I'd have gotten to this chapter sooner, had my computer not been stricken by a little problem. It was a fairly simple thing, really- computers are, indeed, quite flammable, as mine recently proved. Thus, instead of writing, I was rebuilding my charred system. Now I'm back up and running, with very little loss of irreplaceable things despite my old HD ending up extra crispy (Just about all my writing was already on the site). As a consequence, I've lost all of my E-mail addys and messages as of the end of 2004, so you may want to drop a quick line. I might even reply! Honest! Don't laugh, that's mean... Ah well... The story moves on!
Disclaimer: Fire bad! FIRE BAD!
Chapter 28: Ups and Downs
He definitely needed to figure out some way of getting more hours in the night, if this was how they would be budgeted from now on. Even plants needed to sleep sometime. At least the few hours he had managed to get were top notch as quality went. A workout always helped him fall sound asleep, a soft bed meant no soreness in waking, but all of that was nothing compared to the wonderful feeling of peace he had that morning, the source curled next to him. It was really great, to be alive, to love, and be loved in turn. The soft yellow light that filtered in from outside left everything in an uncertain haze, save for what he could feel right beside him. It was almost perfect...
And then it was perfect. The moment hadn't changed at all, save only one little detail. Violet and aquamarine could finally see the other. It was such a small thing to change, but it did create perfection. Not for the physical change itself, but the mere fact that now, the moment was shared, and that made the difference. This moment was theirs, now and forever.
Breakfast in bed. Searching her memory as far back as it could go, she couldn't remember anyone serving her breakfast in bed simply to pamper. Usually, there was work to be done or a schedule to keep, and that would have her up and out the door in no time flat- breakfast often squeezed down into a ration bar that would be devoured on the way to whatever fire she had to put out that day. Time spent idly eating was time that could often be put to better use, not to mention that there was rarely anyone around to go to such lengths over her.
Still, all that had or hadn't happened in the past was completely irrelevant to the eggs, toast, and coffee on the squat little tray table before her. Vash- no, her husband -had insisted on it, despite her misgivings on the fireproofing of the kitchen nook and the edibility of his cooking. Surprisingly, it was not only edible, but downright delicious, and absolutely nothing exploded in the preparation. Still, something just wasn't right. Nothing was obviously wrong either, so maybe this was just an adjustment to married life. Breakfast soon vanished, and the tray table was whisked off before she could lift a finger. Slipping back down under the bedcovers, she wiggled into the mattress and was just starting to doze off when it hit her.
She didn't want to get out of bed.
She didn't want to be peeking through blinds to see if it was safe. She didn't want to wear a dingy gray cavalry uniform as a disguise. She didn't want to be chased around the planet by bounty hunters. However, all those things lay just beyond the bed she was in. No wonder she didn't want to get out of bed. She sighed and pulled the covers over her head. Maybe the nasty world would be suddenly replaced with a nicer, less lethal version if she didn't watch.
However, her little nest didn't remain undisturbed for long. A finger poked at her ribs through the sheets, so she turned over. It came again, poking the small of her back, so she flipped over again. An exaggerated "Hmmm..." came from somewhere above the covers, and nothing happened for a few seconds. Then a pair of hands clamped down, and she shot up with a squawk. "Vash!"
"Ooh, soft..."
Her clenched fist went up, intent on rattling around whatever he kept in his head, but the intent petered out. Her hand didn't even manage to get through his hair before dropping down onto the sheets. Vash's overly smug look dropped with it, taking on the fine lines of concern. Before he could speak the question she knew he was about to ask, she answered. "I'm just... tired."
And with that, she rolled over, bringing up the covers again and hoping he'd get the idea. Of course, that was wishful thinking. The mattress shifted a few times, and then the covers were slowly peeled back from her face. He was now lying beside her, the concern even more deeply rooted on his face and sadness in his eyes. "Meryl?"
"It's not about you, if that's what you're thinking."
She turned her head up and sighed. An arm came from around and under to gently shift her over, placing her head right under his chin, in the crook of his neck. Her own arm came up, pushing aside the sheets, and circled around his back. She drew him in tightly, a sudden need for warmth overriding the cause for caution what with all the pieces of metal that were stuck in his body. She felt his voice rumble to life again. "Does it hurt?"
"Yes, but it's okay. But... can we stay like this, for now? I... I..." Her voice was cracking. Damn it all, this just wasn't her. His other arm came up and he stroked her hair as she swallowed against the horrible despair that was welling up from a dark pit inside her.
"Way back, a few days after the ships crashed, I was trying to get to sleep. Suddenly, I started crying. I didn't know why, I thought I can already cried over everything that I had lost, so I didn't know why I was crying... It took a long time to understand, I only figured it out after you saved me. I was mourning the future I had lost, of the nice happy easy days, that I thought would have gone on forever... However, it was also something more. Though I didn't know it then, I was also glad, in a strange way. The future I had always assumed would be there, set in stone, was gone, and yet... I still had a future. I was still alive, still me. I had a second chance to make a future, a new one. I know now that no matter what happens, as long as I'm alive, I can keep making new futures, filling in my blank tickets. It's okay to cry now, because it's not about weakness or loss, it's about finding the strength to create a new future. So go ahead, show me you're strong enough to make a new one."
The dam burst, and she bawled into his chest. The sobs shook her whole body as she cried, the tears carrying away the fractured pieces of her old hopes and dreams. As they trickled out, things began to emerge from the rubble. Simple things, important things, things she had built the hopes and dreams upon and then forgotten about, now standing like mountains, tall and proud, ready to something new to be built upon them. Still she cried, now at the joy of all that she still had and the possibility of what could be. He held her the whole time, not letting go. She wasn't an insurance girl anymore, with a mid-sized apartment on the south side of December and a knack for damage assessment. She was Meryl Stryfe, the Stampede's wife, now ready to write her own part of the legend.
Elsewhere in town, another walking plant was also working on the future. However, this was in a specific timescale, with defined goals. Namely, for what would happen in a week hence, and for the quick departure the event would likely entail. Thus it was that Millions Knives was again found working on an old transport in an alley beside the apartment block, giving the engine a thorough cleaning. The midday suns beat down relentlessly, soon forcing the not-so-good brother to reluctantly shed his armor. It was for the best, anyway- the truck was in poor shape, and kept spilling its various fluids on the displeased form beneath.
"Here."
"Be faster next time."
He dragged the towel in as brother's youngest pet human kicked some sand over his legs. It seemed that brother never disciplined his pets in the least. That this one managed any control at all was astounding given her condition. The stewpot of hormonal influences he could smell wafting off her only hinted at what was doubtlessly raging beneath. It was bad enough that he had taken a quick look inside her mind, and it assuaged his concerns over her somewhat. Brother was at the center of the universe as she saw it, and her fawning devotion for him was exactly how humans ought to view their superiors. A little education and discipline would have her exactly where she should be, though brother mostly likely would end up filling her head with nonsense and turn a potentially effective servant into yet another threat.
Such thoughts, while certainly having their time and place, did not belong at this time and place, as a radiator hose, partially decayed, finally burst in a spray of water. Deciding that the system was best left to drain before he removed the faulty part, he slid out from under the transport and went to replenish his own water supply. As he drank, a memory from long ago surfaced, about how he and Vash had once ran themselves into a sweaty mess back on the ship, then how Rem had simply smiled at them and hoisted up a watering bucket up to pour all over them. He had laughed so much back then, at how the water felt falling down on him like that. He lifted up the water glass he now held, just about to pour the remainder over his torso, when he abruptly came to his senses. He couldn't believe what he had almost done. His sisters were being drained of life to produce this liquid, and he had almost gone and wasted it frivolously! Being around brother was getting to him, he was losing focus on what was really important. If this continued...
A growl emerged from the back of his throat, and he plunged back under the transport. Curse that old hag for corrupting brother! If it hadn't been for that chance discovery, neither of them might have known what danger was around until it was too late. However, brother was still caught up in her treacherous web. He was so infuriated that he had taken off over half the support bolts before noticing that a wrench was the proper tool for the job, not his hands. He grunted in annoyance at the half dozen stripped bolts he held- more parts to replace that he wouldn't of needed to replace had he just remained focused. He hunted for a wrench for a few moments, then remembered that he had placed it back in the toolbox.
"Girl! Bring me the smaller wrench!"
There was no response. He looked around for her red boots, but couldn't spot them anywhere. Now thoroughly annoyed, he started to /listen/ for her. He /heard/ her right away, towards the back of the alley. The warble of fear was unmistakable. He popped out from beneath the truck in a moment, cursing the sheer number of people that left him unable to constantly /listen/ for danger. A quick scan showed no other humans nearby, and she looked intact, at least from the back. A few strides had him right behind her, looking over her shoulder at what she had focused upon. There was a slight quantity of blood on her hand.
"What did you cut yourself on?"
She shrieked, jumping up so high that they were eye to eye and at the same time attempted to deliver a roundhouse kick. As if he would get caught by surprise as easily as she was. He debated how hard he should throw her, but decided that the less the damage done, the better, since brother would make a fuss over the slightest scratch even if it was entirely the fault of his own pets for reacting improperly. Still, it was only natural for them to lash out when surprised- how was it that the Evergreen had put it? 'The cornered mouse attacks the cat,' indeed. He caught the leg and twisted around and back, neatly diverting momentum from a roundhouse kick into a belly flop. It wouldn't cause any damage, but it would set off just about every skin level pain receptor, hopefully teaching this pet to check twice before baring fangs. However, like so many of brother's pets, this one would be just as slow to learn.
"You jerk! What did you do that for!"
He was not in the mood for this, so he got right in her face. "Do not. Do. That. Again."
"Y-yeah... Sorry..."
"Now, what did you cut yourself on?"
"Nothing! It's... It's..."
"Nothing?" He strongly doubted it, but there appeared to be no breaks in the skin on her hand or forearm, so where had the blood come from? She was being unusually evasive about it, which was counter to any treatment that might be applied. Tiring of her blustering, he lightly skimmed her mind. Ah. Humans and their elaborate social taboos. Really, to get so worked up over a natural part of your species' biological processes. Still, didn't they bother to at least point out a few very simple facts sometime in the process of instilling those taboos on bits of anatomy? However, even though he knew exactly what was happening, he did not know of any remedy for the side effects that presented themselves. For one, he was male and thus it had no bearing on him. For another, it was not something his sisters would deal with either. Fortunately, there was another human female among brother's pets that would know what to do.
"Go back inside and see Milly. She can deal with it, and it is perfectly normal. Now go!"
She scrambled off, embarrassment having turned her nearly as red as her boots. Human females... Far too unpredictable and subject to fluctuation. It was odd that even one had proved stable enough for the reliability he demanded among the Gung-ho Guns. Why anyone would prefer to be one of those things was beyond him, but effectiveness was effectiveness. And speaking of which...
"Hey, handsome."
He ignored the pretty faces that rounded the corner and ducked back under the truck. "Get me the smaller wrench from the toolbox."
The tool was handed over promptly. At least these two were always helpful and did exactly as told. Brother's pets could learn a thing or two from their example. Of course, not being plants, they did have their flaws...
"Mmm... It's a shame you keep that shirt on so much, it's practically a crime to keep that body covered."
He winced in annoyance. Yes, it would be better to keep them separate. Brother's pets would probably just pick up the negatives, and then he might have to do something drastic to stay sane.
Yes, I know it's been a long time. Still, I did have a very good reason. Restoring a system from nearly nothing isn't easy.
Legato: It was divine punishment for disrespect to my master. And your loss was not that great.
Wolfwood: Bet he misses his pr0n collection. How much did you have again?
Zip it, both of you.
Legato: Yes, so much dirty material, that only the cleansing fire could purify it.
Wolfwood: Man, must have been pretty hot stuff!
Thin lava crust, fellows.
Legato: It was a lousy system anyway, unworthy of having my master's name typed upon it.
THAT'S IT! Nobody insults my computer! Legato, I'm going to turn you into your manga form! ¤pulls out The Stick and unleashes the deadly art of IPityDa'-Fu, much pain commences¤
Wolfwood: Well, while those two are busy, let's see what I can find on the 'net... Uh huh, yeah, standard fanfics... o.O; I never did that with Vash!
betsytheripper: I think I owe everyone a free cookie for the wait. Dig in!
inkydoo: Double plus good? Really? I'm impressed. And everyone will not be dead by the end. I think.
cjflutterbye: I think just about anyone can figure out where I'm going with Milly by now. And where was my threat of maiming and/or death? I assume it was because of excessive fury, though I hope Knives's wardrobe today made up for it slightly.
mangaqueen: Hmm... I wonder how far in you got.
Yma: I see you've taken up the old writing implement of choice again. A little competition is a good thing :) Today's installment is a first time thing, something new for me with the Interlude-chapter combo. Also good to hear that I captured so many details, though the confusion is to be expected... Only had almost the whole cast in one big room, what could go wrong:P
Blu: Legato won't be causing any more trouble for a while. I think I randomized his bones...
Hopeful Wings: Knives just isn't going to get a break. Not around Vash, at any rate.
kitsune: Actually, a place to hide out is my gift, though we could co-sign since they don't yet have it... And I'll give Knives a few good pats with The Stick, since I have it out.