Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Tolerant Patience ❯ Moderation ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Notes:

Disclaimer: I will never own Trigun. . . Unless I become a multi-billionaire then I may buy its license and happiness may reign supreme!! ……… Or maybe not.. -_-* This is for my and other's enjoyment. I don't get anything, but happiness from completing it.

Just in case, you were confused………

\Insert noise\ = Mechanical devices

"Insert word(s)" = Talking

-- Insert thought(s) -- = Thoughts directed to certain telepathic people aimed to be picked up. I.e. hold a conversation without moving lips.

/ Insert thought(s) / = Captive person's thoughts.. (ex. Rin controls someone briefly that's what she hears.. it has a distinct quality to it that is different from thoughts directed to her.)

>Insert thought(s) > = Intruding thoughts pushed in from telepathic person.

On with the story!

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Damn it.

Where is she?

In my mind, I could see her. Her hair was blond, but it was debatable what type. Outside it was sunny blond; indoors, it was pale golden brown. At 5'9", she seemed almost too boyish and lanky to be female. She looked to be about 17 years old, but her chest was undersized, almost as if she hadn't hit puberty.

And she had to be older than 17 because most of the time, if she wasn't tending to my wounds she was mothering me! Like some middle-aged woman!!

Confusing, eh?

Now, Rin said she had business to attend to and that I couldn't follow. I smirked, remembering what she said.

'I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides this is a personal matter and you promised me that you wouldn't interfere with anything I pronounced "personal".'

I argued that I had been drunk at the time, but she ended the conversation by forcibly making me stay within the borders of her land. Figuratively, think being attached to a long rope stuck to a pole; I have to remain within 10 yarz of the house. Except instead of the rope snapping back to stop me, I black out and then find myself standing facing inwards at the doorway of the house again.

It's damn annoying.

She didn't have to fence me in.

It's not like I would've tracked after her. Really.

I stretched, popping my back. Besides, she's been gone for, what, almost a week now? Of course I'd be worried.

Well, I guess there's not much I can do but wait… hmm, if only there was someone here to talk to… actually, I'm more inclined to listen and give advice.

Well, as luck would have it she runs a sort of orphanage…I guessed, it was more like a halfway home for troubled teens. I wasn't allowed to go visit them without her around.

I'm not sulking!

There's just someone I want to see. To talk to.

I guess I'm just worried about him.

But it's not like those kids don't have anyone to watch over them, she could've easily locked 'em in, like with me.

Who cares!! I'm stuck; just stop thinking about it.

I miss the others but she warned me that it wasn't safe. I've lived with danger before… I had to take care of that pacifistic airhead. You can't stop evil just by forcing your beliefs on them and dodging bullets. It's nearly impossible.

But, he managed it anyway. That tiny voice inside my head said.

Well, none of that matters now, does it?

I hope he hasn't gotten himself blown up; I'm sure the girls could take good care of him, unless… he left them behind in fear of their safety.

There was a slam of the door.

"I'm baaa~ck!"

I was immediately there.

"Took you long enough, Rin. Where were y…" My eyes narrowed.

"So Chapel's alive, I see. A pet of yours?" The bastard smirked.

What the hell was he doing here??

"No, Legato. He was severely wounded and is still recuperating." She waved her arm forward. "Come in."

I moved forward, blocking his path. " What the hell are you thinking, Rin??"

She held her hand up. "Nick, not now. We have to get inside first."

" Why?"

>He's wounded and harmless now. > "Because I'm hungry."

--How?--

I took note of his disheveled appearance.

"Nothing's ready and we're running low on food."

>Got into a fight with Vash. He's on a very short leash right now. So he's all talk. > "We'll just have to make a run into town then."

Without taking my eyes off of him, I moved aside and closed the door behind him.

" He's a cold-blooded killer of innocents." I stated.

He smiled. "Innocents? Since when have humans been innocent? We purge the land and steal life from the Plants. Do we even have the right to enslave them and slowly kill them off in order to live?"

"People don't know that Plants are sentient!" I retorted.

"Ignorance does not excuse our sins. Moreover, our time has come to an end for living selfishly." His eyes seemed to mock me. "We will all die and then Master Knives may live contently in his dream of paradise."

"Right. Then, he would finally capture Vash and they would both be happy, too?" I barked a laugh out. "You're so full of it. You and I both know that Vash wouldn't be happy without humanity."

"Master Knives is pleased. He is very pleased, now. I have given him exactly what he wanted; Vash the Stampede is going to voluntarily deliver himself shortly." He clutched is left arm, almost as if to stroke it. "So much pain. Yes, I think Master Knives will be very pleased."

What's he babbling about?

"Knives asked for eternal pain and suffering of Vash by your execution, didn't he?"

So Rin knew what was going on but…

--What do you mean? --

"…" Legato was silent.

>Vash has never killed directly. Unlike you, Nick. > "You do realize, Legato, that Vash has no intention of letting this slide by. He's going after Knives."

--Legato did WHAT?-- I was pissed, to put it mildly. And concerned. "For blood?"

>Knives wanted Legato to make Vash kill him. This would cause Vash mental distress. Legato was partially successful. Vash.. Vash thinks that he killed Legato in the head at point-blank range. > She then whispered. "I don't know."

Legato seemed to stiffen slightly.

"That's why I have to go and make sure that they don't end up killing each other. " She got that look on her face. A look I had seen so often on Vash's face for the briefest of moments, when he was remembering something painful.

"I promised her that much."

She closed her eyes and tilted her head almost as if she could hear something that we couldn't.

"Enough of this. Nick, make something for dinner. Sufficient to feed three people, okay? Preferably nutritious."

She shooed me away as if to emphasize that I should leave now.

I was just about to do as she asked, until I heard the next sentence leave her mouth.

"Legato. Follow me to the bathroom. Need to get those wounds tended."

"Rin!" I hissed.

"Shut up, Nick. I'm sick of this, alright? I'm tired of people getting hurt. Let grudges lie or your own wounds will never heal completely."

Then, she left through the doorway connecting to the hallway. I heard her clamber upstairs.

"she's caged you." I heard that smooth voice ring out quietly.

I promptly bit down a couple of comebacks. He was obviously trying to grate my nerves on purpose.

Keyword: TRY.

"You're right," I smiled sweetly, "hell of a lot better than being dead."

"Oh." He murmured snidely. "I had the impression that you hated being controlled."

It's not like she forces me to kill people or run into a suicide fight.

I rolled my shoulders at him. "Don't you have to get your injuries treated?"

He frowned. "I do not need to be treated if I am to die shortly after mass genocide of our race."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. For a second there I forgot you were a masochist."

He stood there, in an almost brooding manner.

I placed both my hands on my hips. "I would get up there if you don't want to be dragged." I grinned knowingly. "From my own firsthand experience, she is very capable of doing it."

"what the f*** are you doing?! Leave me alone! There's nothing to be done. Can't you leave a dying man in peace?" I coughed some. Blood seeped from between my lips.

"Nope. I was never good at giving up on hopeless causes." She smiled.

"f***, that hurts." Was I supposed to be angry or surprised? A weak looking girl had just picked me up and slung me over her shoulders in the middle of a church as I sat waiting for death.

"Of course, it does. It means you're alive." That damned smile reminded me too much of him. The way it seemed to melt all your worries away.

I felt bad that I was going to leave him… No, all of them behind. More mourning, more pain. Why? Why did that have to happen to him? What made him so special?

True, he was a complete dork at times, but it seemed selfish of fate to cause so much pain onto Vash.

"We're here." She gently placed me on a bed, and went to the other side of the room. I thought she was looking for something.

Wait, bed? I blinked dumbly.

Since when was I in a room? Did I pass out?

And, how did she get past Vash? Didn't he follow me?

She put a bag of medical gear next to the bed I was residing in.

She began peeling off my clothes.

"What're you doing??"

Geeeez! I was injured here!

"Stripping you down. Did you think I could fix your gunshot wounds just by wrapping cotton gauze around your shirt?" Wincing, she completely took off my shirt. " No wonder you thought you were going to die." She chuckled trying to distract me.

She pulled out a canteen from the bag.

"Here drink this. This will ease the pain."

"Whatever." I took the opened canteen and downed the whole thing.

The next thing I knew I woke up bandaged and sore. She had to have drugged me liberally.

I grinned. Damn, stubborn woman. Hopeless causes indeed.

But why Legato of all people? Why help someone when there was nothing to save?

That's what has always bothered me about her.

How she could be so damn selfless, like Vash.

Did I even thank her?-No, and she saved my ass back there, too.

Damn.

" Well?" I asked.

"…" He frickin' moved like a specter the way he seemed to glide over the floor. But thankfully, I heard the soft padding of his feet climbing the stairs.

I walked into the kitchen. I mentally named and figured the amount of ingredients I needed to create a balanced meal. It was going to be a stretch, but I could make it happen.

I sighed and set to work.