I don't own Gundam Wing or Escaflowne. These are my interpretations of their characters. I don't want to make any money. Etc........
Van stood at the edge of the small clearing deep in Fanelia's woods. In front of him was his family's graves. His mother's and his father's were side by side, as united in death as they were in life. More recently Folken's tombstone had been lovingly placed in the country he had spent most of his childhood in. Now all three of the graves were bathed with a warm light which shown through between the trees, casting ornate patterns on the scene.
King Van took a deep breath, searching for the peace that he always felt when he was here. It was almost as though he could feel them, watching over him and giving his guidance. Guidance was one thing he could definitely use right now. "Where are you, brother?" he said aloud to the empty clearing. Then, as though upset with his own brother for sacrificing his life, though he knew it was foolish, he asked again, angrier, "Why aren't you here to help me make the right decision?"
The sound of his voice quickly faded, muffled by the thick forest. Van felt a wave of disappointment wash over him and immediately felt foolish. It wasn't as if he actually expected Folken to respond. His older brother had died defending that which he believed to be right. After a long period of time in which he had served Zaibach, a menace which had been defeated over a year before, he had finally repented his actions and died trying to protect his younger brother and the kingdom from which he had forsaken all those years ago. Van too had found it in his heart to forgive Folken, letting go of the anger that had possessed him when he had found out his brother was a traitor to the kingdom.
"Brother," Van dropped to his knees in front of the grave leaning his arms and head against the hilt of his sword, "Why is it that when so many lives were lost seeking peace others must destroy it? Why do good people have to die? What is worth so much that hundreds of honest, hardworking people must die to attain it?" A voice behind him startled the king and he leapt to his feet, whirling around to face the familiar figure which stood in the shadow of one of the larger trees. "Alas, Van. I do not have the answers that you seek for. It is these questions that all the souls of those who fight must ask. It is these questions which drove me to serve Dornkirk."
"Folken!" Van breathed, leaning on his sword handle unsteadily. The figure was slightly transparent but there was no mistaking it. The older of the two Fanelian heirs walked over to his younger sibling and stood next to him. Though he was only a few feet from what was obviously some sort of spirit or apparition, Van felt no fear. Even the surprise was fading away quickly.
Folken continued to speak, occasionally glancing over at his younger brother's expression, "Both Dornkirk and I tried to stop these wasteful actions of human beings. However, one cannot stop this cycle of pain forcefully. It is up to each person to decide and answer the questions you have just now asked. If you try to stop the cycle, you will only be swept away with it, along with those closest to you."
"But how will I know when to fight and when not to?" Van asked, staring off into the woods but putting his full focus on his brother's words.
"You must listen to your heart," Folken spoke, "Van, nobody wants to fight. However, people often have opposing views and too often they will be willing to go to arms to defend those beliefs. You must remember that your enemy is the same as you; fighting for what he or she believes to be right. One must always seek for a peaceful solution before fighting. If you do not, then you are no better than your foe."
"But what if a peaceful solution cannot be found?" Van asked, looking over at his elder sibling's deep brown eyes.
Folken sighed and smiled sadly at Fanelia's King who, when it came down to it, was only sixteen: a young age to be faced with such moral dilemmas. "It is then that you must trust in your heart the most, Van. Sometimes conflict cannot be avoided, you must not blame yourself for every life that is lost. Blood will inevitably be spilt. When the time comes that you are faced with such a choice remember that you are king. Your duty is to life everywhere, yes, but above all to that of your people. Do what you feel is necessary to protect your loved ones and those who have placed their lives in your hands. That is all you can do, Van."
From behind him, Van heard the sound of his parents' voices, "Remember, Van," Gaou, his regal father, the former king told him, "we are proud of you."
"And we love you," Vari, his angelic mother, spoke softly, "more than you will ever know."
Van felt tears running silently down his face and found that he wasn't ashamed. As he closed his eyes, he could hear Balgus's voice, his old teacher and mentor, "Remember, Van, fight with your heart and believe in yourself and those who care for you. Let their strength be your strength."
"I will," Van promised, his voice coming out strong despite the damp area around his eyes. As he felt the presence of his deceased loved ones fading, Van added more softly, "I promise."
After several moments had gone by, the King of Fanelia opened his eyes. He was once again alone in the clearing. Van straightened and took a deep breath. To his surprise he found that he was more relaxed, as if much of the tension had been relieved. "Thank you," he whispered to the empty little graveyard.
Picking up his sword which had fallen on the ground, Van took a deep breath. Now he knew what he had to do. Though he hoped it would never again be necessary, he would have to use it. But this time he was king and had discovered new wisdom and discretion on when it would be necessary for it to used. The Fanelian king looked up in a mix between recognition and a familiar awe. "Escaflowne," he exhaled, his eyes fixated on the large Guymelef, half-covered in vines and bramble that was concealed next to the graveyard.
Van reached into the pouch which was fastened to his belt and took out the ruby energist which he used to power the suit. Though he hadn't knowingly intended on reactivating the Guymelef, he had chosen to bring it with him for a reason unknown at the time, even to him. Now he used his sword to prick the end of his finger and, as he had done when he had first activated the ancient suit, allowed himself to bleed freely into the energist. Van took a deep breath, remembering all the events, good and bad, that had happened the last time he had brought Escaflowne to life. Without hesitance, the young Draconian reached out and pushed the energist into the translucent red crystal on the midsection of the Guymelef. Then, he took several steps back and waited.
After a few seconds had gone by, the dead gray of the suit began to fade and was replaced with a brighter color and Escaflowne once again seemed to transform before his eyes. What a few moments before had seemed a dull, lifeless hulk was suddenly transformed. In its place was Escaflowne, a symbol of power and heritage that had been in his family for generations.
"So," Van spoke softly to the suit, putting a hand on its side, "we meet again."
Hitomi was sitting on top of a grassy bluff. The cool breeze kept the air cool, despite the sun which illuminated the meadow. Beside her, Trowa, Quatre, Dorothy and Relena were all enjoying the beautiful weather. The Quatre and Relena were actively engaged in a philosophical conversation on the meaning of true peace while Dorothy and Trowa spoke in more hushed tones on several Egzardia plays, all of which were tragedies.
As she leaned back and tried to enjoy the pleasant weather, Hitomi's thoughts shifted to Van. Early that morning he had set off alone into the nearby woods and nobody had seen him since then. Before he had gone, he had told her he had something he needed to alone. Despite her trust in her beloved, Hitomi was a little anxious. She hoped that he would come back soon. For a few moments, the teenage girl played with the idea of looking for him but then decided against it. She would respect his wishes and privacy. If he said it was something he needed to do alone, she believed him.
Hitomi was just about to get up and head back to the castle when she heard a voice calling out. "Everyone!" Merle yelled, "The Crusade is here!"
The small group of people quickly got to their feet and looked at the sky. Sure enough, against the pale-blue heavens, a silhouette could be seen. As it drew closer, Hitomi could make out the familiar sleek body and flat horizontal wings of the Asturian Levi Ship. Merle, who had been running towards them from the city dashed up just as the airship drew closer, obviously preparing to land. Within a few moments it was only several yards away and with a snap, the propellers began to rise and landing platforms gradually jutted out of the hull with a cranking sound. Several seconds later, the levi ship was safely on the ground. As the small group on the ground approached the still ship, the side snapped open and with a hiss and with an unnecessary amount of clamor, the crew of the Crusade burst forth.
"Hey, Hitomi!" Gaddess called out, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.
"Gaddess!" Hitomi yelled back, running over to him and giving him a brief hug. It had been a long time since she had seen the cohort of pirate men who, truth be told, were for the most part a friendly and funny bunch who were only hard edged when it was necessary.
As she pulled back, the teenage girl noticed that the older man was blushing furiously as the rest of the crew whistled and poked fun at their captain. Gaddess spun around to face them and yelled at them in an anger which wasn't heartfelt. Turning back, he exclaimed, "It's good to see you again! It's been a long time!"
"Yes it has," Hitomi agreed smiling cheerfully at her old acquaintance. Then she remembered the rest of the group and quickly made introductions, "Gaddess, these are my..." Hitomi paused and then decided to proceed with her original inclination, "friends. This is Sir Quatre, that's Sir Trowa, Miss Dorothy and Miss Relena. Everyone, this is Gaddess and that's the crew of the Crusade."
As pleasant exchanges were made all around, Hitomi once again wondered where Van had gone off to. To her pleasure and surprise, as the introductions were finishing up, she heard the dull thundering sound of a Guymelef's feet. Looking down the hill towards the city and the woods, she saw the familiar sight of Escaflowne walking confidently towards them, its cape billowing out behind it. The visor was open and from inside, Van called out to them, "Welcome to Fanelia! Sorry I wasn't here to greet you. I was just taking care of some business."
"Don't sweat it!" Gaddess called back in his usual carefree tone, "We just got here!"
With a hiss, the cockpit of Escaflowne opened and Van jumped gracefully to the ground. Walking over to the group he seemed more sure of himself than before and Hitomi felt a small wave of relief. Whatever he had done, it seemed to have boosted his confidence. Van shook Gaddess's hand warmly and did the same to the rest of the crew. "Gaddess, Reeden, Kio, Paile, Ort, Teo, Katz- good to see you all."
As the King of Fanelia and Gaddess exchanged words, the Mole Man walked over to Merle. Hitomi wondered where he had appeared from, as she hadn't seen him get off the ship with the rest of them. To her surprise, as she watched, the Mole Man took out a shiny golden bracelet and handed it to Merle who snatched out of his hands happily. As she danced around the short, dirty man with large dark spectacles noticed her for the first time.
"Ah! The girl from the Mystic Moon is back!" he cried out, moving about her as though he were inspecting her.
"Yes," Hitomi replied, slightly thrown off by his examination, "I've come back to be with Van."
"King Van is a lucky man!" the Mole Man chuckled in his throaty voice. Before Hitomi could ask exactly what he meant, something Gaddess was saying caught her attention.
"News from the outside? Well the Dragon Clan hasn't made any more major advances if that's what you mean. However, Baslam seems to have made an alliance with them to take control of the other nations so instead of fighting one enemy, we'll be fighting two. Oh yeah, there's something going on in the Sanc Kingdom."
Hitomi looked over at Relena and Dorothy, both of which had looked over at the mention of their homeland. Gaddess continued, oblivious to the sudden attention he was being given, "Apparently the Zaibach forces were totally annihilated by a small elite group from Baslam."
Kio joined the conversation, taking up the explanation, "The really weird thing was that they didn't even try to claim it. Apparently as soon as their victory was secure they put out the fires that had caught in the city and recalled most of their troops. There's a rumor going around that one of their lost heirs has returned."
Hitomi looked over at the two diplomats from the Sanc Kingdom. They were both looking at each other with the same expression on their faces. Relena turned back to Van, "I am sorry, Lord Van. Dorothy and I must return to our homeland. We must leave immediately for the Sanc Kingdom."
Van nodded agreeably, "I understand," he said. With a hurried bow, Relena and Dorothy began to run back down the hill towards their horses and supplies in the city. Turning back, he addressed the Crusade crew. "I think it is time to go to Asturia. With Baslam and the Dragon Clan united, the urgency for our arrival has only increased. Gaddess, will you and your crew take us there?"
It was Reeden who stepped forward and said, "I think I speak for the Sarge when I say we will be glad to take you and your comrades to Asturia, Van Fanel."
After a rumble of determined unanimity, Van bowed and spoke in a thankful tone, "I appreciate everything you've done for me. I will not forget it. Fanelia is in your debt. You will always be welcome here."
Hitomi glanced at the faces around the circle of people. Quatre was beaming while Trowa and Van had serious, determined expressions. As Van moved Escaflowne on the ship and Trowa and Quatre gathered supplies, Hitomi was once again struck by the resolve of the group. One thing was for sure, the enemies of this coterie were in for a rough time. But would it be enough?
Van stood at the edge of the small clearing deep in Fanelia's woods. In front of him was his family's graves. His mother's and his father's were side by side, as united in death as they were in life. More recently Folken's tombstone had been lovingly placed in the country he had spent most of his childhood in. Now all three of the graves were bathed with a warm light which shown through between the trees, casting ornate patterns on the scene.
King Van took a deep breath, searching for the peace that he always felt when he was here. It was almost as though he could feel them, watching over him and giving his guidance. Guidance was one thing he could definitely use right now. "Where are you, brother?" he said aloud to the empty clearing. Then, as though upset with his own brother for sacrificing his life, though he knew it was foolish, he asked again, angrier, "Why aren't you here to help me make the right decision?"
The sound of his voice quickly faded, muffled by the thick forest. Van felt a wave of disappointment wash over him and immediately felt foolish. It wasn't as if he actually expected Folken to respond. His older brother had died defending that which he believed to be right. After a long period of time in which he had served Zaibach, a menace which had been defeated over a year before, he had finally repented his actions and died trying to protect his younger brother and the kingdom from which he had forsaken all those years ago. Van too had found it in his heart to forgive Folken, letting go of the anger that had possessed him when he had found out his brother was a traitor to the kingdom.
"Brother," Van dropped to his knees in front of the grave leaning his arms and head against the hilt of his sword, "Why is it that when so many lives were lost seeking peace others must destroy it? Why do good people have to die? What is worth so much that hundreds of honest, hardworking people must die to attain it?" A voice behind him startled the king and he leapt to his feet, whirling around to face the familiar figure which stood in the shadow of one of the larger trees. "Alas, Van. I do not have the answers that you seek for. It is these questions that all the souls of those who fight must ask. It is these questions which drove me to serve Dornkirk."
"Folken!" Van breathed, leaning on his sword handle unsteadily. The figure was slightly transparent but there was no mistaking it. The older of the two Fanelian heirs walked over to his younger sibling and stood next to him. Though he was only a few feet from what was obviously some sort of spirit or apparition, Van felt no fear. Even the surprise was fading away quickly.
Folken continued to speak, occasionally glancing over at his younger brother's expression, "Both Dornkirk and I tried to stop these wasteful actions of human beings. However, one cannot stop this cycle of pain forcefully. It is up to each person to decide and answer the questions you have just now asked. If you try to stop the cycle, you will only be swept away with it, along with those closest to you."
"But how will I know when to fight and when not to?" Van asked, staring off into the woods but putting his full focus on his brother's words.
"You must listen to your heart," Folken spoke, "Van, nobody wants to fight. However, people often have opposing views and too often they will be willing to go to arms to defend those beliefs. You must remember that your enemy is the same as you; fighting for what he or she believes to be right. One must always seek for a peaceful solution before fighting. If you do not, then you are no better than your foe."
"But what if a peaceful solution cannot be found?" Van asked, looking over at his elder sibling's deep brown eyes.
Folken sighed and smiled sadly at Fanelia's King who, when it came down to it, was only sixteen: a young age to be faced with such moral dilemmas. "It is then that you must trust in your heart the most, Van. Sometimes conflict cannot be avoided, you must not blame yourself for every life that is lost. Blood will inevitably be spilt. When the time comes that you are faced with such a choice remember that you are king. Your duty is to life everywhere, yes, but above all to that of your people. Do what you feel is necessary to protect your loved ones and those who have placed their lives in your hands. That is all you can do, Van."
From behind him, Van heard the sound of his parents' voices, "Remember, Van," Gaou, his regal father, the former king told him, "we are proud of you."
"And we love you," Vari, his angelic mother, spoke softly, "more than you will ever know."
Van felt tears running silently down his face and found that he wasn't ashamed. As he closed his eyes, he could hear Balgus's voice, his old teacher and mentor, "Remember, Van, fight with your heart and believe in yourself and those who care for you. Let their strength be your strength."
"I will," Van promised, his voice coming out strong despite the damp area around his eyes. As he felt the presence of his deceased loved ones fading, Van added more softly, "I promise."
After several moments had gone by, the King of Fanelia opened his eyes. He was once again alone in the clearing. Van straightened and took a deep breath. To his surprise he found that he was more relaxed, as if much of the tension had been relieved. "Thank you," he whispered to the empty little graveyard.
Picking up his sword which had fallen on the ground, Van took a deep breath. Now he knew what he had to do. Though he hoped it would never again be necessary, he would have to use it. But this time he was king and had discovered new wisdom and discretion on when it would be necessary for it to used. The Fanelian king looked up in a mix between recognition and a familiar awe. "Escaflowne," he exhaled, his eyes fixated on the large Guymelef, half-covered in vines and bramble that was concealed next to the graveyard.
Van reached into the pouch which was fastened to his belt and took out the ruby energist which he used to power the suit. Though he hadn't knowingly intended on reactivating the Guymelef, he had chosen to bring it with him for a reason unknown at the time, even to him. Now he used his sword to prick the end of his finger and, as he had done when he had first activated the ancient suit, allowed himself to bleed freely into the energist. Van took a deep breath, remembering all the events, good and bad, that had happened the last time he had brought Escaflowne to life. Without hesitance, the young Draconian reached out and pushed the energist into the translucent red crystal on the midsection of the Guymelef. Then, he took several steps back and waited.
After a few seconds had gone by, the dead gray of the suit began to fade and was replaced with a brighter color and Escaflowne once again seemed to transform before his eyes. What a few moments before had seemed a dull, lifeless hulk was suddenly transformed. In its place was Escaflowne, a symbol of power and heritage that had been in his family for generations.
"So," Van spoke softly to the suit, putting a hand on its side, "we meet again."
Hitomi was sitting on top of a grassy bluff. The cool breeze kept the air cool, despite the sun which illuminated the meadow. Beside her, Trowa, Quatre, Dorothy and Relena were all enjoying the beautiful weather. The Quatre and Relena were actively engaged in a philosophical conversation on the meaning of true peace while Dorothy and Trowa spoke in more hushed tones on several Egzardia plays, all of which were tragedies.
As she leaned back and tried to enjoy the pleasant weather, Hitomi's thoughts shifted to Van. Early that morning he had set off alone into the nearby woods and nobody had seen him since then. Before he had gone, he had told her he had something he needed to alone. Despite her trust in her beloved, Hitomi was a little anxious. She hoped that he would come back soon. For a few moments, the teenage girl played with the idea of looking for him but then decided against it. She would respect his wishes and privacy. If he said it was something he needed to do alone, she believed him.
Hitomi was just about to get up and head back to the castle when she heard a voice calling out. "Everyone!" Merle yelled, "The Crusade is here!"
The small group of people quickly got to their feet and looked at the sky. Sure enough, against the pale-blue heavens, a silhouette could be seen. As it drew closer, Hitomi could make out the familiar sleek body and flat horizontal wings of the Asturian Levi Ship. Merle, who had been running towards them from the city dashed up just as the airship drew closer, obviously preparing to land. Within a few moments it was only several yards away and with a snap, the propellers began to rise and landing platforms gradually jutted out of the hull with a cranking sound. Several seconds later, the levi ship was safely on the ground. As the small group on the ground approached the still ship, the side snapped open and with a hiss and with an unnecessary amount of clamor, the crew of the Crusade burst forth.
"Hey, Hitomi!" Gaddess called out, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.
"Gaddess!" Hitomi yelled back, running over to him and giving him a brief hug. It had been a long time since she had seen the cohort of pirate men who, truth be told, were for the most part a friendly and funny bunch who were only hard edged when it was necessary.
As she pulled back, the teenage girl noticed that the older man was blushing furiously as the rest of the crew whistled and poked fun at their captain. Gaddess spun around to face them and yelled at them in an anger which wasn't heartfelt. Turning back, he exclaimed, "It's good to see you again! It's been a long time!"
"Yes it has," Hitomi agreed smiling cheerfully at her old acquaintance. Then she remembered the rest of the group and quickly made introductions, "Gaddess, these are my..." Hitomi paused and then decided to proceed with her original inclination, "friends. This is Sir Quatre, that's Sir Trowa, Miss Dorothy and Miss Relena. Everyone, this is Gaddess and that's the crew of the Crusade."
As pleasant exchanges were made all around, Hitomi once again wondered where Van had gone off to. To her pleasure and surprise, as the introductions were finishing up, she heard the dull thundering sound of a Guymelef's feet. Looking down the hill towards the city and the woods, she saw the familiar sight of Escaflowne walking confidently towards them, its cape billowing out behind it. The visor was open and from inside, Van called out to them, "Welcome to Fanelia! Sorry I wasn't here to greet you. I was just taking care of some business."
"Don't sweat it!" Gaddess called back in his usual carefree tone, "We just got here!"
With a hiss, the cockpit of Escaflowne opened and Van jumped gracefully to the ground. Walking over to the group he seemed more sure of himself than before and Hitomi felt a small wave of relief. Whatever he had done, it seemed to have boosted his confidence. Van shook Gaddess's hand warmly and did the same to the rest of the crew. "Gaddess, Reeden, Kio, Paile, Ort, Teo, Katz- good to see you all."
As the King of Fanelia and Gaddess exchanged words, the Mole Man walked over to Merle. Hitomi wondered where he had appeared from, as she hadn't seen him get off the ship with the rest of them. To her surprise, as she watched, the Mole Man took out a shiny golden bracelet and handed it to Merle who snatched out of his hands happily. As she danced around the short, dirty man with large dark spectacles noticed her for the first time.
"Ah! The girl from the Mystic Moon is back!" he cried out, moving about her as though he were inspecting her.
"Yes," Hitomi replied, slightly thrown off by his examination, "I've come back to be with Van."
"King Van is a lucky man!" the Mole Man chuckled in his throaty voice. Before Hitomi could ask exactly what he meant, something Gaddess was saying caught her attention.
"News from the outside? Well the Dragon Clan hasn't made any more major advances if that's what you mean. However, Baslam seems to have made an alliance with them to take control of the other nations so instead of fighting one enemy, we'll be fighting two. Oh yeah, there's something going on in the Sanc Kingdom."
Hitomi looked over at Relena and Dorothy, both of which had looked over at the mention of their homeland. Gaddess continued, oblivious to the sudden attention he was being given, "Apparently the Zaibach forces were totally annihilated by a small elite group from Baslam."
Kio joined the conversation, taking up the explanation, "The really weird thing was that they didn't even try to claim it. Apparently as soon as their victory was secure they put out the fires that had caught in the city and recalled most of their troops. There's a rumor going around that one of their lost heirs has returned."
Hitomi looked over at the two diplomats from the Sanc Kingdom. They were both looking at each other with the same expression on their faces. Relena turned back to Van, "I am sorry, Lord Van. Dorothy and I must return to our homeland. We must leave immediately for the Sanc Kingdom."
Van nodded agreeably, "I understand," he said. With a hurried bow, Relena and Dorothy began to run back down the hill towards their horses and supplies in the city. Turning back, he addressed the Crusade crew. "I think it is time to go to Asturia. With Baslam and the Dragon Clan united, the urgency for our arrival has only increased. Gaddess, will you and your crew take us there?"
It was Reeden who stepped forward and said, "I think I speak for the Sarge when I say we will be glad to take you and your comrades to Asturia, Van Fanel."
After a rumble of determined unanimity, Van bowed and spoke in a thankful tone, "I appreciate everything you've done for me. I will not forget it. Fanelia is in your debt. You will always be welcome here."
Hitomi glanced at the faces around the circle of people. Quatre was beaming while Trowa and Van had serious, determined expressions. As Van moved Escaflowne on the ship and Trowa and Quatre gathered supplies, Hitomi was once again struck by the resolve of the group. One thing was for sure, the enemies of this coterie were in for a rough time. But would it be enough?