Yay an update! I have to say, all the new little story statistic stuff is kind of awesome. I never really paid attention to it before haha. I got hits from people in over twenty different countries, which is simply amazing for me to think about. Hello from lil' old Massachusetts!

I've got some exciting things coming up like the younger sister graduating (valedictorian too!) and Anime Boston next weekend (AMAZING convention!), buuuuut I thought I'd update before such craziness starts up.

Thanks for reading, and thanks again so much to you reviewers. You guys really help motivate me :)



Chapter Eight: Family

Jared watched silently from the trees as the morning sun filtered through the dense canopy. The three figures were beginning their trek back to the castle, and he wished for a moment that he could get close enough to overhear any conversation. However, the two men, the soldier especially, were too on guard for him to get that close. He'd almost been on the receiving end of an arrow earlier for shifting too carelessly. The soldier was sending a clear message that he knew they were being watched, but he wasn't about to let anyone approach his charges.

He heard the tree groan suddenly under the weight of an additional person. Jared spared a glance over his shoulder.

"Kara."

With her blond hair spilling over her shoulders like sunny waves, he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked even surrounded by dank forest. She'd inherited the unearthly beauty their kind sometimes exuded that seemed to both frighten and fascinate normal humans.

Then again, the scowl she was sending his way was far from pretty. "For the hundredth time Jared, it's Keres now." Her teeth gleamed in a wicked smile. "Death personified."

He felt that familiar pang again as he remembered her being blessed with such beauty had only been more like a curse.

"Well, Kara," He ignored the irritated growl, "Care to explain why you seem to be treating this assignment like a game? We almost had what we needed."

"Don't treat me like a child, Jared. Darius appointed me as this mission's leading operative." Like always, her voice sounded almost reverent as she spoke about him. His hands tightened on the branch.

"I think you enjoy scheming too much." He gestured in the direction the three figures had disappeared down. "We went through all that effort for nothing."

"I won't let there be any more mistakes. It was my fault for losing the brat, but I've found a way to get them both at once now that the boy is in the city as well."

"And you think you can get them out of the castle so unsecured again?"

"Oh, I've got someone to take care of that little problem." She sounded gleeful about causing so much mayhem. He heard leaves rustle quietly as wings appeared behind her. "And I took care of that filth you insisted on using as a scapegoat."

It was his turn to pull a face now. "That was unnecessary. He was just a simple tool we could have let go on his way."

"You're too kind for your own good, Jared." She was sneering again, but her voice had gentled slightly and marred the effect. "You might regret it one day."

"One of us needs to be."

She swept out her wings as she stood up. "Make sure the airship is ready to go."

He was alone again then with nothing but the hushed whispers of the forest for company.


Hitomi raised her arms over her head and arched her back in a satisfying stretch. Leaning back in the chair, she looked over at the tiny sleeping figure on the bed. At her Daichi. She was relieved that he had finally settled down for a much needed nap. He'd been uncharacteristically cranky and irritable the past two days since they'd returned from the forest. He'd been so glad she was back safely, but he still hadn't really slept much the past two nights at all. He was continuously waking up afraid, sometimes in tears, from some sort of nightmare.

Hitomi frowned. She'd been lucky to have such an easygoing little boy, and he'd never had problems sleeping like this before. She remembered all too vividly though how her own dreams had changed and intensified when she'd come here. Whether it was from her own abilities or Van's heritage, she'd known for a long time that sometimes Daichi's dreams were far from normal. But she'd been fifteen when they'd first happened to her. She'd started using that same power then, that feeling, to dowse with the pendant. And in all honesty, some of it had been fun, exhilarating even, to know things and have some sort of strength in the craziness of the world she'd been dropped into. Still, some of what she'd seen...

She shivered slightly. Daichi was barely five years old! How could she protect him from something she herself didn't entirely understand?

Sighing, she looked towards the balcony and nearly screamed out loud in surprise.

"Merle!" She hissed in a quiet whisper. The cat-woman was perched lazily on the railing staring at her. Hitomi went out onto the balcony and chastised in a low voice, "You nearly made me wake Daichi up."

"Ah," She grinned, looking completely unabashed. "He's finally asleep then. You think he'll be excited when he hears the big news?"

Hitomi smiled as well then. Van had been in a whirlwind of activity since their return, she presumed over discussing what she'd told him of her dream about resurrecting Atlantis and searching for her kidnappers. However, he'd set aside time for them to talk to Daichi together later that afternoon. "I'm thinking he will be. After all, he's been talking nonstop about his 'new best-est friend Merle.' What did you show him yesterday that got him so excited?"

"The smartest way to sneak into the kitchen. He'll be a natural at getting the cooks to give him treats you know."

"Merle..." Hitomi gave her an exasperated look as she took in her friend's easy demeanor and all too familiar mischievous glint in her eyes. She realized then that this was the first time she and Merle had been alone since she'd come back to Gaea. "I missed you, Merle."

Merle blinked in surprise, and Hitomi mirrored the action. She hadn't meant to randomly blurt out that thought.

Merle regarded her somberly for a few moments before swinging her legs over the railing to face her. "Van just left a council meeting retracting the proposed marriage agreement between him and Princess Talia."

"Oh." Merle was looking expectant, and Hitomi fidgeted a bit under the intense gaze.

"Hitomi, do you want to marry him?"

"W-What?" Hitomi felt flustered at the blunt question. "Why are you asking?"

Merle continued on with an concerted look in her eyes. "The council agreed, but just barely. They don't...They're wary about placing their trust in someone different."

"Because I'm from the Mystic Moon? Or," She scowled slightly, knowing she sounded jealous. "Because I'm not a princess or something?"

"Partly from both I think. Despite how some of them act, they're all loyal to Fanelia and protective of what's left of her founding family." Merle hesitated before continuing. "Varie-sama, Van's mother, was never granted official acceptance by a majority of the council, but there's technically no law limiting who the Fanel family can wed. People in Gaea can be...they're sometimes not very nice to part humans."

"Merle..." Hitomi said gently, "I remember you once told me Van found you when you were just kids."

Merle nodded, folding her arms in front of her as though to ward off bad memories. "My people...We were driven out of our homes because we were blamed for the great droughts. Many of us didn't survive the...relocation. And I think the same sort of thing happened to the wolf tribes a long time ago before the Fanel family came into power. Fanelia has been more welcoming of part humans in a lot of ways. Ruhm-san even has a place on the Council now thanks to Cain and Van-sama actually."

Merle was twisting her hands, looking strangely unsure of herself. And Hitomi suddenly hated seeing her like that. "What are trying to tell me, Merle?"

"I guess-" She fumbled a bit searching for the right words. "If you stayed, you have to know that it might be really hard sometimes. It may be Van-sama's decision, but it won't mean automatic acceptance even if you're fully human. You're still such an outsider to them, which can seem just as bad. I remember your stories about the Mystic Moon sounded so amazing, but Gaea isn't always a great place. And that includes Fanelia. Van's going to fight for you and I need to be sure you'd do the same."

She sounded both determined and sheepish and it was such an odd mixture that Hitomi laughed. When Merle narrowed her eyes as though bracing for a fight, Hitomi put up her hands in a placating gesture. "I think Van's very lucky he has you on his side, Merle. You've always looked out for him no matter what the situation, haven't you?"

"Hmph," She snorted haughtily, "Of course!"

"And just so you know, Earth...the Mystic Moon isn't always a wonderful place either. There have been a lot of horrible things we've done to each other. But you're right. I know it's going to be hard. Just making a decision to stay is harder than I thought it would be. I mean, I've worked so hard to get into university and I only just got accepted, and my parents and friends...I know Daichi and I are going to miss them so much."

Merle was frowning looking a little confused and Hitomi realized she'd started rambling. "I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that I am going to fight to be with Van, Merle."

And she knew that meant she was choosing to leave Earth behind. Yukari, Amano, her parents. Part of her hated that loss, but she knew now that Daichi and Van together was what she wanted and needed. That would always be home for her.

"Good." Merle let out a breath. "I was just about ready to scratch out your eyes when you first got back you know. Van was so sad and I thought you'd stopped caring about us."

"I was kind of wondering why you kept avoiding me. You always seemed like the more...confrontational type."

Merle grinned, her sharp teeth suddenly very prominent. "I could always scratch ya up a bit for good measure."

"I think I'll pass on that." Hitomi replied wryly. "Although I'm glad you're my friend, Merle. I feel...calmer, I guess, knowing you're looking out for us and that I can talk to you."

Merle actually reddened a bit. "Well, you and Daichi are my family now too," She muttered quietly.

Touched, Hitomi gave the cat-woman a quick hug. She glanced at the sleeping Daichi back in her room. "Ah. And how about taking Daichi on less...questionable trips in the future?"

"What? No way, psychic girl. I need to show him how to sneak in and out of the stables next."

Hitomi could only groan as they began a debate on the appropriateness of certain kinds of adventures within the castle.


It had been a long journey to get here. Through steaming jungles, raging rapids, heat drenched deserts, and churning oceans he had persevered through it all. For he was the greatest explorer that ever lived. Bagillions of people knew his name and his stories! With his trusty sidekick, Ryu, the two had traveled far and wide uncovering countless ruins and temples. They were-

"Daichi! Come down away from those rocks, sweetie. I need to talk to you about something important."

"'Kay, Momma." Daichi leaped off of the boulder pouting slightly. After all, he'd been just about to uncover a secret tunnel that went to Disney World.

This was the coolest place ever! His new best-est friend Merle had shown him the kitchen yesterday where so many yummy smells were coming from that he'd felt his tummy rumble after only just a few seconds of being there.

Now he was going on a walk with his mommy in what she'd said was the royal family's gardens, but he thought it was really a secret temple or something. It was super pretty with lots of trees and flowers and stuff, but there were random pieces of buildings and rocks sticking out in places, some covered with vine like plants. Plus there was that one building with a really tall roundish looking roof. His mom had acted a little weird when they'd gone near it, so he'd moved real fast while she was distracted to make sure there was nothing there for her to be afraid of. And when he'd peeked inside he'd seen a giant robot! It had to be a temple if there was a giant robot. Or maybe everyone here were aliens like what he'd first thought about the mean blond lady.

"....hear me, Daichi?"

Daichi looked away from some debris he thought was shaped kind of like Ryu. "Sorry, Mommy. Can we go see the giant robot again?"

She looked puzzled. "Escaflowne?"

WHAT!? Most super awesome-est name ever! "That's his name? Can we go back again? Please? I bet me and Ryu can go explore with it. Maybe there's a secret tunnel with treasure and-"

"It's not a toy, Daichi." Mommy sounded so serious that he tried to remember if he'd done something wrong. She sighed though and her expression relaxed a bit. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Escaflowne...It isn't something I really know the most about anyway. But there is someone who can tell you lots about it. You ready to listen?"

Daichi nodded, trying his best to forget about the super cool robot because that's what his mommy needed right now. His face must have looked kind of funny because his mom laughed suddenly before brushing away his bangs and kissing him softly on the forehead. "It's nothing to worry about, Daichi." He settled more comfortably onto the little rock next his mom. Her laugh always made him feel better. "Merle told me when you first came to the castle that you got really scared."

Daichi suddenly feeling very, very nervous. "I did the wing thing again, Mommy."

"That's okay, Daichi. It's not a bad thing, and you were trying to help me." She was gently stroking his hair, and while that usually made him feel better too, his stomach felt all twisty still. "Do you remember meeting someone then who helped you to calm down?"

Daichi was quiet for a moment, and it didn't take him too long to understand who his mommy might be talking about. He could still see that man that had come forward when everyone else could only stare silently at him. Daichi hadn't met him since then, but he'd actually thought about him quite a lot. He'd felt familiar somehow, like he'd always been there watching over him and Mommy. But that didn't make much sense because he didn't remember ever meeting such an awesome looking grown-up before. He'd liked that feeling of being safe and...and the man hadn't gone away when Daichi's wings came out. He hadn't called him a monster.

His throat felt really thick, but he didn't want to be a big baby and cry or anything so he just nodded.

His mommy was smiling a little bit now though. "That picture you drew for me the night we left Yukari's...it was beautiful picture of our whole family, Daichi. The one who helped you the other day is part of the rest of our family that you drew for me."

His eyes widened. "M-my daddy?" Daichi squeaked in a tiny voice.

"He's going to come here to see us pretty soon, sweetie. And he's so happy about meeting you. He even has wings just like you do."

That wonderful exhilaration more exciting than he could ever remember having at the thought of finally having a daddy burst like a popping balloon. Wings...his drawing...he'd seen it in one of his dreams...

Daichi stood up sharply and backed away from his mom. She stood as well, reaching out to him in confusion. "Daichi, what's wrong?"

The man had wings just like Daichi and he'd been in his dreams. He didn't want that man to become a monster like him! He'd seemed so strong, given Daichi such a comfortable feeling...But if he'd dreamed about him, what if that would make him do bad things? Or make bad things happen to him? Daichi remembered that safe feeling, that gentle hand on his head and the thickness building in his throat spilled out in tears. "I'm not gonna let bad stuff happen anymore! I won't let him be my daddy then!"

Then for the first time in his life, he ran away from his mother.


Van was scared shitless. That's really all there was to it.

He'd been afraid a lot of times throughout his life, some moments standing out more starkly than others. The time he'd lied about breaking a window in the courtyard and then had to face his father about it. Realizing for the first time his brother and mother were probably never coming back. Losing Folken for the second time. Fanelia in flames.

Thinking about those different times, he marveled again at how a tiny five year old could make him feel so damn nervous.

He'd been horribly distracted all morning, a fact probably painfully obvious in his meetings with the Council and the Merchant Guild. On his way here alone he'd had to deal with enough distractions as it was, but it still hadn't helped him calm down any. He'd brushed off an insistent Cain and most likely pissed him off, somehow accepted to referee a drinking contest for Captain Istan later that week, and agreed to give Marla's husband Larkin a final blessing before she took his body for the burial at their home.

Pausing before garden entrance, he hoped at the very least he'd treated Marla kindly enough despite his state. The old woman still seemed beyond consoling.

As he entered the gardens, his nervousness was quelled a bit when he took in the usual spattering of debris. The space had its charm in the wildness of the overgrowth, but the reminders of the fallen city still gave him a distant pang. Yet, he still loved these gardens. They'd been the place of so many memories in his life from playing with Folken and listening to his mother sing to when Hitomi returned to the Mystic Moon. Maybe someday he would be able to properly reconstruct the area, but he'd insisted on focusing the majority of their resources towards other places in the city more populated and damaged. A country was its people and he was determined to remake Fanelia for them.

He shook himself as he rounded the corner and excitement and nervousness returned like a tight ball in his stomach with a vengeance.

It was the sniffling echoes from Escaflowne's dome that first caught his attention; Then he realized that it was coming from a child. He walked cautiously over to the building, eyes adjusting to the dim sunlight filtering in through the windows. Escaflowne was stationed like a stalwart guardian over a small figured hunched and shaking slightly.

"Daichi?"

The boy whirled around, his eyes shifting from surprise to terror. "No! You gotta go away from me!"

He scrambled up to head for the door, but only succeeded in catching his foot on the Ispano guymelef and tumbling to the floor.

"Be careful."

Van crouched down and moved to help Daichi up, but the child scuttled backwards. "P-Please, you gotta go. I don't want bad stuff to happen to you or Mommy again. "

Van froze, considering the boy. He didn't know how the hell he was supposed to be a father in any kind of situation, but he knew that this tearful fear on his son's face was something he couldn't stand seeing anymore. He cleared his throat, heart hammering in his ears. "Why are you scared?"

Daichi was sniffling again. His lip trembling, he looked at Van and rushed into an explanation. "Mommy said you were my daddy and you had wings just like I dreamed and I saw the mean lady too with wings and she was bad, and I saw Mommy get hurt too. Sakura-chan's Daddy said I was a m-monster and I must keep making all this bad stuff 'cause I see it first just like a TV show. But you made me feel all better the other day and Mommy smile lots when she thinks 'bout you I know. I think I'm a m-monster and I don't wanna make bad stuff happen again. And-"

There was an odd sort of ringing in Van's ears as he stared at his son as he continued on in a fast stream of nervous and frightened thoughts. Who the hell was this Sakura girl's father? He was suddenly itching for his sword very, very strongly. And he had no idea what a "TV show" was but it didn't surprise him that Hitomi's child would be having abnormal dreams. It seemed like she hadn't gotten the chance to talk to him about her own powers yet. The expression on Daichi's face when he'd first entered the dome flashed in his mind and Van clenched his jaw. Well, he was going to make damn sure to set things right.

"Daichi." The boy stopped abruptly as though only just realizing that he'd been talking nonstop for a while now. Van plopped down cross legged in front of the small child before closing his eyes and letting his wings come out. When he opened them again Daichi was staring in quiet shock.

"The first time your mother saw me like this, I thought she'd think I was ugly, a monster." Daichi flinched, but Van continued on. "But do you know what she told me? She said she liked them. That I was beautiful. And you're mom's pretty smart I think."

Daichi nodded then in agreement and said quietly, "Mommy knows everything. She can even drive a car and stuff."

"So if I'm not a monster, then you're not either, Daichi. Your wings only make you beautiful just like your mom says." Van fingered the pendant around his neck. "This...This here is very important to me because your mom gave it to me before she left. And this," He reached into his pocket then and pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. "This drawing you made is a treasure to me now too because it shows me something that makes me the happiest I think I've ever been. It shows me with a family. With your mom and you."

"My picture does all that?" Daichi asked with quiet disbelief.

"Your dream did that, Daichi."

Daichi's lip was trembling again and he rubbed at his eyes. "I-I want you to be my daddy. Can you still be my daddy even though I was being mean and stoopy?"

He had no clue what a "stoopy" was and he really didn't know if it was the right move a father should make, but he reached his arms forward to hug his son to him almost out of instinct. Daichi leaped towards him then as well and the tiny figure was clutching him tightly. Van held him, resting his head on top of the child's head and took in the smells of soap, earth, and something sweet like candy. He was so little, so small, that Van couldn't imagine how he must have been as a baby. He felt a fierce kind of emotion burning in his eyes and he blinked rapidly.

Daichi settled back contently in his lap, but frowned after a moment. He looked up at Van. Biting his lip, he asked softly, "Are you gonna tell Mommy I said a bad word?"

"A bad word?"

"I said 'stoopy.' I'm not s'posed to say bad words." He explained looking guilty.

Stoopy? Van thought for a minute before he had to suppress a laugh. Stupid. He must have meant to say stupid. Somewhat proud that he'd figured out one of the several confusing things his son had said throughout their conversation, he put a hand softly on the boy's head. "We'll keep it a secret this time. Just don't say it anymore, okay?"

"M'kay! Thanks..." Daichi ducked his head shyly. "Thanks, Daddy."

Well, damn. How could a five year old could affect him so much? Blinking quickly yet again at the stinging in his eyes, he stood up and held out his hand. "Let's go find your mom."

He walked out into the sunshine hand in hand with the little boy. Finally, together with his son.