Part Fourteen: Fulfillment

Only a few days after the court date, a letter finally arrived. This letter was written to Ikari Shinji, the first letter he has received since his father's order to go to NERV. Unlike the last letter, however, the contents and words were inviting and warm. Apologetic yet alluring. The first thought that went through Shinji's mind was him thinking how much of Mana's experience with being a spy can still be seen in her words.

"Do you think that maybe I convinced that girl," Amagi began while beginning to clean papers and folders onto her bag, "I swear, half of the time I was there, I was trying to grill her to contact you again. Despite it being a terrible idea legally, that girl needs to say something at least…."

"I think she already was during the first visit," Shinji simply responded, spinning the tri-folded paper through his fingers before looking up at the lawyer, "although I do appreciate your opinions. I would be lying if I didn't at least agree with you to a certain extent."

"My opinion on that girl is simply based on the fact that I am a woman approaching her mid-life without anyone," she giggled, "so don't take it too serious or anything like that."

"Is that so," Shinji responded, sighing afterwards, "I guess I don't know much about girls…"

"Yeah, living with Asuka and Misato probably don't give me a good example about how the average woman would act around you," Amagi giggled, "but the two boys, uh- Sazuhara and Aida, they always are jealous that you get to live with them."

"They don't understand," Shinji chuckled while shaking his head, "I may have probably been as excited as them if I wasn't too far up my own head back then."

Amagi shook her head slowly before moving her sleeve to look at her watch, "you ready?"

"Yep, thank you again."

The walk from the apartment was slow and methodical. Shinji still needed help to move from one place to another, despite being able to drop the crutches. Even more so, Amagi insisted always having a pair of crutches ready since she would rather him be safe than risk him being injured before the hearing. With his injuries, he was advised to not do any extraneous actions with his arms. With Misato suddenly overprotective, this meant no pulling of the doors for him.

When the elevators opened to the ground floor, Amagi quickly ran to her vehicle to unlock it, opening the passenger door before Shinji arrived at the car. Aligning himself slowly, Shinji followed the usual procedures of making sure that the seatbelt and other panels in the vehicle would not hook onto any part of him. Shinji insisted that he lock the seatbelt himself, which Amagi usually agreed to. However, when Misato was around, he would have to sigh as he waited to have someone else reach across him to lock him down.

"Ready," Amagi smiled, asking, locking her own seatbelt.

"Ready," the boy nodded back brightly.

"Right on time," the lawyer said while changing the vehicle to drive and looking at the time on her dash.

The vehicle moved, and Shinji slowly but surely rotated the handle to open the window. It was silent between the two for a few minutes, but the lawyer was the first to open her mouth.

"I wish we had enough time to visit that one chicken shop," Amagi sighed, taking the turn into the more significant road.

Shinji reached out his hand out of the window, trying to capture every little smidgen of air that he could feel on his covered arm, "well, maybe we should've left early like I told you we should."

"I should've listened to you, but that's what you get for having me over for an hour longer than I was required to," she chuckled, glancing at the boy, trying to capture a smile from her.

Shinji looked at her with a jokingly stern look, "I don't remember ever asking you to stay the extra hour so that we could finish earlier today. If my memory serves right, wasn't it you that said we should organize the papers and folders for an hour so that we can finish earlier tonight?"

The lawyer conceded, "can we still go to that restaurant later? I don't want to eat Misato's cooking- like it's getting better, but you know…"

Amagi and Shinji had developed a weird relationship. Shinji needed to trust her, and Amagi was required to put up with his requests. But over time, they found each other's likes and dislikes, so favours were made, and specific actions were avoided. Like a particular unwritten payment, Shinji would always pay for both of their food whenever they would need to eat out. And like some sort of aunt, Amagi would let Shinji get away with things that Misato would kill her for if she had found out that the lawyer was avoiding the Captain's requests.

Additionally, the two would find themselves hanging out with each other longer than any other people since Misato and Asuka would be out, and Amagi would not have any other clients to take care of. Shinji found a weird profound liking to the lawyer. Maybe he found a mother figure in her, especially with him living with Misato. However, he is conscious that he just appreciates her company. Amagi would say something different about Shinji. She was tired of working for tired old business owners or angry former husbands and wives trying to find every Yen from the other. She has a certain admiration for Shinji, the maturity of knowing how difficult the road will be but still doing everything that he can for another person.

When the two arrived at the prison's parking lot, they were checked for their identification and that they were on the schedule. With the approval from the offices and the guard, they were allowed onto the grounds. Amagi looked at Shinji, silently asking him if he needed help to exit the vehicle. He slowly moved the seatbelt away from him, but with the weird concavity of the door handle, Shinji needed her help.

As the two were allowed into the prison, Amagi opened each door for him. Not because he does not want to, but because she would usually arrive at the door before him. After some walking, a familiar face appeared.

"Yamagishi," Amagi called, waving her one available hand.

"Just on time, you two," the guard smiled, "Ikari, please. This girl doesn't need to be here any longer…"

He simply nodded, "I want her out and about breathing fresh air, probably as much as you do."

The guard nodded, "well, you first then."

"Mayumi," Shinji called before letting himself in, catching the guard by surprise by using her first name.

"Y-yes, Shinji?"

"Much better," he smiled, "I wish I could thank you enough for watching over Mana."

"It's nothing. I would've done it anyways…"

He nodded before looking at Amagi. She, too, nodded.

"See you two in a few minutes."

Shinji did not need to turn a doorknob. Instead, he only needs to push it. The doors were already unlocked and twisted for him. His eyes quickly set upon the short-haired girl he was itching to see again.

Beautiful as always, Shinji thought to himself before opening his mouth.

"Hey."

"Shinji, I'm sorry, I don't know how."

"It's okay, Mana…"

"It's really weird. Like, I was trained for emotional and mental manipulation. I was trained to use it all on you. Yet here I am, not knowing how to properly apologize," Mana sighed.

"I feel like you should not be saying these things right now," Shinji worryingly responded, looking around the room for microphones or video cameras.

Mana simply shook her head, "Amagi already explained to me what to do and what not to do. I don't really need to watch what I say in here unless I scream it out loud."

"It's great to see you doing well, truly," Shinji smiled, looking warmly at her.

On Mana's end, it took great effort to not say anything about his injuries. Her mind constantly reminded her that it was her order for Shinji to bear the struggles. It was a message that her brain continued to repeat again and again.

"Would it be appropriate for me to ask how prison is," Shinji asked, tilting his head to the side that Mana was looking towards.

She nodded and took a breath before starting, "I don't think my experience would be the same compared to everyone else in this facility."

"They treat you well?"

Mana nodded, "like a queen."

"You don't seem in a hurry to get out of this place," the boy asks, with a tinge of disappointment, "not excited to leave at all?"

"I want to leave, I just-," Mana was about to answer until her tongue stopped. Her eyes peered into Shinji's soft blue orbs and tried to find the answer she was looking for. There was a moment of Mana simply gathering the situation once again. Her subconscious could not believe that Shinji was just here casually. The air began to thicken as she tried to puzzle together the words she wanted to say.

"Sorry," Mana muttered, followed by a barely audible gulp from her throat.

"It's okay, don't worry," Shinji assured, reaching out as much as possible to gently tap her hand.

Seeing him struggle to barely meet the back of her hand made Mana sigh.

"I did this," she whispers before shutting her lips and stopping herself from quivering.

Her eyes trailed to her almost untouched skin. There was little to notice besides how healthy hers looked compared to Shinji's.

"I sent you out there, and when I saw what you had to do," Mana started again, "I regretted everything…"

I have to convince her that I forgive her, Shinji thought to himself, thinking about the following few words.

"You shouldn't," he replied, "we're here because of your smart decisions. You know this better than me."

"I don't think I was prepared for all of this, to hurt you this much," the pain clear from the small voids that were heard in between each word, "maybe I should've expected it, but I couldn't convince myself that I would need to."

"We'll need to work through this together, and with even more help than us two," Shinji smiled, "I do not think that a prison room would be the best place to get you back in shape, huh?"

Mana nodded, "I suppose not. But don't you think this whole situation of where I am is a little deserved."

"You've pained yourself enough, Mana," Shinji replied, shaking his head, "I don't think you should stay inside here longer than you need to."

"How am I supposed to repay everything? How am I supposed to figure out my life," the last part being muffled by the brunette slinking her head down as she stared at her open palms.

"I don't know," Shinji answered, "but you're not going to figure much out while still here…"

Mana closed her hands and compressed them into fists. A fire inside of her made itself known. The fluorescent lights and the low hissing of the same light grew to become unbearable. Familiar walls suddenly turned to spaces she did not want to move her head towards, opting to focus on Shinji's inviting face. His smile was genuine, and his eyes sang of life and celebration. And in those eyes, she saw the slight reflection of herself and the pain that stared back. She wanted to continue insisting that she deserved to be in this prison, but what she saw was a clear signal to refuse.

Maybe I should, she thought to herself. I longed for this moment, to be given an invitation to be free. Why not now?

"Mana," Shinji called softly, "Is everything alright?"

She simply nodded before turning her head slightly off from him. A long and full breath was heard from her before Mana finally let her resolve to burrow its way out of herself.

"Yes," she answered, "but promise you'll help me through this process?"

"Wait-," Shinji swallowed, "you want to leave, right?"

"Yes," Mana answered, "I no longer want to keep myself as helpless as I am right now…"

"Great," he smiled, trying as hard as he could to suddenly stand up and embrace her, "and- yes. I'll be there at every step! And not just me, Amagi, Misato, even Asuka would probably be there for you too!"

"Thank you, Shinji."

A knock was heard from the other side of the visitor's entrance.

"Shinji, Miss Kirishima," Amagi greeted, "Shinji, I need to talk to her."

He looked at her, and to his surprise, she was distraught. An evident sadness showed on her face, and her mouth begged to repeat his name. Her eyes locked on his as if silently but brightly asking him to stay.

"Shinji," Amagi called.

"Right," he responded before looking at Mana again, "take care, okay, write letters. I'll try to visit more."

Mana could not say anything as she watched him slowly inch his way out of the room. Her heart became saturated as he saw him look back at her, smiling brightly. Shinji took a good second, memorizing her look before moving to the other side of the room, with Yamagishi closing the door behind him.

"There seems to be a change of attitude, and it's pretty obvious it was from him," Amagi began as she approached the table and took the seat.

Mana did not say anything, simply shamefully looking at the floor past Amagi's figure.

"Kirishima. Mana. Please," the lawyer began again, "if you want to see him outside of this prison, which I damn well know you do, you're going to have to put in the effort and work with me."

Mana sighed before shyly looking at her new company.

"Hitomi, Hitomi Amagi," the young girl began, "did I remember your name correctly."

The lawyer happily nodded, "You better memorize it because I'll be the most annoying person for the next few weeks here- it's not like they gave us enough time to work this out but whatever. I work better under pressure anyway."

Mana stayed silent before Amagi began again while opening her bag, "trust me, I know your boyfriend. He's great. You're lucky to have him. So how about we don't lose him. I am sure it wouldn't be a great relationship if you two had to constantly meet in prison?"

The brunette looked back, giving what her lawyer said a second thought. Mana gulped at the sight of the ever-expanding set of papers in front of her.

"He organized these ones," Amagi pointed out to the particular pile on the right side of the table, "Shinji wants you out, badly. There's a nice restaurant near downtown. I suggest that place once we get you out of here. Treat him nicely. How does it sound?"

The young girl finally smiled before nodding at everything she had just heard from her new companion.