Escaflowne:   Mirrors

Episode 10:  Loneliness

            Kataphygio lay in ruins, ashes smoldering in a wide plane of rubble, every home razed to the ground, every business reduced to splintered boards and plaster.  Light rain was falling on the glowing embers, the dead rising with the thin smoke in a silent song of sorrow.  Their murderers were not there, they'd moved on to other locations and other aspects of their assignment.  Virial was not head of Atlantis affairs and the right hand of Trapan's army for no reason.  Night had fallen since the destruction and he and his Maginot had accomplished much business.  They had returned to Fanelia where the disarray was still maintaining and Trapan was growing impatient.  His ship was being prepared, but there was no presiding figurehead loyal to him.  His pawn was at work.  Virial knew it, but Trapan was content with his handling of the situation.  There were many tasks and new chances.  They were on the run and without a safe harbor.  More steps needed to be taken in order for the next goal to be reached.  Virial had taken care of business as well, sending his remaining captain on to Asturia to make sure the boarders were closed with orders to hold the Crusade and the Hero if they were caught.  Now the Maginot were making their way northeast across the Adynaton Mountains and into the northern country of Deidlas.  In the cover of night, the wind whipped through his beard and stung his eyes.  The Tamarak to achieve flight transformed into a pegasus with wide canvas wings.  Virial's cockpit seat was at the base of the stallion's neck and he steered from there.  Below he could see a pine forest, dark in the dusk and far from the nearest boarder town.  He knew his party needed to land for final repairs, the major damage taken care of and the proper parts salvaged from Fanelia before a hasty departure.  In any case, Sir Nadeje and his daughter would be hard to find in the dark.  He yelled back to the four behind him.  "Take them down here!  In these trees!"  He could not see their nods or if they even heard him, but reigned his leader's melef, brining the hooves down to the cold hard ground and slicing through the needles of the trees with its wings.  He landed with a heavy thud, the melef's wings folding back and the black stallion lowering to its knees and to permit the pilot off.  Four melefs hit their feet around him, crouching to one knee and letting the Zaibachan soldiers out of their cockpits. 

            Resultant stepped out brooding and unpacked the tools he'd stored in the pilot chamber.  "I can't believe I have to finish fixing this myself!  This is so frickin' dumb."

            "Don't be so careless."  Prestress told him, coming out of his machine and down to the ground.  He watched his breath float as vapor in front o f him and returned to his cockpit for fire starting elements.

            "Careless!?  What the heck do you mean 'Careless!?!'"  Resultant shouted.  "HE snuck up form behind! It wasn't my fault!"

            "Oh cry me a river."  Torsion said, stepping out of her suit and checking her hair in a hand mirror.  She took a breath of the frosty air and became disgusted.  Tossing the mirror back on her seat, she called to Virial.  "Why'd we stop in Deidlas, Commander?  The temperature is awful."

            "We are finding Atlantis."  Virial said, pointedly.  "Trapan instructed that, for a heroic person, we should seek out a corner of the earth unpleasant for most but hospitable enough for communities to survive.  That is why we are here."

            "There is no one around is there?"  Torsion asked, unclasping the bulky shoulder armor of her uniform and dropping it to the ground behind her.

            "There is no one for miles."  Vector answered in his deep voice.

            She smiled and stretched her back and arms.  "Good, I need to loosen up."  There was a rush of white as a pair of large, downy wings unfolded seamlessly from her back and extended upward and outward, catching the light of Prestress's newborn fire.  None of her fellow captains paid her wings any attention.  They were nothing special to them, but Virial's eyes shot to them like a magnet, the lavender brightening and revealing the youth behind the beard on his face.  They were quickly turned away again.  She released her stretch and let the exceptionally long white feathers fold down and catch the wind as she walked over and sat by the fire to file her nails.

Resultant saw an opportunity and whistled. "Whoa." Torsion ignored him, but he left the repairs of his melef to come stand by her.  "You know how sexy you look with your wings out?"

            "Get lost."  She said, without looking up.

            Resultant kneeled down next to her.  "Yeah, Draconians may be Dragon Gods, but you are definitely the Dragon Goddess!  A woman like you could make all humans drop dead at first sight!"

            "Your parents were probably humans."  She said, filing.

            "Both my parents were gods, thank you very much."  Resultant stated.  He took off his own armor shoulder plates and got out his wings; large, white, and broad.  He struck a pose that showed off his 19-year-old strength and his graded profile.  "These don't come from mixed breading, baby!"

            "Don't be so full of yourself."  Prestress told him. "You know nothing about it."

            "Show us yours, goat man."  Resultant challenged.  "Rape boy.  Which one was your mother?  The Draconian or the Impala?"

            "The impala."  He answered, throwing sticks on his fire with his long, slightly bowing forearms.

            "So she assaulted the Draconian man?"  Resultant accused.

            "Leave him alone."  Torsion said, sounding sickened. 

            Prestress blinked slowly and his tall ears twitched slightly, he then continued to tend his fire.  "Not all Dragons are gods."

            "What do you mean by that!?!"  Resultant accused.

            Prestress stood and shot his hidden wings out of his back, his ash-blond hair lifting from behind his shoulders with the blast of wind.  The beast-man's wings were as spectacular as the other two's with his mixed blood leaving the overlapping feathers in immaculate perfection.  The person to whom they were attached did not consider himself nearly as pure.  "My father was strong.  My father was glorious.  But my father was evil."

            "Evil!?!"

            "We're all evil."  He stated.

            Resultant was getting ticked off.  "What are you saying!?!  All Draconians are evil!?!  That's blasphemy!"
             "Everyone is evil."  Prestress continued calmly, as if stating a sad fact.  "I am evil.  But we must be.  Balance remains.  Balance is essential."

            "Balance?"  Resultant was concerned, and the others cocked their ears.  Prestress had never spoken so much in a stretch before, especially not of his own philosophies.

            "We have to earn our privileges."  Prestress informed them.  "In order to exists, others must exist.  In order to love, others must love me.  In order to hate, I must be hated.  In order to kill, I must die.  I am slowly dying indeed, bit by bit.  That is how I do my job."

            "Your mother taught you this?"  Vector asked.

            Prestress's wings were sucked back into his body and he turned his sharply slanting brown eyes to the young man.  "My father. In the very way I came into the world.  I was never meant to be.  I am the product of a crime.  The balance for that would be proving his mistake.  He spawned a methodic drone that kills humans, beasts, and gods.  He should look on me with pride or guilt, but he should look on me.  That is my balance."  He headed away form his fire and out into the cold and the dark to dissociate.

            "What a freak."  Resultant said.

            "He's deep."  Torsion said, checking her manicure.  "But that's his own deal.  It's not my problem."

            "That is why he is here."  Virial said.  "You would have a mind, Resultant, not to change his state of mind.  I'm sure you, of all of these, would understand."

            He scowled.  Torsion actually looked up at him.  "What?  You got some twisted philosophy, too?"

            "No."  He said, but he liked this older woman paying him attention and went ahead and told.  I've got my own reasons to be on this job.  Those Asturian allied forces…  Escaflowne especially… killed off all my friends and family six months ago.  I was in the army and my squad was set to defend my hometown, which was part of a military base.  The enemy forces smashed it.  I was the only survivor out of my whole division, and my whole family!  I'm doing this for REVENGE!  If I was let to live, it had to be so that I can get even!  That's my one goal and the center of all entertainment!  I'm only happy when I'm giving them their own medicine!"

            "So that's your balance."  Virial said.

            Torsion shrugged. "Stinks to be you."

            "Hey, I've got a reason!  Do you?"

            "No."  She said simply.  "I have no angle.  The job pays and I'm good at it.  Simple as that."

            "Is it, now?"  Virial asked.  She looked up to him, then came to a sudden defensive anger.  Her commander's lavender eyes were staring her down and she felt violated, as if he could see the truth in her.  She turned away and pouted, denying him any reaction.  Virial's eyes dropped then traced the ground to look away.  He stood.  "Vector, go find Prestress and bring him back.  We have three hours of rest then we leave."

            "Yes, sir."  Vector bowed and marched off to obey.

            Resultant made eyes to Torsion.  "Hey, three hours…"

            "Buzz off."  She stormed away.

            Virial watched her go.  He bowed his head as if he was slipping out of hiding and hoped not to be seen.  He made a move to follow her but stopped to level his eyebrows at Resultant.  "You'd better use your time to fix your melef."

            "Yes sir."  Resultant nodded, his blood red hair bobbing.  As soon as Virial had left to follow Torsion, he fumed up and kicked the shin of his armor.  "Stupid machine!"

            The female Draconian stopped in a pool of moonlight out of sight of the campfire.  Her wings were still out, and the white caught and held the blue glow like a cold embrace.  She stared down at the shapes of the pine boughs as they cast shadows on the packed earth and relaxed into her loneliness.  Holding her mask with her commander staring at her with those piercing eyes was getting harder and harder the longer she tried to do it.

            Virial came up behind her quietly and let his own wings unfold from his back.  He was not a man of words, but with his secrets visible, he felt more comfortable in talking.  In Torsion he could see someone who would understand him, the hard part was getting past his private seclusion and confronting her.  He functioned better when he was hiding, and having his wings exposed made him vulnerable to pain as well.  Perhaps, a beautiful woman with her own wings out would give him a chance if he chose his words properly.  He stood for a long time contemplating his first comment and what to say.  He finally decided on a statement that seemed to express his opinion with the fewest syllables.  "You are not like this."

            She turned sharply, a very private and complex train of thought interrupted.  She didn't look at him, but noted his presence and sensed his open wings out of the corner of her eye.  She turned away to gather herself into what she thought he knew her to be. 

            In her pause he stepped closer.  "What you said is not true.  I can see it."

            "You – were mistaken."  She said, her loud imposing voice back, trying to smother weakness. "Sir."

            It took him another minute to set up his next response. "You don't have to lie to me."

            "I'm not lying about anything!"  She insisted.

            "Torsion –"

            "Sir."  She said.  He let his posture slump a little, seeing what he got for speaking quickly.  He re-gathered his bearings and mustered his courage. 

            "I cannot allow you to hide yourself away and twist yourself around.  You will break soon if that is your way."

            "I'm strong, commander."  She answered. "Don't worry about your assignment.  I'll get it done, you won't be hindered on my account."

            He stepped forward a little more, the white of his wings reflecting the moons and brightening the two of them in an aura.  "It is not the assignment.  I do not have work on my mind.  I do not want to see your twisting break you like I do not want to see the pain it would cause you."  He guard dropped like a rock.  "You're too beautiful to be in pain."

            She turned her wide brown eyes to him, thoughts dashing through her mind, his behavior puzzling as a stranger's.  "Virial?"  She arched her wings up behind her. "What are you saying?"  He thought through a response, but she demanded something else of him.  "What do you want from me?"

            Fear, a foreign emotion, gripped him from the back of his neck and tightened around his spine.  He couldn't afford to silence lest she get the wrong impression. He spoke intuitively, his wings feeling heavy and burdening, his shell thing and vulnerable.  "I want you to know that you are not the only one who is deeper than they seem.  While you twist, I layer.   My cover is multiplying as I try to see my part through our true calling and place.  I saw you the same.  I don't want you to endure it.  You're too… you're…"  He faltered, biting his lower lip, searching for words and not finding them.  She relaxed the feathers and stared in bewilderment and disbelief.  He regretted the whole advancement and wanted to suck his secrets back into his body and retreat into his shell of a person, but it was too late to pretend that he hadn't said anything and forced himself to remain exposed.  He had one thing to say now, before his words ran out and he could not continue.  "You are not alone."  His lavender eyes hardened slowly. "Tori."

            It was over.  The mechanics inside him settled down and his inner balance was restored to their previous steady grind.  She stared as his wings disappeared and he became efficient and cold. His voice came with the strong, neutral command of his automated haven.

            "There are three hours before we take off.  Be ready to leave when the time comes."

            She watched as he marched back to the bonfire and said no more.  Torsion ran one hand through the blonde hair around her neck. 'I'm not alone?  How could he say that?'  She looked after him but could only see the glimmer of the campfire on the trunks of the pines. 'Tori?'  She had butterflies in her stomach and hugged her elbows.  'Who was that?'

*                             Escaflowne                                        *

            A Zaibachan troop arrived in an airship called the Congruency.  It was the name-ship of Commander Glaucus Virial, but was not piloted by him.  It floated over Palas and was swept through the checkpoints standing in newly erected towers around the city outskirts.  Several commercial and public transport ships were grounded before the Asturian soldiers.  The military vessel passed seamlessly as merchants and townspeople watched. The atmosphere about the canals was tight and tense.  In minutes, the ship was on the ground and the Zaibachan detachment of Virial's men were moving briskly down the halls to the queen's throne room where Haman had given up his humble facade and was reveling in his new power.  The head man in the group of soldiers, the fifth captain in Virial's command, stormed into the chamber with a purposeful air and did not wait to be introduced.  "Haman!"

            The head advisor stood up, his puffy sleeves smashed under a maroon-colored cape.  He looked with outrage to the posted Asturian guards and the party of Zaibachan soldiers.  "Who are you!?  How did you get past the checkpoints!?"

            "I am Areolar, Captain to Commander Virial newly appointed head of Atlantis Affairs.  Trapan gave you the Master's orders."

            "Yes." Haman answered, becoming more at ease knowing that they were in the same army.  "I closed the city just as he said.  You have seen it on your way in.  And I have sent word to men on the checkpoints on the landside borders."

            "I am of Virial who has been proclaimed Trapan's right hand. Trapan is the only one who answers to the Master so by commutation, the orders to you are this: stop not only those by air, but those by sea, and those by foot and cart as well.  Seal Asturia tightly so that no living creature can pass undetected."

            "The Master ordered this?"  Haman charged.

            "See that it is done."  Areolar stated.  There was a pause as the captain's brown eyes beat into the old man.  Little younger than Virial, in his late twenties, Areolar bored in deeply so that as Haman considered him, he became convinced and nodded slowly.  Areolar narrowed his absorbing eyes and issued another command. "Have your checkpoints watch for a green Guymelef and a man and a girl.  You will recognize the name.  Seguir Nadeje, previously captain of this royal guard."

            "Seguir?  What prompts this?"  Haman asked. "

            "You would be smart to ask questions later."  Areolar said.  "When you find him, he will be with his daughter.  Hold them both under lock and key. They are defects and have betrayed the Master.  It is Commander Virial's charge to apprehend them."

            Haman thought a minute.  Nadeje, his partner in crime while in Asturia, the only other member of the Master's army to made home in the palace hierarchy.  "A defect do you say?  Betrayer?"  He leveled his brow.  "If he passes this way, he will be found.  And held.  I assure you."

            Areolar nodded and sensed the conviction in the reply.

                                    *                           Escaflowne                              *

            Night and the edges of the Asturian outer boarders eased by, but the Crusade was heavy with mixed emotions.  A memoriam had been set in what was know as Celena's room next door to the cockpit.  Jiai had used the skills she learned from the fox clan to paint a folk-art portrait of the Hroases: Philos, Botheia, and Eythymia.  The funeral servie had been long over, but the candles were still lit.  Gadess stood staring at it.  "So short so long, cousin."  He let out a deep sigh.  "I won't be able to see you, but I will go back for that visit someday.  Maybe if I'd have been there…" he sighed again.  "it's a tragic waste."

            Down the hall and in one of the lounge rooms, Hitomi was sitting at a table with Millerna, Yukari and Jiai.  Koneko and Merle were on the floor trying to play the game they'd learned from the six-year-old girl.  It was bittersweet.  Suru had the doll, Leptelepitos by her side, she and Celena sat in communal silence.  There was a longing for innocence and pleasure in each of their empty hearts.

            "I – I can't believe it happened."  Jiai said.  "I just can't convince myself that we were the only ones to make it out alive."

            "Don't talk about it."  Yukari bade.

            "There is nothing we could have done about it."  Millerna said.

            Hitomi clutched her black pleated skirt, an overwhelming guilt growing within her.  "It's all my fault."

            "No, Hitomi!"  Millerna said.  "None of it was your fault"

            "It was."  She insisted.

            "How could you think that!?!"  Yukari cried.

            "It happened before."  Hitomi said.  "Last time I was here, with my terot cards.  My feelings changed the way destiny for this planet went."

            "But you don't do terot readings any more."  Jiai recalled.

            "And you don't even have the power of Atlantis with you."  Millerna said.  "It would be impossible for you to have – "

            "Just think about it!"  She cried.  "If we hadn't been there, then Philos, Botheia, and Eythymia would never have been included!  All those people in the town, all the fox men in the village, they would still be alive!  If I wouldn't have come, none of it would have happened!"

            "But if you hadn't come, then a lot of good things wouldn't have happened either."  Millerna reasoned.  "Van would still be under your double's control, Merle would still be imprisoned, I would never have known about Haman or Seguir.  No one would have known about any of this.  Think of everyone you've saved by coming to Gaea!"

            "How do you know I didn't cause all of this too?"  She responded. "Van's mother and my grandmother told me that it was my uneasy feelings that affected fate!"

            "Allen didn't think you did anything."  Yukari recalled.  "He told you at dinner three days ago.  And personally, I agree with him.  The idea that anyone can change fate is ridiculous!  How do you know fate isn't guiding you?"

            "I cant answer those questions."  Hiotmi admitted.  "I don't remember it all.  Dornkirk was doing something with changing fate.  The Draconians did it somehow.  I can't think about it right now.  My head is too full of my own questions."

            "Maybe…"  Millerna tripped over her words.  "Dryden can answer these questions when we find him."

            Jiai saw this as an opportunity to change the subject.  "I'm excited to meet Dryden after hearing about him!  Is it true you two were married, Millerna?"

            Millerna nodded.

            "What happened to that?"  Yukari asked.

            Millerna messed with her hands in a way Hitomi found familiar as they hovered just in front of her breast.  "I –"

            "Dryden left."  Hitomi answered for her.

            Yukari jumped back.  "What a jerk!"

            "No!"  Millerna said quickly.  "He's not.  It wasn't his fault.  Being king in a war, it was too much for him!  He couldn't stay and live with so much responsibility and with me…"

            "So he was a coward."  Yukari corrected.

            "No…No!"  Millerna had run out of excuses.  "You don't understand.  He's got the biggest heart.  He was defeated by what happened and left to try and make himself better for me."

            "It sounds like he meant something to you." Jiai observed.

            "well…"

            "Then why'd you let him go?"  Yukari asked.  Millerna surrendered to silent resolve.

            "She was in love with Allen then." Hitomi told them.

            "You mean they weren't in love when this was happening?"  Jiai asked.  "Why did they get married if he couldn't be king and they weren't in love?"

            "They were betrothed."  Hitomi answered.

            "He loved me."  Millerna said.

            "Aww."  Yukari moaned.  "That's so sad!  He loved you and you didn't love him so he left in defeat!?  He must have felt terrible!  I'm sorry I knocked him down, now!"  Millerna's head sank lower as Yukari continued.  "I bet he decided to leave because he wanted someone to stop him."

            "What's he like?"  Jiai asked, sensing a level of uneasiness rising as Yukari kept talking.  "Is he a lot like Daiji?"

            "He's a LOT like Daiji."  Hitomi answered. "I'd say those two had the strongest connection.  Not only do they look a lot alike, but their personalities are nearly exact!  You should have seen me when I ran into him for the first time!"

            "I did!"  Jiai recalled.  "You drug me to an internet café to convince me that he WAS Dryden!  I remember now!"

            "Daiji's not a jerk."  Yukari stated. "He's a hunk."

            "So how are we going to find Dryden?"  Jiai asked.  "Do we know where he lives?"

            "He's on a merchant ship." Hitomi answered. She turned to the young queen next to her.  "Do you have any idea where he could be?"

            "No."  She said.

            Hitomi asked again. "Hasn't he written or anything?"

            "No, he hasn't."  She said.  "I haven't heard from him since that last day – "

            "Lets go talk to Allen. Maybe he has some ideas."  Hitomi suggested.

            The other three rose. "Good idea.  We'll all go." 

            With the conversation gone, all that was left was the sound of the marbles clicking.  Koneko felt uneasy. "I want to do something."

            Merle pulled her ears up off her neck.  "What do you want to do?"

            She looked with cunning at the cat girl. "Do you like to play 'spy'?"

            "Play 'spy'?"  Merle asked.  "Oh, you mean snoop around?"

            "Yeah!  We should go see what everyone else is doing!"  Koneko said, standing up. "Someone has to be doing something interesting!  Lets go check it out!"

            "Okay."  The 13-year-old agreed.  "Let's go!  Maybe we can find something really secret."

            "I knew I liked you!"  Koneko grinned.  The two of them dashed out.

            Now all there were were Celena and Suru.  Silence sat around herm until the 16-year-old finally said something.  "I'm going to have nightmares tonight."

            Suru sat still, their matching eyes wearing the same blank look.  "Nightmares can't hurt you."

            Celena blinked slowly.  "Mine do."

            There was another quiet section before Suru said anything.  "They shouldn't.  They are just dreams."

            Celena's head sank to one side.  "I feel them already.  He wants me to sleep so that he can see."

            Suru held onto Leppy.  "He?"

            Celena seemed physically and mentally exhausted.  "I don't know."

            Allen was keeping vigils on the bridge, half awake in thought.  The Crusade wasn't rushing, something inside told him they should be, but he just didn't have the will power.  His mind was sluggish.  Reeden called down from the crow's nest, his binoculars resting on a watchtower set on the slope of a peak a ways ahead.  He could see three or four airships stuck in the area, un-permitted.  "Hey boss!  I think the border's closed."

            "The border?  You mean Asturia?"  Allen asked, sounding groggy.

            "There's military checkpoints and watchtowers up and down the whole line!"

            "Haman is taking action against us."  Allen said.  "Our home is unsafe."

            "Don't worry boss!"  Kio said from the helm.  "We can avoid them.  We'll duck around closer to the Chesario side and stay in the mountains.  We won't be detected if we fly low."

            "But we might…"  Allen yawned.  "We'll be tracked by those five melefs."

            "Don't sweat it, Boss."  Oort said. "We can handle it."

            Allen leaned into the chair and his eyelids sagged.  There was too much to worry about and not enough brainpower to devote to it.  His eyes slipped out of focus as he stared out the front window at the mountains.  Paile looked up.  "Hey, Boss, you look beat. Why don't you go crash?"

            "Huh?"  He looked up, but the comment registered.  "No…No, sleep isn't important.  I can't afford to loose time."

            "Boss."  Kio said.  "We've got it under control.  Take a couple hours."

            "Kio, we have no destination." Allen said.  "The captain can't let the crew hover, especially now that we are being hunted down."

            Hitomi and company appeared on deck.  Allen tuned to them.  Hitomi spoke for all four of them.  Allen, are you going to find Dryden?"

            Allen looked to Millerna quickly, and then slumped against his chair back. "Yes.  That is our next step."

            "Do you have any idea where he could be?"  Yukari asked. 

            Allen stared at her for a bit, suspicious as to her interests, but dismissed it, realizing that he was overreacting.  "I don't know where to find him.  We're dealing with a man who lives on an airship.  That doesn't make for easy contact."

            "Can you radio him or something?"  Jiai asked.  Allen, Millerna, and the crew gave her a puzzled look and she realized what she'd said. "Oops.  You don't have radios do you?"

            "Maybe this WILL be tough."  Yukari said.

            "Do you have any ideas?" Hitomi asked the captain. 

            Allen shook his head.  "He could be anywhere. Over land, over sea.  He could be docked or he could be on the move… there's no way to narrow it down."

            "Let's hope he's not in Asturia, eh boss?"  Oort snorted.  Allen rolled his eyes.

            "There's got to be some way."  Hitomi reasoned.

            "Not that I can think of." Allen admitted.  "Maybe the others might have a hunch, but my mind is exhausted.  Go ask Van and the others and tell me if you think of anything."

            "Alright."  The girls agreed.  They started out but Yukari turned back. "You don't look so good, Allen. You should probably get some sleep. You've been going for about three days now haven't you?"

            Allen stalled, staring before he answered.  "Yes, I should…"  Yukari grinned to him and followed the other three out the door.  The crew exchanged glances behind his back.

            Merle and Koneko snuck along the catwalk above the Guymelef hanger.  Yosu and Van were below.  The King was patching up Escaflowne, healing himself as he made repairs. Merle and Koneko peeked over the lip of the walkway, the cat girl's tail twitched.  "Hey!  It's Lord Van!"

            "Shhhh!"  Koneko hissed.  "What are they saying?"

            Van was filing down a scrape on Escaflowne's helmet.  There was a patch on his face at the same spot.  Yosu leaned against the melef's leg below. "So."

            Van paused in his filing to leave a button of silence, then resumed so that Yosu spoke over the grating.

            "You really love Hitomi?"

            Van thought the question sounded suspicious.  Especially coming form his 'double'. "Yes."

            Yosu was leading up to something.  He remembered Merle's reactions hen they rescued her.  "Do you love Merle?"

            Now Van could hear the suspicion even over his work.  He furrowed his brown. "Yes."

            Merle's tail whipped back and forth on the platform above them.  Van stopped but didn't look down. "Do you love Hitomi?"

            Yosu didn't like that question.  He decided to answer evasively.  "I don't want her getting hurt."

            "But do you love her?"  Van said, impatiently.

            Yosu frowned. "For the sake of the argument, yes, I do."

            Van had the hair on the back of his neck stand up but continued calmly.  "Do you love your sister?"

            "Of course."

            One of Van's brown gloves sanded down the now smooth surface of his melef, then ripped the patch off of his freshly healed cheek.  "Then there is your answer."

            "That's no answer!"  Yosu cried as Van hopped down from his suit.  "You and she aren't siblings!"

            "The point is – " Van cut him short, " – I love Merle differently than I love Hitomi.  I don't want to make Merle my queen…I'll put it that way."

            Yosu sank into fuming resolve.  Van left with his own disdain.  Koneko turned and looked to Merle, her ears were down along her neck, her brown fur looking dull.  She watched Van leave and then put a hand on Merle's shoulder. "Don't feel bad.  He still loves you."

            "Its okay."  Merle sighed.  "I knew he loved Hitomi over me. I can't change him."

            "You shouldn't want to."  Koneko told her.  "If Yosu is anything like Van, then you shouldn't feel sad at all.  My brother loves me a lot.  He's always looking out for me even though he thinks he loves Hitomi, too.  I'm not upset about it.  I know it doesn't change the way he feels about me."

            Merle cast her blue eyes to Koneko's matching amber ones and found them full of hope and energy.  A little cat grin lifted her face, and she immediately switched over to a lighter mood.  She crossed her arms and whipped her striped tail along the floor behind her.  "I didn't want to be queen anyway!"  She shoved herself back to her sandals and pointed to Koneko.  "And if your brother thinks he's gonna take Hitomi away from Lord Van, he's got another thing comin'!"

            "Oh yeah!?!"  Koneko challenged, her response sounding mischievous.

            "Yeah!"  Merle said back in the same tone.

            "Yosu can have whatever he wants!"   Koneko retorted.

            "Your brother isn't as good as Van!  Lord Van could kick your brother's butt!"  Merle started to run off.

            Koneko got to her feet and called playfully.  "Come back here and say that to my face!"

            "Catch me first, Neko!"  The cat challenged.  They started a game of tag and ran laughing through the halls of the crusade. Merle dashed around a corner into a dead end.  Koneko ran up form behind and tagged her.  "You're it!"

            "Not for long!"  The chase ensued down another hall.  Koneko dashed up a flight of stairs and ran into Hitomi, Millerna, Jiai, and Yukari at the top.  With an 'oof' merle crashed into her so that everyone was left in shock.  Millerna recovered first.  "Merle?  Koneko?  What's going on?"

            "We were just playing your majesty."  Merle answered. 

            "Yeah, we were playing spy then we were playing tag."  Koneko said.

            Hitomi looked to the others, then began their investigation.  "You two are clever.  Can you think of any way that we can find Dryden?"

            "Sir Dryden?"  Merle asked.  "You have no idea where he is?"

            "Cant you just call him up?"  Koneko asked.

            "You're forgetting where we are."  Jiai told her.  "There aren't any phones here."

            "Oh, too bad."  Koneko said.  "'Cause, you know, I was just thinking… we were spying on Van and Yosu and they were really alike, and Daiji's always on his cell phone when he's not on TV…"

            "Oh my gosh!"  Hitomi cried.

            "What is it?"  Jiai asked.

            The girl's look of shock broke into a wide, hopeful smile.  "I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier!  Koneko, you're a genius!"

            "I am?"

            "What is it, Hitomi?"  Yukari pressed.

            Millerna joined the earnestness.  "Tell us!  Please!"

            Hitomi turned around to them. "Daiji!  We've had our link to Dryden all along!  If I connect Daiji and Dryden like I did the others before, he may be able to tell us exactly where he is!"

            Jiai joined in the excitement.  "Hitomi!  That's brilliant!"

            "That could actually work!"  Millerna agreed.

            Yukari turned to head back where they came from.  "Let's go find Daiji then!"

            "Right!"  Jiai nodded.

            Hitomi took off running with the rest of them. "Okay!"

            "Hey!"  Koneko called.

            She and Merle started running after them, the cat girl with the same mindset. "Wait for us!"

            Hakai was up in the boiler room with Daiji and Amano. Katz was straightening up. "Hey get some more coal, wouldya kid?"

            Hakai jumped up.  "Sure thing!"  He dashed back into the depths of the engine room.

            Amano and Daiji watched him go with interest.  Amano had his arms crossed. "I've never seen him so well behaved."

            "It must be all this machinery."  Daiji suggested. "He is a kid."

            "Unfortunately it's the fire that's got him so hypnotized."  The 17-year-old informed. "He's always had a thing for fire and machinery."

            "He's got some sense, too though."  Daiji said.  "You saw how he took care of suru and Celena.  He can't be all that bad."

            "Oh, it all depends."  Amano assured.  "You don't live with him."

            "I was lead to believe that you didn't live with him either."

            "You got that right!"  Amano agreed.  "I lived with him for two days and I ran!  I was gone!  No way I'm gonna live in a house with a maniac.  Two of them!  His sister's just as bad."

            "Children are the most dangerous things."  Daiji added.  "but that's because they don't know any better."

            "What do you mean by that?"  Amano asked, not being accusing, but more of conversation filler.

            "I'm saying that we shouldn't judge them so soon."  He explained.  "They're still learning the implications of their behaviors.  The way we treat them now could hinder them forever.  For all we know, Hakai may end up President of the United States."

            "He seems the type, but I doubt he'd get elected."

            "That was harsh."  Daiji said, scratching his head.

            Hakai returned with a bucketful of coal.  "Okay!  Here it is!  Now make the fire bigger!"

            "We don't need it big, we just need it going."  Katz told him.

            "You're no fun!  Its not cool unless its really big and hot."  The twelve-year old retorted..  Katz shoveled some more coal through the metal grate, then poked at it to make sure it was catching.

            "All we need out of it is for it to boil the water.  If we put more coals on, then it's a waste."

            "Really?"  He looked confused and displeased.  "That's how it works?  I can't believe anything gets done if it isn't total rage!  Flame equals passion equals power!  If there isn't a bonfire then its just weak."

            "Profound for a pyromaniac."  Amano observed.  Daiji raised his eyebrows and nodded.

            Van marched up the stairs nearby and looked up to them, surprised.  "Oh, I didn't know you two were up here."

            "We're not claiming it or anything."  Daiji said.  "You can stay."

            "What brings you up here, anyway, Van?"  Amano asked.

            The young king walked over.  "I heard your voice and thought Allen was up here."

            "I hope you're not too disappointed."  Amano replied.

            "Its fine."  Van answered.  "I'm just wandering.  What are you doing up here?"

            "Hanging out."  Daiji answered.

            Amano uncrossed his arms and stuck them in his pants pockets.  "And babysitting Hakai.  I want to make sure he stays out of trouble."

            "Hakai, he is connected to Dilandau, right?"  Van asked, watching the blond carefully as he went about his business.

            "That's right."  Amano answered.  "I can never remember how to say that kid's name."

            Van scowled. "I hate him."

            "You and Yosu."  Amano said.  "Of course Yosu and Hakai are mutual."

            "I was referring to Dilandau."  Van muttered.  "But if Hakai is anything like him besides looks, I hate him too."

            "Hakai hates everyone so I'm pretty sure he's not far."  Daiji said.  He started walking toward the door.  "Love to stay and chat some more, but I'm heading down below."

            "Why?" Amano asked.

            "No reason."  Daiji answered.  "Just going."  He left, but despite his excuse, he had a reason.  That same feeling of depression had brought him down out of nowhere and he wanted to be alone to think.  Maybe staring out a window would help, the walls seemed to be closing in and weighing him down.  He stepped down to a side chamber where the setting sun was casting its last light through the windows.  He stopped and watched.  "Wow."  The ship was moving west, and the sky was advancing through the prism in stripes before him.  "That's beautiful.  I like it on these airships; you cover a ton of ground and the view's better than a plane.  It doesn't even matter where we're going."  He stopped to think.  'Where are we going?  That's right, Dryden.  We're going to meet up with my connection.  I'm the last one; everyone else has met their double.  I wonder if I'll like him.' He put a hand on his strong chin.  'For some reason…I think I will.  I'm excited to actually meet the guy.'

            Just then, Jiai appeared in his doorway. "Daiji!"  He jumped, then sighed, realizing who it was.  He turned and the 16-year-old smiled at him.  "Here you are!  We've been looking all over for you!"

            "For me?  Why?"'

            "Hitomi'll explain it."  She answered, then called down the hall.  "Guys!  I found him!"  In a second or two, the other five girls had arrived as well.

            Hitomi advanced on him, her favor-asking face on and her hands clasped in front of her.  "Daiji!  Thank goodness we found you!  We need your help!"

            "With what?"  He asked.  "I'll do anything I can."

            "We need you to help us find Dryden!"  Jiai replied.

            "Dryden?"  He asked.  "I was just thinking about him.  But what can I do?"

            "I was thinking that I could connect you to him."  Hitomi answered.  "And maybe you'll be able to tell us where he is."

            "Please say you'll do it!"  Millerna cried.  Daiji was startled with her intensity, and stared at her, his eyes twitching and she drew back.

            "Come on, Daiji."  Koneko coached. "You can do it!"

            Daiji turned back to all of them, scratching the back of his head.  "Uh, sure, I'll do it.  I've been wanting to meet up with Dryden anyway."

            Koneko cheered.  "Daiji!  You rock!"

            "Let's go do it now!"  Yukari cried.

            "The sooner the better."  Millerna agreed.

            "That's right, we don't know how far those soldiers are behind us!"  Hitomi stated.  That wasn't Millerna's exact reasoning, but she nodded in agreement.

            "Should we do it here?"  Merle asked.

            "No, up on the bridge."  Millerna answered. "We'll need the maps and such if they point out landmarks and other crewmembers might recognize something."

            "Good idea." Jiai said.

            "We should get Van." Hitomi said.  "Does anyone know where he is?"

            "He's upstairs in the boiler room with Katz and Amano, and Hakai."  Daiji said.  "I just left them."

            "I'll get him!"  Merle volunteered.

            "I'll come too!"  Koneko said.  The two of them dashed off.

            Yukari yelled after them. "Get all of them!  We'll meet you up in the cockpit!"

            "Right!"

            "Come on, Daiji."  Jiai encouraged.  She, in her excitement, stepped up to take his hand and lead him out into the hall.  Millerna felt her heart tremor at the sight of their two clasped hands.

            *                             Escaflowne                                        *

            The thick pine forest clouded the sunset from above the Pravada.  The machine stood slumped down on one knee a hand down to keep its bishop-like headpiece from breaking through the canopy.  It was dark except for a fire, casting light on two faces.  One, a man, one a 14-year-old girl.  She sat with a sword across her lap and one hand fingering the pendant around her neck.  Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of her father.

            "Ayen?"

            She looked to where he was sitting with his back against a tree, the flames changing the shadows on his face.

            "Are you okay?"

            Her eyes moved to the sword. "I'm fine.  I was just – "

            "You were thinking about the king, right?"  He asked.   She nodded and he tilted his head to one side.  "It wasn't your fault, Ayen.  You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened at the palace.  You had no control."

            "I know."  She said.  "I'm not worried about that.  It was Hitomi – the Eyes's fault."  She pulled on the pendant.  "I – I'm so confused.  If she is supposed to be my double, why did she do that?"

            "The Eyes are just a girl."  Seguir offered.  "She is like you.  She wanted to do what was right but had no choice but to do it in a not nice way."

            "But she ruined everything!"  Ayen insisted.  "Trapan told me that if she took Van or Atlantis he'd kill you!  Wouldn't she know that!?!  Couldn't she feel how important this was?"

            "I don't know."  Seguir replied.  "I can't explain the duplication mystery.  But I can guess this: would you be able to feel her feelings if she could feel yours?"

            Ayen clutched the pendant tightly.  "But I do feel hers!  This necklace gives me visions!  And in my dreams I can see her!  The night before I could see her eyes floating over my shoulder.  She followed me, and she sucked you, Van, and everything into those eyes and vanished with them!  She could see how terrified I was, but all she did was stare at me with my own eyes!"

            "Was that a vision or a bad dream?"  Seguir asked.

            "I – " She stopped.  "I don't know.  I used to be able to tell, but I was so scared then.  I'm scared to death of Sir Trapan!  He's taken my life and he was going to take you too.  You're all I have left and he wouldn't even let me see you. He was evil!  He is an evil evil person!"

            Seguir walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're right.  He and his master are evil.  But that's why we left.  We're free.  And we never have to go back."

            Tears welled up in her green eyes and she threw her arms around his waist.  "Daddy!"

            He hugged her close to him and rested his chin in her light red-brown hair.  He closed his eyes as she cried against his chest.  He'd been so long missing her.  He couldn't imagine how many times she'd cried in fear and loneliness and he hadn't been able to be there for her.  He had the urge to cry now, too.  "I love you, Ayen.  I'm right here." 

            She loved his warmth and his smell.  Her dreams were so vivid when she wore her pendant, that her heart would break every time she woke up.  She wouldn't wake up from this, this was reality and she couldn't stand how big her heart was swelling now that she had him back.  To keep it from bursting, she had to cry, and she did for what seemed like a long time.

            When she finally calmed down, he sat beside her and they started talking again.  "So," he looked at Van's sword lying beside her.  "You really took to the king, didn't you?"

            She looked down and smiled a little. "Yeah, I did.  He was so nice, and he protected me.  For this whole month, Trapan couldn't touch me because I was Hitomi.  Hitomi couldn't suddenly disappear, or suddenly have bruises and cuts.  Van wouldn't rest if he found out about it.  I thought of betraying the faction a couple times and telling him about the evil in hi sown palace, but again, I didn't know what consequences it would have on you or….to him.  I – I think I fell in love with him."  She fingered the gold-set Fanelian seal on the sword hilt.  "I really do.  I miss him.  And I knew he loved me.  I was Hitomi come back."  She let her bare shoulders sag.  "My double – he loved her so much, but that means he loves me doesn't it?  If I'd have met him first then he would be kissing my cheek in the morning and saying 'Ayen, I love you' instead of 'Hitomi'  Its not fair."

            "No, its not."  Seguir sympathized.  "But there's not a lot that is.  Still we can work it the other way.  I know, when thinking back on all that has happened to us, but most specifically, your mother.  I have to hope that somewhere in the world of Atlantis she is living a better life."

            Ayen looked up to him.  He was staring at the mystic moon with a reminiscent look on his face.  She joined him in his gaze.  "I miss her."

            "So do I."  He agreed.  He sighed, then came back form his detachment wiping one eye.  "So, things haven't been so bad for you, right?  You and King Van got along well and Trapan left you alone, so you haven't had a bad time?  I haven't seen you for nearly half a year."     

            "I the beginning I was miserable because Trapan wasn't using me for anything."  She answered. "But once I was out of bondage, or at least isolation, things – " She'd had some terrible times, but she knew he felt bad about being unable to look out for her, so she decided to shift her focus.  "Things were better.  Van welcomed me in and we had some fun, I guess.  He took me out on horseback a couple times and that was lots of fun.  I didn't have to pretend to be Hitomi then, because I honestly didn't know how to ride a horse and he got to teach me.  The first time, when he went out to teach me I fell off and he caught me just in time!  Then we had to chase the horse.  It was great!  The two of us were running around the pasture after the horse and I was laughing!  It felt so good to laugh!  And he was laughing with me, or at me, it doesn't matter.  He caught it on the back of his own horse and stopped it that way.  I was so worn out, we had to take a break."  She was smiling as she retold the story.  He liked her smile.  She turned the question around. "What about you?  What have you been doing?"

            "The same thing."  He answered. "I am head of security, or I was, for Queen Aston back in Palas."

            "That sounds exciting."  She urged.

            "I suppose it was." He answered.  "All the exciting stuff has only happened recently. The Queen's guest coming stepped up security, and then when they escaped…"  He didn't want to revisit depressing territory so told his own story. "Actually, two of the Lunar girls snuck into the kitchen and stole some of that royal pheasant.  You remember those."

            "Yeah," she answered. "They're pretty gross.  I didn't like them."

            "They're slimy, too, when they're raw."  Seguir added. "But the girls dashed around with dinner and I had to send about a quarter of my forces out to look for them."

            "What happened?"

            "They eventually tossed the birds out a window and went back to their rooms."  He answered. "But it made for an interesting day's work."

            "Where are we going to go from here?"  Ayen asked.  She hugged her bare arms.  "It's cold out here."

            "I figure we'll head out to the border of Deidlas and Asgard.  We can stay out there and try to escape notice.  Its one of the most out-of-the-way corners of the world."

            She looked to him.  "So its going to get colder?"

            He nodded.  "I'm afraid so, but we'll get you out of that Fanelian dress and into something more adapted for the area.  I'm going to have to look Deidlan too, if we want to blend in.  What I'm wearing now is a dead Asturian giveaway."

            She agreed and balled up, trying to conserve the head of the fire.  He got up and went about camp making.  Ayen put her chin on her knees, but noticed something.  Her pendant was glowing.  She straightened and held it up off her neck, the pink light growing stronger as she looked at it. "Daddy?"

            He turned and looked at her, noticing the anomaly.  "That's Atlantis…why is it glowing like that?"

            "I – I don't know."  The pendant jiggled as her hand shook.  "Daddy, I'm afraid!  I feel like there's danger nearby!"

            "What's the power of Atlantis?"  Seguir asked.  "Do you know what it is or how to use it?  Is it calling for something?"

            "I don't know."  She answered.  "It just does whatever it wants!"  There was a crash in the dark pine forest behind them.  Seguir turned but couldn't see anything. Another crash, like the falling of a tree echoed through the trees from another angle.  Pine needles rained down from the trembling branches.  The next crash came closer to them and with it, the steady breaking of branches.  Ayen jumped up. "Something's coming!"          

            Seguir noted motion in the treetops rising against the star-spotted sky and knew what was approaching. "Ayen!  Get down!"

            The stallion head of the black knight melef appeared, its eyes glowing green.  It stomped its hoof-shaped leg down and smashed out the fire, shooting embers out to litter the clearing like fallen, dying fireflies. With the bonfire gone, all light escaped and the world became dark.  Ayen looked up, but all she could see was the twilight sky, now incredibly bright and beautiful with the moon and stars peeking through the final lavender pink of the sunset.  Underneath her chest pressed against the ground, the pendant glowed pink.  She sat up and noticed its brilliance, causing the red energist of the Tamarak to glow in response.  She threw both hands to smother the brightness, which still brimmed the creases of her fingers.  She couldn't see her father anywhere; the embers seemed to be sucking all light with them into death.  "Daddy!?!"  Another crash was heard behind her and she screamed.  The silhouette of a Maginot appeared above her like a black wall.

            There was motion across from her as another shape rose up, but the dark outline was not one of the Maginot.  She knew then, exactly where her father was.  The Pravada was alive, and Seguir was inside.  She could hear the scraping of his blade as it was pulled from its sheath.  Her eyes began to adjust to the dark.

            "Daddy!"

            "Hero."  Virial scowled inside his own cockpit.  "There will be no rescue now."

            There was a second's glint of the red chest-mounted energist's glow off the swinging blade and then the clash as the long sword bit against the black metal. The Maginot moved in, Torsion's movements striking the Pravada broadside and throwing him into the trees.  His foot hit the ground not far from his daughter.  She screamed again and covered her head, the pendant dropped and free to glow.  He turned quick and saw her there.  "Ayen!"  She looked up.  "Climb up onto my back!  Hurry!"

            She jumped forward to grab his green cape and pulled herself as best she could onto his shoulder.  Resultant saw her ascent and dashed up to pick her off with his sword.  Seguir blocked with his own blade, friction sparks raining down around the girl as she clung tight to the heavy green folds. 

            "Ahhh!"

            "Behind the neck, Ayen!"  He instructed. "We're getting out of here as soon as we can!"

            Torsion jumped back, her melef coming to rest next to the Tamarak whose pilot was content to wait.  Five on one was unfair, but also unbeneficial to them.  Five couldn't fit around one melef.  He and torsion allowed the beast-dragon Prestress and the young Resultant to slide in.  The clash of another blade and Seguir backed up, crushing pines, trying to keep ground.  Ayen crouched behind the helmet.  Resultant was persistent, hacking constantly at the Pravada's right side.  Prestress engaged the left and two others stood ready head on.  Backwards was all the seasoned soldier could think of.  His daughter's eyes were clamped shut, the sound of metal on metal threatening her sanity.  She felt the chain of her pendant pull along the right side of her neck, the glowing pink was being drawn to the left.  She glanced quickly over to see Vector, the juggernaut nearing.

            "Daddy!  Behind you to the left!"

            Seguir turned quickly, but was met with Prestress's blade across his face.  The grade squealed inches from the end of his nose, holding back the sharpened edge.  This was hopeless, but he was not going to give up now, not now and not ever.  They'd sacrificed to much. "Hold on, Ayen!" his mind calculated a hole in the offense, behind and to the right, as long as he could protect his daughter on the back, he could run and take off through that opening.  He took a swipe with his long sword , forcing Prestress and Resultant to step back, then made a run for it.        

            Virial gritted his teeth, seeing his forces fail again.  He threw the hoof limb of Trapan's melef to direct them.  "After him!  Don't let them get away!"

            Seguir couldn't see behind him, but could hear the heavy feet as they pursued. His own were trudging through the woods with destructive power.  This was their only chance, he hovered his hand over the lever.  "Hang on tight for your life, Ayen!  We're getting out of here!"

            Her reddish hair flying, the girl grabbed a hold of the edge of the cape.  The melef shifted around her.  The Pravada's shoulders folded out from the bishop-looking headpiece, extending the width of the suit to nearly double its previous size.  The arms clamped into the sides, the sword in its sheath, unusable when in flight mode.  Two wide jets of flame shot out of the shoulders, causing the cape to billow out and the machine to lift into the air.  Once off the ground, the Pravada's legs fused and similar propulsion extensions folded from the thighs to the hips and ignited.  A burst of speed took them up into the night, headed south along the mountain range.  The wind was threatening to dislodge her, but Ayen held fast to her anchor.  Seguir took a deep breath and steered away from his previous destination.  Undoubtedly, the Maginot would follow him. He needed another corner of the world.  Another hiding place where he and his only family would be safe.

            *                             Escaflowne                                        *

            On the observation deck at night was a proven spot for thought.  It was Yosu's turn.  He thought about a lot that had been shoved aside by priorities, and other things he'd just had time to realize.  "How long have we been here?"  He thought it out but couldn't conclude.  All the events they'd seen had made it seem that they'd been in Gaea forever.  "I wonder if it's the weekend yet?  I wonder if there is a lot of homework due at home. I wonder if Mom and Dad are worried."  He leaned against the railing, seeing the Adynaton mountains pass all around.  "I wonder if there are any places left like this on Earth."  Earth brought him to look up at the mystic moon, where continents were sketched loosely like a hanging globe.  "I wonder if I can see them from here."

            A sigh escaped.  He knew which place he belonged to.  He was Earthen.  A Lunar.  He and his sister.  And Van was most definitely Gaean. The question was… which was Hitomi?"

            "She's in love with an alien."  Yosu spat.  "Someone from another planet.  But how was that to work?  Who planned it?  A romance can't exist across two different planes.  Its not logical."  He crossed his arms.  "It's a mistake.  Its not supposed to be like this.  A girl from Earth belongs on Earth and needs to stay there.  When this is all over, will she stay here with Van or come home with me-."

             He stopped and analyzed himself a moment.  "What am I thinking?"  He combed through his orange hair.  "What is my problem?  This isn't why I'm here.  I- I came to protect her.  I came to protect her and Neko, not fall in love with her.."

            He stared out at nothing, but noted the blueness of night, the light of the mystic moon made everything so surreal.  "What is this that's happening to me?  I don't want to fall in love with her.  Hitomi is Van's.  I don't want to take her from who she's in love with – " His brown eyes narrowed.  "But can I change my feelings to conform to my sense?  Are these feelings even real?  Jiai's connection made her sad.  Amano's connection made him afraid, and Yukari's connection made her nearly die.  Maybe mine is making me love."

            He shook out his head.  "Truths, Falsities, Faith, Love, Lies.  I don't know anything!  I can't even translate how I feel about myself!  This connection has caused me to doubt even my own privacy.  I can't tell what idea or emotion is mine or Van's!  Do I even have any anymore!?"

            He shot his eyes back up to the mystic moon and calmed down. "I can hold onto that.  That sight right there." He reached up to it, desiring to take it in his hand.  "I was someone before I knew this place, or that person existed.  Perhaps if I keep living there – I won't lose myself for good."

To Be Continued…