Van and company follow the Green Dragon as Yukari and Amano wonder just how well they really know their friend

Van and company follow the Green Dragon as Yukari and Amano wonder just how well they really know their friend. What will they learn in the Man Village?

The Crusade is finally underway, having spent most of the day off loading. Gadis and Allen are on the control deck of the ship.

Gadis: "Allen, there is a village a short distance away we should visit. While unloading the crew heard from the Zieback that this village was attacked by a green dragon last night. They got the information from a traveling merchant they traded with on the way here. We could be there in a short time, it isn't far."

Allen: "Set course for the village, I want to know when it is in sight."

Allen leaves the control deck and heads for the bay to speak to Van. As he passes Dryden's study he hears Millerna arguing with her husband.

Millerna: " You have to tell him if you are sure, but if your wrong.

Dryden: "Nothing is positive, buy why are you being so stubborn, do you still love him?"

Allen wants to stay outside and listen, he fears the argument is about him, but he is a gentleman, a knight, so he moves on. He will talk to Dryden later if it becomes necessary.

Van is sharpening Escaflowne's sword as Allen enters. Merle is sitting close by contently grooming, happy that the Empress is no longer around.

Allen: "The men heard reports of the dragon close by. We are heading to the village it attacked last night."

Van: "Good, I have become tired of all this waiting. Has Dryden figured out where Cred is yet?"

Allen: "Millerna was with him just now, so I didn't bother him. Maybe they have seen Hitomi in the village?"

Van: Hitomi will be all right. I will find her. We are close, I know the pendant is leading us to her, and the fact that the dragon is heading in the same direction makes me believe more and more that they are connected. It can't just be a coincidence."

Yukari and Amano are out sitting on the open deck. They are sitting together close, enjoying some time alone. Yukari is resting her head on Amano's shoulder. She sighs; she just doesn't have the adventurous spirit that Amano has. She worries about Hitomi and wants to go back home.

Yukari: "Hitomi made everything seem so simple. She was caught in the middle of a war, she had an adventure, and she came home. But that wasn't it at all. Millerna told me things that happened, things Hitomi never mentioned."

Amano: "What kind of things:"

Yukari: "Her visions, they were really terrible. She saw and experienced the death of a being called a doppelganger. Her heart stopped, Van had to do CPR on her.

Amano: " She died, you must have misunderstood"

Yukari: "No I got it right, that wasn't the only time. Van was pulled into the land of the dead when he was fighting in the giant machine of his. She followed him to bring him back. That armor of his is dangerous."

Amano: " I've heard things too, I wonder how much we really know Hitomi. On earth she's just like you and me, but here she has power, that war that she told us about, She was a weapon. A whole city was destroyed to capture her."

Yukari: "I guess it doesn't really matter. She's my best friend. Oh Amano, I'm so scared."

It is late afternoon as the village comes into sight. The Crusade anchors near the burnt hull of another ship. The wreckage is still smoking, small fires still burning here and there. Allen and Van go into the village in search of information about the dragon. They approach a man the first villager to come out since their arrival.

Villager: "What do you want here, can't you see we have nothing left to take."

Allen: "We are not here to do harm. We are on a quest in search of a green dragon. We heard of the attack on your village, did the dragon do this?"

Villager: "No the bandits did this to the village, the dragon did that to the bandits."

He waves his hand in the direction of the wrecked ship.

Van: "This damage wasn't caused by the dragon?"

Villager: "No the dragon attacked and killed only the bandits. It left us unharmed. They say it was a dragonmere. I don't believe in such things, but if you want to know more, talk to Sandra. The bandits tried to take her, she saw the dragon close. She lives over there."

He points to a hut, then turns and leaves. Allen and Van walk to the hut. There is an old woman sitting outside breaking long green vegetables into sections. She looks up at the arrival of the strangers.

Allen: " We were told a woman named Saundra lives, may we speak to her."

Woman: "Inside, she has not yet recovered, please do not upset her."

Allen: "We won't be long. I promise."

Allen smiles at the woman, and bows. She smiles back, her face lighting up revealing that she isn't really half as old as the hard work of the land has made her appear.

Van: "Must you do that to every woman you meet."

Allen: "Do what?"

They enter the hut; it is dim and cool inside. The woman is sitting in a chair by the only window. She turns as the two approach.

Van: "We heard that you saw the dragon that was here last night."

Sandra: "It wasn't a dragon it had the eyes of a human. It was a dragonmere. The bandits tried to take me with them. They were forcing me to their ship. The dragon came to my rescue. It saved us, only destroying the tainted men and their ship. The dragon goddess is said to have sent it here to protect us and destroy them."

Allen: "Dragon goddess?"

Sandra: "We received word from a village not far from here, a village of the cat folk, that the dragon goddess arrived there today, there is to be a grand celebration. We have sent gifts to her for saving us."

Allen: "Thank you for speaking with us, we will let you rest now."

They leave, heading back to the ship.

Van: "The eyes, it must be the same dragon."

Allen: "A goddess, do you think it could be Hitomi?"

Van: "I hope so."