This is THE chapter… Hehe, well actually not yet. But it’s nice one ^^

Because… we don’t only follow Eva, but also Aikka! (yay)

Golden Vixen: ...^^

Disclaimer: I do not own Oban Star Racers

Chapter 5

Aikka glanced at the girl beside him, still holding her by her waist. “You can release me now...” she said quietly. He ignored her. “You know those humans?”

“They’re not my buddies or something. I met them once while wandering around.” She explained briefly. He balled his free hand to a wrist.

“I thought I told you to stay away from them.” He figured he still gave an angry impression, as she seemed to look a bit uneasily at him.

“Well, it wasn’t like I saw them and thought, hey, let’s make a chat with my fellow humans! I just walked in on them…” She muttered. “Besides, I don’t like them.”

Aikka figured she was so stiff because of his arm around her and he released her. “Stay away from them.” He told her angry. “For my part you run away when you see them.” He saw her puff her cheeks out, something she probably always did when she didn’t agree to something.

“Why can’t I actually? The only bad thing they do is flirting, very badly may I say.”

He started to lose his patience with her. He hated it when she was so stubborn. “Fine, don’t do what I say. I don’t care anyway.”

He wondered if he was going to keep that up for a long time. But he couldn’t just tell Eva why he hated them so badly.

Giving her a glare, he walked on and didn’t say anything to her anymore. He glanced at her for a quick time, and noticed the little wrinkle between her eyes. She always had that when she was thinking hard about something.

He turned his gaze forward before she could catch him looking at her, wondering what she could be thinking.

Aikka hissed quietly from the cut on his leg. When his swords master Canaan promised him to fight seriously, he really did fight seriously.

Of course Aikka knew that. As a child he always wondered why he could somehow overpower Canaan so easily. So he made him promise to fight serious. Since then he’d been having a much harder time.

Sure he’d had his moments where he beat Canaan, but there were a lot of lost fights or draws. Canaan rubbed a spot on his arm where Aikka had hit him – hard – and sighed. “Let’s stop here.”

Aikka smiled. “Getting old?”

Canaan petted the young Nourasion on his shoulder. “Don’t forget I’m already older then you. And you get stronger day by day.”

Aikka dropped his shoulders. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” He said. Canaan nodded.

Dropping himself on the grass, Aikka stared up at the sky while Canaan was cleaning some stuff up. He’d made an oath to protect Aileen and his younger brother Nealon from the Croggs. Even to protect Eva. She was, after all, part of the family, for at least 6 human months.

He wondered if she was still mad at him. Probably. That girl is so stubborn. He didn’t mind very much though. He figured it was kind of cute. At least he could be mean back.

Counting a little in his head, he thought that it had been at least 2 earthen weeks. She had a long way to go.

He swiftly got to his feet and nodded at Canaan who left. Quickly inspecting the cut, which had already healed, he rubbed a sour spot and left the area, off to his room.

Truth to be told, he didn’t mind seeing Shawn married. But please let it be quick… He always had a lot of paper work, but since Shawn should be so busy with his wedding, Aikka got all his work too.

And damn it was much. Not to mention it was pretty dull. Always the same… Even the meetings with General Cross or his lapdog Toros were the same. He wrinkled his nose lightly with the prospect of another meeting. Probably soon enough, he hadn’t heard from his father about it for days now.

Walking through the halls to his room, he could hear Eva’s breathing when he passed her door. He knew she was still sleeping, probably a human habit. Aileen slept in too, sometimes. Shawn loved to sleep in, but he also loved to take ‘naps.’

He and Nealon were up early, most of time. Though he could use a good night’s rest once in a while, he just couldn’t sleep longer then till dawn.

Opening the door to his own chambers, he snuck in and closed the door.

“And water animals?” Aileen asked. Eva made a face. “No, they’re animals too, remember!” Aileen sighed. “Yes, sorry.”

“I don’t eat anything from animals. Well, I do drink milk and all. But no dead animals. Not even bones.”

Aileen looked horrified. “You eat bones on your planet? I told you Shawn, they are cannibals!”

Eva laughed that silly laugh of hers. Aikka vaguely picked up how her head shook just a bit. “Klutz. We don’t eat bones. But they put it in our food sometimes… don’t ask me why.”

“Hummmm...” Aileen said, swallowing her food. “And fur? You wear leather?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Of course not! Why would I wear dead animals if I refuse to eat them?” Aileen still pouted.

“And what was it called again? Vegatori...” “Vegetarian.”

“Yeah that. I can’t say it; it’s too human for me.” She explained briefly, taking a large bite of her breakfast and Eva laughed delighted.

Aileen suddenly bubbled with excitement. “Oh Eva! I’ve got something planned today, you’ll love it!” Eva scowled at her. “It’s not shopping, right? We’ve been doing that for days!”

Aileen chuckled. “No. We’re going to a…” She fell silent and thought deeply. Shawn laughed and said a Nourasion word to her. “Yes I know that dummy but I don’t know it in her language!”

“Beach.” Aikka spoke curtly. After all, he was the better in human language here. But he barely knew other languages from Earth. A little Japanese, French and Spanish maybe…

Eva frowned. “There’s a beach here? I never saw one… You do realize that those are… sand-banks at oceans right?” Aileen nodded. “Well it’s not an ocean… but its water! With sand!” Eva smiled. She honestly never thought about swimming here… She felt a pang of guilt when she realized she might have been thinking they couldn’t swim.

But of course they could. Because they are like super people. Eva chuckled and winked at Aikka, who tried to ignore her afterwards.

“THANK GOD!” Eva squealed, pulling her bikini out. She feared she didn’t have one with her. Aileen had some sort of bathing suit, but it didn’t match Eva’s taste.

Aileen whistled. “That’s really small… does it cover up… enough?” She said while looking at the bikini. Eva grinned. “Of course! Who do you take me for?”

After 10 minutes, they both left the room. All three boys went with them. Well, two of them wanted to. The other one was – as always – forced.

She could tell that from the annoyed look on his face when they met up with them. Shawn immediately put his arm over Aileen (Eva wanted to tell them how cute that was – oh god she was getting girly.) and Nealon immediately started a conversation with Shawn.

Aikka narrowed his eyes at the human girl, staring at the couple. She noticed he was looking and waved playfully.

He tried not to roll his eyes and followed the rest, while Eva quickly tagged along.

“Awww, you’re not excited?” She asked him. Aikka resisted staring at her choice of clothing. Sure he had heard of human wear but he never actually saw a bathing suit… she’d think something else when he would stare though. “I don’t exactly enjoy myself between hormonal boys and girls who keep… giggling about it.”

Eva chuckled. “That doesn’t differ much from home…” He cast a glance at her. Eva smiled up at him. “It’s fun! You get to spend time with your friends, that’s important.” She didn’t expect an answer from him and kept talking. “After all, friends are in the top five most important things of your life. They come right after chocolate...” She added the last sentence in a quiet whisper and grinned about the joke she and Nina always used.

He didn’t respond. After she gave him that innocent smile he didn’t knew if he should nod or shake his head. So he just didn’t respond.

He wondered about her own behaviour. Oh, he wasn’t even going to think about it. Girls always gave him a head ache.

He looked at the human girl who pulled Aileen to her. Aileen smiled. Clearly, Eva said something but he didn’t catch it. “Yeah, it’s a private beach.” Eva smiled broadly.

Eva and Nealon lied down on some blankets they brought with them, while Aileen and Shawn were playing in the water.

He scowled lightly at their flirtatious behaviour. Oh, they were to be married soon. Easing himself next to Nealon, who had his eyes closed, he curiously watched what Eva was doing. He had to admit, the human girl was pretty interesting to look at. She did such strange things sometimes, things that would be perfectly normal in her world. Things he had never heard of. Right now she was walking to a part of the sand-bank where the sand was slightly wet of the water.

Her hands scooped out some of the sand, making a hole. Once she thought it was deep enough, she continued to scoop out sand in a circle. Then she threw some of the sand in the middle of the circle, forming it with her hands.

Suddenly she looked up, right at him and she smiled. “I’m making a sand-castle! Want to help?”

“A what?” He asked confused. Nealon snorted. “A sand-castle idiot.”

“You keep your mouth shut stupid.” Nealon chuckled at the quick insult.

“A sand-castle.” Eva said again. “A castle made of sand.” She added, raising her eyebrows suggestively. Aikka ignored the obvious remark.

“Come on, help me?” She asked him. He shook his head lightly and stood up, sitting down in front of her. Eva grinned up at him.

“Just grab some sand and form it into something…. Oh well… we could always have a sand ball-fight!”

He didn’t bother asking what she meant, nor did he help her with her castle.

“I’m even worse at it if you keep staring like that, you know.” She said, crossing her legs. He looked up at her and barely noticed the faint crimson flood that tinted her cheeks. It was gone as quick as it came though.

Nealon and Aikka made a bet. After Eva finished her castle, Nealon said he could do it too. And Aikka said that was no way he could do it.

So now, Aikka and Eva were sitting on the blanket, watching Nealon… trying to make a sand castle.

She snorted lightly. “It isn’t that hard. It’s just hard to make it pretty. By the way, don’t those two get tired!?” Eva suddenly exclaimed, obviously meaning Aileen and Shawn.

“I don’t think so.” Aikka responded. And then he made a fatal mistake. He chuckled, a real one, not one to make fun of someone or teasing.

Eva gaped at him in bewilderment. “You…” She said and Aikka rolled his eyes at her. “You’re having fun!” Eva said in fake horror.

He nodded earnestly. “And if you keep going on I won’t be having fun anymore.” Eva shut up immediately, smiling sheepishly.

After a few minutes, Eva nudged him softly. “You know, you’re not as bad as you pretend to be. Under all that toughness you’re actually pretty sweet.”

He glanced at her. She was smiling up at him. “I wish you would show it more often.” Aikka stiffened a little and she noticed it. “You don’t have to be nice to everyone or always.” She pointed out.

He gave her a tiny smile and wiped some sand of her cheek. “It’s just not my nature princess.”

“Eeeeh? What’s with the nickname?”

He smirked that smirk of his and Eva sighed, knowing the moment was ruined. She dropped on her back and stared at the sky, which was slowly going to the night sky.

“Aileen, Shawn! Come on, we’re going back or else mother will scold us for being late!” She heard Nealon call.

Eva sighed. Just in time, she was getting drowsy. Suddenly, she felt a pull at the blanket she was laying on. Moving her head to the right, she looked at Aikka who hold the two tips of the blanket.

“It would be much easier if you got off.” He said. Eva huffed and stayed put. “I’ll fold you with it if it’s neces-..” He was cut short with Eva’s horrified yelp when Shawn pulled her up and right into his arms. He was still wet from the water, thus pretty cold to Eva. Aileen laughed while Eva struggled in his strong grip. “No! Let me go!” She squealed, squirming.

He quickly grabbed the blanket and Shawn dropped her right on her behind while she made a pained sound. “As you wish, my lady.” Shawn said before helping her up.

Eva felt horrible. Absolutely horrible. It was so stupid! Of course she didn’t forget the bikini. Or the slippers. Not even the bottles of water! So why did she forget the sun crème…

Turning to her side and groaning of the pain, Eva realized she never had such a sun burn since she was four.

Her whole skin was red, she looked like a lobster! And Aileen was making fun of her too… Eva puffed her cheeks out and tried to look for a cool place in her bed that hasn’t been warmed by her skin yet.

She was so not going to get out. Besides, she was only wearing a bikini – it eased a bit more pain then those annoying clothes – and she wasn’t about to prance around the palace with that. Imagine someone saw her. Aileen came in, but she was thrown out with the message to tell everyone she was sick and to send the food inside.

Of course, she should know that Aileen loves to torture… and it doesn’t matter who.

“I thought you were sick?”

Eva scowled as she sat up. “Don’t even start! What are you doing here anyways; don’t you have some papers to write?”

Aikka smirked. “Aileen said you requested me to bring your dinner. And because I know that would never happen I wanted to see what exactly happened to you that could be so funny.”

“….Jerk.” Eva said, dropping down on her pillows. She didn’t even felt hungry when he placed the tray of food on the little table close to her bed.

“And stop staring at me. I know I’m a lobster at the moment, but you can’t eat me.”

He smirked. “You look a lot more like one of us now though.”

Eva snorted. “Sure I’m kinda red, but you guys are pretty darkish reddish… I’m an ugly light red. And not to forget your skin would feel normal, while mine is hot and hurts like – OW – hell!” She said while squeezing her eyes shut when she moved again.

Eva raised her eyebrows lightly when she saw a flash of concern passing through his eyes, before dropping herself in her pillows again.

“It hurts that much?”

“What, you never had a sun burn?”

“We don’t exactly get sun burns. I guess I had one once, but it only lasted one day. It burned, but not much. We’re able to handle that better. I expect yours will last longer, since it’s already two days ago.”

“…No touching.”

He smirked, even though Eva couldn’t see it. “I figured that much. You say it’s burning then?”

Eva nodded. “Yup…”

She could practically hear his brains work to find something to torture her and she could also hear he was smirking. “Turn on your stomach please.”

“Straight forward aren’t you?”

“I’m trying to ease the pain.”

“Easy there boy, I’m still underage.” Eva chuckled, turning on her stomach. She felt a pressure on the bed and on either side of her legs. Her imagination really was too big. “You’re not really doing something pervert-!” She shouted out in shock when something incredibly cold slid down her back. “What…” She looked back and found Aikka trailing her back with an ice-cube from the water he brought her.

“My mother did this to me when I was six and had a… sun burn? Though it probably didn’t hurt as much as yours, I still felt the burn and this eased the pain a bit.”

She huffed and dropped her face in the pillow. Surprise, surprise. It did lessen the pain a lot… but the watery linger left some slight agonizing feeling on her skin.

She could hear the torturous tone in his voice. “Maybe a massage…” She spun back on her back, leaving him there with raised eyebrows above her. “Don’t. Even. Dare.” She threatened, raising herself towards him. “I swear I’ll castrate you. Or even put that ice-cube somewhere you don’t want it.”

He glared at her and gave her a daring smirk. “Try me. I’m willing to say you wont even come as close as a centimetre.”

Eva shook her head, her bangs moving with her quickly. “That’s not fair. If I come as close as a hair to you you’ll use your super-speed to get away from me again. I could so take you on if you’re human.”

He smirked at her and inched his head closer a little. “Even then you couldn’t defeat me.”

Eva pouted. “Not now no, with this sunburn.” She shot back, nodding her head to her own body. “And give me that thing.” She snatched the ice-cube which was rapidly melting from his hand and sighed happily as she trailed it over the burned skin at her collarbone.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at her, and sat up a little. “You are such a child. The pain should’ve lessened by now.”

Eva puffed her cheeks out and glared. “You can stop your bullying now…” She said in a soft tone, dropping back on the pillows.

It was quiet for a while, and she felt his weight shift on the bed a little, so he didn’t had her pinned anymore.

“I’ll send in some medics to treat your skin.” He said slowly, as if he was contemplating to leave or not. Eva looked up again and he looked at her doubtfully. “I trust you will be okay?” he asked her.

Eva shrugged. “Sure.” He leaned slightly towards her and looked her straight in the eye. Eva realized he was way to close for her taste.

She stared back unsure, waiting for whatever he was going to say, feeling a blush coming up.

“You…” He stopped and pulled back. “If you need me or anyone else, inform the guards on the hall.” With that he stood up and left.

After a good three days, the burn had almost disappeared, and thanks to the medics – don’t ask her how they did it – it didn’t start to peel off. She was sure Aileen would… experiment.

Sitting down at breakfast, Eva sat right in front of Aikka. He cautiously looked at her, and decided to ignore her careful smile.

He wondered what she was thinking. Every time he glanced at her, it seemed she glanced away quickly, like she had been staring at him first.

He didn’t answer Aileen questioning glance and took an early leave that breakfast.

Aileen was certainly mortified when Eva quickly jumped up and ran after him.

Shawn laughed. “I wonder when the moment happened.” Aileen giggled. Nealon didn’t think it was that funny. “Oh please.” He said. “Aikka probably slipped up with something and now Eva is making fun of him with it. There’s no chance they could be dating or something of the sort.”

Aileen frowned at him. “We weren’t really suggesting that…” She said. She exchanged a knowing smile with Shawn, who pushed Nealon’s shoulder. “Jealous.” He only said.

Nealon sputtered and pushed Shawn back, harder. “You’re crazy.” He said, blushing lightly. Aileen giggled again.

“Eva, don’t you have some human things to do? I’m trying to concentrate. Besides, usually you would’ve lost your focus by now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!”

“Well, you can’t concentrate on one thing for a long time.”

“I do too! How would you know anyways? Been spying on me?”

He held back a scowl at how right she actually was. Well, it wasn’t as if he made time to look at her, but if they were in the same space he often caught himself looking at whatever she was doing.

“I just know that for a fact.” He said back, refusing to give in and open his eyes. He heard some grass being pulled from the earth. “But you’re so boring! You’ve been meditating for at least a half an hour now!” Eva whined.

He sighed. “Ten minutes.” Eva threw grass towards him.

Another ten minutes went by. He wondered why she was still here. Usually some object or thought would’ve caught her interest by now.

Finally, he couldn’t stand the fidgeting anymore. His eyes shot open and his hands rested on his knees. “Will you please stop making so much noise?!” He scowled at her. Eva sheepishly smiled at him. “Sorry, forgot the super-hearing.”

Aikka sighed. “Why are you still here? Haven’t you seen a pretty flower yet?”

Eva pouted. “I’m not a kid! I’m just waiting for you to finish.”

“You also said that while sitting in the room while I was finishing off my work, when I was discussing some matters with Shawn and when I was fencing with Canaan. What exactly are you waiting for? I warn you, I tend to spend my little free time usefully.”

Eva puffed her cheeks out at him. “Well sorry. I just hoped we could do something fun for a change. I’ll go ask someone else for help if I’m such a bother.”

She stood up and turned around, starting to walk away. Aikka rubbed his forehead. “Stupid humans…” he muttered under his breath. “Then what would you want? Just ask or say it in place of useless waiting.”

Eva turned around again and skipped the two steps to him, sitting down. “Well…” She said, fidgeting with her belt. “I was wondering if you could take me on a ride with G’dar...”

He raised his eyebrows. “Please?” She added, smiling a little. He frowned at her and her face fell. “I thought you hated flying.” He said with a question underneath.

Eva fidgeted with the grass again. “Well… not exactly. It’s a long story.”

“I have time.”

Eva scowled lightly. “I thought you were so busy.”

He shrugged. “I still had twenty minutes meditating, but it’s already ruined.” She pouted and looked at the grass twirling between her fingers.

“I just hate to fly myself. I don’t mind if someone else flies.” She whispered a little, shaking her head to get the bangs out of her eyes.

His eyes were doubtful. “Why is that?” He pondered.

Eva shook her head. “It’s not that interesting.” She blinked when he dropped the grass on her lap and sighed. “I already told you, when you’re here for six months you are interesting enough.”

Eva sighed. She was getting way to familiar here. “It never was a nightmare though. I don’t want people to act all sweet when they hear it.” She stated.

“Fine, I’ll be mean.” He said with a tiny smirk on his face. Eva shook her head at him and waved the matter away. “Why do you want to know? It’s not like you won’t forget about it when I’m gone.”

Aikka felt the urge to say something upsetting to her. But he didn’t really care to upset her right now. He sighed impatiently. “Then don’t tell me. I couldn’t care less.”

“That’s exactly what I mean.” He heard her say, her voice tiny and watery.

Confused, he opened his eyes quickly to see her blinking some tears away. “You wouldn’t care.”

He touched her shoulder with his hand and held back a sigh. He was getting really impatient. He wanted to know what could be that thing she feared so badly.

Why should he care? She’s right; he’ll forget it when she’s gone. He has other things to concentrate on then a human girl.

“My mom was a racer… but she died in a race with a Phil when I was five.” She explained briefly, he could hear her breathing hitch a little.

“Every time I try to fly myself I see that stupid nightmare flash right before my eyes. Nina always says you could see the fear right on my face, that my body would be totally paralyzed….” She trailed off.

So every time she flied herself, she got terrified by the memory of her mother’s death.

A Phil? He thought about it. Phils were known to be very kind. As a child he had been terrified at the sight of them, but when he met one he never had that feeling again.

He wondered if they would even hurt a fly. But he could see on the look of her face when she said the name of the species that she absolutely loathed them. She, after all, had seen it happening with her own eyes.

Maybe her memory had twisted some things; she was five back then after all. He scowled at himself. No one would forget such an event.

“And your father?” Aikka asked curiously. She made a face and pouted a little. “That guy? I don’t even know who he is.”

Aikka frowned. This story of hers was getting weirder by the second. She didn’t know her father? He heard about it… men leaving the women while pregnant.

“He left me at a boarding school some time after mom died. Never came to see me. Tch.”

So she did know him but he left her.

She sighed and wove her hand through her hair. “But that’s all history…” she said. Aikka straightened a little in his position. “Tell me more about the… abuse?” He asked carefully.

Eva flinched visibly, but she didn’t run off. “When mom died, dad sunk into a deep depression. He lost his job, always came home drunk and broke all contacts and so on… but when he came home drunk and I wasn’t sleeping, he’d often hit me. Saying it was my fault mom died, that I looked too much like her, that he would be better of without me. Sometimes he’d even drag me out of the bed. I guess I’m better of at the boarding school,” She shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

“Even though he’s wealthy now, manager of the biggest race-company of our planet.” He noticed she added the last part with a fierce glare on her face.

A silence followed. Eva suddenly got up. “I should get going.” She smiled carefully at him and left.

Aikka stared at her until he couldn’t see her anymore. He himself shouldn’t get so close to humans. First of all they were actually an enemy, even though a very small one. Second, she’d be leaving soon and he didn’t want to experience the feeling of missing someone.

He closed his eyes in an attempt to meditate again. She should stop giving him those smiles too…

Aikka actually likes Eva (a bit)! ^^ But we all knew that already. Cuzz that’s the point of AikkaEva stories.

R&R!