Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ As the Rose Falls ❯ Siblings Return ( Chapter 9 )

As the Rose Falls

Chapter 9: Siblings Return

By: Hellions K. and Dashing V.

The blond headed gunman let out a happy sigh of relief as they finally breached the last dune to see the Plant in all of its gloriousness sitting at the bottom of the little valley, that was now turning into a very pretty green grove.

He looked sharply in the distance as he had thought that he had seen a flash of red but shook it off, "Well, Knives, brother! We are here at last!" Then with a whoop the man took off down the slope towards the Plant, pack bouncing against his back and brown cloak flapping behind him, dodging trees as he went.

"So we are, Vash," Knives replied to the wind as the man let out a whoop and took off towards the plant. He shook his head sending short blond lock swaying as a slight smile alighted upon his lips as he watched his twin.

Upon reaching the structure Vash made his way into it and went directly to the heart to greet the sibling that resided there.

Walking up to the bulb he peered into it, the glass and what was inside looking green due to the yellow glasses that he still wore. "Hello, friend," he greeted his sibling.

Eyes opened wide at the sudden speech from outside his glass world, he had not expected them to be here so quickly, it had only been a little while since she had left. But he smiled as he came up to greet his brother ::Good day, dearest one. How are the others?::

Vash gently put a hand to the glass, "They are fairing well, my brother, just as you seem to be," for he had taken a quick once over of the being inside, "I am glad to see that." He then gave a yawn.

::You are tired, you should go rest:: he then blinked upon only seeing this one ::Where is thy other?::

"Oh....Knives? He was behind me, I'm sure he'll be in soon," he then gave a nod of his head, making the shoulder length locks fall in his face, at which he brushed away. "Sleep does sound good," turning he then started on his way towards the room he usually stayed in, "Good night, dear brother."

::May your dreams be peaceful:: replied the sibling as he watched Vash go out of the room.

Walking into the room, the one that had just been unoccupied, he blinked as he sat his pack down upon seeing the toy on the floor.

Bending down he picked it up, turning it over in his hands, "A black cat...." he wondered to himself softly still looking at it in wonder.

Knives walked down the dune and towards the plant at an easy pace. Slowing once he reached the grove instead of speeding up as Vash had when he neared the Plant. He entered not long after his twin. He too made his way to the heart of the building to visit their sibling. He nodded to Vash as the pair passed one another in the hallway.

"I see that Vash has already stopped by to say hello, my brother," Knives said as he walked up to the bulb. His crystalline blue eyes drinking in the surroundings as he turned his gaze to look around the room. He then shook his head once again sending fair locks swaying.

"This place is truly remarkable," Knives commented, his gaze returned to his sibling inside, as he placed a hand to the glass. "I hope that one day we will be able to meet the one who has been working here, before that life flickers and dies with age."

He then sighed softly, the long hours of travel were starting to show within his fair and never changing features. "I think that is time that I found a bit of rest of my own," his words were spoken softly. "Perhaps we shall gain more of a chance to talk tomorrow, my brother."

::Aye, he has, fair brother:: the sibling in the plant commented about Vash. He watched this other carefully and with interest, for he did not act much like the one Vash.

::It is hmmmmm? I do not see how it is so remarkable:: He smiled softly at Knives ::Do not worry I doubt that it will be very soon, they are young::

He gave a soft sigh, sometimes wishing that he had the freedom that these two did ::There is always tomorrow, dearest brother, so do not rush, we have all the time that we could wish for:: He then watched with some what of a sad look on his ever young face as he watched the other leave.

Knives then removed his hand from the dome and turned and headed out of the room, only to come upon his twin holding the plush cat.

"What is that, Vash?" He asked, as he was unable to see enough of the details to make out the form of the object. "I don't remember you carrying anything like that."

Vash looked up as he heard his brother question him, blue green eyes locking for a moment on the clear blue ones, "It is a cat...a black cat..." he said rather slowly as he held it up.

"It is most curious...I wonder who left it here, for it surely is not mine, brother."

He resumed looking at it, "It is something that can wait till morning though," he gave a wide yawn, "I am much too tired to puzzle this out right now."

Knives reached out to take the plush cat from his twin's hand to get a better look at it. Turning it over and over in his hands as he leaned back against the wall

"As am I dear brother," he replied as he looked down at Vash. "Why don't you get some rest. We'll have to see if we can figure out this little puzzle the morning."

Once Vash drifts off to sleep the fairer haired twin turned and walked out of the room. His still gaze upon the toy within his white-gloved hands. His footsteps but a faint echo within the twisting hallways as he made his way back to the heart of the plant.

Once inside he walked around to the back wall and leaned there for a few moments not saying anything to his sibling, as he was lost in thought. After standing a few moments he slid down to a sitting position and like Viv had before him and scooted into the small space between the wall of the building and the bulb that housed his brother. Knees tucked up about his chest as he set the plushie cat on top. Its floppy body hanging over his knees as the head lolled slightly to the side. Placing his left hand to his chin he just looked at the cat with its one missing eye as he laid his right upon it's back.

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Giving a yawn the man rolled over before snuggling back into the pillow and under the covers, he was not ready to get up yet.

A while later he rolled over again, in the same direction, this time rolling off of the bed and waking up somewhere in between it and the floor.

He groaned as he rolled over, blue-green eyes blinking blearily at the ceiling. He had not slept well, why he was not sure but something troubled him or maybe made him anxious about finding the stuffed cat toy last night. He shook this from his mind, he did not need to get anymore distracted.

Slowly he got up to his feet, leaving the blankets on the floor, for he could always pick them later. Pulling on his body suit he then headed out the door and down the hall towards the heart of the plant where he would greet his sibling and start checking things over.

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The sibling of the Plant watched the one whom had taken the place that the girl was so fond of, a smile passing over his blue lips, as thoughts flitted through his mind like a butterfly would through a field.

He turned as he heard the other, Vash, come in. ::Good morning to you, dear one::

Vash looked up and smiled, "Good morning, dear brother..." he trailed off as he caught sight of a foot sticking out from the other side of the bulb walking over he blinked his eyes in surprised.

Recovering from it after a few moments he walked slowly forward a few more steps and bent down to look at his sleeping brother, "Knives?" he questioned softly as he questioned the sibling with his mind ::Did he...::

The being replied before Vash could finish ::Yes, he slept there::

A slight frown tugged at Vash's mouth as he surveyed the cat that was now on the floor beside the analytical man, he really did worry that Knives would think himself to death someday.

A slight murmur passed Knives lips at the sound of his name, then slowly after the flutter of heavy lids his blue eyes were unveiled. He rose his left hand to his face, trying to rub away the sleep before he looked to his twin. He then let out a groan as he leaned his head back against the wall behind him, his eyes closing once again.

"I didn't want to sleep this long," he said with a light sigh. "Nor did I actually plan on sleeping in here..." he paused as stretched out his arms with a wide yawn.

He blinked his eyes to chase away the tears brought about by the wide yawn and looked down at the cat that had been dislodged from lap when he shifted in his sleep. He then picked it up and handed it over to Vash.

"You may want this back," Knives said as he moved out from his place behind the bulb. Standing up he placed a hand to the bulb and looked inside at the sibling. "Good morning, my brother. How have things been for you? Running well I hope."

Vash gave a slight chuckle at his brother, "But it's so cute, Knives," he teased as he accepted the plush from his brother. He looked down at it, "Yeah...thanks."

::I am doing well, brother:: the sibling responded ::Thanks to that which comes and checks up on me every so often:: There was a smile heard in his mind voice as he spoke this.

After a few moments Knives moved off towards the panels across the room and started set up the diagnostics to see exactly how well the Plant was running before he took a look around. Turning back around he leaned back upon his hands at the edge of the console.

"I wonder if our sibling knows anything about that cat, Vash. Maybe he can provide an answer," Knives said as he looked over to the bulb again to make out the ghostly form of his sibling inside from the angle in which he stood.

Vash looked up from the toy and gave a slow nod off his blond head, studying Knives a moment before he studied the being with in the glass, "Yes...would you divulge information, my brother?" he asked of the sibling.

The being within let himself float closer to the outside of his environment and looked at the two and unreadable look upon his face and in those peaceful eyes. ::It is a black cat, can you not see that:: he questioned a teasing tone with in their minds ::for one with fair hair has come to bare the burden and take care of the garden:: he rhymed in riddles, as he teased them yet more and then chuckled as he floated away.

There was a loft of a fair brow at the riddling that the sibling inside the bulb gave as an answer. Knives then shook his head as he ran a hand though is short hair.

"I guess it will have to remain our brother's secret, Vash. Unless you know what our sibling is talking about," Knives said as he gestured slightly with his left hand before he stood back up. "I
would assume that this fair haired one comes from the city of October."

He then shrugged, what else could he do for he doubted that asking his sibling any more questions at the moment would divulge any more information. Stretching again, Knives then moved away from the console that he had been leaning against and started across the room to the
other door, that would lead outside to the grove.

"I'm going to see how the grove is doing, dear brother, care to join me or are you going to speak with our sibling more?" Knives questioned over his shoulder before he disappeared out of the room. The soft echoing of his footsteps would fade as soon as the door swung closed behind him and the fair-headed man was gone from sight.

Shoving the door open he paused, inhaling a deep breath of air as the scent of the grove washed over him. the golden sunlight making a mosaic pattern upon the ground before the door as it filtered through the large canopies of the trees that protected the side of the building from it's harsh rays. The sound of bird songs filtered lightly through the air as the grass bent under carefully placed feet as the man made his way through the grove. Checking the growth of
several trees as he passed before walking out into a large clearing between the half circle of massive trunks. Finding all to be in such good condition Knives walked out into the middle of the sunshine and looked up. Shading his blue orbs for but a moment before he stretched and leaned back, letting himself fall to the ground and he sprawled out upon the grass disturbing a few myriad butterflies. They whirled and chased each other in a display of dazzling colors before gliding away upon the soft breeze within the grove.

At that moment Knives could almost forget the world that existed outside the grove, the humans who didn't understand that the life created by his siblings was far more valuable then the petty money and material things that they squabbled over. Part of him wished that he could stay there in the warm embrace of the double suns, in this quite grove outside the city of October. But he knew that he couldn't, there were too many that needed to be tended to. Too many who were friends and family that were more important than his own contentment. But right now he shoved all of that aside, to let himself dream, dream of tomorrow and the Eden yet to come.

Head came up as he heard the system beep at him, blinking his bleary eyes the hunter of love got to his feet and stretched a yawn emitting from his mouth.

::You sleep much:: came the sibling's voice in his mind, making him grin a bit sheepishly.

"Not like you were being the most conversational, and I had a feeling that our dear brother wanted time alone," came the reply as he stepped over to the panel to read the results.

He blinked quickly and then looked again, and then blinked....no he was reading it right...everything was green.

"Odd..." he mused to himself rubbing at his stubbly chin, "This is better than the last one but still just as confusing," he gave a sigh, who knew.

::That is because there is one...:: started the sibling.

"That comes to tend the garden," Vash finished for him, "I know...you told us earlier, remember?" he looked over to the bulb.

The sibling smiled back, if only they would take the time but then...they didn't have the time that he himself had to have such fun with words. ::Yes, of course I remember::

Vash gave his sibling a grin, "Yeah...well I better go tell Knives, my brother. I am sure that if he did not fall asleep that he will be back in soon."

Turning he walked out into the hallway making his way out into the grove, looking for his brother, at which he found asleep underneath the twin suns' rays.

He smiled as he saw this, he looked so...sweet? Was that the word that he was really looking for or maybe it was happy, he really was not sure.

Stepping out into the small clearing he quietly walked over to the sleeping form and knelt down beside him, "Knives?" he called softly, a smile upon his face, one that was truly genuine, for he so did like to see the other happy even if it was in sleep.

Endless blue orbs slid open a mere crack at the sound of Vash's voice only to slide closed as he turned his gaze away from the sky and shielded his eyes from the twin suns rays. Blinking he looked up at his twin. He then sat up with a yawn, stretching as he did so. He then looked around, noting the angle of the twin suns above.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier, dear brother," Knives said stretching again, long fingers laced together as he stretched his arms above his head. "The last thing that I needed to be doing was to
sleep the morning away."

He then lofted a brow at his twin. "How are the tests doing?" He asked as he sat there still He noted the bright smile upon his siblings lips, though what it was from he didn't have a clue at the
moment.

Vash watched his brother for a few moments, "Because..." he started and then the smile turned to that of a sheepish look, "A nap decided to grab me, my dearest brother."

Blond brows raise a bit as the tests were mentioned and then he smiled again, "Everything is showing green, Knives," he responded as he stood up and a motioned for his brother to follow him.

"It's odd, but I think that we should stay a while yet to make sure that there were no errors."

Knives chuckled softly when the look on Vash's face turned from a smile to a sheepish look. His brows then furrowed together as a light look of surprise crossed the man's face.

"They're all green?" Knives muttered softly before speaking in a normal tone. "Even the energy outputs from the Geogrove are coming out green?"

It didn't take Knives long to twist to his feet, that look of mild shock still registering on his face as if he couldn't believe it. Which probably was hard to believe for even the best kept plants had
at least one test that had run red.

"I think that you're right, Vash," Knives said as he followed his twin along. "Staying to make sure that everything is running without errors would put me at a little more ease. We haven't come across a plant in quite some time that runs as smoothly as this one and there is normally some sort of minor error to take care of when we do stop here."

Knives shook his head and thought, 'was the plant running correctly? It appears that our sibling is having no problems and is quite content but...' He scratched his head that odd look of surprise was fading and was being replaced by a light look of confusion.

Vash nodded his spiky head, his look of confusion mirroring that of his twin's, "I have to agree, Knives. But until we find something mind if we get some food? I'm really hungry."

He started to walk towards the door of the room, "Donuts sound really good right about now...fresh honey cakes of goodness!"