Shin Persona Evangelion

by Ultra Sonic 007

Shinji Ikari stared, bewildered by the bizarre-looking man, who gave an intrigued smile. "An interesting guest has arrived. My name is Igor. Welcome to the Velvet Room, young fool...we have important matters to discuss, you and I." (A fusion of the realms of Evangelion and Persona, where not all is as it seems.) (Cover art by Renu of the Sufficient Velocity forums.)

29. Wednesday - July 1, 2015

Sokila wasn't there.

Rather, there was only himself.

And another Shinji, wearing a cape and holding a skull.

Beyond a thin veil, there was one more Shinji, rippling as a mirage.

A horn protruded from his - their? - head, eyes glowing brilliantly and fiendishly.

It spoke as that ever-familiar Beast.

"The thresholds are so very THIN."

It spoke with unmistakable joy.

" The spirit means nothing...only because you allow it. "

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-

xxxx

/Wednesday: July 1, 2015/

/The Metaverse/

Shinji opened his eyes wide, blinking rapidly. The wind was still rushing by, rippling the fur of both Gryphon and Koromaru. "Wha...?"

"We're almost there," cautioned Mister P, eyes gazing keenly over the horizon. "Prepare for battle."

Shinji slowly sat up, straining his eyes; far below, a mental abyss still ran far, and wide...but in the distance, he could see a faint hint of orange water. In a matter of minutes, the tiny form of an island would emerge. Misato-san...we're almost there...

xxxx

Elsewhere within the Metaverse, at the rim of the Hakone Caldera, Makoto Niijima was quietly conversing with those who had gathered for Dr. Ritsuko Akagi's mission. The fact that she was here - and not, say, Hokkaido - was a story in and of itself.

(She frowned, reading through the private message sent over her Mission Board app: I highly suggest taking this mission from Dr. Akagi. Things are not as they seem. - Goro Akechi)

For the Chief Warden of Hakone's Cognitive Protection Center to request her assistance on an ostensibly simple research mission was...unusual. As such, her hackles were already up by the time she had arrived, after driving on Anat for most of the previous evening. (Thank goodness that the Metaverse had no such thing as speed limits!) Fortunately, her current conversational partner was of a rather jovial sort. "...I've...well, I didn't want to ask, but-"

"About the cane?" said the older man - in his 40s, from the look of him - tapping at his right leg with a sturdy cane (which was also a gun, amusingly enough). "Had a car accident several years ago; shot up my leg real bad. Used to be an A.T. Agent myself, you know? Paid well, and all that good stuff."

"...is that why you're a Cognitive Freelancer now?"

"Yep! It's less stressful, for one. Like, a helluva lot less stressful." said the man, his grin stretching to devilish proportions. "Actually just had a 'mission' for this Dr. Akagi lady just the other day, as a matter of fact! Didn't really do much other than have my Persona shoot lightning all over the place in this testing chamber inside NERV, but that was apparently enough for her!"

"You know, that sort of injury could be easily remedied with cognitive therapy. At least within the Metaverse, you'd be able to move freely."

"Thought about it. Figured I'd get too attached to it, knowing me. But hey, life's not all bad." He leaned against his cane, dark brown eyes staring intently at the rhythmic sky of red and black. "Any idea what this mission's about? Kinda seems odd to have so many people sign up just to do some scans." He held up the odd little scanner that had been left at the Staging Area, which - despite being handheld - was adorned with so many doodads and doohickeys that it looked purposefully convoluted, in the way of sci-fi shows that were decades old. Granted, that may have been on purpose, to make its scanning abilities more effective within the cognitive world. (After all, if it looked so complicated, it must be good for the job, right?)

"...I'm not sure." So much about this mission seemed...off. Akechi-san's cryptic message had only heightened her paranoia. "Just keep your guard up, okay Sakamoto-san?"

Ryuji Sakamoto nodded, his short black hair wavering in the wind. "You don't have to tell me twice, little lady."

"...I'm not little," she pouted.

"Eh, everyone here's little compared to me."

xxxx

/Secret NHCI Facility, the Metaverse/

Misato Katsuragi found herself once more within the sparse cafeteria, staring at Shiro Tokita. Breakfast was simple - steamed rice and grilled mackerel - but she wasn't much in the mood.

"I'd think your concerns about poisoned food would be mollified after yesterday," remarked her scumbag kidnapper.

"The peanut gallery's soured my appetite," she said, glancing at the security personnel enjoying their own breakfast at scattered corners of the room. Six armed guards.

Tokita shrugged. "Just a little bit of insurance, after yesterday."

"That a fact?"

"Did you sleep well?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Just curious if Musashi Strasberg's letter troubled you."

Misato didn't let her brief shock show. She settled for anger, glaring at the absolute jackass sitting so calmly in front of her. No point in playing dumb. She hadn't seen any cameras or bugs in her quarters, but that counted for little in the cognitive world. Just gotta roll with it. "Then why keep up with this whole charade?"

"What charade? Training Kirishima is quite a serious endeavor. You won't be of any use if you die-"

"If you think I'm going to participate in this after learning about what you did to that girl, you're crazy."

"And what precisely did I do?" he challenged.

She ground her nails into her palm, uncomfortably aware of how heavy the helmet on the back of her head was. "You might as well have killed her sisters...and her Shadow..."

"Simply because JET ALONE is more literal about what we do than what's practically true about A.T. Agents?" Tokita narrowed his eyes, not angry, but rather focused. "Because I'm sure your training didn't involve any sort of mental conditioning. Then again, that is the way of militaries throughout history, isn't it? Breaking down raw material into soldiers, who can-"

"Oh save it," she spat. "I wanted to be an Agent. Men and women signed up for the JSDF. But you stole those kids' lives with a smile on your face, like a jackal scavenging from the flesh of the dead. I bet you probably sing yourself to sleep about all the 'sacrifices' you make for the sake of our country, but you know nothing of sacrifice, you opportunistic asshole!" Her breath had become heavy, her teeth bared into a vicious snarl; she had missed the security guards rising to their feet in the midst of her tirade. Despite that, Tokita simply took another bite of his fish, without a care in the world. "Well? Aren't you gonna say anything?! Or are you that dead inside?"

Tokita calmly chewed and swallowed, using a napkin to wipe at his lips. "I don't blame Strasberg for having a biased view of what he's been through. That being said, I do have a serious question for you: do you honestly believe that the Shadow of a young girl has enough cognitive mass to forge a connection with the minds of two other human beings, regardless of how close they were?"

"...what?"

"It was an ambitious work, I will admit; binding the very essence of humans - mind, body, and soul - into objects, so that they could be used against cognitive and spiritual foes. Such was the nature of PROJECT LABRYS and PROJECT AIGIS. However, how to ensure they can't be turned against their wielder? It would have to be someone that LABRYS and AIGIS were close to, someone they wouldn't recognize as a threat. And yet, metaphysical bonds can only go so far; by the time Kirishima's Shadow manifested, there were rising concerns that the measures we took to empower LABRYS and AIGIS would result in them overwhelming Kirishima's Shadow. An unexpected issue...but not an insurmountable one. After all, if additional cognitive mass could be utilized to serve as a foundation, to ensure the connection would be stable...that would solve a whole host of problems, wouldn't it?"

Misato blinked. "...what are you saying?"

"There was more than one Shadow that was sacrificed to ensure Kirishima was bonded with LABRYS and AIGIS. There was another."

Misato's nostrils flared. "And who was the unlucky sap you chose for that?" When Tokita did the unexpected - namely, pointing at himself - Misato went agog. "You...you?!"

"There's a reason your prior characterization of me as a scavenger was inaccurate: namely, the fact that I have skin in the game. Anyone who wishes to advance in life, or do anything of worth, must be exposed to the downside as well as the upside." Tokita folded his hands, leaning back in his chair. "True, my hope is that JET ALONE will serve as not only the means for Japan to stop Angel Syndrome once and for all, but to also give us an edge against the rest of the world within the Metaverse. I don't much care for any personal notoriety, though I will feel some pride in the fact that my company will be lauded for their work. However, if it fails...if Kirishima were to die...then so would I." The smile on his face now seemed resigned. "So when I say that I'm staking my life on the success of this project, I'm being quite literal."

"...but why...why you?"

"Because I want this to work. And in the Metaverse, cognition is king. Why would I risk utilizing someone else's Shadow as the foundation if they weren't committed one-hundred percent?"

"...you..." Misato was actually flabbergasted. "...why the hell would you go so far? To these lengths?"

"...because there is a quantifiable cost. JET ALONE will not just be a successful method of combating the monsters afflicting our world, but it will be one that's understandable. The means and methods of producing more like Kirishima will not be secret, nor arcane, nor occult, but known. Something that can't be said for Evangelion." It was that word which finally made Tokita show a bit of irritation. "Tell me, Katsuragi; do you know exactly how NERV creates Evangelions?"

"...no. If they knew, there'd be more."

"And that's precisely the problem. How can anyone trust a weapon that they don't understand? How could anyone utilize a power without knowing what goes into it? The drawbacks tend to be far greater than any advantages they bring...and that's not even going into NERV's own secrecy."

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell me, Katsuragi: how exactly did Private Noboru Hanamura's Shadow get out of Hakone's Cognitive Protection Center? You fought him during the last new moon when he became an Acolyte, did you not?"

The sudden change of topic made the woman blink. "Wait, how did you-?"

"It would be awfully troublesome for the Anti-Terror Task Force if it turns out their Cognitive Protection Centers could be so easily breached. And yet, NERV has always come across as so confident, so self-assured about the ability of their Evangelion-users to stop Angel Syndrome; meanwhile, they've claimed to know the cause of the scourge! And the Evangelions themselves are something without explanation, wielded only by NERV; even if Evangelion's nature as a weapon of mind and spirit has been explained, it doesn't explain just how rare such an ability is...nor does it clarify why the only identified users of such are so closely associated with NERV." Tokita's frown was rather prominent, now. "Even if their results have been exceptional thus far...what guarantees are there that such power will remain pointed at mankind's enemies? What safeguards are in place to prevent them from being turned against Japan?"

"...so that's the real reason for JET ALONE, huh?" It was so mundane as to be disappointing. "You...or someone above you...has a thing against NERV. They want a counter in case Evangelion ever goes rogue."

"We both know that the First and Second Children have exceptionally powerful Personas, and I've heard about the Third Child's extraordinary ability to use multiple Personas. In the real world, there's no contest regarding an Evangelion-user's power...and on top of that, they've shown the capability to warp anywhere in the world in the proverbial blink of an eye, so there's no possibility of containing them. NERV's lack of transparency has quite a few within the Defense Ministry concerned as is...and it should concern you as well."

"...you know, I kind of get that a lot of people in authority are concerned with NERV. With Evangelion. I can understand that...but you're ignoring the human element." Even if Rei Ayanami's own secret-keeping was a concern, she had no doubt that the girl was a tireless worker. Likewise Asuka Langley-Sohryu, based on reports she had read. And as for Shinji Ikari...the boy had a good heart. The thought of him turning Evangelion against humanity seemed absurd. "If you knew those children like I did...then maybe you'd feel a little regret for being such an asshole."

Tokita sighed. "A shame. Fortunately, your expertise will go a long way to ensuring Kirishima will be able to stop an Evangelion-user in combat, regardless of where or when."

"And after all this, you still think I'll help?"

"If not you, we'll find another one, one way or another. You have no power in this situation, Katsuragi-san. You are alone, here. We hold all the cards. If you're not going to cooperate, we will simply terminate you."

"Gee, great way to get me to go along."

"I'm simply stating facts. Regardless of how talented you are as an Agent...you're just one Agent. No one's going to save you."

At that moment, the an alarm blared, and a panicked voice came over the intercom. "Sir, we have unknown targets approaching us from the air! They're not Archetypes!"

Those words elicited an impulsive laugh from Katsuragi. "HA! You wanna try again, pal?"

"...how did...?" Tokita, to his credit, managed to hide his shock relatively quickly. "...you know what, it doesn't matter." With those words, a jolt of white-hot pain erupted from the device on the back of Misato's head, causing her to collapse messily, face first, into her rice and fish. "I'm not taking any chances. Take her back to her quarters until this situation is resolved."

Misato managed to painfully blurt out a vulgar slur against Tokita before she was unceremoniously dragged away by security.

xxxx

Within her quarters, Mana Kirishima slowly rose, putting her helmet on. "Kirishima," spoke Tokita through its internal speakers.

"Yes, sir?"

"We have unknown intruders. Prepare to deploy."

"Understood, sir."

"Do be quick. If they target your brothers, they won't stand a chance."

"...that won't happen." With a resolute heart, Mana Kirishima steeled herself for combat.

xxxx

In the sky above the facility, sitting upon Gryphon's back, Mister P, Shinji Ikari, and Koromaru looked down upon their target: a collection of gray buildings, surrounded by concrete walls. "She's somewhere in there..."

"Arf arf!"

"...do you know where?"

"Hah, not at all! That's part of the adventure." Large spotlights began moving about, trying to focus on their position. "But I think it be best if we split up, to divide their forces. Be careful, lad; they may try to kill you."

"Wait, really?" As if to confirm Mister P's dire warning, gunfire began to pour into the sky. In response, Gryphon immediately dove downward at high speed; Shinji screamed from shock, in spite of Mister P securing him and Koromaru in his burly arms. "Aaaaaaaaah!"

"That's the spirit! Use that to carry you through the day!" Without warning, as Gryphon levelled off about fifteen meters above the ground, Mister P actually dropped him. "Happy hunting!"

"Wait hold on don't drop ME!" screamed Shinji as he fell, practically diving towards the ground as Gryphon continued onward to another part of the facility. Panic - sheer fight or flight, bound to his very bones - erupted as he tried to think of something, anything. Oh gods he dropped me I need somethingstrongsomethingdurableherecomesthegroundHERECOMESTHEGROUND-! "PERSONA!" With a burst of blue fire, a mighty steed manifested beneath him: a great crimson horse landed on the ground, galloping to maintain Shinji's forward momentum. The boy impulsively wrapped an arm around the steed's rider: a knight in dark armor, wielding a wicked trident of gold-plated steel. "K-Keep going, Berith!"

His Persona grunted, speaking with a deep and intimidating voice. "Rakukaja." Purple light shined around them, buffing their defense and endurance; Berith charged ahead, using the blunt side of his trident to knock aside surprised security personnel before they could open fire or retaliate with their own Personas. "Cleave!" With a mighty swing, Berith burst through the wall of the nearest building, warping the architecture and stampeding through its sterile innards.

Hold on, Misato-san! thought Shinji as he held on for dear life. We're coming!

xxxx

With unceremonious force, Gryphon crashed through a roof, causing mental rubble and cognitive dust to fall upon the sterile hallways. The very air seemed to recoil at the chaos introduced. "Hmm..." Mister P's mustache twitched; the ambient thoughts in this facility were so upset. "Koromaru?"

"Woof?"

"Can you smell out Katsuragi?"

"Arf arf!" heartily affirmed the winged pooch.

"Good!" Far ahead at the end, men and women in black gear gathered, summoning Personas; as masses of spectral fire began to coalesce into solid forms, the hulking bird-man gazed over his shoulder at his other self and the Shiba Inu. "Go to her then. I'll distract the riffraff."

"Arf!"

Gryphon snorted, glaring knowingly at him before turning around and following Koromaru through the place; the edges of the bird-man's beak improbably curled up to form the facsimile of a smile on his cheeks. "Now, we can get started!"

"...he sent away his companions," said the head of the security contingent. "Swarm him so we can pursue!"

"Good! You'll need every advantage you can get!" A humanoid skeleton with a sword and shield charged, slashing down at his head; with a knowing gleam in his eye, Mister P ducked and drove his left hand through the creature's rib cage, brass knuckles shining brilliantly. With that singular blow, the Persona was defeated; one of the guards at the end of the hall suddenly collapsed from shock.

"...with just one hit...?" murmured one of the security personnel, with not a little bit of fear.

"Silly rapscallions! This is supposed to be a fight, is it not?" Exaggerated clouds of steam erupted from the nostrils on his beak.

"...just shoot him!" yelled another guard, raising his submachine gun, alongside several others. "Get him into our line of fire!"

Rather than quailing away as the enemy Personas charged, Mister P merely laughed. "Hit me with your best shots!" he exclaimed, boisterously diving into the furious melee.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari grimaced as Berith charged through another doorway; the sheer burst of power from his movements caused the rubble to flicker away into nonexistent dust. Where the heck am I supposed to go? He had arrived at a T-intersection; there was little in the way of directions in the place...though, maybe that was intentional. "Um...left!"

The dark cavalry snorted, and the crimson horse charged along; there'd been little in the way of resistance thus far, save for the occasional Archetype manifesting from the swirl of chaotic panic that their arrival had spawned. Where the heck am I supposed to go?! Yet another Eligor Archetype emerged as if from nowhere, looking far more impressive with sterling red armor, a horned helm, and a flowing yellow cape; the demon knight's black steed neighed, and the wild thoughtbeast charged at them. Don't get hit don't get hit-!

Berith ducked beneath Eligor's stab, lashing out with his trident at the creature's midsection; the force knocked Eligor off of his horse. Shinji followed up with a whack of the shovel to the Archetype's head, knocking it silly. "Keep going!" Another T-intersection came up. "Left!" A sliding metal door lied ahead, blocking their path. Er...um! "Break through!"

"Cleave."

With the tearing of metal, Berith burst into the open air; he had emerged into an arena of sorts, and hey who was the person wielding the giant axe oh gods there was a wave of energy coming his way! "AH!" Berith dove to the side; the tip of the wave grazed the horse's side, sending a flicker of shocking numbness over the back of Shinji's spine. Wha-?! That brief loss of control was enough to cause Shinji to fall, tumbling against the ground with a hard jolt. "Ow..." Slowly rising, Shinji used his shovel as a temporary crutch; Berith trotted back, standing defensively in front of him. "Wha...?"

"You're the Evangelion-user."

Shinji shuffled to the side, glancing beyond at his...opponent, he guessed? "Um..." It was a girl in a black bodysuit of some kind...wielding a giant axe and a humongous shield? "...how are you holding those?!" he impulsively asked.

"...I know you have more than one Persona." The girl adjusted her stance, letting the axe rest along the back of her shoulders. "I suggest you use your most agile one, if you don't want to die."

Die?! "Wait, I'm just trying to help save Misato-san; we don't need to fight!"

"Too bad." With a throaty roar, the girl swung her axe, lashing out with another energy wave. The aura around it screamed DEATH, DANGER, STAY AWAY-

On impulse, he dismissed Berith; the Persona dissolved into spectral blue fires, while Shinji dove to the ground. The wave moved through the space above his head, crashing with a spectacular explosion on the wall behind him. Rising up, Shinji yelled "PIXIE!" to summon the tiny winged sprite. The diminutive Persona, clad in blue thigh-high boots and a similarly-colored leotard, fluffed her red hair with a smile. "Time to strut my stuff!"

The girl seemed...disappointed? "...are you being serious?"

"...well, you said most agile Persona, and she's the only one I've currently got that can fly-"

"DON'T TREAT THIS LIKE A JOKE!" With a defiant roar, she swung once more.

"Eee!" yelped the Third Child as he ran one way while Pixie flew up above, dodging the wave of power. "Use your lightning!"

"Zio!" squeaked the little fairy, firing a much larger bolt of energy at the girl.

Said girl brought up her shield, absorbing the lightning without any fuss. "Show me your power, Shinji Ikari...show me exactly what Tokita's so afraid of!" Without hesitation, she charged forward to fight up close and personal.

Shinji couldn't help but feel that his shovel was a little inadequate in this current situation.

xxxx

As Mana Kirishima advanced forward, her frustration continued to mount.

Every swing of hers was dodged; whenever she got too close, the boy's blasted Pixie would either shoot lightning or slam into the side of her helmet with a fly-by smash, knocking her off balance; however, he never got too far away to let her unleash an Energy Slash.

(She briefly paused in her assault, rearing LABRYS and gathering energy. In a spot of panic, Ikari lashed out, smacking her in the side of the helmet with the flat side of his shovel. It was surprisingly painful, which only made her angrier.)

I shouldn't be having this much trouble, she thought, growling as she tanked another Zio with AIGIS. He's weak! She had destroyed countless Archetypes far more intimidating than this boy!

"Can't we talk?!" he yelped, acting as though he had the choice to not fight.

Choice. Choice. CHOICE.

She had resigned herself to her fate...and yet, this boy spoke as one with freedom (freedom to act, freedom to live, freedom freedom freedom). All because he had a power that Tokita feared.

Why? Why was he special? Why did he have that power?

What had he sacrificed to attain it?

Why...why was she so hesitant?

Compared to Misato Katsuragi, this child was absolutely pitiful as a close-range fighter. (She suspected that if he actually tried to fight her, he'd get dismantled, and he knew it.)

So why?

Why...

xxxx

Both souls were wary. One tried to hold her back. The other gazed upon a monstrous Beast.

xxxx

...where was this wariness coming from? This is so stupid! "Why do you keep retreating?!" she challenged, blustering through her hesitations. "FIGHT ME!"

"Why?!" he yelled back, holding his shovel at the ready. Pixie flew about, fairy wings fluttering with agitation.

"I'm not giving you a choice in the matter!"

"T-That doesn't answer my question-!"

"RAAAGH!" Screaming, Mana Kirishima smashed AIGIS into the ground; the absorbed lightning erupted outward in a spherical wave of force. It passed through Shinji - the sheer shock of it knocking him to the ground - and pressed against the more-resistant Pixie, blasting her into the walls of the arena. "What a waste," she snarled, stomping towards the fallen Evangelion-user. "You don't deserve the life you have." Tokita will understand that I'm good enough by myself. "You don't deserve the power you have." Tokita will leave my brothers alone if I defeat him. "That weakness is only going to get someone killed." All the strength in the world doesn't matter if you won't use it! "So just sit still and let me kill you!"

She raised LABRYS to put down the intruder, once and for all.

xxxx

Shinji raised his head - ow ow OW ow electricity hurts owwwww - just in time to see the girl's right hand reach the apex of her reach, double-bladed axe raised high above. The proverbial guillotine was ready to execute him.

Why?

Ba-bump.

Why does she hate me?

Ba-bump.

I just wanted to save Misato-san!

Ba-bump.

I've never even seen this girl!

Ba-bump.

The axe began to move forward, impossibly slowly.

Ba-bump.

Why-?!

xxxx

"Why?"

The Beast exhaled with joy.

"Why does this world need an excuse, much less a reason, to kill anyone, or anything?"

His other self remained silent as the monster began to surge with power.

"You have no choice if you want to survive."

The Beast looked directly into his eyes.

"EMBRACE ME."

xxxx

The axe continued its slow descent; in an instant, Pixie vanished from where she had collapsed.

xxxx

"Not yet."

His Other placed a hand upon the Beast's forearm.

"An oath remembered is best served for a proper occasion. This is not it."

The Beast sneered.

"As the boy is now, he is merely a reflection of a forgotten memory."

Her words burned with an undying fury.

"Besides...it would be more honest."

His Other nodded in agreement with the Beast.

"Even so...memories carry great power. Enough to raze an entire world."

His Other stepped forward, offering his hand to him.

"Do you remember your words?"

xxxx

The axe was closer. He wondered if the girl could see its reflection in his wide eyes. "...take a stand..." he whispered, far too fast for anyone to hear.

xxxx

His Other and the Beast spoke as one.

"THEN DO SO."

xxxx

Shinji Ikari bared his teeth, facing the axe head on. A roar began to build up from within, akin to an avalanche. "...HAMLET!"

This time, there was not merely an eruption of blue fire from behind his person; there was also a subtle warping of space, as that which was not of mind nor mentality nor cognition intruded upon the Metaverse, beckoned by Shinji Ikari's will.

The axe was mere inches away.

CLANG.

xxxx

As Mister P calmly used the back of an unconscious security guard to brush the dirt off of his shoes, he impulsively gazed towards the wall, at it, beyond it. "Oh?" What a fascinating development. "How interesting!" Things were bound to get even more hectic now.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari's violation of the natural order was subtle.

It flared like a beacon all the same to those who knew what to look for.

The One who Sat Upon the Throne smiled, pleased at this development.

"One step closer."

xxxx

Mana Kirishima couldn't believe her eyes at what LABRYS had slammed against: not flesh, nor bone, nor weapon, nor the cognitive flesh of a Persona.

It was an octagonal wall of orange light that had stopped her short. "An...A.T. Field...?" Impossible. "...how...?" We're in the Metaverse. Souls have no power here! And even then, an A.T. Field shouldn't have been enough! LABRYS...she's cut through spiritual barriers with ease before!

Shinji's regal Persona slowly rose, except there was a shade of something...off, about it. If she focused hard enough, she could see bare flickers of a purple titan (or perhaps a demon) overshadowing its form. The very space around Shinji Ikari and his Persona seemed to warp, as though too much was trying to fit in. Yet those yellow eyes stared impassively all the same.

She gulped, feeling a sudden burst of fear...

xxxx

One soul desperately told her to run. The other stared in horror at the joyful grin of the Beast.

xxxx

...and looked down just in time to see Shinji Ikari swinging his shovel at her. There were two major differences compared to before, however.

First: the flickering orange octagons around the blade of the shovel, indicating spiritual enhancement of its very form.

Second: the look of anger on Shinji Ikari's face, far removed from his cowardly expressions not mere moments ago.

SMASH!

By the time she realized oh damn it he broke my helmet's visor, she had crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the arena.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari breathed heavily, staring intently at the place where the girl had fallen. Please stay down, he thought to himself, barely managing to think past the cloud of fury that had descended on him.

("You are but a means to an end, in their eyes..." As the Beast spoke, Shogoki roared against Zerogoki, just as he did against Ayanami. "...so why not be the means to THEIR end?")

Now...now I have to find Misato-san-

"RAAAAAGH!"

Hamlet flashed in front of Shinji, swinging his sword to break through the energy wave. As it split apart into harmless fragments, the girl stepped forward, still holding her axe and shield with vigor and vitality. But now, with her visor cracked and breaking apart, he could see the sheer anger in her eyes. Why? What have I done to you?! Rather than quailing or trying to withdraw, something made him want to strike back. "Stop this," he growled.

"Not until I put you DOWN," she growled, smashing her axe into the ground; its gathered energy erupted through the arena floor, breaking the ground beneath their feet, vaporizing whole chunks into base thoughts and ambient imagination. It was enough to force Shinji and his Persona to hop away, and the girl was right there-!

A solid kick knocked the air out of his lungs; she threw her shield like a discus at Hamlet, who was forced to parry. With her free hand, the girl grabbed him by the neck - squeezing - before hauling him into the air. With an exaggerated roar, the girl improbably threw him into the sky, sailing over the walls of the facility!

How?! Shinji grimaced as he tried to right himself, only to see the girl jumping after him! What have I done to you?! he thought, becoming more indignant at her rage. As the girl swung her axe, Hamlet manifested in a flash of blue fire, summoned by his will. "Cleave!" The spiritually empowered blade smashed her axe, knocking her off course. As the girl crashed into the rocky hillside down below, Hamlet cushioned his fall, wrapping an arm around his torso. As they landed relatively softly on the harsh ground, the girl was still getting to her feet. "Why?" Who is she? "Who are you?!"

"...they call me...Kirishima...but my name is Mana..." The girl, resting her axe blade-first into the dirt, used her free hand to rip her broken helmet off of her. Any semblance of prettiness or cuteness that her face may have had was spoiled by her anger. "And I'm the one who's gonna kill you!"

"...WHY?!" he yelled. "I've never met you before! I don't even know you!" Outrage was fueling his reactions, born from something deep.

The Beast hissed, whispering into his ear.

"It's all so unfair, isn't it? What have you done to deserve her ire?"

"I don't care what you think!" The gemstones in the girl's shield and axe were visibly glowing with cognitive and metaphysical energy. "I have to do it...there's no other way around it!"

xxxx

Mana Kirishima felt heady. The blow to her head from earlier had been so painful, in a way that Katsuragi's beatdown from yesterday hadn't been.

But in that pain was clarity. If I lose, Tokita will turn to my brothers. Unacceptable. I won't let that happen. UNACCEPTABLE.

"I don't understand!" he yelled, acting so damn casually, as though this whole thing was optional!

Her mind was narrowing down, focusing on what she had been (YouWereStolenYouWereManipulatedThisDoesn'tHaveToBePLEASEPLEASEPLEASE) forged into, on what she had become. I'm a better weapon than you can EVER be! "You're the one who came here...you're the one who decided to seek us out...so accept the consequences, you coward...if you're not gonna fight, then you should just DIE!"

xxxx

The utter vitriol in the voice of Mana Kirishima would normally have been enough to shock Shinji into stupor, so raw were the girl's emotions.

But now, empowered by...whatever he had...

"She speaks with such arrogance."

The Beast sneered.

"She looks at you and thinks that you're incapable of understanding."

...by whatever he was...

("You never understood anything.")

"But that's no longer true, isn't it?"

The Beast's grin became impossibly wide.

"You understand more than she could possibly fathom."

...he was past the point of caring. "I'm only here to save Misato-san...but if you want to fight me, then fine."

"She thinks that her rage will be enough to carry the day."

The Beast's eyes gleamed with delight, even as his Other looked on in silence.

"But she has no conception of rage."

(Who am I?)

The Beast caressed his head.

"Instruct her."

With a thought, Shinji dismissed Hamlet (he ignored the quiet gaze of his Persona; he didn't know if those yellow eyes were heavy with condemnation or concern or nothing at all), focusing on the aspect which felt most appropriate for his emotions. "Yaksini." As the horned demoness manifested, he found himself too irritated to even care about her risque appearance. "Fight."

The purple warrior smirked, holding her blades up. "With pleasure..." Instead of focusing on the form of Mana Kirishima, she gazed upon her own reflection within the surface of her swords. "Wage War." With a flash, Yaksini inflicted herself, crippling her own temperance.

But that's precisely what Shinji Ikari wanted. If you want to fight, then I'll give you one!

xxxx

Mana Kirishima blinked with confusion. His Persona enraged itself?

The crimson aura was unmistakable, in spite of the warped space around Ikari and his Persona's form. As the bloody glow flowed around Yaksini, the expression on Shinji's face twisted into something even more hateful, more despicable. The thought itself wasn't too difficult to follow. So...you have to become a berserker just to stomach a fight to the death...? It was only sensible that she learned a lesson from this...even if it was the wrong one. How gutless.

xxxx

Both souls grimaced, wracked by anxiety in the face of the Beast. Yet they still stood by her side...and would remain so, until the end.

xxxx

"Show me what you've got, Shinji Ikari..." She gripped tightly onto the handles of LABRYS and AIGIS; her conviction wouldn't waver against someone like this. "...I'll crush you..." The gemstones containing her sisters' essence pulsed in union with her mind and soul. "...and everything that you are!"

With mutual roars, she and Yaksini charged at each other, clasing in a monstrous collision of sword and shield, blade and fury.

xxxx

Misato paced back and forth with agitation within her quarters; the arrhythmic pattern of vibrations that she had heard were a sure sign of combat. I wonder who's attacking? Fellow A.T. Agents? NERV? Some unknown competitor of Tokita's company? Acolytes? A bunch of Reapers? Agh, this sucks!

Skrtch-skrtch.

She paused, glancing at the door. Huh? Was that pawing she had heard at the door?

"Arf!"

...is that a dog?

Talons suddenly pierced through her door, ripping it away. A big dog?!

It was at that point that a winged Shiba Inu trotted in, tongue lolling happily. The hulking form of Mister P's Persona - Gryphon - lingered beyond, wearily trying to worm his way into the room.

Let it be said that Misato Katsuragi had never been considered a 'dog' person; not out of any particular animus for canines, more because she had only ever had Pen-Pen, and her best friend had always been a cat lady.

But staring at the cheerful face of the albino dog, Misato nearly melted mentally, having the following sequence of thoughts: oh my GOD how the hell can you be so cute that orange sweater vest is amazing and wait you have wings OH GOD YOU'RE EVEN CUTER HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? None of this translated to her face, as she settled for kneeling down with a smile. "Hey there boy; did ya come to rescue me?"

"Arf arf!"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Misato schooled herself, looking up at Gryphon. "So, the mysterious bird-man himself is wreaking havoc, huh?" When the avian beast snorted in affirmation, she asked, "how did he even find this place?" Gryphon merely rolled his eyes in response. "Smartass." She tapped at the device on the back of her head, which had begun to chafe something fierce. "Unfortunately, I'm dead weight as is with this thing on me-"

Chyoom-clink.

CLUNK.

That was the sound of the device's internal junctions disconnecting from her spinal cord with an electrical whine; as the clasps holding onto her skull released, the helmet landed on the ground with a loud thunk. "...did you do that?" she asked, marvelling at the sudden loss of pressure within her mind, God she felt so ALIVE!

The dog whined in the negative, while Gryphon shook his head. Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed over the intercom. "Your restraints have been removed."

Warning alarms rang through Misato's man. "What's your game, Tokita?!"

"I have more important things to worry about right now."

"What, are you getting your ass kicked by the 'unknown targets'?"

"Right now, the Third Child is fighting Kirishima."

Misato blinked, glancing curiously at her animal rescuers. Shinji-kun's here? "Gee, is he kicking her ass? No wonder you're panicking!"

"Were you aware that he can manifest his A.T. Field within the Metaverse?"

...well, that was a new development. "You're bluffing."

"Am I known for joking?" There was a brief pause. "The power of Evangelion is truly destructive."

Misato huffed, filing away the fact that Shinji could utilize his soul within the cognitive world, because what. "Well, that sounds like it's not my problem, now does it?"

"And if he were to kill Mana Kirishima, what then?"

"...what the hell are you talking about?"

"You told me earlier that I was ignoring the human element of the Evangelion-users...right now, I only see a monster. I'd be delighted if you could prove me wrong."

When the intercom cut off, Misato tried to determine whether or not Tokita was truly pulling her leg. Shinji-kun's not a killer, she obstinately thought...

(When she arrived at Hakone-Kintoki Station to pick up Shinji Ikari, she was concerned at the sight of local law enforcement restricting outside access, due to cognitive scarring impacting the ability to think. She was shocked at the sight of rail cars marred with bloodied corpses. Finally, she was stunned silent at the sight of the boy: unconscious with not a scratch on him, lying in an isolated car that looked like it had been blown open from the inside.)

...and yet, she couldn't shake the sudden sense of unease. "Hey, you came with Shinji Ikari?" she asked, looking at the dog and Gryphon.

"Woof!"

Gryphon nodded.

"Then take me to him," she said, willing forth her Persona; in a flash of fire, Tokoyo stood at her side, while her A.T. Agent wardrobe fully manifested. Hold it together, you kids. Such was her thought not just for Shinji Ikari, but also for Mana Kirishima as well.

After all, as far as she was concerned, both kids had been dealt a hell of a crappy hand in life.

xxxx

Shiro Tokita stepped away from the security console, exhaling softly as the security suite tracked Misato Katsuragi's departure from her quarters, following the winged Persona and the anomalous dog. "Good, she's going for it."

"Sir, are you sure about this?" asked a nearby technician.

"Unfortunately, we're going to have to cut our losses." The moment Ikari had somehow manifested his A.T. Field (an utter first as far as the Metaverse was concerned), Kirishima's chances had plummeted. Then, when LABRYS had been unable to breach Ikari's A.T. Field, her chances had become approximately zero. "The moment the intruders are outside the walls, begin the warp transfer back to our main site in the Tokyo-1 Dead Zone."

"What about Kirishima?"

"If Kirishima can't stop him, none of our other personnel here will be able to." Notwithstanding the strength of the unruly intruders, especially that bizarre bird-man who had seemingly delighted in thrashing their security forces. "And if Katsuragi can't stop him, the latent data gathered by the exterior sensors will be able to at least provide a convincing record of Evangelion's inherent danger to the Defense Ministry."

"...if we can't recover LABRYS or AIGIS, the company won't be pleased."

"I'm well aware of that," murmured Tokita, trying to keep a cool head for the sake of his subordinates, all of whom were in a tizzy trying to prep this place for a cognitive shift back to their original location. The moment we get back, we'll need to begin disassembling and diverting assets to our fallback points...what a mess this has turned out to be. "At the very least, we'll still have Strasberg and Asari to serve as the second iteration of JET ALONE. We'll have learned from the very expensive lessons that Kirishima taught us." A greater focus on spiritual combat within the Metaverse would be needed if they were to counter not only Evangelions, but Angel Syndrome itself.

"...sir, if Kirishima is killed-"

"You don't have to tell me what we already know. All the data we've gathered will have to suffice." NHCI had plenty of other capable employees to take his place, if necessary.

BAM!

Everyone whirled around in shock as the doors into the main command center were broken down with a single punch; the mysterious Mister P poked his head in, red mohawk bright and pointy. "Good day, sirs! You wouldn't happen to know where Misato Katsuragi is, perchance?"

"...she's going after Shinji Ikari and Mana Kirishima," answered Tokita with a forced calm.

"Ah, splendid! I'll leave you to it then. By the way, I recommend you hire better security." With that nonchalant put-down, the overpowered intruder promptly departed. Moments later, sounds akin to tearing metal and crumbling brick could be heard, a sign that the stranger had torn his way out of the facility.

"...be prepared to warp the moment I give the order," remarked Tokita. No one dared to dispute him.

xxxx

Mana Kirishima fought with all of her might.

LABRYS was blocked by twin blades; a kick to Yaksini's knee briefly pushed her off balance, allowing her to smash AIGIS into the Persona's torso. Spiritual power met spiritual barrier, no effect. A downward strike from Yaksini, barely blocked with her shield; her axe lashed out with a horizontal slash, which Yaksini casually parried. SMASH, went the demoness's knuckles into her face; snarling, Mana swung her axe back, barely ripping at the Persona's torso. Flickers of fire and light and orange, and purple flesh reformed in an instant. She snarled as the beastly woman smirked; blade crashed into axe again. With improbable speed, Yaksini released her swords in midair - "Hysterical Slap!" she cried - and unleashed a torrent of palms against her torso. Mana was driven back, barely bringing her shield up to block incoming slashes. More energy built up within AIGIS.

Hold onto it.

She had to build up enough energy to break through the bastard's A.T. Field in one stroke.

Yaksini moved in once more, driven to close range combat by berserk rage; the crashing of metal against metal had become rhythmic, a song composed by battle and fury. Another Hysterical Slap was barely evaded with a sideways hop; an upward slash was parried by Yaksini. Back and forth, went the struggle, yet Kirishima still surged with confidence.

I can win.

Slash slash CLANG. Swish swish CLANG.

I MUST win.

All the while, Shinji Ikari stared with those same hateful eyes.

That's right, you watch me. She couldn't focus on him; the last time she had tried to strike at the boy, Yaksini had nearly decapitated her. I'll put down your Persona...and then you. She had never felt so in-tune with LABRYS (a downward swing clipped the purple warrior's shoulder, to no lasting effect) and AIGIS (a Hysterical Slap was completely absorbed by the shield, excellent) before. I won't stop until you're dead! A slash was impeded by an A.T. Field; Yaksini's retaliatory swings forced her to back away. Just enough room! "EAT THIS!" With a triumphant roar, Mana forced the energy to transfer from AIGIS - I'm a conduit, we're one and the same, I can HANDLE IT! - into LABRYS; the silver gemstone in the axe blazed a bright crimson as she smashed the blade into the rocky ground, unleashing a torrent of bloody energy that surged towards Yaksini. DIE already!

Yaksini crossed her blades, grinning devilishly.

The physical torrent smashed into her; there was a reflective flash from a transparent rectangle that manifested around the Persona's form.

In an instant, the entirety of the force blasted back against Mana Kirishima.

Counter. An innate ability of Yaksini.

Kirishima was barely cognizant of this as she was thrown backwards, rendered nearly insensate by her own power. Damn it, she blearily thought, barely feeling the large rock she slammed against. Get up, she told herself, staring past her sweaty hair and at her trembling hands. Get up! She raised her head, staring at where she had dropped LABRYS and AIGIS; Yaksini was standing upon them, somehow keeping them separate against her will. A.T. Field interference, most likely. I have to fight. Shinji Ikari was slowly advancing, holding his shovel like an executioner's blade. I have to fight! I HAVE to! SO LONG AS I DRAW BREATH-!

xxxx

Two souls, empowered by the heat of battle, spoke as one.

"So long as you draw breath, you will live..."

Two souls, willingly bound by their love for her, spoke as one.

"...but if you don't, you will die."

xxxx

Clarity was a precious thing, at the brink of death.

Mana stared at her arms, which were marred by slash marks. She gazed down at her torso; her bodysuit was ripped in numerous spots, revealing bloody wounds. She was a mess, and only now was she registering the pain. It...hurts...

If she didn't fight, her brothers would be in danger. But if she kept fighting, she'd die, and then she'd never see them again, death and destruction was all she could give but now it was about to be returned with interest no no NO she couldn't die she wasn't supposed to die SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE.

Mana shivered, feeling so very alone. She barely got to her knees, staring bonelessly at Ikari's yellow eyes; there was no sympathy to be found in that burning gaze. "I...I don't...I don't wanna die..." she whined, feeling so very small, not very much like a weapon at all.

Weapons didn't care whether they lived or died, after all.

xxxx

Shinji snarled at the wide-eyed look that the girl was giving him. This is what you wanted, he thought without pity or mercy. I didn't want to fight, but you wanted to fight. ARE YOU HAPPY?!

"...I don't wanna die..." she whispered.

"...but that didn't stop you from trying to kill me," he growled, feeling so very done with this.

"How PRECIOUS."

The Beast was laughing at the wretched girl.

"Only now can she even BEGIN to understand!"

The monster was enraptured by rage and wrath and retribution.

"But she cares not for you, or for anything else. A selfish creature."

The Beast tickled at his ears.

"She cares not for your troubles, or your feelings, or your pain. She is nothing but an obstacle."

The Beast strengthened his limbs.

"And obstacles...might as well not exist."

The Beast wore his face.

"She deserves to die. They ALL deserve to die."

"...I don't wanna die," she quietly cried. She no longer resisted or struggled.

Shinji Ikari simply raised his shovel to bash her head in. "...I don't care."

At that precise moment, his other self, quiet for so long, raised his voice.

"...are you done?"

Images far too numerous to count flashed before his eyes: images of another time and another place.

"Your rage is true. It is a part of who you are, and so it is a part of me..."

His Other stared without condemnation, but rather with a question.

"...but is this what THEY would want?"

It was a very good question.

"Is this the You that THEY remember?"

Shinji briefly halted at those words, just a touch, as part of him warred against himself. This...this is...

In that next instant purchased by his hesitation, Gryphon slammed into Yaksini, driving her into the ground. Likewise, Tokoyo crashed into him, disarming him and grappling him into a submission hold.

The fog of rage slowly began fade away, and as he saw Misato Katsuragi - Misato-san was free, she was fine; what had he been about to do, what would it have ACCOMPLISHED?! - kneel down besides the dumbstruck girl, he felt bile build up inside of him, a physical sickness matched only by the nausea at the back of his mind. What...what happened to me...?!

The Beast snorted.

"Oh child...you know very well. The answer to your question lies in simple words..."

The Beast and his Other spoke as one.

"I am Thou...and Thou art I."

xxxx

Mana Kirishima blinked dumbly as Katsuragi abruptly took Ikari's place in her field of vision. What?

"Hey kid," asked the woman, her eyes quickly scanning her form with detached professionalism. "You okay?"

Am I...okay...?

What an odd question. Of course she wasn't okay. Her connection to LABRYS and AIGIS was back, and yet...she felt so drained. They felt drained. Her whole body ached, and her instincts were still screaming to run, to flee, to SURVIVE BECAUSE SHE HAD TO LIVE...and for Katsuragi, of all people, to ask her that question!

("...is...is everything going okay?" asked Keita, from beyond the barrier separating her from her brothers. It was heartening in a sad way, that he could honestly try to ask that question.)

Maybe it was that simple.

Maybe it just because Katsuragi somehow (WHY Tokita had kidnapped her SHE SHOULD WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH ME) gave a damn.

Or maybe it was the fact that she had been rendered a wretched mess by her battle with Ikari.

She didn't know.

So for the first time in a long time, she defaulted to what she wanted to do (what she wanted to do ALL THE TIME YET REFUSED TO DO no weakness could be shown WEAPONS CAN'T BE WEAK).

xxxx

Misato had expected a few probable responses to her question.

She hadn't expected Mana Kirishima to start sobbing, bowing her head and weakly pressing it against her abdomen. The girl's limbs, slashed as badly as they were, couldn't even muster a hug, so it all just seemed awkward and uncomfortable. "Uh...there there, kid...it'll be okay, Mana-chan..." She used that honorific in the hopes that it would spark the girl's temper, and get her into a more familiar mode of conduct (one she could predict, one she could handle, because people in states of emotional distress could be dangerous in the Metaverse). Instead, her choice of name caused the girl to cry even harder, to the point that La Llorona - a pale woman with dark hair and a mournful expression, clad in a gray and black dress with human skulls embroidered on the fabric - and Weeping Willow - a willow tree growing to form the rough shape of a crying woman, with two branches forming arms that she used to cover her wooden face; the long, limp leaves gave off the good impression of hanging hair, cementing the sorrowful image - Archetypes began to spawn around the rocky hillside. Well...this is a thing.

Dadgummit, she was supposed to be the outgoing and touchy-feely one. This was just awkward.

Her Other smiled.

"It's only awkward because you remember darker times...how would you have reacted, if someone else had shown you such simple kindness?"

Gah. What a mess this has turned out to be. As she awkwardly placed a hand on the girl's head, she glanced over to where her Persona had subdued Shinji Ikari. "Hey, Shinji-kun! Are you okay?!" She sincerely hoped the answer was 'yes', because if he was still in that berserker rage...

(She watched quietly as Shinji-kun advanced towards Kirishima; that Counter had been fantastic, the girl was done. There was no need to fight. Yet, the moment he raised his shovel to strike, her Persona and Mister P's acted without hesitation.)

...well, she'd cross that bridge if it ever came. "Shinji-kun?!" she repeated.

At that moment, Yaksini suddenly vanished into flickers of blue fire.

Then, Shinji promptly began dry heaving. Tokoyo immediately withdrew so that he would get some space; good thing, because the boy quickly vomited onto the rocky ground, his face a perfect picture of misery.

...well, it's better than nothing. Misato grimaced; the debriefing after this whole snafu was going to be a nightmare, she could tell already.

xxxx

Mister P quietly scratched behind Koromaru's ears as he observed Misato Katsuragi try to comfort both Kirishima and Shinji Ikari. Hmm...a close one. A very close one indeed. "A crazy outcome, don't you think?"

Koromaru quietly whined, even as he panted from the bird-man's petting.

"Hmm...it could have been worse." Far worse. The boy had managed to pull himself back from the brink; it was somewhat concerning, that his anger still persisted so. Then again, I suppose it is no great surprise, that the germ remains. He gazed at the sea, peering at - beyond - the horizon. I wonder...which one is watching?

xxxx

Over one hundred miles north by west, hovering above the cognitive version of Ōshima Island - the northernmost member of the Izu Archipelago, merely fourteen miles east of the Izu Peninsula on the Japanese mainland - was a blue octahedron, internally building up energy.

"A singular strike will settle things," they whispered, sounding as a quiet song.

There were many disputes. One was louder than all the others.

"RAMIEL. YOU ASSUME A PREROGATIVE THAT IS NOT YOURS."

"The Third Child is too much of a risk to leave alive."

"THAT IS NOT YOUR DECISION TO MAKE."

"Your anger is a risk that I am willing to entertain."

However...there was another observer, at the edge of their senses. One with immense power, tightly bound, for much the same reasons as the Angels were...albeit from an entirely different perspective. They were ready to unleash their wrath at a moment's notice.

Ramiel had little hope - the irony - of surviving a blow from her while they focused their strength on annihilating the Slayer of Shamshel.

"The First Child will strike the moment I fire."

"IF YOU ATTEMPT TO DESTROY IKARI, THEN YOU'LL WISH FOR DESTRUCTION AT LILITH'S HANDS COMPARED TO WHAT I'LL DO TO YOU."

"...very well. I will comply."

However, there was no reason to make the girl's life easier.

Ramiel unleashed their energy on the island below: not as a beam of destruction, but as a corrupting song. There were only several Shadows on the island, but the Acolytes they would become as a result would be enough to kill the thousand or so denizens on the island. Naturally, they expected the First Child to intervene long before that happened, but it would provide a convenient distraction.

Thus did the Angel retreat.

xxxx

Rei Ayanami stared quietly from Izu Peninsula as Ramiel's form receded into the dimension inhabited by the Angels. Lilith floated quietly behind her, purple fairy wings charged with an otherworldly light. "...hmm."

"Their eyes are drawing towards him more and more," spoke her Persona. The quiet tone was born of restricted power, instead of a naturally timid voice; Lilith spoke as one restrained.

"I am aware."

"He will need to become stronger."

"I know."

"...you cannot protect him forever."

She was practically speaking to herself. It was still a helpful exercise. "And yet...I still want to, for as long as I can."

"...you cannot forgive yourself, even now..."

"I cannot." That was that. "I have work to do," she resolved. Wrapping an arm around Lilith's torso, Ayanami let her Persona fly her over to the island of Ōshima. Mister P, she thought, briefly glancing southward towards where she could sense the presence of both Ikari and the strange bird-man, you had best keep him safe. In the meantime, she had Acolytes to destroy...and likely Ghosts, afterwards.

Just another day.

xxxx

Mister P chuckled to himself as metaphysical essences shifted beyond the horizon. Ah, such rambunctious children. A shame, what roles we must play. Speaking of 'shifting', thought the bird-man as he gazed over his shoulder. The air around the facility was beginning to warp.

xxxx

Misato gazed upward, feeling an odd turmoil in her stomach and the back of her head; Tokita's facility was...wavering? Wait...how did we get here from Tokyo-1 to begin with...wait, NO-

With an inappropriately playful POP, the buildings beyond the outer walls vanished. "...crap," she growled. Did that bastard actually give us the slip?!

xxxx

/Secret NHCI Facility, Outskirts of Tokyo-1 Dead Zone, the Metaverse/

"Warp transfer complete. Cognitive shift has been confirmed."

Shiro Tokita sighed, finally feeling some measure of relief after the utter debacle that was the past thirty minutes. The technicians and support staff all seemed to sag in their seats, stressed out by everything that had happened. "Did all security personnel make the jump?"

"Yes sir."

"Excellent." Now came time for clean-up. "Prepare Strasberg and Asari for transfer, and start downloading all data. I want everything in this place wiped before-" There was a ping from one of the nearby monitors. It had become a very familiar ping. "...what now?" he barely grit out.

"We have a trespasser on the perimeter!"

"Get him on screen!" he yelled.

xxxx

Ryuji Sakamoto blinked, wondering if the scanner doohickey in his hands had been on the fritz, because for some reason it had started screaming.

Then, after clearing the ridgeline (bleh, he had drawn the short straw, just his luck, send the guy with a freaking cane to the part with the slopes, why did Japan have so many MOUNTAINS?!), he saw a collection of buildings that had definitely not been there before. "...the eff?"

...well, that explained why Dr. Akagi's scanner had begun freaking out. "Guess I should go check it out..." It probably wouldn't be long until the other Agents on the mission noticed its presence, so he might as well get first dibs, right?

xxxx

Shiro Tokita frowned as the unknown man - middle-aged, leaning on a cane, clad in black pants and a high-collar leather jacket of a similar color, a red ascot, and track shoes - slowly began to approach their facility. "And who is that?"

"Unknown."

...unbelievable. It didn't look like an A.T. Agent, since they didn't wear the uniform...and from all intents and purposes, they were alone. "We don't have time for questions." He normally would have been more cautious, but after the events so far that day, he was finally at the end of his patience. "Send the order to shoot on sight; we have more important things to worry about than some interloper."

"Understood!"

xxxx

Ryuji barely was a third of the way down the slope when he noticed guys and gals in combat gear emerge from the building, and...were those RIFLES-?

One guy fired a shot.

With experience born from years of battle, his Persona manifested in an instant. With a deft swing, his other self swung an elaborate bo staff, blocking the bullet; standing atop a cartoonish storm cloud, the muscular Monkey King glared mischievously at Ryuji's attacker, his spiky mohawk and equally yellow cape crackling with electricity.

His attackers faltered at the sight of his Persona.

Ryuji smirked. "Welp, no helping it! You shot first, so I'm clear to kick your asses!" With a devilish grin, Ryuji roared. "SEITEN TAISEI! TIME TO GO WILD!"

The hovering Persona snickered, holding up his right hand. "God's Hand."

xxxx

Shiro Tokita thought he could feel his eye twitch as a massive rocket fist of gold roared from the interloper's Persona towards their facility.

"SIR! We've just registered ten more contacts on radar-"

CRASH! That was the sound of the giant cognitive fist breaking through the outer walls of their facility.

"-and we're getting similar transponder readings like what Katsuragi had! They're A.T. Agents!"

...yep, his eye was definitely twitching.

xxxx

Misato had quickly extracted herself from Kirishima (the girl was still quietly sobbing, geez she needed therapy), rising to her feet to try and get her wits about her. Okay. No access to the MAGI through my medallion. Trying to get back to the mainland with a Persona will take awhile, by which point Tokita and his goons will have given the slip...I could see if Shinji-kun could try his super-fast transportation trick with Shogoki? She glanced at the boy; he was still on his knees, looking at the ground with a lost expression. Nope. Not gonna risk it while he's in that state. UGH, how the hell are we getting out of here?! She scratched at the back of her head, frustrated by the...fact that she could feel a closely shaved head instead of her long locks, those bastards DID cut my hair for their damn helmet! There was a fine threshold where the hair at her lower nape transitioned to a close shave over the entire crown, and then back to thick hair near the temples and the top of her skull. It probably looked horrible. This sucks. She wanted to scream about it, but she had the feeling indulging her anger would spawn some inconvenient Archetypes. She'd throw a fit about it later.

"In a bit of a tizzy?"

Misato glanced over her shoulder, warily watching as the bizarre bird-man approached. "So...how'd you get involved with this?"

"Why, I recruited the boy to come along on our search for you."

Blink. "...why?"

"Because you're important to the lad."

Blink. Blink. "...this isn't a roundabout way of flirting, is it?"

Mister P actually loosed a loud squawk of a laugh. "Sorry lass, but not everything is reducible to mere carnal attraction. Can it not be as simple as helping a lady in need?" He glanced towards Kirishima. "Though, perhaps ladies would be more appropriate, the poor thing."

"...you're weird. And I still want answers about who you are and what you're doing."

"Needless to say, I want to help Shinji Ikari save the world. Since you're a part of that story, it only made sense to come to your rescue."

"...well, I'm grateful, don't get me wrong." She was beginning to think that 'quixotic' would be an appropriate descriptor for the strange bird-man. "But trust is a hard thing to give." Especially when you apparently know the Shadow of my ex.

"And I wouldn't dare ask you to trust me without reciprocation. However, just as you can trust your fellow Agents to have your back on a mission, you can trust me to ensure the boy makes it to the next sunrise."

"...why the focus on Shinji Ikari?"

"I think you already have some answers to that question."

Not just that he was an Evangelion-user...but the fact that he could wield multiple Personas. The fact that he had killed an Angel. Whatever had just happened in the battle with Mana Kirishima. More questions than answers, she thought with a grimace. "...I'll find out who you are. Somehow."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't try," he said with a wink. "At any rate, I do believe you have places to be, so...sayonara!"

"Wait, what-?" And that's when white voids opened underneath Shinji Ikari, Mana Kirishima, the girl's axe and shield, and herself. "YOU SON OF A-!"

She could see Mister P waving back at her before disappearing from sight-

"Hi!"

A tiny boy with silver hair and strange yellow eyes waved as she fell past him.

"Bye!"

-and without warning, Misato landed with a solid thunk onto a slightly shallow slope of grass. "...rgh." She bit down the frustrated scream she wanted to unleash. Focus. Still in the Metaverse. Get angry later. Standing up, she saw that Shinji and Mana had landed around her as well; the giant axe and shield were embedded in the soil a few meters away. "You kids okay?"

"...um...kind of..." murmured Shinji, sounding tired and unsure of himself.

"What...what happened...?" wondered Mana, apparently shaken out of her sorrowful stupor.

I'll take it. Looking around, the overall geography looked...strangely familiar? No, maddeningly familiar...

Her Other tittered.

"So quick to forget an investigation, are we?"

...and then it clicked. "We're back near Tokyo-1..." In fact, if she just walked several meters, she'd clear the ridgeline and see the old site! Breaking off into a run, Misato muttered, "please be there, please be there, please be there-!" Clearing the ridgeline, Misato glanced down, and saw...dozens of Ocular Drones. Eh?

Indeed: a whole bunch of the synthetic rainbow eyes were observing Tokita's secret facility, which now bore several new holes in its overall structure. Over one hundred active personnel, and about as many more that were unconscious, were gathered outside, kneeling down with flex cuffs binding their wrists behind their backs. Surrounding them were A.T. Agents (judging by what she could see of their garb), Personas at the ready. What the hell!? We weren't split apart THAT long!

xxxx

Back at the cognitive version of Hachijō-jima, Mister P rubbed his chin as he sensed the three humans' reentry into the Metaverse proper. "Hmm...a forty-five minute trip. An acceptable time delay on Jose's part, all things considered."

"Woof?" inquired Koromaru.

"Well, we had to give her compatriots time to fight, didn't we? No need to get into a tussle yet again, especially with how tuckered the kids are."

"Arf arf!"

"Indeed, I do think that'll count as a successful mission!" Best to give the boy 'credit' through Ultramarine Melon, Inc. "At any rate, I think we've earned ourselves a bit of a break."

"Arf!"

"No, you're still not allowed to come over. You'll leave dog hair on her couch, and that won't do."

Koromaru whined, his wings sagging pitifully.

"How about this, the next time she splurges and buys a cut of meat, I'll sneak you the leftovers, how's that sound?"

Koromaru panted, cheerfully barking as his tail wagged happily.

All's well that end's well, all things considered!

xxxx

The moment Mana Kirishima scaled the ridgeline and saw the remnants of Tokita's facility, her eyes widened with panic. Despite her weariness, adrenaline drove her down the mountainside; with a thought, LABRYS and AIGIS manifested onto her back, latched into place as she ran even harder.

Katsuragi's commands for her to stop were ignored.

Secrecy had been as much a part of Shiro Tokita's operation as anything else; to suddenly see all of the personnel out and about (surrounded by so many EYES) impulsively elicited a strange mixture of terror and unease and glee and none of it made sense but she had to make sure SHE HAD TO KNOW.

The nearest Agents regarded her with suspicion, various Personas turning in preparation to fight if necessary. She cared not for them, because she wasn't seeing her brothers. "Where are they...?" she whispered.

"Wait, who's the kid with the giant axe...?" asked a middle-aged man with a cane.

"Where are they?" Wait; Tokita was on the ground nearby, a defeated expression on his face. "Tokita, where are they?!"

The man didn't answer her. A nearby A.T. Agent - a woman around Katsuragi's age, with shorter brown hair and reddish-brown eyes - asked, "wait, who are you? Who's 'they'?"

"My brothers, they were..." Not here. NOT HERE. NOT. HERE. "Musashi-niisan? Keita-niisan? Where are they...WHERE ARE THEY?!"

"Um...we scoured this entire facility," diplomatically said the woman. "We didn't find any other children."

They weren't there.

They...they weren't...they weren't...

Mana sagged to her knees and began sobbing anew.

xxxx

Over two miles to the west, along the winding banks of the Tama River - its cognitive manifestation reflecting flooded villages and surging waters the further they got away from Tokyo-1 - walked Musashi Strasberg and Keita Asari, moving as quickly as they could away from Tokita's facility.

(A massive fist of gold plowed through the walls of their quarters, continuing onward and beyond. He looked at Keita-niisan; with that shared look, they both agreed to make a break for it.)

They had been moving nonstop ever since.

"...Musashi-niisan..." muttered Keita, looking at the various hills they had moved over during their escape. "...I'm not hearing any sounds of battle, anymore."

"Then either Mana-neesan and Tokita's forces put an end to it...or they didn't." Neither outcome was particularly appealing. If Tokita had prevailed, then nothing would change. If Tokita hadn't...then what guarantee did they have that the ones who had beat him would be any better?

"...when are we going back for Mana-neesan?"

"After it calms down." There was no question about that. But they couldn't risk getting captured again. "Maybe...maybe if she realizes we're free, she won't hold back anymore. Without us hanging over her head, she'll try and break free on her own."

"...yeah..." admitted Keita. "But what can we do until then? We don't have any food...and we don't have a means of defending ourselves-"

"We'll figure something out." They had to.

And that's when a new voice interrupted them.

"A cruel and strange world, you find yourselves in...lost and adrift, without direction..."

Musashi and Keita gazed to their right; at the very edge of the rushing waters sat a young man with long gray hair restrained only by a thin headband, arms resting upon his knees. Without so much as a shirt, they could see his emaciated body, pale skin marked with scars; ripped jeans and brown boots were all he wore in terms of clothing, save for a ragged sash of crimson wrapped around his waist. Who is he? thought Musashi with suspicion. He...he wasn't there a moment ago, was he? "Who are you?"

"A mere wanderer," he answered, glancing over his shoulder to stare at them with eyes colored an unnerving yellow. Even so, the small smile on his face was inviting. "One seeking to live every moment as it comes."

"That wasn't the question. Who are you?" asked Musashi.

"Some would consider it a mark of rudeness to demand anything of a stranger...but then again, I suppose you are but children." He slowly rose, quietly flexing his fingers. "Children who have had their lives stolen from them, without even having power given to them in recompense."

Musashi was taken aback by his insight. Much like Keita was, judging by his quiet, "how...how did you know?" in response.

"The green jumpsuits. The fact that you are mere children within the Metaverse without Personas of your own...but most of all, I can tell just by observing you." He quietly turned to face them, revealing sprawling tattoos along his chest that were colored like blue veins; the man wasn't armed at all, yet it felt like a threatening motion...and not, at the same time? "The sound of your voices, the look on your faces...they say everything."

"...what do you want?" asked Musashi.

"That is entirely the wrong question to ask, young man; asking such questions is akin to asking what fate has in store for you. Our ultimate destinies cannot be changed, or denied...only the decisions we make in each moment have impact, in a world where meaning seems so very hard to come by." He gestured at the rhythmic sky of black and red above. "Ask not what I want...but what you want. Food? Power? Freedom? That is what you should be asking yourself."

Musashi glanced at his brother, who was looking somewhat bewildered by the turn in conversation. "What I want...is for you to tell me what you want."

The man smirked, chuckling at the turn of phrase. "Some would say that it's semantics...or perhaps a desire born of paranoia...and yet, there is the beginning of wisdom." He gestured down the river. "If you'd like, you may continue on as you please, and carve your own path. I will not stop you...but given what you've experienced so far, you know deep down what your chances are."

"You don't have to rub it in," growled Musashi, knowing full well what the odds were.

"And...if we went with you...?" inquired Keita.

"Above all else, I could give you the power to make a choice of your own. If you so decided, you could even try to kill me...but it would be within your power to make that choice."

...Musashi couldn't really lie about how tantalizing the prospect was, despite his suspicions. Unlike Tokita, he wasn't demanding anything or forcing them...and after who knows how many years they had spent in that man's clutches, the prospect of being able to choose to do anything was appealing. "...could you tell us your name?"

"You can call me Takaya."

"...I'm Musashi. That's Keita."

"Then let us be off. I'm sure you two are hungry."

xxxx

To an outside observer, they would have seen the gray-haired man walk besides the younger boys, coming to a stop.

Then, moments later, they would have seen the trio waver and fade away, as if they had never been.

xxxx

Makoto Niijima was somewhat...befuddled, to put it mildly.

First, Sakamoto-san had sounded the proverbial alarm by screaming at the top of his lungs, flinging high-powered attacks. Granted, the gunfire might have warranted such a response, but still!

Second, the A.T. Agents investigating the area per their mission parameters had fallen into standard protocol for violence resolution. A very 'official' name for what amounted to bringing the smackdown onto anyone who decided to attack an A.T. Agent or temporary mission affiliate, but still.

Third, investigating the facility had shown practically all the signs of an illicit research operation, which is why she had requested Ocular Drones from the nearest Cognitive Protection Center - in Tokyo-3 - to provide observational support, and to document as much as they could for the inevitable legal proceedings that were going to result from this.

Finally, just as they finished restraining all of the belligerents, a young girl in combat gear with an enormous axe and shield had stumbled upon them, making demands and asking the guy looking like a normal salaryman about her brothers(?) before - upon being given a negative answer - breaking down into tears.

Then, to cap off the strangeness, Misato Katsuragi and Shinji Ikari - of all people! - trudged towards them; they both looked relatively haggard, and-

"Holy shit, what happened to your hair?!" Sakamoto's impulsive comment was accompanied by him pointing very blatantly to the back of her head.

Naturally, everyone began looking...and...wow. "That's...um..." Oh dear, Anat actually looked away. How embarrassing...

Fortunately, Katsuragi seemed to take it relatively well. Key word being relative, judging by how much her eyebrow was twitching. "Yep. Never going to that barber again," she tried to joke through clenched teeth.

"...so, I take it that the rumors about you getting kidnapped weren't true?" remarked a nearby A.T. Agent with an afro.

"Oh, I was definitely kidnapped." Katsuragi pointed at the sobbing girl with the axe. "She knocked me out, on the orders of that guy," she then pointed to the average-looking salaryman type, "so that I could help train the girl as part of their black project which involved sacrificing two girls to become the cores of her axe and shield, which she's bound to because that guy sacrificed his Shadow and hers to solidify the bond, all so whatever company he works for could offer the Defense Ministry an anti-Ghost and anti-Acolyte weapon which could also counter Evangelion. Oh, and the girl was also originally kidnapped who knows how many years ago." She promptly withdrew a crumpled wad of paper from her pocket. "Got testimony from one of her brothers, who was also kidnapped..." The mood of every single A.T. Agent went very black at this brief summary. "...speaking of which, where are they? Her brothers, I mean?"

"...we haven't seen any other children," admitted Makoto, trying very hard not to glare at the apparent culprit.

Those words caused the sobbing girl to shiver and cry yet more. "...well, that's fantastic," growled Misato.

"Well, that all sounds very fascinating." The voice of Hakone's Chief Warden echoed from the nearest Ocular Drone. "I must say, I'm sure the legal proceedings from this are going to be...interesting," said Goro Akechi, sounding very smug. "But, first of all...Katsuragi-senpai, seeing as how you've been indisposed for the past few days, would you like to do the honors?"

"Hmph. Cheeky little brat..." Sighing, Misato strolled in front of the bound man, her alleged kidnapper. "Shiro Tokita. By the authority invested into the Anti-Terror Task Force from the United Nations and the government of Japan, you are under arrest for at least six counts of kidnapping, assaulting an officer of the law, numerous violations of the Cognitive Service Act and the Child Soldier Laws, untold counts of child abuse, and doubtless many other things by the time you see a court of law." She gazed over the various workers that were also restrained. "And you're all accomplices at the very least!"

Shiro Tokita finally glanced quietly at the sobbing girl - a complicated expression on his face - before looking up at Katsuragi with a deadpan look. "I suppose that's the way it goes."

"...geez, this is all heavy stuff," remarked Ryuji Sakamoto, looking warily at both Shinji Ikari and the crying girl.

Makoto couldn't help but agree.

xxxx

Ever since he had been subdued by Misato-san in the Metaverse, Shinji Ikari had felt...out of sorts.

Dis com bob u la ted.

D/e/t/a/c/h/e/d.

He experienced everything as one stumbling through fog, barely capable of consciously completing sentences. If he replied to anyone, he couldn't remember what he had said.

There was a vague awareness of events; after Misato had announced the arrest of Shiro Tokita and his subordinates, activity at that particular point in the Metaverse grew into a frenzy, as more A.T. Agents arrived, accompanying legal representatives in suits. Discussions of jurisdiction were rampant, and Misato had spent quite a while yelling at people. In the meantime, because of the nature of what they had gone through, both he and Mana Kirishima returned to the real world and were escorted straight to NERV.

She looked just as lost as he when Dr. Akagi whisked her away. Rei Ayanami, having returned from a mission, accompanied them - for security? - yet her gaze was heavy with some unidentifiable emotion as they departed.

Scattered words barely registered in his mind. There was talk of debriefing, of corroborating reports, of providing testimony, of conducting an examination of his spirit in light of his battle that day; all of it was white noise.

All he knew was that he found himself in a familiar room within NERV's barracks, having been ordered to recuperate in preparation for the next day. It had been over two weeks since he had last resided within one of these rooms. (That the last time had been the night before his battle with an Angel had risen its vicious head in one corner of his mind.)

He didn't know whether the isolation was on purpose, or if it was simply an oversight. Part of him despised that, while part of him welcomed it.

Part of him would have accepted talking with Misato-san, or Dr. Akagi, or Ayanami-san...or even Kirishima. (He wasn't quite desperate enough to stomach talking with his father for the sake of breaking the silence.)

The other part wanted to remain alone, to stay away from everyone, so at least they wouldn't get hurt. So they wouldn't be harmed by whatever it was he possessed.

Evangelion...why did he have it?

Why?

Knock-knock.

He didn't answer.

The head of Kensuke Aida poked in. "Oh. Hey, Ikari. Heard you were back. After being gone since, you know, Monday. Um...you okay?"

"...I don't know," he honestly answered.

"...well, I don't have long. Once I got some details from Dr. Akagi, I made sure to bring some stuff from the Academy." The relatively taciturn Kensuke quickly shuffled in, placing a few books and a notepad onto the sole coffee table, along with Shinji's SDAT player. "Class Rep took some notes. I did too. And Toji, kinda. Don't want you to fall behind, you know? And...I notice that you like listening to this thing - don't know why you haven't upgraded to an MP3 player, personally - so I brought it too." He then reached into his pocket, pulling out a fresh packet of trail mix. "And snacks! Didn't know if you'd eaten yet."

Silence.

"...I don't know what you went through in the Metaverse, but get well, okay?"

Silence.

"...so, I have to get back to work. Interning. You know what I mean." With those words, Kensuke quickly withdrew, looking back at him one more time before leaving.

Shinji should have responded. Should have reciprocated. The fact that Kensuke Aida apparently cared should have been noteworthy. Yet, the fugue plaguing him refused to leave, refused to let him fully inhabit himself again, and engage with the world around him to his utmost.

Why should he, when he could so easily break things?

...I...I wonder...

There was little to be done. Little that he could do. And yet, there was something - a place - that he could turn to for comfort, if nothing else.

Moving his limbs with agonizing slowness, Shinji Ikari slowly slipped the earbuds in and pressed 'play', watching with quiet indifference as the blue tape began to whirr...

xxxx

...and before he knew it, he was sitting in a familiar folding chair.

Yet, he couldn't see the auditorium he was accustomed to. Save for a spotlight that illuminated the floor - cold, gray, unpleasant - around him, everything was shrouded in darkness...and...

...a different song was playing. A slow, somber rendition on piano of...a piece by Bach. 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring', if he recalled correctly...?

What was going on?

There was the ringing of a phone.

Shinji blinked, looking to his right; somehow, a tiny bar table had manifested beside his chair. Upon it sat an old-fashioned rotary phone, colored a glossy black. He quietly grabbed it, bringing the receiver to his ear. "...hello?"

"Welcome to the Velvet Room!" came the voice of Igor, sounding tinny through the phone. With each syllable spoken, there was a flicker of light in the darkness ahead of him; he could barely make out the long-nosed man, sitting at his familiar desk on the stage, speaking through a similar phone. "Fear not; you are merely in a dream."

"...what...what happened...?"

"Do you not recall? As a guest, the Velvet Room reflects the state of your heart; but this change is quite extreme! You have been truly surprising."

"...is...is that a good thing?"

"Tell me: why do you think the music has changed?"

"...I...I don't know."

"The song has been a constant, sung to soothe the heart of visitors. To be constant, the sounds of the world must be blocked, so that the words of the heart may emerge without blemish. But if it has changed, there must be something of great significance pressing upon us."

"Like...what?"

"Look behind you."

Shinji slowly turned around, looking over his shoulder; looking impossibly bright in the darkness, his Evangelion sat in the balcony seats, looming impossibly large. The beast was immense, with teeth simultaneously human and inhuman; staring with blank eyes, it looked like a nightmare personified. Yet he felt...calm. "...why...why is it here?"

"It is a manifestation of a part of yourself, a part which you cannot deny," answered Igor. "Even if its origin is still a mystery, its presence cannot be discounted. Does it frighten you, to realize just how troubled your heart is?"

"...I..." How could he respond to that? "I don't know what to think...the Persona is part of my mind...yet the Evangelion is also part of my soul, and it was in the Metaverse, and that wasn't supposed to happen, but I was...I was so angry..."

"Some would desire to cleanly divide the parts of man. But does a man actually remain, if such essentials are denied? Mind, body, soul...each one is touched by the heart, to some degree. As such, one can affect the other; you are merely in a position to recognize this fact more viscerally than most."

"...I...I don't know why I was like that." He didn't want to believe that something so monstrous was a part of him. Yet...he had nearly killed Kirishima, hadn't he? He had wanted to. "...how...how do I get rid of it?"

"You ask something which is impossible; humans grow, and change. Yet the things which are fundamental to them...to get rid of it would be akin to killing 'Shinji Ikari', for you would no longer be yourself. Rather, you should wonder how you can accept it, to become better, to become whole."

"Why...why would I accept something so..." Monstrous? Vicious? HATEFUL?

"To accept the unpleasant parts of yourself is to acknowledge that they exist. If you dislike them, that never stops you from growing beyond them. Yet, if you were to simply cut them off, you would lose all cognizance of why you disliked them to begin with, for they would no longer be."

"...it sounds so hard..."

"Indeed; for some, it seems an insurmountable task. Yet you have realized a fundamental truth about man: the power of bonds can make any obstacle as light as a feather! After all, even in this place...you are not alone."

Another spotlight flashed brightly, illuminating a corner of the auditorium. "Eep!" squeaked Sokila, hiding her face behind her billowy sleeves at suddenly being found.

"...Sokila-chan..." he muttered.

There was a brief 'click', as Igor hung up.

She looked up, yellow eyes wide with fright in the presence of Shogoki's monstrous visage. "Um..." She gulped, staring up at it. "...uh..."

Her fear was palpable. He couldn't blame her. If this was truly a part of him, he wouldn't want to get near either; he quietly buried his head in his hands, gritting his teeth from the sudden agony roaring through him. The somber, almost morose piano was simultaneously fitting and mocking.

So consumed was he that he didn't notice Sokila inch her way towards him, by fits and starts. The silver-haired child didn't say a word, either because she had none to say, or because she had too many. Even so, after a seeming eternity, she stood in front of him. Glimpsing her bare feet poking out from the frayed edges of her gray pants, Shinji wondered if she had any shoes. Then he discarded that thought, thinking it too odd to consider. Those trivial thoughts were simple enough that he could stomach looking up at her face.

Sokila grimaced, looking up one more time at Unit-01. He wondered what she truly thought. "...uh..." She gulped once more, visibly trying to steel herself. "I...um...whenever...when I feel sad...I...I always like getting a hug...so..." Her toes fiddled with each other. "...can I...can I give you one?"

"...why?"

"Cause...cause you're sad...and...cause I'm your 'Tendant! And, uh, cause I'm your Confident." A pause. "Confidant!" She nodded to herself. "And...I..." She wanted to say something more. So much more, judging by the look on her face. Yet she stopped herself. "...so...is it okay if I hug you?"

Shinji didn't answer with words. He simply sat back up, letting his arms fall to his side.

It was a sufficiently open invitation for the young girl, who quickly clambered into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

...there was something missing.

Slowly, Shinji wrapped his arms around Sokila's form, resting one hand on the back of her head, with the other resting on her torso to brace her. So careful was he, afraid that he would break her, afraid that his hatred and wrath and anger would frighten her, poison her-!

"It's...it's okay...I'm..." She inhaled and exhaled with purpose. "...I'm a big girl. I'm...not afraid. Not of you...never..."

Those words were permission enough for Shinji to fully embrace her, grabbing onto the tiny girl as a lifeline. Like the flipping of a switch, he felt a sense of undeniable CONTENTMENT and JOY and PEACE that it caused him to burst into spontaneous tears. So raw, so vulnerable, so REAL, that it elicited quiet tears from the girl as well.

"...I'm crying...even though I'm not sad..." She sounded vaguely confused, as though this were a violation of the natural order. Yet she did not relinquish her hold, and for that Shinji was glad.

Slowly, the presence of Unit-01 faded. The darkness lifted from the auditorium, returning to its usual dimness; Igor sat upon the stage amidst the velvet curtains, distinctive grin affixed to his face. Even so, he remained silent.

Finally, the sounds of Bach faded...and the wailing woman returned.

Shinji and Sokila remained like that for the rest of the night, saying not another word.

For a brief moment, it felt like all was right with the world.

xxxx

END OF 7/1/2015

xxxx

/well
/that was an eventful day