The Vision of Escaflowne Opening Song:
"No Need to Promise"
'So is everybody this lonely when they're in love?
They embrace a pain deeper that's than the shadows?
It's all to make us shine, I just know it.
I love you, I love you,
I gazed at you with my heart.
I believe in you, I believe you,
Even on the coldest nights.
I call out to you with my tears,
But I don't need any promises.
That's the precious strength you've given me...'
~Lyrics by Yuho Iwasato, Music Arranged by Yuko Kanno, Performed by Maaya Sakamoto, and Record released by Victor Entertainment Inc.
Chapter Two: Gaea the Mystical Planet
Hitomi opened her eyes and looked about the grassy field that she laid in. The night's darkness filled the sky yet lit it with the millions of stars that hung in it along with the Earth and Moon. She gazed about her to see that Escaflowne was nowhere in sight. She rose from the ground and frantically glanced around her in search for Van and the rare Guymelef, but there was nothing just open field glistening in the starlight. Hitomi's brown hair swayed with the breeze then a large shadow covered the light that had been hitting her. She looked up and was nearly crying with relief when she saw the large white dragon landing beside her. She sighed in relief as Van hopped off his mighty dragon. "Van, what happened? How'd we get separated?" Hitomi questioned curiously as she approached the draconian.
He looked at her sorrowfully as he stated, "Hitomi, it was as if the light sent us away from one another! I don't quite understand it myself. When we came here I was unconscious." He glanced downward at the grass covered ground shamefully for losing sign of her. "I didn't even notice that you left."
"I just woke, honestly," she replied then gazed about at the beautiful rolling hills of Fanelia. "Isn't this where we first landed together, Van? You know when those wolf men surrounded us my first day here?" She looked at him curiously to see if she was correct. He nodded then pointed ahead of them. The lights of Fanelia were glowing above the trees of Fanelia's lush forests. "Fanelia?" She glanced back him to see him mounting Escaflowne. He waved for her to come so she ran over, climbed onto the metallic dragon, and they took off for Fanelia.
"Where's Lord Van, Allen?!" hissed a slender pink haired cat girl. Her blue eyes glared at the knight coldly. Allen directed his gaze towards the floor to avoid eye contact with the girl. She was dressed in a red one piece swim suit looking outfit with a black skirt that had a slit up to the mid-thigh, black leather gloves, and red dragon leather heeled boots to top it off. She tapped her foot impatiently as she twirled her semi long wavy locks with her finger. "Allen, Van was supposed to meet me at the pier, you know that right? So, why is it that he never came?" Her cat eyes narrowed as she clinched her teeth and let out a soft growl. "Where is he?"
Allen sighs deeply then glances up at her, stating, "He's gone to the Mystic Moon to retrieve Hitomi. I guess, it's better that you hear it now rather than her just appear with Van once he's return." He stares at her with a puzzled face. She didn't throw a tantrum of any sort 'til her cheek and left eye began to twitch as warning of the explosion bound to happen. Allen stepped back knowing what she was capable of.
"What?! Lord Van went after Hitomi! Why would he do this to me?" she cried as tears began to pour from her eyes. She rarely cried unless it had to do with Van, which was often the case. "It's bad enough that your sister had to step in, but Hitomi too!" She paced back and forth.
"Calm down, Merle," he scolded the young cat as he grabbed her arm to stop her from moving. "I'm as shocked as you are so don't think I'm not!" He released her from his grip then turned from her. "Hitomi must not marry Van! Not just because of the fact that poor Celina has fallen for him, but she doesn't belong here! She's of the Mystic Moon so she should remain there. Gaea is no place for her let alone to be given a royal title? I refuse!" He brushed his long blonde hair from his face then glanced back at the puzzled Merle. "You've grown up so much, Merle, but I'm afraid that compared to Hitomi, no matter what you do, he'll always love her." He started to walk away.
"That's not true!" she hissed at Allen then he turned to face her. "You're wrong! What's that human got that I ain't got, huh?! Humph, Van will realize that I'm the one for him you'll see!" She crosses her arms smugly then smiles. "I've got a plan, Allen. Want to here it?"
"I don't care, Merle," he scolds as he walks off the other way. "Plot whatever you like! In the end, it won't even matter! You'll give in and let Hitomi have Van so that he'll be happy. That's just the kind of person you are." He continued to walk down the hall, leaving Merle with her conniving scheming thoughts. She turns and her sticks nose in the air and walks off towards her room.
Van and Hitomi land Escaflowne at Folken's gravesite where it had been left when she left Gaea. "Folken's grave, but this is where I last saw you, isn't it?" Van nodded. "This is where we said goodbye. I can't believe that I'm back." She takes the pendent from around her neck and holds it in front of her, staring into the stone.
"Hitomi, this is also where Escaflowne has been sleeping sense you've been gone. I haven't had the heart to bring myself to run it again," he informed as he approached her. She turned to him and shoved her face into his chest and began to cry. "Are you alright, Hitomi? What's wrong?" He received no reply and pushed no further to gain one. He was just glad to have her in his arms again. "We should get going to the castle, Hitomi. I just needed to drop off Escaflowne is all." Hitomi raised her head from his shirt and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and nodded. "Everyone will be glad to see you again."
"You really think so?" Hitomi questioned as her cheeks grew rosy colored.
"I know so, Hitomi. Never doubt who your friends are, okay?" Van stated as he embraced her as he had on Earth. "Gaea welcomes you home!" She smiled as he released her then walked up to Escaflowne and removed the pink colored stone from it, the Drag-energist. "Let's head for the castle now, alright?" She nodded in reply then he jumped down from the Guymelef to start their hike down to Fanelia.
Hitomi's dress was giving her a hard time going down the hill. She trips over a rock and falls to the ground ripping her dress and breaking the heel on her right shoe in the process. "Oh no! My dress and my shoe too? All the luck," she stated sarcastically. "Van, what are you doing?" Van picks her up and carries her. "Van, you're carrying me? Why?"
"You can't walk with that shoe broken like that. Besides you don't need to worry about anything. I'll be taking care of you from now on, understand?" he stated wholeheartedly. She looked at the seriousness in his face to see that he wasn't kidding at all. He meant every word of what he said. "Hitomi, I want you to be my queen, see?" Hitomi's widen at his serious yet sudden proposal.
'Van, wants to marry me now?' Hitomi thought to herself. 'What should I do? I wanted to be with Van, but why such a sudden proposal? Me, a queen and the wife of Van Fanel the King of Fanelia? I love Van, but am I ready for such a commitment after seeing Van for the first time in five years? All I know is that he's grow older and more handsome since I've last seen him. Has Van's heart changed any is what I'd like to know! Is Van still Van or has he changed as I have?'
'Oh Van, where have you gone off to?' thought a beautiful young woman. She brushed her long blonde wavy hair from out of her face. She sighed deeply then rose from her seat and started to walk towards the doorway then gasped as Allen appeared in the archway. "Brother, what is it?" By the look on his face, something was obviously wrong. She looked into his troubled blue eyes with hers in search for an answer. "Is it about Van, Allen? Please, answer me! What has happened? Is my King alright?!" Her eyes began to quaver as tears started to form and run down her cheeks to fall to the floor.
"Celina, Van has not returned from the Mystic Moon yet, I'm afraid," he replied as he gazed up into her worrisome blue eyes. "Forgive me, Sister, but he has gone after Hitomi." Celina's eyes widen then tears just poured from her eyes as she shook her head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, Celina."
"No, Van loves me as much as I love him! Hitomi that girl from the Mystic Moon? That tomboy? This can't be possible!" she stated as her eyes flickered red. "She can't have him! He is to marry me, remember Brother? You've seen how he looks at me. He loves me! I just now it! Please Van, don't do this to me!" She turned away from her brother and ran over to her bed and plopped onto it to cry some more.
"Lord Allen, the king has returned!" stated a guard from behind him. Both Celina and Allen looked at him then to one another. "He's brought a strange looking woman with him who's wearing odd clothing that I've never seen before. The guard looked puzzled at the way he had found the siblings. "Is something wrong?"
"No, we will go see him now. Celina, get up! Let us have a talk with Van to see what is going on," Allen replied then Celina rose from her and ran over to her dresser and prepped herself to see Van. 'Oh Celina, I have a feeling that this is going to hurt you badly. Forgive me!'
Van and Hitomi are standing in the throne room talking. Hitomi is in a new dress that is much like the one she had worn in Palas except that it had a green top and a slight green tint to the whitish colored skirt and lace. Van turned towards Celina and Allen as they entered the room. His eyes avoided Celina's and focused on Allen. He couldn't stand to see Celina after what he had just done. He knew how she felt about him and he had also grown feelings for her as well. He was starting to feel horrible, but he looked over at where Hitomi stood and all of his troubles seemed to melt away. So, there they all were Allen, Celina, Van, and Hitomi together in one room. "Allen, Celina, how nice to see you again! Celina, you've grow so much! You look great. Oh Allen, you have no idea how much I've missed you all, but why aren't you two in Palas?" Hitomi started since she was oblivious to the situation at hand.
"Hitomi, you have no idea what you've done, do you?" Allen said coldly.
"Allen, don't talk to her like that!" Van scolded.
"Oh Van, how could you do this to me?" Celina questioned as she approached Van. "You act as if I mean nothing to you! Why do need her so badly?"
"What's going on, Van, I don't understand?" Hitomi interrogated. "Am I not supposed to be here?"
"No, you're not!" Allen said harshly. "Van is to marry Celina and he brings you here days before they're wedding? You've ruined all of it, girl!"
"Van," Hitomi sighed deeply as tears began to form in her eyes, "you are to marry Celina? Why'd you come for me then?" She looked down into Van's dark eyes to push him to answer.
"Because you're the only one for me! Celina, I do love you, but you couldn't replace Hitomi, I'm sorry. I just couldn't marry you so I went and retrieved Hitomi to marry instead of you," he proclaimed and all grew silent. Celina started to shed tears, Allen was clenching his fist as if he were going to run up and punch the king, and Hitomi remained silent. Things had changed in Gaea and everyone seemed very hostile or at least towards Hitomi and Van.
'Everyone's changed so much? Allen and Celina hate me and Van says he loves me. What should I do? Maybe I should return to Earth if I'm causing so much trouble here. Van and Celina were to be married? Van said he loved me as well as Celina?! Why is Van starting to resemble Allen? I mean, not exactly but he has a complicated relationship with two different girls or is Merle another one? Three?! Allen had the youthful princess Millerna, his fallen love Marline, and me. Why am I always the one to fall into a love triangle?' Hitomi thought to herself as she gazes upon the feud bound to occur. 'Will Van chose me or be like Allen and leave me? Please Van, I couldn't bare to see or know that you've fallen for another. Oh God, please let Van love me. I don't want to be a second choice or an escape goat, please!'
'So is everybody this lonely when they're in love?
They embrace a pain deeper that's than the shadows?
It's all to make us shine, I just know it.
I love you, I love you,
I gazed at you with my heart.
I believe in you, I believe you,
Even on the coldest nights.
I call out to you with my tears,
But I don't need any promises.
That's the precious strength you've given me...'
~Lyrics by Yuho Iwasato, Music Arranged by Yuko Kanno, Performed by Maaya Sakamoto, and Record released by Victor Entertainment Inc.
Chapter Two: Gaea the Mystical Planet
Hitomi opened her eyes and looked about the grassy field that she laid in. The night's darkness filled the sky yet lit it with the millions of stars that hung in it along with the Earth and Moon. She gazed about her to see that Escaflowne was nowhere in sight. She rose from the ground and frantically glanced around her in search for Van and the rare Guymelef, but there was nothing just open field glistening in the starlight. Hitomi's brown hair swayed with the breeze then a large shadow covered the light that had been hitting her. She looked up and was nearly crying with relief when she saw the large white dragon landing beside her. She sighed in relief as Van hopped off his mighty dragon. "Van, what happened? How'd we get separated?" Hitomi questioned curiously as she approached the draconian.
He looked at her sorrowfully as he stated, "Hitomi, it was as if the light sent us away from one another! I don't quite understand it myself. When we came here I was unconscious." He glanced downward at the grass covered ground shamefully for losing sign of her. "I didn't even notice that you left."
"I just woke, honestly," she replied then gazed about at the beautiful rolling hills of Fanelia. "Isn't this where we first landed together, Van? You know when those wolf men surrounded us my first day here?" She looked at him curiously to see if she was correct. He nodded then pointed ahead of them. The lights of Fanelia were glowing above the trees of Fanelia's lush forests. "Fanelia?" She glanced back him to see him mounting Escaflowne. He waved for her to come so she ran over, climbed onto the metallic dragon, and they took off for Fanelia.
"Where's Lord Van, Allen?!" hissed a slender pink haired cat girl. Her blue eyes glared at the knight coldly. Allen directed his gaze towards the floor to avoid eye contact with the girl. She was dressed in a red one piece swim suit looking outfit with a black skirt that had a slit up to the mid-thigh, black leather gloves, and red dragon leather heeled boots to top it off. She tapped her foot impatiently as she twirled her semi long wavy locks with her finger. "Allen, Van was supposed to meet me at the pier, you know that right? So, why is it that he never came?" Her cat eyes narrowed as she clinched her teeth and let out a soft growl. "Where is he?"
Allen sighs deeply then glances up at her, stating, "He's gone to the Mystic Moon to retrieve Hitomi. I guess, it's better that you hear it now rather than her just appear with Van once he's return." He stares at her with a puzzled face. She didn't throw a tantrum of any sort 'til her cheek and left eye began to twitch as warning of the explosion bound to happen. Allen stepped back knowing what she was capable of.
"What?! Lord Van went after Hitomi! Why would he do this to me?" she cried as tears began to pour from her eyes. She rarely cried unless it had to do with Van, which was often the case. "It's bad enough that your sister had to step in, but Hitomi too!" She paced back and forth.
"Calm down, Merle," he scolded the young cat as he grabbed her arm to stop her from moving. "I'm as shocked as you are so don't think I'm not!" He released her from his grip then turned from her. "Hitomi must not marry Van! Not just because of the fact that poor Celina has fallen for him, but she doesn't belong here! She's of the Mystic Moon so she should remain there. Gaea is no place for her let alone to be given a royal title? I refuse!" He brushed his long blonde hair from his face then glanced back at the puzzled Merle. "You've grown up so much, Merle, but I'm afraid that compared to Hitomi, no matter what you do, he'll always love her." He started to walk away.
"That's not true!" she hissed at Allen then he turned to face her. "You're wrong! What's that human got that I ain't got, huh?! Humph, Van will realize that I'm the one for him you'll see!" She crosses her arms smugly then smiles. "I've got a plan, Allen. Want to here it?"
"I don't care, Merle," he scolds as he walks off the other way. "Plot whatever you like! In the end, it won't even matter! You'll give in and let Hitomi have Van so that he'll be happy. That's just the kind of person you are." He continued to walk down the hall, leaving Merle with her conniving scheming thoughts. She turns and her sticks nose in the air and walks off towards her room.
Van and Hitomi land Escaflowne at Folken's gravesite where it had been left when she left Gaea. "Folken's grave, but this is where I last saw you, isn't it?" Van nodded. "This is where we said goodbye. I can't believe that I'm back." She takes the pendent from around her neck and holds it in front of her, staring into the stone.
"Hitomi, this is also where Escaflowne has been sleeping sense you've been gone. I haven't had the heart to bring myself to run it again," he informed as he approached her. She turned to him and shoved her face into his chest and began to cry. "Are you alright, Hitomi? What's wrong?" He received no reply and pushed no further to gain one. He was just glad to have her in his arms again. "We should get going to the castle, Hitomi. I just needed to drop off Escaflowne is all." Hitomi raised her head from his shirt and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and nodded. "Everyone will be glad to see you again."
"You really think so?" Hitomi questioned as her cheeks grew rosy colored.
"I know so, Hitomi. Never doubt who your friends are, okay?" Van stated as he embraced her as he had on Earth. "Gaea welcomes you home!" She smiled as he released her then walked up to Escaflowne and removed the pink colored stone from it, the Drag-energist. "Let's head for the castle now, alright?" She nodded in reply then he jumped down from the Guymelef to start their hike down to Fanelia.
Hitomi's dress was giving her a hard time going down the hill. She trips over a rock and falls to the ground ripping her dress and breaking the heel on her right shoe in the process. "Oh no! My dress and my shoe too? All the luck," she stated sarcastically. "Van, what are you doing?" Van picks her up and carries her. "Van, you're carrying me? Why?"
"You can't walk with that shoe broken like that. Besides you don't need to worry about anything. I'll be taking care of you from now on, understand?" he stated wholeheartedly. She looked at the seriousness in his face to see that he wasn't kidding at all. He meant every word of what he said. "Hitomi, I want you to be my queen, see?" Hitomi's widen at his serious yet sudden proposal.
'Van, wants to marry me now?' Hitomi thought to herself. 'What should I do? I wanted to be with Van, but why such a sudden proposal? Me, a queen and the wife of Van Fanel the King of Fanelia? I love Van, but am I ready for such a commitment after seeing Van for the first time in five years? All I know is that he's grow older and more handsome since I've last seen him. Has Van's heart changed any is what I'd like to know! Is Van still Van or has he changed as I have?'
'Oh Van, where have you gone off to?' thought a beautiful young woman. She brushed her long blonde wavy hair from out of her face. She sighed deeply then rose from her seat and started to walk towards the doorway then gasped as Allen appeared in the archway. "Brother, what is it?" By the look on his face, something was obviously wrong. She looked into his troubled blue eyes with hers in search for an answer. "Is it about Van, Allen? Please, answer me! What has happened? Is my King alright?!" Her eyes began to quaver as tears started to form and run down her cheeks to fall to the floor.
"Celina, Van has not returned from the Mystic Moon yet, I'm afraid," he replied as he gazed up into her worrisome blue eyes. "Forgive me, Sister, but he has gone after Hitomi." Celina's eyes widen then tears just poured from her eyes as she shook her head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, Celina."
"No, Van loves me as much as I love him! Hitomi that girl from the Mystic Moon? That tomboy? This can't be possible!" she stated as her eyes flickered red. "She can't have him! He is to marry me, remember Brother? You've seen how he looks at me. He loves me! I just now it! Please Van, don't do this to me!" She turned away from her brother and ran over to her bed and plopped onto it to cry some more.
"Lord Allen, the king has returned!" stated a guard from behind him. Both Celina and Allen looked at him then to one another. "He's brought a strange looking woman with him who's wearing odd clothing that I've never seen before. The guard looked puzzled at the way he had found the siblings. "Is something wrong?"
"No, we will go see him now. Celina, get up! Let us have a talk with Van to see what is going on," Allen replied then Celina rose from her and ran over to her dresser and prepped herself to see Van. 'Oh Celina, I have a feeling that this is going to hurt you badly. Forgive me!'
Van and Hitomi are standing in the throne room talking. Hitomi is in a new dress that is much like the one she had worn in Palas except that it had a green top and a slight green tint to the whitish colored skirt and lace. Van turned towards Celina and Allen as they entered the room. His eyes avoided Celina's and focused on Allen. He couldn't stand to see Celina after what he had just done. He knew how she felt about him and he had also grown feelings for her as well. He was starting to feel horrible, but he looked over at where Hitomi stood and all of his troubles seemed to melt away. So, there they all were Allen, Celina, Van, and Hitomi together in one room. "Allen, Celina, how nice to see you again! Celina, you've grow so much! You look great. Oh Allen, you have no idea how much I've missed you all, but why aren't you two in Palas?" Hitomi started since she was oblivious to the situation at hand.
"Hitomi, you have no idea what you've done, do you?" Allen said coldly.
"Allen, don't talk to her like that!" Van scolded.
"Oh Van, how could you do this to me?" Celina questioned as she approached Van. "You act as if I mean nothing to you! Why do need her so badly?"
"What's going on, Van, I don't understand?" Hitomi interrogated. "Am I not supposed to be here?"
"No, you're not!" Allen said harshly. "Van is to marry Celina and he brings you here days before they're wedding? You've ruined all of it, girl!"
"Van," Hitomi sighed deeply as tears began to form in her eyes, "you are to marry Celina? Why'd you come for me then?" She looked down into Van's dark eyes to push him to answer.
"Because you're the only one for me! Celina, I do love you, but you couldn't replace Hitomi, I'm sorry. I just couldn't marry you so I went and retrieved Hitomi to marry instead of you," he proclaimed and all grew silent. Celina started to shed tears, Allen was clenching his fist as if he were going to run up and punch the king, and Hitomi remained silent. Things had changed in Gaea and everyone seemed very hostile or at least towards Hitomi and Van.
'Everyone's changed so much? Allen and Celina hate me and Van says he loves me. What should I do? Maybe I should return to Earth if I'm causing so much trouble here. Van and Celina were to be married? Van said he loved me as well as Celina?! Why is Van starting to resemble Allen? I mean, not exactly but he has a complicated relationship with two different girls or is Merle another one? Three?! Allen had the youthful princess Millerna, his fallen love Marline, and me. Why am I always the one to fall into a love triangle?' Hitomi thought to herself as she gazes upon the feud bound to occur. 'Will Van chose me or be like Allen and leave me? Please Van, I couldn't bare to see or know that you've fallen for another. Oh God, please let Van love me. I don't want to be a second choice or an escape goat, please!'