Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon or Escaflowne characters. If you tried to sue me, let me assure you my debts would be pretty nutty! *grins*
Author's Notes: Hey minna-chan! I can't believe I'm doing this, but this is an idea that popped into my head and wouldn't go away. I've been really wanting to do an Escaflowne/SM crossover for a long time, and one day, I just sat down and started typing away! This is probably the darkest fic I've written to date, and let me tell you, I get depressed just writing about it! A very small first chapter I have to admit, but I'm basically "testing" the fic, and seeing if there's any interest in it at all! And if there isn't, I just might finish it for me anyway. *grins* Without further due, my story...
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Cursed
: Chapter 1I am cursed. I'm sure there are people out there who don't believe this is so when they see me, but what I'm telling is the truth. They have never seen first hand what the power of wishing can do. How you can accidentally destroy a person's life and shatter someone's spirits just on a shallow whim. There may be those out there who believe that having wings is a blessing, but not in Fanelia. My bloodlines shine through and my parents, as much as I love them, have made my life a living hell when they decided to have me. They didn't realize the consequences of having a child inheriting both their traits. They never realised what it was like to grow up, and having to hide my wings, control my thoughts for if I wish, somebody could die. Someone nearly did. I remember that day so vividly. I was four at the time, and a young boy had gotten me mad. You know how you say stupid things like, "Oh I wish you were dead" and that's the end of it? Not if you're the daughter of Hitomi Fanel. I can remember that little boy's screams of agony. I... I was so scared. I remember wondering what I had done. I was so confused and frightened, frozen there in place, unable to move. But thankfully, my mother was nearby and she changed the boy's fate with her wishes. She had sat me down for a talk after saving the boy's life. She didn't say a lot for a while. She just looked at me with her green eyes that were filled with sadness.
"My child, our wishes are not like everyone else's. We must be careful since whatever we wish for will come true. You must learn to control your emotions and thoughts. I know you're still a child, but unfortunately, there is no choice here."
I don't think I fully understood at that point. All I could see was the fact that I wished that someone would die, and someone very nearly did. It scared me to death, this power of wishing that I had. My mother tried to teach me to embrace the good qualities it could bring, but all I could see was the look of agony on the boy's face in my head. It stayed with me all those years, and will continue to do so until the day I die. This is the price I pay for the bloodlines that flow within me. This is my story.
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He walked in, specifically looking for the one girl he hadn't seen in nearly fifteen years. She had just been a child when she left. She would be 19 by now, he thought to himself. Almost immediately, advisors and all sorts of royalty moved up to greet him. He sighed inwardly, as the swarm (as he frequently referred to them as) zoomed in on him and moved in for the kill. Plastering a smile on his face, he forced himself to pay attention to the Duke of such-and-such standing in front of him. He had missed her big ball last year for her 18th birthday. It seemed as if his list of duties kept growing every year, keeping him away from her. And now his advisors were pressing him to produce an heir to the throne. All the princesses that they kept throwing his way were empty-headed beauties, never managing to hold his interest. It was a good thing that he was tall since he could actually see the people arriving. The lone figure who had appeared in the doorway captured his attention. An aura of loneliness and pain surrounded her, and he felt himself drawn to her for some unknown reason. He quickly gave his apologies to the people surrounding him, and made his way towards her.
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I had managed to get away from my maids. They kept trying to get me to wear this ball gown that would do my kingdom proud, but I feel no kinship or ties towards this land. All my life... I've felt like a puppet, being told what to do, and how to do it. The pain inside me keeps growing, gnawing away, killing what's left of my soul. Sometimes, I wake up and it seems like there is no reason to live. Sometimes I look at the trees, and I can feel nature all around me, pulsating with energy. As much as my wings are a bother, there's nothing I love more than to fly with the breeze, feeling the air beneath my wings, sending me up higher and higher, further away from the confines of life. Sometimes, I think nature is my only comfort and friend. I have a court, that much is true. That is apparently something that comes with being a princess, but I don't feel like I belong. I've always felt like a freak with my powers and my wings. My father has told me to keep my wings a secret for now. It's almost as if he's ashamed of them, and perhaps of me. I feel like I've let my family down, that I couldn't be this perfect princess, filled with grace and happiness. It won't be long before I'll be forced to marry someone. Is this what I was living for? To dance to someone else's tune, to live my life feeling the way I do? When I was younger, I used to think of suicide but I realise now I'm far stronger than that. But I still can't help feeling the way I do, feeling the emptiness that seeps into my soul. I stare at the ballroom, filled with happy couples, all the laughter, smiles, and bright lights overwhelming me. It's too much. I wish I had been born differently, born normal, without the burden that my mix of genetics gave me. Unexpectedly, someone stands right in front of me. I look up, and I'm almost blinded by the golden aura that surrounds him. He's filled with life and joy, that much I can tell. I squint a bit, trying to get a closer look, and there's this familiarity about him, almost as if I had known him all my life. With a sudden start, I realise that I had.
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The pull that he felt towards her became stronger with each step that he took towards her. Her soul... it felt so old, so weary, so... empty. She had a resigned look on her face, and from the way she stared at the couples dancing by her, he could almost feel her pain. The strange bond that had begun from the moment that he laid eyes on her wove its magical fingers around his heart. As he approached her, he realised with a sudden start that she was magnificent. The sadness that surrounded her merely served to enhance her beauty, and her deep blue eyes shone with a despair that pained him. It made him want to do anything to give her a moment of joy, to be the one to protect her and comfort her. She was dressed simply, a long white gown that enhanced her beauty as her silvery hair trailed past her shoulders and hung in perfect curls. At that moment, she looked like a goddess to him. Stopping right in front of her, he looked into her eyes and was surprised to find a look of recognition in them. It couldn't be... the laughing face of a child appeared in his mind, so young and pretty. Her laughter was infectious, drawing people near her, as if sharing some deep secret of life with them. Suddenly, it merged into the face that was right in front of him. The contrast between the young girl she had been to the woman she is now was startling and frightening. What had happened in all the years I had been gone?
"Usagi?" He asked, still unsure.
She nodded, and the look of surprise and sadness still lingered on her face.
"Chid..."
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Well, what did you guys think? I have a small favour to ask my reviewers. Please tell me what you liked/hated about the chapter. That way, I can still make corrections, keep doing the things you like and leaving out the horrible stuff! *grins* I also noticed that reviews are going down. *sighs* So I'm hoping that this just means that readers don't want to review, and not that they hate my fics. (Yeah, the delusional Chibi Tenshi says) I just want to take a quick moment, and thank all my wonderful readers, especially my reviewers! I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see that I've made someone smile, or want to kill one of my villains. *grins* And don't worry, I *am* still working on Unforeseen for those of my loyal readers/reviewers out there! Anyway, that's it from me! And oh yeah, emails make Chibi Tenshi exceptionally happy, which makes her exceptionally motivated. *giggles* Ja ne!