Writers Notes: I just wanted to say, sorry for such a late chapter. I've been very busy and on top of that, my computer crashed. Luckily I saved most of my stuff on discs before the crash. Anyway, here is the long awaited chapter.

Chapter Five: Brothers Part Two

Vash stirred slightly, he let out a low groan as he slowly lifted himself into a sitting position. It took him awhile to realize where he was, his dark green eyes looking blankly around the cavern. The continuous sounds of crashing SEEDS ships from the night before could no longer be heard. Their sounds now replaced with the howl of the wind as it made its way through the cave. "Knives?" Vash called out, his voice still a little shaky and weak. He waited a moment for a reply, but there was none.

Vash climbed to his feet, his body aching from sleeping on the cold hard ground. He cautiously moved toward the entrance, this planet is new to him, who knows what could be laying in a wait outside the safety of the cavern.It could clearly be seen that the sandstorm had ended, the winds had died down becoming nothing more than a light breeze.

Taking a deep breath, Vash stepped out into the sun, his eyes squinting from its brightness, his mouth dropping at what he saw before him. As far as the eyes can see lay nothing but sand and rock. Vash stepped back unsure on how to react to this. It was nothing like the place that he and Rem dreamed of, nothing like the place on the ship where they spent most their time. This, this place looked, dead.

"Don't venture to far brother. If the heat doesn't kill you, the desert will." Knives's voice said from above. Vash cocked his head toward him, Knives sat on a large slab of rock that had fallen somewhere from atop the mountain long ago. His back rested against the side of the mountain, his eyes peering out over the ocean of sand.

"What are we going to do brother?" Vash asked looking up at Knives.

"We're going to have to stay near the cave, right now it's our only shelter from the sun. There is water too, though not that much."

"B-but what about those who survive the crashes? We have to help them."

Knives sighed as he shook his head, his eyes moving from the landscape to his brother. "Worry about ourselves first Vash, we can't go helping humans now. Let them help themselves."

"I-I don't know if I can do that."

"You won't survive out there Vash, it's best that we stay here for just awhile. If the humans survived the crash, they'll survive the planet I'm sure."

"You sound so sure, but I..."

"Damn it Vash! Think about yourself for once!"

Vash didn't give a response, his brother was right, as always. There would be no way he could survive out there, he would surly die. Vash stepped back within the darkness of the cave, from here till they decided to depart, this cave will be their home.

The cavern was quite small, walking through it, Vash found only one other chamber. This one was a bit larger than the other. Drops of water fell from the ceiling, forming a small pool in the middle of the chamber. Vash bent down, the cold water filled his palm, he lifted his hand to his mouth, taking small sips. His nerves were still on edge and Vash found himself feeling ill. I hope the people are all right. I-I feel so helpless...

Some time later-

"He's a defect, he even now is showing signs of insanity."

"We should destroy him, but what about the other? If we destroy one, shouldn't we destroy the other as well?"

"Hmmm, the other doesn't seem to be showing any signs..."

"Was it wrong of us? Wrong of us to experiment on things such as this?"

"I say destroy them both, it was foolish to play God."

"Rem seems to be taking a liking to them, they seem to have established a bond."

"Hmmm..."

"The young ones will be boarding one of the main SEEDS ships, if we are going to act, let us do it now."

"No, let them go."

"B-but, if we let the defect go, something might happen."

"I agree. We can't possibly let it go. Sir, allow us to dispose of it before it's to late."

"We can't do that, if one is destroyed, the other can not survive. They are linked to one another, chained forever. We've spent countless years on this project, I will not let all this hard work go to waste. They may only be plants in human form, but..."

"Very well, let us just hope that this will not be a mistake."

"Agreed. So, what should we do now Sir?"

"We will remain here, though we will die, it's the price we must pay for what we've done."

"Yes Sir."


Knives put a few fingers to his temples, a slight pain was there, the beginning of a headache. He glanced down at Vash who was sleeping soundly. It had been almost a month since they've crashed on this desert planet. Knives could feel it, feel his brother slipping away from him. It took almost every thing he had just to keep Vash by his side. But soon, Vash will leave, leave to search for human survivors, leaving Knives, alone.

Knives gave a painful groan as he grabbed the sides of is head. With he knees pulled up to his chest, Knives sat fighting off the pain that had been eating at him since he was born. He was growing tired, tired of fighting this, whatever it was. He was falling deeper into the darkness that was taking over him. I can't take much more of this. I'm losing the battle. W-will I just become, a puppet?

"Brother? Brother are you alright?" Vash's voice spoke, breaking through Knives thoughts like a wave crashing onto shore.

Knives turned to look at his brother, his body trembling. Vash continued to look at Knives worriedly.

"You're going to leave me, aren't you brother?"

"Huh?"

"You'll leave to be with the humans, and I will be left alone."

Vash didn't really understand. His mind was still half asleep. Knives turned his head away, his trembling worsened. A long uncomfortable silence swept over them like a blanket. Sure, Vash was thinking about leaving the cavern. He wanted to help those that needed help, but he was also hoping that Knives would go with him.

Vash went to let out a sigh when Knives grabbed him into a hug. Vash, caught off guard, gasped. "B-Brother?"

"Don't leave me! If you leave I- I will..."

"Knives, what is wrong? It is not like you to act like this."

The hug around Vash tighten, it seemed that Knives was holding on for dear life. Vash had never seen his brother act this way before, but, in a way, it wasn't surprising. Seeing Knives that day as the two watched the main SEEDS ship explode, taking Rem with it. The evil smirk that had formed onto Knives's lips. What was becoming of his brother?

"Let us check on the humans, but let us not be seen, all right, brother?" It was all Knives could say, if checking on the humans, making sure they were safe would keep Vash by his side a little longer, than Knives would do it.

"All right." Vash replied softly.


They had traveled far from the cavern, Vash carried all the water he could handle in bottle shaped tubes that he had found from a SEEDS ship that crashed near their home. Unfortunately, no one survived the crash.Knives hardly spoke, he was changing more and more each day. Vash feared for his brother, what could he do? What should he do if Knives were to snap?

Knives stopped abruptly, he pointed a head of him. Vash followed the direction, there laying just over a small hill of sand lay one of the main SEEDS ships.Movement could be seen, shadows disappearing in and out of the ship.

"Survivers!" Vash happily shouted.

"Keep your voice down, I don't want to be seen."

The two plants quietly made their way onto the hill of sand. Crouching, they observed the survivors below.It was shocking on how far the humans had come, they had already made small shelters with the scraps of metal that came from the ship. Amazingly the light bulb shaped machine carrying a mother plant within had also survived the crash. Knowing this, Vash was even more relieved. With the mother plant, they could now make this dead planet liveable.

Something within Knives stirred and disturbing thoughts came to his mind. The urge, the urge to kill every last one of the humans below him was overwhelming and almost becoming intoxicating. Knives turned to lay on his back, if he would to continue watching them, he wouldn't be able to control himself any longer. Vash took notice to this and a sense of awareness came upon him. He knew, he knew that one day he will have to face his brother. He will have to defend the humans, even if it costed him his life.

"Forgive me Vash, for what I am about to become."

End of chapter