Peni and I went inside and sat in the living room, talking with the Parker family.
"You know why I came to Japan, right?"
They couldn't have been unaware, as it had been on the news every day.
"Yes, you came to select a Gundam pilot."
"Good. Then..."
I put on a serious face, pulled a pair of sunglasses from my pocket, put them on, and interlaced my fingers in front of my chin. I leaned my chin on my hands and said to Peni.
"Get in the Gundam, Parker."
"Whaaat!!!"
"Whaaat!!!"
The Parker family was shocked and flustered.
"So? Was that close?"
At my words, Peni calmed her racing heart and smiled.
"Pfft! That was Gendo from Evangelion, right? Not close at all!"
"Really? Too bad... I prepared that."
Richard stood up.
"This seems like it will be a long conversation. I'll go prepare some tea."
"Thank you."
While Richard prepared tea, Peni asked me.
"Um... when you say 'get in the Gundam,' you mean the new Nu Gundam, right?"
"Yes."
I answered immediately, and Peni's expression became troubled. Just then, Richard brought the tea.
"You're American, so I prepared coffee. I hope it suits your taste."
"Thank you for your consideration. I'll enjoy it."
Richard sat across from me, and the serious conversation began.
"So, you're saying you want to hire my daughter as a Gundam pilot?"
"Yes. But she's still young, so I came to discuss it."
"I see."
Richard also looked troubled. Then Peni asked me.
"Um, could I make a lot of money?"
"I don't know how much you're thinking, but you'd make more than average people."
"Then I'll do it!"
Looking at their household situation, I understood why Peni would say that. They didn't seem well-off. I had also confirmed that when her mother was in the accident, they had spent a lot of money trying to save her.
"But you should think carefully. Your normal life could be disrupted. And it's dangerous. I don't want to force you."
"I see."
This time, Richard asked me.
"How dangerous is 'dangerous'?"
"As you know, we fight criminal organizations and, in the worst case, aliens invading Earth. I won't lie. There's a risk of death. But if Peni becomes a pilot, I'll protect her as much as I can."
"Then why did you choose my daughter?"
"Because Peni is a Newtype."
That was a lie. It would be hard to say I found her using knowledge from the original story. Honestly, anyone with a righteous heart would have been fine. But there was a reason I chose Peni. Because in another universe, she operates as Spider-Man β or Spider-Woman β I could be assured of her righteous heart and strong spirit.
"What? My daughter? Peni is a Newtype..."
"I'm a Newtype!?"
I had prepared another excuse in case they didn't believe me, but they seemed to accept it. Well, in a world where Gundams exist, Newtypes probably weren't that far-fetched.
Just then, Peni asked me.
"Um, are there any other candidates besides me?"
"In Japan, it seems there's no one else. If you decline, I'll have to look in another country."
"I see..."
Honestly, if Peni declined, I was just going to make up some excuse and stick with the AI. I had too much to do, and finding a pilot was troublesome. Besides, the AI had been fighting just fine.
I stood up.
"I'll give you time to think. And..."
I handed them my business card and 30 million yen in cash. Richard looked shocked again.
"This is..."
"This is my card and your consultation fee. The money is yours regardless of your choice. You'll probably be very bothered starting tomorrow."
Indeed, with the Japanese public so passionate about Gundams, they wouldn't leave this father and daughter alone. I gave them some cash in advance to prepare for the trouble.
I stood up and said goodbye.
"I'll be staying at the hotel for about a week. Please think it over and contact me by then. If any problems arise, feel free to contact me. I'll do my best to help."
"Understood."
"Goodbye~"
I returned to the hotel after the consultation.
As expected, the next day, all of Japan was abuzz. Rumors spread on breaking news that the pilot had been chosen. Peni's face was plastered all over the newspapers, along with photos of her and me playing games at the arcade. The headline read: 'Who is She? The Chosen Gundam Pilot.'
While staying at the hotel, I occasionally visited Peni secretly. Because of the reporters, Richard had taken time off work to escort Peni to and from school. I thought about assigning bodyguards, but worried it would cause more commotion, so I gave up.
Fortunately, at school, she had become popular. Everyone looked at her with envy and came to her during breaks to ask questions. She wasn't bullied β likely thanks to Peni's outgoing personality and the friendships she had built over time.
Then, on the third day, a problem erupted.
β What do you mean the Gundam pilot isn't of pure Japanese blood but a half-American? Do you think that makes any sense? The Gundam pilot must be of pure Japanese lineage!
Suddenly, a TV program started spewing nonsense, and people began protesting with picket signs outside my hotel and Peni's house. The signs even had the Rising Sun flag.
'Have these people lost their minds...'
I could understand their obsession with Gundam, since Japan is its birthplace, but this was over the line. I immediately gathered reporters and gave an interview.
"At present, the only Newtype in Japan is Peni Parker. If she declines to be the pilot, I will have no choice but to look for one in the neighboring country of South Korea."
As soon as I made this bombshell statement, the nonsense stopped, and voices in support of Peni Parker began to emerge. Seeing such a sudden reversal of attitude overnight was truly absurd. Peni Parker, hurt by the incident, looked very unhappy.
'If she decides to become the pilot, I'll need to take her and leave Japan quickly for New York.'
Then, funnily enough, I also received a call from China. They said that vast China had many talented people and asked me to look there too.
"These people are truly hopeless."
Five days after arriving in Japan, I finally received a call from Peni Parker.
"I'll do it."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"Yes, I've made up my mind."
"Alright."
I persuaded Peni Parker and Richard Parker. Richard ran an appliance repair shop, so I offered to help him find work in the United States and bring him along. Since Peni was still young, she needed a support system.
"While I'm at it, how about a memorable event?"
I asked Minerva to load the Nu Gundam onto a supply base. I piloted the Nu Gundam myself, landed on Peni's school sports field, and called her.
"Hey~ Peni! Are you ready to pilot the Gundam?"
"KYAAAH~~~!!! It's the Nu Gundam!!!"
"I'm seeing a real Gundam!!!"
"Ah... I think I'm going to pass out."
The school, of course, went wild. I gathered Peni and her supportive friends, took pictures with them, let them look at the Gundam, and spent time with them. Then Peni tearfully said goodbye to her classmates, hugging them tightly.
Afterward, I took Peni and Richard aboard a supply ship and arrived at Avengers Headquarters in New York. I handled the immigration paperwork. The members welcomed them warmly, though some looked worried at how young Peni was.
Natasha was one of them.
"Jin, isn't she too young?"
"Yes, she is. So I don't plan to put her into active combat for a few years. She'll train while continuing her schooling."
"Alright. I'll let the members know."
Peni, her heart brimming with excitement, looked around headquarters with sparkling eyes. Then Cosmo came over and greeted her. Peni hugged Cosmo and wouldn't let go.
"Cosmo, you're so cute!!"
Being young, she really liked dogs. The initiation ceremony was also waived β because she was too young to be given a mission slip, some of which were quite odd.
I showed them to their quarters and had my secretaries find them a house near headquarters. Fortunately, since they had previously lived in New York, communication wasn't an issue.
The next day, I began extensively modifying the Nu Gundam's cockpit. Since Peni liked games, I made the controls easy and intuitive. I also started working on her pilot suit. Because of the many features it would have, it would 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 would need an adjustment period. We decided to look into international schools for middle school. Fortunately, there was a good school near New York, so we decided on that. Peni didn't object. Because she was so famous, assigning bodyguards was essential.
A few days passed. I heard that Eleanor (Deadpool) was nearing childbirth, so I visited her at the hospital. Being busy, I had always kept people around Deadpool, but many didn't last long, so I had to pay high wages.
And knowing Deadpool and his fantastic life, I thought something might go wrong, so I had her admitted to the hospital earlier than her due date.
"Oh~ Jin! Come in."
Eleanor, her belly huge, was lying on a hospital bed.
"Geez... Once you give birth, you'll be the only person to have experienced every possible type of human pain."
"Tell me about it."
"Are you sure you don't want to tell the baby's father?"
"I'm sure."
Eleanor's resolve was firm. Now I was genuinely curious who the father was.
I passed the time reading the newspaper. Eleanor was watching TV. Then, with a worried expression, she asked me.
"Will it hurt a lot?"
"Who knows. I can't say. It looks painful in dramas and movies."
Watching Deadpool worry like this, I suddenly wondered if, in the distant future, after acquiring all abilities and getting bored, I might live as a woman and go through this myself.
'Eugh... That suddenly gave me chills.'
"Why are you shivering? If you have to pee, go. Don't do it here."
"No, it's nothing. I just had a terrible thought."
"Now you're making me need to... huh?"
Eleanor looked down, flustered. Water was streaming between her legs. I stood up and looked closely β her water seemed to have broken. I urgently called a nurse. Nurses and doctors rushed in and began preparing for the delivery. Since I wasn't family, I waited outside.
I waited for five hours. While I waited, nurses, doctors, and patients asked for autographs, which I gave. I also played games on my laptop. I worried people might misunderstand Eleanor's and my relationship, but since Natasha had visited the hospital with me before, and the people who had been helping Eleanor had explained things in advance, no one had strange misunderstandings. Everyone just thought we were friends.
Time passed, and I saw nurses and doctors wheeling a newborn cart out. The birth seemed to have gone well. I asked a nurse if I could go in.
"The room is still being cleaned. It'll take about 30 more minutes."
"I see. Could you let me know when it's done?"
"Yes, I'll inform you."
I sat back down and was about to play a game when I saw someone running frantically toward the hospital.
"Huh? Cap! What brings you here?"
"Jin! I heard Eleanor is in labor at this hospital? Natasha told me."
"Yes, but... No way!!"