by,
Ash C.
e-mail- ash1107@hotmail.com
please no flames or spams
Chapter 1:
It had been six years since Hitomi was on Gaea, four years since Hitomi's bond to Van was suddenly blocked, and not one moment had gone by without Hitomi wondering about Van. She had done fine at first, that is after she came home; her friends were understanding but worried about their silent and sad friend. Hitomi really tried to forget, live her life out. One by one her friends deserted her, no one wanted to hang around someone as depressed as her. The only friends she had left were Yukari and Amano, they were understanding of course, but when they were together...her heart ached for something, someone, who didn't, it seemed, care for her anymore: Van. It was a cold winter that year, and Hitomi found one way out of her life, working. She was at her work from dawn to dusk it seemed. She was very dedicated and hardworking, constantly getting promotions.
Hitomi drummed her fingers on her desk impatiently.
"Come on," she thought to herself, "it doesn't take that long to check the file cabinets...". Suddenly, the phone rang. Hitomi swiftly picked it up and said,
"Hitomi Kanzaki." The person on the other side gave a bubbly reply,
"Hitomi-san, this is Yukari! Remember you promised to meet me for lunch today!!!"
"Ahhh, yesss," Hitomi said nervously while running her fingers through her hair. "When and where exactly are we meeting?"
"Baka! You forgot already?" She giggled, " It's that little cafe you like so much, remember? Oh, and around noon."
Hitomi glanced up at the clock...it blinked 11:30. Her stomach grumbled, she quickly said to Yukari,
"I'll take off early and leave right now, okay? Bye" and she hung up the phone. She stood up and stretched for a moment then put on her navy blue parka-like jacket. Glancing out of her office she strolled down the hall and through the exit. The moment she walked outside the wind's cold bite went through the jacket and instinctively she held it closer. The roads were extremely slippery in the large city of Tokyo, which was always over-run with cars and people. She glanced in the store windows as she passed them, pastries, clothing, toys, and stationary. Little angel dolls decorated the stationary store window as she passed by it. Her heart throbbed but she pushed down the memory and tears. She neared the last street and waited for the light to turn red so she could cross. Then suddenly, a single white feather floated down in front of her. She reached up to grab it but it disappeared before she could touch it.
"Damn," she whispered. "Why are you doing this to me now!?" she screamed inside of her head. While she was in her sub-conscious her conscious seemed to take charge, the light turned red and she started to cross the street. The moment her foot hit the ground she met with an unexpected ice patch...but it seemed the last thing she remembered before blacking out was seeing an oncoming pair of head lights and a column of light engulfing her.
Van was outside his palace lying in a verdant field of Fanelia while chewing a piece of grass. He stared at the Mystic Moon for a little while before closing his eyes.
"How is she doing?" he wondered. "Does she have any boyfriends? What is she doing right now?" Four years ago, she had terminated all connections, and he'd felt like an empty husk.
He had to admit, the connection between them was getting kind of weak, fading in and out when they talked to each other. He wished with all his soul and love that he could see her again, and hold her...this time he wouldn't let go. Just before falling asleep he gazed once more at the mystic moon and smiled a sad longing lover's smile.
"Aghhh" a high scream woke him up, a blue column was right in front of him he jumped back in surprise. Just as it had arrived the column disappeared and in it's wake it left a person in a bloody crumpled heap, a person that strangely looked like, Hitomi.
Van gently rolled her over while doing so tried to talk to the frantic and stunned woman in front of him.
"Hitomi" he said softly, "shh, shh, what's wrong?" She stopped for a moment and for a brief instant recognized him.
"Van?" she asked. She tried to reach out to him but her face tightened with pain and she screamed again.
"What's wrong?" he asked again. Hitomi's eyes teared,
"Van" she cried, "I can't feel my legs, I can't feel them..." she broke down into sobs before fainting dead away. Van looked at her again before breaking into a run…
Hitomi's opened her eyes to the dimly lit room. She brought her hand up to her head to message her aching temples. While doing so she tried to remember what happened and where she was. She moaned after a while of thinking and guessed it all a dream because, Van, Gaea and Fanelia still seemed like nothing more than a dream. Then she glanced around the room, she apparently was in a very large bed, propped up by what it seemed millions of pillows, and a very expensive room. "Where did I end up now?" she asked herself quietly.
The door slowly creaked open and out peered a cute face with short pink hair, it also had cat ears.
"Van-sama" it hissed trying to be quiet " I told you Hitomi-san would be awake"
"Merle" another voice, male, replied " I told you not to wake her up. Get away from there" With that the cat-woman closed the door and left with a "meow". "Merle, Van" Hitomi thought excitedly, her heart skipped a beat. She tried to get up but for some reason her legs wouldn't work. Then she tried to move around but then the moment she started to put stress on her back a shot of pain screamed up her side and she let out a yelp, then a strangled sob. Hitomi then sighed, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. The door creaked open again and closed but, Hitomi didn't bother to open her eyes. She heard someone softly tread across the floor. A low voice asked her
"Hitomi are you still awake?" Immediately her eyes fluttered open and focused in on the man standing in front of her. She could tell it was Van, he looked almost exactly the same except older. No more of the thin youth but a well-built man, except he was still wearing the same sleeve-less red top and pale brown pants. Her eyes started tearing up at the sight of him.
"Is it really you?" she cautiously asked. Van flashed a smile, sat slightly on her bed while picking up one her hands he kissed it gently and cupped it in his large ones.
"Yes" he replied his eyes shone with a rekindled joy as he spoke again "welcome back Hitomi".
Hitomi gazed into the eyes of Van while he did the same, she felt almost like he was searching her soul. All she knew at the moment was her heart was at peace and she could die happily though, that was the last thing on her mind. A slight, hesitant knock on the door brought them out of their trance. Van sat up and brushed his clothes slightly in a unconscious effort.
"Yes?" he asked in authoritative tone. The door opened and a older man walked inside.
"Majesty, we'd like you to see the final touches on the ball's decoration for tonight..." the older man said
"I will in a while" Van commanded "I'm a bit busy at the moment" he spoke and looked at Hitomi.
"But, the ball's in 2 hours..." the older man whined
"I'm sure that since you've done a ball up to my standards once, you can do it again" Van spoke annoyed.
"Yes, Sire" the older man replied in a submissive tone, bowed and left, closing the door with small "click".
Hitomi looked at Van, he was now acting like someone she never knew. The old Van would have never displayed such authority over someone. It almost felt like she was staring at someone she didn't know, almost. She loved him and that was the proof she needed to know it was still Van.
"So you're having a ball tonight and you didn't invite me?" Hitomi chided while gazing at Van with a sly smile on her face. Van looked back down and smiled for a moment then frowned looking tenderly at her.
"What's wrong" she asked "I'm not that bad of dancer..." she mumbled to herself.
"You know you are already invited but, " Van hesitated and looked down on her. Hitomi finally realized what he was prompting, looked down and said a quiet voice,
"oh, I know, I don't know what came over me....wishful thinking I guess..." The truth hurt and it seemed this was the worst kind. She fought the feeling of crying down and tried not to think of it. The silence between them was unbearable and weighed down harder every second.
"Do you think?" she asked hopefully "I could at least be with you, and watch you?" she stared into his eyes hopefully. Van knew this was all extremely hard on her and didn't quite know how she would react. He vowed to himself that he would find the best doctors for her, even if it would cost him half his treasury. Her condition had been cured once before but, he wasn't all that sure who cured it. He smiled at her and said,
"As long as you think you'd be all right, I don't want you hurting yourself"
"Hurting myself? How could I? With you treating me like a china doll I don't think I would even have to lift my little finger" Hitomi laughed out. Her laughter was fake because she already had one thing hurt, her pride.
"A 'china-doll'?" He asked in puzzlement
"Um, a very fragile doll" she replied
"okay" he chuckled,
"I better be going" he said after a moment " these people are bound the mess something up..." he muttered while rolling his eyes. Hitomi laughed and then hopefully asked,
"Will you be back later?"
"Of course" he answered firmly and then he swiftly bent over her and kissed her on the check,
"I'm not going to let any of servants touch my girlfriend" he winked and left. Hitomi giggled and waved good-bye as Van left the room. When he was gone she slowly lifted one hand to her face and with a stunned expression, blushed. "The first time he's ever kissed me" she thought to herself. Then she slowly tilted her head back and fell asleep.
Hitomi woke to Van's voice gently coaxing her to wake up. She giggled and softly sighed,
"I was afraid that when I woke up this would all be nothing more than a dream, a...illusion."
Van's eyes shone with the beautiful love he saved just for her, He leaned down and gently embraced, savoring the moment then, reluctantly let he let go. But, planted a kiss on her forehead before leaning back up.
" Now if this is a dream" he told Hitomi "I never want to wake up"
She nodded silently while staring at him. Then, as if without warning , he picked her, cradling her in his arms and carried her out of the room.
"Uh Van?" Hitomi stuttered "where exactly are we going?" He smiled and continued on his way.
"The Ball, my fair Hitomi" he told her. Her eyes widened at the horror of going to the ball like she currently did.
"but, but.." she stuttered "you don't expect me to go looking like this?" her voice raising to a dangerous pitch while she gestured to her wrinkled clothing and messed up hair. He stopped, thought for a moment and then turned a sharp corner and took her through the winding hallways of the giant castle. After a few minutes they finally reached a double doored room that was guarded by two guards that bowed as they passed through. The doors opened up to a giant suite that looked so beautiful she was afraid to breathe. From the silk drapes to the grand *king* size bed the room was purely magnificent!
" Where are we?" Hitomi asked Van curiously as he laid her down on the bed.
"My room" he calmly replied and smiled to himself as she gawked in suprise. He walked over to the door and whispered something to one of the guards, then the guard ran off.
"Van? What are you doing" Hitomi asked Van curiously.
"I'm going to go down to check on the preparations for the ball, and you..." he smiled while Hitomi's eyes widened. "And you are going to get ready while my maids attend to you" Just then a few maids step into the room holding a few dresses and other things she couldn't name. Van started to leave the room when Hitomi called out his name,
"Van, Thank you" she said while running her fingers through her hair. " I was curious if you had thing like a chair with wheels on it..." Hitomi nervously gulped. Van thought for a moment while Hitomi stared at him, she spoke again,
"If not it doesn't matter I can..." Van cut her off. "I know exactly what you're talking about. Some of the older people of my court use them when they are too weak to walk around. I'll get one out for you." Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief. Watched silently as Van left the room. The moment he stepped out of the room the maids immediately began their work on her. One combing her hair while other's quickly stripped her down to nothing but her bra and underwear. Hitomi blushed in embarrassment. Silently they did their work and within minutes she was fitted with a beautiful emerald color dress that reached her ankles. The cloth felt like something between silk and velvet. Her hair was decorated with small clips and cloth roses that shimmered when ever she twisted her head. She smiled at them and in a appreciative voice thanked them,
"You all did such a beautiful job, thank you so much" each of the maids bowed her head and blushed in obvious embarrassment, they were never praised in such a sincere way. They each took a immediate liking to Hitomi and told her how beautiful and kind she was. Then one of the maids said to Hitomi,
"King Van is probably waiting for you, shall I go get him?" Hitomi smiled nodded. The maid walked to the door and peeked her head out and whispered announced,
"The Lady is now ready for you Majesty" A sigh of relief was audible heard and the maid returned to Hitomi with Van following close behind. Van's eyes widened in obvious suprise and Van said,
"Hitomi...you look so...I, mean...you never looked so..." Van struggled with words and Hitomi laughed at the young King's situtation. Her eyes practically radiated at each time he stuttered.
"Beautiful" he finally finished, "though..." he continued "it's missing one thing" Van stood infront of her and silently put a his hands around her neck then, after moment he took his hands away. He smiled silently to himself while Hitomi looked down to find her old pendant. One of her hands went up to shakily touch it and gaze at it. She looked up at Van and in a shaky voice asked,
"You kept it?" A small tear slid down her face and Van brushed it away,
"Of course" he reassured her "I knew I'd see you again one day, you wouldn't look complete without it." She struggled to keep up a shaky smile and reached out for Van's hands. Gently he reached out and captured hers holding them protectively he squeezed them reassuringly.
"Don't cry" he told her "you look too pretty to have puffy red eyes" Van leaned over and picked her up in her arms, cradling her protectively once again.
"Come my beautiful, the ball awaits us" Van told her in his gentle voice and off they went, to the ball.
"Stop" Hitomi said suddenly when they were just outside of the giant room where the ball was being held.
"What?" Van asked while looking down at Hitomi. She thought carefully for a moment before proceeding,
"Do, you think you could go in without me? Then after everyone starts dancing I could come in, in the chair?" Hitomi's green eyes pleaded to Van's bronze ones. A puzzled look swept over Van's face and then he asked her,
"Why?" Hitomi looked distressed for a moment then said,
"Well,...um..., if I were to go in along with you I would be ashamed and embarrassed, especially if you told everyone who I was." she paused " who would believe the Hitomi who helped save Gaea was nothing more than a cripple in...." Van interrupted her with a stern "shh". Hitomi looked up,
"What?!" she asked in suprise. Van looked sternly at her and she felt herself slink back into submission.
"I will not have you or anyone call you that!" He said sternly, almost angrily. Hitomi felt his grip tightening on her and she managed to look down and say a quiet and quick "sorry". Van's eyes softened on her and his gripped relaxed.
"I promise you" he told her solemnly "I will find some way to heal you, first thing tomorrow I'll have the doctor look at you...maybe it's only temporary" In the background Hitomi could hear the crowd getting restless. She looked up at Van in worry,
"Your crowd's getting restless" she said softly "just let me down into the chair and I'll join you soon, okay?" she asked. Van hesitantly walked over to a door corner and pulled out a chair that looked exactly like one from Earth except, wood and cloth. He gently set her down. When she was fully situated on the chair she reached out and firmly gripped his hand, causing him to look at her in suprise.
"I promise I'll be in there shortly...just a little bit after the first dance begins." Van smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Okay" he told her and left, leaving her all alone to look out upon the ballroom.
Hitomi didn't know if she was lost in thought or just didn't hear the cat-woman sneak up her but the moment two hands shoot up and covered her eyes, Hitomi was so taken by suprise she sat there, stunned.
"Hitomi-san...what are you doing?" Merle asked in a curious voice as she slowly took her hands away from Hitomi's face. Merle's eyes got big for a moment then she asked,
"Hitomi-san are you having anymore of those weird visions?" a big smile broke out on Merle's face and she giggled,
"You know you always looked so funny when you thought you were alone." Merle clasped her hands together and gazed off into the distance and in a dramatic voice said,
"Oh why, why do I keep having these Visions?" Hitomi rolled her eyes and dryly laughed trying to change the subject she asked,
"Merle-san, how are everyone?...Millerna-hime, Allen-san...?" Merle pondered for a moment and her face grew serious.
"Van-sama didn't tell you...did he?..." Merle asked hesitantly. She hesitantly looked around than grasped Hitomi's chair and slowly wheeled her out to Van.
"I'll take you to Van-sama while I tell you" Merle said kind of quietly. The music was lively in a quick in the background but Merle seriousness gave Hitomi chills up her spine.
"Well" Merle began taking in a deep breath "it all started 2 years after you left, Celena started acting strangely and finally one night just disappeared. Some say there have been sightings of Dilandau but, no one's all that sure. We all wonder if it's connected to the assassin that tried to kill Van-sama a few months ago." Hitomi's body jerked the moment Merle mentioned the assassin but Merle proceeded "anyways, Millerna-hime and Dryden-hime got back together around that time and Millerna-hime realized that she actually did love him, and they had a beautiful little girl a 3 years ago and she had a beautiful little boy last year." Merle paused for a moment then went on talking again.
"and Allen-san? um, yes I remember....Hitomi-san you'll like this one" Merle winked " After about a year of searching for Celena, Allen finally went back to Austria seems to have fallen quite in love with Princess Eries...she also seems to be in love with him also." she giggled. "Allen proposed to her about 3 months ago and the wedding is in about...,um, 2 weeks!" Hitomi laughed for a moment and smiled looking straight up at Merle "that sounds like Allen! Though I think it's kind of funny that he's been in love with each of the Austrian Princess' you'd think their child would be just as ambitious!" Merle giggled in agreement and Hitomi laughed quietly along with her. Merle suddenly stopped for some reason and walked ahead of Hitomi. Hitomi looked ahead of her and realized that they had stopped infront of Van. Hitomi noted to herself that Merle had changed too, the old Merle would've ran to Van yelling "Van-sama" and hugged him tight. The 'new' Merle seemed more reserved and graceful but, still maintained a sense of playfulness around her.
"Van why didn't you tell me that Allen and Princess Eries are getting married" Hitomi asked in chiding voice. Van smiled and calmly replied,
"It seems to have slipped my mind." He thought for a moment then he asked,
"Would you like to go?" Hitomi crossed her arms infront of her chest and smirked.
"I thought you would never ask." she replied, her eyes then took on a dangerous glint that Van seemed on aware of until she asked,
"Will we see Celena?" He took at her and glanced into her eyes then back at Merle, who it seemed to have disappear. Van exhaled in a distressed sort of way and muttered under his breath,
"She would have found out eventually".
"Merle told me a little bit but, I curious when did the assassin come?" she asked with a slight frown. The music then ended in the background the conductor gave his band a moments rest while women and men scurried around, trying to find their next partner. A few brave women ventured to Van and curtsied and asked if he would dance. Van looked mournfully over to Hitomi while she just shrugged and said,
"We can always talk about this later, a Ball is not the proper place for this type of conversation." Van opened his mouth to say something but Hitomi quickly interrupted him,
"I won't be able to dance so you might as well dance with someone who can. I'll talk to you later, ne?" With that Hitomi waved good-bye as the girl dragged Van off onto the floor. Hitomi looked to a guard who stood beside her and asked,
"Where are the garden's, or at least where I might be able to get some air?" The guard pointed off to the other side of the ballroom where giant windows looked out upon a beautiful garden and open small door opened to it.
"Arigato" she said as she wheeled off towards the gardens.