Celestial Knights (Chapter 7)

Hidden In Time
Written By: Kohaku Inui
For Chibi Three Studios
Started: March 6, 2008
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Chapter Seven:1

Kiva groaned and opened her eyes, staring at the stone ceiling above her. She flexed her hands, feeling the softness of what felt like a blanket under her. Kiva sat up quickly, looking around. Shelves lined the stone walls with bottles of strange liquids in them, and small beds were lined up in a straight row beside Kiva. Kiva got out of her bed and stood up. The stone was freezing under her bare feet, even though the air was warm. She swayed for a second, and held onto the bed for support.
"W-Where am I..." she asked herself, walking cautiously out a few steps.
"Oh, you're up!"
Kiva gasped and turned around. A young woman in long draping white ropes walked into the room in a doorway behind Kiva, holding a tray with more bottles on it.
"It's very good to see you are awake, miss." she said sweetly, smiling as she set her tray on a nearby bed, "You had lost a lot of blood from your injuries."
Kiva put her hand on her shoulder where Kiba had bit her, but she felt nothing, as if she was never bit.
"I'm glad to see that my potion worked." said the woman. Kiva looked at her.
"Where am I, and where's Leon?"
"You are in Marano, miss, the capital of Cariban. Your friend brought you here to the castle before passing out himself."
"Is he alright?!" cried Kiva. The nurse nodded.
"Yes. He woke up a few days before yourself, and he's taking care of things with his master."
"Oh, oka-Wait! Days? How long was I out of it?!"
"Oh, about four days."
Kiva blinked. She grasped her head.
"Wow...Four days...I bet my parents are worried..." muttered Kiva. She looked to the nurse.
"So Leon isn't here?"
"I'm afraid not. But we are expecting him real soon though, if that makes you feel any better miss."
Kiva smiled weakly.
"Please don't call me miss. It makes me feel old! My name is Kiva."
The nurse bowed.
"Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kiva."
There was a low growling sound. Kiva blushed, and held her stomach.
"If you're hungry, I can get you something." said the nurse, "You are from Japan, right? Do you like ramen?"  
Kiva nodded. The nurse smiled.
"Okay then."
The nurse muttered some words under her breath and a bowl of hot ramen appeared in one hand, and a glass of what looked like juice in the other. She set them both on a nearby table. Kiva stared in awe. The nurse muttered some more words under her breath, and a pile of cloth appeared out of nowhere.
"I don't really think that you want to run around in your bloody night clothes all day, do you?"
Kiva nodded and the nurse handed the clothes to Kiva.
"Thanks a lot." said Kiva. The nurse bowed again and left. Kiva quickly sat down and ate the ramen, eager to get her new clothes on and look around. Once she was done, Kiva unraveled the clothes and held them up. It was a silk mini red kimono with a white stash and a pair of matching silk white capris. Kiva quickly made sure no one was around, slipped off her p.j.s, and put on the outfit. She looked in the mirror at she tied her stash around her. She smiled.
"Cool."
She quickly ran out of the room, and into a long hallway. No one was there. Kiva took a left, and walked down the long hallway. There was a bright light; Kiva guessed it lead outside, and she realized she was right when she walked into the open.
A vast garden lay before her, with beds of flowers she had never seen before, and vines wrapped around poles and benches. Birds splashed in the large fountain ahead of her.
"Whoa..."
There was a whoosh; a thin shadow ran over her. Kiva looked up.
"Leon! Down here!" called Kiva, noticing the white dragon. He turned around and looked down. Seeing Kiva, he dove down to the ground and landed quickly, making sure to avoid any plants. The birds merely looked, unafraid.
Leon turned back into his normal form. He looked handsome in his outfit: baggy blue silk pants and a matching un-buttoned vest that revealed how muscular he was. Kiva ran to him and hugged him, almost knocking Leon over.
"You're okay! Thank goodness!"
Leon smiled as Kiva let go of him.
"It's good to see you're awake." he said. Kiva nodded.
"Yeah, I feel like I've been asleep for a hundred years instead of a few days...But I do like the fashion here! Very cute!"
Leon laughed. Kiva looked around.
"Where am I? I know I'm not in Tokyo anymore..."
"You're in a alternate dimension, in a world called Cariban."
Kiva's face fell, suddenly deep in thought. Leon looked at her.
"I know you're confused, and that you have a lot of questions. But I can't really give you all the answers you need. So, I brought you here, to the castle, to speak with the ruler, Mira."
"So, Mira can help me?"
"Basically, yeah. She is a old historian that keeps watch over Marano. She's been waiting years to meet you." said Leon, walking back down the hallway Kiva had came from. Kiva ran behind him.
"So, how did things go with your master?" she asked, trying to change the subject as they passed the hospital wing she had came from, "Did everything go well?"
Leon narrowed his eyes, and kept quiet. Kiva caught up to him.
"Leon...?"
"I'd rather not talk about it." he said softly. Kiva, seeing the sad look on Leon's face, kept quiet, as the two walked down the hallway.