Rashi stopped mid air flight. 'Iñaki'......he had sensed her torment and pain. He turned and looked behind him and saw Xantus and Iñaki flying towards the light as well, an evil look on Xantus' face. 'He knows about the twilight'.....Rashi floated there for a moment, pondering what to do. 'AH! I know!' He summoned his wand and the demon and snow cards. "Demon, distract them, keep them away as much as possible…Snow card, use all your power and make the worst snowstorm you can from this point back." the cards' spirits nodded and followed through with their missions. Rashi sighed and smiled. He flew towards the light more furiously. "THey can't reach the border...they'll both die!"

"AGH!" Xan took a sudden nose dive as the Demon card's spirit came rushing at them. Iñaki gasped, clinging ever tighter to the black- clad figure. When they landed, they were barraged with snow and ice from nowhere. Iñaki was knocked away from Xantus in a large gust of wind, falling unconscious as she hit the ground... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "No, no, no! This is not a good time!" "Iñaki..." Iñaki gasped, turning toward the voice. "S-Sid?" "Yeah. Look, I can't come back. You know that." "Yeah..." "But, I can do something for you before I leave completely. Those memories that DoRe planted in your mind? They're not real." Iñaki’s head shot up suddenly. "What?!" "It's all a lie. You weren't created. There's no way. You were held captive, maybe, but you weren't created." "Then... I have parents?" "Dead, long time ago. Sorry. But you *did* have them." "But, how did..." "Hush. Open your mind. I'll show you..." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "Arian! Arian, come see! It's a girl!" A man rushed into the room, his face worried, but happy. He sat knelt next to his wife, who was cradling a tiny baby. "Oh, Sirah... She's so beautiful..." Sirah smiled softly and handed the child to him. Arian hesitantly took his newborn daughter into his arms, smiling delightedly. "She's ours, Arian. She's our...baby..." Arian looked up at his wife, his face suddenly worried. "Sirah? Sirah, are you all right? Sirah? Sirah!" *************************** "I'm sorry, Arian. There were complications with the birth that we didn't know about." Arian nodded somberly, cradling the quiet child in his arms. Her eyes resembled his own, shining brightly as if with unshed tears, seeming to glint off tiny facets in the deep emerald pools. Her hair had barely started to glow, much as embers before a fire. Arian smiled sadly. "Well, little one, I guess you won't know about the part of you from the mirror realm. You'll just be an strange shadow child... You don't mind that, do you...Iñaki?" The girl smiled graciously as being given a name, gurgling softly as though imitating laughter. Arian chuckled quietly as he walked away toward his own home, a black tear sliding down his face... **************************** "Daddy? Daddy, are you home?" "Iñaki, go outside." "But I just--" "Go outside now." The child stared toward the center room, but obediently left the house, her feelings stinging slightly. "Yes, Daddy." After hesitating a moment, the five-year-old girl tiptoed around the side of the house and up to one of the windows. Inside, Arian was arguing with someone, and she had to strain to hear. "I told you, no deal." "You didn't make the deal, Arian, your wife did." "DoRe, I will ask you once more to leave." "So, you would go back on Sirah's word to me, then? Make her a liar?" "... I don't believe she promised you our daughter." "No? Would you like to see the contract she signed?" The man called DoRe pulled out a parchment, and down at the bottom, sure enough, was Sirah's signature. "She wanted out at any cost. Well, this was the cost." "She's dead," Arian said, seething, "The contract is nil." DoRe glared angrily at Arian. "Very well. We have not met for the last time. I will have my payment, Arian, I assure you." The man disappeared into the air, leaving Arian alone. Iñaki ran back to the front of the house, sitting on the ground. Her father came out and picked her up playfully. "Sorry I yelled at you." "It's okay, Daddy. I still love you!" "I love you too, baby." He kissed her forehead lovingly and carried her inside the house... ******************************* "DADDY!" Arian ran into his daughter's room, anger and worry on his face. "Whoever you are, you bastard, you are not gonna hurt my little--" He stopped short as he entered the room. DoRe had the girl floating in the air, unconscious. "Oh, hello Arian. How are you this fine evening?" "Put her down and get out." "Sorry, but unlike your wife, you don't control shadows. You can't do anything." She shot a powerful blast of energy at Arian, knocking him off his feet and into a nearby wall. A sickening crack left a satisfied smile on DoRe's face. "I told you I'd have my payment. Good- bye, Arian. I really must be going." He disappeared, carrying the small child in his arms. A tear fell from the corner of her eye, black as her father's had been, but as it fell, it turn crystal clear, hitting the ground with a small *plip*. ******************************** "Hey, are you okay?" The girl opened her eyes to find a pair of worried ice-blue crystals looking down at her. "I-I think so..." "What are you doing at the base of the Tokyo Tower?" "I'm not sure..." ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Iñaki stared at the glowing ball before her. "I'm from...the Shadow Realm?" "Yes, but you are also from the Mirror Realm, on your mom's side." "So, I'm half of what Xan is then?" "Yes," the light seemed to smile. "I can't stay with you any longer, Iñaki. You need to find someone else." "But--" "No. You know I'm right." "... I still miss you." "And you will. For a long time. But you need to let me go." "All right," she answered, nodding sadly. "Iñaki?" "Yes?" "I still love you..." Iñaki watched as the light slowly faded away, showing her the face she had loved and lost. Slowly, he disappeared, blowing her a kiss and winking sadly. She watched him fade, a single black tear falling down her cheek, slowly becoming crystal clear. "I will always love you," she whispered gently as the area seemed to fade completely... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Iñaki!" Iñaki opened her eyes slightly, looking into Xantus's worried face. "Are you all right." "Yeah," she said, sitting up. Shivering, she looked around at the snow. "Rashi?" "Yes." "Hm." She closed her eyes gently, sighing. "Man, a blanket would be really nice right about now... or some clothes even..." Suddenly, out of nowhere, a liquid like shadow moved around her, covering her body in what seemed to be a liquid-black dress. Xan took a step back, surprised. "How did you...?" "It's in my blood..." she whispered, looking away. "I'm half mirror child..."