Here I go again, posting up yet another angsty Trigun fic. And, just like the last one, this isn't quite finished. *sigh* However, there's actually a reason for that this time. I want reader input for part of the story, but we'll get to that later. I don't own Trigun or the characters that I'll be messing with. I'm making no money off this, so don't sue me.

**

Erique opened his eyes and rolled over. Who the devil had left a light on? Most of the boys in the orphanedge respected Erique and feared his threats. They all knew he couldn't sleep with a nightlight and almost no one challenged him. So this soft glow was a mystery to him. Someone would be most unhappy to see him so upset.

He rolled over to find the accursed light, but it was not there. Instead a young woman was in the doorway, hovering inches off the floor. She was beautiful, with soft white wings and, of course, a gentle glow. Blindly Erique groped behind him until he found his friend's arm. He shook the slightly younger Aleks awake without making a noise, never taking his eyes off the creature before him.

Aleks, grumbling about the late hour, sat up and slipped into silent awe when he noticed the woman. She smiled and came over to the boys, walking just above the dirty floor. "Don't be afraid. I'm here to give you a gift."

Aleks scrambled back in his bed, away from the angel. "What kind of gift?"

"Life." The boys gaped openly at her and she continued. "Sadly, there will be an accident tonight, and I'm here to offer you the chance to survive."

Erique opened his mouth to say something, but shut it as a small boy, only three-years-old, came walking in from the bathroom. "Wow," he whispered, "an angel!"

The woman sighed softly and bit her lip. "This was only meant for two . . . Oh well. Anyone that sees me gets the chance, so come here little one." The boy – Kai – padded over to the others and waited in silence.

Seeing that she had their attention, the angel smiled that wonderful yet sad smile again. "Tonight, there will be an accident, and sadly all here are going to die. They will pass on to Eden and be happy. However, you three are granted an opportunity to live out your lives for a short time. Do you all understand?"

Three heads bobbed up and down slightly. "Good. There is, of course, a condition. There are some who, in just under a decade, are going to die. I want to give them another chance at life as well."

Erique frowned. "So we only have ten years to live if we agree to do this?"

Aleks grabbed his friend's arm. "I don't want to. This is too freaky."

The angel nodded again. "As fate would play out, you three would die from common dangers at that time. You would go on to Eden – to paradise – and your bodies would become host to these souls which deserve a second chance. Do you understand that?" She looked at Kai, though the question was clearly directed at all of them.

Again, three small heads bobbed up and down, Kai's a little hesitantly. "Well then, children, what are your decisions?"

Erique looked at Alaeks, who nodded reluctantly, and then back at the angel. "We're in."

"Good. When the time comes for you to pass on, you will see me again."

"What's your name?" Aleks asked carefully.

"That is unimportant. Call me Angel." She knelt and placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "And you, little one? What is your dicision?"

The smallest boy looked over at the other sleeping children. "We can't save them?"

"No, I'm very sorry, but we cannot save many. Only a few, and you are one of those few."

Kai looked at one bed then down at the floor. "Then give my spot to him."

Angel glanced at the sleeping boy. "You would sacrifice yourself so he can live? Why him? What is so special about that boy?"

Erique frowned. "That's just Jaysan. He's the oldest boy here, turned eleven last month. He doesn't have any friends."

Kai nodded enthusiastically. "That's why he should get the chance, he should have friends in life."

Angel frowned. "I'm sorry. The gift was placed before you, I cannot give it to anyone else."

Kai nodded and moved back towards his bed. "Then my answer is no. You can give it to someone else, I don't want it." He lay down and Angel smiled. She placed her hand over each boy and they fell asleep once more, waiting for the night's events to proceed.

Mere hours later, still well before dawn, a criminal was running wildly from the sheriff. A few stray bullets hit a heater, causing a massive explosion and destroying most of the orphanedge as well as ending the pursuit. Frantically, citizens awoken by the blast hurried to search for survivors.

"Here! Here! There are two boys over here that are all right!"

Aleks and Erique huddled together, minor cuts and bruises, but no serious injuries. Aleks looked around at the devastation. "Is there anyone else?"

Another citizen was a short distance away. "Yes, here, I think."

There was loud cughing and Jaysan's head appeared from beneath the rubble. "I had a dream. An angel gave me a gift," his eyes locked on the other two boys. "But we weren't supposed to tell . . ."

The three boys were helped from the building together. They looked back sadly, mourning for their life that was left behind in the rubble. Just as they were turning to go, another man cried out. "Hey, Hold on! I've got another one here, a baby!"

The boys spun to see a very dusty Kai crawling over the rubble towards them. He smiled when he saw Jaysan. "She gave it to you too."

**

Nine years went by and the boys enjoyed their life greatly. They became closer than close, working and living together. It wasn't long after the nine year mark that Kai became ill. The others stood around his bed, knowing that it had begun.

Erique paced back and forth. "Dammit, this isn't fair!" He began fiddling with a glass in his hands. "I understand that our time is up. I don't mind that we all have to die. But Kai shouldn't have to suffer!" He threw the glass towards a wall, but it didn't hit.

Time stopped and slowly, a glow filled the room as Angel appeared. "Calm yourself, Erique. He is stronger than you think." Kai smiled and nodded. Angel bent and put a hand to his chest, healing the body. "Come now, Zazie needs this shell. Eden is waiting for you."

Kai's beautiful green eyes closed and his breathing stopped for a moment. When his eyes opened again, they were the deepest purple. He looked around wildly, totally confused. Jaysan looked up to Angel "What are we suppoesed to tell him?"

"Explain." There was a loud crash – the glass hitting the wall – and Angel was gone.

Aleks sighed and looked down at the blonde boy. "I guess we have some explaining to do then."

**

The four boys were still very close, despite the replacement of one of their members. Zazie was still young and adjusted to his new life easily. He bonded closely with the boys and felt badly knowing they would all die soon. But he was happy to have his second chance at a good life.

The happiness was all too short, however. Very soon after Zazie's reincarnation, the boys were playing on a large cliff. One wrong step, and Jaysan went tumbling down towards the ground far below. The others hurried down the cliff path as time stopped around them. They reached the bottom to see Angel stand from the body and leave.

Aleks bent over the confused boy laying prone on the dirt. "How do you feel?"

"Confused as hell. What's going on?"

Erique looked into the murky blue eyes and smiled. "What's your name, friend?"

The man blinked up at the three boys. "Nicholas."

Zazie made a short snort. "Hey, Chapel."

Casting a confused glance at the small blonde, Erique offered a hand to help Nick up. "Nice to meet you. You aren't going to believe what we have to tell you."

**

The arrangement was uncomfortable for a while, Zazie and Nick had problems getting along. But slowly, they grew to be friends as well, finding it comforting to have someone who understood their shared past. Together they waited in anticipation of losing the next member of the group.

Standing in the center of town, it happened. Their was screaming, and shooting, and both Aleks and Erique fell to the ground, mortally wounded. Almost instantly, Angel appeared. She bent over Aleks's body, healing the wounds and looked up at Nick and Zazie. "Will you be able to explain things to him?" The boys nodded and watched as Midvally blinked himself awake.

They explained things quickly and then turned to look at Erique. He was unconsious. Angel smiled, "You won't have long to wait."

Midvally shuffled his feet. "Three guesses who else is coming back."

Wolfwood looked at the sax player, then down at the boy. "We all look so much like our former selvs. Who else do you know with that color hair?"

Erique opened his eyes and looked up at Angel. "Is it over, then?" The winged one nodded. "I'm glad we got this gift." And he closed his crystaline blue eyes again.

A second later, the deep golden orbs that were Legato opened wide and completely confused. He tried to bolt upright, fight whatever was happening. Angel put a hand on his shoulder and instantly the body went limp, but the eyes remained frightened and alert. "Legato Bluesummers," Angel spoke cooly to the boy. "This entire gift was derived for you. If you were to die, your soul would be completely wasted, much like your life. So, to you, Legato Bluesummers, I give an additional gift." She bent and kissed his forehead softly, then stood to leave.

Nick tried to grab her arm, finding that his passed right through the ghostly presence. "Er . . . hey, hold on! What did you do to him?"

Angel looked at the young priest and sighed sadly. "I gave him a conscience." She left.

Wolfwood looked wide eyed at the trembling blue-haired boy at his feet. He had rolled onto his side and held his head tightly. "Legato?"

He looked up at Nick. "How could I . . . have done . . ." He trailed off, curling into a fetal position. Slowly the others raised the boy to his feet and took him back to their house.

**

Ha! This is fun ^_^ Only one chapter in, and all of my original characters are already dead! I think that's hilarious, even if you don't. By the way, if you didn't catch it, this fic I'm working on the assumption that Legato didn't know what he was doing was wrong. Anyway, what do you think? No reveiws means this'll go into my private collection. And if you do like it, I'll tell you what input I'll need at the end of chapter three (that far *is* written and will come fast) Well, till then ^_^