Disclaimer: What's the point? After 33 chapters with me pointing out how I don't own Trigun, haven't you figured it out yet?? Oh well, for you illiterate few who don't know: I don't own Trigun. Wait….illiterate few??….nevermind.
Chapter Thirty-Four: Sibling Rivalry
A/N: Oh Gods it's been a while, hasn't it? I've been so busy I nearly forgot about this little ficcy. Well….I wasn't exactly motivated because I don't get many reviews. Yes, I do realize that it's almost like conning people into reviewing, but that's not what I'm doing. I'm saying I feel more motivated when I get reviews; not that I'm going to stop the story completely. (Just making things clear because I've seen people get flamed for it) But enough of my babbling, on with the chapter!
The sound of running water filled the hallways of Knives' ship, the cheerful sound of water churning and bubbling as it splashed into the tub setting Rhianne's mind a little more at ease.
Sitting on the edge of the porcelain tub, the female plant watched the clear, cold water flow downward out of the tap. Her sharp eyes caught every play of light on the water, watching how it shimmered and danced under the soft glow of the bathroom lights. She sighed, running her hand through the waterfall coming from the tap, marveling at the feeling of the cold water over her skin. She reached her dripping hand up and turned off the tap, and stood, dropping her cloth as she did. Closing her eyes, she focused on the near-full tub and stepped, a moment later, into steamy near-scalding water.
Sliding into the bath, Rhianne couldn't help but sigh as the water touched her skin. The heat was a most welcome feeling, and a considerably more pleasant feeling than the nothingness that the bulb had placed on her skin; the feeling of nothing-no air, no wind-nothing, against her skin wasn't one she felt the need to experience again anytime soon.
A small smile made it's way to her lips as she felt the water soothe her cramped muscles; knots and strains she wasn't even aware she had. Grabbing a nearby bar of soap, she set about to lathering her skin, trying to rid herself of the feeling of Knives' touch.
Almost instantaneously after touching upon the thought of the ice-eyed plant, she wondered what was coming to pass between the two brothers as Vash tried to defend her honor. A sigh escaped her submerged lips, and her near-closed eyes watched as the bubbles popped listlessly on the surface of the steaming water. Closing her eyes and allowing her mind rid itself of thought, slipping her thoughts and sights seamlessly into the unguarded mind of the broom-haired man as he strode purposely down the corridor, ready to tear his twin limb from limb or as close unto death as his pacifistic ways could muster.
Allowing herself to link his thoughts with hers, Rhianne listened intently as the thoughts coursed through his mind, cursing his brother at every other word. Looking through his eyes Rhianne watched as he walked down the corridors in search of his brother, and she quietly slipped her ability to sense someone's mind into play, directing him down a hallway to the right. At the end of the hallway a door stood, slightly ajar. Light from the crevice spilled onto the corridor, making the dust that danced in the highly ventilated air visible; little particles dancing a slow tango as Vash walked by, disturbing them and upsetting their slow, synchronized dance.
He leaned against the doorframe for a moment, watching Knives in the room beyond. The room, as Vash had found out early during his stay, was Knives' usual haunt. Punching bags hung from the high-ceilinged room, stretch mats lay on the floor, and weights of every shape and size littered the room, ranging from free weights to large mechanical contraptions consisting of several workout machines in one. Knives stood in the near center of the room, ferociously punching a bag dangling from the ceiling.
Rhianne, despite her enraged state towards Knives, couldn't stop herself from admiring him. Sweat glistened on his forehead, occasionally dropping off his face in large salty droplets as he jerked his head. The muscles on his bared chest, solid and tight. The intricate play of the muscles in his arms as he lunged them forward in a punch and drew them back to him. His agility as he moved around the punching bad, resting on the balls of his naked feet. The ferocity with which he attacked was breathtaking, a display of true power of the body and mind.
"Knives" Vash stated icily, causing his twin to stop in his movements. Knives glared through his bangs at him, his eyes both enraged and weary.
"Yes, Vash?" he sighed, rolling his eyes. Rhianne focused for a moment on Knives' mind as he stood there, and caught upon his train of thought, contemptuous and begrudging: Oh boy, here we go…
"Why could you do that to her?" Vash asked darkly, stepping into the room. Knives sighed, dropping his arms to his sides, his hands still clenched into fists "because I wanted to" he stated, hoping his meddlesome twin would simply turn tail and leave, as he was in no mood for his twin's childish antics at the moment.
The darker blonde stepped defiantly into the room, quashing any of Knives' earlier hopes. "Knives, do you realize how much you hurt her?"
The other man shrugged nonchalantly "do I care? If she would like to see things in a negative light then that's her own fault." Vash narrowed his eyes "what? How can you say something like that?"
"She should see it as I am attracted to her physically and that I simply want to show her that I feel that way by sleeping with her" Knives stated, his voice as cold as a slate.
"Knives…how can you see things that way? You tried to rape her! That isn't something easily excusable, you know! You had no right-"
"And what gives you the right to judge me?" Knives cut in waspishly "you, the little pacifist that would never hurt a goddamned fly? You figure you can just barge back into my life and tell me what to do? Where do you get that right, Vash?"
"I'm your brother, for one" Vash stated quietly. Knives' icy eyes narrowed
"Oh yes, my brother who left me for the better part of a hundred years, then tried to kill me with a gift I bestowed to him. The one who can't get his head out of the clouds to see what's going on right in front of his eyes; who refuses to suck it up do what will guarantee him happiness in the future because of one insignificant woman he barely knew. My brother, Vash the Stampede, who left his only kin for the vermin."
"You killed all of them! You killed untold thousands of humans for no reason at all!" Vash cried, tears forming in his eyes "what was I supposed to do? Sit back and let you wipe out an entire race? You seem to think that you can get away with everything, just because you're a plant. Our heritage doesn't mean we have unlimited freedom, it instead gives us the huge responsibility to defend those who can't protect themselves. Killing people is a coward's way out, Knives. And if you can't live up to your responsibilities the way everyone else has to then you're less of a man than I thought."
"Vash…" Knives breathed deeply "I would like it very much if you left now. Now, before we both do things we will later regret."
"No" the Stampede shot back "I'm so sick of you thinking you can get away with everything. I hope Rhianne leaves you, Knives, because you don't deserve her"
"….And you do?" came the quiet, deadly response. Vash blinked for a moment "what?"
"Oh don't pull that with me Vash. We can read each other's minds, remember. It's one of our gifts as superior beings. You love her. You love my Rhianne."
"I…I…what?" Vash stammered, unable to cope with Knives' sudden accusation.
"Oh don't pull that with me Vash. I've known you your whole life-"
"No you don't. You barely know me, Knives. I've lived almost my entire life without you, and I can go on living it again. I can go back to Meryl-"
"Meryl" Knives spat her name out as though it burned his tongue to speak it "that worthless piece of filth will soon wither and die like the weed she is. And what then, Vash? You will be left alone, again. Left to wander the sandy soil of this accursed world for the rest of your never-ending lifetime. But, ah, wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to spend your life with someone of your own race, someone who will never grow old and die with you? Someone who won't leave you and slip out of your grasp like grains of sand. Someone like Rhianne."
"Can I help it Knives?" Vash nearly sobbed, his eyes flooding with tears "you treat her so badly. She deserves better! She loves you Knives, but if you treat her like an object, she will leave you."
"Then she leaves me" Came the dark reply. Vash felt himself begin to shake with anger, willing his eyes not to glow with the rage building within him "Knives, you have to treat her better. You're lucky she hasn't left already"
"If she wants to leave, then so be it; the bitch means nothing to me." Knives stated darkly.
Rhianne pulled her head out of the steamy water "what?!" she gasped, her mouth half-filling with water as she did so. Knives didn't care? Knives didn't….surely that couldn't be.
Could it?
Rising from the tub, Rhianne felt her sadness slide off her like the droplets of water, being replaced by a dark rage that seemed to sweep over her like a crimson curtain. If Knives didn't care, then that's how it would be. She wouldn't stay here; not with him.
Gathering up the cloth she strode from the bathroom, her still damp feet leaving telltale tracks along the metal floor. She sobbed lightly as she walked; woe-begotten sounds that refused to be contained merely by her anger. Tears falling from her downcast eyes mixed with the water falling from her dripping hair into warm salty rivers flowing over the apples of her cheeks and then taking the perilous plunge from her defiantly set chin to the floor.
Vash Vash Vash Vash… were the only words she could get a firm grasp on; everything was rushing by too quickly, blowing about her brain like pebbles in a sandstorm. Linking her mind to his again, she followed the steady thread of angry thought in his head to find him sitting in Knives' kitchen, munching sullenly on a donut.
"Vash" she stated, her voice as flat as the planes of the planet "I want to leave"
