Simone has been ~~ impatiently ~~ waiting for her sister's train to arrive here in Capital from New Washington. Now she's ~~ impatiently ~~ waiting for her sister to emerge from the train.
Genavive shuffles along behind the crowd disembarking from the train. She can't wait to see Simone again. She has a million questions and things to tell her twin.
Simone spots her sister in the crowd.
Simone: Genavive! Over here!!
Simone trots toward her sister, gracefully avoiding people and obstacles.
Genavive: Simone!
Genavive rushes as well as she can through the crowd.
Simone reaches her twin and grabs her in a big hug.
Genavive: Oh, Sisi! It is soooo, good to see you!
Simone: Oh, it's so good to zlin you again!
Genavive: I've missed you dreadfully! It seems like years! You simply have to tell me everything you've been up to! I can't wait to see your new home and where you work and meet your friends and...
Simone releases her sister and picks up her bags.
Genavive: Oh, dear I am going on and on.
Simone: Well, I've still got that job at the foundry I got after I graduated. But I just got a raise, so now we can afford a nice place for both of us while you go to school.
Genavive: Oh, yes, I do remember.
Simone heads off toward the cab rank at a pace convenient for the Gen.
Simone: I saw a place that's big enough for privacy in case you find somebody to get it on with sometimes too. The rules here are very different from at home.
Genavive: So you've told me on more than one occasion in your letters. ~~happy and a bit overwhelmed~~
Simone laughs.
Simone: I should get you back to my old flat and get you fed and rested. You Gens need looking after.
Genavive: Well I've been a "Gen" all my life. ~~silly~~ You were supposed to be too. After all we are identical.
Genavive is referring to the fact that her name Genavive.
Simone: Well, I guess we just looked a lot alike.
Simone waves a few of the tentacles that aren't involved in carrying her sister's bags.
Simone: But not any more.
Genavive sighs. So much of her identity was based on being half of a matched pair. Well, time for new things all around.
Simone: Here we go.
Simone tosses the bags into the first cab in the rank, gives the driver instructions in rapid Simelan and helps her sister in.
Genavive: Oh, I hope immersion will improve my Simelan. I didn't understand a third of what you just said.
Simone: It was mostly slang and street names, don't worry. [Simelan] Do you want me to speak Simelan?
Genavive: Yes please! ~~ hope ~~
Simone starts out with simple vocabulary and syntax.
Simone: I bought some fruit and bread for us. But later we can go out and eat ice cream.
Genavive listens to the melody of the language as she picks out words.
Genavive: ~~ haltingly ~~ That would be most good.
Simone: I think so too.
Simone smiles.
Simone: Don't worry, you'll pick it up. I did.
Genavive: Sisi, I thanking for home to live with you.
Simone reverts to her mother tongue.
Simone: No problem. It'll be nice to have a Gen living with me. And we can have some great parties.
Simone pats her sister's hand.
Simone: So tell me what's happening at home. Did you leave any broken hearts behind you?
Genavive tilts her head at Simone's the lack of twin feeling.
Genavive: Is that all I am to you now, Sisi? A Gen?
Simone: Hey, you're my sister!
Genavive: I'm your twin.
Simone: Yes. My twin sister.
Genavive had thought it was the impersonalness of paper and ink that had given her the sense of distance. Now she wonders.
Genavive: You've changed a bit more than just growing tentacles, Sisi.
Simone: Well, we've both grown up.
Genavive: You use to call me GiGi when we were alone.
Simone: Sure, I'll call you GiGi if you want.
Genavive: I guess I haven't grown up that much. Or maybe not enough. ~~loss~~
Simone: Aw, GiGi. You're just tired from the trip. You'll feel better after you rest. And eat.
Genavive: So I guess I will have to make friends with you. ~~ resignation ~~
Simone: Well, of course we'll get along. I guess I've changed more than I thought. Things are so different here and I've gotten used to the way they are. But we're still the only twins we've got, right?
Genavive: Yes, I suppose you have. ~~ good natured ~~ And yes you are the only twin I have.
Simone tries to remember if she was a wet blanket like her sister before she changed over and strongly suspects she was.
Simone: Things are really different here. Women can do anything, not like at home.
Genavive: Yes, I know, that's why I'm here. I couldn't study engineering at home. Well, I could but who would hire me?
Simone nods.
Simone: And nobody here expects you to just get married and spend your whole life deferring to some man.
Genavive: That I think will be a welcomed thing.
Simone: And if two people want to enjoy sex together, nobody thinks the woman is a slut.
Genavive: So what kind of social circles are you a part of?
Simone: Well, the other engineers at work, mostly, and people I went to school with.
Genavive does a double take.
Genavive: Did you say sex without the benefit of marriage?!
Simone: Sure. If you can call out-T type marriage a benefit.
Genavive: ~~aghast, quickly toned down to muted astonishment~~ What happens if you get, well, you know, with child?
Simone: That's pretty easy to avoid until you want to have children.
Genavive: It is? How? No wait, I don't want to know that right now. ~~ head spinning a bit ~~
Genavive is a little caught off guard. Nothing had quite prepared her for this bit of info.
Simone: Well, I guess you can talk to a channel about it or something, before you take any risks. Some of it is probably different for Gens.
Simone pats her sister's hand again.
Simone: Don't worry, GiGi. Like I said, things are different here. It will take a while to get used to them, but you've got plenty of time.
Genavive: I don't know if I'll have enough for all this, this, newness. ~~ confused but not unhappy ~~
Simone: I guess it was easier for me because of First Year. But they say that Gens are kind of in First Year for a long time after they establish. They stay flexible longer, they can keep learning and changing longer.
Simone hopes so. It was one theory at bull sessions she participated in.
Genavive: I certainly hope so. I've got a lot to learn and it won't be anywhere near a quickly as you did. ~~ smile ~~
Simone: Just take it easy. No rush for any of this.