Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. I would be in Heaven if I did.

For Every Dream

Chapter 3: Nutcases and Cat Burglars

"What happened in there Yukari?" Amano asked after they had gotten Hitomi home. She still hadn't woken up, after the incident in the store.

"I don't know. The lady in there gave Hitomi the dress then went on about out a "Mistress of the Dragon." Next thing I know she's gone and I have an unconscious Hitomi on the floor."

"Doesn't it seem like fate has it in for Hitomi?"

"What do you mean Amano?" Yukari's voice faltered.

"Yukari, I know you know the truth about what happened all those years ago when Hitomi was gone. If I remember it then you have to."

"Remember what?" Fear was evident in her voice.

"A metallic dragon swooping out of the sky, controlled by a boy the Hitomi knew. Hitomi throwing herself into his arms and then taking off?" Amano paused. "You have to remember Yukari."

"That was real? No it can't be real." Yukari crawled onto the couch and curled up into a ball.

"Why can't it be real?" Amano sat down and wrapped his arm around her. Yukari shot up and ran across the room. "Yukari?"

"She, she told me what happened Amano." Amano gasped. "But I didn't believe her. I told her that either she was a certifiable nutcase or that she had just imagined everything. She never spoke to me about it again." She saw Amano about to get up to come to her when she held up her hand. "No, please just stay where you are."

"Yukari, then you know that it has to be re-"

"Don't say it." Yukari spat out. "It's not real. Another planet with dragons, and kings. It's not real it can't be. She was in France that summer. We both know that she was in France." Yukari stuck her chin out defiantly.

"She wasn't and we both know it. She never wrote, she never called. Yukari, her being on another planet is the only logical solution!" Amano was quickly losing patience.

"Would you listen to yourself! Another planet logical? You crazy, just like she is!"

"No Yukari, we're not crazy. You just refuse to see what has been place right in front of you." Amano struck a nerve and they fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"Maybe," Yukari broke the silence, "maybe you're AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Yukari jumped up and grabbed onto the ceiling fan.

"What?" Amano looked at Yukari confusedly. Yukari took one hand from the fan and pointed.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Amano looked down at his feet where she was pointing, and there was and overgrown house cat, with pink hair and a blue dress, burrowing underneath the couch. Merle succeeded in knocking over the couch, which bumped into Yukari's legs, which made her lose her grip and fall on top of Amano. Merle just stared at them.

Amano and Yukari looked at the cat, then at each other, then at the cat again. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" They ran across the room, and clung to each other. Merle looked at them, then down at her self.

"What? I look perfectly fine. Haven't you ever se-" the fur on Merle's back rose as she was interrupted by Yukari.

"You're, you're a CAT!!"

"No duh, what I was trying to say was-" Merle was interrupted again, but this time by Amano.

"You talk!!"

"So do you. What I was trying to say was-"

"What is going on out- MERLE!!!" Hitomi had walked into the room, looked around and saw the head of pink hair, and the bright orange fur, and immediately knew what was going on. She threw herself at the cat, hugging her.

"*choke*"

"Oops, sorry Merle." Hitomi scrambled off of her, looked her over. "You've grown up into a beautiful cat burglar Merle." The hair on Merle's back raised once again, and she looked up at Hitomi.

"And you've grown into a stunning nutcase." Hitomi just laughed and replied,

"That's psychic Merle, not nutcase."

"Whatever you say, psy-whitch."

"Umm, Hitomi, can we talk to you alone for a minute?" Yukari looked at her best friend and the cat-woman. Fear showed in her eyes.

"Uh, sure. Merle, wait in the kitchen." Hitomi pointed to a room, just off the room they were in. "Make sure you close the door Merle." She started to walk off. "And don't touch ANYTHING!" Hitomi turned back to her friends. "Yes?"

"What's going on here?"

"Yukari when I came back from 'France' I told you what happened, but you said I was crazy. Remember the cat-girl from my story? That's her."

Yukari's eyes started to fill with tears. "I'm so sorry Hitomi. I should have listened to you."

"Umm, kind of lost here. What happened?"

"Short version, Amano. Okay, this guy from a different planet came here and dragon followed him. He killed the dragon, both of us got taken back to that planet. Guy turns out to be a prince, next day he becomes a king. After coronation, his country, Fanelia is burned to the ground, he awakens the legendary Dragon, Escaflowne. We get transported out of Fanelia by bright light to a forest, where we run into this blond-haired, blue-eyed Amano look-alike. Planet is at war against this very powerful country, Zaibach, which is ruled by Emperor Dornkirk. Zaibach's Strategeos turns out to be Van's, the king, brother, who disappeared years ago. Dilandau, blood-thirsty maniac, wants Van and I dead. I believe myself to be in love with Allen, the look a-like, he proposes, I get transported back to Earth, Van comes after me and takes me back there. Oh yeah, Van turns out to be a Draconian, descendant of Atlantis, in other words he has wings. Folken, Van's brother changes sides, and we both, Folken and I, get taken to Zaibach, where Folken kills Dornkirks body, but he dies doing so. Dornkirks spirit remains, he activates the Fate Alteration Machine, the thing that the whole war was about. It creates fate. I contact Van in my mind, he comes after me, destroys the machine, we go back to Fanelia, and he sends me back to Earth." Amano and Yukari look at her wide-eyed. "That's it. Oh wait, I fell in love with Van there too. Now that's it."

"The feather?" Yukari asked timidly.

"From Van's wings."

"Oh."

"EEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

"What was that?"

"Merle." They dashed into the kitchen where Merle they found Merle covered in milkshake, and her claws stuck in the blender.

"What happened?" It turned out that there had been milkshake left in the blender and Merle had accidentally turned in on. Then she took the lid off, and it sprayed all over her, and as an act of revenge she stuck her razor sharp claws through the plastic.

"What did I tell you Merle?" Hitomi asked after everything was cleaned up and Merle was detached from the blender.

"Don't touch anything."

"That's right. But what are you doing here Merle?" Hitomi guided her to a chair and they both sat down. Merle look up into Hitomi's kind emerald eyes and tears started to stream down her face.

"Hitomi, Lord Van is dying."

"I know Merle." Merle's head snapped up and she glared at Hitomi through her tears.

"You know? Then what are you doing here? Are trying to kill him?"

"I just found out today Merle. Varie told me. I had already decided to go back. Now you can take me back there."

"To stay?"

"Forever." Merle watched Hitomi's face and knew that she would do anything for Van.

"I know we have never been close, but I just want you to know, that since I can't be with Lord Van, you are the only person I would let have him. You would do anything for him, and, even if it hurts me, you were meant for each other." More tears slid down her furry face.

"Oh Merle, I love Van, and I hope he loves me. One day you'll find the perfect person for you. He's just out there somewhere looking for his pink- haired spitfire." Merle looked up, her eyes shining with hope.

"Really?"

"Really."

"*cough*" Their heads snapped around to meet the curious gazes of Yukari and Amano. "You're leaving Hitomi?"

"I have to. I'm the Mistress of the Dragon, and I have to save Van. Plus I need to be with him, I'm slowly dieing without the man that I love."

"The Mistress of the Dragon? That's what the lady in the shop called you before she disappeared."

"Did you get the dress Yukari?"

"What? Oh yeah I did, it's in your room."

"Dress?" Merle looked at Hitomi curiously.

"The Mistress of the Dragon's wedding dress. The lady in the shop told us the legend behind the dress then she disappeared."

"Gee Hitomi, and you think the people in Gaea are weird. Anyway, I have to see this dress to see if it is fit for a Queen's wedding."

"Right, I'll go try it on. You can go wait in the other room. Amano, Yukari, show her how the TV works, 'kay?" Hitomi walked off to put on her dress.

"TV?"

"Come with us." In the other room, the turned the couch right side up then sat down. Amano picked up the control and pointed it at the strange box that was sitting in front of them. Immediately colors and pictures were flashing across it. Merles eyes followed everything on the screen, until she leapt. She pounced on the TV and crashed to the floor. As she detangled herself from the wreckage, she looked back at the box.

"Where'd the colors go?" They heard laughing coming from the doorway, where and exquisite Hitomi stood.

"Merle, can't you control your instincts?" Merle just stared at her.

"Wow Hitomi, you look great." Amano said quietly.

"Great? She looks amazing you brown-haired, brown-eyed Allen clone. Hey Hitomi, is your friend here a womanizer just like Allen? Ah, it doesn't matter, but that dress is prefect!" And a familiar pink light descended into the room.

A/N Hey it's me again. Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and review, Review, REVIEW!! Please? Thanks again,

Demonic Angel