Escaflowne: Return to Gaea
By: Me, Courtney
Was it a vision? Or was it just a dream? Luckily for Hitomi it was neither. Escaflowne, Gaea, it was all real. As much as Hitomi credited herself for her imagination she knew she could never come up with all that on her own. It helped that her grandmother had been there before her and had told Hitomi's mother about it so she was able to confide in them instead of keeping it all to herself. She found that to be a huge relief because otherwise she might have gone a little crazy. As it was it had been six years and she felt she was anyways.
Hitomi felt that her interaction with Gaea wasn't over yet. Ever since she left she had felt that there was unfinished business there. She understood the importance of coming home and growing up but her departure had been so sudden. The connection she and Van shared was all well and good, and she was glad that she knew he was doing well, but sharing feelings of contentment wasn't the same as being there and being involved. Hitomi missed her friends, Allen, Millerna, Merle, Dryden, even the crew of the Crusade. She had thought that Van would have come for her by now.
She sighed and went to her closet to pick out an outfit for that evening. Yukari was dragging her out again, it was her and Amano's big scheme, get poor Hitomi a man so she could be just as happy as they were. The lame excuses Hitomi supplied whenever things invariably didn't work out with these setups always seemed to satisfy them. Trying to explain that she was perfectly happy with her seemingly nonexistent love life never worked either. Once she had thought that maybe she could pull off Van as a long distance boyfriend, what with Yukari and Amano so happy with how their long distance romance had worked out, but Hitomi knew that they'd expect to meet him eventually.
Not that she hadn't had her fair share of boyfriends. Being on the track team in high school always won her a few admirers and that hadn't changed since she started at university, running track for her scholarship, but now she knew how to use her legs to her advantage. There were a few boys she had been quite fond of but things never worked out, mainly due to the fact that she felt if things went too far Van would know. She blushed now as she was thinking it. It wasn't fair really, Van holding her back when he hadn't come for her, after all a girl has her needs.
Her mother and grandmother knew she would go back on her own if she could, but she had sentimentally left her pendant with Van and had no way of getting there. There were many a day that Hitmoni shook her fist at the past, young, silly Hitomi. Soon thereafter she would forgive herself because what was done was done and in many ways she was still that girl. Besides, she had faith that Van would come yet, and had the travel worn duffel bag ready for that day packed with things she would want with her and outfits that did not consist of her high school uniform.
"Van, are you ready yet? Allen, Celena, Chid, and the crew will be here soon and as much as they love you they won't want to wait long for you, O King of Fanelia," Merle asked as she entered his room with a knapsack over her shoulder.
Van was very happy she had matured out of the habit of pouncing on him whenever she entered the room. She had grown into a cat and while she was still a little small for her kind, she was still very powerful and her pouncing skills when caught off guard easily bowled him over.
"Did you know that that Sabrina actually asked me if you were taking anyone with you to Asturia? I just smiled sweetly and said, of course, me. Who does she think she is?" Merle asked, hands on her hips, pink ponytail falling to one side as she looked askew at Van.
"Only one of the most eligible young maids of Fanelia," Van gently replied.
"Not for you she isn't eligible." Merle wagged a finger in his face. "I'll let you know who is when I find her. Now, I'll take your bags and meet you at the gate, but don't be too long, making excuses for you is fun just not when it's to Allen." With that she picked up her bags and swept gracefully from the room.
Van smiled, Merle was so excited to be going to Asturia. In the years since the end of the war they had only left one other time. The rest had been spent rebuilding Fanelia.
Van knew setting out it was going to be a large task but he never really realized how involved it would be. He was never really the management type like Dryden, content to foot the bill and help organize but never really getting his hands dirty. Van needed to be doing things - so he had. He had helped build houses and barns and shops, he had been on the farms helping out one person one day and their neighbor the next, all the while attending meetings with counsel members about treaties and trade agreements. It seemed at one point that Fanelia would never be rebuilt, but with patience and hard work that had helped build some impressive arm muscles it was finally the country it once was. Maybe not exactly what it was once for nothing can ever stay the same, for Escaflowne had been put respectfully away and there was a new peace and camaraderie among his people for all that they had been through and done together.
Van met with his advisors once more and stopped by Escaflowne's shrine to pay his respects before meeting Merle at the gate. Allen and company were heading to Asturia for Millerna was to have a baby and everyone must be there. They had all met there three years ago for her new marriage ceremony to Dryden. It had been small and intimate and short for everyone had things to do and couldn't stay long. This was going to be a more leisurely trip for which Van was thankful.
They weren't waiting too long when Allen arrived on the Crusade. The minute he was out Merle ran and pounced shouting, "Allen!" Stalwart Allen could never be bowled over by Merle and grabbed her into an affectionate hug while Van followed at a more sedate pace and greeted Allen. After the how do you do's and idle chat Allen took them inside the ship and they were off.
Allen helped get them settled into their rooms and then he walked with them to the mess hall where Celena and Chid and the crew had gathered to eat dinner with them. Allen and Celena had spent their time in Freid with Chid so that Allen could help the young prince in all his duties. It was also an ideal place for Celena to adjust to her new life and reconcile herself with her past because of the deep spiritual roots of the country and the monks were patient and kind with her. She had grown into quite a young lady and Allen doted on her. She did still have a fascination with fire that Van and some of the others found a little unsettling but other than that they were happy for the both of them. As for Chid he was growing into quite the little man and it was already understood that he was going to be a heartbreaker like Allen once was. At least that's what the boys expected of him but Millerna was confident that there was enough of her sister in him to where he wouldn't be quite so wild as Allen. Besides, Chid had always been a humble chap, something which everyone knew Allen struggled with.
Dinner was a simple affair but Van was just glad to be with friends. Merle and Celena talked excitedly about being in Asturia and the baby coming while Gaddes hovered near them hoping to be of some use to Celena. He had become quite enamored and doted on her almost as much as Allen did. Van and Allen talked of how far everyone had come and how excited they were to have some time of peace and relaxation, not just for the baby to come but even after when they all went home and reaped the rewards of all their hard labor.
"Allen's building me a Girlmelef so that I can have one of my own," Celena bragged to Merle while Van cringed at her renaming Guymelef's and even Allen had the decency to look a bit embarrassed by it. "I am quite good with a sword you know."
"I never had any use for swords," Merle replied, her tail swishing while she extended her claws to admire their fine points that she cared for so meticulously.
"We should do a bit of sparring while we're in Asturia, Van." Allen suggested amiably.
"I doubt I'd be much of a partner, I haven't practiced as much as I should have been. Though I'd like to see if I still have the skills I once did," Van replied thinking of his well kept but little used sword that was currently in his room elsewhere on the ship. "I understand that you've become quite the swordsman under Allen's tutelage, Chid."
"Oh I suppose I'm all right, at least Allen keeps telling me so," The youth replied with a little embarrassed blush. "I'm having a Guymelef made along with Celena's. Of course mine won't have long hair."
Everyone laughed good naturedly at his quiet joke and went to their rooms to go to bed.
"And that is why accountants will eventually rule the world," Hitomi's date concluded with Yukari and Amano laughing along with him. Hitomi politely laughed as well while catching Yukari's eye and giving her the universal look of, you've got to be kidding me.
"So Hitomi, what are you studying at university?" he politely asked, his dull grey eyes, which were already prone to protruding, becoming more pronounced as he tried to look sincere.
Yukari was frantically, yet discreetly, trying to get Hitomi to not answer. "History with an emphasis on Folklore, Myths, and Legends. I plan on doing my thesis on the lost city of Atlantis," Hitomi replied while sending Yukari a triumphant smirk at which she buried her face in her hands.
Hitomi had always thought it a great joke to study the mystery that she had inadvertently solved. She loved coming up with wild theories of what had happened to Atlantis with the other fanatics. The story of Gaea wasn't even too far fetched for the people she studied with but they didn't like that theory because it couldn't be proved. Of course she wasn't sure how her one classmate could prove that it was the aliens who built Atlantis and the pyramids of Egypt and took credit for various other projects, but to each their own. Yukari never understood her fascination and was a little embarrassed by it, and thought Hitomi while cute, athletic, smart, good natured, was also a bit of a nut. Hitomi really didn't think Yukari had a right to be embarrassed, this guy thought accountants were the end all to end all.
"Hitomi has always been in tune with mystical forces," Amano nicely stood up for Hitomi.
"Yes, she always had such a knack for telling fortunes with her Tarot cards," Yukari inspired by Amano's words thought that this could salvage the evening. "You should ask her to do a reading for you."
It took a moment for Hitomi to realize that they had all turned to her expectantly. There had been a group of people who had entered the restaurant and she had caught a flash of red and someone with dark hair. She had been watching them intently her heart skipping a beat. Of course it wasn't Van and Hitomi sighed and turned back to her friends and the stranger waiting a response.
"Oh no, I don't tell fortunes anymore. It was just a silly game," Hitomi smiled sweetly and picked up the desert menu.
Telling fortunes didn't seem like a safe thing to do anymore. Even though she was no longer confused as to where her feelings lay, she was confused as to what she was still doing on the Mystic Moon. Mystic Moon, she never thought of it as Earth anymore. There was also the fact that the last time she had used her cards here she had been whisked away and found out about Gaea and Atlantis. She did not want to risk being swept into the magical world where people went when they disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. She smiled at the thought. No, one nonexistent planet was enough for her thank you very much.
When they arrived back at their apartment Yukari started berating Hitomi. "Really Hitomi, you could have put it a bit more effort."
Hitomi laughed, "Did you see his eyes bulge whenever he asked me a question? It was creepy. And really Yukari? An accountant? You can't expect me to fall for a guy like that. What would we ever talk about? He obviously wasn't interested in discussing the mysteries of the world."
"Hitomi there aren't very many people who are. I'm not a miracle worker you know," Yukari petulantly replied while she pulled the covers up to her chin and turned her back to Hitomi.
Hitomi ran and jumped on Yukari in her bed. "Oh Yukari, no one expects you to work, let alone perform miracles. Please forgive me. It's not good to go to bed angry you know. Consider this practice for when you're happily married to Amano. That's only in a week you know." Hitomi knew she could distract Yukari with thoughts of her upcoming nuptials.
"All right, I forgive you. I just want you to be happy you know." Yukari turned back to face Hitomi with the air of a martyr.
"I would have to be quite to idiot not to realize it." Hitomi hugged her.
After a few days of travel they reached the splendid seaside city of Asturia. Dryden was there to meet them, which he did with gusto. Everyone received a bear hug when they had disembarked. Dryden took a look around and asked with a quick glance at Van behind his glasses, "Is this everyone?"
"Of course it's everyone, did you think we'd forget someone?" Allen laughed but Van noticed the significant look that he shared with Dryden.
"Well now that's settled, you might want to get us settled," Merle said briskly giving both Allen and Dryden a scathing look and picking up her bags.
"Millerna is sorry she couldn't come greet you, she was feeling very tired today and was forced to retire early," Dryden said this not with an air of concern for his wife but more of excitement, as if being tired meant things were right on schedule.
Millerna had spent her time in those first couple years doing as much as she could for Asturia as Van had done for Fanelia. Asturia hadn't been decimated as Fanelia had but there was some rebuilding to do and Millerna had gone about setting up medical clinics and getting people the medical attention they needed. She also worked with her older sister Eries in getting things rebuilt and resettled. It had been decided that Millerna would be the one to take the reins because she was determined to fulfill her marriage contract with Dryden whether he liked it or not, and the kingdom would fall into their capable hands. After things had settled in Asturia Millerna had gone off to find Dryden and brought him back to be married again. Now she was happily expecting their first child and Asturia was happily awaiting it as well.
Van's rooms were close to Allen and Chid's, while the girls, Merle and Celena, had been put in a room adjoining Millerna's so they could be on hand and ready for anything. The next morning Millerna joined them at breakfast. Millerna had always been a beauty but it really was quite unfair how her beauty had only been enhanced by her pregnancy. She was well content and very excited to be a mother.
"Well, now that we've all had a hearty breakfast, Allen won't you be a dear and help Dryden in the nursery, I keep telling him he has to have it ready and perfect but it still isn't done. Girls, you can help them add the little touches here and there. I really can't be cooped up inside today. Van, come, take a walk with me," Millerna regally relegated their tasks and waited at the door for Van to escort her.
They walked in companionable silence with Millerna leaning on Van a bit for support. He would never be as tall as Dryden and Allen, Millerna noted, but she also noted that he had grown into a strong man who still carried that serious look in his brown eyes.
"I'm really quite surprised at you Van," Millerna stated, waving a hand to a person passing by.
"Surprised?" Van didn't know how to respond to that.
"Yes. When you came alone to my wedding I didn't say anything, thinking maybe it was still too soon and you needed time, but I did expect you to bring Hitomi here for the baby," Millerna clarified for him.
Van was stupefied. He hadn't thought of bringing Hitomi to Asturia. He did think about Hitomi, often, but he had never thought, "I didn't think of it Millerna. She's back on the Mystic Moon."
"I know that Van, but didn't you discuss, I don't mean to pry, but surely you were going to bring her back one day," Millerna was a bit exasperated.
"There wasn't time to discuss anything one moment we were talking and the next she was gone," Van defended himself.
"You do want her back don't you? I know you've been busy but things have settled now Van, things should continue to settle, you should settle. If you're content to do that without Hitomi then fine, but if not, don't you think it's about time to bring her home?"
It suddenly hit him, those significant looks between Dryden and Allen, even Merle was in on it. How long had they been discussing this?
Millerna saw his stricken look and gave him a moment to process. "Yes, we suspected you needed someone to point these things out to you. I was voted the most likely to get a quiet, more gentle response due to my delicate condition." Millerna absently rubbed her protruding stomach as she said this.
"Gentle reaction? The others were afraid of how I would react?" Van asked.
"Van, as much as I can tell you're confused by what happened so long ago, we're all even more confused. It was always about you two, it was your story, we just happened to be there. We don't know what happened when she left. You seemed content so I never thought there had been a quarrel as Allen had suggested."
"He would," Van muttered, half petulantly and half angry.
"But then time went by and she still wasn't here," Millerna diplomatically refrained from responding to his comment. "We've been wanting to talk but everyone was so busy and slightly afraid. Merle even took it upon herself to make you didn't become overly attached to any of your many admirers."
Van laughed at this, he may have been oblivious to a lot of things going on around him but he had noticed that. "Yes, she's done a very good job of that. She's probably so ashamed of me, she really liked Hitomi, after awhile. She's the one who convinced me to go back for her the first time." He sighed a serious sigh and asked quietly, "What if she doesn't want to come back, Millerna?"
"She came back before and if she still feels for you as she did before she left she is probably upset that you haven't come for her before this," Millerna practically replied.
"You're right, I'll see what I can do," Van smiled and walked her back.
Just as soon as her frustration was truly taking a hold of her, Hitomi was bound and determined to give the boy Yukari had picked out to set her up with at the wedding a real chance, she noticed a change in Van. He was excited, that's all she knew, he was still well but he was excited. She wasn't sure what that meant. At first she was just happy that he was happy but then she began to wonder what could make him so happy. And that wonder in her female mind soon led to jealousy. For what else could make a man so excited? There must be a girl. Hitomi was not one to give into moody broodiness but every girl has her weak moments and it was taking hold of Hitomi with a vengeance.
Two nights before Yukari's wedding day was the night of her bachelorette party and Hitomi set out with her intending to have a good time. She'd show Van what happy was. So with a group of girlfriends from school they set out merrily on their way. Hitomi had promised Amano long ago there would be no men involved and she was now regretting her promise but that was where they had drawn the line and there were many others they were allowed to cross. The night of debauchery was had and Hitomi soon let go of some of her anger in her enjoyment of spending this time with Yukari before she became all Amano's.
That didn't mean that either of them had got away without their consequences the next morning. Both woke up with heads aching and grateful they had the day to recuperate before the Big Day. It took Hitomi well into the afternoon to realize that on her nightstand was a white feather. She reached out to touch it but just as her fingertips brushed the soft edge it disappeared. He was coming. She now understood the excitement. Van was coming to get her and he was excited about it. Hitomi hopped out of bed and proceeded to rummage through her duffle bag to make sure everything was in order. The letter she had written to her mother with the explanation that the time had come was on top. She pulled it out and updated it a bit and then got it ready to be posted.
Next, she quietly crept onto Yukari's bed and snuggled down next to her.
"What are you doing?" Yukari asked blearily.
"I just want to be near you, you are getting married tomorrow you know," Hitomi quietly reminded her.
"I know," Yukari whispered back, smiling.
"Amano is going to make you blissfully happy," Hitomi assured her.
"I know that too," Yukari's smile grew.
"I may be going on a trip soon when you and Amano are honeymooning," Hitomi was hoping that she sounded casual enough.
"Where to?" Yukari curiously asked.
"Oh, off in search of Atlantis. A group from class is going and there is this boy you see so I thought what with you being a married lady and all I should tag along."
"A boy!" Yukari sat up quickly and then put a hand to her head regretting her quick movement. "You never told me about a boy." She accused in a quieter tone.
"Well, he's shy you see, and I wasn't sure he was going to ask me, and I didn't want to get your hopes up let alone my own," Hitomi didn't feel she was straying too far from the truth.
"But I don't know anything about him. What do you even know about him?" An outraged Yukari asked.
"Enough," Hitomi responded with a quick kiss on Yukari's cheek.
A pleasant time was had by all awaiting the arrival of the baby. Van and Allen had some practice fights in the courtyard and Van was pleased to find that Allen and he always ended a match in an amiable draw. He hadn't lost his skills after all. Chid had inherited his father's skill with a sword and often sparred with Celena who had retained quite a bit of knowledge and was enthusiastic about learning more.
One afternoon while watching Chid and Celena with Allen and the crew Van asked insouciantly, "Do you really think building her her own Guymelef is the best of ideas Allen?"
The crew laughed amiably and Gaddes replied, "The boss figures as long as it is any color other than red and doesn't have flame throwers attached she should be fine."
"It's true, and I know it's a little chancy but the monks who have been working with her in Freid say that she's truly my sister now and no longer Dilandau. The talent with a sword does after all run in the family and we think it's good for her to have a focus and an outlet for her excess energy," Allen replied.
"She is good with that sword," Van admitted.
"Yes but sometimes she still has that crazy look in her eyes," Merle snuck up on them and settled down comfortably next to Van.
"Merle!" Van was a little shocked. She had mostly grown out of making such remarks.
"Only when you goad her into it by pouncing on her in the corridors and scaring her," Allen gently rebuked.
"I never thought that that could be the reason," Merle smiled demurely, flicking her long hair over one shoulder.
The times that weren't spent in the company of the others Van was trying to figure out how to get to the Mystic Moon. Escaflowne had made the trip before but Van knew he couldn't use Escaflowne this time. Bringing him out would only cause concern and panic among his people and others. Holding Hitomi's pendant up to the light coming in from his window he pondered its potential. Hitomi had used it to return to the Mystic Moon merely by willing it. Van was sure he could channel that power as well, as Hitomi had taught him, but he was afraid to try. Using one's will for such things didn't always have the best endings here on Gaea. He pushed the dilemma to the back of his mind, he had time to sort it all out.
It didn't seem like they had been there long when one night at dinner Millerna's face went pale and she quietly told Dryden that the baby was on its way. Dryden jumped up in excitement to help her to her room, quickly followed by Merle and Eries who were to help with the delivery. Everyone at the table stood to follow them to keep vigil with Dryden outside Millerna's room. As she passed Van Millerna paused and pulled Dryden to a stop with her. She reached out a hand, grabbed a fistful of Van's red shirt and pulled him close to her face.
"I don't care if you have to fly to the Mystic Moon yourself, Hitomi will be here when this baby is born. Do you understand me?"
Van's dark eyes grew wide and he silently nodded.
Millerna held him for a moment longer then gasped in pain and released him. Dryden leaned over and told Van in a stage whisper, "I'd do as she says. She's never used that voice with me and I'm her husband you know."
Allen came and stood beside Van, "Think you can do it without Escaflowne?"
"Looks like I'll have to."
Van had yet to arrive but Hitomi didn't have time to dwell on it though that didn't mean she wasn't prepared. The wedding had happened and they were having a reception in the happy couple's honor. Hitomi was busy being a perfect maid of honor welcoming people and meeting everyone who had the slightest connection to Yukari or Amano, all while her mother was helping Yukari's in the kitchen and her trusty duffle bag was packed in the coat closet. Toasts and speeches were made, food was eaten, and dancing had begun. With Yukari's permission since finding out Hitomi's affections were already taken Hitomi was kindly and subtly drawing her date's attention from herself to a classmate of hers. Yukari and Amano were in their own world only vaguely aware that there were other people around. All seemed right with the world as Hitomi grabbed a seat at one of the tables and slipped off her heels to give her feet a well deserved break.
As her body was relaxing into the chair and she started to calm from her exhausting day she suddenly became alert and aware. She looked around the room at the dancing couples, saw her mother flash her a smile as she cleared plates from another table. There, by the door, red shirt a little different than the old one but still red, khaki pants, boots, complete with a sword at his side, a little taller and quite a bit more grown up and fit Hitomi noticed with a slight blush, her pendant was hanging around his neck, his dark hair falling into his face and his brown eyes searching was Van.
He noticed her sitting there in a cream and blue silk dress, the neck cut just a little low and a slit up the side of it to show off her long legs, she wasn't wearing shoes. He walked over to her, avoiding the others who were there. When he reached her he smiled and said, "I know how to dance."
Hitomi smiled back, "Really?"
"Maybe not this dance exactly but I think I can figure it out," He reached out a hand and helped her to stand.
Hitomi slipped back into her heels and let Van escort her to the dance floor. He pulled her close and they slowly started to dance, neither talking, just content to drink each other. While Hitomi was contemplating how nice it felt to be held by Van's strong arms, Van was thinking that he was glad he was able to find her in this group of people and while he was able to appreciate how grown up she looked he was most excited to find that were green eyes were still lit up from when she had first saw him.
The song ended and Van broke the silence by saying, "Millerna's having a baby right now and insists on you being there for its arrival."
"Whose baby is it?" Hitomi just spit out the question without thinking.
Van smiled, "Dryden's of course. Will you come?" He asked the question with that serious and earnest look in his brown eyes and Hitomi was thankful that his sincerity fit his eyes so well and that they didn't protrude.
"Good thing I thought to bring my bag. Before we leave though you have to meet a few people," Hitomi grabbed his hand and led him to where Yukari and Amano were talking to a couple of people.
Yukari saw Hitomi approaching with this stranger and quickly wrapped up her conversation with Amano's friends so she could turn and meet the man she had seen Hitomi dancing with. "Hitomi, it's getting late shouldn't this thing be ending soon?"
"Don't worry Yukari less than an hour left. Yukari, Amano, may I present a friend of mine? This is Van Fanel," Hitomi introduced them.
Van bowed respectfully at them both. Yukari was busy seizing him up with a best friend's inscrutable eye but Amano shook Van's hand and said to Hitomi, "I always suspected there was something going on that we didn't know about."
"I'm sorry I didn't have you meet him sooner, he has been out of town lately. Yukari, it turns out we're leaving tonight as well. I'm going to go let mother know and then we'll be off."
Yukari stopped her silent judgment of Van (she had grudgingly found him acceptable) and turned to Hitomi with a slightly panicked look in her eyes where tears were starting to form.
"We knew this day was coming, silly. Now really, it's not seemly for a bride to cry at her reception," Hitomi admonished as she and Yukari hugged fiercely.
"I'll miss you." Yukari pulled away with a smile.
"I hardly doubt you'll have time for that," Hitomi replied with a significant look at Amano who was standing a little off with Van politely and patiently giving the girls their moment.
"Maybe you're right. Your mother will know how to contact you?" Yukari asked.
"She'll know where I am," Hitomi averred a little guiltily. "Take care of each other." She said to Amano with a quick hug and with a wave she pulled Van away to the kitchens.
Her mother looked on in approval as Hitomi explained that she was leaving and handed Hitomi her duffle bag. Hitomi reached into it and pulled out the packet with the letter for her mother and a letter for Yukari for later. They said their good byes and then they were out the doors of the reception hall.
"Where's Escaflowne?" Hitomi asked looking up and down the street expecting to see the dragon parked on the curb.
"I came using this," Van replied holding up her pendant. Van pulled her close with his arm around her waist. "Ready?"
"Ready!" And they were gone in a blaze of light.
As they approached Gaea Van spread his wings causing a cascade of falling white feathers and flew her down the rest of the way. When they touched ground in the courtyard he smiled shyly at Hitomi, "Millerna said to bring you even if I had to fly there myself. I cheated a little but thought I might bring you in like she envisioned."
Hitomi smiled and laughed. "I've always liked your wings, so I'd have to side with Millerna on this one."
She reached out to stroke one of the outstretched wings and as she did so a determined look came into Van's serious eyes and without a moment's hesitation he grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a kiss. Hitomi's eyes were wide in shock but only for a second and then with a triumphant thought of it's about time she closed them and kissed him back.
Dryden was happily pacing the front room attached to the delivery room. He didn't do it out of nerves or worry, he did it merely because he felt that's what expecting fathers ought to do. Allen and Chid were there as well teasing Dryden good naturedly when Van walked in with a strange woman. Dryden stopped his pacing and stared. Allen had stood and too was staring at the woman in the silk dress with short hair and green eyes. Logically they knew this had to be Hitomi but they were having problems reconciling the woman standing before them with the image of the girl they once knew.
Chid who had always seen Hitomi as quite grown up had no problem recognizing her and jumped up happily and shouted, "Hitomi!"
While Chid had no problem recognizing her, the same could not be said for Hitomi's recognition of him. It took her a moment to realize that the youth standing before her must be Chid, he couldn't be anyone else he looked just like Allen except younger and without the ridiculously long hair and slightly pompous fashion sense.
"Chid! I hardly recognized you! You are quite grown up!" Hitomi ran to give him a hug.
"That's what we were just thinking about you," Allen said in his sultry voice as he and Dryden came over to greet her as well.
"I just came from a party," Hitomi replied blushing slightly thinking how ridiculous she must look but at the same time glad she wasn't stuck in that school uniform again.
Van and Hitomi joined the waiting party and Dryden resumed his pacing while continuing to hold up his end of the catching up Hitomi conversation. Celena was sleeping on a couch in the room and Hitomi was doing her best to think of her as Allen's sister and hoping that her eyes would be normal when she woke. Everyone had stories to tell and they weren't able to get through them all because they were hardly there an hour when Merle came exploding out of the delivery room.
"It's a girl! And she's the most beautiful kitten!"
Dryden's face lit up when she came out and heard it was a girl, it wasn't until he heard the second part that a look of concern went across his face and he marched into the room where his wife was lying in bed, worn out but happy and glowing as women who have just given birth can be. He took one look at his beautiful baby girl lying in her mother's arms and yelled towards the door, "Merle, my daughter is not a kitten!"
Merle smiled and turned to Van and Hitomi. "Oh yes she is, she's the darlingest little kitten Hitomi, she truly is!" And she stopped and looked hard at Hitomi in surprise. Then when a wild cry she pounced, "Hitomi! It's you, it's really you, and just in time, and you're here."
As Van came over to help the laughing Hitomi up Merle added with a dark look for Van, "It's about time."
Dryden poked his head out of the room. "How am I supposed to brag about my child if you people won't come in and admire her?" He asked his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. As he turned to go back in Hitomi realized that he was still wearing that blue bow in his hair and she was so glad to be back.
Everyone but the sleeping Celena and the dutiful Gaddes filed into Millerna's room. Millerna's eyes lit up when they saw Hitomi following Allen into the room, holding Van's hand. They all gathered round and cooed at the sleeping baby that Dryden now had in his arms.
"With her mother's looks and my charm this child is going to be unstoppable," Dryden said proudly.
"And I suppose I'm entirely bereft of charm?" Millerna said smiling at her proud husband.
"I meant no such thing," Dryden apologized and leaned down for a kiss.
"At least you won't have to worry about whose nose she'll inherit," Hitomi pointed out and everyone laughed and claimed that the child's nose, which looked suspiciously like everyone elses, was an exceptionally fine nose.
"Hitomi, we wanted to name her for you but you would not believe the number of Hitomi's that there are all over now. Everyone wanted to name their children after the girl from the Mystic Moon who saved Gaea. Luckily not everyone was familiar with your surname so we're naming her Marlene Kanzaki and we're going to call her Zak." Millerna explained taking the baby back from the bouncing bubbling Dryden.
"Oh Millerna, I'm absolutely honored, really there isn't a need though."
"I wouldn't try to stop her she was quite adamant about it and was trying to find ways to turn your name into a masculine form just in case it turned out to be a boy," Dryden put a stop to Hitomi's protesting. After all, little Zak was perfect just the way she was.
"Millerna should really rest now, we can all catch up later," Eries quietly came into the room and took Zak from Millerna and laid her in a cradle by the bed.
Everyone gathered round to congratulate them again and left the room. Merle took Hitomi with her to her room and there they chatted well into daylight before falling asleep.
A few idle weeks went by filled with walks with Van where they caught each other up on everything and were happy to just be with each other again. But of course Hitomi wasn't allowed too much time with Van on her own because everyone was happy to have her back and felt that Van would have his time later and they wanted to get their Hitomi time in while they could.
She spent many of her afternoons with Millerna and Zak and Merle who couldn't be separated from the "little kitten". It seemed that Zak couldn't be long without Merle either because there were times when she was fussy and Millerna couldn't calm her and Merle would sweep in, coo little kitten, and use her tail to tickle Zak's pointy nose and Zak would gurgle and coo herself.
"I'm so glad Van got you here in time Hitomi," Millerna sighed on one such afternoon.
"I'm glad too but I don't see what was so urgent about it."
"Urgent! But of course it was urgent, if it wasn't for you little Zak wouldn't be here and now that I have her I can't envision life without her," Millerna exclaimed.
"Yes, about that, when I left, you and Dryden were no longer you and Dryden."
"Oh that. Yes, well, I do believe I had really always loved him but it seemed to take the moment of his leaving for me to quite realize it. He was off to go earn my love by helping to rebuild Zaibach and I had things to do here so for a little while it was fine. Then a couple of years had gone by and he still hadn't come back for me. I knew things were coming along quite nicely in Zaibach and I didn't know what was holding him up. So I went out there to find him."
Millerna paused to laugh at the recollection. "Van claims he can't decide which is more dramatic, Allen or Dryden. When I got there Dryden was still claiming that he hadn't done everything necessary to win my love and that I couldn't possibly love him. He was playing quite the martyr but I wasn't having any of it. I told him that he had my love and that if he felt he needed to still earn it maybe it was the task he truly loved and not me and that is was now or never. Ever the business man, he chose now."
Hitomi laughed with Millerna and shook her head. She had missed so much but she was here now, with little Zak and all the others. She felt that it was for good but nothing had been said so she wasn't so sure.
At dinner that night during the general racket that accompanied the big meals they were all growing accustomed to sharing Merle leaned across Celena and Allen and shouted down to Hitomi, "Did you leave a man on the Mystic Moon?"
The table got quiet fast as everyone listened for the answer. Hitomi blushed a bit but said quite clearly, "No, Merle, I did not."
Merle grinned, managing to show off quite a number of her sharp little teeth. "Did you hear that Van? She's eligible." And with that she sat back in her seat and continued eating with the others following her lead.
Van just smiled and went back to eating himself.
After dinner, Hitomi and Van were taking their customary nightly stroll pausing on one of the docks to look out at the Mystic Moon out above the water. "Millerna asked if Merle could stay here in Asturia to be nursemaid to Zak. Merle is taken with the idea and says she could come back to Fanelia with the others for the wedding."
"Wedding?" Hitomi asked.
"Yes wedding. Our wedding," Van replied, his brown eyes dancing.
"Our wedding?" Hitomi wished she'd stop repeating his statements as questions but she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Hitomi, I want you to stay with me," Van answered very seriously. "I have you back now and I'm not letting you leave again. I want you to stay with me and I mean to have it happen so I hope that's all right by you."
"Oh Van, I love you, I love you!" Hitomi replied.
Van smiled and picked Hitomi up and they ended the scene properly, with a very satisfying kiss.