Destiny…

A predetermined fate based on the previous actions of a person or a group. Many assume they will never be able to choose their own destiny, that they will always suffer the consequences of their predecessor's actions. But perhaps if one fought hard enough, they could attain the freedom to choose their own destiny, to remove themselves from the shackles of their past actions and strive to become better people.

This is the story that began with a chance encounter…

Oceana Secondary School, Selatapura, 2013.

A young boy wearing a Selatapuran military uniform typed away at a small laptop, sitting on a bench table near the corridor to the classrooms. Several students happily chatted among themselves as they descended down a flight of stairs that was close by. Occasionally one of them would wave at the boy, and he waved back.

As he continued with his work, the audio from a news channel played on his laptop. "Several hours ago, another protest turned into a riot at the currently under-construction International Space Elevator."

"You got NCC later Kyle?" A voice interrupted him from his work. Kyle looked up from his work to see two other boys approaching him. One had a small, typically Usean frame while the other, despite being an Usean as well, was tall and had a thick physique. Kyle stopped typing on his laptop to wave at them. The news channel kept playing at a low volume.

"Yep. Training is until 7pm today. We have a cadet promotion ceremony later. Can't wait to actually have a stripe on my rank," Kyle replied excitedly as the two took a seat at the table. They took notice of the newscaster reporting.

"Can't believe people are going ballistic over the Space Elevator. They should be excited since it's straight out of a Science-Fiction movie," the shorter boy commented.

"Thankfully casualties were at a minimum. However, tensions over the Elevator continue to escalate."

"People continue to surprise me. This Elevator is supposed to help us go to space, yet people are whining about it," the large boy scoffed while drawing a rocket in his notebook.

"Well, there were findings that improper use of funds and unsafe construction had environmental impacts in the area. It's not exactly easy to ignore these things, Viktor," the smaller boy responded.

Viktor could only roll his eyes. "A small price to pay for human advancement JJ. We should be grateful." He turned to Kyle.

"By the way, are you going back to Verusa for vacation this summer?" he asked Kyle. Kyle stopped his work to look at him.

He paused for a moment before responding, "We probably might, but I'm not looking forward to it." JJ looked at him skeptically.

"Why though?" JJ asked, "Did something happen?"

"Nah, it's just that it's going to be hard communicating." Kyle elaborated as he scratched his short black hair, "I'm mostly an Osean speaker and I can't speak Verusan for shit. And they expect me to conform to Verusan culture when I was raised here in Selatapura."

"So, you can't relate to Verusa," JJ concluded. "Understandable, since you were raised here for nearly a decade."

"Pretty much. I also want to serve in the Selatapuran Military since I've always been interested in the Air Force," said Kyle, "I just want to serve the RSAF and Seletapura."

"Seriously Kyle? You know this place isn't really that worth protecting," Viktor scoffed, "Why not Osea?"

"As much as I want to fly the F-22, realistically speaking that's impossible," Kyle responded dejectedly. "I owe a lot to Selatapura as well. I can't imagine where I would be today if I wasn't here."

"I can see why you are so dedicated to the Corps." A voice interrupted their conversation. It came from an older student wearing a military uniform as well. The only difference was the rank he possessed.

"Morning, Staff Sergeant Jordon," Kyle greeted his fellow cadet. JJ and Viktor waved a simple hello before breaking off to have their own conversation, the former taking Kyle's laptop to look something up with Viktor.

"Come on Solares, we aren't in training now. Rank doesn't matter outside of CCA." Jordon casually dismissed him as Kyle got up and walked to the

balcony railing that overlooked the school courtyard. "You seem very patriotic for a foreigner."

"I wouldn't say I'm a patriot, but rather that I just want to serve," Kyle responded honestly. "I've always wanted to join the military, but I've never had a clear direction. Then I rediscovered something from my childhood that made me interested in military aviation."

Kyle extended his hand out to the sky while making a plane gesture. "I want to fly in the blue sky. Commercial isn't enough." He looked up to the sky, admiring the vast blue space above him. "Though Verusa isn't a place I'd call home either, and soldiers need a home, or reason, to protect."

Jordon smiled at Kyle's determination but then changed his expression to a serious one. "Most Selatapura Permanent Residents such as you never really stay long here. What happens when your parents pull you out? Who will you fly for?" Kyle looked at him with a confused expression, clearly never having thought of that. "What if you are forced to return to Verusa because of your blood?"

Kyle could only look to the sky once again, in deep thought at the question directed to him. He faced his superior with a determined look. "Then I'll look for a place to call home, a reason to fly, a nation I can be proud to serve," he declared passionately. "I have no allegiance to Verusa, and if I can't serve Selatapura? Then I'll find my place in this world."

"While you lack confidence and firmness due to your social anxiety, you make up for it with dedication and passion. Respectable." Jordon started walking off. "I'll see you later for training," he said before leaving.

"Yeah," Kyle said softly, "A reason to fly…"

Françoise High School, Farbanti, Kingdom of Erusea, 2013

Around the same time, a girl from another country sang beautifully. On her lap was a notebook with various notes and drawings. Her harmonic voice continued to fill the atmosphere as passersby looked at her with soft expressions. The elegant singing comforted others. She seemed happy singing, as she sat on a grassy patch…

"Rosie!" A voice called out to the girl. The girl looked behind her, her blonde hair swinging in the wind. Two girls with long black hair approached the blonde singer. She waved at them as they approached.

"Lucile! Mathilde!" Rosie greeted her two friends as they took a seat beside her on the grass. Lucile searched in her bag and took out a bottle of orange juice. She gave it to Rosie, who accepted the bottle. Mathilde took out a tablet.

"We have an hour or so before our next class, so let's just hang out here. Maybe practice our singing again," Mathilde suggested. Rosie savored her drink while Lucile simply nodded her head. Mathilde read a news article on her tablet as Lucile looked at Rosie's notebook.

"Wow, it seems Osea's spaceship has left the solar system," Mathilde excitedly read from an article. Rosie and Lucile looked at her with curiosity in their eyes. They had heard about Osea's deep space exploration program.

"That's great! To think we could potentially discover life outside of our planet. It marks a milestone in human history!" Rosie said as she looked over to Mathilde's tablet. Lucile also shifted closer to read the news article.

"Last week, Pilgrim One of the Osean Federation sent their final message before losing contact with Earth. They will continue to explore deep space for several years before finally returning," Mathilde recited off the news article.

Rosie looked up to the air, extending her arm towards the blue sky with her hand making a plane gesture. She seemed to be in deep thought.

"I wonder if there is life out there beyond our reach. I wonder how different we are from them," Rosie wondered softly, "as well as the kind of songs they will have…" Rosie's two friends then start giggling uncontrollably.

"Guys, what's so funny?" Rosie asked. This prompted her two friends to laugh even more, as Lucile fell on her back clutching her stomach. Eventually Rosie joined in their laughter.

"Sorry Rosie. It's just that," Mathilde said as she continued to laugh, "You are always thinking of singing or music," she finished lightheartedly.

"Pretty much," Lucile interjected, "It's either singing or Osean movies." Rosie blushed in embarrassment at the accusations. The three of them continued laughing. Lucile looked at her watch. It was almost time for their class to begin.

"We should get going," she informed them, "Class is going to start soon." They started to pack to get to class. Once they were done, they got up and made their way to their classroom. The three of them walked side by side, talking amongst themselves.

"So when will we ask the music teacher to help us make the Chorus Club?" Lucile asked Rosie as they walked into the school building. Many students were still in the hallway on their way to class. Rosie looked up with her hand on her chin.

"Probably next week? Miss Michele is still busy at the moment," Rosie informed Lucile as they entered their classroom. They took their respective seats and whispered the details to each other as their homeroom teacher took attendance.

"Rosa Cossette Falcinelli?" Rosie raised her hand.

"Present!"

In 2015, tensions around the space elevator continued. Most of the protests were led by Useans who were still against Osea's presence despite the Elevator's role in helping Usea flourish. Sometime later, the Erusean Royal Family and key members of the Erusean government arrived in Selatapura to deal with politics in regard to the elevator.

SMRT Station City Hall, Selatapura, 2015

"The train to Somerset will arrive in 3 minutes," the intercom blared throughout the packed MRT station of City Hall. Kyle, now a lean 15-year-old, casually walked through the crowd. He weaved through the masses while rummaging through his bag, several flyers visible sticking out of it. He moved to an area where not many people were around and crouched to the floor, fixing the bag's contentsAs soon as he had finished fixing and got back up, his phone rang in the pocket of his jeans. He whipped it out to see the caller ID - his father.

He immediately picked up the call. "Hello? Yeah, I just finished with the flyers. Not sure if my friends are gonna continue with the meeting, they had family problems to deal with. Dad, I can't under- please speak Osean. No, I'd rather not speak in Verusan. Look, I might go home now or not, maybe explore Selatapura alone for once. Yes, I'll stay safe. No need for Verusan stuff. Yeah, love you too. Bye." He closed the call once he was done.

He sighed with a gloomy expression. 'Only a few more months until I leave Selatapura', he thought to himself as he started to walk. 'I love this country and I am willing to serve it. But as it stands, I will not be able to. I really should've cherished my time here, now I don't even have much to remember.' He took out a small piece of cloth. It was a Seletapura Military Staff Sergeant chest strap with the letters NCC below it.

'It's funny, I don't have any vivid memories of Selatapura despite my love for it. All I can remember are faces whose names I can't even recall, events which I will never get to experience once again.' He sighed as he placed the rank chest strap back in his pocket. 'At least I can keep my NCC uniform and rank. Achieving it proved to others that I was capable, and that's as good a note as any to end my time here on.'

As he continued to walk through the crowd, he noticed an overhanging TV that a significant amount of people were watching. He focused his eyes on it and the news report being broadcasted. Luckily, its speakers were loud enough for him to hear the report, so he decided to join the others watching.

"Yesterday morning, world leaders and politicians of various nations arrived to discuss the effects of the International Space Elevator as well as the recent problems in regard to the large structure," the newscaster explained. People around Kyle chatted among themselves while Kyle's face scrunched with confusion.

"Man, it's already been 2 years since all of this escalated," he mumbled to himself as he walked away, "Looks like the King of Erusea will be here and whoever his child is too. I think he was a prince..."

"… I guess it's time to head home," he sighed.

Selatapura was a prospering and vibrant city, that was for sure. His job was done and he wanted to get back home, and so he picked up his pace.

"I wish I could actually make one genuine memory here…" He muttered to himself, rounding a corner to return home…

… before promptly walking face-first into another person. Flesh met flesh, bone collided painfully with bone as their foreheads met, and they were both sent sprawling to the ground.

"Ah!"

"Oof!"

Kyle was the first to get back onto his feet. Rubbing the back of his head and looking for the source of his collision, he spotted a small brochure and map of Seletapura in front of him as well as a woman who had also been floored.

She didn't seem to look Seletapuran, with her pure white clothing - it was almost garish, the kind of pure white that blinded, like a wearable flashbang.

'Probably a tourist, then.'

"Are you alright?" Kyle asked, reaching for the map on the floor that the tourist dropped. "I'm so sorry for bumping into you!"

"It's alright, no harm done," the tourist replied. Her voice was sweet yet foreign, and slender fingers also reached out to grasp the map.

What happened next was entirely accidental. Instead of grabbing the map, Kyle grabbed the girl's hand - they were simultaneously reaching for the same object, after all, and she had reached it first.

There was a pause.

They both looked up and made eye contact with each other, and only now did Kyle properly get a look at her. White was evidently a running theme; a white summer dress with a short sleeved white dress jacket that bore a white rose. White porcelain skin, along with the white enamel of an easy happy-go-lucky smile.

However, the most notable thing about her was her eyes. They were blue, sky-blue, and they called to him like the heavens did.

White and blue, like a cloud in the sky on a sunny day. Or an angel.

He couldn't let go.

"Can you hear me?" Kyle snapped out of his trance, her soothing voice taking all of his attention. "Excuse me, could you let go of my hand now?" Her smile was now one of embarrassment.

Kyle looked down to see himself still holding on to the girl's hand. He quickly withdrew it and scratched the back of his head, his face red from shame. Feelings of embarrassment equal to what he saw in the girl mixed with a desire to take her warm hand back in his, but he instantly thought better of it.

"Sorry for bumping into you," Kyle apologized again. He gave the girl a proper look of shame this time, trying to seem less flustered than he was. The girl giggled with a smile, and his heart skipped a beat.

"It's fine, really" she reassured him, "Though I'm…I am somewhat to blame as well, as I was not paying attention to where I was heading. I was trying to find my way around the city" she explained, pointing to the map she was holding.

"So you're a tourist?" Kyle voiced his suspicion, "Are you lost? Do you need help? Help getting somewhere, I mean. Though if you want help with anything else..." The girl looked away with a blush.

"Not exactly… I don't really have a plan or destination in mind," she confessed, "I just grabbed a tourist map and decided to explore the place. I don't know where to go, or how to get there…"

"You just made an impromptu day out here, then? Wanted to see the sights?" Kyle asked skeptically. The girl awkwardly shrunk her shoulders. Still, Kyle couldn't help but admire her. 'She looks even cuter when she's embarrassed.'

"I have an idea! I'll accompany you as a tour guide," Kyle suggested, perking up. The girl looked at him with confusion. "I was going to explore the city myself today anway and I could use some company. We could go together! Er, if you want. It's entirely up to you, of course." He finished with an earnest smile.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to impose," the girl protested, "I can't take away your time." Kyle laughed.

"It's alright, really. I've always wanted to explore the city. Sure, I did it with my family before but that was a long time ago and I was just following them wherever they wanted," Kyle explained, thinking back to those times. "Having some company around my age would make it better. The exploration, that is."

"Well, I am quite lost, and I don't have any idea of what places to visit." The girl sighed before continuing, "And you do seem to know a lot about this place. I do wonder, though… why are you helping a stranger like me?"

Kyle just smiled at her. "Some people say 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met!' I'd like to think that quote could apply here," he explained. The girl looked surprised at the mention of the word friend.

She giggled at his remark. "That's so sweet. I bet you're the type of person who has a lot of friends." Kyle looked embarrassed at the girl's remark.

"Another saying: 'Were it so easy'." He recited the stilted cliche with as much pomp as he could muster. "It… hasn't been going that well for me, honestly." The girl noticed the split second of sadness on Kyle's face before he looked at her and grinned, "Though maybe it'll change today. Would you like to be my friend?"

The girl was taken aback at his blunt statement. 'A friend? I haven't talked to my friends in a very long time. I guess this is an opportunity to make a new one,' she thought to herself, hesitant yet excited at the prospect of finally having a new friend after losing her previous ones.

'WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING?!' Kyle screamed to himself internally. He wasn't the kind of person to say any of this stuff, and he could feel his stomach churning from sheer embarrassment, yet he continued to smile at the girl.

"Friends… okay, let's give it a shot." The girl flashed Kyle another angelic smile. She passed him the map, which he took. He took out his phone, opened it, and started rapidly typing.

"There are several good places to visit. The Selatapura Flyer and the Esplanade both look good. And of course you can't miss the iconic National Theater when visiting here," Kyle explained. The girl listened to him as they walked through the station.

"National Theater?" the girl asked. Kyle paused his ramblings and looked at her, her face showing curiosity and interest.

"The Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay," Kyle clarified, "It's a performing arts theater that looks like a durian." He showed a picture of the theater in question on his phone.

"It's a pretty important place. Back in primary school, my school's choir club won the national singing competition there," Kyle explained as they waited for the train. The girl looked at him with awe.

"A national theater? Can we go there first?" Kyle smiled at the girl's enthusiasm while looking at the overhead TV and its estimation of the train's arrival time.

"Well, there are some places between here and the Esplanade, so we should visit them on our way there." He presented additional places to visit, then asked, "Does that sound good?"

"That sounds great." The train arrived, and they boarded. "I forgot to ask," the girl began, "What was your name again?" she finished hesitantly. Kyle then realized that he hadn't introduced himself.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Please forgive me for forgetting to introduce myself!" Kyle's face turned red in embarrassment before he composed himself, "Well my name is Kyle, Kyle Solares. Hope we can become friends! Or stay friends. Or whatever!"

"Likewise… to all of those" the girl responded before offering her hand to him. Kyle took it and shook her hand.

'A friend, huh?' The girl reflected on her past and her many former friends. 'I lost all of mine when I was put into this position because my father was next in line.' She looked down with sadness in her eyes. 'I wonder if I can meet them again in the future. Everyone now around me just treats me like someone who is above the-' Her internal mumblings were interrupted by Kyle.

"Oh, sorry, what was it?" She looked at Kyle, now staring at her skeptically. "Was there something you were asking?"

"I asked what your name was," Kyle repeated himself. "You forgot to introduce yourself; it looked like you were thinking about something. Is there a problem? Can… can I help?"

"My name?" the girl asked, confused. Her own confusion bewildered Kyle for a second.

"Yeah… Do you not know your own name or am I supposed to already know it?" Kyle asked jokingly.

'He doesn't know my name?' the girl realized, 'But isn't the news of our arrival known at this poin- No, this is a chance.'

She flashed another smile as bright as the sun, Kyle freezing for a split second. "It's Rosa," she introduced herself, "Rosa Cossette Falcinelli.

And so they went. With Kyle's knowledge of the city, they traveled to the various tourist attractions around Seletapura. Kyle guided Rosa around, keeping her entertained and accompanying her. They went to the Seletapura Flyer, where they saw the whole of the city from a bird's eye view. From there was a journey from Gardens by the Bay to Clase Quay. Rosa enjoyed her time, seeing so many different places and attractions, and Kyle was finally able to savor the place where he'd grown up on his own accord.

As the day came to a close, they finally arrived at the Esplanade. The sun reflecting off the structure's windows gave it a sense of beauty, Rosa couldn't help but be awestruck at the building.

"So, this is where performing arts competitions are held," Rosa mumbled to herself.

"Only the important ones," Kyle clarified as he approached her from behind. "The most recent one was the Seletapura Youth Festival. My high school got fourth place this year."

"Unfortunate. It must be hard to win the festival more than once," Rosa said. She climbed up the large flight of stairs that led to the Esplanade. Kyle followed her.

"You must be thinking of my primary school," Kyle clarified once again, "They school won 3 times in my 6 years there."

They entered the building, Rosa walking in front filled with excitement. Several visitors roamed around the shopping area. Rosa looked around and found the directory, studying it before turning to Kyle.

"Is there any way we can access the theatre?" Rosa asked. Kyle studied the directory himself as he thought about her question.

"I'm not so sure. You need tickets to see any performance and I don't think you could just enter a theatre willy-nilly." Kyle shrugged as Rosa continued to study the directory.

"There are several theatres here…" Rosa mumbled to herself before looking at it's direction. There were several guards and lines there, which the main theatre lacked.

"It says here there are no performances for the main theatre." Kyle read from the Esplanade website on his phone. He looked at Rosa, fixated at the entrance to the theatre. "I'm gonna make a wild guess and say that you're interested in some sort of performing art."

Rosa broke out of her daze and blushed. Kyle laughed at her embarrassment, then looked around. Spotting a coffee shop, he turned to her and tapped her shoulder.

"You want something to drink?" he asked. "I recommend a chocolate Frappuccino for this hot day." He pointed to the coffee shop nearby.

She just nodded before returning to studying the directory. Kyle walked into the shop and went up to the cashier, ordering their drinks and waiting at the receiving area. Then he spotted Rosa walk up to the guards and talk to them.

"Looks like your date is going well," A barista commented with a smug grin. Kyle recoiled in embarrassment.

"This isn't a date!" Kyle blurted out, his face now a bright crimson, "This is just a trip between two friends who… just met a few hours ago..!" He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. The barista just laughed as she prepared their drinks. He spotted one of the drinks he bought, now finished and waiting on the counter, and quickly took a sip. His eyes darted around looking for anything to get him away from the situation

"Ah, so a Linder date!" The barista concluded, smacking her fist into her palm. Kyle nearly choked on his drink and coughed violently. Once he cleared his throat, he looked at the barista, still blushing furiously.

"That's even worse!" he exclaimed while banging his drink on the counter, splashing some of it onto his hand. "And I'm only 15! Why would I use Linder?!" The barista simply giggled and finished the rest of Kyle's order.

He looked away to hide his embarrassment, then back at Rosa again to see her still talking to the guards. The guards seemed to be nervous around her, with one of them talking to his radio, before they eventually gave a short bow to Rosa and left Rosa to walk through the hallway and into the main theatre.

'What the hell?' Kyle looked with confusion at the guards who were leaving. He took the two drinks he ordered and made his way to Rosa, who was now waiting for him standing by the door of the theater.

"Now I don't know what you did to get those guards to leave, but is it really a good idea to come here?" Kyle walked up to her, drinks in hand. Rosa just smiled as she took one, thanked him, then opened the door and entered the theater with Kyle nervously following suit.

They entered the large and elegant theater, looking in awe at its beauty. Rosa quickly made her way to the stage. Kyle heard a door open and saw the same two guards there. He started to panic, but then realized that they were just standing there, observing them.

"What the hell…" Kyle couldn't help but swear, confused. Rosa set herself in the middle of the stage, looking out to the empty seats in front of her. She took a deep breath, started to sing a tune, her voice filling the theater. Kyle watched in awe, amazed at her beautiful singing and elegant visage. The guards continued to observe them, albeit captivated by her as well. Kyle took out his phone and took several photos.

Rosa was in the heat of the moment, her eyes closed as she continued to sing. She imagined herself surrounded by her friends whom she had to leave behind. She continued to sing the tune she had sung her entire life. As she reached the end, she opened her eyes and saw the two guards watching her in amazement. She looked down to see Kyle watching her as well, with his jaw wide open.

"Now mind explaining to me how you got us access to the theater? And how do those two guards seem to not mind our intrusion?" Kyle asked. The pair exited the theater as the guards behind them returned to their position at the entrance.

"You could say I have some connections," Rosa replied as she skipped happily forward. Her phone rang for a second before she took it out. She read a text she received, and her expression changed from satisfaction to worry. She looked at Kyle with a sad look.

"It looks like I have to go now," she apologized, "I want to thank you for your hospitality." She bowed before leaving. Kyle just watched as she turned to leave.

"Um, wait!" Rosa stopped walking and turned back to look at him, her face showing a questioning look. "We're still friends, right?" Kyle's question took Rosa back, looking at him in bewilderment.

"Of course we are!" She flashed a cute smile and tilted her head. Kyle sighed in relief and took out his phone.

"Mind telling me your NemoBook account?" He approached her and started to type on his phone. Rosa just looked at him with confusion.

"Nemobook?" Rosa asked skeptically. Kyle pointed to his phone which showed the application with his picture on it.

"Do you have any social media accounts?" Kyle asked. Rosa shook her head. "Grundergram? Twitter? Anything?" Rosa just looked at him perplexed.

"I haven't thought of making one," Rosa admitted shyly. Kyle just looked at her in bewilderment before looking around and spotting a computer café.

"Well why don't we make you one?" Kyle proposed as he pointed to the computer café. "I'd prefer to keep in touch with my friends."

Rosa stared at him as he moved to the computer café,and he looked back to see her still standing there. He smiled and took her hand, dragging her into the café. After paying for one of the computers, they both sat on one of the stations and booted it up, and within a few minutes Kyle began the process to make an account for Rosa.

"All we need is a picture of you and for you to fill out the details." Rosa typed her details as Kyle observed from behind her. She filled out as needed, selecting Erusea as her birth country among other things. She turned to Kyle once she was done.

"I don't have any good pictures with me." She browsed the images of her phone which looked very new. There weren't that many pictures in them, and most of those depicted either scenery or her dog.

Kyle stood there for a second before an idea hit him. He took out his phone and connected it to the computer they were using. After a few seconds, an image popped up - Rosa singing in the theater. Kyle looked away shyly as Rosa stared at the image with disbelief.

"It's perfect." She continued setting up her account, but not before asking, "When did you take the picture, and why?"

"I have no clue. It was just a perfect moment to take." Kyle scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Rosa giggled at his reply, his face turning a bright shade of red.

She continued to fill up the details of her account. After a few minutes, she completed the registration. With a satisfied sigh, she turned to Kyle who was on his phone. A few seconds later, Rosa got a notification on her new NemoBook account. It was a friend request from Kyle.

"Just accept the friend request and we can keep in touch." She clicked on the request and accepted it. A pop up appeared to confirm the request.

"And just like that! We can message each other, video call or audio call whenever we can!" Rosa smiled at Kyle's enthusiasm.

As the sun settled, the pair walked along the path outside of the Esplanade that was by Gunther Bay. The scenery around them was beautiful, from the city skyline to the ocean extending outwards with the in-construction space elevator in perfect view.

"Beautiful…" Rosa looked out to Gunther Bay with awe. "Beautiful emerald south sea water at Gunther Bay." she said, seeming to remember something. Rosa placed her hands on the railing, looking out to the bay. Kyle walked up beside her, opting to lean on the railings instead.

"Thank you for helping me," Rosa thanked Kyle as they looked out to the elevator, admiring the sunset. Kyle looked towards her with another smile.

"I also want to thank you as well." He turned and leaned onto the railing with a satisfied grin. "I finally have one thing I can vividly remember about this country. I've had my regrets, and one of them was not being grateful for the time I've spent here."

Rosa stared at him. She then sighed and gave a look of understanding. "To be pulled away from the life you had into another one you might not desire. I understand the feeling."

"May I ask you a question," Rosa began with a solemn look, "What do you think of the Space Elevator?"

Kyle gave her a quizzical stare before going into deep thought with his hand on his chin. "Well for starters, the Space Elevator is an amazing piece of architecture. Its primary purpose to connect humanity to space is awe-inspiring and impressive."

Rosa sighed before continuing, "Well yes, that is what it is at its core. But I mean what it represents and what it has caused. Ever since ex-president Vincent Harling began its construction, there have been issues and conflicts surrounding it."

Kyle's face morphed into an understanding expression as he came to a realisation. "You are an Erusean, so I guess it's understandable as to why you have doubts about it." He looked at the Space Elevator, his eyes unwavering, "There is a lot of Osean presence because of it, and they are too close to your country."

He sighed before looking up in the air, the setting sun giving a beautiful orange hue to the sky. "I think the best we can all do is to have hope and work for a better future with what we have," he glanced at Rosa who looked back at him, "But above all, have faith in people."

They stood there in silence for a few seconds before Rosa pulled away from the railings. They faced each other one last time. Rosa gave a short bow followed by a smile. "Thank you for what you have done today." She looked at home with a hopeful expression. "I hope one day we will see each other again!"

Kyle lay on his bed, staring at the picture of Rosa he took. He was tempted to send a message to Rosa but decided against it. He got up and left his room. His parents were on the couch watching the news. He went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water…

"Rosa Cossette D'Elise was…"

Upon hearing the name, he stopped drinking from his glass and whipped his head to the Television. His parents were talking amongst themselves about the news, but Kyle's attention was on the girl who was on TV. It was Rosa herself, a smile on her face and as she waved to some off-screen group.

"The D'Elise Royal Family has left Seletapura after the conference on the International Space Elevator. What Erusea will do remains to be seen. Some fear a war might start but with the current divisions in the Erusean Government, it might be some time before that happens."

As the news anchor reported the events of that day, Kyle couldn't help but stare at the TV with absolute shock and disbelief. To think that girl he guided around the city was none other than the Princess of Erusea…

Kalangan, Democratic Republic of Verusa, May 2019

Kyle walked forward with a dead expression. It was another day of living in his birth country. He looked around him with a frustrated stare, rubbing his significantly thinner face. People around him spoke in an alien language, despite being of the same race as him.

"Yo buddy, did you finish the assignment?"A young man of similar age called out to him in Verusan. Kyle turned to see his classmate approach him with a smile. Kyle just gave a deadpan look.

"You know I can't understand that right?" Kyle snarked. His classmate laughed awkwardly and shrugged.

"Well. It is a bit hard for me to speak Osean, alright," he explained with difficulty.

Kyle sighed understandingly. "I know, I know." He walked beside his classmate as they made their way to class. Kyle looked forward with a firm, but depressed expression.

"Really, are you fine?" His classmate repeated his question from before, now with less difficulty and more sincerity. Kyle only sighed, understanding the implications behind the question. Kyle had always conveyed his desire to live elsewhere, his feeling that he did not truly belong to Verusa and yet was being forced to adapt to it. To them he was another Verusan from overseas. To some, he was a foreigner. To Kyle, he was in a society where he did not fit in.

"I will be once I see Belle again, don't need to be so worried, JB." His reply was fast and straight to the point, with a hint of excitement.

JB knew he wasn't exactly friends with Kyle, but he also knew Kyle was struggling to find an identity of sorts. The pressure of being in a foreign land that he couldn't integrate into combined with the toxic society of said land was breaking him down and rebuilding him, destroying the person he was before. How JB knew this…

"You need a drink," JB said, a shit-eating grin splitting his face. It was known to people who knew Kyle that he would open up about the things bothering him when he was drunk.

"And what? For you to record me doing dumb shit? No thank you!" Kyle rolled his eyes and reached out for his phone. 'How much longer do I have to wear this mask?' he thought to himself bitterly. JB, despite not exactly being his friend, was one of the people he trusted most. He knew how much Kyle wanted to act as his true self, even if he didn't know that true self.

'Perhaps one day… I'll find a place to belong and know who I should be.' JB tapped his shoulder to point to someone. It was a beautiful girl who was looking for someone. Once she saw Kyle, she ran up to him with a smile.

"There you are Kyle! I've been looking for you!" She exclaimed in Osean albeit with difficulty. Kyle smiled as he accompanied her, leaving JB to his own devices.

"You know the truth right?" A voice asked him from behind. JB sighed as another teen approached him from behind.

"I know. I want to tell him, but I'm worried how he will react." JB clenched his fist in frustration. "Why would your ex-girlfriend, the girl everyone wants to date, pretend to be his girlfriend over a bet?!"

The girl they were talking about was the same girl that Kyle was talking to as they walked to class. "So do you have any plans this evening Belle? Say, do you want to go out?" Kyle asked. Belle gave him a sad look.

"Sorry, I have another outing with my friends. Perhaps another time," she responded in a disappointed tone. Kyle looked at her with understanding.

As they walked to class, he continued to browse his phone. Something caught his attention, forcing him to stop. Belle looked at him with confusion.

"Kyle? Are you alright?" She asked worriedly.

'The Kingdom of Erusea has declared war on the Osean Federation?' That sentence kept on repeating in his mind. His mind flashed back to a time in Seletapura, a time where he had a purpose. He remembered a girl in white. A white rose.

"A White Rose…"

ACE COMBAT: Wings of Faith

Edited by Scuttlefish. Some sections by Ad_Valorem.