[Edit 02/02/2019: Updating this chapter as edited by my awesome friend and Beta OfSilverRaindrops. You're amazing! Thank you for improving the quality of my work.]
King of Anything
Act 1, Chapter 3, Part 1
In which Celena curtsies and Allen drinks Martini.
It was quite rare that Fanelia's royals received visitors from the ruling family of other countries, what with the dragon infestation and all. It was also quite rare that the king was anything but thrilled about the attention public treatments of foreign relations would get in his precious free time. Except, maybe when the one visiting was a dear friend he'd known since childhood.
Only a few years his senior, Princess Millerna Aston was the youngest of the ruling Asturian king's daughters. A tragic illness had taken the middle sister, Marlene, so the loss of a sibling was something which created an even stronger friendship between them.
Relations between Asturia and Fanelia were supposed to be deepened a few years ago after Folken claimed the throne, but then the whole fiasco with the rite of dragon slaying happened. Needless to say, that whole plan went "poof." It would have been easy enough; Millerna's older sister, Eries, was supposed to wed Folken. They would have made such a great pair, and it was no wonder that Eries was completely down in the dumps about his death. Not only had they known each other since they were little, but they actually had harbored real feelings for each other, a rare thing for such unions.
The strategy changed after that and Marlene's death. Eries was instead to take the Asturian throne, since the laws were progressive enough to let a woman rule alone there. In the end, she was too shaken by Folken's death to do so, even now still mourning after all these years. It was unlikely that Eries, although appearing reserved and seemingly strong on the outside, would ever recover from her broken heart.
What a mood killer it was to think about all that again right as the gates in the wall opened to admit the armored vehicle convoy. They were bringing in the visitors who had landed at the airstrip not far from the city perimeters. Luckily, no dragons had been sighted in the area around that time, but just in case a good number of the melef drones had been sent on patrol. The airstrip was really just a paved area in the woods with a few bunker-like hangars which housed equipment and the royal jet. Staff communicated with and coordinated flights remotely.
Just like everything else, levi ships had also evolved over time to become aerodynamic metal pieces of engineered ingenuity. They were still powered by levi stones at their core, but the energy was now more thoroughly harnessed. Thanks to mechanical designers and progress in technology, they looked less like ships which sailed the oceans and were much, much faster.
If civilians wanted to travel to other countries, there were enough commercial services which overlayed in Fanelia for a short time for them to do so. However, none had their home base here- no surprise there. On occasion, dragons could be spotted from high up in the air. Seeing one was kind of cool, but only if you didn't consider the havoc they could wreak upon that small, pressurized metal tube if given the chance.
While Van and Merle stood on the mosaic in the palace square, waiting to officially greet the royal envoy, the king couldn't help but grin a bit as Merle took special care to chew her gum as discreetly as possible to avoid it being taken from her. She was looking forward to seeing Millerna, since they both were party girls at heart. He already dreaded this evening when they would drag him along to the Mystic Moon, Millerna's favorite place to visit when in Fanelia.
Van wasn't fond of the nightclub. Oodles of odd high-society folk liked to dance the night away there, usually several notches too imbibed. In the occasion that he did show his face there, women vied for his attention, and men in positions of leadership or high office tried to pander to him without shame, hoping to reach new heights in their careers. As if a whiff of vodka from their mouths would sway Van in their favor.
More than once, he'd wished he could give them a firm nudge and watch them fall over only to be collected by security, but he couldn't be seen doing that. Even though, no doubt, many of them woke up crapulous the next day, memories slowly dawning on them about how they had embarrassed themselves in front of the king. Sadly though, he was the head of his country and required to treat people with respect even when they were drunk off their asses, especially if they were related to diplomatic offices from other countries.
But anyway, this was a problem for future Van. Present Van actually cracked a smile when he saw Princess Millerna exit the elevators first and confidently make her way towards him as the forefront of the entourage. She hadn't changed much from the last time they'd seen her, except that she was even more radiant. No wonder her father had her protected so well.
A whole group of guys in navy blue suits along with a younger woman in a white sundress tagged along not far behind. The princess herself wore light pink, her favorite color, and the dress itself, although proper enough, still hugged her body snugly. With her long, wavy blonde hair and periwinkle eyes, she was nothing short of stunning. Hey, nobody could blame a guy for noticing those things. She was standing right in front of them by now, after all.
As soon as elaborate greetings between the king, the princesses, and the officials concluded, some pictures were taken from the few press representatives who had been admitted. Then the group was off towards the palace, where everybody finally was able to relax again after the double doors shut tightly behind them. Millerna's high heels click-clacked even through the crimson carpet covering the marble floor before the three royals came to a stop.
Not able to contain her excitement anymore, Merle squealed and both women hugged tightly in a proper greeting which prompted another, rare smile from the usually reserved king. "I'm so excited you're here, Millerna!" Merle exclaimed as the other princess hugged her back tightly.
"Me too!" Millerna replied and then held Merle at arm's length. "Wow, your hair is so different! I barely recognized you at first glance. You look more mature."
"Oh, but wait," Merle laughed and reached into the pockets of her blue etui dress only to retrieve two rubber bands. While chewing her gum shamelessly, she made quick work of the pink tresses and had them back up in her trademark buns on the top of her head. "Better?"
"Much better. Now you look more like the cute kitten I used to know." Millerna nodded, pearly whites showing through a satisfied smile.
Van snorted a bit with a slightly raised eyebrow at the comment. Sweet kitten? More like a sly fox at times. Oh, well. Much love, though.
With so many unfamiliar faces behind Millerna, a few more introductions were in order. On cue, a guy with long, blonde hair and the only other woman in the group approached.
Millerna motioned for them to come closer. "Van, this is Allen. He is my new head of security."
The blonde guy bowed lightly at the waist. "King Van," Allen greeted him politely and introduced the rest of the crew, who also bowed . "Behind me are our pilot and my second, Gaddess, as well as Reeden, Kio, Ort, Pyle, Katz, and Teo."
"…and this lovely lady is his sister, Celena," Millerna continued. "She may look innocent, but don't let that fool you. She hopes to become a member of Asturian security too. Until then, she's permitted to shadow Allen and the rest of the guys."
Celena, the young woman in question, offered both Fanelian royals a perfect curtsy. "Your Highnesses."
Merle immediately liked her, Van could tell. She nodded eagerly, sensing an ally and fellow party girl only waiting for a chance to show it.
"You can call me Merle when we're alone. It's totally fine. I can already tell we're going to get along well. Just wait until tonight when you get your first taste of Fanelia out and about. We're all going to the Mystic Moon! It's the best nightclub in town!" Noticing Van's scowl, she elbowed him gently in the ribs. "It's going to be awesome. I'm there with my friends a lot, but it's going to be even better with you all."
Van was fully aware of how well she was plowing through his lack of enthusiasm- with the unyielding strength of a pack mule. Really though, it was good to have Millerna and her together. One, because he hoped that Merle would take on some of Millerna's more mature qualities, and two, because having a friend like her around made the palace instantly feel warmer.
The Mystic Moon's location was easily visible from anywhere in the capital because of its sky beam. A solid, blue column of light shone straight up into the inky night sky like a guiding beacon, and young Fanelians flocked to it on weekend evenings like moths to a lamp. Likewise, Hitomi, Yukari, and Amano were on their way there.
Being that it was a Saturday night, the streets were livelier than during the week. Some restaurants had extended seating outside in the pedestrian zone and on sidewalks. Groups of people enjoyed a late dinner, and friends sat together for a glass of wine and to talk story. Hitomi would have much preferred to do so too, but Yukari was too excited to see the club for the first time. She didn't want to be a downer even though the prospect of mingling with a crowd of strangers didn't appeal to her. She at least owed her best friend an attempt at fun.
So there they were, ready to party. While Amano wasn't dressed much different than usual in a pair of slacks and polo shirt, the girls had taken the opportunity to wear things bought on a whim during shopping sprees which likely would never fit another occasion. Yukari sported a purple, strapless dress and was proud to have matched it with her favorite heels to ensure maximum dance capability.
Hitomi had, after some persuasion from Yukari, finally given in and cut the tag off a pair of hunter green shorts made from some velvet-like fabric she'd had in the back of her closet for longer than she could remember. They were tighter than she would have liked, but she'd sort of committed to at least wearing them once now with the tag cut off. A pair of strappy, black heels in addition had even made her bestie whistle at the sight of her legs. Too bad her usual sneakers really weren't an option.
Thankfully, combined with a long-sleeved, ivory high-collar blouse, the outfit looked more classy than trashy.
The Mystic Moon was located in one of the historic mansions in Old Town not far from where they lived. It had been renovated on the inside and some on the outside, thereby keeping the original structure and charm of the building intact.
The line to get in already wrapped around the corner, and by the looks of the people in that line, they'd been waiting for a good while. Some left eventually when it wasn't moving for a long time or were turned away by the hostess for random reasons after finally making it to the front. Few hid their looks of disappointment as they walked off, apparently too casually dressed or not important-looking enough to be admitted.
Great. They were even sending people away for wearing the wrong clothing. Another reason Hitomi didn't feel like this was the place for them. There was a separate line for those who were on the guest list. It made Hitomi feel weird to bypass all the other people, but Yukari marched up to the hostess with such confidence that she had to admire her.
The woman eyed them suspiciously when Yukari announced that they were on the guest list. She scanned their attire, taking her sweet time, then finally clicked her tongue. They probably reeked of peasant, but Yukari was calmly smiling at her, imperturbable as always. When the hostess scanned the guest list, her red lips curled in a somewhat dissatisfied manner, because she couldn't turn them away.
"Go on," was all she said and motioned for the giant mountain of a bouncer behind her to let them pass. He grunted in acknowledgment and used one of his meaty arms to pull open the nearest one of the brushed steel double doors next to him.
Yukari beamed at him in passing and Hitomi wasn't far behind, followed by Amano. Sound waves of a pumping bass hit them before their eyes adjusted to the visual overload that was the inside of the club.
In front of them, a buzzing mass of people was dancing and drinking, moving through a kaleidoscope of colors. Although the club was mostly dark, light emanated from the insides of glass tables, the structure of the bar areas in different locations throughout the club, and pillars that went all the way up to the ceiling. It made for an otherworldly kind of mood and looked as if the place had been built with cosmic mortar. A big disco ball was mounted right in the center of the tall, vaulted ceiling and reflected the colorful lights around the club, casting stars across any surface it could reach.
"Wow," Hitomi allowed herself to say.
Yukari elbowed her, giggling. "This is awesome!"
Hitomi laughed. "Okay, this is pretty cool."
Amano couldn't help but admire the ambience too. While there were small tables to sit or stand by around the sides, the middle was reserved mainly for dancing. Busy waitresses dressed in black expertly weaved through the crowd to deliver drinks to thirsty guests.
"Come on! Let's find Allen!" Yukari yelled in Hitomi and Amano's direction while taking her boyfriend's hand and dragging him along. Hitomi followed them as they made their way around the side of the dancing crowd, dodging a few people who were so immersed in their moves that they had strayed from the rest.
Allen had sent a message a few days ago letting them know that they were on the guest list for this evening and that he'd be near the VIP area, mainly off duty with his second, Gaddess, in command but still close to the princess. Fanelia was known for being extremely safe due to good diplomatic relations, but being overly cautious never hurt.
"I see him," Amano announced, pointing to a set of three wide steps straight towards the back. A long, red carpet was spread across the floor there and led up the stairs with another hostess desk occupied by a duo much like that at the front door.
Not far behind the thick velvet rope which separated the VIP area from that of the common people, a man in a dark blue suit with a martini glass stood half-facing the crowd and lazily scanned the area down where the three friends were. Although Hitomi knew that Amano and Allen were twins, seeing a nearly identical copy of Amano smile warmly at them was strange. Their features were strikingly similar.
The only difference was the hair. While Amano's was chestnut brown, Allen's was platinum blonde. It was the wildest thing. Hitomi tried to remember the few times she'd seen Allen during their younger years and if his hair had been this shade or not. Perhaps some hydrogen peroxide had been used to help with that.
As they neared the stairs, Allen lifted a hand in greeting. He moved to meet them halfway after the hostess stepped over to unhook the rope for him so he could exit the VIP area. His long hair trailed behind him while descending the stairs, and Hitomi noticed it drew an obvious look of admiration from the hostess. No wonder. Allen was quite the looker in many regards, tall and handsome like his brother but with a different style.
Allen deposited his Martini glass on a tall side table in passing, this one illuminated pink from the inside. The guys wasted no time in greeting each other with a manly hug and slapped each other on the back.
"Hey, little brother," Allen greeted Amano.
Amano rolled his eyes. "Don't start that again. By two minutes…," he trailed off, shaking his head lightly, knowing that their never-ending argument already had a longer beard than Emperor Dornkirk of Zaibach.
Yukari looked back and forth between them, obviously a bit overwhelmed seeing the two next to each other after four years. She snapped out of it when Amano placed his arm around her shoulders, thereby popping any developing fantasy bubbles involving the handsome duo and herself.
Allen took Yukari's hand, bowing over it in a formal gesture that was probably making her blush a bit. Well, who could be sure in this lighting? "It's been a while, Yukari. I see Amano finally had the guts to follow his heart."
That made Amano pull Yukari a bit closer against himself. "Better late than never."
The three laughed, and by now Hitomi felt awkward off on the side, pretending to be busy scanning the crowd during the reunion. She glanced towards the VIP area where Allen had just come from. There was a small, packed dance floor with a bar on the right, but on the left, even further back, bead curtains hung all the way from the ceiling to the floor. They looked like somebody had strung up diamonds, but they certainly weren't real, or were they? Hitomi wondered what could be behind them. Probably a seating area to give the high society some privacy when chatting with each other or otherwise…occupied.
Yukari's voice reached Hitomi from the side. "Allen, do you remember…"
"Hitomi," Allen's voice rang clearly over the sound of the music.
She turned her head around and up to lock her eyes with Allen's. They were ocean blue and regarded her with curiosity. Just like with Yukari, he took one of Hitomi's hands but instead of just bowing, he kissed the back of it like he would no doubt for some highborn lady. Despite the absurdity, Hitomi couldn't deny herself some enjoyment out of the formality.
"How could I forget Hitomi? You were one of Amano's best friends, after all. It was my bad for not making enough time to hang out with all of you back when we were younger." Allen held on to Hitomi's hand for just a bit longer than necessary. "I'll be sure to make up for some of that tonight," he finished with a slight wink to emphasize his promise.
"It's good to see you again, Allen," Hitomi responded. It really was, although the sudden interest from his side was unexpected.
More conversation ensued after the four of them ordered drinks at the nearest bar. Yukari immediately wanted to know more about Princess Millerna's schedule while she was in Fanelia. Allen simply smiled knowingly back at her.
"Actually, she is here tonight, although you can't see her. She's somewhere in the crowd on the dance floor up there. My crew is strategically placed around the area to ensure her safety." He said all this with aplomb, thereby earning him looks of awe from the girls and a proud nod from his brother.
"Didn't think she'd be here! I thought this was something like your night off," Amano said.
"A bodyguard is never really off duty, but she's cool with it. Underneath it all, she's really just a person like you and me. Don't forget she has siblings too. She insisted that I take the time to see you after I mentioned that my little brother lives in Fanelia." Allen twirled the stem of a new Martini glass between his fingers as he talked.
Amano combed several fingers through his hair. "Here we go again."
Yukari gripped his upper arm in a gesture that left no room for arguments. "You know what? It's way too amazing here to stand around and talk. Plus, I love this song, so why don't we give that dance floor a try?" She didn't wait for an answer and instead pulled Hitomi in front of herself, then pushed her towards Allen. "We even got the right amount of dance partners."
Winking, she had Amano's hand in hers and was on the way to join the crowd. Hitomi smiled a bit nervously after them while smoothing her short hair behind her ears. She did like to dance, but that was normally done at low-key parties with Yukari and not with a guy like Allen at the hippest nightclub in town.
"Shall we?" Allen asked her, extending his hand expectantly.
Well, she couldn't think of a tangible reason to say no. Not that she wanted to think of one either.
While Merle, Millerna, and Celena danced their collective hearts out, Van was content to sulk moodily in their reserved seating area, nursing a glass of whiskey. The bass was pumping in his ears and even made the silly bead curtain separating their table and couches from the dancefloor and bar shake. At least he'd be left in peace here unless somebody chose to come looking, of course.
He ran a hand through his hair, which was neatly combed, and briefly wondered what it'd be like to come here incognito. Would he enjoy it more if nobody knew who he was? If he were able to hang out with a group of normal people? Like his…ahem…acquaintance from the coffee shop?
Damn.
He'd done a good job up until this point to not think about her again. However, the tricky part when trying to not think about something was that he had to think about it to remind himself what not to think about. Considering that, he'd actually done a lousy job, because it required him to think about her at least once a day.
Ha. Once a day? If only…
It also didn't help that at that moment he spotted a way too familiar face near the bottom of the steps. He could see her between the cracks in the curtain.
Damn. Damn. Damn.
If he hadn't been sure before, he definitely was now, because she was staring right at where he was sitting. She just obviously couldn't see him behind the sparkly diamond fringe. Seeing her here was like spotting an island in a vast, wild ocean. She seemed a bit out of place, but it wasn't due to her looks. She was by far more tastefully dressed than most of the women he'd fended off earlier this evening. She seemed out of place, because this obviously wasn't her natural environment.
He saw Allen greet a guy who looked a whole lot like him, no doubt the brother Millerna had mentioned he was going to meet. And there was the other woman from the coffee shop. The one who'd been in line in front of him the other day, so excited about the upcoming visit to the Mystic Moon.
After some elaborate show of courtesies from Allen's side, the four went further away, so Van couldn't see them anymore. Now he certainly couldn't stop his thoughts from spinning. And spinning they were, around the image of a certain short-haired, green-eyed woman. Why couldn't he just stop thinking about her? Pondering this for a while, he then waved over a waitress who was only too eager to assist her king.
They were all out of breath when they ordered a new round of drinks at the bar. Despite everything, Hitomi had to admit that she was having a great time. Allen was a good enough dancer to make up for her level of ineptitude with his confident moves. A few gulps of water and more potent drinks later, they were nothing short of stunned when the VIP hostess appeared beside them and told them that they had been invited to enter that area.
"Wait, but who…," Yukari began to ask but the hostess interrupted her.
"Look, do you want to come back there or not? I don't have time for this," the woman said over her shoulder, already on the way back to her post.
Amano chuckled, "Now that's a pure-bred Rottweiler. She hardly even needs the bouncer's help."
Shrugging, the quartet made their way towards the VIP area, albeit a bit weary still. The hostess stood and looked them up and down, much like her colleague outside while unhooking the thick, red piece of rope to allow them passage. She was clearly not in favor of having any of them except Allen in this area, but couldn't do anything about it despite her position as a gatekeeper. Some higher power had overwritten her authority.
To Hitomi, the grass wasn't much greener on the other side. Except that people here were perhaps dressed even fancier, looked more self-important, and the drinks they held looked more expensive. Half-full bottles of champagne and liquor had been carelessly left on tables littered with overturned glasses and crumpled bills, including traces of white powder which looked a lot like cocaine. It instantly gave the term "high-society" a whole new meaning.
They stood there for a few minutes, looking around to take it all in again, minus Allen who was already used to it. Nobody paid attention to them and even Yukari was still a bit taken aback. She probably couldn't believe her luck about having the chance to come all the way to the heart of the club on her first visit.
They were still standing at the edge of the dancefloor when Hitomi looked behind herself and saw somebody she didn't expect to see again in real life. All the tumult receded, and everything around her grew hazy like standing in a dark tunnel with him at the end. Aw crap.
Dressed in a black suit with the royal crest embroidered on the breast pocket, sans sunglasses and with his hair combed back, the King of Fanelia could hardly be mistaken for anybody else. A few people, who'd been busy dancing in that area, took a moment to stare and exchange some hushed words easily lost in the sound around them. Yukari, Amano, and Allen were still looking the other way, pointing at the bar, when he came to a stop in front of Hitomi.
Neither of them said anything until Van offered a "hello."
"Hi…," Hitomi answered in an equally awkward way.
Cue for the others to finally notice the person who'd joined them. That seeing the king of this very country suddenly stand a mere few feet away shocked them would have been an understatement. Well, everyone except Allen again, of course, who was merely surprised to see Van approach them.
"King Van," Allen acknowledged him. "Was there anything you needed from me?"
Van looked at Hitomi for another moment before shaking his head. He then proceeded to kick himself mentally. He'd thought about what exactly to say, but now it was all gone. Smooth. Real smooth. Distraction! Now! "Is this your brother?" he asked, although it was quite obvious that the guy next to Allen couldn't be anybody but an identical twin.
Allen was taken aback that the king had decided to not only venture out into the open, but now also show interest in his family life. "Indeed, your majesty. This is Amano, his girlfriend, Yukari, and their friend, Hitomi." Allen introduced them all. "We all grew up together in Asturia."
Van didn't crack so much as smile, one hand clutching his glass of whiskey like a lifeline. Meanwhile, Yukari's eyes were still as big as saucers, words having failed her. Was this a dream? The awkwardness of the situation was completely lost on her. Hitomi, on the other hand, was close to bursting out in hysterical laughter. How was it that she kept stumbling into him?
Van nodded at the group as a collective greeting. "I saw you with them and thought it would be better to keep everybody together."
Amano was the first of the others to say something, shaking his girlfriend out of her stupor. "Thank you for the invitation, your majesty. Would you excuse us for a moment though? I think my girlfriend is thirsty." That said, he took her hand and coaxed her out of the semi-circle.
Hitomi could hear her protest a bit.
"Amano, why are you pulling me away? It's the king, for Pete's sake…," Yukari huffed when they were out of earshot.
"Because you've been staring at him since the very first second," Amano laughed. "Calm down, and we'll go back over there eventually, okay?" A mere warm, loving gaze from him usually did wonders in cooling her down.
Yukari rolled her eyes and nodded. "Fine. You're right. Thanks for making sure I don't say anything weird."
"Not a bad idea that with the drink," Allen said. "Hitomi, can I get you anything too?"
"Uh…sure," she answered.
"Your majesty? Anything?" Allen asked Van too.
"No. I'm alright," he answered and lifted his whiskey glass.
After Allen made his way towards the bar, it was just Van and Hitomi continuing their stare-off for another moment.
Hitomi finally laughed, but it was more because she was at a loss for what to say and do than actual amusement. It wasn't like this could get any more awkward. Enough shilly shallies.
The few drinks she'd had and the extravagant, overpowering atmosphere made her bold. "What now? Are we going to pass the time dancing? We know each other well enough, after all." The absurdity of it all.
"No…I hadn't planned on it," he responded ruefully while taking in the sight of her in the party outfit. Although she looked glammy with the velvet shorts and high heels, the blouse gave her an aristocratic look and only underlined her natural beauty.
Even if he wanted to dance with her in a place like this, he couldn't. Not in a club where more than half the people were drunk, on drugs, or both. The possibility of somebody snapping a picture of him doing anything that would shame the royal house was too big. If was different when his little sister was spotted on the dance floor. She was known as a party girl, a bit younger, and the darling of the media, but he needed to be taken seriously at all times.
"Then…what am I supposed to be doing while we wait? Pretend to converse with you?" Hitomi asked him. "Like we just met for the first time?"
She was becoming impatient. Not many people would usually get away with talking to Van in such a way- it was quite sobering.
This was going absolutely not excellent. Van scowled at her. She was testier than he remembered, and his cheek tingled in remembrance.
Before he could bring up what he had wanted to tell her, somebody else interrupted them.
"Van! Look at you coming out of your hiding place!" A melodic voice proclaimed from the side.
"Millerna," Van sighed.
"Who is this? Hi, I'm Millerna," she introduced herself, not even waiting for Van to do it.
The blonde was almost as tall as Van in her heels and shook Hitomi's hand eagerly. "Are you a friend of Allen's? I saw him here just a moment ago."
Allen was still not back, and a quick look around confirmed what he had told them earlier. That Millerna's security detail was positioned at various places in the club. A guy in a navy blue suit was close by but still far enough away to give them privacy.
"Y-yes, your majesty," Hitomi said, the title feeling strange in her mouth.
"You don't have to call me that. At least not when it's just us. Call me Millerna," she offered.
"Uhm…alright…Millerna," Hitomi said.
By the gods. She was standing in the middle of the Mystic Moon's VIP area, talking to not just one but two royals, which doubled the number of royals she had ever talked to in her life.
"How do you know Allen? We haven't been to Fanelia in years, and even then it was before he became head of my security detail," Millerna asked curiously.
Hitomi felt a bit more at ease. The princess was just as laid back as Allen had described her. "I'm actually from Asturia too. So is my friend, Yukari. She is Amano's girlfriend. The three of us share an apartment here in town."
"What a crazy coincidence!" Millerna exclaimed. "Why'd you leave Asturia? Too boring, because no dragons?" she joked.
Van stood next to them as the two women fell into an easy conversation. He was a bit miffed that Millerna had shown up. Somehow, he'd wanted to attempt another apology before they were interrupted. Alas, now that Millerna was engaging her in a conversation, it gave him an excuse to just look at Hitomi. So far, he had only gotten himself in trouble or been a nuisance when alone with her. Not a great track record. Maybe it was better if there were other people and no disguises. Truly, talking to an entire room full of politicians was so different from talking to a woman. One that seemed to be cross with him, especially.
When Hitomi and Millerna arrived at another topic which they could bond over, both their eyes lit up. While Hitomi was nearing the end of her nursing education, Millerna was on her way to become a physician. She'd taken up medical studies despite her father's vehement protests and continued them even after Eries had threatened to abdicate after Folken's death, thereby making Millerna the only eligible heir in the event that she'd make her threat a reality.
Allen eventually came and delivered a drink to Hitomi, but Millerna insisted that he rejoin his brother and Yukari at the bar, which he did, albeit reluctantly. Hitomi had a feeling that Amano was keeping Yukari away on purpose to make sure the alcohol wouldn't prompt her to say things in front of the king and princess she'd later on regret. Millerna assured Allen that Hitomi and she were now best friends and that they had important things to talk about. The only reason Van was allowed to stick around was, well, who would tell a king to butt off? It, of course, also helped that he didn't say a word while the women were talking.
On the other end of the long bar, a guy with silver hair was playing absentmindedly with the ice in his empty glass. His eyes scanned the crowd without aim, watching people dance, laugh, and yell at each other over the loud music. Those fools.
Dilandau Albatou came solely for the people-watching and drink. Definitely not for the dancing and horrible music. Clad in a merlot shirt and black jeans, he was one of the more casually dressed people here. However, as a member of the Zaibach attaché corps, he never had trouble getting into the Mystic Moon no matter how he was dressed.
Reaching into a pocket, he retrieved a small plastic bag containing a single white pill. Drugs weren't uncommon, here and the effects some of the stuff had on others was too entertaining to not sit back and watch. Sometimes people did downright cringe-worthy stuff when high.
After ordering another round, he slipped the pill into one of two drinks in front of him before taking a sip from his own gin and tonic. He waited until one of the waitresses he knew well came by to load her tray with new orders.
Dilandau stopped the woman with the wavy, teal hair as she picked up drinks from the bartender. "Sylphy. I'm feeling generous tonight. Would you bring this to someone for me?"
"Sure. Who do you want me to bring it to?" Sylphy asked with a facial expression that suggested mild indifference.
Dilandau was regarded as a weirdo in certain circles. As an albino, his outward appearance was unusual. Pale skin, eyes the color of rosé, and nearly white hair weren't exactly what women would list as top desirable features. Although money had, more often than not, helped make them forget about that. It wasn't like he ever felt like wasting time with pleasantries in a woman's company anyway.
In his position, he enjoyed all the honors of a noble but was content to remain mostly antisocial. When he came to the Mystic Moon, he rarely left his favorite seat at the bar. The reason he was still a favorite among the staff was that at least he tipped well.
"Dealer's choice," Dilandau answered with a lazy grin. "Bring it to whoever looks like they could use it."
Shrugging, the waitress tossed her long hair over one shoulder before placing the glass on the tray, grabbing it and walking off into the crowd, weaving through it carefully.
Taking a big swig of his drink, he nearly choked on it when, very unexpectedly, a single finger poked his shoulder. Who the hell was dumb enough to approach him?
"Hey," a female voice demanded his attention.
"What?" Dilandau asked, obviously annoyed and not even turning around, because he was trying to not lose track of Sylphy in the crowd. She was moving fast, doing her job well so he didn't want to miss who she'd deliver the drink to. Then, when he saw her finally zoom in on someone and hand the glass over, he was finally ready to deal with whoever had intruded on his personal space.
"Did you just spike someone's drink?" the female voice prodded.
Even though many people in the crowd were on some sort of drug, they took them with intent. Dilandau whirled around and immediately backed away a bit, because the young woman's face was closer to his than expected. Two pale blue orbs stared at him so accusingly that it made him feel naked on the spot. It was as if she was trying to read his thoughts.
When focusing on her more closely, he realized that she was around his age. He should be able to deal with that easily, or not? "No," he still answered calmly. "I spiked a drink. Not someone's. There's a difference." Dilandau regarded the young woman lazily, challenging her.
Her hair was cut the same way as his, although with natural waves. She wore a pair of thin, black palazzo pants and a lavender silk crop top. Where a lot of women liked to take the opportunity here to dress up to the nines, she looked like she was on her way to Sunday brunch. It gave her an air of sophistication, and that made him a little curious.
Contrastingly, the girl was holding a fresh bottle of beer by the neck, apparently having stood not far away to order a fresh round for herself. Beer wasn't really the choice beverage of high-society girls. She was pretty and interesting so far, he had to give her that.
What he said made her frown. "Well," she said innocently. "Why would you spike a random drink?"
Dilandau chuckled. "Just sharing some Intensified Luck in hopes it will make someone's evening."
Brow slightly furrowed, the girl slowly said, "Right. Because, let me guess, you're a generous guy?"
Celena looked at him with an expression that was completely unfamiliar to him. Not outright disapproval about doing something fucked up like drugging a random person, but instead bypassing the outrage and going straight about finding his motivation for it. That, in combination with her confidence about approaching a guy who was a stranger to her in a bar, made his skin prickle uncomfortably.
"Shit. You won't believe how many snappy one-liners I just forgot, and because of that, I need to go," Dilandau said. He got to his feet and downed his drink in one large gulp while simultaneously grabbing a black sports coat from the back of his barstool.
In any other situation, he'd never be the one to back down. Who was he to be scared of some naïve girl getting under his skin by merely looking at him? Even as he pushed past her, moving her out of the way with his elbow carefully but deliberately, she didn't make any attempts to follow him. At least, she knew what was good for her. The dancing crowd swallowed him in the blink of an eye.
Fuming, Dilandau ducked into the men's room. His evening entertainment was ruined for the time being. The audacity of this blonde bitch. He was so mad he kicked the silver trash can sitting in the corner, which earned him an annoyed glance from the guy at the urinal.
"What the fuck are you staring at?" Dilandau challenged him.
The guy shook his head, finished his business, and left the bathroom without washing his hands. Pig.
Dilandau walked up to the sink and braced his hands onto the marble washbasin. His own reflection stared back at him. Of course, he'd taken some of the Intensified Luck himself too, but he already knew what it'd make him feel like. Like he was actually in control for once. Weird, because normally people took drugs for the exact opposite reason, to be able to let go.
His knuckles turned white as he gripped the marble surface harder and focused on his mirror image. The more he looked at himself, the more the resurfacing images of his surreal nightmares threatened to swallow him again. Hissing at his own image, he tore himself away and strode into the far-off stall, banging the door closed before locking it.
The smoke detector in the closed-off room was still damaged from the last time he'd broken it. He leaned his back against the side wall and reached for the pack of cigarettes in one of his pockets. After lighting one up, he inhaled greedily and then rolled up the sleeves of his jacket to be more comfortable. At least here he'd be safe from the curious, little inquisitor for a while.
Hitomi had lost track of time. At some point, a waitress stopped by and handed her a fresh drink.
"But I didn't order anything," Hitomi protested while the waitress thrust the gin and tonic into her hand.
"It's from this guy at the bar," she explained and gesticulated vaguely towards it.
Over the woman's shoulder, Hitomi could make out Allen, Yukari, and Amano. Allen smiled at her from across the distance, and she raised the glass in a toast before tasting it. It had obviously been sent by him- how nice. She was actually having a good time now even though the dark king was still next to Millerna and her, hanging out there like a soggy raincloud. After two more sips, she was glad about the refreshment even though she'd already had a few drinks up to this point.
Van was looking about as interested as a guy could be expected to be when two women were conversing animatedly and not including him. But that was just fine with him. It gave him all the time in the world to glance at Hitomi whenever appropriate, drinking in the sight of her cheerful face more eagerly than the whiskey. Her genuine nature made him feel more at ease in the usually dreaded environment.
More time passed as the women talked about similar classes they'd had and shared stories of training rotations with obnoxious patients and shocking diagnoses. It was Millerna's turn to tell a story about a guy she'd treated in the ER, who had thought it a splendid idea to mend a wound on his leg with superglue, which then necessitated them to soak the affected area in acetone.
Hitomi wobbled a bit and smothered a laugh with her free hand when Millerna talked. It wasn't actually that funny, but an unfamiliar feeling in her head stole away her ability to keep it together. "'Scuse me for a moment please," Hitomi said and stepped away as gracefully as possible. What in the hell was wrong with her. She hadn't had that much to drink, or had she?
She stumbled into the VIP restroom where the sound of music was more muffled and the light was brighter, aiming for the sinks. Two other women were in there, fixing their flawless warpaint and giggling amongst themselves. "…sooo hot in that black suit and I can't believe he's here tonight."
Hitomi stifled a groan as she put down her drink and turned on the faucet to splash cold water onto her face, not caring if it would smudge her own, much less elaborate, makeup. The cool water helped her focus better. As far as she could tell from her reflection staring back at her, she looked fairly normal. Phew. At least she wouldn't embarrass herself completely if she went back out there to let her friends know that she would be leaving.
The two high-society girls brushed past her with envious looks on their faces, one whispering something into the other's ear without Hitomi even taking note. Right. Good. So that was the way out. Kind of hard to tell with all the light and glitz in there. All she had to do was follow them. Back out into the cosmic darkness of the Mystic Moon, the difference in lighting and intensity in sound after the brief stop in the restroom hit her like a brick wall against the head. She was feeling worse and worse by the minute, and the refreshing effect of the cold water had worn off fast.
She wobbled again, looking around, but everything appeared strange. It was as if she had fallen through a rabbit hole and been spit out in another dimension. Faces were blurry and bodies moved too fast for her to follow. Walking felt like having to wade through molasses. She stumbled to the other side and reached the area across from the bathroom doors where a polished shelf along the whole length of the wall was meant to hold drinks for those whose hands were otherwise occupied. Only a few steps away, a couple made use of just that and had abandoned their champagne glasses while thoroughly exploring each other with hands and mouths.
Hitomi reached out to place her half-empty glass onto the shelf, but in her delirium misjudged the distance. Only halfway on the secure surface before she let go, the glass fell and shattered, sending shards of expensive crystal, ice, and booze flying. Some splashed on her toes, some on the couple's legs, and ice went sliding across the floor. They only spared a moment to shoot her an annoyed glance before stepping away further and resuming their previous activities.
In the meantime, Hitomi could do nothing but stare at the floor, dumbfounded and utterly at a loss for what had just happened. As if hypnotized, she stood in the same spot for what felt like an eternity before she, despite the blaring music, heard glass crunch under the soles of, no doubt, expensive shoes and felt a firm hand on her shoulder.
Tbc...soonish.
A/N: Really, I had nearly 19 pages written already but decided to cut it off sooner for my own sanity. That said, ch 4 (or rather chapter 3, part 2) shouldn't be as long as this update. Alas, real life often gets in the way.
Thank you to everybody who's taken the time to review. It's motivating, as you can imagine. Keep it up!
In the meantime, check out 'Divided Soul' by Maybe89. I've been beta-ing for her and the story is turning out to be a delightful mix of anime and movie.
Until next time!