A/N: Domo Arigatou to all those who sent me Japanese words. I truly do appreciate them. This chapter isn't very exciting but I think I was a bit too long since my last update so I figured, better to have a shorter chapter now and a new one coming soon. Gomen a thousand times if I miss-spelled anything. Here are the responses to my reviewers (please review! I'm begging you!!!):

Revia- Gomen. Van isn't coming back…yet. I haven't quite decided on that. Again, gomen a thousand times for my spelling mistakes. Ahhhh……I'm not good at this!!! *runs in a corner and cowers* I'm doing my best! *sniff* Once again, Gomen. This isn't an incredibly exciting chapter but I figured you might like a shorter chapter now rather than a slightly longer one later. By the way, I hope you had fun watching your…operation…thingy. Please don't stop reviewing. Your reviews mean a lot to me. Arigatou.

Dilandau-is-My-Boyfriend- I already talked to you about Not My Kind. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my chapter. I miss you already. *sniff* By the way, I let our brother borrow "Over my head." I hope he likes it. Tell him I love him. And tell him I said so on-line where everyone in the world can read it!

Japanimejo- Domo Arigatou for all the new words. I'm going to be taking Japanese as my foreign language next year and these words may help. Enjoy the next chapter. Ja ne.

Anime_luver- Muahahaha…….I can do it because I am EVIL!!! Well, not really. I just love torturing them. He he he…Thanks for the stars. Ja ne.

Kat-Tastrophe- Gomen a thousand times for miss-spelling your name. I will keep writing, otherwise I wont hear the end of it from my sister. Domo arigatou for all the new words. If you have more, I'd really appreciate them. Enjoy this next chapter. Ja ne.

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. I don't even own my own brain. I'm borrowing this one from a friend.

Chapter Four: Realization

When Hitomi opened her eyes, a bright white light was all around her. When tried to move but her whole body was numb. She could feel beings moving swiftly all around her.

'Is this heaven?' Hitomi thought, 'Where…Where are you, Van?'

Everything around her was a jumble of noise. Hitomi couldn't understand what the voices were saying.

 "OK, what have we got here?" said a voice.

"Neighbors heard a gunshot and dialed 9-1-1. When the ambulance arrived, they found three bodies. The man behind us appears to be decapitated with an unknown weapon. The man behind him was somehow cut to pieces then strewn all over the place. This girl here is the only survivor. She suffered one gunshot wound. This is the entry wound and here is the exit wound. She has three broken ribs, one fractured rib, a fractured jaw, and several lacerations and bruises."

"OK, let's get her to ICU, stat!"

Hitomi fell back asleep with no memory of the conversation she had just heard.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Merle sat on the balcony, staring at the Mystic Moon for nearly 15 minutes when the pillar of light re-appeared in the distance. Merle's heart gave a huge leap when she was able to make out the form of Van, flying back towards her. It wasn't until he flew closer in range that she realized Hitomi wasn't with him. Merle took several steps backward to allow Van to land and retract his wings. He looked so different from the Van she had just been talking to a little while ago. When he had left, his eyes were filled with hope. Now, they were filled with despair. His once clean sword and body were now stained with blood. Merle could make out three different peoples blood with her nose. Two of which she was unfamiliar with, but the majority of the blood on Van's body definitely belonged to Hitomi. Merles hypersensitive nose and ears never lied.

Merles eyes began to swell up with tears. "Is she…dead?"

Van wasn't sure how to answer that question. The last image he saw of Hitomi suggested that, yes, she was dead. Yet, somehow, he sensed that she was still alive.

"I don't think so." Was the best Van could come up with. "She's badly hurt, but I'm sure she's still alive. I can feel it."

Van turned his eyes towards the Mystic Moon. Merle was about to ask why Van didn't bring Hitomi back with him, when he answered the unasked question.

"Why couldn't I bring her back with me?"

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

*Knock Knock* (A/N: Who's there? I don't know you tell me. I can't. Why not? I'm blind. Oh…)

"Enter."

"Your Highness…"

"Rise and report, soldier."

"Two pillars of light have been spotted within the past hour."

"What!? Where?"

"In Fanelia."

"Damn! It was King Van wasn't it?"

"Yes, Highness."

"That basterd. He's trying to bring the seeress back to Gaea."

"It appears so, but when he returned to Gaea, he was alone."

"Alone? So, he was unsuccessful with his rescue attempt."

"That's correct."

"Well, were not out of the water yet. King Vans stubbornness is known throughout all of Gaea. He'll try to reach the seeress again. We'll just have to make sure he is wed to Princess Calysto before then."

"Your orders?"

"Send some of our negotiators to pay a visit to King Van's advisors."

"As you wish, your Highness."

"We must convince them that a marriage between King Van and Princess Calysto would benefit Fanelia. It is vital to our plan that they are wed before King Van finds a way to bring the Seeress back form the Mystic Moon. Otherwise, he will marry her instead. You are dismissed."

*Door closes*

"King Van will marry my daughter. Not that accursed witch."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

As soon as Yukari heard the news report that Hitomi Kanzaki had been found and was in critical condition, she was out the door in a heartbeat and running as fast as she could to her friend Amano's house. Both Yukari and Amano had organized search parties and alerted the media of Hitomi's kidnapping after Yukari had found Hitomi's house in a wreak and several drops of blood on the floor.

Yukari's heart raced as she fought to keep up her speed. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the wind whip at her short red hair. There was only one thing on her mind as the world around her turned into a blur of color.

'I've got to tell Amano.'

She cursed at herself for letting her friend Sakura borrow her car for the weekend.

'Only a couple more blocks…' Yukari thought hopefully.

She was quickly reaching a point where she would have to make a sharp right-hand turn. Not wanting to slow down, she grabbed a pole with a street sign labeled "Cherry Blossom Lane" and swung around and started running in a new direction. But before she could let go of the pole, she realized too late that a man running just as fast as she had been was right in front of her.

CRASH!!!

"Unko!" Yukari cursed as she rubbed her head furiously in an effort to rid herself of the throbbing that had begun in her head.

"Why don't you watch where you're going you big…Amano?" Yukari had finally opened her eyes and saw that the man she had crashed into was indeed Amano. He slowly sat up, wincing slightly to see Yukari staring at him in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" Yukari asked.

"I was coming to find you. Did you see the report on the news about Hitomi?"

"Hai. I want to go and see her and make sure she's ok."

"Same here. Let's get going."

Amano stood up and gave Yukari his hand, which she took. Yukari suddenly looked up at him.

"Wait a minute! Where's your car?"

"In the shop. Yours too?"

"No. I let a friend borrow it for the weekend." Yukari said with a sigh, "I guess its back to the primal form of transportation."

"What's that? Running?"

"No! I meant taking a cab." 

Amano know that Yukari was only joking and trying to add a little humor I a stressful situation. That's what he loves about her. Always the optimistic.

Knowing full well that ordering a cab would take too long, both Yukari and Amano started running, although not quite so fast as before, towards the hospital.

A/N: Ha! I finally got to write a tiny part about the "evil people" in Gaea (Hee…hee…evil…..Bunny!). I realize this is a short chapter but I have once again hit a bit of a writers block. I figured that you all would prefer one short chapter now then a slightly longer one a lot later. I promise to update as soon as I can. This past week has been a bit hectic! The cause of my writers block may be from the lack of reviews. You don't even have to give me your name, just say, "Hi, I read it and I love/hate it." And I will be happy knowing that more than 6 people on this planet are actually reading my story. Special thanks to my sister (DIMB) and to my very good friend who I will name "Baka." (You know who you are.) Sorry people. It's a little joke we have.