Title: Intruder Alert 3: Transition
Author: Frostmourne
Disclaimer: I don't own Vision of Escaflowne or anyone here except the OCs so don't sue me…
Chapter Dedication: SabrinaYutsuki, the original esca chick, Wendera Jade, One_Mean_Rabbit, Diesty-chan, DillyChic16, Magicman/Smokegirl, Honeypot, Moon Smurf, Aya_chan, My Silver Flame, supergirl6, Always Dreaming, flamecaster-recca, naria4, Laochgael, Kat-Tastrophe, Izzy, Catelina, who cares4, Colerachel, Smiles9, Jounin and to AFCAMistress
Summary: Hitomi Kanzaki and Dilandau Albatou were forced on a roller coaster ride of bad impressions, an unwanted engagement, and a weird friendship others do not take too kindly on. When they stepped out of the ride and went back to how they originally wanted everything – having nothing to do with each other – they're up for another roller coaster ride. This time, it's a ride they both need to decide the right way to pursue.
Chapter 2: Know what's behind
He slammed his door shut. He hated the day. He hated everything and everyone especially Hitomi for flirting. No. It sounded wrong. He hated everyone especially the blonde guy named Allen for flirting with Hitomi and including him self for being annoyed by the fact that Allen was flirting with his annoying ex-fiancée.
Who the hell was she in his life anyway for him to care who she was flirting with?! Who the hell was she anyway for him to actually waste any type of emotion for?!
His eyes narrowed on the mini lamp shade that used to belong to Hitomi before she had forced him to have it because his room looked gloomy.
The mini lamp shade had holes in it shaped in hearts and flowers. It even rotates so when it is lighted, light shaped in hearts and flowers would orbit the entire room walls. In short, make him think he's beginning to be even more girly than Celena could ever be. And that's saying much.
It was forced on him a couple of days after he had first entered Hitomi's room.
"That's it! Damn Hitomi! I've had it!"
She glared at him and screamed. "I was just trying to be nice!!"
He glared back. "Yeah right," he said sarcastically. "Nice enough to torture me."
"And how am I torturing you, blockhead?"
"You are bossing me around damn it!"
"What's wrong? Your big pride got stepped on?"
"Shut up! I don't know how much patient I can be! It's hard enough trying to prevent myself from actually throttling you!"
"Then why don't you just drop the prince charming act and bring it on!"
"As if you can handle me. You wouldn't be capable of even hurting a fly."
She smirked suddenly. "Oh really? Have you forgotten---"
"Stop acting smug. Once I fight, you're dead, missy! But you're too immature to know that anyway."
"Hey! I'm not some damsel in distress you pathetic airhead!"
"Yeah right. And I didn't have to cover you back at the mall fight."
She gritted her teeth. "I didn't ask you to cover me you female version of Snow White!"
He cocked his head to the side, suddenly feeling his anger disappearing. He was rapidly amused as he entertained the thought of another friendly banter with Hitomi. "Okay. Since I'm Snow White, who would you be? The EVIL Queen?"
Her eyes narrowed. "I could be Belle from Beauty and the Beast."
"You're more like the grumpy beast."
She snorted. "Ha! You're Gaston! Let me quote this from Belle, you're positively primeval. Primeval as in primitive and I think it suits your brain. Primitive. And I could even say barbaric."
He scoffed back. "You're the barbaric one. Maybe you were an Amazon in your previous life."
"And you might have been the evil enemy! More like the Diablo."
"Suddenly lost all creativity? That's a character from a PC game. Don't tell me you can't think of creative enemy characters for yourself."
"Let me tell you that I'm more creative! I'm even artistic and you'll never be since you're so dull-headed. I mean just your room is enough proof how dull you can be!"
"And I suppose your room is artistic? Please. You have bad tastes you know." He then smirked to annoy her more.
"I do NOT have bad taste you freak! You have bad tastes! I mean just look at my things here! They're so appealing."
"Yeah right. And my room is SO colorful."
"Sarcastic, aren't we? What's wrong? Losing the battle on me?" Hitomi asked smugly, trying her best to match him tit for tat in the annoying-the-other department.
"I wouldn't lose a battle on you even if my life depended on it. You have bad tastes and you're just can't bear to accept that."
"Let's bet on tastes then, old man."
"Bring it on, ogre."
"We exchange a couple of things so when people see them and compliment them, it means the owner has the better taste on things."
"Deal."
Hitomi smiled evilly and then handed him things that are either too colorful or too adorned with hearts, flowers, and other designs he'd rather not associate with him for eternity.
And soon it occurred to him that she'd just tricked him. She didn't really care about the taste argument. She just knew he hates the things she was handing him and she finds enjoyment in tormenting him with those things.
"Not a piece more, damn it!"
"What's wrong? Can't the macho guy in you take it? What? Being a sissy already?"
His pride couldn't take it so he swallowed his disagreement on her actions. She might twist it again and make him look like a coward. "Fine. Add some more, loser."
"Hah! Let's see who the loser is. If you return them to me, you're the loser!"
He bit his tongue to prevent himself from doing a quip back which would either dig him more deal troubles or would make Hitomi furious enough to shop him a village of girly things for his room.
He almost groaned when she packed an additional very girly lamp. But then she pulled it out and he almost sighed in relief. However, when she turned the lights off, he had a very bad feeling. It turned out that she was merely sampling it to show him just how bad it could affect the tough, ominous image of his room.
Hitomi smiled even more evilly and there was a hint of triumph in her eyes. But the part showing she was amused at his dilemma wasn't just a hint. She was practically rubbing it on him.
He sighed and turned off the only lamp shade lighted in his room before switching the shape-casting lamp shade Hitomi had forced on him.
Yeah, who the hell was she in his life? No one… not anymore at least. But he couldn't cast her out not even if his life depended on it. And he had to wonder why…
He watched the shapes as they flittered through the walls and he didn't even notice that he was falling asleep.
~*A week later*~
She had just been cleared because of Mei and she couldn't believe it. The girl had actually gone out of her way to take the blame. Of course no one would believe her that she'd set the leakage thing up but Mei insisted and she had gotten a suspension and a visit with her parents to the school head.
There's only one more problem – catching the culprit on the computer scam. And the time was almost up. There was just three more weeks and school would be off.
'Oh well. Might as well try to survive the remaining days.'
She suddenly stopped and followed him with her eyes as he passed by her in the corridor. Dilandau had hurt her badly. But somehow, she couldn't find it in her heart to hate him.
She had trusted him and was actually happy that they got along although they could argue and be immature at times when they fight over something trivial or not. She had foolishly hoped that they could be really friends and she was beginning to care more and more for him. But he stabbed her in the back.
Nothing can hurt you more than those people you care for. Too bad. Dilandau stabbed her when she was changing her impression on him.
When he turned in the corner, he stopped and clenched his fists tightly.
'I again almost forgot that she's supposed to be invisible to me. Damn! I really got to get some life. Now it's almost like I'm pinning over something I can't have.'
However he wanted to explain to her, if she is not willing to believe him, he'd be just wasting his time and effort. And now that she's got her most handsome and chivalrous knight back, would she actually give a damn about what he's got to say? Of course not!
She had obviously already forgotten about everyone else. She's been very happy since her friends came and he can often see her being dropped off to school by her friends and fetched in the afternoon for some fun.
'The HELL I care! She's not someone important to me!'
But of course his stupid mind had already agreed with the weakness of his emotions and no matter how much he tells himself that he no longer cares, his brain would pound into him that he's just being a sore loser and now he's sour-grapping over her.
"Dilandau,"
His mind snapped back to reality and he was sure that he'd kill this person who was brainless enough to disturb him. But then his red eyes focused on a boy nearly as tall as him, with familiar green eyes and a not freshman-like air despite being a freshman. "Hiko."
Hiko hesitated for a second. "Parking lot?"
He leaned on his car and looked at Hiko. "So what's up?"
Hiko looked back at him. "I know that Hitomi still bothers you although not physically."
He snorted. "And exactly how can you say that?"
"You're not into motorcycle anymore. You remember her more than when you're driving your car."
Cold laughter from Dilandau ensued. "What's this? Psychic blood? Your sister shows scary perception at times. And now you. Want to tell me my future?"
"You're being sarcastic because that's your last line of defense. Really Dilandau. You're as stubborn as my sister. You need to come to terms with your emotions at times. I know it sucks. I hate having to do that, too, especially around Tomi coz we've always been competing on who's tougher."
"So is this it? You're here to tell me to---"
"I don't know. But I just feel like I owe you something."
"Something?"
"A talk."
Dilandau reached inside his car and leaned back on it moments later, lighting a cigarette. "So talk and get this over with. Normally I wouldn't listen and just beat up the talker but since I feel like listening to you, go ahead."
"I'm not scared of you, Dilandau, if that's what---"
"I know that. You wouldn't be a karate champion if you're a coward."
Hiko's brows furrowed. "How---"
"Your sister and I go to your room before, don't we?"
"But I don't display anything that would hint---"
"We mess with your things when we need to find a CD. Besides, she talks about you. She even slipped on a scenario where you've gotten yourself in a fight with a punk in school and she had to meddle behind your back so the other punks couldn't touch you."
"I know of that though of course she didn't know that I know. She'd freak if I tell her I know that she's protecting me in school. She'd think I pity her coz she's losing her supposedly nonchalant attitude." Hiko tilted his head slightly. "I don't like the group she moved in as you well know. And I used to think that I'd kill myself first before I let them get to Tomi again."
"It's obvious."
"I know. And I think it's even more obvious that I was very much happy when you and Tomi started getting together. Of course there are times that I wonder why I like you for her when at times she screams her lungs off just because you annoyed her much more than usual."
"So you're telling me that you've had a change of mind?"
"No. I still think you're better for her than Allen could ever be. I don't know if I'm being so protective coz I think I owe her much for protecting me in America. But he's a damn playboy and I don't want Tomi to get hurt."
Guilt knocked on Dilandau's being. "I'm no different, Hiko. You were just never told. I could change and dump a girl like she's some useless thing."
"I suspected as much. But the mere fact you act differently around her means something much, doesn't it? Besides, when we came here, you flirt and all and that's very much like Allen. But when I discovered that she hated you, I just knew you'd be perfect for her."
"You've gone crazy, Hiko."
"I don't think you get my flow, Dilandau. If you hate and then love, I think it's better than you start from a crush. Because if you can overcome your hate and love everything you used to hate that person for, it's really something. You just don't love a flaw lightly."
Dilandau smirked. "I used to wonder why you don't have a girlfriend. Now I know. You stick much to things that don't come true."
"I just don't want to regret something. I could've beaten up the punk and his friends but I didn't do that. I chose to be called a coward and then Tomi had to use her popularity for me. She's fair and she understands that I didn't start the fight and I did that to protect someone so she helped me out. But the point is, I'd rather swallow my pride than reach a point where I'd kick myself because I did something I wasn't supposed to do."
"So what exactly are you hinting at?"
"I know you still like her and I know that she likes you back. So whatever it is that happened between you two, you both have to try and fix it before you both look back and realize you just made one of the biggest mistakes you'd ever regret. You both have to swallow your prides and learn to set your differences aside or you'll both lose each other."
"She has Allen."
"I know. And though I don't like him, I'm eating everything I have against him merely because he can make my sister happy. But you make her sad, Dilandau. Even when she looks so happy, somewhere within her, I just know she's still keeping you there."
"And exactly how do you know that? Sure you're related to her but---"
"If I don't have a girlfriend now, it doesn't mean I never had before. If I don't seem to bother with other emotions now, it doesn't mean I never bothered before. Losing her doesn't only mean losing her as a girlfriend or whatever. It's losing each other's friendship. Right she has Allen. But even a boyfriend cannot shut out the need for a friend. And I think she found friendship in you as she had found in Millerna and the others that's why no matter how worse you two can be to each other, she's still bothered about having a gap with you."
"Hiko---"
"The people who can hurt you the most is always the people you care most about. Tomi wouldn't give a damn if she lost other people's praise. But she would give a damn if she lost someone important, literally or figuratively. Think about it."
Hiko started to walk away to leave him to his thoughts. But he needed to know something. "Hiko."
Kanzaki Hiko stopped but didn't look back. "Yes?"
"Do you really think Hitomi---"
"It's really not about what I think or others think. It's how you think. You've spent time with her. You should know."
"People think differently, Hiko. What I think may not be what she thinks."
"I know. But it's worth trying, isn't it? You two make a good team after all. Even if you both don't notice it."
Dilandau was left alone. He stared at the ground, thinking about the talk with Hiko.
"And then Mike even asked Kelly if they could have this big cut and tour Washington!" Millerna related laughingly.
"Actually, Mike's going to meet a girl there," Amano explained amusedly. "I think he met the girl in cyberspace and I think she looked really hot in the picture."
"So what happened?" Hitomi inquired.
"Kelly found out and dumped him for Shawn." Yukari answered.
"Shawn? Isn't he the star swimmer of---"
"The one and only. Actually, he's Sarah's ex, right Sarah?" Gades asked with a smirk.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yeah."
Allen laughed. "Jealous? Kelly sticks to Shawn like some leech."
Everyone except Hitomi looked at him as if telling him we see girls stick to you like human-leeches, too. Allen laughed almost nervously.
"So, Allen," Hitomi began. "I guess you've had dozens of girls around you."
"Huh?"
Hitomi sighed. "It's okay. I understand. It's not like it can be avoided, right? You're Allen Schezar after all."
They all looked at her as if something was terribly wrong.
"Are you okay?" Millerna asked worriedly. "Shouldn't you be a little more… jealous?"
Hitomi laughed. "Nah. I just realized that giving Allen space is the best thing I could do. I trust him. And a relationship cannot go on without trust."
"Tomi's right," Sarah declared.
"So, you haven't mentioned your school yet. We've mentioned how it is back in America," Yukari said. "With you still very much popular as with the rest of us."
"Let me guess," Gades interrupted. "You're the most popular girl in school?"
Hitomi hesitated for a moment before threading her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to talk about it but these were her very best friends. If she didn't trust them enough, then this might end like the disaster with Dilandau. 'Oh hell! Why am I thinking about that demonic old man?!'
"Hitomi?"
She looked at Millerna and sighed. "I really don't want to talk about this."
"It's okay. We understand."
"I'm not through yet, Millerna. I don't want to talk about this, true. But that doesn't mean I won't tell you what you want to know." She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair again, pausing for a long time. "Would you believe me if I say it's actually the opposite?"
The rest stared at her with shock before they all laughed.
"Oh that was a nice joke!" Amano exclaimed. "For a minute there, you had us almost going with it. I mean, you were just too convincing!"
She forced a laugh. "Actually, I'm telling the truth." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm actually an outcast and they talk about me in a negative way. There's actually a rumor about me cheating and changing grades. I… I'm really sorry for… being such a… failure. I stained our name."
"That's nonsense!" Millerna cried out. "Whether or not you are popular, you never were a failure, okay? You're a bright student who works hard for grades! You're the star sprinter who reached national level through perseverance! And you're the greatest and truest friend we ever could have!"
"I do agree with Millerna," Yukari assured while the others nodded.
"So no one's leaving me?" She asked hesitantly.
"That's stupid, Tomi," Gades muttered. "Even if people here would leave you, we never would okay? It's not about popularity, remember? We're friends not because we need to be but because we chose to be. Now, if that's what's been keeping you from being all-out happy, you just have to kick it off your mind. We'll always be here, okay?"
Hitomi sighed and nodded. She was so thankful to have them. "Thanks. You don't know how much I needed to hear that."
"Why don't we just talk about some other things like you guys telling me more about how everything was with Hitomi around?" Sarah asked eagerly, smiling at the others and at Hitomi.
~*Two weeks later*~
Good thing she was already cleared from the scam. It was rumored that someone from another school had come to settle the mess. But she didn't really care about the rumors. It might get her in more trouble. What was important for her was that the truth was out. At least she could take her exams with a light heart. And at least she no longer hears students talk negatively about her. Whatever happened, she was just so glad that things were turning up.
'Dilandau,' she thought.
She sighed and shook her head to clear her mind. "I might as well study."
~tbc~
Author's Note: I'm still off it. My mind is still muddled and I couldn't think of a way to straighten my mood whenever I write. But I do hope by next chapter, I'd be able to put them back to how they should be and then enter Allen and the others. Anyhow, I know this is still downright substandard and I'm admitting that. I'd try my best to write a good one within the deadline.
Thanks to Luna (LunaPluto17@hotmail.com) and Kisakino Ookami for still leaving reviews on the finished parts of the series. And I'd also like to give thanks to Colerachel, Izzy, Catelina, My Silver Flame, Rai Dorian, Drkdemon, MysticalDreamer32, Laochgael, Xelena, Diesty-chan who left me reviews on my one shot DH (Heart of Sword). I won't be able to thank you there so I'd just thank you here. And of course, to those who reviewed the previous chapter. Thanks for the support.