A/N: What other Chapter 26? I don’t know what you’re talking about… *Jedi Hand Wave*

 

“I…I can’t believe you did that!”

Rhionne bit her lip as she watched Daz’s expression change. She worried that maybe she’d overstepped her bounds. She’d only wanted to help, of course, but perhaps she’d embarrassed Daz by confronting Vasha.

“Daz, I’m sorry if I was out of place, I was only trying to-”

Her sentence was cut off as Rhionne suddenly found her mouth was otherwise occupied. The princess’s eyes widened in surprise, and then closed again as she melted against Daz. Electric tingles shot up and down her spine and she pulled Daz closer.

After a few seconds, that felt much longer, Daz pulled away. Her eyes were wide with shock at what she’d done.

“I um…”

Rhionne smiled. “Don’t be embarrassed.” She said. “I’m just glad you’re not mad at me for yelling at your sister.”

“Part of me wants to be.” Daz admitted shrugging. “But mostly I’m… I’ve never really had anybody stand up for me before. I’ve always, always been the shadow, the outcast in my family. The one who wouldn’t get with the program. And really, the rest of my family is just like Vasha.”

Rhionne intertwined her fingers with Daz’s and gently squeezed. “I’m glad you’re not like the rest of your family, Daz.”

Daz sighed. “You know, we’re going to have to do something about Pierce, right?”

Rhionne nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

*.*.*

“Myona I’m glad I found you.”

Myona turned and looked behind her to see Prince Antero coming down the corridor behind her. She stopped to wait for him to catch up with her.

“What can I do for you, Prince Antero?” Myona asked, smiling brightly.

“I’ve been thinking about what you and Shaar are trying to accomplish.” Prince Antero said, drawing up beside the young redhead. “I was wondering if you ever spoke to any of your instructors about it.”

“Well, no.” Myona blinked. “I guess… I figured eventually, maybe, that would be something to do. When Shaar was ready.”

She turned to the young woman sitting in her customary place on the Titan’s shoulder. “What do you think?”

Shaar blinked, feeling uncharacteristically unsure. “I… I guess I never really thought about it before. I was so focused on learning how to program… what would happen afterwards…”

Antero smiled and nodded towards her. “I have to say Shaar, given the amount of time you’d been working with Myona and the handicap you started with, I found your skills to be very impressive. And not just ‘for a human.’ I really believe that the two of you are making something amazing happen here, maybe even more than you realize.”

Myona blinked, and smiled, even as a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. “Well, gee, thank you Prince Antero.”

“If you need me to put in a good word for you, I will” Antero promised. “Just let my sister know.” Antero turned and continued down the hall, leaving the stunned pair in his wake.

“Did that just happen?” Shaar wondered.

Myona didn’t answer, save to grin widely and hug Shaar enthusiastically to her chest as she skipped away.

“Myona! Air!”

*.*.*

“I just had a rather interesting talk with your betrothed.” Vasha said as she sat down next to her sister in one of the palace gardens.

“Did you?” Daz replied coolly. “Was it about anything interesting?”

Vasha smiled in a way that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. “I suppose I should congratulate you. I assumed you were too weak willed to use Rhionne to get what you wanted, I was wrong.”

“That’s your problem, Vasha.” Daz sighed, shaking her head. “You only see other people as tools to get what you want or obstacles to get out of your way. And what’s worse is that you assume, therefore, that that is how everybody else thinks as well. The truth is, I never asked Rhionne to talk to you, and it probably wouldn’t have occurred to me to ask. Rhionne talked to you out of her own free will because, surprise surprise, she actually cares about me.”

Vasha frowned. “And here I thought you were finally starting to grow up. Pity.”

Daz rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. “Amazing. You don’t get it, do you? You honestly think that the way you think is the way the world works.”

“Because it is how the world works.” Vasha crossed her legs and smoothed out the front of her dress demurely. “I know, you think I’m some monster… or whatever… but the sad fact is that there are far more people like me out there than you, dearest sister. And in order to survive in this world, you have to be ready to strike when you have the chance, before they do the same to you.”

Daz snorted. “You do realize, I know a lot more about the kinds of things you’re into, than you think I do.”

Vasha chuckled. “Perhaps. But you don’t know enough, little girl. Not nearly enough, and trust me Daz… if I do ever go down for ‘the things I’m into’ as you say, I’ve set it up so that you’ll be going down with me. Do keep that in mind if you ever get any… ideas…”

Daz snarled and ran a hand through her short hair in frustration. “It might be worth it.”

“Would it?” Vasha asked as she stood from the bench. “Would seeing the look of disgust on Rhionne’s face be worth it? How about that little human pal of yours? What would they say, Daz, if they found out that all this time I’ve been doing such awful things, and you knew about it, and yet you did nothing?”

Daz bit her lip, but by the way her stomach suddenly clenched she knew her sister’s barbs had struck home.

“I’ll be taking my leave of the Palace now.” Vasha said as she wandered back towards the main building. “Do enjoy your next semester, after all… you earned it…”

*.*.*.*

Pierce woke abruptly from a sound sleep to the thud of a door slamming. Thinking it was just Tylum coming back from exploring the palace library, he rolled over and tried to fall back to sleep. It had taken some adjustment, feeling the need to sleep “in the middle of the day” but he’d gotten used to it, eventually.

“Pierce…”

His eyes shot open again. That had not been Tylum’s voice.

“Wake up, please.” The voice spoke again. “We need to talk.”

Pierce groaned. The four worst words in the universe. Still, he could practically feel the looming presence of the titan above him, which didn’t seem like it would be going away any time soon. So, Pierce rolled over sat up, and opened his eyes.

Daz stood in front of Tylum’s desk, casting her shadow over him. Her red eyes were narrowed and she wore a frustrated frown on her face.

“Damn, Daz.” Pierce groaned, rubbing his eyes. “I don’t wake you up in the middle of the night, do I?”

“No.” Daz smirked slightly and shook her head. “I have roommates for that kind of thing.”

Pierce’s eyes darted towards the door, which was firmly shut.

“That’s right.” Daz said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not letting you just walk out this time. We need to talk, and if I have to trap you under a water glass to make it happen, I am completely okay with doing that. I’m not going to have to do that though, am I?”

Pierce growled in frustration. “What is there left to talk about, Daz?” He stood up and walked towards the giant woman in front of him. “I said I was okay with it. That I was happy for both of you why can’t-”

Daz sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah okay, I’m not having this conversation repeated again.” She walked over to the bedroom door and pulled it open. She stuck her head through the door and Pierce could hear her talking to someone just outside. “You were right, same thing as before.”

She stepped back inside only this time she was followed inside by Rhionne. Pierce felt a sudden sinking sensation in his stomach.

“H-hi Rhionne.” He mumbled.

“Hello Pierce.” The princess replied. “I’d like for you to stop lying to Daz. And to yourself.”

“I’m not…”

“Yes you are.” Rhionne interrupted. “You keep saying you’re okay, that you’re happy, but your behavior ever since you found out about us has been the exact opposite of that.”

“Look Pierce…” Daz’s gaze slid to the ground. “You have a right to be mad. You had your entire life ripped away from you once already. And then, maybe just when you were starting to build a new life, or something like it… it was taken from you again.”

“We don’t expect things to just ‘go back to the way they were’.” Rhionne added. “We understand we can’t do that, but we’re hoping that at least we can still be friends with you?”

Pierce sighed and looked down at his shoes. There was a part of him that wanted to yell and scream at them, that wanted to lash out. He knew that if he were to do so, they’d let him and not return an ounce of his anger.

And suddenly the idea of doing so just exhausted him. Pierce didn’t want to be mad anymore. He did really want to be happy for them. He didn’t want to be mad.

“I… I’m sorry, you guys.” Pierce sighed. “I have been kind of a jerk to you.”

“You had a reason.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But I’m sorry anyway.”

Rhionne smiled. She reached down and rubbed his back with a finger. “It’s okay Pierce. We forgive you.”

“Yeah.” Daz agreed. “Do you forgive us?”

“Of course.”

*.*.*.*

“I’m glad that you, Daz, and Rhionne were able to work through everything.” Tylum said as she dropped her luggage on the floor of her guest room.

“Me too.” Pierce admitted with a shrug. “I don’t know what’s going to happen from this point forward, but it’s really nice not to be mad anymore.”

“Good.” Tylum smiled.

“I’m sorry I was kind of a jerk to you too, Tylum.” Pierce muttered, scratching the back of his neck. “Thanks for not getting annoyed and, I don’t know, squishing me or something.”

Tylum shook her head and chuckled. “Apology accepted, Pierce. Just remember that no matter what happens, I want to see you happy. You’re kind of like the little brother I never had.”

“Very little.” Pierce muttered. “Although, you’re not much older than me, remember!”

Tylum grinned. “Oh yeah?”

Pierce rolled his eyes. “Okay sure, maybe in that screwy way you Titans have of keeping time. But, you know, maturity wise…”

“Do you really want to bring ‘maturity’ into this?” Tylum sniffed.

Pierce snorted. “Says the girl who still sleeps with a stuffed animal!”

Tylum rolled her eyes. “Anyway, another reason I’m glad you all sorted this out is that it means I can go home for a visit with my parents with a clear conscience.”

Pierce nodded. “That’s why I did it, of course, so you wouldn’t feel guilty for visiting family without me.”

“I’d ask if you want to come, but trust me, it’ll be much less exciting than a trip to the palace.”

Pierce nodded. “It’s okay, go home to your family. This way I’ll at least get the room to myself for once.”

Tylum shouldered her bag and lowered a hand to Pierce. “And don’t worry, if you get scared in the middle of the night, you can cuddle with one of my stuffed animals.”

“Ha ha very funny.”

*.*.*

Soon enough Rhionne and her room mates, minus Aezhay and Fara, gathered on the palace steps that led down to the courtyard. At the bottom, a sleek royal green shuttle waited for them. Their bags were loaded, and they were saying their goodbyes to the Imperial family.

“I will miss our discussions, Pierce.” The Empress told the young man who was perched on Tylum’s shoulder. You have given us much to think about in the short time you were here.”

“I’m glad, your Majesty.” Pierce smiled. “I enjoyed our talks as well.”

“Remember what I said.” Antero said, clapping Myona on the shoulder. “I really think you need to show the Empire what Shaar can do.”

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Shaar said, shrugging. “Perhaps one day, I will be ready.”

“Time to go!” Daz yelled, hoisting her bag and thundering down the stairs.

“I call front seat!” Myona shouted, rushing towards the front of the shuttle, only to be stopped short as Reevah climbed into the seat next to the driver.

“Nice try kid.” The young officer smirked. “But you have to be a bit quicker than that.”

“Aww.” Myona sighed, and then brightened. “I call window seat!”

Eventually, they all loaded into shuttle and were on their way back to the school, and their dormitory house.

“Thanks for inviting us to stay at the Palace, Rhionne.” Tylum said as the shuttle soared into the sky.

“My pleasure.” Rhionne said, smiling. “I enjoyed having you visit. Although, Daz, maybe next time your sister can stay home.”

“Fine by me.” Daz muttered wryly.

*.*.*.*

“Are you sure you want to do this now?” Myona asked Shaar as she carried the young woman through the halls of the school’s holographics department. “I mean, I agree that it’s a good idea eventually but..”

“No, Antero was right!” Shaar said excitedly from Myona’s shoulder. “I think that I am ready for someone else to see what I can do. Maybe then I will be able to study properly. You told me of that human who wants to teach class. If he can do that, why can’t I learn?”

Myona bit her lip. “Okay… but, you know, don’t expect too much okay? It’s hard for some people to see past what they already believe and…”

“I know. It will be okay.”

Myona sighed and knocked on the door to her professor’s office. After a moment, the door slid open in front of her.

“Come in Myona!” Her professor, a young man in his late thirties, called out. “I was very surprised to hear from you. I figured you’d be enjoying your vacation!”

“Oh well, there was something super important that I needed to talk to you about, Professor Ayemi.” Myona gushed as she stepped into the small office. “And it just couldn’t wait.”

“Oh well, if it can’t wait, why not sit down and tell me what’s going on.”

“Well, sir, you see, I’ve been taking on an extra… project as it were.” She carefully lowered Shaar down to the desk. “I want to introduce you to Shaar. I’ve been teaching her how to program holograms and she’s very good at it. She wanted to show you what she could do and-”

“Is this a joke?”

Myona’s sentence cut short with a squeak. She looked up at her professor and saw him frowning in confusion.

“Of course not sir…I…”

“Because you called me in, from my own time off need I remind you, talking as if you had something important to show me and… and this is what you have to show? A pet human?”

“I’m not a pet!” Shaar snapped irritably.

“S-sir you don’t understand!” Myona’s heart started beating faster. “I’ve been showing her how to make holograms… she’s very good and…”

“Preposterous!” Ayemi snapped. “I’d sooner believe an actual shaar capable of such a thing than a human.”

“But sir!” Myona stammered. “If you’ll just let me show you, I…”

Ayemi rolled his eyes and sighed. “I honestly should have known better. Myona, you’re very talented. Brilliant even, but the fact is you get caught up in these ridiculous flights of fantasy. You need to learn to focus more on what you’re doing. It would be very nice if humans were smart enough to do what you’re claiming, but they just aren’t. And I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m comfortable playing pretend with you any longer. Please, just go.”

“But… Professor!”

“Now Myona, please.”

Myona’s mouth worked silently. She was shocked, numb, it wasn’t until she felt Shaar climbing into her hand that she snapped out of it long enough to back out of the room.

She walked through the halls in a haze. Professor Ayemi had been her favorite teacher and now…

Now…

Her legs wobbled and Myona collapsed against a wall. Bitter tears rolled down her cheeks and she tried to keep the sob from escaping her throat. Her eyes screwed shut and she tried to block out the world, until she felt a small hand against her cheek.

She opened her eyes and saw that Shaar was looking at her with an uncharacteristically concerned look on her face.

“Oh… Shaar… I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Shaar whispered sadly. “I asked you to bring me here. And he was the one who acted like… like a slag…”

Myona chuckled sadly. “I’ll… I’ll have to drop his classes, I think. I’m not sure I could look at him after… after that.”

“I-” Shaar started to speak but was suddenly interrupted by the cheerful tune of Myona’s datapad.

Myona considered ignoring it, but the ringing only started up again after the original call shifted over to her message box. With a sigh, Myona dug it out of her bag. She saw that it was a number she didn’t recognize.

Biting her lip, she clicked on the answer button. “Hello?”

“Hello my dear.” Myona’s eyes widened as she saw who was on the other end of the call. She’d never met the woman, but recognized her immediately. Anyone who had ever seen the cover of a magazine would have.

“I was wondering if you’d like to make a little trip for me?” Said Pryvani Tarsuss.