Ah! Part two! I'm hoping that the reviews are accurate for everyone who is reading this story. And I'm glad that the people who are reading this like it so much (And that the last part did it's job by messing with your heads). This is one story I'm trying to keep up with, since I'm not writing it down on paper first (Yeah, that's my usual method).
Well, I'm sure that this part will be the same and create some more questions for everyone. I know I'm mixing up all the ideas in my head so that when it comes out it's just simple clips (But I promise it'll all come together by... oh, say... by the fifth of sixth part, I suppose.) Well, I wonder if anyone knows what's going on... besides you two, Nico-chan and Ki-chan!

Part Two: The Past; The Present; The Future...?

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(Present)

Hitomi took in a shakey breath as she stared down the twin metallic giants. Her eyes narrowed and she held her position. She wouldn't back down. It was her fight now. She would have to fight.

~ Ahiru-sama! Don't do it! ~ the same echoing voice called out to her. ~ No! Not this way! Don't do it this way! ~

"Miko..." she whispered, a single tear falling down her face. "It's just like... my dream."

-- * --

(Five Years Earlier)

"Ahiru?"

She turned to face the voice that had called her. She was welcomed by the gentle features of her elder brother.

"Onii-sama."

Once again she had gone to the garden, only this time it was late at night. This was her common place of sanctuary; a place where she came to when her thoughts would not allow her to sleep and she needed a way to calm them. There were lamps to light the way now, ones that did not appear during the day, and they shone with a strange green light. The strange light of the blue fires which lit them. To her, this was a place of magic and possibilities. This was the garden where the spirits of the dead came to calm their souls.

"What are you doing out of here, at this hour?" he asked, walking closer to her. She silently turned her back to him. "Ahiru?"

"I am... a princess... aren't I?" she questioned softly, holding her hands out so that she could examine them. "Am I real?"

"You are a princess; a princess who is engaged to the prince of Fanelia," her brother told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "But you seem troubled."

"Onii-sama..." she looked up at him with sorrowful eyes. "You believe that I am worthy... but if only you know... How much I wish I could see my friends."

-- * --

(Present)

'Destruction has followed me for such a long time. Fanelia... Freid... Allen's castle... Everywhere...' She closed her eyes and looked down as the metallic arm of one of the twins raised towards her. 'Death... so much death... and blood. Everywhere. Falling from the skies... just like my vision.'

Images of the vision she had seen in Freid appeared before her, dancing about her mind. Mocking her. It was a fate she had created. One that she had brought upon others. One that she had tried to stop... but it was her fault that it had happened.

'If I had never come to Gaea in the first place,' she concluded silently.

"This is too easy," Eyria hissed, pulling the trigger to her claws.

-- * --

(Eleven Years Ago)

"Hide-and-go seek!" a young Yukari declared, jumping. She giggled and hugged her friend tightly. "Hitomi, let's all play!"

"Okay!" Hitomi agreed, peeling her friend off of her then ran off into the distance.

This was the local park, which had to be a long way from home, as far as Hitomi was concerned. She was only four, but let nothing stand in her way from discovering more about the surrounding world. With her were her two of her best friends: Amano and Yukari. She'd known them since she was born.

Today her mother had taken them all to the park.

"Amano, you're it!" Yukari called, following after Hitomi. She stumbled a bit but didn't fall down; it wasn't as graceful a run as Hitomi's (Ku-sama: but of course we all remember what her great skill is going to be).

-- * --

Hitomi ran faster and faster, feeling the leaves slapping her across her face as she ran. This was part of the game. Amano was fast. The both were. She had to get as far away as she could. He couldn't find her. Not now. The game had just begun.

'I have to... go... faster... farther...'

Determination spread through her thoughts and she attempted moving faster. She was just a child, such a young child, running through a forest.

Where had the forest come from? The park didn't have a forest... did it? Was this just another part of the park that she'd never seen before?

"Mama?" She stopped running and turned around. "Mama? Mama, where are you?!"

The sound of trees cracking in half sounded in the distance. The ground rumbled and shook beneath her. Something was coming. Something big. Heading straight towards her.

"Mama! Help me!"

There was an unfamiliar growl somewhere around her, and she gasped and backed up. She spun in a quick circle, only to find herself surrounded by a strange darkness. What was this coming at her? Was it hunting her?

The darkness encircled her, trapping her. It separated her from everything else. She was no longer in the forest. She was just in the darkness. Alone. With something big headed her way.

"Mommy!!"

-- * --

(Present)

Hitomi held her position, watching the liquid metal that was coming her way.

'I will not fail. Not this time,' she promised herself. 'It won't happen like last time...'

"I am not afraid!!"

-- * --

(Three Years Earlier)

"If you want me, then here I am!" Tomi declared. Two years had passed since that fateful day. "I am not afraid of you!"

She stood before an army of guymelufs. There were so many; the lead was a crimson red. Like blood.

She stood her ground boldly. Not wavering as the crima claw(Ku-sama: I think that was what it was called...Gomen if I'm wrong!) was shot in her direction. An eerie blue glow surrounded her, then it seemed to spread to the guymeluf. The crima claw came directly at her, closer and closer. She closed her eyes tightly, listening to Miko's cries.

"Lady Tomi! You can't!"

"I will not let you use my powers!"

-- * --

Hitomi sat up in bed, then glanced around.

"What..." She held her head in her hands. "What was that?"

She looked to her nightstand. A single white feather sat there as a reminder. She placed a hand over the feather and sighed heavily. She closed her eyes and imagined the owner of that feather.

"Why did you...?"

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Ah... I think that made so little sense, I'm not even sure I can follow it. Well, I hope that part also made you say "What the hell?!". And don't worry. Soon, very soon it will start to make some sense. And the four year olds only talked as well as they did to allow you readers to understand. Hehe, plus I kinda suck at little kid speech. *glomps her Ryuichi plushie* As soon as I can think of a next part and get it typed out, it'll be up. I hope you all like it. See you all soon. Please review.
(Sorry if I've messed with your heads too much and made this too confusing. I promise the next part won't be so choppy. ~.^)

And please read my other story, Return to Gaea. It's an older one of mine (from an old account), but will be updated soon.


- Kurasu