This chapter has been corrected [10/01/2013]

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne characters, only Number Twenty-seven.

Be gentile please *x* If the grammar or the spelling are bad or monstrous abominations is because I'm good at reading english but terrible writing it.

This is the notation I will use.

Italics for thinking.

Ace de Trèfle

The morning air was cold and a thin mist arose from the floor. A ray of light enters through the narrow window and little particles of dust floats in it. The silver haired boy awakes and yawns. His breath is visible and he feels a warm steam above his head he raises his sight and sees the gray eyed child sleeping with him. Then he notices that the child was the source of his warmth. He doesn't mind the small fight of the last night and huddle himself on Twenty-seven cuddle.

"Good morning, " the gray eyed child greets him then blushes and tries to pull himself away "Sorry!" Twenty-one grabs him by the hand.

"Don't go, " the boy rest his head on Twenty-seven's lap "This was the first night I slept warm since I came here, " he yawns "From now on I order you to sleep with me like this, " he blushes a little but the child can't see his face.

"Yeah, " the child answer and smiles. His smile was bright and genuine.

"Then keep on like this a little more, " they remained in each other clasp until the boy realized the hour.

"Oh crap!" he jumped quickly. The child hit the ground and waked up.

"What's happening, Twenty-one?" the child yawned, stretched his arms and legs and rubbed his eyes.

First of all, I must hide this very well.

Twenty-one went to the door and waited to hear if a guard was near their cell and then went to the furthest corner of the room, almost near the latrine and removed a rock from the ground. He took a pointy shinny object like the ones in the child memories and then he put it under his sleeve.

I hope I won't have to use it. Second, I must instruct him what to do so he won't be a burden to me.

"Pay attention to me, " the child was half slept and closed a little his eyed "Hey! " the boy slapped him and the child was now fully awake.

"Hey! What was dat for?" he massaged his cheek.

"I want you to hear this very carefully, do you get it?" the child nodded.

"If I take your hand, " the boy grabbed the child's hand "you get behind me; if I whilst you, " he grabbed his lips with the fingers and whistled, " run all you can in the same direction I run. Did you understand?" he waited for the answer of the child.

"Yeah, but why?"

I don't want to scare him.

"It's the best. From today, within two days, when we will be taken to that place you'll know it just by looking. And another thing, you can talk only with the ones I tell you. Do you get it?"

But if I don't tell him, he will be a burden.

"Yeah…"

He looks very strange… Thought the child.

"Fine, for now I'll tell you that this is kind of a test, they put you on a field with the others," then he grabbed the gray eyed child by the shoulders and looked him to the eye "I want you to hear this carefully, understood?" he waited for the answer, the child nodded and the both of them opened widely his eyes

"You must survive and don't be afraid! I'll protect you but if something happens to me I want you to run. Run all you can from the others, don't let them to catch you, " he looked very serious and desperate at the same time.

Twenty-seven breathed deeply and raised his left fist to the chest "Don't worry! Ah didn't understand very well why but Ah'll do as you told me, " the child smiled widely while looking him to the eyes.

The silver haired boy sighed, looked to the ground, closed his eyes and smiled for relief, Then raised his gaze and grinned "Fine, you'd better do that I don't want to be alone again" the boy punched him playfully on the arm "You are a good heater."

"For now we must search anything here to you, " he thought for a while and then snapped his fingers "Why haven't I thought about this?" then he grabbed the tray that Jajuka's brought.

"Let's see if we can use something of this, "he searched until he found a spoon "Well, this isn't what I expected but it can work."

Twenty-one he focused his gaze on the spoon and his eyes gleamed amber. The metal begun to stretch and flatten, he narrowed his eyes and pressed while licking his lips. The curbed edges thinned and now ended in a like knife form. The gray eyed child was amazed.

"Amazing!" then the red eyed boy showed him the now sharp spoon "How did you do dat?"

"This?" the boy tried to appear as if it were the simplest thing in the world "This is called telekinesis and is one of the easiest things I can do with it."

"Can you teach me?" the child seemed amazed at what has done his roommate.

The boy stared to the ceiling, pressed his lips, crossed his arms on his chest and then with the index finger of his left hand drew a line in his cheek.

The best for me is have an strong ally on my side. Thought the boy.

"I will teach you but first you must see Lady Sora, she will say what training is the best for you. After we end the field activity they will take you to her so it's best to come out triumphant."

"Lady Sora? Who-" then the boy put his finger on the child's lips. The child blushed a little.

"Don't start with this! I'm not in the mood right now. I'll explain everything you want if you pass the test, do you get it?"

"Yeah, "the child seemed to be a little disappointed.

"For now you must hide this thing under your sleeve; if somebody comes up to you to hurt you, take out the spoon and pierce that person with all your strength it in any part of his body."

I wonder if he's right or left handed… This was an important matter to the boy.

"With which hand do you eat?"

The child started to think. Which hand? Hmm…

Then he gazed to his hands trying to remember and then moved his hands simulating to eat. He moved both.

"I think I eat with both hands."

I should have thought it. The boy looked exasperated. Then I'll try with a direct way.

"Then I want you to try to punch me on the torso with your right hand when I make the signal."

"I don't want to hit you" said the child.

"I am not asking you! I am ordering you to do it! Dammit!" the boy growled.

Then he was hit in the chest by the child fist. It was strong enough to throw him almost one meter away.

That bloody bastard! I thought he was weak for his wound. The boy was taken by surprise, but the next time, not.

"You idiot! I haven't made the bloodt signal!" he was coughing.

"Sorry. Are you alright?" he offered him a hand to stand. The boy took the child hand; quickly pulled him to the ground and then rose from the ground.

"You are horrible! Ah just wanted to help you," the child seemed hurt.

"I don't need your help, " he breathed deeply and then posed to fight. The child rose from the ground.

"Fine, now I am ready. Try to punch me now, " he seemed more confident this time.

The gray eyed child punched him but now the silver haired boy blocked the hit with both hands and even then threw him away about half a meter.

Good, his left hand is very strong. Then he came near the child again.

Oh no! He will be mad at me again! The child closed his eyes waiting for a punch.

"Now, punch me with your right hand, " the boy dared him with both hands. The child charged to him with his left fist.

I won't be fooled again for you, now I am ready to-What?

The boy opened widely his eyes and tried to avoid the hit but the child was faster than him and punched him in the left side of his torso. He didn't throw him now but made him very sore and without air in the lungs. The boy spited a little and then curled while pressing the affected area.

Oh Hell! What's wrong with him? He hits like the older guys! Then he rolled a little.

Oh no, no, no, no! What have I made to him? The child helped him to rise from the ground and now the boy didn't resisted.

"Twenty-one! Ah don't want to hurt you, " he said almost crying "Ah am so sorry! Ah am so sorry!"

The boy started to laugh. I thought he was useless and only a burden.

"Don't worry, " he tried to make a friendly face "You didn't made anything wrong, indeed, you did it perfectly"

Now I know I can use him to my favor. Thought the boy.

"This was the point, learn about the best form to you for defend yourself."

The boy approached to the child "Extend your left hand, " he child did as he told him.

He took the spoon and put it into the gray eyed child's sleeve, between the seams of the cloth "Change of plans, you'll be always near me on my right side, if somebody wants to hurt you or me you take this and stab him wherever you can, you got it?"

The child was happy because his roommate wanted him as assistance "Yeah! Ah'll do my best effort! Ah won't disappoint you!"

"Excellent."

Now I have a bodyguard… An ambidextrous bodyguard… The boy patted the child in the head

"I knew you would do it"

I must sharpen him another spoon.

The boy went to the bowl of the child searching for another spoon. I found it, then I must concentrate…In less a minute the spoon was now an improvised knife.

"Take this, " the boy gave him the other spoon "Put it in the seams of your right sleeve, like I did," he pointed to his own sleeve and showed him his knife

"Now I'll show you how to take it out quickly and with nobody noticing you, " then the boy did as he said.

"Woah! "the child observed very close to his hand "Amazing! Do dat again!" the biy did it again.

"Fine, I want you to see me very well, " he did it slower "Then, you do it, " he waited for the result.

The child did it easily in the slow form "Now do it faster with your right hand, do it until I cannot see you taking it out and next do the same with your left hand."

The silver haired boy practiced a little dodging and punching invisible enemies. He saw the child behavior eagerly. He did it for hours until the boy heard the guard's steps approaching to their cell. He went to where the child was practicing.

"Hey!" he whispered "Stop doing that!" he grabbed the child's hands "Give me the spoons quickly."

"Why?" the child gave him the spoons.

"If a guard comes to the cell, you hid that things here, " he took the spoons to the same corner where he hid his knife before and placed it there then went to the door.

"Come here, " he grabbed the child's hand and took him to the middle of the room.

"Here is your food, " he opened the door and threw them two pieces of bread to the floor and left the room.

The child picked up the two pieces and offered one to the boy, he took it.

"Ah have a question" said the child while eating.

"What's now?"

"Can the others do the same thing you can do?" the silver haired boy breathed deeply.

"Well, not exactly but in theory they are special on different ways although not all of them, "he continued to eat.

"I've seen one of them discovering where you are without seeing you, he has a 'Twenty-four' mark on his arm and a different one on his forehead, " the boy made the move simulating the mark "He's a good lad but doesn't have a partner only runs from the others, they are older than us and very violent but I haven't saw them do something like us."

"But if he can do dat 'seeing without seeing', why didn't you ask him for help? From what Ah saw you do, you are a good fighter but he can do something you can't."

Good point, before he were put with me I didn't thought about making alliances with the others…

"Then, when we go to the field I'll ask him if he wants to join us, "the boy munched the bread "For now I want to see your progress."

The child was excited about show him his performance, took the spoons and hide it in the seams "Look, look!"the child showed his progress, his technique wasn't perfect but good enough for don't let the others see him do it.

I can't believe it. He's better each time I see him! Shit! I hope he doesn't pale me in front of them! But I need him to learn very well.

"Did Ah did it fine?" he seemed to be very anxious to hear the silver haired boy judge.

"Not bad, not bad " the boy nodded and seemed satisfied with the result.

"Then, can you teach me how to fight like you?"

"Well, you are ready, " then he patted the child's shoulders.

I'll be more kind to him if not he can stop being docile. If his partner started to stop following orders, the boy would be in trouble.

"Then, what must Ah do?"

"The step number two, " he posed to fight "Come and fight me, punch me or kick me because this time I'm going to hit you so you must dodge me, got it?"

He keeps asking me to do strange things…but if I do it well, he'll be happy with me…

"Yeah! "then he copied the boy's pose "When will we start?"

"Now!" he ran to the child and started to hit him very fast.

The child was dodging with all of his skill but the silver haired boy was more skilful and hit him very hard. The moment the gray eyed child thought he had dodged a punch; a kick from nowhere suddenly hit his ribs. But he endured it and grabbed his foot, then pushed him away a little.

"Not bad, not bad" then he charged again to the child "But you lack experience, " he tackled the child "and technique, "the boy imprisoned him with his legs and tried to punch him with folded hands.

The child grabbed him for the collar of the shirt and with all his might pulled the red eyed boy to his right side then pushed him pressing his body to his own and pressed the boy's neck with his right forearm.

He's very strong…I wasn't expecting him to do this. This specific feature of the child might be useful to the boy.

The boy pushed up the child's forearm with his left hand and with his right punched him in the ribs. The blow took the air from the child's lungs and when he tried to caress the affected area the boy hit him with his knee on the stomach.

The child rolled from the pain and started to cough and puke the contents of his stomach then turned to see the boy with a quizzed look in his gray eyes.

"I told you, I won't go easy on you so you can do all you want with all your strength, " the boy rose from the ground "Because the others are going to try with all their might to kill you, " he offered his hand to the child to stand "When you are ready to continue will restart this."

And because I'm thirsty… The boy went to the water tap and drank from the stream.

"Do you want some?" he offered to the child. He rose from the ground with both his arms and legs, then crawled to the corner and started to drink the same way as the boy.

"Delicious, " said the child while wiping his mouth with the forearm.

"I'll wash my face, " said the boy taking out his soap bar "Meanwhile you'll see how I do it " the boy began to wash his face. When he ended wiped his face.

"Now go to wash your face like I did, use the soap bar, " he pointed to the child's bag.

"Fine, " the child took out the soap bar from his bag, went to the water tap and started to wash his face.

"Hey, you mustn't soak your bandages!"

Crap! If the others see that he's wounded they're going to target him…then I can put him something to hide that. He dragged both bags sat cross legged on the ground and searched for something to use.

"Shirts, trousers, a small rag; both of us have the same-"

"Ah'm finished!" the child ran to where the boy was sited.

"I think we can use the shirt… " he turned to see the child.

"Fine, then come here, "he saw that the bandages were wet.

"Shit! You fool! I told you to not let wet your bandages! Now I must change them!"

"Don't get angry please…I didn't did it on purpose, " then he covered his head.

The boy took out some bandages from the child's bag "Come here, quickly!"

"No, you're angry at me. " the child stepped away.

He's insupportable and a sentimentalist…then I'll talk to him softly…

"I am not angry, I'm only concerned, " he extended his hand kindly "Come here…it's for your own good."

Good! He is not angry…Then the child ran to the boy side.

"Sit here, " the boy pointed in front of him between his crossed legs and the child sat there "Now bend down your head a little, " the child did it "like that, " the boy searched for the knot that ties the bandages and unbending. He retired the bandages carefully. When he ended he saw something unexpected.

The wound was almost healed, there was only a scar with mild flesh.

This isn't true! This is a trick! I am seeing an illusion. Thought the boy.

He rubbed his eyes and looked it again. This isn't an illusion, it's real! But…why? Yesterday I saw his head and there was a horrible cut around it. This must be another of his tricks…or he really healed very fast. Calm down, Twenty-one, calm down…This can be used on my favor, even if he gets really wounded in a few days he will be ready again to fight, which means that probably he will never be in the infirmary for days leaving me alone until he's fully healed. And if I get that Twenty-four guy to work for me I'll know where the others are hiding. And if he polishes that ability of his he can confuse them even without approaching. Therefore the chances that I get hurt will be reduced. I think my luck is improving.

Then he grinned and his eyes twinkled mischievously, resembled those of a wolf hunting its prey. Then he ended arranging the bandages.

Well, this is the end of the chapter, not published before because I was resting; I was also blocked for a while. Not to mention that I was watching the anime that I cannot saw when I was in school. I fact I just saw the end of one of the strangest animes (Mawaru Penguindrum) I've known, but could not expect less from the author of Revolutionary Girl Utena.

I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. If you think the story is to slow, tell me please. I want to read the critiques. Special thanks to CrimsonLaurana the first to read my fic.

I think I must explain something about the titles.

The meanings of the titles are French names for Tarot Cards of Marseille Version; thus contains not only the High Arcane, which appears on the anime version of Escaflowne, but the Gold, Swords, Lances and Wands:

Il Guidizio — Judgment — Radical change, resurrect to a new life. Well done job (or life). Will to start something. Good judgment and. Creative power and influence over the family and professional career. Capacity to forgive. Awake.

Huit de Pique — Eight of Swords — Interference. Restriction. Temporary illness or captivity. Indecision.

Ace de Trèfle — Ace of Wands — Creation, birth. The power or ability to begin or continue a plan or task with vigor. Capacity for entrepreneurship and determination. Start of a business, adventure, invention or something new.

I wish you a Mery Christmas and a Happy New Year~

Well, without further ado, I bid you farewell until the next chapter.