AN: This is the next chapter is a pretty good one-I spent forever working on it! With everything that's going on today I was surprised I actually finished it! Well I guess that's what you get for determination. So review and tell me what you think-anything is very helpful to the creative process!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters of the story of Escaflowne. If I did then you'd be seeing the story of the silver screen, not your computer screen! Oh, sweet irony how you taunt me! At least I own my own characters so no touching (without my permission of course)!
Three Girls
This story is dedicated to the only person I know who has a heart of gold and a talent for the art of story telling. CrimsonFire my friend, you've been there for me when I've needed you and you're always willing to help me out no matter what situation I'm in. So this one is redone for you!
Chapter 2: Rightfully Prisoners... or Slayers?
"I don't get it," Kat said as she, Alex and Nicole sat on Kat's cot. They were together in her cell making a very confused group. They had been discussing the sudden twist in their lives for the past four hours and the only good it did them was get them depressed. "Didn't Dilandau say we had just become apart of these Dragon Slayers? Then why are we back in our cell?"
"Yeah, well, at least we sort of forced them to let us stay together," Nicole replied. The girls had all run into Kat's cell when the door opened and the guards had let them.
"Then why are we in Kat's cell?" Alex asked.
"See? I said I didn't get it. Why aren't we in your cell?" Kat pointed out. She was rewarded by a playful hit from Nicole.
"First stop, last stop."
"So... What do we do?" Alex asked.
Kat shrugged. "Wait, see what we're going to be doing I guess. If nothing happens, then we escape. But if you ask me, something doesn't feel right," she replied.
"True, I don't feel like-" the door opening cut off Nicole.
The girls turned to see who it was but only found that there wasn't anyone there. Kat frowned as they all stood. The air didn't feel right.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Alex asked, taking a protective step in front of Nicole.
"Oh yeah. Someone wants to play." Kat agreed, getting ready to attack if someone entered. All was quiet for a few seconds before three spheres shot forth. They were extremely fast, so fast that there was nothing they could do to stop it.
One hit Kat dead on, and she was sent flying through the air and hit the wall, hard. She slumped to the ground, out like a light. Nicole, partly shielded by Alex, saw what happened next in super fast speed. Alex was next to go down, with one of the lights attaching itself around her neck.
Alex was sent flying back a little, hitting the ground and sliding. Nicole, left alone, saw the last sphere of light flying towards her. There was nothing she could do and a sphere of light attached itself to her vulnerable neck.
Nicole fell to the ground, unconscious. Now each of the girls had one sphere of light attached to their neck. They didn't move from their positions. Suddenly, in a flash of light, the girl's eyes became distant, and their journey began.
~Kat's POV~
I didn't know what happened. One second I was talking with my 2 best friends, the next these spheres of light come busting in and attachment themselves to our necks. I was thrown back into a wall, and didn't have time to react before blackness consumed me.
When I opened my eyes, a whole new environment greeted me-I realized that I wasn't in my cell anymore. Instead, I was in some sort of tent lying on a cot. The tent was empty except for me. I lay there for a few minutes, letting the reality set in.
The tent was made out of some sort of canvas, though I couldn't tell because there was no light in the tent. Listening to the outside, I realized that there were no sounds. It was totally silent. Curiosity coming over me, I slowly sat up, then stood, taking the time to make sure I hadn't broken anything.
Good, nothing's broken, I thought as I slowly walked over to opening of the tent. I drew back the flap and stepped outside. It was dark out, seeing as it was night, but nice and warm. Strange thing was, it wasn't like any night back home. Surprised, I looked around.
As I viewed my surroundings, a slight breeze picked up and playfully tossed my hair around my face. I quietly sighed and closed my eyes. For one second, I felt at peace. It was hard, living a life where I have to keep secrets from my best buds when they've told me everything about them.
It was like there was a side to me that they had never seen, like I was some sort of mutant of Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde. If that didn't tear you apart, I don't know what will. But it hasn't torn me apart-yet-so I guess I'm stronger then I thought.
Suddenly I heard a sound. I opened my eyes again and found a black-cloaked figure standing in front of me. I studied the figure, but couldn't figure out who it was. Their hood covered their face in a shadow and their body was covered by the cloak, which cleverly draped around them like a curtain so I couldn't get an exactly body measurement.
"Who are you?" I asked, my natural curiosity getting the best of me.
I knew I should've been afraid, but fear wasn't something that I experienced very much. The figure seemed to almost smile, and then it raised a hand, its palm facing upwards, a small flame appeared in the center of its hand.
"Come and take it," a raspy voice whispered.
As if something was calling me, I stepped forward and reached my right hand out to the flame. I couldn't stop myself; I was at the hands of this person. I gently touched the flame.
As soon as I did, a howling wind picked up and wrapped around me. I could feel the flame, still warm against my touch. I felt the warmth spreading up from my fingertip to the rest of my body. I closed my eyes as the howling off the wind echoed in my ears. "Dark side of the moon, I call upon thy powers. Make your child come alive with your magic in her veins. Child of the Dark Moon, do you accept?" It whispered.
"I do," I replied, my voice strong.
The wind died down slowly and I opened my eyes when I couldn't hear it anymore. The cloaked figure had disappeared, and I wasn't by the tent anymore. I was in a clearing, bathed in the silvery moonlight. Confused, I looked up at the moon… and gasped at what I saw. Instead of a full moon, there was only the faintest outline of the silvery orb, and a black one in its place. An eclipse like nothing I have ever seen.
As I stared at the moon, and I didn't even notice the thin, black straps twisting their way around my body. I continued to stare at the moon until the warmth that I had felt left me. I looked down to find myself in a whole new outfit.
I was wearing tall under-the-knee black boots, a black sleeveless leotard with a low back, a black mid-thigh mini skirt, over-the-elbow black gloves and a black choker. On the choker was the outline of a moon in silver, and I noticed that I had silver markings on my face. My long hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and the ponytail was braided and tied off at the end with a silver ring.
I blinked, and looked up as I heard a rustle in the grass. The cloaked figure had appeared again. It reached out to me, as if beckoning me closer. But I noticed that it had its palm facing me, and a dark light was forming in the center of the palm. Then, without warning, blackness consumed me once again.
~Nicole's POV~
My head pounded as I opened my eyes. I don't know what I expected, but what I found was that I was in a whole new room. This room had a balcony with French Glass Double doors over to my left and a four-poster bed, which I was laying on. There was a fancy desk to my right, with a plush chair and fancy looking papers scattered all over it.
I slowly sat up, trying to ignore my pounding head. I hated when I had headaches, it made my thinking all scattered. Well, there's nothing I can really do now, I thought. I slid my legs over to the side of the bed and stood up. I should probably see if someone is here.
Looking around, I found that besides the balcony, bed, and desk, the room was empty. Strangely, it brought back memories of my old room at home. I never was much of a pack rat or a decorator; those were both Alex and Kat's attitudes. I was more known for my brain and strategic thinking. Maybe it was because my parents wanted me to get into an IV League school and get a good job. All I really knew was that deep down I didn't want to be the one everyone looked to for homework or answers.
Walking over to the desk, I looked at the papers, careful not to touch them. I didn't know what they were for, but something caught my attention on them. There was a crest of some kind on all of them. It had a "D" and what looked like a Gryffin holding it.
I shrugged and decided to move some of the papers mostly because I saw something under them. There was make-up all over the desk, all in my favorite colors. I frowned, how did someone know what colors of make-up I liked? Who's room was this?
I whirled around, expecting to see someone standing behind me glaring. There wasn't anyone behind me, but I couldn't help but feel on edge. Just then I heard a sound behind me so I whirled towards the balcony. There, in front of me, was a black-cloaked figure. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn't seeing things. But when the figure didn't disappear, I became a little afraid.
"Who... Who are you? What do you want?" I asked in a quiet voice. Silently I yelled at myself, Alex or Kat wouldn't be afraid of someone like this. I wished that I had their courage sometimes.
The figure didn't reply, but simply stretched out its hand. I noticed that its palm was facing upwards. Then a small flame appeared in the center of its hand. I looked on in awe and took a step forward towards the figure. As I watched the flame, I was overcome with the urge to reach out and touch the flame-I did.
As my fingers gently caressed the flame, a wind blew, or through, open the balcony doors and swirled around me. Even through the wind I felt the flame's warmth. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth spread throughout my body. I felt a little light headed but remained still.
"Child of Earth, do you accept your duty and challenge?" It seemed to whisper.
"I do," I replied quietly.
The howling wind began to slowly die down until everything was quiet. I opened my eyes and was relieved to find that I was still in the same room that I woke up in. Looking over to the balcony doors I stared out them and into the night.
I didn't hear, feel or see the violet ribbons entwining themselves around my body until the warmth from my body suddenly left. I looked down, curious as to why it left and softly gasped at what I saw. Instead of my clothes, I was wearing purple ankle boots, purple long sleeved, mid-thigh dress and a purple headband.
I had on a pendent with a purple circle with a crystal in the center hanging from my neck. I looked up finding that the black-cloaked figure had returned. Just as I opened my mouth to ask it something, I noticed that it had its hand stretched towards me, palm facing me, a dark thing swirling in the center of the palm. I barely had time to give a short, quiet scream before everything went black.
~Alex's POV~
When I finally opened my eyes I found that I was in a new room. Of course I had been lying there for a while, I was just enjoying the quiet. After living in a family of eight, you began to welcome the quiet.
I sat up straight and found that I saw lying in a double bed. Curious, I began to look around. It was a simple room, wood floors and light green walls. There was an old wooden desk to my right, a nightstand to my left, a dresser across from my bed, and a couple nice, big windows and 2 doors.
I swung my legs to the edge of the bed and stood up, walking over to the desk. I was nothing like Nicole; I didn't care what others thought about going through their stuff. To me, there was only information that was important to know. I saw that there were important looking papers all over the desk, all with the emblem "D" and a Gryffin holding it.
I shrugged, picking them up and looking through them. They were written in strange symbols that I couldn't decipher. It annoyed me greatly-I wanted to know what they said. Bored, I put the papers back on the desk and turned around.
Except I only found a black-cloaked figure standing in front of me. Who's that? I wondered. I hope he didn't see me shifting through the paper. Well, even if he did I can just tell him that I couldn't read what they said.
The figure stretched out its hand to me, palm upwards. A small flame erupted from the center of its palm. I stared at the flame, and then took a step forward. What am I doing? I wondered as I reached out, trying to touch the flame. I don't want to touch that, I don't even know who this creep is!
But it seemed that I had other ideas. I kept reaching out until I finally touched the flame. Unopened windows suddenly burst open and a howling wind swept in, whirling around me. Through the wind, I was amazed to see that the flame had not gone out-a warmth seemed to be coming off it, flowing right through me.
I closed my eyes-the warmth luring me almost to sleep.
"Child of Elements, do you accept your duty and your future?" The wind whispered in my ear.
"Yes, I do," I replied easily.
Upon saying that, the wind slowly died down. I stood there, eyes still close, enjoying the warmth of the flame. I didn't even notice the light green tentacles wrapped themselves around me. But when suddenly the warmth I had felt flowing through me creased, I opened my eyes.
I looked down and almost fainted at what I saw. I was wearing over-the-knee dark green boots, a mid-thigh dark green skirt, and a dark green one sleeved shirt with over-the-elbow dark green gloves. I looked at my hand and flexed it. I heard a sound in front of me and I looked up.
The cloaked person was back from wherever it was it had disappeared to. Or was it always there?
Then I noticed that again it had its arm stretched out toward me, only this time its palm was facing me and there was something black forming in the center of its palm. I barely even noticed the black thing launching itself from its master's palm. It hit me, and blackness enveloped me before I could even blink.
"Agh," Kat muttered as she slowly came to. Her memory came flooding back and she bolted up into a sitting position, looking around. She noticed that Alex and Nicole were sitting on her cot while she was on the floor, against the wall. "Hey," she said as she stood up, immediately wishing she hadn't because of the pounding headache she suddenly remembered she had.
Weird... clothes, she thought, taking in their new clothes. Alex was wearing over-the-knee dark green boots, a mid-thigh dark green skirt, and a dark green one sleeved shirt with over-the-elbow dark green gloves.
Nicole was wearing purple ankle boots, purple long sleeved, mid-thigh dress and a purple headband. She also had on silver chain with a pendent with a purple circle with a crystal in the center hanging from her neck.
Alex and Nicole turned and looked at Kat. They both had surprised looks on their faces. Confused, Kat looked down… and gasped. She was wearing tall under-the-knee black boots, a black sleeveless leotard with a low back, a black mid-thigh mini skirt, over-the-elbow black gloves and a black choker.
On the choker was the outline of a moon in silver and she had silver markings on her face. Her long hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and the ponytail was braided and tied off at the end with a silver ring. This was not what she had been wearing before.
"What... What… What…" Kat tried to say, surprised. But it was more like awestruck. Her outfit was both beautiful and intimidating at the same time.
"What happened?" Alex provided.
Kat nodded.
Nicole shrugged. "That's what we were trying to find out when you came too," she replied.
Kat just walked over to Alex, who was sitting on the end of the bed, and sort of collapsed onto the cot. "I need to sit down," she muttered. If someone had touched her in that way… Just as Alex opened her mouth to say something, the door to Kat's cell burst open.
Dilandau and three Slayers walked in. "Oh, glad to see you care!" Alex said sarcastically.
Dilandau quirked an eyebrow at her-he was definitely confused. "What are you talking about?" He asked with a nasty tone.
"You know perfectly well what we're talking about!" Kat replied with enough venom to kill a person in a second. She was apparently over her awestruck spell. Of course it was him! She thought. "You did something to change us. To make us have weird dreams-to top it off you changed our clothes while we were out, you perverts!"
"What?" A Slayer asked surprised. A smack from Dilandau and a deadly glare from Kat rewarded him.
"I really have no idea what you are talking about," Dilandau said as calmly as he could through clenched teeth.
Kat glared at Dilandau. She had seen in his eyes that he really didn't know what she was talking about.
"Maybe it would help if you could take us to your commander," Nicole suggested. She was trying to stop the blood bath that was about to happen.
"Before Kat goes rabid on you." Alex added.
Dilandau looked at the girls, giving each a long glare. Finally he stepped aside and Kat started to walk out of the room, before a Slayer grabbed her. "Escorts," Dilandau said evilly.
Kat just glared at him but went peacefully, as did Nicole and Alex.
Dilandau glanced around the room before he walked out of it.
