Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ To Love Humanity ❯ The Darkness Speaks ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

To Love Humanity
Chapter 3: The Darkness Speaks…

By: Hellions K. and Dashing V.
**Yes I'm sure, dear brother,** came Knives reply as a soft sigh.
He was sick of the nightmares. He just wished that they would go away. What is he to tell his twin that he's having scary dreams and for him to make them go away? His thoughts even caused him to chuckle softly. He closed his eyes again but he knew that he wouldn't sleep. He couldn't, not after the dreams. **Just get some sleep, dear brother, and everything will be fine,** Knives said softly.

The darkness inside of the plant waited, pooling together in the dark niche that it found within the plants system, nearly undetectable. It was going to wait, wait till it could catch the system off guard before it went in for the kill, after all it was in no hurry.
"Is something wrong with the plant?" Millie asked, blinkingly before she noticed that Vash was getting tired. "I'm sorry Mister Vash, I really should let you sleep shouldn't I." She said with a bright smile before she stood up from her spot next to the bed. She took the washcloth with her as she stood up.
"Let me know if you want a damp washcloth if your too warm, Mister Vash. It would help keep you cooled down from the heat." Millie added as she started to pick up the blankets from the floor and straighten them on the bed.
"Now you get some rest, so that you can get better real quick," she said as she paused in her work and shook a finger at Vash.

Vash looked at Millie, still fighting to stay awake, "No, it's fine..." he trailed off as he started to loose himself back to sleep, **Yes, brother, everything will be...** sleep fully over took him before he could even finish the statement.

Knives just sighed, at least he will get some sleep. I shall not, not for a while. He stayed awake for quite some time before sleep claimed him, but would it be restful? Only time would tell.

"Hmmmm," a man almost sighed softly as he paused for a slight moment in eating the rich cake before him and smiled.
After finishing the piece of cake, the man began to walk about the stately manor that the owners were so generous to let him stay. It was one of the few manors of the city that was actually made of wood, such a precious commodity upon the desert planet. Even with the slow restoration and efforts to make the planet green it would take several centuries. Who knows maybe he would still be around to enjoy it, but that would depend on him finding the master. He could sense others familiar to those who knew Vash the Stampede. Though he did not use his abilities to find them. He was sure that he would be informed. His one frustration was that he lost contact with the master several days ago. They had been so close...
"Patience," he told himself. "All things come to he who waits," and wait he shall, for the musician to return.

Merle mentally slapped herself, Get a hold of yourself,'she scolded, You're the leader of the team remember? Setting a stern look on her face she walked up to the bar, "a dozen salmon sandwiches, and a pitcher of salon tea to go, please!"
The barman looked at her a bit oddly but nodded, "Okay, Missie, take a seat and it'll be up in a few minutes."
Taking a seat Merle sat there and listened to the music that was coming from the stage, it sounded so happy, kind of like Vash usually was. She jumped as a paper bag was set down in front of her, "That will be $$15 please." Merle frowned slightly at the price but paid it. Picking up the bag she made her way back to the hotel and up to the room.
Bursting through the door she cried happily, not knowing that Vash was sleeping, "Hey, Millie, Vash! I have food for us!" She set the bag down as she closed the door, "Salmon sandwiches and salon tea." She forced a grin on her face.

He watched the woman with keen interest, never missing a beat or note, as she made her order and sat down. He didn't bother ending a song he just played one continuous round of different songs as the woman waited, he would bide his time, they after all did have the time. When she finally left he smirked again and finally ended the happy tune that Sylvia was spouting off. Taking his bow after the applause he quickly made his way out of the saloon, just in time to see the woman disappear into the hotel.

Millie jumped at the sound of Merle's voice that broke the silence of the room. "Merle, shhhhh!" She said in loud whisper and gestured to Vash. "Mister Vash just fell asleep," she said going up to the smaller woman.
"He must have been really, really tired. I asked him if he had been working on the plant and he said yes. So I don't know if waking him up would be a good idea or not." The big girl explained to her partner as she played a bit with the washcloth that she picked back up to take care of.

Merle looked at Millie, "I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said in a loud whisper.
The door banging open woke the gunman. "Draaaaah!" he sat up quickly, the motion making him dizzy as he teetered for a moment and fell with a loud thud on the floor. "Ouch…" was all he managed to breath out as the room spun around him and made him almost sick.

Merle jumped as Vash yelled out and fell on the floor with a thud. Running over to the woozy gunman she looked at him, "Are you alright, Vash?"
"Oh dear!!" Millie commented as Vash hit the floor and she followed Merle over to the bed with a concerned look on her face. "Yes are you alright Mister Vash?"
* * *

He quickly made his way to the stately manor and found him. "I have seen something today that would more than likely interest you, sir." He smirked again at the thought, "It may help us find the Master."

"What did you find?" The man replied as slight smile of satisfaction slid across his face that reflected in his golden eyes. He went to stand by the window to gaze out at the lights the twinkled on in a few of the buildings that were bustling with activity, mostly the saloon, the hotel, and the brothel house.
* * *
The gunman looked up at the two Insurance girls, only he saw about eight of them, "Which one of you is the real one?" he asked sounding rather spacey.

Merle frowned, "I would take that as a no." She bit her lip trying to think, "Okay, we need to get him back in bed and some food down him." Standing up she went over to the bags that she had brought back with her and started to rifle through them.

Millie nodded, "Right Merle," the big girl said enthusiastically as Merle took charge. "Easy Mister Vash," Millie added as she gently scooped the gunman up and placed him back in bed. "Merle's going to get some food ready for you and you better eat it all up," again she wagged her finger at Vash. "It will make you feel better," she said with a big smile.

Knives stirred slightly in his sleep as Vash hit the floor, but he did not wake. At least he did not wake due to his brother, he did wake how ever due to another frightful nightmare. Or more pointedly the continuation of the dream he started to have when he woke from his sleep due to his twin. The dream had changed though, he was not dead...
He had not even been shot. The only constant was that his twin was still nailed to the tree with unseeing eyes. He again found himself standing before his twin, who began to move. He watched his brother tear free from the tree to leave gruesome gaping wounds in his shoulders, hands and feet and fall to the ground with a sickening thud, causing Knives to take a couple of steps back.
"What's the matter dear brother?" Vash said as he stood up with jerking rag doll movements. "Don't you recognize me?"
Knives then took another step back, "Vash...Wh...What happened to you?" Knives replied in a slight choked tone. "You did, dear brother, your hatred of humanity did this to me," Vash replied as he reached out a torn hand toward his brother.
Knives could feel the cold touch of his dead twin against his skin and he woke with a frightful shriek that no one could hear, save maybe his twin.
The darkness just seemed to quiver within it's hiding place in delight. Soaking up the agonized scream as if it were a delicacy.
* * *
Brown eyes smiled evilly, "The girls that travel with the master's twin." He looked at the other man, "Perhaps they would know something."

The slight smile grew slightly upon the man's face, "Where are they staying?" He looked over his shoulder slightly at the other man. "Do you know if Vash the Stampede is with them?" He then turned to look back out the window. "This may work out better then we anticipated, wouldn't you say. That is if Vash the Stampede is here."

"They are staying at the big hotel in town, master." He looked at his superior, "I am not sure if Vash the Stampede is with them or not but my guess would be yes, they do after all follow him everywhere."

"Yes, but we must know for sure. Do you think that you could find out without being noticed? It would be of the utmost importance that either the insurance girls or Vash the Stampede for that matter did not see you. If Vash the Stampede is there we may be able to work his arrival to our advantage." He did not bother to turn to the other man as he spoke, he just continued looking out the window in an almost lazy fashion. 'We will find you Master,' he thought.
* * *
The tall gunman had little sense as he was picked up and put back in bed, as the room was still spinning. He looked at the Millies and slightly nodded his head, "Okay..." his voice still had that spacey sound to it. He wasn't about to argue when there were eight different Millies wagging their finger at him.

Finally getting a couple of the Salmon sandwiches prepared Merle walked over to the bed and set the plate on the stand beside it. "Millie, would you try feeding him?" she really didn't want to ask that of the big girl but she doubted that at this point she could really handle it. Then walking back over to where the picture of tea was she poured a glass and stuck a straw in it.

"Ok Merle, are you sure?" The big girl asked as she picked up the plate from the nightstand and sat down on the bed next to Vash. She watched Merle go back over to get Vash something to drink so she decided that she'd try to get Vash to eat as Merle asked her to. "Look Mister Vash, Merle bought you some of those yummy salmon sandwiches that you love so much. Now open up and say ahhh, since we need you to eat. Other wise you will make Merle and me worry very very much it if you don't.

The room finally stationary and only one Millie above him the gunman sighed in relief, "Glad to see only one of you again, friend." He didn't move as he just nodded and opened his mouth to be fed.

Merle just shook her head at the gunman, "You are an idiot you know that." Setting the drink on the table she went back to where the food was sitting to prepare some of it for Millie and herself.

Millie looked confused for a moment as she placed the sandwich where Vash's could take a bite. "Are you sure that your ok, Mister Vash? You really must be careful so that you don't get hurt."
She watched Merle as she set the glass down on the table and went back to the rest of the food. "Thanks Merle," she said to her partner with a smile. "At least we accomplished one thing since I don't think that the paper work is going to get done anytime soon. We found Mister Vash!" The girl was in better spirits now that Vash was awake and coherent.

Taking a bite of the sandwich Vash looked at Millie oddly, "Why wouldn't I be alright?" although he had to admit to himself that he definitely felt weak. Then taking a few more bites he clumsily reached for the glass of Ceylon Tea.

Merle just sighed as she prepared the plates and poured glasses of tea for herself and Millie. What was she going to do now? Now that they had found Vash again, would this mean less work? She shook her head, no she had to get her paper work done. She sighed again she really didn't like it when things left her control.

* * *
The black-headed man nodded, "Yes, I am sure that I can. After all I am a Gun Ho Gun," his smirk turned into a ruthless smile. "Yes, it will be to our advantage, master."

The man looked over his shoulder, slightly and nodded to his subordinate. "Just don't fail me," he said his silken voice laced with a deadly threat. "Return when you have found out if Vash the Stampede is indeed within the hotel."

The man nodded, "Yes, master. I will not fail you." Getting up he walked out of the manner, footsteps sounding hollow on the wooden floor. Looking at his saxophone he smiled, "Looks like we have a little job to do Sylvia." He walked along the dusty path and back into the main part of town where he had seen the Insurance woman head into the hotel. Looking around him he walked into a clothing shop. Rifling through a rack he was satisfied to come out with a handsome pin stripe suit and nice white shirt. Then looking at the hats he finally chose a rather wide brimmed one, it would hide his face nicely. Walking up to the counter he paid for them.
Then going into a dressing room he changed his clothes and came back out, "Mind keeping these for me for a little while?" he held up his normal clothes.
"No sir," the shopkeeper said taking the clothes.
MidValley nodded at the man, his smirk hidden by the hat.
Then walking out of the shop and down the street he nonchalantly walked into the hotel and up to the front desk.
"May I help you, sir?"
The man in the dark suit nodded, "Yes, I have a musical telegram for a couple of the ladies that are staying here."
"Oh," the man looked a bit skeptical, "What are their names?"
The man shrugged slightly, "All they told me was that it was for a couple of insurance girls. I do believe that they work for the Bernardali Insurance Company."
The man nodded his head slowly as he eyed the instrument in MidValley's hands, "Okay, they are in room number seven."
The man nodded his head, the rueful smirk hidden again by his wide brimmed hat that was tilted forward and to the side. Walking up the stairs he walked up to Room number seven's door and knocked, then he waited.