. Take a stand. Take a stand!

Repeating those words like a mantra, Shinji headed towards the school, vowing to spend a few hours in that most hallowed of educational institutions: the library.

xxxx

/Misato's Apartment, Tokyo-3/

Misato Katsuragi blearily rubbed at her eyes, feeling hot water run over her scalp and over her body. The shower felt both good yet simultaneously wretched, as her head pounded and her stomach complained. Haven't had that much saké in a long time...

It was almost a cruel joke, how life kept dangling things just beyond her reach: too late to find her mother after Second Impact; too angry to truly understand her father before his death; too ignorant to stop Kaji from meeting his Shadow, all those years ago; too slow to meet him before he was once again AWOL, too lacking to keep Mister P from sticking his damned beak into everything...and all the while, the truths she desired seemed to have far more interest in nearby children than in her. (It's not like she could help the fact she was a mere Persona-user; it was an accident of history that Mana was subject to experimentation, whilst Shinji had an Evangelion; and now it turned out Mayumi had been bound to an Angel...)

(Are you sure you're not overestimating your sense of self-importance?)

Sighing, Misato felt the short hair at the back of her head. I wonder when this'll finish growing back, she mused, turning off the water. Drying herself off, she dressed herself in simple clothes, taking measured steps (familiar steps) to keep her headache and nausea from increasing. Ugh...why did I drink that much...?

(Because you normally have missions or work to keep you going, to keep you focused.)

(She'd become too involved with the lives of children.)

(You didn't think that the subject of children would ever come into play without Kaji. You always were obsessive...)

Stepping into the living room, she belatedly smelled...eggs? "Uh..."

"Katsuragi's up," called out Mana, idly cleaning LABRYS from a spot on the couch.

Mayumi, standing by a skillet, look around with a startle. "Oh! Um...I didn't know how much longer you would be..."

Misato gingerly took a seat by the table, noting a conspicuous glass of water sitting by its lonesome. Without hesitation, she downed it in a single gulp, relishing the sensation of her throat being parched. Only then did it occur to her that it might have been one of the girls. "Sorry."

"Oh, it...was set out for you," remarked Mayumi, putting in a spoonful of what looked like turmeric into the scrambled eggs. "I looked up on my phone about how to deal with hangovers; you already had a jar of Ukon no Chikara, so I figured I'd just add it to some eggs...and water! Water's important as well."

Misato idly glanced at the old ceramic jar, which she hadn't had much occasion to pull out as of late. Turmeric, B vitamins, curcumin, a bit of ginger and some orange flavoring for taste...when's the last time I dug into that? Before June, when it seemed like life had taken a turn for the crazy. And now I'm serving as the guardian for two orphaned girls, she bitterly mused, eyeing the 'castle' of Yebisu cans at the end of side-board along the central counter. She had always seen it as an optimistic commentary on how she could 'constructively' deal with her old alcoholic tendencies, keeping them constrained and isolated as she willed. Now, in the face of two girls that she had inexplicably volunteered to take on, she wondered what sort of message it sent. What the hell am I doing...? She didn't voice any of her thoughts out loud, since talking would only make the lingering headache feel worse. Thus, she said nothing as Mana grabbed another glass of water, and Mayumi set a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her, colored a shade of burnt orange from the Ukon no Chikara that had been mixed in.

"Sorry if it's not good," murmured Mayumi, sitting across the table from Misato. "I'm...somewhat embarrassed to admit that my parents did most of the cooking..." Smiling with a shy reluctance, she admitted, "I guess Armisael left that much of them intact, at least..."

Misato resisted the urge to snort, even as she gratefully chugged water and shoveled slightly over-singed eggs down her throat. "You're the one cooking for me. I've no room to complain about your hospitality. Did...you already eat?"

"We had some instant ramen," said Mana.

Misato hummed, feeling somewhat...lacking, in that moment. What the hell am I doing? "...how did I get home, last night?"

"Ikari called a taxi and helped carry you to the front door," answered Mana. "I helped get you into your futon."

...can't exactly remember that much. (What a commentary on her life.) "...I must have looked a mess..."

Mayumi fidgeted in her chair while Mana shrugged. "I could hear you crying a little bit afterwards," said the latter, "but I think you fell asleep pretty quickly."

"Mana-san!" quietly hissed Mayumi.

"What? She did," obliviously answered Mana.

This time, Misato couldn't help her impulsive snort, inviting a brief spike of pain in her skull; she almost welcomed it. What the hell am I doing? "Not exactly serving a good example, am I...?"

Mayumi and Mana briefly glanced at each other before the former said, "Well...I honestly doubt there'd be a family willing to take me in." Looking down at the table, she added, "after all, my parents died in mysterious circumstances, so that would likely lower my chances..."

Mana was far more coarse about it. "Who else would take me in? Besides...there's not really anyone else I can think of that could take your place." Misato's arched eyebrow elicited a follow-up from the brusque child soldier. "I mean...you know pretty much everything important about me. Same for Yamagishi. Yet you still offered to take us in. It's a sure thing, as far as I'm concerned."

When Mayumi nodded in seeming concurrence, Misato couldn't help but sigh. What the hell am I doing...? Honestly, she had no clue. Yet circumstances were what they were, no matter how much they irked or irritated her. I'll get to Kaji's disc soon enough, she resolved, finishing off her second glass of water. Right now, I have something that I can actually make a difference with. "Doesn't seem fair, does it?" At Mana and Mayumi's confused expressions, Misato explained, "I know all about the shitty parts of your lives, yet you probably don't know much about mine...so let's fix that. It's story time, kids!"

"Story time?" repeated Mayumi.

"...don't we have work to do?" asked Mana. "With like, missions, and stuff?"

"We can make it up later. I'm in the mood, so I might as well take advantage of it." Pausing to grab herself a third glass of water and a multivitamin, Misato launched into her own less-than-sterling backstory. "Let me tell you girls about the story of another girl that grew up in Old Tokyo..."

xxxx

Shinji Ikari couldn't help but admit that the classical music (Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat major...Op. 9, No. 2, was currently playing...? Yes, that sounded right) playing over the library intercoms had done wonders for studying; there were only a couple of students present working in isolation, but he had strategically maneuvered his way to an isolated table where he could study in relative peace.

(You haven't forgotten the suspicion sent your way by the other students near the end of the last time.)

All told, he had managed to get through the summer homework for Mogami-sensei's Japanese language class, and was about halfway done with Takao-sensei's science assignment...

"You're quite dedicated, Ikari-kun."

Shinji barely resisted the urge to yelp at the sudden voice; looking up from his notebook, his eyes widened at the sight of an elderly man with a bulky yet familiar visor. "P-Principal Lorenz? When did you get here?!" he loudly whispered.

"I've been here for the past ten minutes. You were so intent on your work that you didn't notice when I pulled up a chair. Nor when I continued reading," he added, gesturing to a faded book written in English(?) letters but written in a way he couldn't recognize (another language?); it was titled IL PRINCIPE, with the author designated as DI NICOLO MACHIAVELLI. "It felt...prudent...to catch your attention."

"Oh. Um. Sorry for ignoring you, Kōchō-sensei..." He had just been focused so intently on it, and he wanted to take care of it

"If your ignorance was not affected, but due to honest focus on your studies, I have little reason to criticize you." Leaning back in his chair, there was a subtle yet noticeable sound of grinding. "Hmph...I'm not getting any younger," he mused.

"Is something wrong?"

"There's been a great deal of administrative wrangling to be done, what with the desolation of Tokyo-2," the principal explained. "With the loss of the MEXT and the planned political reorganization of the country, my recent days have been spent communicating with prefectural officials to an...exhaustive degree."

"The...MEXT?"

"The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; they were the government agency with oversight over the public education system of Japan. Emphasis on 'were'." Sighing with disdain, the older man remarked, "Centralization and federalization have their pros and cons, but Kanagawa Prefecture's educational authority is woefully under-equipped to handle the responsibilities that the MEXT had previously taken care of. But with any political change, there are growing pains...and in the grand scheme of things, it's a very minor complaint to have. As I'm sure you're aware."

"...yeah," Shinji murmured.

"I could use an opportunity to distract myself from a meeting I have this afternoon; tell me about your summer, Ikari-kun." Principal Lorenz folded his hands, resting his hand on his chin. "I could use some tales of youthful fancy."

Shinji grimaced. "...some of it it isn't nice..."

"I'm sure. The news replayed the footage of you facing that terrorist in the Okayama fight club often enough."

Of course, he bitterly thought, retelling a brief selection of some stories from Nishiawakura; he mostly focused on the idyllic ones — reconnecting with Sakura-sensei, enjoying the slow life in Nishiawakura, meeting the Feathermen and the Emporium — before, at the principal's brief insistence ("Life is not comprised of good things only, after all."), he talked about a few of the bad stories: the Ai Ferry ("Ah, that was on the news; so you were present for that...?"), Minazuki's terrorist attack on the Olympics, the rogue Persona-user known only as Minako, and the Fog of Desolation in Tokyo-2. What made it relatively easy to talk about those events was the fact that Keel Lorenz — no matter what questions he asked for the sake of clarification — didn't pass any judgment, nor give any praise. He maintained an air of utter neutrality, as though he were utterly detached, or above it all. (Given how long he had lived, it only made sense, perhaps; even with the turmoil afflicting Japan, did it really compare with living through Second Impact?)

"A shame about Kurosawa," observed the principal, once Shinji had spoken of the man's sacrifice to give him and his fellows time to redirect the explosion of the MAGI. "A blunt sort, but a man so transparent about dedication to his duty that it was hard to fault any defects in his personality."

"...I don't think some of the people in my group would agree with that," he admitted; Kurosawa had definitely not been appreciated.

"Your frustration is reasonable, but when he interviewed my subordinates back on the 10th, you could tell instantly that he was single-minded. I would say he wasn't exactly imaginative, but that's hardly a sin." If the man had had eyes, Shinji imagined that they would've been peering directly at him. "Do you disagree?"

Thinking back to Kurosawa's entire approach, Shinji tried to reflect honestly on the man without disparaging his memory. "...he was just trying to do his duty. But...I don't think the way he went about it was the best."

"In what way?"

"Well...his approach was almost guaranteed to make us antagonistic...no; it did make everyone else feel that way."

"And what would you have recommended?"

"It's not like he would've listened to me..."

"Humor me, Ikari-kun."

Frowning, Shinji sat back, looking briefly at the ceiling. "...he would've only listened to me if I were in a position of authority over him. But given how the government framed everything about me and Kirishima-san...would I have ordered him to act any differently...?"

"And that's the curious thing, isn't it? Those who act with authority are bound to maintain their power, for the sake of keeping their subordinates functioning and flourishing in ways suitable for their means and ends. But to what extent can you maintain that power without alienating those you exercise it over?" Tapping at the aged text sitting on the table, Lorenz added, "that is one of the subjects of this book, as a matter of fact."

"What is that language?"

"Italian."

"..."

"It won't be on any of your exams, I assure you."

Oh thank gods. "What is it about...?"

"It's a bit of a fascinating text; it's ostensibly an 'instruction manual' of sorts for rulers, written in a time where the author — Niccolò Machiavelli — lived in a country rife with political strife and disharmony. Although a work of political philosophy, it has retained an interesting place in the public consciousness of the West, for its amoral portrayal of politics and the calculus used by rulers to run their domains effectively. Consider this famous quotation: 'And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.'"

When the principal paused, Shinji found himself...flinching. "Um..."

"You find it distasteful?"

"Yes..."

"A reasonable reaction. Most have come to associate Machiavelli with a sort of calculated ruthlessness as a result of his writings and the influence they carried...but most tend to forget what he said right afterwards: 'Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated.'"

"...huh."

"Quite a different context, is it not? Now the message seems to evoke a sort of amoral pragmatism...because often there are times where if one must rule, he cannot avoid being feared...even if it comes at the cost of being loved. But it is a fine balancing act, to keep fear from transforming into hatred."

Shinji tried to reconcile that message with not only this conversation, but prior ones. "...I think Kurosawa-san believed that how we felt about him was irrelevant. Maybe he thought he didn't have enough authority to make it worthwhile to even try..."

"Perhaps."

"...is that something you wonder about, Kōchō-sensei?" asked Shinji. "About whether your desire to be more personable to the students will come at the cost of being seen as feared...or hated?"

At this, Keel Lorenz actually raised an eyebrow. "Very insightful, Ikari-kun. Indeed; perhaps that's why I felt compelled to read this book again," he mused. "But I suppose a mere academy for secondary education in Post-Impact Japan is hardly comparable to a chaotic Italian city-state in a time of war and revolution."

"...there's a lot of war and revolution now, it feels like..."

"Indeed," agreed the principal. "Then again, debates raged as to whether Machiavelli was as awful as portrayed...if he was being satirical...or if his political sentiments were merely a reflection of someone trying to make the best of a bad situation, valuing order and the security of the state above all else...but I'm sure those aren't exactly relevant to a young lad like you."

"...I wonder," he murmured. "You said that he's remembered for 'better to be feared than loved' line, even if it wasn't the whole picture?" When Lorenz nodded, Shinji added, "I wonder...how I'll be remembered, after all of this."

"Oh?"

"...I'm just trying to protect my friends and help people...that's not too much, is it?"

"I suppose it's not. Yet the aftershocks of power and its exercise can run far beyond what we see; I'm sure we will learn that lesson again. Such is the inevitability of human nature..." Slowly rising, Keel Lorenz nodded slightly at him. "Thank you for occupying an old fool's attention, Ikari-kun. I'll leave you to it."

"Thank you, sir," he repeated, bowing at the principal as he departed. To be loved...to be feared...to be hated...that's not something I can control. Even if he did his best and acted with only good intentions, that wouldn't stop people from fearing him or hating him.

The Beast chuckled, staring at a teeming horde of ravenous rats.

"Almost makes you wonder if it's even WORTH it..."

Shaking his head, Shinji turned back to his notebook. If nothing else, the principal had given him a bit to think about...

xxxx

/NERV HQ, Tokyo-3/

Kensuke Aida honestly rued his sense of luck...and timing...

"Hello son."

...and everything else, really. I just had to pick now to go use the restroom. "...hi, dad."

Seigo Aida calmly adjusted his eyeglasses, looking somewhat severe. "I wasn't made aware that you had returned from your vacation." Left unsaid was who was supposed to make him aware: namely, Kensuke Aida, and not someone else.

...there's been a lot going on. And I've been trying to be mindful of what matters. I'm still miffed with how you never want to talk about mom. On and on, went the litany of excuses. Yet, he found himself admitting, "I guess it slipped my mind."

"It must be rather interesting, to go through life without thinking of trivialities like who pays for your housing, or your tuition," he mildly remarked.

The sheer awkwardness they were emanating caused people to veer around them in the hallway. I've faced an Angel, a cognitive representation of a mythological folk demon, and a scary redhead with superpowered Personas...why does my DAD still intimidate me? "Look...a lot's happened-"

"I'm aware. Dr. Akagi sends status reports about you to me. As a courtesy. Because I'm your father."

"Ah." He wondered just what was in Dr. Akagi's reports. (Why did his father have to sound so boring about it?!) "...and I really am sorry. Between summer homework," which he had focused on that morning in his dorm room, "and stuff at NERV and missions...I really haven't had time to think about home." (That was a lie. Home just...didn't rate as highly, compared to everything else.)

"I see."

"...but..." Tear the bandage off. You need to address this anyway. "...can we meet soon? To just...talk?"

"...Saturday, you will come home," stated his father, in such a way that it was not a request, but an order. "And we will talk about what transpired over your summer vacation." Without another word, he moved on, not looking anymore in Kensuke's direction.

...well. That's a thing. Kensuke sagged on his feet, resisting the urge to collapse against the wall. Not exactly in the mood to go back and help debug the MAGI either...not like I do that much. How was he going to deal with this...?

xxxx

/Kobayakawa Memorial Hospital, Tokyo-3, Japan/

"-and that's when Mana-san busted down the walls of the onsen," said Toji, gesticulating wildly towards Sakura Suzuhara's unresponsive form. "I mean, she summoned her axe and everything!"

Ryuji Sakamoto, sitting on the other side, arched an eyebrow. "For real?"

Toji frowned. "What's with that look, sensei?"

"I mean, if the hot springs were segregated, and she tore down the wall..."

Toji refused to blush. Totally. "I didn't see nothin', and I'm offended you'd think I'd be that much of a pervert!"

Ryuji snorted in the knowing manner of someone who thought 'I totally have you red-handed, but it wasn't your fault anyhow so I'll let it slide since you're mortified as is.' "Sure. I believe ya." Glancing over at the unconscious girl, he added, "it's sweet."

"What is?"

"The way you dote on your sister. It's one thing to be the protective older brother, but it's another to take time out of your day to actually involve her in your life."

Toji huffed, irritated by the notion. "It ain't doting on her! I'm just...well, I'm all she's got. And she's all I've got. S'far as family goes, at least." Sakamoto-sensei hummed noncommittally, prompting Toji to look at him: not just in the casual glance of someone in conversation, but really look at him, down from wrinkles around his eyes, to the way he favored his bad leg (even while sitting down), to the easy way he held his cane. "Sensei. Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Just...everything you've done for me. For my friends. It just...doesn't seem normal."

"Haven't I already talked to you about this?" remarked Ryuji. "I swear we've talked about it..."

"Even so, it's still weird! It took me a heck of a long time to introduce Ken to my sister; same for Tomochika. Ikari was quicker, 'cause of the whole 'Persona' thing." Nagisa had never been entertained as an option, because, just...no. His sister didn't deserve to be introduced to his particular brand of weirdness. "But you let me participate in the funerals for your comrades...and here I am, showing her off to you even though I haven't even known you for two whole months yet."

"Time flies kid. You get used to it, the longer you live. That's why mixing it up is important, to keep surprising the brain." Smiling knowingly, he added, "why do you think the road trip felt like it took forever? It was literally nothing but new things for you."

Toji scowled, even as he mentally acknowledged the point. "Don't derail me, sensei."

"Heh. Fair enough." Leaning back in his chair, Ryuji briefly glanced at Sakura; a strange, almost forlorn look crossed his face. "I thought about having kids, you know? With both Chihaya, then with Shiho. Never got around to it in time...and I've accepted that. But the little 'what if' never goes away. Even if it becomes smaller and quieter as the years go by."

"So what, am I just...a replacement, of some kind?" he asked, without managing to sound accusatory (because Sakamoto-sensei had more than proved himself by now).

Ryuji snorted. "Heck no, man. I wouldn't try to replace your mom and dad; I'm sure they were pretty awesome in their own right. I'd bet they'd be proud of the man you're becoming."

Damn it, not gonna cry, not gonna cry, not gonna cry! "Go on," he managed to say (without choking).

"But everyone needs guidance when they're growing up...everyone needs a role model to follow, whether they realize it or not. And who that role model is...that's pretty important. A kid like you, awakening to a new power, in a time where any kid with power is coveted? It'd be all too easy to imagine you falling in with some unsavory types."

"Like what happened to Mana-san's brothers."

"Bingo." Resting his hands on his cane, Ryuji continued, "so maybe there's a bit of selfishness to it, but I think pretty much everyone is selfish about something. It's just that there are some things which are better to be selfish about, than others. Making sure you live long enough to become the man you want to be is fine enough by my reckoning."

Toji mulled over this, looking back at his sister; not for the first time, he wondered if she would still be in this little bed, years from now. (A deeper part of him wondered if her fate was kinder in other timelines.) Through it all, he kept coming back to one central thought: "...you know, I'm actually kind of lucky."

"For real?"

Toji nodded. "Yeah. I mean, sure, my sis and I went through a shitty situation with my folks...and I've been through some pretty crappy stuff since then. Especially since I became a Persona-user and became Ikari's friend." (Because seriously, calamity and weirdness just seemed to revolve around Shinji.) "But...I'm alive. Despite it all...I'm still alive. Which means I can still make a difference."

Ryuji stared intently at him, as if taking his measure...until, finally, he smirked. "You seem pretty cool, kid. Time to take that ego down a peg." Looking at Sakura, he toothily grinned. "So, Sakura-chan; how's about I tell you about the very first training session I had with Suzuhara-kun?"

Toji's eyes boggled. "What?! No, wait sensei, come on-!"

And so the stories continued to flow from both master and apprentice.

xxxx

After getting a fair bit of studying done, Shinji elected to try for some missions related to Acolyte activity; most assignments on the Mission Board were focused around the remains of Tokyo-2 and Nagano Prefecture in general. I think Ayanami-san texted that she was working along the southern side of Japan...I guess I'll head north?

That was how he ended up in Hokkaido, once again at the perimeter Sapporo Dead Zone. It feels like I keep getting drawn back here, he mused inwardly, gazing at the cognitive voids within the Metaverse. I met Agent Makoto Niijima...ran into the Reaper for the first time...worked on a mission alongside Kirishima-san...hmm. Steeling himself, he noticed the Acolyte's Shadow prowling about the desolate landscape around Sapporo. Well...time to get to work.

xx

...

xx

He summoned Titan, standing upon the giant Persona's shoulders...

xx

..."focus"...

xx

...yet he felt a strange pull in the back of his mind...

xx

..."I gotta focus...just like back then...!"

xx

...and then, without warning the outline of a blue door manifested in midair, hovering between him and the hulking Shadow. "Eh?" The Velvet Room? The door opened...and right before it disappeared, a familiar little girl fell out. "EH?!" SOKILA?!

Sokila landed on her feet, waving her arms about to keep her balance. "Eh...ooh...stuck the landin'! Just like Elizabeth-senpai said!" She looked over her shoulder, yellow eyes widening with glee. "Oh, hi Mister Ikari!"

The Acolyte's Shadow snarled, stampeding towards the tiny Attendant. "SOKILA!" cried Shinji with sheer panic.

"Dun' worry, I've been practicin'!" she said with pride, turning towards the monstrous hulk and inhaling deeply. "AGI!" With a deep inhale, she expelled bolt of compact fire that slammed against the bony mask affixed to the Shadow's face. "Head-on! Um...on top of the forehead...? No, that's not how senpai said it..."

The Shadow huffed, bearing only a scorch mark on its masked face. It continued advancing-

"Skull Cracker!"

Titan charged past Sokila, smashing his sword against the corrupted Shadow's face; as the Persona tussled with the beast, Shinji hopped down onto the ground, running up towards his Attendant. "Sokila-chan, what are you-?"

"Hey Mister Ikari!" Sokila gave him an enthusiastic hug, looking up with glee. "I wanted to help you out!"

"...help?" Since when is that a thing?! "Sokila-chan, I really don't think-"

"Because I went out into the real world with you before, and we did a lot of fun stuff, and I got to meet lots of people-"

Shinji inwardly winced as the Acolyte's Shadow punched Titan in the face; the armored giant caught his footing, retaliating with Mazio. "Sokila-chan-"

"-and then you brought your friends to the Velvet Room, and that was pretty important, but then lots of other stuff kept happenin'-"

"Sokila-chan-!"

"-and even with all of that, you still did my request for Neko Shogun, and I wanted to show that I could be a big girl with fightin' too!"

"...Sokila-chan, I really don't think you should be involved with fighting." It was almost bizarre how rapidly his panic over the girl's presence had rendered his normal focus on the Acolyte's Shadow to second fiddle. "I mean...I didn't even know you could fight." She was so young, too!

Sokila frowned, curling her hands into tiny little fists. "I've been tryin' to get tough! Because I wanna be able to help you no matter what happens! And that's why I've been learnin' from my senpai! Like this!" Without another word, she charged towards the fray.

"Wait, no, stop-!"

With a defiant warcry, Sokila timed her jump right as the Acolyte's Shadow tossed Titan away. "SUPER...!" With surprising dexterity for a youthful girl, she aimed her foot down. "Now what was it...oh yeah! INUZAMA...!" An impressive glow emanated from her foot, accompanied by a downward thrust from some unknown power. "KICK!" Her shining heel smashed into the Shadow's masked force, resulting a shiny flash of explosive power. Such was its brightness that Shinji had to close his eyes.

However, when the light faded...the Acolyte's Shadow was still standing, seemingly no worse for wear.

"Huh?" sputtered Sokila, dropping down to the ground with a little thud. "Did...did I get the attack name wrong...?" Her eyes looked up at the monster's face, which seemed unimpressed by her. "Uh..."

Fortunately, Titan took this opportunity to grab the corrupted Shadow from behind, performing a German Suplex.

As his Persona utilized this chance to whale away at the stunned Shadow, Shinji knelt down besides Sokila. "Sokila-chan...what was that?"

"...I was just tryin' to be strong like my senpai...so I could help you..."

Shinji felt like he had a hundred things to say (most of them filled with an impulsive sort of disbelief and paranoia and concern that honestly bewildered him); he mustered just enough focus (even as part of his mind was occupied with his Persona striking at the weakened Shadow) to ask, "You were...just a little reckless. Especially against something so much bigger than you."

Sokila looked up at him with honest confusion. "But why? I know that you'd let nothin' bad happen to me!"

...how do I argue with that?

"...probably best that you not even try," remarked his Other.

With a somewhat resigned sigh, Shinji ruffled the girl's hair — much to her affected dismay — and looked over at the Shadow, which finally been decapitated by Titan's sword. "Well...so long as you're here, I guess I can keep an eye on you..."

"Yeah! I'll be able to practice more of Elizabeth-senpai's moves!"

...what exactly have they been teaching her?!

xx

The rest of Shinji's afternoon with Sokila went...just as interestingly.

xx

As an Evangelion-empowered Inugami strangled an Acolyte's Shadow — the hulking beast clawing at the wormy dog specter without much successor — Shinji noticed something...original. "Sokila-chan."

"Yes?"

"Where'd that ukulele come from?"

Sokila, holding a ukulele in her hands by the neck, casually answered, "From the Velvet Room!"

"...where you were hiding it?"

"But I wasn't hiding it...?"

"..."

"Anyhow, can I attack?"

"...sure."

With a wide smile, Sokila promptly jumped into the air, smashing the hulking Shadow in the mask with the broadside of her ukulele.

(For some reason that Shinji couldn't quite fathom, the collision sounded like an electric guitar being harshly strummed...?)

xx

"Why are we running?!" yelled Shinji.

"Theo-senpai says that 'cardee-oh is important'!" answered Sokila, swinging her arms back and forth with great exaggeration.

"How come?"

"For 'runnin' away from angwy siblings', is what he said!" Sokila pouted after she finished speaking. "Angry. Angry. Angry. Yeah!"

Shinji grimaced, looking over his shoulder at the Acolyte's Shadow that was chasing them. "We shouldn't be running away, though...!"

Sokila blinked with confusion. "But we aren't...I thought we were playin' tag! And the big monster's 'it'!"

"..." With a forlorn sigh, Shinji's thoughts aligned with his Persona, which had been hiding during this impromptu running session.

Without warning, a Shogoki-empowered Fuu-Ki dive-bombed the Acolyte's Shadow from above, ending the impromptu chase.

Sokila, strangely enough, smiled. "Hey, you know Margaret-senpai's special finishing move! Did she teach you that?"

"...no?" What is she learning in the Velvet Room?!

xxxx

As Sobek wrestled and struggled with another Acolyte's Shadow, Shinji wondered severely as to where his common sense had gone. "...this seems like a bad idea."

"But I remembered the attack name! I'll do it right this time!" exclaimed Sokila.

"...fine. But I'm going to have Sobek catch you, okay?"

"Okay!" She seemed quite pleased by that fact.

With concerned reluctance, Shinji bent his knees, cupping his gloved hands together.

With a gleeful smile, Sokila charged, jumping onto his hands; her sandaled feet pressed hard against his palms as she launched her into the air, increasing her own impressive velocity.

"Super...!" Sokila briefly paused at the arc of her jump. "INAZUMA...!" This time, her foot glowed with white lightning as she shot downwards. "KIIICK!" Right as she neared the Shadow, its movements were stilled by Sobek, as the crocodile-man gripped it from behind with a full nelson hold.

This time, there was an impressive explosion that accompanied Sokila's heel smashing into the Shadow's face. Dust erupted from the site of impact as the corrupted hulk was obliterated.

(Had that kick been a Skill combining Physical, Electric, and Almighty damage...?)

...what is she learning? That thought just wouldn't leave him alone.

The sight of Sobek walking out of the dust cloud, bracing a grinning Sokila on his shoulders, was sufficiently mollifying.

xxxx

Though the four Acolytes had been the targets of his missions in the Sapporo Dead Zone's outskirts, it felt like a bit of a shame to have their time together end like that.

That's when Sokila had had a bright idea.

("Well...I've never seen you actually gettin' new Personas outside the Velvet Room before..." Kicking at the ground, she asked, "Can I see you do the neg...ne-goh-shee...um...your bargaining?")

Truth be told, it was a fine idea. But it went somewhat...unusually.

(For one, a lot of Archetypes were somewhat terrified of the latent power within his cherubic little Attendant. Those that weren't, well...)

"Oh, you're just a little tiny pixie in the making, aren't ya?" cooed the High Pixie, her four teal wings flapping rapidly with excitement.

"M'not a pixie," grumbled Sokila, crossing her arms with a huff. "I'm me!"

"How precocious." High Pixie looked towards Shinji with an amused grin. "And this little tyke is supposed to be your 'attendant'?"

"I'm honestly as baffled as you are," he honestly admitted.

"At least you're humble enough to recognize your good fortune...if you were haughty, I simply wouldn't know what to do."

"Mister Ikari isn't 'hawty'!" Sokila retorted. "Um...I think that's a bad thing, right...?"

High Pixie giggled. "Oh, this is just too delightful! Which reminds me...of what exactly I came from! I am thou, and thou art I!" As her earrings and armor gleamed, the Archetype added, "allow me to show you just what it means to be 'high'!"

Shinji blinked. "...wait, you're not going to drug me, are you?"

"How cute. We'll get along just fine!" High Pixie dissolved into azure fire, dissolving and merging with Shinji Ikari.

"...well, that's a thing," he murmured.

(...it turned out that some of the more feminine Archetypes they had run across seemed to go woozy with affection for little Sokila.)

"That makes four!" exclaimed Sokila, bouncing up and down on her heels.

Thanks to Sokila's aura of endless cuteness, he had managed to recruit Isis, Lamia, Clotho...

Within that strange and otherly place that Shinji Ikari's facets were manifest, High Pixie nestled into place.

Isis had had a free space to join; Inugami had given way for Lamia, whilst Nekomata had given way for Clotho.

Now, Orthrus departed, leaving so that High Pixie could become the newest facet of Shinji Ikari.

...and now High Pixie. "...you honestly made it a lot easier."

Sokila's cheer suddenly died. "Wait...does that mean I helped you...cheat?"

Shinji blinked. "...no? I don't think 'cheating' applies to recruiting new Personas..."

"...hmm..." The little girl looked thoughtful, all of a sudden. "Lavenza-senpai says that cheating is bad...but Elizabeth-senpai says that cheating in a game can make things 'spicy'...but how would a game be spicy...?"

"...Sokila-chan."

"Yes?"

"What exactly are you being taught in the Velvet Room...?"

"How to be tough, of course!"

"...I see..."

xx

With Shinji's party of Personas 'maxed out', Sokila had wanted to conclude their time with something simpler, and less exciting.

("Let's watch the sunset from up there!" she had exclaimed, pointing to the tallest landmark beyond the reaches of the Sapporo Dead Zone.)

Which was how they found themselves sitting on the rim of a gargantuan silver can of Sapporo Premium Beer, its golden star gleaming brightly. Even in spite of the wavy black-and-red sky that was the Metaverse's characteristic, the ambient light seemed to vary according to the actual amount of sunlight in the physical world: another reflection of local cognition. "It's strange," he murmured, not feeling cold despite the fact they were sitting higher than any of the nearby mountains.

"What's strange?" asked Sokila, happily nibbling on a granola bar: one of many snacks he had taken to bringing with him into the Metaverse to recharge and energize.

"...just thinking about you and the other Attendants." Lavenza, Theodore, Elizabeth, and Margaret; all four of them, based on what he knew, had a strangely ageless quality to them. It was a quality that was utterly absent with Sokila. "It seems like they're...different, that's all."

"Different?"

"From you."

Sokila paused, mouth full of granola. "But wha'sh wron' wit' me?"

"Please don't talk with your mouth full," he mindlessly said.

Sokila hurriedly chewed and swallowed, breathlessly asking, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing wrong, just different," he assured her. "Mister Igor has talked about how you're different as well...that we're both different, compared to our predecessors."

"...is that a bad thing?"

"I'm not sure. I don't see why it would be, but given everything that's happened...I guess I just don't want to be caught off-guard." Looking back at the little girl, he asked, "About what you said in Nishiawakura...about your father being 'God'...what's he like?"

"...what'cha mean?"

"Well, if you're family with the other Attendants like Theodore said, then that means God must be their father as well. He must be...something...to have children like all of you." When Sokila didn't immediately answer, he looked at her with concern. "Sokila-chan?"

The girl, fiddling with her index fingers, quietly replied, "Well...Theo-senpai said that we're family...but their papa isn't my papa."

"...what does that mean? That you're adopted?"

"...kinda? Sorta? I'm not sure how to explain it..." Fiddling with her messy locks of silvery hair, the little girl continued, "M'not supposed to talk about my papa, because he's off doing somethin' important...I wish I could see him more often."

"Where is he, then?"

"It's a secret!" she exclaimed, smiling somewhat widely yet sadly. "I...it's why I'm trying to be the best 'Tendant I can be for you. Because I know that my papa's watching over me...and I want him to be proud of me."

Shinji briefly wondered what individual that could be casually called 'God' would be unable to see Sokila...but given the circumstances the world was under, would even a deity be restrained? Was Sokila's father akin to the Creator figure of various Western religions, or was it along the lines of the gods of his homeland's mythology? He had no way of knowing. "Well...I know that your heart's in the right place. I bet wherever your father is...he's happy for you." (It's not like she could do worse than your father.) "And if nothing else...I'm proud of you, for trying so hard. I really appreciate it." (More than she could possibly know.)

This compliment seemed to brighten the girl's mood, as she impulsively hugged him tightly around the torso. "Thank you, Mister Ikari," she said; he could feel her smile through the contours of his shirt.

Resting an arm on her shoulder, Shinji quietly looked out at the horizon, wondering what the future had in store for them both. "Just...try to take it easy, okay? I know you're trying to get stronger like me and the others...but you don't have to overdo it."

"But if I can't be a big girl, then how'm I supposed to help out? I gotta get tough!" To emphasize, she curled her arms up, making exaggerated poses with her biceps. "Hoo! Hah! Hurgh!"

Shinji couldn't help but chuckle at her youthful vigor. If only life were this simple...

It was with bittersweet sentiments that they parted ways soon after, with a promise to meet again soon...whether it be in real life, or in the realm of sleep.

(Somehow...it felt like it couldn't come fast enough...)

xxxx

With his missions — and, more importantly his time with Sokila — concluded, Shinji Ikari returned to Tokyo-3. By the time he manifested back in reality, he realized that a number of texts had been sent to his phone.

-Team Statherós Group-

K. Aida: would you guys like to meet up for dinner?
K. Aida: at Kernel's Fried Chicken?
T. Suzuhara: sold
M. Yamagishi: Is something the matter?
K. Aida: just got something to talk about, thats all
K. Aida:（´＿｀）
Mana: we had a prety eventtful day to
Mana: might as wel eet whil doing it
T. Suzuhara: dude you need to deal with those typos
K. Aida: if you get this message Shinji, meet us at KFC!

Shinji quietly replied.

S. Ikari: just got back
T. Suzuhara: sweet, we just ordered
K. Aida: how soon can you get here?
S. Ikari: hold on

Sighing, Shinji concentrated...

xxxx

As he traversed the grayscale threshold, the lights of his friends seemed more prominent than those of others...

xxxx

...and emerged by their table-

"GAH!"

"WHOA!"

"Eeep!"

-only to startle Kensuke, Toji, and Mayumi by his mere presence. Only Mana didn't visibly react to his presence. "Sorry," he murmured.

"It's just Ikari," casually remarked Mana, munching at a drumstick.

"...wait, did you sense him coming?" asked Toji.

"Yeah, he's kind of obvious."

"Why didn't ya warn us?"

"Why would I have to warn you? It's Ikari."

Shinji slid into the booth beside Tojj, looking at them all; a giant bucket of chicken had been ordered which they were all apparently sharing from. Physical cues from Kensuke were sign enough for him to help himself. "So...how did your day go?"

"You first, latecomer," mumbled Toji through a mouthful of chicken meat.

"Oh. Well...I did some studying at the Academy, took down some Acolytes near Sapporo...and hung out with Sokila-chan." Nibbling at some of the fried poultry skin, he added, "apparently she's trying to get tougher. She can kick an Acolyte's Shadow in the face."

"...dang," remarked Toji. "Well...I did some trainin' with Sakamoto-sensei, introduced her to my little sister...and tryin' not to think of the summer homework waiting for me at the dorms." Mayumi arched an eyebrow, prompting Toji to sputter, "C-Come on, it's not like I'm panicking! I just...would rather do other things."

"You and every other student ever," joked Kensuke.

"What about you, Yamagishi-san?" asked Shinji once he swallowed the food in his mouth.

"...Mana-san and I both had some tests at NERV...but our morning was spent talking with Katsuragi-san about...her circumstances, and ours."

Mana nodded. "Yeah. Turns out she's had a pretty shitty life as well. Turns out she's an orphan like the both of us."

...so Misato-san told them about her upbringing? (And more, from the sound of it.)

"The parallels are...striking," admitted Mayumi. "It's more understandable, now, why she would bother to take me and Mana-san in..."

Toji snorted. "The way I see it, if it weren't for my custodian basically recruitin' her, she wouldn't have been onboard."

"That ain't fair," groused Mana.

"Guys guys, let's not," interjected Kensuke, holding out his hands to calm the duo's tempers. "None of us have what you'd call 'enviable family situations'."

"...I suppose that's fair," murmured Mayumi, shifting her glance towards Shinji.

Probably thinking about my father, he mused. He couldn't blame her. "Kensuke...what did you want to talk to us about?"

"Oh. That. Right." Sighing, Kensuke proceeded to explain the circumstances behind his impromptu meeting with his father earlier that day.

"Aida-san," mildly reproached Mayumi. "You didn't think to go home...?"

"Look, it's just...been busy for all of us, okay? I wanted to pick your brains before Saturday, get some ideas about how to...deal with him."

"You make him sound like an infection," idly noted Mana.

Kensuke paled. "No, not at all! It's just...it feels weird, to be nervous about this, given everything we've been through...but I am."

"...I can relate," admitted Shinji. "How do you want us to help?"

"I figured we could brainstorm about it," answered Kensuke, briefly looking back down at his plate. "...right after I finish my chicken."

Thus did the children continue to eat and chat away, trying to figure out ways to help Kensuke with his dilemma. Even as night made them part ways, thoughts of the days to come dominated their thoughts...

xxxx

END OF 8/26/2015

xxxx

Author's Note: It occurred to me while working on this chapter that Misato, Mana, and Mayumi are not merely a family of orphans: they're orphans with alliteration!

Anyhow: Tower Confidant with Keel Lorenz and Star Confidant with Sokila are now both at Rank 5. And Shinji also recruited four more Personas!

/because this is a crossover with a Gainax work
/full-blown references don't need to be censored
/hence the Super Inazuma Kick from Gunbuster