While the daughter was arguing with the mother and Cinder over fashion decisions (Cinder couldn't see why she should should not be allowed to wear cargo pants), Kai allowed himself to swim in into his thoughts.

Stars, he has known his cyborg girlfriend for a year. The longest he has ever been with a girl. The palace authorities were all sharing gossip of what antics he and Cinder had shared, but in all honesty none of them were correct because no one ever noticed the two teenagers-with Cinder's manipulation- run through the crowded streets of New Beijing.

Yet somehow all the citizens managed to come in an agreement that he was having a family dinner with her adoptive legal guardian who only had a small favor in Cinder due to dating Kai, the Emperor of the Common Wealth

Everyone seemed to avoid the fact that Cinder had saved the Common Wealth from Kai marrying the now slayed Lunar Queen, Levana. Life still had a touch of past in it; Cinder still worked at her little mechanic booth, hidden and dirty. No one noticed her much, and he knew she was relieved when her glamour had worked in her favor. She had dulled all the mirrors and put cloth over reflective surfaces for her clients machinery. All for protection and her own sanity.

His name pulled him from his thoughts, slow then persistent for attention. "Kai, Kai! Stars, you need a hearing aid! Cargo pants or skirt?" Cinder's voice helded humor. At his expense.

He cleared his throat and addressed the six eyes. "Honesty, a person in guise should always be in consider meant. What a person is most comfortable in. So by the looks of Cinder's wardrobe, Cargo pants. My appologies, Linh-Adri and Pearl."

He scooped up more of his noodles as an excuse to keep from talking. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Cinder unsuccessfully hiding a smirk.

"Under a more appropriate circumstance, I would agree with Kaito. But Cinder the lone Cyborg could wear cargo pants. You are the Princess Selene of Luna, you must wear nicer clothing!" Adri hissed at the end. Her eyes were squeezed shut and then fluttered open, fixed on Kai with a look that showed she had to be right. Naturally, Peal agreed, but Kai had to stick to his own thoughts.

His girlfriend beat him to it. "I don't need to be dressed like all the stuck up famous world conquerers! I've lived with a normal enough life as a slave to you so leave my fashion sense alone! You never let me shop and my life is centered on friends and mechanics. If you expect me to wear something other than my look, then you better wait for formal occasions. I'm not going to change my look for the woman who didn't even give me a second opinion on myself!" Cinder abruptly stood up and stormed off, matching that of a soldier going to war. He vaguely heard her call for Iko and the android marchin in line with her.

He excused himself and ran to meet her. She took the stair case and ignored him the whole time he chased her. He ignored the idea she didn't want to be near him.

Kai finally caught her at the rounding to her booth. Her glamour was up, making her look like a thirty year old woman from Austria with mud brown hair and warm honey eyes. Not a big difference, but he knew she was distracted. His only protection was a grey hood.

He took a breath and entered the mechanic's booth.

Holding up his arm, he questioned, "Hi, I'd like to know if something is wrong with my Port Screen. You see, my wonderful, talented girlfriend has a history at not responding to her Comms, but I'd expect a little warning if she were to quickly end a dinner date. You know where I'm coming from?"

"Has she done this before?" Disguised Cinder played around with his Port Screen, not meeting his eyes.

"No, that's what leaves me so concerned. I know she's busy and all that, but I fear she may be angry with me. I'm terrible sometimes with reading people."

"Did she abruptly leave from a dinner, Your Esteemed Highness?"

She was playing now.

"Yes! Her adoptive family was insulting her choice of wardrobe like beasts to food! I have fear I didn't defend her as much as I could...you think she would ever forgive me through life or Comm?"

Softness touched her eyes, and no sooner her reaction changed that he got a Comm. You're forgiven. Adri and Pearl, not so much. Like you said, they're beasts with a big appetite.

"A beast is always jealous of the beauty surrounding it. You think we should try and explain how diplomatically only expect us to wear nice things during events and meetings?"

"Nah, let's wait and go for a stroll. They'll figure eventually. They don't within a day, we tell them."

"Have my advisor say something. Torin is excellent in that field. Let's go for a better date."

And with no disguises, the two set a stroll through the parting streets of New Beijing, hand in hand and laughing. No care in the world for the Beauty and her Prince to reunite with the Beasts.

This turned out a lot worse than I planned, went way off topic and if I can I'll make an extra page for this to continue on. Thanks for reading!

-Purplebunny444