Very interesting so far. I can't imagine what a tangled web these will weave once the characters begin to intertwine. I want to write a chapter, but I don't know. There are already 11 different people writing, that will be tough to keep up with.

As I've read through the chapters I've been making a general synopsis of characters and events for easier reference farther down the line. If anyone cares to see it, perhaps I'll post it once I'm done. I have a number of chapters yet to read, though.

Edit: Inspiration sporatically hit me.
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Chapter 12: A Suprise Visit

"Pardon me, but I think your ship is on fire."

A slender, golden-furred rabbit paused in her exchange amongst friends and turned to address the interruption. With a wry smirk she replied, "Is this how you usually start conversations?" The black rabbit before her disguised a smile as his indigo eyes glistened for a moment. And for a moment hers paused to study his face. Was that recognition?

"Your ship - out in the parking garage. License TOL42?", he responded, taking a moment to glance and admire her friends. He sensed they'd had a little more than a few drinks this evening. The girl's stare turned from buzz-induced amusement into slightly more sober concern. Perfect.

With one of her eyebrows raised she quietly replied, "That's mine. It's.. on fire?", as if he hadn't just said it was. The black rabbit nodded in a melodramatically rueful way. The girl looked despairingly at the ceiling and swore. "My father will be so angry!" The black rabbit hid a grin, grabbed her hand, and began to drag her through the small circles of people out of the door into the breezy night air.

"We were coming in when we discovered the problem. You must have left your lights on and caused an electrical fire, but there are already some out there putting it out." The girl didn't say anything back. She looked dazed and was walking rather clumsily. Peering back, the black rabbit spotted her friends back in the same place. He imagined they shrugged and ordered another round of drinks. Some friends. He was doing her a favour, really. Yes.

Half way to the parking garage he stopped walking and tried to catch his breath. "What are doing?" demanded the girl, "Why have we stopped?" She wasn't quite sober enough to realize standing here while her ship was allegedly on fire was not a good choice for priorities.

After a short moment the interrupter looked up at the girl and grinned playfully. "It's been quite a number of years, Naomi, but I never envisioned you ever letting me hold your hand again." Sobriety suddenly flooded in and Naomi came to her senses.

"Icarus? Icarus, you fool!" she cried out and pushed him back. "What are you doing here? My father told you never to come near me again!" She seemed perplexed and apprehensive, but underneath Icarus sensed something of the old days, when they had often snuck out of their houses to sit with each other under the stars, before Icarus was falsely accused of killing his own family. Despite the charges proving false, Naomi's father never trusted Icarus again.

"Oh, there it is again! You see, my lovely Naomi, it is always about your father, isn't it? Your father's ship being ruined, your father believing murderous conspiracies, your father doing whatever. It's how you have always been. When will you grow out of that and come with me?" By now Icarus had moved in a little closer and was staring at her pleadingly. She loosened up from the shock. He hadn't tracked down this girl only for her to reject him.

Naomi sighed and looked towards the sky. "You don't understand," she said, "it -is- all about my father when it comes to you. He doesn't trust you, Icarus. And frankly I don't even know who you are anymore. I thought when you left for Diamondus all those years ago that I'd never see you again. I've been so worried with the news from there, though. What have you been doing?"

"I've been helping in the relief effort, unofficially. I help find people who want to escape on a private flight, then me and a buddy of mine transfer them to where they want to go for quite a substantial fee. I've gotten quite rich. Our latest drop-off was to Carrotus, and I had to come see you again. I had to see if you would go with me."

Naomi bit her lip. "Go with you? Where? You know I can't just suddenly run off, especially with you..."

"And why is that, Naomi? Oh, that's right! Because of your father. There it is again. You are responsible for yourself now, so come with me! We need to take one trip back to Diamondus to find anyone else who wants to leave, and then I am going to find a small town in Carrotus where I can settle down again and find real work. I don't even need to make a living with all of the money I've earned, Naomi, I just want a normal life." Icarus reached down and found her hand again. "Please, come with me."

Naomi was lost in a sea of doubt and confusion. This had all come upon her so suddenly, but she did have a desire to run off. The chain of her father had gotten too bothersome to ignore long ago, she wanted to break free. Moreover, she knew this is exactly the way he had wanted her to feel. He knew she would give in to him, and she knew this was her time to go. After a moment she sighed again and said, "Alright, I'll go."

"Great, because I didn't have a ship.."