Sakura led me to the nurse's office.

The room was completely white. My mind unwillingly flashed back to the awkward scoliosis screenings. I could almost feel the doctor's cold, gloved fingers crawling up my exposed back like a spider. I blinked away the memory and shuddered.

The complete white made the curly mess of flaming red hair stand out.

I jumped back, startled.

The redhead's blue eyes met mine.

"Why, hello!" The boy had a thick Irish accent that I could barely make out. "And what's wrong with you?" He asked, scanning my body.

Sakura groans. "Ang," She whines. "Is Maura not on duty?"

Ang shook his head, his fiery red curls bouncing. "She's on her lunch break,"

"I'm sure Azzi can wait until she gets back," Sakura grabs me by my shoulders and tries to get us out.

Ang grabs my hand, his gloved hands ice cold. "Oh, no," He replies. "She looks dreadfully ill. She may have to stay overnight."

Sakura takes my other hand, tugging. I feared my hands would pop off with Sakura's strength.

"It might just be nausea from the ropes. The girls got a little crazy with them."

Ang yanks. "An initiate? Well, then she needs her physical."

Sakura tugs. "I'm sure she'll feel more comfortable with Maura."

Yank, tug, pull, jerk.

Sakura tries to come up with an excuse. Ang backlashes with a clever comeback.

I could've sworn my wrists were broken. My arms would be pulled out of their sockets if they're tugged one more time.

I wanted to break free and make some big speech about how I'm not their puppet or whatever, but truth be told, it was too much work.

The door opens and a short, stocky girl with the same flaming red hair as Ang's walks in with a sandwich in her hands. She gaped at us.

"ANGUS OISIN AISLING WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" She yells.

"Maura! You're back," Ang says, chuckling nervously.

Maura glares at him, then at Sakura. "Sakura Meikaina, I am very disappointed in you." She says in a scolding tone.

Sakura releases my hand and bows. "Hai, sensei!" She chimes.

Maura nods once and Sakura stands straight.

She walks over to Ang, grabs him by his ear.

Ang yowls, crying, "Uncle! Uncle!" Maura leans in closer, her lips inches from Ang's ear, which she held captive.

"Let. Go. Of her hand."

Ang lets my hand go. I massage my wrists and wince at the pain.

Maura looks at me, smiling sweetly. "What's your name?" I bit my lip.

"A-Azzi," I reply timidly.

"Are you here for your physical, A-Azzi?" She asks. I nodded, chuckling.

"I apologize for the both of them. I'll get right to you, once I take care of my kid brother." She dragged him out, still grabbing him by his ear.

"Maura!" Ang whines pathetically.

I look over at Sakura, raising an eyebrow. "Maura is a very...revered individual." Sakura says slowly, trying to find the right words.

"She's the head doctor." Sakura explains. "She's done the physicals for practically everyone of us. She knows what makes us tick, our weak spots. She knows where to strike the perfect blow. But she's not cut out for battle. It's not her size or anything. It's just that she refuses to do it."

Sakura smiles a little. "The girl's never touched a gun," I smiled, too. "Ang's a different story. They're brother and sister."

I shook my head, chuckling a little.

"What?" Sakura asks.

"It's like everyone here has a brother or sister. I wish I did,"

"You never know, Azzi." She says. I look at her. "Sometimes, if the child is Lucid, the mother will put the baby up for adoption. Or maybe leave it on an orphanage doorstep. They just want the best for their child."

She was looking at me expectantly. I raised my eyebrows.

"Am I supposed to say something?" I asked.

Sakura sighs, face-palming. "Just forget it. He'll tell you soon enough,"

"Who'll tell me what?"

Maura and Ang walked back into the room. Ang was massaging his bright red ear.

"Sorry about that, Azzi," Maura apologizes.

"Oh, no. " I said, glancing at Sakura out of the corner of my eye. I glanced away and looked at Maura. "It's fine. Your brother seems like he's a handful."

Maura nods gravely. "Well, I'll check you out now," She replied, holding out her arm in the direction of the door.

I walked through the door and was taken to a screening room.

It was your typical doctor's office: a scale, the little bed with the sheet on it, a few charts here and there, a chair or two. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting.

Maura closes the door behind her. "I apologize again for my brother's behavior," She says hurriedly. I shook my head.

"This is the third time you've apologized. You don't have to anymore. It's fine."

Maura smiles a little, shaking her head. "I know. I've had to apologize for that boy a gazillion times. It's a bit of a reflex, really." She points at a leather chair in the middle of the room. "Sit down please,"

I sat down as Maura began to pull out the eyesight thingy.

I rest my chin on the chinrest and look through the lenses. "Can you see clearly?"

I remember one time in middle school in health class when we tried on these goggles that impaired our vision to look like a drunk's. This was similar. "No, it's blurry." I replied.

Maura adjusts the thingy and I could see a little better. "How about now?"

"Meh," I replied.

She adjusts the thingy one more time. "How's that?"

"Perfect." I sighed in relief. I was starting to get a headache.

"All right. Read the third row of letters out loud for me," Maura instructs.

I look and call out the letters. "A, O, G, W, C, M,"

"OK. The next row?"

I squinted and called out the letters. "N, D, K, R, Q, P, F, U,"

"Great. Your eyesight's perfect."

By the time I got out of the nurse's office, I found out I weighed 128 pounds, that I'm 5'5", and that I don't have scoliosis.

Thank goodness.

I know I've had kind of awkward endings to these chapters lately, but everyone who knows me knows that I'm an awkward person. =)

-Spontaneous_Soprano