**Author's Note** Yay! Another chapter is coming, another chapter is coming! It's all the lovely reviews I'm getting that makes me keep going! (That and certain folk breathing down my neck and threatening things, but we won't get into too much detail there hehe…).
Purple Vix- Yeah, Knives is very conniving, I know, but hey, I still love him! *grins* How else can he get anything done? Oh umm..hey…could I have Vash back? I kinda need him for the story…
Jess Perry- I love leaving those little loose ends at the end of the chapter, only because it makes people wonder what's going to happen next, or where the story will go because of those possibilities. Yep! I'm an Elfwood artist. I hope you like the stuff that I've got, and hey, hope you like it there too! Please, comment a lot and visit frequently- and let me know when your gallery is up! J
*Vash toddles up from his escape from Purple Vix and taps my shoulder* "Um, pardon me Miss Author Lady, but would it be too much to ask to write Knives a little bit nicer?"
"Huh? Write him nicer? But that'd be going way out of his true context!"
"Um, yeah but, he's my brother, and I told Rem I would take care of him but…I think he's mean to people behind my back, so could you please write him nicer?" *blinks*
"Um…Vash…?"
"Yes?"
"It's just a story…"
"I know…and in a story you can do stuff like that, right?"
*Nods slowly* "Yes, but…"
"Aw, but what?! I'll share my donuts with you, come on Miss Author Lady, please, please, please?! I just want a nice brother for once!"
"Vash…"
"Please?! …Huh? What?"
"Keep your donuts…besides, in this story, you DO think Knives is starting to be nice…relax would you, you're gonna make me say too much…you've done enough already!"
*Grins sheepishly and blushes* "Oh…gee…I forgot, I'm sorry…umm…here, have a donut as a consolation for my ignorance. Have a good evening Miss Author Lady!" *saunters off*
"Vash! Where are you going?!"
"To the potty sir! Err…I mean ma'am!"
*Widens eyes* "But I need you for this chapter! Va-a-ash!" *takes off after him*
Disclaimers: I do not own the characters or the title Trigun, nor am I affiliated with them or the creators in any way. (Darn!) Claimers: Artemis, Lily, and Gemini are all owned or co-owned original characters!
~Under the Sky so Blue: Aftermath~
Part Seventeen
Vash had moved his things into Wolfwood's room- not that there were very many things to move there, and sat down on the edge of the second bed with a sigh. He was happy that Knives was starting to show some change, that he was beginning to maybe accept living amongst humans as an equal, but…well he never imagined his brother being so taken with a human so soon. There must have been something about that cute red head that Knives liked aboutr to make him kick Vash out of their room for the girl to stay there.
It'd been about a week since the spiky blond was thrown out of the same living quarters as his slightly older twin brother replaced him for the priestess and Vash wondered still about the unlikely pair. Naturally Wolfwood was prone to thinking that Knives had something up his sleeves- but Vash seemed to refuse to believe it. He wanted to think that his brother was finally changing, that Knives slowly awakened to the fact that everyone could live on the planet in peace.
"It's just not in his nature, Vash- Knives isn't going to change."
Vash sighed, refusing to hear his priest friend's words. "Haven't you seen how he's acting now? He's even calling the insurance girls by name- he's learning Wolfwood, I think he can do it."
The ebony haired priest retorted, "That's what he wants us to think. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt though…I'd just keep an eye on him, that's all."
Slightly narrowing his eyes, Vash had turned away, murmuring. "We have to trust him…I have to trust him…for Rem. You didn't know him 130 years ago…he can be the Knives he once was."
Without another word spoken between them, Vash left the room to stand outside on the wooden deck of the motel.
The legendary ace gunman leaned against a wooden pole, ignoring the black cat at his feet who stared up at him with large green eyes and a vicious cat-grin. Knives had gone to the general store for something and was just now returning, looking miffed. Tentatively, Vash raised a hand in greeting.
"Hey Knives, did you get everything you needed?"
Knives clutched the bag tightly, seeming to glare for a moment before a faint smile tugged at his lips. Inside the man was screaming- wanting to lash out at how embarrassing it was to have to mingle with these humans, but outside he remained level headed.
"All but a few things, dear brother…they could be a little more organized."
Vash smiled, "The girls are waiting for their ingredients- I hope they can still fix dinner without some of the stuff…and soon. I'm starving!"
"That's something that hasn't changed about you- your appetite is still insatiable." Knives replied, taking the bag inside the motel toward the motel room complete with a kitchen.
The blond spiky haired man remained outside gazing at the sky which was dappled with indigo and would soon be inky and decorated with innumerable silver stars complete with the two moons. He smiled faintly- it would be a beautiful night and he only wished that Rem was there to share it with. But then…Rem could probably already see it, she could see the entire sky, limitless, and there perched upon her smiling dreams she's sing her song. Vash could almost hear the sweet voice's melody caressing his face as a faint smile tugged at his lips. He remembered Meryl had sung the song too, with him, just a little while before. In some ways she reminded him of Rem…but she had brutal ways of reminding him that Meryl would never be his and Knives' caretaker. He rubbed a sore spot on his shoulder from a recent Meryl-bashing and shook his head.
As he turned he could see through the window of what used to be his and Knives' room. The red-headed figure of Artemis sat on Vash's bed, fiddling with something that looked like a newspaper in her hands, and looked slightly upset. He almost went to the window and knocked on it to ask her if she was alright, but memories of a scolding from the last time he hung around a girl's window made him decide against it. Vash was still curious as to what was between his brother and this priestess. He was curious as to the connection between the priestess and Wolfwood at that- he knew there was one because of the way they talked to each other. They always cracked jokes, kidding around as though they had known each other forever. Around Knives, though, Artemis was… different.
The priestess acted as though she walked on egg-shells around Knives. Vash guessed his brother just emanated that air of superiority even when he tried to shed it. As if answering his thoughts, Knives entered the room and Vash couldn't look away. He just hoped they didn't do something he didn't want to witness. Knives paced the room, lips moving, head down- Vash couldn't understand anything he said, nor could he hear him. Artemis nodded a few times but said nothing and Knives left her alone again.
"Well…that was interesting."
"Are you peeking through that girl's window Vash?!" Meryl's voice flew at him like a bat out of hell, causing the tall man to jump and careen over the rail of the deck, landing hard on his backside.
He whimpered lightly, "Eh…I wasn't doing anything I swear! Why did you scare me like that, I didn't even hear you come up behind me!"
Meryl put her hands on her hips and shook her head. She almost felt a wave of jealousy sweep over her small form, thinking Vash had been watching Artemis undressing or something of the like. "You didn't hear me because you were too busy ogling!"
"But I…I…" Vash stood up and dusted off his trousers, "Knives was in there- don't you think she acts kind of funny around him?"
The insurance girl crossed her arms, "You don't want me to answer that Vash. Supper is ready, I guess you should come inside and eat before it's all gone." She huffed and went back inside the motel.
Vash rubbed behind his neck, "Wow…sca-ary…"
* * *
Artemis flipped the newspaper onto the bed and shut her eyes. This was taking much longer than she'd expected it to. For sure Midvalley and whatever others he'd gathered up would wonder why three weeks had passed without so much as a word from the priestess or Knives. She couldn't risk sending mail to them…the phrase "Don't shoot the messenger" wouldn't apply to the poor sap stuck delivering the letter. It wasn't as though she planned on actually going back to that puzzle-pieced saloon anyhow- even so, they had to think she was.
The door opened suddenly and Knives walked in briskly, standing in front of her though some feet away. She clenched her teeth. The site of him made her sick- she imagined she felt the same about him as he felt about the human race, though perhaps for different reasons altogether.
"What do you want?" she muttered softly, her lips barely moving, blue-green eyes trained on him. She didn't dare look away- being caught off-guard by someone like Knives was a huge mistake.
The pale blonde crossed his arms and narrowed his eyebrows. "Watch your tone with me- I am not one of your disgusting friends that you can so freely speak to. I came in to get something but thought I would tell you that our meal is ready; they're waiting for us at the table. It would be wise to put on a game face and do as I do and at least pretend that we can stand each other, otherwise this is not going to work."
Without another word he turned sharply and walked out the door. Artemis briefly wondered why he hadn't taken whatever he had come in the room to retrieve, yet the moment passed and her eyes traveled to the heading of the newspaper clipping on her bed. She shook her head, hating to have to go along with this charade. It wasn't her idea, but if that's what it took to get the hell out of Demetri any faster, Artemis would have to do it. Her fingers trailed over the clipping once as she stood and moved for the door.
'Soon,' she thought, 'very soon.'
**Additional Author's Note**
In response to Konig-
In regards to Artemis, I do have my reasons for not revealing her motives just yet, though I will start hinting towards them (as I already have). You'll just have to wait and see what happens- this just happens to be my preferred style of writing.
As for Wolfwood…I don't think I'll make an implication as to what sort of priest he is. To me, he's always just been Wolfwood- a man of God yes, a man with some morals, yes again- but he is also someone who is free to love whom he chooses to love and so I will leave his sect up to your imagination. You may believe what you wish about him.
When it comes to Knives I think we truly have different opinions and for this I'm sorry (or am I?) to report that I will continue the story the way I have planned it. This isn't all off the top of my head; I know exactly where I'm heading with this though I will agree on some views about Knives. True- he shows imperfections merely by sacrificing his own kind as he slaughters the humans and yes, he has held his beliefs for 130 years, but there was a time when he was not like the way he is now. I have to say I think with the right ingredients he can shed some light on the matter of co-existing with humans. However, that's all I'll say about that because I don't want to give up too much of my plot.
As always, your reviews are appreciated, and unless people are honest I'll never know what they think of my work. When it comes to changing things in my story however, this is my view-
A writer, first and foremost, should write for his or her self. I will accept the fact that some people will like or love my stories, some will hate it, and others will just be indifferent and just simply recognize good writing.