{{I decided to try for one more chapter before I left.
I must say right now: This chapter is not turning AU. It just looks that way in the beginning.
Happy reading, and please enjoy the last chapter I'll be writing for many months.}}
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Two hours of absolute boredom. Six speeches and seventeen promotions thus far. Dirandau was about to lose it completely. He was never one for pageantry.
However, spectacle was something that all young soldiers love to see. And since Dirandau was someone they admired and looked up to, they couldn't comply with his wishes of privacy.
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He had ceased to stand at attention, as the other soon-to-be officers were standing. There was no point to it.
He stared up at the nearby podium.
:: "Will this ever end?" ::
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Finally, they called his name up. He took the papers and whatever else it was that they handed him [He couldn't remember. His mind had been numbed at that point.], and shocked everyone by leaving the room, without waiting for the ceremony to end.
Some of the lower orders smirked to each other. Now that was what they wanted! The power to be able to snub everyone else, and not have to worry about any repercussions whatsoever.
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Later on, Dirandau went to the hangar to get ready. He was leaving this training center, to be stationed on one of Zaibach's floating fortresses. And, Folken wasn't going to be in charge of him anymore. It was going to be wonderful!
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The other Dragonslayers had already left, and he was waiting for the last of his paperwork to be checked.
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Folken met up with him, for one last talk. And, just because it was Folken, it had to be a lecture on behavior.
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Folken: "That was wrong of you to do. You'll have to apologize for that."
Dirandau stared idly at the wall.
Dirandau: "Oh, who cares about those damned ceremonies, anyway?"
Folken: "They're important for morale."
Dirandau rolled his eyes.
Dirandau: "Morale…why do you always talk about morale? If those idiots can't motivate themselves enough to keep working, then they shouldn't be here. I don't need to worry about morale with my soldiers."
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Folken rubbed his forehead. Dirandau was such a headache sometimes….er….all the time.
:: "He's still not ready for this." ::
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Folken didn't want to admit it, but it seemed that this whole experiment had failed. Maybe it was a mistake to even try this experiment.
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With all the information that they had withheld from Dirandau, to make it easier to guide him into thinking what they wanted him to think, he didn't have the least bit of understanding of how to deal with anything whatsoever. He was a good fighter, strong and loyal, but that couldn't be put to use as intended.
As a leader, he was no good.
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Folken: "And when your soldiers all become so depressed that they kill themselves, don't come to me for-."
Dirandau put his feet up on the table.
Dirandau: "Whatever you say, old man."
Folken gave him a disapproving glance, which made him smirk.
Dirandau: "So…I guess without me here, you'll have to get a life of your own, huh?"
Folken: "Without you here, I won't have to keep raiding the medic's office for aspirin."
Folken looked thoughtfully at Dirandau for a moment. There was no need to make the last words he said to Dirandau bad ones.
Folken: "And, for what it's worth, I wish you luck."
Dirandau: "Hah! Luck? I don't need luck. Everything's going to be perfectly fine. You'll see. I'll show you."
Folken sighed. He couldn't even give the guy a compliment. Dirandau was too hell-bent on competition, and the belief that Folken was out to get him.
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Dirandau smiled as he looked his new uniform over. It was beautiful! And, it suited him so well, this creation of black and red leather.
He was looking much happier than he had the day before.
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Being in a new place was bewildering to Dirandau. The set-up on the fortress Akrua was so much different than a training center. He couldn't tell one corridor from another. He felt so lost.
Luckily, some of his fellow officers found him in his wandering. They had been there a while, and were able to help him. They felt lucky to be of aid to him.
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This was not the first time they had met him. Many had spent time with him, playing games and such.
They had become quite fond of Dirandau. They were all in their late twenties to early thirties. He was so young that they couldn't help but be reminded of the siblings and childhood friends that they had left behind. It was as if he were their little brother. Setso, the oldest among them, was particularly taken with him.
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Setso showed Dirandau every place he needed to know at the moment - the training halls, the officer's barracks [Officers did not get their own rooms until their commanding officers felt they deserved it , the barracks of the lower orders, and the mess hall. After that, he was free to explore as he pleased.
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While Dirandau was off having fun exploring with Setso, the general Dirandau was to be working under was having a 'meeting' with the sorcerers about it. [Why they felt they had to go do this in person was beyond anyone else's comprehension.]
Basically, they were telling him what's what with absurd smiles on their faces, and he could do little more in return than complain about how much he disliked the situation.
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"Listen to me, you fools. I've said it many times before, I'll not take on any of those monsters you create. And his reputation is not one that I find appealing. Go pawn him off on someone else."
The sorcerers continued smiling.
Sorcerer: "Ah, but your men are the best, wouldn't you agree? We have faith in him, and wouldn't want to send him out to a group of less quality and talent."
The general clenched his teeth together.
"If I had known that I was to be punished thus for succeeding, I would have done my best to stay mediocre."
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The sorcerers simply smirked, and handed him a list of precautions to take with Dirandau. It was much like giving someone the manual for a machine, so that they could always be sure to keep it in working order.
The general threw the list right back at them.
"If he is able to stand on his own, why is he to be treated in a special manner? He is no more a soldier than I am a washer-woman! I won't take him. And, if you persist in trying to force me to, then I'll kill him as soon as I see him."
Sorcerer: "That's ill-advised, good sir. And you know why."
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Yes, he knew why. They all knew why. Sorcerers had an unwritten type of rank. They held power over everyone, even the generals. Many of his men looked up to Dirandau. They might not be so good at their work if they felt they might be killed for no reason [For surely, the reason for Dirandau's death would never be revealed any further than to place the blame on him.]
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Feeling that they had reached an understanding, the sorcerers left, still smiling. It was so easy to smile at all the others of this place. It was so easy to deny that many of the things they did were wrong, that these things did little more than disrupt lives and torment people. They did it all with a smile, a grin, a glimmer. This smile was merely another sham, to help the bigger deception along.
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Dirandau found the meeting hall that was to be his. This was the place where he would be able to gather his men together, and go over any business that was to be taken care of.
He smiled as he looked over every inch of it. Even though it was nearly bare, with no furnishings to speak of other than the simple lamps that hung on the walls, he loved it because it was his.
He walked to the front of it, and sat down on the floor. He could picture them all standing there, lined up neatly, awaiting their orders. Finally, they would all be doing some important work!
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There were so many things to take in at once. Life seemed so bright, and he had never been so optimistic. He hadn't slept in the past few nights, too excited to rest, too full of fresh hopes. And these hopes, these dreams, kept coming to him, more and more.
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He yawned.
All this was too much. Fatigue soon overcame him, and he fell asleep where he was on the floor. He dreamt of glory and victory.
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Such dreams should never be awakened rashly, but sadly, today they were.
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Setso tapped Dirandau lightly on the face, to wake him up. Dirandau opened his eyes slightly. He was still tired, and a little confused.
Dirandau: "Just give me five more minutes, Folken…"
He closed his eyes again, and tried to fall back asleep.
Setso smirked. It was a shame that Dirandau was in trouble, when he was being so adorable.
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Setso had spent a good deal of the morning looking for Dirandau. He hadn't come back to the officer's barracks, and therefore had no way of knowing that they were all supposed to meet in one of the training halls the next morning. And, since Setso was the messenger of the group, he was the one who had been told to find Dirandau.
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Setso: "Albatou, get up! You have to go see the commander. Now."
Setso tried to pull him to his feet, but he wouldn't allow it. He kicked and fought, and nearly injured Setso. He could fight well, even when he was half-asleep.
Dirandau: "Go away!"
He smacked Setso hard in the face, and curled back up on the floor.
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Setso rubbed his hurt cheek. There was no time for this. Play-time was over.
He picked Dirandau up by the collar, dragged him a few feet, and slammed him up against a wall.
Setso: "I don't know what you were doing here all night, but you can't stay here anymore right now. Understand?"
Dirandau murmured a 'yes', and Setso let go of him.
General Adelphus was furious at the fact that Dirandau had been so insolent as to not follow orders. Doubtless, the sorcerers had imparted in him the same arrogance which they were thoroughly soaked in, and the little brat was expecting an easy time of things.
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Adelphus: "Do you happen to realize how busy I am? This morning was the only chance I had to review the officers I've been sent. You didn't show up, and now my schedule is completely off-kilter because I've had to take out this time to explain things to you."
Dirandau yawned. He was too tired for a lecture.
Adelphus took this yawn as a well-placed sign of disrespect, instead of the mere sign of fatigue that it was.
His tone of voice was full of mock-amiability.
Adelphus: "Oh. I'm boring you, am I? Perhaps I'd do better to find something that would capture your interest, then."
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After that, Adelphus kept Dirandau very busy with menial, unimportant tasks. Scrubbing floors, running several miles at a stretch, or even doing Setso's paperwork [Which was extensive]. He didn't have any time to work with his Dragonslayers at all.
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They all sat around in boredom, waiting for a chance to start training again. They had their own training room, but weren't allowed to use it unless their commander was with them. Some of them became depressed, which was both a product of boredom and frustration. They were finally supposed to be working on important things. They had been looking forward to starting their first mission. And, now, they had to wait indefinitely. All because one of those damned generals had taken a vendetta against Dirandau.
Migueru went as often as he could to see how Dirandau-sama was fairing. The two were good friends, and it was some small comfort to see him every once in awhile.
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Dirandau grew to despise any form of clerical work. Therefore, Adelphus made him do that more often than anything else. By the end of the week, Adelphus had switched Setso's and Dirandau's duties, so that Dirandau was taking care of all of Setso's paperwork, and Setso was looking after the Dragonslayers.
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This upset Dirandau more than before. Setso had no men to take care of, because of the position he had taken as Adelphus' lead messenger. The way things were going, it seemed as if Adelphus planned on completely switching the positions of the two. Dirandau would never get the chance to see battle. He'd become an 'office boy'…just like what he used to call Folken.
This depressed him to no end. He couldn't concentrate on anything. He became more and more ill-tempered, and he couldn't help insulting everyone he came into contact with. Setso and the others feared that he might lose that childish happiness he had always shown.
He wanted to quit. But, he was determined to take it. Adelphus had made it perfectly clear that he didn't think Dirandau could take being a real soldier. Dirandau was determined to prove that wrong. And, he still held the belief that the generals were good people. They always knew what they were doing. He was certain that this was only a testing phase, and that Adelphus would stop treating him this way once it was over. He had to hang onto that hope.
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Dirandau stood, ashen-faced, in front of Adelphus. He had screwed up a very important piece of paper, again. Clerical duties were just not something he was good at.
This paper was supposed to have Senior-Chief Petty Officer Kelleher's signature on it. Without that, it was worthless. This had caused several problems, and another pile of paperwork was required to fix the problem.
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Adelphus: "You're such a screw-up! This is the fifth time this week that you've failed your duties. What are you trying to do to me? Do you want the entire department to look down on me??"
Every department of the army was highly competitive. Even the clerics and the servants.
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Dirandau bowed.
Dirandau: "No, sir!"
Of all things, he would never try to embarrass or hurt his commander. That was a sin which he couldn't comprehend the reasons for.
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Adelphus glowered at him.
Adelphus: "Get up off the floor, you fool. I know what you're like. You think that you're so important here…you think you're allowed to do anything you feel like doing, without regard for anyone or anything else. It's high time you learn your place, and stop trying to sabotage me."
Dirandau blinked.
Dirandau: "S…sabotage? I never-"
Adelphus: "Don't lie to me. I know what you're up to. You think you can make life difficult for me by failing at your job. That I'll be in trouble. Well, I have news for you: I will not be made a fool of. I won't tolerate anymore of this."
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Dirandau stared at him blankly. A saboteur? Adelphus may as well have called him a traitor. That cut him deeply.
He could no longer maintain that demeanor expected from Zaibach soldiers. If Adelphus really meant that, then Dirandau would never get his Dragonslayers back. He would never be able to do the job he had set out to do, because Adelphus would never trust a traitor to carry out his orders.
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Dirandau: "Sir, I am no saboteur. I am unable to do the job because-"
Adelphus: "Silence!"
He hit Dirandau so hard that Dirandau fell backwards.
Adelphus: "I don't need your comments. Just do as I ask."
Dirandau sat up, momentarily stunned.
Adelphus: "You will continue with this job, and you will do it well because I told you to. I will listen to no more of this. Now go. You are dismissed."
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Dirandau sat up, his teeth clenched together. This was inexcusable. If Adelphus wouldn't listen to him, when he was only trying to inform him of something necessary to know, then he couldn't work for him.
Dirandau: "I am not, nor have I ever been, trained for Setso's job. There is no way I'll ever be able to do that job well, because I am a fighter and a leader, not a cleric."
He glared at Adelphus.
Dirandau: "And if you're so much of a @#$~ idiot to try and keep me at that job, then I'm going to have to report you to a higher authority. I won't do any more of it."
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Adelphus: "A…higher authority?"
Adelphus laughed, and repeated the question.
Dirandau: "Yes…"
Adelphus: "You're going to report me…to a higher authority?"
Dirandau nodded, and Adelphus laughed again.
Dirandau stared at him. Was this guy crazy?
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Adelphus grabbed him by the collar.
Adelphus: "I'm the highest authority you'll ever meet, you little brat!"
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He proceeded to give Dirandau a beating he wouldn't soon forget. He left Dirandau crumpled on the floor.
Adelphus: "Setso, I want you and the others to stay away from him. If he can be so uppity to me, then he is strong enough to leave on his own."
Setso: "Yes, sir!"
The two departed the room, leaving Dirandau alone.
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Dirandau hadn't had anything to eat or drink since yesterday. Because of his lack of time, he had only one short time in the day to visit the mess hall, and Adelphus had been sure to use that for his time of lecturing.
Dirandau tried to mentally will a sandwich or even a glass of water to materialize near him. It was useless, he knew, but he was so hungry that he figured he might as well try.
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He tried to get up. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could persuade one of the cooks to let him have something.
He managed to get up on his knees. He ached, and was too tired to try to go any further. He had become weaker these days. All those duties kept him from training.
He sighed. Things had to improve sometime.
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He noticed something at the front of the room. It looked like a bottle. He thought maybe it might be wine, or something like that.
He half-dragged himself over, and picked it up. It was red, unlabelled. He had no idea what it was, but that didn't matter. He had never been one to let lack of knowledge stop him from jumping into a situation. And, he was so thirsty…
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Setso came back to the meeting room hours later, to see if Dirandau was still there. Adelphus was a strong man, and that was quite a beating he had given Dirandau. And, as strong as Dirandau was, he might not be able to handle it.
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He sat down next to Dirandau, who was staring straight ahead, unmoving. His eyes were wide.
Setso: "It'll be okay. I promise. I'll find some way to get around his orders so that it's not so hard for you."
Dirandau didn't react to his words. He stayed there, still staring, still unmoving.
Setso bit his lip. Even if Adelphus had ordered him to, he couldn't leave Dirandau there like that. He'd find some excuse later.
Setso: "You should probably get some sleep. Think you can walk a little bit of the way with me?"
Setso didn't expect an answer, but he always found it helpful to talk during these situations. It made it easier to forget about things like this if one pretended everything were normal.
He put one of Dirandau's arms around his shoulder, and tried to get Dirandau to walk with him. They manage to limp all the way to the barracks. Setso laid Dirandau down on a bunk, and covered him up.
Setso: "You get some sleep, and we'll talk in the morning."
Dirandau murmured something in reply. Setso left to finish his duties for the day.
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It was past lights-out time, and everyone was in bed. But, no one could get any sleep.
Dirandau was moaning and talking in agony. They were all fond of him, and could be very sympathetic…but they were becoming severely annoyed by him tonight. It wasn't a pleasant experience, being hurt, but all of them had to endure it some time or another. It didn't warrant all this whining. He should just get over it!
Setso was the only one among them getting any sleep. He could sleep through anything, because he knew how to block out noise. The others glared at him, jealous.
Ceiru picked up one of his boots and chucked it at Setso.
Ceiru: "This is your fault. Go take care of it."
Setso growled at him.
Setso: "I..am..not…responsible…for..him…."
All Setso wanted to do was sleep. He had a long day of getting yelled at for taking Dirandau out of that room after he had been instructed not to [Because Adelphus was no fool. He knew that Dirandau wouldn't be able to get up on his own.], and he wanted to be well-rested for it.
Ceiru: "You should have left him where he was! Adelphus told you to leave him there. So, this is your fault. Now, go shut him up!"
He threw the other shoe. Setso was too tired to argue.
Setso: "Alright, alright…but you'd better leave me alone after this."
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It was peculiar, the way they felt about Dirandau. They enjoyed spending time with him when he was having fun, but when he was having problems, they didn't want anything to do with him. He ceased to be 'cute' and became 'annoying.'
That was how everyone seemed to feel. They liked him when he did what they wanted, but when he needed help, they scorned and ignored him. They wanted him sent somewhere else.
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Setso yawned.
Setso: "Hey, kid…you still feeling bad about earlier?"
Dirandau spoke in nonsensical, chopped-up syllables. He sounded terribly upset.
Dirandau: "Ss..sset..so……"
It was the only intelligible thing he could manage to say. His teeth chattered as he spoke.
He reached up a hand towards Setso. He couldn't make the hand move very far.
Setso: "Look…I know you feel bad, and you're hurt. You should try to get some sleep. It'll make you feel better. And, if you're quiet, it'll help you sleep better. I promise."
He took Dirandau's hand, planning on moving it back to the bed, and covering him up once again. He was surprised at how cold it was. Dirandau shivered. He was cold all over. This wasn't usual for the victim of a thrashing.
They had all been told to take Dirandau to the infirmary immediately should anything be wrong with him that they weren't altogether certain of.
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He picked Dirandau up, and walked towards the doorway. He stopped in front of Ceiru.
Setso: "Be sure and open the door for me when I get back, alright?"
Ceiru nodded sleepily, and Setso left.
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The medics gave him a quick look over, and stated that they could do nothing for him. They didn't really look him over properly. They always hated dealing with him. He was the worst patient a doctor could have, bar none.
They gave Setso directions to the sorcerer's laboratory, and he continued on his way.
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He had never seen a sorcerer before. He was apprehensive, but went anyway.
:: "There had better be something wrong with him, because I don't want to go through all this for nothing!"::
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The sorcerers wrenched Dirandau away from Setso, and began to check him over. They didn't take him into another room like the medics had. They knew too well that with Dirandau, seconds mattered, and that any situation could be dangerous for his health.
Setso cringed. They seemed so cruel to him. But…they must know what they're doing, right?
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They gave him some drug, which seemed to make him feel better. He even felt well enough to go to sleep now.
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He was suffering from a concussion. That was the first thing they found wrong with him. And, unfortunately for him, a person with a concussion can not go to sleep the night after they receive it.
They enlisted Setso's help in this.
"Just keep him awake while we figure out what's going on."
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That was easier said than done.
Setso soon became covered with welts and red marks from Dirandau's retaliations. He was dead tired, and didn't appreciate Setso's constant tapping on his forehead to make sure that he was still awake.
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Setso couldn't help but cringe. They used a lot of needles. A lot.
And they were so rough with him. And he wouldn't stop crying at them to leave him alone. Setso couldn't wait to get out of there. He wished that he had simply dropped Dirandau off and left, so that he didn't have to endure this.
He couldn't help imagining his little brother, Tili, going through this. Tili would be about Dirandau's age now.
He sighed.
:: "I should've said goodbye to him before I left." ::
Tili had been so sad to see his brother go. Setso was 11 at the time, and he was eager to start his new life in the army. He was older than most of the recruits, who usually left when they were 5. There had been medical problems, and they were finally taken care of.
He was lucky that his father had been able to take care of all that red tape to get him in.
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Everyone was so proud of Setso, especially his little brother.
"I'm gonna be just like him!" little Tili would say. Setso had increasingly found Tili annoying. He was always following Setso around, and bugging him when he wanted privacy. Setso didn't bother saying anything to Tili the day he left.
And now, the last thing he remembered of his brother was avoiding him.
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Setso's eyes welled with tears now. He had no idea what happened to Setso. Zaibach rarely told its citizens what happened to their relatives. "It's better that you don't know," they would say.
But, it was often worse not knowing. When you didn't know, you could imagine all the worst possible outcomes, and they would be true for you.
What if Tili had been sacrificed to public relations? Sometimes, Zaibach took some poor innocent person, and used them as a reminder for others of what would happen if they did something wrong.
Or…what if….It was horrible to think about, but what if they had used Tili like they had Dirandau? It wasn't likely, since usually only foreign children were put through things like that. But…still...one never knew…
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It took them several hours before they realized that he had been poisoned. Liquid arsenic. It always came in red bottles without labels.
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They dismissed Setso. Dirandau was to spend the night with the sorcerers, and go back to the training center he was sent from in the morning. They would decide what was to be done about him later.
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Setso wandered around for a bit before going back to the barracks.
He wasn't certain what to think about the situation. Dirandau would probably be happier away from Adelphus. He had heard that Dirandau had much more freedom around Folken.
But…to be poisoned like that…someone really hated him.
:: "Adelphus must have had something to do with this." ::
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Indeed, Adelphus had planned on this happening. There was no way to prove that he was the one who was behind the incident. And, he would be rid of that wretched Albatou, because the sorcerers wouldn't allow their precious pet to be placed in such danger indefinitely.
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Dirandau slept for the next two days, put on heavy doses of amnesia. He was to forget everything about the Akrua and Adelphus.
Sleeping….always sleeping and forgetting.
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Ah, but there was one person who did not forget, though she slept all the time. She would forever remember all the horrible experiences…the needles…the dark knights who kidnapped her and tortured her…she would remember those forever.
Dirandau could escape from that, in some form…but she had no choice.
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{{About the concussion thing…I don't know much of anything about it. I only know that someone I knew had received one once before going to a party, and he kept repeating over and over, "Can't sleep or I'll die. Can't sleep or I'll die." I inquired about it, and everyone else tried to explain it to me…but they were all tired [It was about 2:00 AM at the time, and, unlike me, not many of the people I know are cognizant at those early hours.]. They finally gave up, and said simply, "People who suffer from a concussion can't sleep the night they receive it." I haven't been able to talk to them lately, and I haven't found any place that explains about concussions….so, forgive me if that's not true, or if I screwed something up.
{He's fine, by the by. He didn't die, and one thing I saw from the experience was how cruel and foolish these people were, for making fun of him half the night.}
I don't know why I started talking about Serena at the end…but, I thought I might as well say something on her behalf in this fic. Maybe it's because I've been having dreams from her point of view lately.
And now, response to reader reviews!
Etowato: ::Giggles and starts repeating Dilly lines:: Yeah, I always thought he'd have a problem with love.
My philosophy is that if they're not in character, why should I bother using them to write with?
[I apologize to those who don't care about writing in character. There's nothing wrong with that if you like it. It's a different style, and that's personal choice. I simply have no taste for it.]
::Huggs:: I shall miss you having you as my beta reader very much, m'dear.
Feye: Well, now it would be less than a week. Yes, I will come back. In four months, or more [Emphasis on the more.] Four is the bare minimum, and it's not likely. I'm guessing six months is more logical. [Although, I will be able to get on the net once in awhile…they probably have terminals I can visit when I get stationed somewhere.]
It makes me laugh every time I think of it: The man who doesn't bat an eye when cat-girls fawn all over him explaining about love and romance to…Dirandau…o_O
::Smiles::
It is illegal to have this much talent. That's why I write this from the county jail. ::WinkWink::
I must say a word to miss Black Moon Empress.
My dear lady, if you had done any looking around at Escaflowne fan-sites, or maybe read some fan-fiction, you would know that there is no definitive way to spell the character's names.
And, as Missy Feye hath said on a forum I visit, the truly correct version of Dirandau's name is Deiranduu Arabatou (Did I get all the letters in, Feye? ^_^).
I don't want you to be hurt by my comment, but anyone who doesn't research before brashly stating something like that is a fool.
And, I know the six names that Dirandau called out in the show. I was merely wondering if there were any more.
Please don't bother writing to me now. I'm leaving in four days, and even if I weren't, I'm an ill-tempered young writer who is somewhat arrogant when it comes to my writing, and falls far too easily in a vendetta against another person.
You really would hate me if you knew me, and that's the truth.
My advise to you is study up a little on other people's views, and not be so brash in your reviews.
[Although, you probably won't even bother listening to a word I say after you get through reading this response to your review.]
::Gulp::
I leave the 27th. I hope you all have enjoyed these writings from my high school years. When I come back, I'll be writing to you as a sailor, all grown up, and with more experiences to add to my knowledge and to draw from for story experiences. I have every hope that I'll not change so much that I would either hate Tenkuu no Escaflowne, or writing fan-fiction.
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Bootcamp is eight weeks, and only two weeks of that is difficult. I'm sure that it won't change me too much.
::Decides to end here, for fear of rambling on too much.::
I must say right now: This chapter is not turning AU. It just looks that way in the beginning.
Happy reading, and please enjoy the last chapter I'll be writing for many months.}}
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Two hours of absolute boredom. Six speeches and seventeen promotions thus far. Dirandau was about to lose it completely. He was never one for pageantry.
However, spectacle was something that all young soldiers love to see. And since Dirandau was someone they admired and looked up to, they couldn't comply with his wishes of privacy.
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He had ceased to stand at attention, as the other soon-to-be officers were standing. There was no point to it.
He stared up at the nearby podium.
:: "Will this ever end?" ::
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Finally, they called his name up. He took the papers and whatever else it was that they handed him [He couldn't remember. His mind had been numbed at that point.], and shocked everyone by leaving the room, without waiting for the ceremony to end.
Some of the lower orders smirked to each other. Now that was what they wanted! The power to be able to snub everyone else, and not have to worry about any repercussions whatsoever.
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Later on, Dirandau went to the hangar to get ready. He was leaving this training center, to be stationed on one of Zaibach's floating fortresses. And, Folken wasn't going to be in charge of him anymore. It was going to be wonderful!
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The other Dragonslayers had already left, and he was waiting for the last of his paperwork to be checked.
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Folken met up with him, for one last talk. And, just because it was Folken, it had to be a lecture on behavior.
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Folken: "That was wrong of you to do. You'll have to apologize for that."
Dirandau stared idly at the wall.
Dirandau: "Oh, who cares about those damned ceremonies, anyway?"
Folken: "They're important for morale."
Dirandau rolled his eyes.
Dirandau: "Morale…why do you always talk about morale? If those idiots can't motivate themselves enough to keep working, then they shouldn't be here. I don't need to worry about morale with my soldiers."
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Folken rubbed his forehead. Dirandau was such a headache sometimes….er….all the time.
:: "He's still not ready for this." ::
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Folken didn't want to admit it, but it seemed that this whole experiment had failed. Maybe it was a mistake to even try this experiment.
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With all the information that they had withheld from Dirandau, to make it easier to guide him into thinking what they wanted him to think, he didn't have the least bit of understanding of how to deal with anything whatsoever. He was a good fighter, strong and loyal, but that couldn't be put to use as intended.
As a leader, he was no good.
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Folken: "And when your soldiers all become so depressed that they kill themselves, don't come to me for-."
Dirandau put his feet up on the table.
Dirandau: "Whatever you say, old man."
Folken gave him a disapproving glance, which made him smirk.
Dirandau: "So…I guess without me here, you'll have to get a life of your own, huh?"
Folken: "Without you here, I won't have to keep raiding the medic's office for aspirin."
Folken looked thoughtfully at Dirandau for a moment. There was no need to make the last words he said to Dirandau bad ones.
Folken: "And, for what it's worth, I wish you luck."
Dirandau: "Hah! Luck? I don't need luck. Everything's going to be perfectly fine. You'll see. I'll show you."
Folken sighed. He couldn't even give the guy a compliment. Dirandau was too hell-bent on competition, and the belief that Folken was out to get him.
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Dirandau smiled as he looked his new uniform over. It was beautiful! And, it suited him so well, this creation of black and red leather.
He was looking much happier than he had the day before.
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Being in a new place was bewildering to Dirandau. The set-up on the fortress Akrua was so much different than a training center. He couldn't tell one corridor from another. He felt so lost.
Luckily, some of his fellow officers found him in his wandering. They had been there a while, and were able to help him. They felt lucky to be of aid to him.
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This was not the first time they had met him. Many had spent time with him, playing games and such.
They had become quite fond of Dirandau. They were all in their late twenties to early thirties. He was so young that they couldn't help but be reminded of the siblings and childhood friends that they had left behind. It was as if he were their little brother. Setso, the oldest among them, was particularly taken with him.
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Setso showed Dirandau every place he needed to know at the moment - the training halls, the officer's barracks [Officers did not get their own rooms until their commanding officers felt they deserved it , the barracks of the lower orders, and the mess hall. After that, he was free to explore as he pleased.
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While Dirandau was off having fun exploring with Setso, the general Dirandau was to be working under was having a 'meeting' with the sorcerers about it. [Why they felt they had to go do this in person was beyond anyone else's comprehension.]
Basically, they were telling him what's what with absurd smiles on their faces, and he could do little more in return than complain about how much he disliked the situation.
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"Listen to me, you fools. I've said it many times before, I'll not take on any of those monsters you create. And his reputation is not one that I find appealing. Go pawn him off on someone else."
The sorcerers continued smiling.
Sorcerer: "Ah, but your men are the best, wouldn't you agree? We have faith in him, and wouldn't want to send him out to a group of less quality and talent."
The general clenched his teeth together.
"If I had known that I was to be punished thus for succeeding, I would have done my best to stay mediocre."
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The sorcerers simply smirked, and handed him a list of precautions to take with Dirandau. It was much like giving someone the manual for a machine, so that they could always be sure to keep it in working order.
The general threw the list right back at them.
"If he is able to stand on his own, why is he to be treated in a special manner? He is no more a soldier than I am a washer-woman! I won't take him. And, if you persist in trying to force me to, then I'll kill him as soon as I see him."
Sorcerer: "That's ill-advised, good sir. And you know why."
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Yes, he knew why. They all knew why. Sorcerers had an unwritten type of rank. They held power over everyone, even the generals. Many of his men looked up to Dirandau. They might not be so good at their work if they felt they might be killed for no reason [For surely, the reason for Dirandau's death would never be revealed any further than to place the blame on him.]
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Feeling that they had reached an understanding, the sorcerers left, still smiling. It was so easy to smile at all the others of this place. It was so easy to deny that many of the things they did were wrong, that these things did little more than disrupt lives and torment people. They did it all with a smile, a grin, a glimmer. This smile was merely another sham, to help the bigger deception along.
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Dirandau found the meeting hall that was to be his. This was the place where he would be able to gather his men together, and go over any business that was to be taken care of.
He smiled as he looked over every inch of it. Even though it was nearly bare, with no furnishings to speak of other than the simple lamps that hung on the walls, he loved it because it was his.
He walked to the front of it, and sat down on the floor. He could picture them all standing there, lined up neatly, awaiting their orders. Finally, they would all be doing some important work!
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There were so many things to take in at once. Life seemed so bright, and he had never been so optimistic. He hadn't slept in the past few nights, too excited to rest, too full of fresh hopes. And these hopes, these dreams, kept coming to him, more and more.
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He yawned.
All this was too much. Fatigue soon overcame him, and he fell asleep where he was on the floor. He dreamt of glory and victory.
.
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Such dreams should never be awakened rashly, but sadly, today they were.
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Setso tapped Dirandau lightly on the face, to wake him up. Dirandau opened his eyes slightly. He was still tired, and a little confused.
Dirandau: "Just give me five more minutes, Folken…"
He closed his eyes again, and tried to fall back asleep.
Setso smirked. It was a shame that Dirandau was in trouble, when he was being so adorable.
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Setso had spent a good deal of the morning looking for Dirandau. He hadn't come back to the officer's barracks, and therefore had no way of knowing that they were all supposed to meet in one of the training halls the next morning. And, since Setso was the messenger of the group, he was the one who had been told to find Dirandau.
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Setso: "Albatou, get up! You have to go see the commander. Now."
Setso tried to pull him to his feet, but he wouldn't allow it. He kicked and fought, and nearly injured Setso. He could fight well, even when he was half-asleep.
Dirandau: "Go away!"
He smacked Setso hard in the face, and curled back up on the floor.
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Setso rubbed his hurt cheek. There was no time for this. Play-time was over.
He picked Dirandau up by the collar, dragged him a few feet, and slammed him up against a wall.
Setso: "I don't know what you were doing here all night, but you can't stay here anymore right now. Understand?"
Dirandau murmured a 'yes', and Setso let go of him.
General Adelphus was furious at the fact that Dirandau had been so insolent as to not follow orders. Doubtless, the sorcerers had imparted in him the same arrogance which they were thoroughly soaked in, and the little brat was expecting an easy time of things.
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Adelphus: "Do you happen to realize how busy I am? This morning was the only chance I had to review the officers I've been sent. You didn't show up, and now my schedule is completely off-kilter because I've had to take out this time to explain things to you."
Dirandau yawned. He was too tired for a lecture.
Adelphus took this yawn as a well-placed sign of disrespect, instead of the mere sign of fatigue that it was.
His tone of voice was full of mock-amiability.
Adelphus: "Oh. I'm boring you, am I? Perhaps I'd do better to find something that would capture your interest, then."
.
.
After that, Adelphus kept Dirandau very busy with menial, unimportant tasks. Scrubbing floors, running several miles at a stretch, or even doing Setso's paperwork [Which was extensive]. He didn't have any time to work with his Dragonslayers at all.
.
They all sat around in boredom, waiting for a chance to start training again. They had their own training room, but weren't allowed to use it unless their commander was with them. Some of them became depressed, which was both a product of boredom and frustration. They were finally supposed to be working on important things. They had been looking forward to starting their first mission. And, now, they had to wait indefinitely. All because one of those damned generals had taken a vendetta against Dirandau.
Migueru went as often as he could to see how Dirandau-sama was fairing. The two were good friends, and it was some small comfort to see him every once in awhile.
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Dirandau grew to despise any form of clerical work. Therefore, Adelphus made him do that more often than anything else. By the end of the week, Adelphus had switched Setso's and Dirandau's duties, so that Dirandau was taking care of all of Setso's paperwork, and Setso was looking after the Dragonslayers.
.
This upset Dirandau more than before. Setso had no men to take care of, because of the position he had taken as Adelphus' lead messenger. The way things were going, it seemed as if Adelphus planned on completely switching the positions of the two. Dirandau would never get the chance to see battle. He'd become an 'office boy'…just like what he used to call Folken.
This depressed him to no end. He couldn't concentrate on anything. He became more and more ill-tempered, and he couldn't help insulting everyone he came into contact with. Setso and the others feared that he might lose that childish happiness he had always shown.
He wanted to quit. But, he was determined to take it. Adelphus had made it perfectly clear that he didn't think Dirandau could take being a real soldier. Dirandau was determined to prove that wrong. And, he still held the belief that the generals were good people. They always knew what they were doing. He was certain that this was only a testing phase, and that Adelphus would stop treating him this way once it was over. He had to hang onto that hope.
.
.
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Dirandau stood, ashen-faced, in front of Adelphus. He had screwed up a very important piece of paper, again. Clerical duties were just not something he was good at.
This paper was supposed to have Senior-Chief Petty Officer Kelleher's signature on it. Without that, it was worthless. This had caused several problems, and another pile of paperwork was required to fix the problem.
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Adelphus: "You're such a screw-up! This is the fifth time this week that you've failed your duties. What are you trying to do to me? Do you want the entire department to look down on me??"
Every department of the army was highly competitive. Even the clerics and the servants.
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Dirandau bowed.
Dirandau: "No, sir!"
Of all things, he would never try to embarrass or hurt his commander. That was a sin which he couldn't comprehend the reasons for.
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Adelphus glowered at him.
Adelphus: "Get up off the floor, you fool. I know what you're like. You think that you're so important here…you think you're allowed to do anything you feel like doing, without regard for anyone or anything else. It's high time you learn your place, and stop trying to sabotage me."
Dirandau blinked.
Dirandau: "S…sabotage? I never-"
Adelphus: "Don't lie to me. I know what you're up to. You think you can make life difficult for me by failing at your job. That I'll be in trouble. Well, I have news for you: I will not be made a fool of. I won't tolerate anymore of this."
.
Dirandau stared at him blankly. A saboteur? Adelphus may as well have called him a traitor. That cut him deeply.
He could no longer maintain that demeanor expected from Zaibach soldiers. If Adelphus really meant that, then Dirandau would never get his Dragonslayers back. He would never be able to do the job he had set out to do, because Adelphus would never trust a traitor to carry out his orders.
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Dirandau: "Sir, I am no saboteur. I am unable to do the job because-"
Adelphus: "Silence!"
He hit Dirandau so hard that Dirandau fell backwards.
Adelphus: "I don't need your comments. Just do as I ask."
Dirandau sat up, momentarily stunned.
Adelphus: "You will continue with this job, and you will do it well because I told you to. I will listen to no more of this. Now go. You are dismissed."
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Dirandau sat up, his teeth clenched together. This was inexcusable. If Adelphus wouldn't listen to him, when he was only trying to inform him of something necessary to know, then he couldn't work for him.
Dirandau: "I am not, nor have I ever been, trained for Setso's job. There is no way I'll ever be able to do that job well, because I am a fighter and a leader, not a cleric."
He glared at Adelphus.
Dirandau: "And if you're so much of a @#$~ idiot to try and keep me at that job, then I'm going to have to report you to a higher authority. I won't do any more of it."
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Adelphus: "A…higher authority?"
Adelphus laughed, and repeated the question.
Dirandau: "Yes…"
Adelphus: "You're going to report me…to a higher authority?"
Dirandau nodded, and Adelphus laughed again.
Dirandau stared at him. Was this guy crazy?
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Adelphus grabbed him by the collar.
Adelphus: "I'm the highest authority you'll ever meet, you little brat!"
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He proceeded to give Dirandau a beating he wouldn't soon forget. He left Dirandau crumpled on the floor.
Adelphus: "Setso, I want you and the others to stay away from him. If he can be so uppity to me, then he is strong enough to leave on his own."
Setso: "Yes, sir!"
The two departed the room, leaving Dirandau alone.
.
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Dirandau hadn't had anything to eat or drink since yesterday. Because of his lack of time, he had only one short time in the day to visit the mess hall, and Adelphus had been sure to use that for his time of lecturing.
Dirandau tried to mentally will a sandwich or even a glass of water to materialize near him. It was useless, he knew, but he was so hungry that he figured he might as well try.
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He tried to get up. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could persuade one of the cooks to let him have something.
He managed to get up on his knees. He ached, and was too tired to try to go any further. He had become weaker these days. All those duties kept him from training.
He sighed. Things had to improve sometime.
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He noticed something at the front of the room. It looked like a bottle. He thought maybe it might be wine, or something like that.
He half-dragged himself over, and picked it up. It was red, unlabelled. He had no idea what it was, but that didn't matter. He had never been one to let lack of knowledge stop him from jumping into a situation. And, he was so thirsty…
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Setso came back to the meeting room hours later, to see if Dirandau was still there. Adelphus was a strong man, and that was quite a beating he had given Dirandau. And, as strong as Dirandau was, he might not be able to handle it.
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He sat down next to Dirandau, who was staring straight ahead, unmoving. His eyes were wide.
Setso: "It'll be okay. I promise. I'll find some way to get around his orders so that it's not so hard for you."
Dirandau didn't react to his words. He stayed there, still staring, still unmoving.
Setso bit his lip. Even if Adelphus had ordered him to, he couldn't leave Dirandau there like that. He'd find some excuse later.
Setso: "You should probably get some sleep. Think you can walk a little bit of the way with me?"
Setso didn't expect an answer, but he always found it helpful to talk during these situations. It made it easier to forget about things like this if one pretended everything were normal.
He put one of Dirandau's arms around his shoulder, and tried to get Dirandau to walk with him. They manage to limp all the way to the barracks. Setso laid Dirandau down on a bunk, and covered him up.
Setso: "You get some sleep, and we'll talk in the morning."
Dirandau murmured something in reply. Setso left to finish his duties for the day.
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It was past lights-out time, and everyone was in bed. But, no one could get any sleep.
Dirandau was moaning and talking in agony. They were all fond of him, and could be very sympathetic…but they were becoming severely annoyed by him tonight. It wasn't a pleasant experience, being hurt, but all of them had to endure it some time or another. It didn't warrant all this whining. He should just get over it!
Setso was the only one among them getting any sleep. He could sleep through anything, because he knew how to block out noise. The others glared at him, jealous.
Ceiru picked up one of his boots and chucked it at Setso.
Ceiru: "This is your fault. Go take care of it."
Setso growled at him.
Setso: "I..am..not…responsible…for..him…."
All Setso wanted to do was sleep. He had a long day of getting yelled at for taking Dirandau out of that room after he had been instructed not to [Because Adelphus was no fool. He knew that Dirandau wouldn't be able to get up on his own.], and he wanted to be well-rested for it.
Ceiru: "You should have left him where he was! Adelphus told you to leave him there. So, this is your fault. Now, go shut him up!"
He threw the other shoe. Setso was too tired to argue.
Setso: "Alright, alright…but you'd better leave me alone after this."
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It was peculiar, the way they felt about Dirandau. They enjoyed spending time with him when he was having fun, but when he was having problems, they didn't want anything to do with him. He ceased to be 'cute' and became 'annoying.'
That was how everyone seemed to feel. They liked him when he did what they wanted, but when he needed help, they scorned and ignored him. They wanted him sent somewhere else.
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Setso yawned.
Setso: "Hey, kid…you still feeling bad about earlier?"
Dirandau spoke in nonsensical, chopped-up syllables. He sounded terribly upset.
Dirandau: "Ss..sset..so……"
It was the only intelligible thing he could manage to say. His teeth chattered as he spoke.
He reached up a hand towards Setso. He couldn't make the hand move very far.
Setso: "Look…I know you feel bad, and you're hurt. You should try to get some sleep. It'll make you feel better. And, if you're quiet, it'll help you sleep better. I promise."
He took Dirandau's hand, planning on moving it back to the bed, and covering him up once again. He was surprised at how cold it was. Dirandau shivered. He was cold all over. This wasn't usual for the victim of a thrashing.
They had all been told to take Dirandau to the infirmary immediately should anything be wrong with him that they weren't altogether certain of.
.
He picked Dirandau up, and walked towards the doorway. He stopped in front of Ceiru.
Setso: "Be sure and open the door for me when I get back, alright?"
Ceiru nodded sleepily, and Setso left.
.
.
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The medics gave him a quick look over, and stated that they could do nothing for him. They didn't really look him over properly. They always hated dealing with him. He was the worst patient a doctor could have, bar none.
They gave Setso directions to the sorcerer's laboratory, and he continued on his way.
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He had never seen a sorcerer before. He was apprehensive, but went anyway.
:: "There had better be something wrong with him, because I don't want to go through all this for nothing!"::
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The sorcerers wrenched Dirandau away from Setso, and began to check him over. They didn't take him into another room like the medics had. They knew too well that with Dirandau, seconds mattered, and that any situation could be dangerous for his health.
Setso cringed. They seemed so cruel to him. But…they must know what they're doing, right?
.
They gave him some drug, which seemed to make him feel better. He even felt well enough to go to sleep now.
.
He was suffering from a concussion. That was the first thing they found wrong with him. And, unfortunately for him, a person with a concussion can not go to sleep the night after they receive it.
They enlisted Setso's help in this.
"Just keep him awake while we figure out what's going on."
.
That was easier said than done.
Setso soon became covered with welts and red marks from Dirandau's retaliations. He was dead tired, and didn't appreciate Setso's constant tapping on his forehead to make sure that he was still awake.
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Setso couldn't help but cringe. They used a lot of needles. A lot.
And they were so rough with him. And he wouldn't stop crying at them to leave him alone. Setso couldn't wait to get out of there. He wished that he had simply dropped Dirandau off and left, so that he didn't have to endure this.
He couldn't help imagining his little brother, Tili, going through this. Tili would be about Dirandau's age now.
He sighed.
:: "I should've said goodbye to him before I left." ::
Tili had been so sad to see his brother go. Setso was 11 at the time, and he was eager to start his new life in the army. He was older than most of the recruits, who usually left when they were 5. There had been medical problems, and they were finally taken care of.
He was lucky that his father had been able to take care of all that red tape to get him in.
.
Everyone was so proud of Setso, especially his little brother.
"I'm gonna be just like him!" little Tili would say. Setso had increasingly found Tili annoying. He was always following Setso around, and bugging him when he wanted privacy. Setso didn't bother saying anything to Tili the day he left.
And now, the last thing he remembered of his brother was avoiding him.
.
Setso's eyes welled with tears now. He had no idea what happened to Setso. Zaibach rarely told its citizens what happened to their relatives. "It's better that you don't know," they would say.
But, it was often worse not knowing. When you didn't know, you could imagine all the worst possible outcomes, and they would be true for you.
What if Tili had been sacrificed to public relations? Sometimes, Zaibach took some poor innocent person, and used them as a reminder for others of what would happen if they did something wrong.
Or…what if….It was horrible to think about, but what if they had used Tili like they had Dirandau? It wasn't likely, since usually only foreign children were put through things like that. But…still...one never knew…
.
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It took them several hours before they realized that he had been poisoned. Liquid arsenic. It always came in red bottles without labels.
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They dismissed Setso. Dirandau was to spend the night with the sorcerers, and go back to the training center he was sent from in the morning. They would decide what was to be done about him later.
.
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Setso wandered around for a bit before going back to the barracks.
He wasn't certain what to think about the situation. Dirandau would probably be happier away from Adelphus. He had heard that Dirandau had much more freedom around Folken.
But…to be poisoned like that…someone really hated him.
:: "Adelphus must have had something to do with this." ::
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Indeed, Adelphus had planned on this happening. There was no way to prove that he was the one who was behind the incident. And, he would be rid of that wretched Albatou, because the sorcerers wouldn't allow their precious pet to be placed in such danger indefinitely.
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Dirandau slept for the next two days, put on heavy doses of amnesia. He was to forget everything about the Akrua and Adelphus.
Sleeping….always sleeping and forgetting.
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Ah, but there was one person who did not forget, though she slept all the time. She would forever remember all the horrible experiences…the needles…the dark knights who kidnapped her and tortured her…she would remember those forever.
Dirandau could escape from that, in some form…but she had no choice.
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{{About the concussion thing…I don't know much of anything about it. I only know that someone I knew had received one once before going to a party, and he kept repeating over and over, "Can't sleep or I'll die. Can't sleep or I'll die." I inquired about it, and everyone else tried to explain it to me…but they were all tired [It was about 2:00 AM at the time, and, unlike me, not many of the people I know are cognizant at those early hours.]. They finally gave up, and said simply, "People who suffer from a concussion can't sleep the night they receive it." I haven't been able to talk to them lately, and I haven't found any place that explains about concussions….so, forgive me if that's not true, or if I screwed something up.
{He's fine, by the by. He didn't die, and one thing I saw from the experience was how cruel and foolish these people were, for making fun of him half the night.}
I don't know why I started talking about Serena at the end…but, I thought I might as well say something on her behalf in this fic. Maybe it's because I've been having dreams from her point of view lately.
And now, response to reader reviews!
Etowato: ::Giggles and starts repeating Dilly lines:: Yeah, I always thought he'd have a problem with love.
My philosophy is that if they're not in character, why should I bother using them to write with?
[I apologize to those who don't care about writing in character. There's nothing wrong with that if you like it. It's a different style, and that's personal choice. I simply have no taste for it.]
::Huggs:: I shall miss you having you as my beta reader very much, m'dear.
Feye: Well, now it would be less than a week. Yes, I will come back. In four months, or more [Emphasis on the more.] Four is the bare minimum, and it's not likely. I'm guessing six months is more logical. [Although, I will be able to get on the net once in awhile…they probably have terminals I can visit when I get stationed somewhere.]
It makes me laugh every time I think of it: The man who doesn't bat an eye when cat-girls fawn all over him explaining about love and romance to…Dirandau…o_O
::Smiles::
It is illegal to have this much talent. That's why I write this from the county jail. ::WinkWink::
I must say a word to miss Black Moon Empress.
My dear lady, if you had done any looking around at Escaflowne fan-sites, or maybe read some fan-fiction, you would know that there is no definitive way to spell the character's names.
And, as Missy Feye hath said on a forum I visit, the truly correct version of Dirandau's name is Deiranduu Arabatou (Did I get all the letters in, Feye? ^_^).
I don't want you to be hurt by my comment, but anyone who doesn't research before brashly stating something like that is a fool.
And, I know the six names that Dirandau called out in the show. I was merely wondering if there were any more.
Please don't bother writing to me now. I'm leaving in four days, and even if I weren't, I'm an ill-tempered young writer who is somewhat arrogant when it comes to my writing, and falls far too easily in a vendetta against another person.
You really would hate me if you knew me, and that's the truth.
My advise to you is study up a little on other people's views, and not be so brash in your reviews.
[Although, you probably won't even bother listening to a word I say after you get through reading this response to your review.]
::Gulp::
I leave the 27th. I hope you all have enjoyed these writings from my high school years. When I come back, I'll be writing to you as a sailor, all grown up, and with more experiences to add to my knowledge and to draw from for story experiences. I have every hope that I'll not change so much that I would either hate Tenkuu no Escaflowne, or writing fan-fiction.
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Bootcamp is eight weeks, and only two weeks of that is difficult. I'm sure that it won't change me too much.
::Decides to end here, for fear of rambling on too much.::