Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ A Fighter's Spirit ❯ Cold Steel and Chrome ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Okay, is my name Yasuhiro Nightow? No, I don't think so. Meaning, I don't own Trigun or any of its characters. Enough said there.

Author's Note: I am EXTREMELY sorry about the lack of updates. I've been very busy with schoolwork and I've really, honestly, had no motivation to write, until now at least. I hope you enjoy this chapter and forgive me!

Chapter 6: Cold Steel and Chrome

Vash blinked slowly, consciously feeling his senses and his memories of the events prior returning to him. A feeling of lightheadedness followed, then, just as quickly, passed.

Upon registration of the conversation, Vash paused suddenly.

"Who?" he asked, abruptly looking up at the girl sitting on the edge of his bed.

Tira turned her eyes on him with a small blink. "What?"

"Who shot me?" he elaborated, his aquamarine eyes flickering slightly.

The kind girl bit her lower lip and broke his gaze, not daring to look at him any longer. She simply lacked the heart to tell him that Knives, his very own brother, had aimed to kill him.

~*~

Recollection.

A gleam in the gun's metallic surface shone as Knives applied pressure to the trigger. His finger quivered slightly as if in hesitation, though only for a moment. The rather calculated blonde's eyes darted apprehensively from his biological brother to his sibling, the jet black revolver clutched in his right hand.

`Shall I fire?' he wondered in the split second it took for his decision to register in his mind.

The second twin, Vash, sat, turned away from his brother. His back, which was exposed to Knives, shuddered every now and then, signifying his silenced sobs. The unconscious girl still sat, her arms draped loosely about the Humanoid Typhoon's shoulders.

Knives was fighting a battle within himself, his outtake similar to the symbolism of the angel and the devil sitting atop his shoulders. Finally, after struggling against his subconscious, he carefully took aim and popped the hammer of the gun, sending the bullet hurtling at his brother.

~*~

Returning to the present state of reality, Knives let out a disenchanted sigh. Had it not been for that woman's meddling; that pitiful human's interference, his brother would now be dead. No longer would he be subjected to Vash's talks of love and peace, or of how the human race was a thing to be treasured, protected from the elements of this life and the next.

Scattered about the floor were the rubber bullets, which had, unknown to Knives at the time, replaced his. His aim had been precise; his sights not off in the least, the hit; direct. If the bullets had been anything other than rubber, Vash the Stampede would no longer be in existence.

`Yet again I've failed to complete my mission; to destroy the human race. But tell me; how can I with my brother's words corrupting my mind. They adulterate my thoughts, shatter my plans, and all together

cause me distress,' Knives thought, his, at times, schizophrenic mind racing slightly.

An image of Vash's face materialized within the darkness of his mind. True, it was the same man who, on so many occasions, had caused madness and utter mayhem, but something about his usually boisterous manner had changed; drastically. His eyes, which normally flickered with a childlike innocence, were somehow different. They had taken on a sunken look, the luster, gone. A frown he wore upon his face, so unlike his characteristic grin. Even his hair, it seemed, was displaying his all together somber disposition.

Within the darkness; the never ending pitch black expanse, the two men's eyes met. They stared into one another's eyes for what seemed like an eternity and longer. Vash's expression remained the same throughout this time, never changing in the least. His eyes were boring into Knives', causing him to shift nervously.

`Don't look at me that way brother,' Knives stated in his mind, masking his feelings of discomfort. `I can't stand the way you stare at me so. It's as if you're looking into me, almost through me as though I'm transparent. How can you force me to question myself; my morals, my choices, with only a simple gaze? No more than the look found within your eyes.'

Still Vash's dismal face lingered there, his once tender eyes were now cold; detached and unfocused. The look in them proceeded to become gradually worse; now hollow in appearance, as though belonging to a corpse. It very nearly sent a chill up Knives' spine. He narrowed his eyes, staring deeper into the image of his brother's.

Was the expression upon his face merely misread? Could it actually be scorn in place of despondency? Yes, Vash was looking down upon him, as well as his actions. That was the only explanation.

`If only I could rid myself of this burden, this dead weight that I once mistook for my brother. He is nothing more than a human in my eyes now,' Knives contemplated, feeling a surge of hatred course through his entire body. `If he wishes to protect them, those pathetic pieces of filth, may he die by their side and suffer the same fate as they will. He will suffer through eternal torment, such interminable agony; oh how I will relish at his cries for help. He will whine and beg, tell me to spare the humans and let them free; how I can picture it now!'

An icy smirk came to his slightly pale face as he imagined the pain, the torture; the bliss he would experience while watching the whole grisly scene.

`His pain shall be my ecstasy, and his screams will be music to my ears. Such will be his fate until the end

of time.'

~*~

Well, too much delaying on my part. I apologize again for it. *bows* I know this chapter is yet ANOTHER cliffhanger. I'm really bad about doing that. ^^;; But as I think, my fic, my cliffs, just more for me to jump off of if I get bad reviews, right? ^____^

Hope you liked it and remember to leave me nice, detailed reviews, that is, if you aren't too mad at me for the wait!

Kawaii Youko ^_~