Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Episode #9
The Decision
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merle ran through the palace garden as fast as she could! The sun was shining down on Van, Hitomi, and two little children's faces. She ran up and gave Van a lick on the cheek to emphasize her joy! He nearly bowled right over from the force she had exerted for the leap into his arms!
"Uh, hi, Merle," Van said, gasping for breath.
"Oh, Lord Van! Where have you been?!"
"I–I was only taking a walk with Hitomi," Van replied smoothly.
Ariel looked up at Hitomi, her eyes full of fear. "Where are we?"
"Astoria, in our time," Hitomi replied, taking Ariel's hand in hers.
"Pedoru, remember Mommy and Daddy took us here when we were little."
"Yes," Pedoru replied.
"Well, now you can see what Princess — Queen Millerna, was like when she was twenty- five years old," Hitomi said.
They walked toward the castle and entered the gates. Two guards tried to stop them, but decided not to when they saw the Fanelian crest stitched neatly on Van's clothes.
They came to the throne room and swung open the doors with a great whoosh! Millerna sat on one of the two thrones at the far side of the room. Dryden sat next to her. Lining the central carpet were a dozen lords and ladies. One, nearest the door which Van pushed open, said rudely: "This is appalling! Where do you get off thinking that you can barge in here whenever you like!"
Millerna, to the lords' and ladies' dismay, came to the small company and embraced Van, then Hitomi. "Van! Hitomi! I am so glad to see you again! But, shouldn't you have made arrangements with Dryden and I first?"
"I beg pardon, Millerna," Van said, tearing his heartsick gaze from her piercing one. "We didn't really have a choice..."
"What has happened?" Millerna asked, joy altering to solemnity.
Hitomi answered her with tears and sobs. "Fanelia has been destroyed...! W-we have nowhere to go! And no way to tell where the people of Fanelia have gone to!"
Millerna blinked back her own tears. She was a queen, and had to be strong for her country and king, even in the face of the greatest sorrow! "Is it going to be another war?"
"I don't know...," Van replied grimly, shaking his head.
* * * * *
"We must retrieve the Angyst! We will attack at dawn! Astoria will not be able to withstand our storm demons!" Dalvus shouted at his men. "Versis! What are you doing!?"
Versis looked up from his day dreaming. "I — this will not work, lord."
"Why not?!" Dalvus shouted.
"You keep underestimating Astoria and Fanelia. It will be your ruin, eventually."
"Well! What do you suggest?!" Dalvus folded his arms and motioned Versis to come stand before all the soldiers and explain what to do.
Versis walked up confidently. He was not going to let his lord choose a stupid maneuver that would get them all killed! He stood silent for a moment, then cleared his throat and began to speak:
"It's true that we should attack at dawn, but for a different reason. The Astorian people will not be expecting an attack so soon. We should create a perimeter around Astoria, and move slowly to take over all of Astoria, and capture the Hitomi again. It will also help to stop retaliation from the Astorian people — and whatever Fanelian people that fled to Astoria. That will be sufficient for our cause. Mind you, Hitomi has now learned of the Angyst, and what she must do. The Fanelian king has informed her of her split personality and its role in Gaea's fate." Versis returned to his spot among the other soldiers.
Dalvus spoke loudly. "Very well. We shall see how well your plan works, Versis. If it does not succeed, I pity you."
"Pity is not necessary, my lord. This plan will work," Versis replied smugly.
Versis stood silent once again and listened to Dalvus drone on and on needlessly. They knew the plan. Get on with it.
* * * * *
Hitomi looked at the two moons in the sky. They rose slowly to the peak of their height. She remembered life on Earth just barely. The twisting of the race track she had found joy in, a mad dash for the train station on slow mornings, the sweet voices of her mother, father, Shingo, and Amano... All these things she did not deny missing, but something stronger than desire kept her on this strange and comforting world... destiny. It was her destiny to save this world again, but how?
Her mind ached with that very question. How? One minute she felt like she was in a pit of fire, the next, the highest layers of the atmosphere, freezing. On her heart was placed the decision of many fates and destinies. But there was no one to help bare it. She was alone. Not even her own love could make her decision any easier, but still he had tried.
Many times over Van had come to comfort Hitomi, each time failing anew. He did not take it personally, but it still hurt a bit. Ariel had also tried to cheer Hitomi, but she was only a reminder of a possible fate that might happen... if Hitomi should chose the wrong destiny to follow.
'How?' Hitomi thought. 'What should I do? If I fulfill my role as the Angyst, I'll have to leave Van and end my life! If I stay the way I am, our future will be destroyed! Ariel and Pedoru and living proof. Oh, what should I do?!'
Hitomi held her head. She was no closer to a decision then when she had first started thinking about it two days ago.
A knock at the door came to reach her senses. She turned to see Pedoru and Ariel sliding in shyly.
"We're very sorry for disturbing you," they said sheepishly.
"That's all right," Hitomi sighed, gently patting the bed beside her, signaling them to sit. They both moved and sat as she had offered.
"What will you do?" Pedoru asked, leaning his head against her shoulder.
Hitomi looked down at Ariel, who by now, was already nestled into her soft embrace and seemingly asleep. "I don't know. I'm too tired to think."
"Father is asking to see you, but Damen won't let him. He thinks you're sick, and is afraid Father will catch it," Ariel said softly.
"Did Van say you could call him that?" Hitomi asked.
"He said that it would be all right when we're talking to you or him."
"Well then," Hitomi replied, "you may call me Mother when you're around Van or I, but no one else must know."
"As you wish, Mother," Ariel chirped, winking.
'Oh, Van!' Hitomi thought, suddenly looking up at the sky again. 'I'm sorry... I can't see you. Not yet. This is a cruel test of love! Will we succeed? Or crash and burn?' "I'm sorry, children. I'd like to be alone for a while more. Tell Van I'll be down for dinner."
"Yes, Mother," the two children scuttled out the door, closed it, and ran down the hall after each other.
Hitomi faintly saw the faces of her family, etched onto her eyes. They looked at her mournfully, as if in pain. She decided. Just because she would take the role of the Angyst didn't mean she would have to leave Van. She nodded her head silently. No more pain would be given to the ones she loved if she could help it! And she could.
* * * * *
"Hitomi...," Shingo cried. "Hitomi, please! Open your eyes!"
It was too late, the faint body of Hitomi lay still on the front steps of her school. When Hitomi had returned to Gaea, she did go there physically. Though, as she decided to be the Angyst, her life on earth was over. On Earth, she was destined (as the Angyst on Gaea) to be dead. She was never going to be allowed to return, ever. Her body lay limp against the cold gravel steps as Shingo shook it mercilessly.
"Hitomi! Please, don't die! Hitomi, please no!" Hitomi's mother begged, falling down beside her son.
"Oh, Hitomi...!" Amano wept. "I never got a chance to tell you... I love you."
Shingo let go of her. He saw the look hidden within her face. A look of regret and sorrow.
He moaned. He hadn't realized how much he cared for her... until she was gone. He had never — not even once — told her he loved her. He had not even complimented her! And now, he had lost his chance... forever.
He fell on his side and let a loud, painful sob echo through the night.
The Kanzaki and Minsuko families had been out looking for Hitomi and Yukari every waking moment since their daughters had disappeared. This particular night, they had walked to her school, and found Hitomi lying on the steps, dead.
What her family did not know, was that she was still alive and well... but would never return to them again.
All the things that Hitomi had lost the chance for: graduation, love, marriage, building a family of her own, growing old with the one she loved... Only one of these she would not succeed in on Gaea. Now, all her family's hopes and dreams in her had become the most unhappy outcome, just like Gaea.
So passed Hitomi Kanzaki of the Earth...
* * * * *
'I can never go back again,' Hitomi thought, remembering all the things she had loved and hated on earth. She let go of her cares and worries with one simple consolation. 'They'll be all right... in time.'
She wished to possess a last name other than Kanzaki. She was no longer of Earthen blood. She hoped, from the second she saw Van again, to make his name of Fanel hers, but feared to ask.
Secretly, Van had felt the same... Hitomi Fanel. He (unlike her) could not abandon his country and give up his name.
Hitomi looked at the door. 'I should go down to dinner, or they'll be worried.' Hitomi walked to her wardrobe, swung open the heavy oak doors, picked a dress, threw it on, and walked out the door.
* * * * *
Everyone was there, waiting in the dining hall for Hitomi to come down. Dryden and Van conversed of the situation; Millerna and Celena tried distracting themselves from the danger by chatting idly of womanly things; while Ariel and Pedoru ran around the room playing tag.
All heads turned as the doors of the room creaked open almost silently. Hitomi popped her head into the room inquisitively. She entered in a lovely dress.
The deep green she wore against her body was trimmed with ribbons of gold and silver round the bottom. There was normal Astorian V-neck and arms. Round the V-neck was a trim of snow white lace. The chain of the pendant she had bought swung softly against her chest as she walked. Van held his breath.
Hitomi looked at them kindly and said with a smile: "Good evening, everyone. Please forgive my late entrance. May we sit down now?"
"Of course," Millerna replied, gesturing towards the long table, set with dining ware.
It was in near the end of dinner when a servant entered the room and whispered something in Millerna's ear. She looked up at Van with a smile. "Van, we have a visitor in the fencing hall."
The graceful queen stood, "Please, everyone, continue eating. Van and I will return shortly."
"I go where Lord Van goes," Damen argued.
"I'd like to go, too," Hitomi replied, standing.
"I don't want to be left out," Yukari complained, also standing.
"Very well, any who wish to may accompany us." Millerna led the way to the fencing hall.
The hall was a large, rectangular room with seven ceiling-floor windows lining its walls, six on each side. Only one window was upon the opposite wall they now faced. With his back turned to the group, Allen Schezar stood looking out a window.
"Allen!" Van said. "Good to see you again." Van had already, thanks to Hitomi's consolation, forgiven and forgotten the fight Allen and he had fought what seemed like years ago. They all knew, Allen had done the same. He had let go of Hitomi, and now knew her only as a friend.
"It's very good to see you're still in one piece, Van," Allen replied.
Yukari looked at the man, Allen. She realized he had the same voice as Amano, her love on Earth. As his last word fell, her heart throbbed. Thoughts of affection flooded through her limbs. She was in love with Allen.
"I didn't ask you all here to fence, regrettably. For the past two weeks, I have been on a journey around Gaea. Seeking truth in a rumour I heard of war starting."
"War!" Hitomi cried, grabbing Van's shoulder tightly in fear.
Van caressed Hitomi's hair, "Did you find truth?"
"I did," Allen nodded grimly. "There have been reports of strange monsters hovering round the urban areas, then disappearing into thin air. My guess is they are part of the Prince's dark army of the netherworld.
"I sent another knight, a friend of mine, to find out whether and when they would attack. Alas, his troubles of this war have been ended barely before they began! He is dead... but, not until after he wrote to me. It said that they plan to attack at dawn tomorrow, they have already surrounded the whole country. We must prepare!"
Van looked up and yelled at Damen. "Damen, wait for me in the castle hanger. I will be in there shortly."
"What are you going to do?" Hitomi asked as Van let go of her.
Van was at the door and about to walk through it when he turned to Hitomi with grim determination. "Re-awaken Escaflowne." Then, Van left.
TO BE CONTINUED...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Episode #9
The Decision
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merle ran through the palace garden as fast as she could! The sun was shining down on Van, Hitomi, and two little children's faces. She ran up and gave Van a lick on the cheek to emphasize her joy! He nearly bowled right over from the force she had exerted for the leap into his arms!
"Uh, hi, Merle," Van said, gasping for breath.
"Oh, Lord Van! Where have you been?!"
"I–I was only taking a walk with Hitomi," Van replied smoothly.
Ariel looked up at Hitomi, her eyes full of fear. "Where are we?"
"Astoria, in our time," Hitomi replied, taking Ariel's hand in hers.
"Pedoru, remember Mommy and Daddy took us here when we were little."
"Yes," Pedoru replied.
"Well, now you can see what Princess — Queen Millerna, was like when she was twenty- five years old," Hitomi said.
They walked toward the castle and entered the gates. Two guards tried to stop them, but decided not to when they saw the Fanelian crest stitched neatly on Van's clothes.
They came to the throne room and swung open the doors with a great whoosh! Millerna sat on one of the two thrones at the far side of the room. Dryden sat next to her. Lining the central carpet were a dozen lords and ladies. One, nearest the door which Van pushed open, said rudely: "This is appalling! Where do you get off thinking that you can barge in here whenever you like!"
Millerna, to the lords' and ladies' dismay, came to the small company and embraced Van, then Hitomi. "Van! Hitomi! I am so glad to see you again! But, shouldn't you have made arrangements with Dryden and I first?"
"I beg pardon, Millerna," Van said, tearing his heartsick gaze from her piercing one. "We didn't really have a choice..."
"What has happened?" Millerna asked, joy altering to solemnity.
Hitomi answered her with tears and sobs. "Fanelia has been destroyed...! W-we have nowhere to go! And no way to tell where the people of Fanelia have gone to!"
Millerna blinked back her own tears. She was a queen, and had to be strong for her country and king, even in the face of the greatest sorrow! "Is it going to be another war?"
"I don't know...," Van replied grimly, shaking his head.
* * * * *
"We must retrieve the Angyst! We will attack at dawn! Astoria will not be able to withstand our storm demons!" Dalvus shouted at his men. "Versis! What are you doing!?"
Versis looked up from his day dreaming. "I — this will not work, lord."
"Why not?!" Dalvus shouted.
"You keep underestimating Astoria and Fanelia. It will be your ruin, eventually."
"Well! What do you suggest?!" Dalvus folded his arms and motioned Versis to come stand before all the soldiers and explain what to do.
Versis walked up confidently. He was not going to let his lord choose a stupid maneuver that would get them all killed! He stood silent for a moment, then cleared his throat and began to speak:
"It's true that we should attack at dawn, but for a different reason. The Astorian people will not be expecting an attack so soon. We should create a perimeter around Astoria, and move slowly to take over all of Astoria, and capture the Hitomi again. It will also help to stop retaliation from the Astorian people — and whatever Fanelian people that fled to Astoria. That will be sufficient for our cause. Mind you, Hitomi has now learned of the Angyst, and what she must do. The Fanelian king has informed her of her split personality and its role in Gaea's fate." Versis returned to his spot among the other soldiers.
Dalvus spoke loudly. "Very well. We shall see how well your plan works, Versis. If it does not succeed, I pity you."
"Pity is not necessary, my lord. This plan will work," Versis replied smugly.
Versis stood silent once again and listened to Dalvus drone on and on needlessly. They knew the plan. Get on with it.
* * * * *
Hitomi looked at the two moons in the sky. They rose slowly to the peak of their height. She remembered life on Earth just barely. The twisting of the race track she had found joy in, a mad dash for the train station on slow mornings, the sweet voices of her mother, father, Shingo, and Amano... All these things she did not deny missing, but something stronger than desire kept her on this strange and comforting world... destiny. It was her destiny to save this world again, but how?
Her mind ached with that very question. How? One minute she felt like she was in a pit of fire, the next, the highest layers of the atmosphere, freezing. On her heart was placed the decision of many fates and destinies. But there was no one to help bare it. She was alone. Not even her own love could make her decision any easier, but still he had tried.
Many times over Van had come to comfort Hitomi, each time failing anew. He did not take it personally, but it still hurt a bit. Ariel had also tried to cheer Hitomi, but she was only a reminder of a possible fate that might happen... if Hitomi should chose the wrong destiny to follow.
'How?' Hitomi thought. 'What should I do? If I fulfill my role as the Angyst, I'll have to leave Van and end my life! If I stay the way I am, our future will be destroyed! Ariel and Pedoru and living proof. Oh, what should I do?!'
Hitomi held her head. She was no closer to a decision then when she had first started thinking about it two days ago.
A knock at the door came to reach her senses. She turned to see Pedoru and Ariel sliding in shyly.
"We're very sorry for disturbing you," they said sheepishly.
"That's all right," Hitomi sighed, gently patting the bed beside her, signaling them to sit. They both moved and sat as she had offered.
"What will you do?" Pedoru asked, leaning his head against her shoulder.
Hitomi looked down at Ariel, who by now, was already nestled into her soft embrace and seemingly asleep. "I don't know. I'm too tired to think."
"Father is asking to see you, but Damen won't let him. He thinks you're sick, and is afraid Father will catch it," Ariel said softly.
"Did Van say you could call him that?" Hitomi asked.
"He said that it would be all right when we're talking to you or him."
"Well then," Hitomi replied, "you may call me Mother when you're around Van or I, but no one else must know."
"As you wish, Mother," Ariel chirped, winking.
'Oh, Van!' Hitomi thought, suddenly looking up at the sky again. 'I'm sorry... I can't see you. Not yet. This is a cruel test of love! Will we succeed? Or crash and burn?' "I'm sorry, children. I'd like to be alone for a while more. Tell Van I'll be down for dinner."
"Yes, Mother," the two children scuttled out the door, closed it, and ran down the hall after each other.
Hitomi faintly saw the faces of her family, etched onto her eyes. They looked at her mournfully, as if in pain. She decided. Just because she would take the role of the Angyst didn't mean she would have to leave Van. She nodded her head silently. No more pain would be given to the ones she loved if she could help it! And she could.
* * * * *
"Hitomi...," Shingo cried. "Hitomi, please! Open your eyes!"
It was too late, the faint body of Hitomi lay still on the front steps of her school. When Hitomi had returned to Gaea, she did go there physically. Though, as she decided to be the Angyst, her life on earth was over. On Earth, she was destined (as the Angyst on Gaea) to be dead. She was never going to be allowed to return, ever. Her body lay limp against the cold gravel steps as Shingo shook it mercilessly.
"Hitomi! Please, don't die! Hitomi, please no!" Hitomi's mother begged, falling down beside her son.
"Oh, Hitomi...!" Amano wept. "I never got a chance to tell you... I love you."
Shingo let go of her. He saw the look hidden within her face. A look of regret and sorrow.
He moaned. He hadn't realized how much he cared for her... until she was gone. He had never — not even once — told her he loved her. He had not even complimented her! And now, he had lost his chance... forever.
He fell on his side and let a loud, painful sob echo through the night.
The Kanzaki and Minsuko families had been out looking for Hitomi and Yukari every waking moment since their daughters had disappeared. This particular night, they had walked to her school, and found Hitomi lying on the steps, dead.
What her family did not know, was that she was still alive and well... but would never return to them again.
All the things that Hitomi had lost the chance for: graduation, love, marriage, building a family of her own, growing old with the one she loved... Only one of these she would not succeed in on Gaea. Now, all her family's hopes and dreams in her had become the most unhappy outcome, just like Gaea.
So passed Hitomi Kanzaki of the Earth...
* * * * *
'I can never go back again,' Hitomi thought, remembering all the things she had loved and hated on earth. She let go of her cares and worries with one simple consolation. 'They'll be all right... in time.'
She wished to possess a last name other than Kanzaki. She was no longer of Earthen blood. She hoped, from the second she saw Van again, to make his name of Fanel hers, but feared to ask.
Secretly, Van had felt the same... Hitomi Fanel. He (unlike her) could not abandon his country and give up his name.
Hitomi looked at the door. 'I should go down to dinner, or they'll be worried.' Hitomi walked to her wardrobe, swung open the heavy oak doors, picked a dress, threw it on, and walked out the door.
* * * * *
Everyone was there, waiting in the dining hall for Hitomi to come down. Dryden and Van conversed of the situation; Millerna and Celena tried distracting themselves from the danger by chatting idly of womanly things; while Ariel and Pedoru ran around the room playing tag.
All heads turned as the doors of the room creaked open almost silently. Hitomi popped her head into the room inquisitively. She entered in a lovely dress.
The deep green she wore against her body was trimmed with ribbons of gold and silver round the bottom. There was normal Astorian V-neck and arms. Round the V-neck was a trim of snow white lace. The chain of the pendant she had bought swung softly against her chest as she walked. Van held his breath.
Hitomi looked at them kindly and said with a smile: "Good evening, everyone. Please forgive my late entrance. May we sit down now?"
"Of course," Millerna replied, gesturing towards the long table, set with dining ware.
It was in near the end of dinner when a servant entered the room and whispered something in Millerna's ear. She looked up at Van with a smile. "Van, we have a visitor in the fencing hall."
The graceful queen stood, "Please, everyone, continue eating. Van and I will return shortly."
"I go where Lord Van goes," Damen argued.
"I'd like to go, too," Hitomi replied, standing.
"I don't want to be left out," Yukari complained, also standing.
"Very well, any who wish to may accompany us." Millerna led the way to the fencing hall.
The hall was a large, rectangular room with seven ceiling-floor windows lining its walls, six on each side. Only one window was upon the opposite wall they now faced. With his back turned to the group, Allen Schezar stood looking out a window.
"Allen!" Van said. "Good to see you again." Van had already, thanks to Hitomi's consolation, forgiven and forgotten the fight Allen and he had fought what seemed like years ago. They all knew, Allen had done the same. He had let go of Hitomi, and now knew her only as a friend.
"It's very good to see you're still in one piece, Van," Allen replied.
Yukari looked at the man, Allen. She realized he had the same voice as Amano, her love on Earth. As his last word fell, her heart throbbed. Thoughts of affection flooded through her limbs. She was in love with Allen.
"I didn't ask you all here to fence, regrettably. For the past two weeks, I have been on a journey around Gaea. Seeking truth in a rumour I heard of war starting."
"War!" Hitomi cried, grabbing Van's shoulder tightly in fear.
Van caressed Hitomi's hair, "Did you find truth?"
"I did," Allen nodded grimly. "There have been reports of strange monsters hovering round the urban areas, then disappearing into thin air. My guess is they are part of the Prince's dark army of the netherworld.
"I sent another knight, a friend of mine, to find out whether and when they would attack. Alas, his troubles of this war have been ended barely before they began! He is dead... but, not until after he wrote to me. It said that they plan to attack at dawn tomorrow, they have already surrounded the whole country. We must prepare!"
Van looked up and yelled at Damen. "Damen, wait for me in the castle hanger. I will be in there shortly."
"What are you going to do?" Hitomi asked as Van let go of her.
Van was at the door and about to walk through it when he turned to Hitomi with grim determination. "Re-awaken Escaflowne." Then, Van left.
TO BE CONTINUED...