Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me. Nikki, Mia, and Harumi do.
Chapter Three
Merle regained her common sense and proceeded to usher everyone out of the room. She took Nikki's hand and then her own daughter's, frowning at her. Mia shrugged sheepishly. Merle sighed and led them away.
Van and Hitomi released their embrace and stood staring awkwardly at each other. Though they had imagined it a thousand times, they had subconsciously never thought that it would actually happen; therefore, they had nothing prepared to say to each other.
Hitomi gazed around the room, stalling. She had never been in here before. But, not far down the hall, she could see the room where Van had his fighting lessons with Balgus. And the room she occupied during her short stay there. It was like stepping back in time. Everything was almost exactly the way it was. Memories came flooding back to her: chasing Merle down the hall, watching the Mystic Moon while wondering if she would ever go home again. Hitomi sighed happily. She certainly wasn't very eager to go home this time.
"What are you thinking about?"
She jumped. "Oh, I was just reminiscing."
He nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't think a day goes by when I don't."
"Me neither," she said. She smiled at him. "So, how's everyone around here? It seems pretty peaceful so far. No vision of impending doom yet, so that's a good sign."
"Yup," he agreed. "It's almost like it never happened. Almost."
"Hmm. Yes, it feels that way sometimes. But then it doesn't."
"Uh huh," he replied numbly. "I've missed you," he said quietly.
"What?"
"I've missed you," he repeated.
"I've missed you too." She hugged him again. "I can't believe I'm really back. It's the same as it was before, but different."
"I understand. If you look around, it looks the same. But things have changed, more than you know."
"Oh? Like what?" she asked curiously.
"Like Merle got married."
Hitomi's jaw dropped. "You're kidding."
"No, I'm not. And she has a five-year old daughter. She was just here a second ago."
"I didn't even notice. I can't believe that. She was just so…" Her voice trailed off.
"Obsessed?" he suggested. "I guess so, but she gave that up long before you left. And then she met her husband and there you go."
"Weird," Hitomi commented. "But I'm glad for her. What else is new?"
Van thought for a moment. "Well, Millerna and Dryden got married again. Now they have a ten-year old daughter. Her father died, so she's the queen now. Dryden managed to get his business back together."
"You mean the one that took him five years to build up and he sold it to pay for Escaflowne's repair builds so you'd survive after you nearly killed yourself?"
"Yes, that would be the one."
Hitomi frowned. "And it was useless anyway."
"Did you come back here just to yell at me about things that happened fifteen years ago?" Van asked seriously.
She sighed. "No. But I still get upset about it. You almost..."
Van kissed her. "But I didn't, thanks to you. Now let's stop talking about the past and focus on the future for a little while."
Hitomi laughed. "Yeah, it's been fifteen years, I think its about time we did that."
"Better late than never," Van replied. He kissed her again.
"Yeah, you're definitely right about that."
* * * * * *
Nikki stared at the Mystic Moon in awe. The window was almost big enough for her to fit in standing up. It was the exact same window of the exact same room that Hitomi had remembered before. And, just like her memory, the upside-down face of a cat-girl appeared in that window.
Nikki gasped and backed away. "Oh, hi!" She didn't like the way this cat-girl was looking at her, but it was her nature to be friendly to pretty much everyone.
"Hello," Mia replied nonchalantly. She jumped off and landed in the room, using her tail for balance.
"Wanna play with me?" Nikki offered politely. "What games do you play here?"
"I don't want to play with you," she said rudely. This was rather ironic since she had been hoping for a playmate her age to come along as Van, Allen and Merle were getting too old to keep up. If it were anyone else, she would have seized the opportunity. But she had developed an instant dislike to her. And Nikki was about to find out why.
"Look," Mia began, "I don't mind if your aunt is with Lord Van. He and Mother have told me the story millions of time and they've pretty much established that they're supposed to be together. I have no problem with that. He needs someone."
"Yeah, so?" Nikki still didn't have the faintest idea what this had to do with her.
"But," she continued, "that doesn't give you the right."
Nikki looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I don't want you hanging out with Lord Van. He's my godfather. I don't want you taking up all of his attention."
"But I…" Nikki started to protest.
Mia detached her claws and showed them to her. "Or else." She leaped out the way she came, leaving a very scared-looking Nikki behind.
* * * * * *
Hitomi shut her eyes tight. Van quickly unlocked a chest and took out a small box. He pressed it into her hands.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," he said.
She did so and opened the lid. Inside sparkled a ring with a small, but perfect, diamond. "Van, I..." she began breathlessly, staring at it.
"Hitomi," he said solemnly, "will you marry me?"
She gasped. "Van, I… I mean, it's so soon."
He gave her a funny look. "It's been fifteen years. And I'm not going to let you go so easily this time."
"Yes, but I need time to think about it."
"Oh." His face fell.
"Like about five seconds. Van, of course I'll marry you."
His eyes lit up. "You will?"
"I said so, didn't I?" She slipped it on her finger. "Perfect fit," she said cheerily. She kissed him.
He put his arms around her. "Finally, we could be together without anyone getting in the way. "
"Yeah," she agreed. "No Merle or Allen…" She turned her head slightly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Merle and Allen, standing in the doorway, along with Harumi and the girls.
"Then again," Van said, "Maybe not."
(Five reviews this time) To be continued