Muller's Ratchet

[Yoshi]

Prologue


Man ceased to exist in the year 2050. In that year, a group of Russian scientists discovered a unique mutation that could be easily induced in human embryos which allowed for the possibility of parthenogenesis. It took the world by storm. Every couple in the world wanted their baby outfitted with the complete ability to reproduce themselves. Within 30 years, every person on Earth capable of bearing children could do so without any intervention by a man. This caused men to die out, leaving only women to dominate on the earth. There was no longer such a thing as war. Famine was a thing of the past. The great metropolitan cities were torn down and technology shunned so that the Earth could rejuvenate. The world was united under one banner and was ruled by an elite council which was comprised of the best and brightest of that brave new world. The Heaven on Earth. Paradiso...



Part I

Lily sat upon upon the peak of the Big Rock Candy Mountain. She looked out onto the city in which she lived. The white mud huts and occasional houses made of falled tree limbs looked like spoiled onion stew. It made her realize how hungry she was. She stuck her hand in her satchel and removed a small biscuit, taking a bite. The sky above her was a radiant blue and the way it looked through the slight mist ringing the mountain was simply divine. I'm sure a poet's looking at something just like this right now and hanging himself, she thought.
Lily was the most beautiful girl for miles. She was a veritable goddess. She had had no children, despite the urgings of her peers and partners. She had not done so because she feared it would detract from her beauty and she could never let that happen. She was dreadfully narcissistic and vain.
As she watched the beautiful sky and city and thought her thoughts. It was then that the Great Moth came and devoured her. Her last thought was that perhaps it would have been wise to have had a child earlier.
Upon devouring her, the beast became instantly great with child and dropped upon a dead tree. The tree's summit ran him through and he expired. Upon drawing his last breath, he vomited a great deal and among the mucus and bile was an infant boy bearing the wings of a moth. Such was the birth of Vladimir of Mothwomb.



Part II

No one cried at Lily's death. They threw a party, instead. There were many people at the party, one among them being Suetsumuhana, the village apothecary. Suetsumuhana hated parties, but it was only fair to the dearly departed's family for her to go. She was an exceedingly ugly woman, but vastly intelligent. She left as quickly as she came.
She was one of the few people in the surrounding area who had a license for using technology. She had a computer in her home which was powered by an outdoor solar generator. Her home was hung with many dried animals and plants and the walls were lined with bottles and various baubles. It was a homely place for her, but foreboding for most others. She sat down to rest herself when she heard a child cry. She immediately went outside to see who it was, when she saw Vladimir of Mothwomb. She gasped upon seeing him, not only because of his wings, but also because he was a male. She took him to be some form of demon. He gurgled and lurched towards her in expectation of the imminent human contact. She suffered a heart attack from the shock of the creature. Vladimir laughed over her as she collapsed on the ground. It was hours before she died.

[Yoshi]

Part III


Vladimir lived at Suetsumuhana's hut for quite some time. He was quite well looked after, there, with the computer and the various tomes and foods. He learned much and gained much experience in the fields of alchemy and technology. He was there for a year before anyone came to look for Suetsumuhana. When they came, he was waiting. He had been waiting for a long time. He had even fashioned a vest for himself from the old woman's bones which looked quite grisly.
The search party consisted of three people. Hilda, one of the tribe's warriors. Henrietta, a priestess. Emma, a tribal leader. They expected to find the worst at the shack. Suetsumuhana had never been in very good health, so they weren't surprised that she might have died of some illness.
The group approached the little hut and saw that it had been uncared for for quite some time. They took a quick look around, however, and found many strange sings of life and a weird sort of powdery substance. No Suetsumuhana. It was then that Vladimir decided to strike. He had been waiting in one of the nearby trees and swooped down upon them in a great clattering of bones and a shower of fine powder from his wings. The women shrieked in terror as he descended upon them, even though he was just a child, they could not comprehend such a creature as he. He was that terrific. He threw sharp sticks down on them and hurled rocks which struck their heads and drew much blood. They were dispersed and only Henrietta escaped with her life.


Part IV


Henrietta ran, bleeding, back to the village blubbering and screaming about some horrible demon. She only made it to the town square when she collapsed. The village healer took her in and nursed her back to health during the course of several days, for her wounds were great.
She awoke from her slumber screaming. The healer rushed to her to sooth her. When she attempted to do so, Henrietta wouldn't stop babbling about some horrible moth boy. She told the healer to go to Suetsumuhana's hut with several competant women to slay the beast before it came to slaughter the town. The healer thought she had gone mad and poisoned her to prevent her from harming herself and anyone. It was another 4 years before anyone came into contact with Vladimir.