Mirika-rin: Ohohoho~ with so much freetime I can't stop working on this fucker |D this is happiness. AHEM. Here is where the plan starts to unfold, and the angst starts choking you to the point you can't stand it but have to read on to see if there's a happy ending. Don't worry, even Ashine-chan and I were begging each other to stop being so emo with the characters owo it was too much fun and we continued anyway.

Ashine-chan: XDDD It is addictive isn't it?~ The angst for now should be over in....a few more chapters? At least by chapter 15 or 16. ^^; But we make up for it afterwards! ///

Mirika-rin: -wiggles eyebrows- Why are you blushing Ashine-chan? kukuku 7w7

The sound of the door opening caused the lightly sleeping blonde to stir. Blue eyes fluttered open as footsteps echoed in the near empty room; Fay straightened up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes to wake himself fully as Zima and Dita approached. Something about their faces told the Valerian that the news they brought was not good. Zima took his seat next to Fay's roll out bed that had been brought in for him, and smiled painfully.

"Good evening, Sir Fay...."

"Good evening." Fay sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing his hair back before looking between the two in front of him in confusion. Zima sighed, looking down as he took off his shades, unable to muster the strength to keep his face calm around Fay.

"Sir Fay... We don't mean to worry you in any way... we don't intend to frighten or startle you..." He paused, glancing at the bed spread with a morose look about him.

"But…we have some... unsettling news... about Sir Youou...."

"There's nothing wrong with him is there?" Fay's hands gripped the edges of the bed tightly as he looked worriedly towards Zima. He didn't know if he'd be able to handle Kurogane being hurt any further.

"No there's...nothing wrong with him..." The man laughed softly and uneasily, placing his hands together as he looked at Dita for a moment. He sighed heavily, averting his gaze to Fay with a sad frown.

"That episode, if you will, that he had earlier... was not overlooked by Court... I'm afraid... they've decided to do something about it..."

"They've already taken his arm...what more could they want?" His grip tightened his knuckles turning white from the force. He felt guilty for not having had the strength to get to Kurogane before they could render the punishment. Zima closed his eyes.

"They've decided him as the highest class of criminal and deemed him worthy of..." Zima paused, feeling an unusual sympathy toward both the blonde and the half-human. Dita saw her lover struggling and placed a hand on his shoulder, which he accepted gratefully in silence. She looked at Fay with a curved frown.

"They've labeled him under Most Dangerous on the Criminal Charts. I'm sure you know what that means."

"I suppose there's no chance of him being taken to a prison...they'll execute him." Fay closed his eyes as tears threatened to spill again, his body was still tired from the day's events and had caused him to be more emotional because of it. The blonde's brow furrowed as he thought of any positive way out of this. The other man took a breath, to regain himself, before smiling gently.

"There is... a possibility that the 'android's' technology surpasses any of the Court's expectations. If they know that Sir Youou... what was his Earth name? If they know Sir Kurogane had made this, they might think he's got important knowledge and could help improve Valerian-Ginryan technology as well as saving his life."

"Will it arrive in time to do anything?" Fay rubbed his hand over his eyes, wiping away unshed tears as Zima gave him a bit of hope for Kurogane.

"I'm afraid it will arrive around the same time we'd get to the Court. I don't know if that would give them enough time to postpone... they might to the trial without waiting for evidence.... they are a group of such impatient fellows...." The robotic ear twitched slightly and Zima swiveled his head around, looking at the door. As Fay processed the news, he noticed the other man turn towards the door. Releasing his grip on the bed Fay moved his head, following the other's gaze.

It was then they heard a beep of the door lock, and the white door slid smoothly to open up for the person who would soon enter. In stepped the healer woman that had helped

Kurogane out earlier with a tray swiveled in behind her. She smiled.

"Good evening, Commanding Officers and Sir Fay..." she said with a bow. Zima visibly relaxed into the chair, a smile flashed back at Yumi. Fay relaxed at seeing the girl, his eyes going towards the cart pulled in behind her briefly before returning to her. Allowing a small smile, Fay nodded as he greeted her. Zima stood.

"I'm guessing you're here to check up on the infant?" Yumi nodded, closing her eyes.

"That's correct, you don't have to leave, though, I won't be long." Dita looked at her partner, who looked back before settling his now shaded vision on Yumi.

"We'll take our leave early and wait in the lobby. Send someone for us when you're finished." The nurse smiled wider.

"Yes, of course." She moved out of their way as they said goodbyes to Fay and left. Fay waved half heartedly at the couple as they left before turning his attention to Yumi and the machine she had carted in. She sighed softly as the door closed, pulling the machine over to Fay with one arm. She took her seat next to Fay and continued to smile.

"How are you feeling? Still tired?"

"Exhausted." He tired to smile for the girl in reassurance, but he failed miserably. Fay was curious as to why they had sent the girl to check on the baby even though the planned on him losing it either way.

"Oh, how sorry I am to hear that, but it's very expected. You used a lot of energy; the baby is zapping your strength." Her smile vanished suddenly, her face turning white. Her bottom lip trembled as a hand came up to rest on her cheek, all the while staring at Fay.

"I...I can't do this.... I can't do this..." She whispered.

"What...what are you talking about?" He stared worriedly at the girl as she trembled. Fay was taken a back at the sudden change in her personality as she paled. She placed her hands on Fay's, the tears welding up in her dark red, almost brown eyes.

"Sir Fay, I didn't agree to this willingly, I didn't want to do this... They t-told me that you'd be dead sooner with the baby than without and ....they wanted me to get rid of it so you wouldn't d-die before the t-trial..." She wept, tears starting to fall down her curved face.

"I-I c-can't do it..." His hands lowered instantly as he backed away from the girl. He was shocked by her words, not knowing what to think of them...he would have never thought they would try and trick him into getting rid of the baby. Though when he saw Yumi crying, he reached a hand forward to wipe her cheeks.

"Thank you for being honest, but as long as I don't try to fight anymore the baby won't be that much of a strain on my body." Fay wrapped his other arm around his stomach as the girl continued to cry. Yumi shook her head, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"Th-they said I ....I have to do it.... I have to make you get rid of it..." She looked at Fay.

"If y-you don't... I don't know wh-what they'd do..." She swallowed hard, leaning over to the machine and turning it on. For a moment she looked like she was actually going to go through with it before she sprang to her feet, grabbing Fay's cheek to pull him close in order to whisper something to him.

"You h-have to have it out of your body... but that doesn't mean it h-has to d-die..." She smiled weakly before reaching under the machine's cart, pulling out a plastic container that was shaped like a kidney. Fay jerked backwards at the sudden movement, ready to fight the girl if he had to, but when she produced the odd container from the cart he hesitated.

"It will survive in this? For how long...I've never seen something like this before..." The blonde was reluctant to try and do anything that could possibly be harmful to his unborn child, especially to try something so strange to him. She shook her head.

"This is an artificial womb, created three months ago to use when a Minister's daughter was threatened by an illness..." She whispered informatively, allowing the machine to swallow up her voice before it reached the foot of Fay's bed.

"It's extremely effective, though it can only go for a week inside here due to nutrients... that's long enough for you to get an inspection from the Court and have it inserted again..." By then she had collected herself enough to stop stuttering.

"You're sure this will work?" Fay was still hesitant about the thing, his mind torn between his two options. He thought to what Kurogane would think about all this.

"How will you be able to hide the baby?" He moved his other arm to join the first around his waist. Yumi's face became serious.

"I would never do anything to harm Sir Fay, his lover, or child...." She blushed lightly and looked to the side.

"Why would I do that to my idol? I was in the same Academy before you left..." She trailed off, shaking her head.

"I will keep it with me..." She smiled all of a sudden.

"The 'android' arrived before I came here, I'll let her hold onto it while we wait to arrive."

"Kurogane will have to fix it to where she could hide it." Fay smiled before looking up at Yumi.

"I'm sorry...I didn't recognize you from before...I was a bit of a wallflower." He smiled sheepishly.

"But, if you suggest it's for the best, I'll do it." Yumi shook her head.

"Think nothing of it; I've met you now, haven't I?" She smiled wider, placing a hand on Fay's.

"I'll ask Zima to help with that, but we need to help the baby out first...." She let her smile falter slightly.

"I'm sorry... for making you go through this.... no one should have to deal with such pain... just because you love someone..." She faded off, staring sadly at the womb.

"Hopefully the Court will feel the same once we arrive..." Fay smiled sadly at the girl, grateful for her concern.

"How do I go about moving the baby?" She blinked out of her stupor, hands clenching tightly to the plastic in startled revelation.

"The baby! Right! Sorry!" She said, blushing for zoning out.

"Well, first... we... first you do the procedure as if you were to abort the infant, only I would take the embryo and fuse it with the nutrients inside this." She held up the womb.

"It would be safe from any harm, even being crushed and burned. No side effects come from being inside this, by the way. It's as if you're transferring the baby from your womb to a mother's. The only possibility that could go wrong would be for the embryo to split from the transfer and become twins, but that's only happened twice so far." She set the holder next to Fay on the bed.

"It can live up to a week inside this; as soon as you go through the scan at the Court's Moon, Edonis, I'll re-insert the child for you."

"How long will it take for us to arrive at Edonis?" Fay's hand moved subconsciously to his stomach as he listened intently to the girl's words. She shook her head.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's another day or two, three tops." Yumi informed, thinking.

"They can't keep Sir Youou locked up for too long though, it would hurt his sanity.... and that wouldn't be good in the Court.... I'm guessing they're trying to make it as quick of an arrival as possible."

"Then shall we get started?" Fai smiled towards Yumi as his hands moved in front of his abdomen, fingers outstretched, as he summoned some of his restored energy. Fay concentrated as he slowly removed the orb inside him, careful to take the growing embryo with it as well. It felt strange for the blonde to see the same small ball of his own energy exiting his body just the same as it had gone in two days before. Yumi exhaled gently, staring at the beautiful purple orb. She blinked and caught herself staring, moving to press a button on the artificial womb.

It beeped gently, in a soft tune, and opened, showing the inside to be like a tissue laced with a wetness that one could assume to be nutrients. Yumi smiled and watched as the glow was attracted to the opened womb, slowly moving from Fay's hands to rest inside the fleshy tissue. The blonde watched as the orb was placed inside the incubator and closed.

"I suppose there's no way for me to tell Kurogane about this?" Fay could only guess at what his lover would do if he was told by the Court or some other stranger that Fay no longer carried the baby. Yumi shook her head, smile still present.

"Zima-san has told him about the situation, or at least he is now. I've told him that the 'android' has arrived and Zima-san was the one who came up with this idea." She smiled down at the plastic, raising it for Fay to hold before she had to hide it.

"Sir Youou has to make accommodations for your child to remain safe..."

"...This is very strange..." He contemplated the thing in his hands as he tried to wrap his mind around everything that was happening.

"But, I'm grateful for yours and Zima's help. There's no way either of us could repay you." Fay looked from the incubator to the girl that sat in front of him; he and Kurogane would owe them a lot if everything worked out, especially with the risks involved for them. Yumi smiled warmly.

"There's no need to thank us. Zima-san would do anything for Dita-san, and I for my love.... we can understand... and we want to help you two to be safe so you can be as happy as we are." She stood then, turning off the loud machine that sat behind her.

"You'll be taking him to his father now?" Fay smiled as he handed the machine to Yumi, who in turned placed in back under the cart, hidden.

"Yes, now I must take it to him." She stood straight again, looking at Fay with a quizzical gaze.

"You keep calling it 'him'... how do you know it will be a boy?"

"Kuro-tan says that boys run in his family, even though he secretly wants a girl." He laughed as the nickname slipped out and his previous thoughts of Kurogane with a little girl. Yumi giggled, placing a hand over her mouth cutely.

"O-Oh! I see! How... how cute!" She smiled, placing her hands behind her back.

"Well, whichever you two have, I hope he'll be there to help raise the child..."

"Yes...I do too." Fay smiled, glad for the change of mood as the healer walked out of the room, cart being pulled in front of her.

~Later~

Zima hesitated slightly, seeing Kurogane staring at him. He looked away and cleared his throat, blushing from awkwardness.

"...Ok... I... I guess I'll do it..." The red eyes didn't budge from Zima's face, studying him intently without a word. The officer reached over, hands going over to the taller man's neck. The door opened to reveal Yumi pulling a cart behind her. She blushed at noticing the two men in the room as the door closed behind her.

"I just finished with Sir Fay." The collar landed loudly as soon as the door snapped locked, Zima's hands retracting to rest at his sides. He smiled to Yumi, standing. Kurogane looked at Yumi, pausing before he too rose. The tan man turned to look at the pale one.

"Handcuffs too." He said gruffly, before returning his vision to the nurse.

"What happened? How is he?"

"I just extracted the embryo; he's doing fine aside from being a little tired." She pulled the cart closer to the two men as she smiled reassuringly. Kurogane narrowed his eyes a little as Zima moved behind him, key in hand.

"...Is he safe?" The dark skinned man jerked slightly with a grunt as a loud clop was heard, the bulky first piece of the handcuffs removed. Zima then placed his hand on the cuffs, twisting a knob on the side to separate the two links.

"For now he is, since the captains think the baby's been terminated." She watched as Kurogane was freed from the handcuffs as she moved the cloth over the cart to the side to reveal the incubator to both men. Zima peered out from behind the taller man and smiled in relief, clicking off the second layer of metal around the mismatched hands. Kurogane sighed, seeing the child's holder safely lying on a folded sheet. He grunted again as the third part was removed and tossed to the side. He looked back to see that there was only one part left. Zima sighed and stuck his finger in the lock hole, turning it slowly so it would register his print. It beeped, and the last part fell to the floor, it being the heaviest and making the loudest clink.

"Sir Fay said you would have to place this inside your machine to hide it properly." The girl blushed as she remembered the small tidbit the blonde man had shared with her about the baby. Securing the device in her hands she waited for Kurogane to reply. The half breed sighed as he was finally allowed to bring his hands around to the front, the metal one scraped white around the wrist while the flesh one looked like he had had a bracelet on that was too tight and then twisted until his muscle was visible. He grimaced at it, the blood dried and cracked and re-dried from him trying to break loose, before he looked back to Yumi.

"I planned to do that."

"Would you like to take him now?" Yumi asked as Kurogane examined his wrists. She would have to take a look at the injury later once they had re-hidden the incubator. Kurogane nodded, stepping forward. Zima then turned back around and collected the scraps of the handcuffs. The officer then discarded them to the side and walked over to the wall. He placed his hand against it and it revealed a secret door, showing Yuui wrapped in a plastic from transportation. He reached in and picked her up, turning to the other two in the room.

"This will protect the baby from any harm that could come to it and once Sir Fay passes the inspection we can reinsert the embryo into him." She smiled as she handed the plastic device to the taller man. The half-human held it gently, the blood from his wrist getting on it somewhat as he cradled it in one arm. He looked to Yumi before to Zima, who had set Yuui down on the ground and had begun ripping off the plastic that covered her. The officer's breath was caught in his throat when he saw Yuui's face.

"I-It... S-she...." Yumi smiled as Kurogane cradled the incubator, she turned to push the cart to the far side of the room until she heard Zima. Turning, she stared in surprise as the android's face was revealed.

"S-she looks like Sir Fay..." The girl was startled by the resemblance. Kurogane said nothing to this and knelt by Yuui, his hand deftly moving under her bangs to rest his palm against her forehead. Zima raised his eyebrows at this transaction.

"What are-"

"Be quiet. Yuui's not the brightest thing, so she'll most likely freak out when I tell her all this." Kurogane said lowly, eyes never leaving his creation whilst the womb rested safely in his metal arm. Yumi remained silent, hurriedly moving the cart out of the way before she returned to stand to the two men. She and Zima watched Kurogane check over the machine. Suddenly the girl twitched, making the officer jerk and fall back onto his behind. Yumi nearly jumped out of her skin because of it.

"A-ah?!" He squawked as Yuui stirred, and Kurogane raised his eyes to glare at the Ginryan so he would shut up. Blue eyes slowly opened to stare up blankly, and again Zima was perplexed at how much the doll looked like Fay. Yuui blinked and looked up at Kurogane. She smiled.

"Good morning, Master Kurogane." The tallest man let a faint smile graze his lips, seeing as his creation was performing ok.

"Maintenance Check, Yuui." He commanded softly, lifting her into a sitting position with his one arm. The girl sat up and softly sighed, her eyes blanking for a moment before she turned to the dark haired man.

"Status Report: 0% damage from body transfer, 0% damage from open stomach repairs. Systems running at full speed." She smiled and wrapped her arms around the raw neck.

"Thank you, Kurogane, for the repairs..." The half breed sighed.

"Oi, get off. That hurts, you idiot." Yumi and Zima both kept their gazes trained on Yuui, perplexed at the android's existence. She smiled slightly as the other girl hugged her creator; she was sure that once the Court saw this, both men would be able to be returned to their home safely. Yuui suddenly looked alarmed.

"Kurogane... Yuui can't seem to find our location... and...strangers are all over..." She let go of Kurogane obediently, but seemed she was frightened.

"W-where are we, Kurogane?" The taller man sighed.

"We're not on Earth anymore..." He held his wrist out to Yuui to show her his metal arm. She cried out, holding the hand in hers.

"What happened?! You said Kurogane was human!" Yumi wondered if she was able to talk or not as the android talked, obviously distressed by the new surroundings. Zima beside her was still silent, taking in Yuui's movements and words in amazement. The girl looked over to the other two in the room and squeaked.

"K-Kurogane!" She said in alarm, but the flesh hand came up to cover her mouth.

"Oi, keep it down. Remember what I said about going to jail?" She nodded. He removed his hand slowly and the robot looked back to Zima and Yumi.

"Friends?" Kurogane nodded and instantly Yuui smiled.

"Hello, I am Youth Under Uranium Ignition. Yuui. Nice to meet you!"

"Hello, it's nice to meet you too Yuui, I'm Yumi and this is Zima." The young healer pointed towards Zima who looked away awkwardly before he turned back and smiled at the android as he greeted her. Yuui's smile widened and she nodded her head.

"Yumi is very pretty and Zima..." She looked to said man and blinked.

"...looks like Kurogane. Is he your twin, Master?" Kurogane scowled.

"You know I'm an only child you dolt, and I said quit calling me that." The girl frowned, looking at Zima.

".... Zima is very handsome." She said softly, before looking at Kurogane.

"What did you wake me for?"

"T-thank you." Zima smiled sheepishly; still uncertain as to how he should interact with Yuui. Yumi, on the other hand, smiled at the girl's declaration as she wondered briefly where Dita was. Kurogane showed Yuui the little embryo carrier.

"This... this is my son..." He said, sternly looking at his android. She tilted her head in response, taking the plastic in her hands and looking at it.

"Yuui has recordings and programs that tells Yuui what children are.... this doesn't look like them..." She looked up.

"Is this another Yuui?" Kurogane shook his head.

"It's a holder for him. I need your help Yuui." Zima chuckled at the android as Yumi continued to smile. The healer turned to look up at the other man beside her; it seemed as if he was finally over the initial shock Yuui had produced. She just hoped that their idea worked and Yuui would be able to carry the incubator. Said android once again tilted her head.

"Yuui... doesn't understand..." Kurogane took the unborn child back, securing it in his lap and looking back at Yuui.

"You're... going to keep him safe... at least for a little while..." He explained, and the robot smiled.

"Oh! Ok! What is Yuui going to do?" Kurogane pointed to her stomach.

"I'm going to make room in there for this." She looked at the incubator and nodded.

"Ok."

"We'll have to keep her hidden until we can get the baby back to Sir Fay, hopefully it will be before she's to be inspected and after Sir Fay is." Zima said after Kurogane explained things to Yuui. He had hoped they would be lucky enough to be able to time both things right after the other. Yuui looked at him.

"....Zima sounds like Kurogane too...." she paused, then looked at her creator.

"But Yuui has wiring that would get in the way..." The human sighed.

"I know... those programs will either have to be rewired or un-optional for a brief time period." The android nodded.

"Yes, of course. Shall Yuui open her tummy?" Kurogane twitched at the childish lingo, but nodded. The other occupants of the room watched in amazement as Yuui's stomach opened to reveal wires and other components. Yumi looked on as the android seemed un-phased by its body being opened up. She actually smiled as Kurogane reached forward, pulling some of the wiring out or to the side.

"I'm going to remove your walking nerves, your feeling in the legs, and your hip and knee controls." Kurogane informed, pulling out certain wires and a big box that lay in the bottom of her stomach. She twitched slightly, whimpering.

"Legs shut down, unable to walk until reconnected." She said automatically. Zima was surprised to see so many wires and things come out of the android and it able to still function. Though, of course he had never witnessed such a thing before today so he had no idea of what to expect.

Once a space big enough to store the artificial womb was created, Kurogane gave the android the incubator, and she placed it inside her. She giggled and smiled, looking to the tanned man.

"It's warm..." The man smirked slightly and started to wrap the excess wire around his hand.

"Well, just keep it there and say nothing to hint that it's there, got it?" She nodded.

"Would you like for her to be kept in the room she came from or should we try and place her somewhere else? I don't think she'll go unnoticed if she's left where anyone could spot her." Zima said as he folded his arms across his chest. Yumi stood worried close by. The girl's stomach closed and it appeared like she was a couple months pregnant. Kurogane stood, holding the wire in his metal hand.

"Keep her where she was until we arrive, then take her to your chambers." Kurogane instructed as he picked up his doll. Yuui wrapped her arms around the sore neck, but the human didn't seem to mind that time.

"Alright then, would you like me to help her back?" Zima said offering to carry the girl back to the room.

"Sir Youou, you need your injuries looked at as well." The healer moved towards the cart securing a simple first aid kit before she turned back to the taller man who still held Yuui. The half-human seemed reluctant at first to hand over the robot, his face blank for a moment.

"Yes..." He answered to both in a mumble, his hands gripping the doll tightly. Yuui looked up to Kurogane with a confused expression.

"Does Kurogane not think Yuui will be safe?" He looked at her and shook his head.

"I know you'll be fine." He glared at Zima.

"You'd better be fine."

"We'll protect Yuui; after all she could help save not only Sir Youou and Sir Fay, but their baby as well." He smiled reassuringly to the girl. Yumi stood to the side of the others as she waited for Kurogane. Yuui smiled widely and then blinked, looking to Kurogane.

"Should I turn on standby?" Kurogane looked back at her and his frown increased.

"Hibernate. At least until you hear my voice reactivates you again." She smiled and leaned against her creator's chest.

"Ok, Kurogane." She closed her eyes and her arms went limp, sliding off from around Kurogane's neck and landing in midair dangling.

"Here, I'll take her and put her up, let Yumi check you out." Zima offered as Yumi stood by them, kit in hand. Kurogane nodded, finally handing over the girl whose belly button now flashed orange every now and then. Kurogane also handed Zima the wires and box that had been removed.

"Keep these with her." Zima nodded before he turned away and walked towards the room Yuui had come from earlier.

"Sir Youou, if you would sit..." She pointed towards a chair in the room. The hybrid agreed in silence, taking the seat. He paused and held out his wrists, and grimaced as he actually looked at them for the first time. He set the metal one back down on his knee, knowing it would not need wrapping.

"What was the point of me losing an arm?" He asked irritated.

"It's possible because of your earlier attempt to escape...the officers aren't lenient under any circumstances...to prisoners and personnel alike." Yumi spoke as she opened the kit and began to clean the wound, she grimaced at the severity of it as she dabbed disinfectant on it. Kurogane winced gently but paid it no mind.

"So they really haven't got a reason for it. Just punishment." He thought for a moment before looking at the healer.

"...When they remove things... like my arm... they don't usually use pain medication, do they?"

"No...it's supposed to be...a part of the punishment dealt out." She bit her lip as she spoke, before she gathered gauze and began to wrap it around Kurogane's wrist. The man looked ahead of him and thought again.

"They take away something of equal value to the crime, knowing the replacement isn't as good as the original." He said slowly, remembering how his left arm couldn't seem to move in the handcuffs like his real arm.

"They take away strength." He turned over this idea in his head, gradually figuring out the ways of the Ginryan race.

"Yes, we're a people who value strength over anything else." She smiled sadly as she finished wrapping Kurogane's wrist. She examined his neck before moving to add disinfectant to the wound as well. He looked at the nurse sharply.

"You know they'll wonder why you tended to my wounds." He said in a low hiss, his real hand twitching into a fist on his knee.

"They'll know I was out of shackles."

"We'll just say it was to insure you survived to make it to your trial." She smiled as she finished tending to Kurogane's wounds. She packed her supplies back into the case as she walked over to the cart to deposit it. The red eyes once again stared forward and Kurogane leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He felt the irritation of skin rubbed raw under cooling ointment on both his neck and wrist, but he kept silent.

He heard Yumi start to fix up her cart, making it look like it hadn't been used other than for what it was used for. The dark haired man looked down to his fake wrist, examining it more closely. It was like someone had taken a key and carved it around in circles on his arm. He growled at it in agitation.

"Is something wrong?" Yumi asked as she finished fixing the cart back. Zima walked back into the room looking a little tired as he did.

"No." Kurogane replied as he stood.

"You said three days would be the maximum of days traveled to get to Edonis-or-whatever, right?" Zima nodded.

"Yeah, we're actually already more than halfway there."

"Sir Fay will be taken first to be examined and once he's finished, there should be a brief window before both of you are taken to face the Court." The young healer turned to face both men as she spoke. Kurogane folded his arms.

"They're examining him for pregnancy, I assume?"

"Yes, I was told to use this..." She motioned towards the bulky machine behind her.

"…to extract the baby from him under the pretense of an examination." She frowned, thinking about what her superiors had demanded her to do. Kurogane stared at the machine.

"....He said that you had no way of removing an infant unless the parent saw it fit to."

"Sir Fay wouldn't know about something like this... it's used only under extreme circumstances." She frowned at the thought. Zima frowned as well, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm glad it's not used as often as it should be...." Kurogane looked at him for a moment before to his metal arm.

"...Skin." Zima glanced at the prisoner.

"Huh?" Kurogane looked up again.

"Will I get a skin covering for this?"

"It's an option, though it's more of a latex solution that's molded around it." Zima ran a hand through his spikes as he answered Kurogane. The other man continued to frown.

"...Tch. I guess if the chance of me going home came to be I would have it covered to make sure I don't remember at all..." He said walking over to where he had been chained up beforehand.

"Consider it done then if you manage to persuade the Court into letting you and Sir Fay live." Zima smiled, curious as to what Kurogane was going to do. The human turned and leaned against the wall, his arms still folded.

"Hnn..." He subconsciously glanced down to his pocket where, luckily, the discus with the nullified spell still rested. He didn't think it would work against Ginryans, considering his dad had held it, but he didn't know who would be doing the memory wipe either.

"...What if there was a device that could counter the mind wipe?"

"I've never heard of one, usually a mind wipe is permanent. Though, if you somehow managed to restore your memory after you were back on Earth, the Court wouldn't be able to do anything...they couldn't punish you again for the same crime." Zima pondered Kurogane's question, trying to think if there was such a thing. Yumi looked questioningly at the taller man from her cart. A wicked grin came about Kurogane's lips.

"...Is that so?" He closed his eyes and sighed, unfolding his arms to reach down in his pocket.

"...I have one more thing I want you to hide with my android." Zima gave him a flabbergasted look, jaw dropping slightly.

"You aren't saying you have this device, are you?" Kurogane shook his head.

"It's something someone gave me; I don't want to lose it."

"Yeah, I can place it with her." Zima smiled, shocked by the humans ingenuity. He was curious as to how all of this would play out and smirked. Yumi found herself looking between the two smirking men, confused as to why they were both smiling smugly. Kurogane pulled out the discus; it's fluorite dusting still present under his metal fingers.

"Be careful, don't let touch water." He warned, handing Zima the bottle cap sized charm.

"This is what will stop a mind wipe?" Zima held it up and examined the charm between his fingers.

"When did I say that would stop it?" Kurogane asked, placing his hand back in the pocket. Yumi smiled and looked at the charm fondly.

"It's nice that Sir Youou would want to hold onto something like that." Kurogane looked away, frowning.

"..."

"Hmm...if you say so." The officer pocketed the charm, making a mental note to place it with Yuui before he left.

"I suppose one of us should go back to Sir Fay, he probably needs something to eat..." Zima lost himself to his thoughts, knowing he'd have to inform Dita on everything before long.

"Hn. You're going to have to chain me back up before you leave." Kurogane said blandly, not liking the idea of handcuffs over already irritated flesh.

"I'll see if I can't make them a little looser, but it won't help if you try to break out again." Zima moved to gather the pieces that would go back around Kurogane's wrists. The other growled.

"Don't piss me off and I won't." His frowned deepened.

"I've already made it worse once..."

"Then ignore everyone, it makes things a lot easier for everyone and if you do anything like before again... they may give your punishment to Sir Fay." Zima said as he placed the handcuffs back around the taller man's wrists. Yumi watched them as she stood off to the side of the room near the door. Kurogane grimaced at both the thought of making Fay go through more suffering and the handcuff's tightness. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"...The sooner we get there the better." He heard the cuffs connect and the second layer attaching itself painfully, hiding his hands that were balled in fists.

"It should be soon." He sighed and noted how painful it must be for the other man to be re-cuffed. Yumi nodded absentmindedly in agreement, holding her hands to her rather large chest. She hoped silently that Kurogane's wounds wouldn't be rubbed a lot. The half-human sighed, feeling the weight of the entire cuff against his hands. He looked to the chain that would go around his neck and sat cross-legged against the wall.

"You'd better tell me the minute we arrive."

"Of course...though, I'll have to ask Sir Fay if you're always so demanding." Zima grinned, knowing the other man would be riled by his words, as he placed the metal collar around the human's neck. The human growled dangerously, but let the comment slide. Yumi smiled and opened the door and held it open so Zima could exit when she did. Kurogane watched them go, a frown set on his face. He closed his eyes and drowned out all that was around him, taking the advice of the officer by meditating.