Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Vision of Escaflowne: AU ❯ Vision IV: The Power of the Goddess ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

FMB's forwards~

Disclaimer: The Vision of Escaflowne and all of its characters were created and belong to Shouji Kawamori, and his wonderful team of animators. I am in no way making any sort of profit off of this, I love you, so please don't sue me.

~*~*~ THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE~*~*~

oOoOo Alternate Story oOoOo

Part I: The Chikara Tenshino a.k.a. The girl from the Mystic Moon

Chapter IV: The power of the Goddess

& nbsp; Hitomi opened her eyes to a wooden ceiling. She found herself in a warm, cushiony bed with a fireplace in the room. She turned her head to the side. Allen walked in the door, smiling, holding a bowl of cool water and a towel. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her. She smiled.

& nbsp; “What happened?” she asked, groggily.

& nbsp; “You fainted,” he answered, while letting the towel soak with water. He rung it out and folded it, gently placing it on her head. She sighed, feeling the coolness of her forehead.

& nbsp; “I guess so…” she giggled a little bit. She paused.

& nbsp; “Your family is probably very concerned about you, back at your home,” he chuckled, “do you have any siblings?”

& nbsp; Hitomi's face fell. “I don't have a family.”

& nbsp; “Oh,” Allen's smile faded into a look of pity and sympathy, “my apologies.”

& nbsp; Hitomi smiled. “I didn't even know them…,” he smile became sad. “I guess it makes a difference in how someone acts. I suppose you're sadder if you knew your parents. But since I don't remember what they look like…I guess…It's just different for me. I lived in an orphanage practically all my life, but then I lived with my Grandmother for a year. Thoughtful of her,” she smiled reminiscing, “but unfortunately, she died also, but she left me her pendant…and that staff…I still don't know where it came from. It was hers, I found it in her closet, and I felt bad leaving it behind, so I took it with me, and put it in my closet. I haven't looked at it since now…I'd imagine your mom is really pretty.”

& nbsp; “She was…” Allen smiled, and took the rag off of Hitomi's head drenching it in water, once again.

& nbsp; “She…'was'? Oh, I'm sorry….” Hitomi said, realizing that his mother was on longer here.

& nbsp; “That's all right, I feel terrible myself for asking you about your family. You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you like,” he replied, placing the towel on Hitomi's forehead again.

Van rubbed some herbal medicine on Merle's burns. She winced a little, but purred in delight as it relieved her of her burns. She purred, and thanked him, lifting her head up to make eye contact with Hitomi. She stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at her at which Hitomi scowled at her. Van left to find some more medicine. Walking down into the dungeons, he found the moleman in one of the cells. The hallways were dimly lit with torches, as Van walked in to the cell, and grabbed the sleeping moleman's whiskered, and pulled in an upward motion. The moleman woke up, yelling protest as Van pulled his whisker.

& nbsp; “OW! Owowowowowowowow!” he shouted, and rubbed the place where his whiskers had been pulled. “Of for cryin' out loud, that's gonna leave a mark—“

& nbsp; His sentence stopped as he saw the site of Van.

& nbsp; “Ah, the young king! What brings ya down to the dungeons?”

& nbsp; “You live in the forest right? So you know about Gar leaves?”

& nbsp; “Gar leaves? Oh sure, they cure most burns, don't they? Also a famous remedy for fever and poison…”

& nbsp; “I'm going to need some.”

& nbsp; The moleman pulled out some gar leaves and put them in a bowl, beginning to smash them up, adding water and some sort of broth every now and then. When he was finished, he pouted it into a smaller bowl, and left some of the residue mush in the bigger bowl. He handed them both to Van.

& nbsp; “Heat the soup, and give whoever your going to give this to a few spoonfuls every hour or so, they should feel better later tonight. The mush if for the burns,” he said, scratching his head. Van nodded in thanks and walked away.

~*oOo*~

Allen left the room. After he did so, Hitomi focused on the catgirl who was on the bench. Merle glared back. She cocked her head, her tail waving mischievously in the air. Hitomi held the bed sheets over her, cocking her head at Merle.

& nbsp; I've never seen a cat human before. Look at her ears…that tail! Ew, I would be so embarrassed to be her. She's so annoying, too, I bet Van thinks that way. I can't see him putting up with Merle too long. And that little yellow dress…geez, it could at least be an attractive color…

& nbsp; She is sooooo weird…do all people on the mystic moon dress like that? What's with the dorky bow on her clothes? And her freaky staff! Stay away from me, I don't want you near Van-sama either! You might give us bad luck!…Wait, what the? How the hell did I get stuck with the bench!?!? Her tail puffed up, and she began to hiss at Hitomi. Hitomi cocked her eyebrow. She seems really mad about something.

& nbsp; Hitomi suddenly shut her eyes, feeling the vision come on again. She couldn't push the thoughts of the blazing inferno from her mind…they were coming, and they were coming soon. She opened her eyes, but was greeted the moleman's face right in hers, looking at her in curiosity. Hitomi let out a shriek, sending the moleman flying backwards in surprise. He landed straight at Van's feet, who was standing in the doorway with a confused look on his face. Brushing it off, he walked towards Hitomi who had the bed sheets covered over her body. Van put the medicine he had received from the moleman earlier. He pulled off his gloves, set them down behind the bowl of soup, and grabbed the top of Hitomi's sheets, causing Hitomi to look up in shock. With one big movement, Van ripped the covers off of her legs. Hitomi shrieked, and Merle shrieked as well.

& nbsp; “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU PERVERT!?” Hitomi yelled at him, but Van didn't answer. He only sat at her bedside and started to apply the herbal mush to her burns. Hitomi flinched a little, but soon realized what he was doing. She looked at his hand. He was applying some of the gar leave mush to her burns, rubbing his fingers back and forth over the burn.

& nbsp; “Oh,” she giggled, “sorry, you scared me.”

& nbsp; Van smiled a little, but didn't say anything, as he didn't lift his head up to Hitomi. Hitomi smirked.

& nbsp; “Oh, was that a smile I just saw?” she muttered. Van ignored her, and continued to rub on the mush to all of her wounds. Merle grew red with jealousy. She began to hiss at Hitomi. Van covered her back up, and Hitomi cocked her head. He's so gentle, but he can be such a jerk!

& nbsp; “Here.”

& nbsp; Van handed her the bowl of soup, Hitomi taking it gracefully into her lap. She began to eat some of it, lifting the spoon up and letting loose droplets fall back into the bowl. Van watched her eat before saying something.

& nbsp; “You should feel better by nightfall,” he spoke after the stillness, as she put the soup down on the nightstand by her bedside. He got up to leave, when Hitomi stopped him

& nbsp; “Van?”

& nbsp; Van turned his mahogany-colored eyes to her.

& nbsp; “Thanks,” she smiled. Van gave a half-hearted smile, and left, leaving a seething Merle.

~*oOo*~

The Zaibach Vione floated through the sapphire sky, parting the clouds along the way. Dilandau stood at the main post, where a gigantic glass window covered the wall like a dome. Dilandau smirked in sensation, as he knew what he was about to do. However, there was one thing on his mind, and he had to know - that girl. The hazel eyed girl standing behind Van. How dare that wench speak to me in such a way. Was she the Chikara Tenshino? It doesn't matter. That pathetic little girl and that fool will perish anyway, he added, his insane, sadistic smile creeping on his face again. Gatti walked up to Dilandau and saluted, addressing him.

& nbsp; “Master Dilandau,” Gatti spoke.

& nbsp; “What is it?” Dilandau asked, almost annoyed.

& nbsp; “The dragon slayers are in position. We await your command,” he finished. Dilandau smiled sadistically.

& nbsp; “You may be a Knight Caeli, Allen Shezar, but no one makes an enemy of me,” he said, recalling Allen's words, questioning him on the attack on Fanelia, “We know you're hiding something, and we'll just have to smoke it out,” he said, thinking of Escaflowne and her pilot, little known to him that it was the fool he saw earlier that day. Gatti nodded, and walked back to the guymelef chamber to go join the other dragon slayers in the position behind the fort. He sighed.

We're going this for the good of Zaibach. Someday, Gaea will be ruled by Zaibach, right? Gatti tried to talk himself into it. He didn't have much luck. Shaking the thought off, he powered up his guymelef and jumped in the cockpit, the Alseides soaring downward through the sky, from the floating fortress.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Hitomi had been sleeping ever since Van left. Night had fallen, and just as Van said, Hitomi was already recovering a little. She turned over in bed, trying to ignore the catgirl's constant snoring, willing herself to be back to sleep. She felt her head. I still have a headache…she pondered, and looked out the window, looking up at the Mystic Moon.

& nbsp; “Am I ever going to go home? How long do I have to stay here?” she grumbled to herself, her voice groggy. She felt her pendant, and fluttered her eyes shut once again. As soon as she did, she was the flames in her mind, more suffocating, more unbearable, more of the choking heat. She coughed out loud, and let out a shrill scream as she saw the invisible giants (a.k.a. Zaibach's guymelefs). She sat up, panting. Van and Allen came rushing in, hearing her scream.

& nbsp; “Hitomi, Hitomi are you alright?” Allen asked, his gloved hands taking her shoulders. He shook her a little, causing her to stir awake again.

& nbsp; “A-Allen?”

& nbsp;

Van's eyes found her face.

& nbsp; “What happened, Hitomi?” he said to her, almost demanding to know.

& nbsp; “…I…saw…it….the….flames….” Hitomi trailed off, “Allen, Van, we've got…to get out of here now….They're….coming….”

& nbsp; Van starred into her eyes.

& nbsp; “Who? Who's coming?” Van's concerned voice asked her.

& nbsp; “…those…invisible…giants…”

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; “So, boss, what the girl from the mystic moon says has you worried, huh?” Gaddess said, as Allen and he rode on horses, monitoring the soldiers getting ready for battle, just as Allen had ordered them too.

& nbsp; “What has me worried is the madness in Dilandau's eyes. His thirst for blood and fire is never ending…Hitomi senses that…just as Dilandau senses the fear of others,” Allen explained, looking off into the night sky.

& nbsp; “…right,” Gaddess cocked an eyebrow. Off in the distance, crows squawked out in fear from the trees. Allen looked up, and so did Gaddess. One of his men came sprinting up to the fort, running through with another. The two of them were screaming, shouting, warning them of what was to come.

& nbsp; “Defend the front gate, move it you bums!” one of them yelled, as he galloped through the fort. Allen heard their distant cries.

& nbsp; “She's the real thing. Damn,” Gaddess shook his head in disbelief.

& nbsp; “Come Gaddess, we have work to do,” he commanded, and rode off into the fort, Gaddess following behind. Soon after, flames erupted in the first gate of the fort, and the Alseides units marched through, destroying everything in site. Allen looked at the flames, glaring into the distant inferno.

& nbsp; “Damn the lot of you, Zaibach…” he trailed off.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; “Hitomi!”

& nbsp; Hitomi had fallen asleep again. She was in bed almost all day sense she had that vision again. Van and Merle were beside her bed, Van shaking her ever-so-gently.

& nbsp; “Hitomi, wake-up,” he whispered, his voice rising in panic. Hitomi stirred, and made eye contact with the mahogany-eyed king. Van's eyes were full of despair, like when Fanelia was begin invaded. Hitomi shook her head, as if she knew what he was about to tell her.

& nbsp; “No…don't tell me…”

& nbsp; Van shook his head, Merle looking around nervously.

& nbsp; “Hitomi, go with Allen's men, they'll take you down to safety. Do whatever they ask. Merle, you go with them,” Van commanded. Hitomi slipped on her shoes, and picked up her bag, and her staff, rushing down the fort's corridors in panic, Merle scampering behind. Hitomi stopped, just as Van was leaving in a different direction then they were.

& nbsp; “Van, where are you going?”

& nbsp; “I'm going to fight them,” he answered.

& nbsp; “Van, that's suicide! You don't know how many of them are out there! Just come with us, it'll be better that way!” Hitomi's words had no effect. Van had already run the gates, rushing through the smoky fort. The fire was spreading quickly, and the guymelefs were marching through -- fast. There wasn't a lot of time left.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Reeden looked beyond the balcony with Gaddess and Allen. He held his head in agony.

& nbsp; “Holy shit! It's the curse of the mystic moon!” he shouted, but was met with a smack on the back of his head by Gaddess.

& nbsp;

& nbsp; “It's Zaibach, you idiot!”

& nbsp; Allen sighed.

& nbsp; “Gaddess, prep Serenade and get the crusade to stand by. I'll hold them off with my guymelef and a few others while you flee - has Hitomi been safely—“

& nbsp; “Way ahead of you boss, she's already on her way down,” Gaddess smiled delightedly. Allen nodded.

& nbsp; “Good. Zaibach won't have their way,” Allen vowed, and turned to leave.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Hitomi was headed underground to load her things onto the crusade as she made her way out onto the fort's already smoky grounds. The fire from the first gate had already made its way up the hills to the back part of the fort. Hitomi and Merle were having coughing fits, trying to cover their noses. Hitomi couldn't believe it. She had done it again. She predicted another attack. She couldn't get the thought out of her mind that Van was going to fight them. She couldn't lose Van, not now! Even though Van's an asshole, that doesn't mean he should die! She thought to herself. I hope he's all right. And Allen…oh god, please, please let them make it out alive…she silently prayed. The smoke grew heavier. Hitomi looked over the gates to the front gate, seeing Sherazade fight off the countless guymelefs.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Dilandau Albatau stomped his guymelef through the ash and rubble that was the first gate, looking around, grinning and giggling madly to himself.

& nbsp; “Burn, burn, burn…” he chanted, “yes, that's it…we'll just smoke out Escaflowne…” Dilandau then caught site of Sherazade, fighting off the Alseides Units. Dilandau glared maliciously into Allen's guymelef. Van came promptly running out.

& nbsp; “ALLEN!” he shouted. Sherazade turned.

& nbsp; “Van! JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?” He yelled angrily from the cockpit.

& nbsp; “Where's Escaflowne?”

& nbsp; “It's been loaded safely onto the crusade, don't worry,” he reassured him. Van shook his head angrily.

& nbsp; “No, Allen! I must fight! To make them pay for what they've done to Fanelia…I won't turn my back…not like when I was in Fanelia…I won't turn my back to an enemy!”

& nbsp; “FOOLISH!” Allen called.

& nbsp; Silence.

& nbsp; “A rash decision, Van Fanel! The castle has fallen, and we must retreat! We must spare the lives of others! Van, I know how you must feel,” he called to him, “but we must not waste anymore time here! A samurai's life is meant to safe another, don't forget that,” he finished. Van looked down, and Sherazade extended the hand forward, to let Van on. He hopped on, and Sherazade moved forward to the cliff.

& nbsp; Hitomi watched as the two of them made their way to the cliff.

& nbsp; I get it…their creating a diversion…Allen's getaway ship is supposed to be off of the cliff, away from the fight. Right….Hitomi logically thought. Some of the Alseides began to pursue them. If they pursued them any further…

& nbsp; “Oh, DAMNIT!”

& nbsp; Reeden looked over.

& nbsp; “Yo, what's—HOLY SHIT, GET BACK HERE!” Reeden called after Hitomi, as she took her staff and when to help Van.

& nbsp; That same surge of emotions - the anger from when she struck Dilandau earlier - the anger in which she struck Van that day - the anger from when Fanelia was attacked, flowed through her as she charged herself forward. Van looked over at the running Hitomi with her staff. Allen starred in pure horror.

& nbsp; “HITOMI! NOOOOO!” he shouted.

& nbsp; Hitomi stood in front of Sherazade. Dilandau looked forward.

& nbsp; “…That…girl…” he whispered.

& nbsp; “None of your damn business, little boy.”

&nbs p; “How can you talk about other countries like that?!”

&nbs p; “Jackass!”

&nbs p; SLAP!

&nbs p; `It…can't…be….she's….” he trailed off. Hitomi held her staff up high, and prayed.

& nbsp; “Please, let Van and Allen live….protect them…” she whispered, “Please protect them…”

& nbsp; A purple light grew from her chest and expanded, creating a shield around Sherazade.

& nbsp;

& nbsp; “I won't let you hurt them!” she yelled, unaware of what she was doing. Hitomi had no idea this power laid within her. She felt her power growing weak, and no sooner did the barrier complete itself, she fell forward, passing out.

& nbsp; “HITOMI!” Van shouted.

& nbsp; Dilandau chuckled madly.

& nbsp; “IT'S HER!” he laughed wildly, “IT'S THE GIRL FROM THE MYSTIC MOON! How foolish of her to show her power in front of her attackers! All of Gaea knows your secret now, goddess!”

& nbsp; An insane, chilling laughter filled the smoky air. Van jumped down as Dilandau was cackling insanely. Picking Hitomi up, he shook her.

& nbsp; “Hitomi, wake-up!”

& nbsp; Allen yelled at him.

& nbsp; “Van, we don't have time for that! Let's go! Move it!”

& nbsp; Allen extended Sherazade's hand again, and let Van jump on. Sherazade retreated back behind the fort, almost as it he was hiding behind the smoke. Dilandau's dragon slayers stepped behind him.

& nbsp; “Master Dilandau…what was that purple light?” Gatti asked, curiously over the Alseides radio.

& nbsp; “Our future, Gatti. Our future,” he grinned maliciously.

& nbsp; Gatti inwardly groaned. This is pure insanity.

& nbsp; Dilandau giggled wildly again. After a moment of silence, Folken's voice came onto the radio in Dilandau's Alseides.

& nbsp; “This is foolish,” Folken complained, as he was reporting from the vione that was passing the fort. “You honestly think that this Allen Shezar will be stupid enough to let himself be herded by a fire?”

& nbsp; “But this is the surest way to destroy any evidence. They'll come out, sooner or later and surrender the goddess and Escaflowne.”

& nbsp; “You seem to be missing the point.”

& nbsp; Dilandau's smile faded.

& nbsp; “What are you implying?” he said, his voice dangerously lethal.

& nbsp; “They say that birds build their nests behind waterfalls, to prevent them from being attacked, you see.”

& nbsp; “What the hell…?” his voice seemed clueless at first, but then he began to think about it. His eyes were wide with anger. Suddenly, it clicked, and he turned his guymelef around, in fury.

& nbsp; “THEY'RE BEHIND THE FORTRESS ESCAPING OUT THE BACK WAY!” he rasped to his dragonslayers.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Hitomi hadn't woken up yet. She was still lying in his arms as Sherazade looked over the waterfall out the back. Allen was waiting for the crusade to come out from the waterfall. Van looked nervously in back of him, to see if they were coming after them. He looked in awe at Hitomi, who was lying limp in his arms. He shook her again.

& nbsp; “Hitomi, wake-up,” Van whispered. Hitomi stirred, her head rolling from side to side.

& nbsp; “Umm….” A soft moan escaped her lips. She sounded like she was sick. So weak, she could barely move.

& nbsp; “…V….an?” she said, van had to lean over to hear what she was saying. That one little attack had taken everything out of her, he thought. Her powers must still be weak if she can't even handle that…no sooner was the barrier finished, she could even hold if off. Damn it, Hitomi, why did you have to go and do a thing like that?

“Are…are…y…ou……alright 230;?”

Van supported her even more with his arms supporting her back, glad that she was still okay.

“Yes, yes, I'm fine.”

“Oh……that's….that's….good… ;I'm….gl…ad…”

Hitomi's words weren't anything above a whisper. She curved her lips into a small, weak smile. Van had to lean forward to hear what she was saying. But no sooner did she say anything more, she passed out again, and Van held her again.

& nbsp; `Hitomi…”

& nbsp; “Hang on to her, Van,” Allen said, as he controlled Sherazade to jump off the cliff, just as the crusade plowed through the rushing waters under the waterfall. He jumped on, making the crusade and everyone it in it tip violently. Finally, Van and Allen didn't have to worry…not yet, anyway. Van jumped off Sherazade and on to the roof of the crusade. Carrying Hitomi, he jumped down into the guymelef chamber below.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; The silver-haired albino licked his lips, smiling hauntingly. Dilandau and his dragonslayers planted their guymelefs on the same cliff Allen was on. Looking at the Crusade ride down on the skirts of the river, he sat, contemplating his next action.

& nbsp; “Well played, Allen Shezar. Not only are you a good liar, but you're also good at escaping. Running away, you pathetic fool. I'm going to swat you out of the sky,” he grinned madly, “prepare yourselves.”

& nbsp;

& nbsp; Gatti sighed.

“Sir, we can't use our stealth cloaks in flight mode…”

Dilandau's left Alseides arm whacked Gatti in the face, and Gatti fell. Dilandau turned Alseides around to face the dragonslayer who spoke. Dilandau's harsh voice came on his radio.

“Then kill anyone who sees you, fool!”

Dilandau in the others took off, flying, without the invisibility they once had when they were fighting on the ground. As he was leaving, Dallet smirked at his friend, who was now struggling to get up.

“You idiot,” Dallet said under his breath and took off.

Gatti sighed. Not all of the dragonslayers are like you, you asshole. It was true. All of the dragonslayers looked up to him sense he was the second - in - command dragonslayer, which mean he was the most elite, most powerful soldier in all of Zaibach besides Dilandau. It was obvious why he was appointed this position. Gatti was an excellent master of the sword; it didn't take long for all of the other dragonslayers to figure that out. Dallet had an envious rage for him.

Ever since they joined Zaibach, Dallet had never stopped striving to be the best. So it came down hard when Gatti was appointed second- in -command. Ever since, Dallet had held an extreme amount of anger towards his once best friend. Gatti tried to ignore it.

He tried.

Sometimes, it was a little too hard.

Sometimes, it was really hard.

Sometimes, it felt like he was trying to say something.

Other times, it felt like he was just saying that to make himself look good.

Sometimes….

Sometimes he didn't like how Dilandau acted. Zaibach used to be a country that was poverty-stricken, and always under constant invasion. That's why he joined the dragonslayers. So that he could help his country build up to their place in world once again, and strike back at all who opposed.

But Gatti had always known that this goal was already reached.

Zaibach had a new goal, now.

Gatti flew off, his Alseides unit cutting through the night air.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Van carried Hitomi inside and through the Guymelef chamber of the crusade at which he was promptly flanked by Allen's Crusade members. Not only was he flanked physically, but thousands of questions regarding Hitomi's welfare (not his, ironically) were thrown at him as well. Van grunted in annoyance at this.

& nbsp; “What happened to the princess?”

& nbsp; “Is she gonna be okay?”

& nbsp; “What happened back there?”

& nbsp; Van marched his way threw the crowd, carrying Hitomi up to the cabins. Allen was still perched on top of the crusade in his guymelef, keeping an eye out in back of them. Merle pranced eagerly on the bridge of the Crusade, where Gaddess was flying smoothly across the calm waters. Van walked in casually after putting Hitomi upstairs. He was greeted by Merle, who latched on to him.

& nbsp; “VAN-SAMAAAA!! You're okay!” she said, tears of joy streaming down her face. Van half-heartedly smiled. He ran his gloved hand through his shaggy, raven black hair, and walked back out into the guymelef chamber. The cool night air was relaxing to him. He shifted his gaze upon the twin moons, high in the sky, shinning brightly upon Gaea. Van heard mysterious footsteps behind him. He turned, and looked at who was behind him. Hitomi, grasping the wall of the chamber smiled knowingly at him.

& nbsp;

& nbsp; “Thanks,” she smiled, as she made her way over, standing next to him.

& nbsp; Van looked at her strangely.

& nbsp; “For what?”

& nbsp; “For saving me,” she smiled. Her smile turned into a grin. “Oh, so you finally admit that I saved your sorry ass.”

& nbsp; Van rolled his eyes.

& nbsp; “Hardly,” he said coldly turning his back to her. Hitomi got up in front of him again.

& nbsp; “C'mon, c'mon, ya know ya wanna admit it!”

& nbsp; “How could you have so much energy after passing out like that?”

& nbsp; Hitomi giggled, ignoring the question.

& nbsp; “You're so stubborn! Just admit it!” she giggled. Van glared down at her.

& nbsp; Hitomi smiled.

& nbsp; “Ah, ya don't scare me. Ya maybe taller, but being short has its advantages, ya know.”

& nbsp; “Why don't you try figuring out a way to help the rest of us instead of figuring out a way to get inside me head?”

& nbsp; Silence. Van turned his back to her again.

& nbsp; “You saved me, I saved you. An eye for an eye. Are you happy now?”

& nbsp; Hitomi cocked her head.

& nbsp; “I find it hard to believe that you're actually the girl from the Mystic Moon.”

& nbsp; “Why's that?”

& nbsp; Van turned around.

& nbsp; “I imagined her as something totally different. And I got you.”

& nbsp; “What the hell was that suppose to mean?”

& nbsp; Silence.

& nbsp; “It doesn't matter. Look, I don't want to be here just as much as you don't want me here. I didn't ask to come here. In fact, I didn't ask to get pulled into this! It's your fault! You're the one who had to snap at me for saving you!”

& nbsp; “Don't push this on me,” Van said lowly, his temper rising.

& nbsp; “Look, I just don't want to be on your bad side. I know both you and Merle don't like me very much, but that doesn't mean you both have to be such snobs. I have to admit, I didn't like you the first time I met you. That should have been obvious. But it looks like we'll be spending a lot of time together sense I'm stuck here, so you mine as well get used to it. I'm just trying to be friends, and you aren't helping. So stop being such an asshole, and loosen up. Thank you,” Hitomi said in one breath. Van stared at her for a while, letting her words settle into his brain. After scowling at her, he walked slowly past, muttering, “fine.”

& nbsp; Hitomi suddenly gasped, making Van turn around.

& nbsp; “…Van…is…did you and Allen know….?”

& nbsp; She was staring with wide-eyes at the flying guymelefs headed towards the crusade. Van grasped Hitomi's hand suddenly, and took off running towards the bridge of the Crusade. Allen had already noticed, as he shouted, “What? Their guymelefs can fly?”

& nbsp; Dilandau laughed manically.

& nbsp; “Watch out!” he yelled, giggling sadistically.

& nbsp; The five guymelefs came crashing on top of the Crusade, making the whole airship shake violently. Hitomi grabbed onto one of the pillars in the bridge. Merle came bounding up, shouting.

& nbsp; “This is YOUR entire fault!” she screamed at Hitomi. Hitomi furrowed her eyebrows, but before she could say anything, the young king intervened.

& nbsp; “Merle,” he began, “stop while you're ahead. It's not like she can control whether Zaibach comes after her. Just leave her alone.”

& nbsp; Hitomi gapped at him. She actually talked sense into the mindless, cold being known as Van. Hitomi inwardly smiled. Suddenly, she felt faint. Grabbing the pillar for support, she felt as though she would pass out. Tio came and caught her.

& nbsp; “You okay?”

& nbsp; “I…feel…faint again…” she said, as she drifted into unconsciousness. Tio caught her. Van looked up at Gaddess.

& nbsp; “I'm going to help Allen.”

& nbsp; Gaddess's jaw dropped.

& nbsp; “H-hey!” he yelled, hesitantly at Van, who was running to the guymelef chambers once again.

~*oOo*~

& nbsp;

Allen shifted his sword, blocking yet another devastation attack. One more attack like that, and he could be done for. Dilandau struck Allen again, but Allen blocked again.

& nbsp; “Lovely, Allen,” he whispered, excitement hinted in his voice.

& nbsp; Allen attacked, but Dallet attacked him from behind.

& nbsp; Escaflowne fell from the guymelef chamber, changing into a dragon. The wind caught Escaflowne like a child falling into a mother's grasp. The Crusade crew and a crying Merle watched Escaflowne drift leisurely, and gracefully into the starry Gaean sky.

& nbsp; “Van-sama!!”

& nbsp; “Van! What the hell does he think he's doing…?”

& nbsp; “Well, well, well, the dragon finally makes his appearance. Dallet you handle this. Gatti, you and the others follow me,” Dilandau commanded.

Dallet shifted, striking his guymelef sword down upon Allen's. Allen spun around, and hit Dallet in the side sending him flying into the canyons that upheld the rivers. He crashed into the Crusade's sails before flying off into the night sky.

& nbsp; “Shit,” he muttered.

& nbsp; Gaddess reeled the steering wheel of the Crusade in panic. The sail had been hit.

& nbsp; “Oh, for the love of - the damn sail's been hit!”

& nbsp; “The rudder ain't respondin' either,” one of Allen's men called.

& nbsp; Merle's teary-eyed face looked after Van.

& nbsp; “VAN-SAMAAAAAAA!”

& nbsp; Hitomi's limp figure was still being held by Tio, who was off looking in the same distance Merle was. The Crusade glided silently across the river once again. Allen looked off into the distance as well.

& nbsp; “Damn it, Van, don't get yourself killed.”

~*oOo*~

& nbsp; Dilandau and his dragonslayers pursued Van into the night.

& nbsp; “Oh, this is going to be such fun. I haven't hunted Dragons in a while.”

~*oOo*~

TBC &nbs p; & nbsp; &nbs p; & nbsp; &nbs p; & nbsp; &nbs p; ~END