Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters or the plot line in
Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, so if you wish to use her, please let me know.
Chapter Four: Can't Even Run, Can't Even Cry
Jewel slowly opened her eyes. Light blared into them, sending jolts of pain into her brain. She blinked a couple of times, clearing the fog in her brain. But it remained, so she tried to shake it out. That didn't work either, so she resolved to just closing her eyes.
Jewel laid there, in blackness. Then the panic hit. Where was she? She couldn't remember. Who was she? A girl, she knew that much. But her name was a total blank. She couldn't remember her family, what she liked to do, what her favorite color was, what her personality was like or even if she had any friends.
Her hands became clammy and her heart started to race. But even though the physical signs of panic shown, Jewel found that mentally she wasn't disturbed. 'How odd. Maybe I was like some spy or something. but what happened?' She wondered.
She opened her eyes and sat up. The light that had almost blinded her before wasn't there anymore. She was in a small, white room with padded walls and celing. The floor was white, apparently made of some white stone. She was lying on a metal slab raised off the floor by three feet. There was nothing else in the room.
Jewel stood and looked around the room. There, to her right was a white padded door. She carefully walked over to it. She was surprised that her footsteps were quick and light, like a cat's. The door had a small mirror in it, which was odd. Jewel studied the door, her eyes darting over every inch. There was a silver metal handle on it, like any door would have.
But when she tried to pull it open, the door wouldn't budge. Then she tried pushing. That didn't help either. In frustration, Jewel shook the handle hard. That had no avail.
Suddenly an animal like growl escaped Jewel's throat and to her lips. Surprised, Jewel stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty, healthy tan skin, thin, short, dark red hair and sapphire blue-gray eyes. Nothing about her looks even gave a hint of animal. She looked normal, at least as normal as she thought.
Even more confused now, Jewel backed away from the mirror and sat cross-legged on the metal slab. It was cold against her hot skin, but she didn't mind. But the coldness had awoken something in her brain. Whispering began to sound, all around her.
At first she ignored it, thinking it was the hum of something. But slowly-hour by hour-the whispering got louder. So loud that the fog in Jewel's brain swirled and pushed against her brain. Jewel's eyes rang form the sound and her brain pounded from the fog. What was going on? The whispering, what was it?!
Hysterical, Jewel jumped up from her spot and ran to the door. She began to pound on it. Animal-like screams emerged from her throat, adding to her panic. What was she?! What was going on?! Jewel screamed and pounded on the door, every second her screams getting louder and her pounding hard. But no one would come.
Out of chance, Jewel caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She gasped and backed away from the door fast. The mirror, it had to be a trick! There was no way she was. was. that thing she saw! She couldn't be!
She wanted to break down and cry. This was all so absurd! She couldn't remember who she was, but she knew she was something horrible! How could she live, how did she live?! What was she?!
She wanted to turn and run straight through the wall and never come back. She wanted to run from that reflection. She wanted to run from the memory. She wanted to run and cry. But something was holding her back, not letting the tears come to her eyes and overflow. Something was making her stand her
ground.
Jewel collapsed to the ground, hitting her head in the process. Pain swam through her brain at Mock 3, and blackness began swiftly clouding her vision. She couldn't' stand this! She hated this! She wanted answers! But she didn't get any answers, and the last thing she saw was those golden yellow eyes staring back at her.
Jewel's eyes fluttered open and she gave a low, animal like whimper. The pain in her head wasn't as bad as before, but it still hurt. She propped herself up on her elbows. She wasn't surprised to find herself in the same room. Only this time there was someone else with her.
He was tall, with silver hair styled in a "late Beethoven" style, crimson red eyes and a long scar on his left (Jewel's left) cheek. He wore a black uniform with red armor over it. He held an air of superiority around him. His eyes held rage, hate and loathing in them, all directed at Jewel. But he seemed so familiar.
"Who are you?" The question came out as a growl from Jewel's throat.
The man glared at her. "You don't remember?" Fake concern.
"No. I don't." Jewel was still growling.
"I'm Dilandau Albatou, General of Zaibach. Do you know who you are?"
"No. Who am I?"
"You are Jewel. You are a warrior for Zaibach; some might even go as far as to call you an assassin. You were on a mission to kill the Fanellian king when you were ambushed. We found you a week later. You had lost a lot of blood, and you were barely alive. We took you back and you've been out cold for two weeks now. Don't you remember anything?" A sneer. He didn't like this.
Jewel thought. Her head hurt, but the fog seemed less now. Don't listen to him, part of her said. He's lying. 'Funny, I don't remember that voice in my head. In fact, I don't remember that voice at all,' she thought. She looked Dilandau over carefully. He did seem familiar, in a way.
"No, I don't. Maybe your could-" Jewel said.
Dilandau strode forward and put something cold and hard on Jewel's upper arm. Jewel's eyes widened as pain shot from the device up her arm and throughout her body. Her eyes rolled back and she fell, limp, backwards. Dilandau grabbed her and laid her carefully down.
"Stupid. This better work, or else we'll have a problem. Should trust devices over humans," Dilandau growled. He looked at Jewel carefully. She looked the same, but she had lost the air of control and strength she had earlier.
"Too bad. I would've liked to play with her a little," he muttered. Then he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
*~~*
TBC..
Chapter Four: Can't Even Run, Can't Even Cry
Jewel slowly opened her eyes. Light blared into them, sending jolts of pain into her brain. She blinked a couple of times, clearing the fog in her brain. But it remained, so she tried to shake it out. That didn't work either, so she resolved to just closing her eyes.
Jewel laid there, in blackness. Then the panic hit. Where was she? She couldn't remember. Who was she? A girl, she knew that much. But her name was a total blank. She couldn't remember her family, what she liked to do, what her favorite color was, what her personality was like or even if she had any friends.
Her hands became clammy and her heart started to race. But even though the physical signs of panic shown, Jewel found that mentally she wasn't disturbed. 'How odd. Maybe I was like some spy or something. but what happened?' She wondered.
She opened her eyes and sat up. The light that had almost blinded her before wasn't there anymore. She was in a small, white room with padded walls and celing. The floor was white, apparently made of some white stone. She was lying on a metal slab raised off the floor by three feet. There was nothing else in the room.
Jewel stood and looked around the room. There, to her right was a white padded door. She carefully walked over to it. She was surprised that her footsteps were quick and light, like a cat's. The door had a small mirror in it, which was odd. Jewel studied the door, her eyes darting over every inch. There was a silver metal handle on it, like any door would have.
But when she tried to pull it open, the door wouldn't budge. Then she tried pushing. That didn't help either. In frustration, Jewel shook the handle hard. That had no avail.
Suddenly an animal like growl escaped Jewel's throat and to her lips. Surprised, Jewel stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty, healthy tan skin, thin, short, dark red hair and sapphire blue-gray eyes. Nothing about her looks even gave a hint of animal. She looked normal, at least as normal as she thought.
Even more confused now, Jewel backed away from the mirror and sat cross-legged on the metal slab. It was cold against her hot skin, but she didn't mind. But the coldness had awoken something in her brain. Whispering began to sound, all around her.
At first she ignored it, thinking it was the hum of something. But slowly-hour by hour-the whispering got louder. So loud that the fog in Jewel's brain swirled and pushed against her brain. Jewel's eyes rang form the sound and her brain pounded from the fog. What was going on? The whispering, what was it?!
Hysterical, Jewel jumped up from her spot and ran to the door. She began to pound on it. Animal-like screams emerged from her throat, adding to her panic. What was she?! What was going on?! Jewel screamed and pounded on the door, every second her screams getting louder and her pounding hard. But no one would come.
Out of chance, Jewel caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She gasped and backed away from the door fast. The mirror, it had to be a trick! There was no way she was. was. that thing she saw! She couldn't be!
She wanted to break down and cry. This was all so absurd! She couldn't remember who she was, but she knew she was something horrible! How could she live, how did she live?! What was she?!
She wanted to turn and run straight through the wall and never come back. She wanted to run from that reflection. She wanted to run from the memory. She wanted to run and cry. But something was holding her back, not letting the tears come to her eyes and overflow. Something was making her stand her
ground.
Jewel collapsed to the ground, hitting her head in the process. Pain swam through her brain at Mock 3, and blackness began swiftly clouding her vision. She couldn't' stand this! She hated this! She wanted answers! But she didn't get any answers, and the last thing she saw was those golden yellow eyes staring back at her.
Jewel's eyes fluttered open and she gave a low, animal like whimper. The pain in her head wasn't as bad as before, but it still hurt. She propped herself up on her elbows. She wasn't surprised to find herself in the same room. Only this time there was someone else with her.
He was tall, with silver hair styled in a "late Beethoven" style, crimson red eyes and a long scar on his left (Jewel's left) cheek. He wore a black uniform with red armor over it. He held an air of superiority around him. His eyes held rage, hate and loathing in them, all directed at Jewel. But he seemed so familiar.
"Who are you?" The question came out as a growl from Jewel's throat.
The man glared at her. "You don't remember?" Fake concern.
"No. I don't." Jewel was still growling.
"I'm Dilandau Albatou, General of Zaibach. Do you know who you are?"
"No. Who am I?"
"You are Jewel. You are a warrior for Zaibach; some might even go as far as to call you an assassin. You were on a mission to kill the Fanellian king when you were ambushed. We found you a week later. You had lost a lot of blood, and you were barely alive. We took you back and you've been out cold for two weeks now. Don't you remember anything?" A sneer. He didn't like this.
Jewel thought. Her head hurt, but the fog seemed less now. Don't listen to him, part of her said. He's lying. 'Funny, I don't remember that voice in my head. In fact, I don't remember that voice at all,' she thought. She looked Dilandau over carefully. He did seem familiar, in a way.
"No, I don't. Maybe your could-" Jewel said.
Dilandau strode forward and put something cold and hard on Jewel's upper arm. Jewel's eyes widened as pain shot from the device up her arm and throughout her body. Her eyes rolled back and she fell, limp, backwards. Dilandau grabbed her and laid her carefully down.
"Stupid. This better work, or else we'll have a problem. Should trust devices over humans," Dilandau growled. He looked at Jewel carefully. She looked the same, but she had lost the air of control and strength she had earlier.
"Too bad. I would've liked to play with her a little," he muttered. Then he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
*~~*
TBC..