Key x Three Eyes
Key x 3 Eyes
M A Davis/Miko
Yakumo Kuriyagawa sat behind the counter of the video store he worked at and stared at the girl in front of him.
He'd almost run her over an hour ago, while out delivering pizzas on his scooter -- his other job. When he'd first come to Tokyo from the village of Mamioda, he'd quickly realized it was work multiple jobs to get by, or do something more lucrative but less pleasant, like... well, one of his neighbors at his apartment had offered him a job as a transvestite waitress, but he wasn't that desperate -- yet.
Mind you, he'd probably just lost the pizza delivery job, all because of the girl standing before him.Her name was Tokiko Mima, but everyone called her Key. She was from Yakumo's home village, the granddaughter of the famous Dr. Murao Mima, a genius with robots, an expert on ancient civilizations, and Yakumo's adoptive father.
"It's just so strange to run into you like this," Yakumo said, staring at his adoptive sister. "Key, what possessed you to come to Tokyo? What are you doing here?"
Key stared at him with her huge, blue-gray eyes. It was said that the eyes were the windows of the soul, and Key's were wide and innocent, but also empty, somehow, almost lifeless. Some said Key was autistic, but to Yakumo she'd always just been... strange, different, yet still a good friend.
Key wore a plain blue dress... extremely plain, and dirty. Key had never been one to bother with fashion or make-up. Her light-brown hair was tussled and unkempt, but Yakumo had never seen her with it any other way.
"Grandfather," Key said, "is dead."
The statement, delivered in her usual soft, unemotional voice, stabbed Yakumo to the heart.
"Oh, Key, no! When? What happened?"
"Key does not know," she continued, her voice almost a monotone. "But before Grandfather died, he gave Key instructions on how to become human."
Yakumo sighed. "Not this again, Key. You're not really a robot, you know."
"Key is a robot," the girl replied. Yakumo knew better than to argue with her... Grandfather Mima had convinced her long ago that she was one of his creations. She believed it too deeply to be talked out of it now.
"What did Grandfather say?" he asked.
Key placed a hand-held tape recorder on the video checkout counter. She pressed the play button, and instantly they heard Dr. Mima's voice, speaking slowly and painfully. Tears came to Yakumo's eyes as he realized these were his adoptive father's dying words:
"Key... you must go to Tokyo and find Yakumo. Play this tape for him. Yakumo... please forgive your father for not contacting you these past few months. I have been deep in my research, and had meant to come visit you, but unfortunately it seems I may be leaving this world right here.
"I beg you my son, please honor this one last request from your delinquent father. I know what I'm about to say may sound fantastic, but please hear me out.
"Key is the sole survivor of a mystic race, once said to be nearly immortal. I have spent my entire life studying this race... the Sanjiyan unkara, the fabled cyclops.
"They've taken a different evolution in their path than man... perhaps you could even call them... robots."
Yakumo frowned and glanced back at Key. "This is nuts!" he exclaimed. "I'm sick of this looney 'robot' obsession of his!"
Key did not flinch, but continued to stare vacantly at Yakumo. The voice on the tape continued to speak:
"For some reason unknown to us, this race long ago conceived a desire to become human. Once they had discovered how to do so, they traded their immortality for the brief life span of a human being. As the last of her race, Key also wishes to become human. It was my desire to help her achieve this goal, but now I beg of you to finish what I can not.
"I have left Key with a photo that should be of help...."
Yakumo glanced up. Key handed him a photo, which he studied quickly. It was of a crude stone statue of three demonic creatures, each with three eyes, all crouched down, backs together, facing outward.
The doctor's voice continued:
"The photo is of an ancient relic of the Sanjuyan unkara. It is called the Ningen statue - the statue of Humanity. My dying request, Yakumo is that you please help Key to become human. All you need to do is find 30,000 Ningen statues...."
FINI
Miko!
Nausicaa@sprynet.com Belldandy@angelic.com
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