Ch. 5 – Damaged Goods
Vash had told Nicolas his plans, to slowly make his way back to Loki's place of birth to look for answers of her existence. Vash also told him of Loki's special talents that were different from his; and so the three set out for Little Saturn, which would prove to be a difficult road. Vash couldn't have taken Loki any farther from Little Saturn and none of them had any money and most of the path ahead didn't have many towns plus a few shady towns that they tried to avoid but one town they had to stop and rest in. Nicolas tried to tell Vash but Vash wasn't familiar with how bad some places had gotten.
"Vash, we cannot take Loki into that town."
"Why not?"
"Because, it's full of men. There isn't a single woman. Do you know why?" Nicolas said and Vash seemed to get what he implied.
"What are we gonna do? We need to rest." Nicolas said.
"I have an idea. We're going to smuggle her in." Vash said.
"And if that crazy idea doesn't work!" Nicolas exclaimed.
"Then we'll deal with it." Vash said bitterly, taking things a little personally.
"Isn't that a little desperate?" Nicolas said.
"Well we're pretty desperate right now." Vash said and Nicolas nodded.
They then put their plan into motion. Since Loki was so short and thin they thought Vash could hide her under his coat. All they needed to do was get her to a room to hide her there. Nicolas was worried their plan was going to be blown wide open but Vash was confident. He was sure he could handle a bunch of horny men.
As Vash and Nicolas walked into the inn's tavern, on the first floor, every man stopped and stared at them. Vash swallowed hard and sweat dripped down his face. The men were huge, as if they were hopped up on steroids. Vash and Nicolas walked up to the bar. Every eye was on them; as if the men knew Loki was hiding among them.
"Hey, we need two rooms and some drinks." Vash said to the man.
"Sure, $$200 a night." The man replied without emotion.
Vash laughed nervously.
"No problem." Vash replied.
Suddenly a man pushed Vash around to face him.
"I don't like your attitude. You smell like a woman. You been with a woman recently?"
"N..no." Vash replied as if that was an impossible notion.
Vash could feel Loki tighten her hold on him. She was getting tired and wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
"Well, you smell like a woman." He repeated.
"I like to stay fresh, lots of showers a day." Vash said.
Nicolas was tense next to him, his hand twitching for his gun.
"Yer not smuggling a woman in, are ya? Cause that's a serious offense. Woman are hard to come by ya see." He said as he put an arm around Vash's shoulders. Vash could see the remains of a woman toward the back. She was bound and chained, recently dead too.
"I see that."
"And any woman who comes to town has to pay the toll."
Vash would rather not know what the toll was but it wasn't hard to guess.
"Does it look like I'd be able to smuggle a woman in?" Vash said as he stood in front of the man. His jacket didn't look any different than normal.
"No, but I Don't Trust You!"
The man bellowed as he grabbed Vash around the neck and thrust him onto the ground. Loki couldn't help letting go of Vash and rolling onto the ground next to him. Vash was stunned, his head spinning. Nicolas drew his gun on the advancing men but they were prepared and shot Nicolas several times. He was alive but wasn't able to get up right away. The man grabbed Loki and dragged her away from Vash.
"VASH!"
Loki screamed and Vash tried to get up but was kicked back down and shot several times. His lucky bullet proof coat was doing its job but he still got the wind knocked out of him. Loki screamed again and Vash coughed up blood.
"Let her Go! I'm warning you!" Vash threatened darkly but his voice was too hoarse and the man ignored him.
The man easily held Loki by her wrist and examined her with his other hand as she squirmed. All of the men now looked like horny dogs wanting a piece of Loki for themselves; but the man holding her was clearly the leader of the small male populated town.
"Ah such a pretty, young little thing. You'll last a long time. Such an exotic face! Now let's see what you've got darlin'." The man said as he easily tore Loki's shirt clean off her body.
She whimpered and cried as she tried to hide herself from their eyes but the man effortlessly pulled her arm away.
"A little small, but you'll do. Now, let's see how well yer plumbing works." He said as he turned her around. He stuck his oversized hand down her pants and the fabric ripped easily but his eye caught the long scars on her back, and was distracted for only a moment. That was all Vash needed, in the span of one second several shots rang out that sounded like one and the men surrounding the leader fell to the ground clutching a bullet wounded part of their body. They weren't seriously injured but they wouldn't be causing any more trouble. The man reacted to this in the next second as he stepped backwards away from Vash and drew his gun on Loki but Vash was faster and had the man on the floor. The man held Loki tightly by the neck, choking her even though Vash's gun was lodged in his eye socket.
"I said Let Her Go!" Vash demanded.
The man laughed.
"I can break her neck faster than you can pull the trigger!" He spat at Vash.
"I doubt that… Do you know who I am? I'm a man of history… red coat, spiky blond hair, giant silver gun… The Human Typhoon!"
At Vash's words the man went pale.
"V…Vash the Stampede… Impossible!" The man muttered in a horrified whispered.
"The one and only, and that girl is Mine! You will let us stay here and you will not bother us again." Vash said darkly.
The man nodded and released Loki. She quickly got up and went to Vash's side as he stood; all while keeping his gun pointed at the man. Vash wrapped part of his open jacket around Loki as she huddled next to him. She was in shock and trembling. Vash looked to Nicolas who was now starting to get up.
"Nicolas, can you walk?" Vash asked.
"Yeah I'm workin' on it." He groaned.
Vash turned to the bar tender.
"We're staying here for free. You'll bring us fresh bandages and food." Vash demanded and the man nodded fearfully.
Nicolas was up and by them now, limping along as they walked to the stairs to the rooms.
"Figures Vash the Stampede would want a woman like that. Doesn't matter to you she's damaged! Lord Knows what you've done to her! A damaged woman is useless! Filthy little Cunt!" The man said to provoke Vash and it worked.
Vash turned, raised his gun and fired as the last words left his mouth. The bullet missed his head by millimeters. The man was so terrified he wet himself.
Vash, Loki, and Nicolas went up to their room and shut the door behind them. It seemed the men of the town knew their history and would leave them alone.
"Ya wanna explain what happened while I blacked out?" Nicolas asked.
Vash said nothing, his face was still hard and cold with anger. Nicolas looked at Loki, huddling under Vash's coat and guessed what he'd missed.
"Do you have an extra shirt?" Vash asked Nicolas.
"Yes." He replied and dug in his bag for it.
He found it and handed it to Vash.
"I'll go down and make sure they don't poison our food, and scrounge up some clothes." Nicolas said as he started to leave.
"Are you…?"
"I'm fine." Nicolas said with a half smile and left.
Vash pushed his coat back to reveal Loki still huddled against him. She was still trembling in shock. He placed the long sleeved shirt over her bare shoulders and she moved to put it on. Vash then embraced her.
"Are you hurt?" He asked after a moment, coming out of his own shock.
He bent a little to check her over. She shook her head.
"I'm so sorry." Vash choked out, "I was careless I let it get carried away. I didn't think to pull the Vash card first." He said.
"It's ok. I know whatever happens now you'll save me." Loki said.
Vash couldn't answer her. He wished he could promise something like that but he would never stop fighting for her.
"I'll always fight for you. I'll never stop. You mean everything to me. I love you Loki."
Vash told her and embraced her again, not giving her the opportunity to respond but he knew how she felt.
"I would like to take a bath, but I don't want to be alone." Loki said after a while.
"Hm I don't think we'd both fit in the tub, but I can stay in there with you." Vash said with a little humor, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yes please." Loki said softly and walked to the bathroom.
Vash followed Loki with a frown on his face. He watched her turn the water on and let the tub fill. Vash watched her slip the white button up shirt off her shoulders to the floor. Her naked body was perfect to him, but when he saw her scars he was filled with rage over whoever had experiment on her. It wasn't the first being like them he'd learned about that had been experimented on, as he remembered finding a file when he and Knives were younger, of a female like them. Vash wondered if Loki really remembered any of it or if she was just putting on a tough face for him. Loki got into the tub and sat in the warm water, splashing it over herself for a while until she just sat there holding her knees but she reached a hand back and traced her fingers along a scar line.
"Vash… am I damaged?" Loki asked.
Vash was shocked and kneeled by the tub, placing a hand on her shoulder and one on the scar she was tracing her fingers on.
"No you're not! Those men are evil. And the ones who experimented on you… they… they shouldn't have done that to you. You tell me you don't remember but I know you do, I can see it in your eyes. Just as you told me, your voice can lie but your eyes cant." Vash said.
Loki was shocked and started to tremble again.
"Please Loki, tell me. Tell me if you remember." Vash begged and Loki choked back sobs.
"I remember. I remember all of it… I was awake for all of it… They cut and prodded, trying to find them. And when they couldn't, they kept looking. Endless tests… endless pain, but… there was one person who tried to stop them, who raised me like a daughter, like her own… she… she died protecting me. She died because of me!" Loki sobbed.
Vash wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"No, it wasn't your fault. She knew what she was doing. She loved you and would do anything to protect you, just as I would."
"Why'd she have to die? Why'd they name me this? She… she called me something else. I can't remember. Why can't I remember?" Loki said as she cried into Vash's arms around her.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can help you find the answers if you still want to? Or we can just run away. I'd run away with you. You'd never have to face any of it again." Vash told her.
Loki calmed at his words and turned slightly in his arms to look at him, he was smiling at her softly.
"I… I want the answers. I'm ready to face them." She told Vash, who's smile brightened.
"I will face them with you." He said and Loki smiled softly.
"I love you Vash." She said as she looked into his eyes, which gleamed with joy.
Vash leaned forward slightly to capture her lips. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and he lifted her effortlessly out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and sat with her cradled in his arms on the toilet. She watched him as he gently dried her off with the towel. He brushed the towel over her body softly, caressing her tenderly. He wanted her to know that no man who was not him would ever touch her again. Before Loki was completely dry he kissed her deeply, his coat was soaked from lifting her out of the tub anyway. His hands ran over her body wanting to touch every part of her. Vash was worried she would be distant after what had happened but she never flinched or tensed up. Vash showed her how a woman should be touched and treated. Vash being the joker that he was couldn't help but make a joke about what had happened.
"So, does Vash the Stampede treat you well?" He asked softly as he paused from their kissing.
Loki smirked.
"Oh yes. You're an angel." She replied.
Vash hadn't intended to get carried away with Loki but before he knew it they were lost in fiery passion on the bed in the other room.
The sun was setting as Vash lay on the bed with Loki laying her head on his chest, as he traced his fingers up and down her back. He was wondering what name the person who had cared for Loki had named her. When he had first met Loki she was just a child. The children were so cruel to her and all had called her Loki. Vash then wondered if she didn't like him calling her Loki.
"Lo… If you don't want me to call you Loki anymore I'll understand." Vash told her.
"Thank you but I like when you call me Loki. It stopped being a bad name when you first spoke my name. Though, I hope we do find my real name. I would at least like to know it."
"I'm sure it's a beautiful name, just like you." Vash said softly and he felt Loki smile.
After a while Vash could tell Loki had fallen asleep. He knew Nicolas would be returning so he got up. He knew there would be no sleeping for him that night.
Just as predicted Nicolas returned with food, bandages, booze and some clothes that would at least get Loki to the next town.
"Ah you've made her feel better I see." Nicolas deducted by Vash's attire.
Vash gave him a slight glare and Nicolas smirked.
"They've given us a feast. I kept threatening you'd blow their town off the map if they didn't." Nicolas said and Vash laughed.
"How are your wounds?" Vash asked.
"I'll live." He replied as he started undressing to deal with his wounds. "How is she really?" Nicolas asked.
"She'll be alright. It's not the first time men have tried to have their way with her. I promised I would stop it but I failed at that as well. I should have been smarter. I just didn't think people would remember me."
"Understandable, you've been gone for a long time, but you forget you saved the planet from Knives. Did you think no one would write about it? Nana Millie told me about you as long as I can remember. It's only the bad people who remember the false stories." Nicolas said.
"You're right, I keep forgetting." Vash said.
They ate and drank in silence for a while until Nicolas struck up conversation again.
"We're getting close. You're sure you want to dig into her past? I'm sure people in her town will still remember her. You can still run. Knives clearly isn't after you."
"But he is interested. I asked her if she wanted to run but she said no. She wants to know. I have a feeling the plant she came from is different. Maybe it's the one." Vash said.
"The Earth Plant?"
"It's worth a shot. Loki says the plant is calling her, telling her to come. I want to help her find the answers but I get a bad feeling when she says the plant is calling her." Vash said in worry.
"Maybe Loki has the key to the Earth Plant. Maybe it's locked deep in her mind and if she sees the Plant she came from she'll remember and be able to help us." Nicolas suggested.
"Maybe… I still have a bad feeling and it's not about Knives at all."
"Ha wouldn't it just suck if Knives actually knew all about Loki and what she is. You would have done all that running for nothing." Nicolas said but Vash didn't respond.
It wouldn't surprise Vash if Knives really did know all about Loki. That night Vash stayed awake thinking about it all. If Loki knew how to activate the Earth Plant it would change every ones way of life. She would help save the planet and they could finally awaken the sleeping people still on the ships.
The next morning they decided to leave right away. Loki put on the clothes Nicolas had found for her. He managed to find a dress in her size. No doubt from a woman who had met an unfortunate end in that town, but Loki would make do with what she was given and thanked the dead woman for the clothes. The dress was slimming on her and showed off her tiny figure, empire waist and knee length. It was a slate color with a deep purple trim band on the sleeves and collar and acted as a tiny belt tied in a bow at the empire waist line. The back dipped low and showed her scars, which she didn't like but Vash really liked the dress on her which made her like it. They exited the inn through the bar as they had entered and just like last night it was full of men. They stared at Loki longingly but she could tell they were terrified of Vash. The same man from the night before was there and it seemed he had grown his balls back. He acted unafraid of Vash. Loki huddled on Vash's right side as the man got up and stood in their way. Vash stopped and stared him down; he challenged Vash with a smirk.
"Had fun last night did you? We could smell the stink of your love making all night long. Even now you're HOT with the scent." The man said as he emphasized the last in Loki's direction as he leaned forward toward them a bit.
Vash glared and pushed him back.
"Aw come on Vash what do ya say we work out some kind of deal. As a man of similar background I'm sure you can understand our predicament. Men have certain needs that must be dealt with. If you let us play with her for a bit we'll make it worth your wild."
The man said to Vash, who looked ready to kill him.
"You've got your stories crossed. I'm nothing like you. I would never treat a woman the way you do." Vash said darkly.
The man's smirk turned down and it was then the trio saw they were becoming surrounded. The men were persistent.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but we've talked it over and we're prepared to die taking you out to get her."
The men advanced but before Vash could act he noticed Loki move beside him. There was a blinding light and in an instant Loki had grabbed Vash's gun and went after the man. She grabbed him and with a strength not her own she jumped and slammed him into the bar top, which cracked from the force. She had the gun lodged in his mouth. She kneeled over him, wings exposed to everyone. The men who had been coming through the door quickly ran away. The men trapped in the bar backed away as far as the room would let them. The man Loki had pinned was put back in his place from the night before.
"You want me now?" Loki said in a strange dark voice.
The man was wide eyed and trembling. He shook his head.
"Please don't kill me! Please! Please!" The man mumbled from the gun in his mouth.
"You deserve to die!" Loki yelled.
Vash and Nicolas knew what she intended to do but couldn't stop her in time. The room went dead silent and in the silence the clicks of the gun sounded like a gun shot. The man flinched and sobbed when he realized he was still alive.
"BANG." Loki said and got off the man.
She jumped to the ground and walked out of the tavern door. Vash and Nicolas quickly followed. Loki was several feet in front of them but stopped and stared at her reflection in a beat up car mirror that was broken and cocked sideways. She didn't recognize herself. She thought she would look like some kind of demon but she thought she looked strangely beautiful.
Vash went up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Loki turned and looked at him. He smiled softly and took his gun out of her hand. He was truly amazed by her; he realized she had known his gun was empty. Loki then noticed the men of the town were coming out of the bar but they weren't surrounding them again. Loki looked at them; most flinched but they still had a look of awe on their faces. Loki didn't feel uncomfortable or threatened by their looks but it made her embarrassed, she never had anyone besides Vash stare at her like that. Even Nicolas was awe struck.
"Let's go." Loki said with a bit of urgency and Vash nodded.
The trio then set out.
Loki's wings stayed out for quite some time and no matter what she tried she couldn't get them to go away; and when they finally went away Loki became so tired she could barely stand. While seconds before she was fine. Vash carried her in his arms until they reached the next town late that night. It was a nice quiet town but Vash and Nicolas could tell had been ravaged by the male town, men seemed to patrol the streets after nightfall. At the Inn Vash explained where they had come from and the Inn keeper told them they had witnessed a miracle. They were given a room at a discount for what they must have gone through. Vash and Nicolas let Loki rest while they returned to the Inn's tavern for a much needed drink.