Disclaimer: Soggy boggy froggy loggy. EH? O_O ooookay....
Nova
Chapter 9: Caspian
Knives
The town of Caspian was incredibly quiet. Even with the humans out and about, a strange feeling hovered in the air. A feeling of apprehension. Like this town was next.
Witnessing the blast must have sent their feeble minds into a state of shock. Staring out the window of the
hotel I could see them all, they walked around like living ghosts, moving from place to place, their steps
no more than whispers.
I smirked. A little bright light and they're all scared out of their wits. If they had any in the first
place.
"It doesn't make any sense." Vash said, interrupting my thoughts.
"What doesn't?" I asked turning my head away from the window towards Vash, who was looking at a simple map of the surrounding area.
"That the second blast happened in an unpopulated area. The more I think about it, the less it makes sense."
I grunted and looked back out the window, "What I want to know is, who has the power? As much as I hate to say it: It has to be a plant. Even though I can't see why he would wipe out our brethren."
"But what would motivate someone to do this? Wiping out a city of countless millions. Including over 130
plants. It doesn't fit anyone's MO that I can think of."
"Until we get more evidence, were only going to be guessing. And then second guessing." Vash pounded his fist on the table and sighed, "But we have nothing to go on. Nothing."
*Dream*
I see someone, not far off, they are standing in a shadow. I can't see who they are.
I walk closer to the person. And then I stop.
The other, steps forward out of the shadow-
*End dream*
I shot up in bed, a gasp escaping my mouth involuntarily.
That dream. What was it?
Ever since I had first woken, after Vash's and my battle. I'd been have that same dream. Every night.
I couldn't understand it. It made no sense. At first I couldn't remember anything about the dream. Left, in
waking, with only a feeling of urgency. Then as the nights passed, they became clearer, but always ending
at the same exact time.
For some reason I had the feeling that the dream was connected to everything that was happening.
Vash
That morning at breakfast we were all-including Knives-sitting at the table in Meryl and Milly's room.
Knives was staring off into space. He hadn't touched his eggs or toast.
"I'll be right back," I said, "I'm going to get a paper."
Meryl nodded, Milly took another spoonful of pudding, and Knives didn't even blink.
I traipsed out of the hotel and across the street to the convenience store. It was still early, so not very
many people were out, except for an old man sitting beside the door. His eye's were clouded over, and he
idle tapped his cane on the sandy porch.
Instinctively I nodded to him, but of course he couldn't see me. So I entered the store, bought the
paper and hurried back to the hotel.
I was getting some odd vibes off Knives, when I reached the upper floor, I heard yelling coming from
the end of the hall. From Meryl and Milly's room.
I sprinted the last few feet of the stairs and hall and flung open the door.
The table was knocked over, Milly was back up against the wall, holding her hands in front of her mouth
watching Meryl and Knives, who were facing each other, Meryl was yelling, "- you don't own the whole goddam freaking world Mr. Knives Millions! You have no right to be ordering me around!"
She was pounding her fist against Knives' chest to emphasize each word.
Suddenly Knives just snapped, he gritted his teeth and lunged at Meryl, he had his hand around her neck
holding her up against the wall.
I dropped the paper, and rushed to Knives and tried to Pull him off.
"Don't you dare touch me you filthy human!"
"Knives! Let her go!" I grabbed his collar and yanked him back, Milly took that chance and rushed to Meryl's side.
I pulled him out of the room and slammed him against the hallway wall, "What in the hell are you thinking!"
Knives straightened his collar, "Keep you woman out of my face, Vash, or else next time I kill her."
"Knives..."
He turned away and entered our room, slamming the door behind him.
I shook my head. Damn, what had happened while I'd been gone for just a few seconds?
I went back to Meryl and Milly's room to see if Meryl was alright.
Later that night
"I will not!" Knives said indignantly.
"Well I do, but I sure as hell am not leaving you here alone. Not after what happened this morning.." I shot
back, currently trying, and I mean trying to get Knives to go to the bar with me.
"I do not and will not mingle with those vermin!" Knives backed up against the wall and wrinkled his
nose in disgust.
"You're coming with me!" I yelled and grabbed his shirt.
He swatted my hand away and backed further into the corner.
"Aw, c'mon! I haven't had a good drink since... well forever! And this town has a bar."
Knives pointed to the door, "Then go! And leave me be. Because I am not going!"
"Oh, jeez Knives, please? You can sit in the corner and mope for all I care, and not have to mingle with
the 'vermin' but we are going!"
I made a mad grab for his waist and practically carried him out of there. Just as we were leaving the
hotel's front door, he knocked me over the head with his heel of his palm, making me drop him.
He straightened his shirt and glared at me, "Fine I will go. But there is no way that I'm having any of
that damn stuff you insist on calling a drink."
"Yes!" I congratulated myself.
Knives just shook his head, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
We entered the smallish bar a little bit later. Conversation was subdued to a low murmur, barely heard
over the light jazz tunes played by the three person band at the back of the room.
Everyone looked up as we entered. "Heh," I laughed and waved. They all went back to their drinks.
Knives and I took seats at a table to the far right of the room, hidden halfway in a shadow. A petite
waitress approached our table and leaned on the back of one of the empty chairs.
"What'll you two have?"
I cleared my throat, took a quick glance at Knives and ordered a beer.
The waitress, switched her gaze from me to Knives, "And how about you?"
He gave her a half-lidded stare, "Unless you have wine, which I highly doubt, nothing."
The waitress nodded, "We have wine. Merlot, and White Zinfandel."
Knives raised his eyebrows at this, and I hid my smile behind my hand.
"The White Zinfandel then. Well? Don't just stand there wasting time!"
The waitress huffed and stalked toward the kitchen.
I chuckled and Knives glared at me.
The waitress returned with our drinks minutes later.
I took a sip on my drink just as the bar doors opened and someone in a sandy hood and cloak stepped in.
Like when Knives and I entered, everyone in the bar looked up at the newcomer, then after a few seconds
went back to their drinks. The hooded person looked around almost nervously, then when not seeing what
ever it was he/she was looking for seemed to sigh with relief.
The person, reached up and pushed back their hood. Revealing a young woman with blue colored hair, and... gold eyes.
Hello folks! I would have updated yesterday, but I've been having a seriously crappy last couple of days. I put some(evil) acne medicine on my face, and now my face is having an allergic reaction to something in it, making it WORSE!
Ooog.
And it is seriously putting a number on my psychological well being, I've already snapped at my brother a couple of times, and the poor guy was just asking for some help with his homework. Oy.
Let me let you all in on a little secret. I've always kept my self at two to four chapters written ahead of the one posted. That way I can update at my leisure and not the leisure of my muse. My poor muse had a falling out the last week but you didn't know that because I had more chapters already written. But hey look! Even with my allergic face I managed to get through my writers block and finished chapter 13! A week was all I needed to get through it! Yay for me!
Good grief! I think that's the longest authors note I've ever written!
As always much thanks to foo!
Reviewer Responses!
Rosebud: Well let's see.. Ethan travelling with them? I don't know, I'll have to consider that. It's definitely an interesting idea. And there was Knives and his eruption. 'Fraid it wasn't much, sorry.
Baz: Thanks for the advice, I'll try to keep up with your expectations.
Neptune Butterfly: S'okay that you didn't review last chapter. I seriously got to find a place to put in our beloved Kuroneko-Sama. I'm going to have some VM fluff in chapter 14(Going to start writing that tonight or tomorrow night.)
Thanks for reviewing, everyone!