Hello, well with limited time on my hands, I've only managed to write this one-chapter story
on Vision of Escaflowne.  This is the first time I've written a one-chapter story so I hope
it turned out all right.

This story is told in first-person narration.  By the end of the story you can probably guess
who it is.  

Feel free to e-mail me any comments you may have.
E-mail: ml_eclipse@hotmail.com

Disclaimer:   Vision of Escaflowne and its characters are copyrights 
                       of their original artists and creators.
 

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           ||||||||||||||||||||| * ~ * Memories of Hitomi * ~ * ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
           ========= * << By Cosmos >> * ==============


        "Having chosen this kind of fate,
	Someday, you too will understand what it really means." 
                         <<"Into the Light" -- Escaflowne song by Yoko Kanno>>



It has been exactly five years since that day you decided to leave us forever, dear friend.  
Now with my granddaughter, I returned to pay you a long-deserving visit.  I have never
forgotten you, although my aged mind grew more stubborn with the passing of each day.  As time
took away more of my past, the one memory of you that I carried in my heart would always remain.

I had constantly admired your high-spirited nature and bright laughter, 
but I would never have predicted that your life would become so lonely and full of sorrow.  
Throughout the time you were alive, you never even once hinted of this terrible burden you 
carried within your heart, but I could tell.  The shining laughter that had always shown in 
your eyes seemed to be hidden by the shadow of your grieving heart.  Ever since that day you 
returned to us from your mysterious departure with that young stranger and his dragon, you were 
never the same.  The light of your soul somehow became smaller with time and then died along 
with your youth.  Why my dear old friend? Why did you withhold your great secret for so long? 
Only until your breath had become almost inaudible, when my eyes are to the point of blindness 
by tears, that you told me your sad tale.  So now within this aging heart, I hold our secret 
like the treasure of hope that so many have sought for.

"Grandmother," a child's innocent voice broke into my thoughts.

With faded brown eyes, I turned to look at the sandy hair young girl sitting quietly beside me.  
"Yes little one?" I said in a tired voice.

"How much longer before we get there, grandma?" She asked in a voice heavy with boredom.

With a small smile, I reached over and gave her a gentle pat on the head before my eyes returned 
to the road ahead.  Softly, I responded, "Not much longer, little one.  Are you feeling bored?"

A brief moment's hesitation occurred before I could hear the small voice answer, 
"Just a little."

"Well then," I said in a livelier voice, "perhaps I can tell you a story to ease your boredom.  
Would you like that?"

"Yes grandmother!" the young girl cried excitedly.  "Please tell me a story, a really, really 
good one!"

Giving a slight chuckle, I replied, "All right.  Now let me see…what story have I not told you, 
yet? Hmm…oh yes, have I ever told you of a story about the fate of a young girl and her love 
for an angel?"

"Nope, not yet! You haven't told me that story yet."

"Well then, I guess now is a good time as any to tell it to you," I paused for a moment as old 
memories resurfaced into my mind.  I realized that the images of the past have now become fuzzy, 
fading with time, but the emotions linked with each memory could never be forgotten.

"This tale is about a young girl of fifteen years," and so I slowly began to tell my mysterious 
story, "that had a magnificent gift to see into the future.  It was this gift of hers as well as 
her fate that led her to meet a young king from a foreign land.  This encounter proved to be 
both a blessing and a tragedy of the heart.  For you see, it forced her to endure the hardship 
and sorrows of war, but as well let her experienced a pure love that would last for all 
eternity…"

However, I thought silently while my lips formed the words to my tale, the lovers knew that 
fate brought them together solely for the purpose of saving a world from the brink of 
destruction, but once that goal was accomplished they must depart from each other's arms and 
return to where each were born.  Even now, I do not fully understand the reason to their 
decision, especially when the separation would take away a part of their very soul.  But then I 
do not know much about fate and destiny.  Was their decision their fate or was it because of 
their fate? I would probably never know.  That is one part of the story that she did not tell 
me.

                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


"Van," she whispered as tears escaped uncontrollably from her emerald green eyes, "I will never 
forget you, even when I grow old."

He remained silent, but his arms tightened around her as the tides of sorrow surged into his 
heart.  The familiar gentle blue light surrounded them once again as the Mystic Moon called her 
home.  He could feel her warm body being lifted from him, and with all the love he had for her, 
he loosened his grip and allowed her to drift away.

She tried to hold on to him for as long as she could but she soon realized that this was their 
fate.  Her hold on him lessened as green eyes watched with despair the physical distance that 
grew between them.  However, she would always hold him close deep within her heart, a place 
where even fate could not reach.

"I promise," she cried out to him as he grew smaller and smaller with distance, "I promise, I 
will never forget you."  <<Van,>> her heart called out his name for the last time on Gaea as 
she closed her eyes and let the light take her home far away…far away from him.

Had she opened her eyes again, she would have seen the sorrow that finally revealed itself from 
the dark shades of his maroon eyes.  As well, she did not hear the angel whisper her name in a 
tone that would make the heavens weep, "Hitomi..."

                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


"…they never did see each other again after that except in their dreams that their hearts make,"
I continued with my tale.  "Yet, their love is stronger than even fate. Although physically 
separated, they are united forever in heart and soul."

Yes, I thought, their love lived on despite the great distance that fate placed between them.

I have noticed her smiling sadly from time to time, alone in her own little world.  It appeared 
as if a long lost memory resurfaced to comfort her in her struggle to live each day in solitude.  
Her family and her closest friends have all noticed this incredible change but never will they 
know what truly caused it, except for me.

I have often tried, before that day of revelation, to have her confide in me the great burden 
she seemed to carry in her heart each day she lived, but my efforts were in vain.  I soon 
understood that she will eventually tell me, when the time comes.

Even after twenty years, the young girl, now a middle-aged woman of thirty-five, still lived 
alone.  Many who knew her asked me why she had chosen this solitary life, especially when her 
beauty and intelligence could capture for her many fine suitors.  At first I did not know the 
reason myself, so all I could say was "I don't know."  But as the seasons continued to come and 
go, the wisdom of age as well as the time of observation brought to me the understanding to her 
plight and her mysterious sorrow.  One day, an old friend asked me the same question, "Why does 
she choose to live this way.  It is so lonesome living in solitude."

Confidently, I replied in a sad tone that I failed to conceal, "She is waiting for someone."  
Of course, no one understood the meaning behind my words, but I didn't expect them to, since it 
had taken me over twenty-five years to know them myself.

Outside of my mind, a long paused ensued as my voice tightened with pain.  Slowly, I relived the 
closing of this sad tale.  Tears appeared on my eyes blurring my vision of the road ahead.  I 
slowed the car down and with a shaking hand, whose beauty has been redrawn by age, wiped away 
the painful tears that rose into these dull eyes of mine.

"Grandma?" my granddaughter's voice drifted up to me. "Are you all right?"

I snapped out of memories' mournful grip and turned toward the young child with a small smile.  
"Yes dearest," I managed to say, "I'm fine.  These darn old eyes are very sensitive to the dust 
on this road."

My granddaughter looked at me closely with an unbelieving expression on her innocent young face.
I gave her a smile of reassurance and said, "Now, where was I?"

"You were about to tell me the ending to the story."

"Oh yes, how it ends," I said in a lost voice.  "I guess one can consider this ending a sad one, 
but I see it as one full of hope…"

                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


"Hitomi," an old woman cried at the bedside of her dear friend.  Silver wisps of hair, with 
faint colours of red from her youth, fell over sorrow blurred eyes.  "Please Hitomi, you can't 
leave us yet.  Please…"

Softly, a small voice spoke from the head of the bed.  Her silver-grey hair fanned out like the 
wings of a dove upon pillows with colours matching the taunt white skin that stretched over a 
worn-out face; a face that was once filled with the beauty of youth now marred by time.  
"Yukari," the tired voice whispered.

"Yes, I'm here," the old woman by the bedside quickly responded.

Faint green eyes slowly appeared beneath heavy lids as Hitomi struggled to look at her friend's 
tear-stained face beside her.  She reached out to hold her friend's hand in a comforting grip 
that conveyed warmth and trust.

"Don't be sad," Hitomi whispered.

"But…"

"I am not leaving you," she continued in the same soft voice, "I am always with you as long as 
you remember me."

"I'll never forget you, Hitomi," Yukari said in a tight voice.  "How can I forget my best 
friend?"

A small smile appeared on thin white lips as Hitomi gave Yukari's hand a friendly squeeze.  
Suddenly her eyes caught something falling toward her, but to her friend it appeared as if she 
was simply staring at the empty air.  What caught her attention was a single lovely silver 
feather, appearing out of nowhere, drifting down toward her in the arms of an invisible wind.

Yukari saw a smile she thought she would never see again appear on Hitomi's lips.  It was not 
the lonely mysterious smile Hitomi had used most of her life, but a genuine smile that came 
from the heart, the one which so often appeared on her face before her mysterious departure 
with the young stranger.

"He's calling me," she said in a distant voice.

"Who Hitomi?" Yukari asked with confusion, "Who is calling you? I did not hear anyone."

Slowly, Hitomi turned back to look at her friend's bewildered face.  "Yukari," she said in a 
calm voice, "I want to tell you something before I leave."

"Leave?" her friend echoed in a fearful voice.  "Leave where? Hitomi, you're not making any 
sense.  May be…may be you should let Amano take you to the hospital."

"Sshh," Hitomi whispered as she stroked her friend's soft white hair caringly.  "Just listen…" 
and then she began her story, the one she had kept hidden all these years.  Finally her secret 
was revealed and along with it the secrets of a distant world called Gaea.


                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


I listened intently to the incredible world she revealed to me on that night, as well as to the 
hidden love that she kept within her heart for so many years.  At first, I didn't believe her.  
I thought her fevered mind was creating fabulous tales to comfort her during times of unbearable 
loneliness, but I was soon proven wrong…

                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


As soon as she finished her mythical tale, Hitomi turned toward the unoccupied part of her bed 
beside her.  A joyous light appeared in her eyes giving her a youthful appearance once again.

With curiosity and confusion, Yukari followed her friend's gaze where, to her amazement, she 
saw the faint image of an old man, with black strands of hair buried beneath aged white ones, 
lying beside Hitomi.  Despite the changes brought on by time, Yukari could immediately recognize 
the handsome youthful face beneath the aged mask as the one belonging to the stranger upon the 
dragon she saw years ago…and the one her friend called "Van".  So he was the secret love she 
carried in her heart all these years.  He was the one Hitomi had waited for.

He reached out his left hand for Hitomi as his soft maroon eyes never left her face.  He gazed 
at her with tenderness and longing as such Yukari had never before seen.  She did not know that 
what she now witnessed was a love which once saved the destiny of an entire world.

From the bedside, Yukari noticed a beautiful red pendant hanging on a thin gold strand from the 
stranger's unadorned fingers.  Hitomi reached out for him also and as their hands come together, 
the pendant emitted a bright light allowing the two lovers to finally touch each other once 
again after so many years of separation.  A single tear of joy drifted down Hitomi's cheek as 
her heart soared with happiness.

"Hitomi," Van whispered, "soon we will be free of this fate, free to create our own.  Be with 
me, Hitomi."

"Yes, Van," Hitomi whispered as her breathing became shallow and faint.  "We can finally be 
together at last.  I will never…leave…your side again."

Yukari looked on as the two closed their eyes for the last time in this world.  Tears drifted 
down her face as she watched Hitomi leave with the one she loved and waited for all these years.

"Finally, we are together."  Yukari heard the words echo eerily in the empty air, and then all 
was silent.  The image of the stranger soon disappeared, but Yukari noticed that the mysterious 
pendant still remained in Hitomi's grip.

"Hitomi?" Yukari spoke softly, but she knew her call would not be answered this time.

Unexpectedly, a faint image of a young girl of fifteen appeared on the other side of the bed 
directly across from her.

"Hitomi?" Yukari asked in a surprised tone.  Her aged eyes gazed at her friend's younger self 
with amazement.

"Yukari," the young Hitomi spoke gently, "take the pendant.  I want you to have it."  With a 
bright smile free of sorrow and loneliness, Hitomi's image gradually faded away.

"Goodbye, old friend," Yukari whispered to the silent room.  "May you know find happiness, my 
dear friend Hitomi."

                    |||||||||||||||| * ||||||||||||||||


A heavy silence fell over us as I pulsed for a brief moment to remember that night.  From the 
corner of my eyes I could see my granddaughter reached into her shirt and pulled out a small 
delicate object, which she scrutinized closely.  For a moment she opened her mouth and I 
prepared myself to answer the question I anticipate she would ask, but to my surprise she 
closed her lips again in silence.

"We're here," I said as I slowed the car to a stop.  My granddaughter looked out the car window 
then turned around with surprise and confusion written clearly on her face.  "But I thought we 
were going to-"

"We are," I interrupted her.  "Just follow me."

After several minutes of climbing, we finally reached the top of a green cliff overlooking the 
bright blue ocean below.  The soft lapping of gentle waves echoed from the foot of the ridge 
while the faint silver face of the moon appeared over the evening sky.

Silhouetted by the orange face of the setting sun, a slab of stone stood alone above ground.  
As we came closer to it, slowly becoming visible were white letters etched into its dark grey 
face.

"My friend," I whispered with warmth, "I have returned to see you once again, but this time I 
have not come alone.  I would like you to meet my granddaughter.  You know, she reminds me of 
you sometimes, especially with the gift."

I looked down at the short sandy-hair head of my granddaughter as she leaned closer to read the 
writings on the stone slab.  Her eyes grew wide with surprise by the message written there.  
From within her shirt, a red pendant fell out to hang around her neck, swaying back and forth 
in an endless rhythmic beat.  Catching the dying light of the sun, its rose-coloured face 
sparkled with mystery and power.

From the sky, a light laughter filled the air as the faint image of a short hair young girl 
appeared above the horizon, flying in the arms of the one she loved.  His beautiful white wings 
spread out around them in a shower of snowy feathers lifting the two higher and higher into the 
clouds.

Staring out into the distant horizon, I whispered, "And so the young girl finally reunited with 
her angel.  The end."



THE END

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Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          "Love never dies as long as you remember."

===========================================
<<Cosmos 2001>>