Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Generation Gunsmoke ❯ The Promise of Retribution ( Chapter 17 )

Standard Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money, please don't sue…

Generation Gunsmoke: Part XVII

The Promise of Retribution

Vash the Stampede sat quietly, sipping a cup of coffee and relived the past once again. He was a monster, not fit to live among humans. He should have buried himself in the desert years ago, after he'd lost control of the Angel Arm and destroyed the city of July. How many people had he killed in that one incident alone?

"Damn it Vash, you can't just sit here quietly sipping coffee while Mother and Nickie are alone with that guy." Nick raked his fingers through his dark hair and drummed his fingers restlessly against the tabletop. "Everytime I imagine him being with my sister, I just want to kill him." Nick's fingers caressed the large gun at his side. He leapt to his feet. "I'm going back up there and teach that guy a lesson."

"You will stay in that chair and behave yourself. How old is your sister twenty five, twenty six?" Vash asked him quietly. "Did you honestly think that she'd remain single her whole life, that she'd never take a lover or choose a husband?"

"But why him? He's no good for her. Does he look like husband material to you? I never pictured my sister screwing someone who is obviously using her for his own purposes." Nick signaled for the waiter. "Whiskey," he snapped at the man.

"A little early to be hitting the bottle, don't you think?" Vash smiled broadly. "Be reasonable, Nick. While Legato's son is not necessarily who any of us would have chosen for her, I don't think our interference will help matters."

"For God's sake, Vash. What am I supposed to do then? Just let my sister make a whore out of herself for a pretty face?" Nick snatched the bottle and glass from the harried waiter and poured himself a liberal splash of the amber liquid. "I'm going up there and drag her slutty little ass out of that room and we're leaving." He tossed back the drink and poured himself another. "If he has anything to say about it, then he'll get my reply from this." Nick caressed the outline of his gun as he stood to leave.

A sudden explosion of movement flickered across his line of vision. Nick found himself staring into cold aqua eyes. Vash had his hands fisted in his coat lapels and was hauling him across the table. "Sit down and shut your foul mouth. Nickie is still your sister and that will never change. Forcing her to choose between the two of you will not accomplish anything." Vash shook him harshly. "Your father was never this hot headed."

"My father was stupid enough to get himself killed right after knocking up my mother. Maybe he should have been a little more hot headed."

Vash spoke in a cold and quiet tone, his eyes blazed fury. "Your father was my best friend and we stood together on more than one occasion against Knives and his Gung Ho Guns. He died because he showed mercy to another. If he had been more like you, then we would both be dead now." He shoved Nick away from him and settled back into his chair.

Nick angrily straightened his clothes amid the hushed whispers of the other patrons of the hotel. He glanced around; noting the surreptitious glances as the townspeople tried not to stare at the dispute going on in front of them. Whispered comments of speculation reached his ears. "Who were these people… why was that man familiar… could he be the legendary gunman Vash the Stampede… No, that was not possible… Vash had to be dead by now…"

"We seem to have drawn attention to ourselves. Damn it all to hell, this trip keeps getting more and more fucked up." Nick casually remarked while staring down several customers. Signaling the waiter again, Nick requested a private room if one happened to be available. Looking cautiously at the two men, the waiter began in hesitant tones, "We are a quiet business, gentlemen. We don't want any trouble in here or in our town."

Vash held up his hand. "Just a small difference of opinion, not to worry. I promise we are not going to wreck the place."

"Very well, sir. I am glad you understand… Insurance coverage is very costly these days and a brawl could cause it to be cancelled. Although, it has been much easier to get insurance coverage since no one has seen the Humanoid Typhoon out here for over twenty-five years, I just can't afford to take any unnecessary chances." The man led them in the direction of a small room. "Will this do?"

Nick tipped the man a generous $$50. "We are simply here because my sister and her admirer eloped a few weeks ago. We just caught up with them. I'm sure you can understand our frustration. They and my mother will be coming down shortly. Please direct them to this room."

"Very good, sir." The man looked at Vash. "You are the young lady's father?" Vash nodded, quite amused by Nick's actions. "I understand how you must feel. I have a daughter myself." The man bowed politely and left the room with reassurances of sending the rest of their party in as soon as they made an appearance.

"Your sister eloped?" Vash smiled in Nick's direction. "That's pretty funny. But what really happened? Just how did Nickie come to be with Lazarus and not with you?"

Nick had the grace to flush guiltily. He hung his head in shame; "It's my fault that Nickie is with him."

"Your fault? How could it be your fault?"

"We were in Inepril City and I laid up in a whorehouse with Madam Cherise all night. The next day, I felt like crap, but insisted we leave anyway. Nickie had heard about a typhoon blowing in and I stubbornly ignored her insistence to stay put until it had passed." Nick looked directly into Vash's eyes. "We got caught out in the storm and the last time I saw Nickie, the typhoon winds had pulled her from my grasp, up into the sky."

Nick dropped his head into his hands as scalding tears came to his eyes. "I'll never forget the sound of her screams as she disappeared from my sight."

Vash sat silently, allowing Nick a few moments silence to compose himself. He should have never taught them anything. If anyone was to blame for this mess it was himself. Meryl had been right all those years ago. He should have never given them the skills to survive out here. "How did you know Nickie was still alive?"

"I just knew. Something told me that she was alive and ok. We are all each other has ever had. I just had to find her."

"Nick, I understand that you love your sister and that you have her best interests at heart, but do not force her to choose between you and Lazarus." Vash spoke quietly, realizing that Nick's anger was gone and it had really been more directed at himself than at Nicole. "You may find he is very good for her."

"And if he's not? If he treats her badly?" Nick asked harshly. "What then?"

"Then you can deal with the situation when it arises." Vash sat up straighter in his chair. "They are almost here."

"How do you know? I don't hear them."

"I'm not human, remember? Lazarus is powerful like Legato once was. I can sense him."

The door opened on creaking hinges. Vash immediately noted a relieved smile playing about Meryl's lips. She barely nodded at him, but it was enough to let him know that all would be well. Nickie entered the doorway and stopped until Lazarus had entered and was by her side. Whether or not she realized it, Nickie presented a united front with Lazarus by her actions.

Nick stood as Meryl came to the table and sat down. He looked across the room at his sister, his other half. His arms opened, "Nickie…"

"Nick… oh, Nick… I was so scared…" Nickie sobbed as she ran to her brother's side. She threw herself into his embrace and cried as he hugged her tight. "I thought I was going to die and that I'd never see you again."

Nick held his sister tightly, his face buried against her dark hair. He stroked her back and muttered soothing words of comfort, promising not to ever let her down again and blaming himself for her ordeal.

Nickie slowly brought her tears under control, hiccuping slightly as she pulled away from her brother. She smiled him through her tears and admonished him lightly for blaming himself for her mishap. "Nick, it was not your fault. It was an accident." She glanced back over her shoulder before adding, "Please be nice to Lazarus, for me ok?"

Nick glared in the direction and bristled slightly. "If he ever hurts you… he'll answer to me."

"Nick, stop that this instant. He won't. I'm not sure how I know, but I just do. Be nice."

Lazarus glided up to Nickie's side. "Come my sweet, I am sure that your family has many questions they would like answered." He drew her toward a chair at the table and held it politely while she seated herself. Nick watched him suspiciously for several moments before being seated next to Vash.

"You ok, Nickie?" Vash asked quickly. He stared at Lazarus again; not quite able to shake the feeling that Legato was staring at him from across the years.

"I am nothing like my father…"

"You are similar in power, that makes you dangerous…"

"You hold the power to destroy entire cities…Who are you to judge me…"

"That girl is my own child, harm her and I will not be responsible if…"

"Agreed…"

Vash smiled brightly and relaxed in his chair. "So Nickie, you were about to tell us how you came to meet Lazarus and Lazarus was about to tell us what he is doing out here."

Nickie smiled and began her story and finally concluded it several minutes later, dramatically enhancing how Lazarus had saved her three times during her travels. Nick nodded as he recalled the day they had escaped in the saloon and had nodded his approval of killing the man who had attempted to carry Nickie off.

Vash frowned at the tale, disturbed that Lazarus was a killer, but saying nothing. It would not gain him anything now anyway. He turned to Lazarus and spoke quietly, "We all owe you our thanks for saving Nickie. I am sorry that we burst into the room this morning. I am sure it was as much of a shock to you as it was to us."

Lazarus nodded silently. "I would probably feel the same if I had a sister or a daughter. And I know that each of you do not think I am the right person for Nicole, but she is important to me. I promise that as long as I live, I will do everything in my power to keep her safe."

"Until you prove otherwise, that is good enough for me," Vash told him. "Meryl?"

"I think he may be right for Nickie, but as you say, he has until he proves otherwise." She looked back at Vash. He turned to Nick with a questioning glance, "Nick?"

Nick glared at Lazarus sharply and nodded slightly. "Until Nickie tells me otherwise."

Nickie sighed and relaxed in her chair. She leaned over and pecked Lazarus on the cheek. "I'm glad that's over."

Nick's hand tightened on his glass at Nickie's familiarity with the man. "You were going to tell us what you were doing out here?" he questioned sharply.

"The same thing as you… hunting Knives Millions in order to stop him." Lazarus noted the horrified gasp from Meryl and the surprised glance from Vash the Stampede at his response. "I will find him and when I do, I will kill him."

"But, no one knows where he's at," Meryl protested. "You three can't continue on this dangerous hunt. Knives is a murderer and he won't hesitate to kill any of you. He killed both of your parents and one of yours. How long will you continue on this fool's errand?"

"Meryl's right, Lazarus. Just as I told these two, you cannot decide who lives and who dies. It is not your right to judge another. It is not your right to be another's executioner." Vash stared at the three young people before him. "I, most of all, know what he's capable of. He is my brother. If I failed to stop him in the past, how can the three of you hope to accomplish the feat?"

Three pairs of eyes looked at him. A cold glint of steel showed in each pair. Lazarus spoke quietly, "We have all resolved to stop him. If it means that he dies by one of our hands, then so be it. You lacked the conviction to actually kill him. You never wanted to kill my father and you never intended to kill Knives years ago. We are not so forgiving."

Nick and Nickie nodded their acceptance of Lazarus' words. Nickie placed her hand out in front of her. "For love and for peace… Isn't that what you always said, Uncle Vash?" Nick placed his hand over his sister's, "For love and for peace…". Lazarus looked at the united front of the twins. He slid his hand under Nicole's. She was the bond that would bring them together. He nodded at Nick and spoke the same words, "For love and for peace…"

Vash noticed the similarity in the depths of their eyes and words. All held the promise of retribution. He feared Knives' time had run out, but how many of them would make it through alive. "So the three of you have decided, but what now? How will you find him?"

"My mother goes to confront him even now. He is outside a small village about 200 isles from here, not far from where he almost died many years ago."

Silence reigned for a brief few moments in the small room. Each one of them knew the next few days could bring with it an end to their existence. But it didn't matter, they had vowed to bring Knives down or die in the attempt. They had to face the past in order to secure the future. It was time to keep their promise of retribution.

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To Be Continued…

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Well now… an unlikely alliance has been formed. Will the children of Gunsmoke be able to do what their parents were unable to do in the past?

Can Knives ever be stopped?

The players are headed for a showdown and not everyone will make it out alive…

Stay tuned for the next chapter… Betrayal of Trust

Love and Peace,

Blackhat (^_~)