-Catgirl-of-Bavaria- : Holy crap, you guys are great for waiting this long without sending angry hate mail to me!! I am so sorry this one took so long. I'm gonna be straight up, and say that Avatar The Last Airbender really stole me away for a while. I swear, it is competing with the Jelly Bunnies for ownership of my brain!! It's an awesome series, though, and I LOVE it. Also, I had a lot of stuff with starting up College and drawings to keep me busy. But I am back, with a very fluffy chapter for your Mokka needs! Warning, it is rather fluffy.

So, inspiration for this chapter. The ceremony was inspired partially by Final Fantasy X (surprise, surprise, right?) and a little bit of Meru Puri. I'll go into the details on that at the end, so as not to spoil this chapter before you even start reading it! Though fans of those two areas might recognize ;P

And in this chapter, we also have pretty much the sole reason I put Satis the kitty into the story :D Besides being so cute and a fun plot device with which to surprise a sleeping Aikka…-Huggles Satis-

Review replies:

Shrouded View: True, however, she knows now that she doesn't have the bond that Eva has with Aikka. She was worried from the beginning about her relationship with the prince. So maybe a little disappointment…mixed with relief, I suppose? Or just worry that things might not work out and Aikka and Molly won't be able together and how that will effect him? Hmm, yes, Almene is an interesting character. I'll be developing her a bit more with the coming chapters :) And you're right, that was repetitive –just reread it- Augh…Well, sorry, and thanks for pointing it out:)

Sekai Nerah: Whoa there, not so early in their relationship, lol! I'd have to move this over to the M section, I would. Sorry for the wait, I hope your evil thoughts didn't carry you away too much in my absence! Oo

Spellcaster Hikaru: Whee, Hikaru-chan! I miss you Onee-chan! I PMed you on Gaia, so I don't know which you'll see first, this or that, but I'm considering getting into watching Naruto Shippuden, since I've heard good things about it. Thing is, I'm confused about what the heck happened to Sasuke. And you need to watch the new episodes of Avatar! They're awesome! And oh, the RP…It seems to be on hiatus, or something. ADW and DD haven't been seen round those parts in ages. :( I don't know what's going on with that. But yesh, and you should go say hi on DeviantArt, I've got a bunch of stuff up since you were there:D I'm up to 75 deviations! PM me on Gaia, hope you like the chapter, Wuvs!

Redmagesalyre: Yeah, I've seen that pic! She's got some pretty awesome stuff. :) Glad you liked it! And So sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy the fluffiness!

WhiteWolf: Aww, thank you! I'll be doing more with the princess in chapters to come, though I admittedly don't have a love interest for her… :( But eventually, yes, she will, don't fear ;) I love Almene too much for her to be lonesome her entire life… Sorry for the wait, but here I am!

Crazyvegimab: Squee, thank you, I love your review inside and out! Thanks for all the input, Mabs, it's great to know I'm getting the fight scenes right. –glomps-

Reader: So sorry I took so long, but here it is! Fluffiness ahoy!

Aikka and Eva forever: -bows- Thank you! Very awesome to hear that, and yesh! Aikka and Eva belong together! –foams-

IchikoKitsuneKoumori: We shall see, ne? ;)

AngelofDarkness: -giggles- More fluffies for you! Thanks for waiting!

Keyda841: Thank you very much! Sorry for the wait, here's some more fluffies for you :D

Gwen: Here you go, updated with more fluffies for your Mokka needs! XD

Cuddlebear: Aw, squee! –glomps the CuddleBear- Thank you! -blushes- Enjoy the chapter!

Aisha12894: Yesh, Canaan does do a lot of interrupting when it comes to Mokka fluffies, doesn't he? –sighs- We should just tie him up and send Molly and Aikka out on a nice long date. –laughs maniacally- XD That's great that the Mokka and Tajan are getting balanced out so well :) Thanks, and sorry again for the wait!

Whitehitsugaya: -fangirl squeals with you- Gyah, I know, Molly and Aikka will always be one of my OTPs. I just love it that much :) I'm a sucker for romance, too, don't worry! –squeals again- And Almene, yes, there's already enough hateful princesses set to marry Aikka out there. Woot for being different! And We'll see a little bit of Jordan's plan in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Sangofananime: Thanks, enjoy the chapter:D

Wild Child 15: Ah, yes, I understand about things being hectic, that's part of the reason this chapter's so late! –sweatdrop- Enjoy and Thank you!

Daemon Chick: Oh, heck yes. I just remembered my obsession with that sword trick. X3 If Savin makes another series with Aikka in it…That's what I'm hoping for aside from more Mokka fluffies/romance! Read to find out what happens! X3

DramaQueen of the Moon: I know! Warm fuzzy feelings brought on by Mokka fluffiness are the best!! –sniffles along with you- I love writing them, really, can you tell? XD And Jordan! Yesh! –spazzes- Sorry it wasn't up sooner, but enjoy the new chapter, may it bring you more fuzzies!

Disclaimer: Huh? I'm still doing these? –sighs- Alright, as if everyone didn't already know, I don't own Oban Star Racers, Eva, or Aikka…Otherwise they'd find themselves locked in a closet together…But let's not get into that, shall we? …Almene, Takai, Janni, and Kitty-Satis are all minez!

--

-Chapter 18-

Bonds, New and Old

--

If there was one thing that Nourasia had in common with Oban, besides spectacular and unrivaled scenery, it had to be the temples. The temples that resided mostly in the Holy City, the domed, stone roofs of a smooth and sandy bronze color peeked out of indigo seas of trees as Eva saw when they headed down the very inclined pathway.

In those temples, were the many ancient stories, fables and legends of the Nourasian people, the very first writings of ancient kings, Aikka's ancestors, who lived centuries, even thousands of years before. It told of the history of the planet, the very first partnerships between Nourasian and Beetle, even. It was surely something to behold, and as she was informed, many a Nourasian made pilgrimages to this holy city to see such ancient writings, to see the deepest, oldest parts of their culture.

Daal had been the root of civilization on Nourasia, it was where the first city was. But as time had passed, and population on the planet grew, it had expanded out into what was now Daalan, until even years later, it was decided by the royal family, that the Holy City was to be just that, the Holy City, a place for worship and ceremony, but not for residency. It made the ancient city that lay in between two mountains that much more special to them as an entire race.

Another thing that Daal was known for, was of course its lakes of pristine mountain water. This, Eva already partly knew, for the Sending ceremony that was held on the banks of one of those lakes. These bodies of water served as ceremonial grounds, for the light of Sekai always shown on them, causing the waters to glimmer in blue. When it was the proper time, even, the effect would sometimes light up the entire clearing of such a lake, and it was something, a communion of the moon and the planet, that the Nourasians admired and felt close to. It was said that if Sekai surrounded you in this way during your ceremony, she was blessing you with more good fortune in whatever your ceremony was about. If it were during a funeral or the Sending, your heart would be healed quicker from your loss. If during a ceremony uniting two in the power of love, the future of the union would be a good one, full of life and passion and romance.

"And if Sekai shines on a Bonding ceremony, the bonded will receive a bond so full that not even the greatest distances or hardships can tarnish it," Aikka recited with a soft smile. He held Eva by the hand, now on level ground, on the edge of the city near where the secret path had converged with the main path of Daal.

Eva looked at him curiously as they walked, their sandals pacing silently on the uneven cobble-stone path.

"The Bonding?" She asked quietly. Aikka nodded silently, heading past swirling stakes of wood that marked the paths, then leading her down one. He glanced around for anybody before he continued.

"Is it like marriage?" Eva then asked, putting the clues together from what Aikka had said over the last several minutes.

"It is somewhat like marriage, yes," Aikka answered, raising a hand to lift a low-hanging branch out of Eva's way. "But it is much stronger. While marriage recognizes a love within the kingdom, the Bonding recognizes love with the Spirits themselves. Usually the two are used in combination, but sometimes not…" Aikka explained, while the sound of running water met Eva's ears.

"You could also look at it this way; Marriage unites the body and mind of two lovers, whereas Bonding unites the heart and soul. It creates a much deeper bond between two people than just being husband and wife." Eva nodded, understanding it easily.

"I see..." Eva said, keeping up with the prince more easily now, as he was walking at a more relaxed pace. He couldn't help but admire the scenery as he walked through the canopy-covered pathway, this night was so special to him. "So, earlier, you were asking me to bond with you," Eva said in more of a realizing statement than a question. Aikka paused in his tracks, and turned to her.

"Yes, if you will accept me, princess." He said, bowing and gently kissing her hand, keeping his eyes on her crimson orbs the whole time. "I would be deeply honored if you would," Aikka said softly. "I may not be perfect, but I love you with all my heart, Molly."

Eva stood dumbstruck, her eyes shining with excitement, watching his eyes, lit up with crystal sincerity. Her hand still lay in his, and he was still bent in a bow, awaiting her answer. She was entirely sure that now, her blush could have been glow-in-the-dark as she felt her cheeks warming up relentlessly, her heart beating in her throat. This must have been how other girls felt when their men were down on one knee…though she somehow and suddenly doubted that they were near as happy as she was right now.

Before she could piece two words together, she threw herself into his arms, bringing both breath and surprise out of the Nourasian. Though he admittedly felt his bruises again with her sudden hug, he felt her nuzzling into the crook of his neck, and decided to wrap his arms around her in return. Meanwhile Eva was fighting back tears again; no way was she going to cry, even if they were tears of joy.

"I'll…take that as a yes?" Aikka asked playfully. Eva drew herself away and looked in his eyes momentarily, before leaning up and pressing her lips onto his. He sighed into the kiss, and held her again. Never had he been happier. Eva finally drew her lips from his, but connected her forehead to his crowned one. Crimson eyes stared passionately into blue, and she nodded slightly.

"Yes, Prince Aikka. I love you too." She said in a whisper, while he smiled back. Her hand slipped from his shoulder and into his hand, and without taking their eyes away from each other's, they set out on the move again. It wasn't long until Eva knew what the sound of rushing water was; they came to one of the small lakes, this one seeming to be something of a rivulet, with a waterfall shimmering into it, a creek outlet leading away into the holy forest. Already the water glittered in blue light from the moon.

"Whoa." Was all Eva could say as she came upon the scene with Aikka's hand in her own. Nourasia just kept getting better and better.

Aikka smiled at her as he reclaimed his hand, in order to take off his outer mantle of robes, leaving him in a rather simple sleeveless and pants. He didn't even have his belt or bell sleeves on after running from the infirmary so quickly.

"Aikka, it's so beautiful…" Eva murmured again as he came up next to her again, leaving his brown robe in a heap on the stone ground behind them. "But, how's this going to work, don't we need a holy man or something?" She asked him curiously. Aikka merely grinned at her.

"Well, it is customary to have one, however, the power is also shared by those of royal blood," He winked at her. She could only grin back, inwardly laughing at how the prince seemed to be growing a cunning side.

He then led her down the bank, the stone beneath their feet giving way to the natural sands of the bank, before there are toes met with the water. Aikka looked sideways at her; in his mind there was no greater moment than right now, no greater honor than to be standing on this bank, her hand in his, about to embark on one of the strongest ceremonies of all. He never expected he'd be Bonded in secret, but that wasn't going to get in his way. He loved Eva and this was the strongest bond that two people could have. He wanted no less for his relationship with the girl.

With that one last look to each other, he led her into the water. It was cold, but refreshing as it consumed their bodies, soaking their clothes and sending any loose articles to pool around their body. Aikka finally stopped when it reached his hips, and almost met Eva's waist, and turned to her, taking her other hand.

"First, we bow," Aikka instructed, bowing to her in the process, as he came up, Eva took her turn and bowed back. He nodded, and stepped closer. "And now, the prayer,"

He gently set his forehead against hers again, taking her hands and clasping them in between them both. With that he began to chant the spell in Nourasian, in that smooth, oddly haunting voice. The prince also, instead of closing his eyes for the prayer as he sometimes did, kept his crystal eyes on her crimson ones, and she felt almost as if he were serenading her rather than praying to the spirits.

As the prince continued reciting the Bonding spell, water around them glowed blue, until, like in the Sending Ceremony, little, gleaming comets of water separated from the lake, swirling around the two of them. Aikka smiled into his prayer; this was that fabled blessing of Sekai.

"Eva Wei, Tua rima en," Aikka finished with his unmatchable smile. Somehow, Eva didn't even have to ask what it meant. "Do you return my love?"

Eva nodded against his head. "I do, Prince Aikka," Eva said quietly, a smile across her face from the utter euphoria she was experiencing. Aikka said nothing, but took her lips gently in a chaste kiss. He pulled slightly back from her, and looked to the moon.

"And now, if Sekai blesses us," Aikka said, overviewing the process in his mind. Almost as if this were a cue, two of the little water comets separated from the rest, playing first between the two of them, before they split up, one seeming to disappear into Aikka, the other into Eva. She felt it as it cooled her skin underneath her shirt, at the arc of her rib cage. It felt tingly, almost like the sensation she'd gotten when receiving her tattoos on her face, minus the pain.

She sent a hand to the spot over her clothing, the comets that still remained airborne around them began to float back downwards to find the rest of the lake. It still tingled, and it seemed to radiate something, though she wasn't sure what. Leaning in, Aikka lifted her shirt just enough to reveal the new mark there, Eva saw it as a ring of Nourasian runes and swirls, in a skin tone that was deep enough to be set off from her own, similar to her tattoos.

"The seal of Bonding," Aikka told her quietly as she stared at it from above. She looked at him just as he leant down, holding her by the waist and just pressing his lips to the mark on her skin. It sent a pleasant jolt through her as he rose again, looking into her eyes. He lifted his own shirt to show his matching mark, his being in a lighter color, similar to his own marks on his cheeks. He smiled and let his shirt fall again before he took her into his arms.

"It's done," Aikka whispered to her, nuzzling gratefully into her two toned hair as her arms wrapped around his waist. "No matter what happens, my heart will always belong to you, Molly."

Eva clung tighter to the prince, wanting him to hold her forever. No matter what happened…but what would happen? She couldn't imagine life without this touch now, not without Aikka. It made her want to fight harder for the prince. But who would she have to fight? The king, surely…Perhaps even Almene, even her own father! Somehow though, she'd prove herself to them all, she'd prove her love for him. If she didn't vow that at least, what kind of princess would she make for her beloved prince?

"I love you," Eva murmured into his chest, trying as well to assure herself of her newfound mission. She squeezed him only a bit tighter, wanting the embrace to last a lifetime.

Aikka returned the squeeze, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as if to protect her from harm. His own mission was much the same; he wanted her to be accepted by the others, by his father, by his people. It'd likely be a hard and grueling road in front of his council, but he would do it, he'd make them see.

As sure as there was a Seal of Bonding on his chest, his love for her would not fade. He wasn't giving up on her now.

--

The deep, romantic mood between the two of them, while not forgotten, quieted down into their usual companionship as they sat under the stars again, once more back in Aikka's sanctuary of a clearing. Sitting on a grassy patch with his back to a rock, Aikka had his arms wrapped around his princess's shoulders as she sat between his legs, her back to his chest, looking up at the Nourasian night sky. Surprisingly, it wasn't too late into the night as they sat together, Aikka pointing out the Nourasian constellations.

It was the first real time they had alone together since they'd taken G'dar out for food on Earth, and they were taking advantage of it. Once they'd get back to the palace, they reluctantly agreed that the others, particularly the King, would be hesitant to leave them alone together. And after Aikka ran out of the infirmary like he did, they'd surely still be paranoid.

"Hey Aikka," Eva asked quietly, and Aikka tilted his head into hers as if to say he was listening. "What should we tell the others, about the Bonding? You won't get into a lot of trouble for it, will you?" She asked cautiously.

"It should not be too much of a problem," Aikka began difficultly, pondering on the scenarios. "But for now, until we figure out just what to do, before I speak to my parents, let us keep it between us. If I bring it up too soon, they may just think I was using it for leverage." He pressed his lips to her red hair. "I would never do that."

Eva nodded against his chin, her crimson eyes becoming heavy with drowsiness. She snuggled deeper into the protective alcove that was Aikka's hold on her, and felt sleep lulling her off.

"Sounds about right," Eva agreed in a soft voice. "Thank you, Aikka," she then murmured with a smile, finally nodding off and letting sleep capture her in the prince's arms.

Aikka felt her relax more in his grasp, and instantly knew where she'd gone. He smiled to himself as he hugged her closer.

"Sleep well, princess," he closed his own eyes after giving one last look to Sekai. "It has been a long day."

Aikka gave one last smile as he pulled his unworn robe from beside him, pulling it over Eva as she slept. He just barely felt her hair against his cheek before he too was lost to much needed sleep.

--

General Kross had been staring at the lights of the Nourasian palace for a while now, looking from the dark windows of the large trident ship that he and his subordinates had snuck on to the planet just hours before. It sat past the edge of Daalan, hidden in the shroud of forest, while the general plotted against the kingdom, against the prince, and against Molly, the winner of the race of Oban. The one who'd stolen his victory.

He flexed his mechanical arm again, the sounds of gears and metal feeding his anger toward those lesser creatures, those humans, Nourasians. They were all the same, headstrong pests that thought they could outdo the Crog Imperium.

Laughable, that's what it was to Kross. True, the meddlesome prince and his little bodyguard had taken down one of his men, and injured another, but that meant nothing. He would win his complete honor back, and the prince would not stop him, rather, he would pay.

Kross was done toying with his prey, it was time he took a more drastic step, it was time he made Aikka, Molly, Earth and Nourasia know that he was serious, it was time he made them obey. And he already had a plan.

"Earlier you told me the fleets that attacked Earth were waiting their next orders," Kross hissed to a large shadow in the background of the little trident bridge, another Crog. The general did not take his eye off of the quiet Nourasian city. That eye narrowed as Kross glared with an inward smirk out the window.

"Well, I have their next orders ready," Kross told his subordinate menacingly. "I hope they are ready for another trip." The lower officer listened intently to Kross's orders, taking it all to mental note.

"Also," the general continued just as the other Crog was turning for the door, off to obediently carry on the message to the rest of the Crogs' massive fleets just outside the planet's atmosphere. Kross's one eye turned to a malicious slit as he glanced to the other Crog.

"Get me a link to our old ally, King Lao." He hissed mockingly at the king's name. The officer nodded quickly and left the room, leaving Kross with his plan and his vengeful gaze at the palace.

--

Aikka woke in a haze, the only thing that was clear to him was Eva's presence, still in his arms. Rubbing his eyes with one palm, he then noticed that she'd shifted since they'd fallen asleep, and she now had her arms around his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Even though she was still deep in sleep, her grip was amazingly strong as she clung to him.

Aikka smiled sleepily at this, and stroked some of her hair as more consciousness came to him. Peering around his secret clearing, he still saw the night sky; they'd obviously not been asleep for more than a few hours. Dawn was even a fair few hours off.

Though, as he stared out at the sky, trying to calculate by the placement of the moons what time it was, he noticed the red glow again over the planet. The sign that the Crogs were still present. He was reminded of the previous day, Kross trying to claim Eva, and then his life.

He clutched the girl closer to him, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with the Crog's glow above them as if he and the girl were perfectly clear to them, like they were watching their every move. She was so calm in his grasp, not knowing about the glow over their heads. He then remembered, besides the fact that the Crogs were above, that they should have probably been back to the palace; there was bound to be worry over where the two of them were.

"Molly, wake up," Aikka whispered into Eva's ear. She stirred slightly but did not wake. "Molly, we must get back to the palace," Aikka said again, this time shaking her slightly with a gentle grip on her shoulder. This seemed to help more, and the girls crimson eyes opened narrowly.

"Aikka? Wa's goin' on?" Eva murmured sleepily, not removing her head from his shoulder.

"Nothing, but we both fell asleep earlier, we should have gone back to the palace. Your father must be worried," Aikka told her, lifting his back off of the rock behind him, bringing the girl with him as she released him to sit dazedly in his lap. He stroked messy hair from her face before kissing her lightly on the cheek hoping it'd wake her up more.

"And besides that, look," Aikka pointed to the sky, showing her the red glow. Eva's eyes widened then, and she yawned, but understood.

"Those freaks never give up," She muttered. Aikka got to his feet, and Eva soon followed, rubbing at her eyes. The prince let the girl shrug into his outer robe that they'd used as a blanket, before taking Eva's hand and leading her into the shelter of the canopy covered path, this time going downhill towards the palace.

They ran into little through the hallways to the guest wing, the whole palace seemed quiet. The guest wing was dim as they found it, and Don's door seemed to be open and shedding light into the corridor. Eva then knew that he'd probably kept the door open so that she'd come see him when she returned, she suddenly felt guilty for being gone so long. Aikka got her attention by way of a squeeze of her hand. She turned to face him again, red eyes meeting with crystal.

"I will leave you here," he whispered to her. "I will go tell my parents that I've returned, you should go get some more sleep,"

Eva nodded with a yawn; she couldn't argue with that. Aikka couldn't resist giving her one last kiss to her tattooed star in their solitude. Turning to leave, he gave her his last, quiet farewell, his hand slipping slowly from hers.

"Good night, then, Molly." Eva smiled stowing her hands behind her back in her classic playful pose.

"G'night, Prince," Eva replied, her head still in a haze. Already she wanted to tell someone, to not keep such great news, the greatest thing to ever happen to her, to herself.

Aikka vanished into the palace, though his smiling face lingered in her mind as she drew herself from her daydreams. She needed to go tell her father of her return.

Sighing her euphoria away, she turned for the lit doorway. Peeking inside, Don already appeared fast asleep, slumped in a chair. Silently smiling, she went to put out the torch that provided the room with it's dim light.

"Good night, dad," She told him quietly. "I can't wait to tell you…I just hope you'll be happy,"

Closing the door silently behind her, she crossed the hall, already grateful and eager for the Nourasian bed that would meet her at the end of her journey. She found Janni asleep much in the same fashion as her father was; as if she'd been waiting, slumped over on her side of the bed, gun-cleaning set not far out of reach. Satis looked comfortable, curled up against the gunner, Eva was pleased to notice.

Following Janni's example, Eva simply wandered to the bed and flopped down without the vaguest consideration for her clothing, nor for the sheets she laid herself on top of. Sighing, she knew, all things considered, this had to have been the best day of her life. Even Janni had a smile on her sleeping face.

Eva grinned, wondering what could have possibly given the gunner that smile, before snuggling into Aikka's lingering scent on the robe and letting herself be taken again by sleep.

---

Aikka strode confidently down the hallways he knew so well, the halls that led to his parents' inner throne chambers. He'd never felt so nervous about talking to them before, yet he'd never been so sure of what he wanted.

Eva was his best friend, his beloved, and now his bonded. She was his princess. How could he possibly return to a life without her, was a mystery to him, the idea was just unfathomable. He knew he could never accept Almene anymore, much less anyone else, not the way he was expected to. Not the way he'd already long ago accepted Eva.

Now his only problem was his parents and if they'd permit it to happen. He knew what he wanted, and he wanted it desperately. He'd do anything for Eva. But how hard would it really prove to be?

Now standing in front of the crimson curtain, Aikka paused, gathering his courage. Now was the moment, he knew. He'd prove his love for Eva was undeniable, even to his parents, the king and queen of Nourasia. He envisioned her, Eva, dressed in her unique combination of Nourasian clothes, and then he saw her again, this time in an elegant outfit suited to the queen of Nourasia. His queen.

The thought made his heart skip a beat, heat rise in his cheeks, more courage pouring into him. Drawing in breath, he stepped forward, parting the curtains to allow himself entry.

Looking around, the prince found an odd sight; the lengthy room, doused in torchlight, was quiet. At the end of the stretch, sat the thrones, vacant. Aikka's hand went instinctively to his belt, immediately suspicious, only to find that he was still unarmed since his stay in the hospital wing.

Grimacing at that fact, he stepped forward, silent and calculated. He'd been told that his parents were here…but where were they? The closer he got to the thrones, though, the more he begun to hear voices, coming from the back chambers behind the throne curtains.

"This isn't a good idea, Lao. You know nothing good has ever come of talking to that brute!" Aikka instantly recognized his mother's seemingly distant voice.

With a silent spurt of speed, Aikka hurried up to the edge of the curtain, careful to not disturb the fabric. His father's voice came next, stressed, as Aikka had many a time before heard it…when he was under pressure from the Crogs…

"I know, I know, Nori, but I must hear what the General has to say! You know the power he possesses!" Aikka felt his fists clench at his sides, his lips moving silently to form that one loathsome name.

"Kross…" It took a great deal of self control to keep himself from uttering it. He heard his mother sigh.

"Very well. Just be wise; the last time we made a deal with him, we almost lost our only son!" Nori's voice carried a protectiveness of her son, as well as venom for the infamous Crog leader as she brought up their alliance in the Great Race.

Their son, meanwhile, felt his tension rise; So Kross was calling? That could not be good. It never ended well. Aikka's blue eyes glinted around the dim throne room; this must be why the Crog abandoned the fight in the forest so early. This was his real plan…something sinister, as Aikka could only guess. He held his breath as the humming of those technological communication devices overtook the silence within, as a greater sense of foreboding grew in his stomach.

"General Kross," Lao's voice boomed with confidence fitting a mighty king. "You called a hearing with me? This had better be about removing your influence from my people, I won't have any more attacks on my innocent subjects!"

Kross's voice cackled, sending a wave of hatred through the prince's body, his eyes fixed in a glare on the stone floor below him.

"Well, well, the king has found his voice, has he?" Lao made a noise of frustration at the machine, while his son felt his fists clench tighter. "Fortunately for you, this may end well for you and your subjects." Kross hissed menacingly. Aikka was caught off guard by these words, the suspicion in him, that ominous feeling growing painfully inside of him.

"It may, if you act accordingly. All you have to do is make a simple decision," Kross continued.

The king stood silent, and off to the side, the queen, unseen by the general, gave a glare of narrowed blue eyes at the Crog's hologram, her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes carried a sort of graceful hatred, beautiful, yet dangerous glint and exhibited her protectiveness of her son, the popular target of Crog threats.

Kross's eye glinted into a yellow slit, showing the heinous 'grin' he was famous for. Nori shifted, not taking her suspicious glare off of him, and Aikka, unseen, stood rigid as the next words sounded from Kross's static-laced voice.

"I have a proposition for you, Lao."

---

It came some time in the night, the faint sound of mewing, scratching on wood. It was the sound of a familiar animal routing around, it was so common to her these days, that she nearly dismissed it.

Her two-toned head tossed over her pillow as Eva tried to ignore her young adolescent cat, but the mewing continued. She tried again to return to her dreams about a certain prince, but had no such luck.

A vague feeling of light passing over her, along with some sense of warmth, though, finally brought her back, opening her crimson eyes to the darkness. She cocked her head as she lifted it above her pillow; whatever light that she'd just 'seen' was gone. She squinted around the room sleepily, finding the windows behind the curtains illuminated blue. And Janni was still fast asleep beside her.

Another, contented mew called Eva's attention towards her door, and she had to squint to see Satis's small form in the dark. The cat, as it appeared, was still scratching at the door, as if he wanted out.

"Satis, quiet, go to sleep," Eva yawned, about to flop back into bed.

Before she had a chance, however, she realized that there was a vertical slit of faint torch light coming from the other side of the door; Satis wasn't scratching at the door anymore, he was trying to push it open!

"Satis!!" Eva hissed, whipping covers out of the way as she lept up. Meanwhile, Satis had managed to get completely past his obstacle, save for his bottle brush tail still drifting through the gap and out of Eva's sight.

Eva stumbled almost blindly after her cat, swinging the door wide open. There was no way to know what would happen to her cat if he was loose in Nourasia, much less in the palace. Such a strange creature wandering the halls would surely cause confusion among the servants and whoever else lived in the palace. Which was the exact reason she'd promised Aikka from the beginning that she and Janni would be careful to keep the animal in their room only. How the door had opened, though, was a mystery to her. She was sure she closed it securely behind her earlier…

"Satis, get back here!" Eva whispered, scrubbing at her tired eyes with her hands, the torchlight harassing her sleep-filled vision. She caught sight of Satis jaunting over to and right out of the balcony door.

"Not good," Eva muttered before jogging after her pet as he found the out side world of Nourasia.

The little two-toned cat, instead of running off further into the night, plopped down into a seat on the stone terrace. As Eva came up in a hurry behind him, Satis looked calmly over his shoulder at her, then back up, seemingly to the sky, with a mew and a lick of his feline lips. Barely paying attention to her surroundings at all, Eva swung through the doorway, nearly stumbling over the creature.

"What's gotten into you, you little troublemaker?!" Eva exclaimed, grabbing Satis around the middle and collecting him into his arms. Satis, in return, mewed once more and leaned a little more out of her grasp.

It was then that Eva noticed the unusual lighting on that terrace; along with the blue of Sekai, there was an odd yellow glow spilling on the stone floor. Eva let out a gasp, associating such a friendly yellow glow with one person…

"Hey, Molly,"

He stood just before her, as if standing on the railing, but she knew better; he was simply floating there. His eyes were as warm as ever, and gold as she'd left them. His celestial form was unchanged, it was still the golden, flowing shape that haunted her memories and her dreams. Perhaps this was only that, just a dream.

"Jordan?" Eva gasped, with barely any breath at all. She only vaguely remembered there was a cat in her arms, it was amazing she was still holding him.

The avatar, meanwhile, smiled at the girl he still loved. Lowering himself to the floor, he transformed himself back into his human form before Eva's wide eyes. Luckily he felt more confident going before her in a new outfit, one of greens and yellows that suited him better than the old shades of mulberry and purple.

"Yep, it's me," Jordan said softly, coming up to a familiar height above the girl. Eva, meanwhile, set her cat gently on the ground, and threw herself into the avatar's arms, relishing the scent and feeling of her long-lost friend and partner.

"Jordan, it's so great to see you!!" Strong arms embraced her in return, easily encircling her small frame. The Avatar breathed her in, the girl he'd missed so much. It'd only been a year, but it felt as if he hadn't had her this close in ages.

"I missed you too, Molly," Jordan sighed, wishing against common sense that he could hold her forever. So many reasons said he shouldn't, yet so many more made him yearn that it be possible. Despite all those things that made him want her, he let her go so they could look at each other. Eva gave him a wry smile, much like the playful ones she always gave him back during the races.

"You never told me you had a sister!" She observed, hands on her hips. "And you grew your hair out!" Jordan grinned back.

"Hey, had to save some surprises for you, didn't I, Molly?" the teenage entity laughed, for a moment enjoying the opportunity to be carefree with an old friend. It still weighed more than a little on him that this was all could ever be between them, but all the same, he savored just being able to see her before him. That despite it all, she'd been the one to throw herself in his arms.

And he also regretted that he'd come here for an important reason. His face turned serious as he beheld her.

"Molly, I'm sorry, I really haven't been much help to you this far in all this, I wish there was more I could do…for you, personally…" Jordan began awkwardly. "I'm glad that Aikka is protecting you. And Janni too. But things are getting serious in this war."

Eva's smile left over from their previous train of conversation faded as
Jordan's face grew darker with apprehension with every word he spoke.

"What do you mean? The incident today, Or…Something bigger?" Eva asked cautiously, her own voice growing softer with fear.

"The Crogs, or Kross, really, they're getting impatient." Jordan explained, before closing his eyes as he, unbeknownst to Eva, called on his new and growing skills at Foresight. Golden eyes opened, fixed on the stone floor below them.

"Right now, Molly, a proposition has been made. Aikka knows about it, and he isn't going to like it." Jordan proclaimed. "He's going to hate it, as a matter of fact. But there's a great amount of gravity on this proposal, on both sides."

Eva stared at him, not knowing what she could possibly say to that.

"A proposition? What kind of proposition?" She asked him nervously. He shook his head.

"I can't tell you right now, but don't worry, Aikka definitely will. But my time here is running out." Jordan told her. "I came here to tell you what you can do with it," He told her quietly, with a slight grin on his face. Eva merely cocked her head curiously.

"Molly, I've been working on getting help for this war, but I still need time if Earth and Nourasia are going to last that long. I need you to stall Kross." Her eyes immediately widened. "This is going to sound absolutely crazy when Aikka tells you what this proposition is, Aikka will be completely against it. But you gotta trust me, and play along with it."

"Play along, with what? What's going on, Jordan?" Eva asked, suddenly frightened. He put a gentle hand on her cheek, and it somehow calmed her down, slowed her hurried heartbeat.

"Just trust me, Molly, I just need you to buy me some time without any planets being destroyed, since I'm going to be elsewhere, getting help." Eva became that much more confused as she looked into his determined gold eyes. "Believe me, when the right time comes, you will know what to do. It will come to you. Just remember that Kross is still sore about the outcome of Oban."

Eva felt weak in his grasp, his one hand on her shoulder, the other on her cheek. Her crimson eyes shone with the sudden weight of this vague premonition of his, this return of the subject of war in an otherwise blissful night. She began to feel Jordan slipping away from her again…or maybe that was all in her head.

"Jordan, I…" Eva began unsurely, before resolving a solid look of nervous determination on her face. "I'll do what I can." Her crimson eyes pierced the blue-illuminated darkness between them, and Jordan felt a weakening in him, looking once more at those soft but courageous red eyes. He lost himself for a moment and in the moment as he leant forward.

Eva froze for a second, right before Jordan caught himself and an awkward pause took them both. Eva broke it with a splash of color to her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Jordan," she spoke shyly. "Me and Aikka…We…" Jordan finally removed his hand from the near-intimate position on her cheek, letting it float down to take her other shoulder, shaking his head.

"It's alright, Molly, you don't have to tell me. I understand." Even with his assuring voice, Eva looked at the avatar worriedly. Jordan saw her look and continued, the blush becoming apparent in his own cheeks. "I think I knew, even back then, before you did, even. As long as Aikka loves you back and makes you happy," Jordan continued, though it was hard for him to finally, verbally affirm this belief of his. As long as Molly was happy, he was happy. Even if it was with 'Princey' instead of himself. Eva, though, still looked guilty that she couldn't appreciate Jordan as more than a friend, that he'd have to live with that for another nine-thousand and ninety-nine years.

"I followed my heart back when I told you I loved you, Molly, it's only fair that you do the same." Jordan beamed at her, regaining his golden glow. "Don't worry about me. Oh, and tell Janni I said hi, ok?"

"Jordan," Eva whispered as his hand faded from hers, as he began to transport back to Oban. How she wanted her friend to stay with her…but she knew it wasn't possible. "Thanks for everything, partner." She settled on saying to his quickly disappearing form.

Soon all that was left of the meeting with the avatar was some floating specks of gold light. And as Eva peered around, in vain hope that he was still around, the voice sounded, disembodied.

"In a couple of days, Sera will be half-gone. When she rises to her peak that day, look for me."

Eva looked around as Jordan's voice faded, then sank a little; he really was gone again. She and Satis were left alone on the balcony of the Guest wing, the peace of Nourasia overtaking them once more.

Her eyes rose to the sky, she felt as though she was searching for Oban, searching for answers. She found Sera, settling down in the sky to the west, getting ready to visit the other side of the planet. She saw Sekai, giving her light to the world. And the red glow dominating the sky somewhere in between the moons. The Crogs, the Crogs that were apparently on the move about something.

"A proposition is being made," Eva murmured to herself. "When the time comes…I'll know what to do? Jordan, can't you be a little bit more specific?!" Eva asked the darkness, wrapping her arms around her torso.

She suddenly heard movement from within, and turned with a start, peering into the torch-lit hallway. If this was the time Jordan was talking about, she was not ready! She told herself that it was all in her head, but remained perfectly motionless and inconspicuous as possible.

"Molly?" She let out a breath as she heard the familiar voice searching for her. The shadows moved from within, and Aikka met her in the doorway.

"Aikka!" Eva exclaimed, relieved to see her prince standing there. Though her face fell when she read his expression. His face was so full of a mixture of pain, anger and confusion…This must be part of Jordan's prediction he made to her. "What's going on? What's the proposition?"

Aikka opened his mouth, but then looked at her oddly; How did she know there was a proposition?

"How did you…?" Aikka wondered, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"I'll explain in a second, but I need to know," Eva said seriously, earning a look of confused acceptance of her answer on his face. The determination in her crimson eyes told him to simply continue.

But soon, the anger of what he knew, the gravity of it all fell on his shoulders again, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides as he strode fiercely over to the balcony's edge. Leaning over the railing, his fists supporting him against the stone, he shut his eyes to the injustice of the world, and tried to collect his thoughts into coherent order. Eva, meanwhile, waited patiently behind him.

"My father…And my mother…They were contacted by Kross." Aikka said in a low voice. Eva nearly winced, but she knew Kross was part of this from what Jordan had said. She remained quiet as Aikka's head hung slightly. Unseen to her, his tan face and crystal eyes were contorted with anger.

"Kross made an offer. An offer to remove all his troops, his fleets. That Nourasia would be free." He said, in a calm but shaky voice. Eva walked up to share the railing with the prince. Her hand lightly, almost apprehensively, touched his. "On one condition."

"And that is?" Eva asked him worriedly. Blue eyes turned to her at last, this time full of grief, and if Eva wasn't mistaken, shame. Her own eyes widened at the emotion in them, and she vaguely felt his hand suddenly grasp desperately to hers. She grew doubly worried as Jordan's words flashed through her mind;

"This is going to sound absolutely crazy when Aikka tells you…"

"Molly, they want you. Kross wants us to surrender you to them." He whispered hoarsely. "And he wants me to personally hand you to him."

"But you've gotta trust me…and play along with it."

-Catgirl-of-Bavaria-: Oh noes, another cliff-hanger! XD I deeply apologize…

So, did anyone catch the MeruPuri and Final Fantasy reference?

From FFX, the scene in Macalenia forest with Tidus and Yuna was really sweet, and beautiful. I wanted my Nourasia to be sort of like that. Along with Aikka and Molly Bonding in the water, the way Tidus and Yuna affirm their love in the water. The scenery in that was just to die for, really. I wuv Final Fantasy :3

Then, a little bit from MeruPuri…I'm not quite up to date on this part of the story, however due to spoilers, I found that Aram and Airi have these tattoos at the bottom of their chests, they match, and signify marriage in Aram's kingdom. I'm not sure how they got married, but I'm pretty sure Aram did it to save her or something…But anyway! I thought it'd be a neat element for this story, for them to have matching tattoos signifying the Bonding, which binds their two souls. In MeruPuri, actually, if another man besides Aram were to kiss Airi's tattoo (like I had Aikka do,) She would die Oo …I didn't include that of course, that's just darker than I want for Nourasia. And also, Aram and Airi share a little kissing scene in the water as well!

So, next chapter:: What's really going on with Kross's proposition? And how is Aikka going to react when Eva tells him what she knows? And what she has to do?? And the king and queen…what do they think of this whole mess?

I'll update when I can, I don't know when that will be…I'm in college now, remember that! Love you all!

Oh, and before I leave… Any other Avatar: The Last Airbender fans in here?

I have a question for you: As a Mokka fan, do you find yourself being a Zutarian, or not? I ask because I suddenly became curious. If you think about it, the romance between Aikka and Molly(in the show, I mean) has some similarities with the idea of a romance between Zuko and Katara.

In both pairings, the two are from separate, very different races/peoples, planets/nations…

There are princes…with complicated family issues (Aikka with his parents being held by the Crogs, Zuko with his father's heavy influence on him, his mother's disappearance) They both like sneaking around, too. Blue Spirit, angst hoodies,, much? XD

There are girls, common, peasant, whatever…Both lost their mothers at early ages…Both seem to have a bit of trouble with their fathers(Katara not as much, but she does have some angst in the first episode of the new season) And both are very strong female characters who aren't afraid to kick butt.

Zuko and Aikka both have difficult choices to make, throughout their respective shows…

There is an element of betrayal to both of their relationships as well.

In the end, Aikka makes the right decision and fights alongside Molly, and I know that Zuko will eventually make the same choice and fight alongside Katara and Aang…

…

lol, Both Zuko and Aikka have Avatars to compete with for their love interests! XD

hmm, yeah, I think that's it. See, they have a lot of similarities! So, I was just curious as to how many OSR/A:TLA fans find themselves rooting for both Zutara and Mokka. Any comments? Thoughts?

Yes, I am Zutarian! And Proud, too!

Well, I'll be going now, see you all next update! I'll be lurking around DeviantArt if you need me! XD