* Thank you Starzie Chick for the very nice review! Thanks to the rest of you guys too. Your reviews have been very helpful in helping me continue this story. I use to need inspiration before but now I have all of you guys to inspire me. Thanks a lot!

-Angel-Fergie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Thirteen: Seized

Crusade Hitomi's Bedroom

"Van?" Hitomi awoke from her sleep to an empty chamber. Hitomi sighed as she leaned up in bed and looked around. Her wound seemed to be hurting less and less everyday, but there was another pain replacing it. Hitomi had to choose where she wanted to live for the rest of her life.

She could live on Earth with her friends and family, but what about Van. When she went back last time she was depressed and couldn't go on in life. They other option was to stay on Gaea with Van forever. That didn't sound bad, that way she could be happy with him, but would she truly be happy without her mom, dad, little brother or Yukari?

Hitomi Put her head in her lap as she felt another headache coming. She needed to get out and breath-in some fresh air and clear her mind. Also while she was out she could ask the advise of some of her friends.

Hitomi got up to her feet swaying a bit because she hadn't walked in a couple of days. She walked to the door and opened it just as Merle was about to walk in. They ended up bumping into each other and stumbling back a few paces.

Merle looked at Hitomi with fright. "Hitomi! You shouldn't be out of bed! I was just coming to replace your bandages and make sure you were all right" Merle scolded her. Hitomi gave Merle an innocent smile with a sigh.

"I just need some fresh air Merle, but thank for being concerned" Hitomi said about to step around Merle. Merle quickly moved in front of her and gave her an angry look.

"If you want some fresh air open the window. Lord Van told me to take good care of you, and I always do what Lord Van says. So get back in bed and rest!" Merle said grabbing Hitomi by her good arm and hauling her back to bed.

Hitomi was tired of being in bed all day with nothing to do so she twisted free from Merle's grasp and ran to the door. She ended up locking Merle in the room. Hitomi felt bad for doing that to Merle but she couldn't take her belly aching anymore.

Crusade Hallway

Allen was walking down the hall of the Crusade thinking about his dear sister Celina. Damn the Phantom Slayers! Why would they want Celina in the first place? What were they doing to her? Allen only hopped she was safe and unharmed.

Allen sighed as he leaned on the railing looking into the distance. There were beautiful mountain covered with trees, and what made it even more perfect was the sunset. It looked like the sky was covered with flames of bright yellow, orange, and red. Allen was getting sick of seeing fire. That's what originally destroyed his homeland an Gaea.

Allen heard someone approaching him and he turn his head to see who it was. It was Hitomi who was walking slowly towards him looking out at the sunset. She looked beautiful as the colors of the sun hit her face. Her hair almost looked like fire itself, then she looked at him.

A Smile crossed Hitomi's face as she walked towards Allen. Allen smiled back but not feeling the usual happiness that he feels when he's around Hitomi. "Allen! Isn't the sunset beautiful?" Hitomi said standing beside him.

Even when he was leaning against the railing he was still taller than her. Hitomi so small and frail like Celina but different in some way. "Very beautiful indeed. The light makes other things look even more beautiful when bathed in it" Allen said smiling at Hitomi.

Hitomi paused for a moment after hearing what Allen had said to her. Was he complimenting her? No way, Hitomi though leaning against the railing beside him. It was extraordinarily silent so Hitomi tried to make conversation. "So how's Celina been doing lately? I hear she a real beautiful girl?" Hitomi said noticing a sad expression on Allen's face. Had she said something wrong?

Allen sighed once again and looked at Hitomi in her beautiful green eyes that sparkled as they looked at him. "Yeah she's been fine. Just fine and yes she is beautiful like a daffodil. That's what I use to call her when we were little" Allen said moving the hair away from his face looking again into the sunset.

Allen and Hitomi turned their heads as they heard loud thumping noises coming from down the hall. "Where is she? I'm going to kill her myself once I get my hands on that girl" it was Merle who was coming down the hall at lightening speed.

Hitomi looked at Allen with a pleading look. Allen figured that Hitomi must of escaped Merle by either tying her up or locking her in her room. Allen laughed as he took Hitomi by the arm and ran off with her down the hall.

Allen brought her to a set of stairs and pointed down them and looked at Hitomi. "Go down these steps and turn left. There's a over hang that has a good view of the land, but once your done get back to you room and get some rest. I'll get Merle to calm down by getting her to help out Van" Allen walking away from her laughing.

Hitomi smiled as she heard Allen laugh. For a second there, when she brought up his sister, it almost looked like he was going to shed tears. Hitomi continued to walked down the long set of stairs and took a left turn until she saw a light.

A gust of wind hit Hitomi's face as she walked out and was stunned by the beautiful view. Allen was right, this was a good view of the land and the sunset only added to the beauty of it all.

Crusade Repair Deck

Van was finishing the last of the repairs on Escaflowne. It had taken him most of the day to finish up all the work. He felt bad for leaving Hitomi when he did. He wanted to stay with her until she woke up and looked at him, but instead he choose to leave and work on Escaflowne. If he wanted to protect her he would need Escaflowne.

"Lord Van! Lord Van!" Merle said as she usually did jumping on Van giggling like a little girl. Van though it was nice to have a distraction from his never ending thoughts. Van patted Merle on the head and smiled at her. He always saw Merle as a younger sister because she was always so full of life. "Lord Van? You wont guess what Hitomi did to me. She locked me in her room and left me there! Sheesh! I'm just doing what you told me to do Lord Van!" Merle said making puppy eyes at him.

"I never told you to tell her what to do all the time. She needs space because that's the kind of girl she is, and that's how she always will be. Just give her some time alone Merle" Van said stepping down from Escaflowne with Merle by his side.

"Okay! Only because your telling me to do so, but if she ever locks me in the room again I'll use her as a scratching post, and don't doubt that I wont!" Merle said. Van smiled and nodded at Merle as he walked out of the repair deck.

Should he go find Hitomi or should he just let her be alone for awhile? Van decided to give her some time to her self then he would go looking for her to make sure she was alright.

Crusade Small Overhang

Hitomi looked into the sunset which was nearly gone into the mountains. The sky was now full of beautiful intertwined colors of blue, purple, pink and orange. Hitomi sighed as she looked at it and wondered about home.

Suddenly there were violent tremors shaking the ship furiously while Hitomi held on for her life. She had almost fallen of the ship but thankfully there was a rail for such an occasion. Hitomi looked down and suddenly wished she hadn't. She quickly got to the stairs and headed up them while the ship continued to shake violently over and over again.

When Hitomi neared the top of the stairs she saw the crew member running back and forth making Hitomi feel sicker than she already was. What was going on? Where the under attack by the enemy?

Hitomi made it to the side of the ship and looked out of the window. All she could see was smoke coming from the repair deck. Van suddenly burst into her mind and she dashed down the hall to the repair deck where Van usually was.

Once Hitomi reached the repair deck she ran towards Escaflowne, but Escaflowne was gone. Hitomi didn't know whether to be frightened or brave, but one thing she knew she had to do was find Van.

They must of been fighting on top of the ship but how did she know what was going on? The only thing Hitomi could think of was to head up to the main deck and ask Allen, he would know what was going on.

Up top of the Crusade

The black guymelef had come out of nowhere when he first attacked the ship, and now Van was fighting one on one with him. Van noticed the new weaponry that he had added to his guymelef, but for some reason he wasn't using it.

"Give her to me and I leave you alone" Shin said aloud from his guymelef. Shin swung his sword towards Van and Van blocked it with ease. Van had gotten better at using his sword since the last war. He found it necessary to heighten his skills to keep him occupied and in shape for situations like this.

"I wont hand over anything to the likes of you!" Van said in pure anger and charged Shin. Shin dodged Van attack and knocked Van to his knees giving him the opportunity to pull the ship apart to find what he's looking for.

Shin turned around and headed towards the main deck and looked in through the glass. The people inside looked as tiny as dolls as he hovered over them looking for a specific toy. There she was standing there looking terrified. Shin knew it was her because of her uniform and because she was the only girl there beside a girl that looked like a cat.

Shin smashed the window and reached in the ship but something struck him from behind. The kid was getting on his nerves but before he turned around he took what he came for.

Hitomi was frightened when the black guymelef grabbed her and pulled her out of the Crusade. As she was pulled out of the ship she saw Escaflowne, Van. "Van!" Hitomi yelled as she was whirled upwards.

"Let her go now! I'll kill you if you harm her" Van said pulling away from Shin. Van thoughts were fully on Hitomi because if he provoked him he could kill her with no problem. He was that kind of person and Van knew the type.

"I came for her and now that I have her I'll leave you for now, but don't worry we'll meet again later Van Fanel" Shin said as he cloaked and flew away from the Crusade.

"Hitomi!" Van yelled turning Escaflowne into the dragon and flying off into the direction Shin was heading last. Van was suddenly hit with a wave of fire that he didn't see coming. He was suddenly falling towards the ground as he lost control of Escaflowne. As he was falling he could hear his name being called by Hitomi, but they were getting farther and farther away…