Destroyers of Atlantis
Part 3
By Stargurl117
Merle froze as she heard footsteps coming closer to her cell.She watched the light on the floor grow larger as the door opened. The dark figure of a Zaibach soldier appeared in the doorway, the light reflected off his silver armor. He threw what looked like an old misshapen pie pan, full of mushy food on the floor and began to leave.
"Leave us," a masculine voice with a cold edge told the soldier.
The solder turned to face the source of the voice, he stiffened "Yes sir," he saluted.
The solder left from the doorway and was replaced with a tall, dark, figure. Merle couldn't see his face, but she knew who it was. It was someone she hadn't seen since she was three. "Folken-sama…" she breathed.
****
Hitomi took out her pendant, gripped the golden chain lightly and let the pink teardrop stone swing slightly in the faint night breeze. Merle. Think of Merle Hitomi, She told herself. She tried to paint a picture of Merle in her mind. That curly orange-pink hair that almost came to her shoulder, the orange skin that was covered with black stripes, her bright blue eyes, all the things that made up Merle.
Van walked away from Hitomi, giving her room to concentrate. He looked at the ground as he walked. His foot came across something. Merle's nail file! Van thought. "Hitomi," he called tossing the pink nail file to Hitomi. He walked up to Hitomi and set his hand on Hitomi'shand that now held the nail file and pendant.
The pendant started to glow and swung to the west. "That's it…" Hitomi said opening her eyes. "We head that way."
****
Merle couldn't help herself. She instantly ran to Folken and clung to him. That's how glad she was to see a familiar face."Folken-sama!"she exclaimed. She paused as she remembered that Van no longer liked his brother.She eyed him cautiously and stepped back.
Folken almost smiled. "Follow me Merle." He commanded turning around. He began to walk away, letting his black cape trail behind him.
Merle thought for a moment, would she rather follow Folken, someone she knew who Van said was a traitor, or sit here alone in the dark, cold and hungry? Merle ran to catch up to Folken, accidentally stepping on his long black cape as she did so.
Merle jumped off the cape and quickly observed her surroundings. Looking from left to right she saw candle holders along the wall. Their dim glow gave the walls a yellow hue. She quickened her pace so she could walk along side Folken. That's when she saw his right arm. It looked like this skin was ripped off his arm and left just the bone. Merle gawked, stopping right where she was and bit her lip before she could say anything.
Folken stopped and looked over his shoulder to see what was keeping Merle. When he noticed she was staring at his arm he simply said, "The dragon took that arm" and kept walking.
Merle followed Folken up a dimly light narrow staircase, a dark hallway and through a grand carved arched doorway. Past the doorway, was a huge room. Out from the wall there as a huge canopy bed on each side was a wood night stand and chair on the side of the night stand. All the furniture was made of what looked like dark cherry wood. Was it Merle's imagination or was the entire room made of shades of black and gray?
Then Merle noticed a covered silver platter on one of the night stands, similar to the ones she saw in Palas that covered delicious food. In fact Merle smelled something wonderful. Folken uncovered the platter to reveal what looked like wonderful perfectly cooked food. Mashed potatoes overflowing with brown gravy chicken, oh the chicken, Merle would have even eaten the steamed green vegetables.
Merle ran to the night stand and smelled the wonderful food, it doesn't smell poisoned or anything, Merle thought. And even if it is I'll die happy! No! Focus you don't need food! She told herself. She turned to Folken, "do you think I'm stupid!?!" She asked Folken.
"I thought you might prefer this as opposed to what you were given," he said flatly as he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Merle said desperately. "Don't leave!"
Folken looked over his shoulder and slightly cocked an eyebrow.
"Why did you get me out of there?" She asked staring him in the eye.
"This is a floating fortress, it doesn't matter where you're kept, you couldn't leave, even if you wanted to."
Merle stared at him. Is that really Folken-sama? She thought. He looks so different, and he doesn't smile anymore …. She looked at his eyes again. There was something so familiar behind them…
"I was responsible for burning Fanelia Merle. You shouldn't be so trusting." Folken scolded.
Fanelia. Her beautiful country. That's where Balgus took her in off the streets, fed her, clothed her, loved her. She couldn't remember anything before Fanelia, except that it was bad. She didn't want to remember anything else. She met Van in Fanelia, and Folken, but Van was her friend. She remembered how Van looked up to Folken, and how happy he was before he left. Someone Van admired so much could never be bad.
"LIAR!" She yelled, the tears in her eyes clouding her vision.
Folken scoffed and left. Leaving her alone in the dark room.
****
They walked through the lush green forest. Van didn't suggest flying so neither did Hitomi. Even though Hitomi was tired and her feet ached. Van also didn't mention the missing Escaflowne either. Hitomi didn't think he actually cared about it at the moment. All Van seemed to care about was Merle.
Oh my God. Is he in love with her? Is that even possible? I mean she's a CAT! Can a man be in love with a cat?!? Prabably here… Hitomi's mind muttered bitterly. Wait a minute…She hadn't thought about home, Amano or Allen for over 2 hours…Geez that's some kind of record for me.. she thought. She couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about when her mind wandered. Her eyes drifted to Van…Could I possibly have been thinking about…? Nah…
***
Hitomi had sweet dreams when she slept. She didn't know why and she couldn't remember what they were about. All she knew was that her dreams were wonderful. She sighed, fluttered her eyelids and shifted once again into a deep sleep.
Van looked down at Hitomi, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder and smiled. They must have walked for miles, in the middle of the night, and not once did she complain. They barely spoke. The next thing Van knew, he looked over his shoulder and saw Hitomi falling. He raced to her side and caught her when she fell, but she was asleep by the time he got to her. Van picked her up and walked to the base of a tree, he set her down and sat next to her. Hitomi flopped over in her sleep and rested her head on his shoulder and they had been that was ever since.
****
Hitomi's eyes fluttered, trying to come into focus. On instinct she jerked backward. She stared at Van next to her. He's so cute when he's sleeping! She thought. Wait…Van…cute? Those two words shouldn't be in the same sentence…she looked at him again. There was just no other word to describe the scene.
Van opened his eyes and looked at Hitomi. "So you're awake huh?" he said softly.
"You shouldn't have stopped for my sake…We should have kept going…Merle needs us.." Hitomi said hurriedly trying to stand up, but her legs were doing everything in their power to work against her.
Van laughed "I figured we wouldn't do Merle much good if we found her only to fall over asleep…" he stood up and chuckled at Hitomi again.
"Stop laughing!" Hitomi exploded, now wrestling the tree in an attempt to get herself upright. "My legs fell asleep! If you were a gentleman you MIGHT help me here!" She lost her balance and plopped to the ground. She laughed slightly I guess I do look kinda stupid…."
Van extended his hand to her. "So you want me to be a gentleman huh? Forgive me Hitomi but I don't think you have that kind of faith in me."
Hitomi, who was now standing, blushed. "I never said anything like that Van…"
Van turned around and started to walk again. "You didn't have to say anything…"
Hitomi sighed and looked over her shoulder to the rising sun. Here we go again…she thought, and once again began tofollowVan.
****
The daylight behind them made the dew drops shine on the green leaves of the trees. The wet grass soaked Hitomi's socks as they walked, saying nothing. Hitomi ducked under wet tree branch after wet tree branch until they came to a small clearing.
Van walked into the center of the clearing and stopped . Hitomitook out her pendant and watched as the pink stone spun in circles."That's funny…according to the pendant…Merle is here…"
"Hitomi…….Look up."
Hitomi looked up toward the blue sky as she walked intothe clearing. "Oh… My…gosh…." were the words that escaped her mouth as she saw the huge flying fortress above them. The huge flying black rock just sat there in the sky, as if it were waiting for them. Which it prabably was. The black rock was filled with rows and rows of little yellow dots, which Hitomi assumed were windows to rooms that had lights in them.
"Well…I should get going.." Van said.
"Go? Up there how?" She looked at Van, who was sending her a 'you idiot' kind of look. Hitomi battled the huge lump of saliva in her throat. "Oh…You mean fly up there. Van you know I think your wings are pretty but you don't seem to be very good at using them…You kind of crash…a lot…" she added.
Van looked mad. Very mad. "I don't see why it would matter to you. You're staying here. And I've only crashed once," he said defiantly "as far as you know anyway" he added under his breath. "And another thing there aren't any trees on the fortress…I'll be fine."
Hitomi made a face. "What do you mean I'm not going?!? Like Hell I'm not!" She yelled walking up wrapping her arms around him.
Van just stood there stunned. "Well? What are you waiting for?" Hitomi asked with her eyes closed. "Take off already!"
"Um… Hitomi? Could you loosen your grip on me? I can't breathe…"
****
A/N poor Merle…I feel kinda sorry for her…with a rescueparty
likethat! LOL Anyway hope you're enjoying the story! Am I writingthe
charas ok? Geez my pc's still doing that word run together thingsosorry
'bout that... Thanks to
Meliae for helping this baka author figure out how to spell 'saluted'
....it's been one of those weeks where I just do stupid things...LOL
PleaseReview!
