Chapter 1: Changes

Vash sat at the end of the bed deep in thought over the events that recently passed. He stared at Knives, his brother, who lay unconscious after their recent duel in which Knives became injured. He started to go over what exactly happened back there.

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Vash stood over Knives body. Wolfwood's cross-shaped gun in hand. Finger on the trigger. The barrel aimed at Knives head. Knives stared up at Vash. Vash seemed to be peering into Knives soul. All that could be seen were the white's of his eyes.

Knives started to have a fit of coughing. He was having some trouble breathing due to his injuries.

"Can you really kill me Vash?"

Vash just kept on staring. Though Knives looked calm deep down he was beyond fear. Staring into those eyes he saw the pain in Vash's eyes. The pain that has left its signature into Vash's body.

"CAN YOU SHOOT ME AGAIN VASH!? CAN YOU KILL YOUR OWN BROTHER!?"

"You.killed them."

"What?" Knives stared at Vash befuddled.

"You...murdered. YOU KILLED PEOPLE!!!! AND FOR WHAT HUH?"

"You're not thinking clearly Vash. These humans. LOOK AT THEM. They are savages. They kill each other each day. They eat up their resources. THEY HAVE NO COMPASSION FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENT. Can you sit here as our brethren die out because these imperfect beings just don't give a shit about anything but their own survival?"

"That's not true. There are some good humans. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE ANOTHER'S LIFE"

"Are you gonna go cry huh Vash," Knives said while laughing. "I never imagined she had such an impact on you. She was a very naive girl to believe that humankind could really change. She deserved to die."

Knives started to feel uncomfortable. He knew that remark had hit home hard. Vash started to shake.

"Take that back," his voice was shaking in his fury. "TAKE IT BACK." Knives just spit at him.

Suddenly Vash pulled the trigger and Knives ceased to talk. Blood was pouring out of Knives' right hand, the same hand Knives took off of Vash's body. Vash started crying. He thought about Rem.

"No one has the right to take another's life"

"I need you Rem."

************

Suddenly Knives began to stir and Vash came back to reality. The doctor's had said that Knives will have limited use of his right hand but should be fine in a couple of days. It had already been a week since that incident.

Knives finally woke up. He felt dizzy and couldn't see very well. He looked up and all he could see was a red blur.

"Where the hell am I?"

"We're at the house of a doctor. However we will have to leave now that you are awake. The docter doesn't feel his family is safe with `Vash the Stampede' at his house. Who could blame him though?"

Vash began to think about all the bad things that happen around him and how he became dubbed, Vash the Stampede. Everywhere he goes people die. Two towns were brought to ruins. Half a town was massacred. It was all his fault. It's as if he was destined to bring destruction to this world. He is even responsible for the hole in the fifth moon.

Suddenly he heard the voices of Milly Thompson and Meryl Strife. They were from the Bernadelli Insurance Company. They were assigned to watch Vash and make sure nothing was destroyed because of him. Overtime however they became good friends and between he and Meryl maybe even more.

"Hey Vas...Oh," Meryl stopped short when saw Knives was awake. "How is he?"

"I'm fine thank you.And who might you be?"

"I'm Meryl and this is my partner Millie"

"Hi there I hope you get better real soon," said Millie. She was always a kind person. Even in front of this madman.

Knives stared at Meryl. He saw how much she resemble Rem. "She looks just like her eh Vash. Is this why you stick around with them?"

"Shut up. You're lucky to still be alive."

"Why didn't you kill me huh Vash. Is it cause of your silly philosophy? How much longer do you think you'll live Vash? You're a threat to these people. Why do you protect them when they despise you? And what in the world made you think that I will suddenly change."

Knives started to stand. That's when it him. His right arm was completely immobile. He started to laugh a bit.

"Is this your way of paying me back for your arm? All that sleep has made me stiff. I need to stretch out a bit." He started to walk out and he noticed his gun was on a dresser in the room. He picked it up and saw it had 2 bullets in it. "I wonder...what it would take to get you to realize how foolish your ways are."

"Huh"

Suddenly in the flash of an eye Knives turned around and two shots were fired. Two bodies hit the floor almost simultaneously. Knives then ran out. "Idiot.did you really think that I'd change."

Vash got up. As soon as he looked around he was shocked. There lay the doctor's wife dead. She must've been coming to check up on them. And there lay Millie. A bullet between her eyes. She died instantly. Tears began welling up in Vash's eyes. Meryl just sat on the floor in utter disbelief. Suddenly the doctor came in with a rifle in hand. He didn't see Knives shoot his wife and assumed it was Vash.

"YOU REALLY ARE A MONSTER. YO...YO...YOU KILLED MY WIFE!!!," he cried while tears poured out of his eyes.

"You're right," Vash said."...I killed her." He started to walk out. Meryl was still on the floor. She began to cry uncontrollably. The doctor followed Vash.

"STOP! YOU DON'T GET OFF THAT EASY. I...I...I'LL KILL YOU"

Vash stopped and looked into the doctor's eyes.

"Will you really kill me? You're a doctor. Can you honestly say you will kill me?"

Then the doctor dropped the gun and began crying. Vash just walked away. An hour later Meryl followed. Her eyes lit up like fire. And the same phrase going through her head: Knives must die!!!