Escaflowne: Together Yoyokagirinaku

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or anything related to it!!

        Hi everyone, and here is Chapter 13 for you guys. Thank you all for reviewing my story. I really love to hear that you guys love my story. It's almost nearing to the end now, after how many chapters of being so descriptive with the words. Of course, I love being descriptive. I'm sorry about the long wait for this chapter everyone. I was going through a lot of troubles of my life during this passed coming months and I wasn't really in the mood to write. I guess you can say that I was feeling down and I didn't have the courage to write at the moment. And also I had writer's block, which explains the long wait of this chapter.  But now I'm back and I wrote this chapter very carefully. This is the first part of "Together Yoyokagirinaku's" climax. This is where things start to really heat up, well at least the spark between Hitomi and Van's feelings for each other sort of. And also Kyoko's attitude gets the better of her to do something very drastic…you'll see. ^^ But anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. ^_^. Well, on with the story!!^^

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By the way, please be sure to read my new fanfic of Escaflowne: "Past Love," an A/U fic that is once again a Van/Hitomi pairing. This time it's not Gaia but on Earth in Tokyo. Got this idea recently and decided to write out my ideas.

And also, if you are interested in the Squaresoft game Chrono Cross, please read "Angelus Errare." But warned, you have a long reading ahead of you.

Also, be sure to check out my original fics on fictionpress.net if you are interested: "Spirit World of Daishizen" and "Aishiteru." Not complete, but hey, it's a good start for my growing ideas revolving around this fic.

Okay, I blabbed too much…so now on with the long-waited story…

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        The winds around the Gaian sky were quite gentle and soothing today. With the sun warming the whole planet, it felt so comfortable to stay outside and sleep all day without worrying about life. The birds soared along side the Crusade, with their wings flapping to catch up with the speeding levership.

        Her touching words soothed the sad feelings within Van as he lay there, looking up into the beautiful sky above. He felt a sudden good energy vibrating around him, as if his sleepiness no longer existed in him. Yet, when he gazed at the sky above, he knew that the feeling he is feeling right now is love.

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Chapter 13- His wings

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        Van wanted to let his wings out and fly through the beautiful day, but he knows that Hitomi would scold him for doing so. However, he wanted her to scold since he thought she looked cute with that pout of hers. He smiled, remembering those times when she scolded him for pointless actions. And none other than that fact of Hitomi, but Kyoko was there, talking with Gaddes for hours.

        "Oh, I'll see you later, Gaddes, Vanny Wanny is over there," said Kyoko pleasantly, skipping to the lying angel on the outside of the Crusade. Gaddes somehow felt relieved and started to run inside before the Noblewoman flirts again.

        When Kyoko called his name, Van couldn't help but sense that Kyoko is being too much giddy today. Somehow, she is too happy. "Van, what are you doing out here?" she asked, sitting with him on the floor.

        "I'm just looking out into the sky, that's all," said Van, not even looking at her.

        "What's so interesting about the sky?" asked Kyoko. "It's only a plain blue with clouds drifting around. I think I am more interesting than that stupid sky."

        Van just sighed, his eyes never leaving the passion of the sky. Ever since he was young, he would always admire the way the sky looked, of how dark it goes when it rains and how light the sky is when the sun is up high. He loved how the sky always changes time after time, season after season. He loved it. "Come on, Van, let's do something before I get bored to death here," said Kyoko, suddenly standing up.

        For a while, Van did not say anything as he lay there, keeping his red-brownish eyes up into the clear blue sky. Kyoko was curious about reaction as he did not agree or disagree with her ideal of doing something.

        "Kyoko, I got a question," said Van suddenly after a brief moment of silence, looking into Kyoko's eyes. Somehow, the eyes within didn't seem so bright like Hitomi's. Something about his fiancé's eyes are hidden and dark, but left that subject behind. "Where were you when I was sick in bed? It has been already three days, and you haven't seen me for a while."

        Kyoko cocked her head. "Well…I was…busy with…arranging my wardrobe," said Kyoko, quite reluctantly.

        Van stared intently into her eyes, seeing them avert left to right in a frantic matter. "Kyoko, stop it. I know you are lying. Don't you even care about me and my health?"

        "Well, of course, silly, why would you think that?" asked Kyoko.

        The Young King stood up and started to walk inside the Crusade, looking sharply at Kyoko with hint of glower in them. "Because…there is something about you Kyoko. Something changed in you. Somehow, you don't even care if I exist." With that, Van went in, leaving Kyoko wallowing in her feelings.

        Kyoko continued to watch Van disappear into the Crusade, without a kiss on the cheek or even a loving hug when he bid her a "see you later" thing.  

        When she is sure enough that Van was gone, Kyoko began to clench her fists angrily as if she is going to kill someone. The hint within Van's stare has suddenly hit her, her mind whirling into one direction. For that moment, Kyoko could only blame one person and she hated that very fact. "That…Bitch Hitomi," she began with abhors in her sudden dark green eyes. "She did something to poison his mind! I swear that one more move from her, I will push her off this ship into a never-ending porthole to hell!"

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        "Why did I walk off like that?" said Van to himself. "I never did that to Kyoko before." True, this is his first time ever walking off Kyoko. He still loved her, yet somehow, deep in his mind, something about her is not quite placed. Lately, she's been distancing from him as he realized when he tried to look for her. She would be either somewhere in Fanelia City or in her room, taking a nap. Since Hitomi have returned, this sort of thing brewed up his suspicions.

When he was nearing the command center, Van sniffed something delicious that made him suddenly hungry. And, he knew where that smell came from. So, Van followed the smell that led him to the kitchen.

        What he saw was unbelievably strange to him. On the stove, there was steamed rice being fried on a pan with peas, shrimp, pieces of scrambled egg, cooked, carrots, and all sort of vegetables. Beside it, was chicken dumplings being boiled in some kind of broth with huge noodles inside it. The food was strange, of course, but the smell of it told him that it smelt pretty good. Looking left to right, he notices that no one is around. Happily, Van opened the pan to the warm fried rice. Just when he was about to take a small taste of it, a huge wooden spoon hit Van really hard on the head.

        "Oh no you don't," said Hitomi, holding some chicken smothered in with orange sauce in bowl in her other hand. "Wait until lunch has started."

        Van rubbed his head, looking at Hitomi with pleading in his eyes. "Come on, Hitomi. I want to taste some this…food that you made," he said, referring to the fried rice and the soup.

        "Van, this is not only yours but everyone else's," said Hitomi, putting the orange chicken on an open counter.

        "What is this food anyways?" he asked, peering at the soup she is making.

        "I'm making some fried rice, chicken soup dumplings, orange chicken." She looked down the oven to take out some bread. "And these. It's simple, but good. It's a specialty from the country in the Mystic Moon known as China. We have some cuisine from where I come from, but I don't really have the items for that. I could of sworn I put these ingredients inside my bag. But I wonder how Merle sneak these up on board without me knowing that she looked through my duffle bag?"

        Van shrugged and tried to get some of the fried rice. Hitomi suddenly put the lid closed on the pan in front of Van. "Van, when it comes to food, you act like a little kid," said Hitomi.

        "I can't help it," said Van. "It's not my fault that my brother got me into this habit."

        Hitomi just giggled and reopened the lid to the fried rice. Grabbing a small silver spoon from the cabinet, she scooped up a small portion of it. "Okay, you can have only one taste. But that's it."

        Van nodded pleasingly and waited for the taste of the food come to his mouth. Hitomi smiled and gently put it upon his lips. Right then, he chewed the whole thing up and gulped it down, waiting for the taste to come to his taste buds. Van's face lightened. "This is good!" he beamed, making Hitomi giggle. "How can you be such a good cook Hitomi?"

        "My mother taught me how to cook since I was really young. I never really thought my food would turn out this good."

        "But it is though. It's even better than my chef," said Van.

        "Are you just saying that in order to make me feel better?"

        "No, no, it's true. I never tasted this kind of food before."

        Hitomi couldn't help but smile and blush at the same time. "Can I taste the next thing?" asked Van, pointing to the dumpling soup. Hitomi just sighed. She just couldn't a refuse Van's puppy dog eyes. It reminded her of her little brother. So, Hitomi scooped up some small portion of the food. "Okay, Van, open your mouth and say aww."

        Smiling, Van was about to taste the strange food when a single scream started to fill the whole kitchen area. Van and Hitomi looked for that source of the scream and found Kyoko, looking pale standing by the kitchen doorway.

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        This wasn't the first time Kyoko saw Van and Hitomi together during the three days since they left Fanelia. This was the fourth on the third day she stumbled upon them together.

        The hours before the group left for the Mystic Valley, Kyoko saw Van and Hitomi standing side by side together on that early morning, seeing them look into the kingdom of Fanelia and it's glorious nature surrounding the city. She saw Hitomi begin to laugh, and a few moments later Van joined in. Their laughter rang through the quietness of the departure deck. When she saw those two together, her emotions started to stir as she felt a tingle of jealousy run through her veins. Him and her; it made Kyoko sick to see them. Yet, the tiny bit of jealousy, Kyoko let that pass because it was only a stupid, simple problem. No big deal. She simply shrugged and went into the airship.

        Later that day, she saw them together again. Van was just lying there, with his shirt off and his torso brightens by the shining sun; Hitomi once more came into the picture. Kyoko could hear Van call her name as he turned around and smiled at her. They were conversing for a while, seeing Hitomi's expression fell from concern to a scolding, playful-like look. Kyoko's brow narrowed as she watched the two, smiling at each other. After a while, nothing seemed to happen, until Van suddenly collapsed onto Hitomi. Kyoko could see the pale on his face. Again that tinge of jealousy started to surge through her, yet this time a bit stronger than the last. Kyoko's mind started to toy with her with random thoughts of this and that about Van and Hitomi's so-called close "friendship." Kyoko just let that aside and continued on to her daily things; flirting with the crew of the Crusade.

        Near the mid morning/afternoon of the next day, Kyoko was skipping along to go to her room, without a worried thought on her mind, when she heard voices coming from Van's bedroom. It was the sounds of agonizing pain. She instantly knew who it was and started to peer into Van's room.

        Leaving only a simple crack on his door, she looked into Van's room to see her beloved lying on his futon, with a painful expression his face. On his forehead, he had a wet, warm cloth on him. Sympathy finally consumed Kyoko. She was about to open wider when she saw that Seer again, sitting next his side. Hitomi looked at him with sad eyes and removed the white cloth from his head, putting it in a container filled with warm water and gently put it on his head once more.

        Kyoko could hear Hitomi whisper his name. The feeling of jealousy perverted her Kyoko's perky thoughts as she continued to watch once more, her hands clutching the edge of the door fervently. Within a minute, Van's eyes suddenly opened, peering intently to Hitomi's green eyes. Jealousy points grew from a 25% to 70% as she watched Van and Hitomi talking again.

        For a while, she watched, seeing nothing is happening between them. Kyoko was going to give up and just go to her room when suddenly she heard Van's voice. Kyoko turned again to his slightly opened door and spied once more.

         "Hitomi," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. Kyoko leaned in to listen carefully. "Why do you still stand by my side? Even though I am going to marry someone else, and that you…hate me…for who I am?"

        "Van, whatever do you mean?" asked Hitomi confused.

        Kyoko could hear him heave a sigh. "What I'm trying to say Hitomi is why are still taking care of me? Why are still standing by my side if you hate me so much?" She could the wince on his face when he pronounced the words "hate" with more feeling into it.

        Kyoko could hear the sudden silent gasp from Hitomi's mouth as she heard Van's words. Kyoko could feel her temper tingle throughout her body. Why would he be asking these questions to the psycho? There was a slight pause after Van asked a question to Hitomi. After that, Kyoko could hear and see Hitomi sighing as she closed her eyes and smiled.

        "Van, don't take my feelings from a few nights ago seriously," said Hitomi, reopening her eyes to look in Van's eyes. "I let my feelings take over me, my feelings of hate and resentfulness. And sometimes, when I let those go, I let my negative words speak out, without any truth within them." She looked away, her hands still intertwined with his. "Yet, I truly did hate you. Not in a harsh way or anything. I just hated you when you didn't tell me that you were getting married. I guess that triggered me to be blind." She paused for a moment, trying to figure out what else to say. "Once you fell on that night, I realized what I did was so blind…that I hurt you, Van. I left the most important part of why I am still here that made you this way, making you wish that you died sooner. I left the part that you were special to me in every way Van. You were the one who pulled me out of my infatuation, who created me the person I am today. Because, Van, you are so special to me. You are a friend like no other who I can always talk my problems to. You turn them into something that can always be remembered."

        Word after word, Kyoko could feel her blood boil, rising up on every syllable and every period. It is no doubt that the little faker hated Hitomi's kind words.

        "Back then, when you were sick and realized that I hurt you when I left three years ago, I realized then what I must do. So, I made a promise to myself. I made a promise, back then, that I wouldn't forget you. And I never broke that promise." She paused for a moment, looking into Van's dim brown eyes. "And…now, I also made another promise to myself. I swear that I would never, in no circumstances, would ever leave your side again." Her eyes suddenly grew soft, showing the love within them as she gazed into his mystic eyes that drew her to him.

"Because…I still…love you."

Feelings of love? Toward Van, her beloved fiancé? Kyoko was now reaching the top of her peak, resistances no longer futile as she clenched her fists, blood coming out of the palm of Kyoko's delicate hand. She couldn't believe it! She couldn't believe the words she is hearing. Now Kyoko knows the truth about Hitomi's feelings toward her dear Van.

"No matter what, I'll stay by your side and I would never, ever let that bond break that keeps us friends, even though it is not strong anymore." Hitomi's grip around Van started to increase fervently. She leaned forward, looking intently into his eyes. "Van, I swear that I would never leave your side, even if love is out of the question."

Kyoko closed the door silently, walking to her room with her hair blocking her downcast eyes. Her teeth gritted as she stormed through the halls, her fists still consisting the blood from her palms. She couldn't stand to see the pathetic seen before her. Kyoko wanted Van and she wanted Van alone. No one has ever surpassed her when it comes to guys, and one thing, Hitomi Kanzaki was the first to do that. "She must be doing that intentionally to get what she wants from him honor."

An evil smile started to come into her mouth. "I swear if there is one more from her, I will kill her. I will stand any competition for Van's affection. I swear that she will be killed if I see her with my Van once again. And this time, I won't hold. This is for my sake only."

Now…

"Van, what are you doing?!" retorted Kyoko, seeing the spoon still upon his lips. "Don't taste that psycho's cooking! It's probably with poison or something!"

        "What are you talking about Kyoko?" asked Van.

        "You should know that things that look strange you shouldn't eat. And this…so-called "food" is the strangest one I ever seen!" said Kyoko, pointing to the fried rice, the soup, and the orange chicken. "Why don't I do the cooking?"

        Hitomi stepped in and looked angrily at Kyoko. "For your information, Kyoko-san, I made this food to help Van feel better. Not only Van but for everyone's sake. I just want to let them taste some of my home's food. I am trying to see if I can get his strength back until we reach the Mystic Valley."

        "But I insist on cooking for everyone," said Kyoko, suddenly her voice soft and demure. "I want to help out too."

        "Kyoko, it's fine. You don't have to cook," said Van. "I much prefer Hitomi to cook right now."

        Shock by the core, Kyoko gasped at the statement he just made. Her own fiancé is actually refusing her to cook. Even though she may not have cooked before, she would just want to try to impress everyone. Her anger, inside, arouse in her, seeing Hitomi beginning to grab the attention from Van. The anger building in her started to turn her face red, as if she is about to burst like a volcano. Van looked questioningly at Kyoko, noticing her features suddenly turning from her pale skin to red. "Kyoko, are you okay?"

        The red suddenly subsided, and Kyoko just smiled falsely. "I'm…fine…Van dear," she said. "I'll just…be in my room for a bit while Hitomi finishes up with dinner. I'll see you around." With that, she swiftly walked out of the kitchen, leaving Hitomi and Van in the kitchen.

        Her fist started to clench ragingly as she was a good far distance from the kitchen room. She wanted to explode right now. Kyoko couldn't believe that her day is turning out wrong. First, she had a good morning, talking with Gaddes and the other fellow members of the Crusade. Yet, until that hour, where she saw Van lying outside the Crusade ship, everything somehow turned wrong. Van became more distance and colder when she felt his skin. He looked at her as if she was stranger. Nonetheless, Van was actually not giving her the attention she wanted. Ever since Hitomi came along, Van has been too busy that Kyoko just goes to her room and take a nap, waiting for him all the while. Everything has gone wrong for her, and all the attention averted to the so-called Seer of Gaia. Kyoko was sick of that pathetic name. She wanted to vomit after hearing that word every single time. "This is the LAST straw!! Hitomi must die!"

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        Hitomi looked so guilty after Kyoko left when she saw Van's face fell. She wanted to comfort him and everything, yet it would bring disaster. Slowly, she put her hand on his shoulder, making him look up into her expression of guilt. "I'm sorry, Van. I am so sorry that I ever been in you and Kyoko's way."

        "Hitomi…"

        "I'll just finish up here…you should go to Kyoko and try to comfort her," she said, looking intently into his eyes.

        "But…"

        "Don't…worry, Van…I'll be fine. I don't want you to be hurt anymore with me around blocking the path. You love Kyoko, Van, and you should comfort her…more than me."

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        The words that Hitomi spoke truly made Van think through. It was just thirty minutes when he lay in his futon, looking up into the ceiling. He was suddenly not feeling well when he walked along the halls of the Crusade. Somehow, when he thought about it, his strength suddenly sipped away from him. "Why did this feeling come to me all of a sudden," said Van, in a whisper voice. When Hitomi spoke of those words, saying he loved Kyoko, the feeling seemed resentful. Did he really love Kyoko?

        Van turned over to his side and tried to go to sleep. Yet, it didn't come due to his thoughts consuming his mind. If only he knew the answer to his confusing thoughts at hand.

~*~*~

        The Winged locket started to play the lovable memory of her father as Hitomi held it in her arms, looking up into the sky above. The little winged male turned about to the rhythm of the music. After she finished the last remains of her cooking, she stayed up in the Crusade all thirty minutes, looking out into the scenery before her. She couldn't get her mind out of the situation with Van and Kyoko. Hitomi didn't like Kyoko, but when it comes to Van and his love for her, Hitomi couldn't help but want them to be together. Truthfully, Hitomi didn't want Van to be with Kyoko, due to Kyoko's predictable mask, but at the same time she wanted them together, for Van's sake.

        With those thoughts running every in her mind, Hitomi leaned against the railing a bit, looking down at the land below, with the snowy mountains and the lush forest down below. The site was spectacular and everything, but the height below is dangerous. Hitomi looked away from the tremendous height from the land to the sky, her legs almost feel like Jello.

        Meanwhile, inside the deck, Merle and Millerna were chatting with each other for bit, laughing at some jokes they heard, when they spotted Kyoko looking out into the window, looking down to spot Hitomi looking out into space. A sudden smirk somehow slid on Kyoko face and started to walk outside.

        "What do you suppose is in her mind?" asked Millerna, looking questioningly at Merle.

        "I don't know," said Merle, arching an eyebrow. "But I sure have this bad feeling."

        Millerna looked out to see Kyoko going down the stairs to the deck below, where Hitomi is standing thoughtfully. "But, just in case, let's see what she is up to." They both nodded in agreement and quietly followed Kyoko, cautious about her rarely seen suspicious look.

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        In his sleep, Van couldn't help but feel something bad is going to happen. Even though he sleeps peacefully for a single rest, he could feel the vibe of negative energy pressuring in his mind, urging him to go and keep a watchful eye. Yet, the curse within him is sipping his energy way, making him sleep for almost as if he's going to sleep for a week. Van sighed, and ignored that disturbing thought, unaware that the dilemma revolved around Hitomi.

        ~*~*~*~

        "Gaddes, who is out on the deck right now?" asked Allen, looking out into the cloudy sky in front of him.

        "Hitomi's outside. Probably Kyoko, Millerna, and Merle. Why?" asked Gaddes, looking away from his assigned position.

        Allen shrugged his shoulders with a confused look on his face. "I'm not sure. I just got this feeling that something bad is going to happen."

        ~*~*~*~

        Hitomi was enjoying the feel of the wind through her hair when felt something coming forth to her lingering mind, a sense of bad premonition controlling her mind. Hitomi closed her eyes and concentrated on that factor. Hitomi just shook her head, realizing that this fact was really just a mere feeling of nervousness within her mind. She ignored that thought and kept her eyes on her father's locket, looking at the pictures of her mother, her brother, and her father.

        Behind, Kyoko walked a slow distance from Hitomi, with that sly smile still lingering in her face. "This is the last straw Hitomi Kanzaki! How dare you intervene with my plans of becoming the most respectable person of all Fanelia," thought Kyoko angrily. "You shall know the true wrath of Kyoko, the respectable noble of all Austuria!"

        Strongly, Hitomi could feel the emotions of rage near her; the rage that only could mean one thing. Hitomi whirled around quickly to see Kyoko standing there with a happy expression. That scary look made Hitomi feel suspicious and fearful, wondering what is wrong with her little habit.

        "Hitomi, can I talk with you for a moment?" asked Kyoko, in her voice that sounded so sarcastic.

        "What do you want Kyoko? If it's about Van, then you are getting thoughts in your head," said Hitomi, stepping back a bit to the railing, a cold feeling creeping her spin.

        "I just only want to chit chat with you Hitomi," said Kyoko cheerfully. "Maybe…we should be better friends than rivals."

        Just a few feet behind Kyoko, Millerna and Merle glared at the scene in front of them, watching as Kyoko is in her other mask, the nice and caring one that really didn't speak the truth of her true personality. They hid behind the doorway inside, watching cautiously.

        "I agree with that Kyoko, but I just want to be alone for a while," said Hitomi, holding the locket close to her heart.

        "Oh, that's a cute locket," said Kyoko, eyeing it suspiciously. "Who is it from?"

        "I won't tell you anything if you act like that," said Hitomi, beginning to freak out.

        "Oh, so that's how much of stranger I am to you," said Kyoko. "Don't worry, I'll make sure that I spend mooorre time with you." She started to grab for Hitomi's locket. "Now let me see your locket as a friend."

        Those eyes, the tone in her voice, and her false mask, Hitomi knew that this is Kyoko's plot of something very drastic. Hitomi clutched the locket to her chest tighter, trying to get away from Kyoko as much as possible. Hitomi could feel it. The feeling of fear. The same feeling that she felt when her father is about to die in a terrible accident. Hitomi never thought that this feeling would ever come again. However, the slight difference is not around her father. It is revolving around her self.

        Kyoko finally grasped the silver chain dangling loosely around. With a smirk, she wrench the locket away from Hitomi's grasp, grabbing it as she looked at it intently. The locket was beautiful and very detailed with the small lines and the feathers. Smirking sinisterly once more, Kyoko tried to open it, but it failed since the contraption was new to her. "My, this is a very pretty jewelry. Van must of given it to you."

        "No he didn't," said Hitomi, looking at her locket then to Kyoko. "Give that back Kyoko. It's not right to snatch other people's stuff without asking permission."

        "It would be a shame if it gets lost," said Kyoko, looking at the rail and her locket. "Here, I'll give it back." Kyoko started to move Hitomi with the locket extending towards her. She looked down and with one swift movement; she "absentmindedly" tripped over a loose wood on the ground. The movement caused her to loosen the grip around the locket, letting the locket go, plummeting to the land below. Hitomi cried out and ran to get her locket, leaning against the rail to catch it just in time.

        ***

        The tense around Van started to become even stronger, making him stand up from his sleep, aware.

        ***

        Hitomi was leaning too far on the rail with her locket still on her other hand. She tried to gain her balance, and she successfully did. Kyoko looked on, worriedly on the outside, and angry on the inside. "Oh, I am so sorry! Here let me help you."

        With Kyoko grabbing for the locket with her right hand, she lightly put her other hand on Hitomi's back, smiling so sinisterly that created a bad premonition in Kyoko's mind. "This the end for you Hitomi Kanzaki." With one mighty push, Kyoko grabbed the locket and pushed Hitomi out of the Crusade.

        ***

        Van could feel fear strongly in his mind and he knew the feeling he is feeling right now. With one mighty push, Van started to run off outside, fearing the worst.

        ***

        "Hitomi!!" cried Millerna as she kneeled against the railing, looking down to see Hitomi's body decreasing in size from her view.

        Kyoko giggled silently to herself, due to the victory that she gained. Still holding the locket in her hand, she wanted to beam out in joy that her plan truly worked. Hitomi Kanzaki is gone forever.

        "You idiot! Why did do that!?" retorted Merle, snatching Hitomi's locket from Kyoko, who pretended that she was in complete shock. Tears of anger started to rim in Merle's eyes as she stared angrily at Kyoko, who shrugged innocently. Merle officially wanted to use her as a scratching post, because of Kyoko's tricks that took to the extreme. Now, what is Merle and Millerna going do? With Hitomi all ready plunging down to her death, there is nothing they could do but watch tearfully as their dearest friend is going to die without any one else knowing that Hitomi is...

        "Hitomi…" whispered Millerna sadly, looking down at Hitomi, who is now just a speck.

        Rain started to patter everywhere as a storm started to come. With the beautiful day suddenly disappearing, it truly shows the gloomy day of all. Millerna and Merle watched helplessly, weeping for Hitomi. Their hope was completely lost.

        "Millerna! Merle!" cried a voice from afar.

        Merle's ears perked up to recognize the voice easily. Turning around, she ran as quick as possible to the voice. "Lord Van!!"

        Right when the rain poured down heavily, Van came out, drenched all over from head to foot. Kyoko smiled happily as she saw her love coming towards her. "Van! I am so glad you are here!"

        "Lord Van! You gotta help her!" cried Merle as she linked frantically onto Van's arm.

        "Help who, Merle? Why are you guys out on this kind of weather?"

        "It's Hitomi! She-" The word ringing through his mind started to, looking at Merle's eyes with utter shock. It couldn't be. The answer shouldn't be right. Van looked at Millerna, who looked at him with sadness in her violet eyes.

        "I'm afraid…so Van. Hitomi is…"

        "Going to die!" cried Merle as she bursts into tears. "You have to save her Lord Van! She's going to die pretty soon!"

        Van didn't hear her words as reality struck his mind. Why now? Why must someone dear to him die when they were just getting along? Kyoko was about to comfort Van's thoughts when he suddenly took off his red shirt. Questioningly, Kyoko wondered what Van is up to at that lingering moment. However, regardless of Kyoko's clueless mind, Merle and Millerna knew exactly what he is going to do. "Merle, hold this." With those words, Van started running as fast as he can and leaped out suddenly.

        "Van!" yelled Kyoko as she tried to stop him. But to avail, he went plunging down to the asphalt below. "Van! NO!"

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        Hitomi was endlessly screaming through the sky above, crying for help as she plunged down swiftly, inching closer to the asphalt below. Hope still rang into her as she extended her arms toward the cloudy sky, feeling the cold rain sipping around her warm body. She wouldn't believe that she would be falling. With the stunt that Kyoko pulled, it was official that Kyoko was a true hider who doesn't bring her true feelings out. Chances are, Van would never believe that Kyoko's personality was bad to the bone.

        Yet, with the concept of Van and Kyoko, Hitomi's hope started to die down. Van wouldn't save her. Of course not. Van has Kyoko now, his love that he will sure to her just after a few months or so. Tears started to form in her eyes as she knew that there is no hope of anyone to save her. "…Van…" she whispered hopelessly. "Van!" She screamed his name through the loud sounds of the thunder and rainy weather, relieving the pain and agony out of her hurt.  Hitomi wanted this to be over. She wanted this to over now. She saw her life passing by her as she plunged down deeper and deeper to the land below. She could see her life with her mom, father, and brother smiling happily in a day in the park. Her friends, Amano and Yukari smiling as they went through the mall together back in Tokyo. Merle and Millerna laughing with Hitomi as they went deeper into the marketplace of Austuria, Allen, with his enjoyable jokes and his enchanting ways to make people feel better. And Van, most of all, with his unruly black hair, his tan skin, his scent of the field, the light shinning just above her, his white majestic wings that are so beautiful, his beautiful smile, and white feathers surrounding her above with a white silhouetted figure coming towards her. "Wait….a light shining….white feathers….a silhouetted figure?" thought Hitomi. Suddenly, Hitomi's eyes shot back into reality as a figure visible in the dark sky is coming towards her, with its majestic white wings flapping frantically every second.

        "I-It…couldn't be?" she said surprisingly, looking at the figure flying towards her.

        The white-lighted figure started to come to her, extending its hands toward Hitomi as it caught her firmly in its cold, somehow slightly warmed hands.

        "T-the smell of the field…" trailed Hitomi as she looked into the red-brownish eyes of her savior.

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*End of Chapter 14- His Wings…

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        So what do you think? Please be sure to e-mail or AIM me. I love it when people talk to me. Otherwise, please review! Ja ne, minna-san!!