There and Back again
GA1: Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaasssssssssseeeeee forgive me!
SD: Forgive you? We better still have readers! Its been over Nine months!
GA1: hides gomen?
SD: …….. Work and straight to the computer!
GA1: ……..? You're not the boss of me….
SD: holds GA1's bf hostage I am now…..
GA1: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Slaves away writing
SD: Mwahahahahaha whispers Now only if she doesn't figure out he's at work I might get the next chapter done….
Disclaimer: Roses are Red, Violets are blue, Bandi owes Escaflowne, so please Don't SUE!
We do however own our respected characters and the changes in plot line:
Spirit Dancer: Aiko, Shiva
Glass Angel1: Ayane, Fira, Merlin, the Providence Children, Caim and any other character that I must create for the production of this story.
All rights reserved
Music Disclaimer: Following songs belong to their writers, producers or individual bands. We claim not ownership and use them solely for Fan Purposes:
Lullaby – Emma Rossum (Sung by Ayane)
Missing- Evanscence
Summary:
Not just an ordinary retelling of Escaflowne. Two girls' wish away their lives of family abuse, only to find their wish answered. Destiny plays its hands hard as these two friends find themselves caught up in a war of a world they barely know, only to be torn apart along the way. Will they be able to overcome their trouble pasts, and save this new world for its own destruction? Or will their pasts become its means of destruction?
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance
xVxVxVxVx; same place different point of view
xXxXxXxXx ;scene change
italic; vision
XoX ; Flashback
Chpt. 34 Atlantis' Question
"Well this is it…" Folken said as he unlocked the small door to the rooms he called home. The rooms were lighter then the dark halls they had been walking through. Zaibach was a very compact city. Solely dependent on its industrial economy. No one here owned a house, land of their own for their lords to ruin. Everyone lived in an apartment stacked one on top other the other, compacted to take up the least amount of space possible. These lucky few, higher classmen which only consisted of the patrons and the Madoushi, lived on the very top of these buildings. Instead of being seven apartments deep in the lower levels, the top floor was only one apartment deep with a large inside garden that all the apartments must circle around. When he became the Stratigoes of Zaibach, Folken joined this class of ignorant, annoying people. But it was better then living in the black towers. Ayane was right; it was an empty, sad place. He stepped inside the apartment and flicked on the light. The dark blue flames lit up the main room. The medium sized dinning table was covered with research books, science journals, and unfilled papers stacked about it and on the four chairs around it. The all in one dinning and setting room was a mess actually. Books, papers, journal littered the room. How did he manage to keep his quarters on the Vione cleaner then his home? Simple, he was never here for long. Sighing, he looked over his shoulder to the young mysticer who stood next to him, placing her beauty bag on the ground in a spot not claimed by books. "….sorry about the mess…"
"Bachelor…" Ayane rolled whispered to herself as she stepped around him to get a better look of the place. It wasn't a large place, one large room which made up the dinning/sitting room, a small kitchen (which he rarely used), his bedroom (which consisted of a full bed, dresser, and desk clotted with journals as well) and a small bathroom. She walked across carefully while he closed the door and opened the large curtains to look out on the porch. The doors were locked too, but she undid it without asking how and stepped out, the breeze blowing through the open doors. Sighing, Folken rested his own bag on a spot on the table miraculously and stepped out to join her. Ayane rested her arms on the concrete shelf looking at the large tree that was in the middle of the open garden. "Empty and antificial…"
"I have to leave; you can rest on the bed. I'll bring something back for dinner…" Folken started to say as he watched her turn around to face him no longer interested in the garden. "You didn't sleep on the transport at all, Ayane. You may think you've recovered, but…"
"You want me to sleep?" She arched one eyebrow as her grey eyes studied him. "In this mess, Folken-sama? You're kidding…"
"Ayane…" Folken started to say. He wanted her to rest, not over work herself.
"Lord, it's a mess…" He was starting to wish she would stop calling him that.
"I'll clean it when I get back."
"…"
"You know I can't. I have to leave now." Ayane walked past him and back into the apartment. "Just rest and-"
("meow")
"You have bookshelves and never use them, Folken-sama." She was ignoring him now and looking over the books on the table. Ayane looked away from then to the couch and the sitting chairs he had in the sitting room, walking over to it she moved some of the books.
"Ayane, you are not going to exhort yourself and clean. Please, for my sake will you-"
"Hey, a fire place!" Ayane threw her hands up in excitement, completely and utterly ignoring him. Folken sighed as he looked at her.
("meow")
"You're not going to listen to me are you…"
"Nope. Not a chance, milord." Folken rubbed his temple with his left temple and shook his head.
("meow")
"Fine, just don't hurt yourself…."She clapped her hands slightly and smiled in triumph.
"Good. Now I just have three questions for you, Folken-sama…"She walked back over to him and attached herself to his claw arm. It didn't bother him when she did that even though it probably should. Grey eyes looked sweetly into his. Great, now she was after something.
("Meow")
"Alright…"
"OK, first! Zaibach has takeout?" She cocked her head to the side.
("Meow…Meow…")
"When I'm here, I just grab something from the restaurant and bring it back here….so yes…I guess…" Folken shrugged a bit. It wasn't really a big deal.
"Second…Is there a trustworthy farmers market…or well, some sort of place where I can buy food, milord?" He sighed, how did Dilandau make it through this? He hated it when this woman got mad at him before, and from what the older man remembered even though it was funny to see the young general take an interest in the woman, now it seemed Folken was going to face the same bitter end of this woman's wrath. Grey eyes with long lashes batted at him innocently and sweetly.
("Meow…")
"I'll have someone escort you to the market place and I'll give you an allowance." Folken sighed. Why did it feel like he was giving control of all his money to someone who might spend it all in a heartbeat? She let go of his arm and walked towards the table. The limp she had was more noticeable that it had been in a long time, but Ayane seemed to be managing with it. Miguel would still need his cane for a long time. Mentally, he sighed with worry. Dilandau had left without much more then a note. This left every single question unanswered and only created more. Ayane stopped at the table and looked back at him.
"Last question…"She held up a slender finger to agree with her statement. Folken nodded for her to continue, hoping that the last one would be something else she could do that wouldn't hurt her in some way. "Folken-sama, do you have cats?"
"….cats?" Folken looked at her with a questioning look, puzzled at what she meant until the loud screaming voices of two very familiarly things yowled again at the same time.
("MEOW!")
"If not, you have a very nosey pest problem." Ayane arched an eyebrow at him as he turned sharply at the closed door that his bedroom was behind. Cursing the woman, he had entrusted their care to, the tall, blue haired man walked a half run to the door, opening it. Two large felines came pouncing out in anger, hair upon ends ready to attack. It was as if they had been expecting someone else besides the man who had opened the door. The golden colored one seemed to notice who it was almost the instant it turned back to face Folken. The hair on its back fell down, the hard dangerous growl turned to a purring. The large feline and its silver twin started to rub against his legs through the long black cloak he wore.
"Hey you two…" He said to them as he scratched their ears with his flesh hand while he knelt down. Ayane shifted, watching him interact with the two felines. He didn't act this way very often. To her, he seemed to be more affectionate to them he was with everyone else. Smiling to herself she knew now the man who always seemed to be calm, never affectionate to be seen as such was just a big softy eased over by house cats. "I'm going to get her for this. How many times do I have to tell her not to lock you two up." Folken grumbled to himself as he petted the two cats. They seemed more then content to have him there. Maroon eyes looked at the young lady by his table, grey eyes just studying him. "Ayane these are my….pets I guess. Eryia is the silver, Naria is gold." Ayane moved cautiously towards him with her hand held out to the golden feline. Earia started to growl at her when she was within arms reach. The two cats were almost knee high on the young woman.
"You guess, milord? They're pretty big for house pets…" Ayane knelt down where she was, half heartily holding out her hand to Earia. The two cats lay down around Folken's cloak possessively. Maroon eyes looked away from her for a moment down at the two felines.
"They were part of an experiment. I took them after it was finished. It was…." Better then the alternative for them… Folken left his sentence unfinished. The black, blue tipped haired girl nodded her head as if she understood even if he didn't say it. Standing up, he tried to brush off the hair from his cloak while the young woman stood back up no longer interested in trying to pet the two felines and walked back to the stack of books of the wooden table. "Will you be alright here by yourself?"
"Yes, Folken-sama." Sometimes it was a wonder how man kind ever survived with the fickle way woman anger. Sighing he turned to leave but stopped when he reached the door. He looked back at the black haired woman who was looking through the books in a sad attempt to sort them. With the words left unasked, Folken shook his head and stepped out back into the dark world. She placed down the book in her hand and turned to look at the closing door. Her hand reached up unconsciously to touch the small scar that marred her face before looking to the window.
"Only time can tell……"
xXxXxXx
Somewhere, in the dark bowels of the evil Zaibach Empire there are men in dark cloaks planning on how to smite each other over who can give the most boringest report. He knew someone who would say something like that out loud while standing through this meeting, or well something like that. The young woman was always better at coming up with something much more interesting to say. Or well, something else to complain about out loud, just enough to rack at others nerves so she could speak and get things done faster. Being here in this room did a number on anyone's eyes, all the pale green light from the circular containers that line this room. Madness on the brink of many minds who wondered in here too long. But no, he had to stand here in his place above all looking down at the others, being observant, listening to the madoushi bicker with one another. Children in this game, crying to father because the elder brother has a toy he won't share nor tell others about. Or maybe they were to busy crying over a lost toy before they realized there was a new one?
"We should be putting more restraints on the others…." A voice came from some platform dangled out in the air over the machine that kept their beloved, favorite toy of all alive. Heavy breathing from the old man looking through his machine into the sphere above was all the answer that came.
"The Province Children should be brought back to the towers…" Another spoke it set off another course of upset whispers among the fifty or so people within these chambers. Rats, useless scrounging rats looking for their next meal, he snorted to himself as he gripped down onto his black uniform jacket. "Better to keep an eye on them.."
"And risk an up rising Zaine? Tara has been named their crown princess for over a decade!" Someone shouted over the whispers. Someone needs to end this thing soon, before this place drove him batty.
"It would be better to leave them were they are. Enforce the security that is already in place around them. Simple, and easy, next issue already…." Madoushi Jayme growled above them all. Oh, how he loved a woman of action and not one of bickering, the grey haired woman stood on a platform that was higher then the others but not higher then the catwalk he stood on. With her, the pale blue haired man he came to watch.
"….My ideal future….." Finally! Dornkirk finally breathes something out of his raspy, dry lips besides just his breath. Even though it was the same thing he always mumbled. Uncrossing his arms he walked toward the edge and held unto the railing. The emperor's breath rasped for a few more moments before turning those empty eyes away from the machine that loomed above them all. The Alteration Machine the Madoushi prized high among their worthless toys. Those eyes, which his father believed to be bloodier then those of winged bats, looked towards the platform with Dornkurk's most favorite Madoushi. Maybe now business would be finished. "…Why can't I see it?"
"Fate Alteration progress: the readings have not changed…"
"No further peaks in power serge…" Or not he grumbled to himself as he once again listened to the rats cry and mumble to themselves. To afraid to tell their favorite toy the real reason. Afraid it would break the already fading old man.
"Maybe Fortuna was only a lock. Power could be stored elsewhere…" More speculation, more theories. Sighing, reddish brown eyes turned to look to the older woman and the blue haired man who sat in silence. To annoyed maybe too add words to this useless numbly cries. Or maybe just hiding something else. It was time to get things back on track.
"What of the Spark in the Fate Alteration Prognostic machine, before the attack on Fanelia." He growled over the bickering that the mumbles has become. Attention had been turned up towards him. Inwardly, he smiled to himself. That was right you worthless tools, look up towards your superiors. Reddish brown eyes looked again at the blue haired man who didn't turn to face him. "What of your finding, Stratigoes? Maybe that's what is blocking the Alteration Machine."
"Yes….yes…" And they started again. Maybe there was no hope for these useless tools after all. The bickering and mumbling continued for a while. The blue haired man didn't even flinch. Damn, so much for that pleasure. Shrugging to himself, he crossed his arms again. Back to watching and waiting, like the little black spider Celena always compared him to. "Yes, What of your findings, Stratigoes?"
"…….." Lifting his head, the mighty Stratigoes looked down on his inferior brothers, metal claw clasped on the railing. He would speak his words, and all the rats would awe in his knowledge. Yet if he was to let his guard down for a moment, even the king of rats would be eaten alive. "The search showed nothing that would interfere with the Fate Alteration. We should continue to look in to why the Escaflowne has been brought to the attention of the Prognostic machine. It may still be this that is blocking the Alteration…" The mumbles and whispers were passed about but it seemed his words of wisdom had been accepted. Inside he laughed as he turned to walk down the cat walk. The Machines were bringing down the platforms.
Well said, King of Rats.
xXxXxXx
The moment the platforms connected to the main catwalks, she as gone like a bat out of hell. Gray, bluish hair barely moved in its high pulled back position as the woman made quick fast strides to get as far as she could. Under her breath, Folken knew that she was cursing those men she had once held so much respect for and no longer cared to associate herself with. The fact that she had even bothered to step outside of her four walled prison within the towers without someone begging her was a somewhat welcomed surprise. On her heels, Folken rounded the corner closing the gap between the two.
"….Owes me big for this." Were the first words the young Stratigoes could understand. The long black cloaks fluttered about them while they walked quickly down the halls away from the audience room. Somewhere behind them the others were trailing out from the dark green lit room to the slightly brighter halls, only to return to their dark holes. All of a sudden, Jayme stopped and wheeled around to face him once they were far enough down the corridors. "And you! Oh, I have a few bones to pick with you."
"Jayme…" Folken stopped just short of toppling over the shorter, older woman. Angry blue glared at him while she held up a single finger.
"This is the last time you ask a fifty seven year old woman to watch those beasts of yours! Earia tried to eat me!" Jayme snorted as she turned on her heels and began to walk again. This time however, more coldly and slowly then she had been before.
"If you didn't lock them up, then maybe they wouldn't have…" He stated as he followed her a while down the dark chambers that would sooner or later lead out to the connecting hanger corridor that would eventually lead to other parts of the city. The capital's air was far too polluted to breath so most of the walkways were closed off, and connected the buildings together. "Jayme, I need to ask you one more favor…"
"O what?" blue eyes looked over her shoulder to him while they walked. "If it's about feeding them again, forget it. They can starve while you speak to the old man for all I care."
"No, more like could you show someone around for me? Just for a few hours. I don't want to…" Folken scratched his head for a moment trying to think of the right thing to say just incase of peaking ears. "…leave the servant girl alone. She doesn't know her way around yet." Jayme nodded her head for amusement before looking away from him.
"This wouldn't happen to be 'Little Healer' would it?" Folken looked at her questionably. That was the name the Dragonslayers had always referred to Ayane as if it had become her code name.
"How…..?" Jayme laughed slightly at him.
"A little sand bird told me…"
"Oh…."
"Speaking of old men," Jayme looked over her shoulder at something. "Here walked the Widower."
"Stratigoes." Folken stopped and turned to look at the dark brown haired man in black armor. "High Chancellor Merlin would like to speak to you…"
xXxXxXx
With a hard push, she forced the in the last book she could fit on the shelf. Ayane sighed as she looked over her work; so far she had managed to get most of the books off the table and the furniture. It had been three hours since Folken had walked out that door leaving her alone with his 'little' pets. The two cats took their time warming up to the intruder into their home. An intruder who was nice enough to give them something to eat, Ayane had discovered old soup bones in the ice box which she figured was for the two cats. They were more then happy to take them from her and still lay on the floor in the middle of her working path. But after some arguing with them, she was finally able to come to a co-promise. Once she had cleared off the couch the two felines were more then happy to lay on that and watch her work.
Stupid cats…
Why couldn't Folken have a dog? Picking up the rag off the shelf she was working on, Ayane turned to look at the table. Now to dusting the table, wooden chairs and she would be down to the floor in this room. At least Folken kept his fireplace clean. That would have been……a horrible pain. Ayane slightly limped towards the table, the pain in her left leg was getting worse. With a sigh, the grey eyed girl pulled out on of the wooden hairs to sit on it. Maybe it was a good time to take a break; she had after all started doing this some three hours ago. Her arms were starting to hurt too. Taking in a deep breath, Ayane looked away over to the fire place. Naria moved off the couch to lie on the floor in front of the fireplace. The light danced off her gold fur, it made her think of her little guy squad. She hoped that she had done enough for Guimel, pulling her hair out from her face she looked at the very dusty table before her. Well while she was sitting here she could at least dust what was before her. Moving the cloth about, she tried hard not to dwell where her mind wanted too. She started to hum some mindless tune she knew as she worked.
A tune that was interrupted but the growls of her two feline friends; with a loud plop Eriya jumped off of the couch and walked slightly towards her. Naria was up off the floor at the sound of the door handle turning. Grey eyes studied the two cats, wondering why they had started growling. Did they always growl when Folken came back? The door opened a jar, and a small pale hand appeared holding on to something. Both cats stopped growling as their eyes were glued to what Ayane assumed was meat. The moment the hand tossed it into the kitchen the two felines were off after it. Once they had disappeared within, a grayish blue haired woman jump in and slammed to the kitchen shut. On the other side one could hear the two cats fighting.
"Ha take that!" The old woman announced as if she had succeeded in something of great importance. Or well, great importance to her. The older woman closed the door as she stepped the rest of the way in. Old, green eyes looked at the young girl at the table. Ayane did not move from were she sat, studying what she guessed to be a madoushi for she wore the same style cloak Folken had. There was a silence as if the two women were measuring each other up, before the older woman cracked a fake smile. "Little Healer I presume?"
"Depends on who makes the calling?" The words left her mouth without a thought. They were something the Dragonslayers had drilled into her head some months ago, when she had stopped being a prisoner and had turned into their friend. The woman tilted her head to the side.
"A servant of a little sand bird you know…." Ayane used her hand to steady herself as she stood up. Her legs wobbled a bit but she was able to stand. She wanted to laugh to herself; finally, maybe there would be answers to questions nagging her mind.
"How is Zuhar?" The older woman walked towards her, pulling out the other chair to sit down with the younger woman.
"Sit, sit…." She motioned for Ayane to sit back down, much which the younger woman appreciated. "Last I hear from the boy, he was fine, much better off then Dilandau at the moment. Celena is a woman most of them prefer not be catching the attention of. Though I prefer her over the other… My name is Jayme. Would call you by yours 'Little Healer' but…"
"Umizo…. Umizo Ayane….."
"Umizo then…" Ayane blinked at the older woman for a moment before she realized what she had said.
"O… no, no. In my culture the family name comes first, my first name is Ayane."
"A, like Feona's... I see. Ayane is a better name, fits you…" Jayme nodded her head. Behind them the two cats were growling behind the closed door.
"You don't like them very much…?"
"I've an allergy to cats…. "
"O…"
"….They tend to try and eat me you see…."The old woman shrugged, and made a strange face that made Ayane crackle a bigger smile. "Well the other big cat that lives here has asked me to escort you my little healer. So where is it you wish to go?"
xXxXxXx
There were some places here in Zaibach he really did hate to be. There was a tower, which placed farthest on his list of disliked places. Only because it brought about memories he would rather he never had. A place of screams, of pain, of tears and blood, and place were his life began a new with the metallic claw he now had for a right arm. Then there was the 'throne room' or well it was what the older madoushi called it. It was a place an old man rested trapped between his own death and the Madoushis' will of his life. A man who's ideas gave him a means of a new life, another start in which he was finding himself doubting with each passing day. From his first meeting with the hot headed boy general to the burning of his once home, and now to the mysterious mysticer, Folken found himself doubting the words he once awed and held high. Words that an old woman had spat on whenever he dared to speak them in her presence. And lastly the place first on his list of places he hated was this office. Stuffy, a reeked of something old and foul minded. Books lined the circular walls left and right as he stood in the middle of the round room looking straight forward without an expression on his face to the older man before him sitting behind the large desk. It was covered in organized piles of papers and books, some of which were laid out in front of the half balding white haired man. Glasses on his face were barely on his noise as he read to himself, grumbling every now and then before signing it and moving on to the next. There were chairs in this room, a long, black couch with two single chairs near to were to Folken's left, there were two solid wood chairs before the desk, neither of which the young Stratigoes moved to take.
"The Stratigoes to see you, Chancellor Merlin…." The voice came from the man behind him still standing at the door way. The old man at the desk lifted his eyes slightly; dark brown eyes studied the cloaked man before him before looking back at his papers.
"I see…. You're dismissed, Widower." He mumbled under his breath, words hard to hear if it weren't for the fact everything seemed to echo in this room. The man, probably only a few years Folken's senior, bow in his black armor in respect to the Chancellor.
"As you wish, Father." The man turned and walked out the double doors, closing it behind him. The young, blue haired man stood in silence as the older man worked, not bothering to look up at him again. It would drag on like this for several minutes, with each tick of the grandfather clock that sat somewhere in this room, Folken waited to be acknowledged again. He was the arms and legs of their Emperor Dornkirk; Folken moved and preformed the will of an ancient man trapped in the throne room. Folken had the power to do about anything and everything; that was Dornkirk's ideal but outside those glowing green walls of his prison it was not the total reality.
For Folken did not run this Empire for the dying ancient shell of a man.
"I am glad of your return Stratigoes." The Chancellor finally said after what must have been almost twenty minutes. Folken knew, because his eyes had not left that old clock. When he was younger, this had always made his legs ache but now when he stood before this man he knew what to expect. The long silence he could not break, the long standing for he could not sit unless given permission, for this was the way things where. At least he did not have to be undignified by bowing before this man. The older man did not look up at him as he went on signing papers, but from the tone of sarcasm he spoke with Folken knew that face he made. "It is always much easier to speak to you then our beloved Emperor."
"It is my pleasure to be of service to you, High Chancellor." Folken replied, disliking the taste of the words in his mouth. The metallic claw to his right clenched into a fist only to be released over and over. This action was hidden while under his cloak, the only sign of the blue haired man's annoyance with his company, for the silence once again started. He watched the clock tick and tock for another two minutes before speaking. "I have wonder, High Chancellor, what it was of such great importance for our Stone General, herself, to have to come out and fetch me." The long black feather the Chancellor wrote with stopped moving, brown eyes looked away from the papers to him. He stuck the pen back into is oil well, and took off his glasses while he took to his feet in a slower manner then Folken had seen most men his age do. He made a coughing sound as he turned away from him to take something off the shelf behind him, the blood red and black clothing barely stood out in this dusty room.
"Always blunt and to the point, my dear boy. You have yet to learn some tact." Merlin stated as he turned around with a large book in his hand and rested it on his desk. He opened it to something, and picked up his glasses again. "You can never trust a boy to do a man's job that is why I sent out the Stone General. Your summoning should be obvious, your brethren are become more troublesome and Emperor Dornkirk is becoming more of a hand full."
"The madoushi are only doing in accord of our Emperor's will, High Chancellor." Folken stated coolly, the older man looked away from the large book on his table to him when the next words slipped past his lips. "As you are suppose to be doing."
"If I did everything in accord to y- our Emperor's will, Stratigoes, Zaibach would have toppled over a long time ago and returned to the savaging clans it once was." The man almost snarled back at the blue haired man. He closed the book before him and took his glasses off. "You will return to your former duties before you left on the Vione. The Dragon Hunt will now be in the hands of the Stone General and are no longer your concern. Understood?"
"……. Of course, High Chancellor."
"Also, Stratigoes, are you certain Dilandau of Sarren was not hiding anything from you after the incident in Fanelia? The changes in the Prognostic Machine had not returned to normal since then." The claw under his cloak was getting to be to tightly held, if he stayed in the presence of this man much longer he might break a piston in the hand.
"I will only report the same as I did to the other madoushi; nothing was found that could have caused such a change. And Dilandau had not betrayed any act of hiding." The Chancellor looked on at him, boring holes though him as if it would make him speak of what he was hiding.
"I see… You dismissed Stratigoes." Folken nodded his head in what respect he could summon up and turned to leave. Before he could hold out a hand to open the door, it opened on its own to reveal the dark haired man who had escorted him here. There was a grim smile on his face as he looked past him to the man he dared to call a 'father'. Three steps from freedom from this room, three long strides and he would be gone and on his way, three strides to long. "O and Stratigoes…."
"Yes Chancellor?" Folken stopped and turned back to look at the man who was once again sitting behind his desk, glasses on his noise, and pen in his hand.
"I have a question for you to ponder before you next meeting with me. One I suggest to think hard about before answering, for you may make more enemies then you can handle..." Dark brown eyes looked pasted the old mans noise to the cloaked man. "Who really runs Zaibach?"
xXxXxXx
"Phew…." Ayane wiped the sweat off her brawl as she looked on over the newly cleaned floor. For what must have been the first time in what must have been since Folken had probably moved into this place, one could see their somewhat reflection on the black metal, or what is tile? She hadn't quiet figure out what it was made of but, it didn't matter it was clean. Her leg still hurt from all that walking she had done with the Madoushi Jayme. The older woman had shown her around a good portion of the city it seemed. Most of the capital was just factories, which produced weaponry and the floating fortresses. So what building were used for housing and what-not were all connected in a small web. At the moment, Folken lived in the north district of housing, closest to the Capital building, for most of Folken's work was done there, it was easy for him to get to places by living close to were you needed to be. Jayme had explained to her with all the manufacturing done with in the city, its air was very polluted and cause many illnesses due to any long term exposure, so everything was mostly closed off and connected together with closed in walk-ways. Grey eyes looked away from the cleaned floor to the set table that held freshly baked bread she had bought at the market to go with the hearty stew she had planned to make. The market was very small, but had many things. Jayme explained better markets were found outside the city limits, because where they were held the most air pollution. To go there would take a lot longer then the older woman cared to stay out. Ayane's little adventure didn't last more then an hour, even if it seemed longer to her. She had tried to get the older woman to stay long, the company of someone other then Folken made her feel slightly better, she was still angry with the older man, why she hadn't quiet cared to explain. But Jayme had declined; something about overstayed welcomes normally ended in blood shed. So once again, Ayane found herself alone with the two large felines.
Or, well, Ayane wished it was just the cats. Grey eyes looked over to the dark robe figure that sat silently on the couch looking over to the fire place with a small blond child in a white toga sleeping. If anyone where to walk into this room at that moment, all they would see was a young maid alone with only two large cats to accompany here in the long hours of her master's absences. To Ayane they were as real as the chair she was now holding onto to keep her balance. Even though beyond the dark fabric of the black clothing of the black haired woman, her grey eyes could see the darken colors of the couch. Sometimes, it was a burden she once hoped she wasn't really carrying, but it was a burden she took anyways. For a soul without a body would only wonder aimlessly in one place that had been bound, and that was a torment no passing soul should suffer. The Keeper passed her hand over the sleeping girl's hair before her old, wise grey eyes looked into her younger ones.
The pull is strongest towards the Capital Building. The voice in her head annoyed her at some point, but Ayane was growing accustom to it. Sometimes she would mistake it as her own, as if she was speaking out a loud and for that had gotten herself into some trouble, like she had done to the crude woman who had come to 'fetch' Folken off the Vione. Now the black, blue tipped haired woman knew better to watch what left her lips. She was still her own person just an acting vessel for another spirit. That is where we must go…
"I don't know if I could get you in there…" Ayane tilted her head as she spoke, again to an on looker she probably looked like Aiko did when she talked to herself, crazy. She let go of the chair and walked over to the small table by the couch that held an old Phonograph. She hadn't seen one like this since that last time she dared to wonder the halls of her family home. Must have been a little over three years now, opening a door to a compartment below it she pulled out a single record from the pile and blew off some dust. Placing on the Phonograph, she started to wind it. "How about some music to listen to?"
Ayane, I must find were the pull is coming from before the power wakes. There was a tone of annoyance in the woman's voice.
"Yes, yes you told me. Before she wakes up-" Ayane started to say as she put the needle on the spinning record.
It wakes, Aya, it. The power has no gender or feelings, it is nothing more then a power with a human figure- Ayane tuned out the rambling in her mind, a hard task to do, but she had managed some what. Let her mind wonder to something else, Aiko had it easy ignoring Ayane when she wanted. Ignoring a voice that acted as if it was your own thought was hard. But she had learned, she let go of her own thought and let it go else were. Like the music that was playing, it was a slow instrumental, a piano playing along in a slow manner. Something about it was familiar, as if a ghost of the past whispering in her ears. Closing her eyes she slighted to it play for a while as the Keeper spoke. I must stop the one before Atlantis wakens the rest of the way. Ayane….? Ayane are you listening to me? The little girl in her lap moved sluggishly as if being woken in an unwelcome manner, and lifted her head. Blond hair fell over her shoulders as she looked at her keeper then to the young woman to their left.
A mind that wonders in the past is a lonely one. Her childish voice was a whisper, a loss to the standing girl as Ayane opened her eyes again in shock, but not at the words of the blond girl but at the ones that left her lips. For the words of the ghost whisper finally made themselves clear.
"…Hear this Lullaby." Ayane ignored the angry voice in her head, it pushed back farther in her mind as she restarted this record. She knew this song; she must have sung it a hundred times how could she not notice it before? Ayane nodded her head to the irregular rhythm it count herself in. "Laying alone with the history that made you, cold and uncertain inside…." The words left in lips in a ghostly voice as she sung them. It was a song she had sung before, but not in many years. For with some things like it, it brought about memories better forgotten.
Well careful now, deep breath
The water's still rising
But you silver linings inside
She clung to his chest, shaking; she knew that now as he held her close with his knees against her small back. They were on the floor in a dark hall, forgotten by those who's voices were shouting and yelling in argue at each other. Or was it at her? The high pitched one had been at her, the voice she now shuttered to hide from, hoping she could disappear with in the folds of the dark school jacket that surrounded her. It was wet, not entirely from her for the rain had pour down upon them making the journey to this dark unwanted place even that more horrifying. Small grey eyes stared into the tie around the neck of the person she held onto, as if she were to let go he would disappear and she would once again find herself lost and alone within the crowd of so many legs.
"She wondered off! So I thought her a lesson!" The high pitched voice of 'that woman' came again to her ears, the arms around her little frame held on tighter as her shaking came worse. "What are you so angry about?"
"You left her alone in a public mall! What do you think I'm angry about?!" The deeper voice growled just as load back. Its voice was harsher uncaring, just like the woman's had always been to her. "She could have been kidnapped!"
"O! That's all you care about! Your damn money!" 'That woman' shrieked back, the words went on but the calm smoothing voice of a young man that she clung to whisper something to her. She didn't hear what the words were said but they made the other ones not so bad. She felt his hand touch her cheek and pick up her face so if was no longer bared in his chest. Teary grey eyes looked into a pair just like her own, soft a gentle hidden under deep red locks of hair. Words, they must have been a question of some sort, so she just nodded. He tried to smile at her as he started to stand up then off the floor they had been sitting on. Just as he got to his feet, however, there was a sound of flesh hitting flesh hard. Her shaking became worse and he was force to hold her tighter to him and press his hand against her head. Her little grey eyes stared at her hand that lay clutched to the folds of his jacket, the want of the comfort of her little thumb was strong but that fear of the she knew 'that woman' would give her was stronger. The door not ten feet from them opened and slammed shut as the man came out. The sound of glass shattering came not too soon after it closed but was ignored. His dark black eyes stared angrily at the redheaded young man that held her. He was dressed in the same manner of those other mean men she knew, in black jackets and pants, with the black tie around their necks against the lonely white shirt. For a moment his eyes went to her before back to the young man. He walked past him on the exact opposite side of the hall from them, his harsh words made she shutter more.
"Get a maid to wash her, boy."
When you
You feel like you're breaking down
And ya, your body's just giving in
And ya, you can't go on broken like this
,
Any longer
She wasn't really thinking about the words that left her lips now; her mind was too far lost in those lost memories. Grey eyes looked away from the fast spinning record and its accursed needle to the fire place. Its fire danced away, eating at the wood it was placed upon. It danced and ate like those memories danced again behind her sad eyes, eating away at her mind. Some things are better forgotten, lost in time and in mind, things that everyone buries for they do not wish to remember, so why couldn't she push them away, why couldn't she stop herself? Probably for the same reason Aiko could never stop once she had started. Grey eyes slightly closed as they looked onward.
For once the rock starts to roll, it's impossible to stop.
You say all seems so wrong with the life that you're living
You're searching for some reason why
You're so scared to trust
You're feeling unworthy
Aching for comfort tonight
She sat in the middle of the back seat, buckled into the little child seat to keep her 'safe', whatever that was suppose to mean. The clothes she wore were uncomfortable and hot, the choirs robe was suppose to have been taken off of her so she could sit right in this contraption, even he had told 'that woman' that. She held onto the little golden color trophy of a music note in her small hands as she listened to the two voices bicker with one another. This was bickering, for 'that woman' did not yell at the old man who sat in the passenger sit next to her. She could see his grey eyes under his whitening hair, they ever angry and annoyed with the younger woman who sat aside of him driving the car in speeding traffic. She twisted uncomfortable in her child set, not from the robe but from the fact she need to use the 'little girl's room'. She had tried to say something about it before they left the competition, but 'that woman' had forceful placed her into her chair and belted it up. If she was to say anything now, the woman's anger would turn to her, if she was just to go now, the anger would be just as worse. So she kept silent as they bickered.
"He needs another son, Asaka…" The older man told the woman driving in a firm voice. She looked at him angrily.
"I gave him a son! I'll be damn if I have to again!"
"He's disowned Shido…"
"We had an agreement, Father, one son and I gave him that, I carried him and birthed him. I gave him that one son!" Her eyes looked up in the mirror and glared with hatred at the little girl reflected in it. "I also gave him a daughter…. If he wants an heir, then he can have her, or he can bite that damn 'Umizo' pride and take back Shido!"
"Asaka, you owe your family this much for the shame you br-" The car swerved violently, causing her to drop her little trophy to the floor. "Asaka! Watch What y-"
"I owe the family!? Don't you mean I OWE you father for trying to find happiness for myself and not for your damn family traditions?!" 'That woman' was now shrieking at the old man, the car swerving about violently in its lane. She was shrieking like she normally did with 'that scary man' who appeared in her life now and then. "You ruined ME! You took everything away from me! My life, my happiness all for what Father!"
"Asaka, calm down before-" Grey eyes stared pass the two fighting in the front seat to the cars outside. They were in the far lane near the other side with cars traveling in the opposite direction of them. A big truck was coming long to pass them going the other way, the driver looking to his side to a small boy smiling at the man who was driving. As if he could some how feel her little grey eyes upon him the boy look at her. Fear written across his face made her pull her robed arms up around her face as if she was trying to hide from his judging finger and gapping mouth.
"You know what my dear, honorable father; this is all I owe you!" She pushed heavily onto the petal on the floor making the car produce a funny, eerier sound. Behind the darkness of her robe that now hid her eyes, she felt the car jerk in the direction of the truck.
"Asaka!!"
When your heart's too sore to beat
And ya, you fear it might never heal
And ya, you feel not even beggars want you
I do
She sat on his bed quietly, looking down at the white cast on her right arm that was mostly hidden from view by the black dress she wore. The bandage on her cheek was irritating her skin but she did not scratch for she knew the little old maid would get mad with her again. She did not want to make anyone mad, for they all seemed so busy. Maybe now they won't be, for she had to stand out in the rain today with 'that scary man' under a big black umbrella, to watch them place the two black long boxes in ground that creepy place outside the city. She had to ride alone with him too in the big long car quietly, his black eyes looking at her from across the way, judging her. So she did not speak or move. She wanted to be in the other car, with her brothers, Shido had come back she thought it was because he was going to keep his promise to play with her for she hadn't seen him in months, but she wasn't allowed to talk to him. He was gone before they got back to the house, where she sat quietly as old women dressed in black she never met before look at her with those same judging eyes, whispers about' poor this or poor that'. The redhead youth had finally saved her after most of those old women had left, and now she sat in his room watching him place his things into a small suit case. He did own that much.
"Do you have to go, Onii-san?" Her voice was meek and almost hard to hear. Grey eyes looked up at her from the clothes he was folding to put into his suite case. He had changed out of the black suit he had been wearing, it didn't fit him for he looked nothing like 'that scary man' and his followers did.
"I have to Aya… Mr. Umizo…." He sighed a moment before he looked away from her. "Your father won't stand my presence anymore, now that our mother is gone…" Father… Mother… These were not names she associated with people, it had always been 'that woman', 'that scary man', or Ma'am and Sir when she was to address them. To take owner ship of them did not feel right, for they had ignored her presence or just hated her. He went back to packing, and she sat quietly for a little while longer pondering his words.
"Where will you go, Onii-san?" He didn't look up at her this time.
"To America….where my father lives…. I found his address in mother's journals."
"Is it far away, Onii-san?"
"Across the Ocean... Yes it's very far away…"
"….Will I see you again, Onii-san?" He zipped the suite case shut, and sighed. Picking up something from a box on the floor her walked over to her.
"I found this when I dropped Shido off…It reminded me of you…" He knelt down and handed her a small black teddy with a deep red ribbon tied around its neck. It looked sad as if it was about ready to cry but couldn't, she held it was her good hand. He placed a soft hand on her head. "Imouto, listen to me… You can't cry no matter how much you want too. You can't let them see you cry because you will be viewed as weak. You have to be strong ok, Aya? Be strong until I come back, ok? Be strong enough to stand on your own until I can come back and rescue you like the Samurai's do for their Princesses in your bedtime stories…."
"You promise, Onii-san?" She looked away from the teddy into his grey eyes. He smiled at her sadly, but before he could respond and knock came at the door.
"Mr. Caelan, your taxi has arrived."
Close your eyes
Don't you cry
Let the sorrow within you subside
Don't despair
Have no fear
Give your way to me when you hear
This lullaby
Tears, they ran down the sides of her face without control, but she couldn't bring herself to sob. No, she didn't even understand why she would bother to shed tears for them. A scary man of her childhood she was force to address as honorable Father, a woman she had to remember as her honored mother. Why shed tears for a coward with broken promises? Her Samurai never came back to save her. Like his father, he ran from his responsibilities, and left her to suffer alone. Her left knee gave out under her weight; she had been standing still too long without her cane. She fell down forward, hands out front to catch her. Grey eyes stared down at her own blurred reflection on the black floor. Tears dripping off her cheeks to pool on the floor making her reflection worse.
To cry was to be weak, and that was all she was.
Close your eyes
Don't you cry
Let the sorrow within you subside
Don't you despair
Have no fear
Give you way to me when you hear
The maids had dressed her up really nice and pretty after she had been pulled out of school. She was angry but held her tongue for she knew if she spoke out against them, they would look down her in displeasement, for she was not acting as a proper Lady should. So hold her tongue she did as the pulled hair on her hair to pull it way back in a bun to hide the blue tips she had put in her hair, the only rebellion she had won for herself as of late. She said nothing as they plucked at her brows to make them smaller, or when they made her use the old traditional face paint. She always hated when she had to paint her face. Nor did she say a word when they got her into the old kimono that held her family's crest on the back; she always hated the unflattering colors it was made of. She suffered through some absurd tea ceremony right afterwards for some of her 'honorable Father's' business associates. Now she was out side sitting outside in the gazebo with one of the younger associates with her face down on the table hands her in kimono folds as he ate lunch with her father. He probably wasn't past his twenty's when she snuck a look at him. He had long back hair, though the longest strains did not past his chin, and smooth black eyes. Ayane didn't know what they were talking about, for one she wasn't suppose to be listening and two if anything it was about some business proposal which had nothing to do with her. So she stared down at her 'ugly' kimono in silence.
"Ayane…" Her 'Father's' voice pulled her attention back to the table as she lifted up her head to look at the man to her right.
"Yes, Honorable Father?"
"I would like to introduce Sakionu Tuyenia, President and owner Takashimaya." Ayane turned her head to look at the man her father was a addressing at her left. She moved herself slightly so that she could bow better towards him. She knew who he was, the owner of a prestige Kimono Company and fashion.
"It is a pleasure, Sakionu-san." He bow slightly back to her, however Ayane did not like the look in his smooth eyes.
"If everything works out, Ayane, he will be your betrothed." At those words, Ayane's head shot up to look at the cruel smile on the man's face across from her
This lullaby
xXxXxXx
Why the fuck did it have to be so cold? Teeth banged against each other repeatedly as the dark haired girl walked down the hallway. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. She was barely able to hold the blankets around her frame as she continued on her mission to find the young king and his annoying pet. Seeing as she already checked the hanger, the bridge and the rooms, Aiko was slowly running out of places to look. Her feet ached from both the cold and from walking for too long, but she kept moving, knowing that if she sat still, she would only be colder. As she passed one of the windows, the twin moons caught her eye, causing her to pause in her venture. The sun had set making the Mystic moon glow all the brighter. The image of her house seemed to slip into her thoughts a lot more then she would like to admit. The question was why? Why did she think of a world that was known to be cruel to its inhabitants? Why did she constantly think of the people she hated the most? Perhaps it was because she had nothing to distract her thought processes. Aya had always been good at helping Aiko ignore the things that the green eyed girl didn't want to think about. Van usually did a pretty good job of giving her a distraction as well…Hell; even Merle was better then nothing. But seeing as Aya was no longer with them, and the other two didn't want to be found, there was nothing to keep Aiko's thoughts from springing forth. A sigh escaped her lips as she leaned up against the cold wall, and continued to look out the window.
It irritated her to no end. There were so many questions as to what had happened in the past few days, with very little answers. Aya was always good at explaining the things that for some reason Aiko just couldn't understand. Why the hell did she have to go back to the bastard in the first place? Couldn't she just stay and rest for a few days? That would have been enough time for Aiko to get all of her questions answered right? Hell, even a few hours would do.
"Ah, there you are." Aiko bit down a growl as she resisted the urge to punch the wall. She didn't know why Dryden's voice always seemed to piss her off. Maybe it was the holier then thou tone it held that made her want to beat the man bloody. "I was wondering if I could ask you some questions."
"If I don't answer will you go away?" Aiko glared at the man who stood a few feet from her. He had that stupid smirk on his face as he held a leather bound book in his right hand. Oh yeah…that's another thing. Allen and Dryden had been going at it a lot the past few days. Something about how Dryden wanted to read through Allen's father's journal in search of the location of the "Mystic Valley". Whatever the hell that was. Allen had told the merchant that he could keep the book if he wanted, which only made Dryden ask why. Of course, Allen got mad and stormed out of the room after yelling at Dryden about how the knight's father was to blame for everything.
"I just have a few questions that only you can answer, seeing as you're from the Mystic Moon…" Dryden's voice made Aiko want to hit the man even more. Damn Ayane for her big mouth! This was exactly the reason why she had kept her homeland a secret. That and she was starting to get annoyed with how the people reacted to that one single fact. Was it really that big of a deal? The look in Dryden's eyes was all the conformation she needed. Yes….yes it was. Aiko sighed and braced herself, hoping that Dryden did indeed only have a few questions. She did own him one for helping fix the Escaflowne; a fact that many seemed to disregard.
"And what might those be?" Aiko inwardly groaned at the happy light that lit up Dryden's green eyes. Great….here it comes.
"How do your people get around?" The simplicity of the question caught Aiko off guard and it took her a moment to answer. She told him about the cars and trams that Tokyo had. She explained about the planes and ships that people used to get over the oceans. The excitement never left Dryden's green eyes as he continued to ask more questions about technology and politics. After Aiko thought he would be out of questions, Dryden's interrogation slowly became more personal. He asked to her explain the little things that he had seen her use, like her CD player and cell phone. Aiko was starting to feel weird from talking for so long, like she was monopolizing the conversation. At least she could thank Dryden for something; the irritation from being asked so many questions had warmed her up a little. After what seemed like hours of questions, Dryden paused as he took in her last answer. Aiko took a deep breath and the sudden silence made her ears ring; the silence lasted longer then she had thought it would.
"Is that all, Dryden?" Aiko wanted to kick herself as soon as she spoke words. Her voice seemed to have brought him back to the real world, olive green eyes looking back at her with the same curiosity they had when the whole process started.
"What about family structure? Do the men work and the women stay at home?" Aiko sighed before she rolled her eyes and pulled the blankets closer. Yup….She should have just kept her mouth shut. The temperature seemed to be dropping, and standing by a window wasn't the best of ideals. Her feet were sure to have blisters from standing still for so long, but she dutifully ignored the pain and answered the merchant's question.
"Both the men and the women work. Women can choose to sit at home if they want to, but most of the time it's easier to pay bills if both of them have jobs."
"What kinds of jobs can women have?"
"Pretty much anything they want; doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers…..there are very few jobs that men can do that women can't." Dryden nodded as he filed away her words in his head. The mystic moon was indeed the most fascinating of places.
"And what if the couple has children? Does the mother stay at home, even if she has a job?"
"Most of the time they will either take the child or children to a day care. Or if they are old enough, they go to school for most of the day, and usually get home before the parents do."
"And the schools are open to both boys and girls?" Aiko nodded.
"Yes. The child is usually in school from the time when he or she is six until they graduate middle school at age fifteen or sixteen. Depending on how well they do on their entrance exams, the can go on to High School or they go on to a trade school." Dryden nodded again, and his eyes took on a weird look.
"Were you in school before you came here?" Aiko's eyes narrowed slightly, but she answered his question anyway.
"Yes…Ayane and I went to the same middle school."
"And your parents? What jobs do they have?" Aiko was really starting to get uncomfortable. Why the hell did he need to know that? But if she didn't answer his questions, he would never leave her alone.
"My father-" She said the word with such hatred that Dryden's eyes widened in confusion "-is a business man. My…..step mother works as a secretary for a similar business."
"What is a step mother?" Aiko sighed and prayed that the man would run out of questions soon. His inquiries were making her think of things that she really didn't want to.
"When a married couple gets divorced, if one decides to remarry, the spouse would be a step parent to any children that he or she might have." Aiko couldn't look into those curious green eyes any more, and she shifted her gaze to the ground. That was a day that she would never forget. The entire wedding looked fake, as if it were only a mask to cover up something that was wrong.
"So your parents got divorced?" Dryden's voice broke through her thoughts, causing her irritation to spike.
"That's none of your business, Dryden." The merchant raised his hands in surrender.
"I'm just trying to understand. The Mystic Moon is a very interesting place." Aiko snorted before she could stop herself and Dryden's face took on an interested look, but she didn't notice. She really didn't see what was so appealing about it.
"I guess…"
"What about the other girl's family? She acts as if she were from an aristocratic family where as you act as if you were from a lower class… " Dryden questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. Aiko resisted the urge to punch the man.
"What the hell is your problem? Do you just go around asking people personal questions like that? No wonder Allen is so pissed at you." Dryden shrugged slightly, only serving to anger the green eyed girl even more.
"I'm just trying to understand the mystery behind the cursed moon."
"Don't you have journals to read? I'm sure that they are more interesting then anything I can tell you."
"Actually, you are far more interesting then any book."
"Great…." Aiko growled as she pushed off the wall. She was beginning to feel claustrophobic. She really didn't care if Dryden asked all of his 'questions' or not. She honestly didn't know why she hadn't left earlier before he pissed her off.
"If given the choice, would you go back?" Aiko whirled on the man behind her, hands clutching the blankets.
"Go back to what, Dryden? Back to a life of abuse, neglect and speculation where everyone tells lies just to cover what's really going on? Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a life as well off as you do. You might want to think about that before you start poking your nose where it doesn't belong." Aiko then turned away from the shocked, wide olive eyes that followed her down the hall. She didn't want see what those eyes would revile next. Shock? Interest? Would he treat her different now based on the information she had just given him? Where her feet were taking her she didn't know and technically, she didn't care. She had a very strong urge to punch something, preferably Dryden, but she didn't want to have to turn around to back to do it. Before she knew it, she was staring up into Escaflowne's solemn face. What was it about the guymelef that made her feel like she could be what she wanted to be in front of it? That she could just bitch and curse until her throat was sore and not have to worry about what it thought…
It's an inanimate object, Aiko. It can't think….
"And here I thought I was cured of having voices in my head…." Aiko muttered as she looked into the dark green eyes of the guymelef. She wasn't so sure about that. Everyone kept on calling it the cursed armor, so maybe that's why Van did some of the weird things he did. Shrugging it off, she went to sit on the steps, her knees curled up against her chest. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute and thanks to Dryden, they were about the questions he asked. Memories that she had thought forgotten sprung forth against her will, playing in front of her eyes like some sick movie.
"Damn it….Damn that fucking bastard to the pit of hell!" Her head fell into her knees as she stared at her black pants and the stairs that were beyond them. The flashes seemed to pause for a few moments before moving on to the next one: The glorious week that the newly weds went on their honeymoon, and she was allowed to stay over at Ayane's. The weeks that followed where Aiko had hoped that Matsu was kinder then her gut was telling her. The first initial shock when the woman began to join in on the beatings instead of trying to stop her husband. The fake wedding of Matsu and her fath- no….She would no longer call him by that title. He was not the father that she remembered, the father that she had loved. She still didn't know why he had changed so suddenly. It was as if he woke up one day and decided to be abusive. People just didn't do that; not normal people anyway. But what about her family was normal? Aiko almost chuckled, not really knowing the reason behind the action.
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
Maybe someday you'll look out
And barely conscious you will say to no one
Isn't something missing?
Aiko closed her eyes as she tried to put the cursed memories back where they belonged. Where was Ayane when Aiko needed her? She could see it now…Ayane would look at her in that knowing way she always had and say something completely random that it would make Aiko chuckle. Then they would launch into a completely random conversation, and by the time they were done, it would be time for one of them to leave and Aiko would forget what she was thinking about in the first place. She wished more then anything that Aya was with her now. The steel eyed girl wouldn't even have to say anything. Just being there, without saying a single word would make Aiko feel better. Of course, the green eyed girl would say something just to fill the silence sometimes, but now? All she wanted to do was confirm that there was at least one person on this planet that understood her, understood her pain and where she was coming from. Not so that they could analyze it like some sick people…Dryden's 'curious smirk' appeared in her head and Aiko nearly growled. No….she wanted someone who would understand, and not judge her based on where she came from or what her family history was. Someone who knew that her parents weren't as perfect as they seemed, and some one who needed her, even in the smallest way. But the only person who could do that was god knew where with a silver haired bastard. Her body seemed to ache, the pain pulsing slowly with every breath she took. Why did they have to hurt so much? Why couldn't they just stay where they belonged? Green eyes snapped open in attempts to banish the sickening films, but that didn't stop them for long, they were still playing in front of her eyes. Despite the sudden urge, jade eyes remained dry as they stared out of the hanger towards the snow that was beginning to slowly fall, as if the sky was crying for her.
You won't cry for my absence I know
You forgot me long ago
Am I that unimportant?
Am I so insignificant?
Isn't something missing?
They stood around the long table pouring over the maps; the green haired woman to his far right was saying something about the lower parts of the mapped area. His red eyes followed hands, listened to the arguments with his sensitive ears as the blond haired woman shook her head about something. He could see his brethren standing outside the tent taking their turn in the watch. The brown curly headed joker and his reddish brown haired partner in crime… were they on the eight watch already? How long had they been here? The torched about the tent did nothing to keep them warm; he was finding himself wishing for the comforts of his armor and not this thin black long sleeved shirt. Shesta had moved something on the map bringing his mind back to it the meeting. The light brown hair girl looked annoyed and moved it back, stating something. His mind couldn't focus; Dilandau knew that he wasn't here with them like he should be. There was somewhere else he felt he should be. Red eyes looked back out the flaps of the tent when there was a commotion out side, beyond his slayers he could see the small flakes of the first snow falling. He watched them get heavier before a hand touched his shoulder. Red eyes looked up into sandy brown ones that held some sort of concern. It brought him back to the meeting; all their eyes were now on him. Dilandau turn his back to the snow outside away from the war raging inside of him to them.
Even Though I'm the sacrifice,
You won't try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone.
She hadn't moved a single muscle for what must have been hours now, staring at her cloudy reflection in the dark floor, the tears long since dried up, the music long since stopped. She sat up slowly pushing herself on to her legs so that she could wrap her arms around her body that was now shaking. Grey eyes looked forward into the slowly dying fire, for it was running out of wood to feed upon. The black blue-tipped haired girl knew she should move, place on another log of wood, for it would help her shaking pass, but she could bring herself to do it. The two large cats and curled up into balls of fur on the couch to her left, purring away in their sleep no the least bit worried about the young girl. Outside, it had darkened, the artificial day and become an artificial night. She did not move to light the lamps so one could see, all she could do was look forward and hope the shaking would stop. Outside water started to hit against the windows, the fake rain began to fall, helping her to forget the renewed tears.
Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again,
I know what you do to yourself
I breathe deep and cry out,
"Isn't something missing?"
No matter how hard she tried, the memories wouldn't stop. There were so many instances that Dryden could have asked about, but he didn't get to the chance to, and every single one of them played through the green eyed girl's head like a sick movie. All those memories did was leave her feeling small, helpless and numb. But instead of feeling nothing, the numbness hurt; pulsing through her body with every image that flashed before her closed eyes again. At first she missed the footsteps that were slowly making their way towards her. She kept her eyes closed, even as they started to come up the stairs. There was a sigh as Van sat down next to her and wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. There was a moment of silence before Merle knelt down at her feet and somehow managed to curl herself up without falling down the steps. Why was it that he always seemed to find her when she was at her weakest? Usually the thought would piss her off, but instead she felt grateful. Grateful because even though Ayane wasn't there, she knew that Van would always be, even if he didn't show up until she truly needed him. Before she knew what she was doing, her head lifted and rested itself on his shoulder. His arm tightened a bit as he in turn rested his head on hers.
And if I bleed, I'll bleed,
Knowing you don't care.
And if I sleep just to dream of you
I'll wake without you there
Isn't something missing?
Isn't something…
Outside the snow fell, making the world become blanketed in a sheet of white. He lend back to the makeshift bed they had managed to come up with over the last week, around him he could hear the sleeping sounds of his men. Viole's light snores, to Dallet's sleep talking. There were warmth in numbers, but tonight he found himself sleeping on his own. Curled up in the not so heavy but just enough military issued blanket he leaned against one of the tent poles to look outside and watch the snow. His mind wondered too much for him to sleep, from plans to welfare of his men and lastly to what he had left behind. Red eyes looked on as the flaps moved in the wind again to show the white flakes outside one last time before looking down at the fuzzy thing in his hands. The sad faced black bear with its deep red ribbon stared up at him ready to cry as if it understood his pain. With a sad smile, he pulled the small bear close to his chest before closing his eyes in hopes of some rest.
Even though I'm the sacrifice,
You won't even try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone.
Isn't something missing?
He was welcome by darkness went he had opened the door to his home, if you could call such small quarters a home. There were smells of cleaning solutions, and a hearty stew, before him he could make out a table set up for two to dine, a bowl of fresh bread in the middle. His maroon eyes were not on any of that as he walked into his now cleaned home. They were not on the two large felines that sprung of their newly found couch to greet him. For his eyes were only on the young woman who was knelt down on the floor before the dying ambers arms crossed over her body to hold herself tight. Folken must have spoken her name several times before he made it all the way to her. It took the touch of his flesh hand on her shoulder to bring the young woman out of her trance. Teary grey eye started up at him for a moment before he found her whisper in her language 'Onii-san'. With no understanding of what she was saying, but only the understanding of the tone, the ex-prince of Fanelia found himself knelt down on his own floor pulling a crying young woman, who began to shake something fierce in an attempt to comfort her.
Unknown to him and the woman in his arms, a little blond girl in a white toga stood by the fire place, blue eyes looking on over them sadly while she mouthed the words that fell of deaf ears:
Isn't someone missing me?
SD: zombie
GA1: You….a zombie…… I was the one tying for six freaking hours!!
SD: It was a lot of work making sure you didn't get 'distracted' Cough Jim cough
GA1: ……..You sat on your butt and read Yaoi……for six hours…..
SD: Hey! It was good Yaoi….and I still have 20 some odd chapters left grins
GA1: Here I thought you were going to say 'Hey I got food' but wutevr….
GA1 Note:
No Don't worry its not the 'I will kill all flames' thing again
SD: Yeah!
…………ANYWAYS, please forgive us for this long awaited chapter, it is some thirty two pages long. There was a lot to deal with these last nine months (ie, learning how to live on your 'own' thing going… you know… bills….and figure stuff out….that stuff)
SD: And you're a workaholic now……..
That too,. There was a lot of stuff to try and get covered in this one chapter, now that I am sitting down and outlining things. The next chapter will be just as long……actually… the next four chapters maybe… frowns… or five…. Hehe. We are still working things out with our big move to live on our own… And Spirit Dancer is still in school so we have scheduling… problems sometimes.
SD: WORKAHOLIC!
So please help our egos… review…make me feel a little better?
SD: me too….
Dear 'Macky'
If you are reading this chapter, I hope you won't kill me for what I have done with Eriya and Naria. I hope you Enjoy this chapter at least, thank you for your faithful Reviews, we always enjoy them.
Glass Angel1 and Spirit Dancer
Review button……feed us, please?
Chpt Status: Needs Editing