Vash sat on a low rock in the middle of a town. Well, it had been a town at one point. There wasn't much left to it now. Crumbled buildings, small fires, and dead bodies. It was the dead bodies that bothered him the most. Men, women, children, all strewn about the town. And then there was blood. It was everywhere, and the smell of it was thick in the air. It had made Vash sick at first, but he had been sitting there for such a long time that he no longer noticed the stench.
I'm crying everyone's tears. And there inside our private war I died the night before.
Tears flowed freely from Vash's aquamarine eyes. He cried for the deaths of each and every person in the town. All of the needless deaths. Not to mention the complete destruction. No doubt the surrounding towns had heard by now that the Humanoid Typhoon had managed to add another town to the list, right under July and Augusta.
As much as Vash knew that it wasn't physically him who destroyed the town, he couldn't help but to feel at fault. Legato was trying to get to him, trying to fish him out. That sick freak had used his stupid mind tricks on everyone in the town. They all turned against each other until there was no one left standing. And he made sure Vash saw it. He made sure that Vash was the only one left standing, that Vash would have to watch the entire town self-destruct right before his eyes in a matter of moments.
It made Vash sick.
This was a personal war between he and Legato. There wasn't any need for these people to die.
All of these remnants of joy and disaster. What am I supposed to do?
Vash remembered the day before, when he had first entered the town. It was a relatively isolated town, thankfully, so he was able to get a moment of peace without everyone running away from him in fear of their lives. He even seemed to have a way with the children of the town who all wanted Vash to play with them. The general happiness in the town made Vash feel good inside.
And then this. The complete decimation. He had seen those same kids turn on each other and their parents. He saw them die. He watched them all die and couldn't do anything about it. They were dead. Gone. Not coming back. And if Vash had never gone into that town, it wouldn't have happened.
I want to cook you a soup that warms your soul, but nothing would change, nothing would change at all.
Meryl stood a few yards behind Vash and stared at him intently, tears flowing from her eyes as well. She and Millie had come into the town as soon as they heard the news of its destruction. They were sure to find Vash there, or close by. And they were right.
Meryl's heart ached. She wanted to do whatever she could to make Vash feel better. She wanted to sooth his soul and take away all the pain he felt. But no matter what she tried, it seemed to no avail. Trouble followed Vash like a lost puppy. Wherever he went, it was there, and he didn't even bring it upon himself. Even if she could make him feel better for a short time, it wouldn't help the next time something like this happened.
It's just a day that brings it all about. Just another day, and nothing's any good.
Vash couldn't believe this had happened again. Three towns complete destroyed because of him. Just one more day in the life of Vash the Stampede. One more day of trying hard to promote love and peace. One more day of death and destruction.
The DJ's playing the same song. I have so much to do. I have to carry on.
Deep down, Vash knew that this sort of destruction would continue. He could kill Legato; he could kill all of the Gung-Ho Guns. He could kill Knives even, and it would continue. It would continue for as long as he was alive, and that promised to be quite a long time.
Vash looked down at his gun. He considered ending it all right then and there. What was the use? He wasn't getting anywhere. Who was he kidding with his love and peace crap? No one, that's who. He opened up the chamber and looked inside. One bullet. It was all he needed. He closed it up again and held the gun to his temple. One shot. Quick and easy. And it would be all over.
Meryl's eyes widened, and she was greatly relieved when Vash took the gun away from his head. What was he thinking? He couldn't do something stupid like that. He still had a lot left to do. What about Knives and Legato? They had to be stopped. He had to keep going.
I wonder if this grief will ever let me go. I feel like I am the King of Sorrow.
Would it ever stop? Sorrow had a firm hold on Vash and didn't seem too intent on letting him go anytime soon. He grieved for Rem, for the towns of July and Augusta, and for this town. Yep, that was the life of Vash the Stampede. Constant sorrow for everyone he'd ever known or seen die. Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon, and the King of Sorrow.
I suppose I could just walk away. Will I disappoint my future if I stay?
Vash figured he should get going. What was he going to do, sit here all day? He supposed he could fish through the bodies and body parts; he could get Wolfwood to come and give them all proper burials.
But why?
First of all, who knew where Wolfwood was, or how long it would take to find him. Vash wasn't too keen on fishing through old, dead corpses that were rotting and repulsive. He wasn't even really keen on fishing through freshly dead corpses. What if someone had lived? No, that was a stupid thought. Legato left no one alive. No one but Vash. It was useless to hang around this town for any longer. Vash stood and turned around, spotting Meryl not too far behind him.
He approached and saw the pain in her eyes. She pained to see the destruction just as much as he did. She pained to see Vash in pain. It was all a very painful moment.
It's just a day that brings it all about. Just another day, and nothing's any good.
"Just add another town to the list of Places Destroyed by Vash the Stampede," he said, bitterly.
The tone of his voice hurt Meryl to hear. It was too full of sarcasm and bitterness. It was not at all Vash.
"Just another day of me messing up," he added with a sigh.
He then collapsed into Meryl's arms in tears. They walked away from the town. They walked until it was far behind them and out of sight. Meryl, who could not support Vash's weight any longer, collapsed slowly to the sandy ground. Vash went down too, resting his head in her lap. She stroked his hair as he sobbed quietly facing away from Meryl.
I'm crying everyone's tears.
"Vash, don't cry," Meryl said softly.
"They're all dead Meryl. All of them."
I have already paid for all my future sins.
"Why does trouble follow me like this?" he asked, "why do I have to deal with so much pain? I try so hard to stop the needless suffering, and all I ever do is end up causing more. But I suffer so much from it all that you'd think karma would kick in and I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. I think I've gotten more than my fair share."
There's nothing anyone can say to take this away.
"Vash…" Meryl started.
"I'm sorry, Meryl, but I don't think anything you can say right now can help me feel better." He sat up and leaned against her. "Just stay here with me for a bit."
It's just another day, and nothing's any good.
"Another town, Meryl. A whole damn town gone and it's all my fault."
I'm the King of Sorrow.