Parts 1-3 are at http://www.escaflowne.ml.org

Part 4 I just finished recently, I really want some C+C for this...

SPOILERS... it takes place after the end of the series... so spoilers are
expected...

Yours,

Kevin Shiue                      | Willpower cannot change Fate,
                                 | Fate cannot change Willpower.
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~shiue | Therefore, we can only hope...
http://www.escaflowne.ml.org     | For the best, and smile.

Story begins
------------

	In the darkness, Van heard a soundless scream; as it shook his
head, he bolted upright, leapt out of bed, and grabbed his sword on the
way out of his room.  He had not heard a sound, but his heart told him
that his true love was in danger. 
	He ran through the main corridor, toward the outside, where the
sentries would certainly have seen an intruder... but he knew in his
heart, no, he didn't know, he could just _feel_ in his heart, that Hitomi
was already long gone.  The delicate thread of fate wound tightly around
Van and Hitomi, and he knew she was in trouble.  The captured foreigner,
he knew, was the reason.  Of course Zaibach would capture someone who was
not guarded as closely; Van knew the concept of an eye for an eye. 
	He was almost at the entrance of the palace when he changed his
mind, and ran in another direction.  He ran toward his guymelef, as he
knew full well that he would face the Zaibach guymelefs once again in
battle, to rescue Hitomi.  He knew all too well..  . 

Return of Escaflowne: Part IV Thread of the Mind by Kevin Shiue

	Hitomi sat in the stark utilitarian room that served as her
prison.  It was dark, and the room was large.  The floor seemed to stretch
into eternity, as the solitary lamp lit up Hitomi and a small surrounding
area.  She was tied to a wooden chair.  A sin ister voice echoed in her
ears, saying "you realize that escape is impossible.  We know of your
so-called talents, and they will not help you here.  Only when Paul is
returned to me, will you be freed, if I don't decide to have a little fun
with you first ."  The mysterious figure stepped into the light.  He
looked Chinese, with raven black hair combed to one side.  He was
handsome, but only in the physical sense.  His aura shone of hate, no, not
hate, but of a perverse emotion of conquest.  Hitomi could s ee that this
person lived for power. 
	His hands and feet moved as he talked, rambled, about his desires
to see a technologically advanced Gaea and Earth working together to
colonize the universe.  Hitomi didn't pay much attention.  But, she could
see the hurt in his heart, the loneliness he felt.  Her heart reached out,
and she asked quietly, "Why?  This won't solve anything... and it isn't
right." 
	He spun around quickly to face her, and leaned forward.  His face
was two inches from hers, and he spoke softly, but his voice still twanged
of steel.  "You don't understand, do you.  You really don't.  But I will
get what I want.  I'm not afraid of you. 
  I know you can see the future, you can change fate, but I have something
much better... of course, I can't tell you what it is, despite the fact
that I'm sure you will not escape.  I don't make stupid mistakes like
revealing to my enemy my secrets..." 
	Hitomi barely breathed in shock.  She did not see a thing in her
mind, as his mind was completely closed to her. 
	Suddenly, a military man quickly stepped toward the two, and spoke
something incomprehensible to Hitomi's captor. 
	"Well, I have much more important matters than to keep you
company," he said as he walked away, a smile forming on his lips.  His
voice was still just as cold, "it seems you'll be working for me, if I can
confirm reports that Paul is dead..." 

	Hitomi sat in the spotlight, and sighed a bit.  At least they were
somewhat humane... she was fed, and allowed breaks for natural functions,
but that was all she was allowed.  She closed her eyes, and thought... the
delicate tendrils of her mind reaching , reaching, and grasping at broken
threads of soul.  To her surprise, she felt the presence of Escaflowne,
and touched it.  Her mind felt for it like a tender caress of a hand
stroking hair, and it responded.  She felt it rise up from its resting
place, d eep in the bowels of the Freid Palace.  It suddenly changed form,
outside, and Hitomi could feel it coming closer, and closer... 

	Back at the palace, everyone had been awoken.  First off was the
disappearance of Hitomi.  Second, Van's guymelef had spontaneously gotten
up and walked off to who knows where.  Suffice it to say, Van was not
pleased. 
	He was now sitting in the Crusader, with Merle, Allen and the
crew, who had come with Allen.  It was almost like old times, as they
headed off toward the Zaibach Empire to rescue Hitomi.  He sat, sulking. 
Realizing that he hadn't fought in Escaflowne fo r over three years, he
calmed his heart, and began practicing, in his mind.  To his surprise, he
found Escaflowne there... a thread to his heart and mind, omnipresent in
his thoughts.  Hitomi was there also, drawing Escaflowne toward her,
controlling it w ith her mind.  Van was relieved that Hitomi was all
right.  Though, he wished that she would have told him before calling
Escaflowne to rescue her.  He opened his eyes, and sighed softly. 
	The night whipped about the Crusader, and rain began to fall. 
They were travelling again, just like the old times, and moving, slowly,
but moving, still, toward the one person who was important not only to
Van, but to everyone.  For Hitomi had been one of the saviors of Gaea, and
that afforded her at least a bit of admiration and respect. 
	There was also one on board who hadn't been there three years ago. 
He did not want to return to the Zaibach, to the one who had tricked him. 
In reality, he was not a prisoner of the Alliance, he was a prisoner of
Zaibach, and would be returned to its c lutches, unless they could
surreptitiously release Hitomi.  The bargaining table would be
particularly harsh. 

	The threads of fate were twisted in tight knots, and as the Dragon
flew toward the Zaibach empire, so did the Crusader, and both would meet,
with Hitomi's mind, and come, and release her from the Zaibach's grasp. 
Despite Zaibach's advances with the Fate
 machine, it could not change the future, only the past, and not without
risk.  Each change would threaten the fabric of fate, and each pull of the
thread could conceivably unravel the entire entwined tapestry of souls. 
	With this thought, Hitomi awakened, and her head whipped upward
with such force that her chair almost tipped backward.  Her power was
stronger, than before... much stronger. 
	"I don't want it, though," thought Hitomi, but she continued to
control Escaflowne, and felt the wind flowing through its wings, as it
came closer, and closer.  Another mind was with Escaflowne, though, and it
rather surprised her to meet Van there. 
	It was darkness, in her mind, and she was a sole light in the
void, floating... with Escaflowne moving toward her.  But it wasn't
Escaflowne, it was Van.  In her mind, she saw Van, and spoke to him. 
	"I've been fine..." she said to his questioning eyes. 
	"I'm glad you're safe," said Van, "I will be arriving shortly...
and, I'll come with Escaflowne," he continued, with a wink and a smile. 
	Hitomi felt relief, as she felt two of the threads of fate twine
together, coming toward her.  They were still away a bit, but she would be
safe.  She would be protected. 
	Her reverie was jolted by the slamming of a door, as loud walking
approached her.  It was that man again. 
	"I think you'll join me once I explain to you the reasons why I do
what I do..." 
	"No!  Changing the past will not accomplish anything!" shouted
Hitomi back. 
	He raised an eyebrow.  "So you found out?  Not surprising at all,
actually, considering the stories that have circulated about you... but,
that doesn't matter.  I hope you'd join me on this mission, Hitomi,
because with this tool, once completed, the war
 to end all wars _will_not_happen_.  Would not happen... no, because
everyone will be content.  Everone will be content, because then we can
twist the fates, and relive the glory days of Atlantis." 
	"No!  Atlantis was destroyed... it was destroyed once by the
people's bad feelings, and destroyed a second time by love!  It will not
rise again..." 
	"Oh?" asked the man, "Really? Rather pity that it was never
destroyed the second time.  Only you know, because you were out of range
of the device's influence, and I know, because I must know, but you will
eventually learn, that your actions in Atlantis three years ago, DID NOT
OCCUR!" 
	"You've recreated Atlantis?" asked Hitomi incredulously. 
	"Actually, no.  You do remember your trip there few years back? 
Well, you went, but Atlantis was never destroyed... simple as that.  The
particle of fate that caused that to happen, never materialized, because
the thread that the particle was travelling
 on, was altered. 
	"Our dearly departed Isaac left such detailed notes, it's not a
wonder at all that the scientists of this realm have been able to redo
everything that was destroyed before.  Unfortunately, his plans for the
Utopia Machine and the machine to control the p ast were both somewhat
lacking. 
	"When I perfect this machine, it will enable unprecedented peace,
a peace that I will rule..." 
	"No!" shouted Hitomi again... "That is all wrong!  People's
emotions cannot be controlled, no matter how much you twist fate.  Fate
will not change no matter how much you twist emotion!  And it is
impossible to twist both simultaneously!" 
	"Well spoken... Hitomi," replied the man, who now drew out a knife
absentmindedly, and returned it to its sheath.  Hitomi hadn't noticed that
knife before.  "but WRONG!" 
	As a last resort, Hitomi tried to reach out to the man's mind, but
found it blocked.  Blocked solid. 
	"Ah yes, I know your name already, I suppose you'd want to know
mine, as you try to dig into my mind... you'll have to realize that our
technology, combined with the magic that makes Gaea so special, enables me
to see very, very, clearly, what you're try ing to do.  And I don't like
it.  Your friends won't ever make it inside my fortress... I've made sure
of that.  Anyhow, to continue with the introduction, my name is Chen
Weilong, but I highly doubt you'll ever need to call my name."  Out came
the knife again, and back in.  "You have about two hours before your
friends come, and accidentally kill you," said Chen as he chuckled, and
left Hitomi alone again. 

	Van couldn't sleep, so he went to the central planning room of the
Crusader, to find the man from the Mystic Moon there.  That man looked
like he could have fit right in Asturia, with his dirty blond hair and
fair skin.  He was a bit shorter than Van, an d rather thin.  His eyes had
an intense darkness to them, which almost repelled Van when he looked up
from his brooding. 
	"I suppose you would like to ask me more about the Zaibach
advance," the man sighed, and then muttered, "everone else has..." 
	"Do you really intend on going back if we're forced to do a
trade?" asked Van. 
	The man looked away from Van, pulled his chair forward, and leaned
back on the two hind legs.  "I would rather not, but as seeing how
important the girl is to you, do I look like I have a chance?" he asked,
his glance darting to the hilt of Van's sword a nd back. 
	"Why?" 
	"I suppose you haven't heard, have you?" said the man, bitterly. 
"Back on earth, I mean, the Mystic Moon, I was visiting Thera, and
accidentally stumbled upon an archeologist digging for Atlantis.  He had
in his hand a light red jewel of some sort... I wouldn't've mentioned this
except for the fact it's the exact same color as the Energist on your
mecha.  When I met him, the first thing he asked me was if I was an
engineer, to which I answered yes.  He then took me by the hand, and led
me to a platform of sorts, one that had a seven-sided star in marble
encircled by a wooden circle.  When he stepped on it, dragging me with
him, we were transported here. 
	"He obviously knew his way around, and convinced me to help him
with his invention, which he said would help the citizens of Zaibach.  I
went along, the naive fool I was, and when I discovered what he was up to,
and what he had done, I left.  Was rather difficult, as I recall." 
	Van paced as the man spoke.  When the man finished, Van stopped
pacing, and his eyes wandered a bit as he thought about the situation.  He
quickly jerked his gaze away as the two pairs of eyes met. 
	"What is his name, by the way?" 
	"Chen.  But he has a liking of the title Premier." 
	"What is your name?" asked Van, as he walked away from the man. 
	"It isn't important..." said the man, but quickly changed his mind
as Van stopped and started to turn. 
	"Paul." 
	Van continued walking. 
	"Oh... if I can stay with the Alliance, I believe I can be very
useful to you." 
	The arched eyebrow on Van's face was hidden from view by the lack
of lighting in the room, as Van stopped to listen. 
	"I designed their defense systems, you know.... but you do know
that Chen will be expecting me... so he'll take that into account." 
	"That has been taken care of," replied Van curtly.  He hadn't
wanted to be a party of this deception, but it was deemed the safest way
to make full use of the intelligence information they had already
received, and would continue to receive. 

	The capital city of Zaibach was still in the dead of the night, as
Paul led Van through the traps that awaited them.  Van was again in
Escaflowne, and Allen in the Scherazade, as the two crept as quietly as
the giant fighting machines could through the v entilation and heating
systems of the Zaibach palace.  In effect, they walked between the thick
walls, guided in part by Paul's knowledge of the layout of the entire
Palace, and guided by the powerful link that melded Van and Hitomi's souls
together. 
	Van was puzzled by the lack of guards, and couldn't very easily
understand Paul's explanation on the automation of the security, but was
rather grateful that all it took was the punching in of a few numbers to
disable everything. 
	When they reached the outside of Hitomi's cell, Van exited from
Escaflowne, and, with Paul's help, entered.  Hitomi sat facing away from
the door, with a solitary light cruelly shining down on her. 

	Hitomi's rescue was rather uneventful, for which Van was
absolutely grateful for.  After Van untied her hands, the two gazed into
each other's eyes and minds and souls, and two who were meant for each
other, kissed, as the others who had followed discret ely turned away. 
	"First kiss..." thought Hitomi, in her mind, discounting the one
with Allen that had been a manipulation of fate... she was with her true
love, and her heart beat a bit quicker as she realized this...  Their
longing for each other had grown stronger, and
 after the kiss, they continued to hug, until both Hitomi and Van realized
where exactly they were doing this.  They parted, but continued to hold
the gaze, each transfixed by the sorrow-filled face of the other..  They
were together again, and everything would be all right, now... 
	They looked into each other's eyes, and an understanding that was
already present simply intensified, as their thoughts coincided.  Hitomi
wanted to ask Van about...
	Suddenly, the room was very bright, as the one entranceway was
suddenly blocked.  An unseen voice boomed out from some unseen source. 
"Ah yes... nice of you to drop in.  I'm rather happy to see that Paul
isn't dead, and I am willing to grant you five mi nutes to leave before I
personally go over there to destroy you, if you hand him over.  Otherwise,
I'm perfectly willing to sacrifice a friend if that means that knowledge
of my humble abode isn't leaked.  You have exactly two minute to decide." 

	Van, about to speak for the group, was stopped by a tap on the
shoulders, as Paul motioned to be quiet.  He quickly stepped next to the
door, and felt for an imperfection.  He reached it, and tapped at it, in a
frantic, but measured pattern.  The door sw ung open.  He simply smiled,
and motioned them to follow.  And follow they did.  By the second minute,
they were out of the palace. 
	"No," shouted Paul, laughing, as he sat on the shoulders of
Scherezade, and Hitomi on the shoulders of Escaflowne, as the four rapidly
joined the awaiting crew of the Crusader. 

	Back on the Crusador, Van confirmed what Chen had told Hitomi, as
the two talked in the dim candlelight. 
	"What do we do now?" asked Van of Hitomi.  He trusted her
judgement, because he trusted her vision.  Most of all, though, he trusted
her heart. 
	"Perhaps get some rest, and then think about it tomorrow," replied
Hitomi, smiling, rising, and going to the chamber that Van had volunteered
for her to sleep in.  Van stayed in the planning room, and sighed as she
left. 






... to be continued ...