Altered Lives The Parody Chapter 10: 09 Consequences, an evangelion fanfic

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 09 "Consequences"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM. This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan. This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution. If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities. Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Trainees

Deep in the NERVIS Base, Rave Clones were undergoing 'Special Testing' under the watchful eye of several Instructors & Glando Atari.

In a room at one end of a long, curving corridor, several Clones sat quietly while waiting their turn at testing. In a room at the far end of the corridor, out of sight of the first room, other Clones sat quietly, having had their turn at being tested. In a room somewhere in the middle of the corridor, out of sight of the other rooms & separated from them by considerable distance & several empty rooms, a single Clone sat at a table, having just finished her latest 'test', that of assembling an intricate metal puzzle.

"Time!" the Chief Instructor pressed the 'stop' button on his stopwatch.

The Clone sat calmly in her chair, awaiting further orders.

The Chief Instructor spoke to the Clone, "You are now finished with this test. You will now wait with those already tested. Remember! Do not divulge ANY details about this test to ANYONE. By ANY means available to you. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," the Clone replied.

The Clone stood & a Junior Instructor escorted her from the room.

"Well?" Glando asked after the door had closed behind the Clone.

The Chief Instructor consulted his stopwatch then replied, "1 minute 25 seconds overall, Sir!"

Glando seemed pleased by the reply, "Set up for the next one…"

The Chief Instructor covered the metal puzzle with a small box. A few minutes later, the door opened, & another Junior Instructor ushered in a new Clone.

"Sit," the Chief Instructor said to the Clone.

The Clone sat at the table.

"You are going to be involved in a test," the Chief Instructor advised, "You must not divulge ANY details of this test to ANYONE. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," replied the Clone.

Satisfied with the answer, the Chief Instructor continued, "You will be involved in a Manual Dexterity test. You will first disassemble an item, then put it back together again. You will be timed on each segment, & timed overall. Shut your eyes!"

The Clone obediently shut her eyes, & the Chief Instructor lifted away the box that covered the puzzle.

"Start!" ordered the Chief Instructor, as he started the stopwatch.

The Clone opened her eyes, & swiftly went about the task of disassembling, then reassembling the intricate metal puzzle. She was soon finished.

"Well?" Glando demanded after the latest test subject had left the room.

Once again the Chief Instructor consulted his stopwatch before replying, "1 minute 15 seconds overall, Sir! A good time for a first attempt…"

"Yes," Glando replied in neutral tones, "Not bad at all…"

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Chapter - Home Study.

Glando Atari walked along a drab corridor somewhere in a 'restricted' section of the NERVIS Base. He came to a set of armoured doors, & paused to enter a multi-digit code into the keypad. The doors slowly opened, granting Glando access to a small room, & another set of armoured doors.

Glando walked into the room & pressed a button on another keypad. The doors he had just walked through began closing. After they had shut & there had been a muffled thudding of bolts locking, Glando entered another code into the keypad, causing the next set of doors to slowly open.

Glando walked into a large room devoid of any fixture or furniture, other than enough generic camping equipment to provide for its occupants.

Spacious Dome tents stood in the middle of the room. Camp stretchers could be seen through the insect-proof mesh of the tent doors, some stretchers bearing neatly arranged bedding, others bearing sleeping bodies. A row of 'porta-potty' chemical toilets sat on the floor by the furthest wall. The series of camping sinks set up near the toilets, drained into individual 44-gallon drums. At a distance from the tents & the toilets, a portable electric stove was plugged into a wall outlet, several large pots on it sending delicious aromas wafting through the room.

Several tables stood on the other sides of the tent to the kitchen, their surfaces weighted down with a variety of books, magazines, & DVD/CD-ROMs. A pair of laptop computers stood on one relatively bare table, their power cables leading off to a hand trolley on which several car batteries rested.

Seated on ergonomic office chairs at the table bearing the laptops, two Rave Clones watched Glando approach. Glando stopped at the edge of the table, & quietly watched the pair of Clones seated on the other side.

For the past few days, the Clones in this room had been kept separate from the others. Unlike Rave#3, Glando was the only other person who knew of their situation.

…Or of what the Clones were really doing in the room…

"What's the weather like outside?" Glando casually asked, looking at one of the Clones in particular.

"I don't know," the Clone replied, "I haven't been out all day…"

"And you?" Glando asked the other.

"Dunno," the Clone shrugged her shoulders, "I've been stuck in here…"

Glando smiled…

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Chapter - Travelogue.

Fu2ok walked into Glando's office, carrying a weighty briefcase.

Glando looked up from his desk as the elderly professor approached, "Welcome back Professor, I trust your sabbatical was… refreshing?"

"Quite," Fu2ok replied in droll tones, "I think you'll want to see the 'light' reading material I picked up…"

Fu2ok grunted as he hoisted the briefcase onto Glando's desk. He opened the briefcase, & took out numerous folders & books.

"These are the only copies," Fu2ok remarked, "If you want a brief synopsis, I can give you that as well. Shouldn't take more than a minute…"

Glando looked over the other material on his desk, "What pieces of this material can most quickly be assimilated, & then gotten rid of?"

Fu2ok picked out four thin folders, "These reports are the most essential. The rest can be destroyed, they're just the original raw notes, they've all been summarised in these four folders…"

"The brief version," Glando ordered.

"All right," Fu2ok's posture straightened up as he went into Lecture Mode, "One, the Clones are indeed telepathic. We've just proven that beyond any doubt. Two, distance doesn't seem to affect the ability. The Clones I took to South Africa, were still able to communicate with the Clones in Japan without any perceivable problems. Three, your 'Accumulated Experience Effect' Theory has also been proven as well."

"Excellent!" Glando hissed.

"However…" Fu2ok said quietly, "There were… unexpected side-effects…"

"Such as?" a note of concern crept into Glando's voice.

Fu2ok frowned, "As distance didn't affect their telepathy, I wondered what might. Remember, we tried communications between Japan & South Africa, the other side of the earth, without having any problems. I tried to find out HOW they were doing it, figuring that if we could find out, then… 'other people' might also find out, & use it against us. To that effect, we tried the usual types of electro-magnetic monitoring."

Fu2ok sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, "All to no avail. We couldn't find what frequency or wavelength they were using. So we tried to 'block' their telepathy, figuring that might be a key to it…" he trailed off.

Fu2ok looked Glando meaningfully in the eye, "We couldn't do that either…"

Glando sat up straight at his desk, "What do you mean?"

Fu2ok shrugged, "We were unable to prevent communication from taking place. Even when the Clones were in a lead bunker, they were still able to communicate. Even when we used a Faraday shield, or used electromagnetic jamming signals, they could STILL communicate with the other Clones in Japan."

"This is… unexpected…" Glando muttered.

"There's more," Fu2ok said with a grim face, "We tested the 'Accumulated Experience Effect' theory using a metal puzzle. As per the testing guidelines, all of the Clones were divided into three groups. Two groups were kept sedated while a third group took the test, no two groups being conscious at the same time as each other."

Fu2ok picked a thin folder out of the pile on the desk, & held it out to Glando, "This is the raw data on the Clones we tested in South Africa…"

Glando took the folder, & read the brief message inside it, his features contorting slightly as the information sank in.

Fu2ok hammered the point home, "Despite being on the other side of the world, & despite being unconscious while the other groups took their tests, the FIRST attempts by the Clones in South Africa at solving the puzzle, all came within 5 seconds of the BEST time recorded so far…"

"So," Glando muttered, "They accumulate experience, regardless of conscious interaction with each other…"

"Atari," Fu2ok face was lined with fear & worry, "STEELY won't like this…"

"Who says they're going to find out?" Glando opened a drawer in his desk & put the folder in it.

The grinding noise of a security shredder sounded briefly…

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Chapter - Plans.

Fu2ok stood in Glando's office, staring at Glando in shock. "Atari!" he gasped, "STEELY will find out about this!"

"Not from us they won't," Glando stated with finality, "Nor from those involved, & certainly not from these reports. You did say these were the only copies?"

"Err… Yes," Fu2ok agreed, "I made sure of that… Used brand new books, & put random scribbles on every second page, to deter forensic analysis…"

Glando smirked, "…And since you were served by trusted staff, loyal only to me… You needn't worry about any 'idle chatter'…"

Fu2ok conceded the argument, "I see your point…"

The security shredder in Glando's desk churned noisily, as it turned loads of written material into illegible confetti.

"I take it you'll burn the scraps as well?" Fu2ok dryly asked.

"Of course Professor," Glando smirked, "I am nothing, if not thorough…"

"Four small folders," Fu2ok mused, comparing the items to be kept against the rapidly disappearing stack of 'waste' materials on Glando's desk, "Yet their contents could do so much damage… It's true what they say, Knowledge IS Power…"

"Not quite," Glando countered, "It's the ability to correctly use knowledge that grants power. 'All the oceans of the world cannot sink a ship, unless they get inside…' Or so the saying goes…"

Fu2ok snorted in dark humour, "You think STEELY will give us a burial at sea if they find out what we're doing?"

Glando ignored the comment.

"You should use thinner notebooks Professor," Glando had problems trying to feed one particularly thick notebook through the shredder. Finally, he tore the notebook apart, & fed it in, a piece at a time, "Still, I'm glad you've returned. I need your opinions on some… other test results…"

"Oh?"

"I had the Third stay in seclusion, while other Clones took turns impersonating her at School.

"Did it work?"

"Perfectly," Glando purred, "No one noticed any difference. Not even Shakey…"

Fu2ok looked uneasy, "You'd use your own son to test a theory?"

"Of course," Glando retorted, "He's one of the few people who knows Rave well enough, to BE of any use in such a test."

"What does 'Rave' think about the situation?"

"She knows what's at stake. She will follow orders…"

Fu2ok shook his head, "I still think you're expecting too much of her. No normal person could go along with such a charade…"

"Rave isn't a normal person," Glando replied in deadpan tones, "You should know that, since you helped me make her what she is…"

"The Horrors of Unskilled Workmanship," Fu2ok mumbled under his breath.

"Come now Professor," Glando gently rebuked, "Even God made a rough draft before She created Woman…"

Fu2ok didn't reply to the blasphemous barb.

Glando put the last of the books through the shredder, "Based on your verbal report, I've decided to advance the schedule. Starting today, the Clones will start interacting with the real world."

"Are you sure? They haven't been training long…"

Glando smiled, "You forget, they don't need to… I anticipated success, & had already implemented a 'crash course' for several of the Clones. The first team have successfully completed training, so the rest should pass with honours…"

"Impossible!" Fu2ok protested, "It's just not enough time!"

"On the contrary," Glando seemed amused, "As this tape will show… Observe…"

Glando pressed a button on his desk, & a part of it flipped up to reveal a small monitor. A picture of a typical shopping Mall appeared.

"Look closely," ordered Glando, "Tell me if you can spot the Clones?"

Fu2ok looked long & hard at the screen, his eyes roving over the many different people milling about in the image. His brow furrowed as he scrutinised faces, & general appearances. Finally, he admitted defeat, "No, I can't say that I can…"

"Let me give you a hint," offered Glando, "They're in front of the Budget Fashion Store…"

"Them?" Fu2ok exclaimed in disbelief, "The ones in the jeans & T-shirts?

Glando was nearly laughing, "YES, Professor… The ones in the jeans & T-shirts. What were you expecting to see? Carbon copies of Rave?"

Fu2ok looked slightly put out, "So… How did you do the hair? Wigs?"

"No. Permanent dye jobs. They'll need to keep 'touching up' the hair roots, but it's the best way of disguising their natural hair colour."

Fu2ok peered intently at the screen again, "Their skin colour, another dye job? Or just makeup?"

"A version of 'Tan in a Bottle', altered for their own use…"

Fu2ok nodded grudgingly, "All right, I'll grant you that they LOOK like normal girls, but can they ACT like normal girls?"

"And how do 'normal' girls act?" Glando retorted, "For every girl who fits the advertising agencies idea of an 'average' girl, there are at least a dozen other personality types, not to mention body types…"

"Still, it may not work…" Fu2ok cautioned, "Real Life has a habit of throwing you problems when you least expect it."

"I have already taken care of that," Glando said dismissively, "Those Clones in public, will be monitored by Security, & have backup intellectual support from other Clones in the Secure Accommodation building."

"Back-up intellectual support?"

"Think of it as an actor on the stage, being able to rely on a prompter if his memory fails & he forgets his lines. Only in this case, the Clones will be supplying support in the way of Social Etiquette, jargon, customs, etc…"

"Yes," Fu2ok warily agreed, "That might just work…"

"It will work," Glando insisted, "And the Clones will improve as time passes."

"So how many will participate?"

"That depends on their test scores in piloting AVE."

Fu2ok blinked, "Test scores? What's that got to do with it?"

Glando paused before answering, "Those with the most capability of piloting Unit Won, will imitate a black haired character. Those with lesser abilities will be allocated dark brown, brown, light brown, blue, red or blond hair."

"Why?" asked Fu2ok suspiciously, "Why base hair colour on Piloting abilities?"

"Because it pays to give your greatest assets, better camouflage."

Fu2ok looked puzzled, "What do you mean, 'better camouflage'?"

Glando took deep breath, "Exactly that. STEELY is liable to intervene at any time. When they do, we have the choice of 'going quietly into the night', or we can try & change what fate they intend for us."

"You intend to fight?"

"Correct!" Glando stated coldly, "History has proven time & again, that Guerrilla warfare is the most effective weapon against a superior force. Strike fast, strike hard, then fade away before your enemy can retaliate. If STEELY does attack, the only chance we will have, is if we can confuse them."

Fu2ok nodded, "I see. You plan to have the Clones hide in the Community if such an attack should occur, making them harder to find. If those most able to pilot AVE aren't 'conspicuous', then they should be able to move about without attracting undue attention. They could slip right past STEELY troops…"

Fu2ok frowned, "But… Why have Clones with blond, blue, or red hair? Surely it would create even greater confusion if STEELY had to search for…"

Fu2ok stopped, a queasy look passing over his face…

"Atari…" Fu2ok almost whispered in horror, "Please tell me that you're not going to use those hair colours for what I think you will…"

"It's an unescapable fact, that people die in wars…" Glando said darkly, "If the death of a few gives the many a better chance to…"

"THEY'RE CHILDREN D--N IT!" Fu2ok shouted, "And there you are, intending to use some of them, the 'worthless ones', as expendable DECOY TARGETS?"

Glando stayed silent.

"Well?" demanded Fu2ok, "Answer me D--N IT! TELL me I'm wrong?"

"I'm sorry Professor," Glando said quietly, "I know how much Rave means to you, but unless we defeat STEELY, we will ALL die. Rave included. If you can give me a better plan, I will listen. If it can be determined that your plan has a greater chance of success, I WILL implement it. If not…"

Silence fell in the office, & stretched into minutes.

Glando spoke in low tones, "I am not a monster. I am only a man caught up in the fight against them. If I must use the tactics of my enemy to win the fight, I will. Defeat is NOT an option. You KNOW what will happen if we fail…"

Fu2ok stood silently, his fists white-knuckled with emotion. Eventually he released a shuddering sigh, & his posture slumped.

"All right, Atari," Fu2ok sighed, "You win again. D--N you… I'll play along…"

"Thank you. Your assistance is appreciated."

"But I still don't like it!"

Glando gave Fu2ok an annoyed look, "I never said you had to…"

"Have you spoken to Rave about this?"

Glando paused, "Not yet. But she will go along with it."

"Why?" Fu2ok snarled, "Because she's been raised to see herself as expendable?"

"No," Glando calmly replied, "Because she has developed a Bond with my son."

Fu2ok's eyes widened, "What sort of 'Bond' are we talking about?"

Glando glared at Fu2ok, "Not that sort! Don't worry, Rave is still a…'Nice Girl'… And I know she'll stay that way…"

"But… still," Fu2ok persisted, "Does she know? About…?"

"She only knows what she needs to," Glando replied cryptically.

An expression of distaste crossed Fu2ok's face.

Glando noticed it, & continued, "Many who died in Second Strike, never had the chance to find happiness. Rave has grown up without any friends. Now it appears she may have one. Since we may all die soon, where is the harm in letting her live & be happy, like any other child?"

Fu2ok wasn't buying it, "And I suppose that her 'friendship' won't have the slightest impact on motivating her to fight when & how you need her to?"

Glando didn't reply…

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Chapter - Groceries & Girls.

Sunday morning in Mazurka's apartment, & Shakey was feeling rather hungry… 'I'm starving, better get something to eat…'

However, on investigating the resources of Mazurka's kitchen, all Shakey could find, were the usual fifty gallons of Beer Mazurka kept in one fridge, some dodgy looking instant noodles **3** months past their 'use by' date, a bare tablespoon of breakfast cereal, and…

'What… IS that???' Shakey kept a safe distance from the unidentifiable, yet clearly 'biologically active' contents of the 'food' fridge.

Shakey's stomach rumbled, insisting on being filled, 'Look's like we… I'LL have to go & do some shopping… As usual…'

"Um… Mazurka?" Shakey asked the pile of gently snoring bedding in Mazurka's room, "We need to get some more food in?"

"Mmmm…" Mazurka drowsily replied, obviously enjoying her sleep in, "Shakey, be a dear & do the shopping? Take the 'Grocery' card & get the things delivered…"

'Same old Mazurka,' Shakey resigned himself to doing it himself, "Sure thing, Mazurka! No Problems…"

Shakey retrieved the Household 'Groceries' card from Mazurka's wallet, & started for the door. He paused halfway, 'Mazurka was barely awake… I'd better leave her a note…'

A quick note on the fridge door reminding Mazurka where he was going, & then Shakey was out the door, & on his way to the local Supermarket…

Shakey drooled at the thought of what he was going to get, 'Fresh Bread! Eggs! Steak! Cheese! Vegetables! Milk! Sliced meat from the Delicatessen!'

Unfortunately, a traffic light delayed him, & his stomach grumbled again.

"Oh, shut up!" Shakey mumbled at his rebellious inner organ.

"Please excuse us," said a soft voice from behind Shakey, startling him.

'Oh no!' Shakey wondered, 'Did someone hear me talking to myself, & think I was talking to them instead?' He turned with an apology on his lips, only to fall mute as he suddenly found himself face to face with two girls his own age.

Two pairs of brown eyes peered out from lightly tanned faces sporting a few freckles. Shoulder length hair of brown for one girl, & black for the other, was swept back into ponytails held in place by baseball caps. Outfits of coloured T-Shirts, open vests, jeans, & sneakers completed the picture.

"Could you please help us, young man?" the brown-haired girl asked politely.

"Uh…" Shakey mumbled, more than slightly embarrassed.

"We're new in the area," said the black-haired one, "And we were wondering where the local supermarket was."

"Could you please show us?" the brown-haired one asked.

"S-Sure!" Shakey rallied, "I was going there myself, so I'll be happy to show you the way…"

"Thank you," the two girls chorused in unison.

"It's down this way…" Shakey led the way as the traffic light changed, "It's only just opened here in the last week…"

"Oh? Is it a new supermarket?" from the black-haired girl.

"Not really," admitted Shakey, "It's just… changed positions a lot recently…"

Which was only to be expected, what with the City being demolished & rebuilt every few months.

"May I ask your name, young man?" the brown-haired girl spoke up.

"Shakey, Shakey Atari," Shakey replied, "But please, just call me Shakey…"

"Very well, Shakey," replied the black-haired girl, "I'm Kuroko Musume…"

"…And I'm her twin sister Chairoko Musume," the brown-haired one informed.

"Please call us Kuroko/Chairoko," the twin voices chimed in unison. (Use Kanji of Kuro = black, Chairo = brown, ko = child or daughter, Musume =daughter)

"Uh… Okay…" Shakey was somewhat taken aback.

"Does the Supermarket ever have any specials?" asked Kuroko.

"Sometimes," Shakey's shyness evaporated as he warmed to a topic he was familiar with, "It depends on the time of day & week for REAL bargains though…"

"Oh?" Chairoko inquired, "Such as?"

Shakey went into great details for the rest of the short trip…

At the supermarket itself, Shakey did the 'neighbourly thing', & helped the Twins with their shopping. He helped them spot the bargains & avoid the dud deals that lurked in every aisle, waiting to snare an unwary shopper…

Shakey was amazed at the sheer volume of things the Twins bought. Mostly instant meals & powdered drinks, there were also a lot of canned & fresh vegetables & fruits. Cleaning & hygiene supplies made up the rest.

'They said they'd just moved into the area,' Shakey reasoned, 'They must be trying to stock up their apartment in one go…'

At the checkout, Shakey was more than a little amazed when the girls didn't ask for their large order to be home delivered.

'They're going to carry all that?' Shakey was aghast, 'That's too much for two grown men to carry… Let alone a couple of girls…'

"Err… Are you sure you don't want it delivered?" Shakey asked.

"No. We will carry it," replied Kuroko.

"Besides," added Chairoko, "We have to go out later today, & it would not be convenient for the delivery person."

Shakey chewed his lip, 'I can't let them try & carry that all by themselves… It's not just the weight, it's the awkwardness of the load…'

"I can help you carry it back to your place," offered Shakey, "Th-that is," he stammered, "If it's all right with you?"

"But what about your shopping?" asked Kuroko.

"We don't want to be a burden…" added Chairoko.

"Oh, it's no problem!" Shakey reassured them, "We always get our stuff delivered to our apartment. We're regulars here…"

Shakey suddenly found himself the recipient of two rather cute smiles as the girls nodded in unison. So it was, that Shakey Atari came to carry the shopping of the Twins back to their apartment block. Fortunately for him, their destination was only a few blocks away from the Supermarket, although not in the same direction as Mazurka's.

Shakey was VERY impressed when he saw the apartment block the girls lived in. Looking brand sparklingly new, the modern 12-storey building had full security grilles enclosing its lowest level. Then there were the fancy stained glass panels fully enclosing the walkways. Although, the artistic style of the building was somewhat marred by the armament building it backed onto…

'Still,' thought Shakey, 'In this city, you have to take whatever you can get…'

Shakey had a second piece of luck, in that the Twins lived on the first floor of the building, above the ground level car park. This small piece of information was welcome news to his tired arms, & bag-handle creased palms.

'Anti-Insect lights?' Shakey noted the yellow fluorescent tubes in the hallway outside the Twins apartment, 'Should keep the insects away at night…'

"Shakey, Thank you for helping us today," said Kuroko.

"Would you like a drink in return for your kindness?" asked Chairoko, "We have water & soft drinks…"

"Oh no… That won't be necessary," Shakey replied sheepishly, feeling pleasantly embarrassed, "I was happy to help…"

"Will we see you at school on Monday?" asked Kuroko.

"School?" Shakey repeated dumbly.

"Yes," clarified Chairoko, "We will be attending the local school from next week, as soon as our paperwork is finalised.

"Um… Well, I guess I'll see you there then…" Shakey shrugged, not really comfortable when making small talk with strangers, even Cute & Friendly ones…

"Yes," confirmed Kuroko.

"You Will," added Chairoko.

Both of the girls smiled at Shakey making him feel shyly embarrassed. Not knowing what else to say or do, Shakey decided to leave. "I'd really better be going…" he mumbled, heading for the door.

"May we please have your address & phone number?" Chairoko asked quietly.

"Muh-my address & ph-phone number?" Shakey turned red at the thought that a girl, ANY girl, would ask him for that information.

"Yes," Kuroko smiled, "We are new in the area, & we would like to stay in touch with the new friends we make."

'Uh oh!' Shakey had a not-so-vague feeling of impending doom, 'What will Mazurka make of some girls phoning me?'

A sudden vision of Mazurka gleefully humming the 'Here comes the Bride' tune whenever the girls called him, ran through Shakey's mind…

'I could give them the number of my cell phone…' Shakey rationalised, 'Then Mazurka might not find out… Then again, Mazurka would probably find out anyway… Oh, man! In that case, she'd only tease me more about it…'

A vision of Mazurka making comments about Shakey having 'clandestine meetings' with a 'secret lover' popped up in his mind.

'Best if Mazurka knows about it from the start,' Shakey decided, 'And that everything's out in the open… She'll tease me about it… But not as bad as if I tried to make it look like I was trying to keep it a secret…'

"Uh… S-sure" Shakey stuttered, "I-I'll give you my Guardian's phone number… We've got an answering machine, so you can call anytime…"

Shortly thereafter, Shakey Atari was on his way home, desperately wondering how to tell Mazurka that people, 'Girl type people', might actually phone him.

Seconds after Shakey had left the building, the door to the Musume Twins apartment opened. Several blue-haired Rave Clones walked in & started to unwrap & distribute what 'Chairoko' & 'Kuroko' had purchased.

It worked! sent 'Kuroko', Shakey did not recognise us!

It appears so confirmed Clone#135, in the Intensive Care Ward.

It is just as the Commander said Clone#92, preparing dinner in the Clone Zone.

Some simple changes… Clone#56 at the Loading Dock.

Hairstyle & eye colours… Clone#37 as she practiced Tai Chi.

Speech mannerisms… several Clones in the Test Facilities.

…clothes… The Clone known as Rave#3, from her secret accommodation.

And even those closest to us will not recognise us… Clone#115

Especially if they are 'used to' our normal appearance… 'Chairoko'

The Clones paused to consider the ramifications of what had just happened.

If Shakey did not recognise us… Rave#3

Does that mean he is always that helpful to others? Clone#75

If he is… Clone#13, having a shower.

Does this mean he truly accepts we Clones, as he does normal girls? Clone#85

If so… Clone#120, from the physiotherapy centre.

Do we have as good a chance as any normal girl, of becoming his Girlfriend?

The Clones all smiled as a pleasant feeling grew within them.

What is this feeling? the Group Mind asked itself.

It is… Agreeable…

Is it… Hope?

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Explanations.

"YeeeHAAAA!" crowed Mazurka, after chugging her first beer for the morning.

Shakey ate his breakfast in silence.

"Why are you so glum?" Mazurka had a slight frown on her face.

Shakey chewed his food thoroughly, using the simple action to delay his answer.

Outwardly calm, Shakey was a quivering jelly inside, & for a VERY good reason. He still hadn't been able to find an acceptable way of telling Mazurka that he might have some girls phone him.

"Are you worried about Schoolwork?" Mazurka pressed.

Shakey paused, then chickened out & slowly nodded his head.

"Well," a sly tone crept into Mazurka's words, "You COULD ask Rave if she'd like to become your 'Private Tutor'…"

Shakey nearly choked on the food he was eating.

"I'm SURE she wouldn't mind…" Mazurka grinned at Shakey's reaction.

Shakey stayed silent, looking at his breakfast with some embarrassment.

"That IS it? Isn't it?" Mazurka's suspicions were making her worry, "Just problems with Schoolwork? No more rumours you need help with?"

"Uh… Well…" Shakey wasn't too sure if having girls phone him fell into the 'rumours' category, although he knew certain people MIGHT take it that way. Or else MAKE it that way…

"Out with it!" Mazurka demanded, "Tell me what's up!"

"Nothing…" an embarrassed Shakey whined.

"I have ways to make you talk," Mazurka intoned ominously, a serious look on her face as she reached out & grabbed Shakey…

…And started to tickle him unmercifully…

"M-muz-urG-Ka!" Shakey gasped as he fell to the floor, rolling from side to side to protect his ticklish ribs from Mazurka's hands.

Mazurka didn't let Shakey escape, instead she sat on him, stopping his efforts to get away from her, & kept up her attack.

"Talk!" Mazurka demanded with an Evil Grin, "Tell me everything you know!"

A sudden knock at the door prevented Shakey from having to make any reply.

"Well," Mazurka drawled with a wink, "I wonder who THAT could be?"

A sense of dread went through Shakey at the thought of being found in his current situation. The fact that Rave had recently started walking him to school, gave him a good idea of who was at the door.

'Oh no!' Shakey's eyes went wide in alarm, 'What if Mazurka tells Rave this is some sort of Pilot Training exercise, & asks her to take over?' A vision of a serious faced Rave, sitting on Shakey, & conscientiously tickling him to death ran through Shakey's mind.

"C'mon in!" Mazurka yelled, "It's not locked!"

The door opened to reveal a solitary figure…

Kantsee Hayeater…

Mazurka blinked…

Shakey blinked…

Kantsee blinked…

"Err… Good Morning Major Kutsarug!" Kantsee quickly recovered, bowing politely for emphasis, "Is Shakey ready for school yet?"

Mazurka was only slightly fazed by the unexpected appearance of the Cyber-Nerd. "Err… He's nearly ready," she sheepishly admitted.

"Be right with you!" Shakey advised, wriggling out from under Mazurka.

Within seconds, Shakey was out the door & speedily departing the apartment.

"God I envy you Atari!" Kantsee sobbed, "First Imanonymous, & now the Major! The rumours didn't do you Justice!"

"Oh for the love of…" Shakey groaned, "Look! I haven't DONE anything, with ANYONE! NOT with Rave, & CERTAINLY not with Mazurka!"

"Well then," asked Kantsee, "Would you care to explain what I just saw?"

"I had… things on my mind… And… and…" words failed Shakey.

"Oh?" Kantsee asked with an arched eyebrow, "And would these 'things' happen to be 'attached' to anyone I know? Imanonymous, or Major Kutsarug perhaps?"

"KANTSEE!" Shakey exclaimed with red-faced exasperation, "It's not LIKE that!"

"You sure?"

"YES!" Shakey said with determination, "Mazurka was teasing me… Like always! And things just got… As they did…"

"So that wasn't a 'fringe benefit' of being an AVE Pilot?"

"Of course not!"

"D--N!" Kantsee swore whole-heartedly, then after a moment's reflection, he slyly asked, "So what ARE the 'fringe benefits' like then?"

"There aren't any!" Shakey whined unhappily, "Unless… having humiliatingly 'personal' medical examinations on a regular basis counts…"

Kantsee looked long & hard at his friend. "Atari…" Kantsee said slowly, "You're trying to tell me… That despite being an AVE Pilot-Jock…"

Shakey winced at the term.

"…who saves the World on a regular basis… You STILL can't attract the chicks?"

Shakey sighed, "Girls hardly speak to me… When they do, they only ask me how Aesir's doing in Hospital… I guess… I'm not the sort of guy that girls like…"

"You sure?" Kantsee pressed, "Rave seems to like you… And she's a girl…"

Shakey opened his mouth to make a comment, but stopped as something Mazurka had told him surfaced in his brain, 'The Clones like you.'

"I…" Shakey muttered under his breath, "I work with them… But…"

"But?" Kantsee kept up the pressure.

"It's… complex…" Shakey understated, "As far as normal girls go, I'm just not very popular… They…"

"Good Morning Shakey!" chorused two young female voices.

Shakey & Kantsee both stopped & looked in the direction of the hail. Two teenage girls stood nearby, dressed in the school uniform of Shakey & Kantsee's school.

"K-Kuroko? Chairoko?" their unexpected presence off balanced Shakey.

"We said we'd see you at school," Kuroko reminded him.

"Who are they?" Kantsee whispered to Shakey, "More Pilots?"

"NO!" Shakey snapped, before continuing in more normal tones, "Uh… I mean… Ladies? I'd like you to meet my friend, Mr Kantsee Hayeater."

"Pleased To Meet You, Mr Hayeater," the twins chorused.

"Kantsee, Please Meet Ms Kuroko Musume, & Ms Chairoko Musume!" Shakey gestured politely to each of the girls as he named them.

Kantsee bowed politely, "Ladies, I Am Pleased To Meet You!"

The Twins chorused, "We've only just arrived in the neighbourhood, & will be attending your school from this week."

"Oh?" an inquisitive gleam appeared in Kantsee's glasses, "Newcomers? May I enquire what your parents do for a living?"

The girls paused before Chairoko answered, "We don't have any, Mr Hayeater…"

Shakey gulped nervously, 'Just like Natsumi…'

"The Government looks after us," Kuroko continued, "We have a Guardian…"

Kantsee looked rather unhappy with himself, "I'm sorry… I didn't know…"

"Don't worry," Chairoko reached out to gently pat Kantsee's shoulder, "We are used to such questions…"

"D-does your Guardian live with you as well?" Shakey tried to salvage the situation.

"No," Kuroko replied, "Due to budget constraints, we share our Guardian with many others. We live by ourselves as part of a new Government program."

"Isn't that sort of… dangerous?" there was real concern in Shakey's voice, "I mean, two young ladies living all by themselves…?"

"We are not in any danger," Chairoko said, "We live in a Secure Building, & there are others who look out for us."

"Besides," Kuroko added, "We have taken Self-Defence courses…"

"Yeah… but… still…" Shakey didn't sound convinced.

"What are you doing for lunch today Shakey?" Chairoko quickly changing the subject.

"L-lunch?" the change of topic caught Shakey off-guard.

"Yes," confirmed Kuroko, before asking, "Would you like to have lunch with us?"

"Huh…?" the offer took Shakey completely by surprise.

"We'd like to pay you back for helping us the other day," clarified Chairoko.

"…say 'yes' you idiot…" Kantsee urgently whispered, remembering the conversation with Shakey over AVE Pilot 'fringe benefits', or rather, the lack of same.

"…I… guess so…" Shakey reluctantly agreed, feeling more than slightly uneasy with the situation.

"Good!" both girls chimed, "We'll see you at lunch time then!"

During their conversation, the foursome had arrived at the School gates.

"See you later," said Kuroko.

"We need to get our papers finalised at the Office," clarified Chairoko.

"I'll take you there!" offered Shakey.

"Thank you, but we know where it is," stated Kuroko.

"We do not want to make you late for class," said Chairoko.

"Oh well then… See you at lunch I guess…" Shakey acquiesced gracefully.

Shakey stood at the School gates, & watched the girls walk off, still feeling slightly dazed. A nearby snuffling sound brought him back to reality.

"God I envy you Atari!" Kantsee sobbed piteously, hamming it up for all he was worth, "They've only been in town a few days, & already they've fallen for your Manly charm! Oh! Why can't I be as Macho as you are?"

"Oh, Shut Up!" Shakey sighed in exasperation, hitting Kantsee good-naturedly.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Points of Interest.

Shakey & Kantsee made it to their class in plenty of time. When they got there, Shakey was taken aback when he saw Rave Imanonymous sitting at her desk.

"Good morning Rave!" Kantsee said with Jovial Flair, "And how are you today?'

Rave inclined her head slightly by way of a nod, "I am well thank you, Kantsee."

As Shakey looked at Rave greet Kantsee, he felt guilty. 'Did Rave want to walk to school with me this morning?' he wondered, 'Did she go to Mazurka's, only to find I wasn't there?'

"G-good Morning Rave," Shakey offered.

Rave looked at Shakey with her usual neutral expression. "Good Morning Shakey," she said, again, with her usual neutral expression.

'Oh no,' Shakey thought worriedly, 'She's upset… Was it because I wasn't…'

Shakey's dark thoughts were interrupted, as Rave looked directly in his eyes, & gave a brief smile at him. 'Huh?' Shakey wondered, 'She's not upset with me?'

Just then, their teacher walked in. Hickory Harikari went into her usual Classroom Monitor routine of 'Stand, Bow, Sit'. Shakey followed suit, & by the time he'd sat down, Rave was looking out the window, as per her usual habit.

"Today," said the Old Teacher, "We will continue our studies of the World as it was before Second Strike…"

The class sighed restlessly at their inescapable fate of having yet another day go straight down the toilet…

"But before I begin," the teacher advised, "I have an announcement to make…"

The class was instantly suspicious. Knowing their luck, it was probably a 'pop' quiz…

"We will be getting some new students today, and…"

The Class was now completely alert.

"…they'll be here sometime before lunch. I want all of you to make them feel welcome, & to make their time with us both memorable, & pleasant.

The students had listened eagerly to the Old Teacher's every word. When he started to drone out his lecture, it was accompanied by a background buzzing of muted whisperings, & the covert tapping of keys as students sent messages to each other, speculating on the new students.

Many found it hard to believe…

*New Students? Coming here? To OUR class?*

*I hope we get some hot-looking chicks. We sure could use some around here!*

*I hope we get some hot-looking GUYS! The ones we've got aren't very 'Manly'!*

*Oh Yeah?*

*YEAH!*

Along with the 'flame war' that erupted on the student noticeboard, a student betting ring quickly sprang into existence. How many students were there? How many of each gender? What were their Physical characteristics? Their favourite things, such as sports, foods etc.

Kantsee sat & thought hard, a slight frown on his face…

'This is a City often under attack… Who in their right mind would come here if they could avoid it? My own Dad isn't happy about me living here… Despite the free Housing, Medical & Schooling NERVIS provides for employees, he'd really prefer I lived somewhere safer… If it wasn't for the Official NERVIS Security guidelines on anti-terrorist/anti-espionage tactics, he'd surely send me away…'

Kantsee's brows furrowed in concentrated rationalisation, 'Unless… they were OBLIGATED to come here as part of some duty to the Government… Or to NERVIS! Hmmm… Shakey meets two new girls in the neighbourhood… Both of them about our age… Both of them enrolling at this school today…'

Kantsee shot a suspicious glance over at Shakey, 'Shakey said they weren't Pilots… But… Would he KNOW if they were? He didn't know about Toe-jam being a Pilot… Huh! He didn't even notice when Major Kutsarug got promoted that time…'

Kantsee smiled as he concluded, 'How very, VERY interesting this all is… Two new girls… Orphans, sponsored by a Government department… Who live in a 'secure apartment building'… Who not only enrol at our school, but just HAPPEN to be in our class!'

Kantsee studied the student betting pool, before placing some well-informed bets of his own…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - New Arrivals.

An hour after class began, a knock sounded at the door to Shakey's classroom. The Old Teacher stopped his monotonous monologue, & went to see who it was.

The fact that the Old Teacher left the classroom for a full minute, had all of the students alert & eager to see what would happen next.

When the Teacher returned, he addressed his class in formal tones. "Class. I would like you to welcome our newest transfer students…"

All heads faced towards the doorway…

Through the doorway came the two girls that had spoken to Shakey & Kantsee that morning on the way to school. They stopped in front of the class & looked out at their new classmates with cute smiles.

"Hello, I am Kuroko Musume," said Kuroko, who then wrote her name on the Blackboard.

"Hello, I am her Twin sister, Chairoko Musume," said Chairoko, before writing her name on the Blackboard.

"And we're Pleased to meet you all!" both girls bowed politely.

Hickory Harikari stood up, "As Classroom Monitor, I'd like to welcome you to our class. Class? Stand, Bow, Sit!"

The class followed Hickory's orders, welcoming the new girls into their educational community.

"Now then," commented the Old Teacher, "If you Ladies would choose a seat…"

The two girls walked into the rows of seats. Many of the other students looked eagerly at the newcomers, hoping for whatever reason that either of the two girls would sit next to them. But the two girls seemed unaware of the hopeful looks on the faces of their fellow students. Kuroko sat in the chair directly to the right of Shakey, while Chairoko sat in the chair directly behind him.

'Ack!' Shakey was alarmed, 'I'm surrounded by girls! I'd better watch what I do & say in future, or I might get into trouble…'

Feeling self-conscious because of the girls sitting near him, Shakey applied himself to appearing to be a model student. Since he was totally focussed on the teacher & the lecture, Shakey didn't really notice the envious looks he got from some of the other students in his class.

At lunchtime, the new girls suddenly found themselves the centre of attention. The rest of the class mobbed them, asking a wide range of questions, & making a wide range of offers from homework assistance, guided tours, dates, & of course, sharing lunch.

It wasn't just the students in Shakey's class either…

The news that two new students had transferred into the school, let alone the fact they were two cute girls, had attracted the attention of many other students from neighbouring classes. As well as various representatives from the sporting, social, & hobby clubs at the school.

"We are sorry," Kuroko advised the mob, "But we have already made arrangements for lunch."

Many hopeful faces fell at the announcement.

"Shakey?" asked Chairoko, "Is it still all right to have lunch with you?"

The fact that Shakey Atari, the boy known as the Human Wallflower, had a 'lunch date' with the newest girls in school, caused surprise to many. And no little amount of resentment either…

Shakey nodded nervously, not reassured in the least by the mob around him…

"It is a nice day," observed Kuroko, "Shall we eat outside?"

Shakey shrugged, & took his lunch out of his schoolbag. As he stood to follow the girls outside, he saw a flash of familiar blue hair in the crowd.

'Rave!' guilt assailed Shakey's thoughts, 'We've been having lunch together for awhile now… What should I do? Will she feel left out? Especially after this morning?' He agonised for a moment, then pushed his way over to his friend.

"Rave?" Shakey asked hesitantly, "W-would you like to join me & the new girls? F-for lunch I mean?"

Rave looked at Shakey with a neutral expression. "No," was all she said.

"…oh…" Shakey felt sure that he'd done something wrong, something that must have hurt Rave, in some strange, only understood by females way.

"It is a nice day outside," Rave murmured, "You should not waste it."

Shakey looked at Rave, unsure of how he should take her words. Rave gave him a small smile, & reached out to squeeze his forearm reassuringly. "Go," was all she said.

Feeling strangely reassured, Shakey left the classroom.

The mob had noticed the interchange between Rave & Shakey, especially the fact that Rave didn't seem concerned about Shakey having lunch with other girls.

Of course, SOME people put their own interpretation on it…

"The rumours about those two MUST have been wrong…"

"Yeah… unless they've got a SOLID 'Commitment Thing' going?"

"Hmmm… Could be… Could be…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Lunch Time, Crunch Time.

Outside, the trio of Shakey, Kuroko & Chairoko found themselves a nice shady spot under one of the many trees that lined the edges of the sports oval.

Of course, their meeting was monitored by several of the School 'gossipmongers'…

Mostly, the 'eavesdroppers' stayed a discrete distance away, usually not facing their targets directly. All the better to promote a false sense of 'privacy' in those they were listening to, in hopes that something juicy would slip out…

In the classroom, Kantsee shook his head, appalled at the crude & vulgar way his fellow students were invading his friend's privacy. Having MUCH more class than the rabble around him did, Kantsee would NEVER think of being so crass. He had too much respect for himself, & for his friends…

…Which is why Kantsee used a parabolic spy-mike instead…

Kantsee ran a 'live feed' of the conversation to some of his regular 'paying customers', as well as making a recording for his OWN records…

"Thank you for helping us at the supermarket the other day," said Kuroko.

"Oh, it was nothing," Shakey modestly admitted, "I'd have done that for anyone…"

"Perhaps you would," Chairoko agreed, "But you did it for us…"

Shakey blushed slightly.

"Please," said Kuroko, offering her bento (lunch box) to Shakey, "Would you do us the honour of sharing food with us?"

Shakey's blush got deeper, 'Share their food? They MUST have appreciated my helping them out!' He looked at the contents of the lunch box. Some kind of salad sandwich on brown bread, plain rice balls, & servings of sliced fruit & vegetables.

'Hmmm…' Shakey silently appraised the contents with the eye of an Acolyte of the Culinary Arts, 'Looks Vegetarian, apart from the 'Deli Meat' sandwich… Perhaps they haven't gotten their kitchen up & running yet…'

'Or…' Shakey suddenly felt embarrassed as he remembered the large amounts of 'instant food' the girls had bought, 'Perhaps they don't know how to cook, or aren't able to cook because they don't have the right equipment?'

Shakey paused, then he took a sandwich from the lunchbox, & ate it. 'Deli Meat all right,' he realised, chewing thoroughly, 'Although I can't say just what type… Tastes nice & spicy though… Perhaps it's marinated?'

Shakey then offered his own lunchbox to the girls, saying, "Here! You've shared your food with me, so it's only right that I should share with you…"

To Shakey's surprise, neither of the girls accepted his offer, even though he had Chicken Teriyaki Sushi Rolls.

"We thank you for your offer," Chairoko politely refused, "But we want to thank you for helping us the other day."

"We wouldn't feel right taking your food," clarified Kuroko, "Not when we haven't yet paid back the favour you did for us…"

"Oh…" said Shakey, feeling embarrassed, "Some other time then?"

Both girls looked at Shakey & smiled, "Yes. We would like that," they chorused.

Lunchbreak not getting any longer, Shakey ate his meal in silence, trying not to look too clumsy or greedy while he ate. The food consumed, the girls began to ask Shakey questions about the School, the City, & about the other students.

Unknown to Shakey, the Clones masquerading as Kuroko & Chairoko had already heard various rumours about the other students in the school. Wanting to know more about how rumours propagate, & thus, how they might be contained, the Disguised Clones had been attentive listeners. Consequently, they had gotten a LOT of 'dirt' on their new classmates…

'I'd better be careful what I say,' Shakey realised, 'I could get into REAL trouble if something I say is taken the wrong way…'

"Ah… Well…" Shakey answered evasively, "I haven't really been here that long, & I don't really know the other students all that well…"

"What about that strange girl by the window, the one with the blue hair?" asked Chairoko, "She ignored us when we arrived… Is she always that unfriendly?"

'Oh great,' Shakey moaned inwardly, 'First day here & already they've formed an opinion about how 'normal' Rave is…'

Shakey tried to stand up for his friend, "Uh… Rave's not… unfriendly… She's just… a REAL quiet sort of person… It takes a while to get to know her, but if you try to be a friend to her… She'll be a friend back to you…"

"People," Chairoko said quietly, "Told us that she doesn't have any friends…"

"That's not true…" Shakey said with confidence, "Rave has friends, it's just… most of them aren't here at school with her…"

"Is that why she is absent from classes so often?" Kuroko seized on the chance to explore another rumour about Rave, "She skips classes to meet with her friends outside of school?"

"No!" exclaimed Shakey, feeling embarrassed at the need to protect his friend's reputation, "Rave doesn't skip classes! She's…"

'How can I answer that?' Shakey asked himself, 'I can't just tell them that Rave's frequently absent, so she take part in Top Secret experiments & tests…'

Shakey improvised, "Rave's …had a lot of bad luck in her life… She's often been hurt, & has had to go to the doctor's a lot… For tests & treatments… She hasn't been able to attend school like the other children have…"

"Are her frequent injuries from 'gang' fights?"

"No they aren't!" Shakey denied vigorously.

"People have told us she…"

"Listen to me," Shakey angrily interrupted, "There are a LOT of rumour mongers & Gossipers in this school! Half of what they say are outright lies, & the rest are misinterpretations & half-truths! Don't believe everything you hear, until you find out who you can trust to tell you the truth!"

The girls blinked in unison, "Then the stories we have heard about her…"

"Aren't true!" Shakey stressed, "Rave's a nice girl, who just…"

Shakey bit his tongue as he realised he was about to repeat something Dr Ritzy Akatlover had said about Rave many months ago, "…has… difficulties in her life…"

Throughout the City, the members that made up the Group Mind known as 'Rave', suddenly felt their cheeks grow warmer as they listened to the 'live feed' the other Clones were sending them.

So… Shakey thinks we are a 'nice girl'…

Beside Shakey, the two disguised Clones were also feeling pleasantly embarrassed, although their skin makeup hid their slight blushes.

"So she isn't your girlfriend then?"

"What?!" it was a sudden shock to Shakey, "No! She isn't my girlfriend!"

"Is she any one's girlfriend?"

"…ah-I w-wouldn't know about that," Shakey barely got out, "You'd really be better off asking her that question yourself…"

"Is Aesir your girlfriend?"

"nuh-NO!!" Shakey croaked, terrified at the thought of what Aesir would do to him if she thought he'd said something like that, or had even appeared to agree with someone saying that, "Aesir's NOT my girlfriend!"

"Who is your girlfriend then?"

Shakey stared at the girls in front of him in stark disbelief. 'I can't believe I'm having this conversation!' he thought dazedly, 'Rave never talks about stuff like this… Nor for that matter does Aesir… Apart from that one time she dared me to kiss her… Is this typical Girls' talk, or what?'

"Look," Shakey was trembling nervously, & seriously afraid that whatever he said was going to be misinterpreted, "I do NOT have a girlfriend!"

"So the job's open, is it?"

Shakey blinked, not really believing he was being asked the sort of questions he was being asked, "Ah… I w-wouldn't really say that…"

"Why? Don't you want a girlfriend?"

"…uh…" Shakey desperately tried to think of a suitable answer that would resolve the situation, & save what little Macho image he felt he had left.

'How do I answer that?' Shakey mournfully asked himself, 'And how do I say it so that I don't look like a complete & utter Loser?'

"Hey Shakey!" came a familiar male voice as Kantsee walked over to the group.

'Good Old Kantsee!' Shakey thankfully rejoiced, 'Just when I'm in a tight spot, along comes one of my faithful friends to rescue…'

Kantsee smiled, "Have you told them about the time you wore Girl's clothes?"

'…me… HUH????' Shakey blinked, not believing the 'knife job' his friend was doing on Shakey's fragile reputation.

"He wore Girl's clothes?" the Twins chorused in unison.

"Oh yeah!" Kantsee grinned, "And I've got the photos to prove it!"

'Next time I Pilot AVE,' Shakey thought darkly, 'I simply MUST pay Kantsee a 'little visit'…'

The rest of the lunch break went far worse than Shakey had thought it would…

Up in the classroom, Rave was sitting at her desk, looking out the window, a slight blush on her face. The fact she was staring in the general direction of Shakey & the two new girls, did NOT go unnoticed by the others in the class.

"Ms Imanonymous?" one of the bolder girls asked.

"Yes?" Rave kept looking out the window.

"Ah-are you all right with… with… You know?"

"Know what?" Rave enquired.

"Shakey & the new girls…"

"Yes. Why should I not be?"

"B-but aren't you upset that your b-boyfriend is seeing other girls?"

The girl gulped as Rave's crimson eyes stared through her.

"No," Rave replied in a monotone, "And he is not my boyfriend."

More than a slight murmur arose amongst the other students in the room at Rave's frank admission.

Then Rave did the unexpected… She said, "He is my Best friend."

Then Rave went back to watching the trio on the Playing Field.

Of course, even the Honest Truth cannot always prevail against the force of popular misinformation. The gossipmongers had a field day…

*Imanonymous just said Atari isn't her boyfriend!*

*Really?*

*Perhaps they aren't an item after all*

*Yeah, I can't see Atari being Stud enough to dazzle her with his Manly charm!*

*Unless he really IS a Smooth B-----D, & not the Hopeless Wimp we thought!*

*Him? Smooth? No way!*

*Then again, maybe Imanonymous is the one who's done the dazzling?*

*Oh SURE! I can JUST see something like THAT happening!*

*Face it, Atari's just a wimp!*

*Yeah! He's always getting bossed around by Aesir!*

*And? Aesir bosses EVERYONE around!*

*Yeah! ANYONE can boss a Spineless wimp like Atari!*

*Maybe Imanonymous wants him as HER punching bag?*

*Could get interesting when Aesir gets back*

*By the way, how is she doing?*

*Well, the last I heard…*

And so it went…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Surprise.

The rest of the day passed slowly, with the Old Teacher continuing to send his students to sleep with his ancient anecdotes of a World long gone. Eventually though, the day ended, & the Captives of the Classroom that Time Forgot, were free to go home.

As per Lunchtime, the other students milled around the new girls, repeating their previous offers, & generally trying to get what information they could.

Kuroko & Chairoko though, were still playing hard to get…

Or in Shakey's case, hard to get rid of…

"Would you like to walk us home?" Chairoko asked Shakey.

"Um…" Shakey was once again the unenviable centre of attention in the classroom, "Actually… I have to… see someone…"

"Oh?" said the Twins, looking slightly crestfallen.

"Hey Rave?" Shakey didn't want to hurt the new girls' feelings, but he didn't want to hurt the feelings of his blue-haired friend either.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk with you outside?" Shakey nearly pleaded.

"Yes."

"You're Rave Imanonymous, aren't you?" Chairoko butted into the conversation.

"Yes," Rave turned her attention to the new girl.

"Shakey's been telling us all about you," Kuroko stated.

Rave stayed silent, a little fact that had Shakey suddenly sweating bullets as he tried to remember just what he HAD said about her…

"I'll… see you outside…" Shakey squeaked, before leaving the room as fast as he could. As he saw it, 'It's better to have room to run in, if you NEED to run!'

Rave & the new girls watched Shakey leave with puzzled looks on their faces. Despite the renewed offers of the other students around them, the new girls took up their conversation with Rave where they had left off.

"So… it's only fair that you should tell us all about him," added Chairoko.

Rave appeared to consider the matter then merely said, "Perhaps…"

"Well then…" started Kuroko.

"Another time," Rave abruptly walked off, "Shakey needs to talk to me…"

The Twins silently watched Rave walk off, evidently surprised by her behaviour.

"Don't worry," Hickory Harikari said to the new girls, "Rave's like that with everyone… At least, those few she does talk to…"

"Doesn't she talk to many people?" asked Chairoko.

"Well…" Hickory didn't like to talk about people behind their backs, "She's a really quiet person. By the way, we have a tradition for all new students on their first day!

"Oh?" the Twins looked interested.

"It's called, learning how to clean the classroom…"

The Twins blinked in unison.

"Hickory leaned in & whispered conspiratorially, "Don't worry, we can talk about things as we clean up…"

Meanwhile, Shakey waited at the School Gates for Rave to turn up. 'Oh man,' he thought guiltily, 'I hope I didn't say anything I shouldn't have…'

"Hi Shakey!"

Shakey flinched at the unexpected greeting. Natsumi Iwakawa came up to him, a cheerful smile plastered across a face glowing with good health & happiness.

Shakey blinked, noting the change to the emotional wreck he'd first met.

"Is Rave here today?"

"Hi Natsumi," Shakey returned, "Yeah, Rave's here today, she'll be along in a little while…"

"Does she have Classroom Cleaning duty?"

"No, she's just talking to some new students in our class…"

"Oh?" Natsumi smiled coyly, "More Handsome boys I hope?"

Shakey shook his head, "No, just some more girls…"

"So why aren't you talking with them then?"

Shakey shrugged his shoulders, "Everyone else wanted to talk to them…"

"And you didn't?"

"It's not like that," Shakey was suddenly uncomfortable, "I talked with them at lunchtime…"

"Ah," Natsumi gave Shakey a knowing look, "So you've already got their phone numbers in your little black book then?"

"What…? No!" Shakey spluttered, "I don't HAVE a little black book…"

"Rave takes up all your time instead?" Natsumi not quite suggested.

"Natsumi," Shakey sighed wearily, "Me & Rave are NOT an item…"

'SURE you aren't!' Natsumi thought…

Not much later, Rave joined them, & the trio continued on their usual way home.

"Shakey?" asked Rave, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Uh…" Shakey hesitated, "It's… sort of… confidential…"

Rave looked blankly at him, "Confidential?"

"Is THAT the time?" Natsumi suddenly exclaimed, "Terribly, sorry, but I've got to get home or my Aunt will worry… See you tomorrow!"

With that Natsumi ran off, a grin on her face. Rave wore more than a slightly puzzled look as she watched Natsumi leave, especially as Natsumi had winked at Rave & whispered "Good Luck!" to her.

Shakey coughed nervously, "Rave… I need to talk… about… things…"

"Rumours?" Rave quietly asked.

"Um… yeah…" Shakey confirmed in a small voice, "…sort of…"

"Would you like a Malted Milk?" Rave softly asked.

Shakey nodded his head, "Yeah… It might help…"

Soon afterwards, the two were sitting in their favourite Milk Bar, sipping on separate Malted Milkshakes. Shakey was more or less toying with his drink, dreading the prospect of actually talking to Rave about some of the things he felt he needed to. Rave sat patiently, waiting for Shakey to speak.

"Rave…" Shakey felt he couldn't stall any longer, "You remember what we promised each other… after the last lot of rumours?"

"Yes. We agreed to tell each other of any rumours we heard about each other."

"Well…" Shakey steeled himself, "I… talked with the new girls today… And they told me… things… other people had told them… about you…"

"Things?"

Shakey gulped, "They told me… other people think you skip class… to meet friends outside of school."

"I do not."

"I know that!" Shakey agreed, "But others in school either don't know the truth, or don't care! They even think your injuries are caused in Gang fights!"

Rave paused for a few moments before commenting, "And how much of the real truth, are we allowed to tell them?"

Shakey opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it & shut up. 'She's right… How would people take the 'real truth'? That Rave's a Clone who pilots a Giant Robot? That she's frequently injured saving Humanity? That most of the time she's away from School, she's doing Top Secret tests & stuff? No… We can't tell anyone THAT…'

Shakey propped his head up with one of his arms, leaning his elbow on the table, "Rave, I think these other rumours are making people shy away from getting to know you… I think you should try & show people that you are NOT the person the rumours have made them think you are…"

"How can I do that, if they have already made a decision about me?"

Shakey rested his head in both hands, "That's the hard part… You'd probably be better off trying to make a good impression on any newcomers to the school… Before they have a chance to get misinformed by any rumours…"

Shakey looked up at Rave, "The new girls seem to be nice people, why don't you try & make friends with them? If you can make friends with them, then gradually, others will get to know you as well, through them!"

"If they become my friends," Rave said quietly, a thoughtful look on her face, "Will other people want them as friends? Will other people think they are… the same as I am?"

"I don't know," Shakey admitted, "I just think you should try & make friends with them, before they can be influenced against you by any rumours."

"We will be friends," Rave stated firmly.

"I hope you can be… But you'll need to work at it…"

"They have already told me they will," Rave neglected to tell Shakey just HOW the new girls had 'told' her, "Rumours will not affect their decision."

"But I HAVE to worry," Shakey exclaimed, "After what happened last time…"

"Do not worry," Rave repeated, "These rumours will die down as well."

"Yeah… But…" Shakey protested.

"I have heard some rumours about you," Rave murmured.

Shakey swallowed nervously, 'Oh great! What's she heard about me?'

"They said you were my boyfriend," Rave clarified.

Shakey blushed.

"I told them you were not," Rave added, turning slightly pink herself.

Silence fell between the two.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Rave suddenly asked.

The question caught Shakey by surprise, & he stared at Rave in disbelief. For her part, Rave stared back at Shakey, obviously waiting for an answer.

"…uh… no… I… don't…" Shakey admitted, his blush deepening.

"Why not? You do like girls, don't you?".

"W-why not??" Shakey felt a strange sense of Déjà vu as he stared at Rave in disbelief, "But… Well… I'm only 15… I mean… things… just don't… You know…"

"Would you like to have a girlfriend?" Rave's crimson eyes stared deep into Shakey's eyes, looking through him to the core of his soul…

Shakey's face had gone a deep red, & he shyly shrank back from Rave's intense gaze. The two stayed that way, until the ringing of Shakey's cell-phone interrupted the scene. Grateful for any escape, Shakey immediately fumbled it out of his school port, & answered it.

"H-Hello?"

"Shakey!" Mazurka's cheerful voice spilled out of the speaker, "Guess What!"

"What?"

"Aesir's woken up!"

"WHAT!?"

"You heard me, Aesir's finally woken up!"

"That's great!"

"Now, she's still groggy, & can't really have any visitors, but…"

Shakey hung on every word.

"I think I can arrange a quick visit sometime this afternoon, IF the Doctors okay it! Are you interested?"

"Sure!" Shakey enthusiastically agreed, "Should I ask Rave along as well?"

"I don't think she'll finish her tests in time."

"Tests?"

"It's why she's not at School today. She had to come in & do a full set of…"

The rest of Mazurka's comments faded away as Shakey's world slowed down, & the beating of his heart pulsed loudly in his ears. Shakey's lips suddenly felt dry, & a queasy feeling rose in his stomach as he ran Mazurka's words over & over in his mind…

'Rave's not at school today… Rave's not at school today… Rave's not…'

"…you still there Shakey?" Mazurka's puzzled voice asked.

"…huh… yeah…" Shakey breathed, "…still here…"

"I'll call you back when I've Okayed a visiting time," Mazurka advised, "Don't start making supper… If we can get to see Aesir, we'll eat out to celebrate! What the H--L! We'll eat out to celebrate anyway!"

The line went dead as Mazurka hung up.

Shakey tried to swallow, but his throat was as dry as his lips. Slowly he put his cell-phone back in his school bag, & turned to face the blue-haired girl sitting across from him.

"Shakey," 'Rave' said quietly, her eyes looking at the table top, "I have a little surprise for you…"

"…you're," Shakey's voice cracked badly, "…another… aren't you?"

The Clone nodded slowly, still not meeting Shakey's eyes.

'I didn't realise,' Shakey was aghast at the thought, 'She was 'replaced', & I didn't even realise…?'

"Shakey?" asked the rather concerned Clone, "Are you feeling all right?"

"…i'm… fine…" Shakey whined, although he looked more like death reheated, "…i just need… to rest for a bit…"

"I will see you home," said the Clone.

Only having half heard the Clones comments, Shakey allowed her to help him to his feet, & assist him on his way.

Not that Shakey used the Clone as a crutch…

"I can walk!" Shakey shook off the hands that were supporting him, his mind still coming to grips with things, but somehow realising, 'If people see her holding me, they'll think… that… that… Oh Man!"

At an intersection, they had to wait for the Pedestrian crossing signal to change. Shakey took advantage of the wait to try & sort things out in his mind. He leaned heavily against a Light Pole, & closed his eyes…

'I didn't know it wasn't her…' Shakey was appalled at his lack of recognition, 'I didn't know she wasn't Rave… That she wasn't the 'Third'…'

Shakey winced as a sense of Déjà vu swept over him. 'Same as I didn't notice when the 'Second' was… replaced… I thought 'Third' was the 'Second'… That she was… Rave… What sort of friend am I, if I can't even tell them apart?'

Shakey's thoughts were interrupted by the familiar beeping of the 'Walk' signal. Still half dazed, he automatically stepped out onto the road.

A sudden screeching of brakes & someone shouting "Shakey!" snapped Shakey back to reality. Shakey found himself on the wrong part of the Intersection, in the path of an oncoming Delivery Truck.

Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an approaching car, Shakey froze up, the world around him slowing down, as things came into sharp focus…

…Especially the face of the truck driver, who wore the horrified expression of a man who knew he couldn't stop in time…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Warning.

Deep in the NERVIS Test Facilities, the clone known as Rave#3 sat in one of the test machines, acting as a statistical reference for the current batch of tests two other Clones were also undergoing.

Like the others being tested, she sat with her eyes closed, lost in an inner world as she synchronised her nervous system with the machinery around her. The surge & pulse of the interface flowed around her consciousness, like a mountain creek meandering around a mossy boulder…

Rave's serene state was in complete contrast to that of Major Kutsarug, who was having a rather heated telephone conversation…

"What do you mean I can't bring visitors in to see her?"

"Ma'am, it's as I TOLD you…" said an exasperated voice on the phone, "She's only just come out of her coma. We've given her medication to help her, but she'll still have problems for the next seven to ten hours at least. Any sort of over excitement during this time is OUT of the question! As her Guardian, you may come & see her, briefly, & while under supervision! No one else!"

"FINE!" Mazurka fumed, "I'll play it your way! But I'll want to be advised the minute she's deemed capable of seeing visitors, or ELSE!"

Mazurka slammed the phone down into its cradle, 'Damn Hospital staff! Get your hopes up by telling you one thing, then when you try & arrange it so you can see for yourself, they tell you another…'

'What will I tell Shakey?' Mazurka agonised over her unpleasant options, 'Now that he knows Aesir is awake, he'll want to go & see her… Maybe I should just tell him the truth? That she won't be able to 'receive visitors' because they might 'overexcite' her?'

'Heh…' Mazurka smirked, 'I wonder how Shakey would react if he heard that Aesir found him 'overexciting'… Hmmm… if Shakey was too much for Aesir to take, I wonder how she'd react to having several Raves visit her? She'd probably…'

"SHAKEY!" all three of the Clones yelled simultaneously, as the test data on the monitors fluctuated wildly.

Mazurka sat bolt upright at her desk, the sudden weirdness of the situation sending chills up & down her spine, & gooseflesh over her skin.

"Mazurka!" the three Clones yelled in unison, "Shakey has been hurt!"

Mazurka grabbed the phone, & punched in Shakey's cell-phone number. To her growing unease, she received the 'Not in Area' signal.

Mazurka took a deep breath, then dialled the Security Division…

"Security?" Mazurka snapped out as soon as the phone was picked up, "Major Kutsarug here, I want a location report on the Third Pilot Shakey Atari, STAT!"

"Roger Major," replied a professionally bored voice, "Third Pilot is with…"

Mazurka tensed as the voice trailed off…

"Major!" the voice resumed in suddenly urgent tones, "We have a Crisis Situation in progress. Backup teams are moving in for Emergency Extraction…"

"Where IS he?" Mazurka demanded.

"They'll be taken direct to Medical, Major," the voice replied.

Mazurka slammed her phone down, "Moccona!" she yelled as she ran out of the test centre, "Take over for me! I'm needed elsewhere!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Streetwise.

Reality came back to Shakey in a jumble of sensations…

Something hard & rough pressed against Shakey's face. The smell of car fumes filled his nose, & a mash of noises sounded in the background. He blinked his eyes, & he realised he was lying on a concrete safety strip. He moved to stand up, & moaned as various pains ached through him.

'…what…?' Shakey asked himself, trying to remember.

Then his memory came back…

Someone calling his name… A vision of a truck heading straight for him, every detail of it crystal clear… A sudden blurring… Darkness & lights…

"Truck?" Shakey wheezed, a pain lancing through his ribs, "There was a truck?"

Shakey rolled awkwardly onto his side & looked around. Some way further down the street, a truck was angle parked on the sidewalk. The driver's door was open, & the hazard lights were flashing.

Shakey looked at it, not completely understanding what had happened. He looked around in a daze, seeking an answer. On the other side of him, the oncoming traffic was jammed behind several vehicles that had stopped short of the accident scene.

In between the two, Shakey saw something that nearly stopped his heart…

Lying on the road like a lost rag doll, was a familiar blue-haired figure.

…In a pool of blood…

"RAVE!" Shakey shouted, trying to scramble to his feet. He winced in pain as his leg buckled, forcing him to hobble rather than run over to the girl.

Blood dribbled from a bad gash on Rave's temple. It streamed down the side of her head, matting her blue hair into a dark sticky mess before making a spreading pool on the roadway. A sanguine Halo.

"Rave?" Shakey asked loudly, his hand shaking her shoulder, "Can you hear me?"

Her body twitched spasmodically at his voice, a whimper of pain escaping her lips. Her eyelids trembled, then slowly rolled partly back, her unfocussed red eyes staring past him.

Shakey screamed at the people milling nearby, "SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!"

Shakey turned back to the girl, desperately trying to remember what the First Aid book said he should do in a situation like this…

'I need a bandage to stop the blood loss…'

Having none to hand, Shakey used a trick he'd read in his First Aid Book. He placed his bare hand gently on the wound, & began to press down. To a casual observer, it might appear that Shakey was caressing the girl's head, rather than using his hand as an emergency pressure bandage.

The Clone moved awkwardly beneath Shakey, her eyes locking onto him. A faint smile fleeted across her face, as a pale limb reached up to caress his face. Shakey spooked, his mind going back to another Clone, & the similar action she had done just before she died. His free hand caught the pale hand that touched his face, squeezing it tightly.

"Please!" Shakey whined, tears in his eyes, "Don't die! I don't know which one you are… but you CAN'T be replaced… Don't leave me…"

The Clone's lips moved slightly as she breathed a single word, "…juni…" (12)

Then to Shakey's horror, the crimson eyes rolled up, & her body went limp…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Waiting Room.

Mazurka strode through the Hospital corridors, her grim attitude crashing through all before her like the prow of an Icebreaker.

At the end of this particular corridor, was a small waiting room that served a nearby operating theatre. Here it was, that Mazurka finally found Shakey Atari.

Shakey sat on one of the sofas that lined the room, sitting curled up with his feet on the seat, & his arms wrapped around his knees. He had bandages all down one arm, & a large dressing was partly visible on his cheek. More bandages padded one of his ankles, & a pair of crutches lay nearby. His body trembled & shook slightly. The snuffling noises he made were evidence that he was trying not to cry, & failing miserably…

Mazurka froze, trying to convince herself that the person in front of her really was the boy she'd come to find. That Shakey really was in front of her, relatively unharmed, & was not in some operating theatre.

"Shakey?" Mazurka murmured, reaching out to gently touch his good shoulder, "What happened? Can you tell me?"

At the sound of her voice, Shakey tensed up, not bothering to look at her.

"…muh-my fif-fault…" Shakey blubbered, "…shuh-should've known… wasn't her…"

"Shakey?" Mazurka repeated, kneeling so that she was on a head to head level with him, "What are you talking about? Know who wasn't her?"

"…rave…" Shakey sobbed, finally raising his head to look at Mazurka.

'Rave?' thought Mazurka with some confusion, 'What's she got to do with this? Is the current situation inducing some sort of Post Traumatic Flashback to the Doppelganger Lab incident?'

"Rave's all right," Mazurka said softly, trying to console the distraught youth before her, "I left her in the Test Centre. She's all right…"

"…not her…" Shakey snuffled, "…other… Twelve…"

'Other twelve what?' Mazurka wondered, 'What's he talking about?'

"Shakey," Mazurka gently shook him to get his attention, "What are you talking about? I need you to tell me…"

Shakey put his head back on his knees, & tried to talk, "…at school… wasn't Rave… w-was… Twelve… dih-didn't know…"

Mazurka stared at the boy, a light slowly dawning, "You mean… There was another Clone at School… And you thought she was Rave?"

Shakey nodded, his head bobbing up & down, "…yes… found out… you rang…"

Mazurka moved to sit on the sofa beside Shakey. She put her arm around him.

"Okay…" Mazurka said slowly, "So there was another Clone at school, & you thought she was Rave… You found out she wasn't… What happened then?"

A tremor ran through Shakey, & the boy stayed silent.

In her haste to find Shakey, Mazurka had barged her way straight to where she was told he was. She hadn't taken time to be fully briefed on the situation, her own 'Maternal Instincts' temporarily overriding her Professional Mindset. Now that her main fears about Shakey's well-being were settled, she had time to snap back into her usual 'take-charge' mentality.

…Especially since she now had some serious questions she wanted answered…

"Shakey?" Mazurka asked quietly, "I need to check a few things out… I'll be right back… I promise…"

Mazurka stood, then with one last look at the bandaged boy, she reluctantly left him, & went to the NERVIS Security agent on guard outside the operating room.

"I'm Major Mazurka Kutsarug," the 'Command' level voice accompanied the showing of an ID card, "I need some answers about this situation."

"Yes Ma'am," the Agent answered.

"First off,' Mazurka remembered something from her original call to Security, "How many people were injured in this incident?"

"Two."

"Any casualties?"

"No."

"Who was injured?"

"The First & Third Pilots."

Mazurka narrowed her eyes in suspicion, 'Interesting! Rave's the designated First Pilot, and she was safe & sound in the Test Facility the whole time…'

Mazurka continued to put two & two together, 'Shakey said another Clone was involved… Since Security would KNOW Rave was having tests, they'd surely notice if someone was running around pretending to be her… Clone or not, they'd have investigated the matter promptly… Unless… They had orders NOT to… And since the other Clones can only leave their quarters with the Commander's approval…'

"How was the Third Pilot injured?" Mazurka asked, shelving her thoughts.

"He was almost run over by a truck."

"A Truck?" Mazurka gasped, "Looks like he was lucky to only get what he got…"

"Yes, thanks to the First Pilot."

"What do you mean?"

"She pushed him out of the way."

A cold chill ran over Mazurka as she remembered that there were two people injured, & that the other one was currently being operated on.

"What happened to her?" Mazurka had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"She got hit saving him."

Mazurka swallowed hard, then asked the inevitable question, "How is she?"

"I wouldn't know that," the Security Agent replied, "You'd best ask the doctor…"

"Do you know how long…?"

"Sorry Ma'am," the Agent said with traces of genuine regret in his voice, "I wouldn't know that either…"

Mazurka nodded silently, then turned around & returned to the waiting room…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Twilight.

In an operating room in a Secure Medical Facility, a blue-haired Rave Clone underwent Emergency Surgery after having been hit by a truck.

The Clone, shown on medical records as #012, but known to real people as #12, lay on an operating table as a team of surgeons worked on her, realigning shattered bones, & repairing damaged internal organs.

Being part of a Group Mind meant never really being alone, as other people were as close as a thought away. The only real 'privacy' members of such a unique communal intellect had, were due to those manners they mutually respected. So, while others were always 'within touch', they were rarely being touched, unless they were actually calling out to another, or else being called upon.

The Clones knew that pain was a 'warning' that their bodies were damaged, or were being exerted past acceptable limits. Since functional efficiency was a priority, the Clones paid attention to any 'feedback' their bodies gave them. Being a Group Mind, they also kept a subconscious eye on each other as well.

Clone#12's current unconscious state was making itself known to the Group Mind, as a sort of 'hole' in the place where an echo from a mind should be.

The situation was causing the Clones no small amount of concern. Shakey had been injured, although not seriously in the incident, but the Clones knew that he might be upset by the injuries the Clone had suffered saving him. Worse, he might develop serious emotional trauma if the Clone died…

Their worries would be alleviated when Clone #12 regained consciousness…

The first thing #12 was aware of as she came out from under the general anaesthesia, was that she was floating in a dark & shadowy twilight, in which blurs of colour floated & faded.

Dimly, #12 felt the Others calling out to her, asking for information on what had happened. Her mind fogged by painkillers, she was unable to answer effectively, to communicate with the Others in any way she felt they understood.

In frustration, #12 tried to remember what had happened, sensing that if she could only remember, then the Others would too.

Vertigo claimed #12, as whirling images grew to fill her world…

#12 was standing on a street… Shakey was nearby… They had to wait until the light changed… The walk signal changed… She saw that the oncoming traffic had stopped so she stepped onto the road… She heard the screech of brakes locking up… She reflexively turned her head to check for danger…

Then she saw Shakey on the wrong part of the intersection… A truck heading towards him…

#12 yelled Shakey's name… Shakey just stood there… The truck was closer… It was not deviating from its path… It was not slowing sufficiently…

#12 turned & ran to Shakey as fast as she could.

…She came up beside him with the truck mere inches away from him…

#12 slammed her body into Shakey, trying to knock him out of harm's way.

…The transfer of her kinetic energy made Shakey fly off balance sideways…

#12 saw Shakey moving clear of the truck's path.

…She herself…

#12 had still kept moving, but not enough… The front of the truck struck her across the hips… The transfer of energy caused her torso to whip around toward the truck's side… A flash of silver as a side mirror approached her face at high speed, and…

…Darkness & lights…

Another memory appeared…

A large industrial hangar, & an overturned hospital gurney… Pain coursed through her body… Her breathing was uneven, & hard to accomplish… Through distorted vision, she saw a teenaged boy… He had a concerned look on his face, as he cradled her to him…

…he cares…? …for me…?

Another impression appeared as the other faded…

A dark, dimly lit room, awash with a warm liquid… A terrible pain in her chest… A choking sensation as her body refused to draw breath… The same boy was holding her, again with a concerned look on his face…

He cares? For me? He cares! For ME! Gratitude! Thank You! A trembling hand reaches out to touch him… Vision Fades… Pain fades…

A third impression appeared…

#12 was lying on something hard & rough… A reddish blur filled her vision, & pain ached through her… Someone called her name, asking if she could hear them… #12 opened her eyes, only to stare blankly as they refused to focus… Someone touched her, the feel of their skin resting against her forehead…

Other impressions suddenly washed over her… The pain of another person's injuries… Waves of raw emotions washing out from another… Fear… Worry… Guilt… Concern…

Care…? For me? Who?

Then her eyes found their focus… The same boy was holding her, blood seeping from wounds on his face…

You!? You care? For me? YOU CARE! FOR ME! GRATITUDE! THANK YOU!

A pale hand reached out to caress his face, wordlessly expressing thanks for his concerns… A stricken look crossed the boy's face, & he grabbed the pale hand… His voice spoke again, cutting through the pain filled haze… "Please don't die… I don't know which one you are, but you can't be replaced. Don't leave me…"

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

Somewhere deep inside #12, a barely used part of her soul flexed. Like a bud growing on a tree, a new emotion swelled into being. #12's heart reached out to the young man who held her. Sensing his emotional turmoil, #12 tried again to communicate with him… To reassure him… Let him know she understood…

"…juni…" (12) It was only a breath sighing out of her, but the reciting of her personal identification number, the proof of her own individual existence, was the most personal thing she could share with him…

Then the darkness rolled in, & everything faded away…

#12 floated in the void, no longer feeling sensations from outside herself. Within her, she sensed the pulse of her heart…

He Cares… For Me…

Her pulse beat stronger, faster, as she remembered the young man…

He Cares! For Me!

She remembered his concern, the way he had tried to comfort others like her…

HE CARES! FOR ME!

The emotion suddenly spilled past her being & spread across the void…

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

The emotion reached the minds of the Others, & caused a similar reaction…

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

Throughout the City, Rave Clones paused in what they were doing, to take deeper than normal breaths, their pulses racing momentarily as their minds accepted #12's newly found emotional appreciation.

**HE CARES** **FOR ME**

Elsewhere, a young man sat in a Hospital waiting room, hating himself for the injury he thought he had caused a friend.

Unaware that his friend held no grudge against him…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Accident Appreciation.

Glando Atari stood in one of many 'facilities' that NERVIS maintained in the City. This particular one was little more than a medium sized warehouse, yet it now crawled with a swarm of various technicians. The object of their attention, & consequently Glando's, was a rather battered looking truck that had earlier been involved in an accident.

"Sir?" a lab-coated technician tactfully got the Commander's attention, "We've finished our initial analysis?"

"Give it here," Glando said coldly, reaching out with an open hand.

"Err… Yes Sir!" the Tech rapidly complied, placing a folder in Glando's hand.

Glando just stood there still looking at the truck.

"Ah? Sir?" asked the Tech, "The report? Do you want further explanation?"

"I'll deal with it later," Glando growled, "Get your people out…"

"Sir?" asked the Tech, "We still…"

"I said," Glando snarled, turning on the Tech, "Get your People OUT! NOW!"

The sudden outburst from Glando caused the various tech's to drop what they were doing, & scurry off. Glando stood, silently looking at the truck. Then he opened the folder…

Sometime later, Fu2ok walked into the warehouse, "Anyone here?" he called out, noting how deserted the place was.

"Over here," came Glando's monotone.

Fu2ok walked over, & found Glando on the other side of the truck.

"Take a look at this," Glando said, indicating a door on the truck.

There was a deep, roundish dent in the door. The safety glass in the door window had been smashed out by the force of the impact.

"I see a large dent beneath a broken window," observed Fu2ok.

"Look at the front panel…" urged Glando.

Fu2ok looked, & saw that the front panel was badly smashed on the same side as the dented door.

"That was the point of initial impact," Glando explained, "It's where it struck her about the hips. The door is where her head struck…"

Glando stood up, & walked around to the other side of the truck. There he stopped, & opened the other door, "Look in there & tell me what you see? On the other door…"

Fu2ok peered within the cab. From the other door, a mangled silvery rod projected into the cabin, "Some sort of metal spike, driven through the door?"

"That 'spike'," Glando pointed at it with the folder in his hand, "Was part of the support for the Mirror on the other door. It was driven into the cab, through two layers of structural metal, by a solid collision."

"During the accident? Or was it a separate incident?"

"During the accident," Glando confirmed.

"What caused it? Did it hit a light pole?"

"No," Glando stated quietly, "It happened when the Clone's head hit the door…"

Fu2ok winced, "She's lucky to be alive! That could have killed her!"

"It SHOULD have," corrected Glando, "Her skull is not as tough as the metal the spike penetrated. Yet, the spike penetrated the metal & NOT her skull…"

"Deflected angle of strike?" Fu2ok suggested.

"I think not…" Glando slowly answered, "Even if it was due to the angle of the strike, her skull should have been shattered. IF it hit with enough force to dent the door like it did, let alone punch that spike through steel…"

"She wasn't killed," Glando murmured, "Fractured pelvis, fractured vertebra, broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a gashed head… Presumably, all caused by the initial impact… The rear wheels also ran over her body after she'd fallen to the ground, yet they didn't seem to do any damage… Despite being 'run over', she wasn't killed…"

"We should be thankful for small miracles," commented Fu2ok.

"Perhaps," Glando said agreeably, "But I think we've got far more to be thankful for than just that…"

"What do you mean?"

Glando wordlessly reached into his jacket, & produced a small slip of paper. He handed it over to Fu2ok.

"What's this?"

"That's the time of the accident," Glando clarified, "According to the Accident Appreciation Squad…"

"So?"

Glando stared at Fu2ok, "It's also the time an E.T. Field was detected… It was gone before we could pinpoint its location, so we assumed it was a sensor malfunction, or computer glitch… But… it happened on the same side of the City, about the same time as this accident…"

Fu2ok turned pale, "Atari… You don't mean?"

"Her skull SHOULD have shattered…" Glando repeated, "She was run over, she should have died…"

Fu2ok gulped nervously, "So… Their powers are starting to develop…"

"Yes," a smile played over Glando's face, "Just like those in the other projects… I think things are going to get interesting around here…"

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 9 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Trainees.

The Chief Instructor continued, "You will be involved in a Manual Dexterity test. You will first disassemble an item, then put it back together again. You will be timed on each segment, & timed overall. Shut your eyes!"

The Clone obediently shut her eyes, & the Chief Instructor lifted away the box that covered the puzzle.

"Start!" ordered the Chief Instructor, as he started the stopwatch.

The Clone opened her eyes, then just sat there & did nothing.

"Rave?" Glando asked with some concern, "Why aren't you disassembling the puzzle?"

Rave glared back at Glando, "Cause we've already played with this toy about a hundred times! You know, MOST children get a range of toys to play with… What do WE get? A single piece of cheap C--P you probably got from a joke shop!"

"Err…" Glando blinked.

"You want this disassembled?" Rave shrieked, a wild look in her eyes, "FINE!"

Rave's fist smacked down on the puzzle, smashing it to pieces & embedding parts in the tabletop.

"Assemble it yourself! You cheap B-----D!" Rave spat, walking off in a huff.

Silence fell.

The Instructor scratched his head, & turned to look questioningly at Glando, "That time of the month?"

"I couldn't be that lucky," Glando moaned, beginning to sweat…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Home Study.

For the past few days, the Clones in this room had been kept separate from the others. Unlike Rave#3, Glando was the only other person who knew of their situation.

…Or of what the Clones were really doing in the room…

"What's the weather like outside?" Glando casually asked, looking at one of the Clones in particular.

"Dunno Daddio," the Clone shrugged, "I bin chillin' wit mah Homies…"

Glando blinked…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Travelogue.

Fu2ok walked into Glando's office, carrying a weighty briefcase.

Glando looked up from his desk as the elderly professor approached, "Welcome back Professor, I trust your sabbatical was… refreshing?"

"Refreshing?" Fu2ok growled belligerently at Glando, "I was stuck in an airborne tin can with half a dozen, whining, screaming brats for HOURS thanks to you!"

"Err…" Glando blinked, "Didn't the puzzles help keep them occupied?"

"OH YES!" Fu2ok snarled menacingly, "Thank you SO much for reminding me! I'd only just forgotten how I had to get them surgically removed…"

Glando began to sweat, this was NOT going to be a good day…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Plans #1.

The security shredder in Glando's desk churned noisily, as it turned loads of written material into illegible confetti.

"I take it you'll burn the scraps as well?" Fu2ok dryly asked.

"Of course Professor," Glando smirked, "I am nothing, if not thorough…"

Glando suddenly produced a toasting fork & marshmallows from his desk.

"Care to join me?" Glando asked with a smirk.

Fu2ok nodded, a smile on his face.

Soon afterwards, Fu2ok & Glando were sitting around an impromptu campfire in a corner of Glando's office.

The shredded documents made a suitable fuel, & as always, the toasted marshmallows were a highpoint of the day…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Plans #2.

Glando pressed a button on his desk, & a part of it flipped up to reveal a small monitor. A picture of a typical shopping Mall appeared.

"Look closely," ordered Glando, "Tell me if you can spot the Clones?"

"Let me give you a hint," offered Glando, "They're in front of the Budget Fashion Store…"

"Them?" Fu2ok exclaimed in disbelief, "The two Punk Rockers with the Mohawks?"

"Hey?" quipped Glando, shrugging his shoulders, "At least their hair colour won't attract any undue attention if they're dressed like that…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Groceries & Girls.

Shakey drooled at the thought of what he was going to get, 'Fresh Bread! Eggs! Steak! Cheese! Vegetables! Milk! Sliced meat from the Delicatessen!'

Unfortunately, a traffic light delayed him, & his stomach grumbled again.

"Oh, shut up!" Shakey mumbled at his rebellious inner organ.

"Please excuse us," said a soft voice from behind Shakey, startling him.

They were a pair of hulking muscly brutes, wearing torn denim jeans, studded leather belts, open leather vests, & chains about their upper bodies.

"Could you please help us, young man?" asked one with a bushy moustache, his extremely hairy chest visible beneath his leather vest.

"Err…" Shakey said, too S--T scared to say much of anything else.

"We're new in the area," said the other thug, who was wearing leather chaps, riding boots, & studded dog collar, "And we were wondering where 'Thor's Purple Helmet,' the local Gay Bar is. Do you know?"

"Could you please show us?" asked the first.

"S-Sure!" Shakey rallied, "I'm going past there myself, so I'll be happy to show you the way…"

"Thank you, so much," the two 'girls' falsettoed in unison…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Surprise.

"H-Hello?"

"Shakey!" Mazurka's cheerful voice spilled out of the speaker, "Guess What!"

"What?"

"Aesir's woken up!"

"WHAT!?"

"You heard me, Aesir's finally woken up!"

"OH S--T!"

"Precisely," Mazurka agreed.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Accident Appreciation.

Fu2ok turned pale, "Atari… You don't mean?"

"Her skull SHOULD have shattered…" Glando repeated, "She was run over, she should have died…"

Fu2ok gulped nervously, "So… She's one H--L of a Hard-Headed, Tough B---H!"

"Yes," an Evil Smile played over Glando's face, "Just like her 'mother'… And since Aesir has regained consciousness… I think things are going to get 'interesting' around here…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -