Disclaimer: Humph…I guess you guys DO need a little more clarifying. ^_^ Oh, well, I'm fine with that. Muahahaha! I think I'll drag a little Ziggurat 8 action into this. Nihongo will probably make fun of me, but I've been playing Chrono Saga for three days straight and it's all I can think about!
ACG: "Hey Zig, do I own Escaflowne?"
Ziggurat 8: "I'm really, really old. Don't talk to me."
ACG: -_- "I can talk to you if I want to, cause I control your whole existence. Answer the question or I'll kill off MOMO."
Ziggurat 8: *lifts his hands defensively* "Don't kill MOMO ;_; My sensors indicate that the extent of your possessions include a CD player, a few 'burned' CD's, and a piece of chocolate that your grandma gave you. There's no mention of you owning Escaflowne."
ACG: "Thank you very much…and I would destroy all of my meager possessions rather than losing them in a lawsuit (some of those burned CD's are really hard to come by ^_^), so it really isn't worth your trouble. Muahahahahaha!"
Second Destiny By Another Cat Girl
Chapter 11:
Her vision was foggy. Her breathing was ragged from crying.
"Celena?" A voice penetrated through the smoky veil surrounding her.
~Go away. ~
"I have to get you out of here. The roof might collapse."
~No.~
"Are you listening? It's dangerous in here."
~Don't you see? I can't do that, you fool. ~
"Hey, listen!"
A touch on her shoulder roused her a little. She was sitting against the only wall in her room that wasn't blackened with fire and smoke. Jajuka crouched in front of her with an annoyed expression on his face.
He tapped her shoulder again. "What's wrong with you?"
"Go away," she whispered. She still looked at the floor.
His eyes widened. "You're sick. I have to take you to the medical wing."
The girl's eyes flashed. "I won't!"
The beast man grabbed her wrist. "Don't be difficult!"
Celena resolutely grabbed Jajuka's arm and twisted viciously. He let go of her.
"I can't believe you're acting like this! It'll only spread additional rumors about you! Everyone already thinks you're a demon!"
She looked up at him for the first time. "A demon. Maybe that's what I am. I could be a demon."
Jajuka grabbed both of her shoulders and shook her. "No! You aren't, Celena! Come with me to the medical wing!"
She started to scream. "Don't you understand! I can't leave! There's nothing left now! No memories! No family! Only people that think I'm a demon!"
"Stop being hysterical!"
Her screaming reached a feverish pitch. Jajuka made a growling noise. His fist came down on her head and her vision exploded with bright light.
*~*~*~*~*
Folken became nervous as they neared the port capital of Asturia. He stood in the enormous main room in the Vione 2, adorned in his emperor robes.
~Every time the Dragonslayers are involved, something gets burned. They don't know at all how to do things in an inconspicuous way. They could start the war for sure.~
Folken smiled a little. ~But then again, kidnapping Allen's little sister will do that anyway, won't it?~
"Emperor Folken." The navigator looked up from his console. "We are nearing Palas. Ten kilometers to visual."
Folken's smile disappeared. "Engage Invisibility Shield."
*~*~*~*~*
Celena woke in the infirmary. It was dark; the long room was filled with pristine white beds. She had an intense headache. When she touched her head, she found that it was covered by bandages. The ring still encased her finger like a tiny prison.
She laughed softly. "That's how they want to get rid of the demon, eh?"
*~*~*~*~*
In the small armory of the Vione II, the Ryuugekitai were preparing for their mission. They equipped themselves with invisibility cloaks (miniature versions of the ones that had concealed their destroyed Alseides Units) and armor to replace their originals that were demolished when they died during the Destiny War.
Gatti turned to the others. "We are finally going to see Dilandau-sama again. It's almost hard to believe."
Shesta smiled at him as he clicked his sword into place. "I was getting really bored not doing missions."
Dalet smoothed his brown hair and his cloak. It shimmered in response, making his fingers disappear for a second. "Yeah, right. You spent the whole time trying to improve your shoddy swordsmanship."
"Hey, shut up, Dalet. Dilandau-sama said we should always be trying to improve ourselves." Shesta glared at him.
Dalet smirked. "Improve? You wouldn't even be a Ryuugekitai if it wasn't for your Alseides handling."
Shesta laughed and hit him hard in the shoulder. "Didn't I tell you to shut up? You never listen to me."
Dalet hit him back even harder and cursed at him jokingly.
Guimel came to stand by them and said softly, "Dalet doesn't listen to you because you give bad information, Shesta. Yesterday, when we were sparring, you said 'head' and you aimed for my stomach." He shook his head and patted his midsection. "You are either tricky or dishonorable."
Shesta frowned. "I would hit you for that if you weren't such a pansy."
Guimel nonchalantly punched Shesta hard in the gut. "Pansy, eh?"
Dalet looked mildly amazed. "Developing a backbone I see, Guimel."
Guimel smiled and patted a gasping Shesta on the back.
Miguel looked up from where he sat putting on his boots. "What? Guimel? Backbone?"
Dalet slapped him on top of his head. "Pay attention, will you? Or go read some more of your science textbooks."
"Do you have one?" Miguel asked sarcastically as he whacked him on the head.
"Simmer down, guys, we're almost there." Gatti frowned at their behavior.
"Since when are you in charge of me?" Dalet said challengingly.
Gatti grinned and tackled Dalet. The two wrestled on the ground for a moment before Dalet sat on top of him and pinned down his arms.
Viole smoothed his brown curly hair. "Since he's been more mature than you. Which has been since…let's see…forever."
Dalet stood up and ruffled Viole's perfect hair. "Yeah, I guess I am a little immature. But that's what's so great about me."
Viole slapped him across the face. "What are you doing, messing up my hair like that? You idiot!" Dalet pretended to fall on Gatti, who was still laying on the floor behind him. They started to wrestle again.
Shesta laughed and mimicked Viole's voice, "My hair! My hair! Waaah!"
Viole growled and slapped him even harder than he had Dalet. Shesta fell back into the sitting Miguel. Miguel punched him in the side of the head expertly and Shesta fell down to the side, clutching his skull.
"Hey!" Shesta said. "That hurt, nerd!"
"That hurt, nerd!" Viole mimicked and turned to fix his beautiful hair. "Idiot."
"It was supposed to hurt, moron." Miguel looked down at him.
Folken's voice came over an intercom. "We're one mile to Palas. Be at Hanger B in one minute." The connection broke away in a surge of static.
"Let's go!" Shesta got up quickly to ran in front of the others, racing to get to the hanger. When they got there, Folken was already entering a tiny leviship that would take them all to the city. They hurriedly secured themselves in the small craft and it took off violently.
They looked out of the small windows at the countryside. It was night and the stars glittered gently by the glow of the Mystic Moon. The surf pounded far away on the sand as the city of Palas became bigger and bigger on the horizon. Folken looked back to see the Vione II properly shielded from vision. The small craft they were in had an invisibility shield as well.
After a few minutes they landed softly in a garden of the castle at Palas. They secured their cloaks and got out. They began to separate into smaller groups to guard the leviship's surroundings. A few Dragonslayers followed Folken to find Dilandau.
Folken adjusted his own cloak as he walked. Shesta soon pointed to a section of the castle that appeared to have been on fire recently. Folken shook his head.
~Has the ring not been working properly? Is Dilandau breaking free?~
Gatti and Dalet entered the black room and came out shaking their heads. He wasn't in there.
Folken motioned for them to follow him and led them straight to the infirmary of the castle. Two guards passed them on their way, but they flattened themselves against the walls to let them pass. As they got to the infirmary they paused because they heard voices coming from it.
"Your majesty, what are you going to do about her?"
"I don't think anyone would marry her. She's a demon. There's only a few other options left to us."
The two people, Allen and Jajuka, stepped out of the room. Allen pushed his luscious hair behind his ear. "One is that we could get someone to fix that blasted ring and then send her to the Duchy of Freid to become a female monk."
Jajuka kept his face expressionless.
Folken saw a slight movement to his left as one of the Dragonslayers loosened his katana in its sheath. Gatti turned and pulled down his hood enough to give Folken a questioning glance. Folken uncloaked his fingers on one hand and shook them from side to side. The emperor didn't want Asturia actually having a reason to go to war with Zaibach. And he needed Dilandau. Causing a disturbance now might disturb his plans for Hitomi.
Allen continued. "The second would be to have her turn into Dilandau and have him killed by the guards."
Jajuka almost held his breath. "Which option do you prefer?"
Allen giggled. "I can't tell you everything, Jajuka."
The king's chuckles reverberated off the walls as he walked down the corridor to his rooms. Jajuka stood there with a hateful expression on his face for a minute before he walked the other way down the hall.
The intruders entered the room quickly. Folken walked immediately to a bed in the corner with a small form curled on it. The Dragonslayers followed and gathered around it.
The Ryuugekitai looked at each other questioningly and Gatti asked, "What did he mean, 'turn into Dilandau'?"
Folken ignored him and reached for the person's hands. When he saw a ring on the right hand he sighed in relief.
"One of you carry-" A small fist shot up into his jaw, making him stumble backward.
"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Celena's eyes were wide.
"It's a girl!" came Dalet's incredulous voice from the other side of the bed.
Celena gasped and looked around. "How many of you are there?"
Folken calmly put his hood back, revealing his face and a bruise that was coming up quickly on his cheek. "Never mind that. We've come to take you with us, Celena."
"We are supposed to be getting Dilandau-sama! What are we doing with this stupid girl!?" Shesta put his hood back and pointed at Folken.
The rest of the Dragonslayers revealed their faces, making them look like a host of vengeful floating heads.
"Where is he, Folken-sama?" Viole looked peeved.
"Are you trying to trick us or something?" Gatti drew his sword.
"You all must be demons, too," Celena whispered.
Folken spoke quickly to placate the Dragonslayers. "It isn't what you think, I swear. Why would I trick you and bring you with me? There is a situation here that hasn't been explained to you yet."
Miguel considered. "Elaborate."
"I ask that you merely hold the girl down and keep her from screaming. It will explain more than you might guess."
The Slayers looked at each other and, at Gatti's nod, Guimel stuck the end of his cloak into Celena's mouth and the rest of the Ryuugekitai secured her arms and legs. Celena struggled against them and her eyes filled with terror.
Folken worked his way to where her right hand was held by Miguel and touched the blue ring on her finger. He murmured a few words in a different language and the ring started to glow. Folken's chanting grew louder as the ring flashed a brilliant scarlet and settled into a more dim shade of red.
Guimel, who was holding Celena's head, gasped as he saw a pair of vicious red eyes glaring up at him. He immediately let go and fell back into another bed. The other Slayers let go as soon as they realized who they were holding on to.
Dilandau Albatou sat up and spit the invisibility cloak out of his mouth. He reached over to Guimel and slapped him. "What in Gaia are you doing!?"
Gatti sank to the floor. "But…how can that be…Dilandau-sama?"
"Welcome back, Dilandau." The emperor smiled.
A.N. That seemed longer than I usually write them. Am I right? Uh…tell me if you agree with my characterization of the Dragonslayers. I just kind of said, "Uh…Miguel seemed smart, Guimel seemed like a pansy," etc. from what I watched in the show and stuff, so I probably won't change it. Sorry if them making fun of Viole for his hair seemed unfair. His hair is the best, they're just jealous. Uh…there's a lot of Dilandau in the next chapter. And there's no Celena for a while, I think, if anyone even cares…*looks around at audience, crickets chirp* Naaah, I had a feeling there wouldn't be any objections. Dilandau's back with the Ryuugekitai, that's all that matters.
;_; This story isn't as funny as I was originally intending…but then again, there wasn't supposed to be any other characters from Escaflowne in it. It just makes it a lot more complicated to write. I'm excited to know what's going to happen next…well, that's not true. I know, I just don't know HOW. And that's the question I have the most trouble answering.
Beloved, Beloved Reviewers: (I love you people!)
Nihongo: Merle…and Dilandau…that's a good idea for a story, I think. Like, Dilandau has an annoying cat girl following him around everywhere. In the end he would finally kill her…muahahaha!
;_; Please don't take away my game! *clutches Chrono Saga to herself* I'll be good. Here's another chapter to sate your appetite. See look. *points* It even has Dilandau and Shesta in it. So don't kidnap me like you did on Saturday, okay?
Black Dragon 7:I want the dragon to be doing whatever with a hot guy. I don't care, I just want to see it. Oh, did you finish the 7 books in 7 days thing? Were you successful? *blinks* My story is like medicine? *looks back through it* Hey! It is medicine! But only for you! Cause it's MAGICAL MARIJUANA MEDICINE. Just kidding. *starts to chant* I have no affiliation with marijuana…I have no affiliation with marijuana….
Blue Demon: Well, Dilandau WAS in this one, but no Hitomi, sorry. Maybe next chapter! I hope the promise of Dilly next chapter is enough. ^_^ The plotline's a large, mysterious mystery! Even to me!
Dallet's Fangirl: Here's some Dalet and Shesta and a little Dilly-sama! Who is Ryou Bakura and Yami? I don't watch Yu-gi-oh enough to know their names. Well, all except Kaiba-he's hot…looks a lot like a Legato Bluesummers clone. Don't worry. I have a lot more names I didn't think of. Millions Knives…that one guy from Kenshin, etc. and they don't need to be white-haired necessarily. O_o I didn't even think of Sesshomaru, thanks! Oh, yeah, you get a gargantuan hug from Dalet. He loves you!
Bahamut Epyon: *nods knowingly* Another mysterious Dilly-sama fan that pops up to review just long enough to request that Dilandau be in it. How mysterious… Anyways, does your name have anything to do with Final Fantasy? I just love those games…especially 7 and Sephiroth-sama! ^^
Digi-riven: Oh, your chibi eyes got to me and I had to update. This one's for you, okay?
Feye Morgan: I love your reviews…makes me want to work harder knowing that I have yet another person that will review every chapter! Oh, Celena's smart, alright. I hate unintelligent main characters. *waves to Fred the Rubber Chicken, Fred growls and looks at ACG hungrily. ACG throws him a Millerna plushie* Of course I hate the sorcerers. They are mean to Dilandau. But wasn't Folken a sorcerer? If that's the case, he's not a sorcerer anymore, but he still retains sorcerer abilities. ^_^ HA! Good cover-up, ACG! Anyway, I believe they're dead in my story, but if I need an extra Evil Force, thank you for the lovely idea!