Chapter 2.
The pews began to fill up fast with people. Knives had fallen asleep about an hour or so earlier. That meant he would perhaps sleep through the night. Many of the people came up to say hi to Vash and to ask what was going on. He averted many of their questions with some of his own, his name staying Mr. Ericks.
Vash had never been in a church during an actual service and it felt extremely odd! He felt nervous and paranoid at the same time. The pastor, Whitney's uncle, came up to him immediately when he walked in. He had yelled at Whitney, and Vash hadn't liked where it was going so he tried to lie about it. Whitney wouldn't accept it and apologized over and over again. It turned out okay because Vash was allowed to stay. No one recognized who he was and he was very thankful for that. Had he still worn his coat, it may have been different.
"Let's all stand to our feet now and we will begin with prayer." A man holding a guitar said and started to pray. After amen's were said, the musicians began to play.
Vash hardly followed along. His mind kept drifting back when Knives said the world was full of hate and cruelty. Yes, I do know it most of all; I will never accept it. There has to be something out there that can stop this world from hating so much...to stop Knives from hating.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see..."
The lyrics reached Vash's ears and drifted slowly through them. What was this he heard? It was beautiful when they sang it, even if one of their voices sang off key. Vash did have blessed wonderful hearing after all. Amazing grace, huh? Are they singing about an individual or....?
They didn't act like it was a person. Vash shifted in his position on the chair and winced. He completely forgot about the wound on his side. He had grown used to it while carrying his brother and now it decided to call attention to itself.
The music brought unwanted tears to his green eyes. He could just hear Knives shouting at him that he was a baby and to just grow up! He wiped furiously, and felt blood smearing across his eye.
The guitarist strummed the beginning of another song. "Oh, the blood of Jesus..." Vash cringed just thinking about blood. Too much blood had been shed these past years because of him when all he wanted to do was to protect the people.
A few songs later the man with the guitar sat down and Whitney's uncle walked up to the podium. Vash saw a flashback of how Wolfwood had died right in front of a podium. More tears threatened to spill, but he held those back.
"I see some new faces in here tonight and I want to personally welcome you to our church. My name is Pastor Louis Blake. It's a blessing to have all of you here."
The man sure was nice when he wasn't upset! Vash caught Knives' right eye twitch, which made his twin do the same. He hoped it wasn't the worst mistake of his life to bring him here, but he just couldn't go anywhere else!
Everyone grabbed a black leather book from the pews in front of them. A man across from where Vash sat took the liberty to hand one over to him. It was a good thing he knew how to read!
Vash tapped the guy in front of him on the shoulder. "Say, Mister, is it time for a break yet? I'm really hungry."
The stout man turned around and whispered back to him. "Eh, sorry, but there are no breaks between the services. It's a two hour period, but you'll have to wait. However, there is a bathroom at the end of the hall."
Vash gulped. What was he going to do now? He couldn't just sit there and starve any more than he could leave Knives to go and buy something. He thought for a moment and came up with a brilliant idea.
"Hey, Mister, do you think you could go out and buy me something? I'll give you money for the expenses."
The man gave an exasperated sigh. "Look, pal, forget about the dang food. Just sit tight for a while and it will be over before you know it."
An hour later Vash's stomach rumbled furiously. Again, he tried to get the man's attention. "What is it this time?" He growled quietly.
"Has it been two hours yet?"
"No, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to move. Talk to someone who cares." He scooted over a few seats and never looked back.
I don't get it. What did I do; was it something I said? What if Knives is right--no! That was his trademark saying and it was the truth! The world is made of love and peace and that's all there is to it.
The guitarist from earlier stood up again after the pastor sat down. "Let's all sing just one more song tonight. This one is one of my favorites, actually. Written by a man who lost many who were precious to him, yet still followed our Lord without fail. It Is Well With My Soul..."
Vash glanced around. He still sat in the same position on the chair. Nothing would make him leave his twin's side until he healed up. Even then, Vash would have to take him someplace safe--away from people so he wouldn't try to hurt them. He might not do that since the one he was after, Vash, sat right next to him.
After it was over, Vash decided to leave. As he picked Knives up and tossed him across his left shoulder once more, he resumed his search for a place to go. Maybe Eden would be best--the ship that basically belonged to them.
As he walked quietly along the road, a sudden cry rang out. "Vash, is that you?" It belonged to a woman, but who?
He picked up the pace and began to whistle; hoping that she wouldn't think it was actually him. "Mr. Vash the Stampede!" He stopped mid-walk and fell to his knees. A sudden change in walking made his legs weary. Only Millie ever called him that. Tears sprung to his curious eyes, for he was afraid it was an imagination.
The woman jogged up to him and stopped in front of him. He didn't recognize her. She looked down at him, but couldn't see through his orange shades. "I'm Big Sis, Millie's sister and Whitney's aunt. That's how I knew you were here." She smiled warmly.
Vash sighed and returned the smile. "Oh, nice to meet you. She talks about you often." He stood to leave.
"Wait, please, Vash! I have a letter I want you to give her when you see her again." Before he could say anything, she ran back to her home with a happy bounce in her step.
Knives clenched his fists when the sounds of yet another female human woke him up. "Where are we now?" He grumbled, sounding better than before.
"I'm taking you somewhere else. I just haven't decided where yet." Vash answered.
One moment later the girl stood at his side and handed Vash the precious white envelope. "Do you understand that I might never see her again?" He said awkwardly.
Disappointment shown on her face, but it disappeared instantly. "Well, you do what you have to do. I'll understand if you can't ghhuuhnn--"
Knives cut her off by grabbing her throat with both of his hands. "Don't you ever shut-up?"
Her face turned pale and she began sinking to the ground. Vash's eyes grew wide and he saw only one thing to do. Moving quickly, he put Knives down and knocked him upside the head, making him unconscious. He was careful to use his right fist, though.
Vash looked Big Sis over cautiously. "Are you okay?" He couldn't see very well since it was night.
She coughed a few times and tried to regain her composure. She waited a moment before she answered him. "I...I'm okay, I think. What did I do?"
He could tell she looked hurt. "It's not your fault. He just doesn't like people. He's been in a terrible mood since he was really young, so please forgive him." He put on a fake smile and she returned it with a genuine sympathetic one of her own.
"Alright, I best be going now, thank you very much." She left as fast as possible.
Vash sighed and began to hum a most familiar tune that Rem taught him. He took Knives once more and went out of the city and walked around for a while before remembering the letter he was given. Rolling his eyes heavenward, he shifted Knives to his other shoulder and walked back to where he thought Meryl and Millie were.
The pews began to fill up fast with people. Knives had fallen asleep about an hour or so earlier. That meant he would perhaps sleep through the night. Many of the people came up to say hi to Vash and to ask what was going on. He averted many of their questions with some of his own, his name staying Mr. Ericks.
Vash had never been in a church during an actual service and it felt extremely odd! He felt nervous and paranoid at the same time. The pastor, Whitney's uncle, came up to him immediately when he walked in. He had yelled at Whitney, and Vash hadn't liked where it was going so he tried to lie about it. Whitney wouldn't accept it and apologized over and over again. It turned out okay because Vash was allowed to stay. No one recognized who he was and he was very thankful for that. Had he still worn his coat, it may have been different.
"Let's all stand to our feet now and we will begin with prayer." A man holding a guitar said and started to pray. After amen's were said, the musicians began to play.
Vash hardly followed along. His mind kept drifting back when Knives said the world was full of hate and cruelty. Yes, I do know it most of all; I will never accept it. There has to be something out there that can stop this world from hating so much...to stop Knives from hating.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see..."
The lyrics reached Vash's ears and drifted slowly through them. What was this he heard? It was beautiful when they sang it, even if one of their voices sang off key. Vash did have blessed wonderful hearing after all. Amazing grace, huh? Are they singing about an individual or....?
They didn't act like it was a person. Vash shifted in his position on the chair and winced. He completely forgot about the wound on his side. He had grown used to it while carrying his brother and now it decided to call attention to itself.
The music brought unwanted tears to his green eyes. He could just hear Knives shouting at him that he was a baby and to just grow up! He wiped furiously, and felt blood smearing across his eye.
The guitarist strummed the beginning of another song. "Oh, the blood of Jesus..." Vash cringed just thinking about blood. Too much blood had been shed these past years because of him when all he wanted to do was to protect the people.
A few songs later the man with the guitar sat down and Whitney's uncle walked up to the podium. Vash saw a flashback of how Wolfwood had died right in front of a podium. More tears threatened to spill, but he held those back.
"I see some new faces in here tonight and I want to personally welcome you to our church. My name is Pastor Louis Blake. It's a blessing to have all of you here."
The man sure was nice when he wasn't upset! Vash caught Knives' right eye twitch, which made his twin do the same. He hoped it wasn't the worst mistake of his life to bring him here, but he just couldn't go anywhere else!
Everyone grabbed a black leather book from the pews in front of them. A man across from where Vash sat took the liberty to hand one over to him. It was a good thing he knew how to read!
Vash tapped the guy in front of him on the shoulder. "Say, Mister, is it time for a break yet? I'm really hungry."
The stout man turned around and whispered back to him. "Eh, sorry, but there are no breaks between the services. It's a two hour period, but you'll have to wait. However, there is a bathroom at the end of the hall."
Vash gulped. What was he going to do now? He couldn't just sit there and starve any more than he could leave Knives to go and buy something. He thought for a moment and came up with a brilliant idea.
"Hey, Mister, do you think you could go out and buy me something? I'll give you money for the expenses."
The man gave an exasperated sigh. "Look, pal, forget about the dang food. Just sit tight for a while and it will be over before you know it."
An hour later Vash's stomach rumbled furiously. Again, he tried to get the man's attention. "What is it this time?" He growled quietly.
"Has it been two hours yet?"
"No, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to move. Talk to someone who cares." He scooted over a few seats and never looked back.
I don't get it. What did I do; was it something I said? What if Knives is right--no! That was his trademark saying and it was the truth! The world is made of love and peace and that's all there is to it.
The guitarist from earlier stood up again after the pastor sat down. "Let's all sing just one more song tonight. This one is one of my favorites, actually. Written by a man who lost many who were precious to him, yet still followed our Lord without fail. It Is Well With My Soul..."
Vash glanced around. He still sat in the same position on the chair. Nothing would make him leave his twin's side until he healed up. Even then, Vash would have to take him someplace safe--away from people so he wouldn't try to hurt them. He might not do that since the one he was after, Vash, sat right next to him.
After it was over, Vash decided to leave. As he picked Knives up and tossed him across his left shoulder once more, he resumed his search for a place to go. Maybe Eden would be best--the ship that basically belonged to them.
As he walked quietly along the road, a sudden cry rang out. "Vash, is that you?" It belonged to a woman, but who?
He picked up the pace and began to whistle; hoping that she wouldn't think it was actually him. "Mr. Vash the Stampede!" He stopped mid-walk and fell to his knees. A sudden change in walking made his legs weary. Only Millie ever called him that. Tears sprung to his curious eyes, for he was afraid it was an imagination.
The woman jogged up to him and stopped in front of him. He didn't recognize her. She looked down at him, but couldn't see through his orange shades. "I'm Big Sis, Millie's sister and Whitney's aunt. That's how I knew you were here." She smiled warmly.
Vash sighed and returned the smile. "Oh, nice to meet you. She talks about you often." He stood to leave.
"Wait, please, Vash! I have a letter I want you to give her when you see her again." Before he could say anything, she ran back to her home with a happy bounce in her step.
Knives clenched his fists when the sounds of yet another female human woke him up. "Where are we now?" He grumbled, sounding better than before.
"I'm taking you somewhere else. I just haven't decided where yet." Vash answered.
One moment later the girl stood at his side and handed Vash the precious white envelope. "Do you understand that I might never see her again?" He said awkwardly.
Disappointment shown on her face, but it disappeared instantly. "Well, you do what you have to do. I'll understand if you can't ghhuuhnn--"
Knives cut her off by grabbing her throat with both of his hands. "Don't you ever shut-up?"
Her face turned pale and she began sinking to the ground. Vash's eyes grew wide and he saw only one thing to do. Moving quickly, he put Knives down and knocked him upside the head, making him unconscious. He was careful to use his right fist, though.
Vash looked Big Sis over cautiously. "Are you okay?" He couldn't see very well since it was night.
She coughed a few times and tried to regain her composure. She waited a moment before she answered him. "I...I'm okay, I think. What did I do?"
He could tell she looked hurt. "It's not your fault. He just doesn't like people. He's been in a terrible mood since he was really young, so please forgive him." He put on a fake smile and she returned it with a genuine sympathetic one of her own.
"Alright, I best be going now, thank you very much." She left as fast as possible.
Vash sighed and began to hum a most familiar tune that Rem taught him. He took Knives once more and went out of the city and walked around for a while before remembering the letter he was given. Rolling his eyes heavenward, he shifted Knives to his other shoulder and walked back to where he thought Meryl and Millie were.