Sorry I've been slow on updates. It's been partly because of midterms and
big assignments that mean most of my grade. Meh! Oh well. Expect to see
fewer updates as I get closer to crunch time with all of these big projects
due and what not. Oh well. I don't want to be a downer, so read on. Read
like the wind.
--Chapter Six-- -Good news-
"Wow! Really, Doctor?! Why he'll be just enthralled with excitement when he hears this! Thanks!" Millie ran out of the office doors with a smile on her face. "I can't believe it! When Mr. Vash hears this great news, he'll just get so excited that he'll dance around the room!" Millie envisioned Vash on a rampage of happiness and joy while she preached the good news to him. "And when Meryl finds out, I KNOW she'll be happy because it's just too good not to be happy about!" Millie hummed to herself as she strolled down the street.
"Hey pretty girl." A male voice called out to her from a nearby saloon.
Millie looked around and then at the man standing in the doorway. "Who, me?"
"Yeah, you. You're awful cute. Can I buy you a drink?" His eyes were soft but were spoken with lust.
"No thank you. I'm drinking for two now." She smiled at the man and began to walk away before she was stopped again by his voice.
"Please! Don't walk away just yet! I still wanna ask you somethin'." His voice coaxed her to come closer. "When you said drinking for two, did you mean you're pregnant?"
"I sure did." Millie was a bit confused at why he would ask her these things.
"And when you mean pregnant, do you mean there's a mister in your life?"
Millie's eyes slowly sunk to the floor as she chose her words carefully. "Well, I guess it's a short story, so I'll tell it to you. The night he told me he loved me was when I got pregnant, and the next day he died. I try not to think about it too much, though. Keeping myself occupied usually keeps my mind from wondering."
He stepped out of the saloon and suddenly realized how tall she was while he studied her body. "My my. You're a big girl." He stopped and rephrased his words. "I mean, a big and beautiful girl."
"Mr., If you're hoping to get a free drink out of me or possibly something else that I don't want to say because it's just too horrible to think that a man would try to take advantage of a pregnant woman, then you better keep your eyes off and march straight back into that saloon!" Her eyes darted at the man as he brought his hands up to his face.
"Oh no, Ma'am! I would never think of doing such an terrible sin such as taking advantage of a woman! I think you've got me all wrong, Miss... What was your name? I don't think I caught it." He traced his fingers around his chin as he lingered closer to her. "I usually don't forget pretty faces." His smile was enchanting and complimented his blue eyes.
"Well, uh... My name is Millie Thompson!"
"Lovely name. Really, I mean that. I don't usually say things like that out loud until the second date." He smiled again letting his stare drift a little onto her features.
"But this isn't our first date!" She proclaimed with a confused tone.
"Well then! Lets make it our first date!"
"Wait, what?" She stammered from a lack of words.
"I'll make you a deal. I promise never to ask you for a date again if you just go out with me once and get to know me." He smiled innocently as he leaned into her comfort bubble. Her nostrils flared as she tried to back away.
"Sir, I don't mean to sound rude, but I really need to get going!" Millie struggled to get past the man as he put out his arm.
"Hey baby, don't get lost so fast! All I did was ask you a question. A simple yes or no can do it for me." He stared at her forcefully, but gently at the same time. "So what do you say."
Millie looked around in a confused fashion, sighed, then looked back at the man. "Yes. But later. I'll meet you somewhere tonight, alright?"
He smiled like a little boy who got candy he was begging for. "Perfect. Meet me at Hank's Sausage Palace at 6. Sound good to you?"
"Sounds perfect. See you then!" Millie ran off happily to her house once again, this time more aware of the men around her.
***
"200 Iles from LR TOWN." He said to himself as he poked at the food on his plate with a shiny, metal fork. "That's where we are, right?" Knives questioned as he glanced up at Meryl. His bed was beginning to contour to his shape, he had sat there for so long.
"Yes, and if you're thinking about calling a getaway wagon, don't even think about it." Meryl turned around from her sewing table with a needle in hand.
Knives grunted and flicked peas around into his meat. "Don't worry about that. Apparently I wont be doing any getting away any time soon. Hence the fact I'm stuck here in this sandy hell with all of you." The way his mashed potato's seemed to stare back at him with a familiar gleam worried him as he smashed his fork into its mushy essence. Knives eyed the room for a moment before uttering some words directed to Meryl.
"What was that?" She questioned while she hemmed Vash's pants.
"I said... Where is my brother." Knives sunk into his bed as he pushed his plate onto his knees.
Meryl grinned as she folded the pants and put them in a neat stack next to her. "He happens to be in town getting some salts for you to soak in. It's good for healing, he heard, so he went out to find you some." Knives tried not to let his stale expression fade, but it was hard not to find what Vash was doing for his brother heartwarming. "Knives, why don't you just let us help you and give into the fact that from now on you're going to live like a human?"
"Because I'm not going to change who I am so you people can feel comfortable with me. I'm already twice your life expectancy. That's enough leeway to give me bragging rights about being not human."
"Accept it."
Knives snarled. "What?"
"Accept that from now on you're at human mercy because there's no going back to the way you were. Just accept it."
"NEVER."
Meryl stood up quickly, letting the material in her lap fall to the floor. "Knives, would you pull your head out of your ass long enough to see that the world doesn't revolve around you and your sorry, crippled existence?!" Knives' eyes widened with amazement as he sat silently in his bed. "Think about it! There's no one like you and Knives left except for the plant angels, and really, what good are they going to do to help you in your quest for a human free Eden?! They're not, that's what!" She threw down her sewing material and stormed out of the house and into the nearest saloon.
Knives' heart sank as he realized something. He was alone. Better yet, he was always alone. He heard footsteps climbing up to the door in long, hard steps. Vash opened the door slowly as he peeked his head in, making sure Knives was awake. Their eyes met quickly, but Knives did not resist his warm glance. Knives broke down upon seeing him. Vash dropped his bags and walked quickly to his brother as he pushed away his plate, knocking it to the ground. He held his brother tightly as Knives began to sob heavily and without regret. Spiders and butterflies had no meaning to him anymore. Butterflies were just as needy as the spiders now.
***
Millie pushed the door to the house open as she saw the two men laying in the bed. She smiled upon seeing both of them sound asleep in one big, bulky heap. "I'm glad to see that Knives finally let down his big, tough, front!" Millie walked silently over to the kitchen counter and set down two bottles of ointment. Her brow was sweaty from her run home, thus convincing her it was time for a bath. She quickly threw open the cupboard doors and took a towel out of it and threw it over her shoulder. She walked slowly to the bathroom as she pulled her suspenders down around her waist. Her hands quickly twisted the knobs controlling the bath as water spiraled out of the nozzle. Soon she was down to nothing but what God gave her, as she jumped into the steaming pool of silver majesty. To her left was a pile of soaps, salts and minerals she had set out earlier that day for Knives, but decided she should use them too. Her brown hair hung down over her eyes as she dumped water over her head with a cup. The very water she bathed in was that which she had helped provide for the city. Soon her bath was over and she crawled into her towel and walked happily out of the bathroom.
Her feet stuck to the wood floor as she tread into the main living area where Knives and Vash were. Her clothes had been set out there apparently, since Meryl had been doing laundry. She snatched her clothes quickly, as to not be seen by either of the two sleeping men in the event that they should wake up. Thankfully, she got to her room fast enough that neither one saw her go into the room half naked. She quickly dressed and brushed her hair as she moved back out into the house and into the kitchen. "I think Meryl told me to make dinner tonight. I better go see what's out there." As she rounded the corner, she saw Vash staring out the window with his back towards her. He had his legs off to the side, as if he was about to get up but then got distracted.
"I told you, Rem." Millie listened as he spoke softly to an imaginary person. "I saved him. Everything is going to be alright, Rem. You don't have to worry anymore." He closed his eyes as he sighed silently. "Eden." He noticed a sound carried in the air over him as he turned slowly towards Millie. "Oh, how long have you been standing there?" He said half embarrassed, half curious.
"Just for a second." She stood further out of the hallway. "Who were you talking to?" She asked looking around the room.
Vash smiled as he stood up. "Just an old friend." He noticed an array of vegetables set out on the table and then at a lonely box. His eyes began to glaze over with delight. "Donuts?!" Millie laughed and nodded. Vash squealed and dove at the box of Cream Delights. He sat on the floor gorging himself with the baked pieces of heaven until the very last bite. By then, Knives had awoken to see his brother on the ground with a sticky ring around his mouth. Vash's green eyes wondered up and onto Knives as he licked his fingers. "Oh... did you want one?" Knives shook his head as she smiled. "Alright then! Lets give you a bath, you filthy little thing, you!" Vash jumped up and ran at Knives.
Knives put his hands up and pushed against his chest as Vash tried to grab him. "Get your sticky, slobbery paws away from me!" Vash tilted his head and sighed while he walked to the sink in a huff.
Millie walked towards Knives and smiled at him generously while she leaned down and whispered something into his ear. His eyes lit up and a smile covered his face. "Really?!" He was about to cry he was so happy.
"What? What's the good news?" Vash asked as he dried his hands.
Knives smiled at his brother for the first time in years. "I'll walk! With help, I can walk!" He pushed himself forward as he yelled it at the top of his lungs. "DO YOU HEAR ME, VASH?! PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN MAKE ME WALK! YOU SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BROTHER! YOU SAID NEVER AGAIN WILL THESE FEET SEE GROUND!"
Vash smiled as he wrapped his arms around his elated brother. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to see what good you'll do when you can walk again."
--Chapter Six-- -Good news-
"Wow! Really, Doctor?! Why he'll be just enthralled with excitement when he hears this! Thanks!" Millie ran out of the office doors with a smile on her face. "I can't believe it! When Mr. Vash hears this great news, he'll just get so excited that he'll dance around the room!" Millie envisioned Vash on a rampage of happiness and joy while she preached the good news to him. "And when Meryl finds out, I KNOW she'll be happy because it's just too good not to be happy about!" Millie hummed to herself as she strolled down the street.
"Hey pretty girl." A male voice called out to her from a nearby saloon.
Millie looked around and then at the man standing in the doorway. "Who, me?"
"Yeah, you. You're awful cute. Can I buy you a drink?" His eyes were soft but were spoken with lust.
"No thank you. I'm drinking for two now." She smiled at the man and began to walk away before she was stopped again by his voice.
"Please! Don't walk away just yet! I still wanna ask you somethin'." His voice coaxed her to come closer. "When you said drinking for two, did you mean you're pregnant?"
"I sure did." Millie was a bit confused at why he would ask her these things.
"And when you mean pregnant, do you mean there's a mister in your life?"
Millie's eyes slowly sunk to the floor as she chose her words carefully. "Well, I guess it's a short story, so I'll tell it to you. The night he told me he loved me was when I got pregnant, and the next day he died. I try not to think about it too much, though. Keeping myself occupied usually keeps my mind from wondering."
He stepped out of the saloon and suddenly realized how tall she was while he studied her body. "My my. You're a big girl." He stopped and rephrased his words. "I mean, a big and beautiful girl."
"Mr., If you're hoping to get a free drink out of me or possibly something else that I don't want to say because it's just too horrible to think that a man would try to take advantage of a pregnant woman, then you better keep your eyes off and march straight back into that saloon!" Her eyes darted at the man as he brought his hands up to his face.
"Oh no, Ma'am! I would never think of doing such an terrible sin such as taking advantage of a woman! I think you've got me all wrong, Miss... What was your name? I don't think I caught it." He traced his fingers around his chin as he lingered closer to her. "I usually don't forget pretty faces." His smile was enchanting and complimented his blue eyes.
"Well, uh... My name is Millie Thompson!"
"Lovely name. Really, I mean that. I don't usually say things like that out loud until the second date." He smiled again letting his stare drift a little onto her features.
"But this isn't our first date!" She proclaimed with a confused tone.
"Well then! Lets make it our first date!"
"Wait, what?" She stammered from a lack of words.
"I'll make you a deal. I promise never to ask you for a date again if you just go out with me once and get to know me." He smiled innocently as he leaned into her comfort bubble. Her nostrils flared as she tried to back away.
"Sir, I don't mean to sound rude, but I really need to get going!" Millie struggled to get past the man as he put out his arm.
"Hey baby, don't get lost so fast! All I did was ask you a question. A simple yes or no can do it for me." He stared at her forcefully, but gently at the same time. "So what do you say."
Millie looked around in a confused fashion, sighed, then looked back at the man. "Yes. But later. I'll meet you somewhere tonight, alright?"
He smiled like a little boy who got candy he was begging for. "Perfect. Meet me at Hank's Sausage Palace at 6. Sound good to you?"
"Sounds perfect. See you then!" Millie ran off happily to her house once again, this time more aware of the men around her.
***
"200 Iles from LR TOWN." He said to himself as he poked at the food on his plate with a shiny, metal fork. "That's where we are, right?" Knives questioned as he glanced up at Meryl. His bed was beginning to contour to his shape, he had sat there for so long.
"Yes, and if you're thinking about calling a getaway wagon, don't even think about it." Meryl turned around from her sewing table with a needle in hand.
Knives grunted and flicked peas around into his meat. "Don't worry about that. Apparently I wont be doing any getting away any time soon. Hence the fact I'm stuck here in this sandy hell with all of you." The way his mashed potato's seemed to stare back at him with a familiar gleam worried him as he smashed his fork into its mushy essence. Knives eyed the room for a moment before uttering some words directed to Meryl.
"What was that?" She questioned while she hemmed Vash's pants.
"I said... Where is my brother." Knives sunk into his bed as he pushed his plate onto his knees.
Meryl grinned as she folded the pants and put them in a neat stack next to her. "He happens to be in town getting some salts for you to soak in. It's good for healing, he heard, so he went out to find you some." Knives tried not to let his stale expression fade, but it was hard not to find what Vash was doing for his brother heartwarming. "Knives, why don't you just let us help you and give into the fact that from now on you're going to live like a human?"
"Because I'm not going to change who I am so you people can feel comfortable with me. I'm already twice your life expectancy. That's enough leeway to give me bragging rights about being not human."
"Accept it."
Knives snarled. "What?"
"Accept that from now on you're at human mercy because there's no going back to the way you were. Just accept it."
"NEVER."
Meryl stood up quickly, letting the material in her lap fall to the floor. "Knives, would you pull your head out of your ass long enough to see that the world doesn't revolve around you and your sorry, crippled existence?!" Knives' eyes widened with amazement as he sat silently in his bed. "Think about it! There's no one like you and Knives left except for the plant angels, and really, what good are they going to do to help you in your quest for a human free Eden?! They're not, that's what!" She threw down her sewing material and stormed out of the house and into the nearest saloon.
Knives' heart sank as he realized something. He was alone. Better yet, he was always alone. He heard footsteps climbing up to the door in long, hard steps. Vash opened the door slowly as he peeked his head in, making sure Knives was awake. Their eyes met quickly, but Knives did not resist his warm glance. Knives broke down upon seeing him. Vash dropped his bags and walked quickly to his brother as he pushed away his plate, knocking it to the ground. He held his brother tightly as Knives began to sob heavily and without regret. Spiders and butterflies had no meaning to him anymore. Butterflies were just as needy as the spiders now.
***
Millie pushed the door to the house open as she saw the two men laying in the bed. She smiled upon seeing both of them sound asleep in one big, bulky heap. "I'm glad to see that Knives finally let down his big, tough, front!" Millie walked silently over to the kitchen counter and set down two bottles of ointment. Her brow was sweaty from her run home, thus convincing her it was time for a bath. She quickly threw open the cupboard doors and took a towel out of it and threw it over her shoulder. She walked slowly to the bathroom as she pulled her suspenders down around her waist. Her hands quickly twisted the knobs controlling the bath as water spiraled out of the nozzle. Soon she was down to nothing but what God gave her, as she jumped into the steaming pool of silver majesty. To her left was a pile of soaps, salts and minerals she had set out earlier that day for Knives, but decided she should use them too. Her brown hair hung down over her eyes as she dumped water over her head with a cup. The very water she bathed in was that which she had helped provide for the city. Soon her bath was over and she crawled into her towel and walked happily out of the bathroom.
Her feet stuck to the wood floor as she tread into the main living area where Knives and Vash were. Her clothes had been set out there apparently, since Meryl had been doing laundry. She snatched her clothes quickly, as to not be seen by either of the two sleeping men in the event that they should wake up. Thankfully, she got to her room fast enough that neither one saw her go into the room half naked. She quickly dressed and brushed her hair as she moved back out into the house and into the kitchen. "I think Meryl told me to make dinner tonight. I better go see what's out there." As she rounded the corner, she saw Vash staring out the window with his back towards her. He had his legs off to the side, as if he was about to get up but then got distracted.
"I told you, Rem." Millie listened as he spoke softly to an imaginary person. "I saved him. Everything is going to be alright, Rem. You don't have to worry anymore." He closed his eyes as he sighed silently. "Eden." He noticed a sound carried in the air over him as he turned slowly towards Millie. "Oh, how long have you been standing there?" He said half embarrassed, half curious.
"Just for a second." She stood further out of the hallway. "Who were you talking to?" She asked looking around the room.
Vash smiled as he stood up. "Just an old friend." He noticed an array of vegetables set out on the table and then at a lonely box. His eyes began to glaze over with delight. "Donuts?!" Millie laughed and nodded. Vash squealed and dove at the box of Cream Delights. He sat on the floor gorging himself with the baked pieces of heaven until the very last bite. By then, Knives had awoken to see his brother on the ground with a sticky ring around his mouth. Vash's green eyes wondered up and onto Knives as he licked his fingers. "Oh... did you want one?" Knives shook his head as she smiled. "Alright then! Lets give you a bath, you filthy little thing, you!" Vash jumped up and ran at Knives.
Knives put his hands up and pushed against his chest as Vash tried to grab him. "Get your sticky, slobbery paws away from me!" Vash tilted his head and sighed while he walked to the sink in a huff.
Millie walked towards Knives and smiled at him generously while she leaned down and whispered something into his ear. His eyes lit up and a smile covered his face. "Really?!" He was about to cry he was so happy.
"What? What's the good news?" Vash asked as he dried his hands.
Knives smiled at his brother for the first time in years. "I'll walk! With help, I can walk!" He pushed himself forward as he yelled it at the top of his lungs. "DO YOU HEAR ME, VASH?! PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN MAKE ME WALK! YOU SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BROTHER! YOU SAID NEVER AGAIN WILL THESE FEET SEE GROUND!"
Vash smiled as he wrapped his arms around his elated brother. "I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to see what good you'll do when you can walk again."