Maria looked around from were she laid, making sure Toki was still on her shift and that her back was turned. Check and check. Maria got up, tightening her kimono, and slipped out the door silently. There were a few late walkers out, but fewer then usual. She tired her hair into a bun and wrapped a sheet of fabric around it. The guards at the front gate wouldn't recognize her like this, making it easier to get out. She casually walked passed them into the dark night, black mountains against an almost-black sky. "I wouldn't leave, ma'am," One of the guards said, "Weird creatures running around, people have been going missing."

The other guard laughed. "You BELIEVE that junk?" he chuckled. "There are no weird creatures out there. The weirdest things out there are Kodamas and the wolf girl." The guard gave Maria a smile. "Don't let my partner here scare you, ma'am."

"These creatures," Maria said in a lower, mature voice. "What do they look like? Have you seen one?"

"No I haven't, ma'am," the guard who'd warned her answered. "But, I hear they can stand as tall as a man, or be as small short as a dog. Grey too. Weird markings either on their chests or on their heads."

"What is the mark?" Maria asked.

"I hear it's two wings overlapping each other," the other guard added, "One of a bat, and one of a bird. Right on top of the other with the white outline of a strange flower over it."

"Nothing," Maria whispered.

"What?" the guards asked in unison.

"If something is not of light, nor of dark, it has to be of nothing, correct?"

The two guards looked at each other blankly, then at Maria. "How in the world-"

"Good night, gentlemen," Maria said with a nod as she turned and walked away. "Darn it," she whispered, "I said to much." She made her way down the bridge and to the waterside. She bent over and looked her reflection in the eye. Something wasn't right. She took off the cloth and took her hair down, still, something looked wrong. She sat back and gave a long sigh.

"You remind me much," said a voice from behind, "of that girl you told me a story about." San walked up and sat down next to Maria. "You remember it? It was the girl who didn't know who was looking back at her from her reflection."

Maria thought for a moment. "Oh," she said, "Mulan. Yeah."

"You were always very odd, Maria," San said with a small smile. "When I first met you, your hair was very short, and it looked like the light sky. Then you began trying to change its color. You'd never tell me why."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Maria said.

San chuckled. "That's what you said then too." She looked back at the water. "I'm glad that you haven't tried to change your eye color, though. They remind me of the deepest part of the sea."

"Have you ever seen the sea, San?" Maria asked.

"Once. I was very angry or upset about something, I can't remember what. Anyway, Mother told me just to walk, and that's what I did. I walked until I couldn't remember when or why I'd started walking. By that time I could smell funny water, so I kept walking."

"The ocean," Maria said.

San nodded. "It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. The sand, the cliffs, it was all so new to me. I'd never been so glad that I had listened to my mother."

Maria was silent for a moment. "You miss her, don't you?"

San nodded and laid back to look at the sky.

"I never knew my mom. She died when I was born. Dad raised me for a few years, then my brother did. My brother was only about a year or so older, so he doesn't remember mom," Maria scanned the water with darting eyes. "It took me 14 years to forgive myself and be taught that it wasn't my fault."

"Who taught it to you?" San asked.

"Oddly enough," Maria laughed, "The darkness of my own heart."

San laughed too. "That doesn't make much sense, but-"

The sound of something big coming from the sky made both girls look up. Maria felt her blood run cold and her mouth dry. She couldn't move. Coming down was a ship, aiming straight for the forest.

"What is that thing!?" San yelled. Maria couldn't answer. As San began to yell again, the ship landed with an explosion like sound and smoke began to rise from the site.

"San! We need to get there and quick!" Maria said, running up the hillside.

"No problem." San whistled and two gigantic white wolves bound out of the woods and sprinted towards them. The two girls jumped on, wolves still running. "Maria! What's going on?" San asked from the back of her brother.

"No idea," Maria said.

"You're lying! You know what that think is an-"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Maria said. "And," she whispered to herself, "I wouldn't want you too."