Chapter 2!

*dun-dun-dun

I'm pretty happy with it, overall. Have I mentioned lately how much I love writing first-person Knives?

Note: This hasn't been beta'd, as much as I wish it was! If you're interested in telling me what's wrong with it, and helping me improve, please do!


Now, onto the story!

BANG BANG BANG!

I whipped my head around to the ringing gunshots behind me, letting my finger off of the hammer of my firearm. Growling at the familiar face and smoking gun that I was greeted with, I clenched my teeth in anger. I regretted sorely making him the weapon he now held in his livid, shaking, hand. What right did he have to be angry with me? I had done nothing to hurt him. I should have been the angry one, but instead I softened my face, smiling genially at my brother. I holstered my weapon and waved. I had always liked speaking aloud to Vash from the time we were children. In a way, it seemed more personal than telepathy. I did so now, all the while taking long strides towards my brother.

"Why hello, Vash! It's truly an honor. My pet, Legato, informs me that you've been getting quite famous in and among the spiders. So, how does it feel to be the most feared human in existence? Oh that's right! I had almost forgotten. You're not human!"

Our faces inches away, I gave him my signature smirk, the one I knew he hated with a burning passion.

"Dear brother, recently you seem to be forgetting as well!" Stepping back, I began to circle him on the catwalk, making him turn with me in order to cover me with his weapon.

" 'Vash: The Humanoid Typhoon'! Has a nice ring to it, I suppose. Much better than, 'Vash: The Lying-Plant-Who-Shot-His-Brother-In-The-Leg'! Doesn't quite have as nice of a ring to it. Pity. We both know it's a much more accurate title."

"STOP!", my seething brother flared. My smile widened with a hint of anger. He was so easily patronized, it was almost sickening. Ultimately, he was always the weaker of the two of us.

I circled around him once more, stopping when I was facing the plant bulb, Vash with his back to it. "So, Vash, down to business. Tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure? This isn't a social visit, is it? Alas, I had gotten that feeling. I was actually in the middle of something. I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment, but I should be free in a matter of minutes! If you'll excuse me..."

In one fluid movement, I stepped back, instantly drew my gun, and fired four shots in quick succession over my brothers head and into the fragile glass of the bulb. The plant inside shrieked horribly, and I could see the panic in my brother's eyes. I had moved too quick, even for him to have stopped me. Now he was torn between keeping me in his sights and surveying the damage to the plant. His idiotic soft heart won him over, and he turned to look.

Not one of the bullets had missed their mark. I eyed my excellent marksmanship with pride, waiting eagerly for the finale to begin.

At first there was only a soft, cracking sound, which was soon followed by a louder one, and then all of the glass came crashing down at once, stray shards of the bulb showering down on us like some sort of violent rain.

My eyes on Vash's face, I followed his horrified gaze to the end of the walkway.

Entombed by three large pieces of glass, the plant angel was pinned to the floor of her former prison. The terrified look on her face had not departed, and instead was joined by a look of pain. Turning my attention back to my brother, I tried to calculate what his next move might be. Before I could really ponder on it, he was off, jumping and racing over the wreckage.

Steadying myself, I pulled to my feet and stood watching his futile attempts to make everything right again.

He raced to the side of the angel, and began to pull off small pieces of glass, one by one from around her fragile body. Listening in the quiet to his shaking breath, I heard every word.

"Hang in there! You're gonna make it! Don't give up! Please don't die!" Then quieter: "Oh, God. Please don't die." He finished removing the last pieces of glass and kneeled next to her on the metal grating. He extended his arm towards her middle, to lift her up. Though she was damaged, she was also scared and defensive. Lashing out quickly, she bit him in the wrist, causing him to cry out as blood ran along the dark sleeve of his absurd red coat.

I wondered, with a hint of curiosity, how he would handle the situation. Without question, I knew how I would handle it.

Wincing at the pain, he took off the coat and held it over her momentarily. Then he pounced it down across the lower part of her face, and the upper part of her body, keeping her nose exposed so she could breathe. He quickly wrapped it around her naked form, and took her gently into his arms. She thrashed for a few moments, but soon settled at his soothing words.

He then stood up and faced me, a steely, I'm-not-screwing-around look on his countenance. "I'm walking out of here," He said in his most powerful voice. The one that even gave me chills. I decided to be accommodating.

"By all means. You are fully aware that she'll die within a matter of days. It's not like she's any use to anyone anymore, anyway."

I watched the feral look of anger twitch at my siblings mouth. If it wasn't for his hypocritical pacifistic morals, I was fairly certain he would have been ripping my throat out by that point.

I stepped aside, leaning back onto the safety railing as he walked by, his gun trained to my temple. As if he would ever be able to pull the trigger. I did know from past experience that he would, in fact, maim me, but I was ready in case of that. "Vash, we should talk sometime. Really." I leant my head back, lolling it around to watch him go. "You know, have lunch. Chat. That's what you humans like to do, isn't it?"

I watched his shoulders scrunch. My antagonism had gotten through to him. I waited for more, but instead he braced himself and walked forward, a extra quick step in his pace.

I felt the corner of my mouth upturn, as I was reminded of a book that the humans put so much stock into. I'd read it several time over the years, in an effort to relieve some boredom. I recalled a story in it that I thought applicable.

"Goodbye, Cain."

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Thanks to lovely reviewers, I've decided that there will be a sequel! It won't be for a while, but it'll come! And review! Please review! Even if you hate it! Really!