A/N: Yeah, once again I don't own Escaflowne. Thank you for ruining my perfect dream:P
I hope that this will satisfy the people who have been kindly waiting for this next chapter and have been gracious enough to review! It may be a while again before I update, but understand I will keep writing, just keep sending in those reviews!
Chapter 3: Partings and Meetings
Hitomi walked outside for her last lunch at high school and decided that the grass under a shaded tree would be perfect for her meal. With the events that had happened the day before Hitomi still felt a bit shaken up. The buzz around the school had been the car crash with the delusional driver and all Hitomi could think of was how untrue that statement was. She had barely sat down when her name was called.
"Hitomi!"
"I'm over here Yukari!" shouted Hitomi over the sounds of other students enjoying the sun.
Yukari jogged over to Hitomi and sat down next to her with her own lunch.
"School is almost over Hitomi, I can't believe it!"
"Pretty exciting isn't it."
"So do your parents have any plans for after graduation?"
"No, they are planning on keeping a simple gather of people, a few friends, and that is it. Oh, do you think Amano would like to come, I know you will." questioned Hitomi.
"Of course he will come. I mean it was you who put us together."
Hitomi remembered that day when she told Yukari to pursue Amano. She had been transported back to Earth and known that she couldn't love Amano like she loved Van.
"So what are you doing after graduation?" asked Hitomi.
"Well, I just got hired for this wonderful internship-"
Hitomi let her friend's voice fade as she started to stare off into the sky. She didn't notice Yukari's hand waving in front of her face until Hitomi reached over for her lunch.
"Oh, sorry Yukari."
"Earth to Hitomi, what happened there?"
"Oh, I was just thinking. Hey, did you see the news last night about the five car crash at the south end of Tokyo?"
"Yeah, they say that the man had been hallucinating that he had seen dragons. Can you believe it, the guy must have been high or something." Yukari finished with a snort.
"I saw the dragons."
"What!" screeched Yukari.
"Will you keep it down, I don't want everyone to know about it." Hissed Hitomi as she pulled her hand up to her friends gapping mouth.
"So that doctor really wasn't crazy."
"Doctor?"
"Well, it's more like he is a professor at a university. Apparently he worked in archeology, or something boring like that. The university is up to their necks with this acciedent and are planning on firing him after the summer."
"Oh." Hitomi said thoughtfully.
"So were they like the same dragon that we had seen." questioned Yukari.
Hitomi nodded, "Yeah, two of them, but then they just took off westward." Hitomi hesitated before she continued, "I did a tarot reading last night."
Yukari gave a slight gasp, "I thought you said that you weren't doing that after your trip to Gaea. You said that your premonitions were too terrible to have them come true again."
"I know, but it was really an accident, my mother scared me while I was holding my cards and I dropped them. Just the right amount of cards landed face up in the proper place as if something had arranged them."
"What did they say, did you get a vision, did you see anything." Yukari had scooted herself closer to Hitomi.
"Well, two powerful lovers are going to be joined together and the world is under some sort of judgment."
Yukari swallowed the news and turned a little pale. "Do you think that it means our world?"
"I don't know. I got a premonition when I went to touch the cards. I saw Van."
Yukari's eyes twinkled, "And"
Hitomi gave a shy blush, "Oh nothing happened I was falling and he was trying to catch me. We were almost touching when the vision ended." Hitomi started to stare off again.
"So what are you planning on doing Hitomi? You don't have your necklace anymore so how are you suppose to get back to him?"
Hitomi looked down at the ground. "I don't know."
Yukari placed a hand on Hitomi's shoulder making her look into her friend's eyes. "I will help if I can."
"Thank you Yukari." Yukari reached over to give her a hug.
"Hey, Hitomi. How about we have a sleep over for old times sake before we think that we are too old to do so?"
"Sure that sounds like fun!" Hitomi perked herself from her raging thoughts of Van.
"Alright well meet me at the park at 6. I have to run a few errands with Amano."
"Oh, errands with Amano." teased Hitomi bringing a blush to Yukari's face.
Both girls finished their lunches talking about graduation and went back inside to finish their last day of school.
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Van and Allen had saddled up their riding beasts (A/N does anyone remember what they are called?) and headed for the forests west of Fanelia. It was past noon when they had set out and it was now sunset over the forest. Both men had been riding mostly in silence. Van's thought were mostly on Hitomi as they rode along. 'I wonder if she still remembers me. She most likely doesn't. She probably has someone and is trying to move on. Oh, if I had only told you how I felt.' Van punished himself lightly trying to forget the feelings that he had for the girl from the Mystic Moon. After a long time of traveling they had come to a clearing that Van recognized and halted.
"I remember this being a common area in the forest that dragons usually come to at night with the lake nearby and good hunting grounds. This is where I got transported to the Mystic Moon to kill the dragon."
"Well, I think we should set out on foot from here Van. We don't want the beasts to bring the dragons to us." said Allen.
Van jumped off of his beast, pulled off his sword from the side of the saddle and tied his beast to a tree so it wouldn't wander into danger. There was something in the air that didn't seem quite right and it kept him in constant state of alertness. Both of them struck out against the darkening forest in search for any signs of dragons. The woods were getting darker by the minute so both men traveled carefully over the exposed roots and foliage. It didn't take them very long before they almost stumbled upon a dragon as it ate away at it's killing.
"Well, it has killed alone and I don't see any other dragons near the area." Mumbled Allen.
The two moons lit the scene before them enough to see the blood from animal dripping down the sides of the dragon's mouth. Just before it reached to rip another piece of meat off of the carcass the dragon tilted it's head to one side as if it were listening to something. Suddenly the dragon let out a horrific cry out into the night. Van felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up from the sound. A portal opened up in front of the dragon and out stepped another dragon. Van couldn't believe his eyes, two dragons in a clearing and neither of them were trying to kill the other. The two creatures stood there staring at each other before hefting up their large wings and flying off together.
Feeling that it was safe to talk now Van let out a long held breath before he opened his mouth. "Two dragons flying off together. This is something that I didn't expect to see."
"Well, the rumors are true. Just what is going on, it just doesn't make sense." mused Allen.
Allen and Van were slowly making their way back to their riding beasts when they heard an unusual sound. The sound seemed to reverberate off of every tree yet it was very quiet.
"Do you hear that Allen?"
"It sounds like something is crying." Said Allen looking around the source of the sound but it seemed to be coming from everywhere.
Van started to search around when he felt that his efforts were useless. He suddenly remembered the trick that Hitomi had taught him about finding things. Thinking of Hitomi reminded him of how much he missed her. Her ability to calm him and make his blood burn with desire, but now was not the time to continue with those thoughts. Even though he may not have an image to run by but he could follow the sound. 'Oh, Hitomi, why can't you be here? You could do this so much better than me.' Once calming himself down Van concentrated on the sad cry. It didn't take him very long before the pendant began to sway in his mind and landed on a direction. Opening his eyes Van walked in the direction that the pendant had pointed. Allen was about to question Van about what he was doing before they found the source of the sobbing. There was a little girl snuggled up inside the roots of a very large tree and her voice was being echoed against it. Van slowly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. The little girl pulled herself tighter into a ball putting herself deeper into the roots of the tree. There was barely able to muffle out a 'Please don't hurt me.' Allen and Van looked at each other in confusion.
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Hitomi and Yukari were sitting in Yukari's living room on the couch watching a movie when Hitomi felt something stir in her soul. She didn't know what it was but it felt familiar, like someone calling her name. No longer interested in the movie Hitomi looked outside at the darkening sky. The clouds were painted with oranges that turned to red and then deep purple before they blended into the blue black sky. She though about how it would feel if there was a man sitting next to her holding her close against his chest as they watched the sun set. Then she felt her name being called again. 'Well, this is really strange.' The lights from the nearby park started to light the trail that circle the lake. Something shifted in the distant trees, but there was no wind outside since the tree right next to Yukari's window didn't move. What was even odder was that the moving trees moved around the forest. Hitomi found herself up on her feet and at the door putting on her shoes before Yukari could catch up.
"Hitomi what is it?" Yukari looked up at her friend with a concerned face.
"There is something big moving in the park."
"You don't think that it is another dragon do you?" asked Yukari in a frightened voice.
"I have a strange feeling about this and I have to go check it out." said Hitomi defiantly.
"Well, you go on ahead I'll go tell my parents that we are going for a walk. Be careful."
Hitomi gave her friend a quick smile, "Don't worry I will be."
With out a second glance Hitomi was running full tilt to the park which was just down the hill from Yukari's house. When she got closer to the forest she slowed down not knowing where the possible dragon may have been. Weaving around the trees only guided by the moon light she was able to hear the large beast trampling around the forest. Keeping a large distance between them she watched the dragon as it seemed to search for something. Yukari suddenly joined her kneeling on the ground beside Hitomi as she stood peering around a large tree. The dragon let out a shrill scream that sounded familiar to Hitomi, but none the less it still sent chills up and down her spine. Yukari eeped and clung onto Hitomi. Both kept very still as the dragon seemed to have heard Yukari's minimal noise
"Hitomi do you think-" Yukari's barely audible whisper was cut off by Hitomi clamping a hand over Yukari's mouth.
The dragon slowly started to creep towards the tree that Hitomi and Yukari we hiding. Hitomi had kneeled down next to Yukari hugging her friend close fearing that if the dragon took another step it may smell the girls and make a quick meal out of both of them. 'Oh why can't Van show up right now and destroy this creature like the last one, why can't he be here to protect me.' thought Hitomi. Both of the girls held their breaths as the monster came closer, but the footsteps of the dragon stopped and instead a portal open up in the forest just like the one had the other day. Instead of a dragon coming out of the portal the dragon in the forest stepped through it and moments later the portal vanished. Letting go of Yukari, both girls sank lower to the ground trying to take in deep breaths from the shallow ones when the dragon started towards them.
"That was too close Hitomi." said a very shaken Yukari.
All Hitomi could do was nod her head. Looking back over to where the dragon disappeared Hitomi saw a glowing ball of blue light no bigger than the size of an insect except it didn't move. Giving into her curiosity Hitomi walked over to the little ball of light. Yukari closely followed her friend afraid that another dragon may come barreling through the forest. Hitomi stretched out a hand towards the glowing ball.
"Hitomi I wouldn't do that."
As Hitomi's fingertips touched the ball of light it exploded into little shards of light and drifted up to the stars disappearing.
"Nothing happened." said Hitomi slightly disappointed.
"Can we go back now, Hitomi?"
"Yeah."
Just as the girls had walked a few feet Hitomi felt violent shivers run through her body as if a vision was about to come to her. Hitomi turned around with Yukari looking back over her shoulder and to their surprise a pillar of light shot down from the sky right where the little ball of light had been. Hitomi started walking forward and was stopped by Yukari's hand on her shoulder.
"Yukari, I have to go. There is something going on and I have to figure out what it is."
Yukari dropped her hand and nodded, "I know that you want to go back Hitomi, you have wanted to be with him ever since you got back." Yukari un-shouldered the duffel bag that Hitomi had just recently noticed hanging at her friend's side. Hitomi accepted her duffel bag from her friend and gave her a swift hug.
"Tell my mother that I left, she'll understand." she said still embracing her friend.
"Hitomi, why do I feel that this good bye."
Hitomi released her friend, "Have a good life Yukari, take card of Amano."
Yukari watched as her friend ran over to the pillar of light and was swept away up into the heavens.
"I hope you find happiness Hitomi."
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Allen reached for the girl and swept her up into his arms. The little girl immediately protested by kicking her legs and swinging her arms while screaming at the top of her lungs. Unable to control her Allen let her down to the ground and the little girl took off running. Both men ran after the little girl surprised at how nimbly she was running through the woods. Suddenly a blue light caught Van's eye and made him stop in his tracks. Looking up at the sky he saw the familiar blue pillar of light that had whisked Hitomi away from him was descending into the forest.
"Allen, did you-"
Both Allen and Van had paused from running after the girl.
"You go and see what that was, I'll see if I can catch her and I'll meet you at the clearing where we left the running beasts."
Van nodded and ran off towards the pillar of light while Allen ran after the little girl. Van hurled himself through the forest with his heart soaring with hope that it was Hitomi. He didn't care as the trees tore into his shirt and at his skin as the light from the pillar faded. Hitomi found herself once again transported into a forest. She had landed standing up, but didn't know which way to go.
"Way to go Hitomi, land yourself in the middle of a strange forest not knowing where to turn, and without Van." Hitomi said aloud to herself starting to feel worried as strange animal noises started to sound around her. Then she thought she heard someone call her name. Standing still Hitomi listened again.
"Hitomi!" came a shout from a voice that seemed to come out of her dream.
"Van!" she yelled back tentatively.
There was a crashing noise a couple of yards away from where Hitomi was standing, not certain what would be running into her in the dark forest Hitomi started to walk backwards. Then a dark shadow barreled into her from behind throwing her and her assailant to the ground. Hitomi turned over to see what hit her finding herself face to face with a man's face.
"Van?" came a small whisper.
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In the high mountains of Kasher, a fortress of white marble stood on the tallest peak. There were four towers that watched over the entire mountain range and valley below. Snow almost always covered the mountain and the fortress and only during the hottest of summers would the snow melt and some green grass grew for a few weeks. It was in the deep valleys of evergreen trees that the snow would retreat, but not at this peak. When it would snow on the peak the fortress would seem to vanish under the storm which pleased the ruler of Kasher.
In the northern tower was a large war room where currently five men stood around a circular table. All of them were shouting at each other, each feeling that their opinion was to be heard. The room had thick tapestries hanging on the walls to keep in the heat. There was a door that lead into the room from inside fortress stairs on the east side of the room. A fire roared in the large fireplace on the northern side where at the west end of the room were two large wooden doors that lead to the outside ramparts. Suddenly they were thrust open and swirling snow and wind almost blew off the plans that were held down by the men. The doors were swiftly closed by the two servants standing at both sides. A heavily cloaked figure shrugged out of the heavy pelts and scarves as the same servants hurried over to retrieve them off of the floor. A woman in dark brown leather pants, a coal gray shirt with a dark brown leather bodice over top, and matching dark brown leather pants stood there gazing at the now silent men. She pushed back the long black hair that was streaked with gray out of her eyes as she moved towards the table. The generals moved over to one side as she stood at the other.
"So what is going on." her voice matched the iciness of the cold outside.
"Well, we have found the information needed, but it is in a language that only Dornkirk spoke and knew, we haven't be able to decipher it yet. It is a difficult language to understand." said one of the generals.
"You better get on that General, Captain have you found the location of the weapon yet?"
"The location was written in old Draconian script and is being translated as we speak, but they speak in riddles my lady and take time to understand."
The lady glared at the five men standing before her, "It seems that all forms of speech seem to blunder even the simplest minds."
"My Lady Serra, I have some good news." came a voice from the shadows.
A man dressed in a Dragon Slayers uniform stepped forward.
"The plans for the kidnapping are underway and we will soon have him back as long as the procedure goes as planned."
"Thank you Gatti, I'm glad that there is someone that I can count on."
The tall blonde man bowed low towards Lady Serra. The candle light glittered off of the metal parts that were now keeping Gatti and many of the old Dragon Slayers alive. The men around the table began to whisper amongst each other.
"Is there something else that I should know about gentlemen?" the woman had turned her sharp green eyes towards the five men.
"Well, we have a rumor that has been circulating through many of the mining towns. Apparently the dragons have been acting strangely."
The lady cocked a slim black eyebrow upwards. The captain that she had spoken to earlier pushed onward. "Apparently they have been sighted flying in pairs."
"It is most likely nothing but a rumor spread by the drunken miners. Now, this meeting is over you may leave."
The five men bowed low and left the war room out through the east door. Lady Serra made a motion with her hand and the two servants brought out two plush chairs and set them by the fire place. Lady Serra sat down in one and gestured for Gatti to sit in the other. After Gatti had sat down in the chair a goblet of wine was handed to him.
"So tell me Gatti, how long before we have Dilandau back."
Hee, hee, cliffhanger. So this chapter is way long, but I will continue it soon! Special thanks goes to: VG Terra, Inda, SabineballZ! You have really kept me going!