The path before them was soundless once again. Even the rain had stopped keeping them company, giving way to a thinly veiled fog that covered the streets. It was enough to obscure how long the road ahead stretched, but not enough to make them feel blind. They'd left the entertainment section of the city and found themselves passing by rows of homes. Quaint, multi-storied townhouses were packed side-by-side like soldiers. They didn't escape the same state of disrepair as the other infrastructure, their steps cracked and crumbling, windows shattered with bugs crawling in, door handles rusted into a reddish-brown.

A chill ran up Vash's spine as the cold air settled in. "Do you really think everyone else was taken? Were those kids the only ones left?" He wondered aloud.

"Who knows? We can't be certain unless we check every floor of every building." Nai side eyed Vash with suspicion as soon as he said it.

Vash's gaze remained forward for a moment, lost in thought before he caught on, his eyes meeting his brother's briefly and then snapping back when he realized. He waved his right hand defensively, his expression bewildered.

"What? I'm not actually gonna do that! That would take forever."

Nai's eyes grew doubtful, though he simply gave a slight hum as if to say "uh huh" and looked back up the road.

Vash readjusted his bag on his shoulder and let out a deep breath. "Besides, I can't imagine how anyone would scrape by. There's no power or anything, plus those animals running around. How'd they get from here to a place that's so far away?"

"This is only one city. Perhaps this 'Genesis' has more resources than these people did."

"Yeah…" Vash's eyebrows furrowed. Then what was the need for taking people? If they were as great as they claimed, wouldn't they all just go willingly if they were stuck in a tight spot? Something wasn't adding up.

His thoughts were interrupted when Nai stopped, staring at a spot on the ground. He followed his eyesight down to the pavement. Lying there, motionless, was an animal carcass. Unable to glean much from where they were, the twins walked closer to it, crouching down to examine it further. It had the same matted fur and larger form that the "cats" they'd seen earlier possessed, but this clearly wasn't the same creature at all…

"Is that… a rat?" Vash guessed. The two of them had only ever seen pictures of such a thing, but it seemed to match the description pretty well.

Nai nodded, surveying the animal to see if it could show signs of death. The marks were difficult to notice at first under all the dark hair. There was blood under its body, suggesting it'd been hit.

"Look." Vash pointed to a spot by its neck. A round, small impact point was pierced through it. He didn't dare to turn it over in the case of catching whatever might've inflicted it (if anything), but he was almost certain the cause of the wound had exited out the other side. He looked around the immediate area, noticing similar points across the ground and some of the signs. There was no doubt in his mind what they were: gunshots.

While Vash pulled out his camera to take a picture of the carcass, Nai started to scan the nearby houses' windows. The rat hadn't been dead for very long, which meant someone was on the hunt. He didn't want to risk being the next target of aggression should that person notice their presence. There was no telling just how desperate anyone in this situation would become, how far they would go to sustain themselves…

A shriek rang out, reverberating off of a nearby alley. Vash quickly tucked the camera away and shot to his feet. Nai watched the entrance of the alley closely, waiting… When another shriek came, Nai instinctively went to grab his younger brother's arm to hold him back. But Vash didn't hesitate; he sprinted straight ahead, evading the maneuver. Nai's hand reached slightly forward towards him before he put it down with a resigned sigh and followed close behind.

Their shoes splashed against the puddles of water that formed under the gutter spouts. The sky had darkened quite a bit since they'd left the ship, but there was enough sunlight still filtering through the clouds that they could see what was in front of them. Between two of the houses, several rats were crowding around, cornering something with gnashing teeth. As they got closer, the brothers could see a young woman sitting, huddled against the back wall. She shakily held a fire poker in her hands, directing it towards the feral beasts. One of them laid twitching and bleeding behind the others suggesting she'd been able to strike one of them at least. A wheelchair was overturned by her side with small packets spilled out from a bag attached to its back.

Unable to take a clear shot, Vash ran up along the left wall, kicking off once he was beside the rats. With a forceful smack using the butt of his gun, the rodents went flying back and a safe distance away. He aimed his gun out at them, crouching down close to the woman.

But he didn't have much work to do from there. Nai formed the blades on his hands and stabbed the beasts clean through, picking up and tossing them aside like they were loose garbage. Two of the creatures, however, seemed keen on getting to their prey. They ran back towards Vash, hissing and frothing at the mouth.

BANG! BANG!

Two shots clean through their foreheads was all it took. They slumped to the ground, their bodies limp as the last of their life left them. With Nai taking care of the rest, Vash turned to the woman.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She finally lowered the poker, her expression swimming with a mixture of confusion and relief. "Yeah… Yeah. Thank you."

He smiled gently at her. "Thank goodness…"

She slowly nodded before looking over to the wheelchair. "Um…. If it's not too much trouble, would you help me up?"

"Sure."

He got up and turned the wheelchair back over before carefully picking the woman up in his arms and placing her down in the seat. "There ya go."

She glanced behind him, trying to get a peek at what Nai was doing. But Vash had placed himself in front of her just enough to obscure her view, trying to cover up his brother's odd skillset. Her eyes fell to the packets that were scattered at her feet. Noticing this, Vash bent down to gather them up, getting a good look at them. Each of them was clear and meticulously labeled with a strip of duct tape and black marker. Pumpkin, cucumber, tomato… Those were the only names he could surmise before stashing them back into the pouch.

"Thanks." The woman gave a small smile as she laid the poker across her lap.

Nai walked back towards them, his hand back to normal as he shook the blood from his fingers onto the concrete. "I didn't see any others. We should be safe for now."

Vash gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement.

"I should thank you too," the woman said meekly to Nai. She was met with a look of… indifference. Or perhaps scrutiny. It was hard for her to tell. Definitely a far cry from the warm reception she'd gotten from Vash. Her face dropped slightly. She wheeled slightly closer to the older brother nonetheless and held out her right hand.

"I'm sorry, I should introduce myself… I'm–"

"Clara?! Clara?!"

WHACK!

A door smacked open on the other side of the minimal fencing. A middle-aged woman held a shotgun out in front of her and swung it frantically. "Clara! Where–?!"

The barrel of the gun rapidly shifted over to the two brothers who were now standing in front of Clara. She aimed straight at them, keeping her vantage point from the slightly elevated porch. Vash instinctively put his hands up. Nai did no such thing.

"Clara! What did I tell you about going out here alone?"

"It's not my fault," the younger woman protested. "Robert told me he'd taken care of them."

"He did. He said he cleared all of those vermin out an hour ago."

"Clearly not…" Clara coughed a few times into her hand. Her complexion was pale as snow which only served to pronounce dark circles that had taken root under her eyes.

"And who are these men?" The older woman questioned, her eyes narrowing on the strangers.

"Relax, Mama. They saved me."

"...Did they now?" Taking her word for it, the woman lowered her shotgun, but made sure to keep it in hand as she descended the steps and opened the gate to the backyard. "If that's so, then I should thank you. And offer you some hospitality. It's the least I can do. Please, come in."

Vash carefully put his hands down, turning his head towards his brother. He expected some kind of protest or rejection of the invite. But Nai actually followed, only giving his brother a look of unspoken caution before entering.

The small plot of land wasn't much to write home about, yet it was already far cozier than any other spot they'd seen. Sticks poked out of the several rows of dirt to support the greenery that wrapped around it. Some butterflies and bees floated about, fluttering wherever their senses took them. The somewhat rotting porch kept some quaint furniture aloft on its basic structure. The older woman pushed Clara up a ramp that had a much fresher look than any of the other weathered wood around the property. As they walked up, Vash's sight latched onto another row of flora, but he couldn't get a good look from where he was. He made a mental note to revisit it later and followed the hosts inside.

A medium sized kitchen with a rectangular shaped table as its centerpiece greeted them inside. The faint glow of several candles clustered together around the room provided at least some light in the otherwise dim space. The woman pushed Clara up to a vacant spot at the table and gestured to two of the chairs.

"Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable. I'll have to find where that shoddy nephew of mine ran off to… Robert! Where are you?!"

Just like that, she was marching up the stairs, calling out with a harsh tone. Clara let out a sigh and turned to the brothers.

"That was my mom, Teresa. I'm sure you'll meet Robert here soon. Sorry, our manners aren't up to snuff." She tried to give a sunny visage in the face of the awkward introductions. It looked slightly pained given her tired, drained features.

"It's alright. We don't mind." Vash waved his left hand dismissively as he and Nai took their seats. "Have you guys lived here a long time?"

"My grandparents have, yeah. My mom, cousin, and I have only been here a few months. We were on the other side of town before that…" Her eyes went down towards the table, hoping it would aid in avoiding some unpleasant memories.

Squabbling descended from the staircase. A young man was the first to reach the bottom step, his expression nonchalant while Teresa was barraging him with criticisms just a few feet behind.

"And what if she had gotten killed? Would you have shrugged that off?" Teresa pressed.

Robert thought to actually shrug, but realized it was better not to. Best not to stir his aunt's wrath further. "I get it, alright? I thought I'd gotten 'em all. Not my fault if I missed some that I couldn't see."

"With how much ammo you used, I thought you'd taken down a whole colony."

"Doesn't help that his aim is shit," Clara added lightheartedly, a smirk rising on her face.

"Yeah, yeah." Robert sat at the other end of the table and put his hands behind his head. "Too bad you're not up and around anymore; ya could shoot 'em from a mile off."

Teresa took a deep breath and shook her head, resetting herself before turning to the newcomers. "I'm sorry. You didn't need to hear that. Would you like some tea?"

"Sure." Vash nodded, answering for both of them. Nai crossed his arms indifferently, monitoring the room.

"So, where are you two from? We haven't seen you around before," Clara asked, trying to switch the conversation and satiate her own curiosity.

"Uh…" Vash stumbled for a moment. It wouldn't be as easy to deceive these people as it was with the children.

"We're travelers," Nai interjected. "We're not from this city."

Clara's eyes widened. Even Robert's attention seemed to peak as he sat up straighter. Teresa looked over her shoulder from the heating kettle.

"Really? That hasn't happened in… I can't even remember." Clara shook her head.

"Was it hard to get here? It couldn't have been a short trip," Robert questioned.

"It… took a few days, yeah," Vash answered, catching onto the ruse.

"Why'd you come here? Is your hometown in a bad state?" Clara asked.

"Yeah. We kind of hit a dead end." Vash rubbed the back of his head. "We were hoping we'd find some other people who could help."

Teresa rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Then it's just as bad as we thought… Nowhere's safe at this point."

Any hope that Clara had was sucked out of her. She leaned back in her chair and let the information sink in. A cough escaped her throat, her hand rising up to cover her mouth as she let out a few more. Teresa patted her on the shoulder.

"Sorry to say you won't find much help here," Robert said. "Anyone left alive is just trying to make do with what we've got. I'm assuming it's the same for you guys."

Vash nodded. "But on our way in, we heard there might be a place that can help…" He opened his mouth to continue. The way Teresa's expression immediately tensed stopped him.

"Please tell me you don't mean Genesis." Her voice almost hissed on the word, like it was a forbidden curse.

"Uh… yeah." Vash's shoulders tightened.

"Tsk." She turned back to the kettle, stirring the tea bag vigorously. "That place is as helpful as a rabid dog. The only thing you'll find there is more misery than you came in with."

The mood promptly soured. A rigged silence fell over the room. Robert was staring daggers into a spot on the table while Clara looked solemnly down at her lap. Vash rubbed the back of his head, feeling bad for bringing it up. He couldn't say he hadn't anticipated it based on what little they'd heard about it. But it certainly added credibility to the kids' statements.

"Can I ask what happened?" Vash was hesitant to poke the topic further, yet he knew that if he and Nai were even considering going out there, they needed to know what they were getting into.

A few moments passed. No one seemed to want to answer. Clara was the one who finally bit the bullet and cleared her throat.

"They were going around, imploring everyone to try their secret cure. They tried to assure everyone that it worked, even had some of their people demonstrate by taking it themselves. No one wanted to believe it at first. We were scared they were just taking advantage of our desperation. But it worked in the end. With all the hospitals and pharmacies closed, the sick didn't have much hope of getting better. So we went… Mom, Dad, Uncle Travis, Robert, Grandma, Grandpa, and me."

"My husband, brother, and Clara all had terrible tumors," Teresa added sadly. "I assume it's the same where you're from?"

The twins slowly nodded. Teresa took a deep breath through her nose.

"We were taken to their 'makeshift haven' where they claimed to have it all," she continued. "They promised to feed us, clothe us, and care for us for the rest of our lives in exchange for some labor. They assigned us each a role to help 'keep the community thriving'. We didn't understand at first; we were just there for treatment. Why were they acting like it was a permanent move? But we didn't care as long as our loved ones got better. And they did… for a time." She took the kettle off the heat and grabbed some cups from the cupboard. "The tumors went away. We were overjoyed, relieved. We cried for so long, thinking it was a true miracle. But it faded so fast. A few days later, we went to check on my brother. He was lying there, dead…" Her lip started to quiver, her voice choking on the next words. "And my husband too. Clara, thank God, was still alive, but her condition was getting worse again. And what did those 'doctors', those 'saints' who saved us have to say? 'They weren't chosen'. 'They weren't strong enough to make it through'."

She spit into the sink. "And to top it all off, they wouldn't let us leave. Said that we owe them our servitude. Ha!" She wiped her forehead with her sleeve. "The audacity of those people… It took everything we had to escape from there. My only regret is that we didn't leave sooner."

"We should've never gone at all," Robert muttered, wrapping his knuckles against the wood. " 'Here, come try our latest and greatest snake oil, you poor idiots!' What a load of bullshit…"

"...I'm sorry." Vash looked at each of them remorsefully. Surely that was the last thing they wanted to talk about. No one acknowledged the apology aloud.

Teresa distributed the tea cups out to Vash, Nai, and Clara. "Robert and I have some things to take care of. Please, take your time."

She turned towards the stairs and made her way back up. Robert tapped his hands against the table once again before pushing his chair back, putting his hands in his pockets as he followed.

Clara picked up her cup and blew some of the steam off the top before taking a sip. Vash followed suit, not sure what else to do in the awkward void of company. He glanced over to see Nai still just sitting there as he had before, looking off down another hall. His younger brother nudged him, gesturing to the cup. Nai stared at it loathingly. Did he really have to? If it would keep Vash off his back… He let out a deep sigh before picking up his cup and tilting it back, letting the liquid touch his lips, but never actually drinking it.

"Not a fan of Earl Grey?" Clara asked, trying to break the mood.

"...It's bitter," Nai answered, looking off to the side. Vash cracked a small smile.

Clara couldn't help but softly laugh. "It's not for everyone. Don't force yourself; I'm not offended."

Nai slowly placed the cup back down. He side eyed Vash with a look as if to say "don't make me do that again". Vash shrugged innocently and took another sip of his own drink.

Coming back as quickly as they left, two pairs of footsteps came marching back to the main floor. Teresa held the shotgun in her hands with Robert slinging a rifle over his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Clara asked with concern.

"Some more of those rats showed up. We want 'em gone while there's still some daylight. Don't worry, it won't take long," Robert tried to assure her.

A mix of worry and disappointment gripped her as she slunk back into her seat.

"I'll go with you."

"...Huh?" Vash turned in surprise as his brother rose from his seat.

"It'll be faster with more people, right? Then I'll go." That was the only explanation he was willing to give.

Teresa and Robert exchanged a look. Teresa nodded slightly. "Thanks. We could use all the help we can get. Who knows how many of them are lurking around?"

"Then I'll go too." Vash quickly rose to join them.

"You should stay here," Nai said as he walked towards the front door.

Vash froze in place. "But–"

"You're better suited here than out there."

What was that supposed to mean? To the residents of the house, Nai's tone was even. But to his brother, there was a biting undertone to the words, a dig between the syllables that got under Vash's skin. He couldn't help but linger on it as the hunting party left, leaving just him and Clara remaining.

The younger twin slowly sat back down, staring into his cup. How was he supposed to feel now? Ashamed? Useless? Appreciative? What irked him even more was that such a short sentence was getting to him now. His mind started to spiral, trying to decode just what he was meant to take away from it…

"Overprotective brother?" Clara asked after watching Vash.

"...Hm?" Her voice tore him away from his inner turmoil. "Oh, yeah… Something like that."

She gave a somber smile. "I know what that's like. With family, I mean. Can get a little overbearing at times, even if they mean well."

Vash just nodded. The thing was, he wasn't entirely sure if Nai meant well or not. And he hadn't been sure even before they'd left the SEEDS ship.

"...Would you be willing to help me in the garden? I never got to finish what I was doing earlier." Clara wheeled herself back from the table slightly.

"Sure."

Vash stood up once again and went to the back door, opening it enough for Clara to get out before trailing just behind as she moved herself onto the porch and down the ramp.

"Sorry… I've been doing nothing but putting you to work," Clara said half-jokingly. "Not very hostly of me, is it?"

"It's fine. I don't mind." Vash shook his head, trying to ease her worries.

They moved in-between two of the rows of tilled soil. Barbed fencing lined the outside of it with signs posted by each stake.

"I'm not sure how people did this all the time without machines," Clara admitted. "I do the best I can just by eyeballing it and hoping for the best. Maybe I shouldn't be so careless about it, but it's worked well enough so far." She reached back into the pouch of her chair and grabbed the packets of seeds, sorting through them to find the right ones. "Here: we'll start with these."

"Aye aye." Vash gave a tiny salute and took the packet from her hand.

Under Clara's supervision, the crops were steadily harvested, replanted, and properly nourished. Though it wasn't completed with an exact precision, there was a gentleness to it that was calming somehow. The newness of the activity for Vash didn't give way for any unwanted thoughts to linger in. There wasn't any pressure or any expectations on anything.

Once it was all taken care of, Vash wiped his face with his sleeve. "There… All good?"

"All good." Clara nodded, looking pleased with the work.

Vash stood up from where he was crouched and brushed his hands off. "Do you normally do all this by yourself?"

"Not all of it. The harder stuff has to be done by Mom or Rob. But I do what I can. It gives me an excuse to get out, stretch my legs a little… so to speak." She coughed into her hand. "There's only so much reading I can do."

While the crops had been tended to, there was one area they hadn't touched yet… Vash's attention was lured towards the patch of flowers he'd seen on his arrival and approached them. He immediately lit up as he admired each of them, discerning their types by sight alone. The array of colors was even better than the ones he'd encountered by the fountain. Clara wheeled up next to him, taking a moment to admire them as well.

"They're beautiful," Vash finally said.

"Thank you. They need a lot of love sometimes, but I don't mind." A wave of serenity washed over her as she let her vision float over each of them, fixating on each petal and the transition from reds, to blues, to purples, to whites. "It's really nice over here. They don't judge me for anything, they don't pity me, they don't try to strap me down. They just let me… exist."

It was easy to see the appeal. In the midst of an uncertain world with a bleak future, it was a rare constant that showed no signs of going away or changing on a whim.

"My mom used to grow flora like this," Vash said softly.

"She doesn't anymore?"

"Well, she's… not around." A hint of sorrow twinged in his chest. But the smile on his face only faded a smidge. "She died a year ago."

"I'm sorry…" Clara looked up at him with sympathy. "Did she get sick too?"

Vash shook his head. "No. It was… honestly, I don't know what happened. That whole day felt like a blur. I just… I was going about my day as always, thinking nothing was wrong. All of a sudden, people were running to me, telling me something bad had happened. The looks on their faces… I refused to believe it. I couldn't accept it. They said it was an accident. No one knows for sure how it happened. She was in my life for so long, and then she was just… gone." His face finally dropped, his head tilting down.

Clara carefully put her right hand in his left. He looked down at her, her kind eyes bringing some joy back to him. "I bet she's happy you still think about her."

Vash smiled softly again. "Yeah…"

"Did she have a favorite flower?"

"Yeah. Red geraniums."

"Geraniums…" Clara examined her flower bed, trying to remember if she had any in her collection. "Hm… Must not have found any yet. If I do, I'll plant some in her honor."

"I think she'd like that. …Thank you, Clara."

While the calmness of the garden was comforting the two who were left behind, the three who had ventured out into the streets were feeling more on edge. The prospect of going out in the early evening hours and trying to be the hunter, not the hunted, was a daunting task. At least, for two of the people present it was.

"They were just across the street here." Teresa aimed the barrel of the shotgun at the houses facing them.

"How many?" Nai asked.

"Least a dozen. Could be more."

"Have they always been like this?"

Teresa furrowed her eyebrows. "No… They changed around the same time the disease started spreading."

"Are they infected with it too?"

"We don't know. It's hard to tell. People don't become aggressive like this, or grow to twice their size. It's just the animals."

So no one knew the exact cause? It made sense; in a survival situation, basic needs come first. Any kind of research would have to be done once everyone could live comfortably again. Clearly they were far from achieving that. It did confirm that humans weren't the only ones who had changed. Nai's line of questioning may have gotten him some answers, but it was starting to arouse suspicion in the two people next to him.

Robert narrowed his eyes at Nai. "What's your deal, man?"

Nai just looked at him coldly, waiting for him to clarify.

"You're asking us this stuff like it hasn't been happening for years now. You can't tell me it's any better where you're from. You and your brother show up outta nowhere, claiming you walked on foot all the way out here. And then you offer to take out some rodents without any weapons. What are ya gonna do, punch 'em to death?"

"Robert." Teresa curtly interjected, trying to quell the rising confrontation.

"What? You can't tell me this whole thing doesn't stink to high heaven." Robert wrinkled his nose.

His aunt couldn't deny it. She simply looked to Nai, waiting to see how he would respond. She expected anger, annoyance, or perhaps just sheer indifference. Instead… he smirked and let out a condescending laugh.

"Desperate times change everyone. Anyone would do what it takes to live longer. Tell me you wouldn't travel to the edge of the universe if it meant finding a better future."

Nai's reply didn't inspire confidence. Yet Robert knew what he meant… or at least thought he did.

"We tried that way," Teresa reminded him, a bit of resentment in her voice. "And look where it got us: worse than where we started.

"Then maybe you didn't walk far enough," Nai said.

The words didn't even have a chance to fully register before some high-pitched squeaking in front of them interrupted the conversation. They all turned their attention towards it. A tail twitched and vanished behind one of the houses. Robert and Teresa raised their firearms yet again, keeping their eyes on the spot, until another one ran into a different house, then another close behind.

"We don't have much time. I don't want to split up, but…" Teresa's voice tapered off, not willing to concede that it was their only option.

"That place has been extra squirmy lately," Robert said, gesturing to the house just in front of them with his rifle. "Should we just clear that one out and call it a night?"

"I'll take care of it." Nai started walking forward without a second thought.

The other two raised their eyebrows. "What? Dude, that's suicide," Robert insisted.

"It's alright. We want this done quickly, right?"

Robert just looked at him incredulously. The nerve… he couldn't tell if it was brave or stupid.

"Let him go. We'll take out the rest." Teresa watched Nai get closer and closer to the house before he eventually disappeared into the backyard.

"...Weirdo," Robert muttered before turning away to accompany his aunt.

The whole task was effortless; slice, discard, repeat. Slice, discard, repeat. Nai had lost track of how many he'd killed. He could hear some gunshots firing nearby, but he didn't pay them any mind. He just had to do his part, plain and simple. He didn't need anyone's help. He didn't need anyone holding him back. There was no joy in what he needed to do; there was just the satisfaction of knowing it was right.

Sunlight gave way for the night. The party made their way back, confident that any trouble was abated enough for them to get some rest. Upon their arrival, they saw Vash and Clara happily chatting in the kitchen, talking away about hobbies. Nai couldn't help but feel… uneasy seeing them.

"Alright… it's time for bed." Teresa let out an exhausted breath and held onto Clara's wheelchair handles. "Let's get you upstairs."

Vash subconsciously yawned, realizing just how late it was.

"You must be tired after all that traveling… I'm assuming you don't have anywhere to stay tonight?" Teresa asked.

"No… but don't worry about us! We can find somewhere else!" He waved his hands. "We don't wanna overstay our welcome."

"It's fine. It's the least we can do after all you've done for us. Luckily for you, we have a spare bedroom upstairs. You two can stay there if you'd like."

The twins exchanged a look of acceptance before Vash nodded gratefully. "Sure, we'll take you up on that. Thanks."

Teresa went to fetch each of them a lit candle. "I'll show you to your room. I'll be back for you in a bit, honey," she assured Clara. As she went up to the next floor, Nai started to follow, then Vash after him.

"Hey, Vash."

He paused and turned at the sound of Clara's voice. "Yeah?"

Her mouth opened and closed briefly, wondering if she should speak or not. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Vash tilted his head slightly. "Huh? Uh… hm." He scratched the side of his face. "Honestly, I've never thought about it."

Clara looked down at her lap, realizing how out of nowhere her question was. She pondered the best way to explain. "Sometimes, I get this feeling around here, when I'm alone at night. I feel like someone's… watching me. No one's ever there, of course, but it's like… I can't really reach out and touch them, but they're right there." She shook her head and scoffed. "It's stupid, I know. I'm sure it's nothing. But I thought… I don't know. I just thought I should let you know."

As odd as it sounded, Vash didn't dismiss the concern outright. He gave a soft smile and nodded. "Thanks. I'll keep an eye out." He resumed climbing the stairs, filing Clara's warning into the back of his mind.

Inside of the guest room, the two beds were on the left and right wall respectively. Vash laid on the left bed with his head closer to the door while Nai did the opposite, laying on the right bed and making sure he could see the door from where he was.

"It wouldn't kill you to pretend sometimes, y'know," Vash remarked, finally speaking his mind after what happened earlier. He folded his hands between the pillow and his head.

Nai sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. "This again? What difference does it make?"

"You're the one who's so worried about us looking suspicious. People notice more than you think."

"And? It's not like we're going to see them again anyway."

The thought hadn't occurred to Vash. To him, it was almost a certainty that he'd meet these people again. He was sure that one day, they'd be able to cross paths, maybe when he and Nai were going back to the ship. It was more likely than not.

"But it doesn't hurt to treat them well," he finally replied before closing his eyes, ready to drift off to sleep.

Creaks shifted around the floors and walls, settling in for the foundation of the house. Moonlight pressed against the curtains and tried to push its way in, only a bit of it managing to get in between the folds onto the floor. There was no way of telling how much time had passed. Nai had closed his eyes in the hopes that maybe he too, for once, could actually sleep. Nothing: just him and his thoughts, as always. He sat up in bed, looking over at his brother. Vash was sound asleep, a light snore emanating from him. Nai quietly stood up and walked out the door. Better to do something than nothing.

Just down the hall, he saw a faint yellow light still glowing from inside one of the rooms. The door was slightly ajar, though not a sound came from inside. He steadily made his way over before slowly pushing the door open.

It was a study, somewhat disorganized in the years since everything started. Books were off the shelf in random orders, the computer sitting forever asleep under the desk. The window was open, the outside air permeating into the space. Another scent lingered with it… Teresa sat in the office chair, her right hand perched by her face, a trail of smoke floating out. She pulled the cigarette away from her face and turned. A slight smirk pulled on her mouth.

"Can't sleep either?"

Nai just shook his head.

She waved her right hand, gesturing for him to come in. So he did. He stood on her right, crossing his arms as he looked out into the dark sky.

"The stars are so much clearer now," Teresa remarked before taking another drag. "It's sad to think how hard it was to see them before. We only have ourselves to blame for that." She flicked the end of the cigarette atop an ashtray, watching it add to the pile of burned tobacco and paper. Nai glanced over for a moment. He never understood why anyone would pick up such a nasty habit.

"I know it's wrong for me to have these. What kind of mother am I, right?" She scoffed, making fun of herself. "A sick daughter who had cancer, and I'm here making my own. Don't worry, I only do it here. We all need to find some way to make the days easier."

Nai didn't comment. At least she acknowledged it for what it was.

She tilted her head up and leaned back, her legs crossing. "Are you serious about going to Genesis?"

"...No. But he is."

Teresa gave a knowing smile. "That's all it takes. Wherever he goes, you go, right?" Her mouth twitched and turned into a frown. Her gaze locked onto him, suddenly grave. "You want some advice?"

He didn't say yes, but didn't indicate he wouldn't take it either. She went on, leaning forward.

"If you want you and your brother to make it home alive, you cannot go. They'll wring you dry until there's nothing left. You care about him? About yourself? Then whatever you do, don't. Go."

Nai was taken aback by the intensity of her words. Of course, she didn't know that the twins' situation was far different from her own, that their very nature was far beyond what she could see. But something about her eyes… Something about her posture made him feel like she was telling the truth. No matter how invincible he thought he was, no matter how much stronger he was… there was a genuine fear there that took shape in his soul. It had cropped up before at a much earlier time, and now it was resurfacing, threatening to grip him. He took her words to heart, using it as another marker in affirming himself in his stance. Convincing Vash would be a tall order… but he had to. There was no other way.

Back in the guest room, Vash was sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling with his breathing. Unbeknownst to him, against the roughly painted halls of the old home, there was… singing: a tune similar to the melancholic notes he'd heard just hours before. It wasn't enough to disrupt his sleep, or anyone else's, apparently. It wasn't until the melody started to grow stronger, crescendoing from a soft, fading whisper, to a constant cry that it reached his ears. A pressure built up above his bed, reaching down, down, down, until it was just close enough to graze his hair…

His eyes snapped open as he shot up in bed. The pressure immediately retreated, but the song still remained, its vessel shrinking back once again. He looked around the room wildly, trying to figure out what was causing the commotion. Nothing… not even an unexplained shadow or a change in temperature. He slowly got to his feet, determined to find out what it was.

"...Hello?" He whispered.

No response. Just the same rhythm repeating itself. He stepped out into the hallway and looked down to the other end. Even the vague light that crept in from the windows wasn't enough to quell the pitch black that rested there. He just stared down at it, hoping to find something, anything.

The song soon reached Nai's ears as well. His attention was broken from the warning by Teresa out towards the hallway. He turned his head in alarm, unfolding his arms.

"What's wrong?" Teresa asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

He glanced at her questioningly. Could she not hear it? Curious…

"It's nothing," he said calmly. "I should get back to my brother." He left without another word, leaving Teresa dumbfounded by his exit.

It wasn't long before the twins were reunited. Nai approached Vash from behind, realizing just as he had the direction of the sound's origin. Vash had his eyes closed, trying to listen intently. After a few moments of concentration, he opened them again, fixed on the door ahead of them.

"You hear it too?" Nai whispered.

"Yeah," Vash whispered back.

The song broke into pieces, stopping and starting in what appeared to be a random sequence. In its captive audience of two, it invoked despair, restlessness, and depression, though only faintly. Vash tried to cling to it, to gain some kind of purpose from it.

That's when they saw it; it was so brief that they almost didn't believe it. Were it not for both of them experiencing it at the same time, they would've thrown it away as a late night delusion. Right there, by the end window, they swore they saw a faint shape, a bulbous form that was attempting to take shape… A faint veil of white covered it as it morphed from a serpent's tail, to a shark fin, to the segment of a centipede, then into something neither of them could even hope to describe… It was just big enough to seep into the window pane and out into the night, vanishing without a trace. Any sounds from the song faded with it, until all was quiet once again.

The brothers looked at each other with the same expression: bafflement and a trace of terror. Knowing there was nothing else they could do, they returned to their beds, laying in the unsettling silence to ruminate over what happened. They didn't sleep a wink after that.

Morning came, and so too did the time to bid farewell. Neither of the twins spoke of what they'd seen. They simply gathered their things and said their farewells as if nothing was amiss.

"Do you wanna take a flower with you?" Clara asked Vash.

"No. I don't think I'd be able to take very good care of it out there," he admitted with a smile. "They're much safer here." But… There was something else he thought they might be able to help with. "If any of you see some kids out here, would you be able to look after them for me?" He looked between the three hosts pleadingly.

Teresa studied his face for a moment, trying to discern why he'd ask. Regardless, she nodded. "Sure. We'll keep an eye out."

"Thank you. For everything." He beamed at them one more time, his gaze lingering on Clara for an extra moment. "Take care."

A bittersweet smile rose on her face as she watched the travelers leave. Vash exchanged waves with the three of them before turning up the road with his brother. Once he knew they were out of sight, his face dropped, a glum look setting in.

They walked for several minutes without speaking before Vash's feet stopped. Nai took notice and halted his own progress, looking back at him. "What's wrong?"

Vash's jaw clenched. "It just… it feels so wrong to leave them behind. I mean… we can help them! If we just told them how to get to the ship–"

"And then what? We get exposed as an unknown on a planet where we don't belong? How do you think they'd treat us then?" Nai fired back.

"And how do you know they'd be cruel about it?"

"Come on, Vash. We've been through it already, remember? How did the rest of the crew react when they realized we'd existed the whole time without their knowledge? Were they welcoming to us? Warm? Friendly?"

Vash's left hand balled into a fist. He knew the answer. But there was no convincing Nai that people weren't all the same, that they didn't have the same thoughts and emotions. So he didn't bother rejecting his words.

The older twin turned back around and resumed walking… until a possibility crossed his mind. He knew Vash was good at making fast friends, but could he have also, in just a matter of a day…?

A wry laugh escaped his mouth as he thought about it. "Don't tell me you're in love with her."

"It's not like that," Vash replied immediately, a flash of irritation taking over him.

"Then what is it? Why are you so fixated on this?"

"I just… I know that Rem would want us to help them," Vash said sadly, still rooted to the spot.

Nai just kept his body facing ahead. "But she's not here, is she?"

Vash's heart sank further. He just stared at the ground, his frown growing deeper. His older brother turned back, knowing they wouldn't get anywhere like this. He took a deep breath and walked up to Vash, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You can't save them. That's not your responsibility. We have to worry about ourselves and our own survival first. No one else would spare us a second thought if we needed help. We only have each other."

Vash looked up into his brother's eyes while he spoke. His tone was more… calm than he expected. More gentle. The rigidity he usually held in these disagreements had given way to pure persuasion.

Vash slowly nodded in understanding. "Alright…"

With the matter at a close, they walked in the warmth of dawn, not allowing any other pervasive ideas to impede their progress. They just had to keep moving forward, waiting to uncover what else lay in wait for them.