I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORYLINE AND CHARACTERS YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE MANGA/ANIME!

Chapter Twenty

Flying Ship

In times of hardship, in times of sadness, there is a place the traveler can let his mind return to. Home. I still don't know what kind of a past the traveler abandoned when he left his home behind. I still don't know what kind of sorrow he bears. But the traveler can keep walking forward because he has something which sustains him, a place which accepts him. He can walk forward, step by careful step.

"Vash. Vash? Stand up already. Let's go." At the voice, Vash opened his eyes. Knives stood above him, holding a hand out. "Here." Giving a growl he went to hit him but Knives jumped back. "Hey, don't be that way; especially in front of the girls." Remembering that the sisters were with them, he turned to see that Kyri and Kyra weren't standing too far away from the crashed pod they had been in. "After all, we're brothers, right?"

"Murderer," Vash growled, dropping his hands onto the ground. "This is all your fault! You killed Rem…the crew…you killed them all!"

Knives face turned into a twisted grin. "Yeah, it's spectacular, huh? They all died; except for the fraction who will be saved because of Rem's meddling."

"Knives…" Vash's voice trembled. "You aren't human!"

Kyra watched as Knives' foot was implanted into his brother's face.

"Damn straight I'm not! How dare you compare me to those imperfect things!" He pounded on him as he spoke, beating the poor Vash up. He then turned his head to watch as what ships had been saved began to fall to the planet surface. "You'll see, you trash. I'll kill you all! Only we will be left on this planet!"

"Rem…"

"Vash?" The boy's eyes opened and he saw that Kyri had moved towards him. "Everything will be alright…"

Vash closed his eyes. Kyri…she didn't understand. She didn't understand but he was grateful for her words…

"There was nothing about them here!"

"I know, Alexander, but don't worry. We'll find them."

Alexander gave a sigh as the wind blew around them. Still in New Oregon, he and Wolfwood had been sharing a drink when they spotted Vash trying to sneak out of the inn they were all currently staying in. Leaving without a word to Milly and Meryl upstairs, they followed the Humanoid Typhoon and now they were currently on a piece of metal, letting the wind carry them up into the sky. Vash said that he was visiting his folks and it had made Wolfwood laugh; until he saw the huge ship that was currently floating in the air just above the clouds.

"It's a ship that didn't quite crash 130 years ago." Vash explained.

"How is it floating like that? More plant power?" Alexander asked.

"This is unbelievable." Wolfwood couldn't believe his eyes. "Who'd have known that the lost technology was still preserved like this?"

"There's not actually people living here, are there?" Alexander looked at Vash.

The blond gave him a smile. "I think the two of you will be their first house guests to visit in over 20 years."

"I have a feeling that they're going to be either very friendly or very unhappy." Alexander sighed.

"I think you're right." Wolfwood nodded as the pod they were in landing on the destroyed ship.

"Now, while you're up here, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you guys to stay outside. They don't like outsiders so I'm afraid that you can't come inside."

"What do you mean that I can't come inside?!"

As Wolfwood put Vash into a weird leg hold, making him scream and beg for mercy, Alexander sighed, watching the large door open. "I really need a drink."

Two people stood there. One old, really short bald man and one tall guy, maybe in his twenties.

"Is that your great legend!?" The tall man growled at the bald one, anger clearly on his face as Vash continued to scream at the priest.

"What a relief," He was ignored. "He hasn't changed a bit."

"So the answer to that, big guy," Alexander replied. "Is yes."

Introductions between the five men were made and the bald guy, called Doctor, had insisted that Wolfwood and Alexander come inside and wait for Vash to be done with what he came for. Brad was the younger man and was highly displeased with all three of them arriving at their door.

"I feel like we're on a spaceship," Alexander then gave himself a frown. "I guess it sorta is still a spaceship, huh?"

Vash smiled at him. "Yep. One of the last intact ones, anyway."

As the group got off the elevator, people poked their heads out of their rooms for a better look before hiding back inside their rooms.

"Not the friendly sort, eh?" Alexander shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Get used to it," Brad told him.

"Don't worry, we'll behave," Wolfwood replied.

"VASH!"

At the scream, they all turned to see a young girl running at them. Alexander was able to move out of the way in time for the girl to jump and slam into Vash. The Bounty Hunter laughed straight out at the look Brad was giving Vash as the girl rubbed her face all over him.

"Gee, I need more of a warning, little lady. I may be easy, but even I need a little warning!" Smiling, he set the girl back on her feet and took a better look. "Jessica?"

"That's right! You remembered!" She jumped on him again. "This is the best day ever!"

"Damn, Vash," Alexander shook his head. "I knew you liked women but to be leading her on for twenty years?"

"So, Vash, this must be your other girlfriend." Wolfwood joined in. "You lucky devil, you."

Alexander crossed his arms. "Wait until Kyri hears about this. He won't be so lucky anymore."

At the mention of the woman, Vash's smile disappeared and his eyes glazed over with guilt and worry.

"Ah yes, where is Kyri?" The Doctor asked. "Will she be joining us later as well?"

"She's…" Vash glanced at Alexander and Wolfwood for help. Alex sighed.

"She and my sister are on a mission right now. It depends on how fast you can help Vash here that decides whether or not she'll get here before we leave."

The old man understood without a problem and it wasn't long after that Alexander and Wolfwood were left by themselves in the hall. Not kindly, either. The Bounty Hunter wanted to punch that Brad asshole in the face but thought it was better not to cause problems. The Priest began to smoke, wiping his collection of cigarettes out almost completely as the two of them spoke little to the others. The longer the two of them stood there in silence the more people came out of their homes to look. Hushed words of the fear the people felt littered through the hall. Alexander wanted to say something but didn't move, didn't even look at the other people as Wolfwood's thoughts ran through his head.

~A city cradled in lost technology. I'm starting to see what makes you tick, Needle-noggin.~

Alexander's movement caught the Priest and he turned to see that his friend had caught a rock that a little boy and thrown at them in anger.

"Get out of here! Both of you!"

His mother ran out in a hurry. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't sweat it." Wolfwood sighed.

"But he's right," The woman continued. "I hate to say it, but I feel the same way he does. I'm begging you, for the good of all of us, please leave this place." She got roars of approval from the others here."

"I don't give a shit how you idiots all feel," Alexander tossed the rock in the air again before throwing it back at the boy. It slammed into the ground at his feet and shattered. "Stay here and live in your scared lives like the wimps you are. I'm doing everything to find my sister and the path has led me straight here. Until that blond idiot comes back, I'm not moving so get used to it."

That's all Alexander had to say but Wolfwood began to try and convince the people that their plants were going to exhaust someday and their ship would finish its crash to the planet. They didn't want to hear it though, they argued until the Priest had finally had enough of it and stormed off. Alexander followed to try and cool him down.

"This ship is just full of rotten, ignorant people."

"Yeah, but what can we do?" Alexander sighed. "You'll find rotten and ignorant people everywhere nowadays. In fact, I'm sure they were always around. It's how humans are; and there are some even worse than that."

Before Wolfwood could answer, screams began to erupt from one of the doors behind them. Whipping around, Wolfwood began to pound on the door, telling someone to let them in.

"They're being attacked," Alexander growled. "They're not going to open the door!" The handle on the door was electrical, meaning that he needed the code to get inside unless it was opened from the inside. Those people were screwed. He also knew what this meant. He and Wolfwood were the outsiders here. They were going to be blamed for anything unnatural and from the screams, THIS was unnatural.

Getting tired of this, Wolfwood grabbed his cross and began too smash it into the door. The moment that Alexander could reach in and push it aside he did, revealing that a family had been slaughtered. And low and behold, it was only now that the others of this ship came to see what happened. To see two strange men in a room of dead people wasn't such a good thing for Wolfwood and Alexander.

"I saw we ditch Vash and run." Alexander whispered to his friend.

"If we didn't need him then I would agree." The Priest told him before Brad decided to show up. "And it just got worse." The big man whipped out a gun and pointed it at the priest. His hand was shaking like crazy. "It wasn't us, Brad."

"You can't prove that!" Brad growled.

"Even so," Alexander began to talk. "Are you willing to risk that?" Brad glanced at him. "Are you willing to kill two innocent men because we're from the outside?"

"I can't believe you! You're a killer and a liar, outsider!"

"Then take your shot." Alexander placed himself in front of Wolfwood. "You may want to keep your hands from shaking so much, though because if you shoot me and you miss, you're dead."

Brad froze, thinking the options over before one of the men fell into his back. "Hey, what are you doing?!" He turned and all three saw that the people in the hall were now dead as well. Rushing out of the room, they found what appeared to be an older man in purple clothes.

"You did this, didn't you?" Brad demanded.

"Back off now," Wolfwood told him. "You couldn't possibly survive a fight against this one." Wolfwood pulled his large cross gun out as Alexander readied his assault rifle.

"You know," Alexander decided to speak as they both glared at the old man. "If you ever die I totally call claims on that."

"No can do," Wolfwood gave a laugh though his serious face stayed trained on the enemy. "Your sister already has."

He hung his head. "Should have known."

Alexander knew that Alexia was fond of Wolfwood, knew that the priest felt the same, too. At first he didn't like the thought of some other man in his sister's life but if he was able to help him find his sister then he would let him do anything he wanted to; as long as Alexia stayed safe.

"Leonof, I presume?" Wolfwood called out.

"A Gung-Ho Gun, huh?" Alexander sighed. "Figures that they would show back up."

"Oh? I'm honored you know my name! We've never met, but I've heard of you. An interesting reputation. The man who rings the black funeral bell…Chapel the-"

"Don't say it, you doll fetishist!" Wolfwood cut him off with a roar. Alexander felt his face grow white as he glanced at Wolfwood. The Priest had let off his gun, shattering the wooden puppet.

"Wolfwood," Alexander began. "Are you-" A vent opened up and more puppets flew out, making the bounty hunter stop and let off some rounds of his own. His questions would have to wait for later; these were the type he wouldn't be forgetting.

"Holy shit!" Brad cried out.

"This is just a warm-up." Wolfwood told the other man. "Both for him and for me."

"Hey, don't count me out, priest-boy." Alexander growled.

"Yeah, yeah."

"You are smart, preacher," The old man had stood back up, another of those birds on his shoulder. "It wouldn't be easy to destroy you now but that would be boring. To make the game more interesting, I've added a sweet element." Another of the old man's puppets moved forward, revealing that Jessica was in his possession. Alexander had to keep Brad from rushing forward. "I know you have feelings for this young lady. You know what I'm getting at, don't you?"

"Don't even think about it," Alexander had grabbed Brad's gun, keeping it pointed at the floor. "It's a trap, moron."

"I know what it is," Brad struggled to free his hand from the other man's grip. "But…Jessica…I…"

"There is another way. If we ignore the girl's plight, we will definitely make it through."

Brad glared at the Priest as Jessica pulled a look of shock and fear. "What did you say?!"

"I think that is the best option at this point and time," Wolfwood kept his eyes on Leonof. "It's the only logical way any of us will survive against them."

"No, you can't!"

"Hey, in life you have to make choices." Alexander commented. "Would you rather just her die, or do you want to die too? How about the rest of these people on this ship?"

"Although," Wolfwood began. "I do know of a guy that whines, cries, and throw tantrums and somehow finds a way to save everyone." Alexander smirked. "He's a crazy man who's not afraid of anything, even though he's been scarred from head to toe. He'll always be there."

At that moment, a gunshot went off, destroying the puppet that was holding Jessica. Wolfwood began too fire himself, destroying the other puppet again, getting the girl out of danger. Brad ran for the girl.

"What took you so long?" Wolfwood called out.

Alexander turned to see that Vash joined them again. He was dressed in that long red jacket of his, his sunglasses back. Alexander had to admit that seeing that serious look on Vash's face made as he reloaded his gun let a feeling of relief pass through him; one that he hadn't felt for a long time now.

"Hey! Where did you get the red coat?!" Wolfwood demanded.

"Vash the Stampede…" Brad stared at him in shock. Jessica went to jump on him but Alexander caught her.

"This isn't the time, kid," He tossed her back at Brad before turning back to Vash. "Feel better?"

"Sort of," Vash admitted. "But I'll feel even better when we find her."

Leonof's laughed sounded through the hall again. "You act as though this has ended. Some of my children are still here. And besides did you really think that I would come alone?"

"What are you saying?" Vash demanded.

"I believe the message is that he's not alone." Alexander replied with a frown.

"The question is how many and which ones." Wolfwood frowned.

"I can answer one of those," Leonof chuckled. "Three."

Vash looked horrified. "Three of them?!"

"That's right. Three demons have arrived. Welcome. This is your big comeback celebration, Vash the Stampede. It's a shame that your little friend, The Bladed Siren, can't be here for it. I'm afraid that the old boss is too afraid to show her face as of late."

"Oh, and just where did you hear that little lie?"

Everyone froze at the new voice except for Alexander. Recognizing that voice anywhere, he whipped around to find the two women that he had been looking for the last two years standing behind them.

"Alexia!"

His sister gave a smile and lifted her hand in greeting. "What's up?"

She looked different that he remembered. Her red hair was now cut into a ragged shoulder-length style and while she still wore those black, cut off shorts, her white tank top had been changed into a dull blue that was covered by a black jean jacket. Her belts were still hanging around her waist, holding her gun but there was now a large briefcase that she held in her hand.

Waiting for nothing else, Alexander whizzed past the others and grabbed his sister. She gave a groan about the grip of his arms but hugged him back, unable to fight the grin that spread across her face.

"I guess I made you worry, huh?" She grunted.

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again!" He told her. "What are you, stupid?!"

Alexia pushed him back. "Hey, I couldn't just let her go. She needed me more than you did at the moment."

"Speaking of which…" Alexander turned his head to take in the woman that stood beside his sister. "You ever take off with her like that again and it won't be your old friends that you need to be worrying about, you got it?

The woman gave a small smile. "My apologies, Rush."

Wolfwood's mind gave an inner whistle and he took a step back as those sharp, blue eyes searched through the group.

Kyri had changed too, and not just her physical appearance. Her black hair was longer than before, being twisted into some kind of twirl as it went down her back. Her attire had changed into what appeared to be a green and black jumpsuit, the zipper extremely low and if this hadn't been a serious moment, and he also knew that she would kill him, Alexander would have made a comment. Her Gunblade was at her hip, held by those sets of belts, and her face now held a scar on the left side, as if she had been shot with an arrow or something similar.

The normal, soft feeling you got around her was gone and was replaced by one of power and something harsh. Something had changed this woman in the last three years and he didn't really need to guess hard to find the answer. This was what Alexander had been telling him about. This was no longer the Kyri that they knew. This woman was now the Bladed Siren; again.

"It's been a while, Stampede."

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