Another of the shorter chapters... I know. I added a bit of Hitomi's life with Ispano makers and I hope you'll like it. I enjoy writing about Ispanos cause I don't have to pay attention on the grammar.

Just one more thing: does it correct to write Keiji or Keiyi or is it both wrong? I'm not a japanese expert, so... I kind of need it for the... hold on tight... my next story...

"Lord Folken?" a golden leopard-girl walked in a study "We are ready for the blood exchange."

Folken remained silent. He didn't know what to believe anymore. 'For the past ten years I helped Lord Dornkirk to prepare everything necessary for bringing Gaea to a better future. But why? What is so wrong with the world the way as it is that it needs to be changed? There is still good on this world, and that good shouldn't perish in the war.'

"Lord Folken?" silver leopard-girl walked in the study after her sister "The exchange."

"He's wrong!"

Leopard-girls watched as Folken took a large scroll from the shelf and walked to the wooden table. He unwrapped it revealing a blueprint of the Flying Fortress. He ran his finger across it searching for something; but what they did not knew.

"Lord Folken? What's wrong?" Nariya came to him and looked down on the blue paper "What do you search for, maybe we can help?"

"I'm looking for a solution. Dornkirk is wrong." He answered coldly.

Nariya turned to her sister; both were confused but didn't dare to oppose their Lord. He must have known what he's doing.

After locating the right spot on the fortress Folken grinned noticing it was right under his nose the whole time. The self-destruction switch was in the room with the screen, a room he used regularly, but never really knew what is really in it.

He sat on the chair still eyeing the blueprint till a movement caught his eye. Both Nariya and Eriya were now standing in front of the table looking at him concerned. He smiled understanding; he really did act strange all of the sudden. But that was understandable, really.

"The girl from the Mystic Moon is no longer a threat to the perfect future emperor Dornkirk imagined for Gaea. She…"

"Where is she Lord Folken?" Eriya asked "Did she returned home? I doubt your brother liked that."

"My brother didn't influenced her not being here anymore, and yet he did." His words confused the twins even more "She gave away her freedom for his life. She stayed with those who made the guymelef Escaflowne in exchange for the repair."

"But what does that got to do with anything my Lord?" Nariya asked "Why are you no longer certain in the future the emperor dreamed about?"

"Because you shouldn't change what is already good; and a world where one is willing to do such sacrifice for another is definitely good. She must have seen it…"

Hitomi sat staring at the empty paper 'How am I suppose to design whole new melefs? I don't even know how they work, or on what principles does the energist gives them energy… or what ever they use to work…'

"Problem?" a creature in black scared her and she jumped slightly. After explaining what bothered her Hitomi sighed, she didn't get the answer she expected. She wanted to hear 'Don't worry, we'll do everything.' but what she got was "Draw melefs. We do the rest."

'I can do that. I can draw…' Hitomi sighed again 'Who am I kidding? I don't have a clue about this stuff! I never did anything like this before, I don't know how to draw melefs!'

An Ispano must have read her mind cause he walked in carrying over ten scrolls in his hands "Old designs. Use if you need help."

Hitomi wanted to hug the little creature and give him a kiss, but thought better. She just thanked him and took first scroll. Opening it she smiled sadly; she knew this guymelef more that well. From the white paper a gray sketch of Escaflowne was looking back at her.

Taking a writing utensil she tried to make a first sketch, but didn't really know where to start from, the legs, face, maybe body. Slowly, really slowly Hitomi started to pull first lines, and in a matter of few hours a form was already visible; a form of a goddess.

Van was called in the meeting room where Millerna, Allen and Dryden already waited. Merle of course went after him hoping there is some news about Hitomi. It was a useless hoping, she knew that, but for Lord Van's sake…

"A watchman on east has reported a Flying Fortress was destroyed hundred miles from the shore." Dryden said still holding a message, reading it over again, thinking it might be a mistake.

"How? Did we attack?" Van asked.

"That's why we called you." Princess Millerna said calmly "None of Asturian solders was even near that territory, so we thought… we thought you might have done it." She paused a bit, trying to find right words "To revenge Hitomi."

"I did not use Escaflowne since we came back." Van said "But who ever was it that destroyed the fortress deserves our gratitude. Is there anything else?"

"Will you come on the ceremony tomorrow?" Millerna asked. She had to ask, out of curiosity, that maybe he changed his mind.

"I'm sorry princess, but I don't believe I will." Van's eyes were directed in the red carpet on the floor "I am not the best company at the time."

With that he left leaving his friends and allies behind. Merle stayed too, she new he needed to be alone, again. He was like that every time after someone mentioned her name. It hurt Merle to watch her friend like that, even on the mere mentioning of Hitomi he became distant and pulled back into his memories; after all, that is all he got left.

"How bad is it Merle?" Dryden asked the cat-girl and shudder when she gave him the sad look. She didn't have to say anything, her eyes said it for her.