Friendship and Fire

Somehow, I ended up writing in THREE P.O.V.s. I find it incredibly amusing.

I wanted to try overprotective father, but I think I failed. So we're stuck with… whatever it is I wrote.

If I get a negative comment, please tell me how I'm supposed to, you know, FIX it. Thanks.

P.S.: I love the last line. Dunno why…

Friendship and Fire

" True love is friendship -- caught on fire."

~ GatechKato

Ryuu had known that Finn had been masquerading as a girl the longest, finding about it just after he'd met her for the first time.

It hadn't the most dignified way to learn of this little fact, but it also wasn't quite as mortifying as how Hikari had found out. Bursting in the bathroom after she screamed beat ripping the front of her shirt in front of her father any day.

The reason Ryuu had stormed the bathroom was, by all counts, valid, considering that he knocked, Finn screamed, and she really, really should have locked the door.

Finn has an... unusual fixation with Ryuu considering she used to be 'courting' Hikari.

This conclusion is based from a myriad of evidence, mostly stemming from her behavior around him.

She even kissed him -- on the lips, for not greater reason than 'When I looked at your face, I suddenly felt like it.'

With just that, both parties managed to throw Hanazono Hikari in a tizzy. Not that they knew it. Besides, that would be another story.

Now, back to ours.

Finn is a smart girl. She's loyal to your country and would do what she can to keep her gender a secret. You were a bit hesitant to send her off to Japan -something bad could happen-, but she insisted.

She joined the school of Hanazono Hikari, the woman who resembled her mother, your wife. She brought her friends over to visit. That was fine, you think. Nothing wrong. Her secret was safe...

Hanazono Hikari discovers the secret in front of your very eyes.

You lock the both of them up, because Finn can be convincing and you were never able to stop her from something she really wanted to do.

That'd be the end of it for some time, you think. Hopefully enough that you're able to face her.

"THE PRINCE AND HANAZONO HIKARI HAVE BROKEN INTO THE KING'S PALACE!"

Oh, crap.

You do the only thing you can. It's an ingenious, last minute plan to avoid looking at her.

You hide behind your chair.

"Father, like I said, stop avoiding looking at my face and listen to what I want to say!!"

"NO WAY!" you respond emphatically. "I will unconsciously agree with you when I look at your face!" You grimace before adding, "That's why I locked you up."

You raised such a willful child, you think. She knew duty, but she also tried to reach what she wanted.

"I'm going to call for the guards who are on standby outside, you stupid son!"

"If you dare to call, I won't talk to you forever!" She'd try, too, like a child with a temper tantrum.

Finn had always been stubborn, fiery. She needed someone mellower, calmer, to balance her out…

You yell suddenly, indignant, because her friend has grabbed you and interrupted your highly important train of thought.

"I'VE GOT HIM, FINN!" she calls, and you think she may be an idiot.

"Nice, Hikari!" Your impudent child had the gall to say.

"IMPOLITE BRAT-!" You say, because it's all too true right now.

"Alright. Father, Hikari is my important friend and she will keep the promise. Now, just let her be." Her eyes were firm, her tone persuasive. She could captivate attention like this, convince a crowd of people.

"Don't say stupid things," you say, averting your eyes in a last-ditch last resort.

It was a bit futile. It couldn't be helped, you think. It was impossible to grant her what she truly wanted.

You want to just give up. "This is a national problem."

"She's my important friend... Have faith in her." She was trying to be earnest. She was being earnest.

"Then you can't go to Japan. Is that okay? And she cannot enter the country next time." Your eyes narrow shrewdly, thinking about how to handle the situation.

"Of course," she says, and she looks happy about it. Silly child. She doesn't really want this.

"... Um... Finn's father," Hanazono Hikari speaks, and both you and Finn turn to acknowledge her. "...isn't there any way for Finn to go to Japan?"

"Hi... Hikari?"

"N... No, it is also my responsibility for this. Finn wants to stay in Japan again...."

Courageous friend. She may seem a bit of an idiot, a bit too stubborn, but she was a brave child. A pity Finn wasn't normal; that she couldn't live normally like any other girl. That she couldn't have friends like this.

"What are you saying!" You sound imperious, intimidating. "Since Finn's secret has been leaked, Finn cannot stay in Japan anymore. Finn said that she wants to stay in Japan to search for her fiancée, but she didn't bring back anyone... So, why should she stay in Japan?"

You clap your hands.

"This conversation shall end here. Before the procedure is completed, you should go back to the prison to clear your head."

Guards slam the door open, as you knew they would. Then two -men- ran to intercept them, though, to protect Hanazono Hikari and your daughter.

One places a fist to block the grasping hand of one of the guards, placing himself solidly in front of Finn.

"Finn... What on earth is going on?" he asks, and he tilts his head to see her better.

Her eyes are wide, and she looks terribly like the girl she is. It was odd, you think. Before, Finn was almost like the boy she was raised. She's different now.

She's changed ever since she went to Japan.

"Father... I want to stay in Japan because..." She sounds a but hopeful, you think almost offhandedly as she continues, "there's somebody that I like." Her last words escape in an almost breathless whisper.

In love, your little girl was. For the first time...

The boy-man's eyes widened.

Ah, young love…

"... Somebody that you like?" You feel weary. 'I'm far too old to deal with this,' you think.

On second thought, you reflect that maybe it's a good thing that you are this old. You can only imagine a ten year old Finn acting like a lovestruck girl.

The mere thought was terrifying.

"Is it somebody that you can accept to marry?" It was rather obvious that it wasn't, but if there was a chance...

"No." Her answer was simple, straightforward and honest. Like her.

It shouldn't be fair for her to have to live out this lie.

But she had to. She has to...

"Then there's no point in it."

"I understand, Father." She looks heartbroken. Resigned. "Because I am the one and only prince in this country... I give up."

She looks pained; it would be a final goodbye to what might have been love. A pity, but it could not be helped.

Suddenly the young man grabs her hand. She turns to him, surprised. "I don't know what happened, but don't give up. We can help you out somehow," he says.

She looks grateful.

You don't doubt it. Finn's new friends seemed to be immovable. If it couldn't be, they'd make a way for it to happen. They could conquer the world.

It was a pity it couldn't be. This young man seemed kind, yet firm. A good balance for Finn. A good son-in-law.

"... Those words alone... are enough."

Finn looks so happy, almost crying. You couldn't say anything, didn't know what to say… and someone steps up to you discreetly.

"... Your Majesty... Her Highness has..." he trails off, whispering softly and urgently. And you are left flabbergasted.

"WHAT?!"

Everyone turns to you, but you barely notice. "She's pregnant?! And a boy?!"

Everyone is left as stunned as you.

You like to think they're happy now. You are. Now you have a proper heir, and Finn has someone she likes. That person likes her, too. You saw it in his eyes back then.

It didn't matter that Finn never talked to you about it beyond that. It didn't matter that she never talked about him.

It was obvious who it was.

... It will take quite a bit of time, but you think you'll allow Finn to wear the girl's uniform of Hakusen one day. It seems to mean a lot to her, to be a girl for that person because she became a boy for her country.

It's been a long day, I think. It's been a very long, eventful day.

"Well then, Finn..." I step towards her, footsteps audible on the stone floor.

We've all changed clothes by now, and others were discussing the new bit of information regarding Finn.

"Who is the person that Finn likes?"

She faces me, and she looked truly happy. Me, her first friend. She looks like she wants to proclaim to the world how happy she is. She's never been good at hiding things, never really able to lie fluidly that it was somehow a miracle nobody guessed it.

"About that... Isn't it obvious, Ryuu?"

This is the beginning of something else, something new, different from before. Now, the people of the S.A knows that Finn is a girl. Now, the feelings I've felt can be expressed openly.

Love is friendship set ablaze.