The Usual Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun, Meryl, Milly, Wolfwood, Rem, Knives, or Vash, as much as I wish I owned one particular character. . . .Oh, well. I can dream, can't I?
Glory
Chapter Ten: Rem's Dreams
Glory sighed as she dreamed, seeing her mother smiling directly at her.
"I think it's time to show you something," Rem said, gesturing that Glory come closer. Smiling, Glory did so, until she saw Vash and Knives as well, looking around. Rem continued. "I want you all to see this," she said. "And yes, you're all really here. You could say I brought your minds out of your bodies and into mine. This is a dream I had the day I conceived you, Glory," she said.
Glory grinned. "Does it involve donuts and crazy drivers?" she teased.
Rem laughed. "No, but knowing you, it probably should. Come closer, please. All of you."
Obeying, Glory stepped closer, Vash on her right and Knives on her left. As they did so, a scene rushed towards them, an endless grassy plane and blue sky, set with a field of colorful flowers and a single pear tree. The closer they got, the more details Glory picked up. This must be what Vash and Knives looked like as kids, she thought, seeing two boys first, one with short cut hair and the other with bright spiked hair. And then she picked out a third form, a little girl with a ponytail holding up wavy blonde hair.
She wore blue jeans and a red shirt, looking about three and wearing sneakers.
As Glory watched, her younger self chased Vash around and around that big tree, with Rem sitting beneath, reading a book and occasionally looking up to see what her children were doing. Presently Knives was crouched at the edge of the flowers, carefully touching a praying mantis and seeing what it did. Glory ran and ran, trying to catch Vash, who was enjoying being out of her reach and the bigger, stronger, faster brother.
And then Glory tripped and stumbled, eventually landing on her right shoulder and skidding across the dirt. She yelped as she hit the dirt and sat up, whimpering, and rubbing her shoulder. Vash stopped and turned around, and knelt in front of her.
"You alright? Glory?" he asked, but Glory didn't look up.
Knives looked up for a moment and then got up, going over to kneel by Glory. He looked at her and then at Rem, who was smiling at them, waiting to see what Knives would do. After another moment Knives turned, his back facing Glory.
"Come on," he said. "Hop on, Glory."
Glory quit whimpering, forgetting about the tears in her eyes, and looked a little uncomprehending at Knives' back. She grinned after another second and leapt forward, grasping Knives' shoulders tightly. Knives stood up, holding her legs, and smiled at Vash. With a glance at Glory, he said, "Now Vash can't catch you."
Vash gave a "Hey!" but Knives was already running, and Vash tried vainly to catch him.
Glory laughed hysterically, entirely trusting that Knives wouldn't let Vash catch them, and at times blew a raspberry at Vash. "Faster!" she cried, enjoying the wind, but Knives was getting tired faster than Vash was, carrying a child half his size around.
After a minute or so Knives stumbled to a halt in front of the flowers and overdramatically fell forward, not letting go of Glory until he was nearly on the ground, arms above his head. Vash began laughing, but Glory looked confusedly down at Knives, wondering why he stopped. Deciding that she wanted to ride him more, she bounced once, and Knives gave a groan. Glory blinked once and then did it again, getting another groan. She had Vash's attention now, and laughed as she bounced several more times on Knives' back.
And then Vash rushed forward and grabbed Glory, lifting her off Knives. He set her down and said, "That hurts Knives, so don't so it, okay?"
Apparently not getting it, Glory just laughed again and hugged Vash, and then pressed her mouth against his neck and blew. It made a farting sound and Vash jerked and laughed hard, and Glory did it again at his response. It continued even when Vash tried to pull away and tripped himself, falling onto his back. Glory paused long enough to watch the fall and think it over, deciding that it was funny as she laughed.
Remembering how Knives reacted when she bounced on his back, Glory came up beside Vash and plopped down on his stomach, and Vash jerked, yelped and then groaned. He tried unsuccessfully to get Glory to stop, and Glory just laughed as she bounced again and again on Vash's stomach, until Knives pulled her off.
He rolled Glory onto her back and began tickling her as Vash caught his breath, and then Glory was laughing hysterically as four sets of fingers tickled her stomach, sides and neck. She pawed at them until she kicked too hard and hit Knives' stomach, who then hunched forward in pain.
"Knives!" Vash said, and then looked at Glory who was looking interested on why Knives stopped so suddenly. "You hurt him, Glory," Vash explained, and Glory looked over at Vash. "You know - hurt. Like how your shoulder felt when you fell."
Suddenly understanding, Glory turned wide eyes on Knives, who was beginning to straighten. Eyes filling, Glory lunged forward to hug Knives, and said, "Sorry, Knives. Glory sorry."
"Hey, it's all right," Knives replied, and looked up at Vash. "I've got an idea, Glory. Want to swing?"
Vash grinned and Glory looked up with the same grin. "Yes!" she said. "Yes! Yes! Swing!"
Swing? Glory thought, watching the dream continue playing. She got her answer fairly quickly.
Knives stood up and had Glory face Vash. He grabbed her wrists and Vash grabbed her ankles, and began swinging her from side to side. Glory laughed harder and harder the higher she went.
Rem spoke up. "You two better be careful, boys," she called, her finger on her page. "Don't you hurt her!"
"Don't worry!" Knives called back as Vash said, "Never!"
Glory was having too much fun to hear Rem or the twins. That is, until Knives had another offer.
"Want us to toss you?" he asked.
Glory, standing off to the side, suddenly stiffened. Toss? What? she thought, and glanced at Knives and Vash, who were completely absorbed with the dream Rem was showing them.
Her child self was already screaming multiple yes's, agreeing loudly to the suggestion. Knives nodded at Vash and then the two were swinging Glory even higher, and then Knives began to count.
"3. . .2. . .1!" And with that, the boys let go, and Glory went straight up into the air, screaming in elation. She went five feet up and then back down - and Vash stepped forward to catch her. Knives stood behind Vash for support, which was apparently needed. Glory came down fast and though Vash caught her, without Knives adding more support they'd both be on the ground now. Glory clung to Vash for dear life, gasping and laughing and calming herself down.
Rem, still sitting, had her hand over her heart.
Once Glory finished laughing, she leapt up and gave Vash a huge kiss on the cheek, and then reached behind him, grabbing Knives' collar and jerking him closer to give him the same kiss. Once done she giggled and took off running, going up the slightly sloping hill to sit in front of Rem. "Did ya see, Mommy? Did ya see? Glory went high!"
"Oh, I saw," Rem said. With a look at the boys, she added, "It almost gave me a heart attack, but I saw."
Vash pointed at Knives, who shoved him back and pointed, and soon the boys were shoving and pointing at one another. Glory turned to see what was going on and began laughing again as she saw Vash tackle Knives and begin rolling around on the grass. Both boys laughed as they rolled around and tried to pin the other, and Rem let it go on as Glory laughed for several minutes.
"Alright boys," Rem said, "that's enough."
The twins looked at Rem, Vash on his back, hands locked with Knives. Knives' stomach was on Vash's shoe, Vash's leg straight up in the air, and like that, Knives' feet didn't touch the ground. They both muttered an apology as Vash let Knives off his foot and stood up. Glory quit laughing and looked up at Rem.
"I had to stop them before they hurt each other," Rem explained.
Glory laughed. "Vash invincible!" she claimed, showing her obvious favor for him. With a giggle, she added, "Vash funny, too."
Rem laughed. "Yes, he is," she agreed. "What do you suppose Knives is?" she asked Glory.
Glory wrinkled her nose as she thought. "Knives tough," she said. "Knives strong."
Rem laughed again and leaned forward enough to rub her nose against Glory's. Glory giggled more and hugged her mother. "Knives, Vash miss Glory," Rem whispered in Glory's speech.
"Really?" Glory whispered back, turning wide eyes on her mother.
"Yes."
Glory giggled more and got up quickly, running over to her brothers and circling them randomly. "Vash! Knives! Vash! Vash! Knives! Vash! Knives! Knives! Knives! Vash!" she called as she circled them.
Eventually Knives caught her and lifted her above him, saying, "Glory!" with a grin. He set her down again and Glory reached up with open arms, so he did it again. "Glory!"
"Knives!" Glory laughed.
Once she was on the ground again, she went over to Vash, who tossed her like Knives had done, calling out, "Glory!"
"Vash!" Glory laughed out. But this time, when she was set down again, she grabbed Vash's waist and hugged him.
Vash smiled at her and sat down, and Glory curled up while not letting go of his waist.
Knives went off in search of the praying mantis he'd been poking at earlier.
It really was a cute dream, made cuter by how childish Glory acted, and how Knives and Vash had responded to her young state of mind.
"That was adorable," Glory said aloud, looking for her mother as the dream faded out. "You really dreamed that?"
"I wanted you to see it before I left," Rem said with a nod.
"Left?" Vash asked, suddenly aware of reality.
"I have to leave soon, now that you're all together."
"So soon?" Knives asked. "I haven't seen you in so long. . ."
Glory smiled sadly. "It is unfair. Knives had been without you the most."
"But there's me in all of you," Rem said, gently as ever. She stepped forward and opened her arms, and Vash launched himself into her embrace.
Glory laughed once and grabbed Knives' wrist, bringing him with her as she drew close enough to hug Rem and Vash. Knives hesitated a moment before hugging all of them, though with some difficulty. Rem smiled at them all in turn, noting Knives' reluctantly revealed love for her, Glory's sad yet happy face at the developments, and Vash's tear-stained face as he protested her leaving indefinitely.
"My babies," Rem said. "You've all grown up." She drew back and addressed Knives first, reaching up to touch his cheek. "You know you have to be a big brother now, right?"
"Yes. . .mother," Knives said, having some trouble saying the word.
"That means you're going to have to stop being so mean to the humans," Rem went on.
"I'll try my best," Knives said. "I can't make promises yet."
"Good. Now, Vash -" Rem turned to him and thought over her words. "I hate to play favorites, but you're mine," she said.
Crying or not, Vash managed a smile for his mother. "Well, if it helps any, you're my favorite, too."
Rem laughed. "Thank you, Vash. You better enjoy the family I've made for you."
"I will," Vash said, making it a promise.
Turning to Glory, Rem waited a moment and then hugged Glory. "You've done a wonderful job," she said. "Thank you for coming through with your promise and taking care of your older brother. Only now you have two to look after."
Glory laughed and hugged her mother more tightly. "Well, I had a lot of help," she said, thinking back on all the times Rem had given her guidance. "And there's no way I'm ever going to try to take care of twins," she added with a laugh.
"I've afraid you've got no choice," Rem argued, but leaned back. She gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead. "You're my only daughter, Glory. Act a little more like it." She tugged at Glory's jeans and then eyed the muscles apparent on Glory's arms and shoulders.
"Hey, I need these," Glory replied, meaning her muscles.
"Not anymore," Rem returned. "You don't need that boomerang. A time of peace is coming over the planet. Enjoy it while it lasts, even help preserve it." Stepping back, Rem looked at all three in turn. "And I mean all of you."
"Rem - Mom," Vash said, stepping closer. "You. . .Why didn't you ever tell me, about being my - our - mother?"
Rem's eyes grew sad. "You know why," she said softly.
With a nod two more tears made their way down Vash's face, and Glory blinked, trying to hold back her own tears. "Don't make this so hard," she told her brother. She swallowed and blinked again, the action letting two tears fall.
"I have to go now," Rem said, her form fading.
"Wait - Mom -" Vash said, reaching for her. Glory grasped his arm, holding on tightly, as Rem spoke again.
"I will speak to you all separately. As soon as I leave, your dreams - your minds - will separate. I must speak to you all privately."
Her form faded completely, and Glory's eyes drifted shut again. She opened her eyes to see a starry landscape, standing on an invisible floor. "Mom?" she asked.
"Glory," Rem said, and Glory spun to see her. "Your message is simple enough. Take Knives, show him the planet like you've seen it. Only, try not to be so cruel and - please, Glory. . .don't kill anyone else."
"Mother. . .But those few people I did kill - they deserved it, and so many more people have lived because of it. . ."
"That's not an excuse, Glory," Rem told her firmly. "Please, my daughter, my baby, don't do it again." Rem's eyes were so sad, so pleading, that Glory couldn't argue.
"Never again," Glory told her, quietly. Honor before life, she thought. I won't do it again. Ever. I promise, Mother.
"Thank you," Rem whispered. She gave Glory a fierce hug, and both of them let loose silent tears. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Mother," Glory whispered back, and Rem faded away again.
Vash
"Mom?" He looked over his shoulder, recognizing the scene of endless blue water beneath him and red petals raining down from the clouds.
"I'm here," Rem told him, and touched his arm. "I have a gift for you, if you want it," she told him.
"What is it?"
"I can bring back your arm," she said. "If you want it. I know mechanics have their advantages."
Vash gave it some serious thought. He nodded. "I'd prefer to keep it the way it is. It's handy - no pun intended," he added with a laugh.
Rem laughed, too. "I need you to do something now. Can you do what I ask?"
"Of course. Always."
"Don't force your views on your brother or sister," Rem told him. "I've asked Glory to teach Knives. Now all you have to do is be happy with your wife," she added, smiling.
"But I didn't -" Vash began, and cut himself off. Meryl? I'm going to marry Meryl? The thought made him grin, and he hugged Rem. "I'm going to marry Meryl!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, Vash," Rem agreed. "I'm sorry that I have to go, but there's no help for it. Goodbye, Vash. I won't be gone forever."
Holding on more tightly, Vash nodded. "Goodbye, Mother. I'll miss you."
"So will I," Rem whispered, and then she was gone, and Vash crumbled, letting his tears fall unheeded.
Knives
"Knives," Rem called, and he turned to see her.
"This is odd," Knives said, gesturing the background of his dream. They were on a SEEDs ship, in the only room that was weightless. "Why am I here?"
"You liked it here," Rem said. "You miss it."
Knives shook his head, but Rem was going on.
"I need you to promise me something, Knives."
"What?"
"To listen to Glory," Rem said, distinctly. "If you need to learn how to treat humans, Glory is the best teacher. And I need you to promise me that you won't try to kill them anymore."
"I can't make that promise," Knives answered honestly. "What would happen if they all turned feral and attacked us? I can't take that risk."
"Trust me, Knives," Rem said, softly. "Promise me."
Knives just shook his head again.
Rem floated closer. "Promise me, even if it is a lie. Don't make me leave with us in opposing views."
Lips trembling, Knives nodded finally. "Alright, I promise, Mother."
Rem hugged Knives tightly to her. "Thank you, Knives. That means a lot to me."
Knives smiled and tightened his arms. "I remember you being a lot bigger," he said.
Rem laughed once, softly. "You were a lot smaller then. Goodbye, Knives. Be good." She kissed his cheek.
"I'll try," Knives replied, still smiling. Without further warning, Rem was gone, leaving him alone in his dream.
Wow. And so ends the longest chapter I've written. You guys had better grovel at my feet for writing so many chapters. That's right; I had this one finished the same day/night as the previous update. Just had it on hold for the next reasonable update, I.e., THIS one. Sheesh, I made a lot of chapters successively. Four, to be exact.
AND what I forgot to say before: I made this cute picture of Glory, Knives and Vash. Knives is annoyed in the picture, which makes sense, since Glory is practically hanging off him. Vash is on Knives' opposite and grinning like Glory. And flashing his "Love and Peace" sign. Both Vash and Knives are wearing blue jeans and button-up shirt, and brown boots. I made three versions of the picture, since I was playing around with backgrounds. The third looks best, with a sunset background that I had to fiddle with to make it look like Gunsmoke.
Until next time! And I'll be making pictures of li'l Glory, Vash and Knives for ya! Hell, I probably already have them finished by the time you read this.
DL
