Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Trigun, just my story line, OC's, and some of the cities.

A/N: I've been receiving some e-mails from people who say that they are becoming confused with the story. While that is perfectly normal, I encourage people to e-mail me and tell me what they don't understand. I'd be happy to help ya guys out! Don't you hate it when someone writes a great story but you just don't understand it? ^_^' I've had that happen more than enough. So come on down and e-mail me! Don't be shy! I'm a nice person! Honest. grin

Not to mention, I've realized that FF.Net has been acting up and people can't get to other peoples' stories or my own. Well (despite my encounters with it. It really was a shame that about SEVEN of my reviews in the past week were deleted for my other story, Hunting For The Elusive Mayfly Known As Love…Not) I'll tell you all what. Because I love you all and hate to watch you suffer in misery because you can't get to a story (It's happen to me, believe me. I can't tell you how close I was to chucking my comp out the window) if you see another chapter up for any of my stories and you can't get to them, please e-mail me and I'll send you the chapter personally.

Engel: Sacrifice

Chapter Ten

Finding Millions Knives

"Where have you gone


My love


My friend


Somewhere without the rain


I feel afraid now


I feel alone


Will we meet again?


Can you recall what we once knew?


Somewhere without the pain

I feel afraid now


But not alone

We will meet again"

-Vast (Lyrics from 'We Will Meet Again")

"And thus concludes how we were able to make our way to Mahogany without further interference," BDN chewed on his bottom lip. "So now that we've heard the girls' point of view and vise-versa, that just leaves the matter of why we're here."

BDN was interrupted by the sound of a closing door and he looked up. Vash nervously made his way to an empty chair and sat in it. "Sorry I'm late," He apologized. "The man outside said that you were having a meeting and that I should attend. So, what did I miss?"

The life was drained from the room as all eyes were glued upon the Legendary Gunman, a man who had been declared dead four years ago. "Was it something I said?" Vash turned to BDN.

"Mister Vash!" Milly nearly toppled over her chair as she jumped up and embraced the Humanoid Typhoon.

Startled by this abrupt turn of events, Vash eased himself from Milly's grasp and backed up into the opposite wall. "Hey, hey!"

'Vash the Stampede,' Celestia pondered to herself. 'So THAT'S the legendary gunman? Not much for show, but he IS kinda cute.'

"So, Vash," Ingway arose from his chair. "You're alive after all."

"Ingway?" Vash's eyebrows rose upon complete shock. "What are you and your men doing here?"

"We are the bodyguards of this city," Marvin intercepted the question. "BDN and this city have befriended each other and in return, we help one another."

Vash turned towards BDN. "You never told me that you knew Ingway and his men!"

BDN shrugged. "I wasn't even aware that you were acquainted with them."

"Mr. Vash!" Milly piped up, her green trench coat swaying as she approached him. "What happened? Why did you disappear? Why?"

Vash backed away from her quickly, as though she were carrying a deadly plague. "It's a long story," He replied. "You don't want to hear it."

"I'm afraid that we do, Vash," Ingway spoke up. "We are deeply interested in your disappearance."

"Well," Vash said hastily. "I'll save the story for another rainy day. For now, I would like to know what is going on here."

"Have it your way," Ingway sighed and sat back in his chair, as did the rest of the individuals in the room. "You have heard about the town burnings in the east, near the ruins, correct?"

"Yeah," Vash nodded. "Aren't they being caused by some Mafia or group or something?"

Celestia shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Precisely," Jean spoke up for the first time since Vash had entered the room. "These burnings have been coming closer to the city of Sanction, our sister city. They have not yet crossed through the Eastern Ruins to reach Sanction, but we fear that they will decide to not pass up Sanction and commence their burnings there."

"So you're investigating the situation in order to stop it from happening." Vash said. "Am I right?"

"Exactly," BDN took over the conversation. "As I told you before, I was on business when the Mayor was killed in Orleans. This was the business that I spoke of."

"To find out who was causing the town burnings." Vash nodded his head in understanding.

"We are only out to protect the cities and the people from turmoil," Ingway said. "It is a miracle that you were brought to us in our time of need. We wish to know what it is that this group of people want and why they choose to burn down these cities."

"Wait," Vash held his hands up, "Time out." He glanced at BDN. "Brilliant, you do remember that man who burned down Orleans, right?" Vash waited for his companion to nod before continuing. "What if he's the one doing it? He told me that he was a man from the dead, back for revenge. The only thing I can figure is that man is burning these towns because he's looking for me, to make me notice, to…" Vash stopped…

…and he was haunted by flashbacks…

The stone carvings written in so many deserted towns. Written in blood was only one word…

…Knives…

Vash jerked his head around to face Milly. He had to be sure. "What happened to Knives?"

Milly shrugged. "I'm not sure. He was with Meryl when I left. He had woken from his coma and was well but about a year after I left, I received a letter from Meryl telling me that he just disappeared...He hadn't even told her that he was leaving."

"Then that's it!" Vash pushed his chair back and all eyes were on him, curious as to know what he had found.

"Vash, what are you talking about?" Ingway narrowed his eyes, as though he were trying to convey Vash's thoughts into his own mind.

Vash sighed, feeling the pain of having to explain the story once again. "My twin brother, Knives, has been trying to hunt me down for many years now. What he wants is revenge…revenge for refusal to take part in his plans to dominate the world. He would hypnotize people, take them far away, kill them, and leave towns deserted. It wasn't up until a few years ago that I bested him in a battle of arms and I took him back, hoping to change his will about humans and life.

"Apparently, my efforts have been in vain if this has been happening. He once held a band of demons called the 'Gung-ho Guns' that helped him accomplish his dirty deeds. I wouldn't put it past him if he has once again risen to challenge the human race…and myself."

"But Mr. Knives was so different the last time I saw him!" Milly protested. "What you're saying can't be true about Mr. Knives."

"Then who else is doing this?" Vash asked. "It has to be Knives."

Celestia felt her head drop. This was new. Celestia was almost certain that Hell's Mafia was behind the town burnings, but what if Vash was right? What if Rohgsworn was being played as a puppet and Knives was the real puppeteer in all of this? Then Demonte…could be trouble too…

"All right," BDN spoke, his voice booming. "So our real enemy is Knives. What do you suggest we do Vash?"

"I think that we should go to the Eastern Ruins and block him from coming any further to Sanction. How far are the ruins from here?"

"Not too far," Marvin announced. "Only about 200 iles from here."

"But how will we get there?" Milly asked. "I'm so tired of walking. There has to be an easier way."

"Ah, true," Ingway smiled. "I think we will be able to get a hold of a personal bus, one that is locked away in the basement of this town."

"Really!?" Milly clapped her hands together. "That's wonderful!"

"But I'm the only one who can operate it," Ingway added. "So I'm driving."

"All right," BDN grinned. "Let's make this flashy guys! We'll select a team. Who's going? Well, me, obviously. But who else?"

"I will," Milly volunteered. "My stun gun will teach those men a lesson!"

"…Right," BDN blinked and then laughed. "That's three, who else?"

Celestia looked at everyone, hesitantly. She knew that she was supporting Demonte, but the thought of more people dying in these burnings made her stomach churn. She slowly raised her hand. "I will too," She whispered barely above audibility.

"Miss?" BDN looked at her, a little baffled. "What can you do? This is for real men you know…"

"I know that!" Wood screeched across the cobblestone. "I don't need some big hotshot telling me that!" Celestia sighed and lowered her head as she leaned on the table's edge with her tightened arms. "I have this," Celestia withdrew her .44 Calibre Revolver from her gown. "I can work this and I can lead you to the Mafia."

BDN sneered. "How?"

"Miss Celestia's a psychic!" Milly chimed in on the argument.

"A psychic, huh?" BDN stared at Milly with disbelief. "Prove it."

"Fine," Celestia growled and then paused, keeping her eyes closed as she began to pry herself into BDN's head. Sounds engulfed her mind as she began to envision a sand steamer in her own thoughts.

A lengthy sand steamer runs down the tracks. As it approaches a familiar canyon, the chugging of the axles can be heard as though in a dream. A pillar of smoke rises up and drifts backwards, partially blocking the cloudless sky and blotting out the moon and the gleaming stars. The tracks seem to bend under the weight of the cars as the sand steamer passes over the terrain, and then it passes away into the distance of the Lottenburg Canyon…

"In one of your raids on the sand steamers, men were awaiting you from inside. They knew you were coming…" The sounds of the engines reverberated in her ears, as though the sand steamer had truly been right in front of her. The wheels upon the tracks, the steam pouring into the night sky, and the whistle. She could hear it all. "When you and your men broke in, gunfire arose and your men were taken by surprise." Celestia opened her eyes, her face tensed. "Yes…you were taken by surprise. Most of your men were killed on that raid." Celestia glanced up, her glassy eyes meeting BDN's. "Your best friend died trying to save you."

BDN felt his body go numb as this woman recited his past.

"His name was Beremy…wasn't it?" Celestia shook her head. "You survived. But you didn't retire from the Bad Lad Gang at all, did you? Your men were killed, so there was no clan to go back to. From there, someone helped you…Someone helped you to turn over a new leaf and you decided to associate yourself with these people…am I right?"

All eyes were on BDN as they watched, his head lowered, and his shoulders began to shake. Then, a most staggering thing occurred. Brilliant Dynamites Neon…began to weep.

"That's right," He choked. "I would be damned amazed at your gift, but you nailed me…" He held his face in his hands, his elbows perched upon the table, as he cried.

"Mr. Neon," Milly's face saddened.

"I'm sorry," Celestia turned away. "I shouldn't have done that. Forgive me."

"Is that true…?" Vash asked, his voice breaking. "Brilliant?"

"It's true," He murmured. "Every damn thing." He wiped his eyes, but his shoulders still shook. "I put my men's lives in danger. I should've given up the gang after our encounter Vash…I guess that this was the Lord's way of punishing me."

"No one deserves to die," Vash told him. "Brilliant…I…"

"BDN," Ingway turned his head towards the people at the table. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. But…" He paused. "…Miss Celestia, your powers are remarkable. I will place you on the team."

"I'm sorry I had to go to such drastic measures to prove my worth," Celestia said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," BDN shook his head. "We don't have time for my bawling." He laughed half-heartedly. "We have to make the scouting team."

"I'll take over, BDN," Ingway told the hefty man. "We have four, who else will go?"

"I will," Vash held his hand up. "This is my brother that we're dealing with; I will go."

"As will I," Everyone turned at the sound of the voice. Meryl stood in the doorway, her head hanging so that her bangs covered her eyes.

"Meryl," Milly stood up. "We didn't even hear you walk in."

"I'll go," Meryl ignored Milly. "If it's indeed Knives who is responsible for this…I…I…"

"You're all going where?" Demonte asked, walking through the door, brushing past Meryl.

"Hey!" Celestia turned towards Demonte, anger flaring in her eyes. "I thought that you were gone!"

"I decided to stay," Demonte said. "I apologize for my sudden outburst earlier." He held his gaze on Ingway. "I'll go, wherever you're all going."

"It's pretty damn late to volunteer, Kalabis," Jean slammed his fist upon the table. "Our decision has been made and only six of us are going to the ruins!"

"The ruins?" Demonte rose his eyebrows. "You're after the people who are responsible for the burnings?"

"That's right!" Jean stood up and slid himself from his chair.

"Then that's all the better for me to go." Demonte said.

"I wouldn't let you attend this if you were…"

"That's enough!" BDN held his hard gaze on the two. "Demonte can go, under my supervision."

"What!?" Demonte screeched.

"It's true," BDN lowered his voice. "I don't need you sneaking off again. You can only go if you're under my supervision."

Demonte sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever."

"Good," Ingway nodded. "The decision has been made. I'll start up the bus and we can go there right away." He turned his attention towards Jean and Marvin. "You two go rack up the food and ammo and other supplies that we'll need."

"Roger," The two replied in unison.

"So, where are these ruins that we're going to anyway?" Demonte asked his seat partner on the bus.

"The Enora Precipice," BDN licked his lips. "It's the same place that I wanted to crash the sand steamer when I met Vash. Damn, that brings back memories."

"Oh," Demonte leaned back in his seat. "I never knew that those cliffs had been excavated into ruins that led to the other side of the crevasse."

"Yeah," BDN nodded. "They were excavated by Granus about two years ago when they were conducting the Crystal Processor. They drilled the caves and they were turned into ruins."

"That explains it." Demonte stretched in his seat and turned around the back of the seat. Vash was sitting with Celestia while Meryl was sitting with Milly. Ingway was the bus driver. "So how long until we get there?"

"About six hours. Just sleep if you want, it's gonna be a long drive."

"We're driving that fast? I thought the ruins were pretty far away."

"He's going as fast as he can," BDN said, leaning his head against the seat and closing his eyes. "But no matter how much you protest, he's still going as fast as he can."

Demonte sighed. "I've always hated bus drives."

But the only reply he got was the silent snore from his hefty friend. Demonte chuckled and decided to sleep, seeing as that would be the furthest thing from his mind once they reached the ruins.

He tilted his head back and closed his eyes behind his hood. From across the aisle, Vash and Celestia slept, both leaning on each other and Meryl watched with detestation in her seat a few rows back.

"Oh boy, he hasn't changed." Meryl scowled and folded her arms across her chest.

"Are you referring to Mr. Vash or to Miss Celestia, Meryl?"

"HIM!" She nearly shouted. "I mean, LOOK at him! He's as bad as when we were following him all those years ago!"

"I actually miss those times," Milly sighed. "Everything was so much fun back then."

"Fun? Fun!?" Meryl rolled her eyes. "I consider a stack of paperwork more FUN than…than…" Meryl sighed. "But look at us now. We're following HIM again."

"Well, aren't you glad that he's alive, Meryl?"

Then Meryl grew serious, and her eyes welded up with silent tears. "No. I thought that I would be, but not anymore."

Milly blinked, astonished. "Are you serious? You were so depressed when you found out about his death. You didn't leave the room for days. I think even Mr. Knives was concerned for you."

"That was then, and this is now," Meryl whispered. "I found out that he was just hiding and wasn't even dead at all. When I talked to him, he was rambling on about us not waiting for him and how we abandoned him."

"I suppose," Milly bit her lip. "That that's the reason for him not wanting to sit by either of us. Did you see the big protest he made about that?"

"Yes," Meryl nodded. "I did."

Milly lowered her eyes. "I didn't mean for him to be mad at us."

"It's not our fault, Milly." Meryl assured. "He's the one who left without even saying where he was going or when he'd be back!"

"When I saw him, I was thinking of the good times," Milly smiled sadly. "But I guess…that those are never coming back. Mr. Wolfwood and Mr. Vash…" Tears flooded Milly's eyes.

"Milly," Meryl held a tissue out for her weeping friend. "Don't cry, please…"

"Oh I'm sorry, Meryl," Milly blew her nose. "I shouldn't be rambling on like this. Forgive me. I'm going to get myself cleaned up," She rushed her words and hurried up from her seat and to the bathroom.

Meryl stared after her friend and closed her eyes. She hadn't known when she had fallen asleep herself, until she found herself to be in an unfamiliar land.

Meryl pulled her knees closer to her chest as she looked over the cliff and on downwards where a town sat peacefully. Wiping the tears from her eyes, a thousand thoughts passed through her mind.

"Quite the little adversary, aren't we?"

Meryl spun around to find nothing.

"Huh?" Meryl blinked slowly.

"I see we're going to have a little problem…"

The scene shifted before Meryl's eyes and in an instant, her footing was gone and she was falling, screaming. Screaming? No. Not even the sound from her voice would come.

Then she landed, hard, on the ground below her. Meryl felt as though she didn't have the strength to stand. Someone had just taken her energy and left her helpless.

"Welcome…to Arcadia…" Meryl forced herself to glance up and absorb her surroundings. Black storm clouds hovered in the gray lifeless sky. The aura of the world seemed empty…desolate and cold.

"This place…it's…"

"This place is the future of your planet." The same feminine voice from before finished her thought. "The demise of the human race and of any kind of Human Eden. This is MY Eden."

Meryl held her breath. Did she just say…Eden?

"How far into the future?" Meryl found herself asking.

"Oh not long. Isn't it splendid?"

"And this…this is all your doing?"

"Well I wouldn't give myself ALL the credit…After all, this wouldn't be the lovely place it is today without the help of the Gods."

"What!?" Meryl looked up into the atmosphere. "What are you talking about!?"

"Oh ho ho! Mum's the word."

A figure materialized in front of Meryl, it was Vash.

"Vash?" Meryl was stunned.

Vash threw his head back and laughed maniacally. "You really are a naïve little girl, aren't you?" The figure shape shifted into someone Meryl hadn't seen in a very long time. "Who…are you?" Meryl's voice cracked as she stared face to face with Nicholas D. Wolfwood.

"I am you, I am everyone." The Wolfwood look-alike held up his hand and a crystallized sword materialized into it. He laughed as he stepped forward and rested it under Meryl's chin. "And you, Meryl, are the first one of 'THEM' ever to set foot in my humble abode." The Wolfwood look-alike slit Meryl's throat, just enough to singe the surface. Blood streamed down Meryl's neck and stained her black trench coat. "You are also a problem." The Wolfwood look-alike smiled and turned to look at the dead plains ahead.

Meryl brought a hand up to the wound and looked up at the man. "What do you want with me!? Why are you impersonating Wolfwood and Vash!?" She demanded. In an instant, a sword no longer was in Wolfwood's hand, but a revolver had taken its place. Wolfwood turned and pointed the barrel at Meryl's head.

"I want you dead. You…are the only thing standing between Vash and myself. Your friend, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, is just a pawn in my little game." Wolfwood's face did not soften, but he did drop the gun from Meryl's head. "And soon…Vash will become mine."

Meryl jerked out of her seat and fell to the ground as Wolfwood's laughter echoed in the air.

"Meryl!" Milly jumped, startled at Meryl's performance. "Are you okay Meryl!?"

Everyone on the bus who was sleeping (and even those who were not) diverted their attention to Meryl.

Meryl began to breathe irregularly and coughed, her lungs tightening. She quickly felt about her neck for any kind of wound but found none. She sighed happily. It was just a dream. "I'm fine," She choked out. "Let me go to the bathroom." She hopped over Milly's legs and dashed to the bathroom.

Once inside, she locked the door and splashed water on her face. She looked up in the mirror. "What a nightmare," She mumbled. "A shape-shifter and a deserted planet. Damn, how else can things get worse?" She sighed. "Plus, the dead priest was in my dreams." She began to shake and nausea overtook her.

She jerked downwards and held her hands on the edge of the sink as her insides were emptied forcefully. She coughed and cried as her head remained hung over the sink. "Why?" She whispered. "Why God, why?" Then a knock came to the door, and Meryl reached back to unlock it.

She had not bothered to turn her head to look at the figure, as she had thought it to be only Milly. Then she felt a gloved hand begin to rub her back as she coughed and spit saliva and excess fluids from her mouth.

She stiffened. Vash?

"I'm sorry," She recognized the voice, and her heart sank. "I'll take it that you just woke from a nightmare."

"Demonte," She whispered, a bit startled, and then nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry…I thought that you were someone else."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay now?"

"A little. It was a very unpleasant dream, plus, I saw a dead friend of mine."

"I am very sorry," He mumbled. "I'm not a people person, so I don't know what else to say in these kinds of situations."

"It's all right," She said as he handed her a paper towel and she wiped her mouth. "I know that it must be tough for you."

She disposed of the paper towel and turned around to look at him. She was silent for a moment, her eyes held on the fabric of his cloak. Then her body began to shake once more and she threw her arms around him, wailing uncontrollably. He hesitated, but returned the hug.

Demonte looked down and felt a strange, yet warm aura come from this girl.

"So…on the first evening of pebble, from somewhere out of nowhere drops upon the dreaming world…"

Demonte began to hum absentmindedly to the tune that lingered in his mind and then he abruptly stopped as Meryl looked up.

"So, you know that song too?" She asked.

"I don't know," He told her. "I just remember it as a lullaby from my early childhood."

"Me too," Meryl said. "It's quite an old song."

"Yes…" Demonte closed his eyes, pondering about how the song had even gotten into his head in the first place. "Yes it is…"

***

And so the plot thickens…Hmmm…there definitely WAS a reason why Demonte was OOC (out of character) during the last part of the chapter…^_^ You'll all find out why eventually… R&R as always please.

BLD