A/N: I do not own Escaflowne. SPOILER ALERT!!
It was her dream ever since she was little, to be a Guymelef pilot
It was her dream ever since she was little, to be a Guymelef pilot. She'd hidden her love of them from her mother's sake; it just wouldn't do to have a daughter fascinated by Guymelefs. She truly loved Guymelefs, the sound of rotating gears, the thunderous sound of their footsteps, the rosy color of the Drag Energist, the sunlight glinting on the metal bodies. And the duels…the clang of metal on metal, the diversity of the weapons, the movements of the Guymelefs. Her greatest joy was going to the coliseum to watch the duels. It just got her blood going to watch two hulking machines battle. Like great mechanical gods...
However, as the younger sister of Allen Shezar, Celena was expected to marry into another noble family (preferably of higher rank), not become a Guymelef pilot. Of course, it never stopped her from asking Allen if he'd teach her how to use a sword. He gladly taught her and enjoyed the quality time with his sister until she beat him on the first sword stroke, and again, and again, and again….
Celena even asked Allen if he'd teach her how to pilot a Guymelef-after she'd beat him in their last sparring match. Allen feared she'd become a female version of Dilandau, who could blame him, having that psyco running around again, and in his house! He truly feared her becoming Dilandau again, he shouldn't have taught her how to use a sword. He tried to dissuade her from it saying it was vary hard dangerous work. Celena pestered him constantly until she won the argument by pointing out that if it were indeed hard work piloting a Guymelef Allen wouldn't be able to wear the same clothes he'd had for the last ten years, and who could say no to that face.
On the other Allen remembered a promise he'd made to her when they little. Celena always liked the Guymelefs and he'd promised to her that he would help her become a pilot no matter what. Unfortunately, Celena remembered too.
Allen procured an old model Guymelef of similar make to his Sherazade. Celena tried it out the first day. She found that it did need more muscle than she had to move the massive machine. Allen soon moved her and the Guymelef that she lovingly called Fatima to a fortress on the border he'd been assigned too. He wouldn't have taken her if he weren't afraid of her accidentally felling some of the ancient trees that surrounded the mansion, and in these days even a skirmish on the borders was rare, besides, he figured she'd be safer close to him. The men at the fortress wouldn't dare hassle the sister of Allen Shezar when he was there and the crew of the Crusade would certainly protect her.
Celena trained daily by walking around the perimeter of the fortress in the Guymelef. She didn't dare try to train with Allen and the other men yet. After a month, Celena was able to run around the fortress. Allen still wouldn't let Celena train with them so she challenged Allen to a race.
Allen had met the girl from the Mystic Moon at this fortress but it'd changed since then. The thick tree trunks that had made the bulk of the wall had been replaced by slabs of stone. The wood was reused as scaffolding that still surrounded the building. Allen's crew had stationed themselves on the scaffolding with most of the staff. The guards still stood at their posts but paid little attention to their duty, the ones posted inside the building had come outside so a solid wall of armor stood between the door and anyone trying to in.
The air was crisp and cold with a slight breeze. Fatima and Sherazade stood side by side at the gate facing the east wall. Celena and Allen were inside their Guymelefs waiting for the single. They would run around the perimeter of the fortress once, the rewards having never been settled on.
"Ready!" Gaddes yelled.
Celena and Allen readied their Guymelefs.
"On three! Three!"
Celena was the first out. Allen was startled by her reaction time but took off running. Celena leaned too far forward in her excitement and tripped.
The spectators laughed and Allen passed her.
Celena got up with a little difficulty; she'd never tripped in a Guymelef. She started running again careful not to lean to far forward again.
Allen turned and started running along the north wall.
Celena cut ahead of him by almost crashing into the scaffolding. She stayed ahead of him until they got to the south wall, where Allen copied her and cut ahead.
Celena lost by a hair.
Allen stood under Fatima, waiting for Celena to come out. He was worried, maybe Celena had strained herself to hard and fainted but they didn't want to force the Guymelef open; that could hurt her.
The hatch opened, excess pressure was released as steam. Celena leaped out of the Guymelef.
Celena landed in Allen's open arms.
"That was so much fun!" she shouted happily, "we must do it again someday."
Allen's eye twitched. She liked Guymelefs. She liked them too much. She was in love with them. But who could deny that face.
A/N: What'cha think. Celena a pilot and always wanted to be a pilot. Just in case you missed the point. She loved Guymelefs before she turned into Dilandau.