One: Painful discovery
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or Gundam wing.
Was it all a dream? Or a vision? Either way, my life has been turned upside down ever since I found out I supposedly "blessed" with the gift of foresight and moved from Germany to outer space on Colony L2. However, just when I thought my life couldn't get any worse... it does.
Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch... Hilde Schbeiker dragged the end of worn out of her pencil across her sketch listening to the sounds of hyper active students in the school yard and else where inside the Dasani private school.
The Schbeiker family had moved from the earth to Colony L2 to enroll they're daughter into the private school after getting a job offer as salvage dealers. Hilde was both happy and sad about moving from Germany.
Mostly because she knew she wouldn't be able to talk or see her friends as much when she was one earth. It saddened her friends dearly but they vowed to call her or write whenever they could.
Although this pact made Hilde feel slightly better about moving to a colony but it didn't lessen the pain of her childhood friends watching from a distance as the shuttle she and her family resided in took off up the ramp. It took a three months and a half for Hilde to get adjusted to living a colony and going to a private school full of people she'd never seen before.
A small smile graced Hilde's lips as placed the finishing touches on her portrait of the school yard and it's inhabitants, she lifted the pad from her lap leaning back to get a good look at all the angles on her picture then looked up at the yard; she had positioned the fountain that resided in the center of yard, the wall she sat on surrounding the fountain was perfectly placed, the school building that was at least two feet way from the fountain also was in correct placing, as well as the walk way surrounded by freshly cut grass and lastly the students.
Her mother would be pleased to hear that her sketching had improved since she had turned 13. Hilde smiled at the thought of her parents hugging the sketch pad against her chest; she loved the way they encouraged her to continue drawing.
Closing the book she grabbed her messengers bag and proceeded to place all of her school books and her sketch book inside while duffle bag remained in between her legs. It was almost two'o'clock, she had to get to track and field practice before she was late.
Hilde zipped her messengers bag up flinging it over her shoulder rising from her spot she picked up her duffle bag and broke into a run making a mad dash across the yard.
Relena Darlain made her way through mob of students over to the history club's very own personal meeting room after having countless meetings in the history classroom. A smile crept to Relena's lips.
She undid her big red bow-tie from around her neck with a sigh she grabbed the knob and pushed the door open stepping inside the empty room to make preparations for history club's next meeting on their current assignment; WWII much to Relena's dismay.
The 15-year-old never loved war, she disliked battle because it disrupted peace between nations. Brushing the thought of wars aside Relena grabbed the curtains pulling them back bombarded by the bright afternoon sunshine.
She clamped her eyes shut backing away from the window before ducking into a shadowed corner. Relena opened her blue eyes to her surprise to find them staring into two beautiful Prussian blue eyes.
His eyebrows were narrowed and his eyes lifeless and dull with no hints of excitement or happiness were visible, he wore his sweat pants and a jersey, his socks were the only thing on his feet while his shoes resided in the grip of his hand. Relena sighed scolding herself for thinking it was a burglar before asking herself why a burglar would steal from a school? She straightened out her white blouse and long sky-blue dress proceeding to look fix her bow to look presentable in front of her boyfriend.
"Heero, stop doing that!" She cried manging to muster the strength to speak. Heero cocked eyebrow stepping back a bit before stifling a sneeze, he scratched the tip of his nose. "Doing what?" He asked emotionlessly. Relena imagined herself blowing her stack and giving Heero a hicky on the head he would never forget, but decided to keep her cool. "Popping up! Appearing without making a sound!" Relena said finally.
"Sorry," Heero blinked at her and with a nod of his head he motioned her toward the round table pulling out a chair for her, Relena thanked him wordlessly before seating herself at the table, Heero came and joined her. "So Heero what brings you here?" The Northern European asked curiously placing her chin on the back of her hand.
Heero sat beside her silent for a moment with his hands on the table balled into firsts, he wasn't really sure how he was going to break this to her easy without giving her the wrong impression.
Relena watched her boyfriend with curiosity inching her hand closer to his fist when Heero's fist became a relaxed hand taking her hand into his giving it a tight squeeze. "Relena...I...," Heero trailed off closing his mouth tightly.
Relena soon sensed something was bothering the usually antisocial teenager, she edged closer to the boy with a worried expression. "Heero? What's wrong?" She asked. Heero sighed in response pulling out a piece of paper from his jersey handing it to the pacifist, Relena slowly removed the paper from his grasp afraid to even unfold it.
With a large intake of breath she unfolded the paper slowly with her eyes closed. Heero held his breath hoping she wouldn't slap him if she was already reading when he heard her gasp, he immediately shifted his eyes toward her.
Relena held the piece of paper in her shaking hand a blank expression reflected in her blue eyes as beads of sweat fell down her face halting at her jaw. Heero squeezed her hand only to feel her hand ripped from his. "Relena?" He mumbled in shock.
"When are you leaving?" She whispered. Heero looked down at his hands with narrowed eyes showing the first bit of emotion ever since he met her, he sighed glancing up at her. "Tomorrow night at the latest...," He said ever so quietly. Relena sighed sucking down oncoming sobs of sorrow as she felt Heero wrap his arm around her shoulder pulling her toward him, she obliged to his gesture and rested her head upon his shoulder for comfort, Heero ran his hand up and down her arm as he felt her body vibrate with sobs.
Not too long ago Heero had returned from visiting the only living person he regarded as a relative in Japan, who called himself Dr. J who was accompanied by his other associates; Dr. H, Dr. O, and Dr. S.
These four men were mechanical genius' it when it came to military weapons. They taught Heero just about everything there was to know about warfare, military weapons, vehicles, and hacking without being detected.
However, Heero was unsure why they taught him these things, he figured it was just Japan's new way of teaching discipline and manners. Pushing the thoughts aside the Japanese teenager returned his attention back to his sobbing girlfriend who had become silent as a cat, he looked down to find Relena had cried herself to sleep... on him!
He grunted nudging the girl in the ribs trying to rouse her out of the slumber she fell into when he noticed several student body standing in the door way, he turned to gaze at his friends, Quatre Rebarba Winner and Trowa Barton accompanied by their girlfriends standing behind them; Catherine Bloom and Dorothy Catalonia, heir of the Romafeller foundation.
"Are we disturbing something?" Trowa asked scratching the back of his head smugishly. Quatre laughed quietly glancing the other way. Relena bottled into an upright position mumbling something about her brother she knew fondly as Milliardo peacecraft, she soon realized that partly everyone she knew was standing in the front door with smiles.
"Oh--! Forgive me Heero, I fell asleep," She mumbled embarrassed. Heero shook his head rising to his feet with a yawn. "I've gotta get going to track practice. I'll see you around Relena," Heero said briefly making his way around the table and through his friends.
Dorothy stepped out of Heero's way almost tripping on her sky-blue skirt (the sky-blue skirt and blouse is a school uniform. The males wear a navy blue school uniform unlike the female school uniforms). "Good day Heero Yuy," Dorothy called the quick departing teenager before turning her attention to Relena who was trying to pull herself together after the small nap she took.
Catherine stepped in between Quatre and Trowa entering the room with an arm-full of history books and essays she worked on the other night. "Are we ready to commence our meeting Relena?" Catherine asked curiously as she placed the books down onto the table along with essays she wrote on various topics.
Relena nodded with a smile straightening her hair out a bit. "Yes, we are. Dorothy do you care to join us?" She asked turning the radiant blond who seemed to be flirting with a protesting Quatre. Dorothy turned her attention toward the president of the history club with a nod before giving Quatre a polite pat on the head making her was inside the room.
Trowa stifled a laugh while Quatre made a futile attempt to straighten the hair on his head out. "C'mon Quatre, we've gotta head off to fencing class," Barton stammered amongst his laughs that were slowly leaking out of his mouth. Quatre huffed in annoyance following the Latin American down the hall. All of the girls giggled at the platinum blonde's misfortune as they settled down for their meeting.
Hilde slipped on her regular shoes as she placed her school clothes into her locker. The German girl shut the locker door securing the combination lock in place grabbing up her duffle bag making a mad dash out of the locker room with her running shoes in each hand.
Hilde rushed down the cold empty corridor of the preparation halls rushing past the pool area dodging puddles with ease, it was a now 2:12pm and she was late again! Hilde was never one for making it on time despite the circumstances or occasions that surrounded her.
She paced herself as she climbed the stair-way skipping at least one stair as she went up until she was at the top. Hilde knocked down a cart full of water with along with the water-man, she listened to the several plastic jugs of spring water shatter the water-man cried out in frustration shaking a fist at the 15-year-old.
Hilde sent a wordless apology to the man rushing out of the school building bombarded by two people who were also in as much of a rush as she was, the three of them fell to the ground in a tangle of legs and arms groaning in pain.
Hilde grunted as she was thrown off the top of the two people she had knocked down she scrambled to her feet with a nervous laugh scratching the back of her neck.
"Gomen nesai...!" Hilde was stopped in mid-scentence when she realized who she was apologizing to. The Chinese pair stared at her with scowls fowler than a dragon ready to swallow his prey whole in one gulp. "Why don't you watch where you going, Schbeiker?!" Nataku and Wufei Chang snapped in unison brushing eachother off with a look of resentment in their brown and onyx eyes.
Hilde laughed nervously stepping to the side bending over to pick up her running shoes before rising to meet their infuriated eyes, with a quick wave she took off with much haste trailing behind her leaving the Chinese duo behind them to their business.
Nataku scoffed at the way Hilde was running dusting herself off one last time. "That girl ... she is so strange...," She grumbled. Wufei nodded in agreement his onyx eyes were shut and his arms were crossed. "Indeed," He agreed with another nod.
Hilde rushed down the school stairs passing several conversing students panting as if she were down to her last breath, the 15-year-old rounded the corner greeted with another pair of stairs.
With a grunt pushed herself off the ground exerting enough force to sending sailing over the stairs she smiled at the sensation of the air whipping around her as she quickly came down to the ground, Hilde landed onto her feet stumbling almost falling forward if she continued to run with the track and field site in her view. "I made it!" Hilde breathed feeling her legs tiring.
On the sidelines near the bleachers, Hilde's friend Sylvia Noventa, a girl of dirty blonde hair a decent skin complexion and green eyes was at her wits end as she tapped her foot awaiting her friend's arrival impatiently holding a duffle bag of her own fighting the urge to walk off when the sound of her friend calling her name caught her attention.
Sylvia head whipped in the direction her name was being called from relived that it was Hilde Schbeiker coming toward her out of breath obviously. Sylvia watched her friend skid to a halt in front of her leaning over to catch her breath.
The dirty blonde haired girl growled in annoyance the tapping of her foot became faster as she watched Hilde take a breather. "Damnit! Hilde your late again!" Sylvia cried placing her hands on her hips scowling.
"What is your problem?! Do you know who get's in trouble if you were caught being late for the 100TH time?! When a member of the track team shows up late for practice, it's the manager -- me -- that gets yelled at. Got it?"
Hilde giggled rising to an upright position hitting herself playfully on the head sticking her tongue out. "Sorry, I literally ran into the Chang couple," Hilde explained shortly looking all around the track watching several people in sweat pants and hooded jersey's walking away sweating and out of breath.
Her aquamarine eyes watched them leave with a look of nervousness in them. "Where's everybody going? Did I miss the guy's time trials? Am I that late?" She asked looking to her friend. Sylvia shook her head wrapping an arm around Hilde's shoulders with a sly look.
"Na-un, you know who and his team is up! Then we're next!" Sylvia giggled nudging her friend in the ribs. Hilde had a look of aghast on her face as she cheeks began to turn beet-red at Sylvia's mention of you know who she had a crush on for the longest time ever since she first came to the Dasani private school but was unfortunately taken.
Hilde's aquamarine eyes watched several young men in track uniform making their way over to the blocks, among them was an unusually skinny muscle toned teenager with an impassive expression on his face he wore a navy blue running shorts and loose mesh sleeveless shirt tucked in his pants as he leaned over to position himself on the blocks.
Hilde marveled at his flawless form and his unruly hairstyle just as she heard Sylvia giggling fill her ears. "You love that Heero Yuy don't you, Hilde-girl?" She said. Hilde glared at her friend shoving her off her shoulders with an angry huff while Sylvia laughed her reaction to what she had said.
Hilde turned her attention back to Heero shifting her gaze to the his coach who held the gun and the timer, she jumped at the sound of the gun firing catching only a glimpse of Heero dash off before all of the other runners blocked her view. "Tisk!" She grumbled through her teeth.
Heero ran with a flawless form his arms were close beside him his fingers were against eachother as he made his way in front of the other runners, his unruly hair was given the appearance of smoothed out and combed due to the wind rushing against him.
Hilde's heart pounded with anticipation as Heero rushed toward the finish line way in front of the other's who also neared the finish line, her hands tighten around her shoes watching the Japanese teenager break away from the others with incredible speed unlike anything she had seen.
Hilde almost fainted with joy as she watched Heero's feet pas the finish line followed by the others, the coach tooted the whistle hitting the pause button along with Sylvia who stared at her timer in awe. She shook the thing to make sure there wasn't any loose inside the small object in her hand fighting back a gasp.
"Holy--! 10.59 seconds! Heero's is amazing! Hilde look at his time, he beat 11 seconds literally!" Sylvia cried grabbing her friend's jersey collar. Hilde stumbled crashing into her friend with a grunt before looking down at her timer in surprise. "OMG! Heero-sama!" Hilde cried behind her hand she covered her mouth with.
Both girls glanced at the heaving chest of Heero Yuy before staring his entire body then at his face and eyes that seemed to reflect anguish and sorrow, Hilde's smile vanished at the sight of his eyes.
She wanted to go over there and comfort him in anyway she could even if she didn't know what was bothering him when Sylvia shook her by the shoulders snapping out of her trance. "Don't blank out me now, the girl's time trail's are up now! Make me proud!" Sylvia exclaimed shaking her once again. Hilde nodded quickly and began to undress herself behind Sylvia.
Once she was done, Hilde was left in nothing but her running clothes. She slipped into her running shoes before dashing off toward the track field, Hilde trotted across the track following the awfully talkative girls in front of her.
She whipped her brow of the sweat that formed upon it as she pasted the other females making her over to the her block, an unknown heat was beginning to form around her. Doing her best to ignore it Hilde placed her feet against the blocks placing the tops of her fingers onto the hot concrete breathing slowly awaiting the gun in the coach's hand to sound off.
Her mind began to feel clouded and confused, her eyes seemed to become unfocused and the seemingly never-ending track seem to warp into another shape. Now is not the time..., Hilde thought sternly just as the a gunshot rang in her ears and she pushed herself from her bowed position rising to the occasion breaking into a run.
The wind rushed past her, Hilde listened to her feet pounding against the ground her arms passing her ears with each time they came down, Hilde's heart beat wildly against her chest she focused on nothing but the end of the race when an image of two men filled her vision.
They stood in front of eachother with stern looks supposedly inside a stable, the smell of horses filled her senses as she continued to run for the finish line and the best time.
"Are you ready, Lord Maxwell?" A man with a scar traveling down his eyebrow across his eye and down his face asked. The young man with long hair in a braid unruly bangs, coalbolt shaded eyes with a usual glint in them standing in front of him wearing an odd assortment of armor with a sword that hung that his side nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine," He replied quietly staring at his feet.
"I'm sure you'll be able to slay the dragon, Lord Maxwell, be sure to keep your brother's disgrace from your mind."
"Enough Balgus. I'll never show my back to an enemy! I don't call myself Shinigami, for nothing!" The scared-faced man nodded with uncertainty shadowing his facial expression.
Hilde began to see flashes of the boy running through a field wheilding his sword wearing the look of rage and despair written all over his face. Hilde could feel her pace slowing down, her legs were giving way. She continued run until she saw him floating down with his sword still in hand his feet touched the ground making no sound as if he were light as feather.
Her mouth opened in horror; she was going to crash right into him! But to Hilde's surprise she didn't, the second he turned his head his eyes met hers, Hilde watched as she went right through the boy as if he weren't there at all. But he was...! And that's when Hilde fell: the overwhelming heat engulfed her entire being and her back met the ground with a sickening thud.
Its' so hot, why is it so hot?
Hilde opened her eyes finding herself falling into a dark void, she screamed in fear of her life and those she would leave if she were to die.
But she didn't, instead Hilde found herself standing in the middle of a battle torn area. The ground was covered with blood and the bodies of dead soldier's, their weapons scattered to the four winds. Hilde felt as though she didn't care, she turned her back to their bodies and gazed upon an epic battle between two giants.
One especially caught her attention; two huge wings resided on it's back, over them a velvet like cape was strapped to it's shoulders, it moved majestically with every move the black and gray giant made. It's feet tips were spiked, as well as it's knees Its' face had no expression it's green eyes glowed with an unknown vigor and it's gold antenna upon it's head glistened in the setting red sun. And frightening thing about the giant was he wheedled a sword from another giant in his hand but somewhere behind it a scythe resided waiting to be used.
Hilde backed away from the battle, just as another image appeared before her. More giants like the one with devil's wings was fighting were marching toward her, fire surrounded them but did no hinder their movement.
Hilde turned away from them and the ground beneath her was destroyed, she fell once more. The broken fragments of the ground surrounded her as she reached out for help. A flash light priced the darkness followed by a flow feathers, a smile graced Hilde's lips as the angel came forward extending his right hand. She extended her arm a bit further and he grabbed it pulling upward toward safety. He smile felt so warm ... and reassuring.
Hilde opened her eyes slowly the heat was vanishing from her body, her eyelashes batted against eachother as she blinked before realizing someone was beside her. Her aquamarine eyes caught the sight of the evening sun as she turned her gaze toward her one and only crush; Heero Yuy. "Ah!" She cried surprised by his presence, sliding against the wall realizing where she was.
Heero stood up from the seat he sat in with his impassive expression still active. "Your in the nurses office, are you all right?" He asked emotionlessly. Hilde nodded with a sigh whipping her brow.
Why is he here? She wondered curiously staring into his Prussian blue eyes. "You fainted," He stated the obvious. "But your running form has improved from since you first got here." Hilde rolled her eyes humorously. "Thank you Heero-sama. And I do that sometimes. Faint I mean," She replied offhandedly not completely ignoring the comment he made on her running. Heero cocked an eyebrow at her. "Sometimes?" He repeated.
Hilde nodded unable to figure out how to explain it too him, but in case he didn't believe her Hilde decided to make a lie instead. "Uhhh-- yeah! They're like episodes or something. They aren't bad, it runs in the family to be honest!" She chuckled nervously hoping he'd buy into it.
Heero's impassive expression faltered in a slightly shocked one; she fainted sometimes? This girl was weirder than Relena who he needed to getting to before she started to worry. "Since your all right, I'll be on my way," Heero said picking up his duffle bag, when Hilde grabbed his wrist.
Heero turned to meet her aquamarine gaze with a glare, Hilde shrank back fearfully before tugging him again. "Could you stay for a while and explain to me what happened ... please?" She begged with pleading eyes.
Heero sighed tilting his head to the side shifting his eyes skyward wondering if he should just let the coach bring her into the nurses office, he probably would be with Relena right about now if wasn't the first person to reach the unconscious German girl. "Fine. But only for a while... I've gotta head off soon," He replied placing himself back in the chair.
Hilde smiled happily at him making herself comfortable in the sickbed. "Thank you Heero-sama this really--," Hilde never got to finish her sentence, two people came crashing through the door way shouting both their names.
"Hilde I brought your--!" Was Sylvia.
"Heero, where have you been I've been wai--," Was Relena. Heero's cheeks turned a deep shade of red as he climbed to his feet fixing the strap of his duffle bag on his shoulder. "Ja ne, Schbeiker-san," He said walking away from her toward Relena who had relieved look on her face. Relena reached out for him taking him by the hand with a smile sighing. "I was so worried," She said leading him out of the room as if he were a child. "What happened?"
Heero looked behind him watching Sylvia Noventa enter the nurses room chattering away with Hilde, before returning his gaze toward Relena. "Schbeiker fainted turning the time trails, I brought her to the nurses office and stayed until I knew she was all right. Sorry if I worried you," He said calmly.
Relena nodded accepting his apology with another sigh as the continued down the hall toward the front of the school building. Despite his cold and emotionless front, Relena knew Heero had a knack for looking out for other's well-being.
Hilde and Sylvia trotted down the stairs of Tokyo downtown talking about various things; a majority of their conversation was revolved around Hilde's fainting episode during time trails. Hilde didn't want to talk about the entire thing, she was more concentrated on how close she was with earlier with Heero Yuy even if it was for a little while.
"Hello! Earth to Hilde! This is earth speaking, over!" Sylvia's voice broke her train of thought causing her to jump in surprise. "Yeah?" Hilde responded curiously blinking at her friend. Sylvia rolled her eyes stopping near the landing of the stairs with a scowl.
"Honesty, I'm staring to believe that you fainted on purpose Hilde-san!" She cried feeling ignored. Hilde stepped back in shock. "Nani? No, I would never!" Hilde said in aghast. Sylvia nodded waving a hand at the dark haired girl with a slight smile. She had only known Hilde for two years and a half and had already figured out how to upset her when teasing.
Hilde decided not to wait up for Sylvia and continued down the stairs. "Hey Hild," Sylvia called racing down the stairs after her. Hilde glanced toward her friend with a curious expression, Sylvia paused for a moment thinking of how to tell her friend the news she carried within her mind, Hilde gave her friend a look before kicking her in the shin playfully. "Sylvia say something will ya!" She cried.
"I think I can let this slide for a Yuugetsudo strawberry rice cake!" The green-eyed girl said slyly. Hilde cocked an eyebrow. "Eh?" She mumbled scratching the back of her neck confused. Sylvia was bothering about a rice cake? Sylvia bobbed her head side to side as if singing a tune in her head "And some Kamakuraya cheesecake, a Shounan-Honpo bean jam pancake, and some Gelat Classic peppermint ice cream. Oh, and maybe a different dessert everyday. I think that'll do it!" The 16-year-old said with a chuckle.
Hilde soon realized where Sylvia was going with entire food list; she was trying to bribe her into buying her all of this for the price of not telling the entire school about her 'episode.' Hilde groaned in annoyance shoving her friend to the side.
"I didn't faint on purpose!" She growled shaking a fist at her. Sylvia once again waved a hand at the German girl with a her eyes closed. "Sure, sure. I bet you're wondering if something would've happened if I hadn't showed up." The dirty-blonde said calmly walking ahead of her friend. Hilde scowled with a faint humored smile. "Baka," She grumbled. The two laughed at each other for the longest of times until they were out of breath.
"Hey Hilde, I've gotta tell you something important...," Sylvia began with an uncertain look.
"What is it Sylvia?" Hilde asked. Was there something bothering her friend? If so what could it be? A million questions were racing through Hilde's mind as she awaited Sylvia to continue.
"Relena told me ... that... that Heero was leaving to study abroad. Sorta like a world traveler or something," Sylvia said hesitantly. Hilde's heart stopped beating for the longest time as she collected everything that Sylvia had told her.
Heero's leaving...!
Author's note: I hope you all liked this first chapter. Mind you I've only seen Escaflowne's episode's 1-8. So in order to continue I have to watch the rest of the series when I rent the DVD's. I know that writing this story sounds stupid and ill-planned out but I had to get this out on before someone else did.
It seemed that no one ever thought of making a GW/VOE x-over. I'm the first! Yay on me! Sorry for any misspelled words or grammatical errors. And don't worry, there shall be no cheating or two-timing in this story. I don't write that kinda content no offense to those who do. PS: No flames whatsoever. -- Sakura123