I had more planned with this, but decided to end it here. Oh, well. At least we get some character development. It will be information overload next chapter - just warning ya - so be prepared.
I hope you enjoy the chapter because, truthfully, it is a good one.
The corner of Thaioden's mouth lifted as he held the door for Hitomi, Van, and Chordata to walk inside. "Pick your poison on any of the rooms. I have a roost on the floor above, so this suite is all yours. Each room is equipped with private bath, toilet, and very fashionable draperies, if I may say so myself. The beds are big enough for all three of you to fit… if you guys are into that sort of thing."
She knew he was joking, but she still blushed hard at the sexual comment and shook her head politely as the door closed with a snap. She avoided looking at Van. "Separate rooms will do just fine, thank you."
"No need for thanks, little Kanzaki. You are my honored guest. And as such, make yourself comfortable while I fix up a little something-something."
The brilliant splashes of blue and green raced all over the walls of the spacious apartment complex. Four long hallways branched from the rectangle-shaped living room and kitchen and opened into the enormous bedrooms their host had mentioned. The large kitchen was connected with a bar that stood proudly displaying every liquor available in the real world and beyond. A wine rack, fully stocked from fluffy-carpeted floor to high-arched ceiling, separated the kitchen like a dividing wall from the ridiculously decked out living room: complete with full surround sound systems, six 64" plasma TVs, and game systems galore. Leading the way to the bar, Hitomi watched the MYSTESS owner settle himself behind the counter and she helped herself to a comfortable bar-stool; setting her bag on the floor beside her chair.
Turning around the room on the swivel seat with admiration, she noticed Van, his navy hat back on his head, perch with an uncomfortable stiffness on a nice leather armchair behind her facing the bar. Fitted in a lime green t-shirt with the words MYSTESS scrawled in bright hot pink bubble letters over his chest, his long arms and legs folded with a regal aura that didn't match his new happy outfit. Chordata stood behind his chair like a white silhouette, the only movement was her beautiful tail twitching its usual pendulum swing behind her back and the occasional slow blink of her luminous amber eyes.
The cat lady had ran with the crowd and slipped through a small windows of a nearby building when the riot had first broken out. She emerged only when the pandemonium had somewhat settled down; following Van's scent back to the club. She had tried to break in through MYSTESS' back entrance, but was caught by the patrolling security that was going around the building to break up the rest of the fights. Though they had attacked her first, Chordata had taken out three of them before Thaioden personally showed up to let her through. The flamboyant owner had lamented at the amount of salaries he was going to raise and bribery money he'd have to dish out to quell the lawsuits; however, Hitomi could tell he didn't mean anything he said. Actually, she'd overheard him telling a very large man - with an apparent Canine background - to tell any reporters wanting stories on the riot that this was all a plot to introduce a new attraction to the club's already risqué entertainment.
Something called "The Sharpened Sugarcane" and "Feline Fury"…?
And speaking of the instigator of the riot…
His navy sword balanced contently on his armrest; close enough so he could grab the weapon at a moment's notice. Van had refused to surrender the blade even under the threat of gunpoint. Thaioden had finally conceded under the sworn promise Van wouldn't unsheathe the sword within a fifty foot radius of the bar ever again. It was a promise the king had made with the sourest face possible. Despite the warm welcome from Thaioden after the standoff on the roof, Hitomi could practically taste the waves of suspicion and frustration radiating from Van. He was embarrassingly rude to say the least; sitting there pouting like a child.
Their generous host put out a bowl of pistachios and pretzels on the bar and turned his back to grab some random bottles from the numerous stacks lining the wall. Hitomi gratefully grabbed a handful of both. She was starving.
"The infamous alchemy bomb martini. Give it a taste." Thaioden Fassa announced after a few quiet minutes of mixing. He turned around and poured a dash of orange liquid from a shot glass with a flourish. His multi-ringed pointer finger and thumb tenderly cuddled the thin stem of the open triangular-shaped glass to guide the attractive drink enticingly in front of Hitomi.
With several rapid blinks of surprise, she accepted the alcoholic beverage more for politeness sake than for real want. Setting the fragile glass down as gently as possible on a thick coaster nestled into the deep dark wood of the bar, she noticed the liquid slowly mixing together in a beautiful twist of red, orange, and an occasional flicker of yellow while a red sediment was beginning to float slowly to the bottom; causing even more lovely streaks to enfold on the layered liquid. It was lovely.
She ran her fingers through her short hair, scratching her grateful scalp. Relishing the feeling of having the stuffy wig off of her head, she sighed quietly and watched the bits of crimson spice sink further to the bottom of the glass.
Back in her comfortable travel clothes – provided from a haggled Pricilla who was still fear-shaken from the riot – Hitomi had more than happily handed back the red bikini and fake, tangled wig. After scrubbing the make-up off and peeling the fake-eyelashes from her eyes, she was as much herself as she was before; though the spray tan would need a few weeks to completely fade. It was a good thing, too. She felt as though she could wait another four lifetimes before donning the title of Party Goddess ever again.
"You should not drink alcohol."
Her stomach instantly clenched as Van's deep voice rang behind her and she turned in the rotating stool with a roll of her sharp, green eyes.
"I'll drink if I want to." She replied stiffly, giving him a solid scowl. "Honestly, I feel like I need one after all the horrors I've been through these past couple of days."
His expression didn't change, but his shoulders twitched against the chair's thick backrest. "Intoxication will only lower your sense of awareness. We must remain on alert-"
"In case what?" Thaioden injected with a quirked eyebrow. He leaned his arms on the sturdy wood with a knowing smirk. "Expecting to get attacked any moment in my personal apartments? I think you probably should have a drink as well, sugarcane. Being high strung all the time is totes worse for you than getting drunk. Take it from someone who has personal experience in the matter."
"I refuse."
"Ignore him." Hitomi gave the man a warm smile to make up for the king's offensive snub. She heard Van scoff behind her and she twisted her chair back to the bar to shut him out. "So, what's in this anyway? How does it swirl like that?"
"Chemistry, little Kanzaki. Just a little chemistry. Raspberry volcanic vodka base, a splash of spiked white-chocolate syrup, one shot of orange-dyed espresso, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper." He described the drink with the lush tones of a man seducing a woman. His dark twinkling eyes were focused on the drink like it was a precious jewel. "Always remember when making this drink," he picked up the small shot glass he'd used to measure the espresso and flipped it over his hand. He snatched it with quick fingers before it began to fall over his wrist. "Add the espresso last. It makes the twist last longer."
"This sounds… dangerous…" She eyed the drink warily.
Thaioden let out a laugh and brushed his long brown curls over one shoulder. "Funny you should say that and not a little ironic."
"Ironic, how?"
"Your father helped me create it. He was the one who added the key ingredient: cayenne pepper. Fortunately, that was because he accidentally dumped it into a similar drink I was making at the time. He was always one for inadvertent masterpieces."
"Did he really?" She giggled at the metal image and a warm rush of affection filled her. "I didn't know he was so clumsy."
"He was the worst with glassware. I used to tell him to never touch anything unless it was paper or plastic."
As the giggles faded, a biting burn flickered behind her eyes. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, she pushed away the tears and asked quietly, "Do you mind…? Would you mind telling me what happened to him? My dad? I never… he was always gone; I hardly remember what he looks like…" She lowered her hands to her lap and twisted her fingers together nervously. "I figured he died, but I just…I don't know… how …"
Thaioden gave a small exhaling breath and time audibly ticked by with her thick heartbeats resounding in her ears. Finally, he cursed, "Shit… the story is a tough one to tell. In all honesty, honey, I don't know if tonight is a good night. This might be better for tomorrow after some R&R."
"I just…" Her throat felt thick and her gaze lowered to the smooth wood of the bar. "I didn't open the journal for years after it came to me because I was so angry at him. I blamed him for mom's depression and our financial issues and everything else that went wrong in my life, but as soon as I opened his journal... as soon as I discovered what he was after... what he had discovered, it's like I understood him. I understood why he did what he did. This whole new world became clear to me. I shut myself in my room for days reading his writing over and over, piecing these puzzles together one by one. Memorizing his sketches of the Escaflowne, his study of Zaibach's political system, the secret plots he'd uncovered, this anonymous truth hidden behind this huge web of lies…" She let out a strangled laugh and brushed a finger under her right eye. Glancing sheepishly at the long-haired man, she whispered, "I am so sorry. I went off on a tangent there."
"No worries, honey. I'm a good confession booth. I promise," the man held up a thin hand in vow, "I will tell you my entire story from start to finish. But for tonight, relax, drink, and just chill. There is only so much a human body can take in one day. I'd say we have had our limit for the time being."
Hitomi blinked at those words and a shiver played down her spine. Van had said something similar to her before. The night he'd rescued her from the Zaibach Elite. The night he'd revealed himself to her.
Maybe Thaioden was right. Maybe tonight was a night for letting go of the stress for once. With the beginnings of a smile, she changed the subject and gestured to the attractive snaking drink in front of her. "Why did you name it 'alchemy bomb'? I can understand with the colors, but the humor is a bit dark. Isn't that a bit of a taboo name?"
"What isn't taboo nowadays?" Thaioden shrugged easily. "You can hardly fart the word 'Zaibach' in the streets without some civilian soldier shoving his gun up your ass. Besides, the name's stuck to my family's past like an upchuck stain on a Guitomian stitched rug. Like I said before, honey: the more you run from something, the more you fight it, the more it comes right back to bite you. So, I've learned to accept who I am by changing my name, naturally." He barked another loud laugh that echoed in the large room. "But enough about me. I'm old and boring and dull and I'll have all tomorrow to talk about myself as promised. Let's talk about you, little Kanzaki." His lined face brightened with fascination and he leaned his thin chin on the palm of his right hand.
"Me?" She asked with mild surprise. "There's nothing to say really. Like I said before, I'm just following my dad's footsteps. Picking up the torch where he dropped it. I've been to Fanelia and seen the Winged Palace, but that trip didn't end on the highest of notes." Van cleared his throat behind her. "Without any other options or leads, I took the word MYSTESS from dad's letters and it sent me here. So, now," she gestured with one hand at the room, "here I am."
Thaioden smiled with a furtive curl on his lips. "You'll be happy to know there is a lot he kept from his journal in case it got in the wrong hands. Information he left with me. I'm glad you've come for it."
"There is?" she asked breathlessly. She heard the fabric squeak as Van sat forward a little more. "Where is it? Can I read it? Is there any information about Emperor Dornkirk, or the first Strategos, or anything about Dragon Sl-"
"Hell, girl, calm down! There's plenty of time to romp through my books to your little heart's content later. It's too late in the night to be so damn excitable. Take a sip of the bomb."
"I'm adding that to the promise, okay?" She stated with a flicker of disappointment and picked up the glass. Taking a small sip, the red vodka was sharp in her throat and gave a slight burn all the way down her esophagus when she swallowed. But the espresso mixed with cayenne lingered in her mouth after the alcohol was gone; providing her tongue with sharp pricks of spice and bitterness. And then, a wave of white chocolate brushed forward to simultaneously soothe her palette and mixed with the espresso; twirling the savors just like it had in the glass. Just when she thought the drink was done, the raspberry essence slipped back into the picture like an ignited flame.
The drink was nothing she'd ever tasted before.
"Neat, huh?" Thaoiden said softly, his dark eyes watching her. "It's like magic, am I right?"
"It's incredible," She whispered, taking another sip and relishing the dancing flavors. "I would have never thought such a strange combination would work so well together."
"Like I said, it's the chemistry behind the drink that makes it so fabulous. I adore that word: chemistry. I love to think of it in a transcendent sense. The basics of chemistry: two atoms just existing in some random time and universe, and then," Thaioden made an explosion sound with his mouth, "they collide into each other and form a compound; transcending into something incredible, remarkable, and beautiful; something life can't live without. Oxygen, for example: such simple components and yet this damned world couldn't take a step further without two little atoms together working as one."
She heard Van snort with irritation behind her back. In retaliation, she took a much larger swig of the drink.
"Should I add you to the bomb's fan club list?" The owner asked amusingly as she set the fragile martini glass on the coaster with half the liquid gone. His dark eyes flicked to the king behind her. "So, are you going to tell me your story, sugarcane? Obviously, this lovely vision of feline beauty is with you?"
"My business is my own."
Hitomi rolled her eyes and answered for him. "They are sort of my partners. We all have questions that ultimately follow the same path, so we teamed up."
"I see…" Thaioden's long hair touched the wood as the man leaned further on the bar to study Van; his face alighted with interest. "Van… now there's a strong Fanelian name if I've ever heard one. I'm sure you know the last king of Fanelia's name was Van."
"I am aware of that, yes." His lips pressed into a thin line and he exhaled shortly.
"That's an interesting sword, too. I got a good look when you pointed it at me on the roof earlier. The sigil on the cross-guard. The Crest of Fanel, am I right? I'd like a proper look at it sometime if you're willing to part with it for a minute or two. I find it fascinating you have such an important ancient relic in your possession; especially one that was written down in the Zaibach Archives specifically as being 'lost forever'. I'm sure you also were aware 'Fanel' was the last name of the royal family in Fanelia? It makes sense when you think about it. Austuria was for the Astons, Fanelia for the Fanels. Makes you wonder where we got a name like 'Joko'."
Van remained quiet; a deadly growing storm.
"Can I at least have your last name?"
"I would rather you call me 'sugarcane'." The king spat coldly.
"Fabulous," the man laughed. "Nice to know I have permission now."
"It is a private matter you are intruding upon. This does not concern you."
"I think it does concern him considering he's graciously helping us." She said swiftly, turning her seat to glare at Van. "We would have nowhere to go if it wasn't for him."
He rose slowly from his chair as if sentencing a guilty prisoner to death. "I cannot blindly trust in someone I just met." He placed a hand over his chest where the pink pendant rested under his green shirt and his mahogany eyes glared from underneath the shelter of his hat. She caught the message he was sending, but it still irritated her.
Do not tell him who I am.
"You trusted me, remember?" She countered, feeling her blood rush with the anger or the alcohol; she wasn't sure which at the moment.
"That was a different matter entirely. I see no reason to inform him. He claims he has documents from your father, but has yet to prove-"
"He said he'd show it to us tomorrow. Were you not listening just now?"
"Why must we stop? Why must we wait for answers because he says so?"
"Because he's absolutely right! I'm tired right now, Van! I'm tired of you and having you yell at me all the time and sneaking around and getting kidnapped and having my head hit hard objects! I'm tired of being stressed and wondering what the hell I'm doing! For once, I just want to not think about the tough questions and relax!"
"There is a possibility he is trying to lead us into a false sense of security."
"Standing right here, ya know…" Thaioden chimed in with a hand waving.
"He knew my dad!"
"He could be making it up!"
Hitomi took several steps forward, her temper increasing with the fury of liquor and fatigue. Her green eyes burned furiously and she clenched her fists to force away the unwanted tears.
"How could he make all this up? He knows things, Van!"
"You said it yourself; you did not know your father very well! There is a very high chance he is trying to deceive you!"
"He had the chance to kill us up on the roof, but he didn't! The least he could have done was sue us in court for all the stupid riot crap you pulled and we'd be in jail! But instead, he has taken us in, given us beds to sleep on, and food to eat, and is willing to forgive you for being such an idiot! So, shut up, Van! Shut up for once and leave me alone! I don't want to look at you anymore!"
"If you would stop yelling and just listen to me-"
"I'm going to bed! I'm done. I am so done!" Turning on foot, Hitomi grabbed the martini glass and drained it. Thaioden's eyes went wide with surprise as she set the glass back on the bar, swooped down to pick up her bag, and stomped off to the room on the far right.
Switching his dark gaze to the tall, thin man standing in front of him, Thaioden noticed Van swallow as if something was stuck in his throat. Then he turned to grab his sword from the armrest and immediately follow her footsteps in the hallway. Thaioden kept watching their retreating backs with heavy-lidded curiosity before changing to the white feline beauty still standing behind the armchair.
Her expressionless amber eyes connected with his and he gave her a good-natured shrug to release the silent tension.
"Are they always like this?"
Chordata's tail flicked up as she sighed quietly, "This was a worse fight than usual, but yes, stand-offs like these have become normality."
"Would you like a martini?"
The cat lady froze for only a brief moment.
Then she let out a soft purr.
"Yes, please."
His warm, rough fingers grabbed the top of her arm to stop her from entering through the door of the bedroom. Pulling her back, Van's mahogany eyes were dark, deep, and full of frustration. She turned back to stare up at him with green eyes narrowing.
"What is it now?" She growled her cheeks warmed with both alcohol and anger. "You've already insulted our only ally enough as it is. Want to have another go around at insulting me?"
"I have wanted to talk about what happened on the roof." His voice was calm, but the eyes behind his hat spoke otherwise. "Let us drop the subject of Fassa for now."
"What part of, 'I don't want to look at you anymore' did you not get, Van?"
"You called me something when you were with the magic. You called me-"
"You're a royal bastard, that's what you are!" Hitomi shot back, wrenching her arm out of his grip. "As of right now, I am flat out sick of looking at your face. I'd rather you just flew away on your stupid angel wings and left me alone!" Rushing through the doorway, she tried to slam the bedroom door shut, but he stuck the toe of his dirty sneaker into the crack. "Go away, Van!" Pushing with all her weight on the door, she heard him hiss with pain. Good. She thought with satisfaction.
"I told you to leave me alone!"
"Not until we talk about this." He grunted, bracing his arm against the door to push back. "I saw something while I was kissing you. I saw you… Ouch!" She had given the door a running back slam with her shoulder and it ultimately won against his foot. Backing away with a small Fanelian curse, the door banged shut and the deadbolt click from the inside.
"Hitomi, we need to discuss what happened. You are acting like a little child." He called, letting the anger escape through his voice. Trying to ignore the painful throb in his toe, he beat the door with a fist.
"I said go away!" She bellowed out shrilly. "You've created enough issues for the night! Just go away before you mess up anything else. Please!"
"Mess? I have done nothing wrong." He retorted. "I only want to discuss what has happened between us. You are the one creating the issues at this current moment. If you would stop this nonsense and come out, we can get everything resolved."
The door unbolted and flung open to reveal a red-faced and furious Hitomi Kanzaki. Her short hair flipping over her ears and neck, her thin shoulders tensed with rage. "Van," She said his name as if it was as poisonous as venom. "That vision you want to talk about… that thing that happened between us… it was a mistake, whatever it was. I don't know why it happened, but I regret it."
"You do not mean that." He said confidently. "Just like the kiss, you-"
"Don't call it that." Her voice was quiet now and she closed her eyes, turning her head away from him. Her weight shifted to her right foot and she crossed her arms over her chest.
Rejection, his body-reading eyes told him.
She was… rejecting him…
"That was not a kiss. I refuse to let my first…" she trailed off and released a long breath through her parted lips. Van's gaze unthinkingly lowered to watch them. "Whatever," Hitomi finally said with a dead voice. "It doesn't matter anymore. Go to sleep. We will talk in the morning."
"I would rather discuss our-"
The door shut in his face and the bolt clicked once more. Staring at the deep wood, his heart beating against his ribs, he swallowed down the words that were dying in his throat. Clenching his sword with his right hand, he glanced down the hallway only once before sitting down on the ground in front of her bedroom with his back leaned against the wall. Resting his sword against his shoulder, he closed his eyes and felt a weariness rush forward.
There were three other spacious bedrooms in this large apartment suite.
But Van Slanzar de Fanel, lost King of Fanelia, chose the floor.
The Winged Palace Ballroom was lit up with marble torch sconces, giving the huge room a soft, enchanting glow. Sigil banners with the represented kingdoms hung from the webbed rafters, each displaying their proud symbol. The tall stained-glass windows lining the long room were dark as the night crept further and further over the party. Seven enormous golden chandeliers, made from bits of aerbrose power, hovered like glittering spectators over the room filled to the brim with dancing figures. Everywhere else around the dance floor, courtiers and royals laughed, gossiped, and drink themselves silly.
Van pulled at his necktie for what must have been the thirtieth time that hour, glancing around from the shadows for the familiar deep red dress of his mother. She had already pushed Folken into asking one of the Aston Princesses – Marlissa? Marlena? Van could never keep them straight – for a dance. Van had refused to dance, stating as much during breakfast several days ago. With an amused smile from his father and brother, his mother had launched into a speech over the importance of royal manners and keeping ties with the world-power kingdoms and how much he represented his people, blah, blah, blah. Why should he have to dance just because his mother and father (but mostly his mother) threw a party and invited everyone on the whole of Gaea to come? He was only nine years old! Did she really think that he'd be interested in stuff like that?
General Balgus had taught him just last month to always face the enemy head on when charging into battle. If this Ball was his battleground and his mother was the enemy, Balgus' lesson was suicidal.
Never confront the enemy when it was your mother.
This darkened corner served as his temporary sanctuary to avoid becoming a victim of his mother's match-making schemes. Hearing a roar of laughter, the little prince smirked as he saw the young Duke of Freud grab another glass of pink wine and spill half of the drink on his doublet. An overweight Baroness in large purple robes commented loudly with her gossiping friend on how the decorations were only sub-par with how she envisioned the Winged Palace would be. Three men laughed together, their faces silly with spirits and gaiety. The dance ended, the room showered their applause, and Van was once again on high alert for the whereabouts of his mother. Stretching his neck to see over the grown-ups, he saw the familiar silver hair of his brother leading a brilliant blond beauty off the floor. An Aston, no doubt.
His mahogany eyes glancing around, he accidentally met the gaze of solid blue. She was a little older than him, standing at least a few inches taller. A stiff white collar framed her chest and flared out with wisps of white fabric draping off her shoulders. The collar ended with a point at her small waist. The rest of her dress was light pink and trailed to the floor covering her shoes. Noticing her blond hair, wrapped up with long curls trailing over her shoulders, Van realized she was yet another Aston.
Honestly, how many daughters did King Aston have?
She smiled at him, and he looked away immediately before she was encouraged to talk to him.
Too late. She came anyway.
"Hi," her voice was loud as the musicians struck up another lively tune. "I saw you before when we first arrived. You are Van, correct? This is a lovely castle."
"Thanks," Van mumbled out, his eyes still turned away. She took a step closer.
"I'm Millerna. Millerna Aston. My sister, Marlene, was dancing with your brother. He's a really good dancer," her blue eyes drifted to the dance floor and Van felt his heart drop with dread.
"Do you dance?"
"No."
"Oh," she looked disappointed. "I've only been to a handful of Balls, but this is the first time I've ever seen floating chandeliers. Are you sure they won't fall on our heads?"
"They are made with aerbrose powder. Of course they will not fall."
"I heard my father talking about that! He called it the 'floating rocks formula'! Isn't it very valuable?"
"Yes," he answered his back straightening as his pride rose. "You can only mine it here. We have wild dragons, too."
Her blue eyes widened. "Really? That's so scary! Have you ever seen one? They don't come near the city, do they?"
Van wanted to laugh at her ignorance. Dragons hardly ventured out of their forests, let alone would approach a populated city. When Folken finally performed his Dragon-slaying ritual, he'd have to travel hours to even come close to the Dragoon Forest. And even then, the dragons were hard to find. They were intelligent, peaceful creatures. They could be fearsome, but they were very wary; mostly opting to avoid rather than confront danger. His father had told him about his Dragon-slaying story so many times, Van felt like he could take one down without his armor if he ever got a chance.
This girl was an idiot.
"Yeah!" Van lied, trying to hide his snicker. "They attack here all the time! Dragons like to sit on houses and eat little girls."
"Little girls?" Millerna swallowed noticeably. "But-but they don't come near the Palace, do they?"
Nodding his head enthusiastically, he beckoned her closer and she leaned her ear to his mouth, "We actually sacrifice foreign royalty to them. You wonder why we planned this party." He lifted his eyebrows meaningfully. "Do not worry about it though. Dragon's hate the taste of blondes."
Her mouth fell open, but the spark of realization flashed in her blue eyes. She pushed on his shoulder roughly and his back hit the wall as he laughed loudly.
"You liar! You made that whole thing up, didn't you?"
He kept snickering, wrapping his arms over his stomach. "Your… your face…"
"Shut-up!" She shouted, turning around sharply to stomp away. "You are such a little jerk! Grow up!"
With a jolt, Van woke, his neck searing in pain. Grabbing his sword, he flew to his feet, instantly wide awake and alert.
Nothing. Just a dark hallway.
The images of the Ball still vivid in his mind. He let out a low breath and settled back down to the ground.
That's right, he wasn't in Fanelia. He was in Joko with Chordata - his eyes slid to a closed door on his left.
And Hitomi.
A wave of nausea rolled his stomach and he set his sword gently to the ground with a low moan escaping his throat. Pulling his long legs up, he rested his forehead on the top of his knees to concentrate on his breathing. He wrapped his long arms around his calves and shut his eyes. Even after over a decade of living in this strange future, Van's dreams of the past were still so real it made him sick to wake up. It's funny that he'd dream of that stupid Ball. And Millerna Aston, of all people. That little encounter was the first and only time he'd ever seen her. History – Hitomi included - called her the Warrior Princess. The scrawny blond girl with the pink dress and trusting, blue eyes. Van scoffed at the thought. She was no warrior.
He'd studied the various texts and scrolls dedicated to the years he'd missed. The battles he should have fought in. The men he should have led. The life that should have been his. Instead, he had been robbed of everything and sent here. Robbed of his chance for revenge against the injustice done to his country, his people.
Van let his back slide down the wall till his cheek pressed against the fluffy carpet. His stomach rolled with his depression. What was he supposed to do? Magic told him that together, he and Hitomi would save the world. Together, he would be the Dragon.
Her flushed cheeks, her angry, green eyes. She was irrational half the time and over-emotional the rest. She was too trusting, too thoughtless, and too clumsy. How many times had he arrived just in nick of time to save her? And yet, here she was again, putting herself – and now that included Chordata and himself – into dangerous territory without a rational thought in her head.
How in the world was he supposed to work with someone like that?
His eyes opened slowly to see the world sideways.
But there was that vision he had. The one where she was younger. She was happy to see him; her green eyes glittering so innocently. And then she fell… her body tumbling with the rocks. Her fear had casted a shadow of panic in his mind. His mind flitted over the curious thought of her falling. Did his alternate self save her? The Hitomi in this world had broken the kiss before he could tell.
It was strange; the thought of another version of the two of them in some other dimension. And together, they were able to stop the world from plunging into the horror it was today. She had been taken from her time and placed into his. Now, in this world, he was the one who was removed. He was the one misplaced. He was the one who was a stranger. His stomach lurched and a mild pain in his forehead told him he wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon. There was too much for his mind to think about. Too many questions that gathered in a backed-up line in his brain. When would the answers finally come?
With a dreary sigh, Van thought back to his argument with Hitomi about Thaioden and felt a twinge of shame. If the man proved to be a traitor, then the last thing that prissy man would see was the tip of Van's blade. The king had to admit though… Hitomi was probably right. The journal's message had hidden the word 'MYSTESS', the owner had known her father, had taken them in, and kept her father's research safe…
He suddenly felt restless. He had to move around. He had to distract himself. Picking his tall body slowly off the floor, the heavy sheath of Van's sword tightened in his tan fingers. He glanced at the closed door and a dense weight pounded on his chest. He wondered briefly if Hitomi was asleep or not, but brushed the thought out of his mind. She was probably lost in the field of unhaunted dreams; blissfully recouping from their tough adventures.
Slowly, he walked down the long hallway to the dark living room.
Maybe a little sword practice would clear his head.
She shifted to the left. The bed was comfy, but her body didn't like lying on that side.
She switched to the right. Ugh, a green pillow was in her way. She tossed the offending bed accessory across the room and sighed through a closed mouth. That was a little better, but… dang it, now the covers were too hot on her legs. Tearing up the coverlet and tucked-in sheet, she stuck a leg out.
Ahhh, much better.
Crap. She needed that stupid pillow back. Now that she was on her right side, she could curl up with it perfectly. Lifting her head, she spied it flopped on one side close to the door. That was way too far. She might as well just try her left side again.
With a hard bite of defeat, she realized there was no hope trying to go to sleep. As if to prove her right, her mind shied away from the land of dreams to toss around the last encounter with that odious King of Fanelia. Her stomach burned with anger. She had wanted to scream. She had wanted to cry. She had wanted to throw objects against the wall just to watch them shatter. That was her life right now. A turmoil stream of dangers, frustrations, and – now to add in the mix – regret. What was she going to do? No matter what she said, it still happened. Her first kiss had been stolen. And he claimed she instigated it? How could she when she wasn't even there? She had been in the chamber with the vision. It didn't make sense. None of it. And now he wanted to talk about it in detail. To make this mistake even more of a reality.
She just couldn't do that. She couldn't bring herself to think about it. She wished they could pretend nothing happened. She wished Van would just cut out that part of his memory and they could continue to be indifferent partners that occasionally yelled at each other. But… she knew deep down because of that stupid kiss, a bridge had been crossed. An unspoken something hovered between them whether Van could sense it or not.
Raising her head from the bed with a low sigh, she sat up and pulled her legs to her chest. Leaning against the headboard, she let her head fall back with a quiet thump on the dark wood.
In a way… in a roundabout way, he was right. He was being careful. No matter how insulting he'd been to Thaioden, she admittedly could see where he was coming from. If it had taken him this long to trust her, then how could she expect him to trust Thaioden like she did? Just because the man knew her father and took them in didn't mean they had to drop all their defenses. Van, especially since he had the most to lose, was probably never going to let up. Being defensive was all he knew. He'd told her that he had survived this long in the world because of his mistrust in others. Because he was quick to react and think on his feet and be suspicious of everyone around him.
"Chordata has recently put to light a rather important matter concerning our relationship."
She grabbed another pillow with a groan and pressed the soft, fluffy fabric to her face.
"She informed me that I quarrel with you because I trust you."
A sliver of guilt and shame mixed in her stomach.
"And against my better judgment, I do. I trust you."
"He trusts me…" she breathed into the pillow. Lifting her head, she glanced at the bolt on the door. With the sour feeling increasing, Hitomi recalled the last thing she'd said to his face: "It doesn't matter anymore. Go to sleep. We will talk in the morning."
She knew she didn't want to leave it for the morning. She physically couldn't fall asleep without giving him an apology of some sort. Mind decided, she slid out of the large bed – half moon printed pajama pants and rumpled yellow tank top - and crossed the floor; her bare feet barely making a sound on the carpet. Clicking the bolt to the left, she opened the door slowly; timidly. Peeking out to the hallway, her heart sank a bit at the dark emptiness.
For some reason, she had expected him to be there at her doorway.
What a stupid thing to think.
Opening the door further, she realized she had no idea which room Van had chosen. Should she just turn back and wait for morning? It'd be ridiculous if she suddenly showed up in his room in the middle of the night. He'd probably run her through with the sword as soon as she opened his door.
No, her body and brain forced her out of the safety of the bedroom and she padded down the shadowed hallway with renewed determination. She had to do this.
A silhouette of something flickered over the wall like a ghost and she stopped short a few feet from entering the living-room. Someone coming for them? Someone breaking in? Her heart started squeezing in fear. What if Van was right? What if Thaioden had betrayed them? What if there were assassins?
Listening, she heard gasping breaths.
What the hell was going on out there?
Curiosity beating caution, flattening herself against the wall, Hitomi steadied herself before tilting her head just enough to see into the large room.
The expensive blue furniture had been pushed against the massive wine-rack creating a great open space in the living-room. Footsteps hit the carpet in a rhythm of combat. A glint of sharp metal sung in the air. A flex of muscle, a quick turn of his wrist, and the blade stopped short. He flipped the sword up, parallel straight with his shoulders; holding the heavy weapon in place with his right hand. Through his green shirt, she saw his biceps tense and another whirling dance was invoked as he fluidly sliced his shadow enemies. His hat had been abandoned on the sofa, so his long-black hair tossed in the air as he twisted on foot and the sword swung upward, pointing the tip of the blade to the ceiling; the long, navy pommel now grasped in both hands. Her eyes had long adjusted to the darkness and she could clearly see his concentrated expression. The lines of his face were relaxed, comforted. As he twirled for another ferocious dance, she watched him as if under an enchanted spell.
The memory of the younger version of him, the one she'd seen in the vision, the one that had saved her other self from the fall and had wrapped his arms around her body protectively… That version was very prominent in him. She could see the childlike excitement in his eye, the curve of his lip as he completed some ancient sword technique, the spark of his training igniting his features like a flame of youth. He was in his own world, lost in his dance and memories; a lifetime taken away, but found in this small moment. And she stood transfixed, an intruder on his private vulnerability, unable to look away.
Van Slanzar de Fanel, a king for only several minutes to a country obliterated. The Winged Palace, his beautiful home, now a ruin; a skeleton picked clean by the harsh vultures of time. His people enslaved by the oppression of the same monsters who had destroyed his entire world: The Zaibach.
His sequence turned him so that he faced her and their eyes met.
She gasped, a flash of fear and embarrassment rocking through her, and she instantly retreated back to the dark hallway.
"Hitomi?" His voice panted her name softly.
She was blushing, fighting the overwhelming urge to run back to her room. Gathering what dignity she had left, she stepped out of the safety hallway and faced him with wavering bravery.
His sword had dropped to his side. He was still, his back straight, but his arms and shoulders were relaxed. Taking another timid step into the room, she tried to keep her voice from shaking with humiliation.
"Hi, Van…"
"What are you doing out here? You should be resting." She blinked in awe as he flicked the blade up and over, tucking it flawlessly into the sheath belted at his hip. He took a step forward, reaching up to brush the long bangs out of his face.
"I couldn't sleep." She admitted.
"I am the same," he said quietly. "I hope my practicing did not keep you up."
"Oh, no, you're alright." Hitomi lifted her hand and gestured to his sword lamely. "I'm sorry I stopped you. I'll… I'll just head back to bed."
"Wait," He called just as she turned away. Turning her head back to him, she saw his mahogany eyes were guarded. His vulnerability replaced by the stoic personality she knew so well. "I understand why you were angry with me before. Fassa has been very hospitable towards us and sympathetic towards our cause. I understand why you would jump to defend him. I want to explain myself thoroughly."
"There's no need, Van. I get it." She shook her head and let a small smile of peace lift her lips. "You told me before that you have trouble trusting others. Hell, you just started trusting me and we've been in how many dangerous situations? So, I feel like… I feel like I should apologize to you. What I said before. It was unfair."
He stayed quiet, his eyes sheltering his feelings. Hitomi sighed and crossed the living-room. Sitting on the pushed away couch, she folded her legs up and patted the cushion next to her with a look of invitation. Van remained standing for just a brief moment before reaching down to unbuckle his sword from his belt. Setting the weapon down on the floor, he walked over, reached down to pick up his hat, and joined her with a deep exhale. After tucking the hat back on his head, he stretched his long legs out, but his hands perching on his knees like that of a regal king.
"That… that thing… the kiss that happened between us…" She began shyly and he glanced at her before focusing on the floor. A nervous sweat was starting to appear on the palms of her hands. She wiped them on her pajama pants before saying, "I think you're right. We should talk about it."
He remained quiet, so deathly still. Her fingers turned clammy with her fear, but she bravely continued with, "You were saying something in the hallway earlier. That I called you a name…?"
"You called me The Dragon."
"What does that mean?"
"I do not know for sure."
"Have you ever been called that?"
"Not until now."
"Oh."
The apartment was so silent, she wondered if Van could hear her thundering heartbeat. She wiped her cold hands again.
"Would you mind telling me what happened when I wasn't there? What I did?"
He was still like a statue, his muscles frozen. Finally, he took a sharp inhale like he'd forgotten how to breathe and whispered, "I believe you have the right to know, so I will start from the beginning. You fell into my arms. I knew you were with the magic as soon as I touched you. You told me to seek out BE READY, the lamenting memoirs of the Strategos, and the last of the Third Generation. And then…" he visibly swallowed, but his fingers tensed further on his knees. "I asked where I would find this information and the magic told me you would lead me there."
"I must have been seeing the vision of that dark chamber room. I don't know where to find these lamenting memoirs, but at least we are on the right track, right? I saw Emperor Dornkirk speaking with a Strategos with a metal right arm through an ancient viewing globe. It's pretty much a given that Dornkirk was the mastermind behind it all. They were discussing the plans for the alchemy bomb that was dropped on Palas. They betrayed a prosperous merchant named Fassa and sneaked the bomb on his son's convoy airship. A Zaibach assassin was supposed to kill the son as soon as the ship set to the air and make sure the bomb made it to Palas. Then they used the father as a scapegoat. I remember researching that Meiden Fassa was put to death in Austuria for treason, assassination of the royal house - as well as many more civilians - and instigating alchemy-explosive warfare." Van's eyes narrowed with thought. Hitomi kept going, "After that, they talked about BE READY soldiers. It was like BE READY was malfunctioning humanoid robots. They even used the words like 'disposed' and 'terminated'. It's scary to think they have biochemically created humans just to make soldiers..." A shiver ran down her spine. "But they said the soldiers were breaking down: the Third Generation, to be specific. Some had lost motor skills, others just fell into comas. One in particular was caught chewing off his fingers." A name rushed up from her memory. "They kept talking about a specific BE READY soldier named Dilandau. Have you heard of that name?"
The king frowned thoughtfully. "Dilandau... no. There are no records that I have found mentioning anything about BE READY."
"Oh, well, worth a try. At least we have a good idea on what to work on."
"The information about BE READY and the Strategos will be hard to come by. My books were very limited in Fanelia. I have very few ideas on where to begin searching."
"Maybe Thaioden has some information. I wonder what my father left with him."
"We will learn tomorrow."
"Now I understand your impatience on wanting to see what Thaioden has kept safe." She sighed quietly through her nose and reached up to scratch the back of her head. Van's eyes watched her without her knowing.
"There is more to my story," he confessed, catching her gaze. "The magic said there was another version of us. An alternate dimension where we triumphed against Zaibach. Only… you were taken from your world and placed into mine. Together, in that world, I was victorious against Zaibach because of you. In this world, I am the one who is misplaced. Now that we have somehow found each other in this world, I can save my people. That was when you called me The Dragon."
"Wow…" she breathed. "I… I just… wow…"
"It is a bit mind-boggling," he agreed, "but that is still not everything. You mentioned that particular phrase that the Jokoian prostitute had said before: If love is surrender-"
"Then whose war is it anyway." She finished for him. "I heard that as well."
He gave a short nod. "And then you kissed me."
"That's… humiliating to say the least." She let out a nervous laugh. "I really have nothing to say except I'm sorry."
"Your apology is unnecessary. I am still not done with my side. I saw a vision when your lips touched mine."
Hitomi perked up, her embarrassment ebbing a little with curiosity. "What did you see?"
His right hand twitched. "I think because of the kiss, I was able to see the bridge between the dimensions. I was able to see you: the younger version of you that the magic was talking about. The ground broke under your feet."
"I had that same vision." She declared with surprise, unthinkingly leaning closer in her excitement. "The ground broke under my feet and you showed up flying with your wings. You were so young looking."
"You saw the other me?" A shiver of some unidentifiable emotion crossed his eyes and was gone in an instant. "I do not believe I got that far. You broke the connection before I could catch you in the vision."
"Catch me?"
"I was trying to save you."
"Oh…" she couldn't say anything else.
"It is difficult to explain. I felt trapped between the bridges. In one reality, I was kissing you, but in the other, I was flying after you. I was caught in the middle."
"That's how I felt before I had the vision of the chamber!" She announced, getting excited again. Hitomi reached out without thinking and grabbed his forearm lightly. He jerked slightly in surprise, but allowed her to keep touching him. "Van, if we saved the world in another life that means we can do it again. If we are destined to find each other and put an end to Zaibach, then we are exactly where we need to be. You told me the magic will continue to lead us as long as we stick clear to the path laid out for us. We can do this. We can really do this. There has to be a way to set things right."
"Set things right..." He repeated her with a low voice. "Even if we did manage it, would Escaflowne send me back to my time? How can I go back to the past if I'm changing the future? It would defeat the purpose of what we are doing now. Except, I would be where I am supposed to be in my timeline." His face turned and he slid his arm away from her fingers. "Rebuilding my country like a proper king and taking vengeance on my enemies."
"I don't know what to tell you, Van," she whispered as surprising sting hitting her chest. "I don't know what will happen. I don't even understand what the magic wants us to do. Are we taking down the entirety of Zaibach? That task is just... impossible."
He stood from the couch, his tall body strong, but his head hung low as if stuffed heavily with memories and worries. "I am going to my room. I feel tired."
"Me, too." She said, standing up as well. Facing him, she swallowed before stating clearly, "It was nice to talk to you without ending up in a yelling match."
A warm relief filled her as a corner of his lip turned up to a tiny lopsided smile. "I agree. We should embark on civilized conversation more often."
"But only when there's no one around, okay? We have to keep yelling at each other if Chordata is near or she'll think we are going mental."
To her strange delight, he actually laughed. It was a small chuckle deep in his throat, but it counted.
And even stranger, she realized she liked hearing it.
"Deal."
A nice little interlude of actual conversation passing between them. Who'd have thought that was possible, eh? As always, if you see any mistakes, please let me know if you wouldn't mind. I combed through this chapter thoroughly, but I always miss, like, one and then I get all depressed because it's not perfect.
Like I said above, the next chapter I will try to reveal a little more insight as to what the crap is going on. Until then, reread the scene with Hitomi checking out a sword-playing Van. I honestly enjoyed writing that waaaaay more than normal. And a little Millerna scene in there, too This story just gets more and more fun to write - especially since I'm in the middle of re-watching the series for the fiftieth time and got some really good ideas for plot development. I mean, I already know where I want this story to end up, but I've planned some twists that should be pretty cool. :) And Arienhod... you are always right. My stories seem to take a life of their own and I'm already three chapters more than I thought I would be and I'm hardly halfway past my outline.
I always want to say that I am grateful for every review, every favorite, and every follow. Thank you! It is my lifeline. :D
Have a good one guys and until next time...
blue...