AN: Here's one that might be interesting.

This is, of all people, Fuyutsuki's POV.

Also, our favorite 'worst dad ever' is present for a bit longer than he was in 6.11, and has a bit more to say than before.

•7:41 PM

"Very well. When you arrive, you will meet with the Vice Commander to finalize the process."

Ikari hangs up the phone. His demeanor appears impassive...but there is a pensiveness about him as well. Of course...one would have to know him as well as I to see it at all.

After a moment, he speaks. "Fuyutsuki, I leave this in your hands."

I feel like snorting derisively, though I elect not to. 'Of course, delegating unwanted tasks is a commander's privilege.'

"Haven't you already given your approval?"

"Yes. But she's insisted on coming here personally to address the issue and fill out the necessary paperwork tonight."

So, even the 'Bastard King', as some are prone to calling you, can bend graciously to the whims of your subordinates...

"You could have ordered her to stand down...or to drop the matter entirely."

'Though truthfully, I'm not unsympathetic to Katsuragi's cause. I now almost feel ashamed that I myself never tried to push the Commander to improve the First Child's lodgings.'

"There would be little use in doing so." The tall, grimly bespectacled man rises to his feet. Without turning around to face me, he continues, "Major Katsuragi is dedicated to the task of eliminating the Angels. However, she has grown...fonder of the Third Child than I had previously expected. And that fondness appears to be extending to the other Children as well. I believe that denying her request on the First Child's behalf could invite, or possibly even increase her suspicions towards me...and if she makes any significant discoveries due to said suspicion...her enmity as well. She is indispensable at this stage of the Scenario. Yet even so, if she begins to dig into the secrets we have deliberately kept from her, she could prove to be as dangerous a foe as she is useful as an asset. Especially if she turns to a...certain other asset for assistance in the matter."

"What will you do if she does that?" I ask, though I'm certain I already know the answer. "How do you know that she hasn't already? After all, she knows that he's spying for the government as well as us."

"He will likely fear making her privy to secrets that could result in her death. And as long as she remains dedicated to her original cause long enough to see this war to its end, she will likely not discover anything of consequence with ample time to execute a counterattack. And I doubt she will discover anything too dangerous as long as he does not reveal the identity of his third employer and his knowledge of their machinations. That would be exceedingly risky to both her life and his 'quest for the truth'."

He turns to face me. "However, even if she does make discoveries that prove troublesome, she is still highly valuable due to her motives and immense skill in her field. I think an adequate replacement would be difficult, perhaps even impossible to find at this stage. Naturally however, if the risk she presents is greater than her ongoing contribution, she will be disposed of immediately, and then we will simply have to hope for the best in finding her replacement."

"That would probably ensure the Third Child's permanent departure, and lead to our other asset's immediate defection to his other employers."

He says nothing. Most likely, he's already weighed these factors against one another.

I go on, "So you feel that this is the best course of action."

The bearded man's mouth curls into a wry smirk. "The 'best course of action' has already slipped from my grasp."

He turns away again. "I never should have allowed either of the Children to set foot in Katsuragi's apartment...the Third in particular. By doing so, I've allowed him to be more than a mere tool...a means to an end for her obsessive vengeance. Instead, I've given the arm wielding my sword a conscience. If I thought that doing so would undo the present damage done, I'd have him removed from her care immediately."

'Indeed, doing so at this stage would probably do far more harm than good.'

There is a brief pause...then the silence is broken by the ringing of the phone.

With a small grunt of impatience, Ikari marches over to the console, picking up the phone.

"Tell her to wait outside the door. I'll be leaving shortly," he says curtly, without having waited for them to state their business and hangs up without waiting for a response.

'Ah. So that's why this is being foisted on me.'

I almost laugh...almost.

True to his word, Ikari begins to walk towards the unnecessarily huge doors of his office.

"You may conduct your business with Major Katsuragi here. I expect she'll be arriving soon."

I merely nod...and roll my eyes for good measure.

'Figures. I've always hated this office.'

The door opens, and sure enough, I catch a brief glimpse of Dr. Akagi waiting outside just before the door closes behind them both.

I snort scathingly as I think to myself, 'Yes...in order to chase his 'white whale', even the ever persistent Ahab must stop occasionally to 'tend' to his 'wooden leg'.'

I crease my brow...then chuckle darkly.

'Well, that's not what I meant by 'wooden leg' at all. But considering what I meant by 'tending'...I suppose the metaphor is appropriate either way. Goodness...how old am I now?'

Still...I wonder what would become of his grand machinations should his 'wooden leg' turn her back on him.

To cope with the soul-crushing desolation of this room, I pass the time by trying to envision both how his plans would fail without Dr. Akagi...and how he might somehow scrape together a new Scenario from the ruins.

Based on what I've come up with so far...well...I really do hope Dr. Akagi holds on to her empty hopes a little longer...though, I'd certainly sympathize with her if she saw reason and chose to abandon them while she still has her dignity.

'Of course, as far as throwing a strategy together from seemingly inadequate resources, I can't hold a candle to the 'Bastard King'. I guess that's one reason I-'

The phone rings.

Picking up the receiver, I respond with a perfunctory greeting, and receive the message that Major Katsuragi has arrived. Thanking the secretary, I tell her to send the Major in.

I've just barely hung up the phone when the door creaks open and an attractive woman with long purple hair strides in, her face set.

"Ah, Major Katsuragi. Please, have a seat."

She does so. "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice." Though the edge in her voice indicates that this little nicety is just that.

"So, am I to understand that you desire a change in the First Child's lodgings?"

Katsuragi's eyes narrow. "That disgusting cesspit she's living in doesn't qualify as 'lodgings'. If you'll forgive my boldness, how could Commander Ikari allow her to live in such conditions? It was my understanding that they are rather close. It's not like he didn't know, I'm sure."

I resist the urge to smile bitterly. 'Yes, Ikari...I can see the other reason you chose to dodge this meeting. Dealing with the inconvenient empathy your pawns sometimes show one another has never been your strong point.'

"Commander Ikari has never, to my knowledge, visited Ms. Ayanami outside of NERV. So if her living conditions had deteriorated, he himself was likely unaware, as Ms. Ayanami never came to him with complaints or concerns."

Judging by her increasingly furious expression, Major Katsuragi does not buy this for a second.

'And she shouldn't. Truthfully...he knows. He may not have seen it personally for some time now, but the Section Two agents have, and I myself have heard the reports. Even they were taken aback at the condition of her apartment...but they knew better than to speak against it. Katsuragi at least has her indispensability to aid her. As for the why...I've often wondered that myself. However, my own theory is that he chose to make her life away from piloting...and away from his calculated, though possibly not insincere, interactions with her...as deliberately dreary and demoralizing as possible. This, along with medicating her and purposefully ignoring the teaching of adequate social skills in her upbringing, to give her literally nothing else to live for...except his orders and approval.'

"Nevertheless," I go on, "he's grateful that it's been brought to his attention, and has given you permission to personally choose her new lodgings."

"I'm grateful for that. Thank you."

The 'courtesy' of her words hides the cold anger underneath them about as effectively as piece of tissue paper hides a wall of ice. I'm strangely glad to hear it.

"Have you a specific location in mind?"

Katsuragi opens her mouth...then pauses, frowning thoughtfully. She seems to be pondering her answer carefully.

Finally, she looks back at me, and replies, "We'll move her into the apartment closest to mine. She can stay in my apartment tonight, but I want her things moved as soon as possible so she can get settled in."

"Why not just have her move in with you? I understand that the Second Child will no longer be sharing your apartment, so surely there is sufficient space."

She frowns again, chewing on her reply for a moment before responding, "Given Asuka's current state of mind, even though she will no longer be living with me, I think moving Rei into my apartment would only serve to worsen her relations with myself and her fellow pilots."

'Ah, of course. Given Pilot Sohryu's well known dislike of the First Child, I think you're probably right, Major Katsuragi. And of course, there's the fact that it would immediately trigger her overwhelming fear of being replaced...a fate worse than death, given her past.'

"Very well. We defer to your discretion in this matter."

Turning to the phone, I dial for the HR Department to have the necessary paperwork faxed up the office.

A short while later, all the paperwork requiring Major Katsuragi's attention having been filled out, she stands up to depart.

"Just one moment, Major."

She sits back down, with an air of slight impatience. "Yes sir?"

I'm not sure that Ikari will ever bother to even ask. So I might as well...

"What is it that happened between the Second and Third Children?"

The impatience and indignation are immediately shattered by a weary sadness as Katsuragi answers my query.

After wordlessly listening and responding with a nod here and there, I at last open my mouth to thank her for the information and inform her that she is free to go.

"One last thing," she says, her back turned, pausing in her footsteps. "What was so important that the Commander himself could not be here to address these issues?"

I stop to ponder that for a moment. Not because I intend to tell her the truth...but because I'm thinking hypothetically about how one would inform their subordinate that their chief superior was absent due to having, as the young people in America might say, a 'booty call'.

Trying not to smirk at the idea of Katsuragi's probable reaction to such a statement, I merely answer, "He chose not to say, and I couldn't hazard a guess."

Looking displeased and skeptical, but electing not to argue, Major Katsuragi leaves without another word.

Once the door closes behind her, I stand up quickly, and gather the papers. Leaving the ones that the Commander himself must sign, I hurriedly fax the completed forms back to HR and the archives.

Once finished, I almost run toward the door. Once outside in the hallway, I breathe a sigh of relief.

'It's bad enough having to stand next to him in there day after day. But sitting in there ALONE?! Even considering how much his sanity has eroded since...that day...I don't know how he can sit in that place without turning into a lunatic of the raving variety. Ah well...'

Turning my thoughts away from Ikari's eldritch taste in interior decor, I think back to Major Katsuragi's explanation of the incident between Pilot Sohryu and Ikari's son.

'It would seem Ms. Sohryu is a bit more disturbed than any of us knew. And possibly more depraved as well. I wonder how Ikari will take this...'

Despite how determined the man is to distance himself from his progeny, I can't help but feel that this news may at LEAST induce a reaction other than silence.

'That certainly would be interesting to see...perhaps rather heartening as well.'