Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond the Moon ❯ The Racetrack ( Chapter 1 )

Hnh. I must have forgotten some stuff in the prologue. Oh well. Thanks for all the support, my readers! ^_~

Rated for some language, explicit scenes, and any other goodies I feel like throwing in.

The little disclaimer thing I forgot on the prologue: I don't own Escaflowne. It's kind of silly in the first place, being that I hardly know any Japanese anyway and I can hardly draw to save my life.

**I edited this a bit as well; added in some markers and put in a better, extended ending. Enjoy.

Beyond the Moon

One

Hitomi picked up a small duffel-like bag, slinging it over one shoulder. She wore clothes much more comfortable than those she had donned on her original journey to Gaea; she wore a pair of stretchy jeans and a simple white t-shirt. She had only the necessities with her, which included some toiletries, a change of clothes, a small bag of pretzels and her tarot cards.

In her hand she held a long, silver-white feather, glistening in the soft moonlight. It bathed her, shining through the clear, midnight blue sky, which was dotted with bright stars. They glimmered like diamonds, making her smile softly. Her now shoulder-length hair was tied back, and she knew she would have to cut it before Millerna could get her hands on it.

Hitomi walked slowly down from the apartment building driveway, walking down the quiet street. Such a thing was highly unusual for such a normally busy town; but this was not a normal night. The world around her was eerily silent, for all she could hear were the light sounds of frogs chirping.

Somehow she knew the bus wasn't going to arrive, so Hitomi proceeded past the bus station and ended up walking the entire five miles to her destination.

By the time she arrived at the school, the moon had risen high in the sky, its light bathing the world in an ethereal glow.

Hitomi, after giving up her attempts to pick the lock into the track, had just jumped the chain link perimeter fence. She stood on the other side, just staring at the long red track, where she had raced some of her best races... and had experienced the most amazing event of her life.

Walking slowly across the white painted lines, Hitomi stopped once to stare at the sky. The moon now hovered directly above her; something that never happened, even in the middle of summer. The air was warm, and Hitomi could feel her eager feet tingling beneath her.

It was time.

The light-brown haired girl approached the starting line. There was no starting box. There were no ticking clocks, swinging pendants, or dark visions. It was just Hitomi and the track.

She ran. She swung her arms, hands straight, head set forward. Her eyes gritted against the rough air flying past her, her duffel bag slapping her sides as she ran.

And she wished. She remembered everyone from Gaea. Merle's protective attitude and bright pink hair, the gallant swordsman Allen and his charming smile, Millerna and Dryden, even down to Gaddess and the inhospitable king of Asturia. She neared the end of her race, and her mind's eye filled with one face: Van. A smooth smile, big dark eyes, and wild black hair all about his face.

VAN! She cried, staring up as she ran, a familiar beam of light shimmering through the cloudless sky. It came closer, enveloping her, surrounding her with a blinding white void. She was lifted off the ground, eyes focused on the sky above, and heart already in Gaea.

**

"You look awfully happy today, Your Highness," came a soft, lady-like voice. Van tilted his head back, smiling at the woman standing in the doorway.

"I feel happy as well, Lady Narano. Come in." The king shifted his vision back towards the window, leaning on one hand. A jacket hang from his chair, his sword lying on the floor beside him. He held his fist clenched, as if holding something. The tall, pink-haired cat-woman sat beside him, looking out into the clear night as well. She chose not to question him.

"Not to complain, but why so cheerful?" Merle asked, smoothing back a renegade lock of hair behind one of her tiger-striped ears. She leaned on her chair, primping her long, light blue dress. Van turned his head, giving her a thoughtful expression.

He tapped his chin, as if trying to remember something. "I'm not sure. I just feel happy," Van replied, smiling at the woman sitting beside him. She nodded in understanding and remained silent.

The two shifted their eyes out the window, watching the two moons hovering in the sky. They both knew what the other was thinking; no words were needed.

And only Merle was surprised when a beam of white light appeared in the distance, cutting through the midnight sky. Van stood up, calmly throwing his jacket over his shoulders and picking up his sword. Without a word, he strolled out of the room, leaving a stunned Merle to rush out after him, demanding answers.

**

Hitomi opened her eyes, feeling her head being supported by a cushion of soft grass. Her fingers wove through the blades, searching for the handle of her duffel bag. She sat up, grabbing the blue object that had landed a few feet away. Putting the strap over her shoulder, Hitomi pushed herself onto her feet and dusted herself off.

She stood in the middle of a familiar forest. A few trees surrounded her, and she wasn't in the least surprised when the shadow of Escaflowne could be seen through the vines and foliage. Hitomi walked towards it, scrubbing away some of the moss growing over the muddy-brown Guymelef. She ran one hand over the heart of Escaflowne, where Van's blood-sealed drag-energist had once been held.

Escaflowne was no more. Hitomi patted it, as if the large suit were an old friend that needed comforting. She turned, walking towards the small path leading out of the clearing and towards Fanelia.

**

The horse's hooves plodded monotonously down the cobblestone path; the metal clinks of its shoes colliding with the rough stone reverberated in the rider's ears, but he kept his head low. Van had no desire to be recognized as he wandered through the outer gates of the Fanelian capital. He could easily have flown, or maybe taken a carriage, or some dignified thing like that. He lifted his head for a moment, raising one lip in distaste at the thought of flying over his city at this time of night.

It was unusually quiet, with hardly a movement in sight as Van veered his mount off the main road just outside the city gates. The horse walked clumsily along the overgrown path, tripping in the occasional hole or ditch. The forest loomed dark and dangerous ahead of him; a slight uneasiness crept over him. What if he had miscalculated where the light had appeared? What if it wasn't Hitomi?

Despite his doubts, the king continued on towards the black, looming trees ahead. His royal jacket was amazingly warm, the once obscenely large coat now fitting comfortably around his broadened shoulders. Van wondered how much Hitomi had changed.. eight years was a long time. Maybe she didn't even feel for him the way she used to anymore!

Pushing the thought out of his mind, Van suddenly became aware of someone or something just ahead. Reining his mount to a halt, the unnerved man peered through the long, elegant shadows the brightness of his world's two moons cast upon the grass.

Standing, bathed in a silver glow, was a tall, slim woman. Strands of hair fell in front of a pair of wide, green eyes, which reflected the small glimmering stars in the sky above. She wore unfamiliar attire, but her face, her eyes, were unmistakable.

Van vaulted out of the saddle with refined expertise, still holding his sword tightly at his side and a chain dangling from his hand. He padded across the soft grass, the heels of his boots silent in the pillow-like cushion towards the feathery brown-haired woman.

He stood nearly a head taller than she, something he hadn't anticipated a need to compensate for. They stood, parallel to each other, in complete silence.

Without uttering a word, Van pulled Hitomi into his embrace, burying his face in her hair and gripping the back of her shirt with large, muscular hands.

The moment seemed to last an eternity; forever, but not long enough. Van pulled away, looking down into Hitomi's wide, emerald eyes. He opened his clenched fist, removing the necklace and placing it lightly over the crown of her head and down around her neck. The ruby pendant dangled from her neck, the golden clasp shining brightly in the moonlight.

Helping Hitomi onto the horse, the king climbed up behind her, one arm around her waist, the other clenching the horse's reins, turned them around and began the long walk back to the palace.