Trigun
A Sky So Blue
"Just think fellas. Once we reach Tilaru Rock, the 100 billion double dollars is ours!"
A young man, probably in his late twenties, yells this as he thrusts his pistol into the air. This was his version of a rally cry. Though unorthodox at best, the simple speech did the trick. The ten other men with him, all varying in size and strength, just as their guns differed, let out a shout of confidence, an assurance that their very lives were staked on.
It had been over two months since the battle between Vash and Knives. No one knew of Knives; they just knew Vash had been involved and had destroyed another plot of land. Since the aptly named "Dust Bowl Explosion", Vash had been "promoted" another 40 billion double dollars to the title of the "100 Billion Double Dollar Man", in actuality, that much money didn't exist in the seven, five rather, cities. The bounty was more of an ostracizing title, a mark of death and shame. The public at large now feared him more than any storm or typhoon. In fact, paranoia of the Humanoid Typhoon had run so rampant that, bounty hunters kept at least a hundred iles distance from where he was rumored to be. This little ragtag group would be the first since the chaos.
How they found out about Vash's whereabouts, would probably remain a mystery. The human disaster had gone as far from the "Dust Bowl Explosion" as he could, to a town, Tilaru Rock, that had only heard vague rumors about his prestige and legend. Vash had been going about daily life under an assumed name along with the "two insurance girls". Meryl and Milly had both seen past the confines of their work by this time and had decided to accompany Vash in an alliance that ranged from a secret love to comradery in a fallen friend. The two women had been working for money while Vash tended to the recuperating Knives. All in all, the four were doing well in this small town, but like usual, trouble followed Vash no matter how far he ran.
The band of eleven, or as they call themselves the "Eleventh Commandment", had come a long way to follow a simple rumor. They were originally based in Augusta before it was destroyed and had wandered in that general vicinity since. The group got the rumor that Vash was at Tilaru Rock through an unknown source, but it had turned out true. After six days of traveling, they were finally at the edge of town, but to further illustrate their blasphemous irony, they rested for another day, the seventh, before they moved in. It is the eighth day and, after the speech, they head off.
After a few stops to find out where Vash is staying, it doesn't take the band long to reach the house. The street it is on is silent, no one moves about and no one is outside except for the bounty hunters. They quickly form a less than superior plan and put it into action. The men mostly stand around the door and wait as the largest takes one charge into it to throw the door from its hinges. All eleven men then charge in one by one, firing shots everywhere.
40 Billion and Counting
It is a beautiful day; one of those days when you wish you could just take off work and enjoy the life around you. The sky is as blue as the water that is always so rare on this planet. The clouds in the sky aren't dark and ominous, but rather, pearly white, a color that begged for peace in the hellish world. That peace seems to be in Tilaru Rock.
"Ah man, what a beautiful day! The sky's so blue and the temperature's just right. I'm so glad we're able to relax on such a gorgeous day!"
Vash the Stampede, the man feared by everyone, taking in the blue sky. If his identity were to be more well know, it would seem horribly ironic, but he has changed a lot since a couple of months prior. Without his infamous red coat, he humbles himself by wearing a simple white button up shirt, blue jeans, and boots. The scar on his right hand is visible to all and his left prosthetic arm seems more real than his actual arm. He has also changed his hair since the "Dust Bowl Explosion". Now his long blonde locks fall straight down along the frame of his face. Parted down the middle, it reminds him greatly of the days he spent as Eriks. The Humanoid Typhoon has also let a moderate five o' clock shadow come through. All in all, the only things that show through of his old self are his green eyes and his sunglasses, which he has kept. One last thing has changed. He carries both black and silver Colt-45 six-shooters at his sides, on show to the entire world. At the moment, the shunned hero carries two brown paper grocery bags.
"Yeah, it's relaxing when you're making the women do all the work!"
Meryl Strife hasn't changed at all. Her white attire stayed as much as her bitter attitude. She follows Vash closely behind with five bags in her hands. Along side her, Milly Thompson follows with five bags as well. Milly has changed in the two months and probably has made up for Meryl's lack of diversity. The tall, slow-witted girl that Vash and Meryl knew has sprouted into something new since Wolfwood's death. For one thing, her usually humorous self rarely let itself be seen anymore. She has become very intellectual and candid, but has lost her outgoingness. She has also lost her thought that the world is naturally good. Now she is less trustful of those she doesn't know. Not only all this, but Milly has also gone through physical changes too. Her long, flailing hair now is tied behind her in a ponytail. The clothes she used to wear have been replaced with plain black pants and a dark green shirt. Overall, Milly has become an almost darker person.
Vash, being his usual self, moronically asks, "Huh? What do you mean?"
About to bite his head off, Meryl opens her mouth to chew him out, but her tall friend cuts her off with, "Yeah, we could use a little help here, Mr. Va-- I mean, Mr. Paul."
The Humanoid Typhoon turns and begins walking backwards, each step kicking up a little dust. He says sarcastically, "But we're already home. What's the point?" With a quick turn, he begins walking forward again with a large smirk on his face, while Meryl begins to turn a deep red out of anger behind him.
As the trio approaches their home, the two women, mainly Meryl, continue to complain about Vash not helping more. In response, Vash begins to whistle a familiar tune (Sound Life). They continue to grow closer to their stay when, suddenly, Vash drops the two bags he was carrying. The food, ranging from donuts to pudding to cheese, spills out of the bags and onto the dusty ground. Immediately Meryl shouts, "What are you doing? That's good food!" Milly, in response, simply looks at her pudding, pouting.
Vash, ignoring the shouts of Meryl, rushes to their home and, namely, to the doorway with the door broken off the hinges. An expression of horror slowly spreads across Vash's face as the possibilities of what could be inside fly through his mind. When he takes a closer look, he sees the bullet holes lining the walls. By this time, Milly and Meryl have caught up to him, also setting their bags on the ground, but much gentler. They too see the bullet holes and begin to go in, but Vash stops them by putting an arm out in front of them both.
"Huh? What are you doing? We've got to check it out!" says Meryl in her normal loud tone.
Vash replies with dead seriousness, "I'll check it out. It's too dangerous for you two to go."
"Are you kidding?! We've been through Hell and back with you. I think we can handle a few bullet holes!"
Vash, without answering, begins to head in cautiously. His eyes move side to side, checking for anything or anyone that may shoot at him. As expected, Meryl begins to follow, but Vash yells, "Stay back!" Instantly, all three are reminded of the days before the "Dust Bowl Explosion". The air seems to cool in the presence of Vash's worry and anger. With this, comes an ominous feeling as Vash notices smoke still rising from the bullet holes. Fear, unrelenting fear begins to spawn inside of him. Thoughts of Knives finally awakening with a bloodlust greater than that of terran vampires fill Vash's mind to the point of insanity. He can't help but ask himself if it would all start again. All these thoughts and questions, they all race through his conscience with the first step. After that, his mind begins to clear. Each step brings to him a focus on the fight at hand rather than Knives' resurgence.
Meryl and Milly, both scared by the anger arising in Vash again, become planted to the ground. They don't dare move any closer even though neither of them fully understands yet. As the duo watches Vash disappear into the house, Meryl begins to have a revelation as to the reasons behind his sudden apprehension. She says very quietly, "Milly, I think I understand."
The tall counterpart, in her newfound astuteness, responds just as hushed, "Yeah, I think I know too, Meryl. If Mr. Knives has woken up, then there might be another fight."
Showing her growing tension, Meryl asks, "Do you think we should get away while we can? Should we tell the townspeople?"
In a display of her determination, which she had owned long before ever meeting Vash or Meryl, Milly says, "No, Meryl. We've come this far. We've got to trust Mr. Vash will be able to handle it."
"Yeah, Milly, I guess you are right. I-I just thought that it had all ended. I mean I was just mustering up the strength to tell him."
Meanwhile, Vash has been checking the house as the girls talk. As of yet, he's only found bullet holes in the two-story house. It's a modest home at best, but it has three bedrooms: One for Vash, another for Knives, and the largest for Milly and Meryl. It's built with brick, seeing as Tilaru Rock has so little wood in it, but it retains an aura about it that needs nothing ostentatious to still show it's craftsmanship. All in all, the house serves very well for the four, three if you don't include Knives, even with their lack of "homey touches". There are some personal decorations in the home. These things range from letters to Milly and Meryl to a large picture of a plain donut. Vash passes a number odds-and- ends and checks a few rooms before he enters the actual living room. It's the largest room of the house and the sight of it makes Vash's mind and body freeze. The room is barely standing and has the lights off; so many bullets have punctured the walls. The furniture, two chairs, a table, and a couch, have all but been destroyed. The couch, covered by a fabric more native to the planet, has been torn literally to shreds. The fabric is now scattered across the floor and only the frame is left lying on it's back. The table has been crushed by something landing on top of it. As for the two chairs, one has been smashed into the wall, while the other sits in the middle of the room, perfectly intact. In this remaining piece of furniture, sits Knives. The light from other rooms barely lets him be seen. He's facing so that his back is to Vash. His clothes remain the same, the same odd jump suit as before. Vash guesses that his brother had found it among the clothes Vash had bought him.
Knives, not showing at anxiety or anger at all, rather acting innocent, turns around in the chair. It becomes apparent to Vash that he holds a small pistol in his right hand. Fear shoots up Vash's spine as he reaches for one of his guns. His brother, however, waves at Vash with his left hand when he's completely turned. In a kind, almost compliant, voice, Knives says, "Hey Vash, good timing." Vash doesn't respond, but he does begin to take note of the things around and behind Knives. Next to the revitalized brother, there's a strange pile of guns and weapons, all ranging in size and use.
A small, frightened voice that is apparently talking to Knives enters the ominous moment with, "Wh-What? You're not Vash the Stampede?"
At this, Vash's patience disappears. He flicks the lights on to understand what's going on. The sight he sees terrifies him more than just seeing Knives awake with a gun. Along the farthest wall, which was completely blotted out by shadows, is a line of men tied up and visibly beaten. In total there's eleven; it is the "Eleventh Commandment". Though Vash himself doesn't know of the gang, the fear for their lives still courses through him. Before he can react in anyway, Knives calmly says, "These men came here looking for you. I told them you weren't here, but they insisted I was Vash the Stampede."
A large murmur grows from the gang, all the comments consisting of fear. Some of these include, "He's Vash the Stampede?" "Think of what the other did to us! The Humanoid Typhoon will kill us!" and "Am I gonna die?" The expressions of the men also show their fear; many had broken out into a cold sweat by now; the others either shiver or are perfectly still.
The one they fear and speak of, Vash the Stampede, can't hold back any longer. He rushes to their sides and begins to untie each one as the men he's helping try to kick or push him away out of fear. In a few minutes, Vash has finished; he stands back and looks at the group. Fear and confusion have gripped them even tighter. Most can't stand due to wounds evidently inflicted by Knives; those who can stand are too afraid to move.
As Vash's anger begins to increase, Knives methodically adds from behind him, "You know, I only let them live because they wanted to speak to you. Or maybe I should kill the worthless garbage while I still have the chance?" At this, Vash spins around, a look of pure seriousness on his face, and has his silver pistol in his hand in a flash. He points it straight at Knives. In response, Knives only smiles and continues, "Oh, did I strike a nerve? Did you really think all that pathetic philosophy you told me while I slept would have any affect? When are you going to rid yourself of that imperfection's idealologies?"
The air slowly becomes tenser and tenser as the conflict between these two brothers seems to spawn itself in its surroundings. With the still smoking bullet holes, destroyed furniture, and occasional whimper of a grown man, it seemed the two angels had created their own piece of Hell. As Vash begins to speak, his voice resounds through the room, echoing much more than any other voice had before. He forcefully says, "You all. Get out now!" The invitation is most likely the greatest gift the "Eleventh Commandment" has ever received. It's amazing the strength of men fleeing for their lives. Knives's guns may give angels wings, but it's fear that gives men wings. Those who couldn't stand before ran for their lives, blood coming from every single one of them; they don't care though, they're alive and that's all that matters. The men leave as quickly as they entered, rather, more quickly. They fly out the door, blazing past Meryl and Milly. One gang member has even acquired a black cat attached to his shoulder for the ride. As the cat passes the two girls, it lets out a small "meow". For a moment, the two girls only stand there and blink, both of their minds complete blanks, until Meryl finally chimes in, "What in the world was that about?"
Milly, though in her usual high-pitched voice, says seriously, "Meryl, I'm pretty sure there's a fight going on."
Without even thinking, Meryl quickly says, "You're right Milly! We've got to help him!"
Before Meryl can run in though, her counterpart stops her with, "But didn't Mr. Vash tell us to stay here?"
Already in the door with two of her pistols drawn, Meryl calls over her shoulder, "There's no time for that now Milly. We have to do what's right!"
In the mean time, the standoff continues inside, but not between guns, between psyches. Vash, motionless in his expression and unwavering in his aim, continues to be locked on his brother. Knives, however, is just the opposite; he sits in a slouched position with a wide smirk on his face, not even bothering to raise his gun at Vash. He finally says in an overconfident tone, "Do you really want to fight me again? Are you that moronic? I know you won't kill me and, even if you do fight me, you'd kill everyone in this town. Now, put your gun away; quit taking me for a fool." Vash keeps his gun set on Knives, praying that he won't move. At this, Knives adds, "How disappointing. Is that any way to treat your own brother? Fine, I'll leave you be for now, but don't stop and think that I'm done with you. I would just rather spend my time with loyal brethren instead of such an unappreciative brother."
Just at this moment, Meryl and Milly charge into the room with their weapons drawn; they freeze when they see the two. The same fear that gripped Vash before now takes a hold of them, but much stronger. Their minds numb and cannot think; the hair on the back of their necks stands, their breath short and timid. Knives looks at them as they enter; he smiles at them with a hidden agenda just behind the color of his eyes.
Vash takes this moment to finally respond; he says in a serious tone, almost alien to his own, "Brethren? We don't have any kin here, Knives."
Looking back at Vash, Knives says with a straight face, "Yes we do, in every plant on this planet, where our blood is being fed off of by these deficient beings you call humans."
In a moment of anger and confusion, Vash asks in a more agitated tone, "What?! What do you plan on doing? Destroying the plants? Those are what let these people live here!"
"Exactly. I'll let them die slowly while I reacquaint myself with our kith and kin, but I must leave you now, Vash the Stampede, time for me to start. Maybe you'll understand once this is all over." Knives then quietly turns around in his chair; in one simple motion, he raises the pistol and fires a shot at Meryl. The bullet flies clean, hitting the target it was aimed for: Meryl's right leg. Blood shoots out the front and back of her upper thigh as the bullet passes straight through her.
Meryl's eyes widen as the pain of burnt away nerves begins to shoot through her; Milly and Vash join in the expressions amazement and horror, but they have no time to comprehend what just happened. Knives moves the gun to left some, aims at Milly, and fires another perfect shot, but this time Vash has time to react. Everything seems to slow down as Vash points his gun at Milly as well, maybe just a hair off, and fires. Due to Vash's gun's higher quality and custom craftsmanship, his bullet catches up with Knives's in the time they both skim through the air. Both projectiles continue to approach at high speeds, fast enough to hide what really happens. A few feet from Milly, the bullets collide in a small spark, but large bang; the metal pieces fly around Milly, forcing her to protect her face. Knives's eyes widen for a moment at Vash's defensive maneuver, but he quickly hides his shock and smirks as Vash passes by him to kneel next to Meryl.
Milly, also bending over Meryl, asks hurriedly, "Meryl, are you okay?"
Injured and bleeding, Meryl now lays on the ground in the hands of Vash; she says quietly, "I-I think I'm alright."
Vash, visibly angered, says, "You'll be fine. The bullet passed straight through." He then rips off a piece of his sleeve and wraps it around her wound as Meryl asks if that's a good thing. Ignoring her question, Vash rises and turns with his gun; he points directly at Knives, except for one problem. Knives is no longer in the chair, rather, he's no longer anywhere; he's disappeared without a trace. Vash, expecting the next event, reaches for the black Colt-45 six-shooter, but finds it too has vanished. He holsters the silver pistol, turns back to the girls, and says, "Lets get you to a hospital."
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"Are. Are we far enough yet?"
The "Eleventh Commandment", now dwindled down to four, makes their way across the desert. They had fled with all their lives and, the seven missing members, had lost theirs. While the sun blazes upon them, the grim survivors hobble across sand dunes, stirring the dust around them. Three of them follow the previous leader who now is in the worst shape of all. He reaches the top of a large sand dune with the others a few feet behind; in the blink of an eye, the leader flies black on the other three, knocking them down the hill they had just climbed. Over the dune, steps Knives with the black Colt-45 six-shooter in his right hand. All four gang members stumble to their knees and gawk at their assailant. Knives remains dressed the same except he has brown rags that cover most of his body to protect him from the wind and sand. He smiles and laughs darkly at them, raising the hair on the back of their necks and forcing the fear of death upon them.
Knives says in an ominous tone, "What? You think I'd let pathetic trash like you live? It's too bad your friends were killed by the desert; it gives me more pleasure to kill you vermin myself." With that he lifts up his gun and fires six shots, three into two of the men, but not hitting any vital parts. He hits both gang members in the shoulders and right leg. Yawning, Knives reloads his gun as the other two try to run. He fires bullets into them the same fashion. He smiles and says, "Thought I'd give you the gift of death? Ha! You'll die in pain like the trash you are."
The men groan in pain as they stain the sand red with their own blood and soak it with their tears. None of them have the strength to speak; all they can do now is struggle and try to move. They don't get very far though. Each one dies slowly and painfully under Knives's watchful eyes. He smiles as they fade from this existence and into the next. After such a morbid act, Knives simply reloads his gun and walks off.
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Elsewhere, Vash, Meryl, and Milly are in the town's hospital. To be more specific, they're all in Meryl's room. Doctors have already stitched the wound up, but many more distressing matters are at hand. A large crowd, most of the town, has formed outside the hospital; they yell and scream for Vash to leave their town before anymore damaged is caused, of course, Vash feels at fault. He sits in the corner of the white room on the floor as Milly stands next to Meryl's bed. The two women chat amongst themselves, not realizing Vash's ominous tone; they also don't seem to grasp the danger of the situation. Finally, Meryl lifts up to a sitting position and asks Vash, "What's he going to do now?"
"Now? Now he's going to go between cities and destroy the plants." Vash says this without looking up. He stares at the ground, deep in thought as to what to do.
Both women look horribly fearful; each letting their own thoughts fly through their head. Milly finally responds in a deeply serious tone far from her norm, "He's going to murder everyone as slowly as he can, isn't he?"
"Yeah, that's right. That's why I've got to follow him."
Meryl yells, almost falling out of her bed, "But how do you know where he's going? Why would you want to fight him again? What can you do?"
"I don't know where he's going to go and no I don't want to fight him, but what else can I do? I've got to save the people he'll kill. I have to leave now though and you're in no condition to walk."
"Then I'll ride a Thomas! Don't you dare leave us again!"
"I've got to. You need time to heal and I need time to prepare. I'll come back when I'm ready. I'm sure you'll be fine by then." With that, Vash rises and goes to the window. They're on the second story and the window faces away from the angry mob. He opens it, looks out, and sits on the windowsill.
Milly begins to walk to Vash as she says, "Mr. Vash, we can work together and find him. I know it. It's. It's what he would want." Everyone freezes for a moment at the reference to Wolfwood. This is the last thing any of them want to remember; the trio's wounds still haven't healed from his death. Vash feels this guilt more than any of them.
"Don't follow me. I'll come back for you all. Either stay here or leave a path for me to follow." Vash then turns to the two. He smiles widely and emptily as he adds, "Well, later!" With that, the wanted man drops backwards out of the window, doing a flip in the air and almost landing on his feet, but ends up doing a belly flop into the dirt. With a childish moan of pain, he gets up as Milly looks out the window and as five townsfolk round the corner to see him. Vash sees the men and grumbles, "Oh, juste merveilleux." (French for Oh, just wonderful). They immediately call for others and begin to shoot at the Humanoid Typhoon. In response, Vash scrambles away, taking cover behind buildings, cars, and rocks. As he dodges bullets and scampers around like a mad man, Vash yells, "Pourquoi faire chose aimer ce toujours arriver à moi?" (French for Why do things like this always happen to me?) "Ah! Talk about deija vou! Why am I whining in French again?"
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A few hours and twenty iles later, Vash walks by himself through the barren desert. He carries his normal brown bag slung over his shoulder; he had grabbed it on his way out of the riot. Things seem really bleak around him; the only green in miles is his eyes, which are covered by his sunglasses. He looks around every now and then, trying to find something other than sand. With nothing else to do, he talks to himself, whining loudly, "Man, why can't I ever get any down time? If it's not Knives, then it's bounty hunters. If it's not bounty hunters, then it's psycho townspeople. What'd I ever do to them? Nothing. Well, that's not true. I did destroy July and Agusta, but those things weren't my fault. I need to find a woman and settle down somewhere. Yeah, that's right. Maybe I'll just forget Knives and get a girl. Hmmm. Who though? Meryl? No, she's too loud and clingy, even if she does look like Rem. Hey, I know! That plant worker gal! Yeah, she was a babe, but. Then again, she did try to kill me. Man, why do all the good chics have to hurt me? Hmmm. You only hurt the ones you love." Vash goes on to sing that song for ten agonizing minutes. Thankfully, nothing alive is in earshot. He continues on with his mindless babbling, "Wait, there's that marshal girl who I helped. Mary- Anne, wasn't it? Huh? What am I saying?! She'd turn me in for the bounty! Think Vash, you dummy. She's a cop! Hmmm. Who else? Jessica? No, I'd think of Brad every time I looked at her. This is pathetic. Meryl's actually looking good. No, the plant worker chic is defiantly higher up than her. Yeah. Hmmm." Vash quiets for now and walks along the barely visible path he has been. Things seem ominous even though he's the only thing in iles. His only companions are the two suns bearing down on him. For a long time, nothing happens except Vash moving forward, until a slight wind begins to blow. It whistles through his legs, seemingly unimportant, but it somehow reminds him of Knives. With this remind, Vash begins to talk to himself again, "Damnit Knives. Why'd you have to stay the same? I did everything for you and you come back to try and kill humanity again. If I knew this was going to happen, I'd have probably left you in the desert. What? No I wouldn't. Not after my mistake with Legato. Then how am I supposed to stop you Knives? How do you want me to take care of him Rem?" Vash pauses for another long period, thinking of Rem. He breaks the silence as he pulls out his silver pistol with, "I should have never got the guns. You called them your siblings, so I thought you might heal faster, Knives."
About a month prior to Knives's awakening, Vash had been confused as what to do. The insurance girls weren't able to find work and Knives seemed to be getting worse. It was all he could think of, so he took the week long round trip back to the "Dust Bowl Explosion". He felt guilty for leaving all three, but it had to be done, even if it meant Knives waking without him there.
When Vash arrived at the battleground, he began to search for the guns and his coat, though the latter was only a bonus if he could find it. He spent an extra four days combing through the dirt there. On the last of those days, he found the two Colt-45 six shooters laying on each other as if clinging to one another. Without finding his coat, Vash brought the guns with him, taking another few days to get back. Things seemed to get better when he got back. The girls got good paying jobs and Knives was looking better each day. Even Vash felt relieved by the presence of his gun, which he had tried to forget. It was peaceful for a month, until all this started.
In the present, however, Vash still walks alone in the desert, thinking. He looks up into the two suns and says out loud, "Guess the guns did help, but that all doesn't matter anymore. Knives, I won't let you kill any more people. I'll show you who's the supreme being. And it won't be us."
Commercial Break!
"Just think fellas. Once we reach Tilaru Rock, the 100 billion double dollars is ours!"
A young man, probably in his late twenties, yells this as he thrusts his pistol into the air. This was his version of a rally cry. Though unorthodox at best, the simple speech did the trick. The ten other men with him, all varying in size and strength, just as their guns differed, let out a shout of confidence, an assurance that their very lives were staked on.
It had been over two months since the battle between Vash and Knives. No one knew of Knives; they just knew Vash had been involved and had destroyed another plot of land. Since the aptly named "Dust Bowl Explosion", Vash had been "promoted" another 40 billion double dollars to the title of the "100 Billion Double Dollar Man", in actuality, that much money didn't exist in the seven, five rather, cities. The bounty was more of an ostracizing title, a mark of death and shame. The public at large now feared him more than any storm or typhoon. In fact, paranoia of the Humanoid Typhoon had run so rampant that, bounty hunters kept at least a hundred iles distance from where he was rumored to be. This little ragtag group would be the first since the chaos.
How they found out about Vash's whereabouts, would probably remain a mystery. The human disaster had gone as far from the "Dust Bowl Explosion" as he could, to a town, Tilaru Rock, that had only heard vague rumors about his prestige and legend. Vash had been going about daily life under an assumed name along with the "two insurance girls". Meryl and Milly had both seen past the confines of their work by this time and had decided to accompany Vash in an alliance that ranged from a secret love to comradery in a fallen friend. The two women had been working for money while Vash tended to the recuperating Knives. All in all, the four were doing well in this small town, but like usual, trouble followed Vash no matter how far he ran.
The band of eleven, or as they call themselves the "Eleventh Commandment", had come a long way to follow a simple rumor. They were originally based in Augusta before it was destroyed and had wandered in that general vicinity since. The group got the rumor that Vash was at Tilaru Rock through an unknown source, but it had turned out true. After six days of traveling, they were finally at the edge of town, but to further illustrate their blasphemous irony, they rested for another day, the seventh, before they moved in. It is the eighth day and, after the speech, they head off.
After a few stops to find out where Vash is staying, it doesn't take the band long to reach the house. The street it is on is silent, no one moves about and no one is outside except for the bounty hunters. They quickly form a less than superior plan and put it into action. The men mostly stand around the door and wait as the largest takes one charge into it to throw the door from its hinges. All eleven men then charge in one by one, firing shots everywhere.
40 Billion and Counting
It is a beautiful day; one of those days when you wish you could just take off work and enjoy the life around you. The sky is as blue as the water that is always so rare on this planet. The clouds in the sky aren't dark and ominous, but rather, pearly white, a color that begged for peace in the hellish world. That peace seems to be in Tilaru Rock.
"Ah man, what a beautiful day! The sky's so blue and the temperature's just right. I'm so glad we're able to relax on such a gorgeous day!"
Vash the Stampede, the man feared by everyone, taking in the blue sky. If his identity were to be more well know, it would seem horribly ironic, but he has changed a lot since a couple of months prior. Without his infamous red coat, he humbles himself by wearing a simple white button up shirt, blue jeans, and boots. The scar on his right hand is visible to all and his left prosthetic arm seems more real than his actual arm. He has also changed his hair since the "Dust Bowl Explosion". Now his long blonde locks fall straight down along the frame of his face. Parted down the middle, it reminds him greatly of the days he spent as Eriks. The Humanoid Typhoon has also let a moderate five o' clock shadow come through. All in all, the only things that show through of his old self are his green eyes and his sunglasses, which he has kept. One last thing has changed. He carries both black and silver Colt-45 six-shooters at his sides, on show to the entire world. At the moment, the shunned hero carries two brown paper grocery bags.
"Yeah, it's relaxing when you're making the women do all the work!"
Meryl Strife hasn't changed at all. Her white attire stayed as much as her bitter attitude. She follows Vash closely behind with five bags in her hands. Along side her, Milly Thompson follows with five bags as well. Milly has changed in the two months and probably has made up for Meryl's lack of diversity. The tall, slow-witted girl that Vash and Meryl knew has sprouted into something new since Wolfwood's death. For one thing, her usually humorous self rarely let itself be seen anymore. She has become very intellectual and candid, but has lost her outgoingness. She has also lost her thought that the world is naturally good. Now she is less trustful of those she doesn't know. Not only all this, but Milly has also gone through physical changes too. Her long, flailing hair now is tied behind her in a ponytail. The clothes she used to wear have been replaced with plain black pants and a dark green shirt. Overall, Milly has become an almost darker person.
Vash, being his usual self, moronically asks, "Huh? What do you mean?"
About to bite his head off, Meryl opens her mouth to chew him out, but her tall friend cuts her off with, "Yeah, we could use a little help here, Mr. Va-- I mean, Mr. Paul."
The Humanoid Typhoon turns and begins walking backwards, each step kicking up a little dust. He says sarcastically, "But we're already home. What's the point?" With a quick turn, he begins walking forward again with a large smirk on his face, while Meryl begins to turn a deep red out of anger behind him.
As the trio approaches their home, the two women, mainly Meryl, continue to complain about Vash not helping more. In response, Vash begins to whistle a familiar tune (Sound Life). They continue to grow closer to their stay when, suddenly, Vash drops the two bags he was carrying. The food, ranging from donuts to pudding to cheese, spills out of the bags and onto the dusty ground. Immediately Meryl shouts, "What are you doing? That's good food!" Milly, in response, simply looks at her pudding, pouting.
Vash, ignoring the shouts of Meryl, rushes to their home and, namely, to the doorway with the door broken off the hinges. An expression of horror slowly spreads across Vash's face as the possibilities of what could be inside fly through his mind. When he takes a closer look, he sees the bullet holes lining the walls. By this time, Milly and Meryl have caught up to him, also setting their bags on the ground, but much gentler. They too see the bullet holes and begin to go in, but Vash stops them by putting an arm out in front of them both.
"Huh? What are you doing? We've got to check it out!" says Meryl in her normal loud tone.
Vash replies with dead seriousness, "I'll check it out. It's too dangerous for you two to go."
"Are you kidding?! We've been through Hell and back with you. I think we can handle a few bullet holes!"
Vash, without answering, begins to head in cautiously. His eyes move side to side, checking for anything or anyone that may shoot at him. As expected, Meryl begins to follow, but Vash yells, "Stay back!" Instantly, all three are reminded of the days before the "Dust Bowl Explosion". The air seems to cool in the presence of Vash's worry and anger. With this, comes an ominous feeling as Vash notices smoke still rising from the bullet holes. Fear, unrelenting fear begins to spawn inside of him. Thoughts of Knives finally awakening with a bloodlust greater than that of terran vampires fill Vash's mind to the point of insanity. He can't help but ask himself if it would all start again. All these thoughts and questions, they all race through his conscience with the first step. After that, his mind begins to clear. Each step brings to him a focus on the fight at hand rather than Knives' resurgence.
Meryl and Milly, both scared by the anger arising in Vash again, become planted to the ground. They don't dare move any closer even though neither of them fully understands yet. As the duo watches Vash disappear into the house, Meryl begins to have a revelation as to the reasons behind his sudden apprehension. She says very quietly, "Milly, I think I understand."
The tall counterpart, in her newfound astuteness, responds just as hushed, "Yeah, I think I know too, Meryl. If Mr. Knives has woken up, then there might be another fight."
Showing her growing tension, Meryl asks, "Do you think we should get away while we can? Should we tell the townspeople?"
In a display of her determination, which she had owned long before ever meeting Vash or Meryl, Milly says, "No, Meryl. We've come this far. We've got to trust Mr. Vash will be able to handle it."
"Yeah, Milly, I guess you are right. I-I just thought that it had all ended. I mean I was just mustering up the strength to tell him."
Meanwhile, Vash has been checking the house as the girls talk. As of yet, he's only found bullet holes in the two-story house. It's a modest home at best, but it has three bedrooms: One for Vash, another for Knives, and the largest for Milly and Meryl. It's built with brick, seeing as Tilaru Rock has so little wood in it, but it retains an aura about it that needs nothing ostentatious to still show it's craftsmanship. All in all, the house serves very well for the four, three if you don't include Knives, even with their lack of "homey touches". There are some personal decorations in the home. These things range from letters to Milly and Meryl to a large picture of a plain donut. Vash passes a number odds-and- ends and checks a few rooms before he enters the actual living room. It's the largest room of the house and the sight of it makes Vash's mind and body freeze. The room is barely standing and has the lights off; so many bullets have punctured the walls. The furniture, two chairs, a table, and a couch, have all but been destroyed. The couch, covered by a fabric more native to the planet, has been torn literally to shreds. The fabric is now scattered across the floor and only the frame is left lying on it's back. The table has been crushed by something landing on top of it. As for the two chairs, one has been smashed into the wall, while the other sits in the middle of the room, perfectly intact. In this remaining piece of furniture, sits Knives. The light from other rooms barely lets him be seen. He's facing so that his back is to Vash. His clothes remain the same, the same odd jump suit as before. Vash guesses that his brother had found it among the clothes Vash had bought him.
Knives, not showing at anxiety or anger at all, rather acting innocent, turns around in the chair. It becomes apparent to Vash that he holds a small pistol in his right hand. Fear shoots up Vash's spine as he reaches for one of his guns. His brother, however, waves at Vash with his left hand when he's completely turned. In a kind, almost compliant, voice, Knives says, "Hey Vash, good timing." Vash doesn't respond, but he does begin to take note of the things around and behind Knives. Next to the revitalized brother, there's a strange pile of guns and weapons, all ranging in size and use.
A small, frightened voice that is apparently talking to Knives enters the ominous moment with, "Wh-What? You're not Vash the Stampede?"
At this, Vash's patience disappears. He flicks the lights on to understand what's going on. The sight he sees terrifies him more than just seeing Knives awake with a gun. Along the farthest wall, which was completely blotted out by shadows, is a line of men tied up and visibly beaten. In total there's eleven; it is the "Eleventh Commandment". Though Vash himself doesn't know of the gang, the fear for their lives still courses through him. Before he can react in anyway, Knives calmly says, "These men came here looking for you. I told them you weren't here, but they insisted I was Vash the Stampede."
A large murmur grows from the gang, all the comments consisting of fear. Some of these include, "He's Vash the Stampede?" "Think of what the other did to us! The Humanoid Typhoon will kill us!" and "Am I gonna die?" The expressions of the men also show their fear; many had broken out into a cold sweat by now; the others either shiver or are perfectly still.
The one they fear and speak of, Vash the Stampede, can't hold back any longer. He rushes to their sides and begins to untie each one as the men he's helping try to kick or push him away out of fear. In a few minutes, Vash has finished; he stands back and looks at the group. Fear and confusion have gripped them even tighter. Most can't stand due to wounds evidently inflicted by Knives; those who can stand are too afraid to move.
As Vash's anger begins to increase, Knives methodically adds from behind him, "You know, I only let them live because they wanted to speak to you. Or maybe I should kill the worthless garbage while I still have the chance?" At this, Vash spins around, a look of pure seriousness on his face, and has his silver pistol in his hand in a flash. He points it straight at Knives. In response, Knives only smiles and continues, "Oh, did I strike a nerve? Did you really think all that pathetic philosophy you told me while I slept would have any affect? When are you going to rid yourself of that imperfection's idealologies?"
The air slowly becomes tenser and tenser as the conflict between these two brothers seems to spawn itself in its surroundings. With the still smoking bullet holes, destroyed furniture, and occasional whimper of a grown man, it seemed the two angels had created their own piece of Hell. As Vash begins to speak, his voice resounds through the room, echoing much more than any other voice had before. He forcefully says, "You all. Get out now!" The invitation is most likely the greatest gift the "Eleventh Commandment" has ever received. It's amazing the strength of men fleeing for their lives. Knives's guns may give angels wings, but it's fear that gives men wings. Those who couldn't stand before ran for their lives, blood coming from every single one of them; they don't care though, they're alive and that's all that matters. The men leave as quickly as they entered, rather, more quickly. They fly out the door, blazing past Meryl and Milly. One gang member has even acquired a black cat attached to his shoulder for the ride. As the cat passes the two girls, it lets out a small "meow". For a moment, the two girls only stand there and blink, both of their minds complete blanks, until Meryl finally chimes in, "What in the world was that about?"
Milly, though in her usual high-pitched voice, says seriously, "Meryl, I'm pretty sure there's a fight going on."
Without even thinking, Meryl quickly says, "You're right Milly! We've got to help him!"
Before Meryl can run in though, her counterpart stops her with, "But didn't Mr. Vash tell us to stay here?"
Already in the door with two of her pistols drawn, Meryl calls over her shoulder, "There's no time for that now Milly. We have to do what's right!"
In the mean time, the standoff continues inside, but not between guns, between psyches. Vash, motionless in his expression and unwavering in his aim, continues to be locked on his brother. Knives, however, is just the opposite; he sits in a slouched position with a wide smirk on his face, not even bothering to raise his gun at Vash. He finally says in an overconfident tone, "Do you really want to fight me again? Are you that moronic? I know you won't kill me and, even if you do fight me, you'd kill everyone in this town. Now, put your gun away; quit taking me for a fool." Vash keeps his gun set on Knives, praying that he won't move. At this, Knives adds, "How disappointing. Is that any way to treat your own brother? Fine, I'll leave you be for now, but don't stop and think that I'm done with you. I would just rather spend my time with loyal brethren instead of such an unappreciative brother."
Just at this moment, Meryl and Milly charge into the room with their weapons drawn; they freeze when they see the two. The same fear that gripped Vash before now takes a hold of them, but much stronger. Their minds numb and cannot think; the hair on the back of their necks stands, their breath short and timid. Knives looks at them as they enter; he smiles at them with a hidden agenda just behind the color of his eyes.
Vash takes this moment to finally respond; he says in a serious tone, almost alien to his own, "Brethren? We don't have any kin here, Knives."
Looking back at Vash, Knives says with a straight face, "Yes we do, in every plant on this planet, where our blood is being fed off of by these deficient beings you call humans."
In a moment of anger and confusion, Vash asks in a more agitated tone, "What?! What do you plan on doing? Destroying the plants? Those are what let these people live here!"
"Exactly. I'll let them die slowly while I reacquaint myself with our kith and kin, but I must leave you now, Vash the Stampede, time for me to start. Maybe you'll understand once this is all over." Knives then quietly turns around in his chair; in one simple motion, he raises the pistol and fires a shot at Meryl. The bullet flies clean, hitting the target it was aimed for: Meryl's right leg. Blood shoots out the front and back of her upper thigh as the bullet passes straight through her.
Meryl's eyes widen as the pain of burnt away nerves begins to shoot through her; Milly and Vash join in the expressions amazement and horror, but they have no time to comprehend what just happened. Knives moves the gun to left some, aims at Milly, and fires another perfect shot, but this time Vash has time to react. Everything seems to slow down as Vash points his gun at Milly as well, maybe just a hair off, and fires. Due to Vash's gun's higher quality and custom craftsmanship, his bullet catches up with Knives's in the time they both skim through the air. Both projectiles continue to approach at high speeds, fast enough to hide what really happens. A few feet from Milly, the bullets collide in a small spark, but large bang; the metal pieces fly around Milly, forcing her to protect her face. Knives's eyes widen for a moment at Vash's defensive maneuver, but he quickly hides his shock and smirks as Vash passes by him to kneel next to Meryl.
Milly, also bending over Meryl, asks hurriedly, "Meryl, are you okay?"
Injured and bleeding, Meryl now lays on the ground in the hands of Vash; she says quietly, "I-I think I'm alright."
Vash, visibly angered, says, "You'll be fine. The bullet passed straight through." He then rips off a piece of his sleeve and wraps it around her wound as Meryl asks if that's a good thing. Ignoring her question, Vash rises and turns with his gun; he points directly at Knives, except for one problem. Knives is no longer in the chair, rather, he's no longer anywhere; he's disappeared without a trace. Vash, expecting the next event, reaches for the black Colt-45 six-shooter, but finds it too has vanished. He holsters the silver pistol, turns back to the girls, and says, "Lets get you to a hospital."
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"Are. Are we far enough yet?"
The "Eleventh Commandment", now dwindled down to four, makes their way across the desert. They had fled with all their lives and, the seven missing members, had lost theirs. While the sun blazes upon them, the grim survivors hobble across sand dunes, stirring the dust around them. Three of them follow the previous leader who now is in the worst shape of all. He reaches the top of a large sand dune with the others a few feet behind; in the blink of an eye, the leader flies black on the other three, knocking them down the hill they had just climbed. Over the dune, steps Knives with the black Colt-45 six-shooter in his right hand. All four gang members stumble to their knees and gawk at their assailant. Knives remains dressed the same except he has brown rags that cover most of his body to protect him from the wind and sand. He smiles and laughs darkly at them, raising the hair on the back of their necks and forcing the fear of death upon them.
Knives says in an ominous tone, "What? You think I'd let pathetic trash like you live? It's too bad your friends were killed by the desert; it gives me more pleasure to kill you vermin myself." With that he lifts up his gun and fires six shots, three into two of the men, but not hitting any vital parts. He hits both gang members in the shoulders and right leg. Yawning, Knives reloads his gun as the other two try to run. He fires bullets into them the same fashion. He smiles and says, "Thought I'd give you the gift of death? Ha! You'll die in pain like the trash you are."
The men groan in pain as they stain the sand red with their own blood and soak it with their tears. None of them have the strength to speak; all they can do now is struggle and try to move. They don't get very far though. Each one dies slowly and painfully under Knives's watchful eyes. He smiles as they fade from this existence and into the next. After such a morbid act, Knives simply reloads his gun and walks off.
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Elsewhere, Vash, Meryl, and Milly are in the town's hospital. To be more specific, they're all in Meryl's room. Doctors have already stitched the wound up, but many more distressing matters are at hand. A large crowd, most of the town, has formed outside the hospital; they yell and scream for Vash to leave their town before anymore damaged is caused, of course, Vash feels at fault. He sits in the corner of the white room on the floor as Milly stands next to Meryl's bed. The two women chat amongst themselves, not realizing Vash's ominous tone; they also don't seem to grasp the danger of the situation. Finally, Meryl lifts up to a sitting position and asks Vash, "What's he going to do now?"
"Now? Now he's going to go between cities and destroy the plants." Vash says this without looking up. He stares at the ground, deep in thought as to what to do.
Both women look horribly fearful; each letting their own thoughts fly through their head. Milly finally responds in a deeply serious tone far from her norm, "He's going to murder everyone as slowly as he can, isn't he?"
"Yeah, that's right. That's why I've got to follow him."
Meryl yells, almost falling out of her bed, "But how do you know where he's going? Why would you want to fight him again? What can you do?"
"I don't know where he's going to go and no I don't want to fight him, but what else can I do? I've got to save the people he'll kill. I have to leave now though and you're in no condition to walk."
"Then I'll ride a Thomas! Don't you dare leave us again!"
"I've got to. You need time to heal and I need time to prepare. I'll come back when I'm ready. I'm sure you'll be fine by then." With that, Vash rises and goes to the window. They're on the second story and the window faces away from the angry mob. He opens it, looks out, and sits on the windowsill.
Milly begins to walk to Vash as she says, "Mr. Vash, we can work together and find him. I know it. It's. It's what he would want." Everyone freezes for a moment at the reference to Wolfwood. This is the last thing any of them want to remember; the trio's wounds still haven't healed from his death. Vash feels this guilt more than any of them.
"Don't follow me. I'll come back for you all. Either stay here or leave a path for me to follow." Vash then turns to the two. He smiles widely and emptily as he adds, "Well, later!" With that, the wanted man drops backwards out of the window, doing a flip in the air and almost landing on his feet, but ends up doing a belly flop into the dirt. With a childish moan of pain, he gets up as Milly looks out the window and as five townsfolk round the corner to see him. Vash sees the men and grumbles, "Oh, juste merveilleux." (French for Oh, just wonderful). They immediately call for others and begin to shoot at the Humanoid Typhoon. In response, Vash scrambles away, taking cover behind buildings, cars, and rocks. As he dodges bullets and scampers around like a mad man, Vash yells, "Pourquoi faire chose aimer ce toujours arriver à moi?" (French for Why do things like this always happen to me?) "Ah! Talk about deija vou! Why am I whining in French again?"
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A few hours and twenty iles later, Vash walks by himself through the barren desert. He carries his normal brown bag slung over his shoulder; he had grabbed it on his way out of the riot. Things seem really bleak around him; the only green in miles is his eyes, which are covered by his sunglasses. He looks around every now and then, trying to find something other than sand. With nothing else to do, he talks to himself, whining loudly, "Man, why can't I ever get any down time? If it's not Knives, then it's bounty hunters. If it's not bounty hunters, then it's psycho townspeople. What'd I ever do to them? Nothing. Well, that's not true. I did destroy July and Agusta, but those things weren't my fault. I need to find a woman and settle down somewhere. Yeah, that's right. Maybe I'll just forget Knives and get a girl. Hmmm. Who though? Meryl? No, she's too loud and clingy, even if she does look like Rem. Hey, I know! That plant worker gal! Yeah, she was a babe, but. Then again, she did try to kill me. Man, why do all the good chics have to hurt me? Hmmm. You only hurt the ones you love." Vash goes on to sing that song for ten agonizing minutes. Thankfully, nothing alive is in earshot. He continues on with his mindless babbling, "Wait, there's that marshal girl who I helped. Mary- Anne, wasn't it? Huh? What am I saying?! She'd turn me in for the bounty! Think Vash, you dummy. She's a cop! Hmmm. Who else? Jessica? No, I'd think of Brad every time I looked at her. This is pathetic. Meryl's actually looking good. No, the plant worker chic is defiantly higher up than her. Yeah. Hmmm." Vash quiets for now and walks along the barely visible path he has been. Things seem ominous even though he's the only thing in iles. His only companions are the two suns bearing down on him. For a long time, nothing happens except Vash moving forward, until a slight wind begins to blow. It whistles through his legs, seemingly unimportant, but it somehow reminds him of Knives. With this remind, Vash begins to talk to himself again, "Damnit Knives. Why'd you have to stay the same? I did everything for you and you come back to try and kill humanity again. If I knew this was going to happen, I'd have probably left you in the desert. What? No I wouldn't. Not after my mistake with Legato. Then how am I supposed to stop you Knives? How do you want me to take care of him Rem?" Vash pauses for another long period, thinking of Rem. He breaks the silence as he pulls out his silver pistol with, "I should have never got the guns. You called them your siblings, so I thought you might heal faster, Knives."
About a month prior to Knives's awakening, Vash had been confused as what to do. The insurance girls weren't able to find work and Knives seemed to be getting worse. It was all he could think of, so he took the week long round trip back to the "Dust Bowl Explosion". He felt guilty for leaving all three, but it had to be done, even if it meant Knives waking without him there.
When Vash arrived at the battleground, he began to search for the guns and his coat, though the latter was only a bonus if he could find it. He spent an extra four days combing through the dirt there. On the last of those days, he found the two Colt-45 six shooters laying on each other as if clinging to one another. Without finding his coat, Vash brought the guns with him, taking another few days to get back. Things seemed to get better when he got back. The girls got good paying jobs and Knives was looking better each day. Even Vash felt relieved by the presence of his gun, which he had tried to forget. It was peaceful for a month, until all this started.
In the present, however, Vash still walks alone in the desert, thinking. He looks up into the two suns and says out loud, "Guess the guns did help, but that all doesn't matter anymore. Knives, I won't let you kill any more people. I'll show you who's the supreme being. And it won't be us."
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