I DO NOT OWN ESCANFLOWNE

However Thank you for the feed back! And the correct spelling! I thought I was spelling it right !

Well – I hope this story is making sense – or at least flowing together correctly that makes everyone understand. If Im repeating the story of things to much its because I don't know how to get other characters to figure it out without it being rexplained and yes – if each time you've heard a different alter explanation there is a reason, Im not doing it because Im changing it each time its re-explained haha.

She almost expected flying Gymeluf's to follow them and there to be a much treacherous journey back to where ever it was they were heading. It had been at least two days and all she saw below where mountains – tall mountains that if she had ever seen Mount Everest she was sure these would beat her in all her glory. How the army massing behind them ever made it through these passages was beyond her – what has taken them half the day to fly would surely take a journey of months to cross on foot. What she wouldn't give for a bath – and more breaks.

"They hazs float citiesz, datz how." He almost reminded her of a raspy Jamaican, his accent was so thick.

"I forgot, you can read my thoughts." She reminded herself – out loud – when he could have heard them the same in her head.

She peered around him to look ahead – in hopes she would see more than just mountains – and she did, far off in the horizon she couldn't see anymore peaks – slowly flattening lands. She closed her eyes; the sway of Serantisan reminded her of her rides with Van on Escanflowne.

He stood holding the large straps in his hands and he guided Escanflowne towards the sunset. She held him tightly, not wanting to let go. Her heart pounded with excitement as the breeze ran through her short hair.

She opened her eyes when the wind seemed to stop and she realized they had landed on top a hill overlooking the ruins of Fanelia.

"I'm going to rebuild Hitomi." He scanned the ruins but with hope in his voice.

"It will be amazing Van." She pictured the street bustling with activities, the kids running through, while Van's castle over looked all of Fanelia. It would cascade out of the mountain like a waterfall of life, and the streets would wind out of the city filled with outgoing and incoming visitors. Merchants Levi ships would hover closely as they waited to dock and the country side would bloom with life again.

"I want you with me" He turned his body toward her facing her pulling her to him.

She hugged him back with all the sorrow that filled her heart at the thought of leaving – all the joy of holding him now replaced it. She wanted to stay, oh how she did, but she couldn't, her family was back on Earth, on the Mystic Moon.

"I'll come back." It was a promise she intended to keep, but she wasn't sure how.

She wanted to kiss him – but she wasn't sure if he did. She realized she loved Van when she seen him for the second time on the track, but this time he came for her. She unknowing sent herself back to the Mystic Moon in a fit of rage and once there, couldn't be sure if it was really what she wanted. She continued out her Déjà vu day in the way she had before she came to Gaea, except this time Van came down in a pillar of light for her, on top Escanflowne.

He had always been there for her, and she for him. Throwing herself in harm's way with no thought to herself to save him, and all that time never questioned why. She was regretting not having her open eyes to see him the way she seen him now.

She shook her head of all the worrying thoughts, she wanted to enjoy now.

"Are you ok?" Van looked down his deep crimson eyes was like a vision all its own. She could see her happiness,

"Yes just thinking. Van, I'm going to miss everyone." She wanted to say him but she wasn't sure why she didn't. She shut down every time she was around him. She could think of countless things she wanted to say to him when she wasn't around him, but when she was near him it was like her mouth wouldn't cooperate.

"I'm going to miss you." He smiled and placed his hands on the sides of her face and looked at her. She could feel her heart racing faster than anything she had felt before. He slowly leaned to her and her eyes began to close and she could feel his warm breath on her face. His lips softly touched her and a current of warm sensations carried through her body, arousing her senses. He pressed harder against her mouth and she parted her lips letting his tongue slid in. His hand move from her face down to her waist and pulled her closely to him.

He drank her in for what seemed like hours – she felt light headed as her body seemed over run with new feeling. He pulled away slowly and locked with his eyes, and couldn't help but return the smile he gave her.

She had fallen asleep and was awakened by the shaking and Grato's cold hands touching her face. She blinked her focus and she sat up wearily. The ride on Serantisan had her legs sore and back aching. She felt like she had her first horse riding lesson but with double the aching.

"How long had I been sleeping?" She looked at Grato then gazed around her surroundings. It was a small clearing – that had the surround trees canopy a roof over it. Leaving the sun beaming through fountains of direct light, between the small open spaces of the trees. She heard deep rumbling and realized she had been sleeping against Serantisan. She shifted around onto her knees and gazed at the dragon before her. It was slowly sinking in, Serantisan had saved them.

The large eyelid opened and her blue eye stared back at her. Hitomi focused on her reflection and more clearly on the light grey symbol that had been newly placed on her forehead. She raced the symbol; it was like two half moons facing each other with something lighter in the middle that she couldn't make out.

"Itz Dragon." He seemed to be speaking to no one, but she knew he was speaking to her.

"Where are we going?" Hitomi started to place everything that had happen to her into focus. She didn't know where they were heading.

"You told me to head to the waterfall city." Serantisan replied.

"Waterfall city?" She questioned, unsure of if she even requested that, but a lot of things had happened that she didn't know about anymore this would just be another one.

"I saw a city – coming out of a mountain like a waterfall." Serantisan didn't sound as if she knew anymore than Hitomi. She might have a lot of knowledge – begin old as Gaea probably – but it seemed as if this was as new to her as Hitomi.

"Fanelia?" That's how she would describe it, it had to be, of course she would want to go there, to see Van he would know how to help her.

Serantisan tilted her head and then slowly nodded as if she was agreeing with Hitomi.

"When will we be there?" Her heart started to race, she wanted to see him – she had been here for how long and yet to see Van.

"There's a Levi ship ahead, we stay here until they leave." Serantisan bared her teeth as if she was angered by the irritation. She obviously didn't want to be stopped or her course altered.

"A Zaibach Levi Ship?"

"No, not know." Grato responded. He seemed to be concerned about no knowing.

"Can I see it?" She had only seen a couple of Levi ships, and only one that she knew and could remember as if she was riding on it yesterday.

Serantisan dipped her head in front of Hitomi – and she climbed onto her forehead holding the massive horns the protruded out the back of her skull. Hitomi fit perfectly on her brow and Serantisan lifted her long neck to the top of the canopy so Hitomi could brush away the tree branches as see the view above.

It was marvelous, green forest covered as far as her eye could see. The birds flew above diving in and out of the canopies without a care in the world. It appeared almost tropical.

She spotted the Levi ship ahead of her – hovering lowly over a lake that the trees surrounded. The Levi ship was sleek in design that she had never seen before. Allen's had been more bulky and reminded her of a 1960 airplane, this one seemed more modern in design. The large rocks that helped the ship hover were designed into long flat stones that were attached to the side of the ship. There was one large mast extending out the top of the ship, red in color with a large golden dragon in a crouching stance whipping against the still ship. I know that… Ive seen it before. The thought was there – she knew but she couldn't remember, she had seen it before.

Serantisan must have decided she had seen enough because she was being brought back down quickly through the canopy. Still lost in her thoughts of pushing through memories to try and find some sort of knowledge as to know why that symbol seemed so familiar.

Stepping down she looked back at Serantisan who didn't seem at a sense of calm anymore. She seemed edgy and her head whipped around peering through the canopy. She listened but the sound of the wind whipping through the air with the furious lashes of Serantisan's tail.

Before she could say it she thought it and Grato replied. "I know not." He seemed confused as she, maybe Serantisan was just a wild creature – she remembered back in the fortress how calm and peaceful she appeared to be until she clawed at her cage trying to rip anything that crossed her path apart. She started to feel uneasy.

"He's coming." Her growl almost covered her words, but Hitomi heard them none the less. Who was coming? The only person that might be searching for them was Dilandau… Dilandau! He HAD been looking for them, how long had they been stopped? Maybe they had been following them this entire time they just never slowed their pace to be caught, fortresses were slow, she remembered. Or maybe he was on his Gymeluf, which wouldn't be any better – she didn't have anyone here with one of those!

The sound of high whining started to come into the clearing, and quickly gaining on them. Panic started to rise and she wasn't sure how she was going to get out of here, sure she had a mighty dragon – probably the biggest – on her side but Serantisan wasn't a mechanical being – she could be hurt, and die.

The sound was almost upon them and the canopy shook with vibration. Large shadow quickly darted over head – she couldn't make them out as they past so quickly, they pasted over them? She listened and the sound started to become slowly distant. Maybe they hadn't been spotted. She could hear the distant whine of what she would rightfully guess were the engines on a Gymeluf, Dilandau did have the flying engines.

Slowly her ease came back to her, but not all of it, she could still hear the engines, as if they were at a hover in the air, not moving. The sound wasn't growing distant anymore but it wasn't growing stronger either. Hitomi hit the dirt when the sound of an explosion shook the ground, it was instinct – she looked around, even Serantisan had lowered herself to the ground barring her teeth to the top of the canopy. What had happen? The Levi ship – the Gymeluf were attacking the Levi ship.

"Serantisan we have to go and help!" Hitomi ran to the dragon as her body filled what she knew as adrenaline. It enhanced her she felt faster, her thoughts quicker, and her heart racing. It happened so many times to her on the track.

Serantisan busted from the canopy like a canon ball, the branches cracked and leaves littered the air. Hitomi clung to her neck as the wind stung her eyes again, she was fast – and they were gaining on the battle ahead with uncanny speed. The Levi ship was surrounded by four large black Gymelufs, rounded in feature with red trims along the forms of metal that met together over their body. They were defiantly shooting at the Levi ship darting its defensive attacks with the large heavy mounted machinery piloted by each member of the crew.

The Gymeluf moved with ease, ducking and evading every attempt that the Levi ship shot at them while the returned their fire, the mast was in flames, and the ship tilted as one of the rocks were indeed holding a large crack down the length of it.

One Gymeluf barreled into the floating rock on the holding side of the ship with force that sent the ship into the Gymeluf on the opposite side.

Hitomi felt anger brewing, she was on the battle and could see Serantisan using her mighty tail to barrel over the closets Gymeluf below them as she took her claws to the one in front of them, and Serantisan did just that. Her tail swooped down and clashed with the Gymeluf below and an engine erupted, black smoke filled the air as it tumbled below to the lake below. Serantisan's teeth sunk into the metal arm of the one before her and her claws ripped into the metal chest, scrambling to reveal the Gymeluf's driver.

Hitomi clutched harder to Serantisan's neck, not believing what she was feeling. She was seeing what she wanted to do seconds before Serantisan carried it out. It wasn't adrenaline she was feeling – if was Serantisan. Her mouth could feel the metallic taste of the Gyumeluf's arm- and her finger could feel the sweltering heat of the bending metal Serantisan was inflicting on the Glmeluf's chest.

It was power.

"Captain there's a large white….Dragon?" one of the men steering the Gundam looked back at Allen.

What in the world was going on, first there was four Gymeluf's that attacked without cause, hell appeared from nowhere, and now an enormous white dragon was heading for them. Allen tried to steady his stand while the ship rocked back and forth. They were battering into his floatation rocks, at this rate the other one would crack and down they would plummet into the lake. "All men fire at will!" Allen point out the glass bay window, they were trying to single down a target at a time but these Gymelufs were fast, and evaded fire. They were defiantly Ziabach, but with better engines and lackies behind the Gymeluf.

His attention averted to the Gymeluf falling from above, the black smoke pouring from his engine that enabled him to fly. Finally progress, he ran further to the window to look above, find where the other Gymeluf's were. The massive white tail flicked angrily battling against the Gymeluf that the dragon had in its grasp. Size alone was an advantage for this dragon, its mouth's strength crushing the Gymeluf's arm rendering it useless as its claws dug into the metal on the cockpit with impressive ease.

This dragon was on, his side? What had he done to earn the loyalty of a dragon, Dragon were secluded creatures, keeping their ways from the advanced races of Gaea. He never doubt their intelligence, he grew up with stories about how educated they are. He just never heard of any battling on the side of them before.

Blood splattered to the top of the window he looked out of and the Gymeluf fell, the dragon had successfully ripped open the cock pit and pulled the driver from it. Allen looked around for the other two Gymeluf's as he ship rocked unsteady again sending him back down to the ground. With a grunt he looked back out to the dragon that lurched forward behind the ship. There was something attached to its neck – no someone. It was so quick but he knew he saw a lone small figure trying to hold on to the long neck of that dragon, he jumped to his feet and ran out of the ship deck to the top of the ship, the landing dock he would be able to see.

Serantisan landed on top the ship; however her size was easily double the size but it held her with strain, the ship only jolted in its new adjusted weight. She spread her massive wing span and bellowed a defiant roar at the two still floating Gymelufs. They seemed unsure of how to proceed. She gave them their moment to run – Hitomi knew there wasn't much left of the ship a few good rounds would do it in for sure and she wasn't going to give them the chance. Serantisan lurched forward, the ship creaking and shifting again as she pushed off with force.

The Gymeluf's had made their mind up – they proceeded to fly up and turn back towards the way they had came. Hitomi felt victorious but her thoughts were lost in Serantisans below of triumph. She had won, she set her mind to it and won, but with the aid of a dragon, a dragon with sheer size alone was to their advantage. With this knowledge she felt comforted.

Serantisan circled the ship – Hitomi was under of what to do as well, studying the damaging, she was thinking it wouldn't be flying anywhere. It hovered at an increasing tilting angle; the stone on the right side was waning. They needed to pull the ship down, and so with that thought alone Serantisan grabbed the land gear on the bottom and with whipping force of her wings, started to pull the ship to a safer, lower hover.

Hitomi jumped from her neck and took a breath – that was defiantly a flash back of reoccurring events 5 years ago. Battles, and lots of them, she didn't want to relive that again, she didn't want to hurt anyone, even if she did just save a levi ship full of people for the two lived she took today.

"Who are you dragon?" The voice came from above, so familiar, so confident, so Allen.

Hitomi whipped around and looked to the top of the ship as if she was looking into heaven. It was him! He was there; his long flowing golden hair blew with the wind. Long trenched coat of deep red with gold embroidery that came to his knees with his sword faithfully at his side his masculine features hidden beneath the garb. He wasn't taller but his face still seemed long but broader. A couple years did him more justice, if she even thought that was possible at the time. His large deep blue eyes, widened, in what she could only agree with as shock, she felt it too.

"ALLEN" What seemed like an eternity of staring at him trying to find words and taking in the wonderful sight of him she finally managed to say his name. Tears pooled in her eyes, the joy she felt just seeing his face, his dominate, sophisticated smile that could charm her into a trance of dreaming.

One swift movement and he bounded from the ship, landing in point further down making his way to the ground and sprinting towards her.

Hitomi had legs though she couldn't move until Allen had made it nearly to her. She sprinted to him, and collided wrapping her arms around his chest and burrowing her head. He was there, his smell, his feel, it was all so soothing. She relaxed keeping her eyes closed afraid she wasn't going to wake up – and she saw his face – Van.

She pulled away from Allen with instant shock – Allen gave her a confusing look, he seemed hurt.

"I'm sorry Allen – I got carried away – It's so great to see you!" Her cheeks reddened as she started to recall a bridge and a kiss.

"Hitomi – I can say the same. What in Gaea are you doing here? I mean – we speculated, but I really didn't expect –" If Allen was upset about her pulling away he quickly recovered with his suave smile.

"What you thought I was here?" She couldn't help but interrupt – how did they know?

"Yes, about two months ago we saw something strange happen, the sky danced with lights and the world shook – It took awhile but I received word that a pillar of red light beamed down near the old empire of Zaibach's dragon grave yard. So I went to the graveyard – found nothing except charred earth – and I have been going on hunches and rumors since." Allen stared at her.

The earth shook, that had been happening to her a lot – a pillar of red light – in a dragon graveyard. Dilandau did say that she was reborn through drag-energists. Would make since – and piecing it together seemed to work – but there was still no reason as to why this was all happening to her.

"Does Van know?" With all the questions on her mind – that's the one she wanted to know.

"He speculated that you came, his scholars have done nothing but read riddles of old prophecies and he sent me to look. However he doesn't know about my confirmed report of the red pillar – He has a kingdom to run not run off at a thought it might be you." He couldn't help but sound resentful at least that's how he came across to Hitomi.

He was defending himself while giving Hitomi explanations that was very unlike Allen. He was always confident in what he said – never need to defend himself. He wasn't sure of his decision and Hitomi didn't understand why he would be that way – sounded reasonable to her.

Allen shifted his gaze to the dragon that had gone to the lake; he glanced back at Hitomi as if trying to put the pieces together.

"It doesn't make sense to me either Allen – Can we sit down I'm feeling a bit weak." And she was, her legs were shaking and her head felt light. Here she was drained of energy again – feeling like a she hadn't eaten or slept in weeks.

Allen quickly shifted to her and caught her as she started to buckle. She looked flush – he pulled her into his arms and debated whether to set her down or hold her against him. He started to feel his heart catching speed and his body became warm. Thoughts of feeling her soft lips entered his mind and it took a lot of effort not to play through. He decided for his own self control he placed her against a lone Sprit Tree.

Hitomi felt it – a wave of warm feeling – however it didn't feel like hers. She felt nervous around Allen, almost unsure of where they stood – but now she felt like kissing him – but it wasn't her thoughts. They were almost someone else willing her to do so. She wanted to kiss him – she wanted to feel his lips – but her mind was telling her no she didn't, she only wanted Van.

She didn't breathe until Allen placed her against the closest tree - which she was truly grateful for. The minute she was releases from her hold – the wanting feeling she had – disappeared. She looked at Allen with confusion – was it her that wanted him – or him that wanted her? She didn't feel a compelling urge to kiss him now – she felt a strong feeling to Allen – but not in a way she was just feeling. She wanted to be compassionate when he needed a friend, protect him when he couldn't protect himself, and listen to him when he was feeling lost, but certainly not love him in a way where psychical attraction applied. Or did she?

"Captain! The ship has been adjusted, four days work and repairs, we should be underway." A man with a deep navy blue tone to his short hair appeared behind Allen. He was shorter – probably Hitomi's height – with a fancier gold vest lined with red embroidery. He had iris white eyes – which Hitomi was entranced by his appearance. He was beautiful all on his own – his uniqueness made her awe. He was sleek – and he carried himself with confidence – he was in some form of command.

"Thank you Ritern, you are dismissed." Allen turned his gaze behind him and eyed Ritern.

"Yes Sir." Ritern seemed to have just noticed Hitomi – he was going to object or say something to add after Allens dismissal until he saw the light blond girl sitting beneath the tree with Allen kneeling before her.

Ritern turned and without hesitation quickly began his was to the ship – without looking back – but Hitomi could tell he had questions. She didn't like the way he looked at her when their eyes met, and if Hitomi could think someone could not like someone without even meeting them – that gaze would be it.

"Hitomi, where have you been?" Allen wasn't sure where he should start as far as getting some answers to this strange predicament but that seemed a good place to start.

"I, well, I don't really know the location. It was a long travel past some mountains to get here, but…" She wasn't sure if she should say his name. It wasn't until Hitomi was sitting before Allen that she remembered one important fact that had eluded her these past couple weeks. Dilandau was Selena – Selena was Dilandau – but how – now she was more confused.

"But?" Allen's eyes softened when he could see tears welling in Hitomi's eyes. What had set her off he wasn't sure, maybe she wasn't ready to talk about – she did look pale.

"I'm really tired Allen." She wasn't going to go there until she knew more. She wasn't going down this road right now – she wasn't sure how Allen would react and she could feel her eyelids becoming heavy the longer her mind raced and tried to make sense of all this.

"Here come with me; you can rest in my cabin." And again Allen pulled Hitomi up and to him – his heart started where it had left off, but faster. Her smell reminded him of the meadow he used to run through when he was a child – so soothing. Her slim body pressed against him sent goose bumps forming on his arms. To not help matters any she was going to be sleeping in his cabin.

Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut and tried to fight the returning feelings that seemed foreign to her again. She tried to make sense of it, a friend Allen was a friend, but now she wanted him more than that. It was like these weren't her feelings, when she was close to him she felt it – and strained to control it. She wanted to breath him in – but it only made matters worse, and she didn't think she could hold her breath that long as they made their way to his cabin – she wished she would pass out.