Disclaimer: BAH! Humbag... (my Grouch-y way to say "not interested")
Spoilers: Read the previous part. Dun need any repeatin', no?
A/N: Huuuuarrrrgghhhh-- Huh... (scratches head) Sawh-rey for dat. Got dis exam. Just finished. Now need sleep... Zzzzzzzzz...
(Vash picks up the drooling author from her seat in front of her computer, and tenderly tucks her in bed.) (Knives, who is left to sulk by himself, sulks even more horrendously.) (Vash smiles at Knives, mouthing something.) (Knives at last stops sulking, but his left eye is still twitching in impatience.)
(Vash faces the readers, smiling pleasantly.)
"Enjoy your reading, 'kay?"
(With that Vash walks away and his flaming red coat whips along dramatically, with Knives in toe; reattaching himself back onto his brother. And the earring.)
"Oi! Get offa me-! Kniiiives--!"
(The author twitches from scary dreams, restless; muttering under her breath about getting less than 3.0...)
A/N (2): February 20th, 2007: Revised the chapter a little, with added details on Knives' new suit.
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After The End of All
Part 2
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"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!"
"Stop struggling, Knives! You're only going to hurt yourself!"
"HHHUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"CALM DOWN, KNIVES!! For the love of--! Where is that switch!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRHHHH!!!!"
VASH!!
Pishu.
"AAH... Ahh... Ugh... Haa...Haa..."
"It was a tranquilizer. Pardon us for we have to take that measure. Please, calm down."
How...
How... am I to calm down... when he was... he was... in...
THAT.
Shown in the hologram was a cylinder, maybe four meters high. Filled completely with transparent blood-like fluid, wires and wires of tubes of different colors were all tangled and centered on a single embodiment in the tank.
On Vash.
He was suspended in the middle of the cylinder-like vessel. Numerous tubes and wires were attached on his body, focusing on his forearms, neck and left chest.
His serene face seemed peaceful. Even with the tubes inserted into his mouth and nose, he looked like he was only sleeping. Peacefully sleeping...
He looked so much like Tessla...
'No... No... Not again!'
As my mind was still muddled up by the injection made to the back of my neck, the female voice started to speak out again, "I did not envision that you would react like that. You did tried to kill him, after all...You are quite unpredictable, Knives."
Shut your trap and tell me what the hell is going on!!
"I'm sorry to say that Vash's situation is very critical. As you can observe, his hair has turned one-hundred percent jade black, with no trace of blond whatsoever. His body is degrading gradually, to a point where we can't let him out of the cylinder for long without him convulsing with severe rejection attacks to the medications we are currently giving him. Those supply tubes attached to his body are the only thing that kept his biological activities going. Nano-machines were inserted into him to heal his body from inside, while the Gouhfon's bio-stabilizer solution is working to further mend his body, and to avoid repercussions resulting from his treatment. We managed to salvage and reattach his left arm from one of your followers. The one with sky-blue hair; Legato was his name...?"
'Legato...'
Hmpt. At least in death, he proved to be useful to me.
"Experts of human and Plant medical and research fields from both Earth and Gunsmoke have already tried their best to restore Vash's body until this point. But after several long months of failed attempts to revive him from his coma, we've come to a point where we can no longer help him in his recuperation. There is nothing we could do for him anymore."
'What...? No... no...'
"However, there is another way to save him..."
'How!? '
"We have detected the main source of his degradation: his Seed. After exhausting the maximum level of output, even when his reserves were all used up, his Gate won't close. Rather than releasing power, it has an effect of a counter-flow. In other words, it is absorbing energy from the body of its host to regain the energy lost. All the ATPs generated by his cells are all soaked up by his Gate, with very little to spare in restoring his health. His body needs a very stable source; a constant inflow of energy from outside for his body to recover. And maybe after the inflow of energy is sufficient, his Gate will close. Just maybe. There is a 2.84 success ratio of recovering his Seed, and in turn save his life; as long as we can find a suitable source."
"This is the very first time we were to handle a case of this nature. We didn't know exactly what to do. At first, we tried using energies extracted from Plants. This has positive effects, but the changes were very subtle. His body at times rejected this treatment, as the energy flow did not synchronize with his. Even thought overall recovery is near to impossible, at least Vash's life can be lengthen for a few more weeks. We can only make do of what we have for now..."
"However, we are aware of one source that has complete energy synchronization with Vash; ever since we identified the problem which involves stabilization and synchronization of energy sources. We conducted repetitive assessments to confirm our suspicion. As a result, we have verified and confirmed it. There is only one way to save Vash now..."
'What is it!? Tell me!'
"Only one person can save him now."
"It's you, Knives."
... Ah.
"We performed a few tests on your energy flow for some time now. Even though your energy flow is still unbalanced, it is the only one that has almost complete harmony with Vash's. We already tried to forcibly extract more of your powers from your Gate, but forced extraction of your energy only de-stabilizes it, rendering it obsolete."
... I could see where this conversation was heading to...
"All the leaders of Gunsmoke almost anonymously agreed to take whatever course necessary to save Vash, even if it involves releasing you, their source of distress for so long..."
Can you hear that, Vashu? Almost. Not all of your beloved humans want you back, it seems. Even after all you went through to save them. Pathetic humans... I silently snickered.
"It has been a very long and hard battle of wills and logic amongst the leaders of Gunsmoke, and between Gunsmoke and Earth. The best decision was just to use up the natural energy output of your body, supported with the energy from other Plants. But this method only manages to keep Vash from death, not helping in his recovery."
"So we are left with our last card. Letting you willingly heal your brother by transferring your energy directly to his body."
'Hey. I did say that I'd do anything for him. So just LET. ME. GO!'
"But before releasing you, you must agree to our Terms and Regulations."
... I harrumphed. I should have seen this.
"Main Regulation Number One: Never do harm to any Homo sapiens –the human species–, or any living or non-living beings, in any form whatsoever; whether it'll be physical, psychological, or both."
'Yeah, yeah. I could see that.' I could even perceive my imaginary self waving a non-existent hand sarcastically.
"Main Regulation Number Two: Never try to hack into the main processors of this spaceship. You may have access to the computers from one point, only under supervision, as the primary purpose is to let you grasp the Vash's situation; the position he's in right now, and to assist your research for his cure. However, you may not try to sabotage the mainframe. If you ever try to, dire consequences may come to your brother..."
Really...? Taking hostage of the one they claimed to be rescuing. That was so... human.
"There are more regulations that you must follow, but we cannot waste any more time. Your brother is in a very precarious state. We cannot be sure of how long we can keep him alive in that condition. He's on the very brink of death at this very moment."
'If that's so, then let me go.'
"We will release you. But, you must give us your oath; that you will not cause reparation of humans anymore."
'... Yes.'
"Do you agree to the regulations we put onto you? And the others that may, have and will be imposed onto you in the near future?"
'Yes, I do.'
"...We will keep you to your words. We will release you in a few moments. You may experience difficulty in moving your limbs; you haven't been using you muscle for some time. I will provide you with an automated itinerant chair to assist your mobility."
'I. Don't. Need. Some. Fucking. WHEELCHAIR!!'
"...Do you want to waste more time in useless arguments? Vash is dying right now. You already realized that, don't you?"
'Yes. But I don't need some useless implement to move. Just let me go. I'll walk just fine.'
"...if you insist. But I will bring it with me, if you ever change your mind."
Vash's hologram faded out from in front of me. Closing my eyes tightly, I revived my erstwhile resolves.
Wait for me, Vash... This time, I will save you...
"We will release you now. Be ready."
I felt the strange sensations of something –the needles, most probably– pulling out of my forearms and neck. The straps that binded me were slowly loosing its grip. I could move my fingers slightly my then. Somehow, I felt glad to still have them. At times I thought that those spiders may have decapitated me because I couldn't feel my arms, nor the rest of my body in the steel-like grip of the binds that held me in this cross-like tomb.
I started to shift my muscles a bit in the loosen straps. My body was experiencing soreness, and it felt very uncomfortable trying to move my long-unutilized muscles. After a few moments of analyzing, I perceived that I could manage to walk, if barely, after another 3.5643 minutes of self-induced rehabilitation exercise. It seemed that the Recuperation Chamber –or whatever they called this shit of a coffin– even prevents the degradation of muscle tissues, even after extended immobility. This was just so kind of them. Shitty maggots.
I continued to twitch and stir around as the straps loosen even more, getting used to the sensation of moving limbs. I heard the sounds of a surface shifting in front of me. With a soft hum, my enclosure started to open, and bright light started to filter in from either of my sides. My eyes, which has gotten used to the soft glare of Vash's hologram, still ached from the intensity of the brightness.
My face mask was slowly removed from my face. The light was getting even brighter, and my eyelids were beginning to spasm uncontrollably, trying to withhold the light from injuring my irises. I could feel as the binds on my head, arms and legs were completely removed, leaving only those on my torso. I experimented more on my arms and legs. Especially legs. It would be near to impossible for me to start walking immediately after being released, but of their discharging process of me were to follow my calculations, I knew that I could make do of my legs, nonetheless. Never, ever accept the mercy of the humans, the last remnants of my ego demanded of me.
My vessel opened completely, and I breathe in the air of freedom. In my haze –the tranquilizer was still working wonders in my body– I barely made out the equipments around me; the humming and clicking of instruments that have kept me bounded and healed. I let my arms grip onto the left edge of the opening as the binds on my torso started to loosen even more. It slowly helped me onto my feet, which weren't truly ready to carry the weight of my body as of yet. I struggled to keep standing, and was scarcely able to do so with me leaning heavily onto the walls of my compartment. When the pain in my eyes was reduced to dull throbbing, I scanned the space around me.
It was a vast room, 56x42x20 I suppose; consisting of computers, machineries; everything that ensured that I was sealed indefinitely inside my enclosure, until now. Everything in sight was pearly white. The room was filled with bright light; I couldn't endure looking at it for long.
'Hm?' With me bending down, I realized that my hair has grown quite long, expanding to the length of my neck; maybe even longer... about quarter as long as it was when I revived back to health after that memorable event of July. My, did Vashu packed a shot back then... Positive that I wouldn't fall without an arm to support me, with one good hand, I brushed the shoulder-length locks off my eyes to the back of my ear. How long have I been locked in here...?
Also, I've noticed that I wasn't wearing the gear I donned on before the cointegration with my sisters. Instead, it was a white body-tight suit, extending from the base of my jaw to the tips of my toes. It fitted perfectly on the curves of my body; almost like the spacesuit I wore for the first few decades of my life on Gunsmoke, except for the fact that this one was all-white. I scrutinized the glove on my hand: the leather-like texture and striking white color of the clothing were to my liking, but the design was a little too simple for my grandeur taste. As I examined up my arm, I distinguished the numerous multihued filaments embroidered into the layers of the suit in a crisscross nature; they were shifting in colors as I stared at it, unmoving.
'Interesting.'
As I crooked my neck lower to observe more of this new outfit of mine, slightly curled strands of black and platinum blocked my view. My left eye twitched.
This elongated hair of minewas starting to really annoy me, with it constantly falling on my eyes and hindering my sight. And in general, I could not tolerate anything annoying.
Then, I noticed the door far opposite of my vessel opened. I cut short of my musings and focused my whole attention there; momentarily forgetting about my hair. I could make out a figure: a tall, mature woman, who seemed to be in her early twenties in human standards, with unyielding features, shoulder-length blond hair and sea-green eyes. She was pushing along a mobile chair with her. Trust her to execute her promise of bringing along that goddamned wheelchair.
But, in all, I did recognize her on the spot.
It was HER. The damned woman of the Earth ship that attacked me... interrupted me when I was in the process of giving Vash his so much earned freedom from humanity... his death. At that time, it was necessary. He was interrupting the creation of Eden. But now, with my dream of Eden already fallen down in ruins, I just wanted him by my side... no matter what the price.
"It appears that you already know who I am."
'Of course I know who you are. Stupid bitch nearly shot me to death.'
"I have very keen eyes."
My voice came out with very clear clarity; it even surprised me. Given, that my throat was still sore from yelling so hard eleven-point-two-three minutes ago.
She halted her approach when she was approximately five meters from where I was, with me still leaning onto my vessel. I crossed my arms on my chest with my back resting onto the outer walls of my vessel, which helped in supporting the weight of my upper body. It appeared that I could walk, just so, but nonetheless I kept myself composed in front of her.
I did notice one more particular detail about her, though.
"We meet again, Knives."
She was just like me.
"My name is Chronica."
A Plant.
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