Well I finally got this done! Your Happy Thanksgiving present from me is this chapter. I actually typed this myself. Well hope you like it and please review.

Neko Hitaru

Sheena glanced across her hotel room, her stuff was scattered across the floor and tabletop. Her clothes were almost covering the old ratty carpet, it seemed as if the hotel hadn't replaced it in years. Then she saw her magic cards, she didn't know what to do with them now that she had pretty much given up fighting. Then she saw her bag of stuff, like her makeup and comb and such. Well, she thought, might as well clean up a little. So she picked up an old leather bag that squeaked a bit as she picked it up. She put her things and clothes into it and as she put the last thing that would fit into it, "OWWW!" She screamed. Then said "Shit, I just finished cleaning this up and it ripped"

She decided just to fold all of her clothes and stack everything up. As she stacked her books, she discovered a small leather-bound book, her old journal and inside the front cover a heart-shaped locket.

She opened her locket and saw a picture painted of her and another young woman only a year or so younger than herself at the time.

The locket was still gold but not quite as shiny as it used to be and the picture was slightly faded and the edges slightly crumpled but it still meant as much to her as it always had.

All of a sudden, she was in the past again...

She and Kuchinawa were not speaking to each other. If at all possible they would avoid each other, they would make polite conversations but wouldn't engage in long conversations. He was still confused and she was mad at herself.

She was in Mizaho but was planning to leave and go to Altamira, she was trying to run from her past. She was still in love with Zelos, but since he no longer returned the feeling her emotions were messed up. She, in one of her mood swings (a result of the break-up), had almost lost herself to Kuchinawa.

She was in great pain so she packed her stuff and left to go to Altamira.

Once she was there she did what almost any girl would do, locked herself in her hotel room and ate chocolate and other assortments of junk food.

She did this for three days strait, and never left her room. Then after running out of supplies (chocolate), she wiped her eyes and attempted to do something wit her, now unmanageable, hair.

After she looked slightly better, she timidly walked to the front door. She realized she forgot her money and was relieved to have a reason to not leave just then. Then she got her money and as she walked out something caught her eye. It was her mirror, somehow she looked different yet she could not understand why. After a few minutes she decided to give up, at least for now anyway.

She was out of her house and into the city. As she walked through the many shops and selected a few items she noticed a young woman maybe a year or so older than herself.

She stood almost a head shorter than Sheena, and had strait unnaturally blonde hair. She also had beautiful icy blue eyes that glittered when the light caught them. She was lightly built and walked in a light almost skipping way.

After Sheena ran into her in a few stored the girl came up and said "HIYA! My name is Aoki Sakura! What is yours?"

Man she talks fast, Sheena thought. "Umm. My name is uhh, Sheena," she answered awkwardly.

"Nice to meet cha! So how are ya?" Sakura asked.

"Ummm I am-" Sheena started.

"Well I am just fine!" Sakura said, "Oh yeah I am sorry sometimes I slip into this way of talking really fast and it annoys people."

"It's ok. I am Sheena and am from Mizaho. I don't thing your annoying, well maybe a little but you seem really nice."

I try my hardest but I am wandering from place to place so maybe I will stay here for a while. Where should I stay?"

"You can, umm, stay with me if you want."

"YAY!" was her answer.

Sakura then grabbed Sheena by the wrist and dragged her off to get her stuff.

By a few days they were very close friends.

"Sheena! Guess what?"

"What?"

"There is a formal dance tomorrow night! And I even heard a rumor that the chosen is going! Yeah and it is even here in Altamira in our hotel! The coolest place ever!"

Sheena stayed silent so Sakura waved her hand up and down in front of her new friend's face.

"Sheena."

"Sheena?"

"Sheena!" Sakura asked for the third time.

Sheena finally snapped back to reality and answered in a strange tone, "Sure I will go, I guess."

Sakura wondered but decided not to push the matter.

So the nest day Sakura drug Sheena through every shop in town.

They each (with Sakura's decision) carried 20,000 gald, in Sheena's opinion it was to much but she decided to not say anything.

The first shop they went into was a expensive dress shop with kimonos and such.

After Sakura made her try on at least 15 kimonos then she chose her favorite. The body of it was plain white but the sleeves were very beautiful yet simply designed. The sleeves started out midnight blue the gradually faded to white and then there were cherry blossoms on it. The lighter the color on the sleeves the more cherry blossoms. Then to compliment it she chose a black obi and the side of it that barely shows was silver. Then Sakura chose a black kimono with a white crane with golden edging and a gold obi with the halfway hidden part white.

Then Sakura dug Sheena off to the salon to get their hair and nails done.

They both got almost identical hairstyles except they put real cherry blossoms into Sheena's hair and a comb with a crane on it into Sakura's hair. Then they went home and waited. This seemed to take forever.

Then Sakura had a little present!

"Sheena! Sheena-Sheena-Sheena!" Sakura said in a singsong voice.

"What?" Sheena replied.

"Guess what!"

"What?"

"Sheena!"

"What, I am getting annoyed."

"I gotcha something."

"What is it?" Sheena asked.

Sakura handed her a small wooden box stained reddish brown. Sheena opened the box and saw two lockets each with the words "Friends" on it. She looked at Sakura, her eyes full of gratitude. Sakura nodded with approval and to encourage her to open one.

Inside was a picture painted of them yet it looked almost like they were moving and talking and alive! Then on the other side it said, "Thanks for being my friend, it means a lot to me! Luv you! Sakura." The other locket had a identical picture but was blank. Then there was a note that stated that Sheena may have the other one engraved with her choice.

She gave Sakura a huge hug and she thought for once that she might be ok.

She looked in the mirror a Sakura was doing her makeup. She did look different and as Sakura was talking, but it didn't matter because she was talking to herself and didn't mind if no one was listening, Sheena studied herself.

She had no scars, scratches, or bruises that were new. Her makeup wasn't on enough to matter and yet she looked really different.

Then she looked at her eyes, they looked cold, cold as ice, staring herself down. She became frightened but you cannot run from yourself so she didn't know what to do so she stayed there until Sakura was done.

Sakura noticed this but figured if it was important Sheena would tell her in time. She also could tell that Sheena was hurting inside and that she should let Sheena come to her and tell her instead of her asking and invading her privacy.

When Sakura was satisfied it was hard enough to see her eyes so it wasn't so bad for Sheena.

Anyway, Sheena thought, I might as well have a good time so I should put this out of my mind, at least for tonight anyway.