Thread #6375149
File: GTE.png (47.7 KB)
47.7 KB PNG
May 5th, 2015.
It's final weeks on Tokyo-3's Municipal First Junior High School Academy and it's been hell on all the students.
Thankfully, you're too old to be going through math exams, mister school counselor! It's your 4th year since you've been hired to take care of these kids, and so far, it's been an alright job.
Having majored in said field straight after your degree in psychology, you were more than happy to have some security as opposed to dealing with flaky patients and the usual folks who just walked away after a "free trial". Frankly, from Cognitive Behavior to psychoanalysis, all forms of therapy were subjects you loved to deep dive in your free time despite being done with college for a while, and that's exactly what sets the mediocre scholars apart from the true specialists! Now if only your pay wasn't barely above minimum wage despite all your efforts...
It wasn't any school, no less. Tokyo 3's First Junior High's students were all, in one way or another, motherless. Either by accidents, coming from adoption, divorce, it was almost certain that no child from that school ever had both sets of parents in the house, and you knew very well what that meant. Extra steps went into advising teachers and staff, Parent-Teacher conferences, workshops, class conferences... Really, everything that involved giving support to students had to go through you first, and while it was exhausting work, none of the classes ever had a major fight thanks to 29 year old Date Kurono at their service.
Since finals week meant everyone was either silent in class, studying or going straight back home, it was an unusually leisure day for you, which given how active you were used to be there, meant you were tapping your feet at your desk in the teacher's lounge while everyone else your age was either in class or silently checking papers. Not like you were super friendly with any of the staff or anything, for they weren't much more than colleagues.
You barely had the social battery to socialize your way into a full shift, so you couldn't imagine having to balance that out with being an extrovert, which meant having no work to do and being stuck in your head was all the more alienating, since all you had left then was to ruminate about the past.
Really, why did you choose professional babysitting as your calling? Guess it all started back in the 80s when you were born, back when Tokyo 3 was just called Tokyo, your parents were an aspiring couple, each renowned in their own way, with your mother always being needed her job thanks to her revolutionary discoveries in neuroscience, and your father being a famous athlete, rising up the ranks to get the Japanese Lightweight Boxing Belt, aiming to go for the world.
Despite having big shoes to fill, back then you were too busy choosing who you should spent the most time with when they actually were home.
>Mom, she was from your field, afterall.
>Dad, who wouldn't love to have a boxing star for a father?
89 RepliesView Thread
Showing all 89 replies.>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6375151
>>6375196
>>6375200
Your father Daigo was cool and all, but the real breadwinner of the house was always mother Ayane, a real shocker for the age they lived in. Your dad was no slouch either, but the sheer disparity in earnings definitely gave her more power around the house than throwing punches ever could.
Naturally, she then became a role model for you, you wouldn't have gotten your current job if it weren't for her, after all. Half of your parents bedroom was occupied by this big stack of books that peaked your curiosity for the brain to your father's brawn. What was so important in her studies that made her work tirelessly overnight even at home over spending time with her son?
It's not like she was intentionally neglectful, in retrospect, it was as if she was weirded out by your having a preference for her than for your father, assuming you would gravitate towards him thanks to your mutual bond of being men so she could better work without interruptions. She knew better than to outright say it to your face, but in your early years, you were a distraction from her work at best, and a nuisance disguised as maternity leave at worst.
That was, until you were around 10 years old: After sneaking to her bookshelf once more and taking out a copy of The Future of an Illusion during house cleaning, you slipped on the floor and the book fell right on the bucket of water. You were quick to take it out, but several other files fell out from the book, almost as if she was using this cover to keep her research hidden.
Ayane was quick to hear your panicking, and while her handwriting was so rough only she could decipher it, as soon as she saw a file with the words "A.T Field" tearing in half like paper mache, it was as if she became possessed.
It was the only instance you recall where you truly felt fear from her, uncharacteristically lunging at your throat, digging her nails on your skin with enough force to draw blood.
"Who said you could mess with my stuff, you little brat?! Do you have any idea how important that is? I can't afford to miss a day in my deadlines when so many lives are depending on me, and this is how you repay me?!"
After the 5th "I'm sorry!" you managed to squeeze out from your throat, her grip loosened, almost as if snapping back to reality and realizing the violence she was capable of doing was just as terrifying for her as it was for you. Whatever she was doing, it was not worth killing you over it.
"No... I'm sorry, Date-kun. I didn't know you were interested in my books. I'll help you out in reading them if you want to, some might be too tough for a kid your age. Just... Don't touch that shelf without my permission anymore, ok?"
>>
File: Red.png (1.4 MB)
1.4 MB PNG
>>6375279
Her demeanor around the house changed after that incident, guess yearning for her attention for so long finally paid off. She made an active effort to teach you now that she saw you two sharing something in common. Not only she was a very good teacher, she was also very passionate, going on to explain several concepts in your free time without so much as having to check on the books she gave you. However, she was still very dismissive about answering questions about her job or anything related to it. The most you could squeeze out from her was in few very short sentences:
"I get a few trust funds from the government to do something important. That's all you need to know."
"Bringing friends around the house? No need, your father already does that for me."
"Stop asking about the A.T Field. Anyway, about pervasive developmental disorders..."
Maybe she knew all that info she had about the human brain made her all the more aware to keep her emotions in check, only the more ironic that despite all her knowledge, it didn't help her out in feeling more human. Hell, if anything, it likely made things worse, since being aware of your faults without being able to do anything about it was twice more agonizing.
You don't think she ever forgave herself for choking you, though. There were more than enough times you couldn't sleep in your teenage years, and when you got out of your room for a walk, there she was. Smoking in the balcony, staring silently at you with her signature frowning face. Thinking. Analyzing. Judging. Never bothering with small talk about her feelings to let you know if it was about you or not.
Your dad, on the other hand, knew he wasn't the favorite, yet he still tried to compensate it by being a lot warmer and outgoing with you. He tried to get you into his own passion by always driving you to see his fights. Given how easy it was to matchmake in the amateur scene, he promised to keep himself at a winning streak until you graduated high school at the very least, and with a perfect 20-0 win/loss rate, he was making his name known as a local celebrity. Much to the chagrin of his wife, he always invited his coach and gym partners to celebrate his wins over a drink, as well as trying to give you private lessons so you could better defend yourself, which meant stopping whatever you were doing to humor him a bit with a sandbag.
In retrospect, is it even fair to say you cared about boxing at all?
>Not really, you weren't much of a fighter.
>Sort of? If anything, you learned how to take a beating thanks to him.
>Absolutely! If it wasn't for counseling, you could easily be a PE teacher!
>>
>>
>>
>>6375293
>Not really, you weren't much of a fighter.
Dear old Dad seems nice, but we fabored Mom then and now, and took after her the most.
>being aware of your faults without being able to do anything about it was twice more agonizing
Ouch, right in the feels... Interesting premise for a quest, OP! I'll be following this closely.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6375386
>>6375399
Thanks! Guess I should write something for a heads up! Idk if twice a day is too much or too little for updates but that's the best I can do on the regular, if you got any questions I'll be sure to respond, I'll try not to have any rolls since the importance of therapy is on the talk and not the rolls, so write ins for dialogue options will be accepted when prompted!
>>6375316
>>6375348
>>6375396
Writing
>>
>>6375503
>Idk if twice a day is too much or too little for updates but that's the best I can do on the regular
An update every 24-ish hours is typical, but many quests do two or three a day when the QM has time. Your pace should be fine.
>>
File: Boys.png (1.7 MB)
1.7 MB PNG
>>6375316
>>6375348
>>6375396
Sucks to be a dad sometimes, as soon as your mom started giving you lectures, National Champion Daigo Kurono knew he was fighting a losing battle, but he sure put a good fight while he could!
His opponents rarely went the distance against him, and the decisions were overwhelmingly in his favor provided they did last all rounds. The crowd always went wild when he landed a clean hit or went for a knockout, and the few times you saw your mother smiling from ear to ear was when she could afford to go with you and watch his fight from the front row seats. He was generational talent, if Japan's ever seen one!
Only problem is, you didn't really inherit his passion for the ring, you just went along with it because you couldn't say no to him while he was so happy. Not that you didn't try to get into it, you liked running in the treadmill and jumping ropes just like any other kid so you at least had the genes for the athletics, but even with full gear on, Dad's little love taps felt like getting hit by a bulldozer while he only pretended to be hurt by your puny 1-2 punches. Judging by his fights, he just had an abnormally high pain tolerance, never did you see him even flinching if his opponent landed a hit on him, and while you weren't exactly in his ball park, sometimes he got a bit too serious for your liking.
Were it not for his good intentions and coaching, one would call it parental abuse when he knocked out your last baby tooth with a right hook during a spar. He was quick to apologize and check on you, but since that didn't bring you down, you smiled at him with your broken snaggle tooth, pretending to be tough as you coolly exclaimed:
"You took your gloves off and the ref didn't start the count! Disqualified! I win!"
You two laughed all the way home as he congratulated you, but one glare from your mother made the champ turn into an instant jobber, and after a stern talking to, your dad promised her not to take you to the gym for training.
Still, not only was it good PR for him to bring you around some events, the popularity that came with being Daigo's son made sure no one messed with you at school. You might have been small fry compared to actual trained adults, but all you needed to do was mimic his boxing stance, and all attempts at bullying ceased in your class thanks to your intimidation.
"It's fine, kid. I can tell your heart's not there. I can see the sparkle in your eyes when your mom hands you a new book, and they don't show up when you put the gloves on. Dad's not mad, if anything you found what you liked a lot earlier than me!" He said, admitting defeat as he tapped at your chest with his finger. If there's anything that's gonna carry you into a successful life, it's passion! More so than talent or hard work, if you love what you're going after, it's already yours!"
>>
File: 07_C080_textbook-overlay.jpg (111.3 KB)
111.3 KB JPG
>>6375536
"Passion?" You repeated quizzically, as if tasting how the word sounded from your lips.
"Yeah! Can you believe it? so many people out in the world live a full life being passionate about nothing, sports, science, money, girls? None! It's like they don't believe they have the free will to be whoever they want to be!"
"That's no good..." You shake your head.
"Right? This is why we raised you, young man! Me and your mother had nothing on our names when we were classmates, and look where we are now! All because we knew in our hearts, that if we could put a smile on someone's face and motivate the world to be better with what we did, then life was worth living! And if that's what you wanna do, who are we to stop you?"
Dad sure had charisma, no wonder the mic was always on him, he was a natural speech giver! You truly felt like the best mix of what they had to offer, and with so much trust in your potential, there was no way let them down... Until tragedy struck.
September 13, 2000. Your father had just won his first bout in the OPBF at the Tokyo Dome at the 4th round, his 21st victory would be his last, as a small meteorite struck the south pole, though only 10cm wide, it hit the earth at 95% the speed of light, before anyone could even realize what happened, 2 billion lives were lost from the seismic obliteration of the ice caps, and with the wars for resources that would soon break out, half the population would be wiped out in the span of a year.
You could never forget the best day of Daigo's life turning into his worse. A sudden flash in the sky, a gust of wind, the car being thrown into the air, his leg being crushed beyond repair as the vehicle hit the nearest pole, much like his dreams, the boxing world, and your home, thanks to the earthquakes that came to follow.
Despite your father being a wreck in body and spirit, your mother insisted on moving to Matsumoto City where your grandparents lived as soon as possible. Not a day later, Old Tokyo was suddenly destroyed by an atom bomb in a terrorist attack, annihilating its population of 500 million people, along with everyone from your past lives.
It was a bit too much for a kid entering high school to bear. Aside from your relatives, everything you knew about your past life was no more, and though both you and your parents would eventually bounce back from this, you developed a coping mechanism that you have yet to get rid of.
>You got too paranoid to let people in your life again, who knows when they might be gone too?
>Survivor's guilt got the best of you. If anything bad happened, you would never live it down.
>You got too obsessives, you lost too much already to not get what you wanted.
>You started drinking and smoking early. The numbness made things easier, and you could quit whenever you wanted anyway...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Second_impact.png (307 KB)
307 KB PNG
>>6375600
>>6375929
Growing up, you got used to waking up at night and smelling the smoke from your mother's ash tray, the wind always blew from the balcony to your room, so it was hard for the scent not to turn into a guilty pleasure eventually. After the Impact, she went from a pack every two weeks to almost a pack a day. If the smoking was keeping her afloat, maybe there was some secret elixir on that pink vanilla that was worth checking out.
Just like she did, you took mom's lighter from her purse and tried your first smoke. As most first smokes go, you inhaled too much and started coughing, which alerted your mom and your not so sneaky idea to do this in the house while she was there.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked, her icy stare from across the room made you freeze as you expected at least, a few unkind words. Instead, she approached you, examined the ashtray, and took your cigarette to her mouth to show you how it's done.
"Don't suck in more air than you usually do, or else it's gonna be tough to blow it out. Holding it in doesn't do anything. Also, don't smoke the pink ones, or people might give you looks. If you don't like the taste, you can try the cacao flavored ones. They're black so it's a bit more presentable for men like you."
Whoa, no sermon, no grimacing, no slaps, no choking? Instead of reprimanding you, she just decided to puff it and pass it to you? Maybe she decided that there were too many bad things happening at once to start an argument over you having an edgy phase.
"Guess this is what I deserve for setting up a bad example at home. Your dad's hospital bill is sky high, and here I am buying more cigs instead of saving money for his prosthetic leg... Just promise me you won't get addicted like I did."
"I won't!" You nodded. Technically, it only became a habit for you once you tried the Black Devil Cacao Flavored cigs she recommended, so you kept the promise to this day, even if you're the only gut that doesn't put the cigarette out at school.
To conclude your research... Cigs didn't really do much for you. They just gave you a new itch that felt like a problem being solved once you smoked thanks to your dopamine receptors, until you had to scratch the itch again, growing more anxious the longer you took to come back, judging by how your mom smoked, it was easy to see she was in the same boat.
"Be kind to your father for me, Date-kun." She said, staring at the ceiling. "Boxing was everything for him. Now his only accomplishments will only be lived vicariously through us. And without his leg... I'll have to put in twice the work."
"How? Can you work from here?"
"Haven't you seen the news?" She forced her frown upside: "A new Tokyo will be built right here in Nagano, and wouldn't you know it, your mother got in contact with a few people here and landed herself a new job! I might have to travel a bit for it, but the pay will be better--"
>>
>>6375959
"I haven't seen the news." You interrupt her, catching her off guard.
"Huh?"
"Grandma has no TV here. Plus, we we've been going in and out of hospitals for the past week for him. We didn't have the time to sit by and watch TV."
And with that, you had successfully broken the script she made to explain her new job for you. You weren't suspecting any malice from Ayane, but it was awfully convenient for her to suggest the move to Matsumoto City a day before the nuke dropped in Tokyo. It was in her nature to stay calm under stress, but the timing to suggest that despite being able to treat him in Tokyo while the second impact just happened felt like superhuman intuition. Her stress wasn't coming from unexpectedly having to grieve the city she lived in, but from the upcoming job she would have to do while still keeping quiet. Someone gave her a heads up, you just couldn't prove it, and that thought was flaring in your head for the whole day.
Mom was far from stupid, she realized she made a slip and taught you enough about body language and reading between the lines with people to catch them in their contradictions. Almost as if in a Mexican standoff, she took her lighter and slowly placed it in her lab coat pocket, poking her finger through the fabric, as if knowing there would be consequences for any additional questions you made.
One of the first things you learned about talking therapy was that sometimes, finding out what the patient is hiding should not take priority before treating their traumas. After all, what's the point of knowing they have suicidal tendencies if it comes at the cost of forcing them to be actively suicidal to reveal that to you? Giving them stress is part of the process, but the intent is to make them think about their situations with the right mindset, and that comes with the right approach.
Is your mother really going to be your first test subject for that? She's never once told you about her job, not even to your father, but knowing her, she already knows all the methods you would use to coax her into talking, and there was always the of chance she would just shut you down or walk away, like she usually did when when felt like she said all she had to say. An advantage in power, influence around the house, knowledge in the field, and overall life experience...
Maybe you were more afraid of your mother than you would like to admit...
>Squeeze some information from her. (Write-in)
>Let it be, there's already too much stress around the house as is.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: Room.png (2.9 MB)
2.9 MB PNG
>>6375979
"Are they good guys? The ones you're working for?"
Simple, no pressure at all. If she says more than she should, it's on her.
"Hm..." She adverted her eyes from you, not in deep thought about whether they were good or not, the way her brow furrowed showed clear signs of hatred to at least a few of her superiors. She was more so questioning how to explain it to you without giving too much away.
"I know what I'm doing is right." Her voice cracked when she spoke up, showing a little bit of uncertainty in her own affirmation. "But I'm not so sure about what the others will do with what I gave to them, so that's why I'm there. It has to be me, someone else would give too much leeway to the boss."
So your mom's fighting corruption from within? She appears to be a respected member of her project, at the very least, but it seems she's not even sure of how much control she has in this project now that it's gotten the spotlight.
"No point in hiding things from you, huh?" She said, despite you not digging for more info "Guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, studying made you good at being nosy and subtle at the same time. Tell you what, things will get really crazy in the coming years, and when the time is right, I'll point you in the direction of the truth. Sound good enough for you?"
"Absolutely!" You smile to her, given how rarely trusted she seemed to be in her work, your confidence in her gave your mother a more natural smile compared to the fake grin she gave you earlier.
"Good. Keep studying until then, I won't let you down if you don't." She said, pulling her lighter out and pushing the button like it was a trigger.
"Bang."
Maybe she was trying to lighten the mood by being silly? The way she said it in such a flat, monotone voice felt like an awkward non sequitur more than anything else. Instantly realizing the joke did not land, she slowly put her lighter back where it was and sidestepped into the hallway, letting you finish her smoke.
It shouldn't take a psychiatrist to tell you being on the spectrum like that was probably one of the reasons her social life was nothing noteworthy.
Nonetheless, things really started looking up for the three of you. Making friends in a new high school was tough, but you managed to graduate without much worry. And though you barely saw your mother aside from the weekends, that gave you more time to support your father as he reinvented himself, working on a food stand as soon as he got his new leg. Not only was it your first job, it was also a chance to keep an eye on his drinking when he started missing his old life, which in turn, only made you start drinking along with him.
Just when you thought you could get over what happened in Old Tokyo, September 13th got the best of you again in 2004. You would forever curse that day to the point of painting it black on every calendar you had like it never existed.
>>
>>6376253
You came back from college, just like any other day. You didn't think anything was wrong since your home was usually silent until you showed up. Only this time, the silence was deafening even with every family member present.
Your mother was laying on top of your dad, eyes wide open, one hand clutching a knife, the other one holding her slit throat. Your father had multiple stab wounds, his blood being mixed in with hers in a gorey fashion. Husband and wife, together in death.
You didn't have the strength to scream, or even to call for help. The shock was so strong that you instantly went in denial? Mom and dad killed right at your doorstep in a murder-suicide? Unreal. So unreal in fact, that you walked right over them to get the drinks you had on the fridge, maybe if you drank enough, this feeling that you were going mad by that scene would go away.
You took one swig of whatever dad had in his stash and stared at the scene again. Nope, still real.
Another swing, nothing changed. In fact, now you were feeling worse.
By the time you had emptied the bottle, you were screaming and breaking furniture around the house until everything became a blur. What happened to living with passion? To pointing you to the truth once the time was right? Were they lying the entire time?
All you know is that once you came to, you were in a padded room, institutionalized in a psychiatric ward for your own well being, the three weeks after that were just several people making sure you would not attempt what you had done a second time, though you would relapse every now and again anyway.
That's the best way to describe adult life, really. A blur. You graduated and work your job like every other man with a developed frontal lobe your age. Dealing with kids and their problems feels like light worked compared to sorting yourself out. The next generation give you a a glimmer of hope that people can work through their issues, but the more you stay away from your job, the more you think about why you can't get over yours.
Try as you might, it's impossible to get rid of that still image burned into your retinas, especially after the investigations concluded that Ayane killed Daigo over... an argument about cheating? Did that really make any sense to you?
>Maybe it was true, there was a lot about your mother you didn't know.
>Her? Cheating? Never! She loved your father, it's not in her heart to do something like that!
>It was a cover up story. Her company found out she was doing something they didn't like and wanted to silence them both.
>>
>>6376269
>You love your mom, but she was unstable. Maybe it was more complicated. Maybe the stress of the last few years, and drinking, and an episode all compounded to cause what happened. You've dedicated your life to trying to prevent such occurences by helping people.
>>
>>6376269
>Maybe it was true, there was a lot about your mother you didn't know.
But only maybe.
It could have been anything. It could be a cover up, mind control, coercion, any of that conspiracy shit, yes. However, her work life was so private, she could've been cheating. Just because of the stress, or to manipulate a colleague for influence in the workplace, because of how important it was to maintain 'the right path'. It would be easy then for her to react badly to dad being understandably upset, given that she's doing it for a cause, or just because she's the breadwinner and all that.
Or, maybe, just maybe, this is her sick way of "pointing us in the direction of truth". Maybe it was the only way she felt she had. But only maybe.
>>
>>6376281
She did historically react badly to people digging into her work. She almost choked us out as a small child. maybe Dad discovered Mom knew about Tokyo before it happened, and confronted her, and that's what caused her to snap?
>>
>>
>>
File: aea14417817eb5d3b6762933084014f607383275.jpg (1 MB)
1 MB JPG
>>6376273
>>6376281
>>6376358
It's hard to really gauge what happened then. It could have been anything, really... The stress from the job and keeping everything private might have had more implications that you previously thought.
Therefore, having mixed feelings about your mother was something you did not take pride in. Sure, she became a murderer later in life, and it was hard to deny she's always had a few violent tendencies... But perhaps it was exactly how avoidant she was that made you crave for her validation. Every smile given in her lectures, every nonchalant thumbs up when you aced a test... None of it was fake, she did feel proud of the man you were turning into... She also went ahead and did what she did with no real explanation.
There is no such thing as a monster. All humans, from the ones you love to the person you hate the most, are all capable of feeling the same emotions you do. As much as one might disagree with their actions, every decision someone takes is done for a reason... You just could never figure out what hers was.
But you knew what to do after that happened, prevent children to ever feel like they were alone in the world. It was the only thing that kept you moving. Screw your social life, adults are just grown up children, so you might as well support them earlier than deal with their issues when it's harder for them to move on.
Eventually, you graduated, and despite having a tough time finding a school, finding a school specialized in taking care of children with problematic backgrounds felt like the job for you, despite being in another city. Thanks to the economy, Hakone became the new capital: Tokyo-3 a military-heavy city so advanced it went underground in case of earthquakes or any other surprise interventions from other countries.
"Kurono-San." The teacher from Classroom 2-A broke your sulking session, bringing a girl in bandages and wearing medical adhesives in her eye.
"Yes?" You went back to autopilot mode. Despite all the thoughts running in your head, once you started socializing, you became very straight and to the point, part of the job, maybe.
"Rei here finally decided to show up despite being in medical leave." He said, pointing to her both arms being in casts. "She was having trouble picking up a pencil, so I thought it would be ok if you helped her out in your office."
Makes sense, if she were to say the answers out loud in class, it would disrupt the other students at best, and make them all copy her at worse.
"Sure thing. Come with me, Rei." You gave her a warm smile, despite her lack of reaction to it, she followed along as you took the exam papers from the teacher, as well as grabbing a pen from your the table you were sitting.
>>
File: a5cd209e825a7bc8f438b73c2673fdc6acfbb1df.jpg (221.8 KB)
221.8 KB JPG
>>6376578
Rei Ayanami was a weird child. Every teacher had to report something to you so you could keep a record on their history, job aspirations, and maybe if they were prone to trouble. But despite her blue hair and red eyes giving her a striking appearance, she made an effort to be invisible. None of the other kids appeared to be close with her, you had never once heard from her parents, she always walked home by herself, and be it in or out of class, you were lucky to hear her say a single word.
More worryingly, ever since the start of the year, Rei was showing up to class in increasingly worse conditions. First it was a few light bruises, then some added lacerations, she often stopped showing up school to recover, and that's the last you've heard from her for a good week, but since not showing up in finals week meant she would potentially lose the year, her hands were tied and she showed up with an eyepatch and all for the sake of her grades.
"Here you go, Rei. Just say the answers you think is right and I'll write it down for you. I can read them out loud for you if it's too straining." You handed the paper back to the mysterious girl, to which it didn't take long for her to show her smarts:
"A."
"C."
"False."
"Marcus Aurelius."
"9600 Milliliters."
You had to give it to her, she was far from average in her rationale. Fast, too. It was like seeing a calculator working. Her voice was as emotionless as her face, soft and cold at the same time... Such attitude only made you more curious as to what was happening to her outside of classes for Rei to have her potential capped like this.
Good for you, she was already on your office. Kids always feel one way or another when they are sent to you, so it's good to feel like you're naturally interacting with a student sometimes.
"Could you wait here for a bit? I know you're finished, but the other students haven't exited the class yet." You checked your watch, knowing the other kids wouldn't leave for another 30 minutes.
"Hm-Hhm." She said, still staring through the desk, as if the exam papers were still there.
30 minutes, that was all the time you had with Rei. Perhaps breaking the ice with her would be beneficial.
Remember, Date. Don't be too pushy, make the kid feel comfortable enough to speak on her own. Be friendly. Be sensitive.
>Do you need any help with your bandages?
>Must have been difficult to study for this week.
>How was the test for you, feeling confident?
>Write-in.
>>
>>6376580
>Must have been difficult to study for this week.
A child in abusive cirucmstances may be averse to being touched, especially by an adult. She obviously has no academic difficulties. Thus, I vote for this: an indirect way to ask about her state and her home.
>>
>>
>>
File: ae39d7716319386db6432b10b423642c7b40fe20.jpg (129.7 KB)
129.7 KB JPG
>>6376620
>>6376626
>>6376758
"So how was the test for you?"
"Good."
Instant response, no physical reaction. Pause. No noticeable movement, barely even blinking as she kept her posture as straight as an arrow.
"Must have been difficult to study for this week, feeling any confidence on what you answered?"
"I'll manage it."
Her tone of voice is still very plain, neither evasive nor defensive. It's a matter of fact for her, exams like these are light work for her, especially compared to what she could be dealing with at home.
"Good, with answers like these, you shouldn't be too afraid of your upcoming scores next week." You eavesdrop at her exam paper, she's at least getting a passable grade, despite using no arms. Impressive, to say the least.
Silence. You'd expect her to say something after reassuring Rei that she'd be fine, but still, nothing. Even her breathing is barely audible in the room.
You've dealt with students who retracted into themselves before, yet this doesn't feel like retraction. It's more like she's passively absent. Not out of malice, but due to not knowing how to do more socially than what she's already doing. It's like talking to a soldier, everything for Rei is only on a "need to know" basis. Very few people out of school must talk to her other than what's absolutely necessary. These lack of social skills don't come from disinterest or from repulsion, but ignorance.
You gave her some time to say something, around 10 minutes, just to be sure, yet Rei did not budge. Not once did she turn around out of curiosity if you walked away to get some water, always staring at the window with her good eye.
After the bell rang, Rei carefully stood up, waiting for you to leave with her to hand the exam to her teacher so she could go home.
"See you tomorrow, Rei!" You said, not thinking too hard about it, yet that unconsciously activated a slight reaction for her, making her turn around just before she could disappear into the hallway.
"Will you answer the questions for me again?" Despite the way she worded it, it felt like this was Rei's way of asking her counselor 'Is that an order?'
Why not test her free will, see if she's capable of choosing what's best for her on her own?
"If you feel you can pick the pencil up, you're free to do it on your own, but I'm always here to help if you think it's too much. Plus, your teacher might just pick you up if he notices you struggling."
"Understood." She nodded and left, not in a rush like her classmates, happy to be free for the day, but not slowly limping, like someone in her condition would be expected to do.
On the following day, You were startled to see Rei in your office before you even showed up, trying to pick up the pencil with her less damaged arm, practicing handwriting with her non dominant hand.
She wasn't one to whimper, yet the slight discomfort in her face proved that she felt pain just like any other girl.
>Help her out.
>Let her be.
>Write-in.
>>
>>
>>
>>6376807
>>6376889
>>6376905
"Do you need any help?" You asked, smiling warmly as you waited for her response.
"I can do this." She replied. Again, not stating this out of confidence, but as a fact. The test was the least of her worries today, most likely.
Going into Class 2-A to inform the teacher about Rei and getting her papers, you come back so the blue haired girl could begin her brainstorming. Not once did she ask for help, despite the pencil and eraser dropping out of her hand several times. The best you could do was pick them up whenever they fell out of her desk, yet she remained as silent as always.
Sometimes letting a child do as they please doesn't do much in getting them to feel more comfortable with you, especially if it's in their nature to shun others out. That's fine, at least you have a pretty good idea on how she treats most people. You're more interested in knowing if there is an exception to the rule.
"...I'm finished." She looked up after she was done with the exam, as if asking if she could go to the bathroom. She took about an hour longer to finish thanks to wanting to do everything by herself, yet it was more than enough time to complete it.
"Leave it to me, I'll hand it to the teacher." You promise to do the same as yesterday. "Only one more day and you'll be free to do something else."
"...Free?" She repeated with confusion, her pupils dilating as if questioning if there was anything else to do in her free time.
Hmm... No hobbies, no friends, no emotion, no apparent family connection. She really has very little going on, so it must be difficult to look forward to any sort of leisure time.
"Nevermind." You say, not wanting her to think too hard on her issues at home. "See you tomorrow?"
"...See you tomorrow..." She said, feeling more invited now that it became a bit of a habit. The careful way you worded still felt like giving her an option to refuse, yet for someone who isn't used to making active choices, perhaps anything an adult in power says to her might seem like an obligatory change in priorities.
On the third day, things went as usual, she winced a lot less, either due to her getting better or from upping the dose on some painkillers. This time, she waited for the bell to ring and delivered her exam papers personally, as well as saying something you didn't expect at all:
"Commander Ikari wants to speak with you. In person." Rei uttered, as if you were meant to know who the hell that was. Her guardian, maybe? They didn't share last names and she didn't call her 'Father' so it doesn't seem like they are very attached.
>Who is he, your relative?
>Do you know why he wants to meet me?
>Commander? Is your family in the army?
>How can I get in contact with Ikari-San?
>Write-in.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6377024
>>6377040
>>6377081
>>6377168
"Commander Ikari, you say?" You try to recall if that name was ever in the records during parent and teacher meetings, yet you don't think an Ikari Ayanami showed up in the 2 years she was here. "Can't say I know him, is he a relative of yours?"
Rei looked confused, not knowing how to address the relationship between her and the commander.
"Commander Ikari... He's..."
Give her time, this week is probably the most she's ever spoken in her entire life.
"He tells me what to do... And he cares for me..."
Weird way to describe a guardian, orders come before affection, noted.
"Any idea why he wants to meet with me?"
"No." Her reply was more firm this time, easier for her to respond to yes or no questions.
"Are you sure, nothing whatsoever?" You pressed her anyway.
"...You might be useful." Rei said, in deep thought.
Odd choice of words again, what is he, a cult leader?
"Follow me after class is done."
Weird, this is what you usually say to students or their parents, not the other way around. What exactly did you to do to draw attention from Ikari-San? Did she say something to him about you? It's not like you did anything...
"Sure, but first, you gotta finish your test!" You say, handing her the usual sheet and pencil.
"Roger."
...
After the bell rang, you excused yourself to school principal, and with his permission, you followed Rei. Not to her home, but to a suspicious black car, to which the blue haired student nonchalantly opened the door to the man in black waiting to start the engine.
"Come inside." She said without batting an eye at your direction. "You are safe."
Perhaps she was trying to be reassuring, but the deadpan way she communicates isn't doing any favors.
"Where are we going again?"
"The Geofront. NERV's headquarters"
"NERV's Headquarters?!" You nearly jump away from the car, wondering when did you get important enough to have a meeting with anyone there.
"Do you... Not know what NERV is?" Rei tilts her head, finally showing obvious confusion.
"Of course I do!"
NERV. A branch of the United Nations, their military and technological investments turned Tokyo-3 into what it is today. The offroads are always filled with thanks and battleships roam the coast in hopes of keeping Japan safe, but given how the peace treaty was never once broken between all remaining countries, you've always wondered why they invested so much in troops and nukes if Japan was competing in an arms race against itself.
Urgh... No time to fuel your paranoias, Date... You're a civie, not a recruit! Rei is the child of NERV's CEO, she said something about you and wants to have a word with ya, whatever else is in the company's trenches doesn't really concern you, does it? For all you know, he could be waiting with some 'thank you' gifts for realizing Rei was coming home looking like a battered housewife and he didn't do a thing about it.
>>
File: NERV_Logo.png (162.6 KB)
162.6 KB PNG
>>6377228
"Hey!" Rei's chauffeur shouted, snapping you out of your thoughts as he impatiently look at you from over his sunglasses, rolling down his windows. "Are you coming or not? We don't have all day here!"
Terrible words of encouragements... From his tone, it's sounding more like Gendo wants to drive you into a nice sunset and get a bullet behind your back like those old crime moves you watched with your dad growing up...
Do you feel safe going into Japan's top military base just for the sake of a pep talk with a student?
>Oh, the things you won't do for a child's future... (Get in the car)
>Actually, you don't really feel safe going there... (Excuse yourself)
>Talk to Rei (Write-in)
>Talk to the chauffeur (Write-in)
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: 1246dc03513153115c979146c59e9aaa182f82c5.jpg (3.7 MB)
3.7 MB JPG
>>6377265
>>6377269
>>6377273
Well, you can't really postpone a meeting with one of the world's most important men in current history and not look like you're in the wrong, right?
Sitting besides Rei, the ride is silent and leaves you anxious. Though the driver isn't hitting the gas, the engine was the only audible sound throughout the drive, though you paid no mind, this isn't about the cars, it's about Rei and her... guardian.
Upon arriving at NERV's HQ, Rei exits the car and silently follows the man in sunglasses, prompting you to do the same. The Geofront really looks like an underground metropolis. It already looks big from afar, but upon entering it through the front gate thanks to Rei's ID Card, you realize NERV's building has an elevator that goes down for over 20 floors... Were it not for your two companions, getting lost would be as easy as taking two steps away from the front door.
With a beeline towards a gondola that shows you a few holes where the buildings from the surface go when in case of emergencies, you take an elevator from there in a pyramid-like building.
"We're here." Rei's face lifts up, signaling her bodyguard to leave them at that floor. No wonder she doesn't talk to anyone, Commander Ikari must be very busy to even leave his office.
After knocking at the door, it automatically slides open, where the man himself was sitting down on his desk, with no other furniture to speak of. The closest thing to decoration this place had were the painted floor tiles, and the clear windows from all sides.
He's the only one with the right to sit down in this room, great...
"Commander Ikari..." Rei surprisingly blushes, smiling to see him as the commander quickly grins at her, before returning to his stern, intimidating expression.
"Date Kurono in the flesh... It's been a long time coming." His voice is stern and throaty, you can tell where Rei got her inflections from, although he seems to use it more to his advantage, sounding more mysterious and intimidating on purpose.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir." You salute him, despite noting how weird it is for him to treat a school counselor like a long lost acquaintance, maybe he watched your father's matches, you're pretty much a scrawnier version of him since you grew up so you get that a lot.
"It's a very small world indeed, to think Ayane would find her way back to this project through her only son... I assume you must be as much of a moralist as she was."
Ayane... This is the first time you've ever heard from a coworker from your mother! And here you thought he invited you to argue about Rei...
Judging from his demeanor, the commander appears to be a very no-nonsense type of person. Smalltalk or badgering won't get you anywhere, so whatever questions you ask him, he's already considered whether or not you should know what information before you finish a sentence. That's just how chief executives tend to be.
>>
>>6377369
>I assume this is about Rei Ayanami's performance in school?
>My mother had previously worked with you? I was not aware of that, sir. What was she like?
>I'm afraid I don't have the same qualifications as my mother to help you in any projects, Commander. She was a neuroscientist, I was barely in a lab in college.
>Write-in.
>>
>>6377370
>My mother had previously worked with you? I was not aware of that, sir. What was she like?
GO with the flow. He'll steer us to the convo he wants to have, and he will not have a conversation he does NOT want to have. That's the kind of man this is.
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: 54b2641d414a2bc7f853aee3b610ddc335182f6a.jpg (1.2 MB)
1.2 MB JPG
>>6377395
>>6377497
>>6377626
>>6377666
No need to for countertransference here, you can be honest about your feelings when it comes to something that concerns you and Ayane, it's fine to act like a human being with real emotions for once, so you give it a try...
"I'm sorry sir, I was not aware that my mother had worked with you... Could you tell me more about her? How was she like and such?"
"...You knew that little about her?" Ikari seems taken aback by your statement, a hint of sincerity escapes his stoic exterior as he turns his head sideways and adjusts his gloves.
"Ayane was a genius, stubborn to a sickly degree, too. She made sure to supervise and command every nook and cranny around her research, yet it was exactly her perfectionism that always lead us forward. To come up with the theory of A.T Fields by herself and see it being confirmed in her lifetime is an achievement very few scientists could dream of see it happening. She was good friends with my wife Yui... It's a shame what happened to them."
Wife, past tense. So he's a widower... You weren't expecting to have something in common with someone so important a generation away from you, yet these statements seem to come from the heart.
"A.T Fields...?" You could never forget those words, seeing the A.T Field files being destroyed is what nearly made her kill you before your father... Whatever it was, it probably gave him the position he has nowadays...
"So my mother worked at NERV in the past?"
"Not NERV, but an affiliate R&D team from the U.N. We've became acquainted at the Artificial Evolution Laboratory."
Which begs the question...
"So what is the A.T Field? She never told any of us about it."
"I assumed she didn't." He sternly replied, letting the silence sink in as his voice echoed through the room as he decided whether or not you had a right to know that information.
"...Simply put, the Absolute Terror Field is something all intelligent life forms have. A natural psychological barrier that lets us know who we are metaphysically in our world. A force fueled by our ego that gives us our identity, as well as the force that drives our impulses to attract and repel others with similar capabilities."
"And my mother found that out on her own?" That's the first time you're hearing of such discovery, no wonder she looked so tired all the time...
"Not only that, she also theorized that one could also control his own A.T Field should it be properly augmented with the right equipment. She did not want to conduct any experiments with live humans, since even if that proved her point, invading one's ego and brain for the sake of having 'minor PSI abilities' was inhumane for her. That is where Yui and I stepped in to fund the Evangelion Project."
"Evangelion?"
>>
File: 7e9b973f4c99491f51b4c1e869a0331bc7a6c0a7.jpg (129.5 KB)
129.5 KB JPG
>>6377675
"In a few months from now, an extra terrestrial life form is expected to invade Tokyo-3 and attempt to destroy the earth, with more to follow suit in the near future. Creatures that are immune to conventional weapons due to having a mastery of their A.T Field, called Angels." He pauses to gauge your reaction.
"What?!" You wanted to call him out on his lies, but it would explain all the military presence around Tokyo and what they were preparing for, as well as the high tech involved in protecting civilians from a few strong earthquakes throughout the year. "How strong are we talking about?"
"Are you old enough to remember the 2nd Impact?" He asked, not a slight change in his tone. Is he implying that the comet strong enough to disrupt the planet's orbit so Japan is forever stuck in an everlasting summer also their doing?
"Why does nobody else know this?" You placed your hand on Ikari's desk as you hunched over from the panic, you were too sober to hear all of this without having a heart attack.
"Civilians are being notified of this around the earth as we speak. People like me have known about it for years, yet it could only become public information after we developed our own weapons to reassure them that humanity stands a chance against them."
"The Eva Units..." Rei whispered from the doorway, being so silent that you forgot she was still in the room.
"A humanoid, multi purpose battle weapon manually controlled by us. Word got out to the Human Rights Committee that they were not powered by an electric cable, so we are legally obligated to provide psychological aid to the Evangelion pilots for the project to remain funded. Since your mother was related to our old branch, your above average performance in your field, and the fact that you have already established contact with the first pilot, we at NERV thought to formally give you this opportunity to aid humanity by tending to our pilots and their well being."
Despite the weight of the world suddenly being dropped on your shoulders, this is a one in a lifetime chance... Who knows how much money they would pay you for this job, but all of these revelations are just too sudden for you to wrap your head around!
"Commander, I am glad you would consider me for this position thanks to my mother, but I think you've made a mistake here, I only deal with children, I would not know how to treat an adult soldier with PTSD from fighting aliens--"
Hold it. He said you already know the first pilot?
Gendo is quiet, waiting for you to realize who it is. Rei, likewise, stares back at you, their line of sight converging as if you were not there between them.
REI is the pilot?!
>You're putting a 14 year old out there to deal with the fate of the world? Are you insane!?
>Can't ANYONE else pilot these Evas?
>I don't believe you, you better have proof for this!
>What am I even supposed to do help you?
>I expect to be heavily compensated for this!
>Write-in.
>>
>>6377683
>Can't ANYONE else pilot these Evas?
>What am I even supposed to do help you?
Our moral outrage will be unproductive. He considered Mom a "moralist" after all, and yet here we are.In fact, maybe this is our chance to learn what happened to make her lose her mind and kill Dad...
>>
>>6377683
>Can't ANYONE else pilot these Evas?
This is self evidently unethical, but if there's no other way with the stakes involved, then that's all there is to it. But we have to know that first. We'll have to put aside the offence we may cause Rei by questioning her abilities.
>>
>>
File: gendo-ikari.png (739.1 KB)
739.1 KB PNG
>>6377686
>>6377689
>>6377779
Easy there, Date. As absurd as this sounds, snapping at the most important man in Tokyo-3 would have dire consequences. Breathe in, breathe out... Rub your temples together, if you have to.
"Isn't there... Anyone else who can fight these creatures aside from children?" Is the only sentence you can spit out without accumulating some venom in your system.
"Negative. Only children can pilot the Evas."
"Why?"
"That is classified information."
There it is. You were wondering how long it would take for him to start playing that card on you.
"Fine... What do you want me to do with Rei, then?"
"To better control the Eva and the A.T Field, a pilot needs to be synchronized with its system. This comes with a clear mind, and with preference, no emotional baggage. Rei hasn't been able to synch with her Eva for the better part of 6 months. We were hoping that some private counseling would do her well."
Again with 'Rei'. If she is his daughter, he really doesn't treat her as such...
"Come here once a week. We'll provide you a room and her phone number. Planning for meetings ahead or for more throughout the week is something you two should be able figure out for yourselves."
For as much crazy bullshit Ikari just spew, his request is actually pretty fair. It'll be like working as a private therapist, but only for a single client. Rei's situation might be something no teenager should be dealing with, but again, if she's your student, you have the responsibility to make her life easier...
"Is she the only pilot I'll be treating?"
"There will be more. Keep an eye out for the transfer students in class 2-A. I would advise you to keep your day job."
So you'll be working full time for him, aside from everything you deal with in school, there are 3 kids to always be watching in campus...
"How much do you earn for your current job as a counselor?" He asked for your salary, threateningly so.
"Monthly? 300.000 Yen, sir." Not a bad income at all, especially for someone who lives alone, yet the living cost of Tokyo-3 only gets higher every year, and since you weren't the best at budgeting thanks to your vices, you were always scraping by when it came down to it.
"NERV is more than capable of tripling your income should you accept this contract for the rest of the year."
Ikari Grins as he spreads a sheet on his desk. A masterful spike in pressure. He just made you feel like your money is worth pennies compared to what NERV has. What he's offering for one session a week is something not even the scummiest of therapist would dare suggest to scam ignorant millionaires for a starting price.
Which is exactly why you should doubt his generosity. Money like this is lifechanging for anyone, and people who are paid above their grade are usually expected to do some dirty work, in your case, that would likely mean avoiding standard protocol and having your lips extra sealed...
>>
>>6377810
"And what if I refuse?"
"You are free to do so. Someone else can take your job."
He didn't budge in the slightest from you testing him. And given how much you trust yourself a lot more than you trust other adults, your mother's words echo in your head as you consider your options.
"It has to be me, someone else would give too much leeway."
>Sign the contract.
>Check the fine print. There might be some funny business involved with taking this job.
>Ask further questions to Commander Ikari.
>Check what Rei thinks about this.
>See if you can bargain for something that could help you out while working.
>Write-in.
>>
>>
>>6377811
>Check the fine print. There might be some funny business involved with taking this job.
And between reading
>Ask further questions to Commander Ikari.
>Check what Rei thinks about this.
Ask a bit more about the synchronizing and see what either of them think the issue might be.
>>
>>
>>6377853
>>6377870
>>6378014
Squinting your eyes, you take the paper from Gendo's desk and observe the fine print in the contract, just to make sure you actually agree with everything the commander wants you to do:
'The contractor shall provide exclusive psychological assistance to the Pilots assigned to the Evangelion Project. In exchange for that, the pilot will also have relative access to classified information regarding The Eva Units, The Pilots, and the reports of their status post combat,
General reports about the pilots and their mental conditions must be updated on a weekly basis and may be requested at any time. Traditional medical confidentiality may be suspended when strategic interests so require. Additional remuneration will be given to the contractor thanks to the operational risk, lifetime confidentiality and unrestricted availability that comes with the job.
All information obtained during their services is property of NERV.
The obligation of confidentiality has no time limit, exceptions, and is not dependent on the duration of the contract. Any breach shall entail appropriate legal and administrative consequences. Additionally, NERV is not responsible for potential exposure to traumatic events, hazardous situations stemming from the combat with the angels, or classified information that could lead to psychological damage.
In case of resignation, dismissal or death from the contractor, their families will still receive the benefits from their life insurance.'
They're giving you life insurance, as well as saying you're completely expendable and may get a bullet in the head for speaking too loud? Weird...
"Who is going to inform me about synchronization rates?"
"Don't expect me to meet you often. Any questions regarding the technical aspects of the Evas and the pilots' health conditions should be delegated to Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, their personal doctor should fill you in on what you lack."
Translation: He won't bother telling you, but you're free to explore and nag other people about it. Maybe.
You turn over to Rei before signing the contract, wondering if she has a say in this.
"Rei... Do you trust me for the job?"
"...Commander Ikari seems to trust you... If he thinks you can help me better fight the Evas... Then I will cooperate with what you order me."
Very decisive for her, but she still needs to have a mind of her own. Her response felt more like a byproduct of Gendo accepting you as her counselor than her having any strong opinions of you.
Ikari won't let you know anymore unless you sign the contract and get permission to talk to the doctor, and further questioning Rei will likely tell him to save it for when you're in a room with her. He is smarter at manipulating people than you judged him for.
>When do I start?
>Don't worry, Rei. I won't let you down.
>Can I meet this Ritsuko Akagi after I sign the contract?
>I'm sorry. I don't think I'm the right man for the job.
>Write-in.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>6378070
>Write-in.
Additional question: since this is a top secret facility, how broad is confindentiality clause? Obviously we cannot tell anybody anything about Rei, EVAs, Gendo or specifics of our future job. But is it forbidden to even mention this job to laypeople at all? If so, will we be provided with cover story?
Then
>Can I meet this Ritsuko Akagi after I sign the contract?
>>
>>
>>6378073
>>6378074
>>6378203
"Just one more question, sir." You ask, already earning furrowed brow to your boss-to-be. "How broad is the confidentiality clause? Can't I say anything about it to other civilians? People at my work will ask me something when they see me busier than usual."
"You can say you work at NERV to your school." He replies as if you asked if water was wet. "You will have access to a level 1 ID card and your own nametag, so you can even prove you're an employee. Just don't say anything that could compromise the privacy of our project, or the pilots. Whatever you find out about them from your sessions stays in that room."
Standard patient-therapist confidentiality then. It just has a few extra steps and a larger sum of money to it.
"Can I meet this Ritsuko Akagi person after I sign this contract?" You take the pen in his desk as you wait for him to respond.
"Tomorrow. We'll need time to arrange your office."
"I assume that's when I'll be starting?"
"Correct, be here at noon."
You haven't even signed your name on it and he's already giving you orders... Guess being tangentially related to his wife will not do you any favors here.
You finally write "Date Kurono" in the dotted line, as well as your address and bank account information.
"Welcome to NERV. You will be paid in advance. Dismissed."
What a warm welcome...
"Am I... Leaving as well?" Rei asks, wondering if she was included in his dismissal.
"You still have work to do at the lab. Plus, Dr Akagi needs to update your health reports for Kurono's sake."
"Understood."
Well... Good news, Rei isn't being beaten at home, nor is she self harming, and you were compensated greatly by finding that out. The bad news is... she's actually in mortal danger and so is everyone else on the planet. You're still having a hard time wrapping that concept around your head, but given Rei's lack of shock from the revelations, Ikari didn't appear to be lying.
"Commander Ikari... Found out about you from me." Rei spoke up in the elevator with a sliver of courage. "He is not used to hearing me talk about other people from school. As soon as he heard your name, he told me to lead you here."
She seems to be making a bit of an effort to speak up now, cute.
"Goodbye, Rei!" You wave at her as the elevator door closes.
"...Goodbye."
Upon exiting NERV HQ, you check your bank account, and the numbers really do not lie... You are 500.000 Yen richer... and you'll be getting that much money up to the end of the year... No more credit card payments, no more debt, no more walking home on foot, no more late night struggle meals, you have money now!!!
You can barely contain your joy as you wonder what you should do with your first double income paycheck.
>Beer!
>Beer AND cigs!
>Books, you need to sharpen up on your studies for Rei.
>A brand new kitty-cat!
>Save it for a car.
>Nothing, for now at least...
>Something else.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
File: 9c0b1f9f07fd0f440551eb358ee5c12d398fda43.png (2.1 MB)
2.1 MB PNG
>>6378322
>>6378411
>>6378419
>>6378466
>>6378477
First things first, Date! Not only Rei needs your help, but all that's left of humanity by extension! Plus, you're not even a trained therapist per se... Sure, you've had to counsel some kids off school sometimes as well as some adults in college for internships, but this is a little bit above your skill level... Then again, you don't think Rei is qualified for her position either, and you don't see her complaining... Again-again, that's likely her biggest issue, not complaining enough. Now there's something you could look into.
Hopping into the local library, you take a look at the psychology section to see what stuff you don't have that could add onto your repertoire. Hayao Kawai did some really good essays on Jung and how he applied his views to Japanese society... Let's get The Japanese Psyche... On the Conflicts of the Child's Soul... The Ego and the Unconscious, that one's hard to find nowadays! You have the feeling a quick re-read about Anima and Animus will help you out if future pilots are a bit on the rebellious side...
As you show up on the counter to check out the small library you've accumulated with your brand new job, a familiar face shows up:
"Hiya, teach! How's it hanging?" A girl in glasses did a small twirl after recognizing you.
"Mari? What are you doing here?"
Mari Makinami was the first student you dealt with when you started working at your school. She had an eating disorder thanks to her mother being obese, and you had the misfortune of catching her bulimic activities during lunchtime. Despite feeling very ashamed of it, you showed her how she had no need to feel shame in her body. Just an average monday for you, but it meant the world for her, as she would soon become one of the most popular girls in her class after upping her calories. To see her being so cheery and playful today is a punch to the gut to whenever you think your job is worthless.
"Don't you remember me graduating last year, silly? I didn't pass the entrance exam for the uni I wanted, but hey, I still found a job!"
"Happy for you, glad your smile is still as strong as ever!"
"Speaking of 'same as it ever was', that's a lot of psych books you're taking home! Are you switching jobs?"
"You could say I got promoted, lots of responsibility come with that."
"Yaaay~ Good on ya, teach! Or should I start calling you doc?" She tilts her head while you pay her in cash. "Are you gonna celebrate the occasion?"
"I might, think I'll go to the bar after this--"
"Can I come? I turned 18 last month and it's super hard to go out with my coworkers when they're all randos twice my age at least! I want my first drinks to be paid by a guy I know! Plus, I can hear all about this new cool job you have! Preeetty pleeeaaseee?~"
Yeah, not much has changed with her. You're still a hero in her eyes, but you're not sure about sharing drinks with a teenager, especially with your seasoned liver...
>>
>>6378537
"Don't you have a job to do?"
"So do you! You don't see me telling you how to talk down to kids, hmph!" She crosses her arms, already expecting a rejection from you.
You hold your tongue not to say 'you're still a kid to me, Mari.'
>Sure, my treat.
>Is your shift ending soon, at least?
>I'll pay for your food, but I don't wanna see you drinking, missy!
>...Fine. Don't tell your mom I'm doing this, ok?
>Actually, I'm not drinking today. I forgot I have some other stuff to do.
>Write-in.