Chapter 20 - The Clash of Red and Black
Chapter Summary
Previously, after fleeing Little Jersey to escape bounty hunters, Vash's gang made it to the next town to sleep for the night. Tensions were high between the group and Lois received a wake-up call when Jimmy reminded her how her curiosity almost drove a wedge between her and Clark. Did she want to repeat her mistake with Vash?
Vash and company finally arrive in Ripmela, a small city on their way north. Lobo and Legato separately plan to ambush the Humanoid Typhoon. But when Vash and Wolfwood investigate a disturbance at the Plant facility, who will they find?
—T&J—
"Arggggh… Whasss all tha comoshunn 'bout? Cannta Main Man gettsome sleepps 'round here?"
Obnoxiously loud shouting from outside the saloon woke Lobo from his pleasant little Czarnian cat nap.
And hell, it felt like a battleaxe had sliced through his skull.
Lobo buried his head in the crook of his arm, resting on the bar top. His black mane of hair stuck out in all directions like the quills of a czarcupine.
He grumbled in his native tongue—the coarse words undoubtedly vulgar—and peeled his face off the sticky bar.
The humans had long vacated the saloon. Even Lobo's new drinking buddy and the bartender were nowhere to be found.
Lobo slid off his stool, almost falling over. He meandered with a post-drunken gait through the maze of tables and chairs and slammed through the swing doors.
He immediately regretted going outside. The bright yellow sunlight assaulted his bloodshot eyes and worsened his headache. Lobo raised a hand to shield his face and groggily watched humans run to and fro like scared little czarsheep.
He stepped wobbly into the street and lunged at a man passing by, grabbing him by the front of his shirt. The man's boots rose off the ground.
"Whada frag' is goin' on?" Lobo slurred, bringing the man's face uncomfortably close.
The man only screamed like a damn little girl in response. He swiped and tugged at Lobo's muscular forearm, trying to free himself from the alien's grip.
Lobo shook the puny human like a ragdoll, causing the man's rimmed hat to fall to the ground. "What's got all you yellow-bellied bastiches so fraggin' shook?!"
"I-i-it's V-V-Vash the St-Stampede! H-he's h-heading here! Th-they s-s-potted him in L-Little Jersey y-yesterday!" the man stuttered and shook uncontrollably.
Lobo had the sense to realize this 'Vash the Stampede' spread terror like wildfire through the whole city. Damn, not even his own arrival the day before had done that.
That epiphany sobered him up real quick.
"Oh, yeah? And who the frag is V-V-Vash the Stampede?" Lobo said, glaring at the man. Their noses were practically touching. The man's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his face.
The human slowly let go with his left hand, raising it shakily to point towards one of the buildings nearby. The wall featured a spattering of wanted posters. Posters of Vash the Stampede, a bounty head worth $$60 billion, covered at least half of the wall.
Lobo released the human. The man fell onto his ass before scrambling away without even bothering to grab his hat.
Lobo strolled over to the wall and ripped off one of Vash the Stampede's wanted posters.
"Eh? This pretty boy? Wanted dead or alive?" He inspected a few of the other posters, looking at their bounties. He whistled, impressed. Pretty boy with a bounty hundreds of times greater than these other small fries?
Lobo's yellow-toothed grin couldn't get any wider.
—T&J—
After a restless night with little sleep, Vash reluctantly joined the gang in the hotel lobby for breakfast at the crack of dawn. They needed the early start to make the sandsteamer in time.
Of course, Vash couldn't find his appetite and just played with the food on his plate. Except for a few brief glances, he had trouble raising his eyes to meet the others'. There was minimal small talk during the meal, for which he was
grateful.
After eating, the group shuffled out of the hotel, grumbling about the early hour.
The faintest line of red and yellow streaked along the horizon. The rest of the sky gradated into a rich purple and navy blue. Vash could still make out specks of stars gazing down from the unfathomable reaches of space.
Vash slunk into the trailer in an attempt to avoid Jessie, Lois, and Jim, who piled into the cab of Jessie's truck.
He couldn't help but fiddle with the electronic device Lois had dropped at his door in the middle of the night. Vash hadn't worked up the nerve to give it back since the others were present. Nor did he know what to say to her once he did.
At least he could manage Wolfwood's company for now. The longer they spent together, the more Vash's memories seemed to be coming back to him.
Not that he was looking forward to whatever mean things the undertaker might decide to say about the day before.
The undertaker was silent while he finished off his to-go coffee and his second cigarette. Yet, right on cue, Wolfwood grumbled, "You still have no survival instincts, do you?"
Vash shrugged and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "My bad."
Wolfwood clearly saw right through him. "One town. We couldn't get through one measly little town, Needle Noggin." He shook his index finger for emphasis and blew out a stream of smoke.
"My feet just move before I can think. I can't stand to see such unnecessary fighting," Vash replied.
They both lurched as the rig rolled over the rocky terrain. The Thomases clucked and chirped in the cages stacked around the trailer. Small teal feathers drifted around, and Wolfwood waved his hand to brush them away from his face.
"Tch. Figures. Lord knows how a guy stays alive over a hundred and fifty years bein' that reckless…" Wolfwood scoffed. "What happens when we get to Ripmela and the bounty hunters are all lined up waitin' for ya? Did'ya hear the news over the radio this mornin'?"
Vash nodded and pretended to give it some thought. "Clothes swap?" he offered with a smirk, shaking the sleeves of his new (second-hand) duster.
Even though Wolfwood's eyes were obscured behind his sunglasses, his glare bore into Vash. "Like hell, Blondie."
Vash mumbled to himself, acting like he was disappointed.
A minute later, he said, "I told Jessie to drop us off a quarter ile outside of town. You three should go on ahead. I'll find another way onto the sandsteamer."
Wolfwood flicked cigarette ash between the metal side panels of the trailer bed. "Guess it's as good a plan as any. Dunno if I can trust ya to make do without backup, though. Plus, this time, don't go flauntin' that face of yers all around town. Comprende?"
"Oh? You mean this devilishly dashing face?" Vash framed his chin with his index finger and thumb.
Wolfwood choked on his current drag. He coughed roughly, whacking a fist into his chest to clear his lungs. "Tch. If you say so," Wolfwood grumbled after catching his breath and looking away.
—
A quarter ile outside of Ripmela, the truck slowed and came to a complete stop. Vash hopped out of the trailer, taking a few good stretches, especially stretching out his long legs.
Wolfwood groaned, following behind a moment later. He shoved Punisher into the sand, lighting up yet another cigarette.
Vash stared off into the distance, breathing in the ever-arid, earthy-scented air. The second sun trailed its twin, rising higher in the early morning sky. The orange ball of light loyally followed its brighter yellow sibling every single day for who knows how many billions of years.
He wondered if the second sun ever just wanted to run away. Find its own place in the universe. Its own system of little planets and moons to cherish and nurture. Like a sun had desires. Like a sun had a will of its own.
Vash heard the cabin doors open as the three others stepped down and pattered around. He shook himself out of his reverie and excused himself to Wolfwood, wanting a word in private with Jessie.
Vash slunk around to the driver's side slowly. Jessie approached with crossed arms and a guarded expression.
"Well, looks like it's the end of the road for us," Jessie said, her usual exuberance dulled.
"Jessie…I'm sorry—" Vash began, but the tall woman cut him off, raising a hand. She sighed heavily.
"Look, man. What happened back in Lil' Jersey… I might not know the whole story, and I'm not gonna make it my business to find out. But whatever those sleazebag MPs said or thought, it don't matter to me. I've been 'round the block enough to know real scum, and you, you ain't that. Not by a long shot."
At first, Vash had trouble looking at anything but the ground. But the more his friend spoke, the more his eyes rose, coaxed to meet her gaze.
"Everyone always said that Lina girl and Eriks boy were the worst troublemakers in town. Guess they underestimated you."
"I dunno about that," Vash mumbled. "I only ever tried to keep Lina out of trouble. Somehow, things always got worse when I did…" Vash dug the toe of his boot into the sand, dragging it around in lazy circles.
Jessie nodded, thoughtful. She hesitated before saying, "Suppose it's been like that for ya even before settling down in Kasted, huh?"
Vash merely nodded. His bitter smile only made her frown.
"...Maybe, one day, if we bump into each other again, whatever mess you got yourself into will be cleared up. Then, maybe we'll get a few drinks, and if the time's right, we get the true story?"
Vash's bitter smile flickered but stayed in place. "Maybe."
Jessie sighed heavily and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "You take care of yourself. And take care of those other kids." She nodded to indicate the other side of the trailer where Lois and Jim stood. "I'd say stay out of trouble, but I know when something's outta the question."
Vash chuckled, genuinely relieved that his friend could still joke with him. "Thank you. I'm— ooof!"
Again, Jessie cut Vash off when she pulled him close and gave him her best Jessie Bear Hug.
"Now, get goin'. Y'all got a sandsteamer to catch. And I gotta get back on my route and the heck home." She gave him a couple of shoves, rounding the trailer to rejoin the others.
Jessie gave Lois and Jim each a less crushing version of her bear hug, similar take care wishes, and stay outta trouble instructions.
With a lively farewell wave from her driver's seat, Jessie and the Thomases rolled away, chasing the morning sunsrise.
—L&P—
As the Angel's most faithful follower strode through this holy chapel, his echoing footsteps rang out like the tolling of a church bell.
The nonbelievers infested and sullied this blessed house like unwelcome spiders. They attempted to hinder his pilgrimage, to bask in the presence of the angels within.
With a flick of a wrist and a dance of fingertips, the heathens rose into the air and crumpled in on themselves. Their will could not overcome the god-given power of his devotion.
With another rolling motion of his wrist, the sinners turned their weapons to one another. The cacophonous melody of their gunfire, the bullets clinking to the ground, and their cries of anguish moments before death were a beautiful hymn to his ears.
And the red wine of life splattered the walls and seeped into the floor as their sacrificial offering.
Their sacrifice would be the lure for the fallen angel. It would surely coax the Fallen One here to face retribution for the fallen's betrayal of the most beautiful Angel—his Lord, his Master. Millions Knives.
The loyal devotee recalled the words and will of Master Knives. "Bestow my fallen brother eternal suffering at the tainted hands of you humans. Show him the true nature of the foul parasites that he so desperately defends. Engrave the futility of his cause into his flesh and his every bone."
He also remembered imparting Master Knives's will through sermon to the other servants of the Eye of Michael. Yet the other human tools dared to blaspheme their Lord and his fallen brother, calling them monsters.
Such a cuss could be expected but not tolerated. The other servants were unable to fully comprehend the true divinity of such superior beings.
The wavering one—the Hornfreak—even boldly raised his weapon to his superior's head, declaring him the lunatic. As the Angel's favored devotee, he'd swiftly reminded them all of their place and corrected their folly. The Hornfreak was putty under the force of his faith. The lowly servant's back arched almost to its breaking point as he splayed his fingers with a rigid flourish.
The human tools backed down in compliance at the display.
Despite the Hornfreak's defiance, he was pleased when the Puppet-Master brought word of the Fallen One's presence in one of the Sinner's cities. The fallen angel's next reprieve would be in Ripmela.
It had been two long years of watching his beloved Lord recover from his brother's betrayal. And for those years, the devotee cursed the fallen brother every single day.
At long last, he would deliver punishment to the Fallen One. The thrill was intoxicating. And he would do so here, in the heart of this holy place.
He basked in the glowing blue radiance from the Plant Angels' vessels. And felt the electric sting travel over his skin in their presence.
It filled him—Legato Bluesummers—with virtuous life and righteous purpose.
He raised his arms as the radiant blue light of the angels engulfed him. A blissful smile filled his face.
Come, oh Fallen One. Come, confess your sins. Face your reckoning so you may find your way back onto the path of light.
—L&P—
Vash let the others head into Ripmela without him at the south gate after mentioning his plan. However, after Vash circumnavigated the city's borders to the west gate and progressed into town, he quickly sensed something was not right.
Firstly, cars and trucks filtered out of the city more heavily than typical daily traffic. Secondly, the streets were oddly quiet, even for the early hour. When he passed by the first tavern he'd seen, the whole place was suspiciously empty, bartender and staff included. And thirdly, he had yet to run into any thuggish-looking, weapon-flaunting bounty hunters as anticipated.
Normally, Vash didn't feel the need to be stealthy, but he was starting to think he stuck out like a sore thumb.
He hitched his travel bag more soundly on his right shoulder and walked toward the city center. From there, he could meander along to the sandsteamer port in the northeast district—hopefully without any setbacks.
Of course, just as he thought as much, a child crying caught his ear.
"M-mommy, I don't w-wanna leave! Why do we *sniff* gotta leave? whaa…*sniff* uwhaa…"
Further up the road, a woman stepped down from strapping luggage to the roof of a car. She knelt down and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her son's face.
"Shh, Mica, shhh. It's going to be okay, baby. You heard Mr. Mayor and Sheriff this morning with Mommy, right?" The young boy, probably about four or five years old, nodded and wiped his nose with his sleeve. His mother ran her fingers through his dark brown hair.
"That scary alien came and stole a Plant last night, and the other scary Stampede man might come here and cause a lot of trouble. Mommy wants to keep you safe. So, we're going to stay with Uncle Samuel for a while in Inepril. You can play with your cousins there. That'll be fun, right?" A tired plea crept into her voice. A hiccup at the end.
The boy rocked back and forth and nodded with a slight smile.
The mother sighed and stood back up. She helped her son into the backseat and resumed loading their car.
Vash ducked his head as he passed them on the opposite side of the street.
Terrific, not only are they panicking about 'The Humanoid Typhoon,' but someone had the gall to steal a Plant? It wasn't… It wasn't Knives or his goons was it?!
Vash gnashed his teeth. His strides lengthened as he changed course.
With the jutting spire of the spaceship ruins as his guide, Vash made his way over to the place housing the city's Plants.
A couple of streets later, he turned a corner to the facility and stopped dead in his tracks. The sight of Lois, Jim, and Wolfwood talking to a security guard through the closed mesh gate threw him for a loop.
Groaning, Vash bent down to pick up a small piece of gravel. He took careful aim and flicked it at Wolfwood's head.
"Ow, what the hell?" Wolfwood cried and spun around, rubbing the back of his head.
Vash, still peeking around the corner, waved him over. Wolfwood hesitated a moment before slinking away while the kids were focused on the guard.
Wolfwood yanked Vash's coat and shook him a few times. "The hell, Needle Noggin? What part of stayin' inconspicuous do ya not understand?"
"Was it Knives?" Vash hissed. His eyes narrowed behind his orange glasses.
Wolfwood paused at Vash's demeanor and question. He cleared his throat. "No. Not as far as I can tell."
Vash immediately felt a sense of relief wash over him. His taut muscles uncoiled and his shoulders dropped.
"Don't relax just yet… Apparently, we missed some breakin' news on our little road trip. Bad news. And not just here. Shortstuff and Shutterbug heard it over the radio and just filled me in. Kids probably had no idea what it all meant."
Vash's eyes narrowed again. If Wolfwood was worried, he wouldn't like what he heard next. "What's going on?"
Wolfwood crossed his arms and chewed on his cigarette. "Three days ago, some alien Lord Something-or-other flew a goddamn spaceship here. Declared he swung by to 'barter' with the planet. Welcome us to the 'intergalactic marketplace.'"
Vash jolted at the term alien. Especially after what he saw on Lois's videos last night. "Alien Lord? Spaceship? Barter? Undertaker, don't mess with me…"
"Ain't messin' around, Blondie," he spat.
Wolfwood exhaled a plume of smoke and continued, "Apparently, the alien gave our worms-for-brains Union leaders a whole day to negotiate, but when they refused ta give up any Plants, the assteroid-hole decided he'll just take 'em anyway.
"Now he's sent some 'Lobo' merc to do his dirty work. And also, get this, friggin' robots. Started by hitting December. Blondie, December's the best defended city and Plant facility out there. And they still got away scot-free."
Vash almost forgot to breathe for a moment. Their group was heading to December, but they'd been too late to do anything here, let alone there, to stop these thieves. The image of Meryl's face popped into his head again, recalling that she was supposedly there.
Panic began to creep in, his fist clenching and unclenching. "How many Plants? Where else have Plants been stolen from?" Vash asked in a strained whisper.
"Sounds like they haven't hit the rest of the Seven but are still targeting fairly big cities. Only other places they reported so far were Maris City and Warrens. Doesn't mean that's been it. "
"Still, any Plant lost could be devastating," Vash countered.
"Ya don't have to convince me." Wolfwood paused while Vash processed. "What happens when Knives does find out? If he hasn't already?"
Vash ran a hand through his hair, thoughts going an ile a minute. A cold sweat rolled off his skin.
"It's going to be war. And No Man's Land is going to become a battleground."
—L&P—
Lois stomped away from the Plant facility gate and that utterly unhelpful security guard. She just wanted some answers but couldn't get anything outta the man. Apparently, a Metropolis Daily Planet press pass had absolutely no sway in… in whatever this city was called again.
Jimmy trailed behind, or rather, he wandered off again with his camera. He'd been busy taking photos of the Plant facility and the giant spire of the spaceship ruins a moment ago. (Lois had no idea how his camera had any battery life left.)
Lois glanced around, trying to spot where that Wolfy guy had run off to. Although he tried to help make the security guard spill, his chilling intimidation tactics didn't entirely pay off either.
Lois had a sneaking suspicion about Wolfy, too. He played off the half-moody, half-sarcastic prick type well, but there was something darker than that just below the surface. He didn't wear his sunglasses at all times just for the coolness factor. Plus, she had watched that gunfight back in Kasted. That cross he kept wrapped up was some serious weaponry.
A flash of red caught her eye. With Clark always in the back of her mind, her heart instinctually skipped a beat. But doing a double take, she realized it was Vash sporting that raggedy, looted duster. Not surprisingly, Wolfy was with him.
They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice her walking towards them.
She slowed when she overheard their harsh whispers.
"—happens when Knives does find out? If he hasn't already?"
Vash didn't answer right away. The question seemed to scare the man. Lois could see it in his rigid stance and pale face.
"It's going to be war. And No Man's Land is going to become a battleground."
With Vash's answer, Lois felt her stomach drop.
"Who is Knives? Why would there be a war?" Lois didn't even hesitate to ask or hide what she overheard.
Both men froze. The wide-eyed 'oh, shit, we got caught with our hands in the cookie jar' expression lasted only a second.
Despite the tension, Wolfy smirked. "This one's all yours, Blondie."
"Wha? Why me?" Vash floundered. He dropped his arm, making his travel bag swing and knock into Wolfwood's gut.
Wofly let out an 'oof!' and then grumbled to his friend, "Why the hell do you think? Because he's your—"
A klaxon suddenly blared, making them all jump and cover their ears. The alarm was coming from the Plant facility.
"The Plants!" Vash yelled and took off in a run toward the gate.
"Shit! Needle Noggin!" Wolfwood grabbed his giant cross and stumbled after the other man. He turned and shouted to Lois, "Stay put, Shortstuff!"
Lois got left in their dust, so she rushed over to Jimmy instead.
"What's going on?!" Jimmy shouted despite covering his ears.
By that point, Lois watched as Vash nimbly parkoured his way up and over the wire fence in just seconds. Wolfwood followed, maybe not as nimbly, but impressively quick nonetheless, especially with that heavy-as-hell cross. (She'd snuck a test at lifting it earlier. He'd caught her of course, gruffing, "hands off!" Not that she'd been able to move it half an inch anyway.)
"I don't know." Lois nodded back to the building. "Vash just ran off, shouting about the Plants."
The security guard at the entrance must have left his post rushing inside. The man was long gone by the time Lois and Jimmy jogged over to the gate. It was still locked, but that wasn't going to stop a Lane.
She whipped out her League blaster and shot at the rudimentary lock mechanism off to the side. The metal screeched and sparked at the impact of the green energy blast. With the lock destroyed, the gate easily slid open with a bit of elbow grease.
"Lois! What are you doing?!" Jimmy cried. He lowered his hands with a wince from the blaring noise and quickly shoved his camera securely into his bag. Hands immediately returned to his ears.
Keeping her blaster at the ready, Lois shimmied through the gate. "What's it look like? I'm going in after them."
"Forget about the story—"
"It's not about the story, Jimmy. What if they need backup?" Lois said, just loud enough over the alarms.
Lois could tell Jimmy was conflicted. His eyes silently pleaded with her, telling her this was a bad—really bad—idea. She knew that, but it didn't stop her. And she didn't have time to convince him. He could stay behind where it was safe. At least she had a weapon.
"You don't have to—" Lois began.
"Fine! Fine! I'll come. But if I die here, make sure you at least develop my photos so I can be even more famous!" He said that all with a straight face.
Lois couldn't help but crack up despite her adrenaline pumping and heart racing and ears aching. At that moment, the blasted alarms cut off. Thank goodness.
They sprinted towards the building's entrance. And Jimmy's biographical monologue graced Lois's ears along the way instead.
"James B. Olsen. Became an honorary member of a multiversal peacekeeping league. Discovered a human-inhabited planet in an alternate universe. Made friends with the most wanted outlaw on said planet. And witnessed yet another possible alien invasion plot. All while trying to save his superhero best friend.
"Alas, his efforts were in vain."
***Part 2***
—T&J—
It wasn't hard for Vash to navigate through the Plant facility. For one, he had special knowledge of almost all the Plant carrier layouts. Most facilities of this scale had remained mostly intact since the Big Fall. Secondly, there was a heck of a lot of screaming coming from that direction.
He'd already passed several bewildered Plant technicians. A few called out for him to stop or that he wasn't authorized to be there—the usual.
It'd been a long, long time since older generations of Plant engineers let him assist. In more recent decades, he just got lucky and snuck in to help an ailing Plant or slowly gained a town's trust to let him at least take a look.
There was only a handful of Plants in Ripmela. Many had been likely damaged beyond recovery in the Big Fall and, over the decades, either pushed through their Last Run or sold to other nearby towns.
With the looming threat of more Plant thefts, Vash threw all caution to the wind.
Vash announced himself by name and yelled at everyone to get out of his way. "Get far away from the Humanoid Typhoon if you value your lives!" he threatened, waving his revolver around frantically.
They screamed and turned tail as predicted. He wasn't in the state of mind to process the deep lashes of self-inflicted pain caused by his declarations and their terrified reactions.
Vash skidded into the main Plant chamber. It had just one long hallway and a central platform. A few rings of Plant bulbs circled the round, tunnel-like chamber.
Wolfwood hadn't quite kept up with him. But Vash knew the undertaker wouldn't be far behind.
The scene before him tore at Vash's soul. The coppery smell of blood filled his nose, making him almost gag. His phantom left arm throbbed painfully.
He flashbacked to over a century ago. Vash saw the red of the dying Plants, the red of mutilated human bodies, the red of the blood staining their clothes.
"You heard them crying out, didn't you?! You heard their screams!"
"I shall cut down the humans that stand in our way."
"Forget humanity. We shall build a paradise."
"Our kind will face destruction or find deliverance."
"All this time, and you're still just as useless without me."
That time when the Plant chamber was bathed in blood and broken bodies. When Knives stood in the very spot the… the man before him did now.
The tall, bluish-gray-skinned alien man turned, noticing Vash's arrival. His eyes, the color of blood, matched the vivid red liquid spilled onto the metal floor. Those red eyes pierced into Vash with an amused hunger for carnage.
A curved blade swung from a chain wrapped around the man's arm. The alien snapped his wrist to grip his weapon firmly, pointing it at Vash. He smirked and ran his tongue over his yellow-stained teeth. "I was wonderin' when I'd find you, Vash the Stampede. Glad you could make it."
Vash shook with rage. All these innocent people. Why? How could he just grin with no hint of remorse?
Vash had his revolver steadily aimed at the man's chest in a split second. His aqua-blue eyes narrowed and unblinking towards his foe.
"They're dead. These people are all dead!"
"So? What's it to ya?" the wild man retorted. He whipped his curved blade around in his grip into a more offensive position. He took a confident stance that didn't denote he was intimidated by Vash the Stampede.
Vash's whole body trembled violently—everything but the arm aiming his gun. He could feel the pulsing energy behind his eyes as Plant patterns in his iris's glowed, only hidden by his tinted glasses.
"Tell me! Did you kill all these people?! Are you the one responsible for all their deaths?!" Vash cried. He clenched his jaw so tight his teeth might've cracked.
The stranger shrugged ever so nonchalantly. "Nah. Can't take the credit for these meatbags. It ain't really worth the effort unless ya get paid for it nowadays, right?"
Vash squinted at the man, trying to gauge if he was telling the truth. If it wasn't him, then who would've done this?
The alien shrugged again and then gestured to him. "Now you, on the other hand. Heard plenty from the bastiches in town about you, though, Humanoid Typhoon. My man! Obliterating a whole city? Or was it two?" He smirked, and a mouth full of yellow fangs snapped open as he laughed.
Vash froze, his breath hitching as the alien man turned the tables on him. Bringing up JuLai and Jeneora's Rock stirred his insides with guilt. It was as if the man found amusement in the accusations placed on Vash.
The alien continued. "Not bad. Not bad. Not quite as subtle as I woulda done it, but hey, everyone's gotta play to their own strengths."
Even if this man hadn't killed these people here, it was obvious he was no stranger to killing. Vash dreaded exactly how much killing. As an assassin? Something else?
"Then why are you here? Who else is responsible?" Vash demanded.
The alien scoffed. "'Why are you here?'" he parroted, mocking the question.
"Needle Noggin!" Vash heard Wolfwood call out from behind. But Vash didn't dare take his eyes off the stranger.
A second later, Wolfwood slid to a halt beside Vash. His Punisher weapon was locked and loaded. It snapped open along the longer barrel, and two thin lines glowed the same turquoise light as other Lost Tech.
The alien whistled in mock awe. "Ohh, your friend is packing some mighty fine firepower there."
"Blondie?" Wolfwood whispered, analyzing the scene before them. Vash knew even though his friend had a bloody past, the dead bodies before them still affected Wolfwood more than he'd let on. Vash could see it in his tensed frame and jaw, clenched around a cigarette butt. Sometimes, the undertaker couldn't hide his emotions with his cool façade like he believed he could.
Instead of answering Wolfwood directly, Vash repeated his question to the alien. "If you didn't kill them, who did?!"
"Hell, if I know. All the townies were pissing themselves about your arrival. Just happened to be in the area when the exquisite sound of screamin' started. Thought I'd come and see the Stampede in action for myself."
He shoved one of the bodies with his black boot, rolling the man's corpse onto his back. "Missed the party, though. Bit of a letdown, 'specially if this wasn't your handiwork either," he mumbled.
Vash gnashed his teeth, seeing the man mistreat the dead so casually. And of course, with Vash's infamous reputation, anybody else would think this bloodbath was his fault.
"You didn't see anyone at all?" he asked, desperate to know what happened here.
"Hmmmm. Now that you mention it, there was some other pretty boy I caught a glimpse of. Blue hair, white jacket, 'bout as pale as a Czarnian." He listed the traits on his fingers.
Wolfwood hissed, "Legato!"
Vash's eyes flickered to his friend. He watched the undertaker sweep his head and even the Punisher around, examining the Plant chamber with a scowl.
Shit. If it was one of the Eye of Michael fanatics Wolfwood used to be involved with, that only meant Knives had a hand in this by extension.
All of a sudden, a flash of silver flew at Vash. He barely dodged as the razor-sharp edge of the alien's curved blade ripped a bloody gash into his shoulder. Damnit! He shouldn't have let his guard down and taken his eyes off the alien.
Wolfwood swung Punisher back towards their opponent and fired without hesitation in retaliation.
Fuck, a fight was not what Vash expected after the alien disclaimed this massacre as his doing. So, what reason would he have to attack?
And Wolfwood was risking hitting the Plants! This was bad.
Vash scurried to the side of the room, away from the Plant tanks, hoping the alien would focus on him instead of Wolfwood. He slid behind a narrow control panel for some semblance of cover.
"What the?" Vash heard Wolfwood exclaim.
Vash peeked over the top of the control panel and trained his revolver back on the alien.
The man had barely moved from his previous position but grimaced as he looked down at himself. Vash watched as the numerous bullet holes on the man's body almost instantly healed over, with wisps of steam trailing up from each wound. The holes disappeared, leaving pale, white circles that stood out from the dripping blood on his arms and chest.
"Really?! Frag it! I just had my threads patched and dry-cleaned last week!" the alien man yelled, wiggling a finger through a hole in his vest.
"Uh oh…" Wolfwood grunted, adjusted the Punisher, and took a new stance.
"Wolfwood! Don't!" Vash cried. He hoped his friend wasn't about to use lethal force.
A rain of lead burst from the Punisher. The alien ran forward, his curved blade sweeping in front of him to block the bullets with surprising speed and ease.
"Ya know, I was getting a little bored of nabbing these Plantamabobs for my client," he said, rushing forward. Wolfwood ceased firing and sprinted away, hauling Punisher over his shoulder.
Damn, this was the guy, this 'Lobo' character who was stealing the Plants? Now Vash was flooded with determination to stop him and get some answers.
Vash shot a round to get Lobo's attention away from Wolfwood. Lobo turned to Vash at the bang made by the gunshot. He whipped his chained blade around his arm to secure it in place. Then he reached behind his back around his belt and pulled out something small into his palm. Vash couldn't quite make it out.
"What kinda bounty hunter would the Main Man be if I didn't land a score like a little, blond pretty boy with a sixty-billion bounty?"
Did Vash risk shooting to debilitate the man? Lobo seemingly had some supernatural healing factor. But unlike humans, Vash had no idea of the unfamiliar being's limitations.
Before Vash could decide, Lobo lobbed the handheld item right at his hiding spot.
He spared a few microseconds to inspect the object as best he could. If Vash wasn't mistaken, whatever choice he made would suck… Fuck.
The decision was forced upon Vash. He fired a round at the object.
Upon impact, a fiery, deafening explosion filled the Plant Chamber. Was it better than letting it hit him and blow him to pieces? He really, really hoped so, although he hated there was nothing else he could have done.
Wolfwood's Punisher continued to fire endlessly, but it seemed to be doing little to slow Lobo down.
Lobo's attention may have been split between Vash and Wolfwood, but either way, remaining here was too dangerous.
Vash needed to get this madman out of the Plant chamber. Time to do what he does best. Run. With fingers crossed that the assassin-slash-bounty hunter would chase. Vash had to lead them somewhere less precarious.
The blast thankfully concealed Vash's escape as he dashed toward the exit. Concealed just enough for a head start, he panted a sigh of relief, hearing heavy footfalls of his opponent following a moment later.
Of course, just as he was about to exit the Plant chamber, klaxons sounded again. The sudden, blaring noise almost floored Vash. At the same time, a shrill, anguished cry made his blood run cold. Vash turned to look over his shoulder as he ran.
His stomach dropped, seeing the ominous magenta glow of a Plant tank fill the chamber. A spiderweb of cracks covered the glass surface of its tank. Rivulets of fluid seeped out like tears. The Plant's winglike petals began to droop away from its core body, a sign of horrible pain.
No, no, NO! That was precisely what Vash was trying to avoid.
His sister's crying rattled his nerves like nothing else could. He could practically feel her anguish as if it was his own. Like acid poured over his skin. His throat closed up, making it hard to breathe. Every step away from her was like walking barefoot on shards of glass.
Through that all, Lobo didn't slow so Vash couldn't either. He ran. Willed himself faster. Gritted his teeth. Swallowed down both bile and a bawl from the shared pain.
Wolfwood brought up the rear, clearly not wanting to be left out of their not-so-fun games of Follow the Stampede and Tag! You're Dead!
Vash whipped his head back around.
Okay. Vash would get the bounty hunter away from the Plants. Flip Lobo's focus back to Wolfwood (his friend wouldn't mind, right?). Vash could then return to the Plant chamber. Do something before it was too late.
Vash bolted around a corner. He nearly ran into someone as he did so.
He pivoted, gracefully flailing to avoid crashing into that someone. He looped an arm around the person like he would in some classy ballroom dance, completing the spin before dragging them along with him.
In the mere second this all happened, he realized it was the short, Earthling woman, Lois. A momentarily wide-eyed, bewildered Lois.
FUCK!
The woman shrieked in alarm as Vash wasted no time throwing her over his shoulder. And of course, a second later, he spotted her partner Jim further down the hall.
Why? Why did everyone always have to run toward the red-alarmed, flashing, dangerous places? Toward the red-coated, sometimes glowy, dangerous Humanoid Typhoon?
"Kid! Go! Run!" Vash yelled, his voice reverberating along the corridor.
The boy froze for a moment. Then processed Vash's mad dash and then the not-so-hard-to-miss murder-happy alien barreling around the corner behind him. Jim stumbled backward and then spun on his heel. They both sprinted back toward the facility's entrance.
The sound and recoil of Lois shooting the blaster pistol at Lobo startled Vash. The neon green energy blasts fired in a steady rhythm, slowing Lobo down, even by only a small amount.
Man, thank you tiny ladies with guns.
Although he forgot she had the weapon, it turned out she wasn't the type to hesitate when it mattered. What was it about petite women refusing to think twice about anything?
Because, for all he feared people intentionally or accidentally killing another, he still trusted the woman.
"The frag? Chicky, do I look like a Kryptonian to you?" Lobo yelled after taking another few energy bursts to the chest and face.
Vash heard Lois shout back, "Like hell your ugly mug looks like a Kryptonian's! Kryptonians are way more handsome than you!"
"Well, knock it off! That kryptonite blaster ain't gonna do squat to the Main Man!"
"How about you knock it off!"
Oh crap, this woman is gonna get us all killed, Vash thought. Please, please don't say anything else to antagonize him!
Jim and Vash rounded yet another corner, putting some much-needed distance between them and the mercenary.
A few seconds later, the ensemble launched out of the Plant facility. Thankfully, there weren't any people in sight. The word must have spread like wildfire of Vash the Stampede's presence.
He risked another glance over his shoulder, his sweat-slicked blond bangs falling into his eyes. Vash saw Wolfwood catch up to Lobo, lunging to tackle the large alien man to the ground. He didn't have the strength to knock Lobo over, but they locked into an intense grapple. The distraction was enough for Vash and Jim to sprint over to the mesh gate.
Vash bent at his knees, depositing Lois back to the ground. Jim squeezed through the gate, with Lois right behind him.
Lobo slashed Wolfwood's chest with his curved blade. The short yet sharp tearing noise of cloth and flesh preceded Wolfwood's strangled howl of pain.
A splatter of blood spilled from the wound, a red arc drawn on the ground around him. Wolfwood stumbled back, losing his balance, and Punisher almost slipped from his grip. The undertaker growled and spewed a rather poetic string of curses.
"Vash! Hurry up! What are you waiting for?!" Jim shouted. Vash flicked his eyes back to the fence. Of course both Jim and Lois were standing there, gripping the steel mesh with worry oozing out of them.
But seeing Wolfwood take such a heavy blow, Vash couldn't leave him behind. "Go! It's too dangerous!" He hoped his sharp tone and expression made them listen. "Please, get away."
Okay, maybe the desperate plea worked. They gulped and nodded. Jim tugged Lois's sleeve, and thankfully the pair fled.
Vash heard it before he saw it. Lobo's chained blade whipped in wide circles above his head.
The world around Vash slipped into slow motion.
Vash spun around, revolver raised in the blink of an eye. He leaped out of the way just as the blade sailed past the side of his head.
Vash lined up the shot almost instantly and pulled the trigger. A tiny puff of gunpowder and then a single bullet spiraled out of the gun barrel. A second, larger cloud of gunpowder followed.
Before Vash even hit the ground, the bullet hit its target, shattering two chain links of Lobo's weapon.
Time slipped back to normal speed.
The blade continued its trajectory and slammed into the mesh fence, clattering on the ground.
The rest of the chain, mostly useless, clinked to the ground as well. For the first time since their encounter began, Lobo looked genuinely stunned. And maybe even impressed?
Either way, it gave enough time for Wolfwood to recover. He hefted Punisher and gave a hardy battle cry.
While Wolfwood kept Lobo occupied, Vash took the opportunity to slip through the gate. He took off in the direction the Earthlings ran. Vash could hear gunfire and shouting and all sorts of fighting sounds from behind, though fading as he got further away. He turned onto another street, out of the combatants' line of sight.
Unfortunately, not a moment later, the screeching sound of metal on metal pierced the air. If Vash had to guess, the mercenary had torn through the wire fence with his razor-sharp blade.
It reminded him that his shoulder was still stinging from the gash, and the coat sleeve was wet, soaked with blood. Not that he could worry about that now.
That also meant the mercenary wouldn't remain far behind.
Vash weaved through a few narrow alleyways, his long red coattails billowing behind him. He frantically scanned the area for a place Jim and Lois would've hid. Despite Vash's exceptional endurance, carting around a petite woman over his shoulders had tired him quickly. And Jim had been panting heavily and slowing noticeably.
There! He could hear them a block ahead. He slid to a halt when movement caught his eye.
They were leaping and crawling over obstacles in the alley—whiskey barrels, dumpsters, a small, green-eyed black cat napping on a crate.
Lobo's heavy footsteps and Wolfwood's lighter but familiar ones stomped down a nearby street. It was just loud enough for Vash to hear but probably went unheard by his human companions.
Vash dashed into the alley, quickly catching up to the pair.
Another round of Punisher gunfire resounded through the open air of Ripmela. Vash pushed the Earthlings down behind the crates and briefly pleaded with them to stay put. He hopped back over to the edge of the building, looking stealthily for Lobo and Wolfwood.
An exchange of ammo from the Punisher and energy blasts from Lobo's rifle filled the street. Bullets and blasts shattered nearby windows and walls. Glass and chunks of clay showered down to the bedrock ground. The echoing sounds made it seem like there was a whole squad of soldiers or gang members duking it out rather than just the two of them.
No matter what Wolfwood tried, Lobo just kept regenerating. The alien had even lost an arm from a line of fire! Although Vash felt a twinge of sympathy when he saw it growing back right there and then, he just bemoaned the unfairness of the man's miraculous healing.
And Wolfwood could do the same with his serum. The nasty wound on his chest had already healed over. But Vash feared how many of those vials his friend had left. Especially if he'd been free from the Eye of Michael for two years.
Vash could also shoot the alien, but he had enough evidence to believe he'd just be wasting bullets. Now was not the time to be thinking of how many donuts he could afford versus bullets.
Wolfwood must have thought the same. Nicholas the Punisher flipped his weapon over his shoulders in a dramatic choreographed maneuver.
And a familiar buzzing rang in Vash's ears. He'd only heard the noise once before, but he would never forget it.
"Jim! Lois! Get down!" Vash turned and screamed back into the alleyway. He launched himself forward to tug them both down to the ground.
Over their heads, a narrow turquoise beam of energy sliced through the walls with a vibrating, bone-rattling hum.
Large chunks of glass and clay bricks tumbled from the buildings around them. Vash did his best to cover the Earthlings with his larger frame.
The gargling, wet sound of a person choking on blood came from just around the corner.
Vash's own blood went cold. He felt a sheet of sweat cover his face, and everything trembled. Did Wolfwood… Did Nicholas the Punisher kill the man?
The lack of weapon fire indicated that the fight was over. The debris from broken buildings around them mostly settled. Sensing that they were safe from the destructive energy beam and falling rubble, Vash sat up and looked over his charges.
Their expressions were contorted between panic, concern, and resolve.
They all stood shakily and walked cautiously back toward the street. Vash and Lois held their firearms steadily toward the corner even though they were both shaken. Lois's eyes went wide, and her face paled at the sight before them.
The top half of the alien mercenary—torso, arms, and head—crawled its way into view, leaving a bloody and gore-filled trail in his wake.
Behind him, Vash could hear Lois and Jim make sounds of revulsion and begin gagging. Jim couldn't hold back as he vomited, hunched over the ground.
Wolfwood rounded the corner, avoiding the mess of entrails and blood. His expression twisted with disgust and perverse fascination.
The alien chuckled a bloody red laugh and flipped both Vash and Wolfwood the middle finger with both hands.
Unbelievable. Was Lobo still alive?
Wolfwood was also a bloody mess himself. He lowered the front edge of Punisher onto a blood-free spot on the ground. He yanked a vial of his healing serum out of a pocket. With an aching groan, Wolfwod broke the seal with his teeth and chugged the glowing bluish fluid.
Like the alien, his wounds sizzled and steamed as they knitted closed. His black attire conveniently concealed how bloody he had to be.
"Oh, Edgelord Boy here's got some neat tricks up his sleeve too, huh? You two are mighty interesting. This was hella fun." Lobo chuckled again, which turned into a cough, spraying bloody spittle into his pale gray palm. "Shit, you were even more fun than that fraggin' Kryptonian."
"Where is Clark?! What did you do to him?!" Lois yelled. Her outburst startled Vash and Wolfwood. Jim flinched but didn't seem surprised.
Lobo coughed again. "Who the frag is Clark?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Superman! The Kryptonian!" Lois answered.
"Oh? The Kryptonian your mate or somethin'?" Lobo asked with a smirk.
Lois blushed a fierce red. Her eyes widened but then quickly shifted into a scowl. "Just tell me where he is! If you've hurt him, I'll—"
Lobo continued to smirk, but despite whatever immortality the man possessed, it didn't seem like he was immune to the pain. Just really, really good at keeping it covered up. And Vash knew that all too well. Probably Wolfwood too.
"Lesse…" Lobo shrugged, his eyes rolling as he recalled their encounter. "Last I saw that Clark-El bastich was in the first city Lord Shinypants sent us to. The El put up an okay fight. For all that muscle, he was really all just babyfat. That Kryptonian was way too soft."
His smirk widened, and he nodded at Wolfwood, "Honestly, Edgy Boy here might've taken the cake. Yup, this one, he's the real deal. Lean, mean killing machine, ain't ya?"
Wolfwood grit his teeth, not seeming particularly fond of getting called out on his time spent with the Eye. "That doesn't matter anymore," the undertaker spat.
Lobo tilted his head down with a frown and then glanced over to his bottom half. He seemed to be looking for something in his belt or pants.
"Ugh. Hey, Killer." Lobo nodded again at Wolfwood. "Grab the Main Man a cigar from my belt, woulda?"
"Are you fuckin' serious?" Wolfwood growled. He shifted Punisher and Vash put himself between the two and pushed the weapon's barrel back to the ground.
"Uh yeah? What the frag else am I supposed to do but take a few hits while I wait for my ass, package, and legs to grow back?" he asked like it was obvious.
Wolfwood's jaw hung loose. He looked back and forth between Vash and the alien with utter confusion.
Vash sighed with an exaggerated groan. He strode past the two without a word, not caring what happened between them at that point. Lobo clearly wasn't a threat anymore. At least for now.
However, the klaxon noises carrying over in the breeze reminded Vash that one of the generator Plants was still in critical condition.
Halfway back to the Plant facility, Vash realized the two Earthlings followed. He didn't blame them for wanting to get away from the bloodthirsty maniac who was regenerating half his body like it was a daily routine.
Vash's nerves were twisted into tight knots. He hated people seeing him interact with his Plant sisters, but he was too exhausted to argue with Lois and Jim not to follow. And somehow, the pair's message in those videos gave him a flicker of courage to reveal himself without fearing their reactions or harsh judgment.
"Vash? Are you okay?" Lois asked. She was practically running to keep pace with his quick, long-legged strides.
He didn't slow, but he mustered up the best smile he could. Even he could tell how disingenuous it must have looked.
"Yeah. I uh, I just gotta go help the Plant," he answered softly, tiredly.
"What about all the people that work here? Excluding all the workers who fled when we entered, we haven't bumped into a single person. The whole city feels like a ghost town now." Jim asked.
"Ahaha, um, yeah that was my fault. Regular people hear 'Vash the Stampede' is nearby… they tend to run as far and fast as possible."
"Is it because of what happened in—" Lois began, but she paused as they entered the Plant chamber. Vash had experience seeing people visit a Plant room for the first time and wasn't surprised as they looked around in wonder.
Vash sped up, pulling ahead of the two as he approached the control terminal. He rapidly tapped in a familiar chain of commands to get the damaged Plant bulb rotated closer to the maintenance platform. The metal ring holding the bulbs groaned loudly as it spun slowly into position.
****Trigun spoilers ahead****
He approached the cracked bulb as the Plant inside unfurled further, sensing his presence. Her shrill cries dulled into what he could only describe as sobs. With noticeable exertion, she righted herself and floated down towards the lower edge of the glass. Her wide eyes pleaded with him for help. Please take away this pain, she wordlessly begged.
Vash gave one last look and half smile at the Earthlings. He hoped he wasn't wrong about them. They watched in awe and confusion, but he didn't sense they were afraid. A weight lifted off his shoulders at their open expressions.
Vash turned to his sister and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm here now to take away your pain. Don't be afraid." Her wide, ethereal eyes spoke of trust and thanks. Vash gently uncurled his fingers, placing his right palm on the tank. He rested his forehead on the cool glass, closing his eyes.
The Plant mirrored him, raising her long fingers and slowly closing her eyes.
Vash channeled the sense of pride and purpose for every other time he'd helped a Plant sister in his past. He pretended this time was like the visits from a century ago—when the SEEDS survivors watched in amazement and gratefulness for his knowledge and care.
He felt his gate open, and the connection formed between himself and the Plant on the higher plane. In tandem, their skin began to glow. Vash's in a vivid blue. The Plant's still a pinkish-red. Vash opened his eyes, seeing the otherwise invisible waves of dimensional energy swim and weave around them. He concentrated on the Plant herself first.
As the gate widened and energy from the higher plane flowed through them, her glow shifted to purple and then gradually a matching bright white-blue to his own.
When her sobs faded and turned to a calm and relieved hum, Vash focused on the glass next. He ran his hand over the cracks, directing the energy between the microscopic matter of the glass, reforming and bonding the silica molecules back into their unbroken structures.
Every crack he brushed his palm over glowed and then dimmed, revealing perfectly unblemished glass.
With the Plant's vitals stabilized and the tank repaired, the whole room resumed its healthy blue glow. The overhead alarms automatically turned off. The chamber returned to the peaceful, quiet haven it was meant to be.
The Plant sent a wave of emotion through their connection, and he could also feel the gratitude from their sisters nearby despite their meditative states. She turned to watch the two Earthling humans for a few moments. The Plant transferred a wave of curiosity to Vash.
As if the humans reminded her of something, she turned lazily back to her Independent brother and sent a quick flash of something he wasn't expecting.
It was a vision of the reporter woman from December. Meryl.
But she wasn't quite as Vash remembered her. She looked ever so slightly more mature, but the same stubborn yet compassionate spark filled her eyes. Next to her stood two others, unfamiliar to Vash. Another woman—tall, long brownish-blond hair. And a young man, also tall and broad, with black hair and glasses.
The vision was quick to vanish, but Vash craved to see more. He pressed his palm firmer on the tank, the markings in his eyes flared in the reflection on the glass.
But his energy began to fade, and his gate to the higher plane closed.
With one last blink and a hint of a smile from the healed Plant, she pushed off gently from the glass and floated up toward the tank's center. She curled up into a little ball like a human child, and her wings folded around her like a cozy cocoon. Her glowing markings dimmed, as did the ones covering Vash's skin.
With the gate closed and dimensional energies cut off, Vash felt the heaviness of exhaustion pull at his whole body.
This connection wasn't as draining as the time on the sandsteamer, but he felt his legs give out and he slid down to his knees.
And despite his weariness, the relief of healing the Plant before she faded made everything seem right with the world. For just that moment, an overwhelming peacefulness cradled the Independant.
There was no Stampede, there was no Typhoon. There was just Vash.
—L&P—
AN:
If you can't tell, this was one of my favorite chapters! Sorry it was so long, but I wanted to make sure I did something extra exciting for the big 2-0! If anyone recognizes the chapter title (without Googling) let me know ;) Thanks as always for following along! Please review to let me know how you're enjoying the fic, what you liked, or what you'd like to see in future chapters! I appreciate every favorite and follow too! Feel free to follow me crimson-amarone on Tumblr or crimsonamarone on X. Always excited to connect with other fans! Also, an open invite to a few Discord servers I frequent: Trigun (18+) MusEq Meg's Trigun Hole My Adventures With Superman Fanfiction Social Connect Next Chapter 21: Black Wolves & Blue Summers Vash, Lois, and Jimmy leave the Plant facility to rejoin Wolfwood and the incapacitated Lobo—only to find one missing and another foe intervening. Elsewhere Meryl, Milly, and Clark almost get caught by the sandsteamer crew while in the Plant room. A whole new perspective on Plantkind takes root in our trio's minds.