The Turning Point
Chapter 1: Recognition of Threats to Power
REVISED ON NOV 28th, 2001! Read again please!
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters. Though that doesn't mean that I can't play with them for fun.
AN: This is my second Esca fic. My first is called Illimite L'Amour du Coeur, and just recently I posted chapter 4. Also, events will be different after episode 9 for this fic, which is where this is starting. I thought it would be interesting if Dilandau learned what Hitomi could do before episode 11. So, without further adieu, on with the story!
Van stood in the middle of a forest, waiting. Hitomi had just told him that something was out there, and he had a feeling that it was Zaibach. Suddenly, a tree snapped in half to their left. Van whipped his head to the side. "Where are they? Why can't I see them?" Van looked to his left, at Hitomi, who was gripping her pendant with a fist.
The image of the Alseides melefs appeared in her mind. "Van, straight ahead!"
Van heard her and raised her sword, hearing it clang against the crima claws.
"To the right!"
Van jumped back just as the claws whooshed through the spot he had been standing.
"Behind you, Van!" Hitomi screamed out, pointed to where they were.
"What are you doing? You're missing him." Dilandau snarled at his men.
"We're trying to hit him, but it's like he can see us."
"What are you talking about? Just hit him!"
Van looked around and saw the water. 'Perfect.' "Okay you two, hang on tight." Van sheathed his sword and started running towards the lake.
Dilandau saw what he was doing and told his men to follow him, and cut him off before he got too far into the lake.
As he reached the edge of the lake, he knelt down. "Alright you two, slide down."
"But Van-sama!"
"Merle, don't argue with me. Just do it." After Merle and Hitomi got off, Van ran into the water. Hitomi, however, saw what he didn't in her mind's eye.
"Van! Look out behind you!"
Van whipped around in Escaflowne, to see seven Alseides, including Dilandau's red one, splash down in a circle around him.
"Van!" Dilandau called out. He raised his arm and shot a single claw, and charged at Van. Van unsheathed his own sword and moved to block Dilandau's charge, but found his sword wouldn't move. Looking up, he saw a liquid claw wrapped around his sword. Hearing Dilandau laugh, he glared at the boy ahead of him.
"Well done, Guimel." Motioning to Dalet and Viole, Dilandau smirked at the horror written on his enemy's face as two sets of crima claws pierced the leg armor on the Escaflowne. "You're mine now, Van!" he yells as the Escaflowne shakes again. "For you see, not only are your sword and legs immobilized, but so is the rest of the melef, via my loyal Ryuugekitai, Gatti!"
"Van-sama!" Merle screamed, thrashing as she tried to break free of Hitomi's arms around her arms. "Let me go, Hitomi! Can't you see that Van-sama needs help? Don't you care for him?!"
"Of course I care for him, Merle. But we won't do any good if we get in his way and get killed. And we can't do anyth-" Hitomi looked down at her pendant and smiled. "Merle, I'm going to get us out of here." Grasping her pendant tight in her fist, she wished with all her heart for the three of them to be safe, away from the Ryuugekitai.
"Dilandau-sama! Look at the shore." Chesta shouted over the radio, pointed to where pink streaks of light were gathering around Hitomi.
Dilandau's eyes widened as he recognized the figure at the center of the power storm. 'That girl! The one who was at the fort in Asturia and with the Dragon when we attacked Fanelia.'
*Dilandau pulled back, disgusted as Allen kissed the girl in the strange clothes. He knew that Allen had a playboy nature but he didn't realize that Allen would display it so readily.*
"Dalet, Viole, and Gatti, keep the Dragon detained. Migel and Chesta, follow me." Dilandau turned from the dragon, and trudged back to the land in his guymelef. After he reached land, he opened the face visor, grabbed his sword and radio, and jumped down to the bank. Migel and Chesta followed.
Merle saw the three Zaibach Ryuugekitai and ran over to Hitomi, shaking her as if that would pull her out of the trance she was in, but to no avail. She raised her hand to scratch Hitomi's arms, only to have them folded behind her like a pretzel. She looked behind her to see who was preventing her from warning Hitomi and screamed when she saw one of the soldiers glaring back at her.
Merle's scream broke Hitomi out of her trance, and she released her pendant, upset as she saw the last vestiges of the pink light dissipate. She turned towards Merle, only to feel the point of a sword pressing into her flesh. Her heart stopped for a second and her mind finally comprehended the precarious position she had allowed herself to get into. "Dil- Dilandau!"
Dilandau smirked at the fear that was evident in her voice and eyes. "So little girl, Hitomi was it? What were you doing?" he snarled, gesturing to the very last remnants of the light disappearing into the surrounding air.
Hitomi stuttered, wary of the sword that was pressed against her throat.
"So you are scared of me. Well, you should be since this is going to turn into someth-"
"Dilandau-sama!" Gatti's voice crackled over the radio. "The Dragon's gone."
"What do you mean, 'gone?'"
"Just that, commander. We were guarding him as you instructed us and then a beam of light surrounding him and when it vanished, so had he!"
"A beam of … light?" Dilandau's eyes narrowed at Hitomi, who flinched while trying to remain calm.
"Actually, it looked a lot like the beam of light that appeared in Fanelia when we attacked, that one whisked the Dragon away too."
Dilandau had had enough of this mysterious girl and all the times that she had somehow thwarted his plans. "Alright girly. Explain yourself." He growled, emphasizing his point by pressing the tip of his sword into her neck enough to draw blood.
"No! I won't say anything!"
"Oh, really?" Dilandau said, in a low and dangerous tone. He lowered his head, and before she could see what he did, she had a sword laid across her neck and another arm pinning hers behind her back, making Hitomi cry out. "So, are you still going to resist?"
Hitomi gritted her teeth and kicked behind herself, aiming at his thigh. Hitting it squarely, he yelled and let go of her arms. Hitomi ran over to Merle's captor and punched him in the stomach. When he let go of Merle, Hitomi grabbed her arm and tugged her along, running towards the trees. "Come on, we're heading towards Freid!"
Merle nodded and shrieked when she felt herself pulled down. Letting go of Hitomi's hand and stumbling back, she saw that the other boy had run after them and tackled Hitomi. She met Hitomi's gaze squarely and Hitomi yelled at her to go, to run. Heeding her advice, Merle ran, only to climb up a tree and watch as the other boy pulled Hitomi up and pinned her arms behind her back. She heard Hitomi cry out, and saw Dilandau congratulate the boy, whom he called Migel. Merle gaped as Dilandau approached Hitomi, the rage evident in his face and winced when the slap sounded through the clearing. Then, she jumped down from the tree and hurried towards Freid.
Hitomi cried out again when Dilandau's palm connected with her cheek. "That's for daring to touch me, and this" he punched her in the gut, "is for defying me. Now you girl, are coming with me back to the Vione and explaining how you've managed to thwart us so often."
Hitomi shook her head violently, and struggled to free herself.
Unsheathing his sword, he raised it, hilt down, above her head and knocked her unconscious. Migel caught her as she slumped down in his grasp. Grabbing his radio, Dilandau told his other four men to return to the Vione. Turning back to Migel and Chesta, he gaves his orders. "Migel, give her to me and you and Chesta return to the Vione with me." Letting Migel hand Hitomi's limp form to him, he threw her over his shoulder and climbed back up the cockpit of his melef. "Well, Hitomi, you're my prisoner now." He smirked as he settled her down behind his seat and took off towards the Vione.
Chapter 1: Recognition of Threats to Power
REVISED ON NOV 28th, 2001! Read again please!
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters. Though that doesn't mean that I can't play with them for fun.
AN: This is my second Esca fic. My first is called Illimite L'Amour du Coeur, and just recently I posted chapter 4. Also, events will be different after episode 9 for this fic, which is where this is starting. I thought it would be interesting if Dilandau learned what Hitomi could do before episode 11. So, without further adieu, on with the story!
Van stood in the middle of a forest, waiting. Hitomi had just told him that something was out there, and he had a feeling that it was Zaibach. Suddenly, a tree snapped in half to their left. Van whipped his head to the side. "Where are they? Why can't I see them?" Van looked to his left, at Hitomi, who was gripping her pendant with a fist.
The image of the Alseides melefs appeared in her mind. "Van, straight ahead!"
Van heard her and raised her sword, hearing it clang against the crima claws.
"To the right!"
Van jumped back just as the claws whooshed through the spot he had been standing.
"Behind you, Van!" Hitomi screamed out, pointed to where they were.
"What are you doing? You're missing him." Dilandau snarled at his men.
"We're trying to hit him, but it's like he can see us."
"What are you talking about? Just hit him!"
Van looked around and saw the water. 'Perfect.' "Okay you two, hang on tight." Van sheathed his sword and started running towards the lake.
Dilandau saw what he was doing and told his men to follow him, and cut him off before he got too far into the lake.
As he reached the edge of the lake, he knelt down. "Alright you two, slide down."
"But Van-sama!"
"Merle, don't argue with me. Just do it." After Merle and Hitomi got off, Van ran into the water. Hitomi, however, saw what he didn't in her mind's eye.
"Van! Look out behind you!"
Van whipped around in Escaflowne, to see seven Alseides, including Dilandau's red one, splash down in a circle around him.
"Van!" Dilandau called out. He raised his arm and shot a single claw, and charged at Van. Van unsheathed his own sword and moved to block Dilandau's charge, but found his sword wouldn't move. Looking up, he saw a liquid claw wrapped around his sword. Hearing Dilandau laugh, he glared at the boy ahead of him.
"Well done, Guimel." Motioning to Dalet and Viole, Dilandau smirked at the horror written on his enemy's face as two sets of crima claws pierced the leg armor on the Escaflowne. "You're mine now, Van!" he yells as the Escaflowne shakes again. "For you see, not only are your sword and legs immobilized, but so is the rest of the melef, via my loyal Ryuugekitai, Gatti!"
"Van-sama!" Merle screamed, thrashing as she tried to break free of Hitomi's arms around her arms. "Let me go, Hitomi! Can't you see that Van-sama needs help? Don't you care for him?!"
"Of course I care for him, Merle. But we won't do any good if we get in his way and get killed. And we can't do anyth-" Hitomi looked down at her pendant and smiled. "Merle, I'm going to get us out of here." Grasping her pendant tight in her fist, she wished with all her heart for the three of them to be safe, away from the Ryuugekitai.
"Dilandau-sama! Look at the shore." Chesta shouted over the radio, pointed to where pink streaks of light were gathering around Hitomi.
Dilandau's eyes widened as he recognized the figure at the center of the power storm. 'That girl! The one who was at the fort in Asturia and with the Dragon when we attacked Fanelia.'
*Dilandau pulled back, disgusted as Allen kissed the girl in the strange clothes. He knew that Allen had a playboy nature but he didn't realize that Allen would display it so readily.*
"Dalet, Viole, and Gatti, keep the Dragon detained. Migel and Chesta, follow me." Dilandau turned from the dragon, and trudged back to the land in his guymelef. After he reached land, he opened the face visor, grabbed his sword and radio, and jumped down to the bank. Migel and Chesta followed.
Merle saw the three Zaibach Ryuugekitai and ran over to Hitomi, shaking her as if that would pull her out of the trance she was in, but to no avail. She raised her hand to scratch Hitomi's arms, only to have them folded behind her like a pretzel. She looked behind her to see who was preventing her from warning Hitomi and screamed when she saw one of the soldiers glaring back at her.
Merle's scream broke Hitomi out of her trance, and she released her pendant, upset as she saw the last vestiges of the pink light dissipate. She turned towards Merle, only to feel the point of a sword pressing into her flesh. Her heart stopped for a second and her mind finally comprehended the precarious position she had allowed herself to get into. "Dil- Dilandau!"
Dilandau smirked at the fear that was evident in her voice and eyes. "So little girl, Hitomi was it? What were you doing?" he snarled, gesturing to the very last remnants of the light disappearing into the surrounding air.
Hitomi stuttered, wary of the sword that was pressed against her throat.
"So you are scared of me. Well, you should be since this is going to turn into someth-"
"Dilandau-sama!" Gatti's voice crackled over the radio. "The Dragon's gone."
"What do you mean, 'gone?'"
"Just that, commander. We were guarding him as you instructed us and then a beam of light surrounding him and when it vanished, so had he!"
"A beam of … light?" Dilandau's eyes narrowed at Hitomi, who flinched while trying to remain calm.
"Actually, it looked a lot like the beam of light that appeared in Fanelia when we attacked, that one whisked the Dragon away too."
Dilandau had had enough of this mysterious girl and all the times that she had somehow thwarted his plans. "Alright girly. Explain yourself." He growled, emphasizing his point by pressing the tip of his sword into her neck enough to draw blood.
"No! I won't say anything!"
"Oh, really?" Dilandau said, in a low and dangerous tone. He lowered his head, and before she could see what he did, she had a sword laid across her neck and another arm pinning hers behind her back, making Hitomi cry out. "So, are you still going to resist?"
Hitomi gritted her teeth and kicked behind herself, aiming at his thigh. Hitting it squarely, he yelled and let go of her arms. Hitomi ran over to Merle's captor and punched him in the stomach. When he let go of Merle, Hitomi grabbed her arm and tugged her along, running towards the trees. "Come on, we're heading towards Freid!"
Merle nodded and shrieked when she felt herself pulled down. Letting go of Hitomi's hand and stumbling back, she saw that the other boy had run after them and tackled Hitomi. She met Hitomi's gaze squarely and Hitomi yelled at her to go, to run. Heeding her advice, Merle ran, only to climb up a tree and watch as the other boy pulled Hitomi up and pinned her arms behind her back. She heard Hitomi cry out, and saw Dilandau congratulate the boy, whom he called Migel. Merle gaped as Dilandau approached Hitomi, the rage evident in his face and winced when the slap sounded through the clearing. Then, she jumped down from the tree and hurried towards Freid.
Hitomi cried out again when Dilandau's palm connected with her cheek. "That's for daring to touch me, and this" he punched her in the gut, "is for defying me. Now you girl, are coming with me back to the Vione and explaining how you've managed to thwart us so often."
Hitomi shook her head violently, and struggled to free herself.
Unsheathing his sword, he raised it, hilt down, above her head and knocked her unconscious. Migel caught her as she slumped down in his grasp. Grabbing his radio, Dilandau told his other four men to return to the Vione. Turning back to Migel and Chesta, he gaves his orders. "Migel, give her to me and you and Chesta return to the Vione with me." Letting Migel hand Hitomi's limp form to him, he threw her over his shoulder and climbed back up the cockpit of his melef. "Well, Hitomi, you're my prisoner now." He smirked as he settled her down behind his seat and took off towards the Vione.