Collision

Chapter 7

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 was staring at the mirror for the past few hours, trying on hundreds of different dresses: different materials, colors, design, and so on. It didn't matter if the dress flattered her petite body or the color brightened her eyes, and Rainy would love for this two hour torture to end. Every time she had looked up into the mirror, there was this ugliness crawling and tickling her spine. She couldn't just point out the fault, but it felt like it was festering.

"I've been ignoring this big lump in my throat

I shouldn't be crying…

Tears were for the weaker days.

I'm stronger now, or so I say,

But something's missing…

Whatever it is…

It feels like it's laughing at me through the glass of a two-sided mirror.

Whatever it is…

It's just laughing at me.

And I want to scream…

Rainy looked in the mirror and stared at the dress she was wearing for the last time that hour. It was a very seductive black dress that had small dark red stones in a wave pattern on the edges of her dress. In the center of her bosom was a bit larger red stone. The black dress fell behind her like ink dripping from her body and yet it hugged her body with all the right curves and the straps hung loosely below her shoulder, revealing her neckline and upper chest.

Even though this dress, made of the finest materials and rarest stones it just made her feel disgusted with herself as she scoffed and turned quickly away from the mirror and said, "Hey look… You guys are absolutely amazing and you're dresses are beautiful but… I just… can't do this… Can we do this a little later today?"

Rainy had quickly changed back into her normal clothing that her maids and seamstress had put together when she arrived, and just started walking aimlessly around the castle. Constantly she was running her hands through her black hair, as if she was trying to organize the strands of hair to organize her thoughts.

What now?

I just can't figure it out.

What now?

I guess I'll just wait it out, wait it out.

What now? Oohh

What now?

She wasn't sure how long she has been walking or what exactly took place, but the next thing she knew, she was in the palace garden. Rainy looked up into the gardens and took in a deep breathe of the roses and flowers and she had realized she was in the same spot where Rainy embraced Prince Cain, to comfort him.

Rainy abruptly sat down in the grass and placed her head in her hands and said, "UUGGHH! What is going on with me? I'm doing everything I am supposed to do!"

Rainy has been maintaining a good distance of Princess Nakaba and Prince Caesar and making sure the story line stayed as true as possible. With every conversation she has, not just Princess Nakaba and Prince Caesar but with anyone, she makes sure there are no future references or any possible mind changing. At the same time she has kept her distance just enough to make sure they come to the conclusions as they should.

Rainy pressed her hands into her temples and mumbled, "Then why… why do I feel like shit?"

Rainy had signed and looked up, a bit over the hill and noticed there was a small village at the foot of the palace. She saw the houses with little chimneys and little smokes puffing out, wooden carriages carrying different trade items being pulled by strong horses, a few people the size of ants busying themselves…

"Psh… and look at me… trying dresses."

Rainy rested her chin against the back of her hands as she thought, "Maybe I am homesick? I mean… I guess I do miss home. But nothing I am not use to sense enlisting… Maybe I am just not use to this dress thing or fancy living… naww… this is practically a vacation. I cannot complain about that. So what it is?"

Rainy started to gently hit her head against the back of her hand and said, "What… is… wrong… with… me?"

Immediately after releasing a sigh, she fell back against the soft grass and thought she was going to look up at the blue sky that every so often had a fluffy cloud. True there was a large portion of that view being the light blue sky and white clouds, but a chunk of that view was black by a man standing behind her with wolf ears and piercing blue eyes.

I found the one, he changed my life.

But was it me that changed

And he just happened to come at the right time?

I'm supposed to be in love.

But I'm numb again

Whatever it is,

It feels like it's laughing at me through the glass of a two-sided mirror

Whatever it is,

It's just sitting there laughing at me…

And I just wanna scream…

Rainy began to pout and said, "Ya' know… after the millionth time of this you lose the "surprise" effect."

Loki had his arms behind her back as he looked down at the fake princess and said, "I see."

Rainy sat up as Loki moved over to the side and begun to take a seat next to her and he said, "I ran into the seamstress and her assistant."

Rainy hung her head in shame between her legs and mumbled, "Crap… Did they tell the queen and king?"

Loki laughed a little at the small defeat of Rainy and responded, "No. I caught them in time. I told them to assist with another royal member for the time and you would come back."

Rainy sighed in relief, "Thank you."

The two stared off into the distance in a comfortable silence. Neither of the two was pushing for a forced conversation or a façade of small talk. Rainy was watching the small town busy doing their work, naïve to what was happening in the palace.

What now?

I just can't figure it out.

What now?

I guess I'll just wait it out… wait it out.

What now?

Please tell me?

"Green."

Rainy for a moment forgot Loki was sitting so close to her, and she looked up in surprise at the random remark, "Excuse me?"

Loki began to stand up as he explained, "You should wear a dark green dress. I think it would fit you best."

Rainy stared at Loki and for one moment she thought with the certain refraction of the light or maybe it was the smell of roses, she felt a small warm of kindness. For one second, Rainy wanted to feel weak and just spill all her thoughts. She wanted to tell him about her confusion and her pain, but how could she even when she didn't even understand what exactly she was feeling? She wanted to explain her problems where beyond a dress color.

Without even realizing, Rainy was smiling and said, "Really? Well thanks Loki!"

Loki nodded and said, "Then I will tell the seamstress that you will meet her back in your room."

Rainy nodded and watched Loki walk back into the palace, and then the guilt sunk even further into her chest. She took a deep breath and stood up and looked at the sky for a few more second longer.

There's no one to call 'cause I'm just playing games with them all…

The more I swear I'm happy, the more that I'm feeling alone.

'Cause I spent every hour just going through the motions…

I can't even get the emotions to come out…

Dry as a bone, but I just wanna shout…

What now?

I just can't figure it out.

What now?

I guess I'll just wait it out… wait it out.

What now?

Somebody tell me!

What now?

As the sun was starting to set, Rainy stared out the window from her table spot. That evening the highnesses wanted to host a feast for the Lithuanels. Rainy had been staring at the window, watching as the sun began to bleed out from a bright yellow to different hues of reds. Music was being played, which had put the guests in a more comfortable mood but of course, Princess Nakaba was still on lock down for the lovely hair cut incident.

"Well hello Princess Rainy! Isn't it odd that we sleep under the same palace roof and yet I have barely seen you?" the familiar warm voice had immediately sent shivers down Rainy's spine.

Rainy had been trying her very best to avoid Prince Cain, even though she wasn't exactly sure why. Her excuse has so far been not wanting to disrupt the story flow and also his work as the next supposed "king to be" which she always mocked in her mind, "…yeah… that's… TOTALLY… going to happen…"

Rainy had uncomfortably smiled as she said, "Oh! Oh I am sorry…. I just know you have been super busy and I've been… running… around…"

Prince Cain sat in the empty chair, resting his elbow on the table and his right cheek on his knuckles as he sarcastically said, "Oh like picking a dress?"

Rainy had rolled her head to the side and said, "Aarrgg! Has everyone heard about that?"

Prince Cain had closed his eyes in a "winning" pose as he said, "I understand this palace is huge to you… but when you live here all your life, you catch wind of everything."

Rainy laughed a little as she stared back at the table and said, "Yeah I guess." Her eyebrows rose in confusion and said, "Wait, were is your fiancé, Louise?"

Prince Cain had opened his eyes only slightly to look away from Rainy in disappointment, "She is… discussing royal relations with Prince Caesar."

Rainy had looked over her shoulder and noticed that the soon-to-be-Queen was trying her hardest to grab the attention of the Prince, but he would quickly turn his attention elsewhere. Rainy had sighed and responded, "I see…"

After a few seconds of brooding, Prince Cain had suddenly stood up and grabbed Rainy's hand and started to drag her to the dance floor, "Enough of this… seriousness. Let's show off your hard work and see how the dress moves!"

Prince Cain had gently twirled Rainy in front of him, having her hand on her waist and she instinctively had her hand on his shoulder and she started to quickly object, "Wait, wait, wait! I can't… wait! Ack!"

Prince Cain looked at Rainy in surprise as he realized, "You… you have no idea how to dance."

Rainy began to glare at the royal member and she faught back, "Oh yea… I was totally going to sign up for Ballroom dancing during basic training while in the military between learning to shoot and close combat… oh wait! There was no ballroom dancing!"

Prince Cain had smiled leaned in a whispered, "You'll be fine. Just let me lead."

And without another thought, she was wisped on the dancing floor. Following his body and listening to the music in the background. Her dark green dress had fit her abdomen and chest in a comfortable hug, but flowed loosely around her hips with brown laces underneath to layer. Her chest also was covered by lace, but had subtle hint of her skin tone. At first as you watched the blonde prince dance with the fake princess, his dark grays and blue clashed her earth tones. But his movements guided her gracefully and confidently, almost as if a storm was brewing. A beautiful disaster.

At the end of the song, Prince Cain still held her body with so much confidence and sure of their spot, and Rainy was trying to catch her breathe. She looked up into the kind bright blue eyes of Prince Cain and immediately… she felt like she was drowning.

Prince Cain smiled down her and was quickly confused as she took a step back as if she had seen a ghost and said, "I'm… I'm sorry…" she quickly bowed and said, "Ex-excuse me."

Rainy begun to scurry (Yeah… this girl is comfortable in boots. Not heels.) quickly to her room. She has not memorized the floor plan by heart, but in all honesty she didn't even mind if she was lost. She just wanted to be away from Prince Cain. She wanted him to stay as far away as possible.

She started screaming in her mind, "STOP! STOP BEING NICE TO ME! JUST… JUST STOP!"

Rainy's thoughts were starting to sink into her chest. Once she had slammed the door and sunk her body in front of the vanity, she realized what she was truly avoiding this whole time. What was going to happen… what HAD to happen… was going against every moral fiber in her body. It was going against what the Army had taught her. It was going against the ethics of being a Combat Medic. It was going against what her heart and brain were screaming at her for the past few days. Rainy stared up into the mirror in complete disgust… as if she was staring at the ugliest creature in her entire existence. And one sentence felt like it shattered her whole soul but she had to make sure it was passing through her own lips.

"I have to make SURE… that Prince Cain… dies."

Author's Note:

So, let me tell you guys a little funny story. So remember I was going on a roll of writing sequels? Yeah I was until this chapter. I wrote this chapter a VERY long time ago. I mean like… maybe a couple of weeks after publishing the last chapter. I have this fancy Samsung Galaxy tablet that was doing AMAZING with school work, so during classes I was trying to knock out this and give me a break during subject. So, I had finished this chapter… and for some reason… my tablet… lost… it. After a three hours… yeah I was pissed. I looked and ranted and lost it… even though I had saved it NUMEROUS of times. Poof! .! From my frustration I almost had lost the want to write this story… at all. Well life comes along mixed with procrastination and BAM! A year or so later, I want to write another chapter (isn't that crazy?) and it was pretty much this version. Trust me, the first one was *eh* but nothing… I was proud of? So I was ALMOST happy I didn't post it. But guess this… I saved like a HUNDRED times more than the first time. I go to save it at the end of the project. And as I was about to post it… *poof* AGAIN! …oh… oh the many curse words. Thankfully, I didn't loose my mojo and just retyped it to the best of my ability. And to be honest, this has been the best version by far. So I hope you guys enjoy. :D And also, sorry about the being for freakin' ever. Happy readings!