Prerogative

Like Eating Glass

Vash had stood far to the side as he watched everyone eat and talk, noticing that they were very much unaware that they were being studied. Well, actually from the way Meryl ate as if it pained her to do so, he believed she probably knew they were all being watched. As he gazed at the group he became conscious that he too was hungry and his stomach grumbled as if to emphasize that fact. He contemplated going out and joining the group, but he didn't know if he wanted to be bothered with Meryl's hard stare. It saddened him how she felt toward him now, but being under her watch also unnerved him as it had months and months ago when they had first met.

He glanced over at his brother when he felt him approach. Knives said nothing but he was looking at the group of humans as well, with an unreadable expression on his face. Before Vash could open his mouth to say a word Knives held up two pears. Vash looked at them and took one, watching as his brother bit into another one; his gaze never wandering from the lethargic humans.

Happily filled and content the group started to spread themselves out slightly, laying down on the cool grass. The evening was setting in and the exhaustion that had left them momentarily as they ate hungrily, returned ten fold as they finished. As each started to drift off to sleep one by one, Meryl and Mille stayed up as they talked quietly amongst themselves. Millie was talking of how sleeping in the geo plant reminded her of the time her entire family had slept outside to witness a meteor shower.

Millie laughed at the memory, "it was so funny Meryl. Every single one were huddled together outside to watch it and every single one of us fell asleep and no one even saw it. Do you remember that shower?"

"Yeah," Meryl nodded, responding quietly.

"Where were you when it happened?"

Meryl frowned deeply as Millie asked, "I was working, so I didn't see it either."

Millie sighed, "it's a shame, but there's bound to be another one some day soon."

"Not for another 55 years," came Knives' impassive voice.

Both girls turned around and watched as he approached them with Vash at his side. Meryl tensed at the sight of the two of them and glanced at the group. By this time everyone was fast asleep and for that she was grateful. She turned her attention back to the plant twins and watched carefully as they both sat down. Vash took a comfortable seat beside Millie, and Knives sat as far from them as possible but still being within talking distance.

"How do you know that Mr. Knives?" Millie asked the plant curiously.

Knives said nothing at first as he studied her. It was the first time Millie had spoken directly to him and from the lack of fear that came from her voice; he wondered if she was just as ignorant to whom he was as the rest of the group. He sneered at her as he answered, deciding rather quickly he didn't care for her. "I just do."

"It sort of has to do with our senses," Vash said having scowled at his brother before turning to Millie. "We can sense when the next one is coming, kind of like when some people can sense when it's going to rain before it does."

"But to sense rain 55 years in advance?" Meryl asked dryly, speaking for the first time. The three of them each looked at her with a different look. Millie's was simple acknowledgement of her friends question, Vash's was grim and Knives' was plain irritation. "It isn't exactly human," she finished.

Vash looked over at his brother to gauge his reaction, but Knives' irritation had turned to indifference, "I never expected a compliment from you."

Knives and Meryl stared hard and almost unblinking at each other until, even Millie sensed the lingering danger at Meryl's actions.

"Meryl, we should sleep," she interrupted the thick silence.

"Yes, do sleep," Knives repeated, standing abruptly.

"Where're you going?" Vash asked his brother.

"Where I go is hardly any of your concern Vash, but I've been in a spiders presence too long for one afternoon. I don't need the time to spread into the evening as well."

"Spiders?" Both Millie and Meryl voiced in question.

Knives ignored their question and walked back into the shadows of the geo plant. Once he had disappeared from view Meryl turned her attention back to Vash and repeated her one word question.

"Spiders?"

Vash darted his eyes to the side and rubbed the back of his neck slightly as he told them of his brother's analogy sheepishly. Meryl scoffed in disgust and even Millie had a small frown on her normally cheery face.

"It isn't a particularly nice thing to say about people is it?" She asked.

"I doubt nice is what he was going for Millie," Meryl said to her friend as she fought off a yawn that finally overcame her. Spreading it to Millie who yawned loud and longer, Meryl decided it really was time to sleep. She said nothing as Vash nodded and laid nearby, as if he was part of the group.

"I always sleep out here," he vocalized, reading Meryl's thoughts. "Goodnight Insurance Girls," he said to the both of them; smiling when he heard Millie's cheerful response and sighing heavily when Meryl said nothing at all. He turned his back on the raven haired women and Millie as he hid his crossed fingers. Upon closing his eyes, his mind was invaded with his brother's voice.

"Last I checked you didn't particularly care for sleeping in the grass," Knives' icy tone filled his mind.

"Well I can't leave them alone," Vash retorted keeping his eyes closed.

Knives' chuckle filled Vash's head from every direction and his blood ran cold as it got heavier and seemingly darker. "You think you can protect them in the night Vash? You can't protect them at all need I remind you?"

"You'll never see me again if you harm them Knives," Vash warned.

"I'm aware and I'm still wondering if you're worth the trouble."

Even as Knives thought that to Vash they both knew, at this point, that it was an empty response. Knives still needed and wanted his brother around and they were both aware of that fact.

"Goodnight Knives," Vash finally thought to his brother before allowing himself to fall asleep just as he faintly heard his brother respond, "oh I think it will be a good night Vash."

-

He suddenly darted up to a sitting position and looked around. It had only been a dream, but this was real. He really was in a group of five other people, sleeping near The former Humanoid Typhoon. Their town really had been attacked only yesterday and he really had separated from his family, having been put in a group of the most fit and most able to access the town furthest away from where their own town had been. He truly was laying in the slight darkness, with only the moons to give off light in a gigantic geo plant made by the Stampede's twin brother.

But he had an odd feeling about that twin. He couldn't place it but he didn't trust him, not one bit. His instincts were telling him to leave this place and take his chances out wandering in the desert alone, and to do it right now while that… that thing was still asleep.

Oh he had always had good instincts; all his life people told him so. They always said "well, Hank hasn't got much brains but that instinct of his. Hell! I'd follow it if it said to jump into a gorge." That's what people said about him and now was the first time in his life he had been ignoring them. He didn't want to leave anyone behind, especially those nice insurance ladies, but he wasn't the most vocal person so when they had come across the other twin he hadn't been able to say what he wanted to tell them. That running off on their own was their better bet.

Besides, his instincts had always told him that Vash was trust worthy. Therefore, he was competing with himself since Vash, someone to trust, was with his twin, someone not to trust.

He had opted to do what the majority decided to do, and they sided with going with Knives. That had been the twin's name, and what a name, he had thought. He couldn't think of anything more of a sign that said to STAY AWAY than that name. It had been him who had voiced, "His name is Knives?" and it had been his question, his only question that had been ignored.

And while the twin had led them to this geo plant where there was food and drink, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were probably only buying their time. That twin, that thing, was out to get them, whatever it was. For he knew Knives wasn't human. He may look human and talk human but Hank knew he wasn't.

So did that make Vash inhuman? Probably, but he could trust Vash, so he didn't care. It was his brother that made his hair stand on end. His eyes were too bright, filled with too much of something unnatural. His voice was too sharp, his very well aura glowed unnaturally, but Hank had said nothing.

Something inside of him stirred and he realized that he had to use the bathroom, only, he looked around. He wasn't sure where he ought to go. He stood and glanced at the group, everyone was still fast asleep, even Vash who was snoring. Making his way slowly to the edge of the geo, resting his hand on the cool metal walls he followed them all around until he was back where he had started. He hadn't run into anything. They were only in a round bowl without a top, but he could have sworn he'd seen Knives retreat into these very shadows.

Even the shorter haired insurance girl had gone into them and came back with an armload of food, so where were the doors and other rooms?

He tried again, going slower this time and using both hands as he blindly felt for a knob or a crease, anything that could mean another room was somewhere in this plant. He really had to use the bathroom.

He got to where he started again. Nothing, not even a crease. What the hell was going on? He knew he had seen Knives, the insurance girl and Vash go back here and disappear into more than just shadows. He tightened his muscles slightly and sighed in defeat, he didn't have a choice he'd have to go near one of the trees that was in the geo. He chose one that was as far from the group as possible and went behind the trunk in case anyone did wake up and see him.

Sighing in relief when he was done, he zipped up his pants and turned to head back to sleep, figuring he'd tell the group about the situation tomorrow. Maybe he was just too sleepy to realize where the doors were. Turning, he gasped and stumbled back, almost falling into the spot where he had gone. Knives was standing directly in front of him. The blonde twin was staring at him, but Hank couldn't properly see him in the dimness, but he could tell Knives wasn't happy.

He watched as the twin looked behind him and glanced at the spot where had had urinated over the tree and gulped to himself. His instincts were telling him to run and he tried, but something was wrong. His body wasn't responding with his mind, and it wasn't because of surprise or fear, it was because he was being held there by, he looked at Knives to confirm it, yes by Knives.

"Disgusting," Knives muttered shaking his head at him.

"I-I couldn't find a restroom," Hank told him fear starting to well up inside of him.

"Then you should have gone outside in that giant wasteland," Knives said bitingly cold as he referred to the desert.

"I hadn't thought of that," Hank whispered his response.

"I can tell."

Hank watched as Knives suddenly smiled, but there was nothing happy or faintly amused about his smile.

"You have good instincts Hank, they make you far superior to the average human. It was rather careless of you to ignore them. You humans," Knives eyed him up and down. "When nature decides to give any of you a gift you completely ignore it."

Hank didn't waste time wondering how Knives knew his name or why he said humans as if he wasn't one. It's because he had always known he wasn't and this show of power was no surprise to him either, unfortunately it still frightened him.

"Come along Hank," Knives emphasized his name as if it personally disgusted him to say it. Hank fell forward as the hold that had been on his body released him, he tried to catch himself before he hit the ground but was unable to. When he felt his body start to absorb a wetness he knew he had fallen in his own body fluids. "We need to talk," Knives finished.

Hank whimpered softly unsure if it was because he was now covered in urine or because of the tone Knives when talking to him.

"It's just a talk," Knives responded quietly to his whimper. "But really…you should have listened to your instincts."

-

The first thing Vash realized when he woke was that something was not quite right, and as he watched the small group rise for the day he noticed what it was. They were one person short.

"Hey Meryl?" Millie asked awhile later that morning as everyone was eating a breakfast of more foreign fruit and bread.

"Hm?" Meryl asked, biting into a long yellow fruit. It was pretty good so long as you didn't eat its peel at all.

"Everyone's been talking about Mr. Hank."

"Hank?" Meryl questioned as she tried to remember him. "Oh… short, middle aged, going slightly bald, and not the most intelligent of people?"

"Meryl!"

"Well that is him isn't it Millie? What about him?"

Millie sighed and fidgeted slightly before she told her friend, "no one's seen him since yesterday." The tall brunette watched as the color drained from the petite women's face as she looked around, eyeing every person. Hank was definitely not in that group.

The two women exchanged looks before walking slowly to the group that had been whispering to each other. They stopped when the two approached.

"No one's really seen him this morning?' Meryl asked them and looked as every person shook their head.

"He was with us when we all fell asleep though," a woman said.

Meryl rushed a hand through her short hair, almost pulling wad out doing so.

"We're thinking he took off without the rest of us," said a man who was standing beside Millie.

"We are?" Meryl questioned darting her eyes to each person.

"Yeah. He was the restless type, the whole time we were here he was restless. It was dumb of him not to say anything to the rest of us though and since he's so dim witted he'll probably die out there," said another man.

"You shouldn't say that!" Millie scolded to the man who shrugged.

"It's the truth and if he does die out there it's his own fault. We have to stick together; he knows that, we all do. We don't know where in god's name we are!"

"That doesn't mean you have to wish for his death!" Said the woman.

"I'm not! I'm just saying that-"

Meryl tuned out the bickering bunch and turned to see Vash far in the corner of the geo sitting by himself in the grass, pulling out random strands as if in a daze. She abruptly walked away from the group, and approached him. He looked up at her his eyes wet with tears. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Where is he?" She asked him, her voice sounding hoarse.

Vash shrugged and wiped his tears away with his sleeve, "I don't know. It probably has something to do with him."

For some reason, at that moment she believed Vash. Meryl didn't take the time to try to explain the sudden thought of believing that he was on their side. It was simple to her, those tears were Vash tears. Not even she believed Knives could make his brother cry in only the way he did. As if he was personally responsible for the missing man.

Falling down to her knees, Vash looked up at her surprised. "I didn't believe you… I'm… I'm sorry Vash."

He reached out to her, to touch her shoulder but she drew away slightly, "it's okay." He told her.

"But its not. We're supposed to be friends. Millie knew it was you all along how come I didn't? Why couldn't I believe you?" She looked away when she felt something hot in her eyes, she wasn't going to cry. Meryl Stryfe cried for few things, and this could not be one of them. She had to be stronger than this. "It's because I didn't want to think you'd lost, to say you lost would be to admit things weren't going to get better. Confirming your loss confirmed that Knives won and the bad guys never win Vash, not in the end."

"Than it's not the end," Vash said firmly.

Meryl looked back at him and studied his blue eyes. They were still bristling with tears but even she couldn't pretend not to see the ferocity in them. She nodded numbly and glanced back at the group that had finally stopped bickering and were now talking quietly in a far more social manner.

"Vash what's going to happen to us?" She asked, still not looking in his direction and frankly she didn't want to. Just in case his eyes gave away any lie he had prepared.

He didn't respond right away, but then she heard him sigh, "I don't know."

Meryl didn't like the answer, but she accepted it. At least now they could be uncertain together again. She got up from her knees, and hesitated as she saw Vash stand with her. She decided against hugging him as was her original plan and simply gave him a tight smile, which he returned.

"I'm going to talk to Knives," Vash said and she nodded silently, walking back to the group after giving his hand a quick good luck squeeze.

Knives stood in the darkness watching as his brother approached him. For some reason he hadn't been able to hear the conversation Vash had been having with that female, and that irked him. 'Vash must have found the way to block me,' he thought to himself.

"Good morning," Knives said once his brother had stopped directly in front of him.

"Where is he?" Vash responded.

"Not even a good morning back? Where are your morning pleasantries Vash? The humans got you forgetting your manners?"

"This is just a game to you isn't it Knives! Where is he?" Vash seethed out.

His mirror didn't even bat an eye, "where's who?"

"You know who, Hank."

"Ah, the one everyone was gossiping about this morning. How should I know? Perhaps he went out for a jog." Knives flicked off a small piece of sand from his shoulder. "He certainly could use one."

Vash laughed lightly to himself, causing Knives to lift his eyebrows. Without warning Vash had pushed him into the metal wall, pinning him there. He slammed his fist dangerously close to Knives' face, "what have you done with him Knives?"

Knives narrowed his eyes, "this is no longer amusing. Let go of me."

"Not until you tell me what you did with Hank."

"And if I don't? What will you do to me? Nothing," he hissed out. "Because you can't. I, on the other hand, can and will if you don't let me go. Don't make me take out any further frustrations on the others."

Knives had him there and he knew it. Vash slowly released his hold on his brother. He turned sharply and began to walk away before Knives grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I haven't killed him if that's what you're concerned about."

Vash slowly faced his brother again, "you promise?"

A short breeze filtered through the geo plant as Knives and Vash stared at each other, waiting for Knives' response.

"Yes brother, I promise."

AN: :waves: Hello. I haven't watched Trigun in over a year and I have moved on. I was going to stop, but I really can't. It's hard for me to leave something unfinished. The last chapters won't be like past chapters because I don't exactly remember everyone's personalities or Trigun for that matter. At any rate thanks to everyone who kept on reviewing and mailing me, giving me notes of luck and urging me to continue, it helps so much. I don't know why there was a sudden surge of reviews for my Trigun stories but it has inspired me to keep writing… for a bit longer anyway. Well, I hope this chapter was okay, I actually like it.

On another note, I think I might have to start actually naming the people in the group, I'm starting to confuse myself. Has anyone happened to figure out how many people are in it besides Millie and Meryl? I'm pretty sure it's not easy to determine, cool points to those who can.

Faery Goddyss :)