Author's Notes: Guess what guys? I'm back! Here's the long awaited fourth chapter. It's pretty big I think, and it's finally finished!

Enjoy the read guys.

(Disclaimer: Yeah, you know this by now.) --'

Chapter 3: Thoughts on the Journey

The sides of the bladewing shook as it made its steady descent through the atmosphere of Planet Ice. The rhythmic chattering of the hull shook my seat, where I sat trying to brace the constant rocking that always made me nauseous. My usual escorts, Draelus and Kylenn, sat at the forward controls navigating.

Flights like this were always boring, so I let my mind wander across the lit panels that coloured the interior, fabricating whatever designs I could decipher from the blinking lights. Femur's escort ship was just ahead, on a course heading to one of the landing fields nearest to the medical facility.

"Transmission coming through, my lady. It's from Emperor Femur. Shall I put him through?"

"Yes Draelus. My private channel, please."

Femur's face emerged from the holo-screen, a worried look etched on his face. "Hey kid. Just. . . wondering how you're holding up."

"I'm alright Femur," I replied, looking between my legs. "I guess I'm a little nervous."

"Well don't be," he said. "It's not like you did anything wrong. What do you have to worry about?"

"A. . . bunch of things. . . the day of the crash. . . what we talked about. . ." I trailed off, unaware as I slowly became overcome with thought. "I still think about it."

"I see," he nods his understanding. "But you should talk to him anyway, he'll be happy to see you. After all, the first thing he did when he woke up was to ask for ya'."

I stared blankly at the floor. "Oh. . . I see. . ."

Femur gave a slight grin. "Well, I guess I'll hang up for now. Take care, princess."

"Thank you Femur." His face dissolved back into the projector as the transmission ended.

I leaned back in my seat, the distress from those seemingly endless days having taken its toll upon my body. I drifted away, letting the world around me drown me in its entirety.

My eyes began to open.

The blackness of space returned to the cockpit window, only the hum of the engines filling the silent gap. The two guards then melted away. The smell of the air changed, and I couldn't feel the floor anymore, nor the seat I was sitting in. Everything became smothered as I awaited the approaching dream.

And as if I was only watching, there was Pyrus sitting at the pilot seat, navigating the bladewing, while I sat next to him arms folded, the foul mood of defeat seeming to cloud over my antennae. He tried to look encouraging.

"Don't feel so bad, Zera. You tried your best," he said. "You just need to take it easy okay? It's not like you're trying to prove something."

"I'm just as good as you are Pyrus," I pouted, looking at him. "Wait until next time. Then I'll show you what I'm really made of."

"You always say that!" he smirked. "And you always end up on the ground, face flat."

I was fuming, looking away and trying to think of something to throw back at him. "Those were just. . . warm-ups! Practice! Nothing more! I'm saving myself for the real showdown, just you wait and see."

"'Real showdown?'" he laughed hysterically. "Man, you're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes," came the retort. "If I'm going to gain the respect of anybody, I'll have to show that I know how to fight."

"Well, I think everyone knows that, including your dad," he smiled.

"I'm going to prove to everyone that I'm not just some spoiled brat who gets her way." An air of determination was in my voice. "That I am not a child anymore, and that I can make my own decisions now." I looked back at Pyrus. "After all, you did. You ruled an entire planet for-"

The cheerfulness in his expression became discoloured as he heard that. I then regretted letting those words leave my lips. He turned himself away, infuriated.

"Pyrus. . . I'm sorry," I said, trying to ease the situation. It had been ages since I had seen that reaction before.

"It wasn't because I wanted to." His tone was low, something I wasn't used to. "I only became a ruler because both my parents died."

"I understand that Pyrus. I just remembered that story." I said. "My father told me."

Pyrus was only four when his father died, his mother having passed away from an illness soon after his birth. It was then that they conferred to him his position as ruler. All the responsibility was forced onto him at such a young age. After that most of his life was buried in conferences, paperwork, and taking care of the needs of his people. He had no friends, since he was mostly shut in the palace being prince. He didn't go to school either, since he had the Vizier to tutor his education. The only time he seemed to come out was to his father's bridge, a lifetime ago, before the Beast devoured his home.

There were times when I could see it in his eyes: the weariness, the dark sacks that hung below those bright blue globes, looking as if they have been drained of all life. Sometimes, even when I insult him, he doesn't seem to fight back anymore. . . everything about him seemed different now. It all seemed wrong.

I looked at him solemnly. I could only come to understand what he had endured his whole life; growing up without his parents, losing the places that embodied his few happy memories, bearing the lone responsibility of being royalty, and finally, losing the Vizier, who was his only remaining parent figure.

Why did all this have to happen to him?

Pyrus gave me an odd glance. "Is there something wrong?"

I blinked awake as I re-emerged from my contemplation, realizing I was still staring at him. Sitting up straight, I avoided the question, trying to revert back to my regal posture as to hide my embarrassment.

He laughs half-heartedly, enjoying that moment of awkwardness. "I never seem to get tired of you, Zera."

"What do you mean by that?" I enquired.

"You're hiding something, I can tell," he replies. "C'mon Zera, spill it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. . ."

He sighed, his face becoming serious. "Zera, something is bothering you. You seem to look worried sometimes, and I'd like to know why."

"I am not worried about anything! Do I look worried to you?"

"You did before!"

And there I was, being immature again, cowering behind my wall of denial, my only defence against his constant prodding for the truth. That was Pyrus, always there with his stalwart approach. How I hated him for that.

"No I didn't!"

"Don't lie, Zera!" The exchange was turning hideous.

"Why are you asking me this, lavahead?"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU OKA-?"

Pyrus suddenly gasped, the revelation of what he just said starting to encompass him. His eyes darted to the floor, then to the cockpit window, quivering as his heart began to batter at his chest. Such was his desperation.

The disbelief came to me as well; my eyes grew to the size of moons before I felt the strange flush reach my cheeks. I saw the same as well in Pyrus. Everything about him seemed to change amidst the silence that followed; the way the flame that towered his head seemed to dazzle the interior of the bladewing, the way the features in his face became tense after his admittance. . .

We both sat quietly, gazing out into space. Pyrus tried his best to stay composed as he continued to follow the flight path, while I fidgeted in the passenger seat beside him. Other than my father, of all people Pyrus was the first to say those kinds of words to me. I put my hands between my knees, feeling the anxiety build from my proximity to him, trying to avoid the urge to glance at him.

For the minutes that passed and we didn't speak, the tension became so much higher. There was no way I could argue with him about this, but I couldn't keep quiet about it either. His words echoed through me, looping like a broken transmission, driving me mad. But in an odd sort of way, it was delightful. . . cute. . .

And of all things. . . flattering?

"Pyrus?" I whimpered, almost pathetically.

There was a delicate pause before he finally responded, "Yes?"

"I. . . I. . . I didn't. . ."

My tone of voice suddenly changed when I saw several black objects pierce the vast theatre of stars, each emanating a terrifying and ominous glow. "Beast drones? Beast drones!"

"Huh? Where?" Pyrus looked and saw them too, an entire squadron coming in from their starboard side, heading towards Planet Ice. They were a kilometre away, so the drones didn't see them.

"They're attacking my home!" I cried, watching the dogfight already ensuing with the ice fleet.

"I'll try to warn the other planets." Pyrus keyed in the link, informing the planet leaders of the incoming assault. While he spoke, I could see contacts blot the sensor display, indicating the approach of other beast squadrons. It looked like another one of their hit and run raids, but this one seemed bigger than the last ones.

After hearing from each of the leaders, he closed the link. "All the planets are on red alert, and they're scrambling everything."

Just then, Pyrus saw the incoming hail of enemy fire, and managed to dodge it. Pyrus spun his head around to see a dozen drones swarm past them, preparing for another attack pattern.

"Uh-oh," said Pyrus, turning the bladewing to port, barely avoiding the next hail as several shots burned skid marks into the underside of the hull.

"Pyrus! Get us out of here!" cried Zera.

"I'm trying!" Pyrus made a zig zag towards Planet Rock. "Hold on, ice top, this is gonna get bumpy!"

"Ohhh!" I cried as we dove straight to Rock, with the beast drones closing in.