Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Tolerant Patience ❯ Meet The Kids ( Chapter 12 )

Author's Notes:HALLOOOOOOO!!!!! BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!.. Uh. Never mind.

Disclaimer: I have the sudden urge to research on who actually owns Trigun, but maybe when I'm not so weighed down by homework, but for now, let's say that I certainly am not in possession of Trigun's ownership. Nor do I own Genrou's, Gau's, or Duo's characters from Fushigi Yuugi, FFVI, and Gundam Wing, respectively. Though I tweaked Duo's and Genrou's characters a bit to fit the storyline, I definitely bent Gau's personality around, so not completely stolen.

Symbol Key:

Dialogue= "Insert words/phrases/sentences"
Thoughts knowingly directed at people = -- Insert thought(s) --
A conversation spoken in German = || Insert Words ||
Noticeable Intruding thoughts = > Insert thoughts >
Noticeable Intruding thoughts directed at everyone within a 100 foot radius = >> Insert thoughts >>
Skimming frequency = <>Insert Words <> (Add more symbols for known people)
Conscience's voice (or what I like to call the voice in Rin's head that keeps pointing out her faults and rubbing it in her face ) = : Words and psychological torture. :

!! Look out for Japanese phrase, word, and honorative !!:

(Insert name)-san -- Mr./Mrs./Miss ; respectful; usually used with someone older than you or someone; can also stand for Sir or M'am, or even Dear or Honorable.

Daijoubu desu ka? -- Are you alright? ; Are you okay?

Hai -- Yes. Alright. Okay.

Pronunciation Key: Japanese = much more nasal than English

'(Insert name)-san' is "(Insert name)-sahn" Never put it on your own name; it's considered rude. That basically goes for any honorative.

'Daijoubu desu ka?' is "Die-johh-bu dehs kah?" Remember not to make the oo sound in bu too long. Short and clipt is good.

'Hai' is "Hi" as in capital I, but it's clipt..

Editor's note: -_- Sigh.. Rin's gonna hate me.. Oh, it may seem confusing with all the children in the orphanage, but I'll put up a short BIO of each child per chapter if that's what you readers want. It may get confusing with Rin's thoughts and the conversations she has conflicting... she's used to it so she doesn't confuse herself.

There are two names that don't follow the regular English pronunciation:
Gau is "Gah-oo"
Genrou is "Gehn-rohh"

Random Excerpt from Dousureba ii (What Should I Do?)
[Really has no relevance to this story at all. Just the type of songs I listen to when I'm writing a story.]

...
Naze aisenai... Aishiteru iru no ni.
Kokoro o totsuzen... Tozashite shimau no
Naze nikete yuku... Oikakeru hodo

...

...TRANSLATION...

...

Why won't you let me love you?... I love you.

Why do you suddenly... close your heart to me?

Why do you run away from me... the more I chase after you?

...

On a happier note, this song is sung by an incredibly sexy voice for Nanjo Koji (an anime character) in Zetsuai; the version I have is sung by Ishihara Shinichi (the voice can be a little too deep at times but, eh, who cares?)... *melts into a puddle* Lookit! I'm a puddle o' goo.

On with story!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, so maybe I overreacted.

I frowned.

Why did I let him get to me?

I shook my head, walking towards the large two-story house in my backyard.

I need to check on my kids, anyway.

"Mama Rin!!" I never made it, I got three-quarters of the way there...

MamaRinMamaRinMamaRin!!!

I was nearly tackled. Small hands of a nine year-old held onto my shirt. A black-haired furball attached to my side.
"Cosima."

She hugged me tightly. YOU're BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I winced.
"Cosima, what have I told you about directing thoughts at me?"

Her grip loosened. A frown marred her features as she gave me a quizzical look.
"But I wasn't..."

That stopped me. Wait, after helping Kozue out, did I...?

: No. You didn't cut back on your skimming, did you? :

I repressed my masochistic urge to bang my head on something.
dumb.. Dumb DUMB!! How scatterbrained can I get?? I instantly toned down my skimming mode.

And I walked out because of THAT!! ARRRGGGGHHH!!!!

Cosima was looking at me with a mix of hurt and unease.

Darn, I have to cap and put away my feelings for now. But Cosima probably already felt my mood.
I sighed wearily.
I hope she doesn't think I'm mad at her.

Doubtless, not only does she already know, since she caught me off guard, she's also trying to pin the blame on herself.

"How are the others?" I smiled, aware of how sensitive she could be.

"Uhmm.. Well, Lin and Genrou got into a fight again..." She trailed off, still unsure of me.

"I assume nothing was broken this time?" I nudged her playfully to continue.

" Nope.. but Duo was laughing his butt off when they fell out of the tree..."

"They were fighting... in a tree?"

She glanced up with her dark blue-gray eyes, looked down, and blushed. "Yeah, but they fell on top of one another and got into another fight."

Ahh.. Cosima would know how Genrou feels about Lin.

"Cosima? What about the others?"

"Oh, Hollin was watching also... it's weird watching her face light up but nothing..." She shyly looked away. I slowly scooped her up into my arms.

Hollin was a mute. I'm not too sure why it bothers Cosima so much...

"I told you before, don't be pushed away from that. Besides, I think she enjoys being around you because you know how she feels and she doesn't have to worry about miscommunication."

"But only when I get too close to her." She frowned.

... other than that.

She did not like touching people because she instantly felt a connection between herself and whoever that person was. It was too confusing for her to have all those conflicting feelings fighting over each other, which was often the case.

It's even worse when it was someone she knows.

When it's someone she knows, not only feelings are picked up, but thoughts too, and that frightens her. She once told me she was afraid of being lost and not being able to find herself with all the voices.

As a result, she generally hid away from view, so the others wouldn't play some contact-oriented game with her.

But, even though they understood her unwillingness for touch, careful as they were, she often ended up becoming confused and disoriented.

And in a state of depression. I thought grimly.

That's why I have to be very cautious; My block is up for these occasions.

She frowned at me.

Or at least I try to lessen the effects, but I don't have much experience with it, since I haven't found many empaths/telepaths to practice defense with. They're kind of a rarity in humans.

And she's been with me for little more than four and a half months.

"What about Marie? Or Gau?" I prodded her to go on.

That's why I'm stronger at offensive measures.
I had to manipulate people when I was much younger.

There were always people trying to take advantage of someone that looked to be a preteen-ish without a parent around.

"They stayed mostly over in the garden when they played. I think Marie has a surprise for you there."

Marie is an expert at plants.

And beats me at growing things.

Of course, I don't have the power to coax them to grow, either.
Just knowledge and experience and time. Lots of time.

"I'm looking forward to that!" I smiled.

But if someone like Knives or Legato at full power were to attack me, I really don't think I could withstand it.

"Gau, found a batch of kittens..."

I perked up. "Kittens?" Maybe, Legato... I closed that stream of thought off. Now was not the time.

"Yeah, he went off again as usual into the desert, and said he found them abandoned."
Her expression saddened.

I rubbed her back, trying to sooth her emotional pain.

She had been abandoned herself.
Not voluntarily, her father was murdered and her mother committed suicide over grief of her husband.

There was something else though.

Murdered. Why do I get a suspicious feeling that I should--

A flash of a young girl, looking up with angry tears, mouthing three syllables.

A name.

Oh, crap. I did not think this through.

When I told her it was Legato, rather than Vash who killed her father, I was not expecting to have to save Legato.

... ..

: You're a hypocrite... just like he said. :

What?

: If Legato had nothing to do with your brothers, you wouldn't have bothered saving him, would you? :

He had killed too many with no repentance.

: .. but under the order of Knives.. :

.. and he wouldn't have been born if not for Knives.

: Exactly, and if Knives didn't suddenly have the urge to play father, then Legato wouldn't have-- :

Should I really save Knives then? Is there anything to really save?

: You're such an ass. You made a promise. :
I nearly cursed Rem for leaving me like this, and hated myself for feeling that way.

Knives is insane, but that doesn't excuse what he's done. If he was insane and not hurting anyone, then I would've left him alone, but he's a menace to human society.

: I think I understand. He just kills and kills and kills and kills--:

She tightened her hug, and I suddenly realized that some of my anger leaked through.

Stop getting so wrapped up in your thoughts, Rin. Pay attention!

Wait, why didn't Cosima mention-
"Pete, what about Pete?"

"He... he..."

She kept catching on the next word. Not a good sign.

"He went into ah... his other person for awhile. Gau had to hold him to keep him from leaving. He kept yelling and screaming at us and he hurt Gau badly. But it's okay now. Pete's back. Gau's injuries healed up quickly like always, but..."

: And what of Pete..? Would you have saved him, too, if not for your brother Knives? :

Shut up. Knives created him.

: Or Legato. : I heard the whisper from my own 'voice'.

"But?" I gave her a cheerful smile. I hoped it wasn't as stiff as it felt.

I saved these orphans. Is that being selfish?

"He limps. I don't think he's okay. Can you--?"
"Yes, I'll look after him."

: Yes, you're still selfish. You aren't able to have any of your own, so you replaced that emptiness with them. :

But Knives--

I gave her another reassuring hug.

: Tsk Tsk... So impatient. Wait another 10 -30 years, then try again. :

Cosima was looking at me worriedly. "Are you alright?"

: But once you have your child, I bet you'll abandon them all. :

I put her down, carefully. If I was going to argue with myself, I was not going to drag Cosima into it.

That's not true.

"I'm fine, Cosima, what about that old coot, Mat? Has his inventions blown anything--"

A crash and a plume of dust erupted from the... I looked back at the... house?

Wait, I left Nick... with... Oh, damn it! How did I let that slip my attention??!

I should start using sticky notes.. Bright... hot pink notes.

I turned and ran back.
"Cosima! Tell Duo and Lin to round up the others!!" >But not Pete! > It wouldn't do to have him see either Nick or Legato right now.

What was I thinking!? I am so stupid stupid STUPID!! You do NOT leave Nick and Legato together in the same room. What was I thinking??

That side, including most of the kitchen, was completely demolished.

: You weren't. To preoccupied with yourself. :

Shut. Up.
"Nick!!"

Dust covered much of the area.

I swiveled around. "Nick!!!"

There was some coughing.

I followed the sound, and found a hunched figure.
"Nick?"

He turned around, twin orbs of dull gold glittered.
"Lady Rin?"

Oh ... ...

His eyes were lined with red. He had been crying.
"Kozue?" I breathed out slowly.

"I'm really sorry... He.. he scared me... and I .. I didn't mean to do that..."

I shushed him, patting his head.
"Don't worry about it."
Nick, what did you say to him?
"Are you alright?"

He nodded his head dolefully.

I stood up--
"|| Rin-san!! What's wrong? Daijoubu desu ka? ||"

"|| I'm just fine, Gau! Just looking for Nick!! He's in the rubble! ||"

"|| Hai! I'll look for him now! ||" He ran-limped picking around, smelling the air.

Kozue looked lost.

I offered my hand; His hand dug into my arm.
Wincing, I helped him up.

He clutched to my arm, hindering my movement.
This would not do.
"Kozue, please let go of me. I have to be free to move around okay?"

He nodded, and released his death-grip on my forearm.

Ouch, he's got a strong grip. I rubbed at the numb spot, working some life into it.

"Rin-babe! What's that crash! Is anyone hurt??"

I smiled, bitterly. Duo had his mask nailed on, so the kids wouldn't be upset, but he wasn't fooling anybody. Lin and Genrou stood beside him, while Hollin, Marie, and Cosima were behind him, just as I had asked.

"There was an accident, but other than Nick, I don't think anybody was hurt. Right, Kozue?"

He nodded stiffly, obviously uncomfortable from the six gazes glaring at him.

Gau's yell.
"|| I found him!! ||"

"|| Good job! Need help? ||"

"|| Yeah, he's unconscious. I need some help lifting him. ||"

I frowned. Generally Gau could pick up someone the size of Nick easily... I better check on him, he could be hiding a more severe problem then he's willing to admit A drawback to being raised with a pack of wild dogs out in the desert.

Then again, if Nick's hurt.. even I wouldn't move him without help.

"|| I'm coming over. ||" I looked over to see many confused faces.

Whoops.

I had converted to German for Gau. When he got distressed, he generally spoke in German, which is, what I assume to be, his native tongue.

It was a surprise for me when I first met him; German was almost extinct on Gunsmoke, but then he also knew several other languages.

I found it puzzling, until I accidentally discovered that he had the gift of tongues.

I passed by him one day, staring at a particularly high-spirited riding Thomas, that had taken me years of coaxing to get it to allow me to ride.

I watched him utter some shrill guttural notes, and toss his head back.
The Thomas reacted in kind, ruffling it's feathers and cluck-shrieking back at him.

He snorted, caw-cluck and hid his head behind has arm and bowed.
The Thomas puffed up and twitched its rubbery nose.

And... SAT. DOWN.

He climbed onto it, and petted the Thomas.

They rode around for hours.

When I saw that take place, I decided to try to teach him other languages that he didn't know...

He soaked it all up like a dry sponge.

"Gau found Nick." I said simply, picking my way out of the ruins.

I found Gau hovering over Nick by a tree. There was hardly any rubble.

I had been looking in the wrong place, but the length away from the house led me to believe that he must have been thrown away very hard. Did Kozue throw him..? I looked around with a skeptic eye, but nothing gave me a definite answer.

I kneeled and watched his chest. I saw the barest of movement.
He's still breathing.
A good indication that in fact he was still alive.

I leaned over checking his pulse and listening to his soft breathing.

No gurgling, very good. No punctured lungs.

Pulse is a little high though.

Nick didn't look bad, but I knew that meant nothing for internal injuries.

Grabbing his shoulders, I gently hoisted him up with Gau holding his legs.

I looked up to see the others crowding around us. "Guys, move!"

We carried him to his bedroom, since it was the closest room to the kitchen.

The group did stay out of way, but tracked after us.

>> Hollin turn on the light, Cosima get a flashlight, Genrou get my med kit, Marie get some towels and lay them on the floor...>>

Hollin turned on the light and moved out of our way.

Cosima and Marie ran off

I rested Nick on the bed.

When Marie returned and placed the towels on the floor. Gau and I heaved Nick's limp body carefully onto the floor.

> Gau, go stay with Pete until this over. But I want to check on your foot after this. >
He nodded, and left.

Cosima handed me the flashlight, backing off.

I checked his pupils. They weren't unequal.
Good, I don't think he has a concussion... at least not a severe one.

But, most of the symptoms won't show up until he's awake.

That is, if he wakes up, which of course he will, because if he doesn't I'll drag his consciousness back here from his subconcious if I have to.

Genrou handed me the very large duffel bag, stepped back leaning against the wall.

I rummaged through it, pulling out what I needed.

There was a small cut on his face, which I immediately disinfected and bandaged.

I ran my fingers on his skull for any bumps and to make sure nothing else was bleeding. Nothing was.

How strange. Then, he must have had the brunt of the wall on his... back??

I had Duo help me remove his jacket and shirt. Again with his help, I rolled Nick onto his side checking for any pieces of shrapnel that could have been embedded in his skin.

Finding no external wounds, I ran my fingers over his back and then abdomen, checking for any swelling or discoloration.

There was nothing, but the coloring of several, very large bruises. I wish I had more medicinal technology. It's a pain checking for things within the body without a machine.

Like with some problems you won't know something's wrong until it's a little to late to fix.

If he wakes up and something hurts, I'll assume, whatever it is, is cracked or fractured. Maybe I could ask Mat if he could make something?

But I definitely don't have enough experience with surgery to cut someone up and stitch a lung or anything. Sure, had plenty of practice with digging up bullets in arms and legs, and stitching some things, but not internal things.

Contrary to what Nick thinks, since I knocked him out, I didn't stitch him up. I may have been a nursing assistant for about five years, but that's not nearly long enough to learn what a doctor needs to know. Besides, I had looked a little over 10 when they let me in.

Anyway, when I realized how serious his wounds were, I doped him up and tried to stop the bleeding with as many rags as I had. Then, I step-teleported him all the way to the heavily populated town of Oaktobre with a major hospital that had an x-ray machine.

It was risky because of all the forms I had to fill out. I gave myself an alias with an alibi (I wrote that I was his wife.. ugghh...), but left Nick's name just in case they had medical records on him.

It had been well worth the risk because they pulled up information on him that stopped them from giving him a drug that would have given him a severe allergic reaction.

But anyway, he had been severely hemorrhaging with all those bullet wounds.

The Doctors didn't think he would've survived much longer if I had been any slower. They also didn't think he was going to live after surgery because of the blood loss that he had endured, and complications (due to the general anesthetizes reacting with what I had given him earlier) that had arose.

Then, when they gave me the bill right after surgery, I realized I hadn't the money.

When they were getting agitated with me, someone tapped my shoulder and slipped a wad of money into my hands. I looked down, then realizing exactly how much they had given me, I looked up in shock.

The elderly woman smiled at me. "Take care of my dear Nicholas for me, will you?"

And she shuffled out the door with her cane.

I was speechless. Wha.. what happened?

"Th.. Thanks!" I cried out in vain, but too late she was gone.

I numbly held out the 3000$$ worth to them. But she had given me more. Enough to buy a brand new car. If ever I needed one..

Who was that woman? I thought. Did the hosipital call her as a living relative or what?

And why didn't anyone ask me where he got his wounds? Was there a viable explanation in his medical file? And why didn't they ask me if I had given him anything?? Gaahh!!

I stole him back after a day or two to watch him like a hawk in a more relaxing environment and nursed him to health here.

When he woke up, he had the worst hangover known to human existence, and was in lots of pain.

He complained and complained and complained for the first couple of days, but for some reason it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

I ran my fingers over the five clumped scabs where more than one bullet hit at once and eight others from separate bullet holes. But he had nothing new...

Just when he had almost recovered... I shook my head. I bet he does this unintentionally on a regular basis.

But there was an easier solution.

"Lin, could you make some soup?"

"But Miss Rin..."
<>} I feel like such a freak when people eat my food. {<>

Yes, I knew that.

"But this is important." I looked at Lin sternly. >And, you know it is.>

Lin just stood there. --Can't we just pretend that you put some sort of medicine in it?--

>No. Lin there's nothing to be ashamed of, okay? Everyone here thinks it's amazing that people get better faster after they eat your food. Look at Nick. He still would've been bed-ridden for at least another month, not for the week where he did. >
Lin looked at me skeptically.
>And even then he wouldn't of been able to move around as much. >

"I refuse to." Crossed arms in a haughty gesture.

Silence.

"Lin, you wimp. I bet I could beat you at cooking, any day!" Duo yelled.

>Duo, what are you doing now!>
--Don't worry, Nick's out cold. Just helping you out, babe.-- A playful wink.
I rolled my eyes at him. He was being far too noisy.

"Is that a challenge?!"
"Yes!"
"You're on!"

They both tripped over one another trying to get out of the door.

Genrou snorted.

I looked at him curiously.

"What? I ain't touchin' no pan, so jus' stop thinkin' 'bout it now!"
<>| Why 'm I soundin' so upset? |<>

"Then, where are you heading off to, Genrou?" Marie asked.

"Makin' sure they ca'n cook a good meal o'er a fire without gettin' burned. The kit'chen's broke anyways."

He waved his hand as if to dismiss us as he left.

I focused my attention back on the group.

What a mess..
Kozue was looking through Nick as if he staring long enough he could wake him up.
Hollin was pale, maybe from shock?
Marie was near Hollin her expression unreadable.
Cosima was huddled against the wall: the strain of strong emotions not helping her sensitivity.

Their thoughts were loud and being shot around simultaneously. I was beginning to feel slightly claustrophobic.

"Kozue is going to be staying with us indefinitely."
I received several surprised looks and thoughts roll off of them. My head hurt.

"When you say 'indefinitely', do you mean as long as he lives or until he gets into a normal orphanage?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my index and fore finger. "Marie, I mean, he's staying here, just like everyone else."

"What do you mean exactly?"

This is going to be a long day.
My headache worsened.