Title: 12 Days of Christmas
By: Queen Beryl
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Okay, sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out... I just had major writer's block... heh. Um, please review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 4: Day Four

Bdelle leaned over the toilet, feeling her stomach drop suddenly. She sat there, breathing in the horrid smell of wet porcelain. Hitomi rubbed her back soothingly.
"I can't believe it could be him..." Bdelle mumbled, suddenly feeling dizzy.
"Are you okay, Bdelle? You sound awful." Hitomi reached over and felt her friend's forehead. "Oh, you're burning up!"
Bdelle sat back and put the toilet seat back down. She looked very pale. Hitomi helped her companion up and into bed.
"You go to sleep right now, and we'll get everything figured out tomorrow, okay? I'll come over after school to see what's up, all right?" Hitomi smiled warmly as she tucked her friend into bed.
Bdelle nodded feebly. She wasn't feeling like doing anything... just lying there.
"I'll see you around, Bdelle!" Hitomi called as she left. Obaasan came upstairs a few minutes later.
"Are you feeling well, honey?" She asked, sitting down on the edge of Bdelle's bed. Bdelle was already half in the dream world and only shook her head. "Perhaps you'll have to miss school tomorrow...."
How can it be? After all this time... he wouldn't possibly come for me, would he? Could he be the one sending me all this... these gifts through the years? Bdelle asked herself as she finally let go of the conscious world.
& * &
"Hey, Bdelle, you don't look so hot. You still feeling bad?" Hitomi asked the next day. Bdelle was sitting on the floor of her bedroom just staring at the opposite wall. Hitomi raised an eyebrow. She's definitely taking this way too seriously. "I know what you need."
"What?" Bdelle mumbled.
"A day off. I'm taking you to the hot springs... and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Hitomi ran over, grabbed her friend, pulled her up, and rushed out of the door, calling to Obaasan saying where they were going.
"You have a good time, dears!" Obaasan called out as they left. She went back to her cooking as she heard the car start and drive away. She smiled to herself. "Bdelle works so hard... she needs time off."
"Excuse me?" Was heard from the entryway. The old woman went to the door to see who it was.
"May I help you?" She asked kindly.
"I'm sorry, the door was open, so I let myself in. I'm looking for Bdelle." A handsome young man with dark hair smiled.
"I'm afraid you just missed her. She's gone to the hot springs with her friend. If you would give me your name, I could tell her you came by...?" Obaasan offered.
"You needn't bother. I'll just meet her at the hot springs. But, if by some mishap I don't get the chance to speak with her, tell her Van Fanel stopped by."
& * &
"Now, isn't this relaxing?" Hitomi purred, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
"I'm feeling ten times better already. Thank you so much, Hitomi. You're the greatest friend."
"You're only saying that because I paid for you." Hitomi joked, adjusting the cloth on her head.
"What else did you think?" Bdelle played along. "What, that you were a good person? Never!"
Both girls looked at each other and busted out in laughter. A few other women turned and glared at them. The laughter diminished to hushed giggles.
"Hey, Bdelle?" Hitomi asked casually.
"Hmm?" Bdelle ran her hands on top of the water.
"Remember when we first met... and we were walking to the arcade?"
"How could I forget? I gained a friend!"
"Well, remember you made a comment on my amulet... and how you had one but you left it behind?" Hitomi adjusted the cloth again.
"Yeah?" Bdelle didn't like where this conversation was going... not at all.
"Where did you leave it? I want to know the truth."
Bdelle looked up at the mid-afternoon sky. It was mostly clear, crystal blue and very cold. Up until this moment, Bdelle almost forgot it was even winter. She could see snow on the distant mountains. If I could only escape there now... Bdelle wished, sighing.
"I left it... oh, you won't believe me."
"Tell me and then I'll tell you whether I believe you or not."
"A different planet. A place called Gaea." Bdelle admitted, glancing at her friend. She was surprised to see Hitomi sitting there, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Y-you went to Gaea?"
"You believe me?" Bdelle asked hopefully.
"I was there!"
"Don't." Bdelle's shoulders slumped, all hope fading from her dark eyes. "Don't pretend."
This completely caught Hitomi off guard. "What?"
"This has happened before. I told one of my friends I went to another place called Gaea, and she said she had too. I was so thrilled, then she messed up my life by telling the rest of the student body I was insane and wanted to become an alien. I told her all my secrets... all my experiences of Gaea... and she laughed in my face in the end. It... it just wasn't fair. Please, I beg of you... don't pretend that you've been to Gaea, or that you know what I'm talking about. It is a horrible thing to do."
Hitomi reached over and hugged her friend. "Let's go back and change, and we'll talk about it, okay?"
"Fine." Bdelle said shortly. They went back to the room and changed into comfortable kimonos and sat down to eat.
"I just want you to know, Bdelle... I've seen the Mystic Moon from Gaea." Hitomi said after a silence. Bdelle looked up at her, her chopsticks poised in midair.
"Wha-"
"Let me finish. I've seen the fields... the mountains... Fanelia, Asturia. I've met people that have changed my life. I've been in battles to save the entire planet from destruction by Zaibach. I have been to Gaea. I left my original pendant there... as well as my heart." Hitomi smiled at the memory of her and Van... their last moments together next to Escaflowne.... Oh, what peace and happiness those memories brought... as well as the pain of knowing she had to leave the only man she'd ever love.
Bdelle sat there for a moment, gazing intently at Hitomi. Could she believe what this girl was saying? Of course! She even described Gaea and the reference to the Mystic Moon! It had to be the truth! Bdelle did the only thing she knew she had to.
She burst into tears.
"Ah! D-don't cry, Bdelle!"
"Hitomi! You don't know... how happy... I am. I mean, to know... that there is someone else out there... a friend, nonetheless, who actually... went to Gaea! I never thought... I never dreamt of such a luxury!" Bdelle proclaimed between racking sobs. Hitomi smiled at her friend.
"I never thought anyone else had every been to Gaea. Imagine my surprise when you said you left your amulet in Gaea! I thought I was dreaming."
"I'm so glad there's someone who understands." Bdelle stopped crying and started sniffling and rubbing her wet cheeks. "You said... you left your heart in Gaea. Can... you talk about it?"
"With you I can." Hitomi took a deep breath. "I met Van Fanel; he's the prince of Fanelia. We didn't exactly get along in the beginning, but in my heart I always knew he was different. I knew he was someone special. We ended up falling in love with each other. Unfortunately... when all was said and done... we didn't live happily ever after. I came back here because... I just felt that I had to. There was something here that I needed to do... but I'm still not sure what it is. Well, needless to say, I came back... and he stayed in Gaea to rebuild the demolished Fanelia."
And with that, Bdelle burst into tears again.
"Waah! Don't cry! What's the matter?" Hitomi dropped her chopsticks in fright.
"That is the most... heart-wrenching... romantic true story I have ever... heard!" Bdelle wailed between sobs. Salt tears streamed down her face. Hitomi sighed.
"It isn't as bad as all that, now. I gave Van my pendant and I can see him whenever he comes. He can whenever, and he knows it. He looks so cute with the pendant on, too." Hitomi smiled, running a hand through her short hair.
"Yes, but-" Bdelle was interrupted by a sudden knocking at the door that made both girls jump. "I'll get it."
Bdelle opened the door and discovered nobody there. When she looked down she beheld a package; she picked it up and brought it inside, closing the door behind her. She realized the box looked like all the other boxes she had received in the past three days. The box was indeed addressed to her and Hitomi.
"The fourth gift of Christmas." Bdelle stated.
"Really? Here? Hurry, bring it over so we can open it. Whose turn is it?" Hitomi asked excitedly.
"Aww, who cares!" Bdelle sat down and opened up the box as Hitomi scrambled over. They pulled out the large amount of tissue paper... only to find the box completely empty.
"Oh, that was cruel."
"Where's the gift?" Bdelle demanded greedily.
"Maybe our 'secret admirers' forgot to put it in?" Hitomi offered. "Oh, wouldn't that be hilariously tragic?"
"Isn't that an oxymoron?" Bdelle raised an eyebrow, still looking for the gift within all the tissue paper that was scattered all over the floor.
"That doesn't matter.... Hey. Stop looking! There isn't a gift." Hitomi laughed. There was another knock at the door and what sounded like a thud. Bdelle and Hitomi looked at each other for a moment before bolting up and racing one another to the door. They yanked open the door and looked around, but there was no one in sight.
"Dang... we missed them." Bdelle muttered as Hitomi picked up the box and turned around. Bdelle followed her, so intrigued by the box she forgot to close the door.
"What can it be... what can it be...?" Hitomi sung, ripping off the packing tape. "Oh, that reminds me. You never told me... what happened with you on Gaea?"
Bdelle fell on her face from her kneeling position. She was so intent on seeing the package that she didn't expect a question.
"Oh, you know..."
"Know what?"
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you're one of those people that never finish their sentences!" Hitomi leaned both hands on the brown gift and peered at Bdelle.
"Can't I see the gift first?" Bdelle pleaded, eyes staring at the object under Hitomi's hands.
"Tell me first and then you can see the present!" Hitomi shoved the box behind her back. Bdelle sighed in defeat.
"I went to Gaea and-"
"How?"
"How? Uh... actually, I was walking outside during a thunderstorm... and lightning struck so close... I actually thought I got hit at first. Then out of nowhere this angel appeared."
"Angel?!" Hitomi scooted forward even more. "Did he have black hair and maroon eyes?!"
"No. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Why?" Bdelle asked, then she suddenly recalled the gentleman that had visited her earlier. She's describing him! The boy that came over to my house a couple of days ago! He must be from Gaea!
"Oh, I was just wondering... anyway, go on." Hitomi waved her on hurriedly.
"Anyway, I sorta fainted and when I woke up, I was in a nice warm room. He was sitting by my side telling me everything would be alright. I stayed for a while in Gaea, but they were having problems with a rebel group. My guardian angel didn't want me near the battles so he planned on sending me to Asturia. When it came down to it, though, I told him I didn't want him to leave. I gave him my pendant so he wouldn't forget me... and I hoped it would bring him good luck and fortune. Just after he accepted it, I fainted and woke up back on Earth. I was on the floor just outside my house, soaking wet from the rain."
"Now that is tragic, Bdelle."
"I guess... now let's open the package!" Hitomi sweat dropped. How easily Bdelle was sidetracked....
The girls pulled the box back around and proceeded to open it. Inside was something neither of them expected in the least.
"On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"...a statue of an angel just for me."

WHEW! This was the first time I've ever finished an entire chapter in just one sitting. Ah! I need a break! I hope you like it; please review! And thanks to my reviewers (Hitomi luvr and Van's girl)!