Everything is peaceful as the group is carefully dropped onto the grass. The trees are plentiful, but grow comfortable apart. Tree stumps dot the area and show that someone must live in the area. Clearings are small but many and all are mostly shaded just like the one the group has dropped into.
There is a lazy wind brushing through the leaves and carrying the songs of the birds over from the trees farther away. Everything stops as the group comes in. A boy in a tree near them freezes and watches the people. He is wearing dark green clothes and has a sack slung over his shoulder which is filled with shiny green apples.
Fai jumps to his feet and moves to Nakietra. He knows about the other two for now, but he knows she might be even worse. He rolls her onto her side and listens to her breath. Sakura is getting up now and is looking over Syaoran one more time. Fai's faces creases in worry. Nakietra's breathing is bad and the blood steadily running out of her mouth every time she breathes is not a good sign. He looks over to Kurogane and Syaoran. Both are out cold from the pain of their injuries. They don't know anything about this world and all he has is Sakura to help him take care of everyone and Nero to protect them. The situation is very grim.
The boy watches the scene for a little bit. Three people aren't moving out of five. There is a wolf but he is domesticated the boy can see by the way he moves in-between all the people and sniffs them. He decides to help them.
"Do you need help?" He calls and climbs down the tree. Fai looks to the boy but can't smile for once.
"Yes," The man answers slowly. He suspicious considering they have been attacks in many worlds. Nero moves and stands by Kurogane, his dangerous eyes trained on the boy. Sakura has Syaoran clutched in her arms while Fai has Nakietra.
"My aunt is a healer. She doesn't ask for payment…I wouldn't say no. That girl's really sick and she'll die, very painfully," The boy babbled nervously as his eyes dart between Fai, Nero, and Nakietra.
"We would like that," Fai says, managing a tight smile. He has no choice. He barely knows how to help Nakietra. He knows she's sick and has respected the fact that she handles it on her own, but it doesn't help in situations like these. He moves to pick up Nakietra but then stops himself. Nero won't be able to carry Kurogane on his back. He could barely carry Syaoran without the boy almost sliding off every few minutes. The boy took a few hesitant steps forward.
"I can take her," He offers. Fai looks at him for a minute and then nods his head. He moves over to Kurogane and manages to get the man over his shoulder. Nero ignored the boy and went to Sakura to carry Syaoran once more. The boy watched them and then easily picked up Nakietra. He wouldn't have been more than fourteen years old. He lead the way and the others followed. Sakura rested her fingers on Nero's head like she's seen Nakietra do many times over before. It was comforting somewhat.
The boy has black hair that has been braided and twisted into a bun on the top of his head. His features were still young, but he was obviously a boy by the way his face was angled and pointed. His bag of apples was lumpy and filled just like his aunt wanted, and so his silver eyes were very calm as he took the familiar path home. His frame was incredibly skinny, but still he looks like he can carry Nakietra with ease as he continues to walk.
The house he brings them to is made of dark wood ad it two stories. The windows around the room show every room in the house and none have curtains. There are rooms packed with straw beds on the ground as well as rooms with herbs drying from the ceiling as well as normal rooms like a kitchen and sitting area. In the front of the house was a small fence off area with a neatly kept garden of herbs and vegetables. A woman, whose skin was equally as tan as the boy's, was kneeling in the dirt when the boy approached the gate.
The woman stood up and everyone could see she was just as rail thin. Her features were sharp and strong like the boy's and her hair was tied up just like his. She wore tight men's clothes, but it made her look very strong as she exited her garden and glanced at each newcomer one by one. Then, without a word, she opened the front and entered.
"Zuo, bring them in. Put the injured on the beds," the woman commands in a hardy voice as she turns immediately right in the hall. The boy, Zuo went inside and beckoned for them to follow him. They passed what looked like a kitchen where the woman was putting a pot over the fire filled with water.
"Take them a door down," Zuo told them as he pushed open the nearest door on the left which was slightly across from the kitchen. Fai nodded his head, not even bothering to question it right now, and moved on with Nero and Sakura behind him. The room was plain with three straw boxes on the ground, covered with sheets and blankets. The room had two box windows that just barely shinned on the corners of each bed. Fai set Kurogane on one of the beds and found the straw was actually quiet soft. Nakietra's room was similar but hers only had one and was smaller. Zuo laid her on her side and slipped her shoes off before leaving. His aunt was in a moment later to examine her.
She barely looked at Nakietra. It wasn't necessary for her. She knew exactly what was wrong the moment she saw the girl, but she needed to be sure. She was sure now as she walked out to check on the other two. She's traveled worlds looking for a cure to Blood Lung, what she knew the genetic condition as. There wasn't one and she learned that in the hardest ways possible.
The boys were unconscious still when she walked in. Sakura shifted back away from Syaoran when she saw the woman and dug her fingers into Nero's deep coat to stop herself from asking anything. Mokona was unconscious again in her arms. Every other world it seemed he was unconscious after landing. She's asked him time and time again but he always says he can't tell her. Fai told her to leave the talking to him even though it was difficult for her. Fai stood back by one of the windows and carefully watched what the woman was doing. Zuo was waiting by the door.
"His lower ribs are cracked and there is a lump on his head. There're no open injures," She said and moved away from Syaoran. Zuo rushed out of the room to get the correct supplies needed to fix him first. The woman checked over Kurogane then.
Zuo came back fairly quick and slowly started treating Syaoran's wounds with the utmost care. First, his dirty shirt and gloves were taken away along with the googles around his neck. Sakura watched the boy's hands as he wrapped Syaoran's torso. His hands were so little, probably the size of Nakietra's if not just a little bigger. Zuo tied a damp square of cloth to Syaoran's head and then sat back, waiting for more orders. The woman finished just a minute later. She rose and didn't say anything. Zuo rose with her.
"I am Xion and this is my nephew Zuo. I am a healer and he is an apprentice," She said the words sounding carefully thought out and not fluid at all with her rough accent. It was different from Nakietra's accent which sounded just sounded deeper but still fluid.
"I'm Fai and this young lady is Sakura and the wolf is Nero," Fai said with a weak smile. He was relieved to know that someone was at least helping his friends a little bit. For now at least.
"Do not force yourself to smile. Things are grey; I know, so do not try to lie to yourself and try to tell me they are fine. Half of you are tired, and the other half are unconscious," She said in a scolding tone. Fai was taken aback and shocked for a minute. She looked back to her nephew.
"The man's left leg and right shoulder are shattered. Use wet with dry on top, and pain medicine for both," she told him slowly. The boy nodded his head and left.
"These two aren't in danger of dying. Follow me," She said, putting great emphasis on "these two" before moving out of the room. The three followed her out and into the kitchen because they knew they had to
"Sit," She commanded and gestured to the table in the middle of the kitchen. There were four plain chairs around it but all of it was sturdy hand carved furniture. The group sat, Fai facing the doorway and Sakura facing the Xion. Nero stayed by himself in a corner close to the door that leads to the hallway. He closed his eyes and attempted to nap. He had helped Syaoran steal the feather in the other world which had taken most of the night and then they used the rest to go after Kurogane and Nakietra while the guards were distracted with the robbery.
Xion moved about the kitchen with ease as she got out both food and herbs. Both people watched her carefully, Fai understanding a little bit what she was doing by the smells and sights of the herbs.
"You didn't tell us about how our other friend is," Fai said tiredly after a while. Sakura stared at the table. She was exhausted from being up all night before.
"She will live," Xion said. Fai didn't push it when she didn't explain anything else. The last doctor had said that she probably didn't want anyone to know about her illness. Even though it might cause them problems in the future, Fai didn't think it was his place to come and reveal Nakietra's secret to Sakura. He would have to ask later
Steaming slices of what looked like a meat pie were eventually placed in front of the three. Nero opened his eyes enough to readjust himself and slowly started to eat the food. His was made with rarer meat unlike the other two. He loved it. The other two didn't eat very much as they watched Zuo come in twice and didn't say anything. The first time he took two cold cups away and the next he took one steaming one. Fai caught the scent of it and recognized it as Nakietra's medicine.
"Eat," She commanded and took a seat across form Sakura with her own plate. Fai managed to eat more of his pie, but Sakura ate very little. She was more worried and tied than Fai, who understood what was going on. Xion waited for the two to finish before she spoke again.
"Do you know about the girl and what she takes," She asked Fai. He paused and then nodded his head. He knew some that is.
"I do," He responded vocally.
"I will discuss this later with you then. The day grows old now and the night will be hard. You both need sleep," She said and rose. She collected the empty plates and then took them to the sink, turning on the water and then cleaning them. Fai watched her for a moment before getting up, bringing Sakura with him as she finished. She walked out the door and gestured for them to follow her. She showed them upstairs and gave them a room with three straw beds. Sakura took one and set Mokona on the other where Nero was curling up on his own. She told them to come downstairs if they needed anything. She left them to fall asleep while she and Zuo kept Nakietra from death.
Morning came much too late for Zuo and Xion's opinions. Their faces were shadowed and tired from the long night of working. As Sakura and Fai came downstairs, they were happy to get away from work. Xion knew it would be difficult to keep the girl alive, but not that difficult. Her herb supplies were low now, and for what? To give this girl a few more weeks? She sees that this girl is reckless. She doesn't understand why she even saved the girl.
Xion made breakfast though. Sakura and Fai were sent out to find herbs then while Zuo slept and she made her rounds with the boys. It was past midday when they came back. Xion handed the herbs to her nephew to dry while she called Fai into Nakietra's room. Sakura was seated at the table in the kitchen and left to look very scared and alone.
Fai's eyes locked onto his friend. His face paled and he needed to grab the wall for support. Her skin was tinted grey and her face tense with pain. He looked down and could see that her clothes were gone and her skin was bruised over her heart. Someone had given her CPR. He breathed out. Her hair was loose and tangled across the pillows. Her body was wet with seat and he could see the covers around her were damp. Every one of her ribs were visible to him from underneath the covers and her
"I need you to tell me what you know so that I can tell you what I know," She said and pressed herself back against the door. Fai looked over to her as she stood in front of the door. Fai pulled his gaze away and looked to her.
"She's sick," He answered quietly. Xion examined him with her silver eyes.
"Are you the only one that knows this in your group?" She asked.
"I think so," He answered. She stared at him.
"Your mind is shocked by her appearance. I will tell you what it is wrong," She started, "It's genetic, what she has. It runs through worlds, not families. It is random. We call people like her, the ones that survive, The Black Babes because they are marked with death. There is no cure. Few are lucky to live through their first year," She took a deep breath and paused.
"Every year is a blessing. The babies are born with tiny holes in their lungs. It is a defect. When they exhaust their lungs or their bodies, their minds stop focusing on keeping the holes in their lungs closed. Blood pours in. The blood burns their lungs, making them feel like fire. It slowly drowns them, the body starts to shut down, and then they die. This is without treatment. The treatment stops working after a time though," She said. Fai slid down to the ground. He never imagined it was anything like this.
"We call it Red Lung," She finished. He nodded his head. He's heard of it. People in his own homeland died of it all the time and came to Asura for help. He could never help them.
"Your friend wanted to live, that is why she has lived so long. She fought to stay alive. I have never found another so strong," Xion went on and then ended with a stone face. "I searched for a cure for twenty years through thousands of worlds," She mentioned. He looked up at her.
"Who's the oldest person who's had this?" He asked softly.
"Besides her, the oldest I have seen was a ten year old boy who died in his mother's arms the day after he came to me," She responded, "I didn't think a child could live that long, but now…this girl has done the impossible. The boy was much worse than her when he came to me" Fai felt shocked inside, "She has no strong reason to live." He turned to her.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"She must have been treated the day she was born in order to live this long. She must have taken her medicine every day since then. She would have lived longer if she had not stopped. She hasn't been taking it as much recently. Her reason to live is gone I think," She stated with almost sadness in her voice.
"How recently?" He asked softly. He always thought of Nakietra as someone who thought she was higher than the rest of them with all her abilities. Even after she showed them her face, he still thought there was something separating her from them. She loved life, and she wanted them to enjoy it…maybe she didn't enjoy it though. Maybe…she was looking for a reason to live by traveling.
"I can only guess, but from her marks, I will say a year ago at the least. The pattern is constant enough for me to be accurate," She responded. Fai nodded his head slowly, not even thinking of asking her how she could tell. That was about when she joined their group. He's been keeping track of the days and it has been about a year if not more. There were days he forgot to write down.
He remembered the man then. He saw how he was searching for Nakietra. He remembered how bad she was shaking and how she flinched at every word he said. He turned to Xion and got to his feet. This had something to do with her past.
"How is she now?" He asked.
"I gave her some more powerful medicine than she was taking before. She'll sleep for a few more hours while her body recovers, but even then her body will be painful after brushing so close to death. Your friends will awake sooner than her. You should be there I think. I can't have either of them moving now," Xion said and unlocked the door. Zou's voice could be heard distantly as he talked to someone in the hall. Fai couldn't understand the words, but Xion understood perfectly.
"One of them is already up," She said. Fai looked toward the door, wanting to go see who it was. Xion pushed the door open all the way and lead the way out to the boys' room. Kurogane was sitting up with a steaming cup in his good hand while Zou showed Sakura how to trickle the drink into Syaoran's mouth without drowning him. She looked focused and very determined.
Kurogane looked up and watched Xion as she moved well into the room until she was by the single window across from the door. His shoulder is wrapped in bandages to the point where he couldn't move it. He didn't want to move it though because it was so painful. He was suspicious of her. Fai gracefully took a seat between the two beds with a slightly better smile than the day before.
"Where are we?" Kurogane asked Fai as his attention turned to him.
"We're in a new world. This," He gestured to Xion, "is Xion. She's a healer, and this," he gestured to Zuo, "is her nephew Zuo. They're letting us stay here while we recover." Kurogane nodded his head as he examined the two new people.
"Zuo, come. I will show you a new lesson today," Xion said suddenly after looking out the window for a little bit and was out the door in a few strides. The boy was up in a few seconds and followed her out, waving to Sakura to continue as he closed the door behind him. Kurogane watched them leave with cautious eyes before looking at Fai again. He finished his drink and set the empty cup on the ground. He already did not like the lady.
"What happened?" He asked seriously and looked down as pain rippled through his shoulder as he moved it just a fraction of an inch. Fai mulled over the question, not noticing the pain.
"Before or after you lost consciousness?" He asked, carefully choosing his words.
"After," Kurogane responded annoyed.
"We left that world, and we came to this one. Zou saw us from a tree and then helped us bring everyone here," Fai responded seriously.
"How did we leave the world without bring that big guy with us?" Kurogane asked. His patience already thinned to the breaking point because of the pain now in his leg as he shifted it. He wanted to lie down again but that wasn't possible. He needed to know where Nakietra was too. She, Nero, and Mokona were all missing from the room. He hoped they weren't out searching for the feather on their own. Fai got more serious as he saw that Kurogane was actually in pain now.
"Right after you and Syaoran confronted the guy, me and Sakura followed Nero to Nakietra. When we got there, Syaoran was sailing through the trees and she sent us to find him. After we found him, Nero pulled us back to the road where you were unconscious. Nakietra and the guy were nowhere to be found. Mokona started a portal to take us to the next world and Nakietra jumped into it from the trees. That's when we left," Fai said.
He wondered where Nero and Mokona were all day. Xion said they were nearby and he knew Nero wouldn't stray far since Nakietra was hurt. Still, he hoped they weren't getting in trouble somewhere. No world has been safe for them recently.
Kurogane slowly nodded his head. "Where's Nakietra?" He asked softly. Fai turned his gaze to the window. The sun was fully visible but it was inching down as time passed. There were bright yellow birds in the trees.
"She's unconscious," Fai responded, not really knowing what else to say. He wasn't about to revel her secret, but he also didn't want to say she was sick or injured.
"She got hurt?" He asked his voice softer. Fai focused back on his. Kurogane was rarely worried like this.
"You have to ask Xion," Fai responded, "I didn't understand anything she told me." Kurogane started at him with a suspicious look, but then abandoned it. The door opened again and Xion stepped silently through. Zuo wasn't with her this time as she picked a spot in front of all three of them to stand.
"Do any of you need anything?" She asked roughly.
"What's wrong with our friend Nakietra?" Kurogane asked right away. Xion stared at him as she mulled about the decision. In the end, she decided to tell them, adding in the information from the questions Fai asked earlier. Usually she wouldn't do this, but she was not going to let this girl continue to kill herself after she spent everything she had to keep her alive. She thought it might help her to know someone cared.
In the other room, Zuo carefully kneeled down on the floor next to Nakietra. Her eyes were finally open for the first time in days, but she was still in pain and her breathing was labored. The boy dragged over a pillow from the other bed, arranged it on the wooden paneling, and raised the girl's head onto it. Slowly he tickled the medicine down her throat. Her eyes closed and her face relaxed when the cup was half empty. Already, the medicine was taking it soothing effect. When he was done, her head was replaced in its original position and Zuo silently left. Hopefully, she would be able to talk tomorrow, but now she needed sleep just like the rest of them.
As Zou was leaving, he looked back at her peaceful body. Why was she so scared? He could see it in her eyes as she was staring at him. He wasn't scary. He was a boy…one she didn't know though. He rationalized the fear this way and didn't dwell on it after that.
"You didn't know who I was though, so you are here for something else," Xion said after the questions had ceased and Nakietra's condition full explained.
"We're looking for a pink feather. It's very unique," Fai answered. Xion pursed her lips.
"Why?" She asked.
"It belongs to Sakura," Fai said and gestured to the girl behind him. Xion took a step forward and bent over to look into her eyes.
"Does it really? Many have come, but all have failed my test. I know who it should belong to. I don't know if you lie though," She said and stared at Sakura more. "I will test you, come," She said and left the room. Sakura, completely stunned, slowly got up and followed.
Another day passed. Sakura did her series of tasks and was given the feather, away from the other's prying eyes. Kurogane's leg healed to a point where he could walk a little and his shoulder didn't need to be kept in bandages. Whatever Xion was giving them both was maximizing their healing process. Even Syaoran was able to sit up on his own though it was still really painful.
Nakietra was able to sit up as well as talk. Xion knew she was not at all better though. The girl did nothing but stare out the window, cry, and sleep. Zuo sat with her sometimes, but he never asked her why. He only made sure she was comfortable.
"Can you bring my group here?" She asked suddenly after two days passed. The boy's eyes focused on her and he silently nodded his head. This is what Xion had been waiting for. He wished he knew why though.