( ): this indicates Knives and Vash speaking to eachother in their mind. It may be a little confusing throughout this because it isn't letting me use the asterisk.
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun. No Vash, no Knives...you get the picture, right?
Chapter 8.
"Meryl, I thought we were going home." Milly said.
Right after Meryl had spoken about leaving, she stood glued to the ground. It didn't feel right for her to just leave Vash's side in his time of need. Especially with Knives there to warp his fragile mind. I wish I knew what happened. Did Knives do this to him? Why was he concerned for Vash in the beginning and now fighting him? This is too complicated even for me!
"I'm sorry, Milly, but I can't leave. I must stay and try to help."
"Maybe I can too." Milly put in, smiling once again.
"You stay here unless I tell you otherwise, okay?" Meryl said.
"Yes, ma'am."
Meryl shakingly crept out from behind a building. She felt crazy! Did she honestly think she could talk Knives out of fighting Vash? She hadn't taken another step when Knives shot him. Tears filled her eyes and she wanted to scream or kill or do something, but couldn't!
They talked and Knives shot him again. No, not my Vash! I can't let Knives win! Did she just think that? Her Vash??
"...The whole world hates you anyway!" Knives was saying.
"No, you're wrong. There are many people who like Vash and I can prove it!"
Knives turned to the sound of the voice. He was surprised: the girl was standing up to him again? The nerve! No matter, for he had the means to shut her up permanently. He aimed the gun in her direction.
"Wh-what are you doing, Meryl?" Vash yelled.
"Deep down, you care for your brother—why won't you admit it? If you wanted him dead, why didn't you leave him lying on the ground in the desert?" Her eyes burned with reason as she had a stare-down with Knives.
"It's because I wanted to finish the fight we started." He said simply.
Meryl didn't exactly know how to respond to that. She was hoping, false hope perhaps, that it would at least make him think. That's reality for you. It's as harsh and brutal as anything! She thought.
Another shot sounded and Meryl cringed, expecting to be in sheer pain, if not dead. She looked up cautiously to see Knives' gun knocked onto the ground.
(Don't make me shoot you.) Vash pleaded. He held the gun he had taken from the cabinet.
(I dare you!) Knives tempted. Vash cried as he pulled the trigger, but he missed by a long shot. "Quit playing because I know that you know that you can do better!" He fired again and nicked Vash in his left arm.
Vash cringed as two scenes played across his mind. Knives showing him the dreadful angel arm technique and him blowing up Augusta.
Knives crept into his mind to see what he was feeling. What he heard shocked him, not made him happy. -- I can't give up now. He'll destroy everything if I don't stop him. Worst of all, he'll regret it for the rest of his life. -- (Knives, my brother, don't do it! Please!)
Head pounding, adrenaline rising and pumping, body aching from loss of blood, Vash the Stampede stood to his feet. He lowered his shades and glowered at Knives. He stood as straight as he could.
Knives chuckled; his chuckle grew to a laugh and he began firing as fast as his weapon would allow. He stood next to the one Vash had shot out of his hand, just as a way of escape if it happened again.
Vash ran for all he was worth and dodged the bullets. "What will you do when the bullets run out?" He asked.
"By that time, you'll be so worn out that I'll be able to kill you with the gun in your hand. If you choose to use up the ammo, I'll beat you to death. It's your choice; I really don't care." His eyes glazed over as if he were completely crazy. He ran towards Vash.
"F-forgive me, Knives. I'm sorry." Vash shut his eyes and pulled the trigger. He heard a scream and dared to open them again. The scream came from Meryl, but Knives lay on the ground.
He got up however and continued his chase. Vash fired again; it was all he needed. Knives hit the ground and didn't get up.
(K-Knives?) The last sun sank out of sight and a wave of guilt washed over the gunman. (I don't think I can take this.... Knives, answer me!)
"Fool," Knives whispered into the sand and with the last amount of energy he had, he shot his brother in his right foot.
It took Vash a full half of a minute to feel the impact. He sank to the ground and blacked out next to his brother.
"Th-th-they aren't moving." Meryl stuttered in a whisper to no one but herself. She reenacted it all in her mind as if it wasn't real the first time. Had she imagined it?
Milly appeared by her side. "Meryl, are they...? No, Meryl, no!" Her eyes filled to the brim with tears. She hiccupped several times before she began crying. Our friends are dying all around us. Poor Meryl! She liked Vash; I could tell.
"We should get them into the hospital just in case." Meryl sniffed. She immediately chided herself. How can you be so calm when 'your' Vash is probably dead?? You're terrible, you know? Milly bent down between the twins and checked their pulses and breathing.
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>. < Hey, where are my reviews, people?? Don't hesitate to offer your opinion. ;)
Chapter 8.
"Meryl, I thought we were going home." Milly said.
Right after Meryl had spoken about leaving, she stood glued to the ground. It didn't feel right for her to just leave Vash's side in his time of need. Especially with Knives there to warp his fragile mind. I wish I knew what happened. Did Knives do this to him? Why was he concerned for Vash in the beginning and now fighting him? This is too complicated even for me!
"I'm sorry, Milly, but I can't leave. I must stay and try to help."
"Maybe I can too." Milly put in, smiling once again.
"You stay here unless I tell you otherwise, okay?" Meryl said.
"Yes, ma'am."
Meryl shakingly crept out from behind a building. She felt crazy! Did she honestly think she could talk Knives out of fighting Vash? She hadn't taken another step when Knives shot him. Tears filled her eyes and she wanted to scream or kill or do something, but couldn't!
They talked and Knives shot him again. No, not my Vash! I can't let Knives win! Did she just think that? Her Vash??
"...The whole world hates you anyway!" Knives was saying.
"No, you're wrong. There are many people who like Vash and I can prove it!"
Knives turned to the sound of the voice. He was surprised: the girl was standing up to him again? The nerve! No matter, for he had the means to shut her up permanently. He aimed the gun in her direction.
"Wh-what are you doing, Meryl?" Vash yelled.
"Deep down, you care for your brother—why won't you admit it? If you wanted him dead, why didn't you leave him lying on the ground in the desert?" Her eyes burned with reason as she had a stare-down with Knives.
"It's because I wanted to finish the fight we started." He said simply.
Meryl didn't exactly know how to respond to that. She was hoping, false hope perhaps, that it would at least make him think. That's reality for you. It's as harsh and brutal as anything! She thought.
Another shot sounded and Meryl cringed, expecting to be in sheer pain, if not dead. She looked up cautiously to see Knives' gun knocked onto the ground.
(Don't make me shoot you.) Vash pleaded. He held the gun he had taken from the cabinet.
(I dare you!) Knives tempted. Vash cried as he pulled the trigger, but he missed by a long shot. "Quit playing because I know that you know that you can do better!" He fired again and nicked Vash in his left arm.
Vash cringed as two scenes played across his mind. Knives showing him the dreadful angel arm technique and him blowing up Augusta.
Knives crept into his mind to see what he was feeling. What he heard shocked him, not made him happy. -- I can't give up now. He'll destroy everything if I don't stop him. Worst of all, he'll regret it for the rest of his life. -- (Knives, my brother, don't do it! Please!)
Head pounding, adrenaline rising and pumping, body aching from loss of blood, Vash the Stampede stood to his feet. He lowered his shades and glowered at Knives. He stood as straight as he could.
Knives chuckled; his chuckle grew to a laugh and he began firing as fast as his weapon would allow. He stood next to the one Vash had shot out of his hand, just as a way of escape if it happened again.
Vash ran for all he was worth and dodged the bullets. "What will you do when the bullets run out?" He asked.
"By that time, you'll be so worn out that I'll be able to kill you with the gun in your hand. If you choose to use up the ammo, I'll beat you to death. It's your choice; I really don't care." His eyes glazed over as if he were completely crazy. He ran towards Vash.
"F-forgive me, Knives. I'm sorry." Vash shut his eyes and pulled the trigger. He heard a scream and dared to open them again. The scream came from Meryl, but Knives lay on the ground.
He got up however and continued his chase. Vash fired again; it was all he needed. Knives hit the ground and didn't get up.
(K-Knives?) The last sun sank out of sight and a wave of guilt washed over the gunman. (I don't think I can take this.... Knives, answer me!)
"Fool," Knives whispered into the sand and with the last amount of energy he had, he shot his brother in his right foot.
It took Vash a full half of a minute to feel the impact. He sank to the ground and blacked out next to his brother.
"Th-th-they aren't moving." Meryl stuttered in a whisper to no one but herself. She reenacted it all in her mind as if it wasn't real the first time. Had she imagined it?
Milly appeared by her side. "Meryl, are they...? No, Meryl, no!" Her eyes filled to the brim with tears. She hiccupped several times before she began crying. Our friends are dying all around us. Poor Meryl! She liked Vash; I could tell.
"We should get them into the hospital just in case." Meryl sniffed. She immediately chided herself. How can you be so calm when 'your' Vash is probably dead?? You're terrible, you know? Milly bent down between the twins and checked their pulses and breathing.
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>. < Hey, where are my reviews, people?? Don't hesitate to offer your opinion. ;)