Memory Lane (Shadow and Holly)

Little Shadow looked up at her father with en expressionless face. Kar looked down at his daughter.
"Time you got the demonic mark." He snarled, pulling out a knife.

Holly stared straight through Kar, as if not seeing him, and then faced Mini Shadow, hoping she wouldnt be in too much pain.

Mini Shadow grimaced as the knife cut into the skin around her eye, drawing a semi circle. She hissed, pulling away, her vision half obscured by the blood now running down her face. She snarled, launching into a flying kick and hitting her father in the head before disappearing out of the door again.

Holly was torn between a deep state of shock and admiration for her friend, but this was all obscured for a moment of panic in which Holly imagined herself walking around in Shadow's memory forever, unable to find the real thing.

Holly's worries were solved as the scene changed again and the real Shadow was once more standing next to her friend in a dark room, but a cavern made for practicing hand to hand fighting skills. A younger Shadow was there, now looking about 12 years old and ten in age, practicing her kicks on a punching bag.

Holly nodded once to the real Shadow, sighing slightly.
"Ah, you're about.....thirteen looking here aye?"

"I was ten." Shadow said, looking at her look a like, observing the prominent scar around her eye. "After Kar scarred me, I returned to Synairn and vowed not to let him hurt me again."

Younger Shadow launched a viscious kick at the bag, which then swung back to hit her, sending her flying back.

"Ooooh," Holly said cringing, "Is she- are you- were you- ... alright?"

Younger Shadow pulled herself into a sitting position and punched the floor with a cry of frustration. The door slid open to show Armen.
"Shadow, you needn't train day and night..."
"I must..." Shadow growled.

"Determind little thing weren't you..." Holly muttered.

"Yeah, I was..." Older Shadow mused aloud.

Younger Shadow got back to her feet and was about to attack the punch bag again when Armen grabbed her.
"Stop, Shadow. Fighting will not avenge her death!"

"I like determined peoples," Holly commented.

Shadow smiled slightly, turning to watch the memory.

Younger Shadow was crying silently, looking out of the window. Armen sighed.
"Shadow, Arella would not want to see you like this."
"Yeah, but she's not here anymore, it she?" Shadow hissed.

Holly understood the resentment in this last sentence, having uttered it several times herself in the past.
"Poor you.."

Younger Shadow sighed.
"Where are they sending me this time?" She asked Armen.
"A place called Earth. Arias is securing your place at a magic school called Hogwarts..."
"Hogwarts, I read something about that..." Younger Shadow said.

"Hmmm." Older Shadow said.

"This is the first time you found out you were going to Hogwarts!" Holly said smiling slightly, "Thats a milestone in everyones life eh?"

Older Shadow smiled slightly.
"Only for the first two years, it was hell." She said softly as the scene changed again to show platform nine and three quarters.

Younger Shadow was standing next to a green haired woman, clutching a wand and a book, looking petrified.

"Does she have ... green hair?" Holly asked incredulously, "Right sorry, bigger picture....is this in Hogwarts?"

"Heading there." Shadow said softly as her younger self boarded the train warily.

"Shall we go onto the train with her? You?" Holly asked, getting muddled.

Shadow nodded, striding towards the train and walking into the same compartement.

Holly slid in through the door and sat opposite the little Shadow.

Younger Shadow opened her book and began to read, but several boys entered the compartement, one looking a bit like a ferret.

"None of them are hot, ragin for your younger self," Holly muttered absently.

Older Shadow rolled her eyes, younger Shadow didn't look up until Ferret stood on her foot.
"You! What are you doing here?"
"I am travelling." Shadow said simply. Ferret glared.
"This is our compartement!"