Dear readers of the Gun Princess Royale series,
I'd like to present the new and improved Introduction to Book Three, The Thousand Yard Princess.
This is the version that wasn't written by the seat of my pants while suffering from sleep deprivation and too much Coca Cola.
I hope you find it more to your liking.
Cheers!

---

Intro.
- I -

There is a marked difference between the other girls and I.

If they take a bullet to the head, it is the mechanical avatar that dies – the Gun Princess and not the Meister.

If I take a bullet to the head, I die – both the Gun Princess and the Meister.

There is another significant difference between them and I.

It takes more than one bullet to the brainbox to bring down a Gun Princess because they have very hard heads.

In contrast, I don’t have an adamantine skull or adamantium coating over my skeleton.

Thus, all it takes is a single armor-piercing round to the cranium, and it’s Game Over for me.

Farewell Mirai, and better luck to your next incarnation.

It’s true that the Sanreal Family, that is House Elsis Novis, and my cold-hearted bitch of a sister could imprint the most recent archive of my neural map into another copy of Mirai…but that’s only if they can make one.

You may recall from the previous installment of my progressive memoires that Erina called me a miracle. A miracle she said, with a zealous light in her eyes. So producing another Ultra Grade Mirai doesn’t happen at the snap of the fingers, although it does start with the push of a button. However, in the event that they are successful, and the archive of my neural map can be implanted into the new brain, the new Mirai wouldn’t be me.

It wouldn’t be the me that I am now.

That me would die, and perhaps fly off to Heaven or Hell, depending on whether I’ve been a good or bad girl because I do believe that Mirai has a soul. At least, I want to believe that she does. She has Angel wings, so why not a soul? Nonetheless, the existence that I am now would perish in this reality, and the copy would only be a copy.

The real Mirai, the first Mirai, would be no more.

I have asked Erina what would happen to me if I was shot in the head.

Would the Angel Fibers repair the damage? If so, then perhaps installing the latest archive of my neural map would compensate for the loss of information in the regenerated portions of my brain. But there would certainly be a lot to repair because Mirai’s skull – as strong as it is – isn’t armor plated.

Erina said she didn’t know.

She and her research team that developed Mirai are continuously collating the data they collect on me, so they have yet to determine the extent to which the Angel Fibers can heal my wounds. But if I died from head trauma and the Angel Fibers subsequently put me back together, would I be the same person I was before? Perhaps, it really does come down to whether Mirai has a soul or not.

Yet even if Mirai could survive a bullet to the noggin, I have no intention of finding out, and I don’t want a copy to be made of me because I am the true, one-and-only Mirai.

I want to survive and I want to live.

That’s what I decided for myself as I listened to the bullets whiz by, ripping through the air, not quite indiscriminately tearing up my surroundings.

Maybe I’m jumping too far ahead, revealing too much too early in this the latest volume of my memoires.

Maybe I should let the story run its course, but having said that I’d resolved to live, I would like to explain a little of my circumstances at the time.

Just a sneak peak, a teaser, of what is to come.

– II –

I’d heard the term once before, spoken in conversation during a rather stressful period of my life.

It was something I’d forgotten about until blared out by the Game Master circling high overhead in the Battle Commission’s observation airship, a giant zeppelin the size of a cruise ship.

I certainly knew what the term meant in my reality, but it should have been clear that terms from my universe may not carry the same meaning in the other universe.

But knowing what I did know, a shiver of fear trickled down my spine as I watched the giant gunmetal grey egg fall from the airship, and crater the middle of the plaza when it landed with a deafening boom that smashed permaglass shopfronts, buckled the nearby mag-lev station supports, and caused the ground to undulate and ripple, tossing the Gun Princesses and I like plastic dolls into the air.

Some of them crashed through shop windows and deep into the stores.

Others rolled along the ground like helpless tenpins.

A few collided with walls, benches, tables, and signs.

And I crashed into an interactive information board, snapping its supports, and knocking it to the ground.

In a heartbeat, the center of the plaza was ruined, and the girls and I were scattered about.

Lying on the wrecked board, I looked up to see fireworks launch from the Game Master’s airship.

They exploded brilliantly in the evening sky, signaling a start to the festivities.

Then the gunmetal grey egg broke apart…and it emerged.

Of course, I couldn’t see it because the middle of the plaza was shrouded in a dense cloud of powdered rubble.

But I could hear it and I could feel it due to the deep thrumming that spread through the air and resonated with my bones.

I could smell it too – the scent of ozone that follows a lightning strike.

One by one the mechanical girls either picked themselves off the ground or hurried out from the shops they’d crashed into.

In quick succession, they checked their weapons and readied themselves for whatever would come bursting out of the cloud filling the center of the plaza.

I too prepared myself, first rising from the wrecked information board, and then checking my weapons – two Mag-Hauser railguns – as I took cover behind the remains of a permacrete fountain mostly demolished by the egg’s explosive landing.

Maybe those Meisters thought they’d be ready for what was to emerge.

Maybe I thought so as well.

After all, there were fifteen Gun Princesses in the plaza…and only one opponent.

However, I didn’t know how wrong we would be.

I didn’t know that we'd be facing something that wasn’t from my reality, but from a harsher realm.

A realm where a war had been fought and it razed the face of an entire planet.

Then a century later, the survivors fought another war.

A war that began with Simulacra.

A war that ended with machine versus machine.

Not long ago, Ghost told me that a Gun Princess has no natural enemies because her enemies are all unnatural.

They are all machines, metal predators, and among their ranks is one that even a Gun Princess has reason to fear.

The Gun Slinger.

As a Gun Princess, I too learnt to fear the Gun Slinger.

But a Gun Slinger has never met a Gun Princess like Mirai, and I was determined to cut my name into the metal demon that emerged from the cloud of rubble to the tune of six Gatling guns and a swarm of missiles.

Before the night was out, I promised to make this Gun Slinger tremble at the mere whisper of the name, Mirai.

And then I would blow the metal mother frekker up and send it straight into the machine afterlife!

---

I would like to take this opportunity to let readers know that the Gun Princess Royale - Book Two - The Measure of a Princess has finally been released to Amazon Kindle Select and Kindle Lenders Library.
Those of you who are interested in purchasing the eBook version can find it by following the link below, although Amazon does retail it in thirteen other countries:

http://amzn.to/2vrMObr

The eBook version is significantly improved and noticeably different in important places from the draft posted here. Also, it is complete at eight chapters, rather than six, so it's roughtly 30% longer than the TG BigCloset release.

I will be serializing the draft of Book Three starting late in August. I need some time to get things together before then.

So please be sure to read the complete Book Two, because the ending is particularly important to where Book Three picks up.
And if you enjoy it, please let other readers know by posting a review on Amazon.

Thank you for your time, and best wishes to you all.

Chapter 1.
– I –

I had much to think about on the night flight from the marina to the apartment complex in Ar Telica as the civilian VTOL flew us over the horseshoe shaped harbor, its waters glistening with light from the city-state’s immense pyramidal buildings.

My decision to live as Isabel and to fight as Mirai weighed heavily upon my shoulders.

Knowing that I was abandoning any chance to return to my old life squeezed my heart and chest. But I didn’t know what else to do. My options were few if any, and I wasn’t in a position to fight back. Moving forward as both Isabel and Mirai was the logical course of action, and in truth it wasn’t one I’d taken lightly. It also meant that I believed what Clarisol had told me, and Erina’s reaction when I questioned her had proven Clarisol’s assertion that my life as Ronin Kassius was a thing of the past.

So what kind of what life could I look forward to?

Feeling as though I was living minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, reluctant to think of what the sunrise would bring, should I even allow myself to ponder my future. When I did so, there was the question of whether I could live on as a girl, or was it something that would come to me gradually now that I was inside Mirai’s female body and brain?

As the VTOL flew over the harbor, my gaze wandered through the large window beside me, and by chance it floated over one of the three islands poking their heads above water. I didn’t think it was Telos Island that I glimpsed, but the sight of that island was enough to send an anxious jolt through me as I thought of what returning to the academy would be like now that I was Isabel val Sanreal, and not Ronin Kassius. But was it something I should worry over? In other words, was it not the least of my problems?

That depressing line of thinking made me turn away from the window, and I regarded the plush interior of the passenger cabin with its forward and reverse seating.

The VTOL was moth shaped, with six landing struts and wedge-shaped levitator wings fanning out from the dorsal superstructure. With a body thirty-feet long it had plenty of space for the passenger cabin. Despite my mood and situation, I nonetheless appreciated the lavishly appointed interior that was outfitted like a limousine with comfortable leather seating, wood paneling, climate control, and noise dampening for a whisper quiet ride.

However, my appreciation for its luxury was tempered by my troubled thoughts exacerbated by the company that I shared.

The Cat Princess, to whom Erina referred to as Akane, was sitting beside me to my right and facing forward. For now, her stun baton was clipped to her thigh, and the handgun she carried was holstered and hidden beneath the windbreaker jacket she wore. However, it wasn’t the heavy caliber handcannon she’d threatened me with aboard the yacht, but a smaller sidearm she could easily conceal under the jacket. I was hesitant to call it a lady’s gun, but that’s how I viewed it.

My sister, Erina, sat directly opposite me and faced the rear of the cabin with her eyes closed as her head rested back against the seat. She had changed her attire to an all-white affair – an ensemble of slim trousers, blouse, blazer, kitten sling backs – and once again she looked resplendent. Should I say, worth a fortune? In fact, she looked so good my feelings soured into a gloomy mix that swirled around in my stomach and gave me a belly ache.

The last of my companions in the cabin was a petite young woman wearing thin glasses, a business skirt-suit, and a long summer coat. She was waiting for us at the marina’s wharf, and introduced herself as Doctor Umi Pearson, a member of Erina’s team that put Mirai together. When she offered me her hand, I gave her a cruel smile that portrayed my intention to rip it off. Erina saved her by stepping between Pearson and I. At the very least, I had conveyed me feelings to the young woman, and she wasn’t going to make the mistake of being friendly with me.

Seated beside Erina, Pearson tapped away at the large magazine sized tablet on her lap.

“This is her schedule,” Pearson handed the device to my sister who blinked away for a while before wordlessly taking the tablet.

I watched Erina study the contents on display, and couldn’t refrain from sniping sarcastically at her. “Do you need a blood and urine sample?”

Erina shook her head faintly, her attention on the tablet she held. “No, we obtained those while you were unconscious.”

“How considerate of you.”

“It was simply less trouble that way.”

“Won’t the samples be contaminated by the tranquilizer?” I asked.

“We factored that into the analysis,” Pearson replied with a weak smile. “We won’t need another sample until tomorrow”—she glanced quickly at her slender wristwatch—“I mean, later this morning.”

I clapped softly. “So what’s next? Do you want me in a rat’s wheel? Shall I show you how quickly I can run?”

Erina exhaled unhappily yet continued reading the contents on the tablet’s screen. “Isabel, grow up.”

“Into someone like you? No thank you. I’d rather jump out of this VTOL now.”

The Cat Princess yawned. “Eri, just say the word—”

“And you’ll what? Shoot me?” I asked her.

The Cat Princess tapped her stun baton. “No. I’ll shove this up your—”

“That’s enough! Both of you,” Erina warned us, suddenly alert. She placed the tablet on her lap as she regarded me with a stern light in her eyes. “You assured me you would behave.”

I thought back over my conversations with her. “I don’t remember saying that.”

Erina clenched her teeth and exhaled loudly. “Then will you behave? You do realize you can make this a lot easier on yourself.”

“You mean a lot easier for you.”

Again, Erina exhaled loudly. “You’re going to give me gray hairs.”

I clapped softly again. “Why stop there? When I’m done, you’ll be bald.”

“That does it,” the Cat Princess snarled. “Time to stick this up your—”

“Not happening!” I reached over and started grappling with her.

As we tussled on the back seat of the VTOL’s cabin, the craft lurched abruptly causing Erina and Pearson to cry out in panic.

The Cat Princess and I stopped fighting as we listened to the pilot’s voice enter the cabin.

“Apologies, Doctor Kassius. Mild turbulence over the city.”

The VTOL lurched again and suddenly Erina and Pearson clutched at the armrests fitted to the cabin doors.

Forgetting about the Cat Princess for a moment, I stared at my sister as a distant memory came bounding to the forefront of my mind.

“Are you…still afraid of flying?”

Erina glared at me and clenched her jaw as the craft bounced in the air with enough force to make me feel weightless for a heartbeat.

“Hah,” I scoffed, then resumed scuffling with the Cat Princess.

The tussle ended minutes later when the pilot announced we would be landing soon

The Cat Princess relented on her choke hold, and I was able to breathe again, though I was shocked to discover Mirai could hold her breath for more than two minutes before turning blue.

At the same time, I released my hold on the girl’s head, and the mechanical avatar could straighten her body after I’d deliberately pinned her into an awkward posture against the starboard side of the cabin that would have broken a human girl’s back.

Moving to opposite sides on the back seat, we fixed up our tattered clothes.

My top had a long rip down the middle that exposed my bra and voluptuous cleavage. “Bitch.”

Her jacket was missing a sleeve. “Whore.”

I turned to her and pointed at my crotch. “Hey, at least I have all the right parts now, Machine Girl.”

“What? You want a prize?” she hurled at me.

My mouth fell open. “Wait a minute. Are you a guy? Are you a guy operating that body?”

“No, I’m not! I’m a girl. Okay.”

“Yeah, right.”

The Cat Princess gave me a dumbfounded look before growing angry. “My name is Akane Straus. I’m a girl. In fact, I’m twenty-three years old. So you should be showing your elder some respect.”

“Aren’t you a bit old to be calling yourself a girl?”

“Huh?”

I waved a hand. “I thought you were like those online male gamers who pass themselves off as girls by using female avatars.”

“What?”

“Never mind,” I muttered, then noticed the exhausted look Erina was giving me, and the disbelief plastered on Pearson’s face. “What?”

Though she kept her attention on me, Pearson half turned to Erina and hesitantly asked, “Are you sure the transfer worked?”

Erina rubbed both her temples. “Yes, it worked.”

“But…I thought your brother was more—”

“More what?” Erina asked her bluntly.

Pearson inhaled deeply before blurting out, “Compliant?”

Erina gave Pearson a troubled look before she resumed rubbing her temples. “Don’t ask.”

“So something went wrong,” Pearson murmured.

“Hey, Glasses,” I snapped at her. “Of course something went wrong. I’m a guy in a girl’s body all because of you”—I pointed at my sister—“and this megalomaniac.”

Erina lowered her hands and frowned at me disapprovingly. “I’m not obsessed with power.”

“From rags to riches, huh, Sis?”

My sister’s expression grew hard and sharp. “That’s enough.”

I crossed my arms, aware that by doing so I pushed up my big breasts. “So, when do I get to meet this rich fiancé of yours?”

“When you learn to behave,” she replied.

“Better make sure you put in me in a lion’s cage”—I made clawing gestures at her—“or you never know what might happen.”

“Eri, put me in a cage with her,” the Cat Princess requested. “I’ll pull out her claws.”

I raised a fist at her. “Why wait for a cage!”

“This time I’m choking you blue!”

“And I’m tearing your head off!”

“ENOUGH!” Erina screamed.

A loud rip underscored her cry.

“My bra!”

“My sleeve!”

A heartbeat later I felt the VTOL lurch gently as it touched down.

“Doctor Kassius, we’ve landed at the complex.”

Pearson pressed a hand to her chest and wilted into the leather seat. “Thank the gods. Down in one piece.”

The sliding cabin door beside Erina and I opened to reveal a man wearing a ground crew jacket with fluorescent stripes.

He took one look at the Cat Princess and I locked in combat, and froze.

“Ex—excuse the interruption.”

Then he hastily closed the door.

Erina dropped her head into her hands.

Pearson cautiously reached out and patted her shoulder. “Eri? Are you all right?”

“Do I look all right?” my sister mumbled.

“Um…maybe you should let me take over.”

Erina swiftly raised her head and stared at Pearson in disbelief. “Do you think you can handle them?”

Pearson gave the Cat Princess and I a long, thoughtful look, then visibly shrank back in her seat. “I—I get your point….”

Erina turned her attention on us. “Akane. For the love of the gods, act your damn age. You’re the team leader for Team Novis. How the Hell do you expect to lead if you can’t control yourself? You’re acting like you used to back in high school.”

The Cat Princess slackened her grip on me. “Oh, right….”

Erina regarded me. “I will box you. Is that clear? I don’t care what happens. Damn the consequences, but if you don’t behave, I swear to the gods I will box you.”

I released my hold on the Cat Princess. “Fine. For now.”

“Not for now!” Erina shouted. “Forever! Do you hear me! You will learn to act your age, and behave like a lady of proper standing. Is that clear!”

I frowned at my sister who was trembling in rage. “Okay. I get it. I’ll be good. For now.”

“Isabel!”

“For now!” I yelled back at her with a rage of my own. “Don’t ask more of me!”

Pearson’s eyes suddenly widened to the size of platters. “Oh my gods!”

Her reaction cut through my anger, and I stared at her in confusion until I noticed my dark locks of hair in the corner of my eyes.

I changed again?

Pearson covered her mouth for a heartbeat. “What—what is that?”

Erina was breathing heavily but staring at me with worry. “I don’t know. I don’t know what that is. For all we know, it could be the dark side of her personality manifesting itself.”

“The dark side?” Pearson whispered, then her eyes brightened with a sudden passion that made me glare at her. “We need to examine her immediately.” Noticing my glare, she squeaked and quickly shied back. “Her—her eyes glow!”

“Yes, I know,” Erina replied, then quickly shook her head. “We’re not examining her now. Later, but not now.”

There was a series of loud knocks on the cabin door beside me, then it slid back a few inches and the man from before peeked in.

“Um, excuse me. But we’re expecting another flight.”

Erina sighed heavily, and nodded equally so. “Yes, we understand. My apologies.”

The man pulled back the door, exposing the side of the cabin, and Erina was the first to disembark from the VTOL, using the steps that had extended down from the flank of the craft to the ground.

I followed after her, with both arms thrown across my chest to cover my exposed breasts after the Cat Princess ripped my top and bra.

The mechanical bitch climbed out close behind me, and Pearson was the last to exit the VTOL, visibly giving us a wide berth as she hurried over to Erina’s side.

The man in the ground grew jacket called out to me. “Uh, Miss.”

I stared at him, wondering what he wanted and expecting his eyes to be glued to my chest. Instead, I was surprised to see him take off his heavy jacket and offer it to me.

“Here. You should take it,” he said while averting his gaze.

I weighed my options: walk half naked to wherever we were going, or put on someone’s sweaty jacket.

Holding back a groan, I smiled weakly as I took the jacket, and then turned away from him and everybody else so that I could put it on. “Thanks…,” I muttered over a shoulder.

“Uh…sure….”

At the very least he hadn’t peeked at my chest, though he was probably holding himself back through a monumental effort. Or maybe I was just imagining all that in my head.

I really needed to stop being so self-conscious about Mirai’s huge bust.

Zipping up the jacket, I could smell the man’s scent on the material through Mirai’s sharpened senses. This was despite the strong wind blowing over the top of the landing platform. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant but it wasn’t pleasant either, and I resolved to strip out of my clothes and take a shower at the earliest convenience. However, he’d been a gentleman after noticing my state of undress, so I wasn’t going to throw his jacket back at him. Instead, I bowed slightly toward him in a show of gratitude.

There were other ground crew on the platform, and they ushered the four of us urgently though politely away from the parked VTOL that had flown us from the marina to the city. Moments after we’d been escorted into an enclosed lounge area adjoining the platform, the moth-shaped VTOL pointed its levitator fins downward, revved up its engines, then smoothly hopped into the air.

I watched the craft spread its levitator fins before it banked away southward. As my gaze followed it across the sky, I ended up looking out over the city.

I’d never observed Ar Telica from this high up and the lounge treated me to a resplendent midnight view of the sprawling city-state.

The building the VTOL had delivered us to was one of the dozens of pyramid-like megascrapers that bordered the west end of the horseshoe shaped harbor. That meant we were in Ar Telica’s Ring Zero that followed the shape of the harbor, with a thousand more megascrapers towering behind us to the west in Rings One to Twelve. Looking eastward at the immense watery expanse, I saw the lights of the city undulating with the waves, and my gaze traced the bridge connecting the shore to Telos Island. Shrunk by distance, the school buildings resembled miniatures illuminated by their rooftop floodlights.

I was growing tired of seeing the academy by night.

Turning around, I looked through the transparent walls of the waiting lounge at the building we were standing on.

From what I could see of the megascraper, it was a hexagonal, steep sided Aztec pyramid. Because we were standing at an elevation that was level with most of the megascrapers around us, I guessed the building was around the average of two hundred stories high. If this was an apartment complex, then I assumed the top floors would be home to spacious suites that could house a few dozen students. They would certainly be far larger than the apartment I used to share with Erina when we were younger.

My sister was watching me, and I met her gaze without flinching.

After a moment, she indicated that I should follow her.

When I sensed the Cat Princess fall in behind me, I looked at her over my shoulder.

“Don’t think of running away,” she warned me.

“Can you fly?” I asked her.

“Why? Are you thinking of jumping off the building?”

I grinned at her. “I have wings, remember?”

The Cat Princess missed a step, then hurried to catch up. “And I have a gun, remember?”

Unzipping the top of my jacket by a few inches, I reached in between Mirai’s boobs and the remains of my clothes to pull out my hard-earned prize. Then I turned around smoothly and pressed the muzzle of a small yet hefty handgun to the Cat Princess’s forehead.

“You mean this gun?”

The Cat Princess froze and I heard a gasp that could have come from either Erina or Pearson.

I grinned broadly at the mechanical girl and cocked my head slightly. “You feeling lucky, Punk?”

The girl remained completely motionless except for her mouth and lips. “How…?”

“Back when you and I were scuffling aboard the VTOL.”

I pushed the gun’s muzzle into her forehead, forcing her back a step.

Then I took a step back myself.

Relying on Mirai’s imprinted familiarity with weapons, I ejected the magazine from the gun’s grip, then slid the receiver to empty the chamber of the bullet within, all without having to stop and think about the process. Nor did I look directly at the weapon itself, though in truth I could see it clearly because of Mirai’s unnaturally wide field-of-vision that probably rivaled that of an owl’s.

Twisting the gun with both hands, I succeeded in bending the grip so that it couldn’t be reloaded with a fresh magazine. Then I tossed the weapon to the ground where it subsequently slid under a lounge seat.

The Cat Princess took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “You really are a pain.”

“Like I said before, Kitten, you’re not so tough when I can see you.” I turned around and walked up to Erina. “Lead the way, Doc.”

The petite Umi Pearson discreetly hid behind my sister who regarded me with an anxious look that brought a smile to my face.

“What?” I asked her.

“Where’s the stun baton?” she inquired.

I shrugged and answered her honestly. “I have no idea. Probably back on the VTOL.”

“What the—!” The Cat Princess shouted abruptly as she realized she’d been disarmed. “You bitch.”

I looked at her over a shoulder and then shrugged. “You didn’t think I was picking a fight with you for nothing, did you?”

The cat ears on her head suddenly popped up and began twitching madly as she glowered at me. A moment later, I realized that the ground crew hadn’t mentioned or noticed her cat ears, and it was because she’d folded them down and hid them in her long platinum hair.

“I am going to teach you to respect your elders,” she promised me.

“Meow,” I replied and made clawing gestures at her.

Erina exhaled tremulously. “You truly are devious.”

I faced my sister. “No. I’m a Gun Princess.”

From behind Erina, a pale looking Pearson was muttering, “…not cute…not cute....”

I chose to ignore her as I pointed in the direction of the escalators leading down into the building from the far end of the enclosed lounge. “I’m tired and I want to take a shower. Are you going to lead the way or not?”

Erina wet her lips before revealing, “Akane likes to keep a knife around.”

I pulled the aforementioned knife out of a pocket. “You mean this one?”

“Aaaah!” The Cat Princess yelled. “You thief!”

I handed the knife to Erina, who took it reluctantly. “Worried I’ll stab you in the back?” I asked her.

“The thought did cross my mind,” she admitted as she pocketed the knife.

Pearson’s mumbles fell to a whispered, “…not cute…not cute at all….”

---

Dear Readers, just a reminder that GPR Book Two is available here from Amazon KDP.
I'm hoping to serialize Book Three on TG BigCloset by posting at least once a week.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Continuing with the weekly postings of the GPR3 draft.

---

Chapter 1
– II –

Initially it was a surprise, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made to me.

The Cat Princess was a mechanical, remote controlled body.

I didn’t know what it was like for the operator to experience their surroundings through the interface with the avatar, but it was possible they lacked the tactile sensitivity a human or Simulacrum possessed. In other words, the Cat Princess’s Meister didn’t feel her surroundings as much as I did. This was something I only realized while grappling with the Cat Princess aboard the VTOL.

When I felt the knife in her back pocket, I was able to steal it from her without being discovered. As we continued to scuffle, she made no mention of the knife, so I went further and succeeded in removing the gun from the holster she wore under her jacket. It wasn’t easy, and I honestly feared she would notice my intent, yet she didn’t. Uncomfortably hiding the small gun in the band of my denim trousers, while keeping that side of my body facing away from the Cat Princess, I once again waited for her to notice she’d been disarmed but she remained oblivious to the fact.

It was then apparent that as realistic as she was – which included breathing – she didn’t possess the same degree of touch sensitivity as a real person. She wasn’t aware of all the changes in pressure to her body, and that certainly surprised me. It also made me curious as to how a Meister operated the mechanical avatar. What was the experience like for them? How did they view and feel the world around them? If the result was limited like the Cat Princess demonstrated, then their perception of their surroundings was woefully trivial compared to how clearly I could experience my environment.

I decided it was something I’d ask Erina or Ghost about later.

Scratch that.

I’d ask Ghost about it later when we were alone.

With the Cat Princess glowering at my back, I followed my sister and Pearson out of the waiting lounge and into the innards of the apartment complex. The landing platform was constructed on one corner of the six-sided building, but it wasn’t located at the top of the megascraper. In fact, the middle of the hexagonal pyramid towered a dozen or more floors above the platform. After a short walk down an opulent hallway, we arrived at a bank of elevators and caught one up several floors. Exiting the lift car, I trailed behind Erina and Pearson, and came up to a pair of doors at the end of a short corridor. I expected Erina to unlock the doors, but instead she touched the doorplate to the right of the jamb, and with Mirai’s acute hearing, I listened to a chime sound faintly somewhere ahead of us.

When one of the doors unlocked and then opened gently, my eyebrows rose dramatically to the ceiling and try as I might I couldn’t bring them back down.

A young woman in a traditional maid outfit poked her body out into the corridor.

No, no, no. Allow me to properly elaborate upon that observation.

A young woman in a traditional French Maid’s outfit, with a bodice that clung tightly to her well-endowed chest, poked her body out into the corridor. At sight of Erina, she opened the door fully, revealing the rest of her, and I ran my gaze quickly over her short skirt, and slender shapely legs perched atop a pair of black high heels. Her long, auburn hair was arranged into what I guessed was a thick braid, and I judged her to be a little older than me, though still in her teenage years. It was then that my eyebrows lowered, when I found myself wondering if she was a Menial, and perhaps this was all the employment she could find herself after graduating from second tier education, otherwise known as high school. When I realized what I was thinking, and I flinched in shame as I averted my gaze.

Who was I to judge her? I wasn’t even human. I was a fraud. But more so, what right did I have to be critical of her?

While I felt contrite over my supercilious thoughts, Erina had no qualms or regrets in regarding the girl as an inconsequence.

“Lady Kassius—” the maid started to say but hurriedly stepped aside when my sister walked into the wide hallway beyond the doors, almost pushing her way past the pretty girl.

Pearson gave me a hasty look before hurrying after my sister.

I exhaled slowly, aware of the Cat Princess standing close by and when I glanced at her, I noticed the veiled reproach on her face and wondered if she was directing at Erina.

She can display subtle emotions, yet she can’t feel her surroundings the way I can. How strange.

Seeing that the maid was looking anxiously at me, I took a quick breath, then entered the apartment through the open doorway. As I stepped past the girl, I bowed my head to her, and offered her a softly spoken apology.

“Sorry….”

The girl blinked quickly, then her lips curled into a faint smile, but she said nothing until after she’d quietly closed the door behind the Cat Princess who followed me silently into the apartment.

“This way, please,” the young maid suggested as she ushered us down the wide hallway to a spacious rectangular living area with a sunken floor at one end that was furnished with sofas, a low table made of tinted glass, and a holovid projection system that belonged in a private cinema. A permaglass window spanned the length of one wall, and offered access to an enormous balcony that was several times larger than my dormitory apartment. An open kitchen area was situated adjacent to the living room, and two hallways led deeper into the apartment, undoubtedly to the bedrooms, guestrooms, bathrooms and so forth. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all a light creamy color, and that included the soft pile carpet underfoot.

Everything about the place projected luxury, comfort, and convenience, and that included the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

In terms of opulence, the apartment was on par with Mat’s family home in Ring One, District Ten where society’s affluent lived.

It was a richness that made me uncomfortable as I slowly walked around the living area, aware that my sister and Pearson were watching me, while the Cat Princess gawked at the interior of the apartment.

As for the maid, she was keeping to herself at the entrance to the living room.

I faced my sister. “You planning on living here as well?”

“Yes, I am.”

That brought a snarl to my face that I had trouble clearing away. “Just frekking wonderful….”

“I need to be here,” she stated sternly.

“No,” I shook my head at her, “you don’t.” Walking up to her, I folded my arms under my big chest. “I don’t need you around, and you don’t need to be here. I have no doubt that you have a surveillance system installed in this apartment, so you can watch me from somewhere else, you voyeur. But I won’t tolerate having you here.”

I turned around and started walking toward the hallway leading to the apartment’s entrance.

As I’d expected, the Cat Princess stood in my way.

I punched a fist into a palm. “Ready for round two?”

She gave me a disappointed look, and that wasn’t what I was expecting.

From behind me, Erina’s voice reached my ears. “It’s important that I be here.”

“Why?” I asked without turning around, my attention on the Cat Princess who stood before me with arms folded under her bust. “I’m not your lab rat, Erina, so you don’t need to be here.”

“I’m still your sister.”

“No. You’re Ronin’s sister.” This time I threw her a glare over my left shoulder. “You’re not my sister.”

I’d finally made the long overdue admission that I no longer considered that woman as my sister, and I felt lighter for it.

However, Erina’s response was to sigh at me as though I were a stupid child. “According to legal documents submitted to the Civil Registry, the Sanreal Family has made me your guardian.”

“That’s a stupid thing to do. If I’m a member of their family, shouldn’t I be living with them?” Taking a step back from the Cat Princess, I half turned to look at Erina. “Just what’s the deal here.”

“I’m your guardian, though you are soon to be my sister-in-law, even though officially you’re only a half-sister to the Sanreal siblings.”

“You mean, Mat?”

“I’m speaking in terms of what’s recorded in the Civil Registry. Matrim is a Praetor. You are a Sanreal.”

“So who are my other official siblings? Clarisol?”

“She is one of them.”

“Does that mean a Simulacrum of Clarisol will eventually be unleashed upon the unsuspecting masses?”

Erina started to sigh but stopped herself abruptly. “Her absence would be problematic, thus the answer is ‘yes’.”

I mulled that over, wondering if this version of Clarisol would be less extreme than the previous incarnation, and wondering why it would be a problem if she disappeared from society’s pages. “So who else is a half-sibling of mine?”

“Simon Sanreal. The head of the Sanreal Family.”

Abruptly, I frowned and turned to look behind the Cat Princess at the maid standing silently by the hallway’s entrance, wearing a confused expression that she failed to hide.

“Hey,” I asked her, “who are you?”

The girl’s eyes widened in a heartbeat and she bowed frantically. “I—I’m Cecilia. I was hired as the maid—I—I mean housekeeper. It—it’s a pleasure to serve you.”

I winced at her reaction, but tore my attention away from her chest bouncing wildly in her bodice. “Okay—okay! Stop it. You’re making me dizzy.”

The girl stopped bowing and regarded me anxiously.

“Could you please…give us a moment?” I asked of her.

I noticed the glance she threw at Erina before bowing to me quickly and then hurrying off into one of the hallways connected to the living area.

With the maid now having left the scene, I took a deep breath, then turned to face Erina. “How much does she know?”

“She knows that you’re Isabel val Sanreal, the youngest member of the Sanreal Family, and that you’re also an illegitimate child.”

“You mean a love child,” I grumbled harshly in a low voice.

“Yes. You are.”

“What else does she know?”

“That you’re lacking in manners, good graces, and you’re a tomboy. That despite your appearance as an attractive girl, there is nothing ladylike about you.”

I heard the Cat Princess snicker but decided not to confront her, and instead directed a scowl at my former sister. “Anything else I should know?”

“You’re also convinced that you are a teenage boy.”

“What?” I growled.

“You have delusions of being a boy in a past life. In other words, you believe you’re a boy reincarnated as a girl.”

I swear I could hear my tendons pop as I clenched my hands. “No thanks to you….”

To my surprise, Erina folded her arms under breasts and smiled at me like someone about to say ‘checkmate’, yet she said, “We have all the bases covered.”

“Yeah, I can see that. You have the maid believing that I’m crazy.”

“Oh, and you like girls.”

This time I blushed. “Well of course I do—” I cut myself off as I realized I was about to say something that would further incriminate me as being delusional.

I’m a straight guy in a girl’s body. Of course I’d like girls. But now this makes me a lesbian!

Abruptly feeling drained, my shoulders slumped and I relaxed my hands.

The Civil Registry keeps a profile on people. I wonder what they have on me.

“You sure laid it out nicely, didn’t you,” I applauded her.

“What choice did we have?” she asked in return. “You’re not aware of it, but you don’t move like a girl. Your mannerisms are barely feminine in passing. Other than your looks, there’s little else that’s feminine about you.”

I frowned at her. “Meaning—”

“Meaning that come Monday morning, everyone in Telos Academy who encounters you will start to wonder what kind of upbringing you’ve had.”

I began to realize what she was implying. “Because I don’t act like a girl.”

“Correct. And soon it’ll be all over the social media waves that the youngest daughter of the well-known Sanreal Family is a tomboy…and that’s putting it politely.”

Taking another deep breath, I planted my hands on my hips. “So what?”

Erina’s eyebrows rose and fell. “Indeed. So what. Well, you’ll find out eventually. By then, you’ll have dug yourself into a social pit of your own making. Frankly, it’s not my concern. As I’ve said before, you have a purpose and so long as you meet that purpose, it’s not my problem if you ruin your school and social life.”

“Wow, and here I thought you cared about your lab rat.”

She stepped up to me. Since our heights were comparable, I met her gaze at eyelevel.

“Only the lab rat, Isabel. You make it impossible to care about the rest of you.”

I wet my lips slowly. “Then get out. Or better still, have the school assign me to a dormitory, and I’ll continue living on my own—as I’ve been doing for the past three years.”

“Not happening.”

I smiled at her. “Then I plan to make your time here as unpleasant as possible.”

“Do you want to be boxed?”

“Go ahead and do it,” I answered with an unwavering stare.

From behind me, I heard a heavy sigh. “Eri, you’re going to give yourself ulcers again. Remember what your doctor told you? This time it could be a lot worse than last time. If you end up hospitalized—oops!”

Hospitalized? Did she say hospitalized?

While I had trouble hiding my shock, Erina shifted her attention onto the Cat Princess standing behind me to my five o’clock. “Unlike many people, I learn from my mistakes.”

The Cat Princess sighed again. “And now you’re going to make a new set of mistakes.”

I narrowed my eyes at Erina. “You were hospitalized? For real?”

She snorted loudly and regarded me with contempt. “It’s none of your concern.”

I nodded. “You’re right. And I don’t intend to go easy on you. When I’m done, you’ll have sworn off having kids for life.”

Without warning, Erina violently flung her hands and arms into the air. “Oh have it your way! Do whatever the Hell you want!”

I have to admit she took me by surprise to the point where I almost took a step back.

Almost.

Erina poked me hard in the collarbone. “You want to live alone? Fine. Live alone. I’ll have you assigned to a dormitory in time for school next week. But until then, you’re going to live here for the next five days, and learn how to be a lady! At the very least, learn how to walk like one!” She took several deep breaths. “Is that clear?”

Erina stared at me hard until I replied with a curt nod, while holding back a grin.

It might seem like a small victory, but no one had ever won a war overnight.

Well, no one I’d ever read about.

Invariably it was a series of poignant victories that led to ultimate success.

Even dropping the A-bomb on that island nation back on Earth centuries ago was the result of years of conflict that brought the American forces ever closer to their enemy’s homeland.

I watched Erina inhale deeply, and then squeeze her eyes shut while pinching the bridge of her nose. Unexpectedly, she turned and sluggishly walked off without a word, exiting the living area and disappearing into one of the hallways. However, a few moments later she re-emerged, crossed the living area, and entered the hallway on the opposite side of the large room.

Did she get lost? I wondered, then proverbially patted myself on the back. Wow, I really got to her. Hooray!

Pearson was standing in the middle of the living area, looking in the direction Erina had wandered off.

I gave her contemptuous look. “Go. Run after your master.”

The young woman flinched but didn’t wait for me to tell her twice before fleeing after Erina.

I exhaled loudly and let my shoulders slump. “Shit. She’s so exhausting….”

“I bet you feel really proud,” the Cat Princess said.

I half turned around to look back at her. “Yeah. I’m clapping madly inside. Woo hoo.”

“Then why do it?”

“That’s a stupid question,” I retorted.

“Then when are you planning to stop lashing out at everyone around you? What good will that do you? You’re not going back to being Ronin Kassius.”

I straightened as I stared at her. “So you knew about that.”

“Yes.”

“I bet you enjoyed watching me think that I had some hope of being a man again.”

She shook her head and seemed sincere when she replied, “It wasn’t fun at all.”

“Well, you sure looked like you were having fun.”

“That was the intention. It doesn’t mean I enjoyed it.”

This time I turned around and faced her properly with my hands on my hips. “You think I’ll believe that bullshit?”

“The point was to give you a traumatic experience so that you would want to wake up.”

“You shot me.”

“And you woke up,” she stated as though it was a natural result.

“No. I died.”

“You were already as good as dead. That Simulacrum wouldn’t have lasted more than a week at best. But the truth is that your consciousness was already mapped into Mirai’s brain. You were connected to the Simulacrum’s mind, so that you could experience everything it experienced. But you were already inside Mirai.” The Cat Princess glanced away. “It still sounds weird no matter how much Erina explained it to me….”

I felt something wasn’t adding up. “Clarisol told me that my sister—I mean, Erina—knew that the Empress wanted my mind inside Mirai two months ago. So why put me in a Simulacrum that wasn’t going to last?”

“We knew about her intention to stick you in Mirai. What we didn’t know was that she was going to throw Ronin Kassius into Limbo. Everything happened so fast. And then we found out we couldn’t wake up Mirai. She was experiencing some weird dream state after Ronin’s mind was imprinted into her in a rush. So the Simulacrum of Ronin Kassius was produced on short notice.”

Was this really the truth? It sounded probable, but why the rush to wake up Mirai? Was it because they were trying to keep up with the Empress changing the rules on them? Despite what my sister had said about standing up to the Empress, they were still dancing to her tune.

I gave the Cat Princess a sour smile. “When you put it that way, I’m surprised I’m still sane.”

“I’m not following you….” She looked genuinely confused.

“I mean that I’m surprised Erina did anything right. I could have ended up with multiple personalities or a complete nut job in a padded cell.”

The Cat Princess remained silent for a while before declaring, “The night is still young.”

“Oh wonderful.” I rolled my eyes and started turning away.

“If you want to blame someone,” the Cat Princess continued, “then blame the Empress. Blame her and not Erina. She doesn’t deserve your scorn.”

“Oh, she deserves it,” I countered. “Every bit and more. She has treated me like nothing more than a science project. And she made it clear just now that that’s all I am to her. So she can get frekked for all I care.”

Once again, the Cat Princess was studiously quiet for a long while before declaring, “She may have said that. But to me you’re a lot more.”

“Huh?”

“You said you wanted to see the real me. Fine. I’ll show you. Maybe then you’ll understand how important you are to us in different ways.”

Puzzled, I watched the Cat Princess walk past me toward the far wall of the living area. This was the wall that was composed of floor to ceiling permaglass with a view of the city and the apartment’s balcony. Sliding aside one of the permaglass partitions, the Cat Princess stepped out onto the balcony, allowing the cold night air into the apartments temperate interior.

“Follow me.”

She didn’t wait for me to do so, and instead walked out to the middle of the balcony floor space. Then she sat down cross legged on the ground, and closed her eyes.

Standing by the open permaglass partition, I wondered what she was up to when I abruptly sensed a wrongness in the air around the balcony. It was disconcerting, like experiencing weightlessness and disorientation simultaneously. For a moment, I feared a translocation was imminent and I clenched my gut to keep myself from feeling overly sick as I hastily swept my gaze over the balcony. Moments later, I noticed a warping of my view of the city buildings beyond the balcony, something akin to a fish eye lens effect, and a deep thrumming filled the air. I could feel that thrumming work its way into my bones, and quickly recalled experiencing something similar when I stood near a Sarcophagus, but never at this scale.

The phrase, ‘speak of the Devil and he shall come’ rushed through my head as I watched the lens effect warp my view of the city even more before a giant gunmetal grey Sarcophagus emerged from the distorted area, and float inches above the balcony. The giant device towered over me and the motionless Cat Princess as it belched a cold white fog much like an ancient locomotive venting steam. Within moments the thick billowing fog nearly obscured the balcony, and I was able to glimpse the shadow of the Sarcophagus as it opened up and deposited something on the ground. But I could also see the dark shapes of many tentacles reach down and pick up the silhouette of the seated Cat Princess, quickly drawing her into the machine’s dark innards. The fog began to dissipate quickly after the Sarcophagus closed its doors and disappeared back into the warped area above the balcony.

As soon as it vanished, the disorienting sensation went away and I felt my surroundings return to normal.

Whatever the Sarcophagus had delivered was slowly moving on the ground.

I waited until the fog had evaporated some more before cautiously venturing out onto the balcony to see what it was. However, after walking a few meters toward it, I stopped and stared uncertainly at it.

A young woman with long, blonde hair, wearing a white leotard, was half-lying on the balcony like a beached mermaid. She had propped up her torso on her arms, and was shaking her head slowly while blinking in a staccato rhythm.

Swallowing quietly, I stepped closer to her.

Sensing me draw near, she looked up at me with a strained expression, and my innards tightened when I recognized her.

“It’s you…,” I whispered.

She swallowed a few times before saying in a hoarse voice, “You remember me.”

I nodded absently though I was looking at her intently. “You were there at the game center the day my nightmare began. You were playing the Gun Princess Royale, and Class Rep—I mean, Shirohime—she called you stupid.”

The young woman snorted softly. “Yes, she did. And you were hiding in the crowd.”

Remembering the wheelchair she’d used – the one with the Telos Corporation logo – I regarded her legs. There were odd grey rivulets running all over them, scarring their skin. Sweeping my gaze over the rest of her body, I noticed it was waifish, and her arms had the same rivulets running their length. I recalled that back at the game center she’d been wearing long sleeves and her legs were sheathed in stockings. At the time, I’d thought she was a burn victim, but now I understood she was hiding the condition of her skin.

“What’s wrong with you?”

With a groan, she shifted her body, indeed much like a mermaid.

“Humanity hasn’t solved all medical conditions,” she replied. “There’s a few they haven’t fixed yet.” She looked up at me again. “My body looks horrible to you, doesn’t it.”

“…yeah….”

Her laugh was gentle yet bitter. “This is the result of your sister saving my life.” Seeing me frown slightly, she smiled in pity and I felt it was directed at herself. “I suffered from muscle dystrophy, and your sister tried to save me by using the Angel Fibers she had cultivated. It was illegal, and contravened scientific practices, but I had nothing to lose, and she was running out of time. So I became her first human test subject…and her last.”

“It didn’t work…?”

“Yes and no. The Angel Fibers stopped my muscular dystrophy, but they paralyzed my legs and scarred my body when they ripped out of me.”

I winced in reaction to the image her words painted in my mind.

Akane Straus nodded slowly. “That’s right. I wasn’t a pretty sight. But I survived, and whatever changes they made to my body stopped the muscular dystrophy in its tracks. But they also disrupted my motor controls, crippling my legs. I can feel them so in that respect I’m not a paraplegic, but I can’t use them. I can’t even crawl on them.”

“What happened afterwards?”

Straus looked at me puzzled. “Afterwards?”

“You said my sister operated on you illegally.”

“Oh. Her superiors suspended her, but the Sanreal Family who own the Telos Corporation stepped in and re-instated her. However, rather than using human subjects, they provided her with Simulacra instead. That’s when she learnt about the other universe and the truth about the Sanreal Family.”

“Akane!”

Startled, I turned toward the apartment and saw Erina standing by the permaglass entrance to the balcony. Umi Pearson was there too, with the large magazine sized tablet in her hands, but it was Erina who rushed out and dropped to her knees beside Straus who was now sitting on the ground.

“What are you doing? What were you thinking?” Erina asked the young woman.

“It was something I needed to do,” Straus answered her.

Erina looked aghast. “What? Why?” She shook her head in condemnation. “No. It wasn’t. You didn’t need to do this at all.”

“Yes, I did. She needed to see me.”

“We can argue about this elsewhere. It’s cold out here. We need to get you inside.”

Erina attempted to pick up Straus, but she was unable to cope with the young woman’s weight.

She looked pathetic to me, and I held back a sigh because it would have sounded too much like a derisive snort as I stepped closer to Straus. “I’ll do it—”

“Get away from her,” Erina shouted at me.

Surprised, I stepped back and stared at her with eyes wide.

“Don’t touch her,” Erina snapped, and resumed her feeble attempts to pick up Straus.

However, the latter reached out with her hands and stopped the woman that I no longer considered to be my sister. Facing me, Straus spoke in a manner that did not reflect her personality as the Cat Princess. She sounded quite calm and composed while supported by Erina as she half lay helplessly on the ground.

“Do you still want to hit me? Or am too pathetic?”

I couldn’t tell if she was taunting me or asking honestly for my opinion.

I chose to be honest. “If I hit you with Mirai’s strength, I’d probably kill you…and I don’t want your blood on my hands.”

Straus smiled wistfully up at me. “I don’t know whether to be grateful or not.”

I started to shrug indifferently. “I’ll find another way to make you suffer.”

Erina stood up swiftly and spoke in a heated, menacing tone. “You will do no such thing—”

“Eri!”

She looked down sharply at Straus who wore an admonishing expression on her face.

“This is between her and I,” Straus stated calmly then painfully rearranged her legs on the balcony floor so that they stretched out before her.

When she looked up at me, I could see the strain on her face.

“I told you, to me you’re a lot more,” she said. “To me, you’re my hope.”

I understood what she meant, and I didn’t like it at all.

I felt she was being unfair to me, and I could have said as much, but instead I shook my head slowly and replied in a perfunctory manner, “At least you have something to hope for. I don’t.”

I walked around her, leaving Straus and Erina behind me as I approached the edge of the balcony.

To prevent people from jumping off the balcony, it was bordered by a permaglass wall around ten or twelve feet high that also deflected the wind blowing strongly this far above sea level.

I pressed myself against the almost perfectly transparent material, and peered down at what lay below, before stepping back a couple of steps. Leaping upwards, I caught onto the rounded top of the permaglass wall, then easily levered myself over it and down onto the other side. Because of the sound damping properties of the transparent wall, and the blustering wind, I barely heard Erina shout at me in protest at my escape.

Landing on the ledge running along the outside of the balcony, I used the permaglass wall to steady myself against the wind, before jumping off the side of the pyramidal megascraper.

---

Dear Readers, just a reminder that GPR Book Two is available here from Amazon KDP.
I'm hoping to continue serializing Book Three on TG BigCloset by posting at least once a week, either on a Sunday or Monday.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I apologize for any mistakes.

Continuing the almost weekly releases of the GPR 3 draft. Sorry for the delay.

---

Chapter 2.
– I –

I’d like to think of my actions as unconventional.

Unpredictable. Unexpected. Difficult to fathom.

Dare I say crazy?

I’d like to stress that there is a method to my madness; a reason behind my irrational behavior.

In other words, I’d like to say that I didn’t jump off the side of the building without a plan or a reason.

Let’s begin with the reason.

I wanted to get away from Erina.

Pure and simple.

So what was the fastest, most reliable method?

If I decided to leave via the apartment, I would need a means to operate the elevator. I had noticed Erina touching her fingertips to a sensor plate beside the elevator doors. Undoubtedly that was a security measure. Were Mirai’s fingerprints recorded in the building’s security system? Alternatively, would the elevator take me straight down to the ground floor lobby or foyer without the need for fingerprint recognition?

I didn’t know, but in the event that I couldn’t operate the elevator, I would need to either return to the apartment, or descend via the fire escape.

Thinking about it now, as I jumped from balcony down to balcony and in the process having to repeatedly to climb over permaglass fencing, the fire escape was certainly the logical choice.

But instead I stupidly fled over the side of the building.

Why?

Because Erina worked her way into my thoughts, disrupted my rationality, and flipped my switches.

In short, I had to get away from her or I was liable to lash out with tragic results.

Yet, I wasn’t angry.

As contradictory as that sounds, as I jumped down the building, level by level, I wasn’t angry at Erina.

Instead, I felt wounded and hollow as though from that wound all my emotions had bled out, leaving a vacant shell behind.

Not even despair lurked within me.

Emptied of feeling, a calm had settled upon my mind, and I moved without thought – jumping and falling from balcony to balcony – until finally a new emotion was born.

It started with a mild soreness, but as it grew it birthed irritation.

What was the source of this soreness and the irritation it sired?

Mirai’s giant boobs!

Without a proper bra, the Princess Regalia, or other means of support, those perfectly shaped mounds of womanhood bounced every time I landed on a balcony, and by the time I’d descended fifteen or sixteen floors, I was in some real discomfort, and the pain coupled with the emptiness I felt within me to distract me, and eventually became my undoing.

Having leapt onto the edge of a permaglass balcony wall, I didn’t check below me.

Mirai’s mountainous breasts made looking down a little cumbersome, but I could still have taken a peek at where I was going to land before I jumped down from the top of the transparent wall.

I didn’t, and a moment later I splashed feet first into someone’s pool.

The cold water stunned me far more than the shock of suddenly finding myself submerged in a balcony pool. Because it was shallow, I touched the bottom with my sneakers as soon as my head sunk below the surface. I pushed upwards, broke through the surface, and gasped for air. After flailing for a heartbeat or two, I swam to the nearest edge of the pool, and started hauling myself out of the water.

In the corner of my eye, something small and white sped toward me. At first I suspected a security droid, but soon recognized it for a small dog. Neither I nor Mirai recognized the breed, but I can describe it as small, white, and covered in long shaggy hair. Running full pelt, it circled around the pool, yapping at me madly with a mouth full of small flat teeth.

I was halfway out of the pool when it launched itself at me, and tried to bite my face.

I splashed water at it, but it moved faster than I expected, making me wonder for a heartbeat if it really was a dog.

Dodging the water, it latched onto my right arm with its mouth, but the jacket sleeve proved too tough for its small teeth to penetrate. However, once it latched on, I couldn’t dislodge it, and given Mirai’s enormous strength, I was afraid of swinging my arm around too forcefully. If the little dog flew off, it might sail over the balcony and into the night sky, or it could fall in the pool and drown, or hit the ground with bone breaking force.

Hampered by sentimentality, and reluctant to cause it harm, I found myself at a loss on how to deal with the pesky mutt that was defending its realm.

If dealing with the pint sized pet wasn’t troublesome enough, the apartment lights soon turned on, and I glimpsed shadows moving behind the curtains drawn across the balcony window wall.

It wasn’t long before I heard a woman yell from inside the apartment.

“Harold! Shut up!”

From the tonal properties of her voice, she sounded middle aged, but it wasn’t until she drew the curtains aside with a wave of her hand that I saw that was true.

“It’s one in the morning. What the Hell is wrong with—huh?”

She stopped short as our eyes met.

“Who are you?”

I was kneeling by the side of the pool, soaking wet, my long blond hair drenched, wearing a heavy ground crew jacket, and looking like a runaway caught in the act.

I could very well imagine what was running through her head.

With her dark blonde hair tied into twin buns, and wearing a tracksuit in place of pajamas, the woman stared at me for a full second, before she waved her hand at the permaglass balcony doors. They opened in response and she rushed outside.

“What the Hell happened to you?” she demanded as she circled around the balcony pool. “Where did you come from?”

I stood up with the dog clinging by its teeth to my jacket sleeve. Its feet kicked the air as it refused to let go. “I fell from the sky.”

The woman stopped a few feet away, regarded me from head to toes, looked up at the early morning sky, and then stared down at her dog in confusion.

I held out my right arm to her, offering her the dog that stubbornly clung to my sleeve.

“I’m sorry. I can’t get him off. And I really need to be going.”

“Huh?” Her face contorted in confusion. “Going?”

“Yes. I need to be going.” I sounded a lot calmer than she had expected. In a way, I sounded rather mechanical, and it surprised me. “Could you get it off me?”

She crossed her arms. “First you tell me what’s going on, or I call the police.”

I sighed and began taking off the heavy jacket, then remembered my torn clothing. Giving up on that, I chose the next best option – I walked away.

I arrived at the permaglass wall fencing the balcony, judged the jump I needed to make, then leapt upwards with the dog clamped onto my jacket sleeve like a giant clothes pin.

“Hey—come back here! My dog—!”

Standing on the top edge of the permaglass wall, I looked quickly at the next balcony below me, then dropped onto it, landing with a wet sounding squelch. I winced when Mirai’s heavy boobs once again bounced with a sharp sting.

The dog must have been blessed with the jaws of death because it continued to cling onto my sleeve. At that point, I frowned at it then concentrated my vision upon the small animal. It wasn’t long before my senses sharpened to a razor’s edge, and I could now see people’s auras. But when I studied the dog, I noticed that it had none and realized then that it was an automaton constructed in the form of a small canine.

“Ghost, can you do something about it?”

“Princess, I thought you would never ask.”

I watched the mechanical canine jerk twice, before opening its death trap jaws. It dropped with a cringe worthy thud and lay still on the balcony floor. “Did you—kill it?”

“No, I merely reset its functions.”

“A factory reset?”

“No, that wasn’t necessary. A mere off-on was sufficient.”

“Oh….”

Free of the small mechanical mutt, I considered the permaglass wall surrounding this balcony, and looked up to see the woman thumping on the glass bordering her balcony, her yelling muted by the permaglass. Even without hearing her, it was clear to see she was pissed at me.

Hoping to appease her a little, I picked up the mechanical dog that was still in the process of resetting – though it was twitching on the ground as though electrocuted – and threw it up and over the transparent wall of the balcony above me. The woman had the presence of mind to catch the small machine before it could land on the ground and break. Afterwards, she continued to throw what I presumed were choice words down at me, before hurrying off somewhere, perhaps back into her apartment to report me to the authorities.

“Wonderful….”

Deciding to turn the page on that brief installment of my life, I once again regarded my surroundings with displeasure as I gently massaged my huge breasts under the jacket.

“This sucks….”

“Princess, if I may suggest.”

“Sure…,” I replied somewhat absently as I threw the floors above me a quick look in search of signs of pursuit.

I wonder if the Cat Princess will come after me?

“Princess, make a right turn. This is the corner of the building so you will find a terraced wall connecting the east face with the south-east face. I assure you, it will be far quicker to descend down that wall. And less painful.”

I looked down at myself. “I need a change of clothes.”

“Do you wish to summon the Sarcophagus? I can have you outfitted in your Regalia in a matter of seconds.”

I gave that some thought as I walked to the transparent wall fencing the south side of the balcony. “No. I don’t want them knowing yet that I’m linked with that coffin.”

“Please, don’t call it that….”

Whatever, I muttered inwardly as I looked through the permaglass at the terraced wall beyond it that resembled giant steps running steeply all the way down to street level. As Ghost had said, it was more like a wide join between the east and south-east faces of the building. It didn’t take me long to get over the permaglass and onto it, and with one arm supporting my boobs, I proceeded down to street level, one terrace at a time.

It took me a good ten minutes to descend to the last terrace that overlooked the base of the megascraper some twenty meters below it.

Cradling my breasts in my arms, I frowned at the drop I’d need to make, then took a deep breath before stepping off the terrace and falling to the ground.

Did it hurt?

Hell yes.

The impact worked its way up my legs and all the way to my eyeballs, and I fell to my hands and knees with a short sharp cry that turned into a hiss of pain when I tried to stifle it.

If it wasn’t evident before, it was certainly clear to me now just how beneficial the Princess Regalia was to me. Not only did it provide excellent support for Mirai’s voluptuous chest, but it seemed to absorb, distribute, and disperse physical impacts away from body. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that it acted like a bumper between me and harm. Regardless, as I picked myself up off the ground, I seriously considered revealing my hand and summoning the Sarcophagus for a change of clothes.

Gasping a little, I looked myself over. “Next time I spread my wings.”

“Princess, are you certain you can summon them?”

I pouted in thought, realized what I was doing, and cleared my expression in a hurry. “Honestly. No idea. Maybe they would spread on their own if I was falling to my death.”

“…you are not considering putting that hypothesis to the test, are you?”

My face twisted as I scowled at Ghost whom I could now see standing before me, a few feet away. I guessed he was projecting himself into my vision through the wetware, and thereby superimposing his image into my surroundings.

“Do you really think I’m that suicidal?” I grumbled at him.

He averted his eyes in thought. “I have yet to formulate an accurate profile on your personality.” He met my stare with a calm gaze. “Shall we say, the jury is still out?”

“Ha ha. You are so funny.” I indicated my boobs that I was cradling. “Why don’t you start being helpful instead and do something about these?”

In my vision, the ghost of Ghost regarded my breasts studiously. “Princess, might I inquire?”

“Inquire what?”

“Well, what exactly is wrong with them?”

My lips drew back into a snarl and I hissed at him, “They need support!”

“Very well. Follow me.” I blinked sharply and gaped at him as he then smoothly flourished upon me an elaborate bow. “Princess, this way if you please.”

“Ah…okay….”

Ghost turned around and began walking away from the building.

I stared at him in bewilderment for a few seconds before chasing after him.

The base of the megascraper apartment complex was a hexagonal stepped plaza leading down to street level. As I hurried away from the building, I looked behind me at the lobby visible through the ground floor windows.

“I thought the Cat Princess would be here by now,” I muttered to myself.

Naturally, Ghost heard me. “No need to worry.”

“Yeah? Why not?”

“I temporarily suspended her security rights within the building. The elevators will not respond to her, and the fire escape doors have been automatically locked to her.”

“What about my sister—I mean, Erina?”

“Likewise.”

“Hah,” I exhaled loudly. “Aren’t they going to know it was you?”

“Eventually.” He shrugged. “Or maybe not.”

I looked up at the building towering over me, and pictured Erina losing her cool and tearing up the apartment.

“Princess, please don’t dally.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Cradling my boobs, and feeling the chill through my wet clothes, I hurried after the ghost only I could see and hear.

Courtesy of Mirai’s wetware, I knew that local time was 1:15 in the morning. Not surprisingly, there was plenty of pedestrian traffic in Ar Telica’s Ring Zero. I wouldn’t describe it as the city that never sleeps, but there were numerous of shops open serving food, coffee, and drinks. Ring Zero bordered the harbor, so there were restaurants a plenty, and more than enough patrons to keep them running well into the bright side of the morning.

To say I was conspicuous was an understatement, so I ducked my head, hiding my face under my long dark locks – yes, Mirai was still in powered up mode – and kept an eye on Ghost a few feet ahead of me who nonchalantly walked through people like a phantasmal entity. Though I knew he was merely a projection into my vision, I have to admit the effect was a little creepy.

However, while he could pass through people without worry, I had to avoid bumping into them. I kept my attention away from their faces, refusing to make eye contact. But because of Mirai’s wide field-of-vision, I could see the curious expressions I drew, as well as looks of disgust from the women I walked by. No doubt some of them thought of me as I was a runaway or drugged out teen prostitute. I can’t say I felt pleasant when I garnered such looks, and I cursed Ghost for leading me down busy sidewalks.

After a few minutes of this torture, I followed him down a narrow side street, that was sparsely lit. A hundred meters further on, Ghost turned into a wide alley, and I trailed after him until he stopped a dozen meters from the previous corner. Halting beside him, I looked up to see the entrance to a shelter with numerous donation bins clustered nearby.

“What is this?” I asked him, sensing there were people inside the building, and despite knowing what it was.

“A charity organization,” he replied. “Frequently, the services of the Health and Welfare Division fall short of meeting the needs of the population. A non-profit organization such as this one helps fill the gap between the haves and the have nots.”

“Why is the entrance so far away from the street?”

Ghost stared at me with a faintly puzzled air. “Perhaps because the citizens do not wish to be reminded there are those less fortunate than them.”

“Ah…you have a point….” His answer was depressingly reasonable.

Ghost pointed at the bins I’d noticed. “You should find something in those donation bins.”

I chuckled softly without humor. “From riches to rags—” My chuckle died in a hurry when I noticed the stern expression on Ghost’s face. “What…?”

He regarded me in silence for a long while before saying flatly, “I suggest you hurry, Princess.”

What’s his problem, I asked myself, not liking the way ‘Princess’ rolled of his phantasmal tongue. Ah, whatever. I’m too tired to care.

Ignoring him, I stepped up to the bins, and then opened their lids.

After a few minutes rummaging inside, I found a surprisingly large plastic bag filled to bursting with clothing that must have belonged to a teenage girl. It was full of tops in various colors and styles, most of them quite trendy and revealing. But more importantly, I found a wide selection of bras and sports tops.

Closing the bin lids, I moved with my spoils to a dark corner of the alley.

Mirai’s night vision made it easy for me to see in the dark, but even so it was hard telling colors apart. I picked out items that I guessed would fit me, then peered around to see if I was being watched as I contemplated changing clothes here in the open.

Ghost indicated what looked like a narrow laneway. “Princess, I suggest that entrance over there. I’ve disabled the security camera watching over it.”

For a moment, I stared at him in both awe and fear at the ease with which he could interface and dominate photronic systems.

This is the entity that destroyed a Citadel with half a million people in it. If he wanted to, could he destroy Ar Telica just as easily?

The thought made me shiver and I hugged the plastic bag to my chest.

“Princess, time is precious,” Ghost warned me as he swept his gaze down both directions of the alley. “Please hurry.”

“You’re not going to peep on me?”

He looked perplexed or should I say, astounded that I would ask such a question. “Princess, you wound me.”

“Well are you?”

Ghost sighed as he placed an arm across his chest. “I promise not to peep on you.”

Does it really matter? I asked myself. It’s not like he has a body, but could he grow aroused at sight of me naked?

I shiver ran through me at the creepiness of the thought, and so I swallowed hard, nodded once, and then rushed over to the laneway that wasn’t a laneway but a basement entrance into one of the megascrapers occupying this district block.

After descending a dozen or more steps, I found myself well below street level as I approached a closed metal door and dropped the plastic bag at its foot. Throwing off the wet jacket, I quickly stripped out of my torn clothing, tossing them to the ground as the cold air bit into my skin, and chilled my arms and torso. I expected to sneeze, but Mirai was sturdier than she looked. Certainly, I felt cold but if I was Ronin Kassius, I’d be sneezing my lungs out by now.

After quickly drying myself by using a dark satin top from the bag, I found a grey sports bra that stretched fittingly over my breasts, then pulled out another top I’d noticed before. It was black, with short, ruffled sleeves, a modest neckline, and a frilled hem. It fit so well, that I guessed its owner must have been a well-endowed girl, and I wondered why she’d thrown all these clothes away. From what I remembered of teenage girl fashion, these articles of clothing were quite expensive. In other words, they weren’t items you’d purchase at a department store, but at a boutique.

Feeling curious, I dug deeper into the bag, discovering a handful of short, tight skirts, and a pair of dark capri pants that I decided to trade for my soaked denims. But that meant I had to do something about my underwear, and again I resorted to fishing around in the bag until I found – shock, shudder, horror – black lacy panties that were at least dry.

Who the Hell was this girl?

I had an epiphany as I stared at the silk panties in my hands.

Did her mother toss out all her sexy clothing?

Quickly slipping out of my wet clothes and into the dry panties and capri pants, I proceeded to donate my soaked belongings by pushing them into the bag.

The only pieces of clothing I couldn’t replace were my deck shoes, so I slipped my feet back into them, grimacing as I did so, and then fled the basement entrance. Having returned to the side street, I skulked back to the donation bins and tossed the plastic bag into one of them.

Ghost was keeping a lookout in a very humanly way that unnerved me, but he did run his gaze over me at one point.

“Good choice,” he praised me. “Ah, about your shoes.” Pointing at a specific bin, he added, “Try that one.”

When I peered inside, I soon realized it was meant for donated footwear.

I wasn’t keen on slipping my feet into someone else’s shoes, both literally and figuratively, but my deck shoes were dank and unpleasant to walk in.

After a couple of minutes looking at what was on offer, I found some heeled sandals that looked to be Mirai’s size, and put them on. They were cold but clean and dry, so I decided trade them for my wet deck shoes.

Feeling better about my appearance, I pondered what I should do with the man’s ground crew jacket, eventually deciding to fold it up and take it with me.

Ghost nodded in satisfaction at me, then arched an eyebrow as he expressed curiosity. “I am surprised by how well you are taking all this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Changing clothes without arguing. Not making a fuss over your body.”

I stared at him but in truth I wasn’t looking at him. Instead, I was picturing myself changing clothes beside the basement entrance with little regard to my surroundings.

“Yeah, that was a little too willing on my part,” I replied with a bitter nod, “but I was cold, wet, and uncomfortable. What would be the point in arguing about it?”

“Perhaps.”

“Are you suggesting I should have kicked up a fuss?”

“I am merely making an observation that you demonstrate a surprising willingness to adapt to your circumstances.”

“Is that a compliment?” I warily asked.

“Indeed it is.”

I took a deep breath, and admitted to him, “It’s not like I’m comfortable being Mirai. And getting changed out in the open isn’t my idea of fun. But there are times when put up and shut up make the most sense.” I hesitated before asking, “Does that make any sense?”

“It does.”

I sighed after a moment. “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.”

“Does that imply you are accepting of Mirai?”

“I don’t have a choice, do I.”

“And if you did?”

I sighed again and looked away. “I’d prefer going back to my old life.”

But that would mean dying prematurely.

Feeling trapped on all sides, I felt anxious and could only quell it by taking slow, deep breaths while focusing on the damp, folded jacket in my arms. But by looking down, I was conscious of the clothes I was now wearing, and how well Mirai’s body filled them out. I blushed in shame as I realized I was being vain, and yet I couldn’t deny that it felt pleasant to take pride in my appearance.

“Princess?”

I looked up at Ghost, and wondered if one day I would wake up and no longer think of myself as Ronin…but as Mirai or Isabel.

If so, what sort of person would I be when that happened?

What would my life be like afterwards?

Would I have learned to walk like a girl by then?

“Hey Ghost, can I ask you something?”

“By all means.”

“Do I walk like a girl or a boy?”

His eyebrows arched steeply, then came down in a frown. “If I may be so bold as to present my opinion.”

“You may.”

“From my many observations of Ronin Kassius, I can safely say he was never the manliest of men.”

“I think you’ve mentioned that already.”

“My point is that he lacked the—dare I say—swagger that most teenage boys have.”

“So I walked like a girl?”

“No, you simply walked. That is to say, you lacked the physique of girl but you also lacked the physique of a boy.”

“So I was somewhere in the middle.”

“Correct. As a consequence, I can say that your manner of walking is rather neutral.”

I felt my forehead begin to furrow. “Is that what Erina meant?”

“No, she most clearly exaggerated.”

I exhaled long and slow, feeling oddly relieved perhaps because I didn’t feel I was at an extreme. In other words, my body language wasn’t something that would naturally stand out. It may draw attention to me, but not in an untoward way.

So that begged the question, did I want to walk like a girl?

Folding his hands behind his back, Ghost observed me studiously for a moment before interrupting my train of thought. “Princess, I propose you not dwell upon it deeply.”

“Why?”

“Because in Mirai’s body, you will naturally learn to adapt your manner of movement. You simply need to give it time.”

I felt a cold emptiness begin to hollow out my chest, and I found myself speechless so I kept my mouth closed as I turned away.

Ghost had stated the obvious, that little by little I would become Mirai and Isabel, and discard the traits of Ronin Kassius.

Yet, apparent or not, it was still an unpleasant truth that I didn’t want to accept.

In the corner of my eye, I watched Ghost regard me with the air of a teacher, or a counsellor. “Princess, where to next?”

I realized he was choosing to distract me from my troubled thoughts, and I silently thanked him.

Looking around me at the quiet, deserted side street, I gave the question my full attention for a short while. After clearing my throat, I wet my lips slowly and I looked up at him. “I…I need some time…to myself.” I frowned slightly before concluding, “I’d like to go somewhere where I can think.”

Ghost’s eyebrows rose and fell in a subtle response to my answer.

Was he surprised by my reply? Why would that be?

I was still wondering why when he soon favored me with a gentle nod. “In that case, Princess, may I make another suggestion.”

I wet my lips again before deferring to his judgement with a hesitant nod of my own.
 

---

Apologies for the delay and rough cut of this chapter, and thank you for sticking with it for so long.

For those of you interested in reading or purchasing Book One and Book Two, they can be found on Amazon KDP here:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

They are also available on the Kindle Library.

If you do enjoy them, please, let others know by posting a review.
In other words, please, spread the word.

---

If you're enjoying this series, would you please vote for it on GoodReads Listopia.
The links to both books are pasted below:

Link for Book One: https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/34472700

Link for Book Two: https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/35673429

My editor informed me that Listopia can make a big difference to the sales of a book, so if it helps to spread the word, then I'd be grateful for any votes they can get.

---

Many, many thanks in advance.
And Part II should be out by this weekend, barring unforeseen events.

Arigatou!!!

Continuing the rough draft release.

---

Chapter 2.
– II –

As I followed Ghost, or at the very least his superimposed image, the bustling sidewalks grew busier the farther we walked and the closer we drew to Ring Zero’s entertainment districts due west of the horseshoe shaped harbor.

Ghost wouldn’t tell me our destination within the district, so I decided pressing him for an answer would be a waste of time, but I had another reason for keeping silent.

I was enthralled by my surroundings.

No longer wet and uncomfortable, I walked straight rather than slightly hunched over with my head bowed.

I wasn’t hiding from the crowds anymore.

I had become one of them, and I wasn’t looking down but ahead of me and upwards.

Standing at an intersection, surrounded by people waiting for the light to change, I brushed aside locks of blonde hair, and looked up at the city buildings.

Even when she wasn’t powered up, Mirai’s eyes and senses were crystal clear, allowing me to perceive my surroundings with greater clarity than during my existence as Ronin Kassius. Because of this, I was able observe and experience the city like never before.

My olfactory organs were nearly inundated by the rich variety of smells they were capturing and cataloging. The smell of people, the smells from the shops, the smell of vehicles on the road, even the subtle smell of metal from the mag-levs racing overhead on elevated rail lines – I could sense all of it, including the veiled scent of the ocean carried on the back of the breeze drafting in from the harbor a few hundred meters away to the east.

On my bare skin, I could feel the cold air, and the warmth of the people around me. When their bodies brushed by me, unable or unwilling to avoid contact on the wide, populated sidewalk, I could feel the texture of their clothes and their skin.

Conversations, shouts, laughter, footsteps, music, the hiss of electro-fusion drives from cars and mag-levs, the whirring of drones overhead, the high frequency hum of photronics lights, the rustling of clothes, all blended into a collage of sounds absorbed by my ears.

Looking up, my eyes feasted upon the sight of the giant pyramidal megascrapers of Ar Telica. They rose a thousand feet high, lit by countless exterior lights rather than by light coming from their windows since the majority of the city’s population was asleep. Because of their slanted walls, they avoided the canyon effect. Rather than take away the sky, they leaned back to offer as much of it as they could. Thus while they loomed over me, I didn’t feel oppressed by them. I knew little about the engineering benefits – in fact, I doubted there were any – but perhaps this was one reason why the general architecture of the city-states was reminiscent of the Aztec pyramids.

I was drowning in the mélange of sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the city.

But while this was the proverbial cake, the icing was the emotional impact.

For me, this was a new experience that went beyond the physical.

I had never walked these streets during the dark side of the morning.

I had never lived in the city as I was living in it now.

I had lived a sheltered routine existence that was safe and secure, that adhered to a mandatory curfew for young people.

From my dormitory balcony I had looked down at the city.

I had never looked up at it the way I was now.

But then again, I could never have indulged in my surroundings to this extent.

Mirai was an entity that felt naked and raw because all of her senses were so sharp.

I remembered reading how autistic people experienced the world to such a degree of clarity that the sensory overload overwhelmed them.

Yet while it was true that I now lived in a world where the proverbial curtains had been drawn aside, the windows opened, and the scales removed from my eyes, Mirai’s mind was coping.

I wasn’t hampered by the rich, vibrancy of Ar Telica’s nightlife.

I was absorbing and relishing it.

I was seeing the world like no other human could.

And as I realized this…I suddenly felt alone.

I was an entity that couldn’t share what I was feeling with anyone else because they wouldn’t understand it.

Describing it with words would never suffice.

You had to be me in order to appreciate what I was experiencing.

But that meant no longer being human.

And knowing that I wasn’t human added to the isolation that now fettered my state of heart and mind.

The sights and sounds of the city grew muted, vague, and indistinct.

What was once so clear was now dull.

I turned my attention away from the city above me, and focused on the immediate surroundings.

Trailing quietly behind Ghost, I began to feel incorporeal, an existence that now lived in a separate reality from the rest of humanity.

I no longer wondered where we were going because the city had stopped feeling real to me.

When we finally stopped, I found myself standing before a civic center, and looked up to see Ar Telica Tower rising some two thousand feet over me.

The place was a tourist location, and one that happened to be open at all hours, though entry was by paid admission.

“Ghost?”

“It will be fine, Princess. Follow me.”

“No, I mean, why are we here?”

“Princess, you need a change in perspective.”

I frowned inwardly, wondering how was looking at the city from above going to help?

I could have easily sighed as I followed Ghost up the long steps to the building’s entrance, but what would be the point? Would I feel better afterwards?

I wasn’t required to pay to enter the ground floor of the civic center building that served as the foundation for Ar Telica Tower. However, I would have to pay if I wished to ride the fast mag-lev elevators to the observations decks that ringed the tower at various points along its length.

There was a short queue of people waiting on the stepped dais surrounding the elevator bank.

To get up there, I would need to pass through the security scanning gates, and so I hesitated as I was unsure of how they would react to Mirai’s body. There was also the matter of how I would pay for the trip up the tower.

“Princess, you may walk through. I have taken care of the security gates.”

A shiver ran through me again as Ghost calmly reminded me of the extent of his abilities.

If he ever turned against us…we wouldn’t stand a chance.

I swallowed nervously before asking, “How am I going to pay?”

“Isabel val Sanreal has considerable funds to her name. The cost of admission will be deducted from her account when you press your right hand to the scanning plate.”

“So I do have money?”

“Most assuredly. Considerable funds.”

I noticed I sounded reluctant when I asked, “Just how much is considerable?”

“Approximately four million dorans.”

“Four million…?” I collapsed to my knees and then swayed drunkenly. “…four…four million….”

“Princess, please. Compose yourself. As a member of the Sanreal Family, you should expect your net value to be substantial.”

I looked crookedly up at a Ghost. “Four million dorans, Ghost.”

Crouching beside me, he nodded firmly. “Indeed.”

I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Don’t you get it? Four million dorans! I could buy a mansion with that much money.”

“A wise investment.”

Taking a deep breath, I asked, “Why do I have so much money?”

“A welcoming gift from the Sanreal Family to their long lost daughter.”

“I can use all that money now?”

“The terms and conditions stipulate that a stipend is available to you each month out of the four million in your account. Also, a portfolio has been established under your name. At present your investments total an impressive amount.”

I wasn’t just reluctant but scared to ask, “How…how impressive?”

“Three hundred and sixty million dorans…give or take a few million.”

I promptly passed out on the spot…

…and woke up to find myself lying down on something comfortable while a young female medic with short dark hair, and large expressive brown eyes, watched over me.

Seeing me open my eyes, she spoke to someone over her shoulder.

“She’s coming around.”

A male security guard came into view when he stepped up to the bed. “How is she?”

“Like her scan says, she’s in perfect health.” The young woman waved scanning wand over me. “Miss, can you hear me?” she asked while reading the results of the scan on a tablet she held in her left hand.

I blinked slowly at first then a little quicker as my mental faculties rebooted. Giving her a short nod, I cleared my throat and cautiously asked, “What happened to me?”

“You fainted,” the woman replied. “The security drones brought you to the guards’ station, and they carried you to the med center.”

I propped myself up on my elbows. “Where am I?”

The medic looked at me puzzled before saying, “As I just explained, you’re in the med center at the civic tower. You fainted in the foyer and were brought here by the security guards.”

Looking around me, I saw a few other beds, all empty, with flat display screens above their headrests. The place definitely looked like a sickbay, and it certainly smelt like one.

This is bad. They’ll realize Mirai isn’t human.

I turned to the young woman and asked, “Am I free to go?”

The medic glanced at the security guard standing beside her, watching me quietly with an intent expression.

“Miss Sanreal, before we can let you go—”

I flinched. “You know who I am?”

He nodded with a faint frown. “We verified your identity via handprint. Your registered guardian has been notified of your situation. She’s on her way to pick you up. I suggest you lie down and wait for her.”

Erina is coming here! Shit!

In a panic, I swung my legs off the bed. “I have to go.”

The guard stepped up to me. “Miss, you really should wait for her.”

I swept my gaze over him and judged how much of a threat he posed. He was middle aged, and quite trim. His security uniform looked padded, and a stun baton hung from his belt. There was also a thigh holstered electro-dartgun to be wary of.

Looking up at him, I asked, “Are you detaining me?”

He shook his head. “Miss, at this time we have no authority to detain you. I can only suggest that you remain here while waiting for your guardian.”

“Good, then I’m free to go.” Climbing off the bed, I tested my balance and was reasonably confident I wouldn’t be falling over on my way to the door.

I cursed myself inwardly.

What an idiot! Fainting just because I’m rich! How frekking stupid!

While the guard regarded me with suspicion, the medic waved her scanning wand over me one more time, then tapped at the tablet displaying the results.

I stared at the device fearfully until I noticed Ghost standing behind the medic, peering over her shoulder while nodding to himself in satisfaction at what I presumed was his handiwork. No doubt, he was ensuring the device revealed no abnormalities with Mirai’s body.

Sure enough the medic announced, “Well, I can see nothing wrong with her.” Turning off the scanning wand, she added, “If you wish to go, I can’t keep you here.”

“Great.”

“But I would recommend you visit a hospital in the morning. There could be something I can’t detect with the equipment here.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Bowing to her quickly, I said, “Thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”

The guard who’d spoken to me, looked reluctant to let me go. “Miss, shouldn’t you wait for your guardian.”

“I’ll be fine.” Slipping between him and the medic, I made my way out of the large room without a glance behind me. Finding myself in a short corridor that I didn’t recognize, I whispered hastily, “Ghost?”

“Yes, Princess?”

“Which way out of here?” I asked, while quickly reading the signs mounted to the walls.

“That way,” he said, indicating down the corridor to my left.

Walking fast, I then asked, “Where is my sister? How close is she?”

He frowned faintly as he walked with long strides beside me. “Turn right here.”

Rounding the corner, I began to jog, grateful for the sports bra keeping my boobs in check. “Ghost? About Erina—”

“She should be arriving within the next couple minutes. Princess, do you think it is wise to run from her?”

“I don’t want to see her face. I don’t want to be anywhere near her.”

“Princess, eventually you will need to face her.”

I shook my head curtly. “Not now. Not yet.”

Ghost pointed at a set of double doors. “Through there.”

Pushing through the doors, I found myself at end of a short corridor. I hurried to the doors at the opposite end, and pushed them open to see a wide open circular room with a tall ceiling, and a thick column rising through the middle of it. Seeing the security gates and the dais surrounding the base of the column, I recognized the room as the foyer of the civic center.

“You know your way from here,” Ghost quipped.

I didn’t reply, instead jogging to the wide permaglass entrance on the diametrically opposite the double doors I’d come through. At the entrance, I had to wait a moment for them to open automatically, before I could rush outside into the morning air.

“If you wish to avoid her,” Ghost said after coming up beside me, “I suggest you make your way left. There is a mag-lev station nearby.”

I was sweeping my gaze over the city streets before me, watching the cars driving by, when a business grey two-door sports saloon pulled into the civic center’s temporary parking area. Something about the way the car moved made my heart jump, and I stared at it warily. My heart jumped again when I saw Erina jump out of the passenger side of the car, and look about quickly before walking hurriedly to the building’s entrance.

I turned away, but not before she looked up and saw me standing on the landing outside the permaglass entrance.

Erina’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. A heartbeat later she cried out, “Isabel.”

Turning swiftly, I ran away to my right, in the opposite direction Ghost had suggested.

“Isabel!”

I ignored my sister as I leapt from the edge of the landing all the way to the sidewalk with a jump that carried me a dozen meters through the air.

“Isabel—wait!”

Landing hard at the foot of the steps leading up to the building, I cushioned the impact by dropping onto all fours, and after a breath, I pushed myself back up to my feet and ran down the sidewalk, away from my sister.

“Isabel—please wait!”

The sandals I was wearing were not made for running, and I briefly considered taking them off and sprinting barefoot. However, by then I was weaving through pedestrian traffic, and my pace slowed dramatically.

“Princess, I recommend making a right turn at the next corner. There is another mag-lev station at the end of this district block.”

I could hear Ghost, but I couldn’t see him, as I hurried between the slow moving traffic on the sidewalk.

Half-running, half-jogging past people, I arrived at the corner and saw the underground entrance to the subway mag-lev station.

With barely a thought, I worked my way across to it, and descended the steps in a hurry, though again I was hampered by the number of people riding the escalators down to the subterranean station.

“Princess, a train will be arriving at Platform Four in the next minute. I suggest you board it.”

“Where’s it going?” I asked while slipping between a young couple holding hands on the escalator. I had to jump over their clasped hands, catching myself with outstretched arms as I landed awkwardly on the stairs. Paying their surprised outcries no mind, I continued downward, leapt onto the landing at the foot of the escalators, and then ran over to the security turnstiles with a steady stream of people flowing through them.

If I’d had my phone, I could have waved it over the scanning plate. Instead, I had to press my palm to the plate, wait for the device to recognize me, then beep its approval before I could pass through the turnstile gate.

Ghost directed me to Platform Four, so all I needed to do was run rather than stop to read the overhead signs.

The mag-lev with a dozen odd carriages pulled up to the platform with a loud sigh as it came to rest on the supporting rail line.

I was still some ways from it when the carriages opened their doors and disgorged their contents, so I broke into a run. The usual innocent pushing and shoving ensued as those disembarking merged with the individuals waiting to board.

Arriving at the mag-lev, going with the flow was the best option, and I was soon swept into a carriage. Once inside, I found myself a spot near the opposite doors, and then held onto the nearest vertical pole stretching from the cabin’s floor to the ceiling. With an eye on the open doors, I peered at them between the bodies of the commuters standing before me, and refrained from sighing in relief when the doors closed exactly sixty seconds after they’d opened.

When the mag-lev smoothly pulled away from the platform, I exhaled loudly – no, I didn’t sigh – and sagged a little against the carriage wall behind me. After a moment, I gave into the luxury of closing my eyes and resting my head back.

“Princess?”

“I can’t keep doing this,” I whispered, and then placed a hand over my stomach. “Tired. Hungry.” I opened my eyes and grimaced. “And I need to pee.”

Ghost wasn’t visible. It would have been disturbing seeing him standing merged with the bodies of the passengers crowding the inside of the carriage, so I assumed he’d reverted to voice-only mode.

“I should get off at the next stop,” I whispered.

It might sound strange, but the truth was that I hadn’t felt the need urinate or otherwise since waking up in Mirai’s body. With everything going on around me, I hadn’t consciously thought about it. But it seemed that lunch aboard Erina’s superyacht had finally caught up with Mirai. I cringed inwardly as I thought of the mechanics involved, but if I didn’t make a pitstop in the next ten odd minutes I’d have a disaster on my hands – I mean, panties.

I stared at the ceiling while holding back the urge to urinate. With there being different muscles involved, doing so didn’t feel the same as from when I was male. In addition, I had to consciously think about what I was doing to keep my bladder from voiding and making a mess.

“Princess, what then? Will you continue running?”

I turned away from the inside of the carriage and faced the doors.

There was nothing but darkness outside as the mag-lev raced through the underground tunnel, so the interior of the carriage was reflected in the glass doors, and that included me.

Staring at myself through lidded eyes, I answered him in a whisper. “I don’t know…I just don’t want to face her…just looking at her…turns my stomach….”

“You cannot continue to run away. I will assist you, but I must tell you this will only prolong the inevitable.”

I took a quiet breath, and leaned my forehead against the glass door. “At least until morning…I don’t want to see her….”

A short melody played by soft chimes sounded in the carriage, indicating we were approaching the next station.

I looked up at an overhead display indicating where we were and realized we’d travelled north through Ring Zero. With my eyes, I followed the mag-lev line on the display, reading the district numbers it intersected.

When the doors opened, I remained aboard the carriage.

“Princess?”

“Next two stops,” I replied in a hushed tone. “Not here.”

My decision not to disembark meant travelling aboard the mag-lev for another six minutes while restraining my body’s urge to pee.

When my stop finally arrived, I bolted out of the mag-lev, raced up the escalators to the station promenade, then searched for the ladies restroom. Finding one, I dove into the anteroom and through to the toilet area, narrowly avoided colliding with a woman making her way out, apologized in a hurry, then found an empty stall. Locking the door to the stall, I hurriedly unclasped my tight capri pants, hardly thinking about what was to come next as I dropped all articles of clothing in the way, and then sat down to urinate – but not before hastily lowering the toilet seat.

It wasn’t until it was all over that I felt the weight and significance of what had transpired.

Hunched over, I held my head in my hands, and bit my lower lip to distract myself from the unwanted tears slowly trickling down my cheeks.

Frek! Frek! Frekking frek!

I squeezed my eyes shut causing fireworks to explode behind my eyelids, but I couldn’t run away from the truth.

Frek! I’m a frekking girl! Erina made a frekking girl!

My chest ached as I kept my tears and sobs silent for what felt like an eternity. But in truth, it was only a few minutes that went by before I recovered enough of my composure to dry my face with toilet paper from the dispenser mounted to the stall’s wall. Next was the humiliating and embarrassing business of drying myself down below.

I kept my eyes closed as I did so, my gut muscles clenched tightly as I carefully cleaned up.

I didn’t rise until a short while later, dressing myself, and then flushing the toilet after lowering the toilet cover.

Leaning against a stall wall, I took deep, slow breaths for half a minute, then unlocked the door and stepped outside.

The restroom wasn’t vacant. A handful of women were making use of the other stalls, and couple were finishing up at the hand basins mounted to the restroom’s longest wall. I chose not to glance at them. I didn’t need to with Mirai’s wide field-of-vision.

Walking over to the hand basins, I went through the motions of washing my hands, then regarded my reflection in the large mirror before me.

I had to admit, even when tired Mirai still looked good.

Exhaustion diminished her manufactured beauty by only a little.

With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly wet my blonde hair, brushing it with my fingertips for a few strokes, before hanging my head as I leaned on the hand basin with both hands.

Ever since awakening as Mirai, the truth that she was a girl – that I was a girl – was something I’d subconsciously struggled to accept. Surviving against the Gun Queen had kept my mind from delving or dwelling on the truth for long, and during the relative peace and calm aboard the Sanreal Crest, I hadn’t thought about myself as a girl. I’d been preoccupied with puzzling through my circumstances, and in a way, I had been operating on auto-pilot. I was conscious of being female, yet I hadn’t fully accepted it as though my subconscious was rejecting reality. Maybe it was acting like my last line of mental defense, keeping me sane when all other measures had failed.

But now it was impossible for me to deny it any longer on any level.

I couldn’t run away from Erina, and I couldn’t escape from myself either.

Having performed a most basic act of nature, there was no hiding from the reality that I was now a girl.

Raising my head, I looked at my tired visage, but my heart skipped a beat when I noticed the reflection of a beautiful teenage girl standing beside an open stall with her arms folded across her chest, watching me in silence. She had long silky black hair, an oval face, and green almond eyes.

Exotic encapsulated her in a word.

However, it wasn’t her beauty that captured my attention, or the fact that she was watching me keenly. It was knowing that she had materialized out of nowhere, and there was only one person I knew of who made it a habit of appearing unexpectedly.

I sighed and shook my head slowly as I stared back at her, aware that I was alone with her in the restroom.

She waited until everyone else was gone.

Still watching her cautiously in the mirror, I was first to break the silence between us. “Akane Straus, I presume.”

The girl smiled faintly. “That’s right.”

I turned around and faced her with my arms at my sides. “So that’s another body you have.”

“It is.”

“Just how many avatars do you control?”

Her subtle smile turned into a grin. “That’s a secret.”

“You were driving the car, weren’t you?” I asked her. “That’s why Erina climbed out of the passenger seat.”

“I was.”

“How did you find me?”

“I followed you onto the train. I followed you off the train. You were taking a long time in here, so I decided to check up on you.”

Ghost didn’t tell me I was being followed. Was it because he didn’t know about this body of hers? No, more than likely she was using her thermoptic camouflage to hide herself.

Taking a breath, I stated flatly, “I’m not going back. Not yet.”

She nodded once, then shrugged a shoulder lightly. “I figured you’d say that.”

“Your move,” I told her.

“Huh?” She blinked in surprise.

“You’re here to take me back, so it’s your move. Let’s get this over with.”

For a long while, she stared at me with open confusion, before laughing softly. “I’m not here to take you back. I’m just here to keep an eye on you.”

Not the reply I was expecting, and it showed on my face as I asked, “Why?”

“Because I think we should talk.”

I raised my fists at her. “With these?”

The brunette girl that was another of Akane Straus’s mechanical avatars stepped closer to me. “No, with these.” She pointed at her lips.

This change in her approach to dealing with me made me nervous. “What is it that you want? Tell me the truth.”

Straus glanced away as she smoothly planted her hands on her hips, and eventually replied, “To be normal.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

She wet her lips in a very human and girlish way that was surprisingly thoughtful as well. “Fighting you head on is pointless. You won’t change. You won’t give an inch. You’re stubborn like Erina to a fault. I figure this time I’ll just zig-zag.”

“Okay. It’s still your move.”

She pouted in thought, before breaking into a solemn smile. “I forfeit my move. The ball’s back in your court. What will you do?”

I tried to judge her intentions but I couldn’t. I wasn’t accustomed to dealing with her like this, so I was hampered by trying to figure out all the angles at once.

What was she really up to?

What did she want?

In other words, what was her immediate objective?

Confused and uncertain about her ulterior motives, I found my options limited by her passive approach.

“Did Erina put you up to this?” I asked her.

“No.”

She answered without hesitation and it made me believe her, though I remained suspicious and on guard.

Straus stepped around me and walked up to a wash basin. She stared at herself in the mirror for a while before saying, “Erina and I shared some words.”

“About what?”

“About you.” Straus gently turned her head left and right, and continued studying her reflection in the mirror. “I think it’s the first fight we’ve had in a long while.”

“Are you telling me you had a disagreement? Seriously? Why?”

“Because I didn’t agree with how she’s been treating you.”

I narrowed my eyes at her and snorted. “Like you would care.”

She looked at me. “I have something I need to tell you.”

I shook my head, and began walking away toward the exit. “Not interested.”

“It’s about why Erina shouted at you on the balcony.”

I stopped walking but didn’t turn around. It made it easier to hide the anger that flashed through me. “I don’t care why she shouted me.”

“At least let me tell you why—”

I half spun around. “I told you I don’t care—!”

The door to the restroom was pulled open, startling me.

Two young women, both of them brunettes wearing an unhealthy amount of makeup and dressed for a fun night on the town staggered into the room. Neither of them smelt fresh, and one of them pushed me aside as she helped her more inebriated friend into the room.

“Scuse me! Scuse me! Make a hole. Coming through!”

Straus gave them room as they made their way on rubbery legs to the nearest vacant stall.

Then the least sober of the two promptly wretched her guts out into the throne.

I stared at them in mild disgust before turning to leave the restroom.

Straus approached me from behind. “I’ll tell you why, but not here. Will you come with me?”

Again, I spun around to face her. “Look, how many time to do I have to tell you—?”

“It’s important,” she replied in a low, firm tone that matched her gaze.

I contemplated walking out on her, but I was distracted by the nauseating sounds and smell coming from the nearest stall as the drunkards took turns throwing up into the toilet bowl.

“Okay, fine. Whatever. Tell me.”

“Not here. Will you come with me?”

I didn’t bother hiding my suspicions when I asked, “Where to?”

Stepping around me, Straus opened the door to the restroom leading to the anteroom. “I know a little place nearby. They make great pancakes.”

At the thought of pancakes, my stomach rumbled in response, but it was drowned out by the sounds of vomiting and heavy coughing.

Unable to tolerate another moment in the restroom, I followed Straus out of the toilets and back into the station promenade.

---

Apologies for the delay and rough nature of this chapter, and thank you for sticking with it for so long.

For those of you interested in reading or purchasing Book One and Book Two, they can be found on Amazon KDP here:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

They are also available on the Kindle Library.

If you do enjoy them, please, let others know by posting a review.
In other words, please, spread the word.

I know that I've lost quite a few readers, but all I can say is that they're the ones that are going to miss out when the story takes a turn shortly.

Thank you to everyone else still following this series.

Cheers and best wishes.

Chapter 3.

– I –

I had to walk nine city district blocks to arrive at the sixty storey apartment complex that served as a dormitory for students of Telos Academy.

Equipped with apartments that ranged from single bedroom to three-bedroom layouts, the complex was large enough to house the entire academic student body that numbered around six thousand, but at present it was home to around half that quantity. Because of this, many students that should have been sharing an apartment with others found themselves effectively living alone in family sized dwellings. Others, like myself, found themselves in hotel sized rooms that were spacious but hardly awe inspiring. However, it wasn’t just the students that lived there, but teaching faculty, administrative staff, and maintenance workers as well, though they were on separate floors.

So why such a large building for just one school?

Well, the truth is that Telos Academy was only half full itself, with numerous classrooms waiting to be opened as and when the student body swelled. The school had been designed for a maximum attendance of around twelve thousand students. Eventually, as Ar Telica continued to add Rings and expand its footprint, there would be more demand for the school, and so the apartment complex was purchased by the Telos Corporation and converted into a dormitory for students, and lodgings for the faculty.

That’s the story behind the dorm building I was now observing from a shadowed entrance far across the street.

I was troubled but not by thoughts of breaking into the building early in the morning.

Rather, I was bothered by the thoughts of deceit swirling around in my head after my conversation with Ghost.

Just when I thought I understood what was going on around me, a new bombshell was dropped. Some questions were answered, but more surfaced.

To be frank, my suspicions behind Erina’s actions could be unfounded. There was probably a perfectly logical and understandable reason behind the way the situation had unfolded prior to my involvement. I was certain that if I kept digging, I’d unearth the big picture, and even if it wasn’t a pretty view, I still needed to see it. However, asking questions of Erina felt like the wrong choice. So could I ask? Could I pry more information out of Ghost and risk him suspecting Erina of deceit? What if there was no deceit? What if the answer was simple and standing before me?

My questions kept circling back to the beginning.

Eventually, I took a couple of deep breaths, and stopped the playback of thoughts looping in my head, and shelved them neatly aside.

Time to see what’s in front of me.

I looked up at the apartment complex, counting the floors until I reached the thirty-fifth floor where my old dorm apartment was located on the south-east face of the building.

The light to my room – I mean, Ronin Kassius’s room – was off and the balcony window wall was dark.

It wasn’t something that inspired certain relief within me.

The light being off didn’t guarantee the room was unoccupied. If my room was deserted, I would be entering it as a stranger though I was intimately familiar with it. But if it was occupied, then the fact it was assigned to someone a mere day after my disappearance was disconcerting, as was the question of who was now in my room. Then again, the latter was purely a flight of fancy on my part, but not knowing was beginning to both unsettle and frustrate me.

“Hey, Ghost? I’m kind of sticking out by standing out here.”

I was in a dark area beside a towering megascraper, but street level security systems viewed the world in a wide visual spectrum so I doubted Mirai was hidden from view.

“Rest assured, Princess. I have commandeered the security grid surrounding you. You are quite secure where you are.”

That chill ran through me again, the one that was stirred to life every time Ghost exerted his godly powers over technology for my benefit.

When I considered what Clarisol and Ghost had told me about his war time achievements, a distinct fear settled around my heart, and I struggled to keep myself from shivering.

He’s technological god. And a techno demon too.

However, every once in a while, a god encountered a wall they had trouble breaking down. In this case, it was a firewall that was hampering Ghost’s efforts to secure entry for me into the building, and this firewall had been keeping him busy for the past two minutes.

Swallowing hard, I cautiously asked, “How much longer?”

“Another forty-three seconds, Princess. I will have broken through by then.”

I started biting my lower lip and hastily forced myself to stop. “Why is there so much security around my building?”

“A very good question. It was most unexpected. But a Category Nine Ancile firewall is like any other firewall. Porous.”

“But you said it was military grade.”

“Correct. Your military uses it protect its autonomous vehicles from outside interference.”

“You mean hacking.”

“No, I mean cracking.”

Again, I started biting my lower lip, but this time I gave up trying to stop myself, briefly wondering if it was a subconscious habit of mine, or a habit of Mirai’s. “So why is there a firewall like that around my dorm building?”

“As I said before, a very good question.”

I pondered for a moment. “Ghost, when I was returned to my room as a Simulacrum, how did Erina get me inside without raising alarms?”

“I was not involved in that aspect of the operation. However, I presume they had access to the building’s security systems. Then again, they may not have required it. Your passcode or handprint would have been sufficient to grant them entry into your apartment. Ah, there we have it. Open sesame—oops.”

I stiffened sharply. “What do you mean, oops?”

“I mean that the breach is temporary. The firewall is rewriting itself. Hmm, how intriguing.”

“Ghost?”

“Princess, you will need to hurry into the building. You have fifteen seconds.”

“What?” I blurted out.

“Princess, fly if you will. Thirteen seconds.”

I growled as I hastily removed my sandals, in the process almost ripping them off my feet.

“Eight seconds, Princess.”

I wanted to yell at Ghost to shut up, but instead I bolted out of my hiding spot, clutching my sandals by their straps with one hand.

Thankfully, there was a gap in traffic that I exploited as I ran faster than an Olympic sprinter across the six-lane city street. But I was certain the people in the vehicles I raced past were shocked to see a blonde girl run barefoot and dangerously close to their cars as she dashed madly toward an apartment complex.

I covered the distance from the sidewalk and to the landing outside the building’s entrance in two bounding leaps, then stumbled through the open permaglass doors as my feet slipped. I landed on my knees inside the foyer, and slid to a stop while behind me the transparent doors closed with a soft swish.

Recovering my breath took a few seconds, after which I climbed up to my feet and patted my sore knees under the material of my Capri pants.

“That hurt,” I grumbled, but I wasn’t complaining about my stinging knees, the pain of which was fading quickly. Instead, it was Mirai’s giant boobs that hurt the most as I cradled them in my arms.

“Princess, congratulations on setting on a new record for the one-hundred meter sprint, though the distance was actually one hundred and twelve meters.”

“Oh yeah? So what was my time?”

“Across the one hundred and twelve meters to the entrance? A mere seven point three seconds.”

I stared at him nonplussed for a moment before asking, “You mean, I covered the hundred meters in…around six and a half seconds?”

Ghost nodded and then clapped enthusiastically. “Fabuleux, Princess. Magnifique.”

I felt his praise was coming off as clownish. “Aren’t all Simulacra above human spec?”

Ghost wagged a finger, and answered me in a gently chiding tone. “Princess, as strong as Simulacra are, none has demonstrated your fleetness of foot. Your sister should have named you, Atalanta rather than Mirai.” He clicked his fingers. “Yes, of course. Why not have you re-registered in the Gun Princess Royale as the Princess Atalanta, the huntress of mythology that left all her suitors eating her dust.”

I couldn’t help staring sullenly at Ghost’s image standing beside me. “Atalanta was never a princess.”

“Details, details.”

“I’m not changing my mind. I’m competing as Mirai. Case closed.” Quickly looking around me at the foyer’s interior, I hastily asked, “More importantly, should I be standing around here?”

Ghost looked startled before he too gazed about with concern. “Indeed, Princess. It is best if we continue this conversation elsewhere.”

I started to glare at him. “Are you telling me all that running was for nothing.”

“No, the foyer security is temporarily distracted. So you should make haste.”

I wanted to hit him, but since that wasn’t possible, I decided to make my way swiftly across the foyer to the wide corridor leading into the building’s ground floor where a bank of elevators awaited.

Standing before a pair of closed elevator doors, I reached out for a button affixed to a panel and labeled with an upward pointing arrow, but I was forestalled by Ghost abruptly advising in an apologetic tone, “Princess, I suggest taking the stairs.”

I fixed a disgruntled stare upon him. “What?”

“I am having difficulty disabling the elevator security system.”

“Are you telling me to climb thirty-five floors of stairs?”

“Princess, it should be a breeze for you.”

I really want to hit him.

I looked down at the sandals I was carrying by their straps in my left hand, and then sighed heavily as I strapped my feet into them. I then trudged over to the foot of the wide stairwell leading all the way to the top floor of the apartment complex, one of six such stairwells within the hexagonal building.

Looking upwards, I asked in a hushed voice, “What about the stairwell cameras?”

“I can disguise you from those, but the system watching over the elevator cars is another matter.”

The stairwell seemed to go on forever above me. “Ghost, you promised not to lie to me.”

“I assure you, Princess, I am not deceiving you.”

My shoulders rose and fell in surrender to what lay ahead, then I started climbing up the stairs. “Why would the two be different?”

“To prevent tampering, no less. However, I do find the architecture of the internal security networks somewhat baffling.”

“Ah huh. And why is that?”

“It is as though the upgrade has yet to be completed. Patchwork is how I would describe it.”

Arriving at the second floor, I turned at the landing and began climbing up the steps to the third floor. “Maybe this is your fault.”

“Princess…?”

“Have you broken into this building before?”

“You have such a low opinion of me,” he complained.

“Hey, I was just asking,” I hissed back.

“In answer to your question, no. This is my first offence on this establishment.”

At the landing on the third level, I stopped and peeked down the adjoining corridor. “Okay, okay. So why upgrade the security systems now?”

Ghost was quiet for a few moments before remarking, “I can only suspect there is someone or something of great value to be found here.”

I flinched inwardly as I understood what he implied. But what came out of my mouth was instead, “Well, maybe they wanted to keep you out of here.” When I glanced at him, I noticed he looked troubled but I failed to put on the brakes. “Maybe they don’t trust you anymore.”

His concerned expression deepened briefly before he shrugged it off. “I did not earn the name, Revenant, for nothing.” Clapping his hands together, he continued on a jovial note. “After all, I did succeed in securing your entry into the building.”

I retorted with a harsh whisper, “Yeah, but I’d prefer not to have to sprint through traffic again!”

“You cut such a dashing figure.”

“Was that supposed to be a pun?” Ghost smiled sardonically at me, while I ground my teeth together. “Ghost, I need your support. Don’t ruffle their feathers. If they take you away from me, I’ll be really troubled.”

He regarded me quizzically. “Princess, need I remind you that your actions have led to this situation.”

“Wh—what?” I almost tripped while climbing the stairs.

“Please, take responsibility for your behavior. If I am taken away, as you say, it will be because I have been supporting your erratic decisions.”

I arrived at the fifth-floor landing and stopped.

He’s right. I put myself in this mess by jumping off the building. I can blame Erina all I want, but it was still my decision to make that jump.

“F—fine. Whatever….”

Still, did he have to be so blunt about it?

I resumed my upward journey. However, I sulked on the way so I bit my lower lip and climbed the remaining floors in silence. At the thirty fifth floor, I looked cautiously both ways down the corridor before sneaking into it from the confines of the stairwell landing.

Like a thief, I hugged the walls as I crept along.

“Ghost,” I whispered, “about the cameras—?”

“All secure, but you need to hurry. I can only distract the system in short stretches and a few seconds at a time.”

Clenching my jaw, I breathed in through my nose as I pussyfooted down the corridor, hesitating only for a heartbeat at the sixty-degree bend, before continuing down the next corridor until I eventually arrived at the door to my dormitory apartment.

“We’re here,” I whispered, and reached for the door panel, intent on entering the security passcode that would unlock the door.

“One moment, Princess,” Ghost asked of me, and true to his word, I only had to wait a second before the door unlocked.

I frowned at him. “What? Why did you—?”

“Please hurry inside, Princess.”

I was still frowning when I pushed the door open, and snuck into my old apartment.

Closing the door behind me, I rested my back against it for a short while as I my eyes adjusted quickly to the dim interior.

“Ghost, is it safe for me to move?”

“Oddly…yes. The security within the apartments is rudimentary. It has yet to be upgraded.”

“Why didn’t you let me enter the passcode?”

“Because that code had been disabled. We gained entry by applying the building administrator code instead.”

“Isn’t that going to raise alarms?”

“That depends on how long you plan to remain here. Although, I did succeed in preventing the security system from sending a notification message when the passcode was employed.”

Ghost walked down the corridor and into the living area, and after hesitating for a short while, I swallowed hard and then followed him.

“Couldn’t you have used the same passcode to get me into the building?”

“First I needed to obtain the passcode. To do that, I needed to breach the firewall.”

Stopping at the entrance to the living area, I gazed over the interior as I absently replied, “Oh…I hadn’t thought of that….”

Walking to the silhouette of the bedside table, I tapped the lamplight and a moment later soft amber light spread throughout the living area.

It felt like a lifetime ago that I was last here, yet it was only two days at best.

The bed sheets had been changed, and the bed remade by the automated cleaning service that employed the ubiquitous bowling pin shaped droids seen across the city. No doubt the carpet had been vacuumed as well. The air inside the apartment smelt clean, with a scent of lilac coming from an aerosol dispenser sitting on a shelf beside the flat holovid projection screen.

The contents on my shelves and book cases were unmoved from where I remembered them.

I walked up to a shelf, and ran my fingers over my collection of Mercy Haddaway photo albums. Although I had her assorted holovid and digital releases, I’d purchased her printed material as well. Pulling out an album, I leafed through it as I walked over and sat down on the edge of my bed. I continued paging through the big book, aware with every page turn of how closely Mirai resembled Mercy. When I reached the end of the album, I gently closed the book, and placed it beside me on the bed.

Again, I slowly gazed about the interior of the apartment.

Now that I was here, I began to wonder if there was a point to returning to the apartment at all. I had come here to establish a sense of closure with my past life, but as I sat on the bed, all I felt was a growing lethargy that mired my thoughts and weighed down my limbs.

Dropping back onto the bed, I stared up at the ceiling

I was tired, and a little hungry, but I also felt aimless.

However, what troubled me was the lack of emotion I was feeling.

The emotional impact I’d felt certain would strike me when I entered the apartment failed to manifest.

Instead, I was lying on my bed in my dorm apartment, and yet I felt nothing but a heavy set exhaustion.

I’d read how some people would describe a distinct lack of grief after losing a loved one.

Was this what I was experiencing?

Was I unable to grieve over losing my life as Ronin Kassius?

Were my feelings all bottled up, or had they bled away unnoticed?

Throwing an arm over my face, I closed my eyes, then called out to the apartment Monitor.

“Lights off.”

There was no confirmation, so I propped myself up on my elbows and repeated the command. “Lights off.”

The apartment’s Monitor continued to ignore me, and I felt a twinge of irritation toward it. With a soft growl, I crawled over the bed to the lamp on the bedside table that I had turned on a few minutes ago. After tapping its base, the lamp turned off, and I then rolled onto my back. Lying with my head on the pillows, and my hands over my midriff, I took a handful of deep slow breaths as I looked up at the darkened ceiling.

“Ghost…?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing. I thought coming here was the right thing to do. I thought I’d feel something. But I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m dead inside. I should be grieving or mourning over what I’ve lost, but I’m not, and that’s just too weird. Too wrong.”

I breathed in deeply and released the spent air slowly.

“Maybe I’m broken.”

Sometime after entering the apartment’s living room, Ghost had reverted to being just a voice in my ears. In other words, he was no longer projecting himself into my vision, so I had no idea what kind of expression he was making in the ensuing silence. But as the silence dragged on, I began struggling to find words to express what I was feeling which wasn’t much at all.

“After everything that’s happened to me, maybe I’m burnt out,” I whispered. “Maybe I was done grieving about my past life without knowing it.”

If that was true, and I’d already come terms with the loss of my existence as Ronin Kassius, then perhaps coming here only served to make that clear to me.

However, it didn’t change the fact that everything about my return was anticlimactic, leading to a belated sense of frustration that grew gradually, eventually inducing a restlessness that spread through my body.

Trying to shake it off, I rolled onto my side but was quickly irked by the hefty weight of my Mirai’s boobs as they shifted beneath the tight sports bra.

Groaning in annoyance, I rolled once more onto my back and closed my eyes.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before I was irritated by an unpleasant pressure in my nether regions. I’d noticed it before while I was waiting out on the street for Ghost to break through the building’s firewall, but it had receded during my sprint to the apartment complex, and the subsequent climb up the stairs to the thirty-fifth floor. However, in the still quiet of the room, while I was restlessly lying on my bed, it came back with a vengeance.

I clamped down on it with unfamiliar muscles, but that only served to delay the inevitable, so with a loud huff, I swung my legs and sandaled feet off the bed and then sat up.

“Lights,” I grumbled but was ignored by the room’s Monitor. “Damn it. Ghost, can’t you do something about it?”

“Unfortunately not, Princess. You see, at present the apartment’s Monitor is completely oblivious to your presence. And with good reason.”

I started to grumble but it died in my throat. “…oh…that's right....”

Right now, I'm an intruder.

Exhaling heavily, I pushed myself up and off the bed, swaying slightly for a beat before gaining my balance. “Damn it…,” I complained as I pressed a hand to my lower midriff.

“Princess?”

“I need to pee.”

“Oh. I see. By all means.”

I scowled at him, though I couldn’t see him, then walked to the bathroom I was so intimately familiar with.

Turning on one of the lights, I blinked once before Mirai’s eyes adjusted, and then stepped up to the throne.

Reaching down to flip up the lowered seat, I grumbled under my breath.

“Ghost, if you—”

I froze with my fingertips hooked under the edge of the plastic seat.

“—peek on me….”

My voice faded away as I stared down at my long slender arm and feminine hand touching the toilet seat.

“…oh God….”

At that moment, I felt as though I’d stepped under a waterfall, drenched by the undeniable truth of my existence.

All those emotions I’d believed I’d burnt away, flooded through me, and from deep within my chest, a weird strangled laughter bubbled up, making my body shudder.

But the call of nature was too strong to ignore by now, and so I had no choice but to answer it by hastily dropping the necessary garments and then taking a seat on what was now a Queen’s throne.

Yet the laughter that gurgled in my chest and throat wouldn’t stop, even as Mirai went through the natural, human process of emptying her bladder.

It carried on after my tears began to fall, and it ended when sobs began to wrack my body.

Hunched over with my large breasts pressing into my thighs, my arms wrapped around my belly, and my long blonde hair curtaining my face, I cried softly, desperate to keep the volume down though I knew the soundproof walls would prevent my neighbors from hearing my distress.

I don’t know how long I cried, but it felt like an hour had gone by when I finally regained a semblance of calm.

It was a while longer before I ventured to clean myself up – nervously and hesitantly feeling around a delicate, unfamiliar place.

I had my eyes squeezed shut the whole time my trembling fingers felt their way around Mirai’s womanhood, opening them only when I needed to dispose of the biodegradable paper wad.

An equally long time went by before I found the strength to stand, pulling up my clothes with unsteady hands and shaking arms.

My sobs threatened to perform an encore, but I clamped down on them, and then shuffled to the wide washbasin.

Letting it fill with warm water, I washed my face carefully.

Because my skin felt raw, I patted it rather than scrubbed it dry with a hand towel I pulled from a rail.

When I found the courage to look at myself in the mirror, I saw a girl watching me, her beauty marred by the exhausted yet hollow expression she wore.

Anyone who saw her would have been convinced she had just lost everything and every loved one she’d ever known, and they wouldn’t have been far from wrong.

I had thought coming here to my old dorm apartment would be the catalyst that helped me come to terms with my new life. After all, I had come here with the intention of closing the door on Ronin Kassius while opening a new one that welcomed Mirai and Isabel.

But it wasn’t.

It was the sole gesture of answering a call of nature that closed the proverbial door on my old life.

In one fell swoop, Mirai’s body had forced me to accept that I was now a girl…and there was no going back.

---

Sincere apologies for the late posting.
I had some personal matters that intruded upon writing over the last several days.
Also, my editor needed to review and there were some critical amendments to be made.

For those of you interested in reading or purchasing Book One and Book Two, they can be found on Amazon KDP here:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

They are also available on the Kindle Library.

If you do enjoy them, please, let others know by posting a review. In other words, please, spread the word.

Thank you for sticking with this series for so long. I know the updates are slow, but I'm sincerely trying to produce the best writing that I can.

Best wishes to you all.

Chapter 3
– II –

I returned to my bed…no, to Ronin Kassius’s bed…kicked off my sandals, and then slipped under the covers.

After tapping the bedside lamp to turn it off, I lay in darkness, exhausted and hollow as I looked up at the indistinct ceiling.

And sometime later, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, slivers of morning light intruded into the room around the edges of the curtain drawn across the window wall that separated the enclosed balcony from the apartment.

Without needing to look at the clock on the bedside table, I knew the time was seven fifteen in the morning. That was thanks to Mirai’s wetware.

I wonder if I can use it like a daily planner?

Lying on my back, and this time regarding the grey ceiling above me, I realized that I’d never thought much about Mirai’s wetware beyond its capacity to interface with weaponry. I knew now that Ghost could use it to project himself into my senses, namely my hearing and vision, allowing him to interact with me on a more human. But what else could I do with it? That is, what other special talents did the wetware possess?

And what hidden talents did I possess?

Lifting an arm before me, I turned it over slowly and thought of the Angel Fibers running through my body.

Can I do more than sprout wings?

I dropped my arm down across my belly under the sheets, and noticed they were still neatly spread over me, indicating a distinct lack of tossing and turning.

I guess Mirai is a heavy sleeper.

Or maybe I was so tired that I literally slept like a log.

On the other hand, considering the twin peaks on my chest, I doubted Mirai could sleep on anything but her back, so other positions were not an option for her.

Shaking my head in annoyance at the aforementioned restrictions, I then began to wonder what the day held in store for me.

How long before Erina or the Cat Princess discovered I was here and broke down the door?

But what would come after that?

I could hear the faint sounds of movement out in the corridor beyond the apartment’s door, but that didn’t surprise me. This was the dormitory complex and there were always students who left early to head to the academy, whether for practice or other reasons. However, what did surprise me was the fact that I could hear them, something I had never experienced before from within my dorm apartment due to the soundproofing.

Just how far above normal was Mirai’s hearing?

At the thought, I cocked my head while resting it on the pillow, and listened to the sounds around me.

I could hear faint humming on different frequencies, and the sounds of a handful or more students traveling down the corridor, including their conversations.

Below that, I could also perceive activity in the apartment neighboring mine that was closest to the wall behind my bed.

Because I was so focused on the sounds around me, I sensed someone walk up to the door moments before they touched the door plate that triggered a soft sing chime consisting of seven notes.

My immediate reaction was to freeze in bed.

When the melody played through a second time, I turned my head to look at the door at the end of the hallway.

There was a short period of silence before the melody played through a third time.

By then I had run through the list of suspects who would have reason to be at the door.

I crossed Mat off the list since he was currently under observation – according to Erina.

Then there was Shirohime. I crossed her off even quicker.

Angela and Felicia were two suspects I considered but dismissed when I remembered only a day had passed since we’d returned. I didn’t believe they’d be given new Simulacra bodies to move around. On the other hand, if it was them in their human bodies at the door, this was one of the floors occupied by male students, so girls were very unlikely to visit this level unless they were visiting a boy they wished to accompany to school. Since it wasn’t uncommon, and Angela and Felicia were former friends of Ronin’s, perhaps it was a likely scenario.

As for Erina venturing into the apartment complex at this hour, it could be put down to a relative visiting a younger family member, though the time of day was odd.

Lastly, I considered the Cat Princess, and that distinct possibility made my heart skip several times before it regained its natural footing.

Subconsciously, I pulled the covers up to my chin. “…Ghost…?”

“Princess, if you are wondering who is at the door, I suggest you answer it.”

His reply made me frown fleetingly, and I asked, “Why aren’t you going to tell me?”

“Because, it would be far easier and more efficient for you to simply answer it.”

“That is totally not true,” I snapped at him while keeping my voice down. Climbing out of the bed, I padded barefoot down the hallway to the apartment’s door, but stopped halfway there. “Wait a minute….”

“Correct, Princess. It is someone who already knows who you are.”

I sighed heavily and my shoulders slumped as I leaned on a wall for support. “Why didn’t you just tell me it was her….”

Stepping up to the door, I tapped the console plate beside it, and looked at the image projected in a holovid bubble between me and the door.

It displayed the corridor area outside my apartment.

Expecting to see Erina standing there, I was instead shocked speechless by whom I saw.

“…huh…?”

The individual on the opposite side of the door range the chime melody again.

I looked down at the door plate, and seeing the red light displayed there, I knew the door was locked.

“Ghost…unlock it please….”

“As you wish, Princess.”

I heard the lock mechanism click softly, then reached down and turned the knob to open the door.

The girl with long auburn hair standing out in the corridor smiled languidly at me. “About time. I was beginning to think you were ignoring me.”

“…what are you doing here…?”

She held up a canvas sports bag. “I come bearing gifts.”

“…no, really, why are you here?”

The girl looked down the corridor, and I heard someone approaching. “A girl in a boy’s dorm room is a no-no.”

“You’re right.” I started closing the door. “You should go.”

However, she stuck her foot in the doorway and used a free hand to force the door back into me until I pushed against her, finding my strength equal to hers.

Damn it—she’s definitely a mechanical.

“You’re being predictable and boring,” the girl stated in a disinterested manner.

“Then leave.”

“No can do.”

The sounds of someone drawing near grew louder.

Yanking the door open, I reached out and pulled the girl into the apartment before quickly closing the door behind her.

Then I pushed her against a hallway wall, using my weight and strength to keep her there.

“Which one are you?” I asked.

“The wicked witch of the west,” she replied, smiling drily.

“Tabitha….” Pushing her once more, I backed away to the opposite wall of the hallway. “Or is it, Taura Hexaria?”

“Tabitha Hexen will do fine.”

I shook my head in faint displeasure. “How did you know I was here?”

Tabitha turned and then swayed as she walked down the hallway into the living area. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” She sleepily regarded my collection of Mercy Haddaway merchandise filling every able space of the apartment. “It’s the Temple of Mercy.”

I followed her into the living area, and repeated, “How did you know I was here?”

“Early this morning, we noticed tampering with this building’s security grid. Following the bread crumbs, we arrived here.” Tabitha turned to look at me over a shoulder. “It was easy to guess the intruder was you.”

“Who is we?”

She walked over to the bed and dropped the sports bag onto it. “I’ve been transferred to the Battle Commission’s Cardinal Division. My job is to observe you.”

“Cardinal? Like a church cardinal?”

Tabitha wandered around the room. “No, nothing like that. Cardinal is simply the division’s title.”

“So why are you watching me?”

“That’s a silly question.” She stopped and frowned at me. “Obviously, because the Empress has taken an interest in you. Though the Battle Commission is mostly independent of the Empress’s influence, she has graciously granted Cardinal additional authority to act in her name.”

“Why doesn’t she just kidnap me then?”

“Because your sister told her that any attempt to do so would result in your death.”

I frigid wind blew through me. “What…?”

“I meant to say destruction.”

Another frigid gust raced through me, constricting my lungs, and robbing me of my voice. However, Ghost had chosen to materialize in my vision, and I threw him a tense glance that he ignored as he regarded Tabitha with a complicated expression.

Unaware of Ghost’s scrutiny, Tabitha studied me for a short while before holding her palms up and shrugging apathetically. “Hey, that’s what she said.” Lowering her hands, she added, “The Empress decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Without the data on your body, there was no way to tell if Erina Kassius was lying, although you were scanned during the translocation process between islands.”

Suppressing a shiver, I swallowed hard before whispering, “Ghost?”

“…this is news to me,” he replied in a low monotone.

“Don’t lie to me,” I hissed under my breath and out of the side of my mouth.

“Princess, I am upholding my promise,” he answered without relaxing his expression.

Crossing my arms stiffly, I hid my unease by staring hard at Tabitha. “And? What did you find?”

“Nothing. No bomb. No capsules. Just the wetware in your head that we couldn’t scan deeply.” Tabitha studied a life-sized poster of Mercy I had up on a wall. “That was indeed surprising. The fact that Remnant tech is embedded in your head.”

“Why is that such a big deal?”

“Because Remnants are produced by Fabricators, and House Novis is not supposed to have one.”

“Why not? Aren’t the Sarcophagi Remnant tech as well? How else is House Novis supposed to make them?”

“The Sarcophagi are produced and allocated under the authority of the Battle Commission. And they don’t belong to the competing Houses. They are simply on loan to them.”

I bit my lower lip as I proverbially joined the dots. “Are you saying House Novis—the Sanreals—broke the rules?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Tabitha listlessly pouted at the image of Mercy on the wall. “Such big boobs….” Abruptly she turned that pout on me. “Speaking of boobs. I noticed you have quite the fulsome rack.”

“Does that really matter now?”

“Hmm. I wonder which of you is bigger?” Tabitha mused softly, alternating her attention between Mercy’s poster and I.

“Like I said, does it matter?”

“Of course it does,” she replied with surprising honesty but it was dampened by her drowsy voice. “Do you think you’re going to participate in the Gun Princess Royale solely as a competitor?” She shook her head and smiled weakly as though pitying me. “You have no idea what your sponsor has planned for you.”

I froze as a variety of dreadful possibilities paraded before my eyes.

Get a grip! She’s trying to unhinge you!

Forcibly relaxing, I rubbed a palm over my face as I attempted to follow my own advice. “Can you just tell me what’s going on?”

Tabitha pointed at the poster. “Hey, can I have this one?”

“No,” I immediately snapped.

“By the way, have you thought about dressing up like her?”

“Huh? No. No, I haven’t.”

Surprisingly, that was indeed the truth. But now that she’d asked the question, I couldn’t help wondering if I could pull off such a feat.

Aggggh! What the Hell am I thinking?

While chastising myself, I once again palmed my face, reminded myself to keep it together, then took a step closer to Tabitha. “Can we stay focused?”

“Poster.” She pointed at it. “Gimme.”

“Get your own. Ah—actually, that one was given out only to the first one hundred attendees at her handshaking event last year.”

That event was what started my nightmare as Princess Silver Blue. Giving in to temptation, I had accepted the Cosplay Club’s terms in exchange for a ticket to meet Mercy at a handshaking event.

Ah, but that’s a story already told.

Tabitha made a voice like that of a dirty old man. “How much for the girl? I want to buy the girl.”

“Cut that out. You’re sounding like a real creeper.”

She held up a finger. “The price of knowledge is one precious article from your collection.”

“Forget it,” I retorted.

Tabitha folded her hands behind her back and regarded me with disappointment. “So you really don’t want to know?”

“The price is too high.”

Besides, I could always ask Ghost to investigate for me.

However, my certainty was chipped away by doubts when I noticed him wearing a distinctly troubled expression.

“Princess, perhaps you should make the trade,” he suggested cautiously.

Wait—does that mean there’s something he doesn’t know about?

I tried not to gape at him in shock, and barely succeeded. However, I blurted out, “Heh?”, and immediately attracted Tabitha’s attention. “I mean—why do you want something from my collection?”

“To sell it and make money,” she replied perfunctorily.

“What?”

“Limited edition posters of Mercy go for a steep price.”

“I’m not selling my Mercy poster. I even had it framed. That cost me money. So forget it. No way.”

Tabitha frowned at me. “Why are you so obsessed with this girl?”

“Because she’s a goddess!”

“I think you have your definition of a goddess messed up.”

I crossed my arms unhappily. “Look. I’m not giving you my poster.”

“House Novis is in deep shit.”

I jerked back, surprised by her blunt admission. “Ah…so what? Not my problem.”

“Actually, it is. You see, they had a Fabricator hidden away. The fact that none of the Fabricators are missing from the Imperial inventory means that they procured this Fabricator from elsewhere. Or they had an extra Fabricator no one else knew about, and didn’t return it after the war. In other words, it wasn’t stolen from the Empire. Regardless, the Empress is not amused. On top of that, it seems they were quite liberal with its use.”

“In what way?” I muttered.

“The design of your Sarcophagus.” Tabitha swayed drunkenly on her feet. “After claiming Mirai was never intended for the Gun Princess Royale, they certainly went to some extreme lengths to provide you with a very non-standard Sarcophagus. It may look regular on the outside, but the inside is a different kettle of fish.”

“So what?” I repeated. “I’m not a mechanical Princess. Wouldn’t it have to be different to support me?”

“True. But there are things about its design that House Novis is keeping close to the chest.”

“Okay. So they’re not playing ball with the Empress.”

Tabitha shook her head and exhaled wearily. “They’re being sneaky, sneaky.”

“Like I’ve said already, so what? The Sanreals gave me a non-regulation coffin. Big deal. Blame the Empress for pushing them that far. Aren’t they just looking out for their investment?” I indicated myself with a fingertip. “Me.”

“True. At least, that’s what they’re arguing.” She straightened and began pacing around the low coffee table that also served as a dinner table. “It’s all too complicated and boring for me.”

I watched her circle the table as though she were shackled to a ball and chain. “Are you responsible for the security system in this building?”

“Not me per se.”

“Then is the Battle Commission responsible?”

“Actually, no. The upgrade was conducted at the request of the building administration, and the building happens to be owned by the Telos Corporation. So it had nothing to do with us.”

The Sanreals controlled the Telos Corporation. Did that mean they were behind the upgrade to the building’s security?

I held back a frown as I continued watching Tabitha trudge her way around the low table. “Were you monitoring the building?”

“Yes, we were.”

I flinched and glanced sharply at Ghost who was now staring at Tabitha with veiled suspicion. Feeling uneasy myself, I swallowed to give myself a moment before asking the girl, “Just how far does the Commission’s influence spread through Ar Telica?”

“Very far,” she replied with a smirk that looked painfully exhausting. “Our Conquistador Class Awarenesses monitor all the city-states. We do it in a manner that doesn’t interfere with the existing infrastructure. We watch the watchers. What they see, we see, because we’re looking over their shoulders. But to be specific, we watch the interests of the competing institutions.”

“Meaning what?”

“Anything and anyone related to the Gun Princess Royale—we keep an eye on them.”

“Including me….”

Tabitha nodded and smiled as though on her last breath. “Precisely. Though you proved quite elusive last night.”

To me, it felt as though the temperature in the room had fallen.

To think that these people from another universe could assume such a superior position over our society.

Tabitha soldiered on. “So when the Conquistador monitoring various interests within Ar Telica noticed glitches in this building’s firewall, it began to pay close attention. After that, Cardinal was informed and they deployed someone on the ground to investigate.”

She stopped walking when she circled back to me.

Standing before me, the girl’s deep brown eyes met mine, and I was in danger of falling into a stupor just by looking at them.

“That would be me…,” Tabitha concluded.

I blinked sharply a couple of times before asking, “Why you?”

Tabitha looked subtly startled for a second, then her gaze swam around the apartment as she fell into thought. “Well…because we’re…friends?”

“You have to be kidding me….”

“Sisters-in-arms, then?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself!” I snapped and felt myself come back to life.

Tabitha shrugged her shoulders indifferently to my heated retort.

I palmed my face a third time, and took a couple of deep breaths, before asking, “You already knew it was me before I broke into the apartment. Correct?”

“No. We determined it was you after you broke into this apartment,” she explained dispassionately.

“But weren’t you watching the interior of the building?”

“You could say the wool was pulled down over our eyes. So it wasn’t possible to see who was interloping. But if you add one plus one, you get two. So it was easy to know who was in here.”

In the corner of my eye, I watched Ghost’s eyes narrow coldly at Tabitha.

I had a very good idea why.

Maestro versus Conquistador, I thought to myself. His pride has been wounded. Then I had another thought. I wonder who’s more powerful.

Shelving the question quickly, I slowly folded my arms under my breasts. “Why are you here? Tell me the real reason.”

“Cardinal has a proposition for you.”

“It does?” I cocked my head as I looked down at Tabitha. “Is it something the Empress put you up to?”

Tabitha lifted a fingertip to her lips and whispered in a detached tone, “I’m not supposed to say.”

Planting my hands on my hips, I regarded the girl with suspicion on my face. “Whatever. Let’s hear it.”

Tabitha sighed. “Nope. Not yet. Certainly not on an empty stomach.”

I stared at her, dressed as she was in a Telos Academy uniform. “What are you talking about? That body is a mechanical. So you don’t eat.”

Tabitha sighed again. “This body is more than just mechanical. Consider it the latest tech from the Pantheon Group. It’s special.”

Again, I stared at her from head to toes. “How special? Wait—the Pantheon Group? Isn’t that a huge military conglomerate?”

“The Pantheon Group is owned by House Aventisse.”

I gasped in shock. “The Empress’s family….”

Tabitha clapped half-hearted. “Bingo, Princess. As such, the Battle Commission occasionally gets equipment from the black technology divisions within the Pantheon Group. Even your military doesn’t have the tech we do. More to the point, we have tech they don’t know about.” Dressed in her uniform, Tabitha assumed a pose that faithfully copied that of Mercy in my framed wall poster, sans bikini. However, she looked so utterly bored it completely ruined the effect. “What do you think? Impressive, ne?”

How can she ask that while making such a face?

Nonetheless, I looked her over yet again. “Nice legs, but your boobs are too small.”

“Yes, well. The designers ignored my enhancement requests. But in answer to your question, I can enjoy food in this body, although it’s somewhat vicarious.”

“This isn’t the same type of body you used back in the match between the Gun Queen and I?”

“This is the covert operations model. Significantly more lifelike. And it doesn’t set off the security scanners when I pass through checkpoints.” She smiled lazily as she stepped up to me. “Squeeze my boobs.”

“What?” I darted back a step. “What are you saying?”

“Don’t you want to know how real they feel? You can compare them to the pair you have.”

Since I wasn’t a girl – merely a boy inside the body of a girl – I should not have reflexively crossed my arms protectively over my chest. But that’s exactly what I did, and having realized that, I dropped my arms in a hurry. “Knock it off. I’m not doing something like that. Mechanical or not, you’re still a girl. Show some modesty.”

“Geh. How dull,” she drawled like a windup toy on its last legs.

“Whatever,” I snapped.

Tabitha held up a finger. “Anyway, as I was saying. I can enjoy a good meal. So let’s have breakfast.”

I stared at her, not bothering to hide my unease. “Fine…but I have no money,” I lied.

“Not a problem. I’ll charge it as a business expense to Cardinal.” Tabitha pointed at the canvas sports bag she’d deposited on my bed. “But first, you should change.”

“What?” I glanced at the bag. “Why?”

“Because there’s a uniform in there.”

Now I edged away from the bag as though it contained a bomb. “A uniform.”

“A Telos Academy uniform.”

I retreated another step from the bag and bed. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

“If you put it on, I’ll let in on a secret or two over breakfast.”

“I’m not wearing a uniform.”

“You’ll have to eventually. I understand that you’ve been enrolled at Telos Academy and will be starting on Monday.”

I flinched at being reminded of my impending fate.

She knows about that? Just how much do they know about me?

Tabitha pressed in a mercilessly exhausted manner. “Therefore, you might as well give the uniform a test run.”

“Not a chance.”

“Really?”

A faint spark of life flickered in the girl’s eyes, and I suddenly felt truly uneasy. However, I continued to protest. “There is no way I’m wearing a girl’s uniform. Besides, I’ve been there and done it already.”

“Ah yes. During your stint cosplaying as the female Ronin Kassius.”

“I wasn’t cosplaying—okay, maybe I was.”

Tabitha sighed and then slumped as though she’d expended a month’s worth of energy. “I knew it would come to this.”

She slipped a hand into a dress pocket and retrieved a white slip of paper with black printing that suspiciously resembled a concert ticket.

“Maybe this will change your mind,” she declared wearily and held up the ticket for me to see. “Do you know what this is?”

“A concert ticket?”

“Dinner with Mercy Haddaway as part of a charity promotion she’s organized.”

“Geh!”

I stumbled back and collided with a bookshelf replete with Mercy Haddaway merchandise. “No. No way. You’re lying….”

Tabitha stalked me, and waved the ticket sluggishly before my eyes. “You know what I’m talking about, don’t you.”

She didn’t express it like a question because she could already see the answer written on my face.

I did indeed know what that ticket was all about. How could I not? After all, I was Mercy’s self ascribed number one fan.

The story behind that ticket was that people who donated X amount to a charity of Mercy Haddaway’s choice would earn the privilege of a romantic dinner for two with the goddess.

There were only five such dinner events on offer, and the five highest donations would win.

When I read about it on her blog page, I felt the gap between her and me widen to span the star system. The dream of eating dinner with the woman of my dreams was simply that – a dream. And yet here was Tabitha tempting me with a ticket I never believed I would see in my entire life. It was so close to my face that I stared at it cross-eyed.

“You are getting sleepy. Sleepy,” she droned slothfully.

“Stop—stop that!”

“Very sleepy. Your eyes are getting heavy—”

“How—how did you get that ticket?”

“Oh, about that.” Tabitha stopped moving the ticket about. “Cardinal’s Maestro Awareness ran simulations on how best to coerce you into cooperating with us. It decided that Mercy Haddaway was the answer to many problems. So, using the funds allocated to the division for special circumstances, we made a sizeable donation to Mercy’s favorite charity and scored ourselves a ticket in the name of Isabel val Sanreal.” She resumed waving the slip of printed paper in her hand. “This ticket.”

They made the donation in my name? Ah, so they knew my fate in advance. Yeah, of course they did.

I was troubled by that realization, but it wasn’t enough to draw my attention away from the ticket. Seeing double, I struggled to swallow before muttering, “That’s not fair.”

“I have it on good authority that Mercy will be wearing a slinky red number designed by Dolce Gambatta. Guaranteed to expose her soft, luscious curves.”

Hearing Tabitha describe Mercy’s figure as such while sounding half asleep was almost a crime committed upon my goddess.

But rather than express outrage, I shook my head and pressed back into the bookshelf. “No—no way. That’s—that’s too much!”

Tabitha pressed home her advantage. “Think about it. Dinner for two with the girl of your dreams.”

I had trouble swallowing and almost choked. “Dinner…for two….”

Tabitha drew back the ticket a few inches from my face. “And all you have to do is wear the uniform…and hear us out.”

For a racing heartbeat, my attention jumped to the bag lying on my bed before immediately returning to the ticket.

Then I made my fateful decision.

Faster than a cobra could strike, my right arm slashed the air as my hand reached up to steal the ticket from Tabitha.

Fortunately, I moved faster than she could register.

Unfortunately, the ticket tore in two when I snatched it from her fingertips.

That morning, a loud, feminine scream was unexpectedly heard piercing the soundproofed walls of a boy’s apartment on the thirty-fifth floor of a towering residential complex with lovely views of Ar Telica city.

---

Thank you for hanging in there. I know it's tough, so I applaud you, and sincerely thank you.

For those of you interested in reading or purchasing Book One and Book Two, they can be found on Amazon KDP here:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

They are also available on the Kindle Library.

If you do enjoy them, please, let others know by posting a review. In other words, please, spread the word.

Best wishes to you all.

Special Announcement at end of post

---

Chapter 4.
– I –

After I calmed down, Tabitha informed me that the ticket was only a copy, and could be reprinted at any time. What was important was the fact that my donation under the name of Isabel val Sanreal had been registered and accepted.

Apparently, it wasn’t an issue for a girl to be having dinner with Mercy Haddaway.

At the least, Mercy didn’t appear to have a problem with it.

Nonetheless, I was left somewhat disoriented and thus before I knew it I had showered and put on the Telos Academy female uniform provided by Tabitha – including the black, lacy underwear she included.

Oh and before you ask, I dressed myself in the bathroom and I kept the door locked. I had enough presence of mind to keep Tabitha from peeking.

However, it wasn’t until I regarded myself in the full-length mirror mounted on the inside of a hallway closet door that the magnitude of being dressed as a girl in uniform finally struck me.

“What the Hell…?”

Perhaps now is an appropriate time to mention the design of Telos Academy’s uniform for girls.

The summer uniform, which is what I was wearing now, comes in two flavors.

The first is a one-piece dress, dark brown, almost black, that is designed to give the appearance of a combined skirt and blouse, with the tail ends of the blouse flowing over the fake skirt’s waistline. The dress’s hemline ends at the knee, and the blouse bears a distinct ‘sailor girl’ appearance with its white trimmed collar and lapels. The sleeves come in two variants at either short or three-quarter length, and bear the Academy’s emblem printed in white either on the cuffs or the shoulders.

The second flavor of the uniform consists of a separate skirt and blouse, that combine to resemble the one-piece dress in both length and appearance. In other words, the blouse retains the sailor girl look and different sleeve lengths, but is distinct from the skirt. Because of this, it gave the more adventurous girls of the academy the opportunity to flaunt their midriffs, though girls caught wearing a blouse too small for their size faced detention.

In both versions of the uniform the skirt has two zippered pockets, and the blouse is complemented by a short necktie that comes in three colors: white for first years, yellow for second years, and red for third year seniors.

As for the shoes, rather than being dark, boring, and squarish, I found them to be rather stylish and comfortable due to their blend of a deck shoe and a sports sneaker that could be worn with and without socks.

Dressed in the two-piece, long sleeve version of the uniform, I stared at myself in the mirror with a sinking feeling in my gut as I noticed that though the blouse was a perfect fit for my shoulders and arms, Mirai’s abundant chest pushed it out, thus making it appear shorter than it really was and threatening to expose a sliver of my narrow waist.

“What the Hell…?” I repeated while tugged down on the blouse, before glaring at Tabitha. “This is too short.”

“Oh contraire, mon’amie.” Tabitha gave me a dreary thumbs up. “I approve.”

“You approve? Are you serious? I’m not an exhibitionist.”

“There’s nothing wrong with showing off a little skin. Besides, you have nothing to be ashamed off. Most girls would kill to look as good as you do.”

“Yeah. Most girls will want to kill me.”

“You’re a Gun Princess. They’re no match for you.”

“That’s not what I meant.” I glanced at my reflection. “Other than the blouse, I’ll admit everything else fits fine.”

“Including your bra?” she inquired with bored sincerity.

I flushed hotly when I remembered the racy appearance of my underwear. “Y—yeah, that too.” An unpleasant thought jumped up and caught my attention. “How did you know my size?”

“We scanned your body when you were translocated. Remember?”

“Ah…oh. That’s right. You did mention that….”

“I know all your dimensions.”

“Well isn’t that just wonderful!” I lashed out.

Tabitha folded her arms, blithely ignoring my exclamation. “Barefoot, you are one hundred and seventy-four centimeters tall. Your weight is sixty-eight kilograms.”

“Huh? Did you say sixty-eight?”

“Your three sizes are, ninety, fifty-four, eighty.”

“Wait—how can I weigh sixty-eight kilograms? There’s no way I’m that heavy. At least”—I regarded Mirai’s slender body thoughtfully—“I certainly don’t feel heavy.”

“Oh?”

I bit a corner of my lower lip. “I feel as light as a feather….”

Tabitha was quiet for a short while before venturing, “That’s to be expected. You’re a Simulacrum. Your body is extremely strong, so it’s no wonder you feel weightless. As for your skeleton, it’s strong, heavy, yet flexible. How else would you survive so many hits without breaking?”

“I thought that was because of the Angel Fibers.”

“Undoubtedly, they add to your durability.”

Tabitha’s matter-of-fact reply temporarily distracted me from the issue about my weight when I noticed she said durable rather than indestructible.

As I regarded my appearance in the mirror, I asked Tabitha, “How strong do you figure I am?”

“From our observations, you’re easily six or seven times stronger than a girl your size. As for your stamina”—Tabitha snorted softly—“it really is incomparable. You’re not a machine, but you’re no regular Simulacrum either. You’re quite clearly well above the specs of a Master Grade.”

Rather than feeling amazed at Tabitha’s description of my physical abilities, I felt a cold chill run through my body, and it left me with goosebumps all over my skin.

Restraining the urge to rub my arms, I pressed on with a statement I felt was a fact.

“You say that I’m that strong, but I couldn’t close the door on you.”

“That was because I had my foot in the doorway,” Tabitha reminded me. “This body may be mechanical, but if you’d pushed me I wouldn’t have been able to stand my ground.”

“So you believe I can stand toe-to-toe with a Gun Princess.”

“Gun Princesses are built differently to this body I’m operating. They’re a lot stronger, and heavier too. Depending on her internal design, a Gun Princess equivalent to your size can weigh between ninety and a hundred kilos.”

“That’s still light for a machine, right?”

“You consider that light?”

I shrugged a shoulder. “Considering how strong you make them out to be, I think they’re rather light.”

“Make them too heavy, and they lose their mobility.”

I wasn’t certain, but I had the suspicion someone had mentioned that to me before. However, unable to remember when and where, I once more ran my gaze over my body reflected in the mirror. While doing so, my mind belatedly remembered what Tabitha had said about my dimensions, and I regarded my chest with sudden mixed feelings.

“Bust ninety.” I breathed deeply and released it slowly, but failed to expel my troubled emotions. “One centimeter bigger than Mercy.”

“Yes, you beat her in that category,” Tabitha nodded sagely. “You’re also two centimeters taller than her.”

I realized I was starting to feel embarrassed comparing myself to my goddess, and my heart began to thump loudly in my chest. Quickly closing the closet door with the mirror fitted to it, I then leaned against the closet, and waited a short while for my heart to relax. But when it refused to comply, I chose to distract myself by focusing on the next problem.

Straightening where I stood, I faced Tabitha who had resumed wearing a droopy expression.

“Okay. I’m dressed. Now what?” I asked, grateful my voice was steady and not influenced by my pounding heart.

“Now breakfast,” she replied without hesitation.

Her reply failed to ease my heart in the least. If anything, it thump louder. That was because I knew what she meant – leaving the confines of the apartment and heading out into the world dressed as a high school girl attending Telos Academy.

Tabitha handed me the sports bag. “I put your other clothes inside.”

By other clothes, she was referring to the attire I’d pilfered from the charity donation bins.

I took the bag, slung the straps over my right shoulder, then hesitated for a handful of seconds before walking to the middle of the apartment’s living area. I gave the place I’d called home for three years a long, lasting look, while Tabitha waited silently at the entrance to the hallway.

Turning one last time in a full circle, I took a couple of deep breaths.

Was it Shakespeare that said parting is such sweet sorrow?

If so, I found myself disagreeing.

There was nothing sweet about the hollow, empty feeling in my chest that pressed upon my lungs and back, making it uncomfortable to breathe.

I understood part of the nature of my distress.

This apartment had indeed been home to me for three years, and yet there was not one memento of myself or my family in evidence. The bookshelves and walls were replete with memorabilia dedicated to Mercy Haddaway, but not a single photo of I, my sister, or my parents was anywhere to be found.

Why was that?

Because I had chosen to turn my back on them, just as they had abandoned me.

I wasn’t an orphan, yet I had preferred to think of myself as one.

The end result was a dorm apartment that held no memories or lingering attachment to my family. But it also held no attachment to Ronin Kassius either. As Tabitha had pointed out upon arrival, it was a temple dedicated to Mercy Haddaway.

When I acknowledged this, my ambivalence toward staying or leaving shifted slightly in favor of a swift exit, and so I made my way to the hallway where Tabitha waited.

As I walked past the girl on my way to the apartment’s door at the end of the hallway, Tabitha raised an eyebrow and asked, “You’re not going to take something? A keepsake?”

I stopped and shrugged my shoulders. “There’s nothing here that belongs to me.”

“True. There’s nothing here that belongs to Mirai or Isabel val Sanreal. However—”

I threw her a scowl over a shoulder. “That’s right. There’s nothing here that belongs to Mirai or Isabel, and that’s who I am now.”

The lethargy Tabitha was displaying faded away and she spoke in a firm tone. “It’s true that your body is not that of Ronin Kassius. But you are the holder, the bearer, of his memories. Don’t dismiss them so easily.”

I turned away and faced the door. “I’m not going to forget who I was. But I need to accept the way things are now.”

Tabitha sighed, a first for her, and moments later I heard her walk into the bathroom. She came out a few seconds later, and handed me something that I quickly recognized as my toothbrush. I started to laugh but caught myself when I looked at her serious, uncompromising expression as she continued to hold out the toothbrush. Unexpectedly, I had the impression she would take it for herself if I chose not to accept it, and that didn’t sit well with me.

“Fine. I’ll take…,” I grumbled softly.

Watching me intently, Tabitha’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly when I hesitated for a heartbeat just before plucking the toothbrush from her palm. Though I fumbled a little when opening the unfamiliar skirt’s left zipper, I was able to slip the toothbrush inside, and then tug the zipper back up without having to drop the sports bag to the floor.

Looking at Tabitha, I gave her a curt nod and then shrugged my shoulders, wanting to shake off the mood and the moment. “Lead the way,” I muttered.

At my invitation, Tabitha opened the door at the far end of the hallway, and exited out into the corridor.

I followed her out of the apartment, missing a step when I heard the door close and lock behind me.

A sense of finality washed through me then, squeezing my heart, and I held tightly onto the straps of the sports bag as I walked down the wide corridor. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed to restrain me from looking behind me at the closed door, and it wasn’t until I’d rounded a bend and arrived at the elevator bank at the southeast corner of the building that I finally began to breathe a little easier as my troubled feelings began to settle like sediment at the bottom of a pond.

However, I soon had something else to keep my mind occupied as a new problem reared its unpleasant head.

– II –

Originally, female students of Telos Academy had been assigned to the north side of the dormitory building. To be specific, they were allotted apartments in the northwest, north, and northeast sides of the complex. The male students were thus distributed to the southwest, south, and southeast sections of the megascraper.

However, and I don’t know why this happened, it was decided a few years ago that girls and boys would be allocated to separate floors, rather than segregating them to the north and south sides of the immense building.

Naturally, this resulted in a widespread reallocation of the dormitory apartments, and the disruptive move was conducted over the span of end-of-year summer break.

I was spared having to experience this period of upheaval because I had yet to transfer to the academy, but I’ve heard stories about how difficult the transition was with thousands of girls and guys lugging boxes and belongs up and down the building. Undoubtedly, they were all supervised by academy staff, and mover bots had been called in to assist the students, but even with six wide stairwells, twelve people elevators, and four freight elevators in service, it proved to be a monumental undertaking fraught with arguing and bickering between harried, flustered, and frustrated students.

However, as consequence of this significant change to the distribution of students within the building, girls and boys found themselves sharing both stairwells and elevators as they travelled up and down the enormous megascraper. Yet, it was uncommon for two female students to be encountered waiting for an elevator on a floor reserved for male students.

Thus, Tabitha and I attracted curious glances from the guys who arrived to wait at the elevator on the southeast side of the building. However, while they chatted softly to each other, none of them made an attempt to speak to us, though that wasn’t to say they weren’t staring at us with interest, especially since my dress skirt appeared to a little shorter than regulation.

I had no doubt that Tabitha was responsible for that.

When staring at myself in the mirror, I had noticed the skirt was tad shorter, but then tossed it into the ‘my imagination’ basket when I compared it to Tabitha’s dress.

However, now that I was standing by the elevator doors, I realized I’d been duped.

Tabitha had hitched up her skirt, and then dropped it once we left the dorm apartment.

I truly felt like punching her but that would serve no purpose since she was operating a mechanical body. To be truly effective, I would need to unleash my anger upon her real body. On the other hand, venting upon her mechanical form wasn’t such a bad thing as I could pound her to my satisfaction. But instead, I clenched my hands tightly and endured the attention I was drawing, all of which was making me as self-conscious as during my stint cosplaying – I mean cross-playing – as Princess Silver Blue over a year ago.

However, back then I could always escape the identity of Silver Blue.

That wasn’t an option for me anymore.

I was stuck as Mirai or Isabel, drawing attention like honey to a bear, and it wasn’t my imagination running rampant due to my insecurities and self-consciousness. I really was garnering interest, more so than Tabitha, and feeling the gazes from the handful of guys around us crawl over my body, I neared breaking point when the lift suddenly announced its arrival.

As the doors opened, I was presented with a new problem.

The lift had passengers, and if everyone waiting on this floor boarded it, the situation would be a crowded one. Compounded with the prospect of riding an elevator loaded with students, nearly all of whom happened to be male – with the exception of Tabitha – it was more than I could handle.

Whirling on the spot, I fled down the corridor, cutting a beeline for the wide stairwell.

There were more male students ahead, something to be expected since it was now a little before eight a.m. and the student body would be making the morning journey to Telos Academy.

Again, the presence of a girl on a male dominated floor raised a number of eyebrows – what with my flustered appearance – but I ducked my head and barreled past the guys who’d paused to stare at me. Hurrying down the steps, at times pushing my way between students, their faces an indistinct blur, I don’t remember how many floors I descended before I belatedly noticed I was surrounded by girls. I quickly realized I had arrived at the building levels allocated to female students was soon swallowed into their midst.

Girls can be quite receptive to their environment, and it wasn’t long before a number of them noticed my state of distress, and indeed I was distressed.

I couldn’t understand it.

I had disguised myself as a female student before.

I had walked the city streets during the early morning hours.

And I had endured combat as a Gun Princess clad in a black and purple bodysuit that emphasized Mirai’s curves.

Yet not once had I experienced the degree of anxiety that I felt now, and I struggled to understand it.

What was wrong with me?

Was this an early sign of agoraphobia? Was it a side effect of mapping a male mind into a female brain? Or was something else at play?

While lying in bed, I had wondered why I didn’t feel like I was wearing the wrong skin, so was this an indication that the gender dysphoria I had expected to suffer was manifesting under a different guise?

Or was it because I subconsciously feared that I would be seen right through?

Was it because I was terrified they would see me as I guy with the appearance of a girl?

Would they see me as a freak?

As my fears and insecurities tumbled through my head, I almost took a tumble myself when my right foot missed a step, causing my left foot to slip behind me. But I was saved by the girls around me, who reacted quickly and spared me a nasty fall by grabbing onto my arms.

“Hey? You okay?”

“Watch your step.”

“You go down, we all go down.”

They had a point. The stairs were wide, but they were crowded and growing more so by the minute as a few thousand students descended the building as they embarked on their journey to Telos Academy. If I fell down the steps here, I’d be certain to take a few girls with me.

Steadying myself on my two feet, I nodded once more, and quietly thanked the girls for their support. Then I noticed one of the girls, a willowy blonde with deep blue eyes, frown at me, then peer at me intently.

Abruptly, her eyes widened sharply and she exclaimed, “Hah!”

The girls around her stared at her in confusion.

“Hey, Sierra. What’s up with you—?”

“I can’t believe it!” The willowy blonde snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “I know you. You’re my brother’s favorite bikini girl!”

I gasped loudly and jerked back in shock, before hastily rejecting her declaration. “No, no, no! Definitely not!” I shook my head and waved my hands. “I’ve never worn a bikini in my life!”

That was indeed the truth.

A bra and panties, yes, but a bikini. No, sir.

However, my denial fell on deaf ears.

“Of course you have,” the girl overruled me. “You’re that chick in his posters.”

The girls around her traded looks before turning to face me.

A brunette with a short bob nodded thoughtfully as she studied my appearance. “You know, I think she’s right. It is her.”

Sierra was nodding eagerly now. “Of course I am. That jerk’s room is full of her stuff. Remember, I showed you what his room is like.”

The girls surrounding her began to nod.

I waved my hands at them. “No, no. I’m definitely not her! I just look like her—I mean, I resemble her! I just resemble her!”

Sierra ignored my attempt to repudiate her, and threw her friends a glance. “That idiot spent his summer working, then spent a chunk of that money on her holovid collection.”

The brunette with the bob asked, “Didn’t he line up for a couple of hours to meet her when she was promoting something?”

“Oh, last year’s handshake event.”

I froze for a moment thinking, Was it that handshake event?

Another girl started to giggle madly. “Sierra, your brother will wet his pants knowing she’s here.”

“Hey, let’s call him.” A fourth girl with dark blonde hair and amber eyes pulled out her slim phone from a skirt pocket.

“You have his number,” the brunette inquired with a visible scowl. “Why do you have his number?”

“Oh, ah, well,” the girl with amber eyes fumbled for a reply. “Well, he—he gave it to me.”

“He gave it to you?”

“Why would he give you his number?”

“Hey, Karen, is there something you’re not telling us?”

Under the combined pressure from her friends, the girl began to flee while making the call. “No—there’s nothing going on. Nothing to tell.”

“Why are you running away?” one of her companions asked.

Sierra clapped her hands. “Girls, focus please.” Quickly stepping closer to me on the stairs, she studied me keenly. “You’re Mercy. Mercy Haddaway.”

I raised my hands higher. “I keep telling you I’m not—”

“Mercy!” A bored voice called out loudly from above me. “There you are. Why did you run away?”

I jerked sharply and then hastily looked around.

Mercy Haddaway is here? Why is she here—?

Then the proverbial penny dropped.

Wait—that voice! Damn her!

I haltingly turned to look up the stairs behind me to see Tabitha standing on the overhead landing, wearing a languid façade. Yet behind it, I could see a faint smile curling the ends of her mouth.

“Mercy, what did I tell you about running away?” she droned. “I warned you about attracting too much attention.”

The girls on the steps weren’t the only ones that had stopped.

It was fair to say that all traffic on the stairs had come to a standstill, and dozens of faces now turned to look at me.

“Sheesh,” Tabitha sighed lethargically. “Deciding to play high school even at your age. What were you thinking?”

“What do you mean, my age?” I snapped unhappily. “And stop calling me Mercy—huh? What?”

The sounds of phone cameras shuttering away ripped my attention away from the woman pouring gasoline into the proverbial fire.

In dismay, I stared at the students – mostly guys – taking snaps of me.

“…that’s her…?”

“…shit. That’s Mercy, right…?”

“…never thought I’d see her in person….”

“…why’s she wearing a uniform…?”

“…she’s going to our school…?”

“…but I thought she was older than us….”

“…who cares. I got no problem with older women….”

“…damn. Check out her rack….”

“…she’s bigger in real life….”

“…what a slut. Look at her skirt….”

“…that’s way shorter than allowed….”

“…someone’s going to get in trouble today….”

“…I want her legs….”

“…shut up, Christine….”

“…I want her breasts….”

“…shut up, Megan….”

Everywhere I looked, students from Telos Academy were either taking photos or talking about me—no, about Mercy – and being the center of attention brought back traumatic memories from a year ago.

It was the Princess Silver Blue experience all over again.

Except this time I was being mistaken for Mercy Haddaway.

“I—I’m not her. I’m not, Mercy. I’m not…I’m…I’m….”

The commotion drowned out my denial. It didn’t help that my voice had failed me and fallen to a whisper.

The straps of the sports bag I’d been carrying slipped off my shoulders and the bag hit the ground as I stumbled back against the guardrail in the middle of the stairwell.

“…please…stop it…I’m not her….”

The girl, Sierra, had been staring at the students gathering on the stairs, but sensing my retreat, a look of concern crossed her face when she noticed my mounting distress.

“I…I’m not her…stop it….”

From within me, the urge to flee welled up.

But just before it reached critical mass, Sierra lunged toward me without warning, grabbed my right hand, and pulled me along as she descended the steps at a near run, her school carry-bag bouncing at her hip.

“Hurry!” she yelled.

Overwhelmed by the situation, I presented no resistance as I hurried down the steps with her.

After descending a few floors, Sierra exited the stairwell with me in tow, and turned sharply down a wide corridor.

“This way,” she insisted, her grip firm on my hand.

Addled, it took me a while to realize this was a first for me – being pulled along by a girl by the hand.

If this had happened to me while I was Ronin Kassius, I might have died happily.

It didn’t hurt that Sierra was actually quite pretty.

At the least, my male mind thought of her in such a way.

Half walking, half running, Sierra led me to a T-intersection. Turning into the branching corridor, I saw a set of wide translucent doors at the far end, and recognized what lay beyond them as a bridgeway connecting this apartment complex to its southern neighbor. This I knew because of Mirai’s bird-like ability to sense magnetic north, thus I was able to tell our direction of travel as though I had a compass in my head.

Her hand is soft.

I glanced down at it as we passed through the entrance into the bridgeway, its perma-glass doors silently parting aside.

It feels warm.

Because I was looking at Sierra’s hand, I only glimpsed the view outside of the bridgeway, and again that was only because of Mirai’s abnormally wide field-of-vision. Yet, the scenery of towering buildings failed to draw away my attention, distracted as I was by Sierra and her hand wrapped around mine.

It wasn’t until we’d traversed the bridgeway and entered the adjoining building that my composure began to recover.

Hesitantly, but then forcefully, I rapidly slowed to a halt.

“Please—please, stop,” I called out to Sierra.

Unprepared for the strength I demonstrated, the girl’s feet slipped on the smooth floor. However, she caught her balance quickly, supported by the hold she had on my hand.

“Woh—that was fast,” she muttered then regarded me curiously. “You’re pretty strong.”

“Sorry.” I apologized for almost causing her to fall, yet felt uncomfortable when she called me ‘strong’.

You have no idea what I can do, I mused with troubled feelings.

Sierra released my hand, and dropped her weight onto a hip. Folding her arms, she regarded me studiously, and I grew quickly uncomfortable under her intense gaze.

“What…?” I asked her.

“You can tell me the truth. You are Mercy Haddaway, aren’t you?”

I exhaled loudly and my body wilted. “Look. I’m not Mercy.”

“Oh really.”

“Why would Mercy be dressed in a school uniform? Why would she even be in this building? And she’s too old to be attending high school.”

True. Despite her teenage looks, Mercy was twenty-three years old.

I attributed her youthful appearance as the product of exceptional genes.

Sierra nodded subtly. “Okay. I get that. But you look like her.”

“I am well aware of that,” I grumbled.

“So if you’re not Mercy, who are you?”

I blinked sharply for a second then felt my composure – what little of it there was – washed away by a wave of misery frothed by disquiet.

“That’s…a really good question…,” I whispered.

“Huh?” Sierra cocked her head at me. “Do you have a name?”

I blinked sharply again. “A name?”

“Yes, a name.” Sierra frowned at me. “What is wrong with you?” she muttered, half to herself and half to me.

I snorted softly, and glanced away. Where do I even begin?

But as I averted my attention, my gaze glimpsed my reflection in the polished façade of a nearby wall. Giving myself another long look, I noticed the harried state of my appearance, and the distressed aura I was radiating.

I shook my head slowly.

This isn’t good. I can’t keep doing this. I can’t fall into a funk like this.

I turned away from my reflection, closed my eyes, and took a couple of deep breaths.

Keep it together. And stop being so afraid. I don’t have to be so afraid. After what I’ve gone through already, this should be a piece of cake.

Opening my eyes, I met Sierra’s gaze. “I’m not Mercy Haddaway.”

Sierra’s frown grew crooked. “Okay…so who are you?”

Who am I?

I held back a sigh, or rather, dispelled it under my breath.

“I’m Isabel.”

I offered Sierra my right hand in greeting.

“Isabel val Sanreal.”

---

*****SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT******

From September 30 to October 4, Gun Princess Royale Book 1 will be FREE on KDP Select

If you have been undecided about purchasing a copy of Book One, you can now pick it up for FREE until October 4.

Below are links Book One and Book Two on Amazon KDP:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Chapter 4.
– III –

Before Sierra could accept my greeting, I heard a song begin to play from nearby.

I recognized it after a dozen or so bars as a catchy pop tune sung by a trendsetting young chick by the name of Ami Amuro.

Before you ask, yes, I was introduced to her by the girls in my class last year.

Remember, they never really saw me as a boy, so I was included in many girl discussions.

And no, I do not own Ami’s posters or music. Her songs were catchy, but they weren’t my cup-of-tea.

In any event, Sierra looked startled for a heartbeat before pulling her phone out of a skirt pocket. After reading whatever was displayed on it, she gave me a quick smile, muttered, “Gimme a sec”, then walked away a handful of steps to answer the call.

Deciding to give her the privacy she needed, I took a look at my surroundings, then slowly wandered deeper into the building.

I’d lived in the apartment complex for three and a bit years, yet I’d never set foot in any of its neighbors. Thus, it was my first time inside the megascraper to the south of the dorm pyramid. The building was hexagonal – no surprises there – and open in the middle with an atrium that extended from the ground floor to the highest level. Balconies overlooked the open space of the atrium at each floor, and after peering up and down the center of the building, I guessed the complex had some fifty floors to its credit. Not the tallest megascraper in the city, but taller than a few.

Leaning on the balcony guardrail that circumnavigated the hexagonal atrium, I looked around at the commercial shops located on the current floor, and regarded those visible to me on the two floors above and below me. I could see restaurants, cafés, a handful of fast food outlets, a few mini-marts, and an assortment of clothing boutiques and photronic goods retailers. The rest of the floors appeared to be home to businesses, and I presumed the top levels held luxurious residential suites. It seemed that only the commercial premises were located on these three floors because of the bridgeways on this level that connected the building to its neighbors.

Wondering what floor I was on, I looked around to see Level 20 indicated above the entrance to the bridgeway that Sierra and I had used to enter this building.

That surprised me, as I didn’t realize I’d descended so many floors while in a daze.

But it was more shocking to know that Sierra hadn’t broken a sweat on the mad dash down the stairs.

I cocked my head slightly as my mind was tickled by a memory.

Come to think of it, isn’t she—

“Princess, might I have a moment of your time?”

Ghost had reverted to interacting with me in voice-only mode. I had no idea why. Perhaps he felt it would be less distracting for me. Whenever his image was superimposed into my vision, I had a natural tendency to look at him when he spoke to me. Not good when I was in the presence of other people who probably suspected there was something wrong with me as my eyes kept looking away from them. However, while there were other people coming and going from the cafés and shops on this level, there was no one else in my immediate vicinity.

“What?” I whispered, keeping my attention on the vista across the open expanse in the middle of the building.

“Might I show you something?”

“Show me?”

“Yes. You may find this a little distracting. Please bear with it, Princess.”

“What are you—ah?”

I gasped when multiple holovid windows popped up in my vision. For all intents and purposes, it was as though they were floating before me, but instead they were being projected into my eyes or rather into Mirai’s brain where it processed images.

“Wow….”

“I believe the term is…cool.”

I blinked a few times, giving myself a moment to grow accustomed to the sight of holovid windows that moved in conjunction with my line of sight.

I swallowed quickly and asked, “So what am I seeing”—then the penny dropped—”…oh….”

“Yes, indeed. Oh is a most appropriate verbal reaction….”

I pressed my lips together, feeling my stomach sink as I looked at each window and read what they were displaying.

An unexpected Mercy Haddaway sighting was making a splash on social media.

Rather, as her approximate Doppelganger, I was making a splash on social media.

Each of the holovids was showing me comment after comment that spread from those who saw me in the stairwell to their online friends who then shared the news. The more degrees of separation from the source, the further from the truth the retelling deviated. For example, someone wrote they’d heard I was traipsing up and down the building wearing only a bikini and high heels.

“What the Hell?”

Right now there was a hunt being organized to find Mercy Haddaway and collect her academy uniform as a memento.

“What the frekking Hell?”

“I agree, Princess. You have made quite an impression on the impressionable students of Telos Academy.”

I grimaced. “That’s because they’re a bunch of retards.”

Ghost was silent for a moment. “Princess, allow me to ask you this. How would you react had you sighted Mercy Haddaway no more than ten feet away, clad in a school uniform?”

My grimace froze on my face. “Well…I guess…I’d…take lots of photos?”

“…is that all…?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have glomped her!”

“Oh, really?”

“Hey—don’t mix me in with this mob!” I pointed at the holovids though they weren’t floating around me, but the net effect was more or less the same from my point of view. “Organizing a hunting party? What the Hell is up with that? What am I? A rare exotic beast?”

“Princess, do you not mean a rare exotic beauty?”

“Ah, yeah. That as well….”

“There is something else I must show you.”

“What? There’s more good news?”

One holovid window pushed the others aside, moving front and center, then quickly enlarged to fill half my vision.

I saw that it was a gossip column, the kind that reported on society’s high life in Ar Telica and around the world. The article on display had a photo of a girl that looked remarkably like Mercy, and remarkably like me, alighting from a VTOL and wearing a dark safety jacket with fluorescent strips.

I read the caption above the photo.

SANREAL HEIRESS ARRIVES IN AR TELICA.

I read the caption below the photo.

ISABEL VAL SANREAL, YOUNGEST HEIRESS TO THE SANREAL FORTUNE, ARRIVES IN AR TELICA TO BEGIN A NEW LIFE.

“…great…,” I whispered.

“There is more, Princess.”

Another holovid pushed aside the window and took center stage in my vision.

Another photo of me on the landing platform but from a different angle.

The caption above the image read, FROM RAGS TO RICHES – ISABEL VAL SANREAL LANDS ON TELORIA.

“Is this a setup?” I asked softly, my voice lost in the low din of my surroundings.

Yet Ghost heard me and replied, “No, Princess. Your identity has been established. With this, your existence as a member of the Sanreal Family is being promoted. In addition, it will serve to distinguish you from Mercy Haddaway while drawing comparisons to her.”

I wet my lips slowly and murmured, “They should never have made Mirai in Mercy’s image.”

Whatever Ghost was thinking, he kept to himself.

I wet my lips again as I read the article. Then I noticed something odd.

“All these photos were supplied by the Sanreals, right? I mean, they don’t show me wearing torn clothing.”

Back aboard the VTOL, the Cat Princess and I had scuffled, leading to my top being ripped. A member of the ground crew had handed me his jacket, which was now in the sports bag I’d left behind on the stairs of the dorm building. The photos accompanying the articles had been captured after I’d slipped into the jacket.

“I would assume as much,” Ghost stated. “Your state of undress would have made for bad publicity.”

Remember how I’d been hiding my chest with my arms, I blushed hotly.

“Thanks for reminding me,” I grumbled.

I was a male consciousness mapped into a female body, but that didn’t mean I didn’t possess a sense of shame or embarrassment.

At a subsequent thought, I asked Ghost, “Won’t the ground crew remember that I wasn’t saintly in appearance?”

“Even if they do, none of them were busy taking snaps of you as you disembarked from the VTOL. Furthermore, I believe they would know better than to risk releasing images of you in a compromising appearance. The Sanreals do have an army of lawyers to threaten people into silence.”

“Oh….” I cocked my head at the images in the articles. “So then these photos were taken by?”

“Undoubtedly by photographers hired by the Sanreals.”

I shook my head as I rubbed a temple. “Okay. So what now?”

“A very good question, Princess—ah, you have company.”

“Who are you talking to?” a girl’s voice asked from behind me.

I stiffened in surprise, and then spun around to see Sierra standing a couple of feet away. At the same time, the holovid windows in my vision vanished, no longer obstructing my view of the world, and I saw Sierra looking at me with a perplexed expression.

I waved a hand quickly. “Nobody. Nobody at all.”

Sierra’s confused expression grew visibly suspicious of me. “Ah huh.”

Behind her, I saw a group of girls hurrying toward us, triggering within me the urge to flee. But then I noticed the brunette with the stylish bob, and recognized her as one of the girls on the stairwell. They arrived in short order, and stopped in disarray behind and around Sierra.

The brunette with short hair warned Sierra, “You shouldn’t run off like that.”

“Hey, who are you? My mother?” Sierra retorted, looking slightly miffed.

“You know what your doctor said,” the brunette replied.

Sierra stiffened visibly, then waved a hand lightly at the brunette. “I’m fine, Maria. I’m fine.”

“Not fine enough to return to the—”

“I said I’m fine,” the willowy blonde stressed then turned away from the shorter girl. “I’m not pushing myself at all….”

My eyes widened as I remembered who this girl was, but I pressed my lips together and held my silence, waiting until the moment the tension between the two girls had eased and I could intercede.

“I’m sorry, but I need to go,” I announced firmly.

“Go? Go where?” the brunette inquired.

“None of your business,” I answered her with an abrupt edge to my voice.

“Nice attitude,” the brunette snarked.

I felt anger well up in me, and after clamping a lid on it, I strode up to the shorter girl and glared down at her. It actually felt nice to be looking down at girl rather than upwards. There was also the fact that Mirai had a much, much bigger chest than the brunette with a bob.

“Are you giving me lip?” I asked harshly. “After the shit you people pulled and announced to the world that I was Mercy Haddaway—who I am not—I’m now the number one morning topic on the CyWeb. And now you’re going to give me more shit?”

“Hey, take it down—”

“Shut up,” I growled at her. “I don’t owe you an explanation. I don’t owe you anything. And you”—I pointed at her meagre chest—“don’t talk back to me.”

Sierra held her up hands placatingly and tried to step between the shorter Maria and I. “Okay, okay. Look that was my fault. I mistook you for Mercy Haddaway. No need to fight. Maria, stop interrogating people. That’s a really annoying habit you have.”

“I’m not interrogating. I was simply asking a question.” The brunette continued meeting my glare, and I had no intention of letting up on it.

In the corner of my eye, Sierra sighed. “Yeah, well. You can be pretty cutting when you want to be.”

“Why are you taking her side?” Maria snapped at Sierra, and in my peripheral vision I noticed the other girls nod in agreement.

“I’m not taking her side,” Sierra protested calmly. It made me wonder if she was accustomed to being accused as such or she was innately with a calm persona. Maybe she knew it was better to deal with the fiesta Maria this way, and not meet anger with anger.

However, seeing how Sierra was handling the situation made me consider that I wasn’t approaching the encounter in the best possible way. I also didn’t feel that a confrontation with the fiery brunette was worth my time or effort. In other words, it wasn’t in my best interests to be drawn into a protracted argument with her.

I quietly turned and began walking away.

I had better things to do with my time, though if you asked me ‘what?’ I wouldn’t be able to give you a good answer, although—

Breakfast does sound like a good idea.

“Hey, Isabel, wait,” Sierra called out to my back.

I slowed to a stop and looked over a shoulder at an anxious Sierra a few feet behind me. “What now? You want me to pose for photos? Want to plaster them on your MyBook page?”

“No, not at all. Though my brother wouldn’t mind a photo or two.”

“You do realize I could get arrested for impersonating Mercy even though I’m not trying to impersonate her.”

Maria snorted. “I guess it sucks to be you.”

I frowned at her. “You have no idea how right you are.”

She gave me a crooked smile. “I was being sarcastic.”

“I wasn’t. It really does suck to be me.” I turned and began walking away—again.

“Jeez, what an attitude,” Maria quipped.

Attitude? You want attitude? I’ll give you attitude!

I may have thought that, but it didn’t stop me from leaving her behind.

“Isabel,” Sierra called out. “Wait—at least let me apologize.”

Once again, I slowed to a stop. After expelling a sigh – mostly at myself since I really had no reason to halt and listen to the girl other than it felt rude not to do so – I half turned and stared at her over my left shoulder. “Apologize? How?”

Sierra glanced away before hastily replying, “How about breakfast?”

At the thought of food, I felt my stomach twinge. “…maybe….”

“Okay,” she eagerly clapped at my non-committal answer as though she’d been thrown a lifeline. “Then let’s go for breakfast.” She turned to the girls around her. “How does that sound?”

A slender girl with ash blonde hair and long toned limbs meekly raised a hand. “Ah, Sierra. We have to check in at the club before homeroom.”

“Yeah, we don’t have practice in the morning, but the seniors want us all there today,” added a slim redhead with pale skin and shoulder length hair. “Something about promoting the club and picking up new recruits to fill up the ranks. Ah—” The girl suddenly blanched before hastily averting her attention.

I noticed Sierra gape a little then break into an awkward smile. “Oh, yeah. That’s right. I heard the recruitment campaign is next week.” Her smile grew sheepish as she ran a hand through her long blonde hair. “Sorry. Forgot. My bad.”

I realized I was frowning and cleared it away from my forehead, but I was noticed by Maria who had been watching me with a veiled glare.

Ignoring her, I regarded Sierra carefully.

So it is her—the Sprint Queen.

Feeling another frown on the cusp of breaking out, I bit my lower lip instead and wondered if the girl had forgotten her companions had club activities or if there was another motive at play.

Doesn’t matter. Not my problem.

I may have thought as much, yet I noticed the girl was wearing a short white tie like I was, indicating she was a first-year high schooler. Yet her companions – including the somewhat hostile Maria – wore yellow ties, signifying they were second year students.

I guess she repeated a year. I didn’t think her injuries were that bad.

My gaze was drawn down to her legs.

Maybe I was wrong.

While the other girls’ legs were bare, Sierra was wearing sheer dark stockings.

Not my problem, I muttered inwardly.

And yet, though I had the opportunity to leave, I remained standing where I was and watched Sierra who in turn watched her friends – sans Maria – excuse themselves and bid her adieu.

I looked at Maria and asked, “Don’t you have a club to go to?”

She folded her arms across her meagre chest and smiled thinly. “I’m a proud member of the Going Home Club.”

“Admirable.” I felt an unpleasant kinship with this girl.

Maria narrowed her eyes slightly. “Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all. I was member of the same club too. Three years running. Never missed a day. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Not entirely true. While I never attended a day of club, I didn’t always go home directly from school. But the point was that I never attended a day of club activities.

Wait—does cross-playing as Silver Blue count as a club activity?

I wasn’t a member of the Cosplay Club, so perhaps I was in the clear.

“Now you’re really mocking me,” Maria narrowed her eyes further.

“If I’m mocking you, then I’m mocking myself as well.”

Sierra cautiously asked, “Does this mean you’re getting along?”

Both Maria and I glanced at the girl before resuming to stare at each other.

After a while I stepped up to the brunette with the bob cut.

“I’m Isabel.” I offered her my hand. “Isabel val Sanreal.”

Maria’s eyes widened slightly but I couldn’t tell if she was reacting to my greeting or to my name.

However, after a few seconds of silent contemplation, she reached out and shook my hand.

“Maria Palermo del Castillo.”

I realized I was starting to grin.

“What?” she snapped. “Have a problem with my name?”

“No. Not at all. I think it sounds kinda cool.”

“Heh?” Maria’s handshake grew limp for a moment, before she hastily withdrew her hand and arm. “Well…if you think so….”

“Bravo, Lady Isabel. Bravo. How magnanimous of you.”

My innards clenched at the sound of that lackluster voice.

“You…,” I grumbled as I watched Tabitha approach us from the direction of the bridgeway.

The mechanical girl wore an exhausted look as she glanced at Maria before asking me, “Did you make new friends?”

This earned her a darkly suspicious glower from Maria. The girl looked ready to retort but held herself back when she glanced at me, perhaps noticing the acutely unhappy look I was giving Tabitha who trudged toward me.

“You left this behind, Lady Isabel,” Tabitha said, tossing me the sports bag containing my pilfered belongings.

I caught it by the straps, my hand and arm blurring in the process, something that visibly shocked Sierra and Maria. However, I chose to ignore their reactions and instead focus on the troublesome mechanical girl. “I’m not going to thank you.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to.”

“So now you’re calling me Isabel? You’re not going to call me Mercy again?” I asked.

“That was then. This is now.”

“Thanks to you, I’m a social media hit.”

“Oh, that’ll blow over.” Tabitha shrugged. “Eventually.”

I clenched my jaw, and the urge to turn her into scrap metal made me tremble for a moment or two.

Tabitha held up her phone for me to see. “Besides, Isabel val Sanreal makes for more interesting news.”

“I doubt that,” I muttered as my attention was drawn to the news article displayed on her phone. “I’ve already seen it.”

“You have?” Tabitha looked mildly surprised. But given her understated nature, I heard warning bells ring in my head when I noticed she was showing any surprise at all.

Knowing that I’d slipped up, I decided not to make excuses for it. “So the world knows about me now. Big deal.”

“Well, some people may find this of interest.” Tabitha shrugged again and then turned to show the silent Sierra, and the irritated Maria, the article on her phone. “Ladies. Take a bow. You are in the honored presence of Lady Isabel val Sanreal—”

Eyes wide, I reached out for Tabitha’s phone. “Hey!”

“—one of the richest girls on the planet.”

I snatched the device from her hand. Actually, I should have punched her instead. Either way, the damage was done.

Then again, they would have learned about me eventually.

After staring at me for a short while with a blend of confusion and surprise on their faces, Sierra and Maria cautiously retrieved their phones and began thumbing through their respective screens.

Tabitha smiled like it was a chore. “That’s Isabel spelled I-S-A-B-E-L.”

I sighed and pondered just how far Tabitha would fly if I punched her now.

Would I break a hand?

“Princess. A moment please.”

Startled, I feared my reaction had been noticed but both girls were intently working their phones, and Tabitha was stifling a yawn.

“What…?” I whispered out the side of my mouth.

“Please hold onto that phone for a while longer.”

I didn’t bother asking why. I would do that later. But then I wondered if Ghost was covertly hacking into Tabitha’s phone.

What could he possibly find in there?

In the meantime, Sierra looked up from her phone and stared at me intently with disbelief before asking, “You…are you really—?”

“Of course she is,” Tabitha answered in my stead before I could decide whether to punch her or not. “It’s only natural that a beauty like her would be the daughter heir of one of the richest families in the colonized systems.”

Maria’s head bobbed slowly as she alternated between looking up at me and down at her phone. “No way. This is a joke, right?”

Tabitha smiled drearily at me. “Don’t you find her reaction priceless?”

“I find you annoying,” I growled at her. “Did you have to go this far?”

“Call it a test of character,” Tabitha replied, then she raised a finger weakly. “Think of it as sign of things to come.”

I felt my innards tighten as I realized what she was implying.

How will the student body react to me come Monday morning?

But there was another side to the coin.

How will I react to them…come Monday morning?

As the worrying thoughts crossed my mind, I noticed Sierra was looking at me with a complicated expression. When our eyes met, the girl swallowed then hesitantly stepped closer to me.

“Is this really you?” she asked, and held her phone out for me to see its screen.

I briefly considered lying to her, until I noticed the faintly troubled look on Sierra’s face. It was subtle – something in the way her eyes met mine – but it made me reconsider lying. I also realized that lying to her was akin to lying to myself. I’d be running away from my decision to accept my role as Isabel val Sanreal.

Swallowing quietly, I gave Sierra a faint nod. “Yeah, that’s me.”

The girl blinked slowly a number of times. “Are you…rich?”

Her question made me wince. It was fleeting, but I was certain Sierra noticed it because she was looking at me intently with that veiled discomfit I’d noticed moments ago. Honestly, the light in her eyes troubled me and because of it I was unsure of how to respond. I had the impression she was reluctant for an answer yet wanted one all the same.

Does my identity as Isabel bother her? Or is it something else?

Eventually, I nodded again and replied, “Yeah, I’m rich.”

At least for now, I added inwardly.

With my situation being a fluid one, who could tell what tomorrow would bring.

Sierra remained silent for a long while, her gaze sweeping all over my face before muttering half to herself, “You really do look like Mercy Haddaway.” However, after giving her phone’s display another look, she sounded remorseful. “But I guess you were telling the truth….”

Surprisingly, I found myself scowling at her faintly. “I’ve been telling you the truth the whole time.”

Maria was both glaring and staring at her phone in disbelief, but it didn’t stop her from snarking, “So you’ve gone from rags to riches.”

If Sierra had said it, I was certain I would have winced again. But Maria made it sound like a taunt, so I chose to answer her with a flat stare. “You don’t know the half of it.”

The ghost of a smirk played over her lips as she then asked, “So why is a rich girl like you going to our school?”

I folded my arms under my voluptuous chest. “Because the Sanreals decided to enroll me there,” I answered her bluntly.

“The Sanreals?” Maria asked, and her eyebrows rose slightly.

I swallowed and felt a twinge in my gut. Maria made me feel as though I’d slipped up somehow. Was it because I didn’t refer to the Sanreals as ‘my family’?

Swallowing again, I eased up on my brusque tone when I admitted, “I don’t know why they decided to enroll me at Telos Academy. I didn’t ask either.”

Maria did have a reason for asking.

Since I was supposed to be a rich heiress – though Clarisol was actually first in line to the family fortune – the Sanreals should have enrolled me at the truly prestigious all girls’ school, Saint Something Or Other, located in a district of Ring One. That’s where all the affluent Princesses of society studied. Telos Academy was no small fry when it came to reputation, but anyone who was anyone enrolled their daughters at Saint Something Or Other. The same went for the boys. They had their own private academy in Ring One near the girls’ academy.

Tabitha clapped softly and said, “Well then, I do recall breakfast being mentioned.”

Sierra glanced at her as though she’d forgotten about Tabitha, but then frowned ever so faintly when she faced me. “Oh yeah. Breakfast. Sounds good.”

I was convinced that I wasn’t imagining things.

Sierra was indeed uncomfortable around me, and although I didn’t know why, I was certain it would make for an awkward breakfast.

Waving a hand about, I chose to decline the offer. “It’s fine. It’s fine. I won’t hold you to it. Forget all about it.”

Sierra stiffened before laughing lightly. “No. No. I made the offer for breakfast. I’m not—I’m not taking it back now.”

“So what’s the problem?” I asked bluntly, surprising myself as well as the girl.

Sierra’s smile froze but it was only for a heartbeat, then she was calm once again.

In fact, I sensed that some of her uneasiness – dare I say wariness – had been dispelled as she almost casually asked, “Then what kind of breakfast do rich girls eat?”

I gaped at her. “Huh?”

Tabitha started to chuckle but coming from her while looking utterly disinterested made it downright creepy, something that wasn’t lost on either Sierra or Maria who quickly shared disturbed looks before edging away from her. In contrast, Tabitha’s laughter rubbed me the wrong way, and I quickly dragged her away by an arm.

“Excuse me for a minute,” I threw over a shoulder at Sierra and Maria.

Once we were some ten feet away from the two girls, I released Tabitha’s arm but then used my free hand to grab her by the blouse that was part of her dress. Yanking her close to me until our noses bumped, I asked her with a snarl, “What are you plotting?”

“Who? Me?”

“I thought you wanted to talk to me about a proposition from Cardinal?”

“Oh, I still do. But don’t you want to make good on your new friends?”

“Then stop creeping them out,” I hissed at her.

Tabitha smiled at me from under her lidded eyes. “I can’t help it. You’re so amusing.”

“And they’re not my friends,” I corrected her.

“Friendship redoubleth joys and cutteth griefs in half.”

I blinked in confusion. “Meaning what?”

“Think of it this way, Isabel. You can do with more friends in this world. Especially since you’re going to be attending school as a girl now. Guys can get away with being loners. Girls not so much.”

I stiffened and hissed, “I can deal with it.”

Tabitha’s eyes grew even more lidded. “To quote someone famous from your universe, ‘the worst solitude is having no real friends’.”

I thought of Felicia and Angela, and my chest tightened unpleasantly.

Friends. Did I need them? Or rather, could I trust anyone as a friend ever again?

Mat’s face crossed my mind, distracting me such that I barely noticed Tabitha reach up and pat my shoulders.

“Shall we be going, Lady Isabel?”

The unpleasant pressure in my chest, one born of uncertainty, suspicion and distrust of Tabitha and almost everyone else I’d come to know in life, flared briefly before gradually ebbing away.

However, although the pressure had faded it didn’t mean that I chose to trust the girl.

The problem was that I didn’t know what it meant.

Was I being worn down by Tabitha? Dragged along at her pace, manipulated and coerced – had she outmaneuvered me without my realizing it? Had she found a chink in my armor that I wasn’t aware of?

I released my grip on her blouse. Realizing I still had her phone in my other hand, I pressed it against her chest as I pushed her back a step.

After taking a deep breath, I warned the mechanical girl, “One of these days, Tabitha, karma is going to bite off your ass.”

Tabitha took back her phone, dropped it into a skirt pocket, then lethargically straightened her dress and white tie.

“Oh dear. That does sound painful.”

---

Sorry for the delay. I had some issues crop up and I originally wrote a much, much messier and convoluted segment to the chapter.
So it was back to the drawing board when my editor told me, "REJECTED".
Good thing because it really was a mess. The story went off the deep end. The characters went completely off character.

---

As always, if you'd like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Thank you for sticking with it so long.

With certain design requirements now out of the way, I'll be able to focus more on the book and get the chapters out sooner.

When released this book is certain to be much longer than the previous two.

Cheers and best wishes.

Chapter 5.

– I –

It was convenient to find ourselves in an area of the building replete with cafés, restaurants, and so forth.

We had five floors worth of shops from which to choose a suitable venue, and Sierra took her merry time deciding on her choice.

That meant wandering around for a while past the various food outlets.

With a veiled sullen look, I followed behind Sierra and Maria, and was kept company by Tabitha who was looking about with disinterest.

“What are you playing at?” I asked her, keeping my voice low yet certain she could hear me.

“Aren’t you interested in knowing where this will lead?”

“Even if I am, what’s it to you?”

Tabitha glanced at me sidelong. “Do you believe everything is a conspiracy?”

I’d been watching her in the corner of my eye, but now I turned my head and faced her. “Why wouldn’t I believe that?”

“Then isn’t it better to make friends who are unrelated to your circumstances? In other words, friends less likely to be involved in a conspiracy.”

Again, I thought of Angela and Felicia, and again I felt my chest tighten.

Turning away from Tabitha, I replied curtly, “I told you before, I don’t need friends.”

I was somewhat relieved when Tabitha opted to accept my words with silence because I had nothing more to say to her. At the very least, I had run out of words and didn’t feel like verbally sparring with her. But she had set my thoughts in motion, and despite asserting that I would be fine on my own, I sensed the lie beneath my words.

Truthfully, a lonely school life made for an unpleasant school life.

I’d been fortunate as Ronin Kassius by having Mat around, and Felicia and Angela too, before their treachery. But as Isabel, I was certain I wouldn’t depend on the latter two for company, and I had no idea when Mat would be returning school. I only had Erina’s words to go by, and since I couldn’t bring myself to trust her ever again, I had no way of knowing what condition he was in. All I could do was hope for the best, although that meant accepting that Erina had spoken the truth about Mat being alive and recovering. That brought me back to the problem of trusting her, making any attempt to deal with her feel as though I was experiencing a paradox.

“A penny for your thoughts,” Tabitha whispered conspiratorially with her customary disinterested visage.

I scowled at her. “How about an arm and a leg?”

She waved her left arm then skipped on her left leg. “You mean these two?”

“No, your real ones.”

“Hmm. The price is rather steep.”

“Think of it as the going rate when factoring inflation and bad karma.”

“Can you imagine anyone naming their child Karma?”

My scowl was kicked aside by a perplexed frown. “Where the Hell did that come from?”

“From out of left field.” She tapped her left temple. “So, can you?”

“Can I what?”

“Imagine naming your child Karma.”

“I wouldn’t even dream of it. Wait—I don’t even know if I can have children. Wait—why am I even thinking about children!”

Tabitha looked bored yet pensive. “If you tell him bad Karma, it’ll sound like Bad Karma.” She gestured with a finger at an imaginary child. “Bad Karma. Good Karma. Bad Karma. Karma play nice. Karma don’t flip the girls’ skirts.”

“You are strange.”

Tabitha’s eye widened. “Oh. I have a better one. How about calling your cat Help?”

I was gaping at her by now so I quietly closed my mouth.

Tabitha droned on. “Imagine calling your cat down from a tree. Help. Help. Help.” She paused and looked at me. “What would the neighbors think?”

“They’d probably call for help.”

“Precisely.” She raised a finger. “And if they found the cat wandering around, they might read the name on its necklace and think the cat was calling for help, or sent to find help.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to call a dog Help?”

Tabitha nodded in agreement. “Have you seen that ancient cartoon of the white St. Bernard that works as a mountain rescue dog?”

“No…can’t say that I have….”

“Well, it has this little whisky keg around its neck. So when it sights someone in distress, it rushes out into the snow and delivers a glass of whisky to the victim.”

“Why?”

“Because the alcohol kickstarts them back to life.”

I realized I was frowning at the logic behind that. “Would that really work?”

“Alcohol keeps the cold away.”

I noticed I was cocking my head in thought.

Seriously, would that really work?

However, what I asked was, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Are dogs more reliable than cats?” Tabitha asked in return.

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly.

“So which of the two is better to name Help?”

“None of the above.”

“Which of the two can you depend on for help?”

I bit my lower lip. “The dog?”

“Do you know that cats think of us as big mother cats?”

“That’s weird….”

“You see, cats have never been domesticated. Cats are creatures of convenience. They give the illusion of agreeing with us when we tell ‘don’t do that’, but in truth, they are following the path of least resistance.”

“By not putting up a resistance?”

“That’s right. So they give the illusion of obedience but only while it’s convenient for them.”

“Are you implying cats aren’t loyal to their owners?”

“These aren’t my words, but I have read that cats see us us roommates rather than owners. We are big cats that happen to share the living space with them.”

I paused in thought before asking, “Why are we talking about cats?”

Tabitha was quiet for a moment before remarking, “Perhaps you should make like a cat.”

“What?”

“Follow the path of least resistance,” she added. “Make like a cat and bend in the wind.”

“That’s make like a reed and bend in the wind.”

“Are you saying cats don’t bend in the wind?”

“Of course not. They’d either roll into a ball, or lie flat on the ground.”

“Have you ever visited a cat café?”

“No. I don’t have a cat, so why would I?”

“You should get a cat. Learn from your cat.”

I stopped walking. “I don’t want a cat.”

Tabitha stopped beside me. “Why not?”

“Have you met Akane Straus?”

“Yes. No. Maybe.” Tabitha’s eyes rolled slowly as she searched her memories. “Why do you ask?”

“Her Gun Princess avatar has cat ears.”

“And a tail?”

“No. Oddly, no.” I made a mental note to ask Straus about the lack of a tail, then remembered she’d already explained it was inconvenient to have one. Shaking my head quickly, I pressed on. “Forget about the tail. The point is that having a cat would remind me of her, and I do not get along with her.”

“So she would spoil your relationship with your cat.”

“Exactly.” I turned away and resumed walking, having fallen behind Sierra and Maria. Hurrying to catch up, I noticed they’d stopped to window shop at a boutique that was preparing to open early for business. Perhaps because the girls were rivetted to the window, the shop owner opened up early for them. I watched Sierra and Maria disappear inside.

“What about breakfast?” I wondered to myself.

“She’s an odd one,” Tabitha said.

I stopped and faced her. “Who? Sierra?”

“No. Straus. Her medical file is kept under lock and key. Other than the basic diagnostic of her condition, we know little about the treatments she’s endured to halt her muscular degeneration.”

“Oh?” I don’t know why but I was feeling defensive in the face of Tabitha’s prying. “So what?”

Standing beside me, Tabitha answered, “Our suspicion is that she is Prototype One.”

I swallowed involuntarily as I remembered what Akane Straus had said to me on the penthouse balcony.

You are my hope.

I swallowed again and then hardened my voice when I asked, “Whose suspicion? Yours or Cardinal’s?”

Tabitha stood still and silently regarded the clothes boutique with a flat gaze before turning toward me. I suspected she wasn’t going to answer me, and I was right.

“Shall we join them?” she inquired with a lazy wave in the direction of the boutique.

I gave the boutique a faintly sour look but a moment later a young man’s voice addressed us from behind.

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

There was no mistaking it as a warning. The blunt tone with which it was delivered immediately set me on edge, and I hastily spun around to see a tall teenage boy with sandy blonde hair striding smoothly toward us. Dressed in the Telos Academy summer uniform for boys, he wore a white necktie marking him as a first-year high schooler. From the way his uniform hung on his body, and the strong arms that stretched out from his shirt sleeves, it was easy to see he had an athletic body. If anything, I’d call it a swimmer’s build.

Who is this guy? I thought in a hurry, shifting to a defensive stance on reflex before I realized what I was doing.

Then I was startled to notice Tabitha’s bored expression had become one of guarded confusion as she eyed the newcomer who came to a stop a few feet away from us.

With arms akimbo, the young man swept his gaze over me from head to toes, then did the same to Tabitha.

“Taura Hexaria,” he said, breaking the silence with no discernible hesitation, his voice as blunt as before.

“I prefer, Tabitha Hexen,” she countered.

“Also known as The Witch of Mischief,” the young man added. “The one who wrecked the Walpurgis Festival.”

Tabitha closed her mouth and regarded him with added caution for a while before asking, “You play?”

“When I have free time,” he replied.

Play what, I asked myself.

“Oh, what class?” Tabitha inquired.

“Archer. Type Odysseus.”

“Hmm. I play as—”

“Witch. Type Hecate. I know. And your sister plays as a Witch, Type Medea.”

Tabitha pressed her lips into a thin line and for the first time I saw a cold light in her eyes. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Someone who’d rather you didn’t interfere with a member of the Sanreal Family.” The sandy haired boy crossed his arms and stood with feet shoulder width apart. “You can go back to Cardinal…empty handed.”

I stared hard at Tabitha. “What is he talking about?”

Tabitha ignored me, her attention focused on the high school boy staring at her with steely calm. “The Sanreal Family sent you?”

“On this occasion, I represent their interests.”

“And so you rudely butted in,” she remarked dryly with a faint snort, then turned toward me. “Cardinal has a proposition for you. Do you want to know what it is?”

I noticed the boy shift his stance as though on the verge of dashing forward, but he held himself back when he saw me throw a stony look his way.

I didn’t know who he was, but his claim that he was acting on the Sanreal Family’s behalf didn’t endear him to me. Neither did the fact he hadn’t properly introduced himself. Thus, I gave Tabitha a nod while holding him back with nothing more than my stern visage.

“Let’s hear it.”

“Join Cardinal’s team in the Gun Princess Royale.”

I frowned immediately and turned to stare at her. “Why would I do that?”

“Cardinal has interests and you could serve them well.”

“As a Gun Princess.”

“Correct. Winning affords you more than just money and prestige. Winning can earn you privileges within the scope of the Empire.”

“I can do the same with the Sanreal Family, can’t I?”

“If you compete for us, Cardinal can smooth things over between the Empress and House Novis.”

The sandy haired boy unfolded his arms and took a step closer. “House Novis doesn’t need your help.”

Tabitha eyed him askance. “House Novis would do well to enlist our support. You’re a stone’s throw from losing your prized Fabricator. Right now, House Novis is weighing the benefits of keeping it as opposed to keeping Mirai. This has compromised Erina Kassius’s research, putting her in a tight situation.”

“They won’t hand her over to the Empress. She’s too valuable.”

“Are you so certain?” Tabitha questioned. “A Fabricator isn’t the only thing they stand to lose.”

Although I didn’t enjoy being spoken of like a commodity to be traded or bartered with, I was gaining a picture of where I stood with the Empress and House Novis.

“And if I agree?” I interceded, mildly surprised at how calm I sounded despite being annoyed.

Tabitha shifted her attention onto me. “Cardinal has a few cards it can play with the Empress. We can assuage her displeasure at House Novis possessing its own Fabricator.”

“Is it really that important?” I asked her.

“Fabricators are prized Remnant technology.” Tabitha smiled thinly. “Trust me. It is.”

The teenage boy folded his arms again. “That Fabricator was gifted to House Novis by the Emperor before his passing. Kateopia has no say over it. And acting like she didn’t know about it is a lie. She knew it was given to House Novis by her father.”

“What the Empire giveth, the Empire taketh,” Tabitha quipped. “Cardinal can help you keep it…amongst other things.”

“I didn’t come here to discuss the Fabricator. It’s not my problem,” he declared. “Keeping your claws off Mirai is my problem.”

I couldn’t help glowering at him as my annoyance spiked. “How about you keep your claws off me, and tell me who you are. Start with a name.”

His gaze shifted onto me for a heartbeat before he ignored me and spoke to Tabitha. “House Novis doesn’t need Cardinal meddling in its business or troubles. And it doesn’t need you filling her head with ideas. That’s all there is to it.”

I inhaled loudly as I clenched my jaw and continued glaring at the teenage boy. “Tabitha, I don’t have to give you an answer right away, do I?”

“Give us an answer by Friday. That’s the deadline.”

“Why?” I asked, throwing her a puzzled look.

“Because Friday is the cutoff date for all final entrants into the Gun Princess Royale Minor League,” she explained.

The unknown boy stepped closer to me. “You’re a member of Team Novis—”

“I haven’t agreed to be a member of anything,” I heatedly snapped.

“You told Erina you would compete as Mirai. You gave her your word,” the fair-haired youth retorted. “Or do you make empty promises as and when it suits you?”

I drew my lips back, fully intending to give him a piece of my mind, but then I saw the hole in his argument.

“I said I would compete as Mirai. I never said I would represent House Novis or the Sanreals.”

I watched him grow rigid before anger spread across his face. “And what about your identity as Isabel val Sanreal?”

I shrugged. “I can still play the part.”

Tabitha tilted her head slightly as she regarded me. “Then are you ready to give me your answer now?”

I faced her again. “Let me ask you something. The Empress isn’t one to keep her promises. I get the impression she doesn’t care much for her father’s legacy of goodwill either. And she rewrites the rules when they don’t suit her. Sounds like a despot. So what makes you think Cardinal has any leeway with her?” I turned toward her and planted my hands on my hips. “From what I’ve gathered, the only reason I’m here and not in her hands is because my sister threatened her with my life and for some reason I’m valuable to her as well as to House Novis.”

“If Cardinal says it can, then it can,” Tabitha replied easily.

“Why? Does Cardinal have the key to her closet full of skeletons?”

“Does it matter what Cardinal has over her?”

“And what does Cardinal hope to get out of me? Planning to study me like a lab rat?”

“They want you to win the Gun Princess Royale.”

“Why?”

Tabitha didn’t answer me right away. In fact, she was silent for a long while during which she glanced at the unknown teenage boy several times.

Eventually, she exhaled loudly as she bowed her head.

“There is a prophecy—”

“Oh, come on!” I yelled. Flourishing my hands and arms into the air, I staggered in a full circle before facing the girl again. “Seriously? A prophecy? Are you shitting me?”

Tabitha was strangely silent, and it abruptly made me uneasy. Adding to said unease was the fact that the teenage boy was staring apprehensively at Tabitha.

Slowly I lowered my arms down to my flanks and assumed a cautious posture.

“Seriously?” I asked. “You’re not shitting me…?”

“No. I made that up.”

I lunged forward and grabbed her by the throat. “I am going to kill you!”

As I throttled the mechanical girl, Tabitha spoke with an eerie calm unbefitting a girl being strangled. “The winning Princess who is crowned Gun Empress is granted one wish.”

I stopped shaking the girl back and forth. “What wish?”

“Ask of the Empress one wish that is within her reason and power to grant. That is the rule of the Gun Princess Royale—a rule set in stone. Even Kateopia cannot violate it.”

I eased my grip on her cold neck. “But she gets to decide whether or not to grant it.”

“If within her power—her authority—she must grant it. If she fails to do so, the Gun Princess Royale falls apart.”

“Oh yeah? What then? Darkness falls and it rains cats and dogs?”

“More likely missiles and bullets.”

I felt a chill run through me. Hoping to hide it, I frowned at the girl. “What if I win and then ask to be Empress?”

Tabitha shook her head. “The wish has to be reasonable.”

I wet my lips slowly before asking, “Am I the only one who gets a wish?”

“No. You earn a wish for your sponsor as well. For the House you represent.”

My hands fell away from Tabitha’s neck as I understood why House Novis wanted me to win.

“A pardon from the Empress,” I whispered.

And yet….

“What makes them so sure they’ll get it?” I stepped back from Tabitha and turned my head to look at the teenage boy angrily staring at the mechanical girl. “Even if by some miracle I win the Gun Princess Royale—what guarantee do they have—?”

“None,” he stated in a hard tone. “But that’s not my problem. Neither is you winning the Gun Princess Royale. My problem is keeping you with House Novis.”

Taking a deep breath, I strode up to him and met his gaze from inches away. Because he was an inch or so taller than I, that meant looking up at him. But only a little.

“Who are you?”

His gaze searched my face for a short while before he softly asked, “Would it explain if I said you’re my hope?”

It was like a cold wind blew through me the moment the words left his lips and registered in my mind.

The sandy haired youth observed me quietly for a second, then spared a glance at Tabitha standing nearby. “Would it also help,” he asked me, “if I told you she’s not being honest with you?”

I retreated a step from the tall boy. “What?”

“Hey, what do we have here?” Sierra’s surprised voice pierced my thoughts yet failed to draw my attention away from the teenage boy. “Who might you be?” she asked, sounding oddly amused. “I should tell you, that’s not Mercy Haddaway.”

Without warning, the teenage boy reached out and took a hold of my left hand. “Yeah, I know,” he stated brusquely then hurriedly tugged me along behind him as he turned and fled with me in tow.

“Hey—!” Sierra cried out behind us. “What are you doing? Why are you running away?”

He didn’t reply, instead picking up the pace as he ran with me toward a stairwell.

“What about breakfast?” Sierra’s voice grew faint as we left her behind.

For a moment, part of me harbored the belief that Sierra would run after us, but with Maria around the latter was likely to dissuade her from giving chase. Yet I still threw a look over my right shoulder as the boy and I arrived at the stairwell.

But it wasn’t Sierra’s eyes that I met – it was Tabitha’s, and the knowing smile on her face wasn’t lost on me.

You can run but you can’t hide.

Or maybe it was more along the lines of:

You can’t run from me forever.

As I thought this, I felt something perceptible – tangible – come down between Tabitha and I, leaving me with a bitter feeling in my heart as I was spirited away.

Speaking of running, I guess you’re wondering why I didn’t protest and pull free of the teenage boy’s hand.

The truth was that everything had happened so suddenly, and while bothered by the shift in my relationship with Tabitha, I was also trying to wrap my mind around his unexpected revelation.

Thus I found myself in a state of confusion, running behind him down the stairs with my hand firmly in his grip.

Then another distracting thought served to muddle me up some more.

Large. His hand is large. Why are boys’ hands so large?

Although I may have thought that, I knew that thinking of him in male pronouns was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself from falling into the trap.

It’s not cold, but it’s not warm like hers.

Another marked difference between his hand and Sierra’s.

Another marked difference between his hand and Ronin’s.

There was nothing manly about me…was there….

Lost in troubled thoughts, we continued down the stairwell for a long while. But when I glimpsed a plaque with “Level 10” imprinted on it, my thoughts suddenly lined up nice and neatly behind one important question.

“Hey, where are we going?” I asked him loudly.

“To where we can talk in private,” he threw back over a shoulder.

“I don’t think so.” At the next landing, I dug my heels in and jerked my hand out of his grip. “This is far enough!”

The teenage boy had been pulled to a harsh stop when I yanked my hand free. After catching his balance, he watched me with a complicated expression before stepping up to me.

“We need to talk,” he stated in a low, grim voice complemented by a serious light in his eyes.

I placed my hands behind my back as I looked up at him. “Good. Let’s do that. You can start by giving me a name. What do I call you? I can’t very well call you, Cat Princess, now can I? You don’t look like a Princess anymore.”

His face grew blank and unreadable, but a short while later he huffed to himself, and then broke into a confused smile as he gave himself a quick look. “You have a point…,” he muttered softly.

“Well? Do you have a name?” I questioned him bluntly. But after folding my arms under my breasts, I added with a smirk, “Or should I give you a name?”

Surprisingly, he glanced at my boobs before leaning toward me and replying with a smirk of his own. “Actually, I do have a name. So don’t bother.”

“Then let’s hear it.”

“Severin,” he announced.

“What?”

“My name. Call me, Severin.” He grinned as he favored me with an informal bow. “Severin Straus, at your service.”

I pressed my lips together, feeling a rush of anger flow through me.

Ronin Kassius had swung punches before but they rarely if ever landed.

Mirai on the other hand was gifted with abnormally high hand-to-eye co-ordination.

The right cross I delivered to the boy’s jaw knocked him backwards, down the stairs, and out of sight.

After wincing at the intense pain that briefly incapacitated my right hand before being mended by Mirai’s preternatural healing ability, I walked to the edge of the stairs and glared down at Severin Straus sprawled on the mid-level landing.

He met my glare as he sat up. “What the Hell was that for?”

With both hands clenched at my sides, I shouted angrily, “Two reasons!”

I held up a finger.

“One! You were rude to Sierra!”

I held up a second finger.

“And two! You tricked me—you bitch!”

“Huh?” Slowly rising to his feet, Straus looked visibly taken aback.

As I was on a roll, I added for good measure, “And you’re a pervert!”

At this Straus bristled visibly for a beat. “I’m not a pervert. This is a disguise. Okay? It’s just a disguise to get around.”

“I can’t believe this.” I shook my head slowly and repeated, “I can’t believe this.”

“What’s so hard to believe?”

“That you’re a girl using a male avatar!” I stomped a foot. “You’re like those guys that play MMO’s as sexy female characters.”

Straus flinched, and suddenly I recalled what he – I mean she – had told Tabitha.

Pointing a finger accusingly at him – I mean her – I grated out, “You’re the opposite side of the coin. You’re a girl playing as a male character.”

“I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing,” Straus protested.

“Oh yeah?” I aimed lower with my finger. “Is that thing anatomically correct?”

Surprisingly, Straus started to blush. “Aren’t you ashamed for asking?”

“Don’t answer a question with a question. Well? Is it?”

“I have a constitutional right to remain silent.”

“Pervert!”

“Okay—okay! It’s anatomically correct.”

“Double pervert!”

“Will you stop calling me that?” He started climbing the stairs back up to me.

I retreated from him. “Stay away from me.”

“Stop acting like an abused girlfriend,” he warned me. “And keep your voice down. People will get the wrong idea.”

“I’m saying it for your own good,” I retorted and waved a fist at him.

Straus arrived at the landing, inhaled deeply, then allowed his shoulders to slump. “Would you calm down and listen to me?”

“I have been listening to you.”

“Great. Then I don’t need to say it again, do I?”

“Say what?”

“That we need to talk.”

Noticing a handful of office ladies glancing at us as they walked by on the balcony beyond the stairwell landing, Straus grew quiet and I too waited for them to move on. I did catch their conversation and their comment about young couples not knowing their place, but otherwise they ignored us.

Feeling a tad relieved, I crossed my arms under my bosom and stared sourly at Straus. “Okay. I’m listening.”

“Have you calmed down?” he asked.

“I’m calm enough to hear you out.”

“Good.” He looked exasperated as he planted his hands on his hips.

I chose not to mention it, but even though I knew it was a woman operating that body, it was surprising to see the avatar behave just like a teenage boy, from its mannerisms all the way down to the way it walked.

Damn creepy. Damn pervert. Just how much practice has she had getting around in that body?

Straus raked his fingers through his long sandy hair. “Are you hungry?”

“Huh?” I was jolted out of my observations. “Why are you asking?”

“Because I heard that girl yell out ‘what about breakfast’ as we were running away.”

“You mean Sierra.”

“Yeah, Sierra. Well? Are you hungry?”

I was indeed hungry, so I replied with a curt nod and grumbled. “Are you buying?”

“I’m offering, aren’t I?” He pointed at himself. “Besides, I’m the guy here so I should be paying.”

I snorted under my breath. “In case you missed the news flash, it’s the age of gender equality.”

“Good chivalry never dies young.”

“What’s with the twisted quotes?”

“Fine. Then you buy breakfast.”

I lowered my arms swiftly down to my sides. “Hey, what happened to chivalry just now?”

Straus clenched his jaw, a gesture that unsettled me because I knew his body wasn’t human. It reminded me of Tabitha’s body, and so I briefly pondered if it was made along the same lines, that is, a mechanical body designed with stealth and infiltration in mind.

Venting a loud breath, Straus shook his head then turned his back to me. Walking back to the stairs, he descended them in silence until stopping halfway to the mid-level landing. Looking up at me over a shoulder, he asked, “What are you waiting for? Did you twist an ankle? Want me to carry you down?”

“You want to get punched again?” I warned as I strode toward him, my surly look back on my face.

“I pity the guy that falls for you,” Straus muttered as he – that is she – resumed walking down the stairs.

“And I pity the girl that falls for you—you fraud.”

He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “Better to live a lie than to not live at all.”

I can’t explain why hearing him twist the famous quote angered me so much, but before I’d realized it I’d caught up to Straus and then kicked him in the middle of the back, launching him down the stairs face first.

“Stop twisting other people’s words,” I snapped as I watched him roll to a stop at the next landing. But as he slowly picked himself up and regained his bearings, I couldn’t help but add, “And it’s better to have loved and lost than to have not loved at all. Get it right.”

It wasn’t until later that I learnt I hadn’t quoted the quote correctly myself, but that’s a moot point for now.

Once again shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, the mechanical avatar calling itself Severin Straus rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, then shot me a heated look from the landing below me.

It was truly unnerving to see a machine glare at me so well.

“Like I said before…I pity the guy that falls for you.”

---

It's late. Sorry. I just can't keep to a schedule. Plus, it needed a lot of work before it was kosher.

As always, if you'd like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Thank you for giving this series a chance.

Best wishes to you all.

Chapter 5.

– II –

Trailing behind Straus, I followed her – him – whatever – out of the massive commercial and residential building via a bridgeway some five floors above street level.

Continuing southward, we crossed into an adjacent megascraper then descended via five sets of escalators to the ground floor, eventually exiting out onto a sidewalk running parallel to a six -lane street packed with morning commuter traffic.

After reluctantly asking Straus where we were going, he muttered something about a pancake shop and pointed across the street at an establishment with its name, The Hardboiled Café, written in an austere font on its storefront windows.

“Huh…?”

With a name like that I wondered what kind of café it would be on the inside. However, since it was only a stone’s throw away, I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

Arriving at a set of lights, I waited to cross the busy street along with a few dozen other people. Before long the sidewalk became overly crowded and I was propelled into Straus by a businessman – a salaryman – who didn’t even bother to apologize when he shoved me aside.

I snorted as I sourly thought, Girls really have it tough.

Just because they couldn’t defend themselves, that wasn’t a reason to walk over them. Then again, I’d recently discovered that some girls could defend themselves quite well, though two of them were Simulacra and one was a martial arts prodigy.

I found myself clenching a fist as I glared sourly at the salaryman who’d pushed me aside.

However, my sourness spiked when Straus moved to shield me from the people around me, including the aforementioned salaryman cruising for a bruising.

“What are you glaring at?” Straus whispered loudly.

“I was glaring at him, but now I’m glaring at you,” I growled back.

“Care to explain why?” he asked.

“I’ll explain when you explain what you’re doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” he retorted.

“It looks like you’re getting in my way.”

“No, I’m sparing you from getting arrested for beating someone up.”

“If I beat someone up it’s because they had it coming.”

Straus inhaled long and loudly and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay. You want to get bumped, be my guest. You want to get arrested, don’t claim I didn’t warn you.”

I sneered up at him. “No, I’d prefer you get run over.”

Straus lowered his hands. “That’s a really cruel thing to say.”

“It would be if you were human but you’re a fake.” I sighed bitterly. “These days I seem to be surrounded by fakes. Hey, even I’m a fake—oomph!”

Straus clamped a large boyish hand over my mouth, shutting me up in the blink of an eye.

Then he leaned hastily leaned down toward me, and heatedly whispered, “Could you not announce it to the world?”

It wasn’t the shock of having my mouth palmed that left me speechless.

Nor was it his hand plastered over my mouth that stifled my retort in my throat.

No. It was finding myself face to face, in close proximity, with a very human looking boy that was actually a remote controlled mechanical avatar.

It was just too much for me to bear, and a soft, pitiful whine piped up from my throat.

Straus blinked and looked faintly startled. “Hey, are you all right—?”

I snapped.

I know it sounds strange, having spent time in the presence of Simulacra, a Gun Princess, and fought off a Gun Queen, but for some reason that I can’t pin down, I couldn’t bear Straus’s presence. Something about knowing that the teenage boy inches away from me wasn’t real set my hairs on end and made my skin crawl.

Picture coming face to face with the nature of your worst phobia, and then double – no, triple – the resulting anxiety.

I snapped.

With my right hand clenched into a fist, I unleashed a piledriving punch that caught Straus under his chin.

But seeing Straus fly back several feet and then land supine on the sidewalk pavement, I realized in horror just how hard I’d hit him.

Had he been a human teenage boy, there was no doubt my punch would have broken his neck and killed him.

That realization had me trembling like a leaf and I looked down at my discolored right hand balled into a bruised fist.

It burned in agony for a handful of seconds before the Angel Fibers and my ultra-grade Simulacrum body mended the damage I’d incurred.

As the burning sensation faded to a dull throbbing, I flexed the fingers of my hand, both amazed and frightened by how quickly it had healed.

By then Straus was sitting up unsteadily.

Not knowing what it was like to operate a mechanical avatar, I assumed that I’d knocked the avatar’s senses or sensors into disarray, because Straus looked addled as he clutched his jaw.

Yet regardless of how hard I’d hit him, Straus was a machine and I was made of flesh and blood. Thus, I didn’t believe he’d suffered any damage.

But the two salarymen in suits that came to his assistance didn’t know any better. They helped him up, and Straus thanked them.

When one of them suggested going to the hospital, Straus shook his head and assuaged the man’s concerns with a grin.

The other man suggested he call the authorities, but again Straus brushed it aside with a grin.

Then he spoke something in a low voice while looking sheepish, and the two men backed off.

One of them slapped Straus’s back, and muttered something about treating his girlfriend better.

It was then that I noticed the mixed looks I was garnering from the pedestrians surrounding us. Expressions of shock and disbelief, as well as many reproachful glares were directed at me.

More than a few people were muttering deriding remarks, and I heard phone cameras click away, but none of them approached me.

More than a few warning bells had been rung in their minds after watching me knock Straus to the ground with a single punch. Perhaps they subconsciously recognized me as a predator, a lioness amongst antelopes, a shark amongst minnows, a hawk amongst pigeons.

They watched me, they muttered, but they kept their distance.

And though I was quite aware of them, I chose to ignore them and focus on regaining control over my scattered emotions.

Straus bowed politely to the two salarymen, then walked quickly toward me.

Keeping his voice low, he didn’t lean down at me as he spoke in a hushed, guttural tone. “Do you know how close you came to being arrested? What the Hell is wrong with you?”

I sucked in air and reflexively clenched my hands as I hissed back, “You freak me out!”

Straus’s eyes widened before narrowing. “You didn’t have a problem with me before.”

She – I mean he – no, I mean she – was right.

I didn’t have a problem with her when she was operating her Cat Princess avatar.

But I was having a severe emotional reaction to her pretty boy avatar.

And yes, it was a pretty boy looking intently at me. Except it wasn’t a real pretty boy.

So was this some kind of twisted fear of machines that looked like human males?

Was I experiencing an andro-mechano-phobia?

Abruptly I gasped both inwardly and outwardly as I realized a new problem.

What the Hell had I been thinking? Did I really think of this machine boy as a pretty boy? Was this also part of my phobic reaction to him?

I swallowed hard and then took a couple of deep, controlled breaths, as I struggled to rationalize my adverse emotional reaction to Severin Straus who was staring at me impatiently.

“Well?” he ground out through clenched teeth. “Why do you have a problem with me now?”

My breaths were growing slower and shorter, and I could feel my heart gradually easing up. When I felt steady enough to give him an answer, I retorted in a low whisper, “You really wanna know why?”

“A straight answer would be appreciated.”

“That’s because you weren’t giving cross-play a whole new meaning.”

Straus grew still for a long moment before exhaling loudly, just a like a real teenage boy expressing simmering frustration. However, before he could say anything, the pedestrian light behind me began to play a chime and I recognized it for the ‘walk’ melody.

“Come on,” Straus growled and stepped out onto the street along with a hundred other pedestrians.

The people that had been avoiding me now swept me along with them, so I didn’t have much of a choice but to follow Straus across the street.

Arriving at the opposite sidewalk, I took a couple of seconds to regain my bearings as the crowd rushed by me. Being a good twenty centimeters taller than I was accustomed to, I was able spot the sign for the Hardboiled Café above the heads of the sidewalk traffic. But I’d lost sight of Straus, so I decided to walk up to the café’s entrance. I was almost at the door when I saw Straus standing by the entrance looking anxiously for me. At sight of me, he first looked relieved then annoyed.

Shaking his head, he yanked the café’s door open, and stepped inside.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” I muttered acidly as I hurried to door before it closed shut. “Asshole couldn’t even hold the door open for me.”

If she was going to pass herself off as a guy, then she should adhere to the basic rules of social interaction, one of which was holding the door open for a girl.

I made it a mental note to etch that into her psyche…then realized with a stark chill that I was expecting Straus to treat me like a girl.

That brought me to a sharp standstill within the entrance to the Hardboiled Café.

When the heavy door closed behind me, it bumped my backside, propelling me deeper into the establishment and jolting my various trains of thoughts back into motion.

However, the question remained unanswered – did I want Straus to treat me like a girl?

It was true that men held the door open for other men out of politeness as well, but it was something of an expected common courtesy that men treat the fairer sex with respect.

Maybe Straus hadn’t treated me like a girl because I was a girl. In other words, being a girl herself, Straus had felt she didn’t need to afford me any special courtesy and had treated me like an equal. She could also have been pissed at being punched in public. But as a consequence, and perhaps due to my misreading the situation, I was forced to face the broader question of whether or not I wanted people to treat me like a girl.

And I had no answer for it.

On the one hand the notion repulsed me. I had lived for years fearing that one day I would turn into a girl, and now I found myself living as one – albeit as a girl that possessed extraordinary abilities.

But I understood that whether or not I was treated as a girl wasn’t entirely up to me, because leaving Straus aside, if people saw me as a girl then they would naturally treat me as one.

So the question was then what should I expect from them?

I’d read about how girls and women often complained of getting the short end of the stick, so should I expect the same?

Standing in the small foyer, Straus grumbled at me, “Took you long enough.”

I stopped and stared at him.

Was being treated fairly, equally, with common decency and respect too much to ask for?

I decided to reply to Straus in a manner that I felt was justified under present circumstances.

“Up yours,” I swore at him and gave him the finger.

Then I wondered, Is that even possible for him?

A second later, I made two important observations.

One was that being preoccupied with Straus, and questioning how I expected people to treat me, had pushed my andro-mechano-phobia into a back seat.

That was good.

What wasn’t so good was that I was still giving Straus the finger when a young waitress – a pretty, brunette with shoulder length hair – came to greet us.

The girl looked at Straus, at me, then my finger, before asking with a troubled smile, “Um…table for two?”

Feeling distinctly ashamed, I lowered my finger and then hid my hands behind my back.

Straus made a show of exhaling loudly before replying, “Yes, please. Table for two….”

Bastard, don’t sound so disappointed. This is your fault!

Nonetheless, I realized that this time I’d slipped up.

Thus, I trailed silently behind him as the girl guided us deeper into the café to a booth without a window view.

I sat down somewhat absently, taking the bench seat opposite Straus.

When the girl took our order, Straus took the lead and ordered for the both of us. At that, I threw him an icy glare that he pointedly ignored as he sat back with an arm draped casually over his seat’s backrest, and confidently dictated our breakfast order to the young waitress.

Watching him through narrowed eyes, I wondered once again how Straus had been practicing passing herself off as a teenage boy.

And then I was incensed by how natural and cool he looked, and I realized with a pang that the Ronin Kassius part of me envied him.

Straus looked the way I would have wanted to appear to a girl.

Cool, calm, collected, with an air of unbridled confidence.

Even though my envy was misplaced, my emotions swirled painfully within my chest because I knew that I would never be seen that way by a girl.

There was no going back for me, and knowing that made my heart twist unpleasantly in my chest.

Yet I remained in my seat, and allowed the envy within me to burn away.

I had decided back in Ronin’s dorm apartment that I needed to start accepting who I was now, and part of that was not to run away from a situation like this.

But no sooner had I resolved to face my feelings when I glanced up and noticed the girl blushing pink as she jotted down the breakfast order.

My mouth had fallen open and when I closed it shut with an audible clack, the pretty waitress glanced at me, and blanched.

It took me a moment to realize why – I was glaring at her.

I wasn’t staring at her fiercely because I was being territorial.

I was glaring at her because I couldn’t believe how easily she’d been charmed by Straus’s pretty boy avatar.

Afraid to look at me, she smiled sheepishly at Straus, jotted down the last of the order and hurried away.

Watching her retreat to the kitchen, I realized Straus had been expecting her to dart a glance over her shoulder, because he delivered a perfectly time wave with his hand draped over the back of his seat.

At sight of that, my temper spiked and I kicked one of his shins hard under the table.

To my surprise, Straus winced hard as though experiencing the kick for real.

“What are you doing?” he complained.

“I could ask you the same question,” I snapped at him.

“I was having a little fun.”

My mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?”

“Of course, I’m serious.”

I shook my head at him. “You’re unbelievable.”

Straus looked equally annoyed at me. “You’re one to talk.”

“Heh? What the Hell do you mean by that?”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “What? You didn’t notice the way men were looking at you out on the street?”

“What? You mean after I decked you?”

Straus blinked in apparent disbelief at my response, then frowned at me. “No, before that.”

“Then I have no idea what you mean.”

Again, he blinked at me as though perplexed by me. “How oblivious are you?”

I winced and retorted, “I’m not oblivious. I was just having trouble dealing with you so I had other things on my mind.”

“Then you didn’t notice how she felt challenged by you?”

Startled by his question, I drew back. “What are you talking about? Weren’t you asking me about how men were looking at me?”

“I was. Now I’m asking about her reaction to you.”

I bit my lower lip for a moment, then admitted, “No, I didn’t.”

“Then take a look,” Straus suggested.

I pressed me lips unhappily into a thin line, and then looked over in the direction of the counter separating the eating area from the kitchen.

Perhaps it was coincidence, but the young waitress happened to be staring in our direction, and our eyes met. The girl paled in a heartbeat then ducked her head quickly. Conveniently for her, a couple of salarymen happened to enter the café moments later, and she hurried off to welcome them.

Although she had caught me glaring at her earlier, I was still confused by her frightened reaction, and faced Straus. “What’s her problem?”

Straus’s eyes widened before he shook his head slowly.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” he said in a low voice. “You may be new to being a girl, but you sure know how to scare away the competition.”

My feelings went from confused to sour in an instant. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure.”

“And why is she the competition?”

Straus snorted softly. “You can be surprisingly obtuse.”

“Just answer the damn question.”

This time he sighed. “To you, she’s not. But from her point of view, you definitely are the competition.”

“And why the Hell would she see me that way?”

“Because I’ve been coming here a few times, striking up a little friendly conversation with her in the mornings.”

The absurdity of what he’d just told me made my vision swim, and I slumped in my seat. “Oh my gods, you’ve been hitting on her….”

“I prefer to call it testing the boundaries.”

“…of what….”

“Of how convincing I can operate this avatar.”

I didn’t sit up as I stared at him vacantly for a while. “Why?”

Straus shrugged a shoulder. “That’s a secret.”

“Yeah, don’t tell me. I don’t think I can handle it on an empty stomach.”

A chuckle escaped from him, briefly triggering my andro-mechano-phobia – yes, I was convinced by now that I suffered from said phobia – and thus seeking a distraction, I turned my attention to the interior of the café.

Fortunately, it genuinely caught my interest and I found myself intently staring at the various images of men and women captured in time in numerous photos, posters, and murals plastered throughout the innards of the café. I belatedly realized many of the photos depicted movie scenes in which most of the men wore trench coats while the women were attired in long form fitting dresses that emphasized their feminine charm.

Some of the women were depicted as smoking from long cigarette holders while reclining on sofas. I found it puzzling to see those pictures in a commercial establishment such as this café because smoking died out as a widespread public habit a long time ago, thought it was still something of a private pastime.

However, I felt I understood the café’s theme.

“Hardboiled…I get it now.”

“Really?” Straus asked in a faintly snide tone, as he slouched back in his seat, his arm annoying draped over its back.

“Well, I didn’t think hardboiled eggs had anything to do with it,” I replied equally snidely.

“And here I thought you only had Mercy on your mind.”

“If I had nothing but Mercy up here”—I tapped my forehead—“I wouldn’t have scored tenth place in my grade last year.”

“And yet you only qualified for the Delta Tier.”

I pressed my lips together as I exhaled loudly through my nose. “That’s because my brain isn’t malleable enough.”

“So you’ve got a rock in there instead of clay.”

I ground my teeth together and started to flip Straus the bird. But remembering my earlier faux pas, I restrained myself to a harshly whispered, “Frek you.”

Straus snorted. “No thanks. You’re not my type.”

I flinched but not because I felt insulted. Rather, I was startled. “Your type? What? You have a type?”

Straus huffed under his breath. “Every girl has her type.”

I stared blankly at him for a second. “Every girl has her guy type? Or every girl has her girl type?”

Straus cocked his head at me in slowly spreading confusion. “What exactly are you asking?”

After mulling the question for a moment, and sparing the pretty waitress a glance, I decided to just come out with it. “Are you a lesbian?”

Straus’s mouth fell open and stayed open for a long while. “Why the Hell would you ask something like that?”

“Because I noticed you gave my boobs a good look back at the stairwell.” I jutted my chin at the waitress busy greeting another batch of patrons. “And you were watching her ass as she walked away.”

That last bit was a lie, something I spouted on a whim, probably because I wanted to get a reaction out of Straus and I wasn’t disappointed.

Straus slapped a hand loudly on the table and hissed, “I am not a lesbian.”

“Then what are you? Bisexual?”

Straus clamped his mouth shut for a long moment before sitting back and crossing his arms. “No. I’m not.”

“Are you a virgin?” I asked bluntly.

Straus looked shocked then regarded me with a simmering glare. “Mind your own business.”

“I’ll take that for a Yes.”

For a moment, I thought Straus might actually strike me. It was odd that a machine could express such a frightful expression, but I can recognize true anger when I see it, and Straus looked unmistakably angry before turning away to look into the café rather than at me.

Hmm…I struck a nerve.

I thought back to the Akane Straus that had emerged from the Sarcophagus that inexplicably materialized above the apartment’s spacious balcony.

The young woman I saw back then could barely push herself up off the ground.

I acknowledge that my way of thinking may offend some people, but I couldn’t imagine her enjoying a physical relationship with anyone if she was afflicted with such a debilitating disease.

Then again, I knew very little about Akane Straus so perhaps the disease didn’t hamper her life until recently.

But a relationship isn’t a solo experience.

It requires two to tango and two to make it work.

This is where my low opinion of people darkened my outlook on Akane Straus’s chances of finding love. Whether it’s part of my nature, or a trait carved into me by life’s experiences, I have difficulty seeing the good in people – both men and women. Recent events and my present circumstances have done nothing in the way of changing it. So when I thought of Akane finding Mister Right, someone who would accept her and love her for who she was regardless of her disability, I equated it to finding a needle in a haystack.

It wasn’t impossible, but it would be extremely challenging.

Of course, the proverb falls apart if you introduce a superconducting magnet or metal detector to find the needle, but surely you understand my point.

I’m not saying there wasn’t someone out there for her.

I’m simply saying finding that someone would be difficult.

“When did it start?”

The words left my lips before I could stop them.

Straus looked faintly puzzled, shedding some of the anger she’d been silently radiating.

“Your muscular dystrophy…when did it start?” I asked her, my voice and feelings subdued by that memory of her on the balcony. “Was it long ago…?”

“My last year of high school,” Straus replied in a flat tone that was surprising because he regarded me with uncertainty and very little anger, as though he was trying to figure out why I was asking. “Nine years ago.”

Nine years, I thought to myself. “Did you know Erina back then?”

Straus’s uncertainty grew but then he exhaled loudly, and sat back a little deeper in the booth’s high-backed seat. “She and I attended Telos Academy. We weren’t classmates, but we were in the same year. She was the star student, and I was the star of the Track-and-Field team. As friends, we were an odd couple.”

I frowned inwardly. If they were friends in high school, I was tempted to ask if Straus knew of me back then.

Did she know Erina had a younger brother?

But then I felt it didn’t matter. In a way, it was something of a redundant question.

So I discarded it and asked instead, “You were a Track-and-Field star?”

“My times in the inter-state competitions were good enough to earn me silver—twice. But in my third year…well…shit happens….”

Straus turned away. His tone had been flat, but there was a bitter look on his face.

“You dropped out of Track-and-Field in your third year?” I asked.

“Nope. I tried to the bitter end but I failed to qualify for the inter-state championships. I’d lost my edge. I wasn’t the Sprint Queen of Telos Academy any longer.” His lips twisted in resentment. “When life deals you lemons, you can’t always make lemonade…no matter how much you try.”

I waited for a little while, to see if he would continue on his own. When he didn’t, I asked, “So what did you do?”

He looked at me. “You really want to know?”

I nodded.

Straus exhaled again. “I went into a treatment program and underwent therapy. The docs told me I had ten years at best.” I watched him clench his jaw for a telling moment. “That was hard to take.” Straus laughed stiffly. “But Erina took it harder still. She was already doing research into motor neuron disease disorders and a whole lot of other shit, including Prometheus’s Curse. She just added my problem to the long list she had. Eventually, she whittled down her list to just two problems – yours and mine.”

Straus faced me.

“By then she was working for the Telos Corporation. By then they’d pulled her into their dark depths. And that was because of him.”

“Him…?” I tipped my head at Straus. “Who is him?”

“Simon val Sanreal. The lord and master of the Telos Corporation. Eldest son of House Novis and their representative in this universe under the guise of the Sanreal Family. And he’s your sister’s fiancé.”

I blinked slowly as I digested this tidbit of information. “Her fiancé?”

“That’s right, little girl. Your sister is engaged to one of the richest, most eligible bachelors in the known galaxy.”

“So she went for the money,” I muttered sourly. “That’s just like her….”

“Actually, you ignorant twit, your sister was relentlessly pursued by Simon Sanreal for almost two years before she finally caved in and accepted his marriage proposal.”

I expressed a puzzled frown at Straus. “She was being chased around?”

Straus looked annoyed at me. “Are you paying attention or not?”

I bristled a little. “I am paying attention. But you’re telling it thick and fast.”

“Then start keeping up.”

I started to snap out a retort, but then held myself back at the last heartbeat. “Fine. Care to explain in a little more detail?”

“Simon Sanreal expressed a surprising amount of interest in your sister. For some reason she just happened to be his type.” Straus folded his arms across his chest. “Still with me so far, little girl?”

I’d ignored her the first time she called me that, but this time I bristled. “Don’t call me that,” I warned her.

“Then don’t call me kitten,” Straus snapped. “Agreed?”

I really felt like throwing something at him, but instead I just gnashed my teeth a little. “Is that all? Nothing more to add.” I planted my hands on the table. “Because if not, I’m out of here.”

“Like I said already, he pursued her romantically for almost two years before she caved in and agreed to marry him. By then she’d already been working at the Telos Corporation for four years, and was a member of one of their black research division for two years. And that was his doing. At first, he was interested in just her – probably saw her as a worthy challenge – but then he grew interested in her research as well. It wasn’t long afterwards that Erina was transferred into a clandestine division conducting sensitive research.”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “Sensitive? You mean…the Angel Fibers.”

Straus snorted as he nodded. “He pulled her into the dark side of science.”

The dark side of science? Is that an understatement or an overstatement?

But that begged the question: how should Project Mirai be viewed?

From what I knew of how research was performed and monitored, there were a lot of checkboxes to tick. By that I mean that there were rules and regulations on how it should be ethically, safely, and morally carried out. When taken into context with everything that had happened to me, I had trouble imagining that Project Mirai would have ever received government approval. It was undoubtedly made possible because Erina’s black research division wasn’t conducting itself in a sanctioned manner.

In other words, quite a few checkboxes had been skipped over or left unticked because to Erina the ends justified the means.

And now Project Mirai was sitting in a café waiting for breakfast to be delivered.

Project Mirai was also guilty of illegally entering a school boy’s apartment.

Project Mirai had committed the crime of stealing clothes from charity donation bins.

Project Mirai had caused a scene by punching a boy to the ground.

Indeed, Project Mirai was building up quite the rap sheet.

When I thought of Project Mirai that way, I was reminded of those holovid movies where the protagonist is the product of illicit research and escapes from a secret lab and finds themselves in a town or city of unsuspecting humans. Before long the bad guys would come after the escaped research project, and it wasn’t always a happy ending.

I looked down at my right hand and saw no sign of the bruising earned after knocking Straus to the ground.

Like in those holovid movies, I was in a city of blissfully unaware humans, so was I headed for bad ending too?

My thoughts and fears must have been written on my face because Straus was looking at me intently.

I cleared my throat and tried to relax my facial features before asking, “How do you know all this? I mean how long have you been a part of this?”

At first Straus looked ready to fire back an answer, but he stopped and seemed to give his reply a little more thought. “How long have I been involved…?”

I gave him a nod.

“Do you mean to ask, how long have I been a part of Project Mirai?”

I wet my lips quickly. “How long have you known about the Angel Fibers? About Mirai? About the other universe?”

“Ever since Erina pulled me into her world. Ever since she began working for their black division.”

I was puzzled. “Why?”

“Because I became her test subject. She used their biomedical research labs to try all sorts of various things to keep me alive. But things didn’t look up for me until your sister shoved the Angel Fibers she’d cultivated into me. Yeah, she came close to killing me—the closest anyone has come—but it stopped my muscular dystrophy. It didn’t make it any better, but it didn’t make it any worse, and best of all I was still alive.” Straus leaned toward me over the edge of the table. “Do you know what that meant to me? Knowing that I wasn’t getting any worse? Knowing that I wasn’t going to die?”

I shook my head slowly. I wasn’t going to lie to her.

Straus sat back. “Erina and I have had our share of differences over the years, but I owe her. She saved my life. And she opened a new world to me. The world of the Gun Princess Royale avatars.” He pointed at himself. “Without them, without this technology, I’d be an invalid in a wheelchair living a confined life.”

“But you still are,” I pointed out.

Straus shrugged a shoulder and nodded, taking my comment in stride. “I’m aware of that. I’m not denying it. But without one of these, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this freedom.”

I bit my lower as I considered her point-of-view. Then I chose to probe her a little more. “So you were Prototype One for the Angel Fibers.”

“That’s right.” Abruptly, Straus narrowed his eyes at me. “Hey, where did you hear that?”

“From Tabitha. She said there’s not much on you. All your records are under strict lock and key—or something to that effect.”

Straus humphed in contempt. “Nosy little bitch….”

I wasn’t going to disagree with her. However, what I said instead was, “So you’re the same age as Erina. Twenty-seven?”

I’d been doing the math in my head. Erina was eleven years older than me, and the big reason our parents left her in charge when they abandoned us for the sake of their research. She graduated from high school and commenced third tier education at age nineteen. Her studies were funded by the Telos Corporation. In other words, she’d earned herself a scholarship from them, and they pulled her into the fold when she graduated five years later after studying a range of sciences that only an Alpha had the mental propensity to accomplish. And to top it off, she completed her four-year doctorate in three.

She really is special, I grudgingly acknowledged.

Yet I felt no pride in being related to her.

No, that wasn’t right. Let me rephrase that.

I felt no pride having been to related to her when I was Ronin Kassius.

I exhaled long yet softly.

So she was twenty-four when she started working for them.

I swallowed quietly.

Or was she working for them before then? Was the scholarship all part of it? Did they see something in her while she was still a high school student?

“If you keep frowning like that you’ll get wrinkles,” Straus said.

Lost in thought, I’d been staring down at the table. Now I looked up at him nonplussed. “What wrinkles?”

Straus regarded me thoughtfully for a long moment. “You need to talk to your sister.”

I leaned back as though avoiding a slap to the face. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. You and Erina need to talk to each other.”

“I can’t talk to her,” I snapped and almost banged my right hand on the table.

But the waitress had returned with our breakfast order on a tray she wielded deftly on one upturned palm, so I restrained myself and sat quietly as she placed cups and plates on the table before us.

When she departed, I resumed from where I’d left off. “I can’t talk to that woman.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t stand the sight of her. I can’t—I just can’t tolerate the way she talks to me. I can’t stand how she treats me. I’m not a thing. I’m a person. But that’s not how she sees me.”

Straus took a deep breath and glanced away.

I took a deep breath of my own. “You know that I’m right. You know how she treats me.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

“So how can you expect me to compromise with her.”

With a glare, he once again leaned over the table toward me. “Because it’s for your own good. You need to stop facing your sister head on. There are other ways for you to deal with her.”

“You mean that passive aggressive nonsense.” I snorted and shook my head. “I don’t know how to do passive aggressive.”

Unexpectedly, Straus bowed his head and closed his eyes. “I told you before you’re my hope.”

I frowned at him. “Yeah. Stop reminding me. It makes me feel really uncomfortable.”

Opening his eyes, he looked up at me. “Well right now, you’re not acting like my hope. Right now you’re the obstacle to achieving my dream of living a normal life.”

“You’re making me responsible?” I replied with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. “How conceited—”

Straus cut me off by banging a fist on the table, making the cups and plates bounce. “You are not the only one having problems with Erina.”

I only noticed my mouth had fallen open when I needed to swallow.

Straus was making a visible effort to remain calm. “You’re making it difficult for everyone.”

I pressed my lips together unhappily. “That’s a selfish thing to say.”

“No, it’s not. Don’t you understand? With you and Erina butting heads every time you’re in the same room, you make it hard for everyone else to manage the both of you.”

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Manage?”

“Of course.”

“Manage?” I repeated coldly this time.

“Is there something wrong with you ears?”

I folded my arms under my breasts. “I don’t need to be managed.”

“You and Erina are behaving like a pair of Divas.”

I gaped speechlessly at Straus.

As he continued to lean forward over the table, he tapped his fingers slowly on the table. “I know that every time you succeed in pushing Erina’s buttons and launching her into the stratosphere you think you’ve won against her.” He shook his head. “You’re not winning at all. All you’re doing is making life harder for her and for yourself. And when you do that you make life harder for everyone around you.”

I sucked in air noisily, and tightened my folded arms. “Well, that’s just too bad.”

“You and your sister are cut from the same cloth. You’re both recalcitrant and egocentric. And right now both of you can’t see past your own noses.”

I glared at him. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

Straus lowered his voice. “I get it perfectly. I get that you hate what happened to you, but you’ve got it wrong. You’re blaming her when you should be blaming Kateopia.”

“Oh, I blame Kateopia. Rest assured. I definitely blame her.”

“And you’re wrong about one more thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“You’re not Ronin Kassius. You’re Mirai. You were never Ronin Kassius.”

Her words were like a knife driven into my chest and they hurt. But it was a hurt that I’d already experienced and had cried over. It was a hurt I was slowly coming to terms with on my own.

“I know that,” I grated at him. “I know that all I am is the keeper of his memories. But I’m dealing with it. I’m dealing with knowing that my mind is male but my body is female. I’m dealing with knowing that there is no going back. So I don’t need you reminding me of what I am.”

“If you’re dealing with it, then cut yourself and your sister some slack.”

This time I banged the table and made the plates and cups bounce. “Never!”

“Why are you being so stubborn? Can’t you see that it makes your life harder—?”

“Because I can’t accept how she treats me! Even if I was never Ronin Kassius but just a copy of his mind, I’m still me. I have feelings, memories, thoughts. I am not a machine.”

“I know.”

“Do you? Do you really?”

“I know what you are,” Straus insisted.

I dropped my voice to a hiss. “Then do you know how hard this is for me?” I paused and held his gaze refusing to let him look away. “Do you? Do you know why I’ve managed to stay sane after everything that’s happened to me? It’s because I’ve been too busy trying to stay alive. But now? Now I’ve got some downtime and it’s catching up to me.”

“You were calm on the boat.”

“Because I was exhausted. I was so completely overwhelmed by what I was told that my mind was still catching up back then.”

Straus didn’t appear to believe me and I didn’t care.

I pushed on. “Erina could have found another way. But she didn’t because her research is more important to her than anything else. And the proof is that she was willing to face an Empress and not back down an inch.”

“Because that research isn’t just important to her. It’s important to humanity.”

I leaned over the table toward Straus. “You see, that’s where your wrong. I get that it’s important and that it has the potential—the potential—to save lives. That doesn’t mean that it can or it will. But when Erina looks at me, she’s not seeing humanity’s salvation.” I shook my head firmly. “No, no, no. To Erina, I’m not humanity’s savior.”

“Then what are you?”

“In her eyes, I’m humanity’s future.”

In a very human way, Straus’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly and a frown faintly creased his brow as he regarded me in silence.

I watched him too, aware that I was looking at a machine and not a handsome teenage boy, but somehow I felt as though I’d moved past my troubles reconciling the illusion with reality. So I was able to meet his gaze as though I was meeting that of a real boy, and not feel unsettled all the way to my bones as my andro-mechano-phobia slumbered in the back seat.

Straus slowly sat back. “If I say that I agree with you…will you listen to my advice?”

My eyebrows rose sharply revealing my surprise. “You…agree with me?”

Straus appeared deeply troubled and bowed his head, breaking eye contact with me. “It’s just a gut a feeling I have…a feeling that Erina is looking for something more in you.” He looked up at me. “A feeling that she has something else planned for you and the Angel Fibers. Something other than what she has told the Sanreals.”

“…like what…?”

“You said it yourself. Like becoming humanity’s future.”

I felt cold – so very, very cold – and broke into a shiver that made my hands tremble so I pulled them out of sight under the table.

“Isabel?”

The concern I heard in his voice made me flinch, but it helped me regain control. “What?”

“Will you listen to my advice?”

I snorted softly and turned away. “I know what you’re going to say, so don’t bother.”

“Then what are you going to go? Keep going the way you have? Leaving aside whatever plans Erina truly has for you—and I’m not comfortable with speculating behind her back—”

I huffed this time and threw him a glaring sidelong glance. “So it doesn’t matter what she has planned for me?”

“That’s not what I meant. Would you let me finish?”

I sat back in my booth seat, and then shrugged my shoulders at him. “Fine. Let’s hear it.”

Straus looked briefly annoyed but then exhaled loudly as though expelling his frustration toward me. “If you continue on this path, if you keep going the way you’re going, butting heads with Erina at every turn, then she won’t be able to protect you.”

I frowned hard at Straus. “Erina is protecting me?”

“Yes. She is. Do you know the reason why are living as Isabel val Sanreal?”

“Wasn’t that something House Novis arranged with the Empress?”

“No. The Empress only wanted Mirai fighting in the Gun Princess Royale. The part about you living as Isabel was a proposal that Erina pushed through. Using the influence she has over Simon Sanreal, she convinced him to have you assume the identity of Isabel val Sanreal.”

My frown deepened. “Back on the boat, Erina said that House Novis planned to introduce Clarisol back into the family as Isabel val Sanreal. But I was also told that House Novis planned to have Clarisol live a free life away from them—away from Teloria—by living as Isabel Allegrando, a fake identity.” I cocked my head at Straus. “So which one is true?”

“The latter,” he replied flatly.

So Ghost was telling the truth.

Straus continued in a measured voice. “You’re wondering why she lied to you?”

“Yes….”

“Because she wanted to give you the opportunity to experience living in the real world.”

My frown faded as I thought of Clarisol’s consciousness living in her virtual prison, but I didn’t know if Straus was aware that I’d spoken to her so I treaded cautiously.

But there was another reason for me to be wary.

Back on the Sanreal Crest, Erina had warned me about being ‘boxed’.

So I cleared my throat and guardedly asked, “What do you mean by living in the real world?”

“You are valuable to Erina and to the Sanreals. But Kateopia twisted their arm and had them enter you in the Gun Princess Royale where they stand to lose you. With that in mind, the Sanreals had decided to keep you safe when you were away from the GPR. That meant confining you to your Sarcophagus, and using its technology to have your mind experience living in a virtual reality.”

I slowly raised my chin at Straus. “So I was going to be boxed.”

Straus arched an eyebrow questioningly. “Where did you hear that term?”

I lied with a straight face. “From Erina.”

Straus was quiet for a brief moment, but then nodded to me. “That’s right. You were going to be boxed. You’d be released out into the real world when it was time for you to fight.”

“So why wasn’t I boxed?”

“I told you. Because of Erina.”

Straus again leaned forward, and this time rested his elbows on the table as he pinned me with a hard stare.

“The Sanreals didn’t want you exposed to the outside world. To them, it was a huge risk. Think about it. You’re special. You’re the culmination of years of research. By having you out and about they ran the risk of losing you to an accident, to injury, to a whole variety of unexpected circumstances.”

I leaned forward and tapped the table with a fingertip while returning his hard glare. “You’re telling me I’m special, and that they couldn’t risk having me out in the real world. Yet they were planning to send Clarisol away in this body. They were planning to have her live far away from Teloria. That makes no sense to me.”

Straus gave me an incredulous look. “Not right away. They weren’t planning for that until it was certain that Mirai would live for a very, very long time. If it turned out that Mirai fell short of expectations, then they would suspend the plan and wait until Mirai could be perfected or another better Mirai could be made. They were being careful to tick all the boxes. Putting Clarisol in a defective Simulacra was not an option.”

I tapped the table again. “Then about the Angel Fibers. Could they afford to have Mirai or Isabel leave their grasp? Wouldn’t they need her for more research?”

“Erina said she could make another Mirai to continue the research. Once she didn’t need the first Mirai—once she was sure the prototype met the Sanreals requirements for a suitable body for Clarisol—then Clarisol would be free to assume the life of Isabel Allegrando.”

I pressed my lips together and inwardly disagreed.

No, not Clarisol, but a copy of her consciousness. The real Clarisol would still be stuck in that prison for her mind.

However, this wasn’t something I would mention to Straus.

Instead, I gave him a nod and said, “Go on. I’m listening. Tell me the rest.”

Straus gave me a puzzled frown, perhaps baffled that I was expressing this much interest, but continued explaining my circumstances.

“The Sanreals also feared that Kateopia might make a move on you, and steal you from them. Erina had told Kateopia that if Mirai was stolen, Mirai would die.”

Tabitha had said the same thing, so I gave Straus a questioning look and asked, “Is that true?”

Straus looked uncomfortable as he shrugged a shoulder. “Honestly, I don’t know. Your sister won’t tell anyone what precautions she took, and I don’t have a reason to doubt her. You’re precious to her but I don’t know if she’s willing to lose you permanently. With her it’s a war of wills with the Empress and that gives birth to a contradiction. On the one hand, she’s adamant that you’re too valuable to hand over, but on the other she’s determined that her research will remain safe in her hands at the expense of your life. In that context, to the Sanreals, keeping you in the Sarcophagus under the proverbial lock and key suited them just fine. And I like said, your mind could be kept busy living in a virtual world so perfect you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“So why am I out here and not in there?”

“Because Erina had other ideas. She didn’t want you boxed. She wanted you to experience real life. To live in the world. And so she convinced Simon to make use of the identity of Isabel Allegrando – an identity the Sanreals had carefully created over the span of many months for Clarisol – and to bring Isabel into the Sanreal Family. To amend her existence so that she was the illegitimate daughter of Phelan Sanreal, otherwise known in the other universe as Phelan Erz Novis, the head of House Novis.”

“Why? Why would she do that? Why go that far?”

Did she know that I was going to take my new life hard?

That is, did she know I would have trouble accepting my new existence?

Erina was an Alpha, so perhaps she’d used her enhanced intellect to plan ahead.

But that implied that she cared about Mirai. It implied that Erina had a heart.

I shook my head inwardly at the notion, and dismissed it quickly.

Before disembarking from the Sanreal Crest, Erina had admitted that she wanted me to mature, to evolve, to be more than I was now. I still believed that was a rare moment of honesty from her, and because of that I couldn’t shake off the impression that Erina had long term plans for me. This brought my thinking back to the issue of Clarisol, and if what Straus told me was true, it clashed with the Sanreals’ intention to have Clarisol live out her life in Mirai’s body as Isabel Allegrando.

When I joined the dots this way, I arrived at the same worrying conclusion I had when sitting in Ar Telica Tower’s foyer.

Erina had her own agenda, and it went contrary to those of the Sanreals.

My former sister was indeed playing a dangerous game.

Dear gods in high heaven. Did Erina reveal Project Mirai to the Empress? Did she do all this, challenging the Empress to a dangerous game of threats and counter threats so that the Sanreals couldn’t give Mirai’s body to Clarisol?

I closed my eyes tightly as I leaned my head back against the top of the seat’s headrest.

Why? Why go that far? Is Mirai so special that you would risk my life, your life, and your brother’s life too?

I opened my eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.

My gods, Erina. What have you dragged me into?

Straus cut in smoothly into my thinking. “Isabel, listen to me carefully.”

I swallowed but continued looking up at the ceiling as I nodded. “I’m listening….”

“The Sanreals are watching you. They are watching me. They are watching Erina. They are watching how you behave around her. They are watching the decisions you make. They are considering how much or how little control Erina has over you.”

I lowered my gaze and met Straus’s eyes.

Those perfectly realistic yet mechanical eyes held my gaze, ensuring that he had my full attention as he folded his arms across his chest.

“If you continue to challenge Erina the way you have been, they will make a judgement call, an executive decision, and take matters into their own hands. They will take you away from Erina.”

He paused and I knew what was coming.

“Isabel, they will box you.”

---

My deepest apologies for posting this after such a long break.
This part of the chapter require a large amount of work in order to get it up to scratch. There were a lot of issues with it that my editor and I had to work through.

However, we managed to get through it.

I just want to assure readers that I have not abandoned the series. Nor do I have any plans to abandon it.

As always, if you'd like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Thank you for giving this series a chance.

If you feel other people may enjoy it, please, let them know. The more the merrier.

Best wishes to you all.

Chapter 6.

– I –

Was I at risk of losing everything?

Had I gained nothing after winning my fight against the Gun Queen?

Just what had I achieved? What had I earned for myself?

As my questioning thoughts slowly drifted through my mind, the empty, hollow feeling in my chest returned, making it hard to breathe as though my lungs were being distended by the vacuum within me.

I swallowed hard a few times, and tried to regain control of my breathing.

I understood that the emptiness was born from the oppressive feeling of being trapped, walled in from all sides, with no way out of my situation.

I realized then that to some degree I was already boxed.

No matter the choices that I made, I was a captive of the Sanreals and House Novis.

While I was of value to them because of the Angel Fibers, I was also their gladiatrix and slave, and there was no freedom in that. And while there was no going back to my previous existence, going forward would only be on their terms. Thus, my life was not mine to live because my existence belonged to them.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I gripped the edge of the table and fought down a new sensation – the urge to retch.

“Isabel? Isabel. Isabel--stop!”

A loud crack startled me and I opened my eyes to see Straus leaning over the table, grabbing onto my arms. But the damage was done. The long edge of the table had been snapped by the pressure my fingers had applied to it. It hadn’t broken away, but there was a lengthy crack in its surface that would be impossible to miss.

Straus’s gaze worked its way from the table to my hands, up my arms, and eventually onto my face.

Through my hazy consciousness, I thought I glimpsed a flicker of fear in his eyes – quite extraordinary since he wasn’t a boy of flesh and blood – before his lips set into a thin angry line. Then he grabbed a pancake from the small pile the waitress had delivered as part of the breakfast order, and unceremoniously shoved it into my mouth.

“Eat,” he commanded, before exiting the booth.

Circling around to my side, he grabbed me by an arm, then picked up the plate with the pancakes on them before dragging me out of the booth.

“Let’s go.”

With my mind in a foggy state, I failed to put up a struggle, and was thereby pulled toward the exit of the café by Straus.

In the waiting area, Straus instructed me gruffly, “Wait here”, then hurried off to pay for breakfast.

My mind may have been addled and fuzzy, but my body recognized its need for food.

Thus, I distractedly munched on the pancake sticking out of my mouth.

Swallowing it down seconds later, I watched Straus pay for breakfast and then hurry back to me with a paper bag containing our pancake order and a few other bits, though I would need to look in the bag to know what they were.

“Come on,” Straus said as he passed me by, dropping the bag into my hands.

With a little food working its way down toward my stomach, my emotions a tad more settled, and my mind a little clearer, I followed him out of the café onto the sidewalk.

It seemed that nothing had changed during the time we’d spent inside the café.

The city sidewalk was as busy as ever as people hurried to work.

I didn’t need a wristwatch to tell the time. Mirai’s wetware informed me with a thought pulse that it was now 9:15 am, and since most companies were in business by 9:00 am, I figured a great many people were either going to be late, or they had more flexible schedules than I
knew of. But all of this was of little consequence to me as I merged with the flowing sidewalk traffic and then followed Straus down the district block.

All the while, my mind was slowly picking up the pace as it chugged away at various trains of thought. But it wasn’t until we reached an intersection and waited for the light to change in our favor, that I reached out and yanked Straus by the arm.

Startled and wary, Straus regarded me with caution in his eyes.

“What if I took her offer?” I asked loud enough to be heard above the surrounding din of vehicular traffic and people. Seeing the faint confusion on his face, I added, “What if I accepted Tabitha’s offer to fight for Cardinal?”

The confusion in his eyes turned to restrained alarm. “That would be a mistake.”

“Why?”.

“Because she lied to you.”

“About what?”

“About Cardinal.” Straus shook his head. “There is no division of the Battle Commission by that name.”

“There’s no Cardinal—?”

“There is no Cardinal division. But there is a House Alus Cardinal.”

I released his arm, and my arm fell away limply. “What?”

“Taura Hexaria Erz Cardinal. That’s her name. That’s who she is.”

I stared at him with disbelief on my face, but deep down I wasn’t surprised to learn that she had lied to me like so many people thus far.

Was it so unexpected to learn that one more liar had entered the fray?

Indeed, it wasn’t, yet nonetheless I couldn’t help feeling acutely disappointed in her.

Perhaps my thoughts were written on my face, because after a moment or two, Straus gave me a sympathetic look. “I’ll tell you more later. For now, let’s keep moving.”

I swallowed, pushing down my disillusioned, slightly bitter feelings, and hesitantly asked, “Wh—Where are we going?”

Straus pressed his lips tightly together before waving a hand eastward. “You know the gardens by the harbor waterfront?”

I nodded. “Of course, I do.”

“Well, I thought you could do with some fresh air.”

I stared at him, my mind still rocking after hearing of Tabitha’s deceit, and wondered what his angle was. However, before I could come to any conclusion or guesses, the traffic light changed, and once again we were swept across a wide street by a torrent of pedestrians rushing to work.

Eventually, after a fifteen-minute walk where I trailed behind Straus while weaving between people, and clutching my bag of pancakes tightly to my chest, I noticed the sidewalk traffic thin out dramatically the farther we travelled east toward the harbor, taking with it the oppressive feeling
of being walled in from all sides. A short while later we escaped from the shadows of Ar Telica’s towering megascrapers and left the frantic commuters behind when we crossed a multi-lane avenue into a strip of sparse parkland running north-to-south before the harbor.

It was only then that I relaxed my grip on my pancakes.

There was another avenue to cross before we arrived at the narrow parkland that paralleled much of the harbor foreshore.

I followed Straus to a picnic area encircled by a sparse tree line.

A few people wandered through the parkland, some walking their dogs, others using the wide paved path between the park and sea wall as a jogging track.

Straus headed for an empty table with bench seats a lthat was a little way away from the other deserted tables in the clearing.

“Wait here,” he instructed, then hurried off at a jog to a row of vending machines about a hundred feet away.

I sat down at the bench table, and threw a glare at his back as I opened up my bag of pancakes, annoyed at being ordered around.

I failed to quash my feelings, but I did manage to lid them as I looked inside the bag and found about a dozen pancakes, a handful of paper serviettes, and a couple of sealed plastic cupcake containers filled with jam. After emptying the bag of its contents, I flattened it and used it as a placemat. Then I opened one of the jam containers, and poured a little of the rich strawberry sauce onto a pancake. Rolling it up carefully, I then speared it into my open mouth, and ate it in a hurry.

However, I took my time with the next pancake.

By then, Straus had returned with an armload of soda cans that he quickly placed before me on the table top.

“I didn’t know what you preferred,” he admitted, “so I bought the popular brands.”

I swept my gaze over them, then chose a soda can with lively green and white livery. “Thanks…,” I grumbled as I popped it open.

Straus rested his arms on the tabletop after sitting down opposite me at the picnic table.

I devoured a third pancake, then washed it down with a mouthful of soda before slamming the can onto the table.

I threw a dark glare at Straus who watched me with a keenness that was making me uncomfortable as well as irritated.

“Tell me about Cardinal,” I demanded in a low grumble. “Tell me the truth.”

Straus gathered himself by straightening for a moment then leaning forward, once again resting his weight on his elbows.

“House Alus Cardinal fought in the war in support of Kateopia. After the war, and after House Novis’ fall from grace, they gained Kateopia’s ear and have since been her closest allies. When Kateopia wanted to exile House Novis for their genocidal act of wiping out House Patraeon, it was House Cardinal who swayed her decision.”

I arched an eyebrow at Straus. “So they’re allies of House Novis?”

He snorted curtly. “Hardly.” After shaking his head, he said, “No, they’re rivals and not the friendly sort.” He paused for a second with an uncertain expression before continuing. “After the war, Taura and her sister Alexia, competed in the Gun Princess Royales held in their universe and ours. They won the respective championships, earning House Cardinal a generous amount of prestige as well as two wishes granted by the Empress. They rose from the noble rank of Catun to Alus in one fell swoop. Ever since then, they’ve been holding onto that rank by supporting the Empress both publicly and privately.”

I slowly swallowed down my fifth pancake, and noticed the image of Ghost standing idly behind Straus, nodding slowly as though confirming what Straus had just told me.

“You know a lot about them,” I pointed out coldly.

“I know what I’ve been told,” he replied easily, shrugging off the frigid look I was giving him.

“So why did she do it?”

He looked bemused for a moment. “Why did she make you that offer?”

I nodded.

Straus shrugged a shoulder. “You would have discovered the truth sooner or later. I guess she was testing your commitment to House Novis.”

“As if I ever had a choice.”

Straus made an odd expression with his lips as he looked away while pondering my remark. “I don’t know about that. It’s one thing for the Empress to steal you away from House Novis, but it’s another for her to tempt you away through House Cardinal. If you left of your own will, I have no idea what would happen to you.” He shrugged both shoulders this time. “I don’t know what House Novis would do if you betrayed them.”

“Betray? Are you serious?”

Straus gave me a dry look. “You know what I mean.”

Yes, I did. But nonetheless, I didn’t appreciate him phrasing the situation that way.

I cleared my throat with another mouthful of soda from the aluminum can. Putting it back down on the table, I favored a glare upon Straus. “It would have been nice if I’d known all this before I ran into her again.”

Straus folded his arms on the tabletop. “You’ve been a little hard to talk to you—what with you running away by jumping off balconies.”

I started to grimace in response but stopped myself quickly.

He had a point. I wasn’t exactly being accommodating, but they were to blame.

“Maybe if you’d treated me better I wouldn’t have had a reason to run away. You ever consider that?” I asked him brusquely.

Straus pressed his lips together tightly. “Are you angry about the way she shouted at you?”

“Oh, I’m definitely not going to forgive or forget her shouting at me.” I folded up my sixth pancake after moistening it liberally with strawberry sauce from the second container. “But I haven’t decided how I’m going to pay her back for treating me like dirt—”

“She was protecting me.”

He said it so smoothly, so matter-of-factly, that it stopped me cold with the pancake at my open mouth.

“What?”

“She was protecting me, Isabel.”

I lowered the pancake away from my mouth. “Protecting you from whom?”

“From you.”

A dark frown furrowed my brow. “Why? I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

Straus shook his head slowly. “She was afraid of how the Angel Fibers in my body would react to you.”

For a short while, I forgot about the pancake in my hand until I felt the strawberry sauce trickle onto my fingers.

I had little choice but to it quickly, wipe my hands on a paper serviette, then wash down the pancake by gulping down mouthfuls of soda.

Planting the can back on the table, I narrowed my eyes at Straus. “Care to explain?”

Straus opened his mouth but then glanced away westward in the direction of the city.

Standing behind him, Ghost did the same and a grave look spread across his face. “Princess, I would advise you to remain calm.”

I couldn’t reply to him without giving him away, but I was also curious and concerned by the manner in which both Ghost and Straus were looking off in the direction of the city.

Somewhat reluctantly, I turned my head and followed their line of sight.

Standing beside the door of a sleek, low slung sports car, was my former sister, dressed in casual black slacks, white high heels, and a white blouse with ruffled sleeves and neckline.

As usual since our reunion, Erina looked like she’d stepped out of a magazine reporting on Ar Telica’s upper class society, and indeed she was since her fiancé was none other than Simon Sanreal, eldest son of the extravagantly rich Sanreal Family. Even from a distance, I could see the sparkle of her engagement ring as it caught the morning sunlight.

When our eyes met, Erina pushed herself away from the matt silver sports car, and began walking toward us.

At that moment, I heard Straus curse softly under his breath. Again, I found that quite impressive for a remote operated machine.

Rising from the bench seat, Straus bade me, “Wait here,” then quickly walked to intercept Erina long before she could arrive at the table.

I decided to continue eating my remaining pancakes, though hunger had deserted me at sight of the woman that I despised.

“Ghost, did you tell Straus where to find me?”

In the corner of my eye, I watched him glance at me. “Aye, Princess.”

“You used Tabitha’s phone, right?”

“Aye….”

“You are a sneaky bastard.”

“Princess, I was concerned about Taura Hexaria and the lies she was feeding you.”

“But you didn’t tell me it was a lie.”

“No. Had I done so, and had you confronted her with the truth, it would have diverted her from her objective. I wanted your reactions to be completely natural to her offer.”

“So you were testing me, just like Tabitha was testing me.”

“I was observing you, my Princess.”

I took the time to eat my seventh and final pancake, drank liberally from the soda can, then burped quite un-lady like. “Ghost, whose side are you on?”

“Yours, Princess.”

Tidying up after myself, I placed the unused serviettes into a skirt pocket and the empty strawberry sauce containers into the paper bag before rolling it up.

Then I looked at Ghost and shook my head slowly at him for a short while.

“No. You’re on Clarisol’s side.”

For an Artificial Awareness, regardless of its origins, Ghost displayed a remarkable human reaction – a faintly pained expression that briefly flickered across his face.

After holding his gaze with an unwavering stare, I sighed, and Ghost chose that moment to reply.

“Princess, I hold both yours and Clarisol’s interest at heart.”

“Is that so….”

I turned away from him, proverbially turning my back to him, and waited with forced calm for Erina and Straus to arrive at the picnic table.

Wisely, Erina chose to stop several feet away from me, while Straus assumed a position that would allow him to step between us with only a couple of strides.

Erina watched me with an unreadable expression, but I had no doubt the wheels were churning madly in her head as she played out various opening exchanges in her mind.

I didn’t.

I simply waited for her opening move, and would play the rest by ear and gut intuition.

True, I wasn’t one for strategizing.

Wetting her lips, Erina broke her silence with a gentle tone that immediately had me wondering what the game was.

“You look good in uniform,” she observed.

“Thanks. Tabitha said it was tailor made.”

Not entirely true, but she did admit to knowing my sizes.

Erina grew rigid for a mere heartbeat. It was so faint and quick that I had I not been looking at her keenly, it would have escaped my notice.

But I’d mentioned Tabitha deliberately to gauge her reaction.

I see. Straus was right. There’s no love between House Novis and House Cardinal.

Then I had another thought.

Does Erina see herself as a member of House Novis…or the Sanreal Family?

I turned on the bench seat, straddling it with my legs such that I was now facing her properly.

Erina didn’t appear to approve of my decision, sparing my skirt a pointed glance.

I smirked inwardly. “I take it Straus told you about my encounter with her?”

“She did.”

I considered how easily she had replied.

Was she listening in on our conversation?

I glanced at Straus.

That’s a mechanical avatar. Does that mean Erina can see and hear whatever Straus sees and hears through the avatar’s senses? Was she watching me through the avatar’s eyes?

I chose to proceed under that assumption as I leaned forward slightly toward Erina.

“So, give me your honest opinion. Should I take up her offer?”

“That would be problematic.”

I snorted and then broke into a strained laugh. “So I’ve been told….”

Erina had been standing with her hands folded lightly over her midriff, but now she chose to fold her arms under her breasts. “Are you considering it?”

I inhaled slow and deep, thinking my answer over. “No.”

“May I ask why not?”

“Because she wasn’t honest with me. So I have no reason to trust her offer. End of story.”

“…I see….”

I made a show of frowning up at her. “Do you?” Miming the act of moving game pieces on a board, I asked her, “Have you played out the
situation all the way to checkmate? Do you know what I’ll do next?”

Erina pursed her lips and didn’t reply.

“Why are you here?” I asked. It was what I should have asked first, but I’d been playing my opening moves in response to hers.

“I came to talk.”

This time I made a show of looking surprised. Then I sneered at her. “To talk and not shout at me?”

“Isabel, there are things I must explain to you.”

Still sitting astride the bench seat, I leaned back, resting my weight on my arms stretched out behind me. “I’m listening.”

“You are aware that Akane’s body contains the Angel Fibers.”

I gently nodded once. “Yes, she’s Prototype One.”

A faint wince flickered across Erina’s lips before she swallowed and continued. “I don’t know what effect the presence of your body will have on the Angel Fibers.”

I raised my chin slightly. “You mean when I’m close to her?”

“Correct. You told me that the Angel Fibers in the ampules reacted to your presence—to your intentions.”

This time, my nod wasn’t so certain as I remembered the tiny sparkling particles swimming in that silver sea within the ampule.

Erina sounded cautious as she continued. “I reacted out of fear…fear of not knowing what would happen to her. For that, I’m sorry.”

My eyebrows rose markedly toward my hairline. “Are you apologizing?”

Erina wet her lips again. “Akane is a dear friend. I wanted to save her. But instead I almost killed her.”

I was puzzled.

Was Erina apologizing to me or wasn’t she? Granted, she did say she was sorry, but was she now rationalizing why she’d yelled at me?

I decided not to ask her again because it seemed she wasn’t done talking.

“I got ahead of myself,” Erina continued. “I was reckless, overconfident, desperate, and I made a mistake…one that almost killed her. And now she lives with the consequences of my mistake.”

In my peripheral vision, I noticed Straus flinch faintly. For a moment, I thought he would break his silence but instead he pressed his lips tightly together and said nothing.

However, it made me wonder if Straus didn’t agree with Erina blaming herself, and so I said, “Akane told me you saved her.”

“Saved her?” Erina swallowed quietly and looked faintly pained as she glanced at Straus standing silently off to a side. “I didn’t save her. Her condition no longer deteriorates, but neither does it improve. And you’ve seen how the Angel Fibers have disfigured her.”

I read Erina’s regret in her voice, and it distracted me a little because it irked me to believe she would care more about someone who wasn’t family – that she would care more about Straus than about me.

Then again, I wasn’t family to her.

I was her creation.

And yet, didn’t that also make me her child, or was I just the monster to her Victor Frankenstein?

I expelled a loud sigh. “Yeah…breaks my heart….”

And there it was, a flicker of anger in Erina’s eyes, and I had my answer.

It was the answer I had expected, yet heartache made my chest tighten. In response, I clenched my hands on the bench seat, and bit down hard on the inside of my mouth, the pain of which distracted me from the emotional anguish, allowing me to pull myself together after an irrational moment of weakness where part of me had held a fragile hope that I meant more to Erina than Akane Straus.

How very stupid of me….

When I’d regained a grip on my composure, I leaned forward on the bench seat. “If that’s an apology…you need to work on it.”

Then I swung a leg over the seat, stood up, and with hands on hips, I fixed a cold glare on Erina.

“Now, tell me why you’re really here because I don’t believe for a frekking heartbeat that it was just to apologize.”

Erina stepped closer but stopped a couple of meters shy of me.

“You’ve been making waves,” she said. “And that’s made some people unhappy with you…and me.”

“Your Sanreal masters?” I scoffed at her.

“They’re your masters, too.”

She said it matter-of-factly, and I bristled at her, but then I saw worry in her eyes – real worry – and it stalled my retort somewhere in my throat.

They will box you.

Perhaps Erina guessed at my thoughts, because she nodded subtly.

But more so, I was certain now that Erina had been following the conversation with Straus. However, I wasn’t sure if she had done so with Straus’s knowledge or consent. The reason that I doubted the two were on the same page was because Straus had looked shocked to see Erina waiting by her car, and now she was watching Erina with poorly veiled suspicion.

Thus, it could be that things weren’t kosher between them, but was this something I could use to my advantage?

I chose to shelve the possibility for later consideration, and gave Erina my full attention. I was facing a grand master after all.

“Cut to the chase, Erina. I don’t have all day.”

“Neither do I,” she replied.

“So let’s hear it then.”

“The Sanreal Family isn’t happy with your lack of co-operation.”

“You have a hand in that.”

She nodded faintly. “Agreed. Managing you has been unexpectedly difficult.”

I smiled angrily at Erina. “Managing me?”

“I am your Guardian.”

“Managing me?” I repeated, twisting my lips into a rictus grin.

Erina paused and took a deep breath. “He wants to speak with you.”

“Who?”

“The head of the Sanreal Family…and House Novis”

My eyes widened in response to the sudden anxious pang I felt in my chest. “Phelan Sanreal Erz Novis…?”

Erina gave me a subdued nod, her expression grim. “Isabel, I came here to pick you up. To take you to him.”

“In that case,” Straus suddenly moved between Erina and I, his attention directed toward where Erina had parked her car in the narrow street between the two strips of parkland. “What are they doing here?”

Erina glanced first at Straus, then half turned to look over her right shoulder in the direction of her car.

I diverted my gaze as well, and in the distance I saw numerous men and women in black business suits disembarking from a trio of equally dark suburban vehicles that gave off the impression they were both heavy and armored.

“Damn it,” Erina hissed, then spun around to point sharply at me. “Don’t even think about running away! Not this time. You stay right there!”

I snarled at her while clenching and unclenching my hands. “Yelling at me again?”

“This is for your own good, Isabel. I am not joking around. You run away now—you make a single wrong move, and this will not end well. I mean it.”

I made a point of sweeping my gaze over my surroundings. “Why? Are they going to try something out here? In a public place? With these people around?”

“Public or not, it won’t make a difference. Trust me on this!”

“Why the Hell should I?”

Erina surprised me but stepping right up to me. “Listen to me, Isabel. If you only ever listen to me once—do it this time.”

I stared slightly up at her with swirling emotions, some of which burned my innards while others chilled me.

“Don’t—go—anywhere,” she instructed and with those words, Erina strode off in the direction of the waiting men and women clad in black business suits and dark sunglasses.

However, Straus chose to wait behind with an anxious expression directed at the sinister newcomers.

Ghost stepped into my peripheral vision. “Princess, I strongly urge you to heed her advice.”

“Why?” I asked softly, barely even a whisper.

“I fear you are being watched from above.”

“…what…?” I looked up but could see nothing but a partly overcast morning sky. “…what are you talking about…?”

“Princess, you are aware that I am able to infiltrate photronic systems within your vicinity.”

I muttered a reply with a whisper that even I barely heard. “Yeah, you mentioned that before.”

“The truth is that I use the wetware in your head as a node point. From there, I can connect to the surrounding grid.”

I felt my eyes widen a little. “You’re using me like a part of a network.”

“Correct. I am tethering myself to you from within the Sarcophagus.”

I lowered my whisper to a hiss. “You’re using me like a smartphone?”

“Indeed. Through you, I am able to establish a connection to the grid surrounding you.”

I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath. “You can’t do it directly from the Sarcophagus?”

“No, I am not that omnipotent. But since I am streaming through you, the vast bulk of my processing power is within the Sarcophagus so it does not tax your wetware.”

“How comforting,” I whispered as I folded my arms under my bust. “So? So what?”

“By using the parkland’s surveillance grid, I have been able to redirect a handful of the cameras to the buildings across the street to the west of us.”

“And…?”

“And I have noticed someone on the seventeenth floor of the building due west of your position.”

I opened my eyes, blinking twice to clear my vision, then focused on the building Ghost’s projection was pointing toward.

“There, Princess, on that garden balcony.”

I squinted and focused hard in the direction he was pointing.

The permaglass of the building’s façade was coated with an anti-reflective material that prevented the sun from reflecting harshly off its surface.

The same could be said for the sniping scope mounted atop a rifle aimed in my direction. Because they were making use of the garden on the balcony to hide themselves, I couldn’t determine what kind of weapon they were aiming at me, nor could I see the sniper, but I felt it hardly mattered.

“…wonderful…,” I breathed out softly, then noticed Straus giving me a curious look.

“What are you mumbling about?” he asked.

“Did you know about this?” I asked in reply.

Straus looked troubled before shaking his head tightly. “No.”

I tipped my head away from him. “Oh? They pulled a fast one on you and Erina? Blindsided, were we?”

“Damn well looks that way,” he replied and turned back to look at Erina in discussion with one of the men in dark suits.

“Who are they? Sanreal hunting dogs?”

Straus gave me a reproachful glance. “Sanreal executive security.”

I pouted for a moment before asking, “Are they human or Simulacra?”

Straus glanced at me again, curiously this time. “Can’t you tell? I thought that was your talent.”

“It is. But I can’t use it from this distance,” I lied. “I need to get closer.”

Then the proverbial penny dropped and I felt a chill run through me.

Does she know about my ability to see the aura around living things? When did she find out? Or was she referring to something else I can do?

I stared at Straus with a modicum of suspicion, but he didn’t appear to notice as he hurriedly stepped between me and the executive security personnel in the distance.

“Oh no, no, no!” he cried out. “You’re not going anywhere—certainly not over there. You’re waiting right here with me.”

Staring at him askance, I slowly pushed my suspicions aside as I planted my hands on my hips. “The Sanreals have come for me, right?”

He exhaled loudly and his shoulders slumped slightly in resignation. “More than likely.”

“So there’s a chance they came for someone else.”

He exhaled again, and nodded subtly on this occasion. “It’s possible they came for your sister. But I believe they came here for you.”

I held back a frown.

Would they really come for Erina? Does that mean they suspect her…?

Raising my chin slightly, I continued to look sidelong at Straus. “Then does that mean they came for Isabel val Sanreal, or for Mirai?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s find out,” I suggested smoothly.

“Nope. No way. We wait here.”

I shook my head and turned my head toward Straus, adding with a smile, “Show a little backbone.”

“Courage is not the problem.”

“Then what’s the problem? Is it the sniper aiming at me from the building across the street?”

Straus’s eyes widened so much I could see the whites surrounding the irises. “What?”

I broadened my smile and pointed in the direction of the building where the sniper was hiding. “They’re over there. Seventeenth floor.”

As Straus turned to look where I was indicating with an outstretched arm and finger, I slipped around him and strode quickly toward Erina and the executive security people. As I walked across the strip of parkland, I made it a point to wave at the sniper hiding on the garden balcony.

“I can see you,” I mouthed in their direction.

In the event they couldn’t read lips, I made matters clearer by pointing at my eyes then I pointed at them.

Straus ran ahead of me and then stopped to block my path. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

I looked at him innocently. “I told you. I’m going to find out if they came for me.”

Straus shook his head quickly. “You can find that out soon enough. Let Erina handle this.”

I dipped my head at him. “Are you worried about the sniper?”

“Yeah, I’m worried. And how the Hell did you know there’s a sniper out there?”

I arched my eyebrows. “You saw them.”

He nodded stiffly. “Yeah, I saw them. Now how did you know they were there?”

“My invisible friend told me.”

“Your what?” Straus made no effort to hide his confusion.

I sighed and smiled thinly up at him. “Don’t you have one too?”

“I most certainly do not.”

Again, I sighed. “Straus, I know you’re worried. But trust me. I’m not going to make any sudden moves.”

“You don’t need to go over there.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?”

Straus was looking and sounding frustrated with me.

In contrast, I was mildly surprised by how calm I sounded, and it seemed to frustrate Straus even more. “Because I’ve been doing this too often.”

“Doing what—misbehaving?”

“No,” I shook my head gently. “Running away.”

The noticeable scowl he’d been wearing slowly faded off his face.

I sighed a third time, and felt it was once too often but it was already out the door. “Straus, I ran away from Erina. I ran away from the students in the stairwell. I ran away from Tabitha.”

“I had something to do with that,” he admitted, sounding contrite.

Shaking my head again, I said, “I could have stopped you. In fact, I did stop you.”

“So what are you saying?”

“That I’m not going to run away from the Sanreals.” I jutted my chin in Erina’s direction. “I’m going over there as Isabel val
Sanreal. If Daddy Dearest wants to meet me, then who am I turn down his invitation?” I grinned at Straus. “As the saying goes, take me to your leader.”

“I don’t think you’re using it in the right context.”

My grin ebbed away as I shrugged a shoulder. “Whatever. You get what I mean.”

“Yeah…I do.”

“So…are you going to be a good boy and escort me over there?” I glanced in the sniper’s direction. “Like I said, I won’t make any sudden moves, but I’m not going to be putting my hands on the back of my head.”

For a long while, Straus looked over his shoulder at the building across the street. Eventually, he turned away and paid Erina and company a tense glance before facing me.

“No sudden moves. Right?” he asked.

“No sudden moves,” I affirmed, then tossed my hair like I’d seen some of the girls of Telos Academy do. “Well, let’s go meet the family.”

Straus looked disappointed at my effort. “You need a lot more practice.”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Care to teach me?”

He pointed at himself. “Not like this I’m not. But I’m sure we can find you a few instructional holovids on how to be a spoilt Princess.”

“I just want to learn how to toss my hair.”

Straus looked puzzled. “Truthfully, I’m surprised to hear you say that. It’s not something I expected to come from you.”

My breath caught in my chest as I realized what he meant.

He’s right. Why am I choosing to act like a girl now?

Feeling my emotions sower, I humphed bitterly, and then stormed around him.

Straus fell into step beside me a couple of seconds later, sounding clearly uneasy as I cut a beeline toward Erina and the Sanreal security people. “You will try to behave, right?”

“I’m going to be the perfect spoilt princess,” I grumbled under my breath.

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

---

Sorry this took a couple of weeks to post.
I'd like to thank all the readers who are still following this for sticking with it.
I know it feels like torture at times, so you have my sincere gratitude for taking the time to read this latest installment.

As always, if you'd like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Thank you for giving this series a chance.

If you feel other people may enjoy it, please, let them know. The more the merrier.

Best wishes to you all.

Chapter 6.
– II –

One young man with a long sandy hair, a medium build, and fine facial features stood apart from the other security personnel, and it wasn’t because he was nearest to Erina.

Nor was it the easy manner in which he conversed with her, standing casually as though he was chatting to an old friend…an old friend that looked less than pleased to see him.

It certainly wasn’t his slightly unkempt appearance, the tad bedraggled way he wore his suit, or his tie hanging loosely from his neck.

No.

He stood apart because I sensed something different in him – something I felt deep in my gut, in my bones, in the muscles wrapped around them, and in the faint hairs along the nape of my neck.

It was the impression that we had met before, but I couldn’t call it déjà vu.

Rather, it was a sense of knowing him on a deeper level than just a passing glance or brief encounter, as though my body recalled an unpleasant experience at his hands.

I came to a stop several feet away from him, with Straus a couple of feet off to my right.

Erina, standing about two meters away from the young man, stared at me in disbelief that quickly turned to anger. But before she could chastise or berate me for disobeying her instruction, the young man reached up, removed his sunglasses, and met my eyes.

At that moment, as our gazes touched upon each other, something inside of me was unlocked, and invisible shackles I’d been unaware of suddenly fell away. However, the deep unease I’d been feeling all the way down to my bones now jumped up a rung, and a chill slithered its way down my back.

The impression that I knew this young man, that there was history between us, grew stronger.

A faint smile curved his lips as he cocked his head slightly and regarded me for a silent moment.

“So you’re Isabel.”

His voice was quiet and yet it carried, tickling my senses with that damnable feeling that I somehow knew him despite having no memories of him.

He turned his body toward me, pocketing his sunglasses into his shirt’s breast pocket.

“But if you’re Isabel…where’s Mirai?”

It was extraordinary how swiftly he moved.

The moment the words slipped past his lips, his right hand dove in and out of his jacket with no noticeable acceleration.

Normally when someone moves, no matter how quickly, their limbs will visibly accelerate. But with him it was as though his arm had already gone past the accelerate stage and straight into maximum velocity. It was one of those ‘blink’ and you’ll miss it moments, or rather, it was as though that moment had been cut out from the flow of time, causing the scene to jump as though a dozen or more frames were missing.

Regardless, this lack of discernible acceleration threw me off and was the primary reason why my reaction trailed behind his by a wide margin.

However, even if I reacted a late, I wasn’t going to stand still and do nothing because despite his incredible speed, he had yet to aim his weapon at me, and that gave me a narrow window of time within which to counter him.

From a standing start, I bolted forward like lightning toward him.

I felt as light as a feather as my right foot touched ground, a millisecond before I kicked upwards with my left foot.

It connected with his right hand, throwing off his aim, and the black sidearm he held discharged a small round that sailed over my left shoulder.

It certainly felt like it missed my left ear by millimeters, and might have taken some of my raven hair with it.

As expected, the moment he reached for his gun, Mirai transformed from blonde to brunette.

In other words, she had powered up in the blink of an eye.

With my senses sharpened to a razors edge, I was able to perceive him and my surroundings with remarkable clarity.

In my peripheral vision I could also see the lifeforce surrounding Erina who appeared frozen in shock, her mouth slightly ajar. But her lack of movement was simply because time had slowed down for me. My Awareness was overclocked and yet I noticed it wasn’t the same as I had experienced when I fought the Gun Queen.

Time seemed to be moving slower.

Rather than at a quarter speed, it felt as though time had slowed five-fold.

And there was something else that was different.

For a brief moment, my body had moved in harmony with my overclocked mind. As a consequence, my left leg must have blurred in real time as I kicked the gun upwards.

It was this unexpected acceleration that saved me from injury.

That said, pain lanced through my left foot, and to my consternation, the agony faded slowly while my consciousness was overclocked.

But I didn’t have time to dwell on the pain.

I had avoided the first shot, but I wasn’t ‘out-of-the-woods’ yet.

Despite the heavy blow I’d dealt his hand, the bastard still held onto the gun.

I was surprised by that.

Considering that I hadn’t held back, I expected his wrist to have broken when I landed the upward kick.

No matter. If I hadn’t disarmed him then, I was committed to disarming him with my next kick, or the next one, otherwise I ran the risk of taking a bullet from his gun.

And equally as I was intent of relieving him of his weapon, I sensed he was intent upon shooting me.

Behind these concerns was another and it bothered me as much as it puzzled me.

My body was performing actions ingrained upon it.

It was adhering to techniques that had been honed through countless hours of training, and yet I no conscious memories of ever having performed physical training of the kind that would turn my legs into lethal weapons. It reminded me of Mirai’s skillful operation of firearms as though she’d been using them for years. However, operating weapons wasn’t the same as executing precise martial actions.

So why was I able to do so?

With my left foot back on the ground, I pivoted on it as I swung my right foot around in a fast arc.

I had to kick high because his right arm had yet to come down.

Fortunately, I was wearing a skirt that fluttered upwards and didn’t impede my movements.

Unfortunately, said skirt was short and held nothing back as my slender, toned leg scythed through the air.

With time moving slowly for me, I had plenty of time to observe his reaction.

As expected, his attention focused on the racy black panties I was wearing.

His eyebrows shot up in slow motion as his eyes widened.

Damn that Tabitha!

I imagined his memory taking rapid snaps of the vista between my legs even while the side of my foot succeeded in knocking his arm wide.

If this is going to be norm, I’m going to start wearing shorts under my skirt!

Using the kick’s momentum, I continued turning my body, pivoting on my right foot as soon as it touched ground, and lashing out with my left leg.

Again, I gave him a view to remember and write home about as my skirt billowed upwards.

Tomorrow—no, today—I’m wearing shorts!

The kick I delivered planted my left foot into the young man’s belly, and the impact knocked him back several feet into the flank of the black SUV parked behind him.

But like Newton said, for every reaction there’s an equal and opposite reaction, and I felt as though I’d kicked a wall as I rebounded away from the young man.

I had to spin my body in order to regain my balance, and quickly dropped into an offensive stance, determined to charge into him while he was still addled.

But as I leapt forward, I noticed something strange about the aura surrounding his body – it wasn’t complete.

What the Hell is he?

I avoided crashing into him as I grabbed onto his arms, preventing him from aiming the gun at me, but I immediately felt something was wrong and panic began to gnaw at my consciousness.

Gods damn it—why is he so strong?

Tabitha had said I was six or seven times stronger than a girl my size. But it was taking every ounce of that strength to compensate for the difference in mass between us as I pinned him against the dented side of the black suburban.

Wait a minute—the car is dented?

His eyes met mine as they were widening in surprise and confusion, and through the lifeforce radiating from them I could tell they were real.

“What are you?” I hissed through clenched teeth, my breath coming in short and fast due to the effort I was exerting as I pressed him into the suburban.

And yet he was breathing easily as though he was standing leisurely with his back against the vehicle.

I sucked in air, then cried out, “Answer me—”

Distracted by the aura I was seeing, I didn’t notice him bring up a leg until I was winded by his knee burying itself into my gut.

Doubled over, I tightened my stomach muscles, and refused to let go of his arms.

But when I sensed his knee come up again for a second strike, I straightened hastily and then darted back by kicking off against the side of the suburban.

I avoided his effort to hit me, but I released his arms in the process.

However, I had one more desperate move up my sleeve.

As I retreated from him, I grabbed his gun and twisted it harshly with all the grip strength my left hand could muster.

Since he wasn’t going to let it go, then the least I could do was render it inoperable.

It wasn’t my first time wrecking a handgun.

I had twisted and bent Straus’s firearm back on the landing platform, although on that occasion I’d had the luxury of time on my side.

That wasn’t the case now.

I’d have a second at best during which to break my opponent’s handgun.

But I was determined to wreck the weapon so I gave the gun a vicious twist as I leapt backwards.

I landed around ten or eleven feet away from him. With a glance, I took stock of the situation around me.

The security personnel had drawn their sidearms and were aiming them at me. In response, Straus had yanked Erina out of harm’s way, and retreated out of the line of fire. Now he was shielding her behind his body.

I could understand him wanting to protect her from stray gunfire, but it needled my ego.

Hey—shouldn’t you be protecting me? I’m you’re hope, aren’t I?

Movement caught my attention, dragging my focus back onto the young man I’d grappled with.

I was already on edge, but felt even more uneasy at sight of him slightly buried into the side of the large black suburban.

He’s alive but he’s not human either.

I frowned at another possibility as I considered his incomplete aura.

Wait a minute—could he be human after all?

He gave the mangled gun in his hand a sour look. “Damn, I really liked that gun.”

Tossing it down onto the grass, he then pushed himself free of the vehicle’s warped door.

“Damn, you kick hard,” he muttered.

Once free of the suburban, he raised his hands at the surrounding security personnel.

“Stand down,” he called out. “I said, stand down. No harm done. Everybody relax.”

I couldn’t tell if the order included me, but I had no intention of dropping my guard, and I assumed a slightly crouched defensive stance.

Most of my attention remained focused on him, though I could see the security agents in my peripheral vision continue to aim their sidearms at me in defiance of his order.

The young man had sounded faintly amused before, but now impatience darkened his tone. “I said, stand down. That’s an order. If I have to repeat myself, I’m going to be mad.”

Shifting my gaze slightly to the left and right, I watched the dark suited men and women slowly, reluctantly holster their weapons.

“That’s better,” he remarked with a thin smile of approval that quickly grew cruel. “But I’m going to have you running fifty laps around the compound when we get back. Disobey me again and I’ll make it a hundred.”

As he took a long stride away from the side of the suburban, I now clearly saw the depression his body had made into the doors and B-pillar.

“What are you?” I loudly asked him, falling well short of a yell.

The young man frowned curiously at me for a second or two but didn’t answer.

I swallowed quickly and pressed on. “I know you’re not a Simulacrum. And you’re not a mechanical either. But you’re not human. So what the Hell are you?”

He cocked his head at me. “What makes you say that?”

“Other than the fact that you’re stronger than me, kicking you is like kicking a wall, and you left your body imprinted on that car.”

“You do have a point or two….” He broke into a thin smile. “You’re remarkable.”

“Aw, you’re making me blush,” I snarked sarcastically but not knowing what he was meant not knowing the extent of his abilities. That made me nervous and it sapped my sarcasm.

He dropped his smile. “But is it enough for you to survive?”

A frown flickered across my brow. Had I been asked something like that before?

“Are you talking about the Gun Princess Royale?” I asked him.

He answered me with a nod.

Unwilling to drop my guarded stance, I tried to hide my nervousness behind a casual shoulder shrug. “I guess I’ll find out sooner or later.”

He nodded again, then glanced down at the gun lying on the grass. “That was a gift.”

“Then you shouldn’t have pulled it on me.”

He fiddled with his loose tie as he regarded the weapon for a moment longer. “I must say, your speed surprised me. For a second, I couldn’t see you move.”

So I had blurred in his vision. By why was he telling me that? Wasn’t it better to keep it a secret?

He stopped fiddling with his tie and directed a thoughtful gave at me. “You certainly exceeded my expectations.”

His expectations?

“Who are you?” I asked bluntly, intending to force the dialogue in my favor.

But he ignored my attempt to divert the conversation. “It looks like all the work they put into you paid off.”

Damn him, I muttered inwardly, but found myself quickly asking, “What work?”

“The training they imprinted into your body. I’m sure she’d be proud of how you turned out.”

My stance wavered.

She? And was he referring to my knowledge of guns or the martial prowess I’d demonstrated less than a minute ago.

I swallowed quickly.

Or was it both?

Taking a short breath, I reminded him, “You haven’t answered my question. What are you?”

“That’s true. I’ll save that for another time. But shouldn’t you instead be asking who I am?”

“I did ask you! Weren’t you paying attention?”

He blinked and glanced away as though spooling back his memory. “Did you?”

Frustration took a bite out of my anxious feelings. “Frankly, I don’t care who you are. You’re with the Sanreals. Enough said!” I clenched my hands into fists. “And you pulled a gun on me. Nice way to make a good impression, asshole.”

He snorted curtly as he looked away and ran the fingers of his right hand through his sandy blonde hair. “And here I was thinking brats these days have manners—”

A poppy tune started to play from somewhere in his jacket.

It was the kind of music I was accustomed to hearing vapid looking female starlets sing on variety shows.

But then I recognized the song and a grimace worked its way up from my gut onto my face.

“Great—another frekking Ami Amero fan,” I remarked sourly.

“Hey!” The young man pointed a finger sharply at me. “Watch yourself there.”

My grimace contorted my face another notch as my voice dropped to a hiss. “…what did you say…?”

Jabbing the air in my direction, he proceeded to lecture me. “For your information, brat. Her name is Ami Amuro. Pronounced, Ah Moo Roh.” He clenched his fingers into a fist. “Do not dare to disrespect her or I’ll spank you over my knee.”

I straightened from my defensive posture, then made a show of cracking my knuckles – although they made no sound – as I worked up my most Hellish grin onto my face. “Oh yeah? Just try it, you asshole. Next time I kick you, I’m putting you through that car.”

He held up hand as if to stop me. “Just a moment. I need to take this call.” Then he calmly placed the flat device up against his left ear. “Arnval here. What is it?”

No matter how much I tried, my knuckles just wouldn’t crack.

Damn it. Another weird quirk of Mirai’s body. I blinked quickly. Wait a moment—so his name is Arnval. Weird name for a weirdo.

“Oh, really,” Arnval mused lightly as he listened to whomever was on the other end of the phone line. “And they’re coming here? Well, can’t you do something about them? I don’t know. Shoot their tires. Well then you think of something. I can’t think do all the thinking around here. That’s why you’re my right-hand woman. Damn it. It’s just one problem after another.”

He lowered the phone away from his ear and ended the call with a thumb tap to its screen.

Then he faced me with an amused smile.

“Change of plans, Princess. We need to get you out of here pronto.”

I stopped trying to crack my knuckles and shook my hands in a drying motion. “Did you just call me Princess?”

Arnval hurried toward me. “If you’ll step this way, please.”

He walked past me, and then beckoned me to follow him with a wave.

I stared at him in disbelief.

What is wrong with this guy?

Arnval noticed I wasn’t following him. “Would you prefer to stay and be questioned by the authorities?” he asked nonchalantly.

At that moment, Ghost materialized before me, startling me back a step.

“Princess, I suggest you do as he says.”

“Why the Hell should I?” I gasped while recovering from my fright.

“Because they may ask questions of you that you may not be able to answer.” Ghost replied with his customary calm, though I may have sensed an undercurrent of trepidation in his voice.

But there was no mistaking the apprehension Erina was expressing as she ran up to me and anxiously implored me, “For now, please. Would you just do as he says?”

“Who?” I asked, looking first at Ghost before pointing at Arnval. “You mean him?”

“Yes, him. Who else do you think I’m talking about?” Erina swiftly grabbed both my arms and shook me – well, as much as was within her means. “Isabel, Ronin, Mirai – for the love of the gods. Please, just do what you’re told—even if it’s just this once.”

I shook off her grip on my arms. “Okay—okay. Fine. I’ll do it.” Then I frowned sharply. “Do what exactly?”

“Do this!” she declared, and to my surprise, Erina grabbed me by my right hand and then pulled me along behind her.

I could have stopped her. Her strength compared feebly to mine so I could have held my ground with ease, but her anxiousness eroded my stubbornness.

Fine. Just this once. Just this once! You hear me, Erina?

Towed behind her, it took me a moment or two to realize we were walking back toward the parkland and in the direction of the harbor to the east.

Sheesh, what the Hell is going on? Go where? There’s nothing but water in that direction.

“Erina, what’s the big deal?”

“Dealing with the authorities is the big deal,” she replied hastily.

“Well then somebody should have told him not to pull a gun on me.”

“For once we are in perfect agreement!” She scowled at me over her left shoulder. “But it would have helped if you’d stayed where I told you to stay.”

“It would have helped if you’d told me he was a weirdo!”

Erina clenched her jaw and glared at me before swiftly turning away. “You’re right. I should have told you he was missing a few million brain cells…among other things.”

We continued walking back to the picnic benches when Arnval abruptly raised a hand, urging us to stop.

“Ladies, if you would be so kind as to wait right there.”

Erina and I both stopped a single step later.

I looked around us and noticed the security personnel had chosen to remain by the parked vehicles. However, Straus had followed us and now stood a few feet off to my left.

I threw him a puzzled look. “Do you know what’s going on?”

Straus wore an oddly constipated expression that grew worse by the moment as he peered at our surroundings. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“A bad feeling about what?”

Being surrounded by nervous, harried people who were telling me diddly squat was doing little to alleviate my anxious feelings and my confused state of mind.

Arnval’s strange antics weren’t helping, either.

He was pacing back and forth a short distance before us while waving his phone through the air like someone searching for signal reception.

“Blasted app. What is wrong with this thing?” he muttered loudly, before repeatedly slapping the side of his phone.

The more I watched him, the more I unhinged I became. Eventually, my emotions exploded. “What the Hell are you doing?”

And once again he completely ignored me.

“Ah! There it is.” Arnval proudly held the phone aloft. “And now—Geronimo!”

Wearing a happy grin on his face, Arnval tapped the phone’s display with his thumb.

Erina inhaled sharply and squeezed her eyes shut.

Straus gasped and stood rigid.

However, I cocked my head at Arnval and asked, “What the Hell does Geronimo mean?”

“It means, grab your ass and tuck your head between your legs. We’re Trans-Locating!”

“What?” I swept my free hand in a half circle. “Out here? With all these people looking? Are you crazy?”

“Of course not, you silly brat.” From a suit trouser pocket, Arnval retrieved something that resembled a small peach. “That’s what this is for.”

My eyes widened as Arnval pitched the small peach into the ground between him and me.

“Kaboom!” he intoned with a laugh.

The peach exploded with a kaboom of its own, expelling a thick black, acrid smoke that rapidly billowed into the air and covered everything in sight.

I squeezed my eyes shut but felt them water when I opened them. Concurrently, my throat began to itch unpleasantly.

Beside me, Erina collapsed to her knees, gagging for air.

I crouched alongside her, but there was nothing I could do for her.

If not for Mirai’s Ultra-Grade specs I may have found myself as incapacitated as Erina was.

Even Straus, who happened to be a mechanical avatar, was waving a hand about in the thick black cloud as though he was trying to ward it away.

“What the Hell is this?” I choked after swallowing a mouthful of the awful, pungent black gas.

Arnval replied between coughs. “A smoke bomb.”

“Really? I thought it was chemical warfare.”

He coughed some more. “It’s my own design.”

“What did you use? An expired chemistry kit?”

Beside me, Erina was wheezing sickly as she struggled to breathe. She was using her blouse as a makeshift filter but it was having little to no effect.

I realized I had an urgent choice to make – one that went against my recent grain – but it was still a choice I had to make. “That’s it! I’m getting us out of here.”

Suddenly, a sharp tone sounded out from Arnval’s direction.

“What now?” I snapped at him, barely discernible in the thick black cloud.

“Finally,” he declared with evident relief before breaking into another coughing fit. “G—Geronimo!”

“You said that before—uggh!”

A familiar, disagreeable, and unwelcome sensation swept over me.

It was a combination of disorienting weightlessness that threatened to upend my stomach as darkness completely enveloped us.

Then it transmuted into the impression that I was perpetually falling into an all-encompassing abyss.

We probably endured the nauseating experience for only a handful of seconds, but it felt like it lasted a lot longer.

A moment later bright sunlight blinded me, as though someone had tossed the curtains wide open and ripped the shroud of darkness apart.

Reflexively I squeezed my eyes shut.

And then I noticed something was wrong.

The Trans-Location process had ended but my body continued to experience a sense of freefall. In conjunction with the roaring wind plastering my clothes to my body, there was no denying something was seriously amiss.

What the Hell is going on?

With a mounting sense of urgency, I pried my eyes open and struggled to look around me.

The sight of Erina, Arnval, and Straus swimming helplessly in the air had my heart skipping beats.

When I looked below me, I almost wished I’d kept my eyes shut.

A palatial luxury villa surrounded by acres of lush, verdant garden was rushing up to meet us.

Or rather, we were falling toward it.

To be specific, we were headed for a watery landing in an immense swimming pool easily mistaken for a lagoon.

In freefall beside me, Erina screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Arnval you—!”

Then all of four us splashed down into the cold, crystal blue waters of the pool.

---

Thank you for your patience with this next release.

For those of you who are new to the series and would like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

I will hopefully have the next part out by the coming weekend.

Thank you for sticking with it.

Dear Readers,
Chapter 6 Part II was rewritten but not reposted. As a result, readers may find some disparities in the character descriptions and in the way Arnval behaves.
The rewritten Part II will be released with the eBook, effectively replacing the version posted here.

---

Chapter 7.

– I –

It was a hard landing into the pool.

At the last second, I was able to right my body and plunge into the water feet first.

The impact was severe, and for a moment I thought I’d blacked out, but a combination of the cold water and my feet striking the bottom of the pool snapped my consciousness awake.

That surprised me…and concerned me.

Why, you may ask?

Because when I kicked off the bottom of the pool, and then broke through the surface of the water a couple of seconds later, I immediately looked around for my companions…and one of them was missing.

Straus and Arnval were treading water, the latter appearing somewhat disoriented from the splashdown.

But as I’d suspected – maybe even feared a little – there was no sign of Erina.

Treading water myself, I swept my gaze around me in a full circle once more, before inhaling deeply and diving underwater.

Erina!

I despised her.

I hated her for what she’d done to me.

I’d claimed to have cut my ties with her, no longer thinking of her as my sister.

And yet I found myself searching the depths of the pool for her.

Again, why? Perhaps because this wasn’t how I wanted her to meet her maker.

She wasn’t going to escape my retribution this easily.

And I wasn’t alone in my efforts to find her, though our reasons for doing so may have been disparate.

Straus had dived along with me, and I was briefly amazed to see the mechanical avatar swimming as easily as an in-form teenage boy.

He – I mean she – had probably realized the same thing I had: that Erina was human and thus the weakest of us. Hence, the impact from the water landing had undoubtedly knocked her unconscious. At worst, it may have killed her.

I chose to swim in one direction, and Straus went the other.

We had three things working in our favor.

The first was that the pool was shallow, no more than ten feet deep.

The second was the clear nature of the water. It was so clear that I could see for dozens of meters all around me.

The third was that the pool was illuminated, making it even easier to see into the distance.

Because of all this, I was able to quickly locate my former sister…floating unconscious at the bottom of the pool.

Erina!

No, this wasn’t how I wanted to see her die.

She had much to atone for before I would allow her to kick the bucket.

Swimming up to her, I reached out and shook her brusquely, but she failed to respond.

I felt my heart thump loudly, before quickly wrapping an arm around her waist, then kicking hard back to the surface of the pool, breaking into the air a second or two later.

By then Straus had swum over to me, and lent me his support.

With Erina between us, we swam for the nearest edge of the pool.

First hauling ourselves then Erina out of the water, we carefully yet quickly carried her to a soft grassy bank a meter or so beyond the stone tiles bordering the pool.

Laying her down supine, I felt for Erina’s pulse by pressing my fingertips to her neck…and found none.

“Frek!” I cursed loudly, then realized I had no idea what to do.

I had never trained to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

In a panic, I looked up at Straus kneeling beside Erina. “I don’t know CPR!”

Ghost materialized in a corner of my vision. “Princess, I can advise you of the proper procedure.”

Before I could decide whether to accept Ghost’s offer, Straus pushed me away from Erina and quickly straddled her body. “I do.”

“But you’re a mechanical—”

“This body is fully equipped,” he replied less than calmly.

“What? You have lungs?”

“How else would I pass myself off as human?”

He quickly unbuttoned Erina’s blouse, exposing her chest and belly.

From somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind, I remembered an ancient superstition that said your spirit wore the clothes you died in.

At sight of the expensive looking bra cupping Erina’s breasts, I sarcastically thought, Well if you have to go, at least go in style.

Then I recognized it as a push-up bra, and despite the gravity of the situation, I sniggered inwardly.

Ah, so that’s how you’re making mountains out of molehills.

Abruptly I felt a sharp pang of guilt, and shook my head brusquely.

No, no, no! What the Hell am I thinking at a time like this!

Straus misread my body language. “Relax—I know what I’m doing.”

While I’d been preoccupied scoffing at Erina for wearing a push-up bra, Straus had tipped back Erina’s head, then opened her mouth and buried his fingers into it.

“I have a lot more than just lungs…,” he muttered solemnly.

For a heartbeat, I remembered questioning him if he was anatomically correct, and the memory made me blush.

Wait—why the Hell am I blushing? This is no time to be blushing!

Kicking the thought aside, I focused my attention on Straus with his fingers deep in Erina’s mouth.

I frowned deeply.

Shouldn’t she be reflexively gagging?

My frown grew deeper.

Is it because her heart has stopped? Is that why she’s not responding?

An unpleasant cold crept through me, and it had nothing to do with me being soaked to the skin. Rather, it was a slowly dawning reality that Erina may very well be dead.

No, no, no! Think positive! She can’t kick the bucket like this. Not like this!

I realized I was clenching my hands into fists.

Okay. Maybe she’s not clinically dead yet! But how long can she stay like this before she suffers serious brain damage?

Straus muttered while concentrating his attention on the fingers in her mouth. “Her airway seems clear.”

I heard a young man’s voice, and recognized it belonged to Arnval. Looking up quickly, I saw him standing in his wet clothes, peering down at Erina while talking to someone through his phone.

“Indeed. She’s unresponsive. I do suggest you hurry, Kyoko-chan. The situation is dire. Another three minutes and she may suffer serious neurological damage. Yes, yes, I know it can be repaired but that will take time, and we can’t afford the complications.”

My face broke into a deep frown.

Brain damage can be fixed? What the Hell kind of technology do they have? But if he’s talking about complications does that mean it’s not perfect?

I looked down at Erina.

Will this affect her status as an Alpha?

I watched Straus breathe air into Erina’s open mouth, then place his hands low over her sternum, and begin the chest compressions.

On impulse I asked, “Can I help?”

Straus shook his head quickly. “No. I can blow clean air into her lungs.”

“Clean air?”

“Average oxygen content in the air is twenty-one percent.”

He compressed her chest some thirty times, then leaned forward to breathe twice into Erina’s open mouth.

When he pulled back to resume the compressions, he said, “Humans consume about five percent of that when they breathe. That leaves about sixteen percent left over when we exhale.”

I nodded absently though I was following his explanation.

Straus continued while performing the compression. “But I don’t consume more than two percent oxygen, so that means I can breathe cleaner air into her than you can.” Without stopping, he glanced up at me. “Actually, I wonder how much oxygen you consume…?”

I leaned toward him and pointed at his hands on Erina’s sternum. “Then shouldn’t I be doing the compressions while you breathe into her?”

He stopped for a second and stared at me blankly before abruptly nodding hastily. “Good idea. You compress, I breathe into her. But we need to establish a rhythm.”

We changed positions with me straddling Erina’s legs, and Straus kneeling beside her head.

I placed my hands on Erina’s sternum where I’d seen Straus place his.

“Don’t push too hard,” he warned me sharply. “With your strength you’ll crush her chest and rupture her organs—”

“O—okay. I get it. I get it.” I grit my teeth together. Yeah, no pressure. No pressure at all!

Straus began to act as a breathing apparatus, while I carefully compressed Erina’s chest at regular intervals.

I would count a second, then push down on her chest, then count another second, and repeat the compression.

Straus timed his breathing with my actions.

I don’t know for how long we did this. It could have been only a minute, but it felt like an eternity.

When I felt my rhythm begin to falter, Ghost began counting for me with a precision I lacked.

Then Straus surprised me.

He lifted his head away from Erina’s, and then sharply punched her chest.

He punched it again, and I felt the blow work its way through Erina’s skeleton.

When he punched it a third time, I was certain I felt her breastbone crack.

“What the frek are doing?” I yelled at him.

“Shocking her heart,” he answered. “Come on, Eri! Don’t frekking give up on me now!”

He punched her chest a fourth time, and again I was certain I felt her sternum fracture.

“You’re killing her!” I snapped at him.

But Straus ignored me as he yelled, “Erina!”

And then it happened – I felt something go ‘thump’ inside her chest, and a moment later Erina convulsed.

Water spouted out of her gaping mouth a handful of times, as she coughed violently.

With my hands on her chest I could feel her heart beating irregularly, but it was beating, and after regurgitating the pool water, Erina was gasping for air on her own.

The sickly wheezing coming from her throat reminded me she was still in trouble, but I felt the worst had passed.

The sound of running footsteps grabbed my attention, and I looked up to see a trio of young women wearing maid café outfits and carrying silver metal cases with them.

“Excuse us, please,” said a young woman with short chestnut hair, wearing a cat ears headband. She crouched beside Erina and a waved a medical wand over my former sister’s body while holding a data slate in her other hand. After a few seconds studying the results displayed on the slate, she spoke quickly to one of the other girls. “Tamara, the breather please.”

Another maid, this one wearing fox ears over her short auburn hair, knelt beside Erina’s head and quickly strapped a breathing apparatus over her mouth. The device was connected via a ribbed hose to a black box with gills that opened and closed like those of a shark.

The maid with the wand then addressed the third maid, a buxom blond girl wearing bunny ears, who was busy laying out something on the ground nearby.

“Penelope, the stretcher please.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The blonde maid finished attaching a couple of black rectangular boxes to the stretcher. The device shook to life and abruptly launched into the air.

“Stretcher ready, ma’am,” the girl reported with a sharp salute that made her bunny ears – and voluptuous chest – bounce.

However, the stretcher had other ideas and suddenly rocketed off from a standing start.

“Whaaaat?” The blonde bunny eared maid let out a cry of disbelief, shot to her feet, and chased after the levitating stretcher. “Come baaaaaack heeeeere!”

Have you ever filled up a balloon with air, and then let it go? The balloon will jet around erratically, making it hard to follow.

The bunny maid was experiencing the same situation, running all over the place as she pursued the errant stretcher.

Standing nearby, Arnval regarded the fruitless efforts of the bunny girl as he addressed the maid with cat ears.

“Kyoko-chan, you do have a plan-B, right?”

The maid in question finished waving the wand over Erina’s supine body, and nodded calmly. “I do indeed.”

She placed the wand back into the black medical pouch hanging off her skirt, then stood up.

However, she turned her back to Erina and then smoothly squatted on the ground.

“I shall carry her on my back,” she announced.

Arnval nodded thoughtfully, his eyes tracking the progress of the stretcher and the hapless bunny maid trying to catch it. “I have a better idea,” he declared.

From the wet innards of his trench coat – yes, he was still wearing the damn trench coat – Arnval pulled out a gun.

My eyes widened at sight of the firearm.

That bastard had a second gun!

With a fluid motion, Arnval aimed at the stretcher and fired twice in rapid succession.

Sparks flew from the stretcher and the device crash landed on the ground a dozen odd meters away from us, and quickly skidded to a stop.

“That’s plan-C,” Arnval calmly stated as he returned the gun to the confines of his trench coat.

Straus pushed himself up to his feet, and ran over to the fallen stretcher, ignoring the bunny maid who’d collapsed to her knees beside it.

“Oh, thank the gods,” she gasped as she struggled to catch her breath.

With the stretcher under an arm, Straus hurried back to Erina.

I scooted back to give him room, then helped him load the unconscious woman onto the powerless stretcher.

Straus positioned himself at the front of the stretcher, while I took up the rear, and the cat maid picked up the rebreather apparatus.

“On the count of three,” Straus called out. “One, two, three.”

Together we hefted the stretcher up off the ground, careful not to drop Erina in the process.

For her part, the cat maid carried the rebreather in her hands.

“Which way?” I asked her in a hurry.

Before the young woman could reply, Arnval strode briskly past us. “Follow me, ladies.”

He led us away from the pool onto a wide path made of paving stones that gently wound its way through the well maintained garden in the direction of the palatial two storey house in the distance.

The fox maid, Tamara, ran ahead of us into the house, undoubtedly to prepare the way for us.

However, the bunny maid dragged her feet as she trudged in our wake and quickly fell behind though I was able to hear her mutter in a pitiful tone, “Why…why does it always happen to me…?”

– II –

I grimaced in discomfort as I followed the path up to the steps leading into the house.

I was cold, wet, and my soaked uniform clung tightly to my skin.

However, because it was nearly black in nature, it didn’t turn translucent when wet.

As a result, my underwear was safe from perving eyes.

Also, I was wearing the black panties and bra that Tabitha had chosen for me, so when combined with my dark uniform there was little chance of them being exposed.

I offered a silent prayer of gratitude to whomever had decided that Telos Academy’s uniform for boys and girls had to be dark, for there were many other schools within Ar Telica that had light colored uniforms, including white. That said, significant advances in material and fabric technology over the decades had revolutionized school uniforms such that young girls wearing angelic and virginal white dresses, skirts, and blouses no longer feared being caught in a sudden downpour without an umbrella.

Naturally, those advances had been applied to Telos Academy’s uniform, so I had even less to fear. But while the uniform was designed to protect my modesty, it wasn’t designed to be waterproof.

After all, if it was waterproof, how could it be washed?

Actually, let’s not get it into that.

What I will say is that it was distinctly unpleasant to walk in soaked clothing.

My breasts felt uncomfortable in the wet bra, as did my butt clad in sodden panties.

But what really bothered me was the wet squelching of my feet in my water-logged shoes, so much so that I had to stop and kick them off. Luckily, Straus didn’t complain when I asked him to give me a few seconds to do so. And luckily, I had the bunny maid to help me remove my shoes and socks. I thanked her courteously, before resuming our rapid walk to the immense two-storey house.

The path branched in two directions, one that continued to circle around the lagoon pool, the other leading toward the white house with red-tiled roofing.

Naturally, Arnval chose to walk toward the latter.

I looked down at Erina as we approached a wide flight of steps leading up to a set of broad, double doors.

“How is she?” I asked the maid.

“Her vitals looked strong,” the young woman replied. “However, we’ll know more when we place her inside a med-capsule.”

I had more questions, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask them because they felt redundant, superfluous until Erina could be given proper medical care.

But to me, a lay man – or woman – with only cursory medical knowledge, the fact that Erina had failed to regain consciousness was concerning.

Again, I questioned why I cared or worried over her, and reluctantly acknowledged that some bonds were a little harder to cut than others.

It was going to take me some time to divest myself of any lingering ties to Erina, and truthfully, I wasn’t sure if I could completely cut myself free of her.

Arriving at the foot of the wide steps leading up to the broad entrance, I gazed up at the large house looming before us, then carefully climbed the steps, mindful of the need to keep the stretcher with Erina as level as possible between Straus and I.

At the landing before the double doors, I paused to give the exterior of the abode a good look, and despite the nature of our arrival, Erina’s injuries, and the fact that I’d been effectively kidnapped, I found myself wondering what I would find within rather than of whom I would meet.

While in freefall toward the lagoon sized pool, I’d noticed that the house was built in the shape of a square – a quadrangle – with an immense garden in the middle.

The side before us must have been around a hundred meters long.

Balconies with repeated archways ran the length of what I could see of the first and second floors. The windows on both levels were wide, tall, with semi-circular fanlights, and there were glass double doors leading out onto the balconies at regular intervals, each probably belonging to a separate room or suite.

The more I looked at the house, the more it reminded me of the houses I had seen in historical documentaries of ancient Earth. To that end, I would describe the building as the blending of a Spanish and Roman villa.

A sour thought crossed my mind as I realized those memories belonged to Ronin Kassius. But since I had accepted my role as the keeper of those memories, I pushed the bitterness aside.

Little by little, I’ll make memories of my own.

Truthfully, I was already doing so. Unfortunately, few if any of those memories were pleasant or worth keeping.

With a heavy sigh, I directed my gaze onto the closed doors.

Unexpectedly, the lyrics of a song swum up from the murky depths of my memories.

“Welcome to the Hotel California,” I sang softly. “Such a lovely place…such a lovely face….”

“What?”

Arnval half spun around to face me, and now stared at me with poorly veiled surprise, and when I glanced at him, I noticed the disquiet in his eyes.

“Where did you hear that?” he asked me in a serious tone.

I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. I just remembered it now.”

Arnval’s disquiet darkened and he started to say something but he was interrupted by a loud bang as the double doors to the house abruptly burst open.

The maid, Tamara, reappeared in the company of a half dozen other girls, each of them wearing a maid uniform and different animal ears, though one girl was wearing reindeer antlers.

What kind of weird fetish does Phelan Sanreal have? I wondered uneasily.

Quickly, the maids surrounded us.

Since I was still in Mirai Mode, I decided to concentrate my awareness on the young maid and suddenly her aura came into view. Then I quickly surveyed the maids encircling us.

Simulacra. All of them. Why am I not that surprised?

Considering the goings on around the Sanreals, perhaps it was best to have staff you could trust…and dispose of.

“We’ll take it from here,” the cat maid, Kyoko, declared in a respectful and patient tone.

“Where exactly is here?” I asked, keeping my tone civil since this young woman had yet to earn my ire.

“The Sanreal Estate,” she replied smoothly. She indicated the entrance to the house. “Please, we mustn’t delay.”

Straus had half turned to look at me. “Mirai…?”

I gave the unconscious Erina an ambivalent look that reflected my mixed feelings. “Fine. Whatever….”

Damn it. Why was I reluctant to hand her over? Why should I feel this way? Did I fear for her safety?

I ground my molars together for a moment.

Why do I goddamn care?

The maids moved in and took the stretcher from Straus and I, and we then retreated a couple of feet to give them room to maneuver through the wide, open doorway.

I shook my head inwardly as I watched them disappear into the house.

Deal with it later, I told myself then listened to Kyoko address us as a group.

“If you’ll follow Penelope and I, we’ll lead you to your rooms.” The young woman briefly indicated the blonde maid with bunny ears who had chosen to remain behind. “Dry clothes have been prepared for you.”

She turned to guide the way into the house, but I crossed my arms and fixed a hard stare on Arnval who was quick notice it.

“We’re not on Teloria, are we?” I asked him in a low, flat tone.

“And what makes you say that?”

“The gravity is weird here, the sky overhead looks weird, and I can’t tell which way is north.”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “Ah, yes. Your ability to sense magnetic waves—”

“So where are we?” I asked, ignoring his remark. “A station, an orbital city, a ship?”

Straus exhaled loudly as he watched the exchange between Arnval and I. “We’re actually still on Teloria. We haven’t moved off world.”

“Oh?” I pointed up at the sky. “So what is that?”

I hadn’t noticed it until I stared up at the house, but the sky was covered by a faintly visible grid of hexagonal panes. It gave me the impression that our surroundings were under a transparent dome of some sort.

Straus glanced upwards. “A mimetic sky-field combined with an aegis-field that’s protecting the estate from outside weather conditions.”

Lowering my hand, I slowly frowned. “What weather conditions?”

Arnval laughed lightly. “Perhaps it’s better if we showed you.” He gave the patiently waiting Kyoko a somewhat amused look. “Well, Kyoko-chan? Shall we show the Princess what lies beyond?”

The maid displayed the first sign of indecision since her entry onto this fool’s stage.

“Are you certain?” she asked him.

“Indeed, I am,” he replied confidently breaking into a thin smile. “I do believe her reaction will be priceless.”

Kyoko studied me for a moment then politely nodded once. “Very well. Please follow me.”

She smoothly turned away from the house and descended the steps down to the path we’d followed not long ago. At the T-junction, she stepped onto the route leading around the pool and into the surrounding gardens.

I hesitated as I wondered why Arnval and the maid were being so dramatic, then hurried after her, with Straus and Arnval following suit.

It took a few minutes to circle the pool and then walk through the lush, verdant garden.

The place was beginning to remind me more and more of those palatial villas the Romans had enjoyed millennia ago.

Exiting the gardens onto a sandy beach, the maid came to a stop.

I halted beside her, and looked ahead at a vast ocean of green and blue stretching out to the horizon. But then I noticed the faint hexagonal grid extending down to the sand a few feet shy of where the ocean waves lapped the beach.

“It really is a dome,” I muttered half to myself, and half to the maid.

“Yes, it is,” the maid concurred as she reached up and touched one of her cat ears. “Grania, can you hear me? Good. Could you shut down the mimetic sky-field, please? Why? We have a guest who hasn’t seen what it’s like out there. Master Arnval wishes to see her reaction.”

I stared sidelong at the young woman, noticing Arnval standing beside her with a smirk on his face.

Prick, I thought at him.

Then I quickly looked at Straus and asked in a confidential manner, “Is that what those headbands are for?”

Straus gave me a faintly apologetic smile. “Pretty much.”

“Well, at least they’re ergonomic,” I whispered.

“And it’s part of their charm,” he added.

“I guess so. I did find those maids were cute.”

I was being honest with my opinion.

The Simulacra maids had been rather pretty. Dressed in their short maid outfits and wearing cute animal ears had given them a peculiar charm – though I wasn’t sold on the reindeer antlers.

Straus shook his head lightly. “No, that’s not what I mean. But I’ll tell you about that another time.” He pointed in the direction of the ocean. “The sky-field is coming down.”

I faced the ocean just as the grid of hexagonal panes grew dark.

At first, I assumed I was looking at the inside of a giant storm-grey dome until I soon realized the panes had become transparent.

In other words, it wasn’t the dome that was dark but the vista that lay beyond it.

My eyes grew wide and I had to swallow twice before I could weakly ask, “…where the Hell are we…?”

I heard Straus chuckle uncomfortably. “Inside a Category Six hurricane.”

I swallowed again…twice. “…oh….”

Mouth agape, I stared in disbelief and terror at the incredible sight before me.

Outside the dome raged an ocean storm of unbelievable scale and ferocity.

Truly, one of Teloria’s seven nightmarish wonders of the world.

---

Thank you for your patience with this series.

For those of you who are new to the series and would like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

I hope to have Part III out by next week.

Thank you for sticking with this series.

Dear Readers, due to the delay in getting this posted, we decided to release Parts III and IV in one hit.

---

Chapter 7.

– III –

For decades the creation of a Category Six classification for hurricanes was considered superfluous.

After all, why create another level on the Saffir-Simpson scale when Category Five already guaranteed catastrophic destruction.

Then the storms grew worse, and humanity had to build bigger, better, and stronger…or die at the hands of an increasingly bipolar and psychotic Mother Nature. With cities protected by newer and better technologies, near total destruction was no longer a given at Category Five, and thus Category Six was born.

When humanity spread throughout its local arm of the Milky Way, they carried with them the knowledge they had gained in their efforts to survive on an Earth turned hostile to them.

Amongst the many worlds people settled upon was the third planet of a thirteen-body solar system – a severe, unforgiving blue, green, and red world they would name, Teloria.

A world that made Earth look like Paradise.

A world humanity was committed to taming because it was one of a precious few that could be terraformed to support human life.

However, until it was fully tamed, humanity had a need to build its city-states as befitting their environment. Hence, Ar Telica had been constructed to withstand the raging ferocity of a Category Five hurricane. After all, after a century of terraforming, the planet had yet to settle into a relatively placid Earth-like climate and ecology. Atmospheric and ocean storms continued rage, and though weak compared to what Telos had once endured, by Earth’s standards they were fierce and so the city-states were designed and built to weather their harshness.

Telos Academy was no exception to this design doctrine.

As a first line of defense, the tetrapods that surrounded Telos Island could project a layered barrier-field to diminish the force of the waves before they reached the school’s buildings. They could also partially divert the intense winds so that they blew over the island.

As a second line of defense, strong effect-fields could form a protective bubble around the school. It was one of the reasons why the main faculty building was circular, and why the gymnasium, aquatic center, and clubroom buildings were constructed with rounded corners and arched rooftops. At the prospect of being submerged under the storm’s waves, the academy’s Artificial Awareness could engage watertight doors and shutters to isolate the interior of the school in sections, and activate pressure doors to prevent the underground power generators, shelters, and life support systems from being inundated.

In effect, the school could become a waterproof environment to protect the students and staff from the lethal intensity of a hurricane.

However, Telos Academy and Ar Telica city would not survive a collision with a Category Six hurricane unscathed. In short, there would be damage, until bigger, better, and more powerful barrier-fields emitters could be designed and constructed…like the ones protecting the dome from harm.

This is what I realized as I watched waves so large they would tower over Telos Academy.

Our technology lagged that of the Empire’s.

In other words, they possessed barrier-fields that could shrug off a Category Six hurricane as though it was nothing more than a summer drizzle, something that humanity from my universe could not.

But there was something else I concluded with a grim heart.

“We could have died out there.”

It came out as a whisper, but it was heard by those around me.

“Erina, myself, even that asshole Arnval.” I nodded slowly at the storm before us. “We could have died out there.”

I heard a muffled cough from off to my right.

“I would appreciate you not calling me an ‘asshole’, young lady.”

I turned my head and looked at the asshole standing to the right of the cat maid. “It was your idea to Trans-Locate us to this location—wherever this is—and Erina’s injuries are a direct result of that.” I pointed at the towering waves crashing against the dome. “Regardless of what I am, I wouldn’t have survived out there, and neither would you.”

Arnval was quiet for a moment, before inhaling deeply. He released his breath slowly. “I won’t deny that.”

“So why do it?” I asked him coldly while feeling rage begin to simmer strongly within me. “Why?”

Are our lives not important? Don’t you value your life? Could it be you would throw away your life in the service of the Sanreals? Are you such a mindless, devoted slave? Knowing the monumental risk, why would you still press that button?

I could have shouted my thoughts, but there was no need to.

Just by looking at him, I knew he acknowledged the unspoken questions behind that single, Why?

But the reply came from the cat maid, Kyoko. “The margin of error associated with your trans-location was deemed acceptable.”

I had a vague understanding of what she meant, but I chose to play dumb. “Meaning what?”

“The point of emergence was calculated within a radius that fell within the volume of space protected by the dome.”

I smiled at her, but it came out feeling more like a snarl. “Oh really? And what would have happened if we hadn’t emerged above the pool?” I pointed to the house in the distance visible over the garden hedges. “What if we’d trans-located above that house over there? Does crashing into the roof factor into the margin of error?”

“The estate and surrounding gardens are equipped with effect-field emitters. They would have acted as a safety net and arrested your descent. You would not have been harmed, and Doctor Kassius would not have been injured.”

“And what about the pool?”

Kyoko stiffened and hesitated for a moment before offering me a deeply apologetic bow. “I regret that the effect-fields do not provide coverage over the pool.” She bowed even deeper. “I am truly sorry.”

“So you didn’t factor that we would pop up above the pool?”

“We did. However, we were unable to place portable effect-field emitters around the pool in time. Your trans-location occurred ahead of schedule.” She bowed to me once more. “Once again, I offer you most sincere apologies.”

My palms hurt.

When I glanced down, I saw my nails digging into them as I clenched my hands into fists.

I took a deep breath and relaxed my fingers.

Within moments the pain vanished and undoubtedly my palms had healed.

But the same didn’t apply to the anger I felt, and it was anger I directed at Arnval. “Someone saw what was happening in the park, and reported it to the authorities. How am I expected to go back to Ar Telica”—I gasped sharply—“or was that what you wanted?”

Arnval stared at the hurricane outside the dome and offered me no reply.

Again, it was Kyoko who intervened. “Master Sanreal was displeased at the turn of events. Rest assured, Master Arnval will answer for his actions.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

I stepped around the cat maid and approached Arnval, but I stopped when I remembered he had a second handgun under his trench coat, possibly holstered.

And though his hands remained shoved in his trench coat pockets, Arnval had turned slightly in my direction.

I hid my wariness as I watched him break his silence.

“No, it doesn’t. So what will you do?”

I was taken aback by his question, and I had no quick answer for him.

Arnval took advantage of the opening he’d made for himself. “Or perhaps I should ask is there anything you can do?”

“Are you implying that I’m not going back to Ar Telica?”

“Whether you return to Ar Telica or not will depend on you,” he replied.

“Then what was the point of—?” I stopped sharply and cast a glance at the cat maid.

Arnval noticed and I saw him smile. “No need to worry. Kyoko-chan is well aware of who you are…and what you are.” He turned back to the dark vista outside the dome. “She undoubtedly knows more about you than I do….”

His statement motivated me to give the maid a hard look. “Why does a maid know about me?”

Arnval chuckled briefly. “Because Kyoko-chan is Master Sanreal’s personal assistant. Isn’t that right, Kyoko-chan?”

The corners of her eyes crinkled faintly however she didn’t face him. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t refer to me so familiarly.”

“Yes, yes. So you’ve told me before….”

“And you fail to remember that time and time again,” she retorted smoothly without a hint of ire in her voice or expression as though she’d given up on holding hard feelings against him.

I looked at them both in turn.

Arnval stared into the surrounding darkness.

Kyoko faced in the direction of the house.

I felt as though time had stopped for us, or rather it had encapsulated the two of them, and made me a spectator to a moment with a hidden meaning that I glimpsed but failed to grasp.

However, I had no problem with being an outsider.

Instead, I had problem with being kept in the dark about matters pertaining to me, and so I bluntly crashed into their moment.

“What was the point of setting me up as Isabel val Sanreal?”

Turning slightly toward me, Arnval looked at me out of the corner of his left eye. “Ask Sanreal. But if you’re worried about the state of affairs back in Ar Telica, don’t be. It can all be smoothed over.”

How? I wondered but quickly reconsidered and decided not to ask.

The sinister implications behind Arnval’s casual reply warned me that perhaps it was better not knowing how the Sanreal Family would deal with the authorities.

However, it also left me with the question of whether or not I could return to Ar Telica.

I felt I understood what Arnval meant when he said the answer would depend on me.

It would depend on whether I behaved or not – on whether I co-operated with the Sanreals or chose to oppose them.

Was that really all I could do? Were there no other options open to me?

No, there was one other option – one slender branch I could reach out for.

Tabitha.

However, I knew little to nothing about what accepting her offer would mean for me. I could literally end up jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. I knew little about Tabitha but if she was anything like the people I’d met thus far – the people manipulating me to their own agendas – then trusting her might be a mistake. Indeed, she’d deceived me about Cardinal, so what else had she lied about?

Then I remembered something I’d overlooked.

Tabitha had a twin sister.

So who was it operating that remote body back at the school dormitory complex?

“Mistress. Mistress? Mistress Isabel?”

I blinked rapidly, and noticed the cat maid had approached me. Reflexively, I took a half-step back, and reflexively slipped into a defensive stance.

The cat maid froze, and I was surprised by how easily I read the question running through her mind, perhaps because it was reflected on Straus’s face.

Was I going to run away?

Arnval, being better at concealing his emotions, merely questioned me with his eyes. Yet he wore a faint, thin, almost taunting smile that seemed to say, Go ahead and run. We can pick up where we left off.

I suddenly had an inkling into the workings of his mind, and it made my stomach clench unpleasantly.

Arnval wanted to fight me.

He wasn’t entirely human, and I was beginning to suspect the reason was because his body was partly mechanical, implying he was some kind of cybernetic entity. Why wasn’t the question, because I didn’t care for how he’d become that way. Neither was it a question of whether his body was based on technology from this universe or from the Empire’s, because in all honestly, I had little knowledge of what cybernetic tech was capable of accomplishing. So the real question was whether or not I could be beat him. I’d felt his strength and witnessed his speed, and so I believed that a one-on-one battle with him would be a painful, bone breaking encounter.

If I’m going to face him, I’d rather do it as a Gun Princess, with my guns and with my Regalia.

Having made my choice, I dropped my defensive stance and relaxed my posture, though I remained wary of Arnval.

The taunting smile faded from his lips but his questioning eyes now revealed amusement, and it was that which kept me on guard.

Without breaking eye contact with him, I addressed the cat maid. “So when do I get to meet Phelan Sanreal?”

I didn’t need to look away from Arnval to observe the cat maid. With Mirai’s preternaturally wide field-of-vision, I could see her fairly well, thus I saw the reluctance that briefly expressed itself on her face but there was none of it in her smooth, courteous reply.

“Mistress Isabel, may I suggest first settling into the Estate. A room has been prepared for you. I recommend a long hot bath with scented oils to replenish and rejuvenate your skin, and a change of clothes before your audience with Master Sanreal.”

The mention of clothes reminded me that my appearance right now wasn’t my best.

Ugh…what exactly is my best?

Leaving the question aside, a quick downward look confirmed what I felt through my skin. My uniform had dried considerably, but it and my underwear were still dank. Thereby a change of clothes sounded good, and I could certainly do with a shower, but I wasn’t so sure about soaking in a bathtub. That was something that girls did…even though I was now a girl.

Argh—there’s just no escaping it! Even the maid is prodding me down the path of femininity.

My hands balled into fists, and my arms trembled faintly at my sides.

I’m just…just…not ready for a bath!

“Fine,” I grumbled with my head bowed. “Room. Shower. Clothes.”

I raised my head and glared stubbornly at the maid.

“But I’m not taking a bath.”

Kyoko, the cat maid, smiled faintly at me. “As you wish, Mistress Isabel….”

– IV –

Taking a deep breath, I blew away the soap bubbles drifting in front of me.

I should have realized she was up to something.

The small cloud of bubbles drifted into the air before floating back down.

She agreed way to easily to my demands.

They landed gently on the thick layer of soap bubbles coating the surface of the water.

I should have guessed she wasn’t going to play fair.

With a soft groan, I sunk up to my chin in the scented water.

But what was I supposed to do? I really didn’t have much of a choice.

I tipped my head back and stared annoyed up at the ceiling.

Besides they’d never understand why I didn’t want to take a bath.

The bathroom was obscenely large, easily four-fold the size of my former dormitory apartment, but it was necessary to fit a bathtub that could double as a small swimming pool.

Honestly, I could do laps in it, and right now it was filled almost to the brim with warm water coated in a thick layer of scented bubbles that had the entire room smelling of vanilla and strawberries.

Damn it. It’s making me crave ice-cream or a jumbo sized parfait.

My eyes widened in a sudden panic.

Wait, wait, wait—only girls eat parfait!

My hands shot up out of the water and I grabbed my head.

No! That’s just me being sexist. There are plenty of guys who indulge themselves in a pretty pink parfait.

I sat up in the tub, but it was so deep that only my head, shoulders, and the tops of my breasts were exposed.

What am I thinking? What is wrong with me?

Grinding my molars together I slapped myself twice.

“Come on, Isabel! Get a grip!”

I slapped myself again, then yelped.

“Damn it, that hurt—ah!”

I stared through the steamy air at the far end of the bathroom.

“That’s it! This is part of their master plan!”

Leaning back against the smooth, contoured end of the pool, I regarded the curved edge where the ceiling met the far wall.

“Why didn’t I realize it before…?”

This was how the Sanreals were planning to defeat me. By smothering me in wanton luxury. By seducing me with their wealth and money. By appealing to my vanity…though I wasn’t sure if I was vain. Regardless, I was now confident I had understood the crux of their scheme to win me over. As I did so, I remembered a quote from a distant past.

Every man has his price.

I frowned as my gaze drifted up to the ceiling.

But what about a woman?

My frown deepened as I grew troubled.

Okay? So if I’m something of a mixed bag then what’s my price?

My gaze drifted over the outlines of the swirling, flowery patterns embossed into the ceiling.

I’d honestly like to say I don’t have a price…

The warm water and steamy scented air were eroding my efforts to remain awake. Coupled with the stress and exhaustion I’d incurred at the hands of Tabitha, Straus, Arnval, and the maid from Hell – Kyoko-chan – it was becoming a real struggle to keep my eyes open.

…but the problem is that I can get used to this…

Little by little, my eyes began to close as each successive blink grew longer.

…and all this running around…is really wearing me out….

Eventually, my eyelids closed shut and I felt myself drifting toward slumber.

- # -

So how did I end up taking the aforementioned bath?

Well, it’s because that damn head maid exploited my Achilles Heel.

The one chink in my stubborn armor that an equally stubborn arrow could penetrate.

You may already know what I’m alluding to, but I’ll tell you anyway.

With Mirai’s preternatural abilities, it’s hard to ambush me. For example, if I concentrate my vision on my surroundings I can see the aura of living beings faintly through walls. Because I happened to be using this ability at the time, I wasn’t taken by surprise by the dozen or more maids lying in wait for me inside the living area of the luxurious suite I’d been allocated on the second floor of the palatial villa.

Note that I wasn’t certain they were maids, but from the aura alone I sensed they were Simulacra, and something about the way their lifeforce radiated made me suspect they were female. I honestly can’t put a finger to the reason. It’s just something that I knew on an instinctual level. For now, let’s leave it at that.

The first maid that came flying at me made a dull whump sound when she rebounded off a nearby wall that I tossed her into, and then collapsed unconscious on the floor.

The second maid screamed in pain when I grabbed the back of her head and slammed her face first into another wall, knocking her unconscious.

The third maid I sent flying into a living room sofa. She tumbled over it, her skirts fluttering, her shoes kicking the air, and disappeared behind it. Mind you, I did glimpse her white panties as she went over.

Then the remaining maids got serious and out came the weapons.

Handguns, stun guns, stun batons, a telescoping cattle prod, a flail masterpiece…and a broom.

At sight of their arsenal, my Awareness kicked its afterburners and accelerated into an overclocked state.

Honestly, I was shocked – no pun intended – at the nature of the weapons they had been hiding in their dresses. The saying more than meets the eye was a clear understatement when applied to these maids. With that firmly in mind, I was most concerned about the broom. Compared to the other weapons it was an incongruous choice, and thus demanded the most suspicion.

The maids spread out, and I dropped into a defensive crouch.

However, before the situation could escalate into an all-out melee, Kyoko blew a loud whistle while standing a safe distance behind me.

Clapping her hands, she forcefully announced, “Abort. Abort. All girls, stand down.”

A collective ‘Eh’ went up from the maids, but none of them relinquished or withdrew their weapons.

“I’m declaring Plan-A a failure,” Kyoko stated firmly. “We’re switching to Plan-B.”

Turning my head slightly toward Kyoko so that I could see her in the corner of my right eye, I asked her angrily, “What the Hell are you trying to do?”

“To ensure you take the bubble bath we’ve prepared for you.”

My head jerked back. “The bubble bath?”

“Correct.”

“You had them attack me because of a bubble bath?”

“Correct again. However, Plan-A failed so we’re now employing Plan-B.”

Not relaxing my guard for a heartbeat, I heatedly asked, “And what’s Plan-B?”

Kyoko snapped the fingers of her right hand. “This…is Plan-B.”

I waited. The maids waited. But nothing happened.

“What?” I queried her. “Was that supposed to be a magic trick?”

“Hardly.” Kyoko inhaled deeply and snapped her fingers again.

Again, we all waited for a short while, but nothing changed.

I started to relax a little. “So…is it third time’s the charm?”

Kyoko took a deep breath that shuddered with exasperation.

And once again she snapped her fingers.

I cocked my head at her slightly. “Is there a Plan-C?”

Kyoko trembled violently for a second or two, then retrieved a slim phone from an apron pocket.

“Penelope!” she shouted. “Where the Hell are you?”

“I’m here!” came the cry from the wide hallway connecting the suite’s entrance to the living room area, and the exhausted bunny eared maid staggered into view, her large bosom heaving mightily with each breath she drew.

Kyoko glared openly at the girl before striding over to her and yanking free the package the bunny maid carried in her hands.

“I told you to be quick about it!”

The bunny maid took fast, gulping breaths. “I had trouble finding it. I forgot what it was called.”

“As punishment you’re on bathroom cleaning duty for a week.”

“…nooooo…,” the buxom blonde girl whined pitifully and collapsed to her knees.

Ignoring her, Kyoko approached me but stopped a couple of yards away. She held up the rectangular package in her hands for me to see.

I recognized it as a holovid disk case, but a loud gasp bellowed from my gaping mouth when I saw the cover.

“…it can’t be….”

“But it is,” Kyoko said with the hint of a smile on her face. “Only a hundred were ever released. A limited-edition holovid production chronicling the making of her bestselling holovid album, and it includes the raw, unedited ‘A Day In the Life of Mercy Haddaway’. It was released when her career was at its peak and only available to the first hundred buyers.”

“Hey, take that back,” I demanded. “Her career hasn’t peaked yet!”

“Oh, really?” A smirk settled on Kyoko’s lips. “Her merchandise sales are down seven percent this year compared to last. And she’s fallen from third place to fourth place on the popularity rankings.”

“She’s still got steam in her. Don’t count her chickens yet!”

“Regardless. Her career has passed its zenith.” Kyoko held the rectangular case a little higher. “This little item was purchased on an online auction. Master Sanreal fetched it for a hefty price.”

“How—how much?”

“It’s best that you don’t know.”

I swallowed loudly and then cautiously asked, “Why would he do that?”

“Do you really need to ask? Are you not a Mercy Haddaway fan?”

I swallowed again as a feeling of unpleasant Déjà vu swirled through my chest. “So why are you showing me that?”

“Because if you take a bath, like a lady should, then you get to keep this. Consider it both a bribe and a gift from your…father.”

Though I’d relaxed it, my stance remained defensive, yet now it wavered. “How do I know you’re not lying? How can I trust you?”

“That’s not the question you should be asking,” Kyoko replied smoothly with an unreadable expression like someone holding the best hand at a card game. “The question you should be asking yourself is, ‘Do I want this or not’?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “I could just take it from you.”

Kyoko nodded and betrayed a smile. “Is that what you think?” Then she opened the case to reveal it was empty inside. “Take the bath, and you’ll get what you desire.”

What I desire? Is that what you think I desire? How little you understand me….

I then had a flash of insight. Perhaps, I could call it inspiration.

Let them think what they want. I can use this to my benefit.

Telling her what I truly desired would be a waste of time because she wasn’t in a position to grant my wish.

However, I recognized what the Sanreals were offering me.

It wasn’t just an extremely limited piece of Mercy Haddaway’s gravure existence.

It was an olive branch that came with strings attached.

At least, that was what I suspected.

As the saying goes, time would tell if I was wrong or not.

- # -

Thus, I chose to accept the offer and took the bubble bath the maid platoon had prepared for me in the swimming pool sized tub.

For the time being, I would play along.

If the Sanreals believed they could use my obsession with Mercy Haddaway to play me like a marionette on strings, then so be it. I’d string them along as they were stringing me, and gain important items to include my collection. I also realized that I would have to start anew, since my existing collection of Mercy memorabilia belonged to Ronin Kassius.

That realization pained me, and I sank deeper into the water.

Who am I kidding. I gave into my obsession. Those bastards know me too well.

I felt like grabbing my head again, but instead blew bubbles just below the water’s surface.

I’m so tired of all this crap…tired of all these weirdos messing up my life…tired of being manipulated…tired of being told Mercy Haddaway is past her prime…give me back my delusions…give me back my peaceful life…give me back my old life….

Arnval’s face with its provoking smile and amused eyes drifted unbidden behind my closed eyelids.

Annoyed, I wondered why I was thinking of him now, while grudgingly conceding he was a new problem I needed to contend with.

I’m going to wipe that smile off his face.

His expression was an open challenge, but I didn’t feel I was ready to fight him yet.

No, there was too much I didn’t know or understand about this body – about Mirai.

There was too much that was a mystery about her.

I had moved pretty well back at the parkland, but I need to know why that was possible. What kind of training did Mirai’s body possess, and how had she been trained. Those were among the questions I wanted answered.

The ancient adage of knowing yourself and knowing your enemy such that won’t fear a hundred battles could be twisted to suit my situation.

Before I knew my enemy, I needed to understand myself because stepping onto the battlefield without preparation was to invite defeat.

With that understanding in mind, I realized that I had all but acknowledged that Arnval and I would fight.

It didn’t mean I was willing to fight him. Rather, I was resigned to fight him, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.

Arnval was an unexpected and unpleasant obstacle that had popped up, and the only way to get past him was to give him the battle he wanted and resoundingly defeat him.

As such, our reasons for fighting couldn’t be more different.

Arnval desired pitting himself against me.

I was going to fight him simply because he was standing in my way. In other words, it had little to nothing to do with the trans-location fiasco that nearly cost Erina her life. Nor did it have anything to do with him pulling that gun on me back at the park. Therefore our inevitable duel would have all the depth and meaning of a schoolyard bout.

How pathetic. I snorted softly under my breath. Is this my true nature?

After so many years avoiding the spotlight and not drawing attention to myself so that I could live a relatively peaceful, uneventful school life, was I now showing my true colors?

Was resorting to violence the only way I knew how to deal with problems?

Was I nothing more than a bully?

I didn’t know how to deal with situations the way Straus had suggested. I honestly couldn’t do passive aggressive. So how was I supposed to handle Arnval, Kyoko, and the Sanreals?

“…princess…Princess…Princess…wake up now, please….”

My eyelids fluttered open, but I had some difficulty keeping them open, and my eyes had trouble focusing.

Had I fallen asleep?

Noticing someone to my right beside the pool – I mean bathtub – my heart jumped into my throat. Then I saw that it was Ghost dressed in a butler’s suit, complete with a neatly folded hand towel over one arm. His projection into my mind was so realistic, even the way I initially had trouble bringing him into focus, that it elicited a shiver from me.

“Princess, if you fall asleep in the bath, you may catch a cold.”

Had he noticed my shiver? I had to wonder if he was watching me from the outside despite projecting himself into my mind from the inside of my head. That implied he’d hacked into the bathroom’s surveillance cameras and was using them to observe me.

If that wasn’t enough to warrant me hurriedly crossing my arms over my breasts and sinking into the water up to my eyeballs, then I’m not sure what is.

From underwater, I yelled at him, “What the Hell are you doing here? Are you a pervert?”

At least, that’s what I wanted to yell, but it came out garbled and muffled by the water.

And yet Ghost understood me. “I came to see if you wanted to talk?”

Glaring at him, I felt a frown crinkle my brow. “Talk?” I bubbled.

“Indeed.”

I raised my head until my mouth was out of the water, then pointedly swept my gaze over the luxurious bathroom. “Is it safe…?”

Ghost bowed his head slightly. “I have infiltrated the bathroom’s surveillance systems. We have a few minutes at least before they notice the anomaly in the system and respond to it.”

My suspicion was on the money.

With it confirmed, I glanced at the bathwater.

The surface was still covered in bubbles, and though they had lost much of their volume, I decided that for the moment my modesty was safe.

I nonetheless remained submerged up to my chin as I eyed Ghost with open suspicion. “Don’t you dare peek.”

“I assure you, Princess. I would do no such thing.”

“As if I’d trust you. You’re a guy. I’m a guy. I know my kind all too well.”

Ghost arched his eyebrows at me. “Indeed, one could say your perspective is unique. Do you know the story of Tiresias?”

I shook my head.

Ghost nodded thoughtfully. “I suggest you look him up.”

“Who was he?”

“According to ancient Greek mythology, he was a blind prophet of Apollo who was turned into a woman for a period of seven years. Afterwards he returned to being a man, though his life was tragic.”

“He was blind as a woman?”

“No, he was blinded after regaining his masculinity.”

I couldn’t help frowning up at him. “Why? I mean how?”

Ghost sighed. “Well, accounts vary but one popular theory is that he was the victim of an argument between the gods.”

I hesitated before asking, “What was the argument about?”

“Who enjoys sex more? A man or a woman?”

“Eh?”

“His sorry tale does make for interesting reading.”

I wasn’t so convinced, and decided not to take Ghost’s word for it, but I will admit that I was intrigued. Usually there was a moral to be found in the stories surrounding ancient myths. Would I find something pertinent to me in the story of this Tiresias?

Holding onto my frown, I realized Ghost’s conversational side trip had settled my state of mind a little. That didn’t mean I was entirely comfortable with him standing beside the bathtub, but I wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it.

However, as I moved my body and sat a little higher in the bathtub, I made request of him.

“Okay. I guess I do have a few questions for you.” Lifting a hand out of the water, I twirled it in a circle. “But could you turn around, please.”

Ghost expressed a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Princess?”

“I’d feel more comfortable if you turned around.”

“Ah, I see. If it helps, I can”—he snapped the fingers of his free hand—“disappear.”

“No, no.” I made a stopping motion with the hand I held out of the water. “Don’t do that. Just…turn around. I know that you can see me anyway so it won’t make a difference, but I still feel more comfortable seeing you face the other way.”

Ghost considered me with a thoughtful look, then nodded before turning around. “As you wish, Princess.”

I resumed covering my breasts with both my hands and arms. “You probably think I’m weird.” I chuckled bitterly. “I’m a boy in a girl’s body. I shouldn’t care if you see me. I mean, guys don’t care if they see each other naked, right.”

“Not at all, Princess. It is quite all right.”

“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t care, but for some reason I do.” I stared at the water for a while before looking up at Ghost. “Do you know that back at the dorm when I put on the uniform I kept my eyes closed most of the time.” I chuckled softly but anyone could have heard how pitiful I sounded. “I—I couldn’t even look at myself, and I made sure I was facing away from the mirror above the vanity.” A shiver ran down my back and I resumed looking down at the water. “Erina really did a number on me. I’m totally messed up.”

“On the contrary. Considering all you have endured of late, you are doing remarkably well.”

My feelings soured in a heartbeat, and I threw him a sullen glance. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

Ghost was quiet for a short while before breaking his silence. “Princess, may I remind you of what you said to me aboard the Sanreal Crest?”

I shook my head weakly. “What did I say…?”

“That you had chosen to move forward. That you would live as Isabel and fight as Mirai.”

I stiffened slightly as I regarded the multicolor bubbles covering the water above my body. “I did say that, didn’t I….”

“I guess it is not as easy as it sounds.”

My breath caught in my chest. “That’s true….”

“Was it all a lie?”

His question felt like it stabbed me, and I threw him a sharp look. “No, it wasn’t a lie.”

“Have you changed your mind since then.”

I started to shake my head but then stopped. “That’s not it.”

Ghost turned slightly to peer at me over a shoulder. “Then what is it.”

I didn’t give him an answer right away. That was because I had trouble voicing the reason why I was having doubts about my decision back aboard the superyacht.

“Princess?”

I took a deep breath, and felt my large breasts rise and fall, buoyed by the water. “Because it means truly giving up.”

“Giving up?”

I nodded gently while looking at the multicolored bubbles floating on the water. “Giving up on any chance of going back.” I raised my head, and met Ghost’s gaze. “Giving up on life as a boy.”

Regarding me over his shoulder, he pursed his lips into a thin line before reminding me, “Princess, that is not possible. The longer your mind spends in that body, in that brain, the more you will adapt to being female—”

“I know!” I tucked my legs and knees up against my large breasts. “I know. I know that…I know that….” Clenching my hands, I rubbed the heels of my palms into my eyes. “I know….”

I felt tears well up in my eyes, so I squeezed them shut as tightly as I could, and continued pressing my palms into them.

“…it just…really sucks…really frekking sucks….”

Even if time was ticking along, and my opportunity to talk to Ghost and gain answers to the questions I had was slipping away, I couldn’t bring myself to look up and ask them because at the moment they didn’t feel important anymore.

I was awash with intense feelings of regret and denial, but burning resentment clamped around my chest, making it hard to breathe and impossible to talk. Thus choked, I couldn’t bring myself to say or do anything but huddle up against the back of the bathtub, and sob quietly.

“Princess, I understand this is hard for you. I imagine that in your position, I would feel the same. But you must see this through. Do not be anchored to the past. See this as an opportunity to—”

“To what?” I yelled at him as I lowered my hands away from my tear streaked face. “To what, Ghost? To live as a girl. To accept that I’m now a girl! That I have no choice but to be Isabel and Mirai!”

Ghost’s expression reflected momentary surprise before he calmly replied, “Yes. To be Isabel val Sanreal. To be the Gun Princess Mirai. To live as a girl and much more. To accept what you are now and move on. To keep your promise to me.”

I clenched my jaw as I shot to my feet, splashing water out of the bathtub without regard. Despite past assertions, I was angry enough not to care that I was standing naked before him. “I never promised you that.”

“Well it sounded like a promise to me. You said it yourself back in Ar Telica. You cannot go back. You can only go forward. But you have a choice to make. You can either fight what you are and inevitably drive yourself into a ditch. Or you can accept it and make new opportunities for yourself.”

My arms trembled as my anger and resentment bubbled over the edge of my control.

“Frek you,” I hissed at him.

Ghost met my glare with stoic calm. “What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid? I’m not afraid of anything!” I screamed at him, and kicked the bathwater in his direction but it passed right through his body “You piece of shit! Get a body so I can punch you—you frekking asshole!” I kicked more water at him even though it was pointless. “Face me like a real man would!”

“Is that what it will take?”

I stopped in mid-kick and had to recover my balance in a hurry. “What?”

“Is that what it will take to make you accept reality? If you can punch and kick me, will that shake some sense into you?”

Rage continued to make my body tremble, but I wasn’t lashing out anymore, though my self-control was paper thin.

Ghost crossed his arms without dropping the hand towel he carried. “I am waiting for an answer.”

I sucked in air through clenched teeth. “Are you calling me a coward?”

“Pardon me?”

“Is that what you’re saying? Is that what you’re implying?” I dipped my chin at him. “Are you saying that I’m afraid of being a girl?”

“You are jumping to conclusions.”

“Am I wrong? Stop mincing words and give me an answer.”

“I have never thought of you as a coward.”

I nodded tersely. “That’s good because I’m not a coward.”

“Very well. Then what are you?”

“I am not a coward.”

“Then what are you.” Unlike my gesture, Ghost raised his chin and looked down at me. “Or should I be asking, who are you?”

That was a very good question.

Who was I? Was I still Ronin? Was I Isabel? Or was I Mirai? Or was I all of the above – a composite entity and thereby an amalgamation of different people?

I flinched inwardly.

Was that what I was afraid of becoming? Was it the reason I couldn’t let go of my past despite claiming that I would? No, that wasn’t right. I never made that claim. I merely said that I’d accepted my past and would move forward. But I wasn’t moving forward at all because I hadn’t accepted the choice I’d made.

I was lying to myself and I was lying to the people around me.

Why? Because I believed there had to be another better option, and thus I couldn’t give up.

I refused to accept the situation was purely black or white.

But that didn’t answer Ghost’s question.

“I don’t know,” I admitted through clenched teeth. “I don’t frekking know who I am….”

“Then perhaps that should be your goal. Determining who you are. Finding your true self.”

I shook my head. “No. My goal is going back.”

“And here we go again.” Ghost exhaled softly in evident disappointment. “Princess, you cannot return to that life that was never yours.”

“There has to be a way.”

“You are not Ronin Kassius. You have a copy of his mind, his memories, but you are not him. Ronin Kassius lies in a med capsule undergoing regeneration—a process that will take months to complete due to the extent of the injuries he sustained.” Ghost leaned slightly toward me. “Or is it your intention to terminate him and somehow assume his identity?”

“Shut up.”

He sighed heavily as he straightened. “I expected more from you.”

“I said, shut up!” I strode through the water until I reached the edge of the bathtub. “I’m tired of hearing your sanctimonious crap. Speaking down to me like you know better!”

Ghost shook his head slowly. “So you’re not going to listen to me?”

I glared up at him. Truthfully, if I could throttle him, I would. “Not if you’re going to say the same thing over and over again.”

“That is the kettle calling the pot black.”

“Oh, shut up!” I pointed at the bathroom’s exit. “And get out.”

“That is not how it works.”

“Then get the Hell out of my head.”

Ghost sighed again and almost sounded condescending. “Truly, Princess, you need to stop acting like a child.”

“I am a child. I’m sixteen years old. You can’t expect me to act like an adult.”

“You are a teenage girl, and I remind you that human females mature earlier than males.”

“I am not a teenage girl.”

“Then what are you?” Again he leaned toward me. “From where I am standing you look like a girl to me.”

“Only on the outside.”

Ghost blinked rapidly then unexpectedly scratched a cheek. “Is that what you think?”

“Huh?” I blinked sharply too before narrowing my eyes at him. “Stop beating around the bush. If you’ve got something to say then say it.”

“Does that mean you will listen to me?”

“I’ll hear you out this time!”

“Very well, Princess. No need to shout.”

I growled at him while trembling in anger. “Well, let’s hear it then.”

“According to your data, you are a girl on the outside…and the inside.”

Confusion shattered the glare on my face. “What was that?”

“It seems that your unique Ultra Grade Simulacrum body is a girl on the outside and the inside.”

Yeah, that’s what I thought he’d said.

Shivers broke out all over my body. “I’m a girl…on the inside…?”

“Correct, Princess.”

“No way….”

“Yes way.”

My stomach clenched painfully and my heart beat anxiously in my chest. I was almost too afraid to ask, “How…how much of a girl?”

“Be on your guard during Prom Night.”

I stopped shivering and grew rigid with shock. “You—you can’t be serious….”

“I am completely serious.”

At this my voice broke and fell to a whisper. “I…I can get pregnant…?”

“Well, that remains to be seen. Your body is fresh out of the maturation tank. However, according to your sister’s notes, it is highly likely that you will ultimately experience the monthly monster.”

It took a moment or two for the words to sink into my consciousness.

A heartbeat later, I felt as though every string holding me upright was cut at once.

My legs lost their strength and I fell back into the bathtub with a big splash that spilled water over its rim.

The impact jarred my spine and numbed my buttocks, yet failed to jolt my awareness free of the abject disbelief clouding my thoughts.

“…what kind of body is this…?”

I heard the question leave my lips, yet it sounded as though someone else had asked it.

Then I looked down at my large breasts bobbing in the water.

“…what the Hell kind of body did Erina make…?”

A short while later, I listened to Ghost’s solemn reply. “An Ultra-Grade Simulacrum of the highest caliber. And a girl to boot.”

Under different circumstances I may have thrown Ghost either a heated or frosty glare.

But sitting spread-eagled in the bathtub, and with water lapping the tops of my breasts, all I managed was to gape at him in a stupor before closing my mouth with an audible click.

In one fell swoop, all the fiery fight had been doused from my body, and nothing but embers remained.

---

Thank you for your patience with this series.

For those of you who are new to the series and would like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Currently working on Chapter 8.

Thank you for sticking with this series through its ups and down.

Dear Readers, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Apologies for the delay. Here is the full Chapter 8.

---

Chapter 8.
– I –

I sat on the edge of the bed, in a bathrobe, and held my head in my hands.

Why a bathrobe?

Because the maids had ensured there wasn’t a single scrap of clothing in the entire suite other than a bathrobe and fluffy slippers for me to wear.

Oh, and those slippers were shaped like bunnies.

After stumbling out of the bathtub in a daze, it was Ghost who directed me to the bathrobe. With my mind in a discombobulated state, I would have stumbled about naked had it not been for his intervention. Afterwards, when my cognitive functions recovered to the point where I could think for myself, I’d searched the suite to find all the drawers, shelves, wardrobes, and closets completely empty.

My options had been limited.

Flee the suite while wearing only the bathrobe, or regain my composure and calmly take stock of the situation. I chose the latter, and this is why I was now sitting on the edge of a four-poster Empress-sized bed.

For a while, bowed over and with my head in my hands, I stared absently at the bunny slippers until I succumbed to a sudden irrepressible urge to kick them off and flung them across the bedroom.

“Princess….”

“…I don’t want to hear it…,” I whispered to Ghost. “Just…just be quiet.”

“I am sorry, but I cannot comply. You had questions to ask, and your meeting with Sanreal is nigh upon you.”

“I’m not ready to see him….”

No, I wasn’t ready to see him or deal with anyone else.

I could barely think at all, let alone listen or hold a conversation.

I’d read about the five stages of dealing with loss and grief. The first is denial, followed by anger, then a need to bargain, then getting depressed before finally reaching acceptance. In my case I wasn’t facing a loss and I wasn’t overcome with grief but instead overwhelmed by disbelief laced with cold dread. So was it possible to apply the five stages to my circumstances and state of mind? Was disbelief another form of denial? Assuming it was then I could expect anger was next in line for me. I had kicked the bunny slippers clear across the room, but that had been on a sudden impulse. I didn’t feel I was at the anger stage just yet. But when the time came who would I lash out at? I thought of Erina. Perhaps the next time I saw her I would throttle her, but right now I didn’t feel the urge to strangle her.

Moving on past anger came the bargaining stage. This was something people do before a loss, such as attempting to bargain with a higher power, but in my case I’d already lost something. No, again that wasn’t right. I never had that something to begin with. So what had I lost? My innocence? No, my ignorance. As they say, ignorance is bliss. Give me back my ignorance. Nonetheless, for the sake of argument, let’s assume that I could make a bargain. The question is who would I bargain with, and what did I have to offer?

Abruptly, my thoughts came to a stop and I raised my head slightly to look at the carpeted floor beneath my bare feet.

Of a sudden, I’d remembered that my true problem wasn’t becoming pregnant but being boxed in a virtual prison.

If Sanreal tells me I’m going to be boxed, how will I bargain with him?

I pondered the thought in silence, and my gaze fell on the bunny slippers lying on the opposite side of the spacious bedroom.

So girly. So feminine. So…revolting.

Yes, part of me found those slippers utterly repugnant.

And part of me didn’t.

I really am inside a female body, with all the right plumbing. Inhaling deeply, I mulled another thought. This body was meant for Clarisol. Is this why it can fall pregnant? Was it to give Clarisol a chance to start a family of her own, far away from the danger posed by the Empress?

I lowered my head back to my hands.

I don’t belong in this body. I know it’s not my fault but I feel like a thief—

“Princess.”

Without looking up, I sensed Ghost approach me. At another time I would have felt unsettled by that fact, especially since he was merely a projection into my mind so how was it possible for me to sense his presence, but with my thoughts at a near standstill the realization barely caused a stir in the still waters of my mind.

As I mentioned, I sensed Ghost approach me. I then sensed him drop to one knee, and true enough when I looked up a little I saw him on bended knee before me.

“Princess, I am sorry.”

A frown flickered faintly across my brow. “You have a lot to be sorry about. So what is it this time?”

“I am sorry for revealing your potential to bear children. I had hoped you would find out in due time, and yet I torpedoed that intention.”

“In due time?” I snorted softly and shook my head weakly. “You mean after I’m pregnant.”

Ghost expressed alarm. “Princess!”

I shook my head again, and closed my eyes. “Forget it. Yeah, I would have found out eventually. But your timing does suck….”

Oddly, rationalizing the situation in that manner made me feel a little better. Maybe later I would resume wallowing in denial, disbelief, and self-pity, but for now my head felt a little clearer.

“Princess, you had questions for me, and time is short.”

I may have felt a little better, but I wasn’t in the mood for conversation. “I don’t feel like asking anymore….”

“Very well, then allow me to anticipate your questions.”

Irritation flickered to life within me. I truly didn’t want to talk or listen to Ghost. I simply wasn’t in the right frame of mind for more of his good news. The grip on my composure was too fragile to handle another reality shattering revelation. “Ghost, just let me be….”

“Princess, I talk. You listen. That is all.”

I exhaled curtly. “You’re not going to shut up even if I tell you to, are you?”

“You would be wise to heed advice when it is offered to you.”

I sat up on the bed. “You are beginning to piss me off.”

“And you are frustrating beyond measure.”

I tapped a temple. “Get out of my head.”

“Not until I get a few things through into that thick skull of yours. Starting with where you are right now.”

“My thick skull?”

Ghost bowed his head for a moment and took a deep, deep breath. “Princess, we are short on time. I ask you to simply listen. Nothing more. Is that so much to ask?”

I felt like I was back in the bathroom, and the prospect of having yet another argument didn’t appeal to me. I understood that arguing with Ghost solved little, but lately he’d progressively worked his way under my skin. However, by the same token I wasn’t making things easy either. I knew there was a limit to how stubborn and recalcitrant I could and should be, but I was having trouble controlling my emotions as though the dial in my head had been spun to Bitch Mode and was now stuck. So I understood why Ghost grew increasing vexed with me, and in truth I was growing frustrated with myself as well.

I needed to break out of this vicious cycle I’d fallen into.

But as the saying goes, easier said than done.

Ghost started to rise to his feet. “Very well. Have it your way—”

“I’m listening.”

He stopped moving and regarded me with distrust.

Straightening my posture a little more, I released a heavy breath and slowly folded my arms under my breasts. “Let’s hear it. Where am I?”

Perhaps engaging in a calm, rational conversation would nudge the dial in my head away from Bitch Mode. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to learn more about my surroundings. And Ghost had anticipated one of my questions, though not in the correct order.

Ghost’s eyes searched my face, undoubtedly gauging whether I really intended to hear him out. After a second or two, he took what sounded a satisfied breath, and resumed kneeling before me. “Princess, do you recall the Citadels you saw in Clarisol’s virtual prison?”

I nodded faintly. “Yeah, I remember them. Those big wheels with cogs. You said the cogs are like a docking mechanism for Citadels so that they can hook up.”

“That is correct. Transporting a Citadel through the Conduit is impossible. A Citadel is roughly nine kilometers in diameter. The Conduit is barely wide enough for a compact military truck to pass through. However, it is possible to transport a small Fabricator through the Conduit, and a small Fabricator can be used to make a big Fabricator. A big Fabricator can then be used to make a bigger Fabricator and then—”

I sharply raised a hand. “I get it. A bigger Fabricator can make the biggest Fabricator.”

“No. A bigger Fabricator can make the facilities to construct a Citadel.”

My eyes widened to their limit as I realized what he meant.

Aboard Clarisol’s boat, the Carnal Sin, Mat had told me the same thing. It was impossible for a Citadel to travel through the Conduit to this universe. What he didn’t tell me was that it was unnecessary because they could be built on this side using a Fabricator.

Was it because he didn’t know? Or was he keeping it from me so as not to worry me?

I was bothered by his omission, and swallowed to clear my throat before asking, “Are we inside a Citadel?”

On bended knee, Ghost looked up at me. “Yes, Princess. We are aboard House Novis’s Citadel.”

I thought of what I’d seen in the virtual prison, and comparing it to the house, the gardens, and lagoon sized pool. “I have to admit, it’s not what I expected.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s a lot more…normal, I guess?”

“Normal?”

I struggled to give him a better answer. “I mean that it’s like a summer home. A coastal resort or retreat. It doesn’t look futuristic. It’s more like an homage to the villas of the past.”

Ghost smiled faintly at me but I didn’t feel he was mocking me. “The Noble Houses refer to them as Citadels but in appearance and design they are unlike those that you saw. However, they are nonetheless the blending of a starship, a city, and a fortress.”

I felt sudden apprehension prick at my heart. “It’s a warship?”

Ghost nodded at first but then shook his head. “It is more than a warship. Think of it as the castle for a Noble House. Its home fortress. A place from where the rulers of a Noble House can direct their affairs. However, it is well fortified and well armed. As such, it is fitting to refer to it as a Citadel.”

I swallowed again. “So…we’re inside a ship?”

Ghost nodded politely.

Remembering the size of the estate and the dome, I hesitantly asked, “How big is it?”

Ghost backed away, putting a little more space between us, and then waved his hand like a magician would.

In my vision, an image roughly fourteen or fifteen inches in size appeared. It was the image of a strange looking vessel. Oddly, I instinctively knew that I was looking at the representation of a ship, perhaps because of the context of our conversation, but it was quite unlike any vessel I’d ever seen or read about. It resembled a whale. It had no fins, instead possessing pontoons that hung off its flanks. There were no tail flukes either. The stern had a bulging, rocket-like appearance with two cannons mounted on either side. I had the impression the cannons could move and reorient because they were attached to bent mechanical arms that were themselves connected to the stern.

With a finger, Ghost indicated the image I was seeing. “This is the Sanreal Novis, named after the Noble Family that presently rules House Novis.”

“Presently?” I frowned at him. “I don’t understand.”

“There are other Noble Families beside the Sanreals within House Novis. The Sanreal Family happens to lead House Novis at this time. If they were to fall or be usurped by another family, then the Citadel’s designation—its name—would change.”

“Other Noble Families?”

“Correct. Your friend, Matrim, is a Sanreal but has been adopted into the Praetor Noble Family, a so-called lesser family within House Novis.”

So that’s how it is, I thought to myself, then wondered how the other families viewed the Sanreal Family’s leadership of House Novis. At that thought, I suddenly realized that House Novis was more like a corporation, one where its leadership could change if it were overthrown at the next board meeting. Therefore, did House Novis have family meetings? Could it face a leadership challenge? Was it facing a leadership challenge? How secure was its controlling grip on House Novis?

Do I have a part to play in that? Is that another reason why I was brought here? I shook my head inwardly. I’m speculating blindly and that’s dangerous.

Ghost was watching me keenly. “Princess?”

I wet my lips quickly and favored him with a hasty nod, hoping I hadn’t betrayed my thoughts. “Go on.”

A section on the ventral hull at the stern of ship’s image glowed a warm orange. It was a tiny area compared to the remainder of the so-called Citadel.

“This is the Estate,” Ghost explained. “The domed area you are currently inside. This house, the pool, and the gardens occupy a small percentage of the Citadel’s internal volume.”

Having briefly seen the scale of the house and surrounding lands while I was falling, I was having trouble accepting we were inside such a small section of the ship. By my estimates, it would make the Citadel comparable to an orbital city.

“Ghost, how big is this ship?”

“Her overall length is six thousand seven hundred meters. She is twenty-four hundred meters wide, and over a kilometer in height. Estimated displacement is an incredibly light ninety-six million metric tonnes.”

“You call that light—?” I swallowed hard in a hurry as Ghost changed the image to show me the Citadel in relation to Ar Telica’s harbor. “My gods…,” I whispered. “It’s bigger than a colony settlement ship.”

“Indeed. I should point out that the Sanreal Novis is not the only Citadel in this reality. Every Noble House that has secured a foothold in this universe will have been granted permission by the Imperial family to construct themselves a Citadel. By my estimates using the intelligence data garnered by House Novis, there are seventeen other Citadels, including one belonging to House Aventisse, the Feylan Aventisse.”

My innards tightened for a beat and I threw Ghost a questioning look. “Clarisol Sanreal Erz Novis.”

Ghost frowned. “Yes?”

“Back in the virtual space, you said Kateopia Feylan Aventisse. Shouldn’t it have been Kateopia Feylan Erz Aventisse?”

Ghost blinked quickly as he demonstrated mild surprise. “Indeed. You are quite correct.”

“You also said the Emperor’s name was Kateas Fantom Aventisse. Why not Kateas Fantom Erz Aventisse?”

“Consider it a privilege of the Imperial family to forgo the need to differentiate between Family and House.”

I leaned slightly toward him. “Why Feylan and not Fantom?”

“Feylan is Kateopia’s maiden name. Her mother hailed from the Feylan Family.”

I blinked slowly as I wondered if Kateopia did not approve her father’s noble family and had thus chosen the name Feylan. Then I frowned again at a sudden thought. “Clarisol and Mat’s mother. Was she a Praetor?”

Ghost raised his head slightly to look up at me. “Yes, she was….”

“I see. So that’s why Mat was taken in by them.”

I was beginning to understand how the families and Noble Houses fit together. The tradition and hierarchy wasn’t that hard to follow.

I chose to put what I’d learned aside, and stared at the image of the immense Citadel. “What does Kateopia’s ship look like?”

An odd expression crossed Ghost’s face. Was he wondering why I’d changed the subject yet again? Regardless, he soon waved his hand once more and the representation of a second vessel appeared beside that of the Sanreal Novis.

Its enormous size made my stomach turn over with worry. “Are you kidding me?”

“No, Princess. I am not. The Imperial family makes no effort to hide the true scale of their Citadel. It is a stark warning to all the other Noble Houses that they hold the most powerful card of all.”

Unlike the Sanreal Novis, the Feylan Aventisse had less of an aquatic shape. It was far longer and sleeker, and resembled two short swords placed atop each other. Wedge shaped sails extended from its dorsal and ventral hulls. If its representation was to scale with the Sanreal Novis, then Kateopia’s Citadel utterly overshadowed it.

I had a truly unsettling thought. “Ghost, do you know where that ship is?”

“No. None of the Noble Houses know the location of the other Citadels.”

Hearing that made me hesitate before asking, “Then do you think Kateopia is in this universe?”

Ghost looked uncertain for a telling moment, before growing thoughtful. “Why do you ask?”

“Why go to the trouble of building such a large ship if you’re not going to use it?”

His eyes narrowed and I wondered if he’d caught onto my train of thought. “You believe she is here?”

“Like I said, why build something on a such a grand scale, but not use it?” I wet my lips before apprehensively pressing on. “Ghost, what’s Kateopia like? Is she someone who craves power? Is she…ostentatious? Vain? Avaricious?”

“Most assuredly, on all four counts.”

I pressed my lips together as I mulled over my next question. “Ghost, what’s the conduit between our respective universes like?”

“The bridgeway consists of two circular structures, Remnant technology, roughly three point one four meters in diameter.”

“Huh…?” I stared at him blankly while thinking, Isn’t that a rough approximation for Pi? After swallowing quickly, I asked, “Can it be moved around?”

Ghost blinked in a very human demonstration of surprise. “Princess?”

“Can either end of the bridgeway be moved around?”

Ghost became still and quiet.

I had the impression he was doing either some heavy thinking or extensive data sifting.

When he blinked again, his gaze met mine with veiled curiosity, conceivably because he was puzzled by my line of questioning. “It was theorized but never attempted.”

“Why?”

“The risk of losing the Conduit—of breaking the bridgeway—was simply too high to contemplate.”

I bit my lower lip, keeping to my train of thought. “If it could be moved, would people on either end notice?”

“They would indeed.”

I held back a frown. “So we don’t know if it can be moved. And even if it’s possible, Kateopia wouldn’t be able to do it without others noticing, right?”

“Most assuredly. She already strictly controls its usage. But assuming complete control of it and restricting traffic through the Conduit would undoubtedly incite another rebellion against her.”

I tipped my head to a side. “Then could she make a conduit for herself?”

Ghost’s eyes narrowed into thin slits. “The construction of another Conduit is prohibited by Imperial decree.”

“That’s not what I was asking.”

“It has been attempted in the past and all efforts ended in failure.”

“Why?”

“Constructing or should I say replicating the Conduit gateways is possible with the Fabricators. The problem is a question of timing. Both ends of the bridgeway must be turned on at the same time. Precisely the same moment. A failure causes a temporary schism in reality—something like a fault line—that translates to a very big boom when reality returns to normal. More than a few research facilities have vanished from existence as a consequence of failure.”

“Vanished?”

“Reduced to subatomic particles.”

“Oh….”

“After the last such failure, the Emperor decreed that all attempts to create another Conduit were officially banned. Anyone in breach of this decree would face severe punishment regardless of their social or military status.”

“What about the Sarcophagi?”

Ghost flinched and grew rigid. “What about them?”

I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, “Can a Sarcophagi travel between our two universes?”

“Why would you ask that?”

“Because you told me the space between universes is Limbo. And Ronin Kassius was in Limbo when Akane Straus saved him. So how did she get there?”

“She was translocated there along with you.”

“What?”

“House Aventisse had used a Fabricator to make a sliver of the Proving Grounds island.”

“A sliver?”

“They copied part of the island and translocated it into Limbo. Ronin was later translocated onto the sliver. Because he was being tracked, Akane Straus was able to use her Sarcophagus to translocate onto the Sliver as well. She caught up to him before he could die, brought him into her Sarcophagus and then jumped back into this universe.”

I leaned forward toward Ghost excitedly. “So it is possible for a Sarcophagus to move in and out of a universe. Then they can be used to travel between your universe and mine.”

“No, it is not possible.”

Feeling disappointed, I leaned back and away from him. “Why not?”

“Sarcophagi need a waypoint to guide them.”

“So does that mean that they are used to travel between—?”

“No,” Ghost cut me off in a hurry as he swiftly stood up. “While their drive engine allows them to slip through the fabric of the universe—to escape the bubble from anywhere within the bubble—they cannot self navigate. There is no equivalent inertial guidance system for them. There are no stars to steer by.”

“Then—then how—?”

“I told you. By navigational waypoint. By a homing signal. A Sarcophagus knows at all times where you are because you are linked to it. It also remembers places it has visited in the past. That allows it to be moved from place to place. For example, having you aboard the Sanreal Crest allowed your Sarcophagus to be guided into the belly hangar. In fact, I was the one piloting it into its support cradle.”

I was confused by Ghost’s explanation. “Are you saying it can only go to places where I’ve been to?”

“Yes. That is the restriction that the Ancients, the builders of the Remnant technology imposed upon their design.”

“So it wasn’t a limitation human engineers implemented?”

Ghost shook his head. “Indeed not. And we are fairly certain the Ancients developed and constructed the Sarcophagi after the Conduit was established.”

“Do you know why they made them that way?”

Ghost rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders for added emphasis. “To make life challenging, I suppose. Or perhaps there was a problem they encountered and therefore had to limit the capabilities of the Sarcophagi. For example, even when establishing waypoints between the two universes, a Sarcophagus has failed to jump from one bubble to the other.”

My eyebrows rose to my hairline in disbelief. “Really? So if I go over to the other universe, my Sarcophagus won’t go along with me.”

Ghost nodded grimly. “Correct.”

“So then the Conduit is the only way to travel between our universes.”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm. Okay, food for thought….”

Did that mean Kateopia wouldn’t be able to move people and resources between the two universes without the other Noble Houses noticing? No, resources wouldn’t be necessary since she could use a Fabricator to make whatever she wanted, but people were another matter.

“Ghost, can a Fabricator make Simulacra…or people?”

“No.” Ghost shook his head sharply. “A Fabricator cannot replicate or make a living organism. Every attempt to make something living has resulted in failure. Even something like bacteria would be dead on fabrication.”

“So there are limits to what it can make?”

Ghost nodded sagely as he replied, “Without a doubt.”

I sighed inwardly in thought.

If people couldn’t be replicated, then who was crewing these immense Citadels? Was everyone here a Simulacra? Was the onboard automation so high they didn’t need a crew?

Yet more questions I would need to shelve. The alternative was to ask Ghost but I didn’t feel comfortable with that option because part of me worried that he would suspect why I was asking these questions.

Then quite abruptly, it became a moot point.

“Princess, are you concerned that Kateopia will invade this universe?”

I stared at him in shock. “Huh?”

Ghost somberly watched me. “You asked Master Matrim that question back on Mistress Clarisol’s yacht.”

I cleared my throat. “Am I that obvious?”

He shook his head gently. “No. You are not. However, I have been with you for long enough to understand your concerns.”

You’re pretty much saying that I’m easy to read.

I exhaled loudly and looked back down to my feet. “Ghost—”

“Princess, I understand your concerns and it is something we can discuss later. But for now, we must move onto question number two.”

Looking up at Ghost, I arched an eyebrow at him.

Changing the subject yet again, are we?

I had two questions in mind, but noticing Ghost grow even more somber, I whispered a name I’d rather forget.

“Arnval….”

“Yes, Princess.” Ghost sounded as grave as he looked. “Geharis Arnval.”

– II –

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at Ghost, yet thinking of a young man that I had come to intensely dislike in a remarkably short period of time.

It wasn’t a case of hate at first sight, but it was damn close.

“Is that his real name,” I asked Ghost.

“Yes, it is.”

I puckered my lips thoughtfully, and then asked, “So he’s a local?”

“A local?” Ghost looked puzzled before snorting softly and breaking into a thin grin. “A local. Yes, from your point of view, Geharis Arnval is a local. In other words, a native of this universe.”

I leaned back as I sat on the bed, and used my arms to support my weight. “What’s his deal?”

“You may have discerned by now that he is not entirely human.”

“Yeah, his aura is incomplete.” Remembering what his lifeforce looked like, I now wondered if I’d read it wrong. Sitting up straight, I slowly crossed my arms once more under my breasts hidden beneath the bathrobe. “His aura was incomplete, but thinking about it now, I guess it was more like it was weak in some places while strong in others.”

I was having trouble describing what I’d seen around Arnval, and it annoyed me a little.

However, Ghost appeared to accept my observation and said, “Geharis Arnval was born with a rare genetic defect. He was born without fully formed arms or legs.”

After gasping involuntarily, I stared wide eyed and wordlessly at Ghost.

He gave me subtle nod as he looked down at me. “Because of this, he has used prosthetics almost his entire life, replacing them with newer models as he grew from childhood into manhood.”

“…that’s…so sad….”

Ghost chuckled and I sulked.

“Why are you laughing?” I grumbled at him.

“Are you feeling sympathy for your antagonist?”

“I’m not heartless, Ghost,” I answered with an offended tone.

“No, you are most assuredly not heartless, Princess.” Ghost looked as though he wanted to say more, but then appeared to change his mind. “Tell me. In your eyes what stands out the most about him?”

“He’s an asshole,” I replied bluntly.

Ghost sighed. “Allow me to rephrase that. When you were exchanging blows with him, what caught your attention the most?”

I scowled faintly at him. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

“My bad, Princess.”

I felt like I was being asked to jump tracks, so I mulled the question over for a handful of seconds. “His speed. He’s much faster than anyone I’ve fought until now.” I rolled my eyes and rocked my head from shoulder to shoulder. “I know, I know. I’ve only fought the Gun Queen and that wasn’t hand to hand. But he felt faster than a Gun Princess. Faster than a mechanical.” I stopped rocking my head and grimaced as I asked, “Does that make sense?”

“Perfect sense. And you are indeed quite correct.”

“You’ve been saying that a lot lately.”

“Saying what?”

“Indeed.” I waved a hand about. “Indeed this. Indeed that. Indeed Princess.” I folded my arms again. “Find another word.”

Ghost’s lips drew a thin line across his face. “As you wish, Princess. You are undeniably correct.”

“Better,” I said with nod. “Go on.”

Again, his lips drew into a thin line. “Because Arnval has been using prosthetics for the vast majority of his life, since his days as a toddler in a pram, his mind has developed rather uniquely.”

“You mean he can keep up with the speed of his prosthetics.”

Ghost looked like a teacher pleasantly surprised by his star pupil. “Indeed.”

“Ghost!”

He pressed on. “As you surmised, his mind is able to utilize the speed of his prosthetics.”

I sighed then briefly pointed at my head. “So he can overclock?”

“Apparently so. But his ability extends to his motor controls. You could say that his mind has developed an extremely streamlined process of operating his artificial limbs. However, I understand that it was also helped along by generous scientific research.”

“Scientific research?” I then realized what he meant and sat up ramrod straight. “He was experimented on?”

“Indeed—I mean, he was improved.”

“Improved? Oh wonderful.” Narrowing my eyes a little, I asked, “So who worked on him? Was it the military?”

“No. It was the Telos Corporation. Geharis Arnval was serving as a security officer at the time. When his potential was discovered, a division of the Telos Corporation worked on him—as you phrased it—and augmented his ability by using cybernetics—wetware—to increase the efficiency between his cerebellum, spine, and biomechanical limbs.”

“Why?”

“To see how far they could raise his abilities. To push the envelope, so to speak.”

“How lovely.” I cocked my head at Ghost. “And how did he feel about being augmented?”

“I do not know. You would have to ask him.”

“Yeah. I think I’ll take a rain check on that.” I cocked my head a little more. “Ghost, should I be worried about him?”

“Worried? In what manner?”

“He wants to fight me.”

“Yes, I gained that impression as well.”

“Well, he wasn’t trying to hide it.” I straightened my head on my neck, and folded my arms a little tighter under my bosom. “My gut’s telling me I’ll have to fight him sooner or later. But I don’t think I’m ready for him.”

Ghost’s expression became unreadable though I can say it also seemed a little distant.

“Ghost?”

“Are you considering facing Arnval in combat?”

“I’d rather not. But I get the feeling I don’t have a choice.” I unfolded my arms and punched a fist into an open palm. “What I mean is, I don’t think Arnval will give me a choice.”

“You seem rather eager.”

I blinked as my breath caught in my lungs. “Huh?”

“As I said, you seem eager.”

Slowly, I lowered my hands to my lap. “Is that how I sound to you?”

Ghost gave me a troubled smile. “Are you looking forward to facing him?”

I stared at him and didn’t reply.

On some level, I felt offended by what his remark implied about me. On another, I was annoyed for giving him that impression. But on a deeper level within my psyche and closer to my heart, I was disappointed to know that some part of me wanted to fight Arnval though it wasn’t because I wanted to test myself against him.

I dropped my gaze to the soft creamy colored carpet covering the bedroom floor, and searched my thoughts and feelings for a while before breaking my silence.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I feel that way.” I shook my head slowly, feeling my hair sway and brush my cheeks. “I don’t remember feeling this way before when I was Ronin Kassius. I never looked for a fight. I always avoided confrontations as much as possible. But maybe being inside Mirai has released my true personality.” I slowly raised my head to look up at Ghost. “But I can tell you honestly that even if I seem eager to face Arnval, I’d rather not fight him at all. This is something he chose by standing in my way. However, I’m not going to run away from it. And I don’t plan on going around him either. I’m going to go through him.”

As the declaration left my lips, I was startled to notice that my wet hair falling around my face was raven dark.

What the—?

Reaching up, I fingered my long dark locks.

Why am I still in Mirai Mode?

Did this mean that I felt endangered? Was my subconscious warning me not to let my guard down while aboard the Sanreal Citadel?

Feeling Ghost’s gaze on me, I looked into his eyes.

Despite my aforementioned concerns, I once again pondered if he was merely an image projected into my mind. At that thought, I did something I hadn’t done before, faintly surprised the idea had never crossed my mind until now since it was so obvious.

I looked for his shadow…and found it.

What? What the Hell?

Shock spread through me, catching my breath and locking my body rigid.

I remained that way even after Ghost abruptly looked off in the direction of the bedroom’s open doorway and announced, “Princess, you have company.”

“Wh—what?” Distracted, it was the most I could utter because inwardly my thoughts were scattered to the four winds.

How can he have a shadow? Wait—it could be nothing more than part of the projection. Maybe it’s to add to his realism. Yes, it’s natural to have a shadow but only if you’re real.

My eyes widened and I stared at the floor in a hurry.

Only if you’re real….

My chest tightened in apprehension that bordered on fear.

Only if he’s real.

“Princess. Princess?”

Only if I’m real….

“Isabel!”

“Y—yes?” I jerked stiffly upright and stared wide eyed at Ghost, unable to hide my anxious feelings. “Wh—what? What is it?”

Ghost regarded me with undisguised concern. “Princess, are you feeling all right? If not—?”

I pushed myself up off the bed, feeling my legs tremble beneath me. “I’m fine.” At his questioning look, I hurriedly added. “Ghost, I’m fine. I’m fine. It’s just a lot to take in. Okay? I’m just finding it hard to keep up.”

I didn’t know if he believed me, and honestly, I wasn’t in a state to argue with him if he didn’t, so it was a relief when he accepted my reply with a subtle nod.

Taking a couple of quick breaths, I abruptly remembered what he’d said earlier. “Ghost. Who—who’s coming?”

Again he regarded me with concern, then glanced at the open doorway. “The head maid, Kyoko, and her entourage are at the suite’s entrance.”

My gut tightened at mention of her name, and with a sudden sense of urgency, I struggled to bring my thoughts into order. Giving myself something to focus on, I ensured the fabric ribbon securing the overlapping ends of the bathrobe together was properly tied. Then, after a glance at the bunny slippers lying at the foot of a wall, I strode out of the bedroom as though I was fleeing it.

I hoped that Ghost would mistake my behavior as a knee jerk reaction to Kyoko, but I wasn’t going to wager on it.

Unlike most men, Ghost wasn’t oblivious and knew how to read the mood.

Wait—isn’t that the opposite of how girls think of guys in general?

Striding barefoot into the living area, I arrived a few moments before the troublesome maid stepped into the luxurious suite. When she came into view, Kyoko smiled at the sight of me in the bathrobe, but her eyes narrowed ever so faintly at my bare feet. Then she stared at my wet hair with displeasure.

“Now that simply won’t do,” she declared unhappily, and then snapped her fingers.

Within moments, a trio of animal eared maids entered the living room and spread out behind Kyoko.

“Girls,” she announced. “We have work to do.”

I hastily took a step back. “Wait a moment. What the Hell do you mean by work?”

I could see all of them clearly within my wide field-of-vision, so I kept my eyes on the head maid as she replied, “Obviously, we need to do something about your appearance. To put it frankly, you look terrible. Don’t you know how care for your hair?”

“No, I don’t,” I snapped back. “If it’s a problem I’ll just chop it off.”

Kyoko stared at me aghast. “Are you serious?”

“You bet your ass I am!”

She palmed her forehead and sighed heavily. “We simply cannot have that.”

With a wave, she gestured for the maids to approach me. However, the three girls remained behind Kyoko.

Perplexed, she regarded them over her shoulders. “What are you waiting for?”

The maids shared frightened glances before shaking their heads in unison at her.

I realized the girls were afraid of me, and Kyoko must have arrived at the same conclusion because she groaned in deep disappointment while slowly shaking her head at them. “Very well. Toilet duty for all three of you.”

The girls gaped briefly before breaking into relieved smiles.

“Thank you, Miss Kyoko,” they cried out happily, then fled from me and the suite at a run.

I snorted as I watched them leave. “Good help is so hard to find. Isn’t it, Kyoko-chan?”

Facing me with a melancholy expression, she cheerlessly murmured, “Never send a girl to do a woman’s job.”

I don’t know why, but the change in her mood made me feel unexpectedly guilty. But I hid it behind a mocking smirk, and planted my hands on my hips. “So what are you going to bribe me with this time?”

For a long while, Kyoko did nothing more than look at me with an increasingly sad expression that in turn made me more and more uncomfortable.

Eventually, I blurted out, “If you have something to say then say it.”

The sadness on her face deepened. “You are such a beautiful girl.”

I choked then stuttered, “Wh—what?”

“Do you not care for your appearance?”

Her question made my thoughts stumble and catch themselves. “Ah…it’s…it’s not that I don’t care—”

“Do you truly hate being a girl?”

That question brought my thoughts to an unexpected standstill.

I stared at Kyoko blankly, unable to muster or dredge up an answer.

I even forgot to breathe, reminded to do so only when I autonomously swallowed the saliva building up in my mouth. But while the gears in my mind had been brought to a grinding, screeching halt, the question continued to bounce off the inside walls of my head.

Did I truly hate being a girl?

Slowly, as my thoughts started back up and the gears resumed turning over, I began to ponder the question with greater clarity.

Did I hate being a girl?

The answer I eventually arrived at was that I didn’t have an answer.

I simply didn’t know because I hadn’t lived long enough to give the question proper consultation.

I had spent the recent years of my life terrified to wake up and discover that I had become a girl. And now that it had happened, though not in the way I had imagined, I had been determined to return to my life as a human male, though it was impossible for me to assume my previous existence as Ronin Kassius. But even that was a fallacy since I had never lived as Ronin Kassius. Mirai was not Ronin Kassius transformed into a girl. The two were completely unrelated to each other except for one element – her memories belonged to Ronin Kassius. And that lead back to the fallacy that I was Ronin Kassius, something I continued to struggle with after I’d decided to cut ties with my past or rather the memories of my past because it was a past that didn’t belong to me.

To put it simply, my situation was psychological nightmare that would take many, many pages to explain, and even then I doubted it could be fully explained as in many respects I felt as though I was chasing my own shadow.

It was my own version of the liar’s paradox.

Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but you get my meaning.

However, any attempt to address the question – did I hate being a girl – was complicated by not having experienced life as a girl for longer than three days, and most of that time was spent trying to stay alive.

While in harried thought, I stared distantly through Kyoko.

I half expected the young woman to hurry me along for an answer, but instead she stood still and waited silently. It was that silence and her melancholy appearance that ultimately drove me to reply in a weak, uncertain voice that disappointed me.

I gave her the only answer I had. “I’m just not ready to accept being a girl.”

The pensive sadness she wore faded into a thoughtful gaze. Her voice was unexpectedly gentle when she asked, “Why not?”

I hesitated for a second, confused by the change in her and suspicious of her new approach. Yet, I answered her nonetheless. “I refuse to believe this is my fate—that there’s no choice for me other than to live as a girl.”

“Really?” Now she made an expression of open curiosity. “I thought it was because you were afraid.”

My emotions darkened in an instant and I glared at her. “Afraid of what?”

Kyoko stepped up to me.

She was shorter than me despite wearing shoes, and yet I felt as though I was looking up at her. That didn’t bother me nearly as much as having her step into my personal space.

This woman—what is she thinking?

Facing me from a foot or so away, Kyoko searched my face and then met my dark stare with a quiet, penetrating gaze that complemented her calm voice. “You’re afraid that you might enjoy being a girl.”

My glare hardened for a heartbeat, but Kyoko’s gaze pierced through it.

“Am I wrong?” she asked.

“That’s bullshit,” I growled at her but my protest sounded weak to me.

“Prove me wrong.” At that, she offered me the bundle of clothes she’d been holding onto all this time. “Open yourself up to life as Isabel val Sanreal, do it for a week, and then stand before me and tell me that I’m wrong.”

“I don’t need a week. I can tell you right now—”

“No,” she interjected calmly. “Give me your answer when you’ve experienced life as Isabel for a week or maybe even a month. Not before then. Not before you’ve given her existence an opportunity to live.”

She was telling me what I had already realized for myself: to give Isabel a chance.

Yet I stubbornly refused to concede or consider the notion. Why? Because in a way she had hit the nail on the head. I was afraid. I may not have ever desired to be a girl, but I had lived in terror of becoming one and it was that fear – coupled with my unrealistic desire to return to my life as Ronin Kassius – that effectively held me back.

But that wasn’t what I said to her.

After swallowing with some difficulty, I took another deep breath that made my body shudder when I released it. “Why? Why is it so important to everyone that I give up on my past?”

Kyoko gazed silently at me for a long, long while before asking me in a gentle, tender tone that sounded almost motherly, or at least how I would have expected a mother to sound when comforting her daughter.

“Isabel, don’t you wish to find happiness?”

Her voice and words were like a warm breeze passing through me, brushing against my heart and making it tremble. Yet my throat and chest grew even tighter, and I found myself unable to reply as I watched her smile at me with kindness of the like I hadn’t experienced for such a long, long time.

“Isabel, you don’t have to discard your past. I’m certainly not telling you to. Your past makes you the person you are now. Some people will tell you that you only need to look forward but that isn’t true. People that forget or deny their past—people that choose not to learn from its lessons—fail to grow. They make the same mistakes over and over, believing in the lie that history never repeats. That the next time things will be better. But that isn’t true. In order for it to be better, something has to change.” She paused for a quiet breath and then said, “Isabel, you’ve changed. You’re not the person you were before. But don’t you want to know about the person you could become?”

I felt helpless before her.

She had stepped through the wall I’d consciously and subconsciously labored to build up around me – a wall that had held back Ghost, Straus, and Erina. She had done so because something inside me and something I sensed in her aura convinced me that her sentiments toward me were sincerely without malice. Because of this, I saw myself standing on the edge of a precipice while facing Kyoko across a bottomless crevasse.

What would I find if I stepped toward her? Would I fall and be lost? Or would I cross the abyss and be saved? If not saved, would I nonetheless find a measure of inner peace on the other side? As such, would it be the first step in accepting my new life as Isabel?

I trembled before the abyss, unable to step forward yet unable to step away either.

Kyoko said nothing and continued to regard me warmly.

There was literally no trace of the young woman who had bribed me earlier so that I would take a bubble bath. And the melancholy she’d expressed was nothing more than a memory.

Why?

My hands clenched into fists.

Why do you look at me that way?

My fingernails dug into my palms.

Why? You don’t know me. I’m nothing to you. We’re not family or friends. We’re nothing to each other?

I closed my eyes.

So why? Why do you look at me that way? Why? When not even my mother ever looked at me—?

I gasped softly and opened my eyes.

That’s right. My mother…never looked at me…the way she looked at Erina.

I relaxed my fingers, and the pain in my palms faded quickly but now I experienced a painful emptiness within my chest.

Why am I remembering this now? No…why had I forgotten that about my mother?

Erina had always been her favorite child. It was something that I had come to understand even at a young age, and perhaps I had chosen to box those memories because they were painful to me. Perhaps, I had even acclimated myself overlook the occasions when my mother bestowed her affections upon Erina while ignoring me. And as my mother denied me, I chose to deny my mother’s existence. In short, I began to isolate her from my thoughts and feelings at an early age.

Did I cry when she and my father left Erina and I behind? I can’t remember. What did I feel back then? Did I feel anything at all? Was I glad that she was gone?

Blinking slowly, my focus gradually returned to the present and I found myself meeting Kyoko’s eyes.

She had continued to watch me kindly, and so I ran my gaze over the orange aura of her lifeforce as it glowed strongly around her. But I was thinking of my mother, pondering what I would see in her aura if I were to chance upon it with Mirai’s ability. Then I realized I was being foolish. I wasn’t Ronin Kassius and Mirai had no mother. And yet, while my mind rationalized in one direction, my heart pined in another, so it was difficult for me not to feel something when I thought of her.

Kyoko had said there was no need for me to discard my past, but I wondered if my declaration to cut myself off was premature, somewhat of a knee jerk reaction to learning that there was no going back. I had also voiced my intention to move forward, but as my argument with Ghost in the bathroom had demonstrated, I hadn’t moved forward at all.

So was my past holding me back? If so, then how could I expect to move forward if I didn’t shed it? And this brought me back full circle to my unwillingness to consider a life as Isabel val Sanreal because I was holding onto the hope that I could go back.

“Nothing’s changed,” I whispered.

Kyoko’s eyes showed veiled confusion. “Isabel?”

“I turn it over and over in my head, everything that’s happened, how I feel, my circumstances, and I come back to the same place. And because of that nothing changes, and I’m stuck.”

Kyoko briefly pressed her lips into a thin line as she studied me with thoughtful eyes. “Why is that?”

“Because I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid of being a girl. Afraid of living as one. I spent so much time afraid of turning into a girl, that now I can’t deal with it. I don’t want to be a girl, but I’m afraid that the longer I spend as Isabel, the less I will want to go back—even though I know I can’t go back. But it all feels like a paradox. I’m afraid of being a girl, but the truth is that this body has always been a girl. It’s only that she has the memories of Ronin Kassius. I have the memories of being a boy, yet I was never a boy. And I want to go back to being to a boy, but again, I was never a boy so it’s not possible.”

“Then what will you do?”

I shrugged, and a feeling of utter helplessness washed through me. My voice broke into a hoarse whisper. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do….”

Then my throat and chest grew tight and I couldn’t say anything else, and a few moments later I was crying tears of despair before a stranger.

And before I knew it, that stranger was holding onto me tightly, and I heard her whisper into my ear.

“I’m sorry, Isabel. I’m so sorry.”

What did she have to be sorry about? Bribing me? I should have laughed off her apology, but I couldn’t.

Instead, I found myself reaching out to her, and embracing her as she embraced me.

I held onto her, because without her I didn’t believe my legs could support my weight.

But the truth was that I clung to this stranger because I needed the kindness and understanding she offered me.

The warmth radiating from her body flowed into me, warming me, and it comforted my heart.

Gradually my tears ebbed and I began to feel a little more at ease.

I hadn’t resolved my situation, and I was far from at peace with myself, but I was no longer in anguish.

I have no idea how long I cried, or for how long she held me, but it was long enough for my tears to soak the shoulder of her uniform.

“Sorry,” I whispered and though I tried to pull away, Kyoko continued to embrace me, and I realized I lacked the strength of will to break free. And part of me wanted to continue drawing comfort from her presence.

When Kyoko drew back she continued holding onto me as she studied me from up close.

“Feel better?” she asked me gently.

After probing my feelings for a short while, I gave her a shallow nod. “Yes….”

Kyoko smiled up at me, then eased back a few more centimeters. “That’s good.”

I studied the caring, motherly expression on her face, once again unable to reconcile the young woman before me with the Kyoko who’d cornered me not long ago.

Had it all been an act? Was this her true personality? Or was this the act?

I realized that I didn’t want to find out. I was afraid to know who was the real Kyoko-chan.

But why show me this side of hers now?

To that I needed an answer, and so I asked, “Why? Why are you being kind to me?”

Kyoko’s eyes widened and a moment later she smiled at me with intense sadness. “Isabel, I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”

My mouth fell open slowly, and I exhaled softly in surprise.

At my reaction, Kyoko laughed remorsefully. “The truth is, I expected you to be a difficult child, and I thought I knew how to deal with you. But I was wrong.”

“I’m not difficult?”

She laughed softly and it carried less regret. “Oh, you are indeed difficult. Make no mistake, you are a handful. But I approached things from the wrong angle. Despite knowing what I knew of you, I didn’t try to understand you. I guess I’m out of practice.”

“I don’t understand,” I admitted to her.

Kyoko held back for a moment before answering me. “Arnval spoke the truth. I know this may sound surprising but I know what you’ve been through, Isabel.”

“How do you know about me? Why do you know about me?”

“Because Master Sanreal asked me to help him with you.”

“Why would he do that?”

Kyoko smiled sadly. “Because he doesn’t know how to deal with you.”

Initially, I was thrown off by this revelation. Then I thought of Clarisol. I knew that Clarisol val Sanreal was his daughter, but I didn’t know what kind of relationship she and her father had. However, rather than mention Clarisol, I chose not to reveal what I did know.

When Kyoko spoke again she didn’t sound as though she’d noticed my troubled thoughts. Then again, she may have attributed it to me having difficulty digesting her explanation and that wasn’t far from the truth.

“I have served Master Sanreal for a long, long time. And in that time he has grown to trust me, and in some respects he has come to depend on me. And so he asked me to help him with you, and thus he entrusted me with the knowledge of who you are. Because of this I learnt of how much you’d suffered, but I only had an inkling of the intense turmoil within you. I didn’t know how much you were hurting. I didn’t realize you were putting up a brave front. Had I known, had I realized it sooner, I would have stepped in. I would have requested to see you, to meet you, and to listen to you. Instead, I made a poor choice that I deeply regret. I did nothing, and then I treated you wrongly.”

“Kyoko-chan….”

I couldn’t help thinking how differently the situation would have turned out had Kyoko greeted me at the park rather than Erina – rather than Arnval.

Shaking her head slowly, Kyoko continued softly. “What was done to you wasn’t fair. And since then you haven’t been treated fairly either. I should have treated you properly. I should have shown you the kindness and respect you deserve—the kindness, understanding, and respect you’ve been denied. For failing to do so, I’m sincerely sorry, Isabel. I’m so sorry. I should have seen the signs. I should have known better. Yet I missed them.” She bowed her head. “Please, please forgive me, Isabel….”

I struggled to close my mouth, then swallowed with difficulty as pained feelings welled up to flood my chest and choke my throat.

This young woman was nothing to me, and I was nothing to her. But what I felt now, perhaps radiated along with her aura was genuine kindness that was painful to bear.

This is the first time I’ve felt this from someone since I woke up as Mirai.

Then I realized I was wrong. I had felt kindness before but back then I’d also felt sadness, sorrow, and frustration fueled by helplessness. Back then I was intent on surviving and not so much on the people around me until it was too late.

Mat, I’m sorry for failing you. I promised Clarisol I would protect you and Shirohime, and yet I failed you all.

Since returning to Ar Telica, I had been caught up in one unexpected event after another, thus I’d spent little time thinking of Mat and the platinum haired beauty. I had no idea how I would react when I saw them again. But now wasn’t the time to ruminate over what our reunion would be like.

I needed to focus on what was in front of me, and I needed to regain control over my composure.

After breathing in deeply a handful of times, I felt my emotions retreat a little, and my throat and chest loosened up. But I wasn’t able to say anything, and thus I found myself listening to Kyoko’s subdued voice.

“Isabel, I know this may sound as though I’m prodding you down a certain path, but I believe you’re fighting too hard.”

What did she mean?

“You’re trying to find answers where there may be none. Conversely, you’re trying to find answers that may only come with time.” Kyoko looked pensively up at the ceiling. “That is why I suggested that you spend a week, or a month, living as Isabel. To find the answers. To face your fear. But in all honestly, I said that because I just want you to live.”

I shook my head slowly, relieved I’d recovered enough of my voice to say, “But it’s not that simple for me.”

“No, it isn’t,” she agreed softly. “But I believe you may find the answers you seek, and you may find your path only by accumulating new experiences. I’m not saying change your goal. But for now, why not simply live.”

“I’m not just Isabel. I’m also Mirai. And I’m a Gun Princess.”

The young maid nodded. “Yes, you are.”

“So my life isn’t exactly normal because I’m not a normal girl.”

“Yes, I know,” she acknowledged with another nod. “But right now you’re living in a closed system. If nothing changes, you’ll continue running in circles. You need new experiences, Isabel. Only then can you really be certain of what you want. And even if you can’t go back, maybe you’ll find another path. Maybe not even as Isabel val Sanreal. Maybe as someone else.”

I understood what she was telling me, and I realized that I would eventually have to take that leap of faith. It may not lead me down the path I believed that I desired. It may not even lead me down the path that I feared. I could find myself on a very different road. But I needed to take that first step.

Kyoko pressed on. “But as the saying goes, all good things in time.” She paused before adding, “And one thing at a time.” With that, she released me, took a step back, then once again offered me the bundle she held in her hands. “Your clothes, Isabel.”

One thing at a time, I repeated inwardly as I glanced down at the clothes in Kyoko’s hands. Despite recognizing them, I nonetheless asked, “Is that my uniform?”

Offering me a gentle nod, she answered, “Yes, it is. It’s been cleaned and is ready for you to wear.” Then she half smiled. “Or would you prefer a maid’s dress? I have just the right headband for you.”

Shaking my head weakly, I replied, “No. No, thank you. But why my uniform?”

“Truthfully, I believed you’d be more comfortable in it since this is what you were wearing upon arrival.”

Comfortable, yes. But did I welcome it? No. However, that wasn’t what I said as I pointed at the uniform neatly folded into a bundle. “What about my shoes?”

“A new pair is ready for you. I’ll fetch it shortly.”

Visibly reluctant, I took the bundle from her and looked it over, noticing the new item she had included. “Stockings?”

Dark stockings of the kind the girls would wear with the academy’s winter uniform.

Kyoko smiled at me. “It’s a little chilly out there.”

I frowned at her, the bundle of clothing, then back at Kyoko. “When do I meet Phelan Sanreal?”

“Are you ready to meet him?” she asked me, her smile fading a little and her tone laced with concern that unexpectedly made my heart twinge.

But I pushed it aside as I searched the rest of my feelings, and then admitted, “No, I can’t say that I am. But it’s not like I can choose otherwise. I was brought here because he wants to meet me.”

“That is true. But I’m certain he can wait until you are ready for him.”

Again studying the clothes I now held in my hands, I hesitated and then wet my lips with the tip of my tongue. “That’s the problem. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready…so I’d rather get it over with.”

“Then let’s go see him as soon as you are dressed.”

Huh?

Lifting my gaze, I met her eyes with uncertainty and apprehension. “Now?”

“When you’re dressed.” She stepped closer and reached up touch my dark hair. “You have such lovely hair, so why don’t we do something about it first?”

Rather than lead me to the bedroom or bathroom, she waited patiently for me decide. However, as the seconds ticked by and I failed to move, Kyoko nodded faintly and offered me an understanding smile.

“Well then. I’ll wait for you outside while you get dressed, Isabel. If you change your mind, let me know.”

After gently squeezing my arms, Kyoko turned toward the suite’s entrance.

Then quite suddenly I saw something that stole my breath away.

“Wait—!”

My left hand was reaching out for her, but my feet were rooted to the living room floor.

Wh—what? What was that?

It happened so quickly that I doubted my eyes.

What did I just see?

Arrested by my cry, Kyoko had stopped and then half turned to look back at me. “Isabel…?”

I lowered my hand, and blinked quickly as though clearing my eyes.

Was that real?

For a fraction of a heartbeat – for one fleeting instant – Kyoko’s lifeforce had radiated with a brilliant golden aura.

Did I imagine that?

Concentrating my vision on the young woman watching me anxiously, I searched for it again.

Maybe it was all in my head….

“Isabel?” Kyoko walked back to me, and held my face in her palms. “Isabel, what’s wrong?”

With her hands warming up my cheeks, I looked into her dark brown eyes.

But if it was real, then why would her aura change?

“Isabel?”

My heart was pounding so forcefully in my chest it was making my body tremble. Surely she could feel it as she cupped my face with her hands.

“Isabel, tell me what’s wrong?” Her eyes moved slightly left and right as they looked into mine. “I’m here. Talk to me.”

What could I tell her? That I could see the aura of her lifeforce? That for a moment it had inexplicably changed color? The problem was that I suspected she would believe me. She was a maid but a mysterious one, and she knew a great deal about me because she had Sanreal’s trust. I had opened myself up to her, but a little voice in the back of my head warned me about being too forthcoming.

“My hair…,” I whispered.

Kyoko’s gaze felt palpable on my face. “Your hair?”

“Would you…help me…with my hair?”

She blinked very slowly and I sensed she was confused by my abrupt change of her heart. However, she was soon smiling contently. “Of course, Isabel. Of course I’ll help you.”

I started to return her smile, but the memory of her aura flashing golden for a mere moment sent a shiver trickling down my spine.

Who is this young woman? Isn’t she a Simulacra? Her aura is like an orange sunrise, but why would it change? Or is there something wrong with Mirai?

The stark possibility that something was wrong with this body frightened me, and another creeping shiver made my body tremble.

Thankfully, Kyoko had released me before then and stepped back to study me quietly for a few seconds. When she spoke again, she sounded oddly uncertain.

“Isabel, would you like to visit your sister?”

I was still distracted by my worries so it took me longer than otherwise to respond. “My sister? You mean Erina?”

“Doctor Kassius has regained consciousness, and she is doing quite well. Would you like to see her? I’m certain Master Sanreal would understand if you wish to visit her before meeting with him.”

Erina was the question I never asked Ghost because he’d assumed the lead. Ghost had accurately surmised the questions I had in mind, but not in the correct order, and ultimately we were interrupted by Kyoko and her maids. But having heard that she was recovering well, I was faced with making a choice, and in the end my decision was based on how I was feeling rather than a logical or rational line of thinking.

That is, I went with my heart and not my head.

“No.” I shook my head firmly as I answered Kyoko. “I’ll see her afterwards.”

I simply didn’t feel the urge to see Erina. She was on my To Do list but getting to her could wait. Meeting with Sanreal was of a higher priority.

“Are you sure?” Kyoko asked.

“Is she in good hands?” was my reply.

Kyoko nodded faintly. “Yes, she is.”

I gave her a firm nod. “Then I’m sure.”

A look of sadness flittered across Kyoko face, but she acquiesced to my decision.

“As you wish, Isabel.”

As though closing the door on the matter – for now at least – Kyoko turned sideways and waved a hand gently toward the bedroom.

“Shall we then?”

---

Thank you for your patience with this series.

For those of you who are new to the series and would like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Currently working on Chapter 9.

Thank you for sticking with this series through its ups and down.

Happy New Year

---

Chapter 9.
– I –

Sanreal’s gaze swept over me from head to toes, then back up again.

I chose to keep my focus on his face, though with Mirai’s preternaturally wide field-of-vision I could see all of him in great clarity

For a long, long while we both stared at each other, until Sanreal finally grew visibly perplexed.

With his brow furrowed and eyes crinkled, he made a handful of attempts to break his silence before eventually finding his voice.

“Why…are you dressed like that?”

And those were the first words he ever spoke to me.

– # –

But let’s press rewind and back up a little.

After I used the excuse of having Kyoko help me with my hair so as to hide my shock at seeing her aura glow golden, I found myself taking a shower…with my eyes closed most of the time. Apparently, I’d allowed my hair to remain wet for too long, and so I had to wash it all over again, this time using a plethora of conditioners and shampoos that left my hair as fragrant as a rose garden. Next was getting it dried, brushed, untangled, and so forth until it hung silky smooth over my shoulders and down my back. I could have modelled for a shampoo commercial because my hair visibly shone with vibrancy. It was like a brilliantly dark waterfall shimmering down my back.

I have to admit, Mirai has awesome hair.

I also have to admit that after all was said and done, I found myself tossing it about like I remembered those attractive hair models would do.

And lastly, I must admit that I needed a lot more practice.

However, up until now all was going well. True, there had been an unexpected delay of more than an hour – Kyoko advised me to grow accustomed to such delays – but everything was progressing smoothly…until disaster struck.

Would you like to take a guess? No? Very well, then I’ll tell you.

My uniform no longer fit me. Why? Because someone with bunny ears volunteered on hands and knees to wash it – in order to avoid bathroom duty – and after she was done, my uniform was a couple sizes too small.

As I have mentioned frequently, Mirai is rather voluptuous.

Thus, after I squeezed into the dark blouse, I heard a very audible rip down the front, and my summer uniform wasn’t fit for attending school anymore. The only thing it was suitable for was the cover of a porn holovid featuring high school girls in compromising situations.

Oh, the skirt ripped a few moments later, completing my porn actress appearance.

The only thing the bunny maid hadn’t shrunk was my underwear.

Alas, after Kyoko promised to drag Penelope over hot coals, she resorted to Plan B.

And so I found myself a while later before a flummoxed Phelan Sanreal Erz Novis, the two of us standing on a paved path running through the verdant garden that occupied much of the inner courtyard, while I was wearing a maid outfit complete with white stockings, black shoes with butterfly buckles, a frilly apron, ruffled blouse, and short skirt.

Did it draw Sanreal’s attention? Well, he’s a man, isn’t he – though his self-control was admirable, his gaze pausing only briefly at my legs, the hem of my short skirt, and my chest before settling on my face.

“Why…are you dressed like that?”

I cleared my throat and wondered how best to reply.

Honestly, I was feeling strangely detached from reality as I stood a few feet away from him in the midst of the beautiful garden with schools of fish swimming its gurgling, burbling streams, around stone islands, under quaint arched bridges, and past countless flower beds and bushes. Because of its immense size and numerous winding paths, a visitor could spend a good deal of time wandering through the villa’s central garden.

Kyoko had brought me here after she was satisfied with my appearance, having fussed over it for almost an hour, especially my hair before finally putting in two butterfly pins to keep it in place. I was decidedly numb by then. Staring at my reflection in the full body mirror, and seeing myself looking like a maid that belonged in a fantasy RPG tavern serving drinks to rowdy, drunken patrons, had broken my stubborn spirit. Despite everything I had said to Ghost and Kyoko, I had essentially surrendered without a fight. Perhaps later I would rant and rave and tear off the dress, but for now I had succumbed to Kyoko’s will.

If I thought of her as a Force Majeure, then perhaps my current state of mind and dress could be forgiven.

Or was the bunny maid, Penelope, the real Force Majeure?

As I was saying earlier, Kyoko had brought me to the inner courtyard that harbored the central garden. With its sixty by sixty meters sides, the courtyard was large enough for the various streams, bridges, ponds, islands, bushes and so forth without the need to cram them together. In other words, it had spacious layout that made me forget I was standing in a tiny section of an immense vessel.

However, Kyoko had not introduced me to the man before. Instructing me to wait a short distance away, she had approached Sanreal, spoken to him in a hushed whisper that Mirai’s uncanny hearing failed to catch, and then returned to me.

“A word of warning. Be good. Be patient. And be on your best behavior.” With that she had left me behind and exited the garden.

After a few moments pondering what to do next, I had walked up to Phelan Sanreal Erz Novis, bringing us to where we were now.

Pursing my lips, I rummaged in my head for a simple way of explaining myself, then took a deep breath and explained, “I had a wardrobe malfunction.”

Sanreal’s gaze again swept over me, slowing at the usual places. “A wardrobe…malfunction?”

I made a tearing motion with my hands. “Rip.”

“I see….”

He turned away slowly and resumed what he’d been doing before my arrival – feeding the fish swimming in a nearby stream.

With my lips subconsciously pouting, I planted my hands on my hips and stared at the man who’d summoned me but was now ignoring me.

Phelan Sanreal Erz Novis was dressed in an outfit that was all about loose robes that came in a collection of greys, blacks, whites, and golds. Later, when I found the time to ask Kyoko about it, I would learn that Sanreal had acquired the antiquated dressing habits of an ancient people from a tiny island nation on Mother Earth. More specifically, they were the traditional dressing habits of the ancient Japanese feudal lords that consisted of various kimonos, a hakama, sandals and tabi socks.

When I asked her why, Kyoko would merely shrug and say, “He admires them.”

So while I was dressed like a Fantasy RPG tavern maid, Sanreal was clothed like an ancient feudal warlord from a distant past. Hidden beneath the loose clothing, it was hard to tell what his body shape was like but I did gauge he was broad shouldered, and I had the impression he took care of himself. Overall, I judged him to be aged in his fifties, with greying hair and the usual collection of frown lines. Studying him, I had the impression he was a handsome man in his younger years. That said, he had a distinguished, noble air about him. His eyes were dark and when he’d looked at me moments ago, they had projected a palpable, penetrating gaze that made them almost hard to meet.

But now he was ignoring me as he fed the fish in the stream.

At that point the sparks were lit, and my stubborn, rebellious fires blazed anew.

“Okay dokey. I’m off.” I waved at him as he tossed pellets into the stream, and spun with surprising grace on my one-inch heeled black shoes with their shining butterfly buckles. “Nice meeting you.”

And with that I walked away in the direction Kyoko had departed.

I wasn’t going to waste time waiting for this asshole to finish feeding his fish. What was next? Was he going to lie down and take a nap under the artificial sky?

“Princess.”

“Yikes!” I skidded to a halt as Ghost materialized before me. “What”—I quickly lowered my voice to a whisper—“what are you doing here?”

Ghost sighed, folded his arms, and shook his head at me in veiled disappointment. “Princess, for as long as we have been acquainted, you rarely heed my advice or that of anyone else.”

I absorbed his remark then promptly denied. “That’s not true.”

“When your sister told you to wait, did you wait?”

“…eh…okay…but that was just one occasion….”

“Patience, as they say, is a virtue.”

I jumped mental tracks to keep up with him. “Are you telling me to wait for this guy?”

“I am telling you to exercise patience,” he answered coldly, so much so that I flinched as the recipient of his icy tone. “In this situation, patience is a well warranted virtue.”

“After everything I’ve been through, I'm supposed to wait—”

Ghost stepped up to me, bringing the gap between us down to centimeters. “Let me make something abundantly clear to you, Princess.”

I shied back a half step. “Wh—what…?”

Ghost pointed behind me. “That man over there holds your life in the palm of his hand.”

I started to retort but Ghost silenced me with an unforgiving stare that again made me flinch.

“It would be wise, Princess. Very wise to heed my warning. To heed Kyoko’s warning. Be good. Be patient. Behave. And for your sake and only your sake, take the attitude and arrogance you so freely throw around and cast it aside.”

I’d been thrown of my proverbial footing by his calm, cold, tirade that doused some of my fire and literally broke my stride. But now I bristled. “Cast it aside—?”

Ghost leaned into me. “Yes. Or stuff it down your bra. I do not care. Is that clear enough for you?”

Leaning back, I hissed at him like a wildcat. “What is with your attitude?”

“Do you want to die or live?”

My mouth fell open and all I could do was stare at him in disbelief.

Ghost sighed heavily as he straightened. But then he took me by surprise.

Dropping to both knees, he closed his eyes and bowed his head before me.

“Princes, you are incorrigible. You are rude, reckless, unpredictable, without regard, and stubborn when you should be flexible. If I ask you politely to do something for your own sake you ignore me. If I vent upon you in frustration, you act like the victim. But I will not be responsible for the outcome. Not on this occasion. From this point on, your fate is in your hands. Literally. But your life is in his hands as well. In other words, how you behave, how you respond, and what you say over the next few minutes will determine the rest of your life. And I am prohibited from helping you. If you think you can summon your Sarcophagus, that is not going to happen. If I override their control over your Sarcophagus, if I betray them, there will be a price to pay, one that I cannot afford.” He raised his head and looked up at me with a hint of desperation. “So do not ask of me what I cannot give.”

I swallowed twice to clear my throat, but when I tried to speak, Ghost cut off me.

“Knowing you, Princess, I sincerely fear for your future. So please, please, do not act off the cuffs of your blouse. I beg of your, Princess, because I cannot help you. I beg of you to not fly off the handle. I beg of you to demonstrate maturity beyond your years. For your sake….”

And with that so-called warning, Ghost vanished from my eyes, leaving me alone, speechless, and without the opportunity to retort or retaliate or ask him a single question.

I kept looking down at the paved path where Ghost had knelt before me.

On the one hand, there was Ghost’s cold, unpleasant attitude toward me.

On the other, there was the severity of his warning.

And then there was the sight of him quite clearly pleading with me.

All of it left me unable to move for a long, long while as my thoughts slowly recovered and a myriad collection of emotions swirled chaotically within me. Eventually, my feelings began to settle, and much of my composure returned. But it was still another minute before I was able to slowly turn around, and look in the direction of Phelan Sanreal who continued feeding the fish in the stream.

“That man over there holds your life in the palm of his hand.”

I swallowed then glanced down at myself.

So why the Hell am I dressed like this?

But then another question settled in the forefront of my mind.

Do they know that he’s reestablished contact with me? If so, then that means they know he’s been supporting me all this time since leaving the boat—since returning to Ar Telica.

I felt cold inside, a frigid cold that put pressure on my heart and lungs.

So what do I do? Act mature? Don’t lose my cool?

Considering everything that had happened to me so far, and how much I blamed them for my suffering, how was I supposed to contain myself?

I looked down at my hands then held them out before me. To my disbelief, they were unbelievably steady, and after a short while I lowered them down to my sides.

Sanreal wasn’t looking my way, but I didn’t believe for a heartbeat that he hadn’t noticed my recent behavior, and that proved to me that he knew about Ghost and I.

So the question was what to do now? How do I approach him? How do I deal with this situation? This man wasn’t Erina, or Straus, or Arnval. He certainly wasn’t Kyoko. If I heeded to Ghost’s wishes, I would need to do so from this very moment.

Patience is a virtue.

Remembering Ghost’s words, I swallowed again – it sounded loud in my ears – and then walked back toward Sanreal, coming to a tidy stop a few feet away from him.

Sanreal glanced down at the squarish metal container in his left hand. “I thought you were leaving.”

I wet my lips as I mulled over how best to reply. Eventually, all I said was, “No, sir.”

Perhaps I imagined it, but I was certain I’d seen Sanreal stiffen ever so slightly.

“I see….” He closed the container’s lid and slipped his hands into his loose sleeves. “Walk with me.”

I walked a couple of feet off his left shoulder as I followed him at a slow pace down at the path. I could hear the sounds of the flowing water, the crunching of gravel underfoot, and in the distance the sound of birds. In fact, when I glanced up I noticed a small flock of them flying over the house. And here and there a few insects flitted between flowers adorning the garden.

And I could also hear the sound of my heart, the pounding of which I blamed on Ghost.

But it was also in part due to finally meeting the man who ruled House Novis, and as much as I wanted to deny it, this man did indeed hold my fate in his hands.

I need to play my cards right. That’s what Ghost was trying to tell me in too many words. But I get it. I’m not that stupid.

The path lead past a low arched bridge spanning over the three-foot wide stream running beside us. Arriving at the junction, Sanreal paused and broke his silence. “How is your sister?”

My sister? I felt the need to snort but refrained myself at the last moment. I held no allusions that he didn’t already know Erina’s condition. But Ghost’s warning echoed in my head, so I chose my words carefully.

“I haven’t visited her, sir. But Miss Kyoko told me she is recovering well.” I swallowed my distaste before adding, “With your permission, I’d like to see her.”

Sanreal hadn’t looked at me once since we started walking. But facing in the direction of the bridge, he glanced at me over a shoulder. “By all means.”

He walked up to the pinnacle of the bridge, and I followed him after a moment or two. However, I kept my distance as I stood quietly on the bridge.

Sanreal removed his hands from the sleeves of his kimono jacket. Opening the metal container, he deposited a small quantity of the pellets onto the palm of one hand, then calmly tossed them out into the stream below the bridge.

“Revenant has been telling me a great deal about you.”

My heart skipped a beat and my innards clenched at his admission. The proverbial cat was out of the bag.

Sanreal emptied the rest of the container’s contents by upending it over the flower water. “Did you think we didn’t know?”

My heart had resumed its stride but it felt shaky in my chest. “Yes, I did.”

“I presume he had some words of advice for you?”

“Yes, sir.”

Sanreal snorted softly, and the empty container slipped into the folds of his kimono. “What did he tell you?”

“That my life is in your hands.”

He smiled and faintly nodded. “Your life is in my hands….” Sparing me a glance, he asked, “I’m surprised your containing yourself. You must be chomping at the bit to unleash all that pent up rage, anger, and resentment.”

I bit my lower lip, then replied candidly. “Ghost convinced me it was in my best interests to behave.”

“A wise Ghost he is. But…why call him Ghost? You already know his name is Revenant.”

My eyes widened as surprise and shock washed through me.

Sanreal was studying me carefully, not missing my reaction, and delivered the coup de grace. “You paid my daughter a visit.”

The cat wasn’t out of the bag. The whole tiger had jumped out.

I fumbled for how to respond, then realized it wasn’t a question, and yet I felt I had to say something. “Ghost took me to see her. In there, she told me about what happened to her when she was a child…and about her mother.”

A long moment went by, and then Sanreal calmly asked, “And?”

I found myself needing to take a very deep breath as I remembered the encounter, and the experience was still fresh in my mind. “I hated it.”

Sanreal expressed subtle surprise and turned a little more toward me. “You hated it?”

“I hate knowing what was done to her.” I sensed I’d clenched my hands, so I discreetly hid them behind my back. “I hate knowing that she’s living in that prison for a crime she didn’t commit. She’s suffering because of what others did to her. It’s not fair.”

It was true. What was done to Clarisol was something I couldn’t accept. In some respects, I found her situation and existence more difficult and pitiful than mine. I felt genuine sorrow for her because I understood that the Clarisol that had tormented me wasn’t the Clarisol living in a virtual prison.

“Would you trade places with her?”

It took me a few moments to understand what he was asking. I weighed my feelings and then resolutely answered, “No.”

“I see.”

Taking yet another deep breath, I surprised myself by taking a step toward him. “Why is she still in there?”

Sanreal’s eyebrows rose slightly then fell. “She is the noose around my neck.”

Unable to respond, all I managed for a while was to stare at him. “Why?”

“If we do not abide by the Empress’s will, she has the authority to wipe the last remnants of my daughter out of existence.”

I hesitated before asking, “What about the Simulacra of her?”

Sanreal snorted under his breath, and looked down at the stream flowing below the bridge. “They are…poor copies. Flawed copies. Hardly worth the mention or the resources spent on their manufacture.”

I was shocked by his words, but a part of my mind was puzzled by something. “Why? If she’s the noose around you, why didn’t you hand Project Mirai over to the Empress when she demanded it?”

He was quiet for short a while, his attention on the stream. “Because Kateopia did not use Clarisol as leverage. And because for all the anger she expressed, she never once gave me a reasonable answer as to why she wanted Project Mirai for herself. And so I stood my ground. My intentions to use Mirai as a host for my daughter were dashed, but I still held hope that you would fulfill the potential your sister fervently believes in. The potential she promised me.”

“The potential? My potential?”

“Mirai’s potential. Your sister believes Mirai carries within her the hope for a better humanity. And with it comes hope for my daughter.” He backed away from the bridge’s guardrail and then turned to face me. “But now I wonder if I was wrong about you.”

I felt suddenly uneasy.

His tone had grown distinctly cold and his dark eyes were like twin voids threatening to drain me of my soul.

I had to swallow twice to clear my throat that also felt strangled by his gaze. “…me…?”

“I have contemplated long and hard what to do with you. After observing your behavior since your awakening, I am convinced you are a failure. The mind of a teenage boy imprinted into the brain of a female Simulacra was a recipe for disaster. And I was right. But that was clearly Kateopia’s intention. To make an utter mess of Project Mirai. And to ruin the plans I had so carefully laid out for my daughter.”

“What about Erina’s plans for me?”

Sanreal huffed and glanced away. “Your sister’s plans haven’t changed. Only the mind inside Mirai changed. In fact, this situation suits her splendidly. A fact not lost on me.”

I realized with a sinking feeling to what he was alluding to – that he believed Erina had revealed the existence of Mirai to the Empress, something I had already considered with what little Ghost had revealed to me about the circumstances surrounding my existence. However, I kept that thought to myself.

Sanreal continued after seemingly giving me a moment to absorb his statement. “That leaves me with a problem. I cannot dispose of you, but you’re worth nothing to me.”

“You…can’t?”

“One of the conditions Kateopia imposed on us – on me – was that I make no attempt to dispose of you. I don’t know why, but she seems to have taken an inexplicable interest in you. To that end, she guaranteed that she would not harm Clarisol. She even promised me something in return.”

“What…?”

“That if you were to win the Gun Princess Royale and be crowned Empress, she would release Clarisol from her imprisonment.”

I felt myself sway and hastily reached out of the bridge’s stone handrail.

Sanreal was shaking his head at me slowly. “And so you’ve become my unexpected hope.”

Yes, but what did that mean for me.

“And so I’ve considered my options and decided on the safest course of action. One that guarantees you won’t be causing us anymore trouble.”

I felt my heart abruptly hammer inside my chest as I recalled Straus’s warning.

“You’re going to box me.”

Sanreal offered me a subtle nod. “Yes, Isabel. I’m going to box you.”

I held myself upright by using the bridge’s handrail, and the grip on my emotions began to weaken. It was anger that slipped through first. “Why? Why would you do this to me?”

“Because you are a walking calamity. In the span of two days you have created all sorts of problems for us. You’re belligerent, bellicose, aggressive. You fight at every opportunity. You jump off buildings, disappear into the night, break into buildings, and cause a public sensation. I shudder at the prospect of what you’ll do next. You are an unstable, unpredictable element in a highly volatile situation. If something isn’t done about you, you’ll destroy yourself sooner rather than later.”

“That isn’t true. I’ve had my reasons—”

“Reasons?” He arched his eyebrows. “Reasons for behaving like a delinquent? Reasons for negotiating with our enemies? Reasons for behaving like a speeding train wreck? Do I need to ask for those reasons?”

“You have no guilt for what you’ve done to me.”

“Blame the Empress.”

“Yeah, I blame her. But I blame you—I blame Erina—for what my life has become.”

“That’s understandable. And it’s quite clear that no amount of reasoning with you will make a difference. You’ve decided we should all burn in Hell. So be it. I would gladly toss you to the Hell Fires if that would rid me off you. But Kateopia has decreed otherwise. But having seen how you turned out, I am tempted to simply hand you over to her. Considering how much trouble you’ve been for us, sending you to the Empress is an option. Though, Kateopia isn’t one to tolerate fools such as yourself. She’s liable to do worse than box you. She may decide you’re too much trouble and scrap you.”

I fought down the shiver that threatened to make my body tremble. “What about Project Mirai?”

“What about it? It will continue, of course. Your sister will be sorely disappointed, but she isn’t one to give up so easily after a setback. She’ll be free to create another Mirai, and perhaps this time without Kateopia’s interference. As you can see, it’s certainly an attractive option.”

I pushed away from the guardrail, and took a long stride toward him. “Then why don’t you?”

“Because I’ve already decided to box you.”

“What about the Gun Princess Royale? Doesn’t Kateopia want me to fight?”

“And fight you shall,” he replied. “You’ll be released to meet your commitments in the championship. And if you survive, it’s back in the box.”

“Gods damn you—damn you to Hell!”

“You brought this on yourself. Had you comported yourself in a rational manner, instead of an out of control mag-lev, I would have considered other options to deal with you. Other far more pleasant and worthwhile options. But no. You decided to act without regard for the consequences of your actions.”

I clenched my hands and whispered, “Frek you.”

“No, thank you. And now, our time is at an end.”

My body trembled with equal parts anger and fear. “I won’t let you do this to me.”

“Are you going to call for help? Will you summon your Sarcophagus?” He shook his head while smiling thinly at me. “That won’t work.”

“I’m going to accept Cardinal’s offer.”

Sanreal’s smile faded. “Very well. Then there is nothing more to discuss. Do as you wish.”

I was befuddled by his response. “What does that mean?”

“If you wish to accept their offer, then do so. If you believe you can trust them. After all, they’ve shown you how trustworthy they are. I’m sure you have nothing to fear from them.”

Sanreal knew an awful lot about my encounter with Tabitha, which meant that Ghost had some very loose lips. But for that matter, Ghost had acted and sounded with a sense of urgency and desperation I hadn’t seen in him before. Something they – that is, Sanreal – had said to him had profoundly affected him.

Of course. Clarisol. If I competed and conquered all in the Gun Princess Royale, Clarisol would be freed.

To Ghost who held deeply rooted feelings of guilt and regret for failing to protect Clarisol and her mother, this was a godsend of good news. Thus it wasn’t just my fate he had been warning me over, but Clarisol’s as well. Had Sanreal approached Ghost with this in mind – to elicit Ghost’s help in dealing with me?

I realized I’d been staring blankly at Sanreal for a while, but he appeared to be waiting patiently for me to bring my thoughts and feelings into order.

“Can you trust her?” I asked him. “Can you trust the Empress’s word?”

Sanreal’s eyes narrowed faintly. “Why do you ask?”

“I have no reason to fight for you. I’ve no reason to co-operate with you. You’ve done nothing but threaten me and bully me around all while expecting me to play nice.”

“And dealing with you nicely would make a difference? You expect me to believe that? You who has no reason to co-operate as you’ve just said. Do you take me for a fool? Nothing we do or say or offer you will make a difference because you’ve never had an interest, any intention, of co-operating. It’s impossible to reach an agreement with you.”

“You want to control me.”

“Of course. You’re our product. We can’t very well have our product telling us what to do.” He closed the distance between us to a few inches and stared down at me with poorly disguised contempt. “Who do you think you are? Did you think you could bargain with me? What can you offer me? While it’s true that you’re important, it’s also true that you’re not irreplaceable. Though it will take time, eventually another Mirai can be produced, at which point you can be replaced. Kateopia doesn’t even need to know—may never know—if and when we make the switch. But a more compliant Mirai is preferable to a noncompliant one. And if you wish to run to House Cardinal, then so be it. Our research into the Angel Fibers is so far along we have nothing to fear from House Cardinal’s scientists taking you apart.”

I ground my molars together in growing anger. “This is why I don’t co-operate with you. Because you don’t see me as a person. If you did, then things would be different. But you said it yourself—I’m product. But I’m not a thing. I’m a person. And until you get that through your thick head, I will never help you—never fight for you!”

“Then we have no further need for you.” He turned around smoothly, and began calmly walking along the bridge toward the opposite bank of the stream. “I’ll make arrangements to have you returned to Ar Telica. From there you can make your own way to House Cardinal. Feel free to do as you wish.”

I was knocked aback by how quickly I’d been discarded. “That’s it? You’re not even going to try to convince me.”

Beneath his loose robes, he shrugged. “Why bother? It’s impossible to reach an agreement with you.”

I followed him off the bridge and yelled, “You haven’t even asked me what I want!”

Sanreal stopped quickly on the paved path, but didn’t turn around to face me. “Then what do you want?”

I halted as well, a few feet away from him, breathing heavily under the influence of my roiling emotions. “I want my life back!”

“That’s not possible. It was never your life to begin with.”

My heart began to hammer painfully, angrily, but I reached inwardly to wrap my will around my emotions and contain them. “Then can’t you give me another life?”

With his back to me, Sanreal replied, “You already have a new life.”

“No, I want to live as a boy. As a man.”

Sanreal turned slightly toward me, but his back still faced me. “Transferring your neural map into a male Simulacrum is possible, but there may be complications afterwards. Psychological and neurological consequences. Are you prepared for that?”

“You transferred a male neural map into Mirai’s female brain. What about the consequences of doing that?”

“We had no choice. The Empress was dictating terms. Perhaps it explains your irrational behavior.”

He had a valid point.

The stark difference between my behavior as Ronin Kassius and the way I acted now wasn’t lost on me. It was something that had crossed my mind recently and it sincerely worried me. So perhaps there was some truth to Sanreal’s supposition that perhaps my confrontational behavior, my willingness to jump into a fight, my difficulties dealing with a situation calmly, and my hair trigger temper wasn’t because of Mirai alone, but because my male mind was in conflict with the structure of Mirai’s female brain.

Sanreal turned his head a little more toward me, but he was far from facing me. “However, if that is what you truly desire, I can have it arranged.”

With my thoughts elsewhere, I was a little slow on the uptake and blinked at him blankly for a moment or two.

Sanreal pressed on. “However, consider this. A copy of your neural map as it is now would be transferred. A copy. Nothing more. That means that the person you are now will remain behind. The process does not involve removing the brain from Mirai and implanting it into a male Simulacrum body. It would be the copy that lives as a man, while you continue to live as Mirai.” Sanreal then half turned his body toward me, and regarded me askance. “The moment you awoke, you became Mirai. You will always be Mirai. There is no escaping that reality.”

He wasn’t telling me something new, but being reminded of this truth was hard to accept, and I couldn’t keep myself from trembling as my emotions once again tore loose and ran rampant within me. However, before I cried out and wailed in rage and despair, Sanreal sliced through my thoughts like a knife through warm butter.

“It’s truly a pity that you cannot appreciate how special you are.”

The emotions boiling within me suddenly cooled to a simmer. “What…?”

“You hold such potential, and your life as Mirai and Isabel holds so much more promise than your existence as Ronin Kassius ever did, or will. Why are so determined to throw it all away? You could live as you’ve never lived before. True, there will be hardships, and the Gun Princess Royale is brutal, but you are more than just Mirai. You are Isabel val Sanreal. You are a daughter of the Sanreal Family, and thereby a member of House Novis.”

He turned around and faced me, standing on the path while I stood on the bridge.

“And that makes you my daughter. That makes you family.”

I stared at him, my thoughts grinding back into gear. “You said I was nothing to you.”

Sanreal sighed long and loudly. “I would be lying if I said that having another daughter doesn’t appeal to me.”

“You have Clarisol.”

“Yes. And now I have you. Two sons. Two daughters.”

Why was my heart beating so hard? Why was I feeling my emotions being swayed? Was it because after everything I’d been through, after the near constant antagonism with almost everyone around me, was I tired of fighting? Had I been broken? Or was this what I’d wanted from the start?

Sanreal walked slowly back to the foot of the bridge and looked up at me. “You said you wanted to be treated as a person, not a product. I’m open to treating you like a daughter—albeit illegitimate—but nonetheless as my daughter. And whether you are illegitimate or not, by its very definition you were conceived out of love between your mother and I.”

“But I don’t have a mother. None of my past is real. There is no love.”

“Isn’t there? How do you know that it isn’t real? How do you know that Isabel Allegrando did not exist?”

I swallowed sharply. “What are you saying?”

“Real is subjective. And I had a hand in your creation. But regardless of your origins, I am willing and open to accept you as my daughter. Not a product. Not a thing. But as a child of mine.”

I swallowed a little more slowly, but my confused, conflicted feelings were making it difficult to maintain my outward composure which was already fragile and close to shattering. “You would accept me?”

Sanreal nodded and his expression that had been stern now softened. “Of course. Why else did you think I brought you here?”

I shook my head haltingly, showing my confusion and uncertainty. “But…but you said you wanted to box me.”

Sanreal smiled and I saw a trace of embarrassment in his eyes as he averted his gaze for a moment. “Well, that was something of a last resort.”

“Are you going to box me?”

“Do you want to be boxed?” he asked in reply.

I shook my head, weakly at first, then firmly. “No….”

“Then that settles it.”

I stared at him, unable to comprehend this abrupt turn of events, or the change in the man who’d so steadfastly refused me at every verbal turn. “Why? Why would you decide this now?”

Sanreal looked uncomfortable, yet there was something fatherly about his countenance. Though memories were vague and fuzzy, it was something I remembered seeing my own father express toward Erina – a kind of sheepish, awkwardness as he struggled to make a connection with her or reach a degree of understanding with his daughter.

And this is what I was seeing in Sanreal now.

I had wanted to be treated like a person, and here was someone who was reaching out to me as family – as a father. It wasn’t entirely what I wanted. I wasn’t being treated like a son. I was being treated like a daughter. I felt angry. Revolted. Frustrated. I wanted to scream at him. But I couldn’t. I hated it, and yet by the same token I couldn’t bring myself to reject it. And suddenly, I experienced a glimmer of what it was like for Erina to deal with our father, and how difficult it may have been for him.

And I realized that I envied her.

I had envied her all these years.

I had envied the love and affection my parents had bestowed upon her, and so I had boxed those memories away.

I had envied her intelligence and her achievements, and thus I was relieved when she distanced herself from me, but deep down, subconsciously, I had continued to envy her…and perhaps I still did.

“Isabel?”

I had fallen silent for a long while, and Sanreal had grown faintly anxious.

I looked down at him, and struggled to clear my throat. My heart continued to pound away in my chest, and my feelings were a convoluted mush, but the pressure from within had eased.

Kyoko had said I didn’t need to discard my past in order to step forward, because my past was the starting line. The moment I awoke as Mirai, I inherited the legacy of Ronin Kassius’s life. But it wasn’t just his memories that I carried. It was his mind, his personality, his grudges, his loneliness, and his pain. Ronin was incomplete, a fact he had squarely denied to himself, and for the most part succeeded in bottling away. But I couldn’t do the same. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a man anymore. Or rather, maybe it was because of Mirai’s female brain working differently and thereby having different needs. The consequence was that I couldn’t bottle away the emptiness he felt. I realized that I needed to find what I was missing, and now I began to understand what it was.

As Mirai, I wanted to be treated as a person and wanted to be recognized for who I was.

As Ronin, I wanted achievements of my own.

But together, we wanted to be part of something bigger – something he’d been missing since his parents left Erina and I behind.

With a fair amount of difficulty, I managed to push the feelings choking my throat aside, and recover a little of my voice. “Will you truly accept me?”

Sanreal’s gaze wavered for a heartbeat before returning to me. “If you’ll accept us. And if you’ll accept your place as Isabel within the Sanreal Family.”

“And if I fight as Mirai.”

Sanreal’s lips pursed into a troubled line. “Yes. As unfortunate as that is.”

“And you’ll treat me like family.”

He nodded faintly yet firmly. “If you’ll treat us as family.”

I took a shuddering breath, and released it unsteadily. “I’m not ready to start calling you father.”

“Disappointing, but understandable under the circumstances.”

“I might be more trouble than I’m worth.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Then I’ll just have to treat you like a problematic daughter.”

“But you’re not going to box me.”

“I’m not going to box you.”

I took yet another shuddering breath, held it in for a long, long while, then expelled it in a rush.

Quietly, I walked down the short bridge and stood before Phelan Sanreal Erz Novis.

“So what now?” I asked, unable to hide my uncertain yet hopeful feelings.

Sanreal’s gaze met mine and he gave me a steady smile. “Welcome to the family, Isabel.”

– II –

Erina’s eyes had a bruised look to them as she stared at me in silence after listening to me recount my encounter with Sanreal.

She sat on the med-bed that quietly monitored her condition, wearing a hospital gown, her hands neatly folded over her midriff.

She’d been allocated to a suite that was identical to mine but in the villa’s opposite wing. I figured the med-bed in her bedroom was a necessary new addition, however the large bedroom had no trouble accommodating it and the pre-existing queen-sized four-post bed.

With the bedroom’s large window behind me, I sat on a chair beside the med-bed. After I finished telling her about what happened between Sanreal and I, silence had shrouded the bedroom and it dragged on for many minutes until Erina decorously cleared her throat, and then calmly asked, “What will you do?”

I didn’t meet Erina’s eyes. I didn’t need to. I could see her well enough as I looked down at her legs pushing up the bed covers from underneath. “What do you mean?”

“When you return to Ar Telica will you continue to live with me? Or will you seek other living arrangements?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it….”

Within the edge of my peripheral vision, I watched Erina lean back against the pillows that helped prop her up.

Again the room was quiet for a long while, and again it was Erina who eventually broke that silence. “I will tell you one thing. Sanreal is a wily old fox. You haven’t earned their trust. They’re going to watch you carefully. And though Sanreal has said he won’t box you, I’d take that with a kilo of salt. To Sanreal, restoring House Novis to the rank of Alus is important to him. He’ll do what it takes to make that happen. He won’t have any qualms about manipulating and using you, especially when you’re at your most vulnerable.”

This time I spared her a glance. Most vulnerable? Where does she get off telling me that? Who do you think is the most responsible for me being at my most vulnerable!

I relaxed my jaw enough to reply, “I know that.”

After Kyoko had guided me back to my suite, she’d embraced me, and warmly congratulated me. She described my decision as an important milestone in my journey to discover my life. Her feelings had felt pure, so I earnestly thanked her but asked her to be alone.

After she left, I’d lain on my bed for a long while as I turned my situation carefully over in my head, looking for as many angles as I could identify. What I concluded with a dull chill was that I wasn’t out of the woods. Sanreal’s acceptance was more like a reprieve. In other words, when considered rationally I understood that I had somehow earned myself a suspended sentence. I also acknowledged that I was going to have to be a lot smarter from now on. I had realized that in one respect I had entered into a game of deception, not with Kyoko, but with Sanreal.

I raised my head slightly as I looked at Erina. “I’m not that naïve. But I don’t want to keep fighting. I’m tired of fighting.”

A game of deception, indeed, and Erina was one of the best, if not the best player.

Erina’s eyes narrowed but not with doubt. She was openly scrutinizing me. “So you’ve decided to zig-zag instead. Remarkable. There is a brain inside that head of yours.”

“You should know. You made me.”

“I only wish you’d used it before.”

“Frek you, Erina,” I snapped. “Ever the bitch.” I rose from the chair I’d been sitting on. “I really don’t know why I came here. Talking to you is a waste of time. But I’ll tell you one thing. I may not trust them, but I’m going to give them a chance. And Sanreal is doing the same. He’s taking a chance on me. I’ll admit I’ve been acting stupidly. I’ve been all over the place, literally. But I can’t keep going like that. I had a close call. A near miss. Now I’ve got to rein myself in before they do.”

“So you’re going to play nice?” Erina humphed softly, then added, “They are going to test you.”

“What?”

Erina met my questioning eyes. “They are going to test you. They’ll want to see which way you turn.”

“Test me. How?”

“You need to be careful,” she stated solemnly. “Don’t let your guard down.”

I stiffened and my innards grew cold.

I was well aware that if I opened myself up to Sanreal and lowered my guard around my feelings, I would face the prospect of being betrayed and hurt. Although I wanted to accept Sanreal’s words and sentiments at face value, I also knew that I was dealing with someone who had a bigger picture in mind. Ergo, the future prosperity of House Novis. Everything he’d said to me could turn out to be nothing more than a lie – a means to secure my co-operation – and having been worn down by my recent hardships, I had been all too receptive to a sudden show of kindness and understanding.

In that sense, I understood that Sanreal and Kyoko had taken advantage of me. However, I had looked at Kyoko’s aura and I had sensed no lie in her feelings. Yet there was a difference between someone telling the truth, and their underlying intentions. Kyoko sincerely desired that I find happiness by following the path that led to life as Isabel val Sanreal. That much was evident, and I had reluctantly taken a long step down that path.

On the other hand, I hadn’t looked at Sanreal’s aura at all. It was there, burning golden, but I’d not paid attention to it, something I know regretted. However, this was only the opening move. As I said earlier, a new game had started, one where my future was still on the line. I would have other opportunities to study Sanreal’s aura and to search for the lie. But what if there wasn’t any? What if Sanreal had expressed his true sentiments? What if I was welcomed as a daughter of the Sanreal Family? What then? I couldn’t deny the attraction that held for me because part of me yearned to be accepted. I felt a clear warmth in my heart at the prospect of being welcomed.

Family. A new family. Is it wrong for me to hope that things will be different this time? Is it wrong for me to hold out hope?

However, if there was mutual acceptance, I would again find myself living without recourse as Isabel val Sanreal, and I wasn’t ready for that. I felt as though the price was still too great for me.

Erina’s eyes were looking at me intently. “Trust your instincts. Your woman’s intuition.”

“Huh?” I blinked, and fell off my train of thought. “What?”

“Rely on Mirai. She will keep you safe.”

“What do you mean? I’m Mirai.”

Erina looked away and faced the wall beyond the foot of her bed. “Is that so? Then that’s good to hear.”

I didn’t understand her at all. What was she saying to me? “Erina—”

“When the time comes, don’t hesitate. Do what you need to do.” She looked at me again. “Do you understand?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’ve got no idea—”

“Your priority is to survive.”

And then I caught something whispered so softly human ears would have failed to catch it. But Mirai wasn’t human and her hearing was unparalleled by other living creatures.

“…if something were to happen to me….”

I felt suddenly uneasy, and yet a frown spread across my forehead as I walked back to Erina and stood beside her bed. “Stop mincing words. Get to the point.”

For her part, I saw a flicker of hesitation in Erina’s eyes, but her voice betrayed none of it. “I told you already. They’re going to test you. And you’ll need to make a choice. You’ll need to decide what is best for you. To believe in them. Or to believe in yourself. But keep in mind one truth. There is no true freedom. Even if Sanreal is being earnest with you, you are not free. You won’t be free to do as you please. If you push the boundaries of what’s tolerable to them, you will be boxed. Make no mistake, and hold no illusions to the contrary.”

My breathing felt oddly calm despite the uncertainty Erina was stirring within me.

“I know that,” I eventually stated. “I know that I’m on shaky ground. And I know that I can’t unreservedly trust anyone. I know that Sanreal could have been deceiving me—taking advantage of me—turning the tables on me. And I know that I was too trusting of Ghost. I relied on him. I thought he’d be there to help. I forgot where his loyalties lie, and that was my mistake.”

In the corner of my eye, I watched him standing silently in a corner of the room, arms crossed, head bowed.

While I was lying on my bed, trying to encapsulate my situation, Ghost had quietly explained that the Empress had discovered our visit to Clarisol’s virtual prison. It may have had something to do with Ghost bringing me alone to meet Clarisol, because he had made many visits and never been caught. But on that occasion, the breach had been noticed and the Empress had wasted little time putting pressure on Phelan Sanreal. She had demanded Ghost be terminated, but Sanreal had refused. At some point, it almost seemed as though the Empress would pull the plug on the virtual prison. However, she chose not to, perhaps because she enjoyed tormenting Sanreal. Regardless, Clarisol’s virtual existence would live another day, but all visitation rights had been indefinitely suspended, and that included visits from her father.

Ghost had apologized profusely to Sanreal, and assumed all responsibility for the fiasco, but the damage was done, and Ghost had been obliged to spill the beans on my antics. All of which painted me in a poor light in Sanreal’s eyes. This explained Ghost resorting to pleading with me to behave before the Lord and Master of House Novis.

Erina shook her head slowly. “Don’t blame him. At the end of the day, he has no choice but to obey.”

Her sentiment surprised me and the look on my face told her as much. Truthfully, I didn’t disagree with her. Deep down, I had suspected the truth would eventually see the light of day. Maybe it was better this way, but I still felt betrayed even though Ghost had been backed into a very unforgiving corner.

Erina sighed gently. “Ghost is a troubled soul. He’s trapped as you are. And his burden is great.”

“You mean because of his regrets. Because of Clarisol.” I noticed I was fidgeting with my uniform’s apron and hurriedly moved my hands behind my back. “I get that. I really do.” Then I thought of what Sanreal had revealed to me. “But maybe I can help him.”

“You mean about the Empress’s promise to release Clarisol’s mind from the virtual prison?”

It may sound odd, but knowing that Erina was aware of my interactions with Ghost, and that she knew I’d visited Clarisol in her virtual prison, felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. And I was the one who’d told her. Why? Like I said, it was something I felt I needed to do after listening to Ghost, and after I spent time mulling over my situation. I still hadn’t told her about Mirai’s ability to see a person’s lifeforce, and I doubted I would, but there were other things that I felt better about sharing. That said, I had to be careful around Erina. I was playing a game of Give and Take. So far I’d done a lot of giving. If I didn’t get something in return, I was going to walk away with a loss. But for the moment, I gave her a nod, and in my peripheral vision I saw Ghost raise his head and look at me with restrained interest.

Erina pushed herself up higher, and seated herself more upright on the bed. After making herself more comfortable, she crossed her arms gingerly below her breasts – that happened to look less pronounced without help from her push-up bra – and addressed me in a very serious tone.

“Isabel, freeing Clarisol’s mind would require you to win the Gun Princess Royale.” She paused, undoubtedly for effect because she then asked, “Can you comprehend the commitment that would require from you?”

“Commitment….”

Erina nodded shallowly. “The Gun Princess Royale is more than a game. Especially to you. You’re not a mechanical avatar. You’re a living, breathing individual. If you lose, you could die.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, I know that.” My gaze drifted slowly over to Ghost standing against the back wall of the room. “I’d have to really throw myself into it.” I recognized wary hope in his eyes. “No more messing around. No more wasting time.”

Erina continued in her serious tone, sounding like a school counsellor. “Isabel, it wouldn’t be like studying for finals or entrance exams.”

“I know that,” I replied testily. “Erina, I’m not stupid. I had a taste of what it’s like when I faced the Gun Queen, and frankly it scared me. It really frekking scared me. I’m not looking forward to my first match as a member of Team Novis. And yet I know I can’t avoid it because of that bitch, the Empress. Honestly, honestly, it feels like I’m going to be ground up into beef paddy by the Gun Princess Royale.”

My body began trembling visibly and so I wrapped my arms around my chest. Showing weakness before Erina stung me bitterly but I couldn’t contain it.

Erina rested her head back and studied my quietly for an uncomfortably long moment.

I found her gaze irritating and difficult to bear, so I turned away but in so doing my eyes met Ghost’s. He looked startled and broke eye contact, while I felt a pang in my heart and hurriedly looked away.

“Isabel, can I ask you something?”

When I faced Erina, I noticed the curious light in her eyes. “What?”

“Can you see him?”

I gave myself away by the shock that sprang onto my face.

Erina’s eyebrows rose markedly. “You can see him?”

Way to go, Isabel. You dumb shit! Did you forget who you were dealing with?

Pressing my lips together angrily, I glared at Ghost who’d assumed an innocent ‘do not blame me’ look, but of course I was going to blame him. Then I heard Erina laugh softly, and when glancing at her, I saw her pressing down upon her bruised ribs.

“That certainly is interesting,” she said while gasping against the pain. “I never expected you would develop the ability to see him.”

“Why not?”

“Because the wetware in your head is Remnant technology. We don’t know all of what it can do.”

I turned my glare upon her. “You stuck something you don’t understand into my head?”

“We needed something more advanced than anything we had at our disposal. We turned to the Remnant tech stored in one of the Fabricators. I won’t bore you with the details.”

“No, of course not. Why bother telling me at all? Need to know basis, right?”

“Stop being so angry. You’re alive because of that technology.” Erina eyed me sternly. “We had to give you the abilities of a mechanical avatar. How else would you be able to compete effectively in the Gun Princess Royale.”

“Don’t you mean survive?”

“Same difference.”

I exhaled angrily and stepped away from the bed, walking over to the window instead. It offered a view of the gardens lying between the villa and the lagoon sized pool.

“Isabel, are you serious about winning? Tell me the truth.”

I folded my arms under my breasts, and my shoulders heaved as I took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m serious.” I nodded faintly while watching the breeze sway the flowers in a particularly large flowerbed. “I need to show Sanreal that I’m serious.”

“And how do you intend to do that?”

Again my shoulders rose and fell heavily as I inhaled deeply. “I have an idea about that.” Turning away from the window, I looked at Ghost, aware that Erina was following my line of sight though she couldn’t see him. “And I’m going to need your help.”

Ghost pushed away from the wall he’d been lightly leaning against, wariness and anticipation in his eyes, but he remained silent.

That was fine with me because gathering my resolve required taking another generous breath. “I’m going give House Cardinal my answer.”

Shock spread in a heartbeat across Ghost’s face, and he wasn’t able to contain himself. “Princess, are you planning to accept—?”

“No,” I told him bluntly. “I’m rejecting Tabitha’s offer to represent her Noble House.”

Ghost visibly relaxed and resumed leaning lightly on the back wall.

I noticed Erina was looking at me with interest. “What is it?”

She shook her head briskly. “It’s nothing.” However, she looked over in the direction where she surmised Ghost was standing. “…I’d love to see him for myself….”

I gave Ghost a quick look. “Is there a way for her to see you?”

Ghost adopted a thoughtful expression. “She can use her phone’s camera function.”

I walked over to the bedside table where Erina’s phone rested. Handing it to her, I said, “Turn it on. Switch to camera mode.”

Erina did as told.

I pointed at Ghost. “Aim over there.”

Erina held the phone up and aimed the camera at the back wall.

Ghost bowed to her politely.

Wide-eyed, Erina gasped loudly. However, she didn’t drop the phone.

“Well?” I asked her.

Erina was staring intently at her phone’s screen. “Wow, he’s a hot.”

I cocked my head at her. “That’s the first thing you say?”

“Well he’s definitely my type. You’re a girl. Don’t tell me he doesn’t push your buttons—”

“Oh, he pushes my buttons all right! He makes me so angry I wish I could hit him.”

“Well, at least you’re getting along….”

Unexpectedly, her voice trailed away, and then she grew still and quiet. And then she visibly paled.

“Erina?” I was confused and unintentionally alarmed by the sudden change that came over her.

She remained that way for a few seconds longer before slowly shaking her head. “It’s nothing. Nothing at all.”

My worry had eased but I was still confused by her reaction to seeing Ghost for the first time.

However, she threw me a dirty look. “No wonder you spend so much time around him.”

“Heh?” I drew back from her, then waved a hand at her. “It’s not like I can get away from him. He follows me wherever I go.”

Erina stared at me as though I’d gone and lost my mind. “You have a man at your beck and call and you’re complaining?”

I pointed at Ghost while snarking at Erina. “You deal with him for more than a day.”

“I say you’re protesting way too much.” She resumed studying Ghost’s image in her phone’s screen. “He’s certainly a good-looking ghost.”

My eyebrows shot to my hairline. “That’s why you were speechless?”

Erina started fanning herself with her free hand. “Is it hot in here or it is just me?”

I rolled my eyes and threw my hands in the air. “Oh, knock it off. Don’t you have a fiancé? You harlot!”

When I reached down to deprive her of her phone, Erina fended me off, then abruptly cried out in agony.

“What?” I yelled, again unintentionally alarmed. “What’s wrong?”

“My ribs!” She had dropped the phone and was clutching at her ribs. “Damn the gods that hurts.”

I felt a tad guilty and decided to step back. “Sorry….”

Erina breathed shallow and fast as she negotiated with the pain. A short while later, she sat up gingerly, and took longer breaths. Her expression grew thoughtful. “Isabel, about the offer House Cardinal made to you. It might not be as simple as sending them a rejection.”

I crossed my arms slowly under my bosom. “What makes you say that?”

“House Alus Cardinal has the Empress’s ear.” Erina took a few more breaths, obviously dealing with the lingering pain across her bruised ribs, then added, “They may challenge House Novis for you.”

“So what?”

“The Empress may support their challenge.”

I realized what she was alluding to. “Are you serious?”

Erina nodded weakly, her face pensive and concerned. “If that happens, you’ll have no choice but to face their challenge.”

“You think they’d challenge me directly.”

Again, she nodded weakly. “Remember, they have a Gun Empress in their pocket. Make that two Gun Empresses.”

Moving away from the wall, Ghost cut in as he approached the foot of the med-bed. “Princess, tell her to switch her phone to speaker mode, or to use the earpiece.”

I relayed his suggestion to Erina, and she chose to detach the earpiece from the phone and fit it to her left ear.

Ghost then asked, “Doctor Kassius, can you hear me?”

While aiming the phone’s camera at him, Erina looked at his image on the screen and nodded. “I can.”

“Doctor, regarding your suspicions that House Alus Cardinal will challenge House Novis for Mirai, I find myself in agreement.”

“You do?” I threw him a surprised stare. “Why?”

“They were involved in the battle between you and the Gun Queen of Ar Telica. They were involved in Ronin Kassius’s ill-fated Zombie Apocalypse session. They have clearly played a part in every major event over the last few days that has involved either Ronin Kassius or Mirai.”

Erina was nodded subtly to his words, then looked up at me. “Isabel, when was the deadline for your reply?”

“Friday. Tabitha said Friday evening. Didn’t Straus tell you?”

“Akane didn’t tell me much. She only mentioned it briefly.”

I realized I hadn’t seen Straus since entering the villa. “Where is he—I mean she?”

“She had to return to Ar Telica. She promised she’d return shortly.”

“How did she do that?”

“She used her Sarcophagus,” Erina explained.

Remembering Ghost’s explanation about how the Sarcophagi navigated, I had to ask, “Is she going to find her way back.”

“Yes. A Sarcophagus always remembers where it’s been.”

“Even if this Citadel is moving?” I inquired. “The ship is moving, right?”

Erina and Ghost both looked at me, but it was Ghost who answered, “A Sarcophagus marks every place it visits, and is always able to return to it.”

The way he explained it had me thinking of a dog peeing to mark its territory. It was a distracting picture, and that’s why I only muttered, “Oh….”

Oblivious to the image in my head, Erina added, “That’s just the way it works. Don’t try to think of why or how it does this.”

“Oh, okay.” Shaking my head quickly, I jumped back on track. “So you think I shouldn’t reply to them—to House Cardinal—until just before the deadline?”

“I don’t think it will matter,” Erina replied. “If they made that offer, then they’re serious about you. And Akane told me Taura Hexaria didn’t look happy at being interrupted. She looked positively furious when Akane stole you away from her.”

I wet my lips and then swallowed anxiously. “Do you think she would challenge me herself?”

Erina and Ghost shared a look, though my former sister did so through her phone’s screen, then they both gave me somber nods.

“Wonderful,” I whispered under a heavy breath, then remembered what Tabitha had told me about Erina claiming I would die if I was taken away from House Novis.

I said this to Erina, and she regarded me in silence for a while. “It’s not true.”

“Hmm?” I dumbly muttered.

“I called her bluff,” Erina admitted. “I told her that if you didn’t return to your Sarcophagus at least once a day, you would die. That I had engineered you that way. But it’s not true.”

“But she doesn’t know that.”

“And neither does anyone else…but one.” Erina used her phone to pointedly stare at Ghost. “When you spilled your guts, did you tell Sanreal?” she asked him.

Ghost shook his head, looking wounded and contrite. “There are somethings I can withhold from them.”

“Good.” Erina sounded frosty. Addressing me, she said, “Then we need to get you into your Sarcophagus sometime today in order to keep up appearances. Also”—she looked at Ghost through her phone—“what we say in this room, stays in this room.”

I snorted at the notion that Ghost was going to keep that a secret. His face grew stony but there was regret laced into it as he replied to Erina. “As you wish. And I can assure you, this room is secure from prying eyes and ears.”

“Hmm.” He clearly didn’t miss the doubtful stare Erina gave him.

Erina then closed the subject by saying, “For now, let’s not worry about the possibility of a challenge. Send your rejection to Taura just before the deadline, and we’ll wait and see what happens.”

In other words, we would be playing things by ear and hoping for the best.

If I sent my reply before the deadline, then there wouldn’t be enough time to be challenged because by then the participants in this year’s Gun Princess Royale would be finalized. From that point on, Princesses could drop out, but no new Princesses could drop in. That meant, that if I received no challenge between now and the Friday evening deadline, then I was safe.

Facing a Gun Queen was hard enough, and I had only prevailed because of Clarisol’s flight of madness that blew up the school’s replica, and almost cost Mat and Shirohime their lives. But if I had to face Tabitha, a former Gun Empress, under different conditions then I didn’t think I could win. That is, if I had to face Tabitha in a real Gun Princess Royale match, I was as good as dead. Of course, since she wanted me to fight for her Noble House, then I doubted she would kill me. But even so….

It certainly would be nice to catch a break, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

While I was dealing with my mixed emotions, Erina intruded into my thoughts. “By the way, Isabel. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

I was wary at the amusement hinted in her eyes. “Ask me what?”

“Why are you dressed like a tavern maid?”

I pressed my lips into a sullen pout. “I’d rather not say.”

Erina nodded weakly, then appraised me again. “It looks good on you.”

“Oh, shut up!”

– III –

It was early afternoon when I returned to my suite after leaving Erina’s room located in the opposite wing of the villa.

I had just kicked off my shoes and dropped myself onto a five-seater sofa in the living area when I heard a knock on the door.

Hoping it was Kyoko here to announce lunch was ready, I opened it only to find Geharis Arnval waiting outside.

“What do you want?” I grumbled unhappily at him.

“A little birdy told me something interesting.”

“Really? You get your horoscope by carrier pigeon?”

“Now there’s a thought.”

“I’m tired. I’ve had a shitty day. Go away.” I tried closing the door on him, but he held it open with a hand. “Move it or lose it,” I warned him.

Arnval grinned at me in a surprisingly suave manner. “Sorry, ma chéri, but I’m not here by choice.”

“Oh yeah? And why are you calling me ‘my cherry’? And why are you wearing that trench coat indoors?”

Arnval leaned into the open doorway, his suave grin growing bolder. “Aren’t you going to let me in?”

“No.”

He pouted in mock reproach. “Is that how a lady treats a gentleman coming to her aid?”

I scowled up at him. “I haven’t asked for your help!”

Arnval grinned again as he straightened. “Your papa is very worried about you.”

Holding onto my scowl, I exhaled loudly in exasperation. “Really? Then he should warn you away from me.”

“It was your papa who sent me over.”

I leaned back slightly in surprise. “Sanreal sent you? Why would he do that?”

“Because your training starts today, ma chéri.” He leaned a lot closer to me this time, and I had to lean back again or bump noses with him. “Time to start molding you into a Gun Princess.”

Realizing what he meant, an uneasy feeling rushed through me, then circled back and settled into my gut. “You’re going to train me?”

Arnval arched an eyebrow and smiled his charming best. “Oui, ma chéri.”

I hated to admit it but that smile of his would send my female classmates into a tizzy.

As for me, it distracted me from my anxious innards by making the veins in my temples throb angrily. “And why would you start training me now?”

Arnval dropped the smile and released his hold on the door. “Because, ma chéri, House Alus Cardinal issued you a challenge, and we just received word of it.”

For a long while I stared at him blankly until I felt lightheaded and had to lean on the doorjamb for support. “Don’t tell me. Please, don’t tell me. I’ve been challenged by Tabitha Hexen.”

“Taura Hexaria Erz Cardinal, to be precise.”

I scowled at him anew. “I told you not to tell me.”

---

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I know that I'm posting on New Year's Day and New Year's Eve, but I wanted to get it out ASAP.

For those of you who are new to the series and would like to read or purchase Books 1 and 2, the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

Currently working on Chapter 9.

Thank you for sticking with this series through its ups and down.

This is the unpublished version of Book 3 of "Gun Princess Royale" a sci-fi, gender-bender, girls-with-guns, action series that I self-published on Amazon Kindle as eBooks in 2017. The series tanked in sales due to a bad story, very bad writing, and failing to put in the required time to develop the Gun Princess Royale Universe before releasing the books. Consequently, I never self-published Book 3. I did post a rough cut for Book 3 here on TG BigCloset. However, I was unsatisfied with the result, so I went back and rewrote the novel with a new approach. This is that novel.

Why am I posting it here? Because I have spent the past 7 years learning to improve my storytelling, and taken 2 1/2 years reimagining/rebooting the Gun Princess Royale into a new story that I believe (and hope) is far superior to the 2017 release. I call this new incarnation "The Gun Princess Royale" 2023. (Note the addition of "The" to the series name).

The manuscript for the reimagined/rebooted series book 1 has been completed. It is pending editing, polishing, some new illustrations, and a final go ahead from my editor friend. I plan to release it on Amazon Kindle in August, 2023.
For now the original 2017 release is still available on Amazon. I will be removing Books 1 & 2 from Amazon once the new incarnation of the story is released because I want to treat this as a fresh start.
However, I will continue to post the unpublished (and now non-canon) Book 3 of the original 2017 version of the series.
I hope that readers can find it enjoyable. Also, to be frank, I haven't decided how much of this version of book 3 I can incorporate into the new reimagined "The Gun Princess Royale". Time will tell.

---

Anyone can look up the definition of a dream.

I don’t need to quote mountains of literature on what they are, what they mean, and why we dream.

Nor do I need to tell you that dreaming isn’t a privilege, curse, or unique ability ascribed only to humans.

Animals dream too. There’s scientific literature on that.

I’ve seen dogs dream. Tobias’s adopted family has a dog, and I’ve watched it experience fitful bouts of slumber. I’ve heard it bark in its sleep too.

But why am I talking about dreams?

It’s because of something odd that I’ve noticed.

Mirai doesn’t dream…unless she’s inside the Sarcophagus.

I don’t know why, and I can’t say whether it bothers me or not. It’s simply something that I’ve become aware of this past week.

I haven’t asked Erina or Pearson about it.

I haven’t mentioned it to Celeste either, but perhaps I should since she is a shrink and all.

So why haven’t I told them?

Well, do you expect me to trust them?

By the way, I haven’t introduced Pearson and Celeste yet, but I will.

All good things in due time.

That said, if it’s a question of trust, have I spoken to Ghost about it?

No, I haven’t mentioned it to him, though I wonder if he’ll discover it on his own. After all, he does reside within the Sarcophagus…and he gets to see me naked while I float in that artificial womb full amniotic fluid or something like it. The Sarcophagus has a way of undressing me by making my clothes dissolve, but then it dresses me up again before tossing me out to the kerb. That’s something I find discretely unnerving, more so than finding myself naked in a translucent sack underneath that mechanical terror that exists inside the giant coffin.

On a side note, I learnt from Ghost that they were originally called Cradles, but somewhere along the timeline they were renamed Sarcophagi.

Not sure which I prefer, though it hardly makes a difference.

However, as I was saying, Mirai doesn’t dream unless she’s inside her coffin.

I wonder if it was the same for Count Dracula.

Did he dream of Mina while sailing across the open waters from Europe to England? Speaking of Mina, see what happened to the unfortunate Count for falling for the wrong woman? Nothing good comes from falling for the wrong girl! And she was married to boot. Trying to steal another man’s woman? Shame on him.

Regardless, I should get back on point.

However, my point has nothing to do with Mirai’s inability to dream outside of the Sarcophagus. Rather, it has to do with the dreams themselves. To be specific, it concerns the first dream I experienced since waking up to my new life as Mirai.

It was a dream of seeing my parents again – of greeting them at the spaceport after being apart for so many years. They looked just like I remembered them when I was a child. I guess that’s to be expected since I have no idea how my parents look these days.

However, since it was a dream, I don’t believe it matters.

Rather, what does matter is that I wasn’t the one greeting my parents and welcoming them home after they abandoned my sister and I on Teloria.

No, sir.

It was Ronin Kassius who met my parents on the concourse after they exited customs.

I must have cut quite the forlorn picture as I watched an older, manlier Ronin hug my mother and shake hands with my father, all while I observed the touching reunion from afar.

My feelings of neglect and sadness were compounded by shock when I caught my reflection in a shop window and saw Isabel looking back at me.

Waking up in a cold sweat inside the womb, I remembered that line from Hamlet.

Dreams are but shadows.

I know that taken out of context it can mean many things, but within the context of the scene, Hamlet is alluding to how dreams are intangible and ephemeral.

As I floated within the womb, I fervently hoped that was all it was.

I certainly wanted to avoid speculating on what the dream meant.

In truth, I was afraid of the dream being a portent of where my future was headed.

And that brings me to the question of who am I?

Celeste, whom I shall introduce in a later installment of my timeless memoires, refers to me as an amalgam.

In other words, I am an amalgamation of Ronin Kassius and the entity known as Mirai, with a third identity – that of Isabel – thrown into the mix.

Yet Celeste is quite specific in drawing distinctions between all three…at least for now.

In her estimation, Ronin Kassius functions as the self-aware component, while Mirai is the conscious, subconscious, and the physical, with Isabel being the false identity that combines them.

That’s one way of looking at me.

The problem is whether Mirai is also self-aware.

One indication that she may be lies not in the nature of my transformation when my appearance changes from blonde to brunette, my eyes become crimson, and all my senses sharpen tremendously, but in the fact that it takes place at all.

It implies that Mirai is aware of the circumstances she is in, and thus makes an executive decision to assert herself by powering up.

It also implies that the self-aware aspect – the me that’s thinking and speculating right now – is simply riding on Mirai’s shoulders. In other words, I’m pointing the way, making decisions, telling her to turn left, right, or go straight, but I’m not actually in control – at least not yet.

I find this…terrifying.

Will I lose myself to Mirai?

Will I go to sleep one night and never wake up as I am absorbed into my Mirai’s self-awareness? Or will I absorb Mirai into me while maintaining the false identity of Isabel val Sanreal?

Ghost is fond of saying, ‘time will tell’, but I’d rather time kept its revelations to itself.

And yet deep down I know that I can’t continue living like this.

The distinction will get me killed out on the battlefield that is the Gun Princess Royale.

And I’m also afraid that the reason my self-awareness may be distinct from Mirai’s is because I am unable to accept who I am now.

I know that I’m a girl, but this isn’t who I want to be.

I don’t want to be Isabel val Sanreal, or Mirai the Gun Princess.

However, I have no other recourse but to continue calling the shots from the top of Mirai’s head until I find a way to get off, though I know there is no going back to my life as Ronin Kassius. Therefore, I will continue to think of myself as someone separate from Mirai, until she or I absorbs the other, or we end up merging into a new entity that is both Mirai and Ronin Kassius.

That is why the dream I experienced greatly unsettled me while also leaving me with an emptiness in my heart that can be transcribed as loneliness because deep down, I miss my parents. The likelihood that I may never return to them as their son, but reacquaint myself with them as Isabel, mires my heart with grey emotions.

This sense of loss compounds the fear that I’m already losing myself to Mirai.

If so, is that truly such a bad thing?

I wasn’t happy as Ronin Kassius.

Will I be happier as Isabel and Mirai?

Will I live long enough to find out?

I understand that my unwillingness to accept who and what I am may lead to my downfall.

The disjoint between Mirai and I, and for that matter Isabel and I, introduces a delay between the self-aware and the conscious, physical body.

Even if Mirai can assert herself at critical moments, that could prove deadly to me in the Gun Princess Royale because there is a marked difference between the other competitors and I.

If the other girls take a bullet to the head, it is the mechanical avatar that dies – the Gun Princess and not the Meister.

If I take a bullet to the head, I die – both the Gun Princess and the Meister.

And that’s not the only thing that sets us apart.

It takes more than one bullet to the brainbox to bring down a Gun Princess because they have very hard heads.

In contrast, I don’t have an adamantine skull or adamantium coating over my skeleton.

Thus, with one armor-piercing round to the cranium, it’s Game Over for me.

Farewell Mirai, and better luck to your next incarnation, but for me it would all be over.

It’s true that the Sanreal Family, that is House Elsis Novis, and my cold-hearted bitch of a sister could imprint the most recent archive of my neural map into another copy of Mirai…but that’s only if they can make one.

You may recall from the previous installment of my progressive memoires that Erina called me a miracle. A miracle she said, with a zealous light in her eyes. Therefore, producing another Ultra Grade Mirai doesn’t happen at the snap of her fingers, although it does start with the push of a button. However, should she be successful, and the archive of my neural map can be implanted into the new brain, the next Mirai wouldn’t be me. She wouldn’t be the me that I am now. That me would die, and perhaps fly off to Heaven or Hell, depending on whether I’ve been a good or bad girl because I do believe that Mirai has a soul. At least, I want to believe that she does. She has Angel wings, so why not a soul? Admittedly, her wings are black but let’s not dwell on that. The point is that who I am now would perish in this reality, and the copy would only be a copy.

The real Mirai – the first Mirai – would be no more.

I have asked Erina what would happen to me if I was shot in the head. Would the Angel Fibers repair the damage? If so, then perhaps installing the latest archive of my neural map would compensate for the loss of information in the regenerated portions of my brain. But there would certainly be a lot to repair because Mirai’s skull – as strong as it is – isn’t armor plated.

Erina admitted that she didn’t know.

She and her research team that developed Mirai are continuously collating the data they collect on me, so they have yet to determine the extent to which the Angel Fibers can heal my wounds. But if I died from head trauma and the Angel Fibers subsequently put me back together, would I be the same person I was before? Perhaps, it really does come down to whether Mirai has a soul or not. Yet even if Mirai could survive a bullet to the noggin, I have no intention of finding out, and I don’t want a copy to be made of me because I am the true, one-and-only Mirai.

I am fully aware that this contradicts my earlier assertions of being separate from Mirai. However, I have no desire to die.

I want to survive the Gun Princess Royale, and I want to live.

That’s what I decided for myself as I listened to the bullets whiz by, ripping through the air, not quite indiscriminately tearing up my surroundings.

Maybe I’m jumping way too far ahead by revealing too much, too early, in this the latest volume of my memoires.

Maybe I should let the story run its course, but having said that I’d resolved to live, I would like to explain a little of my circumstances at the time.

Just a sneak peak, a teaser, of what is to come some distance down the road.

– # –

I’d heard the term once before, spoken in conversation during a rather stressful period of my life.

It was something I’d forgotten about until it was blared out by the Game Master circling on high inside the Battle Commission’s observation airship – a giant oblate zeppelin the size of a cruise ship covered in lights that lit up the evening sky with the power of a million Christmas trees. It was a garish, extravagant exhibition of avarice demonstrated by the Battle Commission, yet it was also a testament of the Gun Princess Royale’s nature as bread and circus for the masses.

All pomp and spectacle as they say.

Regardless, I certainly knew what the term meant in my reality, but I should have realized that it could mean something else in the Empress’s universe.

Nonetheless, knowing what I knew, a fear caressed my spine as I watched the giant gunmetal grey egg fall from the airship, and crater the middle of the plaza when it landed with a deafening boom that smashed permaglass shopfronts, buckled the nearby maglev station supports, and caused the ground to undulate and ripple, tossing the Gun Princesses and I like plastic dolls into the air.

Some of them crashed through shop windows and deep into the stores.

Others rolled along the ground like helpless tenpins.

A few collided with walls, benches, tables, and signs.

And I slammed my back into an interactive information board, snapping its supports, and knocking it to the ground.

In a heartbeat, the center of the plaza was ruined, and the girls and I were scattered about.

Lying on the wrecked board, I looked up to see fireworks launch from the Game Master’s airship.

They exploded brilliantly in the evening sky, signaling a start to the festivities.

Then the gunmetal grey egg broke apart…and it emerged.

Of course, I couldn’t see it because the middle of the plaza was shrouded in a dense cloud of powdered rubble.

But I could hear it and I could feel it due to the deep thrumming that spread through the air and resonated with my bones.

I could smell it too – the scent of ozone that follows a lightning strike.

One by one the mechanical girls either picked themselves off the ground or hurried out from the shops they’d crashed into.

In quick succession, they checked their weapons and readied themselves for whatever would come bursting out of the cloud filling the center of the plaza.

I too prepared myself, first rising from the wrecked information board to check my customized heavy rifle – the Kaiser from Specter & Koh – before seeking cover behind the remains of a permacrete fountain partly demolished by the egg’s explosive landing.

Maybe those Meisters thought they’d be ready for what was to emerge.

Maybe I thought so as well.

After all, there were fifteen Gun Princesses in the plaza…and only one opponent.

However, I didn’t know how wrong we would be.

I didn’t know we’d be facing something that wasn’t from my reality, but from a harsher realm.

A realm where a war had been fought and it razed the face of an entire planet.

Then a century later, the survivors fought another war.

A war that began with Simulacra.

A war that ended with machine versus machine.

Not long ago, Ghost told me that a Gun Princess has no natural enemies because her enemies are all unnatural.

They are all machines, metal predators, and among their ranks is one that even a Gun Princess has reason to fear.

The Gun Slinger.

As a Gun Princess, I too learnt to fear the Gun Slinger.

But a Gun Slinger has never met a Gun Princess like Mirai, and I was determined to cut my name into the metal demon that emerged from the cloud of rubble to the tune of six Gatling guns and a swarm of missiles.

Before the night was out, I promised to make this Gun Slinger tremble at the mere whisper of the name, Mirai.

And then I would blow the metal mother frekker up and send it straight into the machine afterlife!

- # -

However, that’s not what happened.

Rather, let me say that things opened up a little differently.

And it was all my fault.

That’s because I succumbed to Mirai’s ingrained reaction to shoot at anything she sees as a threat.

Then again, I too have the bad habit of shooting first and asking questions later.

Had I not given into her impulsive nature and mine, maybe the situation would have turned out better.

Instead of waiting for the egg to crash into the plaza, I opened fire on its drogue chutes as it fell from the sky.

This sent the giant egg spinning off course, and it crashed with a boom and rumble a few city blocks away.

Thus, in one fell swoop I tore out the first page of the Battle Commission’s carefully prepared script and turned the night into a free fall battle to stay alive.

- # -

I’m sure you’re eager to read about how the events of that night unfolded.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait because that’s not what this volume is about.

Before I recount in detail the longest night of my life thus far, I need to tell you of the week leading up to it, and of the dire events that took place upon my return to Ar Telica.

By now you’re well acquainted with the circumstances that landed me in a Mirai’s body.

With the introduction done and dusted, it’s time to turn the first page on the first chapter of my newly minted existence as both Isabel val Sanreal, and the Gun Princess, Mirai.

---

Thank you for getting this far.

For those of you who are interested in reading the original 2017 release of "Gun Princess Royale" the books are still available for purchase via the links are provided below:

Book One - Awakening the Princess

Book Two - The Measure of a Princess

The new "The Gun Princess Royale" will hopefully be release on Amazon Kindle as an eBook in August, 2023.
It all depends on what issues my editor friend finds with the story.