Disclaimer: I don?t own Vision Of Escaflowne?. If I did?I wouldn?t be writing about everyone like this?
Dedication: To all the Escaflowne fans; considering there doesn?t seem to be many, and to the people earlier mentioned.
Always And Forever
By: Lynzi Knight
Rating: NC-17
Part I: A love never known
??it hurts when I think of having to say goodbye to you?? ? Yuna [FFX]
?Hitomi? Hitomi! Helloooo? Can you even hear me? Earth to Hitomi? Dammnit, Kanzaki! Wake up!? Yukari Uchida yelled, her eyes flashing with anger.
Sea-green eyes flew open immediately. Hitomi Kanzaki stared at her best friend, who had her face nearly pressed to hers. ?I?m so sorry, Yukari! I must?ve dozed off again,? she muttered softly, embarrassed.
Yukari flashed her friend a grin and shook her head. ?It?s all right. Have you been sleeping all right lately, or something, Hitomi? Remember, the final exams are in about three weeks.?
Hitomi?s left brow shot up in question. ?You have got to be kidding! They can?t be!? Oh, no.
?I?m dead serious, Hitomi! Would I ever lie to you?? Yukari narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms under her breasts.
Hitomi shook her head. Her long, sandy-brown hair fell in front of her eyes. She frowned in exasperation, tucking the long strands behind her ears. ?No. I?m sorry. Where?s Amano? You loose him yet??
Yukari?s nostrils flared to life, and her thin-lipped mouth set itself into a big scowl. ?No! Why would I? I have no clue as to where he could be. But he did say that he was going to meet us down in the lunchroom. Why are you so curious to find him?? She winked and grinned suddenly.
Hitomi ignored her friends? last remark and nodded absently. ?I see. Don?t you think we should make our way there now? You know how full it gets at lunchtime.?
Yukari?s jaw fell to the top of the desk. Her hazel eyes went wide in surprise. ?Hitomi! We can?t just waltz out of the middle of Geography to go and see him?Mrs. Sao would kill us! Besides, our education is a little bit more important then love. We have our whole lives to go out and look for love.?
Hitomi stared off into a whole different world, nodding carelessly to her friend. She was not a person to just shut out her friends like this. What was wrong with her? Maybe love isn?t all that important to you. Maybe it?s because you never really experienced it for yourself, Yukari. Oh?those reddish-brown eyes, that black hair. When I last saw you?I never tasted lips so tender and gentle as yours. Do you even miss me? Do you or the others even remember that I exist? I want to go back. The pendant refuses though?says it isn?t the right time?
?Hitomi? Hitomi! See, you?re right back at it again, ignoring me as usual!? Yukari?s persistent voice was what snapped her right back into the real world again, the world she lived in now, not the world she wished she lived in.
Hitomi blinked, suddenly, looking up at her friend slightly startled. She grinned unexpectedly. ?I?d never ignore you, Yukari! We?ve been friends since kindergarten. Look at where we are today?we?ll be graduating this summer?together. Isn?t that what you?ve always wanted?? She giggled. ?How much more time till we get out of this class? I?m suddenly starving. Are you hungry??
That was always what confused her about her friend. Her abrupt mood swings. Yukari grinned along to her friends? big grin and began to play with the 24-karat gold ring on her lef index finger. ?Yes, Hitomi. I?ve always wanted to have a friend who I?ll be with forever. Let?s see??she shot a glance at the clock over the door in the class??there?s about five more minutes left till we get out of here.?
Hitomi?s grin slowly slid into a small smile. She threw her arms around her friend?s neck and hugged her hard. ?No matter what happens, we?ll always be together. Right? Have the shoulders to cry on, to lean on when the times get rough?.?
Yukari hugged her friend back hard, smiling sadly. ?Yes, I?ll be there for you, always, whenever you need me. You should know that by now, Hitomi.? Her words were soft.
?Yes, I know. And I?ll always be there for you. When you need me, just call and I?ll be there.?
They pulled away from each other smiling. Hitomi ran her fingers along the small pink pendant hanging snuggled around her slender neck. Memories suddenly filled her mind and her face grew sad. Yukari watched her and shook her head smiling. She turned back to her desk to put away her stuff and new work that the entire class had been assigned for the weekend. Hitomi slowly lowered her head and stared down at her closed binder and the textbooks beside it. His face floated into her mind and she cursed her pendant for holding her back.
The lunch bell rang suddenly, and his face vanished, leaving behind a painful feeling of loneliness. Yukari tapped her shoulder and gestured for the door with a thumb over her shoulder. Hitomi nodded slowly, gathered her things and began to head to the door.
***
He turned his head to the side and stared out through the small rectangular shaped window of the small carriage. He had always hated carriages. There just was no point to them. Hmm. Trees and many various objects flew past the window quickly, leaving only behind a discolored streak of air. The reason he hated the carriages so much, was because they were like chicken coops. Only they were attached with wheels and drove everywhere you wished.
Carriages just didn?t suit his style, they only cramped it. Badly. Allen Crusade Schezar felt his nerves jump out of his body as a small and gentle hand grasped his arm. He turned his head away from the window and looked into his little sister?s delicate and fair looking face.
So much like Hitomi, he thought, watching her dark blue eyes search his face.
?Allen, are you all right? You seem?distracted all of a sudden by something.? Her light brows knitted together. ?Why are we going to see Van anyways?? Celena Schezar asked idly.
Allen unfolded his arms from his chest and stretched as far as he could within the tight space. ?Celena, you mustn?t worry about me. I?m not distracted, just thinking about some stuff that had been earlier discussed within the Ambassador?s fort.? He reached over and took his sister?s hand in his large one.
Celena slanted her head at him. ?Is it because you?re one of the noble knights of Asturia? Is that why?? She had that tone in her voice, the tone that was accusing, the tone that had Allen recoiling inside.
The tired Caeli Knight sighed heavily. ?Please. Don?t be like that! I didn?t mean it that way earlier this morning. I?m sorry if I seemed, and still am, distracted. You can blame it on the sleep I?ve been missing out on for the past three years. It was ever??
?Ever since that girl from the Mystic Moon had disappeared,? Celena cut him off, finishing his sentence for him. She nodded, then added, ?I know all about it, dear brother. You have no need to worry about it.?
?Hm. Thank you, Celena.? He gave her hand a soft squeeze. ?The reason we?re going to see Van, is because I have a few important questions to ask him. Also there are some rather?significant matters for us to attend to, down in Fanelia.?
?I understand, Allen. If I might ask, are these questions that you must ask him, are they about that bright light you saw the other night?? Her eyes held a deep, distant, disturbing gleam. Allen tried to suppress a shudder. Ever since he had learned about his sister being Dilandau Albatou?s counterpart, he had been trying to not replace his sister?s face with the sinister one of the well-known pyro.
?You saw that?? He tried to hide the tremor in his voice. ?How? Your room is on the other side of the fortress!?
Celena stared at him. Could she tell that she slightly frightened him? Could she tell that she made him uncomfortable? ?I know, Allen. I was just out in the garden, looking at the stars. That?s when I had seen it.? She frowned lightly. ?Is something wrong, brother??
Allen blinked absently. Then shook his head quickly to try and cover up the slightly shocked expression. ?No. No, I?m fine. Remember? The 'not-enough-sleep' issue?? He tried to laugh away the tension that had begun to build within the carriage. ?But, you know you?re not allowed to go out into the garden without either Theo, Gaddes, or me. Just what the hell were you thinking, Celena??
The young woman lowered her head in shame. Her shoulder-length silver hair fell, curtaining her face from view. ?I know. I?m sorry, Allen,? her words came out on a soft breath of air. ?It?s just that you guys never let me go out. I never get to see the stars or do anything else!? She lifted her head, her eyes flashing with anger. For a moment, Allen could?ve sworn he had seen the same bloodthirsty look that Dilandau had always carried within his own crimson eyes.
It scared him?just a bit.
?But, it?s always with someone, isn?t it, Allen?? she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Allen?s dark blue eyes went soft. Sure he had the right to think that she could turn back into Dilandau anytime soon, but she was his sister, she was a part of him?she was the only family he had left. He reached over, just as her head lowered again and her shoulders began to tremble in time with her silent weeping, and lifted her chin up with two fingers.
Looking deep into her eyes, he smiled a gentle smile. ?Celena?I lost you once. Father disappeared, and then Mother died. I don?t want to have to loose you a second time, not when I?ve finally found you. You?re the only one left that I can actually call family.?
Celena closed her eyes, swallowing thickly. She tried to push back the pains of the past. ?Oh, Allen.? The warm, wet tears were salty as they slid down her cheeks in silence. ?I?m so sorry?I didn?t mean to do anything wrong.?
He continued to smile down at her. ?You didn?t do anything wrong. You have no need to worry?it?s me who should be worrying.? He bent down to kiss her tears away. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close, letting her cry into his shoulder.
***
At the age of eighteen, Van Slanzar de Fanel sighed unconscientiously. He stood on the balcony that led from his bedroom. He watched with shy, curious, intense reddish-brown eyes as birds flew by. The grass below in the courtyard, and out in the prairies swayed lightly in the warm breeze, swaying to the soft whisper of a song.
The noblewomen within the courtyard waved up at him. It seemed that all the women in Gaia were now after him since he was a single man, a single rich man. He had to snort in disgust. He closed his eyes and spread his arms out at his sides. The warm breeze teased his black hair, and tugged at his loose red shirt.
It felt like?.
His eyes snapped open. Van turned his head to the side and he spotted his feline friend slowly approaching. ?Hello, Merle!? He watched her, watched how she was being cautious around him. ?What brings you here? Is something wrong??
Merle grinned, all her pointed teeth looking white and dangerous. She continued to approach him, feeling the warm breeze ruffle her long pink hair. Her orange tail and pointed ears twitched lightly as the cry of the birds in the weeping willow assaulted her ears.
?I don?t know. I guess I came here to talk, or something.? She shrugged nonchalantly. ?But since you?re leaving, and stuff, it looks like I?m stuck talking to myself, or maybe just the birds.?
Van felt the corners of his lips curve upwards. He held his muscular arms out, and Merle squealed her delight. She ran straight to him, throwing her slim arms around his neck. She licked his cheek softly, smiling inwardly at the slight grimace she brought to his handsome face.
?So, what did you want to talk about, Merle? Is there something on your mind, which you feel that you need to share with me?? His words were gentle and compassionate.
The young cat-girl sighed loudly. She slowly began to pull away from him, withdrawing her arms from his neck, her body from the warmth of his. She turned away from him and faced the sunset in the west of the castle. She inhaled deeply and said gently, ?Van, I?m worried about you?We all are! Why do you seem so distracted these days??
She whirled around to face him, her blue eyes wide with worry. ?You have bags the side of Asturia under your eyes. You?re dragging your ass around the courtyard, and the castle. Even after your meetings with King Aston!
?You never seem to talk to anyone anymore, it?s like you have no one to?confirm?things with, Van.? She paused and took a breath. From where she stood, she watched his face for a reaction.
She got none.
She normally got nothing from him anymore.
Not since three years ago?.
The young King lowered his head, leaning against the railing. ?Merle, why are you so worried? You have no need to worry about me. You should just worry about yourself,? he mumbled.
Merle lifted an eyebrow. ?Because I?m basically your sister!? she said, trying not to yell it out really loud. ?For Draconian?s sake, Van! Am I not allowed to worry about you? Would you not like me to worry about you.?
Van shot a sidelong glance over at Merle as she walked over to the railing to stand beside him. He chuckled, bringing her eyes upon his face. ?All right. I understand what you mean, Merle. I?m fine. I just haven?t been able to sleep.?
He brought his eyes forward, staring out at the sun. ?Ever since Hitomi disappeared in the light. Merle?that was three years ago! Look at where we are now.? He closed his eyes for a moment. ?I still can?t forget the expression on her face when she reached her hand out to me. It was like she was saying ?take my hard; come with me to my world. It?ll be all right. I?ll be there?always and forever.?
?But the funny thing, Merle, was I yelled out to her. I had yelled that I didn?t want to go with her.? He shook his head in resigned silence. ?Her face was like a book?I was the reader.?
Merle bit her lower lip. She knew this was a hard moment for him?it had always been for the past three years. She sighed and said, ?I know, Van. I know it hurts. And how much it hurts. I miss her too. D? you think she misses us, too, or even remembers us??
Van shook his head again, frowning deeply. ?Of course she does! Why wouldn?t she?? He shook his head again. ?I never got to tell her?.?
Merle glanced out at him from the corner of her eye. She pitied the young man. Here he was, falling to pieces again in front of her. She nodded, more to herself then to assure him. ?I was so mean to her. I didn?t mean to be though?it?s just that I was?young at the time.?
?I know exactly how you feel,? he murmured, a smirk touching his lips.
Merle smiled faintly. ?It?she was like the sister I never had. There was something about her?and her ways.?
She was no one I had ever met in my life, like no other girl I?ve ever known, Van thought, knitting his dark browns together in thought. Everything about her was?different.
The cat-girl sighed lightly, hoping to get his attention as she had spotted the dazed look in his eyes. It was like he was off in some little world of his own. ?Lord Van, the reason I came up here was to announce that Allen and Celena Schezar have arrived.?
The distracted King blinked a few times to wipe away the image that was before his eyes. He turned his head and smiled at her. ?All right, I guess we should go and greet them then. Merle? When was the last time we saw them??
Merle began to count her clawed fingers, a frown twisting her face. ?I think we saw ?mister I-am-chivalrous? about?God, two years ago.?
Van shook his head, smiling. Then he threw it back, letting out a loud hoot of laughter. ?All right, I guess we should stop dawdling then.?
Merle stared up at him. She was surprised at the content look that lit his brown eyes. She was happy for him that he felt slightly happier then he had in the last three years. It was about time he started to look happy and not carry that moody expression. Linking an arm through his, she walked with him to the front hall to meet their guests? arm in arm. What a day this was going to be?.
To Be Continued?
Always And Forever [Part I: A love never known]
Moderators: angelic1090, blackrose
-
Leia Avenrose
- Mistress of the Angst gods
- Posts: 519
- Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2002 5:00 pm
- Location: Photoshop CS2
- Contact:
-
Jannbond
- Pilot Candidate||Goddess in Training
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 6:00 pm
- Location: Washington
I'm also one of those lone fans of Escaflowne! It was one of the first full series I got to see all in one go, as my friend sent it to me. Not only was it beautiful, (like this fic I might add) but the ending made me cry. ^_^;
I see you have another chapter of this, which I shall be reading. You'd better keep writing this! You write well, and I can feel the sadness of the characters through your writing. Very enjoyable. ^^
~Jen
I see you have another chapter of this, which I shall be reading. You'd better keep writing this! You write well, and I can feel the sadness of the characters through your writing. Very enjoyable. ^^
~Jen