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The clear, sunny day on the Outer Ring was more like hell in the flesh.
Belle covered her eyes with the palm of her hand, and looked up at the horizon and sighed-not a single cloud, not even a tiny one, to save her from the fate of a crab in a frying pan. At least she has a supply of soda, won in a completely stupid dispute about the jumping ability of cats in different gangs. The people here are weird, but they're kind-hearted.
The bench next to her sags, and Belle doesn't even have to turn around to know it's Burnice. Her leather skirt creaks loudly in the heat. And how has she not boiled yet....
- You all right, Proxy? Your mind's not boiling? - She giggles, nudging Phaeton in the shoulder. - Even I'm a little hot today, and you, city girl, must be feeling pretty sick! - With a flick, she opens the can of Nitro Fuel, draining it halfway almost immediately.
- Heh... Yeah. Scorcher..... - The girl squeezes out of herself, still gazing at the horizon, hoping for at least one small cloud. - Neither New Eridu nor the old capital had ever seen anything like this...
- How do you know what it was like in the old capital? - Confused, White asks.
- Well, I didn't always live in New Eridu... Wise and I had to move when the old capital fell, and a whole new city grew up there... Besides, we had no one left, so we didn't have much choice...- Belle stared at the horizon again, but this time for a different reason: she seemed to be having a heat stroke, and black flies were flickering before her eyes, because she couldn't explain the approaching dark spot on the road. Who goes out of the house in this heat? - Burnice, it does not seem to be someone driving up there, does it?
White, who had been listening to her story with a look of sympathy on her face, turned in the direction her friend had pointed and squinted.
- Nope, proxy,- The next moment she picks up a pair of binoculars from under the bar, squinting again. - You're not imagining it. There's a man riding a bike. All in black. He's crazy! I like that kind of guy! Time to wipe down the glasses. - She says, and jumps across the table and gets right back to her desk. - Lighter! Caesar! The USB is coming!
- USB? What's going on? - Belle blinks.
- Unidentified- Scary-Bike!
Almost immediately, Caesar almost flew out of a house nearby, in full gear, and looked around and nodded to Burnice. She smiled and poked toward the horizon, bringing the flamethrowers into action with a flick of her hand. King borrowed the binoculars from White, and looked at her guest and sighed, seemingly relieved.
- There's no ID, so it's either a lone bandit or a lost wretch. Stand down.
- What if they're a spy? - Lighter asked from behind the door.
- The only interesting thing to spy on here is Lucy's pantaloons,- Caesar cut him off, dropping the shield to the ground and leaning on it, looking again at the guest. - He looks like you, that's funny.
- There aren't few people in the world who look like me...- He sighed, sitting down on the seat next to Belle's. - Burns, is there anything colder to drink?
- Only your heart! - White sighs, tossing his friend a cold jar freshly pulled from the refrigerator. - What if it's your lost relative?
Lighter's gaze seems to sharpen for a second, but it goes away as quickly as it came. - I don't think so. There'd be a typhoon in here.
Belle looks at him, and the thought suddenly pops into her head that she doesn't actually know anything about Lighter's life before the fights. It's as if he doesn't want to remember...
- Belle, shall we go meet the guest? You know more about the cities around here than I do, in case they need help...- Lighter cackles, rolling the tin can clumsily in his hands.
- And I'll go with you! - Burnice shrieks with joy.
- And I need to go necessarily, I am, after all, the leader! - Caesar laughs. - That's how we will go, all Calydon!
- Great, I agree. - Belle said, feeling a little better from the drinks. As much as she trusted Lighter, it was better to have more than one skillful warrior around.
The guest didn't make them wait long - ten minutes later the roar of the engine could be heard very well, and in fifteen minutes a black, dusty bike, covered with tubes of unknown origin, approached them. On it, looking out from behind black glasses, sits a man, about forty-five years old, taut, and perfectly self-conscious - a black suit with a white shirt was unbuttoned almost to the navel, almost completely exposing his chest, on which, adding to this hellish mixture of chaste, rested a cross, obviously originated from the old capital.
- Kids, do you know where the nearest town is? - He said, taking a cigarette out of his pocket. - I'm sick of driving, at least I could pour something down my throat.
- Mister, you can stop here for now! We have soda, water and something stronger! - White says cheerfully, occasionally glancing down at the deep neckline of his shirt. Belle doesn't blame her, the sight is truly distracting. She turns to look at the others, and among the calm faces she suddenly notices a gradually pale Lighter. He hides his chin in his scarf, probably unnoticed even by himself, and gradually turns away from their guest.
- Lighter? Are you okay?
- Yes, I'm fine.
- Lighter? - Says the man, dropping his cigarette. Even behind the dark lenses shows surprised, shocked eyes. He gets up off the bike, in two steps he's right next to the boy. - Your name is Lighter?
He takes a step back, either to run away or to answer something ridiculous, and either fear or shame shines in his gaze.
- Do you know Lighter? - Caesar asks cautiously, preparing to attack the man if he does.
- Fuck, yes, I know him! It would be very strange if I didn't know my only son's name! - With a mixture of resentment, bitterness, and tenderness he says. Lighter seems to turn even paler.
There is a silence that seems to last forever. No one dares to start asking questions first, and the man eventually continues.
- Lighter Saverem Wolfwood,- he says firmly, as if preparing to reprimand his son, and then softens, pulling the boy into a hug. - You... I got you.
***
- So Lighter left ten years ago, and you've been looking for him all this time? - Belle asks, watching the man in front of her, who introduced himself as Nicholas D. Wolfwood, smoke his third cigarette in an hour.
- He's good at hiding. Reminds me of someone,- Wolfwood grins, looking not a little cheerful. Lighter sits beside him, not saying a word during this time. He smiles meekly, nodding at his father's words. - Why didn't you write a line to me and Mama, at least to let us know you were alive?
- Would that have made you feel better? - Lighter said quietly, and Wolfwood said nothing, as if he knew what he meant.
- Mr. Wolfwood, where did you come from? - Burnice chirps, tactically pouring a cold drink for the guest.
- A long way from here,- said Nicholas, sipping from the edge of his drink, - I've been traveling for a week and a half, maybe a little less. I got on my bike in the last forty kilometers. You've got such a system of sand ships here that you don't even want to get on a bike, you just take it and ride the miracle of modern technology! At least I can call home without my family worrying that I'm lost.
- You have more than just a wife? - Caesar's coming in.
- What wife? - Wolfwood is surprised.
- Well... Lighter's mom. - Says Belle.
- Well... Vash is something like a wife, yes... He cooks, though, such a shi... - He coughs, shaking off the burnt tobacco from the end of his cigarette. - A husband and an older daughter. I just call him Mama for laughs.
Everyone turns sharply to look at Lighter.
- I'm related. - The stares get more intense. - Long story.
- Do me a favor and tell it! - Barely putting her sagging jaw back in place, Burnice says.
- Don't torture the kid, he's always had a hard time explaining it. In a nutshell! Vash is not a human being no-fucking-thing. He looks, acts, and squeals like a human, but he's a mutant of an angel, a god, and a ficus of some sort... In short, a hellish mixture, I only understood from all of this where to....
- Dad, they got it. - Now already blushing, interrupts him Lighter.
- Lighter from the whole list of fucked-up features got only the ability to stitch himself up in a couple hours, and blue eyes. He got something from me, too, as you can see.
“Got something”! The two men looked like two peas in a pod, right down to the number of strands sticking out of their heads, to say nothing of their faces and habits! Those in the room abruptly switched to discussing the incredible similarities between father and son.
- Lighter. Look, I understand, but come home. At least for a couple days. - Wolfwood only speaks to his son when the atmosphere has cleared. - We-- We missed you. Vash cries for you almost every night, wondering if you're alive... You know him... He... And I do too... - Nicholas barely says the words, lowering his gaze to the sand stuck in the cracks in the floorboards. - Please, come with me, you'll meet everyone, because... We... We've been checking every day... What if... What if you're not even here anymore?
Lightyear squeezes him in a hug. He's shaking, and they sit like that for a few seconds before he pulls back a little and nods.
- Yeah... Yeah, come on, let's go for a drive. I... I missed you too.
***
Belle doesn't know how she ended up here. Wolfwood had somehow decided on his own that she was his son's best friend (which wasn't a lie, they really are very good friends, but she wasn't ready to meet his parents yet), and that she should be introduced to everyone in their little family. You can't get enough of Lighter alone!
Like she was going to use him for soup.
And so the three of them traveled on a sand ship to a beautiful, so to speak, far away place, to meet the people who had raised Lighter. Wolfwood, however, during their brief acquaintance, seemed to Belle a very warm-hearted man, though stiff in character at first sight. Even by his look it was obvious that he had a whole crypt of skeletons in his closet, and she didn't know whether it was worth getting into it or not. Well, actually, only people like that could have produced her friend, and boy, was he the same!
They arrive a week later, since, according to Nicholas, they didn't have to stop in every backwater village, and after passing through the city of December, on the opposite end from the ship, they finally find themselves in the right place.
The cottage was surprisingly nice, even with its own little garden with a large, sprawling apple tree. Belle, staring, doesn't notice Wolfwood walk forward, opening the door to the inside.
- I'm home! With a surprise,- he shouts into the interior of the house, and a short time later, footsteps are heard, and a man a little younger than Wolfwood appears from around the corner. Blond, obviously dyed, as trim as his husband, with deep, blue eyes filled with universal sadness.
He blinks incomprehensibly at first, looking at Wolfwood and Lighter, and then, coming closer, gasps in surprise.
- Lighter?
- Yeah... Yeah, it's me, Dad.
Saverem steps closer, taking his son's face in the palm of his hand, examining it, moving the strands of hair around his face with trembling fingers, then tucking the hair behind his ear. His lips fold into a trembling smile, a light shines in his eyes, and he exhales, barely audible at all. He pushes their foreheads together, slowly, as if still in disbelief.
- He's alive,- the man sobs. The air around them seems to electrify, making the hair on Belle's head move, and just when she dares to ask what's happening, barely visible, glowing lines appear on both Saverem's skin, as if little light bulbs had come on. After a couple minutes, it stops, and the older Saverem pulls away, finally turning his attention to another guest. - And healthy... And you're his friend, aren't you? - He says, now smiling quite gently, looking at her.
- I'm Belle,- She holds out her hand for a handshake, and the man gladly accepts it, hesitating a little, pulling Phaethon into a hug.
- Oh, I'm so glad, I'm so glad! My boy is all grown up, and he's making friends, and some pretty good ones at that! - Vash is laughing.
- He's got a whole gang where I brought him from. All women! He must be a real ladies' man.
- I can't imagine where he got it from...- Saverem rolled his eyes, finally releasing his guests from his bone-cracking embrace. There was no trace of the glowing marks, but the blond hair on his temples looked suspiciously like feathers... Belle turned to look at Lighter - he didn't even appear to have feathers or marks, as if he hadn't just pretended to be a magician. - Tea? Coffee? We've got cookies, Lina brought some chocolate from work, and...
- I missed you, too,- Lighter smiled, taking off his glasses and smiling modestly, as if embarrassed. The elder Saverem breaks his smile for a moment, but immediately, seemingly forcibly, pulls it back on.
- Okay. Don't get sentimental! Get in the kitchen, you daredevils, or I won't get you out of here alive, - Wolfwood laughs frankly, putting an arm around his husband's shoulder. Belle only now notices the gray strands on his temples.
***
- What do you two do for a living? Well, you came here together, so you work together... - Vash asks, stirring his tea, - Though what could such different people do together...?
- So of all people in the world, the one who resents it is you... - Nicholas starts to say, but almost instantly gets hit in the back of the head. - Ouch! Tongari, I'm kidding!
- We... We're colleagues in a way, yes... I'm the director of video rental, and Lighter... Uh... Lighter... - Belle blinks, not knowing whether to tell about the fact that she is, in actual fact, a criminal, and looking back at her friend, doesn't see the same confusion in his face.
- We're colleagues in two fields. Sometimes I help out by being a promoter for Rent, but most of the time I go on missions in the caverns, and Belle guides me and hacks into the necessary systems. - He speaks calmly, to which Belle almost cringes, catching the sound in her throat in time. Just like that, just to inform them that they're outlawed?!
- Oh, so you're a Proxy? Oh, how wonderful, so you're also a smart one,- Vash replies, and Phaethon nearly drops her jaw to the floor. So easy to take it that way? The man seems to notice her confusion. - Girl, you don't scare me with your crimes, I can see you're a wonderful person. Do you know how good I am at sensing people? Especially,- he cleared his throat awkwardly, choosing his words, - Have you ever heard of Vash the Stampede? Humanoid Typhoon? The Terror of Seven Cities?
- No, I haven't-- Humanoid Typhoon? Mr. Saverem, so you are?! - Belle rises from her seat with tension, falling back as soon as the man nods.
- And that charming gentleman next to me is the Punisher, a known sidekick of mine.....
- And happy husband. Tongari, you're too quick to give away family secrets to people you don't know. - says Wolfwood.
- What's she gonna do? Go to the police? - Stampede hums, and the Punisher barely audibly utters a meaningful “o,” immediately relaxing. - Lighter, what do you been doing?Used to do. I guess you haven't known each other that long, so you couldn't have worked for her for ten years.
- I couldn't. I-- He sighs, and the cup in front of him remains untouched. - For a long time I just hung around here and there... Looking for... Fame, courage, maybe... I don't know. - He sounds ashamed, as if now, with the height of experience, he gradually realizes that his ideas were completely stupid. - I was in debt... I gave a lot to those in need, but I barely had enough to live on. And then I got dragged into underground fights to pay back the debt...- Belle shifts her gaze to Wolfwood and Saverem, and they both look like they're going to throw up. Nicholas seems to shake a little, as if he's remembering something. - And then... Then Mr. Calydon came. He paid my debts, gave me a new life, introduced me to some wonderful people.
- And not quite people...- Belle said, trying to lighten the mood, and Lighter nodded, smiling at the corner of his lips. In fact, when you think about it, Billy's a bit like the elder Saverem....
- So it's all good now. - Lighter finishes, clapping his hands on his knees.
- Lighter,- Wolfwood interrupted him. - Lighter, it's all right, you're still our son,- The man looked so tense, and so desperately at the boy, that from the outside it seemed as if he was trying to prove his words to himself. - Whatever the hell you've done, you're always welcome, we always miss you. We couldn't give up on you because of a few mishaps...- He sighed, catching his breath, and then suddenly continued. - When... When I was your age, I too... Mhm... No, not like that. When I was nine, I was taken away by people from a large religious organization... And they made me a lab rat. They implanted some foreign element in my DNA and sent me out to slaughter people for the church. And I wanted to run away many times, to go home, but every time I thought that I'd be a monster to the people at the orphanage. That having so many dead bodies under my belt would scare them... But... One day I had to go back. You remember Grandma Melanie, right? ...She was a caretaker at the orphanage, I remember... But... She was never afraid of you, was she?
- They took me in. They said it wasn't my fault, and those kids at the orphanage still call me Brother Nico. That's what I'm saying,- He turns to his husband and he nods at him, smiling, albeit wryly. - They loved me for just being me. And they still do. Just like dad and I love you. Besides, didn't dad tell you to always fight back?
- Only if it's gentle, and never attack first! - Here comes the Stampede, sounding on the verge of menacing and funny.
- I know you're a convinced pacifist! Do you know the Pacific Ocean? He's calmed it down. - Wolfwood laughs again, dodging punches with the agility of an assassin. Belle smiles as she watches this, and turns to Lighter. He's trying to discreetly brush tears from his eyelashes, giggling at his parents' scolding, and the sorrow that's been there since his father's arrival on the Bypass is almost completely gone from his face.
- Well! Belle, our dear, you work at the video rental store, don't you? - Having had enough of his husband, says the Stampede.
- Yes, Mr. Saverem! - Phaethon replies in the same tone.
- Come on, I'll give you some cassettes. I've been collecting them all my life! Kept them under my heart! - He continues importantly, getting up from the table.
- May I ask you something indiscreet, Mr. Saverem? - Belle adds, rising after the man.
- Yes, my dear, ask anything, don't be shy,- he replies, but then adds, -Well, almost anything, except intimate questions. I'm not that kind of a guy!
- No way! So, Mr. Seivrem... And for all of your life... How much is that?
Stampede smiles slyly, squinting his eyes. - How much would you give me?
- Well... I honestly didn't believe at first that you're Lighter's father, you're... Well, you don't look....
- Sweetheart, you've seen I'm not human. And my fool of a husband must have told you everything the first time you met him, right, Wolfwood? - The said man nods in the affirmative. - Oh, shame on me. I'm a hundred and seventy-two. And I'm still in the prime of my life. Lighter's still just a kid by our standards, he's what... twenty-eight now... - Belle gasps for air. A hundred and seventy-two? She could hardly give that man forty! - Though I was barely an adult when I found out that Lighter was going to be born... The fact that I ran out of energy accelerated the process of growing up... Okay! We're distracted. Cassettes...
Belle looks back and sees Wolfwood sitting next to Lighter, telling him something, quietly. Surely they must have something to discuss...
***
They come out of the attic, loaded as a sledding donkey, to say the least. Such an extensive collection is the dream of any video store. Belle was even a little jealous - such a rarity, and so brazenly hidden from the world... Astra seems to love such antiques as well, she would have fallen from such a sight. The only thing that was frustrating (and heartwarming at the same time, for what it's worth) was not being able to grab herself some old westerns, as the elder Saverem had set the box aside, dryly informing her that it was the only memento from his brother. Belle wondered if creatures like Vash the Stampede could have brothers.
Talking about brothers! As soon as they returned to the kitchen, they were greeted by a man of enormous stature, gray-haired, with tattoos on his face, and a perfectly kind look in his eyes with pupils of different sizes. He introduced himself by two names at once, Livio and Razlo, explaining that his body shared two identities at once. He also happens to be Wolfwood's brother, though not blood related. What a family Lighter's got...
- Are you his girlfriend? - Livio asks, but immediately blushes, realizing that he's getting personal. - I mean... Oh, I'm sorry, young lady...
- No, no, no, it's okay. Lighter and I are best friends. Unfortunately, guys always choose someone who looks like their mother... Dad... Geez. Well, you know, I guess... - Belle waved away, and turned around to catch the glare of a flushed younger Saverem, so flushed that he blended in with his scarf.
- Wow, Lighter, you didn't even mention you had a date once! - Stampede exclaimed indignantly, dramatically playing insulted to the core of his being.
- Belle! I'll tell you later, honestly! Not all at once... - Lighter murmured embarrassedly, trying to hide in the fabric around his neck. Too much has happened today...
- Do we have company? - A woman in her mid-thirties or early forties, with thick brown hair and a look so bright it took Belle's breath away. - ...Brother? - And then, as if off the chain, she sprang at Lighter, wrapping him in a tight embrace, tight enough to make Phaethon's ears hear a crunch. - Brother! You're back!
- Whoo! Yes! Yes, it's me! Lina, you'll kill me! - Lighter pleaded, trying to free himself from the death grip. As soon as Lina pulled back, he exhaled, inhaled, and seemed to put his brains back in place. - Belle, meet my sister, Lina.
- The eldest, mind you! Actually, I just came by to check on my dad's roof repair, in case he needs help, but since the prodigal brother is back....
- And I hope he'll visit us from now on,- Typhoon added.
- More often,- Wolfwood replied.
- And he'll introduce us to someone from his new life! - Said Lina and held out her hand to Belle. Livio nodded in agreement, eating what seemed to be his third cookie.
What a desperate family they are, no more, no less, Phaethon thought.
***
After they got back to the Outer Ring (which was hard - none of the parents wanted to let go of their child, who had been missing for ten years, but after ten vows, as many prayers, and a verbal agreement, they seemed to calm down), they were literally bombarded with questions. And it took an awfully long time to answer them, even considering that they missed at least the fact that Lighter's parents are world-class criminals.
And Lighter did take a little vacation at least once every couple of months to visit his, really his, home. Sometimes he traveled alone, but more often than not he traveled with someone. Over time, he even found ways to get there faster, eventually cutting the trips down to a couple days. A few times he took his friends from Calydon, sometimes dragging both proxies with him, but more often than not, not surprisingly, he took Billy. In yet another phone call, Wolfwood would frankly burst into laughter at the similarity of the chosen ones of himself and his son, to such an absurd degree they were alike.
Then one day Saverem and Wolfwood came over by themselves, and that evening...
In general, it was not much different from the other days when they had parties at Burnice's bar - buzz, noise, fun, a lot of people, and dozens of liters of drinks. Beautiful! The men seemed to be enjoying themselves, too, reminiscing to each other about the past, when they themselves were still wandering the desert, moving from town to town, spending their evenings the same way.
- Lighter,- Wolfwood said to his son, -do you realize how much your papa has been drinking me over? I could hardly stand two cups, and this one was drinking as if he were a bottomless gulp! And he was soberer than me. - The Stampede just folds an L at his forehead and sticks out his tongue at him. - So! I need to drink more than a plant for once in my life. This asshole's had enough, so! Lighter! I challenge you to a fair father-son duel! Whoever gives up first gets a haircut at Lina's salon. Go?! - Wolfwood sounds comical in a hushed crowd. It wasn't hard to out-drink Lighter, but they still attracted attention. Lighter shakes his head.
- I can't drink.
- Why not? You embarrassed or something? Or are you afraid your dad's gonna beat you up? - Wolfwood smirks. Lighter shakes his head again.
- I won't be allowed to drink for a couple more months. - Junior Saverem thinks for a moment. - Okay, maybe a little longer. I have a... A small announcement, but not for curious ears.
They quickly follow Lighter as he leads his parents, a couple people from the Sons of Calydon, and both proxies away from the crowd. Billy ties up behind them for some reason.
- So... I wanted to let you know, but not in this setting, and certainly not this early...- Lighter turns to Kid, who nods encouragingly. - I... Mm... Billy and I are going to have a baby. - He finally says, covering his mouth with his palm, as if he's not sure how to feel about it.
Their whole small group seems to stop breathing for a moment at the same time.
The first to wake up was the elder Saverem.
- Lighter! Oh, my darling,- he chirped, wrapping his son in his arms. - My soul, I'm so happy for you! How long? When? Oh...
- A month ago. We were very surprised ourselves, honestly.
- How...- Wolfwood thinks aloud, but is interrupted, seeming to remember that Lighter is basically as much of an alien as his dad. - Congratulations!
- Yeah, congratulations! - Caesar exclaims, seemingly not the least bit embarrassed by the situation. - I'll have to send you away from Daddy, but I think he'll be happy for you too.
The awkward pause gradually turned into an enthusiastic clamor, and everything returned to normal. Everyone's having fun again.
And everything's going to be okay. It will be.