It was seven o'clock, so the lovely couple known as Krillan and 18 walked to the Château Fleur, although 18 had no idea that that was where they were going.
Krillan was dressed in a tuxedo that suited him. It contrasted nicely with his pleasant summer tan. His head glowed as the setting sun casts its final rays of solar light. His glossy, black dress shoes lightly tapped as they fell on the concrete walkway. Krillan wanted to bring his top hat and cane, but 18 wouldn't allow it. With an air of defeat, and a quiet, "Yes, dear," he put them away in the coat closet.
18 was decked out in an entire outfit of gifts, garments that looked like they belonged to royalty, not an ex-murderer. This is what 18 thought of herself, however, Krillan kept telling her just how much she deserved them. Her elegant dress flowed down to her ankles, yet it allowed room to dance. The glittery shoes that adorned her feet threw flecks of light every which way. Her eyes matched with the crystal-embedded necklace that hung from her neckline. An aromatic cloud suspended around her body. Even with all of these stunning items, though, her body's beauty outshone her shoes, overwhelmed the scent.
They paced together, hand in hand, laughing up a merry time, both drunk with love. Along the way, they earned a few stares; others gave them a look of longing. Birds must have been on the same wave frequency as Krillan and 18 were, because you could hear a chorus of them in the air and in the trees.
Sometime during their promenade, they bumped into a young looking mother who pushed a stroller with a baby girl in it. The infant was wearing a little dress and had a pacifier in her mouth. The mother gave an apology and carried on. 18 looked at the mother and her daughter, sensing a feeling like that of one she had never felt before. Making a mental note of the feeling, hoping to embark on discovering its meaning later, she continued her walk with Krillan.
A little after their rendez-vous with the youthful mother, Krillan and 18 finally reached their destination. 18's eyes twinkled with awe and wonder as she looked at the Château Fleur. The exterior design gave off the impression that it was extremely ancient; however it had only been recently built fifteen years ago. Its weathered stone walls were apt, as were the heavy, dark oak doors that they had to pass in order to enter. The short walk up to the entrance allowed for a little tour of the grounds.
All sorts of trees had been planted on the premises of the Château Fleur to make it look more natural. Fig trees, maple trees, evergreens, and willow trees were a few of the species that 18 and Krillan noticed. Accompanying the trees were a couple gardens full of flowers.
"Ahh! Just breathing the fresh, clean air sort of revitalizes you, don't you agree?" 18 sighed.
"Yeah, it sure does. Well, enough of the sights, we'll get enough of them inside. Shall we proceed, m'lady?" Krillan suggested in a gentlemanly manner.
"With pleasure!" 18 exclaimed.
Without further ado, the two of them entered through the gargantuan portal and into a realm where all danger vaporizes. Happy thoughts are the only thing allowed, sort of like a no-smoking policy, but 18 and Krillan were happy to agree. Upon entering the restaurant, which also served as a casino and a hotel, they were welcomed with a dazzling chandelier that hung high above their heads in the entrance hall.
The only other thing in the room was a stand, which behind it was a man dressed in a fine tailored suit with the company's name embroidered into the fabric above the heart. His demeanor was that of a snooty behavior, and it couldn't be any plainer that he detested being there, for what reason, Krillan and 18 hadn't the faintest.
"…And, you are?" the waiter asked after a moment of silence.
"Oh, um, hi. Yes, I have a reservation under the name Krillan," he stated, getting a little embarrassed.
"Ah yes. Right this way, if you please." the waiter said, turning on heel and leading them down the corridor directly ahead.
As they followed, 18 and Krillan looked at portraits of kings and queens that hung on the walls, which were lighted only by candles. 18 noticed that the candles were white, and that they burned in clear glass containers. Usually, it was believed that that brought about peace to those in the room. This brought a comforting thought to the ex-android.
Going through another pair of oak doors, less big though, 18 and Krillan walked into the dining area. It was a circular room, constructed with gray marble. The floor was so sleek that you could see your own reflection in it. In the middle of the round chamber was an immense fountain that was filled with pure water and surrounded by lulling tulips. Tables were set around the fountain. There must have been a total of twelve, yet only five were occupied.
"Wow. This place is harder to get into than I thought," Krillan thought aloud.
"Hm. Yes, it really is. I barely get more than fifteen people in a night." the waiter commented as he showed them their assigned table. "Would you like any drinks to start the night with?"
"We'd like a bottle of Merlot, please." Krillan asked.
"As you wish." And with a gracious bow, he left the room, demeanor and all.
Two of the couples had already been presented with their meals. One table held what looked like a platter of various seafood, salads on the side. The other had only a couple of steaming soup bowls. The couple with the soup were in their later years, yet they looked remarkably young. Of course, the dress code was present, women in dresses, and men a suit. Everyone was abiding by the code, which added to the feeling of superiority.
The other couples that waited for their meals laughed quietly to themselves as they shared memories or told an especially humorous joke. Some were drinking the promised fine wine of France and Italy.
After only a few minutes of silence between the two, Krillan and 18 accepted the drink when it was brought to them by a different waiter, and they also accepted the menus that he presented.
"What would you like, 18?" Krillan asked while still reading his menu.
"I was thinking a good pork shish-ka-bob sounds nice. It looks good too!" she replied over her own menu.
Krillan murmured in agreement at the thought of it. However, his eyes were settled on a big, juicy steak. It came with a side of cooked vegetables and a choice of potato. Of course, the classic soup or salad was offered as well. Looking at the photo, he decided that he was going to have the steak.
18 closed her menu and put it down on the table. She hesitated before speaking to her husband about what she wanted to talk about. Usually, she was okay with talking about any subject, yet this one was different. This was a subject that could spin their world out of order. But, the feeling toward this subject was too strong to be ignored, and it was probably better for both of them if they discussed it now, rather than later. Clearing her throat, 18 finally spoke.
"Krillan, we need to talk." Her voice came out clear, yet deafeningly silent.
"Sure honey, what is it?" Krillan replied, directing his entire attention to his wife.
"Well, I've given it some thought, and… Oh, I don't know where to start. Well, it's just that… Well, umm… I think I want a child." 18 stammered out.
Choking noises were Krilllan's response. Gasping for air, he regained the ability to speak.
"Oh, well, okay. But, can I ask why?" Krillan asked.
"You remember that mother that we ran into on our way here? It was sort of because of her. Her daughter gave me a feeling I can't quite describe. It just feels like there is something missing in my life, and when I saw that little girl, something just sort of clicked inside my head." 18 explained.
"Oh. Well, only if you want to. I mean, that's no problem with me. It's just that, well…" Krillan trailed off, not fully explaining himself.
"What is it?" 18 inquired.
An undecipherable mumble could be heard from Krillan, but it wasn't good enough for 18, so she asked again, and asked that he speak louder and clearer.
"I'm a virgin." He said, quick to redden in his ashamed face.
"Darling, I don't care if you're a virgin. Sexual experience or not, I love you all the same" 18 reassured him. "Besides, I don't think I'll get pregnant the first time we actually do it."
As she finished, the waiter came to take their order. Krillan quickly told the waiter that he would be having a steak, well done, baked potato, and a bowl of cabbage soup. 18 ordered her pork shish-ka-bob, teriyaki style, and a side dish of crumpets. The waiter, with a more cheerful conduct, bowed and strode into kitchen to make their meal known to the chef.
Krillan took the wine and poured a decent amount of it into their glasses. Setting it back in its ice bucket, they raised their chalices, chinked them together, and drank. Smacking his lips, Krillan set the glass back on the table and thought about what 18 had asked of him.
"If we do have child, what would we name it?" Krillan asked after a while.
"If the baby turns out to be a boy, I would like to name him Dominick, after my brother." 18 said.
Taken aback, Krillan looked at his wife. Her brother was a ruthless man who had committed numerous murders for the sheer pleasure of it. Although 18 was a part of her brother's crimes, she had turned a new life and repented for her misdeeds. Krillan believed her sorrow to be true, and he didn't care what anyone else thought of her, but Dominick was a different story. Dominick did not show remorse for the deaths of the innocent, and therefore, he did not earn the sympathy of Krillan. But, the most astonishing part of this revelation was that she remembered her brother's name. It was thought that she couldn't recall anything of her previous life.
"Honey, I thought you couldn't remember your life, let alone your brother's name." Krillan breathed.
"I can't, but for some reason, I can remember his name, only his name. There is this feeling around it of love, and something else. I'd say a righteousness to it, I guess. I just think that my brother was a good person before the operation." 18 told her bewildered soul mate.
"Alright. That's your choice. But, I get to choose the name if it's a girl, and you can't deny it, no matter what it is, okay?" Krillan bargained.
"Hey, fair is fair, right? What is it?" 18 accepted.
"I'd like her to be named Marron." Krillan breathed.
"Is there any significance to the name, or do you just like it?" 18 solicited.
"Marron was the name of my first girlfriend." Krillan told her, finally getting it out.