Hitomi sat up suddenly in bed. She was gasping for breathe and damp with sweat.
"Not again." She muttered. She curled her knees up toward her body and rested her head on them, and gently rocked back and forth. She moaned. She stopped crying long ago; all that was left was the dull pain caused by the aching in her heart.
It was the same nightmare that had been haunting her dreams for years. She is back on Gaea, saying goodbye to Van, just before Van activates the energist to send her back, except, in her dream it's different. As she begins to float up, Van starts accusing her of never loving him and hurting him. "Why are you leaving, Hitomi?" He yells in her dreams. "Do I mean nothing to you?" She tries to yell – "No, of course not, you mean everything to me!"- but she can't make him hear. She screams and tries to reach out to him, but she is pulled away, always watching his sad, hurt face.
A strong wind blew in through an open window and caused Hitomi to shiver. She glanced at the clock. 2:30am. She threw off the sheet and quietly got out of bed. She walked over to the window and looked outside. It was dark. Hitomi couldn't see anything except the glow of some far off streetlights and outlines of buildings and trees. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard the swaying of the tress, chirping crickets, and the light snore of her roommate. A small smile crept on to her face as she glanced behind her. Yukari was fast asleep in the other bed.
Hitomi and Yukari ended up going to the same university and shared a dorm room. Yukari was a biology major. Hitomi sighed. After two years of university, she still didn't know what she wanted to do. She took all the required entry courses, but nothing seemed to interest her. All she did was run. She received a track scholarship every year and was one of the best runners they had. She didn't care about championships anymore though; running was her escape.
The wind caused her shoulder length brown hair to dance around her neck. She leaned over and closed the window part way, leaving it open for a breeze to enter. The rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. A storm was coming. Good, she thought, it will cool things off. It's been too hot lately. She stood there and watched. Lightning illuminated the sky and the bedroom. Hitomi was there in her pajamas: shorts and a small tank top. The tank had the schools logo on it and the shorts were old, white cotton shorts she used to run in. They were too small for that at the time, but they were nice to sleep in.
Hitomi made her way back to the bed and crawled back in. She continued to watch the storm. The rain started to fall and soon the pitter-patter of it lulled her back to sleep.
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The lecture hall doors were flung open and students started pouring out. Hitomi slowly made her way out.
God, she thought, what's the point of it all? I can't even get in to the material. I just don't care. 10:50am. She had ten minutes to get to her next lecture. She sighed. Forget it, I'm skipping. I'm going for a run. Hitomi headed out to the sports complex. She quickly changed into some running clothes and started out for the football fields. No one would be down there at that time of day.
Hitomi ran through the grass, causing a light spray on the back of her legs. The result of last night's storm, she thought. It's nice, although it won't last. She already felt the sun defiantly evaporating everything. She ran up and down the field, enjoying the exercise and the solitude. It smell's good here, the rain on the freshly cut grass. It reminds me of Van…. "DAMN IT!" she shouted out loud. She smacked her head. Why does EVERYTHING remind me of him! Her eyes started watering. Oh no, not again. Why can' t I go a single day without….
Suddenly, there was a flash and she saw Van looking at her, and then it was gone. Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks and tensed up.
What the hell was that! A vision? No, it couldn't be. It was too quick. She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. My mind is playing tricks on me. I was just are reminded of him and started thinking about him, that's all. It was nothing. She turned around headed back in.
On the way up, she bumped in to Yukari and a few of their friends.
"Hitomi, what are you doing here? I thought you had a lecture?"
"I did. I didn't feel like going to today."
Yukari frowned with concern. "Well, how about you come to lunch with us? We all have the next couple of hours free, it will give us some time to chit chat."
Hitomi thought about it. She decided she could use the company. Something to keep her mind off…well, it would be something to do.
"Okay. Give me a couple minutes to change." Yukari smiled and Hitomi went off to change.
Later at lunch in the student center, Hitomi was listening to Yukari tell a rather funny story. Apparently, Amano took her ice-skating the other day and tried to impress her, but ended up crashing in to the wall. Hitomi couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Amano plastered on the side of the rink wall.
They were all laughing when Hitomi had another flash. She gasped. It was Van again, but not how she remembered him. He seemed older, different. What was going on?
"Er…Hitomi?" Hitomi snapped out of her trace to find Yukari and the girls staring at her.
"Oh, sorry. It must have been the food, doesn't quite agree with me."
That seemed to satisfy them and they continued talking.
What is GOING ON? Are they visions? What do they mean? Why am I seeing the same flash of him? She mustered up all the will she had left and pushed the matter back in the far reaches of her brain. She took a drink from her water bottle and continued to listen to Yukari.
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Hitomi stretched and yawned. She had been sitting at her computer for the last three hours working on a psychology report. It was time to quit. She saved and turned off the computer. It was late and she was tired. She changed in to her pajamas, put her hair up into a ponytail and opened the window further. It was another hot night and she wanted to get as much cool air in to the room as possible. She turned on the television and plopped herself down in to bed and began to channel surf. It was just her that night; Yukari had a date with Amano and wouldn't be back for awhile. Hitomi settled for an episode of the Crocodile Hunter. When it was over she went to brush her teeth and turned off the lights when she got back. She lied on her bed and looked out the window. It was a clear night. She could see a few stars and part of the moon.
I wonder where Gaea is, she asked herself for about the millionth time. It would look so pretty in the sky. Hitomi sighed and started thinking about her old friends. Is Allen still the commander of the Crusade? Is Merle grown up now? Do they miss me? Does Van miss me? Has he found someone else? Is he married now? For years Hitomi had been asking herself these questions. When she first returned to earth, to her friends and family, she felt she had made the right decision, but as time passed, she grew to regret her decision. She started thinking about Van constantly, almost obsessively, and that's when she started having the nightmares. She took it as a sign that Van was angry with her and over her, and that it would be easier if she just tried to forget him. But Hitomi would more likely forget her own name before she forgot Van.
She sighed and rolled over. She shut her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
A steady rain descended from the dark, night sky and drenched the old graveyard. Lightning crackled in the distant and thunder rumbled, giving off an eerie feeling. There was a tall oak tree on a small hill in the middle of graveyard. It stood alone, guarding over the peaceful rest of those who lay around it. Someone was standing by the tree, covered in shadows, but then lightning lit up the sky. It was man with beige pants, brown boots, a red shirt, a sword at his side and jet black hair. He turned around and reached outwards. "Hitomi…."
"Van!" Hitomi yelled as she suddenly sat up in bed, once again drenched in sweat and gasping for breathe. She got out of bed and started pacing back and forth, aware of Yukari sound asleep in her bed. 1:56am. What the hell was that? What is happening to me? She clenched and unclenched her fists as she continued to pace. That dream, it was so real, it was like I was there, like…a…vision…. Hitomi stopped pacing and looked over at her jewelry box sitting on her dresser. She walked over and opened it. She took out the shelf to reveal a single white feather sitting on the bottom. Van's feather. She kept it from the time she first saw his majestic wings. It was the only thing she had of his. She reached out to take it.
"Hitomi…." A whispered voice fills her head as she touched it.
"Shit!" She jumped back and stared at the feather. Was that…did I just hear…him?
She gathered her courage and hesitantly reached out again.
"Hitomi…."
"VAN!"
"Hitomi what's going on?" Hitomi spun around to see Yukari rubbing the sleep from her eyes and looking over at her.
"Yukari, it's Van, he's calling me! I've got to go!"
"What! Van from that planet?" Hitomi had told Yukari all about her adventure. Yukari believed her, after all, she did kind of, sort of, met Van when it all started. Yukari watched as Hitomi grabbed her running shoes and put them on.
"Hitomi, WHERE are you going? Where is Van calling you from?"
"I had a dream Yukari, and it matches the visions I've been having all day. He's calling me from the Evergreen Cemetery. I have to go there."
"Hitomi…." Yukari started. She got out of bed and went over to Hitomi and looked her square in the face. "Okay Hitomi, you go find Van, but remember, I'll always be here for you." She hugged Hitomi and Hitomi hugged her back.
"Thank you." she whispered. They took one last look at each other before Hitomi opened the door and ran out.
"Be careful Hitomi."
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What am I doing? Hitomi thought as she ran through the streets. This can't be happening. After all this time…. Hitomi ran hard towards the Evergreen Cemetery. Hitomi recognized it in her dream. She had spent countless hours under that exact tree, either thinking or reading. She found peace there. Probably something to do the words Rest In Peace everywhere.
Hitomi didn't even notice the storm clouds above until it started raining. It caught her off guard. It's just like my dream! Van! She ran harder, not caring that she was still in her pajamas and getting soaked. Lightning flashed and illuminated the cemetery doors. Hitomi ran through them and made her way towards the tree.
As she neared, she slowed down to a walk. She was breathing hard and her heart was beating uncontrollably, and not just because of the run. Lightning was the only light she had, so every couple of seconds she could see the hill and the tree. No one was up there. She kept going until she reached the bottom and started climbing up. No one was there. Hitomi felt terrible. Why do I have to torture myself like this? She brought her hands up to her face and started crying. She was just standing there, shivering and crying in the rain. She looked pretty pathetic.
Then, a noise made her look up. "Hello?" She called out. It was hard to see anything…but then there was a flash of lightning. A young man stepped around from behind the tree and slowly approached her. Hitomi gasped and took a step back.
"Hitomi…? Is that you?"
That voice…those clothes…I'd recognize them anywhere, she thought. It was Van. Hitomi tried to speak, but nothing came out. Her jaw just dropped.
"Hitomi, I'd recognize you anywhere! I had to come back. I had to see you again. How did you know I'd be here?" Hitomi just stared as Van came closer. He was older and taller, muscular but lean. He still had the wild black hair she had admired and his trusted sword at his side. Hitomi was suddenly aware that she was soaked to the bone and in her pajamas. Thunder crashed and the wind picked up, but Hitomi didn't notice. They just stood there, staring in to each other's eyes.
"Van…is it really you?" She finally asked.
"Yes, Hitomi, it's really me."
Before she knew what she was doing, she threw herself in to his arms and started crying. No matter what happens, even if he hates me, I just want to hold him one more time, she thought. She held him even tighter. Oh my God, he is real! He's really here! She felt his arms go around her shoulders to hold her and his head lean on hers. They held each other for a few moments until Van slowly pulled her away.
"Hitomi, will you come back with me? I've missed you."
Hitomi felt her heart flutter. His touch was electrifying. "Yes Van, I will return with you." She said. She didn't even need to think about it. Every part of her soul screamed out yes and her heartache lifted. Van pulled out a necklace from underneath his shirt. "My pendant!" Hitomi exclaimed.
"Yep. It brought me here." Van held it in one hand and wrapped the other around her waist and pulled her closer. She could feel her cheeks burn. She held on to him and helped him wish to return to Gaea.
Slowly, a white light surrounded them and they began to gently float upward. Hitomi saw Van smile down at her and she smiled back. She looked around and saw the university in the distance. "Goodbye Yukari and thank you." She said as she clung to Van.
As they gained speed and the light intensified, something went horribly wrong. There was a loud bang and Hitomi was ripped apart from Van. She was now in a separate beam from his.
"HITOMI!" Van screamed as he reached out towards her.
"VAN!" She reached out for him. She could almost touch his extended hand, but then she was pulled away and shot in to the night sky and disappeared.
"HITOMI!" Van screamed with rage as he too disappeared in to the night sky.