Yay! One more chapter out for me! Like usual, this is short. Hey, be grateful that ya'll are getting anything at all!
Disclaimer: If I owned Trigun or Sailor Moon, then I would buy anime/manga for everyone who reviews. Since I'm broke and horde my anime/manga like there's no tomorrow, then you must assume that I own nothing except the baby-sitting money I made. NO!! MY MONEY!!! YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!!! *gets taken away by men in white coats while men in suits look disgusted and leave 'cuz they can't sue*
Warnings: Angst and mentioned hate (dark themes). This WILL get better though. I promise. *crosses fingers behind back*
This is dedicated to my little sister for her birthday this month.
************************
Redemption
Chapter 1: Hate, Should Hate
************************
She hated the day. Day meant that the twin suns would be blazing overhead with no clouds to block them out. She hated the night. Planet Gunsmoke's moons always seemed to mock her. She hated the sand. Sand got everywhere and was impossible to clean out of hair. She hated the water. The little that existed was a constant reminder of what could be. She hated the emptiness. Such were the states of her heart and soul. She hated being around people. Their hopeless faces consistently told her all of her mistakes. She hated life. Life only brought more pain. She hated death. Death took everything away except her until she was irrevocably emotionally damaged.
************
Knives growled dangerously, but no one paid any heed; it was a completely normal occurrence in Meryl Stryfe's home. After defeating Knives, Vash had brought him back to where Meryl and Millie were waiting anxiously. Meryl had bought the house about a week later in a nearby town.
Meryl and Vash finally began dating, but Millie was still heartbroken over Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a former Gung Ho Gun. His resignation from Knives's service had cost him his own life. Knives could not help but be jealous of the relationship between Vash and Meryl. 'If only Usagi had lived...' Knives shook his head violently in an attempt to get the petite woman-child out of his head. 'Even if she had landed in Gunsmoke, she would have died from old age by now. Stop thinking about her, Knives,' he admonished himself quickly. She was all Knives had ever wanted in his one hundred thirty plus years of life. Well, who knows? Vash had found someone after losing Rem...
************
Serenity Tsukino hummed a soft tune as she filed papers in the record office of Burnadelli Insurance Society. Serenity did not really mind filing the papers, but she preferred action to the stuffy office building. Luckily for her, after filing these papers she could leave on her latest assignment: finding Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson. The two agents on the trail of Vash the Stampede had not transmitted any information regarding their search in nearly two months, and the head honcho upstairs was worried about losing two of his major assets; in other words, no one else would have taken the job to search for humanity's first official disaster. (AN: Did I get that right??) Serenity had been on vacation when the two had set out the first time and had an assignment the second time. Now, however, she was not going to miss a chance to meet Vash the Stampede again – or his brother Millions Knives.
'How did Knives get his name?' she wondered, and it was not the first time she had questioned Rem's ideas – nor would it be the last. She let out a "hah!" in satisfaction as the last folder was filed correctly. 'Now I can find those two "disasters" and get paid for it at the same time!' She immediately became somber again after thinking of the abandoned towns with "Knives" printed somewhere in blood. (AN: I think it's paint in the series, but in my story it's blood. *nyah*) 'Knives, I know you're not psychotic; you are only guilty of being lonely. Let me take away your pain. PLEASE don't be angry with me for leaving you...'
Serenity sighed in defeat. 'But before I go find you four, I need to pick up a wayward priest. Now what was the name of that town where he disappeared again? I can't seem to remember anything anymore...'
************
Wolfwood was lying in the local orphanage; the children there had heard of the orphanage he ran and supported and had insisted that he stay. Who was he to say no? 'I wonder how the fight between Vash and Knives turned out... Well, Vash must've won because the human race is still alive. Did Vash really kill Knives, or did he wimp out again? Guess I'll never know; I can't go back to them with this blood on my hands. And to her–'
He broke off his thoughts when one of the children came in the room followed by a beautiful young woman. Her blue eyes were older than they seem, and she carried herself with a grace so natural that it seemed unnatural. (AN: Yes, I know that makes no sense, but this is Wolfwood here. *point* It's HIS thoughts! *pouts and then sucks on thumb* So don't blame me! *nyah*)
The woman smiled at him softly. "Hello, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. My, you seem to have made a rather large mess of yourself, haven't you?"
"Do I know you?" he asked as politely as he could manage.
She laughed quietly. "No, but we have mutual friends. My name is Serenity Tsukino."
"Mutual friends?" he croaked. "Who?"
She smiled again and replied, "Meryl Stryfe, Millie Thompson, Vash the Stampede, and Millions Knives. I haven't seen the last two in a very long time though..." Wolfwood found that he could not reply from shock. "Ah, I see you have stopped smoking. Millie had mentioned how much that bothered her." Wolfwood could only stare in disbelief at her.
"Now then," she began, "we need to get you out of that bed. Being ambulatory is one of the best cures in the universe." He continued to stare at her dumbly. "Don't look at me like that! There are friends worried about you and a wonderful girl who deserves to know how you feel. Move!"
With that, she threw clothes at him from the bag she was carrying; they were an exact replica of his former clothes. He questioningly raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't worry about THAT," she cried. "You have more important things to worry about than how I managed to find extra clothes for you. MOVE!" He meekly followed her orders after she stormed out of the room.
************
Nicholas D. Wolfwood loved motorcycles. He always found a kind of peace while racing the wind (AN: NO! not Haruka), but this was a bit too much. He found himself hanging on for dear life behind an innocent-looking young woman. 'Innocent!' he snorted. 'Yeah, right. And my name is Vash-the-donut-loving-gunman.' No one could EVER drive faster than this girl was, he decided.
"How much longer?" he yelled over the sound of the engine.
"A few more minutes!" she screamed back at him. 'She has good lungs,' he noted blandly.
After what seemed to be an eternity, Wolfwood could make out the town ahead. Serenity had told him earlier that Meryl's house was on the other side of town. 'Naturally,' he thought grumpily. 'It couldn't be on this side of town or even in the middle; it's always the far side. At least this town isn't all that big.'
Finally, the black and silver motorcycle roared to a stop in front of an average-sized house. Both Serenity and the priest dismounted. "Well," she said, "shall we go in?" Wolfwood sighed and nodded.
Then she led him up the walk. 'Like the sheep to the slaughter. She seems to be amused by all of this.' Wolfwood's thoughts remained gloomy, and they made it to the front door after an eternity. Wolfwood wanted to see his friends, especially Millie, but he was also dreading their reunion. 'Who wouldn't? I did betray them. I deceived them the whole time... They should hate me. She should hate me. I hate me.'
Serenity knocked, and Wolfwood held his breath.
************************
Whew! I had quite a bit of fun with that chapter. Could ya tell? Anyways, remember to R/R! (Hopefully you've done one of these Rs already if you are reading this. ^^*)
Thanx and much luv!
Koneko
Disclaimer: If I owned Trigun or Sailor Moon, then I would buy anime/manga for everyone who reviews. Since I'm broke and horde my anime/manga like there's no tomorrow, then you must assume that I own nothing except the baby-sitting money I made. NO!! MY MONEY!!! YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!!! *gets taken away by men in white coats while men in suits look disgusted and leave 'cuz they can't sue*
Warnings: Angst and mentioned hate (dark themes). This WILL get better though. I promise. *crosses fingers behind back*
This is dedicated to my little sister for her birthday this month.
************************
Redemption
Chapter 1: Hate, Should Hate
************************
She hated the day. Day meant that the twin suns would be blazing overhead with no clouds to block them out. She hated the night. Planet Gunsmoke's moons always seemed to mock her. She hated the sand. Sand got everywhere and was impossible to clean out of hair. She hated the water. The little that existed was a constant reminder of what could be. She hated the emptiness. Such were the states of her heart and soul. She hated being around people. Their hopeless faces consistently told her all of her mistakes. She hated life. Life only brought more pain. She hated death. Death took everything away except her until she was irrevocably emotionally damaged.
************
Knives growled dangerously, but no one paid any heed; it was a completely normal occurrence in Meryl Stryfe's home. After defeating Knives, Vash had brought him back to where Meryl and Millie were waiting anxiously. Meryl had bought the house about a week later in a nearby town.
Meryl and Vash finally began dating, but Millie was still heartbroken over Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a former Gung Ho Gun. His resignation from Knives's service had cost him his own life. Knives could not help but be jealous of the relationship between Vash and Meryl. 'If only Usagi had lived...' Knives shook his head violently in an attempt to get the petite woman-child out of his head. 'Even if she had landed in Gunsmoke, she would have died from old age by now. Stop thinking about her, Knives,' he admonished himself quickly. She was all Knives had ever wanted in his one hundred thirty plus years of life. Well, who knows? Vash had found someone after losing Rem...
************
Serenity Tsukino hummed a soft tune as she filed papers in the record office of Burnadelli Insurance Society. Serenity did not really mind filing the papers, but she preferred action to the stuffy office building. Luckily for her, after filing these papers she could leave on her latest assignment: finding Meryl Stryfe and Millie Thompson. The two agents on the trail of Vash the Stampede had not transmitted any information regarding their search in nearly two months, and the head honcho upstairs was worried about losing two of his major assets; in other words, no one else would have taken the job to search for humanity's first official disaster. (AN: Did I get that right??) Serenity had been on vacation when the two had set out the first time and had an assignment the second time. Now, however, she was not going to miss a chance to meet Vash the Stampede again – or his brother Millions Knives.
'How did Knives get his name?' she wondered, and it was not the first time she had questioned Rem's ideas – nor would it be the last. She let out a "hah!" in satisfaction as the last folder was filed correctly. 'Now I can find those two "disasters" and get paid for it at the same time!' She immediately became somber again after thinking of the abandoned towns with "Knives" printed somewhere in blood. (AN: I think it's paint in the series, but in my story it's blood. *nyah*) 'Knives, I know you're not psychotic; you are only guilty of being lonely. Let me take away your pain. PLEASE don't be angry with me for leaving you...'
Serenity sighed in defeat. 'But before I go find you four, I need to pick up a wayward priest. Now what was the name of that town where he disappeared again? I can't seem to remember anything anymore...'
************
Wolfwood was lying in the local orphanage; the children there had heard of the orphanage he ran and supported and had insisted that he stay. Who was he to say no? 'I wonder how the fight between Vash and Knives turned out... Well, Vash must've won because the human race is still alive. Did Vash really kill Knives, or did he wimp out again? Guess I'll never know; I can't go back to them with this blood on my hands. And to her–'
He broke off his thoughts when one of the children came in the room followed by a beautiful young woman. Her blue eyes were older than they seem, and she carried herself with a grace so natural that it seemed unnatural. (AN: Yes, I know that makes no sense, but this is Wolfwood here. *point* It's HIS thoughts! *pouts and then sucks on thumb* So don't blame me! *nyah*)
The woman smiled at him softly. "Hello, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. My, you seem to have made a rather large mess of yourself, haven't you?"
"Do I know you?" he asked as politely as he could manage.
She laughed quietly. "No, but we have mutual friends. My name is Serenity Tsukino."
"Mutual friends?" he croaked. "Who?"
She smiled again and replied, "Meryl Stryfe, Millie Thompson, Vash the Stampede, and Millions Knives. I haven't seen the last two in a very long time though..." Wolfwood found that he could not reply from shock. "Ah, I see you have stopped smoking. Millie had mentioned how much that bothered her." Wolfwood could only stare in disbelief at her.
"Now then," she began, "we need to get you out of that bed. Being ambulatory is one of the best cures in the universe." He continued to stare at her dumbly. "Don't look at me like that! There are friends worried about you and a wonderful girl who deserves to know how you feel. Move!"
With that, she threw clothes at him from the bag she was carrying; they were an exact replica of his former clothes. He questioningly raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't worry about THAT," she cried. "You have more important things to worry about than how I managed to find extra clothes for you. MOVE!" He meekly followed her orders after she stormed out of the room.
************
Nicholas D. Wolfwood loved motorcycles. He always found a kind of peace while racing the wind (AN: NO! not Haruka), but this was a bit too much. He found himself hanging on for dear life behind an innocent-looking young woman. 'Innocent!' he snorted. 'Yeah, right. And my name is Vash-the-donut-loving-gunman.' No one could EVER drive faster than this girl was, he decided.
"How much longer?" he yelled over the sound of the engine.
"A few more minutes!" she screamed back at him. 'She has good lungs,' he noted blandly.
After what seemed to be an eternity, Wolfwood could make out the town ahead. Serenity had told him earlier that Meryl's house was on the other side of town. 'Naturally,' he thought grumpily. 'It couldn't be on this side of town or even in the middle; it's always the far side. At least this town isn't all that big.'
Finally, the black and silver motorcycle roared to a stop in front of an average-sized house. Both Serenity and the priest dismounted. "Well," she said, "shall we go in?" Wolfwood sighed and nodded.
Then she led him up the walk. 'Like the sheep to the slaughter. She seems to be amused by all of this.' Wolfwood's thoughts remained gloomy, and they made it to the front door after an eternity. Wolfwood wanted to see his friends, especially Millie, but he was also dreading their reunion. 'Who wouldn't? I did betray them. I deceived them the whole time... They should hate me. She should hate me. I hate me.'
Serenity knocked, and Wolfwood held his breath.
************************
Whew! I had quite a bit of fun with that chapter. Could ya tell? Anyways, remember to R/R! (Hopefully you've done one of these Rs already if you are reading this. ^^*)
Thanx and much luv!
Koneko