Point of No Return 3/8

[Nightheart]

Somewhere in a darkened cavern a small group of cloaked fugitive sorcerers hovered over a glowing diagram. Their lips were moving and a barely audible chant emerged from each of them rising through the dank cave air in an eerie harmony. Finally the leader said

?We may break the pattern now. The girl has given up for the moment.?

The rest of the rogue sorcerers immediately relaxed from their tense positions with various noises of relief.

?Whew!? one of the younger ones exclaimed wiping his sweat-soaked brow with a dirty cloth that might once have been a handkerchief in a happier life. ?I thought she?d never leave!?

?She?s certainly very persistent,? his fellow next to him noted calmly, taking a pull of water from a skin.

?Not to mention powerful,? the sorcerer on the other side of him grumbled. ?She almost made it through this time. It?s just a good thing King Van doesn?t seem to be very concerned about their loss of contact. I hate the thought of even trying to keep them separated when they?re both making an effort.?

?Yeah,? the second agreed coolly. ?No wonder they gave Emperor Dornkirk so much trouble.?

?Hey I?ve been thinking,? the youngest said with an air of puzzlement.

?There?s a first,? the third man, a hefty-built man with a large beard and a jocular air about him said. The younger man mimed a blow at him and continued

?How is it that the girl from the Mystic Moon is still able to receive her premonitions? Shouldn?t our work be blocking those too??

?No, not necessarily,? the leader of the group said as he chewed on some tough dried meat. ?Our work is able to block her connection to the Dragon, but her other powers remain intact. I should very much like the opportunity to study the girl someday to see how it is she is able to see into the future and manipulate the power of Atlantis so easily.?

?I don?t think that?s a very good idea boss,? the third man piped up. ?Who knows what other kinds of abilities she?s got lurking around inside of her just waiting to pop up in her time of need. Besides that we?d have to go all the way to the Mystic Moon to get her.?

The leader nodded, but remained unconvinced. The kind of power she wielded could very well give them the power of Atlantis itself! And with that? they could do amazing things. They wouldn?t have to bother granting everyone else?s wishes, just their own. Perhaps she was out of their reach now but he really wanted her power. He wanted to see what made her tick.

* * *

Hitomi stared down at her shaking hands trying to get a hold on her emotions. Right then she was distressed and overwrought; she needed a cool head and steady nerves if she was ever going to make any real progress. She was sealed off from Gaea; that much she could tell. There had to be another way around it though. She didn?t have an energist to transport her to Gaea and her own meager abilities were not enough to get her there, the best she had managed so far was to bend a spoon and her mother had not been pleased with that particular ability.

<Let?s think about this logically. Warning him via our connection is out so that only leaves saving him in person. Unfortunately that?s not much of a second option seeing as I?m in one world and he is in another,> she thought. Never had the distance between her world and his seemed so vast. <I?ll just have to think of a way to get back to Gaea without the use of an energist or a dragon. Earth has no dragons, and no energists. Maybe if I follow that train of thinking for a while I?ll turn up something useful. What else does Gaea have that Earth does not? Guymelefs, Draconians, Atlantis? Wait a minute. I think I might have something there! The island of Atlantis was once located here on Earth before it sunk into the sea or in actuality was transported to Gaea and renamed the Mystic Valley. But on Gaea we had to pass through a magic gate to get to the Mystic Valley, so perhaps Atlantis is not actually on Gaea but on another plane in between Earth and Gaea.>

She pondered that for a moment then snorted. All very nice in theory but how was it supposed to help her? Atlantis was probably just as out of reach as Gaea was.

<There have been tons of expeditions mounted to try to find the lost and legendary island of Atlantis and none of them have even so much as turned up a trace. Most people don?t even think it exists. There hasn?t been anything left behind for them to discover. If there was just a little clue like a pendant or even better an energist or a piece of that wish machine of theirs I?d at least have something, some link to the Mystic Valley?>

Her mind was turning around in circles.

<Heh, maybe I should just try wishing for a way to get to Gaea,> she thought gloomily as she tried without success to think of a solution.

Then she paused and gave the thought some actual serious consideration. Wishing? That might just actually be the answer. Sure she?d run into problems from making wishes before due to making them with an anxious heart but if she cleared her mind and concentrated all of her energy on one wish and wished with a clear heart, Atlantis might just hear her. Even without her pendant to focus her will with there was the chance that she could reach its power and get it to help her. Even if nothing happened it was worth a try.

<But right now I?m in no real state to try this experiment. I?m pretty tired from excersizing my powers as it is, any more and I?ll push myself over the edge and lose consciousness. That wouldn?t be a very good thing; I need to be fresh and ready to help Van if indeed this does work. Aside of that my emotions are running haywire. I?m so full of negative energy even I can feel it, despair, anguish, pain, sadness? that?s no condition to be addressing a great source of power. What if it started to resonate with all of the negative energy within me? I could start pulling out terrile events again and end up in worse trouble from when I started. If I?m lucky, nothing will change between now and a few hours. I?ll get some rest, drug myself so that my visions can?t bother me and start out hopefully fresh in the morning.>

Suiting thoughts to action, Hitomi showered herself off (she was still all sweaty from her intense psychic workout and the premonition she?d gotten). She nearly dropped the spongey loofa when she was hit with another vision but thankfully she didn?t pass out. Popped a few sleeping pills for a deep. Dreamless, impenetrable sleep and went to bed.

* * *

Van looked in dismay at the urgent scroll sent by messenger from one of his eastern provinces (one of the provinces unblessed by any real leadership). He had just gotten out of a meeting with the emissary from the Cesario Grain Exchange, a long drawn out meeting in which the emissary had expressed reluctance on the part f the Exchange to loan Van seed grain to be paid for in one year and a day. It wasn?t that the Exchange had anything against Van or Fanelia in specific, but Fanelia was just now barely managing to rebuild and Van was as yet young in his reighn. The Exchange wanted some kind of surety that they would be repaid in full. King Van didn?t say anything outloud in front of the emissary but he didn?t even know if his country had any readily spendable money available, he had no kind of royal accountant, and Van was still trying to get information together in the first place. He thought he might have some kind of scroll pertaining to that a little bit somewhere on the desk in his private office? he?d have to try and look for it later.

Inside the castle there was a wing devoted soley to housing the Royal Family. It held the kings suite, a nursery, private rooms for growing royal children, a woman?s solar or ?withdrawing room,? a private library, a reading room, a family room, a great room, and a few others that Van hadn?t inquired about. The Royal suite remained untouched and undecorated save for one of the medium sized sleeping chambers and the private office. Those were the only two rooms that Van had occupied for himself. He wasn?t really interested in decorating the rest and it was really bare looking, like a mansion that hadn?t been moved into yet. Merle had called it ?echoingly empty.? The two rooms he had moved into were ?lived in;? the servant maids who attended to them were always chucking their tongues and shaking their heads at Van?s messy bedroom. He had forbidden them to attempt to clean his private office saying he?d never be able to find anything. To be utterly honest he could never really find much of anything anyways with the constantly multiplying stacks of papers full of Other Peoples Problems and the scrolls that appeared there like magic, the haphazard clutter that filled every available surface. He had even resorted to stacking things on top of already stacked things in a very delicately balanced tower that virtually guaranteed that he?d never be able to find anything for fear that disturbing the balance would send everything crashing down around his ears.

He looked for a tiny open spot, just the barest place, where he could put the scroll without tipping anything over. There was a spot on top of a bowl holding sharpened quills stacked atop of a sealing-set stacked atop of three books about the Fanelian Land Dragon stacked on top of a haphazard mountain of sheets of paper. If he balanced it right he?d be able to keep the scroll there! He was a man who could adapt! As for dealing with the problem? well, he?d have to put it on his to-do list. If he could find his to-do list.

As of right then he had another meeting to go to; this one was about? actually he wasn?t quite certain. He vaguely recalled something about a small trade dispute with the Wandering Tribes (the Gaean equivalent to gypsies) he wasn?t certain why he would be having a trade dispute with them, Fanelia had always been hospitable to the Wandering Tribes. Maybe it wasn?t a dispute at all, it might have just been something they wanted to inquire about or some such. After a few minutes of puzzeled frowning in which he mentally reviewed his activities of the past week he at last struck upon what it might be. The Wandering Tribes were well known for their use of the Fanelian roads and likely wanted to discuss with Van when their next upkeep would be. Any other king could leave such a trifling detail as this to an understudy or something like one, but Van had no understudy so meet he would. He sighed for a moment. Things just seemed to keep snowballing on one another, he couldn?t solve one problem before a hundred more popped up to bite him in the ass. If he could have one wish come true that moment it would be for help, capable, knowledgeable, unbiased help. He shook his head and continued on to his meeting. Things could be worse, at least he wasn?t on the battlefield. If nothing else, there was peace (for the most part) on Gaea.

* * *

Hitomi awoke feeling a little muzzy-headed from the drugs but definitely well-rested for the first time in a good while. She had slept a sleep so deep that even the most determined of visions had not been able to penetrate the thick protection of the sleeping pills. Now, with a good stretch and a good meal and a good jog followed by a good shower she?d be refreshed and ready to tackle contacting the Atlantean Wish Machine. Hitomi wasn?t someone who tended to waste a lot of time once her mind was made up; her nature was more apt to simply decide upon a course then jump in and start getting things done. She had become organized, she?d had to in order to keep track of everything! She was taking six classes that last semester in order to get as much out of her scholarship as she possibly could, plus all of her various extracurricular activities? the Track was a given, but being on the Student Council and the Mediation Committee as well as the U.N. reproduction was hardly a requirement. In fact the various responsibilities tended to detract from the time she required for studying, but Hitomi persisted even though she also had a part-time job as a second secretary for business woman (who was actually an old school friend of her mother). She was happiest when she was being active, it made her feel useful. If there was one thing Hitomi didn?t like it was the feeling of being a burden to the ones she cared about, plus there was the added stimulus of wanting to prove herself. She somehow felt that she had to show herself and others just how very capable she could be on her own without the help of her weird powers. She felt the need also to keep busy in her work simply because Van was always so very busy and that if she weren?t just as busy as he she wouldn?t be worthy of his love. Despite everything Hitomi still didn?t have a whole lot of confidence in her own worth; it was easy for her to believe in other people, but when it came to trusting herself she?d never been certain if she could or not. Deep down she still thought of herself as the girl who pulled bad futures into place.

Breakfast at home was a delightful affair. Her mother made her favorite in celebration of the fact that she was home to spend time with her family. Even her father was there, he was usually so busy at the office he didn?t have the time to stay and eat with his family but it was the midwinter holiday and he was on break. Her little brother picked fights with her as usual, unfortunately for her he still knew exactly what buttons to push to revert her to acting like a little kid arguing with her younger brother over the remote or some such. Oddly enough it felt good. She enjoyed the comforting familiarity of it, almost like she?d never left home. Her father sat back and laughed just like always used to. For a moment, hitomi paused and realized again just exactly how lucky she was to have this perfect moment. She was surrounded by her family in her comfortable home and even though her friends were far away she still had this. She hoped nothing ever changed. It was on mornings like these, when the world around her felt so very immediate? so normal that Hitomi had the most trouble actually believing that she had once been transported to another world.

When she had returned from Gaea, her parents had made an extra effort to find the time out to do more things together as a family. Hitomi guessed that having to lose one of their children for a few months had made them realize just how precious those moments they could spend together really were. They had gone for trips into the countryside, and to spend the day together on the beaches down by the ocean, they had even taken a trip together once to see Tokyo Disneyland (she still had the mouse ears they had all gotten kind of as a gag). Her brother was still as much a brat as ever, but being separated from him had given Hitomi a new appreciation for him? despite how much they had argued all of the time she had really missed him when she?d been on Gaea. She?d missed all of her family when she had been thrust into a strange land, with a stranger situation and weird things happening around her and inside of her; she had missed their stability when everything was crazy. Hitomi had missed her parents the most, her mom with her calm and tranquil demeanor that never seemed to grow flustered or worried or fearful about anything (Hitomi in contrast, found that she worried about just about everything); her father with his easygoing manner and ready laconic smile. He was a very steady man, he had a steady job and provided well for his family; but beneath his steady businessman self, her father was a joker with a healthy sense of the absurd. He could find the humor in any situation. Hitomi wished she were more like them! They both never seemed to be upset by anything that life threw their way, they just smiled and had faith that things would get better but did what they could in the meantime.

She had treasured each moment that they had gotten to spend together, being separated from them a world away had made her family seem that much more important to her and now she was probably closer to them than she had been when she was a child.

It was times like this when she paused and thought: <Van was right! Van was right to send me home!> Earth was where she belonged. She belonged in this comfortable place with its familiar surroundings and the faces of the people she loved. While a part of her always ached to be with Van because she loved him too, she knew that he had been right to insist that she return to her family and her world. If she had stayed behind with Van, no matter how she loved him, he wouldn?t have been able to replace her precious family. It was her family that had been with her for all of her life, supported her, nurtured her, taught her, helped to make the person she was and Hitomi couldn?t imagine living her life without them. Van had been right to return her to her home where she belonged? still, she could not deny that her a feeling of anticipation spread through her at the thought of possibly seeing her beloved in person again, no matter how dire the circumstances. Even though she was happy where she was, she still missed him. Still, Earth was her home.

After breakfast Hitomi took her customary morning jog to get her juices flowing and to keep on shape for her track meets. Once home she grabbed a quick shower and settled down for a small cup of tea with her mother before she went to her room to ?study.? In actuality she was going to attempt to contact the power of Atlantis in order to get it to help her warn Van.

One in her room she set herself up to meditate, legs crossed, not slumped but not straight as a fire-poker either; tensed yet loose. She didn?t want to lock out the power by going into a full meditative state in which she concentrated only on nothing, she had a query to make, so she tried to empty herself of all of her thoughts, all of her worries, all of her nagging little doubts and fears and simply become the question that was waiting for its answer. When she had formed all of her being around the question ?I want to save Van, will you help me?? she focused her thought on the image of her pendant, on the idea of her pendant and sent it shooting out into the ether.

For moments all she could sense was the feeling of Zan, of the opposite of force, of absolute calm so complete and tranquil that it was like a force unto itself. For a brief instant she felt she understood at last what her father had talked about when he said that in softness there was hardness and in weakness there was strength. There was nothingness and everything all at once, there was potential and fulfillment. It was Power all around her, ebbing and flowing, moving and remaining still. This was the force that ran the world, this was the power that gave life and ended it with its passing.

Her very being asked the question and she felt the answer resounding through her, saturating her, filling her like water.

YES.

Instantly she snapped into her body and opened her eyes. Sitting on her bed next to her was a woman in long outlandish clothes, with wings. A very familiar woman.

?Lady Varie?? Hitomi asked, almost unable to believe her eyes. She knew this woman from a vision she had had when she touched one of Van?s feathers, and also from another time? It had been this Draconian woman who had informed her rather bluntly and point blank that Hitomi was responsible for all suffering on Gaea, that it was her fault and hers alone that everything bad had happened. Hitomi had carried that around with her, for years. It was a terrible burden of guilt to bear, but hers alone to bear it.

?Hello Hitomi,? The Draconian woman said calmly. She always had this air of calm about her, as if she were a great teacher with all of the truths of the universe to supply and the patience to teach it to even the most slow-witted of her students.

?What are you-? Hitomi broke off instantly centering her train of thought. ?Nevermind that. You?re the answer that the power of Atlantis sent??

?Yes,? she said simply.

?I guess I can understand that,? Hitomi said slowly tallying things up in her mind quickly. ?You are related to the person in question as well as being a descendant of Atlantis yourself. It was probably the most expedient route. Well, let?s get going then. You can just wave your arms or whatever and we can-?

?Matters are a great deal more complicated than that,? Varie interrupted her. This brought Hitomi up short.

?How do you mean?? she asked instantly feeling a chill.

?I can not send you to Atlantis as you so desire.?

What but I- I mean? You gave an Energist to Van that time, a green one. Energists are what make it possible to travel between worlds? right??

?Energists are but a smaller module created by a larger power,? Varie explained. ?They tap into and guide the power of Atlantis in order to transport you from this world to Gaea. The power of Atlantis is sealed away, slumbering and should remain so. I can get you to Gaea so that you can warn my son of his danger but it will come with a price.?

?Price?? she hesitated, then resolutely said ?I don?t care what the price is. It?s worth anything as long as he?s safe.?

?You may not be so eager when you hear what it is.?

Hitomi was getting just a tad bit annoyed with the Lady Varie and her endless stream of simple and vague answers. She should just try giving her the information all at once and save them both some time! Hitomi had a very well-trained memory. She already didn?t like the Lady Varie from her earlier encounter with her but she tried to keep her objections from coloring her opinion of the lady. After all to be fair to her, Van?s mother had been through a lot; loss of her husband and then of her eldest son, being reviled as a demon by many of the humans on Gaea. Hitomi respected the old Queen?s strength, even if she didn?t really like her. Telling a growing and still developing fifteen-year old girl that she was responsible for everything bad that had been happening when she was already very frightened from being separated and away from her family for the first time in her life and thrust into a strange and terrifying situation with wars and killings and visions she didn?t understand and couldn?t control was enough to give most young girls a real complex. Hitomi was lucky she was such an optimist underneath it all that she pulled through without any serious psychological scarring, careless words said at the wrong time could do a lot of damage.

<Yeah, like I?m so sure she had everything together at the age of fifteen,> Hitomi grumbled to herself internally. <I?d like to see her in my position at my same age and see how well she manages to adjust. Sheesh! A situation like that would have made anyone nervous let alone a fifteen year old torn away from her parents and plopped into the middle of a war zone! And it?s not like the damned pendant came with an instruction manual!> Hitomi calmed herself and swallowed around the lump in her throat. She had other concerns to deal with and getting her emotions all riled up over something she?d forced herself to get past a while ago wouldn?t help her in the least.

?Just tell me and I?ll decide whether or not it?s a risk I?m willing to take,? Hitomi said in what she thought was a markedly civil voice. Varie must have caught the undertone of some heavy emotions in her voice for she said

?Your anxieties and fears and other emotions will cloud your judgment. Do not act before bringing them under control.?

Hitomi almost snapped right then and there. She managed to hang on to her temper by the barest of threads. Van was known for being a bit of a hot-head and acting rashly without consulting the group, but truth be known Hitomi could have an explosive temper from time to time as well (as evidenced by her occasional tendency to slap the offenders when she blew up). Time and experience as well as her work on the mediation committee had taught her to reign in her tongue and temper in favor of preserving harmony. Ah, diplomacy. But right now was not the time for diplomacy, pulling a page from Van?s book it could be dispensed with in the need for action and expediency.

?Look, we?re short on time here Lady Varie,? Hitomi growled. ?Provided this works and I don?t get dumped into the Gaean Ocean or some obscure mountain range near the Mystic Valley, I?ve got one three days to make it to Fanelia in time to save Van. The sooner I get there the better, now will you cut the enigmatic cryptic crap and just give it to me straight??

The Lady Varie blinked once or twice, frowned (probably at being addressed in such a manner) and nodded once.

?The reason I said that you might be reluctant to undertake such a mission is that it would be a one way trip for you.?

?One-way? Can?t I just use an energist to come back home like I did before?? she asked in confusion. This was an unexpected complication.

?No. The link between you and your world will be blocked once you cross over this time. The power of Atlantis is and must remain sealed away. If you attempted to return home this time the delicate balance between worlds would be destroyed and it must be maintained. I am sorry Hitomi, but once you cross over the line you can never return to your home again.?

Hitomi froze up, caught by indecision. Never come home again? Never be with her friends on visits, never take that trip across Europe she, Amano and Yukari had all planned to make ?someday?? Never tease her younger brother or cheer him up when he was feeling sad or had just broken up with his crush? Never sit for cups of tea and quiet conversations in the serene and soothing presence of her mother in the early mornings around the breakfast table? Never be wrapped up in a hug by her father reminding her of when she?d felt little and safe in his arms as he swung her up and carried her? She?d have to leave her world forever, never to return? Leave the place that had been all she?d ever known for almost the entire nineteen-almost-twenty years of her life? And her family, what would they think? She?d be leaving them without even saying goodbye! They?d be devastated! Crushed! She didn?t want to hurt them, she loved them.

But Van needed her. If she didn?t go, Van would die! It came down to this? Could she find the strength in her to leave behind everything she knew that was comforting and precious to her or did she cower here like a frightened rabbit afraid to leave its comfy burrow and let her beloved die?

She already had her answer. Her expression hardened with resolve.

?I?ll go,? Hitomi said resolutely. ?I can?t stay here no matter how much I love my family and my world knowing that Van will pay for my cowardice with his life. I can?t just let him die. No matter what happens afterward that?s one thing I just can?t allow.?

?Are you certain? This is the point of no return young woman. After this there is no going back again.?

?Weren?t you even listening to me woman?!? Hitomi snapped. Part f it was annoyance at Varie herself but most of it was Hitomi?s own fear for her future and sadness, pain, and anguish at having to leave behind a family that had loved and comforted her for all of her life. Tears formed behind her eyes and she refused to let them fall.

?Let me just write out a note to my family and friends so they don?t worry that I was kidnapped or that something bad happened to me?? She paused, trying to remain calm and collected so that she could do what needed to be done. ?And I?ll want to pack a few things to take with me to my new life; not much ?cause I?ll need to travel light but I?ll want to take the things most precious to me.?

Varie nodded but Hitomi wasn?t really paying attention to her. She was really more thinking out loud. She pulled out her best stationary and her favorite pen and paused to think about what she wanted to say.

To my dear friends and even dearer family, she began. I know this comes as somewhat of a surprise to most of you, my sudden disappearance, but please believe me when I say I?m not doing this because of any of you. I love you all very much and it pains me to have to leave you so suddenly and without the chance to say goodbye but this is what must be. There is something very urgent that I must do and a person?s life depends on me reaching him in time. The place where I go to I cannot return from so this is my final goodbye to you all. I love you all so very much, and you will be in my heart and thoughts always. All my love, Hitomi Kanzaki.

There were tears flowing from her eyes as she finished her good bye to her family and friends. She didn?t really want to leave her home, her family, her friends, her world and her entire life behind forever? but she had to.

She determinedly dashed the tears from her eyes and stood up. She couldn?t afford to even give her mother a good bye hug and kiss, Hitomi wasn?t sure she could find the strength to leave her family if she actually had to say good bye to them. She had to get moving immediately and she didn?t want to risk her mother catching on to anything. Taking out the duffle bag she?d gotten for her college track meets she emptied it of the various useless articles she kept in it and began to debate what she should take with her.

She looked around her room wishing she could take the whole thing with her. The photo album was a definite; pictures of her as a baby and young girl with her family on trips and at the beach were reminders of memories too precious to leave behind. The book didn?t take up much room and there was still plenty of space left, not as much as she knew she would want though. It was joined by the framed picture of Yukari, Amano and her taken in high school and the other one of the three of them at graduation. Tarot cards? Well, she hadn?t ever touched them again but they had been a gift from her grandmother and she was rather attached to them; so those too went in the bag. Her laquered wood and jade trinket box, and heirloom from her mother was stuffed full of her most valuble jewelry, wrapped up in one of Hitomi?s favorite shirts (so that it would get no scratches) and added to the pile. She put the soap and deodorant back in the bag as well, one never knew on Gaea, it was joined by a compact case of cosmetics in case she felt like looking impressive some time. Her diary joined the pile of course, followed by her two favorite books, plus a book of fairy tales that her father had read to her when she was little that she?d always treasured. The dolly that her mother had made by hand for her when she was a child, well worn and much loved. Also her teddy bear with its matted fur, messy stitch along one shoulder where she?d torn the arm off and her mother had taught her how to sew it back on, and re-sewn button eyes was another must. She?d need all the comfort that a familiar old huggy could give her in her new home. She wished she could take the fine quilt that her great-grandmother had sewn by hand but there was no way she?d be able to fit it into the bag. Her stereo and cd?s she?d have to leave behind too, they didn?t have electricity on Gaea so it wouldn?t do any good to bring it. Same went for her tiny portable tv and DVD player. They really weren?t all that important anyway. The least breakable of her knickknacks could also come with her, the carved jade dragon that had made her think of Van when she?d taken a small trip to Kyoto, plus a cute little cat waving with one paw that was supposed to bring good luck. There was a precious cube of solid crystal that her mother had given to her that had a tiny three dimensional castle carved of little dots inside of it but the rest of the outside was entirely unscathed. Each was wrapped in another of her favorite shirts to protect it and shoved tightly into the bag. The friendship bracelet Yukari had given her that matched the one she had given Yukari went on her wrist along with her watch.

She examined the contents of her closet, debating what to take with her by way of clothing. Clothes weren?t all that important but she had the things she felt most important to her already packed and she wanted to add something soft to take the shock just incase the duffle was dropped. Besides? the people of Gaea were expecting the girl from the Mystic Moon to be dressed strangely, and she?d rather walk around in clothing that she could feel more like herself in. The first thing she packed however was plenty of panties. That had been her largest problem on Gaea; the people there had the most ridiculous notions of what underwear was supposed to be. When she?d asked for underthings in Asturia, the maids had given her some long fluffy things that looked almost exactly like the outfit espoused by Amanda Bloomer in the early nineteenth century over in the West! And when she?d asked for a brassiere, they?d given her a? corset; so all of her bras were placed in the bag right next to the underwear. She would probably have one or two formal occasions to go to eventually, so she would want a dress; she had only one really nice dress and she?d only dared to wear it once. It was two layers of pure silk, the outer layer, a heavy Shang?tung silk was black with red blossoms and branches brocaded all over it, catching the light and shining in that way that only real silk could. It was form-fitting and sewn in Chinese lines, with a traditional mandarin collar, slits up the side, and frog-and-toggle front closure. It folded up to the size of a small shirt and it went into her bag followed by the matching silk slippers. She could also likely expect a few less formal events where a formal dress would be inappropriate but she would still want to look nice. It was a good thing she was a secretary, the two dressy business suits she owned would fit that category nicely. They were mix and match with a choice of knee-length skirt, dressy tailored pants, long-sleeved over-jacket, vest, blazer, two coordinating silk or satin blouses, and matching pumps. They and their accessories were folded and placed in the bag. Finally she would definitely want to pack casual clothes and something to sleep in so her favorite sleeping clothes were thrown in after them, followed by her favorite rough clothes which she carelessly tucked into nooks and crannies around her beloved possessions. Lastly, she picked out a sweats outfit for travel, the weather was likely fine now but it could get cooler later on and jeans did little to insulate against the cold. A spare hoody was tied around her waist as she stuffed the sweats into her bag and zipped it up.

She spied her school briefcase-bag. Should she take it? Well why not, it might be handy to have something that was larger than a purse but smaller than her duffle on hand besides, her satchel was a bit like an old friend. What about her school books? They didn?t really seem all that necessary plus some of them were really heavy and would likely slow her down. She paused, one or two of them, the economics book or the mediation text or the volumes about organizing her notes and subjects might come in handy if she decided to pursue her education there on Gaea? hadn?t Millerna been studying to become a doctor? Well, why not, if nothing else they?d be there for her own edification. The horrid math text could remain behind however and she wouldn?t be sorry as could the English and Japanese texts (what possible use could the information in them be to anyone on Gaea?) the science textbook should come with her too, if it wasn?t too heavy. It was joined by a blank book for notes (one could never have too much empty paper), two packets of pens and a handful of pencils. Her organizer? Oh definitely! It was a fine leather organizer with built-in calculator, schedule organizer replaceable pages for notes, calandar and all the works; absolutely irreplaceable in her schoolwork perhaps she?d find a use for it. If nothing else there was sentimental value.

Hitomi reluctantly rounded off the last of her packing, neat and orderly. There was still a lot she wanted to bring with her but the stuff she?d packed were the items she considered the most meaningful and the most useful. She pulled on her jacket (a gift from her father) and hefted her duffle to her shoulder. It wasn?t too bad? it?d likely get heavier the farther she had to carry it but she was accustomed to carrying a bag full of heavy books all around campus so she?d be able to hack it. She slung the strap of her satchel across her chest from the opposite shoulder and turned to Varie.

?Let?s go. I?m as ready as I?ll ever be,? Hitomi said, trying to keep from crying. And she?d thought it had been bad when she?d first left for college!

?Are you s-?

?Stop asking me that, this is hard enough as it is,? Hitomi said painfully. ?It doesn?t matter whether I?m sure or not, I?m going and that?s that. This is your son?s life I?m trying to save, obviously you can?t warn him so that leaves me. Now let?s get going we?re wasting time.?

?Hitomi?? Varie said softly.

?Well?? was all she said, obviously still trying to hold back her tears.

?I warn you that the places where I can access Gaea from here are limited. I won?t be able to get you to the capitol city directly, in fact with the way the energy patterns are flowing I won?t even be able to get you relatively close.?

?How close can you get me?? Hitomi asked nervously.

Varie paused, eyes closed in concentration, then turned to her and said.

?Four and a half days, by horseback.?

Hitomi?s eyes widened.

?I may be hot stuff when it comes to track but there?s no way I can hold out running that long. That?s a whole day and a half that I don?t have. There?s got to be?? she tapped her lip, her brow furrowed in concentration. She needed light, fast transportation, portable transportation.

?I got it, I?ll just bring my bicycle with me,? she said brightly, then winced. If they thought she looked odd before? Well, no matter; it took care of the transportation problem.

Van?s mother looked over at her in puzzlement. Apparently she didn?t know what a bike was. Who could blame her? Hitomi motioned her to follow and led her quietly from her bedroom down the hall and to the small family storage unit. They had gone on biking trips through the countryside as a family a couple of times, and for picnics in the park, Hitomi considered it a good outdoors activity, and she used her bicycle to get around on campus when she needed to get from one end to the other and didn?t want to run all the way. She unlocked her bike, put the repair kit, spare tube and tire, lock and chain, and pump in her travel bag then pulled up what must look like the oddest contraption Varie had ever seen to the doorway.

?This won?t interfere will it?? Hitomi asked worriedly. ?I think this is the only way I?ll ba able to make it in time.?

Still, it looked so dumb. She was going to rescue someone using her bicycle? It sounded vaguely childish? more like anticlimactic. And terribly trite.

<Anything that works,> she reminded herself. Still, she had the vague feeling that if this were a movie someone would be snickering and saying ?how lame!?

Varie rose to her feet and walked over to the closet doorway putting one hand to her chest and reaching out between the eaves. She was surrounded by a pink glow for a moment then the space between the door seemed to warp and twist then unfold with brilliant colors like the Northern Lights she?d seen pictures of that hung in the air in radiant colors of shifting ephemeral fire. Finally, where tools and houseplants in baskets usually hung there now played the mountainous landscape of Gaea.

?Gee, so that?s where I put that world,? Hitomi joked feebly. ?I knew I?d left it lying around here somewhere.? Varie smiled and said

?This place was as close as I could get you. It?s still roughly four days by horse back allowing for time to sleep and rest so I don?t know if you?ll be able to make it in time but at least you have a chance. Dragons protect you child.?

?Thanks,? Hitomi said awkwardly. ?Say, is there anything you want me to tell Van for you when I see him??

?Send him my love and tell him that everyone dear to him is well and happy, but not to be in a hurry to see us.?

?I?ll make sure of it,? Hitomi said leaving in doubt whether she meant that she?d make sure Van got the message or whether she meant to make sure that Van was not eager to find his dead relatives. With that she stepped across the portal and into another world.

* * *

End chapter three.

Disclaimer: I don?t own.

Authors note: This chapter didn?t give me as much trouble although I wanted to make Van?s parts a little longer but it?s easier to write Hitomi because in the series we mostly get her point of view because lets face it, it?s her show. And this is mostly her story. Instead of going with the usual pillar of light thing I wanted to try something a bit different, I recalled that in the first episode that the dragon that appeared right after Van did, didn?t use a pillar of light. Instead you could see that it crossed over through some kind of gate with rainbow shiny edges like the northern lights. So I thought since van?s mother Varie was a draconian and could make her own energist she might be able to create a gate like the dragon used in the first episode. I also ended up going back and rewriting it later to add in the bike because as I thought about it there?s no way a person could run on foot for three days straight carrying a heavy pack and still expect to make it in the same time as a horseback rider in four days. It wasn?t logical, so I decided she needed a horse of her own.

[Lara Winner]

Poor Hitomi... things just keep gettting worse and worse.

[athena]

Hahaha...rescuing Van on a bike? I love it!

Excellent work, as usual. I loved this chapter. Poor Poor Hitomi.