A/N: Okay, some things got assumed that, you know, aren't right. That's okay, this one may straighten some things out. This… is part two. Haha. Oh yeah. I can smell it. Anyway, questions and concerns… there won't be any bloody death for least a bit… And, um… haha, things are going DOWN. Hehe. Anyway, back on stuff… Yeah, assumptions are bad and Aqua's really fun to play with! ^^ Now, for recap. That behind you would be the Peaceland Ball part one, including random yelling and other things. This time, it's part two, and things, you know the things! They're going down. Oh yeah. ^^ As you can see, I think I'm liking this half of it even than the first. ^^ WHEE! Also, since this was originally going to all be one (though I hadn't had it written at the time) there is no transition, we just jump right in. Okay, let's go.

~*~

Gwynth's observations were not noticed by the son she was criticizing, but rather, his dancing partner. But this was not unusual, as Yukina had become very accustomed to knowing exactly when someone was looking at her, as she got it very often at school. She bit her lip and glanced at the eleven-year-old prince. "Ariko, I think your mom is staring at us."

Ariko rolled his eyes. "It's probably because I didn't tell her that my best friend was a girl that's older than me, and same age as Oneesama. I've started to not care about them staring all the time." Yukina grinned and hit Ariko's arm. "You little sneak, I didn't know I was your best friend! I just knew you liked me!"

"Ow! Well of course you're my best friend, I can't exactly see Omoikane as that, can I? Besides, who else do I write continuous letters to? No one!" He blushed just the same. He had been becoming more capable of talking at ease with people that did not care about his title, but he still was embarrassed by his behavior.

Yukina rolled her eyes. They felt into silence until Yukina moved her hands from their customary positions at his arms to his shoulders. Ariko noticed as her hands moved that they were covered by light blue, fancy gloves that covered only her hands. Thinking back to her letters, he grasped her hands and stopped, causing them to just stand. "Yukina, why are you wearing gloves?" Yukina snatched her hands back and began rubbing them, or rather, just her right one. "I… I didn't know exactly how formal formal was, so I did. Besides, what does it matter?" She tried to go back to dancing with the former apprentice mechanic before he stopped her again.

"That's not why you're wearing them is it? You're hiding your markings, aren't you?" Yukina bit her lip and looked away, not attempting to take her hands back this time. Swallowing, she nodded slowly, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She lifted a gloved hand to wipe them away quickly, muttering, "Damn perfume that girl is wearing… making my eyes water…" She took a deep breath, regaining her confidence. "Yeah, I'm wearing them to hide the fact that I'm a Jumper, is that a problem?"

Ariko scoffed. "Well of course it's a problem! That's part of who you are and what makes you special, you know? You should be proud to do the things you do!" While he was telling her this, he was pulling the laced gloves off her hands and sticking them in an inside pocket of his coat. Once he finished, he let go of her hands. "There."

Yukina instantly covered her right hand, hiding the silver markings on her hand from view. "I have to wear them so people don't know, because you may no know this, but there are a lot of people that hate Jumpers for no damn reason! Magus, it's not like I asked to be a Jumper, I was just born this way!" She turned away, both angry and depressed because what she said was true. Many hated her for what she was and not even knowing her. She vaguely felt Ariko brush out her hair with his fingers, as if to calm her, but it didn't seem to help. What did, however, catch her attention was the feel of lips on her hand, and her right one as well. Looking up, she realized it was Ariko kissing her nanomachine markings, the marks that condemned her so. When he looked her in the face, he smiled. "Well, I really like them and what they give you, Lady Yukina." Yukina glared at him blushing. "What's your problem, Ariko? You dork, I'm not a lady, you and I know that!"

A somewhat evil smile formed on the first Prince of Peaceland's face. "My parents don't know that, do they?" Yukina scoffed. "You're evil, Ariko. Really evil." Ariko shrugged. "I suppose. But don't you think that, at least for tonight, you could be a lady? One that doesn't have to worry what people think about these?" He took her right hand and lifted it up, so she could see the silver glaring at her. Yukina sighed. "Okay, Ariko, I get your point." They fell back into dancing, Yukina occasionally bunching her hands in Ariko's coat. Finally she felt comfortable enough to stop staring at her hands on the shorter boy's shoulders, and to just give in. Eventually she watched Ariko bite his lip and blush. Confused, she tapped his shoulder. "What? What's wrong?"

Ariko leaned forward to whisper in Yukina's ear, "Haruka-san is watching us, Yukina." Yukina was shocked she didn't notice it first, but as she glanced behind her shoulder, lo and behold, Minato waved to her. Yukina glared at her and turned back to Ariko, her nose in the air smugly. "So? Who cares?" Ariko smiled; that was more like the girl from the Nadesico that he knew so well.

~*~

Minato giggled as Yukina ignored her wave with the attitude that she still carried with her, through it all. She didn't expect to hear the deep cough from above her. Glancing over, she realized that it was her former lover, Goat Hory. He crossed his arms. "I can only wonder what kind of trouble can come from them being who they are." Minato smiled evilly, elbowing him in the side. "I thought you didn't care for such frivolous things as digging your fingers in other people's business?"

Goat didn't answer, just continued to stare off into the distance. Minato sighed. He certainly didn't change. "Are you angry with me?"

"No."

Minato rolled her eyes. He didn't change, all right. He was just as impossible as before. She went back to watching both the sister of the Jovian hero and the First Prince of Peaceland dance. After a few moments she heard Goat's voice again. "Why did you tell him yes?"

It took Minato a moment to realize what he meant. Why did she tell Shiratori Tsukumo, Yukina's brother, that she'd marry him while he was on his deathbed? The answer was so easy. "Because I loved him. I was in love with him. Why do you care?" She had to admit, she was being rather cruel, but the question was rude, in her opinion.

Goat actually turned to look at her, glaring at her in a way that caused fear to spark in the back of her mind. There was a reason why he was always Head of Security. "I was under the impression that he was a toy you were using against me."

Minato crossed her arms, and copied Yukina's motion of sticking her nose in the air smugly. "You'd have such a high opinion of yourself, wouldn't you? As if I'm not allowed to fall in love with anyone other than you, ne?" She was silent when she felt one of his hands on her shoulder. "I only thought as such because I believed you were in love with me, not… Shiratori-san." His hand stayed on her shoulder for a few more moments before he pulled it away with a sigh. "I knew you wouldn't listen to me. Just remember that you're not involved in my career anymore." He walked away while Minato still refused to look at him. She clicked her tongue at what she assumed was his arrogance. "As if I'd go crawling back to him. Asshole."

She was not expecting to be answered once again, but by someone new. "I expect that you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself when it comes to him, are you not?"

Minato turned to see a man with long, dark blue hair, almost cut in the same fashion as Izumi, if not for his somewhat messy bangs. There was something about his face that was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Furrowing her brow, she addressed him, "Excuse me, but are you talking to me?" At his nod, she bit her lip. "Well, I'm afraid I do not know who you are…"

"I apologize for my rude behavior." He bowed graciously, making her even more nervous than she was a moment ago. "Apparently you do not remember me from the war. My name is Tsukuomi-"

Suddenly, Minato did know him, and finished his name off for him. "Genichiro. Yes, I remember you. You were… Tsukumo's friend." He shook his head. "His friend I was not, but his enemy, the only one who dared to betray him because of anger and foolishness. Please, I apologize for all of the grief I have given you, Haruka-san, because of my temper tantrum."

Minato was confused once again. "I… I'm sorry but I don't understand. What grief have you caused me?"

Genichiro was put off for a moment, but then nodded, bowing his head. "I see. You do not know. I thought did. You see, Haruka-san, I was angry with Tsukumo. My dearest and longest friend, and I willingly… killed him."

Minato's jaw dropped as the words sunk into her head. The man standing before her, that called her a nincompoop so long ago for not knowing the Jupiterian names for their own equipment, was the one behind the gun that fired upon the man she loved. The one that shot and killed Tsukumo. That left Yukina the last of her family and Minato a would-be widow, had they been able to be married. Her fiancée died because of actions of Genichiro. What confused her was not the fact that he was here, but that she was not angry, but very, very numb, as if she had felt the pain of that wound so often, it was easily ignored. She opened her mouth several times in attempts to say something, anything, but words were lost to her in her shock.

Genichiro saw this as complete outrage and shook his head, ashamed beyond the feeling. "I would not have done it if I was not ordered to, but I did it willingly because I felt I had lost him. To you. I thought you had taken my place as his best friend… I don't know why I did it. I never said it was rational. But now I ask of your forgiveness, Haruka-san. I do not deserve it, not at all, but I ask of it to know that I may one day die without knowing that… you've been able to pick yourself back up again." He turned away, not able to face this woman who's future he had ruined with one shot.

Minato took a raged breath. It frightened her that she could not be angry with this man that took her beloved's life from him. She began to wonder if she was ever capable of feeling that again. But somehow she knew that it was just time dulling the pain, not the love she felt for him. She reached up and laid a hand on Genichiro's shoulder, and let it fall to his back. Once he turned to face her once again, she smiled, albeit sadly. "I could not believe that one could be rational as to kill one such as he. But I see that you did not do it regretless. I see that you have great guilt from your actions, and now do not look upon that moment or action as a moment of triumph, but one of sadness, as I do. You may have done the deed, but you grieve just as I. And because of that, I can forgive you." Genichiro glanced into the woman's eyes, whose name he cursed the last time he spoke to his best friend before he killed, no, murdered him. She was speaking nothing but the truth. He looked away, ashamed once again. "I would have told Yukina," he whispered, glanced at her and her constant dance partner, "but I did not want to ruin her night." Minato nodded. "She's had it rough since we've arrived on Earth." A few more moments of silence before Minato looked back at Genichiro. "Tsukuomi-san, would you like to dance?"

"What?!?"

"I just asked you to dance. It's called forgiving and forgetting. Perhaps you've heard of it?" As he began to stammer, she frowned at him. "Are all you Jupiterians so nervous around women? All I did was ask you to dance. Don't you think you can handle that?" Her voice lowered back to her solemn tone. "It's just a dance. He certainly won't mind." Genichiro nodded and offered Minato his arm. She nodded and took it. He bit his lip before clearing his throat. "Haruka-san, I also apologize for calling you a whore and a witch."

Minato blinked. "I didn't know you called me that." Genichiro sighed. "I was a fool, I already said that. Besides, I didn't realize exactly why Tsukumo loved you. But I can see that you really are a beautiful woman, inside and out."

"Why, thank you, Genichiro-san. Just call me Minato, if you please."

~*~

Omoikane, Royal Informant Extraordinaire, had no trouble finding Ruri, though he did not know why he hadn't decided to approach her until now. Other than that Hari boy, there was no reason to wait. But Omoikane did anyway, until he found Ruri looking positively bored at people watching. He walked up to where Ruri was seated at one of the banquet tables, facing where the many people there were dancing. He tapped Ruri on the shoulder to get her attention. He smiled at her. "Ruri-sama, you've been sitting all night! Don't you want to dance?"

Ruri looked up to see her best friend standing next to her. She felt the corners of her mouth turn up as he offered his hand. She took it, standing as best she could on her uncomfortable shoes. "Certainly, Omoikane." Once she had led Omoikane away from the table and begun dancing with her robot, she realized that she had easily accepted Omoikane's invitation to dance, but turned down Hari's without too much thinking. As she saw the boy she was thinking of and watched the shock appear on his face, she looked down, ashamed. But she knew Omoikane longer, and Hari made her feel uncomfortable with all of his respect for her. While Omoikane may continuously name her as "Ruri-sama", he did it only because she was his superior as his controller.

She turned them around so that she couldn't see Hari and the hurt she knew she caused on his face. Omoikane could however. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the boy who obviously was becoming a rival. He could feel with Ruri's hold on him with her mind that he had somehow caused her a bit of grief. After asking of their connection and getting permission, Omoikane went through Ruri's recent thoughts over the last minute or so. Once he discovered that she had turned him down, but not Omoikane, he felt himself fill with joy. But it was the anguish Ruri felt over this development that made him glare even harder at the male Electronic Fairy. He put his mouth right next to Ruri's ear, so she could hear what he had to say. "Ruri-sama… don't worry about him. He's just a stupid boy. He could never love you like I do." He could not help himself from saying that, or from kissing her cheek softly and quickly, before Ruri could stop him from doing so. Once they were face to face again, Ruri glared at him. "Omoikane…"

"I know. I'm sorry, Ruri-sama." Ruri nodded. She knew that it was agony for him to be this close to her and feel so connected to her, as they were communicating on both a verbal and digital level, and not do something. After all, it was common knowledge to the Princess of Peaceland that her robot loved her.

~*~

Yurika was standing alone, which was odd considering that the woman was getting propositioned all over the place to dance. But now, thoughts of her first dance of the night had returned to her, and she just wanted to sit and think.

Everything she told Akito was true, at least in her eyes. She had grown up since Akatsuki died. She no longer was the air headed idiot everyone knew her to be. She was capable of being serious without being depressing. She knew what kind of a person she was meant to be, and that her former self made her sick, looking back. 'How could I have been so stupid and idiotic? No wonder a lot of people called me dumb.'

But Akito hadn't made the steps she had yet. Maybe she grew up faster than she was meant to, but it was Akito's slowness to follow her that angered her the most. It was because he was still living in his own world, without realizing that there was more to life than what was around him. That was why he didn't want to be her friend, because he still figured that Yurika was interested in him romantically, when she really wasn't. She just wanted to be able to look at her former boyfriend as her friend. He just needed to realize that the world did not revolve around him.

As she sat contemplating the Martian cook, he and his boyfriend, dancing and in their own bubble, traveled into her vision. No longer staring off into space, she watched them, trying to see if she could find some of the answers about Akito that she was searching for.

They were dancing much closer than many of the others around them, almost completely molding each other's bodies on the other's. Akito was resting his head on Gai's shoulder. A small smile formed on his face as they moved so slowly, one couldn't tell they were moving at all, if they were not watching them as Yurika was. She saw a glance of Gai's face as well, somehow between Akito's hair and his own almost wild mane. He too had a smile of uncontained joy, his eyes closed in complete comfort, as if he felt completely at home on the floor with his smaller, yet older lover.

Yurika bit her lip, feeling a little guilty for watching them in such an intimate moment. But one thing boggled her. "How can they be so happy just to be together?" Akito had never looked that happy while he was with her, so happy that he didn't even need to show it. As she thought about it, she didn't think she had ever been that happy in a relationship. Not even with Akatsuki. She was so insistent that she most likely loved him, but she was always so much more paranoid about him rather than really letting herself love him. Maybe there was more to their relationship than just love. Maybe there was more trust involved than Yurika was ready to admit.

A hand on Yurika's bare shoulder startled her, and she turned quickly to figure out who touched her. Jun snatched his hand back; a little afraid at the face Yurika gave him. But it softened and she sighed. "Hey, Jun, what's up?"

Jun glanced around his best female friend's face, trying to find the anger at her thoughts being interrupted again, wondering how it could have ran away so easily. When he couldn't find it, he shrugged. "I was just going to ask you if you'd like to dance, Yurika. I didn't get a chance to ask you yet and all, you know."

Yurika sighed again. Glancing back at Akito and Gai, she realized she had depressed herself. No one she had been with, ever, had ever been happy with her in such a way. Not even her former fiancée before her. She turned back to Jun and shook her head. "Sorry Jun. I'm still kinda tired from dancing all night in these awful shoes, and I got things on my mind. I just want to be alone, okay?" Jun nodded, understanding. "Okay, but you know where I'll be hanging around if you change your mind or if you want to talk, okay?" He walked away, from the woman he claimed was his love and obsession, cursing himself for being such an idiot, and a single one at that.

Once he reached their little area near the men's bathroom, he found Hikaru without an Uribatake, which was amazing. "Oh, so you ditched the cling-on idea?"

"Yeah, I wanted him to be alone with his wife for a while. I know they're together all the time, but that'll be changing soon, so maybe some transition would be good, ne?" But the redhead still looked quite bored, drinking from her paper cup. Jun looked over his options and sighed, dejected. "Hey, Hikaru, I'm sick of sitting around. Dance with me out of pity, please?" Hikaru giggled, setting her cup on the table next to them. "Out of pity you say? Oh, well then I can't refuse!" She grabbed his hand and led him away, giggling the entire time.

~*~

Gai and Akito weren't the only couple that resided in Yamada Manor that was dancing. However, because of Itsuki's insane dress, Ryoko was left dancing with her just as everyone else was, and not just hugging her, but with her hands at her waist. Ryoko was trying hard to enjoy herself as she danced with the woman she loved, but Saburota's words from earlier that night plagued her. As she looked at Itsuki's face, all she could hear was Saburota telling her about the Music Mage flirting with the How Mei Girls, and seeing her flirt with Aqua to find out if she had put paralyzing powder in the food. Ryoko know that she was devoted to this relationship. It was the best that had happened to her. But there was something that made her doubt Itsuki's devotion and made her wonder if the girl didn't already have a string of side girlfriends, all of them wanting Itsuki to break up with Ryoko so that they could have the beautiful musician and tactician.

It also didn't help that Ryoko was certain that she could hear whispers all around them. Things about Jumpers, things about lesbians, things even about Ryoko being the fuck of the week for yet another rich, young business leader. All derogatory and pulling at Ryoko until she felt that she was going to scream.

Ryoko let go of Itsuki and walked quickly through the crowd alone, going over to the opposite side of the room and yanking a chair out from under a table, sitting down and bunching her hands in her two-colored hair. It took Itsuki a few moments to catch up in her massive dress, but catch up she did, pulling out another chair and facing the upset Ryoko in confusion. "Ryoko, what's the matter? I thought you were having fun."

Ryoko sat up and rubbed at her eyes, dispelling any tears there that may have formed. "I don't know, I'm just being dumb and letting that asshole get to me." Itsuki's purple eyebrows snapped together as she realized who "that asshole" was. "Takasugi-san? What did he say? I swear to Magus-"

"No, Itsuki, don't. He just… He just pointed out to me exactly how flirtatious you are with other women… the How Mei Girls, Aqua Crimson…" Itsuki hit herself on the forehead. "I should have seen this coming, especially since Akito and Jiro had a little spat about this exact same thing earlier. Ryoko, look at me. Look at me, dammit!" Once Ryoko did, Itsuki clasped her gloved hand in Ryoko's bare, interlocking their fingers and leaning in, kissing Ryoko for a full minute. Once she pulled away, she narrowed her eyes at her lover. "Ryoko, I love you. I don't love the How Mei Girls, I just wanted to give them some musician ideas. I don't love Aqua, I just wanted to make sure she didn't do anything stupid, which of course she did. I may flirt and generally make it seem like I'm very available, but I am in love with you, not any of those other people. To tell you the truth, I find it very funny when I flirt and then they realize that I'm already with you. It's great to watch them fall into the same trap every other person since we've been together has done. But I never kiss them, or have sex with them, or even hug them. That is all reserved for you, Ryoko, because you're the woman I love." Itsuki scooted her chair closer and leaned over to hug Ryoko, her dress getting in the way so she had to hug Ryoko around the waist, resting her head on the tomboy's breasts. "And that can't be it, is it, my sweet?"

Ryoko shook her head, her hand brushing across Itsuki's pile of pinned curls, feeling their stiffness from her hairspray. "No. It's just that… I never thought there would be so many people that would talk about us so rudely." Itsuki smiled. "Oh, you mean those people that were whispering? I found that amusing." Ryoko started, shocked by what Itsuki just said, and lifted her bare shoulders so she could see her. "What?"

Itsuki shrugged. "I find it amusing. I always have. In fact, half the fun is listening to the people screech 'oh my GOD those are both GIRLS!' You just get used to it and find humor in it." Itsuki hit Ryoko's arm. "If they get to you, just remember. They may be self-righteous pig heads, but we've still got this," she lifted their hands up, fingers still intertwined, "and they don't. When it all comes down to it, it doesn't matter at home, and that's what matters, ne?"

Ryoko nodded, rejuvenated by what Itsuki was saying. Itsuki nodded back, and began dragging her lover back onto the floor. "Let's get back to that dancing thing, ne, Ryoko-chan?"

~*~

Jun was certainly not the first person to approach Yurika to dance, nor was he the last. But not many, save for a few, expected the next person that went over and sat next to the former captain of the Nadesico. "Hello, Yurika. You look a bit down. Is there something wrong?"

Yurika glanced up at the brown-clad Erina. She shook her head. "No, I just want to be alone. I've not been having the greatest night, that's all. Don't worry about it. Yurika smiled at her employer, but there was a sense of sadness behind it, causing Erina to be skeptical. She grasped the Martian's hand and stood, attempting with little care to pull Yurika to her feet. "Well, you could always dance with me and tell me what's wrong. I may be the one that gives you your money, but that doesn't mean we can't put our previous disagreements behind us with the war they spawned from." Yurika blushed a bit as she remembered their never-ending arguments over whether Yurika had the right mindset for her position, being so focused on individual things and not the big picture. Yurika shook her head again. "No, Erina, I've been dancing all night. I don't want to anymore. And… I want to think."

Despite Yurika's protests, Erina pushed on. "Yurika, you're unhappy. Dancing would cheer you up. Besides, I have some things to tell you, and this is the best time to." When she saw Yurika prepare to shake her head again, Erina did pull her up to her feet with newfound strength. "Yurika, I really must insist." Yurika sighed and nodded, letting herself be led away by Erina. What she had to say must have been very important.

Once they had begun dancing however, Erina was silent, and Yurika felt a little more than uncomfortable. The realization dawned on her that she was dancing with a woman. A woman. And with Yurika being so insistent that she was the only straight Martian left, this was a large blow against her. All the more reason to get Erina to speak up faster. "Um, Erina… what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"I told Kaguya to get lost." Yurika's eyes widened. But then, as she thought about it, it made sense. "Yeah, I figured. She was wishing for your death on the shuttle, now that I think about. I thought it was just an argument or something, though. You really did dump her?" Erina nodded. Yurika fell silent and back into the act of dancing. But then her brain began to work once again and she began to wonder why that was so important for Erina to tell her. It would have eventually hit her ears anyway.

"Is there anything else, Erina? I mean, that doesn't seem like 'I have to talk to you in private' and all, you know?"

Erina regarded the girl that was, remarkably, older than her by a few weeks. "There was a reason I left her. I was finished with her. It was time to move on. Move on to more… interesting people." By this time, Yurika saw the rather lustful gaze Erina was giving her and the hand at her hip that traveled more south. Yurika looked away. "Erina, don't do this. You know I don't like women."

"You're dancing with me here, aren't you?" Yurika bit her lip. Erina had a point, but she wasn't thinking. Or was she? She didn't know! Erina took Yurika's indecision and used it for herself, her other hand traveling up and gripping Yurika's chin, turning the Martian girl's face to her own. "Yurika, you've had no luck with the less-than-aggressive men, and the only true one you've been with is dead. How are you to know exactly all that you require in a person? Judging by choices and successes in previous relationships, the only real requirement is that they are capable of overpowering you, dominating you like men in love stories do." Erina narrowed her eyes. "I can do all of that and more for you, Yurika. I can give you all that you want, and you know it."

And know it Yurika did. Despite Erina's anatomy, there was something about being unable to escape from her clutches that made Yurika's breath shorten, and made her forget exactly why she was resisting just moments earlier. And as Erina's lips fell hard onto hers, Yurika had flashbacks of the rough, manhandling that she so loved from Akatsuki, and could not believe that it lived also in this woman who's arms she was melting into, who's hair she was fingering, who's lips she was kissing as if it was just another one of her boyfriends.

What they did not account for were witnesses. Jun, who had been turned down by Yurika to dance, let alone even talk, ran off to hide in the bathroom, knowing that he was most likely going to burst into tears. Knowing exactly what the fire mage was doing, Akito left his lover's side to chase after him, cursing Yurika's name for her foolishness when she was so adamant that she had grown up. Inez, in another section of the room, growled low under her breath as she gripped Izumi's arm with white knuckles, dragging the blue-haired woman to another part of the room where they could no longer see the action that had caused several anguish.

Another that they did not account for was Kaguya. As they finally separated and Yurika felt herself in a daze, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the purple-haired woman from her childhood, anger flaming in her eyes, but a cool and collected smile on her face. "Congratulations, Rika-chan. I had no idea you were the girl Erina left me for." There was a hint of contempt in her voice, but as she gave Yurika a slight hug, Yurika felt something twinge inside her. What it was other than guilt, she had no idea, but it was passing, and she did not feel it after Kaguya let go, glared at Erina, and walked away with her nose in the air. Yurika looked back in shame, knowing that this was possibly one of the few times she was a real factor in breaking up a relationship. Erina laid a hand on Yurika's shoulder, then hugged her from behind. "Do not worry about her, Yurika. She just didn't realize that she was useful for her time, but nothing more. I told her that we were not destined and that I did not love her, but she obviously is too delusional. She can't accept that I may feel something for her friend when she was a child. Erina kissed Yurika's cheek and Yurika felt her eyelids droop, leaning against Erina's body behind her. Perhaps there was something to this lesbian thing that she was just catching on to, something that caused just about everyone she knew to practice it.

~*~

Akito was barely in the door of the bathroom before he saw Jun bent over a sink, washing his obviously red face and trying to wipe the water out of his eyes at the same time. The room was also near unbearably hot, as the room often did whenever Jun was upset. Akito took off his jacket and loosing his tie, trying to not melt in the sauna Jun had created. Then he walked over to the sink Jun was standing at and laid a hand on Jun's shoulder. His hand felt like it was n a street in the summertime, but he kept it there, and Jun's quickly turned around to cling to the only person he could call his best friend, sobbing into Akito's white dress shirt. Akito felt some of the heat in the room drift away as he tapped into some of his own magic, making it a little bit colder in the room. He patted Jun's back until the blue-haired man's sobs slowed and he finally let go of the Martian cook. He turned back to the sink to clean himself up as Akito hopped onto the counter. "Jun, this isn't the end. Of all people, I think we both know her best, and if I know anything, Yurika always has NO luck when it comes to relationships, remember? She can't take the commitment and work they require. You know?"

Jun squeezed his eyes closed as he attempted to speak. "Akito, you're basing a lot of assumptions on one thing. She… she doesn't have good luck with… with men, Akito!" He began shouting, throwing his pile of tissues and paper towels on the floor and kicking them. "With men, Akito! She has no luck with men! That's a total different thing from a woman!" He fell down to his knees and rested his head on the counter, folding his arms.

Akito was about to wonder if Jun had started crying again when an almost inaudible voice came. "Akito… I thought I was doing so well. When she was with you, I may have cursed your name and stuff, but I just accepted it and left it alone. I didn't get too upset or angry. When she was… when she was with Akatsuki, I got angry, but I didn't do anything. I… I know I killed him, but… I guess I couldn't take it anymore. But this time… I think she actually did break my heart, Akito. She fucking ripped it in two and threw it out the window, and now she has nothing to do but laugh about it." Jun lifted his head from the counter and curled himself into a fetal ball, hugging his knees. He looked up at Akito, and the Martian thought he was going to die because of the helplessness on Jun's face. "She broke me, Akito. She really did."

~*~

Izumi eventually had to rip her arm out of Inez's grip to get her to stop. She crossed her arms, frowning slightly. "I knew it. You're really still in love with her, aren't you? I should have seen it. You say you love me but you love her too. How can you be in love with two people at once?"

Inez turned her back to Izumi. "I don't know. I absolutely don't know. I just do. I love her. She was the longest relationship I've ever had, my best friend, and my very first. How am I not supposed to love her, even if I do love you as well? I love you because you're just perfect, you are. But… I can't decide Izumi. I know I'm supposed to decide, but I just CAN'T. I'm Inez Fressange, Explanation Lady, not Decision Lady. It's not my job, it's not in my blood to make decisions like that!"

Izumi sighed, running her hand through her bangs, making her hidden eyes visible for just a moment. "Inez, you're going to have to make that choice. I know you don't think you can, but you're going to have to. That's just the way it's got to be. Her… or me." Izumi turned and walked away, but to the corner where her friends were sitting, leaving Inez by herself.

Inez set her mouth into a firm line. She was not going to get upset in public. She just… was going to have to make a decision, like Izumi said. But she just didn't know how, or which woman she loved more.

~*~

Thanks to many of the Nadesico's crew, but mainly Minato and Megumi, the details about Yurika and Erina were well known long before the end of the night. It was just that much more proof of exactly how much things didn't change. But one thing was obvious, as Rumiko climbed the steps up the stage and hushed everyone, many were surprised and were expecting just about anything to happen after such an odd action such as Yurika hooking up with Erina.

Rumiko fixed the microphone to his height and made sure it was in working order, as technology was still scarce on his home planet and he wasn't the one that did public speeches anyway. But he finally did start to talk. "Ahem, can everyone hear me? Okay, good. I'd like to say that I am appalled by the behavior of everyone that was not on the Nadesico. I'd expect this kind of insanity from them, but not each and every single one of you, particularly you, Miss Crimson. But I suppose this is Earth, is it not?" He stopped and cleared his throat. "I admit this is not exactly the most… elegant thing I've done, nor is it the most mannerly, but please keep in mind that I've wanted to do this for some time now and that I'm not very used to talking in front of people. That job is usually reserved for my consort, Megan Rainerd, if she'd like to join me up here." He motioned for her to come onto the stage, and she had to shake her head as Minato and Mari pushed her up towards the stage. She had no idea what the hell Rumiko thought he was doing, honestly.

But she finally did ascend the stairs, lifting up her purple skirts and giving Rumiko an evil look that promised that he was not going to be sleeping with her that night. He ignored her glare and took her hands in his. "Meg, you've learned to put up with a lot from me, and for that I am highly thankful. I don't know how I could ever be as effective of an emperor if I didn't have you to help me integrate modern science into our culture and to talk to people when I cannot. I honestly don't know what I would do without you, so I have to thank you and wish that you will continue in the best way I can think of." One of her hands slid from his grasp as he knelt down on both knees before her. Many that realized what he was about to do started hooting and howling, shouting words of encouragement to the Copy Mage on stage. It got so bad that he had to grab the microphone and tell everyone to be quiet.

After replacing the microphone and reassuming his position, he reached into a deep pocket in his pants and pulled out a small box. Megumi's jaw dropped and she couldn't say anything as Rumiko opened it up to show, not a diamond as one would expect, but a perfect onyx set in a silver ring. "Megan Rainerd, would you be able to put up with me and allow me to depend on you as I have become far too used to? Would you please accept my hand in marriage and become my empress?"

Silence met Rumiko's question, as many were hanging on it, wanting, willing Megumi to say yes. Megumi looked into Rumiko's amber eyes and thought back. She was so… willing to give herself to him, in every way when she gave up the Nadesico for Ninlan. She had been nothing more than Emperor's Consort for too long, but now he was raising her up to be his exact equal, in accordance to Ninlandish tradition. She was to be Empress of Ninlan. But most of all on her mind, she was to be bonded to Rumiko, and he will be bonded to her in a way that would go beyond just common laws. Was she ready to accept that?

But they were already bonded. They had dreamed of each other when it came time for fate to play itself out. They were fated in terms of the Pentakami, were the not? Without a second thought, Megumi smiled, making her freckles stand out in a way that she knew Rumiko loved. "Absolutely, Rumiko. I will accept your offer and become your empress. Yes, I will marry you."

Rumiko stood immediately and gripped Megumi into a tight hug, forgetting that he was supposed to put the ring on her finger in his pure joy. He did not let go of her for almost a minute, in which most of the room had exploded into cheers. He whispered into her purple hair and his black, as they had become mixed in the sloppy hug, "Magus, Gods, I love you, Meg. I love you. I really do." Megumi nodded. "I know."

So, happy and sad, the ball continued on into the night, until it finally disbanded and the guests retired into their hotel rooms in one of the world's biggest tourist attractions.

~*~

TBC…

~*~

A/N: WOO-HOO! SHIT WENT DOWN! YES! Okay, I'm fine. I just am really really happy now. ^^ That was great! Yeah, I'm being arrogant. W00t! ^^ Yeah, that was very… intense. I think achieved trance a couple times in that. But um… next time. Good god I have no idea. ^^ Well, I expect just a flyby of some of the time and people, then we get into some more random things like before, only the plot will be beginning to show it's face. Okay, so, I'm loving this chapter, but we know I like your opinion as well! I'm going to go now and jump around in happiness. ^^ Later!