Author's Note: Since the month of June was last seen in November of 2020 (i.e. about eight months ago), I figured it would be helpful for the readers if we had a brief recap.

But let's give it some narrative oomph.

xxxx

It was a dark and stormy night, as a thunderstorm rolled through Tokyo-3.

The exact time and date? Irrelevant.

Pen-Pen quietly sat in a chair, reading from an old book under the light of an adjacent table lamp. An old-fashioned kiseru tobacco pipe hung from his beak, emitting faint trails of smoke that cast a strangely pleasant atmosphere in the dim light. Suddenly, without warning, he looked up. "Ah...a trespasser...an interloper...or perhaps a guest? Either way, I'm sure you have many questions. Answers will come in due time. But perhaps it'd be a good idea to think about the steps taken to get this far." He briefly paused, glancing around. "Ah, wondering where my keeper is? She's busy with Metaverse work. You know how it goes, by now. But my, what perfect weather for a good story! Something's missing, though...ah. Mood music." The penguin clapped his flippers together; a nearby CD player suddenly whirred to life, playing a foreboding song at low volume.

"Seems unsettling? Perhaps forlorn? Fitting, for something with the title of 'Gentle Madman'. Ah, but in a world like this, is it that everyone is mad by default, including the gentle? Or are those who dare to be gentle indubitably deemed as mad by the world?" The penguin leaned back, a strange smirk on his face...which was impossible, as his beak did not contort or shift. "I wonder...did the madman become gentle, or did the gentle man go mad...? A question for later. First...let's turn back the clock." Flipping the pages of his book back to the very beginning, he came to a halt. "June the 6th, 2015. An odd point for a story like this to start...and yet what better time is there, than on the anniversary of Shinji Ikari's birth?"

There was a train. "Beckoned by a single letter, Shinji Ikari is attacked by a man corrupted by Sachiel. An A.T. Agent, no less...how did my keeper put it? 'Bad luck?' I sure hope the fruit of that occurrence won't be a rotten one...but this world has a funny way of snuffing out hope. Yet, in a clash of violence, Ikari awakens to his Evangelion: Unit-01! His memory is rather spotty in these parts, thanks to his first visit to the Velvet Room...fortunately, my keeper is a lovely sight to wake up to. The subsequent elevator meeting with his father was less lovely...especially when Ayanami had to knock him flat with Unit-00. Although, given future events...it makes you wonder if it would have even done anything to the man at the boy's current level of power." Pen-Pen took a puff of his pipe, letting tobacco smoke form delicate patterns in the air. "A rather poor way to spend one's fourteenth birthday. But he managed to form a bond with the Arcanas of the Sun and the Devil, so I suppose it all evens out. A very topsy-turvy way to start things, but this is a topsy-turvy time."

"June 7th. Awakening to the sight of Ritsuko Akagi. She always seems so tired of everything, doesn't she? And her way of explaining about NERV and the MAGI, about cognitive psience and metaphysical biology, about Angel Syndrome and Evangelion: so dry and dull and lacking in mystery! It makes one wonder: our protagonist's predecessors had to learn by trial and error, with imperfect guides along the way...yet this boy was given so much knowledge of the world he was to fight in, at the cost of fitting into a paradigm that couldn't possibly contain him...a paradigm which in itself had gaps, despite boasts to the contrary. Which one is preferable? Well...I suppose that's up to you. One bond with the Moon Arcana later, and my keeper whisks him away to get a tour of NERV — practically a formality, given how little he even wants to be there — and a warm meal...and to sign a contract. Just the action of signing it has weight!" The penguin sighed knowingly. "Then...there's his first glimpse of the Metaverse: the cognitive world, formed and forged from the thoughts of man. A place where spirit has no place, and the mind is supreme." He quacked with amusement. "Oh, how little they knew, back then! The boy, introduced to Tokoyo, is given a look at Archetypes, a brief explanation of Shadows and Personas...as well as the scars carved by the Angels upon cognition. The poor lad was so tired that he was barely cognizant enough to get an explanation from Igor about Social Links! At the very least he was able to get his key from little Sokila." The bird chuckled as the smoke seemingly took on the shape of a spritely nymph, skipping through the air with abandon. "A sweet little thing. It's really quite a shame, the circumstances that brought her here...and the circumstances that will take her to the end of her path...but you're not quite there yet, are you?" Then, as an afterthought, he added, "oh, and he saw me in the feathery flesh. But only for a little bit. I'm best experienced in small doses, after all."

"June 8th. Awakening in my keeper's apartment, to a woman who...doesn't quite have her act together, but moreso than you might've expected, given how these sorts of stories tend to start. After all, what is Misato Katsuragi without 'daddy issues', as people like to call them? Well, she's simply a woman who's grown beyond — or perhaps with — that pain; that doesn't mean all of her pain is gone, as you no doubt know by now." The smoke briefly took on the form of a pony-tailed man with a somber look before fading away. "The boy wasn't going to live with her: another change. He was going to a dormitory at the Academy, because...like it or not...the struggles and minutiae of day-to-day life amongst peers are prime for developing the power of the Wild Card. Almost by design, if you think about it too much...and all under the auspices of an Academy run by Keel Lorenz, with Kōzō Fuyutsuki as his homeroom teacher! How strange and queer such circumstances are: how frightened you might have felt! Was the fear warranted? Perhaps...or perhaps not. Your preconceptions are just as capable of blinding you as anything else...but enough about that. His first day goes as well as can be expected: the bond of the Hierophant is formed, he encounters Kensuke Aida and Hikari Horaki...and, of course, within his dorm room, the mad lad himself: Kaworu Nagisa." Pen-Pen paused in contemplation. "I genuinely don't know what to make of him. A boy that leaves no mark on the cognitive world, yet one who shows no signs of Angelic influence beyond his appearance...what is he? I suppose I'll have to find out alongside you all...if Nagisa's stream of casual innuendo doesn't get us convicted under Article 175 of Japan's Criminal Code beforehand. But I digress: one smartphone later, and the boy's out like a light. Enough to miss Toji Suzuhara's introduction...as well as a particular scene in the Aida family's apartment, where little Aida pulls a Teddie and makes a portal out of his TV set. Of course, he cheated a bit, but that's neither here nor there."

"June the 9th! Everything still seems normal: our protagonist is put into a group chat with his roommates, even though it doesn't take long for tension related to its former occupant — one Kenji Tomochika, a name that might be familiar to some of you — to make itself known. All we get out of the classes that day is a bit of algebra from one Maya Ibuki, but that's just a snapshot, an appetizer! Kensuke Aida is intent on pressing forward with his own misconceptions, bringing Shinji Ikari back to his apartment with only the promise of food...and mystery. One trip through a television set later, and the plucky boy is in the Metaverse like he's always wanted to be...until he finds out that his faith in our protagonist is somewhat misplaced. And thanks to someone rude, their way back out is deprived of power. We'll find out later that Shamshel took credit for that bit of sabotage...but I'm getting ahead of myself." Pen-Pen briefly paused. "Archetypes spawning, threatening them both...but our protagonist is forced to confront himself. Or perhaps to recall himself? Why has he forgotten his oath, and for what reason? A tale for later, I'm sure...and yet, lacking so much, he still chose to take a stand...and thus emerged his Persona: Hamlet." Pen-Pen clapped his flippers; in an instant, the somber piano and synthesis gave way to much harder guitars and drums.

"And what a fitting introduction it was! Bolstered with newfound confidence, Aida cons our protagonist into helping him find his Shadow, much to the consternation of others in reality. Fortunately, I was there to lend a hand...or a wing. Thus was Ayanami able to focus on destroying the remnant of Sachiel, wounded as it was from Ikari's violent retaliation on the 6th. The battle...well, there wasn't much of one. As Sachiel was put down, I finally made my magnificent appearance as Mister P! Please, hold your applause." Pen-Pen promptly ceased the self-aggrandizement. "Alas, the time for introductions was minimal, so I 'yeeted' them out of the Metaverse, as Elizabeth might say. Needless to say, my keeper was not happy by Ikari unintentionally going AWOL...but he formed the bond of the Magician, so I think it was worth it." Beat. "And there was one brief cutaway involving Kaworu Nagisa and a stress ball. That's going to be a recurring theme, you'll come to see."

"June the 10th! Poor Suzuhara's painful recollections about his departed friend are ruined by Ayanami, no-nonsense lady that she is. With the assistance of some men in black, she abducts our protagonist and Aida, taking them to NERV HQ. We do have a brief scene of Gendo Ikari essentially mocking various individuals who all have an interest in stopping Angel Syndrome, but they really don't matter: what matters is the man, because Tokyo-3 is well and truly his castle...but I digress. Our protagonist's debriefing results in my keeper getting her first whiff of Mister P's activity, setting her on a long and crazy trail that's yet to achieve its fulfillment...but while Aida ends up getting press-ganged into becoming an intern for NERV — that's what you get for using your mother's A.T. Agent badge to jury rig a portal into the Metaverse — our protagonist ends up within Tokyo-3's Cognitive Protection Center, where he meets its Warden: Goro Akechi." Pen-Pen warbled with amusement. "Another name that sent some of you scurrying for the hills; there's a reason I picked this track to play, you know? It makes me wonder about that quiet voice in his head: it couldn't be Loki or Hereward, because neither of them are known for being quiet...so who's in there?" He shrugged. "A legitimate question...but I'm getting ahead of myself. Introduced to the Panopticon and the concept of all the Shadows they protect and provide oversight for, our protagonist experiences his first ever 'psientific judicial proceeding.' Accompanied by my keeper and Akechi, the boy faces the Shadow of a pitiable pervert by the name of Chiba Takehide. One battle and one near-death experience later, the man's cognition is...shifted, ever so slightly, for the sake of justice. It's a very terrifying power, one that Akechi is fully aware of in terms of its ramifications...as well as how easily one's fortunes could change without one knowing. How fitting, that his is the bond of Fortune! Fortunately, a stressful ride back with one Ren Amamiya — not that our protagonist knows the name of his predecessor yet — is enough to distract him from his introspection for a time. Uncaring for Suzuhara's frustration with their abduction earlier that morning, Ikari and Aida retire...but only the former goes to the Velvet Room, where Igor enlightens our protagonist about the power of the Wild Card...and any joy we might feel over the newly-born bond of the Star is nullified by Igor's cryptic warnings about the new moon." Pen-Pen shook his head. "Constants, and variables...the lunar cycle weighs heavily in the minds of many men...yet where in one timeline the full moon was the harbinger of destruction, here it is the new. Curious and curiouser."

Pen-Pen sighed, taking another puff of his tobacco pipe. "...we have a little time until the day of the first Angel. Let's play something a bit slower." Clap clap, went the penguin's flippers; the heavy rock faded in place of something smooth and atmospheric.

"Ah, that's more like it. Now...June the 11th! My dear keeper tried to order Ayanami to tell her about me, but the girl essentially pulled rank on her. They're both quite stubborn in their own way...but where Katsuragi burns and smolders, Ayanami simply becomes colder, more withdrawn, more sullen. Meanwhile, our protagonist gave the wrong answer in history class, saying Mitsuhide Akechi instead of Nobunaga Oda! How embarrassing. Fortunately, his day turned around at lunch, where he managed to establish the bond of the Empress with young Hikari Horaki; then came the struggle to determine which club to attend, which was alleviated by Fuyutsuki giving some wise advice. The story about the boy's mother certainly helped as well, what with her association with Fuyutsuki, Naoko Akagi, and Wakaba Isshiki growing up. Little wonder that his Hierophant bond grew stronger...ah, if only there were a convenient way to see the levels of those bonds as the grow...perhaps with some omnipresent narrative prose that the protagonist would be innately aware of. Ah, but I suppose some things would be a bit too on the nose...or beak, in my case. At any rate, the boy met Mayumi Yamagishi thanks to choosing the Literature Club, and ends up with his first 'book' being none other than the play from which derived his Persona's namesake! Ah, the irony. The day ends with the boys of Room 23 talking about their respective clubs...and with a little someone with the pseudonym of HEROD sending our boy a query by text. It would not be the last."

The thunder rumbled outside. "June the 12th! My dear keeper complains about Ayanami's behavior to her dearly beloved — former or otherwise, I'm not quite sure — at the bar he runs. A shame that those two didn't work out...though ultimately, the decision was Kaji's own. For reasons I'm sure you'll find out in due course. Anyhow, after a dreadful misunderstanding involving old English words and bodily euphemisms named after the Castor canadensis, we had a bit of a lesson on Post-Impact history involving a solar eclipse. The Lusaka Tragedy, it was known as...but don't worry. We have no solar eclipses scheduled for the rest of the year...and you can check for yourself. Even the one we did have back in March pretty much kept the path of totality over the Arctic Ocean for the most part, so it was...uneventful. Speaking of eventful, our boy got his first call from Tanaka's Portable Commodities! A fine and industrious fellow: best deal on bulk packages of canned tuna that you'll ever find...and since we're on the subject of food, our boy witnessed none other than Minato Arisato himself at New Mikasa, living the dream. Sort of. If your dream involves eating lots of yakisoba without gaining any weight...which I'm sure some people have."

"The 13th. Rei Ayanami and Gendo Ikari have a rather...tense and unsettling conversation, sniping at each other in their own way. Gendo believes his son will fail; Ayanami maintains her hope in him. Who will be correct in the end? Who's to know? After the boy answered HEROD's first question, both Ayanami, Aida, and our protagonist were brought to NERV so that the Evangelion-users could practice. That moment when Shogoki manifested...well, you saw it, I'm sure. Even if he doesn't remember everything, he still carries a deep-seated seed of anger and wrath and hatred, as others will come to find out later on. The question then becomes: where did it come from? But nonetheless, his passions are eventually reined in, allowing him to not only continue his training productively, but to also establish the bond of the Priestess. All told, despite the intensity...it would seem that this day turned out for the best." Pen-Pen seemed to have a smug expression all of a sudden. "Then I yoinked little ol' Kensuke Aida into the Metaverse while he was asleep."

Clap clap. From atmospheric to song laden with synth, guitar, and violin: some might even say it was ideal for facing oneself in battle.

"Which brings us to the 14th...and this particular Sunday felt like it lasted forever. Not sure why. But after a little interlude involving Aida's journal, we see him wandering the Metaverse, inevitably seeking out the place where his mother met her fate years ago; it was at that place, outside of Tokyo-1, where his Shadow's Realm had taken root. Of course, another question from HEROD was ignored by our protagonist in favor of entering the cognitive world to save his roommate at Ayanami's prompting; with her guidance, he transitioned between dimensions under his own power. There, he witnessed her Persona, Lilith, for the first time...and that form is also very familiar for reasons I'm sure some of you are curious about. But that's neither here nor there. With her power of flight, Lilith took Ayanami and the boy to Aida's location...but by the time they arrive, the boy has succumbed to his own doubts, denying his own Shadow. Fortunately, I'm around to provide my own inimitable assistance...and once the usual heart-to-heart is out of the way, the lad awakens to his Persona: Ozymandias. Will we look upon Aida's works and despair? Only time will tell...at any rate, I have one little heart-to-heart of my own with Ayanami in private; I don't oppose her at all, but we simply have different methods. That's all. But that's beside the point. Once they're escorted back to Tokyo-3 by the A.T. Task Force's Ocular Drones, my keeper gave them all a very thorough debriefing due to entering the cognitive world without so much as a heads-up. The day was so exhausting that the boy barely mustered the energy to finally answer HEROD's second question before falling asleep." The penguin huffed. "But seriously, that day felt incredibly long."

"The 15th. School is rather mundane: gossip about our protagonist, his roommates, and Ayanami continues to run rampant; comparisons are made about how certain places handle the new moon; a brief bit of progress is made in a certain Shakespearean play. Then, as Frank Sinatra plays throughout NERV, our protagonist enters the Metaverse to train with Aida, Ayanami, and my keeper. However, when he inadvertently successfully negotiates with a Kinnara Archetype, he displays his ability to wield multiple Personas...much to the shock of everyone around him. Naturally, this drove the course for the rest of that afternoon, as Katsuragi and Akagi tried to stuff more Archetypes into him. But all days come to an end...and after an unexpectedly tense conversation with Gendo Ikari in an elevator, our protagonist and Aida turn in preparation for the new moon operations the following day." The penguin glanced toward the window, where the light of an abnormally large moon briefly flashed past the storm clouds. "Little do they know that the face of Zeruel, Angel of Might, looms and leers from within the darkness of the Moon, high above us...and that leads us to the next day, with the fateful conflict against Shamshel."

Clap-clap. Appropriately villainous music began to play for the occasion, as tension began to rise.

"The 16th of June: the day of the new moon. Our protagonist joins Aida and my keeper on patrol in the Metaverse, and the other two Evangelion-users are fighting elsewhere: Ayanami in Russia, and Asuka — and oh, what a spitfire she is! — in Iceland and Greenland. Little do they know that Suzuhara has gathered at a certain shoreline of Lake Ashi, to finally try and grieve over the death of his friend Tomochika...and the memory shown of the boy meeting his demise at the hands of two Acolytes was rather unpleasant. However, we see in the Metaverse a storm of 'nothingness' — or perhaps void...or concentrated malice? — fall from the sky: a phenomenon unique to the day of the new moon. One such bolt causes the souls of the dead to manifest as hateful Ghosts around Suzuhara; our boy, sensing this, forcefully returns to the real world, summoning Unit-01 to save Suzuhara's life. Telling the boy to flee, our protagonist proceeds to show those spectral rapscallions what for! However...things tend to get worse before they get better. Shamshel, being an unpleasant braggart, corrupts the Shadow of a policeman named Noboru Hanamura, yanking him wholesale out of the Cognitive Protection Center! As I offer my services to assist Aida with the hulking Shadow, my keeper returns to the real world to try and keep Suzuhara safe from the new Acolyte...and all the while, our boy has been yanked into the strange dimension that the Angels reside in, to the proverbial heart of Shamshel. There, the boy digs deep, empowering his Evangelion with his Personas; despite the desperate odds and the haughty words of Shamshel, Unit-01 crushes the Angel's Core. Just like that, the Acolyte ceases to be, in both cognition and reality. The death of Shamshel, manifesting as a great red cross of light, is felt or witnessed by many: Aida, Gendo Ikari, Ayanami, Asuka, Kaworu Nagisa, the other Angels...and others unseen, I'm sure. The boy collapses on the shore, and opens his eyes in the Velvet Room: there, Igor explains the concept of fusing Personas, and the Persona Compendium itself. Most notably, our boy gains the bond of the Fool with the Velvet Room's very own master; a strange thing, for one such as Igor to represent that Arcana? Truly, a testament to how unusual the one known as 'Shinji Ikari' is!"

Clap-clap. The battle had ended, and now it was time to slow down again. This time, there came a more relaxed yet uncertain tune, fit for exposition.

"We come to the 17th. With our boy still on the mend, it was a good opportunity to take a look overseas: at the Third Branch in Germany, the Second Child is awoken for an early meeting by her bodyguard and confidant: Mari Makinami...more well known in her circles as Sister Mary of the Third Order of St. Jeanne d'Arc. An order of combat-ready religious...I wonder if they have a monastic counterpart headed by one Alexander Anderson?" A brief pause, as the penguin suddenly chuckled. "Don't worry if you don't know who that is. Just a little joke on my part. But you know who some would think to be a more terrifying individual to cross? Mitsuru Kirijo: the Director of NERV-03. Needless to say, she wasn't too pleased with how Asuka abandoned Iceland to go Angel-hunting. The girl got some advice and some reprimands to be delivered later; then the dear Director had a meeting with her fellow leads: Commander Ikari, Director Takuto Maruki of NERV-01, and Director Shuji Ikutsuki of NERV-02. The discussion is brief, focused mostly on how the Angel was able to stealthily penetrate Tokyo-3's Cognitive Protection Center, and what that implies. After a thorough thrashing by Kirijo and Artemisia, Sister Mary lulls Asuka to sleep with a nice reading of Sleeping Beauty...oh, and there's a brief interlude where Suzuhara finally decides to let go of his grief over Tomochika's death...for the most part. A coupon for free ramen from Minato Arisato certainly helped. And for some of you, that little news blurb about how the Acolyte policeman was a descendant of Yosuke and Chie Hanamura might have sounded an alarm about how different this world was, if it hadn't been clear by now."

"Onto the 18th! Our protagonist finally awakens...to the sound of his father's voice. He almost sounds encouraging...until he grabs the boy by the hair and twists, hoping that the pain he felt when battling Shamshel hurt." Pen-Pen snorted. "Lovely chap, isn't he? Still curious as to whether that actually happened, because he woke up again to be debriefed by Ritsuko Akagi, who delegated Aida to ask the questions. We see Gendo and Ayanami talking in the dark about the boy's debrief, pondering whether his display of power against Shamshel will draw the eyes of...well, no need to speak their name...yes, even in a place like this. Some of you might already know who it is already. And yet Tanaka, with a single call, is enough to break the tension! Truly, a great and magnanimous individual." There was now a pleasant haze of tobacco in the air. "Our protagonist is subject to the unusual mercies of medical professionals: nurse Tae Takemi and Dr. Sayoko Uehara. He is discharged back to the Academy...only to be called by the principal himself. And after a brief conversation with Keel Lorenz about his reputation amongst the student body, the bond of the Tower is formed." He chuckled knowingly. "How interesting, that this bond threw so many into panic...and yet by this point, he seems to be one of the more well-adjusted and well-intentioned adults in the entire cast. I wonder what his 'tower' stands upon? A question to be answered later, I'm sure. But that's not the only bond that's formed: after school, our boy's time in the Literature Club culminates in a discussion about a classic of Japanese literature, the value of people versus books, and the formation of the bond of the Hermit with Mayumi Yamagishi. It's almost a shame that this day had to end with a cryptic one-sided phone conversation by a man named Shiro Tokita to someone with apparent insider access to NERV's information...and we see very unsettling and familiar labels: JET ALONE. Project LABRYS. Project AIGIS. All are a promise of unpleasant tidings."

"The 19th of June. Today is a very subdued day by comparison: there is talk of high school tutors; a brief lesson in optics from Koji Takao's class; concern over Suzuhara's demeanor inspires Aida to put our protagonist through a harebrained scheme...and as a result, our boy joins the Track Team! Honestly, I'd say he takes on too much...but bouts of silliness can lead to unexpected dividends. Suzuhara found that out, because 'Shinji Ikari the classmate' and 'Shinji Ikari the Evangelion-user' seemed too separate in his mind, even though they were one and the same. It probably didn't help that he had to carry our exhausted boy back to the dorm room."

"Into the last third of June, starting with the 20th: still recovering from all the sprinting he had done, our protagonist intended to let the day pass without incident...of course, that was before I reached out to Ayanami to call in my favor for pulling the lad and his friend out of the Metaverse on the 9th. But I digress: after answering another question from HEROD, he and Aida entered the Metaverse to train with Ayanami, unknowing that my ever paranoid keeper was watching. I'm sure you have some questions with how I'm leading her on..." The penguin quietly took out his kiseru pipe, dumping the ash into a tray and setting it on the armrest. Grabbing a tin of kizami — tobacco that was so finely shredded it had the consistency of hair — he placed a small wad into the metal bowl at the end. Without a word, as if by a mere act of the will, the new tobacco was alight. "...but she tends to work best when she's driven to uncover something. It's in her nature, you could say...and given what's coming, she'll need to be at her best. We all will...but that's for the future." Pen-Pen took a huff of the pipe. "Anyhow, I made a dramatic entrance and whisked away our protagonist, dodging all surveillance and taking him to see a certain...compatriot of mine. The Shadow of Ryoji Kaji. Unfortunately, the lad just wasn't determined enough for Kaji to trust him, just yet. But it wasn't a total loss: a little Jose-enabled warp later — he's that little boy with the silver hair and yellow eyes that you seen in the tunnels of white; sweet kid, honestly — and there I was, helping our boy with the intricacies of how to negotiate with Archetypes in the Metaverse. It was only natural that the bond of the Emperor would form...a shame nothing more came of it, because I had to leave before my keeper could try and tear me a new. It's a good thing that the boy is so earnest with his apologies, because he managed to defuse a potential battle between my keeper and Ayanami. After dinner at the Big Bang Beef Bowl Shop — and yes, it's run by both of the Okumuras — my keeper took off to do some late night research, leaving our boy, Aida, and Ayanami to themselves. The oddest thing, to be sure, is the ending: Kaji's Shadow meets none other than the familiar form of Izanami-no-Mikoto: Marie. And yet, she serves as the conduit...for the Angel known as Arael. And Kaji's Shadow...reports to this Angel, about recent events." Pen-Pen chuckled. "Curiouser and curiouser..."

"June the 21st. Another question from HEROD at far too early of an hour; we turn back to the Melon Patch, where Misato confronts Kaji about his Shadow's shenanigans...but is stonewalled, alas. Kaji maintains his ignorance about his Shadow's deeds...which only frustrates my keeper even more. There's a somber recollection of how they almost got married...that is, until Kaji broke it off, for reasons not made clear...oh well! Back to the dorm room. Our boy awakens to the sound of Aida and Suzuhara bickering about studying for finals; he answers HEROD's question right before Dr. Akagi orders him to go to NERV. At her office, she enlightens him about the Mission Board, and his monthly quota that he is contractually obligated to meet...a suitable way to make sure our boy is doing enough side quests to level up, hmm? In the midst of their discussions about how this world has granted such awful powers to mere children, the name of Takaya Sakaki is mentioned as an infamous figure that was supposedly killed in 2005. Remember that name, because it won't be the last time you hear it." The penguin quietly inhaled a few puffs of tobacco smoke, letting the fragrant smoke linger in his lungs. "Dr. Akagi is understandably not amused by the fact that Shinji's been communicating with the MAGI. Her attempts at trying to monitor it are undermined in very short order by another cycle: one that goes by the name of PILATE. This one has...a bit more of a personality, than HEROD. And yet, it is...more disconcerting, as a result. Yet it seems fitting, that an intelligence born from biocomputers based off the mind of Naoko Akagi would be his bond of Justice: they're quite big on objectivity and reason, which are key concepts needed to be fair in day-to-day life...now where was I? Ah yes: a mission to the town of Susono to dispel the Ghost of a fallen Buddhist monk ensues. You would know that monk by the name of Mutatsu. But all the while, our protagonist is observed by a mysterious girl, wielding a giant shield and axe...both of which have anti-Ghost capabilities. The inevitable march of scientific progress...and the day ends with my keeper and I lazing about around the television. We ended up falling asleep to the dulcet tones of Yusuke Kitagawa, explaining art as he painted. He's apparently part of some group called the Emporium...which likely means it'll come up later. Keep that in mind."

Clap-clap. The music switched to something a bit more traditional sounding, fit for a place like Kyoto in one of those period dramas.

"I wonder if the Road Trip Kids will go there during their vacation...eh, who knows? Anyhow: June the 22nd! A little awkward morning conversation between our protagonist and Yamagishi leads to a scene where Fuyutsuki makes an observation regarding how tipping culture in Japan has changed over the past decade. A strange thing, isn't it: how etiquette and manners can involve something even as simple as that...at any rate, our boy has to choose between the Track Club, the Literature Club, or doing a mission. Flipping a coin, per Aida's advice, doesn't turn out well...so he ends up grabbing a bite with his Magician bond, getting a lesson in Time Management and just...catching up. Anyhow, as our boy and his roommates study, there's a brief cutaway to the Metaverse in China: Ayanami, in the midst of an Acolyte-hunting mission, realizes that a familiar fox is watching her. He's come a long way from those days in Inaba, hasn't he? Anyhow...the little fox offers a gift of healing, and Ayanami simply asks that he return a message to yours truly...namely, to not act recklessly." Pen-Pen snorted. "What she calls recklessness, I call daring."

"The 23rd. Our boy practices coin flipping on his way to the Academy to start the day, because why not? After school, he chooses to take a mission with none other than Goro Akechi. The mission is to pacify various Shadows in the CPC, to minimize the possibility of Shadows interacting with each other within the Panopticon. Akechi mentally ponders alongside the 'quiet stranger', even as our protagonist interacts with numerous Shadows. One in particular — a proverbial incarnation of the naughty school teacher trope; what was it called? Mrs. Robins? Mrs. Robertson? Something along those lines — prompts an interesting discussion as to the degree to which A.T. Agents are authorized to meddle with the cognition of the Shadows they oversee...because if our dark sides may be unpleasant, does it really matter if we keep control over them? Must they be exterminated, if we are able to keep them from harming others? Food for thought, I know; our boy's bond of Fortune is philosophical like that. Speaking of which, after our boy departed for the day, Akechi went out to grab a bite to eat...and was surprised by a thoughtful note from someone who only went by '[J]'. As though the context doesn't make it obvious that it was Joker who left it. Ah, the lad has to get his kicks in when he can."

"The 24th. Our boy overhears talk about whether or not the principal is secretly a death-dealing cyborg. Personally, I would go for 'sanity-stealing octogenarian', but that's just going by what students have to say about final exams. Rather stressful, all things considered...but it certainly hardens you for times of stress in life." Clearing his throat, Pen-Pen continued with "anyhow, once classes ended, we got our first ever look at Suzuhara visiting his sister at Kobayakawa Memorial Hospital. We learn that the girl's mind and cognition are intact...but her soul is on the verge of falling apart as a result of the Angel Syndrome incident which took the lives of their parents. Kept whole only by technology, the girl has been bedridden for years...hmm. Food for thought: if her mind is active, does she have a Shadow? Or is she still too young for such a thing to manifest? Don't mind me, I'm just speculating...anyhow, after an exhausting time at the Track Club, Shinji slips into the Velvet Room to spend time with his little Attendant. He also learns from Igor about Sokila's intrinsic power: lesser than her 'senpai', yet sure to grow in league with our protagonist's...I can only imagine."

"June the 25th...now this was an eventful day. HEROD verbally smacks down our protagonist for not answering a question about his mother in time..." Pen-Pen blinked. "...that sounds like the setup for a punchline. Oh well. Another question is submitted in its stead, and then PILATE gets in on the fun by providing a scenario that seems rather...familiar. Something about how the actions of an unfeeling bastard would be justified? Pardon the language...ah, I'm sure it's nothing. Anyhow, our boy finally decides to seek out tutors to help with his education, but he has to bail from the Literature Club once more. He decides to apologize to the club president by giving her his phone number." There was a distinct pause. "...is it possible to be a 'Chad' without meaning to be? Honest question. Anyhow, he catches onto the potential implications only after the fact, but his mortification is mostly gone by the time he arrives at the high school...and there, he meets them: the Wild Card Trio, comprised of the Savior, the Seeker of Truth, and the Phantom Thief...Minato Arisato, Yu Narukami, and Ren Amamiya. A truly momentous gathering! So of course, of course, of course, they open things up by taking him fishing. If only I could've been there! Alas...they provide good insight and guidance...albeit not enough to form a bond. Not yet. He just gets a dunk in the lake and some clothes fit for a fisherman in their stead. But as our boy returns to his dorm room, the Trio ponder the current state of affairs...and those of you with any sort of awareness of what's happened before, their dialogue would come across as...concerning. Possibly befuddling. Foreboding, even!"

Clap-clap. Now the CD player had shifted from traditional Japanese fare to a lofi fusion of ancient ambience and modern beats.

"Have to keep it fresh, after all...anyhow. June the 26th. Another eventful day: though it starts out simple, with our protagonist answering another question of HEROD's whilst washing the clothes for Room 23...however, a history lesson in Makoto Hyuga's class is interrupted by a Pattern Blue. Ayanami drags our boy along without hesitation to the outskirts of Sapporo, in Hokkaido; the First Child elects to fight in the real world, while the Third shall assist the lone Agent in the Metaverse...and this Agent turns out to be Makoto Niijima! Shocking, I know; with his assistance, she's able to gain her second wind, proceeding to whale away at the Acolytes...that is, until the Reaper shows up. There are brief cutaways, unseen by the characters present: one of the Angel Iruel, and one of the Reaper's mysterious controller...the One Who Sits Upon the Throne. Better known by the Angels as the Usurper...and I'm sure you're wondering if I know who they are." Pen-Pen briefly exhaled a cloud of smoke. "...no comment. Moving on...the aftermath of the battle involves Niijima briefly mourning her fallen teammates: Eiko Takao and, surprisingly enough, Suguru Kamoshida. Makes you wonder just how much his prior sins were driven by circumstance, and how much was driven by nature...then again, he was apparently a 'sexist asshole' per Makoto, so who knows...but he's dead, so you probably don't really care anymore. A harsh, but accurate assessment, I assume...where was I? Ah: returning to Tokyo-3, our boy reflects on the conflict, and wonders why exactly Ayanami fights. Her answer...involves redemption; atonement; absolution; freedom. If only he knew...his night ends on a lighthearted note, with uncertain yet adorable texts from Yamagishi. Ayanami's night, on the other hand, has one last scene in Gendo Ikari's office, where he displays not only his extreme pessimism, but also his seemingly sadistic desire to see his own son fail. Lovely chap, isn't he?"

"The 27th: we start with Nagisa, who pulverizes a helpless sandbag out of some uncertain frustration with his current circumstances. Our weary protagonist, meanwhile, gets an amusing story from Fuyutsuki about his mother running herself ragged during her university days...as well as a lovely baby picture of his newly born self being held by his mother. Inspired to try and gain some control over his busy life, heads to the library to make a schedule...and it took longer than he thought, because Principal Lorenz actually interrupted his little reverie. He then makes a point about not letting trifling things get under his skin...by showing that his visor replaced both eyes. Somewhat gruesome, admittedly...but it certainly got the point across. He concludes his day with more studying...meanwhile, my keeper's day has only begun! Or so she thinks. Pursuing some odd cognitive readings sourced to the outskirts of Tokyo-1, she sees a mysterious facility...but before she has the chance to depart, that mysterious girl with the axe and shield ambushes her, dispelling her Persona Tokoyo with a single blow...and then knocking out my keeper with one blow. Needless to say, the head of this facility — none other than Shiro Tokita! — is less than pleased with this development. Little does he know, that this is the harbinger of his downfall..."

Clap-clap. The soothing track gave way to something that was also soothing...for entirely different reasons: foreboding, with a thudding beat and a somber piano.

"Have to wrap the month up with something...fitting, for the tension. The 28th: unaware of my keeper's fate, our protagonist uses his Sunday to do some missions, and little Aida decides to come along. The chosen mission is classified as a 'welfare check': designed to make sure that unregistered Shadows are keeping to themselves, or are otherwise unmolested by outsiders. They get their list of Shadows from the A.T. Agent 'supervising' them, one Pumena Sushin...and on this list is the Shadow of one Toji Suzuhara. Needless to say, it's an awkward meeting for everyone involved, and leaves the two boys wondering just how much the idea of death had scarred him. Because seriously, his Realm was kind of disturbing...on the plus side, our boy obtained Onmoraki, Ara Mitama, and Yaksini as new Personas, so it all evens out! All told, they manage to get their mission done rather quickly, and decide to finish their day with some training. Alas, their supervisor Sushin thinks he can be sneaky, trying to break into my keeper's terminal to find out what she 'knew' about Tokita's operation...too bad for him, that Goro Akechi was the Warden. Meanwhile, in the real world, Ritsuko Akagi is going to check on my keeper's place, thanks to codewords that had been arranged long beforehand...and it's a good thing that Kaji is a smooth operator, because he kept her from getting assaulted by whatever poor sod was assigned to watch her apartment. It was all so typical, really...what other choice was there, other than to get myself involved?"

"The 29th of June. PILATE's reminder about her question's deadline interrupts our protagonist's beauty sleep. My keeper, meanwhile, awakens within the Metaverse, and is promptly taunted about her situation by Mr. Smugface, also known as Shiro Tokita. Long story short: she's going to help his pet child soldier — revealed to her as Mana Kirishima — become stronger, or die in the process. Needless to say, my keeper's never been one to take a defeat lying down, so as far as she was concerned, so biding her time and gaining intelligence was simply the smart thing to do. Meanwhile, Goro Akechi uses those old detective skills of his to use, gathering all the information to determine what my keeper had been up to...only to get curtailed and told to stand down from his superior. Not Iwai, the Superintendent over Kantō...but rather the Commissioner over all of Japan: Morooka. Some of you might know him by the title of 'King Moron', from another life. Needless to say, Akechi is incensed by this interference, but he's eventually able to read between the lines: someone with even more influence tried to quash any investigation into what had happened to Katsuragi. But he had 'other' methods at his disposal...which is how our protagonist found himself with a mission request from little ol' me. Ayanami, of course, is instantly suspicious, and so it's no surprise she came into the Metaverse with him. I had a feeling she would be rather frustrated...so I brought a trump card that was sure to get her off my back: Ryoji Kaji's Shadow, and the promise of additional information from a certain confidant of ours." Pen-Pen grimaced, looking towards the nearest window: rain and thunder continued to boom and rumble. "Whilst I took off with our protagonist towards Tokyo-1, we have a sudden cutaway...to an unknown Angel, speaking to his Progenitor, to ADAM. The mythical First Angel sounds...tired. Weary. Yet brimming with unknown anger. The arrival of Ayanami and Kaji's Shadow interrupts him, and he returns to an unusual place: railway tracks spiraling down like roots into a crimson pit, spreading into an eternal abyss. This being, this Archangel, is Phanuel...and his name is young, compared to the other Angels of ADAM. A new facet, it would seem...and yet, for the sake of facilitating a peaceful conversation with Ayanami, he takes on an unseen form, yet one that is familiar to the girl. And so they begin to talk, all three of them." Pen-Pen leaned back, breathing audibly; such was the level of smoke in the air, that his own breath was forming visible currents. "You might be wondering about this strange cohort: Akechi, Kaji's Shadow, Marie, Phanuel, and myself...one might wonder why we don't share our mutual knowledge...and the answer is simple: as knowledge is shared, it accumulates in the cognitive world as additional 'points', accruing greater 'mass', forming tangible patterns of thought...and the more points of contact there are, the more visible it becomes to outsiders. Said outsiders include not just the Usurper, but also unfriendly Angels...after all, in terms of overall goals, Phanuel is in a distinct minority amongst his kin...such a shame, truly. Sometimes, I ponder about simply 'going ham', as some youngsters have put it, and just throwing all caution to the wind: let the chips fall where they may, and force the boy to become WHO HE TRULY IS...but I have not let myself succumb to that sort of audacity...at least, I hope so. The resulting conflagration would probably break our reality beyond all hope of repair. No: it has to be slow and steady...because we have no choice in the matter. I know it...the denizens of the Velvet Room know it...Ayanami knows it...the Angels know it...and I'd wager that Gendo Ikari and the Usurper know it, too." Pen-Pen actually quacked with sudden laughter. "It's like we're all waiting for the boy to become a loaded gun before reaching for him first...and my goodness, that was quite the tangent. Where was I?"

A thunderbolt rumbled outside.

"Ah, right. We're now at the last day of June, the 30th. We start out in the Metaverse, where after some training, our protagonist has gained Berith, Pixie, and Sandman as Personas...and, subconsciously, has respectively released Cait Sith, Onmoraki, and Ara Mitama. At this point, a friendly pup with wings named Koromaru arrives to help us find out where my keeper had gone. Speaking of whom, she's forced to train Mana Kirishima in armed combat; unlike before when she was ambushed, she's on an equal playing field. Kirishima's abilities are outmatched by my keeper's greater skill and experience...but of course, the girl actually appreciates the beatdown. Strange...and unsettling, in their implications. But alas, we turn towards Ayanami, who emerges from the Metaverse after a long and...understandably important matters. Among those explicitly listed, she learns that ADAM's wrath still rages, growing the more active the Evangelion-users become; that Phanuel, Tabris, and Arael are opposed to the hateful fanaticism of their kin; that they've all become aware of our protagonist's essence; that Sandalphon will most likely emerge from a volcano when the time comes to inevitably confront him; that even defeating the Usurper was not enough to slake ADAM's desire to destroy humanity. Depressing, I know. But apparently, one topic that wasn't covered is the nature of who I am...and why I have such power. A mystery, that will unfold at a later time, to be sure...but curiously, Phanuel had a message for Ayanami, of all people, to deliver. A message that she leaves in Ren Amamiya's locker...and though the contents of that message are not disclosed, it clearly impacts him emotionally, judging by his reaction. Now, I wonder that could be about...eh, I'm sure we'll find out later. But more importantly: after the sheer exhaustion of training Kirishima, my keeper is somewhat subdued after realizing the facility she's on is isolated on an island in the middle of the sea, separate from the mainland. By comparison, Mana is far more glad from the catharsis, putting her in a good mood for when she talks to her brothers-in-spirit: fellow orphans by the name of Musashi and Keita. As they talk, my keeper ends up meeting Tokita face-to-face for the first time in the cafeteria; overall, the whole point of the meeting, other than getting my keeper to eat, is to impress upon her how beneficial it was to cooperate. Standard fare, in my opinion...but what's truly interesting is her encounter with Kirishima's brothers in the facility's corridors, as they're being escorted back to their rooms. An impulsive scuffle born of anger is actually cover for a message to be slipped to my keeper...a message that details the circumstances the three orphans find themselves in. Long story short: there were once five orphans; they were all kidnapped by Tokita's organization; the eldest and the youngest girls were transformed into a unique axe and shield known as LABRYS and AIGIS; that Mana's Shadow was broken down and transformed into a binding agent that connected her to those weapons on an intimate and possibly permanent level...experimentation on human minds and souls in a most disturbing or wretched manner. My keeper is understandably ticked off. Tokita, whose security systems sufficiently track this, is...well, not that concerned. He thinks he has all the cards. Little does he know that Dr. Akagi is organizing a rescue mission in everything but name only...and that I and our protagonist are at the shores of the Pacific within the Metaverse, a mere two hundred kilometers away from the secret facility's probable location in the Izu Archipelago. Thus do the boy, Koromaru, and I set off upon my Persona Gryphon, to crash the proverbial party...and that's where the month ends."

Pen-Pen leaned back, looking at the pages he had covered over the past thirty to forty minutes. "I'm tempted to go into July...but I think we'll stop it there. Those events are more recent after all...and what came the following day was so distinctive to so many people that I doubt they've forgotten." After all, how could one forget the battle to the death between Shinji Ikari and Mana Kirishima? How could one forget his manifestation of an A.T. Field within the Metaverse, a feat previously thought intrinsically impossible? How could one forget the rage that Shinji Ikari had displayed, so reflective of the Beast within? "Speaking of which...I would like to know exactly who I've been talking to. You're not an enemy, that much I can tell...you don't have that air of malice about you...at first I wondered if it was multiple people, but it's only one...and someone with less awareness than I thought..." With a slight hop, Pen-Pen hopped out of the chair; in midair, everything around him — matter, sound, light — fell away, leaving only a white void that flickered with waves of orange and rays of blue. In an instant, he transformed into Mister P...and just like that, he saw. "Ah...of course it would be you." He chuckled good-naturedly. "As his power has grown, so has yours by proxy...I shouldn't be surprised, that your own dreams are beginning to reach out...to expand...to find knowledge...because you want to help your Guest. But reaching out in such a wanton manner...can attract the wrong kind of attention."

Kneeling down, he folded his gloved hands together, as if making a plea. "I've made an oath to many...and to myself especially...but also to you. Rest assured, little one...I will help you reclaim what you've lost. So please...be patient...and sleep well."

A faint haze of blue began to cover everything-

xxxx

-and Sokila suddenly awoke, rising from her new bed within the Velvet Room. "...oh...it was a dream..."

"How curious," said Igor from upon the auditorium's stage. "For an attendant to dream, within a place that is separate by nature from such an action...perhaps your connection with your guest has grown?"

"...maybe," she murmured, looking down at her childish hands. Even if she hadn't grown physically...it felt like she had learned quite a bit more; gained additional perspective.

She didn't know if that prospect thrilled or terrified her...and yet, if it would allow her to help Shinji Ikari...then it would be worth it.

xxxx

END OF JUNE RECAP

xxxx

/oh crap I made the clip show narratively relevant
/oopsie poopsie :V
/next time, we return to the main plot