Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I want to break free”

They turned up the volume on the radio, letting the music overcome the sound of their bike as they sped down the road.

“I want to break free”

Out of the corner of their eye, they could see the city of Arcadia behind them, and while they knew it was growing smaller, it still seemed imposing in a way they couldn’t explain.

“I want to break free from your lies

You’re so self-satisfied

I don’t need you”

Eyes forward.  The road opened up ahead of them, and they accelerated.

“I’ve got to break free

God knows

God knows I want to break free”

They drove another minute or two before coming to a train crossing—the last barrier fencing them in.  The chances of there actually being a train right now were abysmal, they knew, but they stopped anyway, giving themselves one last chance to clear their thoughts.

“But life still goes on

I can’t get used to living without

Living without

Living without you by my side”

One last thought crossed their mind.  Their heart ached at the memory, and they glanced at the radio for a moment.

“I don’t want to live alone, hey

God knows

Got to make it on my own”

They shook their head, and took another look down the road: it was a straight, unbroken shot, not a single other vehicle in sight.

“So baby can’t you see”

They revved their engine once—

“I’ve got to break free”

—Twice—

“I’ve got to break free”

—And took off at top speed, the world instantly becoming nothing but a blur around them.

“I want to break free, yeah”

The empty ache was filled, their heart overflowing with joy as they kept driving.

“I want

I want

I want

I want to break free”

***

The bullet train gradually ground to a halt as it slid into the station, a handful of new passengers already lining up to board it.  When the doors hissed open, a relatively light load of people poured out through them, and the signs on nearby pillars flickered as they revealed the train’s next stop—in the midst of this, a young blonde woman in a pink coat fought her way across the crowded platform, and when she finally made it out of the station she stepped off to the side to gather her bearings.

“Prairie!”

She looked up as someone approached.  Smiling, she said, “Ah, there you are!  I lost track of you in that mess!”

“Tell me about it!  Hey, we’re going to go check out some of the junk shops—do you want to come?”

“I’ll head that way eventually.  First I want to track down a few more practical things, get the lay of the city before the traffic gets insane.”

“Alright.  If I don’t meet up with you, I’ll see you back at the university!”

“Sure thing.  Have fun!”

Alone again, Prairie adjusted her purse, taking a moment to tap the cat-like keychain hooked onto it.  She smiled to it, and then made her way into the city.

Okay…Arcadia.  I definitely need a place to buy groceries, plus I need to find the nearest hospital, just in case.  Maybe a library in case I can’t get to the one on campus for some reason?  Also…

Her feet stopped on their own as she spotted a café just down the road.  She tried glancing the other way, but her stomach protested loudly.

…I did leave in a hurry…one quick bite to eat.

A bell greeted Prairie as she gently pushed the door open.  The interior was hardly anything special, white-tiled floors and brownish walls with a handful of booths and a long counter, and she didn’t see anyone who looked like staff.  She sat down at the counter—no menus, either—and glanced about curiously.

The sign said they were open, but…

The distinct roar of a motorcycle faded in behind her.  Peeking over her shoulder, Prairie saw someone on a bike pull up just outside, clad in a blue shirt and white pants with a plain leather jacket—when they stood and removed their blue helmet, it revealed the face of a young woman with brown hair pulled into a long ponytail, and Prairie’s jaw lowered just a bit.

She’s beautiful…

Realizing she was staring, Prairie turned back around and continued to wait.  It wasn’t long before she heard the door open.

“Delivery!”

The biker came into view as she set a package on the counter, her helmet tucked under one arm.  She craned her neck, scanning as far back as she could, and then turned as she brushed aside her hair, finally spotting Prairie.  After a short pause, she smiled brightly.

“You’re a new face!” she said.  “Just passing through, or are you visiting someone?”

Prairie couldn’t help but smile back.  “I’m, uh, a student, actually.  Just starting my first semester at Cossack University.”

“You don’t say!  Oh, he’s not making a very good first impression, then…”  Leaning farther over the counter, she called, “Oi, you’ve got a customer!  Look alive!”

“It’s no trouble!” Prairie said, suddenly feeling embarrassed.  “I don’t mind waiting a bit!”

“You probably have things to do, don’t you?” the woman said, taking a seat and leaning on one elbow.  “Besides, it’s the principle of the thing—it’s rude to leave a cute girl waiting.”

A blush spread across Prairie’s face.  “U-U-Um…?!  I-I…”

An older man emerged behind the counter just then, saying, “Oh, terribly sorry about the wait, miss!  I’ll grab a menu for you.”

The woman grinned, showing her teeth, and said, “Make it snappy, eh?”

Crossing to where a stack of menus sat, the man rolled his eyes and said, “You’d better not be harassing my customers.”

“What’s that?  You’re the one who screwed up, I’m just trying to save your business before you scare off a potential new regular.”

The man returned and handed a menu to Prairie; he smiled and nodded to her, and then stepped towards the other woman and said, “Right, that’s why you want her to come back.”

Prairie glanced up.  The other woman winked at her.  Before Prairie could think of a reply, however, she checked her watch and said, “I gotta get to my next stop.  Take these?”

She lifted the package, and the man snatched it from her with a chuckle.  “Get going already!”

“I’m going, I’m going,” the woman said as she got to her feet.  Turning back to Prairie, she gave a wave and said, “Nice meeting you.  Hope to see you around!”

Prairie found a distinct lack of words at her disposal, but managed to nod before the woman made it out of the store.  She watched her don her helmet and get back on her bike, and as she drove off, Prairie turned to stare blankly at the menu, at least one word finally coming to her mind.

Wow…

“Who’re you arguing with?” called a voice from the back of the store.

The man headed in their direction, opening the box as he went, and answered, “Just Aile.  You know how she is.”

The other worker laughed, and Prairie giggled a bit as well.  She began to look over the menu for real…until she suddenly looked up, her eyes shooting wide.

Wait, Aile?!

She turned sharply, looking through the window and down the street in the direction the woman had gone.

…Well…surely she’s not the only Aile, but now that I think about it…she does…look a lot like…

“Everything okay, miss?”

Prairie turned back, saying, “Oh, yes, sorry, just…remembered something.”

He nodded, and she looked back down at the menu.  For now, she felt it best to put the issue from her mind, but even before the nagging feeling started to gnaw at the back of her brain, she knew she was going to need to come back sometime and find out for sure.

***

Prairie rushed down the sidewalk, now only illuminated by the streetlights and shop signs.  She skidded to a halt at a crossing and checked her watch.

I should’ve given myself more time—of course I don’t know my way around yet!  What’ll I do if I miss the last train?

The signal changed, so she took off again.  Up ahead, the light at the next crossing was ready for her, so she didn’t slow down.  When someone pulled right up to the curb, she had to act fact to stop herself from crashing right into them.

“Hey!”

It was someone on a motorcycle, but that was all she could tell thanks to their helmet.  A few other bikes pulled up, and the riders all stared at Prairie, not saying a word.  The signal changed.  They didn’t move.  Now feeling extra nervous, Prairie took a step back.

Maybe…I should…

She glanced over her shoulder to find three more people walking up behind her, also wearing helmets to hide their identities.  They stopped a few paces away—she realized the one in lead was carrying a length of pipe in one hand.  Prairie tensed as she turned half-way.

“Evening, ma’am,” they said, sounding like they were on the verge of laughter.  “My friends and I are looking for donations.  Any chance you’d be willing to help us out?”

Pulling her purse closer, Prairie glared at them and said, “I’m a college student.  I don’t have any money.”

They began to tap the pipe against their leg.  “Oh, I’m sure you’re not completely broke.  Come on.  Have a heart.”

Prairie surveyed her situation—they had her pretty much cornered.  She could try to make a break for it, but she was a bit worn out, and even in top form she couldn’t exactly outrun a motorcycle.  A panicked buzz was gradually taking over her thoughts.  Before she could decide, she could hear the sound of yet another bike and turned to see one more coming up the road.

Isn’t this enough already?!

The others glanced that way as well.  As the bike came closer, it suddenly swerved off the road and onto the sidewalk.  The muggers on foot scattered to avoid being run over, and Prairie pressed herself against the nearest wall—the bikers in the intersection moved just a little, but the newcomer spun around on the curb in a loud screeching of wheels, their sleek red bike ending up parked right in front of Prairie.  They too had a helmet that hid their identity, but this one was a bright shade of red, with a ridge on either side and a blue arrow-like design just above the visor.  As far as Prairie could see, they wore all black, but from where she stood she could see something printed on the back of their leather jacket: a large, red letter Z set between their shoulders, and beneath that, a blue letter X.

“What the hell?!” one of the muggers shouted.  “What’re you thinking, you—“

The newcomer silently scanned all of them, rendering the talkative thief silent, and their gaze ultimately lingered on Prairie.  They gave a quick jerk of their head, as if beckoning to her.  Prairie just blinked.

“Wait a second,” a mugger said.  “I know that helmet…you can’t be…Zex?!”

The newcomer turned to face them suddenly, making them stumble back.  One of the others said, “Zex?  You mean the Zex?!  What’re they doing here?”

Zex looked back to Prairie, revving their engine.  Prairie hesitated.

I have no clue who this person is!  But, I can’t stay here…

The one with the pipe stepped forward.  “Zex…you’ve got a lotta nerve messing with the Galleons!  I’m gonna make you regret it!”

They swung, only for the pipe to be sent flying from their hand.  Too fast for anyone to see, Zex had drawn a long green beam saber to deflect the attack, and now held it menacingly in the stunned muggers’ direction.  They looked to Prairie and jerked their head again.  Quick as she could, the girl steeled herself.

I guess it’s my best chance!

She hopped onto the back of Zex’s bike and wrapped her arms around them.  Zex swung their sword through the air once more to scare back the muggers, and then charged forward and back onto the road, heading in the same direction they had come from.  Prairie held on tightly, hoping she’d made the right call.  Zex put their sword away and steered the bike around several corners—presumably to lose the muggers if they decided to give chase, Prairie guessed.  Eventually, they pulled into an empty lot and stopped next to the fence around its perimeter, sitting up higher to look up the road.  Prairie took the opportunity to jump off the bike and put some space between her and Zex.

“Who are you?” she demanded.  “What is it you want?”

Zex looked over their shoulder at her for a moment.  Then, moving slowly so Prairie could see, they set up their kickstand, stepped off the bike, and held their hands up.  They lightly tapped behind the side of their helmet, and the headgear began to shift and change—in seconds, it was a smaller, simpler helmet in a familiar shade of blue, and it came off to reveal the face of a young woman with a long brown ponytail.  Prairie’s eyes widened.

“Sorry if I scared you, Prairie,” Aile said.  “Are you okay?”

Prairie needed time to process what she was seeing, but eventually replied, “Aile?  It’s really you?”

Aile smiled, reaching up to rub the back of her neck.  “Ah, yeah.  Sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier.  It’s been so long, you know?  Wasn’t until I was three stops down my route it finally hit me, and by then I figured you’d already left the café.”

“No, I didn’t recognize you either, not until…”  Prairie shook her head.  Returning the smile, she said, “Aile…you’re really here!  I thought…I would never see you again…”

She stepped forward tentatively.  Aile came forward at once, reaching out so they could hug each other close.

“I’ve missed you so much, Prairie,” Aile whispered.

Prairie sniffed.  “Yeah.  I’ve missed you too.”

“I finally found you.  I’m sorry it took so long.”

“You’re here now.  That’s all that matters.”

They separated, and Prairie wiped her eyes.  Aile said, “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, I’m okay.  Thanks for helping me.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“What was it they called you?  Zex?”

Aile averted her gaze and lightly scratched the side of her face.  “Well, that’s, uh…kind of a long story…”

With a sigh, Prairie said, “Still getting into trouble, I see.”

Aile shrugged.  “Hey, I’ve gotten better at getting myself out of it, if nothing else.”

“Hehe, then I suppose I should be proud of you.  We’ll have to catch up properly sometime, I...oh!”  Prairie checked her watch, instantly deflating.  “Oh no, I missed the train…”

“Oh,” Aile said, frowning.  “Sorry, I should’ve realized that was where you were headed!  I went in the complete opposite direction, didn’t I…”

“No, you don’t need to apologize.”

“Cossack, right?  I’ll drive you there.”

“What?  That’s too far away, Aile—you’d be out all night.”

“I don’t mind!  Let me help you out.”

“I couldn’t do that to you.  Besides, the gates will close before we get there, and I haven’t gotten my student ID printed yet—I probably wouldn’t even be able to get in.”

“Oh…”  Aile crossed her arms and thought for a moment.  Then, she brightened up all at once, and said, “Oh, easy fix!  You can crash at my place for the night!”

Prairie looked up.  “Huh?  Well, I’d hate to impose…”

“Don’t be silly!  This’ll give us a chance to catch up—and Vent’ll be happy to see you too!”

She smiled.  “You were able to stay with Vent?  That’s a relief.”

“Heh, well, usually it is.  Here.”

Aile offered her helmet to Prairie, who said, “Don’t you need this?”

“I only have the one, and I’d rather know you’re safe.  I’ll just focus on driving carefully.”

As Prairie put the helmet on, Aile turned back to the bike and flipped a switch somewhere.  The vehicle began to change into the one Prairie had seen earlier, just like the helmet, and Aile squeezed her shoulder as she sat down and lifted the stand.  The back of her jacket shifted, and the ZX disappeared from view—Prairie stared at the fabric for a moment, then climbed back onto the bike.

“Ready?” Aile asked as she tucked her ponytail inside her jacket.

Prairie wrapped her arms around Aile’s midsection.  “Yep.”

“Okay, here we go!”

They took off at a less frantic pace this time, allowing Prairie to get a better look at some of the sights going by.  After a few minutes, the buildings began to thin a bit, turning from crowded city blocks to more spacious collections of houses, and as they drew close to the city limits Aile finally turned off the main road and into the driveway of a two-story house.  She pulled off to one side and parked, letting Prairie off before she stood up.  Prairie returned the helmet, and Aile tucked it under her arm, smiled to her, and gestured to the house.

“Welcome to our humble abode!” she said.  “It’s not much, but we hope you enjoy your stay.”

She ushered Prairie inside.  After they both removed their shoes, they walked down a short hall to a kitchen—working at a counter with his back to them was a tall man with long blonde hair, who said, “Back already, Aile?  Must not’ve been much of a challenge.”

“I, uh, didn’t make it there, actually,” Aile said.  “I bumped into an old friend.”

He turned and, realizing Prairie was there, adjusted his glasses and wiped his hands on a towel.  “I see.  Hello there, miss.”

“This is my dad, Giro,” Aile introduced.  “Giro…this is Prairie!”

Giro’s eyebrows went up.  “Prairie?  The one you always talked about?”

Aile nodded excitedly.  Prairie bowed and said, “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“She’s studying at Cossack now!” Aile said.  “Isn’t that great?”

“Fantastic!” Giro said, twisting slightly to clean up the counter.  “It’s quite a prestigious school—you must’ve worked very hard to get in.  Though, don’t they close their gates not long from now?”

“I, um, missed my train,” Prairie said.

“Some Galleons were bothering her,” Aile elaborated.  “I was in such a hurry to get her out of there I wasn’t thinking of where she needed to be.”

Something flashed behind Giro’s eyes.  Whatever it was, it was gone just as quick as it came, and he said, “So that’s how it is.  Well, any friend of Aile’s is welcome here.  I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer you, but please, help your—“  He winced suddenly, leaning sharply to one side and grabbing the counter to steady himself.  Prairie jumped a bit.

“You alright?” Aile asked, already taking a step forward.

“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Giro said, his voice sounding strained.  He pushed himself upright and took a deep breath.  “Ah, sorry.  Looks like I need to go rest up, but it was nice meeting you, Prairie.  And I’m sure I’ll see much more of you.”

“Oh, um, yes,” Prairie said.  “Nice meeting you as well.”

Giro left the room, Aile keeping a close eye on him as he went.  She turned back to Prairie and said, “Sorry, one sec.”

She went to stand at the corner of the hall, continuing to watch for a bit, and then eventually came back over to Prairie.  Prairie asked, “Is he alright?”

“He’s…it’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Aile said.  “He had a bad back injury years ago and it still bugs him every now and then.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.  He seems awfully nice.”

Aile smiled.  “He’s been great to us.”  She snapped her fingers.  “Right, Vent, let’s go get him!”

She bounced over to a staircase, leaning over the banister and shouting up, “Hey, Vent!  You’ll never guess who’s here!  C’mon down!”

A few seconds later, a door could be heard opening, and a young man with spiky brown hair came into view.  “What is it now, Aile?  I thought you already…”

He stopped when he saw Prairie, who Aile gestured to with both hands.  Tilting her head and smiling, Prairie greeted, “Hello, Vent.  It’s good to see you again!”

“…Prairie?” Vent said, slowly blinking.  “Holy—“

He rushed down the stairs, losing his footing and sliding down the last couple—Aile laughed at him, but he jabbed an elbow into her ribs and smiled at Prairie.

“I can’t believe it!” he said.  “It’s been so long—what are you doing here?”

“I got accepted to Cossack’s mechanical engineering program,” Prairie said.  “Aile and I bumped into each other, and since I wasn’t able to catch the last train, she brought me back here for the night.”

“First time I’m glad to see her do that,” Vent said.  Aile moved to slap him in the back of the head, but he blocked her.  “Anyway, Cossack?  That’s great!  I always knew you were gonna go far!  Has Aile told you what she’s been up to?”

Aile got him in a headlock before Prairie could answer.  “I thought we could all catch up together, brother.  Unless you’re busy with something?  No?  Great!”

As he struggled to free himself, Vent chuckled, “The more things change, huh Prairie?”

Prairie started to laugh.  The siblings continued to wrestle with each other, but soon her laughter turned to tears, and they both froze up.

“Prairie…?” Vent asked.

“I’m sorry!” Prairie said, covering her face.  “I’m just…I’m so happy to see you two…I never…”

The next thing she knew, Vent and Aile each had an arm around her.  She cried even harder.

***

When Prairie got up the next morning, she took a moment to be sure she still had everything pieced together right.  Apparently, mere months after she had left the orphanage where they had all once lived, Giro had come by to make a delivery and taken a shine to Vent and Aile, who had both outright refused to let anyone take them if it meant leaving the other behind.  That was fine with Giro.  He did whatever he could to make this feel like a home for them, and when they were old enough he even gave them the chance to join his company Giro Express, a courier service that primarily functioned here in Prefecture X but also had some dealings with the surrounding region on occasion.  Vent had warmed up to the job faster than Aile had, but they had both very quickly come to consider Giro a real father.  They seemed far happier than Prairie had ever seen them at the orphanage, and she was ecstatic that was the case—and even more ecstatic that they were all back in each other’s lives after over a decade.

I wasn’t sure about Cossack…but this turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made.

She quietly made her way down to the kitchen.  When she got there, she saw Aile standing over by the window, the morning sunlight bestowing a soft glow upon her.  Prairie would’ve stared at her for hours if she hadn’t been frowning at something.

“Aile?”

Looking up suddenly, Aile said, “Oh, Prairie!  Sorry, I was, um…”

“What’s bothering you?”

As Prairie came closer, she saw Aile shoving her phone into her pocket.  “No, it’s nothing!  How’d you sleep?”

Prairie crossed her arms.  “Aile.  It’s obvious you’re upset.  Can’t I help you?”

After a short delay, Aile sighed, but she ended up smiling.  “Yeah, the more things change.”  She reluctantly pulled her phone back out, adding, “The full story needs some explaining, but basically, I’m pissed off at this guy.”

Prairie took the phone and glanced over the screen.  It looked like some kind of social media or message board, with a post from someone calling themselves “Prometheus” on display:

-ZEX IS A COWARD!-

Members of my gang were out on the town, minding their own business, when they say Zex came out of nowhere and nearly ran them over.  Do they think we’re going to tolerate disrespect like that?!  And on top of that, apparently they tossed some cheap tramp on the back of their back before they ran away—a true racer would never let someone else on their bike!  It’s a violation of our most sacred honor!

I’m gonna make things right.  I challenge you, Zex!  If you still want to consider yourself a racer, then you better show up tonight at the Alpha course ready to fight like your life depends on it!  Anyone who wants to come watch them get destroyed is free!

I’ll be waiting, Zex!

Prairie looked up at Aile, who was scowling at the wall.  She waited a while, but no further explanation came, so she held the phone out and asked, “So…you’re some kind of racer?”

Aile shifted her gaze to the phone as she took it back.  “Yeah.  It’s not, strictly speaking…legal…but…I’m part of this street racing community.  There’s an emphasis on anonymity, everyone keeps their helmets on and makes up some weird fake name—I didn’t know what to go with, but when they saw the ZX everyone started calling me Zex, and I figured, you know, why not just go with it?”

Prairie nodded.  “Okay.  Why didn’t you tell me?  Because it’s illegal?”

Aile began to fidget.  “…Because…it isn’t just racing.”

Prairie wasn’t sure what to make of that at first.  Then, thinking back to the previous night, she remembered the beam saber Aile had used.  Her eyes widened, and she put a hand over her mouth.

“It’s battle racing.  Mega Racing, we call it.  Beam weapons, busters, all kinds of stuff.  You’ve got to be fast, but more than that, you’ve got to keep your opponents from running you off the road with their weapon of choice.”  Aile finally looked up at Prairie.  “I had a feeling…dropping all of that on you right away would be too much of a shock.  So I was going to hold off for a bit.  I’m sorry.”

Unsure of what to say, Prairie just stood there silently for a time.  Eventually, she lowered her hand and quietly asked, “Are you…planning to race him?”

A determined look came to Aile’s eye.  It was a nostalgic sight for Prairie, but she had never before dreaded it like she did in that second.  “Yes.”

Prairie’s thoughts were starting to get jumbled.  She breathed deeply, doing her best to keep them organized, and simply asked, “Why?”

“Because he…” Aile began, glaring at the phone.

“Because he challenged you?”

“No, I’m not like that!  I turn down challenges all the time, but he…”  She gritted her teeth.  “…What he said…about you…”

“What?”

“It pisses me off that he’d say that about you!  And it was his goons who came after you in the first place—I’m not going to let him get away with lying like that!  It makes me so mad, I…I have to put him in his place!”

Prairie took a step closer.  “Aile, it doesn’t bother me if some random person out there is lying about me.  But if you get hurt, especially if it’s because of me, then…”

Aile gently took Prairie by the shoulders.  “I won’t get hurt.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Footsteps caught their attention.  They both turned to see Giro, who said, “She’s right, Aile.  You can’t make a guarantee like that, especially when dealing with Galleons.”

Aile started to say something, but stopped herself.

“I’ve heard of Prometheus.  He’s one of the most brutal there is right now.  No one’s raced him and come out unscathed—no one’s even beaten him, far as I know.  You can’t take a foe like that lightly.”

Shaking her head, Aile said, “I’m not taking him lightly.  I know what he’s capable of, and I’m going to keep my guard up.  But I’ve always felt an itch to take the Galleons down a peg, and I can’t fight it anymore.  I won’t fail, Giro!”

Giro watched her for a moment.  “I won’t make your decisions for you, Aile…”  He glanced at Prairie.  “But I think you should talk a bit more with your friend before deciding.”

Aile faced Prairie again.  “Prairie…”

“You’re always getting into trouble,” Prairie said quietly.  “You told me you’re better at getting out of it now, and I believe you.  But…I can’t just not worry about you.”

“I’ll be okay.  It might not look like it, but I know what I’m doing this time, really.”

Prairie wrung her hands, realizing she was trembling a little.  “…Can I ask why you’re doing this?”

“I told you, Prometheus doesn’t get to—“

“No, I mean…Mega Racing, in general.  Why are you doing something so dangerous all the time?”

Again, Aile started to speak and had to stop herself.  Her eyes drifted as she tried to find the right words, and Prairie waited patiently until she had them.

“Because…it’s the only…”  Aile closed her eyes and sighed.  “…Ever since I can remember, it’s always felt like…I’ve never had any control over my life.  First I was a kid, too young to even know how to do things on my own.  Then my parents were taken away from me, and there wasn’t anything I could do about that.  Then we went to live at the orphanage, and we did the best we could, but gosh, every single day it was just waiting to see who would adopt who, waiting and watching while all these strangers decided who would stay and who would go, no matter what any of the rest of us thought.  Then having to put up with school, just doing what I was told and being pushed from one pointless test to the next, and then realizing I’m forced to do something—anything—to earn money and constantly buy permission to live, it all just…”

It was slight, but Prairie saw Aile shrink inwards as they locked eyes with each other.

“All my life, it’s like I’ve just been floating helplessly in the sea, getting tossed around by waves I never see coming.  But racing.”  A glint slowly came to her eyes.  “Relying on my own skill, my own wits, my own bike, my own speed, my own actions—Mega Racing is the only thing that makes me feel like I can finally swim.”  She paused for a moment.  “Does…does that make sense?”

Prairie stared at her.  She was still worried, she knew that wouldn’t abate so easily, but she could think more clearly now.  Slowly, she let out a breath, and reached out to take Aile’s hand in hers.

“…Be honest with me,” Prairie said.  “I know I tended to take charge a lot even back in those days…did I ever make you feel—“

“Never,” Aile said, clasping her hand tightly.  “You guided us for sure, and we definitely needed that.  But you always listened.  When I was with you, I always knew I had a choice.”

Prairie couldn’t help but smile.  “I’m glad.  I don’t want to take away your choice now either, so…I’m trusting you to do your best not to get hurt.”

Aile grinned.  She lifted Prairie’s hand, kissed it, and said, “I promise.”

Prairie knew she must be blushing, but ignored it and said, “And, I want to be there to watch you.  If you’re going to do this, then I want to support you properly.”

Aile’s smile faded a bit, but she nodded.  “I had a feeling you’d say that.  It’s fine as long as Vent agrees to go with you for safety.  We’ll also need to get you a spectator’s helmet…there’s got to be an extra lying around somewhere.”

“Even the spectators wear helmets?”

“I still have one in the garage,” Giro chimed in.  “If Aile can help me find it, then I’d be happy to loan it to you, Prairie.”

“Thank you, sir!” Prairie said.  “I really appreciate it!”

He chuckled.  “You don’t have to be so formal, Prairie.  And, thank you for keeping an eye on my daughter.”

Prairie nodded and turned back to Aile.  “I need to head back to the university and get some things sorted out, but I’ll be back this afternoon.  Don’t leave without me.”

“I won’t,” Aile said, her smile already back at full force.  “Hehe…”

“What?”

“Well…this’ll be the first time anyone I know has come to see me race.  Other than Vent, that is.  Maybe I’m a little excited.”

Prairie tugged on Aile’s hand.  “Just be careful!  I’d rather see you safe than see you show off.”

Aile brushed her hair aside in a dramatic fashion.  “Please, Prairie…I’m good enough to do both.”

After a short pause, Prairie and Aile both laughed.

***

Night had fallen, and the highway was empty.  A crowd of several dozen people waited near the designated starting point, with a slightly smaller crowd gathered at the finish line; Vent and Prairie stood at the latter, both wearing green helmets with bright pink visors to blend in.  A large screen had been set up just off the road, showing video from a drone that currently hovered at the starting line, and Prairie watched it nervously.

“You’re sure she’ll be okay?”

“Positive,” Vent said.  “This is the simplest road they use, and she’s more than familiar with it.”

“I’m more worried about the fighting part.”

“Trust me: that’s the last thing you need to worry about.”

At the starting line, someone walked out onto the road: he wore a grey and purple riding suit, and his helmet was shaped so that it resembled a skull with a visor, with visible scratches across its surface that could only have been from previous races.  He crossed his arms and groaned loudly.

“Where the hell are they?!” Prometheus asked.  “We could’ve had this whole thing settled by now!”

“Maybe they got cold feet?” said one of the Galleons.  “With how intimidating you are, boss, you probably just scared them off.”

“Hmph.  Not exactly what I was hoping for, but…”  Prometheus snickered.  “This is enough to ruin their reputation, and scare anyone else who thinks of messing with us.”

He turned to walk away, but caught a glimpse of something as he did.  A headlight could be seen in the distance, gradually coming closer, and it was soon accompanied by the faint sound of a bike.  Prometheus stayed right where he was.

“It’s them,” he said with a grin.  “Good!  Hey, one of you go get my bike!”

A handful of Galleons scampered off.  Soon, Zex came into view, pulling right up next to Prometheus but keeping their gaze forward.

“So you finally showed, Zex!  Here we thought you were hiding somewhere like the coward you are.”

Zex didn’t respond.

“To be honest, I’m glad you made it.  It’ll be much more fun tearing you apart personally!”

Prometheus pulled a metal bar from his pocket—when squeezed, it telescoped into a staff as tall as he was, and a sickle-like energy blade sprouted from one end as he planted it in the road.  The Galleons returned with his motorcycle: a bulky, purple-armored model with long tailpipes on either side, its front shaped into a large skull with horns that curved up and around to serve as handlebars.  It was rolled right up beside him, and he set a hand on it.

“These will be the instruments of your demise!  I hope you’re prepared, because I’m not stopping until I’ve left you in a smoking heap!”

Zex still wouldn’t respond.  Prometheus waited a moment, and then grumbled something under his breath and climbed onto his bike.  Someone with a megaphone came to stand to the side of the road next to them.

“This is it, folks!” they announced.  “Our very own Zex, Prefecture X’s Enigma, against the Galleons’ Prometheus, the Grim Reaper of Prefecture W!  Whoever makes it to the finish line first—assuming they’re still in one piece—is the winner!”

Prairie clenched her fist.  Vent set a hand on her shoulder.

“On your marks…”

Prometheus and Zex both revved their bikes.

“Get set…”

A cackle came from Prometheus.  Zex stayed silent.

“Go!”

The announcer swung a flag, and engines roared.  The recording drone shot off overhead, keeping a close eye on Prometheus as he took off…only to stop and pan backwards when it became apparent that Zex had stayed at the starting line.

“Uh, Zex?” the announcer asked.  “I said go!”

Zex rolled their shoulders back casually, and looked down at their bike to flick on the radio.  Instantly, a fast, upbeat song began to play, and they nodded in satisfaction.

“Dammit, Aile,” Prairie whispered, a wide grin on her face.

The song’s beat shifted abruptly, and Zex finally got moving.  In seconds the gap was closing, and they could see Prometheus spinning his scythe up ahead.  Reaching into their jacket, Zex pulled out a small white buster pistol, and fired a single shot.  Prometheus flicked his scythe to deflect it, and turned to look straight at Zex as they accelerated.

“Modem talking

Modern walking in the streets

New desire”

Zex fired a few more times.  Prometheus expertly deflected each of them, laughing as he did so.

“Take me higher

Lift me higher with your speed

I need fire”

Prometheus slowed suddenly, holding his scythe out to try to catch Zex as they passed.  Zex veered out of range, speeding up to take the lead while continuing to keep pressure on their foe with their pistol.  The shots still weren’t doing much good.

“Get the satellite if you want to see me

Talking on the net I know the way you like it”

The gap shrunk.  Surprisingly, Zex stopped firing, and put their pistol away.  For a moment, it looked like they were completely ignoring Prometheus.  The other racer spun his weapon in anticipation.

“Get your credit card cause I need no money”

He reared back as he began to pull alongside Zex.  Their hand went back into their jacket.

“All I wanna get is you baby”

Prometheus swung.  His blade was met with Zex’s beam saber, and despite pushing as hard as he could, they met him with equal force, sparing him only a sideways glance.

“What?!”

“Running in the nineties

Is a new way I like to be”

Zex shoved him back and swung at his bike.  Prometheus pulled away just in time to avoid the attack, and then made a sweeping swing of his own, only to be expertly blocked again.

“I'm just running in the nineties

Come on baby run to me”

Prometheus tried to twist the saber out of Zex’s hands, but they moved with him, keeping their weapons locked together.  They still wouldn’t look directly at him.

“We are running in the nineties

It’s a new way to set me free”

With a shout, Prometheus pulled the weapon back and swung for the front of Zex’s bike.  Zex braked for just a second, weaving behind Prometheus and slashing off a piece of his tailpipe, before shooting back up on his other side and completely overtaking him.

“I'm just running in the nineties

Yes I wanna know

Yes I wanna see”

“What the hell is happening?!” Prometheus said.  “There’s no way they’re holding me off this easily!  No one’s better than me!”

He could see Zex adjusting their mirror as he accelerated.  Using just that to aim, they drew their pistol again, pointed it backwards, and fired.  Prometheus was so off-guard that the shot actually hit his bike, and he decided to hang back for the time being.

“Alright, asshole,” he said.  “Let’s see how you like the gift of fire!”

Prometheus pressed a button on each handlebar.  The headlights in the eyes of the skull switched off and slid away, revealing two openings that were shimmering with heat.  With a shout, he pressed one button again: a ball of plasma the size of his fist shot out from one of the eye sockets, arcing through the air and ultimately hitting the road just to the side of Zex to erupt in a fiery explosion.  Zex swerved hard.

“Hah, that’s more like it!  Not so tough now, are you Zex?”

Prometheus lobbed his shots strategically, making sure each one counted in his effort to keep Zex off-balance.  At the finish line, Prairie was shaking; she could barely keep track of Zex as they wove through the intermittent shower of sparks, but the way they seemed to be floundering about certainly didn’t look good.

Oh no…

“It’ll be okay,” Vent assured her.

“But…”

“I know this probably looks bad, but I’ve seen her pull through worse.  Have some faith!”

As Prairie continued to watch, the camera zoomed in on Zex.  They couldn’t stop weaving for even a moment, Prometheus made sure of that, but in spite of it, they glanced up and looked directly into the camera.  It was quick, but they lifted one hand off the bike to give a thumbs-up.  Prairie’s heart skipped a beat.

Aile…!

Prometheus was almost on top of Zex now.  He sent two blasts forward, kicking up a small wall of flame to keep his foe trapped—Zex had no choice but to brake, and as they came into range, Prometheus raised his scythe high.

“I’ve got you!”

He couldn’t keep up with what happened next.  Zex had their saber ready in an instant, swinging it high enough to catch the scythe under its blade and push it backwards, making Prometheus’s grip on it a very awkward one.  Before he could recover, Zex brought the weapon straight down, smashing the pommel into Prometheus’s hand, and with a quick shout of pain, he dropped the weapon completely.

“Why you—!!”

For the first time, Zex was looking directly at him as they rode parallel.  They pulled their saber back, almost as if to rest it on their shoulder, and extended their middle finger.  Prometheus grabbed the handles of his bike, preparing to ram into his foe.  A second later, Zex swung their sword in a circular arc, and though Prometheus realized in time to pull away, one of the eye sockets on his bike’s skull was sliced open, leaving a huge sparking scar over it.

“No!”

Zex looked forward again as they retook the lead.  Prometheus did his best to get stable—he knew that attack had severed a part of his weapons system, meaning even if he tried to launch from the other eye he’d more likely blow himself up.  Speed was his only chance now.

“I’m not giving up!  You hear me, Zex?  You haven’t won yet!”

Zex put away their sword, and then cupped a hand against the side of their helmet.  Prometheus barely had time to shout before they turned their radio even higher.

“Running in the nineties”

Prometheus kept accelerating.  He pushed his bike as hard as he could, desperately trying to close the gap Zex had left.

“Running in the nineties”

A crowd came into view—he realized they were almost upon the finish line.  He was nearly out of time, and Zex was still out of reach.

“Running in the nineties”

Almost.  He was almost caught up, he was almost parallel with Zex again, and he kept accelerating as the finish bore down upon them.

“Running in the nineties”

Zex waved to the crowd as they crossed it, just barely ahead of Prometheus.  A cheer met them on one side, while on the other, they could hear Prometheus yelling in frustration.

“She did it!” Prairie said, jumping up and down.  “She made it—she’s okay!”

“What’d I tell you?” Vent said, taking a moment to wave after Zex.  “Nothing to worry about at all!”

Prometheus wasn’t quite done yet.  He continued to accelerate, and as he drew nearer, he reached out towards Zex.  “Damn you…!”

Before he could grab hold, Zex jabbed his hand with their saber hilt again, and then smacked him across the face with it, making him nearly lose control of his bike.  He managed to stay upright, but he had to give up his speed to do so.  But Zex kept going, driving off into the night until even the crimson shine of their taillight faded from view.  Prometheus finally came to a stop, and he slammed his fist down on his bike.

“I’ll remember this, Zex!” he said.  “You may have beaten me this time...but someday, I’ll be sure to settle the score!”

The crowd slowly began to disperse, and Vent and Prairie made their way back to where Vent’s bike was parked.  Before they could get on, Prairie heard her phone ring—it was Aile calling, so she answered immediately.

“Aile?”

“Easy,” came Aile’s reply.  “Easy beyond words, and not a single bruise to show for it!  How are things on your end?”

Prairie sighed.  “Good grief…I told you that you didn’t need to make such a spectacle out of it.”

“What?  I was holding back.  You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“Hehe…”  She looked down at the ground.  “You sound so…happy.”

“I am happy!  I won a race, showed that punk who’s boss, and you…”  She paused and then, more softly, finished, “You were here to support me.  Thank you, Prairie.  I don’t think I’ve ever been happier!”

Prairie looked back in the direction of the highway.  “Well, what can I say to that?  I’ll see you back at the house, Aile.”

“Right!  I’ll see you there!”

She put the phone away and chuckled to herself.  Vent smiled at her, but didn’t say a word.  They both got on the bike and headed back, and all the way, all Prairie could think of was the sheer joy she had heard in Aile’s voice, and how incredibly happy she was to hear it.

Chapter Text

“Just as I thought it was going alright

I find out I'm wrong, when I thought I was right

It's always the same, it's just a shame, that's all”

Aile sped down the highway, her muscles tensed to the point they felt ready to snap.  She tried to focus on the road, the radio, any available distraction, but it just wasn’t enough.

“I could say day, you'd say night

Tell me it's black when I know that it's white

It's always the same, it's just a shame, that's all”

“What a day,” she grumbled to herself.

“I could leave but I won't go

Though my heart might tell me so

I can't feel a thing from my head down to my toes”

Her route had started out well enough.  However, from there it had escalated awfully quickly from customers only thinly veiling their rudeness to those that showed it off proudly.  Aile was hardly a stranger to placating folks and moving on, but the string of so many assholes in a row had really taken a toll on her.

“So why does it always seem to be

Me looking at you, you looking at me

It's always the same, it's just a shame, that's all”

She took her turn a bit too fast, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle.  As the road sloped upward, she caught a brief glimpse of Arcadia through the trees, and sighed.

“Turning me on, turning me off

Making me feel like I want too much

Living with you's just putting me through it all of the time”

“And I get to do it all again tomorrow…”

“Running around, staying out all night

Taking it all instead of taking one bite

Living with you's just putting me through it all of the time”

Another intersection came up.  For just a moment, Aile glanced the other way, seeing the road stretch out into the distance, but then turned back to her familiar path.

“I could leave but I won't go

It'd be easier I know

I can't feel a thing from my head down to my toes”

Once she was high enough, she pulled off the road onto a small patch of dirt.  Dismounting, she walked over to the railing, where she had a perfect view of the entire city.

“But why does it always seem to be”

She pulled off her helmet with a quick tug.

“Me looking at you, you looking at me”

Leaning forward, Aile screamed at the top of her lungs.

“It's always the same, it's just a shame, that's all”

***

“…So, yeah, I’m still working out the stress,” Aile said.  “Sorry.”

Across the table, Prairie said, “You don’t have to apologize.  I’m sorry you had a rough day.”

“Just wish I could be more chipper.  I really am glad to see you—you’ve improved my day immensely.”

Prairie smiled.  Aile took a drink of her coffee, while she gazed into hers with a thoughtful look.

“Anyway,” Aile said, “how’s university going?”

“Well enough,” Prairie said.  “I feel like I’ve gotten off on a good foot with all my professors, and there’s nothing in the syllabi that immediately concerns me.  I’m still excited to hone my skills!”

“Good!  I’m sure you’ll do great.”

Prairie waited a moment.  “Say, Aile?”

“Hm?”

“I’m not really sure how best to do this, but…well, I can’t stop thinking about how you were flirting with me when we first bumped into each other.”

Aile sheepishly grinned, hiding behind her coffee cup.  “Oh, right.  Well, I saw a cute girl and thought I might like to get to know her a little.  Wasn’t expecting to find out I already knew you so well.”

“Right,” Prairie chuckled.  Her fingers began to rub the handle of her cup.  “I guess what I want to ask is…now that you do know it’s me, are you…still interested?”

Aile inclined her head, but then went still for a moment.  Setting her cup down, she rested her arms on the table, leaned in, and said, “I’ve been thinking about that too.  Just, wasn’t sure how to bring it up.”

Prairie felt her heartbeat pick up a little.

“What I had in mind before was short-term.  That’s just how I’ve been doing things for a while.  But, with you, that’s not…and I mean, I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.  If you want us to just be friends I am more than fine with that!  But, if you wanted to, maybe, see where else we could take things…”

She trailed off, apparently not sure if she should say more without hearing any feedback.  Prairie tilted her head, saying, “Hm, I was expecting a more bold and decisive answer…”

Aile smirked.  “Oh were you?”

“After that warm greeting I assumed you were just as forward as you used to be.  Before, you’d tell anyone who would listen that you planned to marry me someday.”

A subtle blush tinted Aile’s face.  “It’s not like I’d hold you to that.  We were kids, we barely knew what marriage was.  Plus, we’ve been apart for so long, who knows how much we might’ve changed…”  Pausing, she folded her hands together, then undid them again.  “…I just don’t want to rush things with you, Prairie.  Now that you’re back in my life, I want to keep you in it—I don’t want to jeopardize that by coming on too strong.”

Slowly, Prairie reached out and took Aile’s hands, saying, “You’re so sweet, Aile.”

Aile gave a soft grin, lifting one of Prairie’s hands to kiss it.  Prairie couldn’t help but giggle.

“It has been a while…so it’s hard to know for sure what sort of relationship I want with you right now.”

Aile nodded.

“…But…I really, really want to find out.”

Light sparkled in Aile’s eyes.

“For now, why don’t we just…go on a date or two, and see what happens?  It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other again.  Then, we should be able to make a more informed decision.”

“Hehe, how very logical,” Aile said.  “Alright.  In that case, Prairie, would you like to go out this weekend?”

Looking up at the ceiling, Prairie said, “Hmmm…oh, why not?  I should have some free time Friday night.”

“Wonderful!  Shall I pick you up at 7?”

“Yes, that will do nicely.”

Aile pulled out her phone to set a reminder.  It vibrated in her hands, making her jump a little, and then she dismissed the notification with a short grunt.

“What’s that?” Prairie asked.

“Oh, it’s from the racing board.  I’ve been getting them non-stop the past day or so…”

“Someone’s trying to get ahold of you?  Is it a challenge?”

“Yeah, it’s another of the Galleons.  I told her I’m not interested—think I’d rather just let them stew for a while—but she doesn’t know when to quit.  Hoping she gets tired of trying soon.”  When she was done, she returned her phone to her pocket, and smiled at Prairie.  “More importantly, where do you want to go Friday?”

Prairie shrugged.  “I still don’t know this town very well.  Why don’t you surprise me?”

“Alright, leave it to me!  I’ll show you a good time.”

With another giggle, Prairie finished her coffee, and then she glanced at her watch.  “Ah, I need to catch my train.”

“You want a ride?” Aile offered, quickly gulping down the rest of her own drink.

“I don’t need one, if you’ve got somewhere to be.”

“Nope!  I’d be happy to take you!  Finally got a second helmet, too—come on.”

Prairie smiled as Aile led her by the hand.  She could feel a bit of tension in the back of her mind, but ignoring it was easy with so much excitement filling her heart.

***

Prometheus sat with his arms crossed, bouncing his leg repeatedly.  The door opened, and he leapt to his feet: in walked a woman wearing a white and blue riding suit, her face obscured by a very simple white helmet with a pale green visor.

“Well?!” Prometheus shouted.

The woman didn’t look up from her tablet as she walked past him.  “No response.”

Prometheus spun and kicked the wall.  “Dammit!  I’m sick of waiting—let’s just go track that bastard down and force ‘em into a race!”

“Weil’s orders were clear.  I am to engage Zex individually, through an official challenge.”

“I remember…but doesn’t that seem strange to you, Pandora?  Why is he insisting we stick to these ‘proper channels’ when we could just take Zex out on our own terms?”

Pandora took a seat, still focused on her tablet.  “Unknown.  For the time being, we must simply hope the answers will present themselves in due time.”

Prometheus spent a few seconds grumbling to himself.  Walking over to Pandora, he asked, “Hey, what sort of things have you been saying in your challenges?”

“I have simply requested a race.”

“…That’s all?  Every time?”

“Yes.”

“Give me that.”

Pandora handed over the tablet, and Prometheus looked at the post she was observing:

-Challenging Zex-

Zex, I hereby request a race with you.  Please respond.

Prometheus sighed.  “Pandora, you’ll never get their attention like that!  You gotta make Zex mad, leave them no choice but to take you on!”

Pandora tilted her head.

“Here, let me—“

The door was flung open, letting a single Galleon stumble in.  “Uh, Prometheus!  Weil wants to see you.”

“Great,” Prometheus said.  Handing the tablet back to Pandora, he said, “Just, try to get them riled up or something.  I insulted their girl, that seemed to get under their skin.  Do that.”

Prometheus left, and Pandora looked back down at the tablet, muttering, “Hm…I see…”

***

Aile dribbled the ball down the court, Vent in pursuit but too far behind to be much of a threat.  She slid into position, took the shot, and watched the ball pass straight through the hoop as she cheered for herself.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t rub it in,” Vent said as he caught the rebound.  “This is how it always goes.  At a certain point you’re just picking on me.”

Aile shrugged.  “Maybe if you got out a little more, you wouldn’t lose quite so badly, brother dear!”

Vent rolled his eyes and started to dribble.  “So, Friday?  Any idea where you’re going to take her?”

“Man, too many ideas, honestly.  It’s Prairie, y’know?  I wanna go all out!  But, payday isn’t until—“

Vent darted off to the side as she was talking.  It took Aile a few steps to catch him, but she successfully cut him off, forcing him to back up to keep control of the ball.

“What, did you think that was going to work, you sneaky bastard?”

“Heh, it almost did!”

He faked to the side and shot.  The ball bounced off the rim, and as he ran to reclaim it, Aile snatched it out of the air and ran back to the opposite basket to score again.  She flashed a toothy grin at him.

“Huh…name a few, let me know what you’re thinking.”

Aile spun the ball around atop her finger, saying, “Well let’s see, there’s a couple date movies at the theater that we could check out.”

“One of your go-to strats.”

“Yeah, maybe not, don’t want to slip into my usual habits.  There’s the museum, that’d probably be right up Prairie’s alley, right?”

“Definitely.  But I bet you’d fall asleep before making it through the tour.”

Aile threw the ball at him, a pass he barely caught.  “…Point taken.  Uh, well, she’d also probably enjoy looking around the junk shops—I could buy her whatever random parts she needs.”

Vent landed a shot before answering, “Not bad…but, not especially exciting as far as dates go.”

“Argh, this sucks!  Normally I’m great at this, but I want it to be perfect, and now I can’t choose!”

“Okay, calm down, ladykiller.  What about dinner?  That should balance everything out nicely.”

Aile rubbed her neck.  “I guess, but that’s another go-to.  Would it be special enough?”

Vent landed another shot.  “Special, huh?  Is there any place you’ve never taken someone before?  Someplace not haunted by memories of a dozen one-night stands?”

Aile raised her finger in preparation to say something, but then stopped and thought.  “…Oh my gosh.  Grand Nuage Gallery!”

“Really?  I mean, it’s pricey, but I remember seeing one or two rich girls with you.”

“It’s kind of in that gray area, too pricey for us commoners, not pricey enough for the snobs.”

“So you admit to dating snobs?”

“Cute snobs.  Also.”

She dashed forward, yanking the ball from the hands of an unprepared Vent, and then leapt up and slam dunked it as he stumbled back.

“YEAH!” she shouted as she dropped down.  “You’re weak!”

“Right, you’re welcome for helping you!” Vent said.

“I’m encouraging you to grow, that’s the best thank you there is!” Aile shouted as she ran for the house.  She was just through the door when she checked her phone, finding another notification from the board.

Ugh, again?  When is she gonna…

Aile stopped mid-step.  As she stared at her phone in confusion, she mumbled a quiet, “What?”

-Mocking Zex’s Female Acquaintance-

Zex, the girl you have been seen with is in all likelihood in possession of some fundamental character flaw, thus you should feel great shame in associating with her.  Possible flaws include a penchant for causing severe bodily and/or emotional harm to others, questionable sexual decency, and an unwillingness to adequately tip workers upon receiving excellent service.  Also, several Galleons who have seen her have stated that she does not meet their personal standards for attractiveness, which indicates that your standards are either very different or much, much lower.

Additionally, I would like to request a race.  Please respond.

Blinking slowly, Aile looked up and stood there for a moment.

“…She’s…trying really hard.  Poor girl.”

***

Prairie nervously adjusted her hair as she stood examining herself in the mirror.  She had decided on a sleeveless light green dress, along with a triangular red brooch and a loose-fitting gold bracelet, but couldn’t stop wondering if maybe there was some other small change she should make.  She only left the mirror when her roommate, a woman with long purple hair and pink-tinted glasses, suddenly pulled her away.

“Huh?!  Tulip?”

“Relax, sweetie!  You look great!  Now stop driving yourself crazy already!”

Prairie glanced back towards the mirror, but Tulip stepped in front of her.  Relenting, she said, “Right…maybe I’m worrying too much.  I just really want this to go well.”

“Then the best thing you can do is calm down.  Come on, breathe!”

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Prairie took a deep breath.

“Why so much pressure, anyway?  Don’t you already know this girl?”

“Sort of,” Prairie said.  “But it’s been so long…what if we’ve grown apart without realizing it?  I might not be the person she remembers anymore.”

Tulip sat down next to her.  “Well of course you’re not.  And she isn’t going to be the same person you remember!  But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  Now you two get to fall in love for real, and learn all this new stuff about each other as you do!”

Prairie smiled.  “…Yeah.  Thanks, Tulip.  That helps a lot.”

Hugging her, Tulip said, “Good!  You gotta learn to think more positive, sweetie.”

Vibrations sounded from Prairie’s phone.  Her nerves returned as she checked the message, but she took another deep breath and nodded to Tulip.

“Have fun!”

It was a quick walk down to the dorm’s nearest exit.  Parked ahead on the sidewalk was a small four-door car with bright red paint, and leaning up against it was Aile, dressed in a tailored gray suit with a blue neck tie.  She stepped forward with a grin, opening up the door as Prairie drew near.

“You look stunning,” Aile greeted.

“Th-thanks.  You look amazing too!”

“Heh, thanks.  Ready to go?”

“Oh, yes!”

Aile waited until Prairie was in, gently closed her door, and then climbed into the driver’s seat.  As they pulled away from the school, Aile said, “It’s not too long a drive.  We’ll be there in no time.”

Prairie nodded, looking around the car.  “I have to say, this isn’t what I expected you to show up in.”

“Yeah, formal wear and motorcycles don’t mix so well—I’ve tried, I’ve failed.  Giro has plenty of cars on hand for big deliveries, but this one he usually saves for fancy meetings with his clients.  Normally I have to sign up for extra work to take it out, but you made such a good impression that he let me have it for free tonight!”

“Really?  I didn’t do anything special.”

Aile looked over at her for just a moment.  “Everything you do is special, Prairie.”

Prairie blushed.  “Hehe…getting a head start, are we?”

“Sorry, still learning to pace myself.”

They made a bit more sporadic small talk until they arrived at the restaurant.  Aile made sure to open Prairie’s door for her and help her up, pausing a moment to kiss her hand before letting it go.

“I bet you do that for all the girls,” Prairie teased.

Aile shook her head, looking unexpectedly serious.  “Oh, no.  That was always our thing.  I’d never do that with anyone else.”

Prairie blushed again, her heart quickening as Aile offered an arm and she looped her own around it.  There was a small crowd inside, but Aile escorted her right to the host station, waiting only for one of the workers to approach.

“Reservations for Chaput,” she said.

The two of them were led to a small table overlooking a lake, the rays of the setting sun poking through the surrounding trees to stir dancing lights on the water’s surface.  They took their seats, placed their order, and then were alone; Prairie realized her heart still had yet to quiet.

“S…So!” Prairie said.  She then realized she didn’t have a sentence to follow that with.

Aile grinned, resting her chin on her knuckles.  “Never learned how.  I tried crocheting once, though.”

“….Haha…sorry.  I’m still nervous.”

“What can I do to help?”

Prairie shook her head.  “Just…bear with me, I suppose.”

“Done.”

She paused to let out a breath.  “I, um…don’t really have much dating experience.   Though, it’s probably obvious.”

“No, I wasn’t thinking that at all.  Just never found the right person, or…?”

“A bit of that, but my parents—well, my adoptive parents—were a bit strict.  I didn’t get many opportunities in the first place.”

“Ah.  You were living up in Prefecture C, right?  Did you like it there?”

“I did!  Big cities, very industrial, but there were still some nice parks I’d visit every now and then.  Cold winters.  But, a great place to cultivate an interest in engineering.”

“Sounds like it.  I remember you were always tinkering with things—I’m glad you’ve been able to pursue something you love.”

Prairie nodded.  “It’s definitely helped me stay dedicated to my studies.  And I owe a lot to my Sis as well!”

Aile inclined her head.  “You have a sister?”

“Well, she’s technically a cousin, several times removed.  My relatives who adopted me, they’re her parents.  We took to each other pretty quickly.  She was so easy to get along with, one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and honestly, she was a genius!  I learned more from her than I did from my teachers.”

“Wow.  You’ll have to introduce me some time!”

Prairie’s expression shifted then, suddenly growing sad and distant.  “…I can’t.  She got into a fight with our parents, and moved out, and didn’t keep in touch as far as I know.  I’m not sure where she is right now.”

Aile sat up straighter.  “Oh…I’m so sorry, Prairie.”

“Mm…it’s okay,” she murmured with a shake of her head.  “If I know my Sis, she’s studying somewhere too: once we both become engineers, I’m sure we’ll find each other again.”  She brightened back up to add, “Just like you and I did.”

Aile smiled, reaching out to take Prairie’s hand.  “Right.  You definitely will.”

The conversation was put on hold as their food was brought out.  As they began, Prairie said, “So, racing.  How did you end up getting into that?”

“I always enjoyed driving, so it probably would’ve happened eventually either way,” Aile said.  “But I got my start when I did because of Giro.  I was poking around one day, and came across his old jacket and saber—he was annoyed, but I got the story out of him just the same.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize Giro was a racer too.”

“Yep…Zero, the Legend of Prefecture Z.  He went undefeated for virtually his entire career—no one in the country’s been able to surpass his record.  There were times when his bike was so heavily damaged people thought he’d never ride again, but each time, he came back to keep thrashing the competition.”  Aile sighed.  “Wish I coulda seen him.  But, by the time he adopted us, he’d been forced to retire because of his back.  There are recordings, but it’s not quite the same, y’know?”

“I see…”

Aile chuckled.  “He wasn’t happy when I said I wanted to take up his mantle.  But, he realized it was just a matter of if he trained me properly or I went and did it on my own.  Thus began my lessons!”

“Hehe, I’m glad he knew who he was dealing with.  Was it tough to learn?  It must be very complicated.”

“Complicated, yeah.  I knew how to drive, and I’d taken some kendo classes, so I really just needed to adapt those skills, but even that took a few years to master.  Giro’s one hell of a teacher, though.  Before I knew it, I was on the track as Prefecture X’s Enigma, Zex.”

Prairie nodded.  “Enigma, huh…does everyone get a title like that?”

“Nah: they’re only given to the best racer in each Prefecture, the…”  She laughed.  “It sounds pretentious…the ‘Chosen One’ of each Prefecture.”

“Ah, Chosen One?  So you’ve got that feeding your ego.”

With a shrug, Aile said, “You gotta eat.”

“I suppose.  Speaking of which, this is delicious!”

“Good!  I was hoping you’d like it.”

They continued to talk through the meal, wandering from one subject to the next to the next, watching the sky slowly darken and the moon set out on its nightly rounds.  The lake seemed to fade in and out of being, lost in the blackness one moment, silhouetted by pale light the next, but beautiful as it was, Aile and Prairie always ended up looking back at each other instead.  Eventually the time came for them to leave, and with some reluctance, they made their way back to the car.

“This has been wonderful,” Prairie said.  “Thank you, Aile.”

“Thank you for joining me,” Aile said.  “It’s like a dream come true to be able to spend so much time with you again.”

“I know what you mean.”  She looked up to admire the stars.

Aile scratched her head a little, then said, “Um…if you’re not in a hurry to get back, I know a place where you can see the stars a lot more clearly.”

Prairie faced her.  “Really?  I’d like to see that.”

“Great!  C’mon.”

The drive lasted mere minutes.  Up a mountain road just off the highway, they came to a small outcropping above an untouched patch of nature; stepping out, Prairie looked skyward to see dozens and dozens of stars twinkling over them, and her jaw dropped.

“Wow…” she said.  “I haven’t seen them this clearly in years!  It’s beautiful!”

Aile grinned, sitting down on the hood of the car.  “One advantage to living out in the middle of nowhere.”

Prairie giggled, taking a seat next to her.  “Mind if we stay for a while?”

Aile shook her head, leaning back against the windshield.  Prairie joined her, and together they stared up at the sky.

“In the mood for some music?” Aile asked quietly.

“Hm, depends.”

“Let’s see what’s on…”

Aile clicked the car remote, turning the radio on to let a gentle melody wrap around them.

“And I'd give up forever to touch you

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow”

Prairie nodded.  “Yeah…that sounds nice…”

“You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be

And I don't want to go home right now”

Aile hummed happily.  Tentatively, Prairie reached out and brushed her hand—her fingers opened to entwine with hers, the heat of another person contrasting wildly with the cold metal beneath.

“And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life”

“…Hey…Aile?”

“Yes?”

“Are you…doing anything next weekend?”

“I have a race on Saturday, but I’m free otherwise.”

“Oh.”

“And sooner or later it's over

I just don't wanna miss you tonight”

“Could we…maybe go out again?” Prairie mumbled.

Aile rolled onto her side.  Prairie met her gaze, her sweet, loving gaze, and felt her breath stolen away.  Aile pulled Prairie’s hand up, kissed it, and said, “Absolutely.”

Prairie smiled.  Her heart was beating quickly, but it felt right somehow—like something in her deepest self had truly awakened for the first time in ages, maybe the first time ever.  She still wasn’t strong enough to persist holding that gaze, but when they both looked back to the stars, Aile’s grip on her hand remained just as tight.

“And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's meant to be broken

I just want you to know who I am”