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A/N: It's been a while since I last wrote anything, it seems. I was originally going to write something short, a one-shot probably, in hopes that I wouldn't get rusty, but this idea came into mind and I quickly jotted it down. I am vague on where I'm going with this, but the idea is there, and I hope that I can write it down in as vivid color as I see it in my mind D.
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Shattered Destiny
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Home Coming
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She let out a weary sigh. It was the sixth night in a row where she found herself alone in her small apartment, once again absorbing herself in one of the numerous romantic comedy movies she owned.
She never had been notable for her sociability, preferring to be more of a wallflower herself, but she had hoped to have at least visited with a friend, or even her family, within the past week..
Even so, she found herself in her most comfortable set of sweats curled up on her couch, a gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in hand.
"Twenty-one years, and this is what I have to show for it," she mumbled to herself, resting a hand on her forehead and closing her eyes. "At least Yukari is engaged...,"
Sighing once again, she continued watching her slightly sappy movie and wallowing in self pity.
'Ah, what it would be like to live a life like this,' she thought wistfully to herself, watching as the handsome actor wooed the beautiful leading lady. 'Imagine having someone love you so much that you were their entire world, as though nothing else mat-' Her musings were cut short by the shrill ringing of her phone.
Getting up and grabbing the now nearly empty ice-cream carton she hastily ran down the hall to the kitchen, needlessly calling out, "Just a sec!"
After tumbling over a magazine rack near the doorway and quickly throwing her garbage into the bin, she grabbed the receiver off the wall, hurrying out; "Hello, Hitomi Kanzaki speaking,"
"Hitomi? Hello dear. How have you been lately?"
Ah. Her mother. Normally she would brush aside such a question, insisting that she was more then capable to take care of herself, but she hadn't spoken with her mom in a while, and she seemed upset.
"I'm good mom. A little stressed from work, but its okay. And you?" The line seemed a bit mundane, for she had repeated the same words countless times in assurance to her mother in the past.
"I've been better. I'm so sorry to break the news, but something has happened," Mrs. Kanzaki said, a small sob hitching her voice.
"Mom? What is it?" Hitomi asked, somewhat dreading the answer. Her mother was always cheery and uplifting. Nothing small could possibly make her sound this frail.
"Grandma passed away this afternoon," was the grief engulfed reply, and once more Hitomi could hear the presence of tears in her mothers words.
Her grandmother. Hitomi wasn't as close with her as she had always wanted to be. She lived about an hour away, in a small ranch-styled home last she heard. Ever since she was small, her grandma had always been something of a mystery to her. She was kind, as most grandmothers were, and was always warm and tender towards her, but she had always seemed a tad eccentric.
Her home was decorated in nick-knacks from all over the world, ranging from Buddha statues to intricate Indian rugs. She had greatly enjoyed traveling, though she stopped once her husband died. She seemed especially interested in religious themes, and supposed magical items.
Mystical. That was probably the best word to describe her. She always had a knowing look in her eyes, seeing something that perhaps others couldn't. Even if she hadn't seen the woman in the past six months, she still felt a fairly large hole in her chest and felt her tears water at the news.
"Honey? Are you there?" Her mothers voice sounded once more, still heart-wrenching broken. Of course. She had, after all, just lost her mother.
"Y-yeah mom. I'm still here," her voice sounded weak, even to her own ears, and she couldn't prevent her words from cracking from emotion.
"I know you're busy with work and everything, but if you could come home for her funeral, I would really appreciate it. It's this Saturday...," her voice died off, and Hitomi distinctly heard sniffling. Saturday...that was just two days away.
"Of course mom. Is it okay if I come back tomorrow and stay over?" Hitomi asked, already sure of the response she would receive.
"That would be great dear, I'll get your room ready. Pack to be around for a few days afterward. Her lawyer has informed me that you are to be present for the reading of her will. Goodbye darling," Mrs. Kanzaki sounded slightly relieved.
"Bye mom...," she said, even though she heard her mother hang up already.
After replacing the receiver, she made her way over to her small kitchen table and took a seat.
She had that numb feeling one only gets from the loss of someone dear to you, and was faintly surprised when she felt a few wet tears slide down her face, leaving moist trails in their wake.
She got up and headed back towards the living room, blindly groping for the remote control hidden amongst the couch cushions. Upon finding it, she flicked off her small TV, nonchalantly tossing the controller back on the couch.
Running a hand through her shoulder-length brown locks, she made her way to her bedroom, idly wondering if she owned a black dress.
She was all packed. It hadn't taken her very long. Much longer to fall into a fitful sleep knowing what this day would bring. Seeing her mother so anguished wouldn't be easy, but that's what daughters did once they got older-be there for their mothers.
Locking her door behind her, she walked down the hallway towards the of stairs, her steps resounding eerily in the empty hall. She wasn't much looking forward to the trek down eight flights of stairs with her suitcase hitched over her shoulder, but a place like this certainly didn't have an elevator anywhere.
Ten long minutes later, she was breathing heavily outside the back of her apartment building, walking towards her car, in the parking space marked '8-42'.
After tossing her bags into the back, she climbed into the driver's seat of the modestly small, and fairly old, car. It wasn't the best, but it served its purpose well enough, and had yet to break down on her.
Her mother lived about forty minutes away by car. It would be less if she were to take the train near her home, but she was hoping that she could visit some friends during her stay, and would rather not need to borrow her mother's car.
Once pulled out of the parking lot and well on her way to her destination, she let her mind wander slightly. She was on an abandoned road anyways.
Last night, after finally slipping into inky black oblivion, she had a strange dream. It was dark an chaotic, yet two things seemed to plant themselves hauntingly into her mind. Red. Well, more burgundy then red. The very color of leaves in autumn, just before they fall from their places atop the trees. That fiery color, seemingly burning embers.
The other, and far more confusing, was the color white. There was a picture associated with this one though. Feathers. She had seen hundreds upon hundreds of gleaming feathers. Even while dreaming, she had tried to reach out to grasp one, hoping to feel them, to see if they were as silky and flawless as they seemed. Never before had she seen such perfection.
Upon touching them, she had been assaulted with another barrage of fleeting images. A dream within a dream? Was something such as that even possible? Breaking from the stream of disturbing pictures, she was awed by the sheer size of the amazing feathers. They were each slightly bigger then her hand! How could that be? Was there any bird that large?
White and Red. Snow and Blood. Purity and Power. All of these emotions accosting her mind was enough to pull her from those thoughts.
Focusing on the road ahead of her once more, Hitomi realized that she had been having dreams similar to this for a while now. These unusual snippets of things she had never seen before. Things that caused more emotions in her then she thought herself capable of. It frightened her.
Maybe she should speak to her mother about it...? No. Her mother had more then enough on her plate right now, without adding a crazy daughter to the list.
A sign towards the side of the road alerted her that her turn was coming up. Making the right into her old town, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic. All thoughts of bizarre dreams put to the back of her mind, if only for the moment.
It had been a while. A long while since she had last been here. Normally her mother would visit her in her own home, enjoying to see how she was doing and lend her decorative tips. Hitomi had not been here, in her home town, for nearly two years now.
She didn't know what she was expecting as she drove through the familiar roads, passing places so full of her memories. As she passed by her old high school, she nearly stopped short.
It was the place where her high school should have been. Her eyes widened as she took in the huge shopping center before her.
'They knocked down the school? Why in the world would they do that!' she wondered to herself.
'Of course. Times change. People change. Everyone changes except me,' Were her dismayed thoughts. It was true though. Everything seemed to be moving so fast. Passing her by, even.
Friends were now scattered here and there. Family was reforming itself. Her little brother was starting college in just a few short months.
Everything kept on moving, and yet here she stood, stationary.
'I had better stop thinking like this. I need to be strong for mama, after all,' Was her final thought as she turned down her block, intent on making it home and seeing if she could find some sleeping pills.
Pulling up to 73 Iris Avenue, Hitomi let out a small smile. Her home was exactly how she had last seen it.
Small and quaint, with just enough space for her family. She had never really wanted a bigger house then this, despite the fact that some of her friends lived in houses that dwarfed hers.
The perfectly mown grass and the trim, fragrant garden had always been her mother's pride and joy. And they were still there, looking as tame as always.
Hitomi parked in the street, pausing to remove her baggage, pushed open the gate of the white picket fence and walked up the cobblestone pathway to the front door.
She gave herself a once-over before knocking on the door. As much as she loved her mother, she always seemed to nit-pick things, and could probably find something wrong with anything when her daughter was concerned.
"Sweetheart! It is so good to see you again!" Her mother looked genuinely happy to see her. Hitomi was glad to see much of the sorrow had passed already.
Stepping past the threshold, Hitomi leaned over and hugged Mrs. Kanzaki tightly.
"You too, mama. How are you feeling?" she asked stepping back and looking into her green eyes. Hitomi had often been told she was the spitting image of her mother. Same light brown hair, same petite build, same green eyes. Though, Hitomi's seemed to be an almost inhuman shade of forest green, rather then her mother's soft hazel green.
"Much better. Thank you for coming out so quickly" she answered, and hugged her again. "Come in! You must be so tired from the drive! Just put your things into your room. I've cleaned all your bedding for you. I'll go make us some tea." and she bustled off towards the kitchen.
Hitomi took off her shoes and walked up the stairs and down the short hallway towards her old bedroom. Even the inside of the house looked relatively the same. Some updated pictures here and there, a few new decorations, but it was all still there.
Her room. Last door on the left. She made to open the door, but stopped when she heard the creaky floorboard beneath her feet. She smiled. This was the very floor board she cursed in her younger years, because it always alerted her parents when she was leaving.
Hitomi shook her head and proceeded into her room. It was going to be a long weekend, it seemed.
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Post Note: So how was it? I tried to make it long, but couldn't get much more then this out. Ah, how it pains me to have no mention of Van in this chapter! I would like to know if I am going anywhere with this. For those wondering, yes-this is most definitely a Van/Hitomi story. As though I could write an Escaflowne fanfic with any other pairing! For those of you who are familiar with either of my InuYasha stories, I have every intention of updating both of them, and am nearly finished with the new chapters and read for an update.
I was going to add the funeral and will-reading to this chapter, but its like, four am, and I am dead tired. I am very excited about getting the chapter out, and if response is good, I could probably have if finished in about a day or two! Yay!
Please review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome as well.
Thanks,
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Hanyoupup.