Reading Between the Lines
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Escaflowne. What's it to you?
A/N: Chapter Revised. I guess no one liked the original one...
For those confused about the last chapter, I'm sooo sorry! I blame it all on the stress of Geometry! I reread it and saw that I hadn't been too clear, so I added some more detail. (right after I got RaY AlleN's review) I recommend rereading the chapter to catch all the changes. Let me explain. Hitomi had a double dream/vision thing. The Wedding and Van dying were just dreams. (or were they? @_@ Hehe.) So Hitomi is not married to Allen (yet?) and Van is still alive (for now). AHH! The uncertainty!
*esca chick: It's hard for me too. Probably since I'm such a V/H fan. Just picture the end credits where Allen's kissing Hitomi. ^_^ But look at it this way... at least it was only a dream..
*RaY AlleN 34: The woman in the beginning of the chapter is the one who comes out of the pillar. She reappears at the end. Allen's the one who recognizes her. I added some more to the last chapter to make that clearer. Thank you for bringing that up. ^_^
*specialpal14: Thank you for reviewing!! ::smiles brightly:: Glad you liked it.
*aradow: It may make things more interesting, but I think I may have written myself into a corner! Ahhh!
~*~
"What do you mean he's gone?!" Dornkirk raged over the vid phone. (A/N: Yea, I dunno what that telephone/computer thingy is, so.... vid phone!)
"He's disappeared." Jajuka said, growling softly. Damn Lord Dilandau for vanishing. And right in the middle of a heated battle! One moment Dilandau was there, chopping away like he always does, and the next minute he disappears into a pillar of light. What's a dog to do?
"Well. Get. Him. Back!" Dornkirk said emphasizing every word. "He is vital in the upcoming battle. I have seen it!"
"But milord, I do not even know where he is."
"Stupid animal!" Dornkirk snarled. Must he do everything himself? Note to self: Hire better soldiers. "Dilandau is in Pallas. Along with the Seer from the Mystic Moon."
"Sir?..." Jajuka frowned, completely puzzled. He knew Lord Dornkirk was trying to tell him something, but he wasn't sure what.
Dornkirk sighed and looked skyward. Heaven help him, that migraine was coming back again. "Grab them both!" Dornkirk roared. "Dear Gaea, do I have to spell everything out for you? Go now. Go quickly. Take the Generals with you. Since we're headed for Pallas, we might as well attack them at the same time. Saves up on gas, you know."
"Yes, milord." Jajuka said bowing low. "I will not fail you."
"See that you don't."
~*~
"So you're telling us that that the Mystery Girl is your sister?" Dryden asked Allen skeptically, scratching his chin. The fact that a mysterious woman, claiming to be Allen's sister, shows up oh-so-suddenly was a little fishy to him. It felt too much like one of Zaibach's little plots.
"Yes. It's been ten years, but I'd recognize her anywhere." Allen said firmly, leaning against a bookcase. He frowned at Dryden's lack of faith. "I wouldn't mistake her for another. I wonder where she's been. The poor thing has lost her memory."
"Which is pretty convenient, seeing as how that way she doesn't have to explain anything." Van muttered from his seat near the fireplace.
"Well it's not like it's been easy for her!" Allen snapped. He wasn't particularly fond of Van right now. (A/N: I wonder why..) "She's been all alone all these years and now when she's finally found her only family, you're doubting her story? Unbelievable!"
"I didn't mean...." Van started.
"Look at your brother." Allen continued angrily, cutting him off. "He comes in here after serving Zaibach willingly for years! How do you know that HE isn't a spy? It'd serve you right if he ends up killing all of us."
"Don't drag Folken into this!" Van snarled, temper rising. ::What the hell's the matter with Allen? Why is he acting so unreasonable?::
"Gentlemen." Millerna coughed delicately, interrupting the little spat. Allen and Van broke off arguing and they had enough decency to look guilty. "I see this is a sensitive issue for some of us."
Van glared at Allen. "Well, he started it."
Millerna rolled her sky blue eyes and pursed her lips. "Men." She said and left it at that.
"Well if you say she's your sister, then we believe you." Dryden said abruptly, clearly amused by the little argument. "We'll keep a close eye on her. Just in case."
"If you deem it necessary." Allen said stiffly. He couldn't believe his own friends were acting so uptight about this. Celena was his sister for Gaea's sake! "If you'll excuse me, I must take my leave. Pressing issues."
And with that, he walked out of the room without a backward glance.
~*~
"How much does she remember?" Hitomi asked Allen, absently toying with a daisy she picked up. Allen had brought Celena outside to their mother's grave in hopes that seeing the tombstone would bring back memories.
"I'm not sure." Allen replied softly, watching Celena kneel in front of the grave marker. "Aside from acknowledging me as her brother, she hasn't said anything else."
"Don't worry." Hitomi said lightly, smiling at Allen encouragingly. "I'm sure she'll remember sooner or later."
"I'm not so sure." Allen said frowning, finally voicing his innermost fear. "I have a feeling that some memories are hidden from her. It's like she's deliberately trying not to remember."
"Oh." Hitomi looked at Celena sadly. She was so innocent. What could've happened to her that made her want to forget so badly? If Celena ever DID remember, would they be ready for what she would tell them? All these questions buzzed in Hitomi's head until Allen's nudging broke her thoughts.
"Hitomi." Allen said insistently, nudging her. "Hitomi, did you hear what I said?"
She blushed guiltily, knowing that she should've been paying attention. "Sorry." Hitomi said guiltily. "What did you just say?"
"I wanted to ask you to do a reading for her." Allen repeated patiently. "You know, like the one you did for me."
"Oh." Hitomi said thoughtfully. "I never thought of that. I have my cards right here." She pulled out her tarot deck and sat down on the grass. Motioning for Allen to do the same, she started shuffling the deck.
Hitomi flipped over the first card. It revealed La Stella- The Star. "This signifies her childhood. Happiness. She was well loved by you and your mother." Hitomi said softly.
She flipped over another card. La Foresta Scura- The Dark Forest. "The time of her kidnap. She was frightened and taken unwillingly."
Allen stared at the card blankly, as if lost in his own memories.
Hitomi slowly set down the next card. La Regina Delle- Queen of Beasts. Hitomi was puzzled. The card signified companionship, but who was Celena's friend? "This card is for friendship."
By this time, Celena had gotten bored of looking at the tombstones and had decided to join Hitomi and Allen. She had sat down next to Allen was looking at Hitomi's cards in polite puzzlement.
Taking a deep breath, Hitomi revealed the next card. L'uomo Due- Affrontato. The Two-Faced Man.
::Celena is a spy?::
Exhaling sharply, Hitomi quickly looked up at Celena and to her horror, Celena's face started to shift.
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Escaflowne. What's it to you?
A/N: Chapter Revised. I guess no one liked the original one...
For those confused about the last chapter, I'm sooo sorry! I blame it all on the stress of Geometry! I reread it and saw that I hadn't been too clear, so I added some more detail. (right after I got RaY AlleN's review) I recommend rereading the chapter to catch all the changes. Let me explain. Hitomi had a double dream/vision thing. The Wedding and Van dying were just dreams. (or were they? @_@ Hehe.) So Hitomi is not married to Allen (yet?) and Van is still alive (for now). AHH! The uncertainty!
*esca chick: It's hard for me too. Probably since I'm such a V/H fan. Just picture the end credits where Allen's kissing Hitomi. ^_^ But look at it this way... at least it was only a dream..
*RaY AlleN 34: The woman in the beginning of the chapter is the one who comes out of the pillar. She reappears at the end. Allen's the one who recognizes her. I added some more to the last chapter to make that clearer. Thank you for bringing that up. ^_^
*specialpal14: Thank you for reviewing!! ::smiles brightly:: Glad you liked it.
*aradow: It may make things more interesting, but I think I may have written myself into a corner! Ahhh!
~*~
"What do you mean he's gone?!" Dornkirk raged over the vid phone. (A/N: Yea, I dunno what that telephone/computer thingy is, so.... vid phone!)
"He's disappeared." Jajuka said, growling softly. Damn Lord Dilandau for vanishing. And right in the middle of a heated battle! One moment Dilandau was there, chopping away like he always does, and the next minute he disappears into a pillar of light. What's a dog to do?
"Well. Get. Him. Back!" Dornkirk said emphasizing every word. "He is vital in the upcoming battle. I have seen it!"
"But milord, I do not even know where he is."
"Stupid animal!" Dornkirk snarled. Must he do everything himself? Note to self: Hire better soldiers. "Dilandau is in Pallas. Along with the Seer from the Mystic Moon."
"Sir?..." Jajuka frowned, completely puzzled. He knew Lord Dornkirk was trying to tell him something, but he wasn't sure what.
Dornkirk sighed and looked skyward. Heaven help him, that migraine was coming back again. "Grab them both!" Dornkirk roared. "Dear Gaea, do I have to spell everything out for you? Go now. Go quickly. Take the Generals with you. Since we're headed for Pallas, we might as well attack them at the same time. Saves up on gas, you know."
"Yes, milord." Jajuka said bowing low. "I will not fail you."
"See that you don't."
~*~
"So you're telling us that that the Mystery Girl is your sister?" Dryden asked Allen skeptically, scratching his chin. The fact that a mysterious woman, claiming to be Allen's sister, shows up oh-so-suddenly was a little fishy to him. It felt too much like one of Zaibach's little plots.
"Yes. It's been ten years, but I'd recognize her anywhere." Allen said firmly, leaning against a bookcase. He frowned at Dryden's lack of faith. "I wouldn't mistake her for another. I wonder where she's been. The poor thing has lost her memory."
"Which is pretty convenient, seeing as how that way she doesn't have to explain anything." Van muttered from his seat near the fireplace.
"Well it's not like it's been easy for her!" Allen snapped. He wasn't particularly fond of Van right now. (A/N: I wonder why..) "She's been all alone all these years and now when she's finally found her only family, you're doubting her story? Unbelievable!"
"I didn't mean...." Van started.
"Look at your brother." Allen continued angrily, cutting him off. "He comes in here after serving Zaibach willingly for years! How do you know that HE isn't a spy? It'd serve you right if he ends up killing all of us."
"Don't drag Folken into this!" Van snarled, temper rising. ::What the hell's the matter with Allen? Why is he acting so unreasonable?::
"Gentlemen." Millerna coughed delicately, interrupting the little spat. Allen and Van broke off arguing and they had enough decency to look guilty. "I see this is a sensitive issue for some of us."
Van glared at Allen. "Well, he started it."
Millerna rolled her sky blue eyes and pursed her lips. "Men." She said and left it at that.
"Well if you say she's your sister, then we believe you." Dryden said abruptly, clearly amused by the little argument. "We'll keep a close eye on her. Just in case."
"If you deem it necessary." Allen said stiffly. He couldn't believe his own friends were acting so uptight about this. Celena was his sister for Gaea's sake! "If you'll excuse me, I must take my leave. Pressing issues."
And with that, he walked out of the room without a backward glance.
~*~
"How much does she remember?" Hitomi asked Allen, absently toying with a daisy she picked up. Allen had brought Celena outside to their mother's grave in hopes that seeing the tombstone would bring back memories.
"I'm not sure." Allen replied softly, watching Celena kneel in front of the grave marker. "Aside from acknowledging me as her brother, she hasn't said anything else."
"Don't worry." Hitomi said lightly, smiling at Allen encouragingly. "I'm sure she'll remember sooner or later."
"I'm not so sure." Allen said frowning, finally voicing his innermost fear. "I have a feeling that some memories are hidden from her. It's like she's deliberately trying not to remember."
"Oh." Hitomi looked at Celena sadly. She was so innocent. What could've happened to her that made her want to forget so badly? If Celena ever DID remember, would they be ready for what she would tell them? All these questions buzzed in Hitomi's head until Allen's nudging broke her thoughts.
"Hitomi." Allen said insistently, nudging her. "Hitomi, did you hear what I said?"
She blushed guiltily, knowing that she should've been paying attention. "Sorry." Hitomi said guiltily. "What did you just say?"
"I wanted to ask you to do a reading for her." Allen repeated patiently. "You know, like the one you did for me."
"Oh." Hitomi said thoughtfully. "I never thought of that. I have my cards right here." She pulled out her tarot deck and sat down on the grass. Motioning for Allen to do the same, she started shuffling the deck.
Hitomi flipped over the first card. It revealed La Stella- The Star. "This signifies her childhood. Happiness. She was well loved by you and your mother." Hitomi said softly.
She flipped over another card. La Foresta Scura- The Dark Forest. "The time of her kidnap. She was frightened and taken unwillingly."
Allen stared at the card blankly, as if lost in his own memories.
Hitomi slowly set down the next card. La Regina Delle- Queen of Beasts. Hitomi was puzzled. The card signified companionship, but who was Celena's friend? "This card is for friendship."
By this time, Celena had gotten bored of looking at the tombstones and had decided to join Hitomi and Allen. She had sat down next to Allen was looking at Hitomi's cards in polite puzzlement.
Taking a deep breath, Hitomi revealed the next card. L'uomo Due- Affrontato. The Two-Faced Man.
::Celena is a spy?::
Exhaling sharply, Hitomi quickly looked up at Celena and to her horror, Celena's face started to shift.