Technically I hadn't planned on another update just yet, but chichirui, this one's for you. Thanks for reviewing! BP *.*
A sudden return
"An attack! An attack!" someone was yelling. Soon after the ground shook from a blast. Celena ran outside to investigate. She The Escaflowne had appeared, and from what Celena could tell wasn't doing very well. Hell, he was getting beat like he stole something. An image of the pilots flashed in front of her. "Cat women," Celena said aloud, "Folken must have sent them here. But why so soon?" A new image flashed before of her eyes. Again the red image of dying boys, and blood. As Celena collapsed to her knees, Merle ran past. "Lord Van!" the cat-girl cried as the mecha collapsed.
Celena watched the scene from where she knelt. The two mechas paused, as if uncertain what to do. In front of the fallen Escaflowne stood Merle, her arms spread defiantly. What were they going to do? They did something unexpected. They turned to face her. "Lady Celena," said one of the cat women. (She didn't know which since they looked so much alike to her) "You must come back with us. Now." For a moment Celena simply stood, frozen. The two mechas walked towards her. She wasn't afraid, of course. She was one of them....
"Celena!" Celena looked to see Hitomi running up to her. "Stay back!" Celena ordered but Hitomi didn't listen. "Come on," said Hitomi grabbing her hand. It was as if all time had stopped, and for them, it had. Celena didn't know what Hitomi saw, but she saw an image of a boy slaying some sort of creature and taking a glowing stone of some sort from it. A light pulled them up and the girl Hitomi was also puled up. There was a boy and he tosses her a necklace and then she vanished. They both let go in the same instant. They must have not been breathing because at the release they gasped desperately for air. Before a word could be shared between them, a robotic arm grabbed Celena, and she found herself being pulled up into the air and away from the Crusade. People were calling her name, but they all seemed so distant now. Celena thought only of what to expect when she returned.
****************
"Where is he?" Celena demanded, "What have you done with my brother?" There was no answer. She hated the sorcerers and the scientists that worked there, and even now didn't trust them. She grabbed one, lifting him off of the floor. When had she become so strong? "Where...is...my...brother?" Celena growled, emphasizing each word with a shake. "Celena," came a familiar voice. Celena turned her head. There Folken stood with his cat women. "Put him down Celena," Folken said, "I will tell you what has become of Dilandau." Celena threw the scientist into the unsuspecting cluster of white coats. After scowling at them she turned and followed Folken and the cat women out of the room.
***************
"He...had a break down?" Celena asked in disbelief. Folken nodded solemnly. Celena had known that Dilandau was teetering on the edge for quite awhile, but that was the way he was. The death of his Dragonslayers must have had more of an effect on him than she thought. "Well, where is he?" Celena asked, "If he's as bad off as you say he is, I know he needs me." Folken looked away. "Please Folken," Celena pleaded. Folken sighed. "Even if I did tell you, you wouldn't be able to see him, and trust me Celena, you wouldn't want to." Folken and the cat girls exited, leaving Celena alone with her thoughts
***************
He was there, Celena knew this. It was a matter of where. Celena would take it up with the Emperor, since he now called her before him. "Celena," He said, "I called you back because at such a crucial point in this war, I could not afford to lose you." "I was in no danger," Celena said, "I do not understand why I was called back, I am glad that II was. I've learned startling things...about my brother." Domkirk was silent for a moment. "Yes," he said after a moment, "it seems your brother suffered a breakdown, he will be treated and released in a few days. You may see him then." She wanted to see him then, but she accepted the Emperor's judgment. "What did you discover while you were in the midst of the crusade?" Celena told all that she knew, about the connection between Van and Hitomi and the enemies numbers and forces. She withheld what had happened that day when Van died temporarily after the Escaflowne locked up. The event seemed to incredulous to relay to Domkirk. She bowed respectfully and left
A sudden return
"An attack! An attack!" someone was yelling. Soon after the ground shook from a blast. Celena ran outside to investigate. She The Escaflowne had appeared, and from what Celena could tell wasn't doing very well. Hell, he was getting beat like he stole something. An image of the pilots flashed in front of her. "Cat women," Celena said aloud, "Folken must have sent them here. But why so soon?" A new image flashed before of her eyes. Again the red image of dying boys, and blood. As Celena collapsed to her knees, Merle ran past. "Lord Van!" the cat-girl cried as the mecha collapsed.
Celena watched the scene from where she knelt. The two mechas paused, as if uncertain what to do. In front of the fallen Escaflowne stood Merle, her arms spread defiantly. What were they going to do? They did something unexpected. They turned to face her. "Lady Celena," said one of the cat women. (She didn't know which since they looked so much alike to her) "You must come back with us. Now." For a moment Celena simply stood, frozen. The two mechas walked towards her. She wasn't afraid, of course. She was one of them....
"Celena!" Celena looked to see Hitomi running up to her. "Stay back!" Celena ordered but Hitomi didn't listen. "Come on," said Hitomi grabbing her hand. It was as if all time had stopped, and for them, it had. Celena didn't know what Hitomi saw, but she saw an image of a boy slaying some sort of creature and taking a glowing stone of some sort from it. A light pulled them up and the girl Hitomi was also puled up. There was a boy and he tosses her a necklace and then she vanished. They both let go in the same instant. They must have not been breathing because at the release they gasped desperately for air. Before a word could be shared between them, a robotic arm grabbed Celena, and she found herself being pulled up into the air and away from the Crusade. People were calling her name, but they all seemed so distant now. Celena thought only of what to expect when she returned.
****************
"Where is he?" Celena demanded, "What have you done with my brother?" There was no answer. She hated the sorcerers and the scientists that worked there, and even now didn't trust them. She grabbed one, lifting him off of the floor. When had she become so strong? "Where...is...my...brother?" Celena growled, emphasizing each word with a shake. "Celena," came a familiar voice. Celena turned her head. There Folken stood with his cat women. "Put him down Celena," Folken said, "I will tell you what has become of Dilandau." Celena threw the scientist into the unsuspecting cluster of white coats. After scowling at them she turned and followed Folken and the cat women out of the room.
***************
"He...had a break down?" Celena asked in disbelief. Folken nodded solemnly. Celena had known that Dilandau was teetering on the edge for quite awhile, but that was the way he was. The death of his Dragonslayers must have had more of an effect on him than she thought. "Well, where is he?" Celena asked, "If he's as bad off as you say he is, I know he needs me." Folken looked away. "Please Folken," Celena pleaded. Folken sighed. "Even if I did tell you, you wouldn't be able to see him, and trust me Celena, you wouldn't want to." Folken and the cat girls exited, leaving Celena alone with her thoughts
***************
He was there, Celena knew this. It was a matter of where. Celena would take it up with the Emperor, since he now called her before him. "Celena," He said, "I called you back because at such a crucial point in this war, I could not afford to lose you." "I was in no danger," Celena said, "I do not understand why I was called back, I am glad that II was. I've learned startling things...about my brother." Domkirk was silent for a moment. "Yes," he said after a moment, "it seems your brother suffered a breakdown, he will be treated and released in a few days. You may see him then." She wanted to see him then, but she accepted the Emperor's judgment. "What did you discover while you were in the midst of the crusade?" Celena told all that she knew, about the connection between Van and Hitomi and the enemies numbers and forces. She withheld what had happened that day when Van died temporarily after the Escaflowne locked up. The event seemed to incredulous to relay to Domkirk. She bowed respectfully and left