Author's note: Thanks for reading Please review. Anyway I kind of crossed-over the movie with the TV series and added a lot of my own. *grins* more importantly, people who are dead aren't and events that are supposed to happen (according to movie and series) ain't gonna. Also, Esca time is where it should be, but time on Earth is farther ahead.... Oh yeah Hitomi is on Gaea and she doesn't realize how the fast the Mystic Moon's time has gone by.
Sorry Folken fans! I love Folken I really I do it's just that the mean son of a bitch in the movie fits this story so much better! Once again I'm sorry…there is some serious Folken bashing in this fic!
All original Escaflowne characters, ideas, and settings belong to who they belong to *not me.... wails* Hunter, Blade, and Silver are mine! As well as any other characters who aren't of Esca origin.
Thanks for reviewing! It really brightens my day!
P.S. I'm sorry Kanoe! I usually don't burn! I just tan!
P.S.S This timeline is totally out of sync. It has nothing to do with the timelines of the movie or the TV series.
Part Four: Time for Talks
"Where's Lord Dilandau?" Chesta asked Gatti. Although Chesta respected Gatti, he had always wanted to be second in command rather than third. Of course, Chesta did not question Lord Dilandau's methods. None of his slayers did. That just wasn't done.
"Lord Dilandau went for a ride with Strategoes Folken. I believe they are surveying the grounds surrounding the castle for survivors," Gatti replied. Why would Lord Dilandau do that? Is he that disappointed in us? Chesta was confused. If Lord Dilandau was angry he usually showed his slayers, but what was different now?
"Chesta, it seems that Strategoes Folken is angry at him. Something about that prisoner," Gatti said keeping his voice low, so that if anyone was in the vicinity, they would more than likely not hear him.
"It would have been better if that man had just died out there. Lord Dilandau wouldn't be mad at us, and he wouldn't be gone either," Chesta replied in the same volume as Gatti.
"I agree, but what's done is done. See if you can locate Lord Dilandau," Gatti ordered.
Doesn't this idiot ever stop? Oh wait…he's riding a horse, he's not doing any work. Blade was angry. She was hungry and tired. Whoever this was, he was gaining Blade's hatred very fast because he had a horse and she didn't. I just hope there aren't any screwy aliens around here. Or maybe I do…so they can screw him, and let me keep the horse!
Only about an hour ago, she had started to trail him. He had stopped once in a while, looked about, and continued on his way.
"Get the shit on with this stupid dumb-ass ride!" Blade muttered darkly and unconsciously out loud during one of these stops. The man slid off his mount and turned around.
"Who's there?" He asked into the night sky. What the hell? Did I make I noise? I am so not good at this kind of stuff. His eyes surveyed his surroundings, finding nothing. I may not trail others easily, but I can stay hidden. Thank you color black! A small smile flickered over his face. What's that for?
"If you come out now, I guarantee that your sentence will be less painful then if you don't." Less? How the hell is he going to hurt me? He took a step forward. How the hell am I gonna defend myself? I'm good but I ain't no Hunter.
"Uhh…it was me. I'm sorry but I am lost and don't know which way to go," Blade said trying to act scared or something like that. Shit, How does Silver do this kind of stuff?
"You think that makes it acceptable to follow me?" He said menacingly. Blade stared at him with the look on her face plainly stating, 'What kind of nutter are you? What the hell do you think you are doing talking to me like that? You are in deep shit….' Blade knew that whenever she gave Hunter this kind of look, Hunter started to laugh. Well that's Hunter and she can kick my ass and I doubt he can.
"Look, ah, mister I'm so sorry, but I thought maybe you were going to the nearest town, and instead of troubling you I thought it would be better if I didn't say anything," Blade sneered insolently.
"The nearest town is no longer there, girl," He replied. What…? No longer there?
"It's Blade, not girl, and what's that supposed to mean? No longer there?" Blade snarled.
"I had it pillaged, plundered, and burned," He answered quite calmly.
"Oh."
Perhaps fifteen minutes had past before Hunter left her perch in the tree she had scrambled up. Entering the clearing, she glanced about and then retrieved her dagger. Okay that's over with…for now…Silver, where did you go? Mentally Hunter retraced the fight with Dila-what's his face, until she came to the part where she told Silver to run, swiveling she turned and stared at the path her sister had taken.
The same path that whatever-his-name-is took.
"Oh shit," Hunter said violently. Hearing a noise she whirled, weapon ready. A grin flickered across her face when she saw what it was.
"Hello horse."
Where the hell did that bitch go? She couldn't have just disappeared! Dilandau moved quickly, and silently, the way he had been trained. Of course she may have been trained for this also… She was a fighter. Period. The only thing that hindered her was her wavering confidence. Was she always like that? Or had it just been me? Why? Realization hit him with a shock. That other girl…what had she called her? …Silver… She had protected her, or at least she tried to. What was the connection?
"Oh."
That was it. The girl or Blade as she seemed to prefer, just shrugged off the fact that he had that town destroyed. Folken guessed that either she was hiding the emotions that she felt, or that she had seen that kind of thing too many times. He settled on the former of those two options. Who would be untroubled by something like that?
"Um…then could you show me in the direction of the next nearest…ah…settlement?" She asked, interrupting his thoughts. That irritated Folken. No one just interrupted him like that except Dilandau, and when he did that he paid.
"Unfortunately that is not possible. As now that you know that I am here it would be possible for you to warn them," Folken replied softly. Once again her face expressed disbelief, anger, and other unreadable feelings.
"Look, dude, I'm only acting nice so you can tell me how the hell you get out of here. I don't give a shit about who you're going to kill next as long as ain't me. Or my sisters for that matter. But I doubt you could harm Hunter, and I wouldn't let you hurt Silver," Blade replied partially angry, partially calm.
"How amusing. No, really it is. But I'm sure I could take out your sisters quite easily," Folken answered. The girl started to laugh.
"Dude, you don't know Hunter. Nothing can take her out. And Silver? She can talk her way out of almost any situation," Blade said grinning. How interesting. Perhaps rewarding? This Hunter alone, if what she is saying is true, might be better than some of the Dragonslayers…
"How interesting. I would like to meet your sisters. Please, may I offer you a ride?" Folken asked as pleasantly as he possibly could.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" She answered as she climbed on the horse behind him.
Silver noticed quite clearly when the silver-haired teenager stalked past her tree. She also guessed what it meant. Hunter…down? That can't be… Silver started to panic. She also felt guilt rise in her stomach again. I should have stayed…I…I could of helped her… In her horror, her panic and guilt, her foot slipped and hit a branch breaking it off.
He heard and turned sharply, looking for the source. Shit…this isn't good… He glanced up and saw her immediately. Silver watched as a smirk tugged at his lips. This isn't what I was trained to do…Blade can get out of sticky situations like this, but I can't.
Hunter had never ridden a horse before; she had never seen a horse either. Growing up in a city like Los Angeles, even without electricity, you don't see many live animals.
"Here horse?" Hunter called hopefully. How the hell am I going to get anywhere? The animal just kept on grazing. Very encouraging.
"You're a shitty thing, you know that?" Hunter asked as she came closer to it. The horse snorted and continued to eat. Very funny. Why does this shit always happen to me? She gathered the reins, and tried to figure out how to mount. Guessing, and getting it right she began to wonder if this was worth all the trouble. I'm getting nowhere…It'll make Dila-whatever mad though, damn what is his name?
"Umm…giddy-up?" Hunter asked.
How…perfect…Dilandau smirked up at the girl he had just been wondering about. Silver? Is that it?
"You'll want to come down…Silver," Dilandau said, enjoying the shock she was having at the sound of her own name.
"How…how do you know my name?" She asked, looking confused. Dilandau shrugged and gestured towards the way he had come.
"She shouted for Silver to go…for Silver not to question her," He mocked, "She said Silver shouldn't see the things that she had to do to protect her." Silver didn't answer for a while; she sat in the tree thinking. What are you thinking about little bird?
"Hunter…she's not…" Silver fumbled for the words. Hunter? Is that…?
"Dead? Hardly," Dilandau said as Silver sighed in relief. But she will be…
"You can come down…I won't hurt you, not now anyway," Dilandau told her. I need you alive…
"So your going to use me as bait to get to my sister?" She asked. Dilandau's mind performed a double take. She's smart…woah…sister? The girl dropped from her perch and landed on her feet before him.
"I don't know what you want with Hunter, but I bet she'll kick your ass," Silver said calmly. One of Dilandau's eyebrows shot up.
"Is that so?" He asked.
"You better believe it," Silver replied.
"Come on, girlie, this way," Dilandau said taking her upper arm. Better be careful otherwise big bad Hunter's gonna kick my ass for hurting her sister…
If I summarized this chapter it would go like this:
In which Hunter talks to a horse, Blade, Folken, and Dilandau are agreeable for once, and Silver swears.
I don't think Silver's ever sworn in this fic besides now. And what is with these girls and taking refuge in trees?
Keep reviewing, I love it so much! I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP.