Author's note: Ok, I'm going with Sakura. Also, I'm sorry to everyone that wanted to read my story . . . sorry it took so long for this chapter! Hopefully this one will be longer too. . .

Chapter Three: Sakura

Sakura. That was the baby ohmu's name. Sakura. It sounded so lovely and I rolled off the tongue like a drop of oil . . . Sakura.

"I promise not to drop you this time, Sakura!" Said Nausicaä. "I'll be more careful!"

Sakura followed her slowly. Nausicaä picked the ohmu up and carried it to her glider, and she climbed onto it.

She flew up into the air and scanned the jungle again. There it was, the thin streak of smoke rising from the trees, only this time she could hardly see it. She flew down to it and landed on the jungle floor.

"Oh no!" cried Nausicaä. "What happened here?"

There was a man laying there, a large gun at his side. There were ohmu tracks all around him.

"Oh no," she repeated. She ran over to the man. He moaned lowly.

"What happened?" she asked the man.

"Ugh," he replied.

"Come on, tell me!"

"Ugh. . . there was a big thing. . . coming strait for me. . . I tried to. . . shoot. . ."

Nausicaä looked at the gun next to him. She was worried. She knew what had happened. But how could he still be alive?

"But. . . ugh. . . it didn't die. . . and it ran over me. . . uugh," he continued.

How did he survive being run over by an ohmu?

"Did it have many eyes?" Nausicaä asked.

"Yes. . . uugh."

"What color were they?"

"Red, uhh. . ."

How could this have happened?

"Come. I will take you to my village to get hospitality. You'll need it to heal an injury like that. Can you stand?"

"I. . . think so. . ." He tried to get up. "Ouch!"

"Here," Nausicaä offered him her hand.

"Thanks, ouch." He slowly got up. Nausicaä helped him over to her glider.

"You're going to have to hold on tight," Nausicaä warned him.

"I'll try."

They got on the glider, and Nausicaä held onto Sakura tightly. She took off over the Toxic Jungle and landed in the Valley of the Wind.

Author's note: This chapter wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but at least it is longer than the other ones. But I have to go somewhere right now. So sorry if you wanted

more. . . I'll have the next chapter soon! Sorry again about the long delay.