Day 177

            Today there is a sandstorm. Even though he cannot see out of the window, tied to the bed by injury as he still is (though now only marginally) he can picture it battering the town, the sand cutting through cloth, vegetation, even flesh. Like a horde of daggers flying through the air to meet their target, like a million knives, a primal, avenging force of nature, unstoppable.

            It has kept Vash, and most probably everyone else in the town, indoors, they cannot work, play, or leave their houses until the storm is safely over.

            So Vash sits with Knives and they talk, of matters big and small, past and present.

            'Sometimes,' says Knives, his eyes straying to the single window in his small room, 'I truly do pity the humans.'

            'Why?'

            'Look at this, the world they live on? It's a world of rocks, wind, dust, sand and heat. It's nothing, Vash, its hell. They went looking for Eden, they travelled millions and millions of light years across space, froze themselves for ridiculous amounts of time, desperately searching for Eden. And what did they find? They found hell.'

            Vash looks thoughtful, 'I don't know,' he says, 'it's not that bad. There are green bits there too, you've seen them. With a bit of work this world could become Eden.'

            Knives laughs hollowly, 'my dear brother, look what they did to their own world? That was Eden to start with and they turned it into hell! What makes you think they can do the opposite here?'

            'Humans can learn, Knives, the do learn. Well, most of the time anyway.'

            'Well, I've yet to see proof of that. Besides even if they did try, it'd take decades to turn this planet into anything remotely beautiful. By my estimations, even if work was begun tomorrow and all their resources were put into it, it could not be done before two hundred years was out. How many generations is that for Mankind?'

            'A lot, but it can be done. They went through so much to get to Eden; travelled for so long… a little more time won't make much difference.'

            Knives rolls his eyes, 'come now, you know as well as any that humans only look for short term solutions. They're so busy with their own small lives, trying to selfishly improve their own lot; they'd never consider working so hard for something they'll never live to see the results of.'

            'And you're any different? It's you who want to take the short cut.'

            'Vash, once again you're thinking with your heart instead of your head.'

            'Yeah, you should try it sometime.'

            Knives snorts, 'it's not about time,' he says, 'it's about probability, my way is the best, you'll see.'

            'Perhaps,' replies Vash, turning his head to the window, watching the sandstorm rage outside, 'it just seems a shame that, after all that way they came, to get to Eden, you don't want to let them get a little further. To give them another chance.'

            Knives shrugs and does not reply, he allows the howling of the sandstorm to do his talking for him.

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Reader Reviews.

Aww… only three… ): Ah well, here we go anyway.

Ron The Future Weasel: Hah, got you all exited now. That link finally worked! Thanks very much it's a cool picture, and a very sweet version of Knives. I have a feeling Knives has typical sibling syndrome. My mum used to tell me that she regually tortured her little brother but she would stand by him no matter what if anyone else did the same thing. Odd… it makes me glad I'm an only child.

Silverarm: Yeah, it does go more into explaining Knives, I wish the anime had it in though I suppose it is suggested via plant meltdowns and so forth. As for sticking… I'm not sure. It will be more or less Anime, but a bit of Manga may creep in here or there. I hope this satisfies you, I would add more manga but, to be honest, I don't know it very well. I think events-wise this sticks pretty much to Anime, but personality wise it might lean more to the Manga, that's all I can say.

Aoi: You're entirely right, in every sense, but trust me it'll make sense later. Knives hatred seems to blind him to a lot of obvious things but don't worry, he WILL change during the course of this fic! Lol! It would have been funny if he'd brought home a real spider, and disturbing if it had talked back. Perhaps someone should do a Trigun/Bugs Life cross over, just for a laugh. /\_/\

NEXT CHAPTER: Knives walks!

RnR!!!