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??

 

[jj_789]

I'm not sure how much more of the story is left, but given how much has already happened, it always catches me by surprise that Lovers still hasn't been unlocked.

Click to shrink...

Alright, so the story started in June. And we're currently right at the end of August. And if this story is anything like Persona 5 where the final dungeon is in December 24, then we're just now arriving at the intermediate part of the story. Going by this, we currently have 4 months left.

 

[lockdownspartan]

My gut is telling me Mayumi will be next for some reason. Also, out of those 4, I assume Gendo's will probably be the last to Max out. Also it's kinda of crazy how Lovers still hasn't been unlocked. I'm not sure how much more of the story is left, but given how much has already happened, it always catches me by surprise that Lovers still hasn't been unlocked.

Click to shrink...

Persona always has a social link unlocked near the end of the game. Mitsuru and Aigis in 3, Naoto in 4, and Haru in 5. This unfortunately often means a lot of character development or interaction gets missed unless you focus near-exclusively on their social link. Misato, Aigis, and Naoto don't suffer too much as they are involved in the story pretty early on, but haru definitely feels like she was just tacked on due to how late she appears in the game. Which is a shame as she is actually a pretty cool character and an interesting social link.

 

[jj_789]

Misato and Aigis in 3, Naoto in 4, and Haru in 5. This unfortunately often means a lot of character development or interaction gets missed unless you focus near-exclusively on their social link. Misato, Aigis, and Naoto don't suffer too much as they are involved in the story pretty early on, but haru definitely feels like she was just tacked on due to how late she appears in the game.

Click to shrink...

I had no idea Misato made an appearance in Persona 3.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I had no idea Misato made an appearance in Persona 3.

Click to shrink...

Now I want to see an AU where it's the Katsuragi Group responsible for the Dark Hour, Misato is the second-year responsible for forming S.E.E.S., and Gendo takes Ikutsuki's place.

 

[lockdownspartan]

I had no idea Misato made an appearance in Persona 3.

Click to shrink...

Whoops my bad. I meant Mitsuru. Fixed.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Spoiler: Spoilers as of 8/31/2015

So, there wasn't really much difficulty in picking Kensuke's Ultimate Persona: I was looking for renowned adventurers in the world of literature that hadn't been previous utilized in Persona and SMT. Sinbad fit the bill quite nicely.

Note that Kensuke's original hang-up that resulted in Ozymandias is related to his first Persona's origin: in terms of literature, Ozymandias is known as the tragic figure in a poem, wherein his grandiose works are naught but ruins per the poetic narrative, and Ozymandias himself and his works are all but forgotten.

Sinbad, meanwhile, is a merchant with a perpetual eye for a journey: he didn't set out to be famous per se, but his stories do have a particular formula: he gets wanderlust (or, in some of the earlier voyages, broke), goes off on a trading expedition, gets shipwrecked or stranded, runs afoul of some sort of monster, meets up with a king who showers him with wealth and favors, and finally finds his way back to Baghdad. IRL, when One Thousand and One Nights was being translated to French, the stories of Sinbad were added on, despite originally being independent...and now, at least as far as the West goes, Sinbad is indisputably linked with Arabian Nights. Simply by going on epic adventures (with plenty of mishaps along the way), Sinbad is now a heroic archetype (of sorts, Values Disonnance notwithstanding) in the eyes of many.

This fit with how Kensuke privately knew that he would never be a hero like Naomi Aida, his idol and role model...he just didn't want to admit it.

But now, after everything he's been through these past few months?

He's been bloodied. He's been through some near-death experiences. He's found a way to make having a Support-only Persona work in tandem with his comrades. Even in spite of his own personal inadequacies, he took the initiative to find a way to be more than just a Support-only guy. Now, his reasons for wanting to become better are less to do with idolizing his mother, and more with being the kind of hero he wants to be. Even if the circumstances and stakes are sometimes daunting to the point where Kensuke wonders why in the world he ever wanted to do this...that itch just won't let him be, and so he sets out to try the hero thing over and over again.

Just like how Sinbad's wanderlust eventually drives him to set out from home whenever the boredom gets too great.

And most fittingly of all, Sinbad, at least in the original stories, isn't an Action Hero type: instead of physical prowess or fighting skill, Sinbad prefers to find ways to avoid conflict...and if is forced into battle, he uses cunning to try and keep it from being a pure brawl.

So Sinbad's Skills will reflect that: Kensuke's Persona still veers more towards the Support Role still...but with some more versatility, as we'll see when he gets a chance to try him out.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Shinji's brief freakout at Kensuke's transformation was quickly assuaged. "So...this sort of thing can just...happen?"

"It's not common, but it's been known to happen," explained Kensuke, watching with an intrigued expression as Sinbad tested out his scimitar against a bemused Hamlet; the latter was parrying the former rather easily. "Industry parlance is Second Awakening, so to speak: because you already awakened your Shadow into a Persona...and now it undergoes another Awakening. Mom had a few peers who experienced a Second Awakening, but the mechanism isn't understood." He suddenly frowned, as if something had struck him out of the blue. "Not sure if Katsuragi-san would have had one...but given what we know about Ryuji Sakamoto's life, maybe Seiten Taisei is his Second Awakening? He's been through enough."

"...having a Second Awakening come from a new personal understanding seems preferable to one that might have come from his first or second wife dying," Shinji flatly said. "And that's assuming he's had a Second Awakening."

"Hm, good point," admitted Kensuke. "...it's not like adults don't undergo big epiphanies...maybe their minds have stronger foundations, so their cognition is less susceptible to transformations? I mean, I think it's safe to say I've been through a lot more than most kids my age, even those who have gone through the accelerated A.T. Agent trainee route...hmm...how would one test for...that..." Kensuke's voice died away, and his face lost all color. "...oh no."

"What is it?"

"...Dr. Akagi's gonna want to run so many TESTS on me."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAEEhBz3Esc

Shinji's stared dully at Kensuke. "...I mean, why wouldn't she? We both know what she's like, by now..."

"...d'ya think we can hide it?"

"...everyone else will find out the first time you summon your Persona, and then Dr. Akagi will find out anyway."

Kensuke moaned piteously.

Alas, he eventually relented; as such, they slowly made their way back to Tokyo-3, riding atop the back of Akabeko. "Not quite the same as flying," remarked Kensuke as he looked over the side of the giant crimson cow. "But it you're tall enough, it doesn't really matter as far as avoiding combat goes." Sure enough, local Archetypes vacated their path along the old asphalt highway, not wanting to mess with them. "...it's still interesting, though. Your Wild Card ability."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...just the ability to use multiple Personas? I mean, Ozymandias is gone; he's turned into Sinbad, now. Not that I'm ungrateful, but it only cements just how...out there, your power is." Grinning nervously, he added, "then again, given that Room, I guess it's to be expected..."

Don't think I haven't thought long and hard about the powers I just so happen to have, inwardly grumbled Shinji. Naturally, he changed the subject. "While we're talking...what's your answer, about my question from earlier?"

"You mean about the MAGI's sudden interest in being 'Doctor Love'?"

"...is that a reference?"

"It's just...was trying to be clever...you know what, ignore that I said that." Coughing to try and force away the embarrassed blush, Kensuke forced himself to continue. "Anyhow...after thinking about it, I'm going to say platonic."

"Why?"

"Well, it kind of covers family and friends; my bond with Mom was really important for the longest time. Still is. And Dad...well, it's a work-in-progress. Better than it was three days ago, at any rate. But what I've got with Toji, you, and the others...that's a big deal for me as well. So might as well get 'em both in one package!"

Shinji nodded, taking his words into consideration with what the others had said. "Just out of curiosity, is there a reason you're excluding romance? Suzuhara-san got on your case often enough about the kiss from Akane Hasegawa-"

"Hey come on, what happens in Nishiawakura stays in Nishiawakura and...I think I'm going to just shut up, because that makes it sound worse." Forcefully coughing even more, Kensuke trying to answer without turning into a blushing wreck. "I mean...we've got enough to deal with, you know? Plus, I don't think romance is in the cards for me in the near future..."

"Why not?"

"Well...look, why are we talking about my love life?!"

Shinji held up his hands in self-defense. "Sorry; it's just, you seem to like poking fun at Toji for how often he talks about Horaki-san without prompting..."

"You can't bring up banter between bros against me! That's like, a violation of the bro code!"

"...there's a Bro Code?" Shinji incredulously asked.

"It's a figure of speech. And besides, it's unwritten! You just know, deep down, what it means to do right by your bros. You know, bro?"

"...no, I don't."

"Ah, come on, bro!"

"Why are you saying 'bro' so much all of a sudden?"

"Because it's successfully distracting you!"

"...right." Sighing, Shinji decided to let the question drop; as Akabeko ponderously neared Tokyo-3, Shinji leaned back against the crimson cow's flesh, staring up at the red-and-black sky. I wonder...which would I choose? There were plenty of reasons to choose 'platonic' and 'filial'; 'familial' was somewhat out of the question at this point...and he didn't even know what to think about 'romantic' love. It's not like I'll be finding out anytime soon, he mused, borrowing a page from Kensuke.

xxxx

As the hour grew late, and midnight approached, a chartered jet made landfall at the Chubu Centrair International Airport, situated on an artificial island in Ise Bay, to the south of Nagoya.

Once the plane was situated off of the runway, and the walkway extended from the cabin, Asuka Langley-Sohryu poked her head out. "Welp. Here I am."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iai8KL_Py6Q

Her nose curdled with immediate disdain. "Ugh, it's so humid here. This is going to mess with my hair, I just know it."

"Consider it an exercise in patience and humility, Miss Sohryu!" cheerfully said a perky Sister Mary from behind. "At least until you find a shampoo that agrees with your delicate sensibilities."

"Hardy har." Stepping down onto the concrete, Asuka gazed up at the stars, and wondered why they felt nostalgic. "Let's just hurry up and get to our hotel so I can sleep in an actual bed."

The Second Child had finally arrived.

xxxx

END OF 8/31/2015

xxxx

/WE'RE FINALLY OUT OF AUGUST
//IT'S BEEN TEN MONTHS
///AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[jj_789]

It's not like I'll be finding out anytime soon, he mused, borrowing a page from Kensuke.

Click to shrink...

Oh, you'll find out soon. In fact...

As the hour grew late, and midnight approached, a chartered jet made landfall at the Chubu Centrair International Airport, situated on an artificial island in Ise Bay, to the south of Nagoya.

Once the plane was situated off of the runway, and the walkway extended from the cabin, Asuka Langley-Sohryu poked her head out. "Welp. Here I am."

The Second Child had finally arrived.

Click to shrink...

And just in time for September! My, time flies.

 

[Vajrei]

For the tests Dr. Akagi will for sure perfom on Kensuke, I imagine this thought from Kensuke.

"This is going to suck".

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

There are some user posts from the SB thread that are too good not to share, sometimes:

Shinji: There is no possible way for my already complex myriad of feelings can get any more complicated.

Asuka: 'Sup.

Click to shrink...

 

[neogoki]

The Second Child had finally arrived.

Click to shrink...

*Shinji feels a cold shiver down his spine*

 

[JimmyWolk]

/WE'RE FINALLY OUT OF AUGUST
//IT'S BEEN TEN MONTHS
///AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Click to shrink...

Don't want to do the same lame outdated joke again, so I'll just quote it from way back then:

"It's been 84 85 years".gif

Click to shrink...

Also lol:

Though with that deadline, I guess there might still be a "few" 1(00)k words till then...

Click to shrink...

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Don't want to do the same lame outdated joke again, so I'll just quote it from way back then:

Also lol:

Click to shrink...

Clearly, it's time for a recap episode!

xxxx

It was a peaceful night in Tokyo-3.

Pen-Pen dreamed a dream of time gone by...so his surprise could be excused, given unexpected company.

xxxx

"Ah. My apologies."

Pen-Pen, sitting on a beach chair at world's end, looked at the newcomer with surprise. "Strange to see you out and about, as it were."

"The boy's dreams have been troubled as of late," he answered, sitting on sand stained red by crimson water. "I figured it was a good opportunity to...stretch my legs, so to speak."

"You are concerned?"

"Aren't we all?"

Pen-Pen shrugged in acquiescence. "Fair enough. The children have gone through so much, after all..."

"Perhaps you could remind me? I've been so preoccupied with the boy that my chances to gaze out into the wider world are...few and far between."

"To be fair, this is the path you chose to take."

"Just because precautions are necessary doesn't mean I have to enjoy them. Truly a shame, that I lack your particular skills at...clairvoyance, shall we say." Leaning back on his hands, the interloper stared at the image of a sun rising out of a giant woman's rotting face. "I hope the Third Child has been doing well."

Pen-Pen chuckled, clapping his flippers together; as a kiseru pipe manifested in his beak, a soft yet somewhat unsettling tune began to play over the waves.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52ShRYqAEn0

"Strangely dissonant."

"A reminder that unpleasant surprises can lurk behind friendly faces. A shame that the poor chap was nothing but a patsy, last time around." The interloper looked intrigued. "At least, that's the impression little Jose got of Takuto Maruki."

"Jose seems rather charming, from what I've been told."

"A studious and rambunctious little lad. I'm sure he takes that analytical mindset from her. Now, with all that being said..." An old book manifested in Pen-Pen's hands, already open to a particular page. "How does the month of July sound? Quite a bit happened."

"Ah, most certainly...it seems like a lifetime ago."

"Relatively or literally?" squawked Pen-Pen with a brief laugh. "Anyhow...July 1st. Shiro Tokita's little island base in the Metaverse is crashed by yours truly...and Shinji Ikari, and Koromaru. We had to rescue Misato, after all; but while the boy gets distracted with Mana Kirishima, I run wild and induce a bit of panic in his goons! But by time Misato's been set free, Ikari's gone quite...mad, with the rage of a Beast. Were it not for mine and Misato's timely intervention, the lad would have likely killed Miss Kirishima in cold blood. But even though Tokita tried making a run for it, his base was ambushed by the forces mustered by Ritsuko Akagi for a mission...said forces including a certain man by the name of Ryuji Sakamoto. By the time I sent Misato and the two kids packing via Jose's portal, Tokita's base had been subdued...but Mana's brothers, to her dismay, had made a run for it." Flipping the page, Pen-Pen loosed a somewhat irritated quack. "Those poor boys ended up in the guile clutches of Takaya Sakaki...and as the day comes to an end, Shinji ruminates on how close he had come to losing himself to the Beast within. Only the words of Igor and the quiet encouragement of his Attendant, Sokila, enable him to endure that dark repose."

"A curious name, 'Sokila'. Why did she choose it?"

"From my understanding, she came up with it herself. I believe she was quite proud of it."

The interloper smiled. "That warms my heart. She seemed so very withdrawn, the last time I saw her in person."

"To be fair, she had just been saved from a terrible fate."

"I suppose that's fair enough," admitted the interloper. "Continue, please?"

xxxx

/the next snippets will cover more days at a time
//had to do some setup, though

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

As @Evil M. Lurker brought up elsewhere, Shinji's trajectory as a Protagonist would have been very different if his Persona had been this rendition of Hamlet:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCVc5TaPpe8

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

"July 2nd: Recovering from the events of yesterday, Shinji answers another question from PILATE on the matters of justifying horrible circumstances in relation to trust, even as Shiro Tokita is proverbially whisked away from the Hakone Detention House by Gendo Ikari. Apparently."

The interloper frowned. "Why does Gendo Ikari exhibit such a strange presence?"

"What do you think?" asked Pen-Pen.

"I wish I could say for certain. My worst fear is...well, I'd rather not say."

"In which case, the ultimate showdown between that man and his son will be quite a show. For what it's worth, I don't believe it's your worst fear," the penguin said, in the manner of one who knew more than most and delighted in that fact. "I could be wrong...at any rate, while the boy undergoes a debriefing with Ritsuko Akagi and Kensuke Aida about the assault on Tokita's island base, Mana Kirishima and Misato Katsuragi have a frank conversation about the legal realities of being an orphan with cognitive and supernatural powers. Fortunately, their appointed custodian is one Sae Niijima, who's quite the competent sort. By the end of it, she's roped Misato into agreeing to become Mana's guardian."

The interloper chuckled, a strange look ghosting across his face. "Sae Niijima...she has a surprisingly prominent position in the boy's thoughts."

"Is that so?" Pen-Pen briefly inhaled from his tobacco pipe, releasing a colorful pattern of smoke. "A lingering remnant...at any rate, Shinji and Kensuke would have a rather serious conversation about the dangers related to their powers and the life they had, before relaxing with an action-packed anime movie at the theater! Kami Funsai Lurren Galann, I believe it was called. After questioning why one of their teachers is fixated on the Sun and the Moon, they make their way back to their dorm for the evening. The serenity of the full moon was...a point of note, I can't help but say."

"Is it that surprising? The moon has a central place in the cognition of man, seen as a sign of wonder and terror, depending on one's time and place."

"Indeed...now. July 3rd." Flipping the page, Pen-Pen continued. "Shinji wants to disclose some of the natures of his power and circumstances to a complete civilian; as Kensuke, Toji, and Hikari will tell him throughout the day, there indeed are. But he gives it his best shot, electing to confide in Mayumi Yamagishi about what he's gone through. It's a fairly enlightening experience for both children: to Shinji because he desires some sense of normalcy; to Mayumi because she very much lacks a fundamental normalcy, and finds his presence strangely real...but the reality behind such sentiments won't become evident until August, so let's not ponder further: after all, Misato needs his assistance! Bringing both Mana and Shinji under her roof, Misato elects the tried and true method of throwing the kids at each other until they make nice!"

"That could have ended quite poorly, in hindsight. They were locked in a life-and-death battle just two days prior."

"A fair point, but the boy's core retains a trace of apologetic submissiveness that is...ironically stubborn. With remorse over what he did, he would have been more than willing to acquiesce in conversation to her...and when not a threat, it's doubtful Mana would have initiated hostilities at that point. Besides, I was present to ensure order was maintained."

The interloper leaned over, gazing at an illustration of Pen-Pen backhanding Mana across the face. "Now why ever would you do that?"

"She cracked the table. Damaging the furniture is a no-no. Fortunately, it was enough to finally break the awkwardness, setting the stage for a new bond to form. Misato is satisfied enough by this development...and as Shinji departs after dinner, Misato and Mana are in the strange position of testing boundaries, setting ground rules. It's through this that, by pure chance, Mana stumbles upon that Featherman Z show...and becomes an instant fan."

"There are some familiar faces in that cast," mused the interloper, focusing on the faces of Ann Takamaki, Hifumi Togo, and Naoto Shirogane in particular. "The first two have some solidity, like photographs...while the third bears an idol's aura." He chuckled, as if having an epiphany. "How lovely! I'll have to keep this in mind for later..."

"Privy to something I'm not?"

"Now now, there are some things which are secrets even from you."

"Fair enough!" admitted Pen-Pen, turning back to his book. "Shinji ends his evening in the Velvet Room...where, after being introduced to the Apprenticeship service, he is given an actual key by his Attendant...at which point, after some deliberation, he offers to take her outside: much to her delight."

The interloper smiled warmly, listening intently as Pen-Pen moved straight into the events of July the 4th. As the penguin retold the story of Sokila's first foray outside of the Velvet Room with her Guest — complete with amusing asides about Elizabeth and Margaret's attempts at playing distraction, Misato's shopping trip with Mana and the unique growing pains that came with it, Sokila gaining her 'official' Attendant's uniform, the girl's bedazzled reaction to a department store, and the brief intervention by one Minato Arisato to calm Elizabeth down — he eventually noticed a melancholy expression on the visitor's face. "You seem troubled."

"...merely pondering the shame of it all, that they who have endured so much must still suffer more. Those born of LILITH and those born of ADAM...are they fated to forever be in conflict? Can Evangelion bring about healing, or is it fated to be the apocalyptic Destroyer? Can the efforts of so few be enough in the face of the masses and the one who subtly pulls at their strings?"

"We can only wait and see...and do what we can, in the meantime." After including a brief note about potential financial difficulties in Toji Suzuhara's future in the midst of a study session with Hikari Horaki — "How long do you think it'll be before either one of them confesses?" wondered the interloper — Pen-Pen moved directly to the next day. "July 5th. As Toji ponders whether his time at Hakone Academy will be shorter than expected...he inadvertently falls into the Metaverse."

The interloper snorted. "'Inadvertently', he says."

"If it works, it works."

"It's also rather crass. I imagine they'll be quite cross with you if they ever find out."

"I'm sure they would be!" Continuing on, Pen-Pen said, "As Shinji and Kensuke endure the drudgery that is working for Dr. Akagi, and Misato puts Mana through a training session in the Metaverse...Toji walks through the cognitive double of Kobayakawa Memorial Hospital, slowly but surely making his way to where his sister's room is located. Along the way, he's protected from some unruly Archetypes by a very big bear."

"A curious existence," mused the interloper, looking at a pencil sketch of a giant bear in a clown suit. "He is...quite a unique phenomenon, isn't he?"

"How am I unique?"

The interloper jolted with genuine surprise, gazing over his shoulder; as if summoned, the bear in question was sitting on the sand, pantoming his words via a cartoonish hand puppet. "How exactly are you here?"

Teddie tilted his head confusedly. "Um...am I supposed to be elsewhere?" nervously 'said' the hand puppet. "I was just dreaming, and wandered here because I thought you might want more company! Besides, I LOVE storytime!"

"...hmm." The interloper folded his hands. "It is a very curious thing, for one who originated as a Shadow to show such substance...and not even the Shadow of a particular person, but rather that of a general mass of human emotion and will. I'm honestly surprised you had enough stability to endure from one timeline to the next."

xxxx

/gotta keep up the tradition
//of a recap episode actually containing plot-relevant stuff

 

[jj_789]

Quick question, are there going to be recaps at the end of every month in the story?

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Quick question, are there going to be recaps at the end of every month in the story?

Click to shrink...

To be determined, since it depends on whether certain plot elements can be fit within the main narrative or not.

/and also it'll depend on how long it takes to get through the subsequent months
//because August took 10 months to get through
///so a refresher of the events of July 2015 seemed appropriate

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Pen-Pen chuckled at the interloper's question. "I suppose it is only natural: consider the Sea of Souls, and the Collective Unconscious of humanity. A vast, roiling maelstrom of energy; a metaphysical construct of immense depth; a cognitive mass of chaos; is it any surprise, that a being which emerged from those wild emanations would forge an identity for itself, once it established bonds of its own?"

"A tabula rasa," he mused, staring inquisitively at Teddie. "Even to the point where an ego barrier would form...ah, my apologies. I believe the term is bearier."

Teddie's eyes sparked with delight. "Yay! You get it, too!"

"But that doesn't answer my question as to why Teddie persists."

Pen-Pen tapped his long claws together; a can of Yebisu manifested, which he casually popped the top off of. "Think: what particular bond does Teddie have that is entirely unlike any other?" he asked before taking a swig of beer.

The answer was immediately clear. "The Wild Card."

Teddie moaned with sorrow, as the hand puppet began crying audibly. "Oh...I haven't seen sensei in so long...I MISS HIS UNBEARABLY MANLY CHARM!"

"...I suppose this would also explain Koromaru and the little fox."

Pen-Pen nodded, exhaling a puff of tobacco smoke that briefly curled into the shapes of a winged Shiba Inu and a scarred fox wearing a bib. "Indeed: the stories of humanity are rife with tales of intelligent dogs, loyal beyond the point of death...and of trickster foxes, with cunning and sly wisdom passed through the ages...but if not for their connection to the Velvet Room through a Wild Card, they would have had nothing to sustain their form from one world to the next."

"How curious...it's quite amazing, the potential of humanity, and the ways in which it can manifest." Leaning back with a smile, the interloper motioned for Pen-Pen to continue.

"As I was saying: Toji continues through the hospital, eventually finding the Realm of his own Shadow...and there's a very serious discussion about death and survivor's guilt that he's entirely unwilling to have, which is why his Shadow goes berserk. Fortunately, the double duos of Misato and Mana, and then Shinji and Kensuke, were sufficient to subdue the lad; coming to terms with his own gratitude for living on, Toji gained the Persona Gilgamesh. From that conflict was born a new bond between Shinji and Toji...though Rei Ayanami was displeased with my meddling. But when is she not?"

"Must you antagonize her? It seems counterproductive."

"Irritation at my person is preferable to brooding within her own head. She wasn't even satisfied by her conversation with Phanuel over the night of June the 29th." The penguin sighed, ruminating over the Angel of Hope's current 'status'. "I wonder, how his battle with Minako Arisato is going...and for how much longer...?"

"Poor Mona-Mona," bewailed Teddie, his bare paw rising to form a salute. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten...!"

"To be fair, your nature is mysterious to more than just Ayanami. Are you even aware?"

Pen-Pen shrugged. "It's strange, how humanity's cognition views me in particular. Am I wrong for basking in it, so long as I help the main players survive until the end?" Turning the page in the book, he continued on with little fanfare. "July the 6th: another question by HEROD is made regarding a life or death choice, of sorts...but more importantly, I ask the boy whether or not I should shave my mustache!" The penguin brushed at his beak with the tip of his claw.. "A shame that beaks are incapable of growing facial hair in the physical realm."

"A true shame," remarked the interloper with genuine empathy.

"The boys from Room 23 gather at Neo Hagakure, where they discuss their various father issues, and relate to Shinji how exactly Kensuke, Toji, and Kaworu came to know each other. Compared to the other three, whose fathers were or are associated with NERV...Kaworu's father is a mystery, and he speaks of himself only as a 'ward of the state.' All told, he comes across as a bit...mysterious."

The interloper calmly hummed. "Mysterious indeed. Were it not for Rei Ayanami's testimony, his presence and demeanor would be...concerning." Glancing at Pen-Pen, he asked, "Do you have any insight?"

Pen-Pen chuckled. "I like to keep my eyes in many places, but don't mistake that for omniscience. I will trust in the fact that a bond between Kaworu and Shinji was born from this meeting...even if, afterwards, Kaworu seemed as though its formation was tearing him apart."

"Curious as to why that would be. It didn't happen in a similar manner with Minato and Minako Arisato," he remarked with a curious stare.

"And in those circumstances, their bond with the Angels was completely internalized on an essential level," observed Pen-Pen. "For separate existences to forge a metaphysical bond, on the other hand? It is no surprise, that one born of ADAM would react in such a way to one born from LILITH. Were it not for Evangelion, and the protection of the Velvet Room, I imagine Shinji would have reacted similarly...if he were even capable of forging such a bond to begin with."

"I suppose..."

"At any rate, the day ends with a delightful scene of Mana adjusting to the fact that she has a room she can call her own. Amidst worries about the state of her brothers, I serve as a delightful sleep aid; thus do we move on to the 7th of July. After cheering Toji up in the morning over his doldrums about the recent change in circumstances, Shinji goes through the school day as usual...save for lunch, where Hikari Horaki and Rei Ayanami both demand his time. Little Hikari is concerned about the recent changes in Toji's demeanor, while Shinji leverages Rei's concern about overextending himself into an offer for future missions together. The day rolls on: with surprising intrigue, Toji accompanies his custodian to a restaurant called Kanamin Kitchen, where he eats with Makoto Niijima and Ryuji Sakamoto. As they discuss his options going forward as a Persona-user, Ryuji offers to take on the boy as an apprentice; this particular decision will have many ramifications over the coming weeks."

"That guy seems pretty cool," remarked Teddie, his bare paw idly splashing at the crimson waters along the shore. "But I think he should be blond. I'm not sure why..." The hand puppet suddenly gasped. "Could it be...that I have a natural weakness for blonds? No wonder my human body was a blondy!"

The interloper chuckled at the sudden tangent. "Even after so long, the attention span of a child remains..."

"I wonder what Chie-chan, Yukiko-chan, Rise-chan, and Nao-chan would look like as blondes...?"

Ignoring Teddie's pondering, Pen-Pen looked back down at the book. A pleased quack slipped past his beak. "The next day...was quite eventful for many reasons. July the 8th: when the Second and Third Children first met each other in person."

"It feels like it's been forever since those events..."

 

[jj_789]

Two story months since they met. It sure was a lot longer than that here. I hope it's no problem for them adjusting, especially with the incoming New Moon in 2 weeks or so.

 

[neogoki]

"It feels like it's been forever since those events..."

Click to shrink...

easy on the 4th wall. It will crumble if you overstress it.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

easy on the 4th wall. It will crumble if you overstress it.

Click to shrink...

Mister P: So long as I draw breath, there IS no fourth wall!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Pen-Pen read, "Shinji was awoken that morning for an emergency deployment to the American city of Atlanta, to deal with a major outbreak of Ghosts and Acolytes. Whilst Rei and Sister Mary Makinami fought in reality, Shinji was instructed to reinforce the Second Child in the Metaverse...and at the site of the MAGI facility underneath the Georgia Dome sports stadium, he finally encounters her: Asuka Langley-Sohryu." The page bore an illustration of an eyepatch-clad redhead, standing atop the chest of a fallen Acolyte's Shadow; the whole image evoked 'expectant triumph.' "Naturally, she and Shinji hit it off immediately."

The interloper leaned in, looking at the banter between a flustered Shinji and a bossy Asuka. "How charming."

"Isn't it? Armed with her Persona Matilda, Asuka leads Shinji and Hamlet through the Georgia Dome...but in its depths, at the heart of the local MAGI, they encounter Jin Shirato. It is here, that Strega first makes itself known...and through power offered by Bardiel, Jin destroys the MAGI. Shinji and Asuka barely escape; the resulting explosion creates an immense distortion in the Metaverse, and the cognitive feedback kills many. Rei, pressured by this, utilizes her Ascended State...and it'll be a long time, before such a power makes its return..."

"Are the stakes nearing such a point?"

"What do you think?"

"It sounds like it's getting grizzly," murmured Teddie's hand puppet.

Pen-Pen nodded. "A certain redhead with a penchant for puns and two swords was watching this battle...as was an unfortunate lady in black...but it'll be some time, before they return. After the debriefing with the American military staff, where the future threat of Strega is assessed, the Evangelion-users all part ways...albeit not without some barbs from Asuka about why they're still going to school."

"Because school is fun?"

The interloper ignored Teddie's answer. "A very good question..."

"Regardless, they were not quite ready for a bond to form...but as our heroes depart, we see that Takaya Sakaki has absconded with the Shadow of a certain prisoner. It is the Shadow of one Junya Kaneshiro: this man is the designated sacrifice for Mana's brothers, to serve as their initiation into Strega...to see if they are willing to pay a high price for greater power." With a grim exhale of smoke from his pipe, Pen-Pen shook his head. "And it is a price they paid in blood."

"A cruel baptism, indeed," murmured the interloper.

"Thus we move to July the 9th. Though Shinji is still recovering from his trip to Atlanta, a more important scene is occurring...elsewhere. A summit of Angels, where they talk about certain things that are, alas, beyond my sight."

The interloper arched an eyebrow. "An admission of fallibility? How surprising."

"The Angels are bound within the Sea of Souls, just as humanity is; though their essential properties undoubtedly allow them a means of communicating that is not within the power of humans to observe...the reality that such communication existed cannot be hidden. At least, not to me." Pen-Pen punctuated his comment with a sip of beer. "Whatever the meeting entailed, it resulted in Kaworu Nagisa being rather melancholy...but not as melancholy as the students of Hakone Academy, who have a day full of nothing but pop quizzes."

"Pop goes the beary?" remarked Teddie's hand puppet, before the bear himself got beaned in the forehead by an empty beer can.

"Enough of that now," chided Pen-Pen. "Shinji ends his day at school with a discussion regarding translations, and books, and the lessons they impart upon repetitive readings. After answering HEROD's question from previously regarding life-altering decisions, Shinji leaves a voicemail for his old sensei, thanking him for taking him in so many years ago. Thus, we arrive at July the 10th: this time, he awakens to a question from PILATE, regarding what it would take to make the boy run away from a painful ordeal. The 'sunk cost fallacy' is mentioned."

The interloper chuckled. "Ah...the boy is quite familiar with that notion, regardless of the agony it caused him."

"Speaking of 'painful ordeals', Commissioner Kenshiro Morooka had a meeting with Gendo Ikari, where the former has some choice words regarding Shiro Tokita's disappearance, and how quickly he claimed the fruits of the JET ALONE Project for NERV. Fortunately, he has a means of working off his frustration..."

"Taste-testing Mystery Food X?" wondered Teddie's hand puppet aloud.

"Not quite! While Shinji undergoes a study sessions at the school library alongside Hikari Horaki — wherein he learns of the girl's crush on Toji amidst her concerns about his recent changes — Morooka showed off to a bunch of trainees by throttling Goro Akechi like a ragdoll."

The interloper chuckled, looking at the book's illustration of Akechi seething at Morooka and his reptilian Persona, Leviathan. "A very entertaining spar, to be sure...but it seems that the immediate aftermath was more concerning."

Pen-Pen nodded. "Indeed; Morooka notified Akechi that Kyoto's Governor, Toranosuke Yoshida, had passed away...and that his position had been filled by none other than a man named Masayoshi Shido. Which, given that Akechi is actually that man's son...introduces some complications."

"There are some things which do not change, apparently..."

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

"Speaking of changes: July the 11th. A rather interesting day: Shinji is mandated to undergo missions involving Ghost subjugation and dispersal...and besides certain parts of Hokkaido, they are all located along America's eastern coasts." Pen-Pen chuckled knowingly. "This is a fact he neglects to tell Misato when he requests Mana's assistance on these missions."

The interloper sighed. "Oh dear..."

"As the duo go about their business, Mana couldn't help but wonder at just how Shinji came across the power of Evangelion...which is a shame, since such a matter has no bearing on her own enjoyment of combat's thrill."

"Envy is one heck of a a bear to deal with. I should know: I saw Yosuke-kun and Chie-chan and Yuki-chan deal with it!" remarked Teddie's hand puppet.

"Meanwhile, Ryuji treats his new apprentice to lunch at Big Bang Beef Bowl, wherein there's a bit of ribbing about how Toji mentioned Hikari Horaki without prompting..."

"Ah, young love..."

"...but it's interrupted by Commissioner Morooka, who Ryuji turns out to have known from the A.T. Task Force's early days. Though Toji doesn't find out at this juncture, this is where Morooka warns Sakamoto about how his old apprentice, Jin Shirato, had become a member of Strega. A rather poor way to find out that your missing student was not, in fact, dead."

Teddie raised his head with intrigue. "Ooh...does this mean we'll have an apprentice-on-apprentice showdown in the future? Or an apprentice-versus-sensei battle??"

"That variant of narrative causality would be appropriate..."

"Who can tell? But that's for the future to unveil: we have the past to retell!" said Pen-Pen as he waved his thin tobacco pipe about. "Ryuji moves on with aplomb, taking Toji to the Metaverse to train the lad up! Meanwhile, Shinji and Mana arrive in America...only to get hit with sleeping gas the moment they emerge near the Boston Dead Zone. This is to the chagrin of NERV-01's Director and his wife: Takuto and Futaba Maruki, who are rather embarrassed by that turn of events."

The interloper chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "The boy reacted quite...negatively, finding out that Takuto and Futaba were married in this time. Given his memories of the prior world, it must have come across as quite a shock...notwithstanding his distaste for Dr. Maruki's actions last time 'round."

Pen-Pen waved it off with a flap of his flipper. "Bah, your little ball of anger at least understands Takuto's abilities were a function of a power beyond his control; he should know that much just from that fact Takuto's Persona this time around isn't Azathoth or Adam Kadmon."

"That is true...no longer oppressed by the enemy's influence, the truth of Maruki's Other Self was allowed to bloom..."

"But the day has just begun for the First Branch in America; as the Marukis get in the good graces of Shinji and Mana, their mission assignments are divvied out. Whilst Shinji has the most ground to cover, Mana focuses solely on Cape Cod. Meanwhile, back in Japan, Toji is recuperating from a rough day of training at Ryuji's hands; in a bit of manly bonding, he tells Toji about his own experiences with loss: namely, the deaths of his first wife Chihaya Mifune and then his second wife Shiho Suzui." Pen-Pen audibly sniffed. "It still makes me want to tear up..."

"And why go through the trouble of learning those stories? Surely, you could divine that history through whatever means are at your disposal..."

Pen-Pen snorted. "Lad, if I were truly all-seeing, I would have settled upon a less painful method of distracting Misato until the climax...and even now, I'm not sure it'll be enough. There's only so much I can do, after all...but that's besides the point." Turning back to the book, Pen-Pen continued, "Ryuji and Toji react to my presence, as Mister P, with some measure of skepticism...but all it took was the sharing of stories to establish a perfectly manly bond of affection between us men!"

"So...manly...!" bewailed Teddie's hand puppet with manly tears.

"I feel like you're mentioning 'manly' that many times on purpose..."

"Back in America, the missions are winding down...but at Mana's last stop, she's ambushed by none other than the Reaper. Sadly, bereft of reason, she attacks it...to no avail. Were it not for Futaba's quick warning, the poor lass would have died before Shinji arrived to rescue her; it is only by the barest of margins that Shinji saves Mana from the Reaper, teleporting back to NERV-01 with assistance from Futaba's Persona, Prometheus. And that's how their day ends." Pen-Pen flipped the page. "While it's still the 11th in America, the 12th of July dawns in Japan...wherein Misato finds out, much to her dismay, that Takuto Maruki informed both her and Sae Niijima about Mana's incapacitation. It's not a very pleasant conversation."

"From what the boy recalls of Sae Niijima, I'm not surprised. She has quite an intense glare..."

"Fortunately, Shinji and Mana both awaken; it is here that Shinji finds out that Futaba knew her mother and Ritsuko Akagi whilst growing up...and there are plenty of pictures for the boy to consume. Takuto Maruki, meanwhile, indulges in his sympathetic nature and tries to shield Mana from the consequences of her failure against the Reaper, which she does not appreciate in the least; she would rather be subjected to the fullness of the truth, even if it makes her come across in a poor light. Fortunately, a meal of chicken and waffles suffices to mollify her...more importantly, it's during these conversations that Shinji learns about Rei Ayanami's origins in this world: found in the Metaverse as a mere toddler, with ostensibly no memory of how she came to be there. Oh, if only he knew..."

"Do you think Rei Ayanami will eventually tell her fellows the truth about how this current state of affairs came to be?" asked the interloper. "And not with regards to Third Impact: I mean the War in Heaven."

Pen-Pen sighed. "If it were up to Ayanami, she would take that tale with her to the grave."

"Unfortunate. I believe it would do her a world of good, to be more open with her fellows..."

"With all that being said, Shinji and Mana say their goodbyes to the Marukis; they return to Japan...inadvertently surprising Misato into falling over her couch. That was funny." Pen-Pen loosed a brief trill of laughter. "Her irritation with their overseas journey aside, she's glad they made it back safely. As Shinji and Mana nap away to recuperate, Misato decides to convene a sudden party to celebrate their successful missions! Kensuke Aida, Toji Suzuhara, Hikari Horaki, Kaworu Nagisa, and Ryuji Sakamoto end up arriving; it's a relatively festive gathering, all things considered. Ren Amamiya wasn't of the same opinion, alas; he wasn't prepared to be the dinner delivery boy whilst Ryuji was present."

"Does this mean that if Sensei encountered me, he would die from the shock of how much he missed me?!" Teddie stood on his hind legs; he might have looked fearsome, were his ursine face not contorted into a miserable frown. "I don't want Sensei to die!"

"Over this dinner," continued Pen-Pen, referring to an illustration that showed the entire group gathered around Misato's dinner table, "the children mingle, and talks turn to the upcoming new moon, and what they're going to do to prepare. Granted, it's during this dinner where I appear in all my feathery goodness...and Ryuji, being quite the eagle-eyed fellow, doesn't miss my physical similarities to one 'Mister P.' As the day draws to a close, the kids end up watching Featherman Z, which causes an entire debate between Toji and Mana about the realism of the stunts, or the lack thereof. Misato, meanwhile, talks with Ryuji about the potential exchange of information and favors...and during this conversation, my origin comes up: rescued by Ryoji Kaji in the year 2008 from a genetics research facility that was doing animal experiments. As the story goes, I was one of the test subjects that was going to be euthanized, and I was the one he happened to pick." Pen-Pen's eyes gleamed with knowing. "But it wasn't quite that simple..."

Teddie huffed with a strangely nostalgic grunt. "It's strange, thinking about those days," murmured the hand puppet. "But that's where you, Koro-chan, Foxy-chan, and I met each other!"

"Oh? Is that true?"

Pen-Pen nodded. "Indeed...but that story is not the subject of our retelling, now is it?"

The interloper's gaze was somewhat shrewd, as if trying to determine if Pen-Pen was being intentionally obtuse. Finally, he relented. "...I suppose not. I imagine I'll find out through the boy soon enough..."

"At any rate, once Misato tells Ryuji about my origin, that's when he makes note of the connection between yours truly and Mister P...and the poor lass becomes right paranoid as a result. It's a paranoia that persists to this day, I'm sad to say..."

"At times, it seems like you're all but rubbing your association in their faces. Why go so far, for such seemingly little gain?"

"Because after enough timelines, I know that Misato is stubborn enough to go for the source of her problems if she's got a lead. I imagine she would have gone straight to Gendo Ikari by now, given her disposition...or, knowing her luck, she would have somehow divined the identity of the Usurper and gone to confront them, even if it meant her doom." Sighing wistfully, Pen-Pen dumped the ashes of his pipe onto the sand. "Her life tends to end unfortunately, alas...even if it be by foul means, can you blame me for doing what little I can to keep her alive until the end?"

The interloper suddenly understood. "Ah...it is because of her bond with Shinji Ikari, that you can't be more overt."

"If it were just a matter of keeping her safe, there are simpler methods I could have used...but not only is she an important ally of Shinji, she's one of his bonds. Her involvement in these affairs is practically a foregone conclusion...and to be honest, she wouldn't be Misato Katsuragi, if she weren't involved in the thick of things. Playing 'keep away' is the best I can do." Sighing explosively, Pen-Pen flopped back in his beach chair and sagged into it. "If only I were the pet of a less troublesome woman..."

"But I thought you liked trouble," retorted Teddie.

"That's besides the point."

 

[jj_789]

Wait, if Misato somehow divines the identity of the Usurper in previous timelines, how could she just go confront them? I thought they were unreachable?

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Wait, if Misato somehow divines the identity of the Usurper in previous timelines, how could she just go confront them? I thought they were unreachable?

Click to shrink...

Misato doesn't know about the Usurper's existence. That's not what Pen-Pen is saying.

He's implying that based on Misato's track record in previous timelines, her obsessive mentality and stubbornness are liable to get her in the sort of trouble with fatal consequences.

Think of it as intentional hyperbole to make a point.