Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny [Part 4]

[angelic1090]

Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

Previously on Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

Hitomi finally learns the reason of her being on Gaea, just as Van, Kirei, and herself escape the once again war-torn Fanelia. Now that she knows what she must do, she tells what she has dreamed to Van and Kirei.
Author's note: The silver key represents proseperity now, rather then health


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Kirei looked at the king and his lady as they flew off to... well somewhere. He wasn't quite sure where he at least was, but it was clear that, well, his cousin at least had a sense of direction, just as his companion had a sense of destination.

I may have recieved the good timing, thought Kirei ruefully, but Van has both the direction, and the lady. Kirei again looked over at the pair, whom were now talking earnestly, their words lost in the wind so that no one could hear. Kirei was lost in thought when he heard Van's voice echo loudly, close to him.

"Kirei! Kirei! I SAID, we're here!" Gesturing one last time, and saying what looked to Kirei like 'Hold on tight,' to Hitomi, before Escaflowne arrowed towards the ground, landing safely just as it looked like it was about to fall. Sighing inwardly, Kirei brought his guymelef, the Ikari down to land next to Van's. Shaking the loose tendrils of hair out of his face, Kirei stepped down from his melef's chamber, and looked questioningly at Van and Hitomi.


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It was too quiet when they arrived, and that itself made Hitomi restless. Likewise, her restlessness seemed to manifest itself to Van, who moved closer to her and squeezed her had reasuringly.

"Cousin, Lady, are you SURE this is the spot?" Kirei's voice was questioning as he said the words. "It doesn't look like anyone's here."

"I'm positive. This is where the cards said it was. But why isn't anyone else here?" Hitomi's voice faded off as she looked around her. They were in Fanelia, she knew that. When she had shown Van that image... he said he remembered it. And then Hitomi remembered how she had shown him...


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:: Flashback ::

"I just wish I could show you," said Hitomi frustrated, "then you would know where we need to go to find the key!"

To Van, Hitomi was clearly frustrated. She couldn't DESCRIBE the place... it was something you just had to see. And he knew that. But maybe, just maybe, Van thought, she CAN show it to me.

"Maybe you can Hitomi," Van said, voicing his thought, "we could see what the other could before... so why not now?"

"But we weren't even sure how that..." Hitomi's voice was quiet as her mind drifted back to when Van had brought her back from Earth, she remembered Folken telling her... 'You're the most important person in the world to him, Hitomi...'

"You know why it happened Hitomi, don't dare tell me that you don't know." Van's voice had a hint of anger in it as he grabbed her shoulders and made her look into his eyes... and just now they were a blazing inferno of memory, passion, and sheer... Hitomi couldn't identify that.

"I guess..." said Hitomi softly, "I know. But Van... is it the same for you? The same as five years ago?" Now Hitomi had once again averted her blue-green eyes from looking into Van's.

"Hitomi," Van whispered, then he gently held her chin and tilted it up to look into her eyes. "I know I never got to say it then, but... it is the same. I did love you then, and..." he paused, "I love you now."

Hitomi's eyes were filled with tears as she blinked at him. "Van," she whispered, her voice so soft that only someone as close as him could hear her, "I-I love you too."

For a long time they just looked at each other, not saying a word, blazing ruby meeting a peaceful emerald. They knew each other so well...

No matter how long they had been apart...

:: End flashback ::


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"Excuse me, Lady?" Kirei's voice shook her out of her dream. "Is there anything for us to find here?" Despite the fact that Kirei's loyalty to his cousin and his cousin's acquaintances, Kirei could not help but wonder if he, AND his cousin really should believe in this 'key' idea that the woman from the Mystic Moon had explained. But still, IF it was true, it would bring Gaea to lifetimes of peace... and no matter how insane the idea seemed to Kirei, if it would help Fanelia... he would believe.

"Yes Kirei," Hitomi said firmly, "I know it's here. If I only knew how to uncover it..." just as Hitomi said this a large blast rocked the land they were on.


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"Looks like we round the Keeper and her key, boys." A cruel voice rang out in the clearing, causing Van and Kirei to quickly enter their melefs and Van to tell Hitomi to hide as he pushed her into the cover of the trees. And just as the fight begun, Van and Kirei in the Escaflowne and the Ikari, it hit Hitomi why this place looked so familiar.

It was where Van's parents had met and fallen in love. Now, thought Hitomi, I know how to identify the key. It had come to her in a blinding flash. The only problem was... how was she going to make it past the battle? If they knew who she was and why she was here.... she would have to hurry to take it before they did.

She just had to have faith...


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There were too many of them! Van thought, as he brought Escaflowne's sword slashing down into one of the melefs. They reminded him so much of the Alsedies, but these melefs, though they had the power, did not have the stealth. They did not need it. They have skill... Van thought as he brought up the sword to cut another melef down.


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Hitomi saw her chance. It would only last a few minutes, but she prayed to God it would be long enough for her to get the key. As she shouldered her bag, and readied herself for the sprint of a lifetime, she looked at where she saw the key... it was a statue to testimone the love of Goau and Varie Fanel. The first key of prosperity... thought Hitomi, as she saw the statue. With a look at Van and Escaflowne for reasurrance, Hitomi launched off and was running straight to the key.


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"Joalm, Venti, get the girl! The Keeper is going after the key and if she reaches it you two will be danger. Understand?" the cruel voice that came from the black melef said this cruelly. This made Van start in alarm. Hitomi...??

As per their orders, they dutifully went after the girl. Nothing would make them fail as soldiers. Absolutely nothing.


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"Hitomi!" Van yelled as he turned Escaflowne in horror to see Hitomi sprinting for her life towards... Van saw it in a flash. The key. She had to get the key. And he would let nothing harm her. I'm not about to lose her again, thought Van, not after being parted for so long. Slashing down the last melef fighting him - not the black one, Van pulled Escaflowne into the dragon-form and raced after the two melefs seeking Hitomi. If he could help it, Hitomi would not get hurt.


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Kirei was breathing heavy. And now only the black melef was left. The others had either already been deactivated or had fled. Smart of them, thought Kirei, they're not going to die today. He swung to meet the black melef. Somehow, though he knew it couldn't possibly be true, the voice that emanated from the melf seemed so familiar. So familiar...

"So we meet again Kirei," said the voice. "It's been 6 years...."

"Who are you?" yelled Kirei, "And how do you know me?"

The black guymelef drew its sword out. "You don't remember? It's too bad then,"

"What's too bad?" Kirei had too, brought the Ikari's sword out.

"That you don't remember. I was your best friend once upon a time...."

And it came to Kirei in a flash. "Rallin..."


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Dimly, Hitomi was aware that there were two guymelefs following her to destroy her, and that Van was following them. Also, that Kirei had started to fight the black guymelef, the leader, and that Kirei knew him. But Hitomi wasn't even going to start thinking about that. She didn't have the time.

Just a few more strides... thought Hitomi as she neared the key. Just a few more. She had just reached the key when a blast rocked the ground beneath her. The melefs had started firing. But she had to have faith. She believed in Van, and in their love, and knew that he would protect her.

And just as Hitomi grabbed the key, finally, the melef that was NOT fighting Van swung and tried to fire. But no one would know if they had succeeded because when the Keeper grabbed the key the whole world was suddenly engulfed in light.

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><; Wai, sorry this is sooo late. On the plus side: the remaining 29 chapters are finished, and then there is only the last one left I suppose... please review!! Here and on FFN if you please!