AN: I do not own any of these characters, just the story line. Hope you enjoy this Fic. And plese, be gentle when you R$R. It's my first Escaflowne fic ^_^'
Chapter One
It was a beautiful day. The sun shone proudly in the cloudless, sapphire sky as robins chirped in the trees. However Hitomi Kanzaki couldn't enjoy it, even if she wanted to. She sighed and looked out her bedroom window, ignoring the math homework that she had gladly abandoned.
"What is wrong with me?" She asked, lost in thought.
"Hitomi!!! Yukari is here to see you! Why don't you go outside? You can't stay in your room forever." She heard her mother bellow from the bottom of the stairs.
"No but I can try." she muttered as she stood up and made her way downstairs to meet up with her friend.
~*~
"Lord Van!" Merle shouted as she popped her head out of the door to the roof. Her pink hair reflected the bright sun and her cat ears perked up at the sight of her long time friend. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. Noticing his expression, she backed off.
"Hi Merle." he said an a depressed tone. Merle claimed a seat next to him and followed his steady gaze. He was looking up into the sky at the Mystic Moon. Merle screwed up her nose.
"Your thinking of Hitomi aren't you?"
"Maybe" He replied.
"You still love her don't you?" Merle asked, dreading his answer. However, he never said anything, just stood, sighed and walked back inside.
He paused at the door, as if to say something but decided against it and disappeared. Merle glanced up at the Mysic Moon once more and then ran after Van.
"Lord Van!!!" Merle shouted. "Wait up!"
~*~
"Yukari, I'm tired. Can we stop here for a few minutes?"
"Ok." Yukari agreed. "You know Hitomi, you can tell me anything."
Hotomi couldn't believe that this could be possible. Yukari would just laugh at her if she told her, but still, she wanted to share her experiences of Gaea. She held her necklace and stared at the red stone, wishing that she could be with Van. She missed him. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on Hitomi, spill, what's bothering you?"
"I....I can't say. It's personal." She said Then a wave of guilt washed over her when she noticed the hurt in Yukari's eyes. "Would you like to stay the night?" Hitomi offered.
"Sure...yah ok." Yukari said half heartedly. "Let's get going Hitomi. It's getting late at your mom will worry."
Hitomi nodded and followed her friend down the street towards her house.
When they finally went to bed that night, Hitomi found it difficult to sleep. She was too distracted by the overwhelming need to be with Van. She looked over to her right and found Yukari sleeping peacefully. She threw her covers off of her and shivered as her bare feet touched the cool hard wood flooring. She walked over to her desk and reached inside a container and pulled out a small, silver key. She slid it into the lock on her top drawer and opened it. She reached in and pulled out a smallish package wrapped in an intricately designed cloth. She began to fold back the corners of the cloth and took out a fluffy, white feather. She held it to her cheek and smiled. Then her eyes fell upon her Tarro cards. She swore to stop fortune telling, "But still, just maybe..." she wondered to herself as her fingers brushed the top card.
"H-Hitomi?" Yukari muttered, roused from her sleep by her friends absence. She looked around the room through sleepy eyes.
Hitomi began to slide the top card off of the deck. "Ok, if this card points me towards Gaea, I will go." she decided. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She gasped slightly as she looked at the card. It was a delicately drawn dragon. A smiled played upon her lips. "Van, I'm coming." she said in a hushed tone. She held her pendant up to her chest. "Take me to him Grandma. Let me be by his side." she spoke to no one in particular. The stone began to slowly sway and emit an ominous, magical glow. Yukari groaned as she struggled over to Hitomi's side. She placed her hands on her shoulders and peered over at the stone.
"Yukari!" she exclaimed. But it was too late. They were well on their way.
~*~
Van stared up at the velvet sky. It had grown late but his eyes showed no sign of tiredness. He got up and decided to go outside. Maybe the fresh air would help him. He smiled as the wind blew through the trees and tousled his hair. The air smelled so fresh. He lay on the emerald grass and gazed up at the stares. At that moment a flicker of light caught his eye. He shook his head in disbelief.
"I must be seeing things." He concluded but a second look proved him wrong. He would recognize that pillar of light anywhere. Anyone would recognize that pillar of light. It was Hitomi.
He jumped up and raced towards the trees. Moments later, he vanished among the shadows.
~*~
"Um, Hitomi? Where the hell are we?" Yukari exclaimed as she looked around with eyes full of fright.
"We're in Gaea." She said smiling. " Stay close Yukari." she warned.
"What's going on?" Her friend asked, totally confused.
"I'll explain later, right now we have to get out of this forest. God only knows what creatures are out there." Hitomi said in a nervous voice. Yukari swallowed hard and gripped Hitomi's hand harder.
The deeper that they traveled into the forest, the more unnerved they became.
"This is a dream. It has to be. Any minute now we will wake up in your room back in Tokyo." Yukari exclaimed in a more cheerful voice. However, a series of menacing growls stole their attention and banished all of Yukari's hopes. They stood there, paralyzed with fear as they watched eight pairs of glowing eyes appear in the greenery.
"No Yukari. This is very much real and we are in deep trouble." Hitomi said, confirming her worst fears. Hitomi extended her arm to prevent her friend from taking another step. The creatures then emerged from the darkness, teeth bared. They were as black as the dead of night, had six legs each with the figure of a domestic dog. They surrounded the two girls and crouched close to the ground, preparing to pounce. Just as the fist made his move, a man tackled the beast and his sword slew the animal. Hitomi's heart jumped to life. It was Van. His black hair was unmistakable so was his red shirt and tan pants topped off with black boots and golden handled sword with the crest of Fanelia engraved on the handle.
Yukari could feel one of the beasts nipping at her heals. She whirled around and gave it a swift kick and ran off into the woods. "Go after her!" Van shouted as his sword pierced yet another animal.
"What about you?" Hitomi was practically in tears.
"I'll be fine! Go after her NOW!" he yelled.
Hitomi nodded and ran in the direction that Yukari had taken. Twigs snapped under her frantic feet as she searched for her best friend.
"Yukari!" she bellowed. "YUKARI!!!"
"All those years on the track team really came in handy." she said to herself when she has stopped for a breather. The soft sound fo muffled sobs distracted her. She followed the sound and came across Yukari, bent over with her face in her hands. Hitomi bent down next to her and looked at her with sympathetic eyes.
"Yukari."
"Go...A....way.." she said between sobs.
"Yukari, I guess now is as good a time as any." Hitomi said and sat next to her.
"W....what to do you mean? Yukari lifted her head from her hands and peered at Hitomi, her face streaked with tears.
'Well, a few months ago, I found myself in this world all alone. I never knew what to do or what was going on. I felt so lonely. As I was roaming around and I ran into Van. I never knew him then and I was frightened. He was so cold towards me. He was sooo arrogant. Then he took me back to his castle and it turns out that he was the prince of a fallen kingdom...Fanelia. We went on many adventures together and met many people. At the time there was a terrible war. We got mixed up with it, but it really couldn't be helped. However, our relationship grew stronger and stronger. I helped him out all the time. I used my pendant." she said smiling and took it out to show her.
"It's beautiful." Yukari commented.
"Yah, it was given to me by my grandmother long ago. She too came here. Well, when the time came that I had to leave, I just couldn't. I realized that I would miss everyone too much......especially.........well, I would miss Van the most."
"What?! That bush man?! You don't...um...LIKE him do you?"
Hitomi was astounded at her friend's narrow mind. "Well......I......" she said. She was thankfully interrupted by Van. She smiled and stood up, ready to wrap her arms around him and kiss him for the first time. However, these thoughts were demolished as he staggered out of the trees covered in scrapes, cuts and blood. There was nothing left of his shirt but shards of red cloth. He managed a weak smile just before he collapsed. Hitomi's eyes widened and she ran to his side just in time to catch him and break his fall. She laid his head on her lap and looked down at his bruised face.
"This is all my fault. I should never have left you alone with those beasts." Hitomi said, forcing back tears. Van reached up and touched her face gently.
"You are real." He chocked out. Hitomi placed a finger on his lips and smiled.
"Shhhhhh. Don't speak." she said as his eyes slid shut and he slipped out of conciseness. Yukari watched the scene with shock plastered all over her face. The shocked expression soon melted away to a pleasant smile. Now she realized what was bothering her and she was happy that Hitomi was happy. However, little did they know that this wouldn't last.
Chapter One
It was a beautiful day. The sun shone proudly in the cloudless, sapphire sky as robins chirped in the trees. However Hitomi Kanzaki couldn't enjoy it, even if she wanted to. She sighed and looked out her bedroom window, ignoring the math homework that she had gladly abandoned.
"What is wrong with me?" She asked, lost in thought.
"Hitomi!!! Yukari is here to see you! Why don't you go outside? You can't stay in your room forever." She heard her mother bellow from the bottom of the stairs.
"No but I can try." she muttered as she stood up and made her way downstairs to meet up with her friend.
~*~
"Lord Van!" Merle shouted as she popped her head out of the door to the roof. Her pink hair reflected the bright sun and her cat ears perked up at the sight of her long time friend. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him. Noticing his expression, she backed off.
"Hi Merle." he said an a depressed tone. Merle claimed a seat next to him and followed his steady gaze. He was looking up into the sky at the Mystic Moon. Merle screwed up her nose.
"Your thinking of Hitomi aren't you?"
"Maybe" He replied.
"You still love her don't you?" Merle asked, dreading his answer. However, he never said anything, just stood, sighed and walked back inside.
He paused at the door, as if to say something but decided against it and disappeared. Merle glanced up at the Mysic Moon once more and then ran after Van.
"Lord Van!!!" Merle shouted. "Wait up!"
~*~
"Yukari, I'm tired. Can we stop here for a few minutes?"
"Ok." Yukari agreed. "You know Hitomi, you can tell me anything."
Hotomi couldn't believe that this could be possible. Yukari would just laugh at her if she told her, but still, she wanted to share her experiences of Gaea. She held her necklace and stared at the red stone, wishing that she could be with Van. She missed him. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on Hitomi, spill, what's bothering you?"
"I....I can't say. It's personal." She said Then a wave of guilt washed over her when she noticed the hurt in Yukari's eyes. "Would you like to stay the night?" Hitomi offered.
"Sure...yah ok." Yukari said half heartedly. "Let's get going Hitomi. It's getting late at your mom will worry."
Hitomi nodded and followed her friend down the street towards her house.
When they finally went to bed that night, Hitomi found it difficult to sleep. She was too distracted by the overwhelming need to be with Van. She looked over to her right and found Yukari sleeping peacefully. She threw her covers off of her and shivered as her bare feet touched the cool hard wood flooring. She walked over to her desk and reached inside a container and pulled out a small, silver key. She slid it into the lock on her top drawer and opened it. She reached in and pulled out a smallish package wrapped in an intricately designed cloth. She began to fold back the corners of the cloth and took out a fluffy, white feather. She held it to her cheek and smiled. Then her eyes fell upon her Tarro cards. She swore to stop fortune telling, "But still, just maybe..." she wondered to herself as her fingers brushed the top card.
"H-Hitomi?" Yukari muttered, roused from her sleep by her friends absence. She looked around the room through sleepy eyes.
Hitomi began to slide the top card off of the deck. "Ok, if this card points me towards Gaea, I will go." she decided. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She gasped slightly as she looked at the card. It was a delicately drawn dragon. A smiled played upon her lips. "Van, I'm coming." she said in a hushed tone. She held her pendant up to her chest. "Take me to him Grandma. Let me be by his side." she spoke to no one in particular. The stone began to slowly sway and emit an ominous, magical glow. Yukari groaned as she struggled over to Hitomi's side. She placed her hands on her shoulders and peered over at the stone.
"Yukari!" she exclaimed. But it was too late. They were well on their way.
~*~
Van stared up at the velvet sky. It had grown late but his eyes showed no sign of tiredness. He got up and decided to go outside. Maybe the fresh air would help him. He smiled as the wind blew through the trees and tousled his hair. The air smelled so fresh. He lay on the emerald grass and gazed up at the stares. At that moment a flicker of light caught his eye. He shook his head in disbelief.
"I must be seeing things." He concluded but a second look proved him wrong. He would recognize that pillar of light anywhere. Anyone would recognize that pillar of light. It was Hitomi.
He jumped up and raced towards the trees. Moments later, he vanished among the shadows.
~*~
"Um, Hitomi? Where the hell are we?" Yukari exclaimed as she looked around with eyes full of fright.
"We're in Gaea." She said smiling. " Stay close Yukari." she warned.
"What's going on?" Her friend asked, totally confused.
"I'll explain later, right now we have to get out of this forest. God only knows what creatures are out there." Hitomi said in a nervous voice. Yukari swallowed hard and gripped Hitomi's hand harder.
The deeper that they traveled into the forest, the more unnerved they became.
"This is a dream. It has to be. Any minute now we will wake up in your room back in Tokyo." Yukari exclaimed in a more cheerful voice. However, a series of menacing growls stole their attention and banished all of Yukari's hopes. They stood there, paralyzed with fear as they watched eight pairs of glowing eyes appear in the greenery.
"No Yukari. This is very much real and we are in deep trouble." Hitomi said, confirming her worst fears. Hitomi extended her arm to prevent her friend from taking another step. The creatures then emerged from the darkness, teeth bared. They were as black as the dead of night, had six legs each with the figure of a domestic dog. They surrounded the two girls and crouched close to the ground, preparing to pounce. Just as the fist made his move, a man tackled the beast and his sword slew the animal. Hitomi's heart jumped to life. It was Van. His black hair was unmistakable so was his red shirt and tan pants topped off with black boots and golden handled sword with the crest of Fanelia engraved on the handle.
Yukari could feel one of the beasts nipping at her heals. She whirled around and gave it a swift kick and ran off into the woods. "Go after her!" Van shouted as his sword pierced yet another animal.
"What about you?" Hitomi was practically in tears.
"I'll be fine! Go after her NOW!" he yelled.
Hitomi nodded and ran in the direction that Yukari had taken. Twigs snapped under her frantic feet as she searched for her best friend.
"Yukari!" she bellowed. "YUKARI!!!"
"All those years on the track team really came in handy." she said to herself when she has stopped for a breather. The soft sound fo muffled sobs distracted her. She followed the sound and came across Yukari, bent over with her face in her hands. Hitomi bent down next to her and looked at her with sympathetic eyes.
"Yukari."
"Go...A....way.." she said between sobs.
"Yukari, I guess now is as good a time as any." Hitomi said and sat next to her.
"W....what to do you mean? Yukari lifted her head from her hands and peered at Hitomi, her face streaked with tears.
'Well, a few months ago, I found myself in this world all alone. I never knew what to do or what was going on. I felt so lonely. As I was roaming around and I ran into Van. I never knew him then and I was frightened. He was so cold towards me. He was sooo arrogant. Then he took me back to his castle and it turns out that he was the prince of a fallen kingdom...Fanelia. We went on many adventures together and met many people. At the time there was a terrible war. We got mixed up with it, but it really couldn't be helped. However, our relationship grew stronger and stronger. I helped him out all the time. I used my pendant." she said smiling and took it out to show her.
"It's beautiful." Yukari commented.
"Yah, it was given to me by my grandmother long ago. She too came here. Well, when the time came that I had to leave, I just couldn't. I realized that I would miss everyone too much......especially.........well, I would miss Van the most."
"What?! That bush man?! You don't...um...LIKE him do you?"
Hitomi was astounded at her friend's narrow mind. "Well......I......" she said. She was thankfully interrupted by Van. She smiled and stood up, ready to wrap her arms around him and kiss him for the first time. However, these thoughts were demolished as he staggered out of the trees covered in scrapes, cuts and blood. There was nothing left of his shirt but shards of red cloth. He managed a weak smile just before he collapsed. Hitomi's eyes widened and she ran to his side just in time to catch him and break his fall. She laid his head on her lap and looked down at his bruised face.
"This is all my fault. I should never have left you alone with those beasts." Hitomi said, forcing back tears. Van reached up and touched her face gently.
"You are real." He chocked out. Hitomi placed a finger on his lips and smiled.
"Shhhhhh. Don't speak." she said as his eyes slid shut and he slipped out of conciseness. Yukari watched the scene with shock plastered all over her face. The shocked expression soon melted away to a pleasant smile. Now she realized what was bothering her and she was happy that Hitomi was happy. However, little did they know that this wouldn't last.