Jackie: I know Mira has shined a lot these past few chapters. One more chapter for Mira and then I promise Meryl will take center stage again.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Trigun.

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Chapter 33;

Mira slipped into the room. She knew that Meryl, Nick, and Millie would not be far behind her in spite of her warning. She turned and locked the door behind her. I'm sorry…

"I wonder," Mira started, "If you laughed at me."

Knives whipped around and looked down the barrels of two black guns pointed at his head. His eyes followed the guns to the arms and up to the face and crystal gray eyes of a broken woman. He knew the desperate look it her eyes, and the strained look of her face. She was a woman pushed too far, a human at the end of her very short rope. Knives smiled in spite of himself and said, "Do I know you?"

"Don't play with me, Knives Millions," Mira said and her arms shivered, "I have had enough!"

"Hm," Knives said and leaned back, folding his arms casually, "It seems you know me, at least. Very impressive, little spider, you made it all this way, past all my minions…"

"Spare me!" Mira barked, "I just want to know one thing."

"And what is that?" Knives yawned.

"You cried when our children were born," Mira said, "You wept… You said they were perfect. It's obvious that you don't love me, but… Is it all… Is EVERYTHING a lie? Even your love for them?"

Knives was now completely lost, "Pardon? You have me mistaken for someone else I fear. I haven't any idea what you're talking about."

Knives reached out and took control of her body. Knives smiled and said, "If I were a human, I might make small talk, laugh and be on my way. I might tell all my human friends and be amused by this little case of mistaken identity… If I were human."

Knives closed in on her, and glared down into her gray eyes, "But unfortunately for you, I'm not. I don't find your uninvited intrusion amusing, and your story is sickening. I found it vulgar enough mating with one human and you look nothing like her."

"I have important work to do," Knives added motioning to Vash over his shoulder.

"And just what do you plan to do to him?" Mira asked, "He's your brother, your own flesh and blood."

"How righteous of you," Knives growled, "To use that saying. I've seen your kind kill their kin for less than a month's worth of expense money."

"You think you're so much better than us," Mira spat, "And yet, look behind you. You imprison your own kin, who knows what torture you've put him through so far, and in the end? You'll probably have to kill him before you'll break him. You think you're hot stuff, but you're just like Morgan, a dirty, low, miserable little thug! You're not fit to wipe my boots on!"

Knives drew his hand back to strike her and then a name echoed in his mind. Morgan… Morgan… Morgan… Morgan? He saved Monique from Morgan, didn't he? How did this woman know that man? Mira saw the hesitation in his eyes for just a moment then his eyes flung back to hers and he finished his blow. Mira flew across the room just as pounding started outside the door.

"MIRA!" Meryl's voice shouted through the door, "Mira, don't kill him! He's been brainwashed! It's not his fault."

The only person Knives knew was being brainwashed was Vash. Knives glared at Mira and snapped, "You came here to KILL my brother? After that little lecture of yours?"

Mira looked up into her husband's possessed eyes. He had hesitated, for just a moment before striking her. Could it be true? Was Knives a victim in all this? She wanted to believe it, but she just couldn't.

"No," She answered, "I came to kill you."

"She's right!" Nick shouted through the door, "One of the gung-ho-guns told us!"

Knives walked over and grabbed a fist full of hair, pulling her face very close to his. He used his mind to make her lift her own gun to her head. He smiled sickly and said, "Pity you failed. Any last words, insect?"

Was there any way to be sure? Mira's mind rewound to the day the twins were born. While Knives took them to see their uncle, she had taken an opportunity to take a nap. She woke up and there Knives was, watching over her, like he had in the hospital last time they were both there. He was always there, smiling with love in his beautiful deep blue eyes. He smiled at her and said…

"I love you, Mira… Nothing will ever change that… I will love you forever."

Mira began to cry. Had he meant anything he'd ever said to her? She had to know, and so, half because she couldn't stomach that it was all a lie, and half because she believed it really was, she spoke.

"I love you, Knives," Mira chocked out, "Nothing will ever change that. I'll love you forever!"

She closed her eyes and added, "Even if you don't love me."

A thousand visions passed before his eyes, too fast to make sense of. He groaned and dropped her. His head felt like it was going to split open. Mira lowered her gun. Unfortunately she was a bit premature in acting. Knives growled and struck her again. He leapt on top of her, and struck her three more times across the face. He lifted his hand to strike her again and demanded, "I will know what you just did to me! I will know NOW!"

He had stopped again. That was all Mira needed to believe he truly was unwilled. Mira's vision was swimming from the many blows and loss of blood. She couldn't take much more of this, but she had to try again.

"I love you, Gabriel loves you, and Angela loves you!" She cried

He howled and then pummeled her again. She couldn't break through his wall! How could she get through his wall? How had she done it before? Between strikes, half out of desperation, and half out of delusion she yelled, "Queen to king four! CHECKMATE!"

'You'd better watch yourself, bro.'

Knives moved.

'Why, it's not like she could actually—'

Mira moved, Queen to King Four.

"Checkmate," Mira said.

His mouth opened wordlessly. His eyes bulged, and his body froze. Mira saw the exact moment that everything in him snapped. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell with a dull thud to the floor beside her. Not that Mira could help him at all. The world twisted in on itself in her vision, and then everything went black.

………………

Jackie: Meryl stars next chapter so stay tuned! Hey, if you're lost on this story, email we with where you got lost and I will explain.