In the Mind of a Child Chapter 14

Inquisition

The meeting of two people is like a contact of two chemical substances. If there is any reaction, both are transformed.

-Ayanami, Rei

Well I've never been to the Principal's office for something like this before. Rei thought to herself as she stared past the window and out into the quad. Small tornadoes of golden colored leaves played among the loitering students, knocking over beverages and lifting illicitly short skirts. Several of the more animated students were reenacting the "fight" that the entire school had just witnessed, pretending to punch and kick each other into submission. The bell that signaled the end of the day's studies had already rung over half an hour ago, yet there was still a sizable group of onlookers patiently awaiting the verdict of the teenage combat.

After Rei's initial defeat at the hands of Asuka the administration arrived just in time to have no impact on the violence whatsoever. Instead of offering her a helping hand or at least a tissue, to wipe the now congealed blood off of her lip the Principal and her lackeys had Rei immediately escorted to the office. Asuka on the other had proved to be a different matter entirely and could be seen at the center of the quad yelling at the top of her lungs. Not to be outdone by the loudmouthed red head, Doctor Akagi reciprocated with equal ferocity, while the somewhat embarrassed staff stood idle and watched their superior bellow insults that could cost her severe reprimands, if not worse. Only when she rolled the sleeves on her jacket, undid her earrings and marched towards Asuka like she was about to throw blows did her staff finally step in and cease the engagement. Rei chuckled to herself as the prestigious principal was hauled away against her will.

Refocusing herself on more important matters, Rei began to run through the different scenarios the principal would inflict on her once she arrived. Rei knew she had done nothing wrong but with the way she was thrown into this office it was evident that the principal was going to try and pin something on her. She also had no wish to impose administrative punishment on Asuka since it was Rei's vault she was thrown to such levels of barbarism in the first place. For a brief moment Rei thought about riffling through the principal's desk for anything incriminating, there was also her cell phone, which lay just within her reach. Rei decided against this method due to the fact that in this instant, the principal was an innocent and was simply enforcing the discipline of the school. Whatever Doctor Akagi was going to throw at her she would just have to handle using only her wits.

Rei lost her train of thought as she heard a familiar voice just outside the office door, it was Shinji and he was pleading desperately for Rei's expedient release and relocation to the school infirmary.

"Sit down!" Snarled Doctor Akagi as she stepped through her Maplewood office door and slammed it behind her. Rei wasn't sure who she was talking to, and almost involuntarily took a seat. "Not you, Ayanami, I want you standing for this" She said as she took off her calf length medical coat revealing a conservative but very feminine white blouse. After tossing her coat over the back of her chair Ms. Akagi walked to the window and peeked out of the blinds. "It's cold outside, no?"

"Um…yes ma'am" Rei responded less forcefully than she wanted to. To be completely honest she idolized Dr. Akagi. Out of everyone in the entire school she was the only one that Rei actually respected. In her early thirties she was the classic, textbook version of a beautiful woman through and through. Not only was she physically attractive but also she was amazingly intelligent, receiving her doctorate in advanced biophysics at the precociously young age of only twenty-five. Why she became the principal of an inner-city school Rei would never comprehend. It was rumored that at the beginning of her career she was the head of advanced artificial life research but was fired after a series of failed experiments and overall mismanagement. Due to the fact that Dr. Akagi was something of an icon to Rei she refused to believe any of the ridiculous, if well founded gossip.

"Do not call me ma'am, I'm not you mother. You will refer to me as Doctor" She said without looking away from the window.

"I never knew my mother" Rei said hoping the self pitying comment would throw her off and force her to take a lighter approach on the interrogation.

"I couldn't care less Ayanami, but nice try," Dr. Akagi said with a halfhearted chuckle in her voice as if Rei had just made a joke.

Well there goes the passive approach, Rei thought as she watched the insensitive principal open the shutters on both windows allowing so much daylight in the poorly lit room that it forced Rei to squint. When her eyes adjusted she found that the doctor had taken a seat in her black executive chair and was now heavily silhouetted. "Dr. Akagi, am I being interrogated?" Rei asked, now feeling highly uncomfortable with the change in environment.

"Well you're certainly not here to receive an award for exemplary conduct." She said as she reached for the cat shaped ashtray on her desk and lit a half smoked cigarette.

"Doctor, I am completely innocent, there is absolutely…"

"There is no such thing as innocence Ayanami, only degrees of guilt."

Rei's mouth hung agape at the comment but she recovered quickly and began her counter attack on this so-called examination. "Doctor, I don't even know why I'm in your office, perhaps you haven't noticed but I'm the only person that received injuries in that little conflict outside. Injuries which might I add, remain untreated." Rei said with more confidence than she felt. The fact that she couldn't look the doctor in the face was severely damaging her ability to control the conversation, still she continued unabated. "Since I've evidently assumed the responsibility of informing you of you're ignorance; perhaps I should ask you this, are you aware of the legal implications of disabling a federally mandated smoke dictator?" Rei smiled to herself as she saw the doctor shift uncomfortably in her seat but was dismayed when she realized it was only to fetch another cigarette out of her desk.

"Hmm, perhaps I credited you with more intelligence than you rate." Said Doctor Akagi after taking a long drag off her newly lit cigarette. "I assume you threw those accusations against me in hopes of stifling any allegations I may have against you. Realize this child, you are not the only one in this school that understands a thing or two about psychology. I can tell by your body language alone that you've already played the only cards you have, and so early in the game too. Perhaps I should ask you a question now since you obviously like to play the blackmail game. Are you aware that I control your graduation from this school? I assume you plan on going to college one day, plan on doing something with all that intelligence you claim to have?"

Rei had never felt so over matched in her entire life. To say that Doctor Akagi was a formidable opponent in mind warfare would have been a gross understatement. The most perturbing fact was that Rei honestly had done nothing wrong, that didn't stop her however from feeling more guilty than she ever had in her entire life. "You're…you're bluffing", Rei stammered.

"Am I? I suppose we'll find out in a couple of years will we not?"

"I have done nothing wrong!" Rei exclaimed, completely losing her composer.

After irritably throwing her still smoking cigarette in a cup of coffee Doctor Akagi rose to her feet and exclaimed, "Silence child, I will determine your innocence in this matter! I am not so easily deterred as your alcoholic teacher! You continue to test my patience; you will soon find it has its limits…unlike my authority."

"I…"

"I'll ask you this once, Ayanami, only once, and before you answer understand that I know more about you than you can possibly comprehend. What do you know about the drugs that have been recently found at this school?"

Rei almost laughed at the preposterous question. So that's what this is all about, Rei thought to herself gleefully. No wonder the questioning had been so intimidating and the doctor so vicious. "Doctor Akagi, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I have never experimented with any kind of controlled substance." Rei said as her confidence and mental ability returned in full force. "And if I can quote what you said earlier, you should be able see that, by body language alone. I understand the tactics of questioning you use, this technique in particular. You have no proof whatsoever and simply wished a confession based on fear and terrorization."

The doctor returned calmly to her seat, her usual demeanor returning as quickly as if a switch had flipped it. "Perhaps…you are worthy of the intellect you're credited with. Anyways I believe you. Your friend, Sohryu is she involved in anything illegal?"

"Absolutely not"

"That's good to hear, a bit surprising, but good to hear. Still I find that I'm still a bit angry from her outrageous behavior outside." Doctor Akagi said after taking a sip from her coffee cup.

Rei winced and said, "If I remember correctly weren't you about to fight her right there infront of the entire student body?"

"Regardless, I feel a small reciprocation is in order. Send her in, I'll show you the true power of my inquisitorial abilities." Doctor Akagi said with a vindictive grin.

Rei did as she was told and Asuka entered the room and stood in front of the doctor's desk, hands on her hips, defiant as ever. Her self-discipline was about to change dramatically however.

"Asuka Langley Sohryu, you are thrice damned by action, association and belief!" Growled Doctor Akagi as she slammed her fist against her desk so hard the poor red head jumped in surprise. "Ayanami has confessed to your transgressions in exchange for immunity of any charges raised against her. I know that you've been trafficking drugs in my school and you will be purged!"

Rei has known Asuka for a fairly long time, seen her confident, obnoxious, and happy. More recently Rei had seen Asuka in possibly the worst state she had ever been in, but nothing could compare to the look she had on her face at this particular moment.

"Confess and go cleanly!" Roared Doctor Akagi.

"I…I…I have no idea…"

"Come now Sohryu everyone has dabbled a bit in the illegal. Even I once had a small meth-lab in my college dorm room. How do you think I paid for my doctorate?"

"Oh my God, Doctor is that true?" Rei asked, perhaps more dumbfounded than Asuka.

"Not in the slightest, but it was worth a try." Doctor Akagi said with a slight grin. "Asuka evidently disliked my joke. Well too bad, I'd like to think I'm letting you off easy, considering that I should expel you on vulgarity alone."

Asuka simply waved a hand in acknowledgment. Rei couldn't really blame her considering what the doctor had just accused her of.

"Now down to the more trivial matter at hand. You two were fighting, yes?" She paused, presumably for dramatic effect. "Who started it?" She asked casting her gaze in Asuka's direction.

Asuka shifted uncomfortably and was about to speak but Rei cut her off, "I started it, it was my fault"

"Would the rest of the student body agree with that confession? Would Asuka?"

"Since when has the student body's opinion ever mattered here?" Rei asked.

"Never" Doctor Akagi answered, slightly shrugging her shoulders. "Well, with Ayanami's confession I have no choice but to suspend her for no less than seven days."

"You've gotta be kidding me" Asuka finally chimed in. "I'm just as guilty as her, if not more so. If she's getting suspended then I'll accept no less punishment."

"But Ms. Sohryu, according to Ayanami here, your as innocent as can be."

"Ayanami's a lying bitch but I still won't let her get punished for something that I've done."

Rei was, to say the least, astonished. Never in any scenario she could have predicted would Asuka have stood up for her like that. There was absolutely no reason she should, they both knew what Rei had done and it was ruining her attempt at some sort of twisted karma where by punishing herself she could somehow make up for what so had done to Asuka.

"You know girls, if I didn't know any better I'd say you two were friends. Actually better than friends, sisters even, if I could be so bold"

Rei and Asuka looked to each other speechless at such an insult to both of their family lines before laughing spitefully. Even Doctor Akagi stopped writing and joined in the laughter.

Still chuckling she said, "Imagine that, you two…sisters!" Her laughing continued to become more mocking and as Rei thought more menacing. "That's why I've decided to overturn my original decision about Rei in favor of a more beneficial approach to the little problem you two seem to have. So, in a monumental display of mercy I have decided instead to assign each of you a month of after school clean up duty…together…every day…for a month."

"Mother of God…", mouthed Rei and Asuka simultaneously.

"I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't enjoy the faces you two are making right now" The good doctor said with a malicious grin as she took another sip of her coffee, still oblivious that there was a used cigarette floating around in there somewhere. "Oh and since I'm feeling especially generous" She said with such an obnoxious smile it made Rei want to kill her. "…you will both write a 'positive' report about each other once the month is up. You two girls will become friends or I swear on everything you hold holy that I will banish you both back to junior high and retard the scores on any exam you take for years to come. Believe me, I'm just corrupt enough to do it. Now be gone, before I get really nasty."

"You're psychotic, you know that right?" Asuka asked, through gritted teeth.

"Eh, its been suggested"

With that the two girls left the office, walked past Shinji and the assorted group of students and practically shoved each other into an unlocked janitorial closet, slamming the door behind them.

"What the hell were you thinking?!?" Asuka yelled and then gagged at the overwhelming smell of disinfectants and industrial cleaners. "Look at what you've done to us now!" Asuka said fanning her hand in front of her face in a futile attempt to ward off the pungent odor.

Rei's first response was garbled because she had placed her shirt over her nose, "What I've done?" Rei exclaimed wiping at her tearing eyes. "The whole reason we're in this ridiculous mess is because you just had to go and pretend you have a moral code. If you would have just let them suspend me then we could have avoided this!" Rei began to feel dizzy, and placed her hand on a shelf but instantly regretted as she pulled her hand back to reveal a mysterious sticky material that looked as if it had actually evolved into sentience.

"I beat the hell out of you, and you didn't even fight back, who the hell does that? You honestly believe I could let you get in trouble after doing what I did? I may not like you Ayanami, as a matter of fact I hate you, but there's wrong, then there's wrong and then there's that"

"Asuka, you don't understand, what I did to you was so much worse. It could have killed you, I'm not exaggerating in the slightest."

"I know you're not" Asuka replied, her eyes cast towards the floor. "Believe me, you almost succeeded. But I could have done the same when I attacked you. Rei I kicked you while you were on the ground, I kicked you hard, I wanted to hurt you. For a while there I thought I had actually killed you. I want none of your sympathy"

"So what do we do now?" Rei asked, the back of her throat now sore from the fumes.

"Now we leave this room before we're asphyxiated" Asuka replied as she began to open the door.

"Asuka, wait"

"What?" She replied hastily. "Ayanami I'm never gonna get this smell out of my hair as it is, what do you want?"

"Jesus if you'd just let me say it then we would have been out of here already!" Rei exclaimed.

"Oh so I'm the one wasting time now! You could have said your peace minutes ago, instead you're still here bickering like a child!" Asuka fired back.

"Fine! What about Shinji?" Rei asked, her tone immediately softening.

"What about him?" Asuka asked evenly.

"Asuka, he loves me, we're a couple now" Rei explained finding it excruciatingly hard to say to Asuka's face.

"I know he does." She said looking at the floor. "I've always know, it's evident, anyone with half a teaspoon of gray matter can tell."

"Asuka I'm sorry, I know you have feelings for him to I just…"

"I'll say this much though Ayanami, look him in the eyes, and ask him if he loves me too. With all the mind tricks you have you'll be able to tell instantly that the answer he gives you is a lie."

Neither one of them had said a word to the other the entire walk home. There was no animosity there but also no great necessity for idle conversation. He held her hand tightly and that was good enough for the both of them. The temperature had dropped dramatically and in the gray sky, dark and misty signs of a heavy rain hung low and ominous. Various sidewalk vendors had already begun prepping for the downpour yet to come, removing advertisements, and placing perishable produce inside whatever business they belonged to. An invisibly fine haze had already dampened the pavement.

"I like your hair like that." Shinji said as he put his arm around her shoulder in response to her slight shivering.

"You only say that when I have nothing to do with the way it looks." Rei responded playfully, welcoming the warm embrace. She ran a free hand through her hair which was by now moist from the fog that had settled over the city.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night at my house tonight? I mean, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind and my dad would just make us sleep in different rooms this time." Shinji said expectedly.

"I'm sure, thank you for the offer though, I just want to be alone for the night to kind of lick my wounds so to speak." Rei explained as she left Shinji's arms and walked up the first step towards her apartment complex.

"I can understand that, some other time then?" Shinji said trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. "I just…I mean you're hurt and it's gonna rain and everything. I would just like it if you weren't alone tonight, that's all."

Rei smiled at him and put her arms around his neck placing a light kiss on his cheek. "That's sweet, but I'll be fine I promise. Besides I'm sure there'll be many times when I sneak into your room in the middle of the night. That's what teenagers do after all, right?"

"Well if you tried to sneak into our house the security system would electrify you into unconsciousness and have the cops on the premises in less than five minutes. I suppose I'll have to try and tinker with the alarm terminal."

"It would probably be a good idea to have your tinkering done by tomorrow night." Rei said with a wink as she began walking the steps to the entrance of her building.

"You got it" Shinji said, wearing a devilish grin on his face. He waved his last good byes and started the long trek back to house.

"Shinji…" Rei called before he had taken more than a couple of steps. "Can I ask a question? It might be a bit personal though."

"I've got nothing to hide anymore, ask anything you want" Shinji replied.

"I know you love me, and I know you're with me, don't get me wrong I believe you. I was just wondering…do you love Asuka as well?" A small pause followed and Rei could see the answer to her question before Shinji spoke a word.

End Chapter 14