Asuka sat down in one of the chairs outside Commander Ikari's office. Tears started to stream down her cheeks as the full weight of what was going on hit her. Her fear was being realized, her entire reason for existing up until this point had just been stripped away from her. She was being shipped back to Germany like some defective product.
But, that wasn't the worst part. Damn her hormones, she was actually upset that Shinji was getting in trouble too. All this time, she'd been pushing that little wimp to grow some sort of spine. And now…
"Baka… He's going to get himself killed."
Misato came over beside her young charge, teary eyed herself. "Asuka, don't you think you're being a bit dramatic."
"No…" She sniffed. "No, I'm not. What's the penalty for wartime treason, Major?" She let out another short burst of tears, before finally composing herself enough to continue with her train of thought. "I wanted him to grow a spine. I wanted him to stand up for himself. I pushed him to actually have some kind of a backbone. But now… Misato, if he doesn't back down… I've killed him. It'll be my fault."
The major found herself with her back figuratively against the wall. There was just nothing she could say. They both knew the charge for treason, whether wartime or not, was death. And NERV's status would make for such a punishment to be carried out quickly, without even the chance for an appeal. As for trying to talk Asuka down about everything being her fault? There would be no talking to her now. Anything she said would just make the young woman that much more upset. So, she did the only thing she could think of; she wrapped Asuka into a hug as both women sat there and cried.
Chapter 6
Lectures, Conspiracies, and Meetings - Part II
Shinji stood tall in the center of his father's office, unwavering against the glare from the Commander. 'I will not run away,' he thought to himself. He had spent time in the brig for disobeying a direct order from his father before. He had been forced to sit on the sidelines and watch Asuka be mentally violated by the Fifteenth. As long as there was still the possibility of another angel attack, as long as there was even the slightest need him to protect humanity, there was no way his father would have him killed.
The only question that remained, however, was whether or not he would send Asuka away. After all, this was the man who used a heavily bandaged clone of his beloved wife as a guilt trip to get him to pilot Unit-01 in the first place. What would he do to a woman he had no real familial ties to? Just then, a dark thought crossed Shinji's mind. It was too much like a card the man across the table would play. But, it that's what it took to keep Asuka here…
"Shinji, you understand the severity of this charge, do you not?" Fuyutsuki seemed to be genuinely worried for the younger Ikari. Very few people in the entire world were able to stand up like this to Gendo and survive. And all of those old men were now dead by some unclear cause.
"Yes sir," Shinji said with a voice cold even to send ice down the spine of lesser men.
"And you're going to stick by what you said?"
"Yes sir."
"But what about-"
"Fuyutsuki," Gendo started. "Do not waste any more time on this line of questioning. Pilot Ikari has made his intentions perfectly clear. I do not believe he will waver from them at your insistence."
"But sir-"
"The Commander is correct, sir," Shinji chimed in, his tone unnervingly mirroring his father's. "I have made my decision, and I will take responsibility for it as a man."
"A most interesting choice of words, for one that seems fully prepared to surrender his responsibility to defend humanity." Gendo leaned forward at his desk. He was fully aware that Shinji never fought out of a sense of 'responsibility to defend humanity'. His reason for climbing into the entry plug time and again was something far simpler and less noble – the desire for his father's approval. And yet, here he stood, forsaking that desire.
"I have never claimed such a responsibility, Commander," Shinji said, his glared still locked upon his father. "Nor, for that matter, have I stated any desire to surrender any such responsibility that has been put upon me."
"But you said-"
"Commander, if I may?" Shinji inquired quickly, cutting off Fuyutsuki's statement. This was turning into a chess match between himself and Gendo. Shinji have very little doubt that he would end up on the sour end of the deal once the dust settled. But he wasn't looking to get the cheapest deal out of these negotiations, just to get what he wanted and the cost to himself be damned.
"Proceed"
"Sir, with all due respect to the Sub-Commander," Shinji began, "and in light of your dismissal of my direct commanding officer from this discussion, is his presence truly necessary for this inquiry?"
Fuyutsuki's eyes went wide at the younger Ikari's words. However, it was Gendo who spoke up first. "Are you stating that you do not wish to have a witness for the remainder of this inquiry into your charge of treason?"
"Yes sir."
"And are you willing to accept the result of this inquiry, without exaggeration or claim that any command announcements made about this inquiry are misrepresentative of the matters discussed?"
"Yes sir."
"Very well," Gendo said with a solemn nod. "Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, you are dismissed."
=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=
"Clever bastard," Fuyutsuki mumbled under his breath as he exited the Commander's office. He had a sinking feeling deep in his gut that Gendo would seek to find a way to have him removed from the office to ensure his son was… dealt with. NERV's own REI Program, as well as SEELE's KAWORU Program, had made it abundantly clear that a soul could be transferred between bodies. Although they would be downright suicidal to use a segment of Adam's soul to create a Shinji-clone, it certainly wasn't impossible. Nor, for that matter, would it horribly conflict with their plan. But still, he had to do everything he could to walk Shinji off of that ledge. After all, he owed Yui at least that much, didn't he?
"Sub-Commander?"
Fuyutsuki looked up until hearing his rank and noticed the two women previously evicted from the office. Given the fact that Section 2 had been called, he really didn't expect them to remain in some vain hope of a release. But what really left him shocked was how the Second Child was acting. Normally reserved and proud, never showing a hint of emotion for anyone, she had practically collapsed into a ball of tears on her seat. The generally aloof major was holding her in a near maternal hug, all while looking up at him with pleading eyes.
"Sir, if you're out here, then…"
"Yes, Major," Kozo began, having an idea where her line of questioning was headed. "Shinji is in there alone."
"But then…" The tears Misato had been holding back threated to fall once more.
"I wouldn't be too worried about him, Major." A smile began to creep onto Kozo's face. "After all, it was Shinji's idea that I be removed from the office."
"WHAT?!"
"If I may…" He motioned to the open seat beside them. When he received no objections, he too sat down to wait. "I think the results of this meeting might be quite unexpected."
=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=
Several tense moments passed for the three bystanders as they waited for any word from inside the office. Section 2 was taking their sweet time in coming up to the office, most likely in a small internal debate about whether or not they would have to come to collect an individual or a body. Then, the desk mix at the secretary's desk chirp.
"Ms. Toranga, inform Section 2 they may stand down."
=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=
The announcement had given Asuka a bit of hope. Perhaps her baka wouldn't be executed after all. But then, another half hour passed. Then, time drifting into a full hour. Finally, when two more hours had melted away into oblivion, the doors to the Commander's Office opened and Shinji stepped out. He stood tall, walking with near military efficiency, until the sound of the doors sealing reached his ears. In that moment, two things happened. First, Shinji's knees finally collapsed under him as a heavy chill ran up his spine. Second, Asuka broke free from Misato's hug and rushed to his side.
"BAKA! What were you thinking!? How could you? I've been… I've been…"
"It had to be done, Asuka. For us."
Asuka blinked back her shock. No shameless apology? No whimpering, apart from an understandable weight from having dealt with his father for three and a half hours. This was not the boy she had met on Over the Rainbow, that much was certain. Not only that, but whatever tribulations he had just put himself through, he had done so because it was necessary… for them. "So…"
"Yes," he said with a smile. "You're staying in Japan."
A sigh of happiness escaped her lips as she hugged Shinji, either unware or simply uncaring about who would see her right now. "Then let's go home, baka. I'll make dinner tonight."
=/\= =\/= =/\= =\/= =/\=
Thousands of miles away, and deep underground, two hooded figures stood in the shadow of a massive piece of bronzed green special armor. Both spoke softly, in thickly accented Japanese.
"It seems Czar Ikari is making his move."
"Without the Committee to back him, I suspect those… buckaroos will be at his throat about this transfer."
A lock of crimson red hair slipped out of the first conspirator's hood, knocked loose head by a shake of the head. "We are not playing that old cat-and-mouse game any longer, comrade. They will fall in line, when the time is right." Tucking the hair back under the hood, they continued. "You need only concern yourself with your summons."
"Very well," the second acknowledge, absentmindedly removing and cleaning their red-framed glasses with their green plugsuit-covered hands. "We will be ready to move in another day. Then, it's just under three weeks by rail to Vladivostok and the container ship to Tokyo-3."
"Wonderful."
Without another word, the first turned around and walked away. Meanwhile, the second conspirator replaced their glasses with a rueful smile.
"Shipped to the hot-zone when I should be on standby for the Motherland. No matter. At least I'll get to see the Third again."
A/N: So, I could have gone ahead and actually posted the entirety of the conversation between Shinji and his father. Frankly, that was my original plan when I started writing this out. But, the more I thought about it, the more I really enjoyed the "reveal" about Lieutenant Toranga's new position as Misato's secretary, as well as all the changes that were a part of Gendo's condition. There was just something about the uncertainty that made it that much more appealing. While I'm sure there will be a few that are disgruntled about not getting to see Shinji stand up to his father, there might be a few flashbacks down the road to look forward to.
Also, it seems that, once again, Dein Vater is getting a short chapter. I'm not too terribly upset about that, seeing as how this is mostly just designed to be a mildly fluffy, "end of volume" type chapter. Things are going to speed up a wee bit as we step into Chapter 7 in two weeks. Plus, things might get a bit interesting at the end of the month. Work is progressing on that fifth week special. Hope everyone that chooses to read it will enjoy. Just be aware, it's a wee bit spoilery for the future of Dein Vater. So, read at your own risk!
Also, a quick rant. And this is a bit more for Third Time's the Charm than Dein Vater, but still. Do people really just skip over author notes and warnings before they decide to make a guest review? I've gotten two or three now that I've chosen to cull from guests complaining that I have an entire conversation over in TTtC written out in untranslated German, and how horrible I am for making them search some free site in order to get a translation to enjoy an otherwise well written English piece (paraphrase of their words). I put a warning at the top of the page that not only explains that I wished to make it absolutely clear that the German pilot (Asuka) is talking to the German engineering division lead at the German base in their native language. I'm sorry, but that (to me) is makes for a perfectly valid reason. Not only that, but their dialogue already was translated and made available at the end of the chapter below the author notes, a fact that said warning also established. /end rant
Final parting comment. Whomever could those conspirators be? One of them should be fairly obvious to most any Evangelion fan. The other… well… not all is quite as it seems. If nothing else, it seems like things are starting to heat up a bit. Looking forward to seeing y'all in two weeks so you can see where things go from here. Until then, look forward to Third Time's the Charm, Chapter 3 coming out next week.
JaceSterne