Hitomi whipped the sweat from her brow as she gazed up into the sun's rays. It sure was sweltering
that late September afternoon. She graciously took the towel offered to her by one of her teammates.
It had been a little over a year since her return to earth. She had found herself unable to go a day with
out thinking of the planet or of the friends she had made there… or of Van. And today was no exception.
The track practice had ended early; Hitomi went home and retired to her favorite place, the roof of her
house. This was the place where she would communicate with Van. The link that connected to them was
incredibly strong, but it wasn't the same as him being there by her side.
She closed her eyes as her soul projected the words she wished to express to her love. Soon she felt
the presence of the boy-king.
Hitomi could sense Van's feelings that reflected her own. They were lonely for each other's company,
but coping and stilling managing to make their way through life. Her spirits lifted as she communicated
with Van knowing that at least he was all right.
The blending of souls lasted over an hour before Van's reluctantly backed off telling her he must
attend to the affairs of Fanelia.
Hitomi sighed as she was once left alone. She reached into the breast pocket of her school jacket a
pulled out her tarot deck and shuffled the cards absently.
Suddenly a haunting feeling surrounded her. Something was wrong… very wrong…
Fire… it was everywhere lapping at the edges of her vision. Standing in the center of the space was a
demonically beautiful woman with long gray hair and blood red eyes in her late teens or early twenties.
The woman wore a Zaibach Captains uniform, but unlike Dilandau's it had a charcoal gray where there
should be red. But what frightened Hitomi more than the woman herself was the dominating stance she
held over a wounded soldier… a soldier with perfectly white wings. Van lifted his head slowly; it was
obvious he was in excruciating pain. The witch's eyes glowed red, and her hair twisted in the wind looking
like gray snakes ready to strike. She then raised her arms, a new energy starting to form in her hands, while
a black shadow rose behind her giving the woman the strength to make this small red glowing orb, which
was pointed directly at Van! But to Hitomi's surprise Van's body was protected by another with jet-black
wings. 'Folken…' she said silently to herself.
Van's protection didn't last long as Folken was knocked aside by another man. "Dilandau!" she
exclaimed in shock at the sight of the 'fallen' Zaibach Captain. Her love was now defenseless against the
demon woman's onslaughts. The orb left her hands and growing bigger enveloping Van in it's unholy light.
The shadow behind the witch grew larger and more intimidating, wings of fire also appeared on the witch's
back. The orb returned it's original size and to the woman's hands. She then looked up and straight into
Hitomi's eyes as if she could see her and flashed a sickening smile. She then turned into the shadow, which
disappeared taking the witch and Van along with it…
Hitomi was suddenly snapped back into the present. Her heart pounded with fright, she looked down
to her shaking hands to her tarot deck.
And there on the top of the deck lying face up was one of her cards…
… IL Diavolo… the Devil.
that late September afternoon. She graciously took the towel offered to her by one of her teammates.
It had been a little over a year since her return to earth. She had found herself unable to go a day with
out thinking of the planet or of the friends she had made there… or of Van. And today was no exception.
The track practice had ended early; Hitomi went home and retired to her favorite place, the roof of her
house. This was the place where she would communicate with Van. The link that connected to them was
incredibly strong, but it wasn't the same as him being there by her side.
She closed her eyes as her soul projected the words she wished to express to her love. Soon she felt
the presence of the boy-king.
Hitomi could sense Van's feelings that reflected her own. They were lonely for each other's company,
but coping and stilling managing to make their way through life. Her spirits lifted as she communicated
with Van knowing that at least he was all right.
The blending of souls lasted over an hour before Van's reluctantly backed off telling her he must
attend to the affairs of Fanelia.
Hitomi sighed as she was once left alone. She reached into the breast pocket of her school jacket a
pulled out her tarot deck and shuffled the cards absently.
Suddenly a haunting feeling surrounded her. Something was wrong… very wrong…
Fire… it was everywhere lapping at the edges of her vision. Standing in the center of the space was a
demonically beautiful woman with long gray hair and blood red eyes in her late teens or early twenties.
The woman wore a Zaibach Captains uniform, but unlike Dilandau's it had a charcoal gray where there
should be red. But what frightened Hitomi more than the woman herself was the dominating stance she
held over a wounded soldier… a soldier with perfectly white wings. Van lifted his head slowly; it was
obvious he was in excruciating pain. The witch's eyes glowed red, and her hair twisted in the wind looking
like gray snakes ready to strike. She then raised her arms, a new energy starting to form in her hands, while
a black shadow rose behind her giving the woman the strength to make this small red glowing orb, which
was pointed directly at Van! But to Hitomi's surprise Van's body was protected by another with jet-black
wings. 'Folken…' she said silently to herself.
Van's protection didn't last long as Folken was knocked aside by another man. "Dilandau!" she
exclaimed in shock at the sight of the 'fallen' Zaibach Captain. Her love was now defenseless against the
demon woman's onslaughts. The orb left her hands and growing bigger enveloping Van in it's unholy light.
The shadow behind the witch grew larger and more intimidating, wings of fire also appeared on the witch's
back. The orb returned it's original size and to the woman's hands. She then looked up and straight into
Hitomi's eyes as if she could see her and flashed a sickening smile. She then turned into the shadow, which
disappeared taking the witch and Van along with it…
Hitomi was suddenly snapped back into the present. Her heart pounded with fright, she looked down
to her shaking hands to her tarot deck.
And there on the top of the deck lying face up was one of her cards…
… IL Diavolo… the Devil.