Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ A Sylphe's Journey ❯ Of Newcomers and Nightmares ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Escaflowne is not mine.

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Dilandau Albatou occupied his chair with an impossibly graceful slouch, his silver bangs fanning perfectly over his forehead. The young captain of the Ryuugekitai, Zaibach's most elite guymelef and combat unit, was ensconced in one of the Vione's better sitting rooms, reserved for the floating fortress' upper class officers; namely, himself, invited Ryuu, any visiting generals or dignitaries, and, of course, the Strategos.

Not that that walking corpse would ever deign to socialize with us, thought Dilandau, running a gloved hand through his hair, brushing back the wayward strands that floated downily over the edge of his golden diadem.

Though a mesmerizingly attractive male, Dilandau's features were not so much handsome as they were beautiful. The albino complexion and delicate bone structure of his face gave him an almost angelic appearance until one noticed his garnet eyes which burned with an intensity that was anything but holy.

Refina had been Dilandau's second in command since she was fifteen, and over those three years, she, like all soldiers who lived under his order, had learned to read the unhinged energy resting in her leader's hypnotizing gaze. Being able to do so accurately often made the difference between a bruised cheek and a broken nose. Now, seeing his pupils locked in a vacant stare, she decided that it was more or less safe to interrupt his internal monologue.

"Lord Dilandau," she intoned, relieved that she had managed to hide the tremor in her voice.

"What?", he replied, his utterance rich and smooth but with a lethal undertone, like vinu laced with poison.

"My reports on the Ryuugekitai's progress in the new Oreides suits are ready if you'd care to go over them, my lord."

Dilandau growled softly under his breath. The sound was one often heard in the large menageries of wild animals kept by the rich in cities like Pallas or Ifrana; a sound dreaded by their caretakers, promising that should the beast ever get loose, there would be hell to pay. Creatures trapped in cages experienced the same insufferable feeling that pulsed through every inch of Dilandau's body. It was that of knowing what one was one was capable of, the sheer destruction one could cause, and then to be forced to sit sedately, never fulfilling that awesome potential; Lord Albatou was fucking bored.

He was also tired; tired of training obsequious men who would probably never see battle, tired of brainstorming new tactics that would never be used, tired of watching what had once been the Empire's most feared regiment slowly becoming little more than a paper tiger. What the good were progress reports on the Oreides units when the guymelefs would only be used to impress some fat, pompous, inbred aristocrats? Like he gave a shit what some foreign assholes thought of Dornkirk's 'technological might'.

Dilandau was about to tell Refina to shove her damn report down her bloody throat and then get the hell out of his sight when he heard a familiar voice echoing down the corridor.

"Looks like Folken's finally brought his new pet home!", he chuckled as he leapt elegantly from his chair and strode quickly out into the hallway, leaving a bewildered Refina in his wake.

The Ryuugekitai captain intercepted the pair just as they were passing the sitting room's doorway, his characteristic smirk already painted on his face.

"Back so soon, Strategos? I would have thought you'd be haggling with those overgrown lizards for at least another..," he broke off suddenly upon noticing Hitomi's lack of scales, claws and a tail. "What the hell...that's not a dragon!"

"Your powers of perception have long ago ceased to amaze me, Dilandau," said Folken dryly, his face a picture of slightly amused annoyance.

The young man shot his superior a brief scowl before returning his attention to the source of his surprise. Though a shapeless tunic and baggy trousers hid any possible hints of feminine curves, high cheek bones and narrow shoulders obviously denied masculinity. Along with these features was the fact that few men had hair long enough to hang in a messy braid over their shoulder. Her earth toned garments, unkempt locks, small, pointed face, and large leaf coloured eyes gave her the air of an elemental spirit swept indoors from the forest; someone unique and out of place against the cold, sterile back drop of the Vione.

Dilandau tore his eyes away from this stranger to look questioningly at Folken. "I thought that--"

"So did I," interrupted the Strategos with a sigh, "However, it appears that Hitomi is perfectly capable of assuming the intended duties."

The other Zaibach snorted at this supposition. "Can she even read?", he asked incredulously and was once again surprised when it was not Lord Folken who answered him.

"Of course I can read!", snapped Hitomi in a voice as icy and clear as a mountain stream. "Contrary to common knowledge, dragon people don't isolate themselves because they're ignorant. They do so because they know just what goes on in the world and they choose to stay out of it." The furious girl paused to look Dilandau over. "I can't say that I blame them," she added, matching him glare for glare with an intensity learned from her foster family.

A man with the diplomatic skills of a leva-stone could have seen that it was time to bring this encounter to an end, and Folken swiftly did so, using their stony silence to suggest that he show Hitomi the way to the library. "It's where you'll be doing most of your work," he explained, using his non-metal hand on her back to gently but resolutely guide her away from the impending armageddon. "Once you're oriented in there, I'll show you to your sleeping quarters."

As Lord Albatou watched them depart, somewhere deep within him, amidst the scorched swirl of murderous anger, wounded pride, and stark indignation something long dormant sat up and paid attention. This green-eyed witch was insubordinate, defiant, and different. She stood up to him, challenged him; she was the personification of the battle he'd been craving for so long. Psychological warfare was every bit as satisfying to Dilandau as the physical.

But, I think it's time to change tactics, he thought, grinning in anticipation of victory.

Refina gazed dismayed from the sitting room's doorway, her unread report still clutched in her hand. The events she'd just witnessed made no sense. Master Dilandau demanded and received respect which bordered upon worship from all his subordinates. Anything less was immediately and often brutally punished. Yet, this girl, a stranger of no rank whatsoever, had insulted him to his face and he had allowed her to walk away unscathed. Studying her captain's face, Refina felt her chest grow hot and tight; the tyrannical young man didn't seem to be upset in the least. He was...smiling?!

Hitomi had heard those awful sounds moments before, only it had been her father's voice tangled in that same blood chilling yell. He was quiet now, though, as was her mother, and on some instinctive, unchildish level, Hitomi knew she would never hear her parents' voices again. She would have to protect Mamoru now.

The seven year old took deep breaths and listened. Had the monsters gone away? If you hid long enough under the covers where the monsters couldn't get you, it would be morning, and they'd disappear.

Footsteps came crunching, crunching, coming closer and closer to the the broken board that had allowed Hitomi to pull Mamoru under the wagon and hide there with him. A torch's light shone through the hole, driving back the shadows that concealed them. Curling up in a sitting fetal position, Hitomi cradled her brother all the more tightly and felt him wrap his small arms around her. The child put what she hoped was a fierce look on her face. One that would scare the monsters away.

But, the face that suddenly peered in at them was far more frightening; a man's head covered in shaggy ginger hair and huge ugly scars. His small, searching, black eyes bored into her own and peered straight to the centre of her scared, shaking soul...

Waking to a room as dark as her nightmare man's eyes, Hitomi began to shiver and realized that her sheets were soaked with sweat. She almost called out to Aelfla, her adoptive mother, before remembering that she was far too old to be frightened by a bad dream. A moment later, she realized that Aelfla was no longer there to hear her calls.

Hitomi swallowed hard. Grown up or not, she wanted a light on and she wanted it on now. Fumbling beside her bed for one of the weird metal lanterns that seemed to be every where on the Vione, she accidentally sent the contraption crashing to the floor. Muttering curses under her breath, Hitomi swung her legs over the mattress and gasped as her bare feet touched the cold floor.

A throw rug, she thought as she righted the fallen lantern and illuminated it, As soon as I get paid, the first thing I'm buying is a throw rug!

Hitomi flopped down on her bed and looked around her new room. It wasn't a bad little place, really. The bed was comfortable and she had a dresser, a desk and chair, a mirror; the only problem was that everything was so...grey. At least it's shiny grey, she thought her lips twitching into her first smile of the day. And its all in different shades too.

"Different shades of shiny grey!", she repeated to herself in a mock sweet singsong voice. "Hitomi...you definitely need more sleep," she mumbled into her bedding. Part of her longed to obey her heavy lids, to slip back into the warm embrace of slumber, but doing so would mean dreaming. Dreams were always a risk; they could comfort or they could torment. Deciding that she had had enough of the latter, Hitomi compromised by closing her eyes, relaxing her mind and body, and preparing herself for the day to come.

Upon her arrival, Lord Folken had given her what Hitomi had deemed 'The Grand Tour', taking her all over this strange floating cavern. As he had guided her through a seemingly endless maze of rooms and hallways, she had been unable to shake the feeling that her mind was being lead right along with her feet, and that the Strategos' very words cast some sort of spell, only letting her see and know and understand what he wished, be it concerning a particular rule or person or even her own role and duties.

Actually, Hitomi was rather looking forward to starting work here. From what she understood, she was primarily to be some sort of diplomatic research assistant, gathering enough information about the countries the Vione was to visit so as to avoid any embarrassing gaffs of etiquette. That meant becoming intimate with the world outside her own extremely limited experience which, despite her previous retort to that rude officer, was something Hitomi longed to do. Perhaps some fact or description would spark a memory and shed light on her own murky origin.

She rolled over, glanced at the clock on her night stand, and her stomach did an interesting little back flip. Lord Folken had instructed her to be ready to meet her liaison to her secondary duties by the seventh hour and it was already five to.

With a squawk of alarm, she flew from her bed but crash landed when her legs got tangled in her sheets, making her fall on her already bruised knees. Over her yelp of agony she heard the hollow clang of someone knocking at her sliding metal door.

"Miss Kanzaki?", a cultured male voice called in to her, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine," she shouted back, rushing over to her dresser and frantically tearing through her top drawer to find her least wrinkled tunic. Travelling had not been kind to her few clothes.

"Ah, well...good," came the rather uncertain reply. "Er...my name is Rouen Eliante...your liason with the Ryuugekitai..."

"I know!" Hitomi was now rifling about in the bottom drawer, looking for a decent pair of trousers. Mornings would probably be a helluva lot easier once she had her uniform. "I'll be right with you just as soon as I--OWW!! Oh, Gods Damn It!!!", she yelled as she cracked her skull on the top drawer which she had forgotten to shut.

She fell backwards, admiring the lovely stars that danced before her eyes until she heard her door swish open with a rush of air. Groaning, she peered through her tangled chestnut locks at the young man who had rushed into her room.

Quite tall and slim, he was dressed in a black leather uniform with gold trim and deep blue padding and boots. His blond curls fell rakishly over one eye, and his thin, aristocratic face looked rather worried; however, upon seeing Hitomi sprawled on the floor, looking up at him in a daze with her veil of hair covering her face and her dresser's innards spread around her, his shoulders began to shake and his eyes shone with barely contained mirth.

"Shall I leave you to collect yourself, Miss Kanzaki?"

"Oooh," moaned Hitomi as the shock began to wear off, replacing itself with a splitting headache. "Yes, please."

Rouen walked Hitomi through the Vione's large, shadowy corridors, chatting amiably and explaining her job in more detail as they went along. "To my understanding, your duties with the Ryuu seem to run along the lines of a practical informations officer running liaisons between Lord Folken and our squadron."

He paused and smiled at her confused expression. "Lots of systems on the Vione are like a huge relay," he explained, "Say we needed more liquid steel for the Crima-Claws in our guymelefs. I'd write up a request, give it to you then you'd send it to Lord Folken who'd authorize it and send it to whoever in the Empire deals with these things. Once there, it'll go through miles of the same sort of red tape, and then finally we'd get our ammo. I'd report to you that it was delivered, you'd report it to the Strategos, and life goes merrily along until we run out again."

"But, that's such a--"

"Flaming nuisance? Right you are! You'll get used to it, though. Zaibach's bureaucracy mainly consists of giving people the run-around, and it's usually we poor, valiant buggers behind the scenes who do the running," replied Rouen, treating her to a suave, lopsided grin.

Hitomi smiled back in spite of herself. Rouen exuded a sort of congenial, effortless charm that was irresistible. His elegant, charismatic manner made her wonder why he was in the army rather than some posh salon entertaining society women with his droll, witty conversation.

"And does life go merrily along today, or is there a flaming nuisance that needs to be put out?", she asked.

Jovial laughter bubbled up from the tall young man's throat. "You're rather witty for a girl with a concussion. No, not today. I believe Lord Folken merely wants you to get the lay of the land, meet the people and what not." With those last words, Rouen stopped their walking, and his light tone became serious. "Speaking of meeting people, I think it only fair that I warn you...Lord Dilandau...Sometimes he can be...difficult. It's not much of a problem, really. Try to stay on his good side, and you'll be fine. Just make sure you try really, really hard."

Hitomi felt her stomach sink. "Did you say Lord Dilandau?" Wasn't that what Lord Folken had called that soldier from the other day?

"Yes," said Rouen as he entered a room and gestured for her to follow him, "He's the Ryuugekitai's captain."

Well, thought Hitomi, as she passed through the doorway, doesn't this day get more spectacular by the minute?

Much to her relief, however, she saw no sign of the red-eyed youth. Instead, there were about fifteen other young men, dressed similarly to Rouen, standing rigidly in straight, ordered lines, headed by a young woman wearing black and orange armour. This lone female gave Hitomi a disparaging once over, and with a diffident flick of her long, blond pony tail, approached the pair with a soldier's smooth, confident stroll.

"So, this is Lord Strategos' latest acquisition," she sniffed, her lip curling ever so slightly, "I really can't understand what he was thinking."

"Then we're all lucky you're an officer and not a politician, aren't we, Refina?", Rouen drawled.

"Only an officer could see the utter foolishness of this idea," she snapped up at him, "What the hell could she possibly understand about this sort of life? She'll be more trouble than she's worth!"

"I thank you for your kind concern," Hitomi stated, keeping her voice low and smooth, "You don't have to worry. I can take care of myself."

Refina's piercing blue eyes lit up, and her smile said that that had been exactly what she'd wanted to hear. "Can you really?" she asked her voice laden with sarcastic glee. A soft hiss echoed in the room as the Ryuu unsheathed her sword.

"This is absurd," interceded Rouen, stepping between the two women, but he found his protest quelled by the cold kiss of Refina's blade pressed to his neck.

"You really must learn not to question superior officers, Rouen. Calm down; I'm not going to kill her. I only want to see if she's telling the truth. And don't even think about giving her your sword, " she added, anticipating the movement of his hand, "An assassin's not going to lend his target a weapon." With that, she easily shoved him aside. "Lets see what you're made of, little girl."

Hitomi tried to stay calm, forcing her breath to remain slow and steady. Somehow, she knew that backing down now would be a mistake, and besides, she hadn't lied to Refina. Dragon people weren't chauvinistic; girls and boys were taught the same combat techniques, and Hitomi was quite capable of protecting herself against them all. Right now, her only problem was that she'd never faced down someone with a sword before.

Most blades were useless against clans dragon's tough hides, so they practised hand to hand, maintaining that it took more intelligence to win without a weapon. Hitomi wasn't so sure of that, but she hoped she was at least smart, not to mention fast, enough to avoid her more experienced opponent's attacks. Refina's clothing was heavier than her own, maybe she'd tire sooner.

Lack of energy wasn't the Ryuu's problem right now, however. Hitomi just managed to weave away from her first charge, barely recovering in time to avoid Refina's succeeding thrust. But, avoid it she did, and the next, and the next. The two women danced as partners locked in a deadly pas de deux: slice, dodge, lunge, side step, jab, evade, until they were both panting and covered in sweat.

Finally, Refina made a subtle mistake, over swinging slightly, that gave Hitomi enough time to drop down and bring her legs about in a kick that knocked Refina to the ground. Sadly, tired herself, Hitomi was too slow on the get up, and before she knew it, she was trapped by sharp steel at her throat and a hand around her braid.

Speed, cleverness, and stealth are what dragon people consider the honourable methods for defeating an opponent in a martial arts match. Escaping someone's death grip is another matter entirely. The knife was a shining blur as Hitomi pulled it from her boot and cut through what was restraining her. She swiftly elbowed Refina in the stomach, rolling away as the other girl fell backwards with a cry, her sword still grasped in one hand, Hitomi's severed braid in the other.

For minutes that passed as slowly as hours, the only sound heard in the cavernous room was the laboured breathing of both combatants. Then the boots clicking slowly across the floor and an eerily melodious voice cut through the quiet.

"Someone tell me what the fuck is going on here," it spoke with subdued wrath, furious but never doubting that it would be obeyed.

Hitomi watched as the silver haired man, Lord Dilandau, changed the atmosphere with his very presence. The room was still a vacuum, but whereas the previous silence had been born of relief, the air was now pregnant with tension. The Ryuugekitai seemed to stand taller, and Hitomi wondered what they were preparing themselves for. She soon found out.

Refina had leapt to her feet at the sound of his voice and now she was posed as stiffly as any of the others, any prior exhaustion forgotten. "Master Dilandau, I--", her explanation was cut of by a stinging slap. Hitomi winced when she saw the crimson hand print decorating the girl's cheek like a sadistic cosmetic.

"Fighting in my chambers, without my permission, and what's more, losing!", snarled Dilandau, his eyes burning like coals in alabaster. "I would have expected more from you, Refina."

"Forgive me, sir," she replied bowing before him on her knees and touching her forehead to the floor.

"And the rest of you pissants just stood there and allowed this disrespect?"

"Forgive us," the Ryuu echoed, assuming the same position of supplication.

Lord Albatou seemed satisfied with their response, and he turned his attention to the one person in the room who was not under his command. "Now, Kanzaki, are you through distracting my soldiers?", he asked with biting courtesy.

Stormy emerald met burning garnet as their eyes locked in another impassioned staring match, and Hitomi's only other response was to rise to her feet, turn deliberately and leave the room slowly enough to show she wasn't intimidated but quickly enough to get her the hell out of there as soon as possible.

She wandered through hallways in a daze that was somehow more confusing then her earlier hit to the head, only dimly aware of the direction her feet were taking. Someone seemed to be calling her name from far off. Turning, she recognized Rouen striding after her on his long legs.

"Oh, what now!", she cried as he caught up, "Are you supposed to drag me back there so I can fall to my knees and beg his pardon. If that's what he wants, he can just sit there until his ass and his chair fuse into one!"

"I'm afraid I shan't have the distinct pleasure of dragging you anywhere today! Lord Dilandau excused me so that I could write up a report to General Adelphos which I swear I will do. Just as soon as I'm through offering my services to you, my dear."

Hitomi blinked at being called 'my dear' and was surprised to discover that she wasn't offended. Rouen hadn't used the term condescendingly, but only as a form of gentle teasing which cheered her. She'd never never been called anything other than her real name before. "And exactly what services might you have to offer?", she asked, playfully mimicking his gentlemanly demeanour.

"Why, my lady, with in these gifted yet humble hands lies the power to heal your wounded hair."

In Rouen's sleeping quarters, sitting with a towel swathed round her neck and listening to the snip snip of the scissors, Hitomi wondered for the thousandth time if this was really such a good idea.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?", she asked, only partially kidding.

"Stop asking me that. Of course I know what I'm doing."

Grinning at the pernickety tone of his voice, she persisted, "Then why are you a Ryuugekitai and not a hair dresser?"

"I'm both, and if you don't hush up, I'll scalp you. Although that might be an improvement too. Really, forcing you to cut your own hair was the nicest thing Refina could have done for you. The way it used to hang in your face...my dear, you looked like a little Ezgardian pony."

"A what!?"

"An Ezgardian pony. I had one as a lad, and when the cold season came, the beast grew so much extra fuzz, I couldn't tell which end was which. Took me a week to figure out why the little fellow had started walking backwards...he hadn't. I'd just been putting his saddle on the wrong way round. So, allow me to reiterate...Refina...has...done...you...a...favour. Just don't tell her I said so, or she'll make my life a misery."

"You sound like you know her well."

"Oh, fairly well. The little minx is my sister."

Makes sense, Hitomi thought to herself. The both shared the same hair and eye colour. "Is she older or younger than you?", she asked aloud.

"Younger by six minutes. I got the height, she got the attitude. I must admit, we've never been able to practise the whole happy family bit. Don't worry, though," he added, noticing Hitomi's dismayed expression as he put the finishing touches on her bangs, "She just likes to test people. I can't imagine it being anything personal. This will blow over, and if you're lucky, she'll ignore your very existence. Do you have siblings?"

"No...well, I used to...he died soon after my parents did," she answered in that halting yet determined way of someone who will tell you more if you ask but who fervently hopes you won't.

Rouen didn't. He simply whisked the towel from her shoulders and handed her a mirror.

Hitomi smiled at what she saw reflected there. Her hair was almost as short as a man's but on her the length wasn't masculine. Rouen had made it appear slightly shaggy near her ears, at her bangs and over the nape of her neck. The cut suited her facial shape, bringing her bright eyes and elfin lips into focus. "It's wonderful, Rouen. You did such an amazing job!"

"Consider it my house warming present to be regiven whenever necessary. Welcome aboard, Miss Kanzaki."

TBC...