Disclaimer: This is strictly a fanfiction of the anime series Trigun. I do not own any of the characters part of the original anime release. I highly recommend that you be familiar with the Trigun anime series if you wish to understand the references I make throughout my fanfiction. Some of the references are very subtle and you may not quite catch them if you do not immediately remember a specific episode. Have fun!
~Some distant memory.
Knives and Vash are both charging their angelarms ready to fire off.
Knives: You're not a human being. You're a plant.
Vash: I know that.
Knives: You're a superior being.
Vash: I disagree.
A blinding light envelopes and a huge creator is made. After their last moments in battle, Vash gains the upperhand and shoots Knives through Knives' limbs. Knives is on the ground gasping for air. Vash pulls his handgun directly at Knives gasping for breath. The handgun's hammer is cocked ready to fire off the last round in the gun's chamber.
Vash: I.. I will SURVIVE!
(BANG)
Vash fired off the last round and everything grew silent around him. Tears start rolling down his cheeks and he stares off into the sky. Knives lays sprawled on the floor with his eyes closed.
Vash: From now on Rem, I will make my own future. Thank you...
Vash unbuckles his red suit and throws it in the air. He reaches into his leather sack and retrieves several bottles of alchol and bandages. He sits next to Knives' body and starts disinfecting his wounds. Vash peers over Knives' body with a sullen stare and tears up.
Vash: Knives.. I'm sorry. I know Steve put you through hell.. but I'll stay with you and help you see what I have seen.
Vash continues disinfecting his bullet wounds and coughs up blood multiple times. His complexion grows pale and he feels through his hair. He pulls out a strand of his hair and looks at it. It's a shade of darker blonde than what he's normally seen. Vash glances over to Knives' body and notices Knives' hair is also noticeably a shade darker. Vash stands up and peers at his brother's body. He grabs a bottle of alcohol and drinks a small swig and spits it onto a rag. Vash begins disinfecting Knives wounds, and Knives' pale face reanimates to show discomfort. Vash hears Rem's last words before he and Knives evacuated the S.E.E.D.S. escape ship, "Vash. Take care of Knives." Vash finishes cleaning his brother's wounds and his own and he walks back to the town closest to Dimitri. Vash carries Knives' body enduring mild sandstorms and frigid nights. Vash traveled about 25 iles the first day after fightining Knives, and rested for the night.
Knives: I don't understand.. why do you still choose them over me dearest brother?
Vash: I don't expect you to understand, but I want you to give them a chance. Knives I want you to come with me, I'm going to take care of you.
Knives: Give garbage like that a chance?
Vash: They're not garbage, I'm responsible for what happened to us.
Knives: ... It's that bitch's constant lecturing-
Vash: Don't say that! If it weren't for her, none of us would have made it here as safely as we did!
Knives: You've been with those parasites for far too long!
Vash: She told me, before she left us to take care of you. That was her last wish.
Knives: ... But, what are you saying.. (sigh)
Vash: Knives? Are you okay?
Knives closes his eyes and falls asleep. Vash can't make out what Knives' last words. He continues to carry Knives' body through dawn until he finally arrives at the small town he last left Meryl.
~Flashpresent.
Vash:... AAGHH... AAAAAAH!
Meryl:Vash! Vash! Vash get a hold of yourself, wake up!
Vash wakes up in a cold sweat. Blood is pouring out of his wounds and metal stubs. Vash's facial hair had grown, and his hair is a tangled mess. Meryl collects Vash's old blood soaked bandages and carries them away. Vash stops screaming and glances over at Meryl's sillohoute. He has trouble focusing his eyesight, but as he peers outside through a nearby window he notices the sun is shining bright ready to set off into Eden.
Meryl: Vash... you have to pull yourself together.
~Flashback to the aftermath of Vash and Knives' encounter.
Vash is weeping and wimpering in pain. Upon returning to Meryl from his encounter with Kinves, Vash managed to carry Knives' body about 40 iles back to town. Meryl was completely overwhelmed with joy and fear at seeing Vash's figure peering through the dust cloud off in the distance. Milly is still working on her shift at the local well. Earlier on in the day the town's welling team found an underground water reservoir. Everyone's clothing was still soaked from the shower the well brought up from the ground. Vash was gasping for air and ready to collapse under the strain of carrying Knives' body. Vash starts to smile a little and gestures towards Meryl. "I didn't keep you waiting too long did I?," he asks. Locals run to Vash and help him carry Knives' body inside the home Meryl and Milly are staying in. Relieved of Knives' body, Vash stands six feet away from Meryl's and he takes one step with a big grin on his face and tears running down his eyes. "AAAHAHAHAHA, I'm alive! Uh" Vash screams. The moment he plants his foot, he collapses and he passes out on the ground. Meryl immediately rushes over to Vash's body and locals help her bring his body to her residence. Vash's wounds have not closed properly and soak into Meryl's clothing. A crimson red bleeds through Vash's bandages and for nearly two months Vash is in limbo while his wounds close. Milly continues working with the well team and Meryl continues working at the local bar to scrape together whatever money they can make to pay for Vash and Knives' medical expenses and their residence. Vash's doctors are deeply concerned with his recovery because they report his wounds will not be able to close properly. He had too much strain on his body carrying Knives to the town. An ordinary man would have long been dead from the blood loss Vash suffered on his journey. Knives was making a speedy recovery because Vash managed to properly treat Knives' wounds in time and prevent anymore blood loss. For the next month Vash would cough up blood and suffer convulsions from the pain he experiences while his body recovers. Local doctors report that Vash may die within the next few weeks if his wounds did not close, but Vash recovers after the first month without any complications. To the doctors' astonishment Vash's symptoms and wounds start vanishing and soon he's resting in bed, but still needs time to recover. Meryl tends to his metal stubs that were grafted onto Vash's body. Meryl must change his bandages every few hours a day as Vash's wounds close.
~Flashpresent.
Vash: Knives... where is he! I need to see my brother.
Meryl: He's still resting.. he hasn't woken up yet.
Vash: How long has it been?
Meryl: The two of you were were asleep for at least two months.. Knives woke up about a week ago and he tried to get up but he didn't have enough strength.
~Flashback to Meryl treating Knives' wounds, one month three weeks into their return.
Knives: Who are you..?
Meryl: That's enough, you need to get some rest this instant!
Knives: Dirty..
Meryl: I said that's enough! If you don't want to rest, I won't stop you, but you're not going to leave this place.
Knives: Why... why are you doing this?
Meryl: He told me.. he told me what you're responsible for.
Knives: Then what's stopping you.. KILL ME. KILL ME YOU WORTHLESS PARASITE LIKE YOU KILLED MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
(Meryl slaps Knives across the face and leaves a handprint. Knives falls silent and stares away from her gaze with a glare.)
Meryl: He told me what the two of you are capable of, I'm sorry what happened to you and him. But to me you are a living being, and that's all that matters right now. I know you hate me for what I am, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave someone that Vash cares about to die.
Knives: ... tch. (Knives closes his eyes, and falls asleep.)
~Flashpresent
(Vash coughs up phelgm from his throat and dries his cold sweat with a nearby rag)
Vash: Thank you for everything you've done Meryl. Where's Milly?
Meryl: Milly is fine, please go back to sleep Vash.
Vash: Knives?
(Meryl grabs Vash's hand and looks deep into his eyes. She gently brings her hand to Vash's cheek.)
Meryl: You're not ready yet.. not yet. Vash please go back to sleep. I'm begging you.
Vash: Hahah I will if you wouldn't mind bringing me a fresh set of a baker's dozen!
Meryl starts to tear up and clasps her hands over her face. She sniffles and Vash pulls her head to his chest and stares off into the room that Knives is resting in. "I'll do my best, I'll do my best to show him a whole new world," he says. Meryl touches Vash's hands and stands up from his bed and walks away. Meryl rubs her eyes and regains her composure, and stares at Vash with a vibrant new smile.
Meryl: Promise me that you'll get some more rest, I'll bring the donuts next to your bed Vash.
Vash closes his eyes and goes to sleep once more.
~Flashforward to 2 more weeks.
The box of donuts still rests at Vash's bedside.
"Wake up..", Vash has his eyes closed, and he hears the unmistakable sound of a gun cock. Vash's eyes open wide in shock. Knives is at Vash's bedside with a handgun cocked and aimed directly at Vash's temple. Knives stares down at Vash with a blood lust smile.
Vash: ! Where.. WHERE ARE THEY?
Preview: "I'm going to name the baby Nicholas!"