Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Andora's Secret ❯ Andora's Secret ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

-1-

There were a series of soft beeping sounds emitting from the darkened
room in a run down medical lab. A soft shuffle of a single pair of
shoes dashed excitedly across the floor, soft whispers could be heard,
but only of a single voice." Please...let this last connection work."
The soft female voice pleaded to herself, desperation and exhaustion
tinted her tone.

The room was illuminated with a harsh white light, form an overhead
florescent fixture. The color made dark circles under her eyes on her
pale skin. Her usually lively honey brown eyes were glassy and
unrealistic looking. She had long black hair with soft blue tints, the
hair cascaded down her back and stopped short of the back of her
knees. She wore a pendant on a small link chain, a reminder of her
previous life, plain white t-shirt, tucked into, slim legged jeans,
she wore simple brown loafers on her feet. She wasn't too tall, but
she wasn't short either. She leaned over a table; something lay atop
the long table but was concealed under a large white sheet. A small
panel was open and she held a tiny wire and a screwdriver in her hand,
and was working on something within the seemingly large object.

A soft crackle of electricity, and a dim hum, much like an electrical
appliance makes when turned on buzzed about the room. "Yes...it
worked...it worked..." The voice softly praised. The gentle hum of the
electricity running through the item hidden beneath the white sheet,
she stood up arching her back, relieving her back of the terrible ache
that had formed in the small of it. She walked away from the table and
to a silver cabinet, covering the metallic surface was a series of
colored electrical wires, screws, mechanical parts, and other various
items to work with. All along the walls of this rather large and old
room were medical utensils as well as technical instruments, looking
something like a combination emergency room, and auto repair shop,
more than anything a clip from Frankenstein would surface in ones mind
with the sight of this room. She had balanced her back against the icy
metal and was rubbing the back of her neck with a free hand, she
sighed out looking at the large object taking up the middle of the
room.

" Well...I should work on her more... but ..." She spoke to no one but
herself and the sheets. Then dropped her hand down to her hip, the
other tucked into the pocket of her jeans. She blinked her eyes and
stared off into space, she began to think back, she didn't noticed
what had triggered her memory. She was staring at a jacket she
constructed, a long large blue trench coat type of jacket, hanging
form the same hook was some black pants and a black bra top, some
leather strip gloves reinforced with metal bits and joints, matching
chaps and boots of the same material. These items were made with the
idea of one soul boy, the one who kept her restless spirit alive, and
able to manifest into a solid form. Yes, she had died not to long ago,
leaving this boy, with her murderer, but she only learned that later,
once she found him and watched him secretly from any hidden crevice
and shadow she could hide in. The items were made to be identical to
his, but varied slightly enough to give her creation a different
identity. She could recall the very day she had died, something in her
gut had told her it was him, but her heart didn't want to except the
fact that one of the children she cared so much for could cause such a
thing, and she also knew she had to save the others, the countless
others that were aboard the ships that were with hers.

She remembered what he looked like then, the last time she physically
saw him. He was so young, only one, but something about them had
heightened growth and mental ageing process. He has the sweetest eyes,
a light bright blue green color, his hair was a bold blonde and spiked
up, she used to tease him about looking like a broom. She laughed
closing her eyes and pressing a hand to her forehead, she shook her
head gently as she chuckled. She opened her eyes and small crystalline
teardrops were in the corners. She missed him terribly, and she wished
she now had energy to find him.

With the thoughts of her energy being low, her image flickered
slightly and she was a light more translucent apparition. She winced
in pain and bent over catching her balance, her breath came out in
short spasms. She need to rest, she had been working on this secret
project for long hours and her energy couldn't hold keep her spiritual
form of a solid body in tact with this plane of living. She walked
over to the figure and pulled back the sheet to look at the face. The
face was identical to hers, the eyes were open but lifeless, and the
color was a soft muted blue with light gray, light like the skies
during the clearest day. She studied the face; it was modeled after
her own image to remind someone of herself. The being that laid there
had no hair yet, but markings as to where she would place actual hair
that would grow later, it would grow quickly when the body started up,
going from a short buzz cut to a complete long mane in a matter of
hours. She touched the female's face gently, much like a mother to a
sleeping child, and smiled down at her. Her image flickered again
growing to a soft white mist. She placed the sheet over the sleeping
girl again, and walked to the table, she had one more adjustment to
make, she unclasped her necklace and laid it down, on the back of the
strange pendant, she made a memory chip for her creation, it would
start up as soon as she places it around her neck, it would serve as a
visual and mental memory bank until she could create a more permanent
one.

The ghost shell of a lady fell to one knee coughing and gasping for
air, her energy could no longer support her manifestation and she was
in terrible pain, who thought it would possible for those souls in
limbo to still feel pain, but the could. She left the necklace where
it lay and turned facing the body. Across form her, the sun was
rising, the small her window was to the west, so the window was a dark
black hole, she walked over to the sheet and peered down at it,
unknown to her actions for the past thirty minutes or so were being
watched. As she concentrated on sending her soul back into limbo for a
quick rest, the living world around her dissolved and turned into
nothing but a vast endless sea of black, she had arrived to limbo, and
not a second to soon, for her soul shut down into a slumber, she'd
awaken later, and begin the final tasks of bring her creation into the
living.

The occupant from outside was crouched down in the sand, hidden and
watching through the window, as the lady figure he recognized vanished
into a swirling could of soft fog, his breath caught in his throat.

"No...she's dead...I know she is...Rem...no I killed her..." He
whispered, a dark soulless twinge of evil in his tone of soft voice.
He walked to the door, sure that the soul of the woman his brother so
madly loved was gone and walked in. He shut the door an a wicked grin
spread across his lips, he had short mute blonde hair, and cold blue
eyes, a darkness seemed to hover over him like a protective shield
form the good, he appeared to be rather young, maybe in his late
teens. He walked over to the being laying under the white sheet and
threw the sheet to her knees. A gasp caught in his throat.

His eyes looked to her face, this tall slender being had the face of
Rem, he trailed down her soft throat and to the swell of her shapely
breasts past muted tan nipples to a smooth gentle stomach, then her
returned to her eyes when something behind him caught his attention
somehow. He turned and saw Rem's pendant where she had left it, almost
immediately a soft laugh came to his throat he walked to it and picked
it up, slipping it into his pocket.

"This could come in handy." He said to himself laughing darkly again.
He turned yet again and faced the body, he started to walk out, when a
sweetly evil thought came into his head, he turned back to her, while
running a hand through his short unruly hair, he grabbed the proper
tools and began his sabotage on her innocent mind. He programmed a
darkness to turn over her good when something of strong power was
near, such as himself or his minions. He smiled all through the
demented process, completing his task and returning everything to the
way is was before, he was looking down at the body and taking note of
everything, and he leaned over, caressed her cheek gently, smiled that
dark and sinister smile, and set a gentle kiss on her soft, cold,
lifeless lips, when leaning back and covering the body he whispered to
the empty air around him.

" O when you are to breath your first lungful of air, what a Pandora's
box Rem shall open..." He chuckled darkly before covering her, her
lifeless eyes, took it's only image, and image that would play like a
childhood dream, soft hazing and unrealistic, of a boy, a cold, evil
monster, with eyes like steel, kissing her, and smiling, but forever
burned into her psyche would be those eyes, the cold...cold heartless
eyes, of a madman, of a killer, of Knives.

-2-

The death was a million years long, time has yet to have existed, but
a soul was being re-born. The soul spoke, a soft sweet voice, gently
high and light, one that made the heart want to sing out, like a child
dancing in a field of wild flowers. A bodiless entity floating about a
medical room, A lady with long flowing Raven black hair was working on
another lady, the lady was several feet taller, but was laying down on
the bed. The soul turned to get a better view. Is...is she dead? The
soul spoke to itself, its own thought voice echoing about its mind. No
the one on the table wasn't dead, just suspended in time, so to say.
She looked to the one on the table, she had short buzzed black hair
and closed eyes, she was pretty, the soul thought, lovely. The soul
longed to belong to a body like that. She looks, so sweet, and
innocent, like a child...a large...child. The soul thought again, she
was getting closer when the one standing caught her attention. She was
shocked to see the same face. The soul was leaning in close to examine
the one working, inches away, studying carefully.

" I hate to bother you in such deep study, but...I do need to clearly
see her." Rem said.

The soul, if it was in a body, would have doubled over and screamed in
shock, as Rem was speaking to it. Rem lifted her honey brown eyes to
where the soul was located, it appeared only as a small light shimmer
under the harsh lighting, the soul fidgeted oddly.

"How do I see you, you ask?" Rem repeated the soul thoughts aloud only
for the sake of it. "I am a soul myself, devoid of my human body, but
I have the power to manifest into a physical solid form. I felt your
presence, faintly saw you spiritual residue, and I can hear your
thoughts as well." She smiled sweetly in its direction. The soul
relaxed and moved, allowing Rem free sight, as well as giving its' own
freedom of study. The soul was longing to live again; it had long
forgotten its previous life and had grown cold. Without a soul, she
will never feel. The soul thought and reached a small trendil of soft
spiritual energy to the cheek of the body.

"That is another reason I acknowledged your presence, I need for her
to have a soul." Rem said leaning back gently and brushing her long
layered bangs out of her eyes. "You have been the first soul to come
across this lab that would truly suit her, and by the reactions I feel
from you, you long to live again, no?" She asked lifting a thin black
eyebrow at the shimmering image that was near the head of the being.

"Good, then you agree, you wish to become her soul...good, this will
work wonderfully." Rem smiled and nodded clapping her hands together.
"Though there is one drawback..."Rem said her tone going serious.
"When you join with the body, all memories of you have obtained while
in your spiritual form will be obliterated. You will only know
yourself as a new, child like adult, nothing more..." Rem finished and
watched as the air shimmered, the soul was processing the thoughts
slowly, making sure the decision she would come up with would be a
good one. The soul shifted and moved to the other side of Rem, facing
the body also, the soul turned and its thought whispered into Rem's
mind.

"Good, then lets us being..." Rem said gently smiling. "One more
thing... What would you like your name to be?" She asked walking to a
cylinder of blue liquid in the corner of the room. "Pandora..." Rem
repeated with a questioning tone, and then rolled the name along her
tongue. "Why such a name? " She turned facing the shimmering image
next to the beings head. Silence seemed to draw across the room as Rem
was listening. "I see...you always liked the story of
Pandora...Well..." She said returning to the being and the soul empty
handed. "Perhaps a small change will be better...how about Andora?
"She said changing the name lightly. A soft smile came across her
face. "Andora it is." She said with a single nod of her head, the
shimmering mass of nothing fidgeted happily with the thought of being
re-born, and into such a wonderful body nonetheless. The soul was
itching to join, but couldn't clearly understand how. Rem had gotten
the body to a sitting up position and on the back for the nearly human
body was a small panel that was open, inside the parted small metallic
doors was a series of wires and circuits, chips and mechanics. Rem
poked at one small wiring with a small electrical pen, creating a
small crackling sound. " Here's how..." Rem spoke finally after what
seemed to be an eternity of silence and electrical crackle.

Rem went into a lengthy explanation as to how the soul could flow into
the body like an electrical current, since many soul forms are made up
of oddly powered static electricity. The soul could then detach itself
from the circuits of the mechanical part of the body, and could join
to the soul heart, and mind, creating a live being, a being that could
feel, and love. "Before we begin the joining, we must awaken her
internal organs." Rem explained as she began turning small switches on
along side the medical tab, a soft hum and a whir. The being who has
been created only two days earlier was beginning to gain color, a soft
beige color, the soul fidgeted uncomfortable.

"I'm just pumping blood into her, this is what will begin the entire
process, but she will not be alive till you join with her." Rem said
softly monitoring the being. As the blood slowly hit key areas,
electrical impulses began her vital organs, for the first time her
heartbeat, a soft and gentle sound of heart being born, then a gasp
was heard, as the being took it's first breath. Her eyes still had no
life in them, it was lacking the key point to all the life in eyes, a
soul, right now it was simply machine following commands. Rem turned
to the area of the room where the soul stood awaiting orders. "Come,
we must do it now." Rem instructed gently, excitement in her voice, no
matter how hard she tried to hide it.

As previously discussed the soul successfully followed orders and went
inside the body. Rem shut the doors to the panel and seemed it up,
that was the last opening to the skin, and she fused the skin to be
that like a humans, the blood completed its route and she now had the
body of a natural born human being. Rem places the sheet on the being
and laid it down, then opened the eyes and waited, all that was left
was for the soul to join and become a living creature. Rem anxiously
waited the time, watching ever carefully the eyes. Suddenly a small
glimmer of light lit in the darkest section of the eye, the pupil
seemed to shimmer lightly much like the air had done when the soul
fidgeted. The eyes fluttered and a gasps was sucked quickly into the
lungs.

"Hello, can you hear me? " Rem spoke gently, leaning in closer to the
beings ear.

" Y-y-yes" a soft sweet voice; gentle high and light, one that made
the heart wants to sing out, the souls voice whispered. The being that
was just born laid there, hearing it's own heartbeat in its ears.
"W-w-who...? " The being spoke, her eyes focusing on the face before
her.

"You are Andora...Andora Killhurst " Rem spoke as the being shut her
eyes to rest, for her first day of birth, she would go to sleep
seconds after opening her eyes. Rem covered her with and extra blanket
and shut off the light, not realizing the pendant had been missing for
the past three days. She turned once more at the doorway and looked
towards her creation. "Good Night Andora..." Rem whispered into the
dark air, the soft breathing of a person sleeping sounded from the
middle of the room, Rem shut the door gently as not to disturb her,
and vanished returning to Limbo yet again, she need rest for the next
day, she would work hard to teach this person everything needed to
survive and live. Once reaching Limbo, Rem was yet again thrown into
full deep sleep soon as the world around her dissolved into the sea of
black again, a thick hard rest, the first one she would get since the
beginning of Andora's creation.

-3-

She stirred, her skin was alive with sensations, she fluttered her
eyes open, and stared at the dark ceiling, and waited, she could hear
a soft sandstorm blowing the sands against the tin of the building.
She was covered by two white sheets, and nothing more, the skin of her
back could feel the cold steel of the medical table she was laying on,
she didn't know what time is was or how long she was there, but she
knew by the soft thudding in her ears, she was alive. She lifted a
slender arm and hand up to her head; she ran soft fingers through her
hair. The sensation was pleasant, a soft almost velvet like buzz cut
hairstyle; she wondered what color it was, and hoped it was something
dark. She removed her other arm from under the blanket, placing the
sheet back over her breast pinning it down next to her sides and
turned her head. There was a soft beeping sound with a gentle blinking
red light and a dancing green line, somehow she knew it was a vital
signs monitor, and by the looks of it, she was perfectly fine.

" I am A-Andora..." She spoke to her own ears, her voice was pleasant
even to herself, she smiled, and touched her lips when she did, they
were a gently soft feeling a little dry, but soft. She licked her lips
moist with a simple swipe of her tongue, it was an odd sensation but
it made her smile anyways. She closed her eyes again and ran a finger
over the delicate lacework of her lashes, they felt like dandelion
fluff, she smiled and rested her hand down at her side and waited for
the lady from before to come back.

The air in the hallway leading to the door that Andora was being kept
in shimmered and swirled, an image was slowly appearing in the air, it
moved as the image of Rem manifested thicker. By the time she reached
the door she was manifested completely. She grasped the handle and
turned. On the other side Andora heard the door latch click and
opening. She turned her head and looked at the silhouetted form of
Rem.

"Andora, are you awake? " Rem's motherly tone danced lightly across
the room.

"Yes, I am." Andora softly replied. The light was flicked on and the
harsh bold white was washed across the room, Andora winced as her
pupils adjusted form the transition of dark to extreme bright.

" Oh, I'm sorry..." Rem blushed slightly when she saw her face
contort.

"It's alright." Andora softly smiled. Rem shut the door and made her
way to Andora.

" Today we'll do some medical exams, and then see if you're ready to
get up? How's that sound?" Rem said grabbing a few medical instruments
for the exams. Andora nodded, and watched with glittering eyes. Rem
smiled and walked over to her.

"First test, see if you can sit up." She said grabbing the black bra
top off the hook of the door only to return to Andora's side before
she began to move. Andora slid her hands and lifted using her stomach
muscles, they were strong so this was easy for her, and she propped up
on her elbows shortly, before reaching full sitting position her legs
straight out in front of her, with the knees bent slightly. The white
sheet piled up around her waist she was exposing her top half; she
looked down at her breast, and turned a soft shade of pink. She turned
her head to Rem and went to say something when Rem's shade also
accompanied Andora's.

"They are called breasts." Rem chuckled out as Andora poked one out of
idle curiosity.

"What are they for?" She asked in a soft tone as she finally turned
her attention to Rem, it was surprising that she knew most
information, but not much on the human body, yet. Rem couldn't help
but laugh, once done she cleared her throat and explained the basics
of female anatomy and biology of both man and woman, to Andora, the
ending results was two shades of a darker blush to both of their faces
followed by laughter. Once done with the lecture and the bombardment
of questions, Rem held up the black bra top to Andora, and told her
about clothing, and then taught her how to dress herself.

A few hours later Andora was dressed and had her legs dangling over
the edge of the table leaning forwards watching Rem. The room had been
silent for some time now, with exception of the soft humming from Rem.

"Rem...are you my m-mother?" Andora asked blinking, she reminded Rem
of a child. Rem froze in place and smiled, she had always wanted a
child, just not exactly like this.

"In a way you could say I am, Andora." She turned and smiled at the
Andora watching her with a tilted head.

"I created life in you, and I care about you like you are my child,
but I did not give birth to you." Rem explained walking closer to
Andora. Andora's only responder was a more confused look.

" You are nearly completely human, in the since that you have real
organs, and a real brain, and a soul...but part of you is android,
artificial life." Rem said walking to work on a silver object.

" Android, which part Rem?" Andora asked with a quizzical tone. Rem
turned her head and looked at her, then went to get a medical chart of
the spine, the chart showed, the spine the rib cage, and the brain
stem.

" All of your spine, part of this...your brain stem, and only portions
of you ribs." She noted as she pointed to the places on the chart.

"Why?" Was the only that came from Andora this time.

"You had some damage to your spine so I had to recreate one with
highly advanced technology, but I had real ribs so I had to join them
with mechanics also, and the brain stem is also part of the brain as
well as the spine, so that's a combination real and prosthetics." She
said returning the chart to a cabinet and working on the midnight
chrome item.

"Rem, will I be able to have children?" Andora tilted her head again.

".... Not at this time, that was one thing I never found... the
Ovaries that have the egg. I don't know enough information right now
to recreate it, or to create the right reaction for you to create your
own eggs. But I will try for you one day." She said gently and smiled
when all she got was a nod.

For the entire time Rem was working on the object, her and Andora
spoke about living. But not once did it occurred to Andora to ask Rem
about herself, she just was fascinated to learn so much about the
things she would be responsible for. With each passing hour Andora's
short buzzed hair was growing and inch at a time, the expected
reaction Rem had programmed her body to have once fully operational.
When a stray strand of hair had fallen in Andora's eyes she crossed
them to look at it.

"Ohh...hair, my hair..." She said grabbing it and gently tugging it.
She looked into the dark color, it was a rich black color, and it had
a soft blue hue to it when the light reflected off of it. Andora
looked to Rem who was busy working on what now looked to be a rather
large pistol.

"My hair is black like hers..." She whispered to herself, when she
noticed another midnight chrome gun, much like the one Rem was working
on right now, was resting on its side next to the table, Andora
dropped a foot to the floor, and came to standing, she felt the
muscles in her legs flex when she took her first step, Rem turned and
smiled. She walked to the gun and looked at it, bending over then she
straightened up and walked to Rem, she looked down realizing how short
Rem was.

"Rem, why am I so tall?" Andora asked tilting her head, her hair had
gotten quite lengthy, it reached the point of the bottom of her
shoulder blades, and would reach the back of her calves by the end of
the night.

"Oh, I made you tall...because, I know someone who will be as tall, if
not taller than you, and I hope you're going to be traveling with him.
Besides, you look good as an Amazon." Rem joked. Andora smiled and she
looked down.

"How tall am I exactly?" She tilted her head again.

" Seven foot one." Rem smiled and held out the gun. Andora looked down
at it and lifted a thin brow.

"It's a gun, for protection." Rem said placing it in the holster that
was on Andora's hip, she walked and got the other one and placed it in
the other holster. The world was a rather bad place, lots of bandits
and thieves. Andora would need protection, and this was one measure.
This lead into another lengthy lecture on guns, and protection, as
well as other things needed to know, which eventually led into a
discussion of the person Rem wanted Andora to find, when Rem realized
that, something was missing, as well as wrong. The memory pendant was
gone. She frantically searched through cabinet and drawer, throwing
them open and dashing to and fro, her image flickering madly with
anxiety. She turned her eyes glimmering like star reflecting in a
rippling pool. "It's gone..." She whispered out, sounding like her
heart was wedged in her throat. Andora sat on the medical table facing
her an innocently lost expression on her face.

"What's gone Rem?" She asked sounding much like a curious child, her
hair was resting against her cheeks and shoulders, and she blinked her
light eyes slowly.

"A pendant with a chip on the reverse side..." Rem said placing a hand
on her forehead and leaning back, she seemed older than before as her
image rippled. " It contains information that will immediately affect
your memory, since your brain is fairly new, your memory is faltered,
if an accident occurs to where you are unconscious you'll forget
everything...even who you are." Rem exhaled slowly and ran her hand
through her hair; it softly fell against her skin again. "But now it
has come up missing, and without it you'll only be able to remember
vague things, almost as if a dream, and you can't quiet figure out who
is who and what is what..." She finished drawing her lips in a taught
line of worry.

"Can't you just make another?" Andora asked tilting her head like she
always did, it reminded Rem of the way a curious kitten does when
coming across something confusing. Rem shook her head and closed her
eyes.

"Not as simple as it seems, the chip was one of a kind, and I don't
have the time or the material to recreate it... but I have a feeling
it will turn up." She said looking to Andora. After a few moment of
digesting the information she nodded in understanding.

-4-

A few long years had passed since Rem had passed away in a sabotage
explosion, sacrificing her own life to save so many others. She died
at the hands of a child, but she died saving so many souls. Though the
saving of the others in the ship fleet she had been on lead to his
insanity, making him binge on becoming God, and deciding who should
live, and who should die. But someone was out there, to stop him, and
Angel.

There was a person sitting under what used to be a bridge, now it was
only half of one. There used to be a river flowing under there, soft
clear, sparkling water, fish lived here, and on what was now barren
sun cracked desert, was once a fresh and fertile land, and a small
town. But that was long ago, and now the only thing occupying this
place was a shadow beneath the half arch of the once whole bridge. He
was sitting in the cooler shade to get refuge from the blazing heat.
His bright bluish green eyes watched the heat phantasms distort and
make the air dance, rising form the ground in a rippling fog of clear
heat waves. He blinked as he thought he saw a figure. Shook his head
clearing the phantasms hypnotic dance. He was young looking, his
middle teens is seemed, he was tall, he had golden blonde hair, spiked
up with something of a backward angle, it would remind most of the end
of a broom, but was becoming of him. His long legs were bent up in
front of him and his arms were hugging them to his chest. He wore a
long red trench jacket of sorts, a bright crimson color. He also had
thick leather strip gloves, with silver joints and caps covering
certain areas, his long slender fingers were grasping his legs, which
were clad in booted chaps that were made of identical material as his
gloves, as he stared off through half open lids. Beneath his left eye
he had a beauty mark, a soft black dot, it as well as everything else,
was becoming of him, his eyes slid shut, soft lashes bushing against
his cheeks. As he slipped from this world into a land of dreaming, he
heard a familiar song play before his misty dreamscape. The land he
was sitting on was lush with winter grass, and had a field of red
flowers growing near by; the wind would spin up a soft warm breeze and
stir the flowers gently. He was staring off into the horizon leaning
against a rather large apple tree, several red ripe apples were
scattered about the ground. Someone was seated next to him humming a
familiar song, he turned to see who was there, and his eyes gently
doubled.

"R-R-Rem?" He stuttered out. "Is it possible? Are you here?" He said
leaning over to the misty figure of the lady who basically raised him
and his brother.

" This is a dream Vash..." Her soft voice spoke to his mind directly
form hers, the voice was a soft gentle whisper. "Someone is looking
for you..." She said her voice trailing on the wind.

" Rem...I." He stopped short starting to cry. Rem didn't turn her
face, for her other eye had a shimmering tear sliding down it.

"Vash...She needs your help... I wish I could stay...to explain...but
my time is short...I must go...I'll come back...I promise..." She said
her image growing ever misty; she was nearly gone as Vash cried out
for her to stay. As the dream Rem vanished Vash awoke tears running
down his cheeks and buried his head and sobbed to the empty world. He
missed Rem so much, he had loved her dearly, more than anyone could
understand, and now she was gone, at the hand of his brother. He
wanted to see her again, he wanted to be able to hold her hand or hug
her, to cry one her shoulder, but that was all lost now. He hated his
brother so much for it, he was the one who killed her, killed them
all, he took all those innocent lives into his own hands and played
God, he would pay. With thought of his brother paying for the murders
he remembered what Rem said that day, through tears, "Take care of
Knives Vash..." The words echoed through his mind, several meanings
jumping from the words, then again the hot streaks of tears burned his
cheeks and he cried again, sitting in the shade of a broken bridge,
the sky turning soft pinks and purples, and the suns setting beneath
the horizon. He would sleep here again, in a fit of bad dreams and
crying.

-Several years past, Vash has grown and the crime rate has been slow.
Andora has gained a fame of being a killer, and Vash has been having
bad luck with insurance girls. Today would be no different, each there
own would have bad luck, but today...Andora meets a killer. -

-5-

He was sitting on a park bench, he had changed his clothes to go
unnoticed, but there he sat, waiting, for her. He was wearing a large
flannel shirt, open with a white undershirt, some loose blue jeans and
tennis shoes. He ran a careless hand through his untamed short mute
blonde hair, and closed his light blue eyes, lifting his face to the
sun. He stretched his arms out to his sides on the back of the bench
and listened to the people about him, thinking of there soon to be,
demise. A dark smile came to his lips as he daydreamed of their blood
washing the earth of their toxins. When he heard it, it was so distant
but he knew what it was, it was a song, a soft song, Rem's song, but
from someone else's lips, he listened longer as she approached.

Her hands were buried inside her blue coats pockets, she walked with
grace her eyes staring straight ahead into the town, she was hoping no
one saw her, she was gently singing the song Rem sang so often. She
was wearing small circular sunglasses, deep red in color, and had her
now long black mane tied into a tight braid that swung with each
graceful stride. The coat was large but hugged her in a way. She was
walking through the town in search for someone; her steps were leading
her towards the large statue in the center of the town. Around the
statue were benches with a few people on them, a lady and a little
girl on one, and little boy and a puppy, and a man, lounging in the
sun. She thought nothing of the people and continued to walk on.

He watched her though half closed eyes, and recognized her instantly.
That's the girl from the lab, the Pandora's box...oh to put fear in
her heart...to make Rem fear...He smiled and shifted to a sitting
position.

"Hello there...." He said to her in a silken tone as she walked in
front of him.

"Who me?" She asked lifting a brow and pointing to herself.

"Yes, you...." He smiled a wicked grin and his light blue eyes flashed
to her. She noticed the eyes and a gasp caught in her throat, as she
was unable to move, she was frozen in terror as she knew he was that
man from her dreams the one who would kiss her and had evil about him,
with eyes colder than anything imaginable.

"Y-you..." She spoke breathlessly as he stood up. He walked over to
her and leaned in, looking into her eyes.

"So you do remember me...good..." He looked her up and down, looking
to the pale soft features of her face. He stood up and smiled the same
cold smile, licking his lips gently. He had been having dreams about
her for a while now, of her soft body, of the things he could do. He
laughed, sending a cold chill through her body.

"Stop it..." She said fear cracking her voice; she knew he was
controlling her, and that he had something planed.

"Oh, but you like it.... you've had dreams...of me" He toyed with her.
"Come...we have plans..." He chuckled taking her arm and leading her
to an inn. She had no choice but to follow him. Her legs being
controlled by him, he patted her hand gently, and smiled a wicked
grin, and in away, she choked back the feeling of fear.

They reach the inn room, and he locked the door behind her, her fear
immediately over flooded her mind as she now had control of her body
again, she whipped around and came nose to nose with him. He had a
sickening demented smile across his lips, her breath again caught in
her throat as her heart skipped a beat. Her mind was whirling as she
wanted to say something, she wanted to fight, but she was frozen in
place, by her own fear. He has his eyes closed as was just standing
there, he opened his eyes slowly mute blonde lashes rising, revealing
a dull blue color of eyes, a storm cloud brewed in them, hiding
something, fear, anger, jealousy, remorse, and insanity all glimmered
across the surface. Those eyes that plagues her dreams and nightmares.

" Your fear...is so thick Andora..." His voice, soft and dark
whispered within her mind. With his words echoing in her mind, there
was a short flex of her brain, sort of like a ripple, then the world
around her went black, the last thing she saw were his eyes.

-6-

The soft song of high winds against grains of sand sung in her ears,
and immediately she was aware of the blazing suns burning down on her,
she gasped for air, her mouth was parched and she was halfway hidden
beneath a thick layer of sand. Her skin stung from sand cuts, and her
lungs burned from labored breathing. She could hear the sound of
footsteps coming, soft and gentle, but staggering, she reached a hand
up to the sky and croaked out a sound. Her mind was whirling for help;
she need water, and fast. A hand clutched hers, not caring if it was a
threat or not she let it aid her up to her feet, where she collapsed
on their shoulders. She tried to open her eyes to see her was aiding
her, but she was to weak and sun sick to do anything. She just inhaled
slowly, and could smell something, she inhaled again more for testing
than breathing, and she recognized it from the times she had passed it
before...cigarette smoke.

He was walking with his back against a fierce sandstorm that had
sprung up, balanced on one shoulder was a large cross, draped in a
white cloth and fastened with leather straps, he had a soft olive
tanned skin, and foreign eyes, a dark color, a deep pool of emotions,
past, and a short future, his mouth was shut around a badly bend and
half burned cigarette, the smoke was not seen with the whipping winds.
He wore a black suit, cross shaped silver cufflinks, a white shirt
unbutton at the top, showing his toned chest, a black strap choker
with a silver cross on it on his neck, black shoes, that had small
scuffs on the toes and heels. He was leaning over the sand pelting the
back of his suit, a little hot and exhausted from the long trek from
nowhere, but still he still pressed on directed by something to keep
going. He stumbled momentarily before regaining his footing, the wind
gusted and something moved in the distance, it caught his eye. Is this
what I am searching for? He asked himself silently. He walked till the
protruding object became clear, an arm, half buried in sand, a dark
brown and deep silver glove. The fingers were limp, the arm help up,
he approached with caution, as he also saw a half covers booted leg of
the same material as the arm. Vash? His mind became alarmed but he
calmed himself, as he got nearer he heard an almost inaudible sound.

" Dear God..." He whispered to himself and reached down clasping the
hand, there was barely a response, but he felt the person try to grab,
he heaved with all his strength as the winds slowed, he saw the sand
tumble away from a dried out young woman, she had long cascading black
hair, and soft skin, her eyes were shut, and she was breathing with
trouble, she was in need of help, and fast. He lifted her and placed a
hand around his shoulder and held her around her waist, shifting the
weight of the cross, the wind was whipping the dark hair about, he saw
her pick up her head, then drop down again and listened for breathing
he hear the labored inhales and began walking, dragging the body with
him, he puffed on his cigarette as the last of the winds died down,
and a small wisp danced from the tip. A series of questions arose in
his head but he brushed them away, he had to get this young lady, in a
large blue coat into safety. He walked for a few more iles before he
came across a deserted town called Burken. This town he had never
heard of, and by the size of it, was nothing to begin with. He
readjusted both the cross and the girl and found a place to make a
makeshift refuge.

-7-

A soft grunt could be hear from across the darken room, Andora open
her eyes and could only make out the cherry of a smoldering cigarette.
Fear clouded her mind, so speaking was out of the question. She lay
there wondering where her clothes were and where she was. Another
grunt came from the person nodding off in the corner, her eye caught
the splash of sparks as the cigarette landed on the floor.

"Damn...was my last one too..." a soft voice whispered as a foot came
atop the smoldering butt. Andora heard the person, a man by his soft
voice, move around and stand, followed by soft footsteps, a face came
into view. He was leaning close examining her face.
" Your awake I see..." He spoke gently; she nodded the only thing she
was able to do right now. "Don't worry about your clothes, you were
pretty banged up so I had to take them off, don't get upset...I'm a
man of God." He smiled. A sweet gesture towards her she relaxed a
little. He sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his jacket and
placed it around her shoulders, she closed it, his white shirt was
loose on him, and opened at the top, her eyes were caught on the gleam
of the silver cross on his choker. She blinked a few times, and looked
to his smiling face. The room was dimly lit by one of the three moons,
a soft dull blue pool of light in the room, it caused her steal gray
blue eyes to shimmer oddly, the man blinked and looked to her eyes.

" Names Nichols D. Wolfwood, Miss..." He said holding out a hand, she
placed her pale one in his and opened her mouth to say something, but
nothing came out, she closed it. "Don't you have a name?"

" I...I can't...remember..." She nearly whispered out her eyes distant
in a far off distance. He watched her face with somewhat lazy interest
then shrugged his shoulders and sighed. He pushed of the bed and
walked to the door.

"I think I have some clothes that would fit you..." He said looking
over his shoulder. "Once your dressed, we'll go get some lunch." She
turned and looked at him and nodded, once he was out the room and the
door was closed she looked at her hands, she eyed the soft contours of
the palms and followed the wrist to her forearms, which were heavily
bandaged. She sighed and moves to stand, the floor was gritty, but she
shakily stood on her feet and walked to the window, the priests jacket
tightly draw around her body. She stared out the window and saw the
soft purple touches of morning to form. She wondered where she was,
who she was, and what happened to her. Her thoughts were just starting
to wheel about madly when the door opened and a light came on. She
turned around and saw the preacher man walking in with some clothing
folded in his hand.

" I found some clothes...they should fit." He said handing the stack
over to her, she looked at it and nodded. "Eh... ohm..." He stammered
before clearing his throat and walking into the hall for a smoke.

The clothing he had given her were a pair of gray sweat pants and a
white t-shirt. He hoped they fit. Wolfwood reached into his pants
pocket and pulled out a near broken cigarette butt and placed it to
his lips when the door opened and the girl stepped out. The shirt was
large on her and slightly hung off her shoulders, the pants were also
big on her, but she could manage till she got her clothes fixed, he
thought. He pushed off the wall and turned to her, she held his coat
out to him.

" Thank you miss..." He said the cigarette bobbing with each word, he
slip his jacket on and buttoned it. "Shall we..." He said turning, she
nodded and began to follow him outside to what would be the front. The
whole way there something nagged at the back of Wolfwood's mind, he
kept thinking to himself that there was something about this girl.

-8-

"Hi Mr.Vash!" The familiar shrill voice of the tall Milly shrieked
sweetly from across the street, Vash could feel his muscles tense
immediately, if Milly was here, so was Meryl. He turned around and
lifted his hand into the air and passed off a convincing smile as he
called back to the bubbly sandy brunette across the way.

"Hello Milly!" He cheerfully greeted, when he opened his blue eyes
from behind his yellow glasses he saw Milly running across the street,
but no short raven haired lady with her. "That's strange..." Vash
commented softly to himself and shrugged.

"Mr.Vash I've been looking everywhere for you!" She chimed. "Sempai
wants you to meet her at the Café...something about the village you
created havoc in last week." She smiled in her lost, yet sweet way.
Vash felt his eye twitch, on the more resent occasion he had found
Meryl a little more than annoying. All he could do was nod, before
Milly darted off saying something about pudding. She is one strange
lady...He thought in his head when he felt an icy chill run through
him. No... He thought, Can't be him He looked around for his brother
but saw no one, then the feeling faded. He shrugged his shoulders and
took off after Milly, wondering what Meryl wanted this time.

"Yes... let the darkness make you sleep...let the power feed...and
become one with you." Knives cooed to the body in his cradled arms as
he lifted it form the floor." Soon you will be the key element in the
destruction of all that is weak..." he spoke softly as he set Andora's
body down on the bed, with something of care. He stood up and let the
meaningless flannel drop to the floor with a soft rustle; he leaned
over the unconscious Andora. "Mmm...such a sweet thing..." He caressed
her cheek softly, then ran a hand through his untamed mute blonde
hair. "You will be more deadly in this game..." He chuckled darkly.
Knives walked to a corner of the dusty room, and stood looking at the
limp body on the bed, and he felt something in him, a stir. "She does
look like you..." He spoke. "But no matter... I command her." His
breathing somewhat sped up, as he paced at this distance, he licked
his lips and watched her from the corner of his eye. She stirred and
he became motionless, he even held his breath as she slowly sat up her
eyes closed.

Andora sat up somewhat slumped over her eyes closed, she moved
somewhat oddly, she made a low groaning noise, and brought a hand up
to her head. She ran a delicate hand through her bangs and back along
her hair, she slid it down the long braid until the end was in her
hand, she undid the lengthy braid, and her hair came out wavy. It's
cascaded over her shoulder and she slid the blue jacket off, till she
was in her black bra top and chaps, her guns glittered, she lifted her
face to Knives, she stepped back slowly, and cautiously. She slowly
slid her eyes open, and focus on him, her eyes were nearly all white
only a small hint of blue in them, and a cold dead gleam was there,
she almost looked like a completely different person, a small
seductively evil smile crept upon her soft pink lips. She slid forward
onto her knees and crawled to the end of the bed, her kohl black hair
sliding around her bare shoulders.

"Knives.... Knives..." She seemed to beckon with promise of dark
desires, her eyes glittering and cold, Knives felt a strong surge of
power in him, of passion, of lust...and desire. He felt himself move
to her silken voice, go to her. When he reached her, her eyes seemed
to caress him, and he reached a hand to stroke her cheek and it was
cold, she leaned into it and stood on her knees and came face to face
with him. "Master..." She exhaled. Knives lifted his head as she
brushed cold lips against his throat, and once in his life did he feel
vulnerable, as Andora kissed his neck. Finally he sighed out.

"Andora.... I have a mission...for you..." and he told her how he
wanted her to kill, to destroy this town. At that same time the two
insurance girls were on their way out of town following Vash, one
giving him a headache not even a mile out of the town. That night a
blood bath would occur in that town, and Andora would remember
nothing. The only evidence to the massacre would be her name, written
in blood on the floor in a bar.

-9-

"Vash! Stop drooling over that girl and get over here!!" The short
black haired lady with the white suit yelled stomping over to a
visibly smitten Vash. She waved her finger in his face and yelled
making him throw up his hands in surrender. "You are nothing but a
male chauvinist pig...all you want is A and T!!!" She bellowed out
wildly and apparently pissed beyond comprehension.

Does this woman EVER shut up...? What is she saying? It's like the
thing that never shut up... Jeeez...He rolled his eyes and sighed, he
turned his back on her and placed his hands at the base at his skull.
He began walking away without the lady noticing. He kept walking till
her voice was nearly completely vanished. Without warning there was no
sound. Huh? Vash turned around slowly and say Milly leaning over
whispering something to Meryl, he watched as Meryl nodded once and
took off with Milly.

"What was that about? " He questioned himself. "No matter means she's
gone now! " He laughed his trademark laugh and clapped his hands
together." Now for me to get a date!!" He took off after a pretty girl
who happened across his way "Oh miss...oh miss!"

Knives was standing 100 iles out of the town that Andora had
obliterated, she was standing right behind him, with Legato on the
left. She was tall and sleek her hair down and flowing on the wind.
They stood there on the cliff top looking at the town.

"I can still hear it...the sweet song of their pain, their fruitless
cries for mercy..." Knives exhaled bringing his hands up in front of
him. "Those sweet cries for mercy from god...Can you hear them too
Rem...? " He chuckled out. He stood there listening to the souls
bleeding away from their carcasses.

"Forgive me master...but soon the news will travel of the ladies
deeds..." Legato's soft silken tone seethed out from him. The man was
bowed with one hand over his stomach, his blue hair covering an eye,
the other golden eye looking up to the back of Knives. Legato spoke
with an eloquent accent and spoke softly, he wore a white trench of
sorts, one shoulder had a skull the other some spikes, and he bowed
before Knives, his master.

" Yes...you're right..." Knives turned and faced Andora. He walked to
her and placed a hand on her cheek and leaned close to her, she looked
into his light blue eyes with her cold ones. He looked deep into those
eyes and felt that feeling again, the one where he felt so vulnerable.

"Knives...." She breathed out between soft pink lips; she leaned
upwards and brushed them across his lips, "Master..." she exhaled,
inviting him into a kiss. With that she slumped down into his arms, he
caught her and looked down at her.

"A pity really...she is so strong... and so valuable...I must leave
her now..." Knives said laying her down on the cliff edge, and draping
the jacket over her body.

-10-

"Vash the Stampede how on earth could you have done this without us
knowing!" Meryl's loud annoying voice radiated through the tent like a
shockwave. His hands were behind his head, his trademark yellow
glasses hiding his shuteyes; yes Vash was asleep in his chair.

" VASH! Did you hear a word I've said?" She shrieked slamming a hand
on the desk.

"EYAH!!!" He jumped nearly falling out his chair and came to perfect
attention. "Yes sir! Scrub the toilets! Sir!" He chuckled as she
started to wail again, he made a hasty retreat to the saloon across
the street. "Jeez, she sure gets angry fast..." He kept walking, right
into the bar where no one seemed to pay mind to him, sitting down at
the bar top, he looked around. "Oh Barkeep?"

"What you want?" A rather gruff looking man replied walking over,
wiping his hands on a dingy dishrag.

"Eh hem...I'd like some wild turkey please?" Offering a dashing and
innocent smile.

"You got money..." The man wheezed, then hawked and spit on the floor.

"Noo." Vash looked at the spot where the man spit and blinked.

"No hand outs asshole..." The man barked and smacked Vash's hands off
the bar top. Vash whimpered and walked out, only to run into Milly and
Merle, both their faces white.

"Vash.... where were you just now?" Merle asked, blank face...and
ugly. Just her expression alone made Vash wince.

"In the bar! I swear!" He whined.

"Mr.Vash..."Milly's voice trembled "Their...there has been..." Her
voice cracked, Vash looked at her in bewilderment.

"A massacre Vash..." Merle said not blinking, the night was cold, and
their breaths came out in puffs of smoke. "An entire town has been
obliterated. Not a soul is alive there..."

"W-w-what?" Vash stammered her eyebrows furrowing, immediately he
though of his brother. Knives you asshole...how could you...how. "Was
there...any...evidence?"

"Yes...in blood...in a bar...on the floor...was a name. Andora..."

"We don't know who Andora is Mr.Vash! Do you?" Milly jumped in.