T R I G U N
When Vash and Ellie had reached the Parker property, and kept driving around it until they found the house, a great white mansion, dazzling to eyes that had seen nothing but desert and crumbling cities.
Some gardens, Vash thought, disappointed but unsurprised. The land was bare, like everything else. Only the great house stood out, being more perfect and brilliant than anything Vash had ever beheld.
They drove up with little trouble only to see two armed men on the patio. "Stay here." Vash told Ellie quietly, who looked like she was in pain.
"Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Vash, I'm here to see Jess Parker." Vash answered. "Kyte sent us."
The two men nodded and Vash quickly returned to the truck in order to help Ellie out. "Is she all right?"
"She's in labor." Vash said, worried.
"Let's get her inside."
Jess Parker was a gorgeous woman, with braided sun-kissed hair and tanned skin. She was well-built and obviously commanded a lot of respect, being intelligent but not one to be messed with. Vash felt intimidated by this short and rather rough-looking lady, but said nothing, concentrating once again on his wife.
Jess signaled to the men. "She said to follow her down to the gardens."
Vash almost laughed; he had seen no gardens. There was not a weed to be seen, not a single shrubbery on the Parker Estate. Jess signaled again. "They're underground."
"Got a sore throat?" Vash asked curiously.
"She's mute." Her translator answered, lowering his weapon. He was quite a lot taller than he was, but he had no fear of him, which made Vash relax a little more. There were still some humans capable of trust.
------------
Knives was unsure where to turn as Eve's condition worsened. She could not stop shivering; at times her body convulged. Every step he took seemed to bring her more pain, and for him it was torture.
He could never have been more angry at himself. He had finally realized that he loved her. He still did not understand the emotion completely, but he knew it existed, and that he felt it towards her. But at what cost?
What was the point of loving someone if they were going to die?
Knives fought this. He would never let Eve die. She would live a long life, beside him.
His thoughts were interrupted by Eve's soft murmur. He stopped long enough to stare at her, her pale face glistening in the moonlight. He had been walking for days. "What is it?"
"You're tired. Rest."
Knives shook his head, his legs aching from walking so long. "No."
She could not take much more movement, he could tell by her constant trembling. He had no choice. He needed help.
"Where are we . . .?" Eve asked weakly.
"I'm taking you to a doctor." Knives said, not quite believing his own words.
But it was her only chance.
------------------
"Give . . . me . . . drugs!" Ellie protested as Vash carried her down the countless flights of steps that supposedly led to what Jess had called the "Eden" of the desert.
"Honey," Vash said, trying to calm her, "we're almost there."
"A sedative . . .! Morphine . . .! ANYTHING . . .!"
"How long has she been pregnant?"
"Three months," Vash answered.
"The gestation period for plants is much shorter." Jess signaled, her movements translated. "Your children are completely developed now, sex organs, eyes, the whole works."
"DRUGS!" Ellie repeated.
"Calm down, Ellie, it's al right, really."
"Oh yeah?! YOU try calming down when YOU have to push out three kids the size of watermelons through something the size of a grape! Whaddaya say to that---AAAGH! OH GOD, PLEASE GIVE ME DRUGS!"
"Mood swings." signaled Jess when Vash looked rather frightened. "It's normal."
Ellie's shouts and protests finally lessened into painful moans. Jess led them down a hallway, towards a pair of steel doors. "Here we are." She signaled. "We'll do the birthing in Eden, it'll be healthier for both Ellie and the babies." She stopped and turned to her two escorts. "Adam, take Ellie in. Vash, I need to speak with you for a moment."
The man called Adam, a smaller but kindly looking man, gently took Ellie through the doors. Jess, Vash, and her translator stood alone.
"Vash, there is something that I think you should know, because I don't think you or Ellie realize it."
Vash blinked, unsure of what she meant. "Okay . . ."
"Your kind . . . plants . . ." Jess hesitated in her movements, as if trying to come up with the right words. "Three to five children at a time is a normal thing."
"All right." Vash said, a little worried. He had figured this out already, and he knew Jess was getting at something else.
"Do you know why you have that many children at a time, Vash?"
When Vash shook his head, Jess continued signaling, sighing. "Because chances are only one will survive the birth."
-----------------
A knock on the door interrupted the meal of a medic and her family. She rose and wiped her mouth with a napkin, preparing herself for company. "I wonder who that could be at this hour . . ."
Shee opened the door and gasped. There stood the tallest man he had ever seen, a young woman draped across his back, her beautiful hair falling over his broad shoulders. He looked exhausted and she was bleeding badly. "Please help me," Knives asked weakly. "Please . . ."
"Honey?" The medic's husband rose from the table and hurried to the door, gasping. "Oh my goodness!"
"Bring them inside, quickly."
"But Lucia, I don't know if . . ."
"Quickly."
Knives collapsed on the floor, coughing as the man of the house gently took Eve into his arms. The medic gently touched his back. "Are you allright, sir?"
"Please help her," Knives begged. "She was shot . . . she may be dying, and . . ."
"I'll do the best I can," she said, shooing her young children upstairs into their rooms. She helped him up. "What is her name?"
"E-Eve . . ."
Knives went unconscious.
---------------
Jess had not made a mistake when she had named her gardens. It was the most beautiful place that Vash had ever seen cultivated by human hands. The grass was green and soft under his feet; trees of all kinds grew tall and nightingales sang sweet lullabies. Fragrant flowers grew in great fields and there was a manmade illusion of evening. A running stream curved through the glades of Eden, down a waterfall and into a small pond before continuing its way.
The garden covered ten acres of underground land, an unbelievable paradise that took Vash's breath away. "I could stay here forever." He whispered.
Jess looked at him and smiled, moving her hands swiftly. "We would be all too happy if you did."
Vash almost choked in his surprise. "Really? No, we wouldn't want to burden you . . ."
"Can you think of a better place to raise a baby?" Jess signaled, her eyes glinting brightly. She nodded. "Stay here. We will protect you and make sure you live in peace."
Vash could not believe it. All he could do was smile and bow in his gratitude.
"Mr. Stampede!" Adam's voice sounded through the gardens. "You'd better come quickly!"
---
Jess gently helped Ellie into the cool and clear waters of the lake, Vash alongside them. The pebbles under their bare feet were smooth and slippery. Jess smiled and signaled, her translator calling from the shore. "Jess says for you both to swim to the deepest part of the water--that's the best place to give birth."
"What?" Vash looked skeptical. "B-but--" He swallowed. "But I can't swim."
"It'll be like second nature." Jess signaled.
"How so?"
"You were born in a bulb. It'll all come back to you."
"What about you?" Vash asked. "Where will you be?"
"Watching at a distance."
Vash's eyes bulged. Jess laughed silently. "You are the father--you are the only one Ellie will allow to aid in the birth."
"B-but she's so tired . . ."
"At this time," Jess signaled knowingly, looking gentle and almost proud. "Both of your strength will return to you." She gave Ellie a little push. "Go on."
Ellie looked nervous as she continued out into the water until she could no longer touch. The two escorts walked off, leaving only Jess, wading to hips. Vash slowly stripped of his clothing, feeling the water seep into his mechanical arm, making it heavier. Their heads bobbed as they both swam and kept each other afloat.
Vash smiled and touched her belly. "You look like a whale."
"Haha, funny." Ellie said with a smirk. What fear she had seemed to have left her, and now she looked calm, almost angel-like, her skin radiant and her smile bright.
Vash swallowed. "Are you ready?"
Ellie nodded, and took a deep breath.
Under the water it was quiet and serene, like a completely different world. Ellie moved like she was completely at home, swimming gracefully and moving as if she were in a dance. Vash was surprised when he felt no longer weighed down by his scars and his metal limbs. He followed her, twirling around her and following her wherever she went, unsure what was going to happen. For some reason they did not need air in their lungs; they would kiss, breathing life into each other's mouths.
Ellie no longer struggled with weakness as they dove deeper to the lake bed, where Vash gained his footing and watched as Ellie danced around him in the water. He held out his arms to her and she took his hands, guiding them down her body. Her contractions had begun again. Inbetween them she would swim, as if the movement calmed and relaxed her. Yet she would always return to him, and he would touch her. He did not understand it, but somehow he knew exactly what he was doing, massaging her in certain spots with his fingers as if coaxing the birth.
Wings emerged from Ellie's shoulderblades. She looked as if she were flying.
Jess watched the water dance and took notes--Vash could see her, still knee- deep by the shore. He smiled as Ellie came around again, kissing him. He touched her and felt her body convulse--a small trickle of blood seeped from her and he saw the legs of the first baby. Ellie lingered long enough for him to gently take hold and pull it out, rushing to the surface. Jess was there and reached out, swaddling the child in blankets.
Jess signaled, but had no need. Vash could tell immediately. It was a boy.
He returned to Ellie and the water dance continued, until once again he could see the legs of his second child, a daughter. When he pulled her out he also brought out his last son, whose ankle the girl had been holding. He rushed them both towards the shore, Ellie surfacing in her exhaustion. Jess helped them all onto the soft grass, giving them loose clothing and blankets.
Jess looked sad as she handed back the three children. Only one of them, the lastborn son and the smallest of the triplets, was stirring. The skin of the others were cold and pale, their little eyes shut and their fists gripped tight. Tears formed in Ellie's eyes as she cradled all three of them; Vash wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to comfort her.
"It isn't your fault." He whispered. "It just happens like this."
The pain was nearly unbearable for him, seeing Ellie cry over the two stillborns. How many children would they have to lose in order to have just one more precious life? The suffering outweighed the joy by far, and Ellie felt it the most. Jess gently took the first son and the second daughter away, giving them a promise with a simple glance that she would bury them.
The youngest son opened his eyes and stared at his mother in wonder when he heard the sound of her voice. "Hello, little one," she whispered. There was a slight tuft of golden hair on his head, and his eyes were green.
She kissed Vash tenderly and then handed him his son. Vash cradled him, feeling as if he was holding the entirety of creation in his arms, a precious and fragile gift. "Hey," he said quietly, smiling. Tears were welling up in his eyes. "Hey, little buddy."
The baby sneezed, looking at him cross-eyed. Vash laughed a little, crying happily. "I'm your daddy."
When Vash and Ellie had reached the Parker property, and kept driving around it until they found the house, a great white mansion, dazzling to eyes that had seen nothing but desert and crumbling cities.
Some gardens, Vash thought, disappointed but unsurprised. The land was bare, like everything else. Only the great house stood out, being more perfect and brilliant than anything Vash had ever beheld.
They drove up with little trouble only to see two armed men on the patio. "Stay here." Vash told Ellie quietly, who looked like she was in pain.
"Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Vash, I'm here to see Jess Parker." Vash answered. "Kyte sent us."
The two men nodded and Vash quickly returned to the truck in order to help Ellie out. "Is she all right?"
"She's in labor." Vash said, worried.
"Let's get her inside."
Jess Parker was a gorgeous woman, with braided sun-kissed hair and tanned skin. She was well-built and obviously commanded a lot of respect, being intelligent but not one to be messed with. Vash felt intimidated by this short and rather rough-looking lady, but said nothing, concentrating once again on his wife.
Jess signaled to the men. "She said to follow her down to the gardens."
Vash almost laughed; he had seen no gardens. There was not a weed to be seen, not a single shrubbery on the Parker Estate. Jess signaled again. "They're underground."
"Got a sore throat?" Vash asked curiously.
"She's mute." Her translator answered, lowering his weapon. He was quite a lot taller than he was, but he had no fear of him, which made Vash relax a little more. There were still some humans capable of trust.
------------
Knives was unsure where to turn as Eve's condition worsened. She could not stop shivering; at times her body convulged. Every step he took seemed to bring her more pain, and for him it was torture.
He could never have been more angry at himself. He had finally realized that he loved her. He still did not understand the emotion completely, but he knew it existed, and that he felt it towards her. But at what cost?
What was the point of loving someone if they were going to die?
Knives fought this. He would never let Eve die. She would live a long life, beside him.
His thoughts were interrupted by Eve's soft murmur. He stopped long enough to stare at her, her pale face glistening in the moonlight. He had been walking for days. "What is it?"
"You're tired. Rest."
Knives shook his head, his legs aching from walking so long. "No."
She could not take much more movement, he could tell by her constant trembling. He had no choice. He needed help.
"Where are we . . .?" Eve asked weakly.
"I'm taking you to a doctor." Knives said, not quite believing his own words.
But it was her only chance.
------------------
"Give . . . me . . . drugs!" Ellie protested as Vash carried her down the countless flights of steps that supposedly led to what Jess had called the "Eden" of the desert.
"Honey," Vash said, trying to calm her, "we're almost there."
"A sedative . . .! Morphine . . .! ANYTHING . . .!"
"How long has she been pregnant?"
"Three months," Vash answered.
"The gestation period for plants is much shorter." Jess signaled, her movements translated. "Your children are completely developed now, sex organs, eyes, the whole works."
"DRUGS!" Ellie repeated.
"Calm down, Ellie, it's al right, really."
"Oh yeah?! YOU try calming down when YOU have to push out three kids the size of watermelons through something the size of a grape! Whaddaya say to that---AAAGH! OH GOD, PLEASE GIVE ME DRUGS!"
"Mood swings." signaled Jess when Vash looked rather frightened. "It's normal."
Ellie's shouts and protests finally lessened into painful moans. Jess led them down a hallway, towards a pair of steel doors. "Here we are." She signaled. "We'll do the birthing in Eden, it'll be healthier for both Ellie and the babies." She stopped and turned to her two escorts. "Adam, take Ellie in. Vash, I need to speak with you for a moment."
The man called Adam, a smaller but kindly looking man, gently took Ellie through the doors. Jess, Vash, and her translator stood alone.
"Vash, there is something that I think you should know, because I don't think you or Ellie realize it."
Vash blinked, unsure of what she meant. "Okay . . ."
"Your kind . . . plants . . ." Jess hesitated in her movements, as if trying to come up with the right words. "Three to five children at a time is a normal thing."
"All right." Vash said, a little worried. He had figured this out already, and he knew Jess was getting at something else.
"Do you know why you have that many children at a time, Vash?"
When Vash shook his head, Jess continued signaling, sighing. "Because chances are only one will survive the birth."
-----------------
A knock on the door interrupted the meal of a medic and her family. She rose and wiped her mouth with a napkin, preparing herself for company. "I wonder who that could be at this hour . . ."
Shee opened the door and gasped. There stood the tallest man he had ever seen, a young woman draped across his back, her beautiful hair falling over his broad shoulders. He looked exhausted and she was bleeding badly. "Please help me," Knives asked weakly. "Please . . ."
"Honey?" The medic's husband rose from the table and hurried to the door, gasping. "Oh my goodness!"
"Bring them inside, quickly."
"But Lucia, I don't know if . . ."
"Quickly."
Knives collapsed on the floor, coughing as the man of the house gently took Eve into his arms. The medic gently touched his back. "Are you allright, sir?"
"Please help her," Knives begged. "She was shot . . . she may be dying, and . . ."
"I'll do the best I can," she said, shooing her young children upstairs into their rooms. She helped him up. "What is her name?"
"E-Eve . . ."
Knives went unconscious.
---------------
Jess had not made a mistake when she had named her gardens. It was the most beautiful place that Vash had ever seen cultivated by human hands. The grass was green and soft under his feet; trees of all kinds grew tall and nightingales sang sweet lullabies. Fragrant flowers grew in great fields and there was a manmade illusion of evening. A running stream curved through the glades of Eden, down a waterfall and into a small pond before continuing its way.
The garden covered ten acres of underground land, an unbelievable paradise that took Vash's breath away. "I could stay here forever." He whispered.
Jess looked at him and smiled, moving her hands swiftly. "We would be all too happy if you did."
Vash almost choked in his surprise. "Really? No, we wouldn't want to burden you . . ."
"Can you think of a better place to raise a baby?" Jess signaled, her eyes glinting brightly. She nodded. "Stay here. We will protect you and make sure you live in peace."
Vash could not believe it. All he could do was smile and bow in his gratitude.
"Mr. Stampede!" Adam's voice sounded through the gardens. "You'd better come quickly!"
---
Jess gently helped Ellie into the cool and clear waters of the lake, Vash alongside them. The pebbles under their bare feet were smooth and slippery. Jess smiled and signaled, her translator calling from the shore. "Jess says for you both to swim to the deepest part of the water--that's the best place to give birth."
"What?" Vash looked skeptical. "B-but--" He swallowed. "But I can't swim."
"It'll be like second nature." Jess signaled.
"How so?"
"You were born in a bulb. It'll all come back to you."
"What about you?" Vash asked. "Where will you be?"
"Watching at a distance."
Vash's eyes bulged. Jess laughed silently. "You are the father--you are the only one Ellie will allow to aid in the birth."
"B-but she's so tired . . ."
"At this time," Jess signaled knowingly, looking gentle and almost proud. "Both of your strength will return to you." She gave Ellie a little push. "Go on."
Ellie looked nervous as she continued out into the water until she could no longer touch. The two escorts walked off, leaving only Jess, wading to hips. Vash slowly stripped of his clothing, feeling the water seep into his mechanical arm, making it heavier. Their heads bobbed as they both swam and kept each other afloat.
Vash smiled and touched her belly. "You look like a whale."
"Haha, funny." Ellie said with a smirk. What fear she had seemed to have left her, and now she looked calm, almost angel-like, her skin radiant and her smile bright.
Vash swallowed. "Are you ready?"
Ellie nodded, and took a deep breath.
Under the water it was quiet and serene, like a completely different world. Ellie moved like she was completely at home, swimming gracefully and moving as if she were in a dance. Vash was surprised when he felt no longer weighed down by his scars and his metal limbs. He followed her, twirling around her and following her wherever she went, unsure what was going to happen. For some reason they did not need air in their lungs; they would kiss, breathing life into each other's mouths.
Ellie no longer struggled with weakness as they dove deeper to the lake bed, where Vash gained his footing and watched as Ellie danced around him in the water. He held out his arms to her and she took his hands, guiding them down her body. Her contractions had begun again. Inbetween them she would swim, as if the movement calmed and relaxed her. Yet she would always return to him, and he would touch her. He did not understand it, but somehow he knew exactly what he was doing, massaging her in certain spots with his fingers as if coaxing the birth.
Wings emerged from Ellie's shoulderblades. She looked as if she were flying.
Jess watched the water dance and took notes--Vash could see her, still knee- deep by the shore. He smiled as Ellie came around again, kissing him. He touched her and felt her body convulse--a small trickle of blood seeped from her and he saw the legs of the first baby. Ellie lingered long enough for him to gently take hold and pull it out, rushing to the surface. Jess was there and reached out, swaddling the child in blankets.
Jess signaled, but had no need. Vash could tell immediately. It was a boy.
He returned to Ellie and the water dance continued, until once again he could see the legs of his second child, a daughter. When he pulled her out he also brought out his last son, whose ankle the girl had been holding. He rushed them both towards the shore, Ellie surfacing in her exhaustion. Jess helped them all onto the soft grass, giving them loose clothing and blankets.
Jess looked sad as she handed back the three children. Only one of them, the lastborn son and the smallest of the triplets, was stirring. The skin of the others were cold and pale, their little eyes shut and their fists gripped tight. Tears formed in Ellie's eyes as she cradled all three of them; Vash wrapped his arms around her, trying his best to comfort her.
"It isn't your fault." He whispered. "It just happens like this."
The pain was nearly unbearable for him, seeing Ellie cry over the two stillborns. How many children would they have to lose in order to have just one more precious life? The suffering outweighed the joy by far, and Ellie felt it the most. Jess gently took the first son and the second daughter away, giving them a promise with a simple glance that she would bury them.
The youngest son opened his eyes and stared at his mother in wonder when he heard the sound of her voice. "Hello, little one," she whispered. There was a slight tuft of golden hair on his head, and his eyes were green.
She kissed Vash tenderly and then handed him his son. Vash cradled him, feeling as if he was holding the entirety of creation in his arms, a precious and fragile gift. "Hey," he said quietly, smiling. Tears were welling up in his eyes. "Hey, little buddy."
The baby sneezed, looking at him cross-eyed. Vash laughed a little, crying happily. "I'm your daddy."