Author's edit: When I went back and reread the prologue, I decided it needed a major face lift, so I went and revamped it. I like it much better now. And I hope you do too :)

Setting: The royal castle at Palas, Asturia, on the night of the allied nations' victory over the Zaibach empire.

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The Last Night of the World

Prologue

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So stay with me
and hold me tight
and dance
like it's the last night of the world

- "The Last Night of the World" from Miss Saigon

-

Kanzaki Hitomi fell onto her bed with a bone-weary flump. After these harrowing months of blood and sweat, sorrow and tragedy, it was finally over—the greatest war that Gaea had ever seen. Now that the war was over, her fortune-telling days were over, too. The last thought filled her with relief. No more would she see the blood-drenched visions, hear the screams of dying soldiers, or witness the impending deaths of everyone around her. Gaea was safe from Dornkirk now, and from her.

Van is safe as well, she thought. Her hand came to rest on the rose-colored stone in the pendant she wore around her neck. So many of her visions had been about the dark-haired boy king of Fanelia. Was it because he was the dragon and she was the girl from the Mystic Moon, as envisioned by the Zaibach emperor's machine? Or was it something else that had been there all along?

"Two easily swayed human hearts—"

Hitomi gave a start and quickly sat up. Whose voice was that? "Who's there?" she called.

Was it another vision?

She closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate, but she didn't see anything.

"Who's there?" she called again.

"Uh…Hitomi." In her eagerness to greet her soft, comfortable bed, Hitomi had neglected to close the door behind her. Now Van Slanzar de Fanel stood in the doorway, leaning with one hand on the doorframe, the light from the hall casting a long, Van-shaped shadow into her dark room.

"Van!" she cried with delight, and rose to meet him.

"Uh, Hitomi," he repeated, a little uncertainly. "I'm sorry for disturbing you at this hour."

"No, no, it's fine," she said shaking her head quickly so the bangs of her short hair swayed slightly from side to side. "Everyone is still enjoying themselves at the feast downstairs. I just got kind of tired after a while, that's all."

"I know what you mean. Allen's men are quite the rowdy lot."

Hitomi giggled at Van's honest assessment of the blond knight's band of men. The wine, on top of her fatigue, must be getting to her head. "Anyway, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Uh…that is…I…uh…" he began nervously, then stalled.

Even though his face was obscured by shadow, Hitomi thought she could see a hint of red. "You're not blushing, are you?" she teased.

"Me? B-b-blushing? N-nothing of the sort!" he stammered as she took him by the shoulders and steered him backwards into the hallway, laughing all the while.

When they were both bathed in the light of the oil lamps, Hitomi poked him in the chest with her finger, smirking, and said, "See? I was right."

Van put a hand on his hip with as much nonchalance as he could muster, and turned his head to the side. But his blush only grew deeper. "So you were right. So what?"

"So nothing." Still giggling, she hung her arms around his neck. His heart skipped a beat. Hitomi was beautiful. She had let her short hair, which Van found strangely boyish at first, grow out a little and curl around her ears and her face in a decidedly feminine way. The diamonds she wore in her hair perfectly set off the deep rose color of her pendant, and their many facets glittered in the light, complementing her pale complexion. Her gown was light green, an elegant affair of satin and lace that brought out the green in her eyes, and the short sleeves that hung slightly off her shoulders exposed her neck in a way that invited his touch.

Though he could not feel it through his glove, he caressed her cheek and let his hand rest on the side of her neck. "Hitomi," he said simply.

It was Hitomi's turn to blush. "Van." He was gazing at her in earnest, with an intensity that she had never seen before. His face was not wearing his usual hard expression, but instead was something open and vulnerable. She had only seen him like this when he was around his brother, or when he was scared. And beyond the fear and openness, there was sadness so deep, so profound that she could not touch it, even if she had a million years. The sight of it cut her to the heart.

Trembling, she reached up and touched his hand. She tried to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat. Instead, she threw her arms around him and started to sob into his chest.

-

Awash in the light of the two moons, Van watched from a chair beside the bed as Hitomi slept. He had let her cry herself to the point of exhaustion, and then tucked her into bed. But he did not leave, since he did not know if this would be the last time he saw her. In fact, that was what he originally wanted to talk to her about, but things just happened to turn out differently.

At first, he had been surprised by her outburst, but he supposed that if he were in her place, he would be rather emotional as well. As it was, he was feeling frayed at the edges, but his upbringing—and necessity—had taught him to hold it in, to keep it together, because people looked up to him and there would not always be someone he could rely upon, not even Hitomi. But it was better that way. She was his friend, not his crutch. That had been a difficult lesson, but a necessary one. He needed her power, that was true, but he also needed her for much more than that.

Van leaned back in the chair and observed the moons that hung in Gaea's sky. One was small and pearly, and gleamed like a white marble, a child's plaything. The other was more formidable, covered in swirls of blue and white, like the murky depths of a crystal ball, mysterious and indecipherable. The corner of his mouth quirked into a smile. A fortune-teller who descended from a world shaped like a giant crystal ball. It seemed that someone out there had a sense of humor.

Then his smile faded. Sooner or later, she would have to return to the Mystic Moon, the world she called Earth.

Or would she?

He shook his head vigorously as if to drive away that thought. Of course she would go back. She had a father, mother, and brother—a family—waiting for her at home. How many times in the course of their journey had she talked about wanting to go home? She had shed tears about it, and she had even been sent back once, her desire was so strong.

But she had come back. She had come back for him.

He remembered their second meeting, which had been almost identical to the first: a shaft of white light, Hitomi in the strange clothes that people wore on the Mystic Moon, running toward him as fast as she could. The first time, they collided, and she slapped him. But the second time, she was expecting him, and she was smiling. His heart warmed at the memory.

"But can this single moment last forever?"

A voice, old and worn, pierced through his thoughts, echoing at the edge of his mind. Sitting bolt upright in the chair, Van scanned the dark room, trying to detect the smallest movement in the shadows. He rose immediately and his hand went to the hilt of his sword, which hung in its sheath at his waist. "Who's there?" he said sharply.

Hitomi, who had been disturbed by either the strange voice or by Van's reaction, stirred and opened her eyes. Upon seeing Van tense and defensive, her heart jumped in alarm. "Van, what's wrong?"

He did not respond, and continued to glare about the room. After a moment, he relaxed and returned to his seat. "It was nothing. I must be imagining things." Hitomi was still staring at him, not entirely reassured. Van tried to soften his expression and said, "Well, the war is over now, so it's not like anyone is going to try to kidnap you anymore. So don't worry."

Hitomi sat up at the edge of the bed and cocked her head to the side. "'No one will try to kidnap you anymore.' How's that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Ah…well…" He scratched his head. "It's true, isn't it?"

She laughed, the tinkling of chimes in the night air. "I'm just teasing you, silly! I mean, seeing you act like there's a land dragon about to eat us isn't the easiest thing to wake up to, you know."

Now that she was awake, his spirits lifted and he was able to forget his brooding thoughts for the moment. "Sorry, Hitomi," he said with a small smile. "I guess I do it out of habit."

"It's ok," she said. "I'm sorry I fell asleep like that. And….for crying like that. I don't know what came over me. It's just that so many things have happened, and—"

Van reached out and took her hand. "It's all right. Don't worry about it."

It's all right, he says, Hitomi thought, watching him. But from the slant of his eyebrows, from the serious set of his mouth, she could tell there was something on his mind. "Van, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Hitomi…" he began, focusing his eyes on the ground. He paused, and seemed to gather the courage for what he was about to say. "Hitomi. Now that the war is over…you…your power…we don't need it…not anymore…I mean…"

Abruptly he looked up at her, and the moon shining through the windows behind her reflected off eyes that were as brown as oak but as soft as a sunflower's center. "Where are you going to go?" he said, almost fiercely.

Hitomi recoiled at the harshness of his question, and her hands automatically flew to her pendant. "That's right…Gaea doesn't need my power anymore." Stupid girl, why hadn't I thought of this before? "In fact, it's better for me to leave before anyone else gets hurt because of it."

"No, no, that's not what I mean," Van interrupted, agitated.

Hitomi blinked in confusion and waited for him to continue.

More gently, he said, "I mean…what I'm trying to say…" He pulled his chair closer, so that their knees were almost touching. Then, with head bent as if in defeat, he laid his hands on her shoulders. "Don't…don't go," he begged.

She put her hands on his wrists and moved them up his bare arms. They were practically embracing, now, and she was close enough that she could peer through the long, dark bangs that hung in front of his bent face. Even then, it was so dark that she could only see slivers of his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, the slight curve of his upper lip. Leaning forward, she felt their noses touch and she closed her eyes. Shortly thereafter, his lips brushed hers, and then, somewhat hesitantly, found them again, and they kissed, slowly and tenderly.

When they finally separated, they held each other more closely, and Hitomi leaned her head on his shoulder. Her heart was pounding faster than it had with Amano or even with Allen.

"You won't go…will you?" Van whispered in her ear. His breath on her earlobe was like a warm caress.

No, I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you, like this, forever. A week ago, her answer would have been the reverse. That was when she had become so tired of constant bloodshed, so homesick, that she literally wished herself back home. There was nothing holding her back, not even Allen. Not Van, either. She had not considered Van, or realized that she missed him until she saw the tarot card with the serpent and began to see the feathers. His feathers.

She had always assumed that she would go back. Now, assumption gave way to uncertainty and new-found desire.

Earth or Van? At the moment, the choice seemed obvious.

However…

Hitomi rose from the edge of the bed and took his hand. "Van, come with me."

She led him to the tall French doors that opened onto the balcony, and stepped outside. The night was warm, and the breeze carried the faint scent of roasting meat and the distant sounds of merrymaking far below.

Pointing at the sky, Hitomi said, "Look, there's the Earth, and there's the Moon—the one we both share. In our sky, there's only one moon."

"Your world is beautiful."

As they both gazed at Earth, Hitomi felt a wave of nostalgia and longing. Somewhere out there was her family, her friends, all wondering where she was and if they would ever see her again. There, her school, the track team, her future were all waiting for her. Her world, where animals did not walk and talk, where people did not eat worms on a stick or fight with swords and giant suits of armor. Where Atlantis was a myth long-forgotten and machines that controlled destiny did not exist. That was her world, and she missed it.

But she liked Gaea, and she liked Fanelia. Besides, Princess Mellerna was more than willing to throw everything away for her love for Allen: her kingdom, her status, her honor. There was no reason why Hitomi could not do the same, selfish though it may be. Standing here on Gaea, gazing at Earth from afar, it would be so easy.

And even if she stayed here, it was not like she couldn't go back. All it took was one wish, and she would be in the school infirmary, having collapsed during track practice, with Amano-senpai standing watchfully over her. Not a single moment would have passed. But every day she stayed on Gaea was one day more of her desire to be with Van and one day less of her wish to return home. Then the day would come when her wish to go home would no longer be strong enough to send her back. And even if she were able to go return, would she go back just as she was, or as a middle-aged woman, or with snow-white hair? She would look out of place at Kamakita High as a bent-over old woman, that was certain.

There were no what-ifs or maybes. There was only one choice for Hitomi: to go or to stay. For Van, she was willing to stay.

But there was one other thing. That one thing was what she heard, drifting up to the balcony from the festivities below.

"…can see the future…"

"…power of Atlantis…"

"…single-handedly destroyed the emperor's machine!"

"…Atlantis is on her side!"

"…our Goddess of Victory…"

The praises of Allen's men, though well-intentioned, sparked rumors that flew about the banquet hall like flies on a hot summer day. She had heard them earlier, too, during the feast, and being present when people were saying things like that about her made it that much more embarrassing to bear. And if rumor traveled that fast within the space of just a few hours, who knew how far they would fly in days, weeks, or years.

"Do you hear that, Van? What they're saying about my power?"

Van nodded. "You're afraid that people might start another war and try to use you." He protectively put an arm around her shoulders. "But I won't let that happen. I won't let anyone take you away from me."

Hitomi shook her head. "That's not all, Van." She slipped out from under his arm and grasped his hands, facing him. "I have the power of Atlantis," she said gravely. "I have the power to shape the future."

"What do you mean?"

"All the visions I had, about people dying or cities being destroyed…all those things happened because of me!"

Van smiled tolerantly at her distress. "Hitomi, being able to see those things doesn't make it your fault."

"Van, when we were in Atlantis, I saw your mother."

He blinked. "My mother?"

"Yes. The same way you saw Balgus, and Allen saw his father. Your mother spoke to me. She told me about my power, because her ancestors were from Atlantis. My visions are not just visions. They are my wishes and my thoughts that eventually come true. I helped to bring about the death and tragedy that I saw."

"But how can that be? Your visions have saved us so many times—"

"No, Van. I was only able to save people by preventing my visions from coming true. Otherwise, my visions would have killed them."

"How is that possible, Hitomi? You've never wished for someone to die, or for anything that happened during the war. If anything, you probably wished for the war to end."

"That's true, but whole time I was here, I was so anxious and worried about the people around me that I started to see all the bad things that could happen to them. My fears became true because I made them come true."

She was holding on to his hands so tightly now that her knuckles were turning white. Without looking at him, she said, "I was the reason why you almost died so many times. So many of my visions were about you, Van. I didn't realize it, but I was always thinking about you, worrying about you. Because of that, I was always putting you in danger."

When Van didn't say anything, Hitomi worried that she might have upset him. I should probably say something…maybe I should apologize. "Van, I—"

"Because of you, I could see the invisible Guymelefs." Surprised, Hitomi looked up to find him gazing at her the same way he did earlier, softly and quietly. "You were the reason why Dilandau couldn't kill me."

Awkwardly, he drew her closer and put one arm, and then the other, around her. Hitomi sniffled and wrapped her arms around his back, and she buried her face in his shoulder. The wool of his shirt scratched against her face, but in a way she found comforting. Despite her visions, he didn't hate her for what came of them. She closed her eyes and let herself drift in his warmth.

"You also saved me from the land dragon," Van said at length.

Hitomi lifted her head to look at him. "The land dragon?"

"The first time we met. Do you remember?"

"Oh, yeah," she said, remembering how gruffly he had treated her then.

"You slapped me, too."

"Uh…yeah." Looking back, she actually found it kind of funny, but her cheeks burned nonetheless. Why did he have to bring it up now?

"I probably deserved it. I never really thanked you, did I?"

Balgus had, but Van had not. So that was why. Hitomi gave a little sniff, feigning indignance. "Hmph. No, I don't think you did."

Van stepped back and held her by the shoulders. He was wearing the same red shirt, laced halfway up the front, that he had on when Hitomi first met him. In fact, everything about his appearance was almost identical to the way he looked back then, except that he was a little older, a little more battle-worn now. "Hitomi, thank you for saving me from being killed and eaten by the land dragon. I'm also sorry for being so rude to you. Will you forgive me?"

Hitomi crossed an arm over her waist and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Normally, I'd say yes…but I'll have to think about it."

"But—But I said I was sorry!" he protested. Then he seemed to realize something, and he shook his head. "I mean, I said thank you!"

He is way too easy to tease, Hitomi thought. Grinning impishly, she said, "Well…I suppose you'll just have to do better next time."

Van looked at her, half-perplexed, half-annoyed at losing to her at bantering. Then, without warning, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his lips, leaving Hitomi stunned. When her heart started to beat again, she put her hands on his chest and returned his kiss.

When they broke away, he leaned his forehead on top of hers. "Is that better?" he murmured.

"M-much better," she managed to say, before becoming lost in another kiss.

He was also more charming than before. If only just a little.

-

Several hours later found the young couple huddled together on the balcony, watching the moons and the stars as they told each other stories of their worlds and the lives they led. Hitomi discovered that there were still many things she did not know about Gaea, despite having been there for over half a year. Van, on the other hand, knew next to nothing about Earth, and was intensely curious about people who could travel long distances in machines called cars, heat up food in a matter of seconds, or talk to each other from halfway across the world. To him, her world on the Mystic Moon was nothing short of magical.

Hitomi had brought out a blanket and some pillows so they could sit on the stone balcony a little more comfortably. She had also changed (with Van having his back turned, blushing fiercely) into her running t-shirt and shorts, which she often wore to bed because they were more comfortable than her school uniform and more familiar than the nightgowns proffered to her by the palace maids. Now they were sitting on the blanket and pillows, Hitomi leaning against him and Van with his arm around her.

When their conversation lulled, Van shifted his position and unwound his arm. Hitomi watched as he hunched forward and slowly pulled off his gloves, as if he were contemplating something.

"Hitomi."

"Yes, Van?"

"Are you…you're going back, aren't you."

"Yes," she replied sadly. There was really no other choice. For either of them.

"I see," he said without turning around.

Is he mad at me? "Van…it's not like I don't want to stay," Hitomi said pleadingly. "It's true that I miss my family and I miss home, but if I stay, you might get hurt. I don't want to lose you like that, I don't want to lose you because of—"

"Hitomi!" he said suddenly, whirling on her.

She shrank back in surprise. "Y-Yes?" she said faintly.

His hand clenched, then unclenched. "You don't need to explain. I…I understand," he finally said. Seeing her startled expression, he ducked his head and looked away. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry."

Hitomi picked up his hand and pressed it to her cheek. It was very warm, and it smelled of leather laced with sweat. Calluses on his palms and fingers from swordfighting felt rough against her skin, alternating with the softer patches that had been protected by his glove. That seemed to give Van the courage to face her again. Carefully, almost shyly, he trailed his fingers across her cheek, over her lips, down her throat, each one a new discovery. He traced the ridge of her collarbone and his hand came to rest on the side of her neck. Hitomi reached up with her own hand and parted her fingers through his hair, thick and unruly and windblown. Slowly, he leaned into her and she closed her eyes. Their lips touched, bittersweet, and then she found herself in his arms. He laid his cheek against her neck and held her without saying anything.

Hitomi hugged him tightly and fought away the tears that blurred her vision. This was probably one of the last times she would be able to be with him before she left. But everything they had done together, everything they had been through, would be etched indelibly in her heart. Neither time nor space would make her forget.

But as long she was still here, she would remain with him. "Van," she said, her voice catching. "I…I'd like to see your wings again. Please."

Van pulled away. He shrugged off his shirt, and there was a flash of white as two wings, pure and snowy, blossomed from his back. They stretched out, beautiful and soft, the wings of an angel. Hitomi reached out, her hand hovering uncertainly. She had never touched them before. But Van didn't move to stop her, so she brushed her fingers gingerly along the feathers. It was like touching down, the soft underbelly of a dove. Then his wings moved, around her and behind her, the feathers floating down like a snowstorm. He took her by the arms and let his forehead fall gently onto her shoulder. "I'll never let you go," he said quietly.

They held each other, the feathers drifting down upon them, the angel and the girl from the Mystic Moon. They held each other, surrounded by an unearthly glow that belonged to the stars and the heavens. They held each other until the morning light, like it was the last night of the world.