Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Through The Glass ❯ Visions of Love ( Chapter 6 )

*...Ok, now I feel stupid.... Yes, I know there are typos, I've found them and I've been made aware of them... >.< We'll pretend Dilly got into a 'melef accident, k?> though that is kinda funny.... kudos to Silva Noir for finding it and making the funny joke!< I know there are stupid mistakes, I found out I named Allen's owl when it already has a name, I gave Celena purple eyes when she has blue, and I think I keep changing the date....That, and I said this was chapter 7, when it's really only ch 6, or it is 7 if you count the prologue, which I don't. Oh well. I'll fix them all after I've gotten the whole thing up, you know, TTG v 2.009173 or something like that. Keep pointing them out to me, k? I get tired and my spellcheck doesn't pick up on those kinds of things... I also found out that not only did I make a booboo in counting my chapters when first putting this up, I also mis-categorized it.... >.< There is no romance in this half- well, not a lot anyways... Someone asked me if this is an AllenXMerle fic. My response is "Allen, you pedophile!!" So no, no neko-Allens will be running rampant in this fic. For the romance aspect, nothing significant, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna write a sequel, with a CelenaX- pairing. Haha, wouldn't you all like to know??? >grins evilly< I'll let you all post your guesses, heck, we can even take a poll if you want to, after the last chapter is up. I know you're all going to hate me for the last chpt, but you know, that's what sequels are for. And if the sequels aren't what you want, then you can make your own sequels to my sequel! And on and on and on and on.... I think I need to get to sleep, my brain's kinda on the fritz. Random notes of the day- 1.Listen to "Call Me" and "Blue" from the Cowboy Beebop soundtrack "Blue". I think of Celena and Dilly when I here them- I dunno why, I just do. Especially "Blue", I can just hear it running through the background of ch 8...Weird, ne? 2.Go read ZibbelCoot''s "The Hunt" If you like Dilly fanfiction w/ a splash of Celena in there, you won't be disappointed. Heck, even if you don't, read it anyways! Go on! What are you waiting for? ...Fine, read the chapter, THEN go and read "The Hunt!" ... I talk too much, feel free to skip my pointless A/N's.. Oh, and watch out for Dilly's potty mouth!.*

Visions of Love

Luckily for Dilandau and Celena, "early" for the knight of Caeli ended up being about half past noon. After spending three hours of cold showers, black coffee, taking the equivalent of Gaian aspirin, and overall trying to rid himself of his nasty hangover from all the ale he'd consumed, Allen and Merle left the inn with Allen's head wrapped in a cold cloth, and Merle muttering under her breath about 'pathetic knights who get themselves too drunk to be of any use whatsoever'. In short, they were not having a very good time at all.

The 'two' being pursued were riding hard and fast, trying to cover as much ground as possible. The terrain had changed since Dilandau had last been here; rocky slopes had taken the place of the wide, smooth fields; trees barred their path where there was supposed to be pasture land. Despite the alterations, Dilandau pushed both Celena and the horses to the limits, knowing all too well that the knight would catch up sooner or later. Freid was still a day away though, plus the two or three it would take until they reached the ancient city where the Emperor's "power spot" had been. Celena seemed to be the one who was reckless, though she blamed it on Dilandau rubbing off on her. He would simply laugh and say he was getting soft, and it was all her fault. She'd have the horse rush down the hill at a speed that she should've known better than to attempt, and Dilandau yelled at her several times before finally taking over and complaining about her recklessness. "Me? Reckless? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle back, dear Dilly?" He also complained about the nickname she'd given him, and when she'd refused to call him anything else, he ignored her for two hours before finally talking to her. But he called her 'Cele", an old nickname Allen had given her before Zaibach, which sounded like "Silly", and she soon stopped calling him "Dilly". The only contact they'd had with other travelers were a few shepherds, and a band of misfits. They'd had the run-in with the bandits because she'd been riding as though she was on important business, and she'd seemed unattended. They believed her story about having a sick relative almost as much as they believed her when she said a demon would attack them if they came closer. It wasn't until 'the demon' >being rather disgruntled at being referred to like that and also having to deal with fools like them< appeared that the men ran off screaming in terror. Celena felt better when she knew that Dilandau would protect her, no matter what she called him. Five days had soon passed, and she found herself enjoying her freedom more and more all the time.

One of the only things that bothered her about the trip was that she found Dilandau almost paranoid whenever a large shadow passed, usually a stray dragon. Images of Van swooping down upon them to deliver a fatal blow would run through their mind until Celena was able to wipe them away, calming him as though she would a child. It was only her soothing voice that helped him cope, though she had to admit, she felt the fear he did: she had felt the bloodlust of Van when he slew the slayers, and when he'd attempted to kill Dilandau before Allen had stopped him. The mighty warrior had few fears, but memories that had been affected by Celena's presence pushing itself through made him falter. When Dilandau began to falter (though he would never in a million years acknowledge it), Celena would take over, being his strength when he lacked it; he in turn would give her the encouragement to go on- she feared Allen's disappointment and wrath more than failure in their mission. In fact, secretly, she almost dreaded losing Dilandau, who seemed her guardian angel these past few days. When he was gone, who would stand by her side? Allen was too distant to feel as she did, too old to understand, too noble to comprehend all that she'd been through, too blind to see that she was unhappy in the life of a noblewoman. Who else could possibly imagine what she felt? Her slayers. Jajuka. Folken. All dead. Who was left to protect her?

Dilandau.

>You seem to be lingering on thoughts of the past. Why?< He demanded one evening, as he sat leaning against a tree and playing with the knife. >And why do you keep thinking about Folken? Was there something between you two that I should know about?< Not wanting her thoughts to be analyzed, she shot back,

//Why do you keep thinking of ways to kill Van? Folken is no more your business than Refina is mine. Don't bother me, keep to your own half.// He laughed at that, tossing another log on the fire.

>My half? I'm just borrowing space here til I get my own place. I'll pay the rent later when I've got the connections I need.< They both laughed, and then fell silent for a bit, each lost in their own thoughts, though their minds were on similar tracks.

//Where will you go?// He shrugged both mentally and physically, staring at the flames that ate the charred remains of the bramble he'd assembled.

>Wherever Fate takes me, I suppose. Besides, even if I knew, I wouldn't be able to tell you, or you might tell Allen and then where would I be?<

//I wouldn't! Do you honestly think I'd tell Allen where you are after all this trouble I'm going through? You've got another thing coming if you think I'm going to back out now. We've come too far, and I'm not leaving with a job unfinished.// He smiled to himself, quietly admitting,

"You'd have been a fine slayer. Too bad I was using the body at the time, you could've been big." Impishly, she grinned inside.

//Who says I won't run away? When you find me, I'll say, 'I ran away to join the Dragonslayers, Sir!' It worked for Gatti, so why wouldn't it work for me?//

>Because I didn't offer Gatti a position because he came up to me, he earned it by beating Torin into a bloody pulp. Torin's loss was Gatti's gain, and I had a better third in command because of it. Besides, if you really want to leave, you can go with me now. I'm inviting you to take up a new life- though I didn't say you'd make the cut to being a slayer. You might have the guts, but not the means- remember? You had to have "The Demon" protect you from harm on this little fiasco. Despite that, I don't think you really care about any of the dangers we're in, do you? Don't try to deny the fact that you're enjoying this little camping excursion. I know you better than that, Celena.< She sniffed, 'hmphing' and began playing with her hair.

//I never said I didn't. I admit it, I like being away from the maids, the manicured gardens, the responsibilities, the-//

>hair spray addict.<

//-constant need for proper etiquette, and don't call Allen a hair spray addict! He likes looking his best, and I know someone else here who obsesses over his appearance as well. But you know what I love the most about this trip?//

>What?<

//The pants.//

Van gazed up at the Mystic Moon from the roof of his quarters, quietly whispering to a memory of times gone by. "Hitomi... I wonder how you're doing...? I'm worried about Allen's sister, she's run off again and it looks like she's pulled it off this time. Allen's frantic, and Merle left to help him search. I think Dilandau is helping her, somehow. And... She took it- I don't know how, since I never take it off. Somehow, she got it and left a note saying she'd return it when she got back. Dilandau has corrupted her- I pray the sorcerers can destroy the demon!! The kingdom of Cyriell in the south is beginning to falter, and Zaibach is still too advanced for us to completely trust their council. The world is just as bloodstained as when you left, only now I don't have you to help me. And the advisors want an heir to the throne, as a safeguard in the upcoming war that everyone knows is coming. I need time to sit and think of a strategy. Sigh.... What would you do, Hitomi?"

"Speaking to ghosts of the past, Your Majesty?" Van started and looked behind him, where a man (a little older than his Brother would have been, had he not died 2 years ago) stood, garbed in hues of blue and orange- a sign that he was one of the sorcerers who had fled to seek sanctuary in Cyriell. Van stood, looking the man over with a critical eye. He didn't seem menacing, in fact, he looked gentle and kindhearted. But the stories he had heard from Allen as Celena came forward with more horrendous tales of what the sorcerers had done made him shiver, despite his attempt to be polite. They had summoned the man, after all. The ex-sorcerer bowed before him, smiling softly. "I am Rusent Mirrin, ex-sorcerer of Zaibach and now chief advisor to his majesty, Lord Kaedrin of Cyriell. I was told that you were in need of my skill as a healer, as an old... patient has had some problems as of late." Van shivered again, but nodded curtly.

"That's correct. The Lady Celena Schezar, whom I'm sure you know has much need of your help." The sorcerer nodded, scowling for a moment. Van was glad to see that even the creators of Dilandau didn't like him that much- surely they had some sense in them. The sorcerer sighed, straightening himself.

"Yes... I daresay she does need some aid, and quickly. All reports said that Dilandau had died, so we'd assumed that meant the Lady Schezar had passed away as well. So, he's beginning to reemerge after all this time has passed. Interesting..." The sorcerer seemed to ponder this for a moment, then looked back at the young king. "I will need to speak to the lady herself, Lord Van. Is she within?" Van fidgeted, embarrassed.

"Not at the moment. She... well, she's run away." The sorcerer laughed, a low, soft chuckle.

"That sounds like something Dilandau would do. Have you any idea where he might be heading?"

"The last time anyone saw Celena was nearly a week ago at the start of the festival. I would go myself, were I not bound to stay and keep appearances for my people. I believe she was headed in the direction of Freid, towards the old ruins*." The sorcerer's countenance darkened for a second.

"He hasn't lost his acuity; he's smart enough to know what he needs to do and where to go, and how to stay out of sight. The power spot, hm? So, he wants to use the power of the Gods to grant wishes... I wonder if it's possible, in his state, and with what was added in the process.... My young King, I must withdraw to my rooms and think over what you have said to me. If Dilandau is indeed heading towards the ancient ruins, he must be stopped before he draws upon the power of the Gods. Not only might he hurt Lady Schezar, he might upset Gaia's already teetering balance. A repeat of the tragic war two years ago would not be healthy for her healing wounds and scarred soils. If I may be so bold as to advise you, my lord, I would go after him tonight. There is no telling what harm his actions might cause to our planet- I do not trust him, he had always been unbalanced, but I'm sure that with the conflicting persona's of Celena and Dilandau, there will be chaos. Besides, it would be better if the two worlds did not mix again, for they destroyed the fate that was already set in motion before, and Gaia cannot stand another fate alteration at that scale. It would be catastrophic." Van stood rigid, thoughts whirling through his mind. Hitomi? He'd see Hitomi again? Dilandau wanted to summon her to grant his wishes, and free him from Celena and their half life. Would Van stop him, at the risk of losing his last chance to see Hitomi again?

"Sorcerer Rusent, I will consider your words. I thank you for coming so quickly and willingly. The servants will show you to your rooms, I pray that you have a restful evening. I have much to think upon myself, so if you would, please leave me to my thoughts." The sorcerer withdrew, a hint of a smile upon his face. Van did not see it; he was too busy trying to sort out his thoughts and conquer the emotions that were tossing in his stomach. He looked up at the mystic moon, shining brightly, then headed to his rooms to leave a note to the advisors to make an excuse that he would not feel well for the next few days. Then, he went to go pay his respects to the dead and the sleeping Dragons....

******

"Hitomi! Hitomi!! HITOMI!!!" The girl who had been staring out the window turned, bright green eyes falling upon the sparkling eyes of her companion. She frowned, stretching languidly back in her chair.

"What is it, Yuki? Something happen?" Yukari sat down exasperated, pushing away loose strands of hair as she excitedly waved a letter in front of Hitomi's face. The green eyes tried to read what was on the paper, but couldn't make out the tiny writing as it moved violently back and forth. The letter was shoved into Hitomi's hands excitedly, and Yukari spoke rapidly as Hitomi glanced over the contents of the letter.

"Amano is coming back for his senior year! His parents are tired of him getting sick all the time in England, so they're moving back! Isn't that great???" Hitomi allowed a smirk to emerge.

"What, that Amano is coming back, or that he gets sick all the time? I'm only kidding, Yuki, it's great news. Don't look at me like that!" She was receiving death glares from the red head, and she couldn't help but let out a laugh, standing up and putting her books in her bag. So much for cramming for their math test tomorrow. But it meant that Yuki would be happy, and Amano would be happy, and the new captain of the track team would be happy as well. Would she be happy? Of course, she was great friends with Amano and Yuki, so she'd be happy to see them happy. But ever since Yuki and Amano had entered their long distance relationship, Hitomi couldn't help but think back on what she had lost- and would probably never see again. It's not like He could hop on an airplane and show up at her door with a bouquet of flowers, or type emails with the latest news, or send her mail about how he was sick again, or just call to talk when he was down or lonely. Her ability to contact him was nonexistent- telephones hadn't been invented on Gaia yet, and the long distance bill would have been atrocious anyway. Hitomi smiled softly to herself, imagining what they would say to each other if they could talk together, even just to say goodbye again. She yelped as she was pulled out the door by an exuberant Yukari, and she had to jog as the girl ran through the doors of the school and down the sidewalk as though it was the last day of school.

"C'mon, Hitomi!!We've gotta plan!! It's only three days away!!" Hitomi pulled her hand away, panting lightly and pulling her bag higher onto her shoulder.

"What's only three days away? Yuki, do you remember that we have a Calc test tomorrow?" Yuki sighed, tapping her foot.

"You didn't listen to anything I told you in there, did you? Amano is going to be coming back in three days!! He wanted to make it a surprise, but his little sister got on the phone and told me. So, we're gonna throw a party for him! Are you in?" Hitomi, smiled, putting a hand no her friend's shoulder.

"Of course, Yuki, you know I'd never miss anything like thi-"

*Help us*

Hitomi stopped short, looking around. The street was vacant, save for the girls and a few other students. "Did you hear something?"

Yukari glanced over her shoulder, obviously still too excited to notice the tremor in Hitomi's voice. "No, why? What'd you hear?" Hitomi walked behind her friend, silent for a moment.

(Van, is that you?) No response. She'd just imagined it. She shook her head and forced herself to laugh, catching up to her friend again.

"Nothing! Never mind!"

*******

"Dammit all to fucking Hell!! That bloody harlot, ignoring me like that!" Dilandau began to spout every curse word he ever knew, describing the Mystic Moon girl in a very unflattering way. "I knew we were too far away, but NO! We HAD to try NOW!" I had to admit, I wanted to use the same words he was using, only directed at him instead of Hitomi. However, I calmed myself down before answering him, speaking softly, since I had the body at the moment.

"That's not true, Dilandau. She heard us- couldn't you feel her stop? The reason why she didn't respond was because SOMEONE decided to interrupt me while I was trying to concentrate!" He didn't reply, but went off to his 'corner' to sulk. I didn't mind, we were both testy, being so close to our goal and yet not getting any response except a gasp. We'd tried several times, but nothing had happened until our last, joint effort. As soon as we'd gotten a response, Dilandau had taken over and the connection was lost. He shifted in my mind, then his voice spoke softly in the recesses of my mind.

"Get some rest. We'll make the last leg to the ruins tonight, after some rest. We can't have the body completely exhausted when we try to summon the girl- something may go wrong and then all we'll have are the sorcerers. And I know you don't want to see them any more than I do." I know I shivered, despite the heat in this hot and sandy place. It was mid-afternoon, growing towards evening, and the temperature was blazing. Allen had always liked warm weather, but I'd preferred the cooler temperatures. Fire was nice, but the humid heat of the desert-like area was not. I curled up by one of the larger rocks, willing myself to sleep for several hours in the shade, trying to escape the tormenting heat. I think, had | realized how very close Allen was to us, Dilandau would have forced us to go on, despite the body's exhaustion. The horses were tired, I was tired, and Dilandau was tired. Sleep seemed to be the best option, and I gladly succumbed to the darkness and dreams that I shared with Dilandau.

******************

"Have you ever regretted something, Hitomi? I mean, so much it hurts?" Yuki sat on the Kanzaki's back porch next to the hostess of the night's earlier party. They were sharing some time together as Amano talked inside with the last of the guests who were preparing to leave, staring up at the stars and saying nothing. Hitomi didn't respond to the question at first, she continued to stare at the moon. Then, sighing, she laid back on the recliner, propping her feet up on the rails of the porch.

"Regret? Yeah, I have." Yuki looked startled, watching her friend's face closely. Then it dawned on her, and she felt pity and envy for the girl who had such wonderful dreams, be they true or fantasies. She was almost sure that Hitomi believed them to be true, but she rarely spoke about them anymore. Mostly, she busied herself with exams and school, work and sports. Yuki knew that something had happened, but she wasn't sure she believed it, despite the fact that she had seen the beam of light with her own eyes. The story was so intense, so inredible, how could anyone in their right mind believe it? The only ones who really believed her all the way was her mother, and her father because her mother was so adamant about supporting her. Hitomi was different since the incident, but she was still the same fun-loving girl Yuki had taken as her best friend. Yuki sprawled out on the recliner next to her best friend's.

"You're talking about that dream you had, right? The one with the guy in it? What do you regret about that?" Hitomi sighed, wondering if Van was looking at the same moon she was at the same moment. A smile lit her face.

"I sometimes regret not slapping him for some of the things he said. I regret yelling at him when he did something stupid, for not apologizing to him for all the things I said, and not saying all the things I wanted to say. I think that's what I regret the most. Not telling him." Yukari almost asked what it was she'd wanted to tell him so badly, but saw the misting in Hitomi's eyes and decided against it. She sighed, and stared at the stars that twinkled above.

"Heh. Here I was going to say I regretted eating that last piece of cake. I think I gained five pounds." The girls chuckled, and a soft, low voice called from within the house.

"What're you girls doing? Telling stories again? Or gawking at the stars?" Yuki sat up and threw the head cushion from the recliner at the boy standing in the door frame.

"Don't laugh, Amano! We threw a party for you, at least be grateful and pretend to be nice to us!!" The young man caught the pillow and tossed it back to her, sitting down on the other half of the recliner.

"Yeah, about the party. Thanks a lot, it was really great to see everyone again. You've all outdone yourself again, and I appreciate the lengths you've gone to. Makes a guy feel loved, you know?" Yuki giggled and threw her arms around him, making them both fall flat as the recliner went down to full extend. Hitomi laughed as they tried to untangle themselves from the frame and cushions.

"C'mon guys, get a room, you know?" They both threw her dirty looks, and Yuki attempted to pull her down with them, but ended up upsetting the chair again, and they both fell back to the ground. Hitomi half listened as they chided each other in clumsiness, picking themselves up stiffly and sitting back on the chair. A chill wind swept the air, and an odd feeling tugged at her stomach, bringing back a flood of memories. Visions?

She looked around, trying to see what the vision might be, but saw only the two lovebirds beside her bantering and her parents cleaning up some of the mess inside. Her little brother, Hyima, playing video games in the living room. *Then why does everything feel so odd?* A quiet murmuring came to her attention, and words whispering of Fate and destruction came to her ears. She strained harder to hear what they said, but a forceful voice overrode the quiet mutters.

>Help us<

*Van? Is that you?*

>Help us. You're our last hope.<

*Who is this? Van? What do you want?*

>Save us<

*What have you done with Van?? Where is he? What's going on?* A cold fear gripped Hitomi's heart. How could they be talking to her? Only Van had been able to, but that was when the pendant had power left over from it's role in the Great War. It was only able to work when Fate had been tampered with. Did that mean that something was happening on Gaia? But what?

>We are in need of your help. Come and save us.< Then, suddenly, the voice changed to a softer, more urgent tone.

>Please, you must help us! There is no one else we can trust! The sorcerers are after us! Please, help us, Lady Hitomi of the Mystic Moon. You can grant wishes. Please, save us, our time grows short!< Hitomi listened to the frantic voice, and rubbed her head in pain. Memories she'd tried to forget welled up inside her, filling her with dread, fear, and determination. She stood, surprising her two friends who hadn't stopped talking, and walked into the living room. She found herself face to face with her parents and her little brother, controller still in tow. Her mother smiled sadly as Yukari and Amano filed in behind her daughter.

"Hitomi, you know what you have to do. We'll miss you terribly, and it won't be easy, but we believe in you. Do what you must." Hitomi's eyes filled with tears.

"Mom, Dad, I.... I...." Hitomi's mother came over and held her close.

"Hush, my daughter. Your grandmother once told me that I would have to let you live your own life, and even as you came in, I knew what you were going to say. Hitomi, we love you, but don't let us hold you back. It is your decision." Hitomi sobbed on her mother's shoulder while her father embraced them both. Hyima stood watching, not sure what to make of the whole ordeal. Yuki and Amano stood still as well, not understanding what was going on. Yuki was about to ask what she'd missed when Hitomi pulled away and ran up the stairs, still crying. Yuki turned to ask what on earth was going on, but only received the vague reply that they had already talked about it once before, and it was Hitomi's choice to go or stay. A thought about the sanity in Hitomi's family ran through Yuki's mind, but she kept the comment to herself as Hitomi came down the stairs, bag in tow.

She'd changed outfits, now sporting a calf-length dress, one of her favourites. Yuki stared, then blurted out," You're leaving?? What on earth is going on, Hitomi? Will someone please explain??" Hitomi and her family walked out into the backyard, leaving the two to either follow or wait inside. Hitomi turned to the group, tears still in her eyes, but a smile on her face.

"I... I love you all, with all my heart, but... I'm needed on Gaia. Please, don't forget how much I love you!" She ran to her family and for the next few minutes, they passed small words of love and promises, tears and hugs. Hitomi then turned to her friends. "Yuki, Amano... I'm sorry. We've just gotten together again, and now, I'm leaving. We won't be having another reunion for a long time, but I'll look forward to seeing you again. Please, don't forget all the great times we've had! I... I'll miss you both!"

"Hitomi... You're going to see him, aren't you?" Hitomi smiled sadly, and nodded. Yuki smiled back, through tears.

"Well, then, don't forget to tell him! And don't forget us.... Promise me, k? Promise you'll take care of yourself." Hitomi ran over to give her two friends tight hugs, then gave her family one more for the last time.

"Goodbye, everyone! I'll miss you! Please, don't forget how much I love you!!" A beam of light cut off the rest of her words, and she vanished into the night stars. That was the last time Hitomi Kanzaki ever laid foot on Earth.

*********************

Allen was, in fact, only a few hours ride from the two, despite their attempt to flee quickly. He had better horses, better gear, and his body didn't have to keep shifting from male to female and back again. So, as it was, despite his rough start and bad hangover incident, he and the cat girl made good time. Merle got more and more excited as she began to see signs of the two, and as their scent became stronger and stronger. She urged the knight on, towards the bumps on the horizon that were in fact the old ruins they'd visited two year ago to stop Zaibach from receiving the power of Atlantis. Allen prayed that they would not fail in this endeavor as well, and followed the cat girl where she led him. Evening was falling, and there seemed to be an eery glowing above the ruins. Allen tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, thinking only of holding Celena close when she was found. He was brought out of his reverie when he thought he heard something, and looked in the sky to see what looked like a lone dragon on patrol. He hoped that it wasn't hungry, but it seemed intent on reaching its destination quickly. It circled the ruins several times before flying off, and began to circle the area again. Allen began to sweat. Was it searching for them as an easy snack? The dragon was forgotten, however, when a brilliant bluish white beam of light came to the ground, illuminating the night sky before disappearing just as quickly. Without saying a thing, Allen and Merle urged the horses to a gallop, their destination within sight.

~~~~

"Come to us-"

"Mystic Moon Maiden-"

"And grant our wishes. Destroy-"

"Those who dare to-"

"Try to destroy-"

"Us. Go to the White-"

"Dragon and destroy-"

"The only evidence to get away. The fallen angel, and the ascended Demon."

"They must-"

"Not-"

"Succeed."

A low chanting filled the room, and the four shadowy figures chanted of life and death, Victory and defeat, Fate and slavery. A brilliant white light leapt from their circle, shooting off in the direction of the ancient ruins of the Draconians. Their spell had succeeded, now they had but to sit back and watch the newly created destiny of Gaia to play out.

~~~~~~~~

They stood in the shadows, not revealing themselves at first. They wanted to get a good look at the girl they'd just summoned somehow or another, and though she looked harmless, she was still not of Gaia and therefore something to watch closely. Dilandau whispered in their thoughts,

>Be careful. Remember, she was one of the reasons why the war broke out. Dornkirk was batty enough to think she was powerful, so we'd best be careful< Celena said nothing, she simply watched the girl with intense blue eyes. The girl seemed lost, apparently she'd been waiting for someone at the other end.

>Won't she be surprised?< Dilandau chuckled, but still, Celena remained silent.

"Van...? Van, are you there? Van, answer me! Van!" The girl was different since they'd last seen her- Dilandau had a better memory of her since Celena was still hazy from recovering her body and mind. The girl was a little taller, her hair was down to her shoulders, and she's rounded out in places that Van would be sure to appreciate if he saw her. She stood tall and elegant in her dress, but she seemed to be nervous about the silence.

"VAN!"

"He did not summon you, Hitomi of the Mystic Moon. We did." Celena stepped into the moonlight, allowing the soft glow to fall upon her features. Hitomi took a step back, then stopped when she recognized who it was.

"Celena? Is that you? What are you doing here? Where is Allen? Did he come here with you?" Celena shook her head, cloak drawn close about her.

"No, Brother does not know I am here. WE summoned you here, Hitomi. We need your help." Hitomi looked at her oddly, still not understanding.

"..We..?"

"You can grant our wish. We can be free, and then we can help heal Gaia once we are properly split." Hitomi gasped and took several more steps back.

"No! You can't mean-!!" She fell over a tree root as she backed away, and landed on the ground rather unceremoniously. Dilandau took over the body for a minute and gave the girl a feral grin. Hitomi screamed, and sprinted off over the rough terrain. Celena regained control over the body, however, and quickly caught up with her, grabbing her wrist.

"I', sorry, he shouldn't have done that. Do you see whyt I want to be rid of him?"

>I resent that comment, Cele-<

" What can I do to help? I'm just a normal teenager." Celena smiled softly, still holding onto the girl's arm, but loosening her grip.

"You understand how Fate works. The only others to have this knowledge are the sorcerers, and they will do all they can to destroy Dilandau, and perhaps even myself. We are a mistake, you see. We weren't supposed to keep our two minds intact when they transferred Dilandau's essence into my body. We were supposed to merge. But we didn't. We need your help, Please, I ask- no, I beg of you, please help us. Let us have our own lives, our own fates." Hitomi looked surprised, and a bit overwhelmed.

"I... I... I don't know what I can do... I just saw things and they happened! I didn't want them to happen, I just-!!"

"HITOMI!!!!" A large beast circled overhead, and Van jumped from the back of the Escaflowne to jump in front of Celena and Hitomi. Dilandau, not wanting to lose the upperhand, took form and grabbed the bewildered girl, holding her close with the knife to her throat.

"Van....." He seethed, snarling the word as though it were poison. He held Hitomi closer, making the girl gasp and struggle. He ignored the shouts of Celena, and grinned at Van who stood in front of him, sword drawn, but hesitant. "Van, stay out of this! If you value the life of the girl in my hands, you will not come closer! This is not your battle, but one Celena and myself must do against Fate. Don't try to stop us, we will have the Fate we were supposed to have!!" Hitomi squirmed at that moment, causing Dilandau to shift slightly. Celena quickly took control again, releasing Hitomi to shout at Dilandau.

"NO! This is NOT how we will receive our freedom! Dilandau, we have to show them we deserve it!" He snarled something, and over-rode Celena, his bloodlust for Van overpowering her wish for peace. He lunged at Van, knife drawn and teeth bared. He had moved into a trap, and he was forced to squirm under the unrelenting embrace of Allen. He screamed in fury, and tried to tear away from Allen, but the knight refused to release him. He almost faltered when the form changed into the smaller form of Celena, who shouted just as much as Dilandau. But while he was screaming bloody murder and threatening Van within his bondage, Celena cried out not to send Hitomi back before she helped them. They continued to struggle for several minutes, until, already tired from their long and arduous journey, the body collapsed and Celena fell in a heap into her brother's awaiting arms. She whispered to him, "I'm sorry, Brother..." Before her thoughts faded into darkness.

*"The old ruins"- I can't for the life of me remember what they called the powerspot. Was it Godashim? Lemme know if you know, k? Sappy parts, ne? Oh well ,I'll rewrite it later.. Also, Sorry this was so late, I've had college stuff to do, midterms to prepare for, essays to write, a portfolio to beef up, and several pieces of prose to work on. Hopefully, I won't have much to do after I'm done applying to colleges, and once I've gotten the scholarships I need >.< Oh, you all might be happy to know that the second part of TTG is in the works, but the romance section is still up in the air as to the pairing, and I need a better title... Another reason why this was late is 'cause I added about three pages, making this chapter 10 pages long... If you're interested in seeing the titles to the other chapters, I have a part of my site dedicated to this fic :

http://rainbowshell.com/Writings/Through_the_GlassTP.htm

Anyways, sorry again, enjoy, review, you know the deal ^_^ ~SLS~*