Lost and Found
By: rainjewel
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Migel
Where is he? I heard him call, now where in the hell did he call from?
"Shit!" I stop on the dark catwalk. I'm sure I heard Dilandau call my name from what seemed to be the center of the Vione, but I haven't heard him cry again. Maybe I'm imagining things.
"Migel!" The voice comes so softly I almost miss it through my ragged breathing. Yes, it's Dilandau, and he sounds hurt. My heart sinks to my stomach.
Quickly I dodge into a tunnel that's near my right. I run down it, peering through the darkness as my armored feet pound the floor. Whoever designed this armor to be so heavy should be dragged out into the forest and eaten by rabid rats. It's a fitting punishment.
I stop and sniff the air. I smell smoke. I follow it, hoping it will lead me toward Lord Dilandau. God knows that where there's smoke there's fire, and Lord Dilandau always is near fire. I continue running. Smoke begins to fill the corridor and my visibility is down to zero.
Suddenly someone slams full force into my chest. I stumble slightly, but regain my balance before falling over. I hear a thud a few feet in front of me and know whoever ran into me wasn't so lucky. I hope it's not Dalet. He runs into things all the time whenever he gets excited.
Cautiously I walk up to the figure, trying not to reveal myself to them. I see a coughing figure in white lying on the ground, but I can't make anything out besides that. Doesn't matter, it's obviously an enemy troop of some sort. I swoop over the figure and haul it up by the front of its shirt. I hear buttons popping. The person is surprisingly very light. I probably outweigh him by 35 pounds at least. No wonder he fell over and I didn't.
I feel a heavy coughing attack come over my body. I wrap my arm around the waist of my hostage and duck down the tunnel away from the heavy black smoke. Finally I escape from the vile smog sufficiently to see. I grit my teeth in preparation for what comes next—the part of being a Dragon Slayer that I really loathe: the kill.
Lord Dilandau demanded that we keep no prisoners, and that we must kill any invaders on the spot. He thinks nothing of death for it comes so easy for him, yet not so for the rest of us. But I know my lethal duty, and I will perform it well.
Yet still I pity this thin, gasping…girl? No matter, I tell myself, trying to harden my heart. I pin the girl's arms behind her back with one hand as I withdraw my sword. I bite my lip savagely to keep my emotions under control like a good soldier.
"My condolences," I whisper into her ear. My voice is thick with sincere sorrow. Her breath is coming in short little gasps of terror. I bite my lip a little harder, feeling a thin stream of blood course down my chin. No matter how many times I have to do this, it never gets any easier. I lift my sword. I will do this quickly and mercifully.
"Ryan!"
Her voice echoes through the halls as the metal of my sword touches her skin. I jerk my sword away from her small throat. No one knows that name. No one here, at least. I spin her around, keeping her arms pinned behind her back. This causes her body to be pressed closely to mine, but I don't care right now. How did she know that name? For the first time I look into her face. Her hair is the color of honey, her eyes the color of emeralds. Recognition slaps me in the face, and I swear I hear God laugh.
"Hitomi…"
…Laughter on the subway…Running at sunset…
I shake my head hard. Hitomi's eyes are wide and bright, her mouth hanging slightly open with surprise.
"Ryan?" she asks questioningly. Her look is that of disbelief. Suddenly her hand comes up and brushes away the drying blood on my chin.
"I…I know no one by that name," I say shakily. I drop her wrists and she stumbles against the tunnel's wall. Quickly I turn and dash off back down the darkened corridor.
I hear pounding footsteps behind me. I quicken my pace, but it's no use. This stupid armor hinders my running. Hitomi's always been fast, and soldier's don't run away. I plant my feet and abruptly turn to tell her off, but she runs into smack dab into me before I open my mouth. She is just like Dalet.
Unlike our last collision, Hitomi doesn't fall. Instead she throws her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly, though her momentum almost sends me crashing to the floor. Luckily I manage to maintain my balance. Her arms are like a warm fleshy cage. I cage I like. It's been a long time since I've been hugged.
…"I'll catch you one day Ryan!"…
I wish that I could hug her back. Instead I stand as still as stone. The familiarity of the school uniform pierces through the darkness. I recognize it now, causing a painful wave of nostalgia to wash over me.
"Ryan!" I wince as she calls that name. "Ryan, I'm so glad you're alive! What happened to you? You disappeared! We thought you had died and Yukari was so upset and—" She stops her outburst as I remove her clinging limbs from my body and back up a step. I remain as rigid as a board, wanting her to see the rigidity of my actions, my detached mechanical image.
"My name is Migel Labariel and I am a soldier of Zaibach. I belong to the elite Dragon Slayer unit under the direction of Dilandau Albatou," I say in a dry, authoritative voice. I've said them a million times before, but for the first time they feel like a lie.
"Your name," Hitomi says, her eyes flashing angrily, "is Ryan Michael Labariel and you're my friend! Or at least I thought you were."
The words shake me inside. I take a deep breath and look at her sadly. She won't understand.
"Run away Hitomi," I say. My words ring out cold as winter. She looks at me uncomprehendingly.
"No." Such a simple statement, my dear girl.
"You are Lord Dilandau's enemy and therefore you are mine. Go away now, Hitomi. I'm dangerous."
With that I melt into the shadows, using the concealing blackness and my knowledge of the Vione to let me disappear into the darkness. Hitomi stands where I left her. Slowly silver tears begin coursing down her cheeks. I want to run to Dilandau, but if I move she'll hear my footsteps.
"You don't have to be Ryan. You don't…" she says softly. She wipes her tears away in furious swipes.
"Hitomi?" a voice calls out. I hold my breath and look to where the voice came from. A tall lean man in a Caeli Knight uniform is standing there, his light blue eyes on Hitomi's back. His long golden hair shines through like a beacon in the darkness of the Vione.
"Allen!" Hitomi says. She spins around, looking into the darkness. I press against the wall, trying to hide from her peering eyes. The tall man, the man named Allen, steps up to Hitomi. Fresh tears begin pouring down her cheeks. My heart wrenches with each teardrop. Allen looks at her questioningly, then wraps his arms around her like a concerned parent. Her head drops to his chest.
"Hitomi, what happened? Are you hurt? Did one of those soldiers hurt you?" Allen asks concernedly. I feel my left hand curl into fist, and I slowly stroke the dagger that lies within my glove. I would never hurt Hitomi.
You almost killed her, you idiot. Shut up conscience.
"Oh Allen, it was awful. I'm fine now, but it was awful," Hitomi says. Allen whispers something in her ear.
Good. Now they're sufficiently distracted so I can leave. I might be one of the better sword fighters here in Zaibach, but I'm not going to chance it with a Caeli Knight.
I hesitate briefly, then slowly make my way out from the corridors. When I exit the tunnels, I break out into another break-neck run. Dilandau is waiting. I hope I'm not too late.
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