The Assignment

Chapter 7 The Assignment

Soon I found myself crying in his arms. He just wrapped his arms around me and comforted me. He then whispered in my ear, "I am with you now, Hitomi. I will stand by you and I will fight for you and this village. If you still believe that you can't do it on your own, then believe in me. Believe that together we can make things right." I pulled away from him and nodded. That was when I learned of his secret. He was the last of the Draconian race who yields the spirit of the dragon, Escaflowne.

My training, my grandmother's words and teachings, my confidence, my faith, it all came crashing back to me. For once, I trusted my capabilities and I believed in me. With Van, we fought Dilandau. Before the sun rose the next morning, we had earned the right to tame the negative spirits of the land and return peace to the land. Together, we have also earned the right to make a decision for the safe-keeping of the balance. We erased all the people's knowledge about my family, the Mystic Moon, the dragon, the darkness and everything that has got to do with magic. The village still holds the tales and beliefs, but now it only remains in folklore and nothing more. Now in silence we stand guard, it was better this way.

After erasing all the people's memories, we graduated from junior high. I told Van that I had sought the permission of my parents to study in Tokyo for high school and university. He just smiled at me and said that he will accompany me since there was nothing left for him in the village. So it was decided that we were both going to Tokyo to study, make better of ourselves. I still go back during holidays. The first time was the hardest because of all the memories but at least Van was with me and it made it easier.

I never thought we would live through what we did, all our loses, all our hardships. I never thought I'd be here in Tokyo studying high school, being a normal teenager who experiences crushes and being in a steady relationship and going through life. I never thought I would make a dream come true. I thought that I would always wait for dreams to come. Now the future is endless. I don't need to take a peak into it to tell that everything in this world will continue on its course.

It's been two years. The life I have now and the life I have back then are worlds apart. I don't regret moving on and finding the rawness life can bring you day after day. I made a choice to keep moving forward, to look back every once in a while to remember the lessons I've learned to make a better future. At sixteen you don't really expect yourself to talk like this. But I guess after going through everything, it's inevitable. When I finish high school, I plan to go to college and study to become a doctor. I know, I know. With the visions and all it would be a very emotionally straining life but I think and believe that I can make a difference with that. At least when I return to the village, I can serve the people more than just being Hitomi Kanzaki. I'd be a doctor then. Van and my family support my decision. Van plans to take up law. He said that defending people has grown in him. Maybe it's not as physical as before but still it is still in the line of defending. Cool huh?

As for me and Van, we are enjoying each other's company. We don't exactly know where this will take us but we know that we will always be there for each other no matter what happens. I don't know if you really got something from this but I'm sure you will now think that you are lucky. There are far worse things that could happen in this world. You are lucky you are not one of them. You have friends and family, so much to live for just like me. Just believe in yourself. There is magic everywhere you look and inside of you. Never lose sight of that. You can make a difference if you believe. And if you can't believe in yourself or if it seems that the whole world is against you and no one believes in you, think again. There will always be a person who will believe in you and will push you to achieve greatness. You just have to keep a look out like I did with Van.

Take care and be safe. You are protected, now and forever so live your life.

"Well, what do you think Van? I wrote this in about I don't know three hours." Hitomi said as Van finished reading her manuscript. Van eyed the piece and then at Hitomi. "Is that why you look like you haven't slept at all?" "Come on Van. Like that matters." "What time did you sleep anyway, if you even slept?" "2 am." Hitomi answer, still quite anxious about what Van was to say. Van eyed her so Hitomi finally said, "Ok,ok. I slept at 5 am." "You know you shouldn't deprive yourself of sleep like that." He said. "I know." She answered, still quite anxious on what he thought about the story.

Van took a deep breath. He looked at Hitomi lovingly and a little uneasy. "Are you sure you want the world, or at least the class to know this? I mean it's quite detailed, not to mention all the blood and gore that comes with it." Hitomi laughed. "Whose going to tell them it's all real? Our assignment was to write a story. That's it. Plain and simple. The teacher didn't say it had to be non-fiction. Besides, those little details doesn't say anything but rather to them it will seem like a spice to attract readers." Van was still a little uneasy.

Hitomi just wrapper her arms around her boy friend's neck. She knew that he was only thinking of her, only her. She planted a small kiss on his lips and said, "The truth will always be our secret. All they need to know is that this is an assignment. Do you really think they will believe this to be a non-fictional thing?" Van just smiled at her. "No. They wouldn't. They would just think that the girl who plays around with tarot cards has an active imagination, fitting for someone like her and that she not only possesses the power to guess into the future and capture a certain someone's heart, but she can also write something that can make you believe and actually be engulfed into a story, passing it as real." Hitomi just giggled as Van wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

THE END

It's over and done with. It was a great journey to take with you. I hope you enjoyed it. I did even if it brought me out of my comfort zone in terms of writing the storyline. But you know, I think it's worth it because you get to discover something you never thought you are capable of. I guess this whole fiction has that effect really, especially on me. Well anyway, it was really nice and real. Please do review and I hope to get to be with you guys again on another journey. Peace and take care.

Michiko