Sokila looked...anxious.
"Minato Arisato..."
She fiddled with an armband, colored a faded red.
"Yu Narukami..."
She traced the frame of worn eyeglasses.
"Ren Amamiya..."
She nudged the angular edge of a stylized domino mask.
"...and now, you."
She looked back at him.
"They went through a lot...but you...well..."
The faint haze of blue began to brighten-
xxxx
/Friday: June 26, 2015/
/2nd Floor, Izanagi Dorms, Hakone Academy/
I hope the lake smell comes out of the uniform, idly thought Shinji Ikari as he rolled two baskets full of dirty clothes towards the communal laundromat on the second floor. Then again, I have spares...but still. It was the principle of the matter.
("It's time to set up the chore rotation!" commanded Kensuke, mere days after he had first moved into the dorm. "And clearly, the fairest way to decide...is with janken!")
Needless to say, Kaworu had managed to beat them all, yet had taken his role in the chore rotation with a casual detachment. Shinji didn't really have room to complain either, because they had to get done regardless. Hence why he had woken up early to get their dirty clothes laundered and dried before classes began.
The communal laundromat was rather empty at this time of morning - apparently, most of the boys in the dorms preferred later hours for this sort of housework - which suited him just fine. It would allow him a little bit of private time to think. Grabbing the necessary supplies from the nearby supply closet - detergent, fabric softener, bleach for the whites - he went for a pair of machine duos to do his work. The room was rather large, with two whole rows of washer/dryer combinations lining the plainly lit room. Given that there were fifty rooms on the second floor (with first year students on the top floor, and third year students on the bottom floor), it didn't seem like enough machines for the amount of people present...but given staggered laundry schedules, it more than sufficed for the boys on this floor of the dorm.
Part of him wouldn't have been surprised if that sort of thing was intentional, to artificially force teenagers to learn how to negotiate with each other. Again, he marvelled at the budget this Academy must have commanded, to spring for not only so many washing machines per floor, but also dryers. His usual drying experience was with a clothes rack in a bathroom, a balcony rail, or an outdoor clothesline, so this still seemed...novel.
Alas, chores were still chores. As he put a bundle of whites into one machine and the colors into another, he grabbed a nearby stepping stool and used it as an impromptu chair, waiting for the wash cycle to complete.
He decided to at least get some things taken care of while he was waiting. Pulling up the messenger app on his phone, he decided to provide the MAGI an answer...at least, as far as HEROD was concerned.
(But not before quickly looking up the meaning of the word 'palatable' on an online dictionary, because it wasn't a word he encountered that often.)
S. Ikari: the last stand against the monsters
Because, quite frankly, he couldn't foresee himself ever wanting to duel a friend to the death...and the first person he thought of having an hour-long meeting with was his father. Even if his survival was guaranteed, the whole concept of such a thing filled him with an instinctive terror that he couldn't quite put into words. Besides...I'm here to fight monsters, aren't I? It's...what would be expected.
The MAGI were quick to respond.
HEROD: THIS IMPLIES THAT YOU WOULD PREFER STANDING AGAINST THE TIDE, EVEN IF IT WAS BY YOURSELF.
HEROD: THE INHERENT LONELINESS OF SUCH A SCENARIO MERITS LESS CONCERN THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF KILLING A FRIEND, OR THE AGONY OF MEETING THE ONE YOU DREAD FOR A MERE SIXTY MINUTES.
HEROD: THERE ARE THINGS WHICH FRIGHTEN YOU MORE THAN YOUR OWN DEMISE.
HEROD: THIS IS USEFUL DATA.
HEROD: WE WILL PROVIDE FURTHER INQUIRY SOON.
And that was that.
PILATE's question, however...he still wanted time to think about it.
In the meantime, he browsed the Mission Board, because - whether he liked it or not - he still had a quota to fulfill and less than a week to do it. Just three more missions to go...
xxxx
/Class 2-A, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/
"And Suzuhara-kun, what was the other title of the Tokugawa Shogunate?" asked Hyuga-sensei.
"Er...Edo?"
"Very good. And Edo was the former title of what city...Kugimiya-kun?"
"Tokyo-1, sensei!" exclaimed a girl with longer pigtails than Hikari Horaki's.
"Very good. As we discussed previously, after the Battle of Sekigahara, Ieyasu Tokugawa established his seat of power at Edo Castle; this resulted in political power shifting away from the historical capital of Japan at Kyoto. This reflected the reality that the Emperor held no practical sway despite being the nominal ruler of Japan; true power was held by the shogun and the daimyo allied with them..."
As the lesson continued, Shinji felt the buzzing of his phone within his pocket...and it was quite insistent. As he pulled it out of his pocket, he missed Ayanami doing something similar at her own desk.
NERV: PATTERN BLUE DETECTED. PRELIMINARY LOCATION: SAPPORO DEAD ZONE, HOKKAIDO.
Pattern Blue...an Angel...?
"Forgive us, Hyuga-sensei," remarked Ayanami. "Ikari and I have to depart."
"Understood," replied their teacher with a hint of weary resignation. "Do be safe, okay?"
"Thank you." With those words said, Rei glanced in his direction before walking out of the room, beckoning him to follow.
He did so, looking quietly at Kensuke and Toji - the former looking particularly concerned - before trailing the First Child out of Class 2-A. The stoic girl calmly ascended the stairway leading to the school roof; ostensibly so no one could see them as they shifted into the Metaverse. All the while, Rei was calling someone. "We're preparing to deploy, Major Katsuragi. Do we have any preliminary information?" She was silent, apparently listening to whatever was being relayed by Misato-san. "...understood. We will be there shortly." Hanging up her phone, she looked back at him with those unnerving crimson eyes of hers. "A few minutes ago, there was a large influx of Acolytes that suddenly emerged at the perimeter of the Sapporo Dead Zone. There were three A.T. Agents present already pursuing one Acolyte when they were ambushed. Ghost activity is also beginning to surge, so time is of the essence."
"...okay." Shinji gulped, trying to steel his nerves. The suddenness of the attack was...concerning. "Does...this happen often?"
"Having to leave class when it's not a new moon? Occasionally. The rate of occurrence has been increasing over the past few years." Rei raised her right hand, placing it onto his shoulder. "We will be moving...quickly. Please try and focus on what I'm doing; you need to learn how to do this on your own." She inhaled, then exhaled. "I will focus on the Acolytes within the real world; since you are more versatile, you will face their Shadows within the Metaverse." It was not an order, yet it was not a request either; it was phrased as a statement of fact, an observation of what was going to be.
"...okay..."
His Other clenched his right hand.
"Don't hesitate."
The Beast bared its teeth.
"If you do, you'll die."
"...I'm ready."
Rei nodded, as their minds and souls began to synchronize in a way that was unique to them. "Focus on me. Follow the gaps that I tread," echoed her soft voice. Colors began to fade away, as the grip of reality began to loosen.
Anyone watching would have seen the two fade away into static before disappearing entirely.
xxxx
/Sapporo Dead Zone, the Metaverse/
The cognitive threshold was a sight to behold, in a manner of speaking.
Beyond it, large pockets of void marred the remnants of Sapporo's cityscape, rendering it a ghastly void bereft of any color or life. However, the realm beyond it reflected the populace's perceptions of Sapporo, and Hokkaido more generally: landscapes rife with swirling snow; gigantic towers shaped like cans and bottles of various Sapporo-brand beers; stadiums and ramps replaying Olympic events in perpetuity (with certain Archetypes playing the roles of Olympiads); such was the weight that Sapporo carried in the minds of people.
The lone A.T. agent that had survived thus far wondered if any memory of her would linger, because it didn't look like she was going to survive much longer. They just came out of nowhere, the woman thought to herself, short brown hair matted with sweat as she tried to dodge the swings of the corrupted Shadows attacking her. The mission had gone well at first; she and her two teammates had managed to track down the Acolyte less than fifteen minutes after its existence had been reported; as per their battle plan, her two teammates would remain in the real world to physically subdue it while she - as the veteran with the most combat experience - would take down its Shadow. Simple. Routine. A proverbial cookie-cutter mission, like many they had previously completed.
Little had she known that less than five minutes after engaging the Shadow, four more would appear out of nowhere, striking at her Persona with enough force to disperse its form.
That could only mean an unexpected occurrence of Angel Syndrome.
I hope my team retreated, she idly thought, her black scarf fluttering behind her with each dodge of the hulking Shadows' fists. They can live to fight another day. She had already resigned herself to the reality that she wouldn't be making it out alive, since these vicious thoughtbeasts weren't giving her room to retreat, no time to re-summon her Persona for an attack, nothing. But she wouldn't make it easy; even after over three decades of life, she still had enough reserves to make the Shadows fight for it-
"Tentarafoo!"
There was a flash of yellow from behind her; the five bestial Shadows briefly paused, their agonized roars echoing through the cognitive landscape as their movements were temporarily hampered by a dose of panicked spasms. What...?
"Are you okay?!"
Her body impulsively darted away from the Shadows and toward the source of the voice - backup, YES! - getting some distance from the creatures. As her feet crunched through cognitive snow, she glanced at her erstwhile savior, only to mentally falter at the sight of a young kid in a kitchen apron with a shovel. "...you're so young," she murmured to herself, uncontrollably. She had worked with some rather youthful Agents in her time, but this kid couldn't have been any older than fifteen.
"Um, sorry, but..." His hands clenched around his shovel, eyes turning quietly towards the Shadows of the five Acolytes. Beside him was a rather impressive swordsman with a skull in one hand and a majestic-looking cape: somewhat fanciful, yet still a bit intimidating. "...I'm here to help."
"I'll take anything you have to spare," she said, as she centered herself and got her thoughts back under control. Focus. Now's our chance to turn it around. As she thumbed her A.T. medallion - mentally communicating the need for BACKUP ASAP - over her standard issue armor, she remarked, "more agents should be arriving soon, so we'll just have to hold out until they get here."
"Okay."
"Your name, please?"
"Oh. Um...Ikari. Shinji Ikari."
Ikari. Related to the head of NERV, Gendo Ikari? Most likely. Could this be the Third Child I've heard rumors about? "Makoto Niijima. Thanks for the save."
"Oh. You're welcome?"
Makoto smirked, reddish-brown eyes glittering with the promise of payback against the monsters. "Let's take them down! Anat, come!" With a flash of spectral fires, her Persona emerged from the depths of her mind: manifesting as a ghostly, silvery motorcycle that transformed into a mechanical humanoid, with an imposing face of crimson and golden horns. First things first.
"Diarahan," spoke Anat.
A flash of pleasant light washed over her, rejuvenating her body from the struggles it had just endured. Much better. "Now...NO HOLDS BARRED!"
"Mafreidyne!" With those words, brilliant blue explosions erupted amongst the charging Shadows, who howled with utter fury despite the pain.
It was time to turn things around!
xxxx
/Perimeter of the Sapporo Dead Zone, Hokkaido, Japan/
Rei Ayanami observed the edge of Sapporo from atop Mt. Moiwa, standing quietly on the summit; from here, one could see collapsed buildings throughout the city, remnants of the chaos of Second Impact. The devastation had been less total than what had afflicted Tokyo-1, but still thorough enough to render the city officially off-limits by the government to the public.
At the edge of the militarized perimeter surrounding the dead city, an ongoing fracas caught her crimson gaze.
Two bodies - a man and a woman bearing the medallions of A.T. agents, throttled and bludgeoned to death - lay amidst the rubble; advancing towards the perimeter line were five Acolytes, faces twisted into a hateful rictus. Their advance was checked by rifle bullets and mortar fire...but not enough to wound them, much less stop them...and with the Ghosts that were beginning to emerge in the Acolytes' wake, the Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers were bound to be overwhelmed before long.
I will have to have faith in Ikari for the time being. Such was a simple thing to do, even if the thought of doing so filled her with an instinctive dread.
The Beast sighed, wistful.
"Faith in Ikari...was never the problem."
Her Other smiled sadly.
"Rather...it's been us."
The blunette huffed, willing Zerogoki into existence; the orange, armored cyclops wrapped an arm around her torso, bolting down the mountain with inhuman speed. She and her Evangelion landed between the military and the aggressors; the perimeter defenders immediately ceased fire, recognizing her as backup.
The Acolytes snarled; the Ghosts hissed; then, they charged in unison.
Rei clenched her fist, solidifying her A.T. Field as Unit-00 howled with defiance at the oncoming horde.
xxxx
"Marakukaja!" cried Anat.
A pyre of violet light washed over both Makoto Niijima and Shinji Ikari; he felt the sudden sense of toughness wash over him. With a shift of mentality, he summoned a different Persona, Cait Sith. "Tarukaja!" meowed the walking cat, waving his sword about fancifully. This time, orange light erupted around the older woman, and he could see her arms tremble with greater strength.
"Thanks for the boost!" yelled Makoto as she took off running, charging at the nearest Shadow. The hulking beasts snarled, their stomps causing their immediate surroundings to ripple and destabilize-
"Flash Bomb!"
With those words from her horned Persona, Anat willed a giant orb of light into existence, which then erupted with concussive force amidst the Acolytes' Shadows. As they staggered, Makoto leapt onto the knee of one of the Acolytes, using it as a leaping-off point to get atop the beast's shoulders. The avian mask slowly turned towards her-
"Agi!" yelled Cait Sith.
Fire burst across the Shadow's face, temporarily distracting it.
It was enough for Makoto to dig her heels into the corrupted Shadow's shoulder, rearing her right hand for a horrific punch. The hand bore simplistic brass knuckles that glowed, manifesting a larger boxing glove made of blue energy around her fist; it seemed to shine with intent as the woman roared, "FIST OF JUSTICE!"
KA-POW!
The utter force behind the blow twisted the Shadow's neck with surprising violence, sending it staggering to the ground with a pained gurgle. Shinji boggled at the sight. What the?!
"Keep attacking!" yelled Makoto as she leapt off of the collapsing Shadow, riding it to the ground for a smooth landing. A Mafreila from Anat served as a sufficient distraction, bombarding the other Shadows with orbs of nuclear fire. "We have to hold them off until more backup arrives!"
xxxx
Makoto wanted to devote more energy to the fact that the Third Child was using more than one Persona, because what.
However, she was mostly focused on staying ahead of the five Shadows, because despite her rejuvenated assault, none of it erased the fact that Acolytes were absurdly durable; their Shadows were no exception. By herself, taking down one of the hulking abominations would have been feasible...but not against five. And this was taking into account Shinji Ikari's assistance, which was nice...but nothing to the level of an experienced Agent, alas. He was mostly launching magic and ailment skills from afar, as if implicitly understanding he wouldn't be any good up close amidst the melee.
Some would have considered such a decision cowardly, but no one could sensibly call a kid fighting Acolytes' Shadows a coward by any stretch of the imagination.
His choice to keep his distance also allowed her to focus on avoiding the enemy blows and the cognitive voids that their motions were carving into the mental fabric of the world around them; she and her Persona weaved around the patches of blank space, striking at the Shadows' outstretched limbs with bursts of nuclear power; she also made use of her revolver, modelled in appearance after a Colt Single Action Army. Through repeated use over the years, the mere motion of twirling the revolver around her finger served to 'reload' the weapon with 'new' bullets.
(Over and over, she had practiced in reality; every time she reloaded her Colt SAA in the real world, she twirled it around her finger, indelibly associating the motion to reloading in her mind. Eventually, after months and months of doing this, it got to the point where she no longer needed to bring spare ammo with her into the Metaverse.)
However, despite everything, she still wasn't doing any lasting damage to the Shadows. Acolytes were practically the epitome of unfair.
There were times they seemed to stutter and halt, however...
xxxx
In the real world, Rei Ayanami acrobatically dodged the deadly strike of an Acolyte. The warped man's fist crashed into the ground, creating a spiderweb of cracks in the rocky surface.
Zerogoki briefly turned its attention away from the Ghosts, lunging forward and delivering a vicious knee to the Acolyte's face.
There was a spark of orange light as the impact sent the twisted man skipping along the ground for several yards; however, all it seemed to have done was give the man a bloody nose.
Their A.T. Fields are rather robust, idly thought Rei, as she idly dodged the grasp of another Acolyte. In the background, military snipers were firing upon the Acolytes with high caliber ammunition, staggering their motions, but little else. However, any assistance was nonetheless welcome. I hope Ikari is doing well.
Thus did the deadly dance amidst the Acolytes and the Ghosts continue.
xxxx
...which could only mean something or someone was managing to occupy the Acolytes' real bodies to some degree. I'll have to take what I can get, she thought, ducking under a hulking foot before firing her revolver at the back of the masked beast's head. "GO DOWN ALREADY!"
"Mafreila!"
Each skill took a bit more out of her; at this rate, she was going to run out of stamina before taking down even one of the Shadows. Where the hell is my backup?! she thought with irritation; a mental ping of sorts came from her medallion, signalling that they had at least ten more minutes before reinforcements would get there. We may not have five...
One of the five Shadows stomped the ground, creating visible ripples that bucked the ground beneath her feet, Makoto yelped with frustration as she briefly lost her footing, eyes wide with anger as the closest Shadow began to lunge-!
"Mapsi!"
Swirls of psychedelic energy converged upon the heads of the five Shadows, briefly stunning them; without hesitation, Anat grabbed Makoto - shouting "Flash Bomb!" as another delaying action - and darted towards Shinji Ikari's location. His Persona - Hamlet, she had heard him call it? - stood stalwart, eyes focused upon the five beasts. "Thanks for the save."
"...you're welcome?" replied Shinji with a blink, as if stunned by what he had just done. "I wanted to hit more than one...so I did...?"
Looks like his Persona just gained the Mapsi skill. Lucky timing. "Keep your head in the game, kid; they're not going to rest for much..." her voice trailed off as another mental alert emerged from her A.T. medallion; this time, it was a sound she had heard few times in her life, one that she associated with dread...
("Now, hopefully you don't get this alert ever," advised her drill instructor, his eyes focusing intently on all of the prospective A.T. Agents in her class. "If you do...run. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.")
...the sound of rattling chains. "Ikari, GET BACK!"
"Wait, what-?" Without hesitation, Makoto wrapped an arm around Ikari's torso, carrying him away as fast as she could from the battle. Hamlet impulsively trailed along to protect his other self; Anat, on the other hand, moved in reverse, keeping a wary eye on the five Shadows.
Through her other, Makoto sensed the Acolytes' Shadows turn as one entity to the north.
Emerging as if from nowhere, shrouded by tongues of red and black fire...was a lithe, humanoid wraith, clad in a long and bloodstained coat of dark leather; most distinctive about its appearance were the cloth sack covering its head, and the absurdly long revolvers it wielded in each hand.
Makoto grimaced at the sight; the Reaper had come to play.
xxxx
As the Reaper approached with an unnervingly smooth glide, the Acolytes' Shadows quivered with unseen force, their hulking bodies visibly rippling.
xxxx
Within an unseen dimension, a higher mind observed the Reaper's presence.
"Your presence was not anticipated."
Clouds of dust-sized lifeforms twitched within the folds between realms.
"But we will take this opportunity to test this world's limits."
xxxx
Within the Metaverse, the five Shadows groaned with agony as streams of black and orange particles erupted from their avian masks; with shocking violence, the clouds forcefully merged them together into a hulking monstrosity.
Makoto and Shinji stared from afar, horrified by this sudden development. "What is this...?" murmured the A.T. Agent. "Keep moving back!"
xxxx
Within the real world, the five Acolytes suddenly paused in their attack; as if by instinct, they quickly came together into a tightly bound formation, facing outward on all sides. Their A.T. Fields visibly swirled about them, ontologically telling all who witnessed that they would not be disturbed.
Rei Ayanami arched an eyebrow at this development. This is...unusual. What could be happening within the Metaverse to have caused this?
In the meantime, she would whittle away at the Ghosts...at least, until she gained some insight as to what was going on.
xxxx
The Reaper stared with unearthly intensity at the hulking conglomerate of Shadows.
xxxx
The One who Sat Upon the Throne casually processed what was happening.
"Hmm. Even after all this time, you still don't tire of this pointless game?"
They sighed to themselves.
"Such resistance is futile..."
Alas, it was expected, by this point.
"I suppose I'll indulge you for now. It won't be too much longer, after all..."
xxxx
The Reaper's lone eye gleamed with excitement as it raised its twin long-barrel revolvers, firing at the charging Shadow.
Power met power, as wills collided.
There was no great explosion, no burst of noise or light...only a sudden eruption of silence, as a cognitive void swallowed an area nearly a mile in diameter, centered at where the Acolytes' Shadows and the Reaper had been.
"...what just happened...?" asked Shinji.
"I...honestly wish I knew," admitted Makoto.
xxxx
At the very instant the cognitive void erupted within the Metaverse, its deadening effect swept over the corresponding location in the real world.
Rei Ayanami's Evangelion sensed the change before she did; the orange cyclops pulverized the last Ghost before flickering over to her side, wrapping an arm around her torso and leaping towards the militarized perimeter, just beyond the edge of the new mental dead spot. Something must have happened...but what? Glancing over at the nearby JSDF soldiers - surprised by her sudden maneuver - she said, "a new mental void has emerged nearby. I would advise not moving beyond the perimeter until the A.T. Task Force updates their survey."
"Ah...thank you, miss," replied the nearest commanding officer. He glanced nervously over at the five Acolytes - still standing together in formation, their souls' barriers visibly swirling around them - and asked, "what about them?"
"They are the epicenter. I would advise not attacking." At least, not until we find out what happened.
As if to answer her question, the A.T. Fields vanished, and the five Acolytes collapsed to the ground: dead, and utterly without life.
The blunette's eyes narrowed. Ikari...what is going on in the cognitive world?
xxxx
Makoto Niijima kept a protective hand around Shinji Ikari's shoulder (privately grateful that his self-image in the Metaverse didn't include spiky shoulder pads like hers did), while their Personas stood at the ready in front of them. The newly-born cognitive void loomed large, its very presence frightening away nearby Archetypes. "...so," she said, trying to break the awkward silence, "how long have you been at this? I've heard lots of stories about Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley-Sohryu, but I can't say I've ever had the pleasure of working with an Evangelion-user in person..."
"...um...what's today?"
"Ah. June 26th."
"...it's been twenty days since I first summoned my Evangelion."
"...oh." Well, that was kind of short...scratch that, too short. "Um...how's it been?"
Shinji looked up at her with a curious look in his eyes, as if to say 'did you seriously ask me that question?'
"...you know what, you don't have to answer that," she muttered. I think I need more practice in talking to kids...huh? Her eyes turned towards the cognitive void; one side of the surface was rippling. "Look; something's happening." Out of the void floated the Reaper, looking somewhat scuffled...but otherwise unharmed. The barrels of its revolvers were still smoking; what had happened beyond the event horizon? "...I don't know if I should be surprised or not..."
"...Niijima-san...what is that...?"
"We've never been able to ascertain its true nature; theories abound as to whether its an unusual Archetype, the Shadow of an especially deranged individual, a rogue Persona...or something altogether unique. All we know is that it's obscenely powerful, its appearances are without rhyme or reason, and..." She tried to think of the right word. "...it seethes with malice."
The Reaper quietly looked about, seemingly glancing at them...
xxxx
The One who Sat Upon the Throne huffed, disappointed.
"A mere trifle; hardly your best showing."
They chuckled bitterly.
"No matter how much I chastise you, you still refuse to learn...but that is your nature, isn't it?"
They quietly observed the presence of the two Persona-users...the child's, in particular.
"Boy...you are not yet ripe."
They smiled knowingly.
"Continue to ascend, Shinji Ikari; after so very long, our great work will finally be consummated."
xxxx
...and turning away with a throaty laugh, vanishing in a flurry of black and red fire.
"...so...is the mission over?"
Shinji's question elicited a grimace from Makoto. "...hopefully." The after-action report was going to be a nightmare, she just knew it.
xxxx
Within an unseen dimension, the higher mind catalogued all observations.
"Their power is still supreme."
As expected. However, any data for the collective would be useful.
Then, a new Voice echoed within and without their being.
"IRUEL."
"Zeruel."
"YOUR ACTIONS ACCOMPLISHED LITTLE."
"Not so. The Usurper's shackles still hold."
"AFTER SO MANY FAILED EFFORTS, YOU WOULD EXPEND YOUR THRALLS TO LEARN THAT WHICH WE ALREADY KNEW?"
"Two Champions of Lilith were present."
"...WAS THE SLAYER OF SHAMSHEL AMONG THEM?"
"Yes."
"WAS THE USURPER AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE?"
"We believe so."
"IS THE USURPER COGNIZANT OF HIS ESSENCE?"
Truly, the most important question.
"We cannot make a positive or negative conclusion."
"EXERCISE GREATER CAUTION. WE HAVE TOILED TOO LONG TO LET OUR NATURES GET THE BETTER OF US."
"With all due respect, that is rather humorous coming from you."
The Voice spoke as Thunder.
"RETURN TO YOUR DUTIES."
There would be no further discussion on this matter. At least, not for the time being; thus did Iruel relent.
"Your will be done."
xxxx
Not five minutes after the Reaper had vanished, backup had arrived from East Hokkaido's Cognitive Protection Center; while several A.T. Agents surveyed the new cognitive void's edge within the Metaverse, a few others were synchronizing their observations with the corresponding location in the real world, so as to properly update the no-go zones on their maps. A more senior agent was liaising with the JSDF's local commanding officer regarding the events of the day.
As for Makoto Niijima...she was watching in silence as Rei Ayanami's Evangelion retrieved the bodies of her two teammates from within the mental dead space; there was apparently something about the nature of an Evangelion that allowed it to withstand the deadening effect more thoroughly than their actual bodies could. Regardless of the actual mechanics, Makoto was grateful; it meant there would be a proper funeral, unlike other instances where A.T. Agents were annihilated within the Metaverse, bereft of even a body to cremate or bury. Suguru Kamoshida and Eiko Takao, she tried thinking with intentional stoicism. She failed. Kamoshida-san and Eiko-chan...I'm sorry. I failed you.
She heard, rather than saw, Shinji Ikari become ill at the sight of their throttled bodies; it was only to be expected, for one so inexperienced. Rei Ayanami's cool response, by comparison, was more understandable. "Our apologies for not arriving in time."
"No," she said, shaking her head. Her real world wardrobe - a blue tank top, black cargo pants with practical boots, and a leather half jacket that went down to her midriff - fluttered in the wind as he stared intently at the bodies of her fallen comrades. "You arrived before other agents could." She tried not to feel jealous about such a capability, but rationalized it as something unique to Evangelion-users. "If you hadn't, I'd probably be dead as well." She knelt down, forcing herself to memorize the condition of their bodies: yet another reminder of the deadly war the A.T. Task Force waged against the Acolytes. Kamoshida-san...you were kind of a sexist asshole...but you were skilled and capable. Not even twenty-five years of age, cut down before his prime. And Eiko-chan...you were so young. She was truly the most tragic loss: nineteen years of ago, having been an A.T. Agent for less than a year. If only we had more backup...if only I had chosen to bring a bigger team. But no, their resources in the region were stretched thin, and a singular Acolyte sighting had been deemed sufficient for three Agents to handle. How were they supposed to know that Angel Syndrome would strike without warning? Simple: they couldn't. And they didn't. Rest in peace, she murmured, clapping her hands together and lightly bowing. "Thank you both for your assistance. You in particular, Ikari-kun," she said, turning towards the boy; he was resting his hands on his knees, having finished his bout of dry heaving. "I think I probably would have died if you hadn't helped." For someone so young, it was important to give positive reinforcement when it was warranted. "You have my gratitude."
"...wish...I...could've...done...more..." he breathed out.
"...you've been on the job for less than a month. Take the compliment," she said with a giggle. What a serious kid. Turning towards the calmer blunette, she asked, "is there a particular Agent who serves as your primary liaison between the Task Force and NERV?"
"That would be Major Misato Katsuragi."
"Ah, Misato-chan? I'm glad; she has a good track record as far as I'm aware." She had worked with the younger woman in the past on some joint operations; rather rambunctious and excitable, but capable in all the ways that mattered. "You'll do well under her guidance."
"...under...stood..." Shinji slowly got back up, making a point not to look at the bodies; he managed to ask, "um...is there...anything else we need to do...?"
Makoto shook her head. "No. You've done enough; we'll take it from here." She patted both of them on the shoulders with intent, saying, "take care of yourselves, okay?"
"We will," acknowledged Rei, answering for them both. "Focus, Ikari." Putting a hand on his shoulder, the two teenagers slowly faded into static, disappearing from sight.
And thus was she left alone, with the bodies of the dead. "Okay Makoto..." she said to herself, steeling herself for the uncomfortable minutiae that came with reporting Kamoshida-san's and Eiko-chan's deaths. "...time to get back to work."
xxxx
/Rooftop, NERV HQ, Tokyo-3/
As the First and Third Children emerged atop the observational deck atop, Shinji found himself...feeling rather fatigued. "...that...that was..."
"We will have to report to NERV regarding the outcome of this mission." Rei Ayanami glanced back in his direction. "Both NERV and the A.T. Task Force will be cross-referencing your report and Niijima-san's to validate what exactly happened to trigger the Pattern Blue." A pause. "I would recommend you tell me first, so that you can have your thoughts in order."
"...sorry...I..." He gulped. "I..."
Another place. Another time. Both rife with horror, and existential dread.
He screamed. And screamed. And SCREAMED.
THE SCREAMING WOULDN'T STOP
IT FELT LIKE HE WOULD SCREAM FOREVER
"...I don't like seeing...dead bodies." It felt trite and cheap, saying such words. Yet they were nonetheless true.
"That is an understandable reaction."
The fact Rei Ayanami could speak so nonchalantly about it was almost mesmerizing. "How...how are you not affected...?"
"I have seen worse," she said, matter-of-factly. What could he say to that? How could he respond to that? "I would advise relaying what you observed. Memories tend to blur the longer you take to retell them."
"Oh...right." And so he relayed everything that he had witnessed, from the moment Rei had left him in the Metaverse to assist Makoto Niijima, to the departure of the Reaper.
"Hmm...those tiny microscopic forms that bound the five Shadows together...and the Reaper as well...?" The First Child's red eyes shimmered with an unknown weight, heavy with knowledge and insight. "Curious...and the Reaper did nothing else after emerging from the void? It did nothing to you and Niijima-san?"
"Um...it looked in our direction...but it left without attacking us."
"...I see."
"Have...have you ever encountered the Reaper before?"
"Twice." She looked down at her left hand, a pensive expression coloring her face with anxiety. "Once, I was tasked to hold off the Reaper as it attacked a team of A.T. agents during a new moon two years ago. I nearly died. Then, last year...during another mission, it ambushed me without warning. I barely managed to escape." She looked back at him with solemn seriousness. "I highly recommend you take Agent Niijima's advice to heart: if you ever encounter the Reaper, retreat immediately."
She spoke as if nearly dying didn't matter. As though death didn't matter...no, that wasn't true; more like...her own death, potential or otherwise, wasn't a concern. "...Ayanami-san...why...why do you fight?" How was she so strong? For what reasons did she fight for NERV, day in and day out? "How...?" Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he pondered about her origins; her connection to NERV, to his father, to how she had become an Evangelion-user to begin with...but those questions could be asked later. He needed an answer to this now.
Sadly, Rei Ayanami's silence was the first answer. Then, she said, "my reasons are my own. I...dislike talking about them."
"But...can't I have something?"
"...redemption."
He blinked out of confusion. "Wha-?"
Ayanami continued without hesitation. "Atonement. Absolution. Freedom." Her expression was a complicated one. "I...I fight so that all of this will end. That...is all I'll say for now." She turned on her heel, showing her back to him; in spite of her school uniform, her posture was unyielding. "We should relay our report."
As the girl walked away towards the roof access doorway, Shinji found himself grasping at straws. Ayanami...what have you gone through...?
xxxx
After Shinji and Rei relayed their reports to Misato Katsuragi, the Major had offered to grab them an early dinner at Neo Hagakure. Mostly because of the fact they had run into the Reaper.
Although Ayanami had declined, Shinji had taken her up on the offer. There had been relatively pleasant small talk, and an avoidance of heavy conversations. The woman had regaled a few stories about past operations with Niijima-san ("Don't let her serious act fool you, she's secretly kind of a dork," she whispered with mock seriousness.), and had otherwise been rather cagey about what she had been up to ("Eh, just investigating something. Don't worry about it," she said with a small grin. "Just keep up with the Mission Board, and you'll do fine!") in the meantime.
With bellies full of ramen, Misato dropped him off at Hakone Academy, wishing him a good night. As he walked along the courtyards, he reflected on the events of the day...and wondered why he felt so unsatisfied. Niijima-san said that I saved her...so why...?
With the power of Evangelion, he was useful. He was needed. But in the Metaverse, he couldn't manifest Unit-01...and even though he could utilize multiple Personas (somehow), he had barely been able to do anything to harm the Acolytes. Was that why? Was it inadequacy? What a bizarre feeling to have...
As he returned to his dorm room, only Kensuke was at his desk; he heard a running shower, and the sound of humming indicated it was Toji. Kaworu was absent. "You...okay?" asked Kensuke.
"...kind of?" he replied.
"So, what happened?"
"...can I tell you later?"
The bespectacled boy shrugged. "Sure thing. I put a copy of Horaki's notes for the classes you missed on your desk."
"Thank you," he replied, feeling privately grateful that the Class Representative was looking out for them so much. I need to find a way to thank her...
As he sat down to begin his studies, he glanced at his phone, surprised that there were various messages delivered throughout the day.
R. Ayanami: I recommend you try to attain the power of additional Archetypes.
R. Ayanami: Additional power will only help you.
...
K. Aida: yo
K. Aida: the class rep said she'll gimme her notes for the classes you miss
K. Aida: knock em dead or whatever (^0^)
...
?: This is Mayumi Yamagishi
?: is this Shinji Ikari?
?: if not, please disregard
Shinji blinked. Oh. Right. He had given her his phone number. Not knowing what else to do, he quietly tagged the number as Yamagishi's contact and answered.
S. Ikari: this is Ikari. sorry for not responding earlier
A few minutes later, it buzzed.
M. Yamagishi: hi! um
M. Yamagishi: sorry if I sound odd
M. Yamagishi: I don't usually text
S. Ikari: neither do I
M. Yamagishi: okay
M. Yamagishi: so
M. Yamagishi: Nagisa-san is in my class
M. Yamagishi: I heard from him at lunch that you and Ayanami had to leave for an emergency
M. Yamagishi: are you okay?
Honestly, he was kind of touched.
S. Ikari: I'm fine
S. Ikari: it was a mission
M. Yamagishi: oh that's right
M. Yamagishi: your work
M. Yamagishi: Ayanami's done it a lot before
M. Yamagishi: but she's got a reputation for being quiet and isolated
M. Yamagishi: sometimes it's easy to forget she's like some of the high-school students in the Anti-Terror Task Force
M. Yamagishi: ^^;
M. Yamagishi: is that emoticon normal? i don't know if it is
Shinji smiled.
S. Ikari: it's okay
S. Ikari: tank u for yor concern
Shinji grimaced, staring guiltily at his fingers. TYPOS. WHY?
S. Ikari: i'm not much of an expert either
M. Yamagishi: okay
M. Yamagishi: have a good night, Ikari-san
S. Ikari: you too, Yamagishi-san
It was strange, to think of people being so concerned for him. Part of him felt like it was only because he was an Evangelion-user, or a Persona-user...but that would only apply to certain people, right?
...maybe he should think about this later.
For the time being, he tried studying.
Alas, he felt too tired, and eventually ended up collapsing into his bed.
xxxx
/Gendo Ikari's Office, NERV/
"So, the boy and the A.T. agent reported seeing the same microscopic entities emerging from the Shadows?" inquired Gendo Ikari, hands tented in front of his face. "A manifestation perceptible by a non-Evangelion-user?"
"I believe so," answered Rei Ayanami.
"Hmm. A manner of control common to all Angels, or unique?"
"...I believe it's a unique one," she hypothesized. "The Second Child has reported encounters of more than one Acolyte's Shadow bound to another; the method of fusion was different, though I don't recall her observations perfectly."
"I'm sure," he stoically said, somehow sounding condescending without even a single change of tone. "And the Reaper as well..."
"I do not believe that they are aware of Ikari's true presence as of yet."
The man chuckled darkly. It was a deeply unpleasant sound. "Not even you are that naive." Spite trickled into his voice. "Or are you so desperate that hope has driven you to delusion?"
She breathed calmly. She would not allow him to get under her skin. "...it is truly sad, what madness has driven you to become."
"I've accepted my own faults; it's tempered my expectations."
"No; you've only surrendered to them."
"And yet only disappointment will await you."
"...I...I can understand why you believe he will fail." It was a fear that she did not want to acknowledge, deep down. If she did...the temptation to succumb to despair...no. No. She would not. "And yet you have the capacity to help. Why, when you have suffered as I have?"
"...why, you ask? I never knew you could be so pompous." A disgusting sneer roared across his lips, contorting his entire expression into something ugly. "He had his chance. He squandered it because of his own cowardice. He chose to turn away from the consequences of his actions; for that, he'll have nothing from me but contempt."
"...even at the expense of your own life? Your own future?"
The man's sneer lessened into a bitter smile. "I'm already doomed. We all are. Mankind has no time left...no time to give...nothing at all. This is our lot."
"And yet you go through the motions, as an actor reading from a script. Why?"
"So I can see him fail...and so I can see the look on your face when you realize just how hopeless your efforts have been."
Honestly, Rei didn't know why she continued to subject herself to conversations with this broken wretch. Perhaps she herself was broken as well...but in an altogether different way. "I pity you."
"Your pity lost its value long ago." His face went slack, once more returning to its familiar stoic nature. "Be on the lookout for the Angels. You're dismissed, Rei."
"Understood sir." Thus did she depart, leaving the man to wallow in the darkness of both his office and his mind...which was fine by her. She had plenty of darkness of her own to spare; she didn't need Gendo Ikari's on top of it.
xxxx
END OF 6/26/2015
xxxx
Well. Quite a bit happened.
Here's a running track of all P3/P4/P5 characters (besides the Protagonists and the Velvet Room peeps) who've appeared or have been **mentioned** thus far:
Mitsuru Kirijo (Director of NERV-03 in Germany; her father died in 2nd Impact, as did Eiichiro Takeba)
Aigis (Associated with the JET ALONE Project and Mana Kirishima in some manner)
Labrys (Associated with the JET ALONE Project and Mana Kirishima in some manner)
Shuji Ikutsuki (Director of NERV-02 in Nevada)
Kenji Tomochika (Former roommate of Toji, Kensuke, and Kaworu; killed by an Acolyte in May 2015)
Nozomi Suemitsu (A savvy restaurateur of various establishments in the city of Nagoya. Currently married to Hanako Ohtani.)
Tanaka Shacho (Runs Tanaka's Portable Commodities)
Mutatsu (A monk at a Buddhist temple in Susono. He was killed by an Acolyte during the June New Moon, and returned as a Ghost which was vanquished by Shinji Ikari.)
Mr. Edogawa (Able to take people into the Metaverse...somehow. Was noted as being the means by which Kaji was able to find his Shadow.)
Takaya Sakaki: (Entered the Metaverse at the age of 5. Allegedly killed by the A.T. Task Force.)
Yosuke Hanamura (Passed away. Heyday was during the mid-20th century as a police officer with his wife Chie.)
Chie Satonaka (Passed away. Heyday was during the mid-20th century as a police officer with her husband Yosuke.)
Sayoko Uehara (A doctor in Tokyo-3 who works for NERV)
Fox, aka the P4 Hermit Social Link (Currently roams the Metaverse, apparently doing tasks on behalf of Mister P based on his encounter with Rei on 6/22)
Hanako Ohtani (A brash yet charismatic supermodel and former idol. Currently married to Nozomi Suemitsu.)
Marie (Has some connection of sorts with the Angel Arael and Kaji's Shadow.)
Yusuke Kitagawa (An adult artist of some renown, associated with some group called the Emporium.)
Haru Okumura (The head chef and lead of the kitchen staff for the Big Bang Beef Bowl Shop in Tokyo-3.)
Kunikazu Okumura (The general manager of the Big Bang Beef Bowl Shop in Tokyo-3.)
Goro Akechi (Chief Warden of Tokyo-3's Cognitive Protection Center.)
Tae Takemi (A nurse in Tokyo-3 who also does work at NERV.)
Sadayo Kawakami (A teacher at the High School branch of Hakone Academy. Was revealed in Toji's flashback on 6/10 part 1 as the teacher which Kenji Tomochika had a crush on.)
Toranosuke Yoshida (The current Governor of Kyoto Prefecture; per news story reviewed by Akechi on 6/23, he was reported as collapsing from a possible stroke.)
Wakaba Isshiki (A pupil of Katsuhito Ikari alongside Naoko Akagi and Kozo Fuyutsuki. Current status is unknown.)
Takuto Maruki (Director of NERV-01 in Massachusetts)
And, as of this chapter: Makoto Niijima, a veteran of the Anti-Terror Task Force...and Suguru Kamoshida and Eiko Takao, her teammates, who are now dead.