A/N: One of my longest chapters for any story.
The Awaited Showdown
For a moment no one within the room neither moved nor spoke, each pondering the one question troubling Vash's suggestion.
"And how do you suggest we find Knives?" Wolfwood finally questioned, more than a bit of doubt reflected in his voice. "Should we just walk into the middle of this dead town and wait for him and his henchman to come and get us?"
"Actually, yeah" Vash replied, his tone firm and serious.
"Are you crazy, needle-noggin!" Wolfwood exclaimed, his brows crashing down as he threw up his arms in exasperation. "Do you think he's actually going to fall for a cheap trick like that!"
"You don't know him like I do" the gunman quietly commented, turning toward Conrad. "Doc, do you have any ammunition we can use? What we have probably won't last in a fight."
"Alright" Doc replied with a nod, leaving the four to discuss their next move and the proposed plan.
Then, with a look between them and a nod, Vash and Wolfwood both grabbed their respective mates and marched them to their rooms. Vash, dragging a confused but willing Meryl, entered their room and closed the door behind them. Turning from the portal, the insurance girl was shocked to see both a sad and serious look upon his face.
"What's going on?" Meryl asked, her voice hushed as she stepped toward him. "What aren't you two telling us?"
"If we don't come back by sunrise, leave" Vash commanded, his eyes boring into her own. He stepped up to her and lay his hands upon her shoulders, a small, almost broken smile upon his face. "There's nothing you and Milly can do to stop him. At least, not until he's older" he quietly added, looking to the bundle of blankets on the bed for emphasis.
"What!" Meryl cried out, breaking herself free from his gentle grip and taking a step back. "I can't just leave you without...without knowing what happened!" she argued sternly, resting her hands on her hips as she stood straight.
Vash smiled and lifted his hand, slowly stroking her cheek softly. Meryl growled and swiped his hand away in a bothersome manner, and turning toward the bed. She quickly but gently picked up the bundle and brushed past him, walking silently to the door. She stopped before the portal, a hand lifted and placed on the knob.
"I'm not leaving, and neither is Milly" she stated bluntly, looking over her shoulder. "That's our promise to you both. If you two get into trouble, we'll be there to help."
Vash smiled widely, nodding his head in understanding as he walked toward her. He peeked into the bundle, grinning as the sleeping babe moved around at the bright light which had interrupted his sleep.
"I'll come back for you two" he said, turning his face up to Meryl's. "That's my promise to you."
An hour later found the group of six, including the bundle, standing outside on the covered porch. They were all quiet, the men having stocked up on the provisions Conrad had managed to find strewn about his home only minutes before. The setting suns cast a silhouette on the party, giving a surreal quality to the parting. The women stood before their respective gunmen, each looking into the eyes of the other with firm belief in their abilities. They would come back to them.
They had to.
"We have to go" Wolfwood finally spoke up, giving Milly one last, one-sided grin before turning toward the road in front of the house.
"I'll keep my promise" Vash said, nodding to Meryl as he stepped up beside Wolfwood.
Then they were on their journey, never looking back as their feet propelled them further from their loved ones. The three watched as the men walked out into the dead town, armed with ammunition and grim faces. With a heavy sigh Conrad seated himself upon the porch, watching as the suns sunk below the horizon. Milly and Meryl followed suit, seeing as they had no other option, and both strained to see their gunmen until they melted into the buildings.
For a long time no one spoke, each lost in their own thoughts about the coming battles and possible outcomes. Meryl gently rocked the bundle in her arms, smiling sadly down at the serene, sleeping face. Finally she slowly turned to Conrad, her voice hesitant but firm.
"Do you hate them?" Meryl asked quietly, looking down at the child in her arms. The baby blinked and smiled up at his mother, his eyes wandering in innocent curiosity.
"Hate who?" Conrad asked, the question obviously catching him off his guard. He turned his head to look quizzically at the young woman beside him, raising a brow in curiosity.
"Vash, for what he did to you, and Knives for what he did to Vash" she answered, averting her eyes to the side. "They caused you to be...to be what you are."
For a moment Conrad merely looked at Meryl with a contemplative expression on his face, his eyes bright and yet dull with years. Then he slowly shook his head, turning back to look out the darkened windows.
"No, I don't hate them. Either of them" he replied slowly, sighing deeply. "I know Vash wanted to protect me but the vampire nature was too strong. Knives...well, he never asked for the fate he was given."
"But still, Knives hasn't used it very well" Meryl angrily quipped, frowning down at the child in her arms. "He's hurt so many people with what he's done."
"And if Vash and his friend succeed, he'll pay for his crimes" Conrad spoke, standing and stretching his arms above his head with a definite crack. "I'm getting too old for this" he muttered in slight amusement, shaking his head.
""Milly, could you take the baby inside to my room?" Meryl suddenly asked, rising to her feet as her partner did the same.
"Sure thing, Meryl" Milly replied without question, smiling as the smaller insurance girl gently passed her the bundle. "I'll be right back" she added, walking through the front door.
"Did I bother you?" Meryl asked after Milly had gone inside, turning and looking to the older gentleman in concern. "My questions weren't appropriate, especially with how you've helped us already."
"Not at all" Conrad answered with an amused smile, watching as the world around them was lost completely to darkness.
However, before the conversation could continue a sudden pain-filled howl rent the air as the three shot up fro their placed on the porch. Conrad shot to his feet as Milly burst from the house, Meryl grabbing her shoulders before she could sprint out into the street.
"Nicholas!" Milly exclaimed in horror, her face showing her inner turmoil to help or obey her mate. "He's in trouble, I know it!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face.
"Milly" Meryl spoke, her voice catching the attention of her distraught friend. Her firm voice and unwavering eye called to Milly as the two exchanged a silent, knowing glance. "What are you going to do?"
Milly grinned widely and with a nod of her head she turned and looked toward where the noise had come from. The rising waxing moon was becoming visible above the houses, calling to its children.
"It's okay, Meryl" the big girl responded, her face turning into a determined look as she stepped out of her friends grasp. "I know I have to do what I think is best, no matter what anybody else tells me."
"Right" Meryl answered as she gave her a smile in return.
Milly waved and sprinted into the road, her swift feet taking her in the direction the gunmen had trudged. She raced past the buildings, allowing her heightened senses to lead her. However, the heavy smell of blood nearly caused her to stop as she neared the center of the town, her worst fears rising to mind. With one last push of energy she emerged into a square, the streetlights surrounding the circle all burnt out and unable to cast their soothing light.
However, with her excellent vision Milly could see two figures in the center of the square, one standing before another who was kneeling. She gasped as she crept silently closer, attempting to go unnoticed, and her eyes recognized the silhouette of her mate as the one bowing to the other. She could only assume the other person was Legato, the facial features not matching those of Vash. Hiding herself behind a building not more than a few dozen yarzs from where they were, she was able to listen in on their conversation.
"How pitiful" Legato spoke, prowling around his fallen opponent. Wolfwood wearily watched the vampire pace around him, a hand over a gash running across his abdomen. "I had thought you would have been more challenging a prey, werewolf" he commented in his eerily calm voice, stopping before the priest. Slowly he kneeled down, stopping when they were face to face. "I can end your suffering. Do you want me to do this?"
Wolfwood's answer was to shoot up his head and spit in Legato's face, much to Milly's satisfaction. However, the vampire was less then amused as he calmly but stiffly rose to his feet, a slight frown on his face.
"Very well then" Legato said, raising a hand with lengthened claws in place of fingernails. "Perhaps I should destroy what you hold most dear."
Milly watched in horror as Legato turned toward where she hid, his eyes gleaming in the waxing moon. He suddenly disappeared from sight and she had enough intuition to duck just as a slice of the building where she lay behind was cut above her head. Then she made a hurried dash toward Wolfwood, listening as the vampire touched down on the ground behind her.
"Milly!" Wolfwood cried out, standing unsteadily to his feet as she came to his side. "What the hell are you doing here!" he questioned angrily, his voice rough as he looked over her shoulder. Then his eyes suddenly widened. "Duck!" he yelled, grabbing her head and pushing them both to the ground.
A blur soared over them, not more than a yarz off from where they had stood straight, and landed opposite them. Legato had his back turned as his form came into view, his eye glowing red as he looked over his shoulder.
"Damn it" Wolfwood grumbled, wincing as pain shot through his body. "Gotta think of something or we're both dead."
"I know!" Milly suddenly exclaimed, pushing herself off the ground and standing upright.
"What the hell are you doing!" the priest yelled, struggling to his own feet.
"Trust me" she replied with a large grin, turning to Legato and wavering a hand in the air. "Hi!" she yelled, pulling down her arm and taking off in a sprint to the nearest lamp post.
"Wait!" Wolfwood cried out, trying to clutch at her but missing by a hair.
Milly rushed toward the dead lamp posts and ducked as she heard a wind approaching, feeling the razor claws pass over her. Legato was much faster than she, but it turned out that she was much more maneuverable than the vampire had anticipated, using the many light poles around the square as turning points. However, Wolfwood could see Legato was merely toying with her, sending false swipes while his cold, amused chuckle followed in his wake. Unfortunately, the game was getting old as he quickly gained ground on her and she was becoming winded.
Also, the lamp posts were now torn in several pieces as Legato's claws had cut them as if they had been made of cheese. In her last turn around upon the surviving pole nearest Wolfwood, Milly gave a furtive glance toward the priest's way. Nicholas, suddenly grasping her plan, raced over to the first pole and grabbed one of the broken pieces. He sprinted toward his mate even as she did the same, the shadow of the vampire almost upon her.
Suddenly metal clanked against claws as the two collided like swords, Wolfwood and Legato staring at each other with their faces only a few feet apart. Milly had jumped out of the way just in time, now she lay watching the confrontation from upon the ground a few yards distance.
"I am afraid you cannot win, priest" Legato calmly stated, his face unusually stoic. "You cannot hope to push me aside with your strength."
"That's not what I had in mind" Wolfwood said, suddenly placing his other hand on the bar and pushing the metal pole into the claws with all his might.
The metal was sliced into five segments as Legato momentarily lost his balance, allowing Wolfwood his advantage. He took the two pieces of sharp metal which remained in his hand and pulled back, using them as a double bat and hitting the side of the vampire's head.
Legato's head tore from his shoulders, blood spouting in all directions as Wolfwood stepped back. With disgust he flung the pieces of metal toward the body, watching with unblinking eyes as the body disintegrated into dust. With a small smile he slowly collapsed to the ground, Milly catching him before
"Are you alright?" Milly questioned, looking over the wound which still brought forth blood.
"I'm fine" Wolfwood responded, giving her a reassuring grin. "Thanks to you. My stupid gun jammed so I thought I was a goner."
"It was nothing" she said, but suddenly began looking futilely about for any sign of the other gunman. "But what happened to Mr. Vash?" Milly asked worriedly, biting her lip in fear of what had happened.
"Legato came and we got separated" Wolfwood coughed out, looking with an intense gaze toward the center of the town. "He said something about Knives waiting for the broom head and off he went."
"We have to get you back to the house" Milly said, placing his arm around her shoulders and gently lifting him to his feet. "Meryl will want to know what's going on."
Left behind by the big girl, Meryl had watched her friend go after her mate with almost a feeling of jealousy. However, the consequence would mean Vash would be in danger and at all costs she wished to avoid that possible situation.
"Don't think to go, Miss Stryfe" Conrad suddenly spoke up, placing a heavy hand upon her shoulder. "You have more than just Vash to think about when rashly running to his aid."
A sudden crashing of class sound coming from inside the house broke off any further conversation, the two remaining occupants of the porch looking at each other for a moment before dashing into the home. They both searched around the main room furiously, trying to identify the intruder, when a noise further back told them the intrusion was at the backdoor. As they rounded the wall separating the living room from the kitchen, which held the rear portal, the two both stopped in their tracks in shock.
Before them stood several people, almost a dozen by a quick count, but they were no longer living. Their clothes were covered in blood and their eyes were lifeless black orbs. They all had various wounds about their bodies while each had two small puncture wounds on their necks. Meryl covered her nose as the smell of decaying flesh hit her senses, the green and brown skin strung tightly on the creature's bodies tell her the source of the disgusting odor.
"The townspeople" Conrad spoke in a horrified whisper, watching as more poured forth from the backdoor. "As I feared, they've become ghouls."
"What!" Meryl cried out, taking a step back as the monsters proceeded further into the house.
"They're dead, but not" Conrad explained, sliding around the kitchen table as the creatures slowly neared ever closer to them. "They follow their master's bidding until they are destroyed by severing the head or crushing the heart. That is the only effective way Vash and I have found to end their torment."
Suddenly a loud crying shifted both of their attentions toward the stairwell area behind, causing them to run into the living room. To Meryl's horror she watched as a rotting woman carried down a small bundle in her arms, the crying sound emitting forth from the wrapped blanket. Several dozen ghouls had invaded through the open front door, allowing the woman to pass but quickly closing the gap to stop the two from following.
"NO!" Meryl yelled, propelling herself into the crowd of decomposing bodies.
The monsters pulled and tore at her, the mass causing her to disappear from Conrad's view. However, a loud growl burst from the horde of ghouls as several were suddenly ripped apart and thrown across the room, blood following in a sick rainbow pattern. The rest backed up and revealed to the doctor and crouching Meryl, her breathing ragged and loud. To his shock she suddenly pounced on the nearest creature and tore its arms off, slicing through its neck with ease.
The other ghouls once more closed in on her, but Meryl seemed oblivious to the number, clawing and slashing amongst the people as if they were mere paper. After a few seconds of grisly dismembering, when none were left standing, she sprinted out the doorway and into the darkness of the night.
Conrad strode to the portal and watched from the bloodied doorway as Meryl quickly disappeared out of sight. Then did he turn backward and look at the carnage in his home, his gaze drifting over the people with heavy eyes. He recognized those faces which still remained intact, a pain growing in his chest. They were people he had seen shopping or had talked to on the street, when they had been alive and full of hope. Now they lay dead in his living room, while he stood over them silently. Slowly, he turned and looked back to where Meryl had left.
Meanwhile Vash and Knives were squaring off, each standing straight and tall opposite the other within the large square of the town. The former townspeople stood as silent witnesses to the scene, their decaying bodies surrounding them as a grotesque audience. The brothers had yet to speak a word since Vash had entered the square, led on by the growing throngs of ghouls. The faces and people he saw sickened him as both the young and old watched him pass into the square.
"Are we to fight fairly or will you remain with your weapons?" Knives asked, looking at the colt in Vash's gunbelt.
Vash stood there for a moment, contemplating Knives' demand. Finally, he pulled the weapon from its pouch and softly threw it to the side, followed quickly by the bullets he had placed around his belt.
"Why, Knives?" Vash questioned, his eyes sweeping around at people about them. "Why did you do it? What did they do to deserve this?"
"Ghouls, at times can be very useful. That is, before the sun rises" Knives mused as he looked around at the crowd, grinning madly.
"And after the sun rises?" Vash asked, his teeth clenched together as he awaited the answer he knew would come.
"Then they will truly die" Knives nonchalantly responded, waving his hand as if to dismiss the conversation. "They are merely pawns. But you, my dear brother" he added, turning his full attention on the gunman. "You are what I want. So many years apart, and you have yet to forsake the human life you so desperately seek."
"I won't abandon them, Knives" Vash firmly asserted, his aqua eyes unwavering. "They deserve to exist just as much as we do."
"So you refuse to join me?" Knives asked, his face unusually calm and collected.
"Yes" the gunman responded, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. To Vash, Knives appeared to be enjoying his words, making the blond worry about his brother's next step.
"Even for your son's life?" Knives questioned, causing Vash's eyes to widen in both horror and disbelief. The vampire turned his head toward the left as one of the ghouls, a woman, came to stand by his side carrying a small bundle in her arms. "He's so small, just a little snap of my wrist and he would whither away" he continued, his hand reaching out and pulling back the blanket.
To Vash's horror he quickly recognized his son, the baby's face contorted in misery and at the sight of Knives he began to cry.
"Knives, no!" Vash yelled, stepping forward. "Please, he hasn't done anything!"
However, Vash's efforts to persuade his brother further were interrupted as a noise behind him caught him off guard. A figure emerged from the shadows, exiting an alley not far off and heading straight toward them. He quickly recognized the small form of his wife, her strides quick and almost catlike.
"Meryl!" Vash shouted, intercepting her as she stalked toward Knives and the woman. "Meryl!" he yelled as he grabbed her shoulders, relieved as she turned her head upward toward him. However, his aqua orbs widened in horror as he noticed her eye color was a deep red, showing her vampiric instincts had taken over.
"So the mother's instincts have brought her here" Knives commented, chuckling as he looked over the couple. "What delicious reactions can I get out of her?" he wondered aloud, a clawed hand lifting and hovering above the child.
Meryl, tearing her eyes from Vash and seeing the possible harm which might befall her child, tore out of the gunman's grasp. She leapt toward her child with a loud growl, heedless of the danger she was in.
"MERYL!" Vash screamed, futilely attempting to grab her only to catch empty air.
Knives grinned widely as he sidestepped the frantic woman's clawed hand and caught it within his own. Swiftly his other hand came up and wrapped around her neck, trapping her in a vice like grip as he lifted her off the ground. Vash took a step toward them but a look from his brother told him that any closer would mean action on his part. Meryl's eyes drained of their red as the pressure from the vampire's hold began to grow tighter, her awareness returning as she sought to free herself. No words would come from her mouth as the air was slowly drawn out from her body.
"Can you protect no one?" Knives mockingly questioned, tightening his grip on the squirming woman. "But perhaps you need a demonstration of grief to bring you to your senses" he spoke, raising his empty hand before Meryl's heart and pulling back.
"NO!" Vash yelled, knowing he would be too late to reach them but unwilling to merely let her die without trying.
However, to all three of the people's surprise a white blur shot from the nearest alley, coming between Knives's hand and Meryl just as the strike bore upon her. With a loud yell of pain the person took the hit into their heart, the shock causing Knives to drop the woman to the ground and back away. Vash raced his way to his wife, bending down and breathing with relief as he saw she was unconscious but alive. Then did he stare up at her savior, horror and pain filling his eyes.
Before them both stood Conrad, his blood slowly soaking his shirt below where his heart lay. A small, sickly but triumphant smile lay upon his lips as he tried to maintain his balance before Knives.
"This is all I can do, Vash" Conrad spoke, his eyes never leaving Knives. Blood spewed from his mouth as he coughed. "You have to do the rest."
Then did he lose his balance, causing him to step backward and allowing his knees to buckle below him. He dropped upon his back to the ground, a small cry of pain the only indication he still lived.
"What a fool" Knives suddenly spoke, catching Vash's attention as the gunman turned his head toward him. "He wasted his worthless life for nothing."
"That's not true, Knives" Vash argued as he slowly stood to his feet, his face stern and his gaze unblinking. A red glow began to seep into his aqua eyes while his fangs lengthened, the scene causing Knives' eyes to widen in shock. "He taught me that to win, I have to give everything I have."
With those words Vash launched himself at his brother, his immense speed catching Knives off guard and allowing him to connect a punch square on the jaw. The vampire reeled backward from the force, growling in anger as he wiped a spot of blood from his bleeding lip.
"This is what you are. Why don't you just accept it?" Knives demanded, his cold blue orbs changing to the color of blood.
"This is what you made me, not what I made myself" Vash argued, digging his heels into the sand beneath their feet and pushing off the ground.
Knives repeated the action, the two brothers colliding in a fury of claws and punches. Neither gained the upper hand for quite a while, though each tried to land the best of punches. However, to Vash's dismay he realized he was losing, his strength ebbing away as he was hit with an assault of battering blows.
Then did he catch a glimpse of Meryl laying prostrate upon the ground with Conrad laying not very far off. The crying of his child reached his ears, his eyes opening wide as he realized that he couldn't lose this fight.
With that thought in mind, Vash waited and watched for the opportune time, taking his beatings and attempting to give them as well. Then did he see his chance, noticing that Knives' feet were not sinking into the sand enough to give ample footing. With a quick duck and a flash of his leg he managed to knock his brother to the ground, scrambling atop him using his fastest speed. He pinned Knives' arms beneath his bent legs and held a lengthened claw against his brother's throat, his eyes burning into the vampire's own.
"Bravo, Vash" Knives conceded quietly, giving a small, mournful chuckle. "What will you do? Will you kill me now?"
"No, no more death" Vash said, his free hand slipping into his gunbelt.
From the belt he pulled forth a vile, the same one Conrad had given him earlier in the day. Biting off the cork he managed to open Knives' mouth and shove the entire bottle into the opening, making sure every drop went down. His brother gagged and struggle, attempting to keep from swallowing but gravity taking its course. When the last drop of the liquid emptied Knives began convulsing beneath Vash, his hands fisted as in pain and his teeth clenched. The gunman watched quietly, silently praying.
To Vash's relief Knives' tremors soon stopped and he lay still, apparently unconscious. The ghouls stood silently around, apparently not knowing what to do with their master gone. He slowly rose off his brother and made his way over to the female holding his child, gently taking him from her decomposing hands. The child stopped its wailing immediately, looking joyously as he recognized his father. Walking over to Meryl, he gently shook her shoulders with his free hand.
To Vash's relief she awoke slowly, stretching and opening her eyes. She looked around herself in confusion for a moment before the memories flooded back, startling her into a sitting position.
"What happened?" she quickly asked, gazing around frantically. "Where's the baby? Where's Knives?" she questioned, her eyes falling upon the bundle.
Vash gladly gave her their child, smiling a little to himself when Meryl burst into tears of relief and hugged their son. However, a sound not far off soon alerted them to their forgotten companion, the couple looking over Vash's shoulder toward the body of Conrad. The two slowly rose to their feet, making their way over to the mortally wounded man.
Vash's face fell as he kneeled beside his old friend, a few tears dropping as he tried to give a small smile. Conrad's breathing was ragged but his eyes were alert as he looked at them, trying to return the gunman's smile. Meryl began to weep as she saw the wound, dropping to her knees with the baby still in her arms.
"I'm so sorry" she cried, holding the child close for comfort. "If I wouldn't have lost control and gone after the baby..."
"Don't blame yourself, Meryl" Conrad choked out, giving her a small grin through the blood dribbling out the side of his mouth. "I needed to do this. I let so many people around me die. At least..I can say...I've saved...someone."
With those last words Conrad's head sank back, his eyes shutting in an eternity of sleep.