TWO: Broken wing
Author's note: Just in case anyone wants to know; I am currently operating with out spell check or grammar check..so sorry for anyone who is OCD. Any ways with out further adeau; chapter two.
"Oh God are you alright?" Hitomi asked in a whispered panic. She felt the man's neck for a pulse; it was weak. She gulped. Generally the first thing she would do is get a gurney and relocate her patient to an OR stat, but looking around she wasn't sure their was a hospital for miles...or in existance. She breathed in and out a cole of times. She would have to make do with what she had. She felt for the pockets on her white lab coat...and realized all too conviniently she was only wearing her bathrobe. She forced thoughts of embarassment away. This man was dying.
For the moment however, he still had some pulse, and he was breathing. She began with a quick examination of his limbs; arms, legs, hands...as she reached his hsoulders she noticed the strangest protrusion. Beneath the scapula the muscle extended outward in a wing like fashion. She froze, taking a moment to analyze this new discovery. A bird man? Was their such a thing? It was irrelevant. Her initial evaluation; the patient had severe brusing on his torso, two cracked ribs, a fractured radius and most likely a concussion. The blood smell came from a number of superficial abrassions; most likely sustained during a fall. That brought her back to the bird man theory. She felt behind the scapula following the muscle and the arch of the wing. She realized the wing was larger than it looked and she began to open it to check for vital injuries. So far so good. She extended the wing and had to stand in doing so. Carefrully Hitomi brushed an area that felt pulp like; the man yelled in pain, he must have awakened. Then he fell silent. "I'm sorry, I just needed to know if you had sustained an injury, I didn't mean to..." She trailed off. It didn't matter, the man had regained his strength enough to pull her feet out from under her and barrel down on top of her. She hit the ground hard. Her back suddenly ached from the fall, and her head began to throb. The sudden shock was then replaced by the weight of a heavy grime covered body. She froze. Her emerald eyes searching in the moonlight. The man had removed a blade of some sort and it pressed against her throat. The length of it gleamed. She felt her body grow cold, but she was surprised at the brief flash of embarassment again. Oh God I;m not wearing any clothes! Oh please don't notice. At first Hitomi wasn't sure what to do, but she was aware of the man's infirmities. Taking a brave shot she chose diplomacy, but if it failed then the palm of her hand would meet his cracked ribs.
"Who are you?" He growled, his voice slow and deep. She tried her voice, but it came out nervous and scared. Damn!
"My name is Doctor Hitomi Kanzaki. Please I didn't mean to...." He cut her off.
"I don;'t believe you, you're working for the Emperor aren't you?" He implied, she felt the cold steel press harder on her flesh. "Answer me!" He demanded. Hitomi was very scared.
"I'm not lying, you need medical assistance." She insisted. She bit her lip. "Please you're very injured, I can help you." He moved closer to her face straddling her legs. She felt a flush of heat. His face mived to within inches of her own. Please believe me, I don't want to have to use force on you." He almost laughed, but she knew he was looking into her eyes; he would see the scincerity. The knife pulled back, but she was still scared. When the blade disappeared she found hands on either side of her head....what was he looking at. Then he pressed his body low against hers and whispered in her ear.
"I believe you Hitomi; just don't move and don't make a sound. We're being watched." Hitomi filled with panic, her heart racing. She could hear the man's chest on top of her, his heart beat was steady, almost calm. Barely willing to breath they waited. Hitomi was not sure what kind of predator it might be, but she was willing to trust this wild man. After what felt like an hour he spoke. "Alright, I think it's clear." She flet his heat retreat from her, and one strong hand pulled her to her feet. Her hands immidiately went to the opening of her robe to hold it shut. He didn't seem to notice, and if he did he didn't say anything or seem to care much. She put aside her discomfort for a moment and returned to the problem at hand.
"Is their a clean source of water nearby?" She asked. "We should dress and set all of your wounds soon, or else you could have some permenent limitations." She insisted. She found a pair of dark amber eyes looking at her curiously.
"You are persistent; but please lady my name is Van. I think before you and I travel anywhere together, this simple exchange is required." She agreed. "As per you request I think I can find a stream, I flew over one not more than an hour that way." He said motioning in a direction east. Hitomi nodded absently, her mind going back to the abnormality.
"Then you are indeed a bird-man?" She asked. Their was a hesitation at first. Then he answered.
"No, I flew over this area on a machine...." Van then realized he was unaware of the Escaflowne's location. "In any case we should get moving." Hitomi heard him moving toward the east, and she followed the rustle of his movement into the foliage. They traveled for a long time in silence, and with her bare feet, Hitomi soon asked to pause. Un-use to the terrain and barely clothed she wasn't sure how long she could proceed.
"So how did you know I was telling the truth earlier?" She asked, curious. Van had stoped and leaned up against a tree. She could make out his sillohette. It looked as though the one injured wing remained; as for the other, she was unsure. He raised his head to look at her, undoubtably weary himself.
"Honestly; it was your smell." He said. She blushed, and was greatful for the darkness. "You smell unbelievably odd. Like the well to do women of the royal courts; but you have not the attire nor the personality to be such." He added. She chose to take this as a compliment.
"Wow, I didn't know my smell was so peculiar." She smiled, though he probably did not see it. "And no one that I know ever seemed to notice." He wiped his forehead. He was straining, she could tell.
"Well when you spend nearly a half hour on top f somebody else, you tend to notice these things..." he trailed off. "And other things." He was trying to politely tell her, he was aware of her near nakedness. The reminder made her more than happy to continue on their route, even if just to be distracted from conversation.
"We should probably get going again no?" She insisted. He nodded and took up the front. One thought popped in to her mind as she followed him. "What were we hiding from back their?" His voice was hushed.
"An assasin. I decided that you had to be telling the truth, because assasins don't generally mark their own men as targets." She felt cold all over. Did he just save her life? "I noticed the intruder a little after you arrived, but it left as quietly as it came." She nodded. She moved closer behind him, if just to feel safe.
They reached a small stream fifteen minutes later. The smell of fresh water was welcome to the earthlings nostrils. And she rushed to it and splashed the contents of the bank onto her face. She loved the water. The cool sensation revived her, and she sat back on her heels. It was then that she noticed Van had collapsed onto the ground. His eyes looked glazed, but he remained conscious.
"Don't move; I need to get you undressed if I'm going to wrap your ribs." She began to remove a layer of light metal armor and leather. Beneath the leather flying jacket was a soft light tunic. The shirt was moist; and she knew she probably wouldn't be able to get it over his head, not with a bad wing anyways. The lame man produced his knife again and she knew he was suggesting she cut the shirt off. She nodded and expertly handled the blade opening the shirt like she would a patient's flesh during an operation. Delicately she removed the peices and tore them into strips, tied them together into one long bandage. "Do you mind if I wash you first?" She asked. As it was the environment was far from sterile, but he made no movement to protest. She tore the sleeves off of her robe and dunked one in the water. She sponged his torso removing blood from scrapes, and debris from his bruises. Hitomi began her wrap around the shoulder with out a wing and then across his pectorals. Soon enough the makeshift bandage was secured with a stealthy knot. Satisfied she sat back for a moment.
Her next task was to reset the stranger's arm. Van remained still though she knew it could feel good. She had very little fabric left, and feared the bottom of her robe would have to serve as such. Luckily she only needed enough to make a sling, and found her expensive bathing robe was now a short sleeveless frock. "Maybe you should get some sleep." She suggested. Van hesitated. "Don't worry, I have no wish to run off. Besides I couldn't get very far, and I don't exactly know anyone but you." He cracked a smile. A gust picked up and rushed through her, she shivered.
"I might get cold." He said weakly. Even though she had securely replaced his leather jacket he said it. Hitomi had a feeling that the sentiment was intended for her. She concidered the choices and conceded. Her pride would have to take a back seat, beside if her patient said he would be cold, then dammit she needed to keep him warm. It didn't hurt either that she had finally gotten a good look at him. The moon and the earth had risen over their clearing and she found her saviour Van was tall dark and handsome. "We should move into the trees though." He said. She nodded. She picked up the remaining scraps of fabric and put them in her exterior pockets.
Helping Van settle under a large tree she sat down beside him, leaning into his side, trying not to agravate his ribs. "Don't worry, I'll be fine by morning." He said, and that was the last thing she heard. Moments later she was asleep. She didn't dream of giant pendulums, and she didn't dream of home, or the strange place to which she had come; all she found was rest; warm, dark and silent.
Hitomi stirred sluggishly, she had been awakened by the cold. Her legs were bare and she had fallen over onto her side. "Good morning." She heard and oddly familiar voice say. Hitomi sat up and found a heavy leather jacket had been placed over her. She rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her short brown hair.
"Morning?" She asked. Morning for her was normally a pager beep, or an emergency phone call followed by ten cups of coffee. She looked around and caught sight of the earth in the sky and everything came rushing back to her. She shook from head to toe and Van took notice.
"You can put that jacket on if you're cold." He said. She could hardly believe it, he was unphased by the temperature and aside from his trousers he only had bandages on. She nodded and pulled the jacket around her, slipping her arms into the sleeves.
"Thank you." She said. She brushed a peice of hair from her face and walked over to join him by the stream. "I'm sorry, I'm not really a morning person." She said softly. He smiled, and she noticed for the first time that he had a very heart felt smile. She additionally noticed that as she peered at his back, that his injured wing had vanished. "How?" She inquired, not wanting to be rude, but he noticed her gaze.
"Oh, yes. My wings retreat normally, but apparently when they are injured they do not." He said as though finding out the hard way for the first time. She nodded still stunned.
"I'm sorry." She replied bowing. "I didn't mean to be nosy like that." She said and shook her head. He waved it off.
"It's alright, I'm sure it makes you a good healer where you come from." He said. She flushed. "Where might taht be?" He asked. He sat down on a large rock, he had some how managed a small fire and two fish were cooking on sticks near the little flames. She felt her mouth water, but remembered her manners.
"I'm from Japan...." She realized that really meant nothing to him. Instead she turned to the blue moon hanging in the sky. "There, that's where I come from." She said. His dark eyes stared off at the blue moon for a good long minute and then he nodded.
"I see, although I'd have guessed as much." He said. He offered her a seat by the fire. She was about ready to accept it when she felt the urge to answer nature's call.
"Can you hold that thought for a minute?" She trotted off deeper into the trees to relieve herself. She found a good spot near a bush of trees. This was like camping she thought.
When she was finished she set her robe back down and fluffed her hair, then she felt a terrible itch on her rear. "Please don't be poison oak." She begged. She lifted the side of her pink satin frock and noticed a perfectly round bug bite. "You have got to be kidding me." It was the size of a quarter; and it itched like nobody's buisness. She tried to ignore it. "Food first Hitomi." She reminded herself. She smoothed the front of her robe, when she heard a high male voice.
"Food? You have food, that's wondrful; I'd be more than willing to trade for..." Hitomi couldn't help it she let out a horrifically feminine scream as a short round man appeared, with protruding teeth. In seconds Van's form appeared in front of her.
"Mole man." Van said in a threatening voice. The mole man drew back a bit.
"Van Fanel!" He didn't seemed terribly scared, but the two were obviously aqcuainted. "I'm sorry, I didn'tknow this woman was traveling with you." He had a nervous laugh. Van gave a barely noticable nod. "Well then, I was going to offer it to your friend; but how abut a trade?" Van lowered his gaurd.
"What do you want? He asked skeptically.
"A meal, and some good company." He waved lightly at Hitomi. She could feel Van pressing back against her supportively.
"I am more than willing to share my food with another traveler, but this girl is not for sale." Then it hit HItomi. Where the HELL am I?! She gulped, she wouldn't have dreamed she could be on the menu. The mole man seemed a little disappointed, but he conceeded.
"Well I'll take what I can get." He said. Van rolled his eyes. They waited as the mole man walked past them toward the stream and the cooking fish. "So where are you off to your ma..." Van cut him a quick look, and he was silent.
"I'm headed back to my camp. I'd say where, but who knows who you're working for these days." He insinuated. The mole man nodded.
"True, I'm not all that picky; although their is one man I'll never do buisness with again. Nearly took my head, and that was AFTER I brought him what he wanted." He had expressive facial gestures, and he mainly gave them toward Hitomi. She sat quietly watching. Her hand went quickl;y to the necklace around her neck. She held the gem tightly while the mole man talked. "You know what, I have something that might be helpful after all..." THe mole man 's eyes perked up and moved to the mole man's pack. He pulled out a smal bundle of leather. He carefully peeled back the sides to reveal a smelly green paste.
"What is that?" Hitomi asked amazed and disgusted at the same time.
"It's a salve, you know for that bite on your..." He paused as her face colored scarlett. The brunette jumped to her feet.
"You were watching me? you digusting little..." She was furious and embarassed beyond belief. She couldn't believe how she felt. She found Van putting his hands on her shoulders. "Why I should..." She was interupted.
"Why are you so upset, I'm trying to make up for my misdeed. After all that bite has got to be bothering you." She seethed. In truth it itched immensely. She ground her teeth. Van let go of her and walked forward, he was surprisingly agile even with cracked ribs and a sling.
"Alright, you heard the lady. She doesn't want what you've got. You shuld probably get on your way." He suggested wisely. Hitomi wondered if she should calm down and accept the appology. She really could use an anti-itch cream. She lowered her shoulders submissively.
"Wait." She said breathing out. "I will accept your appology, and your salve; but no more spying on me, or peeking or anything." She said a little exhasperated. He nodded his bald head fervently.
"Of course, of course." He waddled forward and handed the leather full of salve to her. She accepted it. "May I just say that you have the loveliest..." He broke off as her horrified expression turned dangerous. "Never mind, forget I said anything."
Author's note: Hey everybody, had to throw just a little bit of humor in their, hah hah. Okay well hope you liked it. Sorry if the mole man is a little occ; although I always thought that he was a little pervy.
