Knives had visited his sisters before during the early stages of installing the new Plant into the crashed ship, but for the most part, he kept his distance from the ship. He was used to being among humans ever since leaving to rid Vash of his bounty, but, as he had already explained to his brother, he couldn't help but ridicule humans whenever they surrounded their sisters frequently.

Knives couldn't simply command the Plant engineers to vacate the premises whenever he desired to communicate with his sisters on the ship; he had promised Vash he would avoid controlling humans unless it was for emergencies. Still, Vash was a magnet for trouble… Bounty or not.

How irritating.

Knives dug his hands into the pockets of his long coat, then he eyed the black gun holstered at his side whenever a human stared at him and his brother.

"Knives," Vash spoke while placing a hand on the stiff Plant's shoulder, "I'm positive no one'll be around them today!"

Knives sighed as he crossed his arms. "Do I have to remind you about the one human that interfered and reacted with fear when he witnessed her emerge from the core? How can you be so certain this time?"

Vash dropped his hand, sighing. "Many don't know about Plants inside the bulbs. None of the engineers from the KTIU even know. People will be scared of something they just don't under—"

"Yes, Vash," Knives said coldly. "We read their history. We read how they respond to the unknown. We read how they treated the unknown. If they knew what we are, they'd kill us. If they knew that Plants are sentient beings… they'd panic. The moment they taste the fear of knowing there's a superior breed, something seems to take control of them every time."

Knives would never reveal that he had imprisoned scientists in his ships to his brother, and his experiences with engineers and Plant scientists witnessing his sisters emerge from the bulbs were all similar. They feared the very beings they desperately sought knowledge and power to preserve—to dominate and abuse.

Vash weakly smiled. "Maybe one day we can teach them to understand." He stepped in front of his brother and looked into his eyes. "Knives, out of everyone on this planet, we're the most qualified to do something… I'm sorry that it's taken me this long to help them, but you know that I'm just..." Vash pursed his lips and looked determined. 'We're Plants, but that doesn't mean we're superior. We're different, but different doesn't have to be negative or positive, right?'

Knives scowled. 'We're the most qualified? Vash, for the majority of our lives, we haven't truly protected our kind. You saved a few, but for what? For humans? I've murdered many…' He frowned before meeting Vash's eyes again. 'I haven't truly assisted them either… I've used them. I've used them…' Knives recalled how he had treated his brother and such acts of cruelty were comparable to those done by humans, which caused an overwhelming ache to strike his heart. He didn't want to behave similarly to a human any longer. 'Vash, I was obsessed with convincing you to join me for years, and I neglected them.'

Vash widened his eyes, obviously bewildered by Knives' response. He then beamed before his smile grew. "There's a lot we can do. In fact, I have someone you'll wanna meet later today." He clapped Knives' back before approaching the security door. "She and I have a history, and if what she has planned works, it'll help all of us!"

Knives raised a skeptical brow. After a century, humans now sought to do something about their sisters' predicament—an environment he had forced upon humanity as a child, a place where his kind was powerless to defend themselves. Back then, Knives had only cared for building an Eden for himself and Vash and had intended to use his sisters to terraform the planet. Humans wouldn't ever harm them.

They'd be safe if it was just them…

Vash neared the intercom and asked the doctor for permission to enter. Knives followed him into the platform that ascended to the upper regions of the ship, where they could avoid the people who had taken up residence once again after power had been restored. Although the damaged Plant had been replaced, without a fourth one, the ship still couldn't fly.

"You'll see. She's, uh." Vash's cheeks flushed, and Knives briefly wondered why. "Something else. She's a Plant engineer—"

The older twin groaned, rubbing his temples at the thought of greeting one of those again.

"I know how ya feel about them. You haven't met her yet, but I've mentioned her before. She's been helping me with the Plants—her and the team."

"And why would I want to meet this woman?" Knives crossed his arms again as he watched the metallic walls pass while the platform continued to rise. "All I want is to greet our sister and return home. Why must I subject myself to meeting their kind?"

"Cranky, huh?" Vash rubbed the back of his head and said, "She's trying to make a difference now. Uh, you'll see. Please hear her out, for meeee."

Knives really, really despised when Vash used that line, because in reality—although he'd never admit it—Knives would possibly do almost anything for his brother, and had thought he knew what Vash needed in life for so long.

The platform finally reached the top floor where one of the Plants was housed, and Knives was the first to step into the hallway with numerous unoccupied corridors and rooms. Vash caught up with him and tried to kindle a conversation about the resemblance between the ship and the one they were raised in, but Knives was focused on sensing the Plants. He kept his eyes closed as they neared the room with the newest sister. The ship itself powered everything throughout the city, and with the new Plant, other technologies could be utilized to improve the lives of humans.

What of the Plants? Knives was allowing them to be drained while casually living among humans. It disgusted him. He thought about using the Angel Arm momentarily, but when Vash began humming and when Knives glanced at him, he reconsidered it.

Millions Knives living among humans peacefully. At times, now more than ever, the very thought still sickened him to a degree. Now that he began concentrating on the lives of the Plants, his old urges to exterminate them would often surface.

It didn't take long for them to reach the main entrance, where the doctor stood beside the enormous sliding door. Knives kept his face of indifference while Vash looked about as idiotically as ever while greeting the short human.

"Vash, it's good to see you as always." The doctor slightly lowered his hat over his eyes, tilting his head. "Good afternoon, Knives."

Knives remained silent but gave a sharp nod. Even though things seemed civil between them, especially after Vash had vouched for his twin and he was allowed to enter the ship, Knives knew the human held a grudge against him for a multitude of offenses. Vash once mentioned a human named… Brad had saved his life when one of the Gung-Ho Guns had followed Legato's orders and nearly took Vash's life. Another human named Jessica also suffered, but Knives really didn't care how the humans from the ship were affected.

"Elizabeth left for a while to pick up some papers, so I asked her to meet us in your headquarters." The doctor gestured for the twins to enter, and Knives took the lead while Vash followed.

The room was empty with the exception of the railing and elevated platform with the bulb looming overhead. Knives ignored the rambling from his brother and the human to climb the stairs in order to reach the bulb. He kept his hands at his side as he purposely strode to the curve of the glass, then he sought for any signs that warned him if other humans were present. When his brother and the doctor neared, he approached the control panels connected to his sister and analyzed the data.

"Someone altered the data I coded in during my last visit," he stated with a deep pitch to his tone. "The output levels have been unnecessarily increased."

Of course, a human had worsened the living conditions of his sister.

"Oh, sorry," Vash spoke, rubbing his neck sheepishly. Of course. "Elizabeth and I were testing some new combinations, and we had to give her a day or so to see the results."

Knives responded by narrowing his penetrating eyes.

"I, uh, also used some of your suggestions and tested them out my way, and I think I'm close to a new breakthrough!" Vash extended his hand before clenching it into a fist in front of his face, no doubt an exaggerated act fueled by his determination.

"Why are you altering my work? My knowledge is vast compared to the common incompetent engineer or lousy scientist. Honestly, I'm insulted."

Vash lowered his arm, pouting. "Well, we gotta try other methods that could be even better than yours, maybe. The Plant's a healthy one from an abandoned ship near May City, and I asked her if it was alright to do these things."

"You're assuming I simply have been sulking around or secluded myself without accomplishing anything. I know what I'm doing." Knives rolled his eyes. He watched the data scroll by and felt the heat from the panel radiate onto his fingers as he continued to type. "Return her to these conditions then if you're unsuccessful," he said calmly, but there was a hint of authority to his tone, one that Vash nodded in response to.

"I secured the room so no one should enter during your visit," the doctor said as he remained near the stairs.

Vash smiled at the short human before approaching the bulb to palm the glass in greeting. He then placed both hands on the glass and closed his eyes. His smile broadened almost immediately, keeping himself perfectly still while the warmth inched from his fingers and ascended his arm.

Knives glanced at his brother and noticed the tranquil expression on his face. He had already realized that Vash had always acted similarly to a Plant in his own way, and seeing him continue to embrace his true nature made Knives feel relieved. However, Vash still denied their superiority.

Then Knives recalled his attempt at convincing Vash of his gifts in July, and he found himself staring absently at the data.

In reality, the last thing Knives wanted was to harm Vash. Now, even he knew that such a statement would probably aggravate his brother and his pet, but it was the truth. Knives had tried to settle things his way, but on multiple occasions, Vash had resisted or attacked him. Vash had tackled him during the spider incident in the recreation room, then in the escape pod, and after, in the desert, then when Knives created the weapons. He had abused Vash, but he had convinced himself that such acts were justified.

Then Knives was shot and abandoned. It was the first and last time he remembered sobbing. Not even Steve had broken him and witnessed his weakness.

"Knives?"

Knives grasped the edges of the machine, knuckles whitening under the strain before he forced himself to stand tall.

Vash quietly approached him. "If changing the numbers really bothers you, I'll try not to add a—"

"No," Knives answered bluntly. "Forget it."

Vash frowned. Knives avoided his face, but once they turned to gaze at each other, the older twin's eyes seemed vacant and absent to the world. Vash had said it was normal for them to experience guilt from their mistakes, but Knives had always believed he had been right and had a goal to achieve Eden.

Now what?

"Vash," the doctor interrupted, causing Knives to meet the human's eyes, "I have a surprise, an early Christmas gift to give you! Now I know it's still weeks away, but I couldn't wait. Follow me and we can give your brother his privacy."

"Oh boy, really?!" Vash clasped his hands together and nearly squealed with glee at the drop of a hat, but when the doctor looked away, Knives saw that Vash glanced his way and seemed concerned.

Knives grinned, which surprised his brother. 'No matter what, no humans could ever surpass my gift last year. Not even your pet with her gifts.'

'Pet. No, she isn't a pet.' Vash scoffed before stepping closer to Knives and poking him at his side. 'No, what ya did I don't think can ever be matched, but it's the thought that counts! Meryl might not have wandered the world for months to solve the bounty problem, as ya did for me, but she can make some nice clothes.'

Knives grunted, but couldn't really refute that statement since he wore a blue shirt underneath his coat she designed.

'Her height puts her at an advantage when it comes to practice since she likely measured herself.'

'Gah, always with short jokes. You're worse than me! Well, I wouldn't want her any other way…. When we cuddle and—'

"Leave," Knives warned, his face contorted with disgust.

Although he wasn't going to force Vash to abandon his pet or prevent him from creating a connection with her, Knives still couldn't fathom the fact that his brother had mated with her. Innocent acts of affection were bearable somewhat, but bestiality was beyond even the likes of him.

Vash shrugged. "Okay, Doc. What kind of surprise do ya have in mind?" He followed the doctor down the stairs. Eventually their voices dissipated and the room was nearly still, except for the humming lost technology surrounding the bulb.

Knives ran a hand through his cropped hair, straightened his posture, and adjusted the coat so the buttons aligned themselves evenly. Once confident in his appearance, he neared the panel once again to input certain lines of data, ensuring himself that the doctor had locked the room, then he neared the bulb. Before he touched the glass, the heat washed over him in pulsing waves; she knew he was present and was… warning him. He took a step back and questioned why she was distraught.

Was this another sister that wouldn't forgive him?

No. She sensed what he brought with him. She knew of the very weapon that was the twin to the silver Long Colt. She knew what Knives had done to their little brother and to the Plants that perished in July and Augusta.

Vash believed the gun Knives carried was the one he had given the older twin for Christmas, but Knives had modified his black Angel Arm Long Colt with parts from the ordinary gun in order to conceal its existence. Vash wouldn't ever approve of it, but the fool had never learned how to sense the cylinders in their weapons.

Knives raised the weapon to the Plant, promising that he wouldn't activate his Angel Arm. To further prove this, he set it down on the panel a few feet away before returning to her. Now, she was compliant to communicate with him despite what he had done in the past. Knives placed his palms on the curve of the glass, leaned his forehead against it, and relaxed his heartbeat as the profound connection began forming between them. Then, the energy from the gates in his arms flowed with her power.

The humming from the bulb echoed throughout the room, but Knives couldn't hear for he was beyond where mortals roamed, where humanity dominated, where he could possibly evade the sensations of his adverse emotions to bask in his sister's presence.

He had worked to change dependent Plants before, and although he hadn't tried altering their genetic makeup in some time, he hadn't given up. No, he had to remain in a bulb for twenty years and become fixated on revenge rather than becoming an advocate for Plants. He had been sacrificing Plants for his whole life, and Vash had also dismissed them mostly because he was under the delusion that the relationship between the two species would improve gradually and because of fear.

Fear. Knives knew the emotion well even though many never witnessed him cower. Stryfe may have often taunted him for fearing humans—even if he had grown accustomed to being around so many—they still made him feel apprehensive. Considering his brother's nature and simply because humans continued to pursue him, Knives had every right to be after Vash had been shot the previous Christmas.

Now, Knives didn't feel much guilt for his actions when it came to humans. They were seen as logical justifications, because despite how much his brother prized them—especially the women of the house—their kind was an invasive, dominating, inconsiderate species that would eventually harvest what little was available on Gunsmoke. They had done so with Earth, neighboring planets, and would surely do so again and again.

But did he have to sever his brother's arm and force him to end so many lives to prove the point? Could his twin forfeit such damaging, sentimental ideals with near-impossible expectations for the sake of self-preservation? Knives detested Rem for the damage she had caused, for turning Vash against him, for preaching that Knives' views on the world were wrong while never voicing an alternative solution or perhaps a compromise. Vash had—what was that noise?

Knives' unconsciously frowned as he began to distance himself from the connection to his sister. An odd wailing noise gradually intensified the closer he came to his senses. At first, he assumed it was his brother whimpering again over something trivial, but the voice was foreign. Once he opened his eyes, he felt his lips quirk into a smirk at the sight of his sister, but he then scowled at the sound of crying.

The Plant had emerged from the bulb during their connection, which was what usually occurred while communicating with one. As far as Knives was aware, he and Vash were the only ones who could summon their kind from the cores of the bulbs. It was a private, sacred event. That was why Knives had been so adamant about having humans be absent during his visits; his sister was likely to emerge and such a sight had disturbed humans before. They cowered in fear. They turned aggressive.

Knives snarled, yanking his hands from the bulb as his sister's angelic form cast shadows on his person along with the… weeping human.

How a human managed to enter the room, Knives was unsure, but now a woman stood beside him, tears streaming from her eyes she attempted to hide by blocking her face with an arm. He was prepared to question the annoyance before his sister mentally nudged him. He turned away from the human to behold his sister's yellow eyes soften and a smile greeted him. She sent messages and images of the human and Vash conversing near the bulb.

So, this human was the one his brother had spoken of. Likely, she had never witnessed what truly resided in a bulb. Surely she'd cower, surely she'd…

Something usually always controlled humans whenever they witnessed a superior being, but Knives hadn't ever seen sorrow. Why? Fear, maybe? Overwhelmed—possibly. Not once had previous engineers or the like cried. Amazed, usually, but sobbing? Obviously, tears originated from fear, or perhaps the human was one of those obsessive Plant worshipers that prayed to the technology rather than the being within.

The woman staggered back and nearly fell before catching herself on the railing a short distance from Knives. Now, he was curious. The human's frantic face between parted fingers faced the bulb, and her eyes glistened as tears continued to trickle to her neck, then they disappeared underneath her professional attire, which was a tight-fitting dress that would've rivaled the costume Thompson wore for their first Halloween.

Knives recalled the times Vash had dealt with Stryfe when she wept, then he himself had to often deal with Thompson's weeping, and she reminded him of Vash, crying over seemingly nothing. Knives usually sat there and listened to whatever babble the women had to say, which he supposed was enough since, as far as he knew, human women enjoyed talking. Then again, his brother was similar. Even he himself enjoyed a meaningful conversation with a Plant. Now, what to do about this human since his brother wanted him to become acquainted with her?

"Hm… W—" He pursed his lips at his hesitancy. "I'm curious, you're reacting this way because of her, and I'm assuming you're overwhelmed by the sight of something superior to you." His brother usually asked his pet if there was something wrong, but that would do.

When she further leaned against the railing while facing the bulb, Knives debated with himself to search her mind for answers, but he groaned knowing his brother's reaction if he discovered his intrusion. Instead, when the woman seemed lost, Knives ignored her and faced his sister, who he bid farewell to and watched her return to the core of the bulb, her waving limbs and feathers following her form. He then turned back to the woman and saw her crumble to the floor with her hands holding her head.

What his brother didn't know wouldn't harm him, so Knives remained connected to his sister and instructed her to reach him if the human did anything that would endanger her.

'Vash,' Knives sent as he followed where he felt his brother's presence, 'a human entered the room.'

'Huh? Really? Tha—Aaah!'

Knives halted before he immediately ran through the vacant hallways. He found himself rushing through a newly populated section of the ship, and humans weren't able to follow his movements.

'I'm okay… Uh, it always hurts.'

The Plant's feet skidded across the smooth surface, scaring a mother and her child that stood nearby and were unable to follow his speed. He inhaled deeply and demanded, 'What happened?!'

'Thank you for being concerned with little ol' me.'

Knives reached the room Vash was in and pressed a few buttons to open the door. 'Answer the question.'

'Just a few modifications. I'm okay—just hurts because of the arm being attached to my nerves and all.'

Knives stepped into the room, and what he analyzed unconsciously changed his demeanor. His shoulders slumped, maintaining perfect posture was forgotten, and a light crease appeared between his brows. Before him was his brother lying flat on the table without his prosthetic, and the doctor, who held onto a device Knives was familiar with, had begun the process of detaching the metal device that encased Vash's stump.

Vash waved, grinning like an idiot. "Uh, I'm sorry someone entered the room. Who was it?"

"Hmph," Knives crossed his arms, "a woman our sister said was Elizabeth. She's the human I was supposed to meet."

"Oh! You met her… Wait…" Vash widened his eyes and abruptly sat up. "Did she…"

"Yes. She saw our sister."

"Oh crap." Vash groaned, rubbing his eyes with his organic hand. "I was going to show her when I prepared her enough, but I didn't think she could get in!"

"I'm sorry, Vash," the doctor said as he set his instrument down, "I had forgotten that I gave her the ability to access the Plants' rooms even if I secured them."

Vash seemed distraught as he grasped onto his bare stump. "H-How did she react to seeing her?"

Knives shrugged. "She was weeping like an adolescent. Reminded me of you, actually. I assume she's probably overwhelmed and fearful."

Vash lowered his eyes. "I don't know about that… Maybe you're right, but maybe…"

Knives approached the bed and accidentally loomed over his brother—force of habit. "You know something."

"Well, yeah. I know her more than you do. Eh, don't worry, I'll talk to you about it later. I really don't think she'd say anything about the Plants."

Knives watched his brother rub his stump then narrowed his eyes as he remembered the rush his body experienced when he had severed the arm. He had enjoyed it. His revenge... He wanted Vash to suffer after being abandoned twice and left to die—again!

'It would take time, as I've mentioned before,' Knives began. 'Far longer than I know you'd be comfortable with, but regardless, you could regenerate your arm.'

Vash closed his eyes before glancing down at his new prosthetic in a briefcase. 'It took you decades to grow your legs back… I can't afford to waste time.'

'It's not a waste if it involves your well-being.'

'I've lived without it for decades and I'll probably continue to do so… I can't waste what time I have with...'

Knives' eyes briefly widened in realization before he returned to an aloof expression. 'Stryfe.'

Vash nodded, sighing as he met Knives' eyes. 'I'm finally, finally giving myself the chance to enjoy being with someone again. It's scary to think about losing her while I'll still be the same, but I can't keep running. I wanna be happy, Knives. I want love and peace, and now with you being here and without being a wanted man, I feel like I can give myself the chance to live and learn from my mistakes. You understand me, don't you?' His look was pleading.

Knives suddenly appeared exhausted, eyes wrinkled and empty as he stared at Vash's stump. 'A purpose? You believe having Stryfe in your life will lead you to happiness?' He suppressed a scowl at the thought of a human being more significant to his brother than him.

'Not just her. You, Milly, the Doc, and people I know around town and throughout the planet. With what Elizabeth has planned, I think we'll all have a brighter future.'

Knives scoffed. "Perhaps if you and that woman spent time on actually achieving something rather than sobbing, we'd be living in an Eden by now."

"Pffft, I don't cry that often!" Vash raised a loose fist to his eye in an attempt to mock Knives by producing artificial tears.

The Plant quirked a brow. "Hmm, and you're not my moronic brother."

Vash brought his hand to his heart, and said, "I'm not that stupid either." He pouted with slumped shoulders. "Maybe a bit…" He then chuckled before turning to the doctor. "I'm okay. You can continue, Doc."

Knives shook his head before turning to leave.

Vash swiftly stood, and even though the doctor didn't react, the sudden depression of his brows hinted at his irritation. "W-Wait! You haven't met Elizabeth yet!"

Knives glanced over his shoulder. "I have and the woman wept."

"No! I mean really meet her. You'd like her, trust me!"

Knives grimaced at Vash's possible implication. He prepared a retort about not stooping so low as to engage in bestiality, but he kept his mouth shut. He instead gestured with his hands that he was dismissing himself before walking away.

"Okay, but I'll bring her over later… This is important. Is she still crying? Did you just leave her?"

Knives grunted before leaving the room and traveling through the ship and toward a different exit. He continued to monitor the woman through his sister, and when she informed him that his brother greeted her near the bulb, he trusted Vash to ensure her safety.

On the way home, Knives entered a market where humans thrived and sold various assorted goods. The caravan visited the city alongside the towering sandsteamer, and Knives knew most of the bounty hunters that traveled on it wouldn't threaten his brother since pursuing him was now a fruitless endeavor. Even so, he remained attentive as he returned home with a paper bag. He dug for the keys in his pocket and entered the home decorated in a more organized fashion since he and Stryfe had planned the house's appearance for Christmas; they even took control of how to decorate their trees, which was fine with Vash and Thompson.

"Oh, welcome back, Mr. Knives."

Knives locked the door behind him before facing the living room. Thompson waved with a miniature screwdriver in hand. He sighed as he examined the project she toyed with, which was the music box she accidentally dropped and wept over earlier that day, and she had annoyed him to help her fix it. He searched through his bag and set parts on the table to replace the damaged ones.

"Mr. Knives," Milly began as she continued to unscrew a piece from the music box, "was it this way or that way? I'm trying to remember what you said."

Knives gave a critical eye and shook his head. "No, the base and lever absorbed most of the impact, but the cylinder was severely scratched, which would require me to make another. Until then, just leave it alone."

"Aww, okay. I was going to see if I could assemble it myself."

"Hmm, whatever. Might as well toy with it since it's useless without a flawless cylinder. If you break anything else..."

"Nope, I won't."

Knives raised the old cylinder and, even though he had memorized the patterns, he wanted to be certain. Nodding once, he set it back down and took the new cylinder.

"Oh, would you like to play chess in a bit?"

"No."

"Okie—oh, what did you get? Is it the alcohol for Christmas and the small New Year's party?" She leaned forward to peer into the bag, which Knives swiftly grabbed, preventing her from uncovering his secrets. "I hope there's pudding too."

"No."

"Oh, okay. Secrets…" She raised a finger to her lips.

"Which means not to tell Vash what I'm doing."

"I won't, but he might go looking for you."

"And he spent years trying to find me before."

Knives turned away to reach the door that led to his flourishing garden, where various fruits and vegetables grew—ones that would've been difficult to nurture on a desolate planet, such as grapes and even an avocado tree on the opposite side of the apple tree. He had done the majority of the work, but he had some assistance from a particular homeless resident that frequently visited the backyard since his garden tended to attract certain vermin.

Knives looked around, then glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone—Thompson in particular—noticed him before he stepped into the side of the house and entered a narrow space. Again, he glanced around, setting his bag down before reaching between a bundle of his gardening equipment to retrieve a bowl. He set it against the wall of the house, then reached into his bag for a can of salmon spread, which wasn't actual fish since most substances were created by Plants.

Knives opened the can and the satisfying sounds of the metal peeling away were appreciated by a visitor. He smirked at the sound of a gentle cry behind him before he felt something brush against his calf. He knelt down and tapped the can into the bowl. To retrieve the rest stuck inside, he bent the lid and scooped the remnants out.

Knives knew it wasn't beneficial to feed his vermin exterminator, but the black cat had earned something more appropriate for her pallet than desert rodents.

Relaxation was something to savor as he sat against the wall and tentatively watched the cat scarf down food. Her wide, green eyes were piercing as she turned away for a moment, meowed at him, then returned to eating. Knives began stroking the cat's arched back.

Hours passed and Knives found himself in a state of actual happiness while being near his garden and the cat. If it weren't for Vash, he probably would've remained in a meditative state for the remainder of the day. His brother attempted to reach him through telepathy, but Knives brushed him away to further enjoy peace. Vash was damn persistent as he continued annoying him, and while the cat curled in Knives' lap, the Plant firmly decided that he wouldn't move. He didn't want to meet the engineer. He had hidden from his brother for decades, and he'd mask his presence again if nec—

"Knives? Why are you ignoring me?" Vash's voice surfaced a groan from the older twin as the blond spikes appeared from around the corner. "Elizabeth's here, and don't worry, I talked to her and sorted things out. She's… well, still a bit… sad after seeing the Plant."

Vash stopped with widened eyes at the sight before him. Knives followed his brother's gaze and noticed that he hadn't stopped petting the cat. He pulled his hand away and tightened it into a fist.

"No."

"Well, I can't force you, buuuuut," Vash clasped his hands together over his face and exaggerated his blinking motions, "if you do it for me—"

"If you're attempting to take advantage of me in regards to do what pleases you—"

"No, no! Okay, can I explain everything to you? I don't think you know what we've been through and she's trying to fix her past mistakes."

Knives sighed, pondered on it for a moment, then huffed before returning to stroke the cat on his lap. Vash took a seat beside Knives against the wall and vigilantly reached for the cat, which promptly began hissing.

"Are you gonna keep her? She has your attitude."

Knives stared at the cat while in thought. "Explain why this human is significant to you. Isn't one enough?"

"Gah, yes! I'm not into her—eh, not anymore." Vash twiddled his thumbs before suddenly looking solemn. "Well, where do I begin… Hm, years ago in Ineperil, I defeated this family, the Nebraska family, and gave away the bounty to the city so they could fix their Plant."

"Why am I not surprised. Legato hadn't found you yet to inform me of your shenanigans."

Vash's smile dropped and he looked away, a thick silence remained for some time before he spoke again, and Knives realized who he had mentioned.

"Anyway, Elizabeth was the chief engineer and still is until she starts her organization. Well," Vash rubbed the back of his neck, "she tried to blow up the Plant to kill me because she… she wanted revenge for ruining her life because she lived in July."

Knives frowned before returning to his neutral expression. He then snarled, wishing he would've done more than simply leave the woman to cry. How dare she!

"I stopped the Plant from blowing up. I hadn't regained my memories then, so even I wasn't sure what happened to July. She still wanted revenge, but… It's crazy, really." Vash watched the steady breathing of the cat before meeting Knives' eyes. The older twin felt his face relax, but the rage that bubbles below the surface didn't subside. "Right after July blew up, I was wandering the ruins of the city, and I couldn't remember anything. I left you for dead. I'm sorry."

The memories were decades old, but Knives still felt uneasy about them. The feel—or lack of—his legs being blasted off by his brother, the rubble crushing him, suffocating him, and if it were not for the energy singing his stumps to a crisp, he would've bled to death. He recalled attempting to reach Vash telepathically, but his twin wasn't there—not mentally, but he assumed Vash had ignored him and left him for dead.

It was traumatic, for both of them.

The rage Knives had allowed to consume him threatened to present itself now, but he disciplined himself. Vash hadn't done anything against him for some time. Knives wasn't helpless in July. He wasn't in a bulb. He wasn't riddled with bullets.

"I didn't know about your memory loss for a while, Vash," Knives said, his voice carried a hint of venom. "When I discovered that you had forgotten, it was too late since my grudge and obsession for revenge had developed and festered for years."

"You're acting like you couldn't stop," Vash spoke softly.

Knives furrowed his brows. "You're acting like you couldn't stop resorting to violence when we were younger."

"What does that—" Vash opened his mouth, paused, and then suddenly ran a hand through his hair. "That was wrong too. We've both been wrong in our own ways." He closed his eyes and opened them a moment later.

Knives pulled his hand away from the cat once he felt his fists pull her fur.

"Back then, among the rubble, I saved a stranded little girl…" Vash finally spoke. "We traveled for a while before an orphanage took her in. Years later, Elizabeth recognized me from back then. She told me that she worked hard to understand Plants, believing that either I used some sort of magic or that the Plants were involved in destroying July."

Knives grunted before petting the cat's back again. "How did you explain the fact that your appearance hasn't altered much since then? That's to assume she hasn't noticed that you haven't aged since she was a child."

"Ah, yeah. She has... Uh, the Doc helped me out with this one, since he explained that I've known him for some time. Basically, you and I have an extremely rare radiation mutation from Plants." Knives gave him an expression of disbelief that clearly mocked his brother's mental capacity. "Since she knew I can stop a Plant from exploding and that I've known Doc for a while, it wasn't hard to convince her. That's why we're so young at heart!" He lightly elbowed Knives in jest.

"Why didn't you just state you were often placed into cold sleep pods to maintain your youthful appearance?"

"Uh, that would be lying."

"And mentioning we have a mutation is the truth?"

"... It's not a complete lie… We are radioactive…"

Knives rolled his eyes. "Does she believe in the new information that a Plant malfunctioning was the cause of July and Augusta's demise and not Vash the Stampede?"

Vash shrugged. "She asked if I had something to do with it still since she knows I can work with Plants. I told her a… a kind of truthful reason. I basically told her I tried to stop a Plant from destroying everything in July at the time, but I failed…"

"Hmph, that's technically true."

"Even though you—I pulled the trigger and aimed it at you. I could've aimed it at the sky or anywhere else, but I wanted you dead… I was going to go against Rem, and her memory kept me sane for my whole life." Vash tried to reach for the cat one more time, and as Knives pet her back, Vash felt her head and smiled when she didn't hiss. "Since I couldn't recollect anything besides my earliest memories with Rem and you after July happened, I clung to her more than ever." He dropped his hand from the cat. "I ignored Rem when I shot you in July."

"Those sentimental values she brainwashed you with have nearly gotten you killed on numerous occasions, Vash. You feared being a Plant. You feared creating connections with humans. You ran from everything out of fear. Your scars are proof enough. You could've become an engineer and done something about Plants for the humans, yet you didn't."

Vash snapped his head at his brother, his eyes eerily resembling Knives'. "You made me fear myself all those years ago with those guns!" Vash grimaced as he clenched his fist above the cat's head. "I wanted you dead, but if it wasn't for Rem… I also didn't ask for a bounty on my head, either."

"I didn't ask for a bullet in my thigh either! You had decades before July to achieve something for your precious vermin, but I suppose you must have achieved something by becoming a cowardly wanderer." Knives face was no longer an emotionless canvas. He snarled, feeling unappreciated despite Vash treating other humans with more respect. "I freed you from your bounty a—"

"The people! The women, men, and children! The Plants! The animals! They'll never come back no matter what we do now!" Vash breathed and cupped his eyes with his hand. "We can't ever completely fix things, or be who we were to each other as children with Rem and the crew, but we can make the world better than how we've been treating it." He met Knives' glare again with determined eyes. "But if you don't want to, then I won't force you. I won't force you to do anything. Not like—" He stopped before abruptly standing and leaving Knives and the cat.

Knives was unsure how much time had passed after that.

"Not like how I forced you," he finally spoke. The Plant left his hand to rest over the cat's spine, and when she lifted her head to meet his eyes, he looked away.

Knives wondered if Vash had truly forgiven him after all. Clearly not.

Reluctantly, Knives gently set the cat beside the bowls he left out and entered the house. The human, Elizabeth, was present and was captivated by the plate of Christmas cookies on the decorated coffee table. It was easy enough to evaluate from her skittish mannerisms that she was overwhelmed, most likely from witnessing the Plant. Knives had always moved gracefully, so Elizabeth didn't notice his presence until he strode around the couch in an attempt to avoid her. She sought to meet his eyes, but Knives focused on the short path to the staircase.

Elizabeth dropped the cookie on her small plate and stood, brushing the crumbs off her dress while adjusting her posture to appear poised. She purposely stepped in his way to prevent him from reaching the stairs, he was sure of it.

"Millions Knives, brother of Vash the Stampede… Your mother had an interesting imagination when it came to names, it seems." She reached into a pocket inside of her dress near her cleavage, and Knives' nose wrinkled in disgust as she presented a card to him. "My name is Elizabeth and I'm the chief engineer of the Marius Breslin Kantacle Technical Technician Industrial Union Work dispatch team. I've been sent to ensure that the…" She stared at her hand, her steady demeanor began slipping. "... The Plant is installed and health—" She shook her head then suddenly dropped her arm. She swiftly stepped toward him, and Knives remained stationary. She then leaned her body forward and entered Knives' space, and he was prepared to shove her until Vash entered the room. "How did you do that with the Plant?! Vash wouldn't spill about how you made it show itself. I-I didn't know they—they're alive! They're actually living beings!"

A crease appeared between Knives' brows. He disliked this human for what she had done to his brother, but hadn't he endangered Vash's life as well? Hadn't they talked about it minutes ago?

"Yes, they're alive," he scowled. "Obviously engineers are not adept in their fields. Did you assume the life support data under section 971810P23 is simply just for show? Why would a machine need one to begin with?"

Elizabeth blinked before considering his words, then she raised her eyes. "Yes, but…" She cleared her throat, closing her eyes, and when she opened them, her excitement dulled. "How did you achieve such a thing? No one's ever seen one or even knew they're actually alive. Everyone has assumed they're sensitive machines capable of the impossible."

"Uh…" Vash placed a hand on Knives' shoulder, and the Plant stiffened at the sudden contact before his body registered that it was his annoying twin.

Vash said that they were suffering from a radiation-related mutation that was responsible for their immortality, so Knives decided to utilize that information to humor her and his brother. "The mutation we have not only grants us immortality, but it also connects us to the Plants in a way no ordinary human could ever possibly experience."

She widened her eyes before whirling toward Vash, who flinched and raised his arms to defend himself, as if Elizabeth were his pet, Stryfe. "You didn't tell me that, Vash!"

'You just made my life more complicated!' Vash shouted at Knives.

'You're implying I haven't done so for the past few decades.'

"You—"

"Vash," Elizabeth asked softly.

"Yes ma'am?!"

"So you can actually communicate with them?!"

"Y-yes, we both can." Vash gestured toward Knives. She flinched, and he smirked when his glare was effective.

He tolerated humans to an extent, but he wouldn't ever be tired of intimidating them.

"Never in my life have I ever seen something so… I can't even describe it." She attempted to hand Knives her card again, and he finally accepted it but held it by the sleeve of his coat before stuffing it in a random pocket.

'I need to explain a few other things,' Vash sent through telepathy. 'You don't have to, but I'd like for you to hear her out at least. After that, you can do whatever you want. I'm going to help her, though.'

'Whatever I want, huh?'

'Okay, no. Not—no!'

Knives chuckled. He then vaguely shook his head, and when he focused his attention on Vash, his smile dropped. It wouldn't hurt to understand the situation more, could it?

Vash offered Elizabeth a spot on the couch beside him, and she accepted. Knives took the armchair across from it and dug his elbows into the cushioned armrests, locking his fingers together and leaning into them. He watched her reach for a huge carrying bag, and she set stacks of papers all neatly clipped together in divided packets. She had two stacks, and one was shifted to be closer toward Knives while the other was in front of Vash.

"I'm not done with you, Vash," she threatened playfully. "I have a feeling you're keeping something from me."

"Heh, well, what gave you that idea?"

'Very inconspicuous,' Knives said. 'The fact that we're hiding what we truly are is proof enough that even you know humanity would potentially harm us if they discover a superior species lives among them.'

"Like the fact that you didn't tell me about your mutation and its effects in Ineperil years ago. I mean, it's not like I wouldn't have believed you, but if you can communicate with Plants, like what your brother said, why did those in July malfunction? They lifted the bounty from you because they ruled a malfunctioning Plant caused Lost July, but was that what really happened? Did the Plants tell you something?"

The Plants glanced at each other before returning to the human. She was perceptive, Knives would give her that.

"Then we have the Fifth Moon incident. You were there, you supposedly died, and you managed to evacuate the town as if you knew something like July would happen again." She approached him, and Knives noticed Vash shivered under her glare. "Spill it, Vash. You aren't telling me something, and eventually, I'll find out."

'If you tell her we're Plants, what would she do? Do you know her so well as to trust her with such information?' Knives disliked this situation immensely. "She will turn aggressive, gossip to other humans, and before you realize your foolish mistake, a mob of them will overwhelm us and dissect us—discard us as if we were nothing! As if we were taxidermied butterflies on display for their amusement!'

"Elizabeth… I…" Vash struggled and rubbed the back of his neck. "A Plant did cause the explosions, but not in a way that you'd expect..."

Knives widened his eyes and jerked his head toward Vash, eyes icy and piercing into his skull.

'I think if we give them a chance and slowly ease those who'd be willing to listen, then maybe one day the rest of the people will understand, too.'

'You're a fool!'

Elizabeth dug her nails into Vash's coat and yanked him down, closer to her face. Knives had the urge to grab her wrist and squeeze but refrained from doing so. If Vash trusted this human enough to actually admit to being something that wasn't human—something that he had been running from for years—then Knives would convince himself to trust his little brother. Besides, Vash had told his pet and Thompson of his nature and they accepted him—assisted him when he was broken after he had murdered Legato.

'It'll take time, Knives,' Vash sent softly . 'We both read their history and how people fought for rights and their places in the world—the people changed and evolved.'

Knives' brows knitted together. 'That's the problem, Vash. Time. When would they be ready? Before or after our sisters die?'

"That's why I wanna help her," Vash said aloud. He gently grabbed one of Elizabeth's hands and gave it a squeeze. "Maybe if we tell her, it'll make things easier. I've known her for a while now… She'll be the only one besides the insurance girls."

Elizabeth raised her demanding eyes. "Tell me what?"

Knives prepared to shout at his brother for considering something so foolish even after attempting to convince himself to trust Vash, but he considered his twins decision again and how Vash only ever revealed his true nature to those he truly trusted.

Knives, however, refused to simply sit back and watch.

"As long as she won't spread the news or unleash a mob on us, then fine. Be my guest, Vash."

"W-what?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

Knives continued through telepathy. 'If she does anything that would jeopardize us, it would be a reasonable choice to utilize my telepathy. Vash, I will monitor her if you tell her that we're Plants. I won't risk everything for the sake of this human.'

'No! That's her privacy! I trust her and she's changed! That's why she's starting her organization!'

'I don't trust her!'

'You're not making an effort to get to know her!'

'I can enter her mind if you'd like me to become acquainted.'

'No—Knives! Please, just… If she does do something, then just take out the memory about us being Plants... If that's what it'll take, then I am going to ask her if it's okay with you entering her mind.'

Knives groaned. Why did his brother have to be so trusting and difficult?

How could Vash trust this human after what she had done to him?

How could Vash trust him after everything?

How did Vash trust anyone?

"What's going on?!" Elizabeth demanded.

'You'll ask if it's alright after you tell her? That's not really in your favor considering if you, I'll enter her mind regardless.'

'Compromise then, I guess! If that's what it'll take, but don't—I mean it—don't do anything else with her mind or intrude on other memories!' Vash then shook his head and laughed, which confused Elizabeth and even Knives. 'Why are we making this so complicated? You don't even have to monitor her. If people find out or if she does something, then who's gonna really believe that we're Plants?'

Knives snarled at his sudden thoughts. 'The people from and on the ship know of your nature! If she tells other humans, I'd have to alter other humans' memories of you and perhaps—No! I have to constantly use telepathy, so perhaps I'll move into the ship and monitor her unless you wish to do the honors—unless you're reconsidering—'

'No!'

'Very well. If you believe in her cause—whatever that is—then I'll listen, for now. I won't do anything else to her mind. There's probably not much inside anyway.'

"Vash the Stampede, you better—"

Vash nodded, sighing in understanding before he grasped onto Elizabeth's other hand and lowered them. Knives could tell Vash struggled with revealing their superiority.

"What are—"

"The reason why all that weird stuff happened to me is that…" Vash pursed his lips before opening his mouth again. "Listen, uh, the reason why weird stuff always happens is… Well, okay, so over a century ago—"

"We're a superior breed—greater than humans." Knives smirked at both of their expressions. Why not entertain himself and toy with his brother? "If you reveal this information to anyone, I will see to it that you are silenced."

"No! Don't threaten her, and we're not superior! We're different."

"I—I don't understand…"

Vash groaned before his shoulders slumped. "We're Plants. We're independent Plants specifically; we can live outside of the bulbs while the ones inside rely on them."

Knives entered Elizabeth's mind and was introduced to her immediate thoughts. She was confused, then curious as she recalled the abnormal occurrences revolving around his brother. She looked down, darting her eyes at everything but never remaining focused on one area in the room. Then she recalled his sister's appearance and Knives' response to her weeping. She then thought about July.

This was becoming a hassle, but Knives couldn't alter anything within her mind. Eventually, she'd probably discover who had caused such a catastrophe.

Elizabeth shook her head and laughed. "Really, Plants? Vash, I know you're a… you act like an idiot sometimes, but to—"

'Human.'

Elizabeth froze, veering toward Knives, who had an arrogant smile. Vash tilted his head before realizing what happened.

'This is one of many talents we possess,' Knives said, arrogantly. 'Vash trusts you, but if you do anything that has us questioning your loyalties—like so many of your kind—then I will not tolerate your existence.'

The human gawked at the two of them. Her body began to tremble, and she had to sit on the couch or risk falling and hurting herself.

"Umm," Vash sat beside her while Knives kept his distance on the armchair, "I wanna help. My brother might, but you need to convince him of our ideas."

She looked down at the papers and folders she stacked. Without uttering a word, she began organizing them, and the brothers watched as she took minutes to prepare while conflicting emotions molded her face during each passing second.