Just you you know I did not know in which way this chapter will go. I am surprised by the events that I was writing about as you might be whe you begin to read. But the idea came and I liked it and here you go... the next chapter.
"I never thought time could pass so fast. Before I had the chance to turn around another year has passed. It strange though. It only seems like yesterday when I send you the first message. Really strange. But I guess that is how living here effects me. Every day is the same and they pass really fast when you're working long hours. But it was worth it… you know why? The first goddess is finished! Isn't that great? We just assembled her last night and everythig functioned, as it should. I'm so happy! But enough about me… how are you all doing? I want to know every detail of that date mom mentioned Mamoru… every single one!"
The members of the Kanzaki family watched the face of their daughter and sister vanishing after the holographic device showed them her message. Miss Kanzaki sighed and placed her head on her husband's shoulder.
"I miss her. The messages are simply not enough." She said and got a nod to confirm she wasn't the only one who missed Hitomi.
"I even miss when she yelled at me and called me a brat." Mamoru admitted and his parent's looked at him compassionate.
"Come here." His mother said opening her hands and he sat between them like he had before as a child before his mother said seriously "We are ready to record a message." to the device that turned on right away.
"I won't waist the time we have for this message to tell you about the date." Mamoru was the first one to speak "I'll just say it was a catastrophe. I haven't liked the girl at all."
"What your brother wants to say is there are some stories that circle in the neighborhood… about you Hitomi." Her mother sighed "Miss Hakuna that lives three houses away, I'm sure you remember her, spread the word she saw you that night you vanished. She claims she saw you sneaking out your bedroom window ad leaving with some stranger, some boy she never saw before."
"And people believer her Hitomi! Can you believe that?" her father was angry "Even though she is blind as a bat people believed her!"
"It's not the time to be angry honey. Hitomi doesn't need to get upset to." He turned at his wife and sighed "Don't be concerned about what people here talk, we know where you are and that you are safe and that is all that matters."
"And nothing and no one can make us think different." Mamoru added "Not even a girl I liked for years."
"That's why the date was a mess Hitomi. The girl, Naomi, believes you eloped and thought Mamoru would ask her to do the same." Miss Kanzaki said "Like I would ever allowed Mamoru to get involved with a wretch like Naomi." She added with a grin.
"That's all for now honey." Mr. Kanzaki said "Please send a message soon. I'm interested if the goddess actually worked. After all, it was you who designed her."
The holographic device stopped recording and Hitomi never get to see the death glare her father received from her mother and brother after his comment. Unfortunately cause she would have a good laugh watching that.
"Van, hurry up!" Folken was yelling from the end of the hallway but Van was so tired he couldn't go any faster. His brother made him get out of bed in the middle of the night and now he was walking towards Eries and Folken's chamber to see the little girl that was just born.
If it wasn't three in the morning Van would be grinning at the mere thought of becoming an uncle, but it was only three in the morning and a cry of a small child that echoed through the hallways was starting to give him a headache.
"Lord Van! Lord Van come quickly!" Merle's voice came from behind him and Van groaned.
"Not now Merle!" Folken yelled to her "He needs to come and see my daughter!"
Merle who was standing on the other way of the long hallway shouted "Really?! A girl?! But what I have to show him is just as important! Lord Van!"
"I'm going to see the baby Merle, but then I'm coming to see what ever you have to show me. Alright?" Van said not bothering if she even heard him or not.
He kept going after his brother and soon they were standing in front of the chamber doors. Luckily for Van his niece calmed down so his head wasn't hurting anymore, much.
They walked in the room and Van finally managed to smile when he noticed the bundle his sister-in-law was holding. Walking closer he could see a little girl with several gold locks. She looked at him and smiled like she recognized him and Van didn't feel so tired anymore. Her blue eyes seemed to take all the tiredness away.
That is until Merle stormed in.
"Isn't she just adorable…" she smiled seeing the little girl who, on Merle's happiness, smiled back as just a newborn can, making everyone present melt.
"What was so important that Van needed to see Merle?" Eries asked looking at now surprised cat-girl.
"How did you now I have something he needed to see?"
"I could hear you all the way here." She than looked at Folken "And not just you." She added sternly.
"Yes… you see… there are three people in the meeting room. The wall guards brought them in after they identified themselves." It was more then obvious Merle was for some reason uncomfortable.
"Who are they Merle?" Van asked impatiently. The tiredness was returning.
"Um… well they told the guard their names are…" she took a deep breath "…Takeharu, Hikari and Mamoru Kanzaki."
All eyes turned to her; none of them believed they heard her words right "Kanzaki?" Folken got his voice first "As in Hitomi Kanzaki?"
Merle just nodded. It was all Van needed to ran out of the chamber and towards the meeting room where Merle said they were waiting. He couldn't believe Hitomi's family was on Gaea, in Fanelia, in his palace. It was just unbelievable.
When he opened the large door first he noticed the leopard-women that guarded the guests. They eyed the family strange right away reminding Van that the people from the Mystic Moon were considered to be demons. But then again so were Draconians.
"Welcome to Fanelia." He finally said and the three members of the Kanzaki family turned to him.
"That's Earth up there." Mr. Kanzaki said pointing to the larger of the two moons that shined high in the sky. Van looked out the window and smiled before he looked at the confused man again.
"Yes, here we call it the Mystic Moon." He wanted to ask just to make sure, but didn't know how to vocalize his question. Luckily the boy that stood in front of him was straightforward.
"Are you the one Hitomi mentioned in her message? The guy who brought her here?" he asked.
"Yes, my name is Van Fanel." He answered "I don't know how much Hitomi told you in her messages-"
"Practically nothing." Miss Kanzaki cut in.
"Accept she stayed with those Ispano guys in exchange for a repair on a melef." Mamoru said calmly "Was it yours that got damaged?"
"Yes, unfortunately. I owe Hitomi a lot, ad not just because of the repairs. She saved me several times during the war."
"You must be wondering what are we doing here." Miss Kanzaki said smiling "And to be honest we don't know ourselves. We don't know how we got here or why."
"I don't have any ideas either." Van said "You must be tired, one of the maids will show you to your rooms."
"Maids?" Mamoru looked at him to see if he was joking.
Van smiled to the boy with green eyes just as his sister's "Well, this is a palace."
"Ah, and who is the king?" he asked before he's mother pulled him out of the room after the maid. But Mamoru could still hear as Van answered.
"Me."
Hitomi turned in her bed once more. She tried to sleep case she wanted to be rested tomorrow, but it seemed that it wouldn't happen so soon. She sighed "I wonder how things are o Gaea, in Fanelia." She started to talk to the darkness in her room "It's been so long… I wonder… I wonder if they remember… if Van still remembers."
Hitomi sat up suddenly "What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking about him now? Out of all times, why now? What is happening there? What's happening with Van?"
After few more restless turnes in bed Hitomi finally closed her eyes and dreamed.
Mamoru was standing next to the window and watched the city when the door of his room opened and his mother walked in. She smiled to her son and walked next to him before she too looked out the window."I don't know why we suddenly appeared her, on this foreign planet. But to be honest I don't mind, I don't mind being here at all. It's so beautiful, much more then I expected it to be." She spoke.
"I miss some things from Earth but there are so many things here that doesn't exist there. Did you know Fanelia is known as a kingdom protected by the dragons? Real dragons mom!" Mamoru was excited "And all the knights here… Maybe I could learn to use a sword too!"
"Or maybe you won't." male voice made them turn towards the door where Mr. Kanzaki stood "I understand why Hitomi always spoke so fondly of this place."
"I think we could start a life here Takeharu, from the beginning. What do you think?"
Takeharu Kanzaki joined his family on the spot in front of the window and looked at the kingdom illuminated by the morning sun. He smiled wistfully "We have left so many memories up there."
"We can make new ones dad. And maybe someday Hitomi comes back here too." Mamoru hugged his father.
The door opened once more and a head of a cat-girl peeked in "Am I intruding?"
"Come in Merle." Miss Kanzaki said smiling to the neko "You were Hitomi's friend while she was here, right?"
"With time, yes." Merle answered honestly "She helped us so many times, risked her own life when it was necessary. But let's not talk about the past. Lord Van wishes to speak with you at breakfast."
"Say Merle, do you need help with rebuilding of the city?" Mr. Kanzaki asked pointing out the window.
"Well, the city is almost finished. We still have to finish one wing of the palace and the temple where Escaflowne suppose to be. Why?"
"I'm an architect and I thought that maybe… I don't know… could help." He answered.
"I suggest you ask Lord Van that. But that means you'll stay?"
They looked at each other before Mamoru grinned to the surprised cat-girl "Probably."