--Note: Please note I am writing this fan fiction sometime after the film version of Escaflowne so Milerna looks very different to the series version. Also note that they wear very different clothes to what they do in the series as well. Plus there is the addition of Hitomi being the Goddess of Wings.--

^_^ mystik dreamer

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--Hearts of Ice--

--Chapter 3: Unexpected Things--

"Just a dream…is that all he is to you now?" Hitomi stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. Her room was dark as she lay on her back and looked up at the ceiling.
"A dream…Van…no, Van is not a dream…"
"Then why say it…?" A voice… Someone was in her room with her. She heard a quiet rustle to one corner of the room. Then…silence… She lay pinned to her bed. Someone or something was in the room… She kept her eyes on the ceiling and remained as still as she could. Suddenly, without warning, there was a loud click and the room was filled with light. Hitomi curled up and covered her eyes protecting them from the bright light. She didn't say a word as she lay trying to get her eyes to adjust to the light change.
"It is time…Goddess of Wings…" Hitomi froze and opened her eyes wide regardless of the bright light from her ceiling light. Her heart leapt into her throat and began to beat strongly. Goddess of Wings…Gaea…Van… She felt a warm gentle hand rest upon hers as she felt the bed dip slightly as someone sat upon it beside her. She slowly moved her head as her heart stopped beating in the hope of seeing his face again even just one more time… A face slowly came into view…that long blonde hair, those kind blue eyes…
"Allen…?" He nodded gently and smiled to her as she pulled herself into his arms. Tears began to fall down her face as she tightened the grip upon his hand. If Allen was still alive then Gaea must have survived what they were trying to stop. That evil fate predicted upon Gaea and it's inhabitants, that dark myst which hung over that world like a virus.
He held her close to him and smiled as he watched her cry upon him.
"Oh Allen…I thought…You, Gaea, everything was gone…" She pulled herself away from him a little and looked up to him.
"I thought it was all gone…I thought that…" He placed a finger onto her lips as he diverted his eyes to look upon the door. She heard the sound of approaching footsteps nearby the door. Hitomi and Allen stayed perfectly still and listened. Every so often the clink of metal could be heard, then the door creaked open slowly. A lady stood in the doorway and rested her eyes upon the two. She lifted her head slightly and flicked her long brown hair back and placed a hand onto her hip.
"Not disturbing anything am I?" She smiled and winked at Hitomi. Hitomi's eyes flooded with more tears as she hurriedly tried to wipe them away.
"Milerna…" Milerna nodded and smiled then stepped into the room closing the door behind her. She looked over to Allen.
"Everyone is asleep." Allen nodded.
"That's a relief." Hitomi was in a state of disbelief. What were Allen and Milerna doing here? On earth…and for starters how had they survived the fate predicted upon Gaea? Nothing made sense, nothing needed to make sense. She was too happy to see them both again, alive and well.
"We had better make our move now then." Allen spoke softly as he helped Hitomi to her feet. He seemed to have sensed her confusion and looked to her as Milerna began to pack a bag for her.
"Hitomi…We need you to return to Gaea with us…He's calling for you." Hitomi's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. He…could He be Van? Could Van be alive? Hitomi was just about to ask her questions when…

"HITOMI!!" A loud familiar shout followed by a series of loud banging's on the front door altered her trail of thought. Allen and Milerna backed up looking slightly edgy. Allen placed his hand on his sword ready to fight just in case and Milerna was studying the door ready to make a run for it. Hitomi froze and listened.
"Hitomi, please open up!!" That familiar voice again. "Hitomi, help me please…I'm scared!!"
"That's Yukari." Hitomi realised speaking out loud to calm Allen and Milerna down. "It's alright. She's a friend of mine." The two eased their stances as Milerna looked to Allen whose head was bowed.
"I guess they found her…" Allen nodded then covered his face with his hand and shook his head with slight embarrassment. Yukari began to sound almost hysterical. Milerna looked to Hitomi.
"You should let her in before she wakes anyone up." Hitomi nodded she ran past the two grabbing her dressing gown and threw it over her shoulders as she quietly slipped downstairs.

Moments later Yukari was sitting on the floor in the living room with a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket around her shoulders. She was much calmer now and was telling Hitomi what had happened.
"…and then this strange cat thing stood on it's hind legs and said 'What's wrong with wearing clothes? You wear them!' It then pulled it's tongue out at me and turned it's back on me. Then there was a strange voice from behind me it said 'Honestly if something angers you just destroy it! I'll do it for you if you like!' Then it started laughing manically. I was so scared so I ran here…"
"Seems Merle and Dilandau have introduced themselves to you…" Yukari froze at the sound of an unfamiliar male voice and the sound of footsteps upon the stairs. Allen and Milerna approached as Hitomi patted Yukari's back.
"It's alright Yukari. These are friends of mine." Hitomi got to her feet as they reached her and smiled to Yukari.
"See. Nothing to be frightened of." Yukari was a little edgy at seeing these two strange people in strange clothes but nether the less slowly got to her feet. She had put the hot chocolate down and was holding the blanket firmly around her as she just stood and stared at the two strange people. Hitomi smiled and remembered her first time in Gaea. She had fallen from out of Escaflowne, The Dragon Armour; she had fallen into his arms…Van. Hitomi bowed her head slightly as she remembered. She remembered everything her confusion, her fear. Van had tried to kill her back then but it was Allen who had saved her. Allen and Milerna were both there she was scared of them both but Allen had shown her a friendship and asked her to join them.
Allen stepped past her and held his hand out to Yukari.
"It is alright, we are here to welcome you…" He stepped closer to Yukari as Hitomi recognised his words.
"Those two were sent to find you… Yukari, please come with us. Come with us to Gaea…" Hitomi was just as shocked as Yukari was upon hearing this. Her eyes widened as she looked over at her frightened friend. Yukari was looking into Allen's eyes her mouth slightly open.
"…Gaea…" Hitomi realised how silly that must have sounded to her and understood how confused she was.
"I've heard of that before…Once before." She looked at Hitomi who returned the look.
"That's where you go in dreams isn't it Hitomi? That's where you drift to in your mind…" Hitomi's eyes widened. How did she know? She couldn't know not without Hitomi telling her anything there was no way.
"…I…um…I…"
"It's alright, if you had wanted to keep it a secret from me Hitomi you should stop talking in your sleep…" She giggled and winked at her. Yukari then took a deep breath as Hitomi sighed and smacked her head. Yukari then held her hand out to Allen and smiled as she placed it into his.
"I will go with you to this world…" She smiled and Allen nodded to her. Milerna smiled and held Hitomi's shoulders.
"It seems all the pieces are in place." Hitomi looked up to her.
"What do you mean?" Milerna smiled then looked to Allen and Yukari.
"Allen should be the one you ask. He will tell you what is going on as soon as we get back to Gaea." Hitomi bowed her head then heard another familiar shriek.
"HITOMI!!" Hitomi whirled around and was taken around the waist before she had time to see who had latched onto her. She giggled and stroked the small girls head.
"Merle…" She smiled and got to her knees and hugged the small cat person back.
"Oh Hitomi, it's been awful, horrible. Lord Va…" Merle had stopped mid sentence as she noticed the look on Milerna's face at the mention of Van's name. Merle shook her head and burst into tears.
"Oh Hitomi I've missed you so much…" She tightened the grip around Hitomi.
"Oh Merle, I've missed you terribly…" Hitomi opened her eyes and thought perhaps it was not a good time to ask about what happened that day she was returned back to earth. That day when he had torn his wings to send her home, the day she had lost her love… She shook her head and let a few tears fall.
"I never liked happy reunions…" A tall man in a red suit of armour stood by the front door holding his sword over his shoulder. Merle let go of Hitomi and stared angrily at him.
"You don't like anything you power hungry pig!!"
"Wo wo calm down little one you don't want to upset the entire city with your constant moaning."
"Grrrrr!!" Merle turned to Allen and pointed back at the man by the door.
"Why do I have to be partnered up with him all the time he makes me sick!" She pulled her tongue out in a funny gesture as her tail stood up high in the air.
"Because you and Dilandau make a good pair don't you think?" Allen smirked as he watched the two respond. Merle looked at Dilandau and then at Allen then stomped on his foot and waved her fist at him. Dilandau just stood and rolled his sword through his fingers.
"Quite a tempered little thing isn't she…" He spoke quietly as he opened his eyes slowly and smirked.
"Well to tell you the truth Merle Allen and I can't stand him!" Allen was now sitting on the sofa trying to calm Merle down. He smirked at the words and Merle laughed uncontrollably. She leapt to her feet and pointed at Dilandau.
"Ooooo now look who's the reject." She laughed and made faces at him as he glared at them all.
"You know I didn't have to come along on this journey. I did it out of my own free will!" Hitomi could now see him properly as he stepped into the light. That tall man with his light grey/bluish hair just falling over his eyes. He stared at them evilly then his eyes came to rest upon Yukari who was standing to one side of the group clutching the blanket again. She was much calmer than she was when they first met but she looked back at him with a strange look on her face. Dilandau's face softened slightly then his cruel glare returned.
"Besides we found Her for you! What more can you want?" He nodded towards Yukari the leaned against the wall, crossed his arms and looked to one side. Hitomi looked at Yukari who was looking to one side now as well. She was slightly confused. Did they know each other? More to the point why were they looking for Yukari? Merle laughed and glared at him.
"You got lost ten times you big dummy if it wasn't for me you would never have found her!" Dilandau glared at her and Allen watched his hand hover over the handle of his sword.
"That's enough!" Merle had frozen and was looking at him and Dilandau's hand had paused on the handle of the sword and he too was looking at Allen. Allen looked at the two sternly then looked to Yukari.
"Are you ready? It is best we left now…" Yukari nodded then gave Dilandau a quick glance then pulled the blanket from her shoulders, placed it on the ground and walked over to Hitomi. She smiled to her then Hitomi looked to Allen.
"So what now?" Allen smiled and did a head gesture for her to look out the back. With slight confusion Hitomi and Yukari walked over to the window and pulled the curtains back. Hitomi's eyes widened and her mouth dropped once more as she laid her eyes upon a much smaller version of Allen's caravan from Gaea. It was about three stories high, its dark wooden structure towered high and only just fit into the land behind her house. The windows were hollow and looked like small portholes. The creatures that pulled the caravan were currently inside the basement of it sleeping. She turned to look at him and he smiled.
"I will explain when we get there but for now we need to leave as soon as possible." Hitomi nodded as she and Yukari led the way back outside to the caravan, closely followed by Merle, Milerna and Allen. They each had boarded when Dilandau appeared. He glared at the caravan and sighed loudly.
"Not again…" He clambered aboard.
Allen smiled at Hitomi as she looked around at the wooden interior of the small caravan. She followed Allen through the many rooms and then clambered up the small stepladders to the control room. The room was empty and very small as the two climbed up. Hitomi looked around at the wheels and controls very few of them but many pipes and holes leading to different places. She watched as Allen walked over to one side of the caravan and picked something small up. He turned back to her as voices on the lower decks were heard. Allen smiled to her as her walked slowly back to her with his hand outstretched. Hitomi watched him, as he got closer to her. He carefully took her hand and turned it palm upwards as he moved his other hand into hers. She felt a little uneasy as Allen held her hand then she felt something drop into her hand as Allen smiled and pulled away.
"He came back…He came back for you Hitomi, now it's time for you to go back…" Hitomi looked down into her hand. That pink stone glinted back at her the one she got when she first came to Gaea. Escaflowne had vanished and all that was left was this stone. Hitomi's eyes watered as she remembered him again…Van. She held the stone to her as she closed her eyes.
"Van…I wish to see Van again…" The stone sent out beams of lights as she opened her hands. The stone levitated slowly into the air then spun wildly in mid air emitting rays of white light all around them. Hitomi shaded her eyes as the light became blinding. She tried to keep her eyes on the stone but fell backwards as the white light surrounded them all.

Silence…again silence… Hitomi opened her eyes as she adjusted to the light. Everything was covered in a white light. She looked around and then a shadow caught her eye. The shadow approached her slowly and showed the outline of a manly figure. The figure approached her as she watched it silently. It slowly knelt down to her and took her hand. Hitomi stared hard into the shadow as the light slowly began to illuminate the figure. She looked at the figures hand then led her vision slowly up his arm. The markings upon his bare arms looked very familiar to her. She looked to his left arm and found a strip of metal down it. Slowly she moved her gaze over his bare chest then slowly up his neck. Her mouth had dropped and she tightened the grip upon his hand. She could feel him moving closer to her as she looked up to the point where her eyes met his deep brown ones. His black hair fell upon her face as he moved his head gently against hers. He closed his eyes placing one arm behind her and pulling her to him. She felt his warm radiate through her as he pulled her body closely to his. She moved her free hand around his back and held onto him tightly.
"Van…" Before she could say another word he pressed his lips against hers and held her close. She closed her eyes as she became filled with that joy and happiness she felt when he was near. She felt assured she would never be alone again. Van… he was alive. She didn't care how or why she just cared that he was alive.
Suddenly a loud banging disturbed the silence as Hitomi opened her eyes. The light was fading fast and the scene of the control room was returning. Then, Van's hair lengthened as it lightened in colour. The metal on his arm vanished and clothes emerged from his bare skin. His body became heavy as he let go of her and fell onto her. Hitomi stared at him.
"V…Van?" She shook her head, as the tall long blonde haired man now lay motionless in her arms.
"Allen…?"

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Authors note:
I hope you all like this its very hard to put thoughts onto a piece of paper but I will be revising the chapters and making them a bit better hee hee, sorry to have killed off Van and sorry to make a lot of people confused but well hee hee that's the way my mind works and everything will become clear as the chapters go on ^_^ hope you are enjoying it so far

mystik dreamer