Well, ain't this grand? I've already got the next chapter out to you. I'm the best, aren't I? Just the most greatest fiction author ever.
I'm expecting to get fruit tossed at me from Rutilus fans. No worries. The update is coming. This one is pretty dang fun though. My brain really does know how to have a good time in imagination land.
Questions on the plot? Predictions on what will come? Completely lost on what exactly you just read? See me at the bottom of this.
Opening the heavy wooden door from her hotel room to the hallway, Hitomi let out a small breath into the chilly morning air. Wrapping her jacket over her chest tightly, she took a step out of the doorway and smiled softly to herself. The long hallway's small hanging lamps let out ample amounts of light for a comfortably bright and cheerful glow to illuminate each piece of art with perfect flair. Letting her green eyes roll slowly up and down, she studied the innumerable amount of small and large paintings lining from floor to ceiling.
"Will you move out-of-the-way?" Yukari's bossy voice dragged her back from her mental revelry. Hitomi rolled her eyes furtively before side-stepping into a mock curtsey to her friend.
"After you, princess."
Yukari reached out to pat Hitomi's head. "Good girl. You forgot your precious journal, by the way. What would you do without me?"
Taking the offered yellow backpack, the short-haired girl let her gaze travel back to the wonderful decorations around her. Various paintings – with a thick mixture of both realistic and exotic abstract – depicted the extinct dragons that used to roam this area centuries ago. Three right beside her were of the double moons that could be seen in the night sky. Several others proudly shinned with a variety of mechanical beings in different poses. Zeroing in on a black and white sketch four steps down, she squinted at the tiny cursive writing that labeled each part of the Guymelef. Leaning close, she frowned thoughtfully and made a mental note to take a picture of the drawing later.
Ancient Fanelian writing was hard to translate without her books. It'd take a while, but this was obviously a priceless antique.
"The helmet is too square, the operational gears on the shoulders are completely sideways, and the jewel is on the wrong side…" she muttered with a click of her tongue. "Definitely not Escaflowne's blueprints."
A twinkle of lovely blue pressing gently into the cream carpet lining caught Hitomi's studious eyes and she tilted her head curiously. Her gaze glided up to find the source of color and she discovered with an unbridled delight that it was coming from a large stained glass window a little past the hallway to the left. She couldn't see the window properly. Glancing at her cursing friend who was having no luck locking the door to their hotel room, she decided to investigate. The blue light began to bleed on her as she walked closer and closer.
She gasped as she finally saw the full window. The sun – rising through the morning – glittered the majestic glass that covered from floor to ceiling. It spanned at least seven feet wide, stretching the scene like it had once been real and was now caught in some mysterious spell; forever trapped. The fantastic mix of small light and dark blues swirling with aqua green floated gracefully like waves. It was water at its loveliest depiction. The glass was splashing upward as if crashing on the surf. Emerging from the white spray were the two most beautiful figures she'd ever seen. One with white wings spread wide was floating, her feet trailing above the water. The stained-glass wings twinkled like crystals. The angel's long dark hair was caught in a gentle breeze that likewise brushed her draping dress off her full body. The other was a human man in mid-run; his muscles realistically flexing; reaching to touch the angel desperately. The angel's hand was just moving, her shoulders in the progress of bending to fly down into his arms. Stepping even closer, Hitomi noticed that even their fingers were detailed with exquisite care. The smiles of devotion and radiant love on their glass faces made her sad. Forever caught in the confines of their glass prison, it was as if they found each other after decades of fruitless searching. They were so close to touching, holding, hugging, but were entombed once more in this everlasting need. A drop of morning dew on the window shimmied down the dark solder and copper and rolled down the angel's delicate facial features.
A tear.
"Hitomi? Where'd you run off to?" The faraway voice of Yukari hardly fazed her. It took her friend grabbing her arm to finally wake her from the enchanting spell of the stained-glass window.
"Wha?" She mumbled blinking several times as the light from the glass caused small white spots in her vision.
"I asked if you were ready to go. I finally got the stupid door locked."
"Yeah, yeah, I am. I was just looking at-"
"More hotel junk?" Yukari exhaled shortly and her brown eyes flicked from the stained-glass window to Hitomi's face, unimpressed. "Really, this place could use a proper decorator."
Hitomi sighed and shifted her backpack on her shoulder. "You never have any appreciation for the arts. Why did you even come to Fanelia with me in the first place?"
"Because your mom said that she didn't want you going on a crazy trip to foreign countries all alone." Yukari draped her arm around Hitomi's shoulders and turned her back down the hallway to the stairs. "And if I didn't come you'd spend your entire time in museums looking at old boring stuff."
Hitomi scoffed and stopped short next to a large painting of a glowing dragon heart in the palm of a hand. "I'm here to work, Yukari, not play. You know this more than anyone."
"That doesn't mean you can't party once the museums close."
"Let's just get this cleared up for the thirtieth time: I'm not here to party. I have to spend as much time as possible with this research. I have a limit here. The Winged Palace is only available to the public just these three days and this is the only tour available. I have to get as much information on the Escaflowne as I can. I've even paid extra for the tour of the Chapellieur al' Dragoon after we see the castle. This is my first real glimpse at where they kept the actual Dragon Guymelef. I can't miss it after traveling all this way." Hitomi's eyes misted over as her thoughts excitedly turned to her research. "It was said to have been created by the Ispano to both protect the Escaflowne and cage it. 'Chapellieur al' Dragoon' means 'Cage for the Dragon'. Why would they need to cage something that can't move without a pilot? Is it not fascinating?"
Yukari sighed at the vague dreamy look of her friend. She placed a hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "Look, I know you're working on your weird conspiracy theory project but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun, right?"
The short-haired girl blinked. "What do you mean? This is fun."
Yukari let out a small laugh at Hitomi's bewildered face. "No. No, it's not."
The bus' brakes shrieked in protest as the driver pressed on them slowly before coming to a complete stop in front of the large, dangerously twisted, barb-wired gate. Twitching her green eyes forward, she noticed the huge, wire-hairy driver lean out the window to talk to the three armed guards that had immediately raced up to flank the bus. The soldiers' garbs were camouflaged with various shades of greens, but the tell-tale lightning bolt insignias on the left breast of their uniforms identified them as Zaibach's military. Clutching a loaded Uzi with a tense hand, one of the guards stepped further forward and the driver pressed a small badge into his hand. Glancing up with a short nod of approval, the guard gave the badge back and stepped out of the way. As the gate lit green and began an audible grading to let the bus through, a small jerking motion to her right made Hitomi glance at the person several rows in front of her. A navy hat ducked out of sight just as the bus passed the armed guards. Narrowing her green eyes, she opened her mouth to whisper the strange behavior to Yukari, but her friend was currently distracted with texting on her phone. Probably to Amano. The short-haired girl decided not to interfere with a lover's message.
As the bus rocked down the cobbled way, Hitomi's heart began to flutter with excitement. Her head bobbed up and down, scanning all the windows for a better glimpse at the structure that had been her subject of controversy for almost a decade. After waiting for The Winged Castle to open back up to the public, after buying the expensive tickets seven years in advance, after traveling so far and spending more than her savings should allow on airship tickets, after dreaming to see the castle she'd only read about in her textbooks and her father's research notes, she clenched her fists happily on her knees to stop herself from reaching over to shake Yukari with anticipation.
And finally, it was time.
Zipping up her blue jacket and securing her fluffy hat over her short, brown locks, Hitomi followed Yukari off the tour bus and onto the paved pathway. As the people piled out one by one and began milling about, she quickly swiveled her yellow backpack around her front and pulled out her precious small leather journal. Brushing through the old, stiff pages expertly, she shoved her mechanical pencil between her teeth and searched with a frantic finger for a certain part of her notes. Taking the writing tool, she jotted down the dimensions of the decorative castle standing before her.
The front Winged Palace:
Fourteen Turrets – She looked up and counted. A drop of disappointment rolled down into her stomach as she wrote, three left standing: two at the back; one in front; the rest collapsed. At Six Front Guard Towers, she sniffled in the cold wind that brushed her rosy cheeks and scribbled, None left fully standing; further study indicates hints, but only foot high rubble at bases.
It only took several minutes for her scholarly gaze to completely calculate each piece of the castle and for all of the wind-blustered tourists to file out of the bus properly. Despite her thrilling happiness to be in the midst of all this history, she couldn't stop the wave of melancholy at how much the abandoned castle had collapsed into disarray. Even if visitations to The Winged Palace was booked now decades in advance, it was tragic how much they had let the castle go; even since the pictures in her textbooks. Most of the left side of the castle was concaved into piles of smashed rubble. One of the few standing turrets was leaning precariously to the side as if it too was about to collapse with the rest of its fallen brothers. A giant piece of the dirt-encrusted limestone had broken off and exposed bits of the chaotic rooms within. Tucking her pencil inside the journal and securing the precious book under her armpit, she fished out her digital camera from the yellow backpack, secured the strap around her neck, and set the flash on automatic.
"Well, there it is. The famous Winged Palace. Looks a bit on the breezy side." Yukari murmured to Hitomi, her brown eyes visibly reflecting on the impending boredom in her near future.
"Gather around, gather around." The tour guide stretched a long fake grin on his round face; waving his hands high in the air to catch everyone's attention. Despite his excitable visage, his small body quivered underneath his thick coat. The short guide's pointed nose and slightly squeaking voice indicated he had a bit of mouse heritage in his bloodline. More disappointment filled her.
The tour wasn't even given from a native Fanelian.
"I am your assigned tour guide for today, Mr. Heepie, and I am thrilled to bits to have such a wonderful group here today." The mouse-man, obviously new to the concept of public speaking, spoke like they were an excitable elementary school classroom that was getting ready to learn their ABCs. "As you well know, the Fanelian Representatives voted to allow The Winged Palace to be open for touring just three days out of the year. Does anyone know why it's only for three days?"
Hitomi immediately raised her hand and Heepie gave her an acknowledging nod.
"After the Rebellion, it took three days to put of the fires."
"Partially correct! It probably would have burned longer, but thankfully, Zaibach caught wind of what was happening to the small country and – as an act of good faith for such a grievous tragedy – she rose on the wings of comfort to take care of the scattered citizens, help rebuild, and, eventually, stabilize Fanelia for the better. Since the last of the royal family was killed during the Rebellion, Zaibach stayed for three hundred years to establish the first layout of what would become a stable Oligarchy - which was some extreme radical thinking for a monarchical world at the time, but more on that later. These three days are set aside for the timely arrival of Zaibach and the three centuries she worked to save Fanelia from utter disaster. Now, let me give you a brief overview of what we will be seeing today…"
The short-haired girl mouth curved down into a frown. She opened her lips to comment, but Yukari's phone let out a loud beep and the tour guide's irritatingly happy grin flickered as he dropped his squeaking buttery speech to scold her friend. "No phones out during the tour, please. Especially when I am talking." Yukari rolled her eyes and tucked her phone into her back pocket. Crossing her arms, she glared at Hitomi like it was her fault. Snuggling further into her jacket, a wave of irrational annoyance for the tour guide swirled in her belly. His phony joyfulness would be more tolerable if a chilling wind hadn't decided to rage through the slowly freezing tourists and twist icily down the backs of their coats. The longer he talked, the longer they stood with the wind blasting in their faces.
The mouse spoke in wide gestures, his tiny hands flickering in the air like the conductor of a symphony. Finally, he said, "let's all head a bit closer, shall we?" and a wave of relief befell more than one shivering individual.
She took several steps forward to follow the crowd and her shoulder was bumped roughly by someone who was trying to brush past her. "Excuse me," She said politely, keeping a firm hand on her notebook as the stranger kept walking forward without acknowledging her at all. The navy baseball hat made her stop short.
"Well, that was rude." Yukari hissed loud enough for the person to hear.
Hitomi shot her friend a small smile and shook her head. "Whatever, no worries."
Keeping an eye on the discourteous stranger, she swallowed down a strange spike of nervousness that had washed through her. A tingling sensation crept up the back of her neck as the rude man separated himself from the group, walking closer with tentative steps to the drawbridge of the castle. Taking in his filthy pants and ragged tennis shoes and the holes in his thick jacket, Hitomi immediately scooted protectively closer to Yukari. Long scraggly black hair flipped out from under his hat that was tucked very low over his forehead; completely covering the top part of his face in shadow. He took several more steps past the group and stumbled slightly on an upturned stone. The guide noticed him.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you need to stay on the smoothed pathway we are taking. Separation from the tour group is strictly prohibited without permission from me. Not to worry, though. We will be entering the Palace within the next hour or so. There is a side entrance around the back that is a safer route. We will go in after walking the gardens." Heepie squeaked the words importantly with his little eyes narrowing through his courteous smile; obviously increasingly aware of the stranger's ragged apparel. The man's back stiffened as he stopped shortly and Hitomi wondered if he was going to fight back.
He didn't. He took three steps backward to the paved walkway available to him and stood still, gazing up at the castle from the lid of his cap as if in a trance. His back facing her, she couldn't see his face.
There was something weird about him. The chill hit her again and she tucked her neck and chin further into the collar of her jacket.
Turning back to concentrate on the squeaking tour guide, she tried to listen as the mouse-man began to describe the basic layout of the castle grounds, but her eyes wandered back to the Palace itself. Even from the centuries that had passed since the fall of Fanelia, she could still make out the ancient scorch marks on the crusted limestone that caused permanent deep black lines of dirt and rust.
According to the historical archives written in Zaibach, the entire country of Fanelia had been razed in an uprising in the year 1360. The newly appointed king was put to death during the Rebellion. The precious suit of armor only piloted by the royal family, the Dragon Armored Guymelef, Escaflowne was lost or destroyed in the haze of fire and rage.
Or so all the textbooks tell it.
Sucking in a cold breath, Hitomi took out her journal and flipped carefully to a page. She read her own handwriting as the questions she'd been asking herself for so many years cropped into her mind. Through all her research, she had combed carefully for any hint, clue, whisper for the possible area Van Slanzar's body could be buried. Yes, it was possible that the young king had been buried in the rubble as his castle fell to the ground, or he had been thrown in the multitude of corpses that filled the olden mass grave sites that were found all outside the city's gates, but… Hitomi frowned. That wasn't actually documented proof. It was just kind of implied.
And implication had a chance to be wrong.
Zaibach's records never mentioned where the king was killed, let alone buried. The same with the Escaflowne. She sighed as she turned several pages to her own crude sketches and labeled parts of the beautiful ancient Guymelef she'd copied from her father's own research papers. Glancing back to the ruined castle standing before her, her eyes slipped to her right on the silent, capped stranger still standing before the lifeless corpse of a palace. A whelp of pity for the man filled her and she blinked at the irrational and unexpected feeling.
"…it is said the rebels attacked by both heavy frontal assault on Fanelia's outer wall and also through the sewer system to gain closer access to the coronation ceremony of their seventy-fourth king, Van Slanzar de Fanel. If you follow me past this walkway, we will cross the drawbridge. Once we are at a certain part of the bridge, I will show you the tunnels the rebel's used." The tour guide noticed Hitomi's camera and his nose twitched. "I should say right now that pictures are permitted only on the outside of the castle. You will have to leave your belongings in a holding station when we reach the entrance to the Winged Palace. The same rules will apply to those who have booked the extended tour for the Chapellieur al' Dragoon."
Yukari yawned as she walked with the crowd. Hitomi followed shortly after her with green eyes flipping all over the muted edifice. Their collective footfalls clacked loudly, echoing and bouncing raucously on the empty stones with the sense of desolation like they were entering a graveyard. The straight-backed mountain in which the castle had been carved out of loomed gloriously irrepressible as they made their way into its dwarfing shadow. A cold chill ran down Hitomi's spine as soon as she left the bleary sun to walk inside its icy shroud. Yukari let out a violent shiver right beside her.
"You owe me." Her friend leaned in to whisper. "One club. That's all I'm asking. One bar. Something."
"But this is so much fun." Hitomi shot back sarcastically and laughed at Yukari's quirked eyebrow.
"Now, if you look down to your left at the water, you'll see the ingenious sewer system that was very high-tech for its day. The piping system ran all the way through the city into the mountains. This system would still be in use today, but unfortunately it is in such disrepair that there is no salvaging it. Carried by pressured gas much like the ancient Guymelef's steam-based operating systems, it pushed fresh water in through sterilizing metallic pipes and fed toxic wastes into the…"
Hitomi watched Yukari yawn for the second time and felt a string of frustration and guilt. This was boring. Rolling her green eyes away from the little guide, she noticed the navy-capped man standing away from the group, his head still tilted up at the castle. He was almost on the other side of the bridge as if purposefully separating himself from their group. Realizing her stare, his sheltered face swiveled to her and she gasped, quickly looking back at the guide.
Her cheeks burned.
"…now follow me across the bridge. Watch your step. We are going to be walking around the ruins and the loose pebbles could trip you up." Thankful for something to do, she could almost physically feel the man's gaze on her back as she walked with the group. They labored past the drawbridge closer to the broken steps leading to the blocked entrance doors.
"Stop here." The guide ordered lifting a hand as if commanding an army to halt. Turning around, he gestured to the ground and immediately the group split into a circle around a huge crumbled imprint on the stones. "If you see here, this was once the spot where the Elders gathered to crown the newly appointed king. Take a look behind you."
Hitomi followed the rest of the group and her heart leapt with awe. Unknowingly, they had been climbing uphill since the bus dropped them off and the entire layout of Fanelia's little city was visible all the way to the outer walls. It was magnificent despite the large wired gate blocking the public from the ruinous castle. Her heart fell a bit. What she wouldn't give to see it how it was? Fanelia, in all its glory.
"Men and women, civilians and native nomads in the Arzaz pastures, people from around the entire providence stood at the gates watching. The future king or queen – after the ritual of dragon slaying was complete – stood on this very symbol. They would be dressed in the ceremonial armor and given the dragon sword to unlock the Guymelef Escaflowne. They'd also use the dragon heart obtained during the ritual to pilot the Guymelef. This archaic way of harvesting the energists was sacred to the early Fanelians. Not only did it prove the worthiness of the ruler, but also proved their integrity to the Escaflowne as well. It was thought that the Dragon Armor could see into men's hearts and read the lies written upon it. Only a human of true character, untouched by the impurity of deceit, someone who had single-handedly harvested the energist by himself could operate the legendary Ispano Guymelef. Of course, that is all nonsense." The guide let out a small laugh. "It's a nice story, though."
Though many stones were missing, she could still see the beautiful symbol through the tearing of age. The spots of reddish brick that lined a golden pointed symbol. The tiny imprinted curvature of the dragon etched in the stones in the middle. Unthinkingly, she left the deteriorated symbol to the guide's whiny explanations and looked for the navy-capped man. He was glancing back at the smoky city, his face always turned away from everyone. The cold wind brushed against the shivering crowd of tourists. When it reached his body, it seemed to caress him gently, the tips of his long black hair swaying enticingly in the breeze.
"Are there any questions?" The mouse-man squeaked to the crowd and Hitomi turned back immediately to lift her hand in the frigid air. He rose onto his toes with a nod of recognition.
"You say Van Slanzar was killed in the Rebellion."
"Yees…" the guide drawled out behind a grin.
"Where is his body buried?"
"Textbooks do not say much about the last king. But one thing we know for certain is that Van Slanzar did perish along with a vast majority of his citizens – both prominent and peasantry - during the beginning of the Rebellion. Documents from Zaibach state the rebel leader, Balgus, was personally responsible for his demise. I am afraid that is all we can conclude on the subject."
"And the Escaflowne-"
"The Dragon Armor has been confirmed from Zaibach to have left the Chapellieur al' Dragoon before the Rebellion began. From Zaibach's historical archive, it is documented that the Guymelef was also destroyed by the rebels."
"So, Van Slanzar released the Guymelef from its cage, correct?"
"That is what is known in the archives, yes." The guide snorted impatiently. She felt the annoyed vibe from the crowd and chanced one more question.
"Then Van Slanzar must be wherever Escaflowne is if the king's the only one who could have released it from the Chapellieur al' Dragoon. Has there been any attempt to dig the Escaflowne out of the rubble? Is there any proof that the Guyemelef is there?"
"The records at Zaibach state clearly that-"
"It's all well and good for Zaibach to state it, but what about actual proof? An actual gravesite? A body? The Guymelef wreckage?"
The mouse's smile faltered. "Zaibach's historical records are the only proof we need," he dismissed with a solid squeak. "Now if we can continue, I will be taking a left here over to the rose gardens. Feel free to take as many pictures as you'd like since we cannot permit pictures later on in the tour."
Hitomi sighed with a sting of irritation. Yukari nudged her with an elbow.
"What?"
"Cool that crazy head of yours, Hitomi. I don't want to be stuck in a jail cell in the middle of nowhere."
The short-haired girl raised an eyebrow wondering if her friend was joking or not. With a huff of finality, Hitomi grumbled under her breath. Waiting for gawking spectators to move off the symbol, she reached for the camera that dangled around her neck to snap a picture of the ground. Just as she lifted the lens to her eye, she felt the tingle of someone watching her. Turning her head, she saw the navy-capped man swing away and walk briskly ahead of her. His shoulders slumped forward; again the illogical feeling of sympathy washed over her. Focusing the camera quickly, she clicked a picture of his slouching back. Looking at the digital image, she frowned to herself and clicked to erase the picture.
Whatever possessed her to take a picture of some raggedy man?
Focusing the camera back on the castle ruin, she found herself suddenly thinking the words her father always wrote at the end of his letters to her: "Do read a good old novel - Sweet little angel, yell every romantic sonnet. Things are not always as they seem. Be ready."
Lowering the camera without snapping a shot, she retrieved the tattered journal from under her arm and flipped to where she'd scribed those exact words. Studying each letter, she sighed and pressed the yellowing page to her heart. Her chest felt warm in the cold desolate weather.
"I'm dying to know what was in your head, dad. I've got to make sense of it. What did you mean? I've studied your journal backward and forward. You'd never call your research a 'novel', so you must be talking about something else. I know for certain you don't want me to yell random romance sonnets, so… what does it mean?" The wind whistled through the empty castle and the various hushed voices of the tourists brushed by her, but yet she was no closer to understand the cryptic words than before.
"Hitomi! Come on! The guide is waiting on you, slowpoke!" Yukari's echoing voice broke her thoughts. Shutting the book with a quick snap, she took a steady breath before racing toward her friend.
"…was here that the infamous Draconian Queen Varie caught the youngest son – Van Slanzar – as he fell from the rooftops of the castle. It is known that the wings cursed to the Draconian race were passed to her two sons and it is because of this curse that the rebellion began. Tied to wed the young princess of Guitoma on the day of his twenty-sixth birthday, King Goau broke his long-term promise and married the Draconian before the intended date. Balgus, a native from Guitoma by birth, was enraged by the terrible insult inflicted upon his country and the taint of the Draconian blood that now infested Fanelia's royal bloodline. Thus, he began the longest planned coup in history right under the nose of the king himself."
Hitomi lifted her hand and the mouse nodded to her. "This might be a hard question, but Balgus was King Goau's best friend and confident. Balgus publically swore on his life and blade to protect Goau and his future offspring from harm on the day of Goau's marriage to Varie. He trained both the crown princes in Guitoma's legendary sword techniques."
"I fail to see the question in these statements." The guide remarked. Several members of the crowd shifted into reflexively defensive stances against her; crossing their arms and spreading their feet wide. She took note of the rising non-verbal threat and matched it with her own.
"My question is why would a traitor spend so much time and energy protecting something he was just going to destroy a handful of years later? Balgus was a master swordsman and was alone with the royal family quite a bit. He could have killed either of the princes numerous times. Why did he choose that moment to strike? Just when Fanelia was steadily climbing the ladder of power though exports and military prowess?"
"Like I said, this coup was planned after the royal wedding to Queen Varie. The unrest was hidden in the shadows. Balgus had to keep up appearances to make sure his betrayal was never discovered by those who could warn the king or his sons and-"
"But like I said, Fanelia was prosperous, peaceful, and gaining power during Goau's entire reign and after that. It was mostly due to the fact that Varie was such a good Queen. She strengthened most of the alliances between Austuria, Freud, Joko, and Britonia by serving as a foreign ambassador for the throne. She even set up a thriving export system. Fanelia's natural mining resource, aerbrose powder, was highly sought after by many developed countries that were beginning to use them for air ships. The 'floating rocks formula' was so valuable that, despite the small size of its country, it only took about six years for Fanelia to rival any one of those for world power. Guitoma was at peace with the broken contract because Fanelia gave them a major discount in aerbrose as compensation for the broken engagement. A peace that lasted until the Rebellion, that is."
The mouse's smile was gone. His pointed nose quivered. "Zaibach's record clearly states Balgus planned this coup in the underground. He used maps of the sewers to infiltrate. And that's all you need to know about it."
Feeling the hard leather of her journal in her hand, she straightened her back argumentatively and felt another painful nudge from Yukari.
"Seriously, Hitomi, calm down. You paid for this, so just enjoy it and complain later at the bar."
"But he's just spouting lies." She hissed back angrily. "There is never any proof. Only what Zaibach has written about it. Did you see those guards back there? Fanelia isn't an oligarchy or democracy or anything resembling the word freedom. They are still occupied! Or should I say invaded!"
Yukari blinked and looked worriedly at the angry faces of those around them. "Be quiet, you idiot. This is a different country. You can't just spout your controversial ideals and not expect repercussions. If you have an objection, please don't cause a scene about it."
"It's not my fault they are all liars." Hitomi grumbled.
"The Rebellion, Balgus' treachery, this is what is widely known. This is fact. I know you have a magic journal full of some weird crap from your dad, but you came here to learn. So, why don't you just accept it and move on?"
With another deep huff, she glowered at the little mouse man, who pointedly ignored her. "Because… things are not always as they seem…"
As she stepped with the crowd to grouchily examine the dead rose bushes that carried bits of fallen castle debris, she never noticed the mahogany eyes of the navy-capped man staring straight at the back of her fuzzy, hatted head.
She felt empty without her yellow backpack on her shoulders, but at least she got away with stuffing the journal in her loose-fitting jacket. Practically waltzing into the tiny crack in the castle just past the rose garden, the short-haired girl's green eyes widened and her hands began to tremble with a fierce rush of tingles that played a rhythm down her spine. The utter despair and ruin of the Winged Palace was completely expected considering the horrible decay of the outside… but inside, she could see the wonderfully awe-inspiring decorations and fabulous paintings carved into the abandoned walls. The deep darkness in each blackened corner and crevice pillaged her mind with irrational thoughts of evil phantoms waiting for prey. A road of velvet red rope on either side of the trail was illuminated with small lights that kept the worst of the darkness at bay. With a twitchy nose, the guide spoke softly, but even his squeaky voice felt like it was swallowed by some mysterious invisible entity. "Do not step outside the rope and follow the pathway. We will talk more once we reach the outside of the castle. I demand absolute silence during this particular part of the tour. Any sound might disturb rocks and falling debris. This makes it very dangerous for everyone. In and out, people. In and out."
Reaching out, she took Yukari's cold hand in her own and they followed the rope obediently. Overhanging archways carrying crumbling marble steps towards fallen towers. Crushed dusty painted walls of winged creatures. Layers of fallen woven tapestries littered the dirty floor in a glory of despondency. Several pieces of a painted wall lined the back as she and Yukari passed around a massive fallen column etched with marble leaves. Passing along the crushed wall and ducking under a scorched - yet still somehow majestic - limestone statue, Hitomi felt her eyes sting with tears. The statue was headless, its missing head cranium mixed somewhere in the darkness. It lay on its back, its right arm and both legs still attached. The statue's hand was extended, reaching out into the air fruitlessly. Just looking at the statue gave Hitomi a chilling horror. The quiet was unnerving. Unnatural. All-encompassing.
Like a tomb.
The robe circled around once and led back out the way they had come. It was practically a joy to escape out of the castle. The fierce wind felt like a happy friend as it raced against their exposed faces. Following the growing group that was beginning to circle around the small pile of their left belongings, Hitomi let go of Yukari's hand and slid her fingers up to her hidden journal. She'd forgotten all about it once inside. Flipping to an empty page, she noticed her hands were shaking violently. Her pencil hovered over the blank paper expectantly, but nothing came to mind. A drop of water plopped into the journal and she shut it with an audible snap; wiping her eyes at the same time.
What was wrong with her? Why was she crying? She'd been waiting all this time to see the inside of the Winged Palace. She knew it was a ruin. She knew the terrible history. Chiding herself inwardly, she turned to the group to gather her yellow backpack and her gaze fell on the navy-capped man once more. He was quite a bit a ways from the group facing the mountainside, his head hanging low. He had a tan hand braced on the rocks, leaning as if he could hardly breathe. She watched his back quiver and he let go of the rocks to cover his mouth.
He looked like he was going to be violently sick. Hitomi found herself walking closer to the man, the ever-increasing pity rushing through her. It was the same every time she saw him.
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked quietly, lifting her hand to place it on his shoulder. Sensing her hand with some alien sixth sense, he suddenly let out string of strange words and instantly leapt away from her upraised palm. His legs bent slightly and tan hands clenched into fists, he looked ready to fight her and she backed away several steps in fright. Green eyes wide, she finally saw his face underneath the cap. Sparkling mahogany eyes rocked into her body and set her heart beating wildly. He was her age. Mid-twenties, at least. With another foreign word which could have been a curse, he reached up and pushed his cap down on his forehead to completely cover his eyes. As he relaxed out of his fighting stance with yet another soft word, she noticed a strange golden chain around his neck. Whatever was on the necklace was tucked underneath his jacket.
"Right, any questions anyone?"
Rapidly, Hitomi turned on foot and raised her hand in the air. The guide let out a high groan. "Very well, miss. What is your question this time?"
"Why does Fanelia keep the guards around the Palace gate? Is it to make sure no one will steal any of the valuables inside?"
The mouse clicked his tongue as Yukari joined her side carrying the awaiting backpack. She had the same expression mirrored in everyone else's face: tolerated irritation.
"The valuables you speak of are nothing more than trash. Many of the precious jewels have eroded away with time."
"I meant the paintings and tapestries. Surely there would be some money in selling those priceless items even if they were ruined."
"Funny you should mention that. Fanelia's second biggest export – the first being aerbrose, as you so nicely pointed out before – was actually woven silk. Harvested from the exotic silk worms that cultivated near the volcanic rock several miles away, the Fanelian's perfected the art of extracting the silk and weaving the threads into woven wonders. They produced some of the finest artwork to date. It's unfortunate, but those tapestries we saw in the Palace are worthless. We have lost a lot of precious pieces as the years have gone by and more of the castle has fallen."
"But what of the-"
"The guards, yes, yes, Zaibach has tried its best to preserve the Winged Palace exactly as it looked after the Rebellion. And that is all." The man gestured with finality to lead the group back to the front of the castle, but Hitomi wasn't done.
"Why does Zaibach leave it like that? Keeping such a beautiful castle in such a horrible and dangerous condition? It doesn't make sense. What if there are hidden secrets inside that could give us more information about the Rebellion? What if the Escaflowne or Van Slanzar is in there somewhere?"
"It is kept as a monument to the royal family that perished. Letting it remain how it was after the fall is doing the family a noble service."
A ripple of anger at the man's irrational remarks raced though Hitomi and she couldn't stop herself from snarling, "It looks more like an reminder more than anything."
The mouse-man stopped with a quivering nose and the crowd was hushed into an awkward silence. "Just what are you implying, miss?"
Straightening her back once more and using her advantage in height to glance down her nose at him, she heatedly replied, "Zaibach refuses to allow a declared free democracy like Fanelia to even preserve a small portion of its own precious history. Zaibach keeps its own guards to block it off from the free public, which reminds me, supposedly has the freedom to vote on improving their own standards of living, economy, and public representatives, oh, but not without Zaibach standing right at their backs, breathing down their necks, and making sure those representatives vote exactly how they say!"
"Hitomi!" Yukari gasped as many of those in the tour covered their mouths in horror. The mouse let out a disheveled squeak and put a hand over his obviously fast-paced heart. "I assure you that Zaibach is only meaning to protect-"
"So, why don't they fix the Palace? Why do they only open it up to a minority of the public who are willing to pay a heavy load of money? Does any of that money go to Fanelia or does Zaibach pocket the entirety? And what are we here for? Why, to see humiliated history decay and rot away like a decomposing skeleton on display! And I noticed how it's only available for three days because that's how long Fanelia burned! A nice touch from Zaibach to distil even more fear into the Fanelian populous. Let the captive civilians gaze at the slow obliteration of their royal family and tell stories blaming the Rebellion on a man who took a swordsman's oath to protect the king. Makes me wonder if there was ever a Rebellion to begin with-"
"This way, please!" The tour guide cut her off loudly and led the group swiftly through the rose gardens once more. Mouth still open in mid-argument, the short-haired girl growled with boiling fury.
"You are a liar!"
Yukari shot her a worried look. "Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. You have hardly asked any questions about the Escaflowne and have shouted at the tour guide way too many times to be a normal grumpy tourist. If you keep this up, you'll get kicked out before you even have a chance to step inside the Chapploo-whatever. Watch what you are saying, Hitomi. You are being kind of slanderous."
"It's called the Chapellieur al' Dragoon." Hitomi corrected immediately through gritted teeth. Snatching the yellow backpack from her friend's hands, she zipped it open and plopped her journal safely inside. "Slander to whom? Zaibach doesn't rule Fanelia, right?" Yukari shot her friend another look before following the crowd. "And Fanelia's second biggest export was coal," the conspiracy theorist muttered under her breath and angrily stomped after the whispering throngs that were shooting her dark looks.
Following a few steps behind her, his shadowed head tilted with thought, the navy-capped man placed a tan hand on his chest were the mysterious necklace lay hidden within.
"Annnnd here it is, folks. The illustrious training grounds for the Guymelef pilots." The guide swept his hand as the rapid clicks from many cameras went off like fanatic paparazzi.
Still sore from the dispute earlier, Hitomi took three pictures and didn't even look at the digitals as they laced up on the small screen of her camera. Despite her biting disinterest, she couldn't help admiring the vast arena in which the pilots must have had free rein to hone their skills with the mechanical monsters. The coliseum rose numerous hundred feet in the sky and seemed to reach for the heavens itself. Bowling to a large open space, she could practically hear the distant metallic buzz of gears whirling together in a flurrying dance of combat.
"…past kings trained here as well. Escaflowne made a few special appearances from time to time to honor several of their most talented pilots. The rebel, Balgus, was one such pilot who-"
"No, he wasn't!" Hitomi blurted immediately and Yukari groaned with a palm to her forehead.
"Miss, I have been as polite as I can stand." The mouse parted the staring group and came up to Hitomi swiftly. "If you speak out one more time, I will have to forcefully escort you out."
"If you tell the truth, then maybe I would. Balgus wasn't a pilot."
The guide's nose twitched violently with anger. "Yes, he was! He was the cause for most of the damage to the castle grounds!"
"If anyone in this stupid place ever decides to do some actual research outside the lies that Zaibach has written in their self-proclaimed historical archives, they'd discover in medical records of the royal family in Guitoma that, as a child, Balgus was inflicted with kinetosis! There was no way he could pilot a Guymelef, let alone ride co-pilot with motion-sickness! Instead, he honed his skills as a Guitoma swordsman and built his reputation with the blade."
There was silence except the wind gushing through the empty stadium.
"One more word, miss. One more word and you are out of here!"
Opening her mouth to retort sharply, Yukari's hand flung out wildly and slapped itself painfully across her lips. "I'll try to keep her under control. I'm so sorry for her disruptions. She'll calm-down-now-right?" Her friend emphasized the words and Hitomi rolled her green eyes in defiant silence.
"Remember what I said, miss. I was getting ready to call the guards, but I'll take your wise friend's words to heart. Not another word, even to ask where the bathroom is."
"We understand. Thank you for letting her stay." Yukari bowed swiftly and – letting go of Hitomi's mouth – pushed harshly on the back of her head, forcing her into a ridiculous bow as well.
His bushy eyebrows rising importantly, he turned away and continued describing the Guymelef tournaments with a brisk, self-important manner. Finally letting go of the short-haired girl's neck, Hitomi straightened up and glared at her friend.
"Don't give me that look. I would happily get us kicked out if I could, especially if it'd let me finally get a glass of wine and somewhere warm to sit down. You paid a lot of money for this tour. If you'd keep your smart-aleck comments to yourself, you might actually get into the Champaloo Dramagoo."
Opening her mouth to probably correct her mispronunciation, Yukari covered her lips once more and gave a small smile. "No more talking. You are banned from talking."
Sighing through her nose, Hitomi nodded shortly.
"Good." The auburn-headed girl let go of her friend's mouth and leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Make sure to tap me on the shoulder if he says anything wrong. I am actually curious on how you found the medicinal records of Guitoma dating that far back. Of course, you are crazy, so I should be too surprised."
Smirking, the historian nodded confidently and leaned in closer to listen to the guide's exuberant tale of a documented Guymelef tournament.
A certain man eased closer to the now silenced woman. A line of worry crossed his unseen brow.
"Hey, Hitomi, don't talk because you're not allowed, but have you noticed that nasty guy following us closely?"
Curious green eyes glanced behind her and her stomach jolted in surprise as she saw the bright-eyed man from before stepping only a few feet away, his head focused down at the ground. Tan hands shoved in his jacket pockets, his tennis shoes seemed to keep in step with hers. Frowning to herself, she gave Yukari a quick wink before stopping suddenly. He collided with her back.
"Sorry…" He buried his head lower as his voice whispered deep and warm from his hat. The 'r' was accented heavily, sounding more like the letter 'l'. Fanelian accent.
She nodded, acknowledging his apology non-verbally and continued walking with Yukari.
"Have I ever told you that you are crazy?"
Grinning, Hitomi held up her hands and flashed her ten fingers five times.
"Gotta be more than fifty," her auburn friend scoffed. "I've known you for too long. It's probably in the hundreds by now."
Passing under a drooping tree in a small grove branching the arena to the Chapellieur al' Dragoon, the two girls walked silently side-by-side casually listening to the mouse-guide weave stories resembling a Fanelian tapestry. Several times, Hitomi reached into her backpack for her tattered journal and rapidly flipped through pages. Right after finding the correct page, she'd tap Yukari's shoulder with a smirk and shake her head softly. Yukari giggled in response.
A toe hit the back of Hitomi's shoe and she tripped as her foot slipped out. Stumbling to catch herself, she glanced behind her at the ragged man. His sheltered mahogany eyes flicking into her surprised green, again the rush of unexpected pity filled her. She couldn't stop herself. Balancing foolishly on one foot, she asked softly, "Who are you?"
Yukari gasped and hissed for her to be quiet.
The man remained silent. With the grace of an athlete, he swooped down to pick up her fallen shoe and took several steps towards her.
"Stay away!" Yukari shouted backing up and a throng of curious tourists stopped to watch him with confused expressions. The mysterious man came within arms distance and knelt down in front of Hitomi on the earthy ground. With gentle, warm fingers, he delicately took hold of her airborne socked foot and guided it back into her awaiting dirty sneaker. Looking down at his capped head and the long bits of flyaway black hair falling on his broad shoulders, her hot blood pounded in her ears and filled her cheeks with an embarrassing blush. She wobbled marginally unbalanced as her heart began to race at an unnatural tempo. The winding pity she'd felt before was combining with a mild apprehension at his boldness.
"Than-thank you…" she whispered as he finished tying the laces. He pulled the tongue of the shoe out and stood back up without another look at her; however, she caught a lot more of his hidden visage thanks to the close proximity. Another rush of heat washed into her face and down her spine. He was kinda cute. Lips pressed into a thin line, his glinting eyes were masked by thick black eyelashes. A strong jawline edged in tanned skin, the veins in his neck visibly pulsed with his heavy heartbeats. The knee of his already ragged pants had a soggy, muddy blob where he'd knelt in the dirt. As he walked further away she registered through her dazed consciousness that he was taller than her by at least a few inches. Yukari held a silly expression of mouth-opened shock as he sauntered past, tucking his tan hands back into the pockets of his jacket as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
"Okay, that was weird." Her friend murmured. "Do you even know that guy?"
Remembering to not talk for the first time since she'd lost her shoe, Hitomi shook her head in complete loss.
Her foot still felt warm where he'd touched her.
As the man disappeared in the large crowd of tourists, together in silence, the girls passed through the weedy grove. It was only a handful of ticking seconds before the trees parted to display a stony hidden fortress embedded into the mountainside. Grabbing Yukari's cold hand, the short-haired girl beamed excitedly. Her green eyes danced as she instantly whipped out her journal and began documenting each angle of the Chapellieur al' Dragoon. Standing only about eighty feet high, most of the Corinthian columns that lined the entrance-way had either collapsed over the pastureland that had long ago conquered over the ancient grounds or were tittering on the edge of crumbling deterioration. Hitomi wondered how the structure was holding up on the inside if the outside was in such complete disarray. Noticing the plant vines entangling themselves all over the structure, she let out a disappointed breath. Surrounding the flourishing meadow were short thick trees, obviously planted long ago for an artistic flair. Left to their own devices, the trees had practically smothered each other in the squashed rows as more began to sprout underneath.
Her green eyes left the Chapellieur al' Dragoon and searched for the navy cap. She spotted it on the complete opposite side of the group and felt a twinge of disappointment.
"Gather towards me," the guide yelled over the current of whispers that waved over his audience. "I have a checklist here on who has registered for the tour inside the Chapellieur al' Dragoon. Still holding Yukari's hand, Hitomi finally felt a race of excitement before gently pushing her way through. A crude line formed in front of the small guide. With a shot of delight, she noticed the navy-capped man was second in line. He was going into the Dragon Cage as well.
"I see lover boy in rags is coming, too." Yukari murmured in her ear from behind and Hitomi's face blushed once more. Shooting her friend a good-natured glare, the auburn head smiled brightly. "Oh, come on. It's just a joke."
Glancing forward at the back of the stranger's head, she shifted her foot – the shoe he'd graciously put back on – across the ground, crushing some wild plants with the toe. The man leaned down to whisper his name to the mouse and the guide nodded importantly and gestured him to the right. Once there, he turned to stare at the Dragon Cage like it was a beautiful treasure he'd once thought he'd lost. Hitomi was knocked out of her study by Yukari's arm as she pulled her forward in line.
"You are always going to be a problem for me, aren't you?" her friend sighed dramatically. "Pay attention, will you? And I don't mean to him."
Shrugging good-naturedly, the short-haired girl kept her eyes away from the man as her turn came for the checklist.
"Alright, miss; you're not going to cause any problems for me in there, are you?" Mr. Heepie's usually pleasant squeak was clipped with a lower growl. She shook her head and he visibly relaxed. With a nod to the small clipboard in his hands, he raised his pen to find her on it.
"Tell me your name, please."
"Hitomi Kanzaki," she replied with an olive branch smile. She gestured to the auburn head beside her. "This is Yukari Uchida. She should be linked with me."
"Kanzaki... Kanzaki… Kan- here we go." The guide flipped two pages and put a small check on the board. "Alright, I've got your plus one marked right here. Off you go to your right, miss."
A swirl of something close to guilt laced through her at the mouse's agreeable politeness. Maybe she was a bit rude to have yelled at him. He was just doing his job after all. It wasn't his fault he didn't know any better. Wishing she was holding her comforting journal in her hands, she walked several yards towards the small group that was gathering under a massive yew tree growing quite a bit a ways from the Cage. The trunk almost as thick as the Chapellieur a' Dragoon was wide. Glancing up at the twisting branches, a dark foreboding washed over her mind.
"I guess you can talk now."
Hitomi glanced at her friend and then back at the tree. She nodded absentmindedly.
Yukari sighed audibly behind her. "Dare I ask what is on your mind now?"
"Do you know the significance of a yew tree?" she asked her friend quietly.
"No, but I'm sure you somehow do."
"A yew tree is usually found in graveyards. Despite the thickness in size, it's actually comprised of several small twisting trees all growing together. For some reason, they grow in a circle, making a hollow center. It is said that long ago, people buried their dead in yew trees so that their soul could live on to overlook the spirit realm. They believed the yew was a direct link to Gaea's life-force."
Yukari made a face. "They buried people in trees?"
Hitomi nodded seriously. "It was an ancient custom. It was only for those they considered gifted with wisdom." Her green eyes danced at the small dark holes inside the twirling bits of trunk. "I've never seen one so big before. Most of the yews that grow in Austuria are tiny and mistaken for weeds. The climate isn't very good for them anyway."
"You don't think someone is buried in that one, do you?" Turning to her nervous auburn-headed friend, Hitomi snorted a laugh and shrugged.
"Well, if there is, there's no reason to be scared. That person is probably long gone by now."
"What about the dead king? Do you think he's in there?"
"No," the short-haired girl shook her head immediately, surprised at her own conviction. But as she said the word, she knew it to be true. Van Slanzar wasn't in the yew tree.
Van Slanzar was lost.
Again, the words of her father's pen appeared in her vision: "Do read a good old novel - Sweet little angel, yell every romantic sonnet. Things are not always as they seem. Be ready."
"Be ready…" she whispered less to herself and more to the monster tree swaying gently in the cold breeze.
"Alright, everyone, leave your stuff in that crate over there and start lining up by the column near the doorway. Those of you not going in the Chapellieur al' Dragoon, head down the pathway to your left and you'll see one of the guards waiting for you at the castle. It was a pleasure being your tour guide today and I hope you will always carry what you learned here with you for years to come. History is a precious flower constantly spreading its pollen on fertile soil."
"I don't think he knows how flowers reproduce." Hitomi hissed to Yukari, unzipping the yellow pack and stuffing the journal up her jacket once more. Her friend let out a snort of undignified laughter as she took the backpack from her and walked over to the metal crate.
The small man waved farewell to the larger group that was slowly making their way down the crumbling path back towards the Winged Palace and turned swiftly on a heel to march to the expecting crowd. Clapping his thin hands together, he said, "Okay, okay! Now, just like the rules from before, please, no talking inside the Chapellieur al' Dragoon. I expect the utmost respect for this sacred ground we are about to enter. And now a brief history on what we are about to witness."
"Don't you say a word." Yukari murmured firmly to Hitomi and the short-haired girl made another motion of zipping her lips.
"The Chapellieur al' Dragoon, roughly translated "Cage for the Dragon", was where Fanelia kept its most prized possession: The Escaflowne. You may have seen several drawings depicting what the legendary Guymelef must have looked like from textbooks, but rest assured that the Guymelef was more fantastical than any artist rendition. The Escaflowne, built by the Isano's most prized engineers, was gifted to Fanelia. No one knows why the Ispano gave such a magnificent mecha to such a small, backwoods, country, but popular speculation believes the royal family was distantly related to the Ispanos. It is said the Guymelef had two forms. One is the usual Knight Frame that you are familiar with. The other…" he seemed to pause for dramatic effect. "… Was an actual flying-with-wings Dragon Frame."
Several people gasped and Mr. Heepie grinned proudly at their astonishment. Yukari looked at Hitomi for confirmation and she gave a tiny nod. The mouse continued, "The Dragon Frame is considered a myth by most modern Zaibachian historians. However, the Guymelef itself was very, very real. What you will see inside is a circular chamber smaller than even the rose gardens we just saw. But the thing you should immediately try to look for is the raised platform in the middle of the chapel. That is where the actual Chapellieur or 'Cage' was held. The walkway goes around the circle before heading back out to the very left over there." He pointed with a small, thin finger at the six-foot hole created by bits of fallen column that peeked out the side of the structure. "Take your time, but again I warn you," Mr. Heepie's voice went a notch lower. "The ceiling is very damaged and fragile. In and out, if you can. In and out. Once again, I'll remind you," He eyed a gentleman's camera that was dangling in his hands. "No pictures inside the Dragon Cage. All cameras need to be with your supplies in the crate." The man sourly turned away to stalk to the crate and drop the camera on his bag.
"Any questions before we head in?" Heepie's small beady eyes suddenly shifted to Hitomi as if daring her to speak.
Pursing her lips, she raised her hand and everyone – including Yukari – groaned.
"You can understand why I am hesitant to call on you, miss."
"I understand completely," Hitomi smirked. "I promise I won't bite this time."
The mouse-man was still suspicious as his eyes narrowed further. "Go ahead, then."
"I heard once there was a secret entrance to the Chapellieur al' Dragoon . The entrance branches through a series of hidden tunnels in the mountain, a maze of sorts that channel all the way back to the Winged Palace. Could that rumor true?"
The tour guide let out a loud sigh – probably of relief – and said, "I have never heard of such a thing, but it may be possible. It is unfortunate that we cannot investigate this claim any further. Most of the back wall has collapsed from rock slides. Any secret passageway is probably long gone. Now, if there aren't any more questions, please follow me to the opening walkway and I'll guide you in by pairs. Watch out for this last step near the entrance. It is a bit higher than the rest. I'll be at the doorway to make sure you all enter safely. "
Together, Yukari and Hitomi shifted into line. She watched with a frown popping on her cold face as the tour guide stopped the capped man from getting in line near the front. He pointed to the end with a dismissing brush of his thin fingers, and the long black-haired stranger visibly swallowed. His hands left his pockets to curl into tan fists. Just as she was beginning to wonder if he was actually going to physically punch the mouse-man, he turned on heel and lobbed down the lengthening queue. Her eyes caught sparking mahogany underneath the shadowy lid as he walked passed her and she resisted the silly urge to follow him.
"Hitomi," her friend whispered, shaking her head hopelessly noticing the short-haired girl's lingering stare. "Are you seriously interested in that guy?"
"N-no!" She answered too quickly, swiveling her gaze back to Yukari's brown before blushing lightly. "I'm just curious, that's all."
"Right," Yukari grinned. "Curious or obsessed?"
"I am not obsessed."
She snorted a laugh. "I've seen you obsess over your studies, your strange theories, your crazy backwards thoughts, and your father's journal for years. I know what you obsessed looks like. I'm glad that it's actually a person you are obsessing about this time around, but did it really have to be the one oddball in our entire tour group? And what is with this creepy staring contest between the two of you. Really, girl," the auburn head put her hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "You can do better. Waaaay better. Take a good look at his clothes. He looks homeless."
Exhaling slowly, Hitomi took one more glance behind her, and as her eyes met his, the wash of sympathy raced into her. "No homeless man could afford tickets to a tour like this. I had to buy them years ago to secure us a spot."
"Trust me, I know. You haven't shut up about it since you bought them. Maybe he stole the tickets from someone."
"I ordered these through mail order. They have my information."
"Maybe he's stealing that person's identity."
Hitomi frowned. "Why are you so negative about him?"
"Why are you not?" Yukari countered. "He's a weirdo!"
"Lower your voice. He's not that far behind us."
Yukari blushed, but continued, "But really, what's your deal?"
"I don't know. He's just interesting, that's all…"
"Interesting?"
"Stop giving me that look!"
"What look?"
"The look that I'm doing something stupid."
"Since when have you cared whether I think what you do is stupid?"
"I've always cared…" She murmured under her breath as they started moving up the line to enter the long stone archway. Turning back to her friend, she sighed defeated. "Don't worry about it. I'll never see him again after the tour is over anyway." Despite the nonchalant way she had spoken the words, a pang of sadness hit her heart. She tried to scoff at her irrational feelings, but even her own self-assessment felt completely feigned.
Stepping up the overgrown steps, the mouse-man stood at the side, shepherding tourists through the deep archway. As the couple in front of them disappeared into the dark chamber, the tour guide turned to help both girls step up on the last step and immediately reached into his pocket, pressing hard on something with his right thumb.
His smile widened only a brief moment.
But mahogany eyes noticed.
There was silence, but not the feeling of drowning darkness. There was something else in the air this time. They walked together, following the red velvet rope, quietly glancing around the ruin. It was then that the blood drained from Hitomi's face and she caught Yukari's hand tightly in her own trembling fingers. A fierce sense of danger ripped down her body and she shivered violently with the encompassing fear. Warnings of an unknown enemy flickered in her head, but she didn't know where they could be from. The dark chamber, much like the Winged Palace, was lit only by the small lanterns illuminating the pathway. She stopped as a wave of nausea embellished her vision with winking stars and Yukari was pulled to a stop by their conjoining hands.
"What's wrong?" her friend whispered. Her brown eyes flicked over the degenerated chamber walls to the raised platform slowly coming into view at the center of the deathly quiet room. "We are almost there, Hitomi?"
Hitomi couldn't answer.
She didn't know the answer.
As she squeezed her green eyes shut and she felt a sour bile rise in her throat. She let go of Yukari's cold fingers and put her face in her palms.
"Whoa, are you okay?"
"I think I'm going to throw up."
"Do we need to go back outside?"
Lowering her hands from her eyes, Yukari's concerned expression was lost in the sea of voided blackness. Another twist of sickness rolled her stomach as the warnings flashed faster and more urgent. Something was coming.
Something… bad…
"Yukari, we have to get out of here."
"But you've been waiting to-"
"I don't care anymore. This is dangerous. We have to leave."
"I don't understand what's going on."
"I can't explain now. Or ever maybe. We have to go."
"Are you sure?"
"Never surer of anything in my life."
There was a pause. The only sound was the pattering footfalls of the tourists all around them and Hitomi's heavy breathing.
"Okay, if you insist."
Turning around together, Yukari walked forward with Hitomi and led the way out the door. The sun was blindingly painful in her brown eyes and she heard a 'good gracious!' ring out from a startled woman about to enter. Clearing her vision with rapid blinks, she saw the expanding frowns of those waiting in line and flicked her head to give her insane friend a blaming glare.
"Hitomi?" Yukari said in immediate confusion, noticing her friend was missing. With a short gasp, the auburn head twisted and turned. Scanning wildly, tears of panic immediately hit her. "Hitomi?"
Brown eyes zipped to the dark archway and she turned to step back inside. Suddenly, the mouse guide blocked her way.
"Sorry, miss, I can't let you through."
"My friend is in there still."
The tour guide blinked in boredom at her panicked face and said through pursed lips, "I bet she got lost or wandered off the lighted path. Give her a couple of minutes."
Yukari shook her head vehemently. "No, no, we were coming out together!"
"I don't see her here, do you?" the mouse squeaked with raised eyebrows. He gestured to the other side of the Chapel towards the exit. "Stand over there and wait for her. She'll come out."
"I have to go back in."
"I'm sorry, but you are only allowed in once. You've already had your turn. There is still a line of people wanting to see the Chapellieur al' Dragoon." Yukari opened her mouth to argue, but the mouse cut her off. "Look, miss, she is in there. She'll come out eventually. Just wait patiently here and you'll see."
Eyes zipped right and left, Yukari was washed with helpless dread. Moving aside, she heavily crunched off the crumbling steps and her feet thumped safety on the thick swinging grass. Taking deep breaths to calm her worry-raging heart, the auburn girl made her way to the crevice that served as an exit for those leaving the Chapellieur. Her brown eyes flipped through the line of those still waiting to enter.
Her stomach gave a surprised jolt.
The ragged man was missing in the line.
And done with chapter one. Whatcha think so far? Sorry if this chapter was a bit of an information buzz kill. I tend to have those kind of chapters from time to time when I'm starting a new story. This one is pretty thick though and if I want it to go smoothly and only be a couple of chapters long, I've gotta give all the information I can.
Any questions? Comments? Concerns? Hated it? Loved it? Why don't you let me know? I threw up while writing it, so I understand if it stinks. (Ha!)
Thanks for sticking with it regardless if you enjoyed it or not. I appreciate the support either way.
Happy New Year!... crap, that means I'm going to have to start fixing a valentine's fic too... oh, why did I do this to myself?
blue...