"Vash will uncover my plans very soon. I meant it when I said I'd purge this planet of all it's grim, and it shall start with this wrench my brother so fondly cares for." A twisted smile formed on Knives face, one that could make a person's heart stop dead.
Vash felt himself almost collapse on the porch of well somewhere.
"Mr. Vash?" A familiar voice tingled in his ears.
"Millie? What are you doing here? Did Meryl make you follow me?" Vash's eyes held anger, well very light anger. "
It was our assignment to track you and your brother, Knives. Meryl's gone, she's disappeared." Vash's anger instantly vanished and was replaced with concern and dread.
"Vanished? What do you mean? Like how?"
Wolfwood stood a few feet away puffing a cigarette. Millie frowned and snatched it out of his mouth and put it out.
"Dear you promised you'd quit smoking! It is bad for your health!"
Wolfwood looked slightly taken aback. "Yeah you're right honey, but bad habits are hard to break. As for Meryl," Nicholas turned to Vash, "We went up to her room to wake her up and we found some blood on her sheets and on the floor. Her guns were lying on her bed. Some crazy lunatic abducted her in the dead of night." Nicholas finished his brief explanation.
"Knives he did this. He disappeared to and this is his way of getting back at me." Millie bit her lip; Vash had a determined frightening, even animal look in his eyes.
"Well broomhead what are we waiting around here for? Shorty's in trouble, so let's move it!" Nicholas revved up the beat up car Meryl usually drove as Vash involuntarily tightened the grip on his gun.
Meryl found herself on a stone hard floor tied to a chair. 'Oh geez that's original' Meryl thought to herself sarcastically. Legato was once again eating an ice cream sundae, Meryl smirked and thought 'It's a wonder he doesn't get fat gulping them down like he does. Sick little lackey that he is.' Knives appeared out of nowhere and Meryl cringed. He had the look of a serial killer, and she knew once he lured Vash into his clutches she would be shot dead in front of the blonde's eyes. One thing Knives did not count on was the stubbornness of Meryl Stryfe. She managed to slip out of her bonds, but did not make it apparent at first. Why give the sicko the vindictive pleasure of shooting her or torturing her? "I see the clever little witch has managed to free herself. Well done, if I had a biscuit I'd throw it at your head," Knives replied hatefully, as usual.
Meryl quickly spat out the material that had gagged her. "You wouldn't dare shoot me."
Knives eyes flashed dangerously. "Ah no. I could not enjoy toying with my brother half as much if I let his precious plaything die. Don't worry you'll die a very interesting death soon enough." Meryl snarled, she wasn't going down that easily.
Vash turned and sternly looked at Nicholas and Millie. "From here on in I am going alone. You two could get killed if you went with me."
Millie looked appalled. "But he's got Meryl, I have to help Meryl!"
Nicholas looked at Millie; he had his arm around her. "She's got a point there Vash, we're in this together."
Vash sighed. "Alright fine, but just stay out of the crossfire okay?" They both nodded. Vash looked up towards the hills to see a familiar figure reigning down upon them.
"It can't be, he's dead." Vash murmured to himself. But sure enough the distinctive outfit and endless cold that radiated from this figure was enough to distinguish him.
"Ah Vash I see we meet again, this time, however, I believe I have the advantage. I have well a certain bargaining chip you may find interesting?" Legato smirked. Vash's felt his whole body tighten, he gave Millie and Nicholas a look that clearly said 'Get out of here!'. Nicholas and Millie obeyed and went somewhere for cover.
"Let Meryl go!" Vash demanded. Legato grinned wickedly.
"You'll have to take that up your brother Knives, I am in no position to be releasing hostages." Legato fired a shot that missed grazing the blonde gunslinger's arms by inches.
"You sick S.O.B." Vash cursed under his breath. Legato let out a cruel laugh. Vash pulled the silver gun out of his pocket. It shimmered an odd, foreboding glow in the basking desert sun.
"So we finish our little duel at last, how I've been looking forward to this moment." Their guns were aimed at one another's hearts; both held expressions of loathing and anger. Vash had a rare cold and far-off look. It was a far cry from his usual mellow and carefree demeanor. And then, the barricade of shots rang out. Vash had super human speed on his side and his aiming was dead accurate. After showering each other in metal bullets, one of Vash's well-aimed bullets finally hit Legato square in the stomach. Vash's gun fell deep into the desert sun with a clatter. Legato's red blood seeped into the sand, but still he refused to die. Legato wiped the stray droplets of blood off his black gun and took a few quick paces towards the horrified Vash.
"That was a lucky shot, not at all your best fighting. I see your still being a pacifist as usual and refusing to kill me. Well, I have something to tell you. This duel will not end until one of us is dead."
Vash's lip quivered. "So you're going to live your whole life as Knife's puppet are you?"
Legato scowled and wiped his bleeding lip. "Pick up your gun Vash, I have no time for this nonsense." Vash did pick up his fallen gun, but he didn't aim. "You're badly wounded yet you're still there declaring loyalty to a master who doesn't care a bit for you. Why don't you live your own life instead of being my brother's servant?"
Legato seemed unmoved by Vash's plea. "I will serve my master until my death." A piercing shot rang out through the air. Vash opened his mouth in a silent scream, a protest. He turned around angrily expecting to see Nicholas holding a smoking gun; the site he got again was far more sickening. Another plant hybrid was holding a gun looking at the dead Legato with disgust and displeasure.
"The worthless whelp was taking far long to lure you inside. So we meet again, and this time I am happy to inform I am fully conscious." Vash's jaw clenched. "You better cooperate Vash, or I shall be forced to kill your little friends over there." He pointed in the direction Nicholas and Millie were hiding. Nicholas had his arm protectively around Millie's waist as they both watched the duo with apprehension.
"I'll come with you if you swear you'll leave them alone." Knives simply nodded and Vash silently followed his brother into the warehouse.
"I'm the one you want, let Meryl go." Vash said.
Knives chuckled. "I think not, she's made you far softer than you realize."
Vash glared. "What the hell did you do to her?" He demanded angrily.
"Oh getting testy about you your little wench, I might have accidentally let my finger slip on the trigger."
Vash growled. "If you hurt her, if you laid one hand on her.."
Knives cackled. "Me touch her, you must be joking." Vash finally caught sight of a bleeding Meryl, apparently tortured and slightly bleeding in a nearby corner. "We have a fight a finish." Knives replied coldly as the weapon built in his hand began to pulsate.
Nicholas and Millie agreed to take action; they'd find some way to help Vash win his battle with Knives. Vash was forced to draw out the one weapon he had that he dreaded, the one that had the power to demolish a city with a single blow. A weapon so powerful it had ripped a gaping hole in the red moon. The brothers squared off, their weapons pulsating.
"It doesn't have to be this way, you can turn over a new life," Vash pleaded. Knives gave him a piercing stare.
" I think not my brother, I am going to prove you wrong until I am no longer breathing." And thus the clash of brother-on-brother began. Meryl awoke feeling weak and slightly nauseous. Her head pounded and she felt like her whole body had been torn inside out. She was dimly aware of her surrounding, and the sticky wet substance covering half of her body. It took a few moments for her to register that she was indeed covered in her own blood. She could see she was half-healed and still half in distress. She became acutely aware of Knives and Vash's battle not far away from where she lie. The thoughts began to form rapidly inside her head. She had to do something to help him. She forced herself to half crawl and half waddle towards a box filled with several different wires and circuits. She blindly swung at them all, hoping maybe even faintly it would have some effect. With that small bit of movement, Meryl once again passed out from exhaustion due to her still leaking wounds. The lights flickered on and off in a queer sort of way.
"That wench must have hit the electrical power switch." Knives growled. It was difficult to focus on his brother's frame as he came in and out of focus. Meryl hadn't done much damage, because the lights finally flickered back into their steady stream once more.
"Let's finish this, or you could spare yourself the agony and just succumb to my demands Vash." Vash held his gun at eye level.
"I remain firm in saying I will not destroy this planet or its people." Knives looked highly disappointed.
"Then I suppose we have reached the end of the road." He pointed the gun at Meryl and fired a shot, much to Vash's horror.