Holly awoke to find herself in a dark place. Where am I? She wondered. And where's Kim? I know she's around here somewhere...I remember we were watching Escaflowne, and then what?
"Kim?" She called out. "Where are you?" There was no response.
Holly reached out and her fingers came into contact with a wall. She used it to edge along and tried to find...something. The darkness did not bother her much, but she was worried what might be lurking nearby.
She came to a door handle and turned it. A door opened and she could see out.
I remember! I was going to the kitchen for some more food when I fell in the closet and it shut on me! Confounded thing...I must have blacked out.
Feeling much more confident, she stepped out of the closet...
...And her mouth dropped open in shock.
She was not in her house. She was in a place where the Earth and the Moon hung above her in the sky...
We weren't drinking...So am I dreaming? This can't be right!
"Kim! Kim, come quick! You have to see this!"
*****
Kim could hear Holly calling, but she couldn't see her. She stood in the doorway, staring into the room. "This is the Vione!" she gasped. She tentatively reached her hand out, to find no obstruction. She took a few steps forward and dropped onto the floor of the floating fortress. The door behind her disappeared with a flash of light. She could hear slow methodical footsteps coming towards her, and she bit her lip.
How am I going to hide? They're going to kill me!
*****
Holly got no answer to her desperate cries, and when she looked behind her, the door had disappeared.
"Well...This is odd." She was torn between the desire to start screaming, or start giggling hysterically.
I should really stop eating so much popcorn. It does weird things to my system.
"You there, who are you?"
If that's who I think it is, I'm going to faint.
"It's coming! The dragon! Get out of the way!" yelled Van Slanzar de Fanel.
Holly promptly passed out.
*****
Kim watched as the black cape floated across the floor, towards the table under which she was crouched. As it passed by her, she let out a sigh of relief...and he stopped.
"Ah, sandwiches," she cursed.
The tip of a sword lined with her face, and Folken demanded that she show herself.
She slowly crawled from underneath the table, showing her hands in surrender.
"A woman?" Folken said, shocked. "How did a woman get onto the floating fortress?"
"I don't know," Kim answered timidly.
"Silence!" Dilandau emerged from the shadows. "Baka!" he screamed, preparing to smack her. Folken grabbed his wrist.
Dilandau cackled.
"Folken, you are such a softy," he said, strutting away.
"Tell me your name," Folken requested, turning his attention back to the girl.
"Kim," she said softly, and he smiled.
"Come with me, and we will ask Dornkirk why you have come to us," he said, grabbing her hand with his left.
*****
Holly could hear a sexy voice calling her. I must be dreaming, she thought. It sounds like Van.
"Girl! Girl, wake up!"
"Mmmph," she said, in typical Holly waking up fashion. "Just five more minutes...please Mom..."
"You're going to be eaten by a dragon if you don't hurry!"
Holly giggled. "But I don't even taste good!"
She was startled into full awakeness by the sound of a really loud growl.
That was real!
She jumped to her feet and was prepared to run for her life. Until she remembered that she had no idea in which direction to travel.
Van noticed her odd attire; that strange looking fuzzy shirt and...and pair of pants?! He would question her later.
"Run, girl!"
"Which way?" she demanded.
"Go that way!"
Holly obeyed. Except that she was a really bad runner and she tripped over an insanely small stone, landing flat on her face.
"Ow," she groaned.
*****
A decrepit old man appeared on a giant screen before them.
"Yes, Emperor Dornkirk?" Folken asked.
"Train the girl, she will be useful. There is uncertainty in our ideal future. Find what caused it. Stop it."
"And capture the dragon." He disappeared.
"Come, we must find clothes for you," Folken said, and began walking in a direction. Kim felt obliged to follow him.
He gave her an outfit with leather and armor. Once she had put it on, and he had inspected her appearance, he decided that she should have a sword for the empty sheath at her hip.
He took her to a room filled with swords, and had her pick each one up. She did, and waved each one around. She could see no point to this, but he seemed very serious and interested, so she decided to humor him. Finally, she took one with a silver hilt and a blue jewel centered within it. . It felt feather light and was easy to wave around.
"Perfect," Folken said, and put the sword in its sheath. He took her to a room with a bed.
"You will sleep here," he said, and closed the door.
Seconds later it flung open to reveal an enraged Dilandau.
"So, YOU will be fighting with US? A WOMAN? Well, watch yourself girl, it's... 'dangerous' out there," he hissed, and he spat on her shoe. Slamming the door, he screamed for his Dragon Slayers.
Kim was left shivering, afraid, and alone in the dark.
*****
"You're hopeless!" Van exclaimed.
That stung. Holly got up carefully and sniffled.
What a jerk. I guess he's still in Jerk Phase in this storyline.
She was having trouble accepting the fact that she was really here on Gaea...She wondered if Kim was worried, back at home, waiting for her to bring the potato chips...She was counting on me and I let her down. I'm sorry Kim!
Holly couldn't run anymore, so she watched Van fight the dragon.
The dragon looks so awesome...these special effects are the best...
The dragon swerved and came after her.
He's REAL!
She let out a small whimper. She was unable to scream.
Van yelled at the Dragon to come and get him. Holly stared into the dragon's eyes and fear clutched at her heart.
******
Kim clutched her knees to her chest and rested her head on her knees.
This isn't as fun as I imagined, she thought sadly. Where's Holly? I haven't even seen the last five episodes! I'm so scared...I am with the bad guys!
Two hot tears ran down her cheeks.
She went to lay down, but her scabbard poked her hip. She unbuckled the belt, and let it clatter to the floor. She then sighed and fell back against the semi-comfortable bed. She closed her eyes and repeatedly told herself to sleep...but sleep never came. After about twenty minutes, her eyes flew open.
"Screw this, it's not working."
She swung her legs onto the floor and stepped into her boots.
It's not a crime to walk around, is it? she thought, opening the door, and stepping out into the semi-lit hallway.
*****
Van slashed at the dragon with his sword. Holly saw the dragon's tail rise...
I know this part!
"Watch out above!" she screamed, in true Hitomi fashion.
Van moved. The dragon's tail came down and slashed the air where he had been only seconds before. Van killed it, and sliced open it's chest, taking the energist as his prize.
"Wow, that was close," Holly said.
"It wasn't you who killed it, so don't try to take any credit for it," Van said haughtily.
Holly was fed up with his Attitude. She smacked his oh so cute face with all her might, and he fell to the ground.
Maybe that was too hard??!! "Don't be such a jerk!" she exclaimed.
He rose slowly. "Uh...Come to my castle. We will figure out what to do with you then...You will be punished for assaulting me, Prince of Fanelia!"
Crud. Me and my stupid hotheaded temper.
*****
Kim wandered aimlessly throughout the floating fortress. She hadn't watched the series enough to have created a mental map of it. Strangely, whenever she encountered any guards, they glanced at her uniform, gaped at her femininity, but left her alone. Once she had searched most of the Zaibach center, she came to the guymelef hangar. She gaped up in awe at the beautiful machine in front of her.
"The Alsedies," she whispered to herself.
Images of the crima claw killing Balgus, and the flamethrower burning Fanelia to the ground appeared in her mind.
"Doomed to fail. So this is why in all the stories where someone who goes to the future decides not to remember." She sighed. "Poor Folken. He was sent me, a helpless little creature who is enemy number one on Dilandau's list." She closed her eyes and giggled.
"But not for long...chiku chiku, cheek cheek..." She laughed with herself, but it just wasn't as fun making fun of these people without Holly.
She slowly wandered back to her room, until an expansive window caught her eyes. And then she saw what Hitomi had seen...The Earth in the sky next to the moon.
Kim hadn't noticed the tears forming in her eyes, but she began to feel moisture on her face. Ashamed, she tried, to no avail, to wipe the evidence from her face.
She felt a large hand fall onto her shoulder, and she could feel the warmth emanating from his body behind her.
*****
Holly considered running away, but decided against it, considering that was what got her into trouble in the first place.
She followed after Van, spirits low.
They arrived in Fanelia a short time later. Holly stared in amazement at all of the wonderful buildings and people.
Beautiful...
"I, Van Fanel, have completed the task of dragon slaying!"
Holly watched the proceedings with a crazy smile on her face, and tried to prevent herself from drooling. He wants to have me punished for assaulting him! What a jerk! But he's sooo hot...
They crowned him right then and there.
Wait a minute...It doesn't happen like this, Holly's mind protested.
"Who is this?" Balgus asked. Balgus was scary looking in person.
"She got in the way of the dragon slaying, and she hit me," Van said.
"Is this true?"
"I saved him from getting killed!" Holly exclaimed. "And...I'm from the Mystic Moon!" The crowd looked awed and she nodded with that smug smile on her face...
Maybe I can stay out of trouble if they are in awe of me...
"It's the invisible enemy!" a random guard screamed.
But they're too early! Who is messing with the lot anyway?
Holly's mind was swept away by the general panic everyone was feeling...Balgus grabbed her arm and Van's and dragged them away...
*****
"Are you from the Mystic Moon?" he asked, soothingly.
She turned and looked into his garnet eyes, nodding.
"It's okay." He swept her tears off her cheeks with his left thumb. "I miss home, too," he said, gazing past her. She turned to look where he gazed and saw Fanelia.
"So soon?" she whispered.
Folken was about to ask her what she meant, when Dilandau paraded past them with his dragon slayers. Kim didn't know what had caused her to be so forward.
"You can not attack Fanelia!" she yelled after him.
Dilandau stopped abruptly, causing the dragon slayers to collide. He swept them out of the way and started at the sorry excuse of a girl.
"I can't? Oh, well then, let's just go have some tea them!" he bellowed into her face. A satisfied smile crept across his face when he saw her flinch.
This time he was not stopped, and slapped her soundly to the ground. Folken stood there, in shock of how this girl knew of their battle plans. Dilandau kicked Kim in the stomach, hard. Folken pushed him back, and helped the battered girl to her feet.
"Enough, Dilandau. Will you ever show restraint?" Folken said sharply.
Dilandau just shook his head. "You just watch, my pretty! Watch a real man destroy this poor little country you hold so dear!" Dilandau yelled at her.
"NO...I can't see that because you're not a real.." She was cut off by Folken's right claw. It pinched her lip and one of his talons drew blood from her cheek. He waited until the others had left and were stealth cloaked before he spoke.
"It is best not to provoke him," he said, finally returning his attention back to Kim.
Folken quickly realized his error and released her face from his claw. He became very ashamed of how he had hurt her.
"I'm so sorry," he said, sadness lingering in his eyes, before abruptly turning and walking away. Kim called after him, but he never stopped, and all she saw was his cape sliding swiftly away.
*****
"Van, take the Escaflowne, and the girl, uh..."
"Holly."
"Holly, and flee!"
"I'll never turn my back on an enemy and run away!"
"Van, just do what the big scary man says....Whoops, did I say that out loud?" Holly giggled nervously. She watched Van awaken Escaflowne, and watched as Balgus was killed...and she screamed as Fanelia burned...
"Get me the heck out of here!" she screamed. The ring on her finger began to glow..."The beam of light," she whispered, and she was carried away.
*****
Kim watched from the Vione, clutching her bruised stomach. They city burned and people fled.
Why, oh why did Holly have to get uncut? she wondered, for the terrible scenes which played out below became suddenly real and frightening.
Come on, Hitomi, call the beam of light, she chanted, hoping for the safety of those below.
And when it shot from the sky, she felt relieved. She began to feel the exhaustion that had eluded her before and began to limp back to her room.
She passed Folken's lab, and saw him reading books intently, and she started to sigh. The inhalation brought pain and she whimpered.
Folken lifted up his head and then turned his body, to see Kim leaning wearily against the doorframe for support.
He glided, or so it appeared to her, across the floor, and caught her in his arms before her weakened body collapsed. He scooped her up and took her the rest of the way to her room, placing her on the bed. He gingerly touched her scabs where he had pinched her. She opened her mouth to tell him it was all right, but e shushed her.
"I overreacted, I'm sorry for storming off. You must explain to me how you knew of our plans..." He saw her eyelids droop. "But after you have rested."
She nodded her head slowly and whispered to him before he left.
"Thank you for your kindness." Kim smiled.
"Think nothing of it," he answered, trying to hide his emotions as he closed the door. Kim dropped into a peaceful sleep, far from home.
*****
Holly awoke and found herself lying in soft, cool grass.
"Aw man, I'm all dirty," she complained, wiping dirt off of her clothes. "This sucks. I thought being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a hot guy would be more fun...Wait, where's Van?"
She looked around. Suddenly, someone attacked her.
It was that ugly mole man, and he was trying to take her ring.
"You pervert!" she screeched, and clawed at his eyes, causing deep gashes. She then kicked him repeatedly in the gut and he collapsed.
"Don't ever touch me again!" she yelled. Mole man groaned. Holly cackled in victory.
"Who are you? Are you all right?"
The Knight with the long golden hair. Allen Schezar.
Wonderful. My absolute favorite guy in the WORLD! Well, I'm not going to cry on his shoulder about how he looks like Amano...
"My name is Holly, and that PERVERT attacked me!" she exclaimed.
"I see that you can take care of yourself," Allen said, staring in amazement at the crumpled form of Mole man.
"I learned from the best."
Actually, I learned from Dilandau, she thought, suppressing a giggle.
"What are you doing to her! I'll kill you!" Van yelled. "Holly, did he hurt you?"
Holly resisted the urge to melt.
Hold on...I know what to do here!
She pretended to pass out. Van rushed at Allen, got his butt kicked, and Allen took them both to his place...With Holly giggling silently all the way. Things were starting to look up!
"Don't worry, little princess, I'll protect you."
Holly stifled a scream of terror at Allen's remark. Then again, maybe things weren't looking up.
*****
Kim arose stiffly from her bed to a room full flooded with sunlight. She stretched and ground as her tight muscles realized,. Grabbing the rest of her armor and sword, she pulled her fingers through her knotted hair and pulled it into a bun. She shuffled out of her room, wondering exactly how she was to acquire a breakfast. Folken stood just down the hall, gazing out of the window. His head turned and he smiled at her.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
She nodded shyly, ashamed of how weak she had been last night. Folken ordered them breakfast.
"So how do you know what our military plans are?"
Kim was caught off guard by the abruptness of the question.
"What the H#)% am I supposed to say? Yeah there's a TV show about your life and by the way the people thin that you and Dilandau...
"I'm....well, I've seen what was going to happen since I was little," she lied.
Hey, Hitomi saw the future, so why can't I?
Folken looked at her in awe. Could she really be a seer?
"So, let me test this. Where is Dilandau going right now?"
Kim thought. "He's talking to Allen Schezar, demanding supplies."
Folken's mouth dropped open slightly, and then he nodded. "You will serve me well."
*****
Holly woke up for the bazillionth time and saw Allen staring into her face. She screamed hysterically and fell out of bed.
Unfair, having to wake up to something so scary...
"Are you all right, little princess?" Allen asked.
"My name is HOLLY!" she yelled.
Allen stepped back.
"Where's Van?" Holly asked, panicking.
"Right here," Van said. Holly breathed a sigh of relief.
Van explained what had happened in Fanelia, and then about Holly.
"So, she is from the Mystic Moon?"
"Yes you ....So and so! We said that already!" Holly screeched.
Allen winced. "Sorry."
Holly glared at him.
"Now, give me back Escaflowne, and I will go back to Fanelia," Van said.
"Fanelia burned to the ground, Van."
"What? NO!"
Holly felt sad because she could see that Van was sad. Let me comfort you...
"Allen, Lord Dilandau is here!" called someone.
"Hello, ALLEN SCHEZAR," Dilandau cooed.
"Hello," Allen said shortly.
"I need supplies, and I wondered if you have seen any odd looking guymelefs around here anywhere?"
"No...Could this have something to do with the attack on Fanelia?"
"Possibly."
Holly could no longer stand it. She ran over and jumped him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and refused to let go.
"Get her off! Kill her!" Dilandau screamed, trying to get Holly off. Holly was determined not to be got rid of.
Allen came over and detached her, dragging her along kicking and screaming.
"I'm sorry, Lord Dilandau, she is mentally unstable," Allen explained. "I found her in the East, and she is simply beautiful." He leaned down to kiss her cheek, but she screamed and rushed into Van's arms. "Protect me," she whimpered, and Van led her away.
*****
Dilandau returned to the fortress with a look of utter disgust and anger.
"That girl! That weirdo from the East! She touched me!"
"That girl," Kim said, but fear of Dilandau stopped her from continuing.
"What?" Folken asked.
"She sounds like someone I know."
"Could she have traveled here with you?"
"Blast her, she's with Van!"
*****
Holly and Van sat in the room they had been given, and Holly thanked the stars that they had been given the room together.
She hummed a little tune, and Van asked her what the music was.
"It's the opening them from--Err...It's an old song form my country on the Mystic Moon," Holly explained.
"What were you trying to do earlier to Dilandau?" Van asked.
"Uhhh...I think I'm still in shock and a little crazy." Holly suddenly thought of something. "Aw crap!"
"What is it?" Van asked.
"In this episode--ahem--Soon, Allen's castle is going to be attacked!"
"How do you know?"
"I--I'm psychic! We have to tell Allen!" She shuddered...ewww Allen! She ran to find him.
"I think you're a little tired," Allen said, feeling her forehead. "You seem to have a fever..."
"You're wearing gloves, you moron! How would you know? Believe me or I will kick you where it hurts!"
Allen thought he should prepare the guards; maybe nothing was going to happen but at least it would keep Holly calm!
*****
"Van. How do you know of my bro...I mean, the King of Fanelia?" Folken said.
"I know, I just know. I also know your story and Dilandau's and Emperor Dornkirk's...I just know who you are and what you are going to do."
"Can...Can you read my thoughts?" Folken asked anxiously.
"NO. That is one thing I can not do," Kim said with a smirk.
"So, little girly can tell what I'm going to do huh? So you twerp what are my plans for the 'heavenly' Knight, Allen Schezar?" Dilandau petered.
"You're going to burn them to the ground mercilessly, but some will escape," She said, gazing into space.
"Escape me?" he smacked her upside the head, but this time she remained in her seat.
Heh heh, just like Gatty...She smiled.
"Why are you smiling?!?" he screeched shrilly. He received no response.
"Baka!" He said, storming off to go and burn down Allen's palace.
*****
Holly followed Allen around and made very sure he was securing the place.
Maybe I can save them...This story is different. Some characters are missing and...I'm here.
"It's the invisible enemy!" someone screeched. "Zaibach!"
These darned extras...all they do is bring bad news!
"Told ya," Holly muttered. She pulled her lighter out of her purse. (She'd had her purse all along; it contained such important things as her lighter, lipstick, CD player, and...Escaflowne soundtracks.)
"Try and get near me and I'll set your hair on fire!" she screamed at the invisible approaching Zaibach Empire.
Allen gave her a strange look. "Holly, are you all right?"
"I'm MAD!" she exclaimed. "Mad in the angry sense, not the crazy sense."
Van came out, sword in hand. "I'm ready to fight," he said.
"Be careful, Van! You're too young and sexy to die!" Holly pleaded.
Van blushed. "I promise you, I will not die."
Holly clasped her hands together and batted her eyelashes at him. Allen noticed how beautiful she looked.
Holly saw that look in his eyes and held in her vomit.
"Holly, take cover," he said.
"Oh, where the heck would you like me to go?" she demanded. "Nowhere sis safe because Dilandau is insane and bloodthirsty and will kill every last one of us!"
"And you attacked him earlier today," Allen pointed out.
"I didn't attack him," Holly cried. "...Gah."
"Just go with Gaddes. He will prep--" Holly shuddered at the ugly word-- "the Crusade, in case we need to retreat."
"You're not as dumb as you look! er...I mean...Yes, I'll go!" She dashed off with Gaddes, and noticed that Gaddes was also quite handsome...
"Be careful Holly!" Van and Allen cried in unison.
Holly smiled at Van and grimaced at Allen...and then the world exploded.
People were dying everywhere...She knew that Van would not want to leave.
Swallow your pride, Van, Holly pleaded, staring out the window of the Crusade. She could not see him, but she knew what was happening...There was Allen's guymelef now, and Van was alive and well, if angry and defeated.
This is too real, she thought, shivering.
*****