Peni and I went into the house and sat in the living room, talking with the Parker family.
"You know why I came to this country, right?"
There was no way they wouldn't know the reason for my visit. It was all over the breaking news every day.
"We know. You're here to recruit a Gundam pilot."
"So you're well-informed. In that case..."
With a serious expression, I pulled a pair of sunglasses from my pocket and put them on. I clasped my hands together, resting my chin on them, and spoke to Peni.
"Get in the Gundam, Parker!"
"Whaaa!!"
"Whaaa!!"
The Parker family was shocked and flustered.
"How was it? Did it sound like him?"
At my words, Peni calmed her racing heart and spoke with a laugh.
"Pfft! That's 'Gendo' from Evangelion, isn't it? You didn't sound like him at all!"
"Really? That's a shame... I actually practiced that."
Then Richard, who was sitting nearby, stood up.
"It looks like this conversation will take some time. I'll go prepare some tea."
"Understood."
While Richard was away preparing tea, Peni asked me a question.
"Um... when you say get in the Gundam, do you mean that newly built Nu Gundam?"
"Yes."
When I answered immediately, Peni fell into deep thought with a serious face. Meanwhile, Richard brought out the drinks.
"Since you're American, I've prepared coffee. I hope it suits your taste."
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I'll enjoy it."
Richard sat back down across from me and began the conversation in earnest.
"So, are you saying you intend to hire our daughter as a Gundam pilot?"
"That's correct. However, since she is still young, I came here to discuss it like this."
"I see."
Richard also looked conflicted. Then, Peni asked me,
"Will I be able to earn a lot of money?"
"I don't know exactly what amount you're thinking of, but you'll certainly earn more than most people."
"Then I'll do it!"
Looking at their living situation, I could understand why Peni said that. Their circumstances didn't seem very good. I had also verified information that they had spent a lot of money trying to save her mother after her accident, which led to their current situation.
"But you must think carefully. Your normal daily life might be ruined. And it's dangerous. That's why I'm not going to force you."
"I see."
This time, Richard asked me,
"When you say dangerous, how dangerous are we talking?"
"As you know, we fight criminal organizations and sometimes even aliens invading Earth. I won't lie. You could die. But if Peni becomes a pilot, I will protect her to the best of my ability."
"Then why did you choose our daughter?"
"It's because Peni is a Newtype."
This was a lie. It was difficult to say that I had found her through knowledge of the original source. Honestly, anyone would have done as long as they had a righteous heart. However, there was a reason I chose Peni. Since she was active as Spider-Man in another multiverse, her righteous heart and strong spirit were guaranteed.
"What? Our daughter? Peni is a Newtype?"
"I'm a Newtype!?"
I had prepared a follow-up excuse in case they didn't believe me, but they seemed to accept it. Well, with a giant robot like a Gundam actually existing, they probably just accepted 'Newtype' as part of that reality.
Then Peni asked me,
"Are there any other candidates besides me?"
"In this country, it seems you're the only one. If you refuse, I'll have to look in other countries."
"I see..."
Truthfully, if Peni had declined, I would have just made some excuse and continued using the AI. I had a lot on my plate, and looking for another pilot was a hassle. Besides, the AI was fighting perfectly fine on its own.
I stood up from my seat and said,
"I'll give you some time to think. And..."
I handed them a business card and 30 million yen in cash. Richard looked shocked once again.
"This is..."
"This is my business card and some consolation money. The money is yours regardless of your choice. You'll likely be very inconvenienced starting tomorrow."
Knowing the local citizens' obsession with Gundams, there was no way they would leave this father and daughter alone. I handed over the cash in advance to prepare them for the hardship they would face.
I stood up and bid them farewell.
"I'll be staying at the hotel for about a week, so please think it over and contact me by then. If any problems arise, please reach out. I will do my best to help you."
"Understood."
"Goodbye~!"
After finishing the consultation, I returned to the hotel.
Sure enough, the next day, the entire country was in an uproar. Breaking news rumors spread that the pilot had been chosen. Furthermore, Peni's face was plastered across the front pages of newspapers, along with photos of us playing together at the game center. The headlines read: 'Who Is She? The Girl Chosen as the Gundam Pilot.'
While staying at the hotel, I occasionally went to check on Peni in secret. Because of the reporters, Richard had taken time off work to escort Peni to school. I considered assigning bodyguards, but I figured that might cause an even bigger scene, so I gave up on the idea.
Fortunately, she became a total star at school. Everyone looked at her with envy and approached her during breaks to ask all sorts of questions. No one bullied her; it seemed Peni's lively personality and the social network she had built over time paid off.
However, three days later, trouble erupted.
- How can the Gundam pilot not be of pure local blood, but a mixed-blood American! Does that make any sense? The Gundam pilot must be of pure local descent!
Suddenly, some nonsense aired on a television program. Because of that broadcast, people began protesting with pickets at both my hotel and Peni's house. Some of those pickets even had the Rising Sun Flag drawn on them.
'Have these people lost their minds...'
Since this was the birthplace of Gundam, I could understand the obsession, but this was crossing the line. I immediately gathered reporters for an interview.
"Currently, Peni Parker is the only Newtype in this country. If she gives up being a pilot, I have no choice but to find one in the neighboring country."
After I made this bombshell announcement, the nonsense stopped instantly, and voices supporting Peni Parker began to emerge. It was absurd to see their attitudes flip overnight. Peni seemed hurt by the incident, as her expression looked very dark.
'If she decides to become the pilot, I should take her out of this country and bring her to New York as quickly as possible.'
The funny thing was that I suddenly received a call from a certain large neighboring country as well. They claimed they had many talents in their vast land and asked me to look there too.
"These people are truly hopeless."
Five days after arriving in the country, I finally heard from Peni Parker.
"I'll do it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm prepared for it."
"Understood."
I persuaded both Peni and Richard Parker. Since Richard ran an appliance repair shop, I decided to take him along as well, promising to help him find work in America. Since Peni was still young, she needed someone to lean on.
"While I'm at it, should I do something memorable?"
I asked Minerva to bring the Nu Gundam on a supply ship. I personally piloted the Nu Gundam and landed it on the school's sports field, then called out to Peni.
"Hey~ Peni! Are you ready to pilot the Gundam?"
"Kyaaaa!!! It's the Nu Gundam!!!"
"I'm seeing a real Gundam in person!!!"
"Oh... I think I just peed myself."
Naturally, the school went wild. I gathered Peni and the friends who had cheered for her, took photos together, and let them get a good look at the Gundam before saying our goodbyes. Peni and her classmates were a mess of tears and hugs.
Carrying Peni and Richard, we arrived at the Avengers headquarters in New York via the supply ship. I handled the immigration process myself. While the members welcomed her, some looked on with concerned expressions because Peni was so young.
Natasha was one of them.
"Cassian, isn't she too young?"
"She is. That's why I don't plan to put her in actual combat for a few years. She'll undergo training while continuing her schooling."
"I see. I'll let the other members know."
Peni looked around the headquarters with sparkling eyes, clearly overwhelmed by the excitement of being at the Avengers HQ. When Cosmo came over to greet her, Peni hugged him and wouldn't let go.
"Cosmo is so cute!!"
Being young, she really loved dogs. We even skipped the hazing ritual. Since she was so young, I couldn't subject her to the usual weird missions that were part of it.
I guided the two to their quarters and instructed my secretaries to find them a house near the headquarters. Fortunately, since they had lived in New York before moving, there were no communication barriers.
From the following day, I began a major overhaul of the Nu Gundam's cockpit. Knowing Peni loved games, I designed it to be easy to operate, similar to gaming controls. I also started making her suit. However, because it was packed with various features, it was going to take some time.
In the meantime, Richard and I looked into schools for Peni. Even though she had lived in New York as a child, she needed time to adjust, so we decided on an international school for her middle school years. Fortunately, there was a good school nearby, and Peni didn't object. Also, since Peni was now famous, she absolutely needed bodyguards.
A few days passed, and I received word that Eleanor (Deadpool) was about to give birth, so I headed to the hospital. Because I was busy, I always assigned people to watch over Deadpool, but many couldn't stand it and quit, forcing me to pay very high wages.
Furthermore, since Deadpool led such a 'fantastic' life, I feared something might happen, so I had her admitted to the hospital earlier than the due date.
"Oh~ Cassian! You're here."
Eleanor was lying on the hospital bed, her belly very large.
"Man... once you give birth this time, you'll be the only person who's experienced every type of pain a human can feel."
"You've got that right."
"But are you really sure it's okay not to tell the father?"
"Yes."
Eleanor's resolve was firm. It made me a bit curious whose child it was.
Anyway, I passed the time reading newspapers while Eleanor watched TV. Eventually, she asked me with a worried expression,
"Will it hurt a lot?"
"Well, how should I know? From what I've seen in dramas and movies, it looks pretty rough."
Seeing Deadpool worry like this made me wonder if I, in the far future after gaining every ability, might get so bored that I'd live as a woman and experience something like this myself.
'Ugh... that thought gave me goosebumps.'
"Why are you suddenly shivering? If you have to pee, go. Don't soil yourself here."
"No, I just had a horrifying thought."
"You saying that makes me feel like I... oh?"
As Eleanor looked down in panic, water was streaming down between her legs. I stood up and saw that her water had broken, so I quickly called the nurse. Soon, nurses and a doctor rushed in to prepare for delivery. Since I wasn't family, I waited outside.
I waited for five hours. While waiting, nurses, doctors, and other patients asked for my autograph, which I gave while playing games on my laptop. I worried that people might misunderstand the relationship between Eleanor and me, but Natasha had visited before, and the caregiver I hired had already explained things, so no such misunderstandings occurred. Most people just thought of us as friends.
After a while, I saw the medical staff pushing a newborn cart out. It seemed the delivery was successful. I asked the nurse if I could go in.
"They're still tidying up, so it'll take about thirty more minutes."
"I see. Could you let me know when they're done?"
"Yes, I'll tell you."
I sat back down to play more games when I suddenly saw someone running frantically toward the hospital wing.
"Huh? Cap! What are you doing here?"
"Cassian! Is it true that Eleanor is giving birth here? Natasha told me."
"Well, yeah... wait, don't tell me!!"