Date. 07.27.2002
Time. 1.30 pm
Music. "Stress" by Jim's Big Ego
Chapter 9

Copyright. I do not own the Vision of Escaflowne or any of its characters. Alas, I just don't.

Author's Notes. Well, after that dry spell, I think I have this story rolling again. Since most of my friends decided to be carnies and work at the fair for two weeks, I decided on writing the next installment of the all-action-packed Parvulus de Crepuscid! And also since my Ultimate Edition isn't coming in until next week as well as my DVD boxset, I have nothing better to do. EXCEPT! I'm working on an art project though! Its very exciting! I'm painting a dragon on the bottom of my dad's surfboard. Its one of the ones that he doesn't use anymore so he's letting me put whatever I want! I'm going to take pics eventually so if anyone wants to see it, email me!

BTW, for everyone who was asking what the hell was going on (example: where's Hitomi? What about the dragon?…), things are going to start to make a little bit more sense. I hope at least. This following chapter will hopefully shed some light on those who are in the dark of what is going on (doesn't that sound poetic?)

The Vision of Escaflowne. Parvulus de Crepuscid

Chapter 9. All of Me

* * *

Where am I? I do not recognize this place. It seems like something from a multimillion dollar blockbuster movie set. Well, at least like that Indiana Jones trilogy. The temple walls are crumbling, ancient and deteriorating. These walls have seen many battles. Many sacrifices for the gods.

This is all I can see from the tent, which, I figure, was pitched next to one of the walls for protection. I can hear many other sounds. Birds singing, the rustling of tree and bush, a faint cry of some wild cat. We are in a jungle. It is obvious due to the humidity and the mosquitoes flying about. Where I do not see the old stones of the temple, I see green. Everywhere.

I sit up from the cot, the blood rushing to my brain and making me feel dizzy and nauseous. I look down at myself, a lightweight cotton shirt and khaki pants is all I wear. I stand from the makeshift bed and walk outside.

The sky is so clear. I have never seen such a sky that is not polluted with filth. Such a beautiful deep blue. Wherever this place is, it has not been touched by the horrors of modern humanity.

I would think that not knowing where I am would trouble me. But it is the not knowing of *who* I am bothers me even more.

I am aware of what my name is and my family and such… but I know a huge portion of my life has been wiped clean from my mind. Almost as if I shouldn't remember those times in my life for some odd reason.

The young woman who is with me. She knows my name and where I am from. But that is not enough to help me figure out who I am. She tells me that I am an archeologist… ironically, like Indiana Jones… and that we are here on an excavation, but that still does not help.

She is so patient with me, understanding the absence of memories in my mind, and tries to help fill in the blanks. I'm your assistant, that's what I do, she says.

But could it be possible that she could be giving me false information about me?

"Hitomi!" a voice shouted. "There you are!"

Hitomi turned around and lost her train of thought. "Hello," she replied softly.

"What are you doing up? You need rest. We're going deep into the temple tomorrow and looking for the Sacrificial Room." Her assistant took her arm and led her inside of the tent once more.

"I know, I know," she sighed, hesitating on returning to her cot. "But I'm not that tired anymore. Plus, this memory loss thing is driving me insane."

"Shhh… just lie down, Hitomi," she gently pushed her back. "The other workers will be back here in a week with the equipment and they'll help you out. We'll be able to contact someone that can come pick us up for treatment or something, but for now, we have to stay here. So… as long as we are down here, might as well try and solve this temple's secrets."

Hitomi nodded. "But in the meantime… Ashira? Will you help me out?"

Ashira's lips broke into a smile. "What would you like to know?" she asked.

"Well, my life, for starters. How did we meet?"

"Let me see… you were already graduated from your college and started independently working. You knew of some people already in the field that said you could join their group. So you packed your bags and set off to Egypt, where you helped discover the tomb of a long-lost king. This discovery launched your career. You have always said that you've had this 'sixth sense' about things. I am similar to you. I've been your assistant and apprentice for a year now and you said you will help me prove my theory about the Sacrificial Room. You were the only one that believed me."

"Please remind me of your theory once more, Ashira?" Hitomi looked at the young woman. She had to be no older than eighteen years of age. A college student still.

Ashira laughed. "That is a story for another day," she replied. "But seriously, rest for awhile. I need to work some more before we lose the sunlight. Then I'll prepare us something to eat." She stood up and lifted the flap of the tent.

"Ashira?" Hitomi called after her.

"Hmmm?"

There was a brief moment of silence that made the small enclosure of the tent seem uncomfortable. "Was there any… love in my life that you know of?" she said, staring directly at her finger where two rings were. "I remember this ring… I've seen it before. I think its my grandmother's engagement ring … I'm glad that I can remember something about my life… but this one, I don't recognize." She paused. "Was I married?"

"Once. But your husband is dead. He was murdered."

There was another awkward quietness. "I see." Hitomi replied. "I'll see you later tonight, Ashira. Thank you."

The younger woman closed the flap and walked towards the towering steps before her. "My pleasure," she answered coldly.

* * *

The light had faded, but the glare still remained in Sellie's eyes. She slowly opened them, blinking rapidly so that they would become used to the natural daylight.

And could not believe what she saw.

She was deep inside of a forest, large pine trees climbing beyond the heights and making the view of the sky impossible. Lush green grass and wild flowers carpeted the ground surrounding the thick trunks. A few feet from where she sat was a crystal clear lake, the color of sapphire.

As she stretched out her limbs, it took Sellie a moment that her father no longer lay right next to her.

"Dad!" she jolted upwards, jumping to her feet. The woman that she had met was hovering over him in a section of raised ground three yards from where Sellie had come to. She had already removed his shirt, though his wings where still out, and was gingerly touching around his wound.

"What are you doing to him?" she cried.

"Helping him, my dear child," she replied. She took hold of the sharp glass and pulled it slowly from his side. Van winced and groaned as the shard left the gash.

"Hold his hand, dear," she said, not taking her eyes off the cut. Sellie fell to her knees and took hold of Van's hand. Come on, Dad…

The woman slowly placed her palm on top of the wound and closed her eyes. Sellie's eyes widened as a soft glow emitted from her fingertips. She placed her hand firmly upon his skin. Van's torso expanded as he took in a sharp breath of air. The woman lifted her hand from his side and traced her finger along the wound's edge. Mysteriously, the cut seemed to heal itself. Within seconds, there was no trace that a shard of glass had pierced him.

However, the woman had not reopened her eyes, and she collapsed next to where Van lay.

Sellie rushed to her side. "Are you alright?" she asked urgently.

She nodded her head. "I'm a bit drained. It'll wear off in a minute or so." She pointed her chin at Van. "Go see how he is. He'll be waking up at any second."

She squeezed Sellie's hand and insisted her. She crawled back and knelt besides Van once more.

"Dad?" she whispered.

"Hmm?" he made some sort of noise in his throat and slowly opened his eyes. "Hey…" he said calmly.

Sellie smiled. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Fine. Why wouldn't I…" he stopped as he noticed his new surroundings. He climbed to his feet, but staggered with the unbalanced weight of the wings. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. "I thought it was all a dream."

Sellie helped him retain his balance. "That woman there saved you, Dad. She healed you with the palm of her hand."

Van fell to his knees next to his healer and tried to prop her up. "Gaea!" he exclaimed.

Gaea? Sellie thought. Her name is Gaea? Like as in the Goddess?

"It's all right, dear boy," she said, chuckling a bit. "Just give me a second to regain my ground."

Dear boy? *She's* calling him 'dear boy'? She looks only a couple of years older than I am.

Gaea looked straight at Sellie and smiled. "Van, I believe that your daughter is asking some questions and she needs some answering." She winked at Sellie and plainly said with her eyes "I-know-what-you-were-asking-in-your-mind."

Van sighed and slowly turned around, folding his wings behind his back. "No Van," Gaea spoke forcefully. "This time, you do not hide anything from her."

He nodded slowly and motioned for Sellie to sit down. "Ask me again, Sellie," he said quietly.

"Why do you have wings, Dad?" she asked.

He breathed deeply, then began his answer. "Because I'm a Draconian," he said. "A descendant of Atlantis."

"A Draconian?" she asked, her tone low. "Like the ones in the legends and folktales?"

"Yes."

"The ones that destroyed Atlantis and bring terror into the hearts of man?"

"Yes-- I mean, no!" Van stammered. "Draconians aren't evil. Well, most aren't anyway."

"Well, what about Mom? Does she know?"

"Yes, she knows. She is…" he started to mention about Hitomi, but the flood of questioning did not stop there.

"Where's Mom?! Where are we?! Who is *she*?!" Sellie pointed at Gaea, who had managed to lift herself from the ground and folded her hands neatly in front of her. "I don't understand what's…"

"Calm down, Selmé!" he raised his voice. "I'll answer everything… hopefully, but you have to hear everything behind it first."

"He's right, Sellie," Gaea stepped forward. "You must learn the details as well."

"Gaea… is an original Atlantean and is the great-grandmother of Hitomi," Van explained.

"Wait a minute… wasn't Atlantis destroyed like thousands of years ago?" Sellie, once more, interrupted. "How is it possible that you can be my great-great-grandmother? You look like you're only five years older than me. "

"It's because I'm not really alive, dear one," Gaea answered. "My people wanted to create a world where humans could live in harmony and peace. There would be divine happiness and nothing negative. But in order to create such a world, they needed a strong spirit to reside inside and become the spirit of the world. I was only 18 when this occurred, but already dying of a rare disease that had already killed my mother, the High Priestess Elche. My father, being one of the Elders, influenced his other associates that I would be the one chosen for this. So, with the force and will of all of my family, my friends, and my kin, Atlantis was destroyed and this world was created. I am neither dead nor alive, but more like both."

"Ohhhh-kay," Sellie said, though she seemed to stretch out the "oh" rather long as if she didn't believe her. "So if you're an Atlantean, who are the ancestors of Draconians… and related to Mom… does that mean that Mom also has wings?"

"Yes," Van replied. "But she didn't know of them until 13 years ago."

"What do you mean? Was that when she was visiting on the Mystic Moon before she returned home to Gaea?"

"Not exactly." My gods, Van thought. This is going to take awhile.

"You see, Hitomi is actually *from* the Mystic Moon. She was born there, not here. Gaea had blessed a couple there with a child, but she was actually born looking like Gaea. Hence, your mother's and your green eyes. That was your great-grandmother. She had a daughter… your grandmother… and she had Hitomi. But when Hitomi and I were 15 years old, we met each other on what we thought was an accident. I had to slay a land-dragon for the rites in becoming king and we were transported to the Mystic Moon. Hitomi was there with two of her friends, practicing her running. I killed the dragon, removed its energist, and was transported back to Gaea, but with Hitomi along with me. I thought it was kind of strange at the beginning: she was the only one I could understand, though she insisted she was speaking the same language that they were.

"She was pulled into our world that she had no idea existed, but somehow, she played a major part of it. She had this power that allowed her to see the future through visions. I wanted to use her to predict what Zaibach forces were going to do next, but I was young and stupid and I didn't know any better. I kept driving her away and into the arms of Allen.

"But we realized that Hitomi's coming to Gaea was no accident. We were linked together: I could feel her pain and she could feel mine. I knew in my heart that we were meant for each other. Once Zaibach was defeated, I wanted Hitomi to stay with me and help rule Fanelia. But we were 15 and still too young. Hitomi returned to the Mystic Moon but our link to one another remained."

"Mom returned again right?" Sellie asked. "I mean, she had to have, to marry you and have me."

"Yes, she returned. We lost our contact after a few years because we took it for granted. Then, for reasons unknown…" Van looked over at Gaea quickly to alert her that he knew the reason. "She came back. I hoped it would be for good, that she had wanted to be back, but it was to fulfill a prophecy about the Power of Atlantis. She was to receive it. However, there was another person who wanted it: Ashira."

"Ashira?"

"Another Draconian, though she fits the description of the evil type. She sought after us and took Hitomi and the pendant…"

"Pendant? You mean, *this* pendant?" Sellie lifted the stone from underneath her clothing.

"Yes, that necklace was from Atlantis. It was Gaea's originally. But I found Hitomi and we found refuge with Gaea. That's when Hitomi found out about her destiny and her ancestry. She had a decision to make: stay on Gaea and maintain the Power of Atlantis within her, or return to the Mystic Moon and forget everything about us. A while afterwards, she decided to stay here, so I asked her to marry me. We went to the island of Gahwindahn off the coast of Palas with a escort from Dryden…"

"Dryden and Millerna know about you and Mom?"

"What? Of what we are? Yeah, they know. But we were intercepted by Ashira and the re-established Zaibach Empire. I guess that when the Power of Atlantis was supposed to strike the Chosen One, being Hitomi, it struck both she and Ashira, distributing the Power to each of them. They fought one another, but Hitomi beat her, leaving her in this psychic enclosure. Ever since then, peace has been with our world until now."

"So what happened to Mom?"

"Ashira has broken from her cell… it must have been recently, she hasn't aged a day. She still looks like she's 18. She grabbed hold of Hitomi just before you arrived and took her somewhere. I can't… I can't trace her along the link that we have. Its been severed."

Van hung his head low, hiding his eyes away from his daughter. Gaea rubbed his shoulder. "Everything that Van has told you is true, Sellie. But he did leave out some vital information that he did not know.

"You see, at the moment that Hitomi received the Power of Atlantis, she was pregnant with you. Somehow, this made her unable to conceive any more children after you, but it made you even more special. You were also born with a portion of the Power. Ashira thinks that the Power is split between only her and Hitomi; she does not know about you, so we now have the upper hand."

"How does this make things better?" Van asked gradually. "We don't know where they are."

"It makes things a little better because only Sellie is the one who can sense where Hitomi is."

"How will that work?!" Van raised his voice. "Even *I* can't sense where she is!"

"Calm down, Van," Gaea said coolly. "Though you may think that you and Hitomi are bonded together deeply, she and Sellie are bonded even deeper: blood. Hitomi carried her daughter for nine colors. I can sense Hitomi as well, but Sellie has a better connection with her because they are closer."

Sellie listened to what the two older people (or rather, person and spirit) were saying to one another, but her mind was working overtime, trying to figure facts out. It finally went back to on the Myriad.

"Wait a minute," she said, her eyes scanning unseen notes set before her. "When Quidam kissed me, he whispered something into my ear… that Mom went home."

"Home? Like to Fanelia?"

"I don't think so. You said earlier that she's from the Mystic Moon. What if she went back there?"

Van shook his head. "Not possible. She can't go back there. When she received the Power of Atlantis, the gateway between our world and theirs was closed. So, no more pillars of light."

"Van," Gaea said softly. "That's not entirely accurate."

He turned around and looked at the shorter woman (Sellie had noticed she was taller than Gaea and she was only 13). "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"There are other ways of going to the Mystic Moon, Van," she said. "Remember when you went to bring her back? You and Escaflowne turned into pure energy because of your will and determination to find her. Those emotions reacted with the dragon energist and sent you."

"Yeah, so?"

"If I made it sound that you could not get to the Mystic Moon, you would not try."

Van was shocked. "Why would you do something like that?" he asked.

Gaea sighed. "Now since the Power of Atlantis has been released, it needs to stay here in order for the peace to endure. I had to make sure that Hitomi would stay here so that war would not break out and that this world would remain healthy."

"You mean… Hitomi had to say good-bye to her family, to her friends, and tell them that she would never see them again! Now you're telling me that she can see them?" Van said furiously.

"Have you not noticed that I am weaker now, Van?" Gaea said, her eyes staring straight into his. "Ask Sellie: when I healed you, I had to take recovery time so I could regain my energy. Even now, I feel this world slowly dying. It will be a matter of days, maybe a week or two, before the end of Gaea will become real."

He remained silent, still fuming, but trying to relax himself. "So where on the Mystic Moon is she?" he asked, keeping his temper to a minimum.

"If Ashira has her, then I believe I may know where. There was an ancient tribe of natives that lived deep in the rainforest." As she spoke, she waved her hand over the water. Their reflection faded away to a foreign geographic picture of the continent. "But I don't know if it was Central America or South…" she muttered, almost to herself.

"They were a primitive people, but made a prophecy of a great power that could conquer the world. They were stargazers and were able to map out a calendar system that was surprising accurate, judging their lack of technology. The calendar they created is still used to this day over the world.

"Their prophecy predicted that on the date… the *last* day on their calendar… was the modern-day May 12, 2016, that this power in the form of a single person would come to their temple and destroy the Earth. It will destroy our world as well."

"And…"

"That date takes place five days from now."

* * *

"Captain, we are elevated enough to turn into the direction you wanted to go," Reeden reported.

"Good," Allen replied.

There was a silence. "Uh, Boss? Where are we going?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

The bridge was only occupied with Allen, Reeden, Gaddes, a few other crew members, and Rouen. His parents were in one of the chambers, along with a few of their personal guards. Celena was somewhere else.

They had managed to lift off without much hassle. The Crusade was prepared to leave right as Dryden and Millerna were leaving the Palace. A few of Tarn's men took notice of the engine and followed them. Allen leapt out along with some of his one and protected the royal couple. They boarded the Crusade without barely any violence.

Now to follow Hitomi, Van, and Sellie.

"How are we going to find them if we have no idea where they are?"

"Good question."

The bridge door swung open and Celena walked in, completely dressed in her riding breeches and linen shirt.

"Brother, may I have a word with you outside in private?" she asked urgently.

"Not now, Celena. Can't you see I'm working." He made no movement, but stared ahead.

"Fine, then we'll just do it here… in front of everyone else."

"What do you want, Sister?"

She grew angry. "You know what I want."

"To what? Say that it is alright for sneaking around my back? Sure, fine… its all better now."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what?"

"I want you to accept us, Allen." She walked over to Gaddes and wrapped an arm around his torso. "You want me to be this lady that you know I am not and can never be. I am a member of this crew and I am in love with a member of this crew."

"We will discuss this later, Celena," Allen replied coldly and turned back to the panel.

"We've been together for three years now, Allen," Gaddes spoke without the formality of calling him "Captain" or "Boss." "I was going to sit down and talk to you after we had gotten back to Asturia, explain everything to you." He paused. "I was going to ask you for her hand in marriage…"

Allen shot him a look in surprise. So did Celena.

"…but I can see that I am such a low-life and scum that I am not worthy to touch your sister. Maybe I'm not even worthy enough to be on this crew."

"Gaddes… I didn't mean that…"

"Boss! C'mere!"

Reeden shouted over the loud beeping emitting from his panel. Allen rushed over along with Gaddes.

"What is it?" Allen asked.

"It's the Crusade! She's pullin' towards the north!"

"What do you mean… 'pulling'?" Gaddes inquired.

"I've seen it before…" Kio shouted from his position at the wheel "She moves a couple degrees left or right due to wind shift and other weather conditions. But she just pulled a 47 degree change to the north and there aren't any weather problems!" He could not stop shaking. "It's like she *wants* us to go this way."

Allen rubbed his chin. "Yes… maybe she does…" he murmured under his breath.

"Captain?"

"Kio, stay on this course," he commanded.

"Boss, are you sure about this? This could take us entirely out of the…" Gaddes pointed out.

"Don't worry… I know what I'm doing. This feels… right." Allen glanced over at his Second-in-Command and sister. "I promise both of you, we will discuss later on."

He stood back in front and stared out the window. Gods, I hope this is the direction where my friends have gone… he prayed silently. Please lead us to them.

* * *

"Five days?!" Sellie yelled. "Gaea will be destroyed in *five days*?!"

"It will be… at least, its been destined to be destroyed," Gaea replied calmly.

"What do you mean… 'destined'?" Van asked.

"You of all people should know about destiny, Van. Do you remember when I told you and Hitomi about the difference between fate and free will?" she touched his knee.

"Yes."

She patted his knee. "You can change this fate… or, rather, *she* can." She gestured to Sellie.

"Who? Me?"

"Yes, you… little one."

"Why me? I'm not special enough," Sellie retorted.

Gaea laughed. "Please! You have inherited the blood of Atlantis… there is nothing more special than that. Besides, you're the only one that can actually perform such a task."

Van shook his head. "No… no… no!" he said furiously. "I know where this is leading. She is *not* coming with me to the Mystic Moon. Its too dangerous for her to go."

"And its too dangerous for you if she doesn't, Van," Gaea said firmly. "You have said it yourself: she has an ability about her that makes it impossible for others, namely, Hitomi and Ashira, to sense her position and those close in proximity to her. If you go to the Mystic Moon, Ashira will know the moment you have arrived. And there is no telling what she will do to you if she finds you. Your best bet is Sellie."

Van quickly stood up, silent but fuming, and picked up his shredded shirt. He withdrew his wings without thought and pulled the shirt over his head. Sellie gasped as his wings disappeared into his back with a whirl of white feathers.

"Besides, you will not be alone when you go," Gaea continued, placing a hand on his back and mended the large hole in his shirt. "Your friends will volunteer themselves to aide you. And, you will have another source of help… who should be coming here any moment now." She stopped speaking and closed her eyes.

The silence of the forest made small vibrations seem to be clamorous. Sellie saw the ripples from the waters edge, almost as if something was coming from beneath.

Suddenly, the lake's surface broke with a tremendous spray. An enormous shadowed head lifted above them and looked down. As the mist deteriorated, Sellie recognized the beast.

"Dralion!" she cried.

"A flying-dragon?" Van murmured as he moved towards Sellie. "I thought they were all extinct… Stay back, Sellie! These are the most dangerous types of dragons!" His hand went to his side where he would normally wear his royal sword. Unfortunately, he left it with everything else in his rooms in Cassia.

* We are the most dangerous if we are irritated so. However, I am not so easily swayed to the point that I want to eat thee humans as are my cousins that dwell on the sea and the land, * Dralion answered.

"Dragons don't talk," Van said in awe, his mouth hanging slightly open.

* Thee just heard me, cousin! And thee stand there not believing that I am real. Ask thee daughter to see if I am real. *

"Dad, he's real. That's who I was talking to in Cassia last night in the woods. He told me this whole story about himself," Sellie touched Van's shoulder. Her simple contact made him able to calm down a bit. "He is the last flying-dragon on Gaea."

"Dralion has been a friend of mine for thousands of years," Gaea explained. "His fate has been linked to Sellie's, so it is his destiny to join your group."

"Dralion was born with two hearts, Dad," Sellie added. "He gave up one of them to be the energist in Escaflowne."

* And my twinned soul is the ancestor of thee, young King * Dralion finished.

Van shook his head and chuckled to himself. "Sure, why not? Stranger things have happened."

Gaea stood up from where she was sitting. "You have precious little time. You must return to Cassia in order to find out exactly where Ashira has taken Hitomi. I will find you and help you go to Earth. Then, you must return to Fanelia and use the energist that your mother gave you, Van. Once you get there, it will be out of my power and in Sellie's hands." She paused. "Maybe you should try and help her out with 'dousing,' as Hitomi calls it. Maybe help her out with… *other* things as well."

"Like wha…" Sellie began, but never finished her thought as Gaea continued.

"Your friends are about 20 miles away from here. I pulled their ship in this direction as soon as they took off to chase after you. They also are hidden from other ships flying near them. I would suggest that you would fly to them, but I don't want to wear you out. Dralion, do you mind?"

* Not at all, Lady * Dralion replied and laid down his head upon the shore. Sellie walked over and swung her leg over in the crook of his neck, settling herself in. Van hesitated.

"Come on, Dad," she said. "We're off to save Mom and both our worlds, remember?"

He nodded and climbed on directly in front his daughter. As soon as he was set, Dralion cautiously lifted himself from the lake and spread his dark red leathery wings. He flapped them enough so that he hovered over Gaea.

"Remember that you are on a timeframe! Don't get carried away!" she cried. With those last words, she disappeared into the forest.

Dralion's deepened his beats and flew upwards. Van clung to his scales with Sellie's arms wrapped around his waist. Higher and higher, he climbed into the sky towards the bright light above. Soon, Sellie was not able to see anything around her: just white.

The rain had finally stopped in the desert above, but it was still gray and gloomy. At the exact spot where Van had landed and fainted, the familiar pillar of light broke the surface of the sand. But instead of something landing from the sky, Dralion flew from below the ground and into the hazy sky. Sellie blinked and identified her surroundings from before as they flew with strong strides back towards Cassia and their too-near futures.

To be continued…

* * *

This was the best chapter to write!!! Seriously! Joke's over! From the previous chapter, which took 2 months, to this one, that took a week. And I wrote 7 pages in one day also, may I point out. I did have to take a little break when both my Ultimate Edition movie DVD and the Perfect Vision boxset came in. EXCEPT! My movie would have to be a part of the 5% that was dysfunctional and I couldn't get past chapter 12! GASP. My friend John bought one that was fine so we had this huge party last night. He had one of those 3000 dollar digital projectors so we watched it on a wall with a full-on sound system complete with sub-woofer! MY GOD! It was soooo good! Hahaha. I must say that I am not a fan of the dub (I like the real thing), but the English in the movie didn't really bother me. I just hate it when they say Lord Folken or Lord Van or Lord Dilandau to fill in with the lip sync. There is one spot at the end that REALLY bugged me because Hitomi of all people did it!! AAAAHHH!

BTW, if anyone had noticed, I did a reference to the Escaflowne movie in the previous chapter. Can you guess?

Also, I do know that it was the Mayans (I think, gotta watch X-files again to make sure of that) that made their calendars so accurately, but the last date on that calendar was December 22, 2012. I really wanted to use that so it would work better, but unfortunately it wouldn't have fit with the ages and such.

I have an Atlantis book that says that there was a statue called the "Lady of Elche." I added it.

I think my life is complete.

Chapter title comes from the movie "All of Me." I don't know why I chose it. It sounded right because Van was explaining to Sellie all of the secrets about himself that he had kept hidden for so long.