Princess of the Zoids: Could it Be Me
Chapter 1: Dreams and Nightmares
"Jiemi!" a dark-haired girl called out.
The young boy looked up. "Ara-san!" Little Jiemi ran over to the girl and locked his arms around her waist. "I've missed you, Aneki."
Ara looked down at her little brother, tousling his dark hair. "Me too, Ototo-chan. How's Father?"
Jiemi looked away. "He's okay, I guess." Jiemi perked up. "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you!" Jiemi pulled his sister toward the house. When they got inside, Ara left her bag next to the door, and walked down the hall to their father's room, Jiemi bouncing along next to her.
"Father," she greeted him, opening the door.
"Arasu!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, trying to sit up. Jiemi ran to help him. "What are you doing here?"
"You were hurt, Father. I had to come home."
"What about school?"
Arasu looked away. "Jiemi," she said quietly, "could you leave Father and I alone for a little while?" Startled, Jiemi nodded, slipping quietly from the room. "Father," she continued softly, "I was expelled."
"WHAT?!?!" he demanded. "You are the daughter of the Wild Eagle! You have a family reputation to keep up!"
"Maybe I don't WANT to!" she yelled back. "I'm sick and tired of being compared to you! The only reason I've put up with it this far is to try and keep Jiemi from going through the same thing! I wish I WEREN'T your daughter!"
"If that's the way you feel, maybe you should just leave."
"If I leave, I won't be coming back." Her father didn't reply. She turned and fled quickly down the hall, snatching up her bag by the door.
Jiemi looked up as she came outside. "Where're you going? You just got home!"
Arasu knelt down in front of Jiemi. "I have to go away." Jiemi started to sniffle. "Now listen to me, Jiemi: I want you to follow your dreams, and don't let anyone get in your way or try to stop you. Then, one day, we'll meet again. I promise you this." She gave her brother one last hug, then stood up and walked away, never looking back...
Arasu sat up suddenly in the darkness. It took her a moment to figure out where she was, and then she realized that she'd been dreaming. She held up a hand to rub her temples, and realized there were tears on her cheek. She wiped them away quickly. No, she told herself. I can never go back. They wouldn't accept me back now, anyway...