Author Note: This is where the story is more evidence breaks off from the universe. It's slowly picking pace.


Chapter Four: I'm Not A Spy!

With Fanelia ravaged, and all its citizen homeless, it was fortunate any ship even passer-by. They pick up a handful of living survivors then cruise away. The Crusader ship's hulk was crowded, and only limited of food could be supplied and crews to spared.

Sounds of hundred of voices carry into Hitomi's dream, reminding her self of Tokyo's busy streets. She could almost image the different individuals face walking the sidewalks of Shibbyo. Suddenly, tremors shook the ground, which disrupted the peaceful scenery she dreamt. Hitomi fell back into a void pit where her eyes open to see a seen she didn't recognize.

The cold floor was evidenced through the thin sheets Hitomi laid on top, and the stale musty smell was strong. This was not her home. This was not her room.

"That's right. I'm on Gaia." She frowned, but otherwise sat up to cough. Her lungs felt raw and throat perched, her hair was coated with soot and debris much like the other survivors around her. They were all herded in ship's hanger use as a makeshift-hospital. Stack of boxes off one corner and air hatch below them. She could see soldiers dress in uniforms attending and treating the injuries, and cringed at the sight of one burnt individual.

Taken in the number of civilians; beak, feather, fur, and scaled, Hitomi saw their sorrowful expression. Everyone appeared devastated, many were weeping and wail into a friends or family member's arm.

"I wonder any of them are Van or Merle..." Hitomi ask herself while her groggy eyes searched for those two faces out of mass.

Spotting a metal door at the far end instead, she unsteadily rose off the floor. She immediately felt the ground rumbling like it was moving underneath. She ignored that particular detail, and sway across the less densely populated part of the room.

At her destination, she attempted to throw her weight on top of the latch and was whisk away by the blast of cold wind it had open up. Hitomi clumsy stumbled out and grabbed the first solid object, which happened to be the metal rail of the walkway. She clutched the bar tighter to her chest when the sudden movement of the ship lurching to the side as it hit an airstream. The turbulence of the engine roaring in her ears and her long hair slapping against her cheeks.

Hitomi yelp in surprises when everything became clear again. She was thousands feet off the ground, landscape rolling below her. Most of the clouds obscure some of its greens and lush fields. It was a beautiful sight, yet frighten too.

After a few tense moments where nothing much happen, some type of bird flew by and quacked at her before fling even higher. She watch it trail across the blue sky for some time before returning her sites on the terrain which changed from its grassiness to thriving forest. Feeling it was safe, her knuckles relax just a bit but remain firmly latch on the steel rail.

"I must be on some kind of airship." Hitomi barely heard herself confessed.

Soldiers came and left, none have bothered to question the strange girl glue to the rail.

An orange blob caught her attention when she looked up, distinctly heard the steps that was far too light to be a solder's boots stomp. When Hitomi head turned, she only saw its owner dress flutter.

"Merle?" Hitomi blinked a few times in disbelief, but there was no mistaking that tail – Merle, the cat girl.

"Merle," She called out gain even more frantic.

Hitomi push herself off the rail, wood board creek as she walk along the side of the ship.


He couldn't sleep, felt that he shouldn't be sleeping, so he woke up. What he didn't expect was Caption Allen; elite knights of Asturia there.

Van pushed away the older warrior offer to help when he heard his hiss from the pain. Van's blister marks were bandaged along with injures that reopen belonging from his previous battle with the dragon.

"I'm fine." He made a stagger towards exit.

"I need to get back to Fanelia." Saying it even more determine.

Allen merely look at the boys determination as his impetuous, and decided to speek slowly as if any faster was too painful and quiet as if any louder was too much.

"There is no Fanelia. It was burned."

Van hand pause at the door handle, but he knew all along. Kept clutching to possibility it wasn't true. A figment his mind made up to fill him with fear. It was such difficult to found out openly that it wasn't.

"I'm truly sorry about it." Allen said after a suitable amount of time had passed.

"How many?" Van's grip tighten.

"As many we could save." Allen began, and then went on detail surrounding the circumstances of the Fanelia evacuation. He did not know who attack; neighbour lord wanting the territory perhaps, but nothing indicated that directions. For the safety of everyone, it was best to leave and—

"How many?" Van repeat loudly, wanting the digits, hoping it wasn't as low as he imagined.

"Sixty-four. The time we got there... I'm sure most of citizens have left. Those who couldn't are on the ship."

Van furiously banged his fist on the wall beside him.

"We'll arrive in Asturia soon, till than please rest and prepare to be presented at court as a wittness Prince Vanitas." Allen inform, before walking pass the heartbroken Van to open the door. Two occupancies were outside of the door; a female and male. Van still remain fixed at the wall when the two people waltz in his quarter, he supposed that it was his.

"My father died because of you. He wanted me to make sure at least you survived. That's what I came to say." A distinct youthful voice barked.

"I'm sorry." Van felt the shame, and cannot bring himself to look directly at their faces; Poker, Fanelian chamberlain and Shawn Balgas, daughter of Glen Balgas who was his most trusted military chief.

"Of course we are disappointed, but there was nothing you could have done." She continued her resentment remarks, sting with bitterness and left the conversation at that, uncaring whatever authority a prince with no ruling kingdom had over her because she had just as much right to be unpleasant.

Poker brush shoulders with Van along his way to catch up with Shawn, despite his bitterness too, he at least whisper one good news to him.

"Princess Millerna is safe."

"He is not a king you know." Shawn bellowed outside Van's close door when Poker rejoined her again. She wanted her friend to understand this very well. "If he was, he wouldn't ever let it happen the way it did. He wouldn't have abandoned his kingdom to flame. He left people to die."

Poker merely kept quiet. His attention instead was on a light brown hair girl running at them.

"Have you seen a cat; orange with pink hair?" She extended her fingers out from her head to demonstrate in its place where odd shape ears would be for the person in question she's looking for. She was unsatisfied with unresponsive from the perplex two however.

"Oh... never mind," The girl wave off. She dashed away without a proper utter of goodbye, not like she said hello to them either.

"Is she a Fanelian?" Poker nudge his colleague, "She isn't someone I've seen. An Asturian than?"

"But it wouldn't explain her tolerate lack of manners towards us for any Fanelian or Asturian would have known to bow before leaving at presence of another person higher than their status." Shawn denote, pointing out the distasteful blue skirt and white blouse. "Her cloths are very suspicious too"

"A spy? On this ship?" Poker grew angry when he understood what she was hinting.

"How else could Fanelia been burn in one night?" Shawn folded her arms over her chest and regarded with mild concern.


"I couldn't find Merle or Vanitas. Could they be in here with the injures all this time?" Hitomi said out loud, deciding it was time to return back.

When she pushed open the heavy hatch, soldiers there were making an announcement about a possible spy on the ship.

"I ask for co-operation while we do a search warrant, please provide a name and class." The soldier reassured the public uproar.

Currently, they were lookup through citizen document; counting survivor reported in and hoping to single-out suspect in their investigation.

'They couldn't possibly have every registration civilian.' Hitomi thought. How can they when everything in Fanelia burned?

When soldier came to Hitomi next; he had a paper and felt tip in hand. She immediately flinched, hadn't expecting it so soon.

"I need your identification, miss."

Hitomi knew she couldn't answer his demands because she doesn't exist in their record. Her mind reeled for an escape. Maybe she could pretend to be mute, or speak a different dialect to get them assume she couldn't understand their request, even acting stupid would be okay.

His mane twitched innately like it was alive.

"You need to shave that off."

What possible made her possess to bumbling comment his appearance left him more speechless than her. However, he looked more hurt by it than offensive.

"Um... I-I" Clamp her mouth; mentally bash herself on her head for allowing a slip. She needed a quick (and witty) respond before she got more doubtful looks from the man or beatman to be correct now.

"I-I'm sorry that didn't came out right." Hitomi lamely supplied, and her shoulder sagged a bit when she couldn't think up an excuse for the blunder. "I… uh… and... I'm not thinking straight."

Hitomi swallowed thickly but the sheer dread on her face wasn't overlooked by him. One of his thick eyebrows raised, he went to holler back to his other colleges.

"No wait!"

His two companions appeared behind him instantly.

"You're making a mistake, I'm not-" Inadvertently, Hitomi leap on her feet and ran seeing them advanced on her caused her to panic. A number of soldiers tailing behind her; up a flight of stairs, down a lower deck, at port, they were every where.

Slipping pass one and there will be another at the other end. Hitomi sprinted out each situation, darted out of sight, checked all halls and condors before entering. Her chase consists of doing many hiding and many running, but mostly running. Legs were burnt out, lungs were gasping for breath. Her heart tried to catch up until she heaves a sigh of relief when she saw an opportunity for another escape route. They kept going with this game knowing Hitomi couldn't jump off a flying ship.

Quickly, she crept out. When the soldier turn right, she instantly went for left… into a person, strangely he wasn't dress as familiar white and blue coats as the soldier she eluded. Hitomi tried to flee from this one, but was grabbed by her hair and stumble back painfully on her butt. Then drag hazardously into a cabin bunker to be forced on knee, bowing down, hands held behind her back to submit by a soldier.

Another girl was in the room. Her flourish pink dress rustle when she rose up to greet them. It was loaded with fancy trimmings, and her curl golden hairs shone bright. Too bad Hitomi's executioner didn't look as humbled as that girl, but rugged.

Poker grit his teeth, he was very upset Hitomi could tell. "Where is he? Fine, whatever, this girl is a spy!"

He discreetly informed more of the situation, and then grew frustrated soon after. He fill in the last little bit hastily to princess at the end, but came across as being rude. Poker got grit of his point explained either way.

"Are you really a spy?" The princess voice sound more hurt than accusive voice like Poker's.

"I'm not!" But Hitomi head was forcedly shoved down to the floor for her impudence by Poker's feet.

"In the presence of a noble, you will look down."

"You're hurting her."

Hitomi could tell the girl was struggling with whether or not to help, but that would mark as treachery if she did. The princess had a meek personality, so his louder voice muffed her protests. He went on rambling.

"You are arrested for war crime of setting a blazing Fanelia. Yes, that's right. I'm talking to you," Poker firm voice beckoned. "I ask why? We were a neutral kingdom. We never part take in this war."

"There's a war?" Hitomi stifled.

"You know very well this is a war!" Poker continued his integration, seeking retribution. He was setting up his own conclusion. "Refuse to give your name must means you don't exist in record. And I saw how you were sneaking around the ship."

"My name is Kanzaki Hitomi." Hitomi went ahead to explain, "I was looking for someone-"

"Who?"Hitomi winced at the booming voice, "Your accomplice? There are more of you guys on this ship."

His mouth stretch into a sneer. "That's fine, I'll find each and every one of them."

"No. I-" Hitomi try to clarify, but the slick sound of Poker pull out one of the soldier's sword at blank-point-range under her neck stop her. Her body went inexplicably rigid as it was wash down by a cold realization that she was about to be killed by this men. A person she had no clue what his deal was.

"You should be grateful. Such a honour to die at my blade, scoundrel like yourself doesn't deserved." The sword rise.

Hitomi bow head in acceptance. Her sculpt was pulled back by one of the soldier to tilt her head up so more of her neck was accessible to spear through her head. She saw how Poker's eyes sorrow were, how angst he sound, there was no way she could talk sense to these people. With a closed eyes, at least when she dies she didn't want to see it happen.

"What is the racket you're having my men do?" Allen interrupting the scene. Everyone pause when he came in to assesses the place. His face twisted in disgust at what he saw.

"I will not stand for blood to be spill on my ship; especially a lady's."

"She's a spy." Poker haven't took his eyes off his traget, but dug deeper in her skin. Allen pointed his sword to perpetrator's (Poker) neck right then and there.

"Are you going to turn against your fellow allies, eh?"

"Asturia deal with traitors differently. As long as you are on my ship, you follow that."

It was a silences stand off between the two parties.

"Fine," Poker sheathed the sword back to the soldier and walks out with a scowl on his face, while Allen motions the soldiers to release their tight hold on her.

Hitomi collapse on ground, and thought she was hallucinating all through out the confrontment because she couldn't believe her eyes when she stared at Allen.

"Amano-sempia?" Hitomi peer his face hopefully to see the kindness she always saw him had. She was being help up by two soldiers in the mean time.

"It's you isn't?" Hitomi had to ask again, home sicken eating away at her relentlessly. He look like Amano.

"Miss, you need to stand up. You'll be taken some where for the time being before your trial in Asturia." He sound like Amano. But...

Hitomi looked dejecting away seeing the man she confused him to be Amano didn't acknowledge her. She felt the ping of familiarity slip away upon the harsh truth staring at her pricked at her eye socket.

Pulled away by her arms, she had no choices but to be dragged. Glancing over the shoulders of mans, Hitomi made sure to thank the girl for her genuine concern however dismay Hitomi felt with what await her in prison.

"You worry about me even after he told you I was an enemy. I like to know your name please."

She looked up from her seat and at Hitomi. "Princess Millerna Sarah Aston. Fiancée of Vanitas Slanzar de Fanel."

Millerna gave Hitomi one last apologetic look before the door immediately shut behind, cutting her off from uttering her own realisation as her green eye widen with alarm.

"Wait! I need to talk to her." Hitomi flagged her hands out, attempt to squeeze herself through the two bodies.

"We can't permit you."

"She knows uh- the prince!" Correct her suffix before they notices her mistake.

There was no time. This was her last ditch effort. And Hitomi make a swift explanation or attempted one.

"It's all a big misunderstanding. Please. Everything will make sense to you people if you allow me speak to her, the princess."

Despite her desperate plead; they shook head with affirmative no. Frustrated at her lost opportunity, she couldn't otherwise beat her way through grown men; she was already in deep trouble as it is now. They resume to haul her away. Allen accompany the group to a temporary holding cell for her. A small storage room with a guard outside already presented.

Hitomi sigh in the dark when the latch closed behind her. Only two lights were omitted: a window and door's peep hole from the outside.

"Why do these things keep happening to me?" Hitomi mutter to herself, and sulk at her luck.

When she made a blind step forward, stub her toe on a large crater in the process. Hitomi knew somewhere out there was laughing, and that person was literally outside the hall.


A level down the ship, Merle's head ach from racket upstairs. She already felt dreary from the ship ride. She dreaded all sorts of travel mobiles. Her stomach can't handle any of them well.

Her hears perk at a newer sound. The tingling in the back of her mind increased. The brisk of her hair stood on end. Something moved amidst the shadow, and then grab her a second later. Far too fast for her agile speed to avoid.

Merle screamed.

"A kitty cat goes meow meow, you know." The person mocked her before Merle was gagged by the abductor like the rest of hostage.


Author Note:

1. UNFAMILURE NAME: Shawn Balgas = Fanelia Warrior, Poker = Fanelia Chamberlain
I understand not lot of people read the manga, and would not know these names. This section is devoted to them. I haven't read it either, and base on what I've heard, it's pretty horrible. These characters are just plot devise; therefore, deserve names. My personal goal is to keep within the Escaflowne universe while altering elements in it. So I am trying to remain truthful to their cannons, but I'm not totaly sure about their personality since their only vaguely mention. However I still want to add them in!
2. Shibbyo is a popular shopping district in Tokyo.
3. Soundtrack my mind associated for the ship Crusader (and Asturia in general): "Escaflowne- Wings" & "Escaflowne- Flying Dragon"
I'm torn between two great inspiring musical pieces for this one sequence, so I decided to mention them both. It's has a light gentle tone (like flying through clouds), but somewhat military sound (assertive + combative).