A/N: I changed my story update day to Sunday. Another interesting chapter, but with less humor and more romance. Hope everyone likes it!!!
Trouble
Knives arose some hours later, grumbling about his idiot sibling and his foolish human beverages. He would have throttled some sense into the sleeping form in the other bed, but he just couldn't stay mad at Vash for very long. After all, he was his only sibling, his brother.
Still battling his massive headache, he dressed himself and started toward the kitchen. Knives doubted he'd be able to eat much, but knew he needed something to distract his aching body.
Knives groaned inwardly when he entered the kitchen. Erica stood before the cupboards, shaking her head and making disapproving noises. He half expected her to be with the angels, bothering them with her pointless thoughts, but he supposed she wanted to torture him instead. And he still couldn't kill her for it.
Erica turned at hearing the scraping of the chair, and immediately faced her head toward the floor. Knives was puzzled by her strange behavior, but brushed it off as her foolish emotions.
"Knives, we have a problem" Erica said quietly, peeking her eyes high enough to notice his wander to the closed cupboards.
"What?" Knives asked suspiciously, wondering what nonsense she had to tell him. Her talking was interrupting his raid of the kitchen.
"I know you go to a town. And right now, it would be a good idea to go shopping for food." She waited for the expected denial, which was quick in coming.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Knives said, any signs of lying masked by his indifferent expression.
"Then what's this?" she asked, holding up a brand name can of tuna fish. An empty can, of course. "You forget that I do most of the cooking."
Faced with the evidence, Knives nearly relented. But his stubborn streak wouldn't allow a human, much less a female, to get the upper hand. He abruptly rose and walked over to Erica, towering over her small frame.
Erica's face showed no alarm at neither Knives' menacing stance nor his refusal. Rather, her attention was on something else. She suddenly edged closer to him and looked uneasily at the kitchen door. Knives was surprised by her sudden change of mood and took a step back from her, wondering what had brought upon the turn.
"There are no donuts left for Vash" she whispered. She suspected the blond menace to be hidden around the corner, listening in on their conversation. It was a silly paranoia, but one she couldn't shake.
Sadly, her fears were well grounded, as the gunman appeared in the doorway a second later. The look on his face was one of horror and disbelief. He ran into the kitchen and began flinging open all the cupboards and drawers, searching for the precious sugary food. His search was to no avail, and he nearly crawled toward the two standing shocked at the table.
"Knives, you're going shopping today, aren't you?" He wore a large smile, one which was painful for even Erica to look at. His eyes were so full of begging that Knives could feel the bile rising in his throat. The lack of donuts had obviously made his personality take a turn for the worst. And Vash's worst was now terrifying the other occupants of the ship.
"Alright, Vash. We're going" Knives said, relenting to the sickening sight before him. Knives had never been so scared of his brother as he was then. Watching Vash's outburst made him realize the importance of going to town. As in today. Right now.
Erica had also watched Vash's emotional explosion in shock. His craving for donuts was worse than any caffeine addict she'd ever seen.
"Yes!!" Vash yelled ecstatically, making the other's flinch in fear.
Vash helped them to the car, or rather, shoved the couple into the mysteriously waiting automobile outside. Almost as if he'd planned this trip from the very beginning. He practically threw Erica into the passenger seat and was having a tough time 'coaxing' his brother behind the wheel.
"Wait!" Knives yelled, before being slammed into the driver's seat. "Aren't you coming?!"
Erica also suddenly realized what Vash was planning, and made a break for the ship. She was nearly able to escape, but the sugar deprived gunman saw her movement. Slamming the door on his brother's side, he managed to beat her to the ship's entrance and drag her back. She was quickly shoved into her seat, the force of the push nearly making her head slam into Knives' lap.
"No, someone has to keep care of the ship while you two are gone." With a wave, Vash quickly ran back into the ship and shut the door. Knives and Erica heard the electric lock activate, and both knew the door would not open until they returned with his precious donuts.
On the car ride to the nearest town, Erica barely looked at Knives. She hadn't been able to look him squarely in the face all morning, except when he'd been in bed covered in sheets. Her thoughts kept wandering back to last night, and the fifty-six games of strip poker. Erica had declined to play, but the psychotic plant had not been so fortunate. In fact, he'd managed to lose every single game to the outrageously lucky Vash.
And when he lost, he had removed every stitch of clothing. Even when Erica had protested he hadn't needed to, Knives had still insisted. He'd said something to her about pride having to be honored or such, as if pride involved stripping naked in front of her.
Of course, she reminded herself, your conduct last night had been less than civilized. The first time he'd stripped, she hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from him. His body was, for lack of a better word, perfect. Perfectly toned, perfectly formed, and perfectly proportional. Everything.
Clean out your thoughts! she mentally yelled to herself, shaking her head from side to side.
Knives suddenly swerved, nearly running off the road. Erica gripped the dashboard, trying to keep herself from screaming. The plant boy quickly regained control of the steering wheel, and they were once more on the safe and solid road.
"Will you keep your thoughts down?!" Knives yelled at her, keeping his attention fixed on the road.
"You heard me?" she asked curiously, wondering if they could speak to each via telepathy like she did with the angels.
"Yes, now keep your thoughts quiet. I don't want to hear any more of what you have to think."
Arriving at a town called New Topeka, Erica got out of the car and surveyed her surroundings. The small town was like any other on Gunsmoke. Stores lined the rough main street, with the residential areas branching out. The area must have been built above a geoplant, because there was no plant but trees grew along a few of the streets.
"Get your items quickly, abomination" Knives said coldly, walking away from the vehicle toward the nearest gunsmith.
Erica was about to retort back but decided she might make a scene, and there were already enough locals gaping at her and her companion. She walked the length of the main street, finding a suitable looking general store near the end of the block. Thankfully, Knives had an account with the manager, and she didn't need to pay for anything up front.
Stepping out of the store, arms full of groceries, Erica looked around for Knives. He had locked the car, so she needed the keys. Not seeing the deranged plant, she supposed he was still playing around in the gunsmith's shop. Shrugging her shoulders in resignation, she began to walk toward the vehicle when several shadows suddenly appeared in front of her.
Now blocking her path was half a dozen rough looking men, all of whom were leering at her. They appeared to be the town's resident gang, and in the mood for some 'fun'. Growing up on the outskirts of the city of December, Erica knew exactly what 'fun' they had in store for her. And she wasn't going to stick around to join them.
Turning quickly, she slammed face first into the chest of a burly man and fell to the ground. The man before her appeared to be the leader, since the others congregated around him. Their faces were filled with mock concern at her fall, and the leader stooped to look her in the face.
"Are you all right?" he asked mockingly, while the others laughed evilly.
Erica knew she had to get out of there fast, and swung a fist at the leader's face. The blow connected, knocking him backward and allowing room for her to rise. The gang members rushed at her, intent on getting their way with the girl. Erica struck at them as each came, breaking several bones and leaving several unconscious.
Unfortunately, there were too many for even her strength to handle and she was soon overwhelmed. They dragged her into the nearest ally, one which led into a dead end. The leader, with the help of several others holding her arms and legs, managed to pin her to the ground by sitting astride her stomach, a most pleased grin on his face at their positions.
She gagged as he leaned close to her face, the stench of him making her nauseous. His breath reeked of alcohol, and he smelt like he hadn't had a bath in years.
"My, you're a feisty one." His tongue ran across her cheek, and her screams were muffled by the man's hand over her mouth. She could feel warm tears run down her face, as her mind begged for someone, something to save her. Erica closed her eyes as the man's face leaned closer. Help me.
Suddenly she felt the weight of his body lift off of her, and Erica opened her eyes. She sat up and saw the men around her. Their eyes were bulging and the leader was slowly backing away from her. One of the gang suddenly pointed to her arm and began shouting "monster, monster" over and over again.
Erica looked at where he was pointing and gasped. She could only stare at her arm in horror, as feathers began to sprout from her skin. But that quickly changed into a grimace as a blast of pain hit her full force, and she clutched her arm in a futile attempt to stem the hurt.
Knives had been walking out of the gunsmith's shop when he'd heard Erica's mental cry for help. Sensing where she was, he arrived on the scene only moments later. The plant took in the situation quickly. Erica was surrounded by a group of ugly men, with her arm fast changing into an angel arm. She'd soon destroy them all if he didn't stop her.
Rushing to Erica's side, Knives looked around at the people surrounding them, knowing exactly what they'd planned for her. Human filth he thought, his ideals only strengthened by his deductions. He returned his attention back on the girl beside him, her eyes shut in obvious pain.
"You have to stop this" he hissed to Erica, grabbing her unchanged arm roughly.
His tone and violent action only caused her more anxiety, increasing the speed of her body's change. Watching the arm's gun barrel lengthen, Knives realized there was only one way to calm her down. He'd probably regret this later, but if he didn't try, there wouldn't be a later for them.
"Calm down" Knives said, this time more soothingly. He softened his hold on her arm, and drew her close to his chest with the other. "Concentrate on the transformation. Control it."
"What is she, some sort of freak?" one of the gang members suddenly asked, terrified by her transforming body. By now a huge crowd had begun to surround them, wondering what all the commotion was for.
If Knives hadn't been so preoccupied with Erica, he would have shot the man's head off. But he was actually making progress with her changing, as he watched the arm reverse its metamorphosis. When the last traces of the angel arm had disappeared, he picked up her now unconscious body and carried her the short distance to the car. Gently placing Erica into her seat, he went back and picked up the grocery bags she'd dropped, packing them into the trunk.
Starting the engine, they started on their way back to the ship.