A VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE
The Descended Shadow
Chapter XIII
The Journey that never was

Disclaimer – Escaflowne is not mine; the characters and story are the property of Bandai entertainment. The story and characters of 'The Descend Shadow' or 'Shadows of the Past' are the property of Butchs Fan Fiction Forum . Before use of these characters or elements of the story please get permission from Butch Cassidy at Visit the Home of 'The Descended Shadow' at Character reference at the end of the Fan Fic. If you forget a character, remember.

………

Sadako slowly opened her eyes, a familiar face swimming into view, at first it was blurred but slowly she recognised her aunt. 'Yukari?' She thought, 'What was going on?' She opened her eyes wider Yukari finally noticing that she was awake. Her face melted,
"Sadako!" Yukari wrapped her arms around her; her heart was pounding even faster now, "Thank God your Ok!"
"What happened?" She asked, and Yukari' face sank,
"You mean you don't remember?" She asked, looking to her side as if for support, "There was an accident…" She speech slowed but then returned,

Sadako' mind, finally come back to full speed, and was trying so hard to take this in. Her eyes flew from side to side, taking everything in. She was not in her room, defiantly not, but in what looked like a hospital ward. The whitened walls and signs were a dead giveaway. What the hell was going on? She felt the beginnings of panic inside her. What was happening? Yukari, obviously sensing that she was having trouble took her hand,
"You really don't remember?" She asked, and Sadako shook her head slightly. Now she could see that there was also a nurse with them, Yukari looked over to her as if asking for permission. The nurse nodded and Yukari returned to her,
"Do you remember your last exam?" She asked, and Sadako thought back as well as she could. Her mind was a complete blank, she couldn't remember much of anything, but then it came back to her,
"I was heading for my last exam…" Sadako said and Yukari nodded,
"Your mother came out to wish you luck before you left"

Sadako lifted her hand and brought it to her neck, she touched the pendent that lay around it,
"She gave me this, 'This my dear will lead you to your future'" Yukari nodded,
"That's right" Yukari confirmed, "Do you remember anything else?" Sadako's eyes fell and she shook her head,
"There was a driver. Just as you were leaving he mounted the pavement and…" Yukari tried to tell her but she seemed to be having a lot of trouble with it. Sadako gulped,
"It hit her… and then me" She finished and Yukari nodded slowly. A gnawing fear set root in her stomach and Sadako started to panic,
"Mum…" She asked anxiously, "Where is she? Is she alright?"

Yukari looked back to the nurse who shook her head, Yukari however ignored her advice,
"When the ambulance got to the scene she had already passed on" It was as if Sadako' very heart had stopped beating. A feelings of disbelieve washed over her, she couldn't believe this could possible be happening to her,
"She's…" Sadako asked, her voice little more than a whisper, "…dead?" Yukari confirmed her worst fears with a slow nod.

This time Sadako could not hold back her feelings. She heard the words but they did not seem to sink in, or maybe she just refused to believe them. She shook her head,
"No, she couldn't" Sadako told them, but Yukari' eyes spoke the truth and nothing but. Her mother was dead. Her heart rate jumped,
"SHE COULDN'T!" Sadako yelled, Yukari taking a step back,
"I don't know what I could say to make this easier…" Yukari added, again looking to the nurse for advice, "…but there was nothing we could do…"
"Why?" Sadako asked, "Why would you lie like this?" Sadako pushed herself up from the bed and prepared to get off, "I have to find her, I know she's alright, your just a liar" It seemed that Sadako' words were cutting deep, but Yukari didn't retreat instead she tried to get her to lie back down,
"Please don't…" Yukari started but Sadako became violent again.

"DON'T TOUCH ME," She yelled, pushing Yukari back. She hit the floor bashing her head pretty badly. It looked like Sadako's eye couldn't decide if she was angry or in pain. She closed them, but streams of tears still escaped from under each lid. Sadako clutched onto the sheets and pulled them closer to her, the tears coming more freely,
"I didn't… I… I could have…" She muttered and again without fear Yukari approached her. At first she took one of Sadako' hands and spoke softly,
"It was not your fault. It was nobodies fault" Yukari assured her and then Sadako dropped her face into Yukari's shirt, wrapping her arms around her. Yukari did likewise, and patted her hair,
"Its alright" She told her again and again, "Its alright"

It was a long while before Sadako could speak again, and even when that time came her voice was horse. She continued to look to Yukari as if hoping that Hitomi would jump out from behind something yelling surprise but she really knew that that wasn't going to happen. The nurse left them soon afterwards but after what seemed like a lifetime she returned to remind Yukari that Sadako needed to rest. This was not the first time but she had reminded her but Yukari thought she probably should leave Sadako with her thoughts.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning to pick you up" She said, taking Sadako's hand, "We can head home then" Sadako offered a weak smile but it was one of the hardest she had even been forced to give.

When Yukari left she turn the lights off darkening the room, the only light coming from the partly opened door. She offered a wave of goodbye and then it was closed shrouding the room in darkness. Sadako didn't move at first, her eyes still transfixed on the now almost invisible doorway. Her breath which was, for a time calm began to return to the erratic state that suggested the weight of reality was falling upon her.

Dead…
She tore her eyes from the door and wrapped her arms around herself turning on her side,
She's…
Her eyes weakened as the tears again began to come,
Dead…

She tried to push it from her mind, but no matter how many times she did the memories came again even more vividly than the last. She guessed it was her mind sorting her memories out but she would much rathered it hadn't. When she had awoke she seemed to have no real memory of the accident but now it was coming back to her bit by bit. Each time a new part came into her mind she was forced to relive the whole episode again… and again… and again.

It was many hours before she finally fell into the sleep that she so desperately hoped would take the pain from her. Even so, as she slept she would continue be forced to relive the most painful of memories time and time again.

She was standing alone with her mother in what she recognised as their old 'training' room. Though really it was just a converted garage. All along the walls weapons of many different types, from swords, spears, bows, crossbows, knifes lay. Not only a couple of each kind but ones of almost every imaginable size and type. Even so they were not the only decoration as several flags also adorned the walls, some she recognised from her geography lessons but more so from their trendy use in clothing.

The floor was clear at the moment, several thin crash mats centring it. Hitomi's hair was as brown as it ever was but she now wore it much longer than she had as a child. She was taller, and gave an air of authority. She wore ordinary clothing. Her emerald eyes watched her daughter disapprovingly.

Sadako appeared to be wearing a form of nightdress, which was more revealing that her mother would have liked. Her hair was a mess and she appeared groggy as if she had just gotten out of bed,
"What's the big idea mum… why'd you have to get me up so early" Sadako complained,
"Don't you want to see the sunrise?" Her mother retorted but Sadako wasn't buying it,
"How are we to watch the sunrise? We're indoor" Hitomi shook her head,
"We've already missed it because someone took so long getting up" Sadako didn't bother to offer a snide remark and just yawned,
"Alright, but could we get this over with so I can go back to bed already"

Hitomi smiled and pulled a couple of swords off the wall behind her; throwing one to Sadako she caught her without warning. She caught it, but it didn't stop her complaining,
"Whaa! That's dangerous" Hitomi raised her sword and called out,
"Its your fifteenth birthday today" She started, but Sadako just interrupted again,
"Yeah I know, and I'd prefer not the be awake in this part of it!" Hitomi gave her a look that told her to shut up and she did,
"As I was saying its your fifteenth birthday, and I have decided to see if your last year of training has gone to waste" Hitomi told her, "Prepare yourself!" Hitomi's words were called out but still Sadako didn't really understand what she was going to do until she lunged at her, sword in hand. She blocked Hitomi's strike suddenly finding a way to shed her tired feelings,
"What you doing!" Sadako asked, "Its far too early for this, come on I'm in my jammies!"

Hitomi smiled,
"You never know when you maybe attacked. Or if you'll be dressed" She pressed down harder on Sadako's blade until she threw Hitomi back with a powerful thrust. Hitomi came to a soft landing a few feet from Sadako and smiled,
"Got over it didn't you?" This time it was Sadako who attacked her mother and with her sword held in both hands she brought it down on Hitomi's head. It was then that Hitomi took her sword, her only defence, with a single hand and with the other pulled her daughters nightdress up revealing her underwear.

Sadako practically shrieked and dropped her sword to push the dress back down. Then Hitomi brought her blade to rest upon her daughter's neck and shook her head,
"You can't be such a child!" Hitomi scalded her; "You can't let such little things get to you in the heat of a battle" Sadako protested by sticking out her tongue,
"Come on, when I'm I going to be in a fight with a sword? All I have to do is practice with you" Sadako asked snidely but all her mother said was,
"You don't know what the future holds" Sadako was going to ask what she meant when something more pressing took her mind away from the subject,
"Is everything Ok? I heard a scream!" Amano asked running in from the kitchen in his own pyjamas. Sadako ran behind her mother in a weak attempt to hide from him. When he realised his mistake he backed out slowly,
"Sorry… I um, sorry" Were the only words he could give before he vanished,

Hitomi burst out laughing, but Sadako gave her a childish punch,
"That wasn't funny!"

When she really had awakened she almost hated herself for being relieved. It was only a moment before the memories of her mother's death flooded back to her, offering so many sorrows. At first she didn't even notice that she had actually been awaken and not just woken up on her own,
"Sadako?" Yukari's voice came and Sadako looked to she her standing over the bed, "Good morning" Sadako returned the greeting but ignored the underlying point of the words. What's so good about it, she thought. Yukari sat down on the edge of the bed,

"You hungry? A lady dropped this off for you a little while ago" Yukari asked lifting up a tray with some rice and eggs which lay upon a table next to the bed but Sadako just shook her head,
"I'm not hungry" She placed the tray back down and gave an awkward smile,
"Have a good night?" She asked,
"Yes" Sadako lied but she wasn't too sure if she disguised the fact very well. Yukari got off the bed and lifted a bag,
"I've brought you some of your clothes," She told her, "If you want I can step out?"

"Yes, I would like that" She told Yukari with a little spite in her voice. She didn't even release it when she said it, but Yukari obviously did as she left almost as quickly as she could. Sadako frowned and looked at the bag,
"That was mean" She commented about herself, "She is just trying to be nice" She sighed and opened the bag. As she changed her clothes she couldn't shake the feeling that she had forgotten something, something important that had happened to her. She just couldn't shake it, and the feeling that a piece of her was missing was a feeling she wanted to dispel as soon as she possibly could.

She was so relieved to get out of the hospital gown. She looked herself up and down in the mirror, navy jeans, red T-Shirt and a short black jacket. Just like when… something had come to her but it was gone as soon as it had come and she sighed angrily. It was now that she noticed, for the first time that she actually had a window! She sniggered a moment as she thought about how dense she must be not to notice such a thing.

After a few strides she pulled the curtains open and bathed herself and the room in the warm morning sunshine. For the first time in too long she broke a real smile as she looked out over the gorgeous morning glory. The city was spread in front of her, thousands of buildings, hundreds of which were even taller than the hospital, which was far from a low level building. Dozens of skyscrapers dotted the horizon, mostly centralised in the same area many miles from them. To the far left horizon she could see the Tokyo Tower standing tall, a brilliant red symbol of Japan's engineering prowess. She felt relieved as she was truly home.

There was a knock on the door behind her, and Yukari let herself back in,
"Sorry for the intrusion" She apologised, "Are you ready?" When she spotted Sadako by the window she joined her,
"Beautiful isn't it?" Sadako asked and Yukari nodded,
"It sure is…" She replied, "…When you live in a place like this you never appreciate it like you should" Sadako turned to face her,
"I'm sorry" She apologized,
"What for?" Yukari asked and Sadako smiled,
"I've been… difficult" Yukari shook her head,
"Of course you have…" She turned to face her, "Your going through a lot right now… and the worst thing would be for you to try and hold it in" Sadako nodded,
"Thank you"

Yukari turned her back on the window and retreated back into the room,
"Shall we go?" She commented, "As beautiful as that view is its not going to go anywhere" Sadako nodded turning her back on it also,
"I suppose your right" They abandoned her room, she hadn't been there too long but she still felt good to see the back of it. It was a large hospital and they passed hundreds of different people as they did but there was something weird about them. She could have sworn that she had passed the same person more than once. She found Yukari's car close to the entrance of the hospital badly parked in an ambulance zone,
"Is that legal?" Sadako asked as they approached it, Yukari shrugged her shoulders and smiled,
"Technically not… but why should you have to walk?" Sadako smiled as they got into the car,
"I'm sure the court would see it the same way," Yukari laughed,
"I'm sure they would"

They didn't speak too much at first. For a long while Sadako just watched her surroundings as they drove through the streets. It seemed that as they drove they were heading away from the city as the buildings lightened. Her eyes passed round the car, the same car she had drove in a hundred times before. She wasn't sure what it was but something just didn't sit right with her. She was about to return to the passing cars when Yukari offered a single word,
"So…" She started. Sadako guessed she didn't have much else to say but wanted to encourage her to talk. She turned her attention to her mother's lifelong friend.

Yukari was about as different from Hitomi as two people could be. While Hitomi had grown up to be tall, Yukari was quite short despite her years but seemed to make up for it with a tall face. Because of this her smile was always wide as could be. The long hair she used to have when she was young was now cut shorter and Sadako even remembered times when she experimented with curling it. It was still brown with a hint of red, but she never did have the courage to ask if that was natural. She was always a happy and kind lady, especially when Sadako was growing up… and she always saw Yukari as her second mother.
"Tell me, why'd they let me out so soon?" Sadako asked, this was not the first time this question had come to mind, "They aren't in the habit of letting their patients out so suddenly are they?"

"No, they don't usually, but yours case is special" Yukari answered, "It hasn't been a short stay for you" Sadako made the sort of noise which you do when you don't get it,
"What?" She asked and then Yukari continued,
"You have been asleep for well over six weeks now" Sadako didn't know what to say to that,
"But how could I?" She asked but Yukari had already guessed her question and offered an answer,
"We really don't know why you were out for so long. You weren't hurt very badly when the car hit you, but you just didn't wake up" She continued, "The doctors were totally baffled. You weren't even in a coma or anything, just sleeping"
"For six weeks?" Sadako clarified, still having trouble taking it in,

Yukari nodded,
"Yip. Six whole weeks" She finished, "And since there wasn't really anything wrong with you to begin with why should they keep you in the hospital?" She did not offer a response at first but then Sadako did say,
"I cant… how could I have just slept for so long?" Yukari shook her head,
"As I said nobody really knows" She added and then looked over for a moment, "Do you remember anything from when you were sleeping? Did you dream?" Sadako thought for a moment, the last thing she remembered before waking up in that hospital bed was the accident, nothing else. Even so she couldn't shake the feeling that she had forgotten something important but she shook her head.

With the mood turning cold Yukari thought it would be best to liven it again,
"You know Amano is going to cook dinner tonight?" She said in the hope of taking her mind off it, "All your favourites" Sadako looked over and smiled,
"Amano?" She asked, "Cook? Will I live to see tomorrow?" Yukari laughed,
"I would hope, but there is no guarantee"

Some may have looked in on their family and thought it strange for a mother and daughter to live in the same house as an unrelated married couple but it really wasn't. It had been so many years and even before Hitomi moved in with them they viewed her as family. When Sadako came into the world it just tightened the family unit and sometimes Yukari and Amano needed reminding that Sadako was not in fact their child. It seemed like the plot out of a bad American sitcom.

"Amano asked me to apologise for him," Yukari apologised, and Sadako looked up,
"Why?" Yukari shook her head disapprovingly,
"He couldn't get out of work. Some big project they have been working on for months or something" Yukari told her but it looked like she was more upset about it than Sadako was, "Not even for his own daughter, figuratively speaking of course. I mean really…"
"Its alright" Sadako jumped in to defend him, "He is cooking dinner"
"No it's not alright!" She told her, "I managed to get off, so should he"
"Really its Ok" Sadako told her, "Don't worry about it" Yukari shook her head,
"Alright, but just this once, Ok?" Sadako nodded,
"Sure"

Suddenly, without warning Yukari jammed on the cars breaks and skidded to a stop. Theirs was not the only car to have stopped as the line of angry drivers behind them began to honk their horns angrily. Yukari leaned over Sadako and yelled out of her open window,
"Oi, flower man!" She yelled, "A dozen Lilly's and another dozen white roses" Sadako looked over to see that there was indeed a flower man with a stall on the roadside whom was pulling together the requested bunches. Yukari dug into her purse and pulled out some cash to pay the man.
"Yukari is this Ok?" Sadako asked looking back at the growing line of traffic behind them. She sniggered,
"Its fine…" She told her, "Its only for a minute"

A man who was almost constantly beeping his horn throw his head out of the window of his car and yelled,
"Come on lady this is no rest stop!"
"Bite me!" Yukari yelled back and smiled again to Sadako. The man passed the flowers in through the window carefully into Sadako's lap.
"How much?" Yukari asked,
"6000 Yen" She passed him the cash,
"Keep the change" And almost as soon as his head was out of the window she sped off leaving the continuing complaints from fellow motorists behind her.

She patted the steering wheel and smiled,
"Keep those safe will you?" She asked of Sadako, who nodded but still offered an obvious question,
"What they for?" Yukari spoke softly,
"An old friend"

Only a moment later they turned off the main road and came into what appeared to be a dirt road, which lead up a hill. She recognised it immediately as the path up to her local Shinto shrine. As they climbed the hill they drove directly adjacent to the dozens of gates, which lead travellers to its doors. The wooden gates were a miraculous red, so far from the natural colour their wooden frames would partner with. She could see the beginnings of the shrine which lay higher up the hill, surrounded with trees and flowers, the most prominent being that Cherry Blossom tree. The shrine itself was built with vitality and grace, which contributed by the refined curvatures in the column, outlines, in the shapes of rafters and brackets, and especially in the great overhanging roofs.

Just ahead of the Honden stood the final gateway which lead to the temple itself, the final link in the chain. This link was so much more than just another gateway, but something much bigger and grander. In the distance just beside and behind the Honden, or temple building stood the Pagoda and holy font as always protected by the drum tower.

She sighed as she remembered the many times she and her mother had climbed the stairs into temple and the many times she had stood in awe of the structure. This time, however, it was not awe that she felt but a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She now realised what was happening.

"Her funeral, the offerings and burial have all happened haven't they?" Sadako asked, it all just coming to her, "Was it you who wore the Shinishozoku?" Yukari nodded,
"We didn't know why you were asleep and had no idea when you may awaken" She said, "I'm sorry" Sadako shook her head,
"Its what I would have done" Her words were cold but Yukari knew that it wasn't because of her. She had just realised she was about to visit her mothers grave.

It wasn't long before Yukari had brought the car to a stop and they prepared to enter what was the temples gravesite. It was behind the temple, hidden from the road and worshippers by a veritable wall of trees. There was however a large wooden gate that allowed them passage, a gate not unlike those that lead up to the temple itself. Sadako was quiet, and didn't say a word as Yukari lead her through the maze of graves that made up her mothers final resting place, the flowers in her arms. They were not the only ones in the cemetery but it was as if none of the other mourners knew, or even cared that they were there. Cherry Blossom trees were dotted all over the cemetery, their flowers a beautiful scarlet pink, the sort of colour you could only get at this time of year. It is said that there is a body buried under a Cherry blossom tree, and the flowers are turned red by its roots drinking the blood of the dead. It seemed from where she stood that that legend could just be true.

Sadako's heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it was going to break right out of her chest. Finally Yukari came to a stop and turned to face what looked like a new grave and brilliantly white tombstone, built like a Myian Pyramid. At first Sadako was too scared to face the grave, she was about to be robbed of the final chance for her to deny the truth. When she did finally turn it was still enough to stop her heart for a moment, she may have known it, but to see it written in front of her brought a lump into her throat.

"Hitomi Kanzaki" She read aloud, her voice bitted. She felt Yukari throw her arms around her but it didn't feel real, more like a memory of something that happened long ago. Her mind went blank, her eyes glazed over as the truth finally sunk in. She fell to her necks next to the grave, right out of Yukari's arms. She kneeled down next to her but Sadako didn't even notice and started to sob quietly.

Yukari got back to her feet and placed her hand comfortingly upon Sadako' shoulder before uttering the words of a prayer,
"O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and set his face towards Thee, wholly detached from all except Thee. Thou art, verily, of those who show mercy the most merciful.
Deal with him, O Thou Who forgivest the sins of men and concealest their faults, as beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy grace. Grant him admission within the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy that was before the foundation of earth and heaven. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. "

Sadako's sobbing was louder now, and Yukari kneeled down beside her and wrapped her arms around her again,
"Let it out" She said, and Sadako did so. They were there for what felt like a lifetime to Sadako. When Sadako was ready she got back to her feet her arms were reddened from the tears but she didn't try to hide them.

Yukari left down two saucers in front of the grave, each made of the finest china. Then removing a flask and bag from her pocket she poured a brownish liquid into one and some rice into the second,
"Allow these to give you the strength to make it through Styx" She then nodded to Sadako whom offered the two bouquets of flowers to the grave and placed them down between the bowls.
"And allow these flowers to line your path into grandma' arms" Sadako said before adding, "Goodbye"

When they left the graveyard the sun was already climbing down in the sky, offering long shadows across the gravesite. Neither Sadako nor Yukari said a word to each other on the remains of the car ride, instead spending the time in silence. Sadako didn't really feel like talking, or doing anything for that instance.

When they did pull in and came to a stop Yukari had to nudge her before she realised.
"We're home," She mentioned and Sadako looked up and offered a hollow smile before undoing her seatbelt and exiting the car. Then she looked up at the house, which had been her home for so many years. The building was only one in a row of similar houses in the street, a clear blending of traditional Japanese concepts and western architecture.

The building itself was three stories high, and very large. It appeared to be built out of wood, making it appear picturesque but she knew that it was in fact brick just covered over. The roof was actually flat, and Sadako remembered all the time she spent up there as a child, bathing in the sun during the summer.

The sun was setting, which it made the house appear ominous in its failing light. They were not the first to arrive, as the lights in several parts of the house were already on. It was Yukari, who actually pointed this out,
"Amano's back?" She asked and then sniffed the air, "I think I can already smell dinner burning" She didn't expect it to happen but Sadako laughed. Yukari bridged the few steps to the door and pushed it open offering entry to Sadako.
"Come on" She felt like it had been so long since she had seen the house but it didn't seem like anything had changed at all and yet… The heat hit her face as she crossed the threshold and then Yukari closed it.

The first few steps she took were unsure but once she found her footing she followed the smell of cooking. At first Amano never even noticed that they had come into the room he was so engrossed in his cooking. He was even humming cheerily to himself like a happy schoolchild. He only turned when Yukari cleared her throat,
"Welcome home honey!" She said sarcastically, "How was your day darling!"

When he turned he gave Yukari no heed, and instead grabbed Sadako, hugging her as tightly as he possible could. At one point he even lifted her off her feet. Amano was still the same man he always was, age just adding to his looks. His dark brown hair was still worn long but now he kept it in a neat ponytail. The only things that had really changed about him was that he was a little bit taller and there was a fashionable surface of stubble across his chin. He still appeared to be wearing the suit he would have worn to work,
"Its good to see you too" Sadako commented when she had gotten her voice back from the shock. You see, Amano had never been one for showing his feelings too much in the open. She really didn't expect such an 'open' reaction from him.

"Thank God your Ok" He told her, and she wasn't too sure but she though he was crying, "Thank God" When he loosened his grip he kissed her forehead and apologised,
"Sorry, I didn't mean to suffocate you" Sadako shook and then dropped her head onto his shirt for a moment,
"Thank you" She said simply, "Thank you" The suddenly embarrassed she broke away and added,
"I'll be next door" Amano nodded,
"Sure thing. Dinner will be finished soon" As she was making her way into the living room next door she heard Yukari and Amano' voices,
"What are you doing home so early?" She asked and he just replied,
"I managed to convince them to give me the rest of the day off"

'He asked for the time off?' Sadako thought, 'That's not like him' Amano was right when he said dinner was almost ready, no sooner had she sat down she was called into the dinning room. Amano had produced an incredible feast with dozens of different things. As grateful as she was, when she saw it she felt guilty for her lack of hunger. Conversation was dry over the meal, nobody really wanting to be the first to speak. Amano was still a little embarrassed, Yukari was still not too sure were she sat with her and of course Sadako was just not very talkative. She had barely had two mouthfuls when she gave up and announced,
"I'm going to go to bed" Yukari looked up and complained,
"But you have barely touch anything" She said, "Don't you want some more?" Sadako shook her head,
"I'm not really very hungry" Sadako replied, "And all I really want to see is my bed"

Yukari was going to speak again when Amano spoke up,
"You go to bed" He reassured her, "Remember she has to get her rest. Doctor's orders" Yukari gave up, and wished her a good night,
"See you tomorrow then. I have arranged for you to meet with the University Chancellor about repeating the exams you missed in the morning so make sure to get your rest" Sadako nodded and left the room as quickly as she could without giving the impression she was in a rush to get away from them.

It was true that she wasn't hungry, and that of course she wanted to get to her bed, but equally she needed to get out of that room. She couldn't take the silence any longer. As she walked through the familiar hall and stairs, which made up her home, she continued to be bothered with this feeling that something was not right.

When she pushed the door into her room open felt the chill in the air, the chill brought about from not being used for many nights. She sighed as she again found herself alone. Hers was a simple room; a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a bookshelf with some of her favourite titles. She sat upon the side of her bed and looked out through the window she now faced. Other than the few lights of their neighbours there was nothing but darkness. She didn't feel too well.

Her mind returned to Yukari's last words. Her education, her life, everything would have to be rebuilt from the ground up. There was no way she could just take the exams now; she would have to repeat the year, No matter what, she was still in for a difficult time. Her eyes scanned the room; it was exactly as she had left it that fateful morning, exactly. There was a file upon her bookcase that would cheer her up when she was young. Her mother would tell her the tales she had written and it was always with such vivid detail, but no matter how many times Sadako asked her to send the stories to a publisher Hitomi would refuse. She would always say they were too close to her heart. Sadako took the file in her hand and laid it upon the desk. Taking the chair she opened it and the first word echoed in her mind,
"Gaea"

She felt strange for a moment, remembering the tales her mother would put her to sleep with, and turned another page to be faced with a map. Many detailed features lay upon the map, mountains and lakes, cities and nations. She laid her finger on the map and slowly she edged it across the page. She knew the stories from these nations, and tales she had been told but other images flashed in her mind, other people, as she read their names, though she did not understand why.
"Zaibach… Fanelia… Asturia... Fraid... Cesario... Fanel.."

A desert, a forest, a mountain, a man, a castle and a garden. She shook her head angrily, 'What did it mean!' She didn't like it, was there something she was forgetting… something important. Clearing her mind she threw the file open to a random page and began to read from the words which had been beautifully handwritten onto the paper. She read it aloud,
"Day 68, it's been quite a while now since we started our journey to the Mystic Valley, Von, Alan, Milerna, Merle, Dryden and myself. Von seems a lot better now but he still insists he is going to fight. Things seem to be peaceful for the moment but I can't help but worry about what may happen to him" Sadako smiled as she imagined her mother speaking the words. She felt herself becoming drossier but skipping a few lines she read again,
"Tonight Milerna who as you know is engaged to Dryden, approached me and asked about her 'friend'. It was obvious she was talking about herself but she couldn't decide who she liked, Alan or Dryden. When I suggested I could do a reading Merle jumped in and messed everything up by demanding I decide who I like first. I was so confused, and then when I said Alan both Milerna and Merle ganged up on me. It was mean of them, but there was nothing I could do" Sadako smiled,
"I would be nice if it was more than just a fairytale" and she fell asleep.

She awoke suddenly but there was a single image that burned itself into her mind, a young man in his early twenties and his messy brown hair that threatened to obscure his face. He appeared to be being carried by his tied legs and arms. He was screaming at her, he knew her name. Her eyes flashed open, but the face remained in her mind.
"Who?" She asked herself, she knew him, she really knew him from somewhere but where. Her mind was troubled. She lifted her face from the file and shook it to clear her drossiness, but even as that went the image of the man remained. Who?

She shivered and closing the file she abandoned it on her desk. The boy still in her mind, she undressed. She was relieved to get them off, but she was sure it was the last time she would ever wear those particular clothes… from now on to be associated with something she would want to forget. She changed into a nightdress and crawled into the bed but still the image of the man, his panicked face bothered her. She knew she knew him from somewhere but she just couldn't think of where.

She tried to sleep, she really did but no matter how long she tried she just couldn't get that damned boy from her mind. She tossed and turned for what seemed like a lifetime, and she still failed to find sleep even long after Yukari and Amano had themselves gone to bed. Eventually she surrendered, gave up and pulled herself out of the bed. She shivered again as she abandoned the warmth of her sheets.
"I'll get something to drink," She told herself before heading out of her room and into the darkened hall. She was careful of where she was going, very careful but she still didn't want to turn on any lights encase it caught either Yukari or Amano' attention. She didn't want to worry them and she knew they would if they knew she was up.

She was relieved when she finally made it into the kitchen and without any major injuries on the way. She smiled as she opened the fridge to find there were a couple of 'Calpico's' left. She took it and sitting at the table, in the dark she slowly took a sip and then another. She continued to mull the mans face in her mind crossing off places she may know him from. TV? Nope. University? Nope. Old School? Nope. A Manga? Nope. Before she knew it the bottle was empty and she was becoming ever more frustrated.

As is so often the case when you are dealing with a problem the answer came right out of nowhere. Sadako had brought the file of her mother's stories down with her and she began to search through it frantically before coming to a stop towards the end,
"… I was talking to Dawn today and don't ask me how it came up but we were talking about names, and more particularly the names we would give to our children. I couldn't offer any definite answer but Dawn was set upon Nimura if the child were to be a boy. He didn't tell me why though…" She read the words out loud and her eyes widened. Could it be?

She shook her head angrily. How could that even be possible? He was a character in a story, a fairytale, how could he possible have had a son. How could she have known his son! The whole idea seemed totally ridiculous but the more she ran it through her mind the more it just seemed right to her and that made her even more angry. She closed the file and scooping it up headed, on autopilot back to her room. However that is not were she ended up. She wasn't too sure when she took the wrong turn but before she knew it she had stumbled into the training room, literally. The room burst into light as the picked herself off the floor, looking back she saw the step which had been her downfall.

She looked up at the light as she regained her footing and remembered that it was linked to a motion sensor. Almost everything was exactly as it was in her dream; the same weapons and flags lined the walls, the same mats upon the floor. Her heart began to pound, and then it was as if it was in her throat,
"Why?" She asked aloud not even sure herself what she was asking.

Her eyes began to well up, tears hidden just beneath the surface. She couldn't keep it in, she just couldn't. Her hand was shaking. When she dropped her head she began to mutter something, something inaudible. Then without warning her emotions exploded into violence. She began to yell, shout at the very room itself,
"WHY?" And began ripping the room apart. First she cleared a small table to the end of the room of its contents, and then lifting it off the ground she hurtled it into the wall. It impacted with an echoing crash, swords coming down with it leaving a gash in the thin wooden wall.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" She continued and wiping her hands along the wall she brought further weapons to the floor. The metal was anything but quiet when it hit the ground causing even more of a disturbance. Finally she turned her eyes to the flags, which still stood, at the top of the room,
"WHY HER?" Were the final words she was to shout, the last. She ripped the first off the wall with all her strength, and then tore it in two. The two pieces of cloth gently drifted to the ground, as she brought the second off the wall. Her words had gone, to be replaced with tears and she fell to her knees her face in the flag.
"Why her… why did this happen to her" Her words came between tears, so quiet in contrast. She clenched the flag even tighter and lay upon the floor, curling into a ball,
"Why?"

When she finally looked up, tears still streaming from her face she gasped. Were the cabinet had impacted with the wall it had gashed a hole in it… a thin wooden wall. There had never been a wooden wall there before. She slowly got to her feet, never taking her eyes off the hole and then tried to look inside. Unfortunately it was too dark for her too see what lay behind the wall.

Carefully she lifted one of the swords she had knocked off the wall, and unsheathing it she brought it back. Then she brought it down, slicing the wall. Using the slice made by the sword he ripped it open with her bare hands, peeling the thin wood back like you would an oranges skin.

Once the light was able to get in past the wall she could see that it was in fact only built a couple of inches from the original wall. She perplexed the reason for it until a glint of white caught her eye… there were papers inside. She brought her hand into the hole and grabbing them she slowly lifted them out. It was actually a couple of dozen pages tied together with some string. Slowly, carefully she bypassed the blank page to its front and began to read the words it offered. It was her mothers handwritten,
"I have omitted these pages from the other accounts of my time in Gaea because they are of such a sensitive nature. I couldn't live with myself if she were to see them before her time was to begin" Sadako read aloud and even though she was more than just a little perplexed she continued unabated.
"As of yet I cannot be sure when this is to happen, but the daughter that is growing in my womb, like me is going to be taken to Gaea. My reason for feeling this will be self-evident when I explain what I saw. Upon my return to Gaea, only a few months ago I saw her, my daughter in a desert. Don't ask me how I knew she was, but I just knew" Sadako's heart rate raised as she read her words,
"Gaea is real?" She asked herself. There were several blank lines and then some more was written,
"Last night again I saw my daughter in a vision. She called herself Sadako… so I guess I don't have a choice in her name now do I? I'm not entirely sure but I think I am seeing the future… what else will I see?" She flipped past a few pages and it continued along the same lines about Gaea. Sadako closed her eyes, it felt like her heart was going to burst and then something happened.

"SADAKO!" It was the same boy again that yelled her name. She looked up into his eyes and realised that she was in his arms. His eyes were focused only on her, and they were scared.
"Nim…ur…a" She asked weakly and his eyes widened. Her eyes were so sparingly opened that he didn't see that she was awake. He gulped and hugged her tightly.
"Who are…" She started to ask whom he was when something happened. It was as if a veil had been lifted, and she was able to see again. She remembered,

Her eyes opened and she was back in the remains of the training room. Light streamed in through the small windows, which lay by the roof around half the room. She remembered. Finally she remembered everything. Gaea. Nimura. Von. Géaroid. The war. Everything. She got to her feet quickly, as everything finally became clear to her, everything. She ran through the house, up the stairs until she finally came out onto the roof into the warm early morning sun. She was in a dream, and there was only one sure way to wake from a dream. To die.

She crossed the roof, coming to a stop by the edge. She looked down and gulped. The roof was so high it scared her stiff to think what she was about to do. She took a deep breath but with a crash the door opened behind her and Yukari, with Amano by her side ran out,
"DON'T!" She shrieked, "What do you think your doing!" Sadako turned to face her and smiled,
"Who are you?" She asked as Yukari tried to bridge the gap between them. Yukari's face was awash with fear,
"What do you mean who am I? I'm Yukari" She replied but Sadako shook her head,
"How could you be her?" She asked, "Yukari was everything to me! You look like her, you talk like her, you even act like her but you are NOT HER!" Yukari looked like she was truly being hurt by her words "The real Yukari would never have tried to hide the truth from me!"

Yukari looked blankly,
"But I…" She started but Sadako cut her off,
"Mothers notes, her notes about me in Gaea! Why did you try to make me forget, why didn't you want me to remember?" Yukari answered almost immediately,
"You have to believe me, I did that for your own good!" She told her, "You can't go back there!"
"And why not?" Sadako asked angrily, "No more lies!"
"Did you read all of her notes?" Yukari asked, Sadako knew rightly that she hadn't but she didn't want to let Yukari know that,
"Of course I did" She replied to which Yukari called out,
"Then you know you can't go back, if you do untold harm will come to you, and to that world!"

Sadako couldn't reply before Yukari added,
"The past and the present ever connected to the future,
The glory's of old lead to none but this day,
With the conquest of fate, the victory of love,
The future is as planned by the dreamers of ancient's days

Prince and Princess shall meet,
Nations shall merge,
Twin Nations, twin kings,
Led by fate the land will rock

From the fire they shall lead the faithful,
Twin warriors, twin leaders, twin destroyers.
Upon the blood of the mother they shall sound the war,
And all shall return to as it was… Gaea will be no more"

Sadako couldn't think of what to say, she had heard these words before, in visions several time. She turned sharply too her,
"Are you 'The guide'?" She demanded, "Has this all been another one of your sick games? Another one of your visions of the supposed future?" Yukari shook her head,
"No!" She told her, "Before she died your mother told me everything. Hitomi told me what would happen to you… and that there was nothing we could do to stop it, but I had to try! I had to try and stop you from returning to that place" Sadako' resolve seemed to be weakening,
"That's how I knew when you would awaken. That's why I hid those sheets. I couldn't stand the idea of letting you go through everything your mother wrote, and if you jump, you will never be able to come back"

"I…" Sadako said looking away from a moment. In that instant Amano ran forward in an attempt to grab her. Going with her instincts she jumped and kicked Amano in the face, throwing him to the side. Yukari ran to his aid and it was then that Sadako mounted the side of the building, and showed Yukari as cold a look as she had ever seen,
"I don't know who you are, but I'm not buying it" Then without another thought she stepped off the side of the building and all she heard was her aunts scream.

………

Sadako's eyes shot open even surprising Nimura who was still holding her,
"Sadako?" He asked, his voice still panicked, "Are you Ok?" She nodded,
"Yeah… What happened?" She asked but he demanded to know more,
"First, what the hell happened to you!" She shook her head,
"It was a nightmare, nothing more," She told him, but she herself couldn't be sure if it was or not, "Now tell me" Nimura looked up past her,
"See for yourself" He said, and she did to see they were in what looked like a cage. There were bars on three sides of them, other cells to their left and right. Nobody occupied them, but they looked like they had been recently.
"What?" She asked and Nimura filled her in,
"We were attacked. I don't know who they are, but they grabbed me and then knocked you returned to camp. You have been out for a while now but you haven't missed anything much. They just threw us in this cell on their Levi-Ship" Nimura informed her, "You really had me scared for a minute there"

She smiled,
"Sorry" She apologised, "Buts it a long story, maybe I'll tell you someday"
He was about to remind her that they had nothing but time when they were forced to turn to the staircase that lay a couple of cells over from their own, footsteps were descending their steps. Sadako got to her feet and stood, shoulder-to-shoulder with Nimura. First a solder appeared from the staircase, and another, and another. Somewhere in between them was another person, a girl, but they couldn't yet see anything more.

They came to a stop in front of their cell and turned to face them. The girl was clearly their superior and she stepped forward. Sadako's eyes widen, she was a beast person and not just that, a cat girl just like Merle. She did not wear armour, but loose brown leather, which looked good for speed. She looked upon Nimura and Sadako with a very cold gaze,
"Who the hell are you?" Nimura asked angrily and one of the soldiers pulled out his sword. She waved a hand to get him to put it away,
"My name?" She reiterated, "My name is Mya but it is not what is important" She paused a moment before adding,
"In the name of the Entóntrian Alliance I have placed you under arrest"

End of Chapter Thirteen
………
Butch Cassidy
20.01.06 (Euro-Date system DD.MM.YY)
………

AUTHOR MESSAGE:
Now isn't that a welcome change. A short chapter and a short time since the last release… what was that, a month? Well here we are, Chapter XIII, and to tell you the truth I have no idea what to make of this chapter myself. Its different, A LOT different but I hope you liked it anyway. It isn't the shortest chapter (That's chapter 10) but wasn't even half the length of the last… makes you wonder how I split these things up doesn't it! You see I couldn't really do that much else with the chapter without spoiling the 'different' feeling and I didn't want to do that.

This chapter is SO different than it was planned, I can tell you, and this all was never meant to happen. You see this chapter was going to lay out what's happened in Asturia to do with Milerna and her rebellion but I decided to knock that back into the series' Appendixes chapters (19,20 and 21) which will cover some of the important stuff I couldn't slot in because of the complete change of main characters these chapters would intale. Things like Asturia' revolution, the birth of the Zaibach rebels, Fraid' withdrawal from Zaibach, the Sacking of Norte, Lord Rhyfel' assassination, Chid' plans, etc.

Do you know what today (20th Jan) is! The three-year anniversary of the Descended Shadow! Yes it was three years today that it all started, three God Darn years! As long as some of you are enjoying it is all worth while, but if you stop by-God (Shacks fist), only kidding.

Ok I have a challenge for you, any of you who want to try; in my sweeping description of the Sadako's local Shinto temple I made a clear error in the temple itself. Find it, and I may let you in on a secret of the series. Deal? Also, what was with putting down water and food, the Shinishozoku, and what is a Styx? Well in Shinto it is traditional to leave out food and Drink for those who have departed, along with other items they could use in the afterlife (Ie, a sword for a warrior), the Shinishozoku is a robe worn by the chief mourner in a Shinto funeral and the Styx is the place the departed must cross before making it to the afterlife.

The prayer that was used is also 'The Prayer for the Dead' from the Bahá'i faith. I thought it felt pretty good in the context and I liked it in the scene. So you all know, I have just opened up a forum for the Descended Shadow in the Escaflowne forums in If you wanna ask me anything, questions and all I will answer them there. Also I will be posting some older asked questions and any news relating to the series in there, so make sure to make yourself known and keep an eye on it.

Finally, Chapter XIV should be out in the next few months. Hopefully this 'Super-fast' chapter will allow you to give me a little time for the next of the 40+ page chapters which will lead us to the end of the series (Yip, their all 40+ from now on) :) Later.
Butch Cassidy

Cast #Ref Chapter XIII (Alphabetical) –
OC – Original Character
NC – New this chapter
(VI) – Chapter first appeared in

Alan (OC) – Old head of Knights of Celia, old friend to Von. Died Chap6 (II)
Amano (OC) – Hitomi's first love, but now only friends. Yukari's husband (II)
Dawn – Close friend to Von, Nimura' father. Is believed dead. (00)
Dryden (OC) – King of Asturia and would appear to be working with Chid (V)
Géaroid – A mysterious man now helping Sadako and Nimura (II)
Hitomi (OC) – Sadako' mother and lover of Von (II)
Merle (OC) – Childhood friend, and still close to Von. Figurehead Queen. (III)
Milerna (OC) – Queen of Asturia, old friend of Von. On the Run (00)
Mya (NC) – A soldier of the Entóntrian Alliance (XIII)
Nimura – Old Zaibach rebel, entangled in the alliance' problem, close to Sadako. (II)
Sadako – Epicentre. Von and Hitomi' daughter. How could you forget her? (II)
The Guide – Figure is directing people through visions, appears in many forms (VIII)
Von (OC) – King of Fanelia, father of Sadako. (III)
Yukari (OC) –. Lived with Sadako & Hitomi when she was growing up. Friend (II)