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.)

42. Sunday - July 12, 2015

So, courtesy of the talented Renu of the Sufficient Velocity forums, there's a commissioned piece of Sokila, the lovable Velvet Room Attendant! The full size version can be found on the story thread at either Sufficient Velocity, Space Battles, or the story version hosted on Archive of Our Own.

Now, onto the chapter.

xxxx

It was a dream that Misato Katsuragi was not accustomed to.

There was a penguin.

Yet, this penguin was...observing. Watching.

"Things are starting to accelerate."

Through a conflagration of orange fire, Angels (how did she know this?) rampaged.

Evangelions rose to challenge them...yet, their profile was greater, somehow.

Yet...somehow less...fantastic? More conventional. Why did she have such an impression?

"Those children will need support if we are to make it through this crisis...the boy most especially."

A strange mech - looking like a blue

dinosaur, of all things - was overshadowed by everything, as though it were superfluous.

Yet the lives involved - three strangely familiar children - were no less real.

"And somehow, you've ended up looking out for another lost duckling..."

The penguin, despite the physical impossibility of doing so (given the beak), smiled.

"That's so very much like you."

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-

xxxx

/Sunday: July 12, 2015/

/Misato's Apartment, Tokyo-3/

A specific chime - sounding akin to a triumphant trumpet - sounded, prompting Misato Katsuragi to rise from her futon. "Fehvebuh..." she slurred, spitting out some stray strands of hair. Impulsively grabbing a beret (because the cloche hat just had not been stylish) to cover the spot on the back of her head (damn it Tokita, wherever you escaped to, I hope you get MASSIVE diarrhea today!), she reached for her phone, wondering just why NERV was texting her at...2:34 in the morning?! "Ugh..."

However, it wasn't from NERV HQ. It was...from NERV-01? "Huh?"

NERV-01: This is Takuto Maruki, Director of NERV's First Branch.
NERV-01: Apologies if this wakes you up, but we have certain legal obligations to uphold.
NERV-01: The missions that Kirishima undertook with Ikari underwent a...complication.

"Missions?" she impulsively blurted out, before her mind finally shook off the sleepiness to remember that oh yeah, Shinji-kun took Mana-chan on a Ghost mission...to FREAKIN' AMERICA.

(As the afternoon of the prior day had rolled on into evening, she had wondered why the Ghost missions were taking so long. Using her own methods as an A.T. Agent, she reviewed the mission log for one Shinji Ikari, and promptly proceeded to flip her lid that said missions include an overseas jaunt to THE UNITED STATES.)

That's what you get for assuming, she said with a self-recriminating air. If she had known the missions would have taken them outside of Japan (and why the hell would you think that? You KNOW Ayanami and Asuka have been operating on a global scale for years, the same was going to happen for Shinji-kun too), she wouldn't have signed off on Mana-chan's participation. As for why...well, she could probably think of a few, once she was fully awake. Lesson learned. She kept on reading.

NERV-01: Kirishima encountered a Reaper in the Metaverse.

Misato's blood froze. Oh no-

NERV-01: Fortunately, she survived. Ikari was able to exfiltrate her. They're both recovering currently, so their return to Japan may be delayed.

Misato loosed a breath she hadn't even known that she had held. Oh geez, she thought, now fully awake from a combination of adrenaline and pending heart attack.

NERV-01: It seems that Kirishima is under a more tenuous legal situation than Ikari is as an Evangelion-user, so we were obligated to inform both guardian and custodian about her current state.
NERV-01: We will keep you advised of any developments.
NERV-01: Hopefully, you'll sleep through this, and you'll find out about this after they're awake.
NERV-01: Take care.

And the pending heart attack was back, because they were apparently still out of it (which is understandable, THEY RAN INTO A FRICKIN' REAPER), and now her phone was ringing. "What the hey is going on...?" Without looking at the caller ID, she answered. "Hello?"

"Katsuragi."

"...hello, Niijima-san." Oh yeah, Maruki said he informed guardian AND custodian...

"Is there a particular reason I was woken up at such an ungodly hour to find out that Mana Kirishima was incapacitated while on a mission...to the USA?"

Seriously, it was unfair that Sae Niijima was able to make her feel like a pitiful schoolgirl who had gotten in trouble with the principal. "...uh...it's...complicated?"

"Then UNcomplicate it."

As far as ways to start the day went, this quickly went to Misato's 'Top 5 Worst' list.

xxxx

/NERV-01, Outskirts of Boston Dead Zone, USA/

Night had fallen upon the east coast of America (still living through the remnants of July 11th) by the time Shinji Ikari woke up, stirred by the sound of a jazzy musical number playing softly over the intercom. "...uh..."

"Welcome back to the land of living."

Shinji slowly turned his head (medical equipment...?), taking in the sight of Futaba Maruki tapping away at a tablet of some sort. "...Dr. Maruki...?"

"Eh, you can call me Chief. Or just Futaba. Force of habit, when your hubby's also Dr. Maruki. And don't sweat the given name stuff; I'm afraid we've gotten a bit used to American conventions."

"...right..."

"Then again, it would probably make things awkward, so just say whatever's comfortable, kay?"

"...Futaba-san?" The woman's casual nature sort of gave off 'Misato' vibes as it was.

"Fair enough!" As she spoke, she reached a free hand over, slowly pulling her loaned headset off of his head. "Got lots of data from both you and Kirishima by the way, so thanks for that."

Oh. That's right. "Where...is Kirishima-san?"

"She's sleeping in another room. The Reaper...well, it knocked her around a bit, I'm not gonna lie. But you've been out of it much longer than we expected; closest we could figure is that your A.T. Field was constantly shifting and contorting as you repetitively made the transition from the real world to the Metaverse and whatever interdimensional realm you Evangelion-users travel through. I think Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley-Sohryu have been at it for long enough that their spiriology can handle it...but given that you've been in the 'game' for less than two months, it's understandable that all those dimensional shifts were too much for your mind and soul to handle. Consider it a negative cognitive feedback loop of sorts, to keep you from breaking down."

Shinji blinked, sort of befuddled still. "...so...am I okay?"

"Well, your cognitive functions had returned to their measured baseline about ten minutes before you woke up, so I'd say so!"

"Okay..."

"But I have to tell you, observing data from you Evangelion-users is a trip." She flipped her tablet around, showing various charts and graphs that he had no hope of deciphering. "Gotta say, you three kids are weird. But in a good way!"

"...uh-"

"So, think of it this way: when you kids manifest your Evangelions, you also take on the appearance of a sweet-looking bodysuit of sorts. I mean, the kind of stuff you'd see from those old anime from the Eighties or Nineties in terms of the overall design aesthetic; now, the weird thing is that those clothes aren't actually there, because you're not actually transforming physical matter or borrowing energy to make them; however, our cognition — and yours, for that matter — are convinced it's there. The question is, why? Why exactly does manifesting an Evangelion come with a self-image of a robot pilot get-up that's pseudo-actualized into reality? Isn't that just a mystery that you wanna solve and get all nerdy about?!"

By the time Futaba had completed her train of thought, she had subconsciously gotten closer and closer, looking intently into his face, and she was really really close now. "...uh...it's...kind of odd...?" he offered (even though, deep down, he thought that it was kind of unusual).

Shifting gears, the woman leaned back, looking intently at his face. "...you know, you really do look a lot like your mom."

And that's when everything else went by the wayside. "My...my mother...?" This woman knew her?

"Well, I am the daughter of Wakaba Isshiki, who was taught by none other than your grandfather. I actually met Yui quite often before Second Impact." She reached into her paint-splattered lab coat, pulling out a flip book of laminated photos. Turning to an older one that had previously yellowed with age, the woman showed a picture of two young girls, shot from a distance: Futaba — with long, straight black hair and large eyeglasses — was standing on the bank of a small stream, a fearful expression on her face. Standing on the rock in the middle of the creek was another girl — at least a few years older (if not more), judging by the anatomical differences — with shorter brown hair; from the side profile, one could just make out her confident grin. "She was the closest thing I had to an oneesan. Wanna hear some stories while we wait for Kirishima to wake up?"

Shinji had never nodded so fast in his life.

xxxx

Before Mana Kirishima opened her eyes, the feeling of being an enormous bruise was...omnipresent. Ow. What the hell...?

(The storm from Riot Gun faded, and her arms ached from the burden of holding her shield. As she rose to her feet, a long gun barrel swiped AIGIS out of her hands; she barely had time to look up before the other revolver rose. "Freidyne." Then there was nothing but pain.)

...oh. Right. The Reaper had absolutely wrecked her.

"Ah, glad to see you're awake, Kirishima-chan."

Mana slowly turned her head (ah, medical equipment...what a familiar sight), looking at the person sitting beside her cot; it was none other than NERV-01's Director, Takuto Maruki. Sucking on a carton of apple juice, he was also...reading from a Featherman manga?

The confusion must have been present on her face, because the man lightly commented, "was reading through this volume to pass the time. My wife has quite the collection; even though some of our staff think of it as a childish habit, it strikes me that adults are the one who determine what's 'childish' or not...then again, she is rather insistent on writing fiction starring very loosely disguised versions of NERV staff, so maybe that's why..."

"...how did I get here?"

Dr. Maruki quietly set the juice carton and manga on the nearby night stand before folding his hands in his lap. "You can thank Ikari-kun. He managed to extract you from the situation in time."

...ah. Somehow...she wasn't surprised. "And...my weapons...?" Dr. Maruki simply pointed to the foot of the cot; she could see the edges of her axe and shield, leaning against the end.

"Your recovery actually increased the closer your weapons were to your person...but, from what I gathered, you prefer them to be close at hand regardless."

"...thank you," she murmured, leaning back against her pillow.

xxxx

Her little sister quietly whispered in her ear, trying to assuage her guilt. Her big sister, not as skilled with words, calmly brushed a hand through her hair.

xxxx

So. The Reaper was all it was cracked up to be and more. And yet, she had been unable to escape from her own power. It had fallen to Ikari to do what she had been unable to. "...what about the Ghosts? That place was the last one on my list."

"It doesn't matter right now-"

"It does matter," she impulsively snarled. "It was my mission. It was my responsibility."

Dr. Maruki opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it (don't worry about my feelings, be honest!). Finally, he said, "we ended up getting a military chaplain from further inland to divert towards Provincetown. There was apparently some cognitive bleedthrough from whatever the Reaper did, but they were able to defeat the Ghosts that were there."

"And...the casualty count...?"

"Well-"

"-and don't lie."

The Director chuckled nervously. "My, you drive a hard bargain, don't you? Still, despite any personal objections I have regarding your current circumstances...it's still your life." The man sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Provincetown had already decreased in population as is since Second Impact, so the only permanent population there were local fishermen and those who administered the harbor-" He paused at her expression (because she was trying to glare), before admitting, "as far as I'm aware, there were over two hundred residents who called it home. There...were no survivors."

"...I see." So. I failed.

"Your mission overall will be logged as a success, with a flag for Provincetown in light of unexpected phenomena-"

Mana clenched her fist, smashing into the fabric of her cot. "Don't p-patronize me!"

Dr. Maruki's face went solemn. "Perish the thought. The Reaper is one of those cognitive phenomenon we have no practical way of predicting. That it ambushed you is not your fault-"

"But I chose to fight it! I could have retreated! I could have run!"

"So why didn't you?" he calmly asked.

"I...I just..." Snarling, Mana tried to quell the emotional tempest within her heart. "...I have to get stronger...I have to..."

"...well, you're not going to get anywhere setting Shinji Ikari as your baseline." She looked over at him, eyes wide. Whether hers were wide with shock, disbelief, or anger...well, she wasn't quite sure. "Those who have the power of Evangelion...are in a league of their own. Whether it's by nature or some factor we've yet to fully ascertain...the power ceiling for Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, and Asuka Langley-Sohryu is greater than that of any Persona-user or A.T. Field adept in the world. Using Ikari-kun as your point of reference...is an exercise in frustration."

She wanted to dispute that. She knew not to, because it was true.

"Still, I highly doubt you'll be discarded or cast aside because of one unfortunate event," he added with a smile. "From what little I know about Major Katsuragi, I don't think she's that kind of person."

Mana wished she had that sort of confidence.

("Ours is a world that cares little for failure," remarked Shiro Tokita, watching quietly as she absorbed the cognitive mass of unwitting Archetypes into her axe. "Do not give anyone an excuse to think of you as such, and you will be able to endure any trial.")

Dr. Maruki threw on a light smile, rising from his chair. "Well, I'm sure you must be hungry. Do you have any preferences? I think the cafeteria's making chicken and waffles tonight..."

"...don't think I've had that before," she somberly admitted.

"Well then, you're in for quite a treat!"

(As it turned out, Takuto Maruki was right.)

(A stomach full of fried meat and dough at least made her internal bitterness easier to deal with.)

xxxx

Shinji Ikari had never heard so many stories about his mother before (especially about her childhood, which he could honestly say was a first), and Futaba Maruki spoke of them with undeniable fondness: memories of an introverted Futaba being pulled to the outdoors by a far more boisterous Yui; tales of childish hunts for ghosts (in the pre-Second Impact sense); stories of how they ended up following in the steps of their parents in terms of academic disciplines.

The latter came with an unexpected surprise. "Wait...so Ritsuko Akagi is actually Naoko Akagi's daughter?"

"Like, duh," said Futaba with a smirk, flipping to another photo: this one showed a teenage Yui with her arms around a preadolescent Futaba and a burgundy-haired girl (likely within her final years of childhood). "I saw Naoko and Kōzō so much growing up that I called em' Auntie Akagi and Uncle 'Yutski. If nothing else, it was kinda fun to treat Ritsuko as the 'little sis' after being on the receiving end from Yui, you know?"

"...I guess?" All the while, he couldn't help but revisit a particular thought from weeks ago.

(As Fuyutsuki-sensei showed him an old photo of Katsuhito Ikari and the Terrible Trio, he couldn't help but wonder about the similarity of names between Naoko Akagi and the Dr. Ritsuko Akagi he knew. But no...surely his life wasn't that coincidental.)

Apparently it is, he wryly thought. "...it's..."

"It's...?" Futaba trailed on.

"...it's...more than I thought I'd hear, to be honest."

"Why? You look like a guy who found a collector's edition comic that's slipped out of his fingers for years."

"...do..." He wondered just how much the woman knew about him. "Do you know much about my past?"

The woman huffed, face scrunching up with concentration. "Haven't had much chance to look it up, since most of my prior Evangelion experience has been with the First and Second Children. Plus, the First Branch is a bit more general in terms of its research compared to the other branches...but I can fix that!" Before he could say anything else, the woman pulled out her tablet, tapping rapidly on the screen. "Okay, going through the NERV intranet, pulling up the classified profiles...ugh, redacted stuff, boring," she grumbled, tapping more rapidly with one hand. "Okay, and..." Her voice went quiet. "...oh." Her eyes went wide. "Oh." She visibly winced. "Oh..." She slowly looked towards him.

"...yes?"

"...gotta say, Commander Ikari's a dick."

Shinji grimaced. "...well..."

xxxx

The Beast sneered with a vicious grin. "Such a term is far too light for one like him."

xxxx

"...that's one way of putting it..."

"He just dumped you off with a custodian for however many years?! I honestly thought the story about how you were 'discovered' by Marduk at the beginning of June was just a cover story for the public. I didn't think there was any truth to it!"

"...so, what-"

"-did I think?" interrupted Futaba, guessing where he was going. "I thought you were raised in a secret lab underneath Tokyo-3, being augmented with cutting edge technology and psience of questionable legality and dubious ethics!"

"...sorry that I wasn't," he muttered. (That would mean my father thought me valuable enough to keep around...)

"Don't worry, it ain't something to be sad about," reassured Futaba. "It honestly makes your performance as an Evangelion-user even more incredible, to know that you actually don't have years of hidden experience. No prior exposure to NERV, or to any of the staff! It...it's kind of inexplicable. I'd even say impossible, if you weren't actually sitting in front of me."

He sighed, nervously running a hand to the back of his head. "I...I wish I knew just how I got this power..."

"You and a whole lot of other people," griped Futaba. "Were it not for Rei Ayanami, I would've suspected that a familial relationship with the staff of GEHIRN and/or NERV was a defining factor, which naturally leads to all sorts of conspiracies...you look like you've got a question."

As a matter of fact, he did. "What was that about Ayanami-san?"

"Ooh, you don't know about where she came from? I would've figured it would be common knowledge as far as NERV HQ goes."

"...she's a very private person."

"True, but if you listen to scuttlebutt around NERV HQ - or any other branch, for that matter - I'm sure it would have come up by now. Heck, there was a time where I ran a betting pool in the cafeteria here about who could come up with the most inventive origin story for the First Child."

...that sounds...odd. Keeping his composure (relatively speaking), he said, "I don't understand...?" Futaba - who had been tapping on her tablet in the meantime - flipped her device around, showing a scanned photograph of an old newspaper from 2003 Japan. Leaning in, he read the headline aloud. "Mystery Girl: Metaverse Exploration team from GEHIRN find lost child..." Shinji blinked, trying to tie everything together in his mind. "She...was found in the Metaverse...?"

"Yup. Just this tiny little toddler, with apparently no memory of how she got into the cognitive world, which is kind of understandable for toddlers. But whatever she went through in that place...well, who knows? But whatever it did to change her, it was enough to serve as the basis for Project E itself."

xxxx

Needless to say, even a late dinner in the First Branch's cafeteria - where he had had his first ever helping of chicken and waffles (official verdict: the fried skin had been seasoned well, and the waffle had been nicely crispy, but the syrup on the waffle had been just a little too sweet for his liking) - had been unable to shake Shinji from his introspective mood. Ayanami...was found in the Metaverse as a child...? It went a ways towards explaining the girl's rather aloof nature...but how did it tie into her reasons for fighting?

'Redemption'...for what? 'Atonement'...for what? 'Absolution'...for what? 'Freedom'...from what?

From the Metaverse? Or something else entirely?

"You've been awful quiet," remarked Futaba Maruki, sitting on the chair across from him. "Was Ayanami's backstory really that surprising?"

"...yes."

"It still blows my mind that you haven't heard any of that by now." To emphasize this, she held up one hand, expanding it out and mouthing a 'PWAH' sound.

"Well...I do live at the Hakone Academy dorms, so I'm not really at NERV HQ that much..."

Futaba stuck out her tongue with disgust. "Bleh. Dorms. Can't believe you'd stick with those death traps of social anxiety."

Shinji blinked, because that had come out of nowhere. "It's not that bad..."

"Eh, Japanese kids are more homogenous from a societal standpoint. Of course you're somewhat fine with it."

A familiar voice interrupted her griping. "You do realize, honey, that you're also Japanese?" said Director Takuto Maruki, walking towards their table. Mana Kirishima - LABRYS and AIGIS affixed to her back - followed quietly behind him.

"Which makes me a Subject Matter Expert!" instantly retorted Futaba, jabbing her finger in his general direction.

Dr. Maruki chuckled, calmly pushing his wife's hand away. "And your dorm experience in university isn't what you would call...well, universal."

"Meh, I guess it's no big deal. Dorm life would be easy mode for me, now."

"Well, in terms of your behavior, you haven't really changed that much since then..." wryly joked the Director.

NERV-01's chief psientist snorted. "That's because my awkwardness is now charming instead of off-putting."

Takuto smiled fondly, leaning over to kiss Futaba atop the crown of her head. "Well...I can't deny that."

Ignoring the two (and their flirting, if that's what Shinji suspected it to be), Shinji leaned to the side, looking over in Kirishima's direction. "Um...Kirishima-san...how are you doing...?"

"...been better," she admitted. "...thanks for the save."

"Oh. Um...no problem. I mean...you'd do the same for me..." Right? Right.

For some reason, those words elicited a tired snort from the child soldier. "Like you'd ever been in that situation...but yeah. Sure." Rubbing her neck with a free arm, she asked, "can we go ahead and head back now?"

"Ah. Of course." Looking over towards his erstwhile superiors, he asked, "are we dismissed?"

Director Maruki nodded. "Certainly! You've both done a fine job, as far as I'm concerned...though I would recommend making landfall back at Misato Katsuragi's apartment. After all, my phone's been getting blown up for the past few hours now, asking about when you two will get back..."

...ah. That sounded foreboding. "I guess we should get going..." He bowed towards the husband and wife. "Thank you for requesting me."

"Hopefully, the circumstances for next meeting will be more pleasant," remarked the director.

"Oh, and Shinji?" Futaba held up her hand, winking at him. "Next time you see your homeroom teacher, tell him that I said 'yo, old man, how you been?'!"

"...okay." Rather informal, but she had apparently called Fuyutsuki-sensei her uncle while growing up. Somehow, he felt like the man would appreciate it. "Thank you for the stories, Futaba-san." He bowed once more - deeper - before placing a hand on Kirishima's shoulder. "Ready?"

"Go for it," she said.

With that affirmation, he quietly focused (noting, deep down, how muted Kirishima-san was...and how much more prominent her weapons seemed by comparison to his other senses...) before everything faded away...

xxxx

...and as the clock struck 10:00 AM in Japan on Sunday morning, Shinji Ikari and Mana Kirishima phased into the living room of Misato Katsuragi's apartment.

Speaking of which, Misato had her back to them, talking on her cell phone. "Look, Niijima-san, I understand that you're upset, but calling me again isn't going to make them get back from America any-" Pacing, she turned around, and immediately saw them. "-fasterWHOA GEEZ!" Out of sheer shock, the woman vaulted backwards, falling over the back of her couch with a loud thud. "...I'mma call you back," she painfully grumbled.

Shinji winced.

Rising up from behind the couch, Misato looked intensely at them both. "...so," she said after an uncomfortably long moment of silence. The woman looked over them both, apparently displeased judging by her expression. "America, huh?"

Shinji bowed. "...sorry, Misato-san. I didn't think-"

"Yeah, you didn't," she interrupted. "I know that kids with superpowers have a lot more latitude in this world from a legal perspective, but going across the PACIFIC should at least warrant a heads-up! Especially when you end up being gone for more than a whole day!"

She's mad. Not like he needed any further confirmation. Glancing over towards Mana (whose bodysuit looked roughed up), he wondered how he looked by comparison. Despite his relative lack of physical damage, he wondered if there was any lingering tiredness and stress on his face.

"...in the future, if you end up going to a foreign country as part of a mission, would you mind telling me your destination before asking to bring Mana-chan along?"

"Yes, Misato-san."

"Now..." Misato turned towards her current ward, walking around the furniture to stand in front of her. With arms crossed, Misato looked down at Mana, seemingly not intimidated by the giant axe and shield held in her hands. "...so. You ran into a Reaper, I hear."

"...sorry I failed my mission," she muttered. "I'll accept whatever-"

"Forget about the mission," she interrupted, halting the girl in her tracks. "You ran into a Reaper."

"...but I-"

"Look...Mana-chan. I'm going to hug you, okay?"

The words were enough to halt Mana, just long enough for Misato to wrap her arms around the girl: not too quick, so as to trigger a fight-or-flight response; not around the neck, but the shoulders; not tightly, but loose enough for the girl to break away with little effort.

Mana's eyes still went wide, her hands impulsively tightening around the grips of her axe and shield.

Misato quickly said, "you survived to make it back. At the end of the day...that's all I care about for now. Okay?"

Mana swallowed, unsure what to say. Shinji wanted to look away, but the expression on her face was just so raw that it was hard to fathom not witnessing it. Finally, the girl said, "can...can you...let me go...?"

"Sure thing, kiddo." Misato let go, slowly stepping back; a small smile was on her face. "...you look like you could use some more sleep. Why don't you take a nap?" Mana wordlessly nodded, before holding AIGIS and LABRYS forward, as though offering them; Misato dismissed with a simple wave of the hand. "Keep em'. You're not going anywhere, are ya?" Mana shook her head, eliciting a grin from the woman. "Good! Sleep well."

Mana quietly nodded, looking at Misato with an expression approaching utter bewilderment. Turning away - not even looking at him the entire time - she walked down the hall towards her room, not even sliding the door shut behind her as she did. Kirishima-san...

"...well. That happened." Misato sighed, taking off her beret and scratching irritably at the short spot on the back of her head. "...you look beat too, Shinji-kun. Why don't you lay on the couch for a bit?"

"...um...I've, kind of slept already...?"

"Well, it doesn't look like it did you much good. Consider it an order to take a nap from yours truly."

"...okay," he relented, not willing to dispute her. Looking at the cushions, he slowly lowered himself onto the couch (hey, these are kind of comfy) and closed his eyes.

xxxx

Misato waited until she heard soft snores coming from the boy. Less than five minutes, she thought with a frown. What a mess.

To be blunt, the two kids looked like shit. Mana's bodysuit would need to be mended. Here's hoping her weapons are as good at rejuvenating her as Ritsuko said they are, she thought, inwardly betraying her true reason (...well, it was a true reason; singular; one of many) for letting the girl retain AIGIS and LABRYS. But Shinji-kun just looked utterly exhausted, with a sense of undeniable tiredness in his eyes that didn't necessarily translate to conventional physical fatigue. Honestly wouldn't have minded them staying longer in America in their condition. The hell of it was, she didn't know if that was her objective assessment as an A.T. Agent, or if her judgment was colored by her fondness for the two. Damn it. Lightly treading down the hallway, she poked her head around the corner, gazing into Mana's Lovely Suite. Sure enough, the girl was sitting against the wall (facing the only entrance into the room, thinking tactically), knees curled into her chest, hands still holding onto the axe and shield as though they were dolls. Ugh...you kids are going to be the death of me.

Still, they had completed their missions (for the most part; interruption-due-to-Reaper didn't count!). That required...some measure of commemoration. But what?

Inspiration struck like a thunderbolt. Quietly walking towards the front door, she stepped out onto the balcony - taking a deep whiff of the Sunday morning air - before quickly dialing a familiar number. "Hey, Ritsky. Shinji-kun and Mana-chan just got back from the missions. Do you mind giving me Kensuke Aida's contact number?" This is going to turn out great.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari slept, dreamless.

xxxx

His Other looked down at him with crossed arms.

"What is the extent of your memory?"

He looked away, gazing beyond a false horizon.

"The longer you fight...the stronger your bonds become...the more the layers will peel away..."

He turned towards him, even as the Beast snarled from within an endless abyss.

"Such is the mystery of the A.T. Field..."

Along an unknown shore, a butterfly colored a velvety blue hovered. A girlish giggle sounded out.

"...but that will come, in due course."

xxxx

Then, he heard voices.

"So, you sure you ordered enough...?" A voice slightly cracking from puberty; still boyish. Aida-san...?

"Of course I did!" A feminine voice with vibrant buoyancy, weighed down by hidden burdens. Misato-san...

"At least sensei's helping to contribute to the meal!" A deeper voice than Kensuke's, gruff yet still youthful as only adolescents could be. Suzuhara-san?

"Eh, it's only fair after I pretty much tagged along." A voice of an older man, casually manly with self-assured confidence. Huh...?

"You're lucky you brought a housewarming gift of saké with you," griped Misato.

The man chuckled, jokingly saying, "what, is being handsome not enough?" Who is that?

"It would, if you actually were."

"Hoo man, you've definitely got more teeth than Niijima-chan!"

"...should I have brought one?" A voice that was calm and composed, laced with certain nervous anxiety. "A gift, I mean?" Horaki-san?

"Nah, you're fine," answered Misato.

"Hmm...I believe your other guest is finally waking up." A cool and polite voice, bearing a strange hint of mystery. Nagisa-kun? That was enough to finally prompt Shinji to sit up, looking over the back of the couch towards the kitchen.

Sitting around the table in Misato's kitchen were none other than Misato Katsuragi (critically looking at a bottle of Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai), Kensuke Aida, Toji Suzuhara, Kaworu Nagisa, Hikari Horaki, and a middle-aged man he had never met before. "Uh..."

"Ah, the sleepyhead awakens!" exclaimed Misato. "So, I can see the question in your eyes, so quick recap! Knowing that you were going to be down for the count for a bit, I thought to myself 'now, if I were recovering from a tiring mission, what would I like to wake up to?' And my answer was, of course, a party! And a party requires people. So I asked Ritsky to give me Aida's contact info."

Kensuke nodded. "So she calls me, and asks if I would be willing to contact any acquaintances-slash-friends-slash peers. Since this would be an excuse for me to get out of another Sunday of slavery-"

"I'll make sure to tell Ritsky you said that."

Kensuke seamlessly countered Misato's barb with, "oh trust me, she knows my opinions. Anyway, I reached out to Toji, who had just gotten back from camping out overnight in the Metaverse, which was totally a foul move on his part-"

"Hey, it's not like I knew what my first bit of training with sensei would involve!" protested Toji.

"-but he was totally up for coming along. His sensei just decided to come along of his own volition. But he's cool, so that's fine."

Misato snorted, while the man interjected with, "hey, it's my thing. Anyhow, name's Ryuji Sakamoto. We met very briefly in the Metaverse during that whole mess with Tokita and his bunch."

Shinji couldn't quite place the man (his voice sounded a bit familiar, though...), but he quietly nodded anyway. After all, if they had met, then they had met.

Kensuke continued. "Anyhow, I also called Kaworu Nagisa, because I was sure he'd be tired of boxing practice by now-"

"Which was most certainly not the case," calmly said Nagisa with his cherubic smile. "However, a gathering like this seemed too delightful to skip out on."

"-and then I thought 'you know Aida, you've seen some of those reports involving the girl with the kickass shield and axe that Dr. Akagi's been studying, and isn't she rooming with Major Katsuragi now?' There needed to be some balancing of the sexes! So I called the Class Rep and asked if she'd be willing to come along."

Toji huffed. "Can't believe you'd do that to me," he grumbled.

The girl in question looked briefly in Suzuhara's direction (oh right, she has a thing for him, this is a bit awkward now) before saying, "well, I was a little curious...and from what little Aida-san and Katsuragi-san have told me about Mana Kirishima, I felt compelled to at least say hello."

"So that's it! A welcome home party for the conquering ghostbusters!" Misato shot Shinji a big, toothy grin. "You're welcome. I'll take cash, check, or credit card."

Shinji blinked dumbly (she gathered everyone here for me and Kirishima-san?). "Uh...can I transfer money from my NERV account...?"

The brief look of perplexed horror on Misato's face (and the flash of amusement on Sakamoto's) was interrupted by a groan from Toji. "It's a joke, Ikari. She ain't actually wanting you to pay!"

"Oh..." he said with a flush of embarrassment.

As Toji proceeded to relate his first outing under the tutelage of 'Sakamoto-sensei' (to the exaggerated disgruntlement of Aida-san and the unmistakable fascination of Horaki-san), it didn't take long before someone knocked on the front door. "That must be our early dinner!" exclaimed Misato.

"I can grab it," said Sakamoto, rising from his chair. "Were they already paid?"

"When I ordered, yes."

The older man trundled around the corner and out of sight; moments later, the sound of an opening door could be heard. "Yo, you've got a lot of bags there...you okay? Ya look like you've seen a ghost. Like, an old-fashioned one." Shinji couldn't quite hear the delivery person's response, but Sakamoto's voice was just naturally loud. "Nah nah, it's all good! Working on a Sunday probably sucks...here, take an extra tip. Nah, don't be polite like one of those old-fashioned geezers, just take it!" There was a quiet response, followed by a noise of gratitude from Sakamoto before the door closed. Plastic crinkled as the man walked back into the kitchen, arms filled with bags of take-out food. "Hey, Suzuhara-kun."

"Yes, sensei?"

"Does my face look scary or somethin'?"

"...no, not really," Toji answered with a bewildered blink. "Why?"

"I think I frightened the delivery boy, because he went real pale just looking at me."

"...well, you kinda look like a thug in your Metaverse outfit, but you just seem like a chill old dude to me," remarked the jock as he began searching for his order.

Ryuji Sakamoto shrugged. "Eh, guess it can't be helped."

"Hurry up with the food," griped Misato, passing out the disposable chopsticks. "We've got hungry teenagers here!"

"Yeah yeah, keep your shirt on!" huffed Sakamoto.

...well, at least they seem to be getting along, thought Shinji, recognizing a similar sort of banter between Misato-san and Sakamoto-san as he had witnessed numerous times between Kensuke and Toji. Now, did he want to try the tonkotsu ramen or the miso ramen...?

xxxx

Meanwhile, leaning against the wall of the apartment complex's stairwell, a certain Hakone Academy high-schooler was rueing his utterly rotten luck.

Ren Amamiya forced himself to breathe, because being confronted with the face of Ryuji Sakamoto (even if he was older, he still bore the mark of my best friend, the bond of the Chariot Arcana, and it wanted to connect with me, and turning away from that HURT) had not been on his itinerary today. Damn it damn it damn it, he bitterly thought.

He had already gotten used to having to deal with Sadayo Kawakami, Kasumi Yoshizawa, and Sumire Yoshizawa (because of course the twins would be practically inseparable, even in a new life!) as teachers at the Academy's High School Branch. He had already made sure to avoid going to the Big Bang Beef Bowl Shop if at all possible (because that first visit had been more than enough, seeing Haru's kind face and not seeing recognition in return was a unique agony). He had already consigned himself to occasionally seeing the faces of Yusuke Kitagawa on television or in the news (as a famous artist, how appropriate!); likewise the faces of Ann Takamaki or Hifumi Togo on Featherman merchandise. (Goro Akechi did and didn't count, because that guy was also 'in the know' and was always busy with other things, but the mere fact Akechi was there — that he remembered, that their 'past lives' hadn't been imagined — helped more than the boy would ever know.)

And here he had been, working a Sunday shift doing deliveries for Neo Hakagure, trying to distract himself from yesterday's news of Governor Toranosuke Yoshida's death due to stroke (I never even met Old Man Tora in person in this life, but it still HURTS), and BAM: a surprise Ryuji out of nowhere!

"For real...?" he muttered to himself, finally managing to get his emotions under some level of control. "Just my luck." How the hell have Narukami and Arisato dealt with this for so long? As Amamiya finally resumed walking down the concrete stairs, his respect for his proverbial 'Wild Card senpai' grew.

That respect was matched only by his pity, for having to endure this torture for so long.

xxxx

Mana Kirishima had awoken to the sound of voices: largely unfamiliar (potential threats, potential enemies), but the casual chatter from her guardian (Misato didn't sound worried, although she sounded annoyed by someone) was enough to lower her hackles. Just a bit. Who are all of the others, though?

Before long, however, familiar footsteps sounded outside her room, followed by a soft knock on the post. "Hey, Mana-chan. We've got food here; are you hungry?"

Honestly, she was. "...yeah."

"Good! Then come on out!" she said through the thin sliding door. "I think you'll enjoy the company."

Debatable. Still, there was really no reason to doubt the woman...so why was she hesitant? Her hands twitched, desiring the cool and reassuring feel of AIGIS and LABRYS; looking over her shoulder, she stared intently at the shield and axe, leaning against the bare wall of her bedroom.

xxxx

Her Little Sis was smiling sweetly. "We're fine. We'll be waiting here for you."

Her Big Sis was making impatient gestures. "Go on, it won't kill ya!"

xxxx

Feeling a strange sense of anxious reassurance, Mana - wearing Featherman-themed sweatpants and shirt - slid the door open, gazing towards the living room; just around the corner would be the kitchen. Sighing inwardly, she quietly (slowly, cautiously) walked out, looking to her left as she cleared the hallway into the living room.

Misato was at the middle of the table, which had a bunch of extra chairs gathered around to seat all of the extra guests. Three were kids of similar age (a boy with glasses, a dark-haired boy, and a girl with pigtails: neither were a threat, although the two boys had an odd presence to them; Persona-users, maybe?), sitting across from Misato; at the foot of the table (farthest from the house exit) was a middle-aged man with dark hair (definitely a Persona-user...but he's not guarded at all. Not antagonistic); to Misato's left was none other than Shinji Ikari (self-explanatory), but to his left, at the head of the table, was a boy with pale, silvery hair and red eyes (I...can't feel anything from him...what the hell?). Before she could process this oddity any further, her guardian gestured toward the lone open chair, to Misato's right. "Take a seat by me, Mana-chan!"

She obediently did so (even as she inwardly wondered why she was sandwiched between Misato her left and the older man to her right; a lack of trust? Or maybe she was meant to be a meat shield against the guy?), sitting down and looking at the bowls which had been spread about the table. The ramen smelled...excellent.

"Now that she's here, can we eat now?" asked the dark-haired boy with a fit of impatience. (Wait, his voice sounds familiar.)

"Don't be rude, Suzuhara-san," admonished the girl with pigtails.

Misato clapped her hands together, drawing all attention. "Let's just get started. Itadakimasu!"

By instinct, Mana followed along, clapping her own hands together. "Itadakimasu," she whispered, quieter than the others.

(Big Sis gathered her and her brothers by the fire, where Little Sis was finishing up the pot of stew. "Now listen here kids, just cause' we're poor doesn't mean we gotta have bad manners. I'm gonna teach ya the proper way to do things!")

Little things like that served as yet another reminder of what she had lost, and what she hoped to one day regain; for the time being, she settled for grabbing her chopsticks and digging into the ramen (which was so, so very good; it almost chased away her lingering fatigue all by itself).

As chatter slowly began to break out, the girl with pigtails bravely ventured forth. "So...I don't believe we've been introduced? My name is Hikari Horaki. I go to school with Suzuhara-san, Aida-san, Ikari-san, and Nagisa-san."

"...Mana Kirishima," she cautiously admitted.

"Do you go to a different school in the area?"

"...no."

Kensuke Aida, quickly swallowing a whole mouthful of noodles, quickly interjected. "Eh, Class Rep...her situation is a bit different from us." (His voice sounds familiar too...)

That's when it finally clicked. "You two...I remember now." She pointed directly at the dark-haired boy. "You were the one whose Shadow went berserk last week...Toji Suzuhara." She then pointed directly at the boy with glasses. "And you were with Ikari when he provided backup. And I've seen you with Dr. Akagi a bunch at NERV. Kensuke Aida, right?"

Suzuhara's attitude soured somewhat. "...yeah? What of it?"

"Nothing. Just making the connection, is all."

The boy huffed, glancing towards his left at the pigtailed girl. "...I'd rather not talk about it here."

"Um...if it's about you being a Persona-user, I already know," hesitantly admitted Horaki. "Was updating records for the Student Council, and I found out that way. So...there's no need to hold back on my account, Suzuhara-san."

Strangely, this only served to irritate the boy for some reason. "Ah great..."

Operational security may be a concern, Mana belatedly thought, glancing towards the oddly pale boy at the head of the table. "And you?"

"Kaworu Nagisa. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Mana-chan," he answered with an angelic grin. "Being the roommates of Shinji-kun, Toji-kun, and Kensuke-kun, I'm well aware of their unusual extracurricular activity." To punctuate this, he took another polite sip of his ramen.

"...kind of forward, ain't ya?" said the black-haired man with a critical eye.

"That's just how Nagisa-kun is," said Ikari, coming to Nagisa's defense.

The man to Mana's right huffed in acquiescence before glancing in her direction. "Yo. Name's Ryuji Sakamoto. I'm Suzuhara-kun's new 'Persona sensei' of sorts."

"I see," she diplomatically said. (How strong was he? She couldn't help but wonder.)

"Well, I think all of these introductions are just fantastic," said Misato with a jaunty smile. Cracking open a can of Yebisu, she took a measured sip of the beer before adding, "which brings me to a particular topic of importance...namely, the new moon which is happening in four days."

xxxx

Shinji - unable to really get a good look at Kirishima's expression, what with Misato sitting between them - blinked at the sudden change in conversation. "Huh?"

"I know it's almost been a month since you last fought an Angel. June 16th was a very eventful day for quite a few of us," she said, looking pointed at Toji and Kensuke.

Toji huffed, looking somewhat tired. "Yeah. Nearly getting killed by an Acolyte. Yay..." (Shinji couldn't help but wince at how Horaki mouthed, "wait, that's what happened...?")

Kensuke exhaled, somewhat more lively. "First big fight of my Metaverse career. So to speak..."

"So with that in mind, I just want to give certain people an overall itinerary leading up to Thursday...Shinji-kun, Mana-chan?" Misato looked at him, then at Kirishima. "You're on mission probation till' then. You two have looked really wiped since getting back, so I want you to focus on recovery above all else."

"Understood," dutifully answered her ward.

"...yes ma'am," answered Shinji with a tentative nod. (Yes yes thank you...)

"Aida-kun, since you're with NERV, I'll have command over you during any joint Metaverse ops. So, with that being said, I'll be grouping you with Mana-chan for Metaverse overwatch on Thursday."

Kensuke blinked. "Wait, me?"

"Well, you have a Persona, right?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"And you've been training with Ayanami-san, right?"

"Well, in some of my off hours when she's in town, but-"

"Then good! I'll arrange a brief training session with Mana-chan for Wednesday afternoon."

Kensuke Aida looked like he wanted to protest, but he finally relented. "Well, I guess it is part of the job..."

Misato glanced towards Ryuji Sakamoto. "I don't exactly have much leeway in commanding Toji Suzuhara...but would you be interested in loaning Suzuhara-kun to overwatch with Aida-kun and Mana-chan? I'll even delegate you as their temporary team leader for the duration of the new moon."

Ryuji Sakamoto chuckled, a shrewd look in his eyes. "Going a little far for a Cognitive Freelancer, ain't ya?"

Misato rolled her eyes. "Oh please, like I'd let the opportunity to command one of my Task Force senpai slip through my fingers."

The older man scoffed, a knowing look in his eyes. "Fair enough. All right then, I suppose I can keep an eye on the tykes for you. You're probably gonna be busy doing other stuff, I take it."

"That's the thing with the new moon: things tend to go screwy in the worst way." She finished the last of her can of beer, looking over at Hikari Horaki and Kaworu Nagisa. "You two...well, you're civilians, so keep your head down and out of trouble on Thursday, m'kay?"

Horaki wordlessly nodded. Nagisa, with his usual beatific expression, answered, "I'm an expert at keeping out of trouble, Misato-chan."

Misato impulsively twitched. "I don't recall giving you permission to use my name so openly."

The red-eyed boy nodded, contritely. "Ah, my apologies. You just seemed so concerned with our welfare that I was rather touched."

"...and that gave you license because...?"

Kensuke Aida sighed, drawing attention towards him. "It's his thing. Our teachers have kind of gotten used to it," groused the boy. "I'm halfway convinced he's doing it to annoy people..."

"...why halfway?" inquired Sakamoto.

"Because he's so damned earnest all the freakin' time!" replied Toji, looking pointedly at Nagisa. "Seriously, I don't know how Tomochika was unable to get it into your skull, but people are weirded out by how casual you are with everyone."

"Haven't we had this conversation before...?" Shinji wondered aloud. This felt familiar.

Toji blustered on through. "Bottom line, It's...impolite!"

"And Toji's an expert on being impolite," cracked Kensuke.

"Ken."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Sakamoto impulsively snorted at the banter. "Personally, I think it's a great thing you've got a bud who'll call you out. Men need that sort of friend in their life!" Glancing at Nagisa, he then added, "but yeah, gotta agree with Suzuhara-kun; if I heard any teenager call me 'Ryuji-kun', that would just be...weird."

Nagisa blinked owlishly. "Why would that be weird?"

Toji threw his hands up in the air. Horaki sighed, laughing nervously to draw the adults' attention. "The same girl has been the Class Representative for Kaworu Nagisa's class since he entered Hakone Academy as a first year; you caused so many complaints with how you only used given names."

"Odd; they've never complained to me."

"...you were pulled into the teachers' office at least seven times last year because of all the complaints. They only stopped because you never did anything untoward and have always been the picture of civility and academic excellence otherwise," admonished Horaki. "I was honestly concerned that you were going to drive Kiryu-chan to insanity last year, until she finally achieved a state of acceptance."

Nagisa softly beamed. "I'm very glad that my Class Representative came to peace then."

"...I think she was making the point that you drove her to exhaustion and she just gave up," remarked Kensuke with a tired expression. Judging by Horaki's nervous grimace, he was right on the mark.

Nagisa's expression turned to one of neutral curiosity. "Hmm...I never got that impression."

The two adults had been staring at the back-and-forth with increasingly bewildered expressions, until finally Misato leaned back with a strangely flabbergasted smile. "Well...I guess there's all types of people in the world?"

"Wark," came an affirmative quack.

"...what's that sound?" asked Horaki.

"Eh, that's just Pen-Pen coming out of his fridge," answered Misato, looking over her chair. Situated in the corner of the dining room was a standing refrigeration unit (wait, is it custom made...? Is that a door installed into the bottom corner?), out of which had emerged the penguin in question. Given the avian's height, only Sakamoto, Kirishima, Misato, and himself could see him from the table.

"...Pen-Pen?" mouthed Toji.

"My pet penguin," lightheartedly answered Misato, reaching for a styrofoam container on the table that had been untouched as of this point. "Enjoy your nap, buddy?"

"Wark!"

"Don't worry, I've got your seafood ramen right here," she said, handing the container over the penguin. "Enjoy!"

"Wark," contentedly squawked the penguin as he waddled back to his 'room', clicking a button on the side of the door with his beak; it slid open, allowing him to move back inside its confines.

"...you have a pet penguin, Katsuragi-san?" asked Horaki with wide eyes.

"Yep!"

Kensuke seemed to look...irritated. "I've been working for NERV for nearly a month now. Why am I only now finding out that you have a pet penguin?!"

"Guess he never came up in conversation," Misato answered with a shrug.

"How does a pet penguin not come up in conversation more often!?"

"I've had him for years by now, so he's not really a big deal." To punctuate her nonchalance, Misato popped open another can of Yebisu.

"Man, and I'd thought I'd seen everything," said Sakamoto with a bewildered - yet strangely hesitant? - look on his face.

xxxx

Overall, Misato Katsuragi thought that the day had gone relatively well.

After their late lunch had wound down (which included such riveting topics as goings-on at school, teenage antics, and random tales — mostly sanitized for the civvies — of past Metaverse missions from both herself and Sakamoto), the gaggle of kids (seriously, this is so weird for me; am I turning into a mother hen?) had gathered into the living room around the television. Mostly because of Mana-chan wanting to watch a rerun from Season 2 of Bishoujo Senshi Featherman Z, which had attracted Aida's interest ("Bit of an older show, but the second season was when they really began experimenting with genre tropes...or so I've heard," quasi-sagely said the bespectacled boy), and that alone pretty much guaranteed the others were going to gather around the television. (Horaki had wanted to get to know the only other girl; Shinji-kun was honestly interested, while Nagisa simply tagged along like a detached bystander. Suzuhara had been the most reluctant, but had eventually acquiesced after Aida had said he could make fun of whatever's on the screen. "Riffing inconsistencies in a show is a time-honored tradition!" assured the lone NERV intern.)

As such, this left only Ryuji Sakamoto to accompany her to the apartment balcony. "So...you came out of retirement to be a mentor for Suzuhara-kun, huh?" She pointedly asked the older man, popping open one last can of Yebisu (lots of people over, the mood's festive...three's okay for today. But no more).

The black-haired man scoffed, leaning his arms onto the balcony rail. The sun was nearing the horizon now, painting the sky in warm, beautiful colors. (Sometimes wish it didn't look so bloody.) "Is that what they still say about me?"

"It's the general impression that most A.T. Agents have of those who decide to become Freelancers."

"And you?"

Misato took a hearty swig of her beer, loosing a satisfied belch (no need to keep up pretenses in front of another vet) into the air. "I think you had your reasons. Not exactly in a position to judge an old-timer like you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he said with a weary grin. "...you've got quite the mess on your hands."

"How do you mean?"

"Just because I'm a Freelancer now doesn't mean I've lost all of my connections. Wanted to get the lay of the land, and I had time to burn while Suzuhara-kun was in school. That, and I've had quite a few chances to pick at the brains of the Niijima sisters...the elder, especially." Sakamoto sighed, sounding very much like a man in his forties who had been around the proverbial block more than once. "The Evangelion-users...the increasing Acolyte and Ghost incidents...that whole mess with Shiro Tokita and what he did to that girl; a girl that you've basically adopted, by the way."

Misato felt her ears burn (while her stomach did odd twists and turns). "If you're implying something about me, just say it."

"Hey, ease off, I don't mean nothing by it; but if being a mentor for your Task Force kouhai is like being a older sibling or a teacher, what you're doing is being an actual parent. If you ever felt shitty for screwing up with your subordinates...I can only imagine what it would be like with the Kirishima girl."

"Speaking from experience?" she replied, with just a bit more spite than was appropriate (but oh so definitely intended).

Sakamoto shrugged. "Never got the chance. Both of my wives ended up dying before we ever got the chance to start a family."

And now I'm the city's biggest heel. Great. "...sorry. I was out of line."

Fortunately, Sakamoto was rather magnanimous this evening. "It's all water under the bridge; I guess I probably come across as a total stranger, offering advice where it wasn't asked for." He briefly grinned. "That can be annoying, I get it...I just want to make sure it's taken seriously, is all. What with this Strega group making the waves now, after Atlanta...the good guys need all the power we can get."

It was the unpleasant and gritty reality of their world, alas. "Fair enough."

"Though, I can sweeten the pot a little."

"Oh?"

"Well...given that you're the local Task Force liaison to NERV, I'd be happy with any new information you come across regarding Strega. Call it a...personal interest of mine."

"And in return?"

"I'd be willing to help out more than just Suzuhara-kun when it comes to Metaverse stuff. Aida, Kirishima, even your little stable of Evangelion-users."

"...that's quite the offer," she admitted, inwardly doing cartwheels over the idea of Sakamoto spreading the proverbial wealth. "I'll keep my eyes and ears open. Any reason why?"

"Commissioner Morooka told me about something that I found very interesting, and I'll leave it at that."

"...fair enough." No need to push the topic any further. "...life sure is crazy..." she muttered, sipping at her beer.

"That's putting it mildly...which brings me to another question." Sakamoto turned away from the sky, leaning back against the rail. "That penguin of yours; where'd he come from?"

"Oh, Pen-Pen?" Boy, now there was a strange story. "He was actually a gift from my former fiancé, about...seven years ago, now? It was in 2008." Damn, feels like a lifetime ago. "He said that he had been investigating a genetics research facility as part of his job, and the animal test subjects were gonna be euthanized after the end of their current round of experiments."

"Sounds like some shady sci-fi shit."

"You're telling me! From what I remember, they were trying to see if real animals could be sufficiently modified to exhibit cognitive powers within the Metaverse."

Sakamoto blinked. "What, like they were going to get cats and dog to manifest Personas, or somethin'?"

"The hell if I know, but the experiments apparently never panned out, because their funding got pulled. Long story short, he picked a little penguin to save him from being euthanized, and he gave him to me as a gift!" In a way, Pen-Pen was...a reminder of better times. Halcyon days, where life looked like it was on the upswing, even in the midst of her early years with the A.T. Task Force. It also helped that the little guy pretty much counted as a roommate by this point.

"Guess that explains the claws and the fact he's got a television set in his little fridge?"

"Yep! It's been a bit hit or miss as to how smart he actually is, but he's not a dummy."

"You can understand him?"

"After living with him for so long, I get a hint of what he's getting at whenever he quacks...but it's not like I could translate it into words. It's not that sophisticated...I dunno, it's hard to explain. Why you asking?" She slyly grinned. "He's not for sale, I'll tell you right now."

Sakamoto's expression went stern. Uncomfortably so. "...while I was camping out in the Metaverse with Suzuhara-kun, we got a little visit from an unusual fellow who called himself Mister P."

Now Misato's attention was fully caught. "Oh really? What happened?"

"Not much. Kind of a dramatic and emotional guy. He and I just swapped Metaverse stories for a few hours until he left around the time Suzuhara-kun finally fell asleep. Honestly, I liked him."

...well, guess there's all sorts of types. "Why bring him up?" she said, raising her can for another sip.

"I'm just saying, your pet has a really uncanny resemblance to Mister P."

Misato impulsively snorted on her alcoholic beverage, coughing furiously from the sheer what-the-hell that statement had elicited. "Are you joking?"

"Think about it."

The sheer thought was so ludicrous that Misato had subconsciously never done so before...and yet, now that it had been brought to her attention, the similarity was practically screaming at her. "...huh." Oh shit. "...huh."

"Knowing the way the Metaverse goes, either it's someone who's close enough to you that they have a good idea of what your penguin looks like. You know, tuxedo and bodybuilder physique aside. Or maybe those experiments were more successful than anyone knew...or it could be a giant coincidence. But I don't much care for coincidences in this line of work, you know?"

"...yeah." This whole line of conversation had already begun ramping her paranoia to rampant levels. As if she didn't have enough to worry about now! (Am I really going to have to start investigating my damn pet? Did Kaji know?! For how long? Dammit dammit DAMMIT WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING.) "...you know, ignorance really is bliss."

Sakamoto snorted. "Don't I know it."

xxxx

And all the while, ignorant to all of this, a debate was breaking out in the living room. "I'm telling you, Emerald Eagle is stronger than Opal Owl. I'm not surprised she pulled off that maneuver!" protested Mana.

"And I'm telling you that it was physically impossible for her to pull that kind of speed without superpowers!" protested Toji, gesturing angrily at the television. "Them calling it 'natural talent' is total bee-ess!"

"And who are you to judge the limits of talent?!"

"Someone who's run enough track and field to know better, that's who!"

"Quite frankly, none of the ladies on this show have demonstrated an appropriate musculature to pull off the maneuvers being presented," casually remarked Kaworu.

All the while, Shinji and Hikari watched the back-and-forth with growing nervousness. Kensuke? Well...he was relishing it. "Front row seats to an unexpected bout of nerd rage: my day is complete," he whispered.

xxxxx

All told, those were very different ways for a day to wind down, but all days had to end eventually.

The Hakone Academy students eventually departed, with Ryuji Sakamoto bidding them farewell before he too left the premises.

Mana, in an oddly heated yet simultaneously withdrawn mood, took a shower before turning in.

Misato found herself sitting in the living room, staring at the little fridge that housed Pen-Pen's 'room'. She wondered just what she was going to do now that Sakamoto had enlightened her as to a very unusual (yet still probable) possibility regarding the identity of the 'Mysterious Mister P'.

Sleep was a long time coming.

xxxx

END OF 7/12/2015

xxxx

Author's Note: So much talking.

So. Much. TALKING.

(And brief sad time with P5!Protagonist.)

But hey, we've got quite a few potential plot threads to pursue as a result! First, however, we have to deal with the upcoming new moon on July 16, 2015...

/also
/this chapter was slightly delayed by a little game called Persona 5 Strikers
/it was amazing