Thanks for the reviews!

Here's the next chappie.

After 6 days Hitomi had finally awaken. Although Van had been visiting often, when she woke up he was not around. She did not have enough strength to sit up, only to open her eyes and slightly turn her head from side to side.

"Where am I?" She wondered as she looked at her surroundings. Hitomi winced in pain as she attempted to move.

"Ouch."

As she looked around she noticed she was in some sort of tent being held by wood. Hitomi closed her eyes and started to remember what happened to her, previous to her injuries. She sighed as the unwelcomed thoughts invaded her mind which caused adrenaline to start flowing through her veins.

When Hitomi opened her eyes again she was staring not at the roof of the tent, but instead into deep blue eyes.

"AHhhhhh!"

Merle jumped back at the girl's scream and screamed in fear herself.

Ignoring the pain, Hitomi sat up and looked at her intruder. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was a cat! But, in a human form?

Hitomi stared in awe not knowing what to say to this alien sitting at the end of her bed. Meanwhile Merle was thinking the exact same thing until she found a brilliant way to start a conversation.

"So...why is your hair so short?" Merle asked with such innocent curiosity.

"You...you.. you can talk?" Hitomi's eyes grew into giant orbs of green.

Insulted Merle humphed "Of course I can talk!"

"But.. you're a cat!"

"Yah, so?"

"..." Hitomi was speechless.

"You never answered my question." Merle reminded her.

"Sorry?"

"Why is your hair so short?"

Hitomi really didn't know how that was important but at this point everything seemed so absurd that she gave an honest answer, because in an absurd situation you just have to go along with it.

"Well, I run a lot, and I find that long hair always gets in my face, so I cut it off." Even though Hitomi's hair was boyishly short, it flipped all sorts of directions and was very wispy which gave it a feminine appeal.

"Did I actually just answer that?"

"Is this a dream?" Hitomi asked out loud.

"Huh?"

Ignoring Merle's confusion Hitomi continued "Of course, that would explain everything, it MUST be a dream."

"It's not a dream look!" And with that Merle went over to Hitomi and pinched her arm.

"Ow!" Hitomi yelped

"MERLE! What the hell?" Van roared from behind.

Both of the girls jumped at the new addition to the room, failing to have noticed when he arrived. Merle looked guilty but did not stop herself from defending her act.

"Lord Van! I just wanted to prove to her that she wasn't dreaming!" she said quickly and added "It's not like I pinched her hard..." Looking sideways at Hitomi's arm where you could still see the small red mark from Merle's pinch. A sweat drop appeared on her forehead "Shiiit, maybe it was a little harder than I thought."

But Van wasn't even paying attention to Merle's explanation anymore. His eyes were focused on Hitomi's who was staring right back at him with an even more incredulous look.

"And now there is a man with a massive sword in my tent, with medieval clothes... my tent? Ooo Hitomi..."

Van approached Hitomi's bed and sat down on the chair beside it. He slid his elbows down his knees and was now inches away from her face just staring at her, which caused Hitomi to blush slightly. She observed him as well, what else was there to do? She noticed his tan skin and his black dishevelled hair that caused some strands to go over his eyes, which were an auburn color. This moment continued for quite some time until Merle lost patience

"Not that this isn't exciting..."

It broke Hitomi out of the stare but Van was still looking intently at her.

Van was the next to speak "What's your name?"

Looking back at him she answered "Hitomi" in a shy voice.

"Hitomi..." Van repeated with a weird look in his eyes.

This is when Millerna decided to make an appearance. Her face glowed when she saw that was Hitomi awake.

"Oh hey there! Awake from your slumber I see."

Hitomi looked over to the woman with curiosity and now her questioning started,

"Where am I?"

"You my dear, are on Gaea, in Asturia's land."

"...Gaea? Asturia?"

Millerna started explaining to Hitomi what happened, how Van and Merle found her floating down from the Mystic Moon and rushed her over here. She explicated that Hitomi had been in a critical state and how they treated her with their medical care. And then she explained how the Mystic Moon was where Hitomi was from. She explained how Gaea was in the middle of a war because of the Zaibach Empire is trying to rule the entire planet. And how they are located in a refugee camp for all who have lost their homes due to the flames the Zaibach army has created.

It took a moment for all of this information to sink into Hitomi. So she wasn't on earth anymore? Did that mean that she was as far possible from Jake and all her troubles? A huge grin appeared on her face. She turned to Van and Merle and with genuine gratitude in her emerald pools whispered "Thank you for saving me."

Van shrugged it off like he didn't really care. This was a lie. The look she gave him made his heart beat faster. Merle gloated "No problem, Van and me know how to do things right."

Hitomi beamed at Millerna "So can I look around this place? If this is a different planet I want to check it out!" Hitomi tried to get up but was surprised at how little strength she had and collapsed back on the mattress.

"You shouldn't have done that! You are steal healing; you are going to stay in bed until all your bruises are faded." Van ordered with a stern voice.

"Until my bruises are faded? People can walk around with bruises you know, it's not like it's a broken limb! I'll be able to move sooner than that, just give me a day here, and I'll be ready to explore!" Hitomi declared with enthusiasm in her voice.

"No you're not. I'll tell you when you're able to even stand." Van continued. Even Merle and Millerna thought that was a little too much. They knew he was worried, but give the girl some space here. Of course they didn't have to say anything, Hitomi was on it.

"Excuse me? Just who do you think you are? I think I can make my own decisions here. Now I know you saved me and don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful but that doesn't mean you call the shots on my life now!"

"For you information, I am a King, and you will have to listen to my orders."

Hitomi looked at him like he had another head growing.

"...Right... well LORD Van, I understand that you are a King, but technically I'm not even from this planet. Therefore you are no King of mine."

"You know you have some nerve-"

And so the bickering continued with Merle and Millerna watching them. Apparently this Hitomi was as stubborn as Van. Soon it was interrupted by new visitors appearing in the tent. Hitomi got to meet Allen and his crew. Allen was introduced as a knight and also as Millerna's lover. His crew were nice men as well, all cheery and smiley. It was time for bed and Hitomi thanked every one of them for accommodating her as one of their own. Everyone left one by one and Van was the last one to leave the room. He glanced back at her with annoyance in his eyes, and then shut the door.

Hitomi sighed. Although it had been a long day, she liked it here very much. No one looked at her funny because of her green mark on her forehead.

"Well why would they, when they've got a talking cat." She said aloud. She closed her eyes with hope for a new life on her mind. It didn't take long before she fell asleep.

When she woke up Van was at her side again. For the past 3 days when she would wake up, he would be there. She was very annoyed. It's like he was making sure she would not get up. What was she going to do? Wrestle him to try and get past him? At least he would stop staring now. Instead he would do stuff to his sword, like make it shiny or something uninteresting like that. At least it gave her something to look at, because as much as she hated to admit, she wasn't ready to get up yet. And she didn't want to be left alone. All that would do is make her think of the past.

Today, she felt like making an effort to try and get to know this strange man. It's not like there was anything else better to do.

"So, Van, how old are you?" Hitomi started with a pleasant tone.

Van gave her a sideways glance, and answered shortly "21".

"Ah." Hitomi sweatdropped. Could he at least try to make conversation? "And umm, you said you were a King, right? Of what country?"

"Fanelia." He answered shortly again, but this time with a more angry tone.

"What's his problem?" Hitomi pondered with irritation. Here she was making an attempt at becoming friends with her saviour and he was being so short with her. She decided to make one last attempt and the only thing she could think of asking was...

"Umm so you like swords eh?" She gave him an encouraging look. Surely this would make him want to gloat, what man doesn't like to show off their passion.

"Sure."

Hitomi sighed in defeat. But before she was about to completly lose hope Van added,

"I like my Escaflowne more though."

Hitomi was confused "What's an Escaflowne?"

"A special guymelef."

"...Oh I see." She answered as if she knew what he was talking about, even though she was completely lost. "Just go along or else he'll lose his temper with you again." She told herself.

"You do, do you?"

"Oh yes of course. You know those guymelefs are quite...interesting."

A smile crept on Van's face but he turned away hiding it, continuing to shine his knife.

"Yes they are. Tell me Hitomi, what do you find most interesting about guymelefs?" Van tried to hide the amusement in his voice as much as he could.

"Oh well, you know."

"No...not really. Do go on."

"Well, ermmm they are quite hard...not to notice! And things or stuff that's hard not to notice have always been something of great interest to me which makes... them.. interesting?" Hitomi attempted.

Van chuckled lightly. "She's actually right with that one."

Hearing Van's chuckle, it was Hitomi's turn to get mad.

"You know, you could at least try to be nice with me." Hitomi began anger rising in her voice.

But Van brushed it off as if he didn't even hear her.

"Oooo is that how it is?" Hitomi thought. "Fine I'll just ignore him myself!" She said with satisfaction.

Silence invaded the room once again. Hitomi stared at the top of the tent where she could see the sun blazing through it. She could feel its heat, it was nice. When she thought about it she hadn't seen the sun in a long time.

Hitomi's thoughts wandered to Rikku, her younger sister. Rikku's hair had been a golden blond like the sun. She was pretty much the most active girl she used to know. Sadness filled Hitomi as she remembered her beloved sibling, and how she had found her the day she overdosed in their small bathroom. Hitomi had come home to find the place completely quiet, which was odd, because Rikku always had her music blaring. Hitomi really had to pee and rushed to the bathroom, opened the door and froze.

Abruptly Hitomi shook her head, trying to stop herself from thinking those awful memories. Merle decided to come in at the perfect time because Hitomi's will power to control her thoughts was becoming very tiring.

"Hey Hitomi!" Merle greeted with a smile.

"Hey Merle," Hitomi responded, "how's your day going?"

"Booooooring! There's nothing to do around here. I can't wait till you get better and on your feet; we're going to have so much fun!" Merle squealed. "You should know, on Gaea we have many mystical creatures." She stated matter-of-factly.

"You don't say.."

"You have to be careful though; there are also some weird, dangerous people out there! We'll have to stay clear of them. The war kind of messed with their minds."

Hitomi smiled "Everyone's a friend until they prove otherwise."

Van froze. "What did she just say?"

**Flashback**

Van and his green eyed friend were playing in the woods. The little girl had hazelnut braided hair and green eyes and a green shaped star on her forehead. She was 8 years old. Van was 12. You could hear her giggles all over the forest, with Van making grimaces and being silly alongside of her.

Out of nowhere this huge bear came out of the bushes. Van picked up a rock and with fear in his system was about to chuck it at the bear when two small hands wrapped themselves around his arm.

"What are you doing?" Van exclaimed in a panicked voice. "It's going to eat us alive"

But the young girl looked up at him with such lively eyes and giggled "Vanny, you should know, everyone's a friend unless they prove you otherwise. This bear is just passing through."

Van's hand reluctantly let go of the rock and watched in amazement as the bear really did just want to pass through, even after he had acknowledged the two children.

**End of Flashback**

Van looked at Hitomi as she was chatting away with Merle. It was really her. This was not just 'a' Hitomi, it was his Hitomi. The Hitomi he had lost 9 years ago.

Let me know what you think! It pushes me to write more haha