Love Witch: This is one of my two new fics which are set to appear this year. I really hope you enjoy them. *Hugs the HUSBAND* He was my greatest inspiration for this story. I will be continuing on with my other stories. Slowly but surely they will get done.

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. *Growls!* They could have least gave it a happy ending.

Notes:

(1) I hope I haven't offended anyone with my story. I don't know why but people tend to get offended by the subjects I write about. So I apologise in advance.

(2) I'm looking for a beta-reader. So if want to be my beta-reader then give us a bell. You can just be a beta-reader for one story or few or even all. I don't really mind. If I get no replies I don't mind either. It's just the husband and my twin bro think I need one.

Anyway I hope you enjoy ^_^

* * *

Somewhere I Belong

Drunken Mishaps

The wind gusted strongly from the south sending murky clouds sweeping across the dreary skyscrapers. The sky loomed dark and ominous as the thunder rumbled overhead. Convoys of cars and trucks weaved past the troubled youth who stood bleakly at the pavement, watching hopelessly. His arm was held out with his thumb indexed upwards. He gently lifted his head upwards when he heard the crackle of thunder. By doing this he was presented with the feel of cold beads of water which slowly ran down his smooth cheeks.

He cursed under his breath. This truly wasn't his day. The weather seemed to depict his mood quite accurately at that time. 'Where is a taxi when you need one?' His mind pondered effortlessly.

His claret orbs scanned the road maliciously desperately hoping for warmth. His body was shivering frenziedly and the hairs on his body had risen in reaction to the cold. Suddenly a sneeze escaped his mouth and he reflexively wiped his nose with his free arm. He had stood in that exact spot for almost half and hour… waiting… hoping.

'I'm going to catch my death if I stay out here any longer,' He thought to himself. His raven coloured hair was now clinging to his head as the rain had compressed his customary unruly hair. His body was completely soaked. 'Come on. Stupid taxi!'

Strangely a taxi pulled up. It was almost as if the taxi had heard his inner cry of anguish. The youth without any hesitation stepped into the vehicle quietly. He only spoke to the driver to inform him of his destination. The youth then swung his head back against the seat with a sigh of relief before he closed his eyes and contemplated upon his pathetic existence.

* * *

"Where's Van?" The pink haired girl asked in her typical excitable manner.

"Date," the blonde haired female replied flatly. She continued to fold the laundry in front of her, trying her hardest to block out the existence of the pink haired girl.

"With who?" The pinked haired shrieked uncontrollably at the news. "Is it Debby Matheson, Celena Shezar, Tabitha Ronal? Tell me Millerna. The suspense is killing me."

"I don't know, Merle," The later word of which the blonde spoke was said with gritted teeth. Millerna picked up the clothes of which belonged to her and headed up the stairs on the right. The stairs only consisted of five stairs in total which led to Millerna's bedroom. Millerna then heard Merle mumble childishly and at this Millerna let out a soft laugh.

"Merle, if you've got nothing else better to do then you can sort out that horrific pile of magazines and newspapers on the television table. I can never seem to find the remote when I need it," Millerna yelled to Merle from her room.

"Oh Millerna, your no fun," Merle moaned. Millerna smiled as she came out her room. She then picked up some more clothing from the living room and headed to the stairs on the left hand side which led into Van's room.

The house in deed in which they lived in was a strange house. It was small house which consisted of three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a dining room. It was more like a bungalow as far as Millerna was concerned.

Millerna then heard the front door swing open. "Van," Merle cried cheerfully. "How was your…date?"

Millerna heard the hesitation and distraught in Merle's voice and quickly left Van's room where she happened to be putting his clothes into their respective drawers to go and investigate the situation at hand. Nothing could have prepared Millerna for what she was to see.

"Van," Millerna shrieked at the sight of him. His body was completely drenched that his clothes were stuck right to his skin. His eyes had never looked so deep with the large purple rings beneath, they almost looked sorrowful. His nose was all clogged up as he kept sniffing continuously but the worst part was yet to come. Millerna could have sworn that she could smell the putrid smell of liquor.

This was to be confirmed when Van started to walk further into the house. Actually he staggered into it. He couldn't control his movements and he eventually fell onto his knees laughing a repugnant laugh.

"Millerna, what's wrong…" But before Merle could say anything more Millerna interrupted.

"Merle, go to your room," she spoke boldly yet clearly.

"But Millerna," Merle cried.

"Now," Millerna yelled. Merle reluctantly left the couch which she was seated among and headed towards the room on the right which was directly beneath Millerna's room. Merle continually shot glances behind her to see the state of her brother who was still laughing hysterically.

When Millerna was sure Merle had entered her room she turned her attention towards Van. Her eyes were transfixed upon the youth before her. Anger and resentment were in her azure orbs.

"Why are you drunk?" Millerna yelled.

The youth who was laughing like a mad man on the floor, tilted his head up in her direction and grinned wildly. "I'm not….drunk," he spoke haggardly; his voice was in a strange pitch.

"Van, I can smell the alcohol on your breath from here," Millerna stated fearlessly. "And Van you need to take a hot bath you'll catch cold in the state your in."

Van stood up slowly as he tried to find his feet. He used the ottoman beside him to help him to regain his balance. "You're not the boss of me. I can do whatever I want," Van hiccupped after he spoke.

"I can't believe you came home like this, especially with Merle here," Millerna calmly spoke as she tried with all her might to resume her composure. "What happened tonight to make you come home this way? I've never seen you like this. Has it got something to do with your date?"

"Well hooray…perfect pony princess is always on…the mark. That's right I'm a loser and….you're the winner." Van stuttered. "You happy now?"

It took some time for Millerna to try and process what Van was actually saying as he was blurring most of what he spoke. Van then fell backwards onto the ottoman and let out a disgruntled sigh.

"What happened?" Millerna softly spoke as she sat down on the couch.

"Who do you think you….are….my mother?" Van slurred and then hiccupped again.

"I'm your sister," Millerna retorted.

"Step," He grunted in response.

Millerna couldn't believe at that very moment in time that she could be hurt as a result of one simple word. It was a struggle for her to hold back the tears but she wouldn't let Van triumph. He needed her, even though he didn't know it right then but she knew that he did.

'The real Van isn't really like this.' Millerna thought. 'This isn't my brother I know and love.'

"This has something to do with your date, hasn't it?" Millerna asked again eager for an answer.

"No… shit Sherlock," Van replied and laughed.

"Van, watch that mouth," Millerna yelled. "Merle's just in the other room."

"Just leave me….alone," Van moaned and hiccupped again.

Millerna stood up. "I might as well, as there is no point talking to right now with the condition that your in but your not getting out of it tomorrow and neither are you getting out of going to college."

'What can I do? He needs to have a hot bath or at least dry himself,' Millerna thought.

"Ah…just get out my face," Van slurred, with one last look to her brother, Millerna retreated to her bedroom. She saw Merle peering from her door and with a simple gesture by her hand she sent Merle back into her room.

The room became silent and Van's vision was still irregular. He gradually brought himself to his feet but once he up, he was only able to walk a few steps seeing that he tripped up again and landed flat on the couch. A hiccup escaped his mouth and he tried to make himself sit upright.

He had never felt so alone in his life before. His eyes scanned the table before him as he desperately searched for the remote. 'My existence is so pathetic, girls just use me for fun and guys think I'm a geek. I can't help it that I'm smart…' The thoughts of anguish haunted his mind. 'Nobody loves me. I'll never find anyone. I'll never find the place that I belong.'

As Van rummaged through the masses of papers that lay before him, a certain bold title caught his attention. "FIND THE PERFECT WIFE!" Van's mind took some time to process the words as they appeared blurry to him.

Van let out a strange sigh that almost sounded like a laugh. 'Yeah right, there is no such thing.'

Van's mind wasn't thinking straight as he continued to try and read the article. "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN A WIFE?"

Van hiccupped again and laughed. He grabbed a pen he saw nearby and wrote his answer on the paper devoid of any thought. He then went on to write out answers for the next set of questions which where all revolved around with what type of wife he wanted and such. Van felt strangely giddily but of course it could have just been all the alcohol he had consumed earlier that evening.

The next question then asked him for his credit card details, with out any occurrence to why they wanted his credit card details or what sort of payment he was to give them. Van dazedly wrote them down and then he signed his signature at the bottom.

Van giggled as he read the address at the bottom of the sheet, it said something about placing the address on an envelope with a stamp. Van followed the directions that they told him with out a care to what he was doing. He then found that there was a stack of envelopes nearby on the table. They were used by Millerna frequently for sending out applications for Merle and sorting out the bills. He picked up one of the envelopes and copied the address onto the envelope. Van then ripped out the article from the magazine and placed it inside the envelope, let out a short chuckle and placed the letter down. The letter was seated nicely at the side of the table.

'What did I just do? Oh who cares? What I am doing here… I feel so tired! And why do I feel so wet?' Van groggily got of the couch and stumbled his way to his bedroom as he ambled down the hallway he turned off the light to the living room without a second thought to what he just done. All that was heard afterwards was Van's constant tumbling and hiccupping as he searched for the path to his room.

* * *

The morning was a quiet as Merle sat alone on the couch eating her breakfast. Her brother had still not awoken and Millerna was in such foul that Merle avoided all eye contact with her. Millerna had retreated to her bedroom and it didn't look like she was going to come out of it any time soon.

As Merle scooped the last remains of her cereal, he eyes caught attention to an envelope. Merle placed the bowl down and took the envelope. She didn't recognise the address. 'It must be an application for a college. Aw…that was sweet of Millerna.'

Merle observed the envelope and realised it had no stamp on it and that it had not been sealed shut. Merle licked the envelope and closed it with her fingers making sure that it had closed properly.

'Where would Millerna keep the stamps?' Merle pondered as she tried to make her mind think the way Millerna would. 'Oh yeah, she keeps in that bit and bobs draw.'

Merle went into the kitchen and opened the top draw which was closest to her. "BINGO!" Merle squealed out loud and took one of the stamps and placed it on the top right hand corner of the envelope.

'I'll just put in the mail on my way to school and Millerna says such things like I'm not productive." Merle gleefully thought as she felt good about making Millerna being incorrect for once in that blonde's life.

If only Merle had known that, what she had just done, would change their lives forever.

LW: Like? No Like? Please tell me. I personally liked writing this story as it fun and I think it's original. Please don't all start yelling at me for technicalities! I don't know what is in application for mail order bride and frankly I don't want to go into it. Also don't say things like this would never happen because it actually happened to one of my friends, not a mail order bride but a mail order something and besides it's just a story. RIGHT? Also anyone who wants to be my beta reader just e-mail me or say in a review or something.