Moonstruck- A Kaider Fanfiction

Chapter 3

"No way," said Cinder indignantly.

"Why not?" whined Iko. In her careful android hands lay a gold and red ball gown, a souvenir from Cinder's time as Queen of Luna.

"Because I could trip down the stairs getting off the ship. Because it would look unnatural. Because it's incredibly ugly and gaudy," Cinder retorted. Iko would not make her wear that dress when she got off the Rampion. Who cared if she showed up in her tank top and cargo pants? It may be her wedding day, but she would have plenty of time to wear gowns during and after the wedding.

"But Cinder, people are expecting a lot from you today. You forget today isn't just your wedding, it's your coronation,"

Forget the coronation? Cinder had most definitely not forgotten. In fact, whenever Cinder tried to be happy for herself on this big day, anxious thoughts of the coronation crept in and clawed at her. She knew it was normal for the bride to have cold feet, but this was on a whole different level. She was terrified of her new responsibilities even though she had already been Queen on Luna. That only lasted two years, this would last a lifetime.

Still, when all those frightening thoughts crept in, there was Kai. Every time Cinder's brain tried to convince her she was ill-fitted for being empress she remembered what he meant to her. She loved him. She had known this for years, and today they were finally going to make it official and tell everyone what the gossip magazines had been reporting since before the revolution.

A cyborg was in love with the Emperor of the Commonwealth. It was truly crazy, and yet it was crazily true. Even more so that he loved her in return.

"You're drifting off again. Helloooo? Cinder?" Iko waved a hand in front of Cinder's retina scanner and Cinder was brought back to the present where she was aboard the Rampion. Two hours until their arrival on earth, and Cinder's biggest problems had to be pushed aside so she could decide what to wear.

"Iko, I am not wearing that dress. End of story," Cinder said firmly.

"Fine," she groaned back, "I will find something else,"

Iko set to working digging through the small closet in their cabin filled with dress bags. It wasn't much longer than a shoulder length, and barely deep enough for a whole shirt on a hanger. Cinder had refused to bring more dresses than could fit in the closet, even when Cress had offered hers, and Iko had been livid. It had taken all of their second to last day on Luna for her to choose exactly which ones were right to bring. Cinder had thought her eyes might have gotten stuck in the back of her head from all the eye rolling she did that day.

"Okay okay, how about this one?" Iko asked. A huge grin lit up her face as she pulled down the zipper on the dress bag.

Cinder sucked in a breath. It was a truly beautiful dress, and though she had never been one of those girls that got excited over clothes, this dress made her heart stop for just a moment. It was simplistic: A spaghetti strap a-line bodice and a billowing skirt. It was all white, just like the old second-era wedding dresses, but the real beauty was in the embroidery. While the bodice was pure white, silvery strands of embroidery scrawled over the skirt forming intricate patterns. To the distant eyes the silver strands were only patterns, but when more carefully examined there was no doubting the dress was made for Cinder because they formed lovely shapes. Gears, wrenches, hammers, and even a few miscellaneous cyborg parts took form in the silver. The crowning jewel of the gown was the silvery gray sash embroidered to look like the craters on the moon, and Cinder loved it. She had helped design it herself and found that dress-making was not all that different from fixing androids. Iko had scorned the idea of putting all those mechanic parts on the skirt, but after the dress makers had completed the design, even Iko had to admit it was stunning.

"Sorry Iko," said Cinder. "I don't think it would be appropriate or comfortable to wear my wedding dress all day,"

Iko frowned. "But all that's left is this one," she pouted as she pulled one last outfit from the closet. It was a navy blue kimono that Kai had given her on his first trip to visit her as Queen of Luna a few years ago. Cinder had almost forgotten it existed, but today it seemed right. At least the Japan province of the Commonwealth would like her look.

"I'll wear that one," she told Iko, "Maybe it will help the people see me as an empress," And maybe it will help me see myself as one, she thought as Iko helped her don the thick blue robes.

When they finished Iko systems whirred as she processed Cinder's look. Then she smiled. "I think Kai will love it," she said and then hugged Cinder. "I'm just so happy for you guys," she cried. Her words were thick with emotion, and Cinder knew if either of them had tear ducts they would be crying because she was feeling a little sniffle-y now too.

A hard knock on the door rattled the room and startled Iko and Cinder from their moment.

"Come in!" Called Iko. Thorne opened the door to the cabin and leaned on the doorframe, his arms crossed. Behind him in the hallway Cress stood grinning with curlers in her hair.

"Just checking to see how the bride of honor was do..." He paused mid-sentence and had to clear his throat. "Wow, Cinder you look, well, like an empress," he stuttered. Then he raised his eyebrows flirtatiously, "It's a good look for you,"

The girls groaned while Thorne laughed. "Hey," he said, "I also came to say we're about to start the landing, but Cress needs some assistance from to get those curlers out of her hair, and for some reason I'm not allowed to style her hair anymore,"

Cress rolled her eyes, "Thorne, I can ask for help myself,"

"I know, I'm just try to help out. A captain has to look out for his crew," He smiled a dazzling smile at Cress, but Cinder could easily see it meant more than just his normal flirtatious grins. There was a softness behind his eyes that no one else but Cress could bring, and Cress reveled in it. Iko sighed dreamily.

Thorne shook himself out of his temporary trance. "Okay then, now that that's taken care of I'll just have Kinney help me get all the systems ready for landing," and with that he was gone.

Iko sat down on the bunk and patted the space next to her. "Cress sit here. I'll pull those curlers out for you. Cinder, maybe you should rest until we're ready to land. It's going to be a long day,"

Finding herself suddenly very tired indeed, Cinder climbed on to the small sofa in the cabin. She closed her eyes for just a moment, but soon a peaceful and quiet sleep engulfed her.

It became the only rest she got all day.