***I was surprised to actually get comments to have Rei return, so I guess I'll have to oblige. Besides, I need to start building things between her and Legato soon anyway. So here ya go. I actually may start making the chapters a mite longer, so it won't end up being 20+ by the time it ends. Unless you like the short ones. Either way works for me.
I tried to get this posted sometime last week, but alas, to no avail. I simply could not find the time to do so. Thus is the complication of extra-curricular activities. Note to minors: Don't get a job till you're 30. Oh well. Here goes.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Trigun, if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction but rather be creating a new season of Trigun, making my doujinshi part of the manga, and somehow finding a way to make it so Legato wasn't killed in the anime! (New fanfic idea, heh heh)
Anyway.
Enjoy.
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Silent Scream~~~
The twin suns slowly began to rise over the horizon, shining light upon the barren desert planet that was Gunsmoke. They cloaked the once darkened sky with a blood red hue that slowly melted away as the suns ascended, reigning dominance over the last of the five moons that retreated below the western sky.
A warm zephyr blew, ruffling Legato's azure hair. He was sitting atop the roof of his house watching the sunrise that he never lost interest in, day after day. Equally as captivating as the sunset, Legato never ceased to watch with fascination as the dark hues of the night slowly transformed into the red-orange of dawn, to the pink of the early morning, and then finally becoming the light blue of day. It was the one thing that truly put him at ease, the only thing that could make him blissfully unaware of all the remorse, misery, and pain of living.
In a way, Legato envied the suns. He had read once in an ancient myth that, like the Phoenix, the sun was born every day, and began slowly trekking its way across the sky to meet its death in the west. Then the next day, its life would start anew, completing the cycle over and over again. He wished that he could die at the end of the day to be reborn the next morning, starting a new life, ignorant of the troubles prior to his reincarnation. Even if it was short, he would embrace that brief life, hell, he would embrace ant other life than the one he was currently living.
Legato often found himself questioning why he kept enduring the life he lived every day. If he so chose to, he could easily end his meaningless existence; finally free of the things he had to endure throughout his life. Perhaps he would even see his mother, in the clouds of Heaven. Even if it were for but a brief moment, Legato would give anything to see her once more. How he longed to see her vibrant smile, hear her blithe laugh, feel her loving embrace. The only thing that kept him from executing a method of demise was the vow he had made in her last moments of life.
Don't hate your father…Take care of and protect Allegro…Never forget that I'll always love you…
He closed his eyes in remembrance of the words that found a way into his mind whenever he was troubled, the only thing that kept him reasonably sane. He had adored his mother too much to break his promise to her, so he would continue to survive, and protect his younger sister.
'Speaking of Allegro, she should be getting up soon,' Legato thought, edging to the periphery of the roof.
Gripping the edge firmly, he slowly lowered himself down, swinging gracefully into the open window of his room. Once he had landed safely on the ground, Legato rubbed his biceps, relieving them of their minor tension.
Walking out his room, Legato opened his sister's door, gently calling her to arise. After telling her to start getting dressed and receiving a mumbled 'ok' he continued down the hallway into the bathroom. Closing the wooden door behind him, he shed his ragged clothing and stepped into the shower, sliding the curtain into place.
The water trickled down his body in warm torrents, cleansing him of any blood that had remained from the preceding day. Legato closed his amber eyes, letting the heat of the water subdue the pain of his various cuts, bruises, and other wounds. After letting the warm liquid stream over his body for a while, Legato proceeded to scrub his lithe body with a bar of soap and wash his sodden hair.
Ten minutes later he exited the steaming shower, a large white towel wrapped about his lean hips, and sauntered towards his room, closing the door behind him. He treaded over to the wooden bureau, pulling out a pair of socks and undergarments before fully dressing himself. By the time he was finished, Legato was clad in a pair of gray pants, and a black, long-sleeved shirt with a white over shirt on the outer layer. (kinda resembles his regular attire, ne? All he needs now are the torture spikes, the skull, the random fastenings, the random silver band thing around his leg ^_^) Standing in front of the mirror, he ran his fingers through his towel-tousled hair, arranging it in a fashion so that his lengthened bangs covered his cut up check.
Legato walked over to the door, opening it to find himself face-to-face with his father. His surprise was quickly overlooked as he was dragged out of the threshold and pressed against the barren wall of the hallway, his fathers rough hands at his throat.
"Alright, boy," he hissed at his son, "I'm going to be working late today, and unlike yesterday, when I come home, I expect the cabinets to be untouched with food still in them. Understand?" He bellowed, adding more emphasis.
Legato stared tepidly at the man who still gripped his neck, no trace of emotion is his soulless eyes.
The dead gaze unnerved Trent, who then tightened the grip on the teen's throat, raising him off the ground, as if reminding the defiant boy who was in charge.
Legato's impassive stare steeled itself on his father's raging eyes, not faltering for a second.
Let go of me, he silently willed, Let go of me now.
Trent snarled and gave his son's neck one last squeeze before letting go, mumbling as he turned and walked away.
Legato slid down the wall, falling to his knees as he coughed, trying to regain oxygen in his lungs. He held his throat, massaging the red imprints left by his father's grasp. Breathing heavily, he watched his father's form retreat down the hallway and out of side around the corner. Only when he heard the door slam did Legato bring his free hand up, smirking as he discovered that the piece of paper he had managed to extract from his father's pocket was a twenty double dollar bill.
I'll just buy my own food then, bastard, he thought to himself.
As he stood up, shoving the wrinkled bill into his own pocket, Allegro peeped her head out of the safety of her room, having not emerged since the previous day.
"Niisan?" She whispered softly. "Is niisan ok?"
"Yes, Allegro, I am fine." He reassured her, though his voice was slightly raspy. "Are you ready to go? If you hurry, we can stop by at the market and pick up something to eat," He continued, changing the topic.
Her brown eyes widened.
"Can Allegro get a doughnut?"
"Whatever you want.
"Yay!" she squealed, scurrying down the hall towards the front door. "C'mon niisan!" She yelled from across the house.
Legato's thin lips cracked a half-smile as he trotted after her.
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Rei walked through the market looking at all the available food choices. There was nothing that had appealed to her at home so she had managed to convince her aunt into giving her money to buy breakfast and lunch.
'So many choices, she thought mentally, though, I could really go for a cream puff right now. Who needs a healthy breakfast anyway?' She smirked and began walking towards the pushcart that sold various pastries.
Just as she was about to approach the stand, she heard a familiar voice,
"Niisan! Over here!"
'That sounds just like-'
Before she could finish her thought, Allegro burst out of the crowd of people and barreled right into Rei's leg.
The younger girl looked up cheerfully.
"Rei!" She exclaimed.
"Hiya Allegro," Rei greeted warmly. "How are you today?"
"Good! Legato-niisan said he would buy Allegro a doughnut if she hurried to school!"
Rei looked around, trying to locate where the one with blue hair was.
"Where is your brother anyway?" She asked when she had failed to locate him.
Allegro wrinkled her petite nose and gazed into the crowd, trying to discern where her brother was. When she, too, was unable to find him, she frowned and looked up.
"He was right behind Allegro a minute ago…"
"Well, why don't you stay here with me until we find him. Until then, I'll buy you some doughnuts myself."
"Really?" Allegro beamed, "Thanks!"
Rei smiled and turned to the pasty vendor.
"Half a dozen fresh doughnuts please. Oh, and a creampuff." She requested, not forgetting her prior desire.
'Wow, what a healthy meal,' she thought dryly as the vendor handed her a brown paper bag that contained her purchases and she relinquished the ten double dollars she was carrying.
Rei led Allegro over to a near-by bench, motioning for her to sit down beside her. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out on of the still warm doughnuts on the top and handed it to Allegro before drawing out her own treat.
She watched the younger girl devour the doughnut as ravenously as a sandworm. Before she could sink in two bites of her pastry, Allegro had consumed the entire thing. Rei delved into the bag once more and handed her another, watching her with intent as she continued eating her own delectable.
"Wow," she mused, "guess you were really hungry."
Allegro nodded her head vigorously and swallowed what was in her mouth before speaking.
"Allegro only had some Ramen after sc- Oniisan!" she exclaimed before finishing her initial statement.
Rei looked up, immediately meeting Legato's golden gaze. 'Geez, how does he appear like that?' She wondered.
He regarded her silently before turning his attention on his sister.
"I told you not to run ahead," he told her sternly. Noticing the half-eaten food in her hand, he arched an azure brow and asked, "What are you eating?"
Allegro, who had forgotten about the doughnut until this point, looked down at her hands before responding.
"Doughnuts! Rei bought them for Allegro while she waited for Legato-niisan to catch up!" She smiled in the older girl's direction, crumbs lining her toothy smile.
Legato brought his golden gaze back upon Rei, who took this moment to speak.
"Would you like one?" she offered
He held back the derogatory response he was going to make when he saw hoe his sister was looking at this female with such adoration.
"No, if you do not plan on keeping them, continue to allow Allegro's consumption of them," he responded emotionlessly, "I'm…not hungry…" He knew it was a lie, but he was not about to let this girl provide for him. He was perfectly capable of doing so himself, thank you very much.
Legato looked at his sister. "Anyway, it is time we left. Come, Allegro."
Allegro hopped off of the bench, waving goodbye to Rei, turning to begin walking away with her brother.
"Wait," Rei interjected, "We're all going to the same place, and so I might as well walk with you."
Legato gazed at her quizzically from the corner of his eye. Now she wished to walk with them? No one had ever done so before, so why now?
When he heard Allegro's squeak of joy, he decided to permit it, walking faster to leave the two smiling females behind him.
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Yay, all done. Sorry if that seemed rushed, but I was really started to get distracted and I want to go watch Fruits Basket, so I kinda just ended it. Rei will have a bigger role in the next chapter, I promise. Oh yeah, and I finally decided to nix the Japanese, except for the suffixes; -niisan, -san, -sama, etc. I just felt like it. However, if I get complaints, more Japanese may come back, again, it's your choice. Thanks to those who reviewed and I look forward to more of them. Ja!