Kanna:
But why?
Why do I have to leave the mountain without you?

Ryuya:
Forgive me, but I am Lady Kanna's attendant, not yours.
I could never do anything that is against her wishes.

Yaobikuni:
Tell me, what is it you want from me?

Uraha:
We wanna take you away from this place.
Then you and Kanna can live together as a happy family for the rest of your lives.

Yaobikuni:
Our fate may have been different if there were more in the world who believed as you do.
But I have seen enough to know that some things will never be.

Ryuya:
Stand back from the door.


Kanna:
Mother!

Yaobikuni:
Don't come near me.
You must never touch me; my body's been defiled.

Ryuya:
Defiled?

Yaobikuni:
Do not approach me, and certainly never touch me.

Kanna:
But, Mother...

-- OP --

Yaobikuni:
You said your name is Uraha, yes?
I assume you are the one who found a way through the boundary and ultimately discovered our escape route.

Uraha:
That's right.
It's as if an invisible hand was leading me.

Yaobikuni:
Powers like yours don't come but once a generation.

Uraha:
What powers?

Ryuya:
Quiet!

Kanna:
What is that?

Ryuya:
A signal arrow.
It's about to be a battle.
Someone is attempting to invade this sacred mountain.
Get down!

Yaobikuni:
Ah!

Ryuya:
Aw!

Kanna:
Mother, no!

Soldier A:
I got her!

Soldier B:
Nonsense!
Mine was the first to hit!

Ryuya:
Hah!

Uraha:
Huh.

Ryuya:
Look away!

Ryuya:
So this is the power of a winged person.

Kanna:
Mother!

Ryuya:
Don't remove them!

Kanna:
What are you talking about!?

Ryuya:
You take out the arrows and she'll bleed to death.

Kanna:
Ah, then what'll we do?

Yaobikuni:
Remember Kanna, you must never touch me.

Kanna:
No!
Don't say that! I just found you!

Ryuya:
Kanna.

Uraha:
Lady Kanna.

Kanna:
Oh, Mother, Mother...

Yaobikuni:
Why didn't you listen to me, my little Kanna?
I told you not to touch me.

Kanna:
I can't!
I can't leave you!

Yaobikuni:
Oh...
It has been such a very long time.
I'd almost forgotten how warm a human touch can be.
Ah...
My fate has finally come.
I need you to listen carefully.
An ancient prayer was to perish with me, but it will now be yours to bear.
I'd always wanted you to live a normal life.
I just wanted... I wanted you to be a normal girl... without the burdens a winged person must carry.

Kanna:
Tell me the prayer.

Yaobikuni:
Strength... the wind... it's all ours now.
It's all ours...
We will inherit... the only dream... only dream the planet will ever see.

Ryuya:
The dream the planet sees?
Just what does that mean?
Ah...

Yaobikuni:
Ask... ask the way... everlasting... with wings and spirit.
That is all.
Now it's yours to hold.
I hope you can forgive me someday, Kanna.
This is truly our duty as long as we exist here on Earth.

Kanna:
Oh, Mother...

Yaobikuni:
And now Kanna, it is your turn to share your life with me.
I've often thought of you and wondered how your journey through life has been, my child.

Kanna:
I wondered about you too.

Yaobikuni:
Mm.

Kanna:
I've been living in a shrine deep in the forest until we escaped just recently.

I had never experienced such an amazing trip in my entire life.
And I have Ryuya and Uraha to thank for that.

Uraha:
Lady Kanna, your mother appears to be getting rather tired.
Didn't you have something that you wished to show her once you were able to meet?

Kanna:
Mm... Oh yeah, I've trained long and hard to show you something, Mother.
I'm glad Uraha reminded me.
Okay, here goes.
Ah... Um.
Ah.
I can do it!
I'll get the next one right, I promise! I really have been practicing this!
Um.. Ah.
Oh, not that one.
The next one.
The next one will be good, I promise.
Why can't I do it?
Why can't I do it for my mother?
I've trained for weeks!
Uh.
I just wanna show her what I can do!
Why can't I do it right!?

Yaobikuni:
You've done fine, dear.
I can see that you've put so much effort into it.

Kanna:
But, Mother...

Yaobikuni:
Go and practice some more.
I promise to watch you when you return.

Kanna:
All right.

Uraha:
Ah.

Yaobikuni:
Now Uraha, please don't find me cold-hearted for rejecting my only daughter's touch.

Uraha:
No, ma'am.

Yaobikuni:
And you Sir Ryuya, do not worry about my burial.
You mustn't touch my body either, so just leave it here.

Ryuya:
Mm.

Yaobikuni:
I have nothing in this world to regret now.
Except... I wish I could have shared more with her.
I wish I could have spread my wings together with my child.
To have floated in the summer sky... to fly... to our hearts' content.

Kanna:
Ah.
You weren't watching.
Mother?
Mother.
Mother!
Mother no! Wake up!

Ryuya:
Please Kanna.
That's enough.
Don't do this.

Kanna:

Mother, please, please wake up!
Get away!
Get away from us!
She said she'd be watching.
She wants to see me do it!
And I am, I'm gonna do it right 'cause she wants me to.
Ugh.
I'm gonna do it right, I have no choice.
Mother's watching, so I've gotta do it right.
She's watching me, so I mustn't fail!
Why can't I do it!?
(crying)

Uraha:
Lady Kanna, please!

Kanna:
Ah..

Ryuya:
Killed by such crude weapons.

Uraha:
Lady Kanna.

Kanna:
Sir Ryuya, you're my guardian, a difficult task at best.
It's only been a short time, but I... I was... Ug. Ah, Sir Ryuya!
(crying)

-- Eyecatch --

Uraha:
Sir Ryuya, have some water.

Ryuya:
No, I'm fine.
Please give it to Kanna.

Kanna:
I am giving you an order.
Now drink.

Ryuya:
Is this all the water we have left?
In that case, I think the three of us should share.

Ryuya:
And all the rest is for you, Lady Kanna.

Uraha:
When we're sitting together like this and sharing what we have, it's as if...

Ryuya:
...As if we three are part of a close-knit family.

Uraha:
Ah...

Ryuya:
Didn't you define a family as a group of people who are so close that they almost suffocate each other?

Uraha:
I'm sure that it is exactly what I said.

Kanna:
Do you two have any wishes for the future?

Ryuya:
Where did that question come from?
Well, okay, let me see... What would I wish for the future...?
I wish to escape the siege, or rather I wish for Lady Kanna to escape it, even if I have to sacrifice my life.

Uraha:
Oh, oh, I have one.
I wish to live with Lady Kanna and Sir Ryuya happily ever after.

Ryuya:
Now you see, why couldn't I have thought of that one?

Uraha:
We can set up a small residence someplace quiet where no one will bother us.

Ryuya:
I'll be able to provide food for the three of us, either by farming or by hunting in the woods.

Uraha:
And if we live by the ocean, Lady Kanna and I can go fishing together and digging for clams as well.
(Laughing)

Ryuya:
The ocean, huh?
Well, if we're going to live on the beach, the west side is warmer.

Kanna:
So uh... What is the ocean like?

Ryuya:
You mean you've never seen it?

Kanna:
I've heard that it's like an incredibly huge puddle of water.
But I've never actually seen it for myself, no.

Ryuya:
Well, it is a water puddle I guess.
But it's filled with salt water.

Kanna:
Hey, you're teasing me again, aren't you?

Uraha:
It's true.
The ocean is salty, Lady Kanna.

Ryuya:
And what's more, it's as big as the sky.

Kanna:
What!?

Uraha:
Yeah, it's amazing.
And you can eat all the snapper you want.
It's nice!

Kanna:
Are you serious?

Ryuya:
I suppose that depends on my abilities as an angler.

Uraha:
I hope that the villages nearby have summer festivals.

Ryuya:
Well, I don't see why they wouldn't.

Uraha:
In that case, the three of us will be able to dance together there.

Ryuya:
Ha, that's right.
It's not as much fun just to watch the dance.

Uraha:
hehehe...
(laughing)

Kanna:
That's only a dream, isn't it?

Ryuya:
Hm?

Uraha:
Huh?

Kanna:
Well, it's my dream too.
It's strange, I thought dreams had to be sad.
I've had fun with you two.

Ryuya:
Kanna?
Huh?

Kanna:
Listen, stay where you are.
Because of you Ryuya, I've been able to forget about my wings, even if just briefly.

Ryuya:
Don't, Kanna.

Kanna:
This is the last order I will ever give you.
Live a long time... and be happy.
My wish is your command.

Ryuya:
Kanna!
Ugh!

Soldier leader:
What are you waiting for!
Firing at will!

Soldiers:
Yes, Sir!

Priests:
(chanting)

Ryuya:
What are those voices?

Uraha:
It's the priests, they are chanting.
They're trying to put a spell on Lady Kanna to control her.

Priest leader:
Maintain the verse!
To save this world from the curse of the winged beings, you must hold steadfast!
Your sacrifice is your only defense!

Ryuya:
Kanna!
You've got to fly higher! Higher! Fly as high as you can!

Kanna:
Ugh!

Ryuya:
Kanna!

Ryuya:
Kanna!
Ahh!

Kanna:
Ryuya, obey me...

Ryuya:
(Roaring)

Uraha:
Sir Ryuya, what're you going to do?

Ryuya:
Whoever did this to her, I don't care who it is, but I'm prepared to die taking out as many of those bustards as I can.

Uraha:
Uh... Ryuya.

Ryuya:
Get in my way, and I'll kill you too.

Uraha:
Then kill me.

Ryuya:
This is not an idle threat.
Huh?

Uraha:
Lady Kanna wouldn't want you to do this, and you know it.
You can't possibly think that she would be pleased to see you turn back into a killer.

Ryuya:
Kanna is gone, Uraha.

Uraha:
No, I can still hear Lady Kanna's voice, like she's here in the woods.

Ryuya:
You can hear her?

Uraha:
It is very faint, but I can hear it.
She's weeping... she's suffering.

Ryuya:
She is?

Priest:
The two of you used to be Kannabi-no-Mikoto's attendants, is that correct?
I am here on my master's orders.
He requests I take you to him.

Ryuya:
The one who summoned us was a high priest named Chitoku.
He already knew pretty much everything there was to know about Kanna.

Chitoku:
In fact, a winged being used to live in this temple, but that was very long ago.
Since that time, we have sought to protect winged beings, and whatever possible, offer them a helping hand.

Ryuya:
According to Priest Chitoku, winged beings inherit the planet's dream from previous generations, and have imparted pearls of wisdom to the people since the days of old.

Chitoku:
It has been said that the winged people were the original source of our magic.

Ryuya:
How can one inherit a dream?

Chitoku:
That is a question to which I have no answer.


Ryuya:
Because of the power they wielded, winged beings were incarcerated by the authorities of the time and used as weapons of war.
Kanna's mother had been cursed by all those she had been forced to kill over her lifetime.
That's why she said her body had been defiled.
The army that invaded the sacred mountain belonged to the imperial court.
Its goal was to undermine the worship of winged beings, and unify the gods once and for all.
According to Chitoku, Kanna was probably the last of her kind in this world.

Uraha:
Priest Chitoku, I have a request.
I would like you to teach me the ancient magical powers of this temple.

Ryuya:
It was decided that we would live in this temple.
Uraha was said to have talent that appeared only once every hundred years.

Many long months passed.

Uraha:
I shall begin the chant.
It is for summoning the spirits.
We will be able to discover what kind of dreams Lady Kanna is having, wherever she is now.

Kanna:
Sir Ryuya! Sir Ryuya! Get up!
I'm ordering you!
Why are you not moving?
Why are you not opening your eyes?
I won't forgive you!
I won't forgive you if you leave me!
But why?
I don't understand!
Why does everybody have to leave me?!
(crying)

Ryuya:
Kanna!
This is all in your mind!
I'm right here, Kanna!
I'm saying I'm all right!

Ryuya:
So that was... that was the kind of dream she's been having?

Uraha:
Yes, so...

Ryuya:
So do you mean, she just keeps having that nightmare over and over again forever?

Uraha:
When we were on the sacred mountain, there was a curse placed upon her.
I think it continues to haunt her, and that's why she's having all these dreams.
And then there were other curses she inherited from her mother?
These curses will weaken those who cherish winged beings, and eventually they will lead them to their deaths.

Ryuya:
So is that the reason my wound never heals, Uraha?

Uraha:
It is.
I can protect myself by using my magic, but... but you...

Ryuya:
You've foreseen my death, haven't you?

Uraha:
I've seen it.
You will not outlast the year.

Ryuya:
I see.

Uraha:
The day will come when the curses on Kanna fade away and die.
When that day comes, her spirit will descend to the Earth in a reincarnated form.
Putting the spirit of a winged being into a human is like pouring the water of the ocean into a small vial.
The vial will overflow, and eventually... shatter.
Her spirit will not have a chance to heal, and she will continue to reincarnate.

Ryuya:
Since I don't have much time left, is there anything I can do--anything at all that will save her?

Uraha:
There is only one way to help her.

Ryuya:
Hmm?

Uraha:
You and I must have a child together.

Ryuya:
Huh?

Uraha:
Don't you understand? If you father a child, you could pass on your legacy to him!
And even if your son is unable to carry out your wishes, then maybe your grandson, your great-grandson or some distant progeny will save her.
Don't you see? One day, one of your descendants will find a way to save her from her nightmares.
I will do whatever it takes to save Lady Kanna.

Ryuya:
Hm...
You're right.
In order to break this curse, I will devote the rest of my time here on Earth to you, Uraha.

Uraha:
Thank you!

Ryuya:
Time passes slowly.
I've compiled "Writings on Winged Beings", and placed it in the back of the hut.
If our soon-to-be-born child seeks Kanna's spirit, I trust that it will be helpful to him.
And Uraha will teach the child magic.
I'm sure any child with Uraha's blood will be a most accomplished magician.
He might be able to follow the path that we could never find.
And I can continue the journey through time to right this wrong.
He can complete the journey, to meet those precious wings again, and keep watch over them.
For myself, I have nothing more to wish for.
And I have no more regrets.

Ryuya:
The birds are flying...

Uraha:
Yes.

Ryuya:
I want you to forget... forget about me and Lady Kanna and try to be happy, Uraha.

Uraha:
I'm happiest when I remember. Because then I would not be alone, Ryuya.
You and Kanna will continue to be with me and guide me through the rest of my days.
And thinking of that... makes me happy.

Ryuya:
I understand.
That thought makes you so dear to me, my wife.

Uraha:
Yes.

Ryuya:
Thank you, Uraha.

Ryuya:
The sky is so high and clear.

Uraha:
Sir Ryuya.

Ryuya:
Shall we go, Uraha?
Kanna is waiting for us, just beyond the sky.

Uraha:
Yes, I will accompany you.
I'll go anywhere you wish.


Sky:
Where is this place?
What am I doing here anyway?
I remember I... I was just with someone.
It was someone very important to me.

Ugh.. I don't know I... my head's so foggy and unsure...

Kids:
I'm going away...
Oh no! I forgot to bring my morning glory...
My grades are falling like crazy.

Misuzu:
(panting)
Hey there!
Where'd you come from?
Where's your mother?

Sky:
My mother?

Misuzu:
Can't you fly?
You're so cute!
I wonder if... if it's okay to leave him here.
Okay, I'm gonna walk away a little and then turn around and if he doesn't follow me, then I'll just leave him here.

Oh, look! He's following me!
Do you wanna come home with me, little guy?

Okay, then let's get going.
(laughing)

And, we're off!

-- ED --

Misuzu:
Summer vacation starts tomorrow.

Haruko:
He seems awfully friendly for a wild animal.

Misuzu:
And I already gave him a name, it's Sky.

Yukito:
Is there anything else I can wear?

Haruko:
Oh yeah!?

Potato:
Piko, pi piko?
Pikori?
Piko?

Haruko:
Oh, I wonder sometimes how long I can go on like this.

Misuzu:
And I'm so scared too, Sky, if I'm all by myself.
How am I gonna be able to stay strong?

Haruko:
It's time to be a family, Misuzu.