+++++ Silent Diplomacy

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't be doing this, I'm just saying that maybe we shouldn't be doing this right now." Yang sat on a chair made of clouds, watching the land race past their feet. "Landing in a country embroiled in a three-way civil war is probably only going to create more problems."

Ireul, fond of her Lilin Goddess but rather tired of her continual worrying, stroked the back of the leggy former waitress' hair. "All will be well, dear. Should any decide to make this situation worse, do you honestly doubt our beloved's capacity for addressing it before any are harmed?"

Blowing out a sigh of frustration, she tilted her head back to look up at the reverse image of the household's bluenette. "No. I'm worried that I'm going to screw up my part and without Kelly here…."

"You'll do fine," Tsuru was hugging her younger sister to her chest, simply enjoying the time with both her blood and chosen family members, "you've accepted your Role. I was terrified that I was going to screw up that song, but we've received nothing but positive letters and MAGI-mails from people about it. If we have faith in you, then all you have to do is be yourself."

Moriko, or as she preferred to be called, 'Mushroom', clapped her hands in time with her words, "You can do it!" When she had seen her elder sister and the man who gave her back her life approaching her family home an hour ago, she never thought she'd be flying across an ocean for the first time to visit a country she'd only ever seen on a map. Smiling as brightly as the sun above, she kept up her enthusiasm, "Shinji-san chose you because he believes in you."

You're my voice to anyone that doesn't live in the house we're visiting, dear. Shinji kept silent to not overshadow the youthful exuberance, limiting his words to Yang alone. We've discussed the plan, we'll know in advance if anyone noteworthy is going to show up, all you have to do is keep them from interfering or crowding. Iri's going to be the muscle, and Saha-chan can keep everyone safe. The only thing that can screw this up is if I can't fix whatever's wrong with her.

You are going to owe me so much. Yang knew that Shinji would give her anything she asked for even if she made a mess of everything. She knew his Love was so vast and pure that nothing could ever cause her to lose it, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't let him feel as if he was earning her own in return. "I hope we didn't make a mistake in not warning anyone we were coming."

"OPSEC, Misato called it, did she not?" Ireul continued to soothe worries and anxieties as she could. As they slowed down, she patted Yang's shoulder and set the tone for their now mid-morning arrival, "Remember to smile everyone, we're all representing the Empire. Even you, little Mushroom."

Shinji reached over and caressed the head of the youngest present. "Especially you, Mushroom-chan." Shifting that hand to the back of Tsuru's neck, he shared a smile with the former farmgirl, I agree. She'll be a good influence on Nozomi and Yinghua. The plans within plans that had consumed his waking hours of late had these little moments of joy that made it worth pushing through. "Ok," alighting on the broad front lawn of a Kentucky farmhouse, he dismissed the cloud he'd used to mask their movement once everyone had feet on the ground, "let's get this right the first time."

The band of brilliant and beautiful women fell in behind their man, allowing him to approach whatever potentially hostile response might happen in a nation that allowed firearm ownership as freely as the one they now had 'technically' invaded. Well-maintained grass and decorative floral shrubbery indicated that the owner was someone who felt both an obligation to maintain appearances and likely enjoyed the act of gardening. A white, wooden, portico sat atop a set of five steps leading to the front door. The screen door showed signs of recent maintenance, and the porch swing signs of frequent use. Everything they saw screamed 'visitors encouraged and welcomed', but assumptions usually preceded errors and all but Moriko were still on guard against potential attacks.

Frowning at the button for the doorbell, Shinji instead chose to knock politely. He couldn't shake the feeling that ringing the doorbell was considered rude in many places, despite the purpose of the device being to make it known that someone was at the entrance to someone's home, and he certainly could knock loud enough to be heard throughout the area. I can hear her song inside. She's alone. He'd made efforts to mute the overpowering wash of information people projected about their current state of mind, not wishing to be rude to everyone he met and certainly not eager to welcome that kind of headache into his world. She's coming. Ok. Tsuru, you're up.

When Shinji shifted back to allow the screen door to open without thwapping him, the seafoam-eyed Priestess moved close enough to stand alongside him. Moriko held Yang's hand, and Ireul and Sahaquiel remained invisible to all but those considered 'Family' for the moment. Tsuru had gained in confidence by leaps and bounds over the past weeks, no longer fretting at shadows and determined to demonstrate that she was an equal partner to everyone else in the household. So, when the door opened and a pleasantly plump elderly woman wearing a cotton farmwife dress gasped, she was ready to do her part. "Good morning, Daniels-San. We apologize for not announcing our visit in advance, and we do hope that we haven't caught you at a bad time."

In a disbelieving, overwhelmed, voice Marybeth Daniels managed to utter as she beheld the mountainous Emperor Ikari, "It…it's…it's you," before her eyes began a journey up into the back of her head.

While he might hate himself for entering into her home uninvited, The Wanderer would not allow harm to come to an Elder Stateswoman while he had the capacity to prevent it. To everyone else it appeared that he simply teleported inside the house to catch their hostess for the morning, from his perspective he froze time throughout all of creation and carefully maneuvered his bulk past the varying obstacles to catch the swooning woman. Restarting time as he caught her gently, he sighed, "That could have gone better. Grab the door, Tsuru, let's put her on the porch swing."

The Ikari household had been tested in battle, in conflict, in adversity, and come out the other side with a level of coordinated cooperation that militaries around the world would beg their own members to demonstrate. In short order the door was opened, the swing braced, pillows carefully positioned, and two young immortals began checking the 'victim' for potential deleterious complications.

"Shinji-san," Moriko looked up at a man that was easily two and a half times her height, "is obaa-san going to be ok?"

"She'll be fine," crouching down to not tower over the little one, Shinji rubbed her back soothingly, "when people don't have proper food or exercise it becomes common to have small medical episodes like this when something unexpected happens. It becomes even more common in our honored elder's case." A soft groan and fluttering eyelids drew his attention back to their hostess, "See? Everything's ok."

"Careful, careful please." Tsuru used a soft, gentle, voice as her and Yang aided the woman in sitting upright, "Can you hear me?"

"Oh, oh Lord have mercy, I am so powerful sorry Your Grace!" Finding herself braced and flanked by two young women as Tsuru and Yang took seats next to her, she lowered her voice in a whisper, "That's right, isn't it? I asked my nephew, he's a professor up at the University in Lexington, and he said you call a Duke 'Your Grace'."

"English is a funny language," Moriko stated with her lips quirked off to the side. "I really can't understand it."

"Practice is the only way to improve," Shinji patted her head before regaining his base. "Daniels-San, please, just Shinji is fine. I'm not here in my capacity as Emperor, and calling me 'Your Majesty' every time you speak to me isn't necessary at all." Let's keep this moving, Tsuru.

Her pulse is a bit rapid, my prince. I'm trying to pace this so we don't end up in a hospital. Tsuru's smile was that of a confident granddaughter visiting an elderly relative she adored. "Are you comfortable out here, Honored Grandmother? We came to discuss personal matters, and don't want to complicate your day any more than is necessary."

Proving spry and surprisingly quick to recover for her age and body size, Marybeth stood up from between the two Goddesses and urged everyone towards the door, "Oh, please, my manners must have fallen out of my head when I collapsed! Please, please do come in. I'll…I'll make some tea. You people…oh. Oh, I didn't mean-"

"It's a turn of phrase, Daniels-san, nothing more." Tsuru gently regained the woman's elbow to prevent a fall. "We promise, we're not here looking to cause trouble, and we greatly appreciate you hosting us without any advance warning."

Yang mirrored her friend and fellow wife on Marybeth's other side, adding her own assurances, "I adore tea, ma'am, and would love to help you make some for us to share while we talk."

Remember, keep your shoes on, everyone. They do things different here. Keeping Moriko by his leg, Shinji moved over and opened the door for everybody to proceed into the house. "Thank you again, Daniels-san." Saha-chan, if you see anyone armed approaching, call it out. Iri, what do you think, inside with us or out here with our daughter?

I'll keep Sahaquiel company, dear. The Aspect of Terror truly adored seeing her husband be commanding, and loved him more that he still recognized her capacity and right to make her own decisions. I'd like to get a feel for the local area, in case our usual fireworks show begins.

I swear I'll lose my mind if some idiot tries something here. Keeping his face free of his darker thoughts, he waited patiently for everyone to move into the spacious front room before picking up Moriko and entering himself. "We'll let her calm down before we give her your gift, ok?"

"Good idea," his tiny passenger nodded her agreement and laying her head on his shoulder comfortably, "we don't want obaa-san hurting herself. That'd be extra bad."

"Extra bad, indeed." His heart felt steadier holding onto her, the feeling of strength he gained from knowing that something so fragile trusted him so explicitly was a powerful balm.

"Please, Your…oh, yes, right. Please, Shin-gee, if you'd take the little one and have a seat on the couch or wherever you'd like, I'll be right out with some refreshments." Marybeth wasn't allowed to beg off her two new 'helpers', as both Tsuru and Yang began a steady stream of questions about where things were kept so that they could assist her better.

Shinji cautiously moved through the room, mindful of the antiques and heirlooms that were symbols of a life that had been blessed with love and kindness. "It seems," settling his bulk on the couch slowly to feel out how sturdy it was, he relaxed as the seat held firm, and then placed Moriko on his knee to keep her where she wouldn't be tempted to wander, "that I might be asking your father for approval to move you in with your sister."

"Oh?!" Spinning up emotionally with excitement, Moriko recovered quickly as she remembered her manners and settled for quivering with excitement instead of whooping with joy. "You want me to move to your palace?"

"I do, but only if you want to, and you understand that things are not 'normal' right now." He was placing a lot of weight on such diminutive shoulders, but her heart was far stronger than his had been at her age. "You are one year older than both Nozomi-chan and Yinghua-chan, and they could really use an example that's closer to their age at the moment. Someone to be their senpai, to remind them that there is still fun, and joy, and wonderment to be found in the world."

Sobering over several minutes as she thought through what he was saying, her tone changed to reflect her mood, "Like…like when you saved me in the river." Scooting closer, she rested against his chest. "I needed to lean on my grandda, because I'd wake up and start screaming thinking I was still drowning. I do kinda wish there were more girls in my class, it's been hard to make friends even without my stammer anymore. People have their opinions of me already made up. Maybe I can make new friends where you live, though!"

Iri, on the way back home I want you to take a look in Moriko-chan's mind, ok? After a quick pulse of concurrence, he set his hand where it could cup her shoulder in a light hug and moved on with laying out his plan. "Just like that. And you aren't going to be alone in this. We're all going to be supporting them, and you, but we need you to be there to help them find that path you walked. To use your experiences to guide them, right?"

"I'll do everything I can." Her face became adorned with a frown of determination. "I don't want anyone suffering like me, not if I can help it." The pair spent several moments in quiet contemplation and mutual appreciation for the comfort the other was providing. Her heart was steadier knowing that the man who'd saved her life was seeking to keep her in his life, his was steadier that the young life he'd saved was showing no serious signs of long-term trauma.

"Such a pretty little thing," Marybeth's voice carried through the room, drawing his attention to her return. After covering the coffee table with a second, nicer looking, cloth, she shifted herself out of Yang and Tsuru's way so they could set down the trays containing the morning's drinks. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"She's asking your name," Shinji supplied the necessary translation.

"Oh!" Hopping off of Shinji's leg, she bowed with the manners her father had demanded of her. "Pleased to meet you, obaa-san. My name is Moriko Mitsuishi, but if you would like you can call me Mushroom."

"Such manners!" The elderly woman was, however, at a loss herself for what had been said. She knew it was far more than her name, and worried at how to address the situation.

"She says she's pleased to meet you," Yang stepped in to push herself to act as a diplomat ought to. "Her name is Moriko Mitsuishi, though in Japan the family name comes first which is why you heard Mitsuishi Moriko. She does, however, answer to the nickname…." Crap. I can't remember the translation for that one. How can I not remember the translation for a damn food staple?!

Mushroom, Tsuru provided hastily.

You're the best. "Mushroom. It's a term of endearment she earned because she helps out so much on the farm and is usually found covered in dirt and sprouting out of the ground. She's Tsuru-chan's younger sister, and someone we all care for."

Marybeth's smile grew as she approved of both the character and comportment of her youngest guest. "Oh, that's so lovely! Well I'm pleased as punch to meet you as well, Mushroom." Turning to Shinji, she made a logical assumption based on what she'd seen of his interactions with Moriko, "Could I give her a sweet, Shin-gee?"

Run with it, Tsuru again helped set the tone as more socially loose. You're the one we all look to anyway, I'm not going to be hurt by not being consulted.

Shinji nodded his agreement, glad that at least something seemed to be bringing positivity to the day. "In exchange for a gift from her, I don't see why not. Go ahead and offer her the package, Mushroom-chan."

"Ok!" A quick search of her hip pouch revealed a gift from Ogata, and a small card written in both Japanese and English. Offering the double-handful bundle to her elder, she bowed again. "Please accept this gift from our family. We hope that it ties our farms closer together."

Remind me to push English lessons for the household. Shinji supported his charge, "She said, 'Please accept this gift from our family. We hope that it ties our farms closer together'."

"Why thank you very much," accepting the gift happily, she began opening it as would be expected in her culture.

"In America, they open gifts right away so they can praise the gift and thank the giver," Shinji explained in a low voice as Moriko became confused. "She'll say something nice about it, and then set it aside for the moment. She's not trying to embarrass anyone."

Mushroom tilted her head, "Oh. Weird."

"Mo-chan," Tsuru chided mildly, serving out the cold sweet tea to everyone.

"Eep…sorry, Sissy."

"Oh my, well aren't these the most beautiful looking seeds I ever did see!" Marybeth used an experienced touch to manipulate the twelve tiny lives to look them over. Placing them back in the protective envelope, she pulled out the card and squinted as she began to read. "What kind of plant are they? Day-con?" Setting both card and seeds down at the small side table by the chair she preferred, she picked up a small dish of wax-paper covered candies smelling of caramel and marshmallow and offered it to Moriko. "Ain't that the kind of whiteish looking radish?"

After Moriko took one of the candies and retreated back to Shinji's knee, The Wanderer tousled her hair and responded in the affirmative, "It is. Daikon should grow fairly well out here, and I've made sure that they won't bring any pests that would harm your ecosystem." Taking his cup from Tsuru with a nod of gratitude, he kept his attention on his hostess. "In your letter to me, you mentioned your granddaughter was having difficulty speaking. I won't lie and say that I won't benefit from making the attempt to help her, should she want help, but I truly would like to try and help simply to reduce the amount of suffering in the world."

"You…you would?" Gratitude and shock warred for control of her voice, "Well, I mean, of course you would. You're who you are, after all. Helping spread the word of Peace throughout the land, sending letters to every man, woman, and child begging them to set down their arms and use their words instead. I just, there's so much suffering elsewhere, I never thought you'd prioritize such a selfish request."

My love, three people are approaching in a vehicle. Neither is armed, nor do they appear hostile. Ireul reported quietly in the back of his mind, One male, two female, the male is wearing a black suit with a white collar, the more mature lady is wearing…a dress that she honestly should not attempt to wear. Ugh, all the wrong colorations. The younger is dressed much better.

"Yang, please go see who's coming and find out why." People are moving faster than I wanted them to. With his Diplomat hurrying towards the front door, he made a soothing motion with the hand not occupied with rubbing Moriko's back. "She'll make sure whoever it is understands what is happening. Believe me, the last thing anyone wants to do right now is attempt to harm her, ma'am." Have to keep moving. "Large tragedies are made up of smaller, I'm sure you know that well. If I don't take the time to attend to the small tragedies, whenever one is pointed out to me, then I'll invariably be crushed by the larger when it spirals out of control."

Worry suffused her face as she looked between her guest and the door, uncertainty gnawing at her. "Are you sure that Miss Yawn will be ok? There have been some strange folk about of late, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she were to be hurt."

Yawn. Writing that one down. "You might not be able to see them, but she has two of my Aspects with her. There is nothing on this planet that could conceivably harm either of them, and either one of them alone is more than a match for the strongest military on the planet." Humans are always complicating everything. "Let's focus on your granddaughter. Do you think she'd be free today? I'd like to meet her in person, ask if she'd accept my taking a look at her condition, whatever it is."

"Time…oh, oh Jesus love me, I'm late!" Torn between standing and staying seated with her guests, she practically burst with concern for someone else not in the room, "I'm powerful sorry, Shin-gee, I had been on my way to church when you came calling. I need to make a call to the church house and ask them to tell my daughter-in-law and granddaughter that I'm all right, or they'll worry enough to make a real fuss they will."

Helicopter inbound. Ireul sighed in irritation. Transport, unarmed.

Shinji offered his cellphone to the panicking elder, "Please, call whoever you need."

"Oh thank you, you're a truly good man you are." With a little help from Tsuru, who shifted closer with the assumption that Marybeth would have just as much trouble with the device as the elders in her own village tended to, she was able to dial the number she'd wanted after a few seconds. "My grandbaby has a way to put these so that everyone can hear and speak, can this one do that?" Once more, the seafoam-eyed beauty was quick to assist. "Thank you, dear. I always said your people knew from manners, I'll never let anyone speak poorly of you without me tweaking their ear."

After three rings, the other party picked up and a masculine voice spoke with more than a hint of underlying frustration. "This is Pastor Keynard."

"Oh, good morning Reverend, this is Marybeth Daniels. I'm borrowing…I'm borrowing His Majesty's phone." Changing how she addressed Shinji to reflect the situation, she once more showed that while she may not have been educated, she was certainly intelligent. "Would you be so kind as to tell Suzanne and Zoe that I won't be able to make it today, and if they'd please stop by after services, I'd appreciate it."

"Ah, good morning Miss Marybeth," the roar of a helicopter setting down nearby caused the man to have to yell. "I'm afraid we've already come to check on you. There's a young lady out here preventing us from coming in, however. Perhaps you could convince her to let us by?"

Twelve armed guards, two suits. Suits are both ladies. Yang's terse message gave everyone the rapidly devolving situation.

Sahaquiel, nobody comes closer than five meters to the house. Anyone already in that perimeter can pass out, but not come back. Shinji addressed Marybeth, and not the Pastor on the phone, "Ma'am, my words today are for you and your granddaughter. I am not here to broker deals, to discuss terms, or to attempt to vie for power. Your country walked itself into this jungle, and until everyone sets down their weapons the Empire is strictly neutral. I am not risking lives to fight other nations, unless or until they attack my people."

"Please, Your Majesty," the pastor lost a great deal of the aggrieved frustration with his now greater knowledge of the situation, "there can't be any harm in at least speaking to our Representatives! Think of the possibility that you could encourage peace so visibly!"

Shinji remained silent, looking at his hostess with grim resolve. We are not getting involved in a land war in America. We are certainly not going to precipitate a conflict with local forces due to some trigger-happy idiots.

Marybeth heard the truth beneath his stance, and felt the power lurking beneath the surface of politeness. "Reverend, I believe the answer will be 'No'. Could you hand Zoe the phone? I'd like to chat at her a moment."

After an aborted protest, the phone made sounds of being passed to another person, and the Pastor announced loud enough to be heard, "She's holding the phone, Miss Marybeth."

"Hey Dumpling," 'Grandmother' came out over 'Hostess', endearing the elderly woman to Shinji all the more, "I'm doing just fine. You remember how I wrote a letter to that nice man in Japan? Well, he came out today to visit. I think he'd like to ask you a few questions."

Shinji could hear Yang calmly, but firmly, announcing that the Ikari Empire was here on a goodwill mission and had no intentions of annexing any areas. He could feel the uncertainty from his potential patient outside that was only a little younger than Tsuru, and added his voice to the mix, "Good Morning, Miss Daniels. This is Shinji Ikari, and I have to first apologize for the abrupt nature of my visit. It was not my intention to worry you about your Honored Grandmother's health, nor to prevent her from heading to her chosen house of worship. Unfortunately, my days are usually packed from sunup to sundown, then stuffed from sundown to sunup. I truly would like to have the chance to see if I can address whatever malady it is you have, but I will only do so if you are willing. No pressure, no cost, but also no guarantee of success. I mean it when I say I'm not 'all-powerful'."

There was another pause, and the sound of paper crinkling and a pencil scribbling. After which Yang announced in Japanese, "Dear, she'd like to bring in her mother and pastor. She's a little nervous leaving them out here with the gun squad."

"Reasonable precaution," Tsuru added with a shrug. "I'll be happy to discuss matters of worship with the Reverend to allow you to soothe Zoe-san's nerves."

"English, ladies." Shinji strove for diplomacy. "We don't want anyone thinking we're planning something, and the nation we're in is majority English." Soaking in the calm trust of Moriko, he nodded, "It's probably a good idea to limit the number of non-combatants outside. Please, Miss Daniels, bring them in if you will." Taking the phone back casually, he ended the call and allowed what would happen to happen. "Yang will be busy outside ensuring that nobody gets hurt, I will have Tsuru," he gestured to the former farmgirl, "discuss everything with Suzanne-san and your Pastor. I meant what I said, my words are for you and for your granddaughter. It may appear rude that I will not recognize anyone else when they speak to me, but it is so I don't say or do anything that will give false impressions."

Marybeth nodded, understanding the unspoken truth of the matter, "You don't want to give your word on something, then not be able to pay out. That's a good way to live your life, Shin-gee, and I'll do everything I can to help explain to Suzanne and Reverend Keynard the right of it."

Tsuru felt a need to quickly address an oddity she'd noticed, "Ma'am, you refer to him as 'Reverend', he introduced himself as 'Pastor', is there some reason for the difference?"

"Oh, it's mostly just me being over polite like my Mammy taught me, dearie." The woman's fond smile of remembrance increased Shinji's hope that this was a good family, and would serve as a good lesson for the world. "He'll like as not just ask you to call him Sam, as he's never been one to insist on strict adherence to social etiquette."

I'll stick with Reverend, then. She nodded in understanding, "Thank you. My understanding of English is reasonable, but many of the nuances are still a mystery."

The door opening prevented any more conversation, as three vastly different moods and mindsets hurried through into the house proper. Pastor Keynard, somewhere between mid-thirties and early forties, was mentally reviewing everything he'd ever learned about speaking with not only high-ranking politicians but also foreign royalty. It wasn't a great breadth of knowledge, to be sure, but his stock was rising as he fought to not offend or annoy. Zoe Daniels' mind was clouded and occluded, a curiosity and concern. Suzanne Daniels, mother to Zoe and daughter-in-law to Marybeth, caught sight of Shinji sitting with Moriko on his knee and a placid smile on his face and instantly began making what she believed to be subtle adjustments to her dress and hair.

"Miss Marybeth, I'm very glad to see you're well. The congregation was worried that something might have happened to you, and Mister Anthony offered to lead bible study while we came to check in on you." Stopping a respectful distance away at the edge of the 'J' formed by the sofas and chairs, he turned to Shinji and made another attempt to plead for help, "Your Majesty, it truly is an honor to have you visit our small corner of America. My name is Samuel Keynard, and I have the honor of guiding the faithful at Tall Oaks Lutheran Church."

"My husband has chosen to remain neutral, Reverend Keynard, and as such will not speak to anyone but those he has come to aid on this humanitarian mission." Tsuru firmly interposed herself between Shinji and the clergyman. "I have the honor of having been declared his Priestess, and will gladly speak with you on ways we might improve the relations between your church and ours."

Dismissing the matter from his immediate attention as the man switched his pleas from him to his wife, Shinji set Moriko on her feet, stood, and offered Marybeth a hand in standing, "If you would do me the honor of introductions?" Once his hostess was on her feet, he lightly pressed on Mushroom's back to urge her to stay by his side. Her presence was necessary as both evidence, and attestation, though she gave the added benefit of helping him remain calm by giving him a concrete duty to perform. "Stay by my hip, Mushroom-chan. Everyone's nervous, and they'll be less nervous seeing how calm and happy you are."

"It's hard meeting new people," she agreed with a single nod, "but they'll understand we're just here to help, right?"

He shared a pleased smile with her, quietly intoning, "That's what I hope."

Marybeth, true to her words, glowed with joy as she began introductions, "Suzanne, Zoe dear, I am so beyond happy to introduce to you His Majesty, Shin-gee E-car-e. And the little darling at his knee prefers to be called Mushroom, a nickname she earned from being a fine example of a dutiful sister to Miss Soo-roo there."

I now understand exactly how ridiculous I used to sound speaking their language. This is painful. His bow of greeting was quickly mirrored by the child at his side. "We are very pleased to meet you. I apologize for worrying you over your Honored Grandmother's health. Thank you for agreeing to at least speak with me, Zoe-san."

Zoe Daniels, from what he could gather, was not related to her mother or grandmother by blood. She was slender and petite, with milk-pale skin that allowed you to see more than hints of the vascular structure that lay beneath, and immaculately maintained cherry brown hair that she wore in a thick braid reaching down past her hips even after it had been pulled over her shoulder for her to worry at, gave a far different feeling than the generous curves covered in a tanning-bed skin tone and dirty blonde hair of her supposed mother or the pleasantly plump and weathered features of her supposed grandmother. The young woman made a frantic motion before her chest, then covered over her mouth and shook her head.

"Dear, he knows you're mute." Suzanne made a politely embarrassed laugh as she extended her hand in greeting, ignoring her supposed daughter's deep blush and downcast demeanor, "I'm incredibly pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. Suzanne Daniels, widowed step-mother to Miss Zoe here." The dress she wore bore the truth of Ireul's assessment. Bright and garish, it seemed designed to draw attention to what was clearly false cleavage and contrast sharply against her tan and hair.

I'm becoming increasingly irritated. Fair warning. Shinji purposefully ignored both hand and greeting and turned his attention to Marybeth, "Daniels-san, what I need to attempt now will require that I speak to your granddaughter in her mind. Nobody but her will hear my words, but it will require some concentration on both of our parts. Is it permissible for she and I to sit on your couch? In some cultures, I believe, that is considered…poor manners."

Easily catching the intended rebuke of her daughter-in-law, Marybeth continued to increase her stock, "Oh I don't doubt for a moment that you're not the kind of man to make free with other women, not one moment. Please," she gestured to the sofa, and urged Zoe over, "you two sit and have a talk. Suzanne dear, let's go work on making everyone a nice light lunch." Using social convention as both cudgel and shield, she herded the offensive party out of the room to leave her guest to do what he needed to.

"Please, Zoe-san," he indicated that she should sit first. "Mushroom-chan, would you mind sitting by her and holding her hands? She's nervous about everything, and could use some calm."

"Can do!" Clambering up on the sofa, the pint-sized youth shared a happy smile and took the older teen's hands in her own. "Hiya, my name's Mushroom, I'm pleased to meet you."

Instead of sitting on the sofa, Shinji created a cushion of dense air over the coffee table and perched well above its surface. Hello, Zoe-san. Mushroom frowned in confusion, and Zoe's eyes widened in amazement. I have found, recently, that language can be translated universally if you apply certain principles directly to an area of the brain generally known as the 'Broca's Area'. Reaching over and patting Moriko's knee, he gave a mental laugh, This is the first time she's heard my voice this way too. So now you both have something in common!

Moriko's face puzzled through her feelings. "That's…cool and weird, Shinji-san."

Zoe, on the other hand, looked down at the small child offering her strength, and reversed the offer by picking her up and placing her on her lap. Hugging Moriko close, she looked to Shinji and tilted her head. Far more used to expressing her intent with physical actions, she seemed eager to climb out of the trough her stepmother had thrown her into.

I think that's wonderful, he approved, heartily. Now, what I'd like to do is have you try to speak to me. Not with your voice, but just…speak. Engage the processes that you believe you would use to use your words.

Nodding slowly as comprehension grew, Zoe's mind suddenly lit up with chaotic images and impressions. Silence. Grave. Tumult. Pain. Hurt.

"That…that didn't seem very nice." Mushroom looked to Shinji, "Is someone hurting her?"

"Hurt, past tense." Shinji could understand some of what he'd seen, aided by the Horaki Curse and the way that its visions never spelled things out clearly. Zoe-san, has a doctor taken a closer look at your brain? Say, like by putting you in a CT machine, or an MRI machine? A big tube that makes loud noises, if you're unfamiliar with them.

She shook her head, and the images she conjured all dealt with negating something.

He braced himself for bad news. Can I ask you something more personal? I'm not trying to pry, but I'm starting to piece together something here.

A light blush accompanied a slow nod, as Zoe clutched Moriko closer still.

How long has it been since your father passed? Images of the planet spinning in a perfect circle around the sun eight times popped into his mind. And, did your mother-

Terror gripped her mind, though it didn't register on her face. Random pictures of pain and torture mixed with screaming and crying.

Moriko quivered, "Shinji-san…that's scary."

He felt it was far more odd that Zoe only seemed more confused than scared. Ok. So you've lived alone with your stepmother since your father passed? Signs of affirmation, mixed with irritation at the situation. "Repression. It's a mental block. Whatever happened, her subconscious mind is not allowing her conscious mind to deal with it. It's stopped her from forming words, vocally. Silence, to her, means safety."

Her little face scrunched up in thought, "I…don't understand."

"You know how you have nightmares about the river?" Her shiver was proof enough of her understanding. "Her mind hasn't let her have the necessary nightmares to begin to walk the path we were talking about earlier. She's spent most of her life with her brain ignoring the pain instead of understanding and accepting it."

"Oh." Shifting around, she knelt astride Zoe's legs and pulled her into a hug, "That's really sad. Nobody is supposed to live afraid of everything, Grandda says so."

Your Grandda is right, Mushroom-chan. He knew bringing her was the right move, and he was grateful that the worst that was happening was two of his wives were demonstrating how capable they were. Iri, I'm sorry but I need to borrow you for a moment.

Maintaining her invisibility to everyone not bound to him by soul or purpose, his one-eyed Aspect of Terror appeared at his side. Never apologize for needing my presence, my love. It fills me with joy to know that you are strong enough to lean on me.

The presence of a new, feminine, voice confused Zoe, who responded with impressions and emotions that reflected that confusion. Her physical action, to protectively huddle into Moriko's hug, demonstrated her strength and bravery well. She would not allow harm to a little one in her presence.

Hello, dear. My name is Ireul, and I have the honor of existing as a part of the devilishly handsome man sitting before you. You can't see me because at the moment it wouldn't be wise for someone who looks as I do to appear out of nowhere. Reviewing Shinji's thoughts, she nodded, A sound plan. Could I ask for your approval to take a quick look through your thoughts, Zoe? I won't change anything, and I won't hurt anything. I need to verify a few things so we can help you.

She's very good at this, Zoe-san. She's helped me more than once when my mind went wild and I collapsed in on myself. Laughing with self-deprecation at the look of disbelief he garnered, he shrugged. Like I said, I'm not omnipotent.

He's just the most powerful being we've ever seen, Ireul chided him with a light thwap on his knee. Please, dear, I promise it won't be painful and I won't let it change anything until we know what we're changing and have talked about it.

Moriko pushed a little and freed herself enough to look up into her seat's face, "He made me all better, before! I had a real bad stammer, and now I can talk without any problems at all."

While the words weren't understandable to the young woman, the meaning came through clearly enough. If such a small child could trust the immensely powerful being before her, could sit calmly and look upon him with love and hope, then there was little chance that he was untrustworthy. Looking him in the eye, she hesitantly nodded her approval.

True to her word, Ireul was in and out of Zoe's mind without incident. "Disgusting. Vile. Beyond reprehensible." The negative-hued reflection of Rei Ayanami glowered at Shinji with incandescent anger. "There are no words in any language I can summon that can impart how grotesque her tragedies have been, my love. I cannot support bringing these memories to the fore. What she has buried is best dug up at the roots and burned away forevermore."

"Should I know?" There was no question Shinji had no desire to know, but knowledge meant decisions were made with better foundations. Not knowing about Yinghua came with problems, but that didn't mean whatever this was compared or was even comparable. Zoe was his age, nearly an adult. Yinghua was a child and needed far more guidance and care.

"No." Her denial was emphatic. "You have enough burdens you must carry, this need not be another. I will hold that your inability to read her mind is a blessing, in this instance. She doesn't remember, functionally. She will never functionally remember." My dear, I believe we can restore your ability to speak with a few, key, modifications. It will mean that you…forget some memories of your early childhood, things you only now recall as vague outlines. However, that price would grant you a future capable of communicating with others of your kind as you would. To speak and be heard, with practice, instead of living with dread of another day.

The concept didn't seem terribly painful to Zoe, the slight tilt of her head in confusion and the shrug paired with a series of impressions that indicated she didn't honestly care if she forgot things she couldn't really remember in the first place.

My love, you'll need to place your hand alongside her head. I'll work through you, as there will be a few physical repairs needed to not create further issues with what we repair here.

Shinji's hand didn't move at all. Zoe-san, would that be all right? I will not touch you without your permission. He could feel the huff of exasperation and roll of eye from his preferred Aspect. "Shush. This is part of being Lillin."

Zoe's blush was not as deep as when her stepmother embarrassed her, nor as light as earlier in their conversation, but was amply present and made clear the fact that she was not used to attractive men asking permission to lay their hands upon her. A single, quick, nod came with a fluttering series of images of assent.

Leaning forward, Shinji gently cupped the side of her face with his hand and closed his eyes to not be seen as possibly staring into her own. Thank you. I promise this won't hurt a bit. Her skin was both cool and warm, and felt smooth and soft under his palm. With how large his hands were, his fingers discovered that her hair was as pleasant to touch as her face. Iri…let's hurry this along.

I will not 'hurry' something delicate, my love. You're a big boy, you can handle a little discomfort. Laying her hand atop his, she began to glow with her own power. Moriko, please go tell your sister to kindly ask the nice man if he would stop reaching for his phone. If he starts recording, we'll have to destroy it and that could be awkward.

"Hup," climbing back down and maneuvering with the deftness of youth, the youngest member of the party went to perform her duty with alacrity. "Nee-san…."

Shinji had been sitting with his left elbow on his knee to support the height difference between him and Zoe. That hand, by chance, had been left mostly open and placed where it wouldn't risk touching anyone or anything it shouldn't. When he felt a tentative touch of delicate fingers, he had to restrain the impulse to jerk away. This, in turn, emboldened the touch and he soon found his hand held by both of the young woman's he had intended to help.

"You have control now." Ireul's intentional use of her 'out loud' voice made clear her intentions, as only those who could understand Japanese would know what was said. "You choose who, and why. Do not let compulsions spur you to action unless you desire that action. Because that is all this is, is a compulsion. You are compelled towards strong women. Women who are survivors, who have hidden capacity for greatness. If she pleases you, remember that you are in control. Set the terms, set the pace. Creation, Tabris, none but you and she have a say in how this unfolds."

He knew she was right. He also heard the unspoken truth of the matter, in that he would eventually have to look towards evening the scales out some. She wasn't telling him that he had to take the first people to walk before him, nor telling him to avoid potential options. His beloved Aspect of Terror was simply telling him that he had to maintain control over the process, or forever be beholden to random chance. Slightly tightening his hand, so he could better share a grip of comfort with Zoe, he opened his eyes for a moment and saw confusion, but also saw optimism and hope. Whatever had happened in her life, the young woman beneath it all was determined not to allow it to drown her. Her life was hard…but she was harder.

Zoe gave a cautious smile, the kind that hoped it was welcome, that worried it might be rude. She wasn't unattractive by any means, it was that her charms were atypical when considered against most of the other women in his household. She, despite being more than ten centimeters taller than Yang, had a smaller chest line than the self-described pettanko. He couldn't really tell how her hips matched up, the dress she was wearing was very much not designed to accentuate feminine beauty. She seemed to wear clothing to blend in, to remain invisible. Finally she was smiling at him with a tiny kernel of hope in her heart, for what he did not know…but he knew that she held hope.

"Should I add more women to my torment?" He had to ask one of the few women he knew would never give him anything but the brutal truth. "Is it right to give her something, only to take something else away?"

"You should ask her that, after you get to know her." Ireul used her free hand to pat his shoulder. "We aren't in a rush. Those of us in the household can help you weather your imbalances while we seek those that fit our odd little family. Maybe she's someone who chews with her mouth open, maybe she's someone who will help you hold up the sky as the stars are falling. If you feel something, find out." Ok, dear. The one-eyed Aspect pulled Shinji's hand gently from the young woman's head, choosing to hold his in both of hers to remind him that she loved him enough to be honest with him. Let's try something simple. Perhaps, 'Hello'?

"Hhhhh," the first letter came out as a raspy honk, prompting a huge flush of embarrassment and both of her hands to rocket from Shinji's grasp to clap over her mouth.

"No, no," Shinji did his best to pivot to 'cheerleader', "don't be ashamed! Try again, you can do it! Moriko-chan, go get obaa-san."

Watching as the youngest person present dashed off towards the kitchen, Zoe's hands began to flutter in an attempt to urge a return to normal blood flow and to demand her tears stay where they were. Swallowing several times, she opened her mouth to try and form the word again just as Marybeth was dragged into the room, "Hhhhiiii!"

Their elderly hostess mimed the position her granddaughter had recently taken herself, clapping her hands over her mouth and whispering just loud enough to be heard, "Oh…oh glory be…."

"Hello to you as well, Zoe-san." Shinji stood up carefully, offering the young woman a hand in gaining her feet herself. With a subtle tip of his head towards Marybeth, he grinned and whispered himself, "I'm sure that, if you think carefully, you can figure out what you should say next."

Rolling her lips in, Zoe took Shinji up on his offer and gained her feet with dignity and grace. Her thoughts were becoming clearer, and more transparent to him, with every second that passed. Her mind was torn between thanking him in a number of ways, and doing exactly what she agreed would be the best thing to do in front of a clergyman. Duty, to her credit, won over selfishness for the most part and she dragged Shinji with her to go over to her grandmother. After another deep breath, she squared her shoulders and clutched his hand for strength before slowing her spoken pace down. "Thhaannk. Yyyoouuu. Grraaammmy."

Marybeth demonstrated that sufficient motivation can drive even the most fragile human to acts of great strength by picking Zoe up off the ground and hugging her close while shaking her and calling out how wonderful it was to hear her speak. The words themselves were moistened and choppy, the crying she was doing making it difficult to speak intelligibly, but the intent was clear as day.

"Praise Jesus." The two words spoken by Pastor Keynard were audible enough, and clearly spoken in a manner to not draw attention to anything but his good cheer at seeing someone healed of a seemingly lifelong affliction.

Shinji despised being forced to rush things, and hated to be rude, but he knew that too many complications could arise even with best intentions. Is he a good man, Tsuru-chan?

I would say he is. His Priestess gave neither a ringing endorsement nor a damning indictment. The questions he's asked have all been around what you intend to do about Christians in the Empire, or ways that you might be urged towards helping restore peace to his country. He seems to feel duty to both, and he feels it deeply, but he's also had to be reminded four times to leave his phone in his pocket.

No one is perfect. He shared a laugh with her before sliding his hands in his pockets and taking the next step forward, "I hate to hurry you, ma'am, but I should probably go before your front lawn looks like a military camp. I have one of those back home, and there's an awful lot of noise and loud vehicles."

Over the appeal of Marybeth that he had to stay for a meal at least, and Zoe's stumbled objections that he would leave before she had a chance to truly thank him, and even Suzanne's continued attempts at petulant seduction, Shinji was surprised that the loudest voice was the Pastor. "Your Majesty, please! Ladies, please!" The capable man moved to where he could be seen by Shinji but would not impose on him to look if he wished to keep his word. When the objections died, he pressed his hands together pleadingly, "I will go outside and add my voice to that of your Diplomat, I will beg the military on behalf of God almighty to leave this house in peace, I will take Miss Suzanne and stand outside until you have had time to accept your due, if you will give me one small thing. Just one, tiny, thing. Please, Your Majesty, swear to me that this," he gestured towards Zoe, "is where your heart is. That all you truly want to do on this fair green Earth that is God's greatest treasure is help the poor, the afflicted, the suffering. Please. Tell me, man to man, that you have no designs on dominion, or destroying people's faiths. Your talented, beautiful, wife has done a fantastic job of explaining how you view worship, of showing me that the Vatican has not lied to the people in their declarations that none have permission to lay spiritual claim to your Empire. But on my conscience, and by my word before God, I cannot attest to your position unless I hear it from your own lips."

Nothing on this planet will get through Sahaquiel's shield, my love. Ireul rubbed the small of his back, broadcasting her thoughts to Tsuru and Yang as well. Would it be truly so terrible to spend an hour or two taking a meal with two women who have nothing but the utmost admiration for you? To allow yourself to be showered with sincere gratitude? To look at the positives that can be found by reasonable applications of your might?

Shinji bit the side of his tongue and looked down at a spot on the ground that was not near anyone in particular. He'd set the rules for himself, said that he would speak to nobody but Marybeth and the woman he now knew as Zoe. Inspiration appeared, in the form of an increasingly pregnant woman back at his house, and how she'd once overcome similar strictures laid down by a woman he loved to help ease hearts. "Marybeth-san, Zoe-san, I know that it often seems that my actions are…chaotic. That I'm just running around Japan fighting various creatures. That I appeared, out of nowhere, and suddenly attained power that no single person should ever possess. Everything I've done…has been to survive. My survival, meant the world's survival, meant the galaxy's survival, meant creation's survival. I was given the task of defeating beings that had never known defeat. Of drowning in blood, and despair, and pain." His jaw clenched, several memories clawing at the back of his mind. Grinding out the truth between his teeth, he looked at the wall to not stare at anyone in hatred. "I toppled beings that wished to destroy free will. I murdered animals that attempted to control the fate of every living being. Through all of that…." He closed his eyes, took a breath, and slowly let it out. "Through all of that, I only ever wanted peace. I wanted the fighting to stop. The suffering to end. The pain, and misery, and torment to just…go away. This, these small deeds, is where I find that peace. There are more enemies out there, amongst the stars. Creatures that do not understand the very concept of peace, or coexistence. I will be bathed in more blood before someone finally manages to kill me." Another breath, another exhale. When his eyes opened, he looked at his hostess and shrugged. "Until then, I'm going to blaze a path for everyone who wants to follow it. I'm going to show that peace is possible, that it is preferable. I will do everything I can to show the world that senseless violence only begets senseless violence. Including killing those who engage in senseless violence towards those under my protection. I am no pacifist…but neither am I a warmonger. The Empire will not intervene in political, religious, or social matters that do not directly involve the Empire. I am no dictator…I didn't even want to be a Baron. I need to leave because people can only judge me by what they see me do, and so I have to be beyond reproach."

Pastor Keynard clapped his hands twice enthusiastically, "And so he said, 'If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.' Thank you, Lord, for sending us hope." Standing tall, as a man about to step towards his doom, he gestured towards Suzanne and then towards the door, "I'm going to need you to bear witness, Miss Suzanne. One man may be a liar if another is not there to testify to the truth of his words." Walking backwards for a moment as he forced the over-tanned blonde towards the door by sheer will, he looked to Tsuru, "Thank you, Kannushi, for speaking His Majesty's mind so clearly. Please, I would be grateful for a letter when you return to your home. I want to learn more about this path he wants others to follow him on."

After the front door closed behind the Pastor and the lady he was dragging with him, it was Shinji's turn to tilt his head in confusion. "He knew the word for a Shinto Priest."

Zoe approached Shinji, though not too closely for fear of crowding him, "Paaassstorrr. K-Keeeeynnnarrrduh. Trrraaavellllsss." Her voice was harsh, and her words were all rounded as if she were speaking with her mouth having been numbed, but speak she did.

Have we found me a new sister, my prince? Tsuru, owning both documented rights and stated privileges, moved over to hug Shinji's side with her sister on her hip. There was no jealousy in her eyes as she smiled at Zoe. "I always wanted to travel. It was only after I met our husband that I got the chance. We wives of his are holding him to his word that we'll take a trip to visit a friend of the family soon."

Joy at being able to speak to a woman her age grew in her heart as she looked to the Priestess, "Hooowww. Mmmaaannyyy?"

Shinji replied quietly, "More than I deserve," at the same time as Tsuru said, "Not enough as of yet."

"Please, Shin-gee," Marybeth stepped up next to her granddaughter and hugged her in the same manner Tsuru was hugging Shinji, "a few hours to socialize with one another isn't so much to ask for, is it? We'll have a light meal, drink some sweet tea, get to know one another."

Once more he was surrounded by people who felt he wasn't doing the right thing. The part of him that was determined to stick to his guns refused to share its motivations for doing so, and the part of him that said he should give up and do what they wanted was motivated by a lifetime of servitude to others' whims. "Let me give it a moment of thought." Bowing slightly to indicate his need for space, he took Tsuru and Moriko apart a few steps. Yang, how's it going out there.

Well…I was doing a pretty decent job of repeating myself regarding the likelihood of them penetrating Saha-chan's barrier. I even managed to convince this 'Representative from the Fifth District' that sending you a letter is a far better way to earn your attention than armed force. But this Pastor guy? He's putting on a clinic. Yang chuckled with a memory. I've seen Ma do something similar from time to time. Using shame to get everyone to go do what she wanted. This guy's good.

Ok. Leave him to it. Come on inside, bring Saha-chan with you. Saha-chan, I want the barrier to remain up. We're going to be introducing everyone here…and staying for a few hours to talk. "Tsuru…I love you."

"We love you too, Shinji-san," Moriko patted his chest fondly. "I think you need to be told that more often. It always cheers me up!"

"I agree," Tsuru placed her hand over Mushroom's and pressed to emphasize her words. "We love you, you dear, dear man. Our life was not meant to be simple, and fighting against the complexities will only bring more complexity. Take cheer in our victory today, and let yourself be human for a while."

She's right, you know. Ireul tousled Moriko's hair. You need to hear you are loved more often, from more people. Because otherwise you'll harden your heart against us all, thinking that you're going to save us.

Blessed beyond my worth. Turning away from the burning pain of love, he faced his hostess again. "Marybeth-san, Zoe-san…." Change isn't bad. It's just change. "I'd like to introduce you to some of my family." Ladies? Ireul faded into view without the commensurate screams of the damned accompanying her, bowing with her inhuman grace. "This is Ireul, my wife and beloved."

"Always a pleasure to meet friends of the family." Wearing another in an endless line of perfect dresses, the blue-skinned Aspect of Terror gave a secretive smile. "Allow me to introduce our daughter, Sahaquiel dear?"

"Y-yes Mama," huddled against Ireul's side, the Aspect of Sky had shrunk herself down to no larger than Moriko herself. "P-pleased to meet you."

Whether it was due to having seen Shinji himself, or simply because she was in far too good a mood to be startled into rudeness by the appearance of clearly alien beings, Marybeth Daniels put paid to the hospitality she had been raised with. "Oh my Heavens, aren't you just the most precious little child."

Zoe herself seemed to quietly be calculating something, before working her words out, "Yyouuu hhaavuh prrriittyyyy eye."

"Thank you." Sahaquiel's smile was slight, her nervousness around new people too great for more. "You…uhm…you have very lovely hair. Bardiel would love it."

"Oh my everything," Yang blew out a heavy groan as she entered the house herself, "next time we do something like this I am going to bring a whiteboard and an erasable marker. I'm going to write a statement, plant it on the ground and point to it whenever someone becomes confused."

"Well," Shinji laughed dryly, "this is what my family is like, Marybeth-san. Since I'm staying," he willed his outfit to change towards something that would be usable in the kitchen, "why don't I help you make that peach pie you offered? We'll work with the little ones, help them work off some nervous energy."

Marybeth's face fell. "Oh fiddlesticks. I was going to go out shopping after church! I only have one peach to hand."

"Could I see it?" His smile grew friendlier as he had another opportunity to help someone presented to him. "I'll show you a neat trick I can do."