I took an incredible amount of pride in sinking the entire Isshu region, in the detrimental power I held. Every single Ultima I cast made me feel... almost elated; I kept reminding myself of how hard SHE had tried to conquer the world. How many centuries SHE had tried to breathe life into my mother's corpse. And how SHE hated me. But did I hate her...? Shockingly, no. I didn't hate her, by any means. I felt she had betrayed me, make no mistake. But then again... I paused. I was finished with this destruction. Isshu was burned beyond recognition; that had been my goal.

I looked down. Sure enough, there she was, obviously still breathing. That old woman... with all her knowledge, with all her power, she was still just an old woman. Struggling for life... pity filled my heart. I floated down to her, just to stay by her side for a few moments. Even if she didn't want me there. I could only stare for a moment, unsure what to say. She only lied there, as though she didn't know I was there. How easy it would have been to just leave! She wouldn't have to see my weakness. But try as I might, turning away simply wasn't an option. Eventually, words found my tongue. And they weren't the ones I had expected.

"So this is how Himeko-mama felt..." I said softly, dropping to my knees. I looked at her, wondering if... yes, she did open his eyes. Still alive... incredible. I looked up. That had to have been at least a hundred-foot drop, not to mention a stalagmite impaled through her only weakness. I almost smiled. I had gotten my will to survive from her, that much was clearly evident. But then again... I looked back at her. Her breathing was staggering, her eyes seemed to try to pierce my soul... They did, actually. I could scarcely believe what I had said, but I could never take those words back. It was too late.

"What do you mean... how your mother... felt?" she asked, her words coming just as raggedly as her breathing. I hesitated. Why had I said that? How could I explain? I bit my lip, and met her eyes. My words were anything but steady. "When she tried to kill me... I didn't know why she was so sad. Now I do..." I couldn't hold the gaze. I couldn't let her see the blush that had appeared on my cheeks. I just kept making myself more and more the fool, digging my own grave. This could only lead to pain, and I'd had enough pain for one lifetime. But... if she was dying, then... what difference did it make? Oh, who was I kidding... we were both dying, Isshu was dying. When she didn't respond for a moment, I chanced a glance at her. Her blank eyes were closed. Then, they reopened, and she looked at me.

"Himiko..." she began. I braced myself. "Himiko... I cannot think of you as a daughter... not now," her words were oddly calm, though they were full of... something. I looked away again, fighting... tears? No. It couldn't be tears... I had never cried before in my life. Chikane Himemiya, or should I call you Shojin, the mother of all vampires, you never could think of me as a child, how can you think of me as a daughter? I'm not your Angel of Death, I'm your creation... I'm not even human. I'm a simple, useless half-vampire... I did everything you told me to. Reluctantly and rebelliously, granted, but I did it. I found my own ways of doing things; you hated me for that. But you never hurt me. I got rid of your perfect empire, I murdered your precious wife and the mother of your child, so why didn't you break every bone in my fragile body? You could have killed me then. Why not? I turned back to her.

"I don't need you to think of me at all, Shojin. In fact, I hope no one thinks of me again." I said, trying to keep that air of complete control and dignity that I had mastered so long ago... but I broke. Tears that hadn't fallen for twenty-four years fell down my pale cheeks. I didn't bother wiping them away, and I didn't try to hide them. It was too late- Chikane had already seen them. My father had seen my first steps, first spells, and now... my first tears. Oh, to be a child again! I would fix my errors, I wouldn't be Shojin's defect. I'd be just as good as - no, better than Kanade Tachibana. Chikane would love me, she'd accept me. I wouldn't mind dying if I only had... her respect... I felt her take my hand gently, to my complete bewilderment.

"Fa-father...?" I wiped a tear away from my face. Golden hair fell in my eyes. I brushed that away, too. She only looked at me. I wondered what she was thinking... good lord, was I crying again? The tears, once started, were ceaseless. I looked at Chikane. I almost laughed then... I never realized how very alike we were in many ways. Including the fact that we were both too naive to see that we were mortal. My creator seemed to struggle for words. Then, "Are you planning to stay here until the continent sinks completely?" The words, so nonchalant, and yet so futile. Behind the cool voice, I heard something. She... she wanted... she wanted me to escape! Once again, I almost laughed. I had never realized that Chikane Himemiya was capable of something so paternal. Fatherly. A term I had never used to describe Chikane Himemiya... until now.

"I don't want... to die... but I'm gonna die anyway," I whispered, as the knowledge hit me again. Each time, it hit me right in the chest. Right in the heart. Oh, how easily she had ended my dreams! How simple it had been for her to destroy my future. It had taken me ten years to accomplish so much... it had taken her four words. 'You are a mortal.' How quickly she had ruptured my confidence, my hopes, my plans... but none of that mattered. She was here, and she was trying not to show it... but I knew she cared. She was regretting it now.

I looked skyward. A bright light had just emanated from the sky... S.S. Invincible. In my heart, I knew it was Suneo Honekawa and his band of worms. So. Once again, the little nuisances had escaped my trap. Somehow, it didn't bother me. I glowed for a moment, blinded by the light of the portal. The perfect Angel of Death had gotten away. I looked back down to Chikane, who I expected to be looking at the portal, as well. To my surprise, she was looking back at me. "Kanade's safe," I said wistfully. She met my eyes evenly. "Himiko... I want you to go with them. Now." she ordered. I could only stare at her for a moment.

"Wh-Why?" I asked, not hiding my disbelief. She hesitated. Chikane, no, Father, without an answer. I shall cherish her last words. "I need Kanade to go to Memoria, and you would lure her there. Now go." she said, releasing my hand. She closed her eyes, and her body relaxed. She thought I would believe she was dead. No such luck. She was my father, she was my creator, she was my mistress, she was my companion in death. I wouldn't let go that easily.

I leaned over, kissing her forehead gently. Her eyes opened again, slower this time. It was her turn to look surprised. Once again, a cherished memory. I took a deep breath. "I... I know you love me, father... That's why you didn't kill me when Kanade was created. That's why you want me to go after Honekawa... It has nothing to do with Kanade, does it?" I asked softly, brushing a strand of white hair off of her face. My father, my creator. Whatever she wanted to call herself, she was my father.


Only a few hours later, I had all but forgotten these last moments. Standing before the Crystal, feeling the power it radiated, I lost it. I was full of hatred, desiring only to destroy everything. By this time, Chikane Himemiya was dead... but she knew I was insane. She had told Kanade and Honekawa to "take care" of me. She knew I wanted to kill... everyone. Everything. And I couldn't recall Chikane's gentle words to me. No, I only remembered the years I had hated her. The years she had hated me.


Lying on the Indigo Plateau, I realize: My memories are back, memories of those last few moments with my... father... and the things she had said to me. Even as I was talking to Honekawa, I was thinking of her... My father... you dashed my dreams, and ended my life, but in the end... I'm more than just your doll.

...I'm your proud daughter.