Chosen One

By: Kin'iro Hi-Torii

Chapter Three

Chi woke up in a dimly lit room. Her vision was distorted and she had a really bad headache. She immediately thought that Dilandau had probably hit her upside the head, so she could be managed more easily. Chi looked down and noticed she was tied to a chair. She tried to move her hands, which were behind her back, but the ropes wouldn't budge. She tried harder but the ropes just cut into her skin.

"So you're finally awake, eh?" said a voice. Chi gasped slightly and looked up. Dilandau walked through the door, followed by Gret and Shesta. "For a while I thought you had died on us…"

"Fat chance Monkey Boy, you can't get rid of me that easily!" Chi stuck up her nose. Dilandau just smirked. He walked over to Chi and stood before her.

"I have a favor to ask of you…" he asked, covertly.

"What makes you think I'd do anything for you?"

Dilandau suddenly placed both his hands on the arms of the chair and brought his face really close to hers. Chi didn't even move. "You must summon the Escaflowne to me… so I can conquer all of Gaea… so I can rule the world. Can you do that for me?" Dilandau was speaking in an almost seductive manner. He raised one hand and began to run it along her cheek. Chi just kept staring into his fiery crimson eyes, never wavering her gaze.

"I don't know…"

Their hatred grows

Along with it

The Phoenix glows

"Well you should know girly… if you really are the Messiah, lady… you ought to know!" said Dilandau, raising his tone slightly. To his alarm, Chi licked his face, right below his bottom lip, on the right side.  He seemed to be shaken as he backed off a little. He smirked a bit and ran his tongue along his bottom lip. Shesta and Gret chuckled inaudibly. Chi screwed up her face in revulsion. 

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting!" she said.

Dilandau got up in her face again. "You should expect the unexpected around me… I'm a very unpredictable guy!" He said in his seductive tone.

"Are you hitting on me?" Chi asked in a flat tone.

"So what if I am?"

"I already told you that I'm too God damned sexy for you! Let it go Monkey Boy!"

Dilandau just rolled his eyes flirtatiously and turned away. "Shesta!" A blonde haired boy with a funny symbol on his head came forward. "Go ahead Shesta!" Shesta nodded and came up behind Chi. She was confused and a little scared.  Shesta stood behind Chi with his hands on either side of her head. His head flopped back and he started his panting again.  A HUGE sweatdrop dripped down Chi's brow.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Chi struggled against her bonds. "You had better not be getting yourself off back there or I'm gonna cry…" A splitting pain ripped through Chi's head and she screamed out.  It felt as though someone were using the Jaws of Life on her head.  She then blacked out.

The Messiah's power grows

As the Phoenix shrieks

Her heart softens

As more sorrows of

His past come to the surface

When Chi regained consciousness she was no longer tied to the chair, but standing in a dimly lit room. A younger version of Dilandau was kneeling in front of a green haired man.

"Why didn't you follow my orders Dilandau? I told you to bring back the Goddess of Wings, didn't I? Engaging pointless battles... indulging in slaughters. You fool." Folken said acidly. He lifted Dilandau up into the air using his magic powers, and began to twist his arm and hand about.  Dilandau moaned in anguish. "Back when you roamed the barren lands with those wild dogs... who picked you up?" One of Dilandau's fingers snapped. He screamed slightly.  Chi was horrified.

"You Lord Folken…" Dilandau whimpered.

"You command the Dragon's Special Forces... who gave you that?" Another finger snapped. Dilandau groaned.

"You did Lord Folken… Lord Folken!" Dilandau dropped to the ground and cringed.

"Don't disappoint me Dilandau…" Folken hissed. Dilandau yelled and shot an energy wave at him. It easily dispersed around Folken and he sent another one back at Dilandau. It hit him in the jaw, sending blood everywhere and Dilandau fell back. Chi covered her mouth in horror.

"Why am I seeing this?" she asked herself.

"Sad isn't it?" came a voice behind her. Chi gasped and spun around. Behind her stood the same girl she had saw before she came go Gaea.

"It's you!" Chi said.

"Yes… this is sad isn't it? The way Dilandau was treated…"

"How could he have put up with this? This is horrible…" Chi turned back to look at Dilandau, lying dazed on the floor.

"He had no choice… he owes his life to Folken-sama, he had no choice but to help his cause… Everyday was hard for him. He was too arrogant to follow orders exactly, and this is what happened…"  The girl shook her head in pity.

"But why am I seeing this? I could care less about Dilandau… I don't want to see this…" Chi snorted.

"You should care… You two must work together in order to fulfill the prophecy…"

"What prophecy…"

"That doesn't matter now… just cut Dilandau some slack… he will help you!"

"I don't want to… he's an ass!" Chi said arrogantly.

"You're just as stubborn as he is… this is gonna be harder than I thought!" The girl giggled and faded away.

Chi gasped as her eyes snapped open. Dilandau was staring at her with quizzical eyes.  Sweat dripped down Chi's face as she panted for breath. She watched as an unconscious Shesta was being dragged away by Gret. The ropes around Chi's arms seemed to be looser. She wriggled them around a bit and was able to free her hands, but she kept her arms behind her back. 

"Well!" Dilandau said, a sword was in his hand with the blade balanced on his shoulder. He was shifting the weight of the sword back and forth. His platinum bangs were shielding his eyes. "That was definitely something I've never seen before!"

"What do you mean by that?" Chi said, exasperated.

"No one has ever been able to drain Shesta's energy like that… you're the first!" Dilandau snickered. 

"And that means what?" Chi said sarcastically.

"It means that you are most definitely the Messiah.  I've finally found a way to fulfill my dream of taking over Gaea…" Dilandau buried the blade of his sword into the ground and walked over to Chi, leaving his sword behind.  "And you will help me!"

"I don't know why you're so convinced that I'm gonna help you…" Chi said flatly.

"It's not like you have an alternative in the matter…" Dilandau smirked. Chi hated to admit it but he had a point. Chi glared at him acidly as he approached her. "You will take your place in the Dragon Cavalry…"

"Nani?" Chi was stunned.

"Yes… you will be in my Dragon Cavalry, and fight on my side!"

Chi shrugged. "Ok… whatever floats your boat!"

Their first meaningful moment,

Feels the Phoenix's power

With their passion is strong

So is the Phoenix

 Dilandau stood in front of her once more. He pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket and started to mop Chi's forehead. Chi was slightly stunned at this sudden display of caring. Dilandau knelt down beside her and continued to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Chi figured that it was now or never. She smacked him in a certain spot at the base of his neck, rendering him unconscious.  She leaned down and untied her legs. Jumping up she grabbed Dilandau's sword and ran out the door.

Dilandau woke up a while later, with aching pains in his neck. His eyes shot up to the chair and to his horror, Chi wasn't there. He jumped up and ran outside. All of the Dragon Cavalry were laying on the ground, all of them had the living hell beat out of them. Dilandau was sorta dazed as he ran to each of them to make sure they were alright. He dashed into his tent and saw Chi sitting at his desk with her feet up on the surface. In her hands was his sword she was sharpening.

"Well… took ya long enough… Dilandau…" Chi said.

"How did ya know my name… I don't think I've told you my name."

"I have my sources…" Chi said mysteriously.

"Ok… you know my name… what's yours?" Dilandau asked.

"Chikara Shikami.  But just call me Chi…"

"Well… CHI… you could've run away… but you didn't…"

"Where would I go Monkey Boy?"  Chi raised her eyebrow.

Dilandau shrugged. "I guess you have a point." 

"Well Dilandau… I'll make you a little deal… I'll be a part of your 'Dragon Cavalry' if you make absolutely sure that you stay out of my face!"

Dilandau's soft tone suddenly turned back into his bad-boy smirk. He walked around the desk and grabbed Chi's arm, pulling her to her feet he pulled her up to him.  "How about you become one of my… soldiers…" Dilandau slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to him.  "And you just do whatever I tell you?"

"I ain't no fuckin' concubine… back off!" Chi tried to pry herself from his grasp. But it had never dawned on her just how strong he really was. She couldn't get away. To her relief, he let her go.

"Alright then… you can be a soldier, and I'll leave you alone…" he said.

"Good!" Chi said.

"Well… we have a lotta work to do… let's get started…"

To be continued…