Hmm... I shouldn't be starting this fic but I am... I'm such a bad person! I haven't even finished Duel Guard! Oh I'm evil!

Anyway, I haven't seen Vision of Escaflowne in four years! But lately, I've been missing it for some reason and I decided to write a fic about Hitomi and Van! They're such a cute couple! starry eyes

So, here's my SECOND fic! So be nice and easy and please don't flame me just yet! If someone has a plot similar to mine, I did NOT copy you. I just thought of this. Besides, I haven't read every single fic in Escaflowne! I have read a few but not a lot! So, just a reminder. If someone has a plot similar to mine, I did NOT copy you. This plot popped in my head after a dream I had. Don't ask about the dream. It was weird.

Warning: Some of the characters may be a bit out of character.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Escaflowne. I wish I did but we can't have everything we want in life. sigh

qwy - represents the beginning and the end of flashbacks

italics - thoughts or flashbacks

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

An Innocent Promise

Prologue: The Promise

XDXDXD

"Mamoru! Come back here you brat! I'm going to kill you!"

Emerald orbs watched in amusement as her pale blonde cousin chased her younger brother around the front yard.

"Why are you so mad anyway?!" Mamoru demanded as he ran for his life, trying to dodge the older girl.

"Why?! WHY?! You killed my turtle, THAT'S WHY!" the girl yelled. "My poor, poor Tomi! I can't believe you were so blind you didn't see him!"

"Hitomi! What are you standing around there for?!" Mamoru cried. "Help you brother!"

The emerald-eyed girl shook her head, a smile on her lips. "Sorry bro. I would be a fool to get in the way of a raging Anelese. And how could you kill Tomi? I mean, how could you step on him?"

"I don't know! It was that stupid turtle's fault anyway!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"HITOMI, HELP!"

Hitomi chuckled as she watched Anelese strangled Mamoru. A memory suddenly flashed through her mind.

qwyqwyqwy

"Van! How could you kill poor Mito?!" a six-year old Hitomi cried. A poor hamster lay limp in her hands.

"H-he was fine just a while ago," a young boy with raven hair and maroon-colored eyes stuttered. "I-I didn't kill him Hitomi!"

"I hate you!" the girl cried.

qwyqwyqwy

Hitomi smiled to herself. Her father had explained gently to her later that her hamster was already very old and it was time for it to go to hamster heaven. Hitomi remembered how guilty she felt at blaming Mito's death on her childhood friend.

qwyqwyqwy

Hitomi knocked on the door of the Fanel residence. The door slowly opened. It was Van who answered it. He looked extremely surprised at seeing her standing there.

"H-Hitomi!" he exclaimed in surprise. Van then noticed Hitomi's red and swollen eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Van! I'm sorry!" Hitomi cried, throwing her arms around the boy's neck. Van looked stunned and then returned the girl's hug fiercely.

"No, I'm sorry I killed Mito even though it was accidental..."

Hitomi loosened her hug around the boy and shook her head. "No. You didn't kill Mito. Papa said he was old anyway and it was his time to go to hamster heaven." The boy visibly sighed with relief.

"So does that mean you forgive me... and that you don't hate me anymore?"

"Oh Van! I could never really hate you! You're my best friend!" Hitomi said tearfully. Van smiled and hugged her tightly.

"I could never hate you too Hitomi... I love you too much."

qwyqwyqwy

Those words had affected Hitomi now more than it ever did. Being innocent and clueless back then, she didn't really pay attention to the feeling Van put behind those words. But then again, why should she? They were just six years old! Young and innocent.

"Hitomi! Hello! Are you still alive or have you gone to the spirit world without us noticing?"

Hitomi snapped out of her reverie. Anelese was waving her hand in front of the sandy brown-haired girl.

"I'm awake! What have you done to Mamoru? Where is he? Have you buried him in his grave without me noticing?"

"I wish I could but Auntie would kill me," Hitomi's cousin replied.

Anelese didn't look like anyone in the family. Most of the people in her family had brown hair like her. Anelese, however, had pale blonde hair. She didn't look like any of her parents as well. Sometimes, Hitomi wondered if Anelese was adopted. But that couldn't be possible right? If she was, Anelese's parents would tell Anelese, right?

"Aren't we meeting Yukari and Millerna today?" the pale blonde-haired girl asked. "Hmm... I just hope we won't go into any of the shops or I'll be subjected to Millerna's torture again."

Millerna's torture was forcing Anelese into every single outfit she thought was cute. Anelese wouldn't really have minded except that most of the time, almost every single outfit was cute in Millerna's eyes. Hitomi greatly pitied the poor girl.

The cousins walked towards the cafe where they were supposed to meet with Yukari and Millerna. As they walked, Anelese suddenly stopped.

"Ann?" Hitomi said questioningly, glancing back at her cousin.

"I forgot to give you something," Anelese said with a frown. She fished something in her pocket and finally produced a golden chain. On the golden chain was a beautiful golden ring with an emerald in the center. The emerald was then surrounded by smaller rubies. Hitomi gasped upon seeing the ring. She took it carefully from her cousin.

"I never noticed I wasn't wearing it!" Hitomi exclaimed, disbelief in her voice. Anelese grinned.

"I found it beside the sink," the girl said. "It was a good thing I did. It could've fallen down the drain. That would have devastated you."

Hitomi nodded slowly in agreement, eyes tearing up though no tears fell. This ring was one of her most prized possessions. It wasn't the beauty and the price that made her hold on to it, but the sentimental value. The only thing preventing her from wearing this ring on her finger was that it didn't fit anymore.

"Thank you Ann," she whispered.

"No problem cous'," Anelese said, smiling. "Just make sure you don't forget it next time! I might not be there to find it!"

Hitomi nodded, grateful at her cousin. She quickly put the chain around her neck. She then kissed the ring, a sad smile on her face.

Van...

How could she forget who gave her this ring? Though she might never see him again, she still treasured her childhood memories with him. She would never forget the day he left Gaea.

qwyqwyqwy

"Van," a sobbing Hitomi cried. "Why do you have to leave?"

The black-haired boy looked at her with sad maroon eyes.

"I'm sorry Hitomi... Mama and Papa said that living in America would do me a lot of good."

"Even if it's away from me?!" the girl cried. The black-haired boy hugged her tightly. They were already ten years old. Van was slightly taller than Hitomi now, not the same height anymore. Even at such a young age, most people who see him will be able to tell that he will become a charming young man.

"I would never leave you of my own free will Hitomi!" Van said fiercely, his hold on her tightening. "You're my best friend in the whole world! I love you!"

"You're my best friend in the whole world as well," Hitomi murmured on his shoulder. "Don't you ever forget that!"

"Van!" his father called. "We're leaving!"

"Wait!" Van called to his father. He let go of Hitomi and took her shoulders. He placed her at arm's length in front of him and took something out from his pocket. Opening his hand, Hitomi saw that he held a beautiful golden ring with an emerald surrounded by rubies as a gem. Hitomi gasped upon seeing it, the ring was so beautiful!

"Hitomi, listen," Van said, maroon eyes serious even though he was just ten years old. He took the girl's hand and slipped the ring on her finger. Hitomi opened her mouth to say something but Van placed a finger upon her lips. "No. Don't speak. I want you to keep this ring and don't deny me of what I want. I took my whole savings to buy that... even the one I'm supposed to get up to college," (A/N: Van's family is super rich in this story.) Van said as if reading her mind.

"Why did you give me such a beautiful ring?" Hitomi asked, interrupting him.

"I was getting to that," Van said with a lop-sided grin. His expression then became serious again. "This ring is a symbol of my promise... a reminder for you."

"A promise of what?" Hitomi asked, confused.

"VAN!" His father yelled. "We're going to miss the airplane!" But this time, Van didn't bother answering.

"Hitomi Kanzaki, I promise to return here in Gaea and marry you."

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

Anyone see why the title is An Innocent Promise?! Well? I don't know... I just liked that title so I'm trying to make a connection.

I know that this chapter is short but it's because it really isn't a chapter. It's just a prologue.

Please read and review!

Chisakami Saiyuki