Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Ticket to the Future ❯ The Devil's Sanctuary ( Chapter 7 )

Standard Disclaimer: You know it by now… Trigun and its characters do not belong to me. This is my way of having a little fun. Either that or I have way too much free time on my hands. (^_~)

Ticket to the Future: Part VII

The Devil's Sanctuary

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Sunset…

Bustling around the small kitchen, I busied myself fixing a tray of refreshments. I glanced anxiously out of the window, I moved more swiftly as I realized it was almost time. Meryl, wearing her waitress uniform, glanced up from her food every now and then. She was going to work in just a few minutes. "Hey, what are you doing, Milly?" She looked up from her supper as I placed a pot of hot tea and a few snacks on a tray.

Smiling at her, I answered, "I'm going to see Mr. Knives. I'm sure he's lonely up there in that room all by himself; especially now that he's awake."

I mentally braced myself for the tirade that would follow.

"I can't believe you! Why would you spend so much time alone with that creature? And the way he ordered you to come back today at sunset. He's got some nerve." Meryl glanced out of the window. "I can't believe that you are actually going back up there exactly when he told you to. Milly, sometimes you are so dense."

"Meryl, Mr. Knives is Mr. Vash's brother. In spite of what he's done, Mr. Vash thought he was worth saving. Maybe you should be the one to be a little more understanding."

Meryl glared at me for a moment, her mouth agape. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but instead snapped her mouth shut and grabbed her coat from a near-by chair. One good thing about being pregnant was winning more arguments with Meryl. She really tried to make sure that I didn't worry too much or over do.

"Vash is already at the bar, and I have to go to work now, but please, Milly. Be careful around Knives. There is something about him I just can't trust."

"I will, but I think you may be wrong about Mr. Knives."

Meryl sighed and walked out of the house shaking her head. "Just remember that Knives was the person who … never mind. Just be careful around him, he is evil, much like some sort of devil."

Taking up the tray, I carefully made my way up the stairs and down the hallway. Pausing a moment outside the door, I adjusted my grip on the tray and lifted my hand to knock. Much to my surprise, the door swung open on it own to reveal the figure of Mr. Knives sitting up in bed. He was dressed in those loose fitting black shorts and a short sleeve gray t-shirt. I was amazed to see that he looked like the picture of health.

"I knew you'd come. And I'm impressed that you'd obey my summons so perfectly. Exactly at sunset and you even brought refreshments. I continue to be amazed at how obedient some of you humans can be."

Walking over the threshold, I crossed the room and placed the tray on a table beside the bed. "And I see your attitude is much the same. How do you feel this evening?"

"Why do you care?"

"I care about everyone. I guess it's just my nature."

Mr. Knives scoffed at my statement and muttered something about 'worthless nonsense.' I rummaged through a drawer for the ointment I had been using on his wounds. The silence between us was deafening.

"So, did you purchase many things today?"

I had the distinct feeling that Mr. Knives was asking just to make conversation, but as least for the moment, he wasn't being so nasty. Smiling brightly at the thought of my new clothes, I held up my hands. "I got 5 pair of new pants and 5 shirts." I took a seat in my usual chair beside his bed and poured the tea.

I handed Mr. Knives a cup of fresh tea. "Would you care for sugar, Mr. Knives?" I placed a small spoon of sugar into my own cup. "Be careful you don't burn yourself. It's really hot."

He regarded me silently for a moment as he took a sip of the hot tea and grimaced. "Don't you have anything stronger in the house? A bottle of good red wine would be enjoyable."

"Mr. Vash keeps a bottle of whiskey somewhere in the kitchen. Would you like me to go and find it for you?"

"Not necessary," he answered taking another sip of the tea. "You may bring me something a little more substantial tomorrow. "You still show no fear of me and yet your friend, Meryl, she avoids me. Why?"

I considered my words carefully before answering. "She blames you for causing Mr. Vash pain, and she blames you for causing him to kill Mr. Legato. I think she is afraid of what you will do. I know she even blames you for Mr. Vash coming back with his gun."

"And you, what do you think? Do you think I have caused all of these things?"

"What I think is not important. I could blame all of those things on you and many others as well, but it wouldn't take away the hurt I feel and it wouldn't change anything in the past. I can only look to the future and hope for the best."

Smiling at him a moment, I placed my cup on the nightstand. Picking up the ointment I had been using to treat his wounds, I motioned for Knives to hold out his arm. Rolling up the sleeve, I smoothed lotion over the rapidly fading mark. I was surprised to feel myself gaining a sense of satisfaction from sliding my fingers over the contours of muscles I found there.

"Milly, why are you so kind to me? You know what I am and some of the things I have done and yet you still care for me as if I were someone related to you." Mr. Knives sat quietly as I rubbed the medicinal lotion into his arm. Although his wounds really didn't need it any more, I was pleased to see the wounds had healed and left a minimum of scaring. "I wonder why I agreed to come back in here and talk to him?"

"I'm not sure," I began hesitantly. "I think it must have something to do with what my big big sister told me once. She always said I should try to help others even if it seemed like they didn't deserve my help." I smiled slightly into his icy blue eyes. "Every one deserves a chance to change…even someone like you." I smiled brightly at him again, "Would you care for some pudding?"

"What? No, I don't want any of that disgusting pudding. How you tolerate it is something beyond even my comprehension." His eyes narrowed and he smirked evilly, "What if I do not wish to change? What if I liked causing destruction to the human garbage inhabiting this planet? Perhaps I will rise from this bed and go on disposing of you worthless humans on this planet. What would you do then?" Mr. Knives was being deliberately nasty again.

"Give me your leg please." Knives snorted at me but he complied with my request. I blushed furiously as I applied the lotion to his thigh. It suddenly seemed like such an intimate thing I was doing. "Well… I'm waiting, he demanded. "What would you do if I started killing people again?"

"Mr. Knives," I began in a firm tone. "You should really try much harder to be a nicer person. You never know when you may need help from someone. If you continue to behave in such a nasty fashion, you will just end up living a very long and a very lonely life." I finished his leg. "Besides, Mr. Vash would work to stop you, so I'm not worried about what you may or may not do." I smiled at him with a clueless air.

But, he suddenly changed directions on me. "You are blushing, why?" Knives demanded. "You carry offspring so you've seen the male body before. And from a visual standpoint, you really can't tell the difference between our species. What has you so agitated?"

"I don't know… I guess it was different when you were unconscious. You didn't seem so… so… male." I blushed as the words fell from my lips. I peaked from under my heavy bangs to gauge his reaction to my words. Much to my surprise, Mr. Knives threw back his head and laughed. "Male…? Perhaps you would care to find out exactly how 'male' I can be?"

I sat there stunned, not knowing exactly how to answer him. I could feel my face turning a bright shade of red. I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

"What? No witty response, no lecture on how to behave properly, no scolding me over my blunt speech?" Knives continued to chuckle. "At least I found a way to get you to shut up." He paused a moment before continuing, "Tell me, how did Wolfwood shut you up? Did he kiss your delicious mouth or maybe he found better uses for it?"

"Mr. Knives, I'm sure you do not mean those nasty things you are saying." Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. "Mr. Wolfwood was a… a kind, considerate gentleman and it… it wasn't like that between us. We… we only had one night together." My hands clenched at the edges of my chair as my face flamed even hotter under his scrutiny.

"Tell me, how does it feel to lie awake at night, alone and burdened with the knowledge of never knowing the feel of your lover's touch again?" His hand slowly reached out and touched my upper arm. I flinched slightly at the unexpected contact. "What goes through your mind as you lie there and listen to my brother give his woman pleasure. I've heard them at night. You were not here the night they returned from the celebration in town. I was lying here, unable to awaken and I could hear your friend scream her pleasure as my brother rode her."

I gasped at his crude language and shivered with nervousness as he leaned closer to me. "Do you think about the time you spent in Wolfwood's bed?" He leaned nearer until he was the only thing in my field of vision. "Do you imagine you can feel his lips brush yours?" His lips touched mine and his tongue traced their outline. My blood instantly boiled. I felt my nipples harden of their own accord as he stroked my upper arm and teased my lips with his tongue. I was frozen in place. I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I was shocked to realize that some part of me was responding to him.

Knives' voice whispered against my lips, "Do you touch yourself at night and pretend that Wolfwood is there with you?" His hands reached out and cupped my breast through the material of my shirt as his teeth nipped at my lower lip.

Suddenly outraged, I gasped and flung myself away from Knives. I glared at him for a moment before spinning on my heel and hurriedly making my way to the door.

"You will come back tomorrow afternoon."

Stopping briefly in the open doorway, I looked over my shoulder and replied, "No, I will not. You can sit here by yourself until you learn some manners."

"You'll come… because there isn't anyone else in this place who understands what you are feeling. There isn't anyone else here who knows how hard you try to hide from feeling so lonely… especially late at night when you can hear my brother and his woman enjoying each other. Your lover may be dead, but you are not. You will be back."

I fled down the hallway with the sound of Mr. Knives' cruel laughter ringing in my ears. "Meryl was right…he is a devil…"

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Slamming and locking the door of my room, I collapsed at the base of the gleaming Cross Punisher and began sobbing. "I must be some type of wicked person. I enjoyed his touch, the person who killed Nicholas. What did I do wrong? Oh Wolfwood, why did you have to die? Why didn't I leave that room and go help you? Why? Why? Why?"

"Learn how it works."

"Wolfwood?" I looked up frantically, but there was no one in the room but me. Wiping my eyes and nose on a handkerchief, I stood slowly and looked closely at Nicholas' gun. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the Cross-Punisher and began to examine it closely.

"Why do I suddenly feel the need to learn to use this gun?"

But, there were no answers to my silent question, just the over-whelming need to learn how it worked.

Carefully picking it up, I thought back to the few times I'd actually seen Nicholas use it. I knew the cross bars slid open to reveal a wealth of small automatics, but how did he get the entire thing to open up into a gun. I pulled and tugged at a few points to see what would happen. Nothing on the thing would budge.

It was not much heavier than my own stun gun, but it was much more lethal than anything I had ever carried. I laid it on the bed and began to examine the seems of it closely. There was a small worn indention close to the center of the cross. Carefully, I pressed the spot and to my sudden delight, the Cross-Punisher sprang open to reveal one large gun. "Neat," I thought. "But, somebody could get really hurt with something like this.

I'd need shells for it, but I could get them from the local gun shop. Meryl and Mr. Vash would think I was crazy, but I was determined to learn how to shoot this gun. I made myself a promise then and there. "It'll probably knock me flat the first few times I shoot it, but I will learn how to use this gun."

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To be continued…

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Well, what do you think? Any thoughts on where the story is going?

Will Knives eventually seduce Milly and what exactly is he up to?

Is Knives the evil Vash sensed or is something else lurking in the shadows?

Will Milly learn to fire the Cross-Punisher and will she continue to visit Knives?

What will happen next?

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter and in the meantime…R&R!

Love and Peace,

Blackhat (^_~)