Maya entered the vestibule of the Winter Palace. Puu followed Maya removes scarf as she crosses floor to stairs, looks back towards entrance hearing a noise. Maya goes up steps. He follows her up the stairs. Maya on second floor turns and heads toward the large palace open door.
"Hello anybody home?"
Maya entered the partially destroyed room and bent down to inspect half of a broken plate. The instant she touched it she saw a vision from her past and was startled. She walked to a large vase, painted with dancing bears.
"This place it's ... it's like a memory from a dream." Maya said.
Maya wandered to the top of a huge staircase which lead down to the once grand ballroom. She stopped at a large landing half way down the steps.
She imagined the ballroom as it might have been. in her mind she saw it transforming to its once splendid glory. Even Royalist ghosts stepped out of the portraits and waltzed to the floor.
Suddenly Raizen, Atsuko and their children entered onto the floor and glided towards Maya.
Raizen was facing Maya now. He extended his arms inviting her to dance.
Maya was released from Raizen's embrace. He kissed her on the forehead and slowly backed away.
Maya did a full curtsy to the father figure before her, not realizing that he was indeed her real father. The enchantment was dispelled by the voice of Kurama.
6 Recognition
"Hey!" Kurama said.
Maya gasped.
Kurama and Hiei were watching Maya.
"What are you doing in here!" Kurama yelled. Maya was startled. As she ran back up the stairs to the landing of the ballroom, Kurama chased after her.
"Hey ... hey! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, hold on a minute. Hold on!" Kurama said.
Maya turned, caught in a ray of moonlight, directly in front of the image of Maria in the frieze He saw that the resemblance was striking.
"Now, how did you get in he-here?" Kurama said.
"Excuse me child." Hiei said.
A slow smile spread across Kurama's face. He elbowed Hiei.
"Hiei, do you see what I see?" Kurama said.
"No" Hiei said.
Kurama puts Hiei's glasses on him. He got it.
"Oh yes, yes." Hiei said
"Hmm, a dog…" Kurama said.
"Are you Kurama?" Maya said.
"... cute." Kurama said.
Kurama handed Puu to Hiei and walked up the stairs to Maya.
"Perhaps, that depends on who's looking, for him." Kurama said.
"My name is Maya ... I need travel papers...They say you're the man to see even though I can't tell you who said that." Maya said.
Kurama smiled again and started circling her.
"hmm, hmmm." Kurama said.
"Hey and why, why are you circling me? Were you a vulture in another life?" Maya asked.
"I'm sor...I'm sorry Reha." Kurama said.
"It's Maya, Maya" Maya said.
"Maya, it's just ... just that you look an awful lot like ... Never mind ... Now, you said something about travel papers?" Kurama said.
"Uh, yes ... I'd like to go to Paris." Maya said.
"You'd like to go to Paris?" Kurama said.
"Mhmm." Maya said.
Kurama gave Hiei a knowing look.
"Who is this here. Oh, Oh, look. Oh, oh, he likes me." Hiei held Puu.
"Nice Dog" Kurama said.
"Oh, oh, it's marvelous. AW! I love, I love, I love you.
"Let me ask you something, Maya was it ... Is there a last name that goes with that?" Kurama said.
"Well, actually ... This is going to sound crazy ... I don't know my last name. I was found wondering around when I was 8 years old." Maya said.
"And before that ... before you were eight?" Kurama said.
"Look, oh look, I know it's strange but I don't remember. I have very few memories of my past." Maya said.
Kurama whispered to Hiei. "Hmm, that's, that's perfect."
Kurama knew now that this was the "girl".
"Well, I do have one clue, however, and that is Paris." Maya said.
"Paris." Kurama rolled his eyes.
Maya was relieved. "Right. So, can ... so can you two, help me or not?"
Kurama whispered to Hiei. "Hey, Hiei, Hiei tickets!" Kurama turned to Maya. "Ah sure would like to ... in fact, oddly enough, we're going to Paris ourselves."
Hiei pulled the tickets out of his pocket, they were Moscow Circus tickets. He handed them to Kurama anyway.
"... Ah, ah, and I've got three ... well, this one is, but I've got tickets here ..." Kurama said.
Maya tried to grab the tickets.
"oh I" Maya said.
" ... Eh, Unfortunately the third one is for her, Maria." Kurama said.
He gestured to Maria's portrait in the frieze. Maya looked up.
"Oh." Maya said.
The two men took Maya by the arm leading her to a portrait of Genkai.
"We are going to reunite the Grand Duchess Maria with her grandmother." Hiei said.
Kurama set her up. "You do kind of resemble her."
"The same blue eyes." Hiei said.
"The Romanov eyes." Kurama said.
"Raizen's smile." Hiei said.
"Atsuko's chin." Kurama said.
Hiei took her by the hand.
"Oh, look she even has the grandmother's hands!" Hiei said.
Maya pulled her hand away.
"She's the same age, the same physical type." Kurama said.
"Are you trying to tell me that you think that I am Maria?" Maya said.
"All I'm trying to tell you is that I've seen thousands of girls all over the country and not one of them looks as much like the Grand Duchess as you do. I mean look at the portrait." Kurama said.
Maya turned to Kurama. "I knew you were crazy from the beginning, but now I think you are both mad. HMM."
Maya walked away.
"Why? You don't remember what happened to you..." Kurama said.
"No one knows what happened to her." Hiei said.
"You're looking for family in Paris." Kurama said.
"And her only family is in Paris." Hiei said.
"Ever thought about the possibility?" Kurama said.
"That I could be royalty?" Maya said.
Hiei & Kurama replied, "MmmHmm"
They both nodded.
"Well I don't know ... it's kind of hard to think of yourself as a Duchess when you're sleeping on a damp floor. But sure, yeah, I guess every lonely girl would hope she's a Princess." Maya said.
Maya, caught up in the fantasy was now right next to them. Kurama then turned and walked away.
"And somewhere ... One little girl is. After all, the name Maria means "she will rise again"." Hiei said.
Kurama, exasperated that Hiei was still talking to her, turned and walked back to them to retrieve Hiei.
"Really wish we could help, but the third ticket is for the Grand Duchess Maria." Kurama said.
Maya sighed.
"Good luck." Kurama said.
Kurama and Hiei walked down the stairs.
"Why didn't you tell her about our brilliant plan?" Hiei said
"All she wants to do is go to Paris. Why give away a third of the reward money." Kurama said.
Maya, alone on the landing, and looked at the frieze of Genkai and young Maria.
Hiei whispered. "I'm telling you ... We're walking away too soon ..."
Kurama whispered. "Not to worry, I got it all under control, All right.. but walk a little slower."
Maya fiddled with the key then touched the portrait as She looked up at Genkai's face.
"HMM" Maya said.
Kurama and Hiei were walking down the steps.
"Three ... Two ... One." Kurama said.
"Kurama!" Maya said.
Kurama smiled.
"Ha, right in the palm of our hand." Hiei said.
Kurama turned and looked back at Maya on the stairs.
Maya shouted "Kurama, wait!"
"Di ... Did you call me?" Kurama said innocently.
"if I don't remember who I am, then who's to say I'm not a princess or a duchess or a whatever she is ... Right?" Maya said.
"Hmm ... Go on." Kurama said.
"Yeah, and if I'm not Maria, the Empress will certainly know right away ... and it's all just an honest mistake." Maya said.
"Sounds plausible." Kurama said.
"But if you are the princess, then you'll finally know who you are and have your family back." Hiei said.
Kurama laughed. "You know, you know he's right! Either way, it gets you to Paris."
Maya put her hand out for a handshake. Kurama, a little taken aback, shook it. She gave him a solid shake. He grabbed his hand in pain.
"Right!" Maya said.
"OW!" Kurama said.
