Disclaimer: Trigun is sadly enough not mine, or there would have been way more episodes!
Chapter 55: Knives' POV
They had stopped for both dinner and the night without temper seeming to notice, if blue-eyes had not pressed food into her hands, he was fairly certain she would have forgotten to eat she was so focused on what she was doing. When it had started to get dark, she had fished a small flash light out of her pack before going back to what she was working on. Vash seemed to be at a loss for how to deal with it because it was the first time he had ever seen her fall into her focus so deeply. Everyone else had been laying down for a while when she finally finished, stretching out before curling up next to Vash and kissing his jaw before falling sleep.
Come morning everything seemed to be back to normal, coffee before talking with either girl, which was alright since he was not actually fond of mornings either. He did find it amusing that it was his task to make sure that there was coffee. Particularly since according to both girls he made excellent coffee. Breakfast was made almost immediately afterwards, with Vash reminding him of a vacuum with the speed in which he sucked it down.
After everyone had finished eating, Vash comments, "We're about an hour away from the village if I am doing the math right."
Temper glances at him, sinking her hand into the sand around us before nodding once. He can feel the flare of power surrounding her as she touches the ground, and realizes it's her earth sense, giving directions and information. Part of him is curious why she touches the ground to do so, but he is fairly certain that it is the best way for her to communicate with it since she lacks any long term practice.
"Shall we?" he inquires, wanting to get this over with. He was not looking forward to having to deal with a large group of spiders. Nor was he looking forward to having to apologize or thank them. Things really were simpler when just trying to kill them instead. Social niceties were not something he cared to do.
The ride there was almost as silent as the ride the evening before. Despite the silence however, he realized that the girls seemed to be having one of their discussions. In typical style, he focuses his telepathy in on blue-eyes since she has the clearer mind and listens in on the discussion as best as one can when it's only done in partial thoughts. What he is able to understand is temper plans to present herself as lawyer temper, the rather cold and calculating side of her personality, not the insurance girl temper that has no problems with being afraid. Blue-eyes is to stay out of it, which she is protesting and thus the length of the conversation. Finally, blue-eyes agrees with a sigh, acknowledging that she needs to stay out of it.
When they reach the village they stop just short, dismounting so they can walk in instead of ride in. It would be less threatening that way. Again he cannot help but think that being threatening is so much easier. It startles him when blue-eyes takes the reins to tempers mount as well as her own.
They are greeted at the village entrance by an old man and four younger men. He is almost startled by tempers fighting stance as she shifts her body the slightest bit, blue-eyes meanwhile takes hold of his Thomas creature as well, stepping back with them around her.
"Hello Vash," the old man in the center of the group greets him in a slightly high-pitched voice.
His twin smiles, the expression lighting up his face, "Hi Doc," he returns the greeting.
One of the men behind the old man glances in his direction, pulling a weapon. "I that…?" he mutters.
Another nods, and the two of them both direct their weapons at him. His eyes narrow on them but he manages to keep his temper. Listening to their thought, he knows that they think to arrest him, like that's going to happen.
"Who are your companions?" the old man inquires, as he looks between each of us in the group.
Before he has a chance to answer, temper steps next to Vash, which puts her almost directly in front of him. "I'm Meryl Stryfe, and this is my partner Milly Thompson. It's good to meet you." she pauses, eyes narrowing on the two behind him with their guns drawn. "I am certain you have already figured out who the fourth member of our group is."
He nods, the sun reflecting off of the top of his bald head. "I had thought that might be him, but I would rather not assume."
His twin blushes. Behind him he can feel blue-eyes tensing up, yet temper seems perfectly calm even if she is in a mildly aggressive stance. What do the girls know that we do not? He wonders to himself, keeping an eye on both of them, though his attention is more focused on blue-eyes than temper. Turning slightly, he puts her back in his line of sight, but in doing so startles the two with guns because they almost pull the trigger in fear. Their minds are going in circles, with their emotions being higher than their thinking ability.
"I would suggest putting the guns down," temper comments, her voice surprisingly even though cold in tone.
The old man turns his attention to her for a moment, his thoughts curious as to who this was that was suggesting such a thing. His thoughts, while not protected, seemed to be rather focused on the situation at hand. He is also curious why they had approached as a group. Something tells him that they are not here to turn Knives in for punishment so he is curious why they are there.
Breaking the contact Knives glances between the old man and the four younger ones. It would be fairly simple to make them drop their guns, but almost as soon as he thinks that he spots blue-eyes shaking her head slightly. Intrigued, he listens to her thoughts, and is almost shocked that she was trying to get his attention.
Let Meryl handle it, he hears repeated several times. This is what she excels at.
Alright, he replies, making her jump a little.
Her eyes widen as she glances at him, You heard me?
Yes, telepathy is my gift after all. Comes his slightly caustic reply.
Smiling she nods, and goes back to watching the scene unfold. The majority of his attention is also turned back to the spiders with guns but he shifts his stance just a bit so he is in front of blue-eyes in case the spiders do something stupid.
"You realize what he is?" one of the younger ones eventually snaps at temper.
Tempers light eyes turn on him flashing in anger, "I realize far better than you ever will boy," she snaps, her voice still soft and low.
"Brandon, I doubt that Vash would bring someone here who intends us harm." The old man comments without looking to see who had spoken.
"But…" one of the others starts, only to be cut off by temper.
"But nothing, put the guns away before this becomes an issue. I promise you would not like it to be an issue." Her left hand flickers as she says that, and he feels blue-eyes tense up.
Are you still listening? She inquires hesitantly.
Yes.
If they don't put the guns down on the next signal she wants them stunned. Since you're standing in front of me, I can't do it without hitting you first. So I guess that means you get to do it instead. No harming them though, just making them pause. She informs him in that direct way of hers, he can still feel the hesitation but it is not as much as it had been.
He considers it for a moment, before replying, Alright. Notify me if she signals you.
Okay Mr. Knives.
Temper looks down her nose at the young man who dared to question her, which would be rather amusing if not for the situation since she is at least a foot shorter than him. There almost seems to be a contest of wills going on between her and them. Three of the four back down but the fourth does not, he pulls the gun up over the old man's head and her eyes narrow, this time it is her right hand that moves.
Now, he hears blue-eyes tell him. Focusing his attention on the one with the gun, he takes hold of the boys mind before he has a chance to even finish lifting it and drops the gun to the ground after making him unload it. Then for good measures he forces him to take every single item that could be used as a weapon off and drop them as well.
"Well three of you were smart about it," she comments, then turning her attention to the old man she remarks, "Listen we came here rather peacefully, both brothers wished to speak with you, if you would rather us three go that's fine but there will be no guns near Milly at this time."
"Only her? Not the rest of you? Don't you think that is peculiar?" he inquires in response.
Her lips curve in a small smirk. "I stay with Milly, for the most part so does Knives, that leaves Vash to do what he needed to do here. So really that only leaves one of us, the one you happen to know."
He can feel his twin's surprise, but then he had been shocked since the beginning of this run in.
"Well come along then, we can speak in the great hall, there will be no more problems, will there boys?" the old man answers her. When the four do not answer him, he turns to look at them before glance back towards our group. The three that had put their weapons down are staring in horror at the fourth who is currently standing perfectly still, his breathing the only sign that he is alive. "I believe you made your point," he remarks.
Meryl says to let go, blue-eyes tells him her voice softer in his mind than it is when she speaks, there seems to be an underlying emotion that he cannot identify. He will have to consider it later, when they are not linked.
"As long as that point is remembered, that's all that matters." Temper replies as he releases the boy who promptly faints.
"Help him up, then go back to your normal tasks." The old man directs the remaining three younger spiders before glancing at blue-eyes and smiling, "Hello, you must be Milly since you're the only one not to make yourself known. I hope you are comfortable during your visit."
She nods, smiling at him, "Thank you Mr. Doctor, sir. Is there somewhere to stable the Thomas creatures?"
"Of course," he beams at her, "as you follow me, the stable is the building right next to the great hall. The boys there will be happy to take care of them."
That seems to be the tension breaker because temper relaxes, and blue-eyes steps forward with the reins in hand to follow watching expectantly.
The only thing he can think is: what weird spiders.