Raimundo POV

I didn't want to open my eyes that morning as I laid on the couch where I had fallen asleep last night. For some reason, I felt strangely at ease, and had forgotten how I'd even gotten there, feeling as if life was a dream.

"Let's see… I fell asleep… and Cyra was…" I thought, shifting my position on the couch. As soon as I thought her name, I sat up in shock thinking, "Cyra!"

I looked around my gaming room, and saw no sign of her anywhere and also remembered what had happened last night.

"She wouldn't have left..?" I asked myself in worry. Then I heard something behind me, and just as I was about to turn around and look, a pair of hands suddenly covered my eyes and giggled sweetly, "Guess who?"

I smiled, still blinded by her soft hands, and grabbed onto her wrists slowly, breathing in her one of a kind sent. Then playfully, I twisted back into a laying position, taking her down with me; Cyra landing right on top of me on the couch. A shock expression first crossed her face, but then upon realizing she was laying on me, she turned red, and laid still in embarrassment.

I grinned in triumph at her embarrassment, and then laughingly sat back up, making her sit on my lap. For some reason, everything felt different now when I looked at her. Ever since last night when she had told me about her curse, I found a new admiration for her, something beyond her looks, or even personality.

Though her story seemed bizarre, she had no reason to lie to me. I couldn't help but want to be around her… The way she looked at me ever since she told me her secret was unlike anything I had ever seen before… she gazed so intensely at me with her wide silver eyes… looking so hard into mine, like she was trying to learn my every secret, every failure and every triumph. She made me feel like I was the only person in the world, and that was something I had never felt before.

Being from a large family, I was used to being ignored… Even at the Xiaolin Temple, I felt inferior, and being left behind while Kimiko, Clay, and Omi reached apprentice status took me over the edge. I only wanted to be noticed… to be cared for; and Cyra filled that hole when I didn't even ask her to… when I didn't even see the hole myself. Somehow I had gotten in much deeper than I ever thought I would, and I never wanted to turn back. It felt like it was me and her against the world: enemies of everyone.

"What?" She asked shyly, noticing me zoning out.

"Oh nothing. Where did you go?" I asked, finally getting up and stretching.

"Just to clean up a bit…" She answered, laying back down casually.

"So what do you want to do now? We can play video games… Watch a movie… Play basketball… or…" I suggested, winking at her.

She smiled briefly, but then it faded and her face looked sad. "I'm sorry Rai… But I have to go."

"What? But…" I started, trying to hide the sadness and feelings of betrayal on my face.

"You know that I can't stop looking… It's the only way." She responded; face looking as pained as mine did. I didn't fully understand her curse, but she couldn't leave now… She was all I had.

"Please stay longer…" I begged, following her to the door.

"I wish I could… More than I could ever say, but there's only one way for me to live." She said, turning around to face me again, though she would have rather looked away.

I tried to find a way to talk her out of it… saying things like she had no way to find the Shen Gong Wu, and maybe if she stayed Wuya would change her mind, but Cyra was convinced the only way was to leave.

Just before she was about to step away, the doors opened and someone started walking in. In panic, she disappeared in a second, hiding somewhere in the room.

"Ah Raimundo, are you enjoying yourself?" Wuya smiled, gesturing to the incredible room. "Yeah everything's great Wuya… but…" I started, warming her up to what I was about to suggest.

"But what?" She asked.

"But… Is there any way you can keep locating Shen Gong Wu?" I went on, asking as nicely as I could manage, grinning hugely with my eyes wide in innocence.

Wuya scowled a bit and said, "So Cyra told you what she wanted hmm?"

I sheepishly replied, "Well yeah… I want her to stay here, and live with me… not in that dungeon…"

"I'm sorry Raimundo, but that's one request I can't fulfill." She said in finality.

"What? But why? It's not like it would be a big deal or anything!" I whined. "

With all the power I have now, there's no way I would go hunting for Shen Gong Wu like I did as a pathetic ghost relying on that imbecile Jack Spicer! The thought of it puts a bad taste in my mouth." She grimaced.

I knew I couldn't push my luck too far, and I quieted from the conversation in retreat.

"Oh don't be sad Raimundo. You have everything you wanted." She smiled, and exited gracefully as she came.

I somehow convinced Cyra to stay a bit longer, and the two of us just spent that time talking like old friends. I told her about life back home in Brazil, and about my family, friends, and hobbies. All the while she listened intently with interest, and couldn't get enough. I felt a bit sorry for her, having to grow up with hardly any family and no close friends… She wouldn't let the subject stay on her for long, and before I could stop it the spotlight always came back on me.

"Raimundo, why did you join Wuya?" She asked, catching me off guard.

"I guess… The offer was just impossible to resist." I started, looking off somewhere. "I mean, if I joined her, that meant I could have anything and everything I ever wanted! All of those things I could never have as a kid… Things I dreamed about. Plus I was really feeling left out at the temple… Like I was worthless compared to the others. Guess she just caught me at a good time. I should have thought it through more…" I admitted, glancing back at her expecting her to be disgusted by my selfishness and rash thinking.

She surprised me though when she smiled and looked down sadly. "We all had our reasons for joining the Heylin side… and they seemed right to us until it was too late. Both of us lost focus, too blinded by our own goals to see the greater picture. I wish I had never helped Wuya return to her original form, not only because of the Shen Gong Wu I want to find, but also because I've betrayed the world, forcing them to obey evil and live under tyranny."

We exchanged understanding glances, and then sheepishly looked away from each other. She knew how I was feeling all along, and realized this before I did… another reason why she left so suddenly.

"I knew all along that I shouldn't have joined her… but when I heard that she got you on our side… Well I couldn't help it. I really wanted to get to know you better." Cyra blushed.

I unconsciously took hold of her hand and replied, "I wanted to get to know you too; but I never thought I would under these circumstances."

"Rai, there's still a way to make this right." She said, squeezing my hands with her own.

"What can we do now?" I asked. "I'm sure there will be a way. Just remember what you believe in, and I know you'll make the best choice when the time comes." She finished, moving her hands onto my face and kissing my forehead gently, clarifying that she needed to go. We both stood up and just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

I felt the hole inside of me start to burn again, begging me to make her stay, but I knew I couldn't. Then I moved towards her and wrapped my arms around her as she did back. We both backed up our faces a bit to look into each other's eyes, maybe for the last time.

Then without thinking, our faces moved towards each other and our lips touched gently, closing our eyes and allowing ourselves to show what we were feeling. I held her waist as close as possible to me, wanting to never let go. Likewise, her arms wrapped around my neck holding on tightly as our mouths moved in unison. I felt everything I wanted to keep inside all revealed and resolved, as well as all her secrets and thoughts dissolving with mine in this one perfect moment. It was the most incredible feeling of being whole and happy despite anything that came our way. She couldn't go.

Our passionate trance in that kiss was broken by the sound of footsteps coming our way, obviously Wuya. I still held on, wanted so desperately to keep this moment forever, but when I turned back towards her from where I was looking, she was gone.

I ached then like I never had before, but tried to hold myself together when Wuya entered and said, "Raimundo! I have a special surprise…"