If Things Were Different

By: Cyber Harpy

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Another Escaflowne I know. I haven't finished my last one, but I'll be getting to that soon enough. I had an idea for a new story, based of the movie a little bit, but this'll be based off the anime series.

Prologue: Twisted

How did I end up here? I don't even remember…Hitomi groaned and sat up. Immediately her head was spinning and pounding, but not enough to the point where her eyes could catch the EARTH hanging in the sky. Her jaw dropped and she stood up quickly. Maybe a little too quickly for her own good. Oh my head… She shifted a little on her legs. What happened? What was… that blue light. It brought me here, but… where is here?

- " Hitomi… good luck!" Yukari screamed as she turned on the field lights. She smirked a little and waved to her friend, locking her eyes straight ahead of her on her target, Amano. She could hardly believe that he agreed to give her the first kiss she'd ever receive. She blushed just at the thought.

"Ready… go!" Amano shouted. As though her mind was already running, she was off the blocks and dashing across the black fault. She kept her eyes on him, watching his mouth count the seconds off in time with her mind. She barely noticed that she zoomed past him, nearly falling face first at her sudden stop. She had lost count… had she?

Amano put a hand on her shoulder, holding out her pendant. She smiled at him and took it, staring up at him nervously.

" Twelve seconds… you did it." She heard Yukari give a squeal in the distance, which only caused her blush to continue to grow. Amano smiled softly down at her, leaning down towards her to give her the kiss he so promised to give her. A kiss that was never received… he stopped and looked down at her pendant, which had completely changed colors to a blue. Hitomi backed up a little, only to hear a crashing of thunder and the light completely enveloping her.

She vaguely recalled hearing Amano and Yukari screaming for her, right before she passed out. –

So basically this is me being… screwed. I can see it now… I don't have anywhere to go; hell I don't even know where I am! She sighed and let her shoulders sag a little. After a moment she heard a rustling noise behind her. She let out a squeak and whirled to face it, meeting a very tall man in front of her. She gapped at him. He was a good maybe… six foot five. His eyes and hair color matched perfectly, a light purple. Beneath his right eye looked to be a tattoo of a teardrop. What caught her attention most was his right arm. It was… mechanical. She took a few steps back from him, backing straight into another man, more her age.

He had white hair, and red eyes that seemed to lust for something… death. He however, was covered in what looked like to be armor. She squeaked and looked between the two men. The taller one motioned the boy off. He gave a deadly smirk and took off for the bushes. He held out his good hand after a moment, motioning her to come closer.

" I will not hurt you. My name is Folken… Folken Fanel. You came from the Mystic Moon did you not?" He pointed towards Earth. For the moment, Hitomi could not speak; she simply nodded her head towards him, staring at him in fear. Folken shook his head and gently grabbed her hand.

" You are not safe here. Dragons roam the land… come." At the thought of dragons… real dragons, she could have sworn she was still asleep. Maybe passed out on the black fault with Amano and Yukari still calling her to wake up. But with Folken pulling her along, it became quite clear that it was not a dream.

" Not only dragons, but we are at war. The people of this world seemed to fail to notice that their kings have failed them. Zaibach only wishes to remove these… kings and help the people lead forward." He seemed to be explaining something she could not comprehend quite yet and left it off as that.

Kings? They still have kings? She blinked innocently, staring up at Folken. Everything within her mind just seemed to overpower her. She hardly noticed they approached what looked like to be a horse. Tilting her head a little, she looked back a Folken. He seemed confused with her actions and motioned towards the horse.

" I've… never ridden before…" That seemed to startle him. He moved past her, heaving himself onto the horse before wrapping his metal arm around her waist gently and lifted her into his lap. She stared at him blankly a moment before feeling the weight of the world crashing down on her. She passed out and fell against his chest.

~*~

Hitomi groaned and rolled over, which unfortunately caused her to roll off the bed she had been placed on. She whimpered and rubbed the back of her neck as she sat up on her knees. Flooding images of before she passed out made her groan aloud. Maybe it was a dream… her hopes were shattered almost instantly though. Her eyes scanned the room, which looked as though it was made for science.

It's that man… Folken? She tilted her head a little as he turned to face her. Standing up he made his way over to her, offering her a hand up. After a moment, she took his hand and stood up with his help. She felt weak… drained.

" Traveling between worlds may make you a little weak. You'll be better in no time." She did not blink, wondering how he knew, but his face nor his eyes didn't give off any hints. She sighed softly and stood up slowly, sitting back down onto the bed.

" I think it'd be best if I told you what is going on here, before you could get yourself far more injured than just being tired. Do you remember what I told you before?" Hitomi tilted her head, nibbling gently on her bottom lip. They're at war… because… She nodded and looked up at him. Folken nodded sullenly and sat back down to his chair, his back to her.

" The kingdoms of Asturia, Anano, Selvin,… Fanelia…" She blankly noted the last name to the last kingdom. Gathering her strength to speak, she spoke softly. " Are you… the king of Fanelia?" Folken let out a harsh laugh that seemed to contradict the calm personality he had shown her so far. It made her flinch. He didn't answer her either. After a few minutes he went silent before he continued on.

" Emperor Dunkirk has been leading the charge against the resistant kings for about… three moons. If I remember some of my teachings by him… that would be about three months on your world." She seemed shocked by the fact that he knew such things of her world. He let out another laugh, softer.

" He comes from your world… Isaac Newton was his name I believe…" Her jaw dropped. The Isaac Newton!?  She didn't realize that she had said it aloud. Folken laughed softly again.

" Yes… I see he is quite famous from your world. I think he will be pleased to know that he was remembered." Hitomi blinked and tilted her head. I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised. This world is just… a complete 180 from mine. Things are probably more possible here.

" You'll have to excuse the fact that I had a maid change you. With those clothing you wore before, you were bound to attract more attention than needed." Hitomi hadn't realized until he mentioned it, that she had been changed. She put her hands to her body, looking down at the attire she now wore. A light pink top that was like a turtleneck, except it had no sleeves, where the top stopped, a short white skirt began that she nearly wished was just an inch or two longer. I guess it will have to do… but why?

Again, she must have asked the question without realizing it, and Folken turned to face her. He pointed at her pendant still hanging around her neck.

" You are a seeress are you not?" She gaped at him softly, and he just continued his explanation.

" There is no doubt that the side with the seer is the side that is most powerful. I will not lie to you, we wish you to join us and help Gaea." She seemed a little to shocked again to answer him and he sighed, shaking his head.

" If you don't help us… I'm afraid we will have to kill you. If you were to fall into the hands of the enemy, everything we have worked for could be destroyed." That seemed to get a rouse out of her. She stared horrified at him. He shook his head gently though.

" You don't have to do much. Chances are, you will see the outcome of a battle before it happens. All we wish is that you give us as much detail as you possibly can. You can do that can you not?" She shivered a little, pulling the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her. She nodded stiffly, looking out the window next to the bed. I have no choice…Folken stood and headed towards the door.

" In the end though, we shall help you return home. That is my promise to you." She turned to look at him, but he already left the room. Hitomi sighed and put her elbows on the sill, and let her chin rest in her palms. I can do this… for everyone I left.

~*~

Hitomi rolled over in the bed, fast asleep but not unbothered by dreams. She was used to her dreams being visions, as much as she wished they'd leave her be.

- The blood was horrifying… disgusting. So many guymelfs… all looking the same and smashing each other in, the pilots of them screaming in pain and anguish from both sides. None of the soldiers on the ground could see her. They never could, this event was yet to happen. She tried to memorize the battle plan of the side, which Folken had pointed out to be the enemy. He had fed her and taken her to the 'docks' to see the weapons that they used to fight with. Amazingly advanced for a world still controlled by kings.

Sudden the battle stopped. The 'rebels' had won. She frowned softly, shaking her head. She'd have to tell Folken of this soon. As she was prepared to pull herself from the vision, she saw something that was a little more than surprising. A large white guymelfs that stood in the front lines, sword drawn and still had a soft mist coming off it from the energists.–

She gasped as Folken gently shook her awake. He stared down intently as she caught her breath.

" You stopped breathing." She blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust to the light a moment. She frowned after a moment and shook her head clear. Sitting up, she rubbed her temples softly and let her bare feet touch the floor.

" Sometimes that happens when I have a vision, it's nothing to worry about. I have to tell you though… the next battle will not be yours if you do not attack from the right instead." Folken seemed a little shocked. She already had a vision of a battle, and was willingly telling him of the details. He put a hand on her shoulder to help her relax.

" Calm… you'll have to tell me in more detail later. I wasn't expecting this, but… you've been given to Dilandau." She blinked before letting out a groan. The deadly staring boy she had seen with Folken.

" Don't worry. You just have to stay with him. You'll go with him to battles. Basically you'll tell him your visions and what needs to be changed if any at all." She sighed and nodded. Things weren't going to turn out so well… she could tell.