Disclaimer: Trigun is not mine.
I'm not totally happy with this chapter, but I felt guilty leaving you hang
for so long.
Warnings: none! Well, except the usual sap ones.
There was a knocking on the door a few minutes later. Vash went to answer it after making sure Meryl was securely wrapped up in the blankets.
Millie bustled in, a tray in her hands. "Good morning, Vash! Good morning Meryl!" She put the tray down next to the bed and turned to look at her friend. "You're looking much better today," Millie told her friend with a cheerful smile. "You really had us worried..."
"I know Millie." Meryl reached out a hand to her and tugged Millie down to sit next to her on the bed. Vash went about his morning routine, giving the girls a semblance of privacy. "I'm sorry." She had seen the shine of unshed tears in Millie's eyes and was trying to soothe her friend. "Did you and Mr. Wolfwood have breakfast this morning?"
"Oh yes," Millie's fingers squeezed hers. "He's still downstairs, talking to some men. I guess there's news from LR."
The room went dead quiet. Millie looked over at Vash to see that he had stopped mid-motion, not even breathing. Meryl's body had stiffened.
"What news?" Vash asked.
"Well, I guess one of the plants has- stopped working. They don't know if it's broken or what, but they are trying to hire a plant engineer to come and fix it."
Millie was surprised to see Meryl reach out her free hand to Vash.
"Stop it," she said softly to him. "You can't do anything about it from here." Vash finally moved, turning towards the bed and taking Meryl's hand in his own.
"Don't suppose you'd wait here for me?"
"No way in hell," she replied. He bent down and kissed her palm and Millie's eyes widened a bit. Well, now this was a surprising- though not upsetting- turn of events.
"Then I should go get Nicholas and get ready to leave." She said quietly. "Right Mr. Vash?"
"Thanks Millie," Vash answered her after a moment. He looked back at Meryl. "You're sure you feel up to it?"
"Of course," Meryl smiled tenderly at him and Millie got swiftly to her feet. Now was a good time to leave them alone and find Nicholas.
He was sitting by himself on the front porch of the inn, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He showed no sign of surprise that they were leaving soon.
"Already packed up big girl. Do you need a hand?" He winked at her, trying to lighten her mood.
"If you can get the car ready that'd be super," Millie smiled back at him.
"You know where we're going don't you?" Wolfwood asked her as she turned.
"To confront Knives," Millie answered him steadily. She turned her head and met his gaze squarely. "I am going with you. You need me to watch your back."
"I wasn't going to try and persuade you otherwise," he smiled for her. "I just want you to be ready."
"I will be." Millie's stern expression vanished and she gave him one of her sunny smiles. "I'll be right back!"
In a short span of time they were back in the car and headed to LR. Vash was driving, tense and angry, his glasses hid his eyes. Meryl was next to him, just as quiet, as close as she could manage to be.
Wolfwood and Millie were in the back. Millie rested her head against Wolfwood's shoulder as his fingers played with the ends of her hair. At least they weren't far from LR, Millie thought, relieved and tense at the same time. It was only a few more hours now. Only a few more hours.
Vash hadn't known what to expect when they pulled into LR. A city decimated by sandworms, a city emptied of its people, a city of Knives-led zombies were a few of the possibilities he entertained.
But it seemed normal. People were on the streets, walking, talking, shopping... just a normal city. Vash cast an eye towards the plants and opened his mind cautiously. Two were busily humming away, happy with their duties. The third- Knives- seemed dark with exhaustion.
Ah. It had cost Knives to send out that assassin. Vash finally realized what he could do. He stopped the car in front of a restaurant.
"Go eat," he said to the others. "I'll be back soon."
"Vash-" Wolfwood started.
"It's safe. He can't do anything right now. I swear it." Vash replied. "I'll be back soon."
"Are you sure?" Meryl asked him, her anxiety clear to him.
He leaned over and kissed her gently. "I'm sure." Then he got out of the car and headed towards the plants.
Vash stood before the sphere that housed his brother. It began to glow with a pale light, growing stronger as the plant within spoke: Nice of you to visit, his brother projected his thoughts into Vash's mind. Miss me? Not as much as that little insurance girl of yours, I'm sure.
She's not dead, Vash replied the same way.
What? Knives flashed angrily. Vash felt Knives scan him. What have you done Vash? His brother's mind voice turned panicked. You'll die. You're going to die!
I expect so. Vash answered amused. Everyone does.
No! You can't! How could you do such a thing?
You're the one who put the drain on her life. What else did you expect me to do? Vash's fingers touched the control panels. You have too much free time, Knives. We'll have to keep you busier than this.
You were supposed to let her die!
I love her. I couldn't let her die. Not when I could save her.
Even though it means your death?
Even so. Just as I would've given my life to save Rem all those years ago.Vash shrugged. I'm sorry I'll be leaving you alone Knives.
No! You can't! You can't leave me alone! You're my brother!
I am. But I can't let you go on hurting people Knives.
But, Vash- brother... I tried to protect you. I tried to show you the way... They aren't like us! They use us! They hurt us!
Can you tell me that you never hurt or used them? How are you any different? He adjusted the power outputs. You've done enough damage to this world, Knives; it's your job now to help fix it. To help bring Eden.
Vash, his brother's mind voice grew fainter. Please, please let me out. I don't want to be eaten. That's what it feels like. Please...please....
I'm sorry Knives. Once you're in a sphere like this you can't get out again. Your body has changed too much.
We could try... together maybe we could...
We both know that we can't. You'd never survive. Vash looked up at the sphere. I am sorry Knives, but this is my way of saving you.
The final data streams were complete; more energy was being pulled out of Knives's sphere. His brother's voice was a whisper now.
Then... you do still love me, Vash?
You are my brother. I'll always love you.Knives's sphere glowed brighter for a second. Knives...?
No answer. Vash tried again, but all he got was the same impression of distance that he got from most busy plants. He sighed and slipped quietly out of the building. Meryl was waiting for him around the corner. She reached out and slid her arms around him comfortingly.
"I'm sorry Vash."
"It had to be done, Meryl." Vash looked back at the sphere. "He won't have the energy to do anything else. He's taken care of- just like Rem asked." Meryl's arms tightened.
"And how about you?"
"Me?" Vash smiled down at her. "I'm going to settle down someplace with my wife. How does that sound?" She tilted her head up and kissed him softly.
"As long as you mean me, broomhead, it sounds fine." He laughed out loud.
"C'mon, love, let's go get the others and head out to Wolfwood's orphanage. I'll bet that two ex-gunslingers and two ex-insurance agents can settle down in there without too much trouble."
They headed over towards the car where Wolfwood and Millie waited, with relieved looks on their faces.
"Hey Millie!" Meryl called. "How do you feel about retiring?"
"Sounds good to me!" Millie called back. "I was getting tired of the insurance business anyway. Too boring." The girls burst into laughter as the men looked at each other commiseratingly.
"So, we hanging up our guns, Tongari?"
"Yeah. Thought we'd come help you out at that orphanage for awhile."
"Yeah. A peaceful existence has definite appeal," Wolfwood looked at Millie, still laughing with Meryl. He raised his eyebrow at Vash and held out his hand. "For love?" He started.
Vash took it. "And peace," he agreed.
There was a knocking on the door a few minutes later. Vash went to answer it after making sure Meryl was securely wrapped up in the blankets.
Millie bustled in, a tray in her hands. "Good morning, Vash! Good morning Meryl!" She put the tray down next to the bed and turned to look at her friend. "You're looking much better today," Millie told her friend with a cheerful smile. "You really had us worried..."
"I know Millie." Meryl reached out a hand to her and tugged Millie down to sit next to her on the bed. Vash went about his morning routine, giving the girls a semblance of privacy. "I'm sorry." She had seen the shine of unshed tears in Millie's eyes and was trying to soothe her friend. "Did you and Mr. Wolfwood have breakfast this morning?"
"Oh yes," Millie's fingers squeezed hers. "He's still downstairs, talking to some men. I guess there's news from LR."
The room went dead quiet. Millie looked over at Vash to see that he had stopped mid-motion, not even breathing. Meryl's body had stiffened.
"What news?" Vash asked.
"Well, I guess one of the plants has- stopped working. They don't know if it's broken or what, but they are trying to hire a plant engineer to come and fix it."
Millie was surprised to see Meryl reach out her free hand to Vash.
"Stop it," she said softly to him. "You can't do anything about it from here." Vash finally moved, turning towards the bed and taking Meryl's hand in his own.
"Don't suppose you'd wait here for me?"
"No way in hell," she replied. He bent down and kissed her palm and Millie's eyes widened a bit. Well, now this was a surprising- though not upsetting- turn of events.
"Then I should go get Nicholas and get ready to leave." She said quietly. "Right Mr. Vash?"
"Thanks Millie," Vash answered her after a moment. He looked back at Meryl. "You're sure you feel up to it?"
"Of course," Meryl smiled tenderly at him and Millie got swiftly to her feet. Now was a good time to leave them alone and find Nicholas.
He was sitting by himself on the front porch of the inn, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He showed no sign of surprise that they were leaving soon.
"Already packed up big girl. Do you need a hand?" He winked at her, trying to lighten her mood.
"If you can get the car ready that'd be super," Millie smiled back at him.
"You know where we're going don't you?" Wolfwood asked her as she turned.
"To confront Knives," Millie answered him steadily. She turned her head and met his gaze squarely. "I am going with you. You need me to watch your back."
"I wasn't going to try and persuade you otherwise," he smiled for her. "I just want you to be ready."
"I will be." Millie's stern expression vanished and she gave him one of her sunny smiles. "I'll be right back!"
In a short span of time they were back in the car and headed to LR. Vash was driving, tense and angry, his glasses hid his eyes. Meryl was next to him, just as quiet, as close as she could manage to be.
Wolfwood and Millie were in the back. Millie rested her head against Wolfwood's shoulder as his fingers played with the ends of her hair. At least they weren't far from LR, Millie thought, relieved and tense at the same time. It was only a few more hours now. Only a few more hours.
Vash hadn't known what to expect when they pulled into LR. A city decimated by sandworms, a city emptied of its people, a city of Knives-led zombies were a few of the possibilities he entertained.
But it seemed normal. People were on the streets, walking, talking, shopping... just a normal city. Vash cast an eye towards the plants and opened his mind cautiously. Two were busily humming away, happy with their duties. The third- Knives- seemed dark with exhaustion.
Ah. It had cost Knives to send out that assassin. Vash finally realized what he could do. He stopped the car in front of a restaurant.
"Go eat," he said to the others. "I'll be back soon."
"Vash-" Wolfwood started.
"It's safe. He can't do anything right now. I swear it." Vash replied. "I'll be back soon."
"Are you sure?" Meryl asked him, her anxiety clear to him.
He leaned over and kissed her gently. "I'm sure." Then he got out of the car and headed towards the plants.
Vash stood before the sphere that housed his brother. It began to glow with a pale light, growing stronger as the plant within spoke: Nice of you to visit, his brother projected his thoughts into Vash's mind. Miss me? Not as much as that little insurance girl of yours, I'm sure.
She's not dead, Vash replied the same way.
What? Knives flashed angrily. Vash felt Knives scan him. What have you done Vash? His brother's mind voice turned panicked. You'll die. You're going to die!
I expect so. Vash answered amused. Everyone does.
No! You can't! How could you do such a thing?
You're the one who put the drain on her life. What else did you expect me to do? Vash's fingers touched the control panels. You have too much free time, Knives. We'll have to keep you busier than this.
You were supposed to let her die!
I love her. I couldn't let her die. Not when I could save her.
Even though it means your death?
Even so. Just as I would've given my life to save Rem all those years ago.Vash shrugged. I'm sorry I'll be leaving you alone Knives.
No! You can't! You can't leave me alone! You're my brother!
I am. But I can't let you go on hurting people Knives.
But, Vash- brother... I tried to protect you. I tried to show you the way... They aren't like us! They use us! They hurt us!
Can you tell me that you never hurt or used them? How are you any different? He adjusted the power outputs. You've done enough damage to this world, Knives; it's your job now to help fix it. To help bring Eden.
Vash, his brother's mind voice grew fainter. Please, please let me out. I don't want to be eaten. That's what it feels like. Please...please....
I'm sorry Knives. Once you're in a sphere like this you can't get out again. Your body has changed too much.
We could try... together maybe we could...
We both know that we can't. You'd never survive. Vash looked up at the sphere. I am sorry Knives, but this is my way of saving you.
The final data streams were complete; more energy was being pulled out of Knives's sphere. His brother's voice was a whisper now.
Then... you do still love me, Vash?
You are my brother. I'll always love you.Knives's sphere glowed brighter for a second. Knives...?
No answer. Vash tried again, but all he got was the same impression of distance that he got from most busy plants. He sighed and slipped quietly out of the building. Meryl was waiting for him around the corner. She reached out and slid her arms around him comfortingly.
"I'm sorry Vash."
"It had to be done, Meryl." Vash looked back at the sphere. "He won't have the energy to do anything else. He's taken care of- just like Rem asked." Meryl's arms tightened.
"And how about you?"
"Me?" Vash smiled down at her. "I'm going to settle down someplace with my wife. How does that sound?" She tilted her head up and kissed him softly.
"As long as you mean me, broomhead, it sounds fine." He laughed out loud.
"C'mon, love, let's go get the others and head out to Wolfwood's orphanage. I'll bet that two ex-gunslingers and two ex-insurance agents can settle down in there without too much trouble."
They headed over towards the car where Wolfwood and Millie waited, with relieved looks on their faces.
"Hey Millie!" Meryl called. "How do you feel about retiring?"
"Sounds good to me!" Millie called back. "I was getting tired of the insurance business anyway. Too boring." The girls burst into laughter as the men looked at each other commiseratingly.
"So, we hanging up our guns, Tongari?"
"Yeah. Thought we'd come help you out at that orphanage for awhile."
"Yeah. A peaceful existence has definite appeal," Wolfwood looked at Millie, still laughing with Meryl. He raised his eyebrow at Vash and held out his hand. "For love?" He started.
Vash took it. "And peace," he agreed.