----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Into the Abyss
Summary: Hitomi comes back home to Earth a little too late....
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. So no suing please! No infringement intended! Just borrowing the lovely characters of Escaflowne. This story, however, is mine. Oh and the short sayings. :) As for the songs, they are owned by their respective singers.
Etcetera: Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews!!!
* soda_cola_pop: I'm glad you're computer's alive again! Don't see you in school as much. What's your sched nywayz? And i'm so glad you gave me such long and helpful reviews!!!! THANKS!!!!
* Saotoshi Hatsuma: thanks so much for reviewing all my chapters. I'm glad you like it! :) And yes, van will come but later on :) maybe in the 5th chapter :)
* Ni-chan: wow that was such an inspiring adjective to give to my story! thanks!
* RB, MoonGrlonearth, FireDemon, Fitz20, and everyone else who reviewed: thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
* Kiya: don't worry it won't have a sad ending. that's for sure :)
Important Note: THINGS INSIDE [ ] are THOUGHTS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 3: -REVISED-
You were once sweet
But now that's gone.
You had a warm aura
But Shiva had won.
And it makes me shiver
The way you smile
Because I know deep down
You're plotting something vile.
- by SabrinaYutsuki (the author of this fic)
Narrator's POV:
Mrs. Uchida recovered from the forceful shove of Hitomi and stood up. Her back felt sore because her bones had turned brittle over the years... Such was, after all, the reality of old age. She was completely surprised at the strength Yukari's best friend had been able to put into considering her health. But right now, the surprise had been replaced by an overwhelming feeling of doom.
[Where's Hitomi-chan?]
She turned around to look for the sandy-browned locks.
And she saw them.
They were sprawled onto the floor... with what appeared to be red liquid...
[Oh god...]
"Dr. Yasutoko!!! Dr. Yasutoko! Where in god's name is he? And what does it take to get some help here, DAMMIT!" The calm exterior of the woman had broken down apparently by the wave of panic. It was natural for anyone to act that way, after all, considering there was blood on the floor.
In what seemed like eternity, the handsome man in the white uniform appeared. Mrs. Uchida was extremely tempted to give him a piece of her mind but acted otherwise, since there was something else of higher priority at the moment. The man immediately saw the patient on the floor. He ran to her side and checked her pulse. After which, he examined the patient's head to see if there was any concussion, all the while keeping a stern face. Finally, he saw the root of the problem. He saw the broken vase a few inches away from her and saw the emerald-eyed girl's deep cut on her forehead.
The puzzle had been pieced.
"Mrs. Uchida, she had a cut on her forehead from the broken shards of this vase. It's pretty deep and considering she had lost a tremendous amount of blood already from her previous bout, she must have collapsed from the lack of blood. Rest assured, though, that she's fine. Her breathing's shallow, but it's none the less steadying. Nothing to worry about. I'll go get a nurse to treat her wounds immediately."
The doctor was true to his word. In a matter of seconds, he came back with a woman in white that was obviously a nurse in the institution. She brought some gauze and a bottle of liquid that Mrs. Uchida guessed as an antiseptic. Behind the nurse were two other doctors who carried Hitomi to the bed.
The nurse got some cotton and dipped it in the liquid and placed it on Hitomi's wound gently so as to lessen the pain, but forcefully enough for her to clean the cut. Then she took some gauze and placed it over, applying gauze tape on both sides. She had also brought a smaller bottle of another unfamiliar liquid. It had a label on it, but the words were printed too small for Mrs. Uchida to see.
Sensing Mrs. Uchida's curiosity, the nurse spoke. "This will help her regain consciousness..." The older woman nodded, a gesture to say that she had understood. Soon enough, Hitomi's eyes dilated abruptly just like before and she immediately tried to get out of the bed again. "Mother! I must help mother!" Her energy was still unbelievably plenty. The nurse restrained her as she called for assistance. The same doctors who had carried Hitomi to the bed came to the 'rescue'.
However, unlike before, Hitomi failed to withstand several people pushing her down and decided to admit defeat. She stared openly into the ceiling and away from the nurses' determined faces. With a hard 'click', the nurses sighed in relief and left the room, nodding at the old woman just inches away from the door, an unreadable expression written on her wrinkled face.
She looked at her arms and saw the restraint they placed on it.
She felt so tired... Tired of all this -- all the suffering, all the self-pity... everything. Tears started to well up in her eyes. But she bit her lip and managed to blink them out. Mrs. Uchida moved closer to her. "Hitomi, what's happening to you?"
Hitomi's eyes shook. [Everything's happening to me. At least everything awful.] She had wanted to tell her everything... Vent out all her emotions so she could take away the burdens... But a part of her kept nagging her... Telling her that it just reaffirms her cowardice.
[I'm not a coward.]
"Mrs. Uchida. Please believe in me. I really need to leave the hospital now and help my mother... Please. I can't explain but my instincts tell me something's wrong with..." At this time, her voice croaked. She was choking in emotions. The older woman placed a comforting hand on one of Hitomi's cold arms and smiled as if to say she understood. Hitomi let out a faint smile as Mrs. Uchida called for the doctor.
"Dr. Yasutoko, please release her. I think it's best that I bring her home and take care of her there."
"But Ma'm, I do believe she needs to stay here and..."
"Since it is in your best interest to help her recover, don't you think sending her home, where she's not as apprehensive, will do her good?"
The doctor swallowed hard. She was right.
"Okay then. I trust that you will make her get as much rest as she can."
"Of course I will. She is my daughter after all."
There was a brief moment of warmth when Hitomi heard those words, imagining her own mother telling her that. After the restraints were released, Hitomi quickly got out of the bed, while Mrs. Uchida held her for support. They walked slowly to the elevator and Hitomi's heart was once again filled with anxiety.
----------------------
The four corners of the elevator were very close in proximity. Even if she had no past bouts with Claustrophobia, she felt like she was running out of breath, and that the walls were closing in. The pressure that came when the elevator abruptly went down caused the pain in her head to shoot up. She reached for the pain immediately and felt the wet blood. She was moving her fingers in a very small circle around the wound. The throbbing ache felt unbelievable, for her.
Unbelievably pleasurable.
It was as if without the sensation of pain, she ceased to exist. It was a reminder that she was in this world, right this moment, and that she had things to do... important matters to attend to. Her memory jogged back to the time her mother had slapped her and she had felt that same trace of satisfaction.
What was happening to her?
When did everything change?
She remembered that just a few days ago, she was gazing upon the warm smile of someone dear to her... she remembered the peaceful tittering of the birds in the forest and the lovely trees that cast a calm shadow on the Escaflowne. Everything was fine. No. More than fine.
Everything was perfect.
Even as she was slowly floating away from the paradise they call Gaea, she had the assurance that things will be okay. That she would live the memories of the other world in her heart and feel a special kind of warmth. And that she would live in the Mystic Moon with those special thoughts, sharing the magic to her family. Showing them how you could shape your dreams into destiny.
How could she be so impeccably wrong?
Unlike Gaea, here on Earth, everything had been mapped out for you by someone. There was no way to beat the system. Hitomi was meant to have a screwed up life, and that's that. No questions asked. No considerations. Why fight it then? She tried to kill herself to show that she wasn't going to sit around waiting for Lady Fate to give her orders. But Lady Fate was cunning... astute. The goddess has, after all, been running the 'business' for centuries, no doubt. She must know every loophole. And that must be why her suicide failed.
But if it were true, what then did Lady Fate have in store for her mother? Death? She wished not. And why did she have a premonition? Did Fate want her to stand up against destiny, like she did in Gaea? Was this her destiny? To save her mother? Was this the reason why her suicide failed?
The thoughts were driving her mad. Too many questions and no answers. Luckily though, the elevator door had opened and her contemplation was put to a stop. Mrs. Uchida, who was staring at the numbers as the elevator slowly descended, grabbed Hitomi's arm and lead her outside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The older woman hailed a taxi cab immediately. Hitomi was surprised to see her with the same feeling of urgency in her. She was grateful that Yukari's mother had believed her.
The cab came just when Mrs. Uchida's arms were starting to get tired. Opening the door, Hitomi went in the cab while Mrs. Uchida followed suite. Throughout the whole trip, the two women were quiet. Nothing but the driver's curses could be heard.
Soon enough, they arrived in a street full of cozy houses.
"That would be 30 dollars ma'm.", a husky voice came with his grubby hand stretched out.
The older woman dished out some bills and gave it to the man, while Hitomi stared out the window. "Hitomi-chan? Let's go.", Mrs. Uchida said with her sweet voice. Hitomi said nothing and merely opened the car door.
"Hitomi...? Do you need me to come in with you or...?"
"It's okay Mrs. Uchida. I can handle it."
"Okay. Well, I'll just be a few blocks away, okay?"
Hitomi nodded.
As the figure of the older woman slowly disappeared, Hitomi suddenly called her.
"Oh and Uchida-san!"
"Yes, dear?"
"Th... Thank you... You don't know how much it means to me... to be believed in, I mean."
The woman smiled.
"Dear, I want you to know that I will _always_ believe in you. Okay?"
Hitomi smiled. "Thank you."
And with that, the woman left.
What ensued was utmost silence... a silence where one could hear a proverbial pin drop and a certain heart thump madly...
Hitomi's hands shivered as she opened the mahogany door knob, her confidence faltering once more...
And something told her that wasn't going to be the last time it would happen...
I am bottled, fizzy water and you are shaking me up
You are a fingernail running down the chalkboard I thought I left in third grade
Now my only consolation is that this could not last forever
Even though you're singing and thinking how well you've got it made
Who are you? When will you be through?
Yea it's just a phase...it will be over soon
Yea it's just a phase...yea it's just a....phase
~ "Just a Phase" by Incubus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a/n: How do you like the story so far? Sorry to leave you hanging once more. wahaha. Anyways, I revised this chapter 'cause when I read the older chapter again, I realized how weird it was. I hope you like the revision more.
So, you have any guesses what she's going to see when she opens that door knob? Well you'll find out as soon as I update. Please review kind souls! :)
visit Incubus' site: www.enjoyincubus.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Into the Abyss
Summary: Hitomi comes back home to Earth a little too late....
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. So no suing please! No infringement intended! Just borrowing the lovely characters of Escaflowne. This story, however, is mine. Oh and the short sayings. :) As for the songs, they are owned by their respective singers.
Etcetera: Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews!!!
* soda_cola_pop: I'm glad you're computer's alive again! Don't see you in school as much. What's your sched nywayz? And i'm so glad you gave me such long and helpful reviews!!!! THANKS!!!!
* Saotoshi Hatsuma: thanks so much for reviewing all my chapters. I'm glad you like it! :) And yes, van will come but later on :) maybe in the 5th chapter :)
* Ni-chan: wow that was such an inspiring adjective to give to my story! thanks!
* RB, MoonGrlonearth, FireDemon, Fitz20, and everyone else who reviewed: thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
* Kiya: don't worry it won't have a sad ending. that's for sure :)
Important Note: THINGS INSIDE [ ] are THOUGHTS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 3: -REVISED-
You were once sweet
But now that's gone.
You had a warm aura
But Shiva had won.
And it makes me shiver
The way you smile
Because I know deep down
You're plotting something vile.
- by SabrinaYutsuki (the author of this fic)
Narrator's POV:
Mrs. Uchida recovered from the forceful shove of Hitomi and stood up. Her back felt sore because her bones had turned brittle over the years... Such was, after all, the reality of old age. She was completely surprised at the strength Yukari's best friend had been able to put into considering her health. But right now, the surprise had been replaced by an overwhelming feeling of doom.
[Where's Hitomi-chan?]
She turned around to look for the sandy-browned locks.
And she saw them.
They were sprawled onto the floor... with what appeared to be red liquid...
[Oh god...]
"Dr. Yasutoko!!! Dr. Yasutoko! Where in god's name is he? And what does it take to get some help here, DAMMIT!" The calm exterior of the woman had broken down apparently by the wave of panic. It was natural for anyone to act that way, after all, considering there was blood on the floor.
In what seemed like eternity, the handsome man in the white uniform appeared. Mrs. Uchida was extremely tempted to give him a piece of her mind but acted otherwise, since there was something else of higher priority at the moment. The man immediately saw the patient on the floor. He ran to her side and checked her pulse. After which, he examined the patient's head to see if there was any concussion, all the while keeping a stern face. Finally, he saw the root of the problem. He saw the broken vase a few inches away from her and saw the emerald-eyed girl's deep cut on her forehead.
The puzzle had been pieced.
"Mrs. Uchida, she had a cut on her forehead from the broken shards of this vase. It's pretty deep and considering she had lost a tremendous amount of blood already from her previous bout, she must have collapsed from the lack of blood. Rest assured, though, that she's fine. Her breathing's shallow, but it's none the less steadying. Nothing to worry about. I'll go get a nurse to treat her wounds immediately."
The doctor was true to his word. In a matter of seconds, he came back with a woman in white that was obviously a nurse in the institution. She brought some gauze and a bottle of liquid that Mrs. Uchida guessed as an antiseptic. Behind the nurse were two other doctors who carried Hitomi to the bed.
The nurse got some cotton and dipped it in the liquid and placed it on Hitomi's wound gently so as to lessen the pain, but forcefully enough for her to clean the cut. Then she took some gauze and placed it over, applying gauze tape on both sides. She had also brought a smaller bottle of another unfamiliar liquid. It had a label on it, but the words were printed too small for Mrs. Uchida to see.
Sensing Mrs. Uchida's curiosity, the nurse spoke. "This will help her regain consciousness..." The older woman nodded, a gesture to say that she had understood. Soon enough, Hitomi's eyes dilated abruptly just like before and she immediately tried to get out of the bed again. "Mother! I must help mother!" Her energy was still unbelievably plenty. The nurse restrained her as she called for assistance. The same doctors who had carried Hitomi to the bed came to the 'rescue'.
However, unlike before, Hitomi failed to withstand several people pushing her down and decided to admit defeat. She stared openly into the ceiling and away from the nurses' determined faces. With a hard 'click', the nurses sighed in relief and left the room, nodding at the old woman just inches away from the door, an unreadable expression written on her wrinkled face.
She looked at her arms and saw the restraint they placed on it.
She felt so tired... Tired of all this -- all the suffering, all the self-pity... everything. Tears started to well up in her eyes. But she bit her lip and managed to blink them out. Mrs. Uchida moved closer to her. "Hitomi, what's happening to you?"
Hitomi's eyes shook. [Everything's happening to me. At least everything awful.] She had wanted to tell her everything... Vent out all her emotions so she could take away the burdens... But a part of her kept nagging her... Telling her that it just reaffirms her cowardice.
[I'm not a coward.]
"Mrs. Uchida. Please believe in me. I really need to leave the hospital now and help my mother... Please. I can't explain but my instincts tell me something's wrong with..." At this time, her voice croaked. She was choking in emotions. The older woman placed a comforting hand on one of Hitomi's cold arms and smiled as if to say she understood. Hitomi let out a faint smile as Mrs. Uchida called for the doctor.
"Dr. Yasutoko, please release her. I think it's best that I bring her home and take care of her there."
"But Ma'm, I do believe she needs to stay here and..."
"Since it is in your best interest to help her recover, don't you think sending her home, where she's not as apprehensive, will do her good?"
The doctor swallowed hard. She was right.
"Okay then. I trust that you will make her get as much rest as she can."
"Of course I will. She is my daughter after all."
There was a brief moment of warmth when Hitomi heard those words, imagining her own mother telling her that. After the restraints were released, Hitomi quickly got out of the bed, while Mrs. Uchida held her for support. They walked slowly to the elevator and Hitomi's heart was once again filled with anxiety.
----------------------
The four corners of the elevator were very close in proximity. Even if she had no past bouts with Claustrophobia, she felt like she was running out of breath, and that the walls were closing in. The pressure that came when the elevator abruptly went down caused the pain in her head to shoot up. She reached for the pain immediately and felt the wet blood. She was moving her fingers in a very small circle around the wound. The throbbing ache felt unbelievable, for her.
Unbelievably pleasurable.
It was as if without the sensation of pain, she ceased to exist. It was a reminder that she was in this world, right this moment, and that she had things to do... important matters to attend to. Her memory jogged back to the time her mother had slapped her and she had felt that same trace of satisfaction.
What was happening to her?
When did everything change?
She remembered that just a few days ago, she was gazing upon the warm smile of someone dear to her... she remembered the peaceful tittering of the birds in the forest and the lovely trees that cast a calm shadow on the Escaflowne. Everything was fine. No. More than fine.
Everything was perfect.
Even as she was slowly floating away from the paradise they call Gaea, she had the assurance that things will be okay. That she would live the memories of the other world in her heart and feel a special kind of warmth. And that she would live in the Mystic Moon with those special thoughts, sharing the magic to her family. Showing them how you could shape your dreams into destiny.
How could she be so impeccably wrong?
Unlike Gaea, here on Earth, everything had been mapped out for you by someone. There was no way to beat the system. Hitomi was meant to have a screwed up life, and that's that. No questions asked. No considerations. Why fight it then? She tried to kill herself to show that she wasn't going to sit around waiting for Lady Fate to give her orders. But Lady Fate was cunning... astute. The goddess has, after all, been running the 'business' for centuries, no doubt. She must know every loophole. And that must be why her suicide failed.
But if it were true, what then did Lady Fate have in store for her mother? Death? She wished not. And why did she have a premonition? Did Fate want her to stand up against destiny, like she did in Gaea? Was this her destiny? To save her mother? Was this the reason why her suicide failed?
The thoughts were driving her mad. Too many questions and no answers. Luckily though, the elevator door had opened and her contemplation was put to a stop. Mrs. Uchida, who was staring at the numbers as the elevator slowly descended, grabbed Hitomi's arm and lead her outside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The older woman hailed a taxi cab immediately. Hitomi was surprised to see her with the same feeling of urgency in her. She was grateful that Yukari's mother had believed her.
The cab came just when Mrs. Uchida's arms were starting to get tired. Opening the door, Hitomi went in the cab while Mrs. Uchida followed suite. Throughout the whole trip, the two women were quiet. Nothing but the driver's curses could be heard.
Soon enough, they arrived in a street full of cozy houses.
"That would be 30 dollars ma'm.", a husky voice came with his grubby hand stretched out.
The older woman dished out some bills and gave it to the man, while Hitomi stared out the window. "Hitomi-chan? Let's go.", Mrs. Uchida said with her sweet voice. Hitomi said nothing and merely opened the car door.
"Hitomi...? Do you need me to come in with you or...?"
"It's okay Mrs. Uchida. I can handle it."
"Okay. Well, I'll just be a few blocks away, okay?"
Hitomi nodded.
As the figure of the older woman slowly disappeared, Hitomi suddenly called her.
"Oh and Uchida-san!"
"Yes, dear?"
"Th... Thank you... You don't know how much it means to me... to be believed in, I mean."
The woman smiled.
"Dear, I want you to know that I will _always_ believe in you. Okay?"
Hitomi smiled. "Thank you."
And with that, the woman left.
What ensued was utmost silence... a silence where one could hear a proverbial pin drop and a certain heart thump madly...
Hitomi's hands shivered as she opened the mahogany door knob, her confidence faltering once more...
And something told her that wasn't going to be the last time it would happen...
I am bottled, fizzy water and you are shaking me up
You are a fingernail running down the chalkboard I thought I left in third grade
Now my only consolation is that this could not last forever
Even though you're singing and thinking how well you've got it made
Who are you? When will you be through?
Yea it's just a phase...it will be over soon
Yea it's just a phase...yea it's just a....phase
~ "Just a Phase" by Incubus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a/n: How do you like the story so far? Sorry to leave you hanging once more. wahaha. Anyways, I revised this chapter 'cause when I read the older chapter again, I realized how weird it was. I hope you like the revision more.
So, you have any guesses what she's going to see when she opens that door knob? Well you'll find out as soon as I update. Please review kind souls! :)
visit Incubus' site: www.enjoyincubus.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------