CHAPTER ONE

2008-11-02T23:41:29Z

7,096 / 50,000

(14.2%)

So We topped it out at just over 7,000 words. Man that was crazy. Well here is Chapter One.

It has been 4,000 years since the Last War. A Global conflict that stretched to every edge of the Globe. Entire populations and infrastructure were decimated and lost. As a result, some countries banded together forming a Union under an Emperor who swore to protect them. Others retreated from the world completely, killing anyone who dares enter or who tries to leave. Those who did not belong to either became pirates, raiders, and bounty hunters, making their living through the robbing of merchant ships and pillaging of villages.

It was said that before the end of the war, a powerful god arose. The god was angry and destroyed most of the world in punishment for man’s deeds. When it ended, the god sank deep into the ocean.

Government leaders, pirates, merchants, and the ilk have all searched far and wide for Escaflowne, but none had ever uncovered the god. However, soon a tremendous award was offered to any who would find the Escaflowne, and it became something akin to a mythic treasure in the eyes of pirates and bounty hunters. All fighting to get the mythic prize.

But the beast is slumbering, and soon it will be time to rise again.

BOOK ONE – The Stone of Draconis

Chapter One – The Boy Who Fell from the Sky

Kamakita Village had many words to describe Yukino Iwamura. Most of them were derogatory or sly insults. She was strange, weird, eccentric, ugly, and rude. The women of Kamakita would talk about how she was loose and easier when she was younger. Some had a mind that if she didn’t brew the best tea in the region that they would have driven her out of the village for the good.

Yukino herself, never minded, but her granddaughter, Hitomi Kanzaki did. Hitomi, who would most often be in the market or the village center picking up food and water, or escorting her brother to and from school.

Hitomi wouldn’t mind it as much if it wasn’t for the fact that her grandmother refused to stand up for herself. “Just let it pass” her grandmother told her. But Hitomi couldn’t. People talked and she worried for Mamoru her younger brother, who would someday go off to join the military, the one place where one could find a decent job and pay in Japan. Hitomi worried that her grandmother’s reputation would hamper Mamoru’s chances of getting into the military. Since their parents had both died, their grandmother was the only family that they had to represent them. Hitomi tried to talk to her grandmother about it, but Yukino just shrugged it off and said all would be well in due time.

Today she was walking home from shopping, Mamoru’s birthday was coming up and Hitomi was saving up for a papaya fruit, however no merchants had come to the village with any so she was once again returning home without. She had picked up a full bag of rice and a few leeks, so it had not been all for naught.

When she finally made it home, her grandmother and Mamoru were closing up shop.

“Welcome home Hitomi,” her grandmother said as she wrapped a glass teacup in paper.

“I have some rice and leeks that I had picked up from Gonzo,” Hitomi replied.

“That’s fine,” Yukino replied, “although we didn’t need any new food, I would have liked your help today. You know more people have been asking for their fortunes to be told, and I really would think I should start training you.”

Fortune telling was also something that her grandmother was known for. If there was an official title in the village, it would be the village witch. Hardly anyone asked for it in a joking manner, and Hitomi suspected the people who had done it to laugh at her grandmother.

“I think we should be more focused on the tea grandma,” Hitomi said, “after all we are a tea shop.”

“So practical,” Yukino said, “and you were supposed to take after me. It is a shame that someone with my face is so narrow minded.”

Hitomi grimaced. It was true, Hitomi was often called the spitting image of her grandmother in her youth with green eyes, straight hair (which Hitomi kept shortly cropped to make things easier) and small lips. Maybe that was the reason Hitomi was so sensitive to what was being said about Yukino in town.

“I am just saying, business has been pretty light with the drought, we have to cut back, and people come here for tea not fortunes,” Hitomi said.

Yukino smiled knowingly.

“Yes, they can’t all be like you, you always used to want your fortune read,” Yukino said.

“Well that was different,” Hitomi said, “I was young and mother was still alive.”

They were silent, Yukino’s smile.

“You know, Hitomi,” Yukino said, “you don’t have to follow in your mother’s footsteps.”

“Well then who will run the tea shop when your gone grandma?” Hitomi asked.

“Mamoru, he has shown quite a knack for it,” Yukino replied.

“Mamoru is going to go into the military,” Hitomi said.

“You are so sure about that Hitomi, I think it is foolish to send young men off with the task of ruthlessly killing people,” Yukino asked.

Hitomi looked down sadly.

“It’s not that I like the military grandmother, but it is the only chance any of us have to rise up and get out of the village, and not all positions in the military require one to kill people,” Hitomi said, “I just want more for him, with the military he can continue his education and be somebody.”

“Be careful Hitomi,” Yukino said, “you maybe assigning your own dreams and hopes to Mamoru’s instead of his.”

“Grandmother, don’t be foolish, I am girl, unless I miraculously marry well which isn’t likely, I am going to be here the rest of my life,” Hitomi said, “I can accept that that is what is going to become of me, I just don’t want to chain Mamoru to have the same fate.”

“Fate is funny thing,” Yukino said, “sometimes fate chooses us and other times we choose it. I wouldn’t give up so easily.”

Hitomi was quiet and silently reflected on what her grandmother had told her. It was true, she thought, no matter how smart she was or clever or how good of connections her family had, she could never hope for the kind of life that Mamoru would lead. To be able to see the country and possibly even more, that is what Hitomi really wanted, but she knew not to hope. Things never go as planned, she learned that enough when her father died in a boating accident and her mother from illness. One shouldn’t dare hope, that anything could be different. Nothing would change for her. She was 16 almost at the age where she would either resign herself to be an old maid or to get married and have children. And with no prospects for the latter, Hitomi found herself resigned to just staying in the tea shop until the day she died. Maybe she should think of getting a cat.

She didn’t say anything to her grandmother; she simply stood up and headed to the back kitchen to check on Mamoru and to start dinner. No nothing ever changes, she though, I will be here until the day I die.

When she had finished with dinner and her, Mamoru, and Yukino had all finished, Hitomi separated from the two who were reviewing different teas, Hitomi walked out to the small garden where they kept growing the plants needed for tea and stared up at the stars.

Everything is so big she thought, she thought, and yet my world is so small. She barely heard her grandmother walk up behind her as she stared out to the sea that was just beyond village.

“You shouldn’t worry about it too much Hitomi,” Yukino said, and Hitomi turned and smiled.

“I try not to,” she replied, “it is just hard.”

“I know that it is partly my fault, you have been running the shop more then I have lately,” Yukino said, “I haven’t prepared you.”

“Prepared me,? Grandma that can’t be true, the tea shop has been run fine, I am ready,” Hitomi said.

“I don’t mean that, I mean for life Hitomi,” Yukino said.

Hitomi was silent.

“You are at a point now Hitomi, where the pressure to stop believing is so strong, and it is so easy to just let go of hope,” Yukino said, “I went through it when your mother died, and you are going through it now.”

“Grandma…”

“But the thing is Hitomi, you can’t give up, you are still young, and still have so much ahead of you. You may not believe it, but I know that in my heart your life is not meant for this village or this tea shop.   You will find that out soon enough.”

Hitomi looked down.

“I have something that I want give you,” Yukino said and reached into a small satchel on her waist, “it is something I have kept for myself for a very long time, but I think it is time that you have it. I always had a feeling it was meant for you.”

Hitomi watched as her grandmother pulled out a small pink pendant with a gold chain and offered it in her way.

“Grandma, where did you get this?” Hitomi asked, “this looks expensive, do you know what this would sell for?”

“Stop, Hitomi, I don’t want you to sell it or be practical with it,” Yukino said, “I want you to keep it and protect it. This stone, is very special, you see, it has a power that not even I understand.”

“Grandma, it is just a stone.”

“I don’t believe that. Hitomi, promise me that you will keep this stone. This stone is not from here, but far away. I want you to keep it, as a reminder that you must always believe.”

With that Yukino hung the necklace around Hitomi’s neck and took a step back.

“I was right,” she said, “it really does suit you better than me.”

Hitomi looked down at the stone, which now rested right at the top of the crest between her breasts. And for a moment she thought she it saw a bright light in the midst of its depths. But then quickly passed it off as a trick of light.

“Thank you grandma,” Hitomi said, “and I promise. I will keep it.”

“That’s my girl,” Yukino said with a smile.

The sun was high in the next day, as Hitomi walked into the garden to collect the supplies that were needed for the day, while they often kept plenty of processed tea leaves for brewing, Hitomi knew that they would have to replenish their supplies soon so she had to tend to the garden so that they would never run out. It was a Saturday, and as such Mamoru was home and would be assisting Yukino with the brewing, while Hitomi hosted it as she usually did. Hitomi, while in charge of the money and the supplies, was not actually that good at making the tea, which she realized was a major hindrance to her running the shop in the future.

She walked in and found Mamoru and her grandmother already in the process of brewing, and Hitomi was comforted by the spell. She had slept well the night before, as if her talk with grandmother had calmed her for a bit.   She was even thinking beyond the shop and Mamoru’s future for the first time in awhile.

‘I should ask grandmother to help me practice my English more,’ she thought, ‘I could use that if I go to the capitol someday.’

The capitol seemed so far away, but Hitomi thought it would be nice for a trip, and maybe she could be an apprentice to an apprentice, or work in a library. Her grandmother had been right, she was ignoring her own future.

“Good morning,” she said.

“Ah, out in the garden I see, are you ready for the day Hitomi?” Yukino said.

“I think so,” Hitomi said with a smile, “Good morning Mamoru.”

“Good morning, Sis,” Mamoru replied with a smile, “we are making oolong tea today.”

“That is nice,” Hitomi said, “But I think we should also look into some jasmine or white…”

She was interrupted by a loud bang from outside.

“What was that?” Mamoru cried, and he jumped out and ran into the garden.

“Another foreign airship was probably shot down,” Hitomi said, “it seems like it is going up.”

“It is such a pity,” Yukino said, “that we kill them just because we don’t understand them.”

“But it is to protect us,” Hitomi said, even though she herself remained a bit unconvinced, “they protect us from pirates and raiders.”

“Do we even find out whether they are pirates?” Yukino said.

“No, but I am sure the military knows…” Hitomi said, trying to convince herself.

“Grandma! Sis! Come outside and see this! There is something in the sky!” Mamoru cried from the back door.

Hitomi and Yukino quickly ran outside and looked up into the sky where Mamoru was pointing. There was a small figure in the sky, and if Hitomi looked closely it looked like it had large white wings.

“What is that?” Hitomi asked, “it is too small to be an airship.”

“I don’t know, but it looks like its falling,” Mamoru said.

True enough, with each passing moment it seemed that the figure was getting lower and lower in the sky.

Hitomi watched in amazement, not only was it getting lower, it was getting closer to them. And the closer it got the easier distinguished it was.

“I think,” Hitomi said in a bit of disbelief, “that it is a person.”

“Hitomi, Mamoru get back,” Yukino said, and pulled them more towards the door of the cabin.

Hitomi suddenly knew why her grandmother pulled her back. It was soon apparent that the person, or whatever it was, was going to land in their garden.

It landed with an unceremonious plop on the ground, and Hitomi began to question her judgment from before.

“It’s a boy,” Hitomi said, and wondered whether she had really seen wings on him earlier, for now the boy had know shirt, and just the bare skin of his back could be seen. His face was obscured by a mess of back hair.

“Hurry, Mamoru,” Yukino suddenly said, “let’s bring him inside.”

Hitomi was snapped from her thoughts by that.

“Grandma! You can’t, he’s a foreigner!”

“So?”

“It’s dangerous, if it is found out that we are harboring a foreigner, we will all be executed,” Hitomi said.

“We will worry about that when the time comes, but I would rather not have my grandchildren refusing to take care of people in need of help.”

Hitomi looked away from her grandmother. She knew that helping the boy, foreigner or not, was the right thing to do. But she couldn’t help but worry. This could destroy everything, all of their futures and security.

“Now go Mamoru, I will help you carry him in,” Yukino said to Mamrou, but Hitomi stepped in.

“No, I will help,” Hitomi said, and she and Mamoru walked over boy, who Hitomi could see was unconscious, and each of them put an arm around their shoulders and carefully dragged him into the back sleeping are of the shop.

“Now no one can speak of this,” Hitomi said, “we’re safe if no one knows he is here.”

She was still worried that it would be impossible to keep him hidden for a long, but they could still try to be practical about it.

“Mamoru, bring me some water,” Yukino said, “I am sure he will be thirsty when he wakes up.”

As Mamoru went to go and get the water, Hitomi stood back and looked at the visitor. He looked to be about her age, his skin was slightly tan, and his hair was still a complete mess. She supposed he was handsome, for a foreigner.

“He is breathing fine,” Yukino broke in, “I don’t see any visible injuries.”

“Well hopefully he will get better soon and be able to leave.”

“Hitomi.”

“Look, I know it is the right thing to do, but I just don’t want…”

“Hitomi, everything will be all right.”

Hitomi didn’t know if she could really believe it. She looked out towards the front of the store. It would be time to open the shop soon. How could they hide him while the store was open. There were plenty of soldiers who would come and stop in, what if the man woke up suddenly and they heard someone. So many scenarios ran through her head. None of them had a good ending for any of them.

As if she could read Hitomi’s mind, her grandmother suddenly stood and looked over at Hitomi.

“I will look after the shop today, you stay here and watch him,” she said.

“Grandma.”

“You are too wound up and scared to be able to function normally, just sit here and make sure that he is comfortable and doesn’t make a sound,” Yukino said.

Hitomi nodded, as her grandmother left the room and headed into the front.

She took the bench where her grandmother had been sitting by the bedside and watched the boy as his chest rose and fell with each breathe.

“You are causing me a lot of trouble, you know,” she said sternly, as if scolding him in her sleep was a way to ease her fears, “why couldn’t you have landed in someone else’s lawn. But no, you had to land here and cause me all this trouble.”

She sighed. Her mind was jumbled. Today had started so well. That dream she had of going to the capitol, becoming fluent in English, and even just the simple life of running a tea shop was all gone.

“Why is it?” she cried, tears forming in her eyes, “that whenever I find hope, I something always gets in the way and ruins it? Why did you come here? What could a foreigner like you possibly accomplish here! We were all happy and ready, and then you come and ruin it. I hate you! ”

She buried her head in the sheets next to him and sobbed. All the stress and pain just welling up in her to this one moment. Feelings of rage, and sadness, and guilt rushed through her, not all of them relating to the current situation.

“And I hate me,” she said, her voice muffled by the sheets, “I hate me for wanting to discard you, and I hate the me that values my life over other people’s. I hate it completely.”

“Sis?”

Hitomi looked up to see Mamoru standing at the doorway, a jug of water in his hands.

“Mamoru,” she said, and wiped a tear from her eyes, “how long have you been there?”

“Just got here, were you crying, Sis?” he asked.

“Oh it is nothing, don’t worry about it,” she said, “did you bring the water as Grandma asked you?”

Mamoru nodded and handed the jar over to Hitomi.

“It might be awhile before he wakes up, Grandma is out opening the store, why don’t you go and help her,” she said.

“Alright, Sis,” he said, “are you sure?”

Mamoru glanced at the boy on the bed.

“I am fine,” she said, “I will look after him.”

He nodded.

She glanced back at the boy.

“That was my brother, Mamoru,” she said, for reasons she couldn’t quite describe to herself, “He is 12 years old. He is…My only real family other than my grandmother.”

He didn’t move, but she just kept talking.

“I am sorry I cried at you earlier,” she said, “I just wanted to get it out I guess. I am sure you didn’t mean to land in our garden,” Hitomi said.

It was comforting, she thought, to have someone to talk to, even if they couldn’t talk back.

She didn’t go out into the shop the day, she spent her time in the back, helping her grandmother brew and process even though she knew she was more of a burden on it all.

She kept checking the boy’s bedside for any change. It was strange, she thought, she had figured her grandmother would be taking more care of the boy, but she was the one who ended up spending the most time with him. She didn’t know if it was because of the guilt that she felt or she just wanted to be charge of what happened. She didn’t really know anything, but she figured if she knew where he was and how was doing at each moment she would be able to better look after the situation.

‘I am doing this for Mamoru and Grandma,’ she thought, ‘so that I can protect them. I want to protect them.’

She didn’t sleep well either, they had given the boy her bed and as such she was sharing a mat with her grandmother, which was much less comfortable then bed, but she would make do.    The boy hadn’t woken up, and Hitomi silently hoped that maybe he never would. It make things easier, much less trouble. But she quickly berated herself for those thoughts. This was her at her worst. Wanting to make everything about her, and easy for her without any thought to anyone else.

“I don’t know what is going to happen,” she said to him the next morning when she had woken up, to find him still motionless on the bed, “but we will keep you safe until you wake up. I promise.”

She was overcompensating, she knew, trying to make up for the thoughts that kept creeping into her mind.

And so it went for three days. Three days, he did not move and did not change. He was still breathing and Hitomi could still feel his heartbeat when she checked his pulse. She continued to talk to him, telling him about her life and brother and her grandmother. And even though she knew this was crazy, and that he wouldn’t remember any of it when he woke up and he probably wouldn’t care. They didn’t even know whether he would hurt them, but Hitomi didn’t want to believe it. Even though that would make it easier to disown him if they were found out, Hitomi wanted to imagine that he was a good person.   She wanted to believe that she wasn’t doing all this for some scumbag who would try to kill them from the moment he woke up.

That moment came early afternoon of the third day. Hitomi was sitting by his bed reading a book when she instantly heard sound of the sheets rustling in the bed and groaned.

She instantly looked at the bed to see the boy had raised a hand to his forehead and was massaging his temple.

Hitomi was silent. She couldn’t call to Grandmother or Mamoru as there might be customers in the shop.

“Ummmm,” she mumbled, and almost shied away from the bed.

He didn’t respond, however he lowered his hand from his forehead and opened his eyes. He didn’t move his head but just stared at the ceiling for a moment.

“Hey,” she said, looking at him.

He turned his head and looked at her.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Who am i?” she suddenly shot back without thinking, “who are you?”

She then clamped a hand over her mouth. Something wasn’t right.

‘I’m not speaking Japanese,’ she thought, ‘and neither is he. How did I know what he is saying? I don’t get it.’

“Hey girl,” he said roughly.

She looked up and looked at him and saw that he was staring at her weirdly. ‘For a guy who just woke up from a three day coma, he sure is direct,’ she thought.

“I am not ‘girl’,” she said back, “my name is Hitomi, and I am not going to say anything until you give me your name.”

“You don’t need to know it, “ he said simply, and he groaned a bit as he sat up in the bed. Hitomi slightly blushed at the sight of his bare chest. She didn’t have that much experience with the male body and to see it so openly (save for the tan pants at his waste), was something of a shock. S

“Hey,” he said again, and she instantly snapped back to reality.

“What?” she said again, crossly.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“Oh, you’re at our tea shop,” Hitomi said, trying to keep the slight waver out of her voice. She was still shaken.

“And that is where,” he replied.

“Oh it is Japan,” she said, “Kamakita Village in Japan.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Look, I looked after you,” she said, “and I gave you my name, so the least you can do is tell me yours.”

He closed his eyes and looked away from her for a moment, and then he looked back.

“Japan, huh? How is it that you speak English so well?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said.

‘I am speaking and understanding English? How is that possible, I am not that fluent,’ she thought.

“Are you a witch?” he asked.

“I am not a witch!” she suddenly yelled, a bit louder then intended, “what kind of question is that? Do you say that to everyone you just meet.”

“Of course not, only those who are weird and don’t know why they know a language,” he said back.

Hitomi growled. She couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy. Didn’t he realize the situation he was in?

“What is your problem?,” she shot back, “I helped save your life, so I would expect you to show a bit more gratitude. Do you know what would have happened if we hadn’t taken you in. The military would hang you up and kill you. And me and my family have put our lives on the line to help you. So calling me a witch and refusing to give your name is absolutely rude! You know how worried I’ve been? You could say, I don’t know, a thank you. I mean that is the least you could do!”

His eyes widened at her outburst, but Hitomi did not look at him. She crossed her arms and turned away. She wished she could knock him out and put him back to when he was just silent. He was much less approachable in this state then when he was unconscious. ‘And to think,’ she thought, ‘I felt guilty over wishing he would never wake up!’

They said nothing, but then she heard him sigh.

“Fine, the name is Van,” he said, although it didn’t sound quite that sincere, “and thank you.”

Hitomi looked at him, his head was looking down to the bed, and Hitomi was silent for a moment.

“Your welcome,” she said, deciding not comment on his tone.

“Hitomi is everything all alright?” Yukino said as she walked in from the front of the store, “I heard you…OH he’s awake.”

“Everything’s fine, Grandma,” she said.

Hitomi turned to Van.

“Van, this my grandmother,” Hitomi said, “Grandma, this is Van.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Yukino said, “and even though you have already been here for the three days, welcome to our home.”

Van looked to Yukino and stared at her quizzically. Hitomi suddenly realized, Van did not understand what her grandmother had said.

“Oh you must not speak Japanese,” Yukino said in plain English, “do you speak English?”

“Yes,” Van replied, “are you a witch too?”

“I told you before I am not a….”

“Calm down, Hitomi it is all right,” Yukino said, “No I am not a witch, I have studied English since I was a young girl.”

“I see,” Van said, and Hitomi wondered for a moment why he was being much nicer to her grandmother than he was to her, “How long have I been here.”

“Three days,” Yukino said.

“Wait it’s been three days?!” Van said loudly and Hitomi winced, and looked towards the door, half expecting a soldier to come through the door at any moment.

“Gosh don’t be so loud,” Hitomi said, “if it is found out that you are here we will be in trouble.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, not looking at Hitomi, “There is just something I need to do.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and threw aside the sheet. Hitomi looked at him and wondered for a moment whether he was human. He had been in a coma for three days but he moved like he had never been unconscious at all.

“Well you can do that in time,” Yukino said, “for now you must be hungry and thirsty.”

Van looked like he was about to protest, but a small grumble was heard from his stomach, and Hitomi sighed in frustration while her Grandmother quickly moved to the cupboard to bring some bread.

“What is it that you have to do?” Hitomi asked.

“I don’t see how any of that is your business,” Van said, “I just have to get back to the Crusade.”

“The Crusade?” Hitomi asked, “is that your airship? Because one was shot down on the day that we found you.”

“That wasn’t the Crusade,” Van said, “that was just a ship I stole to get here.”

“A ship you stole…”

Hitomi’s eyes suddenly widened. She instantly stood up and pulled her grandmother away from the bed into the corner. Yukino had been pouring tea and was surprised when Hitomi pulled her way.

“Hitomi what is it?”

“Grandma, he’s a pirate!” Hitomi said.

“Hitomi you can’t know that,” Yukino said.

“He stole a ship, Grandma! What kind of person other than a pirate would steal a ship?”

“I am not a pirate!”

Hitomi and Yukino turned around and looked at Van who was standing up and staring at them.

“What?” Hitomi asked.

“I said, I am not a pirate,” Van said again.

“But you stole a ship,” Hitomi said.

“So?” Van replied.

“Well if you’re not a pirate, you are at least a thief,” Hitomi said.

“Hmph,” he replied.

“Well, whatever you are, let me finish getting you something to eat,” Yukino said.

Van and Hitomi said nothing.

It was at that moment that Mamoru came rushing back.

“Is everything going ok?” Mamoru asked worriedly.

“Everything is fine,” Hitomi said, “are there any customers in the store.”

“Not right now,” Mamoru said, “The last one left just before Grandma came back here.”

Hitomi gave a sigh of relief, at least nobody else was here to hear all that. Mamoru turned his head to Van and stared at him.

“So you’re a pirate, heh,” Mamoru said.

“I am not a pirate. Look,” Van said, “this is all very well and good, and I thank you for taking care of me, but I really must be going.”

He began to wander towards the door, but Hitomi quickly put a hand to his shoulder to stop him.

“Wait, you can’t go out there,” Hitomi said.

“Why the hell not?”

“You’re a foreigner,” Hitomi said.

“So, I think that is obvious,” Van said.

“Well foreigners are killed here, I mean that was why your ship was shot down in the first place,” Hitomi said, “It’s a wonder you even made it this far.”

“So what would you have me do,” he asked.

Hitomi didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know why she was stopping him, even though she figured it was because he was too much of an idiot to look out for himself.

“Look, just stay here, eat something until we can find a way to smuggle you out of here,” Hitomi said, “if you just walk out there now, you will be caught and we will all be in a lot of trouble.”

Van tensed for a moment, but then Hitomi felt his shoulders relax a bit.

“Fine,” he said and turned back to the table that was in the middle of the room.
He sat there for a moment, with Yukino, Hitomi, and Mamoru just staring at him for a couple of moments.

“I thought pirates would be bigger,” Mamoru said, “he acts just like a teenager.”

“Well he is still growing, Mamoru,” Yukino said.

HItomi said nothing. A part of her was still seething, still questioning, and still utterly confused by the whole thing. She was still unsure about what this all meant, or what exactly was going on, but a part of her was beginning to fear that nothing was going to become clear anytime soon.

Van did not talk to them for the rest of the afternoon. The old lady, the boy, and the girl had soon left the room to the front or whatever. The girl, Hitomi, told him that he wasn’t to go outside or anywhere but where he was. He wanted to spit out something about how she couldn’t keep him in a cage, but he kept his mouth shut.

She was right, he knew, this place was not safe for him as a foreigner. And going out and revealing himself to the whole of this village would probably get him killed. It was too bad that he wasn’t that used to planning things out. Van was never a good strategist, he wanted something he would just take it. He was a man of action. Others can sort out the consequences elsewhere.

He spent most of the time alone perusing the place. It was one big room, with a gas stove and counterspace to the left of him as he faced the garden, two curtained off areas to the right, the bed he had been sleeping on was on the wall opposite him, and next to it a large mat and blankets were there. Behind him were cupboards filled with tea cups and plates, that he assumed were used for the shop. And a small bookshelf was next to that.

He perused the books, but found that most of them were in Japanese, a language he did not speak, although there were a few English texts towards the bottom. They turned out to be a book of Freidian sermons, and poetry book that looked to come from Asturia.

When he noticed the sun coming down, the older women came in and smiled at him.

“I hope you are comfortable,” she said, and Van didn’t answer, “I know this place is a bit cramped for a boy of your age, but this is all we have to offer.”

“You’ve done enough“he said, “and I won’t be here long.”

“No, I suppose you won’t,” she said, her accent was a bit rough, but much better then he would have thought for someone in a country so closed off from the rest of the world.

“I am sorry,” he said, “I don’t know what I should call you.”

“You can call me by my name. I am Yukino,” she said, “and I own this shop.”

“How can you speak English?” Van asked.

“I met someone when I was but a young girl, who used to teach me, and he brought me books that could help me learn,” she said, “I have just been refining it ever since.”

“And Hitomi?” he asked, thinking of the girl earlier.

“Hitomi doesn’t really speak English. I have taught her and her brother a few phrases, I don’t know how she is able to understand speak it with you,” Yukino said, “I am a bit perplexed by it.”

“Oh,” he said.

“Hitomi is a very practical girl,” Yukino said, “she doesn’t see much use in learning languages. And I understand, it isn’t like anyone other then me can speak it.”

Van said nothing. He just listened.

“Maybe she would have learned, had her parents not died when she was young,” Yukino continued, “It is Hitomi who runs the shop and takes care of everything. I am afraid that probably accounts for her attitude towards you.”

“I don’t mind it,” Van said, “I can’t imagine I would be too happy if it happened to me.”

“Well, she was the primary one taking care of you,” Yukino said, “I would say she was the one who was in charge of making you okay while you were asleep.”

Van said nothing, he wanted to know why this woman was telling him all this as if it was information that he obviously needed to know. Why should he care that some girl who he hardly even know, and at the moment didn’t know if he liked was looking after him when he was unconscious. He didn’t remember much of being out, although there had been some sense of a presence, but it was all smoky in his mind. Whatever, he had already said thank you, and he was sure Hitomi would feel better once he was gone. He hated being a burden.

“Grandma, the shop is closed and cleaned up,” Hitomi said walking into the room, and gave a small grimace when she saw Van sitting there with Yukino.

Van just looked away. It was hard to believe that that girl would look after him while he was asleep. She hardly seemed the nurturing type.

Hitomi said nothing, and started placing things that were on the counter into the small basin or if they were clean back in the cover. She seemed to, as far as Van could tell, be making a pointed attempt to not look in his direction.

He studied for a bit. She was slender, and medium height, with short light brown hair that Van noticed seemed to always hang into her eyes, and which she would have to keep tucking behind her ears. She wasn’t beautiful, although if Van was forced to say anything, he would say that she was a bit cute. Her robes were orange with yellow floral pattern and yellow sash wrapped tightly around the waste.   Van surmised that she could maybe even be pretty, but he wouldn’t admit that.

“What are you staring at?”

Van snapped vision suddenly focused and he noticed Hitomi staring at him with a slight grimace on her face.

“I am really going to hate living with you, aren’t I?” she said.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said. ‘I can’t believe I thought she was cute, she is completely ridiculous.’

“You were checking me out, you pervert,” Hitomi cut back.

“I was not, like there is even anything to check out, you have no figure, and your eyes are too close to together, and your hair is like a boys, as if…”

He was interrupted when a quick hand whipped across his face.

“You…are such a jerk!” Hitomi cried, “I should have never taken you in! I should have just handed you over to the military when I had the chance!”

With it, Van watched as Hitomi stormed outside to the back.

“You have quite a way with people,” Yukino said, “I haven’t seen Hitomi that angry with someone since before her mother died.”

Van looked at Yukino for a moment.

“I didn’t mean…”

“It is alright, I understand,” Yukino said, and gave a small smile when Van stood up to follow Hitomi into the back. “Young people’s feelings are so transparent.”

Van found hitomi sitting between two bushes towards the back of the garden and she was staring out at the distance.

“Hey,” he said softly, not quite sure how exactly he should go about apologizing. This kind of thing was not something that he was very good at.

“Go away,” she said.

“Look,” he said.

“You shouldn’t even be out here,” she said, “someone might see you.”

“There are fences on either side, I am fine, besides, I will be fine,” he said, “I can take care of myself.”

“Sure you can, like how you got yourself shot down, that is a real good way to take care of yourself.”

He snorted. His sudden will to apologize to her evaporated.

“Why did you come here anyways?” she asked, “you must have known you would have been shot down,” she said.

“I came here looking for something,” he replied, surprised at his honesty, but he felt she had earned it. She wasn’t going to tell anyone he existed, nonetheless what he was after.

“Oh, and what is it exactly that you are looking for?” she asked.

“The stone of Draconis,” Van said, “I had uncovered some things that had said it was here. Have you heard of it?”

She shook her head.

“Do you know what it looks like?” she asked.

“No,” Van said.

“Well no wonder you got shot down, you are never going to find it,” Hitomi said.

“Well I have to try, there is something I need to do.”

She was silent at that and for that Van was grateful. He didn’t feel like telling her about his goals and what he was after.

“Look,” he said, “I am sorry about what I said, and for getting you involved in my problem. I will leave tomorrow and you and your family will be safe.”

Hitomi looked at him.

“I liked you better when you were in a coma,” she said, “you were much easier to talk to then.”

He gave a slight chuckle, it was the closest he had come to a laugh in years.

“I imagine so.”

“You can stay as long as you need,” Hitomi said, “I think, Grandma would like that, she seems quite fond of you.”

He looked up at her in shock.

“Besides, I need time to pay you back for what you said to me,” Hitomi said.

“I thought you already did,” he said rubbing his cheek.

“That was just a sudden reaction, you weren’t humiliated like I was,” she said.

“I am sorry, I don’t really know of what else to say,” he said.

“Well it’s a start,” Hitomi said, and she stood up and headed back towards the house.

“And for that matter,” she said, “as long as you’re here you can start helping me out. You can’t man the store, but you need to at least help me replant the bushes that you ruined. We need those to make our tea and stay in business you see.”

Van nodded.

“I will stay until they are done,” he said, and Hitomi gave him a small smile, and Van watched as she disappeared into the home.

Van turned back towards the view of the ocean. He couldn’t stay here long, the longer he did the more he would put Hitomi and her family in danger. Yukino had told him that Hitomi was worried about protecting them, and Van certainly did not want to get in the way of that.

The Flight of the Dragons

CHAPTER ONE

Welcome

Synopsis: The Flight of the Dragons (Working Title)