The authorities swarmed the group as they approached Emika's building. Nakietra was forced away from them and they were forced to Emika and Toya who was waiting for them near the door. She ushered them inside and into her private room on the ground floor. Neither stayed with group as they settled themselves into the chairs around the room and waited to see what was going on. They were told nothing and there was no indication that they were going to be told anything at all. Kurogane was the first one to discover that the door was locked from the outside by three bolt locks, one on top, another above the door knob, and the last near the bottom.

No one was happy. Even Sakura and Mokona had been forced here, and looked close to breaking down as they clutched at each other. Mokona looked almost out of it. His sensitivity to feeling was destroying him as he felt the combination of sadness, anger, frustration, and also a massive amount of pain from Nero. The wolf was unconscious now on his own couch in the corner.

No one asked any questions or spoke any word. Sakura was upset enough without any of them mentioning what they had seen as they entered the room. Even though they were curious, watching Sakura break down any further was worse than hearing about anything that had happened.

The sun was setting in the big window at the front of the room when Emika came back. Police of some sort were guarding the window on either side, but they were easy to ignore since none of them wanted to look out the window anyways. As Emika entered, she flipped on the overhead light. Everyone blinked from the bright light as the door was relocked.

"I have the police guarding the building, but I need to know exactly what happened," She started as stood to her place by the window. She looked back at them with a stern face, her eyes traveling to each and every one of them before stopping on Sakura.

"I need to know what YOU saw Sakura. No one else is allowed to talk but her," She asked, staring directly at Sakura with her blue eyes. They were icy in the harsh light, but her voice was calmer than when she had first entered. Sakura stared up at the woman and instantly felt fear through her veins. Emika looked away and tried to soften her gaze. It only worked somewhat. Kurogane watched this carefully. He's seen that stern look on Nakietra when she scolded Syaoran for doing something stupid.

"It…it looked like it was looking through Nakietra's memories," Sakura stuttered along. Emika nodded her head slowly, her teeth clenching. No one else said anything.

"I see…" Emika responded and looked like she was thinking, "Can you tell me what you saw? Do you know what they were looking for, or if they found it?" She asked.

Kurogane processed the request. On one hand, he wanted to know what memories Sakura had seen so he could learn more about Nakietra. On the other, he wouldn't like other people talking about his past and neither would Nakietra he knew.

Syaoran didn't have that sort of separation though. It wasn't that he didn't want to know more about her past, but he knew it wasn't right. Nakietra obviously never wanted them to know anything about her, and even now there are many things she won't even attempt to talk about with them.

Fai stared at Sakura. He didn't feel it was his place to tell her not to talk about Nakietra's memories. There were some things he's picked up on his own that he knew shouldn't be spoken of out loud. He knows she has nightmares every single time she falls asleep and he knows about her sickness. He didn't know if Sakura knew, but he knew that if she did then she wouldn't share it here.

"I…I don't think that's right," Sakura said. Emika nodded her head.

"I understand. I won't make you tell me. There are some people that prefer to keep their pasts a secret. I have no idea if your friend is one of those people, only you do so you are a better judge than me it seems," She said and looked up calmly. Kurogane saw that glint in her eyes fading. He's seen that glint in Nakietra. That was curiosity dying.

"What's wrong with Nakietra?" Kurogane asked then. Emika turned her gaze to him. She narrowed her eyes at him for interrupting her thinking. There was that look…that look that Nakietra always had with Fai that said she wanted to slap him.

"We aren't sure yet," She responded before taking a step back to address the whole group just a little more. She was done thinking at this point. "The device she was hooked up to is something we called a 'Mind Delver'. They're illegal and were supposed to all be destroyed some years ago. This one was either salvaged or homemade," She started and waited for any questions.

"What does it do?" Fai asked, leaning forward in order to catch her eyes. She stared at him.

"It was originally created to look into the minds of criminals to make sure that they commit the crime that they were going to be charged with. After a few years of use, they found that it was too dangerous to use. Many criminals and innocent died and some are still in a coma. If the memory they were looking for wasn't strong enough, the mind would break under the pressure or would be destroyed from experiencing ever glancing memory to its full effect," She explained gravelly.

"What were they looking for in her head?" Syaoran asked after a few silent moments.

"That's what I'm asking you. No one knows who these people are and that building was supposed to be renovated next month. No one should have been anywhere near it," She said. She looked to Kurogane and stared at him with interest.

"I don't think they found it," Sakura stated meekly. Everyone looked to her.

"Why?" Emika asked softly, tearing her gaze away to Sakura.

"The man kept saying he couldn't find it…" Sakura said but then faded into nothing as tears fell forward. She kept remembering how painful those memories seemed to Nakietra. Then she remembered her bloody body on the table and cried harder.

"He probably didn't then. Whatever he wanted to know wasn't a strong memory for her," Emika stated and sighed.

"How does he machine actually work?" Fai asked, trying to get her attention away from Sakura. It worked.

"I don't know that much about it, but I do know what I heard from my father. He was one of the people who created the devices. The device starts at the beginning of your life and then you twist a dial to go forward and back to backwards. Every memory you glance through, the patient sees and feels everything connected to it. How strong depends on how strong the memory is. Did he say what he was looking for?" She asked.

"No," Sakura muttered. Syaoran put a comforting arm around her and she immediately gripped his shirt and cried harder. Now she was broken, just like the group didn't want. Emika was silent as she thought.

"You never told us how she is," Kurogane asked suddenly, staring up at her. Emika stared at him for a minute before answering.

"She's asleep right now. All she has to do is wake up. If she does, then I can tell you whether or not her mind survived intact," She said and looked around at all of them. She went to the door and opened it. "I have rooms made up for you all on the top floor. Toya is with your friend in a room up there in case the men come back."

Sakura had to be carried up the stairs that night and every moment after that she needed someone with her. Every time she tried to sleep she just kept thinking of Nakietra and the memories she saw. Every time she fell asleep she imagined her friend being tortured by the scientist who was angry at not finding what he was looking for.

Nakietra was the same. Her dreams were jumbled as Nero and Kurogane watched over her. There were peaceful times yes, but most of the time she was crying or screaming words in a foreign language. She shifted and moaned sometimes and once she was kicking and scratching an imaginary enemy while tears streamed down her face. It didn't help the situation when Emika mentioned that this was how the coma patients acted on a full time basis. Her next statement canceled out the bad though.

Nakietra needed to hear someone familiar to talk to her. The voices were said to bring people back to reality and make their memories go away. It didn't always work, but it helped the situation. Sakura was told this information for a very specific reason.

After two days, Sakura sat in with Nakietra. She had no idea what to talk about, but she knew every question she wished she could ask Nakietra at that exact moment.

Kurogane was given his test for the day. Despite what Emika said before, the test had not taken the whole day. It was only a series of questions. Emika was incredible curious about Nakietra. She asked question after question about her habits and qualms. Any question Kurogane asked was immediately ignored and answered with a completely separate question. At the end of it all, Emika told Kurogane that he should never leave her side. When he asked why, she smiled and answered, "Because you are the only one who can save her where everyone else has failed."

When Kurogane returned, Toya was finally moving a mat into the room for him. The men didn't say anything to each other as Toya left and Kurogane moved in. Sakura hadn't moved from her position on the left of Nakietra and Nero was now moving onto Kurogane's bed.

Kurogane stopped behind Nakietra. Tears were pouring down her face right now. She wasn''t in distress though it seemed for once. Sakura cried also and was trying to keep it together. Kurogane didn't ask why as he moved to his bed. Nero glared at him so the man decided simply to sit down next to the wolf instead of moving him.

Sakura's tears slipper down her keeps and onto Nakietra's. Slowly the girl's consensus floated up as she heard Sakura's internal sobs. Nakietra opened her eyes slowly and watched Sakura cry. She felt pain consume her. She hated watching Sakura cry for any reason.

"Why are you crying?" Nakietra asked softly. Sakura's tear closed eyes opened and looked down.

"Nakietra!" She exclaimed and hugged the girl. Nakietra pushed herself up a little as the girl almost fell on top of her. Nakietra put an arm around the girl and felt very very confused. She didn't understand where she was. There was a mat in the corner in front of her with Kurogane sitting next to Nero. Both were watching her. Kurogane slowly smiled. She smiled back, still not understanding what was going on. Nero was specifically blocking it all from her mind right now.

"Sakura, it's okay," Nakietra said, almost like a mother comforting a crying child, before she gently pushed the girl back. Nakietra didn't like being confused and didn't like how stiff and cramped her muscles felt. Sakura sat back on her knees. Nero stumbled to his feet and brushed his head under his bond's. Nakietra hugged his head and wondered how to form the question of what was going on.

"What happened?" Nakietra asked softly, staring at Sakura. She stared back for a moment, her face moving into shock. Nakietra looked back at Kurogane and stared at him.

"What do you remember?" Kurogane asked. He was cautious, knowing that any mention of what happened might destroy her and Sakura at this moment.

Nakietra

I swallow hard. Nero is keeping things from me again. My mind is too weak to push against him right now. I close my eyes and try to convince Nero that I need this. I can't afford to forget any more of my memories. Nero lets a little slip and then is all spills out. I clutch my hands to my head it hurts almost.

"I was drugged, and then I don't…I don't understand," I stutter felling my eyes squeeze shut from the pain. I remember everything. I remember the whispers the blackness…my father's funeral. I see Hiro. I can't believe how young and small he looks. I see my mother crying. I curl my fingers into my hair. I don't want to cry.

I feel my heart ache. I remember my mother's funeral. My fingers dig into my head. My throat feels raw, and I see Hiro behind my closed eyes. I can't remember him looking so sad, so weakened. I breathe in heavily. I feel like I can't breathe.

"Stop," Kurogane shouts at me. He grabs my arms and pulls them away from my head. I fall forward into his chest and sob. I feel the fire against my face. I hear my own voice calling for Toya. My nose and lungs are burning from the smoke. I don't taste blood as I bite my lip. I sob as the pain in my head gets worse.

I can't think. I can't breathe.

"Nakietra!" Kurogane hushes and tries to pull me upright. I can't move. I can't breathe.

"Go find Emika," He says urgently. I hear Sakura get up and run out the door. I hear my father's booming voice and his laugh…oh his laugh is so much like Hiro's but deeper. I feel his rough hands against mine.

"You're safe here, don't worry," He says gently and lies me down against the bed. He won't let go of my hands though. I don't fight him. I hear whispers everywhere, but I don't' feel anything. My breathing is calming down. I feel safer. He curls my hands against my chest. I feel better. I like being curled up together.

"I feel…the memories. They hurt," I whisper. "They won't go away," I cry as the whispers get louder. I squeeze my eyes shut as the pain pierces through my head.

I feel Marina's hand against my face as she slaps me. I feel my mouth turn bitter as I shout at her worse than anyone else I've ever known. I feel the ground hard against my knees and taste the dust and blood in my mouth.

I gasp for breath again. I smell the blood. Benji's voice is echoing in ears. My heart beats with fear. I scream and thrash. I feel like he's gripping me again just like in my nightmares.

"Let me go! Let me go!" I scream as I try to fight him off. His hands are hurting my wrists. "Go away! Leave me alone Benji!" I scream and arch my back away from him.

"Nakietra stop it! It's me! It's Kurogane! You're safe, I have you!" Kurogane yells. I stop. Is it real? Is it really him and not Benji? I breathe out and collapse. I whimper as the pain in my head gets stronger.

Everyone entered the room but stopped as far as the doorway. Emika pushed through to the front and also stopped. She sees the girl, Nakietra, crying, whimpering as Kurogane holds her wrists in his hands. She's completely limp now.

"She's in pain," He says as he looks to her. She comes down and kneels down next to her. She looks at the girl who is her daughter in another world. It hurts her to see the girl in so much pain.

"I've heard that the mental stress from the machine causes intense pain. It's worse if they had to experience one or more bad memories," Emika says softly, her eyes trained on Nakietra. Sakura's face crumbles into sadness from her place by the doorway and she looks at the ground. Syaoran reaches out a hand to touch her, but then he stops himself. He didn't feel that was proper for him to do at this moment.

"Can you give her something for it?" Fai asks. Emika looks at Nakietra for a long time. Kurogane could see the hopeless look on her face.

"She needs to work through the memories that are bringing the pain," Emika says.

"What do we do?" Kurogane asks. Emika looks at him.

"Make her talk about them. It will help her," She says and stands up.

"Sakura, you saw the memories," Fai says gently, "you should talk to her." Sakura nods her head and went to take Emika's place. Meanwhile, the woman took Syaoran and Fai by the shoulders and forced them out.

"Nakietra?" Sakura questioned in a quiet voice. It took some time for Nakietra to register the voice and to open her eyes again. Her hair was messy and looser from her struggle with Kurogane. Kurogane slowly let go of her hands and sat back on his heels just in case she tried to hurt herself again.

"What do you want to know?" She asked her voice like a whisper as she stared up at the ceiling. The pain seemed to be gone for now.

"Was the dark skinned man Hiro your brother?" She asked like a mouse. Nakietra's eyes dulled.

Nakietra

"Hiro is my brother," I respond. How long has it been since I've had to tell someone that? He was always my brother. Even when we traveled, no one ever had to ask us if we were siblings and never did anyone have to ask who was older. Pain shoots through me as I remember every single memory of him. I see him as a young boy, I see him dancing during the Dead Days with Ira, I see him sitting with Toya and talking. Kurogane stops me as I reach for my arm. I dug my fingers into his hand instead. He lets me. Sakura keeps talking.

"He was always there for you," Sakura states through her tears.

"He was all I had. He taught me everything I know," I respond. My voice wavers. There were so many memories…I see him on kneel before Marina, I see him ride off into war, I feel his arms around me.

"I saw…I saw Toya," Sakura manages. Her voice is so hesitant. My breath quickens. Please, I don't want pity. I don't want tears shed for me. Kurogane's hand tightens around mine. I feel blood under my fingers. I can't stop.

"Toya was my friend…My only friend," I say, "He came from a faraway country with his family. Hiro became his friend first. Then he was mine. We were all he had." I breathe in sharply. I remember everything. I feel fire on my face just like I feel cold water against my skin. I hear his sarcastic words; I feel his soft hands on my arms when he tells me how stupid I am.

"What happened to him?" She asks, "Why was there a fire?" I close my eyes as tears push forward. I hate that memory. I don't know how to start.

"We went out to town. I don't remember why. We saw the smoke. No one knows how it started. Everyone inside was dead though. Toya lost everything. His home was gone, his father, his sister…." I say choppily. Sakura takes one of my hands. I lost Axial too. I swallow hard. I miss her so much. I'm glad I still have my drawings of her.

"Where did he go if he had no home?" She asks.

"He wouldn't stay with us. He doesn't trust people. Someone started the fire; he knows no one likes his family. They were rich; his father was a doctor only to The King. He stays in the ruins sometimes. Sometimes on the streets," I say. Toya wouldn't stay with us. He thought he was too much of a burden…it was true that there were many nights where I went to bed hungry because we hand to money.

"His sister was me…" She stutters. I turn my head to her.

"No," I dismiss right away, "It killed my Sakura. It wasn't you."

"Who is Emika to you? Why was she singing?" She asks then and looks away. I turn my head to the side. I hate that song. I wish it wasn't running through my head now. I smell the rain and I hear her voice. I remember the taste of every medicine she ever gave me and every single thing she ever told me about healing.

"Emika was my mother," I answer softly. I see her in her tan dresses and I smell her herbs. I miss her. There are so many things I wish I could say to her. There are so many questions I wished I could ask her.

"Why was she singing?" Sakura asks again.

"My father was killed in war," I answer in a broken voice. I seem him coming through the door. I hear his voice one more time saying, "If you never say goodbye, then you're never really gone." He used to say that to me whenever I said goodbye before he would ride back into battle. It was hard to stop myself from telling him goodbye.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said tearfully. I don't need pity. I miss my father too, but I can't think of anything I would say to him if he was still around. I barely knew him as the adult he was. I close my eyes and hear him say one more thing, "You're catching up to me. Soon your hands will be bigger than mine." When I was little I would line my small hands up against his big ones. Hiro had my mother's longer hands rather than my father's huge ones. I had my grandmother's impossibly tiny ones.

"It doesn't matter," I answer. Everyone dies around me. My mother would never have stayed in the palace if I hadn't been born sickly. My father wouldn't have signed up for war; my brother wouldn't have been killed by Benji…

"It does though!" Sakura insists, "You lost someone close to you…" I open my eyes.

"I've lost everything already though at this point. There's no way to get any of it back," I respond.

"You still have us," She insists. I can hear her crying. I turn my head away. I don't want to be pitied. I want to be treated normal even if it kills me. I don't want to hear her cry. I don't even want her in the room.

"Go sleep Sakura. Forget about what you saw, it doesn't affect you," I told her and struggled to turn myself on my side and hide under the covers. I hear her leave and feel Kurogane staring at me as I drift into sleep.

Nakietra slept until the next morning. Kurogane watched her all through the while, concerned she would start tearing herself apart again. She slept peacefully though for the first time since the incident. Because of it, Kurogane was able to sleep too while Sakura slept in the next room.

Morning brought better results. Nakietra was able to get up on her own and looked unaffected by her memories. Emika talked to her alone before deeming that she was fine for now. The mind was a delicate thing she said, and memories were elusive and unpredictable. She told the group to watch her and so they did as they left Emika and Toya behind and entered into a new world….

Trouble followed them more and more closely though. Attacks were prepared for them right away they landed, towns became hostile, and people all became enemies. Injuries became worse and with them, Nakietra's sanity slipped more and more. Night after night, she would only sleep a few hours at a time and only when she passed out from exhaustion. They watched as bags formed under her eyes and her face grew into a haunted glance. It was at this time that Kurogane decided to stay up with her. The things she told him….he never would have guessed most of them.

It happened in the in-between world. Everything was twisted and stretched in a way so disorientating that no one knew that direction even existed anymore. Loud noises shuddered through the world and then it cracked. Kurogane and Nakietra were too close to the hole and were sucked through. Syaoran tried to reach for them but he was too far away as they were pulled through the rip was sealed.

Mokona landed then in a rich city. It was a desert city but the buildings were richly decorated and the streets were made of beautiful stone work. In the middle was a feather stitched onto a flag of gold and blue swirls. Kurogane and Nakietra weren't as lucky as they were smashed into the sandy streets of a neighborhood with crumbling buildings and lonely streets.