Formalities, formalities....

DISCLAIMER: Tenkuu no Escaflowne, its characters, plots, and storylines are the property of their respective owners. By writing this story, I do not claim any rights to or ownership of Tenkuu no Escaflowne, its characters, plots or storylines. If any of the rightful owners object to my use of said characters, plots and storylines, please notify me and I shall rectify the problem immediately. Let it be known that I am not using this story for profit. So don't sue me. Please.

Allen lay on the grass, alone. The Mystic Moon seemed brighter tonight, perhaps because it was the first cloudless night in weeks. A rueful smile played across his face. How could anyone, after all this time, still hold such power over him?

In one smooth movement, Allen rose to his feet and started across the field towards the castle. The music floated from the ballroom, over the garden and to his ears. Allen smiled again, this time feeling more melancholy. How many more matrimonial celebrations would he live to see? It seemed a curse that happiness should thrice escape him, only to grace the lives of everyone he loved.

He paused by the fountain in the garden, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the still waters. How cruel these twenty-five years had been to him! His hair, once a long, silky, silvery-blonde, was now a proper, gentlemanly, cropped silvery-gray. His face, once taut with youthful glow was now a portrait of his life: scars from battle, and quickly-deepening lines from stress and solitude. He wished he had at least kept his youthful frivolity so he could mourn the demise of his looks, but no; Allen was not shallow anymore.

His days were now spent presiding over the Orphaned Children's Home, and teaching Asturian history at the local university. For Allen, it was one social event after another, with Celes and Cyan's wedding, the christening of their first child, and now Chid and Varie's wedding.... The gatherings served as a constant reminder of how empty his life was, and he had no one to blame but himself. If only he hadn't held so stubbornly to his self-promise to marry only for love; if only he'd stood up to King Aston; if only he'd asked her not to go....

Allen shook himself from his thoughts and headed back inside.

December 9

"Hitomi! Hey – keep your shoes on!"

"Oh, right… sorry!" Hitomi blushed apologetically as she shut the front door. Would she ever get used to these American customs? Of course, it may not have been habit that caused this slip-up. Hitomi had been daydreaming all day. Van. While packing earlier that day, she had found his feather in that disaster zone known as her desk; her thoughts had been with him ever since. Van. She remembered their last moment of contact, six years earlier, when they swore that distance wouldn't matter, that nothing could keep them apart –

"Hitomi!" Again, she was shaken from her thoughts by Laura's playful scolding.

"Huh?" came her slightly stunned reply. Hitomi peered at her through the dimness.

"You almost walked into the wall… Are you okay? You've been distracted all day long. You aren't sick, are you?" Hitomi could hear the worry in Laura's voice. She smiled; how lucky she was to have such a sweet, caring friend!

"No, Laura. Really. I'm alright. Just thinking about going home next week…." Her voice trailed off. If only she could have chosen Gaea as her home….

"Well, good. Being sick on your birthday is the pits." Laura's voice was back to its normal, carefree self. "Hey, Hitomi, hit that light switch over there. The one to your left."

Hitomi obeyed, and was rewarded by light and eight voices yelling "Surprise!" She gave a little jump, and a little squeal, and relaxed when she realized what was happening.

"Oh, wow!… Thank you, everyone!" The tears that had come so easily to her eyes did not spill over, but remained, making her eyes seem brighter tonight. Vaughn stood still, his gaze following her around the room. She was bewitching, enchanting. How, after all this time, could he never have noticed it? That fair, fresh skin; that hair of silken gold. In one swift step, Vaughn settled into the sofa behind him. The room had begun to spin; he wasn't sure if he should attribute it to the sudden unveiling of his feelings or an excess of vodka. At any rate, he knew he had to rid himself of such thoughts to make it through the night.

After calling everyone to attention, Laura removed the cover from the platter in the center of the table. A wave of murmurs spread through the group as they admired Laura's culinary marvel: a birthday cake, painstakingly decorated with a model of the solar system. "How perfectly appropriate, for a third-year planetary science major." Diana, as usual, stated the obvious. Though she was beaming with joy, Hitomi couldn't help but notice that Gaea was missing from the cake. Of course, she herself wouldn't know where to put it, now would she?

The candles were lit, the lights were dimmed, and the requisite chorus of "Happy Birthday" was sung. Before she could blow out the twenty-one twinkling flames, someone interjected, "Make a wish, Hitomi! Make a wish!" She stopped in mid-inhalation. At the mention of the word, she felt Van's feather grow warm in her pocket. "Wish." Without hesitation, she did.

Hi everyone. I'm not totally sure what this story is all about yet. However, if it follows the plans I've begun to lay out for it, it will be quite long. I'm posting this first chapter to get an idea of what you guys think; I'll make the necessary changes and keep writing as you give me some honest criticism (please).

Notes: No, I don't mean Celena; I mean Celes. Yes, I know Varie is dead; this is another Varie. No, Vaughn is not Van; they are two different people who live on two different planets. In short, I've introduced my own made-up characters. Many of you will, I'm sure, recognize names from Final Fantasy III and other such sources. Sorry. I'm not too good at coming up with names. Later in the story, when you do come across my own made-up names, you'll be able to tell. They're just not very good.