Disclaimer: Same as before. Take my creations, you die. Borrow with permission. Escaflowne isn't mine. Blah blah blah.

Archive: Sure, just tell me where you're puttin it.

Rant: Hey hey! Guess who's back! (I know you're all just PSYCHED! -^v^-) Anyways...Gawd! It's freezing! *brrrr* It's supposed to snow sometime this week...(that's just what I heard). Oh, well. Get the winter over faster, then the spring will be here. *happyness* I love spring! Spring = Sakura Blossoms. The sakura blossoms are my favorite flowers. (---Kira loves flowers)
Umm....anyways....
Everyone, go read the work by lil_chan_son. That's mah girl Mara, and she writes madd well. ^__^v Also, read Dilandra's stuff. Tis good tis good. I'll have more sugguesations up later. Cuz that's just the nice kind of person I am! Giving shout outs to people who don't even know I exist! (Well...Mara betta know who I am, lest i has ta squeeze tha juice outcha head, foo!)
Website to check out: megatokyo.com

Dedication: For my reviewers. From now on, I'm gonna start dedicating the chapters to whoever reviews. SO GO ON! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!!!

BGM: Alive by POD, How You Remind Me by Nickelback (sp?), and Skizim (I know that's spelled wrong) by Tool (they've played that song one too many times, but I'm hoping that if I mention it, they'll stop playing it)

Other: I know the peices fit! (---doing a jigsaw puzzle) Got any ideas of what should happen next? Drop me a line: chibi_sakira@Hotmail.com. I'll try to add your ideas into the fic because as you know, there's no such thing as too many good ideas!

********

When Rai finally regained conciousness, she found herself laying on something soft, with her arms and legs tied down. She still could not see.

"I see you're finally awake," said a young, female voice.

"Ah...yeah...." Rai tried to sit up, but the bonds holding her down were too strong. For some reason, she wasn't becoming frantic like she had been with the other man when she couldn't see. Something made trust the girl who spoke to her, but she didn't know what. "Mind telling me where am I?"

The girl laughed. Rai must have looked confused, because the girl told her, "I expected you to ask something else. Like *why* you were. Or why you can't see. Or who am I. Something like that."

"Oh," Rai smiled lightly. "Sorry to dissapoint you."

"You're in the psych ward of the Zaibach med. You're no longer on the flying fortress." The girl informed Rai.

"Okay." Rai blinked hard, testing her eyes. She still couldn't see. "So um...."

"Who am I?" The girl supplied with another laugh.

"Yeah, actually." Rai grinned.

"My name is Ai," the girl, Ai, told her. "I'm a nurse here."

"I'm Rai. But..." she said slowly to Ai. "My friends call me Samu-chan..."

"I'll call you Samu-chan, then." Ai told her warmly. "Ano...if that's okay, that is..."

"Sure."

"Good."

"Ah...." Rai raised an eyebrow. "Why am I tied down?"

"Eh...well, that would be Dilandau-sama's orders."

"....okay, *who* is that now?"

"Tall guy, about six foot one, whitish grayish blondish hair, red eyes...scar on his right cheek...ringing any bells?"

"You're forgetting that I can't see."

"Ah! Gomen nasai!" Ai laughed nervously. "Ano...deep voice, evil laugh? Sounds a little insane? Might have mentioned burning or something?"

"Oh! Him!" Rai nodded. "I know him...er...his voice..."

"Yeah. Well, Lord Dilandau said to keep you here, cuz he says you're crazy or something like that..."

Suddenly, something dawned on Rai. "Wait....Ai...You know Japanese?"

Rai could hear Ai grinning. Of course. I *am* from Japan...so shouldn't I know Japanese? Samu-chan?

You are!? Rai let out a surprised laugh. You too?

Yup! Ai giggled. How long have you been here? When did you come from....?

When I was seven. I was kidnapped by... Rai trailed off.

...Zaibach scientists. Ai sighed. You must have been in the last wave of the children they took from the Mystic Moon.

But the last time was only eight years ago, wasn't it? Rai did the math in her head. I was taken eleven years ago.

"Ano...." She was surprised. But Samu-chan, that would make you eighteen.

Yeah, I am. Why, is that surprising?

Well...the other doctors here had to do a basic check up for you when Dilandau-sama brought you....by all the results and information given, you should be fifteen....my age....

Rai paused uncomfortably. Um...they....the tests... she took a deep breath. For the three years they did tests on me...

Don't say any more, Ai told her, realizing it was a tough subject. I understand.

When did you come here?

When I was thirteen. This is my second year on Gaea. I'm here thanks to Dilandau-sama. He found me and took me in, and had his doctors train me. So here I am now.

Dilandau sounds like a nice guy...

Oh, don't let me fool you. He isn't nice at all.

Yeah...I kinda know that first hand.

Rai and Ai laughed.

Hey, Ai? Rai called, feeling suddenly tired, as if she hadn't slept in weeks. Um...will you be staying? You know....like will this be the last time I ever hear from you, or...?

Ai chuckled softly. Sorry, hun...you can't get rid of me any time soon. I'm required to be your nurse and take care of you for the entire time you're here.

Thank you...Ai.... Rai closed her unseeing eyes, and fell back asleep.

********

Dilandau watched the two girls talking from outside the door of the psych ward. He was confused as to why the blind girl, Samu-chan, or Rai, or whatever, was being so calm and trusting towards this nurse who she couldn't even see. He was annoyed when they switched to a language he didn't understand. He heard his name spoken several times, and was angry that he couldn't understand everything they were sayin about him.

/I'll ask the nurse about it later, I suppose.../

**********

How long do you think it'll take to get past their gaurds? Kazu asked the other assassins as they crept along the outskirts of the forests that surounded Zaibach's border, wating for Shinyo to return.

Not too long, probably... Mako whispered back, touching the sword at his side for reassurance. Just remember what we're doing this for, and there won't be any problems.

Boys, Shinyo called to the assassins, back from scouting the terrain. This way. It's the fastest way to get to the fortress where they're probably holding her. Minimise causalties if possible...Zaibach isn't Naza's enemy. Lets try to keep it that way.

*********

Rai woke up to what she assumed to be her seventh night in Zaibach. She was still in the psych ward, but no longer was she bound to her bed. She streached her arms, yawned, and sat up. She didn't bother blinking. She had accepted not being able to see.

Ai-chan? Rai called softly into the darkness. You there?

"I don't understand what you're saying," a male voice told her, "But I'm not your nurse, Ai."

"Sorry..." Rai mumbled, feeling suddenly vulnerable. "I though you were her..."

"I'm not."

"Um...." Rai's mind searched to place where she had heard his voice before. "Where is she..?"

"She went to get breakfast. She didn't think you'd be awake for a while."

"Okay." Rai slid back under the covers of her bed. He almost laughed at her little-girl logic...it was almost like she was thinking 'If I stay hidden and don't move, maybe he won't see me and will go away'.

"Are you....Dilandau?" Rai asked cautiously.

"I am," Dilandau smirked, impressed that she knew who he was. "And you are Samu-chan?"

Rai froze, and pulled the covers further towards her face. "...How do you know that name...?"

"Eaisly. What else does Ai call you? Other than Rai, that is...." Dilandau let out a low laugh at Rai's frightened reaction. "Samu-chan and Rai...one might even think that you might be called Samurai?"

"You listen to our conversations?" Rai whispered nervously. Her breath caught when she heard him say her full name.

"Of course. They're quite entertaining. What I understand of them, at least." Dilandau watched the girl's expression relax slightly. "And of course, you are the enemy. I have to listen for anything that would give away what Daijin is planning next."

It was Rai's turn to laugh. Her pride gave away more about her than she would wish. "I'm not with *them*. I'm a Naza assassin."

"An assassin!" Dilandau's laughter was deep and loud. "You're a comidian, girl!"

"You don't believe me?" Rai hissed through clenched teath.

"How old are you, girl, thirteen?" Dilandau scoffed at her. "That's cute. What are you, really? A rookie Daijin warrior? A messanger girl?"

"I'm eighteen," she spat at him.

"Of course you are," Dilandau was still chuckling evily.

"I'm from Naza. I take being concidered a Daijin as a personal insult."

"Fiesty one, aren't you, Daijin girl?"

"Bite me."

"Is that an invitation?"

"It'd be your first invitation ever," Rai sneered at him. "If it was one."

"Funny."

"I thought so, too."

"I'd watch what I say if I was you," Dilandau commanded quietly.

"Why's that, Dil? Humm? You don't like being insulted by the little girl? Does it hurt your feelins? Would you like to go cry to mommy?"

"Just remember who's blind, and who has the sword." Dilandau barked at her. "I'd watch myself."

Rai decided it would be a good time to stop talking.

Dilandau walked out of Rai's small room, and slammed the door behind himself. For the first time in the seven days she was there, Rai was alone. She shivered, and pulled the bed sheets over her head. She curled up into a fetal position, and wished herself back to sleep.

************

End part 2

Hope everyone enjoyed that...

R/R, pleaseeeeeeeee! v^__^v Kira loves you.