I stepped out of the house and began to head off to the play pit I seemed to keep returning there.

Kurai answered every question without hesitation, and without sparing any details. I did not ask some because I knew he could not answer them. I do not know whom the man Isadora mentioned in my dreams, but I am beginning to suspect who he could possibly be.

"The nanos come by from time to time too, searching for people, preferably children, of who have the potential to become nanos themselves. Trust me when I say this, it isn’t something one would wish upon themselves."

"Why is that?" I asked inquiring about the morbid tone he used.

"In order to have full control over the subject, they must take them and strip them down physically, emotionally, mentally. Injecting the nanomites into the subject, it is a pain unimaginable that their subconscious blocks it, and they use that moment to suppress all their memories of their previous life."

Another image flashed into my mind, the same one as before, with the children in those machines. It was clearer now. I could make out the child in front of me, her long black hair almost concealing the long and disturbingly large needles that stuck into her whole body. I would imagine that if she were conscious she would be letting out a silent scream of pain and agony.

Kurai continued on, not noticing that I was lost in my thoughts, "They are all under the control of one man. Our ruler though nobody knows his name. How he came into power spawned many rumors about him. I don’t believe any of the stories, I just know what is true, and that is, we are at someone’s mercy, even the nanos. No one is safe in these lands because of it, constantly living in fear and tyranny because someone wanted to control everything else in the world."

I listened intently to his words. The mentioning of the unknown dictator, our master, filled me with dread, irritation and loathing. I gritted my teeth and Kurai felt the agitation radiating off me. I don't even know why I was so angry, but I felt intense hatred for this person. I could only assume that he was the man Isadora warned me about, the one I am hiding from, and no doubt, the reason they attacked me.

My next question came out as a snap, "How can you tell a person is a Nano?"

Kurai took a moment to phrase his answer and took a breath. I guess I seemed like I was about to pounce if given a wrong answer. "Well as far as looks, much like you actually."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I was cross with him for no reason I knew, but I couldn't contain my wrath toward the Master.

"I-I mean, usually Nanos dye their hair into permanent colors to represent their powers, one would think you had a water affinity. Also, the intensity of the color determines their rank, I think."

I couldn't help, but think no that's wrong.

He continued, "Anyways most have tattoos as well and other than those two physical aspects they look just like regular humans. However, personality wise, they have a depth that seems to be bottomless."

"Depth?" I asked somewhat bothered, "do I have depth? I don't remember anything. I don't even know my own name!"

"Well, even if you are for some reason you're not being controlled." I shrugged at that remark. I felt my head was empty, but I was the one in control. I touched my sides where those tattoos were. I had no doubt I was a Nano, but everything seemed wrong, I knew this wasn't me. My reflection was a face of a stranger, an unfamiliar stranger.

My head started aching much like when it did before another image. I looked down at my hands and noticed that they were shaking. I looked back up again and I was suddenly back to that white room but now surrounded by confused children. Some were crying in pain, others were still unconscious.

I heard mechanical movement behind me and I turned to see an alarming circular machine, the one from the previous image, but the needles retracted from the boy suspended in the air. He had no strength as he tumbled forward when finally released from the machine. I jumped to my feet and caught him, but he was heavy and I was small. I fell to one knee trying to support the weight.

Another girl came up to help me. It was the girl who was in front of me before. Surprisingly we were the first few to recover so quickly. More children were starting to move around and check on the ones who were still out cold. Already a pack of boys began to form in a corner.

The machines released the last of the children two walls rolled out and trapped us inside of the room. I personally would rather be in this room than in the room with those machines. Those who regained their strength began to walk around and inspect the room, they determined there was no way out and so one boy began a head count.

There were sixty of us and split evenly between a boy-girl ratio. It appeared to me that we were all around the same age.

Suddenly, along the long wall, ten triple bunk beds rose out of the floor. I turned and saw that the same thing happened on the opposite wall. The girl and I carried the boy over to one of the beds, already there was fighting over the beds. I merely rolled my eyes and helped the still unconscious boy onto the bottom bed of the nearest bunk.

"Top or middle?" I asked the girl, but she was already on the top bed. So, I hopped up and got comfortable. The girl peeked over and her long black hair cascaded down. I gave a small wave in greeting. She jumped down onto my bed and shoved me over, as I blankly stared at her.

She crossed her legs and put her hands behind her head. "This might be the start of a beautiful friendship or a disastrous rivalry." The girl smiled at me as she shifted onto the bed.

"Whichever is more fun, I suppose," I ruefully replied. Her smile widened and held out her hand.

"Isadora."

"I'm-"

"AKIKO!" Hands roughly shook me out of my vision. I swatted Kurai away hastily and he backed away a few paces. "You zoned out, I shouted in your ear five times." I huffed and shook my head vigorously, the vision still fresh in my mind, was that real, or was that just an image?

"We should go back now," I felt my energy was just about spent, and I don't feel like being carried back to the house. My mind shifted to Ronan and his attitude. "I wonder what his problem was."

Kurai dryly laughed, "Who, Ronan?" He stared back at the ruins of the town, "let's just say he lost more than he could afford to lose. So he does what he can for whatever is left."

"And that room that looks to be for a like girl?"

"He doesn't talk about it, so I am not exactly sure. I just know from what the town has told me. I do know it happened right after they wiped out the last rebellion to rise. I came here long after, though, and you wouldn't believe the state that asshole was in."

"Can you please refrain from talking about me?" Ronan caught us off guard as he approached, "My life is my own. Not yours to speculate." He eyed us both before turning his attention completely on Kurai. "Now Kurai, seems like we have to go on another 'supply run.' We're running low on flour and tomatoes."

Kurai grimaced and moaned loudly, "Ah, but we went to pick those up a few months ago! How did we run through it so quickly?"

"Supply run?" I asked curiously. Both boys wordlessly looked at me, as if for a moment they forgot I was here. I waited growing impatient rather quickly. "Well, are you both going to stand there like lumps or are you going to explain it to me?"

Ronan pulled Kurai over and began to whisper hastily, "I forgot about Akiko. She can't come with us, and she isn't well enough to take care of herself." I glared in response, insulted that he thought I couldn't handle myself for a few days.

"I could stay here, surely you don't need me to help you," Kurai suggested and flashed a smile at me.

Ronan gritted his teeth, "not a chance."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much! I am not some hapless wife that needs looking after. Hell, you'd treat guttersnipe and ragamuffin better than me!" I wasn't going to entertain their attitude towards me anymore, "now if you'll excuse me. I am going back to bed before I collapse and have to be carried back." I turned on my heel, the scarf whipping around, and I marched back to the dilapidated house.

I didn't check to see if the boys followed, I didn't particularly care. I closed the door behind me and flung the scarf onto the floor. I relieved my itching head as the puppy began to attack playfully the scarf and ran away with it.

I went to my room and climbed onto the little cot. I was exhausted and as soon as I closed my eyes, I was out cold.

I stirred awake, I heard a girl calling my name, telling me to wake up. I opened my eyes and saw Isadora. She smiled playfully.

"Good morning sleepy head. Now one of you is up, help me with this one." She jumped down from the bunk and I groggily followed. We stood at the foot of the bunk bed. I noticed two or three others were awake as well. Our focus turned to the sleeping boy who shared our bunk. His jet-black hair was messy and had obvious bed head. He looked quite boyish. Even while asleep, he had the bearing of a charmer. Isadora poked his face repeatedly.

"Maybe he is dead, he wasn't awake when we came to, and it must have been several hours ago." I inquired. Isadora kept poking his face. "Perhaps something more extreme could make our friend here come to life," I absently muttered and I watched as her face lit up with an idea.

"Grab his legs!" She instructed me, I complied wondering what she was plotting. The boy suddenly grabbed her and pulled her close.

"Well, looks like he is alive after all," I laughed. She gave me a small dark look. I suppressed the laughter, so I was laughing on the inside.

She grabbed his arms and unwound herself from his grip and we pulled him off the bed. She then took a step onto the bed. I followed. "How far could we throw him?"

"Maybe halfway across the room," I replied with a laugh. We began to swing him lightly back and forth.

As we gained momentum, I heard a new voice, "the hell?" The boy finally woke up and started struggling. "No, no, no, no! Don't!" I lost my grip prematurely and he flew out of Isadora's hands and into the wall.

"Stupid, if you hadn't woken up when you did, you won't have hit the wall." Isadora huffed and jumped off the bed.

"No, I would have hit the floor instead, and fractured my hip, a devastating injury for the week coming up." He replied angrily. He rubbed his head soothingly.

"Week coming up?" I asked suspiciously. The boy pretended not to hear my question. I glared at him wordlessly waiting for him to crack.

"Oh great, here comes my future pain in the ass. You also should watch out for him," He told me muttering under his breath. "I was going to pretend to sleep through this altercation, but you two are hell bent on ruining my life."

"Then you should have seen it coming," Isadora replied and watched as a large boy approached. I could see how full of himself he was as he walked. His perfect complexion and golden hair made my skin crawl.

"Hello, I am Lorne. You, my dear, are positively stunning." I cleared my throat, but he ignored my presence. Isadora reluctantly smiled at him, her eyes threatened to burn him down with her gaze. He reached for her hand, but she withdrew it from his reach.

Lorne smirked and began talking again, "I was merely going to say since we are all awake, we must be the strongest and the strong must stay together. I heard this next week is a selection, which division we all fall into, so it would make sense if we team up, work together to pass these trials."

"Only the weak flock together to be strong," I replied calmly. I didn't like his demeanor. He turned to address me.

"And who are you?" He got up in my face. I simply smiled and pushed him out of the way. I took Isadora by the arm and began to walk away from him. Lorne growled and ran in front of us. "I asked you a question."

"Does it matter who I am? I am the person who doesn't buy into your ideas, I am the one you should watch out for, I am the girl who will be your downfall. Why? Because you're cocky and arrogant. You run your mouth and expect people to listen to you. In fact, you listen to me. Walk away now, or I swear I will make you do things you don't want to do." I shot him my best death glare.

His voice wavered slightly, "I don't believe you."

"Walk away now," Isadora cut in before I could do anything.

Lorne bowed and replied, "As you wish."

"What a prick," I muttered Isadora nodded in agreement. I turned to see Lorne gathering more followers and saw them eye me suspiciously. "He's going to be a problem later."

"I wouldn't worry about him," she smiled before leaning close to me. She whispered into my ear, "We're going to have so much fun now aren't we?" I felt strange after hearing her words and I gave her a skeptical look.

"If you say so," The girl looked at me sheepishly, expecting a different reaction.

The boy from before cut in, "I'd say you girls are going to be the death of me." He leaned against both of them, "the name's Kenjiro."

"You can see the future?" Isadora asked.

"Only the immediate future," He replied.

"For now at least," I responded. He turned to face the far wall. We turned to see what he was looking at. A moment later a door opened and in walked a tall, slender lady with flaming red hair. She had on a white suit with a pencil skirt that complimented her mocha brown skin well. She held a clipboard in her hands as she flipped through the pages. Four burly men wearing full armor and carrying large stun guns accompanied her.

'Looks like they're not to kill anyone,' I thought to myself.

The woman cleared her throat, "wake the ones still in the beds." She ordered sternly, not looking away from the clipboard. Once all the children awakened, they lined up in front of her. She took another moment to view the last of the pages before acknowledging us. "Good morning children, I am Dr. Hiro. I will be your examiner and healer for the duration of the selection period."

There were a few whispers from the others. Dr. Hiro took out a gun and everyone hushed up. "These tests are designed to examine everything about you, personality, capability, and your own personal abilities. Because you passed our initial test stating you have something extraordinary, but now it is time to find out what." She aimed the gun at the group, the men around her charged up their weapons.

"The first test begins now."