Chapter 5
Plants
Knives threw Vash over his shoulder for the second time that day. It was dark out now, past midnight, although the main three moons were overhead, half-full. They cast a dim light on the plants at the edge of town. There were three, two on one side of the town, the third about a half-mile away. He headed to the pair on the right, hearing their voices from the distance. Are you ready, sisters? He asked them, listening to their responses, a mix of emotions, mostly pleasant, curious, eager to see him. Knives felt them from the ship, but could not respond to them until now.
Very few people stirred at this time of night. A few drunks stumbled out of the bar laughing as he walked by, but took no notice of them. A few straggling teenagers disappeared down into an alley, and a dog whined as they beat it. Knives' lips formed into a twisted smile. This town didn't deserve to be on his planet. It was corrupted, less than fifty years and the humans were already spreading their filth. Humans were evil. They used what they needed, discarded what they didn't, and did what they pleased without any thoughts to morality. Farther into the town he could hear a woman crying, a man screaming, children ran out into the street in front of him, yelling for help. Knives ignored them. He would help them soon enough, by killing them.
Soon he passed into the hull of what remained of the great ship and made his way up to the plants. Vash stirred on his shoulder. "Don't do this," he whispered, "Please don't do this."
"I've made up my mind," Knives replied, throwing his brother onto the steps. Vash grunted in pain, he hit the stairs and his head made a sharp crack. He closed his eyes but didn't cry out. "Get up." Vash did as he was told, a hand slowly reached up to the back of his head, and his fingers came away covered in blood. He didn't look away from Knives, resolve set in on his features, and he dropped his hand to his side. "That's better," Knives said, pulled his gun and pointed up the stairs. "Walk."
Vash did as he was told, painfully climbing the steps ahead of Knives. His hair was soaked in the blood from his new wound and Knives watched the color deepen as they went. It was always their blood that this planet was built on, their blood that spilled for the humans to survive. Now he would turn the tables, now the humans would spill blood, their blood to mix with the sand to form the building blocks of paradise. Knives' tight lips pressed open and he pushed his gun into Vash's back. "Faster."
"I am..." Vash replied, taking the steps two at a time now, buckling as pains shot through him, Knives felt the emotions rolling off of Vash. He could hear his words, they did nothing to us, nothing but help us, and this is how you repay their kindness, by killing them? I'll stop you. You know that, don't you? They were close now; the plant above already descended into her angelic shape, agonizingly beautiful to Knives. She pressed up against the glass, looking at her brothers eagerly. Her mouth was open in silent awe as Knives made one last shove and Vash fell to his knees in front of the glass globe. He moaned and remained still, eyes open, looking up at Knives, pleading for him not to do whatever it was he was planning to do.
Knives ignored him, put his hand against the glass and could feel the connection open between him and the angel. His sister was strong. She'd do just fine in this little endeavor. He was unsure what would happen to her or her other siblings, Knives never made one use so much power before, and for a moment it gave him pause. He already lost so many of their family during the crash, so much more to the use of the humans, but none of them pushed the plants to their extreme limit. This would be a first.
"You'll kill her," Vash mumbled from the ground, his green eyes filled with tears, face covered in sticky blood from his hands. "She's not strong enough to survive destroying the town."
"What do you know?" Knives hissed, "You're a coward. One life given to destroy these humans will be worth it. She knows that."
Pulling himself up, Vash cringed with the effort, but was able to stand again. "You're the coward, making others do your dirty work."
Knives turned on him, no more; he would not stand his brother's words any more. He raised his gun and fired, Vash fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. "I'm not a coward Vash. I will do this, and set things right again." He started to turn, but Vash was moving again. Knives looked down on him, his brother was actually pulling his own gun, cocking it with a pained grimace, and held it level with Knives' head.
"I'll stop you."
With a laugh, Knives turned, lifting his hands up like bandits did in the old movies he watched with Rem. "Do it. Shoot me. You're lucky I even put your gun back in its place when you were unconscious." He waited, looking down on Vash, smiling, knowing that his brother couldn't do it. Now who was the strong one? Vash showed his weakness by hesitating. Knives laughed again. He opened his mouth to talk, but something caught his attention, his eyes turned. There was someone coming up the steps. Lowering his hands, he aimed his gun at the dark silhouette. "Who are you?"
"Don't kill him," came the reply. Marissa stood at the top of the platform. Her eyes were on Knives' gun, but they soon focused instead on his face. His fingers twitched on the trigger, but didn't fire. She was trying to smile. "I know you're not like this... You're a good man." Knives sneered; Piece of garbage thinks she can save her own life by talking? The gun fired, but the bullet passed harmlessly over her shoulder. He aimed too high. Marissa almost sighed with relief, "You aren't a bad man. I can see it in your eyes..."
"I'm not a man," Knives growled back, lowering his gun. He fired again, it skimmed her face and Marissa fell to her knees, clutching her cheek. "I'm a murderer." Again the gun went off, it hit Marissa's shoulder and she screamed.
"Stop!" Vash cried behind him. He was struggling with his own wounds, fired his gun, sending the bullet flying into the darkness. Knives looked at him over his shoulder. Strange, he thought to himself, Vash isn't even aiming at me. He's good with his gun now, near perfect aim. He wouldn't miss... Where? His eyes fell suddenly on the plant. Another shot and a crack appeared in the plant's bulb. Knives' eyes went wide.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Stopping you," Vash growled, climbing to his feet, his hurt arm dangling at his side. He was holding his gun by his left hand. No wonder the first shot missed. Knives laughed, but Vash fired another bullet into the plant and the glass cracked more.
Knives lowered his gun, "You'll kill her."
"I don't care about the plant," Vash replied, sending another shot into the glass. "She means less to me than that woman lying there." He took a step toward Marissa and his eyes were sad. "Have you lost everything good in you? Have you forgotten everything Rem taught us? We came here to make paradise for all of us. We can live together in peace." Vash took another step, then another, until he was standing at Marissa's side. "She wasn't scared of us, otherwise she wouldn't have followed us."
"You're no longer my brother," Knives stepped back from them. He watched Vash kneel next to Marissa and pull her into his lap, holding a hand over her shoulder to stop the bleeding. The wound could be mortal if it were not treated in time. He could smell the coppery scent in the air. It hung heavy, and he breathed it in eagerly as he had the last time he killed someone. Life was so short, so feeble, these humans so weak, their life poured out of them in a red stream and then it was extinguished.
Knives turned, no more waiting. Holstering his gun, he pressed both hands against the glass. The plant followed suit, her hollow eyes watching him, focused on one thing. He could feel her power riding on the surface of the glass. More, he urged her through their link. Use it all, glow for me. The plant did as she was told; her skin glowed, crackled with power, until the glass enclosure looked like a light bulb. The light burst out over the town like one of the suns.
"No..." Marissa's small voice pleaded. "No Millions, please, don't!" Vash looked down at her, clutching her in his arms, if Knives did this, he'd shield her if he could. There wasn't much else he could do. The life was leaking out of her, but she was fighting it, thank God she was fighting it. "Look at me, please... You spared my life once..."
Knives looked down on them, the light from the plant didn't even reflect in his eyes. They were as empty as the plant behind him. "I am god of this place, I spare whom I choose," he said in a deep rumble. Vash could feel Marissa shutter in his grasp, and even he felt more than a little afraid. Was there nothing he could do? His gun... He could... No, he couldn't...
"I'm too weak, I'm sorry," he whispered in Marissa's ear. She shook her head, and he looked into her eyes. They were strong, so very strong. He knew she'd live, no matter what happened... It made him feel a hundred times better when she looked at him.
The plant was glowing brighter, and she started to scream. The sound caught Vash off-guard and he cringed with the memory. Now the other two plants were screaming. They were like banshees, and the lights in the town started going on. Everyone could hear them; people were streaming out of their houses, looking at the plants. Lights in the city popped on and exploded throughout the city. The power leaking from the plants was massive; it surged through everything destroying the wires and melting the circuits. The humans knew what was happening, but were unable to do anything, staring up into the light blindly. Run, Vash pleaded with them silently, leave this town and don't look back... Save yourselves... But they didn't move, just stood down below watching.
He turned to look at Knives; his brother was wrapped around the glass bulb as if it were a lover. "Kill them all... We shall make our paradise from their blood..." Knives was smiling.
Vash pulled out his gun, tears coming to his eyes. He lifted it slowly. Is this it Rem? I don't have another choice do I? I can't let him kill all of these people... With his hand shaking, he looked down the barrel at Knives; the plants were reaching critical now. The power crackled off of them, jumped from bulb to bulb around the town like lightning. People were screaming. They were running now in horror. Too late, they wouldn't get out of town fast enough. Vash wasn't even sure now if he were to kill Knives if he could stop the plants... The plants!
The gun went off and the glass above Knives cracked. A second and the outside air hissed as it filled the vacuum of the bulb. Knives pulled away in horror. "No!" He turned on Vash, "No! What do you think you're doing?"
"Stopping you!" The plant's light already started to fade. She was unsure; Vash could hear a question from her. Was she going to die? What would happen to the little children? They'll die too, Vash answered her. When you die, the town will die. It will disappear under the sand. Do you want that? He sent the message to all three plants. Then he turned to Knives. His brother pulled his gun, shakily, the power from their sisters made his skin glow. He looked like a terrible angel of death.
Marissa passed out in Vash's arms. "Marissa? Marissa! Wake up!" Vash tried shaking her, but she lost too much blood. He pulled out from under her and got to his feet. "You've gone too far this time, Knives."
"You are a plant, Vash. Do you really care for them so much you'd give your life for them?" Knives steadied his gun. The plants were calming now, the light started to fade. Vash couldn't see his brother's features as well now. And for some reason, he couldn't hear his thoughts either. He must have learned to shield them before...
"I'd gladly give my life than be like you," Vash replied. He held his gun up as well. There was only one bullet left. It would have to do. I'm sorry Rem... I didn't want to have to do this. I thought he would change. I thought when he saw Marissa again...
"Stop it!" Knives hissed. He shot Vash in the leg and he toppled to the ground. The pain was intense, he screamed, clutching the wound. "That woman, that bitch, you talk to her as if she were still alive! All along, always talking to her... I'm glad she died. But she's corrupted you, made you think that you were human... I hated her and you should have too." Tears rolled down Vash's face, the pain was starting to recede, the bullet would probably push its way out soon, but he was weakening. Soon he wouldn't even be able to hold his gun.
Shakily, he lifted his head; raising the gun Knives gave him. "I loved her. And you should have too."
The brothers fired. Gunshots echoed over the town. Then silence.
Plants
Knives threw Vash over his shoulder for the second time that day. It was dark out now, past midnight, although the main three moons were overhead, half-full. They cast a dim light on the plants at the edge of town. There were three, two on one side of the town, the third about a half-mile away. He headed to the pair on the right, hearing their voices from the distance. Are you ready, sisters? He asked them, listening to their responses, a mix of emotions, mostly pleasant, curious, eager to see him. Knives felt them from the ship, but could not respond to them until now.
Very few people stirred at this time of night. A few drunks stumbled out of the bar laughing as he walked by, but took no notice of them. A few straggling teenagers disappeared down into an alley, and a dog whined as they beat it. Knives' lips formed into a twisted smile. This town didn't deserve to be on his planet. It was corrupted, less than fifty years and the humans were already spreading their filth. Humans were evil. They used what they needed, discarded what they didn't, and did what they pleased without any thoughts to morality. Farther into the town he could hear a woman crying, a man screaming, children ran out into the street in front of him, yelling for help. Knives ignored them. He would help them soon enough, by killing them.
Soon he passed into the hull of what remained of the great ship and made his way up to the plants. Vash stirred on his shoulder. "Don't do this," he whispered, "Please don't do this."
"I've made up my mind," Knives replied, throwing his brother onto the steps. Vash grunted in pain, he hit the stairs and his head made a sharp crack. He closed his eyes but didn't cry out. "Get up." Vash did as he was told, a hand slowly reached up to the back of his head, and his fingers came away covered in blood. He didn't look away from Knives, resolve set in on his features, and he dropped his hand to his side. "That's better," Knives said, pulled his gun and pointed up the stairs. "Walk."
Vash did as he was told, painfully climbing the steps ahead of Knives. His hair was soaked in the blood from his new wound and Knives watched the color deepen as they went. It was always their blood that this planet was built on, their blood that spilled for the humans to survive. Now he would turn the tables, now the humans would spill blood, their blood to mix with the sand to form the building blocks of paradise. Knives' tight lips pressed open and he pushed his gun into Vash's back. "Faster."
"I am..." Vash replied, taking the steps two at a time now, buckling as pains shot through him, Knives felt the emotions rolling off of Vash. He could hear his words, they did nothing to us, nothing but help us, and this is how you repay their kindness, by killing them? I'll stop you. You know that, don't you? They were close now; the plant above already descended into her angelic shape, agonizingly beautiful to Knives. She pressed up against the glass, looking at her brothers eagerly. Her mouth was open in silent awe as Knives made one last shove and Vash fell to his knees in front of the glass globe. He moaned and remained still, eyes open, looking up at Knives, pleading for him not to do whatever it was he was planning to do.
Knives ignored him, put his hand against the glass and could feel the connection open between him and the angel. His sister was strong. She'd do just fine in this little endeavor. He was unsure what would happen to her or her other siblings, Knives never made one use so much power before, and for a moment it gave him pause. He already lost so many of their family during the crash, so much more to the use of the humans, but none of them pushed the plants to their extreme limit. This would be a first.
"You'll kill her," Vash mumbled from the ground, his green eyes filled with tears, face covered in sticky blood from his hands. "She's not strong enough to survive destroying the town."
"What do you know?" Knives hissed, "You're a coward. One life given to destroy these humans will be worth it. She knows that."
Pulling himself up, Vash cringed with the effort, but was able to stand again. "You're the coward, making others do your dirty work."
Knives turned on him, no more; he would not stand his brother's words any more. He raised his gun and fired, Vash fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. "I'm not a coward Vash. I will do this, and set things right again." He started to turn, but Vash was moving again. Knives looked down on him, his brother was actually pulling his own gun, cocking it with a pained grimace, and held it level with Knives' head.
"I'll stop you."
With a laugh, Knives turned, lifting his hands up like bandits did in the old movies he watched with Rem. "Do it. Shoot me. You're lucky I even put your gun back in its place when you were unconscious." He waited, looking down on Vash, smiling, knowing that his brother couldn't do it. Now who was the strong one? Vash showed his weakness by hesitating. Knives laughed again. He opened his mouth to talk, but something caught his attention, his eyes turned. There was someone coming up the steps. Lowering his hands, he aimed his gun at the dark silhouette. "Who are you?"
"Don't kill him," came the reply. Marissa stood at the top of the platform. Her eyes were on Knives' gun, but they soon focused instead on his face. His fingers twitched on the trigger, but didn't fire. She was trying to smile. "I know you're not like this... You're a good man." Knives sneered; Piece of garbage thinks she can save her own life by talking? The gun fired, but the bullet passed harmlessly over her shoulder. He aimed too high. Marissa almost sighed with relief, "You aren't a bad man. I can see it in your eyes..."
"I'm not a man," Knives growled back, lowering his gun. He fired again, it skimmed her face and Marissa fell to her knees, clutching her cheek. "I'm a murderer." Again the gun went off, it hit Marissa's shoulder and she screamed.
"Stop!" Vash cried behind him. He was struggling with his own wounds, fired his gun, sending the bullet flying into the darkness. Knives looked at him over his shoulder. Strange, he thought to himself, Vash isn't even aiming at me. He's good with his gun now, near perfect aim. He wouldn't miss... Where? His eyes fell suddenly on the plant. Another shot and a crack appeared in the plant's bulb. Knives' eyes went wide.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Stopping you," Vash growled, climbing to his feet, his hurt arm dangling at his side. He was holding his gun by his left hand. No wonder the first shot missed. Knives laughed, but Vash fired another bullet into the plant and the glass cracked more.
Knives lowered his gun, "You'll kill her."
"I don't care about the plant," Vash replied, sending another shot into the glass. "She means less to me than that woman lying there." He took a step toward Marissa and his eyes were sad. "Have you lost everything good in you? Have you forgotten everything Rem taught us? We came here to make paradise for all of us. We can live together in peace." Vash took another step, then another, until he was standing at Marissa's side. "She wasn't scared of us, otherwise she wouldn't have followed us."
"You're no longer my brother," Knives stepped back from them. He watched Vash kneel next to Marissa and pull her into his lap, holding a hand over her shoulder to stop the bleeding. The wound could be mortal if it were not treated in time. He could smell the coppery scent in the air. It hung heavy, and he breathed it in eagerly as he had the last time he killed someone. Life was so short, so feeble, these humans so weak, their life poured out of them in a red stream and then it was extinguished.
Knives turned, no more waiting. Holstering his gun, he pressed both hands against the glass. The plant followed suit, her hollow eyes watching him, focused on one thing. He could feel her power riding on the surface of the glass. More, he urged her through their link. Use it all, glow for me. The plant did as she was told; her skin glowed, crackled with power, until the glass enclosure looked like a light bulb. The light burst out over the town like one of the suns.
"No..." Marissa's small voice pleaded. "No Millions, please, don't!" Vash looked down at her, clutching her in his arms, if Knives did this, he'd shield her if he could. There wasn't much else he could do. The life was leaking out of her, but she was fighting it, thank God she was fighting it. "Look at me, please... You spared my life once..."
Knives looked down on them, the light from the plant didn't even reflect in his eyes. They were as empty as the plant behind him. "I am god of this place, I spare whom I choose," he said in a deep rumble. Vash could feel Marissa shutter in his grasp, and even he felt more than a little afraid. Was there nothing he could do? His gun... He could... No, he couldn't...
"I'm too weak, I'm sorry," he whispered in Marissa's ear. She shook her head, and he looked into her eyes. They were strong, so very strong. He knew she'd live, no matter what happened... It made him feel a hundred times better when she looked at him.
The plant was glowing brighter, and she started to scream. The sound caught Vash off-guard and he cringed with the memory. Now the other two plants were screaming. They were like banshees, and the lights in the town started going on. Everyone could hear them; people were streaming out of their houses, looking at the plants. Lights in the city popped on and exploded throughout the city. The power leaking from the plants was massive; it surged through everything destroying the wires and melting the circuits. The humans knew what was happening, but were unable to do anything, staring up into the light blindly. Run, Vash pleaded with them silently, leave this town and don't look back... Save yourselves... But they didn't move, just stood down below watching.
He turned to look at Knives; his brother was wrapped around the glass bulb as if it were a lover. "Kill them all... We shall make our paradise from their blood..." Knives was smiling.
Vash pulled out his gun, tears coming to his eyes. He lifted it slowly. Is this it Rem? I don't have another choice do I? I can't let him kill all of these people... With his hand shaking, he looked down the barrel at Knives; the plants were reaching critical now. The power crackled off of them, jumped from bulb to bulb around the town like lightning. People were screaming. They were running now in horror. Too late, they wouldn't get out of town fast enough. Vash wasn't even sure now if he were to kill Knives if he could stop the plants... The plants!
The gun went off and the glass above Knives cracked. A second and the outside air hissed as it filled the vacuum of the bulb. Knives pulled away in horror. "No!" He turned on Vash, "No! What do you think you're doing?"
"Stopping you!" The plant's light already started to fade. She was unsure; Vash could hear a question from her. Was she going to die? What would happen to the little children? They'll die too, Vash answered her. When you die, the town will die. It will disappear under the sand. Do you want that? He sent the message to all three plants. Then he turned to Knives. His brother pulled his gun, shakily, the power from their sisters made his skin glow. He looked like a terrible angel of death.
Marissa passed out in Vash's arms. "Marissa? Marissa! Wake up!" Vash tried shaking her, but she lost too much blood. He pulled out from under her and got to his feet. "You've gone too far this time, Knives."
"You are a plant, Vash. Do you really care for them so much you'd give your life for them?" Knives steadied his gun. The plants were calming now, the light started to fade. Vash couldn't see his brother's features as well now. And for some reason, he couldn't hear his thoughts either. He must have learned to shield them before...
"I'd gladly give my life than be like you," Vash replied. He held his gun up as well. There was only one bullet left. It would have to do. I'm sorry Rem... I didn't want to have to do this. I thought he would change. I thought when he saw Marissa again...
"Stop it!" Knives hissed. He shot Vash in the leg and he toppled to the ground. The pain was intense, he screamed, clutching the wound. "That woman, that bitch, you talk to her as if she were still alive! All along, always talking to her... I'm glad she died. But she's corrupted you, made you think that you were human... I hated her and you should have too." Tears rolled down Vash's face, the pain was starting to recede, the bullet would probably push its way out soon, but he was weakening. Soon he wouldn't even be able to hold his gun.
Shakily, he lifted his head; raising the gun Knives gave him. "I loved her. And you should have too."
The brothers fired. Gunshots echoed over the town. Then silence.