Prelude:
Offered Renewal
The duel suns shone in the sky, unwavered, unchanged by the events that had taken place; their potent heat still scorching the desert star beneath them. Leaving behind the beautiful oasis Knives had cultivated from the dying earth was both hard and easy to do. To Vash, seeing the oasis had brought relief to his worrisome assumptions of his brother. Vash had always assumed - knew - that Knives' relentless efforts were always consumed by the idea of the destruction of humanity. He never knew that a part of him - a very deep, DEEP, hidden part of him - did hold the ability to nurture life. Even if it was plant life, the exuberant flora and fauna did reflect on Knives careful care. He knew that the oasis would soon wither and die without its loving creator, but once Knives was mentally stable Vash promised the little greeneries that he'd return him as soon as possible.
The utopian oasis had been long left behind now. Or that Vash had hoped so. He had confirmed so by turning back every once in a while, watching the fading green dot disintegrate into the distance. When the small speck merged into the horizon Vash turned his head straight forward; never looking back again. The fateful showdown between he and his twin brother had passed. Though the rich miniature forest was indeed beautiful, he never wanted to go back to it again. He had finally buried his past there. Buried in Knives' paradise, for good. There was no need to look into the past anymore. All there was now, was the future. He smiled at the thought of what Rem would think.
Vash's laborious breath caused his chest to drastically expand outward and shrink inward. With each step he took Vash could feel the penetrating sunbeams slowly cook him. It's fearsome heat waves never wavering in its intensity. What even made this situation worse was that he was still garbed in his black body suite. This made his body temperature 50 more degrees than it should of been. Droplets of salty sweat tumbled down his slightly pink face. His once glorified erect spikes were beginning to wilt with sweat. His posture had become one of a proud victor to of a thirsty, delirious old man. His sea-green eyes strained against the potent reflection of the sands to spot any sign of life within the distance. Nothing. Nothing at all. He had been walking in this barren hell for a good four hours and nothing had come up.
I'm sure I had gone this way, Vash comforted himself. I'm SURE I've passed that rock before!
Vash's brow furrowed. Deep within his complex yet simple mind, he challenged his memory against his navigational skills. Even if he was an expert nomad, he could recall the umpteen times he had finally figured out he had been going in circles throughout this endless desert.
His left eyebrow arched as he passed by another rock. His suspicions rising about where he was going. He began to wonder worrisomely if he had passed that same rock thirty minutes ago. He looked at the rock hard, as if blaming the earth itself that it began to etch mistrust in his own intuition. His eyes soon trailed off the submerged earth and onto the rolling dunes of glittering sands. The sands that seemed to stretch out to forever. But Vash knew there was an end to the deserts. And what lay in those towns were beautiful women, water, kids, and best of all, ....pastries. Doughnuts, preferably.
The misunderstood outlaw trudged on using these tantalizing thoughts as a carrot to the lost bunny. Now, finally that he had buried his past and fulfilled Rem's wish - or what he thought what was Rem's wish - he had his future all out in front of him. Things would change in his life. At least for the better, he hoped.
Although that 60 billion double dollars on his head would take some miracle to disappear. Let alone self-employed assassins that still wanted him dead for what he did to July. With those factors still hanging around as his reputation that meant he'd still have trouble following him everywhere he would wander. Usually the trouble he would encounter would transform into endless adventures and everything but a quiet and stable life. Most of those "adventures" included destruction of property, which meant that those Insurance girls would still stalk and monitor him day and night. His face began to lighten up a bit, despite the torturing heat. There was also that little black cat that appeared everywhere; he doubted that cat would go away either. Yeah, that would stay too. He grinned idiotically; so maybe life wouldn't change after all.
And here I thought everything would go away once I stopped Knives, Vash mused.
His face-hardened to a more solemn expression. Even if his own future didn't change, Vash knew he had to focus on Knives' future before he'd be enticed with insanity again. He looked up at the sky with serene, glittering eyes and a smile just itching to come out again.
Rem, he called out to her in his thoughts. Rem, I've finally stopped Knives.
He looked back down and narrowed his eyes at a certain familiar object. The rock stood there, protruding the sand. Vash swore under his breath, wondering if it could have been the same rock. He passed by it; glaring at it with an evil eye before glancing back forward. If he passed another rock again, he'd go crazy.
"Damn man," Vash groaned, earnestly attempting to keep his balance, "I didn't know you were so heavy."
Vash gingerly put Knives down on the ground but still holding him up with his arms. "Did you gain some weight while I was busy with the humans?" Vash laughed loudly, even if it was just himself laughing at his own joke.
"When we get to town, you better behave yourself," Vash threatened Knives, seemingly to forget that he was unconscious while all of this was said. Vash rubbed his sore left shoulder and he winced a little. His right eye closed and the bottom right of his mouth was agape a little. He still was extremely tender from his earlier crusade against Knives. When his strong fingers paused their massage, he glanced at his brother to the side of him. The chapped edges of his lips began to crack into yet another kindly smile.
Even if Knives was unconscious, it was nice to be this close to his brother once again. It had been so long since he could feel a twin connection with his long-lost kin. The last time they had ever a brotherly bond was when Rem was still alive. Even so, Vash knew his brother loved him dearly and desperately. He was the only thing that Knives could find himself to forgive, he was the only thing that Knives was willing to build his paradise with, and he was the only thing that Knives could ever find himself living with. Even though his cold demeanor said different. Vash stared hard at his brother's fair face; his own face only drained of lively color. Vash held him tightly, feeling the brother in him swell with protection and affection for him. He was going to buy Knives a new life. A new life he couldn't be able create himself.
"Well, buddy," Vash's smile was still placidly on his face, "it's time we get going." With a deep breath, Vash heaved the homicidal plant's body on his other shoulder. Pivoting on his heels, he balanced himself with the weight. Vash's smile still hadn't vanished, and when he looked up to the sky once again, he began to whistle an old song. A song that brought him comfort, a song that brought him happiness.
A song that reminded him of life.
Shortly after, Vash's foot caught hold of a rock beneath the sands and doing a nosedive, Vash plummeted into the sand.
"Oh CRAAAAAAAAP!"