Nova
Chapter 19: Walking and talking
Meryl
It wasn't much later that we left the luminous cavern.
Vash and Knives made up the front of our little parade, Wolfwood and Milly the back. They were walking arm in arm, speaking softly to one another. Kestrel and I were left in the middle.
I really didn't like the echoing quiet around us, except for Milly and Wolfwood's subtle whispers the only sound was of our feet scraping and trudging through the tunnels.
"Oh, what I would do to see the sun." I muttered.
"Yeah, I know," Kestrel said back, "This dark is really starting to get to me."
"Hopefully we can get out of here soon."
"Back home, in Lanoth, someone go the bright idea to try and map the sandworm tunnels. He only got about a eighty ile circumference before finally giving up."
"Eighty iles?"
"Yep, no doubt they went even further."
"Wow... What is Lanoth like?"
"Oh it's beautiful. You can really tell the change in seasons there better than you can on the rest of Gunsmoke. In autumn when all the leaves begin to change it's like being transported to another world. Everything and everyone seemed to relax in the fall. I don't know why. Maybe its because of the Great Fall Celebration."
"The Great Fall Celebration?"
"Yeah, kinda funny that it's in the fall," she laughed, "you see in Lanoth, we don't see our falling to this planet as a curse. To Lanothians, the day that we fell to this sandy world was the day that humanity grew. In spirit. Though humanity hasn't yet reached adulthood, we are no longer children. Earth was our cradle. Now we have moved beyond that. We still have a lot to grow and to learn before we reach adulthood and this planet and surviving its treacherous environment is the next obstacle course."
"You're what?!" Wolfwood's voice cut through the silence of the tunnel, Vash glanced back momentarily and flashed me a wide grin.
I laughed, "I guess she finally told him."
Kestrel looked at Milly and Wolfwood out of the corner of her eye, and smiled, "They're a cute couple."
"Yeah, they are."
Kestrel smiled again and looked away.
"So do you have someone waiting for you back in Lanoth?"
Kestrel snorted, "Naw. Last boyfriend I had was a year ago. We broke up over a silly little argument, I can't even remember what it was. Guess it wasn't meant to be." She sighed, shrugging, "I haven't really been looking."
"Ah,"
Wolfwood
"I really don't understand it, Milly." I sighed, "I mean, It's not like I'm not happy to be back, but I want to know 'why'. She said there was a reason for me to return. Is it too much to ask for an explanation?"
"I don't think so. Can't you contact... um... Her?"
"If I can, I don't know how. It's not like I have telepathy like Vash, Knives or Kestrel."
"My big big brother always said: The answers to life's questions will come to you when they, and they alone, are ready."
I laughed, "Did he now?"
"Yep! My big big brother was always talking about fate and destiny. He and Papa would get into these really long philosophical conversations over meal times." She laughed, "Mama got so tired of it she only allowed it during dinner."
I laughed again, "What a strange family you have, Milly! I would love to meet them."
"They would adore you!" Milly clapped her hands together happily.
"Why do I get the feeling that's an understatement?"
Milly giggled.
Then her face took on a more serious look and she began wringing her hands.
"Nicholas there's something I have to tell you."
"What is it, Milly?"
"Do you remember... before you died... we..."
I nodded, smiling, then I frowned, "You don't regret it do you?"
Milly's eyes widened, "Oh, no. Not at all! that was the most wonderful day of my life. But I... well I wanted to tell you that I'm... I'm pregnant."
"You're what?!" I couldn't help it. This was something I hadn't seen coming.
Milly giggled, "I'm pregnant. Twins."
"You're..." I shifted my cross on my shoulder so I could look at Milly, "Wow, I'm going to be a father?"
Milly leaned over and kissed my cheek lightly, "You're going to be a father."
I laughed, "Great! Can we name 'em both Wolfwood Jr.?"
Milly giggled, "Silly man, one of them is a girl."
"Oh. Oh, OK. Then the boy can be Wolfwood Jr. And the girl can be Milly Jr."
She laughed and I took her hand into mine.
"I just hope they are as smart as you."
Knives
I wanted to puke.
All these humans talk about is nonsense.
Honestly, listening to thomas' giving birth would be more interesting.
What they though of was even worse, I'd managed to break through a few of the barriers Vash had set up in my mind, but I couldn't effect anything. I could enter others minds, but I could not affect them, just listen.
Kestrel was wondering about her father, and if his leg was still broken from some fall or another.
The human Meryl was thinking incredibly disturbing thoughts about Vash.
The human Milly was thinking up names for her two brats.
And the priest... all he wanted was a smoke.
Oh and speaking of odd thoughts, I kept getting these donut cravings coming from Vash.
I'm surrounded by imbeciles.
It takes one to know one, Knives
Kestrel.
Dammit human, stop waltzing your way into my head!
Her mental laughter echoed in my head, Really Knives. I could say the same to you.
Why you--
Ever heard the saying 'you reap what you sew?'
Of course.
How about: Do unto others as you would do unto them?
Your point, human?
She laughed again, It's not that hard to figure out, buddy. You stay out of my head and I'll stay out of yours.
I do what I want.
As do I.
I cursed under my breath, Stay out, human, or--
Or what, Knives? You'll kill me?
I might.
I don't think so. You're worthless without your powers. And your gun has no bullets.
Dammit, human--
You know you say that a lot. Don't you have any other curse words? I would think a 130 year old would know every curse in the book. Or don't you read?
Puttana.
What's that?
Italian for bitch.
She burst out laughing. Everyone looked at her in surprise and she just waved sheepishly.
I shook my head and sighed.
She's really cute, ain't she? Vash said.
Oh shut up, Vash.
He chuckled.
Unknown
"Where are they!?" He yelled into the dark recesses of his ship.
Not having the mental capacity to respond, the automatons in front of him could only stand there. They idly shifted form one clawed foot to the other.
He growled out in frustration, "You will not escape me that easily, little simaki."
He mentally ordered more of the automatons down into the vast circuit of tunnels.
"I will find you, little simaki, no matter how long it takes, and I will destroy you!"
Many thankees to foo!
Reviewer responses
Lord Hustino: A hell, man, you always say that. Me is happy, though. so don't stop. Unless I do something bad. hehe.
Saroya: 'Soon' is here! an thank you.
Batbabe1: I am ashamed. But you liked it so I hope you can forgive me. LoL
Chibi Chibi: thanks, I thought i was being clever, hehe. and its alright for not review every chpter. just as long as it's a good read. that all that matters..... sorta. hehe
SuperNova: Thankyou!
Rosebud: ah you don't know how much I fretted when I didn't get your review within the first couple of days. I was worried. Very worried. I am happy to hope that I did a good job on bringing Wolfwood back. and you are right. Many stories really don't bring him back realistically.
Chapter 19: Walking and talking
Meryl
It wasn't much later that we left the luminous cavern.
Vash and Knives made up the front of our little parade, Wolfwood and Milly the back. They were walking arm in arm, speaking softly to one another. Kestrel and I were left in the middle.
I really didn't like the echoing quiet around us, except for Milly and Wolfwood's subtle whispers the only sound was of our feet scraping and trudging through the tunnels.
"Oh, what I would do to see the sun." I muttered.
"Yeah, I know," Kestrel said back, "This dark is really starting to get to me."
"Hopefully we can get out of here soon."
"Back home, in Lanoth, someone go the bright idea to try and map the sandworm tunnels. He only got about a eighty ile circumference before finally giving up."
"Eighty iles?"
"Yep, no doubt they went even further."
"Wow... What is Lanoth like?"
"Oh it's beautiful. You can really tell the change in seasons there better than you can on the rest of Gunsmoke. In autumn when all the leaves begin to change it's like being transported to another world. Everything and everyone seemed to relax in the fall. I don't know why. Maybe its because of the Great Fall Celebration."
"The Great Fall Celebration?"
"Yeah, kinda funny that it's in the fall," she laughed, "you see in Lanoth, we don't see our falling to this planet as a curse. To Lanothians, the day that we fell to this sandy world was the day that humanity grew. In spirit. Though humanity hasn't yet reached adulthood, we are no longer children. Earth was our cradle. Now we have moved beyond that. We still have a lot to grow and to learn before we reach adulthood and this planet and surviving its treacherous environment is the next obstacle course."
"You're what?!" Wolfwood's voice cut through the silence of the tunnel, Vash glanced back momentarily and flashed me a wide grin.
I laughed, "I guess she finally told him."
Kestrel looked at Milly and Wolfwood out of the corner of her eye, and smiled, "They're a cute couple."
"Yeah, they are."
Kestrel smiled again and looked away.
"So do you have someone waiting for you back in Lanoth?"
Kestrel snorted, "Naw. Last boyfriend I had was a year ago. We broke up over a silly little argument, I can't even remember what it was. Guess it wasn't meant to be." She sighed, shrugging, "I haven't really been looking."
"Ah,"
Wolfwood
"I really don't understand it, Milly." I sighed, "I mean, It's not like I'm not happy to be back, but I want to know 'why'. She said there was a reason for me to return. Is it too much to ask for an explanation?"
"I don't think so. Can't you contact... um... Her?"
"If I can, I don't know how. It's not like I have telepathy like Vash, Knives or Kestrel."
"My big big brother always said: The answers to life's questions will come to you when they, and they alone, are ready."
I laughed, "Did he now?"
"Yep! My big big brother was always talking about fate and destiny. He and Papa would get into these really long philosophical conversations over meal times." She laughed, "Mama got so tired of it she only allowed it during dinner."
I laughed again, "What a strange family you have, Milly! I would love to meet them."
"They would adore you!" Milly clapped her hands together happily.
"Why do I get the feeling that's an understatement?"
Milly giggled.
Then her face took on a more serious look and she began wringing her hands.
"Nicholas there's something I have to tell you."
"What is it, Milly?"
"Do you remember... before you died... we..."
I nodded, smiling, then I frowned, "You don't regret it do you?"
Milly's eyes widened, "Oh, no. Not at all! that was the most wonderful day of my life. But I... well I wanted to tell you that I'm... I'm pregnant."
"You're what?!" I couldn't help it. This was something I hadn't seen coming.
Milly giggled, "I'm pregnant. Twins."
"You're..." I shifted my cross on my shoulder so I could look at Milly, "Wow, I'm going to be a father?"
Milly leaned over and kissed my cheek lightly, "You're going to be a father."
I laughed, "Great! Can we name 'em both Wolfwood Jr.?"
Milly giggled, "Silly man, one of them is a girl."
"Oh. Oh, OK. Then the boy can be Wolfwood Jr. And the girl can be Milly Jr."
She laughed and I took her hand into mine.
"I just hope they are as smart as you."
Knives
I wanted to puke.
All these humans talk about is nonsense.
Honestly, listening to thomas' giving birth would be more interesting.
What they though of was even worse, I'd managed to break through a few of the barriers Vash had set up in my mind, but I couldn't effect anything. I could enter others minds, but I could not affect them, just listen.
Kestrel was wondering about her father, and if his leg was still broken from some fall or another.
The human Meryl was thinking incredibly disturbing thoughts about Vash.
The human Milly was thinking up names for her two brats.
And the priest... all he wanted was a smoke.
Oh and speaking of odd thoughts, I kept getting these donut cravings coming from Vash.
I'm surrounded by imbeciles.
It takes one to know one, Knives
Kestrel.
Dammit human, stop waltzing your way into my head!
Her mental laughter echoed in my head, Really Knives. I could say the same to you.
Why you--
Ever heard the saying 'you reap what you sew?'
Of course.
How about: Do unto others as you would do unto them?
Your point, human?
She laughed again, It's not that hard to figure out, buddy. You stay out of my head and I'll stay out of yours.
I do what I want.
As do I.
I cursed under my breath, Stay out, human, or--
Or what, Knives? You'll kill me?
I might.
I don't think so. You're worthless without your powers. And your gun has no bullets.
Dammit, human--
You know you say that a lot. Don't you have any other curse words? I would think a 130 year old would know every curse in the book. Or don't you read?
Puttana.
What's that?
Italian for bitch.
She burst out laughing. Everyone looked at her in surprise and she just waved sheepishly.
I shook my head and sighed.
She's really cute, ain't she? Vash said.
Oh shut up, Vash.
He chuckled.
Unknown
"Where are they!?" He yelled into the dark recesses of his ship.
Not having the mental capacity to respond, the automatons in front of him could only stand there. They idly shifted form one clawed foot to the other.
He growled out in frustration, "You will not escape me that easily, little simaki."
He mentally ordered more of the automatons down into the vast circuit of tunnels.
"I will find you, little simaki, no matter how long it takes, and I will destroy you!"
Many thankees to foo!
Reviewer responses
Lord Hustino: A hell, man, you always say that. Me is happy, though. so don't stop. Unless I do something bad. hehe.
Saroya: 'Soon' is here! an thank you.
Batbabe1: I am ashamed. But you liked it so I hope you can forgive me. LoL
Chibi Chibi: thanks, I thought i was being clever, hehe. and its alright for not review every chpter. just as long as it's a good read. that all that matters..... sorta. hehe
SuperNova: Thankyou!
Rosebud: ah you don't know how much I fretted when I didn't get your review within the first couple of days. I was worried. Very worried. I am happy to hope that I did a good job on bringing Wolfwood back. and you are right. Many stories really don't bring him back realistically.