Bonds of the Past, Present and Future
A/N: I do not own Escaflowne. Though I wish I did This isn't you're typical continuation fic. Well, I haven't come across one quite like this. The main part of the story takes place about 17 years after the series. Yes, I know, it's a long time.
Chapter One: Past to Present
Strong hands caressed a gentle face. Emerald eyes fluttered flirtatiously as they gazed upon the angelic face. Her heart raced as her angel pulled her into a tight embrace. She didn't want that moment to end. She had waited too long to feel his warm arms wrapped around her small frame.
She snaked her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She regretted not tasting his sweet lips when they last parted. This time she vowed to take every chance she got. No more regrets, she told herself.
"Hitomi…" he moaned. "Are you sure?"
"Van," She gazed up into his warm brown eyes. "I'm certain." She answered with a smile.
"What if you're called back to the Mystic Moon? What if-"
"I don't care Van. I don't want to have any more regrets. I've waited a year just for this moment…just to see you, to be with you. I don't want anymore…I love-" He pulled her close and ravished her lips with a passionate kiss. He knew how she had felt. He understood her completely. He didn't any more regrets either.
Hitomi rushed down the hallway in a hurry, adjusting her blouse as she walked. She had over slept and was running the risk of being late. She came to a stop in front of a closed door. She knocked hard a few times before yelling, "Hikari! You're going to be late!"
Beneath the mound of pillows and blankets, emerald eyes fluttered open. "Wha…?" the sleepy teen mumbled.
"Get up Hikari!" her mother yelled once more.
She muttered a few curses as she pushed back her bed sheets. Her eyes caught a quick glance at her bedside clock. In large red numbers it read seven am. "Oh shit!" she yelled. Quickly she jumped out of bed and rushed around the mess of a bedroom. She picked through the piles of clothes searching desperately for her high school uniform.
Hikari hurriedly slipped on the black pleated skirt and threw on the white dress shirt. She stopped and tapped her foot. "Where the hell is it?" She wondered before diving into pile of clothes. "Ah-Ha!" She exclaimed before quickly putting on and buttoning up the gray vest.
"Hikari!" Her mother called before opening the bedroom door. "Hurry up! I still have to get Ayumi and Taiki to school."
"Can't Seiya take them?" Hikari asked in a sour tone.
Hitomi sighed and rubbed her temple. She could feel a headache coming on. "He's already at work, you know that."
"Their his kids." She hissed. "He should start taking some responsibility." Hikari fussed with her black necktie, mumbling a few curses randomly.
"Hikari-"
"Gotta go!" she rushed past her mother and headed down the stairs.
"Hikari!"
"See ya later mom!" Hikari yelled from the front door, black schoolbag in hand.
Hitomi shook her head. Was I that much of a pest when I was in high school? She wondered before looking at her watch. "Shit…" she breathed. "Ayumi! Taiki!" she called as she made her way down the hallway.
Hikari ran up the front steps of the three-story school. She didn't bother going to her locker; she had no time. One more late and I get detention, she reminded herself as she ran down the hallway.
She let out a sigh of relief as she entered her classroom with a minute or two to spare. She made her way over towards her desk and took a seat, breathing heavily. "Don't you have one of those marvelous things called an alarm clock?" Her friend Anzu asked, turning her head over her shoulder to face Hikari.
"Yea, yea…I hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning." She reached into her bag and pulled out her compact hairbrush and quickly ran it through her short ebony locks of hair.
"Snooze buttons are evil…" Anzu said in a low mumbled.
Hikari rolled her eyes and put the brush away. "You think everything is evil, Anzu." She pointed out with a laugh. Anzu narrowed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.
"Alright class! Settle down!" Their teacher shouted over the conversing students. "Kanzaki, it's good to see you're on time." Hikari narrowed her eyes at he teacher
"I was only late three times…" she grumbled.
"Yes, all in the same week." Their teacher pointed out as she adjusted her glasses.
Hikari raised her brows. How the hell did she hear me!
"Now class, open your textbooks to page 128…"
"Ah…TGIF!" Anzu exclaimed as she and Hikari descended the front steps of their school.
"Yes…woot…it's Friday…" Hikari added, unenthusiastically.
"Why so glum?"
Hikari sighed heavily. "Seiya doesn't work on weekends."
"So…?" Anzu looked at her friend waiting for some sort of an explanation.
"You're such an idiot…"
Anzu's deep brown eyes narrowed into a deadly glare. "That was so uncalled for! I'm sorry I can't read your freaking mind! Geez…evil…"
"You know how much I despise him."
"Why is that exactly?" Hikari rolled her eyes; She must have been dropped on her head as a baby…
"Cuz…he tries to be my dad. He isn't and never will be. He just really pisses me off."
"Oh…"
"Yea…" The two walked in silence for a block until Anzu came up with an idea.
"Come with us to Shibuya tomorrow!"
"What?" The sudden suggestion had caught her by surprise.
"Tika, Daisuke, Mai, Motoki, Kita and myself are going to hang out at Shibuya tomorrow. I know you're exactly good friends with them but it'll be fun."
"What about Setsuna? She not going?" Hikari inquired.
"Nah…she and her other friends are going to the Harajuku district. They're such posers."
"Posers?"
"Yea, they think they're all hardcore with the whole Harajuku trend. It's pathetic really." Hikari suppressed a chuckle.
"Oh Anzu…" She wrapped her arm around her friend's neck, pulled her into a headlock.
"Hey! What the hair! If it gets tangled I'm swear to god I'll-!" Hikari laughed and watched Anzu squirm. "Hi-ka-ri-!" she released her friend, still laughing.
"I gotta go."
"So soon?" Anzu asked, inspecting her 'perfect' long locks of hair.
"Yea, I have to pick up Taiki and Ayumi soon."
"How old are they now?" Anzu wondered. "I haven't seen them in ages."
"Taiki is turning nine next month and Ayumi is five."
"Wow…time flies." Hikari smiled slightly and nodded.
"Yea…well see ya tomorrow!"
The house was empty as usual when Hikari arrived home. She dropped her bag by the door and let out a sigh. She had made it through another day at the hellhole she called school. I miss middle school…we had less homework and classes were easier, she thought as she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom, her sanctuary. All four walls were covered from floor to ceiling with photos and other memorabilia.
She jumped over the piles of clothes and let her body collapse onto her bed. She grabbed her pillow and hugged it close. Her eyes drifted to a cluster of pictures by bedside. A smile pulled at her lips. They may be only half siblings, but she loved them nonetheless like they were full siblings.
As Hikari laid there and reminisced, she lost track of time. Her eyes widened at the sound of her watch beeping, indicating that a new hour had begun. "Crap!" she shouted and jumped out of bed quickly. Damnit! She scolded herself as she ran out of her room and dashed out the front door, still dressed in her school uniform.
She was grateful though that her siblings' school was just a couple of blocks away. She had made it just in the nick of time. As the final bell rang, hundreds of students piled out of their classrooms and ran in to the waiting arms of their parents.
"Kari-chan!" Ayumi squealed in delight.
Hikari smiled the five-year-old girl and scooped her up in her arms. "Get into any trouble today?" she teased.
"Nope! I'm a good girl!"
"That's not what I heard." Hikari, grinning, proceeded to tickle her sister who laughed hysterically.
"No! Stop!" She pleaded between laughs.
"Are you two done?" Taiki asked with a huff. The nine-year-old stood with his arms crossed, not impressed.
Hikari put Ayumi down and let her smile fade. "Alright, let's go." Ayumi reached up and grabbed Hikari's hand.
"Carry me?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. "Purty pleazzzzz?"
"We only live a couple of blocks away!" Ayumi continued with her pleading look, not giving up so easily. Hikari sighed in defeat and knelt down. "Fine…hop on my back."
"How long until the kids get home?" Hitomi smiled seductively as she wrapped her arms around her lover's neck. "Well?" he asked.
"Shhhh…." Before he could utter a word she pressed her lips against his. He deepened the kiss and ran his fingers through her short honey brown hair. It seemed so long since they had both had a moment of peace and quiet between them.
"EWWW!" Taiki exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen. Hitomi backed away slowly, her eyebrows knitting together. So much for that…
"What Tai-chan?" Ayumi asked, running into the kitchen.
"Mommy and Daddy were kissing!" he answered, proceeding to make gagging like noises. Hitomi suppressed a laugh and shoed the two out of the kitchen, telling them to get started on their homework.
Thank god I missed that…Hikari thought as she took her shoes off by the front door.
"Hikari, thank you for picking up the kids." Seiya commented as Hikari walked past the kitchen on her way upstairs.
"Whatever." She mumbled. "Mom I'm going to Shibuya tomorrow."
"Alright."
Seiya let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. "I don't know how to get through to her."
Hitomi shook her head slightly. "She's just like him…" she mumbled.
"Like who?" Seiya inquired.
"No one." She smiled and pulled her husband of ten years close. "Now, where did we leave off?"
A/N: Well, what did ya think? I'm trying to develop Hikari's character more. Normally I would have jumped into the main plot or at least hinted towards it by now, lol! But I'm trying to stop doing that. So please review. Feedback is always appreciated. Whether it's good or bad.
A/N #2: thank you ice73 for pointing out the mistakes. I've fixed them up. stupid dyslexic fingers...lol!