Disclaimer: Don't own Trigun, just my OC's and some of the cities. Oh yeah, and the plot. BTW please don't take this story. If you want to post it on your own site, e-mail me.
A/N: I've been getting e-mails wondering if this story was going to have some KIND of romance in it. Without spoiling too much (As to whom I'm pairing with whom) I will tell you that this does have romance in it. Not immediately, of course, but gradually it will happen. (Oh, and sorry for you lemon lovers, but there won't be any limes, lemons, etc. I like making fairly CLEAN fics.) Isn't that enough of a reason for you love-stricken people (like me ^_^) to read on? I hope so.
Engel: Sacrifice
Chapter Eight
And So The Blood Smeared The Halls
"I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind"
-Kansas (Lyrics from Dust In The Wind)
"Oh, I'm jumping too far ahead now, aren't I?" Vash forced a laugh. "I guess I should just say that for the past few years I've been chased by my twin brother and his army of evil doers. My very good friend was killed by one of those same men and I was forced to kill a man myself. To be truthfully honest," Vash turned to BDN, his eyes glistening with unwanted tears. "This is a really touchy subject to be treading on, so I'll just get to what you want to know." BDN's face paled as he listened. "I just decided to leave when things got rough. I didn't run, I just got tired of being me."
Demonte watched as the life was drained from Vash. Who knew that this very man could hold any respectable emotions about anything? It was just so unlike the rumors that had been told.
"Vash…I…I had no idea what was really going on behind those curtains of yours…" BDN dropped his head. "I'm sorry." But another matter was brought to BDN's attention—The slick dark colored hair hidden behind Vash's normal goldenrod head. "Vash, your hair…your hair has changed color…"
"Hmm?" Vash reached up and combed a hand gently through his jet-black hair. "I suppose you could just say that this is my way of getting old." He seemed so calm over something that proved to be grave.
"Are you sure?" Concern rose in BDN's voice. "It seems much more severe than just getting old, Vash…"
"But it's just exactly that. When you get old, doesn't your hair turn gray?"
"Well…" BDN bit his lip, words failing him.
"Then you know what I mean…" Vash pushed himself from off the bed and headed for the bathroom, his black cloak tangling with his red trench coat. "Some things just don't need words to explain them."
Demonte stared out the window, darkness filling the room as the snores of his two companions kept him company. Vash the Stampede…? Alive? It was too much to comprehend. With everything going on behind the scenes in the Mafia and this too? Demonte blanketed the feeling of disgust welding inside of him.
Then he felt rushed. He wanted to hurry, leave, and get out of town…before it was too late. The reminder that Celestia, Meryl, and her other little friend were still hot on his tracks was enough to get him moving. He would never obtain peace while dallying in town the way he was.
And maybe, perhaps, it wasn't all bad. Finding Vash the Stampede so coincidentally such as this had left a sweet taste in Demonte's mouth. Rohgsworn was always following the rumors of Vash the Stampede, even after his supposed death when the rumors had slowed themselves to a stop. If he could somehow manage to exchange words with his Boss about this matter, then things could get a little easier for the entire Mafia, and perhaps even Demonte would find out what was going on behind closed doors.
He turned slightly, and licked his lips as he trailed the linings of the city street, faint against the moon's glow. The fog could be so stubborn at times. He made sure not to trip on BDN, who had taken comfort next to Demonte's bed, and crept towards the door.
He turned the handle, and released it slowly. Then he spun on one foot and closed the door from the other side. He tightened his grip on the front of his cloak and wandered down the halls until he was outside. As his feet began to crunch beneath the ground, Demonte felt another pair echo behind him.
He stopped.
So did the intruder.
He breathed in deeply and, gaining courage, took extra precaution as he advanced towards the end of town. The second set of footsteps resumed after him.
Someone is following me, Demonte bit his lip. Maybe I can run for it.
After a half pause, Demonte began to pick up speed and turned a corner, leading to the town's exit.
This isn't working, He rolled his eyes as the footsteps behind him refused to slacken. Dammit! I'll have to use force! Obviously, this guy wants something.
As the exit came into view, Demonte decided that it was now or never. Spinning around into a half circle, he reached for his gun and stopped the intruder in his tracks.
The intruder paused as Demonte's gun was kept solely on him. Finally, he slowly rose his hands into the air and Demonte was able to get a better look at him.
He wore a tan cowboy hat, one that extended out on all sides of the flaps. His matching colored trench coat swayed gently in the breeze and his black suit remained dim and empty to the moon's shadow.
"It's obvious by the attire you're wearing that you're a bounty hunter," Demonte said gruffly. "So, why were you following me?"
"I only wished to make sure that you made it out of this town with no intrusion."
"Intrusion?" Demonte was confused. "Intrusion!? YOU'RE the one who crept up on me! Just who the hell are you and why are you following me!?"
"I was about to explain before you proceeded with your pompous tantrum." Demonte held his tongue. "My name is Loose Ruth. You may have known me as Constance Rifle about four or five years ago."
"Yes," Demonte nodded absently, "I've heard of you. What business do you have with me?"
"I merely wanted to remind you about what your topic at hand currently is. Granus is a bit more important than hanging out with the Legendary Outlaw."
"Wha—You…" Demonte lowered his gun. "How do you know what my mission is? And how did you know that Vash the Stampede was alive?"
"I saw you and him talking in the window. He and I have some history together, no concern of yours, however. As for how I know what your current situation is, the Hell's Mafia is and has been my occupation."
"You mean…" Demonte stepped forward. "You work in Hell's Mafia?"
"A bounty hunter, yes, searching for things just like you…just like we all are, perhaps."
"But I've never heard about you being in the Hell's Mafia," Demonte lowered his head. "Could it be that Rohgsworn is keeping things from me even still?"
"Nonsense," Loose Ruth said. "He is only concerned for your mission and is leaving out pointless details. They will all be explained in full depth eventually."
Demonte wasn't convinced. "And so why are you here? Did he send you to look after me?"
"Actually, I was in town looking for the mass murderer who has taken the life of the Mayor and the people in the saloon. I am most certain that he is not of our own clan and so I have been investigating it. When I saw you in the window speaking to Vash the Stampede, I recognized it as you."
"I don't get it. If I've never seen you before, how could you tell it was me?"
"Simple," Loose Ruth shrugged. "Rohgsworn has told me about you and your mission. It's, of course, a very urgent mission. I only wanted you to pursue it, as do all of us in the Hell's Mafia."
"So you recognized me by the details my Boss has given you?"
"Precisely."
"Well," Demonte said, biting his lip. "This is different…"
"How so?"
"I never expected Rohgsworn to be publicizing my mission to all of our members. Usually, he keeps everyone's priorities under confidentiality."
"Well, perhaps you're a key to a main role that he wishes to accomplish and wants us to help you any way possible. Undermining Granus seems like a pretty rough task. Wouldn't you agree…" Then he smiled. "…Demonte?"
Demonte was stirred slightly by his words and the fact that he knew his name as well. But he quickly recovered, assuring himself that Rohgsworn's explanation of his plans to all of his fellow members was only for support and more investigation.
"I suppose," Demonte replied. "Yes Loose Ruth, perhaps you're right. I never knew how serious this plan was if Rohgsworn is involving all of my subordinates in this matter."
"Yes," Loose Ruth turned his head to the side, revealing his profile. "It is very important that you don't mess up." Silence was exchanged between the two until Loose Ruth suddenly walked past Demonte and out of the town's gate. "I'll be watching you, Demonte," He called over his shoulder. "We all….will be watching you…" Then Loose Ruth surprisingly…laughed? "And so…will others…"
His voice echoed in the distance as his silhouette faded into the dust storm. Demonte stood frozen, Loose Ruth's words running through his veins and back into his mind in an endless cycle.
Then he heard…whistling? He turned, a little too late, and was met with a spinning metal ball. The next thing he felt was the hard ground against his back. He stared up and a shadow hovered over him, grinning.
"So, you're the one associated with Hell's Mafia, eh?" The voice cackled. "I've heard about you. Your name is Demonte, isn't it?"
"How…" Demonte struggled to swallow his heart back into his chest. "How do you know who I am?"
"Everyone knows who you are. Everyone is looking for you. And…" The man leaned closer until his breath was barely touching Demonte's face. "They will find you…They will…"
Demonte knocked the man off of him and jumped back onto his feet. "Who the hell are you!?" Anger rose in his voice as he reached for his .44 and aimed it at his attacker.
"I am a dead man of no will, brought back upon this pitiful land by the hand of my savior." The attacker replied.
"Shut up!" Demonte commanded. "I have no time for your riddles! What's your name!?"
"The dead have no titles," The attacker chuckled.
"Bastard," Demonte gritted through clenched teeth. "Just who the hell do you think that you're messing with anyway!?"
"A silly…little…" The attacker stepped up, dragging something heavy across the ground, and knocked the gun from Demonte's hand. "…boy…" The attacker laughed. "So, show me what you're made of, little boy."
Demonte grew angry and extended his right arm in front of him. The wind slowly rose to a howl as lightening broke through Demonte's skin and encircled his arm.
"I will strike you down," Demonte vowed.
"With Forbidden Magicks?"
Demonte bit his tongue, unsure of how to respond.
"We all know that you possess Forbidden Magicks," The attacker continued. "You hold no surprise from us." The man leapt up into the air and curled himself inside of a metal shield that began to spin violently, like an unstoppable boulder. The electricity disappeared from Demonte's arm as the attacker began to sling himself into buildings, like a wrecking ball.
"S-Stop it!" Demonte began alarmed. "Your battle is with me, not these people!"
"Oh, having a change of heart, are we?" The attacker laughed as he set himself back on the ground, only a few feet away from Demonte. "I'm surprised that you were able to regain your natural human emotions. Well then, how about this? Quick, go save them."
The attacker snapped his fingers abruptly and silence filled the air. Demonte leaned forward, anticipating this man's actions. Demonte hadn't even noticed the sweat trailing down his face until he could taste a salty substance brush over his lips. Then, without warning, the entire city exploded into flames, as though Hell had plunged up from below and engulfed the city with a swipe of its hand. Demonte's face quivered with horror as he attempted to absorb what this man had just done.
"Why!?" Demonte shouted hoarsely, "Why did you do that!?"
"I will let you know now that your battle with me is not tonight. At the moment, I am attempting to lure 'him' out here…"
"Him?" Demonte questioned.
Then broken glass resounded in the night as two large bodies hit the ground. It was at that moment that Demonte had caught the vibes of his comrades.
"You're out to lure Vash aren't you!?" Demonte accused.
His attacker merely shrugged. "Can I help it if he still lives?"
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Demonte asked, picking his fallen gun up from the ground.
"You wouldn't understand."
Then, two new voices made their way to Demonte's ears, perking them up just slightly.
"Vash! I hear voices from over here!" BDN rounded the corner, Vash behind him. He halted sharply as he caught the sight of Demonte. "Dem!?"
"Quick! Both of you! Get out of here!" Demonte warned.
The attacker smiled widely as he spotted Vash.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat drug in." He laughed as he jumped into the air and began to spin violently, holding his shield close to him. "It's nice to see you again, Vash the Stampede."
Vash stopped dead in his tracks.
"I see that my plan worked. By eliminating all human life force in this city, I have managed to lure you out of hiding."
Vash was silent, except for the few little gasps escaping from his lips.
"You killed them all!?" BDN voiced Vash's question.
"It's not that big of a deal," The attacker said nonchalantly as he hurled his spinning body into a flaming building, igniting the flow of an eruption to follow.
Demonte shielded his eyes and watched the controversy rage on. What was Vash hiding?
"Stop it!" Vash cried. "Who are you!?"
"Who am I?" The attacker laughed. "Who AM I!? You of all people should know who I am! Because of you, I was killed and left to burn in the crevasses of the underworld! While you still live, we all are DEAD!"
Vash's mouth was left agape.
"But the real question should be, 'who are YOU'? After all, you ARE the one who is causing mayhem in all cities, unknowingly of course…" Vash watched as the attacker stopped rotating and landed neatly atop of a fiery building, hidden behind a dark shield. "Just to know that you are alive is enough to make my blood boil. I would tend to you personally, but there are others who wish to have the chance for a reunion with you. Besides, it is the will of my Master who demands to have the finishing blow on both your mind and body. Catch you later, Vash the Stampede!" The man howled in maniacal laughter as he disappeared into the night, leaving the burning city and all of its dead inhabitants behind.
Vash felt his voice leave him as he collapsed to his knees, weeping away.
"Vash," BDN kneeled beside him. "Just who the hell was that!?"
"I…don't know…" Vash gritted his teeth as he covered his tear-stained face. "All these people…it's all my fault…I…"
Demonte could bear it no more. "Vash!" BDN turned his attention towards him, but Vash's face refused to lift. "That man…how does he know you? He said that he died because of you. What does that mean?"
"I don't know," Vash said again. "Many people died because of me. And now, it begins again…"
BDN patted his friend on the back and looked at Demonte. "And just what the heck were you doing out here in the middle of the night?"
Demonte paused, unsure of how to respond. Surely he hadn't planned out this answer for he was certain that he wouldn't have gotten caught trying to escape town. So instead, he lied.
"I…I heard some noise in the street and came to check it out. That's when I met the man who attacked this city." Demonte couldn't see BDN's face clearly, as to know whether or not he had believed Demonte's lie. BDN did not respond, but Vash spoke up.
"He said that I kill people unknowingly…Tell me," Vash wiped his eyes as he looked up into BDN's melancholy face. "What happened before you found me?"
BDN bit his lip. "There was a murder—the Mayor. I came to inspect it and met Demonte here. I was certain that Demonte was the killer because of his attire of clothing, but I soon found out that it wasn't him because the real killer stepped in through the bar doors just then. He wore a long black trench coat and wielded a golden gun. His eyes were hidden by spectacles that appeared as though they had been smeared with blood and his hair was silver, illuminant with a kind of cold and icy fire, neither giving the look of a hero nor the look of a killer. He destroyed the bar with arcane powers and then tried to kill Demonte. But, for some unexplainable reason, he didn't. He only disappeared into darkness."
Vash turned his head away and spoke barely above audibility. "I was afraid of that."
"What's going on Vash?" Demonte asked, confused.
"For the past four years, there has been this man that follows me from town to town, killing people without my knowledge. Every time he appears, I am never conscious to realize it and…people die because I can't save them. BDN, that was another reason why I hid my identity. I wanted him to think that I was dead so that he would stop following me. But…it seems as though he is just as strong as before. He is the same man you described. I've never seen him, I've only used the rumors spread by cities to identify him."
"Vash, don't worry," BDN smiled weakly. "He won't harm anyone else because we're here. We'll get him." He looked at Demonte this time. "For now, I believe it to be safe to leave this town. There is no need for us here…" BDN broke his gaze from Demonte to the flames emerging from every building. "I'm sorry…but we have to get somewhere safe. We shall inform another city about this catastrophe once we reach Mahogany."
"Mahogany?" Demonte questioned.
"Yes, it is an underground city for refugees like ourselves. Once the flames cease, the city we contact will come back and bury the dead." BDN helped Vash to his feet. "I'm sorry…Vash…"
Demonte lowered his head. Had he let this all happen? If he had not attempted to leave…would this all be a dream, instead of a reality?
God only knew…
***
For those of you who were asking, the black evil 'Vash' is an action figure that (not by my knowledge) has never made an appearance in either the series or the manga. Without spoiling TOO much about the name or whatever (cause he plays a BIG part in this story and it contains my ideas cause I've never seen any English fics including this character) if you want to know more, search Google. BTW if you have any information about 'Black Vash' (Yes I do know his real name.) please let me know so I don't put him OOC (Out of character). Just in case I missed anything about him, I mean.
Anyway, what did you think about the chapter? More characters clearing the stage, and the next chapter will be full of surprises (just to stir you guys up, the Insurance…eh, I mean EX-Insurance girls ARE coming back to reacquaint themselves with Vash next chapter) and new things. R&R (Praises or constructive criticism please) please. And I thank those of you who have critiqued me nicely cause now I can become a better writer. ^_^ Just thought I'd share.
BLD