Chapter 4: Back to the Beginning

"Mmm, what'd you say?

Mmm, that you only meant well?

Well, of course you did."

- "Hide and Seek," Imogen Heap

Anna watched as Hitomi got up and went to the dock where Van was sitting alone. She had been watching the two of them interact since breakfast. Despite how much Hitomi protested, there was still a definite spark between them. For his part, Van was constantly staring at Hitomi when he thought nobody was looking. Anna, however, was always looking. This was the most dramatic thing that had happened to their friend group in years, and she was enjoying watching the show. Anna wanted desperately to walk up to the two of them and bonk their heads together, screaming, 'Now kiss,' but she knew how poorly that would have gone over. Looking at the rest of her friends, she realized she was not the only one paying close attention to the two on the dock. Both Allen and Amano were watching the two intently. Anna couldn't help but wonder if the love triangle she sensed was forming was turning into a love square. She didn't get the sense that Allen had a romantic interest in Hitomi, but she also remembered that in Hitomi's story, there had been some feelings in that direction.

Suddenly, the scene shifted, and loud voices rose from the dock. No one could hear what was said from their position around the bonfire, but the tone was angry. Amano jumped to his feet and started heading towards the dock. His eyes looked murderous when he heard Hitomi's voice rise. Not liking Amano's expression or how purposefully he was walking, Allen followed suit to keep an eye on his 'twin.' Anna, not wanting to be left behind, trailed behind. Aaron was also about to follow, but as he rose from his chair, Ben grabbed his arm and shook his head.

"Best to leave them alone, love," Ben said quietly. "She's got enough of an audience; frankly, this is none of our business."

Grumbling slightly, Aaron sat back down but continued to watch with some interest as Allen, Amano, and Anna reached the dock.

Amano was seeing red. He was tired of these guests and what their presence could mean. He had bit his tongue all day, and now Hitomi was upset. The last time this Van guy had shown up, a dragon had almost killed him, and Hitomi went missing. What followed was months of speculation that he had killed the girl. Gaea and Van had, for a time, ruined his life. Now, Van was back, and Amano was terrified that Hitomi would leave with him. He knew that Hitomi had been in love with the jerk when they were teenagers, but that was over now, as far as he knew. Amano just wanted to keep Hitomi safe and happy, and he couldn't do that with Van in the picture. Amano was also vaguely aware that Anna was pursuing him, as was that other alien, Allen. Closing in on Hitomi and Van, Amano watched in horror as Van pulled Hitomi to his chest. The air crackled with a familiar energy, and Amano knew that a beam of light would follow. Picking up his speed, he pelted forward and reached them as the light beam descended from the heavens. The last time, the beam had not wanted him and left him to face the consequences of the encounter. This time, his feet lifted off the ground and was propelled upwards in a pure, blinding, endless ring of light.

From their seats at the bonfire, Aaron and Ben sat mystified. Within seconds, Allen, Amano, Anna, Van, and Hitomi had all disappeared. The light had been blinding, and neither man knew what to make of their situation.

Aaron comforted Ben, recognizing that his partner's sister had been swept away. "You know, love, Hitomi came back the first time. Anna will be okay. I'm sure of it."

The light disappeared, leaving two Gaeans and three earthlings alone in a wooded glen. Hitomi stared bug-eyed at her surroundings. It was pitch black, but a quick look at the sky confirmed she was back on Gaea as the two moons hung innocently. Reaching her friends, she hugged Amano and Anna tightly and whispered a hushed apology. Hitomi could feel them both shaking as the reality of their situation began to sink in.

"Why are there two moons?" Anna gulped, looking at the sky, her voice raising an octave.

"We're on Gaea, and I'm sorry." Hitomi kept her arms tightly locked around Amano and Anna.

Amano was less forgiving than Anna in general, and at this moment, he was in no mood to be comforted. Pulling both girls behind him, he glared at Allen and Van. It was their fault that they had been transported to this godforsaken planet. They needed to be sent back to Earth and quickly.

"Send us back." Amano seethed through gritted teeth. "You got what you wanted and made it home; now do the same for us."

Van looked at the Mystic Moonlings and sighed. He felt guilty for the look of terror on Anna's face, as she had been kind to them. On the other hand, Amano was just as aggressive as he had been on the Mystic Moon. Hitomi kept babbling apologies in a desperate way that hurt Van's heart. It made him feel guilty for the spark of joy he felt when he realized that Hitomi had come home to Gaea. He thought peevishly about how much he'd like to shut Amano up, but remembering how excited Hitomi had been to introduce them stayed his tongue.

"It isn't that easy. I don't know how you ended up here in the first place." Van tried to mediate as best he could. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. For the hundredth time since seeing Hitomi again, he thought this wasn't going as he had imagined.

"Amano, please calm down. We're okay. We'll get home. It just might take a bit." Hitomi soothed, hugging Amano close and petting his hair. The gesture caused Van to look away, jealousy welling up in his gut. "This place looks familiar, Van, where are we?"

"It should; we are outside the village of Arzas. Where we landed the first time you arrived on Gaea." Van smiled despite himself enjoying the sense of irony the beam of light seemed to have to drop them off where Hitomi had first arrived on Gaea.

"Oh!" Hitomi squealed excitedly and looked around as if expecting to see someone. "Does this mean that we will get to see Ruhm?"

"Yes, I should think so. We will walk to Arzas and arrange travel to the castle. I'm unsure how long it has been since Allen and I left, so I'd like to get there as soon as possible." Van replied, pleased that Hitomi had remembered the wolfman. It meant a lot to him that even her earliest days on Gaea had made an impact and were ingrained in her memory.

Motioning to Allen and the Mystic Moonlings to follow, Van started walking. As they walked, Hitomi gripped her friends' hands tightly. As excited as she was to have returned to Gaea, guilt gnawed at her stomach. Gaea could be beautiful but very dangerous, and she did not want anything to happen to the people she loved. Hitomi was exhausted; the day had been long, and it was late by both Gaea's and Earth's standards. Her head began to nod when Amano pulled to a complete stop; he gestured for her to get on his back.

"You looked tired." He said simply as she got settled comfortably.

"I was, thank you." She smiled and tightened her arms around his neck in a light hug.

"This reminds me of our last hike. Hitomi ended up being carried, and I had to walk. Why am I always the one who ends up walking? I'm a lady too, you know!" Anna pretended to bluster. She was happy to see two of her best friends getting along again.

"I fell halfway down a hill and sprained my ankle. Stop acting hard done by," Hitomi teased.

The two Gaeans leading the way stopped a few feet ahead of the Mystic Moonlings. Van and Allen turned at Anna's commotion. Allen quietly walked up to her and picked up an unsuspecting Anna.

"It would be my honour to assist, Lady Anna," Allen said quietly.

Anna flushed scarlet and stammered a jumbled thank you. She was not accustomed to being called a lady or having men pick her up as if she weighed nothing at all. The whole experience felt like something out of the movies, and if Anna had not been keenly aware of his reputation as a womanizer, she would have swooned at the action.

"Van, is Arzas much farther?" Hitomi prodded Amano to walk her up to Van.

"Not far at all; I'm surprised no one has come to meet us yet." Van kept his eyes trained ahead so that he didn't have to look at Amano holding Hitomi so intimately.

"I remember the last time the wolfmen met us before we reached the village." Hitomi reminisced happily.

"Did you say wolfmen?" Amano asked, trying to contain the discomfort in his voice.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Gaea is amazing," Hitomi smiled devilishly. She couldn't wait until her friends met Merle.

Van smiled despite himself. Hitomi spoke so kindly of Gaea. He hoped that the realities of a Gaea at peace would make her happy. She helped create a peaceful present, and he would always be grateful to her. She had saved his world. She had saved him. He was so angry and lost when he met her. Hitomi had been his guiding light in a storm. He had grown so much since meeting her; he only hoped she would be proud of him when she saw the capital.

As if summoned on cue, howls filled the air, and torches lit the horizon. A brown shaggy head emerged from the trees. As it came closer, the shape of an elder wolfman became clear. The wolfman had shaggy brown fur sprinkled with grey around his nose and eyes. His eyes were large brown, and he looked suspiciously at the travellers until he locked eyes with Van, and his face broke into a broad smile. Van reached the wolfman in a few strides, and the two men gripped arms in a show of mutual respect and friendship.

"Hello, my friend. It is good to see you." Van greeted the wolfman warmly.

"You as well, my friend. I see you are not alone." Ruhm observed.

Motioning for Amano to put her down, Hitomi walked beside Van and smiled at the wolfman. She wanted to hug him, cry, or combine the two. It was like coming home after being away for a very long time. Seeing Ruhm again made being on Gaea feel more real, somehow. She had come full circle, and just like the first, Ruhm was there to greet her on her arrival.

"Hello Ruhm, it is so good to see you. Do you remember me?" Hitomi asked, a little nervous that she had been forgotten by the wolfman whom she had remembered so fondly.

"Of course, I remember you, little lady. I could smell you from a mile off. I'm glad Lord Van finally came to his senses and brought you home." He said kindly, his grin widening with the pink flush that spread across Hitomi's and Van's faces.

"Since I was on the uh Mystic Moon, I'm unsure how much time has passed. Has my disappearance been reported? Has the ceremony happened?" Van didn't bother correcting Ruhm on his assumption that he had purposefully returned to the Mystic Moon to collect Hitomi. A fact not lost on Hitomi, who had expected him to dispute the point.

"Not at all, Lord Van. Your travels have gone completely unnoticed. The ceremony is in three days. The people of my village have not begun our pilgrimage." Ruhm responded. His eyes carefully scanned the new faces who had arrived with Van and Hitomi. He was familiar with Allen, but the other two smelled acrid, like Hitomi; maybe they were also from the Mystic Moon.

Van sighed deeply, silently thanking the gods that they had deemed to return them the same evening that they had left. This was the least disruptive outcome possible, and he was grateful. Luckily, they would return to the castle within a few hours. He would be able to get some sleep before the activities of the next few days. He also needed to think about how to get Hitomi and her friends home. He wanted her to stay for the festival so that she could see Fanelia and Gaea at peace. Unfortunately, she did not come alone, and he had to contend with Anna and Amano, the latter of whom Van could tell did not like him. He didn't want to let Hitomi go, but he didn't want to hold anyone hostage; it was a great conundrum. Van would cross that bridge tomorrow, for tonight, he had to get himself and his companions to the castle. Pulling Ruhm aside, he explained the need to get to the castle quickly and orchestrated travel.

Hitomi was overwhelmed and exhausted. Just like her first time on Gaea, she was travelling to the Fanelian capital on what looked like an oversized bison. She needed to ask Van what the creature was called. There had been a lot to process, from Van and Allen showing up on Earth to being transported to Gaea. It felt like a dream, but in her dreams, Amano and Anna were not on Gaea with her. Van was there in her dreams, and she kept sneaking looks at him. He had grown up to look a lot like his father. His hair still hung shaggily over his eyes in a way that she found utterly endearing. He was clean-shaven, and his face had narrowed and matured with age. He had filled out but was still lean and muscular. She remembered the feeling of his hard body when he had pulled her to him. Looking over at him, her eyes lingered, trying to find the boy she had loved in the man he had become. She hoped that a piece of the younger Van was still in there somewhere. She hated to admit it, but she still missed him sometimes. He was so close, and she could imagine leaning over and falling asleep on his shoulder. Unfortunately, snuggling up to Van would require an amount of bravery that she didn't have, especially since he had rejected her hug earlier. Electing to take the easier option, she crawled between Amano and Anna, grabbed their hands and snuggled into their warmth.

Van looked over to Hitomi; he had sensed her eyes on him. Sitting up a little straighter, he wished she would come over to him, and they could talk about their fight earlier. He needed to know that they were still on good terms and that his apology had been enough. Instead, she crawled over to her friends and cuddled into them. She must have been cold; she was still dressed in her clothes from the Mystic Moon, and they barely covered her. He cursed that he did not have anything to offer her. He had been so hurried to return to the castle that he didn't consider how Hitomi and her friends were dressed. The weather was warm but significantly cooler than the Mystic Moon. He had found his time there suffocating and could understand why the Mystic Moonlings wore so little. He watched her as she and her friends drifted into sleep. He couldn't get over how peaceful she was in her sleep now; when she had been on Gaea the first time, her visions never allowed her to rest. This was a change that he could get behind.

Sleep would not find Van until he and his companions safely returned to the castle. He wanted to stay vigilant in case something happened along the road. Gaea was safer than during the war, but he'd be a fool to believe they were in no danger. In addition to bandits and ruffians that lurked in the woods, the anniversary of the war drew out a different type of danger. There were those on Gaea who still supported Dornkirk's mission of creating a zone of absolute fortune. A cult of followers had even grown up around Dilandau, and a group labelling themselves as the Neo Dragonslayers was causing havoc on the outskirts of Fanelia. These extremists caused Allen no end of worry as Dilandau was now in his proper form of Celena, Allen's little sister. If the truth about Celena was ever made known, there was no telling what these lunatics would do if they found her. The same was true about Hitomi; some would try to harm her, and others would pay heavily to have her in their possession. Van needed to ensure that she was safe, and if staying awake would help that cause, then that is what he would do.

Wrestling his gaze from Hitomi, Van looked over to Allen, who kept his eyes trained on their surroundings. Allen must be having the same thoughts as Van noticed that Allen's hand rested on the hilt of his sword. Both would be relieved when they were home. "We should be back within the hour. Have you thought about how you are going to get them home?" Allen asked when he noticed Van's gaze resting on him.

"No, I don't even know how we came back," Van replied. He didn't want to think about trying to get the Mystic Moonlings home. It was all too much for one evening.

"You know that they do need to go home?" Allen prodded. He knew Van didn't want to talk or even think about it, but Allen wanted to gauge Van's reaction.

"I know that." Van snapped in response. "It's not like I brought them here on purpose."

"Are you sure about that? You and Hitomi looked very cozy before the light came." Allen needled in response.

"Allen…" Van growled the warning; while he and Allen were friends, Van was still king, and Allen was pushing a little too hard. Resuming his silent watch, Van stared out into the darkness, waiting for the lights of the Fanelian capital to rise in the distance.

The Fanelian capital of Adom rose out of the darkness. Since its reconstruction, the city has sprawled and extended far past its original enclave. Still at its centre, a great white castle loomed out of the darkness. It was too late for houses to be lit, and the streets were eerily silent as the convoy headed up the city streets. The shift to cobbled streets from the dirt road of the forest caused Hitomi to wake from her slumber. Ironically, it was the best sleep she had had in months. Feeling surprisingly rested, she bolted upright and stared at the city. Her heart leapt as she saw the growth of the newly constructed buildings. Hitomi felt her eyes well with pride-filled tears. Tearing her gaze from her surroundings, she looked over at Van. It hit her suddenly that he was king of a real kingdom now. She knew he was a king during the war, but it never impacted or changed how she thought of him. He had been a king without a people, and now proof of his rule surrounded her. Hitomi suddenly felt very hot and itchy; this experience was too much to think about. How could she, an ordinary woman, stack up compared to the fantastic realities of his life?

Carefully crawling over to Van, ensuring she did not wake Anna and Amano, she touched his arm gently. He jumped slightly in surprise at the contact but soon relaxed again and looked at her quizzically. "The city is incredible," she whispered, "you must be so incredibly proud."

"I am," he responded quietly, his voice thick with emotion. He had been waiting for this moment for ten years. For her to see the fruit of his people's labour. Even though she was on the Mystic Moon during the reconstruction, she had inspired him, especially in those first challenging years. He wanted desperately to show her all the little details that had gone into the reconstruction, but it was also around two in the morning, judging by the sky. He wanted his bed and to get her a room for the rest of the night. Through his musings, the convoy arrived in front of the castle. He disembarked the beast and started barking orders at the servants who had come to meet them.

"Please set my guests up in quarters in the west wing." Van turned to a young servant girl who had approached the group. She was not expecting to see her king out and about at this hour or to have others with him, especially those strangely dressed. Perhaps they came from the East?

"Sire?" The girl began to question. The west wing was intended solely for the royal family and was now used by those closest to the king. She had never seen these travellers before and was hesitant to follow the order. However, the look on Van's face stayed her questions, and she quickly bowed in assent.

Turning back to the beast, Van climbed back up to Hitomi and silently picked her up before jumping back to the ground. Cradling her to his chest, her cheeks burned hotly due to the proximity of their bodies. Setting her down gently, he kept his arm looped around her waist. Leaning down, he whispered, "Fiadh will look after you. I will see you in the morning."

Allen, following Van's lead, picked up Anna gently and carried her to the ground. He turned to see if Amano also needed help getting down, but Amano was already gingerly making his way down alone. Setting Anna down, Allen bowed to her and walked over to Van. Van reluctantly released Hitomi and followed his friend into the castle. Hitomi shivered at Van's sudden departure and loss of his warmth. Fiadh looked at the ragtag group before her and clicked her teeth. This was undoubtedly one of the strangest occurrences that had happened to her since she started working in the castle. Gesturing for the group to follow her, she led them through the castle towards the west wing. Starting with Hitomi, Fiadh placed each Mystic Moonling in their rooms for the night.

As Hitomi was about to shut the door for the evening, Amano gripped her arm gently. "Are you going to be alright on your own?" He questioned softly. He knew it was likely inappropriate for them to share a room in this world, but he also didn't want to leave her alone.

"I'll be fine." She promised and touched his arm gently. These would turn out to be famous last words. Not two hours later, her screams pierced the silence.