Yep, yep, still writing like crazy. I can't believe the beginning was as slow as it turned out. I'm not good at beginnings. Gots to get to the plot, y'know ;.; Oh, and I've been asked to thank all mah reviewers.
Sar-hah (sanjipocky)- I'm sorry about your house xD. Hehe, giddy school girls!
Macky- Yep, yep, I'm trying to continue as fast as I can
Inda- Woo, thanks for posting three times and loving teh ficcy
StarRise- I'm pretty sure everyone is worth hanging… xD Thanks for reviewing, maybe I should take my time….
AvelynLauren- Heh, well, I HOPE it gets interesting… arigato!
KriegHerr- I'll try not to stop. And you'll find out soon enough
-bows gratefully- I'd give you all donuts if I had some
Onto the story… don't hold your breath xD
"Eternity Dragons"
Chapter Four – Self-Doubt
"Is that… Earth?" Kei was sitting on her knees, staring up at the sky with an awestruck impression.
Hitomi giggled at Kei's wonder, shifting her duffel bag as she stood. "Yeah. But get used to it being the Mystic Moon."
It was then she stared down at herself. Her school uniform was back, as was Kei's. Odd… But, she thought as the looked around, at least they'll recognize me better that way…
Kei following suit after her friend, standing. She took the time to throw the messenger bag over her shoulder and attach the sheath of her sword onto her skirt belt. Seconds later, she did a double take, noticing the same thing Hitomi had. "And why are we in our school uniforms?"
"I'm not sure…" She answered slowly, still observing their surrounding, hoping to recognize something. So far, she knew that they were in a small valley with two mountains on either side of them. Behind was a plain that went on for a while, and in front of them was darkness. It was exactly that darkness that interested Hitomi. After straining her eyes staring at something that she had been hoping were city lights, but were only reflections off a rock wall, she sighed and jogged forward a few steps towards the shadowy unknown, Kei still staring around and not noticing her friend's movements.
The few steps took the small part of the mountain out of her line of vision, which was just what she needed, and, at the same time, more moonlight seemed to flood into the small valley, removing the darker parts. Now the black emptiness that had been before them became a forest.
This sight cheered Hitomi. At least now they knew where to go… wait. This didn't seem right. She was using logic to figure out where to go. This may have been usual on Earth, where she had no pendant. The habit of using the pendant for everything had disappeared in the short amount of time she had spent home.
Oh well… time to get used to it again.
She sighed softly, putting the pendant around her neck. She was so happy to be back… but why was this making her feel so sad? This familiar, sad feeling.
A little voice in her head answered the question.
Because you don't want to depend on the pendant. The power it possesses brings about sorrowful things. It brought about pain. Pain to Van, pain to everyone.
You don't want people to depend on you.
So you can just let them use it to cause death and destruction? So you can see them find joy in the killing? In the fighting?
All those thoughts…. Hitomi smiled sadly, recalling now the memories she had pushed away in her mind. Not everything had been perfect in Gaea after all. But she had only remembered the good things. Who wouldn't?
But now was not the time to dwell on this, she realized as Kei finally caught up to her. The girl's blue-black hair seemed to shimmer in the moonlight and her grey eyes turned to an almost white color.
Hitomi didn't notice any of this. She only felt Kei's presence as she stared with a glazed expression at the forest. Seeming to understand that Hitomi was thinking, the grey-eyed girl kept silent and continued to look around in content, drinking in the scene.
Kei trusted her. After all, it was because of her that they were even here with the pendant. Kei trusted and depended on her.
Hitomi suddenly grasped the situation she had put herself in. She was the leader now. The one supposed to know the goal and how they were to get there. And a leader had courage. Hitomi didn't have courage. Not like Van or Allen. If the time finally came for her to stand up… stand up for Kei, who trusted her, depended on her… would she be able to hold her ground?
Her hands were shaking and an empty feeling in her stomach came into comprehension as Hitomi returned to reality. She slowly raised one hand to take the pink jewel in her grip and her fingers instantly clamped around the smooth surface as they had nothing else to hold onto.
However, the girl didn't realize the expression on her face that was the result of her negative thoughts. Kei saw it and frowned in worry.
"Hitomi? Are you ok? What's wrong?
"Huh? Oh, nothing… just give me a minute…"
It was now or never.
Don't use it! The small voices in her head cried out. You know what will happen if you do!
But I can't let down Kei. Or Van and Merle. If I don't use this… I'll let everyone down. A firm voice fought back at the thoughts, giving Hitomi strength.
Without any more hesitations, she cleared her thoughts, imagining first the swinging pendant, then Van. A few moments passed, Kei watching her companion intently, who didn't move, keeping her eyes closed with a determined expression upon her features.
Finally complying, the image of the necklace in her head finally swung forward. Into the forest. At the same time, the real-life pendant began to glow.
"Ah… Hitomi…" Kei said in the low voice, looking back out at the plains behind them. "Hitomi…" There was a strange strain in her voice. Was it fear? Or excitement?
"We have to go that way." She quickly replied, unsure of what Kei was going on about as the pendant was tucked away under her shirt, as usual. Usual of what? It wasn't usual anymore…
"There's something out there."
Whatever calm Hitomi had managed to establish with her concentration on the pendant and finding their way was shattered with those words. "Are you… sure?"
"No. But it sounds big…" Kei's eyes were darting around, grinning slightly.
A screech that was heart-stoppingly familiar sounded not too far away. Close, in fact.
Too close.
A screech of a land dragon.
"Sir! We have received reports that two strangers from the Mystic Moon have just arrived. We believe that one is the girl named 'Hitomi'…"
A man's voice spoke from shadows, only pale grey eyes seen, shining with a strange light resembling that of a madman's. The messenger shivered slightly at the man's reply.
"At last… the girl who awakened the dragon has returned. At last…." His voice seemed to hiss, no higher than a whisper. He spoke more to himself than to the courier. "Soon… Gaea will rise with a power I have dreamed of for years…."
The messenger jumped as the voice sharpened. "Find out who the second one is. Keep watch, but do not interfere…. Not yet. We must allow the dragon to awake once more through the power of the Mystic Moon girl…"
"Yes sir." Nodding and bowing reverently, the younger man scurried out of the room, gratified to leave.
"At last…" His voice lowered once more to a hiss. "At last… the ultimate power of Ispano and Atlantis… will be mine!"
Hitomi sucked in breath, the pendant glowing a brighter shade of pink through her shirt as the bottom of her stomach seemingly plummeted. She knew she had heard that strange shriek somewhere before. "A dragon…" She managed to whisper, her breathing constricted from fear. "We've got to go."
Grabbing Kei's arm, she ran. After blurting out a few protests of wanting to see a dragon, Kei ran too. If Hitomi was running, albeit somewhat blindly, there was obviously a reason for it.
Suddenly, everything seemed to fall into place. Dragons, mountains, a large valley. They were in the Valley of the Dragons. And that was near…
"Van!" She gasped softly, but Kei didn't hear it past their loud breathing. The forest, to which Hitomi was heading, turned out to be farther than they thought, but just as a cry of desperation reached the pendant-carrier's throat, they were through, and they were safe.
For the moment, at least. The forest seemed peaceful enough and the screeching in the background subsided. The girls took up shelter in a small hollowed out space of a large rock that they found after a few minutes of slow walking and breathing.
Finally, after they caught their breath and the feeling of panic subsided, Kei asked, "Why were we running?"
"I told you…" Hitomi's voice was still shaking slightly. "They're evil. And dangerous."
As soon as those words came out, she regretted them. More memories came to the surface. Folken would have been saddened by those words. Dragon's weren't as cruel and wicked as most said they were, as Hitomi had learned little over three months ago. Once they sensed your terror, anger, apprehension… then they attacked. Like dogs who smelled fear. She quickly corrected herself before Kei got the wrong idea.
"No... no they're not. I've just… forgotten a bit. They seem to only attack when you're filled with hate or fear. My nerves were just a little on end… I'm sorry I scared you like that."
So much for being a leader. Panicking and running at the first sign of danger. She mentally scolded herself. So stupid…
"It's ok, I don't mind…" Kei shrugged, brushing back a stray hair from her face and neatly stashing it behind her ear as she turned to check that she still had everything from their mad dash.
They stayed silent for a while, consumed in their own thoughts, when Kei broke it unexpectedly with a soft laugh. "So here we are in a world that I never imagined possible... with dragons, mecha armor, and winged men. One of whom you love."
Hitomi did a double take, her tired brain at first not registering with what she said. She had never told Kei about her feelings with Van. "How did you…"
She was met with a broad grin. "I thought so. I wasn't really sure… but the way you talked about him and how your eyes told the whole story…" Seeing how Hitomi was still staring at her in shock, she smiled in apology. "I'm sorry for putting it out in the open like that."
"No… it's ok…" Hitomi lowered her eyes with a sigh, bringing a hand up to clutch at the pendant in comfort as she replied in a soft voice, "You would've found out sooner or later."
Kei continued. "Not only that, but I pretty much have no idea what is going on, besides what you told me. You said you knew where we were going, though?"
"Through the forest. And don't worry, Kei, I don't know what's going on either." She said with a slight grin, releasing the pink ornament once more.
"Oh, so I'm not supposed to worry?" She chuckled, smirking.
"Oh, right…" The two girls stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. It went on for a few minutes as they both let out all their emotions into their chuckles and giggles. Finally, it died down with content sighs coming from both.
"So, where to, Hitomi Kanzaki?" Kei asked with an amused tone.
"Through this forest, Harakei Hamano." Hitomi smiled, her tone of the same nature.
Just as the two girls stood, not fully prepared for what was coming, but ready to at least walk, thunder sounded out of nowhere. They stopped dead, startled, and, naturally, quick to follow was the rain. With squeaks, Hitomi and Kei ran from their resting spot. Luck was on their side however, and before they managed to get fully soaked, a cave loomed out of the darkness. Thinking the same thing, the girls ran in unison towards it, sliding in the newly formed mud to land perfectly in the medium-sized, but thankfully dry cavern.
Breathing sighs of relief, they shifted the positions to rest against opposite sides of the cave, looking out to listen to the rain's pitter patter as a heavy downpour began.
"I guess we'll journey once the rain's over…" Hitomi said softly, somewhat regretful that they couldn't keep going.
Maybe it was a good thing to have some time to relax and sort their thoughts. Kei was probably shocked enough with the dragons and new land… Hell, even Hitomi was scared. The Valley of the Dragons at night was undeniably frightening.
Minutes passed. At least 15 had when, for the hundredth time, broke the silence.
"Hitomi, I…"
But before she could get another word, a lightly furred hand wrapped around her mouth, as well as Hitomi's and now they could sense a presence behind them, and this person… was growling?
A fire sparked in the back of the cave, flooding the cavern with light. Hitomi dared a glance at who their captor was and gasped, pulling the hand off to throw her arms around the fuzzy person.
"Ruhm!" She cried gratefully.
Both the wolf-man and Kei were shocked, but Ruhm was the first to recover, growling in joy and holding the grinning Hitomi out at arms length to get a better look at her.
"Why, Miss Hitomi! You scared me for a moment there… back from the Mystic Moon already?"
"Yes, Ruhm, I'm back."
"And I see you brought a friend with you!" He let go off Hitomi's shoulders to look at Kei, who was still blinking blankly, not as shocked about seeing a half man, half wolf creature as Hitomi would have expected. As soon as her presence was noticed, she smiled shyly. Hitomi quickly went around introductions, glad that her friend was taking this well.
"Ruhm, this is Kei. Kei, Ruhm. Don't worry, he's a friend of Van's."
"This is Olden, by the way…" Ruhm added, pointing to a similar wolf-man in the back, explaining who had lit the fire. Olden waved from an appetizing smelling cauldron and grinned fang-like. He seemed to be quite young compared to his companion.
The two girls politely nodded to Olden before Ruhm pulled them closer to the fire, looking excited. "So why are you two, of all places, in the Valley?"
Kei settled back to listen while Hitomi took up the role of explaining. "We just appeared here."
"So you've just arrived?" Ruhm's eyes widened slightly as the other wolfman passed two bowls of soup to Kei and Hitomi.
"Yes, no more than an hour ago. Ruhm…" She grew serious and couldn't keep the pleading out of her voice, not even paying attention as she took the soup. "… will you take us back to Fanelia tomorrow, once the rain stops?"
The wolfman chuckled softly. "I was just about to suggest that. Of course I will, Miss Hitomi. I owe you that much. For now, you should eat and rest."
The two girls dug into their soups with appreciative thanks. Since there were no spoons, they simply sipped from the earthenware bowl. It was delicious. Kei found the taste unfamiliar but very warming and tasty.
They were done soon enough, and despite Hitomi's plan to talk to Ruhm about what happened the last three months she was away, the past event's toll on her and the satisfied, warm feeling in her stomach prevented her from staying awake for long. Resting her head on her duffel bag, Kei on her messenger bag, the two girls fell asleep in seconds, leaving the two wolf-men to talk quietly at the back of the cave.
That night, Hitomi dreamed again of the black Escaflowne and a burning Earth. The same vision from almost a week ago. At the end, just as she was to be consumed by the flames, she woke up with a gasp to find the whole cave quiet, and, after breathing deeply to slow down her beating, frenzied heart, she quickly fell back against her make-shift pillow and let more peaceful dreams wash over her.
Ooo, deep, thoughtful chapter. At least, to me. Yeah, yeah, about time I introduced the enemy. I'm sorry, I actually almost forgot to write about that xD….
This is my longest chapter yet, if only by a paragraph. Keep reading and reviewing, please! Reviews make me happy -grin-