The Galactic Bride
Chapter 31: The Return

He didn't know how long he was laying there, staring at the ceiling lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't sleep. He was to curious to know what happened with Amuri's transfer, and to worried about the consequences. So he just gazed ahead, lost in his own mind, mulling over the same things over and over. What would Hana think about all this? How would Lani react? Would Kahwool hate him for sleeping with another woman? And worst of all, what would Anura think about all this? He knew now that she loved him. But he had a wife now, and two other lovers. Would she be a third? This was getting ridiculous.

Casually he turned to look at Amuri again. She was laying on her side face him. Her eyes were open and she had been looking at him. He blushed slightly wondering how long she had been like that. She gave a half smirk and Aki knew without her saying a word that Amuri was gone. That was Anura.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A few sets (minutes). You looked so into your thoughts I didn't want to disturb you."

"So…so it worked." Aki wasn't asking. But he had to say it to make it final.

"Yes." Anura sat up finally, and pulled her hair back over her shoulders. "My sister did something foolish. But… I understand why she did."

Aki raised up as well. "How so?"

Anura tapped the side of her head. "Her memories."

"So you know everything that's happened up 'til now?"

"Mostly. It's a bit foggy." Anura admitted. "If I'm going to be honest, the last thing I remember is being in that cave about to eject my seeds. Since I'm sitting here now, I know it worked. I vaguely know that you won…. and a bit of the situation."

Without her having to ask, he filled her in on everything that happened. Every little detail. He could see some of it she remembered from Amuri's memories and others she found to be completely new, regardless if Amuri was present for that or not. He figured that it just depended on if Amuri found those events important enough to remember. It seemed she was correct in saying she wasn't suited for thinking. A lot of the details he told Anura he had flat out explained to the sister before hand and she apparently wasn't listening or didn't get it. She was truly a grunt type soldier. She just wanted to be told what to do and not think about it.

After Anura was filled in on everything she stood up, found a hair tie in her pocket, and pulled her new body's hair back into a ponytail. Then she walked to a mirror and looked at herself. Aki couldn't blame her, he had been curious of his own body when he got a new one. But there wasn't too much of a difference in appearance from the sisters, so he thought the Anura would be pleased. She sniffed somewhat in an annoyed fashion, then turned to him.

"I realize this is going to sound unimportant… but do I look okay?" He must of made a face as she turned away, looking throughly embarrassed. "Look, it's not everyday you get a new body."

"You're fine." Aki smirked a bit. "You just look younger is all."

"Amuri has smaller boobs." Anura complained.

"And you call ME a princess."

Anura shook her head with a smirk. "This is so messed up. My little sister's body. She's such an idiot."

"Well what's done is done." Aki stood up. "Now what do we do?"

He didn't realize it until that point, but he had slid right back into this relationship he had with the General on the island. He felt calmer and enjoyed being a guy around her. As for Anura, her tone of voice changed, even if it was still Amuri's mouth. The inflections were Anura's and it even was a bit deeper. Anura also moved the way she used to. It would be easy for him to forget that this was another person's body, especially when they looked so similar to begin with.

"We should keep this secret from everyone else." Anura said after a moment of consideration. "What my sister did is very taboo. Imprinting someone else's mind to your body is- well it's unforgivable. These memories should have been used as genetic make-up for a baby. She didn't only kill herself but possibly another person."

"She didn't say all that!"

"She knew you wouldn't agree to it if she did."

"You're not mad at me are you?"

Anura looked at him for a moment, considering it. But he knew that despite wanting to be angry for being brought back to life, for the death of her baby and her sister, she couldn't blame him. In fact even if she'd never admit it, there was a selfish part of her that was happy to have a second chance of life.

"I remember vividly the last moments of her life." Anura finally spoke. "I remember you fighting against it, wanting to honor my wishes. I'm not mad at you, Princess."

"Don't call me that."

"But I want you do know she was willing to try using that concubine of Lady Kahwool next." Anura ignored the princess comment as usual. "She wanted to die. So thank you for being the one to do this… I know it must have been difficult for you."

Aki shrugged, not feeling like he did such a noble thing.

"We should return to the others now." Anura changed the subject. "Just remember to call me Amuri from now on."

"Wait… what are we going to do once we get back to the fighter?" Aki suddenly was chasing her to the door.

"We're going along with your plan, of course." Anura turned to him as she opened the door. "Your plan is the only one we can do at this point. Knowing what I know from being a General to what you've told me, I think you've figured everything out pretty accurately. Turning ourselves to the Wahco is the best alternative we can hope for… though we should modify the method a bit."

They went back out into the station proper and collected the fuel that Amuri had put in storage. Then they started they way back to the fighter. They walked in silence, but Aki felt it was a familiar type of silence. How easy it was it to return back to the relationship he had with her before? But then something else came to him. She had to of known he knew this by now. She loved him, and he now knew it. She hadn't said anything about this, and he knew she never would. But with three girls claiming to be his partner, how would she feel about it. Then again, what did he think about a now living Anura who loved him? It was all too much to consider.

They returned back to the fighter, but Lani and Hana weren't back yet. The water had been dropped off, so Aki figured they went back into the station to buy other things. Kahwool and Pono were there however. On seeing the food they purchased, he got an idea of why Hana and Lani returned to shopping.

"Did you come up with another idea?" Anura asked the girls, a bit to General like.

"No. I just don't like the idea of betraying my people." Kahwool admitted. "But then I think about not doing anything… wouldn't that be betraying the galaxy if I sat back and did nothing?"

"I'm sorry that marrying me has messed up your life." Aki told her.

"It's not messed up. Being locked up in that palace was messed up." Kahwool lowered her eyebrows, looking serious. "I know you'll take care of me. All I can do is just to do my best to help you out."

Aki glanced at Anura. That was the exact thing he told Amuri. He knew she remembered that, but there was a flicker of sadness in her eyes. Somehow this bratty little Minister's daughter had more courage than the sister of a General.

"What's the Wahco home-world like?" Pono asked, sensing the mood.

Pono seemed to always know the situation, and tried to make everyone feel at ease. Afterall, she was the only one who noticed he was having a melt down when the possibility of returning to Musa Minor popped up. He wondered how she was so perceptive. Perhaps it was because she was a Minister's concubine. She had to be able to read her mistresses moods and act accordingly. That made him wonder if she even loved Kahwool, or if it was a job she was trained for.

"Planet Oclantis is mainly rain forests and oceans." Anura explained. "Most of the Wahco live in underwater cities. Strangely it's easier to harvest food underwater as they can control the weather from their water-dome technology and artificial sunlight. There are a few cities on the surface, but not too many. The forest environments grow and shrink from all the rain and forest fires. It makes it very difficult to live on even in domed areas on land. The under water environment actually protects the domed cities from the weather."

"Sounds crazy." Kahwool said but had a sense of awe in her voice.

Aki looked at the fighter as they were talking. Another thought dawned on him How would the reach a Wahco settlement in a fighter like this? Sure the war hadn't began yet, but the Wahco had to be aware that tensions were boiling on the Mari side by now. Strolling up to a Wahco settlement in this might get them killed. "Is there anyway we can paint the hull, or purchase a new ship?"

Anura blinked, then turned her gaze to the ship. A second later she gave a smirk. "Figured it out, didn't you? I was going to wait for the others to return before I suggested it, but we really should pay a freighter-captain to carry us."

"What?" Kahwool asked, clearly slow on the uptake.

When Lani and Hana rejoined them, Aki explained everything. If they had another idea that was better than turning themselves over to the Wahco, they didn't say. But it was clear even though they kept the transfer secret from everyone, Pono and Lani noticed a different in Amuri's behavior. Thankfully none of them knew Amuri that well before, so any change could be chalked up to that.

Their next task was to find a freighter that was heading to the Wahco system. The bad part was that Aki and Anura were recognizable after been featured on the feeds for over a month. Even if it was really Amuri, she looked enough like Anura that it was unmistakable. So it was up to Lani to barter out a deal. Since they had foolishly spent what little money they had on supplies before Anura's transfer, they had to barter the goods they had and the fighter to the various captains. This didn't seem too much of a problem though. Most freighter captains used the barter system regardless. They ran into a polite looking Wahconese trader who was happy to take them all on, though Pono pointed out they were being cheated.

After hiding themselves in an empty supply box, Aki and Anura joined the rest of the group onboard the freighter. It was a cargo vessel not a passenger one, so everyone had to sit with all the crates and supplies. Except for Aki and Anura of course who had to stay out of view. At all times someone would sit on their box to make sure they weren't discovered. As the ship took off, Anura grinned a fanged smile at him.

"What?"

"Just thinking about the cave is all. This is a bit smaller, but more or less the same."

Aki looked at her, see her eyes gaze into his. Before he never noticed her doing this, but now that he understood her feelings it was hard to not notice now. He wondered if they would ever talk about it.

"I like what they did for your outfits." Anura spoke after a while. "The fur. It's a nice touch."

"Yeah?" Aki shook his head. "Lani doesn't like it."

"What does she know?" Anura smirked again.

"I never thought I'd hear you talk about fashion."

"We never had time before." Anura shrugged. "That, and maybe some of my sisters more softer qualities are coming out. If it's annoying I'll stop."

"I don't mind."

Anura laid down. Really that was the most comfortable way to sit in the box. Aki did the same, curling next to her. There was something there, they both felt it. An uncertainly of what their relationship was now, and a slight excitement of a possibility. But he knew that he wouldn't talk about if she didn't. He really wouldn't know what to say anyway. Technically he was married.

"She's pretty." Anura seemed to be reading his thoughts. "Lady Kahwool, I mean."

"I guess so."

"She seems happy to be with you." Anura ignored him. "I wonder if she watched the feeds and fantasized about you winning?"

"She said she was rooting for Lew and Me."

"Pssht." Anura snorted. "You were the prettiest girl in the contest, of course she was rooting for you."

"You do realize that I find it very annoying when people call me pretty."

"And do you realized that I don't care." Anura said in a sarcastic voice.

Aki wondered something, but wasn't sure if he should ask her. But it was a subject change and anything had to be better than talking about his looks. "What's last thing you can remember… other than ejecting the seeds, that is?"

"Why?"

"I just… I just want to know when it was that you decided that you were going to… to help me win."

Anura looked uncomfortable. On instinct she grabbed her side, where the bruise had been before. But of course there wasn't a bruise there now. "I knew I couldn't win the moment I realized I was bleeding inside. But I officially decided after that bear-creature attack us. I felt like dying right then and there. I was so tired, and in so much pain. It's why I didn't come and help you harvest the meat and dispose of the bones. I just couldn't do it."

"Is that why you didn't invite Lew to join us?"

"I don't know who that is, Aki…" Anura gave him a playful nudge. "My memories only go so far. But I'd have to say yes. I wouldn't want to leave you alone with someone I didn't trust. If I felt I was going to die soon, I know I wouldn't have."

"I guess I'll never know what happened on that final day then." Aki sighed, slightly disappointed.

"I don't want to know. And I don't want to see it. It's painful enough knowing that I died." Anura admitted. "It's like I'm a ghost. Am I really here? I don't know."

Aki could understand that. Even though she had her sister's memories of what happened, there wasn't any knowledge of how or why Anura left the camp on her own to fight Rondo. Even if Anura went back and looked at the footage there wouldn't be a way of predicting what the real Anura was thinking. But knew that deep down, Anura wanted to kill Rondo for him. He didn't know if she had sent him away on purpose or if she spotted Rondo and went after her herself. Regardless, Anura had decided to save him.

"Anura, do you-"

"What did you call me?"

"Huh?" Aki was confused.

"You called me Anura. Not General or General Anura." Anura pointed out.

"Oh. Sorry." Aki apologized. "I stopped calling you General after the Contest. It just felt wrong calling you a title after… after everything."

"You can't call me that." Anura whispered. "Even when we're alone."

"Fine, sorry. I'll call you Amuri."

"It's not just that, Aki." Anura swallowed. "You know why you can't call me that."

He did. She was in love with him, and him calling her by her true name must really sting knowing that he had a wife, a fiancée, and a concubine sitting outside of the box. And it was the first time she had admitted her feelings to him. Well, sort of. Seeing her heart break made him feel bad for her. Why did everyone have to fall for him? And even worse… why did he have to fall for everyone else in return?

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