Wing of Dragon, Song of Goddess
Discalimer: I don't own Esca, no matter how much I wish I did. ..
A/N: Wow, I had no idea that this idea would be so popular! I'm delighted, and I thank all of you who reviewed very much! This chapter is a little short, but we're going to be getting to the good stuff next chapter, I promise! I think some of you are mind readers out there. . . Anyway, I'll get to work on the next chapter as soon as you start reviewing! Happy reading!
Chapter 2
'Are you okay Hitomi? You look exhausted!" Yukari said worriedly, leaning against the locker as she watched her friend removing books from her locker.
"I'm fine," she murmured, hiding a yawn as she stowed her jacket on a hook and slammed her locker door shut. "I just haven't been sleeping too well."
Yukari's eyes gleamed with concern. "You haven't. . . been sneaking out at night, have you?"
Hitomi rolled her emerald eyes. "What kind of person do you think I am?" she said in exasperation, playfully slapping the red haired girl on the shoulder. "It's bad nightmares, Yukari, I'm not sneaking out to party."
"Just checking!" she returned with a laugh. "I figured if you were sneaking out, you'd at least invite me too!" They walked toward their classes in silence for a moment until Yukari dared to speak again. "Are these the same type of dreams that you've been having for the past week?"
"Yes," she answered wearily, pausing before the chemistry door, reflecting briefly on the crying child and his dead parents whose images she couldn't get out of her head. "But don't worry about it, they're just dreams. See you at lunch!"
Hitomi entered the chemistry room moments before the bell rang, sliding into her seat beside Millerna who gave her a bright smile. Before either girl could say anything, the teacher stood and began lecturing on the properties of magnesium, scribbling on the white board as the majority of the students began to copy the notes. There were some exceptions, such as Dilandou who simply flicked his lighter, glaring about in boredom, and his cronies who were making spit ball shooters. The lecture dragged on and on, and even the diligent students were beginning to loose interest, including Millerna who was twirling a lock of hair with her right hand and examining the nails of her left hand. The teacher's back was to the class as he continued to write and talk in a loud voice, unaware that he was losing his audience.
Bored with taking notes off the board, Hitomi let her eyes wander and was startled to see Dilandou walking up in plain sight to the front of the room, his lighter in hand. Hitomi glanced sideways over at Millerna who was staring in the same direction, but with a vague expression, as if she couldn't see the boy.
Puzzled, Hitomi looked around discreetly to see if anyone noticed, but no one did, she was positive of it. If they had, there would be giggles and muffled laughter, but there were only glazed expressions in the eyes of her classmates. Completely baffled, she could only watch as Dilandou moved to the revolving chair behind the desk. He tipped over a beaker full of flammable liquid before striking his lighter and holding the small flame to the chair. It ignited, and smirking, Dilandou slunk back to his seat, just as gasps and screams erupted from the students. As he passed her, Hitomi looked directly into his eyes, and he glared back at her, looking slightly surprised. There was complete pandemonium from the class until the teacher had grabbed the fire extinguisher and successfully put out the flames.
"Okay, okay, calm down everyone!" he roared, waving his arms to get them to quiet down. "Who started this fire?"
There was dead silence in the class, a silence where Hitomi wondered nervously if she should say something. The teacher's eyes wandered over the students, pausing for the briefest second on Dilandou who had a look of fake innocence on his pale features.
"If anyone knows who did this, they can leave an anonymous note," the teacher said at last when it became apparent that no one was going to fess up.
The bell rang then, and the class hurried to gather up their stuff. As he walked past her again, Dilandou gave her a fierce look that said she better keep her mouth shut. But Hitomi couldn't do it, not even with her fear of what Dilandou might do if he ever discovered she squealed on him. She hurriedly scribbled a quick note to the teacher, and dropped it on his desk before she followed Millerna out of the room. She remained nervous all through English, unable to pay attention and was aware of Millerna looking at her worriedly.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked when Dryden had given the last fifteen minutes of class to themselves. "Was it the fire?"
"Well, sort of," she started to say, but the attention of both Allen and Van had been caught.
"Fire?" Van spoke up. His eyes were strangely bright, and he glanced sharply at Millerna, then at Allen and Hitomi. "What fire?"
Millerna quickly filled the two boys in on the 'mysterious' burning of the chemistry teacher's chair. When she'd finished, Allen snorted, sitting back in his chair.
"Three guesses who started that one," he remarked, causing Millerna to laugh. "Well, no one saw Dilly do it, so there's no proof. . ."
Hitomi shifted uneasily in her seat, giving a small cough. Van seemed angry, though Hitomi couldn't understand why. True, he and Dilandou were enemies, but that was no reason for him to care about what Dilandou did in school unless it threatened his friends.
"So he's decided to take the battles from the field and to where innocents can be harmed, has he?" His voice was low and furious, eyes burning like flames. He made to stand up, as if to go after Dilandou right there, but Allen grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
"Easy, Dragon," he said in a quiet, calm voice. "Ol' Pyro isn't going anywhere, and it wouldn't do any good for you to go and get yourself expelled for fighting, would it?"
Van glared at him, slumping in his seat. "I won't allow him to terrorize this school," he growled under his breath. "If he dares anything, I won't hesitate to-"
Hitomi glanced at him with surprise at the same moment Millerna said, "Van!" sharply.
He looked at her at once, but didn't glare the way he had at Allen. "Fine," he muttered under his breath, but Hitomi saw the way he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, a glance filled with concern. Van then looked to Millerna once more, before turning to talk in a low voice to Allen.
"Say Hitomi, do you want to each lunch with us today?" Millerna asked cheerfully, flipping her blond hair back. "You, Yukari, and Amano?"
She blinked, startled. It was just so out of the ordinary for one of the White Dragons to invite an outsider into their group, but she didn't stop to ponder the reasons, merely glad to sped time with all her friends instead of just one group or the other. "Really? Sure, that would be great! I'll just go to my locker, and meet you in the cafeteria."
The bell rang, and Hitomi stood up, heading towards the door. Millerna who hadn't bothered to gather her things up yet called out frantically, "Wait! I'll go with you!"But Hitomi was already gone.
She walked down the hall in a daze, her mind whirling. How come no one had noticed Dilandou when he had started the chair on fire? It wasn't as if he had tried not to be seen. . . and why were Van, Allen, and Millerna acting so funny about it?
The halls had rapidly emptied as everyone had gone off to lunch, but Hitomi was too lost in her thoughts to notice. She rounded the corner that would lead to her locker, and ran full force into someone clad in black and red.
"Watch where you're going-" a boy's voice started to snarl, then stopped as his hands gripped her shoulders in an iron grip. Looking up, Hitomi was startled to find that she had run right into Dilandou who was looking livid.
"Kanzaki! You squealed on me!" He spat, shaking her as she gave a frightened gasp. "I've got detention for a month, and I have to pay for the chair for that dumb teacher! You'll regret that one!"
Dilandou shoved her away from him roughly. She stumbled backwards and would have fallen if he had not run into the person behind her who caught hold of her shoulders, holding her against them to help her find her balance. Hitomi saw a faint glitter of wariness in the albino's eyes, and looked up to see her rescuer, feeling her heart stop and her breath catch in her throat.
"So, you've sunk even lower, Dilandou, shoving women?" Van's voice was light, but hard with an edge of danger. His dark eyes seemed to burn as he stared coldly at the other teenager.
"It's none of your business what I do, Fanel!" Dilandou snapped furiously. "So butt out! I have a bone to pick with that little-"
"Watch what you say," Van cautioned, his grip tightening slightly on Hitomi's shoulders, causing a strange shiver to race through her. "Otherwise I'll have no choice but to-"
"You wouldn't dare, not here," the albino sneered, and took a menacing step forward. "But I, on the other hand, don't care who finds out. . ." He took another step nearer but stopped short as there was a sound of approaching footsteps.
"What were you saying, Dilandou?" a cool, calm voice cut in evenly.
Turning her head slightly, Hitomi was startled to see not only Van's best friend, but his entire gang assembled. Millerna was there with her arms folded, a scowl set on her pretty features, and behind her were a various array of guys, only a handful that Hitomi actually knew. Gaddes looked dangerously amused, Reeden was grinning fiercely, and Kio simply looked bored.
"Should have known you'd show up Allen Shezar," Dilandou sneered, though he seemed to have lost much of his bravado with the arrival of Van's pals.
"Not so brave without your cronies, are you?" Gaddes put in scornfully.
Crimson eyes narrowed, but he ignored the remark as he returned his attention to Van who still held Hitomi protectively against him. "She's under your protection then, Dragon?" he said slowly, eyes glittering dangerously. "Fine. See if I care. Just hope we don't meet when you're alone. . ."
"I can take you on anytime," Van said, his control slipping so his voice was a growl full of menace. "Now get out of my sight before decide I have to teach you manners."
Dialndou merely snorted glaring at Hitomi. "You better stay out of my way Kanzaki," he growled before wheeling around and vanishing out of sight around another corner.
Van glowered after him, still holding onto Hitomi rather possessively, which she wasn't protesting. One of Van's friends suddenly spoke up, eying the direction the albino had gone.
"Dilandou's askin' for it. You think he's planning something?"
"Of course he is," Van returned in disgust. "The maniac isn't happy unless he's causing havoc." He suddenly seemed to realize he still held her, and let go of Hitomi's shoulders, much to her dismay. His dark eyes were concerned as he scanned her face. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
She felt a blush rising in her cheeks, but tried to act normal as she answered. "No, no he didn't," she assured him. "You got there before he could." Suddenly, Hitomi wondered if he had followed her from class, but quickly banished such a thought. After all, why would he do that? "Thank you, for making him go away. . ."
A look of relief fluttered through his dark eyes before they cleared and he gave his trademark smile that made girls weak at the knees. "No problem," he said easily, leaning back against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. "It's always amusing to yank Dilandou's chain."
Allen laughed, shaking his head. "One of these days its going to get you into trouble," he warned, though his voice was filled with amusement.
Van shrugged with a grin. "I can handle him." He then seemed to realize that the majority of his group were still hovering around him, almost like a guard, and waved them off with an easy smile. "Chill, guys. Go on to lunch, I'll be there in a few, okay?"
There were some laughs and teasing remarks as the White Dragons slowly broke up until Van, Hitomi, Allen, and Millerna were the only ones left in the hall. It was Millerna who finally spoke, tossing her blond pony tail over her shoulder. "Well, lets get to your locker then so we can go get some grub!" She wrapped a friendly arm around Hitomi's shoulders and the girls took the lead, the boys following at a slower pace farther behind. They reached the locker, retrieved the books, and started out on the return journey to the cafeteria.
After a few moments of giggling about something Allen had said to Millerna about one of her outfits, Millerna suddenly leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratively. "You like Van, don't you?" Her lavender eyes glittered mischievously.
Hitomi gave a low gasp of surprise. "What makes you say that?" she demanded in a hissing whisper, shooting a secretive look over her shoulder to make sure Van and Allen weren't paying attention, which they weren't. They were too busy arguing about the basketball game that was coming up, and who would score first, betting and kidding with each other. "I don't!"
"Yeah, whatever," Millerna retorted, rolling her eyes. "Girl, you can't fool me. You're dead gone on him, aren't you?"
Her pale cheeks flamed, emerald eyes lowering. "Well, I- that is, I think he's really- oh, I don't even know him that well!" she finished in exasperation. "How can I like someone I barely know?"
The blond girl smiled widely. "Easily," she answered pleasantly. "Aw c'mon, Hitomi! You know I can keep a secret! Just confirm what I already know!"
Her blush deepened, and finally she gave in, muttering, "Okay, okay. So I like him. But then who wouldn't? He's nice, funny and-"
"A gorgeous hunk?" Millerna supplied in a soft whisper, giggling in delight when Hitomi turned a brilliant crimson. "You're gone on him girl, you are so gone!"
"Keep your voice down!" she moaned softly.
"Okay, okay, just calm down!" the girl laughed. "Listen, I think this is great, and I know you'd be an awesome girlfri-"
"Don't say that out loud!" Hitomi growled threateningly, praying that Van and Allen really were as engrossed in their conversation as they appeared. "Are you trying to make me die of heart failure?"
"Sorry," Millerna said, not sounding as if she felt a bit sorry. "But really, I think this is something that could work! You and Van would be so cute together!" Suddenly her face lit up, and she grinned widely. "I just had a great idea! Allen's throwing a party tomorrow night, and there's no way Van wouldn't show up for one of Allen's bashes. Why don't you come with me? It could be the perfect opportunity for you to get to know him better. Besides, I know that he's interested in you." Her beaming smile widened as she saw Hitomi's eyes light up.
"But how would you know that for certain?" she inquired timidly as they entered the noisy lunchroom and headed towards the lines for the food.
Millerna smiled. "Because I'm one of his friends, Hitomi. Trust me on this, he is definitely interested in you." She cocked her head to the side, surveying the other girl. "So, what do you say? Will you come?"
Hitomi was torn between wanting to go, and terrified if she did she'd make a complete idiot of herself. Weakly she tried to make some excuse. "But Allen might not want me there. . .."
"Oh, as if!" the blond girl exclaimed. "The more people at his party the better! Listen, I'll prove it to you!" And before the horrified Hitomi could say anything, Millerna whirled, and called out to where he and Van were goofing off in front of the soda machines. "Hey Allen!" she shouted, drawing the attention of both boys. "Hitomi's gonna come to the party tomorrow! Is that cool with you!"
"Sure!" he yelled back, grinning widely. "No prob! See you there then Hitomi!"
Millerna turned back to a mortified Hitomi, smirking. "Well now, you don't have an excuse! And Van heard you were coming, and won't he be awfully disappointed if you don't show?" She grinned, giving the brown haired girl a gentle shove. "So what do you say? You coming?"
Hitomi groaned but at the same time she felt the faint stirrings of excitement deep in her stomach. She glanced once more across the lunch room at Van where he stood laughing at something Allen had said, his dark hair falling into his eyes, and she felt her insides melt. Turning back to Millerna, she sighed gently before answering. "Yes. What time will you pick me up?"