Cinder's Story: a Lunar Chronicles Fanfic

Chapter Two: Stars Above = Holy Cow

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

Cinder couldn't fathom how it was possible for people to die while standing up, but perhaps he meant that she looked "not alive". This would've made a tad more sense, given that she didn't appear to move the way normal people do when lost in thought. Still, it was a weak excuse on his part.

The young man grew sheepish. "I... um... I'm looking for the mechanic here. Is he in?"

"You're looking at her."

Cinder spun her head back into its normal position.

"And now, I'm looking at you!"

The man- Kai, as she determined by her retinal readout- grew aghast.

"Whoa," he breathed, "you're hot?"

She folded her arms. "Aren't you, in that heavy trench coat?"

With an easy sigh, he gazed longingly at his reflection in the window next door.

"Stars... I am, aren't I?"

Cinder drooped her arms akimbo, with the intention to admonish him to state his business or leave, but then she took note of Kai's proper title on her interface...

"YOUR MAJESTY!" She shrieked.

He raised a finger to his lips. "Calm down. I'm undercover. You can tell by this expensively suave trench coat that I'm wearing."

"OH, MY GOODNESS, YOU'RE THE PRINCE! HEY, EVERYBODY," she poked her head out of her booth, "THE PRINCE IS VISITING MY SHOP! HE'S RIGHT HERE! STARS ABOVE!"

(You should know that "stars above" means "holy cow" in this universe.)

"Um," Kai mumbled, "could you stop screaming? Nobody's here."

Cinder let out a breath. "Sure. Sorry about that; my cybernetics occasionally overestimate the endorphins that my brain should be producing, causing mood swings."

Kai grew thoughtful. "Huh. I just thought you were a girl."

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"Nothing!" He raised both of his hands. "I need my android fixed! That's all!"

"Your what?"

They both looked down at the android Kai had chucked at her, now strewn on the floor with other odds and ends that Cinder had neglected to tidy up over the years.

"Oh." Said Cinder. "That's cool. How soon do you need it?"

"Before the upcoming ball, where we'll be announcing my engagement to queen Levana."

Cinder looked up at him, and Kai's eyes widened.

"...What?" He sputtered. "Who said that?"