Author's Preface
OBI WAS ON HER HEELS, HAND AROUND HER ANKLE, THE SAME WAY SHE HAD HIS JUST MOMENTS AGO. HE YANKED HER BODY TO THE SIDE, AND JUST BEFORE THEY HIT THE GROUND, TWISTED MID-AIR TO MAKE SURE SHE LANDED ON TOP OF HIM.
SHE ROLLED OFF HIS CHEST IN AN ATTEMPT TO RUN BACK TO THE TREES. OBI GOT ON TOP OF HER AND TRIED TO PIN HER ARMS DOWN AGAINST THE GROUND. SHE HAD LOST MOST OF HER STRENGTH, MANAGING ONLY TO KICK AND FLAIL HOPELESSLY. SHE PANTED HEAVILY; THE HAT SHE HAD ON HAD ALMOST COMPLETELY SLID DOWN OVER HER ENTIRE FACE.
OBI COULD TELL HER FEAR WAS CAUSING HER TO LOSE HER WITS, BUT ZEN AND YUKI NEEDED ANSWERS; THERE WAS NO TIME FOR HER TO BE BLUBBERING. "YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN!" HE YANKED THE HAT OFF HER HEAD AND LOOKED HER IN THE EYES.
THE GIRL WENT STILL, HER EYES GOT WIDE. " Y-YOU SAW IT, YOU SAW MY HAIR!"
SHE YANKED AT HER HEAD, ROYAL BLUE HAIR MIXED WITH THE FOREST DIRTY AND LEAVES. " P-PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME BACK THERE, PLEASE!" PLEADED THE GIRL.
ZEN STEPPED CLOSER. RED...NOW BLUE HAIR? "BACK WHERE?"
THE GIRL FLINCHED, AND TEARS STREAMED FROM HER BLOODSHOT EYES. "THE HORRIBLE LABS WITH ALL THE STRAPS AND NEEDLES! I'M NOT GOING BACK! NEVER EVER AGAIN!"
THE GIRL YANKED HARDER AT HER HAIR WITH ONE HAND AND CLAWED AT HER NECK WITH THE OTHER. KICKING HER FEET, SHE TOOK ONE LARGE BREATH AND FAINTED.
OBI, FEELING WEIRD ABOUT STRADDLING AN UNCONSCIOUS GIRL, STOOD AND CHECKED HER PULSE. "SHE'S FINE, SHE ONLY FAINTED, BUT WE SHOULD GET HER CHECKED JUST IN CASE."
ZEN NODDED. "OK, WE CAN TAKE HER TO THE CASTLE. I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS LAB SHE SPEAKS OF."
SHIRAYUKI KNEELED NEAR THE GIRL AND RAN HER HAND GENTLY THROUGH HER HAIR. "THIS IS HER REAL HAIR."
SHE STARED AT THE GIRL WITH A CURIOUS EXPRESSION. "CALL ME OPTIMISTIC, BUT I THINK TODAY WAS THE PERFECT DAY TO FIND HER."
