A/N: Hey people this chapter is going to have Folken a little OOC (sorry). After looking at episode 6 of Escaflowne, I just thought there is no way Folken could let Dilandau get away with that crap. Well, there's going to be some rehashing of dialogue from that episode but hopefully it won't suck too bad.
Maintenance Chapter 5
For the past few minutes Folken and Sydney have been working on their patient forms. Sydney was nearing the final stretch. At long last he has come to the signature line. Sydney was just too pleased with himself.
"Hmm, just sign my name like so," he thought out loud. He then wrote his name quite nicely if he had to say so himself.
Signature Sydney Losstarot"Well it's time to see my favorite person in the whole wide world!" he said with a triumphant smirk. Sydney rose from his seat and strolled leisurely towards the receptionist desk.
"Tommy, I am finally finished," Sydney stated dramatically, placing the clipboard on the desk. "What are you doing doing?" Sydney inquired, interested in the images on the computer monitor.
Tommy sighed expansively and turned around. He had not expected Sydney to be done with the form quite this soon. It should have taken him at least another twenty minutes. "I'm playing a game."
"What game?"
"A card game," Tommy says slowly.
"Yes, that's fairly obvious. What is the name of this card game and what is the objective?"
"This game is called Free Cell. What you have to do is try to move all the cards into these slots," he pointed to the four slots in the upper-right hand corner, "each suit has it's own slot." Tommy continued to explain the rules to Sydney.
Phillip was listening to their conversation thinking that something was going to jump off. "BOOOORING! I could have been looking at Jerry Springer in the sanitation ship's rec room." He decided to see how Folken was faring on his form.
Folken appeared to be lost in thought holding a non descript blue pen absently in his left hand. His attention definitely wasn't on the forms, his eyes seemed to be looking through the form. He shook himself out of his reverie and focused on the material in front of him. He soon was finished with the first page which consisted of basic information. He went to the next page.
"Not too bad thus far," Folken thought. He spotted the insurance section. "A ghost of a smile forms on his lips as he thinks back to the sociable blonde's comment. He goes to the coat rack and pulled his wallet out of an inside pocket on his cloak. He sat back down and quickly obtains his insurance card.
"I suppose being a government official occasionally has some benefits," he thought with some sadness. He like other officials and most lower level workers in the Zaibach Empire have Humana of Zaibach as their insurance carrier, the dental plan was especially sweet (they cover braces). Also, because Folken is the Strategos, or head tactician and inventor he was number two in the hierarchy of the Zaibach government. And when you're at the top, one doesn't have to worry about the co-payment. Yet, Folken has paid the price many times over. A single tragic event ten years ago lead to his current station in life and the loss of his right arm.
"Maybe I went too far," Folken thought as he inspected his ruined metal hand. The damage was so severe that even he could not repair it. Nevertheless, there was a small part of him that was glad he dropped his cool façade for that brief moment.
************Start Flashback************
Folken had just finished his meeting with King Aston of Asturia. All in all he felt it went quite well, even with that knight, Allen Chezar's meddling. With his business done, it was time to return to the Vione. He walked at a sedate pace, passing many merchant stalls. It was unfortunate that he did not have time to look for gifts for Naria and Eriya. He hasn't been able to spend much time with them...not like he did when they were little kittens.
He reached the overpass that lead to the harbor, passing by two Zaibach soldiers. They were chatting it up before they noticed Folken but immediately stood at attention when they saw that the Strategos was approaching. He then passed through several darkened alleys that a lesser man would be reluctant to enter; it was at this time he heard light rapid footfalls. He didn't bother turning around because he already knew who it was. Van.
Folken was crossed a bridge over a canal, as he reached the other side his carriage approached. Punctuality at it's best. As he reached the vehicle, Van called out to him. This confrontation was very difficult for Folken. He just hoped that his brother would understand why he was doing all this. But Van was stubborn, as he was even as a little boy. That willfulness was one of the qualities Folken admired about his younger brother but right now it was very trying. Folken could only speak what he believed deep in his heart, what he believed Zaibach fought for, his whole reason for living.
"We fight to end conflict. To bring forth a new order. This is a true holy war."
"You mean fighting to bring an end to fighting? I think you'll find no such thing," Van stated with equal conviction.
"Van come with me. Come, so that we may create a new world," Folken said as he thought "Why doesn't he understand."
"Brother," Van said, at a lost for words.
"It looks like I'm getting through to him," Folken thought.
The next moments went by so fast. The girl with the short brown hair he saw on the Vione came seemingly out of nowhere, running for all she was worth calling his brother's name. Van look up to the sky with a look full of shock and terror and then the girl yelled a warning and tackled him. Where Van stood on the bridge seconds ago, there was a large smoking hole.
Folken immediately looked towards the Vione. He knew exactly who was responsible for this treachery. "Dilandau? How dare you interfere," Folken thought heatedly.
"I see. So, this is how Zaibach operates, huh?" Van asked, feeling even more betrayed.
"This was not my intent," Folken stated in an emotionless tone that matched the equally blank expression on his face. His thoughts were not so placid...they were absolutely murderous. All he could see was red.
"Is that all you have to say?" Van asked, his voice carrying a range of emotions: hurt, anger, growing hatred.
The situation was getting tense when a light voice ranged out. "Lord Van!" Merle exclaimed, relieved that Van was all right despite what that crazy girl Hitomi was saying.
"Same old overprotective Merle," Folken thought with an inward smile that overpowered the boiling anger-momentarily. Behind Merle was a group of Asturian soldiers. Folken used this distraction to make his departure.
It didn't take long to reach the Vione, maybe a half an hour. During this time various violent thoughts ran through Folken's mind. He couldn't kill or maim the coward though, Lord Dornkirk evidently needed him for something. This was the second time that lunatic tried to kill his brother. He just didn't understand this sick fixation Dilandau had on Van. The first time Van was able to defend himself. He shivered internally just thinking about it. Van surely would have died if Folken did not return his sword. And that girl... that girl with the strange hair and clothing she intervened then too. "Van the gods must have sent you a guardian angel," Folken thought with a sad smile.
He reran the conversation he had with Van in his mind. "This was not my intent," Folken wanted to cringe at the lameness of that statement. "Damn, that was a bloody brilliant response," he thought. It was at that point Folken decided what he wanted, no needed to do to Dilandau.
Once he returned to the Vione, Folken spotted one of the Dragon Slayers in a darkened hallway. He didn't know which one, they all look the same to him; they all looked like girls.
"Would you tell your patron that I want to see him in the antechamber immediately," Folken stated with steely formality.
"Y-Yes sir, Lord Folken," the unknown Dragon Slayer said while cowering.
Folken went to the chamber that was adjacent to the 'communications' room. He did not have to wait long before Dilandau showed up, smirking as usual.
"Yes, Strategos?" Dilandau said in a mock servile tone. The head Dragonslayer had a bandage on his cheek that covered the 'disfiguring' gash that Van gave him.
While in the carriage, Folken decided that he needed to give Dilandau a taste of his own medicine. So he slapped him soundly using his left hand... on the still healing wound. The sound echoed through the room.
"Dilandau. I don't know what your malfunction is," he punctuated that statement with another slap, "when I told you to acquire Escaflowne, you heard burn down Fanalia." He delivered another slap, harder this time.
Dilandau was so shocked that Folken slapped him he was paralyzed. He knew he would be reprimanded, but he wasn't expecting this. And here he was thinking his cheek was stinging earlier that day.
"Then last week you tried to kill Van." Slap. At this time blood started to appear on the dressing on Dilandau's cheek.
"And now you pull a stunt like this." Slap.
"Good thing I'm ambidextrous," Folken thought.
As Folken spoke his voice was so cold and distant. For the final blow he balled his fist and punched Dilandau square in the jaw. The force of the blow sent Dilandau sprawling on the ground.
"No independent thinking. You do what I tell you to do."
"Ughhh," Dilandau groaned from the floor.
Folken then turned his back on Dilandau and proceeded to leave the room. But all the anger hadn't left him. He wanted to kill Dilandau in there. As he was leaving he punched a pillar in the room with his metallic hand. Evidently he hit it helluva hard because there was a considerable dent.
"That is definitely being docked from his pay," Folken thought dryly.
Dilandau was rising from the floor when Folken punched the pillar. He promptly fainted when he realized that could have been his face.
When Folken went to his chambers he reached up with his right hand to unclasp his cloak, but for some reason it wasn't quite working. He looked down at his hand and saw that it was mangled.
"Aw hell," he said flatly.
************End Flashback************
Folken shook himself yet again out of his reverie. He looked at the clock, he had spaced out for a good 5 minutes. He turned his attention back to the form. He immediately brightened when he spotted a question concerning prior visits. Because he had been to Flexco before all he had to do now was sign the page.
Signature Folken Lacour de Fanel
He got up to give the form to that rude receptionist, Thomas. Folken definitely did not see him during his prior visits. The previous receptionist, she had been quite pleasant.
A/N: Yeah-yeah, Folken was a little OOC but I just couldn't let what Dilandau did ride. And plus we didn't see what Folken said or did to Dilandau after that so...this is my interpretation. All you Dilandau fans, I apologize again. Feel free to send me some flames as tribute for your boy. Oh yeah if any one knows which Dragon Slayers are which could you leave it in your review or email me. This chapter was a big sticking point for me I'm glad it's over. Well Jet Black is coming into the fray next chapter...I wonder what his problem is.