Voices: (Allahu Akbar, Hayya' alas Salaah)

[These are phrases from a normal Islamic prayer. The meanings are roughly "Allah is great" and "Come to prayer".]

Azura calmly smokes opium by himself.

Florian: Don't you pray, Azura?

Azura: Well, I'm not Muslim... Besides, I don't need to pray.

Florian: Hmm. You're really full of yourself, aren't you.

Azura: I'm merely enjoying life.

{sound f/x koto: soft clicking sound}

{sound f/x su: Florian slowly drawing closer}

Florian: Please, Azura. Give me some opium. I can't take it anymore...!

Azura: (Hmph) Aren't you laying it on a little thick?

Florian: I'll do anything. ...Please, I'm begging...

Azura: Hmph... You say the cutest things.

Azura draws Florian in for a deep kiss.

{sound f/x za: sudden movement}

Florian whips a knife out and swings at Azura.

Florian: !

Azura: [disarming Florian] Too bad, boy. I quite enjoyed your earnest little drama.

{sound f/x tosu: the knife hitting the ground}

Azura: [chuckling] Did you know? When your emotions rise, your violet eyes grow even deeper.

Florian: St...op...

Azura: And when you're drunk with pleasure, your eyes turn nearly blue. Yes... Azura, my color... It's amusing to see you dyed the color of my name. ----Florian.

Elsewhere in the estate, Noir's men continue to relax.

Man #1: That right. This guy, he's so freaking strange.

Men: (Gya-ha-ha-ha...)

Man #1: Florian.

{sound f/x don: crash}

Man #1: Hey there! [holding Florian upright] Hey, watch out. Have you been drinking since noon?

Laila: Are you okay?

Florian: Mm.

Laila: ------Ah... This scent...

{sound f/x da: Laila taking off}

Laila: Florian!

Man #1: What is it, Laila-neesan?

[Most of the guys actually refer to Laila as ane or some similar variation. It, like neesan, means "older sister", but can be used more loosely as a term of respect for young women. Most of the time I just translate it as "Laila", but thought I should point it out at least once.]

Laila: Hold on, come this way.

Florian: ----

Laila: I'll just go ahead and ask you directly. Are you caught up in something dangerous?

Florian: Dangerous? [chuckling] What? Laila.

Laila: Don't avoid the question! Now it's fine, but before long----you won't be able to stop! Before you know it, you'll be worn ragged! My old man was like that. At the end, he couldn't have looked more miserable. That smell's opium. That's the devil's drug!

Florian: ------Devil. ...That's right. [chuckle] Becuase I'm in bed with the devil.

Laila: Florian.

Noir: Florian and opium...? Impossible. Isn't there some kind of mistake?

Laila: If you doubt me, go look at him yourself. But---- there isn't a moment to lose. If it becomes an addiction, he's doomed.

Noir: Sure, I've been worried because he's been looking a little bit strange, but...

Man #1: Boss. We can't find Florian anywhere!

Man #2: He's not here, either.

Noir: And he's not in his room, so where could he have run off to? ----If he's really...

Azura: What's all the fuss about? Rei.

Noir: Yeah, worry for causing all this commotion... Azura. We're looking for Florian. Have you seen him?

Azura: Florian? If it's about him, I saw him go out by himself a little while ago; it was quite unusual. But Fez is a fascinating city for foreigners. I'm sure he'll return tonight.

Noir: Ahh, is that right.

Noel: ............

Azura: Did something happen?

Noir: No... I'm just a little curious about something...

Azura: Oh?

Elsewhere...

Azura: Now really, you're even less clever than I thought. That's fine. If you really want him to know that badly, I'll call Rei over here...

Florian lies tangled on Azura's bed.

Azura: But, you don't want him to see you like this, do you...? You've still got a little bit of reason left, don't you......

Florian: .........! Go ahead... kill me.

Azura: Don't make Rei grieve. ----He really seems to dote on you.

Florian: He and I are just tied by debt.

Azura: Is that what you really think...? If that's so, then you'll allow me take over all of your debt.

Florian: !?

Azura: I'll free you from Rei. In return, you will not appear before him again.

Florian: Huh?

Azura: He's mine. I won't give him to you...!

Florian: ------ I... was with him because he likes me... is that what you're saying?

Azura: Then it's decided. Go wherever you wish.

Florian: Why... If that's all you wanted, you should have kicked me out right away.

Azura: [chuckling] Rei treasured you. I wanted to try stealing you from him... I have no more use for you.

{sound f/x yoro: staggering}

On the streets of Fez, Florian desperately clutches a wall.

Florian: ---My body feels... heav...y. Azura. What in the world is he trying to do... His one remaining blue eye. ------Like a demon. If I can't somehow show his true colors to Noir...

Azura's mansion

Azura: Now then, how long do you plan on standing there, Mr. Masked Noir?

{sound f/x za: stepping out of the shadows}

Azura: You really know your way around here.

Noir: I followed you. That little munchkin, Noel, he said that there's no way Florian would have ever gone outside by himself... He has absolutely no sense of direction.

Azura: Hmph. You'll be able to trace him to wherever he fled to. We'll work hard on our investigation, and we'll discover...

Noir: Azura, I don't understand. What's going on here? Why did Florian...

Azura: He was getting in the way---- That's the only reason. Forget about it. About this time, my men should be taking care of things...!

Noir: !

{sound f/x za: Noir spinning to leave}

{sound f/x bishu: crack of a whip}

Azura's whip wraps around Noir's foot and sends him crashing to the ground.

Azura: I told you, you're too late.

Noir: Azura! Outta my way!

{sound f/x kacha: cocking of Noir's gun}

Azura: You're... pointing a gun at me? ------Rei. You...!

{sound f/x biku: Noir starting in surprise}

{sound f/x za: Azura's fast movement}

Azura: Too soft!

{sound f/x bishi: whip}

Noir: !

{sound f/x bashi: whip}

Noir: Gua~

Azura's whip wraps around Noir's neck, pulling him upright.

Noir: Wh...y... are you...? Even though---- I always... thought that you were my precious, irreplacable----friend... Why, Azura...!

Azura: That's too bad...! I never once thought that you were my friend, Rei. A subject of mine------... And then a cute toy that I could move as I wished.

Noir: Azu...ra...!

Azura: I came for you... Rei. Study time is over. I'll destroy everything you've built up. So that there's no place to go home to, besides me...!

Elsewhere, Azura's men storm the estate.

{sound f/x za: swift movement}

Noir's Men: ! Wh... What's this!?

Man #1: What in the world's going on---- Where're you taking us!

{sound f/x kasa: rustling in the bushes}

Hidden from view, Noel trembles in fear.

{sound f/x gata: tremble tremble}

Back on the streets of Fez, Florian wanders, alone.

Florian: Where am I... I wonder. ----What do I do. I can't think about anything. It's like the whole world's going fuzzy. Light and shadow. The western end of the earth, land of the setting sun... This is just like a maze...

A mysterious man approaches Florian from behind.

Florian: !?

{sound f/x shu: swish of the man's knife}

Florian: Waa!

Man: Damn.

{sound f/x zuru: Florian dragging himself upright}

Florian: Wh...o? Uh... My... my body won't mo...ve. No... I don't want to die here... ------No...

Voice: HEY! WHAT'RE YOU DOING!

{sound f/x zaku: the knife striking out}

The attacker flees as an old man and young girl come close.

Old man: Wait, you!

Girl: Ojiichan, look! Someone's...!

["Ojiichan" literally means "grandfather", but can also be used as a close term for old men.]

In a dungeon, Azura has Noir chained to the wall.

Azura: You no longer belong to yourself. I'll make you understand that... I'll slaughter everything surrounding you-------- Like those childish eyes turned on Medina, in order to once again tie you to me...!

[Medina is the second most holy city in Islam, under only Mecca. Azura isn't very tolerant of Muslims, is he. Then again, he isn't tolerant of most people.]

Part 3c | Part 3d | Part 3e