Sorry this is late. Ian was very busy this week and needed my help. Anyway, here's the prologue. This in no way implies that the other story was a dream. I hope it implies exactly the opposite. It takes up where the previous story left off, just from Acasja's point of view instead of Angela's.
***
Acasja kissed him and it was done. But it wasn't him that she was kissing; it was Angela. Angela who suddenly fell away from her, with the sword of Aion between her breasts. "Now you are the prince of the world," Angela said. "Take the sword. It's yours and with it you can have any miracle you desire. An eternity can be yours as long as you stay here with me. Take it Acasja."
Acasja couldn't explain her situation, but she knew what she had to do. "No. This, this isn't right." She pushed the sword away. I don't want to be your master, princess." Angela looked up at her, her face still with fear. "I know how you feel, but do you truly want to live for all time the way you are? To keep recreating the sword of Aion as you nurse the same old wound for all eternity?" Tears filled her eyes as she tried to convince Angela.
Someone else was there beside her and Angela pulled away from her hands. "Iblis? Aren't you dead? But I…"
"You hold the power to change the universe, Midshipman Tilfe," he said, coming toward her with arms wide and unthreatening. "Take the sword of Aion. Hurry. Take it for all of us."
She stood facing him, between them, protecting Angela. "Let's run for it," she said over her shoulder. "Are you with me princess?"
"What?" Angela said doubtfully. "But we…"
"This place isn't healthy, princess," Acasja said, interrupting, "for either of us." She grabbed Angela by the arm. "We have to get out of here. We have to get outside!" She started to run and the world began to fall apart around them.
"No! Stop!" Iblis commanded.
"This way!" Acasja yelled, turning away from him.
"What do you mean?" Angela asked, desperately. "Acasja, wait! 'Outside?' What?"
A tall arch arose before them. "Why are we at dueller's field?" Acasja asked, and halted. A heavy weight hit her in the chest and pushed her down and away from Angela. She was being smothered by roses.
"Iblis, stop!" she heard Angela yell.
"Ah, Angela, there you are," the male voice said. Acasja couldn't breathe. She felt like she was drowning in rose attar.
Tommy Applebaum seemed to be swimming toward her through the sea of roses. "Acasja," he said, "there's only one way to escape from this world."
"What is it?" In his presence, she found she could breathe again.
"You must forget. Purge me from your mind or you shall live in this world forever – never truly alive."
"But I can't do that," she protested.
"Don't cling to love. Memory will hold you here, just like Angela and Iblis."
"Let's both go. The two of us," she begged. "You said we'd see the stars."
"I can only exist here," he said, so calmly. "We can't escape. Not together. You know that. Free me from this place. I want you to do it. Do it for me." She could only see his eyes.
"You only need to forget," he said soothingly. "Close your eyes." She obeyed and let the tears flow from beneath her closed lids. "Yes," he said, "Stay there just like that as if you're going to sleep. You'll always be in my heart." He let her go and she felt him slip away and then there was nothing.
"Oh," she moaned. "Tommy? Tommy. I…" She was lying on her back and someone touched her.
"Are you alright, Acasja?" Angela was leaning over her.
"Why are you crying, princess?" she asked. She couldn't think of anything else to say.
"You're crying too."
"Am I? Strange. I can't stand up. Why is that? Do you know why I can't stand up?" Angela pressed a ring into her hand. The starship seal. "Whose ring is it?" A storm of roses moved in on her, but this time Angela held onto her.
"Iblis, please stop it," Angela yelled. "Do it to both of us if you must. I dare you to do this to me as well."
"Sweet Angela," he said, as if from far away. "That prince is no good anymore. Let us look for a new one, just you and me."
"No," Angela answered. "I'm, going to a new world. With her."
"Don't you see," he nearly whispered. "Wherever you go you will end up at Last Judgment."
"I don't care Iblis." Angela's voice was near and strong and the smell of roses faded. "At least the choice will be mine. That way I can face Last Judgment with no regret. All these centuries and at last I want to live."
Acasja opened her eyes. "Princess?"
Angela pulled on her arm and she stood. "Acasja, come with me. We can change the universe together."
"The power to change the universe," Acasja breathed the words softly.
"No. Angie, don't go!" Iblis cried out in loneliness and fear.
"I must, my prince," she replied. "I must finally say goodbye. To Last Judgment, to princes, to despair. Be gone! You're only in my mind!" The roses faded. The empty uniform crumbled and the stones cracked and fell from the sky.
They assumed the shape of a telescope and a droning voice spoke. "And as the dawn nears, we see Venus once more, the morning star, at last in sight. Our journey through the night sky is at an end. But look up tonight. Perhaps you'll see Venus, Mars, the Great Bear, and Vega. If you gaze at the stars with someone you love, perhaps you'll see a bit of the future.
"Have a nice day."
There was a buzzing of voices and the creaking of chairs. Footsteps and voices rose up and faded. Acasja could feel her arm and it was draped over someone's shoulder. Warm skin pressed against the cold metal of the Enterprise ring on her finger. "Acasja," Angela said gently, "did you sleep through it all or were you…" Her voice trailed off as a silent tear escaped Acasja's closed eyelid.
Acasja opened her eyes and looked up at the open dome. The tears continued to fall. "When I look up at the stars," she said, "I get this feeling. I don't know why, but I start to think that, no matter what happens, I have to do the best I can to live my life."
Angela stood up and reached a hand down to help her out of the chair. "I know exactly what you mean. Let's go outside Acasja."
"Okay." Acasja held onto her hand. Together they left the planetarium and walked out into the light.
Topic: Acasja: Olive Branch (Read 3768 times)