S.S Mahora

The S.S Mahora was on its first maiden voyage abroad, currently anchored at the pier near Hiroshima. It was a beautiful, enormous luxury cruise liner, top of the class and unfortunately, extremely expensive. Only those in the elite circles of society, the ones with money and status and business socialites had been invited to partake in the journey. Standing among the throng of people, admirers, passer-bys, family or friends of those that were boarding the ship, Setsuna Sakurazaki leaned against the railing near the end where it was just slightly less crowded than everywhere else, watching the ship wistfully.

"Oi Setsuna, come on I found us a way to get us on the ship!" Asuna squeezed through an elderly couple, grabbing her hand and dragged her through the crowd.

"Wha-what? Wait, we can't just-!"

"Yadda yadda, you want a better life for yourself don't ya! Well this is our ride to that life! You gotta be willing to bend the rules sometimes!"

Asuna was Setsuna's best friend, her only friend really. They both worked as cargo loaders but pay was pretty bad and it barely paid rent and food. The most expensive thing she possessed was the crisp shirt she was wearing. As a portly lady with her blonde-haired daughter was arguing with the usher about ticket prices or something like that and waving other people through, Asuna dropped to the floor taking Setsuna with her. As she scampered through the passengers' legs and all, she dropped her hat. Setsuna had to pick it up quickly before it got kicked away by someone.

"Come on Setsuna or you're gonna get left behind!" Asuna called over her shoulder.

"I'm going to kill you if we get arrested for this Asuna!" Setsuna hissed as she caught up to her friend. They were halfway up the ramp and they were calling out for the last of the passengers to board the ship.

Grinning at her, Asuna ducked past a young couple, disappearing into the crowd. Setsuna felt herself being jostled along against her will. Finally slipping out from everyone and tumbling onto deck, she gasped for air, taking in deep breaths. Suddenly she heard whispers, someone shouted and Asuna was there, pulling her to her feet and pulling her along, sprinting down the ship. Setsuna found her footing soon and they were bolting down towards the back of the ship, dodging and ducking around startled passengers.

"Asuna! Where are we going?" Sestuna cried out as she jumped over a girl who had bent over to pick up her purse.

"I-oh sorry!" Asuna nearly crashed into a couple of businessmen, spinning around and staggering before regaining her footing.

"Asuna, look out!" Setsuna dove forwards, pushing Asuna down as half a dozen uniformed guards stepped out from around the corner of the lounge/viewing cabins situated right in the middle of the ship, wielding tasers.

Asuna slid forwards, tumbling into the guards. Laughing, she scrambled to her feet and flashed her partner a thumbs up. Setsuna who'd banged her head on the deck of the ship, groaned as she felt a nice bruise forming on her forehead.

"Oi you two, stay where you are!" One of the guards who had been chasing them from the start yelled.

"Shit!" Asuna wrenched Setsuna upwards and bolted into the lounge room which already had a sizeable crowd milling about, buying drinks from the bar and chatting away. "Split up!"

She pushed Setsuna away with a hard shove and waved her arms like a madwoman, "Hey, over here!"

"Asuna-!"

"Go already you idiot! It's not worth it if both of us get caught!" Asuna reassured her, smiling. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

A shot was fired over the heads over the guests, making people scream. Setsuna dropped to the ground instinctively.

"That was your warning shot, you two. Give yourselves up now and we'll go easy on you!" The guard boomed.

"Go!" Asuna urged as Setsuna looked at her.

"I'll find you again Asuna," Setsuna promised. Another shot was fired and by the fear in Asuna's eyes, she was sure that one nearly hit her.

Asuna sprinted for the doors, crashing through them. Setsuna went for the doors on the right, scrambling to her feet and practically falling through them. Bullets pierced the air behind her. She ran down the stair-case, past the casino and gaming areas, veering left into a corridor. Her heart dropped. Just her luck, she'd ended up in the lower cabins. Setsuna spotted a trolley, filled with fresh quilts and sheets. As she heard loud voices nearing, she threw caution to the winds and plunged into the trolley, covering herself as quickly and adequately as she could. She pulled a face as a smell like she'd smelt once from fish that'd gone stale erupted in her nose. Great.

It wasn't too long before the trolley moved but it didn't stop for a long while. Her heart was pounding, her hands sweaty and she'd never felt so claustrophobic and terrified in her entire life. She was also sure she'd die from suffocating before she'd be found out. As the sheets were removed from the trolley, she prayed to whatever gods were listening that something, anything would happen.

"Oh gosh, Konoe-ojousama? It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Setsuna opened her eyes, whooping inside her head. She shifted aside the sheet that'd covered her and sat up, sucking in deep breaths of sweet, precious air. The woman who'd been pushing the trolley had her back turned to her luckily so Setsuna was able to sneak out without being noticed. Unfortunately she noticed that she was caught quite literally in between the trolley, an elevator and a corridor with a dead end. And the only way that was out, was blocked by a young girl who was talking animatedly to the woman. Setsuna spotted an open door. There! Maybe she could hide under the bed or something and escape later. Making sure her unintentional witnesses had their attention focused on each other she ran for the room and rolled underneath the bed. Good thing she wasn't fat.

There was a sharp click and she saw someone's feet walk by the bed, wearing a pair of fluffy slippers. What she didn't expect was the hand that reached underneath the bed, feeling around for something. If Setsuna hadn't been so worried she would've reacted a lot faster but the hand touched her hair. Freezing, it squeezed her hair once, twice, three times before retreating. There was silence for a moment and Setsuna didn't even dare to breathe. Maybe whoever it was thought she was a plush toy or piece of clothing she'd kicked under the bed or maybe she'd get lucky and-

Then she screamed, "Help, guards, there's someone under my bed!"

Setsuna got out from under the bed so fast that she hit her head on the beam. Blinking away the stars in her vision, she rushed to the door that the girl had been in the process of opening and slammed it shut.

"Wait! Please don't call anyone!"

Now that she was face to face, she saw the girl was pretty with large brown eyes and long hair. The bath-robe that she was wearing defined her body well. She was sure that if the girl wasn't screaming her head off she'd look a lot friendlier too.

"You-you're one of those girls that they're looking for!" She stammered, backing away.

"No, listen I'm not going to hurt you I promise. My friend, she and I...we're in trouble. This is our only way for a better future!" Setsuna pleaded. Suddenly something clicked, "Wait…ojou-sama…Konoe…you're the daughter of the person who owns the ship!"

Before the girl could say anything the door behind her burst wide open smacking Setsuna right in the back of the head. Staggering to the side, Setsuna dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks.

"Ojou-sama! Are you alright?" Two bodyguards were barrelling into the room, putting themselves in front of the girl. "Hey, who's...wait a minute. Isn't she...hey wait get back here!"

Setsuna was stumbling out the door before they'd even finished. By the time she'd gotten to the lobby, she was wondering whether she could go drown herself. But more than that there was something about her. She thought she knew her from somewhere before. Setsuna paused, glancing back over her shoulder as if the girl would just pop out of nowhere and materialize. There was something bothering her, like she was restless.


A.N: This is more on the excitement side, not magic but within the next couple of chapters we're gonna get there xD.

Leftie funny you should mention Romeo and Juliet I have something based around that in one of the upcoming chapters. And yes I update fast as I've actually got another fic in the making that I want to work on. This one was
As usual, read and review and enjoy ;D