hi!  Thought I'd try a hand in an Escaflowne one for a change of pace.
C&C's Welcome!

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Hitomi's Wish

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"Alright, Hitomi-chan!  Blow the candles out!"

Hitomi looked up to her mother, although a bit more wrinkled and
growning grey, her mother was a vibrant as ever, "Hai, Ouka-san!"  She
said while drawing a breath in.  She never knew for sure, but she was
almost positive her trip to Gaia had taken a few years off of her
mother's life from worry.

"Wait, Hitomi.  What are you gonna wish for?"

Hitomi looked ot her left.  Her best friend Yukari, and her fiancee
Amano-san.  Sure she had had a crush on Amano when she was in high
school, but she had just finished college now and she had long since
given up on him.  Her best friend was so happy with him, and they looked
so cool together.  Besides, she didn't love him.  She loved....loved....

"Well?"  Yukari spoke up, waking Hitomi from her daydream.

Hitomi blushed slightly, "Gomen, Yukari.  What was that?"

"Well," Amano started, "It's a tradition in North America that when you
blow out candles on a birthday cake, you should make a wish."

"Oh," Hitomi started, "Alright then!"  She drew in a another breath and
blew out the candles.

Cheers were heard from around the room.  Hitomi was embarassed at all
the attention, but it wasn't like she wasn't used to it.  In Gaia,
almost everyone stared at her, her having different clothes and all.
But that was so long ago.

"So, what did you wish for?"  Yukari asked.

Hitomi shook her head, "I thought you weren't supposed to tell.  That
way, my wish will come true."  *Please let it come true*

Yukari grinned, "I suppose.  Well, we should get going.  We still have a
lot of planning to do before the wedding," She said while interlocking
her hands with her fiancee.

Hitomi stood to her feet, "Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Yukari nodded, "Bright and early."

The couple left, and soon most of the other guests had dispersed.  Only
Hitomi and her mother were left now for clean up duty.  Hitomi was
unusually silent while doing her job and her mother took notice,
"Hitomi-chan, what's the matter?"

Hitmoi blinked a few times, "Hn?  Oh, gomen Ouka-san.  I was just
thinking about something."

Her mother knew better than not to pry so she gave her daughter a kiss
on the forhead, "Maybe you should get some rest.  I'll finish the
clean-up and make sure you get to Yukari-chan's on time tomorrow, okay?"

Hitomi smiled, "Arigatou."

Her mother smiled, "It's my pleasure.  Now go on,  I'll finish up.  Oh,
and happy 23rd birthday."

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Moonlight poured in through a window in the Kanzaki's house.  Hitomi sat
at her desk, staring aimlessly through her window.  She held her pendent
in the air and swang it back a forth, "Ichi..... Ni.....San....," She
frowed when it went off another way than she counted.  No this wasn't
the same, it didn't keep the time like the other.  Her Dragu Energist
necklace was left back in Gaia, with Vann.  Her mom had given this one
to her for her birthday.  She knew that she meant well when she had
bought it.  It was the right shade of pink, the right chain, the right
cut, but, it wasn't the same.

This was a day she was looking forward to for a long time now.  Her 23rd
birthday.  She was definately an adult now and had finished college the
following year.  She had dated no one else since her return to Earth.
It didn't seem right.  She would be betraying him.

Her mother had re-married after her fathers death.  Soon it would her
mother and her new step-fathers anniversary.  She smiled, as she knew
her mother wouldn't be sad.  Yukari had Amano-san, and she was happy for
them.  they wouldn't be sad either.

Hitomi smiled as she gathered up her bag of clothes and silently slipped
a note onto her mothers nightstand without waking her or her husband.
She rushed out of the house, bag in hand and ran down the street.  Being
an all-star sprinter helped out quite a bit with this as she felt the
cold night air whip through her now shoulder length hair.

A smile couldn't help but rise through her lips as she reached her
destination.  The old highschool's track.  She had so many memories, but
wouldn't allow herself to stop and think of them at the moment.

She grinned as she set one foot into the starter block of the track.
*On Your Mark..*
She rose, *Get Set*
"GO!"  She yelled out as she sped down the track.  She had long since
broken her record or 13 seconds, but having a bag in her hand did slow
her down conciderabley.

She closed her eyes for a moment, "If our feelings are connected...."
She trailed, "Please...." She whispered under her breath.

She gasped as a hot, pink light illuminated through her body, feeling
almost as if she was in an inferno.  Her running slowed as she was
finally engulfed.  Her feet rose slowly form the ground and she grinned
widely, "We'll always be together, if our feelings are connected....
Vann."

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