I never really know what to write here, but I hope you are all enjoying this story

I never really know what to write here, but I hope you are all enjoying this story. I still have a long way to go to catch up to where I'm at on Anime shack. But I will try to get more posted this weekend.

Van and friends go to the catfolk village in search of the Dragon Goddess, hoping she will be Hitomi. They find more than they expected when they find the Green Dragon.

Again, let me know someone is reading by reviewing. Thanx Fanilia

A huge fire blazes in the center of the village, tables of food are scattered about and children are playing in the twilight.

Hitomi: "This is more like a celebration then just an evening fire, this isn't normal is it?"

Nathen: "I didn't want to upset you, but I'm not the only one who thinks you are a goddess. They think you control the Green Dragon that saved the man village last night. Some of the villagers from there have even come to pay tribute to you. I thought it might be safer for you if they don't know the whole truth."

Hitomi: "I'm trying to be understanding, but I did come with you because of the Elders. When do you think I will be able to speak to them?"

Nathen: "Tomorrow, I promise, tonight is for celebrating good fortune."

Villagers surround Hitomi all evening. She accepts small gifts from the men that traveled from the other village to see her. Children come up to her wanting to touch her wings and scales, but some of the older Cat folk stay away, fear in their eyes of the unknown. Hours pass and Hitomi becomes overwhelmed, she needs to get away.

Hitomi: "Nathen, I need to get away, can we walk for a while, although it's dark, I would still like to see some of the village."

Nathen: "It would be my honor to walk with you."

They stand, Nathen taking Hitomi's hand and leading her away from the fire. He heads for the outskirts of the village.

Across the village to the west, a Levi ship lands in a clearing. The village guards approach emerging silently from the surrounding trees. A small group of people exits the ship. The group consists of those of the royal blood, Merle, and Allen as their warrior. Everyone else, including Yukari and Amano stay in the ship, too many strangers may arise suspicion. One of the guards, a spear in his hand approaches them.

Guard: "What do you seek here strangers?"

Allen: "We are travelers from the West. We have heard of the Green Dragon and the Dragon Goddess. We wish to pay homage before we continue on our way. I am Allen Schazar, knight of Cale and protector of the Royal house of Aston. May we have leave to enter your village?"

The cat man motions to the other guards to come forward. He is still suspicious. He carefully looks over the strangers, and then spots Merle among them.

Guard: "There is a cat folk among you, is she a slave?"

Van: "No, she is a slave to no one. She is my companion, my friend. Her name is Merle."

Quietly Merle speaks to Van:

Merle: "Lord Van, maybe I shouldn't have come."

Van: "We're here and I should have brought you to see your homeland a long time ago."

Merle: "Fanilia is my home, and my homeland."

Guard: "This way."

Van, Merle and the others are lead into the village. A celebration has been going on, but is slowing down for the night. As they approach a tall older cat man leaves the group he was with by the fire to approach the newcomers.

Guard: "They say the have come to pay homage to the Dragon Goddess."

Van steps forward to the elder cat, Merle is close by his side.

Van: "I am Van Fanel, King of Fanilia, We were journeying with the Royal Princess of Astoria when we heard of the goddess. As is the custom we have stopped to pay homage to your village, and to your good fortune."

Lead Elder: "The arrival of the Goddess is indeed a sign of good fortune. Tonight we celebrate and we welcome you to our village as friends. Come join us."

They are shown to places by the fire and given food and drink.

Dryden: "Don't get impatient, Van, we will see her soon enough, if it is her."

Van: "I don't like waiting."

Millerna: "We know."

There is laughter, but Van is silently brooding. He can feel it Hitomi is close by. Why did she return to Gaea and not find him. Is something or someone keeping them apart?

Nathen and Hitomi, Goldie perched on her shoulder, have been walking for some distance; they are out by the fields near the mountain side of the village. They are unaware of the arrival of the Levi ship. Hitomi looks up at the Mystic Moon, at home, and sighs. Nathen stops walking and placing his free hand on her arm he turns her to face him.

Nathen: "I wish to protect you, to take the sadness from you and make you happy. You are always so sad."

He bends his head down to hers and takes her lips with his in a tender kiss. He means to show her how he feels, but her reaction surprises him. She starts to cry. In her mind she sees the woman kissing Van. Hitomi brakes away from Nathen and runs back in the direction of the village fire. Goldie now circling her as she runs, tears blurring her vision.

Allen and Van are by the fire asking questions of some of the villagers around them. Allen stops, he is staring behind Van.

Allen: "Someone's running this way, Van."

Van, his hopes centered on finally finding Hitomi, turns a smile on his face. She is closer now, but it's not Hitomi. The woman coming is a dragon woman. She is green with long silver hair and wings. His smile fades.

The woman stops when she sees them, staring for a moment at Van's expression. She turns and takes flight toward the forest trees. Van, Allen, and Dryden jump and run in the direction she is flying.

Allen: "Have you ever seen anyone like that before?"

Dryden: "She must be a human dragonmere, by the spirits, I don't believe it."

The three run almost head on into Nathen, who was until a moment ago following Hitomi.

Allen: "Van wait, we can't catch up like this, she flying."

Nathen hears the name and stops blocking Van's way.

Nathen: "You are the King of Fanilia!"

Van: "What, yes – Get out of my way!"

This is the one, the man that Hitomi speaks of finding. Nathen can't explain why, but he doesn't want them together, no matter how much she seems to trust him, The kings of Fanilia are land poachers, killing not for food, but as ritual.

Nathen: "No you have killed a dragon to become king, the goddess fears you. She flees from you."

Dryden: "Come on Van, we will go back to the ship now. Please tell the goddess we only came to pay homage not to harm her or her green dragon."

Nathen stands his ground, face to face with Van. Both men are glaring at each other. Van is furious, he is gripping the hilt of his sword, but does not draw it. He turns away, walking back in the direction they came.

Van: "Let's go."

As they approach the ship, blue/green flames shoot across the sky.

Van: "The Dragon!"

Van heads strait for the guymelth bay and Escaflowne. He climbs up and placing his hand on the chest crystal opening the cockpit. Van enters and as soon as he's in, leaves the ship switching to dragon mode.

The night is filling with the sounds of dragons calling. Near and far they can be heard. A very small dragonet darts and swoops around Escaflowne as if to challenge the giant. Van pays it no heed; he is after the Green Dragon.

Souring high in the sky he spots the dragon and climbs. The dragon dives at him shooting fire from its claw. Van veers off to avoid being burned again. The Green Dragon circles Escaflowne coming closer, It's tail coming up from under its body and striking Escaflowne hard in the midsection. 'It fights like Escaflowne' Van loads a mouth tube with the dragon dust. He shoots hitting the dragon with the first shot.

The close contact with Escaflowne and the dragon dust have an unexpected result on the Green Dragon. As Van watches the pendant he wears starts to glow that strange green color again, and Escaflowne's energist resonates. The dragon stops directly in front of Van, caught in the glow. The dragon is glowing now unmoving as if suspended in time and space, not flying, but not falling either. Van watches as the dragon begins to change, it becomes smaller, changing into the dragon woman he saw in the village. She is beautiful this close up. Her silver hair is flowing out and the scales covering parts of her body sparking in the light from the twin moons. Van moves Escaflowne in closer to capture this dragon woman as the dragon dust takes effect The pendant is still glowing around his neck, but now the color is changing from green to soft red. Van is still staring amazed when the dragon woman arches her back wings spread. Flame shoots upward from her hand. She screams and then she faints. The glow around her fades and she plunges toward the ground.

There's no time, Van quickly pulls off his shirt and dives from Escaflowne after her, white wings emerging from his back as he follows her decent. If he can't reach her she will die, because of the dragon dust, because of him. He reaches her, wrapping his arms around her and holding tight he slows their decent and softly lands. The dragon woman, no she is a goddess, is cradled gently in his arms.

Van's wings recede into his back, leaving no sigh that they exist. Who is she?

The dragon woman stirs in his arms, she opens her green eyes and sighs,

Hitomi: "Van"

Her eyes close and she snuggles closer to him, the dragon dust now taking full effect.

Van hears her speak his name, and he knows. This strange and beautiful woman is Hitomi. What has been done to her, could it be a fate alteration, could the scorcesses

Be responsible. Too many questions, and there seem to be no answers.

No one knows she is the dragon they seek. When she changed they were far enough up that he is the only witness. 'I will sort things out back at the ship. For now no one will know you are the dragon, the dragon Escaflowne must kill!' His mind searches for Escaflowne, 'Come to me now.' The guymelth lands nearby. Van stands for a moment longer, just holding Hitomi close. He closes his eyes and sighs, whispering softly in her ear.

Van: "Hitomi, It doesn't matter to me, I Love You."

He approaches Escaflowne, the giant changes form from the dragon to fighting mode. Van gently places Hitomi in the hand and climbs into the cockpit. Van heads back to the Levi ship, a small dragonet circles overhead, and the sounds of dragons calling grows louder.

A lone figure stands in the shadows watching. As Van leaves, Nathen moves, and then silently follows. He was right men would kill for her, and he Nathen is one of them. He will follow and if necessary protect the goddess with his very life.