Gun Princess Royale: Awakening the Princess, Book One

by Albert Ruckholdt

  Now she was running on the roof of the bridgeway faster than a man could ever hope to sprint, reducing the distance between her and the megascraper ahead at a phenomenal rate. However, the bombardment intensified and the middle of the bridgeway vanished moments after she ran past it. Undoubtedly due to its sturdy construction and design, the structure did not fall away, though doubling back was no longer an option for the Gun Princess, and the tanks weren’t done with their shelling. They concentrated their fire on the far end of the bridgeway, cutting it off where it joined the megascraper.

  Yet the Princess ran onwards even as the bridgeway fell. Arriving at the destroyed end, she jumped the falling pieces of rubble like floating stepping stones, then leapt onto the terraced wall of the megascraper, throwing her rifle ahead as she did so. A collective cry rose from the crowd and I held my breath for several anxious heartbeats as I watched her sail through the air and then catch the edge of a terrace. Though she swung precariously for a few moments, she quickly hauled herself up onto the terrace, and then collected her discarded rifle that had landed a short distance away.

  “She made it,” I pointed out.

  “No. She’s too late,” Shirohime muttered and swallowed down the remains of the crêpe in her left hand.

  From between the megascrapers, a sleek, winged shape trailing smoke and spewing burning embers swooped down toward the wall of the building.

  The Gun Princess turned in time to see the wounded Gunbird – flames flickering within the holes of its damaged fuselage and flying unsteadily on reduced thruster power – execute a kamikaze dive into the terrace.

  For a moment, time stopped and I saw surprise on her face as she faced the oncoming Gunbird. Then the moment passed and the damaged machine crashed into the megascraper, detonating in a bright explosion of fuel and munitions that tore a large area of the wall apart, exposing an enormous hole in the side of the building big enough to run a mag-lev through.

  Of the Gun Princess there was no sign.

  “She lost?” Though I asked the question, it sounded more like confirmation.

  “Obviously,” Shirohime drawled softly.

  “But how…?” I looked up at the holovid screens but the game footage was frozen behind the words, GAME OVER.

  Shirohime exhaled curtly as she shook her head. “She lost too much time dealing with the Gunbirds. That gave the hover tanks the time they needed to set up their ambush. And she didn’t finish off the first Gunbird.”

  “Then that was the Gunbird—”

  “That she failed to shoot down the first time.” Shirohime frowned to herself, and then a second later began pushing forward through the crowd.

  Surprised by her actions, I followed her. “Wait—where are you going?”

  I succeeded in getting through the crowd by trailing in her wake, much like a small boat following an icebreaker, and arrived at an enclosed capsule shaped like a giant teardrop. The cover of the capsule opened to reveal a young woman lying inside, her hands encased in gloves with ringed fingers, and a virtual reality headset covering most of her face. She first removed the gloves before reaching up to take off the headset. By then Shirohime had pushed her way to the capsule, and joined the ring of girls surrounding the contraption.

  Standing behind her, I peeked between bodies at the young woman in the teardrop capsule who calmly listened to the gushing girls.

  “…that was amazing….”

  “…you almost did it….”

  “…you came so close….”

  “…aggh damn it. I really thought you’d win….”

  “That was careless and stupid.”

  I gasped and blinked in alarm at Shirohime who was staring stonily at the young woman. As soon as the words left her lips, and registered in the minds of the girls around the capsule, several dozen pairs of eyes turned upon her in anger.

  “Hey, who are you to call her stupid?”

  “Why don’t you try it? Let’s see how far you get.”

  “Bet you won’t even make it halfway.”

  “Yeah, I’ll put my monthly allowance on that!”

  Ignoring their ire, Shirohime stepped closer to the capsule and addressed the young woman half sitting, half lying within it. “You got careless.”

  The young woman looked up at her with faint surprise, then broke into a sheepish laugh as she rubbed her hair that was slightly matted with sweat. “I guess I did.” Looking down at the headset on her lap, she weakly shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not accustomed to these….”

  Shirohime’s eyes narrowed. “I guess you’re not….”

  “It’s a lot harder to control a Princess with them. To much lag….”

  The exchange sounded a little strange to me, and I wondered if there was a connection between the two young women. Truthfully, I felt like an outsider while listening to them.

  The young woman’s efforts to climb out of the capsule were proving unsuccessful. “Um, could someone give me a hand?” She bowed her head sheepishly. “Sorry….”

  A few of the girls around the capsule surged forward and then helped her out of the device. I was puzzled as to why she had so much trouble climbing out until I saw someone move a wheelchair closer to the capsule, and the girls helped the young woman onto it. It was evidently motorized with hubless wheels that resembled those on racing bikes, and equipped with a ring of effect-field emitters along the inside of the wheel rims. I wondered if they allowed the contraption to levitate over short distances thereby allowing the occupant to travel up and down stairs or over uneven ground.

  The words TELOS CORPORATION were printed on the wheels.

  The young woman fixed up her ankle length peach colored dress, and pulled down its long sleeves. It was then I noticed that she wore skin colored gloves and socks, and her feet were encased in shoes that resembled ballerina slippers. Perhaps she was a burn victim, but in this day and age, burns were relatively straightforward to heal. It was also rare to see someone in a wheelchair as most spinal injuries were repaired via nanosurgery, so I was clearly intrigued by whatever ailed her.

  “Thank you,” she offered the girls standing around her.

  With her tranquil and refined bearing, she gave the impression of being raised in a well-to-do family. In another day and age, she may have been the kind to enjoy long lunches or tea in the backyard of a luxurious manor, overlooking a scene of fine greenery.

  “Will you come back again?” asked a girl standing beside the wheelchair.

  “Maybe.” She smiled weakly, but then nodded. “Yes, I’ll definitely come back.”

  “Do you need any help,” another girl asked.

  The young woman shook her head. “No. I’m fine now.” She swept her gaze over the faces surrounding her. “Thank you. I had a great time.”

  The crowd of girls parted before her as the motorized chair nearly silently travelled forward. However, the young woman stopped and looked up at Shirohime, and then offered her hand in greeting. “My name’s Akane.”

  Shirohime blinked slowly, her eyes narrowing for a heartbeat, before swapping the crepe in her right hand over to her left. After wiping her free hand against her skirt, she reached down and shook the young woman’s hand. “Next time, finish off the Gunbirds as quickly as you can or you’ll end up giving the tanks too much time to prepare their ambush. And travelling along the ground isn’t a bad idea. The bridgeways leave you too exposed to the Gunbirds and the tanks, but avoid the underground expressways as the tanks will follow you into them, although you can use the subways as there are a lot of emergency tunnels you can dive into.”

  While I tried not to gawk at Shirohime’s unexpected insights into the game, the young woman, Akane, replied with a soft smile. “Oh, I’ll remember that.”

  “You can also commandeer a bike or a car. That will let you get around faster. The underground parking lots are full of vehicles you can start up. For mobility’s sake, I would recommend a bike.”

  Akane nodded gently. “Thank you. I guess I wi
ll try that the next time.”

  “So you’ll be playing it again?”

  “Of course. I want to defeat that high score.”

  Shirohime grew still before her lips parted into a thin smile. “Is that so?”

  Though seated, the young woman bowed politely to Shirohime. “Until we meet again. Goodbye.”

  She resumed travelling down the path formed by the girls, the wheelchair humming faintly as it propelled itself on its hubless wheels. She smiled at the girls but it faded slightly for a moment when her gaze brushed mine. I wondered if she found it surprising to see a boy amongst the crowd, or perhaps my feminine appearance confused her. Whatever the reason for her subtle reaction at sight of me, I was spared a second glance and soon she departed the area. However, it wasn’t long before a group of girls hurried after her, ushering her safely through the crowd moving about the arcade.

  When they disappeared from view shortly thereafter, I felt confused by what I’d witnessed. I had the impression the cogs of a great machine had begun turning, and that I was in danger of being unknowingly swallowed up inside of it. Feeling uneasy, I decided to question Shirohime, but before I could do so a familiar voice called out from nearby.

  “So this is where you were hiding.” Felicia was grinning broadly as she sauntered up to me with Angela not far behind her. “Where’s Class Rep?” she asked with a carefree tone.

  I jerked a thumb over my right shoulder. “Back there.”

  “No, I’m here,” Shirohime stated bluntly as she walked past me and stepped close to Felicia and Angela. My unease had briefly abated but returned when I saw the trio move away from me. Whatever Shirohime said to them startled the other two. With eyes wide, Felicia muttered something back, and Shirohime nodded faintly. Felicia then grew thoughtful, before stepping around Class Rep.

  She walked up to me and asked, “Are you going to run out on us again?”

  I mulled her question over. “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On what the three of you were talking about.”

  Felicia waved a hand about airily. “Oh, that was just girl talk.”

  “I see. Then I guess I have somewhere else to be.” I started walking away from them, heading for the staircase leading to the upper levels of the arcade.

  “It’s about Princess Silver Blue.”

  I stopped at the foot of the stairs, and spared the girls who’d followed me a look over my right shoulder.

  Felicia was watching me with a grim look. “Want to tell us about it?”

  “Why?”

  “Because maybe we can help,” she replied somberly.

  Had she answered me differently, I would have dismissed her offer by turning away. But the grin she usually wore was absent, and her countenance was solemn, such that it gave me pause.

  Felicia stepped up to me. “Ronin, don’t treat us as strangers.”

  I realized that yet again Felicia moved to bridge the distance between us. But this time it felt different from when she approached me in class a year ago. There was something deeper going on here, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Once more, I had the impression of cogs turning and a great machine rumbling to life.

  “Why would you help me?” I asked her. “What’s in it for you?”

  She glanced away for a moment before giving me a shrug. “Nothing. Friendship, maybe.”

  I raised my eyebrows at her. “Are you saying we’re not friends?”

  “I’m not the one putting a wall up between us.”

  That wall was evidence of my distrust of people in general, but it was also there to protect me. I searched her face, looking for the lie, and though I couldn’t find it, my guarded nature insisted that I be cautious. In other words, that wall wasn’t coming down today, but I could take it down a few bricks.

  “Okay. I’ll tell you about the tragedy of Silver Blue”

  - IV -

  So why did I agree to dress up as Silver Blue from the animated hit, “The Silver Blue Princess”?

  Allow me to elucidate.

  There is a girl that I presently consider the most beautiful girl in the cosmos and she happens to be a model.

  Her name is Mercedes “Mercy” Haddaway.

  To be fair, she’s a gravure model otherwise known as a bikini model, and in my unbiased candid opinion she ranks number one. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say, and my tastes are supreme. But to cut a long story short, I’m one of her biggest fans. I have her entire magazine and photo album collection in various forms of media, not to mention every single holovid she ever released. So when the girls of the Cosplay Club found out – most probably from Tobias – they bribed me by getting me a ticket to one of her fan events. Mercy would be coming to Ar Telica that weekend to promote a new swimwear line, and would be holding a fan event as well. How could I dream of passing up the opportunity to meet Mercy in person, let alone shake her hand?

  Thus I sealed my fate.

  One year ago, for three days during the Academy Club Recruitment Week, I became Princess Silver Blue.

  Was meeting Mercy in person worth the terror of cosplay cross-dressing, otherwise known as cross-playing?

  Absolutely!

  - V -

  The gaming arcade had three levels.

  The ground floor contained the boothless games, of which there were dozens upon dozens, though there were exceptions such as the Princess Royale that was located near the back of the floor, along with a handful of other games that required players to slip into capsules.

  The first floor was full of the pricier and larger holo-booths. These offered a more realistic gaming experience that comprised a combination of holographics and effect-fields to simulate an oriented moving terrain, so it was much like running or walking on a treadmill that could travel forward, backward, left and right, up and down, all without leaving the confines of the booth.

  The second floor – or third level – was smaller and served as a rest stop for gamers by providing a fast food dining experience along with tables and chairs. That’s where I found myself explaining my motivation for cross-playing as the Silver Blue Princess. I was seated at a table accompanied by Felicia, Angela, and Shirohime. Feeling famished, I dug into an oversized burger and somewhat watery soda, while the trio sipped on drinks of their own.

  Felicia sat back in her chair looking bemused. “So that’s why you did it?”

  I nodded as I ate the last piece of the burger on my tray.

  “Is this girl really that pretty?”

  Angela had been busy on her phone, and leaned over to show its screen to Felicia. The latter stared down at it for a long while, then shared a suspiciously meaningful look with Angela who drew back a moment later. I noticed worry flicker across Felicia’s face and Angela looked faintly uneasy.

  What’s up with them?

  While this was happening, Shirohime typed away furiously on her phone, and that had me wondering what she was up to. Eventually she huffed to herself, then wiped away the device’s display and dropped it unhappily on the table.

  What is up with her?

  Felicia leaned forward and planted her chin on an upturned palm, resting her elbow on the table. “Well, I guess there are guys that will go to extremes for a woman.”

  I gulped down my drink then plonked it loudly on the table. “Mercy isn’t just any girl or woman. She is the girl. She’s absolutely gorgeous. No other girl can compare to her.”

  “Huh…I’m not sure how that makes me feel.”

  “Envious, probably,” Angela muttered. “She is pretty, but beauty is only skin deep.”

  Try as I might, I couldn’t help glancing at Shirohime who happened to be pouting unhappily at her phone lying on the table.

  “What?” I asked her. “Did you get dumped?”

  “Hah?” Shirohime mixed disbelief into her scowl. “Me? Dumped?”

  “Well, is that a no?”

  “First of all, I would have to be in a relationship in order to be dum
ped. Secondly, whomever I choose has to meet my exacting standards. Thirdly, who in their right minds would dump me—?”

  Felicia raised a hand at her. “Okay, we get it. You’re not dumped. So what’s got your knickers in a twist?”

  “I don’t wear knickers,” Shirohime replied testily before placing fingertips to her sumptuous bosom. “I wear lingerie. Designer lingerie. Only plain girls like you stick with the boring white stuff.”

  Felicia grinned like a Cheshire cat but it made me shiver. “Plain. White. You got a problem with plain and white?”

  Angela put her phone away. “Well, some girls just don’t need to try.”

  For a short while, Shirohime gaped at her before closing her mouth. Then she slid her phone across the table toward Felicia. “Fine. If you must know.”

  Her companions peered at her phone.

  “Oh,” Felicia muttered, then glanced at her slender wristwatch. “Well, whatever.”

  Shirohime took back her phone, then folded her arms and sat back unhappily in her chair. “Really. I’m more than up to the task….”

  Felicia’s grin faded as she frowned a little. “Aren’t you just looking to score points?”

  “And what if I am?” Shirohime asked in return.

  Feeling the tension growing between the two girls, I was grateful when Angela sighed then cleared her throat. “Back to the matter at hand,” she said, “the question is what can Ronin expect come Monday morning?”

  Felicia blinked and looked at me. “I’m wondering how she found out.”

  “Ah,” Angela blurted out, then said, “She probably used facial recognition software. Because it compares the position of the eyes in relation to the mouth, and if possible to the ears, she probably used it to compare one of the Cosplay Club posters with a photo of Ronin.”