Lucina found the feeling of dancing to be liberating, despite the perverted looks that she got from many of the male, and a good portion of the female guests as well. Honestly, why had her mother decided to genetically enhance her body at birth to give her these proportions in adulthood? The very line of thought baffled Lucina.
In the end, she had learned to use her body to her advantage. From a young age, Lucina had felt that her body was not truly her own, and more a product of what the crown, and by extension, what the people of the Metron Kingdom wanted.
In what Lucina considered to be her greatest act of defiance, she got piercings, finally finding some semblance of self in a body that was essentially artificially created.
While she no longer minded the looks as much as she had in her teenage years, she had taken to giving them a positive spin, just a confirmation of how attractive she was to other people. However, at the moment, gazes of strangers were the least of her problems.
Lucina felt conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to ride the high of the dance she had shared with Joshua and Akahime, and carry that into the large bed that Akahime had no doubt prepared for them. On the other, she had been carrying this strange feeling in her chest since they had arrived in the Luong Empire.
Initially, she had dismissed it as nothing more than poorly timed heartburn, and even going so far as taking medicine that Akahime had offered her. However, as the day progressed, and she didn’t receive any relief from the medicine, she had a sinking suspicion it was something else.
Something, far, far worse which could have derailed her entire future, and would cause a drastic change to her long term plans. Starlord’s torn asshole, I think I’m in love. Ha, in love, what a joke. I’m just using him, as he is using me. Long term, will he be someone who can’t live without my body, or my… company? No, it’s unnecessary for us to spend other time together, because… Lucina felt her heart tighten at the thought, and clicked her tongue.
It was an unwelcome realization for the Metronian Princess, who had lived her short life being very much self-absorbed. Having such a temperament had served her well, allowing her to make difficult and life-altering decisions easily. Ones that other people would have difficulty making.
Unfortunately, Lucina could only contemplate these feelings for so long before the song ended and Akahime grabbed Joshua’s hand, dragging him away from the crowd and into the back rooms of the establishment.
Lucina followed behind, albeit absentmindedly, her head still mostly occupied by the thoughts of love swirling around inside. Ok, let’s think about this rationally. I’m probably not in love. It’s honestly more likely to be anxiety about the upcoming mission than anything else. It has been years since I’ve been in service, and even longer since I went on an actual mission outside of the country. Now that I think about it, how long have-
Her thoughts came to an abrupt stop as she hit a wall head on, in a place where she had walked straight after failing to notice Akahime and Joshua turn left. Kneeling down and holding her head in pain, she was quickly attended to by Joshua, who had left Akahime to check on Lucina.
She looked up, and seeing the look in his dark eyes, her chest tightened once more. Starlords damn this man. Ever since he showed up, my life has gone sideways. Why did he have to land in Reya’s room, anyway? That has to be the luckiest thing that has ever happened to her, becoming first in line to the throne on a mere technicality.
A pinched cheek brought her back to reality, and she found her way back from Joshua’s eyes. “Did you hear me? I asked if you were alright. We can leave if-”
Lucina pressed a finger against his lips, and shook her head. “No, I’m fine for now. Just startled is all.” Turning to face Akahime, Lucina could see a lewd grin on her friend’s face, no doubt fantasizing about the experience the three of them would soon share.
Lucina returned the smile. Oh well. Starlords forget it. I can contemplate my nature with Joshua on any other day of the week. I shouldn’t consider it as a roadblock to having a good time.
She took her dom by the hand, and stood him up. Does the chemistry of love have to do with physical appearance? Is that a majority, or is that the personality of the person? He gave her a quizzical look, but she just returned his confusion with a smile. “Come on, let’s go have fun. After tonight, it’s going to be a long time before we can indulge ourselves again. Might as well go out on a bang.”
Akahime led the way once more, and this time it was Lucina who was pulling the Joshua, who let out a sigh as he was dragged along. Lucina looked back, and saw the corner of his mouth lift up, a telltale sign that he was enjoying himself. Lucina smiled as well. Tonight would be fun. She would make sure of it.
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Reya was face to face with Akito, the chauffeur. She hadn’t planned to spend the night that way, or much less even imagine that she’d be spending time with a nobody off the streets of the Luong Empire.
Reya sighed. So much for trying to seduce Joshua. Her night hadn’t gotten off on the best foot. It turns out that clubs like Chain Link have strict dress policies, ones which Reya current look didn’t adhere to.
I was wondering why Akahime and Lucina had been wearing those ridiculous getups, but I guess they knew the nature of the club. They knew and still didn’t tell me anything? Granted, I’d rather be caught in a bathing suit than be seen wearing those ridiculous getups, but still…
Upon storming the club, Reya had been caught off guard by the number of people dressed inappropriately, and as if all the strange outfits hadn’t been enough, the people wearing them were giving her withering glares.
She shivered upon remembering them, the undisguised disgust and questioning. Those gazes said all that Reya needed to hear. She didn’t belong in that world. She, who had no prior experience in such things, not to mention the disconnect between the mentality of her and the people who enjoyed S&M was too large to overcome.
So she ran. Ran to escape the gazes of the very people she had chosen not to understand. When she escaped the club, she found Akito still in the car, eating a piece of melon bread and drinking pocari sweat. Upon seeing her face, he dropped his food and immediately opened the door for her.
Since then, she had been sitting in the back seat, curled into a ball in silence. While the summer of Japan was usually hot and humid, she found herself shivering in the back of the palanquin.
A short sneeze broke her out of her reverie, and made her face towards the young asian man. Akito wasn’t unlike the people she had seen in Shin Tokyo before, but he had something different about him.
It was almost if… Reya’s eyes shot open in disbelief. He doesn’t care about me in the slightest. In fact, I would say that the entire reason he let me into the car is because I was with Joshua…
Reya’s heart started to burn with unrestrained fury. So what if Joshua had a connection to the current emperor? Reya would soon be the Queen of the entirety of the Metron Kingdom, and only that man would have the power to rival hers. Hell, she should be being treated like an equal to Joshua, not a Starlords forsaken plus one!
Reya took a breath, sharp and deep, then exhaled slowly. What the hell have I been doing since I got here? I didn’t even once do anything a self-respecting royal would do. While Akahime and Lucina were already finished changing and discussing politics, I was still trying to decide what I should wear to a Starlords damned night club.
Then there’s Joshua, who not only spent an hour speaking to the king, but also has started to move his name around in relevant circles in Chichuu. Even when I had the opportunity to meet the king, what did I do? Spoke one or two lines at most, and didn’t even give him a formal greeting. I haven’t been acting like a future queen, I’ve been acting like a scared child this entire time.
“No more.” Reya muttered, and sat up. She clicked a button on her Judgment watch, and an empty message box popped up. After writing a simple letter explaining where she’d be going and how to reach her, she leaned forward towards the driver’s seat window.
“Akito.” Reya spoke, and the man turned around in surprise. He stopped chewing on the melon bread and swallowed a piece, washing it down with the sports drink he had on hand.
“Yes, Miss. How can I help you?” Reya frowned at being called, ‘miss,’ and it was all she could do to reign in her anger and save it to use on a target that actually made sense to be mad at.
“I would prefer if you referred to me as, ‘My Lady,’ seeing as how I am a Princess of Metron, and the first in line to the throne.” She flashed him her Kingdom Key in AR, and the chauffeur’s face went pale.
“I-I-I am extremely sorry for this rudeness, My Lady! This lowly one humble apologizes for his offense, and requests that you do not ask for my job in compensation for my actions!”
Reya scoffed at the boy, who winced at her action. “I want nothing of the sort. I wasn’t behaving in a very royal way, was I? I acknowledge that I am partially to blame, but be careful.”
The gears started turning in Reya’s head, and she smiled to herself. “Some women aren’t as forgiving as I. For example, that large chested woman we were with earlier. She’s also a Metronian Princess. Should she hear you use anything but ‘My Lady’ to refer to her, she’d have your head.”
Akito was breathing unsteadily, but Reya put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re with me, I’ll keep you safe from her. She’s lower on the throne ascension list than I am.”
“T-Thank you, My Lady. This lowly one appreciates the gesture of good faith.” Reya nodded her head, and pointed in the direction of the Steel Palace.
“No thanks needed. I was wondering if you would do me a favor and take me to meet the emperor. I have some things to discuss with him. As soon as you see me descend into the elevator, you may return here to wait for Joshua and the girls. They’ll know where I’ve gone.”
“Yes, My Lady.” Akito, still a bit pale-faced, replied. Reya stared out at the window as they took off into the air, and left the club’s entryway, and looked up at the artificially created starlight of the dome. Reya smirked as she remembered something that her father had once told her. Long ago, in order to generate money and tourism, the government of Japan let people write custom messages on the underside of the dome, and let them be displayed in the night sky.
With enough money and power, one could even make the sky itself take any form they see fit, and display their message for those with considerably less wealth to ponder the meaning behind.
While Reya had neither the money or the means right now, when her future came to fruition, not just Shin Tokyo, but the entire world would know the message and power of Reya Rust Metron.