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Disclaimer: All Adventure Iczer-3 characters are owned by AIC. All original characters, and story, copyright author.
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Normality Squared
©1999 R. Alexander Spoerer
"Next stop, Shibuya. Repeat, next stop Shibuya."
The doors slowly opened, and let out the throng of people that were packed into the train. Like ants, they scurried off toward their connecting trains, eager to get home from a weary day of relentless activity.
She was no different.
Well, that was not exactly true. She was in fact very different, but not in the manner most people thought.
After all, not many people have seen this world destroyed, and then reconstructed in the blink of an eye.
These thoughts idled through her mind as she approached the ticket reader leading to the next line. She took out her rail pass, fed it into the machine, and retrieved it when it appeared on the other side, continuing on toward her next train.
As she approached the steps, she reflexively looked up at the sign that stated "Tokyu Line", and checked which platform had trains leaving to where she wanted to go. Satisfied with the results of her glance, she climbed up the steps, surrounded by the masses as they also clamored to reach the platform. Silently she cursed as her train left the station, picking up a slight breeze as it sped by her. She would have to be patient and wait for the next train with the others.
There was a time when she would have just would have appeared at her intended destination. However, early on she learned that would only attract unwanted attention. Not to mention the fact teleporting where she wanted to go would not help her achieve her goal of understanding Humanity.
She felt it was the least she could do considering she would have wiped out this entire species not too long ago.
With a free hand, she adjusted her jeans. That was definitely something she had trouble with initially. The clothes Humans wore were multi-layered, and a bit restrictive, especially for females.
Mentally, she corrected herself. Women, not females. Sometimes the language also left a lot to be desired.
She felt an itch develop in her right ear, and ever so carefully scratched it through the hair band that covered them. That was another thing that she learned immediately. Her ears were nowhere near normal size for a Human, so she had to hide them behind a variety of hair bands, and headbands, as well as styling her hair to cover them. Tiresome, but necessary for survival.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the train arrived, its doors slid open like the gaping maw of some twisted creature, hungry for its next set of victims.
All on the platform pushed into the train, until no more could fit. The doors slid shut the beast more than satisfied with its catch.
People were pressed up on all sides against her. She hoped no one tried to grope her today. Unfortunately, as much as she would love to dispatch whoever did such a thing that would not be the Human thing to do. The Human way was to report such an incident to their "authorities", which would then fine the perpetrator.
Too bad that most of the authorities were male, and they could care less about one woman being fondled in a public place.
She rolled her eyes as she mentally corrected herself, again. Men, not males. Why in the multiverse did these beings persist in using three to four different ways to refer to the same thing?
Various grumblings paraded through her mind as the train continued toward its destination, relieving itself of passengers at every stop.
"Next stop, Hiyoshi. Repeat, next stop Hiyoshi."
The train came to a stop, and she exited at Hiyoshi station with a throng of other people.
She stepped onto the escalator, and slowly rose to the top level of the station, which served as the exit. Through the ticket reader she walked, this time she did not have to concern herself with her rail pass, since she was leaving.
Outside the lit station, it was raining slightly. It was difficult to see things, but the lights from the signs and intermittent streetlights helped to illuminate the traffic-clogged streets. She took out her umbrella and opened it. As she ventured out into the soft rain, she took note of a cordoned area where renovation was occurring around the entrance of the station.
She snorted in contempt as she walked past the blemish. It has already been a year since they begun renovating this station. Sure it was better than before, but that was way too long for a project such as this. Of course, this was not her concern, since she had far more important issues to deal with in her life than to worry about the laziness of construction workers.
Onto the street she stepped, and continued to her destination. It was not far now, only about a block away from the train station. She smirked as she crossed a narrow street. After a forty-minute commute from Tokyo to Yokohama, walking a block was not much of a trip.
She desperately looked forward to a bath when she arrived home.
Upon saying that word, she almost stepped into a deep puddle, but managed to avoid it, trudging onward.
Home... There was another word that she did not understand the meaning of until about three years ago. That was when she decided to stop wandering the universe, and find out what it was her sisters saw in this world. What was it they would stop at nothing to protect. Especially to the point of killing her...
A shudder traveled down her body as that particularly unpleasant memory reared its head. Desperately, she wished she could forget, but it happened and that she could not deny. Hopefully by trying to live as a Human she could find out why her older sister did what she did.
She smiled again as she realized she approached her home. She could see the apartment building through the haze of the rain.
It had been hard, but she felt she was beginning to understand what it was that her sisters admired about this world and its people.
Especially with Yoriko's help...
Her lithe frame shivered as she thought of Yoriko. The one person she had come to care deeply about during her short time on Earth.
Yoriko was not the most impressive that Humanity had to offer, but she did not care. She loved Yoriko with all the heart she could. Just thinking about her lifted her mood.
Yoriko loved her regardless of who she was, or had been. That love had helped heal the deep wounds inflicted from everything that had happened to her.
And shortly she would see her black haired beloved.
It was, after all, only several steps away to their door.
**
Yoriko finished placing the last of the vegetables for dinner into the pot when she scanned the counter top to make sure she had not forgotten anything.
A smile appeared on her face.
"That should be everything. Just in time too, since she should be back any second now."
As if on cue, the door to the apartment opened and Yoriko heard the deep voice of her love.
"Tadaima!"
"Okairinasai!" Replied Yoriko as she turned to face the entrance of the apartment.
There she stood, the one who held the keys to her heart. She was removing her shoes, being careful not to drip water outside of the foyer. Her red hair almost touched the floor as she bent to place her sneakers near the collection of other shoes near the door. After placing the umbrella down in a corner of the foyer, she looked up at her with those crimson eyes.
Yoriko felt as if she would melt right were she stood, but she managed to walk up and embrace the redheaded valkrie before her.
"Welcome home, Iczer-2."
**
Iczer-2 heard Yoriko's warm greeting as she held her in her arms. She squeezed Yoriko against her, feeling her warm body against hers. Iczer-2 moved her face toward Yoriko's ear, and whispered.
"Yoriko, you shouldn't call me that... Remember?"
Yoriko looked up at her, a bit embarrassed, "Sorry... I keep forgetting. It's just so hard to think of you as Nagisa, when I know who you really are."
It was ironic that the name she chose to exist on this world by would be the one of her sister's love. In some ways, Iczer-2 thought it appropriate, since she had been responsible for Nagisa's death the first time around...
Pushing another unpleasant memory to the back of her mind, Iczer-2 smiled softly as she brushed Yoriko's cheek.
Yoriko shuddered at her touch, and looked into Iczer-2's eyes.
"I'm so happy to see you. A day is too long to be away from you."
Iczer-2's smile widened.
"I do have to go to school, Yori-chan. After all, how can I live in this society without having some way of supporting myself?"
"Well, I have a job."
She shook her head, "That may be so, but you have already experienced school. I need to experience it as well if I am to truly be Human, remember?"
Yoriko moved her arms around Iczer-2's neck, and looked deeply into her eyes.
"As far as I am concerned, you are as human as I am."
Iczer-2 felt a sensation well up within her that caused her to embrace Yoriko tighter to her. She rubbed the tip of her nose against Yoriko's playfully.
"Yoriko, you are more precious to me than anything..."
Yoriko cut off Iczer-2 by brushing her lips against Iczer-2's in a soft kiss, and once again looked deeply into Iczer-2'eyes.
Iczer-2 could feel Yoriko's thoughts enter her, carried on a wave of strong emotion.
'I know, my love.'
They once again kissed the emotions between the two freely passing between both their bodies and minds. Iczer-2 could feel the love and passion from Yoriko and lost herself within it.
Before living on Earth, Iczer-2 never really understood why Iczer-1 selected Nagisa as a partner, but over the three years she lived with Yoriko, she now understood.
The greatest bond between two people was love. That was why Iczer-1 and Nagisa were so strong. Ever since she shared herself with Yoriko, both mind and body, she had been happy. Yoriko helped to balance the darkness with her light. She was now a better person because of love...
Because she loved a Human...
How ironic...
'Ini-chan?'
They broke the kiss, however, continued to hold each other, and stared into each other's eyes. Iczer-2 replied to Yoriko without opening her mouth, and shared her thoughts with her lover.
'Yes, Yoriko?'
'Stop thinking about it. Isn't it enough that we love each other?'
At that, Iczer-2 smiled and nodded.
'You're right, Yoriko. It is enough.'
Yoriko released herself from Iczer-2's embrace, and walked back to the kitchen, "Good, then go ahead and get comfortable, dinner should be ready soon."
Iczer-2 nodded, and walked into the apartment itself, "Ok."
As she sat down at the only table within the apartment, she continued to smile as she watched Yoriko finish preparing dinner.
She was now beginning to understand why Iczer-1 did what she did.
How ironic indeed...
[Author's Notes]
Well, I'm not sure where this story came from, but it was fun to write. Iczer-2 is one of my favorite characters, and I've always wanted to write a story with her, but never got around to it. As you can probably guess, this version of Iczer-2 came from after the Adventure Iczer-3 series. I know that many people will think that she is OOC, but I believe that she will eventually come to the same way of thinking that Iczer-1 and Iczer-3 have. What better way to understand those that she sought to destroy than the live among them. Of course, Iczer-2 never expected to fall in love, but such is life, ne?
Also, in case you are wondering, yes there is a Tokyu line, and yes it does go from Shiuya station in Tokyo to Hiyoshi in Yokohama. That was the route I used to go on commuting back and forth between home and school.
Ini-chan = Iczer + 2(ni) + Chan. Cute, huh? ^_^
Comments and critiques are welcome and appreciated. Flames will be sent to the circular file for further reference. ^_^
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R. Alexander Spoerer |"Kancho also means spyyy.."
EVARPG List Moderator/Staff Writer | -Maki Izumi, Nadesico
E-Mail: iczer2@generalagents.com |"Watashi wa hinhi ja nai.."
WWW: To be announced shortly... | -Rei Ayanami, EVA
