Author's Notes: No more sports, band, school, or sols for a whole month. Go me. I am, however, going to Florida next week, so in preparation for this event, I will write two or three chapters for this story this week. You might want to read slowly on this week that I'm gone though. After that, I get another week to write before I'm gone for two weeks. Seriously, read slowly.

Drifting Destiny: Chapter 6

"Please, Van? I'll be gone for a week at the most," I plead with him. He shakes his head sadly and looks away from me. I want to go running back into arms, but I know he'll push me away. Why can't I have this one little thing? Why doesn't he understand? I scrub painfully at my cheek as a teardrop falls onto the irritated skin. The water feels cold against my skin.

"I'm only trying to protect you, Hitomi. I'm sorry that you won't be able to see them for a long time, but this is the only way. They wouldn't understand what you're going through. I'm sure they miss you, but they can hold out for a little while longer," he says solemnly. A part of me wants to fight against him on this, but he's only trying to help me. Why do I always hurt the people I care about?

"They're my family, Van. I even miss that annoying brat I call my brother. You know what it's like to lose your family, but do you know what it's like to have them just out of your reach? Do you know what it's like to know they're worried about you, and there's nothing you can do to stop it? I don't need your approval to go to them. I only needed your opinion on the matter. Why won't you let me go?"

His shoulders shake slightly, and I nearly want to cry at the sight. He looks so lost and alone, and I want to shield him from all the bad things in the world. Where has his innocence gone? Why did the war have to do this to him? "I just don't want to lose you, Hitomi. I'm afraid you'll leave me here on Gaia, and you'll never come back. I don't want to lose you too."

I walk over to him and grab his shoulders fiercely. He looks up, and my tears clash with his. They mingle together as they drop onto the dirt- laden earth. "You won't lose me, Van. I could've left you at any point, and I stayed by your side. Even when you came for me on Earth, I could have easily told you to leave me in peace if I wasn't in love with the stubborn, pigheaded king of Fanelia."

He turns away from me, and I want to cry out in the pain he just placed upon me. My heart feels as if it was torn to shreds by the dragon he defeated seemingly so long ago. In its place, I could only feel a darkened void consuming my bitter soul. I then realize he's been speaking for a while now. "How could you love a monster like me? How could you love someone with the cursed Draconian blood?"

I pound on his back as the tears cascade down my cheeks. I know my voice will come out as a choked sob, but I decide to speak anyway. What does it matter anymore? "If I were fickle enough to fall in love with someone for what they looked like, I would have stayed with Allen. Do you understand me, Van? I didn't realize it until it was nearly too late, but I fell in love with you. At this point, you could be a demon for all I care. It's everything about you I like, not just your blood."

His feathers extend from his back, and the wind it causes sweeps away my tears. My breath catches in my throat as he looks at me like a trapped hunter caught in his own trap. His chocolate eyes glare at me, but not in the contempt I would have expected. I reach up and brush away the last of his tears, and he backs away from me. His wild looks give me the impression that a caged animal would.

"You can't tell me you love these cursed wings for what they are. No matter what they stand for on your planet, they are not a form of protection here. People fear me as soon as they glimpse my wings. How can you even stand to be this close to them?" His wings brush at my hair, and I let them. I gently run my fingers along the structure of the wing, and he flinches back slightly.

"It doesn't matter to me what they stand for. The only thing that really matters is what you want them to stand for. If they are not signs of protection, I will not think of them as such. What would happen if I were in your place and you in mine? How would you feel about my wings?" He shudders under my gaze and moves to turn away, but I hold him in place.

"Your wings are a part of who you are. Your blood is a part of who you are. I accepted this when I began to have feelings for you. If I can accept you for who you are, why can't you accept yourself for who you are? Surely there's more to you than what you let on. Please, Van. What won't they understand?" I plead with him once more with desperation hitching in my voice.

He shudders once more, and his wings withdraw into his back. A lone tear drifts down his cheek, but he doesn't pull away when I wipe it away. "Do you remember when I offered you one of my feathers, Hitomi?" I nod, and his mouth moves soundlessly as I am pulled back off the cliff. I call out his name, but I know he can't hear me as my screams fall on deaf ears.

I wake up in a cold sweat, and I can hear Van's uneven breathing beside me. I slide out of the makeshift bed, and my feet touch the cool floor. I find it strange that I'm shivering even though the air is warm against my skin. I gaze upon Van one more time before padding softly out of the room. I bypass the small kitchenette directly to the door leading outside the cottage. Somehow I knew I would find Folken here.

"You seemed distressed, Hitomi. Please, sit down," Folken offers. He's gesturing at the small makeshift garden bench Van, Folken, and I had managed to put together. Eriya and Naria had left two weeks ago for Asturia, and we hadn't seen them since. I pick at the skirt I'm wearing and sit down in the offered seat. He smiles at me almost kindly, and I want to cringe, but I force a smile. I somehow want out of this place now. Even if this is on the outskirts of Asturia, I want to go back to Fanelia, to familiarity.

"Now, what's wrong? I think this is the first day you and Van haven't come out of your room together. What has my younger brother done now?" Is this the Folken who worked for Zaibach? It's strange, but I can only remember him as having the cold persona he showed everyone in Zaibach's wake. Maybe Eriya and Naria changed him; maybe we changed him. Either way, he's definitely different.

"Do gifts Draconians give have any special meaning, Folken? I had a strange dream about something Van gave to me once. I don't know if I'm losing my Sight, but I do know something strange is going on," I hesitated in answering, but I hope he didn't catch the waver in my voice. He gave me the feather as an act of friendship, right? Maybe it meant something different to him.

Folken noticeably hesitates, and I start to become nervous as he gives me sideways glances. I jump as Van interrupts what Folken is about to say, "Good morning." I settle back down in my seat and blush. He chuckles as he sits down in the seat beside me, and I hit him playfully. He rubs his arm soothingly. "Did I interrupt anything? You look as if someone died, Hitomi."

"I was just asking Folken about the feather you gave me," I say and turn to glance at Folken. I open my mouth to speak, but I close it when I notice how pale Folken looks at the mention of a feather. Van swallows hard behind me, and he stammers lightly. I look between the two, and Folken glares at Van. Van shrinks behind as me as Folken stalks forward. I try to stop, but I can't help but giggle.

"You gave her one of your feathers, and you didn't tell her what it meant?! Didn't you learn anything from Mother? I can't believe you, little brother. She has every right to know what it means!" Folken hisses menacingly at Van. I don't think I've ever seen Folken this angry with anyone before. He's talking about me as if I'm not even here. I think I have a right to know what's going on.

"Well, she did accept it. Since you're so intent on telling her what it means, I'm sure you can explain it to her just fine, Brother. I'll just go back into the cottage here…" Van tries to back away, but Folken grabs him by the scruff of the collar and places him in front of me. Van gulps as he nervously looks up into my eyes. I'm finally seeing the scared, innocent, little boy I fell in love with again.

"Uh, Hitomi, do you still have the feather I gave to you? If so, can you bring it out here? I need to look over it for a moment," Van stutters as he shrinks under Folken's gaze. I smoothly reenter the house in order to find the lost feather. I can hear Folken reprimanding Van from in here, and I wonder what could possibly be wrong with the gift. Maybe it's not as bad as I think it is. I hope I'm overreacting.

I enter the bedroom, and I replace the comforter that has fallen to floor in Van's wake. Sitting down on the bed, I reach for the box on the far table. Carefully removing the lid, I trace the velvet cloth over the feather. I remove both the cloth and the feather from the box, and I close the lid just as gently as I opened it. The feather floats softly down into my open palm, and I gasp at the faint outline of silver tracing the feather. How could I have not seen this before?

Pain beyond anything I have ever felt before. My back feels like it's being ripped in half at my spine. I can feel the feathery wings before I can see them, but they're tipped in my blood. Every muscle in my back is screaming at me in agony, and I nearly pass out in pain. Tears leak out from the corners of my eyes, and a few drops fall onto the silver bathed feather. It glows, and I do pass out.

The last thing I heard was pounding of feet upon the cobblestone floors. Van tried to come to my rescue, but not this time. This time, I must face the ordeal on my own. I can feel his arms wrap around me in an attempt to keep me from hitting the floor, but it hardly works. I meet the floor, and sleep beckons to me. Strange how the last thought crossing my mind is how much I love Van.

My head is strangely pounding as I wake within my dreamscape. The reason I know it's a dream is because marble white steps greet my hazy eyes. I've only seen these stairs in one place before, and I never had any desire to return to this place. I groan as I feel the heavy weight of my wings fall limply against my back. I wish for water to wash away the dried blood on my wings, but in this place, my wishes don't always come true.

I know she's beckoning me forward, but oh how I ever wish to delay. I push myself up by my arms, and they shake beneath me. I force my sore muscles to help me stand, and they protest the entire way. In this case, my will is stronger than my physical body, but not by much. I stumble up the stairs, and I wait in agony to be sent through the first ordeal. Instead of giving in to my wish, they force me to wait.

I let out a harsh breath as I lean against the tallest pillar. I find I am dressed in a simple white robe, but I never imagined my mental self to be wearing as such. The pain in my back slowly subsides to a dull ache, but my muscles have all seized up. I'll be surprised if I can move when I wake from this dream. Over the course of these past few months, my hair has grown past my shoulders, but it has never been quite this long.

The Draconian I know as Varie takes my hand, and she begins to lead me forward. I wonder what she's thinking as she leads me up to my first trial, but her face shows no expression. Her eyes do show some sympathy, but even her compassion is guarded behind a mask of placate. Could this possibly be the mother Van was so sad about leaving? Did she show sympathy for her sons if they went through this as well?

As soon as I see the three rings of light, I immediately want to turn and hide. We stop before the first one, and I don't even toe the line. I have to ask her at least this one question before I go through these ordeals. "Am I to do these to become a full-blood Draconian, or is there another reason behind this? Please, Varie, I must know before I proceed farther."

She glances at me in almost surprise before answering, "The first trial is for purity of light. Every Draconian's wings are made of a certain amount of light, and you are to be measured and weighed. The second trial is for purity of intent. Atlantis did try to be cautious at first. Unfortunately, their ways slackened, and it was their destruction. The third trial is for purity of heart. This is purely for the fact you engaged to my son, and we need to see how pure your feelings are for him." Ok, the first two I understand. Wait, when did I become engaged?! I have no time to ponder over this as she gently pushes me into the first ring of light.

Author's Notes: Ok, a cliffhanger will not kill you guys for two days. I was in a rather depressing mood when I wrote this chapter; however, I'm sure if you guys offers plenty of reviews, the next two will be lighter for I will be in a happier mood. Ja ne Insane Pineapple from Naboo

Replies to Reviews:

Van de Fanel's Gurl: Thanks! So, you're the one fighting Hitomi for Van, huh? I've been wondering about those rumors…

Kyaa77: Yeah, I'll explain the whole thing about the healing in the next chapter. I love working in plot twists; it makes the story unpredictable.

Sarcastic Angel: Ok, ok… Here's your update, and your next one will be on Wednesday. Happy reading!

Alexie: Oh, it evens out. Van and Hitomi can't be with each other all the time…

Lil Neko: hands Neko more popcorn I hope it gave you enough entertainment for awhile!

SabineballZ: I think I could definitely work in some cold water meeting with Van's head somewhere. Give me two chapters, and I can just imagine it happening.

KaziShinai: Oh, good. glomps I'm so glad you liked it. This chapter isn't quite so light, but I usually have a little bit of everything in my stories.

Macky: glomps I seem to be in a mood for glomping people today. Will do. I plan on finishing this story before starting anything else.

Karasu2: This wasn't as soon as I was hoping for, but I finally did manage to get this chapter out. I'm thinking the chapter after next will be extremely light similarly to the last one. Hm…. Folken in a frilly apron…

The lady winged Knight: The bunnies?! Where? Sorry bunnies never mix with my village of little people. It's the reason I have vampires on the outskirts of the village.

Jossi-31: Ok, I explained the when and where. They were subtle, but if you still don't understand those parts, I'll be sure to elaborate sometime in the next chapter.

huggles and glomps reviewers Thank you!