Author's Note: This fic is based on the Escaflowne movie: "A Girl In Gaea." I've twisted the story around and this time Hitomi does go with Folken at the beginning of the movie.

[Written on September 15th of 2001]
[Last Edited 8/18/15]

"Lone Soul"
Chapter One: Destiny Calls

Kanzaki Hitomi was alone. Finally. Yukari had fled, probably because she was hurt or uncomfortable. Hitomi didn't care either way.

"I want to vanish," she muttered quietly. Sleeping didn't help. It only made it worse. Each time, she opened her eyes, the world never failed to disappoint her. It always remained the same. Nothing ever changed. "Someone...help me..."

The steps she was sitting on disappeared, and a stadium now surrounded her. She stood up, eyes glued to the figure before her. The black-hooded man reached out to her. His strange clothes didn't bother Hitomi at all.

"You're right. Everything should vanish. You share my dream. Come to Gaea with me," he beckoned, hand still lingering in the air.

Hitomi found herself walking towards him. His eyes held so much pain and sorrow. Even though she was very confused, Hitomi only knew one thing. She had to go with him. The reason itself was out of her reach, but it was her only desire at the moment.

"You are, after all, the Tsubasa no Kami." His gold eyes spell blinded her. Her brain didn't even register the fact that his hand enclosed her own. Water began filling the stadium, but Hitomi didn't notice or care. In fact, it felt good.

The man held her close as if protecting her from some unseen danger. Her clothes weren't wet though water was everywhere. It would have been weird had Hitomi let herself notice it. Pulling her closer, he whispered in her ear, "Don't be frightened, Tsubasa no Kami. Dune is with you."

She wasn't. Even when the water rose over her head, she still felt his arms around her. Her vision began to go black, but it didn't matter. Nothing did. She was finally going to vanish. Her wish was going to be fulfilled.

Hitomi awoke with a start, covers clutched to her chest frantically. A dream! It had all been a dream. Somehow this disappointed her. A normal person would have been relieved, but Hitomi wasn't normal, wasn't she? It was then that she realized she wasn't in her room at all.

"I see you're awake."

Hitomi jumped, head spinning towards the man in the doorway. Long silver hair trailed over his strange dark clothes, and a long pale face gazed at her patiently.

Suddenly, all the day's previous events came rushing back. Ripping her good-bye letter apart, being detained on the bullet train, hurting Yukari, and finally falling into the watery darkness that had surrounded her in the stadium.

"Who are you?" she asked, pulling the covers off her and dangling her legs over the edge of the bed. He remained silent for a moment, watching as she tucked stray hairs behind her ears.

"I have adopted the name Folken. Tsubasa no Kami. I created the Black Dragon Clan. My main desire is doing this is only to make this world vanish," he said, voice deep and soft at the same time. "As will my sadness."

To Be Continued...