Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ An Alternate Ending ❯ Tonim Town ( Chapter 1 )

An Alternate Ending

Part One: Tonim Town

By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki

(Trigun doesn't belong to me and I am not making any money from this so please don't sue. I was okay with the way the Trigun anime ended but I think things could have went another direction so I am going to make an alternate ending set in an alternate universe. This starts at the end of Episode 23 and goes through to Episode 26… way through.)

He sat on the car, sick to his stomach and unable to stop seeing what had happened. He had found the man Wolfwood referred to as Caine and destroyed his gun. He told Caine to go on home because it was too hot but Caine didn't go home. He stood to his feet and put a gun to his head, splattering his brains all over the sand.

Vash buried Caine along with his gun and went back to town, parking the car in front of the saloon where he had parted ways with Wolfwood earlier that morning. He didn't know how long he had been waiting there when he heard footsteps that he assumed belonged to Wolfwood because it was only logical since there was no one else in the town except for them and the girls. ~Please don't let it be one of the insurance girls… I don't know if I can face them, ~ He thought.

The footsteps stopped next to the car and the person spoke. " What's wrong? "

" I failed to save another life, " Vash said quietly, thankful it was Wolfwood.

" Oh well. Every mortal man is bound to make a few mistakes. Just be more careful next time, " Wolfwood replied.

" It isn't something I can accept that easily! " Vash said, his voice becoming a little louder. He looked at Wolfwood's scratched and dirty face, ready to say something else but Wolfwood interrupted.

" Then let it get to you, " Wolfwood smiled. " That is also the mortal way of life. "

Vash looked away, " Mortal… "

" Knives is in Demitrihi, " Wolfwood said in a tone that sounded like it was a fact, not a guess.

" Knives, " Vash said then realized something. He looked up, " I never told you anything about… Wolfwood, how do you know that? "

Vash turned to face him but he was gone, leaving only a trail of crimson spots behind. He got off of the car as soon as he could convince his body to move and followed the trail. ~How does Wolfwood know about Knives? Did I tell him one night when I was really drunk and I just don't remember saying it? ~

He caught sight of metal in the alleyway and ducked as a single shot was fired. He looked up in time to see a body hit the ground, the gun falling soon afterward. He felt like throwing up when he realized that the metal he saw was the same shade of white as the metal that made up Wolfwood's Punisher Cross. ~Please tell me he didn't, God! Please! ~

Vash ran to the alley and felt his heart still in his chest as sunlight glinted off of a silver cross cufflink. His knees shook and went out from under him, his arms going out to stop his upper body from falling as he went forward. He thought he was out of tears because he hadn't cried when he buried Caine but they now streamed down his cheeks as his fingers dug into the sand. " No! Not you! " He sobbed, his body shaking.

He felt like he was falling down an endless spiral, not knowing when he would reach the bottom… if there were a bottom at all. He felt like he was in the path of a sand steamer, frozen in fear and waiting for the metal monster to plow him into complete and utter darkness. The walls around him seemed like they were closing in and were going to crush him. " Why Rem? Why does everything I come into contact with have to die? " He whispered between wracking sobs.

**

He pushed the doors to the church open and stepped inside. " I hope you don't mind me barging in like this, " He said as he walked down the aisle between the abandoned dusty pews. He reached the altar and let the cross touch the ground as he leaned on it for support. " In spite of my profession, I have never made a confession before… "

" It's these times we live in, I did what it took to protect the children at any cost, " He spoke to the cross on the wall, " That's how I always justified my actions. I took many lives, thinking all that time there was no other way. "

" My sins are so heavy… too heavy to ever atone for, " He fell forward, his legs trembling before he fell to his knees. " And yet somehow, I feel happy… at peace with myself today. "

" It really can be done once you stop to think about it. There are plenty of ways to save everyone. Why didn't I ever listen to him? Why didn't I see that before it was too late? " He reached into his coat and pulled out a cigarette, putting it in between his lips.

He struck a match and lit the cigarette, " Now that tastes good… " He whispered and fell silent. He thought about her and how she said that second hand cigarette smoke was bad for 'the baby' when they were hiding the dancing girl. He apologized to the memory, letting the cigarette fall to the floor.

He took a shallow breath before he spoke again, " If I am reincarnated, I would like to live some place where life is easier. Somewhere with nothing but peaceful days… somewhere with no stealing or killing… Eden. In Eden, I could live happily with him and the girls. "

He paused again, trying to get up. " I'm not ready yet! " He shouted. " I still have so much left do! I want to stay with them… I don't want to die! "

He moved more, " I'm a man! Was everything I did in my life a mistake? Would I be wrong now to ask for your forgiveness? "

" I did not want to die this way! " He shouted, looking up towards the ceiling before he slumped back down, his hand hitting the floor limply.

**

Vash stood at the open doors of the church, the trail of crimson blood leading him inside. The man in the alley hadn't been Wolfwood but another man that seemed to be a priest or at least wearing the garb of one even though he had strange covers over his eyes. Vash doubted the man had been a true priest because it seemed he had committed suicide. Had that man been a Gung-Ho Gun and had Wolfwood found out from that man about Knives' location?

After burying the man, Vash picked up the trail of blood again and followed it here. He had run as fast as he could, hoping he wasn't too late. He didn't want Wolfwood to die but he had taken so long with the other man… Vash shook his head, ~No… no… no! There still might be a slim chance. ~

He caught his breath as he looked towards the altar and recognized the black-clad figure the knelt… no, slumped in front of it. He ran to his friend and knelt next to him. There was more blood on the floor under Wolfwood and his clothes were heavily stained. Wolfwood looked very pale and his lips were starting to turn blue at the edges.

Vash fought back the lump in his throat as he reached out with trembling fingers and placed them on Wolfwood's neck. There was a heartbeat but it was slow… weak… almost nonexistent. ~If I'm going to save you, I really don't have much time but I have to try, ~Vash thought, reaching for Wolfwood's arm to loosen it from around the Punisher Cross. He eased his friend onto the floor, getting him on his back easily since his body was still limp.

Vash took a deep breath as leaned over Wolfwood, opening his jacket and shirt to find where the bullets had hit him. One of the bullets had hit high on the left side of his rib cage and Vash could swear he saw shattered bone fragments in the wound the bullet had made but they was so much blood, he couldn't be certain. The other bullet had found a place to the right of Wolfwood's stomach, possibly narrowly missing some important organs. He glanced down the rest of the priest's body to make sure there were no other wounds and saw a spreading stain at the top of Wolfwood's right leg.

Vash pulled out his knife and cut the fabric away, finding a bloodstained bandage that looked like it had been fresh that morning. ~When did that happen? ~ He thought, cutting the bandage away. The wound beneath looked like an old one and Vash recalled Wolfwood walking with a little bit of a limp after the SEEDS ship had fallen. ~He must have got this defending the ship… right? ~

He went back to Wolfwood's head, kneeling with his knees on either side of the priest's head and pulled his gloves from his hands. He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching and covered the wounds with his hands. His new gun arm's flesh like covering conducted his energy much better than the old one and he silently thanked the doctor for continuing his advancements in the design. Vash shut his eyes and started to concentrate.

He had healed many plants in his time but only a few humans and he was always afraid he would do more harm than good with them. He subdued his fear as he felt the energy come to his hands, the extent of the wounds manifesting in his mind. His stomach clenched as he realized that it had been bone fragments he had seen in the wound on the left, the wound his right hand covered. The rib that had been shattered was in two pieces, one end still attached to Wolfwood's sternum and the other attached to his spine with a gaping space in between with the bullet lodged right in between.

Vash had to decide what to do. If he healed the bone, he would not be able to heal the wounds completely and that would risk infection. They had been running low on first aid supplies and there would probably be no way to stop an infection if it occurred for they did not have the proper antibiotics. If he healed the wounds completely, it would be weeks before Wolfwood would be able to move without being in excruciating pain and the bone would heal deformed without proper stabilization.

He had one other alternative that would take as much energy as healing all three wounds but would solve the problem of the broken bone. The healing wound on Wolfwood's leg would have to be left alone but it looked like it was coming along fine on its own. ~He must have had a first aid kit of his own, ~ Vash decided what he was going to do. He set his jaw and pushed one of his fingers into the wound.

He felt around until he found the edge of the bone that was still attached to Wolfwood's spine, feeling its jagged edge cut into his own flesh. He ignored the pain as he concentrated a quick blast of energy through it. Wolfwood's body jerked as the rib separated from the vertebra it was attached to, the place where it had been soldered by the energy. Vash extracted the bone and threw it without looking… he didn't want to see it.

Vash then found the other part of the rib, sending a more controlled jolt through it for there was a good chance the energy would stop Wolfwood's heart if he weren't careful. He was trying to help his friend, not kill him. He had seen too many friends die and didn't think he could bear seeing another… especially this one. In the time they had known each other, they had grown as close as brothers but that tie was almost severed when Wolfwood gunned down the boy that turned out to be a Gung-Ho Gun… just like his tie with Knives started to fray when he killed the spider to save the butterfly.

Wolfwood jerked again, letting out a sharp grunt as the bone separated from his sternum. Vash pitched the smaller piece away and placed his hand back over the wound. He had done a little more damage removing the bones but it could be easily repaired, just like the gash on his finger. He pressed his forehead closer to Wolfwood's and sent him as much controlled energy as he could to both wounds.

As the flesh healed, it pushed the bullets out to Vash's hands and he let them fall to the floor. He was numbly aware that Wolfwood smelled like vanilla and wondered why. The only person in their group that smelled like that was the big girl. Wolfwood often smelled like coffee, gunpowder and cigarettes but he didn't today.

Today, Wolfwood smelled like cigarettes, gunpowder and vanilla…

**

Meryl looked at Milly's shaking form. The girl had been curled up in a tight ball since the gunfire had ended and the men had not returned. She tried to find out why she was even in the priest's room but kept getting the same response each time she asked, " Milly… "

" No. He told me to stay here and I am not moving until he comes back. I made a promise, " Milly replied, curling into a tighter ball. " I'm staying… "

When the gunfire had started, Meryl had come to find Wolfwood but found Milly instead. The girl was wrapped in the blanket from the bed and her clothes were in a messy pile by the bed. Meryl had wondered what took Milly so long to get back to the room and now she knew why, her mind instantly going to the worst possible scenario. She had wanted to look for Milly when she hadn't retuned but was afraid to venture out into the town at night… not knowing how close The Gung-Ho Guns were and when they would strike next.

She had gone to Vash's room to ask him escort her but he wouldn't answer the door when she knocked. She assured herself that Milly would be okay since she was with Wolfwood even though he had gunned down that child who turned out to be a Gung-Ho Gun in disguise. She had tried to convince Vash that Wolfwood only did it because the situation probably looked bad to him when he got to the roof of the building but Vash kept insisting there was another way. She didn't remember falling asleep but she found herself at the table the next morning and Milly still had not returned.

She tried not to think about what could have happened for Milly to end up in his bed naked, trembling and crying. He had been acting very irrational when he had left them in Kebas and there was no telling what he was truly capable of. He had to be horrifically strong for no normal man could carry the Punisher Cross as easily as he did… except for Vash. Then again, Vash was not a normal man either.

~He's probably a better man than that… he would never hurt any of us… would he? ~ Meryl sat down on the bed and placed a hand on Milly's shoulder. She decided to ask the hardest question first. " Milly… what happened here? "

Milly didn't look at Meryl, " What do you mean? "

Meryl sighed and looked away, " I mean between you and Wolfwood last night. When you didn't come back, I got worried. Did he force you to stay here? "

Milly stayed quiet for a long time before whispering, " No. I stayed on my own. He seemed so sad and I wanted to help him. "

" Oh, " Meryl looked down at Milly's shirt on the floor. " I was afraid that he… he might have raped you and forced you to stay here with him. I guess I should try not to jump to the wrong conclusions when I'm anxious. "

" Like when you slapped Mr. Vash because you thought he was harassing that woman? " Milly asked quietly.

" And she turned out to be one of them? " Meryl nodded. " Yeah. "

Meryl felt a little better knowing Wolfwood had not hurt Milly but she was still anxious because Vash and Wolfwood had not returned and the suns were starting to set. " Meryl? " Milly's voice was so quiet Meryl almost didn't hear her.

" What? " Meryl looked at her friend.

" Why would you think Mr. Wolfwood would hurt any of us? " Milly turned her head to face Meryl. " Do you think Mr. Wolfwood might not be what we think? "

Meryl shook her head and placed a hand over her eyes, " I don't know what to think about him or Vash anymore. "

" Do you think he would have shot that child if it were a normal child? " Milly rolled over so she could face Meryl more comfortably.

Meryl let her hand fall from her eyes, " What? "

Milly looked past Meryl at the wall, " Maybe he knew something about that kid… maybe that's why he said it wasn't a kid at all. He said it was a demon… how would he know that? "

Meryl shook her head, " He's a priest but he's like no other priest I have ever seen… Milly, what are you getting at? "

" What if he is one of them and that's how he knew? " Milly said quietly.

" Milly! Where did you get an idea like that? " Meryl was shocked at Milly's words. How could one of The Gung-Ho Guns be under their noses all of this time? Meryl thought about it and realized that Milly's train of thought was logical.

" If it had been a normal kid, he would have never done that. I did a lot of thinking after he left, " Milly whispered. " And the only answer I can come up with is that he had something to do with them. "

Meryl got up and headed for the door, " Milly, you go ahead and stay here. "

" Where are you going? " Milly asked, sitting up.

" To find Vash and Wolfwood, " Meryl replied.

" What if they have already left… or worse? " Milly gasped the last part, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

" Then we'll have to go after them, " Meryl said. " We can't let them get away. Trust me, Vash wouldn't have let Wolfwood get killed and he wouldn't have gotten himself killed either. "

" But it's been so long since... "

" Do you have your stun gun, Milly? " Meryl asked, cutting Milly off.

" Well, yes. I never go anywhere without it, " Milly replied, looking over to where the gun was propped up against a wall.

" Then you stay here, " Meryl said.

" Are you sure they'll still be alive? " Milly asked, her voice timid and quiet. " It's been so many hours since the shooting stopped. "

Meryl clenched her fist as tears started to well up in her eyes. She was glad she was not facing Milly because the tough façade she was trying to keep up would have crumbled to dust if the younger woman saw her tears. " Yes. You stay here in case they come back, " Meryl said evenly and walked out the door.