Something Like Life
Neko-Chibi-Faithkitty
AN: I know. I shouldn't have started a new fic. What can I say? My bad. Anywho… This is the first time I've tried for an Escaflowne fic. I really like the movie, but I've only seen snippets of the series. I'm trying to get my hands on the manga, but I don't have it right now, so forgive any inconsistencies, please. I'm doing my best with what I know. And FYI: I'm posting this as I write it, so I have no idea how quickly or slowly I'll update. Also FYI: The title may change if I decide it doesn't fit; consider yourselves warned.
And for those of you waiting for Sands Of Time, I'm still working on it. I got writer's block, and then I lost the notebook I was writing in. I refuse to rewrite five chapters when each chapter was about fifteen pages written out. So, please just be patient on that one.
Disclaimer: This goes for the whole fic, and it goes without saying: I do not now, nor will I ever, own Escaflowne or any of the characters in said story. Don't make me repeat myself.
Prologue:
Van Fanel à Fanelia smiled as the woman in his arms mumbled incoherently in her sleep. Overhead the countless stars illuminated the sweetly scented field where they lay. A soft breeze ruffled the bed of wildflowers around them and she shifted closer, her naked breast brushing against his own bare chest, her unclad body twining more tightly with his own.
"Love you, Van." Hitomi murmured quietly.
He hugged her more tightly as the Mystic Moon watched jealously from the sky. "Forever." He breathed in her ear. "Forever."
"I wish there were some way you could stay." The young King of Fanelia sighed softly, holding her tightly as his heart broke.
She nodded, tears pooling in her own eyes. "Me too, but Mom, Dad, Mamoru, Yukari… They need me too."
The Mystic Moon shimmered above, making their farewell much more urgent. "The Mystic Moon returns every five years." He said, fiercely crushing her to him. "I'll come. I'll wait for you at the shrine where we met."
"You can't wait forever." She frowned, shaking her head.
"I'll wait forever and a day if that's what it takes." He insisted.
She sighed softly. "I'll dream of you Van."
"Don't make me wait too long." He smiled sadly. A brilliant light consumed her as the Mystic Moon faded from sight. "I love you, Hitomi." Van whispered to the empty air.
The light slowly faded as Hitomi's feet gently settled to the earth. A tear of regret escaped to trail down her cheek as his last words echoed back to her. "Don't make me wait too long."
"Van." She whispered. Slowly she opened her eyes to the empty shrine from which she had first left her world for his. As her gaze slipped over the eternal solitude of it's brilliant crimson archways, a wave of vertigo swept over her, pitching her world sideways. She stumbled and fell into the bushes that lined the ancient stone path. Nausea rippled through her stomach, but was gone just as quickly as it had come.
She was left blinking at the shrubbery that had cushioned her fall, one hand braced against the ground, the other wrapped protectively over her suddenly squeamish stomach.
Hitomi stared in shock at her bedroom calendar, carefully ticking off the days and weeks on her fingers. She was late… Really late. "I-it was just one time…" She muttered as her hands began to tremble.
"Hitomi!" Her mother's voice called. "Dinner's ready!"
Her stomach rebelled at the thought of food. Getting up quickly from where she sat on her bed, she darted down the hall to the bathroom. A few moments later her mother knocked gently on the door frame. "Are you okay, hon?" She moved to stand next to where her daughter's shaking frame knelt by the toilet. "Are you sick?"
"Mom!" Hitomi cried. "Oh, Mom…"
The Kanzaki matron frowned as the first few tears fell. "What is it?" She asked, grabbing the cloth that hung on the rack by the sink and soaking it with cool water. She wrung it out, the cold water trickling softly into the porcelain basin.
Slowly, carefully, the elder Kanzaki began to wipe the tears from the younger woman's face. "I-I'm sorry, Mom." Hitomi cried, her hands wrapping around her mother's wrists. "I d-didn't mean to! It w-was only one t-time!"
Her mother's eyes narrowed in confusion, then widened in concern as her daughter's words sank in. "You're pregnant?" Hitomi nodded as her mother wiped away the next few tears. "Did you take a test?" The frightened teen blinked, shaking her head in confusion. "Was it Van?"
"How did you-"
"It's been two weeks since you came home, and you've been crying for him every night since you got back."
The young woman crumpled against her mother, the sobs wracking her frame. "I can't reach h-him!" She cried, giving in to her hysteria in a way she couldn't have on Gaea. "H-he's g-gone and I c-can't get him b-back!"
"Shh." The older woman soothed, rubbing circles on the girl's back. "It might just be a mistake." She murmured. "We'll go see the doctor tomorrow. It's okay."
Slowly the sobs died and the tears began to dry. "W-what do I tell Dad?"
"Let me worry about that." Her mother smiled knowingly. "Now, dry your eyes. Tell me what you're hungry for."
For a moment Van's face flitted before her mind's eye. "You mean you don't cook it first?" She sniffled. "Sushi?"
Hitomi and her mother stared at the improbability that faced them. "You're either very lucky or very unlucky." The doctor said calmly, pulling the ultrasound picture up on his office computer. He sighed looking at the expectant mother. "Kanzaki-san, I didn't want to bring this up, but the risk was high enough with twins, but triplets… There's a good chance of loosing some of the children. Your own risk goes up as well."
"What are you saying Takada-sensei?" The elder Kanzaki frowned.
"I'm saying we need to consider abortion." The doctor answered, his eyes dark with frustration. "It goes against everything a doctor is, but… Hitomi-chan, you're not quite seventeen yet. Just the physical stress is going to be very hard on your body. Even if we manage to pull all four of you through this alive, the children will be weak for quite some time and you may never be able to have children again after this."
Hitomi curled protectively around her stomach, her arms guarding her womb and it's precious burden. "No." She said firmly, her sea-green eyes filled with determination. "I won't let anything hurt his children."
The doctor sighed. Just promise me you'll think about what I've said."
Hitomi's mother nodded, looking at her daughter's fierce expression. "We'll talk about it, but if this is what Hitomi wants, I won't make her give up her children."
"I understand." Takada nodded. "Well, after this unexpected development, I'm going to ask Yokoi-san to schedule another appointment for Monday. That's only three days from now, but I want to keep on top of things."
"Yes. Thank you, Takada-sensei." Hitomi's mother nodded.
"Of course. Good day Kanzaki-san, Hitomi-chan." Nodding to each of them he rose and left the room.
Hitomi's hand rubbed idle circles over her extended belly. "I can't." She whispered, gnawing on her lower lip. "I'm sorry, Van. Even if I'm not strong enough, I can't let them kill your children."
"We'll always be together." Her own words echoed back. Taking a deep breath she reached under her pillow for the tarot deck that had saved them so many times. Closing her eyes she sat at her desk and began to lay out the cards.
Hitomi smiled at the cards. It was her fifth reading for her unborn children. "Names." She smiled. "You'll need names your father will be pleased with."
She closed her eyes, tracing her hands over the tarot cards. "Folken." She said softly. "Fanelia needs a good prince, and Folken needs a second chance to do what's right. I know you'll make your father proud."
Her wandering fingers strayed to the small pendant she wore, her grandmother's pendant. "Gaea." Her voice was as soft as a sigh. "Gaea, you're my promise. Even if I don't make it through this alive, some part of me will return to Gaea… And to Van."
Slowly her eyes opened. Her sea-green gaze stole around the room, memorizing everything. "Fanelia." Hitomi whispered, one hand going to her heart, the other to her stomach. "My sweet little girl. I'll call you Fanelia in hope that the kingdom's future will be as bright and beautiful as your own."
Carefully she rose from the desk chair and moved to her bed. "Your father is going to love you someday." She told them, her fingers gently stroking her stomach. Quietly she began to hum, the words of the song forming in her heart.
"Mom." Hitomi gasped as another contraction tore through her womb. "Make me a p-promise."
"What?" Her mother asked as nurses hurried in and out of the room.
"I know they'll be f-fine, but if I can't… If I don't- ah!" Sweat beaded her brow as she cried out in pain.
"Hitomi!"
The young woman gasped as the pain subsided for a moment. "Five years." She panted. "On the day I came back. Van promised he'd come back for me. Please- ah!"
Her mother frowned. "I'll see that they meet him. At the shrine?"
Hitomi nodded. "Thank you." She sighed, closing her eyes. "V-Van will need toe see them."
AN: I know this skips around a lot, but be patient. It will slow down. Well, let me know what you think!