Sokila quietly painted on a canvas.

"...there's so many things going on..."

Her emphasis was on a crude caricature of Kaworu Nagisa; however, depending on the angle, it showed different things: a boy in a prisoner's outfit; a young man with a yellow scarf; a winged creature with a deathly face; a glowing humanoid with seemingly divine power.

"...it's hard to keep track of..."

She looked down at her other hand, which now held the crimson music player from prior nights.

"...but I think I know who you need to give it to..."

With emphasis, she quickly splattered a picture of Elizabeth's Guest: a young man with blue hair.

"...so make sure to come visit, soon!"

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-

xxxx

/Saturday: September 26, 2015/

/Courtyards, Hakone Academy/

There was a strange heaviness to the air, that morning.

Perhaps it had something to do with how Shinji Ikari was now aware that Kaworu Nagisa's strangeness had a more explicable origin than he had once given credit for. If he came from the Metaverse...would that explain why he was able to fight Sho Minazuki to a standstill...? Yet why would an origin within the cognitive world necessarily have an impact on the metaphysical prowess he would have needed to overcome Minazuki's A.T. Field? Perhaps I can ask another time, he thought, watching Kaworu's back as the boy — walking between Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida, chatting amicably on their way to the academic building — made some remark which made Toji's face curdle with disgust. I wonder...

"You seem deep in thought."

Shinji blinked, looking to his left; Hikari Horaki was quietly walking alongside him. "Ah...sort of."

"Sort of?" she repeated.

"Well...it's kind of hard to explain..."

"There's no need to tell me, then. I doubt it would do me any good," Hikari admitted with a shrug. "I...have quite enough on my plate to deal with as it stands."

That spoke of something private; however, the impulse not to try pry was overridden by his noble desire to assist. "In terms of school? Or something else?"

"...well..." Hikari sighed, visibly deflating. "...maybe we can talk about it later, during lunch?"

"Lunch?" he echoed.

Hikari nodded. "It's a little private...but I'd like to get a second opinion on something before I decide how to approach things."

"...and you're coming to me." He was a bit flummoxed by this decision. "Why not to Sohryu-san, or Yamagishi-san?"

Hikari, to her credit, didn't answer immediately. "I'm not sure...maybe it's because you seem the most well-rounded out of all of us?"

Shinji didn't quite know whether that was a compliment or not. After all, 'the most well-rounded' was a nicer way of saying 'the most average'. "Well...if nothing else, I'm good at listening." After all of the talks he'd had with his peers, he'd managed to cultivate that skill, if nothing else.

"I think that's all I need," answered Hikari with a relieved smile.

The bell for first period would soon begin, commencing the start of another school day.

xxxx

/Class 2-E, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/

Mayumi Yamagishi was fortunate enough to have Shinobu Nebukawa's class for third period on Saturday; his lectures tended to involve historical facts which could be rather easily memorized, and were of such dour subject matter that it was easy to tune out.

"-the world is still facing unprecedented perils; the aftermath of Second Impact is still rippling forward into the present, and likely will into the foreseeable future," said the old man in his usual droning tone. "Just this year alone, we've had the Tragedy of July," he said, pointing at a list of cities whose Cognitive Protection Centers had been utterly destroyed or corrupted by the Angels, resulting in untold casualties: Atlanta of America, Sydney of Australia, Semarang of Java, Xiangfan of Hubei, Patna of Bahar, Kerman of Iran, Dire Dawa of Ethiopia, Debrecen of Hungary, and Natal of Brazil. "The Annihilation of Korea, and the Fog of Desolation in August. And now, most recently, despite the attempts by various news agencies to hide the truth, we must include the Annihilation of Paraguay in this list..."

The Angel I was bound to played a part in the desolation of Xiangfan, she darkly thought, feeling a bit of reflexive anguish. The knowledge imparted by Armisael was a strange thing: silent echoes of unknown origin, rippling through a deep and fathomless sea. To tap into them at all, she needed to focus to her utmost...and the mental strain was, alas, not worth it at times.

The dread work of the Angels was something she preferred not to ponder...especially when she had something else to focus on. Glancing down at her phone — not-so-cleverly hidden by the lower edges of her classroom's assigned textbook — she pondered how to respond.

M. Katsuragi: hey Mayumi-chan
M. Katsuragi: hope school is going well
M. Katsuragi: but I'm looking into something related to some
M. Katsuragi: "shenanigans"（/｡＼)
M. Katsuragi: trying to find out Ren Amamiya's schedule
M. Katsuragi: need to ask him some questions related to the road trip
M. Katsuragi: but I'm also trying to keep it quiet, because of "reasons"ㅇㅅㅇ
M. Katsuragi: if you can give me an idea as to where he works this weekend, that's great
M. Katsuragi: if not, that's fine, I'll try more official routes next week
M. Katsuragi: just trying not to be too inconvenient for him
M. Katsuragi: because of how much he helped during the road trip
M. Katsuragi: anyhow, give me a heads up if you find out anything!（＾ω＾）

She honestly didn't know what to think. On the one hand, she was fairly certain Amamiya-senpai had more to do with the Grand Scheme Of Things™ than he let on (because why else did he volunteer to be the chaperone for an Evangelion-user's summer road trip, given all of the notoriety surrounding them after the July New Moon)...but on the other hand, Katsuragi had been nothing but helpful, and was trying her best to look out for them.

Her Other chuckled knowingly, reading through an old biography.

"Is it so hard to admit that you've begun to trust her?"

Nebukawa-sensei's words interrupted her internal monologue. "-yet in spite of everything, we're still trying to live life. Next week's constitutional referendum is one example of that...although, you're not quite yet old enough to vote..."

Mayumi made a point of highlighting a few lines in her textbook, notating that those specific bits of knowledge were already out of date in light of that year's events. Then she turned back to her phone, idly browsing the online forums that were maintained by the school's Computer Club. I wonder, she mused, looking for threads related to gossip. If I remember right, Amamiya-senpai is considered pretty popular...wait a minute. There were some posts dedicated to tracking the movements of popular students: Ren Amamiya was one of them. Huh. I can only imagine they're so bold because students are posting behind anonymous usernames. The fact that the post was headlined by various warnings — mostly related to how stalking was a crime, and if you committed stalking, you would get in so much trouble! — only made Mayumi wince. I wonder if these forums are moderated...?

Still, the information in the thread was apparently as current as the past week, so it revealed something very notable: Amamiya-senpai's usual work schedule. Well then. Without thinking much more about it, she waited until class came to an end...

"-and with the lunar eclipse occurring Monday, make sure to offer as much praise as possible to Amaterasu! Tsukiyomi can only be renewed through the light of the heavenly flame...ah, there's the bell."

...and typed a response to Misato.

M. Yamagishi: Amamiya-senpai works at Neo Hagakure tonight and tomorrow
M. Yamagishi: Apparently he's their main delivery boy?
M. Yamagishi: Is this what you were looking for?

Misato was probably in the Metaverse, so she didn't expect to get a response immediately; thus, it was to her great surprise that a response came minutes later.

M. Katsuragi: What luck that I was having lunch downtown!
M. Katsuragi: this is EXACTLY what I was looking for
M. Katsuragi: ur a lifesaver, Mayumi-chan (✿◠‿◠)
M. Katsuragi: remember to keep it quiet, okay
M. Katsuragi: now put down your phone.
M. Katsuragi: classes are still in session!（■Д■*）

Mayumi wasn't sure how to deal with the oddly pleasant sensations roiling through her chest.

(You've read enough to know what such feelings imply...)

xxxx

Since homeroom occurred right after lunch on Saturdays, everyone's attitude was considerably more lax that afternoon; tables were shifted about in a more freewheeling manner, with various friend groups gathering for the midday meal.

As such, no one batted an eye when Shinji Ikari shifted his desk up against the windows, with Hikari Horaki following suit moments later.

(Well, Toji Suzuhara did, but his inquisitiveness was decisively cut short by Rei Ayanami moving her desk over between his own and Kensuke's. "Hey, why are they sitting apart from us?" he asked aloud.)

("I believe the Class Representative wanted to talk with him about something," Rei quietly answered, her chopsticks idly stirring her vegetables and rice together.)

("...like, about what?")

(Kensuke snorted at Toji's transparent motivations. "Why so curious, Toji?")

(Toji mulishly sat down, digging into his meal without another word. However, he kept shooting glances over at Shinji and Hikari.)

("Jealousy does not become you," Rei said.)

("What do you mean by jealous?!" hissed Toji, barely keeping himself from retorting aloud. Kensuke's muffled wheezing was not helping.)

"So...what is it you wanted to speak with me about?" asked Shinji between bites.

Hikari, eating her lunch with prim and proper manners, said, "Well...it occurred to me that not everyone in our 'friend group' has an ideal relationship with their father."

That came out of nowhere. "Huh?"

Taking his befuddlement as genuine confusion, Hikari detailed her thought process. "Well, as far as I'm aware, no one knows about Ayanami-san's parents; as far as I'm aware, she's a ward of NERV itself. Suzuhara-san, Yamagishi-san, and Mana-san are orphans...and unless I've misheard somewhere, I believe Sohryu-san is as well?" She took his impulsive nod as confirmation. "So only you, myself, and Aida-san have fathers..."

"So if the topic is about fathers, why come to me instead of Kensuke?"

Now it was Horaki's turn to look confused. "Aida-san's relationship with his father hasn't been the best, right? I went to Narumi Gakuen for middle school at the same time they were...not in the same class, mind you." Nibbling at her rice, she added, "It wasn't exactly a secret that Aida-san's mother had passed away...and even back then, Aida-san wasn't the best at keeping his feelings a secret, so there was a lot of gossip..."

"School sure has a lot of that," Shinji idly remarked.

Hikari shrugged, accepting the presence of gossip as a fact of life. "I've been a classroom leader since I started middle school, so I can't help but hear what I hear. There's only so much you can do to stop it...but I'm getting off track. Did something happen with Aida-san and his father?"

Shinji nodded. "From what I gathered, there was a misunderstanding on both sides; they reconciled at the end of August." For some reason, this seemed to visibly dishearten her. "Is...that a problem?"

Hikari jolted in her seat. "Oh, no! Not at all; I'm...I'm happy for him. It just..." The Class Rep leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of milk as a means of filling empty space. "I thought he would have been more open about that..."

"...well, I can't speak for Kensuke, but other than Nagisa-kun, he doesn't really associate with anyone our age outside of our team...not that I'm aware of..." Shrugging in an almost half-hearted manner, he added, "I don't think he feels the need to talk about it, because he's come to accept a lot of things..."

("...am I going crazy? Are they talking about me?" quietly wondered Kensuke.)

("Why would they be talking about you?" asked Toji.)

("First, ouch. Second, why the disbelief?")

("If they were only talking about you, why would they need to keep it from us?")

("I don't know, that's why I was asking!" he whispered back.)

(Rei quietly drank her water, letting the duo speculate.)

Hikari sighed, adrift in her own thoughts. "...I see. And you think he would be a better choice for issues related to fathers...?"

"He would certainly be better than me," he replied without hesitation. "My relationship with my father is..." (A flash of a dark and dreary dream, wherein a challenge was issued with a fervor that could only be called diabolic: "...is it not a father's nature to be the ultimate obstacle to his son?") "...complicated."

"...I see." Hikari mercifully relented, not prying any further.

"...is there something about your father you wanted to talk about?"

"...well..." Hikari frowned, leaning on her elbows: it was an image of exhaustion made manifest. "I've had to deal with a change to the old routines I used to keep because of all of this, and I'm concerned about keeping track of my father..."

"Why?"

"...well...it's hard to explain..." Hikari huffed, sounding and looking irritated with herself. "I'm not even sure if this is actually the best place to talk about it..."

Shinji was noble enough to give her an out. "You don't have to explain in detail...but how would talking about my father have helped you?"

"...I suppose I was looking for some insight about how to have a difficult conversation with my father, and I thought you would have been helpful."

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head. "But I do recommend talking with Kensuke. Even if his issues were different than yours, he can still provide insight."

"...right." Hikari nodded at a slightly deep angle, in imitation of a bow. "Sorry for wasting your time."

Shinji frowned, determined to nip that line of thought in the bud as quickly as possible. "But you didn't. Why would you think that...?"

"Well, I ended up talking to you instead of Aida-san about my problem..."

"And how would you have known if you hadn't talked to me?"

"...ah. True." Hikari rubbed at her hair, looking genuinely frustrated. "My apologies. I guess I get a little scatterbrained when talking about family matters..."

"I don't think you're alone in that," he said, offering a slight smile to mollify her embarrassment. (In that moment, he felt more compassionate for her situation...)

"In that case, thank you, Ikari-san." Hikari rose from the table, taking her lunchware back to the serving station.

Mere seconds later, Toji was in front of Shinji, as if he had teleported. "Uh...?"

"So, what's with you and the Class Rep?" he asked, sounding intensely curious.

Shinji deftly ignored the part of himself that wanted to ask 'why do you want to know', answering, "We talked about our dads."

"...oh." Toji now looked genuinely confused. "What for?"

Shinji shrugged. "I didn't pry, but I told her to talk with Kensuke."

"Why Ken?"

"Because out of our whole group, Kensuke is the one who has the best relationship with his father."

"...man, I don't know if that's a sad commentary about us or not, but it sounds sad."

At this, Shinji couldn't help but agree.

xxxx

When the last period ended shortly before 2 PM, Shinji found himself wandering towards the Principal's office.

The reason was twofold in origin: Kaworu's revelations from yesterday about his parentage intertwined with Hikari's conversation about fatherly difficulties to form a heady mix. Given that Keel Lorenz was apparently sponsoring Kaworu, it seemed like an interesting topic of discussion.

(That his conversations with Principal Lorenz tended to be deep without adding any further demands on him were just a bonus; if nothing else, the Principal didn't expect anything out of him beyond being a mere student.)

That the man tended to play classical music in his office was another perk, Shinji inwardly mused as he knocked on the office door. That sounds like...Air from Bach...?

"Come in," echoed a muffled voice.

Shinji stepped inside, his eyes drawn to Keel Lorenz bent over an enormous pile of paperwork. The gramophone's tinny sound served as pleasant background noise. "Kōchō-sensei; am I here at a bad time?"

"I have a faculty meeting at the bottom of the hour, but I'm sure we can take care of whatever you wish to discuss." He gestured at the large pile of forms otherwise occupying his attention. "Finalizing the school's legal affairs ahead of the upcoming constitutional referendum has been a time-consuming affair."

"Has it really been that much of a hassle...?"

"With Kanagawa Prefecture essentially assuming the authorities once held by the national government, establishing the exact limits of their responsibilities and ours is of the utmost importance. Having it ironed out before the referendum passes is key to ensuring things run smoothly."

"You think it will pass?"

"The Japanese Confederation has momentum on its side, even if all of their actions have been provisional thus far. The average civilian will not want to 'rock the boat', especially when a viable alternative has not even been presented." Sighing, Lorenz leaned back in his chair, looking at him eye-to-visor. "For a species as capable of adaptation as ours, you'd think we'd have evolved past some of our more recurring problems...but I digress. Have a seat." Shinji did so, prompting the principal to ask, "So, what brings you here, Ikari-kun?"

"...ah. Well, I had an interesting conversation with Kaworu Nagisa yesterday. I didn't know you paid for his tuition..."

Keel Lorenz seemed genuinely surprised by the topic. "Ah, Nagisa-kun. A gifted student, albeit one with an unorthodox demeanor..." Sighing, the principal added, "I'd be tempted to call them 'shenanigans' were it not for his academic excellence...notwithstanding his seeming sincerity."

"Sincerity?"

"The few times I spoke to him early on regarding complaints about his behavior, he sincerely believed that he wasn't untoward at all. That he hasn't acted in a manner corresponding to his words is probably the only reason his presence is mostly tolerated by the Junior High faculty. Whether such will be tolerated in High School will be another thing altogether...but I doubt you wanted to speak to me solely for Nagisa-kun's sake."

Shinji nodded. "Well, I honestly didn't know you sponsored him, is all...and given your concerns about your reputation amongst the student body, I thought it would be a good thing to bring up."

"A fair enough point," remarked Lorenz. "To which I ask, does it change your opinion of me at all?"

"...well...I'm not sure," he honestly admitted. "You've been generous with your time with me, so I guess you being generous in other areas isn't so surprising..."

"A valid inference. Plus, it's not as though my sponsorships are some great secret; the Academy's own website advertises it, so that students may sign up for the chance of being selected if they meet my criteria. Does this change matters regarding me? Not that I've seen."

Shinji leaned back, feeling somewhat deflated by that revelation. Even so, he was determined to ask a question gnawing at the back of his mind. "...Kōchō-sensei...how much do you really care about your reputation?"

Keel Lorenz arched an eyebrow. "A potentially provocative question. Why do you ask?"

"...well, I think you're a very smart and wise person...and you have no difficulty talking with me. I guess, I just don't understand why you wouldn't be able to establish a good image with the students..."

For some reason, Principal Lorenz seemed genuinely amused. "That's one possible interpretation. The one I believe to be true is that you're simply more open-minded than the majority of students...and the struggles you've had with your own reputation have had no small part to play in that."

Shinji couldn't quite refute that interpretation. (He tried not to feel too proud about someone being so confident in him.) "I suppose...but I do really think that if it were really as much of a problem as you made it out to be...you could have done a lot better than enlisting my help..."

Keel Lorenz didn't respond immediately, measuring his words before responding. "...perhaps I was more enraptured by the power of Evangelion than I had suspected, even back then. Given your relative amiability relative to Ayanami-kun, it somehow felt...logical, to ask you for assistance. But...I suppose it was a futile endeavor, notwithstanding the lack of decorum on my part." Sighing, he sagged in his chair, looking more akin to his actual age for a brief moment. "How foolish..."

"...well, if nothing else, this has been worthwhile," he said, trying to reassure the principal. "I think so, at least..."

"Edifying conversations are always worthwhile to the participants," Lorenz replied. "Yet the initial purpose for our arrangement is lacking in its fulfilment...and, to your point, I suppose this was all but inevitable. With all the administrative affairs occupying my attention, what time do I have to focus on something as mercurial as my reputation amongst the student body?"

"...for what it's worth, I don't think it's as bad as it could be," he said, trying to mollify the Academy's founder.

Lorenz impulsively scoffed, taking his words with good humor. "I suppose so. I appreciate the effort, Ikari-kun...but I need to prepare for...my meeting...?" He trailed off, slowly standing up from his chair. "What the devil...?"

Shinji frowned, looking behind him with confusion; it was with dawning horror that he realized a certain haze was beginning to seep through the door of the Principal's Office. "Oh no..." he said, watching as the Fog gathered into a large mass.

"...oh yes," said Tohru Adachi, stepping out with a smug grin. He slowly stalked his way to the side of the room, keeping Shinji and Keel within his sights. "So...see anything...?" he murmured aloud, even as his right eye glimmered with multiple colors. "Nothing, huh? What a shame." He raised his foot, pressing it against the gramophone. "Nothing at all...maybe just a memory, then?" He snorted. "What a shitty way to live on."

Is he talking to himself, wondered Shinji. Or...is he talking to his Angel...?

"...oh well, it doesn't really matter," Adachi said, kicking the gramophone over.

"That was a rather expensive record player," griped Principal Lorenz.

Adachi cackled, bringing a hand up to his jacket. "Like you actually cared about trifles like that, Old Man..."

"Alas, it is my great fortune that I cannot recall ever meeting you," said Lorenz.

"Fortune, huh? Funny thing to talk about." Adachi withdrew his sidearm, aiming it for the Principal. "If only you had any clue...I only wonder how badly you screwed yourself over...a shame it's lost to time..."

Shinji impulsively moved between the madman and the principal. "Don't."

For some reason, his protective action elicited an amused cackle from Adachi. "Kid...the fact you have no idea makes this so frickin' hilarious..."

"I don't care. I'm not letting you shoot him," he vowed, even as his mind and soul began to churn with tension.

"Ikari-kun," murmured Lorenz with concern, keeping his visored gaze upon the gunman. "Don't concern yourself with me..."

"Hey, you heard the man." Adachi adjusted his aim—going for the center of Principal Lorenz's torso—and fired.

BANG.

Unit-01 surged forth, A.T. Field blazing brilliantly.

The bullet, imbued with the power of Sahaquiel, crashed into the A.T. Field...and drilled through. Its path diverged, yet it still found its way into flesh and bone.

Shinji's eyes flicked backward—barely catching sight of the principal clutching at his left shoulder with an agonized grimace—before anger bloomed, because what had Keel Lorenz ever done to Tohru Adachi?! "ADACHI!" he roared, as the essence of Setanta imbued the form of Unit-01. The Evangelion's eyes gleamed as a spear forged from Shinji's soul manifested.

"Well well, I didn't expect you to actually care so much about the old fart!" taunted Adachi, his feet stepping backwards into the Fog-

"You're not getting away!" he yelled, as Unit-01 reared its spear — gleaming with the power of Charge — and lunged forth with great violence.

xx

Outside, the exterior of Hakone Academy's Junior High Branch exploded, courtesy of an Adachi that was sent flying into the Courtyards. The Fog trailed behind him, spreading outward like a living cloud from where he impacted the ground.

Naturally, the commotion drew the eyes of everyone as Unit-01 dropped down, with Shinji Ikari hanging onto its shoulder. 'Everyone' included the Track Team, who had been going on an endurance jog around the paths of the Academy Courtyards.

"What the hell, Ikari?!" exclaimed Toji Suzuhara with shock and alarm.

"Principal Lorenz just got shot by Tohru Adachi," he said with as much urgency and as he could muster. "He needs medical attention; call Ayanami-san and Sohryu-san, tell them I need backup at the Academy!" Without hesitation, he delved into the growing mass of Fog.

Toji, to his credit, didn't hesitate. "G-got it!" He looked over to the club's Captain, demanding, "Call for an ambulance! I'm gonna call for Ayanami and Sohryu!"

"Do your thing, Suzuhara!" The Team Captain dutifully reached for his phone, calling for emergency services. As he did so, he issued orders to the rest of the sports club. "Team, rush to the nurse and get them to the Principal's Office!"

"Yosh!" echoed the rest of the Track Team.

Their footsteps echoed behind Toji's ears as he quickly scrolled through his contacts. All the while, he was frantically trying to look for Kensuke, Yamagishi, or Horaki. Come on, come on...!

xxxx

It was whilst walking around Lake Ashi — trying to get her thoughts in order in light of the upcoming lunar eclipse — that Rei Ayanami felt her phone buzz. To her surprise, she was being called by Toji. "What...?" The sheer oddity bore an ill wind, so she answered with trepidation. "Hello-?"

"Ikari's fighting Adachi in the Academy Courtyards. Hurry up and get here!"

"Of course," she coldly answered. "Call Sohryu-san." Without waiting, she hung up. Turning towards the Academy, she could already see the familiar Fog blooming above the skyline. (Its passive effects on her memory slid off; the power it contained was beginning to dull with continued exposure...) "Adachi...you won't escape this time."

xxxx

Tohru Adachi grimaced, rubbing at his torso with irritation. "Damn, the kid actually packs a punch when he wants to."

The Angel of the Sky's form flickered with heavenly fire.

"ARE YOU TRULY SURPRISED? IT IS THE WAY OF A WILD CARD TO IMPROVE WITH CONFLICT..."

"Yeah yeah," grumbled Adachi, nonetheless grinning as a familiar presence entered the Fog. "Still, it's nice to know he's not a wet noodle...so let's make it more interesting."

An immense A.T. Field circulated around the impromptu battleground, forcing a synchronization of soul and mind and reality: a repeat of what Sho Minazuki had pulled off in Okayama, or what happened in every single Angel's Domain. The effects were immediate, as Unit-01's body burned more obviously with the image of Setanta.

Shinji didn't falter, keeping his eyes upon Adachi.

"Now that's a better look! Might as well return the favor..." As Sahaquiel's Eye burned high above, Adachi's Persona manifested in a flash of black and red. "...Magatsu-Izanagi!"

xxxx

Within the Metaverse, Asuka Langley-Sohryu quietly sat with NERV, in a room whose located was on the same room as the Medical Ward.

It was a chamber dedicated to curative properties, so much so that sitting within it was enough to actualize the Placebo Effect...to a certain extent. Certain injuries tended to linger longer, based on their source. Given Tohru Adachi's connection to an Angel, it was no surprise that Asuka's bruised ribs were taking more time to heal. "This sucks," she muttered, sitting amidst a room full of pleasant greenery: medicinal herbs, colorful flowers, and yellow sunshine — pleasantly warm, not overbearingly hot — contributed to a naturally uplifting atmosphere. Alas, it did little for Asuka's mood. "I hate Adachi."

Matilda, pruning an overgrown brush with her shears — much to the cognitive plant's seeming delight — giggled. "You could always ask Shinji Ikari to help."

"And could he do?"

"He has some Personas with Healing Skills. I'm sure the connection with Evangelion would only make them more effective."

She already knew this. But like hell was she going to stoop so low. "By tomorrow, I'll be as good as new."

"Your stubbornness doesn't fool anyone, you know..."

"I'd bet it does."

"...then let me correct myself: it doesn't fool the people who matter." The masked girl looked over shoulder, grinning cattishly. "Am I wrong~?"

"...whatever," she told herself.

Suddenly, without warning, a message manifested in the air as holographic letters, courtesy of the MAGI: TOJI SUZUHARA CALLED YOUR CELL PHONE, REQUESTING YOUR ASSISTANCE. HIS VOICEMAIL HAS BEEN LOGGED BY US FROM YOUR CELLULAR NETWORK. TO SUMMARIZE: TOHRU ADACHI AND SHINJI IKARI HAVE ENGAGED IN COMBAT AT HAKONE ACADEMY.

Asuka and Matilda immediately got up, focusing on warping towards Hakone Academy as quickly as possible.

xxxx

A certain thought filtered across Shinji Ikari's mind as a Setanta-empowered Shogoki crossed spears with Magatsu-Izanagi: it's easier to fight when you're not attacked by surprise.

The Beast snorted with derision at the utterly obvious proposition.

Even so, with Bowie knife in hand, he kept his gaze on Tohru Adachi, who was calmly stalking around the edges of the impromptu battle arena: his entire being seethed with unearned confidence. "Why did you want to shoot Principal Lorenz?"

"I was doing the old coot a favor, to be honest: he's a mere shadow of what he once was, if that!"

(As Magatsu-Izanagi launched an Ziodyne, Unit-01 ducked underneath; with Setanta's spear, it countered with Giant Slice.)

What is he talking about...? "Did you know Principal Lorenz? From a time before the Academy?"

Adachi audibly scoffed. "I never even met the geezer face-to-face...not in this life, or any other."

(Magatsu-Izanagi's spear flickered with immense speed, carving lines through the very air with Vorpal Blade; however, the eyes of Setanta gleamed: with steadfast intent, Unit-01 delved into the storm—a timely Counter rebuffed the blow!—and engaged in close quarters combat once more.)

Those words alone had a dark significance. 'Any other'? Does...he know...? "You...you know about other timelines? About the Sea of Souls?"

The Eye above burned with palpable indignation; Adachi clapped sarcastically in response. "Give the kid a medal! If you know that much, then obviously I would know...I'm bound to a damn Angel myself, after all."

("Heat Riser," snarled Magatsu-Izanagi.)

Thoughts of Mana's brothers came to mind: though they had suffered like Mana, they had come to different conclusions about life. What they had learned about the nature of reality had been colored by the Angels: that much was undeniable. So why would it be any different for Adachi? "How can you trust what the Angel is telling you?"

Adachi, his form glimmering with enhanced vitality, sneered. "Who says I do? But my memories don't lie..." With a flicker of movement, he was gone from sight...and his voice suddenly came from behind! "...and if there's anyone I trust, it's me."

(With preternatural alarm, Unit-01 shifted to another Persona: as armored beast's form contorted to the shape of the foxlike Chironnupu, it chipred "Tetrakarn!")

The bullet bounced off of the shield, reflecting into Adachi's torso; although it did not pierce his flesh, it nonetheless had enough force to blow the man back on his heels. "Ah, bitch! That stings, you little dick!"

"...I don't think trust enters the picture at all," murmured Shinji, putting his Bowie knife away; as the Monk's Spade manifested in his arms, he remarked, "With the way you've talked and acted...about making me 'angry', as though it were a game...I don't think you care about what's true or false at all...all you care about is what amuses you..."

(Chironnupu gave way to Kuchisake-Onna; bearing the aura of a wraith, Unit-01 lashed out with a long pair of scissors, unleashing Bloody Blade. Magatsu-Izanagi bore the brunt of the Dark/Physical attack, retaliating with a combo of Ziodyne and Garudyne.)

For once Adachi seemed surprised. "Well well...insightful little twerp, aren't you?" With condescension, he gestured at the Fog around them. "But in a world like ours, what does truth matter to begin with? No matter what life we've got, reality sucks...and if you know about how the world came to an end, then you should know this better than anyone...after all, when it comes to the end of the world: mankind, can't, get,enough!" Spreading his arms out, he arrogantly proclaimed, "So if reality is shitty no matter what you do, and the truth is nothing but a damn joke with no punchline, then why not do whatever amuses you? It all amounts to the same in the end."

Shinji pondered the sheer nihilism of that statement, and found it to be disappointing.

The Beast chuckled knowingly.

"But of course...he's only a failure, after all. He could never hope to match your glorious SUCCESS..."

"...if someone like me can manage to improve...then I think it's within anyone's power to do so." As Personas dueled in the background, Shinji — determined to be defiant — said, "Doing what you've done...acting for the sake of yourself...no, not even for that!" What had this man done to improve himself, for the sake of his own amusement? "You've done nothing but destroy...and kill...and that's what amuses you?" (It was so very easy to think of how trivial things could become in light of sufficient power...so it was all the more rewarding, to take the road less travelled.) "I can't think of anything more cowardly!"

Adachi's face became stoic, and the manic joy left his eyes. "...man, what a bore." He raised his sidearm and fired at Ikari's feet.

The resulting explosion unleashed a burst of dirt and fire, forcing Shinji to step back-

(Magatsu-Izanagi parried Shogoki's scissors, and vanished in a flicker of red and black...!)

-only to boggle as Adachi stepped through the rubble, whipping his pistol downward. He barely blocked the blow with the staff of his weapon, only for stars to erupt across his vision as Adachi seamlessly brought his right hand back to crash the handle into his cheek. The combo continued with a left backhand across his other cheek, right as Magatsu-Izanagi manifested behind Adachi!

(Unit-01 snarled, leaping forward-!)

The red and black Persona thrust forward with his lance, driving the blade into Shogoki's shoulder; Kuchisake-Onna's inherent resistance to Physical Skills dulled the pain, but not by much.

But Adachi wasn't done, as he took that brief gap in Shinji's concentration to sweep at Shinji's legs. He then fired another bullet at the ground, unleashing an explosion that lifted him off his feet; the jumping kick from Adachi connected with the bottom of his chin, causing his teeth to clatter painfully against each other with agonizing loudness.

Shinji was barely cognizant of his empowered Evangelion dragging him back close range; his mind was too focused on trying to recover, reflected by Kuchisake-Onna shifting to Neko Shogun so that he could use Diarama. He's...strong...

"Either way, I don't wanna hear such sanctimonious claptrap from the likes of you, you damn hypocrite." As Adachi spoke, Magatsu-Izanagi surged with power...

xx

(She needed to focus: she had to be ready to strike instantly upon entering the battle.)

With an act of will, searing with anger, Rei Ayanami and Unit-00 burst through the Fog.

xx

The Eye of Sahaquiel flared with an audible warning.

Adachi and Magatsu-Izanagi looked up right as Rei Ayanami landed between them and Shinji. Unit-00, burning with the essence of Lilith, floated upon gossamer wings above them.

"Eden's Fall," she said with unwavering finality. Zerogoki's wings curled inward, glowing with ethereal light...until, with a banshee's howl, unleashed wave of screaming, ravenous human faces that seethed with Almighty energy.

"Shit-!" cursed Adachi, his Persona stepping in front to take the blow before they were overwhelmed.

xx

Shinji grimaced as the Almighty attack exploded with immense force, causing the Fog to churn and roil with agitation. "Ayanami-san!"

Rei shot him a brief glance, observing his battle injuries. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he reassured her, staring towards the dust cloud that had been kicked up from her attack. "More importantly..." Her eyes glimmered with understanding. "...he is not."

"...you...damn...bitch..." Adachi's voice approached first, followed by the man himself; one arm was held across his stomach, whilst his face was wracked with tangible pain. "What the hell did you do...?"

"...Hunger," she spoke aloud. "Sapped of strength...robbed of mental fortitude...I would have preferred that you had been inflicted with Despair," Rei said, speaking of her last attack's potential effects. "To match the wretched perspective with which you see the world. Yet...it seems appropriate: for one who can never be truly satisfied to suffer accordingly."

Adachi snorted, obviously not pleased with her commentary. "You must think of yourself as some damn comedian then..." Magatsu-Izanagi charged forward, engaging directly with both Shogoki and Zerogoki; as the Evangelions — empowered by Setanta and Lilith respectively — dueled against the enraged Persona, Adachi kept firing his revolver, with seemingly endless ammo.

Rei's nine whip-chains acted with a seeming will of their own, batting down the bullets before they could approach. "Ikari-kun, go."

Shinji nodded, taking hold of his Monk's Spade and charging forward. He struck out with the sharp end of his spade, aiming for Adachi's center of mass. The madman scowled, trying to parry with his revolver, only to find his former strength lacking now. It was such an immense disparity compared to before that Adachi was becoming visibly frustrated. "Tch...you think this means anything in the end...?"

"I don't know, do you?!" retorted Shinji, parrying Adachi's arm once more.

Before Adachi could bring his revolver back around, a cross-tipped chain wrapped around his limb, holding it back. Momentarily distracted by Rei's maneuver, Adachi's gaze shifted away from Shinji-

(Magatsu-Izanagi broke free of Lilith's Mabufudyne, only to meet a charged Giant Slice head on from Setanta.)

THWACK!

-allowing Shinji to smack him across the head with the flat end of his spade.

"Shit," cursed Adachi, the side of his face actually marred with blood. "You think you've got me beat, eh...?"

It was at this point that Asuka and Nigoki, empowered by Matilda, burst through the Fog. Taking in the situation at a glance, Asuka cracked her knuckles. "Round 2, Arschloch."

Adachi spat, his annoyed gaze turning towards the Eye above. "Hey! You just gonna keep watching?!"

"Our capabilities are reduced, the closer we are to a Full Moon: such is one of the 'Rules' of this world," rumbled the voice of Sahaquiel from high above. "Yet it would be inconvenient for you to fall now, because of your hubris. I will condescend to your request." As the Angel spoke, something budded off from the orange flesh surrounding the great Eye: a sphere, brimming with destructive power.

Rei's eyes widened with alarm. "Pull up your A.T. Fields!"

The orb shot downward, akin to a meteorite.

With a precision and synchronicity that could only be called eerie, the three Evangelions darted toward the epicenter of the impact zone, and held up their hands. With an act of will, the trio of young children manifested their souls to form a protective bulwark.

In less than a second, there was impact.

xx

A mighty eruption bloomed over the Academy Courtyards, dispersing the great column of Fog that had manifested.

The students who had not fled the scene, watching with rapt interest, could only scream with alarm at the explosive fire that billowed upward in a mushroom cloud that blocked out the setting sun.

Among those watching were Kensuke, Hikari, and Mayumi, gathered to the scene courtesy of Toji. "HOLY-!" yelped Aida, holding his arms over his face to ward off the light.

At that moment, an axe cut through the air besides them: out of the tear stepped Mana Kirishima, fully armed and ready for combat. "Just got here from the CPC, what did I miss?"

"...maybe the whole thing," murmured Mayumi, her eyes focusing on the dissipating Fog.

As the haze cleared, they could see three figures standing at the epicenter of the blast: Rei, Asuka, and Shinji, all by the sides of their respective Evangelions. The spectral beasts had their arms held above their heads, forming a combined A.T. Field that was visible to the naked eye.

There was no one else to be seen.

xx

"...he and Sahaquiel are gone," said Rei with stoicness that felt forced.

Asuka loosed a litany of curses, displaying her displeasure without a care for who could listen.

Shinji looked around, watching as their comrades approached; the other students stood at a distance, watching with concern as the looming sirens of emergency response vehicles grew louder. Where did Adachi go...?

xxxx

Elsewhere in Tokyo-3, Ren Amamiya — sitting at a red light, the motor of Neo Hagakure's delivery scooter sputtering patiently — looked up with alarm at the sound of a distant explosion. "What...?" Nearby shouts of alarm drew his attention closer; to his shock, yellow Fog had suddenly manifested amidst a nearby alleyway. "What...?!"

To his utter shock, none other than Tohru Adachi himself stalked out, holding an arm across his abdomen, his face—its right side rendered bloody by an open gash—bearing an expression that could only be called ravenous. "Ah. Well, can't be picky."

Ren (inwardly panicking because damn it, he had no capability to retaliate without doing something stupid...!) could only watch, dumbfounded as Adachi ripped open the delivery box on the back of his scooter, grabbing a bag full of hot food.

To complete the utter absurdity of the situation, Adachi pulled out a money clip full of yen bills—obviously stolen from someone—and threw it at Ren's chest. "Keep the change," he said with a sneer; without another word, he stomped back towards the Fog, his footsteps echoing into nothingness. In a matter of moments, the yellow haze vanished, revealing the alleyway once more...sans Adachi.

"...what," Ren dumbly repeated, unsure what to make about what had just happened. Well well well...that was a thing. Only the honk of the vehicle behind him brought him back to reality, along with the belated realization that a customer's order had just been stolen. Damn it Narukami, why does your antagonist have to be such a prick?!

xxxx

The debrief regarding that day's events was rather scuffed, insofar as it didn't take place in NERV proper; apparently, with the upcoming constitutional referendum next Tuesday, the Governor of Kanagawa was taking no chances: with the 'Smiling Traitor' having appeared in Tokyo-3 twice within the past week, a state of emergency had been declared. Among its effects were a soft curfew: with the exception of authorized personnel and certain establishments, no one was allowed outside after 8 PM.

"I can't believe everyone just ups and accepts it," griped Asuka, sitting on the couch in the living room of Misato's apartment. She was sandwiched between Hikari, Mayumi, and Mana; Shinji, Toji, and Kensuke were sitting on the floor, whilst Rei was silently leaning against the wall. Misato was quietly pacing, whilst Ryuji Sakamoto — cooking a quick and simple dinner for everyone in the kitchen, having volunteered to do so with the stuff Misato had on hand — observed from afar. (Meanwhile, the muted sounds coming from the bathroom were the only sign that Pen-Pen was in the middle of having a nice, hot soak.) "Sure, draw attention to the threat by interrupting everyone's normal patterns and making everyone nervous," the redhead grumbled. "That'll make the area's local cognition easier to navigate!"

"It can't be helped," said Misato. "I'm halfway convinced that the Governor just wanted to test how far the limits with NERV go, if push comes to shove. I mean, it's not like this state of emergency actually helps with tracking down Adachi."

"Especially when he can teleport everywhere with that damn Fog of his," said Mana, her right hand hanging over the side of the couch; her fingers were lightly tracing patterns over the sides of AIGIS and LABRYS.

"...so, to summarize, Adachi showed up, shot your school principal, got into a fight with Shinji-kun, got hit real good by Ayanami-san, then fled when Asuka also showed up. That about it?" Misato asked.

"Yes..." Shinji felt downright torn. "Do we know what happened to Principal Lorenz?"

"He's been taken to Kobayakawa Memorial Hospital," Misato answered. "My question is why Adachi would go out of his way to attack him."

"...could it be related to Principal Lorenz's past...?" wondered Mayumi.

Hikari looked confused. "What do you mean?"

The bespectacled girl cupped a hand around her chin. "Well...only Mana-san, Ikari-san, and Katsuragi-san would remember, but we investigated an old research facility run by an NGO called Himmel, back at the beginning of the month."

"Himmel?" echoed Asuka. "What's a German NGO doing in Japan?"

Misato shrugged. "It's been practically defunct for years...bureaucratic red tape notwithstanding." Stifling her own frustration, Misato turned back to Mayumi. "You think Adachi has a prior connection with the NGO that Himmel split from? SEELE, was it?"

"Or a different NGO that split off from SEELE," remarked Mayumi. "It could be Himmel itself, I feel like that would have come up before now...but I don't know why he would go out of his way to attack Kōchō-sensei otherwise..."

Toji frowned. "Why would this...'Say-Lay' have anything to do with our Principal?"

("Wait, are they trying to pronounce Seele?" wondered Asuka under her breath, trying to fight down her impulse to vociferously correct them as to how to pronounce German words. "Calm down, you already went through this years ago with NERV being called 'nerve', even though it's spelled Nerv...")

"Because he's the one who founded SEELE many years ago," explained Mayumi. "But he sold off his ownership in that company in the last decade of the Second Millennium..."

"Maybe it's tied to why the likes of Tohru Adachi became the 'Smiling Traitor' to begin with?" asked Kensuke.

Ryuji's snort echoed from the kitchen. "Not likely. The guy euthanized an elderly woman in the hospital, tried to kill the Pope, and bashed ol' Morooka's head in with a TV...all the while having the bright idea to go out of his way to pick fights with you Evangelion-users. The guy's a psycho."

("Indeed," whispered Rei to herself, nonetheless wondering what possessed Tohru Adachi to strike at the former head of SEELE. Was there something there? Or was she being unnecessarily paranoid? I need to speak with Narukami-san as soon as possible. As someone who had spent a great deal of time actively trying to infiltrate NERV and become a part of it in more than one life, he might have some additional context she was currently lacking. I need more details, she resolved. So focused was she on this, that all thought of inquiring with Shinji Ikari about the events leading up to that day's battle faded away...)

"I don't think that's telling us anything new," joked Misato. "Still...it might be worth arranging an interview with Keel Lorenz..."

(Rei looked up, hiding her concern...)

"Don't you have enough on your plate with that other thing?" called out Ryuji.

"...yeah, fair enough. Can't let myself get distracted." When the teenagers all looked at Misato with curiosity, she remarked, "Just some other investigation I'm working on. It's nothing you kids have to worry about."

(...only to sigh inwardly. The fact Keel Lorenz got wounded is unusual enough...but why? What could it mean...? Rei pushed her worries aside, lest she get mired in her own fears...)

"...at least tomorrow's Sunday," murmured Hikari. "I'll have to apologize to my sister and father for not making it home-"

"I'll give you a lift after dinner," offered Asuka. "Curfews mean jack all against Evangelion-powered teleportation!"

"...thank you, Sohryu-san."

Ryuji called them all to the kitchen shortly thereafter, serving out vegetable and rice stir-fry. "Well, regardless of any unsettled questions, at least you managed to force Adachi to retreat. That means he's vulnerable."

That was certainly mollifying, mused Shinji as he calmly dug into his meal. I wonder where he went, though...

That was a question for another day.

xxxx

Meanwhile, at NERV HQ, Tohru Adachi was devouring his (and that possessive pronoun was intentional; he paid above and beyond what this stuff was worth!) meal, noisily slurping the ramen. Even now, eating from a third bowl, the phantom pangs of Hunger lingered.

"I assume you had a reason for bringing your food into my office," dryly remarked Gendo Ikari, acting as though their prior meeting had ended amicably on both sides.

Well, Adachi could play along and act with the best of them. Between bites, said, "Yeah. For however much an ice queen the First Child is, she can be a pretty vindictive bitch."

"I wonder where she gets it from," Gendo said aloud, without a hint of irony.

Tch. I'm sure. As before, the Fog remained isolated to the hallway outside of Gendo's office; the fact it was unable (or perhaps unwilling?) to come into the man's office was unsettling, the more he thought about it. Still nothing?

The Angel of the Sky, shrouded by black clouds, spoke with trepidation.

"DO NOT LET YOUR HUBRIS BLIND YOU AS IT ALREADY HAS. IKARI'S INSCRUTABILITY IS BEYOND MY KEN TO PERCEIVE."

That was certainly a thing. "So," he said, intentionally distracting himself, "Your son has some semblance of a spine, at least. Even if he's a damn hypocrite about it."

"That was never in doubt," said Gendo, gesturing towards his monitor: the immediate headlines regarding Adachi's attack on Hakone Academy were already up. "Did you have fun, attacking a decrepit old man?"

Adachi snorted. "Like you of all people actually care. I'm sure that felt cathartic by proxy."

"There would be no point to it," he cryptically replied.

Adachi chose not to delve into those words. "So...I think at this juncture, my best avenue for getting under the kid's skin is the Second Child. The problem is that now they're starting to get used to the Fog, so keeping them separate is getting tougher...and dealing with all three Evangelions at once is a pain in the ass."

"Then you clearly haven't considered alternatives."

"Like what," he demanded with a glare, chewing into a fried spring roll all the while. "I'd go for his old guardian, but I've already let the old man live, so he's out."

Gendo arched an eyebrow at the admission that Sojiro Sakura was off the table entirely. "A strange code of conduct that you have for yourself."

Adachi indignantly pointed his chopsticks at NERV's enigmatic commander. "And I don't have to justify myself to you, or to anyone else."

"And you, of all people, are well aware that there are many who act without thought of justifying themselves to others: so long as they get what they want, what do the opinions of the masses matter?"

On that much, Adachi could agree with Gendo. "So...you seem to have some semblance of an idea. What's your angle?"

And so Gendo Ikari told him.

To be honest, Adachi was intrigued. "Huh...curious. Do you really think it'll work?"

"I can only go by what I've observed," Gendo said.

The Angel of the Sky could not peer through the murk.

"ODD. HE IS AWARE OF THAT MUCH? BUT HOW...?"

"...well, it would be balancing the scales in yet another way." Adachi chuckled, picking up his disposable containers. "I'll leave this for your secretary. After all, picking up trash is part of the job, isn't it?"

"It's a job that's not unique to secretaries."

"I'm sure," sneered Adachi, stepping out into the hallway; he dropped the plastic bag of containers onto the secretary's desk, his body shrouded by the Fog. "Sayonara," he said with a grin, disappearing into the yellow haze.

xx

Chihiro Fushimi blinked, looking at the bag of empty containers from Neo Hagakure. "Huh? Where did that come from...?" The door to her boss's office opened up, causing her to jolt with alarm. "Oh, Commander Ikari! Please ignore the mess-!"

"It's fine," said Gendo Ikari, calmly grabbing the bag with his own hands. "I will dispose of it myself."

Chihiro tried her best not to wilt in her seat. "I'm sorry sir, I don't know why I've been so absent-minded lately..." It was so bizarre...

"It has been a stressful time for many," the Commander said, brushing aside her concerns. "You can leave for the evening. Good night."

As he departed, Chihiro belatedly realized that the prefectural governor's state of emergency was still in effect. "Uh...how am I going to get to my apartment...?" Hanging her head, she resigned herself to taking an empty room within the company's Barracks...

xxxx

/Room 4, 3rd Floor, Vulcanus Dorms, Hakone Academy/

Yu Narukami was absent, having departed the moment after school had ended that day...and good thing as well, as his destination was beyond the boundaries of Kanagawa Prefecture. The boy had before the state of emergency came into effect.

This didn't much for Ren Amamiya's mood, alas, because he was still trying to think of a trump card that would actually be worth a damn in spite of his current constraints. The fact he had gotten a delivery order stolen by Tohru Adachi of all people didn't help, since it had resulted in an unhappy customer and an unhappy employer. Seriously, what do people expect?

"...yeah. That'll do."

Ren glanced over towards Minato's bed. "You finally come to a decision?"

"...I need to set up a meeting with Mana Kirishima," his senpai murmured.

"...why?" The only reason he could think of as to why Minato wanted to speak with Mana had to do with a certain shield...or rather, the soul inside of it. "You know about the Rule, right?" The Rule about Social Links: the one which made their current circumstance so darned intolerable at times...

"Yeah. I'm aware. But this breaking of the Rule wouldn't be done by me, if it pans out..."

At this, Ren could only ponder what Minato was thinking behind his apathetic gaze. Hmm...I need to up the ante, then...

He continued to think throughout the night.

xxxx

All the while...Minako Arisato and Phanuel continued their battle.

Yet, as Diego finally gave up the proverbial ghost—taking down Helel in the process—it was down to just the Angel himself.

"And so we're near the finish line," murmured Phanuel, his wind saber churning wildly.

Minako stood stoically, even as she summoned one more Persona: a figure coloring sterling white with blazing red hair that seemed to be an amalgamation of both Orpheus and Thanatos: Messiah.

Phanuel sighed, refusing to let his fatigue show. "Then let us make the ending a showstopper...!"

(And as the two clashed, the One Who Sat Upon the Throne — uncaring for the tumult afflicting the wider world — watched in gleeful silence.)

xxxx

END OF 9/26/2015

xxxx

Author's Notes: So, beyond the Adachi fight: Empress hit Rank 5, and Tower hit Rank 7. And we finally set where Chihiro Fushimi's been: working as Gendo Ikari's previously anonymous secretary!

We also saw what attack Rei was trying to use back on September 4th against Sumaru's Shadow before Shinji's Hell Biker interrupt—Eden's Fall: a Skill unique to Lilith, it is a party-wide attack that causes Heavy Almighty damage with a low chance of causing Hunger or Despair.

Soon, the Usurper will be turning their attention back to the world at large...