Chapter Seventeen - Wishes

"Hey, Teal'C", Jack passed his friend in the corridor on his way to the cafeteria, "I was about to grab a little bite to eat. Would you like to accompany. I mean, you haven't eaten for..."

"One day, twelve hours and twenty-eight minutes", the Jaffa replied, "I think I should join you, O'Neill."

"Fine, let's go", the colonel went ahead and Teal'C followed him.

As soon as they had sat down at a table Jack was eager to get answers to some questions:

"And you're saying that she's older than Bra'tac?" he questioned unbelievingly

"Not much", Teal'C said with a thin smile.

"But that'd mean she's round about three hundred years old."

"Not really", his friend smiled again, "she has missed a lot of time, so she is only about 26 years of age."

"Confusing, really", he frowned, "But have you known about who she is since the minute she's come here?"

"No, I was only suspecting. But I got clarity as her powers hit me", Teal'C said openly.

"And how did you get that clarity?" Jack questioned stupidly.

"I just felt it."

"Oy", the colonel frowned, "Akahoshi's so nice but so strange at the same time."

"Jack? Have you just called me strange? And could it be that you've used my first name?"

Jack winced at the sharp female voice behind him and turned around slowly. His jaw dropped at Akahoshi's aspect in the pretty, white dress she was wearing.

"Uh, Princess, I...", he stammered.

She tutted and folded her arms in front of her chest, "How dare you? You're still a small underling compared to my position. So what do you have to call me?"

"Princess Akahoshi?"

"Also wrong", she cocked her head and turned to Hotaru who had been standing to her left, "Would you tell Jack over here what he has to call me?"

Hotaru smirked and said, "To you she's the Myoujou no Jotei no hime or the Myoujou no hime sama."

Jack raised both his eyebrows, "Could you stop speaking Japanese with me? Please?"

"Not until you've said it right once", Setsuna made clear from Akahoshi's right side.

"Okay", he cleared his throat, "So you're the Myoujou no Jotei no hime, right? And I'm sorry for using your first name."

"Thank you, Jack", Akahoshi chuckled, "and from now on you're officially allowed to call me Akahoshi."

"Oh, you", he stood up and embraced her, "I'm so glad to see you're well again and not bitching with me for the first time. "

"Have I? Oh, I'm so sorry for what happened. I couldn't control myself", she blushed a little.

"I know that. S'okay", he sat down again, after offering her a chair as well, "You had it pretty hard."

"Yeah", she wiped away a small tear, "but it's over now and I can have a normal life for the first time."

"If I can help you with that in any way..." Jack proposed.

"There's something you could do for me, indeed", she gave in a little shyly.

"What is it?" he inquired and she bent forward to whisper into his ear.

As the princess was done he eyed her for a long moment pondering, "And you really want that?"

"Yes, I do", she said decidedly.

"Okay, in that case I'll talk to Hammond and see what we can do for you."

"Thank you very much", she rose slowly and said, "I'll go and say hello to the others now. If you'd apologize me..."

"Course", he smiled at her warmly and she hugged him again, leaving the cafeteria as soon as she had come.

Jack followed her with his eyes till she was out of sight then murmured, 'What's gotten into her?"

Teal'C cracked a knowing smile not saying a word.

xxxxx

"Princess", Michiru stiffened as Akahoshi approached her.

"Michiru..." the princess smiled at her friend, "thank you for the things you've done for me."

She smiled back at her saying, "That's what makes the honor of serving you as a guardian."

"Thank you anyway", she bowed her head aside changing the subject, "Where's Haruka? I think I have to talk to her."

Hearing this Michiru had to frown, "So you've really felt it?"

"Yes", the princess turned away, "I'll find her in her quarters I suppose..."

xxxxx

"You didn't believe in me and you have insulted those who did their best to help me."

Haruka did not turn around and kept on staring at the wall for she knew exactly the look on Princess Akahoshi's face: Frigid, accusing and uncomprehending.

"Why have you done this to me?"

"Because I did not believe in you", Haruka gave in plainly.

"Have you really thought I wouldn't make it?" Akahoshi said demandingly.

"No, not without help."

"Well, I had help, but not from you", she went on.

"Who helped you?" Haruka inquired confusedly.

"Serenity did", Akahoshi stated, "she appeared to me while you left me alone as I would have needed your strength."

"I see that I've made a mistake", Haruka gave in reluctantly.

"No, you don't", the princess retorted angrily.

"Because I don't see why I shan't get roused ", she said decidedly.

"Good", Akahoshi turned to leave, "then, I expect a formal apology as soon as you see your mistake. Otherwise there's no need for us to talk anymore. I'm disappointed of you, Ten'ou Haruka."

As she was on her own again Haruka let out a long groan, it was an understatement that she had to follow her princess's orders; but now, for the first time since very long, she was not willing to concur, because she knew for sure that Princess Akahoshi herself had given up and it felt as if she was

reprimanding her guardian for her own problems.

xxxxx

The door to General Hammond's office was open. Jack knocked on the frame once and poked his head around the corner before he finally entered.

His CO looked up, "Colonel, what's the matter?"

He cleared his throat preparing for the request he had to bring forward, "Sir. Princess Akahoshi has just asked me a favor we need to talk about."

"So, what does she want?" Hammond asked showing him to have a seat.

"Well, she voiced it like this: Now that she's free to start a new life there's one wish she'd finally like to fulfil...", he paused chewing his lower lip.

"And?" the general leaned forward expectantly.

"She's always dreamt of becoming a fighter pilot and so she asks if there's possibly a way for her to attend AF academy. "

Hammond put his chin onto the back of his hand furrowing his brows in thought, "And this is what she really wants?" he pondered.

"I've asked her exactly the same question, Sir", Jack admitted.

"So she knows what she's in for", his CO murmured, "Perhaps there's a way to give her a chance through recommendations for I don't think she's ever graduated from school somewhere."

"Surely not", Jack frowned, "but she's really smart."

The general went through his thoughts for another moment then stated, "I'll try my best to move things for her. If I've got something I'll let you know."

"Thanks a lot, Sir", the colonel smiled thinly, "Though I can't accustom to the thought of the princess being kicked through basic training seeing the way she usually orders people around..."

"Me neither, Colonel", Hammond gave in.

xxxxx

"You haven't settled things with her", Setsuna noted right away as she saw Akahoshi demeanor.

"No, but I've given her a chance to apologize", her friend sighed.

"Which she won't take."

"Likely ", the princess shook her head sadly, "and it's disappointing, although I won't even need her in my new life."

"So you've decided to stay here", Setsuna said trying to change the subject slightly.

But Akahoshi merely returned a simple, "Yes", and walked away hanging after her thoughts.

"I knew it was hard for you", her best friend muttered to herself, "but why don't you talk about it?"

xxxxx

So, now I'm working on a fitting conclusion that won't be too flat, not ending up all the threads how you'd expect it...

So, stay tuned for one more chapter...