A/N: I'm starting to not like the way this is flowing. It just seems like extreme amounts of characterization and magical BS. Arg. Well, I'm not going to stop, oh hell no. And I'm not going to redo the others. Too much work. Well, all the characterization from this point forward will strictly friends, family, relationships… and then the random character ones. You know the ones I'm talking about. Two or three random characters that never talk to each other actually do. I know this may not seem that different, but get over it. This is the slow part of the fanfic, anyway. We'll eventually get to the flowing part. Soon, hopefully. So, this time, lots of boring talking, a little explanation that will come in handy MUCH later in time… And some Hikaru stuff at the end. Yes, she will be experiencing jealousy and verbal bitchslapping. This is something to bring the pilots closer together, so there IS a purpose. Bite me. Here comes some of the most boring things I've ever written.

~*~

Rumiko turned away from the fireplace, having set the tea onto boil for something to settle his nerves after the lesson. His amber fell onto the green-haired Quakist, and narrowed. "Ryoko-san, I admire your control, but you have to loosen your grip. That's the only way you can let some of your magic seep out."

Ryoko crossed her arms. "Maybe I just can't do it." Rumiko fisted his hands on his hips. "Don't give me that. Mages are always capable of using their abilities, just at different strengths and restraints. Now," He sat down in a chair in the center of the room, away from the table, and looked at Ryoko, "try to make the ground under me, under the chair, shake, enough to knock me off the chair."

Ryoko closed the blue-eyes, and imagined the ground under him move. A sigh from his direction proved that she was doing it wrong. "Ryoko, don't just imagine it happening. Make it happen. Do something, anything that you believe would make the ground under me move." Ryoko held her right hand out and push with her mind, as hard as she could, but it just wouldn't work.

Growling in frustration, and her anger for not having any talent in this field whatsoever, she stomped her foot. A shockwave shook the entire house, enough to knock some of her friends off their seats. Her jaw dropped as she felt it. Rumiko stood and brushed off his white robes. "Very well, Ryoko. That was exceptional for someone of your strength."

Izumi, on the other side of the room, was not as amused. "Ryoko, did you have to go all out?" she whined, rubbing her head. She leaned on the table in front of her. "I have such a headache and that didn't exactly help." Hikaru, next to her, crossed her arms. "Aer, Izumi, stop whining. Nobody wants to her this shit. 'Oh, I have a headache, feel sorry for me, boo hoo.'" A scowl was set in her young-looking face, one that was pointed at everyone, and no one at the same time.

Izumi narrowed her visible crimson eye at her best friend. Just then, the teapot started whistling. Her glare zipped over to the kettle, and it tipped over immediately, the boiling water dousing the fire underneath. The sudden death of the only fire in the room made Jun feel like something in him had escaped, like his soul. He gasped and shuddered, hugging himself against the empty feeling.

Rumiko rubbed his temples. "Izumi, your signature is all over my fireplace as it is. Did you have to do that?"

"Signature?" asked Itsuki, seated the farthest away from Ryoko. Rumiko nodded. "Signatures are what we use to determine one's magic from another. Say if Lady was to use her magic to levitate something. It would have gravity magic traces on it. But one would be able to distinguish that it was she that used gravity magic on it, and not Akatsuki-san. Something of a magical finger print."

Those present nodded, taking in this information. Akito raised his hand in question. "But how does that apply to Copies? I mean, if you use someone else's magic-"

"My signature would be erased, and it would say it was that person's magic was on it, not me using theirs."

~*~

After their own magic lesson, Yurika was surprised to see Ryoko sitting by herself at the pilot's table in the cafeteria. In fact, there was no one else in there except the cooking crew. Which did not include Akito at the moment. Yurika walked over to the unfamiliar table and sat down next to her. "Are you all right, Ryoko?"

"No." Such a short statement, in such a monotone voice, made Yurika's eyebrows gather. The statement held so much power in it, yet it was not intentional. She rested her head in her hands. "How come?"

Ryoko stared at the metallic surface of the table. "I guess my life is just sucking lots of ass right now." She crossed her arms. "Itsuki is breathing down my neck constantly, we're always fighting, and it's about the stupidest things, you know? And this whole magic thing. I can't help but feel jealous of Hikaru for being better than me. I've always been the best, and now that she's better than me… I don't know. I should feel happy for her, but the fact that I'm not happy for her makes me feel guilty."

Yurika nodded slowly. "I understand. To tell you the truth, I don't like Ninlan very much. I'm not into the whole medieval thing. And magic is so… wrong."

"How so?"

"Miss Fressange and Rumiko-san both say I'm Magus's Rage. My magic is tied to the minds of people. I can look into people's minds and know what they're thinking."

"Doesn't sound so bad to me."

"Well," Yurika looked at the table as well, "It wouldn't be, if it weren't for the other side of it. I can control what people think, say, and do. The correct term for my magic is… Possession."

"Holy crap," gasped Ryoko. "Shit, man." Yurika nodded, a sad smile playing her lips. "Yeah. Though, Nagare keeps telling me I can possess him any time I want, I think he just wants me to feel more comfortable about it with him."

Ryoko stopped staring at the table and looked Yurika in the face, like a friend. "What's been going on between you two, anyway?"

"Oh, wouldn't you know it. The asshole starts to show me that he can be good to women, but I still don't trust him."

"Even though you're fucking him."

Yurika grinned. "Yeah, pretty much!" Ryoko chuckled. "So, is he any good?" Yurika shook her head. "Not really. I've had much more satisfaction from masturbating, but hey. What're you gonna do?"

Ryoko started laughing. "I never actually thought I would have a conversation with you about sx, Kanchou!" Yurika smiled. "Me, either. Is Itsuki any good?" Ryoko's laugh was cut short. She pushed a green lock of hair behind her ear. "When it's not make-up sex." Yurika winced. "Ouch. That's got to hurt." Ryoko sighed. "Don't I know it."

Yurika rested a hand on Ryoko's cheek. "No matter how many times you fight, don't let it go. You know that this is right. I know it, you know it, she knows it, and the rest of the damn crew knows it." Ryoko nodded. "It's just our differences-"

"Have to be conquered. Ryoko, you have to stay together. Imagine your life without her anymore."

Ryoko's face went blank, and so did her mind. She felt something touch her inside. Yurika nodded. "Nothing, right?" Ryoko nodded. "Is that-"

"Yes."

~*~

Akatsuki steered clear of Ryoko on his way to the cafeteria, but he found Yurika sitting there, contemplating. He walked over and hugged her from behind. "Hey."

Yurika looked behind her and smiled. "Hey." Something in her tone made Akatsuki's eyebrows knit. "What's wrong?"

Yurika shook her head. "Oh, nothing really." She leaned back into his hug and closed her eyes. "I was just talking to Ryoko about her rocky relationship, and thinking." She took a deep breath. "She and Itsuki are always fighting, and making up, and fighting, and making up. In an endless cycle, you know? And I was just wondering…"

"How serious am I about this relationship?" Yurika's jaw dropped. "How did you know?" Akatsuki laughed. "It was obviously coming. I saw it a mile away." He tone fell till it sounded more like purring then talking. "Yurika, I've been with lots of women in my time. Many of them wanted me for money, for sex, for love. I never got serious with any of them. You're the only one I've actually seduced with my charm, and not with anything else. Not to mention you ARE a fine catch." He kissed her neck, enjoying how she began to relax even more into his arms. "No, you and I will be together for some time. Unless you decide to find someone else." Yurika shook her head in her incoherent thoughts. "No. I won't. For now at least."

The cocky gravity mage smirked. "And now is all that matters."

~*~

A pair of cold hands slid over Ruri's eyes. "Guess who?" Ruri almost smiled. No one had hands as cold as, "Omoikane," she guessed, knowing she was right. The hands slid away. She turned to see Omoikane pouting. "You weren't supposed to guess…" Ruri turned back around. "Why did you call for my attention, Omoikane?"

"Oh!" He straightened up, somewhat soldier-like. "It's lunchtime, Ruri-sama. I'm supposed to take your shift!" Ruri sighed. The idea of food, especially with lessons later on that day, sounded horrible. "No, thank you, Omoikane. I'm not hungry."

Omoikane blinked, the electric lights in his eyes fading in and out. "But, Ruri-sama, you must eat to keep up your strength." Ruri shook her head. "It won't keep up my strength if I vomit it up later." Panic shook Omoikane; was there something wrong with Ruri? "Are you sick, Ruri-sama? Yu really shouldn't be working, then. I'll take you to the infirmary." Ruri turned quickly and shook her head. "I'm not sick, Omoikane. Just exhausted. And I don't have much of an appetite. That's all." Omoikane looked at the ground, ashamed for assuming that she was not well. Ruri felt guilty at making the robot feel bad, and came up with a solution.

"You know, Omoikane, I don't think I will go to lessons today. Can you walk me to my room? I think I'm going to take a nap." Joy brightened Omoikane as he nodded his head quickly, pulling Ruri out of her seat and in the direction of the dorms. Though it was a bit difficult, Ruri smiled, happy with the concern he showed her. He may have loved her, but he was still a very good friend.

~*~

There was a knock at Akito's door. His eyes widened and, expected a certain someone, he ran over and opened the door. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't who he was expecting. He relaxed immediately. "Hey, Jun."

Jun waved a little bit. "Um, can I come in?" Akito suddenly remembered that he had manners and nodded, letting the fire mage into his room. Jun walked over and sat on Megumi's beanbag chair, refusing to sit on Akito's futon, which is where Akito sat now.

"Did you want something, Jun?" asked the Martian, a little wary of having the person who he knew hated him for the time that Akito was with Jun's love, Yurika. Jun shrugged. "No. Not really. I just wanted to know if there was something wrong with you. You've been pretty quiet for the past few weeks. Does this have anything to do with Gai's letter?"

Akito threw up his hands in frustration, falling backwards onto his sheets. "Does my mood always have to go back to that? Jes- uh, Aqua! Shit!" Jun smiled. This was the Akito their group missed, the comical, cynical Martian bitch that could never take the heat. He continued to rant, however. "Maybe I'm not so upset about Gai as I am about Yurika and all you assholes!"

"Eh?" The last part caught Jun off guard. "Us?" Akito nodded furiously from where he lay. "Yes, you. All I've been hearing since I confronted him about his letter is 'is it a rebound' or 'you just want someone to hug you and kiss you and call you sexy.' It has nothing to do with that! Can't anyone see that I love him, dammit?"

Jun wrapped his arms around his torso. "What about Kanchou, Akito?" The cook seemed to have an answer for that, too. "Yurika told me that she feels like a damn pedophile when she's with me. But that doesn't bother me so much anymore. But seeing her with that perverted PRICK pisses me off just as much." Jun nodded. "I understand entirely. Frankly, Yurika could do so much better. Akatsuki is just so ruthless… I wouldn't be surprised if he's slept with every woman on this ship, behind Yurika's back. And she's threatened to cut his dick off with a spork if he did." Akito sat up, leaning on his elbows. "I thought it was stab to death with a spork." Jun shrugged. "Which one would make him cry more?" Akito smiled. "True."

"I may have cried every night when you were with Yurika, no matter how short the timeframe was, but it was certainly easier to let go and cry, than want to rip Akatsuki limb from limb for using his seduction skills on MY Yurika," grumbled Jun. Akito smirked. "YOUR Yurika, now?"

"You better friggin' believe it."

~*~

Inez was not quite happy with the size of her class today. With Ruri not feeling well, as reported by Omoikane, and Akatsuki and Yurika ditching to go have sex, as reported by Uribatake, the only one in her lab besides her was Yukina.

'"But with hard times comes great opportunity,' thought Inez, quoting a scripture from the Book of Holy Words, 'especially to those the Gods favor."' She smirked. 'If the Gods don't favor me, I would have died years ago.' "All right, Yukina. Since these slackers just want to spend time in their beds, we get to have a little one-on-one class, today. Besides, I don't think I've worked with you quite as much as the others."

"Because my magic isn't as complex as the others, so with simple training, I should be able to use it on my own." Inez winced at Yukina's words. "Did I say that? Never mind. Well, do you think you've been handling it well?"

Yukina shook her head, ashamed. "No, ma'am. I don't think I've doing well at all. I mean, it's just so confusing-" Inez nodded. "And the way I've been teaching Ruri, Kanchou, and Nagare isn't the same with you. You have pure power, Yukina. They have power to use with things, but you can use it directly. You have to channel it." Inez held out her right hand. "Try to find my magic and memorize it. As you become more used to the process, it will only take seconds." Yukina grasped Inez's hand and closed her eyes. She felt a dark green, glowing mass. In her mind's eyes, it looked like Martian desert, blue eyes that reflected trauma, young pigtails, extensive education, the title of doctor. 'Miss Fressange.' Yukina memorized her magic and being in a matter of minutes. As her eyes opened, they near-glowed with a dark green tint. Inez smiled. "Good, now just channel the power through your body, towards something. I would suggest the floor, levitating yourself."

Yukina felt the foreign magic in her, and she gathered it into her hand. She abruptly opened her hand, letting all the magic push against the ground with such a force that she zoomed up into the air. She opened her eyes, and sank to the floor slowly. The dark green tint faded, and disappeared.

Inez clapped as she fell to the floor, exhausted. "Nice work. Exceptionally well for you, as you haven't had any direct education yet." Yukina looked up from the floor and smiled weakly.

"Great, can someone help me up now? My body feels like gelatin." Inez chuckled and lifted the Jovian girl off the floor. "Another round before you head to bed?"

~*~

Do they actually believe they can stop Me, Magus the Ambitious? Oh, what fools! And their teachers are just as foolish. One of My own teaching Elementals, and not reporting that GIRL! And their teaching methods, ha! If I knew the methods have gotten so pathetic, I'd have killing My own Messengers by now!

My amusement has reached a new stage. Their incompetence has gotten boring. However, I am highly amused by the prospect of them attempting to defeat Me. Oh, it will be much fun. I will play with them like a child does to the ants before squishing them like the insects they are. I will enjoy it.

I cannot wait until our inevitable battle.

~*~

Itsuki knocked on the dorm room door. The door opened, revealing Minato, still wide awake and still in her uniform, despite it being around midnight. "Itsuki-san?" Itsuki nodded. "Minato, can I talk to you?" Minato let her in her room, but did not let the question drop. "About what?"

"Well, I just need to talk to someone that's not so close to the problem." Minato nodded; Ryoko had done the same thing with Kanchou a few weeks ago. Oh, the things you learned on the Nadesico grapevine. "Well, start ranting about Ryoko, then."

Itsuki didn't bother to ask how she knew; she was sitting in front of one of the biggest gossips on the crew. "I don't know what's come over me lately. I've just been rabid about music to her, and it's not making things any better the way I keep picking her works apart. But she's just so thickheaded, she refuses to listen to my constructive criticism! And then we just break up, then make up later. It just a never-ending cycle that's tearing us farther and farther apart and I don't know how to fix it!" Itsuki sighed, feeling the weight off her shoulders already.

"It seems to me like you're just bickering like a married couple. But it's kind of like a napkin." To demonstrate, Minato ripped a paper towel off the roll in her bathroom, then came back to her room. "You rip it apart somewhat, over and over," she ripped it, stopped, and repeated the process, "And it will eventually separate." When she said that, the paper towel ripped in two. "And it'll be even harder to put back together. But if you tape it up while it's still somewhat together, it may not be perfect, but it will be much more connected than if left hanging."

Itsuki smiled. "I don't know if anyone's told you this, but Tsukumo-san picked a great one. Beauty, brains, and I bet you can kick ass too, so brawn." Minato smiled back at the purple-haired lesbian. "That's a wonderful compliment, Itsuki. I'm sure he agrees with you."

Itsuki turned to leave. "Minato, I know he does. Because it's the undisputable truth."

~*~

Yukina wasn't seen until she wandered into the hangar the next morning. Yawning, she glanced around the gigantic room for any sign of the Peaceland Prince. She saw some trace of silver and blue in Uribatake's office, so she went in there.

Ariko was digging for one of the specially created toolkits when Yukina greeted him. "Ohayou, Ariko-chan! What's up?" He jumped and hit his head on a shelf above him. Rubbing his head in pain, he glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, hi, Yukina-san. I'm just looking for something- oh, there it is!" He grasped the box and checked inside for everything, then headed out the door. "I'll see you later!"

Yukina followed him. "Now just hold on. We never get to talk anymore, Ariko! You're the only person anywhere near my age that's not a robot or a stoic psycho, so talk to me!" Ariko turned his head towards her, still heading in the direction of the Y-Unit. "Well, what do you want to talk about, Yukina-san?"

"What have you been doing lately?" Ariko shrugged. "Helping fix up the Nadesico so she'll run. And, since the attempts to take off a few days ago proved futile, trying to figure out what went wrong with the PT Engines. Which is where I'm going now."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me." Ariko blushed suddenly, unexpected to Yukina. First her jaw went slack, then a big grin broke out on her face. "Ariko… Ariko… ARIKO~!!! You have been avoiding me, ne? I wonder why that is~? You like me, ne~? Ariko, you do, ne? I know you do!" She started poking him in the shoulder. "You want me, don't you Ariko-chan? Ne? Ne? I knew it! I knew it!" Ariko blushed even more, if it was possible. "Shut up! I do not!" But it was a lost cause. Yukina knew his little secret about her and all she was going to was tease him.

And he dropped the box on his toe. It just seemed like one of those days.

~*~

Jun was surprised when Yurika came up to him at breakfast. "Jun, can we talk?" Jun nodded, confused, and left the room with catcalls and cheers shouted for him by his tablemates.

When they left the cafeteria, Yurika hugged him. "Oh, Jun. I just realized how truly awful I've been to you this whole time, and I want to apologize. Please forgive me?" Jun, dazed by this situation, nodded slowly again, and started to reach up to hug her. "Of course I forgive you, Yurika, uh, I mean-Kan-" Yurika pulled away suddenly. "Jun, I'm asking you this as a friend." Jun's expression darkened. The hall seemed to become hotter. "I know."

"No, Jun, you don't." She made him look at her. "I know you love me. Why else would you have proposed to me? And you know I love you. Why else would I accept? But, Jun, that love has rotted. I only love you as a friend, my best friend. I'm aware that you love me as something more. But you have to accept it. I'm with someone else now. Crying and violent fits will not change it, and though they may lead to an escape, it's not the best thing to do." Jun's eyes welled up, and he stared at the floor.

"I never want to lose you, Jun. I may not love you the same way, but I do just as much. And I want you to still give me advice when I need it." She turned his face towards hers again. "I mean, I missed you telling me how much of a dumbass I was for sleeping with Nagare!" A weak smile tugged Jun's lips. Yurika smiled brilliantly at him. "I appreciated you when you quit the UEAF for me, and I appreciate you the same amount now. We were always a great team in school, and on the ship, despite how ditzy we all know I am. And I don't want you to suddenly not ever talk to me again. Okay?"

Jun buried his face into Yurika's shoulder and pulled her to the ground with him. "I love you, Yurika, I love you so much…" She patted his back. "I know. I love you too."

~*~

Hikaru headed towards the hangar bay, wanting, needing to talk to Uribatake. She hadn't felt quite herself in a few days, and she needed to talk to someone that wouldn't question, unless it's to find out more, and that would listen and understand.

But she just couldn't find him. The hangar seemed much busier than usual, and she didn't see a single mechanic with Uribatake's trademark leather jacket. She shrugged; this was a problem easily solved. 'Just ask one of the guys where he went.'

She walked up the closest mechanic, a guy with chin length floppy blonde hair and cute little blue eyes. She tapped his shoulder and smiled at him. "Excuse me, but do you know where I can find Uri-P?"

He narrowed his already small eyes at her. "And why should I tell you?" His cold tone caught her off guard. Her red eyebrows knit. "Because I'm his friend and I need to talk to him."

He scoffed. "Well, Amano-SAN, Chief is busy right now and can't be bothered. Come back and ask him to make models with you later, all right?" His sarcasm in his voice made Hikaru fume, which of course made the air in the room move much more. Ignoring her hair flying in all directions, she glared at the mechanic. "Just tell me where the fuck he is, will you?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Look, Amano. He doesn't need some ugly little redhead to keep him company. I don't see why he bothers with you. You're not anything special. So why don't you just go back to your room and draw while we get some real work done."

Hikaru's eyes welled up and she ran off. 'I am not ugly. I'm just short. And I am something special. Aren't I? And Uri-P is my friend… why was the man so rude to me? I don't even know his name!' When she reached the room she shared with Ryoko and Izumi, she clambered up the ladder. She didn't stop rushing until she was wrapped in her blanket and rubbing her face in her pillow. Then she finally let herself cry.

~*~

TBC…

~*~

A/N: I told you, boring characterization. Oh well. Just a little more to this before the plot begins to rear it's ugly head right smack dab in the middle of it. Am I wasting time? In a way. See, I want them to get somewhat good at their newfound skills, and that takes time. I want them to have some chance in the climactic fight, you know. So that's why we're seeing so much characterization and relationship building now. All righty, next time! Finally, another breakfast scene! More Hikaru getting upset, things get patched up… and some touching of the actual plot! WOW! Anyway, until next time, sayonara! Constructive criticism is adored and reviews are cherished!