Chapter 7 - Hitomi's Return / Recovery
"NOOOOOO!!" Van screamed as he watched Sailor Venus and Allen fall. He ran to the edge and willed his wings to appear. They ripped through his shirt and extended to their full length. Van jumped off the cliff and started diving towards them, but just as he started descending, a strong wind started blowing him everywhere. The wind was too strong along the coast. Van tried again and again, but each time the wind tried to smash him against the cliffs. Finally, Van stopped and landed back near the other soldiers. He slumped over in exhaustion as his wings started to fall away.
Allen...Mina, he thought, I couldn't save them...they're...they're gone.
"Van!"
Hitomi came running over to him. She fell down beside him. He looked up into her eyes.
He had dreamed of this day, dreamed of the day Hitomi would return to him. He had imaged her running to him with her beautiful smile reaching ear to ear. But Hitomi had tears in her eyes.
"Hitomi..."Van said quietly, "I tried to help them, but I couldn't...."
Hitomi started to ball. Tears ran down Van's face as well.
Van helped Hitomi stand up and everyone started the mournful walk down to the beach. Hitomi clung to Van as they walked down together.
When they reached the beach they made their way back to the Crusade. Merle came running out to greet them.
"Lord Van! You're back!" Merle shouted excitedly. She ran over to him. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who he was with.
"HITOMI!" Merle screamed. Merle was ready to explode with happiness when she realized everyone was very quiet.
"What happened Lord Van? Why is everyone so sad? Where's Allen ...and Mina?" she said while looking around
Hitomi started to sob at the mention of their names.
"Lord Van, where's Allen and Mina?!" Merle asked. She looked into Van eyes and saw the tears, and the pain.
"Oh no...no....NOOOOO! It can't be!" Merle screamed. They can't be... they can't be! I DON"T BELIEVE YOU!" Merle took off running towards the Crusade.
"Let her go." Van said as he saw Gaddess start to head after her. Gaddess nodded and fell back. They all continued in to the Crusade.
Inside, Van spoke quickly with the man Allen had left in charge. Van told him the news, but immediately suggested they form search parties in the morning. With that done, he took Hitomi to a room she could use.
Van lit a lamp inside and helped Hitomi on to her bed. She hadn't said anything the entire time. As Van started to leave, she spoke up.
"Van...don't go. Don't leave me."
Van walked over to the bed and sat down beside her.
"Hitomi, can you tell me what happened? How did you get here?"
Hitomi seemed a little more in control of her emotions and sat up and faced Van.
"I had a vision, a terrible vision. I saw you, Allen, a girl, and a group
of soldiers walking up a cliff. Then, this horrible woman in a red dress caused a rock fall above you. The cliff fell apart but...but you were smashed by a huge boulder before you even fell down, like Allen and the girl." Hitomi started to lightly cry again. "The vision came to me as I was walking home from school. It was terrible. I KNEW that I had to get to Gaea and warm you. I used all my power and willed myself here. I didn't think I'd make it, but I did. I didn't land too far from here. I recognized the cliffs and started running towards them as fast as I could...but I didn't get there fast enough. And not Allen's dead because of me." Hitomi sobbed.
"No Hitomi, look at me!" Van said as he brought Hitomi's head up. "Allen and Mina are gone because of that witch woman, Adellus. You did the best you could. You saved the others and me. No one could help Allen and Mina. I tried...but I couldn't..."Van said. He could still see them falling...could still hear them screaming.
"Oh Van...I missed you." Hitomi sobbed as she leaned over and embraced Van. Van, a little taken back, put his arms around Hitomi and held her closer.
"I missed you too." He whispered into her ear.
Van then told Hitomi about Mina and Adellus. When he was finished they started talking about what had happened to them in the last year. Hitomi told Van how empty she felt back on Earth. She thought, a year ago, that it would be best that she return to Earth, but for a year she regretted that decision.
They talked late into the night, until they fell asleep together, wrapped in each other's arms.
********* *********
Mina slowly opened her eyes.
What happened, she thought. Where am I?
She was lying down and was covered in blankets. There was a fire burning near by. It was dark, but Mina could hear the rustle of trees and critters in the background. She was in a forest. She turned her head to the side and saw Allen sleeping, wrapped in blankets like her.
"Allen..." Mina whispered as she tried to get up. She didn't get far because her head started throbbing painfully. She moaned.
"Rest child, your injures have still not healed, and you need to sleep." Said an old man who came out of the darkness. She could only see his bearded face because he was wearing an old, long gray robe. He must have seen her hesitation and understood. "Your friend will be fine. Rest, let your body heal, no one will harm you or your friend here."
Mina nodded and put her head back down and slipped into darkness.
Mina woke hours later to the sounds of pots clanking against each other. It was still night. She looked over and saw Allen getting some stew out of the pot hanging over the fire.
"Allen?"
Allen looked over and smiled.
"I see you've finally decided to wake up. Don't worry, I only woke up a little while ago myself." He said as he filled a second bowl. He came over and sat down beside her (since their mats were actual furs spread on the ground). She tried to sit up, but was still very weak.
"Careful!" Allen said as he helped her sit up. The blankets slipped off to reveal Mina was still Sailor Venus.
"It looks like you've had a bad head injury, but it appears to healing nicely." Allen said as Mina reached up and felt a bandage on the side of her temple.
"Allen, what the heck happened? Where are we? Are how are we still alive?" Mina said in a very confused manner.
"Well, to be honest, I don't know where we are or how we got here. Tell me, what's the last thing you remember?"
"Let me think. We were heading up the cliff... and then Adellus appeared! She caused a rock slide! We were running...and then we were falling...that's all I remember." Mina shrugged.
"This is what I remember...." Allen started.
**FLASHBACK**
"RUN MINA!" Allen shouted as the rocks started to tumble down. He and Mina raced down the side towards safety, but they were too far away.
Suddenly a huge boulder smashed in front of them, destroying the path. They quickly turned around, but another boulder came smashing down in front of them. Suddenly, everything seemed to move very slowly. Allen saw the path crumble and fall out under them. They started to fall. Rocks and dust were fell all around them. Allen saw Mina (Sailor Venus) start to call upon her Venus Chain, but a fist-sized rock hit Mina in the head and she was out cold.
Faster and faster they fell towards the Ocean. Allen was powerless to do anything. He only prayed they would fall in deep water.
They did.
Allen was underwater. The fall had caused him to sink far in the water, but he had recovered. He opened his eyes and scanned the water. Mina wasn't too far from him, but she was unconscious and sinking further down. He swam over, grabbed her, and started swimming for the surface.
He surfaced with a huge gasp for air. He looked around frantically. It was almost completely dark but he knew he and Mina would be smashed against the cliffs if they didn't get away. Allen tried to swim, but with Mina's added weight and the surge of the waves, he had no hope. Just as he was about to be smashed against the cliff, something grabbed him and Mina from below. They were pulled under. The suddenness of it all caused Allen to let go of Mina. He tried to get back to the surface, but something kept pulling him under. He couldn't see with his hair swirling in his face. He couldn't breathe either. Just as he started to black out, he saw the lovely face of a Mermaid....
** END FLASHBACK **
"So, we were rescued by Mermaids." Mina said, after Allen had finished his story.
"I guess so, but that still doesn't explain how we got here." Allen said as he finished his last bit of stew.
"What about that old man with the beard?" Mina asked.
"What old man?" Allen asked looking puzzled.
"I believe she is talking about me." A voice said.
Allen quickly stood up. An old, bearded man, with a long gray robe on, came out of the woods.
"Did you bring us here?" Allen asked.
"Yes, but not by myself, my brothers helped me. My name is Rivan." Rivan said as he stuck out his hand.
"Allen Schezar." Allen said as he shook Rivan's hand. "And this is Minako Aino."
Mina slowly stood up and bowed to Rivan.
"Thank you for helping us sir, but perhaps you could tell us exactly what happened to us?"
"Of course! My brothers and I had just finished our sunset meditations on the beach. On our way back to the forest, we spotted you two on the beach. We came over and found you both out cold and injured. We brought you back here and treated your wounds."
"How long have we been here?" Mina asked.
"We found you last night. You've been asleep for the entire day, except when you woke up a few hours ago, my dear."
"Wait a minute." Allen said. "Sir, are you and your brothers...Druids?"
"That's what the common people call us, Sir Allen." Allen raised an eyebrow.
"We could tell you were a knight," Rivan explained. "Your sword has the mark of Caeli on it."
"Yes, you're right, I'm a knight of Caeli." Allen said as he noticed that his sword wasn't in its usual place around his waist.
"Don't worry my boy, you're sword in over there." Rivan said as he pointed towards a pile of things.
"Oh!" Mina suddenly said. "Our friends! We have to let them know we're okay!"
"Don't worry, we took care of that too. One of our brothers has gone to find your friends. We believe they will be here by morning. I'm going to leave you now, but I just came to see how you were." Rivan said as he walked over and looked at Mina's injury.
"Yes yes, this healed up quite nicely. You're lucky we had some Hinkuo leaves on hand. Please help yourself to more stew and water." Rivan said as he pointed to the fire. "But I suggest you continue to rest. You won't have your full strength back for at least a couple of days."
Rivan made his way out and melted back into the darkness.
"Okay." Mina said, a little overwhelmed with everything. She looked down and remembered she was still Sailor Venus. She brought her hands together and willed herself to become Mina again.
As the shimmering ended, Mina suddenly felt very weak and started to faint. Allen rushed over and caught her just in time.
"Opps!" Mina said as Allen helped her down. "I guess I'm still pretty weak."
Allen brought Mina over some water. While she drank, he pulled his 'bed' over towards hers. He laid down, put his hands behind his head and gazed at the stars.
"So," he started, "can I see the planet Venus from here?"
Mina put down her water and laid down.
"Yep, it's right there." She pointed in to the night sky. "See that star with a yellowish glow to it, that's Venus. It's not a star because the light isn't blinking, that's how I find it at night."
"Hmmm." Allen said. "Do you remember you're past life?" He asked.
"Yes, but not all of it. I remember the last battle with the Negaverse and I remember being the leader of the scouts of who protected Princess Serenity, but I don't remember everything. Sometimes, old memories will come to me, but I try to concentrate on this life."
They were both silent for a minute or two.
"Look..." they both said at the same time. They laughed.
"Let me go first." Said Allen. Mina nodded and rolled on her side to face him. He did the same.
"I guess I just want to say I'm finally glad we have some time alone."
Mina blushed.
"It's been so crazy ever since you got here, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. And back there on the Crusade, well, I wanted to tell you that... I want to be with you."
"Oh Allen." Mina sighed as she decided to do something bold. She moved over closer to him and wrapped her arm around him. He brought his arm around her shoulders and she put her head down on his shoulder.
"Allen, I never thought I'd find someone so wonderful, so soon. I've been very lonely on Earth, and it's hard seeing Serena and Darien together all the time. Destiny brought them together again and I starting thinking if I was destined to be alone, but then I met you. I feel safe and comfortable with you."
Allen looked down at her and brushed a piece of her hair out of her face. Then he leaned in and kissed Mina. She was surprised at first, but then kissed him back. She brought her hand up and held his face. The kiss ended and they smiled at each other. They laid back down and cuddled for the rest of the night.
NOTE: That's it, I'd better change the genre to a romance/action/adventure, eh? I hoped you liked this part, and I promise things will pick up soon. Darn, I'm such a romantic sap at heart (hehehe). Please let me know what you think.
"NOOOOOO!!" Van screamed as he watched Sailor Venus and Allen fall. He ran to the edge and willed his wings to appear. They ripped through his shirt and extended to their full length. Van jumped off the cliff and started diving towards them, but just as he started descending, a strong wind started blowing him everywhere. The wind was too strong along the coast. Van tried again and again, but each time the wind tried to smash him against the cliffs. Finally, Van stopped and landed back near the other soldiers. He slumped over in exhaustion as his wings started to fall away.
Allen...Mina, he thought, I couldn't save them...they're...they're gone.
"Van!"
Hitomi came running over to him. She fell down beside him. He looked up into her eyes.
He had dreamed of this day, dreamed of the day Hitomi would return to him. He had imaged her running to him with her beautiful smile reaching ear to ear. But Hitomi had tears in her eyes.
"Hitomi..."Van said quietly, "I tried to help them, but I couldn't...."
Hitomi started to ball. Tears ran down Van's face as well.
Van helped Hitomi stand up and everyone started the mournful walk down to the beach. Hitomi clung to Van as they walked down together.
When they reached the beach they made their way back to the Crusade. Merle came running out to greet them.
"Lord Van! You're back!" Merle shouted excitedly. She ran over to him. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who he was with.
"HITOMI!" Merle screamed. Merle was ready to explode with happiness when she realized everyone was very quiet.
"What happened Lord Van? Why is everyone so sad? Where's Allen ...and Mina?" she said while looking around
Hitomi started to sob at the mention of their names.
"Lord Van, where's Allen and Mina?!" Merle asked. She looked into Van eyes and saw the tears, and the pain.
"Oh no...no....NOOOOO! It can't be!" Merle screamed. They can't be... they can't be! I DON"T BELIEVE YOU!" Merle took off running towards the Crusade.
"Let her go." Van said as he saw Gaddess start to head after her. Gaddess nodded and fell back. They all continued in to the Crusade.
Inside, Van spoke quickly with the man Allen had left in charge. Van told him the news, but immediately suggested they form search parties in the morning. With that done, he took Hitomi to a room she could use.
Van lit a lamp inside and helped Hitomi on to her bed. She hadn't said anything the entire time. As Van started to leave, she spoke up.
"Van...don't go. Don't leave me."
Van walked over to the bed and sat down beside her.
"Hitomi, can you tell me what happened? How did you get here?"
Hitomi seemed a little more in control of her emotions and sat up and faced Van.
"I had a vision, a terrible vision. I saw you, Allen, a girl, and a group
of soldiers walking up a cliff. Then, this horrible woman in a red dress caused a rock fall above you. The cliff fell apart but...but you were smashed by a huge boulder before you even fell down, like Allen and the girl." Hitomi started to lightly cry again. "The vision came to me as I was walking home from school. It was terrible. I KNEW that I had to get to Gaea and warm you. I used all my power and willed myself here. I didn't think I'd make it, but I did. I didn't land too far from here. I recognized the cliffs and started running towards them as fast as I could...but I didn't get there fast enough. And not Allen's dead because of me." Hitomi sobbed.
"No Hitomi, look at me!" Van said as he brought Hitomi's head up. "Allen and Mina are gone because of that witch woman, Adellus. You did the best you could. You saved the others and me. No one could help Allen and Mina. I tried...but I couldn't..."Van said. He could still see them falling...could still hear them screaming.
"Oh Van...I missed you." Hitomi sobbed as she leaned over and embraced Van. Van, a little taken back, put his arms around Hitomi and held her closer.
"I missed you too." He whispered into her ear.
Van then told Hitomi about Mina and Adellus. When he was finished they started talking about what had happened to them in the last year. Hitomi told Van how empty she felt back on Earth. She thought, a year ago, that it would be best that she return to Earth, but for a year she regretted that decision.
They talked late into the night, until they fell asleep together, wrapped in each other's arms.
********* *********
Mina slowly opened her eyes.
What happened, she thought. Where am I?
She was lying down and was covered in blankets. There was a fire burning near by. It was dark, but Mina could hear the rustle of trees and critters in the background. She was in a forest. She turned her head to the side and saw Allen sleeping, wrapped in blankets like her.
"Allen..." Mina whispered as she tried to get up. She didn't get far because her head started throbbing painfully. She moaned.
"Rest child, your injures have still not healed, and you need to sleep." Said an old man who came out of the darkness. She could only see his bearded face because he was wearing an old, long gray robe. He must have seen her hesitation and understood. "Your friend will be fine. Rest, let your body heal, no one will harm you or your friend here."
Mina nodded and put her head back down and slipped into darkness.
Mina woke hours later to the sounds of pots clanking against each other. It was still night. She looked over and saw Allen getting some stew out of the pot hanging over the fire.
"Allen?"
Allen looked over and smiled.
"I see you've finally decided to wake up. Don't worry, I only woke up a little while ago myself." He said as he filled a second bowl. He came over and sat down beside her (since their mats were actual furs spread on the ground). She tried to sit up, but was still very weak.
"Careful!" Allen said as he helped her sit up. The blankets slipped off to reveal Mina was still Sailor Venus.
"It looks like you've had a bad head injury, but it appears to healing nicely." Allen said as Mina reached up and felt a bandage on the side of her temple.
"Allen, what the heck happened? Where are we? Are how are we still alive?" Mina said in a very confused manner.
"Well, to be honest, I don't know where we are or how we got here. Tell me, what's the last thing you remember?"
"Let me think. We were heading up the cliff... and then Adellus appeared! She caused a rock slide! We were running...and then we were falling...that's all I remember." Mina shrugged.
"This is what I remember...." Allen started.
**FLASHBACK**
"RUN MINA!" Allen shouted as the rocks started to tumble down. He and Mina raced down the side towards safety, but they were too far away.
Suddenly a huge boulder smashed in front of them, destroying the path. They quickly turned around, but another boulder came smashing down in front of them. Suddenly, everything seemed to move very slowly. Allen saw the path crumble and fall out under them. They started to fall. Rocks and dust were fell all around them. Allen saw Mina (Sailor Venus) start to call upon her Venus Chain, but a fist-sized rock hit Mina in the head and she was out cold.
Faster and faster they fell towards the Ocean. Allen was powerless to do anything. He only prayed they would fall in deep water.
They did.
Allen was underwater. The fall had caused him to sink far in the water, but he had recovered. He opened his eyes and scanned the water. Mina wasn't too far from him, but she was unconscious and sinking further down. He swam over, grabbed her, and started swimming for the surface.
He surfaced with a huge gasp for air. He looked around frantically. It was almost completely dark but he knew he and Mina would be smashed against the cliffs if they didn't get away. Allen tried to swim, but with Mina's added weight and the surge of the waves, he had no hope. Just as he was about to be smashed against the cliff, something grabbed him and Mina from below. They were pulled under. The suddenness of it all caused Allen to let go of Mina. He tried to get back to the surface, but something kept pulling him under. He couldn't see with his hair swirling in his face. He couldn't breathe either. Just as he started to black out, he saw the lovely face of a Mermaid....
** END FLASHBACK **
"So, we were rescued by Mermaids." Mina said, after Allen had finished his story.
"I guess so, but that still doesn't explain how we got here." Allen said as he finished his last bit of stew.
"What about that old man with the beard?" Mina asked.
"What old man?" Allen asked looking puzzled.
"I believe she is talking about me." A voice said.
Allen quickly stood up. An old, bearded man, with a long gray robe on, came out of the woods.
"Did you bring us here?" Allen asked.
"Yes, but not by myself, my brothers helped me. My name is Rivan." Rivan said as he stuck out his hand.
"Allen Schezar." Allen said as he shook Rivan's hand. "And this is Minako Aino."
Mina slowly stood up and bowed to Rivan.
"Thank you for helping us sir, but perhaps you could tell us exactly what happened to us?"
"Of course! My brothers and I had just finished our sunset meditations on the beach. On our way back to the forest, we spotted you two on the beach. We came over and found you both out cold and injured. We brought you back here and treated your wounds."
"How long have we been here?" Mina asked.
"We found you last night. You've been asleep for the entire day, except when you woke up a few hours ago, my dear."
"Wait a minute." Allen said. "Sir, are you and your brothers...Druids?"
"That's what the common people call us, Sir Allen." Allen raised an eyebrow.
"We could tell you were a knight," Rivan explained. "Your sword has the mark of Caeli on it."
"Yes, you're right, I'm a knight of Caeli." Allen said as he noticed that his sword wasn't in its usual place around his waist.
"Don't worry my boy, you're sword in over there." Rivan said as he pointed towards a pile of things.
"Oh!" Mina suddenly said. "Our friends! We have to let them know we're okay!"
"Don't worry, we took care of that too. One of our brothers has gone to find your friends. We believe they will be here by morning. I'm going to leave you now, but I just came to see how you were." Rivan said as he walked over and looked at Mina's injury.
"Yes yes, this healed up quite nicely. You're lucky we had some Hinkuo leaves on hand. Please help yourself to more stew and water." Rivan said as he pointed to the fire. "But I suggest you continue to rest. You won't have your full strength back for at least a couple of days."
Rivan made his way out and melted back into the darkness.
"Okay." Mina said, a little overwhelmed with everything. She looked down and remembered she was still Sailor Venus. She brought her hands together and willed herself to become Mina again.
As the shimmering ended, Mina suddenly felt very weak and started to faint. Allen rushed over and caught her just in time.
"Opps!" Mina said as Allen helped her down. "I guess I'm still pretty weak."
Allen brought Mina over some water. While she drank, he pulled his 'bed' over towards hers. He laid down, put his hands behind his head and gazed at the stars.
"So," he started, "can I see the planet Venus from here?"
Mina put down her water and laid down.
"Yep, it's right there." She pointed in to the night sky. "See that star with a yellowish glow to it, that's Venus. It's not a star because the light isn't blinking, that's how I find it at night."
"Hmmm." Allen said. "Do you remember you're past life?" He asked.
"Yes, but not all of it. I remember the last battle with the Negaverse and I remember being the leader of the scouts of who protected Princess Serenity, but I don't remember everything. Sometimes, old memories will come to me, but I try to concentrate on this life."
They were both silent for a minute or two.
"Look..." they both said at the same time. They laughed.
"Let me go first." Said Allen. Mina nodded and rolled on her side to face him. He did the same.
"I guess I just want to say I'm finally glad we have some time alone."
Mina blushed.
"It's been so crazy ever since you got here, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. And back there on the Crusade, well, I wanted to tell you that... I want to be with you."
"Oh Allen." Mina sighed as she decided to do something bold. She moved over closer to him and wrapped her arm around him. He brought his arm around her shoulders and she put her head down on his shoulder.
"Allen, I never thought I'd find someone so wonderful, so soon. I've been very lonely on Earth, and it's hard seeing Serena and Darien together all the time. Destiny brought them together again and I starting thinking if I was destined to be alone, but then I met you. I feel safe and comfortable with you."
Allen looked down at her and brushed a piece of her hair out of her face. Then he leaned in and kissed Mina. She was surprised at first, but then kissed him back. She brought her hand up and held his face. The kiss ended and they smiled at each other. They laid back down and cuddled for the rest of the night.
NOTE: That's it, I'd better change the genre to a romance/action/adventure, eh? I hoped you liked this part, and I promise things will pick up soon. Darn, I'm such a romantic sap at heart (hehehe). Please let me know what you think.