Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ To Love Humanity ❯ When Red Flowers Bloom ( Chapter 4 )

To Love Humanity

Chapter 4: When Red Flowers Bloom

By: Hellions K. and Dashing V.

"Well for starters Mister Vash there is only Merle and myself here, so if you were seeing more then one of us that would be a bad thing according to my big big sister." Millie explained. "Ooop, we must be careful now Mister Vash." The girl said with a smile as she picked up the glass. "We don't want to spill now do we." With that she picked up the glass and brought it over so that Vash could take a drink.

Vash just blinked at Millie and then took a drink out of the straw, the liquid feeling cool and smooth as it went down and slowly helping him feel a bit better. After taking a few more bites of the sandwich his eyes started to feel a bit heavy as he blinked them slowly, trying to stay awake.

Shaking herself free of her thoughts, the black headed woman turned around with a plate and glass in hand, pasting a big smile on her face, "Well, Millie here's your supper." She walked over to where her partner was feeding Vash, holding them out to her.

Seeing that Vash was done sipping from the glass she set it down. "Would you like any more right now Mister Vash? Your looking awful sleepy," she said as she still held what little was left of the sandwich. She turned to Merle when she heard her name spoken and her eyes brightened a little more. "Thanks Merle!" The big girl said enthusiastically as she took the plate and set it on the table next to Vash's then she turned slightly to retrieve her glass from Merle since she had only one hand free. Just as she took the glass from Merle's grasp she heard the knock on the door. "I wonder who that could be. Merle were you expecting any company?" She had the urge to get up and answer the door but her hands were a little full at the moment.

Vash slowly shook his head, his tongue feeling too heavy to lift, as the exhaustion again took over his body, partly from it now having food. His ears perked slightly at the sound of the knock but he barely registered it at the moment, as his lids were now too heavy to keep open. His breathing evened out as he again fell asleep.

Merle looked over at the door as the knock sounded on it, while Millie freed her hands. She shook her head, "No, I wasn't Millie. I wonder who it could be." She cast a glance at the now sleeping Vash as she started towards the door.

"I hope that it's nothing serious," Millie responded as she looked down at Vash, seeing that he had fallen asleep she got up and picked up her plate and drink and sat down on the other bed, returning the glass to the table next to her bed. She debated about taking a couple of bites of her sandwich, then she decided against it and set the plate on the bed and got up and walked over to her partner.

Merle nodded, "I hope so too, Millie." Sighing she looked over at her partner as she came up beside her, "Might as well as see who it is, eh?" she said a nervous twinge to her voice. Setting a stern look on her face she walked forward and opened the door. She blinked in confusion as she saw a man in a nice suit with a big hat pulled over his face, making it obscure, and a saxophone in one hand, "May I help you?"

Millie looked at the man and shuddered slightly, there was something unsettling about him but she didn't know why.

"Meerllleee," Millie whispered in a slightly frightened tinge as she bent down to whisper in her partner's ear. "Are you sure that this is a good idea, to let this guy in I mean. After all you know who just fell asleep, we don't need him to be woke up..." She stood back up trying not to look too nervous as she gave the man a bit of a weak smile.

The man waited impatiently for the door to open and then smirked as he finally heard the knob turn and the latch click as it was opened.

He nodded a hello at the ladies and said in a lower voice than he normally used, "Yes, I have a little something for you ladies," he paused a moment, "May I come in?"

The man frowned slightly at the big girl's skepticism but as she bent down he took the opportunity to make a quick but observant look around the room. He smirked and then nodded his head slightly.

"Perhaps I have come at a bad time." he paused for a bit of emphasis, "Very well, I will leave you ladies be." He touched the brim of his hat and nodded a good day to them as he turned and walked down the hall.

Merle gave the tall man a nervous smile and looked at Millie feeling a bit annoyed at the situation as she was reminded of who was asleep.

She blinked at the man as he took his leave and looked at Millie, "That was very unsettling, come lets get this door closed."

Pushing the big girl gently back into the room the small woman quickly closed the door and locked it. Her eyes fell upon the somewhat dead looking form of Vash on the one bed.

"He must be really worn to sleep this much," she commented off handedly.

The sleeping gunman was undisturbed by the events at the door as he rolled over and mumbled something about donuts and brother. A slight smile crossed his face for a moment before he again started to softly snore.

"Very unsettling," Millie replied as she watched Merle shut the door as she move a bit stiffly backwards due to Merle's pushing her back. "I wonder who he was. He was really creepy, wasn't he Merle?"

Her gaze then went to Vash with Merle's comment.

"Yeah, I would guess working in the Plant would have something to do with that huh." Then a smile slid across her face, "I guess we have time to get some paper work done since we have found Mister Vash again huh, now that we know that he's doing at least a little better. After all he did eat."

Whether or not she caught Vash's mumblings in his sleep is a bit of a mystery. The flaky girl will probably bring up the issue at an odd time if her partner doesn't catch on to it before hand.

Merle's face suddenly lit up at the sound of paper work, "Right! That must be done, but you must eat too," she said this as she caught a look of the forgotten sandwiches.

Now in her work mode the woman let her mind drift from the gunman to what she loved to get done. Picking up her food and drink she set it on the desk and then dug out her paper work. Setting down she was soon lost in the world of insurance.

Stopping by the clothing shop where he bought the current clothes that he was in, the musician picked up his old clothes and then continued on his way back to the mansion. He must tell the master this.

Upon reaching the mansion he stepped in and put down his things by the door as he went to look for the man.

"When your right, your right," Millie agreed with Merle and went to retrieve her sandwiches and drink and sat down to eat. Part way through eating she decided that tonight would be a good night to write to the family so she went to her suitcase and pulled out a stack of blank paper and a pen and laid down on the bed and went to writing while she finished her meal.

"So have you found Vash the Stampede?" A silken voice could be heard as the musician finally found the man that he sought outside within the small green garden. The owners of the manor had purchased the garden and have attended quite efficiently. The man stood amidst the trees and bushes as his golden gaze fell upon the red geranium, freshly picked within his hand.

"An interesting and beautiful flower wouldn't you agree?" The man said to turn his golden gaze upon the musician, flower still in hand. "The master spoke of this flower once."

The tall man swept his hat off his head as he bowed and nodded, "Yes, Master, that I have done."

He stood up straight and looked at his master and the flower, what an odd mix the two made, "Yes," he said softly. He nodded his head thinking of the master that was above his, how he wished to have him back..

"He must know the location of the Master," the man mused aloud, his gaze upon the geranium still. "Vash the Stampede...What was Vash the Stampede doing in the company of the Bernadelli insurance girls? He is the one who will be able to lead us to the Master."

A smirk lit upon the musician's face, "He was being hand fed like a baby and is sick as a dog, master. I did not see any signs of the silver or black weapon either. Except for the two Insurance girls Vash the Stampede is totally helpless."

"I see," the man said finally lifting his gaze from the flower to look upon MidValley. "This may work well to our advantage."

He spun the stalk of the geranium around in his fingers causing the red petals to flutter softly. "This will slow us down considerably, till Vash the Stampede is well. I am quite sure that he will tell the Bernadelli women the where abouts of the Master. I want you to keep an eye upon Vash the Stampede and the Bernadelli women. There is not much that can be done when our lead is sick." The last part of his words was spoken with a sigh. This was beginning to irritate him more and more. They had to be careful not to be discovered by all means.

"I want you to stay working at the saloon, to carry on as if you are just a normal musician. We must keep an eye out for a sign of him getting better as well as finding out if he carries the Master's weapon as well as his own. There may be a chance that we could find the Master if we obtain his weapon, in the event that Vash the Stampede eludes us, we may be able to find him that way."

The dark headed man nodded at his master, "Yes, Master, as you wish." He frowned thoughtfully a moment, "I didn't even see a trace of that red coat that Vash the Stampede was so fond up, nor did I see holsters upon his thighs," his frown deepened.

This caused the dark man to frown, then a soft sigh escaped his lips again. "Why must things seem to go awry when we were getting so close," his words are spoken with a hiss as he flips the geranium away in disgust, turning away from the musician at the same time.

"This may pose more of a dilemma than I had imagined." He placed his left hand to his chin as he folded the other about his elbow, head bowed in thought. "Why must you do this to me, Vash the Stampede." He remained silent for a few moments, "That is all," he said over his shoulder to the musician. "You may leave." He then turned to face MidValley. "Now we must keep a much tighter watch upon Vash the Stampede if we are to find the Master, unless we find where he is hiding the Master's weapon." He then turned from the musician again and headed deeper into the garden.

As he knelt there he just listened to his master's words, knowing that he did not want a reply. He nodded his head as he got up and walked back to the front door to collect his instrument and clothes. Yes they would be keeping a very close watch on Vash the Stampede and he had a feeling that if Vash the Stampede did know that the Gung Ho Guns still lived that perhaps then he would take up his weapon again, which would lead them to the master. He smiled, he would have to tell his master this in the morning for it was probably better to leave him alone. It was definitely with a sly smirk that MidValley made his way up to his room this night.

* * *

Leaning back in her chair Merle stretched and yawned. Her eye caught the clock, "We should be getting to bed Millie, it's getting quite late. And we have to be up early to check on the insurance claim at that mansion."

Getting to her feet Merle laid her cloak on the chair and kicked off her shoes. Digging her pj's out of her pink suitcase she carried them into the bathroom where she changed. Coming out she dumped her clothes by her suitcase before climbing into bed. "Would you mind turning out the light, Millie?" she yawned.

"Ok Merle..." Millie started before he face and words were engulfed in an enormous yawn. "I just finished the Millie Monthly for the family," she added with a big smile holding up the pile of envelopes to show Merle.

She then placed them on the nightstand next to the bed. She then got up and dug around through her suitcase for her pjs, draping her coat over an empty chair she took the cloths into the bathroom to change. Coming back out rubbing her eyes she dropped her cloths half in the suitcase half out as she wandered to bed. The tall woman clicked the light off before crawling into bed and was soon fast asleep snoring softly.

* * *

Crystalline blue eyes slid open slowly, he had been fighting sleep for so long now but he was starting to loose the battle. He did not want to sleep, he trembled, the dreams would return if he slept. He did not want to dream, he did not want to even remember the dreams.

So hard to stay awake, Knives thought, forcing his eyes to open again. Then darkness claimed him as sleep took over and again the dream changed.

He was still standing before the tree, though the cold hands of his dead brother were no longer against his flesh. He looked around almost frantically to find Vash, there must be something that he could do.

"Vash! Where are you?" Knives called out frantically as he turned and walked towards the tree.

"I'm right here dear brother," Vash spoke from behind the tree.

Coming around the tree he saw Vash leaning back against the tree, red geraniums surrounding him, then all of a sudden Rem appeared, young and beautiful as she had when they were children. She looked up at him then hugged Vash to her.

"How could you do this, to him," she called out saddly. "He is your brother!"

Knives took a few steps closer, "I...I never meant to hurt...Vash." He choked as tears began to well in his eyes.

"Get away from him," Rem screamed as her beauty melted away to the form of a burnt woman, her outfit barely covering her body. "Haven't you done enough damage, you demonic child? Leave us alone!"

Knives jumped back a few paces as Rem's voice changed with her body to the this deep rasping snarl. "You heard Rem, dear brother, your not wanted here," Vash said leaning into Rem. Knives began to tremble and he fell to his knees, tears spilling from his eyes, tears the he could no longer hold back. "Please don't, I don't want to be alone." He cried. "I don't want to be alone..."

"....I don't want to be alone," Knives echoed waking from his sleep, eyes snapping open, tears spilling free as he cried out both physically and mentally in torn agony. He began to tremble more as the he look out of the glass dome and saw nothing but red. **Vash!** He cried out in his mind in a choked tone.

The darkness began to tremble and coil about itself as hit reveled in the pain and agony that Knives was feeling. Even though it could not not get to the its prey yet.

Dreams swirled with in the gunman's mind most pleasant but then...the nightmares came to him.

He dropped the heap to the ground, his whole being shaking with the realization of what he had just done, he had hated, he had killed. Putting his hands to his face the man sobbed, 'how am I supposed to save Knives now?' he questioned himself, 'I couldn't even save Rem's or Steve's life...I...I can't!'

The sobs much softer now the man looked up at the lifeless forms of the woman he loved and the man who had caused so much pain, tears streamed down his face as he looked upon those bloody bodies.

"Nooooo! Noooo!" he screamed and pounded the ground.

His breath cut off as he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking quickly from where he kneeled he looked up to his brother, Knives. He reached up to him, "Kn-knives..."

Knives frowned down at his brother, "How could you do it, Vash? How could you let this happen? You're supposed to be the one helping me but you go and murder. You murder Rem!" his voice was low and full of disdain ,"You're a hypocrite. Nothing but a hypocrite!"

"Knives!" Vash wailed, his heart fully breaking at his brother's words, "I tried! I tried to save Rem! I didn't mean to! I didn't! I really didn't..."

"Of course not," mocked Knives, "I didn't mean to kill you Rem, I'm sorry Rem." A voice then cut in, a voice that shouldn't have been able to speak, "Ah, you're both here. Good! That will save me the trouble of tracking you down!" He laughed as he got to his feet.

The brothers looked quickly and blinked their eyes, their conversation forgotten as they both gritted their teeth in frown.

"But...you're dead! I k-killed you!"

Steve smiled, "Hmph, did you? Well, now I guess you should've made sure I was dead." He then raised his gun, "Just like I'm going to make sure that the two of you will rest in your graves! You little rats! You're not worthy of breathing the same air!" He then pulled the trigger as he aimed at Vash.

"No! Vash!" Knives cried as he jumped in front of the bullet taking it for his brother.

"Knives! Knives!" Vash screamed as he saw his brother's blood spilling out. He looked to Steve as another bullet and yet another came flying at the pair, "NO! NO!" Vash screamed as he woke up from the nightmare, "Don't leave me...don't leave me..."

He blinked his eyes as he fully woke up and looked at the darkened room, the sounds of Millie and Merele sleeping peacefully coming to him.

He gasped as he felt his brother's voice choke in his head *Knives! What is it?* his own voice was a bit choked from the tears that streamed down his face.