Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Through The Glass ❯ Visions of Red ( Chapter 1 )

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

Through the Glass


SirLadySketch@home.com

....Did I mention I live for email? ^_^

*insert mandatory disclaimer here* <- The dislaimer you're about to read will apply for every chapter you read, I'm just too lazy to type it out 15 times, nk?
So, okay peoples, you know the drill. Basically all the characters who are going to be used in this aren't mine< but the maid Elllen is mine! ... I should have
made a bishie guy instead..>, they're some Japanese company's - SO YOU CAN'T SUE ME!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! ... Neways, I've gotten the first ch written ,
and the last two < I know, how "helpful" is that?> I'm gonna be writing the inside stuff while I'm away, so be ready for a few completed chapters <maybe
even "gasp" two!!> I don't know if you've read my other fanfiction, but if you want to see how long my chs are, go look at The Otherworlder, then you'll
understand why they take soooooooo looong.

But, that's beside the point. Read and review, people, let me know what you think < should I write the stuff in-between, or just post the last two chps and
say Dilly burned the rest of it??> Enjoy!!*


Chapter One


Fire. Heat. Death. Every time I have this dream it's the same. I'm sitting in a stuffy contraption, an odd gooey substance
around my body. It's as if I've been put into some sort of cage, but I don't feel threatened- more... protected, in a sense. My
body moves without directions, I have no control over what it does. It seems to make some sense of what it's doing, gliding
over the small dials and buttons. I almost feel excited- I don't know why, but the idea of having this behemoth at my
control gives me a feeling of power, and a thirst for more.

Brother would not be happy if he knew.

But he's not here, he never seems to make it into my dreams. I'm not alone though- I'm surrounded by men in odd outfits,
they look as if they're knights, but they're unlike any of Brother's friends. They're always close to me, ready to lose their
lives so that mine can continue. I think they love me, for some reason, or at least feel loyal. What did I do to gain their
trust? Do they want me to play God, to snuff out their lives like candles? The thought is almost funny. *giggle* Brother
would not like that, not at all!

These men, these slayers, as I've heard them call themselves, are always here to welcome me as a greet the darkness of
sleep. But here, in my dreams, there is no darkness, only the Fire.

I've learned to embrace the Fire- it gives me warmth, protects me through the long, dark nights when I would be all alone
without it. The Fire, and my slayers. They're my other family, here where Allen can't penetrate. I almost laugh; I doubt
Brother has dreams like this- he's never felt power like this- none have ever feared him. That's why they're here. They're
afraid of me. They're afraid, but they love me. They're very odd, but I like them for that.

My attention is caught by a flickering flame outside of my giant shell, and I look up expectantly. What is it, Fire? A kingdom
lies smouldering. A city, once faire, now in ruins, its dying embers dancing in arcane manner about our blood-stained titans
. But I had so much fun.... The smoke must be getting to my mind- why would I want to destroy a place like this? They have
done me no harm.

But it's so fun, to convert the peaceful little town to my fiery religion of death...

What am I thinking?? I don't feel well... I try to call out, out to one of my slayers, my night angels. They'll be able to help me.

"Chesta! Migel!!! Dalet!"

That's not my voice... How did I know their names?

"Dilandau-sama?"

Dilandau.... sama? Why does that name sound familiar? But it doesn't trouble me, I feel no panic as I go masquerading as
a young man. I wonder, does Brother ever have dreams that he's a woman? I'll have to ask him later..

"Pull out. The Dragon has escaped us. And get those wrecks out of here! As soon as we're back in the Vione, report to the
throne room!!" The voice... Sounds so familiar... It almost feels natural, rolling off my tongue...

"Yessir!!" The other odd shaped guymelefs close up, flying up towards the floating rock-fortress. I/the boy growls. "Damn
you Van......." I did NOT just say that word!! Brother would never approve!! Our unit closes up, a sudden lurch downwards
then we're climbing through the billows of smoke. We look back once more, laughing, at the terror and chaos we've created.
No, not we. He.

I'm thrown out of the unit, tossed roughly to the earth. I'm surrounded by darkness. "Brother.... Where are you? Slayers?
Fire? I don't want to be alone... Don't leave me alone....!!" I can feel tears forming, and they fall to the ground below. Off in
the shadows, another voice echos my cry. Another voice, or just mine returning to me in this desolate wasteland of
shadows? No. Another voice.

"Don't leave me alone...." The Fire returns to me- dim, weak. The boy- the one I'd been, lies crying on the ground of this
barren place. I almost feel ashamed to watch him- he's so brave out there on the battle field, I feel guilty watching him while
he is weak. I don't want to be alone either..... I go over to him, and I shake his shoulder gently.

"We're not alone... Not if we're together.... Right?" He looks up, his face tear-stained as mine had been. For a moment, I'm
startled. He looks like me! But I could never be as brave or as wicked as him....

"I'm trapped.... I'm trapped and I'm all alone.... Chesta. Gatti. Migel. Viole. Dalet. Guimel. Ryuuon. Biore. Refina. Shoji.
Maveric. Aerin. Eric. Terra. Talin*.. Folken... Jajuka! JAJUKA!!!!" His frenzied cries scare me, and I retreat a few steps. He
falls sobbing to the ground again. "Alone.... all alone...." His face registers one of pure fear and pure hate- I didn't know it
was possible for him to fear anything. He stands up his voice shaking with rage. "VAN!!! I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID
TO MY FACE!!!! For... what.. you did to my men... for what you did to me.... All alone.... trapped..." He cries out again, and I
with him. The floor moves to engulf him, to swallow him whole. I watch helpless as he shouts again, his words lost to my
frightened mind. I must get away. It's all too terrible. But I can't leave him. I run over to the lump where he's entombed, his
muffled screams no longer heard. I kick and hit and scratch, but nothing helps. With its metallic glint, it seems like the
substance from the claw of one of the slayer's guymelefs, but it turns liquid as I touch it. I watch, horrified, as it creeps up
my arm, encasing me like it did the poor boy. It snuffed out my Fire. Now it's going to try to get me.

"Brother!! Help me!"! It's almost to my waist now, I cannot move. " Slayers!! Help!!" It's up to my neck, almost over my nose-
it will suffocate me if I am not saved.


"JAJUKA!!!!!!"




Celena Schezar sat bolt upright in bed, close to sobbing. She was a prisoner of the heavy blankets of the bed- they were
entwined about her like a spider's web around a fly. She cried out again, freeing herself from the sheets that had held her
prisoner.

The room around her was silent, soft moonlight coming through the window panes and playing on the floor as it danced
with the tree branches. Her candle had burned out. She wiped her eyes and nose, trying to relax as she located the
matches for her little candle. Though the maids didn't like it, she always had it lit- it helped her sleep. And Brother, not
wanting to make her upset, indulged her simple request of a constant supply of the thick wax columns. She watched the
wavering flame, already beginning to feel better. Brother would be in soon, he always came when she cried out during the
night.

True to his routine, Allen burst through the door some moments later, hair disheveled and shirt hanging halfway out of his
pants. The sight of him like this was amusing to her- her stately Brother who always had to look his best during the day
would not even stop to glance at the mirror to freshen up when she called. Sometimes, this was not in the best interest
for him to be seen even by his sister as he was- disheveled and tussled. She'd gently remind him tomorrow by joking with
him about it- that always seemed to make him relaxed and happy. His devotion to her was a blind love- much like her
slayers while she slept. But she was awake, and Brother would make everything better.

"Celena, are you alright? I heard you cry out. Did you have another dream?" She nodded, and hugged her older brother
closer. He held onto her tightly, not wanting to let her go as if he was afraid that she'd be snatched from right under his
nose. She pulled away, smile coming back as the dream's effects wore off.

"I'm fine, Brother. I just had a little dream and it upset me, that's all." He eyed her with concern, his handsome brows
deepening with anxiety.

"Is it the same one as before? Do you remember it? Do you want to tell me about it, so you can sleep better?" She shook
her head- she never told him her dreams, if she couldn't make sense of them, how could he when he couldn't understand
what she was thinking?

"No, Brother, I am fine now. A little tired, perhaps. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Allen, you can go back to your room."
Whenever she wanted to feel like she was in perfect control, she called him 'Allen'. It made her feel more grown-up when she
did so. He seemed to relax, and he kissed her on the forehead before tucking her back in bed. Like a child....

"If you need me, Celena, I'm-"

"Just down the hall, so call-"

"If you need anything. Good night, Celena."

"Good night, Allen." He closed the door as she rolled onto her side, staring at the flame. She listened to his soft, heavy
footsteps as he walked back to his room, and waited until no sound could be heard from his room. Oh Brother... You always
were a heavy sleeper...

She pushed back the covers and stood up, walking over to the window. She bit her lip, eyes watering as she looked over the
gardens below. He treats me like I'm a child.... She laughed at this, keeping her voice soft.

"I'm a grown woman, Allen. Why can't you see that? I don't want to make you upset, but I'm tired of being caged like a
fragile bird.." Trapped..... She shook her head, thoughts whirling about. "I AM going to be free one day, Brother. Please...
understand I need to be free...." She sighed and walked over to her vanity mirror, gazing forlornly into the glass.

He only treats you that way because you let him.

"I know.... If only I hadn't been ill!!" She vaguely remembered waking up to see Allen, standing by her side, a smile on his face.
She'd never forget his smile when she called out to him by name. He'd told her later on that she'd been terribly sick for
some time, and that he'd had many doctors come and treat her. And he was so glad that she was feeling better, and
they'd never be separated again. It didn't matter if she couldn't remember much of her past, she was going to make a much
happier future, and he'd always be there by her side.

"What bullshit." She'd learned that word < and many others a lady shouldn't use> from the boy in her dreams.
Occasionally, she'd scold him in their dreamworld for using such words, but on this matter, she had to agree that there
was no other word to describe the story. Brother was trying to help her by making her forget something, but it wasn't fair!
She had a right to know what had happened, even if she was afraid to learn of what it was. It had something to do with the
boy though.. The first time she'd had a dream and mentioned the boy to Brother, he told her that she had nothing to fear,
the boy was dead. But she could feel that wasn't true. He was... sleeping......


"What the Hell???" She looked up, apparently she'd dozed off at her vanity. Her gaze caught movement in her glass, and
she shot bolt upright when she realized it hadn't been her moving. The speaker was a tall, silvery haired boy in a purple tank
top and black pants- he was definitely not a reflection of her room. It's him.... He was busy yelling at one of the slayers, a
shorter boy with hair that reminded her of sheep. The one who'd spoken smacked "sheep-boy" hard, sending him tumbling to
the floor. "I asked for RED wine, not White, you idiot! Guimel, you've just earned yourself another month's worth of latrine
patrol. Now get out of my sight, or you'll be doing double duty for the rest of the year!!" Guimel bowed, cowering on the
ground.

"Forgive me, Dilandau-sama. I'll bring you what you wanted in a moment.." 'Dilandau-sama' "hmphed" and grabbed the wine
that had been served.

"Never mind. Just get out, incompetent." The door slid open, and Guimel rushed out, leaving Dilandau to mutter about
worthless morons under his control. He plopped down in front of his mirror, apparently oblivious to her, pouring the liquid
into a large goblet and downing it with surprising celerity. He muttered something again, and poured another glass. She
mustered up her courage to speak to the boy who invaded her dreams and now her mirror.

"You know, you really shouldn't talk to them like that. One day, when they're gone, you'll be all alone, and you'll miss them."
Violent red/magenta eyes glared up at her. He stared a moment, then began to laugh, taking another sip from the wine
that had been so hated only a moment ago.

"It figures they'd give me crap like this... now I'm seeing girls in my room. What'll happen next? I'll sprout wings and throw
away my flamethrowers..." He mumbled this softly, the drink seeming to add to his amusement. She gathered that this
was not the first glass he'd had this evening. He swore softly under his breath, and then he looked up again after refilling
his glass. "So, you're the one who keeps waking me up at night with those dreams... What the hell do you want?" She felt
taken aback by this- not one had ever spoken to her like that! It made her lip tremble again, but she cleared her throat,
determined not to be intimidated by the drunken captain.

"Why are you in my mirror?" He looked at her, honestly surprised.

"Eh? Me, in your mirror? I think you have it the wrong way, Miss, Miss...."

"Celena Schezar."

"Miss Schezar. You're in my mirror, and I don't appreciate it. Get out, before I smash that pretty little face of yours. I
want to look at my pretty face." She sniffed, irritated.

"You're very rude, for someone who keeps entering my thoughts and dreams without my permission." He chuckled at this.

"So, we both dream of each other, hm? That's rich. Mental note- if I ever feel depressed again, drink a bottle of this and
then stare at my reflection and it'll talk back. Listen, girl, I don't know who you think you are, but you shouldn't be here.
Don't you know who I am?"

"Dilandau- I think that's what Sheep-boy called you."

"Sheep-bo, oh, you mean Guimel... He does look like a sheep, doesn't he..? Yes, I am Dilandau Albatou, Captain of the Dragon
Slayers." If he was expecting a response, he didn't get one. She merely blinked. He sniffed. "You haven't heard of me?? The
very name of Dilandau strikes fear in thousands, and you don't even know who I am..."

"I know who you are. I'm not afraid of you. You're just like me- we're both trapped, unable to free ourselves from the bonds
placed upon us." He turned pale at this, and the reddened glow that had appeared on his cheeks was barely visible. His
voice was low and quiet.

"I am trapped by no one. I am untouchable." She shook her head.

"If we share the same dream, we're both swallowed up by-"

"I'M INVINCIBLE, DAMMIT!! No one can hurt me! Nothing can hurt me!! I'm happier when I'm alone... I don't want to be
attached to anyone, or anything. I'm alone."

"But Dilandau-"

"I 'm alone! And that's how I want to be... Alone...." Don't leave me alone... "Alone.... Don't.. Leave me alone!"

"Dilandau, who are you talking to?" The silver haired captain turned and faced the blue haired sorcerer who had come in
without a sound. Celena drew in her breath. He's handsome.... I know him from somewhere.... The boy pointed at her, sipping
his wine < he was on his fifth glass already>.

"It's you, Folken... Oh, I was just chatting with the girl in my mirror, Celena." Folken nodded, and walked over, prying
Dilandau's fingers from the glass.

"I think you've had enough for one day, Dilandau. The two Alseides that had been damaged in the Fane- city's razing have
been fixed, so you can stop moping. Get some sleep, and don't drink anymore of this. You'll have a bad enough hangover as
it is." The sorcerer left, leaving a disgruntled and very drunk Dilandau slumped in his chair.

"I'm not moping.... You! Go away, I'm tired." He got up, turning his back to her, and the image flickered, then was gone as he
drew the shades to his bed, candle still flickering beside it. She sighed, noticing her own bed, and felt her eyes grow heavy
with want of sleep. She stumbled over to her own bed, yawning, and fell asleep with the thought to ask Brother about what
he knew about a certain 'Dilandau Albatou', and a 'Folken'.

*Well? Interest peaked yet? Or should I go hide in a hole somewhere, and go back to writing poetry? If it doesn't make sense,
tell me what to do and I'll fix it. Be forewarned, however- I've written all but about four chapters now, and it's gonna get
WEIRD. If you don't understand it now, you may either want to read through it all, then write to me and ask what the heck's
going on, or you might want to skip it all together. I started writing the other chapters, then got back home, looked at my
outline and found I'd strayed from it about the time after the last line of the poem.. Oops. Just tell me what you people
think tho, nk? And as a side note- the names of the slayers are one's I've heard, and one's I've made up. Shoji belongs to
Sakura-chan, Biore, Ryuuon, and Refina are some of the less well know slayers, and the rest are mine. They won't get much
of the spotlight in this story, but they will in another story I'm writing, Dark Feather. They'll have the same names but it'll
be kinda a AU fic, with no connection to this one, whatsoever. Anyways, please be kind, and rewind- er, review. Arigatoo! Oh,
and MOREOOO!!! ^_^'



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