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Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

A/N: Okay, this next chapter is rather boring, but very important. This story is coming to an end soon, in perhaps 3 more chapters! Please R&R!

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Hitomi

Ryan's laughter rings through the early morning air. It's a beautiful sound.

We're sitting in a small public park in Freid. The greenery of the place contrasts sharply with Freid's otherwise dusty appearance. Ryan's leaning against a tree, and I'm wading in a small pond beside him. The water's clear and icy as a winter day. It's wonderful.

"I can't believe you did that!" Ryan chuckles, his entire frame shaking with his laughter.

"Well, I was curious. Hey, I didn't know!" I retort back quickly, kicking some water in his direction. He dodges the glittering spray with ease.

"Curiousity killed the cator in your case, your dad's car!" Ryan says, then erupts into more giggles.

"I didn't know how to drive! Jeez, forget I ever told you!" I reply, laughing along with him.

Ryan slowly rises to his feet and pads over to where I stand. Suddenly he swipes at the water like a cat. The impact of his hand against the water sends a small spray against my calves.

"Hey! Watch what you're doing!" I yell playfully at him. Ryan holds a finger up to his lips. He motions for me to come closer.

"Look at this," he whispers. He brings his hand up from the water, something clasped firmly in his fingers.

"Why are we whispering?" I whisper to him, bringing my head closer to his hand.

"You might scare the little chap," He replies in a whisper. Little chap?

"Huh?"

Suddenly his hand springs open and a small, green frog jumps from his hand and onto my head. I recoil instinctively, then shriek and claw at the creature in my hair. Its little slimy toes are digging into my scalp, searching for a hold.

"Ryan! Get if off!" I scream at him. Ryan folds his arms across his chest and looks at me with a very smug look.

"It's only a frog," he says simply.

"A slimy little frog! Get it off!" I scream back at him.

I shake my head hard, trying to shake the animal loose. I feel the weight leave my head and I stop my shaking. The world spins a little from my jarring, but at least the frog's gone. I take a few steps towards Ryan, my intent inimical, but I trip over my own two feet and take an unexpected sideways dive into the pond.

Luckily I'm caught a few centimeters above the glassy surface. It seems that Ryan has finally chosen to intervene in this wonderous little drama he's created.

"Careful little bird," he says under his breath, almost so that I can't hear it, "you are not a fish."

"I'm not a fish, nor am I a bird. Now let me up!" I reply snappishly. His eyes widen at my sentence, as if I've said something astonishing. What's his problem? I didn't say anything shocking, did I?

"How did you know what I said?" Ryan asks. He doesn't move. I risk a little sideglance. I'm still a hair's width from the water.

"You said it out loud, and I heard it. That's pretty normal," I say.

"I said it in English," Ryan says incredulously. Slowly he returns to a standing position, taking me with him. Thank God.

"You said it English? How can that be? It was in perfect Japanese," I ask. Now I'm confused.

"I don't know. I know I said it in English," Ryan says. He scratches his head a little, his signature sign of confusion.

"Well, I understand the language here on Gaea, and when Van came to Earth he understood Japanese," I say, trying to solve the puzzle.

"Do you understand what I'm saying now?" Ryan asks.

"Of course," I reply.

"I just said that in English," Ryan says. Slowly he wades out from the pond, pondering this new development.

"Ryan, when you sang a little while ago, was that in English?" I ask. He turns around.

"Yes."

"I understood every single word," I reply.

Ryan's eyes widen slightly at my comment, but he makes no reply. Slowly I wade out of the water and sit beside Ryan, who has taken his previous place against a tree.

"I guess Gaea is some sort of universal translator," Ryan says tiredly as I plop down beside him. I nod in agreement, slipping into a more serious mood. It seems that our fun mood has been spoiled. We sit in silence for awhile, staring at the stars. Earth is incredibly bequtiful in the night sky.

"Ryan, how did you get here?" I ask softly.

Ryan's gray eyes snap to my face, and I see pain in them. It glitters through his irises like an anguished ray of sun.

"I don't want to talk about it," he says quietly, not looking away from my face. I can tell he's talking in English. His accent had faded on Gaea, but now that he is speaking his native tongue, it's returned. His voice is rich and full.

"Please tell me," I say pleadingly. Ryan sighs a little and then looks down to his hands, which are folded in his lap.

"It's not very clear. I remember walking home with you after we'd ran. I was walking back towards the subway, then I remember seeing a white flash of light and then everything went black. The next thing I remember was laying in the street with some old lady leaning over me. She must of seen me arrive," says Ryan simply. He flashes me a handsome smile to try and punctuate the end of his tale, and perhaps lighten the mood.

"What happened after that?" I ask softly, prodding him in his tale. I want to find out who exactly Ryan has turned out to be.

Ryan rubs his face with his hands, mumbles something indiscernible (knowing him, probably swear words or some Beatles' quote) and then continues on.

"I think I ran from the old woman. As I said, I really don't know how everything went. It was raining and I was cold and frightened. I couldn't figure out where I was, but I knew I wasn't on Earth any longer. Hence, I wasn't seeing or hearing anything very clearly. Anyway, I was attacked by a small band of thieves. They probably thought I was some rich foreigner due to my strange clothing. I probably would have died, but a young man happened by and attacked the thieves, killing every single one—"

"Dilandau," I whisper, interrupting Ryan's monologue. Only Dilandau would be able to attack a band of grown men and triumph. Ryan nods.

"Yes, it was. Afterwards I blacked out, but he took me to the Vione and there I received medical care. Eventually I returned to health and was drafted into the Dragon Slayers at Dilandau's request. Thus I becam Migel Labariel of Zaibach," Ryan states with a final air. It's very obvious he does not want to talk about his past.

"So that's why you love so much," I say more to myself then to Ryan. Now the loyalty of the Dragon Slayers is becoming clear. It shocks me that Ryan stayed—stays—with Dilandau because he actually cares about him, not because Dilandau is the most terrifying individual in the universe.

And all this time I thought Dilandau had him by the balls. This revelation annoys me incredibly.

"He saved my life. He is one of the most important people in my life, and the most loved," Ryan says, his look one of sincerity.

"Even more then your parents?" I ask. Ryan looks at me with pain in his eyes. I'm sorry Ryan, but this needs to be addressed. Forgive me.

"Hitomi, I have a new life on Gaea. My parents are on another planet. I'll never stop loving my parents. But Dilandau is here, Dilandau is my life. My life as Migel," Ryan replies. His words are short, blunt, and cryptic, yet at the same time full of emotion.

"You should go back to Earth," I say softly.

"That's impossible. Even if I could return I have ties here and nothing on the Myst—Earth," Ryan replies. I feel anger flush to my cheeks. His words sting, though they're said in a neutral tone.

"I see. So Yukari, your parents, and I mean nothing?" I retort. Ryan looks at me with sorrow painted on his features. I want to reach out and snatch the words from the air. That was a harsh, not to mention unfair thing to say.

"II think you should go back to the palace before your missed," Ryan says sadly, "There you can answer your own questions." Ryan stands up. A hurt, painful anger radiates from his body.

"And what are you going to do?" I ask, standing up as well. He walks to the pond, staring at the reflecting waters. His eyes are alight with the reflections of the stars. I hang back, wary from the previous frog episode.

"Go back to Dilandau, finish this bloody war," Ryan says.

"Kill more innocent people?" I ask. Ryan turns, sending me a dark, wearied look.

"No! Hitomi, why can't you understand? I don't want this war. When it's over I'm going to make a life here," Ryan replies with the subtle, condescendending patience of a parent.

"Hmmmake a new life? With who? Your precious, psychotic Dilandau, perhaps?" I reply with biting sarcasm, "What will you do for fun? Burn entire countries to the ground?"

My words drip with acid. Why Ryan can't understand his horrifice lifestyle is beyond me. He's finally escaped his loathed role as a killer, yet he yearns to return to it.

"Stop it. I can't abandon Dilandau and Zaibach. I owe them my life," Ryan replies harshly. His simple words are strangely sincere—brutally honest and believable. For a second I'm struck dumb, staring at his pained face against the moonlit waters. Finally, words come to me.

"I never knew you to be a killer, Ryan," I say softly, finding my voice, "I guess Gaea not only changes languages, it changes souls."

Ryan's eyes shimmer for a second in the starlight. It physically hurts me to look at him. Abruptly I turn on my heel and begin walking towards the heart of Freid.

"Don't walk away!" Ryan's voice rings out from behind me. It sounds choked, like he's holding back tears, but I know Ryan would never cry. I realize how deeply I've hurt him, yet I continue to walk away from him.

"You can't run away from me, Hitomi. I'll catch you. You know I can," Ryan calls out. Ever-so-slightly, I quicken my pace. Eventually I hear his rapid footsteps behind mine. Instinctively I break into a run.

"I win again!"

"You are such a braggart!"

"Aw, is wittle Hitomi jeawous?"

I hear Ryan closing in on me quickly. He's faster then I ever remembered, probably due to all of his soldier's training.

Well, you have to be quick to run away from heavily armed enemy guymelefs who want to reduce you to a pile of smoking bits.

Before I've even gone 100 meters I feel Ryan's arms encircle my waist. He turns me around in his embrace and hugs me to his chest. Immediately I hug him back. I didn't really want to hurt him.

"This is so hard," I whisper into Ryan's chest. "You've changed so much, but I still love you, despite the fact that I can't understand whatever illogical reasoning is going on your tiny skull!" I feel Ryan tremble as he laughs slightly at my annoyance. I squeeze him extra hard and he stops his ghost giggles.

"I'm sorry Hitomi. I suppose being worst enemies in a war that decides the fate of this planet can put a strain on anybody's friendship," Ryan says, covering his feelings with humour. "I personnally think we've done pretty good. I haven't killed you yet, and you've only slapped me once. How's that?"

I nod in response. I'm too choked up to say anything. His familiar joking manner reminds me briefly of Earth, sending a wave of homesickness over my body. I want everything to go back to the way it was 2 years ago.

I feel Ryan's demeanor change as he catches my sadness. He gently kisses the top of my head then rests his chin in my hair. Whoa. He's never kissed me before. Hugs: yes, kisses: no. Internally I shake my head. Everyone's emotions are running high. It's probably nothing, completely innocent. Ryan would neverwould he?

"I have to go," Ryan whispers into my hair, "The Dragon Slayers have probably sent out a rescue mission or Dilandau's on his merry way. I need to leave before anyone gets here. This would be a little hard to explain, since I am supposed to kill you."

"Dilandau would fry me before you could say anything anyway," I reply, reaching deep down inside myself to lighten the moment. Ryan laughs slightly at my remark.

God, I don't want to let him go. I just got him back.

He has to go.

I sigh and pull back from the embrace.

"You should go. I'll find my way back to the palace," I say. Ryan looks at me sadly, like a puppy being scolded, but nods.

"Are you sure?" He asks, releasing me from his arms.

No. I couldn't find the palace even if it my life depended on it.

"Of course," I reply instead. I see that he's blushing slightly. He probably realized how intimate we just looked. Oh well.

"Be careful, there are dangerous men about," Ryan says in his joking manner, though I sense a trace of seriousness in his words. I grin reassuringly at him.

"I think I handled you pretty well. Anyway, I can outrun them if I have to, which I won't. Now go!" I reply to him. Ryan smiles at me.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way," he says. With that, Ryan leans in and kisses me on the cheek, but I move suprisedly before his lips reach my face and he ends up kissing the corner of my mouth. Ryan pulls back quickly and flashes me an embarrassed grin, blushing a little. He then turns and melts into the background.

Damn. He's too good at that.

Hesitantly I put a hand to the spot where he kissed me. It's slightly damp from his saliva. That should gross me out, but it doesn't. After all, we shared sports drinks for years.

Why did he kiss me? Twice? Is it possible that Ryan could have a crush on me?

Now that's one of stupidest thoughts I've ever had. We're good friends, like sister and brother even, but not lovers

Okay, new topic.

There's a few faint rays of morning light in the sky. Dawn is fast approaching. A hand of panic grips my heart and squeezes it hard. I only have precious few hours before I'm missed. And that's if I'm lucky.

I haven't been lucky in a long time.

Quickly I point my feet in what I think is the direction of the palace and begin walking, my mind spinning around a certain gray-eyed boy. After a couple of city blocks I stop and realize how painfully lost I am. I begin to nervously toy with my pendant, wondering where—

My pendant. Jeez, I can be really stupid sometimes.

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