As Van fought off the enemy, he kept wondering about Hitomi. "I fight to protect her" her said to himself. "I hope shes okay.." He slices the sword into
his opponent. He sees Merle and Hitomi run out of the castle, when he goes to run after then, a few more warriors stand in his path.
"You guys never give up do you?" Van yelled his battle call, raiseing the sword over his head, her slashed down on two of the warriors, splitting there stomachs open. The other one took a step back.
His skills have improoved way more then expected, the opponent said to himself as he ran away.
Van sheathed his sword. "Allen! Tell your mem to retreat, lets get out of here now!" Van ran after Merle and Hitomi, whom were running through Fanelia, to get to the exit.
As they approached, five or six of Dilandous skilled men were blocking the enterance/exit of Fanelia. "No!" Hitomi screamed.
Merle stood in front of Hitomi and hissed at them. Van saw them in the distance. "No." he whispered. "Hitomi!!" He yelled as wings burst from his back, ripping and tearing his red vest to shreds. Her flew up and flew fast, towards
Merle and Hitomi.
"Hitomi! Merle!" he yelled. "Lord Van!" Merle exclaimed with glee. Van landed in front of them and made his wings go back into his back. He unsheathed his sword. "I wont let you hurt them" Van protested.
The six men circled Van, Merle and Hitomi. They unsheathed there swords and grinned evily. Van knew they were out matched and there was no way he could beat them without Hitomi or Merle being hurt.
He growled angerly, wondering what to do. Hitomi then got into a fighting position. "Come on Van lets try or die." Van snapped his head towards Hitomi. "But you guys might get hurt and I will never forgive myself." Van
scowled. "We have no choice Van." Hitomi said, still in her fighting position Van had taught to her. Merle let her claws unsheath and she hissed, "Hai lord van we can beat them!"
Van nervously nodded and held his sword out in front.
"Get them!" The leader of the group exclaimed. They all dashed towards them. A couple of sword swipes were aimed at Hitomi but she ducked and dodged them all. Merle scratched, hissed
and she bite them hard. Van on the other hand was slaughtering three of them. One of the warriors pushed Merle down and aimed his sword at her stomach. Hitomis eyes widened. "Merle look out!"
She ran towards the man and pushed him over with all her strength, landing on top of him. He angerly looked up and grabbed Hitomi's hair. "Let go of her!!" Merle screamed.
Van looked over at Hitomi and Merle, "Hitomi! Let her go!" He finished off the three opponents and ran quickley at the guy, holding Hitomi's hair. He sliced his arm off making it let go of Hitomi's hair and he yelled out in pain.
Van stabbed him and pushed him over. "You two okay?" Van said. "Go and hide now!" with that Van slipped his wings out and flew over to his castle.
Hitomi helped up Merle as they both watched Van fly off. "He'll be okay" Hitomi motioned Merle to run with her. Merle nodded slowly and ran with Hitomi outside of Fanelia.
They ran into the forest and stopped at a small cave. They sat down and caught there breathe. "I hope they'll all be okay.." Merle said with a soft, worried tone.
"I know they'll be okay." Hitomi said, gazing at the firey Fanelia from a distance.
Van, Allen and Allen's troops were still fighting. "I wont turn my back on an enemy!" Van called out. Allen scowled, "Van we have to go now! There's too many of them! I dont know where they're all coming from but theres too many!"
Allen got into his guymelf. "Lets go!" Allen picked up Van and Gaddes and Teo. His only remaining crew. "Where's Millerna?" Allen looked around desperately.
Millerna was off to the side, trying to heal some people. "Millerna! Lets go now!!" He picked up Millerna. "No Allen!! I have to stay and heal these people no-" Allen put Millerna on the shoulder of his Guymelf.
"Hang on!" Allen ran his guymelf. He ran through Fanelia and out.
Van, Allen, Gaddes, Teo, and Millerna stopped at a small near by lake. Van got off of Allen's guymelf and desperately looked around
for Merle and Hitomi. "Where did they go.." Van thought to himself. "Allen I'll be right back stay here." With that Van darted off into the forest behind them, looking for his friend and his love.
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Van desperately looked all over. He didnt know if they were in trouble or had been taken away. He started to panic and he swung his swords angerly at the tree branches that stood in his way.
"Hitomi!! Merle!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Nothing. He continued to yell there names for about a half of an hour then he finally stopped. It was really dark out. He looked up at the stars and sighed, "I hope there okay. I'll found you in the morning..I promise.."
with that Van slowly walked back to where Allen and the others were.
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Hitomi cuddled by a fire they had made as they sat in the cave.
Hitomis eyes softened as she looked over at Merle who was curled up in a small ball, sleeping silently.
She sighed and poked at the fire with a stick. "Van.." She whispered.
-----
Van too was awake. Everyone else was sleeping and he sat by the fire, staring at it clentching Hitomi's pendant in his palm.
"I'll find you."
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The next morning Allen awoke next to Millerna. He looked around and saw no sign of Van, "He left already." He whispered to himself.
Millerna opened her eyes and sat up. "Im so tired.." Millerna fell back down and closed her eyes. Allen smirked at her and stood up.
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Hitomi woke up and yawned. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. "This isnt the cave I went to sleep in.."
She sat up. She was on a carrage? She looked around and saw no sign of Merle. "Where am I? What am I doing here.." She turned around and saw the moleman riding in front.
"Whats going on?" hitomi yelled. The Moleman stopped the horses and turned to her. "I found you sleeping in a cave! I thought you'd want to travel back to Fanelia?" Hitomi smacked him across the head.
"No!! Turn around now if you want to live!" The moleman blinked, "What for?" "Fanelia has been taken over by Dilandou and his men. Now hurry up and turn around! And wheres Merle?"
The moleman turned the carrage around, stirring the horses. "I didnt see the cat girl I only saw you lying there."
Hitomi blinked. "Merle where are you.."
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Merle yawned and got up. She was sleeping in..a bush? Did she sleepwalk again? x.x She got up and brushed herself off, she then got on her hands and feet and
scampered over to the cave. "Hitomi?" "Hitomi?! Where are you?" Her voice echoed in the cave. "Where could of that dumb girl have gotten to? She wouldnt leave me here all alone! Maybe they found her.." Merle gulped.
"Lord Van!!!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.
-----
Van snapped his head towards the voice. "Merle!" He ran towards where she called his name. "Merle! Are you okay?" Van stopped in front of her.
"Lord Van!! Your okay!!" She hugged him tightly. "Merle, wheres Hitomi?" Merle pulled away with tears in her eyes, "I dont know Van-sama! We went to sleep in the cave then I slept walk over in a bush then when I woke up she was gone! GONE!!"
Van's eyes widened. Merle sobbed on his red vest, "I hope they didnt get her Lord-Van.." she whispered. Van lightly hugged her back then pulled away. "Allen and the others are over north-west from here. Continue walking for about 20 minutes and you'll get there. Im going to look for Hitomi."
Merle nodded as she gave Van one last squeeze around the waist and scampered off. Van started running forwards, calling Hitomi's name frantically.
-----
The moleman groaned. "Aw who are these guys!?" Hitomi curled up next to the moleman. "We are now offically doomed!" Hitomi protested.
Five of Dilandous men circled the wagon. "Weve been looking for you Lady Hitomi." Hitomi frowned. "Stay away!"
They all laughed as they got closer. =\ Hitomi has an uneasy face, as the moleman sat quietly wondering whats going on. "We have to destroy you Hitomi." They all smiled.
"Destroy you so that you cant cause anymore trouble.." Hitomi growled. "Bakas go back to your insane leader!" Hitomi scowled.
"No young lady. He sent us here to kill you so thats what we're gonna do! Understand? Or is that too hard for you?" Hitomi glared at them.
The moleman stuttured. "I dont even know this girl! I have to go!" with that the mole man zoomed off past them and into the forest not far from where they were.
"Traitor.." mumbled Hitomi.
-----
Van continued to run through the forest when he bumped into the moleman and fell back. "Hey old man have you seen Hitomi?" The moleman
stuttered. "They're gonna kill her! They're gonna kill me! I got away!" he continued to run. "Where is she?!" Van yelled. The moleman spun around. "Go straight and out the forest you should see her! Hurry young king shes gonna die!"
Van clentched his fists. "Bastards." He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He got tired. "Hitomi!!" He yelled as wings sprouted out his back." He flew up and over to the end of the forest then landed about 20 feet away from Hitomi and the bad guys.
His wings went in him and he unsheathed his sword. "Let the girl go." He yelled. "Van!" Hitomi said exclaimed.
"Let Hitomi go now or die." Van clentched his sword tightly. "Well looky here we have the young king of Fanelia here. Welcome. Now its time for a beating." They all laughed.
-----
Van swiped his sword on one guys spine and kicked the other guy where the sun dont shine.
Van smirked, "Thats two guys down. Now leave before I kick you other guys ass's" They stepped back and then started running away. Van smiled and sheathed his sword.
"Oh Van!" Hitomi ran to him and hugged him tightly. "I hate this Van..why cant they just leave us alone in peace.." She started to weep. Van looked down at her in awe and lightly hugged her back.
"Hitomi dont cry..I promise this wont happen again-" Van then fell on his knees crying out in pain, taking Hitomi down as well. "Van? VAN! Whats wrong Van?" Hitomi yelled, almost pleading.
Van couldnt talk. He just grabbed his shirt and squeezed tightly. "Its..its escaflowne isnt it? Van! Remember what we did before? I know we can do it again!" Hitomi took Van's hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Concentrate Van..picture Escaflowne in your mind..move it.." Van cried out as he tried concentrating. Move..MOVE he thought over and over. Then the pain suddenly stopped.
He unclentched his hand from his shirt. Hitomi slowly put her lover on the ground lightly and stood up. She looked at the flying guymelf flying towards them. Hitomi smiled as wined whirled around her, brushing her hair against her face. "You did Van!"
Van smiled up at her.
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too be continued..mwahahahhaha....