Beatrix had to laugh at that, though the sound very much lacked warmth and merriment. "Indeed. My world is very odd," she said, meaning not the United States, Japan or any of the other countries she'd been to, but the world of assassins and death she lived more than half her life in.

She still did live in it and would continued, she realized, until she got out of this place, located her daughter and made sure her wards made it safely back home. Until then, she would need to keep killing any and all that stood firmly in her way.

"Very few can survive in it," she continued. "It's very harsh when you get down to the marrow of it." And there were the nurses moving into position. Soon the intercom would go off. "Don't get yourself eaten anytime soon, Zoro," she said. "You're interesting." If a bit stupid. She started toward the doors a couple seconds before the intercom went off, not bothering to look back at the man.