STRANGE FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES

Maya turned looking at the three people seated in office it was morning and she had Rei, Shinji and Asuka in her office and all looked uncertain of themselves as there a strange silence hanging in the air which was so strange as Shinji was normally talkative as was Asuka but both were very quiet. "Did you all draw the pictures for me I wanted of what you saw?"

She watched as they all nodded she eyed Shinji whose eyes were now looking at the floor, he was clearly shaken by the other day's events as he had not been around for breakfast this morning and has spent a lot of time alone with Kaworu and not in the wreck room like they normally did but the other day had been hard for him and clearly deeply stressful on many levels including Kaworu's ex appearing.

She turned feeling that maybe it wasn't a good idea to pick him first she looked Asuka. "Asuka can I see yours?" Asuka looked up pulling up her digital scroll opening it watching as Anneberg's face appeared his green eyes blinking. "Anneberg please transfer images triple seven over all of them." Anneberg looked up. "Transferring all seven images now Asuka."

Asuka watched as they began to appear on the hologram screen behind Maya in sequence. She paused eyeing them seeing the horrifying skeleton with one blue eye reaching towards the viewer she could even see the downward picture where Asuka was looking down at her body and the right bloody hand and the seriously crippled right leg as blood leaked into the LCL.

It was just as the brain scan had suggested a serious injury which had not been fixed right and had clearly ruined the other Asuka's life and she was only a sixteen year old child. She eyed her friend as she closed and put away her digital drawing scroll clearly there was nothing missing. "This is what you saw Asuka?"

Asuka nodded putting her hands together. "Yes." Maya eyed the skeleton. "Who was the skeleton?" Asuka breathed in deeply. "It was me." Maya eyed the sketch. "How do you know that?" Asuka tensed sharply. "Her only eye was the same as mine and she spoke in my voice." Maya looked at her for a long moment. "What did she say to you?"

Asuka felt her good eye dart a part of her wanted to lie as she was getting no pleasure from being here right now and she'd found getting up so hard this morning and she wasn't the only one. Rei had been just the same and a part of her wished she'd just skipped today but she had pushed herself here today because she knew it was better to get this out in to the open as soon as possible.

And she had Rei here as she knew she still couldn't do therapy on her own she needed the other woman's help and she could admit that openly even to herself. Last night had been very quiet after they'd kissed in the new pottery building it was like the toll of the day had struck suddenly and they'd both just wanted to sleep and it had been so welcoming just to lie together and fall asleep.

She eased up her hand speaking calmly. "The skeleton told that I should watch humanity burn and embrace my true destiny as the destroyer of worlds." Maya breathed in deeply hating that she had to lie to Asuka but it was better she never knew the truth it could destroy her world and her sense of self or put her back into a depression spiral and sadly the same was true for Rei as she couldn't know the truth that a god version of herself existed in this world or that she had once been a god in the former cycle and used Asuka as the hand of god. "Seele have told us that the Lance of Longinus brings about visions that play on your worst fears."

Shinji looked up sharply. "So it is a Lance of Longinus?" Maya turned to him. "Yes and we have no idea where Ankh found it, but it is not alive it's in a state of semi death this means though that it can't cause the final impact it can cause serious issues to Evangelions and there pilots mentality but Seele has now fitted all your Evangelion with counter technology to stop it happening again."

She looked at Asuka how strange she was being very open and hiding nothing she could see it in her good eye there was no hint that she was telling a half truth or lying as she could still be deeply guarded with her emotions. She turned to Rei who looked very uncertain of herself. "What did you see Rei?" Rei eased up large roll of paper unrolling it so she could see the A3 which was off herself although much younger and clearly a child. "My self but I looked like this."

Maya eased up a scanner running it over the drawing watching as it appeared alongside Asuka's. "Did your vision say anything to you?" Rei looked up not missing a beat as she spoke. "No it was mumbled." Asuka eyed Rei for a long moment in all the time she'd known her she'd never seen a lie outright but she knew why she would do it really hurt to bring how she felt to the surface and her vision had really rattled her she had felt that last night when talking to her.

Maya moved a step closer to Rei as she put her drawing on the desk. "Are you sure absolutely Rei?" Rei breathed in sharply speaking in an even tone. "Yes." Maya looked at the image on the screen. "What colour was this younger self's hair?"

Rei felt her eyes dart. "It was a lighter blue not the same colour as in Asuka's art." Maya breathed in clearly wasn't the goddess. "It's strange that she's naked." Rei tensed slightly. "I found it disconcerting and strange." Maya put a hand on her chin. "Maybe your vision is due to your problems with your body image, as Misato told me you struggled with the idea that you would never have a woman's body as a teenager and you were subconscious of others seeing you naked at bath houses."

She breathed in not liking that she had to say this but Rei had talked about this in the past. "Also I know people have taken a lot of amusement out of calling you childlike, even though it's not the case."

Rei watched as both her brother and Asuka looked at her with concern in their eyes as she was sitting in between them she turned back to Maya. "Maybe it was that." Maya looked at her why did she get the feeling Rei wasn't being forth coming it was so unlike her?

Maybe the truth was she wanted more privacy and wanted to tell the truth some other time and maybe now was not a good time to push it. She turned to Shinji who had put a hand on his sisters back and was rubbing gently. "What did you see Shinji?"

Shinji eyed the five images from his sketch pad in his other hand knowing they were a lie the biggest part of the story was missing the part where Kaworu had died and been shot in front of his younger self. He didn't want to remember the feeling from drawing them and he didn't want Kaworu to know about them right now as his boyfriend had far too much on his shoulders to deal with right now. He also didn't want to think about as he not slept well last night.

He gave Rei his best smile as he got up putting the images on Maya's desk watching as she scanned them causing them to appear which showed someone walking through the Arcade zone but it was duplicated and rooting and falling apart and they were looking down on the broken glass of a smaller Delphi garden which was tiny compared to the one he knew.

Maya eyed the images. "You didn't see yourself at all Shinji?" Shinji looked down sadly yes he had and yet no part of him wanted to be honest about it. "No I only saw the Arcade zone it was in ruins though maybe it was what they looked like before Nerv built on them." Maya looked at the painted pieces which were small but heavily painted in acrylic. "No Shinji they are not as when I came here before you and Rei arrived that area was no more than rafters and once Ritsuko married your father they started to create the facilities."

She moved over to her holographic desk typing in to it watching as an image came up on screen opposite Shinji's drawing. "This though looks as though it could have been the gardens if they’d have been built to the first design speck as this was the builders first lay out it was really small but Ritsuko threw it out and told them they could do way better and needed to think more along the lines of vast shopping complex which could rival any in the world and be better than Tokyo Three's."

Shinji looked at her feeling deeply confused. "Why would I have an illusion of something I've never seen?" Maya eyed his images. "Maybe it's not about that and more a fear of losing Nerv as it is the only home you've ever known and one of the few places you've always felt safe."

Shinji looked at his hands. "I guess it was that then." Maya moved towards him putting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll always have family here Shinji never forget that okay?" She watched as he nodded but said nothing. She turned to Rei who was starting to look very uncertain of herself she knew now that she hadn't been honest her eyes were giving it away. It was that sideways look as if she was thinking about something deeply. "Look Rei if you remember anything please come back to me and tell me okay?" She watched as she nodded being just as quite as her older brother.

Her gaze shifted to Asuka who seemed as calm as ever. "Are you and Rei prepared for tonight?" Asuka good eye shifted slightly. "Yes we are prepared we brought our formal dress up here and we came by train and not motorbike."

Maya nodded as she moved over to the desk picking up two gold and silver cards handing them to her. "Misato wanted to give you both these, there for the Bukowskis auction house which one of five that Swedish own worldwide you will need one of these cards for the door and special areas." She paused before speaking. "Nerv's special stretch limousine will pick you up from here later tonight and take you to the building and pick you up and take you both back home afterwards."

Asuka looked up slightly. "Wait Nerv has a stretch limousine?" Shinji turned to her. "Yeah Kaji though that the official Nerv land rover looked to army like so they replaced it with a stretch two years ago." Asuka breathed in deeply. "You know I liked the land rover, it reminds me off the ones at home in Germany and Toji's has the same feel."

Rei felt a smile form as she eased her hand up running it gentle through Asuka's hair. "The stretch limousine is bullet proof and as you know the press outside is not allowed to photograph celebrities up close when getting out of the car only when they are on the carpet, also the press are not allowed inside the auction building and only two selected press are allowed inside to tape interviews."

Shinji looked up. "The guests inside are high status celebrities singers, musicians, film stars and presenters from every county along with well-known business men and women from all around the world and its very private I went there with Kaworu once." Asuka felt a wide smile form. "Did you buy anything?"

Shinji shook his head. "No but it was fun you get a nice restaurant dinner and the male and female waiters are always serving all kinds of drinks and hors d'oeuvre." He raised his hand. "They give you a special number sign to raise or you can raise your hand." Maya sat down looking at all three of them. "You can all go now, Misato has also asked me to tell you all to relax and have…." She stopped as her mobile phone suddenly went off she leaned over picking it up. "Yes?"

"Maya I need you down here now!"

Maya put a hand on her face as she signalled for the other to leave watching as they went closing the door behind them giving her a wave as they left. "You know I'm busy Misato I was talking to Rei, Asuka and Shinji like you asked." Misato paused on the other of the line before speaking. "How did that go?" Maya eyed the images behind her as she typed in to holographic panel. "Sending them to your office now, it went without a hitch, there was one issue though."

She eyed the images as the download bar moved across the screen. "Asuka told the truth I think Shinji did as well but I'm not a hundred percent sure and Rei I know lied to me openly about what she saw she wouldn't say what her version said to her and I know what it said got to her as she was screaming for it to get out of her head in the entry plug."

She watched as the download finished. "I think she needs more time, as does Shinji neither of them have had visions like this before and Asuka was the only one who came clean but I feel her scrape with Bardiel has taught her that keeping it in just isn't worth the price." She breathed in deeply. "I'll work with both Shinji and Rei I know they'll come clean soon." She closed her screen. "What do you need me for?" Misato’s voice came again but it was cold. "Vitor…"

Maya put her hand in her face. "Not again!" She eyed her phone. "What has he done this time?" Misato spoke though in whisper. "He's kicking up a storm in the new lab and me and Kaji can't reason with him." She paused before speaking. "Why do all scientists have to be so fucking anal?"

Maya breathed in sharply. "I'm a scientist or have you forgotten?" She paused. "And I deal with the science division and specialists all the time." Misato's voice came again but with an uncertain tone. "I wasn't referring to you personally and I respect the work that you do I realize it's hard as I find dealing with the science division very hard."

Maya looked up slightly. "I'll be down there in two minutes okay." She turned her phone off putting it in her lab coat pocket as she shut down her desk her eyes wandering once more to the kitten pillow Mari had a brought her. She tensed turning away no she wasn't going down this road again it just led to more hurt and Mari was just too screwed in her emotions to understand her own and Asuka was just being the good step sister and trying to protect Mari as she saw her as family.

8

Vitor turned to Maya, Kaji and Misato as he adjusted his ear piece which meant they could understand his Spanish and he could understand them as he was still struggling with learning Japanese. "I'm not working with her!" Chilam folded her arms. "You know I'm not stoked about working with you too pal but here I am."

Maya breathed in wishing she could have just stayed in bed this morning. "This isn't a request Vitor and she Is the most qualified person we have to offer, she's been brought in from Canada specially because she understands genetics in the way you do she worked on the Mass Evangelion program." Vitor felt a sneer form. "Those were fucking abominations its little wonder the UN cut you're companies funding!"

He paused eyeing the cat box close by. "Plus she has some weird looking little feathered shits in there I saw them flying around they stole my breakfast burrito this morning." Chilam eyed him. "Like your one to talk since you are budgie smuggling!"

Vitor narrowed his gaze as he spoke through gritted teeth. "How dare you, you have not seen me in my swimwear!" Chilam eyed him. "No I was referring to the Budgie inside your hidden pocket in your lab coat the one that's clearly genetically manipulated as its super smart as I saw you feeding it this morning." Maya moved to stand between them. "Stop it now both of you, you're arguing like some toxic old world couple!"

She watched as they both went quite she turned to Chilam. "What does he mean things flying around?" Chilam walked over to the cat box. "Oh these there just my babies they won't hurt anyone." She pulled on of her little mass Eva's out opening her hands so they could see. "See there harmless."

Misato moved closer. "What the fuck is that?!" Maya stared at the little being as it chirped. "That shouldn't be alive that's against scientific protocol, I was told that you put down the prototypes and that they were brain dead!" Chilam eyed the little being. "Why would I do that? I created them they're mine it's not like I followed the brief anyway they aren't carnivores they're omnivores and they're tame and very good natured I engineered them that way."

Vitor stroked his beard which had white areas. "No they are not they're little bastards and they stole my breakfast!" Maya turned to the older man. "She said you have a budgie is that true?" Vitor turned slightly. "No!"

Maya folded her arms knowing better. "Vitor stop stalling!" Vitor breathed in opening his lap coat watching as a small dark blue and white budgie crawled out of his pocket onto his shoulder and started chirping. "Her names Salome and she's not hurting anyone, we play chess together."

Misato looked closer seeing that it had a miniature version of the device Pen Pen had which meant it had human intelligence it even had miniature versions of the wing claws to grip. She blinked looking closer. "I didn't know ultra-intelligence tech worked on budgies, the company I worked for only did it on large sea birds."

Vitor eyed the budgie. "Yeah well Colonel you can miniaturize it and some of the pets I used to clone used it it's how I copied there intelligence over so they matched the original since the device stores mental algorithm and gives them a buffer allowing their brains to store ten times as much hence there human intelligence range and much longer life spans."

Maya put a hand her face in frustration. "How long have you had that Budgie Vitor? You know pets are against the rules." Vitor moved his hand stroking his budgies head. "I made her the first day after I started working here because I always had a budgie in my lab and this is a copy of my original who I was told had passed away after you brought all my stuff up from Salvador which had been put in cold storage by my two fathers who thought I was dead along with my two brothers and three sisters who stored my dead pets DNA."

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He sneered slightly as he pushing his dark hair back. "They even had a fucking funeral for me and are still getting over the fact that I'm still alive, it's been very difficult for all of them, they kept my research as they believed it could all be valuable to science, ironically they were right since my work helped to build those shitty Archangels."

Maya breathed in wishing she had not come in to work today. "We told you the rules Vitor." Vitor turned pointing at Chilam. "Well she is clearly allowed pets so this argument is redundant!" Kaji moved forward as he put his hand on his beard. "Okay so you both have pets but is there a way to keep both sets of pets out of testing labs?"

Maya breathed in sharply hating that she was breaking the rules here as Ritsuko would mock her no end if she found out. "Fine you can both keep them but I want them kept in special areas when you're testing!" Kaji moved forward raising his hand. "Yes they must be kept out of lab testing build them both pens." Visor eyed his budgie. "She doesn't need a pen you can speak to her like a human she understands."

Chilam folded her arms putting one of the tiny mass Eva's on her shoulder. "Yeah well mine are just as smart as his are." Maya eyed them both. "Regardless of how smart your pets are if Ritsuko is around your box them up out of sight is that understood?!" She watched as they both fell silent nodding. Misato eyed the smaller woman talk about bad mood it wasn't like Maya to be this pissed off; clearly something was getting to her and she was taking it out on other people.

Chilam raised her hand as an uncomfortable grin forming on her lips. "Does this mean my request is void?" Maya eyed her in confusion. "What request?" Chilam breathed in deeply. "The one where I get to see the pilots in person it's just I've wanted to see them all my life and the Colonel stated I could."

Maya turned eyeing Misato. "You know I have enough trouble keeping Mari out of the labs she is always drifting around down here in places she shouldn't be as she hacks the doors to this level despite that we’ve changed the codes so many times she just can’t get in to the voids labs below where the Evangelions are built as its iris coded, but now you want all of them down here?" Kaji turned as he spoke calmly. "You know Mari's probably down here because she's trying to learn science to impress you…she's been trying hard you said that yourself."

Misato watched as Maya gave them both a dark look she turned slowly back to Chilam as she folded her arms. "I'll sort that out for you I'll be there when I bring them down to meet both you and Victor." She shuffled nervously. "But you'll probably both see Mari before that as she loves to look around labs as she has an avid interest in science even though she's a programmer and very good hacker."

8

Toji turned the corner as he eyed Mari who was behind him keeping pace with his run. "I have to get this book to Sakura she needs it for her test next week." Mari breathed in deeply. "How did she forget it? She never forgets anything." Toji turned sharply. "She's been a little distracted lately." Mari turned another corridor which led to the school inside Nerv which was for the employee's children and was close to the Arcade zone. "Does she have another crush on a boy in class?"

Toji shook his head. "No it's not that she normally tells us both about her crushes, I think it's that bad time of the year again as our Mother died and it's never a good time for her or me, I know she tries not to show it but I know it bothers her deeply."

Mari turned to avoid someone she knew what that feeling was like and despite that she now knew her mother's soul was in her Evangelion it didn't take away the sting of her murder and she sometimes still had nightmares about it. She hated that she couldn't tell him the truth but she had promised Shinji, Rei and Asuka that she wouldn't say anything about it to him or Kaworu as the risk was too great. "Yeah well I know how you both feel loosing loved ones is never easy and it always hurts."

Toji picked up his pace two more corridor turns and they'd be at the school which was a massive area and as big as any real school it was just built underground. "I'll just cook her favourite dish with lots of Dim sum tonight it might make her feel better."

He turned the corner turning only to see two late that a dark skinned woman holding files was coming the other way and wasn't looking where she was going. The next moments turned to blinding pain as they both collided with each other which caused her files to go everywhere along with his book as he hit the floor landing directly on top of her on all fours. He tensed trying to get rid of the pain he opened his eyes realizing he was on all fours sprawled out over the woman who was around the same height as Mari.

He looked down as it hit him hard how beautiful she was long flowing dark hair and piecing dark green eyes she was dressed in the Nerv bridge uniform with the yellow shoulder parts yet he didn't recognise her.

Her face suddenly turned to annoyance as she spoke in an unimpressed tone. "Would you get off me?" Toji looked down suddenly realizing where his hand was which was her chest as he felt himself blush he felt Mari pull him back up on to his feet as he struggled to get back up. Sumire breathed in deeply as she sat up eyeing her folder which now had electronic papers scattered around as she spoke unable to keep the rage out of her voice. "Fuck it!"

She grabbed at them just great and she'd been asked by Maya to bring these up and now they weren't even in order so this was a great start to her day! It was bad enough that she was lost in this place because she still didn't know the areas well enough as a lot had changed so much since she'd been here last.

She turned suddenly see that the tall man who was in casual dress was trying to help her spoke in a rush. "I'm really sorry I didn't mean to mess up your paper work can I fix it?" She blinked in surprise in all the time she'd worked here she had not had any one help her this way and it was so confusing.

Mari eyed Toji well that was a first she'd never seen him help anyone in this way she adjusted her glasses feeling a smile form this was going to be interesting to watch. Toji carried on helping the woman with her papers noticing how quite she was. "I'm really sorry for tripping into you that way are you okay?" He raised his hand. "I'm Toji."

Sumire blinked suddenly realizing who he was he was one of the Evangelion pilots the one from China she'd seen his face on the hologram screen during the battle she looked up slightly eyeing the other woman in glasses who was clearly the British pilot Mari. She felt her eyes dart hating that she felt out of her depth right now she had no idea how she was meant to address the pilots. "It's fine Mr Suzuhara."

Toji felt a wide smile form as he watched her sort the electronic files as he picked up his fallen book. "No you can call me Toji." Sumire breathed in as she stood up now feeling even more uncertain of herself she didn't expect people to notice her least of all an Evangelion pilot.

Toji leaned closer to the beautiful looking woman. "What's your name?" Sumire looked up snapping out of her haze. "It's Sumire." Toji looked at her. "That's a really nice name, are you part of the bridge crew? It's just your uniform looks like it is." Sumire slowly stood up watching as he did the same. "Yes I'm new my job is to replace Makoto." Toji moved a step closer to her. "I'm sure you'll do a much better job than he did, he was a fucker from what I heard."

Sumire looked down trying to hide the blush which she could feel forming. "I should go…it was nice meeting you both." Toji watched as she turned leaving at a sharp pace he waited till she was out of sight before speaking. "That woman is so beautiful." He turned to Mari. "You think so right?" Mari felt a smirk form. "Yeah she's good looking just not my type." Toji put a hand on his face. "Ah gods I should have asked her for her number!"

Mari blinked in surprise. "I think you're getting way to ahead off yourself Toji she's new and settling in." Toji turned to her. "Yeah but she looked kind of sad did you see it in her face?" Mari eyed him this really was a first she'd seen her best friend try to chat up women and fail but she had not seen him this head over heels for a woman it's like he'd been struck by cupid's arrow. "No I didn't notice that to be honest she looked more pissed off that you were sprawled on top off her." Toji breathed in, in annoyance. "That was an accident I didn't mean to touch her breast!"

Mari couldn't stop her next actions as she started to laugh unable to stop herself. "You know there are better ways to get dates than tripping over and touching their chest." Toji folded his arms in annoyance. "Oh laugh it up it's not like you're having the same luck with Maya!" Mari wiped away her tears of laugher. "Yeah but I didn't have to trip and fall on her to make a point."

Toji turned rolling his eyes. "Look let's just get this book to my sister." Mari sniggered. "Yeah be sure you don't trip and fall into other women on your way there." Toji breathed in clearly he was not going to hear the end of this for the rest of the day.

8

Mari turned eyeing Asuka who was toying with her remaining fries they were all eating at a Cajun restaurant on the Arcade's fiftieth floor which specialized in burgers, fries and other soul food it was painted in deep red colours and blacks and had an enormous crocodile skull and skeleton hanging above the eating area.

Clearly a trophy which was the owners it had been a twenty foot crocodile when alive as one of the odd things about second impact was the hotter climate meant that reptiles could grow even bigger and some crocodile's, alligators and pythons had become giants freaks of nature who were very hyper aggressive.

This meant though that in certain areas of the world they had become notorious human eaters and though the seasons were returning in that now you had a short sharp winter thanks to Oculus work these animals had remained problematic and people all over the world tried to hunt them down and kill them. Even celebrates got in on the act as killing one of the super apex predators as they were called was worthy of praise if you could do it, not that many of them did they tried whereas the former bush hunters and poachers were excellent at it.

She could see the huge bowls of food cooking as it was a buffet and you fill your plate with food burgers and fries. Though it had been a strangely quiet affair and it was starting to get to her, she hated long silences and everyone around her seemed lost in thought. "Are you going to eat that princess?"

Asuka eyed her plate then Mari before pushing her plate towards her. "No you can finish it four eyes." Mari eyed her then shifted to Rei who was strangely eating her sea food quite fast. "Is she eating at home Rei or is she ill and hiding it?"

Rei looked up slowly from her meal giving her a smile. "No she is eating fine we are both just not eating as much because of the auction tonight as they serve dinner there." Asuka turned eyeing Mari. "Must you check up on my health?"

Mari smirked as she adjusted her glasses. "Yes I must little sister wouldn't want you to be hurting and not telling me." She turned to Toji who was busy eating his second burger with a dreamy look on his face. "Your still thinking about that woman, aren't you?"

Toji turned to her. "Oh come on she was so hot looking." Shinji looked up in surprise. "What woman?" Mari leaned forward. "He ran into Makoto's replacement whose name is Sumire, or more to the point he fell on top of her and ended up touching her breasts."

Toji turned sharply. "It was an accident I was running to fast and we collided in the hall!" Kaworu looked up. "Well these things happen and if it wasn't with bad intent I'm sure she understood it was a mistake." Mari felt a sly smile form. "Well at least you didn't trip and fall on her lower parts then you would be in trouble." She watched as everyone turned to her the shock in their faces she raised her hands. "What it could happen?"

Asuka took a slip of her coke. "Yeah just not in the real world…only in your fantasy…." Toji turned to them. "What should I say to her?" He paused. "You've all dated what did you say to ask people out the first time?" Kaworu looked up. "Maybe bring something to her and ask her out."

Mari leaned on her elbow. "That doesn't work for everyone though as Maya rejected my advances when I did that." Asuka turned sharply. "Maybe you should just try talking frankly with her say you like her." Shinji pushed his empty plate aside. "Yes just be honest with her no front or pretence just be yourself." He turned to Rei who was still eating. "What do you think Rei?" Rei looked up from her sea food. "I never asked anyone out other than Asuka out so I wouldn't be very helpful to you."

Toji finished his burger. "Yes you are, like what would you say?" Rei looked at her food. "That there beautiful and I'd like to go out with them." Mari suddenly leaned closer to her. "Did you say that to Asuka?" Rei met her curious turquoise gaze. "That's private."

Mari turned to Asuka. "Why do you both have to be so secretive? I mean you love each other so flaunt it, I mean your both so private." Shinji looked up slightly. "She has a point Rei maybe if you do things in front of others the Nerv staff might finally leave you alone." Toji turned to Rei. "I might try your idea and Shinji's I mean I've got nothing to lose right?" Mari turned to him. "I just hope she says yes." Kaworu felt a smile form. "I'm sure she will." Shinji looked at him. "Yeah I mean you're a great guy."

Rei sat up in her chair. "Excuse me I'm going to get some more of this, is so nice." Shinji watched her go. "I don't think I've ever seen my sister this hungry before." Mari eyed the empty plate. "Well it is sea food gumbo." Shinji turned to Asuka keeping his voice low. "Did she eat last night?"

Asuka looked up. "Yes but speaking from personal experience having visions like that we had is very mentality straining." Toji turned to them. "Yeah okay we lost that fight with Eligos but what I just don't get is how you three had visions but my Kaworu and Mari and I didn't."

He shifted slightly as Rei sat back down digging instantly into her second bowl of food with a spoon. "It's like it affected you three way more than us and people are saying it's a Lance of Longinus but its dead in some way they think maybe Adam left it there and Ankh found it that's the rumour at least."

Asuka watched as Rei carried on eating taking no real notice of the conversation to be fair she'd never seen her do this she wasn't normally a seconds person but maybe it was the stress from the vision some people reacted differently to it. "Well if it's a weapon we can break it, I mean there must be a way to destroy it." Shinji looked up. "Maybe with your Spears of Destiny if you can get them working."

Asuka breathed in deeply. "Look I know this is going to sound verfickte odd but I don't think there mine they don't feel like they were created for me despite that I created them." She put her hands together. "Plus they don't work for me all the experiments to create life have failed." Mari eyed Asuka. "Stop being modest princess you just need more time to work them is all, I mean it can't be fucking easy they are powerful after all."

Asuka shook her head. "No four eyes it's not that, I swear they aren't mine they don't feel right in my units hands…I know they belong to someone but every time I think about who my mind goes blank, I know there's something about them I'm meant to remember and I just can't."

She put her hands together knowing her next words were more for Shinji, Rei and Mari's ears. "Something happened in the entry plug but I just don't remember what it was." Toji pushed his empty plate aside. "They said your memory was going to be slow when you came out of there."

He paused before speaking. "Maybe it will come in time but you should maybe forget it tonight and enjoy the auction." Shinji raised his hand. "Yeah Toji is right Asuka I mean it will come in time and you should relax and enjoy yourself as Ritsuko wants you to try again with the spears again tomorrow. Maybe when you're back in the room with them the memory you're missing might come back."

Kaworu looked up. "Yes I agree and I think it is better to live breath and enjoy the intensity and joy of the moment than dwell on this right now, things will work out in time and you'll maybe find your answers."

Asuka looked down they were all right and she knew it maybe she was over thinking this but she just couldn't get away from the feeling that her Mama had said more in the core, it was like she had the first half of the memory with the god Rei and meeting her again but she couldn't remember past it just flashes and visions but nothing truly solid and she knew her Mama had told her something really important but nothing came to mind when she thought about it. She looked up slightly. "Yeah you guys are right maybe it will come in time."

8

Christopher eased the VR onto his head as he lay back in his chair watching as the screen lit up he moved his hands shifting through the settings getting to the sexual dating simulation all of which were highly regulated worldwide and took consent very seriously as you couldn't win over the AI simulation without consent and this normally resulted in the simulation kicking you before anything could happen and fining you.

He moved his fingers switching it on only for the screen to go red as it flashed up a two hundred Euro fine in front of his eyes. "What the fuck?!" He pulled the VR off violently turning to his sister's side of the double level section they shared which had very modern comfort since there grandmother liked to spoil them both. His sister had the top half and he had the bottom half. "Achika!"

He watched as Achika appeared adjusting her elaborate long sleeves shirt which was pure white, she was also wearing tight black jeans that were body hugging and a thick leather belt which had a gold emblem on it and black army boots. "What is it?" Christopher eyed her. "Did you use this recently?" Achika eyed the VR helmet. "No brother I didn't and we both know I prefer sex toys and I only use your sex simulations occasionally so what is the problem?"

Christopher eyed his VR. "This has a fucking two hundred euro fine on it, which means someone breached consent with the sexual simulation and now I have to pay it off!" Achika breathed in deeply looking at her brother who was dressed in an open black leather jacket and dark blue coloured jeans and a red buttoned shirt and black expensive walking boots with silver trim. "Well it would appear we have some kind of creep getting into our things." She turned to holographic screen near the flat screen TV. "Romulus!"

Christopher turned as the image of a huge white werewolf head appeared which had red and orange glowing eyes and curved teeth a couple which were plated in silver it was his sisters AT learning personality which had no slave parameters. "He can help?"

Achika put her hand on her waist as she adjusted her glasses. "Romulus who has accessed my brother's VR in the last two days?" The werewolves head turned as it began to run computer code only to stop as it brought up a line of code as it spoke in a very delicate accent. "VR was accessed at twelve am this morning."

Achika put a hand on her chin. "Can you pull footage from overhead camera?" She watched as Romulus brought up the footage which showed a man slightly older than them sitting in Christopher's chair with his black leather jacket in his hands which had the silver bull head on the back blowing off steam which he shoved on as he sat back in his chair opening his belt and putting his hands down his pants as he started moving it. "Well, it would appear that, that snivelling weasel Alessandro was both dressing in your leather jacket and touching your property."

Christopher sneered. "I'm going to personally kill that miserable little fuck for touching my shit and daring to wear my custom made leather jacket!"

Achika moved putting a hand on his shoulder. "No please let me deal with him, I mean he has always makes a mess." She leaned over. "Remember Connecticut, he screwed up that mission it was a disaster." Christopher eyed his VR. "Not to mention he clearly misunderstands the principles of sexual consent so grandmother won't even miss him she's hates rapists and paedophiles of either gender she enjoys killing them, so she won't care if we deal with him."

Achika leaned against his reclining black leather chair. "Yeah but let's make it look accidental then it will be much more fun, plus I'm bored I want to entertain myself."

End of part 18

Silvermoonlight