To tell the truth people, -.- I never expected the story to reach this far. I personally just started it for the idea and the fun, hoping to spread more stories like this out there. I know my chapters have been short and uneventful, trust me, I've written better (nothing on ff though, check Life as a Rose in fictionpress!) and I hoped this would be starting off better, but its not going how it was planned and I have no idea where I'm taking this. I'll keep writing though, and maybe it will get better. I'm going to start planning out a plot for this (mainly making up an ending and making the story work around that. That's my idea of a plot.) Again, this will hopefully be better. And as I said, I'm sorry for the short chapters, and I thank you for your inspirational reviews! I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A BAD ONE! WOO! Anyway, on with Vash's evil life:

Ch. 5 Death Relives

The empty shot rang out into the barren sky, meeting nothing in its path. Dominique growled in anger and spun on her heel to point the barrel of her gun at the smirking face of Vash the Stampede. The typhoon cackled and wiped the string of blood from his chin. He excitedly aimed his large gun at the Cyclopes with exhilaration rushing past those deadly gray eyes.

Vash's eyes widen in shock to hear voices ringing behind the corner of the main road and he threw his gun to his side to point it at the oncoming people. Dominique, knowing she had a great opportunity lunged at Vash and was thrown back by his free arm. She hit the ground harshly and rolled several feet before lying still in pain. Vash continued ignoring her and listened to the three voices angrily.

"Why are we on the other side of the city again?" a male voice asked over a laughing woman.

"Because," the third said "I need to drop by the office for some things."

"Listen." The male voice said again and they stopped moving before Vash could see them. "Everything's quiet… Something's not right…"

Vash concentrated on the spot they would emerge from any second. His gun rang out and the bullet ripped through the man's arm. Wolfwood cried out in pain and dropped the two pistols he had been holding. He collapsed on the ground curling around the hole in his forearm.

"You again!" Vash growled out furiously. "Don't expect to live this time!" He lowered his gun level to Nicholas' head and began putting pressure on the trigger very slowly.

"Mr. Priest!" Milly cried out, running to his aid. Vash hesitated from the sudden appearance and in another second he had shot the girl in the leg. Meryl charged from behind the corner and began firing her derringers before she could even see whom it was she was shooting at. Vash yelped as one grazed his forehead and he shot a third bullet, making her lame in the foot. Vash, for the first time since he could remember, panicked. He gave a look of being scared and spun to see Dominique, who was trying her hardest to stand up. He fired three times, empting his gun into her head. He cried out in fright and ran towards the other three, dropping his gun beside them. He dropped to his knees and began helping up the short girl first. He took her by the shoulders and shook her awake looking dreadfully into her eyes. She opened her eyes and gave a start at seeing his face. Vash dropped her and grabbed his first aid kit and wrapped up the three's wounds as quickly as he could. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he helped them the most he was able to.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He cried out to them when he finished. He wrapped his arms around Meryl and cried into her shoulder.

"Rem! Rem! Oh Rem, I'm so sorry!" He said into her shirt. Meryl looked at him in terror and looked at the other two. Wolfwood and Milly hesitantly helped Vash up to his feet and Meryl uncertainly picked up his gun with some trouble from its weight. They went into the nearest hotel and checked in and set him on the couch in their four-bed bedroom. Vash curled up into the fetal position. He looked at Meryl sadly.

"Please don't look at me like that Rem…" He said slowly.

"I'm not…" Meryl looked up at Wolfwood and he shook his head. Milly sat down on the floor with some trouble from her leg and sighed.

"Vash the Stampede…" Wolfwood started, looking at him cautiously "I don't understand…"

"Please!" Vash cried out loudly. "I didn't recognize you before with your short hair Rem, and you're shorter than I remember, but you mustn't look at me like that! I'm sorry! I thought you had died so long ago!" Vash fell off the bed and crawled towards Meryl and laid his head on her knees. He clutched at her legs like a small child and continued sobbing into her dress.

Meryl sighed and decided it was in their best interest to play along. She carefully set her hand on her head in the mess of silver hair and took in a deep breath.

"Wh-why are you killing people?" She choked out. Vash looked up at her with a red face and sorrowful eyes.

"Because…" He whispered. "I don't care if they die… You're the only human I care about… If you couldn't live, why should they?" He sounded like he was a small boy making sense of nothing. Meryl sighed and looked at him with some anger.

"Nobody has the right to take the life of another-" as soon as she said this Vash began wailing and clutching to her for dear life.

"You hate me now! Oh Rem! Please don't hate me!" Meryl looked down at Milly for help and Milly gave one of her 'I'm going to say something smart' sighs.

"Mr. Vash, you can't expect the deaths of others to help someone else." She spoke like a mother scolding a child.

Vash stared at Meryl with grief in his eyes and he slightly shook her.

"Rem. Rem! Rem, why won't you look at me?" He cried out as though his own parents were abandoning him. Meryl persistently stared at the vase to her side and tried ignoring the madman. Vash yelped in pain as a foot sent him reeling across the room.

"Do you know how many families have suffered because of you! HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE LOST THEIR PARENTS? You don't deserve to live!" Wolfwood yelled at him. He pulled out a gun and pointed it to Vash's skull. Vash looked up at him with sadness and rage mixed in his face. He picked up his gun and aimed it in turn inbetween Wolfwood's eyes. Vash sobbed and looked at Meryl who was still refusing to spare a glance to them.

"Rem… Look at me Rem! See what I'd do for you! I'll kill him! He wouldn't be alive now if it weren't for you, and look how he repays you! If he's willing to kill, so am I!" Vash turned to look at Wolfwood with no trace of life in his eyes. Meryl turned around to look at the Typhoon and she stood up slowly. She set her hand on Vash's gun and lowered it down. Wolfwood brought his gun down too, against his better judgment. Meryl staggered slightly due to her foot and pulled the gun from his hand. She set it down on a dresser and Vash went to pieces seeing her limp around.

"God! What have I done to you!" He rushed to her and wrapped his arms around her in a large hug. Milly stood up next to Wolfwood and took the gun from his hand and set it on the bed.

"I don't suppose there is any need for this in this room Mr. Priest." She said while watching Vash hug Meryl. "He's like a big kid who lost his way somewhere along the line."

"What does he mean I wouldn't be here if it weren't for that Rem lady?" Wolfwood said in a sort of daze.

"I wouldn't worry about it!" Milly said in her cheery voice. "I think our first goal is to set Mr. Stampede right!"

Vash press his cheek against Meryl's and gave a shudder.

"I saw you die…" He whispered into her ear. She trembled at feeling his warm breath on her face. "It was so horrible. Everything I loved died before my eyes right then and there. If only the ship hadn't been hit by that asteroid none of this would have happened…" Meryl's eyes widened when she understood what he meant. But it wasn't possible! If it were true, he had to be over one hundred years old! But he didn't look a day over twenty!

"I've made a mistake Rem. But if your god is as merciful as you told me, he will forgive me, and so will you… I don't know how you lived, or how you haven't aged, but I know it's you, and I just want you to know how happy I am that your alive…"

Meryl pushed away from him and looked at him with fright.

"You came from the SEEDs ships…" She whispered in fear. Vash looked at her confused and looked at the other two with the same bewildered look in his gray eyes.

"Can't you remember? Rem!" He shook her slightly. Meryl jumped back away from his touch and backed up into Wolfwood. Vash reached out toward her and Wolfwood picked up his gun and pointed it at him.

"She doesn't want you to touch her! Leave her be!" Wolfwood said warningly. Meryl hid behind him and grabbed Milly.

"He's not human!" She said fearfully. Vash looked hurt and grabbed the barrel of Nicholas' pistol and crushed it like paper.

"Of course I'm not! Rem, you don't remember me at all, do you?" Vash shot forward and seized Meryl be her shoulders. "Do you? Look at me! Look into my eyes! Rem! Please don't forget me!" He yelled at her pleadingly. Meryl wailed out, tears streaming fiercely down her face and Vash looked at her in resentment. Vash's eyes went blank suddenly and they rolled into the back of his head as he passed out on her shoulder. Wolfwood stood over them with his gun still in the air. Milly quickly lifted the Typhoon from Meryl and laid him on his bed, then helped the unconscious Meryl into her own.

"She must have passed out in shock. She'll be okay in the morning. Go to bed Milly, and I'll watch this guy tonight." Wolfwood beckoned Milly to her bed and sat in the chair by the corner and rest his gun in his good hand on his knee. Wolfwood sat up all night watching the psychotic man sleep, keeping a careful eye on him.

"Rem…" Vash mumbled in his sleep into his pillow as a tear fell down his face. "please remember…"