Disclaimer: I don't own Oban Star-racers.

I'm BAAAAAACK! throws head back and laughs manically

Moon and Star

Ch.25: Fierce Like Lord Fuerter--Part One

"Sir, have you see Eva? And Remus for that matter?"

"No, Jordan, I haven't. Is something wrong?"

"No, well…it's just that we were all supposed to go to bed half an hour ago. They're not back yet."

Don frowned and stood up from his desk. "Very well. You go back to bed; I'll look for them."

"Okay, sir," Jordan said, and walked out of the room.

Don quickly locked the picture box and slipped the key into his chest pocket before leaving the room. They had discovered that although there were seven members of the Earth team, six Lupanians, one wolf and two Jubalins, there had been only three rooms. It had turned out (thankfully) that the Lupanians preferred to sleep together using each others body heat to keep warm, and the Jubalins liked to sleep outside and gaze at the stars. Still, Don hadn't been happy when he had discovered that Eva would have to share a room with Jordan despite there not being any doors on the rooms. He had only allowed it because Remus, who had originally been going to sleep with the other Lupanians, had offered to sleep in the same room with them.

"Don't worry about there only being one bed," Remus had said. "Eva's made a hammock and I'll…well, I'll just sleep on the floor. I'm used to it."

And while this new development had only made Don a little happier than before, he was far more comfortable with the knowledge that Remus was keeping an eye on the two when he himself could not. Even though Remus may have been an odd ball, and Jordan more down to Earth, Don trusted Eva when she said that they were nothing more than friends—surrogate siblings perhaps—where as Jordan was just her partner and could very possibly become something more.

After ten minutes of searching, Don was about to call for them when he suddenly heard muffled voices. He approached the corner silently, and they became clearer.

"Eva, I think you're getting just a little obsessed with the Ultimate Prize," said a male voice that Don recognized as Remus's.

"What's wrong with wanting to win the Ultimate Prize?" Eva demanded.

"Nothing!" Remus said. "There's nothing wrong with it, I support you fully! I'm just getting worried that the only thing you care about is the Ultimate Prize! That's not healthy."

Don stood completely still during the silence that followed those words.

"I know…it's just…he was disappointed in me, I could tell," Eva said. "And…I don't like that feeling."

"Wait; is this about the Ultimate Prize or Don?" Remus asked.

"I don't know! Both!" Eva burst out. "They've always been connected!"

"True, true," Remus said. "I guess they have… But I don't think he's really disappointed in you. I think he's disappointed that we lost the race, but don't think he's disappointed in you; you're doing your best, he knows that—he's got to know that."

Eva sighed heavily. "I guess…it's just…okay, this might sound stupid but I can't help but worry that he's going to send me back to the Stern Boarding School as soon as we get back to Earth."

Don's heart sank; she thought he was going to abandon her again?

Remus didn't reply immediately. "That's not stupid. Not really. It won't happen, but I don't think you're stupid. I'd probably be afraid of that too, if I was you."

"Thanks Remus."

"Come on; we should get back to bed," Remus said.

"Yeah…let's go."

They headed off in the opposite direction of Don who was staring at the ground. He wasn't sure why this had hit him so hard—after ignoring her for ten years was it really any wonder that she was afraid he'd do it again?—but he stood there for a minute before heading back to his room.

He nearly ran right into them on his way. "What are you two doing out of bed?" he asked.

"Just talking a walk," Remus said. "E had something she wanted to talk about, but we were just heading back."

"Alright." He turned to Eva and said, "I realized that I hadn't told you earlier, but I want you to know that I'm very proud of you. You raced very well."

Eva brightened. "Thank you, Dad."

"Goodnight," he said. Eva and Remus returned the sentiment, and then they went their separate ways.

-.oOOo.-

When they awoke the next morning, Eva dressed and pulled back the curtain that separated her from Jordan and Remus. Jordan was still sprawled out on his cot asleep, but Remus, while still curled into a ball on the floor, stared up at her, his green eyes bright. She smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Remus returned with a grin.

Then he got to his feet, grabbed his backpack which was by the door and slipped behind the curtain to change himself. Eva waited patiently for several minutes before Remus came out dressed in some clothes that Hemming, who was about the same height as Remus, had given him.

"You like?" Remus asked, turning around in a circle. He wore a black leather vest, a brown shirt and baggy brown pants.

"It's okay," Eva said. "Now come on. We've got two hours before the next race starts and—"

"What do you mean 'okay'? Am I not pretty?" Remus asked alarmed. His eyes got really wide. He rushed forward and grabbed Eva's shoulders, looking ready to cry. "Tell me I'm pretty!"

"Okay! Okay! You're pretty!"

Remus instantly became happy. "Thank you."

"You're…welcome?"

A groan caught their attention. They looked over to see Jordan sitting up, rubbing his eyes and hugging his pillow.

"Aw," Remus groaned. "I wanted to jump on him."

"You still can; I'm not stopping you," Eva said. "Just make it quick, okay? We've got a race in two hours, and I want to explore a bit."

"Two hours is a lot of time, little one," Remus said wisely. Then he turned and walked over to Jordan. He stood there for a moment—then he grabbed the pillow and beat Jordan over the head with it before running out of the room.

"What was that for?" Jordan asked irritably, trying to brush down his hair.

Eva shrugged. "I think he was trying to get you up. …Come on, Jordan! Get ready! This might be our only chance to explore!"

"Alright, alright," Jordan grumbled, getting to his feet. "Give me a minute, will ya? And unless you want to watch, could you please leave the room?"

Eva turned bright red and quickly walked out of the room.

-.oOOo.-

Remus and Eva ran down the hallway of the module toward the outside. The modules had all set down for a little while before the races. A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Remus around the arm, causing him to spin back around and face the other way.

"What the—oh, hello, sir," Remus said.

"Good morning, Remus," Don said. "There is something I would like to ask you, if you wouldn't mind."

"No, of course not," Remus said. He looked over his shoulder at Eva who had stopped and was watching curiously. "You go on. I'll catch up later if I can."

"What? But Remus—"

"Just go. Jordan's coming along soon, anyway," Remus said. "It's not like you're going to be alone."

A strange look flitted across Don's face. Eva seemed to recognize it as a tell tale sign that he might stop her and ran out of the module and down the long flight of steps and out sight. Jordan quickly followed.

"Hey, Eva, wait up!"

"Jordan, Eva, where do you think—?"

But they were already gone.

Don sighed.

"Er…sir? Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Don cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, there was. I'd like to speak to you about Eva…and Jordan perhaps."

"Yeah, what about them?" Remus asked.

"Yes, well, Eva said…or let slip rather…that she, er, likes someone, and I was, ah, hoping—er, wondering—whether or not you would, ah, happen to know who that, uh, would be."

"Oh. …Oh," Remus said. "Er, well…you see…I can't exactly say. I mean, you've met him…or heard of him rather, but I'm not going to betray Eva's trust by telling you. Sorry. I just can't."

"I see…I understand not wanted to betray Eva's confidence, but I have to know who it is so—" Don trailed off; Remus was staring at him oddly. After a moment, Remus said:

"It's not Jordan, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh…I see. Well, I wasn't…maybe not him exactly, but I…I wondered…"

"It's not anybody on the team, don't worry about that," Remus said.

"Well, then, she likes someone back on Earth?" Don asked.

"Er…well…I didn't say that exactly, but, uh…yeah…I'm pretty sure. I mean, I don't actually know him. Never met him, and she's, uh, never mention a name, really, just a nickname, so I can't tell you who it is…"

"What's his nickname?" Don asked swiftly.

"Er…" Remus hesitated. "Prince. It's Prince. I'm not sure how he got it. Never mentioned it. Um, well, I've gotta go now, sir, make sure Eva hasn't gotten into any trouble, you see." Don looked like he wanted to ask another question; Remus turned and ran toward the doorway.

He was just about there when Agrona stepped out in front of him, paws on her hips. "Where is she?"

"Er…who?" he asked stupidly.

"Eva, you dolt," Agrona snapped.

"Er…" Remus shrugged slowly with a weak smile.

"Is that so?"

"Er…yes…?"

"Very well, then." She grabbed the hem of his vest and trudged down the hall, dragging him with her.

"Ah! Hey, what are you doing?" Remus demanded.

"I'm going to train you," she said simply.

"In what?"

"Oh, I don't know. You're just the most pathetic excuse for a Moon God that I've ever seen," Agrona said. "If I'm going to hate your kind, I have to make sure that none of them are pathetic enough to feel sorry for."

Remus stammered as she dragged him along until he was finally able to form words. What came out what: "Why do you always call us 'Moon Gods'? We're not gods by any stretch of the imagination."

"No, but you act like it," Agrona said irritably. "You're the 'Moon Spirit's favored children'…if you really were, you wouldn't be hunted like animals. Now come on. We've got a lot of work to do."

Remus wrenched out of her grasp. "Don't. You ever. Ever. Talk about us being hunted. Understand?"

Agrona stopped and looked up at Remus. A dark shadow had fallen over his face; his eyes burned furiously.

After a moment, she nodded. "Fine. Touchy subject. Whatever. Just come on." Then she grabbed his hand in her paw and pulled him along the corridor once more.

-.oOOo.-

Remus collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. Agrona stood over him, arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently.

"Come on, you pathetic excuse for a Lupanian. Get up and continue running!"

"No," Remus whined. He turned his head to look at Duncan who had been watching for the past hour as Agrona made him lift makeshift weights (such as heavy boxes) and run around the courtyard. "Duncan, please…please, don't let her do this to meeeeeee…"

Duncan nodded. "He's right. You've been working him hard with no complaint. He deserves a break."

"He'll get a break when I—"

"Agrona. Let him be," Bardawulf said softly. He was sitting next to Duncan, scratching Hunter's ears.

Agrona's words seem to have caught in her throat. Then she huffed and muttered, "Fine."

A sudden yelling caught their attention.

"—could've gotten —almost did get yourself killed! What were you thinking?"

"It's against the rules to try to kill an opponent! We were thinking that no one would try it!"

Eva strode into the courtyard with Don quick behind; Jordan shuffled in after them, looking as though he was trying to disappear into the wall.

Remus sat up swiftly and watched them with rapt attention.

"Of course someone would try it!" Don shouted. "Toros sliced your ship in half—he could have killed you then! What makes you think now would be any different?"

Eva spun around. "I just wanted to have a look around okay! This is a different planet, so why wouldn't I want to explore a little?"

"It could be dangerous, that's why! We don't know what lives here!"

"Well, sorry, I—"

Agrona clapped her paws together. "ALRIGHT!" Everyone fell silent to stare at her. "Seren! You and Jordan need to train a bit before the next race! Both of you get over here!"

Eva hesitated and then trudged forward to stand in front of Agrona. Jordan quickly joined them.

Agrona gave them an evil grin. "Very good. Now…time to make your brains explode."

-.oOOo.-

An hour later after Agrona and Andraste insisted on putting Jordan and Eva through their paces with a series of steadily more complicated scenarios that they were supposed to give the correct course of action to, Eva and Jordan sat in the Whizzing Arrow while everyone else stood in the control room. They all knew this race wouldn't be any easier than the last one despite the new terrain. They only hoped that this time they would win.

Eva rubbed her temple; all of Agrona's questions had given her headache, especially toward the head as the answers got more obscure and difficult to find. She placed her hand back on the handle bar and flexed her fingers. "You ready, Jordan?"

"I was born ready!" Jordan said.

"You know, that's what I like about you Jordan," Remus said, appearing on the screen. A wicked grin spread across his face. "Always so ready…and eager."

"Hey, what are you implying?" Jordan shot back.

"Nothing," Remus said, but Eva had turned beat red and slapped a face over her face.

"I don't know you," Eva mumbled. "I don't know you."

"I love you too," Remus said.

Eva shook her head. Then the cracks on the floor started to glow. The floor dropped away, and the Arrow fell toward Oban.

Chapter preview: Fierce Like Lord Fuerter Part Two—"Okay…pull up, Eva!" Koji said.

Eva switched on the boosters and skimmed the surface of the water below them. Ondia, Kross and Sul pulled ahead. Aikka, Ning and Skun, O, and Fuerter were all behind them. Eva grinned; they were at an advantage already! She pulled ahead a tiny bit more…

So, hello, I'm back! I'm sorry if this chapter was unsatisfying or seemed forced in anyway. While I was grounded, I got into my original stories more, and the thought of writing long chapters of this were overwhelming because what I really want to work on are my original stories. I have therefore decided to cut any long chapters in half to make it more manageable so I can work on this and my original stories without feeling like I'm neglecting either.

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