The Ties that Bind

By Siren

Heyyyyy, people! What's up? How was my first chapter???? Huh???? Was it any good???? puppy dog eyes Anyway....recieves exhasperated look from StarSky 0.0
What? So, here's the second chapter! Hope everyone likes it!
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CHAPTER 2
JERSEY GIRL IN A NEW WORLD



Wow. I'm actually staring at the anime guy that stole my heart. He's absolutely gorgeous. A *major* hottie. (A.N.- Ummm....right. Nevermind.) His unruly raven hair is hanging infront of his deep brown eyes. I could get lost in those eyes. I search them for the familiar spunk and stubborness that I had seen so many times in the show. But instead, all I see is anger. Oh boy. I guess that I shouldn't have been rude to him.
"Y-you're..." I stammer. To my surprise, a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. "I am Van Slanzar de Fanel, and you are?" Oh boy. His voice is deep, and gruff. I love that voice. For a moment, I just stare at him. Than wolf boy nudges me, and I regain the function of my brain. "Huh? Oh, I'm Nicole, but my friends call me Nikki," I introduce myself. He nodds. "Have you no last name?" he asks. I frown. I can't tell him. I already came off as a major bitch. And this wasn't exactly the Van I had envisioned. The last thing I need is a kigdom heading to my house with a pissed off king and wolf boy. "I don't have a last name," I lie. He cocks an eyebrow. "Are you an orphan?" Gulp. What's with the twenty questions? God this guy is as dense as the rest of them.
"No, I'm not. I just...don't have a last name." He frowns, obviously not believing me. "Look, if you're Van, than I'm on Gaea, right?" Van nodds. I can't help but smile. This is every Esca fan's dream! "Okay. If this is Gaea, than I'm from...the Mystic Moon," I tell them, remembering their name for Earth. They gasp in shock, and I smirk. I love surprising these people. Though I guess it doesn't take much to do that. Van's eyes are wide. "A-are you serious?" I smile and nod. "Uh-huh." One of Van's advisors stands up, pointing a bony finger at me accusingly. I hate it when people point at me like that. "She's one of the cursed, sire! She is a vile thing, and must be destroyed immidietly!" My eyes widen, and my mouth gapes in shock. Is he serious? I'm only fifteen, so I'm still a minor. Don't they have juvenille centers here? And I didn't do anything wrong! And...oh yeah. They do believe that people from Earth are cursed. Huh. Never really understood that. But I can't just let some stuck-up snob seal my fate like that!
"Hey! First of all, I am _not_ cursed. Secondly, you don't get to play God! You can't just point a finger at me and expect me to just die, you prick!" More gasping. Heh heh. Van cocks his eyebrow again, and I melt. I love it when he does that. (Sees StarSky rolling her eyes. Ah, shaddup.) The man that ordered my death is now furious. "She has a wicked toungue, and an evil soul! She must be destroyed for all of Gaea's sake!" he yells. I flinch. I didn't do anything wrong. And I'm human too. Why are they treating me like this? And why isn't anyone defending me? Tears well in my eyes, and I quickly wipe them away. I will not cry infront of these people. I refuse. But I can't help it. They want me dead, and nobody even wants to listen to me. I lower my head, letting my hair fall infront of my face. I wonder how they'll kill me. Maybe they'll be nice and make it quick. Or..."She will not be killed." My head snaps up, and I stare at my defender. It's Van.
"But sire, surely you jest! She is a cursed creature! If she is not destroyed, than Fanalia and all of Gaea shall suffer the consequences!" I feel my heart clench. I know it's not true, but I don't think these guys will listen to reason. Van lifts his chin defiantly. I love his defiance and stubborness. This is the Van I knew of. "I shall take full responsibility for whatever happens. Do not pay attention to such wives-tales counselor. I do not want Fanalia to be known as a place where we kill any and all outsiders due to rumors." The counselor doesn't look like he's ready to back down. I look at Van thankfully, and he nods in acknowledgment. "Van-sama, that girl is a demon. And as king of Fanalia, you must protect your country. Even from old wives-tales." Ooh. He just had to use that royal crap, didn't he? ....Hey, who's he callin' a demon?! That...that...jerk! I've had enough of this. Van is yelling at the counselors now, and I'm grateful for that. But I want to scream at this point. And to my shock, I do.

"_SHUT_UP_!!!"

...Silence...

Good. They shut up. I try to get my anger and frustration under control, but that's a very difficult thing for me to do. "Everybody shut up and listen to me. How would you like it if you were sent to my world and labeled a 'demon' the second someone saw you?" "But we are not demons..." the counselor says. If looks could kill, I'd have killed him on the spot. He shrinks back into his seat. "Shut up, and keep your ass on that seat. I am tired. I am confused. And I am fed up with your stupid bickering. If you want me dead, than do it. At least I won't have to listen to your stupid-ass bull shit." Van smirks. "The girl will live, and will be under my supervision. That is all." The counselor is about to protest, but he gets one look at me, and decides against it. Good boy. They all stand and leave, careful not to come near me.
Tired and aching, I lean against the wall and slide to the floor. I close my eyes, exhausted. I hear someone sit down next to me. I don't bother to open my eyes. "You've got quite a mouth on you," Van jokes. I smile, and can't help but laugh. "That would be considered mild in my world." I open my eyes, and stare into Van's. He looks at me curiously. I know everything about him and his world, and he knows nothing of me. It seems unfair in a way. But I'm alive, and that's all that matters. "Thanks for the support," I say. Van nodds. "The counselors...are very superstitious." I snort. "Yeah. What crawled up their asses and died?" Van stares at me blankly. "Uh...nevermind. Me and my wicked toungue," I say, hoping to lighten the mood. I smile, thinking of home. "My mom always said my mouth would get me in trouble. And this time, it was someone else's mouth that got me out of it." He smiles softly. I can tell he is hesitant about trusting me. That's okay. At least he was nice. And I could get used to nice. If only I could say the same about Gaea.
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That night, I slept in a bed. A real bed. I stretch my sore muscles, and get out of the bed. I wak over to the window, and open it. Rays of moonlight seep into the room, giving everything a gentle glow. I stare out at the courtyard. Everything was quiet. Peaceful. The moon was huge, and just like the series, Earth was next to it. For a moment, I realize how Hitomi must've felt. Are my parents worried about me? Are my sister's behaving? Is Jenn still obsessing over Yu-Gi-Oh in Florida? (It's okay, Jenn. There's a nice little padded room at the anime hospital, LOL) And last, did anyone remember to feed Emma?
I sigh, than smile. I'm an esca fan in Gaea. And I am gonna live it up here for as long as I can. I try to make out some constellations, and fail miserably. I roll my eyes. "Oh well. I sucked at astrology anyway," I murmer. Deciding to give my aching body a break, I walk back to my bed. Sitting down, I feel the fatigue creep into my bones.

I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow.
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Mmmm....sleep is nice. This bed is nice. Nice bed. (I take a ton of time getting up in the morning.) Bed nice. I open my eyes, and blink. Staring into mine are two azure eyes that belong to a mischevious little catgirl with pink hair. I always thought her hair was a cool color. She smiles a wicked grin, and holds something in the air, waving it infront of me. It was my amber-heart pendant that my mom baught me! I like that necklace! "Hey!" I shriek, and grab for it. But the cat-girl is too quick. I mentally slap my forehead. Duh! Of course she is! She was always agile in the show!
"Hey, gimme back my necklace, you clepto!" Merle stares at me blankly. "Cle-ptoe?" she says, testing out the foreign word. I smile. "Uh-huh. It means someone who compulsively steals things. Like...a nail file," I say, and hold up her necklace/nail file. Her eyes widen. "Hey, that's mine!" I smile, and nod. I've studied her moves from the show. I do believe that I've mastered the art of theivery. "Give it back!" she screams. I shrug. "Fine. We trade. Your nail-file for my necklace." She nodds, and we swap. She frowns and sticks out her toungue. "Meanie!" I roll my eyes as she runs out of the room. I turn around, and slip my necklace around my neck. I hear footsteps, and don't bother to turn around. "Back for the necklace, Merle?" I hear a chuckle, and turn to see Van. "I see you've met Merle," he greets. I nod. "Yup." He glances out the window.

"Do you want to see Fanalia?"

2 Be Continued...

I know, I know, I'm pathetic. swoons over Van But he's a hottie, you have to admit. And for all those Dilly fans out there, I'm a Dilly-fan too. Burn, baby. Anyway, third chapter'll be up soon! ^_^