By Water/Air
I don't own Trigun or any of its characters.Notes: This story takes place after the series and it is about Knives but it isn't a redemption fic. More like a scene of one-shots. Meant to be very dramatic.
When they thought that Knives was asleep, they would walk in with bowls of soup or soft food. They laid it down for him to awake and eat it. It made Knives angry. They should have served it to him when he noticed like loyal servants. Vash and Meryl were the cautious ones that he didn't like.
Millie wasn't much better. She walked in whenever but didn't respect him. He saw this as just as much disrespect. Millie was of course, too carefree, to notice. She treated him like he was a baby. Like he was younger than she. It was foolish. He had left boyhood a long time ago.
When he slaughtered the SEEDS ship...
Vash was the one who had to remain a boy. Entwined in fantasies and ghosts. That Saverem woman had been the cause of all his problems. Knives wondered when Vash was going to grow up and see it his way. So they could destroy this wretched planet together. Vash had already destroyed Augusta and July. Knives had destroyed more than that.
He hoped that the priest would convince Vash or at least deliver him. But he was unsuccessful. Legato knew what to do in situations like these. Speaking of which, he needed to find more replacements for his legion. Legato had followed him to the end and he wondered if any others would be wise enough to.
Or were they all like Rem Saverem? Foolish and childish ideals. When was Vash going to realize that the world didn't work that way? Why did he want to help? How could Saverem have a more powerful hold on Vash than I? We are brothers! Rem was just a babysitter. They had only spent a year with her. What made Vash different? Why were they different?
Throwing Steve into the mix was a factor but it still didn't help. Knives was just more violent in nature. He couldn't understand it. But then again, he didn't need to. Denial was a horrible human emotion that Knives was ashamed to feel so he denied denial. The one thing that Knives really hated was pain.
Dammit. Would Vash shoot me to protect the ideals of a ghost? Does he even care about me? No! Just his damned humans! Spiders they are! I'll kill every last one slowly. We'll see then! EDEN SHALL AWAIT!!
He still wondered. If his plan had gone right and Rem had lived then maybe Vash could get over her. But Rem had to be selfless! She had to make an impression! Killing Steve, Joey, Mary... They didn't mean anything but Rem did. If Rem had lived then this planet wouldn't have been infected by inferior scum.
His thoughts were interrupted as the door was opened. It was a human woman. The short one. Knives closed his eyes as she came into the room nervously with a tray of food. Knives wasn't hungry. He didn't even need to eat. He was a plant.
Meryl set down the tray and looked at the supposedly passed out figure below her. She couldn't believe Vash had a brother. She really couldn't believe that he was evil either. If she had been told earlier that Vash had a brother, she would think that he was maybe a younger version of Vash with the same laugh and attitude. Not a man who wanted to reap genocide on the human race. They were opposites. That would have been her second guess.
She turned away when she dropped the spoon on the ground. When bending down to pick up she turned toward Knives. She could have sworn that he had twitched. The guy had made her scared. Her, Meryl. She usually only got annoyed. Fear was not a quality she had.
Openly...
She set down the spoon and was about to walk away when she saw it. Her gray eyes met his blue ones and time froze. Literally. Then she heard a voice. It was Knives'. But that couldn't be because his mouth wasn't moving. How was this possible?
So, who are you, girl? Knives said.
How is he talking? Meryl thought.
I'm telepathic. Didn't Vash tell you? Knives demanded.
Wait, so I just have to think and you can read my mind? Meryl asked.
Yes, now who are you? Knives asked.
Meryl gulped. I'm Meryl Strife, from the Burnadelli Insurance Soci... Meryl started.
Knives cut her off. I asked for your name only. Not your life story. I might as well call you Wretched, Knives spat at her.
Why... why is time frozen? Meryl asked nervously.
Telepath. How many times must I tell you, foolish girl, Knives said.
Hey, don't call me foolish! I have a name too! It's MERYL! Meryl bravely shouted.
Knives gritted his teeth. You humans are idiots, don't you know when you are in the face of a superior being?! If you were my servant then you would bow and praise me to even look at you!
Well, I'm not!
Your wrong, human! I can control anyone at anytime. Humans' minds are so vulnerable, it makes me sick! To think that I could fry your brain at any second, Knives spat rudely. Away from the conversation, he was thinking deeper thoughts. She looked like someone, someone he knew. He just couldn't figure it out.
You, what!? Meryl was scared now. Was he bluffing?
I'm not bluffing, Knives said.
Oh shit, telepath, Meryl swore to herself.
Demonstration, Knives said and he used it. Time unfroze and Meryl clutched her head. It was like it was being ripped open. She screamed out. It almost hurt Knives' ears. He just smiled and realized that he used to enjoy such a pain from humans. Meryl fell back into a dresser, knocking it over. She fell on top of it and grabbed at her head. She screamed again and this time, Vash ran into the room.
He saw Knives staring at Meryl and her in pain. He couldn't really bear to see this. He realized then how stupid he was. Sending her in alone to tend to Knives. He had been very stupid. He ran over to Knives and shook him. "Stop it!" Vash yelled.
"Knives! Stop it now!" Vash yelled again. It brought back memories of a time when they were kids. On Gunsmoke earlier on when Knives tried to blow up the plant that the first humans were surviving off of. Just as Vash had stopped him then, he stopped him now. Vash punched Knives across the face, knocking his hold loose and shocking Knives. Meryl collapsed on the floor, still conscious but dead tired.
She breathed deep and looked with horror on Knives, who turned his head to Vash in anger. Then he smiled, an evil smile. Are you going to hurt me again! He mentally shouted.
What?!
Are you really going to hurt me again! He said then he turned angry and directed his power on Vash. Vash wasn't expecting it and when it caught him off guard, he grabbed at his head, yelling. Vash didn't like pain either.
Vash screamed for a while until Knives' body couldn't take it. Suddenly, the power was too much and Knives fell. He fell off of his bed and onto a heap on the floor. He was drained. Meryl was shocked. Vash was barely standing. It was quite a scene. A scene of self destruction. Of the power that Knives wished to share with the world, in that bad way. He wanted everyone to feel it.
Meryl looked at Knives then waited for the dull ache to stop. No way was this Vash's brother. No way could anyone be this evil. Vash was cursing himself. He had let it get out of hand. Then again, he didn't think that Knives would accept love and peace as a solution, just part of the bigger problem. He had still done a foolish thing by sending Meryl in. She could have been dead.
Vash walked over to her and picked her up. He could feel her shaking. It made him angry at Knives. These were his friends! He wouldn't let Knives take away more people. The SEEDS pilots were his friends. Knives killed them. He killed them all.
Vash didn't really know what to do anymore. Knives was too dangerous to be alive but he couldn't just kill him. He doubted that he could redeem him or convince him into anything. He was almost left with no options. Meryl's breathing returned to normal as he carried her out of the room. Looking at Knives shamefully before he left.
Then Knives saw it. He saw Rem Saverem in Meryl Strife. He saw that they looked the same. That was the reason why hurting Meryl seemed more satisfactory then usual. His shock turned to understanding. He smiled insanely to himself. Vash wouldn't have told her. It would be too painful for him.
It was something that maybe Knives could exploit. If only he hadn't used all of his mental powers. He was now exhausted and his every time he had moved, it hurt. Vash had shot him in the legs and shoulders. He could barely move anything. He cursed Vash under his breath and decided how to play his actions.
To him, Meryl felt like a child. When he carried her, her small frame moved against him when she breathed. He could feel her ribs on his stomach and her soft moaning. The pain was subsiding but it would be a few more minutes. Vash wondered if Knives was really that evil. He had barely endured Knives' powers and he had used the same on a normal human.
Vash grew angry, but then calm as he looked down at Meryl who was still in pain. He leaned his head down next to her ear and whispered softly.
"Shhh... relax. Meryl, hold on a second... you will be fine... you are very strong so hang in there... get some rest and relax... you'll be fine... don't be scared..." Vash said trying to comfort her. It seemed to work as he felt her breathing relax and her pulse return to normal.
"Vash..." she croaked out.
"Meryl?" He asked.
"Vash... it was horrible... I saw all these images. He was killing everyone. In all different ways. He deceived people and lied... he made people turn... he created... THINGS to swallow them up..." Meryl said. "It was horrible."
"Relax, it will be fine..." Vash said. He repeated this. When she fell asleep, he placed her in her bed and pulled up the covers and left her. He had to make a talk with Knives.
It was in a dream field of flowers that Meryl met Legato first. Of course she had seen him before, but that was only right before he died. He was sitting by a patch of blue flowers. Picking some. He picked the ones with thorns and put them in a bag. He turned when he saw Meryl and looked at her. Then he smiled.
"Master is waiting," he said, then he smiled.
"Who are you?" Meryl asked.
"Legato Bluesummers," Legato said. He stood up. He was dressed in his usual attire and everything. "Your name is Meryl. The master expects you," he said.
"How did you know me?" Meryl asked.
"This isn't a dream, girl. This is more like a psychic dream. This is more than just your subconscious. Now follow me. The master wants to speak to you," Legato said.
"Master?" Meryl asked, confused.
"Master Millions Knives," Legato said, smiling. At the name, Meryl shrunk back in terror.
"He's your master?!" Meryl asked.
Legato just smiled and held out his hand. It was weird because then Legato turned into Vash. Smiling Vash, only without a metal arm, with Legato's arm. Then he changed back. "This is Vash the Stampede's arm," Legato said. "His real arm."
Meryl looked shocked. "What?!" She asked.
"With this arm, I can control the living and the dead," Legato said. "Including Vash."
"Why not command Knives?" Meryl asked.
Legato stayed calm and said. "Blasphemy," Then he just walked forward. Meryl didn't understand this, any of this. She looked around. The sky was green and the ground was gold with a different array of flowers. It was all very strange and it occurred to Meryl that she had never had a dream like this, ever.
"Where are we?" Meryl asked.
"The universe, 130 years ago," Legato said walking forward.
"The universe? It looked like this?!" Meryl asked confused.
"Don't be foolish. This is the universe from the subconscious of a few select people," Legato explained. "It is a land of dreams."
Meryl looked around and saw everything that didn't make sense: upside down flowers, the way that the clouds moved so fast through the sky, how the scenery kept changing. She still didn't understand. She soon found herself in a castle and walked the stairs until she came to the throne. In it was a child. He looked about 13 with long blonde hair that fell to his waist. His eyes were blue. He looked at Meryl weirdly. Then Legato bowed. "Master, I have brought the girl," Legato said.
Meryl couldn't believe it. The kid was Knives. She then saw how the adult version and the kid version looked alike. Except there was something different about the kid version. His eyes seemed more forgiving and the ominous presence was missing. Knives stood up. "Take a break," Knives told Legato. He bowed again and walked off.
Then he turned his attention to Meryl. "We have met before, haven't we?" Knives asked. Meryl had a look of shock on her face and soon found that she couldn't speak. Knives nodded to himself. "That's okay... You are free to check the memories if you like. You can figure out what happened a long time ago," Knives said.
"Where's Vash?" Meryl asked.
"Hm?" Knives asked.
"Where's Vash?" Meryl repeated.
"He's busy, don't bug him," Knives said.
Meryl got agitated. "I want to see Vash? Where is he?!" she yelled.
Knives growled. "You can't see Vash! You look too much like her! You'll ruin everything!!" he yelled.
Meryl got confused. "What are you talking about?"
Knives got off of his throne and reached for a mirror. He pulled it off of the wall and handed it to Meryl. Meryl took it and looked into it. She saw herself, plain and simple. Then she looked up at Knives. "It's double sided," he said.
Then she turned it around and looked into it. It wasn't her. No, it was a woman who looked like her. She had longer hair and tanner skin than Meryl did. It was weird. Did she know this person?
"REM!!" she heard a voice and saw someone who looked exactly like Knives running toward her in joy. The difference was his green eyes. Knives looked in horror at the boy then at Meryl in anger. Meryl looked around the wall, where all of the other mirrors were. She saw the woman, not herself. She looked horrified. "REM!!" the boy called again.
Knives turned his head and dived for his twin as they crossed paths, tackling him down. From the bottom, the twin raised out his hand. "REM!! NO!!" the twin called out. "DON'T GO!!"
"STAY DOWN!!" Knives yelled at the twin. Then Meryl felt a gust of wind and everything was gone.
When she awoke she felt the sweat dripping from her hair and the tears that were fresh from her watery eyes. She remembered the mental attack by Knives and turned over, sobbing. She didn't ask for this. She wanted to help Vash. She just wanted to help her friend. A friend that had taught her so much about how to be assertive rather than aggressive.
Now horrible visions of Knives plagued in her mind and the mystery of the woman named Rem Saverem filled the depths of her soul. She had to ask Vash who this 'Rem Saverem' was. For the time being she turned over and breathed deeply. Come on, Meryl. Pull yourself up.
Meryl then realized that there was talking in the next room. It sounded distorted to her but she could tell that Vash was talking. To who?
Millie?
Knives...?
Knives watched as Vash stood in front of him, seriously. This was the Vash who had grown all these years, the one that had grown foolishly into a peace-loving fanatic with no concept of realism. Just sentimentalism. Like Knives had said. He hated Rem for making Vash like this.
He hated Rem for ruining his dreams of an Eden...
He hated Rem for saving the humans, the spiders...
He hated her with his soul...
"This isn't very productive of you Knives!" Vash said trying to catch Knives' attention.
"Coming from the plant who dwelled with the filth! Tell me Vash, how many scars do you have from those disgusting beings. More than me. My wounds only came from you!" Knives yelled.
"Aww, come on!" Vash whined. "I needed to shoot you. You were out of line," Vash said.
"Out of line! OUT OF LINE!! You are the ones that have sided with these plagues of mankind. These damn spiders that kill us butterflies! You have made friends with those two human women and made yourself unclean! How dare you call me out of line, brother!" Knives yelled.
"Killing won't solve anything!" Vash yelled back. He had to convince Knives or he would never be safe.
"Like Rem Saverem ways have changed anything. This world is more violent now than before when the humans were just a small insect trying to get food. Rem gave them power and they abused it. And to think I would give her a place in my Eden. It was only to make YOU happy! And you had to act like it was my fault that Rem died!" Knives shouted to Vash.
Knives laughed. A cruel laugh that caught Vash's attention. "Still dreaming, Vash? Rem was a pipe dream... speaking of which, I should tell that common filth of who she reminds me of," Knives said.
Vash's eyes grew wide. Knives was talking about Meryl. Vash couldn't let that happen and he knew it. That was just cause other chaos. Apparently, Knives saw the look on Vash's face and smiled. "Do you think I'm that blind?" Knives asked.
"You wouldn't!" Vash said.
"I thought I killed her last relative in July. I guess that there was one more. I should kill her too Vash," Knives smiled.
"That's enough!" Vash yelled.
"Or if she seems loyal enough, I could recruit her, although I doubt that her mental capacity will be in proper shape ever again," Knives said.
"Why?" Vash asked. "Why do you have to be like this! Why can't you be my friend?!"
Knives laughed again. It made Vash confused. "Friends? Friends don't shoot each other for such kind deeds of generousity. You shot me then you blasted me at July. Then you came after me in my Eden and shot me there! I OFFERED TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO YOU AND YOU TURNED IT AWAY LIKE A BLIND FOOL!!!! Rem was a person. She would die but our Eden could live on. We could rule it and then there would be no wars or bad things. It would be a perfect land. And you want to save the cause of all problems!?" Knives shouted at Vash. "You are my brother but not my friend, you pathetic human whore."
Vash dropped his head. Knives really hated him now. He had done it and broke all feeling and bond that they had shared. But what choice did he have? He wanted to save the humans and he needed to because, while some could be bad, others could be good. Vash wanted to save humanity because they deserved a chance. Why couldn't Knives just see that. "You think, I'm that bad?" Vash asked, Knives could tell that he was sobbing.
The bonds weren't broken then because Knives felt a great pain in his heart. Knives couldn't just disown Vash because they were brothers and shared the same mental links. They had grown up together, no matter how short it had been. They both felt uncomfortable around each other but couldn't pull away. It was a mismatch but they kind of each evened each other out.
Vash dreamt too much and wasn't realistic enough...
Knives couldn't dream and only wanted to accomplish goals without morals...
It was all a horrible mistake. Knives thought. He loved his brother but they by no means had the same views. On anything. In fact, the only thing they really ever did that matched each other was those times when Vash tried to save the plants.
"Why did you send two assassins to destroy the plants in the floating SEEDS ship?" Vash asked.
"That ship needed to be brought down to the ground. I won't allow anyone to escape me. The plants wouldn't listen to my commands so I eliminated them," Knives said. "Like I said, only a few can dwell in Eden."
"Eden is just a dream," Vash said, quietly.
Knives looked up in anger. "WHAT?!" he asked.
"Your paradise is a pipe dream, don't you realize. It can never exist because for a great paradise it would require no evil. No you," Vash said.
"Are you calling me evil? I am a savior," Knives boasted.
"You and your people destroy the humans!" Vash said turning to anger.
"You and your people destroy the plants!" Knives yelled back. "They destroy us and you want to protect them? You are too sentimental. And I hate Rem for that."
"What did you say?"
"I hate Rem, our teacher, brother. I hate her with every being of my existence. I hate her for giving humans chances. I hate her for dying so you would take after her. I hate her for making these abominations walk this planet. I hate the way she would understand. I hate her for plaguing my memories. And I hate, I really hate how she keeps COMING BACK!!" Knives yelled.
Vash looked shocked. "How can you hate her? How can you? She took care of you," Vash said, not understanding.
"She took care of you," Knives said.
"She took care of you too!"
"She is dead, don't dwell. But her twin isn't. And now, to purify my planet. I will get rid of that human woman that you are so fond of. Then the line of Rem Saverem will finally be over," Knives said.
How can you shoot me?
Do I mean nothing to you Vash?
I'm your brother, why did you shoot me. WHY!?
I just want to live in peace...
Don't you understand?
Knives thought this as he was healing in his chamber. Legato watched him for a long time. Knives remembered this, it happened before he fought Vash. It happened a long time ago.
Legato stayed kneeling not saying a word. Knives sensed that he wanted to say something but couldn't pry into Legato's mind. "Speak," Knives' raspy voice said.
"Master, would you like me to kill this man that harmed you?" Legato asked.
"No, don't kill him," Knives said. "He is my brother and soon you will confront him and make him choose and then it will begin."
"Yes, master."
"I won't let that happen," Vash stated to Knives. "I won't let you kill anyone else,"
"Well Vash, are you going to kill me then? Because you can't keep watch over me forever and you can't keep me here. How will you enforce your promise?" Knives asked.
Don't tell me your dreams in a time like this...
Then Vash remembered his oath. In the desert, he said that he was going to take his own advice from now on. He just wanted peace. One hundred and thirty years of chaos was enough for him. "Your right, I can't stop you," Vash said quietly.
Knives was in for the surprise now. His eyes widened. "What?" he asked, confused.
"But don't you just want to live in peace now? Without fighting. Can't we just leave this all behind?" Vash pleaded.
Knives' shock was still evident but he spoke calmly. "No. Because we can think as two Vash. We are different people and we will always be different like this. You can't make me into one of your boy scouts. Not with the lives I've taken," Knives said.
"Everyone has second chances," Vash said. And those words echoed in Knives' head when he fell asleep.
A ghost was now the cause of his problems. That horrible woman that lived on in memory. A memory that was consuming him. If Rem had lived then Vash would be happy enough with her to forget about the rest of these fifthy beings. But Vash had always been the naïve one.
He had always been the gullible one...
He had always listened to others...
Others unworthy of his presence. It was like a lion kneeling before a rabbit. It made no sense and it was a foolish idea of love and kindness that had Vash in its grip. Knives thought of trying to get Vash to see the world how he did but Vash had done the same, and each was too ignorant to follow each others ways. Knives thought about this at midnight when the fifth moon was shining out his window. He saw the crater and saw how Vash had wasted his power. If only Vash could...
Knives' thoughts were stopped when the door was pulled open. He turned to see the short woman that he had seen earlier and attacked. She wore white pajamas and had sweat dripping down her face. She used the doorway for support because of her shaky knees. She looked tired, terrified, and cold. Her grey eyes were watery from tears and she looked directly at Knives.
Knives calmed his face and looked at her. He couldn't use his mental powers because he was too drained and she seemed deathly tired. Still, Knives hoped he could make her fear him. "Human," Knives growled.
"I'm... n-not afraid of you an-anymore," Meryl said, her voice nervous and raspy.
"You ache with fear," Knives told her, hoping it would scare her.
"I'm stronger than that. I know so because... V-vash told me s-s-so," Meryl said.
"Why are you here, parasite?" Knives asked in flat out angry voice.
"I w-want answers," Meryl said. "W-who is the w-woman in my d-dreams?" Meryl asked.
"You seem cold, spider," Knives said. "Sit!" Knives commanded and pointed to the chair across from the bed. She walked slowly toward it and sat down. When she had, Knives ripped off one of his many blankets and threw it at her. It landed on top of her with grace and she held it close.
"Who is she?" Meryl asked.
"A memory, a dream of a dead woman, a dead leech," Knives growled. "A memory kept alive by only Vash, and myself."
"Who is she?" Meryl asked again.
Knives sighed. He didn't want to tell any human his story and he figured that this one was no exception. The fact that she was the spitting image of Rem didn't help. "And why should I tell you?"
"Please, I must know," Meryl pleaded.
"Ugh, fine. Just stop whining to me...." Knives paused. The sooner he told it, the sooner she would leave. "Rem Saverem. She was on the SEEDS ship that landed on this planet."
"How do you know her?" Meryl asked.
"Great, now it becomes a longer story... Look, Vash and I are humanoid plants. We aren't human. We age quickly but slowly. By the time I was one year old I had the body of a teenager and by the time I was two I had the body of an adult. Vash and I are each 130 years old so technically we were on the SEEDS ship. Rem raised us (cough) I mean Vash," Knives said. "She taught him those foolish ideals of love and peace and Vash loved Rem and took these examples and became that idiot he is now."
"Those ideals are not idiotic," Meryl said.
"If you have lived among humans as long as I have than you will know, spider," Knives said.
"Why are you calling me a spider?" Meryl asked.
"Kill the spiders to save the butterflies..." Knives said quietly.
"What?"
"Nothing," There was a long pause. Meryl had one more question to ask and she was afraid to ask it. She asked herself how she could be afraid to ask a simple question when she had dragged herself down the hallway to actually confront Knives alone. The question of that stumped her.
"What does Rem, this woman, have to do with me?" Meryl asked.
Knives smiled. "Because you look exactly like her,"
Meryl looked down in sadness. "I'm not..." she started.
"Hm?" Knives asked turning his full attention.
"I'm not a ghost of the past, I'm not just a memory. I'm Meryl Strife," Meryl said, sadly.
"I really don't care who you are but you look like Rem Saverem. And I hate... HATE... Rem Saverem," Knives said.
"I hope that Vash can see that..." Meryl said as she closed her eyes and let her head drop. Tears fell from her face and fell onto the blanket. Knives watched at the disgusting display of human emotions and felt like he was going to vomit. He didn't have time for pity or for sadness.
Knives had made up his mind. He would leave, Vash would not stop him. He would go to a place. A peaceful place and reap havoc upon the world for the horrible trash that walked upon it. This time with Vash and his spiders was a waste of his time and turned out to be nothing more than annoying talk.
Knives wanted to go back to the desert and start another group. More assassins, more followers so he could plan the demise of Gunsmoke and all of its inhabitants besides Vash. Their Eden would still exist.
"Meryl, human!" he said loudly. She turned her head up in surprise. "I'm leaving so tell Vash when you please. Tell him that we will meet again soon. Tell him that I haven't changed," Meryl nodded for a second before Knives jumped out of the window. He started to walk or stumble into the desert night.
His legs had healed fast because he was a plant and they no longer pained him. Even if they did, he wouldn't notice. He was dreaming of a desert Eden with a blue sky and no war or foolish fighting. He saw himself and Vash standing at the top of the world, ruling like brothers. He saw a future.
90 Years Later...
The stranger stood in a brown trenchcoat in the desert outside of Mei City. He just stood, not caring about the wind blowing in his face or the sun that burned his skin, just standing.
He heard a noise and looked to see a green car cruising through the desert. It must have been going at about 90 iph. Yet it slowed to a stop and the window rolled down revealing a young woman. She was fairly short with long, dark hair and grey eyes. She smiled and looked at the stranger, seeing his blonde hair and blue eyes.
The stranger smiled. The woman looked like Rem Saverem. "Where are you headed?" she asked the stranger.
"Mei City," the stranger responded.
"Want a lift? What's your name?" she asked him.
"Knives.... Millions Knives."