Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Mystic Wings ❯ Mystic Wings ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter Twenty-One

Mystic Wings

 

On the way out, Hitomi picked up Van's bags and moved to follow Dryden out the door. He was carrying Van and laying him across the back seat of the SUV. Hitomi didn't want to talk to Aunt Flo and she was hurrying so that she wouldn't be alone with her. She just wanted to get Van away from there and the sooner, the better.

 

However, she didn't make it out the door before Aunt Flo stopped her with an unexpected question. “Are you punishing me?” she asked.

 

Hitomi hadn't anticipated a question like that, and at first she just stood paralyzed at the door, unable to answer.

 

“Are you punishing me?” Aunt Flo asked again.

 

“Why would I be punishing you?”

 

“Because, I …”

 

“Haven't been nice to me since I arrived?” Hitomi asked, suddenly finding her voice.

 

“I wouldn't have said it that way.”

 

“Really, how would you have said it?” It was tempting to deliver this line with all the venom Hitomi could summon, but somehow she was able to keep her voice calm. There was no reason to be unnecessarily childish. Hitomi had heard enough of that crap from Marlene.

 

“Because I didn't encourage you and Van to get together,” she answered.

 

At this, Hitomi turned around and looked at Aunt Flo. Did she know that they were married? Had Van told her? Hitomi didn't think so. If he had, then she wouldn't have blocked the door when she and Dryden showed up. “Have you changed your mind about that?”

 

“… No. Van needs to be with a woman that is like him, and …”

 

“I'm not,” Hitomi finished, examining Aunt Flo's sad eyes. Something precious was definitely being lost as Hitomi slid her boots on, but she couldn't exactly identify what it was. “I suppose I can understand where you're coming from,” Hitomi said, thinking again of her father and how unhappy he was at the way her life was going. He wasn't able to accept her without asking questions about where she'd been. Aunt Flo wasn't exactly like that. She was okay with what Van chose to do about most things, but she really wanted to have a hand in Van's choice of wife. Hitomi had no intention of telling Aunt Flo the truth about her and Van. Instead, she asked, “If I really am Van's choice and I'm not his moon-girl, will you accept me?”

 

Aunt Flo hesitated.

 

“You don't have to answer that,” Hitomi continued, able to be calm because Van was in the car now and Dryden had gone to get the convertible out of the barn. There wasn't much Aunt Flo could do to stop them from leaving now. “No, I'm not punishing you. This is just a natural consequence of him coming to live with you in the first place. You had to know that eventually he was going to leave, and that at some point, because of who he is … he might not come back.”

 

The stone at Hitomi's neck went cold, but Hitomi put her hand up and blocked Aunt Flo's slap.

 

“Don't even think of hitting me,” she said, as she turned and left the farmhouse. She didn't know if what she said was true, about whether or not Van would ever come back, but one thing was for sure - Hitomi probably wouldn't.

 

***

 

When they arrived back at the mansion, Van was still unconscious and Dryden carried him up to a guest room himself. He had arranged for Hitomi and Van to share a different room than the one he had originally given Hitomi. He said that room was too small for them, and that they needed a lot more room.

 

Van slept for hours, and Dryden wouldn't let Hitomi disturb him until it was time for her to go to sleep as well.

 

“He needs to heal,” Dryden said, “and he won't be able to rest if you're … pacing the room, or … whatever it is you'll do if you're in there with him.”

 

Instead, Dryden talked to her more about the Tarot and acquainted her even more with their world.

 

Hitomi tried to listen but she was tired, too. By eight-thirty she was about to collapse on the couch when Dryden finally gave her permission to go up to bed.

 

Hitomi padded her way down the hall to the bedroom and clicked the door open as quietly as she could. It was dark out by the time Hitomi came into the room and she fumbled in the dark until she found the switch for one of the bedside lamps. The lamp light filled the room with a dull glow. Van was there, still sleeping on the bed and the light didn't seem to be bothering him - he slept just as soundly. Hitomi didn't know why she'd been afraid that he would go missing again. She hadn't realized until she saw him that she had been insecure. It wasn't like he wanted to go missing in the first place.

 

The room Dryden gave them was very nice; almost too nice, Hitomi thought. But in a mansion like this, rooms like this one were expected, weren't they? There was a king sized bed with posts and curtains. There was a connecting bathroom and dressing room, a fireplace and a balcony that looked out onto the inner courtyard. Hitomi couldn't see it well, even though she went and looked through the window to see what it was like. The house was so big; she didn't feel like she'd discovered half of it.

 

Hitomi went into the dressing room and starting stripping. She hadn't even changed out of her school uniform yet. Dryden told her that a maid moved her things into the dressing room of the new bedroom, so Hitomi went there to find her pajamas. Not that her pajamas were very fancy. She was still wearing Van's boxers teamed with a tank top. It was just that when she took off her uniform, she happened to catch a glimpse of herself in one of the mirrors. Her arm … the dragon part of her tattoo was missing!

 

Hitomi stretched her arm out to get a better look. It was true. Her tattoo had been of a dragon sitting on a crescent moon, but now the dragon was gone and only the moon was left. She stood there thinking rapidly when it dawned on her what had happened when Folken was all over her that morning in his office. He had rubbed her arm, and somehow he had removed her dragon tattoo. Dryden had said that there was almost no limit to what Folken could do with his song, but this seemed too impossible. She nearly ran out of the bedroom that minute to go and talk to Dryden about it, but she stopped herself before she did that. If she talked to Dryden before Van about what Folken did … that would be betraying Van, wouldn't it?

 

Hitomi switched off the light and said her prayers before she got into bed beside Van. She cuddled as close to him as she dared. He was always injured.

 

***

 

Hitomi didn't know when she fell asleep, but she woke up again before the sun was up. She heard a noise that sounded like sparking; she heard it over and over again, until it finally agitated her enough to rouse her to consciousness. Her hands reached over to search for Van in the bed, but she couldn't find him.

 

Then she saw him. He was sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace. It was lit and bathing the room with a warm fluttering light. He had unbuttoned his shirt and was making little flames with his left hand, looking at his fingers like he was expecting something to be wrong.

 

Hitomi looked out the window and saw that it was still night. The sky outside looked orange as snow fell on the city. She took a blanket from the end of the bed and wrapped herself in it as she went to join Van in front of the fire.

 

“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly as she approached him.

 

He let the fire in his fingers die as she sat down in front of him. “I don't know. I still feel a little woozy, but that's normal for someone who's lost as much blood as I have.” He paused, “Hitomi, where are we?”

 

“This is Dryden's mansion,” she answered simply.

 

“Dryden? That's that guy I saw earlier?”

 

Hitomi nodded.

 

“So, what are we doing here?”

 

“Is that all you have to say? Weren't you worried about me?” she asked a little indignantly.

 

He looked at her like he was annoyed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “Sorry Hitomi. Your gem lets me know when you're in danger and it didn't alert me much while I was gone, so I'm sorry, but I haven't been worried about you. Should I have worried?”

 

Hitomi shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really want to start out by fighting with Van. Maybe she was going about this the wrong way, but if he was concerned about Dryden, then she'd have to set him straight right away. “Van, Dryden is a Tarot user I've met since you were gone. He's called The Lover, so he can't help exuding this intense sexual vibe wherever he goes, but if you think there's something going on between the two of us, you're dead wrong. I got thrown out of my parents' condo yesterday, and I was staying here because I had nowhere else to go. Don't worry, he's a really good guy, and he didn't put the moves on me if that's what you're worried about.”

 

“Who's worried?” Van asked, turning away.

 

Hitomi scowled, but then she saw that his ears were red. So, he was worried! She stifled a happy smile and continued with their extremely important conversation. “Anyway, do you want to hear how things have been going for me, or would you rather take the lead and tell me what happened at The Voltage Room?”

 

“I'd rather if you went first,” he said.

 

“Okay, so my father came to get me after you left. I really wish you hadn't asked him to.”

 

“You had to finish high school!” Van protested.

 

“Which I'm sure I'll finish someday, but you have no idea how pissed off my father was. He practically kept me under lock and key. I tried to earn his trust, but I couldn't, and so a couple of days ago, it got to be too much and I had to leave. My relationship with my family is worse now than it has ever been in my life. It would have been better for all of us if I had remained `missing'.”

 

Van looked at the floor. He still had black eyes. “I think it may have been my fault that things went so badly.”

 

“How could it have been your fault?”

 

“I should have done something to let Allen know that it REALLY wasn't okay for him to talk to you.”

 

“Yeah, you told the Abaharaki not to talk to me. That was a little over the top Van, don't you think?”

 

“No,” Van said, shaking his head. “I should have gone further. Oh well, I guess it can't be fixed now. Go on with your story `Tomi. I really want to hear it.”

 

“Dryden came to my school to find me and teach me the truth about being a Tarot user. Have you heard the term before?”

 

“A Tarot user? I hadn't heard it before Folken got a hold of me, and then I heard all kinds of things that Aunt Flo never explained to me. She has done me a serious wrong. I talked to her about it since I got back, but she just looked sort of blank whenever I brought it up. How can a person be your friend and insist on your independent learning that strongly? She could have taught me more in two minutes than I learned on my own in four years. I think that the truth is that she and Balgus didn't really want to help either Folken or I with our perspective abilities. They wanted us to fumble in the dark. I'm even starting to think that it might be partly their fault that Folken went so bad. Even though I went to her house from the facility, I only did it because of Celena. I didn't know what to do for her.”

 

“What?” Hitomi gasped, putting her fingers to her mouth. “Celena?”

 

Van smiled.

 

“Van, you've got to tell me everything from the beginning,” Hitomi urged desperately. “What happened when you went to The Voltage Room?”

 

Van looked sad and then he began, “This may be a hard story for you to hear, but please bear it. It's important.”

 

“Okay,” Hitomi consented courageously.

 

“I left Gaddes outside The Voltage Room and went into the club by myself. Folken was there with Dilandau and this other guy that I couldn't see very well. There were other punks there too, but those were the three main players. I walked in and Folken said that he was glad I came, and just as a prize for me actually showing up, they would let Allen and the guys go, but not until our conversation was over.”

 

“What did Folken want from you? Please tell me!”

 

Van sighed. “He wanted my blood. That was what he asked for when I was at their hideout with you before, as well. He said he wanted five hundred milliliters.”

 

“What?”

 

“That's the standard amount of blood given when a person donates blood. Folken said he was hurt and that he needed my blood. He said that no one else could give it to him besides me because we're brothers and we both have the abilities. He had a nurse all ready to jab me with a needle, but I wouldn't have it. I didn't believe he was hurt. He was standing there, looking strong as an ox, and I wouldn't do it. I was also pissed as hell that they'd kidnapped six of our people. And for something like that? I was angry. Naturally, I attacked him and Dilandau intervened. Folken split, and then you came. So, when I went to The Voltage Room, I knew that he wanted my blood, and I was prepared to give it to him. I had decided that I was being stupid, putting so many lives on the line for five hundred milliliters of blood. But the thing that was bothering me was the bounty on your head and Folken's invitation for you to go see him. I couldn't figure out what he'd want you for.”

 

“I know,” Hitomi said hoarsely.

 

“Do you? I have my guesses, but I'm not entirely sure. What?”

 

Saying this to Van was going to be a million times harder than confessing the truth of it to Dryden. She felt sick. She really didn't want to say it. “He wants me to be his … woman,” Hitomi revealed feeling ill and looking away from Van.

 

At first he didn't say anything, and then he whispered coarsely, “That bastard!”

 

“Please keep going,” Hitomi encouraged, hoping to get him back on topic.

 

Van swallowed and then he swallowed again and unclenched his fists. After that, he seemed able to go on with his story, even though his voice sounded tighter. “They said that now since six weeks had passed, five hundred milliliters was not enough. Folken would need more than that. They said that I'd have to stay until they got enough blood from me to make him better, and it might be months. Of course, they said that they were willing to pay for it. At first, I didn't understand what they meant, so I got it explained to me very seriously. They said that Folken had to have MY blood - that nothing else would do - and if I'd be a good boy and let them have it until he was well, they'd let you off the hook for killing Miguel.”

 

Hitomi's eyes were wide and she thought she might faint on the rug. This was horrible! She'd killed Miguel! She hadn't meant to! It was an accident! He'd attacked her! She was just trying to defend herself. It was an accident! Her thoughts rammed against her skull like the inside of a blender.

 

Van suddenly grabbed her and pulled her to him. He was warm and it snapped her out of her mental frenzy. He went on to explain softly, “You didn't kill Miguel. They lied to me. You never killed anyone, Hitomi. It's impossible for you. I'm just telling you the lie they fed me. They said they would ignore everything you'd done in the past - like insult Dilandau and ruin one of their buildings and even forgive you for killing Miguel if I let them have my blood. They said that if I didn't, they'd go after you.” He was stroking her hair. Hitomi couldn't see his eyes as he went on. His voice was dry and Hitomi knew in her heart that he was about to tell her something terrible. “I couldn't let them have you, so I agreed. Allen and the others were let go immediately. Gaddes drove them away and I was led out to a car that took me to a place that was like a bomb shelter in the middle of nowhere. The inside looked like a hospital with many rooms. They set me up in one of them and started draining me immediately. Folken was beside me - they were pumping my blood directly into him. He was lying on his stomach and that other bastard was there with us, Dornkirk. He was observing to see how quickly Folken's wounds would heal. I didn't believe that monster was actually hurt, but you saw my back. His was exactly like it.”

 

Hitomi flinched. She had seen Folken's back that one day in his office - he was completely healed.

 

“They told me that they had been trying some experiments on him to see if he would be able to turn into the animal that was his symbol. Apparently, he was able to sprout wings, but it ripped his back apart and nearly killed him. No matter how much treatment they gave him, he just didn't seem to heal, so they decided that the only thing to do was to get my blood. Folken wanted to borrow my powers of healing to bind up his broken back that hadn't stopped bleeding in months. It seems that they knew a whole lot more about my abilities than I did,” Van said darkly. “I feel so betrayed by Flo and Balgus.”

 

Hitomi noticed that he didn't say `aunt' or `uncle'. He'd stopped using those words.

 

“They were trying to accelerate Folken's healing, so they started to draw more and more of my blood, so much actually that I needed a blood transfusion. I'm lucky Dilandau isn't a drug addict.”

 

“They gave you Dilandau's blood?”

 

“Yeah,” Van said grouchily. “After it had been in my system for awhile, it was just like mine, so they'd drain me more. Folken was back to his normal self within two weeks. Notice that that's the same amount of time it took for me to heal when I was shot. Once he was better, they started to sedate me and take more blood from me for their `experiments' I guess. There was one time that they went too far though, taking my blood, and I needed some replaced. Dilandau couldn't give anymore. He was messed up. That kid used to be blonde. Have you seen him lately? His hair is white. That's how hard they were on him, but they were ten times harder on me, because they knew I could take it. I needed blood replaced and they didn't have anyone else who could give to me besides Folken and so … that's who gave. I wouldn't have known at all except that I happened to wake up when he was leaving. Apparently, he fainted and they kept him beside me until he woke up. He was unhappy as he left. I've never seen him so angry. I was really out of it, but I was wondering why he was so angry. Then it occurred to me. If he got my abilities by getting my blood, then I must have gotten his abilities because I got his blood. I learned from the nurse that he didn't want to do it, Dornkirk made him. That man is The Devil. The nurse said that my blood was very important to their research, and that he wouldn't sacrifice me for Folken - that made Folken extremely angry. Dornkirk is his mentor.”

 

“Why didn't you try to escape?”

 

“I was drugged and tied up. But there was one day, last Monday, when the nurse left me unguarded. She didn't realize that I was there completely against my will. I didn't complain and I didn't struggle. I had regained enough energy that I wanted to go to the bathroom. So, I fried my restraints and got out of bed. Even though I went that far it didn't occur to me that I was probably half way to escaping if I wanted to. When I was in the bathroom, I heard a woman's voice. She was complaining that she didn't want to eat. I thought I recognized her voice so I hobbled into the next room and there was Miguel and Celena. She was in a hospital bed like mine and he was trying to feed her some pudding, but she kept moving away. I remembered everything and went completely insane for … I don't know. Long enough to set fire to the building and not care if I hurt anyone. I grabbed Celena and found myself running through the hallways with her. Then, when I let off a gust of wind strong enough to blow the doors off, I suddenly grew wings from my back. I was completely drugged, though, and the pain wasn't hard to bear. Before I knew it, she and I were outside and I was literally flying (as embarrassing as it was) towards Flo's.”

 

Hitomi bit her lip. “What happened to your wings?”

 

“They didn't go away. If they had, I would have done something to go see you, but as it was, whatever drugs Dornkirk had me on were wearing off and I felt like crap. Flo called the doctor and he came to treat me, but he had no idea what to do. The wings had burst from my back and broken skin and actually become part of my skeleton. It hurt like breaking all the ribs in your back, or I don't know … it was excruciating. I know it might sound funny, but I wouldn't let the doctor give me anything for the pain. I had been drugged and woozy for months, and I wouldn't have it. To be honest, the pain was like breaking free, and as sick as it was - it felt great.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Hitomi said, trying to see his face.

 

He loosened his grip on her and looked into her face. “There, it seems you took all that much better than I thought you would. What's happened to you since I've been away? You don't look like a teenager anymore. You look like a woman.”

 

Hitomi smiled at him - he thought she looked like a woman. Last time she looked in the mirror, she thought she still looked like a child. How … wonderful. But she still wanted to hear the rest of his story before she began hers. “Is there anything else you need to tell me?”

 

“Well, I said that I should have told Allen to stay away from you, but I didn't get the chance to give him any special instructions. I only got to see him from a distance before Gaddes drove away. I guess he doesn't take instructions from Aunt … I mean … Flo very well.” He sighed, “What a difficult guy! So, when I crash-landed on Flo's front lawn, Eries and Flo came running out to get Celena and me. As soon as we got into the house, you can bet that as soon as they were sure that Celena hadn't broken anything, they were phoning Allen to tell him the good news about his lost sister, and he wasn't answering his phone! Can you believe that?”

 

“Yes,” Hitomi said, thinking of Marlene. He was probably out running around with her - the moron.

 

“I waited for two days to get a hold of him, and still nothing, so I ordered Eries and Gaddes to take her away. They're in Rose Hill right now staying with the Minister who married us. I was worried that Dilandau would show up right away to claim Celena, and I was too messed up to protect her. So, I sent them away. Here's the part that really pisses me off. That was last Wednesday, and we weren't able to get Allen on the phone until Sunday. Do you know what he was doing during this time? I was starting to worry that Dilandau had snatched him back.”

 

“He was dating my kid sister,” Hitomi said, groaning.

 

“Yeah, and I'm betting that that didn't help your family situation at all.”

 

“No, it didn't.”

 

“Allen told me the truth when I asked him - like he could have said `no' to me - I scared the hell out of him.”

 

“How so?” Hitomi asked, puzzled.

 

“My wings didn't go down until the day before yesterday, so even though they had shrunk down a little bit, I still looked like a dark angel who'd come to kill him and exact revenge on his cradle-robbing. Marlene is still a kid and he wanted to recruit her to the Abaharaki! I was so furious with him … he looked really afraid.”

 

Hitomi laughed. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Perfect! I SO wanted him to have his butt kicked!” She hit her palm with her fist. “Did you slap him around or anything?”

 

“My, you're blood thirsty. Of course I didn't hit him. I was tempted to though - he was being unbelievably stupid”

 

Hitomi suddenly got serious and grabbed Van's shirt, “So,” she said. “You still haven't explained why you didn't call ME when you got back. You phoned Allen, so you've proved you still knew how to use a telephone, so explain … NOW!”

 

Van looked away. “I wanted you to finish high school and I thought that you couldn't do that if I interfered.”

 

“I can't go to school right now. I have to do it by distance learning or something. I can never go back to that school,” Hitomi let go of his shirt and sat back on her butt.

 

“Why? You've only got half a semester left, and …”

 

“Folken is a teacher there.”

 

Van's shoulders slumped.

 

Hitomi had to make Van explain his expression, so she asked him, “Why do you look so unhappy?”

 

“It's nothing …”

 

Hitomi shook her head, “It's something, and it's too late at night to be coy. Please tell me.”

 

“It's just … he got to see you everyday.”

 

Hitomi gulped. She was going to show him her arm, and she was going to show it to him right now. “Van,” she said. “Folken did something to me that I have to tell you about.”

 

Van perked up. “What?”

 

“I wish I could hide it from you, but I can't.”

 

Van grabbed her by the shoulders and spoke to her urgently, “Please tell me!”

 

Hitomi put her hand on Van's and moved him away from her. She let the blanket that she had wrapped around her shoulders slide off and she showed him her arm - the dragon was gone.

 

Van gaped. “How did he do that?”

 

Hitomi covered her arm again. “I don't know, but he's The Sorcerer, so I guess he can do that sort of thing.”

 

“The Sorcerer?”

 

“Yeah, didn't you know?”

 

Van clenched his jaw. “You know, I really can't explain how angry I am at Flo and Balgus for being so useless. She keeps on parroting his beliefs on independence. That's what she's been saying to me all this past week. He wanted me to discover myself on my own - without the influence of other Tarot users. Those words - Tarot users - are words they never told me - not once. I can't help how I feel, though, and I feel that I was practically dropped naked into a world where everyone else was dressed and prepared except me. When I decided to go to Flo's place when I escaped from the Zaibach Group, I didn't even remember what sorts of things she told me about our abilities to begin with, but when I confronted her with information about The Devil, Dornkirk, she admitted that she knew about him. Everything I had listened so hard to while sedated, she already knew. I couldn't believe it. The only thing she explained to me before in any detail was contracts. She said that a human couldn't live with someone with our abilities and be happy. She confessed that she and Balgus had never been happy together, which was why he was gone all the time when I was growing up. He had really wanted a Tarot wife and had been unable to get one, so she believed that the only way for me to be happy was for me to get a Tarot wife as well.”

 

“That explains a lot,” Hitomi said icily, remembering how she'd almost hit Hitomi that morning.

 

“Yeah, well, I can't talk to her right now. And you can't talk to your parents right now either?”

 

“No,” Hitomi said.

 

“Well, I have to learn more about my gift before I go back to The Voltage Room. As soon as I'm ready, I'm going back there. I'm going to kill Folken. It's not enough for him to kill my parents; he has to try to steal my wife, too.”

 

Hitomi didn't like Van's voice as he said those words, but she decided not to protest or try to convince him of a different path - not just now. He was saying those things for her. Instead, she said, “Dryden can teach you a lot about your Tarot abilities. He's told me a great deal about mine … I'm just having a little trouble accepting what he's told me, but I haven't had much time to adjust yet.”

 

“What did he tell you?”

 

“Maybe we can talk about that tomorrow. Dryden has a portrait gallery that is perfect for this kind of a conversation. We should wait for him, as well. He wants to help you, and I want you two to be friends.”

 

“The Lover? And you want us to be friends? That doesn't sound very likely … he seems like a playboy or a … I don't know … a man-whore.”

 

Hitomi laughed at Van's description. “Yeah, that's exactly what I thought when I first saw him too, but he improves when you get to know him. Besides, you'll probably like him because he won't try to hit on you. He has a great deal of respect for contracts, so he would never try anything with me.”

 

“I suppose I'd have to compete with him.”

 

“Compete? What's the point? You'd win. His symbol is a plant, yours is a magical creature - you're levels ahead of him and he'll never catch up.”

 

“Hmm … so I'm more powerful than him?” Van looked strangely satisfied at the concept. “That's news. Well, what about you? What's your level?”

 

Hitomi hesitated.

 

“Go ahead, be honest,” he urged.

 

“I'm a goddess,” she said slowly.

 

“I know you're a goddess. Believe me, I know,” he said emphatically.

 

“I don't think you know what I mean when I say that. I mean that I'm … stronger than you - stronger than almost anyone. Dryden says that I'll live forever. That I can't die. That I won't die. We talked about it more this afternoon, and he says that if I have a strong will, no one can even touch me. That I'll eventually stop bleeding and I'll just live forever, like the sun, like the moon, and no one will ever be able to kill me.”

 

“Whoa, Hitomi. Calm down. This sounds a little far fetched. Are you sure you believe what that guy said?”

 

“It's true,” she said. “I know it's true. I've studied it very carefully out in my mind. I'm not that good yet, but some day I will be. I know it.”

 

Van looked doubtful and a little sad, but he looked like he wasn't going to argue the matter with Hitomi. “Tell me about your family. I want to hear how bad it really got before you had to leave.”