Date. 11.01.2001 (15 more days until HARRY!!!)
Time. 1.20 pm
Music. For once, it's not music. It's my entire SNL celebrity jeopardies collection.
Chapter 17
Copyright. I don't own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters. Just all the ones that I created.
Author's Notes. Gomen nasai! I'm sooooo sorry that this has taken a lot longer than expected. I had a bunch of projects to do for my art classes (I did extremely well so maybe it did pay off to take a break). My winter break starts in 3 weeks so I'll have plenty of time to work on the remaining few chapters. I can't wait until I get my esca movie on DVD… eeeee! And I'm getting 2 posters along with it, one from the movie and the other one from the show. The show one is adorable. The top half is Hitomi windsurfing with Amano (bleh) and the bottom is 5 year old Van hanging out with his mom, 15 year old Folken, and little toddler Merle.
Ok, so on with the show. This chapter has to be my worst chapter EVER! I do plan on doing this one over because it didn't come out at all like I wanted it to. Crap, I hate it when that happens. Well, here ya go. I'm really sorry again.
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 17. Sin ti
* * *
Time and space were nonexistent. There was no sense of gravity, only weightlessness and suspension. Although he could not see in the blinding light, Van knew that he was traveling at a phenomenal speed inside the pillar of light once more.
But where to? He hadn't wished anything that would activate it. However, there were times that this mysterious incandescence would appear for no reason. But why him? He knew that Hitomi definitely had something to do with it. He could feel her aura surrounding him, protecting him just like the essence of the light had done each time he journeyed within it.
Suddenly, he felt heavy and solid. His feet, touching firm ground below him, lost balance and awkwardly fell over. Again, he felt sore from battling in Escaflowne. He rubbed his head and felt a warm, sticky substance… blood.
Although he had landed, the light still surrounded him, but grew dimmer with each passing moment. His eyes adjusted to the fading glow as thick raindrops pounded upon his head. Rain? It wasn't raining on Gaea, was it?
Blinking in adjustment, Van instinctively looked up into the sky. Though dark storm clouds hung in the night sky, he could barely see the moon. One moon.
He was on the Mystic Moon.
A hushed moan from behind him. He whirled around quickly and saw her, lying in the pouring rain ten feet away from him. Her still body was encircled by the receding light, casting a soft light on the water about her.
His legs still numb, he crawled through the puddles with his hands, growing extremely wet from the downpour. As he dragged himself across the mud, something touched his hand and stuck to it. He tried shaking it off but it still remained between his fingers. He stopped and picked it out, examining what was bothering him so much.
A large feather.
He had never seen birds on the Mystic Moon, but he assumed that there weren't a whole lot that had large, white feathers. And there were a lot of feathers on the ground.
But my wings weren't out, he thought, confused. These are definitely Draconian wing feathers. If they're not mine, then whose…
His heart froze, and he slowly looked over at Hitomi. She still was covered by that glow. He inched closer to where she lay and rolled her over.
She wasn't glowing; her wings were.
He didn't know if he should feel overjoyed or scared. Hitomi was what he was, a demon feared by all of Gaea. He didn't want her to see the terror that all Draconians had to face. But then again… he wasn't alone.
He held her closer to his body, trying to block the rain from falling on her. He heard a faint whisper escape her lips as she stirred. He bent down closer to hear better.
"Where… are we?" she asked, her eyes still shut.
"The Mystic Moon," he replied, his voice becoming hoarse.
Her eyes opened and looked straight into his. Lingering for a moment, hers trailed off and looked out beyond the area where they landed.
Van had seen this place before, although it had been many years since he had been there. He remembered sitting on the swing set the night after Hitomi had left Gaea seven years ago.
"Van?"
"Yes, love?" he returned his attention to her.
"Can you please take me home?" she asked as she pointed to a gray house across the way. Then, her hand fell limp and landed in the muddy puddle.
"Hitomi?" he shook her gently. "Hitomi!"
Too late. She had already fell unconscious.
He sighed. You have to stop doing this to yourself, he thought. Don't waste so much energy.
He grabbed her hand that fell into the mud and picked it up. Something glowing rolled out of it as he lifted it… a pink pendant.
She got it back, he thought as he caught it before it hit the ground. He held the stone up by the broken chain and stared at it. All that trouble… for this? He leaned over and tied the golden links around her neck.
With the strength finally returning to his legs, he stood up and picked her up into his arms. Her wings were definitely waterlogged and made her a lot heavier than usual. He tucked them carefully underneath her and headed towards the house. Hitomi snuggled closer into him, which made him smile. She looks so happy and peaceful when she sleeps, he thought.
He walked closer to the house, but noticed the strange differences of the building. There wasn't a torchlight right besides the door, but some sort of light guided where the door was, even though there was no flame. How can it burn with light with no fire?
A deafening blast exploded as he crossed the street. Two enormous glowing eyes hurried towards at him. He jumped out of the way as this machine passed him. A Guymelef? On wheels? The man inside shouted something at him that he could not understand, then raced off into the night.
He breathed in, confused on how this world operated. He shrugged his shoulders, tightened his grip on Hitomi and walked up the stairway.
He hesitated, stopping his hand before knocking on the door. How was he to communicate with them? he thought. His mind went back to the night he and Hitomi first met. She was with two other people, a man and another girl. Hitomi was the only one that he could understand out of all of them, so he only spoke to her.
But she had asked him to take her home and he respected her wishes. Somehow, he'll have to make known to them what is going on.
He knocked on the door and waited.
He didn't have to wait very long. He could hear the steps of someone hurriedly running to the door. It swung open, revealing a young woman with dark maroon hair tied behind her back. Her eyes met his, then trailed down to Hitomi.
"Hitomi!" she cried, her single word sounding almost foreign to him with her strange accent. He could see movement behind her and stiffened, standing on his guard.
Another young woman, this one with black hair with bright red tips, hurried over behind the first woman, followed by an adolescent boy. Although Van didn't understand a word they were murmuring, they gestured for him to come inside the house. He hesitated, then accepted their welcome.
The burgundy-haired woman spoke something to him, her voice soft and concerned. He remained silent, still staring at her in confusion. She obviously realized the dilemma and nodded in comprehension. She pointed to the dimly lit staircase to the second floor and motioned for him to follow her. She led the way and he walked behind her, closely pursued by the other woman and boy. Hitomi moaned again in his arms and they all turned around to look at her. Van gave them a look that plainly said "She'll be alright."
The first woman reached the top and opened the first door on her left. Van went inside sideways, being careful as he passed through the door jam not to hit Hitomi's dangling feet.
He entered a darkened room with a strange scent to it, almost as if no one had lived in it for awhile. A bright light from the ceiling illuminated it, allowing him to see. He turned around with surprised eyes to see the woman holding a switch on the wall by the door. She flipped it down and the light turned off. Another click and the lights returned.
She whispered something to the other two, then approached him. "Yukari," she said, pointing to herself.
"Yukari?" he repeated, assuming that was her name. She nodded.
"Van," he said.
She mouthed the word, then gestured to her companions. "Naoko," she pointed to the woman and "Koji," to the boy.
He nodded at each one and placed Hitomi on the bed, careful not to crush her wings and pulled them out, letting them fall over the sides and onto the floor. He heard gasps from the people as they saw the white feathers fall about.
"Are those… angel wings?" he heard Koji say. He whirled around and stared at the boy.
"How is it that I understand you?" he asked.
Koji was caught surprised. "Wait, I can understand you, too!" he cried. "What's wrong with Hitomi?"
Van sighed. This will make things somewhat easier. "It's a long story," he sighed, adjusting her right wing. "Do you have anything that I can dry these of with?"
"Uh, yeah," he hurried out of the room, quickly returning with large towels and a blanket. As he entered the room, an elderly woman with silver streaks in her hair crossed the threshold as well. Van noticed that her shadowed face showed no expression when looking upon Hitomi with enormous wings exploding from her back.
"I need to speak to Van," she said urgently. "Alone. Take care of Hitomi for awhile, please."
"Here," he pointed, speaking to Koji. "Don't crunch them when you dry. That won't work and they're really delicate. Just dab them."
Yukari and Naoko took towels from him and followed his manner. Van stood to his feet and left her in the room, following the older woman.
* * *
"What?!" Dryden shouted, rising to his feet. "She's gone?! How did she get out?!"
Celena and Allen stood before the King in the Meeting Room back at the Asturian Palace, the latter still dusty from the battle from Zaibach. They looked at each other uneasily.
"So, what now? Did she go back to the Mystic Moon?" Dryden calmed down and returned to his seat.
Allen nodded. "And Van, too," he added.
Celena stepped forward. "I think Hitomi knew what she was doing, Dryden," she said softly. "She told me before she left that we should continue with the plan and still go to Gahwindahn in the morning. She said that she'll be there one way or another."
Dryden rubbed his chin in deep thought. "And what of Zaibach?" he asked Allen. "They just 'stopped'?"
"Yes, Sire," the Knight Caeli said. "As soon as that beam of light hit Escaflowne and disappeared to the Mystic Moon, Ashira pulled her troops and they retreated to the floating fortress surrounding the area."
"Hmmm," Dryden said. "But they could attack again. They could be waiting at Gahwindahn for Hitomi and Van to return and intercept them." He stood up once more and walked around his massive desk. "Ready the troops, Allen," he commanded. "We're leaving at dawn."
Allen bowed, then walked out the door, followed by Celena. Dryden was about to leave, then turned to the figure gazing out the window. "Are you coming, Merle?" he asked.
"I'll be right down in a minute," she said, forcing a smile. The King nodded and shut the door.
Goddess, she thought in prayer. Are you there? I know I haven't prayed lately. I really have no excuse but that it didn't seem right at the time. But now I have a favor to ask. Please watch over Lord Van and Hitomi. Make sure they return safely back to Gaea. Watch over them, please?
As she slowly stood up to leave, the cat-woman could almost here a whisper in the wind answering her:
i will…
* * *
Van eased down into a wooden chair as the woman walked into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a tray of tea. He gratefully accepter his cup and sipped it, letting the warm liquid trickle down his throat.
"You're bleeding," she pointed out, her fingers grazing here the wound on his temple.
"It's all right, I'll be fine," he said, however wincing as she gently touched it.
"Here, let me put something on it," she stood up and returned to the kitchen. "I owe you that much for returning my daughter to me."
Daughter? he thought. "Wait a minute," he called. "You are…"
"Midori Kanzaki," she replied, dabbing with a damp cloth. "Hitomi's mother."
He looked up and saw her eyes for the first time in the light. They had the same olive green coloring that Hitomi's contained. She gave him a small smile and continued with his forehead.
"So you must be the one that haunted Hitomi's dreams for months, no?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"Seven years ago, something had changed her dramatically. Not physically, but inside her mind. I knew something happened to her, though she never told me anything. I could sense it almost that she was somewhere else for awhile. But every now and then, I would enter her room and hear her calling that name aloud in her sleep." She stopped and poured a liquid onto another cloth. "This may sting a bit," she said, touching it upon his skin.
Van snapped his head back at the slightest contact. She smiled again. "Told you."
He returned to his normal position, letting her dab the cut with that horrible medicine. "How did you know?" he asked.
"I think that you are aware that Hitomi has some amazing clairvoyant powers. She used to read other people's fortunes with her Tarot cards." She paused. "I have some capability of it, though not as strong as hers. And Koji as well. I've sensed something in him, too."
She ripped something out of a strip of paper and placed it his forehead. "That should do it," she said.
"Thank you, my Lady," he stood and bowed to her, showing his gratitude.
She eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not royalty, Van. There's no need for titles. Besides shouldn't I be the one calling you 'Your Highness'?"
Van's heart leapt into his throat. How could she possibly know that he was a king?
Midori caught his surprised look. "I bet your wondering how I know all this. And the fact that my daughter had wings did not surprise me," she said, her eyes now serious. "Now sit back down, young Van. My instinct is telling me that this is no mere visit home for Hitomi."
Van felt his heart soften. How was he supposed to tell this woman that he was taking her only daughter away from her forever?
"I think I should let her speak," he answered slowly. "I think that that was the reason why we came all the way here."
* * *
Hitomi felt sore all over, especially in her upper back. This is going to take a long time to recover from, she thought grimly.
She opened her eyes a small crack, allowing her to see shadowed figures. Where am I, she wondered as she stirred slightly.
"Shhh!" a female voice spoke. "She's waking! Hitomi?"
She opened her eyes wider and scanned her surroundings. She recognized some old movie poster hanging on the wall that she had gotten years ago, but never bothered to take down. Without a second glance, she knew that she was in her old room, at home.
"Hitomi?"
She looked to where the frightened voice came from. A young woman on the floor nervously, her burgundy hair tied loosely behind her back.
"Yukari?!" she cried weakly. "What are you doing here?" She struggled to raise herself out of bed.
"Shhh, settle down," her oldest friend commanded gently, pushing her back down. "You mustn't tire yourself out."
"But what are you doing here?" Hitomi obeyed, but her smile widened on her face. "Aren't you supposed to be in America? How are you? How's the baby?"
"Whoa, easy, girl," Yukari let out a ringing laugh. "I'm good, and so is the baby. I brought some pictures of her and Amano. But shouldn't I be the one asking you questions?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Hitomi held her head.
"Hitomi, where have you been?" another woman sat on the other side of her bed. She hadn't noticed her sitting in the dark.
"Naoko! You're here too?"
Her roommate played anxiously with her red-tipped hair. "Your mother called me up yesterday saying that you were coming home tonight and that it was important for me to be here," she replied.
"Me too," Yukari added. "I got on the next available flight out and flew straight here. Where have you been? What's happened to you?"
"I don't think that you'll guys believe me even if I told you," she muttered.
"I think I might since I see wings coming from your back," Yukari said.
Hitomi looked at her friend in confusion. Wings? she thought. I don't have…
Her thought drifted off as she sat up quickly, noticing for the first time that white wings, her wings, spilled off the sides of her bed. Her younger brother, Koji, held a towel in his hand, rubbing her feathers dry. She could feel him touching her with the most gentle pat.
"Where's Mom?" she asked. "I need to talk to her."
"She's downstairs," Naoko said. "Talking with that guy that brought you in… Van."
Hitomi lay down and settled into her pillows, arranging herself so lying on her wings wasn't uncomfortable. "So what have I missed?" she asked as she felt the flow of energy enter her body once more.
"After the Halloween party, some friends of mine found Shinji hiding in the park, muttering something about a light that had taken you away," her roommate said. "They didn't believe him, until we found you missing the next morning. Since he was the last person that saw you that night, police took him in for interrogation. Turns out that he was some wanted rapist that they had been after for a couple of months so he was arrested."
Hitomi recalled that night. She had never told Van what really happened. Nor had he pressured him into telling her. "That's good," she said flatly.
She stood up, ignoring the sudden rush of blood racing to her head. Her wings folded by her sides, the wingtips trailing along the floor and leaving behind a path of white feathers. Not realizing she still wore the dress that she "borrowed" from Millerna, she tripped on the long skirt. Luckily, Naoko stood next to her and caught her arm before she hit the floor. Yukari jumped over the bed and helped her with the other one.
"Thanks," she breathed, grinning at her friends. "I'll tell you guys everything, but I want to tell my mother as well."
Naoko and Yukari nodded. "We'll help you down the stairs," the burgundy-haired girl spoke.
The three women left the room, walking arm-in-arm, with Koji following closely.
* * *
Midori sipped her tea thoughtfully, then set it down in its saucer. "So," she said finally. "What is your world like?"
Van traced his finger about the cup's edge. "It's a lot different from this one," he answered. "Hitomi has told me of some things about the differences. Like for instance…"
"Van?"
A soft voice entered the room, one he recognized without a doubt. He bolted from his chair and saw her standing at the base of the stairs, her wings flowing behind her. He sprinted the short distance and held her shoulders. Those two other women stood a couple steps up the staircase, and the young boy following them.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly.
She nodded in response. "Um, Van?" she asked. "How do I… you know… make them disappear? I've never done it before."
He chuckled at her. "You'll have to concentrate," he said. "You know how it felt like when they came out? Kind of like the muscles in your hand?" He held out his own hand, his fingers spread wide.
Hitomi nodded. "Ok, so instead of expanding your hand out like this, you'll want to contract your muscles and make a fist," he finished.
He watched her close her eyes, her face in deep focus. Her wings illuminated with a soft glow, then drew inside her upper back. Yukari and Naoko gasped as the last remaining feathers floated down and landed gently on the floor. He smiled at her as she opened her eyes.
"See?" he said. "It wasn't that hard. Each time you do it, it gets easier."
"I know," she replied, fiddling with her loose corset strings. "But you always made it seem painful. I didn't want it to hurt."
He drew her into his arms, no longer aware of the Mystic Moon onlookers. "I'm just happy that you're alright."
Someone cleared their throat loudly. Hitomi and Van broke from their embrace and looked at the others.
"So, are you going to explain everything now?" Naoko asked. "Like why we can't understand a word he's saying but it looks like you, Koji, and your mother can?"
"Yes," Hitomi answered. "You'll want to sit down for this. It will be awhile."
As everyone found a comfortable place to sit, she urged Van to join her on the couch, her hand never leaving his. "This all began about seven years ago," she said. "None of you remember what happened because it seemed like it had been erased from your memories. But I was gone for many months…"
* * *
Hitomi picked up her tea cup and sipped the liquid for the first time that night. After several hours of talking non-stop, her voice had grown hoarse. She checked her watch: 5.37 am. What time had she arrived? Van said that it was nightfall, but back on Gaea, it had still been the afternoon. It looks like Earth's rotation is ahead of Gaea's, then, she concluded.
Her audience had remained quiet during the entire story, including Van. He sat beside her, holding her hand intently as she relayed all the information about her past.
It was Yukari who first spoke. "Hitomi," she said, breaking the eerie silence. "All that time when you seemed so distant, I felt helpless for not being able to help you. I knew something had happened. I really wish that you could have found it in your heart to tell me."
"I'm sorry, Yukari," she apologized. "At the time, I didn't know what to do. I thought that people would think that I was crazy or something."
"So, what now?" Naoko asked. "After this task that you have to do, are you coming back?"
Hitomi remained silent, averting her eyes to the floor.
"Oh, I see," she murmured, her voice saddened.
"There won't be anyway for me to return once its completed," Hitomi said. "The dimensional gap that hides Gaea from Earth will close, not allowing anymore outside influence inside."
She looked over at her mother, who sat in her rickety rocking chair by the window. She walked over and knelt down, spreading her dress skirts over the floor.
"I had to come back and tell you, Mom," she whispered. "I couldn't leave you without letting you know that I was safe."
"I would have known, Hitomi," Midori replied. "You and I have a connection that bonds us together. Even though I wouldn't know exactly where you were, I would have known that you were alright."
A tear trickled down her cheek. "I don't know what to say, Mom," she said, her voice on the edge of breaking. "I don't want to say good…"
"Then don't," her mother interrupted. "I've known that in your heart, this is the right thing for you to do. And its where you belong. You wouldn't be happy here on Earth, not without… him." She glanced over at Van, who still remained on the couch.
Hitomi smiled. "You've always known me so well," she said. Suddenly, her eyes lightened. "Come with me!"
"What?"
"Come with me, Mom!" she grasped her hands. "You'll like it on Gaea. It's so beautiful!"
"Hitomi…"
"Please…"
"Hitomi, this is where I belong," Midori patted her daughter's hands. "When your father died, it hurt me so, as if I had lost a part of myself. I can't leave. But I want you to go out and live your life with the one you love."
She reached over and brushed some loose strands of hair from Hitomi's face, noticing the tears swelling in her eyes.
"You look beautiful in that dress," she said. "You are fit to be a Queen."
Hitomi let out a sudden burst of uneasy laughter, then embraced her mother. "I love you, Mom," she whispered, so quiet that only she could hear. "I don't think I ever said it enough, but I do."
Midori stroked the back of her head. "As do I, child," she replied. "I'll always be with you. This 'Power of Atlantis' may close off the connection between the two worlds, but it can't overcome the bond between two human hearts."
They remained interlocked for several moments, trying to capture this instant in their minds forever. Hitomi parted, wiping her eyes and looking at Van. "We have to go soon," she said to him. "Allen and the others have probably left for the island. We have to intercept them."
Van nodded. "Are you capable of taking us?" he asked.
"Yes," she responded. "I just wasted too much energy with all the different changes at the same time."
"I have something I want to give you, then," Midori said, heading for the stairs. "Go say your good-byes to your friends."
Hitomi agreed with a nod of her head, walked to Naoko first and hugged her.
"You're the best roommate I've ever had," she said.
Naoko snorted. "I'm the only roommate you've ever had, Dreamer," she reminded her, holding back her sobs. "But thanks anyway. And by the way, where is that costume that I rented for you?"
Hitomi groaned. "I can't really get it for you right now," she said. "Go back to the school and dig through my wallet. I think I have enough cash in there, so use that to pay the rental fee."
She nodded, then moved aside, so that Hitomi could face her already-weeping best friend. "Yukari…" she said.
Yukari used a tissue to dab her eyes and laugh. "Somehow, I knew something like this was going to happen," she blubbered. "I knew that one of us was going to have to leave. I just always thought we would be able to stay in touch."
"I'll always think of you," her friend whispered, trying to lighten the moment. "I'll think about the wonderful life that you are leading with Amano and the baby. That way, I'll know that you will be happy."
Yukari looked into Hitomi's eyes and smiled. "Be safe, my friend," she kissed her on the cheek. She glanced over at Van. "You better take care of her," she threatened him.
His eyes widened, not really expecting her sudden outburst in a foreign tongue. But he saw Hitomi's lip form a slight smile, so he eased away.
She walked over to where her brother still sat on the chair, observing everything that had occurred. "What's on your mind, Koji?" she asked.
"I was just thinking…" he replied, his own olive green eyes staring straight ahead. "Back when we were younger… you and I were playing in the woods when Dad took us out…"
"Yeah, I remember," she said, sitting next to him and smoothing out her long skirts. "You cut open your knee and I told you that you were a wimp because you were bawling." She laughed. "And Dad told you walk it off."
"And that night, we sat out in our sleeping bags and stared out at the stars. You pointed out all the constellations, and to this day, I know how to find Draco." Koji changed his gaze to look at her. "So this won't be good-bye, either. Whenever I'm lonely, I'll look out at the stars and I'll think of you."
Hitomi leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. No matter how annoying he seemed, Koji had a heart of gold. She kissed him on the forehead.
"Don't dig through my things while I'm gone, okay?" she grinned.
"Deal."
She sighed, then looked up at Van. He tried giving her a comforting smile and she absorbed it.
it is time for you to go, hitomi…
Gaea's soft voice whispered inside her mind. Apparently, Van also had heard it, for he looked at her and reached out for her hand. "Are you ready?" he asked.
Hitomi nodded, then stood slowly to her feet. Her family and friends rose to theirs as well. Van encircled her waist with his arm and helped her regain her balance.
As they slowly walked to the front door, Hitomi hung her head low in sorrow. He squeezed her hand and she returned it, although it being a lot weaker.
Naoko, Yukari, and Koji walked behind them, keeping a respective distance between them and the two lovers. The group of people crossed the empty street, barren except for a few parked cars on the curbs. The downpour had finally halted a hour ago, leaving everything with a dampness about it.
Van stopped in the middle of a clearing, where many sopping white feathers clung to the dewy grass. This is where we must have landed, she observed. Only seems right though.
She turned around and saw her mother racing across the park, grasping something tightly in her hand. She stopped just before Hitomi, bending over to catch her breath. "Your… grandmother…" she panted. "She wanted me to give you this on your wedding day. She said that this day would happen, that you would disappear into the stars with the man you were to spend your life with."
She placed her hand upon Hitomi's opened one and left a small, gold ring in it. She recognized it immediately.
"This is Grandma's wedding band," she gasped. "I can't take this."
Midori shoved her hand back. "No, it's for you. I've done my part."
Hitomi looked into her eyes and seeing tears for the first time. "Mom, please take care," she cried into her shoulder.
"Go live the life that you are supposed to lead, daughter," her mother replied, stroking her soft hair.
Hitomi felt the pendant around her neck come to life, it pulsating with its blinding glow. Midori backed away, joining the younger people at a distance. Van wrapped his arms around her slender waist and looked over her shoulder.
"You ready?" he asked. She nodded, then held the stone up high.
please, take us back to gaea…
The shaft of light encased them, climbing higher in the dawning sky. Hitomi could feel the electricity racing in the air, making the world seem as if it were statically-charged. She clung tighter to Van's arms around her stomach as her feet slowly lifted from the ground. The essence of weightlessness overcame her body as she floated upwards towards her new home.
"I'll never forget anyone of you!" she cried out. "Be sure to tell Amano what happened! Thank you! Thank you for everything!"
She watched her family wave at her, smiles plastered on their faces and tears streaming down. And then they were too small to see anymore. They had disappeared as she and Van climbed higher into the sky.
"Are you alright?" she heard him whisper into her ear.
"Not really," she let out an awkward giggle. "But I think I will be."
* * *
Yukari shaded her eyes at the glare of the bright pillar of light. She saw Hitomi float off the ground with that man she came with. The light seemed to ascend to the middle of nowhere in the sky, vanishing into the clouds.
Be safe, Hitomi… she thought. And be happy.
In an instant, the sky seemed to rip apart, leaving a gaping hole where the light entered. Yukari squinted to see better. Although the brilliance of the light had left her unable to see clearly, she could make out the same of a sister planet similar to the Earth.
"Gaea…" she murmured, as the light disappeared, leaving the sky empty except for a few stray pink clouds.
To be continued…
* * *
This had to be the hardest chapter for me to write. I'm sorry it has taken a lot longer than I thought it would take. I had a lot of trouble focusing on it.
I looked everywhere, but it appears that Hitomi's mother has no name. Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't… I dunno. So I asked my friend what would be a good name. She suggested "Midori" because it means "green" in Japanese, and since Hitomi means "iris," I thought I would continue with the whole eye thing. Also, I found out after I wrote a previous chapter that her brother does have a name. So, for all you diehard fans, I am aware that Koji is not his real name, but I wanted to name him after this really cool restaurant back at home that I used to walk by.
This chapter's title is Spanish for "without you." I took the language for 5 years, so I thought it should benefit me at least.
Time. 1.20 pm
Music. For once, it's not music. It's my entire SNL celebrity jeopardies collection.
Chapter 17
Copyright. I don't own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters. Just all the ones that I created.
Author's Notes. Gomen nasai! I'm sooooo sorry that this has taken a lot longer than expected. I had a bunch of projects to do for my art classes (I did extremely well so maybe it did pay off to take a break). My winter break starts in 3 weeks so I'll have plenty of time to work on the remaining few chapters. I can't wait until I get my esca movie on DVD… eeeee! And I'm getting 2 posters along with it, one from the movie and the other one from the show. The show one is adorable. The top half is Hitomi windsurfing with Amano (bleh) and the bottom is 5 year old Van hanging out with his mom, 15 year old Folken, and little toddler Merle.
Ok, so on with the show. This chapter has to be my worst chapter EVER! I do plan on doing this one over because it didn't come out at all like I wanted it to. Crap, I hate it when that happens. Well, here ya go. I'm really sorry again.
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 17. Sin ti
* * *
Time and space were nonexistent. There was no sense of gravity, only weightlessness and suspension. Although he could not see in the blinding light, Van knew that he was traveling at a phenomenal speed inside the pillar of light once more.
But where to? He hadn't wished anything that would activate it. However, there were times that this mysterious incandescence would appear for no reason. But why him? He knew that Hitomi definitely had something to do with it. He could feel her aura surrounding him, protecting him just like the essence of the light had done each time he journeyed within it.
Suddenly, he felt heavy and solid. His feet, touching firm ground below him, lost balance and awkwardly fell over. Again, he felt sore from battling in Escaflowne. He rubbed his head and felt a warm, sticky substance… blood.
Although he had landed, the light still surrounded him, but grew dimmer with each passing moment. His eyes adjusted to the fading glow as thick raindrops pounded upon his head. Rain? It wasn't raining on Gaea, was it?
Blinking in adjustment, Van instinctively looked up into the sky. Though dark storm clouds hung in the night sky, he could barely see the moon. One moon.
He was on the Mystic Moon.
A hushed moan from behind him. He whirled around quickly and saw her, lying in the pouring rain ten feet away from him. Her still body was encircled by the receding light, casting a soft light on the water about her.
His legs still numb, he crawled through the puddles with his hands, growing extremely wet from the downpour. As he dragged himself across the mud, something touched his hand and stuck to it. He tried shaking it off but it still remained between his fingers. He stopped and picked it out, examining what was bothering him so much.
A large feather.
He had never seen birds on the Mystic Moon, but he assumed that there weren't a whole lot that had large, white feathers. And there were a lot of feathers on the ground.
But my wings weren't out, he thought, confused. These are definitely Draconian wing feathers. If they're not mine, then whose…
His heart froze, and he slowly looked over at Hitomi. She still was covered by that glow. He inched closer to where she lay and rolled her over.
She wasn't glowing; her wings were.
He didn't know if he should feel overjoyed or scared. Hitomi was what he was, a demon feared by all of Gaea. He didn't want her to see the terror that all Draconians had to face. But then again… he wasn't alone.
He held her closer to his body, trying to block the rain from falling on her. He heard a faint whisper escape her lips as she stirred. He bent down closer to hear better.
"Where… are we?" she asked, her eyes still shut.
"The Mystic Moon," he replied, his voice becoming hoarse.
Her eyes opened and looked straight into his. Lingering for a moment, hers trailed off and looked out beyond the area where they landed.
Van had seen this place before, although it had been many years since he had been there. He remembered sitting on the swing set the night after Hitomi had left Gaea seven years ago.
"Van?"
"Yes, love?" he returned his attention to her.
"Can you please take me home?" she asked as she pointed to a gray house across the way. Then, her hand fell limp and landed in the muddy puddle.
"Hitomi?" he shook her gently. "Hitomi!"
Too late. She had already fell unconscious.
He sighed. You have to stop doing this to yourself, he thought. Don't waste so much energy.
He grabbed her hand that fell into the mud and picked it up. Something glowing rolled out of it as he lifted it… a pink pendant.
She got it back, he thought as he caught it before it hit the ground. He held the stone up by the broken chain and stared at it. All that trouble… for this? He leaned over and tied the golden links around her neck.
With the strength finally returning to his legs, he stood up and picked her up into his arms. Her wings were definitely waterlogged and made her a lot heavier than usual. He tucked them carefully underneath her and headed towards the house. Hitomi snuggled closer into him, which made him smile. She looks so happy and peaceful when she sleeps, he thought.
He walked closer to the house, but noticed the strange differences of the building. There wasn't a torchlight right besides the door, but some sort of light guided where the door was, even though there was no flame. How can it burn with light with no fire?
A deafening blast exploded as he crossed the street. Two enormous glowing eyes hurried towards at him. He jumped out of the way as this machine passed him. A Guymelef? On wheels? The man inside shouted something at him that he could not understand, then raced off into the night.
He breathed in, confused on how this world operated. He shrugged his shoulders, tightened his grip on Hitomi and walked up the stairway.
He hesitated, stopping his hand before knocking on the door. How was he to communicate with them? he thought. His mind went back to the night he and Hitomi first met. She was with two other people, a man and another girl. Hitomi was the only one that he could understand out of all of them, so he only spoke to her.
But she had asked him to take her home and he respected her wishes. Somehow, he'll have to make known to them what is going on.
He knocked on the door and waited.
He didn't have to wait very long. He could hear the steps of someone hurriedly running to the door. It swung open, revealing a young woman with dark maroon hair tied behind her back. Her eyes met his, then trailed down to Hitomi.
"Hitomi!" she cried, her single word sounding almost foreign to him with her strange accent. He could see movement behind her and stiffened, standing on his guard.
Another young woman, this one with black hair with bright red tips, hurried over behind the first woman, followed by an adolescent boy. Although Van didn't understand a word they were murmuring, they gestured for him to come inside the house. He hesitated, then accepted their welcome.
The burgundy-haired woman spoke something to him, her voice soft and concerned. He remained silent, still staring at her in confusion. She obviously realized the dilemma and nodded in comprehension. She pointed to the dimly lit staircase to the second floor and motioned for him to follow her. She led the way and he walked behind her, closely pursued by the other woman and boy. Hitomi moaned again in his arms and they all turned around to look at her. Van gave them a look that plainly said "She'll be alright."
The first woman reached the top and opened the first door on her left. Van went inside sideways, being careful as he passed through the door jam not to hit Hitomi's dangling feet.
He entered a darkened room with a strange scent to it, almost as if no one had lived in it for awhile. A bright light from the ceiling illuminated it, allowing him to see. He turned around with surprised eyes to see the woman holding a switch on the wall by the door. She flipped it down and the light turned off. Another click and the lights returned.
She whispered something to the other two, then approached him. "Yukari," she said, pointing to herself.
"Yukari?" he repeated, assuming that was her name. She nodded.
"Van," he said.
She mouthed the word, then gestured to her companions. "Naoko," she pointed to the woman and "Koji," to the boy.
He nodded at each one and placed Hitomi on the bed, careful not to crush her wings and pulled them out, letting them fall over the sides and onto the floor. He heard gasps from the people as they saw the white feathers fall about.
"Are those… angel wings?" he heard Koji say. He whirled around and stared at the boy.
"How is it that I understand you?" he asked.
Koji was caught surprised. "Wait, I can understand you, too!" he cried. "What's wrong with Hitomi?"
Van sighed. This will make things somewhat easier. "It's a long story," he sighed, adjusting her right wing. "Do you have anything that I can dry these of with?"
"Uh, yeah," he hurried out of the room, quickly returning with large towels and a blanket. As he entered the room, an elderly woman with silver streaks in her hair crossed the threshold as well. Van noticed that her shadowed face showed no expression when looking upon Hitomi with enormous wings exploding from her back.
"I need to speak to Van," she said urgently. "Alone. Take care of Hitomi for awhile, please."
"Here," he pointed, speaking to Koji. "Don't crunch them when you dry. That won't work and they're really delicate. Just dab them."
Yukari and Naoko took towels from him and followed his manner. Van stood to his feet and left her in the room, following the older woman.
* * *
"What?!" Dryden shouted, rising to his feet. "She's gone?! How did she get out?!"
Celena and Allen stood before the King in the Meeting Room back at the Asturian Palace, the latter still dusty from the battle from Zaibach. They looked at each other uneasily.
"So, what now? Did she go back to the Mystic Moon?" Dryden calmed down and returned to his seat.
Allen nodded. "And Van, too," he added.
Celena stepped forward. "I think Hitomi knew what she was doing, Dryden," she said softly. "She told me before she left that we should continue with the plan and still go to Gahwindahn in the morning. She said that she'll be there one way or another."
Dryden rubbed his chin in deep thought. "And what of Zaibach?" he asked Allen. "They just 'stopped'?"
"Yes, Sire," the Knight Caeli said. "As soon as that beam of light hit Escaflowne and disappeared to the Mystic Moon, Ashira pulled her troops and they retreated to the floating fortress surrounding the area."
"Hmmm," Dryden said. "But they could attack again. They could be waiting at Gahwindahn for Hitomi and Van to return and intercept them." He stood up once more and walked around his massive desk. "Ready the troops, Allen," he commanded. "We're leaving at dawn."
Allen bowed, then walked out the door, followed by Celena. Dryden was about to leave, then turned to the figure gazing out the window. "Are you coming, Merle?" he asked.
"I'll be right down in a minute," she said, forcing a smile. The King nodded and shut the door.
Goddess, she thought in prayer. Are you there? I know I haven't prayed lately. I really have no excuse but that it didn't seem right at the time. But now I have a favor to ask. Please watch over Lord Van and Hitomi. Make sure they return safely back to Gaea. Watch over them, please?
As she slowly stood up to leave, the cat-woman could almost here a whisper in the wind answering her:
i will…
* * *
Van eased down into a wooden chair as the woman walked into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a tray of tea. He gratefully accepter his cup and sipped it, letting the warm liquid trickle down his throat.
"You're bleeding," she pointed out, her fingers grazing here the wound on his temple.
"It's all right, I'll be fine," he said, however wincing as she gently touched it.
"Here, let me put something on it," she stood up and returned to the kitchen. "I owe you that much for returning my daughter to me."
Daughter? he thought. "Wait a minute," he called. "You are…"
"Midori Kanzaki," she replied, dabbing with a damp cloth. "Hitomi's mother."
He looked up and saw her eyes for the first time in the light. They had the same olive green coloring that Hitomi's contained. She gave him a small smile and continued with his forehead.
"So you must be the one that haunted Hitomi's dreams for months, no?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"Seven years ago, something had changed her dramatically. Not physically, but inside her mind. I knew something happened to her, though she never told me anything. I could sense it almost that she was somewhere else for awhile. But every now and then, I would enter her room and hear her calling that name aloud in her sleep." She stopped and poured a liquid onto another cloth. "This may sting a bit," she said, touching it upon his skin.
Van snapped his head back at the slightest contact. She smiled again. "Told you."
He returned to his normal position, letting her dab the cut with that horrible medicine. "How did you know?" he asked.
"I think that you are aware that Hitomi has some amazing clairvoyant powers. She used to read other people's fortunes with her Tarot cards." She paused. "I have some capability of it, though not as strong as hers. And Koji as well. I've sensed something in him, too."
She ripped something out of a strip of paper and placed it his forehead. "That should do it," she said.
"Thank you, my Lady," he stood and bowed to her, showing his gratitude.
She eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not royalty, Van. There's no need for titles. Besides shouldn't I be the one calling you 'Your Highness'?"
Van's heart leapt into his throat. How could she possibly know that he was a king?
Midori caught his surprised look. "I bet your wondering how I know all this. And the fact that my daughter had wings did not surprise me," she said, her eyes now serious. "Now sit back down, young Van. My instinct is telling me that this is no mere visit home for Hitomi."
Van felt his heart soften. How was he supposed to tell this woman that he was taking her only daughter away from her forever?
"I think I should let her speak," he answered slowly. "I think that that was the reason why we came all the way here."
* * *
Hitomi felt sore all over, especially in her upper back. This is going to take a long time to recover from, she thought grimly.
She opened her eyes a small crack, allowing her to see shadowed figures. Where am I, she wondered as she stirred slightly.
"Shhh!" a female voice spoke. "She's waking! Hitomi?"
She opened her eyes wider and scanned her surroundings. She recognized some old movie poster hanging on the wall that she had gotten years ago, but never bothered to take down. Without a second glance, she knew that she was in her old room, at home.
"Hitomi?"
She looked to where the frightened voice came from. A young woman on the floor nervously, her burgundy hair tied loosely behind her back.
"Yukari?!" she cried weakly. "What are you doing here?" She struggled to raise herself out of bed.
"Shhh, settle down," her oldest friend commanded gently, pushing her back down. "You mustn't tire yourself out."
"But what are you doing here?" Hitomi obeyed, but her smile widened on her face. "Aren't you supposed to be in America? How are you? How's the baby?"
"Whoa, easy, girl," Yukari let out a ringing laugh. "I'm good, and so is the baby. I brought some pictures of her and Amano. But shouldn't I be the one asking you questions?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Hitomi held her head.
"Hitomi, where have you been?" another woman sat on the other side of her bed. She hadn't noticed her sitting in the dark.
"Naoko! You're here too?"
Her roommate played anxiously with her red-tipped hair. "Your mother called me up yesterday saying that you were coming home tonight and that it was important for me to be here," she replied.
"Me too," Yukari added. "I got on the next available flight out and flew straight here. Where have you been? What's happened to you?"
"I don't think that you'll guys believe me even if I told you," she muttered.
"I think I might since I see wings coming from your back," Yukari said.
Hitomi looked at her friend in confusion. Wings? she thought. I don't have…
Her thought drifted off as she sat up quickly, noticing for the first time that white wings, her wings, spilled off the sides of her bed. Her younger brother, Koji, held a towel in his hand, rubbing her feathers dry. She could feel him touching her with the most gentle pat.
"Where's Mom?" she asked. "I need to talk to her."
"She's downstairs," Naoko said. "Talking with that guy that brought you in… Van."
Hitomi lay down and settled into her pillows, arranging herself so lying on her wings wasn't uncomfortable. "So what have I missed?" she asked as she felt the flow of energy enter her body once more.
"After the Halloween party, some friends of mine found Shinji hiding in the park, muttering something about a light that had taken you away," her roommate said. "They didn't believe him, until we found you missing the next morning. Since he was the last person that saw you that night, police took him in for interrogation. Turns out that he was some wanted rapist that they had been after for a couple of months so he was arrested."
Hitomi recalled that night. She had never told Van what really happened. Nor had he pressured him into telling her. "That's good," she said flatly.
She stood up, ignoring the sudden rush of blood racing to her head. Her wings folded by her sides, the wingtips trailing along the floor and leaving behind a path of white feathers. Not realizing she still wore the dress that she "borrowed" from Millerna, she tripped on the long skirt. Luckily, Naoko stood next to her and caught her arm before she hit the floor. Yukari jumped over the bed and helped her with the other one.
"Thanks," she breathed, grinning at her friends. "I'll tell you guys everything, but I want to tell my mother as well."
Naoko and Yukari nodded. "We'll help you down the stairs," the burgundy-haired girl spoke.
The three women left the room, walking arm-in-arm, with Koji following closely.
* * *
Midori sipped her tea thoughtfully, then set it down in its saucer. "So," she said finally. "What is your world like?"
Van traced his finger about the cup's edge. "It's a lot different from this one," he answered. "Hitomi has told me of some things about the differences. Like for instance…"
"Van?"
A soft voice entered the room, one he recognized without a doubt. He bolted from his chair and saw her standing at the base of the stairs, her wings flowing behind her. He sprinted the short distance and held her shoulders. Those two other women stood a couple steps up the staircase, and the young boy following them.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly.
She nodded in response. "Um, Van?" she asked. "How do I… you know… make them disappear? I've never done it before."
He chuckled at her. "You'll have to concentrate," he said. "You know how it felt like when they came out? Kind of like the muscles in your hand?" He held out his own hand, his fingers spread wide.
Hitomi nodded. "Ok, so instead of expanding your hand out like this, you'll want to contract your muscles and make a fist," he finished.
He watched her close her eyes, her face in deep focus. Her wings illuminated with a soft glow, then drew inside her upper back. Yukari and Naoko gasped as the last remaining feathers floated down and landed gently on the floor. He smiled at her as she opened her eyes.
"See?" he said. "It wasn't that hard. Each time you do it, it gets easier."
"I know," she replied, fiddling with her loose corset strings. "But you always made it seem painful. I didn't want it to hurt."
He drew her into his arms, no longer aware of the Mystic Moon onlookers. "I'm just happy that you're alright."
Someone cleared their throat loudly. Hitomi and Van broke from their embrace and looked at the others.
"So, are you going to explain everything now?" Naoko asked. "Like why we can't understand a word he's saying but it looks like you, Koji, and your mother can?"
"Yes," Hitomi answered. "You'll want to sit down for this. It will be awhile."
As everyone found a comfortable place to sit, she urged Van to join her on the couch, her hand never leaving his. "This all began about seven years ago," she said. "None of you remember what happened because it seemed like it had been erased from your memories. But I was gone for many months…"
* * *
Hitomi picked up her tea cup and sipped the liquid for the first time that night. After several hours of talking non-stop, her voice had grown hoarse. She checked her watch: 5.37 am. What time had she arrived? Van said that it was nightfall, but back on Gaea, it had still been the afternoon. It looks like Earth's rotation is ahead of Gaea's, then, she concluded.
Her audience had remained quiet during the entire story, including Van. He sat beside her, holding her hand intently as she relayed all the information about her past.
It was Yukari who first spoke. "Hitomi," she said, breaking the eerie silence. "All that time when you seemed so distant, I felt helpless for not being able to help you. I knew something had happened. I really wish that you could have found it in your heart to tell me."
"I'm sorry, Yukari," she apologized. "At the time, I didn't know what to do. I thought that people would think that I was crazy or something."
"So, what now?" Naoko asked. "After this task that you have to do, are you coming back?"
Hitomi remained silent, averting her eyes to the floor.
"Oh, I see," she murmured, her voice saddened.
"There won't be anyway for me to return once its completed," Hitomi said. "The dimensional gap that hides Gaea from Earth will close, not allowing anymore outside influence inside."
She looked over at her mother, who sat in her rickety rocking chair by the window. She walked over and knelt down, spreading her dress skirts over the floor.
"I had to come back and tell you, Mom," she whispered. "I couldn't leave you without letting you know that I was safe."
"I would have known, Hitomi," Midori replied. "You and I have a connection that bonds us together. Even though I wouldn't know exactly where you were, I would have known that you were alright."
A tear trickled down her cheek. "I don't know what to say, Mom," she said, her voice on the edge of breaking. "I don't want to say good…"
"Then don't," her mother interrupted. "I've known that in your heart, this is the right thing for you to do. And its where you belong. You wouldn't be happy here on Earth, not without… him." She glanced over at Van, who still remained on the couch.
Hitomi smiled. "You've always known me so well," she said. Suddenly, her eyes lightened. "Come with me!"
"What?"
"Come with me, Mom!" she grasped her hands. "You'll like it on Gaea. It's so beautiful!"
"Hitomi…"
"Please…"
"Hitomi, this is where I belong," Midori patted her daughter's hands. "When your father died, it hurt me so, as if I had lost a part of myself. I can't leave. But I want you to go out and live your life with the one you love."
She reached over and brushed some loose strands of hair from Hitomi's face, noticing the tears swelling in her eyes.
"You look beautiful in that dress," she said. "You are fit to be a Queen."
Hitomi let out a sudden burst of uneasy laughter, then embraced her mother. "I love you, Mom," she whispered, so quiet that only she could hear. "I don't think I ever said it enough, but I do."
Midori stroked the back of her head. "As do I, child," she replied. "I'll always be with you. This 'Power of Atlantis' may close off the connection between the two worlds, but it can't overcome the bond between two human hearts."
They remained interlocked for several moments, trying to capture this instant in their minds forever. Hitomi parted, wiping her eyes and looking at Van. "We have to go soon," she said to him. "Allen and the others have probably left for the island. We have to intercept them."
Van nodded. "Are you capable of taking us?" he asked.
"Yes," she responded. "I just wasted too much energy with all the different changes at the same time."
"I have something I want to give you, then," Midori said, heading for the stairs. "Go say your good-byes to your friends."
Hitomi agreed with a nod of her head, walked to Naoko first and hugged her.
"You're the best roommate I've ever had," she said.
Naoko snorted. "I'm the only roommate you've ever had, Dreamer," she reminded her, holding back her sobs. "But thanks anyway. And by the way, where is that costume that I rented for you?"
Hitomi groaned. "I can't really get it for you right now," she said. "Go back to the school and dig through my wallet. I think I have enough cash in there, so use that to pay the rental fee."
She nodded, then moved aside, so that Hitomi could face her already-weeping best friend. "Yukari…" she said.
Yukari used a tissue to dab her eyes and laugh. "Somehow, I knew something like this was going to happen," she blubbered. "I knew that one of us was going to have to leave. I just always thought we would be able to stay in touch."
"I'll always think of you," her friend whispered, trying to lighten the moment. "I'll think about the wonderful life that you are leading with Amano and the baby. That way, I'll know that you will be happy."
Yukari looked into Hitomi's eyes and smiled. "Be safe, my friend," she kissed her on the cheek. She glanced over at Van. "You better take care of her," she threatened him.
His eyes widened, not really expecting her sudden outburst in a foreign tongue. But he saw Hitomi's lip form a slight smile, so he eased away.
She walked over to where her brother still sat on the chair, observing everything that had occurred. "What's on your mind, Koji?" she asked.
"I was just thinking…" he replied, his own olive green eyes staring straight ahead. "Back when we were younger… you and I were playing in the woods when Dad took us out…"
"Yeah, I remember," she said, sitting next to him and smoothing out her long skirts. "You cut open your knee and I told you that you were a wimp because you were bawling." She laughed. "And Dad told you walk it off."
"And that night, we sat out in our sleeping bags and stared out at the stars. You pointed out all the constellations, and to this day, I know how to find Draco." Koji changed his gaze to look at her. "So this won't be good-bye, either. Whenever I'm lonely, I'll look out at the stars and I'll think of you."
Hitomi leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. No matter how annoying he seemed, Koji had a heart of gold. She kissed him on the forehead.
"Don't dig through my things while I'm gone, okay?" she grinned.
"Deal."
She sighed, then looked up at Van. He tried giving her a comforting smile and she absorbed it.
it is time for you to go, hitomi…
Gaea's soft voice whispered inside her mind. Apparently, Van also had heard it, for he looked at her and reached out for her hand. "Are you ready?" he asked.
Hitomi nodded, then stood slowly to her feet. Her family and friends rose to theirs as well. Van encircled her waist with his arm and helped her regain her balance.
As they slowly walked to the front door, Hitomi hung her head low in sorrow. He squeezed her hand and she returned it, although it being a lot weaker.
Naoko, Yukari, and Koji walked behind them, keeping a respective distance between them and the two lovers. The group of people crossed the empty street, barren except for a few parked cars on the curbs. The downpour had finally halted a hour ago, leaving everything with a dampness about it.
Van stopped in the middle of a clearing, where many sopping white feathers clung to the dewy grass. This is where we must have landed, she observed. Only seems right though.
She turned around and saw her mother racing across the park, grasping something tightly in her hand. She stopped just before Hitomi, bending over to catch her breath. "Your… grandmother…" she panted. "She wanted me to give you this on your wedding day. She said that this day would happen, that you would disappear into the stars with the man you were to spend your life with."
She placed her hand upon Hitomi's opened one and left a small, gold ring in it. She recognized it immediately.
"This is Grandma's wedding band," she gasped. "I can't take this."
Midori shoved her hand back. "No, it's for you. I've done my part."
Hitomi looked into her eyes and seeing tears for the first time. "Mom, please take care," she cried into her shoulder.
"Go live the life that you are supposed to lead, daughter," her mother replied, stroking her soft hair.
Hitomi felt the pendant around her neck come to life, it pulsating with its blinding glow. Midori backed away, joining the younger people at a distance. Van wrapped his arms around her slender waist and looked over her shoulder.
"You ready?" he asked. She nodded, then held the stone up high.
please, take us back to gaea…
The shaft of light encased them, climbing higher in the dawning sky. Hitomi could feel the electricity racing in the air, making the world seem as if it were statically-charged. She clung tighter to Van's arms around her stomach as her feet slowly lifted from the ground. The essence of weightlessness overcame her body as she floated upwards towards her new home.
"I'll never forget anyone of you!" she cried out. "Be sure to tell Amano what happened! Thank you! Thank you for everything!"
She watched her family wave at her, smiles plastered on their faces and tears streaming down. And then they were too small to see anymore. They had disappeared as she and Van climbed higher into the sky.
"Are you alright?" she heard him whisper into her ear.
"Not really," she let out an awkward giggle. "But I think I will be."
* * *
Yukari shaded her eyes at the glare of the bright pillar of light. She saw Hitomi float off the ground with that man she came with. The light seemed to ascend to the middle of nowhere in the sky, vanishing into the clouds.
Be safe, Hitomi… she thought. And be happy.
In an instant, the sky seemed to rip apart, leaving a gaping hole where the light entered. Yukari squinted to see better. Although the brilliance of the light had left her unable to see clearly, she could make out the same of a sister planet similar to the Earth.
"Gaea…" she murmured, as the light disappeared, leaving the sky empty except for a few stray pink clouds.
To be continued…
* * *
This had to be the hardest chapter for me to write. I'm sorry it has taken a lot longer than I thought it would take. I had a lot of trouble focusing on it.
I looked everywhere, but it appears that Hitomi's mother has no name. Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't… I dunno. So I asked my friend what would be a good name. She suggested "Midori" because it means "green" in Japanese, and since Hitomi means "iris," I thought I would continue with the whole eye thing. Also, I found out after I wrote a previous chapter that her brother does have a name. So, for all you diehard fans, I am aware that Koji is not his real name, but I wanted to name him after this really cool restaurant back at home that I used to walk by.
This chapter's title is Spanish for "without you." I took the language for 5 years, so I thought it should benefit me at least.