Collision

Chapter 3

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!

Rainy has never really been much a physical interaction kind of person. She always felt hugs and kisses in public always awkward. So it actually surprised herself a little that she went as far to hug someone and then to add on top of it, the receiver was Prince Cain. Rainy has read the manga and if she correctly remembers, Prince Cain was a manipulator and has a horrible sense of right and wrong.

"But… how can a horrible person… shake so much from a hug. Wait… is he shaking?! IS HE CRYING?!" Rainy had finally opened one eye and to her surprise, she felt a tight squeeze around her and a few drips fell on her shoulder and left a wet spot.

Rainy looked around from his shoulder and awkwardly starting rubbing his back and said, "Hey… hey it's okay."

Just as quickly and surprisingly the hug was initiated, Prince Cain had grabbed Rainy's shoulder and pulled the two apart as he said through gritted teeth, "Stop… stop looking at me like you know me!"

Rainy tried to say something but he had quickly left the garden and back to the castle. Rainy stood there confused and guilty because she was the one who instigated this conversation. She didn't intentionally mean to upset Prince Cain.

Rainy then exclaimed out loud, "UGH! What's even the point… it's not like I can change anything… so what am I supposed to do here…"

Rainy had looked at the beautiful garden one more time, as it was starting to glow in the moonlight. She sighed and slowly headed her way back into the castle disappointed and guilty. She began to think of how much of a horrible human being she was as she started to head over to her room.

~Back in Nakaba's Room~

Nakaba had her knees curled up to her chin as she sat up in her bed and asked softly out loud, "Poison… who would do such a thing…"

She heard the quiet and graceful steps of Loki as she said out loud, "I was told something new today."

Loki opened his eyes in surprise and said, "What was this Princess Nakaba?"

Nakaba had face Loki with little hope in her eyes as she said, "Princess Rainy said my hair reminded her of the sun…" she shifted her eyes down to a strand of loose hair that had fallen over her shoulder as she said, "But to me it looks like blood…"

Loki didn't smile as he swiftly said, "Princess Rainy? Nakaba please do stay away from her…"

Nakaba confused was about to ask why when Loki had picked up the edge of the blanket and had begun to place it on her body, "There's no need to think of such things, Princess. I'm here for you."

Even though there was a brief small argument against sleeping, Nakaba had quickly begun to fall asleep…

~Back in Rainy's Room~

Rainy had crawled into bed and was fidgeting with her iPod that was able to survive the transition from Iraq to… well here. Her eyes stared at it confused noticing that one it was on this permanent random and also the "charge" icon was stuck even though there is no electricity during this time period. Rainy scratched her head in confusion and came up with only one possibility:

"HEY! This is proof this whole thing might still be a dream! Or maybe that fat ass that had squashed me had broken the programming in my iPod…"

Right now Rainy was listening to one of her favorite band, Paramore. The song she was listening to is called "Now"

Don't try and take this from me

Don't try and take this from me

Now

Don't try and take this from me

Don't try and take this from me

Now

Feels like I'm waken from the dead
And everyone's been waitin' on me
'Least now I'll never have to wonder
What it's like to sleep a year away
But were we indestructible
I thought that we could brave it all
I never thought that what would take me out
Was hiding down below

Lost the battle, win the war
I'm bringing my sinking ship back to the shore
We're starting over, or head back in
There's a time and a place to die but this ain't it

If there's a future, we want it
Now
If there's a future, we want it
Now
If there's a future, we want it
Now
If there's a future, we want it
Now

Thankfully this was one of Rainy's favorite songs, at least lately. Mostly due because it was such an upbeat and positive song that told her not to give up.

There is a time and a place to die

This ain't it

There is a time and a place to die

This ain't it

And even through the ruckus that was happening in Prince Caesar's room and also in her ear buds. Rainy was able to fall asleep peacefully and at least semi better than how she and Prince Cain left the gardens.

The next morning, there was a servant that had entered Rainy's room, already head low in a bow. Rainy blinked in confusion and thought when did she enter. When she looked next to her and noticed there was already a butler next to her and asked, "Coffee or tea your highness?"

Rainy had quickly jumped in the bed a little and said, "What wha?"

The butler had quickly bowed and apologized, "I am so sorry to surprise you, your highness!"

Rainy shook her head and said, "Wait… no no! Don't apologize… I'm just… this is new to me. I'm sorry."

The butler and the maid looked at her strangely as Rainy asked, "Umm… can I have some coffee please?"

The butler had smiled and had begun to prepare the coffee and handed it to her as she looked up to the butler and smiled, "Thank you sir!"

Once again the butler was caught off guard, had bowed and said as if it was a new word, "You're… you're welcome, your highness."

"Oh! Your presence in the throne chamber is needed after breakfast. The queen and king would like to speak to you."

Rainy had choked on her coffee a little as she thought, "Damn it! Did Prince Cain rat me out?! No I don't think so… I am sure they would have tossed me out like a sack of potatoes…"

After cleaning up and eating breakfast, Rainy had walked into the throne room as she can already sense there was a sense of urgency. She had walked down the aisles of eyes staring at her as she had courtesy (she had one of the maids teach her so she wouldn't look so odd like the time with Princess Louise).

The King had raised his hand still with his stern face, "Rise."

Rainy had then stood up straight as she asked, "You needed me your majesties?"

The Queen has smiled softly and had quickly changed to one of pity as she explained, "Last night, my son, Prince Caesar, was not only almost poisoned in his food but almost poisoned by a snake."

Rainy's eyebrows raised a bit as she remembered this happening in the manga and the Queen continued as she asked, "I don't feel asking you is productive but you can see where we stand… we needed to hear from you personally that none of this was your doing."

Rainy looked at the corner of her eye, and saw that Prince Cain was standing tall and stoic like next to his fiancé. It looked like he was almost trying too hard, to be unemotional and pieces of him were slipping from his slightly swollen and purple lower eyelids. Rainy noticed he was lacking sleep, probably because he has been running around trying to figure out what happened… or who knows what.

Rainy had looked at the Queen and directly answered, "No, your majesty. I had absolutely nothing to do with this."

The Queen had quickly nodded and waved her hand to one of her high guards, "I told you she wouldn't. She was raised correctly. Quickly mark her off the list already. Oh and dear please stand next to me. I would love to speak with you some more."

Rainy's eyebrow twitched slightly but she smiled politely and said, "Yes ma'am."

Rainy had made her way next to the Queen's throne, which she heard a little "huff" from Louise as she turned her head away. Again, Prince Cain stood there and looked straight down the chamber isle and doing his best to ignore Rainy. Rainy couldn't help, as much as she did not like Prince Cain and knows his true motives, but feel a bit guilty… okay she felt very guilty.

The Queen had sighed and said, "It is so nice to be in the company of a true royalty. I would have loved for you to marry my son, Prince Caesar. Or maybe even Prince Cain. Do either suite you?"

Rainy at first stood there in shock, one moment she was pitying Prince Cain and the next Rainy felt like she was in a match maker. Her brain was on a total freak mode, "OH MY GOD THIS WOMAN IS CRAZY? How the hell am I supposed to answer that? No? Then it would be insulting… Yes? BUT I DON'T! AARRGGHH!"

Rainy had laughed a little as she responded, "Thank you so much ma'am for your kind words. And your sons are fine gentlemen, but I must also respect their princess right now."

The Queen had leaned back, covering her mouth to politely laugh as she said, "Oh! Again with such manners! Don't worry about the princesses… we can always figure…"

Rainy had sighed slightly when she heard the door open and saw Nakaba stride into the throne chamber along with Loki behind her and she thought, "Saved by the bell! Thank goodness!"

Rainy watched as Princess Nakaba, as stoic as ever stood before the Queen and King as they accused her of harming their son, "Do you deny it?"

Princess Nakaba responded quickly, "I do. It wasn't me."

Rainy smiled at Princess Nakaba and nodded her head in encouragement. Nakaba looked over to Rainy and for a split second one of the corners of her mouth curled to a smile. But it had quickly disappeared when Loki whispered encouragement into her ear and then she assumed to look straight in the Queen's eye.

It was at this point the Queen stood up to slap Nakaba across the face. Rainy stood there puzzled and shocked not because of the slap, but because of the smile, "…that… that didn't happen in the manga…"

She was walking down the hallway still lost in the confusion of that smile, "Does… does that mean I can change the story here? Does that mean I can like… save people or ruin the outline of this whole thing?!"

Rainy walked down the halls of the enormous almost like a fairy tale castle and was trying to figure out what to do from here, until she ran into a room with its door slightly opened. Rainy at first stood at the door and tried to pry her nosy instincts to take a look, when she quickly turned on her heels and mumbled, "Just a peek… just a peek and I'll leave."

Of course, just a peek turned into her totally entering the room which had hundreds and hundreds of books. Books and scrolls about the history of Belquat: battles, and economic disasters, legends and folk tales passed down. Rainy always appreciated a good book every so often, but this was on such a massive scale. Her hands picked up a book and skimmed through a few pages, placed it back, and repeated the process with another random book.

She heard someone clear there throat and again she immediately stood in the stereotypical "ninja" pose with her hands up in the air and her one knee close to her chest as she screamed, "WHAT?!"

Prince Cain again had chucked and said, "I see you are finding our book and scrolls collection fascinating."

Rainy blinked and had placed her arms and legs back down as she said, "Y…yes." Rainy had quickly stammered, "H-hey! I wanted to say I was sorry for yesterday… I didn't… My aim wasn't to hurt your feelings."

Cain looked at Rainy and again smiled, "It's… It's cool."

Rainy blinked and laughed a little as he asked, "Was the context not right for this situation?"

Rainy shook her head a little and said, "No! No! It was perfect. It is just so odd hearing it from you."

Cain nodded and asked, "So I have a question that I have wanted to ask."

Rainy was messing with some of the maps as Cain continued to ask, "Do you care that I have blonde hair?"

Rainy stopped messing with the maps for a second, and answered, "Hmm… no not really."

Rainy looked up Cain and said, "The superficial layer of a human being doesn't define our character. Hell sometimes the things we say doesn't define a good leader or person."

Cain looked at her puzzled as she continued, "It's our actions. The moments were our morals are tested. And the decisions we make when no one is looking."

Cain had took a seat at one of the wooden chairs and placed his forearm on the matching wooden table with the map spilled over, "What about… what we think."

Rainy puzzled stopped looking at the map and said, "What we think? What do you mean?"

Cain said, "Well, you said "…decisions we make when no one is looking." Does that mean if a person thinks bad things… does it make him or her a bad person?"

Rainy jutted one of her hips out, crossed her arms, and had placed right hand up to her chin and replied, "Hmmm… lemme think about this."

Rainy knew she had to be careful how she answers this, because she knows in the future Prince Cain will betray Princess Nakaba and attempt to kill his brother, "Well… what does the person decide to do?"

Cain blinked and said, "Excuse me?"

Rainy looked out the window and said, "We are all human beings. No one in this entire world is perfect and we are all going to have "bad" thoughts. But I think it says a lot when a person goes against what his or her own personal negativity and does the right thing."

Cain at first his reaction was thoughtful, and then he turned his lips into a smile and said, "You are an interesting person."

Rainy rolled her eyes as she placed her fists on her hips and said, "Oh I'M interesting. How about you? What's up with the bags under your eyes?"

Cain first was confused and looked up at the ceiling and said, "What's… up with the… I'm sorry I don't understand…"

Rainy had blinked, and then placed her hand over her mouth and said, "Oh my goodness I can't…. Not literally what is up there! "What's up" is saying like… "What are you doing?" in a very informal and casual sense. I was asking "Why are your….err… lower eyelids… I guess… so swollen?"

Cain sighed and had placed her head on the table and said, "I've been staying up all night because of this whole "Prince Caesar" attempt assassination." Its mind boggling…"

Rainy sat in a chair across from him and said, "You know you really need to get some sleep. It doesn't really do any good for the future King to be tired and blah all day."

Cain sighed and sat up once again and said, "Thank you for your concern. Really."

Rainy smiled and again stuck her thumb up next to her face as she said, "I do the best I can."

Cain let a small smile creep through his lips, as she began to stand up, "Speaking of being future King… I have a few other tasks to do today. It was very nice to speak with you Rainy."

Rainy stood up as well and responded, "Pleasure is all mine! Now off to my room… umm… before you go…"

Cain was already starting to walk out of the door when he noticed Rainy was looking at the floor embarrassed as he asked, "Yes?"

Rainy scratched the back of her head as she said, "Look the only reason I was in this is room was because… I got… lost…"

Cain looked at Rainy with, at first, a look of absolutely comical relief surprise and then began to laugh at loud, between his laughs and breaths he said, "Okay… okay… just follow me."

Rainy huffed and crossed her arms, "It's not funny!"

Author's Note:

So, I'm on a slightly break from school and I am trying to update this story as much as possible. I've been getting a few good comments here and there and I really appreciate your words. Send me suggestions or encouragement (because who doesn't like to get their ego stroked every so often? And also I highly appreciate it). Thanks guys! I hope you enjoyed the story the same as I do!