Okay.... maybe I am just forcing it, using the scene fro Jferio. But got to keep the plot moving.
They're probably going to be spending the night together watching random TV shows and animé while wolfing down snacks..... and getting Shinji a basic wireless VOIP comm that'll hook into his wrist dataport and let him talk to others over the local network, if they're on.
We're going to cut away to show other arrivals soon enough.
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
They're probably going to be spending the night together watching random TV shows and animé while wolfing down snacks..... and getting Shinji a basic wireless VOIP comm that'll hook into his wrist dataport and let him talk to others over the local network, if they're on.
We're going to cut away to show other arrivals soon enough.
Quote:----------________________________________
Slave Mode Disabled
Shinji didn’t know why carrying Nené as a pillion passenger caused that to flash up on the instruments, or what Slave Mode was. An indicator showing the passenger flashing in red alongside the message confirmed the reason why it had been disabled.
It bothered him all the way back to Anika’s apartment. He rolled to a stop outside the door, parking up opposite Anika’s scooter. Nené thanked him for the lift before fetching the bag out from the left pannier.
The trio sat themselves down on the couch with a table full of snacks, Shinji staking himself out a spot at the far end, closest to the television.
Nené insisted they go to episode 3 of the Bubblegum Crisis TV series first.
“Skip forward to the hardsuit, this is so funny.”
Shinji frobbed the touch-sensitive remote control, stroking at what he guessed was the right ‘button’. The animation scrambled forward, flickering through what seemed to be a restaurant, a city-scape at night
“Here, here!”. Nené placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him, her other hand pointing at the screen. Shinji fumbled with the remote for a moment. “I remember this.”
There was an excited light on behind her eyes. She was acting more like she was showing him a secret home movie. The same voice was speaking onscreen, complaining about how a green suit was a little bit too advanced for a starter suit. The animated counterpart even looked alike.... the smile was a dead giveaway.
“But it never happened.”
“But I still remember it. I remember doing all of this and more.”
“More?”
"I'm... not quite like most of the others, in one regard, Shinji. While many of us awoke aware of our nature from the start, I was given... the memories of more than one of myself, in a way."
"More than one?" Shinji asked, looking somewhat confused. And feeling somewhat like an idiot for only being able to ask questions rather than answer them.
Nene nodded. "It's both a blessing and a curse. There's a lot of commonality involved, so it's likely somewhat easier to deal with, it's not multiple personalities, but I can remember at least eight different sets of distinct memories besides my, well, primary for lack of a better term. It made at least one meeting slightly more awkward than it needed to be, with one of the writers that was responsible for some of those memories." She sighed. "At least when I met Marty for real, it was just with one of him that didn't quite match the reality... I had to deal with THREE with Ben... that's a very long story there, to be honest. Just be glad you've only got the one set of memories to contend with."
"That sounds more than a little strange."
"It does, doesn't it? Believe me, though, I'm not the strangest AI out there. Not by a very, very long shot."
"So... how much do you know about me?"
"Mostly just the broad strokes... when Myk got his stuff from the U.S., when they finally figured out that it wasn't contaminated, he had a copy of Eva in among the videos... I watched it one week when there was a serious negotiation happening that required me to 'mind the store' for Jeph." She shivered visible
Shinji just stared. How could anyone just sit and watch? What sort of person could sit and watch his mind fall apart?
"I don't know what Anno was on or not on during that time, but... that was a horrible. I'd not wish those on the worst of the people I recall from the series I was in." She looked at him, sympathy and caring visible in her eyes. "Here, at least, you won't have to deal with anything nearly that bad. It's not an easy world to live in here, Shinji, but at least you're in a position that you won't be made to do things for reasons you can't even comprehend."
“No, it’s only the world I don’t comprehend, not just the reasons.”
Shinji wanted it to come across as bitter and angry, but it just fell flat. On screen, a brunette was enjoying her first few moments in a green power-armour. Nené went quiet, not quite sure how to answer that. Pangs of guilt filled Shinji with the urge to apologise for killing the conversation.
Both of them sat there in silence, while Anika rattled around in the kitchen, stirring up something before pouring it out onto a tray.
“Hey, why don’t we watch something else then, rather than something we’re in?” Anika chipped in, still waiting for the oven to heat up. A tray of brownie-mix was sitting ready for baking on the counter beside her. “Cannon God Exaxxion?”
“Ew,” Nené winced. “I knew you guys had that Sonoda thing? But Episode ten is just creepy.”
“I’ve never heard of it,” said Shinji, although the -ion suffix seemed uncomfortable familiar.
“Oh. Aliens invade Earth. And an ordinary boy who’s called by his arsehole of a father to pilot a massive superweapon built underground in secret using reverse-engineered alien technology that’s barely understood, but is humanity’s only hope for survival against an alien attack.”
“Okay, I think I have seen it,” the boy deadpanned.
To his relief, Nené actually giggled.
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--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?