Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Angel ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8

Standing over Angel were two…things. They looked basically like human girls except they had some catlike features. They were covered in leopard print fur; one gold, the other silver. Other than that they were identical. They both had the same purple-blue cat eyes and the same large cat ears. They were wearing bathing suit-like silver tops with silver boots. They also had long gloves that went up to their elbows and tails that peeked out from behind them.

"W-w-what are you?" Angel asked, panic rising in her voice.

The two creatures looked at each other confused. They had never met anyone who didn't know what they were. The silver one leaned closer to Angel.

"We're cat-women." She said.

"W-w-w-what?" Angel stuttered.

"You're not from around here, are you? The gold cat-woman commented sceptically.

"Where's, uh, here?"

"You're in the country of Zaibach." The silver twin said.

"Where?" Angel asked, still a little scared, but calming down a bit. Something about the girls seemed right. Like it was okay for there to be people who were part cat. "I've never heard of any country called that. And I'm really good with geography."

The twins turned away from Angel and started whispering. Angel caught small snippets of the conversation. "Could she be-" "Impossible-" "-might be-" "Mystic Moon"

The two then turned back to Angel. The silver one held her hand out. "I'm Naria." She gestured to the other twin. "This is Eriya. Would you come here for a moment?"

Angel hesitated before nodding and sliding out of the bed. As she did, she noticed that her jacket was gone. Probably for the best, since last I saw it was covered with blood. Wait a minute. What am I talking about? That didn't really happen. It was just some freaky dream. This whole thing is just a freaky dream. She was shaken out of her thoughts as Naria placed a hand on her shoulder. Angel looked up at the cat girl, noticing how tall she was.

"Is that where you're from?" Naria gestured to the window at the sky. What Angel saw almost made her faint.

Hanging in the sky, just behind the moon, was a familiar blue and green planet. Patches of white showing clouds gently glided over the familiar landmasses. In the sky was a view Angel had only seen in books. In the sky…was the planet Earth.

"W-what…how…" Angel trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"It's the Mystic Moon." Eriya said gently. "Are you from there?"

"Y-yes. That's my home." Angel said in shock.

"Maybe you should-" A sharp knock interrupted Naria. The twins turned to the door. "Yes?"

The door cracked open and a short boy in blue and black armour stepped in. "Lord Folken wishes to see you." He said, staring at the wall behind the twins. "He says it's urgent."

"Aren't you one of Dilandau's Slayers?" Naria asked.

"Lord Folken gave me my orders while I was in the hall." The boy still wouldn't look at the twins.

"Well," Naria looked back at Angel, still staring at Earth in shock. "I hate to leave her like this, but if it's Lord Folken…" She trailed off.

Eriya turned back to Angel. "We have to go now." She said in a soft voice. "Will you be alright?"

"W-what? Oh, yes. I-I'll be fine." Angel's gaze never left Earth.

Eriya nodded to Naria and they both left, leaving a shocked Angel and quiet boy.

"Um, excuse me." Angel spun around to face the boy as he spoke. "Are you alright?"

"D-do I…know you?" Angel walked closer to the boy. "I'm sure I recognise you."

"Err…" The boy started to sweat under Angel's close inspection.

"Yes!" Angel exclaimed triumphantly. "You're that boy who knocked me out."

"NO!" The boy pack-peddled as Angel leaned closer. "Th-that wasn't me. That was Dalet."

"Dalet." Angel rolled the name around. "And you're…Chesta!"

"Uh, yeah. That's me. Umm are you alright?"

"Well considering I have no idea what's going on I'm extremely alright." Angel was coming out of her shock now and decided to just roll with everything. No point in getting worked up over something that was just a dream.

"I…uh…just wanted to…uh…apologies. For letting Dalet hurt you." Chesta said.

"Hey, no problem. After all, this is just a dream. It's not like I can be seriously hurt."

"A dream…no. This is very real."

"Whatever. Anyway, that Folken guy didn't actually want to see those…cat-girls. Did he?" Angel let a small smirk play on her lips.

Chesta smiled. "Was it that obvious?"

"Nah. I'm just observant. So," Angel sat down on the bed. "Wanna tell me where I am. And, please, be more specific than `the country of Zaibach'." Angel did a perfect imitation of Naria.

"I sorry." Chesta frowned. "I can't tell you anything without Lord Dilandau's permission."

"So let's go see this `Lord Dilandau'." Angel walked out the door. A second later she was back. "Uh, sorry, but, I don't know the way."

Chesta laughed and left the room. He led Angel down a flight of stairs and through a hall until he came to a large oak door.

"Now, you must be quiet." Chesta said, suddenly serious. "Lord Dilandau doesn't like interruptions."

"I'll be quiet as a mouse." Angel held up her hand. "Scout's honour."

"What?"

"Never mind."

Chesta nodded, straightened his armour and pushed open the door. Angel's eyes widened as she saw the room. It was huge. The centre, an area about the size of a soccer field was covered with mats. Racks of swords, staffs, shields and other weapons and armour lined the sidewalls. The far wall was filled with what looked like weight machines.

About fourteen guys, all dressed like Chesta, were all sparing with swords on the mats. Another boy walked around the room, watching them. He was about the same age as the others, fifteen or sixteen, and was dressed in the same style as the others but with red instead of blue. As he walked around he called out criticism to the others. Usually things along the lines of "Block higher, idiot." and "You imbecile, attack faster!" The boy finally noticed Chesta and Angel standing in the doorway.

"Chesta!" He stormed over to then. "Where have you been? And who's this?" He gestured to Angel.

As Angel looked at the boy, her breath caught in her throat. He was the most beautiful guy she had ever seen. His grey hair was pushed back from his eyes by a gold diadem with a pale purple gem in the centre. And it was marvellous that his hair wasn't in his eyes as they were his best feature (although his body was very nice). They were an amazing garnet colour and seemed to see right into her. Unfortunately, at the moment, they were narrowed in anger as their owner glared at Angel.

Chesta's voice shook Angel out of her daze. "This is the girl you ordered - " Chesta was cut off as Dilandau brought a hand up and slapped him.

"I know what I ordered." Dilandau snarled.

"Hey!" Dilandau turned his attention to Angel. "You can't just hit him like that!"

"Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"I'm Angel Jace and you can't go around hitting people."

"They're my soldiers and I'll do as I like." By now all the other boys in the room had stopped what they had been doing to watch the confrontation.

"They aren't `yours'! You don't own them!"

"They are mine!"

"You're acting like a spoiled, selfish brat!" Angel yelled.

Dilandau's eyes widened in surprise. Angel allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction and closed her eyes, seeing she had won.

Angel's eyes flew open as Dilandau's fist connected with her face. She flew back into someone's waiting arms, her eyes wide in shock. She gingerly lifted a hand to her face where she had been hit. It hurt. She thought. Dreams don't hurt. That means…this isn't a dream. Angel then did the only thing she could think of as logical in a situation like this.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Angel's scream echoed in the room as Dilandau covered his ears with his hands, as did many of the other boys. Whoever was holding her let her fall as he covered his own ears. Not even the fall stopped Angel's scream.

"Someone SHUT HER UP!" Dilandau yelled over the scream. His wish was granted as Angel was suddenly silent.

While she had been screaming, a tall man had run in and grasped Angel's shoulders. Angel looked up into his kind eyes, dark red like her own, and suddenly felt safe. His pale blue-green hair fell lightly above his eyes. Angel noticed he had a tattoo of a purple teardrop under his right eye. He was dressed in a black cape over a black and gold robe. The cape covered part on his right arm and Angel immediately knew why. Instead of flesh it was a metallic claw!

"W-what's going on?" Angel asked as she backed away panicked.

"Please, Angel," the man held out his non-metallic hand. "Come with me. I'll get this all sorted out."

Angel nodded and took his hand. The man helped her stand up and gently guided her out of the room. He took her back to the room in which she had awakened and gestured for her to sit.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions. And so do I, but you start." The man said.

"W-who are you?" Angel asked timidly as she stared at her hands folded in her lap.

"I'm Folken." He seemed shocked that she didn't know.

"And where am I?"

"You're in Zaibach, on Gaia."

"Gaia?"

"This planet."

"So…I'm on another planet? How'd I get from Earth to here?"

"Earth?" It was Folken's turn to ask a question.

"Th-that planet in the sky."

"You mean…the Mystic Moon?"

"That's what Naria and Eriya called it." Angel looked up at Folken, tears in her eyes. "Why am I here?"

"Angel…don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Your life."

"Of course I remember my life. I live in Elbow Bend, Alberta, Canada. I'm in Grade ten at Star Crossroads High School. I-"

"No." Folken cut Angel off. "I mean…your life here. With me."

"W-what are you talking about?" Angel asked.

"Angel, I'm you brother."