Florian: A sweet... smell... foreign... I'm blind.

{sound f/x gui: a hand gripping Florian's chin}

Florian: I can't... feel my arms and legs. Ah... Numb... Blue--eyes...

Man: Now then. You want it, don't you? Breathe in more. Slowly, until it fills your lungs...

Florian: I'm remembering. ----Why... Why did this happen----

Noir's mansion, Paris, France

{sound f/x run: squealing happiness}

Florian: What's going on with Laila?

Noel: [smiling] Oh, didn't you hear, Florian? Everyone from the mansion's gonna go visit some country called "Morocco"! And on a super delux ship!

Laila: [merrily] (Okay, gotta get ready! What should I we--ar, I wonder~~)

Noir's Study

Florian: Hey, here's the book you asked for.

Noir: Ah, thanks.

Florian: A specialized philosophy text. Even when I looked for it, it took quite a bit of time. Henri Bergson's "Creative Evolution"? Is it really that interesting?

[This is an actual philosophical text by a French author. Read more about Henri Bergson here.]

Noir: It's just a hobby.

Laila: When Noir was 15, he graduated as the valedictorian from Sorbonne! [Sorbonne is the top university in France, located in Paris.] He's at a whole other level from the rest of us.

Florian: 15!? Isn't that really really early! Speaking of that, your past is full of secrets, isn't it. [cackling] I wonder how you raise a kid to turn out to be a character like you?

{sound f/x ba: Noir slamming his fist down}

{sound f/x bikun: Florian's shock}

Florian: !

Noir: Mind your own business. (Hmph) And hurry up and get prepared! We're leaving the day after tomorrow.

Florian: Th... that soon!? You never told me. And to Morocco... why!?

Noir: I was invited by an old friend. He even paid for everyone's ticket who's interestested. I don't know the details, but it looks like he wants to ask me for a favor.

Florian: [amazed] An old friend--- you said. Hmm, Noir has friends, too! (That's somehow surprising.)

Laila: (What do you mean by that!?)

Noir: ---More than... friends, he's like an older brother...

Flashback, Morocco

Boy: [cutting his arm] Okay, Rei? From today on, we're brothers.

{sound f/x su: slow knife cut}

Boy: Hunger and pain and happiness---- we'll split everything in half. We'll always be together...!

Noir: I won't forget our blood promise. Until I die--- always---... --Azura...

[Azura is Persian for "sky-blue".]

A ship, on the way to Morocco

{sound f/x bo: low ship's horn}

Laila: I see it~! The port of Tanger!!

Man: Ohh, that's the entrance to North Africa!

Man: It's kinda moving~!!

Man: Mm. By the way, have you seen Florian!?

Man: Ah, isn't he in the cabin? He looked pretty green.

Noir: (Geez, it's because he's a spoiled rich boy...)

{sound f/x kon kon: knock knock}

Noir: I'm coming in, Florian.

Florian: Ah, yeah.

Noir: How you feeling?

Florian: I'm fine. I think I've pretty much gotten better. I didn't realize that sea sickness was this rough.

Noir: Ha! When you do something, you really go all the way!

Florian: Leave me alone. I've been feeling horrible. And this is the first time I've been on such a long boat ride.

Noir: [leaning in] I'll teach you a good way to deal with it.

Florian: Huh!?

On the bridge of the boat, Noir carries Florian around the deck.

Woman: (Oh my.)

Florian: ! WAA~ (so embarrassing--) P-put me down! No...REI, people are staring!

Laila: !

Man: [sweatdropping] (Hot stuff)

Noir: When you're sea sick, the best thing is to be out in the breeze!

{sound f/x kyu: Laila clutching her fist}

Noel: Laila? Does Laila wanna be carried, too?

Laila: (Yeah right!) What a precocious brat, Noel!

{sound f/x ko: conking sound}

Noel: (Ow~)

Noir: Look. That's "Morocco". When France first became one of Europe's great powers, it fought for the rich natural resources here and delared it as their own territory... ---The country at the western edge of Maghreb, the land of the setting sun----- The people who originally lived here weren't bothered. The strong triumph over the weak. The world works like that. And so to live, you have to be strong. Strong--- very...

Florian: Noir!?

Noir: (Hmph) I lived in this country when I was a little brat. ----I'm getting all sentimental all of a sudden for some reason...

Florian: ---Noir as a child

Noir: We'll be disembarking in a few hours, so once you're feeling better, get prepared.

Florian: You---- what kind of life have you lead, I wonder.

{sound f/x wa: cawing of seagulls}

The port of Tanger

Man: It's really full of life, hey boss.

Noir: Yeah. Tanger is the world's most prominent free port. It's the venter of world-wide commerce. Don't just stare, you'll get lost.

Begger: (Baksisi baksisi) [This is probably off, since I had trouble researching it, but it seems to mean "alms" or something similar to begging.]

Florian: Ah, huh? Noel?

Laila: What is it, Florian?

Florian: Noel? I can't see Noel. He was here just a minute ago.

Laila: Th... this is bad. We have to look for him.

Noir: What is it, Laila?

Laila: Noel's missing!

Florian: I'm going to head back for a minute.

Noir: Ah~ wait, Florian!

Man: What's wrong, boss!?

Laila: Noir.

Noir: You guys, don't move from here! You, too, Laila! --geez, that boy's so reckless!

Florian: Noel! Noel! ---Ah...!

Noel: Florian!

Florian: Noel, you're safe!

Three dangerous looking men stare at Florian and Noel.

{sound f/x giku: swallowing dread}

Florian: !

{sound f/x niko: big smiles}

{sound f/x nade: patting Noel's head}

Florian: (Phew--) Thank god, they were nice people... It's hard to read the expressions of people who look so foreign... ----but, where... are... we?

{sound f/x gan: rush of disappointment}

Noel: (I... I can't count on him...!)

{sound f/x gishi: creaking}

Florian: Huh...

{sound f/x za: sudden movement}

A cloaked man drops into the alleyway, followed closely by two other men.

Florian: WAAA~

{sound f/x shururu: curling of the caped man's whip}

Florian: ---Wh... what's going on...!?

Attacker: Gua~

Attacker: ack~

Florian: A...amazing, what a show with his whip.

Attacker: Dammit!

Attacker: F~ fall back~

Florian: He reminds me of someone. R...run away, Noel. (He looks dangerous.)

Noel: Right.

Cloaked man: Hey, wait a second---

{sound f/x gui: grip}

Florian: --Huh... French!?

The cloaked man, one eye hidden behind a patch, grabs Florian's arms and stares at him.

Florian: It's like they're drawing me in. Those blue eyes----- Noel! I'm fine, just hurry up and run away!

Noir: [running up] Noel! Florian! Blue clothing!?

Florian: Ah!

Noir: What's a Tuareg doing here...!?

[Tuareg refers to a group of peoples living in the Sahara. Islamic traders, one thing about them that's kinda interesting is that women are unveiled, but from the age of 25, men wear full veils that they never remove in front of others. Learn more about the Tuareg here.]

Noir: ---It can't be.

Cloaked man: This one with you?

{sound f/x giri: twisting Florian's arm to its limits}

Florian: Ah~ (wa)

{sound f/x don: shove}

Noir: Y...you---- Are you...

Cloaked man: [pulling down his veil] I won't let you say that you've forgotten me, Rei.

Noir: [happily] Azura!

Azura: Sorry. I wanted to come and pick you up right away, but---- I got caught up in some silly little business.

Florian & Noel: !?

Florian and Noel stare in shock as Azura suddenly draws Noir close.

Azura: Salaam alaikum. I'm so glad you've come, my friend!

Noir: Azura!

Noir returns the favor, drawing Azura close.

Noir: Wa-alaikum salaam. It's been six years. It's good to be back, Azura!

Florian and Noel blush and panic in the background. Noir glares at them.

Florian: (So you've got THAT kind of relationship?)

Noel: (Noir's an uke!? Kya~)

Noir: It's an Islamic greeting. Don't misunderstand!

[According to my resource, Azura and Noir's greetings are rote Islamic greetings, meaning roughly, "May the peace and blessing of Allah be with you" & "And on you."]

{sound f/x pushu: puff as train starts up}

Fez

Man: Wow, this is just like a street out of Arabian Nights...!

Azura: My house is straight through here. Just ahead, it gets complicated like a maze, so don't get separated.

Noir: But, you're saying such nice things, but is it really okay that we've come to this crowded neighborhood? If it's a problem, we can stay at a hotel or something...

Azura: You're so cold. Your friends are my friends. Let me treat them.

Azura stops before a large mansion.

Azura: Now then, please come in. You must be tired from your long journey. You should come in and relax.

Noir: (Amazing) What in the world did you do to live in a palace-like place like this, Azura?

Azura: You say such disreputable things! I am merely a businessman. I regret to say that I am just as uninteresting as you. Mr. "Masked Noir".

Azura's mansion. Music and dancing goes on as Azura meets with Noir.

Azura: You should really be on your guard.

{sound f/x fasa: soft fluttering}

Florian et al: !

Azura takes off his veil, revealing long, flowing hair.

Azura: Even though I'm under no obligation to the French police. Reason number one was that your basic technique is everything that I taught you.

Florian: Silver-white hair, glowing blue---

Azura: If I didn't know, what would you have done?

Noir: Ha! That's for sure. It just wouldn't be like you. (Oshishou-san!)

[Noir refers to Azura as "shishou", which is a term for one's master/teacher, such as when one's learning a trade. The "o-" and "-san" are just terms for even higher levels of respect.]

Noir: However, I'll be pissed if you dragged me here just to me what I've done. Did you go though all this trouble to call me because you have business with the "Masked Noir"?

Azura: Good guess. I have something that I wish for you to examine for me.

Noir: Wish for me to examine for you? What's this, why so formal!?

Azura: An ancient text written on sheepskin. For this, I've been attacked over and over again.

Noir: An ancient text?

Azura: Until now it has been secret, the treasures hidden by the secret society of the Knights Templar---- this book is a code which reveals its hiding place.

[In case you don't know, this refers to the Holy Grail.]

Part 2e | Part 3a | Part 3b