Collision
Chapter 2
Written By: Kimchi_Taco
I do not own anything from Dawn of the Arcana/Reimei no Arcana or any of the songs that I mix in with the fanfic. I am just your average manga reader that wishes I could have been a part of the adventure but with a little imagination and a stroke of the keys… I can be. I hope you guys enjoy!
"..Err… arrgg…. Why… these headaches? " Rainy slowly got up from a thin bed that was against a wall. Her hand slowly went up to her head as she tried to recall what happened.
"I have been having some weird dreams… cat ears… about a book I was reading… something about decisions…ugh… Hey Sergeant you ever have weird…" Rainy was talking to a young man with blonde hair and crisp blue eyes that were staring at her intently.
Rainy quickly looked at her surroundings at least to grab her rifle, but she noticed she was stripped of all her gear and equipment. She gripped the edge of the bed tightly and stared at the blonde prince. At first there was nothing but silence between the two, just a tight tension that was growing in the room.
Through gritted teeth Rainy asked, "What… do…. you… want?"
Prince Cain asked, "Who are you?"
Rainy leaned against the prison wall and responded, "Why does that matter to you?"
Prince Cain's shoulders straightened more as he sternly said, "I am a part of the royal house… Prince Cain. I asked you a question and I demand an answer."
The young female soldier stared at him and she weighed the situation… if she cooperates maybe she can find her way out of her… but wait… wasn't this all a dream? Almost like a fog like memory she remembered something about making decisions… something about this could be my reality unless I do something right… something on that lines.
Rainy look at Prince Cain still leaning against the wall, "My name is Rainy Lee."
Prince Cain walked towards her and he softly took a strand of her hair and asked, "What kingdom are you from."
Rainy moved her head away enough for the strand to slide out of his grasp as she responded, "Where I come from… we don't have kingdoms or royalty. We elect our leaders and vote on them… as free people."
Prince Cain's eyes widened in surprise, his body for a second relaxed and caught off guard with the response. He quickly shook his head and quickly responded, "Nonsense. What kingdom do you come from?"
Rainy looked him straight in the eyes and said, "My name is Rainy Lee. I am a soldier in the United States Army as a Medic. My social security, though it is no use to you, is 414343447. I was born in Biloxi, Mississippi in the beautiful country of the United States of America. I am assuming I am a prisoner?"
Prince Cain's eyes continued to watch her… see if there was any fault to what she was saying. A stutter, muscles twitch in her jaw, a blink… anything. But in front of him, he didn't see a woman scared… he did see fear but what he saw was the look of the many soldiers that looked at him with pride for his kingdom… their kingdom. He couldn't question her pride but the things she was saying just itched in his brain and he was curious.
Prince Cain shook his head and forced himself to believe, "She must be lying…"
He moved toward the exit of the prison cell and said, "I will return for the answer I want."
Quickly he heard soldiers in the prison walkway and asked, "If you would like sir we can…" the guard's eyes shifted to the young girl and a very hungry smirk only for a second slipped but as lucidly as it appeared it disappeared as he looked back to the Prince, "… get your answers."
Rainy's heart started to beat rapidly as a one thought was screaming in her head, "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! What do I do? What do I do… what do…"
Before Rainy could hatch up a plan the Prince said in a stern voice, "Do NOT touch her… do NOT talk to her… Only I will deal with her..."
Rainy's eyebrows raised a little and she thought, "Why does HE want to talk to me for? I always thought royalty and people like that don't deal with prisoners. Well… why question it? I am in the clear of big ugly brute…"
Rainy's eyes narrowed as she glared at the guard that threatened to harm her. She quickly stuck her tongue out in defiance and then leaned back into her cold and thin bed. Again her hand moved back to her head, where she was struck to make her unconscious. She started thinking about what was happening and what to do. Slowly, like looking through a fog she remembered seeing a small figure with the odd ears again…
"The decisions you make in this world will decide which reality is the one you will live in forever."
"What does that even mean? Stupid dream… dreams. What? How can I wake up in a dream… from a dream… ugh… not this Inception bullshit." Rainy was running a million and one thoughts through her brain, brainstorming, racking, scrapping, trying to make sense of the whole mess.
Out of all the mess Rainy started mumbling a song, "Well I woke up to the sound of silence… the cars were cutting like knives in a fist fight… and I found you with a bottle of wine… Your head in the curtains and heart like the Fourth of July. You swore and said we are not… we are not shining stars. This I know… I never said we are. Though I've never been through hell like that, I've closed enough windows to know you never look back."
The guards stirred a little as they turned slightly turned their head and toward the cell that held Rainy, and Rainy slowly started to sing a little louder to make sure the guards heard her voice not because of the quality of her singing but what she was about to say.
"If you're lost and alone…
Or you're like sinking stone…
Carry on
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on…"
The guards had completely turned their heard toward the cell, and they quietly argued between the two if they should silence the girl or enjoy the entertainment. Of all the most wonderful and exciting things they were doing… either watching an empty hallways or talking, women's bosoms, or complaining about bosses.
"…but I like to think
That I can cheat it all.
To make up for the times that I've been cheated on
And it's nice to know
When I was left for dead
I was found and now I don't roam these streets
I am not the ghost you want of me!
If you're lost and alone…
Or you're like sinking stone…
Carry on!
May your past be the sound…
Of your feet upon the ground!
Carry on!"
Fellow prisoners in the other cells starting rooting, and this was the point the guards began to shout angrily for everyone to calm down. Rainy didn't stop singing but sang louder and stared straight at the guard as she finished her song.
"Cause we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we're miles away
So we'll come
We will find our way home
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone
Carry on
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground
Carry on!"
One of the guards slammed his stick against the iron cage that she was in. He made a sarcastic remark, but she sat down on her bed not saying another word. She just wanted to let them and everyone else know that she wasn't going to give up on the fight but she wanted to make sure they were listening. Also, it was just a damn good song.
A few hours later the prince returned to the prison, stared at Rainy through her prison cell bars and asked once again, "What kingdom do you come from?"
Rainy shook her head and answered again, "I'm not from any kingdom. My name is Rainy Lee. I am a soldier in the United States Army as a Medic. My social security, though it is no use to you, is 414343447. I was born in Biloxi, Mississippi in the beautiful country of the United States of America." Rainy looked at the Prince from the corner of her eye and asked, "Am I a prisoner? I mean… I am in a cage…Sorta here against my will."
Prince Cain sighed and then said to one of the guards, "Open it."
The guard was at first confused and quickly opened the cell, he walked in and explained, "I don't know where you come from so I can't represent you as ally or foe… but I am… curious. I am curious about this… place you come from… about voting and free people. So, no you are not a prisoner. But I am asking you to represent your country here in Belquat and be a guest."
Rainy looked at Prince Cain confused and also slightly doubtful but what ran through her mind was, "What choice do I have? Nowhere else to go really… and plus, I'm still dreaming… I think?"
Rainy nodded her head and took her hand out and said, "Sounds like a deal to me!"
Next thing Rainy knew, Rainy was being washed and dressed… like a princess. And from a soldier wearing boots and ACUs… she wasn't all too pleased. She shoved the seamstresses and maids a bit and began to demand for something like pants or a lighter dress. Evidently Prince Cain wanted her to be dressed like a princess but Rainy was having none of that. The placed on her a very simple green top that revealed shoulders but underneath was thin straps (like a tank top) that were brown to hold up the shirt, they wrapped a beautiful light green material around her waist to still show slight feminine features, and also her pants were comfortable and loose. Rainy looked in the mirror and gave a cheerful wide smile and thumbs up to the seamstresses and the maids.
"I love it! Thank you guys so much!"
The ladies smiled, this time not because it was mandatory, but it was pleasant to work with Rainy. Even though she refused to wear a dress, she was still mannered and gave quick orders versus the maids guess, guess wrong, and start all over.
A maid asked, "Would you like us to make you more clothes like this?"
Rainy nodded and responded, "Yes please. If you guys could… I think one dress would be… appropriate…"
The maids laughed at her dismay and they nodded in agreement. And then there was a knock on the door and a call out, "Miss Rainy are you dressed?"
Rainy quickly looked at the maids, thanked them and then quickly turned to the door, "Yes!"
Prince Cain opened the door wider and looked at how Rainy was dressed. He laughed a little and responded, "I think Mother and Father are going to enjoy your clothes. Princess Nakaba tried to pull off somewhat a same look…"
Rainy crossed her arms and responded, "Well, I am not a princess or prince in this kingdom and you told me I was representing my country. In my country… I wear pants."
Prince Cain started to walk out the door with Rainy following next to him as he asked, "Tell me more about your country. What do you mean elect or voting?"
Rainy at first opened her mouth the respond but a second thought came to her as she thought, "Wait a minute… what if this place is just not ready for democracy? Hell I don't think we even understand democracy with how we sort of screwed over Vietnam… and Iraq… what right do I have?"
Rainy sighed and said," It's a system of how my country runs… though I am sure it would uninterested you because of its flaws in it…"
Prince Cain looked at her oddly and then asked, "We can talk about all this later because I do want to know. By the way, I told my mother and father you were a princess of your kingdom."
"WHAT?! BUT I'M NOT! I'M…"
Prince Cain glared at her quickly and silenced her, "How did you think I was able to pull this whole mess off? My mother and father would have never accepted a "representative" to sleep among the house… and it would be much easier to explain… seeing your black hair."
For a split second, Prince Cain glared at her hair and then in a blink had returned back to himself, "So… I had to change a few words…"
Rainy looked at him confused and just felt, uneasy and asked, "…Why are you doing this?"
Prince Cain smiled and then started to walk forward leaving Rainy Lee with nothing but questions. Just as she was about to call out for the Prince, wondering if she was supposed to continue to follow him or not… the corner of her eye she saw a familiar face… tall, black hair, dark dog ears hanging, and mysterious as always… Loki. But when he looked at her, she could have sworn he saw a ghost.
She turned to face him confused, but Prince Cain interrupted her view as he asked, "Are you… all right?"
She blinked and responded, "Yes… Yes I am sorry. I was distracted. Where are we going?"
Prince Cain walked forward and said, "We are about to have dinner. Wouldn't you like to join us?"
"Err… " her stomach growled loudly as she tried to hold her stomach and then with an embarrassed face looked at Prince Cain, "….yes please."
"Oh by the way Prince Cain! Umm… can I get all my stuff back…"
Prince Cain smiled almost… kindly and responded, "All of your belongings are in your room as we speak."
Rainy sighed as they started walking towards the door, she opened her eyes to see another young lady down the hall… "Louise… yeah that was her name…"
"Ah! Louise! I want to introduce you the Princess of… err… Ameeerica. Princess Rainy."
Rainy Lee's eyebrow twitched as he exaggerated the "air" part in America but nonetheless Rainy smiled and was about to take her hand out… when she realized, "Oh yeah… it's my country and my time we handshake…" she remembered the confused and curious face Prince Cain expressed when the initial deal she tried to shake hands on it. She looked at Louise who actually curtsied first, and Rainy immediately followed suit.
Louise in a soothing voice said, "It is nice to meet you Princess Rainy."
Rainy felt a small sting at the word "Princess" not just because she wasn't a princess… but there was a slight… almost… hate when Louise said it. She wasn't sure how to explain it but Rainy responded with a smile and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you to."
Any etiquette Rainy had… in all honesty she learned from random television shows. She wasn't sure how she was going to pull off dinner… all she could hope for was someone to mess up more than she did.
