Chapter 2.

The dim light that peeked above the horizon grew brighter and brighter until a large light illuminated the sky. I searched my memory and found a word for that-sun. After all these years, I forgot how wonderful the sun felt against cold skin. I realized I was very close to a city, and was very hungry. Almost there…I can get through this. I thought over and over about those words. My thoughts were interrupted by a little boy's voice that quietly asked," Are you hurt?". My heart stopped as I turned my head to see him. He looked so young and innocent. My built up tears began to flow uncontrollably. I nodded my head vigorously and he turned around and sprinted away into the red dawn.

"Papa! Papa!" Yukia yelled. Black Jack jumped up and rushed to see what happened.

"What is it?!"

"I saw a girl with a bloody arm and she said she was hurt. It looks bad, Papa," Yukia exclaimed quickly.

"I'll be right there. Is she old or young?" Black Jack grabbed his bag and followed Yukia.

"She looks young, but I'm not sure," the young boy replied hastily. Yukia is a kind boy who Black Jack and Pinoko adopted earlier that year. As they approached the girl, she became tenser. Her eyes were focused on Black Jack's bag and nothing else. Yukia smiled.

"Don't worry, this man is a doctor." As soon as the girl heard that, she curled up in a ball and covered her most vital places. Black Jack picked the girl up and carried her back to his home, as they weren't far and he had left some things he needed at home anyway.

"What's your name?" The girl flinched at the sound of Black Jack's voice.

"M-My name….is Ramona."

"That's a pretty name," Yukia chimed in. When Black Jack and Yukia returned home, Pinoko was outside hanging up the freshly washed clothes. She noticed the doctor carrying a small girl and huffed. It's always the girls he helps, isn't it? Pinoko thought. Of course, this wasn't true. Even Pinoko knew that, but she also knew Black Jack was more gentle with girls.

I found myself, once again, in a doctors' possession. I knew from his cold eyes he cut many other people, and wouldn't spare me from the blade. I won't let him hurt me. No, I can't let him hurt me. I will be defiant, and I will never let another doctor lay a finger on me ever again.

Yukia looked down at the small, dirty girl curled up on the examination table.

"Ramona, I need you to uncurl for me."

"No. I know what you're planning to do to me! I won't let you!"

"…Ok, tell me what I plan on doing to you."

"….You want to hurt me…You're all the same."

"Is that so? … Really, I was planning to see what caused there to be blood coming from your arm."

"All you needed to do was ask-I was shot," the girl huffed. Black Jack knew she was terrified by something, but he couldn't think what it could be.

"Will you let me see it?"

"…Will you hurt me?" Black Jack shook his head and Ramona looked deeply into his eyes. She knew he wasn't a liar, she could tell by the look in his eyes. Ramona learned many years ago that the eyes were the windows of a person's soul, and she learned how to tell how evil a person was based just off their eyes. She saw something deep inside the doctor, something she's seen in everyone she's met in her life…pain. She could tell he had been through horrible pain, and so had Yukia. He would understand her pain…wouldn't he? Reluctantly, Ramona outstretched her injured arm to Black Jack. He examined the wound for a few moments, then asked Yukia to get him a few things. Ramona knew what would come next. She trembled at the memories of being restrained while someone slashed at her. Fear gripped at her heart like a frozen hand. Yukia returned with a small tray of tools. Ramona remembered that first time she was on an operating table and shivered. Yukia stood and watched his father clean Ramona's wound.

"This is a bullet hole. What happened?" Ramona looked down and sighed. She didn't want to tell him her story, since she knew he wouldn't believe her or possibly return her to her captor. She thought for a moment, then replied," Please believe me when I tell you…" Black Jack nodded and Ramona continued with her story:

The doctor led me to a small room filled with about 15 other children. They were all dirty with tear streaks on their pitiful faces. When the children saw me, they froze, their eyes filled with sadness and pity. I swallowed hard. Is this where I would live out my life? I asked myself.

The doctor shoved me inside and grinned," Play nice, kids!". He then slammed the door and locked it. The children were mostly girls, with a few boys here and there. They looked at me sadly.

I glanced around and asked," Is this where I'll live?" Almost all of them nodded gravely.

"I'm so sorry, girl," One boy apologized sincerely. I shook my head and replied," No. It's not your fault. It's no one's fault….except mine."

"So, are ye gonna introduce yerself?" A small girl rasped.

"My name is Ramona."

"How were you taken?" an older girl inquired.

"How old are you?" a one armed girl cried.

"Are you gonna cry?" a browned haired boy exclaimed.

"Hey, hey, guys. Let her relax; She's only just arrived and I'll bet she's very scared and confused," a girl about the same age announced to the room. Many people nodded, while others turned and whispered. Suddenly, the harsh reality hit me. I wasn't going to see my family again. I was never going to return home. I was stuck there…forever. I fell to my knees and wept. The girl who had people stop asking me questions rushed to my side.

"Shh, shh. You're gonna be alright. I promise," she cooed.

"…You can call me Rain," she continued. She kept holding me until I stopped crying. Rain had blackish-blue hair with white streaks; Her eyes were kind and soft. She had scars running up her arms.

"I'll keep you safe for as long as I live, understand?" I nodded.

Ramona finished her story and looked at Black Jack again. He looked unfazed.

"You don't believe me," she breathed.

"Fine, don't," Ramona pulled up her shirt to reveal many scars running down her stomach," Scars don't lie." Black Jack stared at her scars and nodded. He looked at Ramona's face and a memory flashed in his mind from around 10 years ago. There was a missing child and she was taken right from her yard while she was playing. Her mother committed suicide 3 months after her daughter's disappearance, and the father died in a car accident 2 months later. Ramona looked older, of course, but the resemblance was still there. It all added up. Black Jack had to treat her first, then he'd figure out Ramona's origins. He administered local anesthetic and went to work. Ramona knew the anesthetic wouldn't work, but she played along. Anesthetic never worked on her, ever since she was a very small child. The pain wasn't horrible, so Ramona managed it.

"Are you alright, Ramona?" She nodded, quickly blinking away a few tears. A few moments later, Black Jack announced, "I'm done." Ramona let out a relieved sigh as he wrapped bandages around her arm. Yukia's eyes were sparkling and innocent.

"You can leave now, Yukia."

"Ok, Papa. Do you want me to clean up for you?"

"That's ok. Go and play; you've earned it." Black Jack ruffled his son's hair and Yukia placed down the tray and sprinted out of the house.

"Ramona, who are your parents?"

"My father is Shiro Koizumi and my mother is Yoshiko Koizumi." Black Jack had no doubt in his mind now-Ramona was the missing child.