AN: And Now an Actual chapter. Huzzah. Please note that I am dreadfully tired...and so I can't promise that this chapter is excellence ...far from it infact. so yea...ummm go read.

Disclaimer: I like to pretend I own them...but I don't. They belong to the brilliant minds of their creators (ie: not me) Though I will say that the Escaflowne Manga is not ....ahem ok I won't rant... but all I have to say is:

"I'll anger manage your face! yea..." what were the editors thinking when they translated that line!?!?! Good Lord.

To Dream ch2

Lots of things can pass through your mind when you hear the bells that signal the end of school. Relief, dread, maybe a touch of sadness. Ayame, personally, couldn't say that she felt anything in particular. Maybe it didn't compute, or maybe she secretly didn't care. Either that or it was just plain denial. The end of school meant as much to her as any regular day.

She would go to work, earn the money that she needed, and return to the small apartment that had been home to her since her parents died. Ayame could have easilly gone to live with her relatives, but it seemed so odd to her. So odd to be around people who didn't know about her "special abilities", or that knew nothing of the moon base. She grew up with her parents telling her tales of all they could remember. How they met in both lives, how they met the other scientists, things like that.

When you've been exposed to such great stories, it's hard to go back to the regular proceedings of Japan's city-life. Tokyo was great and all, but it was cluttered. True that you probably couldn't find a cleaner city, but the smoke, and fumes of buildings; it was suffocating.

Ayame worked as an assitant in a Botanical lab. Not as fancy as it sounds, the most exciting part was maybe watering the flowers. But it was an escape none-the-less. She'd clean up the greenhouses, and make sure that the flowers that needed special formula were getting the right amounts. It made her feel important to work with something that she liked to do.

This coming weekend, Ayame was to go visit Sakura, a friend of her mother's in Yokohama. Sakura like her mother, held the memories of one of the scientists from the moon-base. It felt good to at least keep in touch with people who understood her parents, and didn't judge their relationship in the least.

Ayame lived close to her work, a block or so away. When she got home, she began to pack her things, preparing to stay for at least 5 days. Maybe she'd stay the night at her friend's house or something ...she was getting really bored. Ayame heaved her pack over her back and turned to leave...she stopped short right before the door. She had almost forgotten her rune bag.

Runes were a hobby of hers. She didn't fancy herself a fortune teller or anything but her mother had always encouraged it, so she kept a bag of runes she made herself. (they say it works better that way) Inside the bag was a necklace that her mother had given her.

Her mother had told her that the night she realised Rin was Shion, this necklace appearedon her nightstand. It was a gift, Shion had given to Mokuren the night they got engaged. On the necklace now, right next to the soft pink stone was the rune Tiewaz; Strong destination, or destiny.

It's said that if you keep something like that in the bag, a crystal or stone that belongs to you, that the runes adjust to your particular energy which makes the casting more accurate. That's why she never did it for anyone else. The bag was full of her energy, so if cast for another, it would most likely turn out wrong. So her policy had always been, :"you want your fortune make the runes, I'll interpret for you."

Of course people never went all the way and made them, which suited Ayame just fine. Stuffing her runes into her pocket Ayame locked the door and headed on her way out. She didn't really stop to think if her friend would even let her stay the night, but the thought didn't bother her much. She knew she was just hoping for a chance to get out and walk about. Maybe she wouldn't even go to her friend's house. It was, she was certain, very late. Ayame stopped to check her watch; 'oh my...'

1:30 am is not a very appropiete time to stop by a friend's house.

"Ayame you ditz, why didn't you realize how late it was earlier? Did I really spend that much time packing?" The thought alone bothered her. But that soon passed and she went along her way, muttering

"shikatta ga nai wa ne..." (it can't be helped right?)

All this meant was that she had a new game plan: kill time before she heads on over to the shinkansen station. She could take an early train, say at about 6 am and just show up really early at Sakura's place. Not too big of a deal.

With that settled, there was only one problem ...what in the name of Sarjilim was she going to do for 41/2 hours? Ayame exhaled deeply. She didn't want to go home, and she really didn't have anywhere in specific to go...

Wandering?

Wandering it is.

This was a habit of Ayames'. If she sat in one place to long (that didn't have enough 'life' (plants, animals and the like) to entertain her, she was prone to go off and look for some. Once, much to her parent's dismay, she had wandered into the zoo. More specifically, right inside the Tiger's cage.

Ayame smiled, clearly she had come out unscathed, but that ....that was a fine adventure for a 7 year old. And so Ayame wandered, she knew she wouldn't find anything as exciting as a Tiger, but maybe she'd find something slightly entertaining.

And hour and a half passed: zip. nada. zilch.

Possibly the worst 'adventure' she had ever been on. There weren't even drunkards in the streets to laugh at. Pathetic. What has the city life in Tokyo come to?

Was it a Tuesday? That must be it.

Ayame tripped on a juice can, and nearly fell to the floor. Death by juice can? Not preferable. She picked it up and tossed it into the nearest trash bin. Where had she wandered off to now?

Ah, her school. Well, old school. Technically, she wasn't in school anymore. Yes, now came the time to go to college, and settle into a job that would hold her prisoner for the rest of her life. Or...she could end up like her mother, doing house work and cleaning....

Aya had to admit, she was rather fond of cooking. She could do without the cleaning, but if necesaary, she'd do it. But if that was all she was going to do.....there was only one word for it in Ayame's mind: 'eww'.

She walked around the school, recalling fond memories, and all the goodness of nostolgy. She looked up into the windows and remembered how she almost fell out of one. The vending machine where she chased off some bullies who were picking on a freshman, the gym where she fainted in the middle of an assembly for no apparent reason.

Ayame heaved a sigh. Then came the field, where she and her friends would watch the boy's track team run (shirtless much to their pleasure) and swoon over no one in particular. Those were the days.

'Though' ....Ayame paused in thought, a light in her eyes that meant she was planning something. 'I've never actually walked on the track. I've never really raced either....' curious and wondering what it would feel like to be in a race, Ayame opted to go down and maybe run around.

The affect of boredom on a young teenager in Japan. Not a recomended science experiment. ( efd AN: yet again, my cat Frodo makes a guest appearence..-.-;;;)

Ayame put down her pack and looked around, the grass smelled great! She sucked in another deep breath and almost changed her mind about running. Maybe laying on the grass was a better idea, watch the stars....the moon....'I wouldn't get all sweaty for no reason...'

Survey says: lay on the grass and take in the evening.

Ayame layed herself down, her pack right next to her. The sky was gorgeous tonight. Normally, you wouldn't see so many stars in the Tokyo sky, too much city light for any of that. But for some reason, the night was bright, and the stars were clearly visible.

"Ah...Kirameite...yasashiku...utau umi..." Such a wide sky, deep and spotted with lights, reminded Ayame of the sea. How the light catches in the waves, and dances along the shore. Except the night sky is still, silent and watchful. As if she could sink into time by watching the night go by.

Ayame's eyes fluttered for a moment. Sleep was weaving it's web over her, and covering her sight. But just as her vision began to blur, a blinding light appeared in the sky.

'hmmm shooting star...' Ayame rolled over and began to nuzzle her face on her hands. 'better make a wish: I wish for something entertaining to happen,' she yawned. 'Maybe when I get to Yokohama...' "OOF!" Ayame got the wind knocked out of her. Though why, she didn't know, she waited a moment to catch her breath before she sat up to look around. She couldn't sit up.

There was a massive weight upon her. There was a boy in very strange clothes on top of her. Thinking the worst, Ayame kicked him off (rather hardly) and threw a nearby rock at him. "WHat the hell do you think you're doing!?!!?!?" The boy, was not in the least intimidated. "What were YOU doing laying on the ground like that?!?!"

Ayame gave him an incredulous look, "Are you kidding me? What, did you just fall on me magically?" she waved her hands dramatically in the air. The boy drew a sword and nodded.

Ayame ignored the sword, she was too upset to notice it. "What were you doing Falling from the sky then?!?!" she was on her feet and yelling quite loudly.

"Silence!" the boy commanded in a stern voice, he waved one hand to emphize that this was a command. If Ayame was a tea kettle, she'd be steaming by now. How dare he tell her to shut up?

The earth shook feircely, and Ayame held out her hands to steady her balance. Could this be an earth-quake?

No...no it was too erratic. There would be a tremor, then it'd stop. Then a louder tremor, then it would stop. Closer and closer; something was coming. What, she had no idea, but Sir Jerk seemed awfully prepared. What with that sword and all.

"What's coming?" she asked him quite calmly, which was a definete contrast from a few seconds ago. The boy glanced at her, before answering. "A dragon."

Ayame didn't say anything, she couldn't say anything. There was definetely something huge coming her way, and what else could it be? She doubted that it'd be an elephant, though that sounded much better than a dragon.... still...she looked at the boy. He wasn't exactly dressed normal, he had some sort of armor on and his clothes looked like they could have come from a renissence fair. She'd call him wierd, but with her parents being re-incarnations of aliens, she couldn't say much.

There was something like a rip in the scenery. Like the school was just a backdrop and it was just slashed sideways. Ayame first saw two, big, yellow eyes, that a accompanied a large leathery body of green, topped off with a rather sharp looking set of jaws.

Ayame gulped ...that didn't look too promising...

"Run"

She had completely forgotten about the boy next to her, and jumped when he commanded her to run for it.

"But.."

"Don't just stand there, run! I'll take care of it!"

Ayame would have obeyed, except something inside her was telling her to stay put. Dragon or not, this thing was an animal. And maybe, just maybe, she'd have a connection with this animal as she did the others. 'Don't know if it counts with animals from different worlds though ;;' she thought nervously. Her mind made up, she turned to the boy.

"Listen, if we just stand here, it shouldn't harm us." The boy threw her a look that she really didn't appreciate at the moment.

"What are you saying? Just hurry up and run!"

"No, listen! If you don't threaten it, then it won't threaten you!" she felt positive about this.

He didn't seem to care much and decided to charge at the beast. "No! don't provoke-.....oh brilliant." Ayame sighed and stepped back a few feet. The animal felt threatened now, maybe it would attack her too. Best play it safe.

An image flashed in her mind, the enormous tail of the creature peircing the boy in the heart. A premonition? Was this another gift from Sarjilim? No time to wonder!

"HEY! YOU! WATCH OUT FOR THE TAIL! ABOVE YOU!" Ayame screamed out, and obidiently, the boy rolled under the beast, deftly evading a strike that could have proven fatal.

Taking advantage of his position, the boy embedded his blade upwards into the chest and ran forward; cutting the chest completely open. The creature gave out an awful cry and fell, green fluid, which Ayame assumed to be it's blood poured out. Ayame covered her mouth an turned away. She couldn't bear to see any animal be hurt, it didn't seem fair.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked softly, still not looking, but hearing what was most likely the sound of the boy cutting more of the dragon.

"If I want to get this out, yes."

Ayame turned to see, the boy holding up a large round rock, well stone. It was a light pinkish color, and

shone in the moonlight.

Upon removing this, the dragon began to fade, as did the green blood, until there was no sign that it ever exsisted.

The boy sheathed his sword and walked over to Ayame who had now picked up her pack. She wanted out of this place, she did not want to be around this kid.

"I didn't need your help you know." he said lamely as he rearranged his gear. "Though if it's thanks you want I'm sure I can arrange for something-"

Ayame stomped over to him and punched him in the face as hard as she could. The kettle was now whistling.

"How..How dare you ...you ...." she satmmered and then screamed in frustration.(that's what she usually did when she was so angry she didn't know what to say.)

"There was no reason for you to have killed that poor creature!"

"That creature was going to kill us!"

"Not if you didn't threaten it first!" she yelled in such a way that it demanded he shut up and let her finish.

"And then, I help you, and you say you didn't need it?" she furrowed her brows and looked very much on the verge of tears. "I was worried about you! And all you can say is-" she just stopped there, she was too angry, too emotional, and very very confused.

The boy was very startled by this and looked as if he was going to say something, when a light enveloped them both.

They were floating! Up and up into the sky.

Was this Sarjilim's idea of a practical joke?

AN: Craposity I know ... but ah well. I'm determined to promote Please Save My Earth ..it's really underappreciated in my opinion....so I encourage you all to either read or watch the anime (it's only 6 eps)

cheers and take care. Review if you have time please.