Dragon Burn
By Amanda Wardropper.
United we stand, divided ... we kick butt.
Chapter 9 - Castle of New Fanialia, New Fanialia gardens.
The sun was setting by the time they got out of the courtyard, "Well, that settles it, we are the ones." Hitomi said.
" "From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." Yet again." He added. He was intrigued by this quote, it seemed too easy to decipher. "Come on, I'm starving, we haven't had anything to eat all day." He broke into a run, followed by Hitomi.
A messenger interrupted their feast, in the kitchens, "Sir, Jason and Allen have been looking all over for you."
"Oh Shards! I forgot!" He managed to say, through a mouthful of bread. "I'll be right there." He had a sudden thought, "You, take a message to the sentry on duty tonight, tell him to watch the horizon and if a gumeluf unit or a green horizon should occur, to come and get me." He prodded a finger to his chest in emphasis. "Now go!" The messenger scitted off.
He returned to stuffing himself. Hitomi finished off what she was eating and asked, "So what's this about Jason and Allen." Her voice took on a note of excitement, "Is it Allen as in Allen?" She emphasized the last word.
A half smile formed on his face, the whites of his teeth showing through, "Yes it's Allen as in Allen Schezar. Asturia has sent a representative of them, their offering invitations to Millerna and Dryden's re-marriage." He laughed at the last part.
She giggled, "So they're gonna try again?"
"Yeah." His voice turned serious, "Unfortunately, Millerna's father, King Asten, is lying on his death bed, Princess Minerva is his successor."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Allen's gonna stay for a while, Fanialia has the best Summer's whereas Asturia's are nearly always rainy. I'll take you to him if you want, he'll be wondering where I am, I'm not fulfilling my role as king." He smiled again.
"I'd like that." It had been so long since she'd last seen him.
His smile widened, "I might be able to set up a game of Kick-about."
She frowned, "Huh?" He explained the basics to her. She related it to an Earth game, Football. She used to play that with her friends.
He winked at her, "After all, all work and no play, makes Van Fanel a very boring man." It sent her into fits of laughter, to which he joined in.
"Let me get changed then, where should I see you?"
"Ahhh! your just in time, Van!" Jason shouted over, as Van walked into the courtyard, "We're about to have a game of Kick- about, ya wanna join?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, can we wait though, we might have another player."
"Oh, who?" Allen asked, Allen's crew were standing behind him and Tirone next to Jason.
Van stared at Allen out of the corner of his eyes as he made his way to the group. "Two words, ... Mystic Moon."
"Hitomi!?!" Allen gasped. "It's true that she's back?" Van nodded with a smile.
"Is that her?" One of Allen's men asked, pointing to the torch lit entrance to the yard. A silhouetted figure stood in it.
"Allen?" The figure asked. "Allen, is it really you?"
Allen stepped forward, "Hitomi?" The figure broke into a run, towards him. When she reached him she hugged him tightly, he returned the hug. Van stood to one side, hands in pockets trying not to feel jealous, remembering the pain it had caused him when Allen had told him that he'd asked Hitomi to marry him, it hurt him deeply to say she didn't mean anything to him, but was overjoyed when she said no.
"Right, now the introductions are over with, can we pick teams now?" Jason asked, impatiently.
Allen reluctantly gave her up, "Fine, you go first, Jason."
"Great! I pick moon girl!" He exclaimed.
"OK, then I pick Van." Allen said.
When the teams were picked Van and the others dumped their swords on the ground, making their team's goal. He placed the ball in the center of the court, "Ladies, first." Hitomi stood infront of him, ready to take the toss, a menacing smile on her lips. He stood and they counted to three, "Huh!?!" He exclaimed. The ball was gone, and so was Hitomi. He looked up, she was already half way down the pitch, with the ball. He regained his senses and darted after her. When he caught up to her she gave him a sideways glance, he returned her smile, he was going to pick the ball up from beneath her feet with his, but his plan was thwarted when she jerked away from him, suddenly, kicking it to Jason, who was the nearest. Fine, if thats the way she wants to play, he thought. Allen managed to snatch the ball from Jason at the last minute and passed it to Van. He looked down to check the balls pace, it was gone. "Sorry Van." Came a voice to his side.
"Hey!" Hitomi had knocked the ball away from him. Thats it, no more Mr. nice Van! He launched himself at her, knocking her off her feet, "Allen, get the ball!" He yelled.
"Hey, no fair, thats cheating!"
He looked down at her, "Alls fair in Kick-about." He smiled. He got up and helped her to her feet.
"Fine, if thats the way you want it." She answered, tartly, dusting herself off.
Jason walked up to them and patted Hitomi on the back, "Don't worry, one goal down isn't much, we'll get the lead, he's easy to push over." He punched Van playfully on the shoulder. He winced at the dull pain from his bruise there. She smiled and drew Jason closer. She whispered in his ear, "I gotta plan, are wings allowed in kick-about?"
He smiled, deviously, "You are truly the most devious woman I've ever met, Hitomi Kanzaki!"
"C'mon, before he comes onto us." She ran off to join the rest of her team, Jason not far behind. "OK guys lets win this!" Van heard her shout, What a woman, he thought, to himself. He heard the sound of ripping flesh and wings spreading, wide, then something taking flight.
This is going to be easier than I thought, everyone knows a Draconian is at his best in the sky, he thought.
"Jason, over here!" She shouted, catching the ball on her chest and kneeing it to him.
"Not today, Hitomi!" Van shouted as he drew his own wings and knocked the ball in midair. Slivers of his shirt glided slowly on the breeze.
He came up behind her and grabbed her waist, restraining her, "Gaddes, score the goal, I got her!" Hitomi looked round at him in anger. The corner of his lips was raised in a half smile and he now had beads of sweat forming on his face. She beat her wings viciously, trying to shake him off.
"Hey, I don't want a mouthful of feathers you know!" He exclaimed in surprise, he involuntarily loosened his grip. He flailed around in midair, trying to keep a hols of her.
If I don't stop it, I'm going to hurt him. She stopped struggling. "I'll fold my wings back if you do." She reasoned. She allowed her feathers to molt and the stumps to melt into her back, wincing at the pain it caused. Van nearly let go of her, again, as the feathers brushed by him, they tickled.
He placed her back on the ground and said quickly, "Only joking!" He flew off down the pitch before she had a chance to contradict him.
"No fair!" She darted after him and jumped onto his back before he was too high.
"Hey!" He said, laughing at her clumsy landing on him and pulling her up before she fell.
She smiled mischievously at him, when he looked round at her, and said, sensually, "No fair, you cheat."
"You're not so fair either."
"Ah, but I know I can get my own way with you, Van."
"Oh, and how is that?"
She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "You forget Van, I know your one weakness."
"And what's that?"
"You can't stand your feathers being rubbed the wrong way." She said simply.
He inhaled sharply as he caught onto her meaning, "You wouldn't dare, not with everybody here."
"Oh wouldn't I?" She poised her hands to show him that she wasn't kidding. They both smiled at each other.
"Okay, I give up!" He finally said. He dropped her on the ground and landed next to her, drawing his wings back. They both took off at the same time to go for the ball, but it was Van, this time, who got to it first.
The game finished six - five to Van and Allen's team and after everyone had picked up their swords, they lit a large fire in the middle of the pitch.
They talked long into the night and told ghost and horror stories. Hitomi was alot better at telling stories, hers were Mystic Moon stories, which made her audience quiver in their boots. Jason had teased Van saying, "The Great King of Fanialia, the Draconian that brought Donkirk to his knees, is afraid of an iddy-biddy ghost story, it makes me cry out in laughter." He did.
Then Tirone asked, "Hitomi, can we hear your version of Zaibech's defeat? We've heard Van and Allen's, but they probably exaggerated."
So Hitomi told them of how she first came to Gaea and how she had assisted Van and Allen to defeat Donkirk and his destiny changing machine. Of course Van HAD to add the fact that she had slapped him in Escaflowne's hangar back in Palace, Asturia's capital. To which they all cheered.
Allen, at last asked, "So how did you get back to Gaea, Hitomi?"
"I was called."
"Called?"
"Yes, Van called me."
He frowned, "How?"
She smiled, "He just ... called me." She turned to Van, sitting beside her.
"She's here to help save Gaea ... again." Van answered.
Jason took the chance to ask, "So this is the same Mystic Moon girl that you spent a whole year trying to get over?"
Van took her hand in his and stared into her emerald eyes, "Sure is, but I'm useless at trying." He smiled at her, she laid her head on his chest, taking in the aromas of drying sweat and masculinity. She didn't want to be with anyone else. There wasn't much point in hiding his feelings, the castle had watched him trying desperatly to get over her, the whole castle knew, thanks to Merle, so what use was it trying to hide what was already known so well?
"Oh, Young Luuuuve." Jason drolled, "Can the romantics, will ya! I'm goin' to sleep." He tossed over onto the ground. It was such a humid night they decided to camp out.
Most of the gang had already drifted off into sleep but Van, Hitomi and Allen remained chatting. Very soon Hitomi fell asleep, resting her head on the front of his shoulder, as a pillow. When the two of them finally decided to hit the hay Van didn't want to risk waking Hitomi, so he just lay back against the trunk of a tree and fell asleep with her in his arms.
Van was stood in darkness. A loud cry startled him and found that his feet were rooted to the ground. He reached for his sword as grey, whispy figures came at him, howling and wailing. He sliced through them, making them wail before
disintegrating, as soon as one set was finished another, even larger, came at him. "What do you want with me?" He growled. They circled closer to him as he
became exhausted until he was trapped. He was suffocating fast, he shouted in pain, but no sound escaped his lips. He found his wings were of no use, he couldn't bring them out. The whites of his eyes rolled in terror as his fear gripped him tighter. He couldn't understand any of this. Then he saw a bright, white light, pure as any Atlantians wings, in the darkness and heard a voice, as sweet as a sunrise, calling him. He thought at first he was going to die, he couldn't breath at all now and the crushing pain of the grey mist around him made it hard to think straight.
All of a sudden the world came crashing down on him and he woke up, gasping for air.
"Van! Van! Are you alright? Van, wake up, Van!"
He caught his breath and sighed deeply in relief, it was only a bad dream. Hitomi was sitting beside him, her hands on his back and chest, holding him upright so he could breath. "You were crying my name." She said, with a worried frown.
He looked at her reassuringly and the corner of her lips formed a half smile, "Whats the matter, the king who defeated Donkirk can't even handle a little Mystic Moon ghost story?"
"Oh, don't you start!" He answered, putting his head in his hands. After a moment he lifted it again and looked around, "Where is everyone?"
"Probably left us to do their everyday jobs." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, "Not everyone can lay back like the king and the girl from another planet, they gotta keep the castle going."
"Let sleeping Draconians lie."He said looking up at her from under his brow, she was smiling.
I never realized how much I feel at home here, with him, she thought.
They heard voices coming from the castle and he asked her, "Do you play an
instrument?"
"Yes, I play electric guitar."
"Whats that?"
"Hmmm, you don't have that sortta stuff, do you? Do you have classical guitar?"
He nodded, "Well it's a little like that."
He stood up and offered her his hand, she took it and he helped her up, "Then you'll like today." He said, with a grin of pure mallice, he added, "But first we gotta help out."
By Amanda Wardropper.
United we stand, divided ... we kick butt.
Chapter 9 - Castle of New Fanialia, New Fanialia gardens.
The sun was setting by the time they got out of the courtyard, "Well, that settles it, we are the ones." Hitomi said.
" "From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." Yet again." He added. He was intrigued by this quote, it seemed too easy to decipher. "Come on, I'm starving, we haven't had anything to eat all day." He broke into a run, followed by Hitomi.
A messenger interrupted their feast, in the kitchens, "Sir, Jason and Allen have been looking all over for you."
"Oh Shards! I forgot!" He managed to say, through a mouthful of bread. "I'll be right there." He had a sudden thought, "You, take a message to the sentry on duty tonight, tell him to watch the horizon and if a gumeluf unit or a green horizon should occur, to come and get me." He prodded a finger to his chest in emphasis. "Now go!" The messenger scitted off.
He returned to stuffing himself. Hitomi finished off what she was eating and asked, "So what's this about Jason and Allen." Her voice took on a note of excitement, "Is it Allen as in Allen?" She emphasized the last word.
A half smile formed on his face, the whites of his teeth showing through, "Yes it's Allen as in Allen Schezar. Asturia has sent a representative of them, their offering invitations to Millerna and Dryden's re-marriage." He laughed at the last part.
She giggled, "So they're gonna try again?"
"Yeah." His voice turned serious, "Unfortunately, Millerna's father, King Asten, is lying on his death bed, Princess Minerva is his successor."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Allen's gonna stay for a while, Fanialia has the best Summer's whereas Asturia's are nearly always rainy. I'll take you to him if you want, he'll be wondering where I am, I'm not fulfilling my role as king." He smiled again.
"I'd like that." It had been so long since she'd last seen him.
His smile widened, "I might be able to set up a game of Kick-about."
She frowned, "Huh?" He explained the basics to her. She related it to an Earth game, Football. She used to play that with her friends.
He winked at her, "After all, all work and no play, makes Van Fanel a very boring man." It sent her into fits of laughter, to which he joined in.
"Let me get changed then, where should I see you?"
"Ahhh! your just in time, Van!" Jason shouted over, as Van walked into the courtyard, "We're about to have a game of Kick- about, ya wanna join?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, can we wait though, we might have another player."
"Oh, who?" Allen asked, Allen's crew were standing behind him and Tirone next to Jason.
Van stared at Allen out of the corner of his eyes as he made his way to the group. "Two words, ... Mystic Moon."
"Hitomi!?!" Allen gasped. "It's true that she's back?" Van nodded with a smile.
"Is that her?" One of Allen's men asked, pointing to the torch lit entrance to the yard. A silhouetted figure stood in it.
"Allen?" The figure asked. "Allen, is it really you?"
Allen stepped forward, "Hitomi?" The figure broke into a run, towards him. When she reached him she hugged him tightly, he returned the hug. Van stood to one side, hands in pockets trying not to feel jealous, remembering the pain it had caused him when Allen had told him that he'd asked Hitomi to marry him, it hurt him deeply to say she didn't mean anything to him, but was overjoyed when she said no.
"Right, now the introductions are over with, can we pick teams now?" Jason asked, impatiently.
Allen reluctantly gave her up, "Fine, you go first, Jason."
"Great! I pick moon girl!" He exclaimed.
"OK, then I pick Van." Allen said.
When the teams were picked Van and the others dumped their swords on the ground, making their team's goal. He placed the ball in the center of the court, "Ladies, first." Hitomi stood infront of him, ready to take the toss, a menacing smile on her lips. He stood and they counted to three, "Huh!?!" He exclaimed. The ball was gone, and so was Hitomi. He looked up, she was already half way down the pitch, with the ball. He regained his senses and darted after her. When he caught up to her she gave him a sideways glance, he returned her smile, he was going to pick the ball up from beneath her feet with his, but his plan was thwarted when she jerked away from him, suddenly, kicking it to Jason, who was the nearest. Fine, if thats the way she wants to play, he thought. Allen managed to snatch the ball from Jason at the last minute and passed it to Van. He looked down to check the balls pace, it was gone. "Sorry Van." Came a voice to his side.
"Hey!" Hitomi had knocked the ball away from him. Thats it, no more Mr. nice Van! He launched himself at her, knocking her off her feet, "Allen, get the ball!" He yelled.
"Hey, no fair, thats cheating!"
He looked down at her, "Alls fair in Kick-about." He smiled. He got up and helped her to her feet.
"Fine, if thats the way you want it." She answered, tartly, dusting herself off.
Jason walked up to them and patted Hitomi on the back, "Don't worry, one goal down isn't much, we'll get the lead, he's easy to push over." He punched Van playfully on the shoulder. He winced at the dull pain from his bruise there. She smiled and drew Jason closer. She whispered in his ear, "I gotta plan, are wings allowed in kick-about?"
He smiled, deviously, "You are truly the most devious woman I've ever met, Hitomi Kanzaki!"
"C'mon, before he comes onto us." She ran off to join the rest of her team, Jason not far behind. "OK guys lets win this!" Van heard her shout, What a woman, he thought, to himself. He heard the sound of ripping flesh and wings spreading, wide, then something taking flight.
This is going to be easier than I thought, everyone knows a Draconian is at his best in the sky, he thought.
"Jason, over here!" She shouted, catching the ball on her chest and kneeing it to him.
"Not today, Hitomi!" Van shouted as he drew his own wings and knocked the ball in midair. Slivers of his shirt glided slowly on the breeze.
He came up behind her and grabbed her waist, restraining her, "Gaddes, score the goal, I got her!" Hitomi looked round at him in anger. The corner of his lips was raised in a half smile and he now had beads of sweat forming on his face. She beat her wings viciously, trying to shake him off.
"Hey, I don't want a mouthful of feathers you know!" He exclaimed in surprise, he involuntarily loosened his grip. He flailed around in midair, trying to keep a hols of her.
If I don't stop it, I'm going to hurt him. She stopped struggling. "I'll fold my wings back if you do." She reasoned. She allowed her feathers to molt and the stumps to melt into her back, wincing at the pain it caused. Van nearly let go of her, again, as the feathers brushed by him, they tickled.
He placed her back on the ground and said quickly, "Only joking!" He flew off down the pitch before she had a chance to contradict him.
"No fair!" She darted after him and jumped onto his back before he was too high.
"Hey!" He said, laughing at her clumsy landing on him and pulling her up before she fell.
She smiled mischievously at him, when he looked round at her, and said, sensually, "No fair, you cheat."
"You're not so fair either."
"Ah, but I know I can get my own way with you, Van."
"Oh, and how is that?"
She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "You forget Van, I know your one weakness."
"And what's that?"
"You can't stand your feathers being rubbed the wrong way." She said simply.
He inhaled sharply as he caught onto her meaning, "You wouldn't dare, not with everybody here."
"Oh wouldn't I?" She poised her hands to show him that she wasn't kidding. They both smiled at each other.
"Okay, I give up!" He finally said. He dropped her on the ground and landed next to her, drawing his wings back. They both took off at the same time to go for the ball, but it was Van, this time, who got to it first.
The game finished six - five to Van and Allen's team and after everyone had picked up their swords, they lit a large fire in the middle of the pitch.
They talked long into the night and told ghost and horror stories. Hitomi was alot better at telling stories, hers were Mystic Moon stories, which made her audience quiver in their boots. Jason had teased Van saying, "The Great King of Fanialia, the Draconian that brought Donkirk to his knees, is afraid of an iddy-biddy ghost story, it makes me cry out in laughter." He did.
Then Tirone asked, "Hitomi, can we hear your version of Zaibech's defeat? We've heard Van and Allen's, but they probably exaggerated."
So Hitomi told them of how she first came to Gaea and how she had assisted Van and Allen to defeat Donkirk and his destiny changing machine. Of course Van HAD to add the fact that she had slapped him in Escaflowne's hangar back in Palace, Asturia's capital. To which they all cheered.
Allen, at last asked, "So how did you get back to Gaea, Hitomi?"
"I was called."
"Called?"
"Yes, Van called me."
He frowned, "How?"
She smiled, "He just ... called me." She turned to Van, sitting beside her.
"She's here to help save Gaea ... again." Van answered.
Jason took the chance to ask, "So this is the same Mystic Moon girl that you spent a whole year trying to get over?"
Van took her hand in his and stared into her emerald eyes, "Sure is, but I'm useless at trying." He smiled at her, she laid her head on his chest, taking in the aromas of drying sweat and masculinity. She didn't want to be with anyone else. There wasn't much point in hiding his feelings, the castle had watched him trying desperatly to get over her, the whole castle knew, thanks to Merle, so what use was it trying to hide what was already known so well?
"Oh, Young Luuuuve." Jason drolled, "Can the romantics, will ya! I'm goin' to sleep." He tossed over onto the ground. It was such a humid night they decided to camp out.
Most of the gang had already drifted off into sleep but Van, Hitomi and Allen remained chatting. Very soon Hitomi fell asleep, resting her head on the front of his shoulder, as a pillow. When the two of them finally decided to hit the hay Van didn't want to risk waking Hitomi, so he just lay back against the trunk of a tree and fell asleep with her in his arms.
Van was stood in darkness. A loud cry startled him and found that his feet were rooted to the ground. He reached for his sword as grey, whispy figures came at him, howling and wailing. He sliced through them, making them wail before
disintegrating, as soon as one set was finished another, even larger, came at him. "What do you want with me?" He growled. They circled closer to him as he
became exhausted until he was trapped. He was suffocating fast, he shouted in pain, but no sound escaped his lips. He found his wings were of no use, he couldn't bring them out. The whites of his eyes rolled in terror as his fear gripped him tighter. He couldn't understand any of this. Then he saw a bright, white light, pure as any Atlantians wings, in the darkness and heard a voice, as sweet as a sunrise, calling him. He thought at first he was going to die, he couldn't breath at all now and the crushing pain of the grey mist around him made it hard to think straight.
All of a sudden the world came crashing down on him and he woke up, gasping for air.
"Van! Van! Are you alright? Van, wake up, Van!"
He caught his breath and sighed deeply in relief, it was only a bad dream. Hitomi was sitting beside him, her hands on his back and chest, holding him upright so he could breath. "You were crying my name." She said, with a worried frown.
He looked at her reassuringly and the corner of her lips formed a half smile, "Whats the matter, the king who defeated Donkirk can't even handle a little Mystic Moon ghost story?"
"Oh, don't you start!" He answered, putting his head in his hands. After a moment he lifted it again and looked around, "Where is everyone?"
"Probably left us to do their everyday jobs." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, "Not everyone can lay back like the king and the girl from another planet, they gotta keep the castle going."
"Let sleeping Draconians lie."He said looking up at her from under his brow, she was smiling.
I never realized how much I feel at home here, with him, she thought.
They heard voices coming from the castle and he asked her, "Do you play an
instrument?"
"Yes, I play electric guitar."
"Whats that?"
"Hmmm, you don't have that sortta stuff, do you? Do you have classical guitar?"
He nodded, "Well it's a little like that."
He stood up and offered her his hand, she took it and he helped her up, "Then you'll like today." He said, with a grin of pure mallice, he added, "But first we gotta help out."