Disclaimer: Don't own Trigun, as I believe I have previously stated.
This is a sad chapter!! Or at least, I think it's sad... Yes, just when you thought it was winding up for ole' Knives and Stormie, there are most twists in the relationship! Thank you for all the reviews!
Rocker Baby: *waves happily* Thank you soooo much for sticking with me! Hehe, that's your favorite line, eh? Cool! You have no idea how happy I am you said this story gives you could mental pictures! Don't you worry about Mitayo now - he will EVENTUALLY get the idea and leave Stormie alone. But that doesn't mean other men aren't prowling around out there... *dum dum DUM!*
Elf-vulcan: I haven't seen you review before - thank you very much for joining me on my trip to insanity! Aww...I almost made you cry?! I'd say I was sorry if that didn't make me happy. Eh, not that I like to see you cry, but, yeah, it's nice my story touched you and...you know what I mean! ^_^
Hello_lola: I know, Knives isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and he's slow to admit his feelings, but who doesn't love him? I know Stormie does ^_~
Sami: Haha, thanks for the compliment - I appreciate it. Drama and humor are fun to mix, and it makes me happy that you think I can pull something like that off.
R.K.: Yay! *eyes get big and watery in extreme happiness* I'll be sure to ignore flames because you believe in me! lol *nods head* Glad you like this fic so much.
Kuja's Swan: Thank you so much for your kind words! They are greatly appreciated, and yes, I like the idea of feeling what the characters feel... Thank you very much! ^_^
~~~~~~
Grayfall watched with curious, unblinking eyes as Knives knelt on the other end of his bed, pressing his ear to the wall with a scowl of concentration. He'd been intent on trying to hear what the women in the room beside them were saying ever since Grayfall, who had been lying down on the cot, had informed him that he thought he'd heard Stormie say his name in the next room. It turned out that was a grave mistake for Legato's son, because since then, two hours ago, Knives had been trying to eavesdrop.
The bedroom arrangement was as follows: In the main bedroom, where Stormie had always slept, was the owner of the house herself, Oriole, and Bailey. The guest room was occupied by Grayfall, Knives, and Mitayo, while Vash ended up supervising the children in Faith's room. Mitayo and Bailey were still strolling about in the moonlight and had yet to come in.
"Knives, get away from there," Grayfall said flatly, quite tired of having a good deal of space on his bed taken up by the desperate plant. "They're not going to say anything about you."
The other man frowned. "They were. But now they're talking about you."
Grayfall's golden eyes widened in such a comical way that Knives grinned in satisfaction, the tidbit of shared information having the desired effect. He watched in amusement as the young man scrambled forward on hands and knees and leaned in against the wall as well, demanding, "What can you hear? Your hearing's better than mine!"
"Well," Knives murmured, furrowing his brow and pausing to listen. "Oriole is talking. Saying something about...about...ugh. She's trying to explain to Stormie what you look like without your shirt on." Disgusted, he began to move away, but a strong hand clamped on his wrist to keep him in place.
"Keep listening!" he whispered hurriedly. "I can't hear a thing!"
Knives shook off the grip he had on him and rolled his eyes. "I don't want to hear her comment on how toned your muscles are, or your six-pack."
With a disdainful glare shot at the plant, Grayfall clenched his jaw and pressed his ear closer to the wall.
Knives settled back to mull over what he had heard concerning him. Stormie had been commenting on how much she was going to miss Mitayo and how wonderful he was, despite what he had done to her. One moment she was blaming him and calling him a heartless jerk and the next she was saying she understood and only wanted his happiness - a typical Stormie reaction. But, Oriole had brought up, what about Knives? You seem like you have a crush on him. Stormie's reply had been very quiet, but something along the lines of, 'I've been around him for twenty years and he never once showed interest in me. I waited and waited and just plain wasted my time. I think it'd be for the best if I just moved on to someone who would actually loved me back. He was never really my type anyway - sort of rude and bad- tempered. He is cute though.' Oriole had immediately commented on how Grayfall hadn't seemed her type but they were in love anyway, and didn't Stormie think he was equally cute? Yes, Stormie thought Grayfall was very handsome, although he always kept himself fully covered around her in loose pants and heavy turtlenecks. Hence the reason for Oriole's struggle to explain what her fiancé looked like shirtless.
Girls.
The door swung open and Mitayo strolled in, causing Knives to instantly bristle. Grayfall, who hadn't noticed the entrance, commented from his place at the wall, "Weird. They suddenly stopped talking."
"Probably because Bailey just walked in their room," growled Knives, slowly rising to his feet. "I bet she just waltzed right in like nothing was wrong, too. Some people can be so inconsiderate."
Mitayo's eyebrows raised as he realized that those words were meant for him as well. "Just because you're jealous that I have Stormie," he said briskly, "doesn't mean you have to be such a jerk."
"Oh? You HAVE Stormie? Really, now. Tell us more, Mitayo." Knives tapped the side of his face condescendingly. "Because, you see, I thought that when you go around kissing other women, it basically terminates the relationship."
The other plant's eyes widened in shock, darting once to an apathetic Grayfall and then back to one angry Knives. "What? You spying on me?"
Knives shrugged. "Stormie told me." Well, not exactly. Stormie had told Oriole - he'd just overheard.
"For your information," spat Mitayo, raising a defensive fist, "that kiss was one of friendship!" His face softened visibly. "Stormie saw? I better go explain."
Knives was before him, blocking the door with outstretched arms before he could even blink. "No. Let Bailey. You and me have some things to sort out."
"What's your problem?" Mitayo attempted to squeeze past, but Knives wasn't budging. Both men glared at each other. Hurriedly, upset, Mitayo shoved at his rival, needing to get through as his desperation grew, but the other man responded by drawing back his fist and punching him squarely in the jaw.
And the fight erupted.
Grayfall scrambled off the bed with a yell and threw himself into the middle of it, trying to pry apart the two fighting plants, but it was useless and he was tossed back onto the floor. Oh well, he sneered to himself, remaining there, it didn't matter. He'd just sit there and watch them knock each other out.
"Mitayo!" a voice gasped, and the said man turned his head to see Bailey standing in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth in shock. Unfortunately, the distraction allowed his opponent enough time to deliver a powerful hit to his chest. He gasped in surprise and pain.
"Move it," Stormie commanded of Bailey, shoving her to the side and dashing into the room, only to see Mitayo being beat - and badly. Her heart fluttered in fear. Suddenly, she was forgetting everything - the heartache and the kiss he'd given to Bailey, and all she felt was concern for his well being, anger at Knives for hurting him. Without a thought, she stepped in front of him, acting as a shield.
It was just in time to block a hit from Knives. The left hook caught her chin, ripped it up, and wrenched a scream from her throat. As she stumbled back in agony and confusion, she felt strong arms encircle her and pull her to a firm chest, and she knew that she sunk to the floor with him, her knees buckling, that it was Mitayo who was so carefully guiding her to the ground.
Knives took a step back, aghast at what he'd done. He hadn't even seen Stormie! Why would she get in his way to save a dog like Mitayo? "Stormie!" he cried out, his voice hoarse. "I didn't - I didn't see you!"
Tears were dripping from her glazed, blue eyes as she tried to focus her bleary vision. Dazed, she murmured, "S'ok, Knives... Not your fault." But her voice trembled as she fought back her sobs. Her hand sought to touch her chin, for she was sure it had been split and was bleeding, but it wasn't - although a nasty bruise was quickly forming.
Mitayo held her gently to him, rocking her back and forth as she let out trembling breaths, running a soothing hand through her hair. "You ok, Stormie?" he whispered, and the nod she gave him was barely perceptible through all her trembling. It had obviously shaken her up a bit.
Knives knelt down and tenderly lay a hand to her back, murmuring her name.
"Stay back!" snapped Mitayo. "You've done quite enough!"
Knives did back off, confused and ashamed.
Stormie's weak voice rose in protest, trying to be heard above the darkness that was setting in on her world. "It's not Knives' fault!" she choked out. "Don't yell at him..."
"You need to lay down," Mitayo said softly, gathering her up in his arms and rising to his feet, carrying her out the door and towards her own bedroom. "And we should talk about that kiss you saw earlier..."
Knives buried his face in his hands, saying nothing to anyone. He'd hurt Stormie. Could she ever forgive him?
He couldn't.
~~~~~
"It looks horrible," Stormie moaned, tenderly poking at the bruise forming along her jaw. Scrutinizing, she squinted at her reflection in the mirror. "Hmm...Knives is strong. No wonder Mitayo was losing. He about knocked me out."
Grayfall, who was standing behind her, arms crossed, stated, "He feels really bad, you know."
"He shouldn't. It was my stupid fault." She grinned. "But it wasn't for nothing! Mitayo explained all about the kiss and now we're officially together! In fact, today, we're going to go visit Desma and Desiree for some final planning on how to deal with Naoshi and I'm feeling so secure, I even told him to bring Bailey. Haha - you can tell I'm happy, right?"
Grayfall nodded solemnly, not wanting to admit he felt uneasy about her choosing Mitayo over Knives. "I have to meet Oriole now. We're going into town."
"Just as well. Mitayo and Bailey and I should be leaving!" And with that, she merrily skipped out of the room and into the kitchen, singing at the top of her lungs all the way. Faith, who was emerging from her room, being dragged along by Vash and protesting she wasn't hungry for dinner, shot her mother a questioning look at seeing the ugly bruise. It was the first time she'd seen it since Stormie had slept most of the day away and then covered it up with an ice pack whenever she emerged. "Got in a brawl last night, you know!" she trilled in reply.
Vash, who had heard nothing of it either, since no one had wanted to relive it, shook his head and looked down at the girl, quietly reassuring, "She probably just walked into a door or something..."
Stormie met Mitayo and Bailey in the kitchen, both having been waiting for her patiently, silent and avoiding the other's gaze. They seemed especially nervous around each other lately, but Stormie chose to ignore it, grabbing her new boyfriend's arm and yanking him towards the door. "Let's go!" she cried. "It's already getting dark! Desma and Desiree are expecting us!"
The car ride there was relatively uneventful, full of Stormie's cheerful chattering and Mitayo's replies, and even a few of Bailey's quiet murmurs. She seemed uncomfortable around Stormie, and admitted she was extremely nervous about meeting the new plants, so the other woman saw no harm in taking a little pity and telling her she could wait at the car with Mitayo while she went to fetch Mitayo and Desiree so they could all pile into the jeep and head to the restaurant they'd planned on going over things at while eating.
Smiling and telling them she'd return soon, she headed off into the underbrush, threading her way through the desert scrub and towards the tiny cabin, glancing back over her shoulder at them until they were hidden by the dense, coarse vegetation. She trusted Mitayo, and Bailey seemed nice enough. Surely nothing would go wrong.
Something appeared out of place though when she approached Desma's house, for the lights burned dim in the windows with no movement or signs of activity occurring inside. Cautiously, she knocked on the door, but when no answer came, she swung open the door and stepped inside. The first thing that caught her attention was the disarray - chairs scattered across the floor along with papers and broken glass. The second was the smell, and then sight, of blood. She gasped in horror.
"Naoshi?" she murmured, bending to scoop up a broken chair leg to use as a weapon lest the plant assassin, who was surely the culprit, attack her. However, when she turned, she came face to face with not the man she had been expecting.
~~~~~
Mitayo tapped his finger impatiently against his knee. Where was Stormie? Hadn't she gotten them yet? He felt uncomfortable being alone with Bailey, because there was some kind of unrequited love there - though he didn't know quite how to explain it. Memories, perhaps the same ones running through her head at the very moment, haunted him like a ghost.
~*~You're so...young. What's your name?~*~
~*~It's Bailey.~*~
~*~ Are you crying?~*~
~*~Yes...I'm very scared...~*~
Bailey jumped out of the jeep and began to walk in small circles, no doubt stretching her legs. Deciding it was a good idea, he followed suit, commenting quietly, "She's probably forgotten all about us. Sat down for tea with Desma or something."
Bailey laughed softly. "While we wait, tell me more about Xavier."
"Hey, I think I've told you all I know," he replied quietly. "You cold?" He asked this because she had begun to shiver, hugging her arms close to her chest and bowing her head, blonde hair falling into her gray eyes. Such pretty eyes...
"A little."
He took off his jacket and draped it carefully around her shoulders, smiling. "You always did get cold so easy."
"Yes." She cast her eyes down, clutching the warm material to herself. "I do." A long pause followed, a lull in the conversation that caused both to shift edgily.
~*~...ah! Bailey! What happened?! Did they hurt you?~*~
~*~I...I...I don't think so. It's just...~*~
~*~You're shaking. Are you ok?~*~
~*~I'm very cold. More than anything, I am cold.~*~
~*~But they hit you...~*~
~*~It's ok, Mitayo. Don't worry about me. They hit you all the time and you survive. It's ok Just...sit here with me and let me lean on you, ok? I'm really cold and...you're very warm. You always warm me...~*~
He sniffed the air, cool and crisp and smelling faintly of something...exotic. "Hmm. The wind smells like...cherries? That's weird. There isn't a cherry tree within miles of here. Wonder what it could be."
Bailey hid her mouth behind a dainty hand, chuckling. "The first time you kissed me, you said I tasted like cherries."
"I did, didn't I?" His gaze drifted away as he recalled the moment with a blush, remembering how he had struggled, as inexperienced in romance as he was, to try to make her feel not so embarrassed by complimenting her. Brought back to the present by a small hand slipping into his own, he looked over at her and sighed heavily, asking, "Did you know how scared I was when I thought you died?"
She shook her head.
"Right after Eleven was born, that seemed to be all they wanted - just the baby - and I was standing there beside you and you were lying in bed, passed out and bleeding all over the place... They never did anything. Just ignored you and after a while took you away. It scared me half to death - it was like a murder or something." He ran his free hand through his blonde hair, frowning. "Man...how in the world did you survive that?"
"Oh, I don't know," she muttered, staring down at her feet. "Just scared of dying, I guess. Didn't want to go in a place like that with my whole life being wasted in the plant. Kinda wanted to see you again - and our kid. Funny thing is, I was so sure it was a girl - no one ever told me."
With a frown, he tugged her closer, into a warm embrace, held her shivering body closer with naught a thought for what he was doing and whether it was right or wrong. His hand ran over her back gently and he buried his face into the crook of her neck, tears flowing from his eyes in an uncontrollable river. He barely understood why he was crying.
Bailey leaned into him, asking without words if he remembered how young she'd been and how scared. He remembered, his mental vibes assured her, and he always would.
~*~Wow...you're so much farther along than when I last saw you!~*~
~*~Eight months.~*~
~*~Are they treating you well?~*~
~*~Of course. Wouldn't want to damage the goods, would they now?~*~
~*~I'm glad they let me come see you. I've thought a lot of you and how you must be faring. Do you know what the baby is?~*~
~*~No one tells me anything.~*~
~*~Do you...mind if I kiss you?~*~
~*~I'd like it very much, Mitayo, if you would.~*~
~~~~~
Stormie gasped - this man was not Naoshi! No, he was clothed in a familiar uniform though. He was from a plant. Her mind desperately grasped for answers. Could she have led them here when she freed Mitayo and Xavier? Did they have Desma and Desiree in their captivity? Surely they wouldn't harm them too badly!
She raised the chair leg to smash it down on his head, but a bullet ripped through her shoulder, throwing her back as she stumbled in a blur of pain and anger. The man approached her and she tried to ready her angel arm, but it wouldn't work. Maybe she was too panicked, or the bullet had damaged something, but somehow the process was being delayed.
He shot at her again and she scrambled out of the way, seeing other men pouring through the door. Her heart was ready to explode in fear and she wondered why, WHY hadn't she brought Mitayo with her?! They tried to capture, tried to hold her down, and she kicked and punched and struggled and screamed and felt sharp knives puncturing and slicing at her skin. She threw them off and dashed for the door, only to be tackled and to feel the ground collide with a sickening thud against her skull. Blood seeped down her brow and into her eyes, sticky and hot and thick. Actually, blood was all over her body now.
She rolled onto her back and clawed at her sleeve, screaming as the pain combined with the power of her angel arm starting to flicker into existence coursed through her limbs.
The crowd backed away, staring at her and at the giant cannon sudden replacing her arm.
One man leveled his gun with her leg and shot again, trying to slow her down, and it did, but not enough. Crying out, anger and pain and sorrow all jumbled around in her soul, she blasted each and every one of them away.
~~~~~
Desma and Desiree were not in the truck. Perhaps they had been carted back to the plant already. Stormie didn't care to reason at the moment as she painfully stumbled and dragged her broken body through the thick underbrush back to the jeep, the branches scraping at her and tearing at her clothes. She left them painted with blood.
A sigh of relief passed her lips as she broke through the very last of it, coming out about ten yards from the jeep. She opened her mouth to call Mitayo's name, but she could not bring herself to. The scene before her killed any words before they leapt from her throat.
Mitayo was hugging Bailey close, running his hand through her hair, staring down at her. Lovingly. They seemed locked in their own world, sharing a bond that was impossible for her to achieve no matter how hard she tried. Bailey's gaze wasn't just adoring, but rather grateful, an air of hesitation hanging heavy over the two of them as if they both were thinking about something, remembering something, but didn't know if they should act upon it. And then he ducked down his head to kiss her gently, lingering, pressing his lips firmly to hers.
Stormie stumbled back, nearly falling. She choked on a sob. How...how could he?! Fine! She'd walk home! Anything to get away from those two! She absolutely refused to ride home with them. Not after how he had betrayed her...
Stumbling blindly through the sand, crying soundlessly and trying to wipe the blood out of her eyes and off her face, she never saw the figure standing up ahead. Instead, she walked blindly towards him, stumbling back when she ran smack into his chest. He caught her, saving her the fall, and lifted her battered form gently into his arms. Exhausted, willing to take comfort in anyone at that moment, she let herself fall limp and relaxed in the stranger's strong arms, head rolling onto his shoulder. And with the last fleeting moments of consciousness that she possessed, she tilted back her head and gazed up at her rescuer.
"Naoshi...?"
This is a sad chapter!! Or at least, I think it's sad... Yes, just when you thought it was winding up for ole' Knives and Stormie, there are most twists in the relationship! Thank you for all the reviews!
Rocker Baby: *waves happily* Thank you soooo much for sticking with me! Hehe, that's your favorite line, eh? Cool! You have no idea how happy I am you said this story gives you could mental pictures! Don't you worry about Mitayo now - he will EVENTUALLY get the idea and leave Stormie alone. But that doesn't mean other men aren't prowling around out there... *dum dum DUM!*
Elf-vulcan: I haven't seen you review before - thank you very much for joining me on my trip to insanity! Aww...I almost made you cry?! I'd say I was sorry if that didn't make me happy. Eh, not that I like to see you cry, but, yeah, it's nice my story touched you and...you know what I mean! ^_^
Hello_lola: I know, Knives isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and he's slow to admit his feelings, but who doesn't love him? I know Stormie does ^_~
Sami: Haha, thanks for the compliment - I appreciate it. Drama and humor are fun to mix, and it makes me happy that you think I can pull something like that off.
R.K.: Yay! *eyes get big and watery in extreme happiness* I'll be sure to ignore flames because you believe in me! lol *nods head* Glad you like this fic so much.
Kuja's Swan: Thank you so much for your kind words! They are greatly appreciated, and yes, I like the idea of feeling what the characters feel... Thank you very much! ^_^
~~~~~~
Grayfall watched with curious, unblinking eyes as Knives knelt on the other end of his bed, pressing his ear to the wall with a scowl of concentration. He'd been intent on trying to hear what the women in the room beside them were saying ever since Grayfall, who had been lying down on the cot, had informed him that he thought he'd heard Stormie say his name in the next room. It turned out that was a grave mistake for Legato's son, because since then, two hours ago, Knives had been trying to eavesdrop.
The bedroom arrangement was as follows: In the main bedroom, where Stormie had always slept, was the owner of the house herself, Oriole, and Bailey. The guest room was occupied by Grayfall, Knives, and Mitayo, while Vash ended up supervising the children in Faith's room. Mitayo and Bailey were still strolling about in the moonlight and had yet to come in.
"Knives, get away from there," Grayfall said flatly, quite tired of having a good deal of space on his bed taken up by the desperate plant. "They're not going to say anything about you."
The other man frowned. "They were. But now they're talking about you."
Grayfall's golden eyes widened in such a comical way that Knives grinned in satisfaction, the tidbit of shared information having the desired effect. He watched in amusement as the young man scrambled forward on hands and knees and leaned in against the wall as well, demanding, "What can you hear? Your hearing's better than mine!"
"Well," Knives murmured, furrowing his brow and pausing to listen. "Oriole is talking. Saying something about...about...ugh. She's trying to explain to Stormie what you look like without your shirt on." Disgusted, he began to move away, but a strong hand clamped on his wrist to keep him in place.
"Keep listening!" he whispered hurriedly. "I can't hear a thing!"
Knives shook off the grip he had on him and rolled his eyes. "I don't want to hear her comment on how toned your muscles are, or your six-pack."
With a disdainful glare shot at the plant, Grayfall clenched his jaw and pressed his ear closer to the wall.
Knives settled back to mull over what he had heard concerning him. Stormie had been commenting on how much she was going to miss Mitayo and how wonderful he was, despite what he had done to her. One moment she was blaming him and calling him a heartless jerk and the next she was saying she understood and only wanted his happiness - a typical Stormie reaction. But, Oriole had brought up, what about Knives? You seem like you have a crush on him. Stormie's reply had been very quiet, but something along the lines of, 'I've been around him for twenty years and he never once showed interest in me. I waited and waited and just plain wasted my time. I think it'd be for the best if I just moved on to someone who would actually loved me back. He was never really my type anyway - sort of rude and bad- tempered. He is cute though.' Oriole had immediately commented on how Grayfall hadn't seemed her type but they were in love anyway, and didn't Stormie think he was equally cute? Yes, Stormie thought Grayfall was very handsome, although he always kept himself fully covered around her in loose pants and heavy turtlenecks. Hence the reason for Oriole's struggle to explain what her fiancé looked like shirtless.
Girls.
The door swung open and Mitayo strolled in, causing Knives to instantly bristle. Grayfall, who hadn't noticed the entrance, commented from his place at the wall, "Weird. They suddenly stopped talking."
"Probably because Bailey just walked in their room," growled Knives, slowly rising to his feet. "I bet she just waltzed right in like nothing was wrong, too. Some people can be so inconsiderate."
Mitayo's eyebrows raised as he realized that those words were meant for him as well. "Just because you're jealous that I have Stormie," he said briskly, "doesn't mean you have to be such a jerk."
"Oh? You HAVE Stormie? Really, now. Tell us more, Mitayo." Knives tapped the side of his face condescendingly. "Because, you see, I thought that when you go around kissing other women, it basically terminates the relationship."
The other plant's eyes widened in shock, darting once to an apathetic Grayfall and then back to one angry Knives. "What? You spying on me?"
Knives shrugged. "Stormie told me." Well, not exactly. Stormie had told Oriole - he'd just overheard.
"For your information," spat Mitayo, raising a defensive fist, "that kiss was one of friendship!" His face softened visibly. "Stormie saw? I better go explain."
Knives was before him, blocking the door with outstretched arms before he could even blink. "No. Let Bailey. You and me have some things to sort out."
"What's your problem?" Mitayo attempted to squeeze past, but Knives wasn't budging. Both men glared at each other. Hurriedly, upset, Mitayo shoved at his rival, needing to get through as his desperation grew, but the other man responded by drawing back his fist and punching him squarely in the jaw.
And the fight erupted.
Grayfall scrambled off the bed with a yell and threw himself into the middle of it, trying to pry apart the two fighting plants, but it was useless and he was tossed back onto the floor. Oh well, he sneered to himself, remaining there, it didn't matter. He'd just sit there and watch them knock each other out.
"Mitayo!" a voice gasped, and the said man turned his head to see Bailey standing in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth in shock. Unfortunately, the distraction allowed his opponent enough time to deliver a powerful hit to his chest. He gasped in surprise and pain.
"Move it," Stormie commanded of Bailey, shoving her to the side and dashing into the room, only to see Mitayo being beat - and badly. Her heart fluttered in fear. Suddenly, she was forgetting everything - the heartache and the kiss he'd given to Bailey, and all she felt was concern for his well being, anger at Knives for hurting him. Without a thought, she stepped in front of him, acting as a shield.
It was just in time to block a hit from Knives. The left hook caught her chin, ripped it up, and wrenched a scream from her throat. As she stumbled back in agony and confusion, she felt strong arms encircle her and pull her to a firm chest, and she knew that she sunk to the floor with him, her knees buckling, that it was Mitayo who was so carefully guiding her to the ground.
Knives took a step back, aghast at what he'd done. He hadn't even seen Stormie! Why would she get in his way to save a dog like Mitayo? "Stormie!" he cried out, his voice hoarse. "I didn't - I didn't see you!"
Tears were dripping from her glazed, blue eyes as she tried to focus her bleary vision. Dazed, she murmured, "S'ok, Knives... Not your fault." But her voice trembled as she fought back her sobs. Her hand sought to touch her chin, for she was sure it had been split and was bleeding, but it wasn't - although a nasty bruise was quickly forming.
Mitayo held her gently to him, rocking her back and forth as she let out trembling breaths, running a soothing hand through her hair. "You ok, Stormie?" he whispered, and the nod she gave him was barely perceptible through all her trembling. It had obviously shaken her up a bit.
Knives knelt down and tenderly lay a hand to her back, murmuring her name.
"Stay back!" snapped Mitayo. "You've done quite enough!"
Knives did back off, confused and ashamed.
Stormie's weak voice rose in protest, trying to be heard above the darkness that was setting in on her world. "It's not Knives' fault!" she choked out. "Don't yell at him..."
"You need to lay down," Mitayo said softly, gathering her up in his arms and rising to his feet, carrying her out the door and towards her own bedroom. "And we should talk about that kiss you saw earlier..."
Knives buried his face in his hands, saying nothing to anyone. He'd hurt Stormie. Could she ever forgive him?
He couldn't.
~~~~~
"It looks horrible," Stormie moaned, tenderly poking at the bruise forming along her jaw. Scrutinizing, she squinted at her reflection in the mirror. "Hmm...Knives is strong. No wonder Mitayo was losing. He about knocked me out."
Grayfall, who was standing behind her, arms crossed, stated, "He feels really bad, you know."
"He shouldn't. It was my stupid fault." She grinned. "But it wasn't for nothing! Mitayo explained all about the kiss and now we're officially together! In fact, today, we're going to go visit Desma and Desiree for some final planning on how to deal with Naoshi and I'm feeling so secure, I even told him to bring Bailey. Haha - you can tell I'm happy, right?"
Grayfall nodded solemnly, not wanting to admit he felt uneasy about her choosing Mitayo over Knives. "I have to meet Oriole now. We're going into town."
"Just as well. Mitayo and Bailey and I should be leaving!" And with that, she merrily skipped out of the room and into the kitchen, singing at the top of her lungs all the way. Faith, who was emerging from her room, being dragged along by Vash and protesting she wasn't hungry for dinner, shot her mother a questioning look at seeing the ugly bruise. It was the first time she'd seen it since Stormie had slept most of the day away and then covered it up with an ice pack whenever she emerged. "Got in a brawl last night, you know!" she trilled in reply.
Vash, who had heard nothing of it either, since no one had wanted to relive it, shook his head and looked down at the girl, quietly reassuring, "She probably just walked into a door or something..."
Stormie met Mitayo and Bailey in the kitchen, both having been waiting for her patiently, silent and avoiding the other's gaze. They seemed especially nervous around each other lately, but Stormie chose to ignore it, grabbing her new boyfriend's arm and yanking him towards the door. "Let's go!" she cried. "It's already getting dark! Desma and Desiree are expecting us!"
The car ride there was relatively uneventful, full of Stormie's cheerful chattering and Mitayo's replies, and even a few of Bailey's quiet murmurs. She seemed uncomfortable around Stormie, and admitted she was extremely nervous about meeting the new plants, so the other woman saw no harm in taking a little pity and telling her she could wait at the car with Mitayo while she went to fetch Mitayo and Desiree so they could all pile into the jeep and head to the restaurant they'd planned on going over things at while eating.
Smiling and telling them she'd return soon, she headed off into the underbrush, threading her way through the desert scrub and towards the tiny cabin, glancing back over her shoulder at them until they were hidden by the dense, coarse vegetation. She trusted Mitayo, and Bailey seemed nice enough. Surely nothing would go wrong.
Something appeared out of place though when she approached Desma's house, for the lights burned dim in the windows with no movement or signs of activity occurring inside. Cautiously, she knocked on the door, but when no answer came, she swung open the door and stepped inside. The first thing that caught her attention was the disarray - chairs scattered across the floor along with papers and broken glass. The second was the smell, and then sight, of blood. She gasped in horror.
"Naoshi?" she murmured, bending to scoop up a broken chair leg to use as a weapon lest the plant assassin, who was surely the culprit, attack her. However, when she turned, she came face to face with not the man she had been expecting.
~~~~~
Mitayo tapped his finger impatiently against his knee. Where was Stormie? Hadn't she gotten them yet? He felt uncomfortable being alone with Bailey, because there was some kind of unrequited love there - though he didn't know quite how to explain it. Memories, perhaps the same ones running through her head at the very moment, haunted him like a ghost.
~*~You're so...young. What's your name?~*~
~*~It's Bailey.~*~
~*~ Are you crying?~*~
~*~Yes...I'm very scared...~*~
Bailey jumped out of the jeep and began to walk in small circles, no doubt stretching her legs. Deciding it was a good idea, he followed suit, commenting quietly, "She's probably forgotten all about us. Sat down for tea with Desma or something."
Bailey laughed softly. "While we wait, tell me more about Xavier."
"Hey, I think I've told you all I know," he replied quietly. "You cold?" He asked this because she had begun to shiver, hugging her arms close to her chest and bowing her head, blonde hair falling into her gray eyes. Such pretty eyes...
"A little."
He took off his jacket and draped it carefully around her shoulders, smiling. "You always did get cold so easy."
"Yes." She cast her eyes down, clutching the warm material to herself. "I do." A long pause followed, a lull in the conversation that caused both to shift edgily.
~*~...ah! Bailey! What happened?! Did they hurt you?~*~
~*~I...I...I don't think so. It's just...~*~
~*~You're shaking. Are you ok?~*~
~*~I'm very cold. More than anything, I am cold.~*~
~*~But they hit you...~*~
~*~It's ok, Mitayo. Don't worry about me. They hit you all the time and you survive. It's ok Just...sit here with me and let me lean on you, ok? I'm really cold and...you're very warm. You always warm me...~*~
He sniffed the air, cool and crisp and smelling faintly of something...exotic. "Hmm. The wind smells like...cherries? That's weird. There isn't a cherry tree within miles of here. Wonder what it could be."
Bailey hid her mouth behind a dainty hand, chuckling. "The first time you kissed me, you said I tasted like cherries."
"I did, didn't I?" His gaze drifted away as he recalled the moment with a blush, remembering how he had struggled, as inexperienced in romance as he was, to try to make her feel not so embarrassed by complimenting her. Brought back to the present by a small hand slipping into his own, he looked over at her and sighed heavily, asking, "Did you know how scared I was when I thought you died?"
She shook her head.
"Right after Eleven was born, that seemed to be all they wanted - just the baby - and I was standing there beside you and you were lying in bed, passed out and bleeding all over the place... They never did anything. Just ignored you and after a while took you away. It scared me half to death - it was like a murder or something." He ran his free hand through his blonde hair, frowning. "Man...how in the world did you survive that?"
"Oh, I don't know," she muttered, staring down at her feet. "Just scared of dying, I guess. Didn't want to go in a place like that with my whole life being wasted in the plant. Kinda wanted to see you again - and our kid. Funny thing is, I was so sure it was a girl - no one ever told me."
With a frown, he tugged her closer, into a warm embrace, held her shivering body closer with naught a thought for what he was doing and whether it was right or wrong. His hand ran over her back gently and he buried his face into the crook of her neck, tears flowing from his eyes in an uncontrollable river. He barely understood why he was crying.
Bailey leaned into him, asking without words if he remembered how young she'd been and how scared. He remembered, his mental vibes assured her, and he always would.
~*~Wow...you're so much farther along than when I last saw you!~*~
~*~Eight months.~*~
~*~Are they treating you well?~*~
~*~Of course. Wouldn't want to damage the goods, would they now?~*~
~*~I'm glad they let me come see you. I've thought a lot of you and how you must be faring. Do you know what the baby is?~*~
~*~No one tells me anything.~*~
~*~Do you...mind if I kiss you?~*~
~*~I'd like it very much, Mitayo, if you would.~*~
~~~~~
Stormie gasped - this man was not Naoshi! No, he was clothed in a familiar uniform though. He was from a plant. Her mind desperately grasped for answers. Could she have led them here when she freed Mitayo and Xavier? Did they have Desma and Desiree in their captivity? Surely they wouldn't harm them too badly!
She raised the chair leg to smash it down on his head, but a bullet ripped through her shoulder, throwing her back as she stumbled in a blur of pain and anger. The man approached her and she tried to ready her angel arm, but it wouldn't work. Maybe she was too panicked, or the bullet had damaged something, but somehow the process was being delayed.
He shot at her again and she scrambled out of the way, seeing other men pouring through the door. Her heart was ready to explode in fear and she wondered why, WHY hadn't she brought Mitayo with her?! They tried to capture, tried to hold her down, and she kicked and punched and struggled and screamed and felt sharp knives puncturing and slicing at her skin. She threw them off and dashed for the door, only to be tackled and to feel the ground collide with a sickening thud against her skull. Blood seeped down her brow and into her eyes, sticky and hot and thick. Actually, blood was all over her body now.
She rolled onto her back and clawed at her sleeve, screaming as the pain combined with the power of her angel arm starting to flicker into existence coursed through her limbs.
The crowd backed away, staring at her and at the giant cannon sudden replacing her arm.
One man leveled his gun with her leg and shot again, trying to slow her down, and it did, but not enough. Crying out, anger and pain and sorrow all jumbled around in her soul, she blasted each and every one of them away.
~~~~~
Desma and Desiree were not in the truck. Perhaps they had been carted back to the plant already. Stormie didn't care to reason at the moment as she painfully stumbled and dragged her broken body through the thick underbrush back to the jeep, the branches scraping at her and tearing at her clothes. She left them painted with blood.
A sigh of relief passed her lips as she broke through the very last of it, coming out about ten yards from the jeep. She opened her mouth to call Mitayo's name, but she could not bring herself to. The scene before her killed any words before they leapt from her throat.
Mitayo was hugging Bailey close, running his hand through her hair, staring down at her. Lovingly. They seemed locked in their own world, sharing a bond that was impossible for her to achieve no matter how hard she tried. Bailey's gaze wasn't just adoring, but rather grateful, an air of hesitation hanging heavy over the two of them as if they both were thinking about something, remembering something, but didn't know if they should act upon it. And then he ducked down his head to kiss her gently, lingering, pressing his lips firmly to hers.
Stormie stumbled back, nearly falling. She choked on a sob. How...how could he?! Fine! She'd walk home! Anything to get away from those two! She absolutely refused to ride home with them. Not after how he had betrayed her...
Stumbling blindly through the sand, crying soundlessly and trying to wipe the blood out of her eyes and off her face, she never saw the figure standing up ahead. Instead, she walked blindly towards him, stumbling back when she ran smack into his chest. He caught her, saving her the fall, and lifted her battered form gently into his arms. Exhausted, willing to take comfort in anyone at that moment, she let herself fall limp and relaxed in the stranger's strong arms, head rolling onto his shoulder. And with the last fleeting moments of consciousness that she possessed, she tilted back her head and gazed up at her rescuer.
"Naoshi...?"
