A/N: hey so here's chapter 7 of something that really wasn't supposed to be this long

like jeez

wow

anyway chapter 7 and we're just now getting to the plot, my dears.

oops

-oxy


Dinner that evening had been a lavish affair, far too extravagant for Eva's tastes, but she couldn't deny the intense joy she felt at Aikka's confusion. ("Why are they setting the food on fire?""Why is the chef moving the knives in that manner?""What is the purpose of the chef throwing food at the patrons?")

Neither of them mentioned the few moments that they had held hands while standing above the Canyon. Eva didn't mind - it felt nice to hold someone's hand. Nevermind that it was Aikka - unflappable, duty-first Aikka, who was now simultaneously much older and much younger than she was.

Eva and the prince chatted about nothing and everything while eating their dinner, and nothing so heavy as the relative positive or negative character of mankind was brought up, much to Eva's relief. Hearing Aikka wax poetic about her race made her uncomfortable; she'd long ago come to terms with the fact that humanity was generally selfish and horrible, and had begun to put her faith in individuals and not the race as a whole.

Nevertheless, the tremendous expenditure of energy and time that had been dinner came to an end, and once again Eva was brought home by armored vehicle. She stepped out of the door, aided by the prince who seemed reluctant to let go of her hand.

"I still have a few days until the diplomatic talks begin," Aikka mentioned, "if possible, I would like to spend time with you again before then."

"You got it, Prince," Eva replied with a wink and a grin, "just let me know the when, the where, and the what, and I'll be there."

All too soon, Aikka was dropping a very light and very brief kiss to the back of her hand, (she blushed, again) promising to be in contact as soon as he knew his plans, and was stepping back into the armored car.

Her houseguests weren't the most pleased with her when she opened her front door. Stan, Koji, and Rick understood, though, and didn't hold too much against Eva as a result. Don was markedly more upset about her abandoning him than the other three were.

Eva attempted to ignore his angry ramblings as she picked up around the house a little bit, straightening picture frames and pillows and refolding blankets on the backs of her couches.

"Do you have any idea how your actions affect others? Or do you just not care?" Don was ranting.

"Hmm," Eva replied, still walking around her house and finding more things to clean up.

Don turned an interesting shade of red at his daughter's non-reply.

"That's quite enough disrespect from you, young lady! I've come all the way here to celebrate your birthday with you, and you've done nothing but ignore me since that prince of yours showed up!" Don exclaimed with a snarl in his voice.

Eva dropped the pillow she'd been fluffing and whirled around to face her father.

"And that's enough from you! You have no right to be upset at me for doing what I want to do with my time! I've wasted so much of my life waiting for you that now you get to wait for me for a while!" Eva shouted angrily.

Don was stunned into silence.

"Now, if you don't mind, I have some work to get done and I don't want you around here distracting me," Eva continued, scooped up her dad's car keys from the bowl by the door and tossed them at him.

"Eva, I-"

"Get out of my house. Go back home. I'll call you when I can speak with you again," Eva commanded.

She didn't turn to face her father when he eventually trudged out the front door several minutes later with his heavy overnight bag, bound for his own home states away in New York.

Fights like this were more common than Eva liked to admit. They attended all the family therapy they could bear and eventually resolved to work out their problems themselves, though it seemed they weren't doing a very good job of it.

Well, what she'd said rang true in any case. Reprimanding Eva in her own home as if she were a small child was just too much - she couldn't deal with it. It didn't matter if he felt like she was wasting her time or abandoning her friends, because spending time with someone she may never see again was far more important.

She could always talk or visit with her dad, or Rick, or Stan, or Koji - but after his diplomatic mission came to an end, Eva may never see Aikka again.

Speaking of her Earthling friends, they departed soon after Don vacated the premises. Stan and Koji muttered something about needing to get back to their garage in Texas, and Rick played the wife card, saying he needed to head home to Spain.

Eva's home was empty in a matter of hours, and she still had a few days off of work to enjoy the peace.

First, however, was the matter of cleaning up the mess that'd been left behind by her houseguests.

Eva wondered whether she really wanted to clean up right then or ask Aikka about tomorrow's plans.

"I hate being an adult," Eva grumbled when logic and common sense won out and she went to grab the cleaning supplies from under her kitchen sink.

She resolved to message Aikka tomorrow morning.


Aikka started slightly when his communicator chimed. He placed the spoon back into the bowl of 'yogurt' and pulled the device out of his pocket, grinning at the message he'd received.

*~You busy?~*

*~My official business does not begin for three more days, and I have no plans until then.~*

*~Wanna come experience some Earth culture?~*

*~It would be my pleasure, Eva~*


"I know you're here to experience Earth, Prince," Eva began as the two of them walked along the Fisherman's Wharf, tailed by three Earthlings and two Nourasian guards, "but I really can't help but ask about Nourasia."

Aikka smiled at her, "What would you like to know?"

"Anything you want to tell me, really. People, cuisine, social structure, architecture - it must be an incredibly diverse place, just like Earth, but I'd love to know even the most basic things," Eva admitted.

"Alright," said Aikka, "it may take a while - how about we discuss it over dinner?"

"I know a great seafood place," Eva mentioned, gesturing at every restaurant within one hundred feet. She flashed the prince with a blinding smile filled with mirth.

"I'll defer to your good judgement, Eva," Aikka said, bowed, and admired the way Eva's cheeks flooded pink.

She gripped the prince's hand and dragged him into the nearest place touting excellent clam chowder, the two were seated with their entourage nearby, and Aikka launched into a slightly watered-down version of Nourasian history.

"As you well know, Nourasia is ruled by a limited monarchy…"

Aikka told Eva the legends of the Old Gods that created the world and blessed the royal family with exceptional powers of magic and grace - enough to protect the people and keep the peace, and nothing more. He expressed his own skepticism about the Old Gods; given the knowledge of the law of gravity, it seemed unlikely that any sentient beings created a planet.

He spoke about Nourasian mounts - massive beetles and scorpions and centipedes, some flying, some land-bound. Aikka's own mount was from a long line of flying beetles bred for his family and those who protected them, and G'dar had chosen him when he was but an infant.

Mammalian creatures, significantly smaller than the massive insects, weren't used for transportation but companionship. Aikka told Eva of several creatures resembling Earthen dogs and cats, though they were infinitely more dangerous when untrained due to their poisonous breath or venomous spines. Trained and socialized properly, though, they were loyal to the death and great protectors.

"You asked about architecture, yes?" Aikka asked suddenly, as Eva was trying to imagine cats with venomous spines.

"Yes!" Eva confirmed in between taking bites of her chowder.

"The buildings and layout of the Holy City of Dol, the oldest city on Nourasia - they were truly magnificent," Aikka said wistfully, "Great white shining stone spires and temples stretched up to scrape at the sky. The streets were laid out in a way that made no sense, and you could get lost for hours and hours, but always find your way back."

"It sounds beautiful," Eva said, a small smile quirking at her lips. She tried to imagine the enormous structures, figuring they looked something like ancient Italian cathedrals.

A shadow passed over the prince's face, "My parents and retainers took me to visit many times in my youth before the Crog occupation - indeed, it was," the prince said, and fell silent shortly thereafter.

Eva knew very well the reasoning behind Aikka's actions during the Race; how the Crogs had been holding the peaceful Nourasia hostage for years. She knew how that race of monsters had threatened Aikka's parents, knew that they'd ransacked cities across the planet to intimidate the Nourasians into an alliance. Sympathy for her friend bloomed deep in her chest, and she bit back a grimace.

Aikka's hand lay on the tabletop, clenched into a tense fist. Eva reached out and very gently placed her palm on his knuckles, conveying her acknowledgement of his pain and loss without saying anything.


Later that same evening, when Eva was wringing out her hair after her shower, she glanced at the TV in her room with the local news station playing on it.

There was a picture of Eva comforting Aikka in the chowder joint, and pictures of them holding hands at the Canyon. There was a slight sinking feeling in her stomach.

"...and in celebrity news, Star Racing Champion Eva Wei was seen around the country with who we've now confirmed to be Prince Aikka of Nourasia, visiting Earth as part of a diplomatic envoy. We have no confirmed reports regarding why Nourasia has sent their prince to Earth, or what will be discussed during his visit, though we are told by the United Earth Government that talks will commence within the next two days," said the anchor with the too-bright lipstick and clashing mauve jacket.

Her male co-host pointed out the hand-to-hand contact in the photos, "Looks like our resident Star Racing Champion has found herself a new squeeze!"

Eva's blood ran cold.

The female host continued, not reacting, "Eva Wei is 25 years old and has won ten intergalactic star racing championships since her appearance on the scene at the age of eighteen. She's appeared on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for six years in a row, and is the daughter of Don Wei, famous race manager and racing coach. It is unclear how Miss Wei has garnered the attention of Nourasian royalty, but we will keep you updated with more news as it breaks."

"Relations with Nourasia have been tense since Earth was informed that Nourasia was assisting the Crogs in their campaign against the galaxy, and the United Earth Government claims that since the end of the war, Nourasia has reached out to our leaders in hopes of an alliance or partnership," said the male host.

Eva switched the TV to another news channel -

"-appears they were expecting some kind of trouble, with several armed guards walking in formation around them the whole time-"

-and another-

"-holding hands with the Prince, watching the sunset together-"

-and another-

"-may expect a happy announcement soon, what with the way the two of them were hanging around each other the past couple of days-"

-and another-

"-have expressed displeasure with the Nourasian visit to Earth, claiming that past relations with Nourasia have only caused Earth casualties."

-until she ran out of news stations to view.

Every station. It was on every news station she could think of.

Eva switched the TV off, horror growing in her chest.

She needed to talk to Aikka. Now.