Escaflowne 2
Hitomi's Return
PrologueShe walked up to the starting blocks; she wished upon her good luck pendent and tucked it inside her shirt where it would not get in the way. She got in position and focused all her energy on reaching the finish line 100m away. She waited for the coach's signal, BANG, she was off. She started to get ahead of the other girls, then it happened, she saw the vision of the strange boy from a distant world called Gaea.
She couldn't stop.
Soshe ran right through him. Then she was spirited away to the strange land where the earth and moon hang in the sky, a land in the middle of a war.
The air felt hot, andshe opened her eyes and saw everything was on fire, the strange boy was with her; he was fighting in a white guymelef: Escaflowne.
Then suddenly the ground disappeared and she started to fall, a winged man with short dark hair saved her, but she could not see his face but he felt very familiar like she knew him very well...
Hitomi Kanzaki then woke up in a cold sweat, her shoulder length hair clung to her in ropes; she sat up and looked around her room in the apartment that she shared with her friend Yukari, and sighed, "It was jut a dream... this time..." In her room there were several trophies and metals for the 100m dash. There were also a couple of certificates saying that she was a swords master, and there are a few pictures of her and some of her friends B.A.S.E. jumping off some of the near-by cliffs.
She went to the bathroom to wash the sweat off her face. She was in a Tommy tank top and flannel p.j. bottoms.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her shoulder length hair now completely wet from the water. "It was just a dream. You left Gaea and Vanten years agothe connectionwas gone six years ago,and you don't need to start dreaming about that stuff again. He's moved on."
Then she went back to bed and dreamed no more dreams.
Chapter 1: StrangersIt started out like another ordinary early summer day. Hitomi Kanzaki had just finished teaching her class for the year and was heading home, alone, when a white feather just fell out of the sky.
"Van?" she looked around but didn't see where the feather had come from. She surged it off and entered her apartment. She called into the apartment "Hey, I'm back!"
"Hi, Hitomi! When are you leaving to go on thathiking trip of yours again?" Yukari asked.
"I'm planning to leave tonight, since classes have ended." Replied Hitomi. She took off her shoes, and walked through the apartment. She was been busy in the past ten years, more certificates decoratedthe walls saying that Hitomiwas a master swordsman and hersword sat atop the mantel, there are even more certificates ribbions forthe 100m dash.
" I can't understand why you always have to be doing something, Hitomi, either you're teaching your gym classes or practicing your sword techniques or going on trips,and when you do have a moment to yourself your looking off into space."
"You know better than anyone else that I have to keep busy." She plopped down on the couch, and turned the TV -There wasa story of a bank robbery on the other side of town.
" Ya, but you were never like that until you gave up fortune telling...Hitomi!" she sighed "Your lucky I don't have time for this. I have to get ready for my date."
"Who is it this week?" teased Hitomi glad to be getting away form that subject.
"I beg your pardon. I do not have a new boyfriend every week!"
"Well, every time I turn around you have a new boyfriend."
"No i don't and you know it!"
"That's what you said about all of them."
"Hitomi!"
"So who's the lucky one?"
"It's Amano"
"Oh, he's back?" she grinned, though she knew perfictly well that they had been going steady since high school.
"Ya, so can I use your make up? Please?"
" What's wrong with yours?"
An embarrassed Yukari replied " I've used it all up."
"Already? Fine. Its not like I need it on a hiking trip."
"Thank you so much, Hitomi you're a life saver!" Yukari ran to Hitomi's room after giving her friend a hug, and Hitomi checked to make sure that all her things that she'll need were packed, she then decided to have a nap on the couch before she left, during which Yukari left for her date.
"Is this her?" asked a one of the four dark figures emerging from the evening shadows of the kitchen.
"Yes,she recognized one of King Van's feathers" said the leader of the group
"Do you think that she'll come with us?" asked another
"We'll just have to see.but remember we need her too!" CLANG "damnit!"
At the sound of pots falling to the floor Hitomiwoke up " Yukari is that you?" she lookedin the kitchen from her spot on the couch and saw four strange figures coming toward her. In one fluid motion she jumped off the couch and drew her sword.
" WE COME IN PEACE, Hitomi Kanzaki!" called one of the figures, the obvious leader.she then steped into the light, reviling that she was half-eagle half-human and unarmed.
Startled that is strange being knew her name, she lowered her sword. The other three figures stepped into the light -all appeared unarmed-one appeared to be half-man half-bear, another was a half-black panther half-man, and the last was a half-cheetah half-man, and appeared to be the youngest. The three men bow in the traditional Gaeain gustier of welcoming royalty. Hitomi taken back asked," You're from Gaea?"
" Yes, and we're quite close friends of King Van."
"Van? He sent you?" she lowered the sword even more,
"Not exactly," said the woman, " may we sit down so we can tell you?" Hitomi nodded her head and her visitors sat down." I am Sora, and I am thehead Generalof Fanelia's four new Samurai Masters. These are the other members, Balu -the half bear-, Konn -the half panther-, and Cheatourus -the half cheetah-."each bowed their head when their name was called, Hitomi sitting on the smaller couch across from them -with the sword on her lap.
"But if your Van's guards and you're all here, who's protecting him now?"
"Well, since he has shown that he can hold his own in battle during war times, we are used more as a personal training squad and advisers then anything else." Sorasaid, " Our main job is keeping Lord Van on his toes in these peace times."hitomi looked at the others' faces and only Cheatourus couldn't surpress a smug look.
"And how exactly do you 'keep him on his toes'?"
"Balu has taken up his swords training. I remind him to always keep his gaurd up. Konnhelps him with taticle manuversand Cheatourus sets off the booby-traps that we had made when the castle was rebuilt." They all grined at her, like they wern't telling her the hole truth. Hitomi stared at them open-mouthed and asked,
"So basically you prank him whenever you feel like it?" they all nod their head with big grins, "so what do you want with me?" Sora completely serious said,
"Well, there have been roamers going around Gaea that the Old Zaibach Empire is trying to raise again."
"Zaibach?"
"Yes. And we were hoping to interrupt the Counsel meeting with a Zaibach soldier, but of course there's one small problem. It's quite hard to capture a Zaibach soldier when they only exist in roamers." Cheatourus looked at Hitomi with pleading eyes.
"So you want me to go back to Gaea and dress up like one of the Zaibach soldiers, just so that you can play a prank? "
"Yes. As long as its not a trouble to you." Said Konn.
"But I'm trying to forget about everything that happened on Gaea!"
"And we can see that you've done a great job of that." stated Cheatourus, who then got a big whack on the head by Balu,
"We don't need you to blow things before we even get a chance to convince her to come!" muttered Konn.
"Don't mind Cheatourus, he's still learning, but to answer your question, yes, we were hoping that you would join us in a little, harmless, prank. And over the past years we have found the ratio of Gaea's time compared to 'Earth's' and we could get you back home, say... at the end of your 'hiking trip'? "
"I don't know... I guess it would be nice to see everyone again." She smiled at the strange group before her, "i've been wondering what have they all have been up to?"
"i'm sorry to rushyou for the answer but,the window that will allow us enough time to get ready for the meeting is closing soon, and seeing that you're all packed, we should get going." They all rose and headed for the door.
"Wait, I need to get just one more thing." Hitomi put the sword back to where it belonged and ran to her room and returned with a parcel. "I can't go back without it." she explained.
Chapter 2: The PrankVan, Merle, Allen, Celena, Princess Millerna, and Prince Chidwere all sitting at a table in Van's study, in the New Castle Fanelia. Van was sitting at the head of the table in a plain red sleveless shirt and beige paints, Prince Chidwas to Van's right-hand side, in the traditional Fraid clothing, Princess Millerna is to the right of Chid in a very flattering jade dress. Allenwas to the left-hand side of Van, in his usual Cailie Knight uniform, and Celena is to his left, in a most becoming navy blue blouse and floor-length skirt. Merle was standing behind Van, in clothing that was very similar to the ones that she always wore butweremuch more flattering.
" I expect you all know why we've called a meeting." Started Van.
"Yes, to see whether the rumors about the Old Zaibach Empire rising again are true or not." Stated Princess Meillerna.
"I, for one have not yet seen any proof that any of these rumors have a bit of truth in them." Said Allen.
"The people are scared; they don't want another war." Put in Merle who wasthe people's rep.
"What do you think Celena?" asked Millerna
" Umm... personally I would take it seriously. True Dornkerk is dead, but the scientists are not."
"But I thought that the scientists were held against their will, and were forced to do those experiments."
Celena looked about those seated in front of her, "Yes, but there is only so long before one just accepts what they were doing and starts to enjoy what they do. Take me for example, I willing tried to kill each one of you at lest once, when i was Dilandau. Another reason I would take these rumors seriously is because once I herd the first rumor, the little bit of Dilandau that is lefthas become aware of things once again." Everyone in the room looked at her astounded. There was a knock at the door, and the servant opened it and turned to the group.
"Your Majesty," he bowed" my lords and ladies,General Soraclaims that she has important information that the Counsel should know."
"Send her in." Sora walked in and bowed, she was in an all-human form exceptshe kept herwings.
"Members of the Counsel, on these last few days the other Ganerals and I were investigating into these rumors that have been going around, and we found the most interesting of things." she paused to make sure that she had everyone's attenchen. "We found a Zaibach soldier, in the royal forest and she had Hitomi's pendent."
"WHAT!" yelled a furious Van who simotamously slammed his fist on the table and stood up so quickly that he knocked his chair over, startling -and almost hitting- Merle.
"We thought that the Counsel would like toquestion her."continued Sora completely ignoring Van's rude interruption.
"She?" asked Millerna. Van regained his composure, picked up his chair and sat back down.
"Yes it is a woman, but that is all we know for she is not talking, and we advise that you not show anyweekness for her being a woman."
"Bring her in." ordered Van. Sora then nodded to the servant at the door, who opened the door and signaled to the others to come in. The first to come in was Cheatourus the second to come in was the Zaibach soldier who had her head lowered so that her banges covered her face so no one could see her face,she also had her hands tied behind her back. The next to come in was Balu he was guiding the soldier. The last to come in was Konn. When they all arrived at the end of the table Balu forced the soldier to her knees- still no one had seen her face.
"Tell us why Zaibach wants Hitomi's necklace." Said Van to the soldier.
"…"
"If you tell us what they want with the necklace we may just showmercy on you."
Still there was no answer.
"Fine if your not going to tell us we'll just take the information from you, Sora!"
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Please put the prisoner under your truth spell."
"Of coarse, my Lord." She bowed slightly and walked over behind the prisoner and placed a hand on each of the prisoner's shoulders, and closed her eyes in concentration. The prisoner went slack and would have fallen onto the floor, except for the fact that Sora was holding her shoulders.
"Tell us why Zaibach wants Hitomi's necklace." Asked Van again.
No answer. Van looked at Sora, who still had her eyes closed,"She does not know."
"Does she know about anything that Zaibach is up to now?" asked Allen.
"No."
"What? She doesn't know!" said Celena.
"That is correct"
"Then I guess that we'll have to trail her as an ordinary thief." said a very confused Allen.
"Wait a minute," interrupted Murle, "how do we know that this isn't one of their pranks? Like when did we ever find a Zaibach soldier that knew nothing?"
"Murle has a point." Said Prince Chid.
"Alright then, are you a Zaibach soldier?" asked Van
"No" said the prisoner. the voice was fimilar but he couldn't place it right then.
"Then who are you?"
The prisoner lifted her head to look at the Counsel members and said, "I am Hitomi Kanzaki."
"HITOMI!" exclaimed all of the Counsel members totlay bilwildered,Sora let go of Hitomi then and Hitomicame out of the trance and smiled at everyone.
"Hi everyone, it's been a long time hasn't it." She said as she got up.
"Hi-Hi-Hitomi? Is that really you?" asked Van not letting himself believe it, but yet wanting to believe it with all his heart. It wasn't the first time that Sora and her gang had pulled a trick such as this with 'Hitomi', who turned out to really be a maid who thought that it would be fun and a great honor to be in one of their pranks.