Act XVII: Reviving

(Sexual Situation Ahead, but not overly descriptive.)

     The group is notified that night that they can stay in the hotel. They each find a room for
themselves and plan to stay the night. It is only 20:00 and the group notices that Naitsuu has
already retired to his room for the night. Worried about him, Akari chooses to investigate.
     She walks to his door and knocks on it gently. She hears Naitsuu's muffled voice from
within the room, "Who is it?"
     "Akari," she answers.
     "Um, come in, I guess."
     Akari opens the door and enters. She closes it behind her. She sees Naitsuu lying stomach
down on his bed with his head beneath his pillow.
     She walks over and sits on the foot of the bed and asks, "What is wrong Naitsuu-sama?"
     "Our village," Naitsuu answers. "It is gone and it is my fault."
     "Don't blame yourself, Naitsuu," Akari tries to comfort.
     "But it is," Naitsuu replies. "Our friends and family are dead because the emperor
wanted to send a message to me."
     "You see, it is the emperor's fault," Akari says trying to change the subject slightly.
     "Stop it. You know better."
     Akari gets a slightly angered, "You know, it was my village too."
     Naitsuu takes his head out from beneath the pillow and sits up facing her. He says, "I
know that. It only makes me feel worse that I have caused more pain to you."
     "It isn't your fault directly."
     "Right, but it is still my fault indirectly."
     "Naitsuu," she touches his hand and looks him in the face. "You are not going to get
anywhere beating yourself up."
     "I know," Naitsuu reluctantly agrees. "But still."
     "Naitsuu." Akari looks him in the eyes and inches closer to him. "I don't want to see you
like this."
     "Why does it matter to you?" Naitsuu questions. "Don't you have enough to worry about,
with Quintus leaving for command of the militia?"
     "I am past Quintus," Akari answers. "We have parted ways and I have accepted it."
     Naitsuu looks down avoiding Akari's eyes.
     "Naitsuu, you are the one to bring the emperor down. You must stay strong."
     "I can't be any stronger."
     Akari grabs Naitsuu by the chin and forces him to look her in the eyes. She then says,
"Listen to me. I am remaining here in this mission. I am staying strong even though I have lost
Keiji, even though I have lost my village, and even though I have lost another lover to the
militia. You can stay strong."
     Naitsuu starts to get the indignant flare in his eyes, "I can't be strong. Because I have lost
Keiji, because I have lost my village, and because I have lost you."
     With saying that, he rips his face away from Akari's grasp and starse at the ground
angrily.
     Akari gets close to his ear and whispers, "You have not lost me."
     Naitsuu suddenly stops being and angry and looks at her questioningly. She gives him a
coy little smile and leans back a little.
     "Do you mean that?" Naitsuu asks.
     "I did not want to believe that we were not meant for each other," Akari comments. "But
I know now for sure that we are. You and I belong together, Naitsuu."
     They both start getting lost in each other's eyes. There, locked in each other's gaze, they
move forward and kiss.
     "I love you, Akari," Naitsuu starts. "I realize that I always have, I have just been too
foolish and unwilling to recognize it."
     They start to kiss a little livelier. She slowly moves him so he lies back first on the bed.
She slides the top of his white gi down his shoulders. Naitsuu freezes momentarily. Akari
reassuringly speaks into his ear, "It's okay, Naitsuu-kun."
     He relaxes, placing his hand on her back, he starts to undo her obi. Akari unties his belt
and slides the top part of the gi the rest of the way off. Naitsuu then removes her yukata and they
take a moment to observe each other and recognize the beauty they each possess. Sensuously
they continue their intimate moment into the night, now a part of each other's soul.

     The next morning Naitsuu and Akari awake next to each other under the sheets. They
lovingly exchange glances and they slowly get up and get ready for the day together. They meet
the rest of the group in the hotel lobby, all ready to go back to the ship. They have been told to
go to the moon. The militias are gathering to mount a siege on the emperor's palace, based on
Earth, where the emperor is currently staying. On the way to the ship, Akari and Naitsuu do not
leave each other's side. Once in the ship, Akari finds a moment alone with Aritsune.
     "You and Naitsuu seem very close all of a sudden," Aritsune comments. "What
happened?"
     "Last night, we recognized how much we truly love each other," Akari answers.
     "Really?" Aritsune questions. "Tell me all about it."
     Akari in a whimsical voice says, "Yeah, right! Those details are between me and
Naitsuu."
     "Sure," Aritsune comments disbelieving in a playful tone.
     The crew settles into their seats. A couple mintues pass and Munenori comments, "Are
we going to leave or what?"
     Naitsuu answers, "We are waiting for some others. A couple will join us in manning the
guns, some are just going to be transported to the moon with us."
     "Okay."
     A couple more minutes pass and the people arrive. Most find their way to the transport
bay quickly. A couple find their way to the cockpit and take a seat by a gun. Naitsuu announces
over the ship's speakers, "Is everyone ready?"
     The people in the cockpit answer him in agreement.
     Naitsuu speaks, "Aritsune, set course for the moon."
     Aritsune punches in the coordinates from memory. The computer voice speaks, "Course
set. Moon settlement 5."
     This lifts off from it's pad and speeds off to the moon settlement.
     It is not long before the ship arrives at the settlement. Apparently the settlement has been
taken over by the resistance because they are immediately allowed to land without questions.
     Upon landing, those they transported exit the ship and head to another ship to get ready
to go to the Earth for battle. Naitsuu and his friends leave the ship and find Souro.
     "I see you have made it," Souro comments.
     "Yeah, so what is the plan?" Naitsuu asks.
     "We are going to try and land as close as we can to the emperor's palace, break through
it's security, and kill the emperor."
     "Sounds simple enough to me," Munenori mentions.
     "Okay, so get ready in your ship, as prince of the Kintei, Naitsuu is expected to be the
one who finally kills the emperor."
     "Yes, sir," Naitsuu responds. "One question."
     "And that is?"
     "Where will Quintus Festinius Lutherius be?" asks Naitsuu.
     "He will be leading the Europan militia on the original ground assault."
     "Okay, thank you for the information."
     "No problem."
     Naitsuu and his crew head back to the ship. Once inside, it is just waiting until it is time
to attack.