Sokila bit her lip.

"...your papa..."

She looked worried.

"Why does he feel that way...?"

She sounded confused. Concerned? Or...anxious?

"...why wouldn't a papa like his son...?"

She stared at him with innocent curiosity.

"Do you know why?"

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-

xxxx

/Thursday: June 18, 2015/

/NERV, Tokyo-3/

There was a subtle beep-beep that aroused Shinji Ikari from his slumber. Where...? What happened...?

Beep-beep.

The sheets...the bed he was lying in...the tang of disinfectant in the air...it evoked the feeling of a hospital. Why am I here...?

Beep-beep.

Wait. The Angel...he had fought it...it had called itself Shamshel...

Beep-beep.

He had...defeated it...and then...there had been the feeling of sand, the scent of lake water...and the strange impression of blue velvet...?

Beep-beep.

How long-?

"It's strange, how impulses work."

That voice. It was...

"For what reason, do certain ideas come to mind? For what reason do we act on them?"

...father...?

"A curious thought. I wonder if it's ever occurred to you."

Shinji finally mustered the will to open his eyes, regardless of how much that by itself made him want to go back to sleep. Gendo Ikari was sitting beside his bed; with legs crossed and hands folded over his knee, the orange shades still hid all aspects of his expression, for his lips were set into the shape of stoic neutrality. The strange impression of his father observing an old carpet stain somehow came to mind, nonetheless. "...hn?" He tried to speak, but only managed a curious grunt.

"You faced an Angel." A mere statement of fact.

He managed a slight nod. He didn't trust himself to talk.

"I wonder..." He calmly extended a gloved hand, placing it besides his face. It was...an unusual gesture, for how gentle it was. It would have seemed...affectionate, coming from anyone else. That his father was doing it made this entire scenario seem like something out of a dream.

Shinji wasn't complaining.

"Did you experience pain?"

Shinji briefly nodded, relishing the touch on his face, even if it was mitigated by the white glove.

"I see."

His father's hand slowly shifted to the top of his hand, lightly rubbing his hair.

"...good."

Without hesitation, Gendo's hand clenched tight.

"I hope it hurt."

Shinji's eyes shot wide open, as his father's hand began to twist with such violence; was he trying to rip his hair out-?!

"It must have gone deep. I want you to remember it."

Whatever he had endured against Shamshel, it rendered him unable to move his limbs or even resist. That by itself made the stark pain in his scalp even worse, as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Relish that pain. LIVE by it." The aloof serenity of the man's face didn't match the utter spite in his voice. "And then perhaps you'll understand." With a harsh shove, Gendo pushed his head back onto the bed; the release allowed Shinji to gasp with relief, even as the agony lingered. His father calmly stood up, walking away as though nothing had just happened.

Confusion. Resentment. Frustration. Anger. All of those feelings and more were pushed away by an overarching need for clarity. "...why...?" he managed to croak out.

Gendo Ikari paused, not even turning back. "...why, you ask?" he said, with all the nonchalance of someone discussing the weather. "That you need to ask is proof enough that you would not understand." A brief pause. For dramatic effect? To gather his thoughts? Shinji had no way of knowing. "The day you understand why...I'll expect an apology. But I doubt I'll ever get one." And with those words, Gendo stepped beyond the doorway, leaving him behind.

Shinji managed enough energy to scowl.

The Beast hissed and snarled; with white-hot rage, it shrieked.

That alone was too much. Devoured by exhaustion, Shinji closed his eyes, and blessedly lost consciousness.

xxxx

Beep-beep.

That same rhythmic sound of a heartbeat monitor roused Shinji from his slumber.

Beep-beep.

The strange and formless numbness that had gripped him also began to fade, as sensory perception returned.

Beep-beep.

"Good. You're finally awake."

Shinji turned his head, gazing at the individuals sitting beside his bed. "...Dr. Akagi...Aida-san...?"

The faux-blonde quietly wrote a few things down on a notepad. Kensuke Aida, clad in NERV's distinctive beige uniform, sighed with relief. "Man Ikari, it's about time you woke up! You gave us a scare."

"...what...what time is it...?"

"It is currently 8:21 AM, Thursday, the 18th of June. You've been out of it for over a day," answered Dr. Akagi. "And we have questions. But first..."

As the doctor trailed off, Kensuke reached into a satchel and pulled out a bottle of water and an egg sandwich in plastic wrap. "Not exactly gourmet, but I bet your stomach isn't gonna complain," he said with a knowing smile.

As Shinji's mind finally caught up with how famished he felt, he hurriedly tore open the packaging, biting into the simple food and downing the water with ravenous motions. The utter savagery of his manners elicited a blush when he was finally finished. "...sorry."

"Eh, it's no big deal!"

Dr. Akagi quietly clicked her ballpoint pen, writing onto her notepad. "Okay, intern: now's your chance to shine. Start asking Ikari questions about what happened on June 16. I'll be grading you on how thorough your responses are."

"...you suck," groused Kensuke, who nonetheless tried adapting an air of professionalism as he whipped out his own notepad. "Okay Ikari: when we were patrolling the Metaverse with Misato Katsuragi, you suddenly jumped off the Ocular Drone used for transport and shifted out of the cognitive world. For what reason did you do this, and what happened afterwards? Go in order, if possible." A brief beat, as he clicked his pen. "Oh, and take your time!"

"Preferably not too long," murmured Dr. Akagi.

"...okay." Shinji slowly gathered his thoughts, trying to recall the exact sequence of events from two days ago. "...I began to hear...a voice, of sorts..." And thus began the process of recollection.

Of how he heard a strange whisper in the depths of his soul, sounding eerily like Toji Suzuhara.

Of how, on an impulse, he leapt towards the shores of Lake Ashi from above, shifting into the real world.

Of how he had told Suzuhara to flee, while he faced the Ghosts.

Of how he utilized his different Personas via Shogoki.

Of how he and his Evangelion, upon vanquishing the last of the Ghosts, had suddenly been yanked into Lake Ashi by something...unknown.

Of how he had emerged into a strange and otherworldly place, coming face-to-face(?) with the Angel that called itself Shamshel.

Of how, after a heated battle in that otherworldly place, he and Shogoki had finally triumphed over Shamshel. Kensuke had a lot of follow-up questions for this particular part, with regards to techniques used, battle maneuvers, and the overall environment he had found himself in.

Of how, in a flash of light, he had suddenly erupted out of the strange void and onto the shores of Lake Ashi, before fading into unconsciousness.

Thoughts of a pleasantly blue room came to mind, but for some reason he felt that talking about it wouldn't have contributed anything to the conversation.

"...man, that's something," said Kensuke, having written down a few pages worth of notes during the hour-plus debrief. "...so Dr. Akagi, what's your verdict?"

"...adequate," admitted Ritsuko Akagi, having used easily a dozen pages of her own notepad for notes.

"Oh, adequate she says," grumbled the young intern.

"But I digress, the overall information is sufficient enough to collate it with the other after-action reports. I'll provide you a more detailed questionnaire to fill out later in writing...but I do have one particular question I'd like to ask now, Shinji Ikari." The woman's green eyes narrowed keenly onto his person. "In three words, how would you describe the Angel's attitude towards you, or to humanity in general?"

After having thought about the battle in detail for the past hour - of Shamshel's indifferent and cool disposition, juxtaposed paradoxically with its utter disdain for his very existence - the words were easy to say. "Like we were nothing more than bugs to be crushed."

"A good description, but that's more than three words," she said with a sardonic smile.

"Oh. Sorry. Erm..." He tried to narrow it down. "Pests. Disgust...hatred." Narrowing it down like that made it seem more visceral, judging by Kensuke's rather worried look.

"...I see." Ritsuko Akagi sighed. "That'll do for now. You'll be free to go once you get a clean bill of health from Medical. Until then." Rising from her seat, the woman said, "come along Aida," before walking towards the door. Kensuke gave him a thumbs-up and mouthed 'Good job!' before rising to follow her.

"Um, Akagi-san?" The woman paused, glaning back over her shoulder. "...did...did my father visit earlier...?"

She arched an inquisitive eyebrow. "As far as I'm aware, no. His schedule is packed with meetings this morning."

"...oh...okay."

And then he was left alone.

Shinji quietly leaned back into his cot, raising a trembling hand to the top of his head; as much as he tried, he couldn't conjure anything other than a phantom pain of so stark a confrontation. Did I imagine that? Was it...a nightmare? It had felt so real though...then again, his standards for what was and wasn't real had been decisively expanded as of late. I just don't know...

xxxx

/Gendo Ikari's Office, NERV/

A broken and spiteful man sat in the darkness, along with a broken and melancholy girl. In these shadows, they had listened quietly as Kensuke Aida had questioned Shinji Ikari. After a long period of silence on their part, it finally came to an end.

"...man, that's something...so Dr. Akagi, what's your verdict?" The boy's voice echoed out through the computer speakers on Gendo's desk.

"...adequate."

"Oh, adequate she says."

"Do you believe he held anything back?" calmly asked Commander Ikari.

"I do not believe so. His experiences correlate with my own from when I destroyed Sachiel," replied Rei. "Further interrogation will not accomplish anything at this point."

"Very well. His recollections will suffice for our purposes regardless." The man was as a statue, his expression unreadable behind tented hands and his distinctive orange glasses. "Two Angels defeated in less than a month."

"His presence will draw them here," said Rei, stating it not as a prediction, but as a guarantee.

"Then they must also realize that something is different about him."

"I would not be surprised."

"And his...roommate?"

Rei paused, thinking of the odd, silver-haired boy with crimson eyes that also lived in Shinji Ikari's dorm room. "Despite all observations on my end, he has demonstrated no connection to them. Nor has he exhibited any Angelic influence, cognitive or otherwise, beyond his physical appearance." Which was the only reason why she had even allowed his presence at Hakone Academy, which would have been an intolerable risk otherwise. "For all intents and purposes, Nagisa is a simple, if decidedly odd, student."

"An interesting permutation."

"Yes." She did not need to be told twice. What she didn't say, however, was that it was...a unique one. Why now? she thought. Do the Angels suspect something already? She had no way of knowing, currently. And that was concerning. Speaking of which, "beyond his introductory meeting, I don't believe Ikari-san has had any additional contact with him, either." There was no need for additional clarification. Such could be dangerous.

"He is irrelevant at this stage."

Rei narrowed her eyes. "That is a dangerous attitude to take."

"You and I know full well why."

"...yes," she relented. "My point still remains, sir."

"Then I suppose you'd best be careful then."

As they had spoken, the voices from Shinji's hospital room continued to filter through. "...did...did my father visit earlier...?"

"As far as I'm aware, no. His schedule is packed with meetings this morning."

"...oh...okay."

Rei raised a slim eyebrow. The Commander did not respond. "...did you?"

"Would the truth change anything?"

This, more than anything else, was why she despaired interacting with Gendo Ikari: his relationship with his son was, if nothing else...painfully complicated. "...I no longer ask much from you." Or of him, frankly. They were both useful to each other, up to a particular point. "But why?" Such a simple question, laden with meaning.

"Because part of him still desires my love. Nothing more, and nothing less."

...how cruel. And pitiful.

It was at that precise moment, like a bomb going off, that her cell phone vibrated.

"Don't mind me. Pick it up," said Gendo, almost sounding like a challenge. "Put it on speaker."

Rei quietly withdrew her phone, which was still vibrating; she did not recognize the number. Who could it be? she thought, not showing any sort of panic. What would happen, would happen. With a placid movement, she picked up the call. "Hello?"

"Anata no, terefon ni, Jika-netto Tanaka~! Mi-n-na no, yoku no tomo! "

"It's truly your lucky day!" exclaimed a boisterous, cocky man over the speakers. "Because now you've unlocked the door to great deals and great prices with Tanaka's Portable Commodities!"

"Granter of your desires~" cooed his backup chorus of female singers.

Rei decisively ended the call at once. All of the prior tension in the room had died with swift and brutal vengeance. "...my apologies sir."

To her everlasting shock, he calmly replied, "I would advise that you don't turn down a good deal without at least investigating it first." He calmly raised one of his hands, readjusting his distinctive shades. "It's where I got these in bulk."

Rei did not know whether he was serious or joking. That, more than anything else, flummoxed her beyond belief.

And apparently, that's all Gendo Ikari needed from her, as if this brief moment of confusion was a reward of some sort. "You're dismissed, Rei," said the Commander.

"...yes sir," she numbly said, slowly rising to leave the man's office. What just happened? She turned his words over in her head, wondering if there was anything more to what he had said...or, if he had intentionally toyed with her paranoia for his own amusement.

Either one was likely.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari had waited patiently until a doctor and an attendant nurse had arrived to check his vitals and perform a relatively routine checkup. The doctor was a fairly professional-looking lady with short dark hair gathered into a ponytail, wearing NERV-issue medical garb; her biggest distinguishing feature was a tiny beauty mark below and to the left of her bottom lip. By contrast, the nurse assisting her - younger than the doctor, not even in her late twenties - had dark cyan hair in a shaggy bob cut, with a studded choker and web-patterned earrings adding a bit of color to her nurse's uniform.

"Well Ikari-kun, you seem to be in relatively good health...in spite of recent events," remarked Dr. Sayoko Uehara, a slight yet mysterious smile on her face. "What a shame, but it looks like you'll be leaving us today."

"...but...isn't that a good thing?" he said, blinking dumbly.

The nurse chuckled as she slowly began to detach the sensors relaying his vitals to the medical equipment. "You'll have to ignore her, Ikari-san. She tends to get attached to any patients that fall in her clutches," said Tae Takemi.

"Hmm...perhaps if Ikari-kun were to get routed to one of the clinical trials you assist with? I'm sure the local research hospitals are getting tired of all the late shifts you keep pulling," mischievously said Dr. Uehara.

This somehow piqued the nurse's interest. "Well then, I suppose if he were to become a guinea pig, he'd have to stick around~"

Shinji felt rather like a rabbit caught between a hawk and a fox that were arguing over how to divvy up their dinner. "...uh...?"

The two women finally laughed at his apparent discomfort. "Please forgive us, Ikari-kun. Some people on the medical staff apparently consider our bedside manner unconventional," said Takemi.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Takemi-san," lightly remarked Dr. Uehara. "I can't help it if your professional demeanor is lacking."

The easy humor that that the two bandied about was honestly a little intimidating, but they at least apparently didn't intend to abduct him to some dark corner of NERV's medical ward. That was a positive, at least. "...so...am I good to go?"

"Yes, Ikari-san. Your bill will be one million yen," casually said the nurse.

His eyes went agog with shock. "W-w-what?"

"Don't worry, you're a NERV employee, so we'll charge the Commander's personal account."

Dr. Uehara lightly thwacked her younger assistant on the shoulder. "Ignore Takemi-san's price-gouging fantasies, you won't be charged anything. Medical care in our facilities are covered by your contract with NERV."

"...oh. Good?"

The nurse chuckled once more, in that strangely husky way that did odd things to his insides. "For some reason, I suspect this won't be the last time we see this young man, Dr. Uehara."

"Perhaps." The older doctor smiled knowingly. "Feel free to use me as a human shield if Takemi-san becomes too much for you."

"...okay?" Why would he need a human shield for a nurse?

It was after this strange bout of dual teasing that Shinji found himself walking out of NERV Headquarters, carrying a bag filled with a minor selection of general medical supplies - bandages, aspirin, antibiotic salves, pain-relieving balms - and a lollipop. Misato Katsuragi was apparently waiting for him, leaning against her blue Alpine Renault. "Misato?"

"Glad to see you up and about again," said the long-haired woman, a relieved smile on her face.

"...can I go back to the Academy dorms, now?"

The eyebrow that rose on Misato's face evoked the odd impression of a shark smelling blood in the water. "Oh? Who authorized your release?"

"...Dr. Uehara and her assistant Tae Takemi?"

Her smile became way too cheeky. "You poor little boy."

An embarrassed flush came to his face. "Misato...!"

"Don't worry, I won't tease you much. You've been through enough already."

xxxx

As the trek through Tokyo-3's lingering morning rush hour continued, Shinji found himself subject to Misato's piercing stare. "...uh...?"

"I read through the transcript of your debriefing with Ritsuko and Aida-kun," said the A.T. agent, her tone rather serious. "...you haven't even been in Tokyo-3 two weeks, and already you've encountered two Angels."

Shinji knew she was referring to Shamshel. But the other...it must have had to do with that strange monster that had appeared on the train, back on June 6. If he focused just right, he would have realized that they shared the similar avian mask of bone.

"...for a while, I didn't know what to think, about what Ayanami and Asuka were saying about the creatures they caught glimpses of, during their missions. The idea that Angel Syndrome was caused by strange, inhuman monsters...it seemed too good to be true."

"...why?"

"Because that means there's a cause...no, an enemy. An enemy can be defeated...which means there may come a time when Angel Syndrome will be no more. No more Acolytes...no more Ghosts..." A small, sad smile adorned her beautiful face. "...it kind of seems like a dream."

Shinji didn't respond, because he understood. He didn't want this life to be all he had to look forward to: one of endless, eternal battle against angry spirits, corrupted Shadows, and otherworldly beasts.

The woman forced a cheerful grin onto her face. "But that just means there's no time for us to mope! If we stick to it, we'll see the light at the end of the tunnel. And I'll have your back, if you'll have mine, okay?"

"...okay," he answered, feeling a warm sensation in his chest. "I...I will."

And so it was that he was released at the edge of the grounds of Hakone Academy; Misato had explained that NERV had already notified the school about his late arrival due to mitigating circumstances. As such, yesterday's absence and today's tardiness would be excused...which was certainly nice, because Shinji didn't want to think about the amount of catching up he'd have to do. Maybe Horaki-san will have some notes I can borrow...?

That's when his cell phone suddenly buzzed. Blinking, he pulled it out; he had gotten a text from the Academy's official announcements feed, which - per explanations he had heard from various students since arriving in Tokyo-3 - could be used to transmit official announcements to the entire student body at once, or more targeted announcements to individual classes or singular students, depending on the need.

("Gimme your phone Ikari," remarked Kensuke Aida, during a study session in the dorm from last Friday. "I'm gonna show you how to change the priority settings for certain senders, cause otherwise all the 'official' school-wide announcements are gonna keep blowing up your phone." At his panicked response, Aida quickly assuaged him. "N-No, I don't mean literally blow up, it's just a saying!")

He had appreciated it, honestly (because practically all of the school-wide texts repeated information he already knew)...but that meant this text was specifically for him.

ACADEMY: Shinji Ikari, please report to the Principal's Office.

...what have I done now? he thought with a bewildered expression.

And that was how Shinji Ikari found himself sitting in a chair in front of the principal's desk, hoping his posture was sufficiently formal.

"Good morning, Ikari-kun," calmly remarked Principal Keel Lorenz. "How have you been?"

Shinji honestly didn't know how to answer the principal's question. Mostly because 'how have you been?' could refer to...well, anything. Was he referring to life at school? Life at NERV? Life in general? Without thinking about it much further, he replied, "I've been better."

"I see," replied the elderly man, who seemed surprisingly robust despite his frail appearance. Even with the wraparound visor imparting the image of someone with severe vision problems, the principal had a strange vitality to him. "In what ways have you been better?" Maybe it had something to do with his full head of gray hair? It was rather thick for a man of his age. "An answer would be appreciated." Oh, had he been caught in a stare?

"...well..."

"You seem rather out of it. Does this happen often? Usually, students are utterly terrified to be in my presence." He briefly smirked. "And for good reason. I didn't get to where I am without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears; it'll be a dark and dreary day when I let silly shenanigans ruin the good name of this Academy." The words sounded practiced. "Now, with that little spiel out of the way," he instantly adapted a more normal, less formal tone, "in all seriousness, are you okay?"

"...I'm not really sure." After the events of the Angel battle, how could he be? Here we was, trying to go back to school; some part of him wondered about that strange absurdity of being told to maintain a regular school life on top of battling mental and spiritual entities of horrible power. Then he pondered a life where he had nothing to look forward to but battling, and recoiled at its utter repugnance.

The principal was observant enough to catch this cringing motion. "Well, if nothing else, you're at least more open than Ayanami-kun."

Shinji blinked. "...what about Ayanami?"

"There is a certain discretion we have been told to apply regarding her activities with NERV, same as yours. It's not unusual in this day and age, especially as children of A.T. agents are advancing through the school system...even more so when it comes to those young enough to be students, yet capable enough of exercising certain powers within the cognitive world." He briefly paused. "Though, the usual tack that such students take is dropping out of classes should they became recruited into such enterprises. After all, most of them find such a life far more exciting than that of a school student."

"...exciting, huh?" That was certainly one way to put it. He couldn't fathom how anyone would want to give up any semblance of normalcy, no matter how 'exciting' things got.

"Now, as I was saying: Ayanami-kun has always been a taciturn sort. Even more so around me, for some strange reason." The principal sighed. "Believe it or not, I do want students to succeed in their endeavors, and have always advertised my willingness to assist. Alas, so many seem to avoid me, as if by instinct. It's the most bizarre phenomenon, honestly." The elderly man leaned forward, his hefty visor pressing against wrinkled skin as he smiled. "Perhaps you might be able to assist me."

Shinji blinked. "Me?"

"Quite. I'm not entirely sure where my reputation as some sort of 'soul-devouring ghoul' came from," he said, snorting and muttering 'I have EARS, you silly children' before continuing, "but if they see you interacting with me and coming out in one piece, I'm sure the rumor mill will take care of the rest. In return...I can provide advice. Wisdom. After all, I've been around the block more than a few times, and can remember life before this nasty business with Angel Syndrome came about. What say you?"

In all honesty, Shinji had no good reason to turn it down. He wasn't sure of the efficacy of the principal's plan - surely, he could pick a better student for this sort of thing! - but wondered if it was his status as a transfer student that served as the deciding factor. It's not like he had any history here...and really, what was the harm? "Sure, I guess."

Keel Lorenz smiled. "Then we have a deal."

xxxx

And all the while, on a subconscious level, in words he had no way of knowing...a familiar voice spoke, within the depths of his being:

I am thou, thou art I...
Thou hast acquired a new bond.

It shall lead thou to the truth
that parts the seas of depravity.

Take hold of the Tower Arcana,
and let it guide you
to a new Promised Land...

xxxx

The principal leaned back in his chair. "Now, I believe I've delayed you for long enough...oh, and if you wouldn't mind, do keep this little agreement of ours a secret?"

"A secret?"

"If students find out that you're trying to help my reputational issues because of a 'deal', then you'll get a reputation of a teacher's pet. Or perhaps a principal's pet, would be the more accurate term. I'd rather you not get such an unpleasant title attached to you."

"...okay." That was actually rather helpful advice. "...would it involve anything that NERV will want to know about?" Because honestly, he didn't know what NERV would consider to be in its own interests or not.

"Of course not. I'm just a simple school principal."

Oh. Right. "Then...it'll be confidential," he said, repeating a word that he had heard way too often since arriving in Tokyo-3.

The principal's smile widened just a bit, growing from one of stereotypical elderly warmth to one of joy. Or perhaps satisfaction. "Have a pleasant day; I look forward to seeing you again. You're dismissed; head back to classes, Ikari-kun."

"Yes sir." That had actually gone pretty well!

xxxx

The rest of the day had been relatively uneventful: Shinji had managed to make it in time for his fourth period class (which was with Hyuga-sensei's social studies class on Thursday), which meant he could enjoy lunch and the rest of the school day: various music and fine arts topics from Aoba-sensei in fifth period, and health education from Ooi-sensei in the sixth period. As Fuyutsuki-sensei finished the last homeroom period and Cleaning Time commenced, Shinji wondered about the certain distance between himself and most of the other students. It was hard to describe, but there was a strange separation; whereas before he had been the object of detached fascination as the 'new transfer student', there was now...wariness? Whispers?

What had happened?

"Man, gossip travels fast..." murmured Kensuke as he washed the window next to Shinji.

"Huh?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what happened, because I was at NERV all day yesterday," he griped, "but I've heard some students talking about you being near that giant cross of light at Lake Ashi from Tuesday."

"...really?" How had that happened?

Kensuke shrugged. "Who knows. This may catapult you into the Ayanami Social Bracket. Trademark," he added as an afterthought.

"...hmm." He didn't quite know how to feel about that. People didn't really bother Ayanami-san that much...but did that mean he would become like her?

xxxx

His Other was quiet.

As was the Beast.

xxxx

He didn't know.

As he finished cleaning his particular window - wincing at the fact that he needed to use a stepladder to reach the highest corners, and why did he still feel so sore? - Hikari Horaki approached both boys, holding two sheaves of paper. "I photocopied my notes from yesterday's classes and this morning's earlier periods, since you two were...occupied."

"Bless you," dramatically said Kensuke, with an equally dramatic bow.

"Thank you," simply said Shinji. He briefly glanced over at Ayanami, who was calmly cleaning one of the student desk. "...what about Ayanami-san? She was absent too, wasn't she?"

Hikari sighed, a somewhat disgruntled curl to her lips. "I tried when we first had classes together back in First Year. She always denies my assistance...but she always scores in the Top Ten, so it's not like she apparently needs my assistance."

"Well, your assistance is always appreciated," groveled Kensuke.

"Okay Aida-san, there is such a thing as going too far," groused the Class Representative.

Shinji quietly looked around; now that he was thinking about it, he meant to check up on Toji Suzuhara, to see if he was okay. His roommate had been slated for sweeping the outside hallway today, so he wasn't exactly present...plus, the boy had been avoiding him for the most part today, occasionally looking his way with a strange expression...maybe he just wanted to be left alone, come to think of it. I'll have a chance to talk with him later.

But first, today was Thursday. And that meant one thing, at least.

xxxx

/Literature Club, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/

That's right, extracurricular activity!

"Ikari-san," said Mayumi Yamagishi, a pleasantly tiny smile coming to her face. "I'm...I'm glad to see that you're safe. There were some odd rumors..."

"...thank you, Yamagishi-san. I'm...fine." 'Fine.' What a strange way of summarizing exactly how he felt about things.

(His sensei asked him about how his day at school had gone. When he responded that everything was 'fine', the older man looked at him with a suspicious glance. "You do realize that saying you're 'fine' like that only means the opposite, right?" He didn't quite follow.)

But it was all he could offer. And apparently, the other students reading books within their respective corners were okay with that.

"Well...that's good." As if that were all, the bespectacled girl returned to her own novel.

And so Shinji returned to his laborious task of reading The Tragedy of Hamlet. At long last, it appeared he would learn about who exactly the strange ghost was that had been bothering Bernardo, Marcellus, Horatio, ad Hamlet, and boy wasn't that a timely thought in light of...well, everything.

Then the ghost began talking, and his mood dimmed. "I am your father's spirit," he whispered, "doomed for a certain term to walk the night...and...confined in the day...to fast in fire? Until the foul crimes done in my days of...nature? Are burnt and purged away...but I am forbidden...to tell the secrets of my prison-house..." He continued reading on, grimacing at the tale of betrayal spun by the ghost of Hamlet's father, the late King, apparently murdered by Hamlet's uncle Claudius. The accusations about Queen Gertrude were...odd, yet pointed. However, even as he tried to ponder everything that the ghost was saying, he couldn't help but think about his own situation: what if someone had killed his father? Would he be driven to vengeance for Gendo Ikari's sake? For that matter, would his father even care enough to come back from the dead to request vengeance on his behalf?

The very thought seemed absurd...and he didn't know how to feel about that.

In the corner of his vision, he saw Yamagishi rise from her recliner, placing the book Kokoro back on one of the bookshelves. As she went to sit back down, he couldn't help but ask, "are you finished?"

The long-haired girl actually startled at the question, shocked by the question being asked. "Oh! Um...well...yes." She slowly selected a beanbag chair several feet away from his own, sitting down with her legs curled to the side. Brushing at her skirt, Yamagishi said, "whenever I finish a book...I like to spend the rest of my time thinking about it before starting a new one. To...meditate on it, I suppose."

"...what was it about?"

The girl blinked, apparently unused to other people asking her about her reading materials. A curious glance from some of the other club members only solidified the fact that an antisocial norm was being violated. Yet, she still found it in herself to continue. "It's the tale of a young man trying to find his own way in early 20th century Japan, and his relationship with an older man he calls Sensei. It's...a look at how changing times can often leave people behind, and how sometimes...one's actions can put you in a place of isolation...and how one's guilt can render it almost impossible to move on..." She flushed, her head shrinking in a manner evoking a tortoise. "Um, I don't want to spoil it...you know, in case you want to read it later..."

Shinji wordlessly nodded, mentally making a note to not read it: reading about someone else's struggles with isolation and guilt didn't sound like his idea of a good time. "...what do you think about it?"

"...um...it's kind of sad...a little depressing...but kind of cathartic, I guess..." She huffed; if he didn't know any better, she sounded frustrated. He had no clue why. "I suppose...I kind of...identify with the main characters, in a certain way..." Yamagishi's smile now carried a hint of sadness, slight like the tiny smudges of fingerprints found on glasses at the end of the day. "...but that's not really worth talking about. The book itself is more important."

Shinji blinked, a concerned frown coming to his face. "...why do you say that?"

"Hmm?"

"Well...it was a book written by a person, right? And without other people to read it, that person's ideas wouldn't go anywhere...um..." What in the world am I babbling about?! "...well...I guess what I'm trying to say is...people are more important than books. So...that applies to you too," he finished, trying hard not to focus on how intimate those words sounded. Aida-san must never find out...or Misato-san. He had a pretty good idea of just how they would react.

The bespectacled girl blinked dumbly at his words, a strange little blush coming to her face. Finally, she loosed a nervous giggle. "...I'm not sure I agree with you...but I think what you said is sweet. Thank you, Ikari-san." Idly brushing at one of her long strands of dark hair, she added, "maybe for the rest of the period, I can help you with any questions you have while reading Hamlet. Does...that sound okay...?"

"Sure," Shinji immediately answered, because GODS this translation of Shakespeare was proving to be a difficult beast to tackle.

Yamagishi's smile increased, becoming just a bit brighter. "Okay then."

xxxx

And all the while, on a subconscious level, in words he had no way of knowing...a familiar voice spoke, within the depths of his being:

I am thou, thou art I...
Thou hast acquired a new bond.

It shall lead thou to the truth
that parts the seas of depravity.

Take hold of the Hermit Arcana,
and let it guide you
to a new Promised Land...

xxxx

And so the rest of the Literature Club's time passed in relative peace.

xxxx

/Room 23, 2nd Floor, Izanagi Dorm, Hakone Academy/

"Welcome back, Shinji-kun."

Kaworu Nagisa's friendly words greeted Shinji as he walked back into the dorm, holding a warm bowl of soba noodles. "Good evening, Nagisa-san, Aida-san, Suzuhara-san." All three boys were at their respective desks, working on their own studies; the silver-haired boy had turned around in his chair, a strangely intense look in his red eyes. "...Nagisa-san?"

"Just ensuring that you're in one piece. I haven't seen you since Monday, after all." Nagisa's lips quirked into a joyous smile. "I had heard a great deal about the cross of light during the new moon. Quite a scary event, don't you think?"

"...I wouldn't know. I didn't see it when it had happened," he truthfully said, because he had been unconscious after the Angel battle. The news photos he had gotten glimpses of after the fact had said plenty, though. Speaking of which! "Suzuhara-san..." The last he had seen of the boy on Tuesday had been when he had told him to flee. "...are you okay?"

"...m'fine," muttered the boy, who couldn't muster the energy - or will - to turn around and face him.

...I guess he's still upset with me.

"Eh, don't be bothered by him Ikari; Toji's still surly because he nearly died to an Acolyte." Kensuke shot a boastful grin in his best friend's direction. "You're welcome, by the way."

"Look Ken, just cause you're one of those guys with strange mind powers doesn't mean you can keep rubbing it in my face!"

"If it makes you stop moping, then I'll keep on rubbing whatever I've got!"

"Damn it Ken, I'm serious!"

Their back and forth caused Kaworu to sigh dramatically. "Their innuendo honestly gets tiresome, Shinji-kun. And they're so blatant about it..."

Those words instantly caused the comedic duo to cease their arguing, as they slowly stared incredulously in the pale boy's direction. "...are you for real?" growled Toji. "Like, seriously?"

"You are in no position to throw shade when it comes to innuendo, Nagisa-kun," said Kensuke with an irritated grimace.

Nagisa ran a hand through his silvery hair, which somehow caused sparkles to go flying. Shinji would have suspected glitter, if those sparkles didn't actually fade from existence a mere instant later. "Everyone keeps saying that, but I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

...or maybe they're just being weird? thought Shinji. Shrugging helplessly, he sat down at his own desk, breaking out the copies of Horaki-san's notes and his own textbooks. Contentedly slipping at his own soba noodles, he threw himself into his homework.

It allowed him to put lingering questions about his father out of his mind, at least for a little while.

xxxx

/?, On the Outskirts of Tokyo-1/

Officially, the dead zone that was the blasted ruins of the greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area was off-limits to civilians.

Unofficially...well, there were certain benefits to setting up shop in the vicinity, depending on what you wanted to do.

Within one such 'shop' (well, an underground facility, to be honest), a man - leaning back in a weathered office chair, eyes observing myriad monitors - was speaking into his cell phone. "I know you've provided quite a bit of information to us over the years, but are you sure about this? You make it sound like your boss is in a foul mood..." He let the other party answer; he briefly glanced at one of the monitors, which showed archived video of a double-bladed axe cutting through Archetypes in the Metaverse. "...I suppose so. A revelation like that would make anyone antsy. It only solidifies our need to have alternative means of combating Angel Syndrome. That being said, rumors have been flying ever since the Third Child arrived in Tokyo-3...and that light show two days ago didn't help at all." Another monitor showed a rather elaborate-looking shield affixed to a large, turbine-shaped device; a scraggly-looking fellow in prison fatigues was being affixed to the turbine by three men in hazmat suits. When the device was activated, the man pointedly did not look away from what has happening. "Yes...yes, I agree. Their growing influence has been rather concerning to certain individuals within the Defense Ministry and the UN. It's why the JSSDF has been so cooperative with our...endeavor." He frowned with distaste at the image of the scraggly man - now appearing absolutely lifeless despite the lack of visible injuries - being dragged away from the device; a necessary sacrifice, like so many others. "It would be interesting to see what exactly makes the Third Child so different from his two predecessors...I suppose, if all else fails, we can use Kirishima as a honeypot...yes, I know it's vulgar, but that kind of power needs to remain in Japan's hands, no matter what. There are too many unsavory actors on the world stage that would literally kill to have the Third Child under their thumb...and unfortunately, if what you say is true, the government's trust in NERV will reach unprecedented lows. It's honestly a shame." He paused, letting the other party speak. "...no, there's no need to worry about betrayal. If the kill switches aren't enough of a deterrent, there's also the fact that we have her two brothers in the wings to take her place should she become...unruly. She'd rather die before letting them into her role...mm-hmm. Mm-hmm...yes, it's all unpleasant. But that's the way of this world. If children must be devoured to ensure our survival..." He calmly scrolled over an open folder on his personal computer, which detailed a number of top-secret files held within his own secure on-site server, marked under the username Tokita_S_NHCI. Two files were open underneath that folder, which was simply titled JET ALONE.

One file was labelled PROJECT LABRYS. The other was labelled PROJECT AIGIS. "...then devour we shall." He loosed a sigh of honest remorse. "The hell of it is, it's not like anyone gives an honest damn about orphans these days. At least this way, they'll serve a purpose...yes...yes, you're preaching to the choir on that one. I'll make sure she understands that cooperation is the simplest path for everyone involved. And if anything unusual is observed from her deployment, I'll make sure it gets forwarded to you. Your own research is important, after all...very well, I'll leave you to it. Goodbye." With those words, Shiro Tokita hung up.

He sat quietly for a few minutes, pinching the bridge of his nose out of distress and frustration; after that, he got back to work.

After all, there was - quite literally - no rest for the wicked.

xxxx

END OF 6/18/2015

xxxx

/well
/that was an eventful day