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??

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

From within his office of their secret Metaverse facility, Shiro Tokita - one of several leads for the black projects of Nippon Heavy Chemical Incorporated (NHCI) - quietly looked over the security imprint from the orphans' visiting room and Katsuragi's temporary quarters. Not footage, not a log in the standard sense, but an 'imprint'; the very architecture of various places within the facility sensed the thoughts and intentions of the occupants, translating them into narrative prose that described what was occurring as events happened. The nature of the Metaverse meant that mental activity could be a more reliable indicator of what was going on than any level of video or audio footage...and a far more subtle one, at that.

(Tokita quietly looked over the blueprints, marvelling at some of the ingenious steps being taken. Groups of people sat within model rooms and hallways, thinking in unison about how their thoughts were like an 'open book' for security to read though. With enough 'brainpower', the only limit was the imagination.)​

From within the visiting room, a few lines of the literary script had caught his interest: Mana Kirishima and Keita Asari are discussing unimportant matters. Meanwhile, Musashi Strasberg is trying to imprint his thoughts onto a blank piece of paper.

That led to the encounter within the hallway: Musashi Strasberg slipped a piece of paper to Misato Katsuragi. His ruse involving an assault on Katsuragi's person successfully fools their armed escorts. Hmm. Guess we'll have to conduct a refresher on security drills.

Finally, that led to Misato Katsuragi's quarters, which very pointedly had no visible cameras or sensors or bugs in any of the usual places, precisely so that any occupant would have their guard down. Misato Katsuragi becomes cognizant of PROJECT LABRYS and PROJECT AIGIS to some degree. She is now very angry with Shiro Tokita. She's a good soul. A shame that her talents won't last beyond increasing Kirishima's capabilities. Still, he was confident that he would be able to handle any outburst of anger from the A.T. Agent, for reasons the woman was surely unaware of.

(As he finished relaying his progress report regarding JET ALONE, his supervisor raised a salient point: why not inform the orphans of the fail-safe's existence? "I am not ignorant of their animosity for me," he calmly replied. "It has been allowed to bloom by design. If all avenues of retribution were denied, then they would likely fall into despair over their circumstances, and probably resort to suicide as their only form of viable protest. By remaining a viable target for their outrage, they will continue to endure...if only out of a spiteful desire to one day have their revenge against me.")​

A risky gamble, to be sure, but that's what the other safeguards were for. Fortunately, Kirishima's predicted cognitive shifting had already begun: the data from the hours-long spar with Misato Katsuragi revealed that her capture was already paying dividends. Katsuragi's nosiness has been an unexpected boon; to have a skilled combatant fight Kirishima, yet one without an attachment to NHCI, thus mitigating the girl's usual temper.

(Last year, the company had loaned a skilled Persona-user in their employ to JET ALONE to test Kirishima's skills. Within three minutes, Kirishima had killed the man; although positive in one sense, it limited their chances to test Kirishima with regards to foes beyond Archetypes, Ghosts, and Shadows, since NHCI wasn't going to waste the lives of their own stable of Persona-users so willy-nilly.)​

For a time, Tokita had seriously considered trying to see if there was a way his supervisor could negotiate for the release of a Persona-user from death row into their custody.

But now, Katsuragi had fallen into their proverbial lap. She'll help Kirishima fix the current gaps in her combat capacity, and then we can replicate the process with either Strasberg or Asari...probably Asari, with Strasberg serving as the weapon base. Despite Asari's relatively placid demeanor, he would be more predictable and reliable than Strasberg. If we can duplicate our work, then NHCI can officially begin marketing the process to the Defense Ministry. From this point on, maintaining secrecy was paramount.

Fortunately, the measures taken to keep the A.T. Task Force off of Katsuragi's trail would suffice.

xxxx

/Dr. Akagi's Office, NERV HQ, Tokyo-3/

Ritsuko Akagi glared at the e-mail currently displayed on her screen. Beneath all of the official verbiage that basically said 'there will be no missions to search for Misato Katsuragi', there was an additional postscript blurb from Goro Akechi: Unfortunately, my hands are officially tied. No A.T. Agents will be spared for a mission to look for Katsuragi-senpai. So, sounds like behind-the-scenes political bee-ess.

Glancing down at her phone, Ritsuko looked at a series of texts she'd received from Kaji earlier that day.

Mr. Katsuragi: By the way, Ritsuko-chan.

Yes, she still had the man in her phone as 'Mister Katsuragi', because even all these years later, she was still salty at the man breaking off his wedding with her best friend.

Mr. Katsuragi: From what I've been able to ascertain, an associate of mine should find Misato-chan by tomorrow.
Mr. Katsuragi: It's a little out of the way~
Mr. Katsuragi: Make of that what you will.

Cryptic bastard, thought Dr. Akagi with a frown. Fortunately, it provided enough leeway for her to work with, because the data from Misato's hidden flash drive had allowed her to pinpoint just where her friend had intended to investigate. Well...I may not be able to commission a search-and-rescue mission, but I can do the next best thing. With a quick dip into her R&D budget and ten minutes of time, the next phase of her plan was implemented on the Mission Board.

SUBMITTED BY: Ritsuko Akagi (NERV)
LOCATION: Outskirts of Tokyo-1 Dead Zone
MISSION: To analyze anomalous signals within the Metaverse for research purposes.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Minimum of 10 Participants requested. Active combat is likely. Expected mission duration is unknown, but commencement will begin at 0800 on July 1. Specific locations and mission parameters will be provided by Dr. Akagi to all Participants upon mission commencement. A.T. Task Force experience is preferred, but not required. Staging Area for mission will be provided upon acceptance and confirmation with Dr. Akagi.

...damn it Misato, this is going to bite into my quarterly mission budget. You'd better still be alive!

xxxx

Even in the unlikely event that someone would find Misato Katsuragi's last location within the Metaverse, they would be stuck on a wild goose chase, fruitlessly searching the remnants of the Old Tokyo Metropolitan Area. The Transfer Warp removed all traces of our facility and its cognitive mass back to its point of physical origin...so even searching in the real world won't turn up any clues.

(Bit by bit, larger portions of NHCI's island facility were mapped from its point of origin to the outer rim of Tokyo-1's Dead Zone; this not only afforded them a greater opportunity to obtain Archetypes from the mainland, but would also serve as a suitable smokescreen in the event they were ever compromised.)​

Tokita smiled, feeling rather satisfied by how things were progressing. After staking his life - through untold hours spent of labor and research - on JET ALONE, things were finally coming to a head.

xxxx



Shinji Ikari looked at the seemingly endless waves of orange, fading away at the horizon into blank nothingness. "Misato-san's...that way?"

"Arf arf!" barked Koromaru, his wings flapping with excitement.

"Hmm...based on how far the scent goes...you must be referring to somewhere around Hachijō-jima," remarked Mister P, twirling his mustache with intrigue. "An island that was depopulated during Second Impact, like most others in the Izu Archipelago."

"...how far away is that?" They had spent the entire day retreating west from the Tokyo-1 Dead Zone, bypassing Tokyo-3 and heading south along the Izu Peninsula (which had been rife with volcanoes and massive hot springs, visibly wiggling in a manner that evoked how earthquake-prone the place was in reality), until they had reached the 'shores' of the Pacific.

"Arf!"

"Just shy of two hundred kilometers."

"Eh?!"

"Bah, have no fear! At a leisurely pace, Gryphon will have us there by morning." The tuxedo-clad bird-man ran a hand along his Persona's avian neck, eliciting a pleased coo from the majestic beast. "You two can sleep soundly; I'll wake you when we reach our destination."

"...um..."

"Fear not; I won't drop you!"

Shinji blanched. "That wasn't what I was-!"

"Arf!" The winged Shiba Inu had already hopped upon Gryphon's wide back; with a few cheerful turns, the dog curled up, his wings folding up compactly.

"...well, if Koromaru's fine with it..." After all, dogs tended to be pretty canny. If Koromaru felt safe enough to sleep on Mister P's Persona...then he would probably be fine?

That was how Shinji Ikari found himself lying down on Gryphon's back, one arm held around Koromaru; Mister P sat behind them, keeping a steady hand upon Shinji's back as Gryphon took to the sky. Somehow, the bird-man's hold was...reassuring, instead of unsettling. It was as if he was communicating with touch alone: you are safe; you won't fall. Thus, the boy allowed himself to fall asleep, letting the wind soothe him to sleep. Misato-san...we'll find you...

xxxx

END OF 6/30/2015

xxxx

/holy crap
//guys
///after 160k+ words
////WE'RE FINALLY OUT OF THE MONTH OF JUNE

 

[Navi-Hank]

I realy like how each of his assumptions where imedately distroyed

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I realy like how each of his assumptions where imedately distroyed

Click to shrink...

To be fair, he expected the possibility of someone searching the area around Tokyo-1 (i.e. what Ritsuko Akagi's doing).

However, he failed to expect Mister P tracking him down with the aid of a winged doggo.

Because NO ONE expects the Penguin Inquisition!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Sokila wasn't there.

Rather, there was only himself.

And another Shinji, wearing a cape and holding a skull.

Beyond a thin veil, there was one more Shinji, rippling as a mirage.

A horn protruded from his - their? - head, eyes glowing brilliantly and fiendishly.

It spoke as that ever-familiar Beast.

"The thresholds are so very THIN."

It spoke with unmistakable joy.

"The spirit means nothing...only because you allow it."

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-​

xxxx

/Wednesday: July 1, 2015/

/The Metaverse/

Shinji opened his eyes wide, blinking rapidly. The wind was still rushing by, rippling the fur of both Gryphon and Koromaru. "Wha...?"

"We're almost there," cautioned Mister P, eyes gazing keenly over the horizon. "Prepare for battle."

Shinji slowly sat up, straining his eyes; far below, a mental abyss still ran far, and wide...but in the distance, he could see a faint hint of orange water. In a matter of minutes, the tiny form of an island would emerge. Misato-san...we're almost there...

xxxx

Elsewhere within the Metaverse, at the rim of the Hakone Caldera, Makoto Niijima was quietly conversing with those who had gathered for Dr. Ritsuko Akagi's mission. The fact that she was here - and not, say, Hokkaido - was a story in and of itself.

(She frowned, reading through the private message sent over her Mission Board app: I highly suggest taking this mission from Dr. Akagi. Things are not as they seem. - Goro Akechi)​

For the Chief Warden of Hakone's Cognitive Protection Center to request her assistance on an ostensibly simple research mission was...unusual. As such, her hackles were already up by the time she had arrived, after driving on Anat for most of the previous evening. (Thank goodness that the Metaverse had no such thing as speed limits!) Fortunately, her current conversational partner was of a rather jovial sort. "...I've...well, I didn't want to ask, but-"

"About the cane?" said the older man - in his 40s, from the look of him - tapping at his right leg with a sturdy cane (which was also a gun, amusingly enough). "Had a car accident several years ago; shot up my leg real bad. Used to be an A.T. Agent myself, you know? Paid well, and all that good stuff."

"...is that why you're a Cognitive Freelancer now?"

"Yep! It's less stressful, for one. Like, a helluva lot less stressful." said the man, his grin stretching to devilish proportions. "Actually just had a 'mission' for this Dr. Akagi lady just the other day, as a matter of fact! Didn't really do much other than have my Persona shoot lightning all over the place in this testing chamber inside NERV, but that was apparently enough for her!"

"You know, that sort of injury could be easily remedied with cognitive therapy. At least within the Metaverse, you'd be able to move freely."

"Thought about it. Figured I'd get too attached to it, knowing me. But hey, life's not all bad." He leaned against his cane, dark brown eyes staring intently at the rhythmic sky of red and black. "Any idea what this mission's about? Kinda seems odd to have so many people sign up just to do some scans." He held up the odd little scanner that had been left at the Staging Area, which - despite being handheld - was adorned with so many doodads and doohickeys that it looked purposefully convoluted, in the way of sci-fi shows that were decades old. Granted, that may have been on purpose, to make its scanning abilities more effective within the cognitive world. (After all, if it looked so complicated, it must be good for the job, right?)

"...I'm not sure." So much about this mission seemed...off. Akechi-san's cryptic message had only heightened her paranoia. "Just keep your guard up, okay Sakamoto-san?"

Ryuji Sakamoto nodded, his short black hair wavering in the wind. "You don't have to tell me twice, little lady."

"...I'm not little," she pouted.

"Eh, everyone here's little compared to me."

 

[MattmanTheComet]

There's Best Boi! Here's hoping no one dies .

 

[BaraccaZero]

Sokila wasn't there.

Rather, there was only himself.

And another Shinji, wearing a cape and holding a skull.

Beyond a thin veil, there was one more Shinji, rippling as a mirage.

A horn protruded from his - their? - head, eyes glowing brilliantly and fiendishly.

It spoke as that ever-familiar Beast.

"The thresholds are so very THIN."

It spoke with unmistakable joy.

"The spirit means nothing...only because you allow it."

The faint haze of blue began to brighten-​

Click to shrink...

Wow, this is ominous, I wonder what their trying to say?

Ryuji Sakamato nodded, his short black hair wavering in the wind. "You don't have to tell me twice, little lady."

Click to shrink...

There he is

 

[neogoki]

Because NO ONE expects the Penguin Inquisition!

Click to shrink...

Nobody expects Penpen, the Grandmaster Penguin.

My Brain just gave me an Idea, NGE X Naruto, Shinji learns summoning and gets the Penguin-contract.
His Boss Summon is Penpen
Others include the Penguins of Madagaskar, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private.
With them Penpen takes over NERV in a few hours. And even as he then struts on the command bridge, nobody is comprehending that they got conquered by non-flying, aquatic fowls.

Ryuji Sakamato nodded, his short black hair wavering in the wind. "You don't have to tell me twice, little lady."

Click to shrink...

uhhrg, Ryuji has the worst luck regarding his legs.
but this makes 2 of the P5-crew together... such a tingle to my "What IF" center

 

[GeshronTyler]

Interesting way to have Shinji reprise the airdrop he performed in his EVA in the original Jet Alone mission. Though PenPen's bird companion isn't as impressive in scale as the EVA-Carrier...

Time soon for Tokita to discover that he's made a few too many assumptions, and be made an ass of.

 

[Winged One]

So, if the Jet Alone analogue is the use of peoples' loved ones to create weapons that they can wield... what the fuck are Evangelions in this timeline?

Personally, I'm guessing SMT devils, and the Angels are literal SMT angels or order devils or whatever they're called properly.

 

[BaraccaZero]

Who says that there aren't any canned mother's souls inside the EVAS?

 

[MattmanTheComet]

How about both, and the EVA users are all the children of the SMT Devils who have become the Evangelion.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

So, if the Jet Alone analogue is the use of peoples' loved ones to create weapons that they can wield... what the fuck are Evangelions in this timeline?

Personally, I'm guessing SMT devils, and the Angels are literal SMT angels or order devils or whatever they're called properly.

Click to shrink...

Who says that there aren't any canned mother's souls inside the EVAS?

Click to shrink...

How about both, and the EVA users are all the children of the SMT Devils who have become the Evangelion.

Click to shrink...

So much speculation, and not a single mention of clones.

Step up your game! I'm not even gonna need to break out the tinfoil at this rate!

 

[MattmanTheComet]

So much speculation, and not a single mention of clones.

Step up your game! I'm not even gonna need to break out the tinfoil at this rate!

Click to shrink...

Not only are there no Rei Clones here, Rei and Shinji are full siblings.

 

[BaraccaZero]

Rei and Shinji are full siblings.

Click to shrink...

New conspiracy theory: Rei si just Yui in a revamped clone body with genetic material from Lillith!

I'm joking.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Secret NHCI Facility, the Metaverse/

Misato Katsuragi found herself once more within the sparse cafeteria, staring at Shiro Tokita. Breakfast was simple - steamed rice and grilled mackerel - but she wasn't much in the mood.

"I'd think your concerns about poisoned food would be mollified after yesterday," remarked her scumbag kidnapper.

"The peanut gallery's soured my appetite," she said, glancing at the security personnel enjoying their own breakfast at scattered corners of the room. Six armed guards.

Tokita shrugged. "Just a little bit of insurance, after yesterday."

"That a fact?"

"Did you sleep well?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Just curious if Musashi Strasberg's letter troubled you."



Misato didn't let her brief shock show. She settled for anger, glaring at the absolute jackass sitting so calmly in front of her. No point in playing dumb. She hadn't seen any cameras or bugs in her quarters, but that counted for little in the cognitive world. Just gotta roll with it. "Then why keep up with this whole charade?"

"What charade? Training Kirishima is quite a serious endeavor. You won't be of any use if you die-"

"If you think I'm going to participate in this after learning about what you did to that girl, you're crazy."

"And what precisely did I do?" he challenged.

She ground her nails into her palm, uncomfortably aware of how heavy the helmet on the back of her head was. "You might as well have killed her sisters...and her Shadow..."

"Simply because JET ALONE is more literal about what we do than what's practically true about A.T. Agents?" Tokita narrowed his eyes, not angry, but rather focused. "Because I'm sure your training didn't involve any sort of mental conditioning. Then again, that is the way of militaries throughout history, isn't it? Breaking down raw material into soldiers, who can-"

"Oh save it," she spat. "I wanted to be an Agent. Men and women signed up for the JSDF. But you stole those kids' lives with a smile on your face, like a jackal scavenging from the flesh of the dead. I bet you probably sing yourself to sleep about all the 'sacrifices' you make for the sake of our country, but you know nothing of sacrifice, you opportunistic asshole!" Her breath had become heavy, her teeth bared into a vicious snarl; she had missed the security guards rising to their feet in the midst of her tirade. Despite that, Tokita simply took another bite of his fish, without a care in the world. "Well? Aren't you gonna say anything?! Or are you that dead inside?"

Tokita calmly chewed and swallowed, using a napkin to wipe at his lips. "I don't blame Strasberg for having a biased view of what he's been through. That being said, I do have a serious question for you: do you honestly believe that the Shadow of a young girl has enough cognitive mass to forge a connection with the minds of two other human beings, regardless of how close they were?"

"...what?"

"It was an ambitious work, I will admit; binding the very essence of humans - mind, body, and soul - into objects, so that they could be used against cognitive and spiritual foes. Such was the nature of PROJECT LABRYS and PROJECT AIGIS. However, how to ensure they can't be turned against their wielder? It would have to be someone that LABRYS and AIGIS were close to, someone they wouldn't recognize as a threat. And yet, metaphysical bonds can only go so far; by the time Kirishima's Shadow manifested, there were rising concerns that the measures we took to empower LABRYS and AIGIS would result in them overwhelming Kirishima's Shadow. An unexpected issue...but not an insurmountable one. After all, if additional cognitive mass could be utilized to serve as a foundation, to ensure the connection would be stable...that would solve a whole host of problems, wouldn't it?"

Misato blinked. "...what are you saying?"

"There was more than one Shadow that was sacrificed to ensure Kirishima was bonded with LABRYS and AIGIS. There was another."

Misato's nostrils flared. "And who was the unlucky sap you chose for that?" When Tokita did the unexpected - namely, pointing at himself - Misato went agog. "You...you?!"

"There's a reason your prior characterization of me as a scavenger was inaccurate: namely, the fact that I have skin in the game. Anyone who wishes to advance in life, or do anything of worth, must be exposed to the downside as well as the upside." Tokita folded his hands, leaning back in his chair. "True, my hope is that JET ALONE will serve as not only the means for Japan to stop Angel Syndrome once and for all, but to also give us an edge against the rest of the world within the Metaverse. I don't much care for any personal notoriety, though I will feel some pride in the fact that my company will be lauded for their work. However, if it fails...if Kirishima were to die...then so would I." The smile on his face now seemed resigned. "So when I say that I'm staking my life on the success of this project, I'm being quite literal."

"...but why...why you?"

"Because I want this to work. And in the Metaverse, cognition is king. Why would I risk utilizing someone else's Shadow as the foundation if they weren't committed one-hundred percent?"

"...you..." Misato was actually flabbergasted. "...why the hell would you go so far? To these lengths?"

"...because there is a quantifiable cost. JET ALONE will not just be a successful method of combating the monsters afflicting our world, but it will be one that's understandable. The means and methods of producing more like Kirishima will not be secret, nor arcane, nor occult, but known. Something that can't be said for Evangelion." It was that word which finally made Tokita show a bit of irritation. "Tell me, Katsuragi; do you know exactly how NERV creates Evangelions?"

"...no. If they knew, there'd be more."

"And that's precisely the problem. How can anyone trust a weapon that they don't understand? How could anyone utilize a power without knowing what goes into it? The drawbacks tend to be far greater than any advantages they bring...and that's not even going into NERV's own secrecy."

"What are you talking about?"

"Tell me, Katsuragi: how exactly did Private Noboru Hanamura's Shadow get out of Hakone's Cognitive Protection Center? You fought him during the last new moon when he became an Acolyte, did you not?"

The sudden change of topic made the woman blink. "Wait, how did you-?"

"It would be awfully troublesome for the Anti-Terror Task Force if it turns out their Cognitive Protection Centers could be so easily breached. And yet, NERV has always come across as so confident, so self-assured about the ability of their Evangelion-users to stop Angel Syndrome; meanwhile, they've claimed to know the cause of the scourge! And the Evangelions themselves are something without explanation, wielded only by NERV; even if Evangelion's nature as a weapon of mind and spirit has been explained, it doesn't explain just how rare such an ability is...nor does it clarify why the only identified users of such are so closely associated with NERV." Tokita's frown was rather prominent, now. "Even if their results have been exceptional thus far...what guarantees are there that such power will remain pointed at mankind's enemies? What safeguards are in place to prevent them from being turned against Japan?"

"...so that's the real reason for JET ALONE, huh?" It was so mundane as to be disappointing. "You...or someone above you...has a thing against NERV. They want a counter in case Evangelion ever goes rogue."

"We both know that the First and Second Children have exceptionally powerful Personas, and I've heard about the Third Child's extraordinary ability to use multiple Personas. In the real world, there's no contest regarding an Evangelion-user's power...and on top of that, they've shown the capability to warp anywhere in the world in the proverbial blink of an eye, so there's no possibility of containing them. NERV's lack of transparency has quite a few within the Defense Ministry concerned as is...and it should concern you as well."

"...you know, I kind of get that a lot of people in authority are concerned with NERV. With Evangelion. I can understand that...but you're ignoring the human element." Even if Rei Ayanami's own secret-keeping was a concern, she had no doubt that the girl was a tireless worker. Likewise Asuka Langley-Sohryu, based on reports she had read. And as for Shinji Ikari...the boy had a good heart. The thought of him turning Evangelion against humanity seemed absurd. "If you knew those children like I did...then maybe you'd feel a little regret for being such an asshole."

Tokita sighed. "A shame. Fortunately, your expertise will go a long way to ensuring Kirishima will be able to stop an Evangelion-user in combat, regardless of where or when."

"And after all this, you still think I'll help?"

"If not you, we'll find another one, one way or another. You have no power in this situation, Katsuragi-san. You are alone, here. We hold all the cards. If you're not going to cooperate, we will simply terminate you."

"Gee, great way to get me to go along."

"I'm simply stating facts. Regardless of how talented you are as an Agent...you're just one Agent. No one's going to save you."

At that moment, the an alarm blared, and a panicked voice came over the intercom. "Sir, we have unknown targets approaching us from the air! They're not Archetypes!"

Those words elicited an impulsive laugh from Katsuragi. "HA! You wanna try again, pal?"

"...how did...?" Tokita, to his credit, managed to hide his shock relatively quickly. "...you know what, it doesn't matter." With those words, a jolt of white-hot pain erupted from the device on the back of Misato's head, causing her to collapse messily, face first, into her rice and fish. "I'm not taking any chances. Take her back to her quarters until this situation is resolved."

Misato managed to painfully blurt out a vulgar slur against Tokita before she was unceremoniously dragged away by security.

xxxx



Within her quarters, Mana Kirishima slowly rose, putting her helmet on. "Kirishima," spoke Tokita through its internal speakers.

"Yes, sir?"

"We have unknown intruders. Prepare to deploy."

"Understood, sir."

"Do be quick. If they target your brothers, they won't stand a chance."

"...that won't happen." With a resolute heart, Mana Kirishima steeled herself for combat.

xxxx

In the sky above the facility, sitting upon Gryphon's back, Mister P, Shinji Ikari, and Koromaru looked down upon their target: a collection of gray buildings, surrounded by concrete walls. "She's somewhere in there..."

"Arf arf!"

"...do you know where?"

"Hah, not at all! That's part of the adventure." Large spotlights began moving about, trying to focus on their position. "But I think it be best if we split up, to divide their forces. Be careful, lad; they may try to kill you."

"Wait, really?" As if to confirm Mister P's dire warning, gunfire began to pour into the sky. In response, Gryphon immediately dove downward at high speed; Shinji screamed from shock, in spite of Mister P securing him and Koromaru in his burly arms. "Aaaaaaaaah!"

"That's the spirit! Use that to carry you through the day!" Without warning, as Gryphon levelled off about fifteen meters above the ground, Mister P actually dropped him. "Happy hunting!"

"Wait hold on don't drop ME!" screamed Shinji as he fell, practically diving towards the ground as Gryphon continued onward to another part of the facility. Panic - sheer fight or flight, bound to his very bones - erupted as he tried to think of something, anything. Oh gods he dropped me I need somethingstrongsomethingdurableherecomesthegroundHERECOMESTHEGROUND-! "PERSONA!" With a burst of blue fire, a mighty steed manifested beneath him: a great crimson horse landed on the ground, galloping to maintain Shinji's forward momentum. The boy impulsively wrapped an arm around the steed's rider: a knight in dark armor, wielding a wicked trident of gold-plated steel. "K-Keep going, Berith!"

His Persona grunted, speaking with a deep and intimidating voice. "Rakukaja." Purple light shined around them, buffing their defense and endurance; Berith charged ahead, using the blunt side of his trident to knock aside surprised security personnel before they could open fire or retaliate with their own Personas. "Cleave!" With a mighty swing, Berith burst through the wall of the nearest building, warping the architecture and stampeding through its sterile innards.

Hold on, Misato-san! thought Shinji as he held on for dear life. We're coming!

 

[BaraccaZero]

Misato's nostrils flared. "And who was the unlucky sap you chose for that?" When Tokita did the unexpected - namely, pointing at himself - Misato went agog. "You...you?!"

"There's a reason your prior characterization of me as a scavenger was inaccurate: namely, the fact that I have skin in the game. Anyone who wishes to advance in life, or do anything of worth, must be exposed to the upside as well as the downside." Tokita folded his hands, leaning back in his chair. "True, my hope is that JET ALONE will serve as not only the means for Japan to stop Angel Syndrome once and for all, but to also give us an edge against the rest of the world within the Metaverse. I don't much care for any personal notoriety, though I will feel some pride in the fact that my company will be lauded for their work. However, if it fails...if Kirishima were to die...then so would I." The smile on his face now seemed resigned. "So when I say that I'm staking my life on the success of this project, I'm being quite literal."

"...but why...why you?"

"Because I want this to work. And in the Metaverse, cognition is king. Why would I risk utilizing someone else's Shadow as the foundation if they weren't committed one-hundred percent?

Click to shrink...

A this point, I believe that Tokita is truly mad, and still an ass at that.

"...you know, I kind of get that a lot of people in authority are concerned with NERV. With Evangelion. I can understand that...but you're ignoring the human element." Even if Rei Ayanami's own secret-keeping was a concern, she had no doubt that the girl was a tireless worker. Likewise Asuka Langley-Sohryu, based on reports she had read. And as for Shinji Ikari...the boy had a good heart. The thought of him turning Evangelion against humanity seemed absurd. "If you knew those children like I did...then maybe you'd feel a little regret for being such an asshole."

Click to shrink...

*Whistles innocently and quietly* Well, we shall see.
Damn, he's right on one thing.

Those words elicited an impulsive laugh from Katsuragi. "HA! You wanna try again, pal?"

"...how did...?" Tokita, to his credit, managed to hide his shock relatively quickly. "...you know what, it doesn't matter." With those words, a jolt of white-hot pain erupted from the back of Misato's head, causing her to collapse messily, face first, into her rice and fish. "I'm not taking any chances. Take her back to her quarters until this situation is resolved."

Click to shrink...

Just his reaction gave a smile to my face.

Hold on, Misato-san! thought Shinji as he held on for dear life. We're coming!

Click to shrink...

I can see that Shinji is truly starting to change, also let's hope he's succesful.

Really liked this chapter

 

[Winged One]

So... what would the fragment of him in those axes say about his motivations, I wonder? Because he can't have faced it himself, or it'd be a Persona.

Also, I still think that, whether or not Mari can kill Acolytes in the physical world, she'll be unable to harm Angels. Chucklefuck here doesn't even know they exist, much less whatever factor EVAs can use to kill them if they were willing to attack directly.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

With unceremonious force, Gryphon crashed through a roof, causing mental rubble and cognitive dust to fall upon the sterile hallways. The very air seemed to recoil at the chaos introduced. "Hmm..." Mister P's mustache twitched; the ambient thoughts in this facility were so upset. "Koromaru?"

"Woof?"

"Can you smell out Katsuragi?"

"Arf arf!" heartily affirmed the winged pooch.

"Good!" Far ahead at the end, men and women in black gear gathered, summoning Personas; as masses of spectral fire began to coalesce into solid forms, the hulking bird-man gazed over his shoulder at his other self and the Shiba Inu. "Go to her then. I'll distract the riffraff."

"Arf!"

Gryphon snorted, glaring knowingly at him before turning around and following Koromaru through the place; the edges of the bird-man's beak improbably curled up to form the facsimile of a smile on his cheeks. "Now, we can get started!"

"...he sent away his companions," said the head of the security contingent. "Swarm him so we can pursue!"



"Good! You'll need every advantage you can get!" A humanoid skeleton with a sword and shield charged, slashing down at his head; with a knowing gleam in his eye, Mister P ducked and drove his left hand through the creature's rib cage, brass knuckles shining brilliantly. With that singular blow, the Persona was defeated; one of the guards at the end of the hall suddenly collapsed from shock.

"...with just one hit...?" murmured one of the security personnel, with not a little bit of fear.

"Silly rapscallions! This is supposed to be a fight, is it not?" Exaggerated clouds of steam erupted from the nostrils on his beak.

"...just shoot him!" yelled another guard, raising his submachine gun, alongside several others. "Get him into our line of fire!"

Rather than quailing away as the enemy Personas charged, Mister P merely laughed. "Hit me with your best shots!" he exclaimed, boisterously diving into the furious melee.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari grimaced as Berith charged through another doorway; the sheer burst of power from his movements caused the rubble to flicker away into nonexistent dust. Where the heck am I supposed to go? He had arrived at a T-intersection; there was little in the way of directions in the place...though, maybe that was intentional. "Um...left!"

The dark cavalry snorted, and the crimson horse charged along; there'd been little in the way of resistance thus far, save for the occasional Archetype manifesting from the swirl of chaotic panic that their arrival had spawned. Where the heck am I supposed to go?! Yet another Eligor Archetype emerged as if from nowhere, looking far more impressive with sterling red armor, a horned helm, and a flowing yellow cape; the demon knight's black steed neighed, and the wild thoughtbeast charged at them. Don't get hit don't get hit-!

Berith ducked beneath Eligor's stab, lashing out with his trident at the creature's midsection; the force knocked Eligor off of his horse. Shinji followed up with a whack of the shovel to the Archetype's head, knocking it silly. "Keep going!" Another T-intersection came up. "Left!" A sliding metal door lied ahead, blocking their path. Er...um! "Break through!"

"Cleave."

With the tearing of metal, Berith burst into the open air; he had emerged into an arena of sorts, and hey who was the person wielding the giant axe oh gods there was a wave of energy coming his way! "AH!" Berith dove to the side; the tip of the wave grazed the horse's side, sending a flicker of shocking numbness over the back of Shinji's spine. Wha-?! That brief loss of control was enough to cause Shinji to fall, tumbling against the ground with a hard jolt. "Ow..." Slowly rising, Shinji used his shovel as a temporary crutch; Berith trotted back, standing defensively in front of him. "Wha...?"



"You're the Evangelion-user."

Shinji shuffled to the side, glancing beyond at his...opponent, he guessed? "Um..." It was a girl in a black bodysuit of some kind...wielding a giant axe and a humongous shield? "...how are you holding those?!" he impulsively asked.

"...I know you have more than one Persona." The girl adjusted her stance, letting the axe rest along the back of her shoulders. "I suggest you use your most agile one, if you don't want to die."

Die?! "Wait, I'm just trying to help save Misato-san; we don't need to fight!"

"Too bad." With a throaty roar, the girl swung her axe, lashing out with another energy wave. The aura around it screamed DEATH, DANGER, STAY AWAY-

On impulse, he dismissed Berith; the Persona dissolved into spectral blue fires, while Shinji dove to the ground. The wave moved through the space above his head, crashing with a spectacular explosion on the wall behind him. Rising up, Shinji yelled "PIXIE!" to summon the tiny winged sprite. The diminutive Persona, clad in blue thigh-high boots and a similarly-colored leotard, fluffed her red hair with a smile. "Time to strut my stuff!"

The girl seemed...disappointed? "...are you being serious?"

"...well, you said most agile Persona, and she's the only one I've currently got that can fly-"



"DON'T TREAT THIS LIKE A JOKE!" With a defiant roar, she swung once more.

"Eee!" yelped the Third Child as he ran one way while Pixie flew up above, dodging the wave of power. "Use your lightning!"

"Zio!" squeaked the little fairy, firing a much larger bolt of energy at the girl.

Said girl brought up her shield, absorbing the lightning without any fuss. "Show me your power, Shinji Ikari...show me exactly what Tokita's so afraid of!" Without hesitation, she charged forward to fight up close and personal.

Shinji couldn't help but feel that his shovel was a little inadequate in this current situation.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

As Mana Kirishima advanced forward, her frustration continued to mount.

Every swing of hers was dodged; whenever she got too close, the boy's blasted Pixie would either shoot lightning or slam into the side of her helmet with a fly-by smash, knocking her off balance; however, he never got too far away to let her unleash an Energy Slash.

(She briefly paused in her assault, rearing LABRYS and gathering energy. In a spot of panic, Ikari lashed out, smacking her in the side of the helmet with the flat side of his shovel. It was surprisingly painful, which only made her angrier.)​

I shouldn't be having this much trouble, she thought, growling as she tanked another Zio with AIGIS. He's weak! She had destroyed countless Archetypes far more intimidating than this boy!

"Can't we talk?!" he yelped, acting as though he had the choice to not fight.

Choice. Choice. CHOICE.

She had resigned herself to her fate...and yet, this boy spoke as one with freedom (freedom to act, freedom to live, freedom freedom freedom). All because he had a power that Tokita feared.

Why? Why was he special? Why did he have that power?

What had he sacrificed to attain it?

Why...why was she so hesitant?

Compared to Misato Katsuragi, this child was absolutely pitiful as a close-range fighter. (She suspected that if he actually tried to fight her, he'd get dismantled, and he knew it.)

So why?

Why...

xxxx

Both souls were wary. One tried to hold her back. The other gazed upon a monstrous Beast.​

xxxx

...where was this wariness coming from? This is so stupid! "Why do you keep retreating?!" she challenged, blustering through her hesitations. "FIGHT ME!"

"Why?!" he yelled back, holding his shovel at the ready. Pixie flew about, fairy wings fluttering with agitation.

"I'm not giving you a choice in the matter!"

"T-That doesn't answer my question-!"

"RAAAGH!" Screaming, Mana Kirishima smashed AIGIS into the ground; the absorbed lightning erupted outward in a spherical wave of force. It passed through Shinji - the sheer shock of it knocking him to the ground - and pressed against the more-resistant Pixie, blasting her into the walls of the arena. "What a waste," she snarled, stomping towards the fallen Evangelion-user. "You don't deserve the life you have." Tokita will understand that I'm good enough by myself. "You don't deserve the power you have." Tokita will leave my brothers alone if I defeat him. "That weakness is only going to get someone killed." All the strength in the world doesn't matter if you won't use it! "So just sit still and let me kill you!"

She raised LABRYS to put down the intruder, once and for all.

xxxx

Shinji raised his head - ow ow OW ow electricity hurts owwwww - just in time to see the girl's right hand reach the apex of her reach, double-bladed axe raised high above. The proverbial guillotine was ready to execute him.

Why?

Ba-bump.

Why does she hate me?

Ba-bump.

I just wanted to save Misato-san!

Ba-bump.

I've never even seen this girl!

Ba-bump.

The axe began to move forward, impossibly slowly.

Ba-bump.

Why-?!

xxxx

"Why?"

The Beast exhaled with joy.

"Why does this world need an excuse, much less a reason, to kill anyone, or anything?"

His other self remained silent as the monster began to surge with power.

"You have no choice if you want to survive."

The Beast looked directly into his eyes.

"EMBRACE ME."​

xxxx

The axe continued its slow descent; in an instant, Pixie vanished from where she had collapsed.

xxxx

"Not yet."

His Other placed a hand upon the Beast's forearm.

"An oath remembered is best served for a proper occasion. This is not it."

The Beast sneered.

"As the boy is now, he is merely a reflection of a forgotten memory."

Her words burned with an undying fury.

"Besides...it would be more honest."

His Other nodded in agreement with the Beast.

"Even so...memories carry great power. Enough to raze an entire world."

His Other stepped forward, offering his hand to him.

"Do you remember your words?"​

xxxx

The axe was closer. He wondered if the girl could see its reflection in his wide eyes. "...take a stand..." he whispered, far too fast for anyone to hear.

xxxx

His Other and the Beast spoke as one.

"THEN DO SO."​

xxxx



Shinji Ikari bared his teeth, facing the axe head on. A roar began to build up from within, akin to an avalanche. "...HAMLET!"

This time, there was not merely an eruption of blue fire from behind his person; there was also a subtle warping of space, as that which was not of mind nor mentality nor cognition intruded upon the Metaverse, beckoned by Shinji Ikari's will.

The axe was mere inches away.

CLANG.

xxxx

As Mister P calmly used the back of an unconscious security guard to brush the dirt off of his shoes, he impulsively gazed towards the wall, at it, beyond it. "Oh?" What a fascinating development. "How interesting!" Things were bound to get even more hectic now.

xxxx

Shinji Ikari's violation of the natural order was subtle.

It flared like a beacon all the same to those who knew what to look for.

The One who Sat Upon the Throne smiled, pleased at this development.

"One step closer."​

xxxx

Mana Kirishima couldn't believe her eyes at what LABRYS had slammed against: not flesh, nor bone, nor weapon, nor the cognitive flesh of a Persona.

It was an octagonal wall of orange light that had stopped her short. "An...A.T. Field...?" Impossible. "...how...?" We're in the Metaverse. Souls have no power here! And even then, an A.T. Field shouldn't have been enough! LABRYS...she's cut through spiritual barriers with ease before!

Shinji's regal Persona slowly rose, except there was a shade of something...off, about it. If she focused hard enough, she could see bare flickers of a purple titan (or perhaps a demon) overshadowing its form. The very space around Shinji Ikari and his Persona seemed to warp, as though too much was trying to fit in. Yet those yellow eyes stared impassively all the same.

She gulped, feeling a sudden burst of fear...

xxxx

One soul desperately told her to run. The other stared in horror at the joyful grin of the Beast.​

xxxx

...and looked down just in time to see Shinji Ikari swinging his shovel at her. There were two major differences compared to before, however.

First: the flickering orange octagons around the blade of the shovel, indicating spiritual enhancement of its very form.

Second: the look of anger on Shinji Ikari's face, far removed from his cowardly expressions not mere moments ago.

SMASH!

By the time she realized oh damn it he broke my helmet's visor, she had crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the arena.

 

[MattmanTheComet]

If she focused hard enough, she could see bare flickers of a purple titan (or perhaps a demon) overshadowing its form.

Click to shrink...

Oh you tease.

 

[neogoki]

If she focused hard enough, she could see bare flickers of a purple titan (or perhaps a demon) overshadowing its form.

Click to shrink...

Unit-01 is a bit Oni-like in its design
and Onis are generally bad news for Humans

First: the flickering orange octagons around the blade of the shovel, indicating spiritual enhancement of its very form.

Second: the look of anger on Shinji Ikari's face, far removed from his cowardly expressions not mere moments ago.

SMASH!

Click to shrink...

Berserker-mode activated
cue Deus Ex Machina-levels of Power.

 

[grommile]

the wrath of god in all its fury has not yet been unlocked.

but the keys have definitely been fished out from under the doormat.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Shinji Ikari breathed heavily, staring intently at the place where the girl had fallen. Please stay down, he thought to himself, barely managing to think past the cloud of fury that had descended on him.

("You are but a means to an end, in their eyes..." As the Beast spoke, Shogoki roared against Zerogoki, just as he did against Ayanami. "...so why not be the means to THEIR end?")​

Now...now I have to find Misato-san-

"RAAAAAGH!"

Hamlet flashed in front of Shinji, swinging his sword to break through the energy wave. As it split apart into harmless fragments, the girl stepped forward, still holding her axe and shield with vigor and vitality. But now, with her visor cracked and breaking apart, he could see the sheer anger in her eyes. Why? What have I done to you?! Rather than quailing or trying to withdraw, something made him want to strike back. "Stop this," he growled.

"Not until I put you DOWN," she growled, smashing her axe into the ground; its gathered energy erupted through the arena floor, breaking the ground beneath their feet, vaporizing whole chunks into base thoughts and ambient imagination. It was enough to force Shinji and his Persona to hop away, and the girl was right there-!

A solid kick knocked the air out of his lungs; she threw her shield like a discus at Hamlet, who was forced to parry. With her free hand, the girl grabbed him by the neck - squeezing - before hauling him into the air. With an exaggerated roar, the girl improbably threw him into the sky, sailing over the walls of the facility!

How?! Shinji grimaced as he tried to right himself, only to see the girl jumping after him! What have I done to you?! he thought, becoming more indignant at her rage. As the girl swung her axe, Hamlet manifested in a flash of blue fire, summoned by his will. "Cleave!" The spiritually empowered blade smashed her axe, knocking her off course. As the girl crashed into the rocky hillside down below, Hamlet cushioned his fall, wrapping an arm around his torso. As they landed relatively softly on the harsh ground, the girl was still getting to her feet. "Why?" Who is she? "Who are you?!"

"...they call me...Kirishima...but my name is Mana..." The girl, resting her axe blade-first into the dirt, used her free hand to rip her broken helmet off of her. Any semblance of prettiness or cuteness that her face may have had was spoiled by her anger. "And I'm the one who's gonna kill you!"

"...WHY?!" he yelled. "I've never met you before! I don't even know you!" Outrage was fueling his reactions, born from something deep.

The Beast hissed, whispering into his ear.

"It's all so unfair, isn't it? What have you done to deserve her ire?"​

"I don't care what you think!" The gemstones in the girl's shield and axe were visibly glowing with cognitive and metaphysical energy. "I have to do it...there's no other way around it!"

xxxx

Mana Kirishima felt heady. The blow to her head from earlier had been so painful, in a way that Katsuragi's beatdown from yesterday hadn't been.

But in that pain was clarity. If I lose, Tokita will turn to my brothers. Unacceptable. I won't let that happen. UNACCEPTABLE.

"I don't understand!" he yelled, acting so damn casually, as though this whole thing was optional!

Her mind was narrowing down, focusing on what she had been (YouWereStolenYouWereManipulatedThisDoesn'tHaveToBePLEASEPLEASEPLEASE) forged into, on what she had become. I'm a better weapon than you can EVER be! "You're the one who came here...you're the one who decided to seek us out...so accept the consequences, you coward...if you're not gonna fight, then you should just DIE!"

xxxx

The utter vitriol in the voice of Mana Kirishima would normally have been enough to shock Shinji into stupor, so raw were the girl's emotions.

But now, empowered by...whatever he had...

"She speaks with such arrogance."

The Beast sneered.

"She looks at you and thinks that you're incapable of understanding."​

...by whatever he was...

("You never understood anything.")

"But that's no longer true, isn't it?"

The Beast's grin became impossibly wide.

"You understand more than she could possibly fathom."​

...he was past the point of caring. "I'm only here to save Misato-san...but if you want to fight me, then fine."

"She thinks that her rage will be enough to carry the day."

The Beast's eyes gleamed with delight, even as his Other looked on in silence.

"But she has no conception of rage."

(Who am I?)

The Beast caressed his head.

"Instruct her."​

With a thought, Shinji dismissed Hamlet (he ignored the quiet gaze of his Persona; he didn't know if those yellow eyes were heavy with condemnation or concern or nothing at all), focusing on the aspect which felt most appropriate for his emotions. "Yaksini." As the horned demoness manifested, he found himself too irritated to even care about her risque appearance. "Fight."

The purple warrior smirked, holding her blades up. "With pleasure..." Instead of focusing on the form of Mana Kirishima, she gazed upon her own reflection within the surface of her swords. "Wage War." With a flash, Yaksini inflicted herself, crippling her own temperance.

But that's precisely what Shinji Ikari wanted. If you want to fight, then I'll give you one!

xxxx

Mana Kirishima blinked with confusion. His Persona enraged itself?

The crimson aura was unmistakable, in spite of the warped space around Ikari and his Persona's form. As the bloody glow flowed around Yaksini, the expression on Shinji's face twisted into something even more hateful, more despicable. The thought itself wasn't too difficult to follow. So...you have to become a berserker just to stomach a fight to the death...? It was only sensible that she learned a lesson from this...even if it was the wrong one. How gutless.

xxxx

Both souls grimaced, wracked by anxiety in the face of the Beast. Yet they still stood by her side...and would remain so, until the end.​

xxxx

"Show me what you've got, Shinji Ikari..." She gripped tightly onto the handles of LABRYS and AIGIS; her conviction wouldn't waver against someone like this. "...I'll crush you..." The gemstones containing her sisters' essence pulsed in union with her mind and soul. "...and everything that you are!"

With mutual roars, she and Yaksini charged at each other, clasing in a monstrous collision of sword and shield, blade and fury.

 

[MisterHalt]

Welp, this fight has just been decided.

Hint: It's really not going to end well for Mana.

 

[grommile]

Not gonna end well for Shinji's emotional state either, I suspect