-Catgirl-of-Bavaria- : Alright, you awesome fan-people of mine, I have wonderful news! I, after several skirmishes and meetings with the instruction manual, have managed to tame my new digital camera! I may still be a newb, but I know now how to take pictures of my…pictures…lol…So! There is currently one Deviation in my account on Deviant Art, and that is a page of Aikka doodles for this story! The first submission of quite a few, I'm guessing… I am really getting into drawing Savin-style, it's really fun! And as promised, there are some views of Aikka's new hair style on there. Of course…lol. Haah, Gomen, I am really running off of pure caffeine right now, I was practically falling asleep when I was getting to the end of editing this chapter, because I am so freaking tired! Me and a friend caught up with each other yesterday, and we ended up doing a lot of stuff; first a sleepover, then a visit to our old school to see our friends that we miss so much(which resulted in us getting kicked out, which is better than being arrested for trespassing! OO) and then going to the mall. So, While I meant to get this update up yesterday after finally conquering my camera(I was so stoked), this whole get-together came up, and thus I have been delayed by about 28 hours!! You can tell I'm hyper, right? Lol..
Edit: Ok, this is turning out even later than I mentioned above…Comcast decided to disconnect us after I passed out during the writing of this. So, the delay is longer! Augh! Technology….
So, anyway, this chapter is probably the longest one yet, even without all the extra wordage provided by my blabbering! The first new outfit of Aikka's shall hence be revealed! And Don and Aikka talk war with the president of Earth…How will that go…? Anyway, onto the review replies, there's a lot of them! O,O .:is buried under all of them:.
Spellcaster Hikaru: Yeah, I could definitely see Eva learning to race on a beetle, and racing Aikka like that…What would really be cool is if she won! Lol, the look on Aikka's face could be priceless…And I actually like the idea you mentioned about giving her her own beetle…Perhaps I could use that idea later on? Maybe give her a smaller breed of beetle, that'd be cool :) And I love Aikka's ninja skills, I think my favorite part with his ninja skills was when he hopped on Ondai during the final race. He used his dagger, too, so that was awesome…I don't think he got to use that thing nearly enough…dang…I just have a thing for swords and other such sharp pointy objects :D Oh, yes, I remember the Crog in the beginning, the one that chased them down in the car, right? I think it was awesome how he just rips the top off that thing and hops in. Looked like when you have a Barbie car and put some oversized action figure doll in it, or something! I laughed when that happened, actually XD The ones in the prequel thing, though, when they were on the Crog planet, those were evil looking…And yeah, that's probably a good idea, dropping the two Crogs in a secluded(possibly radioactive XD ) area for their big fight…Yay, go Toros!.:hands you a 'Toros' flag and waves one of her own':.
Crazyvegimab: .:huggles back:. :) And thank you to your input on my pictures! I am pleased to see that I'm getting anatomy right, that's always a good thing. And I also liked the story of how you came to get the shapes of the leaves for that picture, pretty funny. Isn't it great that our parents put up with random people like us? Lol –And yeah, I love Stan and Koji, they're just so fun to play with, as you can see XD I actually am putting Aikka in one of my more favorite kind of outfits. The first one is in this chapter, but the second one, I'm still debating, and figuring out how to trick it out. I have it written in the story beyond this chapter, but there can still be changes made to it until I get it up, so I'm still thinking on it. Trying to find something Earthy, and something that will probably exist within the next century, and something that would still fit with Aikka. But, either way, I hope you like it!
Shrouded View: Indeed, I already had one that I drew that corresponds with the part where he saves Eva from her 'friends,' but it really didn't give that good of a look at his hair. So, I decided to add a doodle! You think my Stan-Koji moment was classic? Aww .:glomps you out of sheer joy:. Huzzah, I'm so glad that turned out so well! Every once in a while I'm struck with genius, and there's proof, I suppose! Lol…And yeah, you gotta love Don…He is exactly as you said! XD
Sekai Nerah: Wow, that's crazy awesome…reminds me of the time I used to turn on the radio, hoping that a certain song would come on…and then it did! I did that more than once, which is crazy…I'm so happy he did take her on that ride, too, and I have to wonder what would have happened if Jordan hadn't hopped on at the last moment…I have the feeling he ruined some Aikka/Molly fluffiness by doing that… D:
DBZ angel: Yep, I understand about the brothers and their obsession with playing computer games, my boyfriend's brother is the same, but much worse…With him, it's World of Warcraft, and it's 24 hours a day! Yeesh… It could be worse, is what I'm trying to say, I guess! XD Ah, school and exams…I kind of miss it but I kind of don't…Anyway, here's Aikka's first outfit, the wait for that is over…the prince's gift to Eva, though, might take a little longer… Stil contemplating and fiddling with ideas of what and when he gives her… .:shifty eyes:.
Frubabforever: Oh my, Howl or Aikka… That'd be a hard fight to take sides on…I love them both! I'll try to check it out in the future, and don't worry, I don't flame peoples :)
Isabella of the Night: The camera and me are on terms now, so no worries! And soon you'll even be able to see Aikka's new clothes! Just need to draw it… :D Woot for the fluffiness!
A13Van: You and me both! Thanks for the review, enjoy the update, and glad you like it so far!
Jess Ishtar: It's up later than I wanted it to be, but here it is!
Fushica: Cool, I'm really glad you like it, and how successful this story is getting. Thank you, thank you!
Star Fata: Wait no longer! ;)
Crystal Persian: Here 'tis, enjoy!
Thechickenlittle: I think you will be pleased:)
Werewolftamer: um….Please don't kill me…? .:runs off before she is murdered:.
By the way, this might be useful, but my name on DeviantArt is KyokoMari, and the name of the piece is 'Some Aikka Doodles.' So, yeah, drop by and say hi:D And just because I draw and write about Oban Star Racers, don't mean I own it!
--
--Chapter 7--
Of Parties and Presidents
--
Aikka was led to another technological creation, a convertible. With the push of a button, Rick was able to unlock the thing as they walked up to it, so it greeted them with a beep. Aikka paused before the passenger side door, and looked into the vehicle.
"Well, hop in, prince," Rick told him as he opened his own side and sat in front of the steering wheel. Aikka nodded, and mimicked Rick's methods, finding the seats to be rather plush and comfortable.
As soon as he was able to figure out how to fasten the seat belt over his chest, Rick hit the gas, causing the vehicle to glide as smooth as it was fast out of the back lot of the Wei hangar. On the CD player, played one of Rick's rock mixes, which the prince found fascinating, and extremely different from his planet's traditional music.
"So, how's Earth treatin' ya?" Rick asked after a little while of pure rock music. Aikka started out of his thoughts of home, and found the buildings looming above him.
"It's a beautiful planet, though the cities are contrastingly different than my own," Aikka said simply. "It is…an adjustment," Rick nodded.
"Yeah, I get tired of the city sometimes too. Too many memories." Rick grimaced, and Aikka sensed some remorse in his voice. Perhaps it had something to do with his accident, something the prince only vaguely knew about as being the cause for the first Earth pilot having to quit. "So, you and Eva, what's going on there?" Rick turned a teasing look to the Nourasian, who's breath caught a bit with the question.
"What's…going on?" he asked puzzled, turning wide blue eyes towards the human.
"Yeah, between you and her. I'm not trying to pry or anything, but…" Rick held up a hand in defense. "I'm just curious. And, you'll find that I am close to being her protective big brother, I just want to look out for the kid." He gave the Nourasian a little smile. Aikka couldn't help but smile himself; Eva certainly did have many who cared about her.
"I am her friend," Aikka told him. "And she is one of my only true friends and I, like you, want to protect her," Rick smiled knowingly.
"You sure that's all?" Rick looked sideways at the prince, a glint on his sunglasses. Aikka looked at him, a little taken off guard.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for one, she always seems to blush when she looks at you. I remember the last race you were in on Alwas, she was beaming when you took out Spirit and gave us the break for Oban. And you, well, you got a certain look in your eyes every time you look at her." Rick told the prince straight, while Aikka felt betrayed by his burning cheeks. He was trying to hold that possible side of his feelings hidden from even himself, but it had somehow even become visible to outside perspectives. "That, and Don more or less told me about your little 'intimate moment' with her last night," He grinned. Aikka's eyes widened at the thought that their embrace was thought of in such ways.
"I would hardly call that intimate, she was simply scared that I had come so close to being lost to her," he told Rick seriously, his voice going soft enough to be contested with the music from the stereos. He recalled how her shoulders shook beneath his hands and lidded his eyes at the thought. He hated seeing her like that; he hated seeing such a strong person tremble like she had. "And I was. I was that close; Toros could have easily dealt a more deadly blow."
"Toros…" Rick said, more to himself than anything. He finally recalled where he'd heard that name before, and looked fully at Aikka. "You mean the Crog racer?"
Aikka only nodded. The open-topped vehicle curved sharply into a small span filled with similar vehicles, and to Aikka, it looked as if they were still on the edge of the city, not being completely surrounded by the immense steel structures. The vehicle came to a stop, and Aikka lurched slightly forward with the motion.
"Well, sounds like someone's a little bitter about the races," Rick said jokingly, tugging at some lever on the dashboard, shifting into the parking position. With a quick motion, the dark haired man unfastened his harness, and stepped out of the car, Aikka quickly doing the same. "But, all joking aside," Rick said as the two leveled out on the sidewalk before them, setting a hand on the prince's shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright, for your sake, and for Eva's." Aikka smiled at the sentiment.
And so, Aikka was then introduced to the building in front of him, a department store, by what Rick called it, and its many offerings of clothes. The prince was new to all this, having had all his outfits tailor made by the best Seamstress in Daalan, such a privilege that came of his blood. And frankly, he found it a bit nerve-wracking. There were humans everywhere, which he didn't so much mind, until it became quite obvious to him that he was an outsider, by all the looks he was earning. Children stopped and stared on occasion, at which times Aikka was glad to return a smile to the young Earthlings. It never stopped the questions from coming however. Though Aikka knew, he could not blame them for being curious; they were only children after all. He knew it'd be the same if it were him guiding Rick through the streets of Daalan.
Through all the stares, Rick had noticed, and decided to take the young Prince along the back walls and directly towards a dressing room, so the stares at the Nourasian's appearance and scrappy clothing could be avoided. The two were lucky enough to have found a kind and understanding woman working in the area, whom allowed them her full attention; sizing the prince in the inconspicuous area of the dressing booths, adding her input on colors and styles that would fit in with the Prince's natural appearance and physique, and even fetching several outfits for them to work with. All the help allowed the supposed 'lost vagabond' find suitable dressings without being eyed by the local population.
After a little while of this, Aikka and the two humans agreed on two outfits, and after having one scanned to include their prices on the receipt, the Nourasian was allowed to wear it out of the store. He turned in the outfit once more in front of the mirrors, smiling at the results; the top was actually reminiscent to him of his own people's dress, being a loose-fitting white tunic, with some black threads stitched in around the wide collar and the hems of the sleeves, giving it a little decoration. To go along with the black threading, black pants of a material he heard as 'denim' had been selected. For his choice of shoes, a simple pair of tatami sandals caught Aikka's attention, being reminded of the shoes he'd neglected to put on during the attack on the palace. They weren't quite as comfortable as his own were, but again, he had always had his dressings tailor made to fit. With his belt equipped around his waist, the outfit was really completed.
Aikka walked out of the dressing room, and found Rick at the woman's service desk, plastic bag of Aikka's clothes, new and old, on his arm, whilst he dug in his wallet for a correct card. The prince was suddenly reminded of the burden he was becoming.
"Ah, Rick, this all doesn't cost too much, does it?" Aikka asked warily. Rick simply laughed and gave the prince a grin.
"Don't worry about it, kid. I used to be a pilot. This is nothing." Rick handed the smiling cashier a certain card, and she ran it through her machine, earning a series of beeps. "Besides, I said it'd be my treat. You don't owe me anything."
Aikka smiled and turned to the woman who had helped them out so much, and gave her a bow. He gave her his thanks, along with Rick, and soon they were back on their way out of the store, close to the back walls. The stares he received now were ones that exhibited a sense of admiration, for how the Nourasian's appearance had gone from disheveled to elegant. He and Rick were both glad to notice that even the children were looking at him with a whole new light. He actually felt like he was a prince again.
"Amazing, what a change of clothes can do, eh, Prince?" Rick commented as they approached his convertible again when they reached the outside. "And hey, if you think they reacted well, I wonder how Eva will like it," Rick grinned over the vehicle as he and the prince got in. This earned a slight and reluctant blush from the Nourasian, but Rick inwardly smiled to himself; it was reaction enough for the man to see. He couldn't help but wonder, if there really wasn't anything more between the two teenagers besides friendship, as Aikka had claimed. It was going to be some fun trying to find out, though.
--
This had to be some wonderful, extraordinary dream; that was Eva's theory. In a few moments, she would wake up in her bed, and all this would have never happened. It was just too great to be real.
She gave a quick pinch to her own arm; no, this was real. It really wasn't a dream that she had an actual birthday party, with actual family and friends to celebrate with. Stan and Koji were there, and Aikka and Rick were on their way. But Don Wei, her father who was missing in action for a total of ten birthdays before, was there, with her. It had meant a lot that she'd been living in their new house just outside the city for the last year, but somehow this day just brought a whole new level of gratefulness that she was reunited with him.
The now sixteen year old watched Stan and Koji while they worked on hooking up a new game system they'd both chipped in on for the occasion, while Don stood behind her, snaking a chain of jewelry around her neck, clasping it in back. Turning, she looked at the adornment, a pure silver crescent moon, dimpled beautifully to provide texture. It looked like it should have been heavy, but felt cool and lightweight in her fingers, gleaming perfectly. In the bottom point of the moon, was engraved the letter 'M'.
"It was your mother's," Don said to bring her out of her observations, finding him smiling at her. She looked down at the charm again, and suddenly found an even greater fondness for it. "She never raced without it…well, almost never…" He looked away, a bit sadly. There was one race she hadn't put it on, which was the sole reason why it was still there. Eva suddenly caught what he meant, and fell a little too. "But, I am sure she would want you to have it. I've kept it all these years…It's time I gave it to someone who can give it proper care."
Eva looked back at her father, speechless. She never had anything so personal to her mother before. She had bought racing goggles to match her mother's, since the actual ones couldn't have been salvaged from the wreckage of her death, and she had matching tattoos on her face, but this, this charm had actually belonged to Maya, it had actually touched her. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and she cried her gratitude while she threw herself into her father's arms.
Koji turned his attention back to the job in front of him with an elbow in the ribs, compliments of Stan, but the smile he had on from the exchange didn't disappear as he fiddled with some wires.
"Ah, here we go," Stan told Eva as she walked up behind them to see their progress. "Take the controls, Eva. We got the newest racing game for you!"
"Awesome, guys, let's see how they did on the racers," Eva grinned eagerly, as she took the sleek controller into her palms, waiting to see how the game industry portrayed the technological star racers.
Don laughed to himself and went off to dig out some refreshments for the casual get-together from the kitchen. He smiled to himself despite whatever reminder he'd been given when he gave the favorite pendant of his wife to his daughter. It was the one essential thing, besides the lone photo of the three of them as a happy family that he'd carried with him over the years, the one thing that he just couldn't depart with. It would seem a crime to just pawn the thing away, when it was held so closely by Maya. So despite whatever memories that the little silver charm had drudged up, he was glad to have it finally passed on to Eva, someone who could pay proper appreciation to it, placing it in care that Maya herself would surely have no argument against. Even more, he was glad to see her reaction to the gift. For a while before this day, he'd wondered on what she would truly want for a gift from him. In the end, a quick rummage through some old things had led him to the trinket, and it became obvious that it would make the perfect gift for their first birthday together.
Competitive cries from the two mechanics and Eva nearly drowned out the sound of the tapping knock on the Weis' front door, but Don somehow heard it from the kitchen, that was across the now noisy living room. It had been a while since Rick had departed from the hangar, so Don could only figure it was his assistant, and the prince. Eva looked at her father as he crossed the room past the trio of gamers, and it clicked that their last guests had arrived. Pressing pause in fervor, she shot up as Don opened the door to find Rick leaning in the frame.
"Rick, you're back!" She observed excitedly, while Koji and Stan stood as well. Rick gave them a two fingered salute, and gave the birthday girl a huge smile.
"I think you'll be very pleased, Little Mouse," He gave a wink, even knowing full well that the girl wouldn't be able to see it. Behind him, he could sense the prince smoothing out his outfit, as if nervous about the whole presentation. He inwardly grinned at this; he could tell there was more to the prince and his thoughts on Eva than he bothered to say aloud.
Eva strode closer, to better see the presentation on the new Prince, and was closely followed by Stan and Koji. Don stood to the side, not signaling any interest on the subject at all. Rick gave another grin with his arms crossed over his broad chest, and stepped away from the doorway.
"Come on in, Prince, show 'em how Earth looks on ya," Rick told the Nourasian, who strode in on his command. His cerulean eyes met Eva's crimson as he smiled, and gave her a bow.
Eva found herself speechless at the image in front of her. She had expected that the prince would look good in certain clothes of their culture, but the outfit that had been selected exceeded her expectations, it put the image she had in her head of Aikka in human clothes to shame. It was a rather plain and simple combination of articles, but it seemed to do so much for him, it managed to make him look all the more stunning to her. Even his articles of Nourasia, the belt and his curling headpiece, seemed to do nothing but accentuate the outfit.
"Wow, you did good on him, Rick!" Stan said from the side, with his arm slung around his companion.
"Yeah, I think he looks great!" Koji agreed from under the other mechanic's arm. Aikka smiled to the two men, and looked back at Eva, who was still working on picking her jaw up off the floor.
"I think she likes it, too, Prince," Rick assured the Nourasian quietly and into a pointed ear. This finally brought Eva out of it, finding that she was staring dumbly at the prince, and that a blush was creeping up again.
"What, of course I do, it looks awesome!" Eva exclaimed, hoping her huge smile would take away from her blush. Aikka couldn't help but laugh a little at her reaction. Rick had been right; her reaction was far better than any he'd gotten in the store, and it was what made the whole trip to the place totally worth while.
So now with all of Eva's guests present, the party turned back to the entertainment of her new gift, the game that had been paused. Aikka was dragged over so that he could see the technology for himself, while Eva challenged Stan to a versus race. Sitting on the couch with his Earthen friends, he watched as the mechanic and the pilot coursed their star racers through a virtual course, while Don Wei and Rick seemed to be discussing things in the adjacent kitchen, and Aikka could easily guess what it was about.
--
"Prince," Don Wei's voice caught the attention of all the younger humans and of the Nourasian, all of whom were now catching up, and currently listening to Stan and Koji telling them about one of their latest projects. Aikka looked up at the man, finding a serious look on his face. "I'd like to discuss some things with you."
Aikka looked a little blank for a second, but nodded, standing dutifully from the couch. Next to him, Eva looked from Aikka to Don, a little worried.
"Dad?" She asked simply. Don gave her a smile.
"Don't worry, Eva, just going to straighten some facts out concerning Aikka's…visit." Eva still eyed him, then looked to Aikka. He smiled at her and proceeded to follow Don through the kitchen. Rick stood by too, apparently as being a part of the discussion as well. A glance back to Stan and Koji told her that they were staring after the prince as well, confusion and curiosity written on their faces.
"Let me come too, he's already told me about it!" She said, following after them. Aikka turned in time to see her father intercepting the girl with a hand to her shoulder.
"Eva, let me handle this," Don told her. Truth be told, he didn't want to have her present during a talk about war, which was undoubtedly the case, if the Crogs were involved, as Rick had told him.
Aikka looked, a little nervous, between the both of them. He knew that Eva was far too stubborn to let it go like that.
"Dad, I'm sixteen years old, I can handle a little talk about war," Eva told her father fiercely, as if reading his mind. Don looked blankly at his daughter for a second. Stan and Koji appeared a bit behind the girl, wondering as well about the whole topic.
Don sighed, a sign that he was giving in. He turned towards the back door, along with Aikka, and exited onto the deck. He knew now that there was going to be no putting his daughter off of the discussion now, so he let her follow, along with Stan and Koji. Aikka and Rick were ahead of him, and on the deck on the back of the house. Eva settled against the door jamb of the back door, while Stand and Koji stuck near her. Looking out on the small back yard from the edge railing, Don peered sideways at Aikka, who was standing readily near him.
"I'm told that the Crogs were involved with your injury," Don suggested to the Prince, without looking away from the setting sun.
"Yes," Aikka nodded promptly. His eyes grew a little darker on his reminder of the attack, especially the personal one from Kross. "They have attacked not only me, but my home world as well."
"And so you came here?" Don looked at the Nourasian now, a little quizzically. "Shouldn't you be aiding your kingdom?" Don's voice carried a bit of curiosity, as well as a bit of concern. Aikka glanced away for a moment.
"My people will be alright without me for now, I have faith in them. But I came here for fear of the Crogs reaching Eva first." He looked at Don seriously. Don, in return, gave a look of slight fear, as if he were trying to hide the effect that the Nourasian's words had on him. He gave a quick glance at Eva before breaking the newfound silence. Stan and Koji also looked to the girl, a bit worried themselves.
"You feel that Eva is in danger?" His voice was suddenly quiet. "Was there a…direct threat to her?" Don unfolded his arms and stepped towards the Nourasian.
Eva suddenly shifted slightly; this was a good question, one that hadn't been answered in their talk the previous night. Aikka looked at her with her movement, finding her crimson eyes full of expectancy. He could even feel the eyes of Stan, Koji and Rick on him, just as questioning as Don's and Eva's. His own blue eyes sank a little, as Kross's exact words flashed into his mind.
"I'll let you take this information to your grave; Your little Princess is next, Aikka."
"There was, I'm afraid." Aikka finally said, casting a look off to the west. "It was Kross who threatened her when he thought he had won against me. I managed to use a portal spell to escape after that, and so I came here, to warn her."
"Wait a minute, did you say Kross?" Eva suddenly cried from the side, drawing the attention of the men to her. "I mean, in the final race, when I pushed him into the ground, there was an explosion! He shouldn't have been able to survive that, right?"
Aikka looked at her, astounded. So that was what happened to Kross after he'd gone down in the race. He never knew the details, but he did know that Kross had survived past the race, despite whatever injury he'd attained in this explosion that Eva was speaking about. He even thought that Kross had become a little more spiteful, but then again, it's always hard to tell those things with the Crogs.
"I can only assume that he survived, because it was indeed general Kross who led the Crogs into the invasion of Nourasia," Aikka told the girl grimly, which earned a look of fear on her part. "I did not know of an explosion…" Meanwhile, Don seemed to be fearful himself, hiding his face behind a white-gloved hand.
"So what is to happen, if he does come after Eva?" The man asked, more to himself than anything. Aikka looked down sadly; he didn't know what could be done. A Crog attack would be deadly, and hard to defend against. The Crogs wouldn't discriminate either, if they came to take out Eva, they'd surely find the time to take out some of the rest of the human race while they were at it. This was not only a threat to his dearest friend, but her entire planet.
Without warning, Don turned for the doorway, causing the three younger members of the gathering to leap out of the way.
"Don?" Rick said after the older man, beginning to follow. Don stopped, but didn't turn to face them.
"Prince Aikka, come with me." He commanded of the Nourasian from the darkened area of the kitchen. Aikka looked at Rick and Eva, but followed the order.
"Sir?" Aikka asked, catching up to the man, who looked sideways at the Nourasian boy.
"Get ready to explain your case; we're going to see the president." Don told him with a determined look. "If all goes well, both Eva and your planet will receive protection."
Eva couldn't help but smile; she'd never seen her father so determined to help someone else. Even Aikka seemed taken aback, for his blue eyes were wide, his jaw slightly slack from the suggestion. Before he had a chance to respond, Don began walking through the dim house again. With a look to Eva and the others, he smiled and followed. Where he ended up, looked to be Don's office, judging by the desk and files that were in the room. Don was currently sifting through a cabinet, and then pulled out what looked to be a technological suitcase. The man then caught the prince's curious look at the thing and spoke.
"A communicator. I used this old thing back during the race of Oban to keep the President updated." He explained, unlatching it and propping it up on the desk, revealing a few inactive lights that appeared in the shape of rings. As he switched it on, the rings lit up, and the contraption hummed just slightly, at barely an audible level.
Meanwhile, outside the door, which was now opened no more than a crack, the rest of the party stood, not exactly huddling around to eavesdrop, but not exactly ensuring the privacy of the discussion within. Eva, the closest to being an eavesdropper, sat down just next to the doorway. Inside the room, she could hear the feminine but robotic voice of the communicator asking her father where to call.
"I'd like a conference call to the President of Earth," Don stated clearly, standing as rigid and straight as a board in front of the thing and next to Aikka. The red ring blinked a few times, then turned green. Outside, Eva fiddled a little nervously as she heard the communicator's voice confirm the call, and at the same time she wondered, would they really be able to speak directly to the president like this?
Aikka watched, with a slightly wide eyed, as the next light appeared, a red one that shone directly at himself and Don, before it ran down both of their forms. Then he saw the grainy image showing above the contraption, a hologram of an older human, seated in a decorated arm chair, a look on his face that looked as if he were both surprised to have a call, and as if he were being disturbed.
"Don Wei, well it's been a while, hasn't it?" the president chuckled nervously. Aikka could tell, even though this was merely an illusion of the true president, that the older man was confused as to how Don had gotten to him. "I would have thought this line would be closed to you after the race was all done and over with…"
"I guess not," Don said nonchalantly, before getting down to business. "I have here with me, Aikka, the prince of Nourasia, and he brings a warning with him." Aikka gave a deep, courtly bow to the hologram screen on his cue. He found the president's listless eyes on him, as if he'd only just noticed his presence with Don.
"The Crogs have declared an invasion of my kingdom, and I have adequate reason to believe that they will target Earth next," Aikka stated professionally. "Specifically, I fear that they will come after Eva Wei, Mr. Wei's daughter, and the winner of the race of Oban." The president was now simply staring at the prince now, as if he was puzzling something over in his own mind.
"You…you said you were from Nourasia, correct, boy?" The prince nodded hesitantly. "Nourasia, I recall, are the Crog's allies. How am I to know that this all isn't some sort of trap to get my troops thrown into battle and killed under false circumstances?" He narrowed his eyes at Aikka, who narrowed his blue ones in return.
"My allegiance lies nowhere near the Crogs, and with all due respect, that so-called alliance, was nothing more than servitude forged on force and blackmail." That earned a blink from the president. "In fact, the sole reason they are bent on destroying me and my people is because of my behavior during the race of Oban that they consider to be traitorous." Aikka's sapphire eyes had gone cold now, and Eva was certain, just from hearing his voice in such a tone, that she didn't want to see the anger on his face.
"My point of this chat, Mr. President, was to discuss the matter of protection," Don Wei said, taking the eyes of the holographic man off of a slightly angered Aikka. "There has been a direct threat naming my daughter as a target of Crog hostilities, and I think I am correct in assuming that the Crogs will not differentiate from the rest of the Earth. An attack on one human would surely mean an invasion of some sort for the rest of the world."
The president simply nodded, as if in thought. And was it just Aikka, or were the president's eyes flashing in his direction every now and then as if he were something to be suspicious of? At the deafening silence from within the office, Eva fiddled a little more with her new pendant. Finally her father was heard again;
"Let me specify further; I am requesting that my daughter be offered protection of the state," Don glared purposefully at the president. Aikka glanced slightly over at him, and found his older face rapt with determination. "Not only that, but I also suggest action from the military, defensive in the least. For the good of the planet, we must be ready for an attack." At this, the president suddenly smiled, then laughed out loud, causing even all four of the outsiders to do a double take towards the uncalled-for sound.
"Don Wei, a racing manager, is giving me tips on how to prepare for a supposed war?" Both Don and Aikka managed slight glares at the foolish president, then exchanged looks with each other.
"This war is not a farce, and it will be at your doorstep soon, sir!" Aikka spoke loudly as to be heard over the president's remaining laughter. "If your people are to be protected, defensive action must be taken!"
"Leave the running of my planet to me, my boy," the president said, finally over his laughter and actually leaning out of his chair for emphasis on his point. Aikka drew back, angered a little further by each thing the president said. How he promised himself and his people in this moment that when he would become a ruler, he would not become like this man. "And Mr. Wei, your request for private protection simply is not plausible, I can't simply offer protection to whomever asks for it! There just aren't the resources, nor do I see upstanding reason to offer your daughter in particular special treatment!"
("So winning the great race of Oban and saving the world as we know it isn't reason enough for that anymore?" Rick was heard muttering to the other outside listeners. Stan and Koji agreed entirely with the older man, each of them throwing their own dirty looks through the door.)
Before Don Wei could respond to the president's answer, Aikka had beaten him to it.
"She is a citizen of your planet, one of your people, is that not reason enough to give her aid when she has been threatened?!" The Nourasian's anger seemed to have escalated even more, though he did a great job of keeping himself in check, after years of holding his temper and emotions in him and out of the matters of royalty. Eva shivered at his outburst, having never heard Aikka so angry, but at the same time, it filled her with some warmth that he was in there, standing up for her, and against her own president.
"She was the winner of Oban, because of her, there is a human Avatar, Eva deserves some thanks for the Hell we put her through during that race!" Don chimed in now, his own voice indignant at the thought that his own president was turning his back on him…on his daughter!
"Exactly, Don; there is a human Avatar now." The president smiled, folding his hands in his lap. Don and Aikka simply stared at the holographic man. "With a human Avatar, the Crogs would not dare an invasion on Earth. Have you noticed that after the shock wave from Oban that disabled them, the Crogs have never returned?"
"That means nothing to the Crogs, they waited this long to attack Nourasia," Aikka retorted, before being cut off…by the president.
"Not even the Crogs have the strength, nor the stupidity, to attack the home world of the all powerful Avatar, and the last time I checked, Nourasia was not the Avatar's home world!"
Aikka couldn't believe this; how stupid, how foolish this president was. How reckless he was to risk the safety of his own planet and to throw total faith that the guardian of the galaxy would save the day. Wars had occurred during Satis's reign, and surely they occurred during Kannaletto's as well. This reign was no different; war occurred no matter the origin of the Avatar. This leader was simply getting overconfident. Unfortunately he also seemed to be very stubborn and deaf to the voice of reason.
"Then you will do nothing," Aikka suggested, practically spitting out the words. "You will do nothing to protect your own people while blindly believing that the knowledge that the Avatar is a human one will keep the vengeful Crogs at bay?"
"You know nothing of this planet, young prince, our resources are spread thin as it is, we are still recovering in our war ships from the shock wave from the race a year ago; we are behind due to the complications that incident brought up." The president told the prince scornfully. Both Don and the prince were practically growling at the hologram now, but it seemed the president had one last method of making them angrier. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have important matters to attend to, ones with reliable sources."
"Mr. President!" Don shouted at the thing, which was now beginning to crackle with static that meant the transfer was coming to an end. With a nonchalant farewell, the president disappeared, leaving a very disgruntled man and Nourasian in the dark of the office.
-Catgirl-of-Bavaria-: Ah, the president is such a pain…I never really thought too highly of him in the series, and frankly, I can see him getting headstrong just because there was a new human avatar. I could totally see him snubbing Aikka as well…Poor guy.. .:huggles Aikka:. So, then, what are they going to do now that the president's snubbed even Eva? And what will Aikka do now that Eva has been denied protection? We'll see next chapter, shall we? ;)
Oh, and happy year of the pig, everybody!