I felt chapter 7 was on a knife-edge border between genius and bullshit, and upon later review I didn't think it was any work of genius. Sorry about that. Well anyway, here's to hoping this chapter is better.

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Vash awoke to the aroma of bacon and eggs. He stirred and stretched in his bed, squirming to fight off languor. Opening his eyes to a blank ceiling, he paused and tried to recall where he was. Quite suddenly, images and sounds and pain flooded back to him like a foggy tidal wave. Having so many thoughts pressed on him at once, Vash began to feel drained despite the many hours of sleep he had risen from.

He slid out of bed, feeling the cool hardwood floor beneath his feet. Glancing around he noticed for the first time that the room in which he stayed was rather spartan. Only one painting of a single flower in a bland, brown vase decorated the wall. Shrugging off this minor detail, Vash walked unsteadily to the door and twisted the knob, it was unlocked. He entered a larger, though similarly undecorated, anteroom occupied by a sofa and a comfy chair sitting along the walls opposite of each other.

Padding softly to the end of the anteroom, Vash found the exit to also be unlocked, though it was jammed shut. Leaning his weight against the door, he managed to force it open. From the corner of the room, obstructed from view by the door, Hammer greeted Vash. "I'm glad you're awake. I was trying to keep the eggs warm by leaving them on the stove, but it looked like they were starting to burn." Vash stepped in the room and closed the door behind him. Now he could see Hammer, and upon sight turned to go back to bed. The plant was still sporting his purple scarf, now accompanied by a pink and white apron tied off in a neat bow.

Hammer looked up from his work and presently threw up his arms to hide from Vash. "Hey, don't come in here naked, brother." Vash shot an embarrassed glance downward. He was still in his boxers, but despite the multitude of holes it seemed like enough clothing to him. Hammer dropped his arms to his sides, chuckling and flicked his earring, arranging the prepared breakfast onto plates. "It's alright, you're fine. I was hoping you could take a joke."

"Oh," was Vash's only reply. He took a seat at the small, round dining table and began serving himself. Curiosity compounded by frustration at working with one hand boiled inside him until he could no longer suppress his question. "Where did you get meat like bacon and eggs?"

"From animals. Could you pass the butter and jam?" Vash obliged, waiting for a serious answer. Lethargic and hesitant to eat at first, Vash waned a liking for his meal, soon forgetting his question. Towards the end of the meal the remembered his question, and continued waiting to hear the real answer.

Setting his fork down with a pleased finality, Hammer wiped his mouth clean and looked to Vash. "Would you like to come outside with me? The weather is very nice today." He rose from his seat and started stacking dishes in a pile to be cleaned later. Vash handed him his plate, thinking over the offer. "Come on, what else are you going to do all day?" There was nothing else for him to do, so Vash agreed.

"The only problem is I'm naked, remember?" Hammer refuted the comment and directed him to a set of clean clothes by the bed in his room. Following Vash back through the anteroom, he flopped down on the couch where he remained until Vash reemerged in plain brown slacks and a loosely buttoned shirt. Prostrate on the couch, Hammer flicked his earring again. He rose as Vash passed him and dashed around to lead him out the back door. Outside he tightened the knot on his apron, glancing over his shoulder at Vash.

Fields of deep green extended far across the land, swishing to and fro in the gentle wind. Rivulets cascaded downhill away from the house, building up in small pools here and there, eventually breaking the miniature dams of twigs and grass they encountered and resuming their lazy drift toward the unknown. Vash traced many of the streams back to a pond to the side of the house, home to various cattails, lily pads, and small amphibians. There were no trees, but there was a space of ground that had been upturned, and upon inquiry Vash discovered a tree was once there. It had since then been uprooted and moved to some other corner of the world to spawn a new garden. Only after wandering the secluded plot of Eden did Vash hear an unfamiliar, yet distinct, chorus of sounds coming from a wooden pen set near the house. Peeping around a roughly hewn corner, Vash met the slitted-eyed gaze of a billy goat. He watched it for some time, smiling each time it bayed. Fascinated as a little boy, Vash circled around the pen, spotting chickens, pigs, and a milk cow all grazing quietly on hay.

"Where did you find these animals?" Vash asked with bright curiosity.

Hammer placed his hands atop a beam enclosing the pen, leaning against it and peering down at the chickens. "When I left my ship I looked for the next nearest one, and happened across this one. I guess there were farm animals kept onboard. They must have figured out a long time ago that this area was the only place food would grow, so they never migrated anywhere else."

A new thought scraped at Vash, one of mild concern. "How did you know about that tree if you didn't live here? You couldn't have heard anyone talking about it."

Drawing deep breaths, Hammer gazed at the chickens, apparently oblivious to the question. Breathing for some time he finally turned to Vash to answer his question. "We plants are attuned to nature, even more so when linked to our generator apparatus. The plants, vegetation I mean, and animals of this place heard people talking with one another about moving the tree, and I was later told by the grass what had happened." Vash was shocked. In his entire life, which constituted about one-hundred-thirty years, he had never been attuned to nature. Picking up on his confusion, Hammer explained, "You, of course, wouldn't know this because you have been exposed to little, if any, nature during your life. I suppose it could even be that you are simply weak in that category whereas I am strong."

Vash considered this at great length. He was never aware that he and his brother may have separate abilities. This thought then led him to wonder what capabilities Knives had at his disposal. Hammer paced around toward the field of grass, looking about nervously and flicking his earring. "I am not a fighter, but I will protect this land with my life, and don't think I'd allow myself to die fighting. If anyone comes along here toting trouble I plan on winning."

"How?" Vash followed his unusual host out to the sloping green hills, carefully stepping over anything that could be crushed underfoot.

"How, indeed," Hammer retorted. He came to a stop and spread his arms out wide. Leaving himself open, he commanded to Vash, "Shoot me."

"What? No! Why would I shoot you? I wouldn't! And besides that, I don't have a gun to shoot you with." Hammer crossed his arms and rubbed his chin, frowning thoughtfully at the ground.

"This does present a problem." Hammer scanned the area for any ideas to solve his minor dilemma. Crying triumphantly, gesturing his enlightenment, Hammer walked briskly to a point on the ground he was staring at. Scrounging through the grass, he clutched at a small rock and hiked it to Vash. "Throw this at me."

Vash expertly snatched the rock from its trajectory. He kneaded the small stone in his hand and frowned at Hammer. "Are you a masochist, or something?"

Hammer laughed raucously, flicking his earring. "Goodness, no. But I assure you that no matter how hard you throw that rock, no matter where you hit me, you will not hurt me in the slightest." Vash hummed to himself, perturbed at Hammer's persistence. This was beginning to annoy him, yet he felt strangely obligated to do as he was told so he could repay the hospitality and kindness he was given. Reeling his arm back with a pause of uncertainty, Vash chucked the little stone lightly at Hammer. It bounced off with a muffled thud, rolling through the grass. Hammer retrieved it in disappointment, casting it back to Vash. Assuring Vash that he could do better, Hammer stood unguarded for another attack. Still uncomfortable with the situation, Vash lobbed the stone with slightly greater force. It bumped against him with a soft thump, paused for a second or two, and fell to the ground.

"Did I just see it come to a dead stop?!" Vash implored. Hammer nodded, a smile stretching across his pale face, and he again recovered the stone. Smiling deviously, he tacitly challenged Vash to throw with greater force. Taking the stone in his hand again, rearing back to launch it with a full-bodied throw, Vash launched the tiny rock with an aggressive pitch. Sailing through the air, the rock smacked against Hammer and froze instantly. There was no effect, not even his clothes were ruffled. Vash cursed aloud.

Filled with mirth, Hammer chuckled sheepishly as he stooped to retrieve the stone once more, juggling it in one hand. "It appears I also have the ability to nullify vectors. What that basically means is if anyone tries to assault me corporeally in any manner I can strip them of any offensive power through mere physical contact. I'm invincible." Hammer tossed the stone into the air, moving his other hand above it to intercept it. On contact, the stone went motionless. "While this has no directly offensive capabilities, I suppose I could do something drastic like stop one's heart and whatnot." The stone peeled slowly from the surface of his hand and continued its regular descent to the earth. "I can activate and deactivate this skill any time I wish, though it does drain me to use it for long periods of time."

Vash watched the stone with wonder and curiosity, chewing his words for something appropriate to say. Hammer sighed and flicked his earring, turning disheartened. "Unfortunately, I can't go with you. I've already explained that I want to protect this little oasis in hopes that someone like you will bring others here. I must act as guardian to this place that may hold the future of this planet."

"Friend, even if you offered I wouldn't want you to come." Hammer turned a quizzical eye on Vash, asking why he would turn down help. "Because this is my battle. Knives is my brother, and no one else's. He is my responsibility and I will make sure he causes no one else any harm."

"Is it possible you're taking this too hard on yourself? It looks quite illogical to me to blame yourself for the actions of another, especially an insane man." Vash shot him an angry glare, which he was quick to defend himself against. "Sorry to offend you, but I've seen him when he gets really nasty." He flicked his earring. "I think God would piss his pants if he saw the frustration and hatred bottled up in Knives aimed directly at him the way I did." Deep melancholy filled Vash and his shoulders sagged under the weight of disappointment in his brother. "Don't feel bad about it. I'm sure he won't be doing anything for at least a week, so you're welcome to stay longer if you need to."

"Thank you. I think I will." Vash wandered back over to the animal pen, looking longingly at the simple creatures. "Do you have any chores I could do while I stay? I need to get into the practice of only using one arm, after all."

"Well certainly! I should think we will begin you with a regimen of wood chopping, how does that sound?"

Vash smiled warmly. "I would like that." Hammer returned the smile and set off to grab the ax, flicking his earring along the way.

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Well, there. Was that any better? I don't have anything else to say.