A/N: Lemon Warning, Slight Ryona Warning

The girls almost scattered from around Ritsuko as she jolted from feeling like she was touched by an unknown entity. But she knew it felt familiar to her.

"… Maya?"

Shinji's eyes immediately started to glow, but he saw no loose souls in the area, just a bit of residual energy but that could've come from Ritsuko herself since her spirit seemed a little dampened today. Not a surprise considering her connection to Maya.

"Rits I…" Misato tried to find the words. "It was probably…"

"I know what I felt, Misato!" She turned towards the spot where it happened, then touched her chest near her heart. "I know it was her… she was here."

"I don't see anything unusual," Shinji noted.

"It was brief," Ritsuko admitted. "Maybe a fraction of a second at most… but I felt it. And I remember reading that time in the land of the dead is mostly subjective, she could have been long gone by the time we reacted."

"Then maybe it was her," Mayumi offered. Shinji looked at her like she might be a little crazy, but realized he shouldn't fight this. "Maybe she was saying goodbye one last time…"

Tears fell from Ritsuko's eyes. But now at least she had a little smile on her face…

IV: Memento Mori

(Remember Death)

Even the ocean in this world was scary and dark, Maya now knew this for certain. In a lighthouse overlooking a bay, she stared out over the vastness of the ocean. She was a long way from the forest now, and she realized she was bound to it for the moment. Eventually she would have to return or risk fading away entirely… but Death wouldn't expect her to flee this far from the battleground he made for them, which allowed her some much-needed respite.

The air here was just as cold as it was everywhere else, perhaps even colder. But she didn't have to traverse this land naked anymore, now in her own personal death robes, she was warm enough to withstand the rigors of this desolate world. She proceeded down to the next level where the bedroom of the lighthouse keeper should be. Taking a moment, she examined the room; the entropy was ironically not as bad here as it was elsewhere in this world, though most of the windows were either broken or missing. A desk looked ready to fall apart, and a coat tree stood near the next set of stairs down. Maya took off her robes, leaving her in the one-piece undersuit, and hung them on the tree. She slipped off her gloves and boots, folding the latter neatly and placing them on the dresser, while her boot stood next to the coat tree. Despite spending what felt like months naked and exposed in this world, she couldn't get comfortable with her entire outfit on, and now felt relaxed.

Stepping back to the mostly intact bed she laid down, staring the ceiling and listening to the sound of the ocean. She never quite felt tired enough to sleep and even attempting to sleep did nothing… but rest was something that was still helpful to her.

She closed her eyes, letting the sound of the ocean, as terrifying as it was to behold, calm her… but doing so opened her up to memories… memories she didn't really want to relive…

Maya entered the library of the forest home. Sempai really need that information on old Sumerian linguistics… As she opened the door the scent of sandalwood incense permeated the air, and there was a girl here holding a book near one of the shelves she didn't recognize.

She was a little taller than her with chocolate brown hair tied back in a single tail. Her face greatly resembled Hikari only with pale skin of a more normal tone and freckles. Brown eyes scanned the page of the book she held, paying no attention to the door. She wore a dress that resembled those worn by old time school matrons; long and made of dark cloth, a white collar visible and long sleeves, almost too baggy. A simple sash tightened the outfit at the waist, and Maya was able to tell based on this her legs were a little longer than average for her height. The dress reached her ankles and sensible shoes adorned her feet, a dark brown color.

"Um…" Maya vocalized, finally causing the girl to raise her head.

"You must be Ibuki-san," she noted. "I'm Kodama."

Maya knew the name. "Shinji's Librarian. I thought you usually did your research elsewhere." Her tone was less 'what are you doing here' and more curiosity.

"You would be correct, however with everything going on, Shinji still hasn't made copies of absolutely everything in this library. I spend time transcribing, but sometimes I still have to come here and find what I need."

"I see… and what is the subject for today?"

"Sagecraft. More to the point, Inscription Magic."

Maya sighed ever so slightly. "I see." Even the non-supernatural people in Shinji's employ had magic. Maya had actually tried to learn some herself, but found she didn't have the gift at all.

"I was thinking of asking Asuka to teach me Glyph Magic since it's closely related, on the off chance I have to defend myself. Shinji assures me it won't be necessary, but I have no wish to take foolish risks."

"Probably a good idea," Maya admitted.

"So, come in for something specific?"

"Yeah actually… Sempai needed some linguistics information on ancient Sumerian. I don't suppose we…"

Kodama pointed off to her left. "Head down that shelf line, third shelf set on the left, second shelf from the top. The books on Sumerian are on the left. Should be four of them."

Maya blinked. "Wow, you really know the inside of this place."

"I'm a walking card catalogue," she admitted. "The Dewy Decimal System may as well be Bible Verses to me."

Maya smiled gently. Even though this situation was making her feel even more useless, she couldn't help but be impressed by the skills of this girl, especially considering her mundane nature compared to everyone else. "I'm guessing you know a lot of those too."

"'The heart of the decerning acquires knowledge; for the ears of the wise seek it out.' Proverbs 18:15. One of my favorites."

"For a Sage like you, knowledge and understanding are everything."

Kodama smiled being called a sage. "I don't think I'm quite at that level yet… but I'm flattered that you think I am. If you need anything else while I'm here, don't hesitate to ask."

Maya turned back towards the side of the room that faced land. The window ahead was completely destroyed but showed signs it used to be a nine-pane window. She didn't remember getting up.

"Kodama wanted to help me so much… I wonder if she also cared for me at all or if I was just an acquaintance. I'm pretty sure I saw her close to the grave marker…"

She had also remembered Hikari telling her that her oldest sister was gay, and had a rough time of things after the infrastructure bill was passed since the extra provisions allowed her love life to essentially become public knowledge. Maya wondered if Kodama found her attractive at all, or just a mousy little stick of a woman.

But Maya could also relate to the hardships of being a lesbian in world obsessed with repopulation. She was lucky that Ritsuko was so well connected as to be able to keep them both going after the war was over. While Ritsuko's liaisons in college were seen as just a minor thing and wouldn't bar her from anything, there was extensive history on her own record that was easily available. Luckily, her sexual preference was ignored by Gendo Ikari, who was more interested in an applicant's capabilities than their tastes in bedfellows.

If only the climb up to that point was more pleasant…

Maya gasped for air after the last kick to her chest. Curled on the ground, barely able to breathe, she was very surprised that the bitch attacking her hadn't managed to break any of her ribs yet. Another shot, this time to the middle of her back forced her to uncurl just enough for her primary attacker to get a good shot into her stomach. This time Maya cried out.

Five girls around her age, which was 16 at that time, were surrounding her… and tormenting her.

"I swear to Kami, you useless fucking lesbian, that if you EVER look at me like that again, you'll need an ambulance. You hear me you dyke whore?"

Maya could only nod… her breathing was in short and erratic breaths, unable to fully take in oxygen. She felt like she might pass out, and mercifully her attackers finally decided she had had enough. But for a full 10 minutes she just lay there, curled up and sobbed. They left her face alone, but almost everything else was fair game. Her whole body hurt, and past her tears she saw even the teachers were ignoring the fact that she was on the ground and in pain. Numerous students just passed her by, paying no heed to her. She was nearly 15 minutes late to her next class. Rather than help her, the teacher gave her a 0-participation score for the day.

Maya growled at the memory… they were so cruel to her and no one, no one at all would help her. Even her own teachers treated her like garbage, just because she found attraction only with other girls. Thanks to Shinji she's branched out some since then, but the fact that they treated her like that for so stupid a reason…

"Hateful assholes," Maya whispered and wiped new tears from her eyes. She curled up on her side in the bed now… she didn't even remember when she laid back down, but odd little time-skips like that seemed to be the norm lately… likely due to the very nature of this place.

For a while her life was better during that time when it was just her and her sempai seemingly against the world; gathering lore, crafting items and equipment, and trying hard to stay ahead of their enemies.

After her terrible failed attempt to get her Sempai back from Shinji, and his return from his wanderlust, he did try to reconcile things with her. Thinking about this brought a warm feeling to her…

"I… I know I'm not much to look at but…" Her voice was silenced by the lips of her new master. Dressed only in a pair of panties and T-shirt that left most of her tummy exposed, Shinji had been slowly undressing her over the past few minutes. His slow and methodical approach made her feel a little of what she felt when Ritsuko was with her…

It made her feel special…

He felt her gently remove her panties as they continued to kiss. Once the offending fabric was gone, she spread her legs obediently. His fingers gently ran across her perfectly smooth outer fold and slid though her quickly moistening slit. She broke the kiss to exhale sharply…

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Maya-chan," he seductively whispered. "You have beauty and allure all your own. Don't compare yourself to the others, you aren't them… and they can never be you."

She found herself being gently pushed down on the bed, her legs hanging off the side. He slid down her body. Her back arched as his tongue entered her, sliding against the folds of her body and bringing her a measure of unholy joy. She felt his fangs against the soft skin of body… it was a request.

"Do it!" she demanded in her lust. She felt him bite just above the folds, not deep enough to penetrate all the way, but enough to draw blood. He alternated between sucking it straight from the wounds and letting it mix with her own natural fluids to be drawn from her by his tongue. Oh, how she loved to be hurt and drained by him.

Minutes of this passed before he pulled himself up, pulled the T-shirt from her body, then bit into the flesh of her small left breast, draining more blood and sucking the nipple at the same time. She cried out in mixed pleasure and pain, something becoming her favorite turn on. Her back arched, forcing more of her breast on him… he took it greedily.

She had taught him how she wanted it from him, and he knew what she wanted… he impaled her and bit into her neck simultaneously. The collective pain causing her nearly scream, and the following pleasure from both his manhood and the blood drain soothed it over. Moaning like a little whore, she let him take all he wanted from her…

… because only in those moments, being ravaged, hurt, and drained, did she feel alive again… if for but a short time. Her body ached as he continued to thrust into her. She was just a little too small for him, but even that pain was a welcome turn on. She deserved this… needed more… needed pleasure, pain, warmth, to be used, to serve a purpose… her proof that she existed in this world.

His fangs were removed… he was focused on fucking her brains out now… he kept talking… telling her how beautiful she was… how sexy her voice was… how delicious her blood was… she felt loved, needed, and used all at the same time… she came again and again as he continued to hammer her, sweat dripping off of her body, blood still slowly dripping from multiple bite wounds… he hadn't closed them yet.

Howling in pleasure, he spilled into her… she felt her womb comply with the demand… she collapsed again, weakened from exertion and blood loss. He finally licked the wounds closed before turning her on her side and spooning her possessively, pure animal lust still heavy in his actions.

The pleasure pulsed in the afterglow. Maya basked in it… then… the pain started to make itself known again… her hips hurt, a lot. The bite wounds despite closed and healing stung a little. Her energy level was down… feeling quite drained. And though she was being held by him… she didn't feel it much now.

Feelings that he was only trying to make her feel better came unbidden… this was all for her benefit… none of it mattered to him.

Maya's frown returned… and the feelings of worthlessness came back again… she could never shake them.

"Now I know it was all in my head…"

The realization made her cry. She was sitting up now, knees pulled to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs… sobbing. She hated the fact that she couldn't see what she meant to all of them, and was so wrapped up in her own depression that suicide seemed like a genius move.

She shook the bad thoughts from her mind. She had learned a lot in her time here about herself, and that understanding was only the first step to figuring out how to move forward, and to stop punishing herself. Sempai would never stand for her torturing herself, especially now.

"Sempai… I miss you so much… I want to come home to you… and maybe now I can do it… but there is one very big obstacle in my path…"

Death was a formidable opponent, and this was his realm… he had all the advantages. Now though, she had the ability to fight back, power of her own, even if it wasn't enough yet, it was a start. Despite Death's best efforts to break her, she refused to break... and that told her she had a chance.

Touching the pendant around her neck, she felt her resolve strengthen. She would be damned if she let Death win. Maya knew she had to prevail, but for now, she had to return to the forest. She could stay away no longer. Already she could feel an even colder thread inside of her, a warning that she had lingered too long so far from where her spirit was bound.

Sighing, she felt as if she would miss this temporary home of hers… And it was at that moment she noticed something unusual.

"Now that's odd," she whispered as she approached the land side window. She remembered there being no glass left, now some of the frame was there and one of the presumably nine glass panes was still intact. Some of the others still had bits of broken glass in the edges of the frame, but a full five of the panels were still empty and missing frame dividers.

"Am I remembering wrong, or did it change?"

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue,

I could not foresee this thing happening to you

If I look hard enough into the settin' sun,

My love will laugh with me before the morning comes

"Such a small thing… and yet it seems so significant… Did the window really change or am I really just remembering wrong…"

Next Chapter: O Death