Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ With Eyes Unclouded ❯ Prologue

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Lehn

Journal Entry 87

It's been three years today. Three long, hard years since I last had Van's arms around me. And yet, it feels like it has been so much longer then that. I guess that's because I've changed since then… in more ways then what even I thought possible.

Fate has changed me… for better or for worse I still don't know… there is a lot of things I don't know. But I do know that I will never again be that lovesick little girl that was swept away into the sky by an Angel. Neither of us will ever be the same again. He and I both know that deep in our hearts. Nothing is the same anymore… not on Earth and most defiantly not on Gaea…

…Hitomi sighed as she looked up from the journal she had been writing in, idly starring out of her window as she had so many times before.

"Van…"

She inhaled shakily, fighting back tears that stung her eyes.

Her thin hand brushed away a single tear that ran down her cheek, her eyes still glistening with the promise for more as she continued to stare upward.

"I wish I knew where I belonged…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Clumsily jumping on one foot while attempting to tie her other shoe, Hitomi bounced unto the track field towards her friends waiting for her there.

Amano was the first to see her, being the tallest of the group, and pointed the teen out to Ari, Hitomi's little brother who was sitting on his shoulders.

"Tomi! Tomi! I'm up here! Look at me! I'm as tall as a giraffe!" The five-year-old little boy waved his arms around. "Roar!"

"I don't think giraffes roar like lions, kido." Hitomi laughed, pausing to tie her shoe, still standing on one foot.

Yukari's bright red hair shone like copper in the failing light as she laughed at her best friend.

"You look like a drugged flamingo when you do that Hitomi."

Hitomi stuck out her tongue at her.

It was a beautiful day; the sun was bright and warmed Hitomi's skin as she happily walked and talked with her friends as they made their way to the track field.

"Would the runners of the ladies 100 meter dash please report to the starting line." The announcer requested over the loudspeaker.

"Good luck hug?" Ari offered; his little arms spread wide.

Hitomi grinned and picked up her little brother, spinning him around in circles. The little boy squealed happily as his big sister spun him around, before she sat him down in front on Amano.

"Be a good little giraffe for Amano and 'Kari, ok?" The older girl said to him, holding him by both shoulders.

Ari rolled his eyes. "Yes 'Tomi…"

Hitomi stood up and grinned at him and her friends.

"See you in a few minutes," She shouted over her shoulder before joining the other runners at the starting line.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitomi wiped away the thin line of sweat that had started upon her forehead as she took her running stance, cursing silently the black tar that melted and clung to her hand as she touched it. The sun had been intensely hot, and the pavement that she was now crouching on was exceeding a hundred degrees and it was burning her skin as it touched it.

"Runners to your mark…" said a man from the sidelines.

Hitomi felt her heart begin to beat faster as she stared at the finish line wavering in the heat. She could dimly make out the figures of Yukari and Amano cheering in the hazy distance. A smile spread it's self over her face, she was going to win this race.

"Get set…"

"Take courage." Hitomi breathed as she stood there, her muscles ready to explode.
"GO!"

The teen exploded out of the starting blocks, her long legs quickly edging her away from the pack.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Weeeeeeeee!" Ari jumped up and down, waving his arms and shouting as a loud crack of thunder boomed around the track field. Ari didn't see the worried glance shared as Amano and Yukari they looked up at the sunny, cloudless sky.

50 meters

The thunder echoed again around the now silent field.

40 meters

"Amano… That sound… It's from my dream of the Dragon…" Yukari whispered to the older man.

Amano's eyes grew larger.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitomi sprinted, adrenaline pumping so hard in her veins she didn't even hear the crack of thunder, and her heart beating faster. Her skin tingled with anticipation, and she to Gaea, which hung brightly in the sky over the finish line.

It's too bright she thought her heart rising to her throat. The last time it wad like this I…

She felt the track field around her begin to change --- to blur--- as the spectators shouts of encouragement and happiness to screams of horror and fear. A scream was heard over the onlookers' confused shouts.

"Hitomi! NO!"

In the blur she could dimly make out Yukari and Amano crashing through the crowd towards her, shoving everyone out of their way without hesitating. Yukari's face was filled with the same fear that Hitomi felt welling up inside her. Ari's screams echoed around the field as he tried to make his way to his big sister.

"Ari I'm going b---!" She shouted, only to be drowned out by the crowd's screams.

I should have told them… she realized, starring at her friends and little brother for what she knew would be the last time for a long time… I should've told them about a lot of things… She thought looking up in the flaming white light, there was no use fighting it now, she knew, as she clenched her fists as she felt herself become weightless in her new world of swirling white light.

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or it's likeness! Please don't sue!

Continued in Chapter One: With Eyes Unseeing…