This is the revised version by the way, but only revised a little, I may have missed a typo here and there. I uploaded it earlier but that was when ff.net was upgrading so I don't think it showed up.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Vision of Escalfowne. I want to own Van or Folken but I don't own them either. Leave me to weep in peace.
Motorcycles of Escaflowne
Hitomi Kanzaki shook aside some of her hair from her face and looked up.
The teacher sighed in exasperation. "Please, Miss Kanzaki, if you're going to answer a question than speak more clearly." He tapped the board in frustration. "Now what's the answer to this problem?"
Hitomi blinked and glanced back down at her notes. "Um…4x?" she said softly, voice unintentionally coming out as a squeak. The class sniggered softly. She ignored it, timidly waiting in apprehension for the correct answer.
"That is correct."
Sighing in relief, Hitomi leaned her head and forward and allowed her hair to fall back into place, covering her face. It was her customary look in the classroom: a light brown mane of hair creeping down her back falling over her shoulders and hiding her face, just leaving enough room to see and her nose to creep out.
The people around her either shook their heads or rolled their eyes. Hitomi was so shy that it was overwhelming at times. It was such a waste really, people would say to each other. Hitomi was so pretty underneath that hair. If only her personality…
Finally the bell rang for lunch. There was stampede of students heading out the door. Hitomi took her time in gathering her things, waiting for the sudden crowd in the hallways to disperse.
She wasn't the only one who lagged behind. There was Allen Schezar, blonde, the studded hottie senior of the school and the most desirable to have as a boyfriend. He sat on a desk, flirting with his next victim, who wisely took her time in packing her backpack. Rolling her eyes, Hitomi slipped out of the classroom.
As she walked, Hitomi instinctively shied away from other students walking past her. Blushing furiously when she accidentally brushed someone else's shoulder, she quickly ducked her head down and walked with more purpose outside. She stopped near the school parking lot and sat down at her usual lunch spot.
Hitomi chose this particular spot for several reasons. One, not many people ate here, thus Hitomi wouldn't have to worry very much about unwanted attention. Second, the grass was comfy here and Hitomi enjoyed relaxing on this beautiful piece of nature.
"Hey Hitomi. Staring at the motorcycles again?"
Hitomi started and jerked her head up. Then she smiled in relief and relaxed again. The speaker was her best friend Yukari, nobody to be worried about. Yukari was one of the few people that Hitomi was comfortable and completely at ease around.
Yukari had also just stated her third reason she sat here for lunch. It was right by the parking lot and in particular the section reserved for motorcycles. Here was the perfect spot for Hitomi to drool over the parked motorcycles without the owners asking her why. Granted, other people ate lunch in the parking lot but they were to distracted by the surrounding vehicles of transportations around them to notice them.
Ah, motorcycles! Hitomi loved them to bits. She had first ridden a motorcycle behind the back of her aunt when she was ten. It had been so exhilarating to feel the wind blow her hair of her sweating neck, to hear the purr of the engines and rev of the motor. Ah yes, and thrill, the thrill of moving at a break-neck speed and knowing that you were the fastest one on the road. Granted, the experience was slightly degraded by her mother shouting at her aunt to make Hitomi get off but that could easily be ignored.
Motorcycles represented everything that Hitomi wished she could be. It had qualities that she had and wished she had. Hitomi was on the track team and could have been the fastest on the team had she ever used her full potential. For now, she was considered a mediocre member of team because she couldn't bring herself to run as fast as she could because then the coach and team mates would start paying attention to her more often than she'd like. But the motorcycle was always the fastest one out there, and it comforted Hitomi to know that could have been the fastest one as well. It was also sleek and dangerous, and always made its presence known with its deep low engine purr. Hitomi could never be the center of attention for her life. The thought of all those staring eyes focused completely on her made her freeze up and stiffen. She wished that she could have the same courage as the motorcycle, always fearless nabbing attention wherever it went and riding off proudly.
But Hitomi was aware of the fact that she could never be that way. So she contented herself by staring at these beauties every lunch and wishing as always.
"He-llooo? Earth to Hitomi?" Yukari waved a hand in front of Hitomi's face, setting her out of her reverie.
"Huh, what?"
"You're zoning out again." Yukari settled herself onto the grass. "Thinking about the MCs again?" she asked dryly. MC was Yukari's nickname for motorcycle that she used whenever she felt too lazy to say out the whole name.
"Well, yeah," Hitomi admitted sheepishly.
"'Tomi, you do know that you're not a vehicle, right?" Yukari asked.
"Yes, I know."
"Good. Just making sure you're not having one of those dreams about being a motorcycle again."
"Who's dreaming?" a deep masculine voice said behind them.
Yukari squealed and turned around to snuggle against them the male newcomer. It was Amano, boyfriend of Yukari for one year. He was the brunette version of his twin brother Allen Schezar. Hitomi smiled at him in greeting. It had only been recent that she started to feel comfortable around Amano. She also respected Amano for not following in popular twin brother's footsteps and choosing to hang out with little old them, rather than the more elite students of the school with Allen.
"So, what's the news?" Amano asked good-naturedly.
"Hitomi wants to be a MC again," Yukari said teasingly.
"As always I guess."
Hitomi laughed softly. "Come on, how can you not love those motorcycles?"
"Easily, they always make so much noise and-"
"WOOHOO! Wow, Dilandau, who's got the wheels?" someone in the parking lot yelled.
Hitomi looked up expectantly. This was the shout of a new motorcycle coming in.
The silver-haired Dilandau smirked and revved up his motorcycle haughtily. He was part of the popular cliques in the school. He leaped gracefully off his set of wheels and allowed his friends to fawn over his motorcycle.
Hitomi dropped her sandwich into her lap.
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "It's an EscaXX"
"A whah?" mumbled Yukari.
Ignoring her friend, Hitomi's lips parted slightly as she hungrily took in the EscaXX.
The EscaXX (the XX part pronounced as "double X") was the latest model out of the Escaflowne Motorcycle Company, which meant that this was definitely a motorcycle to be respected. Every motorcyclist dreamed of owning a motorcycle made by Escaflowne. Each and every one was guaranteed to work smoothly and professionally and was absolutely perfect. The only thing better than an Escaflowne motorcycle were the new upgrades of Escaflownes coming out. Of course someone like Yukari would know nothing about that.
Hitomi's breath caught in her throat as her mind started whirling…
Cushioned seat of softened leather, clean, neat brakes, state of the art engine, high tech motor, sleek, sexy external design, professional look, perfect balance, high quality polish touch up, waxed, designed for intense speed…
Hitomi moaned longingly.
Amano looked at Yukari and jerked his head toward Hitomi. "What's up with her?"
Yukari, who was used to moments like these rolled her eyes. "She's just in raptures again," she explained.
It then came to Hitomi's attention that here was a bead of drool sliding down her chin. Quickly wiping it away, she continued to watch the display.
"Nice set of wheels," a guy commented. It was Van Fanel. His ebony, unruly hair flapped over his face, giving him an intimidating look. Dilandau turned to him.
Hitomi turned her attention to him, jealous thoughts sinking in. Van Fanel was the son of the owner of Escaflowne Motorcycles Company. His popularity was almost as big as his ego too. He of course always had the best motorcycle out there and you could bet he knew everything there is to know about motorcycles. Naturally, Van interested Hitomi. She was extremely jealous of Van for obvious reasons.
But Van had nothing more to say. He merely looked around him as if puzzled that the attention was on him again. Shrugging, Van spit at the ground and tucked his hands into his sweatshirt pockets. Then he suddenly looked up straight into Hitomi's stare.
Embarrassed, Hitomi quickly shifted her gaze to the EscaXX, knowing that her reddening face gave her away. She could feel Van's stare still blazing at her face.
Yukari sighed and poked Hitomi. "Hey, your friends are over here?"
Startled, Hitomi turned around and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, you know how I am around motorcycles…"
"Yeah yeah, I forgive you." Yukari shook her head. "Hitomi you don't have to be so shy you know. I mean if you really want to 'be like a motorcycle,'" she small quotation marks in the air, "then why don't you just act like it? You're so damn shy around everyone but me and Amano…" she trailed off seeing Hitomi look down in shame. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to lecture again-"
"It's okay, Yukari, I know you care," Hitomi assured her. She hugged her knees and rested her chin on them. "I wish I wasn't so shy either."
"You don't have to be that way," Amano pointed out.
"I can't help it. I hate when people stare at me, it just gives me the shivers and I choke up. I don't know what to say or do, all I can see are all those staring eyes…" Hitomi shivered and hugged her knees closer. She shifted her gaze to the motorcycles again. "I wish I had my own," she said wistfully.
"Own what?" asked Amano.
"Motorcycle, stupid," Yukari said, slapping him playfully on the head.
"Then I could ride to school everyday on it…" and just for that one moment she'd have everyone's attention and she wouldn't be afraid of it because she was on the motorcycle, and motorcycles aren't afraid, they crave the attention.
Hitomi groaned again as the bell announced the end of lunch. After taking one last look at Dilandau's EscaXX, she got up and went to class.
A/N I know Hitomi's OOC, but don't worry, that'll change. Yes, she does have long hair, but that will change too. Just to warn you, I may change the title a few times until I like one so be warned. By the way I'm sorry if I sound really naive about motorcycles because I really don't know much about them at all! I just pretend I do. ^_^; So if any of you know a lot about motorcycles and you have some info that might enlighten me a bit and will help me with this story, tell me! Thanks!
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