A Foe That I Can't Beat

**Summary:** Nia, the tsundere princess, faces the greatest foe of all, falling in love.

*The camera opens up at the Royal Army Training Grounds in New Troy. The soldiers are all lined up ready to receive the King and Queen for their monthly drills. A young man with dark blue hair and silver eyes is eyeing down the road.*

**Soldier:** *\*whispers\** Hey, Luciano. Apparently the Crown Princess will be at the drill this time.

**Luciano:** Really?

**Soldier:** Yeah, and apparently she's turned down plenty of suitors already.

**General:** Gentlemen!

*The high ranking officers all salute as a white carriage rolls up to the training grounds.*

**Commander:** Announcing the arrival of their Majesties, King Vernal and Queen Elena, and her Highness, Princess Nia!

*The Royal Family, dressed in their official garb step out of the carriage. Immediately, Luciano's eyes landed on Nia. Poised, confident, cool and in control. He blushes and thinks back to the times when they played together as children. A flashback shows a 5 year old Luciano and 2 year old Nia playing with some toy cars, an 8 year old Nia wrestling an 11 year old Luciano to the ground and then them sword fighting, a 16 year old Luciano and a 13 year old Nia pranking the chief commander of the army.*

**Soldier:** Luciano, earth Luciano. What are you thinking?

**Luciano:** I um....She's changed, she's 15 and she's so....beautiful...

**Soldier:** Yeah, good luck with trying to win her over.

*The camera cuts to the drill taking place. It is a sniping drill, Luciano fires his rifle and ducks behind some steel barrels. The soldiers are trying to snipe the targets while avoiding the laser drones and camera. Suddenly a shot flies in and just passes the side of Luciano's face. He looks up to see a masked soldier in front of him and the others.*

**Commander:** Your new objective, try and strike this soldier, you each have 5 rounds.

*The soldier reveals a pair of whips. The soldiers all try their best to snipe them from a distance and attempt to move in close but the masked soldier deflects the bullets the the whips with ease. Soon all but Luciano were exhausted and are out of bullets. He jumps through the trees, hoping he can somehow get to the soldier, he stops on a branch to breathe. A whips wraps around him and a revolver is pointed at the side of his head. The masked soldier is right next to him. He gulps. Some punching noises can be heard from the trees and Luciano flies out and lands in the pile of exhausted soldiers. The masked soldier walks out and removes the mask revealing that it's Nia.*

**Luciano:** *\*blushes\** Wow....

**Nia Troy:** *\*pulls him up by his shirt\** Good thing that was me. If it was the enemy, you'd be shot on the spot.

**Luciano:** *\*smirks\** I see you haven't lost your touch.

**Nia Troy:** Hey, I still beat you as always.

*The drill concludes and Luciano is helping the army doctors with some paper work. Nia shows up behind him.*

**Nia Troy:** Hey.

**Luciano:** Uh, hi! You were really awesome back there.

**Nia Troy:** um, thanks.

**Luciano:** So Nia...we've been friends since we were in diapers. And did you ever get that weird feeling in your gut, like you know. The 'I like you' feeling?

**Nia Troy:** *\*blushes\** um, no...maybe

**Luciano:** Nia, I have to admit....I....like you. Like, like like you.

**Nia Troy:** *\*blushes redder\** What?

**Luciano:** I mean, you're smart, you're brave, you can beat the whole army in combat. you're well...you! You do things your way, I don't see a lot of princess walking around the palace in a rock t-shirt and high tops, you don't cover the fact that you're you. I mean- Gah! What am I saying? *\*his face turns bright red\** Uh...I...gottagonowbye!

**Nia Troy:** *\*her face is now tomato-colored\** what just happened?

*The camera cuts to the palace, Nia is in her room thinking about Luciano spilling his heart out to her earlier that day. She growls in frustration in and screams into her pillows.*

**Nyan-chan:** Nyan? (What's wrong?)

**Nia Troy:** I don't know Nyan-chan...did really mean it? I mean, we've been friends for so long. We played together, he's always so nice to me and now he's-UUUUUGGGGGHHHHH! *\*her face turns red\**

**Elena Troy:** Honey, are you alright?

**Nia Troy:** Hey mom, hey dad. What is this?! Gyah! He- *\*her face turns redder\** GUH!

**Vernal:** Honey, you're at that age when starting to fall in love. I hate to admit it, but I don't want to give anyone my baby, but you're at an age when you're starting to feel this sort of things.

**Nia Troy:** But mom, dad, I don't get it! Boys are weird and gross and stupid....I don't know why I'm even feeling this! I definitely don't feel this way around Foxx.

**Elena Troy:** Sweetie, it's normal. Besides, Luciano is your friend.

**Nia Troy:** Yeah but I don't understand my feelings! *\*she plops back onto bed\**

**Vernal:** *\*chuckles\** Babe, she's kinda like you when you started liking me. Diamond told me.

**Elena Troy:** *\*blushes\** What?! Well that was 16 years ago. Don't worry, Nia. These feelings come and go, you'll know that it's real when you meet the right person.

**Nia Troy:** Like you and dad? I mean you're both still super lovey dovey around each other and you're not even trying to hide it.

**Elena Troy:** *\*sheepishly\** Heheh...something like that, it's different for everyone. Alright, goodnight sweetie.

**Nia Troy:** Goodnight mom, goodnight dad.

*Elena and Vernal exit Nia's room. They then start making out in the hallway. Vernal pulls off Elena's eye patch. Nia sticks her head out of the door along with Nyan-chan.*

**Nia Troy:** Also can you two keep it down at night? I heard everything last time....

**Nyan-chan:** Nyan.... (Everything....)

**Vernal:** *\*sheepishly\** Sorry sweetie!

*Cut to Luciano, swinging a sword outside. One of the soldiers sees him.*

**Soldier #1:** Why can't he just admit his feelings?

**Soldier #2:** Dude. Don't you remember what happened with Lana?

**Soldier #1:** *\*shudders\** Oh, god, don't remind me. With all the spying and the secret selling and almost getting to the queen...and all because Luciano agreed to date her. Good thing she found out and got her to confess, good thing her diplomacy helped us avoid a war. But it did push sanctions with Fernacia. And at least they apologized. Plus she got sent back to Fernacia and got put on death row and the Imperialist Party is dissolved. How did they not know that one of their own political parties secretly planned to expand their borders?! Good thing they found out and those guys are guilty of treason and for well, what they did.

**Soldier #2:** ...I *know* all that. Why are you telling me what I already kno-

**Soldier #1:** Viewers' benefit.

**Soldier #2:** Ah. Anyway, yeah, that was a mess. I wouldn't put it past him to be wary of going too fast in relationships now.

**Soldier #1:** But...c'mon. One, that was more than a mess, it nearly caused a diplomatic crisis and war. Two, Lana was a spy, he'd just met her. He's known Nia for years! Why is he reluctant to get a girl like her?

**Soldier #2:** ...Given you only joined two months ago, I can forgive you for not knowing.

**Soldier #1:** What? What do I not know?

**Soldier #2:** Well, Luciano was friends with the daughter of the noblewoman Kathryn. The daughter's name was Raini. She is quite similar to Nia, given that they grew up together. He was in love with her, but then the accident happened, the doctors couldn't save her. Combine that with the whole Lana mess and you got yoourself a guy who's well, too scared to date ever again.

**Luciano:** *\*to himself\** Don't think about her. Don't think about her. *\*thinks about Nia\** I CAN'T DO THIS!

**Soldier:** Easy there big guy. Spilling your heart is one thing but telling her is different. Open up don't just regurgitate stuff.

**Luciano:** I mean I don't know! I don't want to lose another girl....

**Soldier:** How would you know if you don't try?

**Luciano:** *\*sighs\** You know what, you're right. I'm gonna tell her.

*The camera cuts to show Nia sleeping in her room when her phone starts buzzing. She checks it and sees a text from Luciano that says "Meet me at the barracks tomorrow morning, I wanna tell you something". The camera cuts to the next day. Nia heads to the barracks after breakfast.*

**Nia Troy:** Hey Luciano, um, you wanted to talk to me?

**Luciano:** Um yeah! Say...why don't we go riding. It, um helps me think.

**Nia Troy:** Uh, sure!

*Luciano goes to get his horse while Nia gets her horse, Bucky, from the royal stables. The two ride off together to the mountains. They arrive at a cliff which overlooks the metropolitan kingdom.*

**Nia Troy:** I like to come here to clear my mind.

**Luciano:** I can see why.

**Nia Troy:** So, what was it you wanted to talk about?

**Luciano:** *\*takes a deep breath\** Nia, I know I spilled my heart out to you a little while ago but I really do mean everything I said. I like you. I know have mixed feelings about guys and such but I really want to make this work. It already fell apart with me once and I don't want it to happen again. It's...it's confusing.

**Nia Troy:** *\*Tsundere mode\** Uh, what are you saying? I don't even know anymore!

**Luciano:** I mean we're both confused that's a good thing right?

**Nia Troy:** Ugh! This stuff is weird. *\*her face turns bright red\** I'm not ready for any sort of relationship with anyone yet. If this is what falling in love is like. I don't even know what to think of it.

**Luciano:** I guess only time will tell who you end up with. Am I right? My princess? *\*wink\**

*Nia tsundere blushes again and begins lecturing Luciano like how she does with Foxx. Luciano is trying his best not to laugh at this. The camera zooms out from them and the screen fades black.*