[M] Galactic Engagement (Ushima and AngelDellaNotte)

[Ushima]

Booker scratched his chin. "Stories? Got a few war stories when I was in the King's Fists. That was awhile ago. Hmm." Tapping his finger against his chin as he thought Booker smirked. "Ok so this isn't from my time in the war. But when I was doing security for the band about a year ago. We encountered a...what he call himself? Super fan? Either way this guy tried smuggling himself into luggage to get onto our shuttle."

Harlow laughed. "Was he on something? What makes him think he could pull that off?"

"He clearly was. Anyway he forgets that baggage is screened at space ports. So we send the bags through and I'm watching the vid screens as I'm supposed to when this human shape pops up in this container. We're not gentle about it but we throw it down on the ground and pop it open. This guy pops out and you can tell he's not right in the head. All disheveled and smelling bad like he was in the case for days. He makes a break for it and runs for the band but the port security released one of their Fey Hounds. It bites him in the leg and takes him down. Not a good start to the tour if I say so."

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"I can understand that. Sometimes I wish I could slip away for a few days and be out with my husband without the press after his picture." Setsuna sighed. "Things were simpler when I was in the army. I could just sing for my squad and play my guitar. But eventually my time ran out, my five years were up and I didn't want to re-enlist. The only thing I had was music in terms of careers. I love it so much." The twenty eight year old singer looked at her younger companion. She could tell Ashira was stressed. "You know I can tell you're wound up. Everyone can tell something is off. Killing the whole vibe. Something you can't tell your two friends over there right? Or that bodyguard of yours currently babysitting my baby sister?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow at Ashira. "If you want some unbiased, non-judgmental words of wisdom I can spare some. At the least point you in the right direction. The least I can do to thank you for not getting star struck."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The music switch, the club lighting now switching to dull purples, blues and greens. An occasional red or yellow flashed here or there. Michael moved to the beat. The nineteen year old in front of him was dancing happily, overjoyed to be moving to the beat. "You don't relax easily do you?" Hikari spoke up as she twirled and swayed her hips.

"Kinda got a lot on my mind." Michael replied, eyes sweeping the dance floor. Searching for threats. "Let me ask you something. A hypothetical/ I could use some womanly advice from someone who doesn't know me." He scratched the back of his neck. "Say you're supposed to protect someone who is currently engaged to be married to someone else and you find yourself falling for them and you think they're feeling the same. With me so far?" Hikari nodded. "You're going through things together in your travels and finally it all comes to an explosive, passionate crescendo. But you know you're not supposed to have done it. She knows it. Your two traveling companions know it but they don't know it so to keep them from finding out and cause on commotion you leave her alone. And now she's mad despite you having a valid reason. What next?"

Hikari thought for a moment. She looked Michael up and down. As if it would give her an inclination to the type of man he was. "You're fucked." Michael sighed, hands going to his face and pulling them down dramatically. She laughed at his display of frustration. "Obviously you two need to sort it out. You clearly care about her, even if you can't be together. If she's smart, and you're telling the truth about no one being able to find out, then she'll understand as long as you're genuine and speaking from the heart. I'm sure you had no ill will. You don't seem the type to slink off in the early hours."

"Nah I'm more of the cuddle till dawn and make you breakfast in bed type." Michael replied. He needed to talk to Ashira. ASAP. It was evident she was mad at him for leaving. 'Is she mad I left her alone in bed?' He didn't even know why she was mad. But it needed to be fixed if they were going to get to Arturia smoothly. Ignoring each other in a small ship wasn't good. The back alley where he was jumped was empty. And quiet, when the door was shut. Once Hikari was done dancing and back in the VIP area he'd speak with her in private.

"Just be honest at the very least. It'll all become clear." The two danced for another fifteen minutes before they had to leave. Hikari happily skipped into the VIP area and disappeared to get ready for the next set.

Michael scanned for Ashira and found her sitting with Setsuna. The two were talking, he couldn't hear what they were saying, but just like her younger sister she got up to leave, placing a comforting hand on the princess' shoulder and flashing her a reassuring smile before going to prepare to perform. Mustering up his courage, unaware of Lillian, Harlow and Booker's eyes on him, he approached Ashira. "Ashira." It was like staring down a charging Cybex, doing this. But it must be done. "I..." His fist tightened in determination. "I want to speak with you outside."

[AngelDellaNotte]

Ashira looked at Setsuna struck silent by her offer. She really needed to get everything off her chest. Though she was tired of the lies and half truths. The release she needed wouldn't come if she kept up whatever ruse she was using today. Honestly she had told so many stories she had lost track of all of them. She let out a sigh then started, “My name is Ashira Idomi, I'm a the princess of Yoran. What neither of our countries know is peace talks have been going on for a while now. My mother and Emperor Cassian have finally come to terms of peace. To seal the treaty I've been sent to Arturia to marry Prince Casius. Only there are those on both sides that don't want the war to win. As horrible as it sounds war is profitable. My bodyguard down there with your sister is a Arturian soldier tasked with bringing me across the galaxy. What I never expected on this trip was to find the love of my life. Only problem is it is the one person I can't have. This entire trip I have been true to my mission. We've flirted around but we never crossed that line. Until this morning.” Ashira paused holding back the tears that were welling behind her eyes.

“I can't go through with it. I knew when I met Casius I may not feel anything but I had a duty to my people and with time I may. Now I know I will never feel any love for Casius. But if I don't go through with the marriage millions of people will die. And I am not just being dramatic that is a fact. Gods I just don't know what to do anymore.” Ashira said, staring at the other woman unable to believe she had just told everything to a complete stranger. But something made her feel that she could trust Setsuna.

[Ushima]

Setsuna was raising her drink up to her face when Ashira started talking. Her eyes were wide as she listened to the girl tell her a tale of love and heartbreak. Part of her wanted to believe this was some joke. But the absurdity of the story was too much. Who'd pretend to be the princess of the enemy? "Shit you really are her." Setting the glass down Setsuna sighed. "That's quite some story there. Almost like the ones out of my mother's old romance novels. Though hers has more fucking in it apparently." She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Seeing as it didn't work and Ashira had silent tears streaming down her face Setsuna handed her a napkin to dab her eyes with. "So this morning, let me guess. You two found yourselves alone after days of flying with two others, who are also probably Yoran?" She got a nod. "Now alone you two screw each other's brains out. Your poor thing. From the cold glances you were giving him he must've snuck out before you woke up right?" Another nod. "He'll probably apologize for that. Don't make him squirm too much he did it so you wouldn't get flak from your friends. There's only one real excuse for a man to leave his woman in bed." Setsuna held up one finger. "And that's to make breakfast for us."

The older woman sighed. "But peace in our time? I would be lying if I said I'd like to raise my future child during galactic peace. But I'm here for objectivity. It is a difficult choice. Listen to your heart, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives. Your people will hate you. Your people will hate him for corrupting and stealing their princess and put a price on his head. His people will brand him a traitor for running off with the enemy. You will be scorned for life for stealing away one of the kingdom's heroes. It will be a difficult life. Always looking over your shoulders. Hiding who you truly are. Any children you have might someday have to bear the burden of your legacy. In Arturia there'd be no legal repercussions of being born to traitors. We wouldn't punish them for the actions of their parents. But socially, if you're found, it would be very hard. If it were me I don't think I could handle those pressures. I don't envy your choice. And if he truly loves you he wouldn't want you to live the harder life. My intuition tells me he's going to say the same thing. That he loves you but he wouldn't want you to put him before all your people. Noble to the very end. Self-sacrificing. They'll give him medals. Pin awards and commendations to his chest. Maybe even Knight him. And you will heal. Not fully but enough. Be the peace bringer to your land. The princess who ended the war that lasted half a century."

A member of staff came over to the two. "I'm sorry to interrupt but your next set starts in five minutes."

"Thank you." Setsuna waved them off and finished her drink. Standing she moved over to Ashira and dropped down to her knees, wrapping the girl in a comforting hug. One she probably needed. Standing back up she put a hand on Ashira's shoulder. In the distance the singer could see the pilot marching, determinedly, towards them. 'And so it begins. "Your a mess cause you're struggling between two choices. Hopefully me saying it out loud and making the consequences more clear could help. And good luck with him." She walked away leaving Ashira on her own for a few seconds before Michael approached.

"There's a spot out back where no one is." He spoke. "We can talk. If you want to that is. I know you're mad but I'd like to try fixing it. Fixing us."

[AngelDellaNotte]

The singer's words didn't do much to help make her choice. Ashira was stuck between two bad choices. There was no right answer here. Michael's approach quickly sobered Ashira as she pulled herself together. She nodded and followed him downstairs. Seeing them leave Lillian started to stand to follow but Ashira waved her to stay. Once outside she looked at Michael thinking about his statement about fixing them. She spoke before he could. “We are broke and there is no fixing us.” Ashira said. She took several steps down the alleyway then paced back. “I love you. I'm not denying that to myself anymore. And there in lies our problem. I was born into a life of privilege which isn't free. I have a duty to my kingdom and my people. I can't shy away from that duty. Despite how much I want to get back on that shuttle with you and fly into unknown space as far away from Arturia and Yoran as we possibility can I can't. So how do we fix this?”

[Ushima]

Michael could hear the band starting back up as he listened to Ashira talk. They were on the same page it seemed to him. Which hurt even more as it showed just how connected they were. He wanted to be happy. She wanted to be happy. Together. But neither of them could live with themselves. The deaths of thousands on their conscience. Both of them loyal to their people at the cost of their own happiness. "Its going to be ok." A single tear ran down the right side of his face after Ashira finished talking. "We can still be friends. It'll be tough for awhile but if we act like we used to maybe we can trick ourselves. We were cool before we caught feelings right?" Reaching up he thumbed away his tears, a second on the other side decided to make itself known. "I just don't want up to be at odds. And I'm sorry I left you alone. Didn't want the other two finding us together. We'd never hear the end of it." Harlow would tease them incessantly and Lillian would surely lecture them. "But can we go back to the way things were before? Friends?" He could lie to himself. Pretend everything was ok. All he had to do was make it through the journey and the wedding. Now he was cursing being friends with the heir to the throne as he'd surely be a VIP with his family.

[AngelDellaNotte]

“It will be okay.” She repeated, wondering if you told a lie long enough if you would start to believe it yourself? Somehow she didn't see that happening but she knew she could fake it well enough. She was good at pretending. She had perfected appearing like actually enjoyed the royal balls and galas she had been forced to attend throughout her life. Pretending, is that what her life was going to be reduced to? Pretending she loved her husband and not her brother-in-law's best friend? Pretending she was happy. Pretending everything was okay. This would be so much easier if after they arrived they would go their separate ways and never see each other again. Surely their paths would cross often at least the months out of the year that she would spend in Arturia.

Ashira started pacing again, a trait she had whenever she was thinking. It was something that always drove Lillian nuts, who on more than one occasion threatened to hand cuff her to a chair. Would all this have turned out differently if they had stuck with the original plan of being escorted by two squads of soldiers? Surely with the mixed company they wouldn't have spent so much time alone and fallen for each other. Would they even of become friends? But then she would have lived a loveless life. She had told herself in the beginning she could learn to love Casius but even now that sounded stupid. What was it the poets always said? It was better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all? “Idiots.” She said, aloud not realizing it.

She looked at Michael seeing a hurt and confused look on his face seeing that she had spoke aloud. “The poets, though I suppose we are too.” He still had a confused look on his face. Of course he couldn't hear her inner musings. “Poets are always saying stupid things like it's better to have loved and loss then to never loved at all. I wonder if they even have a clue what love is like let alone to have lost it.” She was rambling and she knew it. Better to focus back on the topic and not her racing mind. “I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at this.” She said, waving her hand between them. “I was made at myself for feeling this way. Mad that we can't be like normal people falling in love.”

[Ushima]

"Don't be sad that its over. Be happy that it happened." Michael sighed, rubbing his wet thumb on his pants to remove the moisture. It felt like any minute he'd start crying again. "You're right that does sound dumb." Michael wasn't much for poetry. Every time he thought of poets the image of pretentious looking dudes and stuck up women writing down whatever trivial thing passed through their minds. Dressing it up with flowery words and imagery. Hyperbolic and self aggrandizing. He shook his head. "You know they're going to make poets about you now right? The love that stopped the war, I can see it now. Just the thought makes me want to fly into an asteroid." At least he won't have any poems about him. Chauffeurs didn't get songs or stories. He'll be a forgotten figure in this story when it was all said and done. Just the delivery man. "Sometimes the universe needs some people to not be normal. We're just the unfortunate souls who were chosen. Our destiny is bigger than ourselves type of shit."

[AngelDellaNotte]

“The thought of that sappy shit makes me sick.” Ashira said, mimicking like she was going to throw up. “Gods help me if they make a holiday out of it with hearts, love letters and little winged Cupids of me and Casius. I might just join you on that trip into a asteroid, or better yet make it a super nova.” The thought of it made Ashira start to laugh aloud. With all the heart break and frustration it felt good and before she knew it Ashira was laughing way too hard to the point she doubled over, needing to lean on Michael to keep from falling over.

[Ushima]

“I think there’s a black hole somewhere we can use.” It started as a chuckle but soon built into full blown laughter. After days of stress and depression the contagious laughter felt good. He put a hand on his stomach. Ashira slumped against him in her laughter so he wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Michael could feel some stress leaving his body, laughter is the best medicine. This was nice, the two of them laughing like this. If they could keep this up, just being content with one another, not sniping each other with hurt looks and subtle comments, then maybe they could heal. It’ll have to work. They have lives to save. His laughter trailed off and he caught his breath. After a deep inhale of fresh air he sighed. “I needed that.” The music from the club, a heavy dull thumping a sharp contrast to the plain alleyway they were in, continued to add background noise. “We’ll be ok.” They had to be. “Someday. But we will.”

[AngelDellaNotte]

It seemed a bit of laughter was what they both needed. Once Ashira was able to catch her breath she stood up and smoothed her clothes down. “We should head back inside.” Ashira said, reaching for the door handle finding it was locked. Next to the door was a key pad, “Did Booker give you the code?” Ashira asked, looking over to Michael seeing a blank look on his face. “I'll take that as a no.” As if the universe was having a little fun at their expense there was a clap of thunder and water started pouring from the sky. Ashira grabbed Michael's hand and started running around to the front of the club. The line outside was smaller but there were still a few people standing around under the awning.

She wasn't used to standing in line so it didn't even cross her mind to get in the line as Ashira ran up to the front. She was stopped at the door by the bouncer noticing it wasn't the same guy that was there the first time she came in. “Club's at capacity.” The bouncer said, holding his hand up.

“But we were just in there.” Ashira said, not sure why she couldn't go back in. This was the first time she had been turned away from a club. Every bar and club in Yoran would love to have a Princess grace them with her presence.

“Sure you were.” The bouncer said, point to the back of the line. “You can wait with everyone else.

“We were.” Ashira said, almost sounding like she was whining. She had to be quite a sight standing there soaking wet. “My friends are in there.”

“Alot of peoples friends are in there. Now move before I make you.” The bouncer said, crossing his arms and not budging.