Calamities began to occur

[aroyal_pain]

The prince is getting serious. Depending on perspective, this is either admirable or so unusual as to be scary. He sits on the edge of his bed, lost in thought for some time

Comments

[odango_hime]

"Owwww ... Didja get the number of the car that hit me?"

Usagi groans as she cradles her aching head in her hands, positive she can see stars. The culprit - an ornamental vase - lies next to her on the floor. Fortunately it didn't break in the tremor, but Usagi's going to have a nasty headache for a few hours.

[odango_hime]

"I guess so," Usagi agrees. "We haven't exactly got off on the right foot, have we?"

[aroyal_pain]

Huh? He gives her a strange look for a moment, but decides it's easier to agree. There's a slight nod. Whatever she wants is fine right now.

"Did these things happen in your world, too?" he asks suddenly. He knows that it doesn't really matter, but he has to ask.

[odango_hime]

Usagi shakes her head. "No," she says.

[aroyal_pain]

No. It's not the answer he expected. After all, if she's the princess' reincarnation, then the world was ended.

...There he is again, giving too much attention to the doomsayers. Isn't this proof? Isn't this proof of just the opposite of their prophesies: If these things didn't happen in her world, then they're not the fault of the relationship here.

"No, huh?" he asks. "That's why I don't believe it either. I don't believe love can destroy a world."

[odango_hime]

"Exactly," Usagi says, nodding. "I mean, love isn't the sort of thing you'd expect to destroy a world. You think it'd do the opposite, right? Love's supposed to help, not harm."

[aroyal_pain]

Loof Merrow keeps emphasizing that the princess puts him, the prince, above everything. She keeps saying it like it's something meaningful, like that really is something bad.

And there he is again, back at the same place every time: He just doesn't believe it. He needs answers. He needs to understand what he's supposed to do.

He's going crazy.

"If you lived here, what would you do?" he asks the girl on the bed.

[odango_hime]

Usagi's genuinely confused at the question. "Well, I'd do everything to prove to these people that I'm not out to destroy the earth for the love of one person," she says. No sense confusing the issue by saying she's the princess of a completely different planet altogether.

[aroyal_pain]

She... really thinks this... is about her? Nothing adds up to a likely happy future, the planet is already experiencing unusual damage even if it's slight, and she thinks the important thing is her personal reputation from some other world?

He stares, baffled, not even sure what to say to that. He tries to shut out the accusations he's already heard about her self-centeredness and selfishness.

"Nevermind," he tells her. Which brings him back to square one for the thousandth time. He takes an impatient look out the window.

[odango_hime]

Usagi sighs and relaxes back against the pillows. Oh well. At least she tried, even if it did fail miserably.

[aroyal_pain]

His turn to sigh. He stays with his back to her for quite some time before he finally makes a low-voiced comment.

"I'm thinking about ending it with the moon princess."

[odango_hime]

Usagi sits up straight, shocked. "But why?" she says. "I mean, I know it would probably be best, to save the earth from danger, but don't you love her? Can't you find some way of trying to make it work out?"

[aroyal_pain]

"I cannot let the planet come to harm. It's better if she stays away from it."

He means those words. Sort of. He's trying to anyway, much as his reincarnated alternates have broken up with her in many worlds and much as some of them in worlds more like his have separated from her too.

[odango_hime]

Which makes sense, Usagi has to agree. "But can't you go visit her?" she suggests. "You know, so you don't have to resort to that step."

[aroyal_pain]

"No," he says. "If we're separating, we have to do so completely. And, we met in secret from the start. No one would allow it."

[odango_hime]

Usagi can see he's determined to go on this course. "Well, if you feel that's for the best, then I hope it works out," she says, saddened.