Fragmented Lives The Parody Pieces Chapter 30: 29 Growing Up LIME, an evangelion fanfic

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Fragmented Lives (The Parody Pieces)

"Growing Up"

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"Altered Lives (The Parody)" and "Fragmented Lives (The Parody Pieces)" are Copyright (c) 2003 by DBM. This work is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan. This work was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies and Satire.

If you like my work, 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 and 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 and 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 and side effects of such activities. Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, and frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts and opinions on the morals and ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts and 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 and Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech.

* * denotes emphasis, or electronic communication.

denotes other method of communication.

--- denotes letters deleted for censorship reasons.

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Author's Ramblings - These are to do with the Emotional awakening of the Clones, post Third Strike.

Knowing the problems in having Shakey as their 'boyfriend', the Clones set their sights on another nice young man.

At least, going by what they've read of his mind - Kantsee.

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Fragment - Dating Game. Clones start dating Kantsee in 2017 (sweet 16!).

Kantsee sat on the kerb, gently touching his bruised and swollen face. He winced when he touched his nose.

'Damn! It feels like it's broken!' he thought, as tears welled in his eyes, 'At least my teeth are still there…'

He spat blood filled phlegm into the gutter.

The Clone sat down beside him, her evening dress stained with Kantsee's and other peoples' blood. She offered him a handkerchief from her purse.

"Thangs!" Kantsee mumbled, using it to stem the flow of blood from his nose.

"Kantsee…" began the Clone, "About what happened. Thank you for trying to protect me, but…"

Kantsee looked at her, trying to blink away the pain-induced tears.

"You didn't have to…" she continued, "I can take care of myself in a fight…"

Kantsee rolled his eyes, he already knew that. So did the three jerks the Clone had just beaten the C--P out of, "I goodint juzzit dere…" he slurred.

"Yes, you could have! I would not have thought badly of you! None of us would! Physical protection is not what we need you for!"

"Yoo nheed me?" he asked, puzzled, "Wod for?"

"Emotional protection! We need people like you, to remind us of what people can be like. What WE can be like. We don't need you to keep our bodies safe from harm. We need you to keep our hearts safe from hurt."

Kantsee thought about what the Clone had said.

"Please Kantsee," begged the Clone, "Promise us that you won't ever try to protect any of us like that again! We don't like seeing you get hurt! Leave such things to US instead! We can't be hurt by such petty thugs…"

Kantsee had always wanted to be a Real Man. Part of that meant standing up, and protecting those weaker than himself. He knew that on the scale of 'Macho' there were Real Men tougher than he was. He knew they'd see him as weaker than themselves, and being Real Men, they'd feel a duty to protect him, just as Kantsee would protect those weaker than himself. He could accept that. It was how being a Real Man worked.

…He realised that on the same scale, the Clones were WAY ahead of any of them…

"Ogay," he mumbled, "Yoove godda deel!" Kantsee was nothing, if not a realist.

The Clone hugged him in relief.

A couple of months later, Kantsee was out on a date with another Clone. They saw a movie, then walked home beneath the silvery light of the moon.

Unfortunately, they attracted the attention of some low-lives.

A dozen half-drunken punks began hassling them, calling them names, and making 'comments' about the Clone.

"Hey Bay-Bee! Why don't ya ditch four-eyes and have some fun with us?"

Kantsee felt his anger rise, he was about to say something to the punks when the Clone squeezed his arm reassuringly.

"Don't worry," she said, "I'll handle this…"

"Are you sure? There's a dozen of them?"

She smiled, "Trust me! Aesir could handle them by herself."

The Clone wore a toothy grin as she addressed the punks, "So! You Gentlemen want me to 'have some fun' with you?"

"Oh HELL Yeah!" replied the punks enthusiastically, not knowing that the Clones toothy grin was a universally accepted 'Threat Display' in the Animal Kingdom…

"Well since you asked me so nicely, how could I refuse," the Clone turned to Kantsee, "I'll catch up with you later."

Kantsee hammed up his response, producing a sad face, and saying "I'll still respect you in the morning," before turning and walking away.

He'd only gone a couple of steps before the night behind him erupted with blood curdling screams of terror as the Clone tore into the unsuspecting punks.

Kantsee'd gone less than a dozen steps, when the Clone matched pace with him, linking her arm with his.

Elsewhere, another Clone cordially advised the Police that there had been an 'incident', and could they please send out a patrol… And a mop…

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Fragment - Interview. 2017/2018.

The Clones new lives as popular singers brought new complications into their lives. Once again, they had to deal with various Media groups wanting to get stories from them. Then there were the advertising agencies…

To keep things from becoming too disruptive, the Clones initiated their OWN type of 'Public Relations'.

To start with, the 'Disguised Clones' kept as low a profile as possible. They literally 'faded from public view'. Those of the 'fictitious characters' that were KNOWN to be impersonated by Clones, disappeared, although other 'new' characters quietly appeared elsewhere.

Secondly, only the pale-skinned, blue-haired, red-eyed Clones made 'Public' appearances. They always appeared in small groups, to further reinforce the appearance of 'being different', that THIS was what a Rave Clone looked like.

As further 'camouflage', the Clones made a series of 'behind-the-scenes' documentaries about their careers.

It was a situation full of trade-offs, but the ruse worked. As far as the General public was concerned, ALL of the Rave Clones were instantly identifiable as such by their 'identical' appearance.

The Clones even went so far as to 'trademark' their appearance. They were helped in this endeavour by various advertising agencies who used the Clones to sell their products. The Ad agencies were unaware of the 'double use' the Clones got from the ads.

Being a star in the New World of the early 21st Century, meant that interviews were inevitable. Still, the Clones tried to do as few interviews as possible.

This was not because they were shy, or trying to maintain their 'privacy', but rather, it was a deliberate marketing tactic to increase their 'mystery'.

A dozen blue-haired Clones were currently in one such 'rare' interview, on a rather prestigious TV show. Knowing the importance of this particular show, the Clones had 'make-overs' before appearing. They all looked rather 'glamorous', even if they were still in their 'natural' colours.

The visual effect was NOT lost on the male interviewer, and sooner rather than later, had come the inevitable question…

"So, have any of you Ladies got a boyfriend yet?"

"Yes," replied Clone#135.

"So what is he like?" asked the interviewer, turning his attention on Clone#135.

"He's quiet and shy," answered Clone#6, thinking of Kantsee's gentle manners.

"Does he ever have any trouble telling you apart?" joked the interviewer, slightly spooked by the other Clone having answered his question.

"Yes," answered Clone#29, "But we always tell him which one of us he's dating."

"Which… one… of you he's dating?" asked the interviewer, unsure of what he'd just heard, and wanting to clarify things.

"Yes," replied Clone#57, "Our appearance is confusing, so we need to tell him which one of us is with him on the date."

"Er…" asked the interviewer, "So he dates… more… than one of you?"

"He dates all of us," confirmed Clone#32.

"H-He…" stammered the interviewer, wide-eyed, "He dates… ALL… of you?"

"That is correct," replied Clone#56 in all innocence, "He dates all of us."

"H-How does he do it?" gasped the interviewer, the maths boggling his mind.

"Usually one-at-a-time, although sometimes we have a group date," answered Clone#91, neglecting to clarify just how often such events occurred.

Of course, the Tabloid Press had a field day…

"Clones Date Mutant Stud-Monster" screamed the Headlines…

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Fragment - Growing Up (2019, Shakey and the Clones turn 18).

On Friday June 07, 2019, the Clones celebrated their '18th' birthday.

As they had chosen Shakey's birthdate of June 06 as their own, they had a joint party in the Clone Zone to celebrate his birthday, along with theirs.

Although they had been 'emancipated minors' for almost three years now, the fact they were finally 'full adults' was something that reassured the Clones. For years they had secretly feared that the 'powers that be' might try to imprison them, under the guise of 'caring for the welfare of children'.

Now though, they had undeniable FULL Adult status, and all of the responsibilities and legal safeguards that went with it. And the 'perks' as well…

"Well Rave," Mazurka asked one of the Clones in the kitchen, as she got another beer, "What's the first thing you're going to do as an adult?"

"I think," replied the Clone, "I will try a beer."

Mazurka choked on her drink, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," replied the Clone calmly.

Mazurka paused then continued with some advice for the soon to be novice drinker, "It's best to start off slow the first time you drink alcohol. It can really knock you around the first few times you try it…"

"Do not worry," replied the Clone, "We are aware of the psycho-physiological state known as 'inebriation'. We are not sure if alcohol would affect us like that, although we must admit, it is something that may happen."

Mazurka continued, "If you don't know how alcohol is going to affect you, then it's best if you go drinking with friends the first time. That way, you've got someone who can look out for you, if you do get drunk…"

"I see," replied the Clone, "Then would you drink with us, Mazurka?"

"Me? Sure!" confirmed Mazurka, "I'll be happy to!"

"Happy to do what?" asked Aesir, who had just come in to the kitchen.

"The Girls are wanting to try out a brew or two," quipped Mazurka, "Now that they're 18, and legal adults."

"Wunderbar!" cried Aesir, "You'll have to try German Beer, it's simply the best! Or perhaps you'd like to sample some fine French wines first?"

"Aesir?" asked Mazurka, raising an eyebrow, "What do you know about…"

"Mazurka, dear," replied Aesir, "Have you forgotten I grew up in Europe? Over there, we don't set 'age limits' on such cultural appreciations…"

"Still," Mazurka argued, "You were only a child then, and…"

"Oktoberfest," Aesir dryly replied, "Fun for all the family… Especially the THIRSTY ones…"

"Actually," replied the Clone, "I was contemplating the social tradition known as, I believe, 'A Pub Crawl'?"

Mazurka splurted her beer out of her nostrils, "Hack! A p-pub crawl? Where did you hear THAT term?"

"The last time you went out drinking with Mayi, the Aussie and the Maori…" the Clone calmly replied, "The Aussie said that as he didn't drink, he'd be the 'designated driver on this Pub Crawl'… As we recall, you…"

"Yes well, that's not really important," flustered Mazurka, "There's more to a 'Pub Crawl' than merely going out drinking… It's more of an endurance trial… To see who can drink the most, and stay upright longest… It's NOT what I'd recommend you try for your first experience with alcohol…"

"Yeah," commented Aesir, "Too much, too soon…"

Aesir turned to the Clone, "If you want a drinking partner, I'll be happy to pace you… In fact, I'll show you how it ought to be done!"

"Aesir," snapped Mazurka, "You're still only seventeen, and…"

Aesir sweetly interrupted "I've been an 'emancipated minor', a 'junior aged adult' for the last couple of years! Don't worry, I KNOW I can hold my beer…"

Mazurka sighed, "You're going to drink, no matter what I say, aren't you?"

"You got that right!" retorted Aesir, "After what I went through working as a AVE Pilot, I should think I'm ENTITLED to, no questions asked!"

Mazurka took a deep breath, "All right! If I can't dissuade you from drinking, then may I at least persuade you to do it in the privacy of the apartment?"

"Of course!" Aesir replied scornfully, "I'm not stupid enough to get drunk in public, not with all the weirdoes and perverts out there…"

A sudden thought struck Mazurka, 'What would happen if a drunken Clone met a weirdo, and tried to defend herself with an E.T. Field?'

Mazurka decided to voice her concerns, "Uh… Rave? If a Clone got drunk, what effect would that have on her ability to use an E.T. Field?"

The Clone blinked, "We had not thought of that… Although… Given the effects Medical Pharmaceuticals have on us… We believe a state of inebriation might similarly affect our abilities to cohere a Field, as well as wield it."

Mazurka sighed, "Rave, a lot of bad things can happen to a girl who gets drunk! Many people wake up the next day, only to find out they've done something they would never have done, or been a part of, had they been sober…"

"The other Clones will attend the experiment," replied the Clone, "They will look after those involved in the drinking, should… inebriation… occur. They will be able to contain… any problems that may eventuate…"

Mazurka looked at Aesir for a few long moments, then turned to Rave, "So, when did you want to try this 'experiment', and which of you Ladies is going to be the 'Guinea Pig' in it?"

The Clone didn't hesitate, "It may as well be tonight, and I may as well be the one, since I was the first to talk to you about it. May we use your beer?"

"What?" demanded Mazurka, "You want to use **MY** beer?"

"We will restock any beer consumed," the Clone offered.

"When you say you'll restock the beer consumed," asked Mazurka, her eyes narrowing slightly, "You do mean ALL of the beer consumed in this experiment?"

"Certainly," conceded the Clone, "We will replace the alcohol consumed by our drinking partners as well as what we consume ourselves."

"**NOW** you're talking," Mazurka gave a feral grin, making the Clones nervously reconsider the potential monetary liability of their offer…

"JA!" added Aesir, "We can have a **REAL** drinking contest with what Mazurka's got stashed away in her apartment."

"But…" Mazurka tried to protest Aesir's involvement, 'emancipated minor' or not.

"No But's!" Aesir retorted, 'It's only fair that I should show Rave how a Real Woman drinks!"

Mazurka sighed, realising that Aesir's naturally competitive spirit had once again, overridden her better judgement.

"All right," Mazurka conceded, "But ONLY the beer! You're NOT getting into my Johnny Walker! Or my Smirnoff! Or my Midori! Or my…"

Later on, Mazurka sought out Shakey, who was talking with Toe-Jam and Kantsee…

"…get videos from the 'Adult' section, next time we have a sleep over…" said Kantsee, unaware that Mazurka was almost within ear-shot.

"Ahem!" Mazurka discretely coughed, having JUST missed the part about the videos, "I need to see Shakey for a bit…"

Shakey blushed slightly as Mazurka took him well aside from the others. The other boys ALSO looked embarrassed.

'Oh no,' Shakey thought nervously, 'I haven't even rented the videos, and I'm already getting busted for it…'

"Shakey," Mazurka began in a quiet, serious voice.

"Yes?" Shakey's voice quavered.

Mazurka sighed, 'How do I say this' she thought, pausing as she tried to find the right words.

"Shakey, something has… come up," Mazurka finally said, "It might be best if you didn't come back to the apartment tonight, or even tomorrow for that matter…"

"Why?" asked Shakey nervously, "Am I in trouble again?"

"No, no. Nothing like that," reassured Mazurka, "It's just that… Rave wants to try drinking alcohol, and I convinced her to do it in the safety of my place."

"But?" Shakey asked, puzzlement written on his face, "What's that got to do…"

"Aesir wants to be her 'drinking partner'," Mazurka stated.

Shakey's eyes went wide with apprehension, and he gulped heavily.

"And she's feeling… 'competitive'… about it," continued Mazurka.

Shakey went pale, and he started trembling at the knees…

"There, there," comforted Mazurka, "I heard what you and the boys were talking about before. Why don't you stay the night with them? I'm sure that'd be best, all things considered…"

"Y-yeah…" stammered Shakey, feeling faint, "I-I'll ask them… Right now…"

With the look of a lost soul, Shakey went over to his friends.

Mazurka saw him speak to his friends, then the looks of commiseration that crossed their faces, as both boys laid comforting hands on Shakey's shoulders.

'Poor kid,' thought Mazurka, 'Perhaps I should make it a little easier on him. I know! I'll give him some money for Pizza, or whatever he wants to eat…'

With that, Mazurka strode over to the trio, reaching for her wallet. "Boys?" she said, opening her wallet, "I know this is an inconvenient thing to ask of you, so here. Take this money, and get something you'd enjoy! On me!"

The boys' jaws dropped, then they dumbly accepted the cash.

Mazurka tapped Shakey on his shoulder, "Will you need anything from your room? A change of clothes perhaps? I wouldn't recommend coming home before noon, at the earliest…"

"Ahh… No… I should be right," Shakey hesitantly replied, "Thanks, Mazurka!"

"Not a problem, " Mazurka smiled warmly, before walking off.

"Oh man," groaned Toe-Jam to Shakey, "Have YOU ever got the Life! She REALLY looks after you…"

"Yeah!" agreed Kantsee, " Why couldn't I have a Guardian like her?"

Shakey just stood there, not really sure what had just happened, but still feeling strangely embarrassed by it, in a newly-adult, Manly sort of way.

"So," said Toe-Jam, in a conspiratorial whisper, "What videos should we get?"

"Girls?" Mazurka said, interrupting a conversation Aesir and the Clone were having over the finer points of alcohol consumption, "The party is 'go' for tonight."

"Wunderbar!" crowed Aesir, "Rave, I will drink you under the table!!"

"We shall see," the Clone quietly replied, a determined glint in her eye.

Mazurka blinked, 'Hoo-boy!' she thought, 'Looks like I did right in getting Shakey out of the apartment! This is going to be 'one of those nights'…'

Mazurka had no idea how right she would be in her assessment.

The next morning however, Mazurka would wake up, and know with the surety of 'hindsight', just how correct her hunch was.

Still, even 'hindsight' couldn't explain the state of Mazurka's apartment, let alone how a Police Car wound up in the Dining Room, several stories above the street…

Nor for that matter, could Aesir and the Clones…

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Fragment - Friends… and Lovers? (Late 2019, when Kantsee turns 18 as well)

It was the end of another day, and Mazurka was getting ready to leave her office, when a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

"Enter!" Mazurka responded automatically.

The door opened, revealing one of the Disguised Rave Clones.

"Oh Hi Rave!" Mazurka said cheerily, "What's up?"

"We need… advice," the Clone replied, her soft voice tinged with nervousness.

"Sure! Come in and have a seat," offered Mazurka, motioning towards a chair.

The Clone sat down, and then lowered her gaze to Mazurka's desktop.

After a minute of silence, Mazurka quietly asked, "You said you needed advice?"

"Yes," the Clone nearly whispered, her cheeks going pink.

'Oh-HO!' thought Mazurka, smiling as she noted the change, 'By the looks of things, it must be about something I-M-P-O-R-T-A-N-T!'

"We… are 18 now… Adults," the Clone hesitantly began, not looking at Mazurka, "And we were wondering… about… Romance level relationships…"

"Oh?" grinned Mazurka, "Junior Romance, or Senior Romance?"

"…senior…" the Clone breathed, her cheeks a darker shade of pink.

"And what did you want to know?" Mazurka asked, feeling sorry for the embarrassed girl/woman in front of her.

"…how… do you… tell him… that you want to… to…" the Clone trailed off.

Mazurka smiled wistfully, remembering her own early forays into the world of Adult Love, so many years ago.

"There's many different ways," Mazurka said quietly, "Of telling a man that you want to be more than just 'friends' with him. The best way though, is to tell him in a way that his personality type is comfortable with…"

The Clone fidgeted slightly.

"So who are you thinking of?" asked Mazurka.

"…kantsee…"

"Kantsee?" asked Mazurka, seeking confirmation.

"…yes…" the Clone replied quietly, "…his 18th birthday will soon be here, and he will then be an adult as well…"

"Hmmm. Well," Mazurka drawled, "A 'Shy boy' like him needs the 'softly softly' approach. You'd have to be subtle about telling him, so you don't scare him off. And you'd have to tell him in NO uncertain terms that you were 'interested' in him. In 'that' way… Lets' see now…"

Mazurka lapsed into silence for a few minutes, all thought of going home forgotten. Her brow furrowed as her Sheer Tactical Brilliance tried to find a suitable strategy for the Clones conquest of Kantsee's heart…

"I think I've got it!" grinned Mazurka, suddenly leaning forward in her seat, "Listen to this, and tell me what you think…"

- - - - - - - - - -

On the afternoon of Saturday, September 14 2019, two days after the actual date of his 18th Birthday, Kantsee had a modest sized party to celebrate it.

The partygoers included several of his former and current classmates, including Shakey and Toe-Jam, and friends from several clubs Kantsee was a member of. All of the party-goers were male. This was mainly because they were people like Shakey, Toe-Jam, and Kantsee, people Aesir would instantly call 'weirdoes' and 'losers'.

So it came as no LITTLE surprise, when a knock at the door revealed one of the 'disguised' Rave Clones, 'dressed to kill' in fashionable clothing.

All through the house Kantsee called home, jaws hit the floor as the other 'weirdoes' and 'losers' saw a vision of feminine beauty.

"This is for you," the Disguised Clone said, handing Kantsee a large package, "Open it after everyone else has gone home. The card will explain things."

With that, the Clone gave Kantsee a quick kiss on his cheek and departed.

"Kantsee!" moaned the other partygoers, "You lucky dog! You never told us you knew beautiful women…"

Kantsee was more than a little embarrassed by the envious ribbing the others gave him for the rest of the party.

Later, after everyone had gone home, Kantsee finally found time to sit down and open the parcel. The first thing he did, was read the attached card.

The card said…

'Dear Kantsee, Happy Eighteenth Birthday! We have enjoyed many happy hours with you over the years, learning of your hobbies and interests, and helping you with them. We feel it only fair that we should offer you the chance to become involved in those things we are interested in. The enclosed book details a field of learning that we have been interested in for some time. We believe that you might like to learn about this particular matter, and we were wondering if you would like to learn about it with us. We look forward to your answer, hoping for an affirmative. Sincerely, The Girls.'

'Gee,' Kantsee thought, 'A new field of learning? Something they think I'd be interested in? I wonder what it is? Astronomy? Chemistry? Computers? Maybe it's something more intellectual, like Sociology, or Psychology?'

Kantsee eagerly removed the wrappings from the book.

…Then he saw what the title was, and he froze dead, staring in stunned disbelief…

For there… in his hands…

…Was an illustrated copy of the 'Karma Sutra'…

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Fragment - Hearts and Mind. (Late 2019, when Kantsee turns 18)

Since time immemorial, all of the myriad Ethnic groups that make up Humanity have created ceremonies to mark the passage from Childhood into Adulthood.

Sometimes these are elaborate public events, meant to show the world at large that another person had come into their Maturity by celebrating the fact.

Sometimes these are simple private events, meant to reinforce to the new Adult that they had now become their OWN person, and were an equal with their parents.

But, whether shared with a raucous many, or just with a solemn few, such events always have one thing in common.

Sooner or later, the new Adult realises that their innocent care-free lives are gone, and that in their place are strange new ones, full of decision making, worry and remonstration.

Kantsee wore a troubled expression on his face as he paced nervously outside the door to Shakey's apartment.

In the days since his Eighteenth birthday, Kantsee had spent many hours considering the gift the Rave Clones had given him.

…An illustrated 'Sex Manual', and a note that left no doubt that the Adult Clones were asking if Kantsee wanted to learn about such things 'with' them…

Kantsee hadn't believed his eyes at first, thinking that he must be mistaken in what he thought his present was. After all, he WASN'T the Clones' boyfriend or anything, so why would they ask him to share 'that' part of their lives?

Unknown to Kantsee, the Clones **DID INDEED** see him as a 'boyfriend'.

Although if the truth be told, their impression of what a boyfriend was, was not exactly what Mazurka's Romance Novels said a boyfriend should be…

Kantsee DIDN'T have the face of a 'Male Model', nor did he have the 'Heroic Physique' that any self-respecting Stud prided themselves on having. Nor did he have any wealth or fame that might turn the head of an innocent young maiden.

But, what Kantsee DID have, was the fact that the Clones knew more about him as a person, as an individual, than what Kantsee dared to believe himself.

The Clones had once saved Kantsee's life by repairing his badly mangled body. In the process, they had inadvertently read his memories, and seen the sort of person that Kantsee really was.

And regardless of how 'cool', or 'good-looking', or 'suave' Kantsee was or was not, what the Clones had seen in his inner mind had more than made up for any perceived lack of 'Manliness' that Kantsee believed he suffered from.

Although inhuman, the undeniably female Clones had somehow inherited a working set of 'Feminine Wiles' in their spliced genetic code. Under Mazurka's expert tutelage, the Clones had taken their near dormant capabilities and honed them into what could only be described as 'Femme Fatale Class' attributes.

It was only the fact that Mazurka had made the Clones swear never to use their Feminine Wiles for Evil, that had kept the Clones from appearing to be anything other than the polite, quiet Young Ladies everyone thought they were.

All of which had changed when Kantsee had turned Eighteen.

As far as the Clones were concerned, here was a 'nice young man', who suffered a lack of female company through no real fault of his own. Knowing Kantsee as they did, the Clones had decided that if the other girls didn't want him, then the Clones would be **ONLY TOO HAPPY** to take Kantsee 'out of circulation'…

Or to put it another way, on the day Kantsee became an 'Adult', the Clones had declared 'Hunting Season' on what they saw as 'Fair Game'…

All of which, Kantsee was blissfully unaware of…

Although he had often accompanied various Clones on outings, Kantsee hadn't seen the events in question as 'dates'. Instead he'd believed that he was only helping his friend Shakey teach the Clones more about Human Society, by going along on trips to the Planetarium, Museum, Art Gallery, Army Disposal Shop, etc.

So it was not surprising that Kantsee had been more than a little confused by the Clones' gift to him…

"…nuh-no way…??" Kantsee had stammered, "…th-this's gotta be a mistake??"

When the fact of the book's existence and topic finally overwhelmed Kantsee's sense of disbelief, his dazed mind automatically took a cautious approach.

"…c-could it be a mix-up??" Kantsee wondered, his shy nature not daring to believe otherwise, "Yeah! That's it! The Bookstore must've given them the wrong book when they wrapped it!"

The relief that flooded Kantsee, was almost immediately replaced with an embarrassed concern for what the Clones might think if they learned of the terrible error that had been made with their gift…

'I can't tell anyone about this,' Kantsee decided, 'Something like this'd embarrass them completely if anyone found out!"

Having rationalised reality to his own comfort, Kantsee was suddenly struck by a horrible thought…

'Wait a minute! Regardless of this mix-up, they'll still want an answer about their present! What am I gonna dooooo?'

Kantsee's panic attack lasted until his mind hit on a Brilliant Solution…

"Of Course!!" Kantsee cried with a relieved gleam in his eye, "Shakey! He'd know what book they meant to get me!! Of if not, he'd probably be able to find out without anyone getting suspicious!"

So it was, that Kantsee found himself outside Shakey's apartment, trying to prepare himself for what he knew would be a difficult task…

"Come on in!" Shakey called out when Kantsee knocked on the door, "It's not locked."

With a cold heavy lump in his guts, Kantsee crossed the Threshold of Doom…

"…ah Shakey?" Kantsee mumbled, "…i… need a favour…?"

"Sure," Shakey immediately replied on seeing the emotional state his friend was in, "What's up?"

Kantsee winced at Shakey's choice of words.

"…ah… well… you see…" Kanstee muttered, his eyes on the floor, "…the girls gave me a… book for my birthday… and…"

"It's something too 'girly' for you?" Shakey asked, remembering how voraciously the Clones had taken to Mazurka's lesson in 'Deportment for Young Ladies'.

Kantsee tried valiantly to reply, but he'd only been an 'Adult' for a few days, and he wasn't used to using the 'Mature Mindset' he'd just acquired.

"…the bookstore must've mixed the order up…" Kantsee moaned, thrusting a parcel into Shakey's hands, "…th-this is what they gave me instead…"

Shakey raised an eyebrow as he took the parcel, and set about unwrapping it.

It was all too much for Kantsee, he lapsed into an embarrassed silence, a deep blush on his face, his hands fidgeting nervously as he looked at the carpet.

When Shakey hadn't made any comment for several minutes, Kantsee risked a glance at his silent friend.

Shakey stood there, his body trembling, and an indescribably strange look on his unnaturally pale face.

"Sh-shakey?" Kantsee gulped heavily, taking a step back "…Y-you're not… angry… are you? It's not MY fault! I'd never imply… anything… like that about them!

"Kih-Kantsee," Shakey croaked, his eyes holding a look of unspeakable horror, as his mind remembered some of his more embarrassing experiences with the Clones.

Most notably, teaching the Clones to dance, and how ALL of the Clones wanted to dance each dance they learnt with him… Every Single One… **INDIVIDUALLY**…

And with 137 Clones multiplied by the number of 'Horizontal Dance Positions' in the Kama Sutra…

"FOR GOD'S SAKE MAN!" Shakey's voice broke as it raised to a near hysterical pitch, "RUN! WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE CHANCE! THEY'LL…"

Shakey's words of advice were cut off as the door to his apartment slammed open and a group of Clones flooded in. They grabbed Shakey, clapping hands over his mouth, before lifting him up and dragging him out of the room.

The door thundered shut behind Shakey and his 'little half-sisters'…

One Clone remained behind in the suddenly silent room. She calmly picked up the book from where a startled Shakey had dropped it, brushed it off, and then with a blushing face, she offered it back to Kantsee.

"…ah…" gasped Kantsee, his own face somewhat tomato-hued.

"There was no error at the Bookstore," the Clone softly advised, "This is the book we intended to give to you. Have you read the note that was with it?"

"…ye-yeah…" squeaked Kantsee, not believing this was happening.

"…what…" the Clone asked quietly, "…is your decision?"

Kantsee couldn't reply, he just swallowed hard.

'What do I say?' Kantsee fretted, 'They can't be serious? Can they?' Kantsee's mind railed on, frantically trying to figure out what was happening.

His silence however, was in danger of being misinterpreted by the Clones.

Perhaps he does not wish to have such a relationship with us? the Group Mind wondered, feeling no SMALL concern at the thought, especially since Are we still too… inhuman… for a human to trust and love as they would another? Even a human who knows us as well as Kantsee does??

"…is…" the Clone's voice was nearly a whisper, "…is this a burden to you?"

Kantsee, being a Human Male, was blessed with the usual 'Dual-Brain' system that ALL Human Males develop during their adolescence. With the brain in his skull completely overloaded by the situation, his 'other brain' seized the opportunity and took over his vocal cords…

"…nahhh…" wheezed Kantsee, "…no… burden…"

"Oh?" the Clone asked, "Then why are you so upset?"

"Why ME?" Kantsee provided the answer ALL Human Males eventually ask, IF they get lucky enough, "You… can do better…"

The Clones tried to analyse Kantsee's nearly incoherent reply, 'Why' him?? He thinks we can 'do better'?? Could it be? He does not think WE are unsuitable… but thinks that HE is unsuitable??

"Kantsee?" the Clone asked, her keen gaze searching the young man's face for any extra clues, "Is there a reason you might not want to… do… such things with us?"

"Well…" Kantsee flustered, one hand going to the back of his neck while his other hand gesticulated vaguely, "I'm… ME! I'm not… not…"

"Kantsee?" a small smile spread across the face of the Clone, "Are you Gay?"

"WHA-?" Kantsee's eyes went wide, "NO! I'm NOT!"

"The Clone's smile grew slightly, "Do you like girls?"

Kantsee spluttered something vaguely affirmative, emphasizing his incoherent comment with a sort of shrug of his shoulders.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" the Clone said quietly.

Kantsee's shoulders slumped, and he looked steadfastly at the floor, his silence an answer that even the inexperienced Clones could easily understand.

"Why not?" the Clone pressed.

Kantsee looked incredulously at the Clone before him.

"I'm… ME…" Kantsee repeated, making a sweeping motion with his hands that indicated himself, his tone stating that his comment should be answer enough to anyone, "What you see is all that you get…" he added mournfully…

"Incorrect!" the Clone stated, "You should never judge a book by its cover, much less a person by their appearance…"

"Kantsee…" the Clone said as she moved closer to him, "You have always been a friend to us… First to the girl you called 'Rave'… Even though she was… different… you treated her politely… you showed her respect… you even tried to be her friend… You were one of the few people to ever bother doing so…"

Kantsee fidgeted awkwardly as the Clone's words made him feel self-conscious.

The Clone took another step closer to Kantsee, "You remained her friend… even after learning the truth about her… about us… Instead of shunning us, you became a friend to all of us…"

The Clone edged closer, getting so near that Kantsee nervously flinched and tried to back away. Unfortunately for him, he'd already backed up close to the wall when talking with Shakey, and consequently had nowhere to go.

"Kantsee…" the Clone whispered as she gazed warmly at him, "You are our friend, but that is not the only reason why we asked…" the Clone gently pressed the book against Kantsee's chest, "…this… of you…"

Kantsee swallowed hard, a nervous tic starting in his cheek.

"We know you," the Clone said with a smile, "…we know the person you really are… A person that other people seem unable to see… Even you…"

Tears started in Kantsee's eyes, and his lip quivered with his emotions.

"We would be honoured," the Clone stated, her own face almost brushing against Kantsee's, "If you would help us learn about love-making… Our Love…"

The Clone's last words came as a complete surprise to Kantsee, his mouth gaped opened in astonishment…

…And THAT, was when the Clone kissed Kantsee… PASSIONATELY…

======================================================================

Fragment - Taking the Plunge. (Late 2019, Rave and Kantsee are 18)

Kantsee paused outside the door to Mazurka's apartment.

Dressed in 'Smart Casual' clothes with a jacket, leather shoes, tie and slacks, he presented a very different image from his usual appearance of 'Grunge Geek'.

Especially since he was carrying a bouquet of flowers…

Tonight was the young man's first official 'date' with one of the Rave Clones, the first date he'd had since turning Eighteen a fortnight before, and the first real date in his entire life.

Kantsee swallowed nervously, then knocked on the door.

Seconds later, the door was opened by one of the various blue-haired Rave Clones permanently housed in Mazurka's apartment.

"Good Evening, Kantsee," the Clone said pleasantly.

"Guh-good Evening," Kantsee stuttered in reply.

"Please come in and take a seat," the Clone politely offered, "Your date will be with you in just a few minutes."

Kantsee stumbled into the apartment on unsteady legs, and made his way to the sofa. He collapsed rather than sat down, his knees going rubbery on him.

"Would you like me to put those in water?"

Kantsee blinked as he realised someone was speaking to him. He turned in the direction of the voice, only to see…

…One of the Disguised Clones, her black hair swept back into a complex pattern of braids that left the nape of her neck bare, and exposed her silver earrings, her trim body hugged by a figure accentuating, long sleeved black velvet dress.

"…uhhh…" wheezed Kantsee.

The Clone smiled as she took the bouquet from Kantsee's unresisting grip "I will take that as a 'yes'."

'…oh man…' Kantsee thought nervously, '…i'm really on a date… aren't I…?'

Kantsee startled violently as someone tapped his shoulder from behind. He twisted in his seat to see who it was that wanted his attention.

The sudden appearance of Mazurka and her 'all-knowing' grin, did nothing to settle the young man's nerves.

"Nervous?" Mazurka slyly asked.

Kantsee nodded wordlessly.

"Don't worry," Mazurka reassured, "The Girls have things all planned out. It's just a simple date at the movies. Here's the schedule…"

Kantsee kept nodding, as Mazurka's words went in one ear and out the other.

Things didn't improve much for Kantsee during the date.

Although the movie was a pleasant comedy, Kantsee sat through it as stiff as a board, his hands holding his chair's armrests in a white-knuckled death grip.

His date noted Kantsee's attitude, but made no comment.

At least, none that Kantsee could hear…

He appears extremely nervous the Clone sent, He has not relaxed at all

"It's his first date," Mazurka advised when another Clone verbally relayed the message to her, "He's probably afraid that he's going to do or say something to screw it all up! Don't let on that you know how scared he is. If he starts to freeze up, distract his attention by asking about something neutral, like food…"

I do not think he could even eat in this condition

Mazurka laughed, "Don't underestimate the effect of food on a male! Eating will excuse him from having to make any small talk or scintillating conversation!"

Mazurka's words of wisdom proved only too true…

The restaurant the duo went to after the movie was a medium sized establishment, the type that allowed a couple to have the illusion of intimate privacy, while not letting the customer service suffer due to overworked staff.

'Should I order soup?' Kantsee worried as he fumbled with his menu, the dishes on the page a new minefield of potential disaster, 'If I do, I'll probably slop it everywhere… Should I order steak? But the Clones are Vegetarian… What about a nice salad? No, I'd probably get it caught between my teeth, or end up with 'onion breath'…'

The Clone didn't need her special emphatic powers to detect Kantsee's distress.

"I will have the Iced Chocolate Marnier drink," the Clone advised their male waiter. The Clone turned to Kantsee and nonchalantly asked, "Would you like one as well? I have been told that they are very nice?"

Kantsee nodded, secretly relieved at his reprieve.

"Will that be all, madam?" the waiter asked.

"To start with," the Clone politely advised the waiter, then with a slightly raised eyebrow and a faint smile she added, "We may not be staying long."

"Two Iced Chocolate Marniers," the waiter replied with a nod of his head and a knowing glance at Kantsee that practically screamed, 'You Lucky B------D!'

A short time later, and Kantsee was experiencing his first Iced Chocolate Marnier. Basically, a sinfully rich and creamy chocolate shake with a dash of Liqueur in it. The taste sensation was suitably extravagant for the occasion.

Afterwards, the pair sat silently in their seats, until the discrete enquiries of their waiter prompted them to take their leave.

Outside the restaurant, the pair walked silently down the street, each feeling more self-conscious than they'd care to admit.

As chance would have it, they passed by one of the more tasteful 'Love Hotels'…

"Kantsee…" the Clone said, her hand reaching out to pluck at his sleeve and stop him in his tracks.

Kantsee blinked as he saw where they were. He swallowed hard as a nervous tremor ran through him.

"…uhhh…" was all he could say.

The Clone looked sadly at him, then released his sleeve, "If you wish to wait until another time, we will understand…"

"…d-do you… want… to wait?" Kantsee's mouth surprised him, as once again his 'other brain' took over.

"We… are curious," the Clone admitted, "We would like to see if the practical experience matches what we have learned from… other sources…"

"Nuh-no time like th-the present," Kantsee barely heard himself over the nervous pounding of his own heart.

The Clone smiled shyly, a blush on her face as she reached out and took Kantsee's hand in hers, before leading him towards the entrance of the 'Love Hotel'…

The next few minutes were a blur in Kantsee's mind, as they checked in and took a short elevator ride to their 'suite'.

Once inside the room, the Clone closed the door, shutting out the outside world.

Kantsee swallowed heavily, as the reality of his current whereabouts sank in.

The lights in the room were romantically dim, evoking an intimate atmosphere. The thick curtains and deep carpet absorbed background noise, totally eliminating any sounds intruding from the outside world. The satin-sheeted bed in the middle of the room left no doubt as to the room's intended purpose.

The Clone suddenly leaned against Kantsee, hiding her face against his shoulder.

"Please, my Love" the Clone breathed, repeating for the first time in her Adult life, the lines read in so many novels, "You are my First… Be gentle with me…"

Kantsee was on Automatic Pilot as he put his arms around her and said, "I will…"

======================================================================

The END of this Fragment of "Altered Lives (The Parody)"

======================================================================

OMAKE - Hearts and Mind.

"We would be honoured," the Clone stated, her own face almost brushing against Kantsee's, "If you would help us learn about love-making… Our Love…"

The Clone's last words came as a complete surprise to Kantsee, his mouth gaped opened in astonishment…

…And THAT, was when the Clone kissed Kantsee… PASSIONATELY…

Elsewhere, Shakey was nervously watching the Clones watch him.

After his little attempt to warn Kantsee of the potential dangers of accepting the Clones' offer, and the Clones' subsequent actions in shutting Shakey up, Shakey was justifiably concerned about what might happen next.

"Hmmm…" Shakey muttered nervously while thinking, 'Since I'm their only family, they won't hurt me… I mean, I'm their favourite male semi-sibling…'

Shakey's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when ALL of the Clones suddenly turned into SD (Super-Deformed/short and cute) versions of themselves, with their cute SD faces scrunched up with embarrassment and emotional anguish, and torrents of tears squirting from their eyes.

"Oni-San BAKA DESU! (Elder Brother IDIOT IS!)" the SD Clones wailed in unison.

Shakey felt like scum, as he watched his little sisters bawl their eyes out.

"Ah…" Shakey ventured, by way of starting to apologise.

Shakey froze as ALL of the Clones suddenly GLARED at him, their eyes glowing red as energy fields snapped and crackled around their bodies.

Too late, Shakey remembered that he was the Male Lead in an Anime… A Male Lead who had just upset his LITTLE Sisters!

"Aaaiiieeeee!!!" wailed Shakey, as the SD Clones beat the Snot out of him.

The Fan Fiction Writer felt he should point out that in situations such as this, the hapless Male Lead is ALWAYS given the powers of Immortality and Regeneration! Thus, despite the painfully brutal beating Shakey was receiving, the horrific injuries would be COMPLETELY HEALED by the next episode…

======================================================================

OMAKE - Taking the Plunge.

The Clone suddenly leaned against Kantsee, hiding her face against his shoulder.

"Please, my Love" the Clone breathed, repeating for the first time in her Adult life, the lines read in so many novels, "You are my First… Be gentle with me…"

Kantsee was on Automatic Pilot as he put his arms around her and said, "I will…"

The Clone smiled as she replied, "And I will try and be gentle with you as well…"

"Huh?" said Kantsee, his mind not quite grasping the Clone's words as he suddenly realised that they weren't alone in the room.

In a shadowy corner of the room, a half-dozen Rave Clones lurked unobtrusively…

The fact that he wasn't 'alone' with his date was enough to make Kantsee freeze up with sudden embarrassment. But that unpleasant emotional state was nothing compared to what Kantsee began to feel, as extra details about his unexpected audience sank in.

Namely, that all of the extra Clones wore Nurses outfits, and were surrounded by an exhaustive array of First Aid equipment more commonly found in Emergency Trauma Wards. Not only were there intravenous drip assemblies and inflatable limb splints, but even a portable Cardiac Arrest Defibrillator and an oxygen bottle.

"What?" croaked Kantsee, pointing at the unsettlingly equipped audience.

The Clone in Kantsee's arms blushed demurely, "As you know, we Clones are not normal women…"

A warning bell began ringing in the back of Kantsee's mind at the comment.

"However," the Clone shrugged, "We are enough like normal women to have similar emotional and physical responses, and because of that, we believe we may respond to certain situations and stimuli as they might…"

The clamour of the warning bell in Kantsee's mind grew louder.

"Many women…" the Clone paused, as if embarrassed by what she meant to say next, "…often get… 'carried away' while in the throes of passion, and may accidentally hurt their lovers."

Kantsee suddenly remembered 'Letters to the Editor' in the Men's magazines he read, the ones boasting about the bruises and claw-marks the male writers had received on their backs when they'd made their partners 'feel like a woman'…

"…and you know," the Clone continued, "…we ARE Genetically Engineered Killing Machines with Super Human strength… So we should be justifiably concerned about what might happen to our partner, should we get 'carried away', or otherwise 'lose control' while in the throes of passion…"

Kantsee suddenly broke free and sprinted for the door, running for dear life…

He didn't make it.

An E.T. Field suddenly materialised in front of Kantsee, making him come to an abrupt stop with a loud splat. Temporarily stunned, he fell to the floor.

"Oooohh! Kantsee!" giggled the Clone as she grabbed Kantsee's ankles, "I love it when you play 'Hard to Get'!"

Kantsee's desperately clawing fingers left furrows in the carpet as the Clone proceeded to drag him towards the bed…

"Hmmm…" thought the Fan Fiction Writer, "I should probably end this OMAKE right about here, as scenes like this in Non-Hentai (Non-Porno) Anime usually end right about now… At least, they do in all the 'Teenage Male and his Girl Harem' Comedy shows like 'Tenchi Muyo', 'Boku No Marie (My Dear Marie)' etc…"

Meanwhile, the Clones continued to update Mazurka with the ongoing 'Tactical Logistics' of their current 'Operation', giving precise details on 'Course', 'Speed', 'Position', 'Troop Strength', 'Extent of Target Penetration' etc…

Note! The Fan Fiction Writer would just like to point out that, this is about as close as he will ever get to writing 'Adults Only' material with the characters, even though they are now 'Adults, over the age of 18'.

This is due to personal perceptions of 'good taste', and the ethical and moral considerations in using another person's characters, even in 'Parodied' form…

That and the fact that when I asked Kantsee for 'details', the SMUG B-----D would only smile, and say "A gentleman never tells".

=========================The END of the OMAKE=========================