This next one is by the suggestion of a reader who wouldn't let me quit, so I think I owe him something. In a way, it helped me too. So, thanks.


If you want to know what it means, lay beside someone you trust. Goodnight.

--

Resting in the dark. At that place between sleep and the moment of waking; though what that is, you do not know. Glimpses, you got little glimpses (“goodnight heiseimi”, “Do you mean it”, “then please can i…”) – but here, you see the whole of it. Where every piece fits.

You have so few pieces. So – alone. Fire. Fires. Under a red sun, all you knew dead, she took you up and said, “Hello.”

“Do you know who I am?”

And you could not speak, because she was promised. You nodded. Nodded aside,

at her breast.

You know what?

You know what…

Warm…

Warm.

Dark, then bright. Hot, hotter, until you can’t tell anymore; until you can’t think at all; every last part directed away from every last part.

Princess…

Princess.

“Princess…”

Princess.

Why?

Your eyes closed, burning, freezing, stopping, you feel a wetness as it all goes away; and then, right there, you know you will not have an answer. Not in this life. It is her word that destroys, so as you dissipate D I S S I P A T E you let it go, let it fly away.

Fly deep behind you. And let [s]tears[/i] fall. What – just what, why just why, only one piece do you know.

You hear her, as you drift away. The, pulse of stars. You can… she is…

“Ssh…”

So, you do, feeling a bit of the heat. It feels - like, a heartbeat. And you.

Cry. fade away, crying.

crying tears of

-

This is the last part of the three; and as I went one way from the present with the second, I went the other way with this one. Hopefully, this is total nonsense compared to the second - if not, it means either you can read my mind, or you've seen what's coming up next.

--

Joy.

She drugs herself up, with the pen she got from a fairy; and as the poison enters her system, she forgets everything for a moment, and sighs.

It seems, the girl thinks, that I love her. Out of necessity, of course. She is still the enemy – but that fairy lets her forget, and she’ll never begrudge her for that mercy. She does it again. A pill, to go with what’s coursing in her veins; and as it goes down, down with some water, the love addled thing looks aside.

There is a ghost at her door. Not that it worries her; she chuckles, tossing her head to the other side.

“You know,” says the ghost, “that those are very bad for you.” Not a question.

She breathes euphoric, nodding yes, yes they are.

“Then why?”

“Because,” she says, “it’s better than it’s bad.” The pen is done pumping it all in; and as it finishes up, she pulls it out silently, throwing it into a warp-shadowed bin.

She loses herself, now, for a little bit. It’s okay, you see, she’s used to that part, she’s gotten to actually like it. But, the ghost winces, just a little bit for her sake.

Silently, her eyes close. In between breaths, she giggles, seeing blood and silver hair mix together, till she can see faces; thoughtlessly the girl reaches for them, a single hand thrust into the blue silky night. She laughs, laughs laughs laughs as those too fade away, till all she can see is endless, wonderful void; and as that precious nothing vanishes, all her happiness does too.

The love addled girl frowns, a single hand thrust into the blue silky night. That’s okay too, because she’s used to that part as well. But, the ghost puts her mask of indifference back on, just a little bit for her sake.

After a while, the girl says, eyes closed, “Are you going away anytime soon?”

The ghost says nothing, just turning to leave; and the door shuts, leaving her alone in the darkness.

Sweet, sweet darkness. She tries to see if she can remember. She can’t, and so she sighs, shivering in rapture.

She remembers just what that fairy said – “And it guide you”, Luna guide you – and even though she wasn’t talking to her, she takes solace in it too, thinking of the moon.

She has two more. One for tomorrow, one for the day after that; assured of her safety from the past, the girl rolls over, blissing out in her chair.

It seems, she thinks, that I love that fairy. Lovely -

generous -

fairy of the moon.

“It has, Your Majesty…” you breathe, and as Princess Kaguya starts to toy with your hair, you slip further into that sunlight bliss. Soft, curious teasing fingers… it feels good. Tingly, warm and slow washing all over.

The last time, you recall, was six years ago. She was sadder then, but she hid her feelings, burying them in some unfathomable place, so that only if you looked hard you might find a hint in her voice, in the way she would look at you, into you – and because she was like that, you could always be at ease at her side. At a time like then, when the sky echoed with the whispers and screams of the dead and dying and killed by your hands, when the things in your nightmares were you and your sisters, there was someone else like that. Kaguya. Kaguya, lord God over all, the Empress to who we all belong.

In the present, her skin is pale. Pale, creamy white, alien and familiar at once; and when her hand grazes yours, you shiver warm white hot. Her Majesty. Her Majesty, who you now loom over, whose careful, needy touch you know by instinct. Slipping into your lap.

Into your –

“P-princess…”

“Ssh.”

If her finger on your lips or the look in her eye wasn’t reason enough to be silent, then the ice feeling crawling down your spine would have; and like it or not, your voice dies completely. You can feel the Princess almost all over you – feel the heat of her body, of her presence, you can even smell the scent of her skin – and it’s too much. She’s so close. She’s so close. That you can’t think, what are you supposed to do? You’re afraid of what she’ll hurt you? With your heart pounding, just staring at her like an idiot.

“Are you uncomfortable, Reisen?” the woman in your lap asks, and you blink, swallow, breathe. What did she say? Uncomfortable? Yes, yes you are.

“I am,” you mumble dumbly.

“Because I’m close to you?”

“Yes…”

“Do you want me to stop?”

Stop?

“I… no.”

“Then, what do you want me to do?” she asks, just inches away. And giving up thought, you say:

“I don’t know.”

That, for some reason, makes Her Majesty pause. In surprise, interest, God knows what; but she’s not talking, not pressing you, and that’s good enough. With some effort, you can think and move, that ice sensation fading away, but everything else – everything in the nebulous cloud of emotions remains. You are confused, nervous, still a little afraid… and yet, it does still feel good. Not unlike the first time you spoke to her, really. With some more effort, you can speak; so, with the precious few seconds of thought, you ask the Princess the only thing you can.

“Your Majesty,” you say, with lips that don’t quite want to move. “Please forgive me. But why are you doing this to me?”

She doesn’t answer, not immediately. Just blinks, like something just occurred to her; and with a chuckle, a sigh, Princess Kaguya turns away from you, and relaxes as she looks out to the sky again.

She says because – “I’m very tired, Reisen.” So very tired.

“But… it looks like I might finally get some rest.”

You can’t see her face, which makes you uneasy. But the way the Princess can just sit and watch gives you something to work towards. She is warm – like…

Heiseimi?

Sister?

Eirin?

Her Majesty the Princess is simply a strange, soft warmness. And so, you focus on that, folding your hands over her lap. Is that okay, you wonder?

She rests one hand on top of yours.

~

“You’ve grown nicely,” she – She, Princess, Your Majesty – says, almost proudly. Distantly again, as her thumb rubs against the back of your hand over and over. She asks you, “are you as well as you look?”

“I am,” you say. You were not… “but I am by my liege now, and so I am.”

“And your fleet?”

At your disposal, my lady and Princess.

And she says, good, in that distant pleased voice. It makes you feel white hot again. Indeed, it is good; but for a moment she pauses. Another, and her thumb stops, to your pity.

“I suppose you already know that the Empire is in grave danger,” she continues somewhat darkly. “It seems that that is its natural state, from my experience; nevertheless, it is my duty to deliver it from that danger. I would like you to help me – if you so desire, of course.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Word has reached the Capital of the battle at the negotiation point; this, then, means that a declaration of war can’t be very far behind. If the rebels have any sense of strategy, they will try to fragment our manpower by aggravating the rabbit populace’s discontent – therefore, the first moves will have to be in bringing the rabbits firmly to our side, and firmly against theirs. You’ve heard about the meeting I had scheduled with House Houhei?”

You have.

“I would like you to escort me to it. To accompany me as attendant. And when I am done, to escort me back to the Capital. Can you do that?”

Absolutely, you can!

“Excellent,” Her Majesty says. “In that case, we leave in an hour. But for now… stay here. I haven’t had physical company like this for quite a while – and, I suppose, you haven’t had much time to relax. It’ll do us both some good.”

As if driving the point home, the door opens behind you, and a young rabbit boy comes in, immaculately setting tea for the Princess. Greenish tea; court tea, as Eirin once explained. Fragrant. Royal.

She looks at you. “Would you like some?”

You say yes, and the boy sets your tea just as perfectly, then is gone.

“Thank you, my liege... but…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m not sure what to talk about.”

The Princess takes a sip of tea, and looking aside at you, says:

“Talk?”

[]

--

I said I had it, so I better put it up. Vote or no vote, I'll in all likelihood end up putting this on a new thread if and when the boards are restored.

[x] Talk about perhaps things from a normal Moon rabbit's view as to perhaps enlighten her majesty of different perspectives, but while expressing gratitude of being able to serve so closely. This may indeed help on the task of winning over the rabbits as well.

[x] Talk? What you say doesn't matter. It's enough to just be here. If you can't think of anything to say, you're sure that the Princess will lead.