This is my Disclaimer. I wrote it, so therefore I own a section of writing
that states I do NOT own other things that I have written about. Odd, isn't
it? Anyway, I don't own Trigun, Vash, Meryl, Millie, Knives, as well as
hundreds of other things. Maybe it would be easier to say what I DO own in
this story. That would be the plot presented in these writings, Ankhon,
Venca, and the one-shot and main storyline villains in these stories.
**************************************************************************** **********
Messages From Home: Chapter One - Shady Business
It was dusk on planet Gunsmoke. A month ago, in an incident known only to a very few people on the planet, Vash the Stampede defeated Knives, a person of incredible evil - and his own brother. It seemed as though things would quiet down for a while, that humanity was safe for a time on this nearly inhospitable planet. It seemed that way.
In August City, a man sat in a bar, quietly drinking in a corner with his back to the wall. Several times conversation was extended towards him, but every time, it was met with a glare and discarded. He was a man of somewhat short stature, somewhat frail looking. Navy blue hair tied in a loose ponytail cascaded down to his waist. He wore a light gray cloak, edged in maroon. Hints of a black jumpsuit were barely visible in it's shadowy folds. Gloves covered his hands, the same gray as the cloak. There was an odd aura about the man. He was somehow dangerous, even though he was pale and sickly looking. Frail, but with an undeniable and indescribable strength.
As the man sat there, a sheriff accompanied by several strong men with shotgun and revolvers entered the saloon. They took nearly no time at all to spot him.
"You there! In the corner!"
The man looked up. His eyes were the faded red color of drying blood. Looking into his eyes was as looking into an abyss of pure threat.
"You are under arrest!" All of the men had their guns trained on the odd man; all of the men were terrified of the odd man.
"For what reason?" The man asked, his voice oddly deep and resonating, as if spoken from the bottom of a well. Or a grave.
"The murder of dozens of people, including the Steppinforte family in the town no more than twenty Iles from here!"
"That's all? My, I thought you had a better reason than that."
"We know who you are, Ankhon the Shade!" The odd man smiled as the sheriff said his name. He enjoyed how the fear of the sheriff and his men, as well as the other patrons in the bar. At least three people fled the bar at the sight of his smile, a vicious smile like that of a most fearsome predator. One of those fleeing was one of the men the sheriff had brought.
"If you leave now, I won't have to kill you." Ankhon reminded them. "I have no real quarrel with the law. In fact, I greatly respect you for having enough courage to face me here, without an army backing you up. Leave now, and you can tell your grandchildren how you threatened a legendary gunfighter and lived to tell about it."
"Gunfighter?" The sheriff spat on the floor. "You're nothing but a mercenary, a murderer for the highest bidder!"
"Last chance." The man's hands disappeared inside his cloak.
"Shoot him!" The men opened fire. The man didn't even flinch, didn't move an inch. The sheriff allowed himself a smile. They got him! They couldn't have missed an unmoving target at that range!
The man still stood there. Behind him, tables, floor, and wall were all shattered by the hail of gunfire. He stood there, not a mark or a blemish on him.
"No! Not... possible!" The sheriff exclaimed. The man smiled again, and drew two submachine guns. His eye seemed to twinkle as he opened fire.
Vash stared at the paper as if just be looking at it hard enough, it would change. Ten men gunned down in August city, by someone calling himself Ankhon the Shade.
"You see, Vash? I don't even have to destroy them myself. They do it themselves." remarked Knives in his oddly sadistic sarcasm. Vash looked up at him.
"Remember, Knives, I made you promise to never kill again."
"It's too bad I can't lie to you, Vash. If I could, I would kill every human on this planet."
"I know. Thus, the promise."
"The donuts aren't bad, though." Knives admitted. He reached and took a donut from a box sitting next to Millie. Meryl noticed it.
"I couldn't believe that Vash the Stampede liked donuts, and I find it even harder to believe that his evil brother likes them too."
"Evil is a very relative thing. Is it evil to survive, knowing that you will have to eat just to live, and that you will end up killing countless plants and animals over the course of your lifetime?" Knives asked. They were all silent for a moment. All four were in a bus headed for August City. Vash wanted to check out reports of this Ankhon person, to try and stop him. He still felt it was his duty to help the people of this planet. Meryl and Millie had tried to get him to stop, but understood his decision. Even Knives understood a little, that it was as wrong to do nothing about a problem as it was to cause the problem itself.
They reached the city at midday, three days after the shootout at the bar. The first thing the four did, after stowing their gear in a hotel room, was to examine the saloon.
The building was a total loss. Stone, brick, and wood had all been shattered to the point of making repairs useless.
"The person that did this used HV ammo." Knives noted.
"What's HV ammo?" Millie asked. Knives rolled his eyes. Vash sighed.
"High Velocity. More power. I don't think they have any of that here, at least not enough for something like this." Vash explained.
"Lost technology?"
"Yes, as well as the ability to make a gun that can fire it without either melting or blowing apart."
"Some human must have found a box stowed away on a crashed ship." Knives added.
"Why are you helping us? I know you hate all of us humans." Meryl asked.
"I'm helping Vash, the only worthy life form on this planet, in his pointless investigation into what will turn out to be yet another depressing human situation."
"One more thing." Vash said, cutting Knives off. "They said bullets passed through the person who did this, like he wasn't there." Knives raised an eyebrow.
"Just an illusion. There's no way to become intangible. It's impossible."
"How much?"
"Isn't the bounty enough motivation?"
"No. Money isn't any use to a dead man."
"If you can manage this, I'll see to it the bounty on your head is nulled."
"He is too much for anyone to handle."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Will you take the assignment?"
"I can't refuse it."
"No, you can't."
"I'm almost surprised, Vash." Meryl commented.
"About what?" Vash asked, through a mouthful of food. Meryl restrained herself from slapping him for talking with his mouth full.
"For once, we have to go look for trouble instead of having it dropped on our laps."
"You know I have to do what's right."
Meryl sighed. "Vash, you've taken it upon yourself to become a self- proclaimed protector of the people on this planet." Meryl poked at what remained of her dinner. Not a very good meal.
"I'll never understand why you protect them." Knives put in.
"Oh, come on now Meryl! Let's try to be in a good mood!" Millie said, a slight giggle in her voice. She had already put away a few drinks, and the world was becoming a warm and rosy haze to her already.
"Humans..." Knives sighed. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was almost becoming used to the company of the two insurance girls. Almost... enjoying their company.
At that moment, an ominous figure entered the bar. He was dressed all in gray. Conversations ended, and several people got up to leave even before he sat down at the bar.
"Give me a Starscreamer." He asked the bartender, who shakily and quickly prepared the mixed drink notorious for it's strength and volatility. Few could stomach it, but the man at the bar drank it like it was nothing more than water. He glanced back at Vash, and then motioned to the barstool on his right. Vash excused himself from the table and sat in the indicated seat.
"Hello, Friend!" Vash said as he sat down. The man looked at him out of the corners of his eyes.
"You are Vash the Stampede." The man stated, as calmly as if he were speaking about the weather. Vash was caught off guard for a moment. How could the man recognize him?
"I think you've got me confused with someone else." Vash replied. He would have left the bar then, but something in the man's eyes and tone of voice bade him to stay.
"I've been hired to kill you." The man noted, between sips of his drink.
"What are they talking about?" Meryl asked, unable to hear the conversation between Vash and the strange man. Knives narrowed his eyes.
"Who carsh? Meryl, why don't we jusht order another round of drinksh?" Millie asked, her voice slurred.
"This could be important, Millie!"
"Both of you be quiet!" Knives snapped. He was starting to get worried. Meryl picked up on that, and it made her even more concerned. Knives, worried?
"Why?" Vash asked, bluntly.
"I don't know. Not my business. I can't refuse, though."
"I see. So..."
"I suppose I should at least be given a fair chance. Say, a quarter ile southeast of the town, at sunrise?"
"Alright." Ankhon and Vash stood at the same time, Vash taller than Ankhon by several inches. Ankhon's tired, dangerous eyes and casually deadly stance more than making up for it. They shook hands and Ankhon left the saloon, never looking back at Vash. Vash stood there for a few moments, watching him leave, before sitting down with his brother and his friends.
"What happened?" Meryl asked. Vash looked up at Knives, though. His brother wore a face that seemed almost concerned for Vash.
"There's a chance he'll kill you, you know." Knives stated. "The Gung- ho Guns were only trying to hurt you, but this man wants you dead."
"No, he doesn't want me dead, he needs me to die."
"What are you two talking about?" Meryl demanded, slamming a fist into the table and almost hitting Millie, who had passed out on the table. Knives had been able to hear and understand the softly spoken words at this distance, but she hadn't been able to. Vash looked up at her.
"I've sorta.... gotten myself into a duel."
"WHAT?!"
Sunrise, a sharp and sudden brightening of the light. Vash looked across a low, sandy dune at his opponent. Ankhon's gray cloak caught the sunlight, seeming to turn almost the same red color as Vash's old coat. Ankhon didn't seem worried, excited, or even angry. Ankhon seemed to be completely void of emotions.
"Shall we begin?" Ankhon asked, his voice somhow carrying easily over the distance between them.
"Whenever you're ready." Vash returned.
"Draw." Ankhon stated calmly. Vash reacted instantly, firing two shots at the man's shoulder in a heartbeat. Ankhon didn't move an inch, not even to draw his own weapons. Vash expected him to fall to the ground now, with a useless arm. Instead, Ankhon smiled.
"What happened? Did Vash really miss?" Millie asked.
"I've never seen Vash miss!" Meryl responded, astonished. Knives shook his head.
"No. Vash just isn't aiming at the right target." Knives corrected. "Remember the saloon Ankhon shot up?"
"Yes! The entire thing was full of debris!"
"It was. Like if the shots had come from outside."
Vash watched Ankhon carefully. There had to be a reason for his shots missing their mark.
"There's a reason they call me Ankhon the Shade." Came a voice from behind. Vash spun to see Ankhon standing behind him, dual submachine guns drawn. Vash narrowly dodged a lethal hail of fire, and returned fire to no effect. It was as if the shots were passing through the man. Vash saw the shots hit the sand and throw up small clouds of sand. He saw something else, just at the edge of his vision. Before his brain could process the information, Ankhon was there. No more than seven feet from him, the gunman opened fire again. Vash threw himself backwards, and was surprised when a shot whizzed just in front of his face, traveling in a direction perpendicular to where Ankhon seemed to be firing from. Vash turned as he fell, but there wasn't anyone standing there. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the sand fly up in a small cloud, too small for him to see if he hadn't been watching for it.
Vash reacted instantly, firing above the small clouds of sand. His efforts were rewarded with a gasp of unexpected pain. Ankhon faded into view, shot in the gut. As the gunman fell to the ground, curled up around the wound, the Ankhon Vash had seen firing flickered, fuzzed, and finally dissolved in a burst of static.
"What was that all about?" Meryl asked, quite confused.
"A hologram. Ankhon seems to have quite a bit of lost technology at his disposal." Knives answered. He pointed at the edge of the man's cloak. It seemed to fade into the sand Meryl had thought it was torn or missing, but as she watched, blood ran down over the cloth, clearly showing it was still there, just seemingly invisible. "Therm-optic camouflage. The combination of the two was quite effective."
"How did Vash know he was there?" Millie asked.
"He might have been able to disguise his appearance, but he couldn't disguise his footprints."
Vash extended a hand towards the fallen man.
"Want some help?" He asked, smiling. Ankhon blinked. He didn't reach for the hand. Neither did Vash retract it.
"I see the rumors are true that you go to great lengths to refrain from killing." Ankhon said, through a haze of pain.
"I suppose. Now, do you want me to help you get that bandaged up or are you going to sit there all day bleeding to death?" Ankhon snorted, and thinly smiled. He reached for Vash's hand.
"I think I've completely lost track of your thinking process." Meryl remarked. "I can see you traveling with Knives. He's evil, but at least he's family to you. But this Ankhon guy... he's trouble. He tried to kill you, and very nearly did. He'll probably just try again the second you go to sleep!" Vash looked at the man lying on the hotel bed. Ankhon lay there, what lay under his cloak visible for the first time.
Black jumpsuit, body armor stylized like an external skeleton. Even unconscious, Ankhon radiated a sense of unease and threat. Dried blood decorated his gear like a coat of paint, very little of it his own.
"A man like that lives on his reputation and trustworthiness." Vash responded. "He'd never get a job if he even once lied or betrayed his employers. He gave me his word that he wouldn't attack any of us. Also, he said something about me being too much trouble to bother with."
"Vash, I learned a little of his history." Meryl said, changing the subject.
"Oh? What did you hear?"
"Apparently, he first appeared in police records at about the age of twelve. He was arrested on charges of grand theft. Ankhon was going to be either sentenced to a long prison term or hung. The case was dropped when all the witnesses went missing, all on the same night. Whole families simply disappeared." Vash's eyes narrowed in thought. "Three years later, he is implicated in the murder of an unpopular businessman. Again, he escaped charges due to lack of evidence and witnesses either disappearing or refusing to testify. Vash, this man was already an expert at murder and cover-ups when he was a little kid!"
"I see."
"He dropped out of sight for five years. Then, people started disappearing who were unpopular with the rich, the criminal, and generally anyone who could afford to make someone vanish. Over fifty murders attributed to Ankhon. He gained the demonicer 'the Shade' during this time, for the way he seemed to vanish and perform seemingly impossible feats, like bullets passing through him with no effect."
"Due to his holograms and therm-optic camo."
"Yes. That was seven years ago. A bounty was put out on him, nearly a hundred million doubledollars. Not too impressive, compared to yours, and much more dangerous to go after. The police think well over a hundred people died just going after the bounty. In addition, his particular style of assassination leaves few witnesses. He generally goes to the victim's place of residence and just storms the place, killing anyone that gets in his way."
"So he's a killer that ranks among Knives and Legato."
"For all we know, he might have killed more people than both of them combined."
"He failed."
"Unfortunate. He had a high success rate."
"Indeed."
"What shall we do?"
"Activate the spare."
Knives and Ankhon looked across the table at each other. Neither spoke, but each clearly understood the message in the other's eyes. You are a killer, just like me. Knives found something odd about this human. He killed without mercy or hesitation, but neither did he kill if he didn't have to. Perhaps this human was somewhat more evolved than the others. Their measuring up was interrupted a moment later when plates were set on the table, one in front of each of them. Knives looked down and saw eggs and other animal bits.
"Breakfast is served!" Said Millie cheerfully. Ankhon mumbled thanks and started picking at his meal. Millie left the two alone. When she had gone, Knives spoke to Ankhon.
"We tried to contact you to become a Gung-Ho Gun."
"I know."
"We never found you, only the results of your work. You really are a very highly skilled killer."
"I've been told that." Ankhon was still picking at his food, seemingly paying little attention to what Knives said. Knives scowled. He hated being ignored.
"You're a fast healer." Meryl said, examining Ankhon's wound. It was healing well, almost too well. Ankhon nodded.
"Not just me. The jumpsuit I'm wearing is self-sealing. It closes small wounds and helps stop major bleeding."
"What? Don't you carry any equipment that isn't lost technology?"
"It's not lost once someone finds it." He pointed out.
"I mean it. Where did you get all this stuff?"
"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Ankhon said, so calmly that Meryl never doubted for a second that he was telling the truth. Such a young man to be carrying around horrible crimes and secrets.
"Where will you go?" Ankhon asked, later that day. Vash, sitting near him, glanced up.
"Not sure. Guess we'll wait around here for a bit then -" Vash stopped as he listened. Something caught his interest. He waited, and heard it again. This time, he understood what it was. Screams, very far away, too faint to be heard by a normal person. Ankhon looked at him quizzically.
"What is it?" The gunman asked.
"Trouble." Vash stood. He ran inside and found the girls sitting at one table, Knives alone in a corner.
"Vash? Is there something wrong?" Meryl asked. Vash nodded.
"Big trouble. Stay here and keep out of danger."
"No way! It's our job to keep an eye on you. Besides, we're in safe hands. A human disaster-" She pointed at Vash. "A homicidal maniac-" She indicated Knives, who looked amused at the goings-on. "And a murderous gunman." She gestured towards Ankhon as he entered the building.
"Fine. Let's go."
Town square was a mess. Bodies littered the streets like trash, and blood ran in streams down the streets. Vash couldn't even find words to express the horror he felt.
"My god... how could anyone do this?" Vash whispered. Ankhon looked appraisingly at the corpses.
"Recently killed. Looks like it was done with an edged weapon at high speed." Knives nodded.
"Yes. Each was wounded a number of times before dying. The killer might have been playing with them."
"Will you two stop talking about these people like they're nothing more than animals? These were people, with lives and family and people who cared about them!" Meryl yelled.
"It's so sad!" Millie said, crying. "They never had a chance!"
"Be quiet for a moment! I hear something!" Vash said. The others quieted, and Knives quickly picked up on what Vash had heard. A low whistle, like the wind. But the air was completely still. Knives searched for a source.
A blur whipped by him, and was already gone when he felt the pain. Knives looked down and saw a deep cut across his ribs, bleeding profusely. Knives hissed in pain.
"Watch out! He's fast!" Knives warned. As he did, Millie screamed and fell to the ground with a cut across her left arm. Vash and Ankhon turned to see what was going on, and were both slashed across the back. A look came into Ankhon's eyes, and he drew his weapons. Vash threw himself to the ground.
"Everybody down!" Vash screamed. They ducked just in time. Ankhon spun in a circle, guns blazing. Predictably, he hit everything around him, reducing the square to rubble. However, he also caught the attacker in the hail of fire. A form, impossibly thin, fell to the ground. Ankhon covered it with his weapons.
"Who are you?" He asked. The thin form turned slightly to face him. Black eyes stared out of a face barely human at all. Paper-thin skin, bones as thin as pencils. All extra weight removed, in favor of speed. A small serrated knife the only weapon it carried. Hairless, sexless, just a monster created by man.
"Xerxes..." The thing whispered, in obvious pain. Ankhon had shot it though it's leg. Ankhon stepped up to it.
"Fine. Now, you are going to tell me everything you know."
"No..." It gasped. Ankhon raised an eyebrow and stepped forwards again. He could feel a great wave of heat coming from the thing's body. Right before his eyes, the sub-human thing burst into flames. In less than ten seconds it was nothing more than a pile of ashes, even the bones reduced into powder.
"Where did that thing come from?" Vash wondered. "Why did it combust when it was captured?"
"I can answer at least one of those questions." Knives replied. "It had a hyper-fast metabolism. Running allowed it to use its energy as motion. When Ankhon stopped it, the energy was turned into heat instead." Vash looked at Ankhon, who was leaning against a wall. One of the few walls remaining upright in the square. Vash was suddenly reminded of Monev the Gale, who had also used High-Velocity ammunition to reduce a town to rubble. Vash had to remind himself that Ankhon had done this after the people had been killed, getting revenge for them. But the bodies, the blood, the rubble... It was an unwelcome fact that Vash was nearly used to whole cities being destroyed around him. Ankhon looked up. His expression was unreadable.
"It came from the desert." Ankhon said. Everyone looked at him. He hesitated, and then continued. "Apparently, my employers decided I failed my mission and sent it to clean up."
"What? You know where this came from?" Meryl demanded. Ankhon nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"... Are you going to tell us?" Meryl asked when it became apparent Ankhon wasn't going to continue without prompting. He seemed deep in thought. A wave of deep sadness might have crossed his face, or might not have.
"A ship, buried out in the desert about fifty iles from here. There was more than enough functioning medical equipment there to do this. I found it for employers, and was paid with whatever I could carry with me from the wreck."
"Really? A ship?" Millie asked.
"Yes. It's where I got some of my equipment." Knives and Vash looked at him with questioning faces. Many, if not most, of the ships crashed on the planet were accounted for. The fact that anyone could find one of the remaining few, with any amount of functioning equipment at all, was astronomical. They would know. In their century-plus on Gunsmoke, they had found only a handful of wrecks that were unattended and still functional. That someone could find one at this late date was doubtful.
"They hired me again to track down Vash. I'm not sure why." Ankhon commented.
"It seems to me that Vash should go ask them personally." Meryl said, bravely. "Show them what it's like to be hunted!"
"It's not that easy. They have a mercenary army at least as good as the Gung-Ho guns, but each wanting nothing more than to kill."
"Imagine what would have happened if I had sent out all the Gung-Ho guns. All at once, all to kill Vash." Knives added, looking into the middle distance.
"Vash would have died. He only barely won some of those fights." Meryl said, thinking.
"Oh, I'm sure it can't be all that bad! Good always triumphs over Evil, you know!" Millie exclaimed. Knives and Ankhon looked away. They had both lost to Vash. Knives considered himself a good person, though. Saving the world from the humans who have so proven themselves unfit to rule. Ankhon knew he wasn't a good person, and didn't pretend to see himself as such. But both knew that evil sometimes triumphs over good. That darkness outshines the light. That sometimes, it didn't matter who you were or what you believed in, you were going to lose and become nothing more than a forgotten memory.
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Messages From Home: Chapter One - Shady Business
It was dusk on planet Gunsmoke. A month ago, in an incident known only to a very few people on the planet, Vash the Stampede defeated Knives, a person of incredible evil - and his own brother. It seemed as though things would quiet down for a while, that humanity was safe for a time on this nearly inhospitable planet. It seemed that way.
In August City, a man sat in a bar, quietly drinking in a corner with his back to the wall. Several times conversation was extended towards him, but every time, it was met with a glare and discarded. He was a man of somewhat short stature, somewhat frail looking. Navy blue hair tied in a loose ponytail cascaded down to his waist. He wore a light gray cloak, edged in maroon. Hints of a black jumpsuit were barely visible in it's shadowy folds. Gloves covered his hands, the same gray as the cloak. There was an odd aura about the man. He was somehow dangerous, even though he was pale and sickly looking. Frail, but with an undeniable and indescribable strength.
As the man sat there, a sheriff accompanied by several strong men with shotgun and revolvers entered the saloon. They took nearly no time at all to spot him.
"You there! In the corner!"
The man looked up. His eyes were the faded red color of drying blood. Looking into his eyes was as looking into an abyss of pure threat.
"You are under arrest!" All of the men had their guns trained on the odd man; all of the men were terrified of the odd man.
"For what reason?" The man asked, his voice oddly deep and resonating, as if spoken from the bottom of a well. Or a grave.
"The murder of dozens of people, including the Steppinforte family in the town no more than twenty Iles from here!"
"That's all? My, I thought you had a better reason than that."
"We know who you are, Ankhon the Shade!" The odd man smiled as the sheriff said his name. He enjoyed how the fear of the sheriff and his men, as well as the other patrons in the bar. At least three people fled the bar at the sight of his smile, a vicious smile like that of a most fearsome predator. One of those fleeing was one of the men the sheriff had brought.
"If you leave now, I won't have to kill you." Ankhon reminded them. "I have no real quarrel with the law. In fact, I greatly respect you for having enough courage to face me here, without an army backing you up. Leave now, and you can tell your grandchildren how you threatened a legendary gunfighter and lived to tell about it."
"Gunfighter?" The sheriff spat on the floor. "You're nothing but a mercenary, a murderer for the highest bidder!"
"Last chance." The man's hands disappeared inside his cloak.
"Shoot him!" The men opened fire. The man didn't even flinch, didn't move an inch. The sheriff allowed himself a smile. They got him! They couldn't have missed an unmoving target at that range!
The man still stood there. Behind him, tables, floor, and wall were all shattered by the hail of gunfire. He stood there, not a mark or a blemish on him.
"No! Not... possible!" The sheriff exclaimed. The man smiled again, and drew two submachine guns. His eye seemed to twinkle as he opened fire.
Vash stared at the paper as if just be looking at it hard enough, it would change. Ten men gunned down in August city, by someone calling himself Ankhon the Shade.
"You see, Vash? I don't even have to destroy them myself. They do it themselves." remarked Knives in his oddly sadistic sarcasm. Vash looked up at him.
"Remember, Knives, I made you promise to never kill again."
"It's too bad I can't lie to you, Vash. If I could, I would kill every human on this planet."
"I know. Thus, the promise."
"The donuts aren't bad, though." Knives admitted. He reached and took a donut from a box sitting next to Millie. Meryl noticed it.
"I couldn't believe that Vash the Stampede liked donuts, and I find it even harder to believe that his evil brother likes them too."
"Evil is a very relative thing. Is it evil to survive, knowing that you will have to eat just to live, and that you will end up killing countless plants and animals over the course of your lifetime?" Knives asked. They were all silent for a moment. All four were in a bus headed for August City. Vash wanted to check out reports of this Ankhon person, to try and stop him. He still felt it was his duty to help the people of this planet. Meryl and Millie had tried to get him to stop, but understood his decision. Even Knives understood a little, that it was as wrong to do nothing about a problem as it was to cause the problem itself.
They reached the city at midday, three days after the shootout at the bar. The first thing the four did, after stowing their gear in a hotel room, was to examine the saloon.
The building was a total loss. Stone, brick, and wood had all been shattered to the point of making repairs useless.
"The person that did this used HV ammo." Knives noted.
"What's HV ammo?" Millie asked. Knives rolled his eyes. Vash sighed.
"High Velocity. More power. I don't think they have any of that here, at least not enough for something like this." Vash explained.
"Lost technology?"
"Yes, as well as the ability to make a gun that can fire it without either melting or blowing apart."
"Some human must have found a box stowed away on a crashed ship." Knives added.
"Why are you helping us? I know you hate all of us humans." Meryl asked.
"I'm helping Vash, the only worthy life form on this planet, in his pointless investigation into what will turn out to be yet another depressing human situation."
"One more thing." Vash said, cutting Knives off. "They said bullets passed through the person who did this, like he wasn't there." Knives raised an eyebrow.
"Just an illusion. There's no way to become intangible. It's impossible."
"How much?"
"Isn't the bounty enough motivation?"
"No. Money isn't any use to a dead man."
"If you can manage this, I'll see to it the bounty on your head is nulled."
"He is too much for anyone to handle."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Will you take the assignment?"
"I can't refuse it."
"No, you can't."
"I'm almost surprised, Vash." Meryl commented.
"About what?" Vash asked, through a mouthful of food. Meryl restrained herself from slapping him for talking with his mouth full.
"For once, we have to go look for trouble instead of having it dropped on our laps."
"You know I have to do what's right."
Meryl sighed. "Vash, you've taken it upon yourself to become a self- proclaimed protector of the people on this planet." Meryl poked at what remained of her dinner. Not a very good meal.
"I'll never understand why you protect them." Knives put in.
"Oh, come on now Meryl! Let's try to be in a good mood!" Millie said, a slight giggle in her voice. She had already put away a few drinks, and the world was becoming a warm and rosy haze to her already.
"Humans..." Knives sighed. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was almost becoming used to the company of the two insurance girls. Almost... enjoying their company.
At that moment, an ominous figure entered the bar. He was dressed all in gray. Conversations ended, and several people got up to leave even before he sat down at the bar.
"Give me a Starscreamer." He asked the bartender, who shakily and quickly prepared the mixed drink notorious for it's strength and volatility. Few could stomach it, but the man at the bar drank it like it was nothing more than water. He glanced back at Vash, and then motioned to the barstool on his right. Vash excused himself from the table and sat in the indicated seat.
"Hello, Friend!" Vash said as he sat down. The man looked at him out of the corners of his eyes.
"You are Vash the Stampede." The man stated, as calmly as if he were speaking about the weather. Vash was caught off guard for a moment. How could the man recognize him?
"I think you've got me confused with someone else." Vash replied. He would have left the bar then, but something in the man's eyes and tone of voice bade him to stay.
"I've been hired to kill you." The man noted, between sips of his drink.
"What are they talking about?" Meryl asked, unable to hear the conversation between Vash and the strange man. Knives narrowed his eyes.
"Who carsh? Meryl, why don't we jusht order another round of drinksh?" Millie asked, her voice slurred.
"This could be important, Millie!"
"Both of you be quiet!" Knives snapped. He was starting to get worried. Meryl picked up on that, and it made her even more concerned. Knives, worried?
"Why?" Vash asked, bluntly.
"I don't know. Not my business. I can't refuse, though."
"I see. So..."
"I suppose I should at least be given a fair chance. Say, a quarter ile southeast of the town, at sunrise?"
"Alright." Ankhon and Vash stood at the same time, Vash taller than Ankhon by several inches. Ankhon's tired, dangerous eyes and casually deadly stance more than making up for it. They shook hands and Ankhon left the saloon, never looking back at Vash. Vash stood there for a few moments, watching him leave, before sitting down with his brother and his friends.
"What happened?" Meryl asked. Vash looked up at Knives, though. His brother wore a face that seemed almost concerned for Vash.
"There's a chance he'll kill you, you know." Knives stated. "The Gung- ho Guns were only trying to hurt you, but this man wants you dead."
"No, he doesn't want me dead, he needs me to die."
"What are you two talking about?" Meryl demanded, slamming a fist into the table and almost hitting Millie, who had passed out on the table. Knives had been able to hear and understand the softly spoken words at this distance, but she hadn't been able to. Vash looked up at her.
"I've sorta.... gotten myself into a duel."
"WHAT?!"
Sunrise, a sharp and sudden brightening of the light. Vash looked across a low, sandy dune at his opponent. Ankhon's gray cloak caught the sunlight, seeming to turn almost the same red color as Vash's old coat. Ankhon didn't seem worried, excited, or even angry. Ankhon seemed to be completely void of emotions.
"Shall we begin?" Ankhon asked, his voice somhow carrying easily over the distance between them.
"Whenever you're ready." Vash returned.
"Draw." Ankhon stated calmly. Vash reacted instantly, firing two shots at the man's shoulder in a heartbeat. Ankhon didn't move an inch, not even to draw his own weapons. Vash expected him to fall to the ground now, with a useless arm. Instead, Ankhon smiled.
"What happened? Did Vash really miss?" Millie asked.
"I've never seen Vash miss!" Meryl responded, astonished. Knives shook his head.
"No. Vash just isn't aiming at the right target." Knives corrected. "Remember the saloon Ankhon shot up?"
"Yes! The entire thing was full of debris!"
"It was. Like if the shots had come from outside."
Vash watched Ankhon carefully. There had to be a reason for his shots missing their mark.
"There's a reason they call me Ankhon the Shade." Came a voice from behind. Vash spun to see Ankhon standing behind him, dual submachine guns drawn. Vash narrowly dodged a lethal hail of fire, and returned fire to no effect. It was as if the shots were passing through the man. Vash saw the shots hit the sand and throw up small clouds of sand. He saw something else, just at the edge of his vision. Before his brain could process the information, Ankhon was there. No more than seven feet from him, the gunman opened fire again. Vash threw himself backwards, and was surprised when a shot whizzed just in front of his face, traveling in a direction perpendicular to where Ankhon seemed to be firing from. Vash turned as he fell, but there wasn't anyone standing there. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the sand fly up in a small cloud, too small for him to see if he hadn't been watching for it.
Vash reacted instantly, firing above the small clouds of sand. His efforts were rewarded with a gasp of unexpected pain. Ankhon faded into view, shot in the gut. As the gunman fell to the ground, curled up around the wound, the Ankhon Vash had seen firing flickered, fuzzed, and finally dissolved in a burst of static.
"What was that all about?" Meryl asked, quite confused.
"A hologram. Ankhon seems to have quite a bit of lost technology at his disposal." Knives answered. He pointed at the edge of the man's cloak. It seemed to fade into the sand Meryl had thought it was torn or missing, but as she watched, blood ran down over the cloth, clearly showing it was still there, just seemingly invisible. "Therm-optic camouflage. The combination of the two was quite effective."
"How did Vash know he was there?" Millie asked.
"He might have been able to disguise his appearance, but he couldn't disguise his footprints."
Vash extended a hand towards the fallen man.
"Want some help?" He asked, smiling. Ankhon blinked. He didn't reach for the hand. Neither did Vash retract it.
"I see the rumors are true that you go to great lengths to refrain from killing." Ankhon said, through a haze of pain.
"I suppose. Now, do you want me to help you get that bandaged up or are you going to sit there all day bleeding to death?" Ankhon snorted, and thinly smiled. He reached for Vash's hand.
"I think I've completely lost track of your thinking process." Meryl remarked. "I can see you traveling with Knives. He's evil, but at least he's family to you. But this Ankhon guy... he's trouble. He tried to kill you, and very nearly did. He'll probably just try again the second you go to sleep!" Vash looked at the man lying on the hotel bed. Ankhon lay there, what lay under his cloak visible for the first time.
Black jumpsuit, body armor stylized like an external skeleton. Even unconscious, Ankhon radiated a sense of unease and threat. Dried blood decorated his gear like a coat of paint, very little of it his own.
"A man like that lives on his reputation and trustworthiness." Vash responded. "He'd never get a job if he even once lied or betrayed his employers. He gave me his word that he wouldn't attack any of us. Also, he said something about me being too much trouble to bother with."
"Vash, I learned a little of his history." Meryl said, changing the subject.
"Oh? What did you hear?"
"Apparently, he first appeared in police records at about the age of twelve. He was arrested on charges of grand theft. Ankhon was going to be either sentenced to a long prison term or hung. The case was dropped when all the witnesses went missing, all on the same night. Whole families simply disappeared." Vash's eyes narrowed in thought. "Three years later, he is implicated in the murder of an unpopular businessman. Again, he escaped charges due to lack of evidence and witnesses either disappearing or refusing to testify. Vash, this man was already an expert at murder and cover-ups when he was a little kid!"
"I see."
"He dropped out of sight for five years. Then, people started disappearing who were unpopular with the rich, the criminal, and generally anyone who could afford to make someone vanish. Over fifty murders attributed to Ankhon. He gained the demonicer 'the Shade' during this time, for the way he seemed to vanish and perform seemingly impossible feats, like bullets passing through him with no effect."
"Due to his holograms and therm-optic camo."
"Yes. That was seven years ago. A bounty was put out on him, nearly a hundred million doubledollars. Not too impressive, compared to yours, and much more dangerous to go after. The police think well over a hundred people died just going after the bounty. In addition, his particular style of assassination leaves few witnesses. He generally goes to the victim's place of residence and just storms the place, killing anyone that gets in his way."
"So he's a killer that ranks among Knives and Legato."
"For all we know, he might have killed more people than both of them combined."
"He failed."
"Unfortunate. He had a high success rate."
"Indeed."
"What shall we do?"
"Activate the spare."
Knives and Ankhon looked across the table at each other. Neither spoke, but each clearly understood the message in the other's eyes. You are a killer, just like me. Knives found something odd about this human. He killed without mercy or hesitation, but neither did he kill if he didn't have to. Perhaps this human was somewhat more evolved than the others. Their measuring up was interrupted a moment later when plates were set on the table, one in front of each of them. Knives looked down and saw eggs and other animal bits.
"Breakfast is served!" Said Millie cheerfully. Ankhon mumbled thanks and started picking at his meal. Millie left the two alone. When she had gone, Knives spoke to Ankhon.
"We tried to contact you to become a Gung-Ho Gun."
"I know."
"We never found you, only the results of your work. You really are a very highly skilled killer."
"I've been told that." Ankhon was still picking at his food, seemingly paying little attention to what Knives said. Knives scowled. He hated being ignored.
"You're a fast healer." Meryl said, examining Ankhon's wound. It was healing well, almost too well. Ankhon nodded.
"Not just me. The jumpsuit I'm wearing is self-sealing. It closes small wounds and helps stop major bleeding."
"What? Don't you carry any equipment that isn't lost technology?"
"It's not lost once someone finds it." He pointed out.
"I mean it. Where did you get all this stuff?"
"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Ankhon said, so calmly that Meryl never doubted for a second that he was telling the truth. Such a young man to be carrying around horrible crimes and secrets.
"Where will you go?" Ankhon asked, later that day. Vash, sitting near him, glanced up.
"Not sure. Guess we'll wait around here for a bit then -" Vash stopped as he listened. Something caught his interest. He waited, and heard it again. This time, he understood what it was. Screams, very far away, too faint to be heard by a normal person. Ankhon looked at him quizzically.
"What is it?" The gunman asked.
"Trouble." Vash stood. He ran inside and found the girls sitting at one table, Knives alone in a corner.
"Vash? Is there something wrong?" Meryl asked. Vash nodded.
"Big trouble. Stay here and keep out of danger."
"No way! It's our job to keep an eye on you. Besides, we're in safe hands. A human disaster-" She pointed at Vash. "A homicidal maniac-" She indicated Knives, who looked amused at the goings-on. "And a murderous gunman." She gestured towards Ankhon as he entered the building.
"Fine. Let's go."
Town square was a mess. Bodies littered the streets like trash, and blood ran in streams down the streets. Vash couldn't even find words to express the horror he felt.
"My god... how could anyone do this?" Vash whispered. Ankhon looked appraisingly at the corpses.
"Recently killed. Looks like it was done with an edged weapon at high speed." Knives nodded.
"Yes. Each was wounded a number of times before dying. The killer might have been playing with them."
"Will you two stop talking about these people like they're nothing more than animals? These were people, with lives and family and people who cared about them!" Meryl yelled.
"It's so sad!" Millie said, crying. "They never had a chance!"
"Be quiet for a moment! I hear something!" Vash said. The others quieted, and Knives quickly picked up on what Vash had heard. A low whistle, like the wind. But the air was completely still. Knives searched for a source.
A blur whipped by him, and was already gone when he felt the pain. Knives looked down and saw a deep cut across his ribs, bleeding profusely. Knives hissed in pain.
"Watch out! He's fast!" Knives warned. As he did, Millie screamed and fell to the ground with a cut across her left arm. Vash and Ankhon turned to see what was going on, and were both slashed across the back. A look came into Ankhon's eyes, and he drew his weapons. Vash threw himself to the ground.
"Everybody down!" Vash screamed. They ducked just in time. Ankhon spun in a circle, guns blazing. Predictably, he hit everything around him, reducing the square to rubble. However, he also caught the attacker in the hail of fire. A form, impossibly thin, fell to the ground. Ankhon covered it with his weapons.
"Who are you?" He asked. The thin form turned slightly to face him. Black eyes stared out of a face barely human at all. Paper-thin skin, bones as thin as pencils. All extra weight removed, in favor of speed. A small serrated knife the only weapon it carried. Hairless, sexless, just a monster created by man.
"Xerxes..." The thing whispered, in obvious pain. Ankhon had shot it though it's leg. Ankhon stepped up to it.
"Fine. Now, you are going to tell me everything you know."
"No..." It gasped. Ankhon raised an eyebrow and stepped forwards again. He could feel a great wave of heat coming from the thing's body. Right before his eyes, the sub-human thing burst into flames. In less than ten seconds it was nothing more than a pile of ashes, even the bones reduced into powder.
"Where did that thing come from?" Vash wondered. "Why did it combust when it was captured?"
"I can answer at least one of those questions." Knives replied. "It had a hyper-fast metabolism. Running allowed it to use its energy as motion. When Ankhon stopped it, the energy was turned into heat instead." Vash looked at Ankhon, who was leaning against a wall. One of the few walls remaining upright in the square. Vash was suddenly reminded of Monev the Gale, who had also used High-Velocity ammunition to reduce a town to rubble. Vash had to remind himself that Ankhon had done this after the people had been killed, getting revenge for them. But the bodies, the blood, the rubble... It was an unwelcome fact that Vash was nearly used to whole cities being destroyed around him. Ankhon looked up. His expression was unreadable.
"It came from the desert." Ankhon said. Everyone looked at him. He hesitated, and then continued. "Apparently, my employers decided I failed my mission and sent it to clean up."
"What? You know where this came from?" Meryl demanded. Ankhon nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
"... Are you going to tell us?" Meryl asked when it became apparent Ankhon wasn't going to continue without prompting. He seemed deep in thought. A wave of deep sadness might have crossed his face, or might not have.
"A ship, buried out in the desert about fifty iles from here. There was more than enough functioning medical equipment there to do this. I found it for employers, and was paid with whatever I could carry with me from the wreck."
"Really? A ship?" Millie asked.
"Yes. It's where I got some of my equipment." Knives and Vash looked at him with questioning faces. Many, if not most, of the ships crashed on the planet were accounted for. The fact that anyone could find one of the remaining few, with any amount of functioning equipment at all, was astronomical. They would know. In their century-plus on Gunsmoke, they had found only a handful of wrecks that were unattended and still functional. That someone could find one at this late date was doubtful.
"They hired me again to track down Vash. I'm not sure why." Ankhon commented.
"It seems to me that Vash should go ask them personally." Meryl said, bravely. "Show them what it's like to be hunted!"
"It's not that easy. They have a mercenary army at least as good as the Gung-Ho guns, but each wanting nothing more than to kill."
"Imagine what would have happened if I had sent out all the Gung-Ho guns. All at once, all to kill Vash." Knives added, looking into the middle distance.
"Vash would have died. He only barely won some of those fights." Meryl said, thinking.
"Oh, I'm sure it can't be all that bad! Good always triumphs over Evil, you know!" Millie exclaimed. Knives and Ankhon looked away. They had both lost to Vash. Knives considered himself a good person, though. Saving the world from the humans who have so proven themselves unfit to rule. Ankhon knew he wasn't a good person, and didn't pretend to see himself as such. But both knew that evil sometimes triumphs over good. That darkness outshines the light. That sometimes, it didn't matter who you were or what you believed in, you were going to lose and become nothing more than a forgotten memory.