The Distance Between Us

Across The Sea

Minori could feel the vibrations in her teeth with her white knuckles gripping the arm rest of her seat as her heart sank to her stomach causing her to retch. The sensation of falling was next and sweat beaded her brow as her face turned pale and hollow. A warm gentle hand gripped hers and Ryuu looked over with concern.

"I knew you had never left the country but I did't think it would be this bad" he half laughed as he brought a napkin up to dab the sweat on her brow.

"-It's... just... so unnatural-" Minori managed to get out between thin pale lips.

"What could be more natural! Like birds through the sky we flight!" Ryuu laughed flaping his hands like a bird in an attempt to get Minori to laugh.

She glared at him, "or like mackrel crammed into a tin we are hurtaling towards our death" she said gravely as she looked past him to the shrinking land below them.

Ryuu reclined in his pod seat and relaxed with his arms behind his head, "well if I am going to die this is how I would go. Though, I would much rather a bronzed sweaty-"

Minori clapped a hand over his mouth, "Ryuu! Don't speak like that-" she moved her face closer to him and whispered "-we are in public... you have to think of our positions."

Ryuu raised his eye brows but nodded, mumbling "yes Alpha" into her hand still covering his mouth.

Sighing Minori finally started to relax and feel the tension leave her body. We have reached crusing altitude, you may now remove your seat belt and move about the cabin. Minori hoped that the worst of the flight was now over, she peeked out the window but could no longer see her country, only the tops of thick white clouds, a glaring sun and vast blue sky. Perhaps this wasn't as bad as she had initally thought. Her heart quickened once again at the reality of leaving her home. Today had been full of first times and it had begun to get overwhelming. She had left her home, driven in a car, seen the inside of the scraping towers of Tokyo and realised just how big and brutal aeroplanes actually were. The world felt so much larger and wider than she had imagined when studying her maps and reading her books. She blew out a gentle breath, "I guess there is only so much you can learn from a book..." she muttered.

Ryuu scoffed, "obviously, books are for nerds-" he grunted as Minori whacked him for his comment.

He put his hands up defensively, "hey! Nerds don't fight" he laughed.

Their childishness was interuppted by a pretty brunette, "would either of you like a complimentary glass of champagne?" she smiled. Ryuu flashed his naturally charming smile at the hostess, "not for me - got to keep the gains" he winked.

Minori rolled her eyes and turned to the woman who was suddenly closer than she realised. She was bending down close to hear them and in doing so had revealed her cleavage framed by loose brown curls that tumbled down from her shoulders. Minori could feel her face flaming and immediately averted her eyes.

"I don't drink-" she mumbled "-but I would love a cup of coffee" she said quitely.

The woman stood back up and turned to the cart behind her to fix the coffee that had been requested. Ryuu eyed the brunette and grinned at Minori who met his gaze and signalled him to cut the s**t. As the women turned back towards them and lent down to give Minori her cup of coffee Ryuu caught her hand, the woman looked up slightly started, "is there anything you need?" she asked smiling through thin lips.

"I wouldn't mind getting your number" he grinned, the airhostest began to protest but he interjected "for her-" he nodded towards Minori who suddenly found herself wishing the plane would hurtle towards the ground. The women stopped protesting and quickly looked over at Minori who was now as red as the womans lips and frozen in place unable to deny her friends ludicrous request. The woman gently extracted herself from Ryuu and promptly excused herself.

Minori turned to Ryuu embarrasment and fury etched on her face, "what the hell was that!" she asked murderously, "this isn't a joke Ryuu! I'm going to find a mate, I can't just hand my number out like lollies to every attractive woman I see!"

"Ah, so you do think she was attractive. That would explain the awkward moment when we both couldn't take our eyes away from her-" Minori wacked him again.

"I was admiring her. That's it. Not every women is blessed with abundance like she is" Minori sniffed.

Ryuu nodded, "true. Some, who shall not be named are as flat as tatami-" once again Minori wacked him cutting him off.

"Hey! Keep abusing me like that and I will be black and blue by the time we get to Aotearoa"

"Then perhaps you should stop acting like a child" Minori retorted.

"Oh so you like beating children?"

"No but I do enjoy beating you!"

"Excuse me" a third voice cut in.

Minori and Ryuu snapped their heads towards the brunette from moments ago. She quietly held out a scrap of paper to Minori who gently took it and stared down at the name and number on the piece of paper.

"I don't usually do this. It isn't very professional, but... I also haven't been asked for my number by someone as beautiful as you"

"I didn't ask" Minori murmured as she stared at the number in awe.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" the woman began to reach for the piece of paper.

"Oh no, sorry, that isn't what I meant! That was very rude of me to say." Minori softly pushed the womans hand back towards her.

"I really appreciate you giving me this despite the manner in which it was asked" Minor smiled genuinely at the woman and placed the paper into her bag on the floor. The woman tucked a peice of hair behind her ear and bowed slightly before turning and rushing off down the isle of the plane.

"Smooth" Ryuu laughed, which earned him another slap from Minori.

The flight was a long 11 hours that had felt like it would never end after the ordeal insighted by Ryuu with the air hostess. So when the piolet finally announced that the cabin crew were to be seated for landing Minori sighed a breath of relief. Looking past Ryuu to the scenery outside she could see stunning seas and green hills that could rival that of her own country. It was familiar and yet totally foreign. Suddenly she could feel her heart hammering with excitement. This moment was a stark reminder of the reality of what she was walking into. In a matter of hours she would meet with the first people of the Whakatu clan and start her journy to find the source of the intoxicating scent that impregnated the pages of the letter sent to her. The Alpha Aperahama. The person who could change her world, rock her understanding of herself to its very core, and potentially be the uplifter of her people.

Watching the land get closer Minori gripped the armrest of her seat once more and gritted her teeth in anticipation of touchdown. The jolting of the plane touching the tarmac jerked Ryuu awake who looked ready to fight like he had just woken from a dream where he was fighting giants.

Minor laughed at his frazzeled and dazed expression with his arms up in the air ready to fight an invisable foe.

"Are we here?"

Minori nodded but said nothing.

Ryuu could feel her anxiety in the silence and gripped her hand reassuringly. For once he said nothing and that was exactly what Minori needed.

In the minotiny and hubbub of exiting the plane, collecting their luggage and finding their way to the front of the airpot where they would be collected by members of the Whakatu clan, Minori had not had the oppertunity to absorb the cultural diffrences between this place and the one she left. However, when she located a large white sign with the name MINORI scrawled across it the difference between her own clan and this one became very clear. Unlike her own clan the man and woman waiting by a large white van holding the sign were tall, dark skinned and had intricate tattoos adoring their bodies and faces. A trait which typically meant trouble with her own people. Their imposing apperance made her suddenly feel hesitant but before she could back out Ryuu was booming "Kia ora!" and waving at them like the big lump of an i***t he was. There was no intimadation or hesitation on his part and he was not dwarfed by the tall broad man who happily took Ryuu's hand and shook it in greeting.

Minori stepped forward tentatively and followed Ryuu in saying "Kia ora" and extending her hand in greeting.

The tall coffee skinned woman with cascades of tight black curls stepped forward grinning "Kia ora tuahine" (hello sister), and took Minori's hands in hers. Minori did not often feel powerless but in comparison to the two godlike individuals meeting her here she felt like a child who could be broken in hald in an instant. She took a breath and reminded herself that she was an Alpha. Size did not matter, after all her people were renoun for their ability not their brute strength. Well... all but Ryuu. He was all brute strength.

Straightening her back Minori spoke to the woman, "I am Minori, Alpha of the Kira Kitsune clan. I am here as a diplomat in place of my father. Please direct me to your Alpha so I might introduce myself".

The large man laughed stepping forward, "oi you're a keen one aren't ya? You must be famished after a flight like that aye? Fancy getting some tucker on the way back to the village?"

Minori blinked at him. She knew he was speaking English. She had been able to read and speak it fluently since childhood but this was the first time she had actually spoken to someone other than her own people and the accent threw her.

"I don't think she got that", Ryuu laughed, "but yes, we would like to get something to eat before heading back to the village. How far is it?"

"Not that far, 'bout 5 hours drive down south aye Kahu?" the man asks the woman next to Minori.

Kahu nods, "yeah that's right Matiu" she smiles apologetically at Minori, "sorry love. Another long day ahead of you I'm afraid."

Minori sighed but smiled back at Kahu, "we had better go. I am hungry and I think Ryuu and I both need a proper sleep before we travel again"

Matiu beamed at Minori, "well, let's get this show on the road then!" and lifted her suitcase onto his shoulder like it weighed nothing at all. Not to be out done Ryuu follows suit and heaves his own suit case onto his shoulder, somewhat unneccisarily, and helps Matiu load them into the van.

Kahu laughes, "men, am a right?" she asks as she elbows Minori before walking to the van and opening the door.

"Unfortunately, I believe you are indeed right" Minori sighs climbing inside the large white van and setteling down into its luxurious black leather seats. At least these seats were more comfortable than the ones of the plane.

Kahu climbs in next to Minori and fastens her belt, "how does it feel?" she asks throwing a side ways glance at Minori.

"How does what feel?"

"Finally being across the sea? This is your first time right?"

Minori rests her head against the seat, "is it that obvious?"

Kahu laughs, "a little bit. Sorry love."

Minori sighed and looked over at Kahu, "it is a relief actually. Like finally some teather has been cut and I am finally free."

"I don't know if any of us are ever actually free. After all, love is like a prison in itself."

"How do you mean?" Minori questions.

"Once you fall for someone, once your mated, nothing you ever do is for yourself again. Not that I mind it. Quite the opposite actually. But sometimes I wonder what it must be like for someone like you who never mates. There has to be some kind of sensation of freedom right?"

Minori shrugged, "I guess, but as Alpha I have the responsibility of looking after so many people, so I guess I never really had the chance to think about myself right from the start.'

Kahu laughs at this, "you sound just like-" their conversation is cut short by the men clamouring into the van laughing and talking loudly. Just like normal Ryuu had managed to instantly make a new friend.

"So what will it be ladies?" Matiu asks over his shoulder, "fish and chips or something a little fancier?"

"Fish and chips would be perfect" Minori smiled.

"Now that's my kind of lady!" he boomed from the front seat.

"Watch it love" Kahu warned jokingly "or I'll have to get my wolf onto you!"

"I'd like to see you try" he joked "you know she can't resist me" he winked grinning.

Minori watched their banter enviously, if this was what it meant to be mated then perhaps it was something worth more than just a strategic alliance. It also left Minori wondering, who exactly did she sound like?