Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Escaflowne: All you need is Love, Isn't it?
Chapter 2: Preparations
Four days later
Hitomi spent 3 hours searching her closet for what she hoped would be the perfect outfit to wear on her trip back to Gaea. She had narrowed the selection down to four, but over the past hour, could not decide which one was best.
"Oooh, to heck with it! I'll just take them all."
She grabbed her gym bag, pulled open her bottom dresser drawer and shook its contents out into it, then pushed the drawer closed with her foot. Turning to the foot of her bed, she started to place one of outfits in the bag then stopped.
"But which one should I wear now?"
She eyed the four selections once again.
"Oooohhhh!"
She closed her eyes tightly, spun around and groped over her bed until she grabbed one. Tossing it towards the head of the bed, she stuffed the rest in the bag. She looked over at her clock.
"It's almost ten."
She grabbed a few more items and tossed them in the bag and zipped it closed, then quickly changed into the clothes she picked.
After putting it on and looking in the mirror, she thought, 'I hope he likes it.' It was a long sleeve, pink, button down blouse with a black collar and a black pencil skirt that came to just above her knee. Hitomi pulled out her black sling-backs and slipped them on. Brushing her hair for the sixth time, she looked herself over one last time.
"Okay, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia; here I come." She smiled.
She grabbed her bag and went to her window. Sliding it open, she looked from side to side to see if anyone was around to observe what she was about to do. With no one in sight, she slid the bag out the window and tossed it to the ground. It landed with a dull thud. 'I sure hope I didn't put anything breakable in there.' Hitomi closed the window and walked out of her room.
Downstairs, her family was sitting in the living room. Her little brother was lying on the floor watching television, while her mother was sewing patches on a pair of pants and her father was busy reading the newspaper. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
Her mother looked up first. "Yes, Hitomi dear, what is it? Oh my, aren't you dressed all pretty. Do you have a date tonight?"
"Date!?" Her father looked up from his paper. "What is this about a date?" He looked his daughter over.
"No, mom, I don't have a date. I was… it's such a nice night; I thought I'd go for a walk. I'll probably end up at Yukari's." She lied.
"Well, don't you think it's a little late to be going for a walk?" her father asked.
"No! I mean, no, not at all." She tried to think quickly. "It's such a nice night. And who knows how many more of these we'll have before winter sets in. Besides, there are so many stars out tonight; it's almost like late afternoon." She gave a fake laugh.
"What are you talking about, Hitomi? It's June," her little brother chimed in.
"Shut up." She shot him an evil glare.
"Well, what do you think, mother?" her dad asked, ignoring the exchange between his children.
"I suppose it will be alright. You do have your pager on you, right?" she asked.
"Of course." Hitomi smiled, patting her hip pocket; knowing full well there was nothing there having placed the pager in her bag.
"Well, just put on a sweater at least. It might get chilly later," her mother added.
"Okay." The teenage girl walked over to the closet, grabbed her brown school sweater and folded it over her arm. Then she added, "Hmm, if it gets late, I might sleep over at Yukari's. All right?"
"Just call if you decide to."
"I will," she said, and was out the door before they could ask any more questions.
Pressing her back up against the door, she took a deep breath and exhaled. "Okay, time to go." She dashed around the house and grabbed her bag. Stuffing her sweater into the bag, she began walking to the train station that would take her to Kamakura-Kita High School.
