Gun Princess Royale - Book 3 - Princess of the City (web version)

Chapter 1 - Part I

– I –

I had much to think about on the night flight from the marina to the apartment complex in Ar Telica as the civilian VTOL flew us over the horseshoe shaped harbor, its waters glistening with light from the city-state's immense pyramidal buildings.

My decision to live as Isabel and to fight as Mirai weighed heavily upon my shoulders.

Knowing that I was abandoning any chance to return to my old life squeezed my heart and chest. But I didn't know what else to do. My options were few if any, and I wasn't in a position to fight back. Moving forward as both Isabel and Mirai was the logical course of action, and in truth it wasn't one I'd taken lightly. It also meant that I believed what Clarisol had told me, and Erina's reaction when I questioned her had proven Clarisol's assertion that my life as Ronin Kassius was a thing of the past.

So what kind of what life could I look forward to?

Feeling as though I was living minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, reluctant to think of what the sunrise would bring, should I even allow myself to ponder my future. When I did so, there was the question of whether I could live on as a girl, or was it something that would come to me gradually now that I was inside Mirai's female body and brain?

As the VTOL flew over the harbor, my gaze wandered through the large window beside me, and by chance it floated over one of the three islands poking their heads above water. I didn't think it was Telos Island that I glimpsed, but the sight of that island was enough to send an anxious jolt through me as I thought of what returning to the academy would be like now that I was Isabel val Sanreal, and not Ronin Kassius. But was it something I should worry over? In other words, was it not the least of my problems?

That depressing line of thinking made me turn away from the window, and I regarded the plush interior of the passenger cabin with its forward and reverse seating.

The VTOL was moth shaped, with six landing struts and wedge-shaped levitator wings fanning out from the dorsal superstructure. With a body thirty-feet long it had plenty of space for the passenger cabin. Despite my mood and situation, I nonetheless appreciated the lavishly appointed interior that was outfitted like a limousine with comfortable leather seating, wood paneling, climate control, and noise dampening for a whisper quiet ride.

However, my appreciation for its luxury was tempered by my troubled thoughts exacerbated by the company that I shared.

The Cat Princess, to whom Erina referred to as Akane, was sitting beside me to my right and facing forward. For now, her stun baton was clipped to her thigh, and the handgun she carried was holstered and hidden beneath the windbreaker jacket she wore. However, it wasn't the heavy caliber handcannon she'd threatened me with aboard the yacht, but a smaller sidearm she could easily conceal under the jacket. I was hesitant to call it a lady's gun, but that's how I viewed it.

My sister, Erina, sat directly opposite me and faced the rear of the cabin with her eyes closed as her head rested back against the seat. She had changed her attire to an all-white affair – an ensemble of slim trousers, blouse, blazer, kitten sling backs – and once again she looked resplendent. Should I say, worth a fortune? In fact, she looked so good my feelings soured into a gloomy mix that swirled around in my stomach and gave me a belly ache.

The last of my companions in the cabin was a petite young woman wearing thin glasses, a business skirt-suit, and a long summer coat. She was waiting for us at the marina's wharf, and introduced herself as Doctor Yolanda Pearson, a member of Erina's team that put Mirai together. When she offered me her hand, I gave her a cruel smile that portrayed my intention to rip it off. Erina saved her by stepping between Pearson and I. At the very least, I had conveyed me feelings to the young woman, and she wasn't going to make the mistake of being friendly with me.