This chapter is a bit longer than the last one cause I wanted to show how different characters are accepting Hitomi is with Ispanos now. More than anything I love the line Millerna say to Allen about Van and fighting... you'll see for yourself...
Enjoy!
"Is everything prepared for the attack tomorrow?" Dornkirk was sitting on his place next to the Destiny machine, and was right now talking to his general Folken Stratigos.
"Yes, Lord Dornkirk." Folken was standing in front of a large screen "The solders are ready, and everything is ready for the blood exchange."
"Ah yes, the exchange. Are the sisters reliable?" Dornkirk asked. He never met the leopard-sisters and didn't know what to think about them. So Folken's word will have to be enough.
"Naria and Eriya are both ready and willing to go through the process." What Folken didn't say is they only agreed cause he asked them to do it. He was the one they were listening and the one they answered to. He was the one who saved them all those years ago, and was the only one who ever cared for them. He was the one they both loved. It was hard for Folken to accept a thing like that, but they truly loved him.
"Good. With the luck solders nothing will be on out way to capture the dragon." Dornkirk's words left Folken suspicious.
"And the girl? The one whose shadow is constantly hiding the dragon's. Won't she be in our way?" Folken asked not knowing what happened last week.
"Her shadow isn't lingering over dragon's anymore. Not since the Ispano came." The answer left Folken confused and surprised.
"I knew they ask for incredibly large amounts for the repairs of their creations, but to ask a human life…" he was completely shocked. But not just by the price, more with the fact she agreed to stay with the Ispano makers.
"Her decision gave us a perfect opportunity to finally bring Gaea to a better future." Dornkirk smiled, he waited for this chance for so long, and not it's in arms reach "This world will bloom again."
"Of course, Lord Dornkirk." Folken answered coldly before the screen went black.
Van was standing on Escaflowne's shoulder and was sharpening its sword when Merle walked in the barn where the guymelef was kept. She just looked up at him and sat on the stack of hay without saying a word.
She learned in a hard way he doesn't want to talk about Hitomi and what happened. She learned it during they trip back in Pallas. They were on the Crusade when she approached him and it ended with him shouting. He never shouted before, so his behavior hurt her even more.
Van knew she was sitting there; she was always there hopping he'll open up and cry on her shoulder. But he won't do it; he won't cry. No matter how much he wanted to.
"I'm worried about Van." Millerna sat on a sofa looking over to Allen. He was standing by the window looking up in the cloudy sky.
"He'll be fine." Allen assured her "Eventually."
"We don't need his help eventually! We need his help now!" Millerna snapped surprising Allen and herself.
"No need to be agitated princess." Dryden walked in the room and sat next to Millerna "The young king will fight just as he used to fight."
"Why should he?" Millerna stood up angry.
"He's fighting for Fanelia." Allen said and she turned to him, as she couldn't believe he didn't realized yet.
"He's fighting for Hitomi!" she snapped on the knight "Did you honestly think you're the only one who cares for the girl and want her to be safe Allen? And in her own confusion she didn't see Van feelings either, but still she gave away her freedom for him."
"Princess…" Allen was cut off when Millerna quietly spoke, her head lowered.
"You may think Hitomi loved you, and in a way you are right. But she loved you with her eyes, her heart belongs to Van." Allen was quiet; he didn't know what to say. Millerna's words were deep, and he knew they were also true.
Merle left the barn half an hour later after being ignored the whole time. She though she might find something more productive to do in the palace. Van didn't mind, he was only feeling guilty that he hurt his childhood friend when she only tried to help him.
He lifted his head towards the guymelef's facemask "I always though piloting you was a children's play. I never though I could get hurt. It was stupid of me to think I'm invincible, but I really wanted to believe that. And look what now happened…" Van's words were the only sounds in the empty barn; the guymelef didn't answer telling him it's not his fault.
Van jumped down and walked to the doors. He didn't even turned back before running out in the open and towards the town. He just ran. Even when the rain poured down he didn't stop and look for the shelter; he didn't slow down at the sight of a young couple clinging at each other under the narrow eaves. He only stopped when he acme to a wooden bridge build over one of the canals in Pallas.
Van looked over the railing in the passing water when few drops fall in making small ripples on the surface. Van actually looked surprised by it cause the rain stopped, so where did the drops came from?
Slowly, as he was afraid to find out the answer he wiped away that few tears he couldn't keep from falling of his cheek.
"Van?" he heard a voice calling him and he turned towards its source.
Allen was walking on the bridge. Just like Van he was all wet too, and didn't look any happier; Millerna's words still echoed in his mind.
"Something bothering you Allen?" Van asked even though he would rather be alone.
"I… about what Hitomi said…" he started and Van just shook his head.
"Its alright. I can understand her very well. It's all my fault, and she has every right never wanting to see me again." Van turned to walk away.
Allen sighed "She didn't mean it in that way. She simply wants you to be safe, that's what she meant."
Van stopped listening silently. 'That would make sense. If she never sees me again, it means I didn't get hurt again.'
"Will you come on the ceremony tomorrow?" Allen asked interrupting the awkward silence "Millerna would be really happy if you would."
"I'm not sure. I'm not in a mood for great celebrations." Van walked slowly away "I would simply make everyone depressed."
Everything around her was metal when she woke up. It took a moment for Hitomi to remember where she is and why. Than a sad look crossed her features; she may never see them again, she may never see him again.
"New order came. Need your help." A short creature in a black cloak walked in her cabin as soon as she got up from the bed that was made for her only two days ago. Before that she slept on an improvised low pallet.
"Of course." She said putting on an identical black cloak everyone wore "But what can I do to help?"
"Need new ideas." Ispano makers assembled in a meeting room. She was surprised when she saw this room the first time. She never thought they need a meeting room; her expectation was they do everything as it comes, but they actually planned everything first. Unless there was a sudden call, like it was in Van's case.
Hitomi was sitting quietly just listening to ideas for just ordered five melefs from a world on the other side of a Dimensional Gap. That was one more thing that shocked her; there were more parallel worlds.
"Female." She blunt and everyone turned her way.
"Explain." An Ispano next to her said.
"A female melef." She said "Why should all be male?"
"You design melefs."
"Was that a question?" Hitomi asked. She didn't know how things work here.
"No. You design." He answered "Questions?"
"Um… what do they need them for?" she didn't know anything about designing, but if she was to actually do it, it was necessary to know what are they for.
"Protection. Need to fly."
"So they will be some sort of goddesses for the people." They looked at her not knowing what she meant by that "The melefs are for protection, like gods do. Or in this case goddesses."
"Suppose so." With those words the meeting was over and everyone stood up and left the room accept from Hitomi, she still sat there
Oh, and guess what, I got a haircut. It was half way down my back and now it's just below my sholders. The first thing my mom said when she saw me was: You could have done it sooner.