Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Vision of Escaflowne: AU ❯ Vision II: Invasion of Fanelia ( Chapter 2 )

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

~*~*~ THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE ~*~*~

oOoOo Alternate Universe oOoOo

Part I: The Chikara Tenshino a.k.a. The girl from the Mystic Moon

Chapter II: The Invasion of Fanelia

“What happened!? What did you do!?” Hitomi shouted, afraid.

He took Hitomi's shoulders into a fierce grip. Hitomi was short of breath. Is he going to hurt me?

“Let go of me!” Hitomi wriggled.

“Are you the Chikara Tenshino?” he asked, his voice almost in a whisper.

“The Chikara what?” Hitomi said, her puzzled face showing.

“Are you?”

Hitomi wasn't sure what to say. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You're not, then.”

“I don't know!”

Silence.

“I'd never imagine any of this to happen, so I don't know.”

Van cocked his head, but he wasn't smiling. He knew this girl was definitely not from Gaea.

“Where are you from?” he asked, letting go of her.

“Earth.”

“…Earth?” he asked, confused.

Hitomi looked painfully up in the sky, and pointed to the earth.

“There, that's where I'm from.”

Van starred at her. “You are from the mystic moon. I knew it! That's where we were just moments before we landed here…” he pondered.

“Whoa, whoa, it's not “mystic moon” or whatever, it's called Earth.” Hitomi quarreled.

Van glared back at her. “Here, it's the Mystic Moon.”

Another self-conscious silence.

“Then you are the Chikara Tenshino.”

“Uh, no. My name is Hitomi.”

Van cocked an eyebrow.

“You just said you didn't know whether you were the Chikara Tenshino or not.”

“I'm not. I'm Hitomi.”

Van was confused. “Hi-to-mi?”

“Yeah.”

Hitomi got up off the ground.

“I don't understand by what you mean. Does it make me special that I'm from Ear-I mean, the “Mystic Moon”?”

Van shook his head.

Hitomi began to feel uncomfortable. She looked over at his sword. “Uh…”

“I can't believe you actually exist…” he whispered, trailing off.

“…I'm not that person, or whatever you're talking about.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I'm not.”

“You are the Goddess from the Mystic Moon.”

“What makes me a Goddess?”

“Are you a prophet?”

“What?”

“Do you have a sixth sense?”

“Who do you know that?”

Hitomi began to get scared, and started to back up.

“So you do,” He said. Hitomi was walking backwards.

“Where are you going?”

“Somewhere far away from here, your insane!” she screamed, and turned around, running as fast as she could. She didn't look back. What was happening? Who was she? Confusion tore through her mind. She wanted answers! Who was this goddess? What was he talking about? He was crazy! Crazy!

Hitomi continued to run through the plains of endless fields. She heard footsteps behind her, quickly pursuing her.

“Stop!” he called after her.

“Someone! Help!” Hitomi called, and tripped, landing on her side. She began to cry again.

Van stopped in back of her.

“Are you alright?” he asked, in a soft tone.

“Get away from me!” she screamed, scrambling to her feet.

“It's all right, I won't hurt you. Just come with me, everything will be alright.”

Hitomi shook her head. “This…this can't be happening!”

She fainted.

~*oOo*~

Hitomi awoke on soft pillows it seemed like, her staff and her duffel bag at her feet. She slowly opened her eyes, and sat up, and noticed that the platform - er - pillow, or whatever, was moving.

She was on top of a huge buffalo.

She sat up looking around, and saw Van, sitting next her, about two feet in between them. It was morning. Hitomi looked around her, and admired the peaceful scenery. The low-rising trees blocked a few of the suns rays as the buffalo went under. Looking over, she saw a few cranes bathing in a lake, from the path that the buffalo was on. Her curious face looked all around her. She laughed a little bit.

“Wow…” she whispered.

“Ah, she's awake.” A huge, wolf-man said, who was holding the reins of the buffalo. Hitomi screamed.

“What the…?”

The wolf-man laughed. “Now, now, don't be frightened. Van tells me you're from the Mystic Moon,” he said, gesturing to the earth and moon above. Hitomi was suddenly reminded of her reality.

She wasn't on Earth. Hitomi slowly looked down, and nodded.

“Ruhm, how much further?”

“About twenty minutes, or so,” Ruhm, the wolf-man replied.

“So, you're from the Mystic Moon?”

“Yes.”

The wolf-man shook his head in disbelief.

“The prophesies are true. Isn't that something…?”

Hitomi began to slide into that uncomfortable position again. Me? Goddess? They're both insane. Hitomi gazed up at the Earth, wondering what Yukari was doing right now.

The earth began to spin, and Hitomi was thrown into another vision. She saw the destruction of a village, and blood was everywhere. Hitomi's face became distant.

Van started to look at her suspiciously. “What's wrong?”

Hitomi snapped out of the vision, and shook her head, “It's nothing.”

“Excuse me, I'm a little confused,” started Hitomi, after a moment of silence.

Ruhm turned his hand to look at her, “I'd be glad to answer some of your questions.”

Hitomi looked over at Van, who didn't seem to care at all. She scowled at him. What a jerk!

“What prophesy are you talking about?” her voice came.

“Prophesy? Oh, yes,” Ruhm began, clearing his throat. “It was fated that the Chikara Tenshino, or what's known as the goddess or girl from the mystic moon would come to Gaea someday. And, here you are.”

Hitomi had the feeling that something was going to happen. That very same feeling she had before she went to Gaea.

The buffalo moved ahead for a long time, and soon they slowed to stop outside of a small town, huddled down within a valley. A wooden gate with windmills in front of the gate

stood as a barrier to the outside world.

“This is Fanelia, little lady,” Ruhm said, gesturing to the valley.

“Fa-ne-lia,” Hitomi repeated. Right, so that's what he was talking about when he said he was from…Fa-nel-lia, Hitomi tried to get the pronunciation right. It had a friendly aurora to it, and she liked that. She could tell just by the outside that Fanelia was a peaceful, friendly place. The wooden gates creaked open, letting the buffalo that Hitomi and Van were riding on in. They were greeted with the cheering crowds of Fanelia. Hitomi could hear some of their voices:

“Lord Van!”

“Lord Van's back! He's done it!”

“Lord Van's alright!”

Hitomi went extremely pale.

Van stood up, a triumphant frown on his face. He climbed down off the buffalo leaving Hitomi behind.

Van walked up to three people, Fanelia's three samurais. A small voice came from within the crowd, and there was part for this little voice to come through.

“Van-sama? Van-samaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

A cat-girl came bounding through the crowds and was on a crash course towards Van.

“Merle!” he shouted.

Merle, the cat-girl, jumped into Van's arms, rubbing her whiskers against his cheeks.

Hitomi was disturbed. She had never seen a cat-human before.

“…Oh my god, it's cat…and a human…”

“Thank gods, your okay! Your okay! I was so worried about you, Van-sama!” Merle hugged him. Van hugged back, patting her head.

“It's okay, now, Merle,” he said, his voice soft.

“Lord Van,” they said in unison, and bowed.

Merle looked at them, embarrassed, and eased herself from Van's embrace, shuffling to the side.

“Lord Van,” Balgus smiled at him

“What the hell!? He's…a….” Hitomi couldn't even finish her sentence. But then the crowd's cheering faded, and they began to whisper to one another, curiously glancing at Hitomi.

“Who is she?”

“It can't be her…can it?”

“Lord Van must have found her…”

Van held up the dragon's heart.

“I, Van Fanel, have completed the task of dragon slaying, and have returned with this Drag-Energist.”

“That's the real thing, all right,” said one of the castle samurai. Balgus, the head samurai bowed, as did the three samurai.

“We, the three castle samurai verify this to be true, Prince Van,” he stated. Van turned back to Hitomi and talked in a low tone to Balgus. Hitomi wanted to know…what they were talking about.

“…What's wrong…? Oh no, did I do something offensive? I had no idea he was a Prince!” she shouted at herself.

Balgus's eyes widened as he smiled. “Well, I'll be damned,” he said, looking at Hitomi. Balgus said something to the crowd that she couldn't hear. She heard a loud gasp from the cheering Fanelian people, and row by row, the people bowed, and Hitomi could see them for miles, like a domino effect.

Hitomi stood up, looking at the crowd, who seemed to be awed by her presence.

“Is-is this normal?”

Van only stared at her.

~*oOo*~

Hitomi was shown to room later that day. She spent the day getting herself settled in. She took off her jacket, and pulled up a nearby chair, sitting with her arms folded on the windowsill. Her staff lay on top of her green duffel bag. She starred at it for a while, remembering how it had miraculously appeared in her grip while she was yelling at Van. Freaky…that thing freaks me out…what was my grandmother doing with that? My god…it looks like a sacrificial weapon, or something…She checked her watch. 1:00…I wonder what Yukari is doing right now? Oh, I miss her already. She was right, I'm gonna crash and burn without her. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“I want to go home...” she thought allowed. Her daydream was interrupted with cat eyes looking straight into hers. Hitomi let out a yelp and fell backwards, onto her back, the chair following her. She got up, annoyed.

“What the hell is your problem? Have you ever heard of using a door or knocking for that matter?” Hitomi yelled at the cat-girl that had hugged Van earlier. She sat on the windowsill, licking her paws. She looked up, eyeing Hitomi.

“Don't get too close to him,” she said, viciously. Hitomi coughed.

“What? Get too close to who? What are you talking about?” Hitomi's aggravated voice came…God, what is she? Part cat, part human…

“I said, don't get too close to Van-sama. He doesn't need a foreigner like you around,” she said, glaring at Hitomi, in which Hitomi glared back.

“Shut-up, you bitch.”

Merle gasped, taken back by that comment.

Hitomi was tired of surprises for one day. She didn't want to be hassled by a cat now. She wanted some time alone.

“You can have that asshole, he yours!” shouted at her, but she seemed sidetracked by something. Merle walked over to her green bag, and bent down, her little yellow dress wrinkling as she bent down. Her cat ears perked with curiosity as she began to throw things out of it. Hitomi marched over.

“What do you think your doing? HEY!”

Merle turned to look at her. She looked at the pendant that was swinging from Hitomi hands. Merle looked at it.

“Oooooh, shiny…” Merle whispered, and snatched it from Hitomi's grip. Hitomi sat there wondering how she did that…

Hitomi reached out her hand. “Give that back, seriously, it's my grandma's.”

Merle looked at it, swinging back and forth like a pendulum.

“It's really pretty, I like it…” Merle trailed off. Hitomi smiled.

“Thank you,” she said. Maybe Merle wasn't so bad after all.

“…I think I'll keep it,” said Merle, an evil grin suddenly appearing on her face. With that, she bounded out the door, with Hitomi's pendant. Hitomi gasped.

“HEY!”

On second thought…

Hitomi chased after her, Merle running at full speed down the hallway, laughing.

“Get back here, you cat-burglar!” she yelled.

Merle just kept laughing and running. While Hitomi kept running, she passed an opening in one of the many Shinto screens. She stopped, and looked in, seeing Van and one of the castle samurai, Balgus, who was also his trainer.

Van held his sword up, moving it in a couple directions. Finally, he charged forward at him, sword raised in the air. Hitomi watched in awe. She winced at the clashing of the swords. It was the first time she had seen an actual sword combat. And then they both stopped, Van panting.

Balgus let down his sword. “You aren't charging aggressively enough,” he said.

Van sighed. “I don't like mortal sword combat…”

Balgus shook his head. “It is a poor thing for a man who is about to become king to hold such weak sentiments.”

He turned his gaze to Hitomi, who was clutching the frame of the door, standing in the threshold. Letting out a small gasp, she looked around.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered.

Van glared. “Oh, it's you.”

“I didn't mean to snoop, you just caught my eye, and—“

Balgus smiled warmly. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Lady Hitomi,” he assured her.

“That's the problem with you foreigners,” came Merle's voice, tapping her foot against the floor. “No manners,” she finished, and lobbed Hitomi's pendant at her chest, at which she caught it.

Hitomi let out an aggravated sigh. “You're just as bad as him,” she gestured to Van, but Merle didn't listen.

“Van-sama!” her little voice rang out, and gave him a big hug, like she hadn't seen him in forever, when it was really only about an hour…

Balgus walked up to Hitomi. “I heard what happened.”

Hitomi was silent.

“It seems that Lord Van owes you his life.”

Hitomi looked over at Van. “So he finally recognizes the fact that I saved him?”

Balgus smiled again. “Yes, he does. We promise to help you find a way back home.”

Hitomi smiled. “You'd really do that?”

“A samurai of Fanelia never lies.”

“Thank you so much.”

Balgus shook his head, “Will you join us for dinner tonight?”

Hitomi looked down. It would be just a tad awkward…

“Alright,” she agreed, regardless of her feelings. He was going to help her back home, so at least she could repay him by showing up for dinner.

~*oOo*~

“Join him for dinner, what the hell was I thinking?” cursed Hitomi to herself when she was inside her bedroom changing. She was having second thoughts, and didn't really want to because Van OR Merle didn't like her, but Balgus didn't seem to care.

“Van's not going to want me there, and he knows that,” Hitomi sighed. ::sweatdrop:: “But why should that hinder me?” Hitomi looked up, cheering herself up. “No, I'll march down there regardless of what they think of me.” Hitomi nodded.

She turned around, and tripped over the chair, falling on her face. “Owww…” She got up, and walked over to her bed, taking out her tarot cards. When she opened up the case, she had four extra cards. Elemental cards, each of them having a different element on them: Water, Fire, Earth, Wind. She had never seen them before, but she looked at them, and then back at her staff…her staff was glowing, and then it stopped. That staff was freaky.

She clutched her pendant. She sat there in silence for a few moments, and then put her tarot cards away…

“I'm going to figure out this mystery later.”

Dinner was to be served at 5:00, and the coronation was at 7:00. Hitomi hated eating dinner this early, but she didn't want to let Balgus down.

Hitomi made her way down to the small dining area. It was elegant, and oriental. Everyone was kneeling in front of a table, waiting for dinner to be served. Hitomi peered in, and saw Van sitting at the edge, with Merle chatting away a mile a minute at him. Hitomi whined. The samurai and loyal subjects were all there, also. “I'm going to do something to make an ass of myself, I just know it…” Hitomi closed her eyes, and made her entrance. The entire room fell silent as Hitomi seated herself next to Van. Hitomi blushed, and looked down. She was already feeling uncomfortable. Balgus began conversation with a few of the samurai.

Hitomi didn't want to be here. She began to eat the food that she given, eating silently. Van never spoke to her. Hitomi decided to be friendly, because she knew that she would probably be spending a long time here in Fanelia with Van and Merle…and she didn't want to hate them, nor did she want them to hate her.

“I'm sorry…I freaked out last night…I'm feeling a lot better, now that I kind of understand.”

Van stayed silent.

“You're really good with the sword, I saw you training with Balgus.”

Again he remained silent, not even looking off of his plate.

“This is good,” Hitomi commented on the dish that resembled chicken.

Van still didn't answer.

“Um, what is it, if I may ask?”

Merle snickered. Hitomi looked over, but didn't pay any attention.

“Lizzard intestines.”

Hitomi immediately stopped chewing, and made choking noises, causing Balgus and the others to look over at her. Merle was doubled up with laughter. Van didn't say anything, as he continued to eat. She held both hands over her mouth, and ran out of the room, embarrassed.

Balgus looked over at Van. Van finally said something.

“She's not familiar with food here, yet.”

~*oOo*~

Hitomi must have thrown up three times after dinner. Van didn't mean to be rude my telling her what it was. It was what they normally ate, and neither of them were really at fault. Hitomi just didn't normally eat ….that back home. Van's coronation was in thirty minutes, but Hitomi wasn't in the mood to go. She wanted to sleep.

The sun began to set in the Fanelian horizon. Fanelia's people were gathered outside to watch their new king. Struggling to get a view, Merle jumped up behind the crowds, whining.

“Hey, c'mon! I wanna see Van-sama all dressed up, too, ya know?” Merle cried.

Hitomi was standing in the front row with Balgus, who was smiling the entire time. Hitomi grew fond of Balgus. He seemed to be the only one that actually appreciated her presence. The coronation began, and the crowds cheered at Van, who came out in ceremonial armor, and stood in the front. A Priest came out, and spoke to him.

“Van Slanzar de Fanel, new king of Fanelia, I bestow open thee this sword as proof of thy assention,” the priest began, and handed him his royal sword, “Long may you reign,” he finished. The crowd was silent, and everyone bowed, except for Hitomi who stood watching. Balgus whispered her name quickly, and she took the hint, falling down, rather then bowing gracefully. Suddenly, Hitomi felt extremely sick. She covered her mouth.

“Balgus,” she whispered.

Balgus looked over, looking slightly annoyed, but concerned.

“Something's going to happen…right now…” she whispered.

Balgus looked around.

A few minutes passed in silence. Suddenly, explosions could be heard at the entrance to Fanelia.

~*oOo*~

On gate duty, two Fanelian soldiers looked beyond the dusty path to the outside world.

“Goin' to the bonfire?” one asked.

“Yeah, I'm looking forward to the festivities after the coronation,” the other replied. The one suddenly rubbed his eyes.

Something invisible wavered in the air.

“What's wrong?” the other asked.

“Heat waves?” the one suggested, but were wrong.

Suddenly, three guymelefs appeared, plunging liquid metal into the post that the two were on. The other guymelef pried open the doors, and began in invade Fanelia, causing explosions as they stepped.

Soldiers guarding the front gate came charging up, yelling.

`Identify your self!” they shouted. The guymelefs did not listen, and kept marching on. Word quickly spread of these mysterious invaders that appeared to have the ability to become invisible at any point in a battle. Word spread to where the royal grounds were. At first, Balgus stood up to listen in on the shouts on the other side of the royal grounds. Panic began to arise within the crowd. Soon, more soldiers came.

“It's an invasion! Get the women and children to the mountains! We're going to need every able body down there to fight!” The soldier yelled, riding through the crowds on his horse.

Balgus looked down to Hitomi. “Hitomi,” he said, suddenly. Hitomi looked up, already panicked.

“You are the Chikara Tenshino, no doubts. You have a keen ability,” he said.

Hitomi couldn't believe it. She actually predicted this invasion. Van looked around, unsure of what to do. Balgus ran over to him, amidst all the panic.

“Van, listen to me,” Balgus began. “I want you to go to the shrine behind to the west of the castle. Take Lady Hitomi with you,” he finished. Van looked confused.

“Why the shrine?”

“If it becomes necessary, awaken Escaflowne and flee Fanelia,” he said. Van looked devastated, as if he knew that Balgus was implying that this was the end of Fanelia.

Van looked over at Hitomi as if to give her a hint of, “Come-on-we're-leaving”. Hitomi understood.

Merle was lost amongst the panicking women and children fleeing to the mountains behind them.

“Van-sama!? Van-sama, where are you!?” she said, tears coming from her face.

A villager, who happened to know Merle, picked her up.

“C'mon Merle,” the women said in a commanding voice.

“No, I want to stay and fight! NO! NO!” Merle kicked and screamed.

There was already some destruction at the front of Fanelia, and there was already fires starting. Fanelian guymelefs threw themselves at the oncoming invaders, trying to put up a fight. These guymelefs were not like others. They easily overpowered them, and moved on to their next target.

The three castle samurai were eventually all killed. The only one remaining was Balgus.

~*oOo*~

Van stood in the center of the shrine, while Hitomi stood to the back. Van had the energist in his hand, and made a slight cut in his thumb with his sword, causing some of his blood to fall into the energist. He held it up above him.

“I, Van Slanzar de Fanel, new king of Fanelia, bind my self by blood pact to thee, Escaflowne. Thou sleeping dragon, Awake!” he roared.

There was light that came from the top of the shrine. Wind rushed up in Van's face, as the circled patterns on the floor began to move as though a key had been found to a puzzle. The patterns stopped, and a huge rock cracked open from above. A huge, magnificent guymelef, with an elaborate design answered Van's call, and gently descended to the ground. Hitomi let out a gasp, at which made Van turn around.

“This…this is the same giant from my dream!” Hitomi started to freak out. “Holy shit, this is too weird! I really am an actual prophet!” ::sweatdrop::

Van gave her a weird look, and hopped up onto Escaflowne's knee, inserting the energist into a large gem that sat on the left side of the chest. The energist began to beat like a heart, and van hopped into the cockpit, with Hitomi yelling after him.

“Wait a second, what the heck is this thing?”

“Escaflowne.”

“….Esca-what?” Hitomi replied, but Van didn't answer.

“Now what are you going to do?”

“Fight them, using Escaflowne. Hitomi, find cover, now!”

The opening to the shrine blew open. Invisible guymelefs that could be described as `heat waves' could be seen at the part where it had been blown open. Hitomi panicked, and ran to the far side of the shrine, looking at van, and back at the other guymelefs. Escaflowne leaped forward, attacking the one that had burst through. Van, however, could not see the rest.

Hitomi looked. Her pendant began to glow. Looking down at it, she took it off, and hung it in front of herself. The pendant began to swing on it's own in the direction of one of the invisible giants, as giving Hitomi a clue…telling her that there was one right there. Hitomi took the chance, and ran forward, calling Van's name, sensing the danger in back of him.

“Van, there's one in back of you!” she shouted up to the cockpit. Escaflowne turned around, and sure enough, he sliced through another guymelef. Hitomi waited for the next sign. Again, the pendant began to swing, and this time, it was telling her there was one to the right. And to the right she would tell Van.

“Be careful Van, to your right!” she yelled, running beneath Escaflowne, keeping up with the large piece of machinery. Van fought for a while with the one to the right, until he began distracted with another. The other that distracted him was about to send the finishing blow to Escaflowne's cockpit, when a large battle cry could he heard. Balgus, the strongest samurai in Fanelia - in all of Gaea - jumped forward, wielding a giant sword with him, attacking one of them. Van was able to escape as Balgus kept his sword in, riding the guymelef as it staggered backwards out of the shrine.

`Lord Van! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!” Balgus yelled, his fierce voice ringing through the shrine, echoing off the walls.

Hitomi looked after Balgus, but her thoughts were interrupted when Van outstretched Escaflowne's hand.

“Hitomi,” he said, “jump on!”

Hitomi looked at the hand, and then at Van.

::SD mode::

“What the..?! I'mnotgettingonthatthingyoumightsquishmeforalliknowidon'ttrustyouyetdon'tyo uevernknowwhatyou'redoing?youjustgotthisbigrobotthingandyourkillingpeopleal rieadyi'mnotgettingonthathandyou'resogonnasquishandtheni'mgonnagotellbalgus onyouandhe'snotgonnabehappythatyoukilledthegoddessareyouevenlisteningtomeyo u—“

Van didn't have time for Hitomi's protests. Escaflowne's hand grabbed Hitomi, and they fled. As soon as they left the shrine, Fanelia was in complete shambles. Everything had been burnt to the ground. Van looked around at his fallen kingdom, and shed a single tear. Balgus was still battling the same guymelef, when another shot a sharp, liquid attack at him, piercing him right in the stomach. He fell, limp. Van and Hitomi starred in horror.

“BALGUS!!!” Van yelled.

Hitomi gasped, covering her mouth. “Balgus, NO!” she shrieked.

Balgus fells to the ground, a pool of blood forming around him.

“Van…” he said, struggling to lift his head up to him, at which Van leaned Escaflowne forward to listen. “Flee Fanelia…and sometime return…and reunite…the…people…of Fanelia….” He continued. “Hitomi….follow….your heart….don't…give….in….to….” he trailed off, and drifted into an eternal sleep.

“BALGUS!!!!!!!!!!” Van yelled into the air.

Balgus was dead.

Hitomi could not stop the tears flowing down her cheeks. Escaflowne was surrounded. Hitomi let out a cry of agony into the air, her tears flying from her face. Her pendant suddenly glowed, and the both of them, including Escaflowne were whisked away into the clouds by a blue light.

~*oOo*~

Merle, from afar in the mountains, watched her homeland burn, with tears streaming freely down her face. She shook her head in disbelief. “No,” she whispered. “No, this can't be happening! Van-sama!”

“VAN-SAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”

TBC &nbs p; & nbsp; &nbs p; &nb sp; &nb sp; &nb sp; END