Author Notes: Okay so this is the second installment to my story: Persocom1/2 Ikaros. I would like to note while this is a Ranma1/2 / Chobits cross I am also giving a nod to Heaven's Lost Property as some elements are being incorporated.

~I do not own Ranma1/2, or Chobits or the characters within, nor do I own any elements from Heaven's Lost property, However, I do claim ownership over any characters I have created and incorporated into this fic.~

With all that said I really hope you enjoy this installment as much as I enjoyed writing it. -Zeltronica


Ikaros Chapter: 2

Ucchans which resided in a two-story building with a loft apartment made with traditional Japanese design was one of the many eateries located within Nerima which specialized in its main dish being that of Okonomiyaki.

The Saotome twins and their friend Hiro stood just in front of the building looking into one of the three main large windows which gave a view into the shop, from this vantage the spied there were only a few customers inside.

Behind the main bar which also served as a grill, they spotted Auntie Ucchan who dressed in her traditional outfit consisting of black slacks, with a blue chefs coat, her long brown hair held back by a big white bow.

The woman looked up from the grill with her piercing chocolate brown eyes, her lips forming into a smile which the twins returned before leading their friend through the glass door entrance.

"Well... well what do we have here hmm? The Saotome twins and they brought a friend?" The okonomiyaki cook questioned, whilst continuing to work on her current order for a gentleman that sat at her bar.

Riichi gave a silent nod of his head, Megumi quickly replying in an upbeat cheerful lilt,

"Yes, this is our friend Hiro."

Hiro looked around the restaurant since this was his first time to ever set foot in the restaurant that he only heard about from his two friends who wouldn't shut up about it, but he knew they sometimes got free eats because they told him especially the day they brought food from this very shop to share with him.

"Hello Mam," he called, giving a slight bow of his head.

Ucchan observing the boy seemed to gain a smile. "Well nice to meet you Hiro and for those manners, I'll do you one better How would you like a Ranchan special?" she offered.

"I don't have that much money if it is expensive," Hiro explained, kicking the tip of his foot against the tiled floor.

Shaking her head negatively. "Oh no its on the house you can share with the twins since I doubt they can eat it all by themselves, but then again have you two been training today?"

"No Gramps let us off the hook since he and Our other Grandpa had somewhere super-secret to go to so he had no time to train us. That and Mom had to work an early shift." Riichi explained as he spied a booth he wanted to sit at, proceeding to thumb to it. "Gonna go sit down Auntie," he called proceeding to head that way.

'Super secret hmm where might that be?' Ucchan wondered to herself, as the many possibilities flashed across her mind one of which is a tavern where the two would drink until they were wearing ties around their head in traditional fashion.

She chuckled at this thought, "Sure thing sugar, So would the special hold your interest?." she called turning her attention to Megumi and Hiro giving them an inquiring look.

"Yes, the Ranchan special probably would do the trick," Megumi answered, Hiro just nodded his head, before making his way over to the booth his friend had chosen.

Megumi stayed behind waiting at the counter while Ukyo was just finishing her current order sliding it over to the waiting gentleman calling to him "Here you go, sir, hot and spicy just like you like it!"

Once that was done Ukyo started in on the trios order, as she worked she spoke up to the girl standing before her counter. "So Megumi hows your Mom doing?"

Megumi considered how best to answer. "She's fine I guess she is working constantly. We hardly get to hang out around the dinner table before she's off to work and usually when she gets home shes dead tired and just wants to sleep." she explained.

The Okonomiyaki cook worked diligently with efficiency, saying offhandedly, "No surprise really she is working hard to provide for you and your brother, and well pay the bills." which elicited an agreeing nod from the raven-haired girl.

"I just wish my Mom would stay home with us. I miss the times we would spend together before she took that job with the hospital." Megumi said with a depressed sigh escaping her lips, kicking her shoe against the counter softly.

Ukyo looked up from her grill to the raven-haired teen observing her sad eyes, she then beckoned with her hand for the girl to come around the counter, Megumi did so to which she was taken into a comforting embrace.

"Look I get it you want things to go back to the way they were Honey, but life for us Adults gets complicated and your Mom is doing the best she can as any single parent can," she explained breaking the embrace with her left hand she lifted the girl's chin. "So chin up and smile. Enjoy the time you get with your Mother and don't dwell on the time you don't spend with her," she said giving the girl an assuring smile.

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An Informative meeting-

Project Angeloid & The Eternium core...

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It had been a few weeks since Ikaros had come to stay at M's estate in order him to find out more information on the elusive Dr. Takihara, but it would seem as it sat the doctor was a ghost which meant that Dr. Takihara was an alias and not his real name which wouldn't be too much of a surprise if it was a black budget project that R_Alpha_One dubbed Ikaros was created for.

Minoru was about to give up when he attempted one more thing which involved posting a picture of Ikaros on the forum in a fishing attempt to see if it caught any interest.

The results were interesting as he observed the comments one of which said she looked like a martial artist from Nerima by the name of Saotome Ranma that had gone missing some years back course most the people that replied to that post saying they knew Ranma said whoever made this Persocom to look like the missing martial artist had really done a great job on the resemblance.

Then a private message was sent saying they had information about Ikaros, but they would not give it over the internet and asked to meet, with hesitation he did agree to the meet and not long after agreeing to the meet the post and all comments about Ikaros had been mysteriously removed and not via an admin.

Which made Minoro feel rather uneasy, he looked over at Ikaros who was in the process of watching television from the nearby couch. 'What have I stumbled into.' he thought to himself.

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Eight hours later as Minoro was in the middle of his lunch he was interrupted by Yuzuki he came in explaining a Gentleman was at the front gate claiming to be the visitor he was expecting, he looked to the monitor tapping a key on the keyboard at which a small window popped up depicted on his monitor which showed a figure standing there wearing a long tan coat, a dark brown hat that was tipped downward which shadowed much of his face from view, in his left hand he held what looked to be a black-n-chrome attache case.

With brief consideration on his part, he finally acknowledged his personal persocom's words. "Show him in please Yuzuki." he said, going back to eating the last few bites of his meal.

A few moments later the man who had contacted him on the forums via pm was standing in M's office, his gaze first settled on Ikaros who was still watching television eventually he turned his gaze to the young teen.

"As much as I would say it is a pleasure to meet you M', I kinda wish we never were to meet, and that I had seen the last of her." The man said coolly, proceeding to set his attache case down on the floor beside his feet.

Minoro looked to the man with a puzzled, but troubled expression, "What do you mean seen the last of her? You talking about Ikaros?" he questioned of the unnamed gentleman.

The man gave a nod of his head, as he removed his hat revealing a graying head of hair, he wore glasses over his green eyes, stubble on his face which meant he was in need of a shave, he wore a black shirt under his coat, with a pair of black khakis, with white socks and green slippers he had exchanged his loafers for.

"Yes I am referring to her last I had seen her she was deactivated in the trunk of my car which was stolen when I stopped in for some gas, and some snacks," he explained, pausing a moment giving the room a cursory glance as if looking for something, but then turned his attention back to the brown-haired boy.

He then went on to say. "I am not going to lie to you kid whoever the poor smock that activated her and brought her to you really did you a disservice cause the people looking for her haven't been very kind to anyone involved in the project including my Dear friend who is Ikaros's father and creator."

Processing what all he had heard so far made Minoro gulp, looking to the unnamed gentleman who had yet to introduce himself. "You obviously know who I am so may I ask who you are?" he inquired.

The gentleman gave the kid a friendly smile, offering out his hand. "Sorry how rude of me, but I won't give you my real name its best you don't know." he paused a moment in thought finally going on to speak. "Look just refer to me as Mr. Smith trust me M' its best that way."

Considering this new information Minoro gained a thoughtful expression, though he still had a troubled expression due to the worry of just what he got involved in had deepened, as he took the proffered hand giving it a shake.

"So Mr. Smith what do you mean not very kind?" he inquired, though he already had an idea what the words meant.

Mr. Smith shrugged his shoulders at the teen. "Either they were severely tortured or liquidated. Since you are now involved I guess it couldn't hurt to explain to you just what you've stumbled into."

He paused briefly, gesturing to a chair in front of Minoro's desk. "May I sit down M?" he inquired to which the brown-haired kid simply gestured for him to sit down, to which he himself did himself.

Once both were seated, Mr. Smith then continued his explanation. "I been actively following the forums for a while just in case Ikaros turned up, and I must say I especially liked the rumor mill about the military project Ikaro's was apart of. Whoever the source was he was good at covering his tracks I suppose only giving out so much information, whoever he is he would love to hear the juicy information I am about to tell you, but I suggest you keep it to yourself."

"I see well whatever you are about to say I won't breathe a word of it you have my word," Minoro said as he looked to the man expectantly.

Mr. Smith with a slight nod. "Okay so M' let me ask you this how much do you know about the origin of Persocoms beyond what you already know since you build them yourself?" he questioned.

Shaking his head negatively, Minoro didn't answer instead he gestured for Mr. Smith to continue to which the man went on to say.

"Well to be simple apparently a young scientist came in contact with a man who was by conjunction in a relationship with a young woman named Ikaros." he paused shaking his head negatively, going on to say. "Not to be confused with this Ikaros they are not the same woman since the Ikaros I speak of apparently was not of this world and apparently had fallen from the Heavens if you can believe that," he explained.

Minoro having listened to the man's words, his troubled expression changed to one of intrigue and interest, though he eyed the older gentleman across from him with a skeptical gaze.

"Fallen from the Heavens... what is this Ikaros woman an Angel that sounds far fetched." he pointed out, as he while genuinely interested wasn't ready to believe everything that was said.

Mr. Smith chuckled at the young teen's skepticism. "Yea believe me I never believed in that stuff either, but anyways as it was told to me this scientist designed the first persocom to be similar to her appearance especially since he described her as not just a simple Angel, but a highly advanced machine created by the Gods called an 'Angeloid'," he explained pausing a moment to allow the teen to process the information he had just relayed.

Once he was sure the teen was following he continued. "Well the young scientist had managed to create the first persocom, but he never could make one quite like Ikaros, the technology available then just wouldn't allow for it. Fast forward some years later Chobits is born."

"I know one of the Chobits her name is Chi. So wait is our Ikaros a Chobit?" Minoro questioned, a curious brow raised.

Mr. Smith shook his head negatively. "No Ikaros is not a Chobit that is like comparing apples to oranges M'. Let me elaborate more before to say anymore." he relayed.

"Okay so she is not a Chobit, go on I am listening," Minoro said, gesturing for the older man to continue his explanation.

Mr. Smith gave a nod of his head going on to say. "So this young scientist inspires a friend and college of mine with his story about the Angeloid. This friend of mine went on to create what is known as the Chobits, but he had bigger dreams beyond what his creations could ever become, gain feelings, emotion, and self-thinking was only part of his dreams," he explained pausing a moment before finally continuing.

"No he wanted more, but to further his ambitions he needs funding and resources that he himself did not currently possess. Enter what I will simply refer to as the organization which specializes in military hardware and robotics which they organize for him to fake his own death which is how I eventually came to know him," he explained.

Minoro looked to the elder gentleman owlishly, a slight look of shock to his features as he processed what he had just been told. "So wait you knew Chi's father?" he queried to which the elder man simply nodded his head.

"Yes M' I knew her father which he also is Ikaros's father and creator. Though during the time I had known him he called himself Doctor Takihara. Anyways I worked with him on a project he and the Organization had dubbed Project Angeloid." Mr. Smith explained pausing to allow the teen to process this information.

Once sure the teen was ready for more he continued. "Listen M' its been Man's longest dream to increase his longevity, and by proxy strive to become like God's assuming they are real in the first place. Mind you I am skeptical on the idea of celestial beings existing, but an advanced race of aliens wouldn't surprise me, to be honest especially if the story of Ikaros is even true and she even existed in the first place."

Minoro considered everything he had heard thus far. "So where does our Ikaros come into this?" he questioned.

"Well hold on M' I am getting to that. So the organization is interested in creating a persocom that can fight on a battlefield and well having heard the story of Ikaro's approached Dr. Takihara about creating such a persocom." Mr. Smith explained pausing a moment.

He then continued. "Okay so the Organization wanted a machine created for war, and well Dr. Takihara had a side project he was working on which would involve uploading a human soul and conscientiousness into a machine. I mean M' think of the implications if implemented in the medical field?" he questioned.

"One in theory, if a human consciousness or soul could be uploaded into a machine one, could give a paralyzed individual or even someone about to die a second chance at life, or in theory give them immortality. A human-cyborg hybrid so to speak." Minoro said, though he still felt partially skeptical since such technology according to current information available to the public was nowhere near close to being obtained.

Mr. Smith observing the gears turning in Minoro he continued. "Okay so my friend wanted to help mankind and by proxy himself, and the organization wanted a machine made for war, but they also were interested in specialized medical nanotechnology, and well something else I'll explain in just a bit," he said pausing a moment.

"Okay so years back me and the good doctor are working on project Angeloid together trying our best to bring an Angeloid to life, unfortunately we ran into several snags which slowed our progress down and infuriated the Organization who were dead set on a deadline, and well my friends side project also ran into snags of its own," he said.

Listening rather intently Minoro piped up. "Snags?" he queried.

"Well my friend's side project ran into a snag due in part to morality laws when it came to experimenting with a living human being, and well he didn't want to experiment on himself since if the project failed he would effectively be committing suicide." Mr. Smith explained going on to elaborate further.

"Well on project Angeloid we ran into a problem you see a persocom built for the type of warfare the organization wanted meant using a lot of classified materials and some classified technology I won't even bother elaborating on which were provided and incorporated, but the real dilemma is how do you power such a unit with so many components that would eat through a typical persocom battery in a mere hour that was the snag we ran into." he finished.

Minoro deliberated on the information he had heard thus far, going on to offer. "You would need a power plant that is the equivalent of a nuclear reactor but on a much smaller scale."

"Precisely M' and well my friend had found a solution I am still not sure how he did it, but he created a power plant the size of a human heart, and a reactor he dubbed an Eternium core in theory this persocom so long as it had access to the suns rays could run nonstop. Imagine a battlefield filled with these machines?" Mr. Smith questioned.

The implications were not at all lost on the young teen especially if the older man's claims were true, he shuddered at the thought of such a persocom existing especially in conjunction with nanotechnology.

Minoro shook his head negatively. "I don't even want to think that such a persocom even exists... It could change modern warfare forever and not for the better should the technology fall into the wrong hands."

"My friend and I felt the same way, but we forged on in spite of it all since we being scientists wanted to push the limits, we also at the time believed the Organization was apart of the government. A few years into the project we were just arriving to work when a girl fell from the Heavens if you will crashing right through the roof of the car we had just occupied mind you." Mr. Smith explained, closing his eyes briefly a disgusted look crossing his features.

He then continued. "Anyways we were just leaving the car when this red-haired girl fell from the sky crashing through the roof of my car, she was badly mangled and barely clinging to life. To be honest, if we had called for an Ambulance she would have been dead on arrival before she even reached a hospital," he said pausing a moment as he attempted to recollect the past event.

"Anyways my friend realizes it is unethical to experiment on a living human being, but at the same time, he is torn and wants to save the girls life... We argued over this and he is like I mean shes as good as dead he had reasoned and had told me so-" he said as the teen on the other side of the desk decided to speak up interrupting.

Minoro taking a breath as he realized where this was going. "So he decided to upload the girl's conscientiousness and or soul into the prototype Angeloid you both were working on? Were you successful?" he questioned, though he already had an idea of the answer he would receive.

With a nod of acknowledgment, Mr. Smith spoke up. "Yes we were successful... that also had snags of its own she upon activation had gone into a state of shock and had started to destroy the lab, but the doc' he deactivated her and he blocked her core personality and installed and programmed her current personality." he paused a moment considering what else he was willing to say to the teen.

"So as I have explained we used the girl as the template for our Angeloid, well more to say my friend did. He even took it up by quite a few notches. See she can feel pain like we can even bleed even cry tears and sweat, she can eat actual food which can transfer into energy, and the by-products are used by the nanites to create weapons, or even be used to repair and or perform medical miracles." he finished.

Minoro tapped the tips of his right-hand fingers on his desk, turning his attention to the red-haired persocom. "So Ikaros she's the prototype?" he questioned, even though he was sure he already knew the answer.

Mr. Smith once again nodded his head. "Yes M' she's the prototype Angeloid mans first attempt at obtaining immortality and potentially a step to eventual Godhood especially upon realizing even in this body she can still perform the feats of strength she could as a human being. I mean she can literally manipulate ki energy and make it manifest into something tangible that you can actually see with the naked eye," he explained.

Remembering the comments about the missing martial artist and having done some digging before Mr. Smiths arrival he realized many of the fanciful tales as told by many a Neriman weren't just simply myth they were potentially fact, same girl who while in a battle with Musk Prince had destroyed an entire mountain.

Minoro shuttered at the thought of the fusion of the martial-artist with the Angeloid currently sitting in his study and office he currently sat in.

"So how did she end up in a scrapyard?" he questioned, as he was surprised such a dangerous technology was left out in the open for a person like Ryuu to happen upon.

Mr. Smith let a long sigh escape his lips. "That is a long story in itself, to shorten it up for you the Doc' was having misgiving about the project and he viewed Ikaros not as a machine but a person, he viewed her as if his very own daughter, but that was only part of it. No, his misgivings also stemmed from the power plant and battery he had created realizing the organization would and potentially could weaponize it." He explained pausing a moment.

"The eternium core is very powerful you could practically power an entire city, well imagine if that power were used for weapons? Or again imagine them being used in an army of angeloid's I mean they would rarely need to recharge at a charging station, constantly being mobile they could deploy anywhere in the world at a moments notice and never stop until victory was had." he finished.

It was Minoro's turn to let a sigh escape his lips. "In the wrong hands such a technology could be used to turn the tide of a single battle, or even overthrow a nation's government or even wold conquest, and the potential for corporate greed would run high," he observed, but then considering the Angeloid in question was sitting in his office.

"So once again I ask how did she end up in a scrapyard?" he queried once again.

Mr. Smith turned his attention to the red-head as he recalled the past tragic events. "Well the doctor deactivated her, and well had given me a call to come and get her and take her in my car to get her to a friendly contact he had within the government, I arrived to find her sitting there on a cart along with that pack, and well most the lab equipment was destroyed and or on fire and my friend was dead on the floor by the cart, which means all his research and data was destroyed," he explained, pausing a moment.

He then once ready continued. "En route to getting her to that contact I stopped in for some gasoline and some snacks when some local hoods had stolen my car." he finished.

"So I am guessing the Organization is looking for Ikaros still? Minoro guessed as he waited for the answer.

Mr. Smith shrugged his shoulder, turning his attention back to the teen sitting behind the desk, he chuckled slightly at his words. "To tell the truth they don't really care about Ikaro's herself, they want the information they are sure is in her memory banks, that and the prototype eternium core she's currently powered by." he then went on to elaborate.

"See M' they already replaced her creating five Angeloid persocom's though they are less advanced in the fact they are pure artificial intelligence, they also are powered by a lessor power plant which limits their deploy-ability." he finished, standing up, proceeding to push the chair he was sitting in back.

He then proceeded in picking up his attache case sitting it flat on Minoro's desk opening it, retrieving a plastic sheet he unfolded and laid over the chair, with that he then proceeded to snap is fingers calling out. "Ikaros honey be a dear and drop what you are doing and get over here and disrobe."

Ikaros turned her attention from the television screen, both recognizing and acknowledging her fathers friend and lab partner. "Hai." she simply called proceeding to stand and walked over proceeding to take her current clothing off with exception of the panties she wore proceeding in taking a seat in the chair as Mr. Smith gestured to it.

Minoro stood up from his desk, proceeding to step around it to get a look at what was about to occur as he observed Mr. Smith retrieve a scalpel from the case sitting on his desk.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, however, Mr. Smith did not answer him right away, instead he chose to speak to the red-haired persocom. "Ikaros honey pain receptors off." he said.

Ikaros in a dull monotone voice then replied. "Pain receptors deactivated." she then nodded her head forward as Mr. Smith lightly nudged her head forward to which she also bent down some which gave access to her back.

Minoro watched on with both curiosity and fascination, though a slight look of disgust crossed his features as he watched Mr. Smith proceed in cutting into Ikaros's back cutting from the left side of her mid-back up to her left shoulder blade, then with a careful arc up to where her neck connected, proceeding to repeat the process on the right side, red blood-like liquid poured from the cut onto the plastic sheet.

Mr. Smith once finished proceeded to peel the skin downward revealing the chassis below which was humanoid in design much as Minoro had expected, but what he didn't expect was the liquid that coated her insides.

"Is that blood?" he questioned.

Mr. Smith nodded his head. "I told you she can bleed like us though this isn't really human blood it is synthetic. I personally didn't think it was necessary but my friend wanted to make her body as near human as he possibly could. It is, for this reason, she needs to eat, and well after ten years I imagine her reserves are nearly dry, but then the doc I think did say the Nanites work while she is dormant and feed and nourish her now that I think about it, but what this blood-like liquid does is help regenerate and create a living tissue that is tougher than that of a human, which also is why she looks so real." he explained while he was in the process of searching for something within her innards.

"What are those things with the tiny holes near her shoulder-blades?" Minoro questioned with curiosity as he didn't see the purpose.

Mr. Smith continued searching for his quarry going on to explain. "This little bird here can fly, those are where her wings come from when manifested."

Eventually, he found what he was looking for, proceeding in removing a piece of hardware that was sitting there attached by zip ties, on the black component was a red blinking light that flashed, he proceeded to pocket the device, then turned his attention to positioning Ikaros's skin back into place.

Minoro watched in curiosity observing what appeared to be thousands of glowing green lights that poured out from under the skin which slowly regenerated until it was perfectly sealed as if it had never been cut.

Once finished the greenish lights all seemed to crawl across her skin up to her mouth climbing in as she started to swallow them.

"So that device you just removed what is it?" he questioned, to which Mr. Smith patted his pocket.

Going on to reply. "That is a transponder and a locating beacon."

"Ikaros honey reactivate your pain receptors and go ahead and take a shower and get dressed," he ordered, before turning his attention to the teen.

Minoro watched as the red-headed persocom got up grabbing up her clothes proceeding in heading out of the room to the bath he assumed.

"Listen M' I don't need to tell you not to repeat anything I just told you to anyone, I only told you cause you are in a problematic situation, So listen carefully cause this is what you need to do." Mr. Smith started to say pausing to make sure he had the teens undivided attention.

Minoro looking to the older man. "What must I do?" he queried.

"In about five hours maybe a day, you will receive a visitor or two who will ask you about Ikaros and her whereabouts. I want you to tell them the truth with exception of the information I shared with you you tell them a man at a salvage yard requested help in trying to find information on a persocom he found and activated." Mr. Smith said pausing a moment.

Once he was sure the teen was listening very attentively he continued. "You tell them that she left here in search of her father and creator and would not stay. That and don't tell them I was here" he paused once more.

He then continued. "When Ikaros comes back in here you are to send her on her way trust me M' you do not want her here when this party arrives most everyone involved in the project is dead, the organization doesn't like loose ends, as sits if you do as I say they will just assume you only know she is a persocom left in a dump and will leave you in peace once you have answered all their questions."

"So with the location device removed does that mean Ikaros is free?" Minoro questioned, with a curious brow raised.

Mr. Smith shrugged his shoulders. "To tell the truth she will be harder to track, but the organization will still search for her, but she is free to live her life as she pleases she is after all no less a person than we are considering she was human before me and the doc got a hold of her." he said, with a long sigh.

"Of course there will be those that will see her as a machine and without corroborating witnesses, to these facts, nobody will see her as more than a machine," he said as an afterthought.

He then went on to think as he collected his effects. 'Well, Ikaros the balls in your court, in time do what is right by my friend and mankind and myself.'

With that thought, he then turned and left Minoro's office leaving more questions for the teen than he had been given answers for.

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Brief Echo of a-

fragmented past...

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Not long after Mr. Smith had left Minoro sent Ikaros on her way with instructions to return to Ryuu's house, but along the way she was to stop in at a friend's apartment since it was getting rather late.

Making good time she continued her trek she would be at the train station in no time, it was evening now the air was cool with a light breeze, with very little cloud cover, still wearing the same clothes given to her by Kuma and on her back was the rather large black oversized backpack secured to her wrist by the handcuff and chain.

Reaching into her right pants pocket she retrieved a yellow piece of paper with an address written on it, her sapphire orbs scanned the paper, purple lines flashed across her orbs consigning the information to her data banks, then she wadded the paper up tossing it into a nearby trashcan with an inelegant flip of the wrist.

The street she currently walked on was scarcely populated, but well lighted as she walked every so often she passed various individual's, she paused in her step as something in the corner of her right eye caught her attention.

She turned crossing the distance between herself and the object that had caught her attention being a vending machine, she reached out placing her left hand against it her features one of thoughtfulness as if she was reminiscing as a vision of a past that was hers but not hers.

A vision of her hand putting yen into the machine, pushing a button only for a can to fall down into the vending slot, she shook her head as the vision faded, reaching up with her right hand placing the palm of her right hand against her forehead as she squeezed her eyes shut as if to stave off a powerful headache the vision that had now completely faded.

Lowering her right hand she eyed the machine a moment, she then reached up pushing the button on the machine labeled green tea, but nothing dropped into the vending slot.

With a wistful sigh Ikaros turned her attention back to the task at hand and that was heading to the train station in order to ride it to her next destination which would take her to the district Minoro's friend lived in where she would make the rest of the journey to his apartment.

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A Brief Encounter

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The train station was rather populated mostly with people going to or returning from work, and or, whatever daily activities the day had held for the many occupants, two of which just entering the station being Riichi and Megumi had just got done with enjoying a concert and were now on their way home.

"This sucks Riichi my clothes are completely soaked, and my bra is near empty!" Megumi cried to her brother turned sister

Her current height being five-foot, her hair cobalt blue like her mothers, but much longer worn straight, her eyes chocolate brown as well, her ample chest now slightly smaller, the clothing she wore was that of a yellow sundress that was a tad short and tight for her taller form which meant she had to constantly tug at the hem of her dress to ensure it covered everything, on her feet she wore red sandals.

"Yea I totally agree with you there Sis' the weatherman said there wasn't going to be any rain today. Almost as if there is a far greater water-magnet than us in the district." Riichi called with a slight jest at the end on his/her and her sister's current plight, as she reached up scratching the back of her neck.

Her current form was an exact replica of her sister's birth form, her hair now raven tied back in a long ponytail, standing at four-foot-eight, along with a well-endowed chest department for her age.

Her clothing consisting of an over-sized pair of black trousers that she had to tighten the drawstring to ensure they wouldn't fall, her black-n-white sleeveless muscle shirt was also rather loose fitting on the smaller frame, upon her feet a pair of black kungfu slippers.

"Water-Magnet huh... Riichi do you ever wonder what it would be like to be normal?" Megumi questioned since she herself had those thoughts from time to time since it was inconvenient to change form since some of her clothes which were form-fitting didn't work well when in her current form.

Riichi pondered on her sister's words a moment, crossing her right arm under her chest, sitting her left elbow in the palm of her right hand while with her left hand she tapped her index finger against the left edge of her bottom lip.

"Normal you say Sis'... I honestly cannot see us as not normal we were born this way. It is who we are I couldn't see us any other way." she coolly stated.

Megumi listening to her brother turned sister's words, gained a slight look of dismay to her features as she had thought her sibling would be on the same page as her.

'He considers us completely normal, but how?' she inwardly wondered to herself, she then decided to speak her mind. "Riichi but how are we normal I mean Mom doesn't have a curse. Doesn't changing into a girl seem inconvenient especially when the other boys spray you with water in the locker room at gym class?" she inquired.

Riichi continued her forward momentum, her sister following her with an expectant gaze waiting for her reply. It didn't take long for her to speak up.

"Sure Mom doesn't have a curse, but our father according to Mom and everyone did have a curse." she pointed out pausing a moment before continuing, "As for inconvenience of changing into a girl because our male classmates want a peep I admit it is a bit of a problem, but I just pummel them when they pull that crap. So other than that yes I believe we are normal. That and as Aunt Nabiki would say we must play the cards we were dealt," she explained with a slight chuckle at the end.

Megumi with a slight nod of her head feeling assured by her brother turned sister's words, she continued forward following after her sibling. "Thanks, Riichi I really appreciate it you are right we are normal when you put it that way..." she trailed as she slowed in her step as her gaze fell on an individual who up until now had been walking in her and her sibling's direction but she also had paused in her step.

Bringing both her hands up she clasped them together just behind her head, closing her eyes as she walked a confident smile to her lips. "Damn right Sis'," she called, as she bumped into someone which knocked her off balance which sent her falling off the platform towards the tracks the sound of a train just entering the station.

Both Megumi and the individual with an oversized travel pack who unbeknownst to her was Ikaros eyed one another for a brief time, the red-haired persocom gained a look of both longing and wonderment to her features.

"Aka-ne..." she trailed, though her features quickly turned to a blank mask as she with a reflex and speed only a seasoned master of the martial-arts reached out grabbing Riichi by the collar of her shirt pulling her back onto the platform all without even looking in the raven-haired girl's direction her sapphire gaze still on the blue-haired teen, the wind off train pulling into the station caused the teen's life to flash before her very eyes, a look of shock to her features.

Megumi stood frozen as she couldn't help but both stare and gawk at the red-haired, sapphire blue-eyed woman who had not only had called out her Mom's name, and had bumped her brother off the platform into an oncoming train, with a look of love and wonderment that was gone from her features as quickly as it appeared as she saved her sibling from certain death.

'She looks just like Dad from the photographs...' she inwardly thought, she squeezed her eyes shut as she brushed the thought aside, going on to think opening her eyes observing the tell-tell features of a persocom that and the red-head was far too young to be her father if he was even alive still. 'No she's a persocom, not father... but who would go to the trouble of creating her to look like Dad... what kind of sick prank is this and who would go to the trouble?' she inwardly wondered.

Bowing her head and closing her eyes as she let go of Riichi's shirt, bringing her right hand up the tips of her fingers skyward just below her chin. "Gomen'!" she apologized in a dull monotone voice to the raven-haired girl.

Riichi after getting over the shock of her near-death experience, gained an angered expression briefly glimpsing over the red-haired woman taking in the tell-tell signs of a persocom, she grits her teeth then she with both hands forcefully shoved the persocom onto her butt.

"Watch where you're going you stupid machine!" she shouted out, proceeding to storm past as she called out over her shoulder. "Common Megumi lets go before we miss our train," she growled out.

With the twins boarded the train that would take them to their home district, Not once did Megumi's gaze leave the red-haired persocom who was still sitting on her butt at least until the train lurched forward and left the station.

'I gotta tell Mom about this... maybe she will know something.' she inwardly thought as she considered a moment before speaking to her sibling. "Riichi did you notice something strange about that persocom?" she inquired.

"Other than she is a dumb machine what of it?" Riichi questioned gruffly, as she was still feeling kinda angry with the near-death experience on the platform she had.

Megumi proceeded to answer "That she had a strong resemblance to Dad." she pointed out.

Riichi gained a questioning look, glancing to her sister as she tilted her head, bringing her right hand up into a fist just under her chin attempting to recall as she only gave the red-haired persocom a very brief glance.

"Come to think of it now that you mention it she kinda did look like him at least from what we have seen in the photo albums," she said as she then considered what she had heard just before being bumped off the platform. Remembering the -persocom's only spoken word being 'Aka ne'

she then spoke up. "She must have thought you were Mom, but how did she know Mom's name? And why would someone make a persocom to look like our father?"

Megumi gained a determined expression to her features, going on to say, "I don't know Riichi but we are going to find out, First we will talk to Mom and Aunt Nabiki one of them will have an answer I am sure of it."

Too be continued...