There and Back again

GA1: Ok, right… I got it done an hour apart, happy now?

SD: O yes, maybe now we get some reviews… Your prologue leaves much to be desired…

GA1: …………………

SD: O not that look. That's the look of 'you get to do the next ten chapters'! No, don't make me separate all that!

GA1: -.-

SD: NOOOOOOOOO! Runs down hall screaming head off

GA1: sweat drop She makes it sound so hard to do… sheesh, anyways enjoy this disaster is longer then the previous. Maybe a more incentive to review?'' Flamers welcomed……I hope… Well some…

SD: pops back in suddenly out of nowhere another thing, forgives us for any misspelling or grammar error. No one is perfect (I hope) and GA1 can't spell a hoot!

GA1: Death………………

Disclaimer: We, in no ways what so ever, own Escaflowne. It is owned by the respected people who wrote it, and thus, paid for its production. Please do not sue us; together we have six pennies, two gum wrappers, and a piece of pocky…. That the dog just ate. We do however own our respected characters and the changes in plot line.

Spirit Dancer: Aiko, Shiva

Glass Angel1: Ayane, Fira, Merlin, the Providence Children and any other character that I must create for the production of this story.

Summary:

Not just an ordinary retelling of Escaflowne. Two girls wish away their lives of family abuse, only to find their wish answered. Destiny plays its hands hard as these two friends find themselves caught up in a war of a world they barely know, only to be torn apart along the way. Will they be able to overcome their trouble pasts, and save this new world for its own destruction? Or will their pasts become its means of destruction?

Category: Action/Adventure/Romance

All rights reserved.

xVxVxVxVx; same place different point of view

xXxXxXxXx ;scene change

italic; vision

XoX ; Flashback

Chpt. 1: Destiny's Hand

He lay out on the grass under the trees; uneven cut hair slightly fell over his closed eyes while he listened to the sound of the somewhat large water fountain nearby. The cool night breeze pulled lightly on his shirt, tossing it about. It had been a long three days. He had done his task, slayed the dragon to gain the dragon energist and become king. Tomorrow he would be crowned. Yet here he was; out in the middle of the night in the castle gardens looking for solitude. Sighing, he looked up at the star lit sky above him, he was going to miss being able to do things on his own. For now on, he would have to think of his country and people not just himself. The sound of feet pounding against the ground let him know someone was running along the path not to far from where he was. Sighing, he sat up waiting for what he knew was coming.

"Van-dono!" A famine voice called from behind the bushes on the path. A cat girl tumbled through them as she ran up to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. Her short pink hair rubbed against his face as she hugged him. "O, Van-dono, you had me sooooo worried! I couldn't find you anywhere!" Her blue eyes stared into his reddish brown ones with worry.

"I'm sorry Merle, I just wan-" Van's words where cut off as a pale light flashed. Looking to his left, the fountain was engulfed in a blue beam of light. As it slowly disappeared, it left behind the figures of two girls. The taller of the two stood just a few feet away from the fountain. Her dark clothing made her more of a silhouette figure against the forest then anything else as her long black hair fell around her. The second was in some sort of dress, blackish hair curled around her face as it was tilted up towards the sky. But she was standing OVER the fountain.

"Van-do-"

"Shush..." He whispered to her as he stood up, hand resting of the holt of his sword. The two of them were in the shadows, and these two intruders couldn't see them. For a few seconds as the light disappeared the two girls didn't move. Then, whatever had been holding the short girl over the fountain seemed to let go of its hold, and she fell into the water below.

xVxVxVxVx

"What an insightful place to put a fountain..." Ayane growled as she looked at the water that was around her. Her heavily, large skirt end of her dress floated about, water was pouring down her back. "Great... do you know who long it's going to take me to dry THIS?" Aiko shook her head and stretched her hand out towards Ayane.

"I guess we thought a little too hard, and you fell into the fountain..." She said, not even noticing the change in scenery and the two that were standing a ways off. She smirked slightly and looked up at the sky. "Um...Ayane...is it me, or are there two moons up there..." Soaking wet, it took Ayane a few tries to stand up. Still standing in the fountain, she followed Aiko's glance to the sky.

"That's...not a moon... that's the earth..." Forcing herself not to shake from the cold, she stepped out of the water onto the grass next to her friend. "Where ar-" Ayane stopped short of her sentence as the sound of metal scrapping against something else echoed in their ears. "We're not alone..." She pointed in front of them, where two shadowy figures stood, one holding something that shined in the night light. Aiko's eyes widened with interest at the shining thing, a crazed smirk playing with her lips. She looked at the pointed object, then to the faint outline of the person holding it.

"Oh for god's sake, we aren't armed, just put the kitchen knife away and come out already….." Aiko watched them, but the two people didn't move.

"It's a bit big to be a kitchen knife..." Ayane rolled her eyes, and watched while the small figure in the shadows moved slightly, but the other didn't.

"O dear lord... Come out! We aren't going to hurt you. We're just two, helpless little girls..." Aiko replied in a small 'heh' to herself. They weren't exactly harmless…

"They're a stubborn little bunch aren't they?" She whispered to her friend. Ayane inched a little farther forward as the figures came into the moons' light. There was a boy that looked about the same year as they were. His raven hair unevenly tossed about, giving him a slightly boyish appearance, if not in at all little on the cute side. His red shirt seemed to be a little large on him, from the way it hung and his tan khaki pants fell down on to a set of leather brown boots. Gloves, seeming also to be a bit big on him, covered his hands. In his right he carried a two-sided broadsword (a/n from GA1: ok I think he has a broadsword…). Ayane studied him for a few moments before looking to the girl that clung to him from behind, eyes widened slightly.

"Is that ...A cat?" Aiko looked at the "cat girl" for the first time.

"It looks like a mix between a cat and a human." Aiko replied as she started to walk towards it and the boy slowly. But she stopped after a moment, allowing Ayane to catch up.

xVxVxVxVx

He watched the two closely as he walked forward, Merle was unwilling to let go of him even when he told her too. The girl who had fallen into the fountain seemed paler then the other that stood next to her. Their lips slowed moved as they spoke to each other, but Van couldn't make out what they were saying. He studied the two as he walked forward. The taller one was dress in a loose short sleeve shirt, and pants. The second wore the most bazaar dress. Her shoulders were bared, and the top portion of dress clung to her. The sleeves belled out around her arms, beginning in a darker color and ending with a white frill. Then the skirt was another matter, layer with several different colors, and probably twice as heavy then it looked now that it was wet. As he walked closer, he could make out their facial expressions. The shorter one was looking over his shoulder at Merle, who pulled slightly on his arm. Van stopped in front of them; a little more then an arm reach.

"Who are you?"

"Van-dono…" Merle whined again, pulling a little more on his arm. "We should go back…"

"It talks?" The shorter girl said, her voice full of surprise.

"It seems so…..unless we're both going insane." The taller one said, looking over at the other girl with a small amount of amusement in her eyes. Then she looks back at boy, who the cat girl had so loving whined 'Van-dono' giving them his name. She sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Well, I guess we're not in Tokyo anymore, Aya…." She looked at him before finally bowing slightly. "I'm Aiko, and this is Ayane…"

"Tokyo….?" He looked questioning at the taller girl, who had announced her name as Aiko. He relaxed his arm a bit, lowering his sword. The short one, Ayane, was folded her arms in front of her slightly as she turned her attention back to him. Van looked back to the taller one, who seemed to be a bit more in charge, so he didn't see Ayane's left hand slip into her right arm's sleeve. Aiko looked past him as another shinny item caught the light from behind the boy and the cat girl.

"Where is th-"

"Watch out!" Aiko yelled pushed both of them down before a dart hit her in the right shoulder. Aiko groaned slightly before she fell to the ground unconscious.

Van hit the ground hard as she pushed them, Merle half beneath him. He started to stand up again, but as he rose to his knees something feel past him, slightly nicking his cheek as it when past, a small cry of pain came from somewhere. Van's eyes widened, thinking that the other girl had been hit. But when he looked up at her, her right hand was extended out as if she had thrown something. An expression of anger crossed her face.

xXxXxXxXx

"Tsh…" Van jerked away from the medic as she placed a small cotton ball on the small cut that glazed his cheek. She murmured apologies, and continued to clean the small wound. He looked away from the young woman to the other who was standing in the middle of the floor. Guards had been posted outside the door of the clinic, and inside. All watching this stranger closely as the captain of the guard interrogated her. The moonlight didn't do the woman justice when he first saw her. Her hair was curled lightly around her pale face, and was lined with small dark purple ribbons. The tips of each curl was even more bazaar, even though he was still trying to figure out how the ribbons stayed in. They were colored a dark navy blue. Her dress on the other hand, was black for the most part. The skirt held several layers of black, along with the same purple as the ribbons in her hair. Every now and then, one layer would end with white lace. She stood quiet straight, even though the skirt being wet still was probably making it uncomfortable to stand. Her head was tilted downward to look at the ground as she answered every question that she could. Steel gray eyes half closed to hide any emotion, she oddly reminded him of a somewhat well trained princess he once met. Van looked back down at the small, irregular knife in his hand. The girl, Ayane, had thrown it with such good preciseness that she had hit the assassin in the throat. Even though it was a good thing before the assassin could try had hit him again, it also proved to be a draw back…for now the man couldn't be interrogated. The silver knife was shaped funny, and looked as if it could go inside of its holt, if one knew how to work the thing.

"Be careful with that or you'll cut yourself…" Van's head shot up as he looked again at the girl standing in the middle of the room. Her head was turned slightly towards him, eyeing her weapon. "If you push the small button on the bottom, the blade will go back in…" He arched his brow before looking back down at the small weapon. He could hear her answer another question, but he was to busy studying the small knife. Running his finger a crossed something on the bottom on the holt, and the blade suddenly snapped in leaving is a small, metal rectangular box in his hands.

"Tokyo? Earth? I'm not quiet sure what you are talking about Miss-"

"Umizo…Ayane Umizo."

"Miss Umizo." Balgus said. Van looked slightly at the man who had been in charge of him since he was five. The look on his face was puzzling as he studied the girl. "These kingdoms aren't-"

"Lord…" Ayane shook her head. "As I have been telling you, they're not kingdoms... It's a city in a country… And you probably don't know them because they're on one of your moons."

"One of our moons?" Van said, finally taking part in the interrogation. "Which one?" The girl turned to the window and pointed out to the furthest and largest moon.

"You two are from the Mystic Moon?!"

"The what?" The girl looked at him confused but before she could say another word the doctor walked out, looking slightly tired. Van caught a hint of worry in her eyes as she looked towards the elder man. "Is she alright?!"

"O yes, of course young lady." The elder man nodded slightly. "I was able to treat the poison before it could do any real damage. She should be fine, if she can last through the night." Ayane frowned slightly at his last words, and took a small step towards the door he had come through, eyes asking a forbidden question. The elderly doctor just smiled and stepped aside. "You can see her now if you wish, but please do not wake her." Ayane took a few half-run steps to the door but stopped when Balgus caught her arm.

"We are grateful for you and your friend's help in seeing to the welfare of our king." There was a surprised look on her face when he had said that word. She looked slightly at Van with a puzzling glance. "We will do our best at finding a way to get you two home to your world." There was a hint of regret in the girl's eyes as she studied Balgus for a moment, then she bowed to him.

"Thank you, my Lord." She said before running to the door, and slamming it shut behind her. There was a silence in the room, as sound of the slamming door slowly faded.

"Watch it Balgus… You words might go to her head." Van rolled his eyes as he stood up, picking up his sword that lay on the table next to him. Balgus just choked down a laugh. "Have two guards outside that door. They're not to leave without an escort."

"Is that really necessary, Van-dono?"

"Just taking processions. That's all…"

xXxXxXxXx

Ayane leaned heavily against the wooden door, when the slamming sound dead out of her ears. Letting out a deep sigh, she tapped her head against the door. Her legs shook at the weight of her dress. Standing that long so still had been killing them. Had they kept on asking question she was sure she would have collapsed from exhaustion. She would never hear the end of it if Aiko had hear that she had done that. Speaking of her… Ayane opened her eyes at glared at the bed where Aiko laid. The white sheets where pulled up around her. Her breaths were steady, and light, that of a person in a deep sleep.

"Fine time you picked to be suicidal, Aiko…." Biting her lip, Ayane looked around the room. Their bags, which had amazingly come with them, were sitting on a large circle table that had two chairs around it. There was a small night-standish table next to the single bed that Aiko was on. To one end was an open fireplace, and to the other a large window that was covered by two wooden shutters. All in all, the place wreaked hospital, one of the top things Ayane hated. At the moment though, the only thing on Ayane's mind was getting out of her damn dress and getting it dried before the fabric got damaged. But, from the looks of it, this place didn't have washers or driers. For a matter of fact this place didn't even look like it had running water. Her hand moved to lock the door, only to find that there wasn't a lock. Groaning, she grabbed the closes chair and shoved it under the doorknob. With a few moments struggle, she undid the ribbons in the back of her dress so that it was lose enough for her to get out.

The cold evening air nipped at her bare skin, as she stepped out of the dress, which now lay, on the floor. Taking a few moments, she studied herself. There were a few bruises, probably from the guards when they grabbed her, stupid guards. Adjusting her black bra, she studied the rest of her clothing. Her black boots were still wet, but at least they weren't leather. Her black leggings were fine, at least those haven't ripped, or else she would have a hard time replacing them. Taking a few moments, she readjusted her garter belt, and then turned her attention to her bag. She shuffled stuff around until she came up with a small ball of yarn. She looked at the white ball, and frowned, it was the closest thing to string she had. Turning to the fireplace, she went about tying some of it so that it made a clothesline near it. But as she reached from something to cut it with, she realized that Van still had her switchblade.

"Fuck…" Ayane growled, and search around the inside of her bra for her small silver lighter. She burned the yarn to make a cut and blew out the fire before it could spread. As she sucked on the tips on her fingers that were lightly singed, Ayane picked up her dress and hung it over the line. It sagged a bit because of the weight, but besides that it held. "You better hope it dries or else someone's going to get it…" Ayane growled at no one particular.

"Lord its cold!" Rubbing her hands over her arms, Ayane searched the room for something to wrap up in. Taking one of the blankets off the bed, she wrapped it around her a walked to the window. She pushed the shutters open and looked out on to the night sky. Out from her window, she could see the rest of the city, lights slowly going out. She could hear people below moving around, no doubtfully soldiers. Walking over once again to the table, she dug around in her bag until her hand rubbed against something soft. Pulling it out, Ayane looked at the small black teddy bear in her hand. She ruffled his fur a bit, as she smiled silently to herself. Grabbing the other chair, Ayane pulled it up next to the window and sat down. Resting her head down on the windowsill, she looked up at the earth as if hung in the sky.

"My, my, just what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, Ayane?"

xXxXxXxXx

"Irregularities, eh?" He said, as he sat back on his throne, over looking the two boys that were knelt down in front of him. He brushed back his silver hair that fell over his red eyes.

"Yes my lord." The light brown haired boy said. The blond next to him just nodded along. "They landed in the palace gardens just a few hours ago. Our spies report that there are two girls. It was because of them that an assassination attempt failed." He frowned slightly, as he picked up the wine glass that sat on the stone table next to him, and then tossed it angrily at the two of them.

"Gatty, I want these 'irregularities' captured and brought back to the Vione before the attack begins!" He yelled the two just bowed deeply, heads almost touching the floor.

"And make sure you're not seen!"

"Yes, Dilandau-sama…"

xXxXxXx

"Hot…Why is it so hot?" She opened her steel gray eyes slowly, staring at the flames that dance around her. Wide eyed, she stepped back, and tried to call out but nothing would leave her mouth. Buildings all around her were burning, there were people running about. Their screams lost in the roaring of the fire. Something was moving about, she could see them as they made the fire worse.

"Demons…?"The destruction faded away, and reappeared again. But this time she was standing in rubble, still surrounded by fire. Two creatures were battling, swords clashing against each other. One looked to be made of metal, and was colored blue, while the other seemed to be made of something different and was white. A roar burned in her ears, the sound of a large animal. She covered them trying to keep the ear-breaking roar out, but she couldn't. She turned, and began to run away from the battle. The fire singed her legs as she ran, trying to leave the death that lay around her. But, soon the ground began to shake, making her fall against the stone ground. The animal like roar was gone. All that was left was the sound of fire. Along with the sound of the shifting of stone as the ground shook again. She pushed herself up, but couldn't seem to stand as she watched the ground below her begin to crack.

"N..No…" She whispered, the stones gave away and she began to fall down into the darkness. "No! Someone help me!" A deep menacing laughter echoed up about her as the black void surrounded her.

"A!" Ayane cried as she fell out of the chair on to the floor, bundled up in the blanket. The room was quiet dark now, the only light emanated from the moons out side, and the dying fire from inside the room. She was covered in a cold sweat, breathing heavily as she tried to decipher her nightmare. It had felt so real. Sitting up, Ayane pulled the blankets more around her, but froze half way when she noticed a strange dark blue light that seemed to glow under them. Pulling out her right hand, her eyes widened.

xVxVxVxVx

She tossed in her sleep, waking up slightly with a hot fever. Staring out into the darkness of the room, she moaned in pain as it pulsed from her right shoulder. Trying to push the blanket off she soon found that she couldn't as the pain shot up in her arm. She closed her eyes from it, only to open them again to see a strange dark blue light came close to her. Something pulled the blankets off of her shoulder and the light came closer.

"N-no…" She moaned, and slightly cried out as it touched her shoulder. The pain tossed her back into the darkness of a restless sleep.

SD: Right! There it is our first chapter. O, it does me proud!

GA1: Riiiiiiight…..

SD: Shut up… Anyways, hope you enjoyed it. Please review. Reviews make GA1 spread the chapters faster! And from what we have written by know... I think we have four more chapters... I think…

GA1: You think? It's a miracle.

SD: ………………

Another Note (GA1): For those of you who are flame happy, read this before sending us a flame review. Make it something useful, like telling me errors that have come up that really need to be fixed (like the misspelling of a country or name). Don't just tell go on how we are horrible spellers, and are terrible with grammar. That does not help me. Flames are supposed to help the writer not make them feel horrible. I do not appreciate it when someone does that. I have always had a bad time in spelling, it was never my strongest thing in English, nor was grammar. That was why I got people to read my work. Unfortunately, SD is not any better then I am. SO do us a favor, and if it is that bad... why don't you point out the errors so that I know that they are there, hum? I learn by being corrected. In the past two years of me writing and letting someone read what I write, I have gotten better. That is only because someone has shown me the right way to do it. Trust me, if I hadn't things would be much harder to read.

Second, this is not a Mary Sue story. This story is the beginning of a Trilogy. Unfortunately for the good part of the beginning I MUST follow the outline beginning of the original series, but this is only until a certain point. Changes in the plot become noticeable after the arrival in Asturia, but the real big changes will not come until after Freid. This story is told in the points of view of two people, two different sides. The second and third stories to this one will more likely be more interesting. But to get to those one has to START AT THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL. So if you're going to flame me on that, only because you have read one or maybe two chapters. Do me some need respect. READ all the chapters that are postedBEFORE you call this a "Mary Sue" story. I take it offensive when you read the PROLOGUE and flame us just on that. It also shows that you are a very poor soul, who hasn't many brains at all. Most of the good stories that I have read have started out as "Mary Sues" but at least I have read them to beginning to end before passing that judgment, and find that they are not "Mary Sues" after all.

Third, yes I know that the second name for The Hobbit is There and Back Again. But that has nothing to do with the reason why this story is called There and Back again (notice a difference? And not that was not by accident). It deals with something that happens, a main part of this story. Like the words in this prologue will be seen quiet a few times in this story. It all holds a purpose. If you want to be critical, Spirit Dance's first original story's name could have been taken from Final Fantasy: Spirits Within. But again, the story was named for something that is with in the story. Take it from all of her readers (who will by the way tell you she is no better speller then me, but hey they loved her story. It has what now… over 160 reviews?) The name of a story is unique to the story itself. I did not STEAL this name. And if "J.R.R. Tolken is rolling over in his grave" it is not because of me. Don't flame this story on that. It gets very annoying.

Thank you for those who will send HELPFUL flames, and for not being hypocrites.

Glass Angel1

Edited: 09/12/09