A/N: Thanks for reviewing. And to Rosebud, I honestly don't know how many people I'll put in. I don't have many chapters written yet, but I'll put them up till I run out.

Paradise

Knives watched with concentration as the many computers before him flashed, giving him readouts of the program scans. He'd been running thorough scans of all the computer systems, checking to see if any damage had been done in his absence. He had only just returned from a year and a half imprisonment put upon him by his brother.

Idiot, did he have to shoot me so many times! Knives thought angrily as he rubbed his still sore limbs. The wounds had not quite healed, so he continually experienced some discomfort. Maybe those annoying women damaged something he thought suspiciously, with a hint of disgust in his voice. Especially the big one he added, almost giving a small shudder at the surfacing memories. Damn it Vash, letting humans care for me!

Overall, Knives thought the experience had been degrading, and he'd left as soon as a chance was given. Vash had been less than happy about him leaving before his wounds were fully healed but the plant had ignored his brother's sputtering, buying a vehicle and returning to his ship.

Suddenly one of the terminals flashed, alerting Knives that someone had entered the ship. It must be Vash trying to get me to return he thought with a chiding sigh. Standing up, he grabbed the black gun he had made for himself all those years ago. On the return journey he had recovered it from the battlefield, also gaining possession of Vash's since his twin refused to use the 'present' any longer. Thankfully they both still worked after all that time exposed to the elements.

Entering the arboretum, Knives hid behind one of the many trees. He patiently waited for the person to come to him, intent on surprising his 'dearest' brother with a welcome of bullets. However, he was in for a shock of his own.

Erica, after being trapped in the strange compound for a few hours, now only walked straight ahead. She had taken far too many corners and now knew she had become lost. After a few minutes of her new strategy luck seemed to shine on her as she noticed a light ahead. Coming out of the hall, she came to a halt at the sight in front of her.

It was, for lack of a better word, paradise. Before her spread an open area of almost an ile, green, lush grass covering every inch of the ground. Fruit trees off to the side grew along a flowing stream while several other varieties of trees grew in random areas, creating small, scenic patches of woodland. In the middle of all this lush growth there was a meadow, filled with blooming wild flowers and strange, winged creatures flying from bud to bud.

With a gleeful giggle and clapping her hands, Erica began exploring the many trees. Walking among the fruit trees her stomach rumbled loudly, causing her to look about for food. Peering at the variety, she eagerly picked a large bundle of strange, crescent-shaped fruit from one tree. Sitting down cross-legged below the tree with her treasure, she happily dove into the delicious appetizers. Of course, she soon realized there was a skin on the fruit and found the inside to be much more enjoyable.

Knives, when Erica entered the arboretum, was shocked to see a human inside his ship. He angrily watched as she slowly explored his paradise, and was about to reveal himself when a sudden thought struck him. If his idiot brother had brought the female, though a mystery of who the girl was, then such an explanation would answer how she entered his ship.

With his new thoughts Knives now half-expected his idiot brother to come behind, Vash's stupid grin plastered on his face. However, as he continued to watch the human apparently search her surroundings, and his brother did not appear, doubts began surfaced. She couldn't have come alone, but if Vash wasn't with the spider how could she have entered the compound?

When the girl plucked the fruit off the tree and began to devour the fruit, however, he could stand there no longer. If Vash hadn't brought the her and there was indeed a breach in his security, then he would have to immediately fix both problems.

Beginning with the spider before him.

Erica happily finished the last of the food, rubbing her stomach contentedly with a soft sigh. She was about to stand when she suddenly sensed someone watching her, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Turning slowly, she nearly choked on the food in her mouth.

Standing in the middle of the flowers was a man pointing a gun at her head.

Erica heart skipped a beat as she slowly stood up and began backing away. She hoped beyond hope to make good her escape before he acted, her eyes shifting to the entrance to the paradise.

"Stop!" Knives growled, his tone barely below a shout of ire. "How did you get in here, spider!" he interrogated, his voice filled with confusion and anger at the confusion he felt for her intrusion.

Erica immediately halted her retreat at the sound of the man's voice, her eyes growing wide in terror. His tone was so cold that she felt her bones freeze and her blood run cold. Spider? she thought with a shiver. Why is he calling me a spider? And why is he pointing a gun at me!

However, now was not the time to ask him questions as the stranger cocked the large gun he held. "I-I j-just pressed the p-pad a-and the door s-slid open," Erica answered, her eyes glued to the large gun he held.

"That is impossible, the computer will not respond to any spider" Knives spoke, studying the girl in front of him carefully. There was something different about her, but he couldn't say what. Her long blond hair was not an unusual trait for spiders and she was dressed in plain enough clothes. A large white trench coat, much like his brother's but lacking the double buttons running down the front, covered much of her body. Only portions of her black jeans showed underneath, while white hiking boots covered her feet. Her grimy, sand covered white shirt was typical of the desert planet, and a backpack was flung over one shoulder was apparently filled with her supplies.

However, Knives knew he couldn't let her live, no matter what sensation he received from her. He carefully aimed the gun at her temple, squeezing the trigger with a feeling of glee when suddenly a voice inside his head spoke.

"No! Stop!"

Knives clutched his head at the sudden shouts, the yells echoing through every corner of his mind. He dropped to his knees, his hand still holding the gun with a stubborn grip as his mind felt as if someone had violently knocked his head against a wall. The voice he recognized instantly as that of the main plant angel of his ship. His mind buzzed as to why she had stopped him, his now unfocused eyes failing at tracking the spider before him as he tried to recover from the mental blow.

Erica watched with a mix of fascination and pity as the man in front of her fell to his knees in pain. She would have rushed to his side if the gun hadn't fallen not far from him and his eyes hadn't been tracking her with an unrelenting gaze. Apparently gaining control of whatever had afflicted him, he promptly grabbed the gun and stood back up. Swiftly the weapon was once more aimed in her direction, though now with an unsteady hand.

"You," Knives huffed out, not fully recovered from the angel's angered voice. "Come with me." He headed toward the plant room, intent on finding out why his sister had stopped him and how this spider had entered his ship.