Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. So there.
To Save the World
My mother's dying request from me had been 'Do something to make this world a better place. Something that will help everyone learn to live here, to make life easier, living on this desolate planet. It only takes one person to change the world... so change it for the better.' And then she was gone.
That was fourteen years ago. I was six.
My mother herself had been a Plant engineer, an expert on Plant anatomy, knowledge, and care. Her research had changed our whole perspective on Plants themselves, our biggest black box. With her ideas, we had lessened the strain on our precious Plants, along with discovering new ideas for harvesting power, like drawing energy from the two suns. After a long, adventurous life of experiments and new knowledge, she had died at sixty-two of wounds caused by the exploding bulb of a Plant on its 'Last Run'.
Since that day I took up her studies, learning to become a Plant engineer to follow in my mother's footsteps. But I always felt so useless because I was sadly lax in the creativity and ideas my mother had possessed. Nonetheless, I cared for Plants, studied them, and worked their computers. So was my life.
It was lonely, yes. Most men would not date a woman who'd gone to college, and most men who had gone to college wouldn't date said woman because they were afraid that they were smarter than they (which was most likely true). So I had always felt sequestered and resigned from everyone else. Notwithstanding, I was happy knowing I was doing some good, and following my mothers' footsteps.
But one day when I was twenty, I realized how little I was actually doing for Gunsmoke: working computers and caring for Plants. To the average person, this may seem a lot, but for me, it was so little. Ever since I was little I had watched my mother come up with brilliant ideas, work complex solutions, create new inventions, work computers, and somehow take care of me in the process. I thought she was invincible up until the day she died. Then the harsh realization hit me, when I finally figured out she was just another human like everyone else. But she had changed the world, and I was determined to do the same. So, I started looking for another way to change the world for the better.
Years passed. After a few failed attempts at new ideas and calculations, I was feeling very depressed. What could I do? I knew staying where I was and getting nowhere was not going to help me or my mother, but I had to try. I tried and tried, but it seemed the results were always the same: failure.
Then one faithful day, a Plant began to malfunction. The keys under my fingers clicked spasmodically as I typed in the codes for the computer to stop all processes. If I failed, I didn't know what I would do. My whole life would seem so worthless.
But then, like an act of God, the double doors of the entrance to the plant blew open with a deafening bang. As I whirled around I caught sight of the individual walking through those doors, his eyes on the Plant. He was lanky, but well built. His brilliant blonde hair stuck straight up, as if he had spent a good portion his life hanging upside down, and a small, silver hoop swung from his left ear. As he walked, his vivid crimson coat billowed around him. Then he turned to look at me, his calm aqua eyes bearing down on my shocked blue ones.
"Do what you have to do," were the only words he said to me as he scaled the stairs leading up to the giant bulb. I hesitated only for a moment before my hands started clacking away at the keys once more. I glanced up at him, and started. He was leaning against the bulb, forehead resting lightly on the glass, with both hands placed widespread at his sides. The Plant on the inside of the bulb seemed to do the same. As I looked down at my computer, I saw that the Plant's life signs had cut out. Momentarily shocked, I stopped all the programs, and the alarms ringing around me silenced. Slowly I stood from my place, staring at the pair high up on the platform. The man cautiously opened his eyes and stared at the Plant on the inside, who mimicked his actions. He smiled, and stepped away from the bulb, apparently satisfied. Then he began to make his way back down the stairs.
As he reached the bottom, he gave me another smile, and headed for the door, hands thrust casually in his pockets as if nothing had happened. I was nonplused.
"Wait!" I called, catching up to him just before he reached the doors. "Please, please wait."
He turned, his aqua eyes thoughtful. "Yes?"
"T-thank you," I stuttered, still dumbfounded. "Thank you for helping me."
"It was nothing." He smiled, and again turned for the door.
"M-might I have your name?" I asked quickly, determined to know the name of my savior.
Before answering me, he pulled out a pair of orange-tinted sunglasses and pushed them up the bridge of his nose. Looking down at me through the tinted lenses, he smiled sadly.
"My name is of no importance. You'd be better off not knowing."
"But what shall I say? I couldn't have pulled this off by myself!"
As he shrugged, his coat shifted slightly, and something silver shimmered beneath the scarlet fabric. It was a gun, holstered snugly at his hip. With a moments panic, I wondered why a man such as he carried a gun. But before I could say anything else, the strange, crimson clothed man took his leave.
I didn't see him again for several days, till one day I spotted him and another shopping in the market. The other held an eerie semblance to him, but his features were so opposite: he wore a black trench coat, with black pants and a shirt. His hair was a pale, pale blonde, and his eyes were a cold arctic blue. His face was twisted into a seemingly permanent scowl, and his arms were almost always crossed. He glared at anyone who got near, even his companion. I wondered why they were traveling together... it seemed that the blue-eyed man detested the red clothed individual. And yet, there they were, making their way through the crowded market.
As I watched them the black-clothed man seemed to be continuously scanning the area, as if he expected trouble. I averted my eyes just before he looked my way, pretending to look in a shop window while really keep an eye on their reflections. As his eyes moved away, I turned back and continued to view the pair. I cannot say why I did, but I did. Somehow I felt drawn to them.
Soon, they stopped at a restaurant and sat down while they ate their lunch. The aqua eyed man came off as a goofy, hyper pacifist, while he other seemed stern and somewhat malignant. I wondered how such a pair could be, as they seemed exact opposites.
I hardly realized what I was doing when she sat down at a table not to far from them, so I could hear their conversation. I ordered a cup of coffee, and pretended to read a book, turning the pages once every so often.
The pairs' conversation ranged over many frivolous subjects, until one comment caught my ears.
"So why didn't you save the Plant yesterday, if you're so pushy about it?" said the crimson-clothed man somewhat irately to a comment I had missed.
"You got there before me," said the other in his seductive, but somewhat wicked tones.
"If you really wanted to save her, you could have gotten there before me. Isn't your goal in life to be saving Plants?"
"Our sister could have managed well on her own."
Sister?!
"How do you know that, Knives?"
The one called Knives sighed irritably. "You know, Vash, you should really tap into your powers once ever so often. It makes things a lot easier and saves a lot of time."
Vash scowled. "No. It's unfair."
"To whom?"
"Everyone else."
"They don't deserve such kindness. Look what they do to our sisters."
"They've been trying to find a way to stop using Plants and if you'd only help them, then our sisters wouldn't suffer."
"You are so naive, Vash. We are the superior beings, and should rule this place, not the humans." He spat the word with disgust. "Look what they did to Earth. They suck a place of resources until it's dry and uninhabitable, until they destroy it all. Then they move on to another place, and do it all over again."
"Did you not hear what I just said? If we help them, we can teach them how to live here!"
"Humph! We are still the superior race."
"You just don't get it, do you?"
"You're the one who doesn't get it. Holding on to Rem's foolish ideals."
"You're impossible."
"No, you're the impossible one. My way of life is much easier and a lot less stressful."
"Just because it's easier, doesn't mean it's right."
Knives glared at him angrily and sank into silence. Vash sighed unhappily, and held his chin in his hand.
"I really wish we could get along, Knives."
"We could, brother, if you would let go of Rem."
Apparently, this was a sore subject, because Vash clenched his fist momentarily in anger, but dropped the topic. No much later, they left. I remained, taking in all I had overheard. My mind seemed to be working on overdrive, trying vainly to process the mysteries around the pair, mainly the most amazing thing about them:
They were Plants.
From that day on I saw them nearly every day at the market, until one day I saw Vash walking alone, hands thrust deep in his pockets and brows knitted together, deep in thought. My subconscious was fighting with itself whether to talk to him or not. But even if I did talk to him, what would I say? 'Hello, you helped me the other day with the Plant, and meanwhile I discovered you are a Plant.' I can only imagine how that would have gone.
Nevertheless, seeing him like this troubled me. Usually he seemed so energetic and halcyon, but today he seemed down to Gunsmoke and serious. What was he thinking? And why was he so sad? Where was Knives?
These were a few of the random questions that popped into my head as I walked up to him. He didn't notice me right away, and jumped slightly when I spoke.
"Are you alright?" I asked as he snapped his aqua eyes up from the ground.
"Oh, yeah. I was just thinking..." His eyes dulled a tiny bit, but he smiled nonetheless.
"Are you sure?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice. "I've seen you around sometimes, but today you seem so seriously sad." Silently I cursed myself. 'I've seen you around?'
"Yeah, I'm sure. Hey, aren't you..." He looked me over once, as if sizing me up. "You're the girl from the Plant."
"Yeah," I said, a bit sheepishly.
He nodded, and his lips twitched up in a smile.
"I'm Arabella Drummond. Bella for short."
He seemed slightly torn for a second, before he said, "I'm Vash."
I held out a hand and gave him a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, Vash."
Looking a bit surprised, he took my hand. Apparently, the Humanoid Typhoon had expected much worse.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Drummond."
"Please, it's Bella. Mrs. Drummond was my mother."
"Was?" He frowned. "I'm sorry."
"It's nothing. It was years ago." I waved it away, not wanting to get into personals.
"That doesn't make it hurt any less."
I looked up in surprise at his vivid aqua eyes.
"There's more to you than meets the eye, Vash," I said as we began walking. "May I ask you a question?"
"You may ask me a question, whether or not I answer is a whole other matter," he replied cryptically.
A small grin tugged at the corners of my mouth before I spoke again. "Why didn't you tell me your name the other day? At the Plant?"
The outlaw looked up at the sky thoughtfully for a moment before he answered. "I was afraid of your reaction to me." He said truthfully.
"My reaction?"
"The Humanoid Typhoon?" He gently reminded me.
I crossed my arms. "So?" I inquired defiantly.
A curious expression lit across his face. "'So'?"
"So what if you are Vash the Stampede? You can't possibly be the person they say you are. Though I hate to admit it, I've been watching you the past few days... there is no way you're the terrifying, wicked outlaw you're said to be. You don't have it in you." At this I looked deeply into his eyes, scrutinizing the aqua orbs. He didn't have a wicked bone in his body.
A pleased grin stretched slowly across his face as I spoke. "You aren't what you appear to be, either. You are very perceptive."
I waved a hand in the air, dismissing the comment. "Bah! It's one of the few things I can do."
He raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"The only things I'm good at are Plant care and anatomy, and running the computers hooked up to them. I wish I was more like my mother, who was a complete genius. She brought up the idea of solar power."
"Charlotte Drummond?" The outlaw's eyes lit up.
"Yeah," I said, and smiled. "So you've heard of her?"
"Yes! She truly was a genius. I'm so sorry about her death... I remember reading about it in the papers."
"Yeah... but she was happy when she died. Her goal in life was to make Gunsmoke a better place. So is mine."
An amused look crossed his features. "Really?"
"Yup."
He looked like he might start crying for joy. "That's beautiful."
"Yeah... I just wish I could actually do something useful."
Suddenly I noticed we'd been talking for some time, and I looked around. We had walked far, too. And why did I feel so connected to him? Why was I spilling out my past to him?
"You are doing something useful. Someone needs to help with the Plants here, or they'll die."
"That's not what I mean. I mean I want to do something that will change the future. Something that will make living life here easier for everyone. Helping keep the Plants alive is something, but I still need to change the world."
Vash gazed at me in admiration. "That's a lot to carry on your shoulders."
"Tell me about it." I sighed.
Suddenly, Vash halted, and stared off into space. His blank expression troubled me, and I took a tentative step toward him.
"Vash? Are you okay?"
"Hmm?" He said, snapping out of his trance. "Oh, yeah. Listen, I've gotta go... maybe we can meet again some other time?" He looked back at me anxiously.
"Um... sure," I said in a daze as I watched his retreating back disappear into the crowd.
What was that all about?
The next day I went to the market, Vash wasn't there. Nor the next, or the one after that. Just when I started to get worried, he popped up again out of nowhere.
"Bella," he said, and I jumped, whirling around to face him.
"Vash? What's wrong?" His expression was oddly grave and unlike him.
"I need to talk to you... in private?"
Still confused, I nodded, and we walked over to a sequestered alley. He slipped down the narrow street, settling in the shadows. Wary, I inched over to him.
"Please don't be afraid of me," he pleaded. "I only want to talk."
"Okay," I answered, stepping into the shadows. "What about? Has something happened?"
"Well... sort of."
"What? Tell me!" I demanded.
"It's... my brother."
"Brother?" I questioned, even though I already knew.
"Yes. My brother, Knives."
"The other man you were walking with in the market?"
"Yeah. (You are observant.) He's a bit... a bit... um... this is going to sound really awkward..."
"You're both Plants?" I offered.
His jaw dropped open comically, and I couldn't help but giggle.
"How...?" he asked, mouth agape.
"I'm a Plant specialist." I shrugged. "It wasn't hard to figure out."
"Okay, then." He regained himself. "I was thinking about what you said the other day, about changing the world, and I thought... maybe we could help you."
"Knives would help us? He didn't come off as the 'helping' type to me."
"Well, that's where the problem is... he's got this little thing about humans—"
"'Little'?"
"Okay, so he loathes the entire human race. So, we have to get him to change his mind—"
"And you two have lived how many years...?"
He blushed a bit. "Since the Great Fall..."
I tried to keep my expression impassive. "Okay... so that's a minor setback..."
"Heh," Vash laughed hollowly.
"So... why do we need Knives?"
"He's more into computers and Plant care than I. He specializes in the lost technology."
"Ahh, I see. So he would know more about the mainframes and how to harness power and whatnot?"
"Basically, yeah. Without him, it's pointless."
"But getting him to help humans..."
"...is a whole other story," Vash finished in dismay.
We both looked up in alarm as sudden shrill screams carried down the narrow alley. Bolting from the darkness, we skidded to a halt in the square, where Knives himself was wreaking havoc wherever he went. An evil, sadistic grin was twisted across this face, and his icy blue eyes sparkled with delight. The whole scene made her shiver.
"Get out of here!" Vash yelled at me. "Take cover! Whatever you do, get away from here!"
I took one look in his eyes, and knew he was dead serious. They were angry, sad, and vigorous, but I could see deep in those aqua abysses that he was terrified, too. And with one look at his genocidal brother, who in their right mind wouldn't be?
So I ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me away from the horrific scene; my feet pounding out rhythmically against the sand. The ground shook beneath me, and gunshots echoed in my ears. I was terrified.
But the farther away I got, the more I felt like I was giving up on my goal... to make the world a better place. I came to a halt, skidding through the dust. Turning around, I looked back the way I came, my mind working furiously. Was I backing down? Was I giving up on my work? On Vash? On Knives?
Before I could even grasp my decision, I was flying back the way I came, back toward the battle. The local militia had already arrived and were firing at Knives, and Vash was desperately trying to get them to stop. I looked at Knives. He had already received several bullet wounds, but still held his gun steady, calmly shooting down the militia. Vash tried to approach him, but Knives didn't hesitate on taking a shot at his right shoulder.
"Vash!" I screamed, and without thinking rushed to his side. He had stumbled backwards and fallen over, rigidly gripping the bullet wound through his shoulder. I half dragged him to some shelter behind a building, and started tearing away a part of my coat to bandage his wound.
"I told you to get out of here!" Vash complained strongly, but flinched. "It's dangerous!"
"If I back down now, I will be throwing away all I've ever worked for. If they kill you or Knives, then Gunsmoke will never have a brighter future."
The gunman stared at me in awe a moment before he shakily stood up. "You have wisdom beyond your years," he commented.
I smiled as we both walked bravely out from out shelter. The militia was still going strong, but Knives was shot in many places. He was weak. I ran to the captain of the militia, begging him to stop. He promptly refused me, and refused to budge.
"But Sir! This man... he could change the futures of our entire race! He could help us live on this desolate planet! If you kill him now, all hope of that is lost in a second!"
"Change the future of the human race? Hah! He came out here on a killing spree! I don't think that's the mind of a genius!"
"Ohhh!" I seethed, running back to Vash, who was slumped against a nearby wall. "He won't stop the attack," I informed him as I reached him.
Vash grimaced slightly as he stood straight. "Well then, I guess I'll have to settle this the hard way, much as I hate to." He tried to draw his gun, but his arm fell limply at his side, and he clenched his teeth. "Hngh."
"You can't do anything with that arm, Vash. But there's got to be another way..."
"No!" Vash suddenly gasped, looking at his brother. Knives fell to his knees, grasping his wounded shoulder. He determinedly raised the black gun feebly, before it fell onto the sand with a soft thud. He gritted his teeth and bared them at the militia as the ceased fire. The Captain then walked to the front lines, and stood a good thirty feet from the genocidal Plant. He raised his gun and pointed it at Knives head.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as I launched myself from the sidelines. My head was spinning, and I could only hear my slow footfalls as I raced across the battle field. The Captain's finger tightened on the trigger, tighter and tighter. I threw my arms out and dove in front or Knives as the deafening report of the gun filled my ears.
I staggered backward, dazed. A large, collective gasp came as people all around me sucked in a shocked breath. Suddenly the pain exploded in my chest, and I looked down. My hand reached up and touched the wound lightly, and I drew it away. Crimson covered my finders and was blossoming from my chest as I seemed to fall endlessly backwards, as if in a dream.
I was vaguely aware of the hands that caught me; the voice that was calling my name. I could see Vash there, but then again I couldn't. His worried aqua eyes bore down into mine, his face as pale as I felt. The agony that pulsed through my body felt so surreal, it couldn't be possible such pain existed. My vision was blurred, but someone else was there. I could just make out the arctic blue eyes gazing down at me before I slipped into a black abyss.
When I woke, I was very confused. I could only remember what happened in parts. Opening my eyes, my vision was blurred by the obnoxious light that filled the room. But I still caught the figure next to me, and squinted at them.
"Vash?" I guessed, recognizing the build of the figure. But there was something different about them... it was Vash... but then again it wasn't.
Finally my eyes focused, and I gasped.
"Knives?" I whispered, staring into the arctic blue eyes. He nodded mutely at me, his face impassive. For a long time we just starred at each other, undecided on what to do, or what to say. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Why?" he asked quietly.
I knew immediately what he was talking about, and opened my mouth to reply.
"Because it would have been wrong to let you die."
"Why? Why would it have been wrong to let me die?" he said almost bitterly. It was new to me; I had never heard him talk like this before. Usually he was always sneering.
"Gunsmoke needs you and Vash. We need you. Your sisters need you. The fate of this entire planet rests on whether you live or die."
He looked at me curiously. His eyes sparkled somehow, with new energy. There was something about them... something I couldn't place.
Then he shocked me into silence.
"Thank you."
I sat there, completely nonplused. Had Vash's genocidal brother, Millions Knives, who hated humans with ever fiber of his being, just thanked me for saving his life? I must be dreaming.
"You aren't dreaming." Knives responded casually, a foreign grin tugging his lips.
My eyes widened. "How...?"
He smiled smugly now, a more Knives-ish mask. "I can read minds."
I was only shocked for a second. "You have amazing powers... for a Plant." I mused.
His eyes widened slightly. "You know about us. I underestimated you humans."
I meant to laugh, but my chest throbbed painfully. I looked down at the bandages encircling me from just below my arms to just above the last of my ribs. The wound hurt terribly, but I was satisfied at what I'd done.
"Will you help us?" I questioned suddenly. I dreaded the answer, but it had to be asked nonetheless.
Knives looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, his blue eyes oddly light.
"I will help you." My heart soared at those faithful words. "I will help you live on this... desolate place. I will help you co-exist with us. I will help you draw energy from the suns. I will help you with the lost technology. I will help you."
"We will help you."
Both Knives and I started as Vash walked into the room. His right shoulder was visibly bandaged beneath his loose fitting shirt. I smiled.
"I forgot to ask... how are you both feeling?"
"Fine." Knives said.
"On the mend." Vash replied.
I looked quizzically at Knives. "If I recall correctly, you got your fair share of injuries."
He rolled his eyes. "Plant, remember?"
"Isn't Vash a Plant?"
"He won't use his powers."
"It's inhuman." Vash interjected.
"Well you aren't a human. If you'd use your powers you wouldn't have all those scars."
"No." Vash replied stubbornly.
"Scars?" I asked, and couldn't stop the questions bubbling out from my lips. "What scars? How did you heal yourself? Can you really heal your wounds?"
"Yes. If you don't believe me, I'll show you." Knives said irritably as he stood. With a fluid movement, he took off his shirt.
I gawked for a moment at his perfect physique, the toned muscles, the flawless skin. Where there should have been bullets there was only more unblemished skin. He bore not even the tiniest scratch. He was perfect.
As he pulled his shirt on, I looked at Vash. "And... you?" I asked timidly.
He looked at me with sad, gloomy eyes, and pulled up his shirt, since his injury only allowed just that. My hand flew to my mouth as I took in his flawed, gruesome features, the stitch marks, the metal mesh. His left arm, I noticed, was cybernetic. As he pulled his shirt back down, he blushed slightly and looked away. But even through his marred physique I could see the toned muscles and the once-flawless skin, like Knives'.
"Why?" I whispered sadly. "Why don't you heal yourself?"
"Because it wouldn't be fair to the other humans out there," he said with an even, but melancholy tone. I realized then how much Vash had done for us... he made himself more human because he didn't believe being a Plant made any difference in the world. Deep down, he was just another person. A broken person, but a person still. He loved us, and had suffered for us, and I realized he was probably never even ever thanked or praised for his work. Instead people feared him and hunted him, tried to kill him, made him the figure of death himself. And he didn't deserve any of it.
"I'm so sorry, Vash," I said, tears in my eyes. "I am so sorry. All that you've done..."
He held up a hand. "It's nothing."
"No, it's something. You changed the world." Tears were falling now, and my voiced cracked. Why was I suddenly so sentimental?
But Vash smiled and sat down on the bed next to me, taking my hand.
"No... not yet, anyway. We are going to change the world. We are going to work together... and change the world. All of us. It wasn't all for nothing. It's all worth it in the end."
"Yes," I whispered happily. "It was all worth it."
Over the next few years, the planet of Gunsmoke slowly came to know the Individual Plants Vash and Knives. Vash the Stampede, a once feared and hated outlaw, turned out to be a pacifistic goof-ball who was very knowledgeable in Plant care and many other areas. Millions Knives, his twin, helped in recovering and understanding the lost technology, Plant specifics, computers, and eventually furthered mastering the development of harnessing solar power. Water was also struck in many towns, and was pumped to the surface using inventions he created. Over the course of complicated research and experiments, Geoplants became more and more common, and eventually started sprouting up everywhere. Grass grew in places once barren; trees and flowers sprung up in towns and cities. Gunsmoke was flourishing.
And I was there amongst those two geniuses. When I look back, I feel so proud of them and myself. I tell my children and my grandchildren my story, and every time I begin with what my mother told me.
Then, on my dying day, I called Vash and Knives to my bedside. I felt slightly envious as I saw them, for they had not changed a bit since I met them. They were forever young, while I had aged and grown frail. But then again, I pitied them... to live forever while their loved ones always died and moved on.
The eternal youths kneeled at my side as I was drawing my last breaths.
"Thank you... so much," I said, smiling.
Vash reached out and took my frail hand in his.
"Thank you, Bella," he said, his eyes teary. "You did what you set out to do. You finally changed the world. I believe your mother would be proud."
I grinned. I was proud of what I had done. But nonetheless, I didn't do it alone.
"We changed the world," I said, and squeezed his hand.
"Bella?" Knives asked quietly, his eyes sparkling, but sad.
"Yes, Knives?" I whispered. My world was fading.
"Thank you... for everything. For saving me... that day. You gave me new life. You gave us new life. And you saved the world. If you had asked me then, I wouldn't have thought it possible... but you did it, Bella. You saved the world."
Vash nodded. "Thank you... for life."
I grinned, tears falling down my cheeks. "I saved the world... we saved the world," I whispered. Then I closed my eyes, and my world went black.
I still look down on them, to watch them, guide them. Years and years pass, but they will live on, forever young. Like my mother said, it only takes one person to save the world, and that's just what I did. Vash told me about Rem once, and he said to remember this: 'If you keep your vision clear, you will see the future. What happens in out future is our responsibility. Our ticket to the future... is always... blank.'
Reviews are appreciated and give me inspiration to write more!
Jayrynn