Hitomi sat on her bathroom counter, leaning over, her neck craned over her toes as she carefully painted them a scarlet red. Carefully, she lifted her hand up and closed the bottle of nail polish. She grabbed her blow-dryer, turning it on and drying her toes.

Hitomi Kanzaki, 16, sophomore, wannabe track star. Hitomi was content with her life in Kyoto. Her social life blossomed, her grades were at the top, and she was just an average little girl trying to find her love. And soon after her sweet sixteenth birthday, her parents broke some big news.

"We're WHAT?"

Hitomi jaw dropped. Her eyes went wide as saucers.

"Dad has a new job," her mother said sweetly, "We're going to be moving to Tokyo in a month!"

Hitomi, unable to grasp what was just thrown at her earlier that day, still had her jaw dropped.

"We're WHAT?"

"I told you, sweety, we're—"

"I know THAT part! You're supposed to LIE and tell me it's ALL A DREAM!"

Her mother laughed, turning to the kitchen counter and washing the fruit in the strainer under the faucet.

"You'll still be in touch with your friends…besides, it's like a new adventure. Just look at it that way," her mother said, tossing the fruits in the strainer.

Hitomi paused.

"We're WHAT?"

"Oh, go paint your toenails. That's what you do when you're upset about something, isn't it?"

Go Gaea!

Chapter One:Interesting Encounters

Sighing, Hitomi turned another page through her address book, as she called up names, one by one. All that was left was her best friend, Chiharu, whose number Hitomi knew be heart.

Ring…ring…ring…

"Hello?"

"Hey Chiharu."

"Hey hun. What's up?"

There was a slight sigh from Hitomi's end of the phone.

"How to explain this…"

"Just spill," Chiharu gushed.

"I'm moving."

There was a slight hesitation. Chiharu gapped at Hitomi's short sentence. Immediately, she fell back into her bean bag chair with a surprise looked on her face.

"You're kidding?"

"No, I'm not…I even painted my toenails and everything. My mom gave me this bullshit lecture today about how, "it's going to be a new adventure!'," she mocked her mother's voice, "and how I should look at it that way."

"You're mom's weird."

"Yeah, I know."

"When are you moving?"

"In a month, the rentals tell me."

"A month? So we still have some happy funky groove time?"

"Hell yeah."

"Party at my house."

- - -

And so, our story begins here. Within a month's time, Hitomi made the best of her happy funky groove time in Kyoto by happily funkily grooving, and she watched sadly as her parents packed several cardboard boxes into their van. Hitomi turned around, looking at the small, one-story house that they owned.

"Some adventure," Hitomi grumbled.

She had to admit; going to a new city with new people was going to be exciting…but in high school? Who moves in high school? That's the worst thing you could ever do to your sixteen-year-old daughter! Hitomi let out another sigh as she hugged her stuff bunny and her pillow with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder.

"Bye, house," she said quietly, "bye old life."

"Hitomi! We're leaving!"

Hitomi shuffled her feet along, looking at the ground and the white pavement on their driveway. She piled into the back seat and stuff her pillow against the door as soon as she shut it. Hitomi pulled her seatbelt over her, clicking it into the end piece. She clutched her stuffed bunny and pouted at the note that was tied around it's neck:

Dear Hitomi:

I hope this bunny reminds you of our friendship! Don't forget and call me everyday!

Love,

Chiharu

"So," her dad piped into her daughter, "are you ready for the 'new adventure?'"

"No."

"Ah, okay."

- - -

It smelled like cardboard all day in that house. It was making Hitomi sick. A headache had beset her. The drive was long. Long, and boring. So boring, Hitomi resorted to counting cars on the way there and watching the sun sink down into the horizon. It wasn't long until she fell asleep. When she woke up, her parents had already begun to unload all of their things.

Hitomi's new room was small; but still comfy. Everything was still in boxes and the summer heat got to her. She opened her window, the summer breeze crawling in. The only thing that she had open was her laptop and her internet, so she was able to access her AIM.

Ah, the internet would be the death of her someday.

"What was that new school?"

Hitomi picked up the packet that was sent to her for enrollment.

"Gaea High? How lame…" she sighed. Sluggishly, she flipped through the packet lazily, not really taking any interest into anything in the packet. She did stop however, at the sport section and read all about Gaea's track team. It had a list of all of the people that were on it and what the best track records were.

And then, there was a picture, and underneath, there was bold print that said, Star Player. Hitomi glared at the image.

I was the star player at my old high school...Hitomi thought lazily as she looked at the girl's picture. She was in mid-run, her long, raven black hair tied back in a pony-tail. Her face had determination written all over it, but somehow, Hitomi looked at her picture and saw a beautiful, sweet innocent girl.

She looked at the picture's caption.

Azalea Anderson, star tack player of Gaia High, makes an amazing finish at last week's 100 meter dash at Gaia vs. Central track meet.

"Sweet…" a small smile crept across her face. The sound of a new IM caught Hitomi guard and she jumped.

"Hey!" it read. It didn't take Chiharu long to long on.

"Hi," Hitomi typed back, "it didn't take long for you to sign on."

"Honestly, Hitomi," Chiharu smiled as she typed, "the internet will be the death of you."

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Hitomi's ears picked up the smooth engine of a black car rolling into the driveway of the house next to her. The headlights had caught her eyes and she looked out the window. A black-haired figure opened the car door and pulled out some keys from his pocket. He was wearing what looked like a read turtle-neck and a black jacket with black pants.

Hitomi got a short glance at him just as he entered his house.

"I wonder who that was…"

The chime of another IM caught her attention.

"So how's life?" Chiharu typed. Hitomi sighed, trying to find words for her "new life". What new life? This was hell, she noted bitterly. She was bored. It was a school night, and tomorrow would be her first day at this infamous 'Gaia High' that her parents were 'so excited' to send her to. Hitomi almost gagged.

"It's…okay," Hitomi typed back, "I guess it's not going to be as bad as I'd imagined it to be."

"Hitomi!" her mom called from down stairs, "C'mon, shut it down! Go to bed, you've got to get up early tomorrow!"

Hitomi sighed, typing her last response to her best friend.

"Hey, I've got to go. Be on tomorrow, okay? I love you, bye!" she typed fast and hit the start button on her windows program and shut the computer down. She could hear her whole tower calm down as she moved over to her bed, which was surrounded by both empty and full cardboard boxes.

She picked up the packet and flipped through to see Gaia's extracurricular activities. There was an article at the top of it, reading, "The Dragonslayers opening performance for back to school!"

Hitomi coughed.

"They have their own band?" Hitomi thought allowed.

"Lights out, young lady!" Hitomi's mom barked. Hitomi sighed and turned off her lamp before she could read anymore about it.

- - -

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Hitomi's eyebrow twitched.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Go away…stupid…alarm…

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

"HITOMI KANZAKI GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF BED RIGHT NOW!" her mother screamed from downstairs.

"Nyuuuuu…" she whined, smacking the snooze button, "I hate life…"

Hitomi fell from her bed, taking the comforters and sheets with her as she hit the ground, crawling towards the door. She got back up and opened up her door, heading towards the bathroom to jump into the shower.

The hot water felt nice on her back and the soap soothed her shoulders. It was strange; she had woken up very sore, and she wasn't quite sure why, either. Hitomi shook her head and turned off the shower nosel and grabbed the towel, stepping out and looking into the mirror. When the fog from the steam and worn off, she looked at her digital clock next to her blow dryer.

Hitomi casually grabbed her hair utensil and casually glanced at the clock. 7:45.

Ah, 7:45. I've got time…O.O WAIT 7:45 WTFOMG!

Hitomi did a double take. School started in fifteen minutes. Her heart came out of her chest practically and Hitomi made a break for it and wrung out her hair, throwing it into a sloppy pony tail.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!" Hitomi hissed to herself, throwing off her towel and throwing on her new school uniform. The basic beige blazer, and the brown skirt and collar, complete with the red bow.

Hitomi tripped, stubbing her toe as she grabbed her bag, flying down the stairs.

"BYE MOM!" she shouted, on her way out the door. SLAM! Hitomi's mother came and looked after her. She blinked.

"You forgot…your lunch," she sighed.

- - -

"THIS SUUUUUUCKS!" Hitomi shouted to no one in particular. She was panting as she flew down the sidewalk, trying to remember where her school was. She looked at her watch. It was blinked '7:55'

Hitomi whined.

"I can't believe this!" she kept shouting at herself, wet pony tail bouncing along with her. Hitomi stopped, catching her breath. It was then that she heard the sound of a car engine pulling over at the sidewalk, making her look up.

In the driver's seat, the raven-haired boy, looking oddly at the girl who had been swearing at herself the entire way from her house. He rolled down the window. Hitomi gulped, taking a step back away from the car.

What the hell? C'mon, I can't get kidnapped now!

"Are you headed towards Gaia?" he asked loudly from his seat. Hitomi nodded, unsure of what to do. She edged closer to the car, trying to get a glimpse of him. She let out a small gasp.

"Hey, are you…?" she started.

"I know you just moved in next door to me. Look, I'm on my way to school. Do you need a ride?"

Hitomi instantly recognized who it was. She remembered that this boy had pulled into the driveway the night before. Hitomi nodded slightly, walking towards the car and opening the car door, sitting in the passenger's seat.

"Oh, I'm Van by the way," he said, a straight face on. He turned to Hitomi, smiling slightly, "and you are…?"

"OH! Uh, Hitomi! Hitomi Kanzaki," she eagerly stretched out a hand to shake his, in which it was returned gingerly, "It's nice to meet you. Thank you so much for the ride."

Van shifted the car into drive. He hit the accerlator slightly.

"Hey, no problem," he said casually, "I know you and your family just moved in, eh?"

"Oh, yeah," Hitomi nodded, looking at the passing world through the car window, "Yeah, we moved in from Kyoto."

"Kyoto, eh? That's nice," he replied, "What year are you?"

"Oh, I'm a sophomore. Still kinda young, I know," she giggled. Van smiled slightly.

"What year are you?"

"Senior. I'm really glad, too," he added with a laugh. Hitomi's jaw dropped.

"You're old!" she replied. Van grinned awkwardly before chuckling.

"Uh, thanks?"

"Well, no, I didn't mean it in a bad way, it's just I've never really gotten along with seniors in my past."

"Yeah, that's believable. Gaia isn't really like that, though…" he trailed off, turning a corner and slowing down the car. He stopped it at the entrance, where the bell rang. Hitomi whined.

"Man, I gotta go," Hitomi cursed, "Thanks for the ride, Van. I'll see you later, I guess," she smiled and got out of the car, closing it behind her. She waltzed into the school's iron gates, where she was greeted by a number of stares as Van zoomed off to go park his car.

- - -

"Uhhh…let's see…" Hitomi looked at the room number on her schedule. She looked around the wide halls of Gaia, wondering where to go. The school sure was big, she noted to herself, and the halls ere lined with endless rows of locker banks, after locker banks, after locker banks. And one vending machine.

Hitomi winced. She didn't want anyone to think she was ditching or anything. Hitomi passed the walls of Gaia, where student-organized activities would hang advertisement posters for clubs and other things. But Hitomi looked upon an even bigger poster that at the bottom read, "The dragonslayers – back to school concert!"

Hitomi cocked an eyebrow.

WTF. This school has it's own band. I remember reading the title about it, but I never got to read the rest of it. The dragonslayers? What kind of cheap-ass name is that?

Before Hitomi could ponder anymore, someone had tapped her on the shoulder. Hitomi jumped, spinning around, bowing furiously.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry, I was on my way to class, but then I got lost see I'm new and I don't really know where I'm going I was going to ask for help but then there was no one in the halls so I'm really not ditching or anything like that so don't give me a detention or anything pretty pleeeeeeease?" Hitomi rambled in one breath. She was greeted by a hefty laugh.

When Hitomi looked up to see who was laughing at her, she starred wide-eyed. The girl stopped laughing, and bright, golden-amber eyes looked warmly at Hitomi. Straight, perfect raven-black (almost Van's color, she noted) fell down to her waist. She smiled gingerly at Hitomi, who looked up, curious.

"Are you new?" she asked, "I saw you wondering around her when the bell rang twenty minutes ago…"

"Yeah," Hitomi sweatdropped, "I'm lost…"

"Oh, so you are new," she stood up, "Do you need some help?"

Hitomi sighed, looking down, scuffing her feet.

"Yeah…"

"Hahaha, don't feel bad," she continued, "I was lost when I first came to Gaia…it's a big school, so you shouldn't feel bad. Here, let me see your schedule."

Hitomi handed her the crumpled piece of paper, and watched as her amber eyes squinted and analyzed it. A smile spread across her face as she nodded one quick nod and handed Hitomi's schedule back.

"You've got English first with Deathrow Dellis."

"Deathrow Dellis?"

"Her name's Ms. Dellis," she laughed, "But everyone calls her Deathrow Dellis because she's a harsh grader."

Hitomi sighed.

"What year are you?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm a sophomore."

"Oh, great! That's a great year, really it is."

"I wish I could say the same…" Hitomi said sadly, looking down at the ground again. The girl let out another laugh.

"Aww, cheer up. Did you just move here?"

Hitomi nodded.

"Ooo! Where from?"

"Kyoto…"

"Oh, so that's a big move for ya, huh?"

Hitomi nodded.

"Oh don't worry. It's scary at first, but you'll make friends. I'm a senior now, and I remember when freshman year I had no friends…Like me, see? I saw your schedule, and we've got the same option. You can come and sit by me if you want…?"

"Oh, it's Hitomi. Hitomi Kanzaki."

Hitomi put out a hand and she gracefully shook it.

"Azalea Anderson," her amber eyes sparkled, "C'mon, before they think you're ditching."

Hitomi did double-take.

"Y…your Azalea Anderson?" Hitomi stuttered. Azalea blinked, looking at her with a curious frown.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No no no no, it's just that I read about you in Gaia's newspaper! Your Gaia's track star, aren't you?"

"Oh," Azalea blushed, chuckling, "Thank you, but I'm hardly any star. I just really like track…are you going to be on the track team?"

"Yeah, totally!"

"Oh, great!" Azalea put a big smile on again, putting her hands together, "We've actually got a track informational meeting after school today, so you should come."

"Oh…well…umm…I don't really know…"

"Well, I'll tell you all about where to go and stuff at option today. So don't worry about it, okay?"

Hitomi nodded.

"Hey, by the way…"

"Hm?"

"Do you know someone by the name of Van Fanel?"

"Van?" Azalea said, eyes widening slightly, "Um, yeah…"

"Why do you say it that way?"

Azalea let out a sigh, looking the other way.

"I'll tell you later."

"Alright…" Hitomi trailed off, looking at her schedule again. She looked back at Azalea again.

"Thank you so much, Azalea."

Azalea smiled, shaking her head.

"It's no problem!"

Hitomi followed Azalea down the hallway, the distant laughter and chatter of the classrooms around them. They turned several corners, and Hitomi thought for a minute that she'd never be able to find her first period class by herself tomorrow. But something sort of clicked, and so she knew where to go. She hoped, at least. Azalea stopped, pointing at the class room to the right of them.

"It's right in there," she said, "have fun," she finished sarcastically. Hitomi smiled at her before heading into her first period class. She stopped short and stood, standing in the threshold of the door, after Azalea had left her.

"Can I help you?" the teacher asked, a pointy nose and thin-rimmed glasses on the tip of her nose.

"Uh…" Hitomi started nervously, but quickly bowed, "I'm Hitomi Kanzaki, ma'am. I'm new…"

"Oh," she said bluntly, "I see. Well, come on it, don't just stand there. There's a chair in the back of the room behind Yukari. Yukari, will you please stand?"

Yukari Uchida, the same year as Hitomi, stood up so Hitomi could see her. She almost looked like Azalea, though her hair was much more brown and short. Her demeanor was almost clam as brown eyes looked warmly at the new student. Hitomi smiled plainly and made her way to the back of the classroom. Some of the students snickered at her.

She looked around nervously before taking her seat behind Yukari.

"It's nice to meet you," Yukari whispered. Hitomi nodded back. And so class resumed. Well, Hitomi hoped it would, anyway, but she was too caught up in her daydreaming. In fact, Hitomi looked around the classroom. She hoped maybe she'd make at least a few friends...at least she had Van. That was always good.

However, she couldn't figure out why Azalea had let out a huge sigh at the mention of Van Fanel…

- - -

A/N: So before you start hitting me over the head with your books or whatever, hear me out! Yes, I –know- I have to finish Esca: AU, but I figured I'd be able to write this much more quickly then Esca: AU, so I can just throw this at you to read in the meantime. I'm going to have a lot of fun writing this, because it'll be pure VxH fluff. So you'll keep reading and reviewing, yes? 3

-FMB, September 21, 2005