Chapter 4
Human Weaknesses
Knives watched Marissa eat. She was a very tidy human. They were normally very sloppy creatures, making the act of eating into something like bathing. But this one took a bite of her food, a sip of her water, blotted her mouth, and then repeated the steps. His own pie sat in front of him still, untouched. "You don't want it?" The girl asked finally, her eyes falling on his plate and then up to him. "I thought you..."
"I'll eat it," he replied hastily. "I was just watching you."
Marissa quirked a smile, "Dad... I mean, Dr. Neiman says I'm the most proper eater of anyone he's ever met. Guess I must have done it as a child growing up. Although I really don't remember much of anything before you and Vash found me." She closed her mouth, "Oh, I'm sorry, we weren't supposed to talk about that were we?"
With a shake of his head, Knives picked up his fork, "It wasn't a question." He took a bite of his apple pie and rolled it around in his mouth. It wasn't unpleasant. Perhaps he could get the food replicator to produce a similar substance. "You may continue talking," Knives said. He felt out of place with this human, even though he noticed Marissa didn't act as if the situation were awkward.
"Well, I guess it's not important how I eat," she said quietly, sipping her water, out of order this time. "I just wanted to thank you I guess, for saving me. I've had time to think about it since then, the whole thing was such a blur to me. I must have slept a lot because I remember waking up and walking out in the sun, but nothing again until I was here in this town. I missed you terribly when you left." She flushed and stuck a huge piece of pie into her mouth, effectively stopping the chatter. Apparently she hadn't wanted to reveal that tidbit to him, Knives realized. These humans... They were very predictable in some ways. Next she would change the subject, but he wanted to test the theory.
"We couldn't take you with us," he said after a moment. A thought hit him, and it soothed his mind. Know thine enemy. "Your kind is weak."
Marissa sat in silence, her pie finished, her water gone, until the waitress came back to fill up her glass again, but she couldn't speak for a long while. Knives felt that the silence was comfortable, and he was able to finish his own dessert with relative ease. It allowed him a chance to think, to ponder on just how much he should learn of humans before it was enough to properly destroy them. They had weaknesses, not just physical ones but mental as well. It would be interesting to experiment, but then again... There really wasn't time for it. He wanted to get what they needed, get Vash and get out of the town. Sooner he got away from this girl the better. She had an odd effect on him, and he was starting to think it wasn't such a good idea to find out what it was exactly.
"I guess if you want to go back to the hospital..." Marissa started. Change of subject, Knives thought. She fumbled with her purse and pulled out some currency, setting it on the table. "I won't keep you any longer. Thanks for coming along." She kept her eyes down at the table. What was bothering her now? The fact that she'd blurted out something she hadn't wanted to? Without thinking, he reached over the table and lifted her chin so that their eyes met.
"What's wrong." It wasn't a question, he simply wanted to know. "You changed the subject."
"Well... I..." Marissa stammered, and faltered, hands shaking, "I've been thinking about what I would say to you for the last six years, and it just occurred to me that I'd built up this image of you... Yet here you are, exactly like I imagined, exactly like I remembered... And I said what I wanted to say, but I didn't get the response I'd hoped to hear." She fumbled to a stop and Knives let loose her face.
"What did you want to hear?"
Marissa flushed pink. Knives found this utterly curious. He'd read about the female species blushing, that blood flowed to their cheeks and caused them to turn red. But he'd never read about why it happened, and he filed it away as something he didn't think he should know about humans. The girl was clutching her purse now and her knuckles were white, she'd gone back to staring at the table. "That... That maybe you'd come back for me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because..." She looked at him now. His features did not change. The same determination from earlier settled into her features again. "Because maybe you missed me or something. Maybe my savior decided that it was wrong to leave me after all that he went through to help me out of that horrible place. It must have been horrible, or someone would have found it before you and your brother did. You know, something like that."
"What a strange notion," Knives remarked, taking a sip from his glass.
"Dammit," Marissa swore, "Why do you have to be so mean?" She stood up from the table, fists balancing her as she leaned over to look him in the eye. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe you were nothing like I'd imagined. Stupid me, thinking that maybe I'd see you again. What an idiot I've been!"
Then she did something strange, pressed her lips against his. Marissa's high-pitched fervor she'd been throwing at him in order to gather the attention of everyone else in the restaurant was now over. Both of their eyes were wide open and they stared at each other until Knives pulled away. The restaurant broke out into applause, and Marissa blinked. She grabbed her purse, turned three shades of pink darker and rushed out of the building. Knives followed, curious now, more than anything. "Come back." He didn't yell it, simply stated it as she started down the sidewalk, but it was enough to stop her.
When he'd come close to her again, she turned and slapped him. Knives reeled back, holding a hand to his face. "What did you do that for?"
"Why the hell did you just kiss me?" Marissa was still blushing. Her face was contorted in different emotions, none of which Knives was familiar.
"You initiated it..." Knives said aloud.
"Well maybe, but..." She turned her face from him, "you didn't even kiss me back."
Knives shrugged slowly, his hand dropping from his face. "What for?" He frowned and continued down the street without Marissa. Now he knew he was in trouble. They'd have to get out of this town fast now, too many humans... Humans with all of these emotions and stupid traditions. He'd just wanted her to answer his question and now he'd opened up a whole different topic. As it was Marissa was tailing him, jabbering along even though he was ignoring her. All he wanted to do was get to Vash, get him awake somehow and get out of there. Never again, he thought, I'm never coming to this town again!
Vash knew when Knives was on his way back. He could feel odd emotions rolling over him even as Knives breezed back into the hospital room. It wasn't the alcohol either. Smiling to himself, the warm brandy coated his nose and cheeks in a rosy shade of pink. Dr. Neiman was careful however, only let him have enough to cover the bottom of one snifter before putting the liquid away. Vash considered trying more of the stuff once he was able to get out of the hospital.
The emotions rolled off of Knives, and Vash could feel his head throb. He almost felt nauseous. Once Knives learned again how to talk to their sister, he'd started giving off waves of emotions and other thoughts. Vash got used to it quickly, and never told him. Wouldn't do Knives any good to know that he was broadcasting like a satellite. However, under the present circumstances, the feelings were making Vash's stomach turn.
His eyes weren't closed now; he looked up at Knives over the top of the book he was reading. Dr. Neiman had an extensive library, apparently he'd been quite wealthy and the cargo boxes that held his belongings survived the fall. There were books of every type, and Vash picked one up about flowers. It was interesting reading about their meanings, and he wondered if Rem had a book like it at one time. Unfortunately, as he felt the waves of confusion pour off of Knives, Vash knew he probably wouldn't get to read any more. He was starting to get a headache anyway.
Marissa followed Knives into the room. "Stop and look at me you bastard!"
Eyebrows shot up, "Ahem?" Vash couldn't believe what he was hearing. What in the world had Knives done to this girl to get her so riled up? At least she wasn't dead, that was a good sign.
Knives and Marissa both looked down at him as if they'd seen a ghost. Well, up until that point they both thought he was just this side of being a vegetable. Not that far off, I am a plant, he mused, although he really doubted he was that kind of plant. "I thought you were supposed to be quiet in the hospital," he said after a moment.
"You!" Knives nearly lunged for him, but Marissa was on him too fast. Vash was surprised, the young girl could hold her own. He wanted to chuckle as Knives spun around and lifted her off her feet. "You had something to do with this, didn't you? I'm sure of it..."
"Put me down!"
"You really should put her down," Vash remarked, setting his book on the stand by his bed. "I'm not sure what you're so worked up about but..."
Knives dropped Marissa and she collapsed to her knees. He wheeled on Vash and slammed his fist into his face. Vash was knocked off the bed onto the floor, and scrambled under it realizing that Knives was still coming for him. "What did I do?" He scrambled over to Marissa and grabbed her arm. "I... I don't think we should be here any longer," he whispered, urging her to follow him out the door again, but Knives was off the bed and grabbed Vash by the arms and hauled him up.
"You planned this. I don't know how but I know you had something to do with it!"
Vash looked down at his brother, willing himself to be calm. He'd dealt with Knives before, so many years now, there was a way to talk him out of this, right? "What is it that we're talking about here? If I did it then I'll gladly admit to it, Knives." Marissa was edging toward the door again, but Knives stuck his foot out to lean against the wall effectively stopping her. Now he stood on one leg, holding Vash against the wall. Marissa whine below him. Vash swallowed deeply. "Let's just talk this out."
"I'm not human, so don't talk to me like I'll rationalize things like them!" Knives threw Vash over his shoulder and he fell into a heap. Every muscle in his body ached, worse than they had during the typhoon. He backed up again, wishing that Marissa could get free and get help. Where was that gun of his when he needed it? This hospital gown wasn't going to help him win any fights.
Marissa was in a predicament herself; Knives hauled her up with one hand at her throat. She was gasping for air. "Please... I..." Then she couldn't speak.
Vash jumped to his feet, but Knives held out his free hand to him, "I'll kill her now, just like you wanted me to six years ago. I'll do it looking into her face. She's an insect, I'll squash her like a beetle," his fingers tightened around Marissa's neck and Vash did the only thing he could think of. He lunged for his brother, knocking all three of them to the ground. The girl was gasping for air even as Vash slugged Knives.
"You won't! I'll kill you before you can do it," he screamed, pounding again and again at Knives' face until it bled. Knives fought back, his hand dug into Vash's face and his fingers squeezed harder at him than any human could have. Vash tried not to scream, forced Knives' hand away and twisted him over onto his stomach. Pinning Knives' hands behind his back, Vash sat on him, trying to catch his breath, even as his brother tried to free himself. "Oh no you don't. You apologize to Marissa right now."
"Never... Never apologize to a stinking piece of garbage."
Marissa was crying nearby. Her throat was red, and Vash was surprised she could breathe at all. Knives could have easily crushed her neck, snapped it in half, had he chosen. What the hell happened between the two of them? This wasn't good, not good at all. Now that he'd attacked Marissa, they'd be sent away... Vash would have pounded Knives' face again if he could see it, just for ruining everything with this outburst. And what to do about Marissa? She'd seen both sides of Knives now... She was in shock, sobbing by the wall, but unable to leave. "I'm sorry..." Vash said slowly, still wrestling with Knives, although his brother was losing. He liked being stronger.
"No... I am..." Marissa managed to breathe out, although Vash was sure it hurt her to speak. "It was... All my fault."
"How could it be?" Vash shook his head, "No, don't answer that. Knives, what happened?"
"She kissed me."
Vash rolled his eyes, "Oh... Is that all?" He wanted to pin a gold star on Knives' shirt for that remark. "Your first kiss, how sweet." He smiled up at her, hoping that was the truth, and by the wave of anger that swept off of Knives, Vash was pretty sure it was. "So what?"
"Filthy stinking beast... We're nothing like them..."
"Have you heard nothing I've said these last fif... couple of years?" Vash became very conscious that he had a confused girl sitting nearby that did not need to hear what they were. It wouldn't do her any good to know they weren't human. It never helped things in the past and wouldn't help things now. "We are exactly like them and you'd best remember that."
"Garbage, filthy rodents, insects..." Knives was mumbling now, and Vash tried to ignore him. It would probably go on like this for another hour if he let it. Marissa was finally gathering her strength to stand again, although she looked pretty wobbly. At that moment Vash wondered why no one came to her rescue. They made a lot of noise, but no one came. Then it occurred to him maybe no one was around, Dr. Neiman left a while ago, and there weren't any other patients. Now that Vash was awake all of the nurses most likely went home as well. On the plus side he didn't feel sick anymore. He sighed, so now what? He couldn't go to Marissa and comfort her because that would mean letting Knives up. Vash wasn't so sure that was a good idea.
"Just... What are you?" Marissa managed to say, back against the wall. "You keep talking as if..."
"As if we aren't human?" Vash groaned inwardly, this wasn't good at all. She already figured out enough to know that they weren't normal. "I'm afraid that's part of it. My brother here..." he nodded to Knives, "Has a bit of an anger problem, as you can see."
Knives growled, "It's all their fault! Locking away our sisters as if they were just machines to be used..." He struggled against Vash's grasp, "Let me go Vash."
"Only if you promise not to kill her," his brother replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He was sure that Marissa thought he was talking to a serial murderer, trying to reason him out of killing another one because she didn't fit the profile or something. Vash's lips formed into a tight smile. That's what his brother was, a murderer, it was the simple truth, and when he snapped like this...
"Let me up. I won't touch her." Knives relaxed and Vash stood. He sat back on the bed and stretched, watching his brother carefully so that he didn't try to go for Marissa again. Knives rolled over and sat up, rubbing his wrists. He couldn't look at her, Vash realized. Knives avoided looking at her as if it would turn him to stone, but he finally said, "We should probably leave."
Marissa hadn't moved. She just looked down at them with what Vash could only figure was a mixture of confusion, revulsion, and curiosity. For some reason, after having her life put into danger, she still wanted to be there, to know what was going on, and to come to a conclusion. She would be one hell of a doctor someday, although by what Neiman said of her, she already was. "You haven't even told me why you came in the first place."
"Supplies," Knives grumbled.
"We were out of food," Vash said to clarify, "And I thought that it would do us some good to get out of the desert for awhile, see other people, that kind of thing." He shrugged, feeling his shoulders throbbing after being thrown against the wall a little while before. "Neither of us planned on the typhoon..."
"Why... Why... did you wake me up?"
Vash grabbed the book again knowing this conversation wouldn't end well. "To prove a point," he said simply, hoping she wouldn't inquire further, but knowing she would.
"What point?"
"Must you ask so many questions?" Knives said from the floor. He pulled himself to his feet, looking at her now. Vash held his breath, hoping that Knives wouldn't go for her again, and he looked around the bedside, wondering where they put his belongings. Surely his gun hadn't been lost in the sand? He could remember having it still when they came to the hospital. But having his eyes closed was not the best way to keep a track of what items went where.
"What is your problem?"
"He's just like that," Vash said, his eyes falling on a small cupboard across from the bed. Maybe it was in there? Knives turned on him, apparently frustrated that he couldn't do anything to this little woman, and wanting to get out of the hospital and quickly. The truth was, he felt Knives knew that if they made trouble now, they wouldn't be able to get the necessary supplies to finish work on the ship. He was pretty sure this was the only thing that kept Knives from killing Marissa. At least he hoped.
"You still haven't answered my question," Marissa said after a moment. Vash closed one eye and thumbed through the book, wishing she would just drop the subject if he avoided it long enough, but after a moment he sighed.
It was Knives who answered her however. "To prove that I couldn't kill you," he said. "And I couldn't."
"You've killed others..."
"Yes."
Vash grimaced; this wasn't going at all as planned. They would be arrested before morning at this rate. Except, Marissa didn't seem at all turned off by Knives' sudden revelation and that was stunning in itself. "But not you," Vash added, "It wasn't like him, but he used to think you were cute." Vash waited for Knives to hit him, but it never came and looked at Knives expectantly.
"I watched you," Knives admitted. "You were a peaceful sleeper."
Marissa slumped down onto the floor. "I guess I don't understand..." She put her head in her hands. "I just thought that you'd come to save me..." Her voice was growing quieter, it must have hurt to speak, but she was still trying. "Guess I was wrong. You just wanted to see if you could... kill... When you couldn't you just dumped me off..." Tears rolled down her face again and she sniffled and coughed. "What was I thinking?"
"What anyone would think," Vash said after a moment. He got up from the bed and kneeled in front of her. He knew better than to touch her, knowing she would pull away from him if he did. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him with those violet eyes and he understood why Knives couldn't kill her. Marissa was a special type of girl, someone who would have no problem marrying a nice man, having many intelligent children, and becoming an important part to the planet's history. He sighed, no matter what she felt, or thought she felt for Knives... "I'm sorry we weren't what you wanted us to be."
"Same here," Marissa said slowly, she set her hand on his shoulder slowly and pushed up to her feet. "I think you should probably leave. I'll just tell Dad that you left in the night." She turned from them and stumbled out of the room and down the hallway. When they were alone, Vash turned and went to the cupboard and retrieved his belongings. He pulled on his pants, his shirt, and buckled his holster and gun around his waist and looked at Knives.
His brother sat on the bed, head in his hands, eyes wide. His mind was broadcasting. Not only could Vash feel his emotions, but also words. Over and over, confusion, revulsion, anger... I'll kill them...Kill them all, burn the garbage... Should have done it in the first place. I need supplies... Get them once the filth is destroyed. Vash's eyes went just as wide, listening to this stream of confusion. The old Knives was back... Damn it. He was suddenly very glad that Knives had forgotten the gun at his own belt; otherwise he might have killed Marissa... Why? Why was he thinking these things? A kiss... All of this was because of a kiss! It was a perfectly human thing, right? Rem talked about it once in awhile, would kiss them goodnight as well. But Knives... For fifty years he didn't believe himself to be a human at all, so what was so wrong with it? Sure, the girl loved him...
"It's not love," Knives growled. He looked up at Vash, his eyes were cold. The light was gone from them, and Vash backed up a step.
"You heard me?"
"What you are thinking... Yes. I've been practicing."
Vash's eyes narrowed, "First you put this transmitter on me," he tugged at his earring, "and now you listen in on my thoughts as well? When will it end, Knives? You might be my brother but you are not my keeper..."
"As long as you are like them, I will be."
"Newsflash Knives, you're just like me."
"NEVER." Knives was on his feet now, his hand on his gun. He unsnapped it and Vash backed up another step, his own hand going to retrieve his piece if necessary. All the while his head spun with suicidal and murderous thoughts that broadcasted around the room and hung thick. Vash blinked, steadily watching his brother's movements, standing there, fingers twitching on the gun. "I'm going to do what I should have done six years ago. I'm going to destroy this town."
"What?"
Knives growled, pulling his gun and aiming it at Vash's head. "And you're going to help."
"I... I can't... You can't... We can't!" Vash couldn't bring himself to pull his gun from its holster. He just kept looking into Knives' lightless eyes. I'll kill them. Kill them all. I can't have them corrupting me, my plans. I can't have them corrupting you either, Vash. He blinked, the thoughts were so clear in his head, words as if he'd spoken them out loud. Kill or be killed.
"But what about Marissa?" Vash knew the moment he spoke her name it was the wrong thing to do. Knives pulled back his arm, and everything went black.
Human Weaknesses
Knives watched Marissa eat. She was a very tidy human. They were normally very sloppy creatures, making the act of eating into something like bathing. But this one took a bite of her food, a sip of her water, blotted her mouth, and then repeated the steps. His own pie sat in front of him still, untouched. "You don't want it?" The girl asked finally, her eyes falling on his plate and then up to him. "I thought you..."
"I'll eat it," he replied hastily. "I was just watching you."
Marissa quirked a smile, "Dad... I mean, Dr. Neiman says I'm the most proper eater of anyone he's ever met. Guess I must have done it as a child growing up. Although I really don't remember much of anything before you and Vash found me." She closed her mouth, "Oh, I'm sorry, we weren't supposed to talk about that were we?"
With a shake of his head, Knives picked up his fork, "It wasn't a question." He took a bite of his apple pie and rolled it around in his mouth. It wasn't unpleasant. Perhaps he could get the food replicator to produce a similar substance. "You may continue talking," Knives said. He felt out of place with this human, even though he noticed Marissa didn't act as if the situation were awkward.
"Well, I guess it's not important how I eat," she said quietly, sipping her water, out of order this time. "I just wanted to thank you I guess, for saving me. I've had time to think about it since then, the whole thing was such a blur to me. I must have slept a lot because I remember waking up and walking out in the sun, but nothing again until I was here in this town. I missed you terribly when you left." She flushed and stuck a huge piece of pie into her mouth, effectively stopping the chatter. Apparently she hadn't wanted to reveal that tidbit to him, Knives realized. These humans... They were very predictable in some ways. Next she would change the subject, but he wanted to test the theory.
"We couldn't take you with us," he said after a moment. A thought hit him, and it soothed his mind. Know thine enemy. "Your kind is weak."
Marissa sat in silence, her pie finished, her water gone, until the waitress came back to fill up her glass again, but she couldn't speak for a long while. Knives felt that the silence was comfortable, and he was able to finish his own dessert with relative ease. It allowed him a chance to think, to ponder on just how much he should learn of humans before it was enough to properly destroy them. They had weaknesses, not just physical ones but mental as well. It would be interesting to experiment, but then again... There really wasn't time for it. He wanted to get what they needed, get Vash and get out of the town. Sooner he got away from this girl the better. She had an odd effect on him, and he was starting to think it wasn't such a good idea to find out what it was exactly.
"I guess if you want to go back to the hospital..." Marissa started. Change of subject, Knives thought. She fumbled with her purse and pulled out some currency, setting it on the table. "I won't keep you any longer. Thanks for coming along." She kept her eyes down at the table. What was bothering her now? The fact that she'd blurted out something she hadn't wanted to? Without thinking, he reached over the table and lifted her chin so that their eyes met.
"What's wrong." It wasn't a question, he simply wanted to know. "You changed the subject."
"Well... I..." Marissa stammered, and faltered, hands shaking, "I've been thinking about what I would say to you for the last six years, and it just occurred to me that I'd built up this image of you... Yet here you are, exactly like I imagined, exactly like I remembered... And I said what I wanted to say, but I didn't get the response I'd hoped to hear." She fumbled to a stop and Knives let loose her face.
"What did you want to hear?"
Marissa flushed pink. Knives found this utterly curious. He'd read about the female species blushing, that blood flowed to their cheeks and caused them to turn red. But he'd never read about why it happened, and he filed it away as something he didn't think he should know about humans. The girl was clutching her purse now and her knuckles were white, she'd gone back to staring at the table. "That... That maybe you'd come back for me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because..." She looked at him now. His features did not change. The same determination from earlier settled into her features again. "Because maybe you missed me or something. Maybe my savior decided that it was wrong to leave me after all that he went through to help me out of that horrible place. It must have been horrible, or someone would have found it before you and your brother did. You know, something like that."
"What a strange notion," Knives remarked, taking a sip from his glass.
"Dammit," Marissa swore, "Why do you have to be so mean?" She stood up from the table, fists balancing her as she leaned over to look him in the eye. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe you were nothing like I'd imagined. Stupid me, thinking that maybe I'd see you again. What an idiot I've been!"
Then she did something strange, pressed her lips against his. Marissa's high-pitched fervor she'd been throwing at him in order to gather the attention of everyone else in the restaurant was now over. Both of their eyes were wide open and they stared at each other until Knives pulled away. The restaurant broke out into applause, and Marissa blinked. She grabbed her purse, turned three shades of pink darker and rushed out of the building. Knives followed, curious now, more than anything. "Come back." He didn't yell it, simply stated it as she started down the sidewalk, but it was enough to stop her.
When he'd come close to her again, she turned and slapped him. Knives reeled back, holding a hand to his face. "What did you do that for?"
"Why the hell did you just kiss me?" Marissa was still blushing. Her face was contorted in different emotions, none of which Knives was familiar.
"You initiated it..." Knives said aloud.
"Well maybe, but..." She turned her face from him, "you didn't even kiss me back."
Knives shrugged slowly, his hand dropping from his face. "What for?" He frowned and continued down the street without Marissa. Now he knew he was in trouble. They'd have to get out of this town fast now, too many humans... Humans with all of these emotions and stupid traditions. He'd just wanted her to answer his question and now he'd opened up a whole different topic. As it was Marissa was tailing him, jabbering along even though he was ignoring her. All he wanted to do was get to Vash, get him awake somehow and get out of there. Never again, he thought, I'm never coming to this town again!
Vash knew when Knives was on his way back. He could feel odd emotions rolling over him even as Knives breezed back into the hospital room. It wasn't the alcohol either. Smiling to himself, the warm brandy coated his nose and cheeks in a rosy shade of pink. Dr. Neiman was careful however, only let him have enough to cover the bottom of one snifter before putting the liquid away. Vash considered trying more of the stuff once he was able to get out of the hospital.
The emotions rolled off of Knives, and Vash could feel his head throb. He almost felt nauseous. Once Knives learned again how to talk to their sister, he'd started giving off waves of emotions and other thoughts. Vash got used to it quickly, and never told him. Wouldn't do Knives any good to know that he was broadcasting like a satellite. However, under the present circumstances, the feelings were making Vash's stomach turn.
His eyes weren't closed now; he looked up at Knives over the top of the book he was reading. Dr. Neiman had an extensive library, apparently he'd been quite wealthy and the cargo boxes that held his belongings survived the fall. There were books of every type, and Vash picked one up about flowers. It was interesting reading about their meanings, and he wondered if Rem had a book like it at one time. Unfortunately, as he felt the waves of confusion pour off of Knives, Vash knew he probably wouldn't get to read any more. He was starting to get a headache anyway.
Marissa followed Knives into the room. "Stop and look at me you bastard!"
Eyebrows shot up, "Ahem?" Vash couldn't believe what he was hearing. What in the world had Knives done to this girl to get her so riled up? At least she wasn't dead, that was a good sign.
Knives and Marissa both looked down at him as if they'd seen a ghost. Well, up until that point they both thought he was just this side of being a vegetable. Not that far off, I am a plant, he mused, although he really doubted he was that kind of plant. "I thought you were supposed to be quiet in the hospital," he said after a moment.
"You!" Knives nearly lunged for him, but Marissa was on him too fast. Vash was surprised, the young girl could hold her own. He wanted to chuckle as Knives spun around and lifted her off her feet. "You had something to do with this, didn't you? I'm sure of it..."
"Put me down!"
"You really should put her down," Vash remarked, setting his book on the stand by his bed. "I'm not sure what you're so worked up about but..."
Knives dropped Marissa and she collapsed to her knees. He wheeled on Vash and slammed his fist into his face. Vash was knocked off the bed onto the floor, and scrambled under it realizing that Knives was still coming for him. "What did I do?" He scrambled over to Marissa and grabbed her arm. "I... I don't think we should be here any longer," he whispered, urging her to follow him out the door again, but Knives was off the bed and grabbed Vash by the arms and hauled him up.
"You planned this. I don't know how but I know you had something to do with it!"
Vash looked down at his brother, willing himself to be calm. He'd dealt with Knives before, so many years now, there was a way to talk him out of this, right? "What is it that we're talking about here? If I did it then I'll gladly admit to it, Knives." Marissa was edging toward the door again, but Knives stuck his foot out to lean against the wall effectively stopping her. Now he stood on one leg, holding Vash against the wall. Marissa whine below him. Vash swallowed deeply. "Let's just talk this out."
"I'm not human, so don't talk to me like I'll rationalize things like them!" Knives threw Vash over his shoulder and he fell into a heap. Every muscle in his body ached, worse than they had during the typhoon. He backed up again, wishing that Marissa could get free and get help. Where was that gun of his when he needed it? This hospital gown wasn't going to help him win any fights.
Marissa was in a predicament herself; Knives hauled her up with one hand at her throat. She was gasping for air. "Please... I..." Then she couldn't speak.
Vash jumped to his feet, but Knives held out his free hand to him, "I'll kill her now, just like you wanted me to six years ago. I'll do it looking into her face. She's an insect, I'll squash her like a beetle," his fingers tightened around Marissa's neck and Vash did the only thing he could think of. He lunged for his brother, knocking all three of them to the ground. The girl was gasping for air even as Vash slugged Knives.
"You won't! I'll kill you before you can do it," he screamed, pounding again and again at Knives' face until it bled. Knives fought back, his hand dug into Vash's face and his fingers squeezed harder at him than any human could have. Vash tried not to scream, forced Knives' hand away and twisted him over onto his stomach. Pinning Knives' hands behind his back, Vash sat on him, trying to catch his breath, even as his brother tried to free himself. "Oh no you don't. You apologize to Marissa right now."
"Never... Never apologize to a stinking piece of garbage."
Marissa was crying nearby. Her throat was red, and Vash was surprised she could breathe at all. Knives could have easily crushed her neck, snapped it in half, had he chosen. What the hell happened between the two of them? This wasn't good, not good at all. Now that he'd attacked Marissa, they'd be sent away... Vash would have pounded Knives' face again if he could see it, just for ruining everything with this outburst. And what to do about Marissa? She'd seen both sides of Knives now... She was in shock, sobbing by the wall, but unable to leave. "I'm sorry..." Vash said slowly, still wrestling with Knives, although his brother was losing. He liked being stronger.
"No... I am..." Marissa managed to breathe out, although Vash was sure it hurt her to speak. "It was... All my fault."
"How could it be?" Vash shook his head, "No, don't answer that. Knives, what happened?"
"She kissed me."
Vash rolled his eyes, "Oh... Is that all?" He wanted to pin a gold star on Knives' shirt for that remark. "Your first kiss, how sweet." He smiled up at her, hoping that was the truth, and by the wave of anger that swept off of Knives, Vash was pretty sure it was. "So what?"
"Filthy stinking beast... We're nothing like them..."
"Have you heard nothing I've said these last fif... couple of years?" Vash became very conscious that he had a confused girl sitting nearby that did not need to hear what they were. It wouldn't do her any good to know they weren't human. It never helped things in the past and wouldn't help things now. "We are exactly like them and you'd best remember that."
"Garbage, filthy rodents, insects..." Knives was mumbling now, and Vash tried to ignore him. It would probably go on like this for another hour if he let it. Marissa was finally gathering her strength to stand again, although she looked pretty wobbly. At that moment Vash wondered why no one came to her rescue. They made a lot of noise, but no one came. Then it occurred to him maybe no one was around, Dr. Neiman left a while ago, and there weren't any other patients. Now that Vash was awake all of the nurses most likely went home as well. On the plus side he didn't feel sick anymore. He sighed, so now what? He couldn't go to Marissa and comfort her because that would mean letting Knives up. Vash wasn't so sure that was a good idea.
"Just... What are you?" Marissa managed to say, back against the wall. "You keep talking as if..."
"As if we aren't human?" Vash groaned inwardly, this wasn't good at all. She already figured out enough to know that they weren't normal. "I'm afraid that's part of it. My brother here..." he nodded to Knives, "Has a bit of an anger problem, as you can see."
Knives growled, "It's all their fault! Locking away our sisters as if they were just machines to be used..." He struggled against Vash's grasp, "Let me go Vash."
"Only if you promise not to kill her," his brother replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He was sure that Marissa thought he was talking to a serial murderer, trying to reason him out of killing another one because she didn't fit the profile or something. Vash's lips formed into a tight smile. That's what his brother was, a murderer, it was the simple truth, and when he snapped like this...
"Let me up. I won't touch her." Knives relaxed and Vash stood. He sat back on the bed and stretched, watching his brother carefully so that he didn't try to go for Marissa again. Knives rolled over and sat up, rubbing his wrists. He couldn't look at her, Vash realized. Knives avoided looking at her as if it would turn him to stone, but he finally said, "We should probably leave."
Marissa hadn't moved. She just looked down at them with what Vash could only figure was a mixture of confusion, revulsion, and curiosity. For some reason, after having her life put into danger, she still wanted to be there, to know what was going on, and to come to a conclusion. She would be one hell of a doctor someday, although by what Neiman said of her, she already was. "You haven't even told me why you came in the first place."
"Supplies," Knives grumbled.
"We were out of food," Vash said to clarify, "And I thought that it would do us some good to get out of the desert for awhile, see other people, that kind of thing." He shrugged, feeling his shoulders throbbing after being thrown against the wall a little while before. "Neither of us planned on the typhoon..."
"Why... Why... did you wake me up?"
Vash grabbed the book again knowing this conversation wouldn't end well. "To prove a point," he said simply, hoping she wouldn't inquire further, but knowing she would.
"What point?"
"Must you ask so many questions?" Knives said from the floor. He pulled himself to his feet, looking at her now. Vash held his breath, hoping that Knives wouldn't go for her again, and he looked around the bedside, wondering where they put his belongings. Surely his gun hadn't been lost in the sand? He could remember having it still when they came to the hospital. But having his eyes closed was not the best way to keep a track of what items went where.
"What is your problem?"
"He's just like that," Vash said, his eyes falling on a small cupboard across from the bed. Maybe it was in there? Knives turned on him, apparently frustrated that he couldn't do anything to this little woman, and wanting to get out of the hospital and quickly. The truth was, he felt Knives knew that if they made trouble now, they wouldn't be able to get the necessary supplies to finish work on the ship. He was pretty sure this was the only thing that kept Knives from killing Marissa. At least he hoped.
"You still haven't answered my question," Marissa said after a moment. Vash closed one eye and thumbed through the book, wishing she would just drop the subject if he avoided it long enough, but after a moment he sighed.
It was Knives who answered her however. "To prove that I couldn't kill you," he said. "And I couldn't."
"You've killed others..."
"Yes."
Vash grimaced; this wasn't going at all as planned. They would be arrested before morning at this rate. Except, Marissa didn't seem at all turned off by Knives' sudden revelation and that was stunning in itself. "But not you," Vash added, "It wasn't like him, but he used to think you were cute." Vash waited for Knives to hit him, but it never came and looked at Knives expectantly.
"I watched you," Knives admitted. "You were a peaceful sleeper."
Marissa slumped down onto the floor. "I guess I don't understand..." She put her head in her hands. "I just thought that you'd come to save me..." Her voice was growing quieter, it must have hurt to speak, but she was still trying. "Guess I was wrong. You just wanted to see if you could... kill... When you couldn't you just dumped me off..." Tears rolled down her face again and she sniffled and coughed. "What was I thinking?"
"What anyone would think," Vash said after a moment. He got up from the bed and kneeled in front of her. He knew better than to touch her, knowing she would pull away from him if he did. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him with those violet eyes and he understood why Knives couldn't kill her. Marissa was a special type of girl, someone who would have no problem marrying a nice man, having many intelligent children, and becoming an important part to the planet's history. He sighed, no matter what she felt, or thought she felt for Knives... "I'm sorry we weren't what you wanted us to be."
"Same here," Marissa said slowly, she set her hand on his shoulder slowly and pushed up to her feet. "I think you should probably leave. I'll just tell Dad that you left in the night." She turned from them and stumbled out of the room and down the hallway. When they were alone, Vash turned and went to the cupboard and retrieved his belongings. He pulled on his pants, his shirt, and buckled his holster and gun around his waist and looked at Knives.
His brother sat on the bed, head in his hands, eyes wide. His mind was broadcasting. Not only could Vash feel his emotions, but also words. Over and over, confusion, revulsion, anger... I'll kill them...Kill them all, burn the garbage... Should have done it in the first place. I need supplies... Get them once the filth is destroyed. Vash's eyes went just as wide, listening to this stream of confusion. The old Knives was back... Damn it. He was suddenly very glad that Knives had forgotten the gun at his own belt; otherwise he might have killed Marissa... Why? Why was he thinking these things? A kiss... All of this was because of a kiss! It was a perfectly human thing, right? Rem talked about it once in awhile, would kiss them goodnight as well. But Knives... For fifty years he didn't believe himself to be a human at all, so what was so wrong with it? Sure, the girl loved him...
"It's not love," Knives growled. He looked up at Vash, his eyes were cold. The light was gone from them, and Vash backed up a step.
"You heard me?"
"What you are thinking... Yes. I've been practicing."
Vash's eyes narrowed, "First you put this transmitter on me," he tugged at his earring, "and now you listen in on my thoughts as well? When will it end, Knives? You might be my brother but you are not my keeper..."
"As long as you are like them, I will be."
"Newsflash Knives, you're just like me."
"NEVER." Knives was on his feet now, his hand on his gun. He unsnapped it and Vash backed up another step, his own hand going to retrieve his piece if necessary. All the while his head spun with suicidal and murderous thoughts that broadcasted around the room and hung thick. Vash blinked, steadily watching his brother's movements, standing there, fingers twitching on the gun. "I'm going to do what I should have done six years ago. I'm going to destroy this town."
"What?"
Knives growled, pulling his gun and aiming it at Vash's head. "And you're going to help."
"I... I can't... You can't... We can't!" Vash couldn't bring himself to pull his gun from its holster. He just kept looking into Knives' lightless eyes. I'll kill them. Kill them all. I can't have them corrupting me, my plans. I can't have them corrupting you either, Vash. He blinked, the thoughts were so clear in his head, words as if he'd spoken them out loud. Kill or be killed.
"But what about Marissa?" Vash knew the moment he spoke her name it was the wrong thing to do. Knives pulled back his arm, and everything went black.