Shin Persona Evangelion [NGE/Persona Fusion]

[Ultra Sonic 007]

This may seem like it's overdue, but based on a comment I recently received elsewhere, apparently the fact that there will be spoilers to both the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime and the events of various games in the Persona Series (including but not limited to Persona 3, Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4, and Persona 5) wasn't made clear just by how the plot has unveiled.

So I'm placing a sticky post for this message: if you have not watched the original Evangelion anime, or if you have not played the Persona games — especially P3, P4, P5, and their updated re-releases — then take note that this story contains spoilers to all of them. Read at your own risk.

/that should do it
//right?
///right??

 

[lockdownspartan]

...maybe I should sit around Horaki-san more often?

Click to shrink...

Do that and different rumors will start to spread. Go forth Shinji! Begin your first female social link!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Do that and different rumors will start to spread. Go forth Shinji! Begin your first female social link!

Click to shrink...

I know it's literally been almost a year (my bad) but he's already got Social Links with Misato (Sun), Ritsuko (Moon), Rei (Priestess), Hikari (Empress), and Sokila (Star).

 

[neogoki]

"...everyone else has been quiet."

"That's because I'm sitting by you," nonchalantly answered Hikari.

"...huh?"

"Everyone's too terrified of the Class Rep," admitted Toji, a strangely smug grin on his face. The light slap on his shoulder did nothing to deter it.

"More like they know better than to engage in such foolishness around me." Horaki's answer was rather insistent.

...maybe I should sit around Horaki-san more often?

Click to shrink...

Hikari, the sole isle of sanity in this school.
Will she become Shinji's sanctuary of peace?
But I doubt she can stop Rei from grabbing him when there is work to be done.

 

[Strypgia]

"Dude, are you in another world...?" muttered Toji.

Click to shrink...

Errrrrr.....

"...is the new kid in a love triangle between Ayanami and Nagisa?"

"Damn, he moves fast-"

Click to shrink...

Well, FTL does theoretically propagate backwards in time and across dimensions...

This only seemed to fluster Toji even more. "Why can't I have normal roommates? Why...?"

Click to shrink...

Because the gods hate you, dude.

(His sensei quietly gestured for him to follow, as was the usual routine, once a month. The man's home, as remote as it was, was deemed too close to the local shrine - which also housed the local graveyard - to be occupied during the new moon and the night that followed.)

Click to shrink...

Er? Does Shinji have good reason for such superstition?

(The local shrine was located near the top of a nearby mountain. Every so often, on the night after a new moon, spectral flames could be seen, much to the awe and fear of the locals.)​

Click to shrink...

....evidently so. To the point no one even says its weird. Huh.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Shinji briefly put his thoughts on hold, glancing toward the kyuushoku serving line; Rei Ayanami was one of the designated servers that day, dutifully doling out the soup and rice. Every motion, however, was of one detached; he would have said that she was bored, but that would have been a lie. It was as if her capacity to have interest in anything was utterly removed. It was a stark contrast with her demeanor within the Metaverse or at NERV; as stoic as she had been back then, she had undeniably worked and acted with purpose. That lack of intentionality was honestly...sad. And a little scary. No wonder Horaki-san and Fuyutsuki-sensei warned me about ending up like her...

"So, which shelter are we gonna use tomorrow?" Aida's words roused him from the brief introspection. "Think NERV has a special one for new employees?"

"...I honestly don't know. Maybe we can ask later today?"

"...oh yeah. We have training." Kensuke slumped over his table, bearing a wide smile that contradicted his exhausted demeanor. "Is it normal to be happy and irritated at the same time? I'm excited to learn more about using a you-know-what, but if Akagi's paperwork is any indication, it'll be a nightmare..."

Toji huffed. "Is it too much to ask that y'all keep it away from our dorm?"

Aida lazily waved his hand back and forth above his hand. "I can make no promises."

"...this sounds rather suspicious," murmured Hikari Horaki, her eyes narrowing. "Is it NERV-related?"

The normally rambunctious boy shrugged. "Eh, ask the faculty for what you're cleared to know, Class Rep. I'm still figuring things out myself. Don't want to accidentally leak anything, you know?"

"You might as well go ahead and spill. Knowing you, you'll end up blabbing before long, no matter how much we wanna remain innocent bystanders," griped Toji.

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call you 'innocent'," joked the bespectacled boy.

Hikari's pigtails briefly flared up, as though they had a life of their own. "No fighting."

"Yes'm," grumbled Suzuhara.

"Oh come on, this isn't a fight, it's banter!" retorted Kensuke.

Participating in the conversation would have felt too much like interrupting, so Shinji settled for finishing his lunch.

xxxx

/Literature Club, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/



It was the afternoon after school let out, with everyone being in a relatively subdued mood. The warnings of the pending new moon were old hat by now, yet they were still treated with seriousness; after all, given the randomness of Angel Syndrome, there was no telling if life would take a turn for the worse. In a strange sort of way, the club activities were the last bit of normalcy before the morrow.

How fitting, that the Literature Club met today.

But first, there was the matter of profusely apologizing for the now-infamous 'beaver' incident from last Friday. "I am so sorry! I didn't know that it was, well..." Oh gods, simply thinking about it was causing his face to heat up.

Mayumi Yamagishi was no better, judging by her flushed cheeks. "I-It's...not a problem, Ikari-san..." The muted chuckles of the other few club members, buried as they were in their own books, didn't help. "F-From my understanding, Shakespeare's works uses v-very outdated English...so translations may sound weird."

That was putting it mildly. "Still..."

"...let's just read, shall we?" The girl forced a smile onto her face. "The Club won't be meeting tomorrow, so we might as well get as much in while we can..."

Thus began a placid afternoon, oddly peaceful in spite of tomorrow. The tension in Tokyo-3's atmosphere was much more palpable, compared to the sleepy rural countryside Shinji had spent the previous years in; it must have been a function of the greater population, if nothing else.

Reading through The Tragedy of Hamlet, dictionary and thesaurus in hand, was oddly effective at putting his mind off of whatever awaited him at NERV that evening. If nothing else, having to translate the words to simpler forms helped him grasp the flow of Hamlet's dialogue better. "Angels and ministers of grace defend us...be...a spirit of health or...damned goblin...bring with you airs from heaven or blasts from hell...?" That didn't quite sound right. "Be your intents wicked or charitable...you come in such a questionable...form? Shape?" Ugh...

"You really picked a difficult one to start off with."

Shinji briefly turned towards Yamagishi; she was currently two-thirds of the way through Kokoro, the same book he had seen her reading last Thursday. "...I guess so?"

"What prompted you to pick that one?" The long-haired girl briefly flinched. "I-If you don't mind my asking, that is..."

"No, it's fine." Shinji looked down at the play, trying to articulate exactly why he had picked it to begin with. It's not like he could tell her the truth, right? 'So, it turns out that I have another side of me that's based off the main character of an English work I've never read before. I figured I would try and learn about him, and that way I could learn about myself!' Sure, that would go over well. He didn't much understand it himself! "I'm...honestly not sure."

"...well, maybe it just spoke to you?" she said, a helpful undertone to her voice. "Some works have that effect on people. It's what makes them great."

"...I guess." That was as good an explanation as any.

Alas, it would not continue today, for the buzzing of his cell phone signalled the end of his time at the club.

MK: Howdy Shinji-kun.
MK: You're due at NERV in thirty!
SI: okay, I'm on my way
MK: Don't be late~ :D

"I have to go. Sorry for stepping out so early."

Mayumi nodded knowingly. "It's okay. That's one of the best parts of the Literature Club: it's real easy to pick up where you left off." As she turned to go back to her chair, she added, "Ikari-san, stay safe tomorrow, okay?"

"I will." He doubted NERV would let anything happen to him...intentionally. Maybe. "Thank you."

And so he departed.

 

[Strypgia]

What prompted you to pick that one?" The long-haired girl briefly flinched. "I-If you don't mind my asking, that is..."

Click to shrink...

"Apparently, my subconscious is a literary snob."

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Training Room Four, NERV/



"And now...the end is near..."

Shinji Ikari, standing to the right of Kensuke Aida, tried looking for the intercom, trying to decipher the English lyrics coming from tinny speakers. It was a definite change, relative to the instrumentals - usually jazz, or simple string instruments - he had heard the previous times he had been in NERV.

"And so I face...the final curtain..."

Apparently, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi had already guessed why he was looking around the bright chamber. "The MAGI have been on a Sinatra kick today."

Kensuke Aida's eyebrow was twitching like mad. Apparently, his ear for English was better than Shinji's. "More like a sick joke, if you ask me..."

"Just ignore them," dryly said the blonde woman. "You're about to enter the cognitive world anyway, so it's not like you'll be hearing it for much longer. Maybe."

Rei Ayanami, standing stoically to Kensuke's left, didn't react whatsoever.

Given that Shinji couldn't quite catch most of the lyrics, ignoring the song wasn't that difficult (even if the man singing had a pleasant timbre); rather, his mind was recalling the last time he had been in a room like this. Two days prior, he and Ayanami had clashed with their Evangelions, dealing quite a bit of structural damage to Training Room Seven. Would a similar fate befall this place? "So...what are we going to do, exactly?"

"First of all, the report of yesterday's incident indicated that Ayanami gave you a crash course on entering the cognitive world of your own volition. I'd like you to give it a try."

Shinji blinked. "...like, right now?"

"That's the idea."

"...okay...what if-"

"Asking 'what if I can't' is already setting yourself up for failure," interrupted Rei. "There is only action."

Aida huffed with amusement. "See, that would have been a good place for a Jackie Chun quote. Or maybe Yoda, if you're up for something less native."

"I do not know who those people are."

Shinji could've sworn that the very light in Kensuke's eyes flickered and died, snuffed out in an instant. "...you heathen..."

Rei slowly blinked. "What religion are those two beings a part of?"

"...I don't know whether you're joking or not, and that's actually frightening."

Dr. Akagi's sigh cut through their banter. "Time is a commodity, children. Ikari, if you will?"

"Oh. Yes. Right." He slowly backed away from the bespectacled boy and the blunette, feeling as though some extra space would help. He tried recalling the exact words that Ayanami had said...

("Be patient. Calm yourself...and think deeply. Ponder the pattern that your thoughts carve. Sense the boundaries of your soul, that define you in relation to others. To cross that threshold, you must know who you are...and you must know what you are not.")​

I'm Shinji Ikari. Shinji Ikari.

("The mind can be muddled and unclear...and the soul can rage against all outsiders...yet, you can acknowledge the truth that your heart pursues, at the expense of everything else...")​

Shinji...

xxxx

"...we have to talk, finally."

The response was staticky, vague, hidden. Yet the image before him was strangely stark...?

"But..we will always have a lot to do, won't we?"​

xxxx

...Ikari.

The song began to waver in his ears. Did it take this long yesterday?

"But through it all...! When there was doubt..."

He slowly became detached from physicality itself. Kensuke's animated griping with Ayanami began to fade.

"I ate it up, and spit it out!"

The song, strangely enough, lingered in his mind.

"I faced it all, and I stood tall!"

In its place, there was that hollow whisper, as the world around him shifted to gray, and then to sepia.

"And I did it...MY...WAY...!"

The blonde doctor and his two peers were gone. Standing in Ritsuko's place, tapping her foot with expectation, was Misato Katsuragi, in her A.T. Agent garb. "...not bad, Shinji-kun. Already entering the Metaverse by your lonesome, without even Ayanami's help? You learn fast!"

"...thank you."

 

[AurelioBahamut]

Ayanami really needs to learn quite a bit more about life it seems.

I completely understand Kensuke and while I wouldn't react the same way, I can't blame him.

In fact, they should show all that to her, who knows, that might even help her in the Metaverse! After all, Yoda and Jackie Chun might have just penetrated the collective unconscious of mankind after all. Besides, what if they have to dive in the Metaverse in a Nerd lair? How's she going to solve the problem if she knows nothing about it?

 

[Navi-Hank]

Ayanami really needs to learn quite a bit more about life it seems.

I completely understand Kensuke and while I wouldn't react the same way, I can't blame him.

In fact, they should show all that to her, who knows, that might even help her in the Metaverse! After all, Yoda and Jackie Chun might have just penetrated the collective unconscious of mankind after all. Besides, what if they have to dive in the Metaverse in a Nerd lair? How's she going to solve the problem if she knows nothing about it?

Click to shrink...

Copious amounts of violence

 

[neogoki]

Rei slowly blinked. "What religion are those two beings a part of?"

Click to shrink...

I think Jackie has some Shaolin roots.
While Yoda follows the Jedi-Teachings (In 2005, the Temple of the Jedi Order was registered in Texas. It was granted IRS tax exemption in 2015 [taken from Jediism - Wikipedia])

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Misato's smile seemed genuine, as she leaned back against the wall of Training Room Four's cognitive double; the entire room's relatively pristine appearance had transitioned into a strange mish-mash: gigantic microscopes and telescopes stared down at an aged boxing ring, surrounded by various metal pods affixed to the walls. To seal the absurdity, a giant boombox hung in the air, suspended by a thick cable. "So...this is how we think of the Training Rooms. Kinda sorta."

"...what am I looking at?" blurted out Shinji.

"Well, aside from us A.T. Agents, a lot of NERV's employees use these places for private exercise or to spar; hence, the arena! However, every single training room is also under constant observation, not to mention that they're used for certain physical portions of the annual health check-up; which is why everyone always feels like they're under the proverbial microscope." She pointed upward towards the aforementioned giant instruments, a cheeky grin on her face. "As for the boom box...well, as it turns out, almost everyone listens to music while working out."

"...and the pods?"

"That's...something specific to us A.T. Agents. You'll see, once Ayanami and Aida-kun arrive...oh, speak of the devil!"

Shinji glanced over his shoulder; silhouettes of static slowly manifested, solidifying into three-dimensional forms, gaining color and definition. After about a minute, the transition was complete: Rei Ayanami stood calmly, her hands placed upon Kensuke Aida's forehead and heart; meanwhile, the boy in question was gripping onto the blunette's arms for dear life. "You can let go now, Aida-san."

"...you sure?"

"Yes. The transition is complete." A brief beat. "For the record, your thoughts are very chaotic. It made the shift unnecessarily difficult."

"Can ya blame me?! Ikari just faded into static instead of blinking out of existence like A.T. Agents are supposed to do! It was freaky looking!"

"It is a side effect of our nature as Evangelion-users. It is quite normal."

"Yeah, for you!"

The clearing of a throat prompted the two to be quiet. "Okay, calm down kiddos. We've got a new moon tomorrow, and for all our safeguards, they can still be unpredictable! So, we're gonna try and give the two newbies a bit of a crash course in what you can expect in the Metaverse during a new moon. But first, we're gonna do a little warm-up!" The purple-haired woman snapped her fingers; in a burst of blue flame, Tokoyo stood at attention.

Shinji gulped. "Are...we gonna fight you?"

"Pfft, nah. As much as I'd like to throttle children for fun and profit, I'm here to be your ref and to keep things from getting out of hand. You know, just in case!" She pointed at the arena. "Okay Shinji-kun, you're first up!"

Shinji blinked. "Me?"

"Yep! Get your Persona out and get in the ring!"

"...okay." Wonder what we're going to be doing?

xxxx

In the real world, Ritsuko Akagi and several assistants looked at various displays while the MAGI hummed in the background; the largest screen displayed a slightly fuzzy view of the cognitive counterpart to Training Room Four, with resolution and detail befitting an aged CRT television. Alas, for all the advances made, even the MAGI couldn't perfectly transmit the imagery being witnessed by Misato Katsuragi, Rei Ayanami, Shinji Ikari, and Kensuke Aida; only an imperfect recreation, courtesy of three artificial minds. "Hmm...we'll go with something relatively light to start with..." She calmly sipped from a styrofoam cup of relatively fresh coffee. Key word being 'relative'. "Let's try a Kinnara."

xxxx

Within the Metaverse, one of the pods slammed open, unveiling a burst of misty fog. A tall silhouette could be seen within.

Shinji Ikari held tightly onto his shovel, while Hamlet stood protectively by his side. Ayanami and Aida-san stood beyond the edges of the boxing ring, their Personas Lilith and Ozymandias standing at the ready as well. "...so...what's with the pods?" No harm in asking the question again, right?

"Well, given that A.T. Agents have to deal with a variety of situations, it's important that we get practice dealing with the strange thoughtbeasts that roam the Metaverse," explained Misato. "...however, doing it out on the streets up above is a recipe for bad shenanigans, because there's no telling if someone's Shadow will decide to get involved. Thus, the solution offered to the Task Force by NERV was fairly simple: they would provide the arena and the Archetypes for A.T. Agents, in return for the rights to all observational data related to any training we did here. All things considered, it's a win-win."

Speaking of Archetypes, the silhouette leapt out of the pod, landing heavily in the ring; standing at eight feet tall, it was a being with the head of a horse and the body of a man. The muscular torso was well-defined, which seemed out of place compared to the pale, dainty-looking lyre resting in the crook of the left arm. The hairy legs were awash in thick green fur, ending in feet adorned with heavy brown boots; the horse head was of the same color, with brilliant red eyes. With a very equine huff, the Archetype began to speak. "Agh...those pods were more cramped than advertised!"

"Ooh, a Kinnara!" Misato grinned. "A pretty good one to whet your teeth on."

Shinji blinked as another question came to mind. "...Misato? How does NERV get the Archetypes?"

"I was basically kidnapped."

"WHAT?!"

Misato sighed with annoyance. "Oh come on, it's not like it's a Shadow. How can we kidnap a literal figment of the imagination?!" There was a brief pause. "Also, I may be remembering things wrong, but didn't we actually bribe you to come here willingly?"

"I was told I would play a brilliant song before a massive crowd; you only provided, like, five people for my performance!"

"Misato-san, how could you?!" yelled Shinji.

"Oh come on, I am not the villain here!"

Kensuke blinked dumbly at the display. "...this is far less dramatic than I was expecting."

"The MAGI can create artificial Archetypes...however, they lack the variability and liveliness of true Archetypes," explained Ayanami. "A sign of their unnatural origin, perhaps. As such, kidnapping real Archetypes and bringing them to NERV is considered more effective in terms of training prospective Persona-users in how to handle the various eccentricities of the cognitive world's entities."

"...that also sounds very sketchy."

"Art has nothing to do with the operational procedures of NERV and the Anti-Terror Task Force."

"Oh come on, that was on purpose!"

The banter of the four humans was apparently enough for the horse-person to snap. "Your yelling is so not musical!" With a melodious strumming of the lyre, the thoughtbeast manifested orbs of fire. "Maragi!"



With a yelp, Shinji dove to the side, his movement assisted by Hamlet. The fiery orbs crashed into the ground, charring the surface of the ring. "Hamlet!" cried Shinji.

"Tentarafoo!" The royal Persona's handheld skull flashed yellow, blinding the Kinnara.

"Gah!" The horse-man faltered, gingerly looking at Shinji with panicked eyes. "H-Hey now..."

"Good strategy, Shinji-kun!" yelled Misato. "Inflicting the enemy with cognitive ailments can make them more docile or easier to subdue; you can also make them more susceptible to certain attacks! Give it a shot!"

With a gesture from Shinji, Hamlet's skull flared with bright streams of multicolored light. "Psi!" They converged on the Kinnara in a lackadaisacal manner, yet it was enough to knock the horse-man onto his butt.

"Nice one Shinji-kun!" cheered Misato. "Now, in normal circumstances, this would be an opportunity for us to interrogate the Archetype, because they can sometimes provide interesting bits of information that could prove useful...but that doesn't apply here. So...go for a flashy finisher!"

Shinji boggled. "WHAT?! I don't need to kill him!"

"Yeah seriously, WHAT?!" yelled the Archetype, in complete agreement with his opponent.

Misato sighed heavily, apparently having expected this. "Shinji-kun...this isn't a Shadow. It doesn't belong to a real person. Besides, after battling you, its form will break apart naturally after this fight...it's just the way this world works. Here, they're only good for helping you become stronger."

"Aw come on, I can do more than that!" The horse-man turned with pleading eyes towards Shinji. "I can play great songs, maybe lull you to sleep when you're having insomnia..."



The sheer liveliness and intention within the Archetype's voice was enough to make Shinji's insides quiver. "Misato...I don't know about this..."

"Shinji-kun..." Why did Misato have to sound so compassionate? Why couldn't she sound heartless, so his refusal to obey would be easier to justify? "I get it. They sound like they're alive...but they're the remnants of people's thoughts. And people want to live...so of course it sounds the same. But it's like an act. It's not really alive."

"Bah, she don't know what she's talking about!" snapped the horse-man. "Come on, you know what it's like to want to play a song, right...?"

"...well, I do like the cello." admitted Shinji.

"Ooh! A string instrument! You have good taste."

Misato sighed theatrically. "Fine, fine...if this'll help you get it out of your system, go ahead and talk it out. But it'll fade away no matter what you do in the end..."

"Ignoring the peanut gallery over there..." The Kinnara paused. "Hey, I got a question for you. You don't seem like you're cut out for this business. So why fight me?"

Shinji blinked at the question. That was...insightful. Was such a being truly not alive? "...well, you attacked me first," he admitted. "Why do you fight?"

"Ah, another question! That's fair enough, I guess..."

"Come on Shinji-kun, enough is enough." Misato was tapping her foot, visibly irritated. "We need to let Aida-san get his feet wet."

"...I suppose that's...wait." The horse-man's eyes lit up. "I see now!"

"...wait, is it gonna do a surprise attack?" Misato tensed. "Shinji-!"

"I ain't just any ol' horse-man! I was born from humanity!" The Kinnara's form was shrouded with blue fire. "I am thou, and thou art I! If you'll have me, we'll make beautiful music together!"

Misato's eyes slowly began to widen. "Wait, what the hell-?"

Shinji, not really thinking this was all that unusual, shrugged. "Sure...I guess? Why not."

"Then it's a deal!" With a flourish of azure light, the horse-man dissolved, flowing into Shinji's body.

Shinji blinked, feeling strangely full, as if he had just eaten a rather hefty sandwich. "...Kinnara?"

FLASH!

In a burst of flame, Hamlet's form gave way to that of Kinnara. "Oh..." Shinji felt inordinately proud of himself. "Misato-san, I didn't have to kill him!" He looked over at his superior, only to frown at the expression on her face: the woman appeared absolutely gobsmacked. "...Misato?" No answer emerged, even though her jaw had dropped as low as it could possibly go. "Um..." He turned to ask his peers what was wrong, only to blanch at the look of absolute hero-worship on Kensuke's face. "...why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're able to recruit Archetypes?!" squealed the bespectacled boy. "THAT IS SO COOL!"

For once, Shinji was grateful for Ayanami's quiet nature; all she had done was raise her eyebrows by a few centimeters. "...Ayanami...?"

"You have done something which is theoretically impossible," remarked the blunette.

It was at that point that the big boombox hanging above them played a jaunty tune.



"However, the MAGI apparently consider it a sufficient victory condition," finished the young girl.

xxxx

Spewed coffee stained at least two monitors, four keyboards, and one assistant; if nothing else could be said about Ritsuko Akagi, her spit-take was masterful.

"Uh...Dr. Akagi...?"

The one who had dared to speak - as though something utterly stupefying hadn't just occurred - found himself gagging for air as she clutched his tie like a leash. "That wasn't a glitch, was it?"

"Er...n-no ma'am-"

She released him, letting him drop to the ground. "Then get the rest of your teams in here, right now!" She turned back to the main displays, furiously reaching for a cigarette as she glared at the anomalous readings being spat out by the MAGI. "We're officially dealing with something unprecedented."

 

[grommile]

Shinji used PROTAGONIST. It's super effective!

 

[Jackofcookiejars]

Wow, what a boppin' end of fight music. Really one to go down in the books with the best, like the FF, and the...

What do you mean it's not victory music.

 

[Tiny_Dic]

Shigeru Aoba: plays air guitar once

Random Kinnara: Sentience and existential dread? Don't mind if I do

 

[MisterHalt]

Spewed coffee stained at least two monitors, four keyboards, and one assistant; if nothing else could be said about Ritsuko Akagi, her spit-take was masterful.

Click to shrink...

Sure that was a spittake? Seems more like she threw the entire coffee cup.

Which is another entirely reasonable action to take when dealing with a Wild Card.

 

[AurelioBahamut]

Oh good ol' Wild Card. Being a Persona protagonist does have it's perks.

And apparently this is the first time a Wild Card has appeared in history? I suppose it makes sense considering the Wild Card only started appearing in Persona 3 which was after 2000, before that anyone could have multiple Personas by what I remember.

Still have to finish Personas 1 and 2 though, damn it.

 

[Soberan 123]

Oh good ol' Wild Card. Being a Persona protagonist does have it's perks.

And apparently this is the first time a Wild Card has appeared in history? I suppose it makes sense considering the Wild Card only started appearing in Persona 3 which was after 2000, before that anyone could have multiple Personas by what I remember.

Click to shrink...

This is the first time someone wielding multiple Personas appear in NERV presence, everything they know about Personas should make this event impossible. They don't know about the Velvet Room as well, it's hinted in the games the only reason why you can wield multiple Personas, once the contract is done you revert to have only one Persona, the original one.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Sure that was a spittake? Seems more like she threw the entire coffee cup.

Which is another entirely reasonable action to take when dealing with a Wild Card.

Click to shrink...

Oh good ol' Wild Card. Being a Persona protagonist does have it's perks.

And apparently this is the first time a Wild Card has appeared in history? I suppose it makes sense considering the Wild Card only started appearing in Persona 3 which was after 2000, before that anyone could have multiple Personas by what I remember.

Still have to finish Personas 1 and 2 though, damn it.

Click to shrink...

This is the first time someone wielding multiple Personas appear in NERV presence, everything they know about Personas should make this event impossible. They don't know about the Velvet Room as well, it's hinted in the games the only reason why you can wield multiple Personas, once the contract is done you revert to have only one Persona, the original one.

Click to shrink...

Akagi would find the term 'Wild Card" to be so...unscientific.

So, Shinji's first PokemonPersona is Kinnara, who hasn't been in the series since P2!

Usually, the first Personas obtained tend to be of the single-digit Arcana (Magician, Emperor, etc.). I intentionally sought out a lower-level Persona of the Star Arcana to be Shinji's first post-awakening Persona.

Why Star?

Because Sokila is a precious cinnamon roll. :3

/let's be honest
//she would be a high priority to get to Rank 10
///for most players

 

[Strypgia]

The blonde doctor and his two peers were gone. Standing in Ritsuko's place, tapping her foot with expectation, was Misato Katsuragi, in her A.T. Agent garb. "...not bad, Shinji-kun. Already entering the Metaverse by your lonesome, without even Ayanami's help? You learn fast!"

"...thank you."

Click to shrink...

Wait... Shinji doing something and succeeding on his first try, then receiving honest praise for it?

Suspension of Eva-disbelief shattered!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

"...Ayanami, please take over Aida-san's training for the time being. I need to talk with Shinji-kun."

Katsuragi's order elicited a nod from the blunette. "Understood." She turned towards Kensuke. "Please get into the ring, Aida-san. We will uncover the depth of your Persona's abilities."

"All right then!" The boy was apparently on some kind of high after the recent battle, because he excitedly got into the arena alongside Ozymandias. "Bring it on! I've gotta pay you back for how you manhandled me last Wednesday!"

"Vigor and eagerness will do you well until you attain greater skills," remarked the stoic girl as she calmly got into the ring, Lilith floating ominously above her shoulder.

As the sparring began, Shinji slowly walked towards Misato; she was looking at him with an unnerving gaze, as though trying to divine every aspect of his being. The fact that her Persona Tokoyo was keeping a hand upon her sword also put him on edge. "Um...Misato-san...?"

"...how...?" She sounded bewildered, yet full of wonder. "How can you use more than one Persona...?"

"...um..." He tried to think about it. The first thing that came to mind had to do with why he was in Tokyo-3 to begin. "Does...it have to do with Evangelion...?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Neither Ayanami nor Asuka have shown the ability to use more than one Persona. As far as I'm aware, no one has ever shown that ability..."

"...oh."

"Do you have any idea? Any idea at all?"

He tried to think harder. The back of his mind felt that there was some answer he could give...something involving a pleasant shade of blue? Yet, for some reason, the words wouldn't form. "...I don't know..." Misato stared for so long that it was starting to get uncomfortable. "...?"

"...hmm." The woman shook her head. "It may have something to do with you...guess we'll find out one way or another." She briefly thumbed her medallion, brows furrowing as though listening to someone. "...is that so?"

xxxx

Back in the real world, Dr. Akagi and her assistants had been joined by over four dozen other people. "That's right Misato," muttered the blonde, her fingers typing furiously away. Her words were being translated by the MAGI directly into a psychic communique to the A.T. Agent, using her medallion as the medium. "We're going to stress test this new power."

xxxx

"...hmm. Can't exactly argue against that."

"...who are you talking to?" asked Shinji.

"Eh, just getting word from Ritsuko about what we're going to do next. Your little display has kind of thrown our original agenda into disarray. So..." A devil-may-care grin that did nothing to reassure him emerged on the woman's face. "...with that in mind, we're gonna see if you can absorb more Archetypes!"

Shinji blinked. "...wait, what-?"

Another pod flipped open; emerging from within was a floating woman in an aged yet elegant red dress. Her head was also adorned by a dainty white handkerchief, evoking the appearance of a scullery maid. Were it not for her long emerald hair and green skin - and, well, the fact that she was floating - she would have appeared quite normal, notwithstanding her loveliness. "Hello," she calmly remarked in a soft voice that echoed. "Have I been summoned to die?"

"Nope!" cheerfully said Misato.

"I see. Am I to be thrashed senselessly?"

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS ARE THESE?!?! mentally screamed Shinji.

"Not at all, Silky!" Misato gazed knowingly at him. "We've got something special in mind."

The anticipatory glee in her voice did not reassure Shinji in the least.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The evening proceeded in a decidedly unconventional manner.

Over the next couple of hours...well, there was a lot of waiting around between being introduced to different Archetypes. Mostly to allow the MAGI time to analyze the changes in his mental profile and overall cognitive 'mass' (for lack of a better term) as he took upon more Archetypes. The negotiations had been...

xxxx

"So, do you find me attractive?" asked Silky.

Shinji's face went beet red at the unexpected question. "Um...uh...I mean...!"

"Hmm...I have reduced you to speechlessness? I don't know how to feel about that." The green woman tilted her head. "It's somewhat likable...?"​

xxxx

...well...

xxxx

Mandrake - a strange creature that looked like a combination of a flower and a naked doll - tilted its head. "Come on, I dare you to smell my flower!"

Shinji blinked. "That's...are you sure?" It felt so rude. "I don't know if my nose works here..." he offered, as a polite excuse.

"Ha! But you've got a nose! You're funny."

But I wasn't joking!​

xxxx

...kind of weird.

As evidenced by the bluish cat with the red boots and wide-brimmed hat, waving his sword with playful menace. "En garde!"

Shinji grimaced as he parried with his shovel. "I'm sorry I don't have a sword!"

"Nonsense! A shovel can be deadly in expert hands! Hoo, hah, nyah!" Why had the talking cat - Cait Sith, apparently - insisted on dueling him instead of Hamlet, who actually had a sword. "Nyeh, you need to be more confident!"

"Sorry...ack!" he barely managed to avoid the thoughtbeast's sabre, trying not to fall and oh dear he was falling. "GAH!" he yelped, landing roughly on his rump.

"You make ridiculous noises, knave!"

"...what's a knave?" he asked, wondering why it felt like a word that would fit right in with the play Hamlet.

Cait Sith chuckled. "Nyehehehe! Pretending to fall over yourself, making yourself look like a fool...well, I won't fall for it!"

What's there to fall for?! He honestly had no idea how this was all going to pan out, and Misato's stifled giggles weren't helping. "...well..." He had to win somehow. That was a condition placed by both the A.T. Agent and the Archetype in question, because they both apparently had an interest in making him feel silly. "...um..." Rising to his feet, he looked over the sword-wielding cat. "...what's that over there?"

"What? A sneak attack?!" The Cait Sith whirled around-

THWACK.

The sabre was knocked out of the thoughtbeast's unsuspecting paws by an overhead shovel swing, eliciting a shocked yelp from the talking feline. "No fair, vile scum! You tricked me!"

...I honestly didn't expect that to work. "...I didn't ask you to turn around," he muttered. And now Misato's giggles had turned into laughter.

"A wretched excuse to justify your villainy! I hereby dub thee DEVIOUS, nyeh!"

"...but my name's Shinji." Why couldn't he say anything better than that?! I must be tired. That has to be it. Becuase otherwise...otherwise...confound it, he couldn't even think of something to criticize himself over! I really AM tired...

Cait Sith's green eyes narrowed. "...a fair point. It wouldn't be fair to name you Devious when you already have a name...wait..."

And here it comes. The trend had become established by this point; once the Archetype achieved an 'epiphany' about its origin, the offer would come...

"...and I remember why I have a name of my own! I was born of humanity! I am thou, and thou art I! I offer thee my sword, in the future battles to come, nyah~"

...like clockwork. "...sure thing."

"Then our meow-velous pact has been sealed!" The Cait Sith dissolved into azure light, flowing into his body just as the last three Archetypes had.

"...okay." Shinji slumped, landing roughly on his butt. "I feel..." Not quite nauseous, not quite weary...but the sense of fatigue felt vaguely familiar. Like...something. "...full." That worked! Kind of.

Misato walked towards him, gazing down at him with a critical gaze that didn't quite fit with the playful grin on her face. "Well, given everything that's been going on, I think maybe now would be a good time to call it quits..."

xxxx

"Don't you dare call it quits Misato," growled Ritsuko, her teeth clamped tightly around her third cigarette of the evening. "We still have so much more testing to do!"

xxxx

"...because you look rather out of it, and I'd like you to be in good shape for tomorrow," finished Misato. "Besides, I'm sure the eggheads will have plenty of data to analyze for at least the next several hours." Her last words sounded rather pointed.

xxxx

"...hmph. Fair enough." Dr. Akagi leaned back, rubbing at her eyes with a sudden sense of palpable exhaustion. The excited chatter and whispers of her subordinates served as a soothing balm. Remember Ritsuko, he hasn't even been on the job for two weeks yet. Slow and steady...

But damn it, even this break felt like wasting time! If Ayanami and Sohryu had been coveted by others for being Evangelion-users, there was no telling what was going to happen once word about Ikari's unique ability got out...and it most certainly would. Of that, she had no doubt.

xxxx

Misato grinned. "Okay, I think we should call it an early evening. No telling what tomorrow may bring, and I need you to be well-rested!"

"That...sounds..." Lovely. Fantastic. Splendiferous. Insert-positive-word here. "...nice."

Misato nodded, gazing over at the boxing ring. "Okay kids! Time to wrap it up!" She briefly paused. "Ayanami, I think he's had enough."

"I agree," coolly remarked Rei. Her Persona had Kensuke's own in a straight ankle lock, which made for a very amusing image. And yet, the blunette's current position - sitting over Kensuke's back, bending the boy's feet and legs backwards toward the back of his head - seemed even more amusing, especially in light of the bespectaled teen's grimace of anguish. "Aida-san will need more training."

"Why do you know this hold?!" hissed Kensuke, his voice quivering from obvious pain.

"Because the Boston Crab can be quite useful, depending on the situation."

"...WHY do you know what it's called?!"

"Should I not?" seriously asked Ayanami.

...she seems to be having a good time, deliriously thought Shinji. A bed sounded really good right now.

 

[Strypgia]

"Don't you dare call it quits Misato," growled Ritsuko, her teeth clamped tightly around her third cigarette of the evening. "We still have so much more testing to do!"

Click to shrink...

Ritsuko, we are going to need you to turn down the GlaDOS about two or three notches before you scare someone.

"Because the Boston Crab can be quite useful, depending on the situation."

"...WHY do you know what it's called?!"

Click to shrink...

The internet is very educational, Kensuke. You should know that.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Ritsuko, we are going to need you to turn down the GlaDOS about two or three notches before you scare someone.

Click to shrink...

In all fairness, she's discovered that NERV's kidnapped Archetypes can be used for something **other** than training fodder. If her name was Tae Takemi, she'd be calling Shinji 'guinea pig'.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

The transition back to the real world did nothing to erase the fatigue that Shinji felt. Aida looked like the walking dead; Ayanami seemed unperturbed, as always. Were he less tired, Shinji might have even admitted to feeling a scintilla of envy.

Fortunately, Misato was still somehow perky enough to make his weariness seem more tolerable. "Okay! Today's been...well, eventful." That she managed to say that with a straight face was impressive. "Hopefully, we won't need to test your powers any further tomorrow...might even make you and Aida-san be strictly on standby..."

"I am all for that," moaned Kensuke.

"...anyhow, the next day will bring its own issues. So you should grab yourself a bite to eat and some shut-eye. It'll be a bright and early day, tomorrow!"

And that was how the three teenagers found themselves in an elevator, on their way up to NERV's cafeteria. The croons of Sinatra were apparently still being played by the MAGI, echoing out of the elevator's tinny speakers. "Wish I would be able to sleep in my bed," grumbled Kensuke, scratching irritably at his hair. "Can't I just hail a taxi, or something?"

"It is far more practical for us to spend the night in the barracks," remarked Ayanami. "You would have to come back to NERV in the morning regardless. This will save time."

"...you know, the sad part is, I totally get it from a logistical point of view. Still won't stop me from wishing for my own bed in my own dorm, though."

"That is your prerogative," coolly remarked the blunette. She turned her unnerving gaze towards Shinji. "And what about you, Ikari?"

He blinked dumbly. "...what about me?"

"Do you object?"

"...to what?" Thinking felt so hard right now. He just wanted to get some food and then go to bed. Heck, falling asleep in the elevator didn't sound that bad, right now.

Kensuke chuckled. "Man Ikari, you are out of it..."

Ding.



A new jazz number began right as the elevator doors opened, and their conversation halted. In the face of Gendo Ikari, talking seemed...wrong.

The distant figure stepped in closer; Kensuke impulsively shied away, while Shinji's eyes impulsively focused on him with laser intensity. Only Ayanami seemed unaffected by his presence. He quietly pressed a button for a higher floor than where the three teens were going. The doors closed, and their ascent continued.

"You're a nobody 'til somebody loves you..."

The English lyrics were the only thing breaking the oppressive silence.

"You're nobody 'til somebody cares..."

"I hear you've awakened to a new power." His father's voice cut through the tension like a sword. "Is that correct?"

"...yes," he managed to grit out.

"You may be king, you may possess..."

"What will you do with it?" the man asked.

"...the world and its gold..."

"...what do you mean?" he asked, hoping his father would provide some direction. Some guidance. Even a bit of advice. Something. ANYTHING.

"...but gold won't bring you happiness..."

Gendo did not answer. Not at first.

"...when you're growin' old!"

When he did, Shinji almost wished he hadn't. "When the chips are down...I think we both know what decision you'll make."

Kensuke looked like he was on the verge of hyperventilating from the sheer amount of awkward and yikes that had filled the elevator cab. The only sign of Ayanami's interest in the conversation was how she glanced back and forth between father and son, depending on who spoke.

"The world still is the same..."

"...and what would that be?" he asked, trying to ignore the hissing in the back of his mind.

"...you'll never change it."

"What else? In the end...you will run away. I know it. You know it."

"As sure as the stars shine above...!"

"We all know it," finished Gendo with a sense of confident finality.

Ding.

The lift opened up to the teens' destination.

"You're nobody 'til somebody loves you!"

Kensuke couldn't get off the elevator fast enough. Ayanami slowly walked out. As for Shinji...he only felt a sense of petulant frustration, and a sudden need to prove him wrong. "...I won't run away," he ground out through clenched teeth, slipping past the unmoving form of his father.

"Find yourself somebody to love!"

As the elevator doors slid to a close, he resisted the urge to turn and look back. As such, all he heard was a smirking response. "We'll see."

The cab shut, and the sounds of Sinatra were cut off. The hallway's silence felt merciful by comparison.

"...holy shit," breathed Kensuke. "W-What the hell was that all about?!"

"...I believe there are some difficulties between the Commander and his son," quietly remarked Ayanami.

That would have been putting it extremely mildly, bitterly mused Shinji.

xxxx

/and thus the Devil Arcana reaches Rank 2!

 

[Strypgia]

"What else? In the end...you will run away. I know it. You know it."

Click to shrink...

Ok two things: #1 Fuck you
#2 You're probably right, but you don't need to say it.

Ok, three things: #3 Fuck you

As for Shinji...he only felt a sense of petulant frustration, and a sudden need to prove him wrong. "...I won't run away," he ground out through clenched teeth, slipping past the unmoving form of his father.

Click to shrink...

OTOH, 'pure spite' is perfectly valid as a reason for Shinji to refuse to run away. He'd totally do that just to spite his father.