AN: Ack!! I'm so sorry, peoples! Please forgive me! School sucks all time, you know? I forgot!! Here's a long one. I've been writing a 12 paragraph essay in English, dang it!! Um…I changed it to be just Jaren finding Hitomi in the garden, okay? There are no minions with Jaren anymore. Oh, and check out "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children" if you like FFVII! It's going to be an FFVII movie! Hardcore!
Summary so far: Celena kept changing appearance at strange moments when she was angry from herself to Dilandau, and the servants at the castle were getting superstitious. Folken (who isn't dead), with the Slayers' (who aren't dead) help, kidnapped the white-haired youth from Asturia and took her back to Zaibach. The Madoushi (who are new Madoushi), after a small mishap that almost killed Dilandau, changed Celena and Dilandau into two people again. Hitomi was taken from the Mystic Moon with the help of Van's stolen pink pendant to make sure that Zaibach and Emperor Folken win the seemingly forthcoming war with the alcoholic, womanizing King Allen of Asturia. Hitomi still loves Van, even though Van has decided to forget all about her. Dilandau has been enlisted (against his will?) to be Hitomi's bodyguard to prevent Allen or his cronies Merlot (rat-man) and Jaren (thief) from kidnapping her to Asturia's side. At a ball in Asturia, Folken gave Celena back to Allen in exchange for him not attacking the Zaibach Empire. Hitomi saw Van with his fiancé there, which made her go crying into the garden. Dilandau is having trouble deciding whether to kill Van or go after his charge. Oh, and Celena really doesn't like Folken right now, and Millerna's letter has finally gotten to Dryden, who has decided to help. *whew* This sounds like a soap opera... (Oh, yeah… Hitomi/Dilandau, Celena/Folken, Van/Someotherchick, Allen/Allfemalesthatmove, Millerna/Dryden. Four couples? What the heck am I thinking?)
Disclaimer: By...Seto Kaiba! (Yu-gi-oh!)
ACG: *looks at him* "Do I own Escaflowne?"
Kaiba: "We must duel to find out! Muahahahaha!"
ACG: ;_; "Can't you just tell me!?"
Kaiba: *does a little dance and sings* "Duel Monsters, Go Duel Monsters! Yeah, yeah!"
ACG: *shrugs* "Oh, well." *fingers the card on the top of her library* "I have to believe in the heart of the cards!" *draws dramatically* "Ah, with this card, you have no chance of beating me since I'm so great and you're not so great and I have the bestest strategy ever and the best cards and my deck is unbeatable and so there!"
Kaiba: "You have no chance, you little weenie baby!"
ACG: O_o "...weenie...baby?"
Kaiba: "For I have drawn the Master Monster Super Pyramid Egyptian Goddess card!"
ACG: "Aint that the one that says...?"
Kaiba: *reads card* "Yes, you do not own Escaflowne!"
ACG: X.X "NOOOOOO!!!! I'm melting! Melting!"
Kaiba: *looks around* "Hey, I won for once! Hot diggity dog!" *jumps and clicks his heels*
Second Destiny by Another Cat Girl
Chapter 22
"Well, well. Look what I found," a voice smirked at her.
She looked up, a mix of emotions colliding in her face.
Jaren grinned back, his face blotting out the light of the moon.
Hitomi sniffled into her gloved hand and tried to concentrate. "Who are you?"
Jaren's smirk widened and he reached down and gripped her upper arm, pulling it up harshly. "Oh, I'm nobody, really. Just a messenger from Emperor Folken."
Hitomi gasped at the sudden pain shooting through her arm to her brain. "What? Let me go!" she shrieked. Folken? He couldn't possibly...He wouldn't betray me!
Her brain answered her cynically, Right, and Van's completely loyal and Dilandau's just misunderstood! You stupid girl! You gullible idiot!
She abruptly grasped her precarious position and fear wrapped around her spine. Her attacker grabbed her other arm at the wrist, holding it to her side as he jerked her closer. "Are you frightened, girl?" He pulled back his hand and slapped her across the face.
Shocked, she started sobbing, her last feelings of self-worth shattered with the blow.
He stared at her, then spit on her dress. "You'd better be scared. You've been a real pain."
Hitomi couldn't think, couldn't breathe. He's going to kill me! She flinched in preparation for another strike, which never fell. His hand wavered in the air threateningly, then came down slowly to rest on her neck.
"I'm going to enjoy watching you die, you cringing thing." Her numbed mind couldn't seem to focus, but she dimly heard the sound of a knife being unsheathed.
She tried to make herself care, but deep down, she knew she deserved this. She couldn't make herself stop him. It would be like stopping justice. She obviously was no good for anything, anyone. She was spurned by the only people that she truly cared for. Hitomi couldn't stop sobbing, even though the spasms were making her choke.
He balanced the knife easily in his hand, waiting to use it until just the right moment.
*~*
Dilandau edged past the revelers, making his way toward the arched doorway to the garden. Suddenly he stopped, glancing back at his nemesis, Van. Dilandau saw the princess whisper something in the young king's ear. He saw Van laugh and smile lovingly at her.
Dilandau couldn't stand the expressions on their faces. Leaving Van happy was like giving a cockroach a home in his soul. He knew that if he didn't kill Van now, it would fester and slither around in his mind forever.
His foot stepped involuntarily back toward the happy couple. As he did so, a pompous, short man ran into him. Dilandau turned toward him angrily.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there!" The man put a pudgy hand to wipe the sweat from his greasy forehead. "Isn't it sweltering out tonight?"
He looked expectantly up at the man in the ebony mask for an answering comment and was unnerved when Dilandau didn't say anything. The expressionless black mask of the god of death stared malevolently at him. He shifted his feet nervously.
Suddenly, Dilandau heard a sound coming from the gardens, like an echoed shriek.
Hitomi?
Dilandau cursed inwardly and turned on his heel. The obese man was in his way and he ran into him again. The fat aristocrat let out a puff of air on impact, deflating like a balloon.
"Oh, excuse me, once again!" he rumbled.
Dilandau looked over his shoulder again toward Van. The contented expression on his foe's face burned into his memory as he heard another muffled shriek from the garden.
Under the mask, Dilandau's face twisted and he clenched the corpulent fellow's rotund shoulders tightly. Then his expression calmed to match his mask and he shoved the rotund man away from him. The unfortunate fleshy lord landed and broke a table covered in cakes, which flopped over on top of him, to the great amusement of the gathered nobility.
Dilandau hurried toward the source of the quiet screams. It wasn't long before he found Hitomi's pale mask lying like a dead dove on the stone path. He picked it up, feeling the cool cloth under his hand.
She must have been attacked.
He began to run, feeling he was close to his aspiration, and the pallid ribbons from the Wing Goddess' mask fluttered dismally around his shady mantle.
*~*
Folken drew his dark cloaks around him testily. Now that the deed was done, it was pointless to have regrets. Plans are in place in case of any foreseeable circumstance...
He shook his head moodily. Still, it did not seem right.
The emperor scanned the crowds for the unlikely couple, Hitomi and Dilandau. Not seeing them, he wondered whether his plan would work. Has she reacted to Van's proposal as I envisioned? I wasn't paying attention. Maybe Dilandau's already taken care of it. I hope he's been a little more diplomatic than usual tonight.
He turned and made a secret signal by delicately scratching his nose. The Dragonslayer Gatti came out of nowhere to stand beside Folken, who said, "I am going to the Vione II. Make sure the plans go forward with Hitomi. Don't let Dilandau do anything rash."
Gatti smiled. He was Dilandau's right-hand man, but he still got slapped more than all the others combined for his insubordination. "Although your last request is all but impossible, I will do my best, Lord Folken."
The emperor watched silently as Gatti merged with the crowds again in search of his commander. Folken went back to brooding on his situation as he returned to the carriage, the Asturian nobility avoiding him through obvious dislike.
He missed her. He paused for a moment. The sight of Celena's tortured face had almost cracked his resolve, but he had stood firm. There were more important things than that. Much more important.
Folken silently took the memories of Dilandau's 'sister' from his mind, and burned them, one by one. It was a waste of time to think of her, when there were so many things to be done.
His footsteps echoed coldly on the cobblestones, the sound mixing dully with the laughter from the palace.
*~*
Where is she? What is happening? Dilandau thought uneasily. A sound coming from between two hedgerows caught his attention. He ran silently around the looming plant and saw Hitomi caught in the arms of a man whose back was to him. The general saw the flash of a knife in the man's hand.
Dilandau's blood went cold as the dagger rose into the air. He dimly heard Hitomi sobbing helplessly. Dilandau cried out angrily and the man turned his head.
Jaren's eyes went wide. "You!" He smiled and gripped Hitomi's arm harder, making her go deathly silent. "How did I know you would show up? This complicates things."
Dilandau had been striding forward as his enemy spoke. "You're that coward from before, aren't you? I will be sure to make you pay."
Jaren's grin widened and he threw Hitomi roughly away and flicked the dagger so he gripped it by the tip. "No, I don't think so." He threw the dagger straight at the Dragonslayers' commander, but he turned so it merely ricocheted off of his armor.
The pyro's eyes glinted with an inner brilliance as he stepped forward, his sword gleaming.
*
Hitomi witnessed the battle through her hazy, tear-streaked vision. She crouched on the paved walkway warily as Jaren retreated and drew his short sword.
Hitomi couldn't explain the myriad emotions that were racing through her mind. Her body was shuddering uncontrollably. She clutched herself weakly and watched the battle as it unfolded, terrified of distracting Dilandau and killing him accidentally.
The white-haired man sprang forward to attack, swinging his sword down on top of the thief's firm block. They disengaged; Jaren slashed out to the front and Dilandau sprang backward. Dilandau's sword went down to the right. He shifted his feet and sliced upward with all his strength. Jaren stepped to the right and snaked a hidden dagger to stab Dilandau in the side, but his knife just bounced off the black armor again.
Dilandau slashed the thief's arm as Jaren hurriedly stepped away from the general. Jaren touched the wound and then stared at his stained crimson fingers.
Dilandau moved his katana and watched flecks of blood drip from it onto the walkway. "You'll be experiencing much more pain than that, when I am through with you. You will be dead." He spoke calmly, but there were frightening undercurrents of malevolence and insanity in his tone.
Their swords met again, flashing with reflected light; they both searched for an opening. Dilandau had the greater reach because he was taller than his adversary and had a longer sword, and Jaren's face quickly became anxious. Dilandau felt a weakness in his defense. He grinned.
Jaren barely sidestepped the long katana's thrust and lost his balance for an instant. Dilandau turned and triumphantly impaled his enemy on the dark blade, then drew it back out slowly.
Hitomi's stomach turned at the wet scraping sound, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming as loud as she could. Jaren dropped to his knees and touched his chest disbelievingly.
"How...?" He looked with haunted eyes toward his killer, then fell forward and died.
The victor undid the cords around his face and slid the mask off. He stared down at the fallen man for a moment before throwing the mask to where the other lay beside Hitomi.
Dilandau nonchalantly wiped his bloody sword on the man's clothes. Hitomi cringed. Her eyes started watering again and she put her face on her knees.
Dilandau sheathed his sword, then walked to Hitomi and stood over her.
"Did you get hurt badly?" he asked. She shook her head and picked the masks up. Dilandau stretched out one gloved hand and lifted the Wing Goddess to her feet.
A noise down the walkway made them both pause.
"Dilandau-sama?" came a whisper.
Dilandau let Hitomi's hand go and said, "Report."
Gatti stepped out from the bushes and bowed. "Lord Dilandau, Folken asked me to accompany you."
Dilandau face became angry. "He still thinks I need babysitting?"
Gatti stared at the dead thief. "Lord Dilandau, did you just kill this man?"
The general narrowed his eyes, his voice becoming sharp. "Of course, you idiot. This is that attacker from before."
The Dragonslayer's eyes were disturbed. "He isn't just some man, Lord Dilandau. He was knighted by King Allen Shezar just yesterday."
"If that man was a knight, then why was he attacking me?" Hitomi demanded.
*~*
Allen Shezar was making his way through the moonlit gardens to the spot where Jaren would be attacking Hitomi.
Merlot's plan was simple and effective. Have Jaren attack Hitomi and say that Folken had sent him to do it, then Allen saves Hitomi, and she would be so swept away that she would have to stay in Asturia with him. With the Wing Goddess' approval on his side, Allen would be free to conquer the Zaibach Empire and the rest of the world. It was simple as that.
The king hummed a little as he went along. Jaren had even made up a little choreography to go with the event. Allen smiled. That thief was becoming invaluable. Making him a knight of Asturia was a small price to pay for his help.
He paused. There were people in front of him at the specified place. He stepped forward in annoyance, hoping that his beautiful plans weren't spoiled.
"Allen!"
The king had not heard her voice for a very long time, but he still recognized it as Hitomi's. Cursing inwardly, he saw that she was not with Jaren as he had hoped.
"Allen Shezar," came a voice that made Allen's blood go cold. Dilandau Albatou, Celena's double, stepped around Hitomi and drew his sword.
Allen gripped the handle of his sword, which had no edge in preparation for Jaren's mock hostage situation. He cursed the fact that he had been to 'busy' to have practiced since he became king, and tried not to look directly into the eyes of the person whom he feared more than anyone else in the world.
"Dilandau-sama, wait! You must not attack Allen Shezar!" A Dragonslayer appeared by Dilandau's elbow.
"Shut up, Gatti!" Dilandau said harshly, still staring at Allen.
"No! Lord Dilandau, Emperor Folken specifically said not to let you attack Allen Shezar!" His eyes were plaintive. "It would mean the start of a war!"
"How...how are you here! You are supposed to be in your room!" Allen's hand shook; his face was dripping with fear-sweat at the man that he thought was his sister.
Dilandau looked disgusted at Allen's fear and his strange words. "You are crazy, Allen Shezar."
Hitomi clasped her hands together fearfully, putting Allen's words and Celena's history together. "Something has happened to Celena!"
As Dilandau contemplated that, Gatti said urgently, "We must leave! You've already killed a knight of Asturia! This might be enough to start a war!"
"But that man was attacking me!" Hitomi said.
"We must leave!"
More people started to gather; Allen had been unable to escape the palace without an entourage. A few lords and ladies arrived, then looked startled at the sight of Allen and Dilandau's naked blades.
"What is going on?"
"The king is being attacked!"
A young lord unsheathed his weapon and stood by King Allen, who was still shaking at the prospect of fighting Dilandau.
Gatti glanced around, then sighing, he unsheathed his sword and stood beside his master. "Dilandau-sama, please! We must leave this place before more damage is done!"
Dilandau growled. He sheathed his sword and turned on his heel. Hitomi was afraid when she looked at Allen. He was changed from the man that she had almost married when she came to Gaia before. Suddenly, she had the feeling that she wanted nothing to do with the new Allen, and she quickly turned and ran after Gatti and Dilandau into the heart of the garden's maze.
"They killed Sir Jaren!" a woman screamed at the suddenly revealed body of the knight.
"Form a search party! Stop them! They've killed Sir Jaren! They must be captured!" Allen shouted, and some people scattered to find the guards.
Allen stared at Jaren's dead body and added thoughtfully, "And someone take care of this corpse."
*~*
The crowds disappeared behind them and as they ran, Gatti said, "Dilandau-sama, there is a way out at the northeastern corner. I unlocked a small gate there before this began. I will try to distract the guards."
Dilandau nodded, still running. "Good work, Gatti."
Dalet looked pleased at the unexpected praise. When they reached an intersection in the maze of bushes, he turned left without hesitating. Dilandau and Hitomi still ran forward.
At the next branching, Dilandau turned to go right, and Hitomi felt an unusual prick of fear, her precognitive senses telling her to avoid that path.
"No. Not that way." She pulled on Dilandau's cloak. He paused for a moment, then they both heard a guard coming down the path. They started to run forward again, away from the sound.
Hitomi led the way through the maze to the northeastern corner without mishap. Dilandau found the small door and opened it with a creak. They slipped through and they disappeared like ghosts down the dusky side streets of Palas.
*~*
"Let me guess. They couldn't even find them." Allen asked the head guard, his voice dangerously quiet.
He was still on the path where Jaren had attacked Hitomi. Jaren's body had been removed, and the search for his killer was all but over. The king had also sent guards to check if Celena was still in her cell. When they came back and told him that she was, Allen felt real fear. Somehow, the Zaibach scientists had made Dilandau and Celena separate, and now Allen no longer had control over the mad albino.
The party was still going on inside the castle, even though the word had gotten around about Jaren's death. The nobility were whispering about the murder with intense interest to each other as they watched a bear baiting in the main hall.
"The guards were lost in the maze, your majesty," the soldier said timidly.
Allen glared in frustration and decided to vent his anger on the guards. "Do I look as if I wanted your excuses?"
"We've found someone!" A guard was running down the path and his cry distracted Allen.
"Is it Dilandau?" Allen turned eagerly.
The guards pulled Gatti forward. He looked smug, as if he meant to get caught.
"No, it isn't," Gatti said, his silver hair flung forward over his eyes, his arms grasped behind him by two particularly burly soldiers.
Allen stepped forward and angrily punched the helpless Dragonslayer in the gut. "Don't patronize me." He stepped back. "Take him to the dungeon."
The guards dragged the poor Dragonslayer away. Allen rubbed his fist in annoyance. "What kind of stupid guards do I have, that they all get lost in my own labyrinth?"
"You're saying that crazy albino is loose again? He's not your sister?" Van waited expectantly by Allen.
Allen shook his head. "They must have done something to my sister while she was in Zaibach, poor thing. A few years in a convent would do her a world of good. But a war is inevitable between Asturia and Zaibach now. This death cannot go unanswered."
Van nodded agreement. "Fanalia will go to battle as well, my friend."
(A.N.: Hmm...don't you think that Van is a little bloodthirsty to be the righteous main character? I mean, he was as crazy for blood and death as Dilandau, and yet everyone seemed to forgive him for it more easily...)
*~*~*
The guards shoved Gatti in a cell at the end of the corridor in the darkest dungeon. The bigger of the burly guards, who was at least twice Gatti's size, punched the handcuffed prisoner on the cheek.
"Dirty Zaibach scum..." he murmured angrily, and pulled up on Gatti's collar until he was lifted off the floor.
The other guard moved uncomfortably. "Don't kill him, Clyde."
Clyde grunted and threw Gatti to the cold stone floor, then backed off and closed the cell. "You know how I feel about them, Jeph. Dirty, all of them. They killed my family." He smirked at Gatti through the bars. "They should all be killed. I hope this one gets strung up real good."
Gatti ignored and sat down on the bed. His wrists were still confined in the metal cuffs, but he made it look as if he wanted to wear them.
Clyde frowned. "I don't like this one, Jeph. He's got something planned."
Jeph cocked his head. "Neh, it's just in your head, Clyde."
The guards left, the keys to the cells jangling from their belts. Gatti waited until the sound of their footsteps and the light from the lantern faded up the stairs before he lay down on the cot. He breathed out slowly, relaxing as much as he could, feeling around with his senses.
There was no light in the whole dungeon. It was so far underground that the sun couldn't reach it, even if it were daytime. There were no torches in the wall sconces. The prisoners that were kept in this hallway were meant never to see the light of day again. They went mad quickly, but Gatti wouldn't, no matter how long he was kept there. Gatti had come back to life to complete his task of protecting Lord Dilandau. Darkness and captivity would not do to him what death itself could not. He would not give up.
A few minutes passed. He heard muffled sobbing coming from another cell, from a poor creature that was not as strong as a Dragonslayer.
The sobbing stopped and Gatti heard the hoarse person's voice ask, "Who are you? Why are you here?"
Gatti sat up in bed, his gasp echoing through his pitch black cell as he recalled the woman's voice from recent memory. "Lady Celena? Why are you in the dungeon?"
There was hope in her voice. "Gatti? Oh, I'm so glad it's you..."
*~*~*~*~*
Folken was woken up that night by a frantic messenger at his door. He listened distractedly to Guimel, and finally caught the dark message after a few confused moments.
Folken's heart almost stopped. He sat down in a chair, looking much older than his years. "So...Allen has gotten his war at last. Dirty coward."
Guimel bowed his fluffy head sadly. "Our spies have discovered that Asturian mercenaries were paid to dress as Zaibach soldiers, then they attacked an important Asturian outpost. Asturia has already declared war, my lord emperor."
Folken's eyes flashed. He was long since done with the petty political squabbles that had inexorably lead to this event. "If Allen wants a war he cannot win, then he shall have it!"
"There is one more thing, Emperor Folken." Guimel looked uncomfortable. "No one has seen Gatti, Lord Dilandau, or Lady Hitomi since last night."
"Are they captured in Asturia!?"
Guimel shook his head sadly. "They are nowhere to be found, Emperor."
Folken was silent for a moment.
"...I wonder what will become of this war without her intervention...?"
*~*~*~*~*
Hitomi woke up slowly and felt bewildered by the bright sunlight streaming into her eyes. She sat up and her eyes adjusted. Dilandau was sleeping beside her, and she realized that they were in a forest.
She remembered the previous night when she saw her white dress, now stained with mud and grass and torn in places.
They had escaped the city quietly, hiding behind their masks as they walked through the eerily quiet streets. Hitomi led them straight to the harbor, and Dilandau stole a boat and rowed it until they were out of the city. Then they banked on a sandy shore on the opposite bank and were now traveling through a forest. Dilandau was leading them to Zaibach, which was an achingly far distance to Hitomi.
She felt the muscles in her legs tensing weakly, and wondered how she had woken up so early when her body protested so much.
They were camped in a small clearing. Birds were awake with Hitomi, pecking at the earth in front of her. Hitomi looked up and the trees stretched to heaven above her.
Hitomi turned to Dilandau, wishing that she had stayed in Asturia where there were warm beds. He had given her his cloak when he couldn't sleep because of her loud shivering, but it was not nearly the same, especially with chilly autumn weather coming on.
As she watched, Dilandau turned his face unconsciously to face her. The muscles around his eyes tensed and his frown deepened. His lips moved as he murmured in his sleep, and then sighed deeply. Hitomi's expression darkened. She knew what was troubling Dilandau in his dreams; Gatti had never returned from his mission. Even though Dilandau ignored her when she had questioned him about it, she knew that he was worried about his second-in-command, in his own private way.
"I hope you are alright, Gatti." Hitomi leaned forward and hugged her legs. "I hope everyone is alright."
She closed her eyes and concentrated. Where is Celena?
Her pink pendant appeared in her mind, then started to swing. A picture appeared in her mind, of the castle at Palas' gates, then another image came, of complete darkness that terrified Hitomi to the depths of her soul. The vision released her suddenly, Hitomi clutched her forehead until her body stopped trembling.
"Celena...what happened to you...?"
Hitomi steeled herself and completed the same dowsing spell for Folken, and immediately, her mind cleared, revealing a vision of Emperor Folken standing at a balcony, looking over a crowd of thousands gathered in the streets below. He lifted his head. The loudspeakers caught his voice and amplified it so all could hear, and Folken's eyes flashed in indignation. Hitomi saw the Dragonslayers standing in the shadows behind the emperor, looking as grim as their ruler. The vision faded, and it gave Hitomi a stab of unease. Has a war started in the day that we've been gone?
Fearfully, she cast her mind about for any sign of Gatti, fearing that she wouldn't feel anything. To her relief, the mind-pendant swung in response, and she felt the same exact vision as the one for Celena, except without the feelings of abject terror.
"What is going on?" she whispered hoarsely. She thought for a split second to check on Van or Allen, and then banished the thoughts resolutely.
Tears threatened to spill over, and she rubbed at her eyes tiredly. I'm tired, I'm hungry, my friends are going to die, Van, she gulped painfully. Van hates me.
Once she thought it, she felt a little better, although the tears were really coming now that she had. She glanced through her tear-streaked vision to the general, still sleeping beside her. And I'm lost on an alien planet with a guy that I don't even like!
Dilandau's expression smoothed in his sleep as he made the transtion into a good dream. His white hair brushed his forehead and over his eyes boyishly. He had not worn the golden band around his forehead to the party, and his countenance was more natural without it. White strands of his hair were bright against his black armor.
Hitomi sniffled. Dilandau seemed to be much older than he had been a few years before. She suddenly blushed. It was rude to stare at people, especially when they were sleeping. What if he were to wake up right when she was looking at him? She turned away hurriedly, hugging her knees again. The feelings of worry and helplessness returned to her, and she resumed sniffling a little.
"What are you crying about now?" Hitomi looked back at Dilandau. He was sitting up and rubbing his eye with his left hand, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Dilandau didn't sound condescending, but in Hitomi's emotional state she took his question very personally. She turned away from him and dried her tears on her dress.
"Nothing." Her voice was deeper from her tears, and she sniffled a bit.
He stood up. "Well, that's good, then."
Hitomi's eyes narrowed at his back. He doesn't even care that I'm sad!
He didn't turn. "Come on. There has to be a town near here somewhere. Pick a direction."
The Wing Goddess rather sarcastically closed her eyes and concentrated until she saw the pendant in her mind swing to due east. "We should go straight east." She stood up, her body aching, but she didn't want Dilandau to know about how her muscles hurt.
Dilandau nodded, his short white hair gleaming brilliantly in the morning light. "We'll go that way until we reach a road, then follow the road until we reach a town."
They started walking, Hitomi feeling pleased that Dilandau was being so unusually pleasant. She smiled softly, and decided that the early morning sunshine had done him a world of good.
A.N. Yeah!! 5022 words, baby!!! Jaren died!!! And the war has started! This is so incredible...I just love them plot twists. Next chapter will be even more interesting, when Dilandau and Hitomi come to an Asturian town, Folken and Allen go to war, and Dryden finally finds Millerna. And also, we'll see what happens to our poor prisoners, Gatti and Celena... So much more to do. I'm sorry I didn't update...I got really lazy, and then I remembered about this all of the sudden. Not to mention my writer's block...So, anyways, the next chapter will come out more promptly than this one...sorry again.
Reviewers:
Ryuko-chan: Sorry about the plot device to get rid of Van...it was the only thing I could think of. Also, there will be a plot twist with the wife too, and also, Van is going to still be in the story, as a misled bad guy. Ah, thanks for reviewing. You're the freaking best!
My Silver Flame: ^_^ You reviewed, like 15 times! Thank you so much!! I loved Cloud's voice in Kingdom Hearts (I'm over here obsessing over Final Fantasy VII all the time...) Sephiroth was really cool, but I think he'll be even better in the movie...Oh, so sweet, I cannot wait!!
JadedDemoness: Aww! Another silent reviewer comes out!! I'm sorry I took so long, but at least I'm continuing it! Also, I know exactly how it's going to turn out so I won't have writer's block no more.
Sand3: The plot twists will happen again and again. It's not as short as I thought it would be. I keep thinking of new crap to put in...ah, well. I finally got to the war...^_^ Dilandau's going to kick some awesome crap!!!
Neko-Metallium: Hey! I love Xellos!!! He's so awesome (*cough* he's the best in that whole series *cough*) Yeah, now I love your name. Anyways, I think that I will do the 'to the pain' thing for the bad guys. Except, I actually killed someone off in this chapter...so maybe I could kill them...thanks for reviewing!! You're so good!!
Anime Obsessed Raye: No!! Hitomi will not be sad at the end! I've got it all figured out!! Heh, I like Dilandau's costume too!
Summer Maxwell: Nope, Van was quite mean. Also, I don't know that Folken will be going to Celena's rescue soon. I mean, there's a war starting, and he doesn't even know that she's in trouble...thanks for reviewing!
Macky: I am so sorry! I couldn't find a spot to put Merle in! But, I promise you that she will appear in it again and have a big part. And also, I never have the characters duke it out until I'm ready for their relationship to end. Like, if Dilandau and Van fought, then one of them would die. So I'm waiting until the end...Thanks for reviewing!!
Rai Dorian: Ha! Now Carrot Top is dead!! Are you happy now? ^_^ I'm glad I got rid of someone...and also, I think that Merlot will be next to perish!!! Muahahahahaha!!
Magicman/Smokegirl: O_o Hey...you're like, one of my favorite authors!!! Thank you for reading my story!! Yeah, I killed off Jaren for you. But Celena isn't going back to Folken for a while...heh heh *sees plot developing before her eyes* It will be beautiful!!
One_Mean_Rabbit: ^_^ I loved your reviews! Yeah, I liked your whole 'kill Van off' thing, but now Dilandau and Hitomi are having their alone time without having to kill anyone more important than Jaren! Yeah, Dilandau will be all killing people in a guymeluf eventually, but not quite yet. So wait and see...
Anri: Thanks! My story is so long though!! Will it ever end!?
The Original Esca Chick: Hey! Thanks for the huge gafreaking review! I'm sorry that everything seems to be falling apart with my couples, but I promise that it'll be okay!